Blood of the Highland Moon

chapter 4: Never Like That

Eallair's P.O.V.

I turned to glance at the tree to see if she was okay, only to find she was nowhere in sight. "Bloody hell," I muttered as I walked quickly to the tree. I didn't see her anywhere. "Damn the woman." I turned to call for my men only to see Alex point up.

"What have I done now?" Her tone was on the edge of laughter.

I looked up to find her line directly above me in the bloody tree. "What the hell do you think you're doing up there?"

"Watching the training. It's very interesting."

"You could fall and hurt yourself; come down from their right now," I demanded. She glanced at me then went back to watching my men train. "Catriona ,I mean it."

"What if I told you I were stuck?" She asked in a dull voice.

"I would tell you that I was coming up the damn tree after you, now get down from there."

She sighed and sat up on the limb. "Move, you're in my way." I moved and she dropped lightly to her feet. "Just how would I hurt myself?"

I narrowed my eyes at her. "I told you to sit under the tree, not in it."

She rolled her eyes. "I was fine, I'm a vampire, remember?"

"Half vampire. We do not know your weaknesses and I do not want to be the one to find them out."

"I fell out of a taller tree than this once and did not get hurt. I had a few scrapes and bruises that disappeared by the next day."

"I don't care. I'll not risk you getting hurt, your father would not agree to the treaty if you were harmed in any way."

She put her hands on her hips. "Everything is about the damned treaty here, back at my castle, it's all about how Matthew is going to rule, and the war between our kinds. I'm so sick of being put in the middle of this." She dropped her hands to her sides and turned to walk to the castle.

I caught her arm. "Catriona, you are a princess, you will always be in the middle of things. One day, you will be a Queen, and then you will still be in the middle of things."

She jerked for my hold and glared at me. "I didn't ask to be born and I am wishing more and more that I wasn't." She turned and began for the castle once more.

I ran a hand through my hair, cursed, and went after her. I caught up with her just as she waved Alex aside. "Catriona l," I called after her, but she continued walking. "Would you stop?"

She spun around to face me, her eyes blazing with rage. "Yes let me stop because somebody else tells me what to do. Let's stay inside because someone else tells me it's not safe. Let's marry a man because he's to be king and I'm his only way in. Let's get kidnapped because I'm a princess. Is there anything else I can do for you? Any other way to make my life someone else's?"

"I'm doing my best to make this as easy as possible. I can't change that you are engaged, or that your father fears for your safety. I also cannot change that you are the vampire princess. What I can do, is make you even more miserable, or do my best to give you a bit of freedom you would not have with your dad."

"You bloody mutt! You won't even let me have a few moments outside and a bloody tree! What could you possibly give me that my father denies me? I am to be watched all the time! I am a bloody prisoner no matter where I am!"

"I didn't tell you to come back inside. You can go back out and enjoy the day as long as you wish, I'll not deny you that. I will keep you from hurting yourself, even accidentally."

"I'll not hurt myself! Why can no one see this? I am capable of taking care of myself!" She turned on her heel and stormed down the hall.

I followed after her, keeping her in reach every step of the way. "Where are you going?" I demanded.

"To the library, away from you. Go back to the trainingyard, away from m3." She reached the doors and pulled them open. "I'll not come out till dinner." She slammed the doors in my face.

I drew myself up, ready to yell at her and barrel through the doors, when Alex put a hand on my shoulder. "Calm yourself, cousin. The lass is going through a lot. I'll stay here and keep an eye on her."

I glanced at the door, then at Alex. "Keep a close watch on her. She said she was beginning to wish she were never born."

"I'll make sure she's alright."

I nodded abd turned from him. I walked back out to the training yard, picking up a sword and shield. I would wear down my agitation. I'd never had a door slammed in my gave before and didn't like it much, not in my own castle.

A few hours later, at sunset, I walked into the castle, feeling much better. I went to my room to wash up before I went to retrieve Catriona. I splashed cold water on my face and put on a new shirt before leaving my room. I walked into the library to find Catriona wedged into a window with a book, and Alex, lounging in my desk chair with his feet up.

I cleared my throat, "it's time for dinner."

Alex jumped up and smiled. "I thought you'd never come, I'm famished."

