A Fall From Grace. Mail Order Bride Western Read online

  “Am I to be held prisoner?” she asked him directly.

  “Don’t be silly,” he replied with a smile. “But you are to ask permission. And unless it’s reasonable, you really should be where I can lay eyes on you. And don’t be changing the subject on me. Of course there would be no restriction on you if you could but convince me what actually happened. You wouldn’t be covering for anyone would you?”

  Fiona shook. Something about the tone of his voice made her want to offer herself to him. She wanted to be devoured by him. If she had to live in the fur and stone and wood appointed quarters of Laird David, so be it. There were worst fates.

  “Against you? Not ever. I would never protect anyone against you. I am loyal. I am faithful,” she protested.

  He pressed a solid finger against her lips. She could feel his strength even in the slightest touch. And she had lied. She had covered herself against him. She wasn’t sure if she was indeed protecting the tacks man after all.

  “Someone has,” he arched an eyebrow at her.

  “Wasn’t me,” she insisted.

  “Strange though your stories don’t match,” he said evenly.

  “Because they saw things I didn’t?” she asked. “Isn’t it possible two different things happened? That your tacks man--”

  Fiona froze. She had made a serious slip.

  “Come clean at once,” he ordered.

  She noted the predacious look in his eye. It was impossible to miss. She knew it would only be a matter of time till he wrangled the truth out of her.

  “I saw men, Laird. There were two groups,” she replied with her most innocent look on her face. “One led by your tacks man and one as you approached. But I swear I do not know what happened to any of them.”

  “You saw men?” he said tilting his head.

  Fiona was very aware that he was trying to trip up her words.

  She didn’t see men at all. She saw winged beasts with broad planning wingspans and gnarling faces. They were hardly men. They were most certainly not human.

  “And these men chased the women folk out into the forest?” he asked.

  “Yes, your tacks man –“she began.

  David shook his head. No.

  “He died,” said he. “He was not alive before I left. I can promise you.”

  Fiona swallowed hard. She did knew it was a mercy he did not explain himself.

  “I saw him,” she replied. “I am certain.”

  That was not a story. That part was true. Could he have risen from the dead to appear before her? Fiona clutched with fear.

  “Perhaps you don’t know him well,” he suggested.

  “He identified himself. I took him at his word. I had no reason not to. I have never met him before at all,” replied Fiona swallowing hard.

  “Very well,” David replied, eyeing her.

  Fiona threw her food down in a fit. She shoved back from the table.

  “Excuse me?” said David.

  “It has been very difficult enduring these weeks when you were away. Honestly, I’ve never saw you, not up close anyway, and if some of other person pushed through the forest and suddenly appeared on the grounds claiming to be you, I am not sure I wouldn’t know it was true or not. I don’t know it’s true now for that matter. How do I know you are not an imposter?”

  Chapter Four

  “Perhaps I should establish who I am with you so that there is no mistaking,” he said with a beguiling tone.

  “Perhaps you should,” she replied boldly.

  She wasn’t sure what had gotten into her. Facing head on with life and death matters, certain rules didn’t seem to apply. Fiona wanted what she wanted and she accepted what she needed.

  She had never been with a man before. Indeed she had never been kissed. Nor had she had any sort of counsel from the other women in the minor household. She heard some gossip, some delivered tight-lipped and some delivered with laughter that she knew had to do with what went on between a man and a woman. Beyond that, no information at all.

  And yet instinct took her. She followed the internal voice that told her to lie beneath him. It was easy to do for he was enormous. He rose up and over her and was virtual canopy of human flesh. His shoulders were broad, his arms massive. They rolled and popped with hard formed muscle that could no doubt endlessly wield a blade against his foe.

  Fiona allowed her knees to drift open. This pushed the heels of her feet together, a position which seem to make her insides hum. She ached for him to the core. He nestled between her propping up on his arms. If he let his full weight upon her, she would be crushed.

  But for such a large and powerful man, he was remarkably easy to lie beneath. As her chest brushed his, thrills washed her. Her breathing rose like the tide of the sea. Yea, he filled her with a tempest. She heard drums in her ears, her blood rushed. He seemed to enjoy the effect he had on her for he beamed at her. Regarded her with a perpetual smile.

  “You have never been with a man before, have you lass?” he asked softly.

  David stroked her hair softly.

  “Not such as you,” she replied.

  He arched his brow.

  “Nay not such as much but ever lass?” he asked with surprise.

  “Nay not ever laird,” she replied shyly.

  “Oh good,” he replied and kissed her sweetly on the forehead.

  He trailed his light kisses along the bridge of her nose, sidetracking to kiss her eyelids which closed from the wonder of his touch. Fiona was as euphoric this moment let David have his way with her as she had been frightened while he was away. His lips had a direct line on the deepest part of her. The sweet touch of his mouth made her insides draw up tight.

  She wrapped her legs up and around his backside. His hard length pressed against the soft center of her body. She hooked her ankles together and pressed him forward. He groaned. He guided her chin with the touch of his fingers, taking her mouth with his. The sweet penetration of his tongue inside of her was almost too much to tolerate.

