Time of the Werebears

“And to the left you'll see a portrait of Lord Lachlan, who ruled with an iron fist. He had a deep intolerance for Highland rebels and pushed for their total annihilation. In the display case to your right is his sword, which shed the blood of countless Highland men, women, and even children, though some were taken in to be re-cultured in the ways of the crown.”

 

Studying the blade sent a shiver down Sadie McNeil's spine. She was enjoying the tour of her family's castle, and although her heritage trip had just begun, she couldn't wait to see what might happen next. She hoped to learn about her distant family's history as much as possible. The guide spoke on about Lord Lachlan, painting a vivid image of the tyrant in her mind. She could imagine the man's stern face in battle, his eyes narrow and ready to spill the blood of anybody who dared defy him. A series of his portraits lined the walls, and by the time they reached the end of the hallway, she was sure she wouldn't have liked him.

 

Suddenly, she thought she heard somebody yelling her name. A faraway echo made her turn, her heart thudding rapidly. Where had it come from? Nobody here knew her; she had traveled alone. She looked around the group; nobody else seemed to have heard it.

 

“Sadie!” it called again. She heard it clearly this time, a man's voice; urgent and afraid. She broke away from the group, following the sound of her name. Everybody else was engrossed in Lord Lachlan's sword. She looked around for the man who seemed to know who she was. She walked slowly, staying close to the wall where the paintings hung proudly in a line. Suddenly, the man's voice seemed to be right in her ear, an intimate breathiness that brought a shiver down her spine. She turned to her right and, to her surprise, found herself gazing right into her own face. At first she thought she had encountered a mirror, but quickly noted the frame, and theother people surrounding her. Somehow, her likeness had been captured in the middle of an ancient painting.

 

She backed away as if the portrait was on fire, clutching at her heart, and then stared again. That was her all right, right down to the mole on her left cheek, and the fiery red curls that she pulled back into a braid. But how could it be? Surely it was just some ancient ancestor. Still, the resemblance was uncanny. She wondered if her mother had ever noticed.

 

Sadie studied the painting more closely, holding back the urge to touch it. The woman, who looked identical to Sadie, was standing next to the fierce Lord Lachlan. The tour guide caught up with her and began telling of the painting's history.

 

“Here we see Lord Lachlan with his wife, just before the execution of a particularly meddlesome Highland rebel. You see, he is holding the sword from the display case. Lord Lachlan liked to dispose of the rebels himself, told his troops to keep them alive until he dealt with them personally.”

 

The group moved away from the painting, but Sadie stayed rooted in one spot. She was suddenly overpowered by an intense nausea, and she ran out of the room, desperate to get away from the image of the terrible man and her doppelganger, standing mournfully beside him.

 

She raced down the hallway, turning a corner and pausing to catch her breath. She had been seized by a momentary panic, but if she could just distract herself, maybe she would feel better. Her eyes wandered to the painting in front of her – a group of muscular men scowling and attacking three large bears head-on. The absurdity of the image made her burst out in laughter. The sound of her own voice comforted her, and she took a deep breath. It was reasonable to be uncomfortable; the painting in the other room probably didn't actually look that much like her. She had just been under a lot of stress lately with the divorce looming over her head. Most people wouldn't be holding up anywhere near as well as she was under the same circumstances. Her entire life had just been turned upside down.

 

She was filled with anger as memories of her soon-to-be ex-husband's infidelity penetrated her. She had trusted him more than she had trusted anybody. Maybe that was because he was a solid, reliable type, whose wandering eye had been carefully concealed behind his thick glasses and gentle smile. He hadn't been particularly exciting. In fact, the most her heart had raced for him was in the anger after discovering that he had been cheating on her with any woman who pitied him enough to sleep with him. He had made her out to be some sort of insufferable hag, never having time for him because she was so busy with her own career.