Catriona closed her book and glared at me. "I suppose you're going yo yell me it's dangerous for me to sit in the window."

"No, just that I used to sit there when I was a child."

She rolled her eyes. "Memories from when you are we pup, how touching." She got out of the window and sat the book on the edge of my desk.

"It wasn't long before I could no longer fit in that window."

"So you are a fat puppy. Did you have worms?" She walked past me.

"I thought we were past all of this insulting."

"So you did have worms." She turned to look me up-and-down. "You don't still have them do you?"

"I didn't have worms." I walked over to where she stood.

"I think you did." She began walking again.

"Lass, you should stop insulting me before I lose my temper."

"I'm shaking," she said in a flat voice. "What are you going to do give me fleas?"

"I don't have fleas, either."

We reached the dining hall and she sniffed the air lightly. "You smell like black dog." She took her feet and smiled across at my mother. "Lovely to see you again, Madeline."

"You look lovely this evening, Catriona."

"Her attitude does not match tonight." I said.

"Hush puppy, can't you see I'm talking to your mother?"

"You'd best watch how do you speak to me lass, you are pushing me a bit far today."

"Really, and just what did the trick?"

"When you slammed the door in my face. I'll not let it slide again."

"Then I'll have to try really hard to remember not to lock the dog out."

"Lass," I said in a warning voice again.

"Mongrel," she said in the same tone.

"Do you talk to your father this way?" I ask in a calm voice deciding not to let her get me rialed up.

"Don't talk about my dad."

"It's not wonder he doesn't give you any freedoms when you act like this at the table."

"My dad does not anger me the way you do."

"It didn't sound that way earlier, and judging from what I heard of your nightmare this morning, I'm definitely not the only man who irritates you."

"I'll show you irritating." She stood up. "Does this irritate you?" She threw her goblet of ale on my face and stormed out of the dining hall.

I growled and pushed back from the table at the same time. My mother grabbed my arm as I went to walk past her, "Eallair-"

"Do not stop me." I pulled away from her. "The lass needs to realise I am a werewolf." I stormed out of the dining hall after Catriona.

Catriona's P.O.V.

A hand wrapped around my arm and pulled me around. Eallair pushed me up against the wall. "Look at me, Catriona. You see how much smaller you are? If I lose my temper, I could hurt you; is that what you want?"

His chest rose and fell and his jaw was tight. I ran my eyes over his massive form. He was at least a foot taller than me. His chest was so broad it was twice the size of mine, if not more. I looked at his arms, they were as big around as my legs !,# his hand was as big as my face.

"I don't want to hurt you." He cupped my chin in his hand. " You must understand lass, I am a werewolf. If you push too far, I cannot promise not to hurt you."

"Ypu are a bloody mutt, now let go of me." I twisted my face out of his hold. He sighed, but I stopped him before he could lecture more. "I don't care if you hurt me, at least I will know I didn't back down from a mangy dog! Now let go before I catch your fleas!"

"Lass," he said in warning.

"Mongel!" I hissed and jerked my arm. I heard a growl before his hand clamped down on my jaw and his lips were on mine. His body pressed into me. Thought quickly left my head as his tongue slipped into my mouth. His tongue brushed against one of my fangs and sent an electric shock through my body, causing me to quiver and hold onto him for support.

He suddenly pulled away, breathing heavily. "Bloody hell lass, is that all I have to do to shut you up?" He stepped away completely as my wits came back to me. My hand shot to my mouth, and I stared at him with wide eyes. "Lass, don't look at me like that, you wouldn't shut up."

Eallair's P.O.V.

The look on her face was beginning to anger me. Just because I was a bloody werewolf didn't mean she should be disgusted!

"Your tongue was in my mouth," she said in a small voice. "I've never, I mean, you kissed me. S***." She covered her face, which was rapidly turning red. "I need to go to my room."

She went to leave, but I stopped her. "You've never been kissed before, have you?" Shock tinglrd through me.

"Not like that!" She pulled out of my hold and retreated down the hall.

"S***." I ran a hand through my hair and smiled to myself. I was covered an ale thanks to the lass, and yet, I was not mad. She had never been kissed before. I shook my head and turned to go back to the great hall.

"Seems you upset her more than she did you." Alex stepped out of the shadows.

"How long have you been there cousin?"

