It cannae be.
“Then ye will meet yer match today,” Liam countered, his grip tightening.
“I daenae think I will, Laird MacDougal,” the man replied, the tip of his knife pressing harder against Katherine’s skin. “I have been trainin’ for years to find ye and right the wrongs that yer father inflicted on me. I am here to avenge me sister’s death, and willnae leave until I do.”
Blackbeard Jack Kidd, the Pirate Laird.
“I was wonderin’ when ye’d arrive, Kidd,” Liam spat, inching closer.
He needed to get Katherine out of the man’s grasp. If he could create an opening for her, she could duck away. Then, he could kill this man and put an end to the constant worry of their arrival. He could stop the war that he had inherited.
“But before I end yer life…” Kidd said as he moved in closer. His chin was pressed against Katherine’s temple, keeping her so close she couldn’t possibly find an opening to escape him. “… I will end her life. Ye care about her, do ye nae? It’s an eye for an eye.”
Something in Liam broke at his declaration. He refused to be the reason that Katherine lost her life. All of his control seemed to vanish, and the only thing he cared about was killing the pirate for threatening his wife’s life.
Liam took a slow, deliberate step forward. His grip shifted on his hilt, no longer defensive. He intended to attack Blackbeard Jack Kidd and end his life. He would sacrifice himself before letting the other man even scratch Katherine.
“Nay!” Katherine cried, her voice echoing through the glen as Kidd’s grip on her tightened.
“Daenae come any closer,” the pirate warned as he pressed his dagger more firmly against Katherine’s chest. “If ye do, that will be the end of her.”
Before Liam could make another move, there was a great crashing noise coming from the trees behind him. A horse whinnied, crying out even louder than the men had during their struggle with Liam. Then, bursting forth with fire in his eyes and his hooves slamming into the dirt, Brimstone appeared.
The animal ran straight toward them, looking as if he were possessed. His attention appeared to be solely on Kidd and the hold he had on Katherine. He didn’t slow down, not even as he got closer to Liam.
Thinking quickly, Liam rolled out of the way, getting back to his feet just in time to see Brimstone rearing at the pirate. Brimstone practically roared, the sound of pure, animalistic rage echoing through the glen. He was determined, it seemed, to save his favorite person.
Kidd had no option other than to release Katherine, his arms coming up to shield his face as Brimstone continued his assault. She shuffled away, taking every bit of space that the horse was creating for her.
When Katherine had moved far enough away, Brimstone’s hooves returned to the ground. As though he’d been trained forwar, the animal placed himself between her and the pirate. His nostrils flared as he stomped his foot, snorting and grunting in an obvious effort to get the man to back off.
Liam took the opening, surging forward while the Pirate Laird was distracted by the horse. He moved like a storm rolling in over the Highland hills, invading Kidd’s space so quickly he didn’t have a chance to react until Liam was already swinging. By some stroke of luck, Kidd pulled his sword just in time to keep himself from losing a limb.
“Ye really think ye can defeat me?” he demanded, pressing forward aggressively, guided by years of burning, festering anger. “I will slaughter ye and that horse and the lass.”
“I willnae let ye,” Liam spat as the steel of their weapons collided once more.
Kidd let out a savage growl, his movements becoming wilder as he continued his assault. Liam kept himself steady, his anger sharpening him into a living, breathing weapon. For each unpredictable strike Kidd dealt, Liam countered it with a precise block.
“Ye bastard,” Kidd cried, throwing an elbow toward Liam as he reared back once more.
The hard edge of bone collided with Liam’s forearm, throwing him off for half a second. He recovered quickly, jumping back just as Kidd lunged at him again. His footing was solid, his heels digging into the mud as he poised himself to strike back.
Kidd overcorrected, his balance thrown off by the wild swing. Taking the opportunity he was given, Liam made his move. Raising his sword and leading with his shoulder, Liam shot forward.
When the blade connected with the Pirate Laird’s neck, the man jerked back. Somehow, he remained standing though he was losing blood quickly, the entire front of his shirt soaked and sticking to him. But, as his arms slowly lifted, he toppled over, landing on the wet ground and folding into himself as his skin grew paler and paler.
“Ye made a mistake comin’ onto me land,” Liam scoffed, watching as the last bit of life faded from the body before him.
Once he was sure the fight was over and that all four men who had tried to abduct and kill Katherine were truly dead, he turned to check on her.
Brimstone was still firmly in place, standing in front of Katherine and eyeing the dead pirate. He’d stopped his thrashing, seeming to understand that the danger had passed. When Liam approached, he took a few steps away, letting him walk toward the woman they were both protecting.
* * *
Katherine took a few unsteady steps toward Liam. She could feel the frantic energy of the day catching up with her. Just as her knees gave out, his arms came around her, holding her tightly against his chest.
“I’ve got ye,” he said, one arm wrapped around her waist, the other resting on the center of her back. “Just breathe.”