 

“You know those types of women,” he would have said to his conquests. Independent. The kinds of women who said they didn't want kids and meant it, or who made sure they had their own bank accounts to rely on. Terrible wives and mothers, the lot of them, according to common knowledge. He had been distressed when she asked him to wait to start a family until she was more settled into her career and held it over her head any chance she got. The most unfair part about it was that, yes, she did want kids. She just wanted to wait to feel more settled and fulfilled first. But he had taken it and ran as a reason to resent her. He certainly felt justified in destroying her trust and their marriage. Stupid Alfred. Good riddance to him anyway.

 

But she was in Scotland to forget about all of that. She wandered absently into the first doorway she saw. She peered into the dim room, realizing that it probably wasn't scheduled to be on any part of the tour. In fact, she was surprised the door wasn't locked. Inside, the haggard green curtains were drawn, letting only small streams of sunlight in to illuminate the old antiques strewn recklessly about, as if somebody had been rummaging through it, discarding what they didn't deem useful. Broken glass cracked under her feet as she peered onto tables and shelves, fingering old relics of the past that were within arm's reach and not partitioned away from her through a glass box.

 

She suddenly saw an intriguing glimmer of gold, glinting tantalizingly from beneath a fallen stack of old musty papers. She pushed the papers gently away and lifted a primitive-looking necklace from the rickety wooden table. Her eyes roamed the intricate but simple designs carved into the gold. She looked around the room, making sure she was alone before draping the long chain over her delicate neck.

 

As soon as the pendant touched her breast, she crumpled to the ground, and the world went black.

 

Chapter 2

 

She was falling, swirling. She felt her body being lifted and contorted in ways she had never before imagined it could move. Alfred, the divorce, jetlag, a lifetime's worth of difficulties. She seemed to re-live it all within the darkness of the portal. By the time it was done, she was filled with peace, but she was so exhausted that she felt herself being pulled into the depths of a powerful, rejuvenating sleep.

 

But that didn't last long. A loud, muffled call from the hallway roused her from her slumber, and she looked up with a start. Her eyes narrowed in confusion. She was in the same room, but everything was different. The curtains were no longer tattered; they were crisp and beautiful, letting in a cheerful ray of golden sunlight. None of the old antiques were scattered about. She recognized some of them, sitting in perfect condition, like new, on a handsomely carved shelf. She sat up in confusion, and her eyes widened. Hanging in front of her was an elegant wedding dress.

 

Before she could register what was happening, the door burst open and a woman's rosy face beamed up at her. She was wearing a white apron around her plump body and carrying a tray with a glass of water and a spool of thread on it.

 

“Well, go on, dear, try the dress on. We have a couple of mends left to do but you're going to be fine. Lord Lachlan doesn't like to be kept waiting. We have to hurry. He's getting anxious to have you as his bride.”

 

“Lord Lachlan? But...”

 

“Come along, dear, you look absolutely beautiful in this dress.”

 

“That's not my dress!” she exclaimed, suddenly panicked. She had no idea what was going on, and her face must have betrayed her confusion, because the servant approached her and gave her arm a reassuring pat.

 

“Are you feeling all right?” she asked.

 

No, she wasn't feeling all right. How did she get here? What was happening? How could she possibly marry such a tyrant? Even if this was a terrible dream, she refused to be shackled to the horrible monster.

 

“I can't marry him,” she said, gripping the table beside her, suddenly unsteady.

 

“But you must!” the servant said, her bubbly face now contorting in fear. “You don't know what he will do to you if you refuse.”

 

“I don't care what he does to me, I have to get out of here right away!”

 

“Listen to me. You cannot run from Lord Lachlan. He is capable of great terror – if you run he will find you and kill you, track you like a dog, he will! And not just you, lass. He'll wage war on your family for generations, find them and kill them, too. Just stay put, dear, you're far better off being his wife than his enemy.”

 

“I don't see the difference,” Sadie said somberly.

 

How had she gotten here? She closed her eyes and brought her hand to her forehead. There had to be an explanation. She was a smart and reasonable woman. Somebody was probably playing a trick on her. Maybe her playful cousins had followed her to Ireland and decided to give her a heart attack – it would be just like them to think it would be just what she needed to get out of her slump. She waited for them to come in and tell her everything was going to be okay, or hear the familiar cackling of pleased jokesters, but nothing happened.

