Page 4 of Scot of Seduction

“Ah!” she yelped as a whistle of a bolt suddenly struck through the air.

Tad pushed her down behind him. She practically fell to her knees, his hand on her shoulder as he acted as her shield, facing down the trees.

The whistle of the bolt was followed by an angry bellow.

“Get them,” someone roared from the trees.

Two hooded figures stepped out from behind the tree trunks, one already reloading his crossbow as the other drew out a sword from his belt.

“Dae me a favor and obey one order fer once in yer life, Cat,” Tad hissed. He grabbed her arm and drew her to her feet again, then turned his back to her and faced the men. “Leave this tae me.”

CHAPTER TWO

Tad rested his hands in his weapons belt, stepping in front of Catreena in the hope that he was blocking her completely as his gaze rested on their attackers.

Nae Cat. Ye will nae put a hand on her.

He was breathing heavily now, like a bull ready to charge, as he stared at the men. He knew this day would come. Grant soldiers had been seen often enough sneaking into the Mackintosh clan as of late, it would only have been so long before they got this close to the castle.

The man with the crossbow raised the weapon ready to fire, then he shifted it, clearly aiming for Catreena.

Tad reached back. In one swift movement, he grabbed her wrist and lunged to the side with her. They landed in the boggy reeds together, their booted feet struggling in the mud, as the bolt whistled passed them and landed in the water of the loch.

“Dimwit,” the man with the sword muttered to the other. “Leave it tae me.” He stepped forward, swishing his sword through the air. In Tad’s mind, he was a man who knew how to posture with a sword, but that didn’t necessarily mean he knew how to use one.

Tad reached for the dirk he carried in his own belt and raised it high, clipping the man’s shoulder so deeply that he staggered back, dropping the sword. A bellow of pain erupted, and as his friend went to check on him, Catreena took the opportunity to try and escape out the other side of the marshy bog, to the other part of the bank. Tad followed her, keeping his eyes on the men at all times.

The one with the crossbow raised his weapon again, bearing yet another arrow. This time, he fired too quickly for Tad to be able to do much about it.

He pulled on the back of Catreena’s skirt, managing to get her out of the way in time, but as he swung the two of them around, causing her to fall into his arms, the arrow caught the side of his arm.

He grunted, hissing in pain through his teeth as he felt the arrowhead tear his shirt and whip past his skin. There would be blood, he knew that, but it was not bad.

He thrust Catreena onto her feet again, only catching a glimpse of her expression in the moonlight, though it was enough to make him suddenly aware of the pounding of her heart.

Her blue eyes were wide with fear.

A fury took over him like nothing else he had ever experienced.

He reached into the back of his weapons belt, lifting out his own crossbow. It was smaller than his foe’s, more accurate, and much more deadly. With a bolt slipped into place within a second, he fired it at the two men. It struck his assailant in the shoulder, knocking him with such startling force, that he dropped his weapon and fell backwards.

“Time tae go,” Tad called to Catreena and grabbed her hand.

“Dae ye have tae hold me hand!?”

“Nae the time fer this!” he snapped back and shot off through the forest. He kept the crossbow in his other hand, ready to use it if needed, as they ran between the trees, darting over scrambling tree roots and great clumps of wild garlic. He could feel Catreena struggling to keep up with his pace, but he didn’t slow down. They needed to get as far away from there as possible, and as quickly as they could.

There could be others waiting for us.

He spied his horse through the branches, the reins tied to the tree where he had left it. When he’d arrived at the castle, he’d caught sight of Catreena running off and had turned his horse to follow her instead.

As they reached the horse, the animal snorted in greeting. Tad took hold of Catreena’s waist and practically tossed her into the saddle.

“Och!” she exclaimed, struggling to sit straight. “I can climb intae a saddle meself. I am nae completely incapable, Tad.”

“Ye say that now?” He scoffed as he snatched up the reins and stepped into the stirrup. With some difficulty, he managed to pull himself up in front of her. She was forced with the way he had tipped the saddle to sit flush against him, her front to his back. “Hold on tight. As if we were lovers.” His tone was a little playful through the anger, though it was only momentary as he looked back through the trees.

There’s someone there. One of the men have recovered and come after us.