Immortal Love (30 page)

Abandoned by his father at a young and
impressionable age, Erik had been left in the care of an aunt who
nurtured him as best she could. Dominick knew Erik never reconciled
the rejection. In turn he kept most people at a distance.

Erik had made no judgments about the
circumstances of Dominick and Randolf’s births. Dominick considered
them outcasts. And the three men bonded and became inseparable
friends.

“I haven’t thanked you, Erik for staying at
Godwin as long as you have. I’m sure you miss Alastair,”

“There is nothing at Alastair that my aunt
can’t take care of. And I will be leaving soon enough. Isabella
sent a message that she has an important matter of great importance
to her.

“I hope it’s not serious.”

“Serious enough, I’m afraid. I think she
wants me to arrange a marriage between herself and Ian.

“Ian? Do you think that’s wise?

“I’ve known Ian all my life. He is like a
brother to me, but you and I know his reputation. I’m afraid my
sister may suffer a broken heart.”

“Does Ian wish for this marriage?”

“I believe he does. The last time I was home,
he looked at her differently, not like when she was younger.

“Isabella has grown up to be quite beautiful,
or have you not noticed?”

“Unfortunately, I have, and that is what
worries me,” Erik said.

“Ian is one of your closest friends. He
wouldn’t do anything to dishonor your sister.”

“I suppose you’re right. I guess I’m being
far too protective of her.”

Dominick smiled. “I’m sure you are.” As he
bent down and took a drink from the stream, a chill ran down his
spine, prickling his skin like a cold breath of air. As if he’d
been shot from a catapult. He stood. His hackles rose. Squinting,
he searched the forest for her.

Erik read Dominick’s actions and pulled his
sword in readiness. “What is it?”

Dominick held up his hand to silence him. The
ghostly voice whispered to him through the rustling of the leaves.
Isolde
. Finally, the apparition appeared across the stream.
She has been taken.

Fear cut into his chest like a knife. Isolde
floated to him and placed her hand on his over his heart. The cold
brought him to his knees.

In the distance he heard Erik call out to
him, but he couldn’t respond, captured in Isolde’s world.

His spirit traveled over the trees, over
meadows and cottages. He looked down as the earth raced beneath
him. Finally, he saw three men on horseback. The middle rider held
Eleanor. She’d been taken captive, and they were racing north to
Aurora Castle.

You must save her and your unborn child.

His spirit raced back to the stream.

Erik pulled on his arm, helping him up.
“Dominick, what is it?” his friend asked in alarm.

He had difficulty breathing. “Eleanor, she
has been taken.”

He mounted his horse without another word as
Erik shouted to his men. Then he too mounted and followed Dominick
at breakneck speed.

They were at least two days from Godwin. The
distance tormented him. He only hoped Randolf would realize Eleanor
had been abducted and go after her himself. Suddenly, he changed
his direction and headed north. Knowing the soldier Randolf was he
knew Randolf would go after her. Dominick and his men would meet
him there.

He no longer felt the presence of Isolde and
prayed that she had gone back to watch over her daughter and keep
her safe.

Murderous rage and fear
consumed him. Aries’ hooves pounding the ground drummed in his
ears. Isolde’s haunting words echoed in his head. Then her final
words solidified his fear.
Unborn child.
A darkness fell
over him like he had never felt before. With each beat of his
heart, he vowed that McPhearson would die.

T
hey rode hard for
hours. Eleanor’s head ached from the constant movement. Muscles
cramped in her legs and back from being bent over a horse. The sky
was growing crimson with the oncoming night. Deeper into the woods
she saw a campfire. Eleanor was relieved they weren’t going to ride
through the night, Randolf would catch up.

Eleanor became disheartened when she saw
twenty or more men sitting around campfires. They rose as the
riders entered the camp. The men were not the scruffy vagabonds she
expected. They looked like soldiers.

All twenty were large and imposing. Eleanor
realized there wouldn’t be a chance to escape with so many men
around her. Dressed in clothes the same colors as the forest, each
carried a broadsword and a dagger in his belt.