 

The servant fretfully left the room, begging her to put the dress on and promising not to tell Lord Lachlan what she had said. She felt guilty for upsetting the woman so deeply, but there was nothing much to be done about it. Especially not if she was just an actor in her cousin's prank. She was left alone in the room, and she began rummaging around, looking for any explanation for what was happening to her. She opened a drawer, digging through it quickly. She hissed and pulled her slender hand out. A jewel-encased blade had sliced her finger, leaving a thin red line of blood.

 

She was staring thoughtfully at the dagger when the door to the room burst open, and suddenly in front of her was the man from the paintings, in the flesh. Suddenly he was pressing into her from behind and cackling, his voice a lot coarser and his body a whole lot smellier than she imagined he would be. She pulled away from his embrace and he grinned. His dark eyes followed her, his pockmarked face sneering in satisfaction. He seemed to have her exactly where he wanted her.

 

“There's my lovely wife Sadie,” he said, moving uncomfortably close to her. “I see you haven't undressed yet. You must be needing some help with that.”

 

He put his meaty hand on her shoulder, letting his forearm brush against her breasts as he moved to unfasten her dress. If this was really one of her cousin's jokes, it had just stopped being funny.

 

“Best get to it, I won't be having my wife leave everybody waiting around while she drags her heels.”

 

He eyed her up and down, laughing as she pulled away. He was staring into her eyes now, the leer on his face nauseating and infuriating her.

 

“In fact, don't think I'd mind a sample taste right here and now. The priests won't know any different, will they? After all, you’re my own wife.”

 

He tried to push her down onto the bed, but Sadie broke free from his grasp and ducked into the drawer, pulling the dagger out. Lord Lachlan blanched and backed away from her. His beady eyes roamed from the serious expression on her face, down to the pendant resting on her breast, to the dagger in her trembling hand.

 

“What is this?” he asked, his face growing very red. “You're a traitor! Guards!”

 

Suddenly, there were two men gripping her by the wrists. The dagger fell from her hands and clattered to the stone floor of the castle, and she was pulled forcefully out of the room.

 

“See to it that she doesn't receive any food tonight!” Lord Lachlan raved from behind her. “She has made a mockery of me! And to think that I almost had her as a wife. A woman like that will never be wifely material! To the dungeon with her!”

 

He could have been quoting her ex-husband, and the blood boiled inside of her. She turned her fiery green eyes toward the man, craning her neck to get one last look at Lord Lachlan before the guards banished her down into the dungeon.

 

Chapter 3

 

The dungeon was dark and dank, like something Sadie had seen in a movie about medieval times. She was tossed onto the floor hard, with only a few threads of hay to cushion the blow. She sat up, rubbing her scraped elbows, suddenly realizing that there was no way this was a joke. Somehow, she would have to start believing that it was real. Whether she liked it or not, this was really happening to her, and she was just going to have to deal with that.

 

“Oh, company. Thanks, gentlemen,” a man's low, playful voice rang out from the opposite corner of the dungeon. “You all right, love?”

 

The man rose and walked slowly toward her, as if doing his best not to scare away a wild animal.

 

“I've gone through worse,” she said, though the words felt hollow. She wasn't sure if it was true, but she didn't want the stranger to think she was soft. He was still half hidden in the shadows, and it wasn't until he moved into the torchlight that she could make out his features.

 

Her first thought was that he was stunning – this was the kind of man you only saw on television or in calendars made for women with too much time on their hands. He was bare-chested, his rippling muscles marked with fading blue war paint, in a design that was familiar, but from where she couldn't bring to mind. He was wearing a tartan kilt around his waist, revealing the muscular V-line leading to the forbidden area, barely concealed by the plaid cloth.

 

She let her eyes roam up to his face, which she wasn't able to make out until he came much closer. He had long, curling sandy blond hair, sweeping down his broad back in wisps. His eyes were gentle and friendly, though she had the feeling that it wouldn't take much to reveal an animalistic instinct lying just beneath the surface. In the dark, it was hard to make out their color, but she had a feeling they were light, maybe blue, or an ocean green.

