Page 126 of Dark Victory

Desire reared up and hollowed her. “It’s been too long,” Tabby whispered.

His hands slid low. “I may be mortal now,” he said softly, “but ye’ll never notice.”

She inhaled. “I have no doubt.”

“Let me prove it,” he said. His mouth tightened, and he turned her around.

“Prove it,” Tabby ordered as her backside hit the edge of the trestle table.

His mouth curved. “Shrew,” he whispered.

Tabby felt her own mouth turn upward, while her body exploded with feverish excitement. “Barbarian,” she managed to say.

He reached for her leg and hooked it around his hip. He slid her gown up her calf, her knee, her thigh…her hip. “I’d cross a thousand Highlands fer ye, Tabitha,” he said. “A thousand more times.”

And she realized he would fight his way back to her time and again if he had to. “I love you, Guy.”

He started—she’d never called him by his name before. His gaze unwavering and fierce on her face, he slid his massive length into her, and a moment later they were joined. Tabby held on to him, crying. Nothing could ever feel as right as being in his arms, except for becoming one.

“I’m home now,” he said. “’Tis our home, Tabitha.”

She somehow nodded. She would never leave him. She’d figure out how to be a modern woman in medieval times, with a medieval Highlander as her soul mate. He made love to her on the table, and although mortal now, Tabby broke into more ecstasy than ever before, maybe because she loved him more than ever and finally understood him. When they were both breathing hard and almost sated, the light coming inside from the open doors was the soft faded hues of an approaching dusk.

He kissed her neck and moved off her, helping her up as she rearranged her clothes. Then he held out his arm and Tabby went to stand against his side. “Will ye stay with me?”

He couldn’t read her mind anymore. “Of course I will. But I need to see my sister—and I need to get the Book of Roses, too.”

“Ruari can help us.” He suddenly tensed. Tabby was confused, as well. She sensed so much white power, rapidly growing, and it was familiar—but that was impossible!

“Guy?”

“Tabitha,” he whispered, his blue eyes wide. “I can hear yer every thought.” He stopped. He flexed his hand. He gave her a look and pointed at the bench. Silver blazed; the bench exploded into tiny shards and pieces.

Tabby cried out. “You have your power back!”

Macleod stared in disbelief. Then he breathed hard and said, “I can leap if I wish to—I can feel it!”

Tabby seized his hand. “They’re giving you back your power!”

But Macleod jerked toward the hearth—as did Tabby. MacNeil materialized in a cloud of shimmering golden air, his majesty unmistakable.

Tabby thought about what he’d done to Macleod and she was so angry she inhaled, clenching her fists.

Fully present, he smiled a little at her, as if expecting her wrath and dreading it. “I dinna have any choice. The gods were done with him.”

“There is always a choice!” she cried. “You tortured him!”

Macleod took her hand, silencing her. Tabby blinked, realizing she’d been the one to lose her temper, not him. She realized he wasn’t angry. “Let’s hear what he has come to say.”

MacNeil smiled, approaching, and to Tabby’s amazement, he pulled Macleod into a bearlike embrace. “I’m proud of ye, lad,” he then said, releasing him. “The gods decided yer punishment. ’Twas harsh, I agree, but they gave ye one last chance to redeem yerself. Ye have triumphed over every deamhan sent to stop ye. Ye forgave the gods, even though ye thought Tabitha dead. An’ ye learned the truth about yer life—that yer reason to live is to defend God’s creatures, all o’ them, as long as they are Innocent.”

Macleod was flushed, probably from MacNeil’s warm hug. Tabby was amazed. “You forgave the gods?”

He nodded grimly. “An’ I am sorry, verra much so, that it has taken me so long to learn the truth.”

MacNeil clasped his shoulder, and Tabby saw that he was overjoyed and close to tears. “I saw Lady Tabitha in yer Destiny, Guy. The gods decided long ago she would be yer better half, an’ that she would guide ye to the truth. I will admit I became afraid she would fail. Ye can be the most stubborn of men! But I can see now that I shouldna have ever feared fer ye.” He turned to Tabby. “Thank ye, Lady Tabitha, fer all ye have done.”

Tabby nodded, tearing up. “You’re welcome. He’s sort of hard to resist.”