  His wet hot heat gently sliced about, winding with her tongue, possessing her entirely. Fiona thought she might faint from the wonder of it. The two of them together was potent and just this side of supernatural.

  He moved his mouth down the side of her neck. Her tartan no on her, her tore dress baring her breasts for him to lavish sugared attention upon. His tongue was hot, while the moisture he trailed upon her skin there was cool. The mixture of sensations was devastating. Fiona could not help but cry out.

  “There, there lass,” he chuckled softly.

  And then he was merciless in his passionate onslaught, swept up the hem of her frock till her thighs were bare. Like a magician, he reach up underneath and removed her undergarments. She was naked as she had ever been before another human being that she could remember. Even with the women whose quarters she shared, she never bared herself before them.

  The heat he stirred within her gave her courage. She was not one bit shy in front of him. Something told her that he was not just taking her but claiming her. He undressed as well. His erection pressed against her soft inner thigh.

  She knew that he was going to join her but how and what to do after, she had no idea. He touched her with his fingers. Cautiously at first, just rimming the lips of her opening. He dipped his finger inside of her just slightly. Fiona clenched. She pressed her body against the bed but there was no shrinking away from him.

  He stroked her hair tenderly with one hand as he levered his member inside of her. He inserted just the tip and rested until she adjusted to the new feeling. It was exciting and a little frightening. But she wanted it. She wanted more. She nudged the small of his back with her feet and encouraged him forward.

  “Hang on, love,” he said.

  And he thrust forward into her until he could go no further. Fiona cried out with the sharp pain. Her eyelids fluttered as tears wet the corners of them. She laughed nervously. David planted his hot lips at the base of her neck until warm, wetness pooled at
her core. He moved within her with ease.

  He drove back and forth, tantalizing the spongy aroused flesh of her channel. She was on the brink of fainting it was so sweet. The way he stroked her, rocking her this way and that. Playfully. Erotically. A sugared pressure built within her, strange and wicked but alluring. She felt as though she were on a climb whose summit she wanted to reach.

  David must have been aware. He encouraged her.

  “Oh, does that feel good lass?” he asked in a seductive tone.

  She could only whimper her response. It did indeed.

  He seemed to know how to mix up his moves to bring on this building pleasure. He cupped the curves of her buttocks and took her deeper. Her core tightened around him in response. He did it again. And so did she. The clenching heightened the pleasure that flooded her entirely inside. It washed through her belly and pushed out to the top of her head and out her toes and fingers. She was consumed.

  David did not let up until Fiona had come completely undone. His thrusting rendered her to a total spasming mass. Every contraction against his hardness was utter ecstasy. She never knew such wonderfulness existed.

  Slight perspiration fell from him as he kissed her. He was enjoying himself for sure. She had no experience in these things, but she knew. She moved slightly and that was all it took. He roared and Fiona was certain he shook the roof. His massive, powerful body jerked and seized until he could move no more. He mercifully collapsed on the bed beside her.

  He reached for her, positioned her leg over his and kissed her tenderly. At first. It was not long before his fire was ablaze. She could feel his need for her, prodding her body. There was no mystery in their joining for her this time though this experience was a new as the prior one. He was inside of her again, working her hips back and forth with a steady fury until he burst within. He roared again and climaxed like the mighty warrior that he was.

  By the time they had spent their passion, the room was darkened with the end of day. Laird David slept.

  Chapter Five

  It would have seemed that what caused Laird David to nod off, wired Fiona like a pot of tea. She could not sleep. Her body was alive and exhilarated. But he did not sleep for long. He reached over to her, braced her with his powerful arm.

  “Can you sleep?” he said. “I have just the thing. Let’s take a walk. Bathe in the stream.”

  “But it’s late. It’s dark outside,” said Fiona.

  As she rose from the bed, her body was tender from being with him. Still she believed at this moment, she would go anywhere with him. She just wanted to be next to him. Alone. It did not matter.

  It would be a cold dip in the stream but a refreshing one. They dressed. She grabbed her tartan.

  Until she stepped out the door with him. The stars were amazing and white. The moon laced with black clouds was like a giant eye staring at her. Fiona was mesmerized. It was an ordinary moon – beautiful – and yet ordinary. As she gazed, she felt lift off.

  David pressed the small of her back and up they went. It wasn’t odd to her at first and then she looked down and saw that they were up and clearing the treetops. He shushed her. And then he was gone. A raven, shining and black spreading his wings and flapping them over the woods with Fiona securely situated against him.

  There was something erotic that the feeling of being up in the air created. It was sort of a ticklish sensation that sank straight to her core. She twisted her ankles around one another and clenched her thighs together. She had the strong urge to let go. She released the raven and fell freely. It felt wrong and right at the same time.

  As she plummeted her arousal increased. She was consumed in a sweet orgasm in no time. Fiona didn’t connect the idea that falling from such heights would mean her demise. But the raven who had become her vehicle, did. He swooped below her and buffeted her fall.