 

He offered his wide hand to her, engulfing her pale hand as he lifted her to her feet to face him.

 

“First time in a dungeon?” he asked casually. His voice lilted with a teasing Scottish accent. She had heard them all her life and never thought much of them, but the way this man formed his words brought the words to life with a lilt that nearly drove her off the edge. She hadn't known any man whose lips could make words sound so powerfully sexy.

 

“You could say that,” she replied, letting her hand drop from the warmth of his. She suddenly shivered. It was cold in the dungeon.

 

“Here, take this,” the man said, turning away from her. He returned briefly to the corner where he had been lounging when she'd arrived and came back, holding a threadbare potato sack. “I’ve been using it to keep m'self warm, least I did when I first arrived. Used to the place now; the sorry old bugger is going to pay for this. Anyway, best you use it before you catch your death.”

 

He handed her the potato sack, cut at the seams into a makeshift blanket. She sat down in the corner of the room and shivered beneath it.

 

“Don't worry, lass. It'll be all right. My name's James. You look well smart; I'm sure we'll figure a way out of this together.”

 

His broad face brightened with a smile that made her heart thud in her chest. She'd never been paid any attention by a man of such impressive aesthetic beauty; there were none of that description in the small town where she grew up and lived out her life. She was sure he was an actor. A good one, but still, an actor nonetheless. Someone was joking with her, but it was someone a lot more sinister than her cousins. She would have to get herself out of this somehow. It was cruel to put her in such a small room with such an unbelievably attractive man. She sighed and leaned her head against the brick wall.

 

“My name's Sadie,” she said softly.

 

“Are you telling me you’re Lachlan's fiancée?” He looked at her in awe, as if she were a celebrity. “Why would he put you down here?”

 

“He tried to make an advance on me...I panicked and pulled a knife on him.”

 

James gave a loud burst of laughter and curled over, slapping his hands together. “Atta girl!” he exclaimed. “You're a feisty one then! Good for you, lass. I bet he didn't like that much.”

 

“I'm here, aren't I?”

 

“That you are,” James acknowledged. “Well, like I said, not to worry. A woman like you will surely be able to get herself out of anything.”

 

“I don't know about that,” she said, taking the necklace in her hands and fingering it. She sighed deeply. Even if this wasn't a joke, all she wanted was to go back home, where things were boring and predictable and safe. Whatever was happening to her now was going to make her lose her mind if she had to endure too many more surprises.

 

“Where did you get that necklace, lass?” His face was suddenly serious, and he was peering at it intently.

 

“You wouldn't believe me if I told you,” she sighed. “Unless you are just an actor. If you are, you should tell me now.”

 

He looked at her blankly. “A what?”

 

She laughed. “Come off it already.”

 

“Is that like a wizard? Mischief maker? Because I certainly am a mischief maker.”

 

He beamed proudly. “That's why I'm here.”

 

“Never mind,” she said, ignoring his dazzling smile.

 

“No, lass. Sorry to make light of your plight. Please, tell me what's on your mind. I'll listen.”

 

She studied him. His handsome face seemed sincere, and she sighed. What would it hurt to tell this man the truth? It was crazy and unbelievable, but so were so many things.

 

“Well, I think...It really does sound ridiculous, are you sure you won't laugh at me?”

 

He put his hand over his heart. “May the wisps take my soul if I'm lying.”

 

She raised her eyebrow and sighed deeply. “I don't know how I got here. It's like I'm in another time. This necklace you're asking about, I put it on while I was taking a tour of this castle...The one we're in, I mean. I was here, but in the future, when it's all dilapidated and old. People don't live here anymore. None of these bricks are new, none of the furniture...everything is old and used up. But after I put this necklace on, I felt like I was...I don't know. And then I woke up here and everything is new again. I think I went back into the past.”

 

James nodded solemnly, looking at her, then past her, as if lost in his own thoughts.