He shrugged. "Long enough,"he grinned.

"You should not be so pleased," I couldn't hide my own smile.

"The lass would not be stilled any other way. At least you didn't hit her."

"You know Id never hit a lass," I said defensively.

"Come down, cousin, I know it. It's just that the lass can push you a bit far and you are a werewolf as you said."

"So you saw it all?"

"Yeah. I'm surprised you didn't know I was here."

"I have a bit of ale in my nose."

He laughed. "I would have ripped her from her seat, had she done that to me. I wouldn't have hit her, just shook some sense into her."

"Maybe I should try that next time."

"You think there is going to be a next time after tonight?"

I frowned, "no, I hope not. Do you think she is really rushing off to her room?"

"She has nowhere else to go and I get the feelings she wants to put a solid door between the two of you."

"I shouldn't have done that." I looked down the hall where she had disappeared.

"I think you should have, the last has been getting in your face since you brought her here."

"Yeah, and she did try seducing me when I first trapped her to a tree."

"Really? After what I just saw I find that hard to believe."

"That's why I'm so surprised by how she reacted"

"She said she's never been kissed 'like that;' what did she mean?"

I shrugged. "I may have slipped my tongue unti her mouth." I rubbed the back of my neck.

Alex smiled even more. "Did the lass taste good?"

I glared at him. "That's something you'll never know."

"She must have for you to say that, or are you growing attached to the lass?"

"Cousin," I warned.

"I think the lass liked it and didn't expect to is all."

"Maybe." The more I thought about it, the more his explanation made sense. She had held onto me just before I pulled away. "You know, I think if I had not ended the kiss, it would have lasted a lot longer."

"What makes you say that?"

"She'd started clinging to me just before I released her."

"Ah, cousin, you shouldn't have let go of her so easily."

"But the bloody lass is engaged, I should have never touched her."

"She is your captive; you can do with her as you wish. I would advise against doing things she doesn't wish however."

"I would never force her, and you know."

"I know, I'm just saying."

"Let's discuss this another time, our food is getting cold. I'll send Catriona's to her room."

Catriona's P.O.V.

I closed the door behind me with shaking hands. How dare he kiss me? Anger throbbed through my still tinkling body. I glanced around the room and grabbed a vase of flowers. Throwing it, I watched as it exploded on the far wall.

I covered my face with my hands and screamed my frustration. I made Russian to the room. "What's wrong?"

"Your bloody king's what's wrong! The bloody manji mongrel!" I flipped the table the face had been setting on.

"Lass, that's enough! Princess or not I'll not have you making more of a mess for me to clean up!" The mate closed the door behind her as she came into the room.

"Get out," I hissed the words.

"No, you'll tell me what the bloody i***t has done." She crossed her arms over her chest.

Her words had me momentarily stunned. "He kissed me," I said dumbfounded.

The maid rolled her eyes. "Bloody i***t. I'll have to remember to hit him outside the head later. Sit down." She pulled me to the bed.

"Hit him upside the head? He's your king!"

"He's my cousin. I've spent my entire life hitting him an Alex outside their heads." I looked at the mate for a moment and began to see the resemblance between her and Alex. When my eyes widened she rolled hers. "Yes, Alex is my brother. Bloody idiots."

"You shouldn't be a mate if you're so close to the king."

"Yes, it drives Eallair mad. You see, if I am one of the maids, then the rest of the dogs do not make such a mess. I can take any of them on when I change."

Dogs? "You and Alex are not what I expected werewolves to be like."

"My brother is another thing altogether. The i***t acts crazy."

I smiled, "yes."

She raised a brow at me. "You're not upset that it was Eallair and not my brother, are you?"

I felt my eyes go huge. "No! I was just thinking about how Alex helps me irritate Eallair."

She rolled her eyes. "He pesters Eallair all the time. It's a wonder Eallair has not gotten in a fight with him yet; it's all the dogs want to do is fight."

"I thought you were a werewolf, too?"

"Just because I am a werewolf does not mean I cannot call the rest of them dogs when they act like it." I felt myself smile at her words. "Are you feeling better now?"

"Yes, a bit."

"Good and you can help me clean up this mess you made." She stood up and walked to the door. "Pick up the table and the flowers; I'll clean up the glass so you don't cut yourself."