The man holding her dismounted with her in
tow. Even when they were on the ground, her kidnapper didn’t
release her. With his arm around her waist, her body was pressed
against his. She tried to struggle, but his rough hand came up,
encircling her throat, applying instructional pressure.

“You will not give us any trouble,
understand?”

Eleanor felt discouraged when she had to
concede. “Good, because it would be a waste to have to break such a
beautiful neck.”

Quickly, she turned around. Her captor stood
like a stone wall. Though not as tall as Dominick, his size was
foreboding. Muscles balled in his thick arms, and his chest looked
as hard as any breastplate.

Looking up into his face she saw eyes the
color of a stormy gray sea. His golden shoulder length hair was
tied at the nap of his neck.

He was not what she expected. She expected
her kidnapper to be as loathsome as Robert McPhearson himself.

“Who are you?” She could barely keep the
tremor of fear from her voice.

The man made a courtly bow. “I’m Liam
McPhearson, my lady. Brother to the dreaded Robert McPhearson, I’m
sorry to say. And I’m at your service.”

Eleanor’s heart lurched as he stepped
forward. Involuntarily she took a step back. She looked around her.
They were surrounded by forest, and the night was too dark to
escape.

“You don’t strike me as an addle-brained
chit, but I will humor you.” Hands behind his back, he paced in
front of her like a teacher in front of his student. “The King
continues to push the borders of our land. We intend to push them
back. And in doing so we are going to take Godwin.” Eleanor’s mouth
opened to ask another question, but Liam stopped her. “How, you
ask? By holding you hostage until Dominick the Immortal forfeits
Godwin and all its lands to us.”

Anger fed her courage, and she crossed her
arms over her chest. “You don’t really want a war with my
husband.”

Her heart beat rapidly but she refused to let
him see her fear. “I don’t expect a war with your husband as long
as we hold you.”

Acting braver than she felt, she said,
“Dominick will never give up Godwin, and he will never let you keep
me.

“You give your husband too much credit.”

“And I say you don’t give him enough. He will
find a way to get me back and then there will be nothing left of
your precious Aurora.

“Believe what you may, my lady.” He reached
out to stroke her cheek. “But all men have a weakness and I think
you just may be the Immortal’s.”

Eleanor jerked her head away as her anger
flared. “Your ignorance will cost you your life.”

Liam’s mouth pulled into a grin. He leaned
slightly forward. “Let’s just hope your life doesn’t come between
us.” He moved off toward the campfire.

Eleanor was struck with the reality of Liam’s
words. With all her heart she’d hoped her mother had in some way
warned Dominick and sent him to her.

She sat with her back against a nearby tree,
and looked around for any possibility of escape. But every time she
looked up, someone was watching her.

Darkness came quickly. The tightening of fear
in her chest nearly forced her to tears, but she wouldn’t allow
Robert McPhearson’s men to reduce her to that.

One thing was for certain. The real terror
hadn’t started yet. Once inside Aurora Castle, she would be at the
mercy of Robert McPhearson.

D
ominick was having
difficulty seeing in the quickly fading light. He slowed his horse
to a stop. Desperately, he looked toward his friend.

“Erik,” he said, frustrated that the fading
light was keeping him from moving on. You know what to do.”

Erik threw back his head, he let out a great
howl in the velvety night. Then stopped to listen. He raised his
voice again.

Dominick listened in the silence that
surrounded them. Then Erik’s call was answered. Eerily, the
haunting sound came from deep in the forest. Erik’s eyes glowed
with a ghostly light as he called again. He looked more from the
underworld than human.

The howling came closer in a cacophony of
sound. The horses whinnied and stamped the ground. Clamping his
knees tightly to Aries’ sides, Dominick commanded him to be
still.

“God’s blood,” one man whispered.

“What devil is at work here?” another man
said.

“Silence!” Dominick ordered. “There is no
devilry here. Any man who thinks otherwise will deal with me.”

The men became silent.