 

“I know there are things in the world that are unexplainable,” he said. “I'll help you figure out what's going on. But only if you'll do something for me in return.”

 

“What's that?” she asked, her heart thudding. She was sure she sounded like a lunatic. But James took it all in stride, and he seemed to accept what she was saying.

 

“Help me find a way out of this place. It might be easier with someone else on my side now. If we get out, I swear I will help you however I can.”

 

She looked into his clear eyes, her heard thudding hard in her throat. “Okay, James. I'll help you.”

 

A dimple pierced his cheek, and she suddenly believed him. Everything was going to be all right.

 

Chapter 4

 

When dinner was served, a single tray was pushed toward James before the door was closed loudly. Sadie's stomach rumbled, but she made no mention of her hunger.

 

“Hey, why doesn't the lass get any supper?” James asked, banging the bars loudly with his wooden spoon.

 

“Lord Lachlan's orders. Now shut up and eat before we take your food away, too,” the guard replied.

 

“Well, that doesn't seem right,” James murmured to himself, turning away from the guards. “Here, lass, take mine. I already ate today.”

 

He pushed the plate toward her.

 

“No, please don't do that,” she said. She couldn't tell how long he had been down there, but it was surely longer than she had been.

 

“It's all right, I'm not exactly skin and bones,” he said, thumping one of his hard pectoral muscles with a macho grin.

 

“Oh jeez,” she said. “All right.”
 

“Good lass,” he said. “Now sit next to me, pretend to be begging me for food or something. And I'll be all cold like I'd never share with a woman like you, royal snob.”

 

“Begging you?” she asked, raising her eyebrow.

 

He grinned boyishly.

 

“You'd like that, wouldn't you?”

 

“That's beside the point,” he said. “We have to make them think we can't stand each other. It's all part of my plan.”

 

“How do you know I can’t stand you?” she teased. He laughed and winked at her.

 

She felt herself blushing and looked down at the ground.

 

“That's how,” he said. “Now quick, look like you're really hungry.”

 

“I am really hungry!”

 

“Great, you'll look the part then!”

 

She tried to repress her smile and did as he ordered. The guards walked past their cell, talking in low murmurs, glancing in at them. She took it as her cue to beg, and he took a bite of his dinner, a gloating grin on his face. When the guards were gone, he fed her a few bites until they returned and they resumed their little game.

 

“Why should we hate each other?” Sadie asked softly as she chewed.

 

“Well, if the guards think we're miserable together, they'll keep us together and laugh about it. We'll have time to plan, and I think...”

 

A guard passed and James said, “Bugger off!” loudly, taking another spoonful into his mouth and chewing pointedly. “Just because you're royalty doesn't mean I owe you the skin off me back!”

 

Even though he was joking, it stung a little to be spoken to like that, but as soon as the guards were out of earshot he gave her a wink that instantly made her feel better.

 

“Besides that, we can create a diversion. Get their attention, you know, so we can get out of here once and for all. Soon as I have the key, we're home free. Would you mind doing something a bit improper?”

 

“That depends,” she said, taking the big wooden spoon into her mouth. The spoon itself tasted old and moldy, but she tried to ignore it.

 

“I need you to flirt with the guards. The big one passing by in a bit, specifically. The best way to get away with something is to distract them. When their attention is elsewhere, as it surely will be if a lady such as yourself were to pay attention to one of them, little old me will be invisible. Once I get the keys, you'll see, I can get us out of here safely, no matter how many guards are out there. I just can't be stuck in here like a caged bear.” His features darkened, and he seemed lost in his own thoughts.

 

Sadie's mind wandered back to the castle tour, where she had seen a painting of a group of men fighting against three unbelievably large bears. She thought the artist had a love of exaggeration, but the unlikely possibility that it actually happened would probably have resulted in the group of men being massacred. James' voice broke through her thoughts and she forgot about the painting.

 

“Can you do that, lass, or is it against your upbringing?” he said the last part as a tease, but she could tell that he would have respected her had it been the case.

