The Highlander's Curse Read Online Free PDF Page A

that my voice was now muted.
    “Shh,” he hissed. “Just exactly
who are ye trying tae attract? Bears or murderous fiends?”
    I opened my lips slightly,
allowing a single finger of his to slip far enough inside. I bit down hard, and
he groaned and ripped his hand away.
    “Anyone,” I spat, already bolting
away.
    “ Are ye mad, woman? ”
    I ran and ran, rushing over small
bushes and under low branches. I made it…about six seconds before he caught me.
    “Dinna make me take ye doon lass,
I’m nae afraid tae dae it.”
    He held me tighter than he had
before, so hard that I couldn’t make another attempt at escape. Not that I
thought I could anyway. I’d grown exhausted, my body giving out from everything
that had happened today.
    “Ye’re coming wi’me, whether ye
like it or no’,” he breathed. “We’ll figure out what tae dae wi’ye in the morn.”
He lifted me over his shoulder once more, hauling me away as I slammed my fists
against his back.
     
     
     
    CHAPTER TWO
     
     
     
    The big, highland brute sat across from me as a
fire roared in a small pit between us. He watched the flames lick up into the
air, seemingly entranced as they danced around the body of a rabbit he’d caught in one of his traps. I’d been lost in my own
thoughts as I watched the blaze, but that wasn’t the first time since my
abduction.
    After
he’d manhandled me into his tiny camp, I’d been immediately introduced to his
two hounds: Broch and Duff, which now rested at his side. They looked relaxed
enough, but I got the sense they were always watching. Always listening.
Whenever I moved in the slightest, both dogs’ heads whipped up, and their dark,
beady eyes settled on me. I liked dogs, but that was just unnerving.
    The
Scotsman was a minimalist. He camped there without the protection of a motor
home or a tent, and as far as I could see, there wasn’t even a sleeping bag or
pillow. So it came to no surprise that I couldn’t see a car anywhere nearby,
which would have come in handy in my attempt to get away from him and find
civilization. Outside of checking my surroundings, I’d spent my time sneakily
checking my cell phone for the time, and to see if I was lucky enough to score
any bars. Still nothing. Even more depressing, I was already down to
half-battery, so I didn’t dare check my phone for a while. I shut it down and
zipped my purse shut again.
    We hadn’t
spoken in hours. I hadn’t made any attempt to talk to him, and he seemed more
than comfortable pretending I wasn’t there. I had caught him looking at me
every once in a while, but he quickly glanced away when he saw that I’d
noticed. The man hadn’t smiled once in all the time we’d sat there, keeping
that angry expression on his face. I had no idea what was going through his
mind, and that glower scared me.
    I bit
the inside of my cheek and tapped my fingers as I eyed the Scot. The firelight
played over his features, making him appear even darker and bigger. I probably
should say something to him. He had provided a fire which, as promised, had
warmed me and dried my clothes. But he didn’t look happy about it.
    “You
know, you really could act like I actually exist, since you went through all
the trouble of dragging and carrying me here.”
    His
gaze jumped to mine, but then he looked into the fire without a word.
    “Do you
live on your own?” I still couldn’t decide if I was glad no one was in his camp
or not. No telling what sort of people this guy hung out with. The Scot
certainly knew how to pick a good camping spot. The trees and bushes crowded
each other tightly, completely encompassing this area. If he’d aimed for privacy,
he’d definitely nailed the location.
    The
Highlander cut off a piece of the rabbit and popped it into his mouth. “Mmm-hmm.”
    “How
long?”
    He
cocked his jaw to the side, considering. “Two years, maybe. It’s hard tae keep
track o’ time out here, so I only learn what day it is when I must travel