Erik dismounted and stared into the darkness.
Soon, a large gray wolf and his pack stood before him. Erik knelt
on one knee, honoring the great wolf. The wolf bowed his head as
Erik reached out his hand. To Dominick’s amazement the wolf stepped
forward and allow Erik’s mind to connect with him.

Moments passed before they broke apart.
Erik’s eyes still held their strange light as he remounted.

“Dominick, tell your men to follow in single
file directly behind me.”

Calling to his captain, Dominick conveyed the
orders. Torches were passed to every third man, lighting the
way.

He took his place behind Erik. “Ready when
you are.”

Erik let out another spine-chilling howl. The
gray wolf disappeared into the forest, Erik right behind him.
Dominick followed. The pack of wolves followed in two single file
lines on either side of the company, barking if a horse strayed out
of line.

They moved with speed through the forest.
Dominick’s thoughts turned toward Eleanor. He knew that even
traveling through the night he would not reach her in time to keep
her from being taken to Aurora, but he swore when he got there, he
would tear it down one stone at a time.

His mind reached out to Isolde.

She’s safe for now,
she answered.

Gratefully, Dominick was able to loosen the
knot that bound his heart.

He sent a mental prayer
to Eleanor, begging her to be strong until he reached her.

L
iam bent down to
hand Eleanor bread and cheese. “Eat. You must keep up your
strength. We will only be here a few hours. Just long enough to
rest the horses, and then we will move on.” He walked back to the
campfire.

She thought they would be staying the night,
giving Randolf time to get there. Hoping it hadn’t been too long
before he discovered her absence, she prayed he wasn’t too far
away.

Eleanor, I’m with you.

Startled, she dropped her meal in her
lap.

“Mother?” she whispered, gazing around the
shadows of the forest, seeing nothing.

Liam sent her a questioning look

Quickly she bent her head down pretending to
be eating her food. When she was sure no one was looking, she
continued to scan the forest for any sign of her mother.

He is coming. Be strong.

Eleanor looked back at
the camp. Apparently no one else had heard the ghostly voice.
Relief nearly brought her to tears. Dominick was on his way, but if
Liam’s men broke camp in a few hours there was no way he would
reach her in time.

E
leanor didn’t
remember falling asleep until she was shaken gently awake.
Disoriented, she discovered herself lying near the fire and covered
with a blanket. She didn’t remember how she’d come to be there.

“God’s teeth, you’re a sound sleeper,” came
Liam’s voice.

“H—how did I get here,” she said her voice
thick with sleep.

“I carried you. I have never seen anyone
sleep so soundly.” He stood. “Now come, it’s time for us to
go.”

When she woke it was still dark. Her head
suddenly swam as she rose from the ground. The ground pitched and
Liam caught her before she fell.

“What is the matter with you, woman?”

She quickly pushed out of Liam’s arms, but
the nausea rolling in her stomach was difficult to settle.
“Nothing. I just stood too fast.”

Liam eyed her suspiciously. “If that is all
then we must hurry.”

The men broke up the camp, by kicking dirt on
the fires and bedrolls and supplies being strapped on the
horses.

Eleanor didn’t resist when Liam pulled her to
his horse. He mounted first then one of his men handed her up
behind him.

He took her hands and with a soft ribbon he
bound them in front of him.

“What are you doing?” she asked, alarmed.

“I’m making sure you don’t try to jump off
the horse and hurt yourself in attempt to escape.”

“You need not worry about my escaping.”

I beg your pardon, my lady, but I can’t take
the chance of trusting you.”

“Struck by indignation, “Trust? I’m being
kidnapped and taken as hostage, and you’re telling me about
trust?”

“At least you know why you have been taken.
My people have no idea why their land has been taken, except for
the greed of a king.

“The only greed I see here is coming from
your narcissistic brother and you.

“I care not for what my brother wants. I only
care about the people who lost their land by borders being
crossed.

“If that’s true then why have you taken
me?”

“As a warming to the king that we will no
longer tolerate his invasion on our land.

“You will only bring more war and suffering
to your people.