I stared after the woman in shock. I quickly decided to help her as she'd said. I should not have lost my temper that way. In fact I couldn't remember losing my temper that way in years. I just started picking up the flowers when she came in with a broom. "Can I ask your name?"

"It's Gwen, you're Catriona, right?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry I made such a mess, I've not done anything like that in years."

"Elallair can bring out the best and the worst in us all at times."

"He's been irritating me all day, and I think hes been trying to do it."

"I wouldn't put it past him." She finished sweeping up the glass just as another maid walked up to the door with a trifle of food. "Come in, Edith, she'll not bite you."

"What happened?"

"The vase was trying to fly and hit a wall. Set the food on the table, and pick up the rest of these flowers, I have a cousin to talk to."

"I don't think it's a good idea. He's acting strange ever since the lass covered him an ale."

When looked at me and I straightened my shoulders. She gave a small laugh. "Lass, it's about time someone did that to the man."

"Gwen!" Edith said in a hissed whisper. "He is the king!"

"And he is my cousin ,I know how irritating the man can be." Gwen turned to look at me. "Eat your dinner, I'll be back later to see you." With that she left the room.

Eallair's P.O.V.

"You must have done something to upset the lass," Mother said, following me into the library. "Are you not even going to check on her"

"No mother, I thought I'd give her some space it's what she wants."

"I'll go and check on her," Alex said and begin to leave the room.

"No, you will stay away from her."

"Eallair, he is but trying to be helpful."

"No, hes trying to irritate me." I walked my desk.

"You bloody i***t!" Gwen walked into the room and stood with her hands on her hips.

"Gwen!" Mother said in shock.

"Aunt Madeline, I want to hear this, and you know there is no stopping her anyway." Alex said as he plopped down on the couch.

Gwen pointed her finger at her brother. "I'll deal with you later, but now I'd like a moment alone with the i***t king."

"Bloody hell, do I get no respect in my own castle?" I stood up.

"Sit down so I can tell you what Catriona and I have just talked about."

I felt my face grow hot and looked at my mother and Alex. "Alex, would you walk the gardens with my mother? It's a lovely night."

"I think I should hear this," Mother said, and crossed her arms.

"I'll find out what it is and tell you later; come, let's leave Eallair to his fate with wee Gwen." Alex shot me a smile and left the room, closing the door behind him.

"Now what is going on with Catriona?" I demanded.

Gwem held up a hand and open the door and Alex stumbled back into the room. She reached down and took hold of his ear. "Have respect, brother, not to listen in on my conversations." She led him by the ear out into the hall. "Aunt Madeline, would you be so kind?" Gwen came back into the room, closing the door behind her.

"Bloody hell!" I threw up my hands.

"Yes, you could say that, cousin." Gwen crossed her arms and glared at me. "The lass was shaking when I entered her room. You know why she was shaking? She was p***ed. Can you tell me why she was p***ed?"

I stared a Gwen for a moment, waiting for her to continue. When she didn't move I sighed. "Yes, but I'd rather not talk about it at the moment. Is she alright?"

"No thanks to you, and that vase you had put in her room is no more."

"What?" I was truly confused.

"The lass threw it. She also flipped the table it was on. She hissed at me to leave, and had I been any other maid, I would have. Instead, I sat her down on the bed and made her tell me what had angered her. Do you know what she told me?"

"I have no idea." I poured myself a scotch and stood in front of the fire that was lit nightly in the library.

"She told me you kissed her. She is the vampire princess! What on Earth were you thinking? The lass has just been kidnapped, and is surely in the middle of everyone else's plans and great ideas, the same way she is yours. So you kiss her on top of that?"

"Bloody hell." I downd my scotch.

"You'd best be saying that. You'll want to pour yourself another drink, too, I am not done. If you were a lass kidnapped by your dad's worst enemy, who spent an entire day irritating you, and then kissed, you how would you feel?"

"Irritating her? I wasn't irritating her! I was being nothing but kind to the lass!"

"And kissing her when she obviously didn't wish for you yo was so very kind."

"The lass wouldn't be quiet! She was trying to make me mad, so I tried to make her see that it wasn't a good idea to anger a werewolf."

"And kissing her showed her that?"

"It didn't! It got her to be quiet."

