Embrace of Fur and Flesh

Chapter 4

Lileas McNaughton was not gettin' away from him! She could not and would not for the sake of his soul. Laymond Hay rushed towards Lileas as fast as his bow-liked limbs would carry him. He was short, stalky, and disproportionate with his long abdomen and short legs, but he was as quick as any man.

Raising the Claymore he held in his hands he hiked it above his head and swung at Lileas; trying to get her off balance or harm her. Either way, dead or alive, she would suit his purpose all the same. All he needed was her blood, the properties in her blood.

Lileas avoided every swing of Laymond's weapon. Swinging her body this way and that waiting for that precise moment where she could strike at the best opportune moment. She got her chance and took it when Laymond let his left side become venerable as he swung too far back behind himself. Lileas struck out at his chest, but Laymond Hay moved out of the blade's path as it nicked his shoulder well, making him bleed out of the slash given to him.

Laymond Hay grabbed his wounded arm as Lileas started to run towards the front of the holding and exited the door slashing her way out of the keep. Laymond Hay tried to go after her, but was stopped by a sword in front of his way. Sheer anger seeped from his eyes as he cried out, "Wha' the bloody Hell do ye think yer doin', Bragan?"

"Stopin' ye from making a damned fool of yerself and makin' a mistake by lettin' loose the McNaughton's fury along wit' their allies. Do ye really think tha' ye can jus' take the lass and her brothers nay retaliate at all? Ye'd be massecred and the MacKinnon's would nay stand there wit ye and be slaughtered too. We are a great clan and have many allies, but we will nay stand and be killed after jus' rebuildin' ourselves from wha' happened," Bragan claimed raising his claymore and smashing it in Laymond's way as he tried to skirt around Bragan.

"Let me pass, Bragan," Laymond Hay venomously, "We would nay wish a repeat of wha' happened to yer clan now would we?"

Bragan glared at Laymond as his jaw twitched, making the smaller man shiver under the gaze. It was a very dark look and it made Laymond back up a step or two. There was no denying that he would have to re-evaluate his approach. "I would nay speak in tha' way, Laymond," Bragan coldly spoke with not a quiver to the brogue, "Lest I forget ye are allies wit' the MacKinnons. I would like nothin' more than let my wolf devour yers peice by peice, and I will do it if ye do nay mind yer fookin' tounge and let the bloody woman go!"

"Wha' is she to ye, Bragan? I saw yer eyes when ye stared at the McNaughton shrew," Laymond said coyly.

"She is nothin' to me. I jus' do nay wanna see ye do anythin' stupid. Lettin' her brother's and clan's wrath on ye is nay very smart. No' only to say tha' ye will stand alone if ye do this. I will nay be havin' my clansmen dragged into a fight by the shrew and her half-whit scorned ex-lover," Bragan said sounding impartial.

Laymond shrugged and said non-chalantly," Oh, then if I take her for disruptin' the peace in my village, invadin' my land unannounced, and takin' the first strike, then tha' would be all fine?"

"Aye, but she was provoked into it. Ye spoke poorly of the lass' clan, and ye know tha' she has her pride," Bragan slowly said getting his wolf to calm down.

His wolf had been growling, dominant, and heated ever since Lileas McNaughton came in the room and now he understood it. He kept his face blank thinking a moment about the possibility of her being his mate. He'd never felt such heated stirring and problems with his wolf before. "Mate! She's our mate! Get her," the wolf screamed at him in outrage.

"Gunther," Bragan called out telepathically as he ran out of the keep as fast as possible, "Make ready some o' the men. So tha' they are alerted to expect an ambush."