Page 1 of Highlander’s Dangerous Gambler

Prologue

He was behind her.

Aileen Duncan tightened the reins and urged her white gelding to go faster. Flattening herself against the back of her horse, she tried her hardest not to look at the man behind her.

He was gaining speed. Soon, he would be neck and neck. She needed to get ahead. But this was easier said than done.

The blood from her injured arm was in full flow. And a dull ache from her ribs told her that was not all. She was injured, and badly. Moving anywhere was hard, let alone at speed. The thick armor did not allow for much flexibility. In fact, it did not allow for any, as she was fast finding out.

Breaths coming harder, Aileen bade the horse to go faster, as the blue horizon hurtled ever closer. It was quiet now, all in the glenside calm and still, save for her and him. Aileen shot a glance toward the man.

He was still there. Swiftly, she moved her eyes, not wishing to linger on his unwavering gaze.

"Hurry, White Star," she begged. Inside, her heart pounded faster. The hooves were getting closer.

She could not look. He was there; she could feel it. His shadow cast hard over the dirt track like a raincloud. Aileen grasped the reins tightly. Sweat poured from her hands, seeping into her leather gauntlets.

"Stop!"

The man's voice crackled through the air. But despite his closeness, it was hard to judge its intent. Was he angry or just concerned?

Either way, Aileen didn't want to find out. Urging the gelding on faster, Aileen screwed up her face and headed for the hills beyond.

The gash in her arm throbbed painfully, blood collecting in her sleeve. And from the stabbing pains inside, it was not her only injury. But for now, her only thoughts were on escaping.

"Slow doon, lad!" huffed the man. His eyes sparkled out at her like blue diamonds.

Aileen tried her hardest not to look, but it was impossible not to. They pierced the air around them, drawing her in. "Ye'll only regret it, ye wee scunner...so get here!!"

Fat chance,thought Aileen. But the man did not give up. Now his breath was on the back of her neck. Gaining ground, he barked some more. She didn't hear the words, but his tone spoke for itself.

The second her bascinet was off, the game would be up. He would see her for who she was. And God knows what would happen then!

"Giddy up, lad," she muttered under her breath. She tried to sound calm, but inside she was anything but. Her heart was pounding almost as fast as the horse's hooves.

He was going to grab her. She was sure. In despair, Aileen screwed up her eyes.

And for a minute, she thought she had made it. Wind racing by her ears, Aileen clung on as if her life depended on it.

It did.

Then, the world went very fast. Did she swerve, or did her horse stumble? All she knew was she was flying through the sky like a lark.

It was fast—so fast that she could not scream, at least at the start. Then, seemingly without realizing it, her voice pierced the hills for miles around. He must have heard it. The sound of her echo rang all around, bouncing off the hills as it did; high and unmistakably female. Surely there could be no hiding now.

But he was a secondary concern. Just staying conscious was hard enough. Hot pain burned through her.

Then smack!

She landed facefirst onto something cold and hard. The hurt was so all-encompassing she could not tell where it came from; just pain searing through her like nothing she had ever known. It blew like a fierce wind—hot and dry, leaving her shaking in its wake.

Facedown, Aileen groaned as in the distance, White Star sped away. How she wished she had never left the safety of the Duncan tower! Now she was helpless before him.

Cursing fearfully, she tensed.

He stopped his horse and was coming toward her, his footsteps pounding, tense and hard...

But she did not see him. Not really.

The only thing she remembered was his eyes, bright and shining at her.

This was it.

She was dead.