"What were you thinking?" She demanded.

"I wasn't! Are you happy? I don't even know why I did it! I just did! Now will you leave me alone? I didn't even realize I was kissing her until my tongue brushed her fang!"

"What? No wonder the lass was so upset! She's probably never been kissed before, let alone like that!"

"The lass wasn't exactly pushing me away when she held onto me!"

Gwen covered her eyes and cursed under her breath. "What a mess."

"And I don't know what to do about it right now. The lass is kind to everyone but me simply because I am the one who kidnapped her."

"Do you not get it, you bloody i***t? The lass isn't kind to you because she likes you."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Gwen rolled her eyes. "It's how I would act if I'd been kidnapped by a man I was attracted to."

"She isn't attracted to me, Gwen, you are finally looking it."

She glared at me. "We will see. I'll know what is to happen in two days."

"You told me you would see how to end this war."

"I'll do whatever I wish. Men fund ways to end wars all the time without my gift."

"You are using your gift because you want to prove a point!"

"I don't have to listen to this." She turned to leave.

"Gwen! I need to know what to do, it's for all of us, not just me."

She turned around to look at me. "You think I don't know this? I couldn't see the last time what was to come except that you would being back the princess. I'll look at the princess to see what is to come." She left the room and I sat on one of the chairs.

Alex and Mother walked in a short while later. "Are you going to tell me what that was about?" Mother demanded

"No. I am going to finish my scotch and go to bed." I looked at the fire to keep from seeing her glare. She would be very unhappy if she knew what I'd done.

"Eallair, you had to do something to make her that angry before dinner."

"Yes, I told her to get our of a tree before she hurt herself, that is when she became enraged with me."

"It's true, I saw it. The lass came to the library and curled up in the window with a book until dinner."

"There is something you're not telling me."

I stood up and kissed her on the cheek. "Good night, Mother." I nodded to Alex and left the room.

Conner's P.O.V.

"How bloody long until we hear something?" I paced the great hall, my anger practically sizzling in the air.

"I have some men scouting the edge of the kingdom, waiting for the first sign of news. I'll bring Catriona back." Mathew was just as on edge as I was, though not pacing.

"Are you sure it was a werewolf that took her? You said there was little sign of the direction they had taken after but a few yards." Maggie looked ragged with worry ;<= held herself high. My Queen would be strong in front of others. It wasn't until she was alone that she cried. "A werewolf would have left more evidence of the direction they'd gone."

"I've considered that. It's why I've not advised we go after the mongrels this instant." Mathew said.

"How much longer will you wait to see?" I demanded.

"The werewolf castle is a week's journey for us. If a werewolf captured Catriona, then he would have stopped just before dawn as we would; he wouldn't know she could withstand the daylight as she does."

"So we wait a week." I concluded.

"It would take longer for word to get back to us, nearly a fortnight."

"Bloody hell!" I filled the large table where the four of us normally sat. Maggie gave a small jump and closed her eyes. "You're telling me it will be nearly a month before I get my daughter back?"

"If I could bring my dear Catriona home sooner, I would, but I'm not sure where she is, and don't wish to risk her saftey by charging the werewolf kingdom without word from them." Mathew held his fists at his sides and held my gaze. Had he been any other vampires, he would have been punished for talking of Catriona in such a way. "As soon as we bring her back, I wish to marry her. I will never let her out of my sight again."

We were silent for a moment, then Maggie spoke up, "I thought we were going to wait until she came to terms with the engagement."

Mathew sighed, "I have talked with her, and she told me she simply never wants to marry. If we don't force her, then she never will, and I don't know how long it would take to convince her of my affection for her. I promise I will spend every day of our union showing her what she means to me."

"Then its settled. Once she is brought home safely, she will be married to you for her own safety and the good of the kingdom."

Mathew bowed his head. "Thank you, sire."

I waved a hand. "There is no need for you to call me sire."

"I will also personally go after the bloody werewolf who has kidnapped her." Mathew snarled.

"What if it wasn't just one who took her? What if it was planned out by the king himsrlf? Do you plan on killing the king?" Maggie asked in a soft voice.

"Yes. I'll have my revenge, no matter who it is that has her."

"I want the bloody b****** burnt alive for this." I agreed.