Page 60 of Highlander’s Sweet Poison

“Aye,” the guard bellowed. “Laird Armstrong.”

“We have reports of an activity sighted over the border. Graeme has ordered all guards to meet him there to scour the woods.”

“My orders are to stay here,” the guard protested, looking at Graeme for his cues.

“The villain wouldnae dare return to his home. Come. ‘Tis getting dark, and we must hurry.”

There was a show of loud footsteps as the guard moved from his sport, and Graeme waved everyone out of sight. Quickly, they all ducked behind buildings while Graeme, Creighton, and Tearloch crouched beneath windows and waited.

Silence descended, and the minutes passed as if they were each an agonizing eternity, but eventually, there was a sound of wood clattering against wood, and footsteps.

“Fools,” Art chuckled from the window. A minute later, there was a grunt and a few thumps as it sounded like Art was dragging something across the floor.

Jillian.

They jumped into action, crashing through the door with their swords raised. Art was poised over Jillian, an empty vial in his hand as green liquid dripped down her face.

He’d poisoned her.

“Step away from her!” Graeme lunged in a panic, unwilling to give Art time to comply or hurt her further. The two men crashed to the floor, and Alexina and Annella both raced to Jillian.

“What do we do?” Alexina asked as she cradled Jillian's head. “How do we help ye?”

“We must get the same thing that she gave to Christy and compel her to vomit the liquid back up,” Annella said resolutely. “Kylie, go get her back. ‘Tis still at my home. Hurry!”

Art was far stronger than he looked, and armed. As he and Graeme rolled across the floor, he managed to disarm Graeme and produce a dagger. “Ye will never have her,” Art hissed, a horrifying crazed gleam in his eye. “She will love me!”

Even if they hadn’t been surrounded by Graeme’s guards, Art didn’t stand a chance; Graeme would let nothing keep him from the woman he loved. In a burst of raw power, he grabbed Art’s hand and plunged his own dagger into his belly, rolling the man to the floor.

“Only she can give her heart away,” he said heavily as he watched the surprised look on Art’s face start to fade. “But even if it is never mine, I will protect it.”

Turning, he hurried back to his wife. Her eyes were open now, and she turned her head and spat out the green liquid. Coughing, she weakly pushed herself up. “Water,” she whispered.

Creighton already had a glass waiting for her and handed it to her. “Do ye need yer bag?”

After swishing the water around, she spat it back out. “Nay. When I saw how much he intended to give me, I swallowed as little as possible. I will feel the effects of it soon, but he would have given me a fatal dose.”

“What will it do?” Graeme knelt beside her and helped her up to a sitting position. “What can I do to help?”

Reaching up, she curved a hand around his face. “Take me to bed.”

29

Her skin was so very hot, and she ached like never before, but even though she spent a strange amount of time passing between wake and sleep, her husband was there.

And he would not give her the relief that she wanted.

She’d invested enough of the aphrodisiac to feel its powerful effects, and she needed him, but still, he denied her, touching her only with his fingers to help her when she became unbearable.

When the feelings finally subsided, she felt only shame and closed her eyes, feigning sleep. It was easier that way. Although her husband hadn’t left the room, the fact that he hadn’t wanted to bed her made her feel sick inside.

Had Art done more than she thought? Was Graeme tired of finding her in the villainous clutches of other men?

“According to the book, when the flush subsides from the skin, the symptoms will fade,” A familiar voice said. Annella? “So she should awaken soon. There is nothing listed about ill-effects unless she’d taken too much of the liquid.”

“Ye have had yer nose in that journal all day,” Graeme murmured. “Ye are enjoying yerself.”

“‘Tis hard to enjoy myself knowing what Jillian is going through, but the knowledge found in these books empowers me. I felt so powerless watching Christy waste away, and I dinnae ever want to feel that way again. When Jillian is better, I intend to ask her to teach me.”