  She never heard David say anything. But she intuited that she should not let go of the creature again. Instead of gripping the rims of the wings she found herself bracing the tops of his shoulders. It was not a raven after all but David himself with black down tufts in a fine veil on top of his skin like hair.

  Big black wings like those of an angel rose from his shoulder blades and disappeared in the background of the black night. He gazed into her eyes almost lovingly and with a touch of scold. Fiona felt like a complete mischief.

  “Yes knew better than to do that,” he said.

  He clutched her buttocks and pulled her to him. He was hard for her and his erection pressed urgently at the apex of her legs, begging to be let in. Mid-air, she spread her legs and straddled him. The weight of her body impelled her further on him. It was so delicious. She was not tender. The only sensation she experience was primal exhilaration.

  He glided through the air to the earth with one foot extended. When they touched the ground, they were still joined together and the slight push of the landing sent her over the edge. She was spasming blissfully around his amazing hardness.

  Laird David had incredible balance, able to lower them both as he stood flat footed, and then raise them up on tip toes while lifting and lowering her hips. He drove into her standing up. His massive muscles and strength, aided by the mysterious black wings rising out of his back allowed him to support them both while on the tips of his toes at times. It was pure sugar.

  He nuzzled her neck. There was heat and tenderness there, but Fiona also felt annoying poking of something sharp. She stole a glance of him from the corner of her eye. It was unquestionably him. His face was completely recognizable but his eyes were a blend of human and animal. The bridge of his flesh and bone nose seemed to fade in the beak of a bird.

  Fiona knew for sure she must be dreaming. That the wild food and passion just before drifting off to sleep gave her wicked dreams. She had joined him out of wedlock. She had hoped this feverish, passionate dream was not the signs of being damned. But would damnation be steeped in such pleasure?

  There was no discussion of the flying or the transformation. The couple wove through the trees to the stream. They disrobed each other. Gazing into one another’s moon lit eyes, they soon stood naked at the water’s edge.

  It was indeed a bit cold but David warmed her. She latched on to him, wrapping her arms and legs around him as he waded into the water. As soon as the depth was adequate, he lowered the both of them and they let their bodies float in the cleansing current.

  The water was soothing to her body. Just to have an exchange of tenderness between the two of them was very satisfying. The bath was just what Fiona needed. She felt that she could now lay down and drift off to sleep.

  Chapter Six

  David and Fiona emerged from the stream, dressed and headed back. Once out of the woods, they walked across the moon-silvered lawn. She tucked under David’s arm easily for he was so much larger than she. She heard something of a whistle. Something rifled through the air and caused David to lurch forward. Fiona thought he coughed.

  She studied him. An arrow pierced his shoulder. David had been shot and they were under attack! The arrow went clean through but it was lodged. The look in his eyes told her he was in enormous pain. She had to help the hulking form to the house and to get him to bed.

  If they weren’t fired upon again.

  David had other ideas. He lifted Fiona up, acting like a human shield for her. He gunned it, running as fast as he could to the house. Fiona wondered how such a large form, injured at that, move so quickly. Other shots were fired but whoever was sailing them through the air were not a good shot.

  Once inside the door of the house, once the door was latched, David collapsed in the nearest chair. He didn’t choose a comfortable chair. He chose one whose seat he could grip. He told her to hold the stem of the arrow still while he sliced off the arrow head. He put the knife between his teeth as he had Fiona to pull out the arrow.

  She flinched at first but she didn’t vocalize her complaint. She counted and then pulled. He growled through his gritted teeth. But as soon as
the arrow was free from him, he hurled curses.

  “I will ring the neck of whoever shot me!” he bellowed.

  He jumped to his feet, shaking the structure for sure. She swore his hair grazed the ceiling. And she was sure if he caught up with the servant in question, the man would be dead. Laird David would snuff him out.

  “Sit please, Laird,” she bid softly.

  The softness in her voice she was certain caught him off guard.

  “Ye need to let me fix your wound,” she said.

  He sat as he was told, his eyes on her with wonder. She smiled at the expression on his face. He was still for her as she washed and packed his wound with peat. She manipulated the hulking, weakening form into bed. She fed him mead and fresh water in small sips. He would be okay she felt it. But she knew the pain would probably get worse before it got better. He looked at her with clarity one last time before he succumbed to fever.

  Fiona believed for now Laird David lost his mind. She tirelessly bathed him in cool water. She was thankful for the cool mountain air of the night. She lost all fear when she drew another bucket from the well to wash his magnificent form with.

  Fiona left his quarters and returned. It was not but a few minutes that it took to re-fill her bucket which she nearly dropped. There was no mistaking. She was no afraid. She was not exhausted or hungry. Her mind was clear as the stream she and David swam in. There feathers like that of a raven cloaking his arms.

  David’s naked chest was thatched in shiny black curling hair. That was normal though the hair on his head was red. The feathers she could not deny. So she just ignored them. The shadows of the fire played with his face as well. She did not want to believe otherwise. She had tasted his sweet lips, she knew how he was made. He did not have a raven’s bill. She did her best to make him comfortable as she ordinarily would. She knew by morning he would be over the worst of it and he would be, in every way, the man she lay with.