 

“Sometimes you just have to flirt with a terrible man to get yourself out of a dungeon,” she said with a shrug.

 

James laughed and gave her an approving nod. “It's all part of war, I'm afraid. And getting that man's mind on his trousers will be just the thing we need. We should wait until nightfall though. It's just the one lad for guard duty and it will make our jobs easier. No one will be watching him, and I can pretend to be asleep.”

 

“All right, James.”

 

James gave her a comforting smile, and she wondered if he liked the way his name rolled off of her lips as much as she liked everything that brushed his.

 

They finished their meal, and he leaned back against the cold stone wall. “I expect my blanket back by nightfall!” he exclaimed loudly. “I didn't know I was bunked with such a wench.”

 

She was ready this time. “You call this a blanket, you rat? It's just a tattered bag. Get over yourself.”

 

They heard the guards cackling to themselves further down the corridor and smiled at each other. Now all they had to do was wait around for nightfall.

 

Chapter 5

 

Although it was fun to pretend they hated each other, it left Sadie feeling guilty. She had never spoken unkindly to anyone before, so she wasn't sure she would be any good at it. In the time they had alone, she told this to James and he grinned.

 

“Do you have someone in your life you can't stand?”

 

“Actually I do,” she said, and told him all about her ex-husband and what he had done to her.

 

James' face grew dark as he listened. “You deserve better than that,” he said decidedly. “But I have an idea. And maybe this will help you feel better – just say to me what you wish you could say to him. Don't be afraid to hurt me, I'll just laugh about it. And maybe you'll be able to put it behind you, eh lass?”

 

“Are you sure?” Sadie asked. “I have a lot of angry thoughts about that little maggot.”

 

“All the better!” he exclaimed. “Give me your worst!”

 

He seemed eager enough, and delighted by the idea. It was hard to let him down. She wouldn't want to know what his bright face looked like when it had fallen into darkness. She was sure he was capable of fierceness.

 

“If you're sure. It might be weird at first. But all right, let's try that.”

 

Sadie didn't know she could enjoy thinking up so many insults, and the mock, wounded faces he gave her were hysterical. She had to hold in her laughter for fear of the guards catching on. Once, she even slipped up, and she had to cover it up by pretending that she was sobbing.

 

“Oh, I wish I never met you! Or Lord Lachlan, or anybody! Won't somebody get me out of here?!”

 

James nodded his approval, an impressed expression on his face. She grinned, laughing quietly to herself as a guard's voice echoed down the hall.

 

“Nobody here who's going to help you, wench. Now quiet down!”

 

James and Sadie vibrated with inaudible laughter, hiding their faces into the walls. If she knew the dungeon could be this fun, she would have pulled the knife on Lord Lachlan sooner.

 

***

 

Finally, night began to fall and the amount of shuffling through the corridors decreased. The voices stopped shouting, and the constant clanking became a soft shuffling and the gentle metal rattle of keys clamoring against each other. James gave her the signal, and she moved to the front of the cell, close to the bars where the guards would sit during the night time hours to keep an eye on things. Sadie and James were the two main prisoners, so instead of staying outside the cells of a drunkard or a raving madwoman, shouting slurs against the crown and Lord Lachlan, claiming they were cursing her and all deserved to die, the guard would surely perch there between his rounds.

 

James leaned against the wall, his head slumped down into his chest. He let it drop and breathed gently. If she didn't know better, she would have sworn his act was the real thing, and that somewhere he was off in his own head, perhaps dreaming about the future as she was dreaming of the past. She took the chance to study him in the torch light. Her eyes had adjusted to the dimness of the dungeon, and now he was illuminated to her enough that she could gaze upon him properly.

 

He was just as handsome as her first impression of him, and she allowed her gaze to secretly roam the gentle slopes of his muscles and the war paint that was beginning to peel off his torso. She longed to touch it, to help him peel and scrub it off of himself, or at the least to have its texture under her fingertips, her palms against his warm chest. She tried not to think too much about that and simply shivered. He had taken his potato sack blanket back by force, though she knew he was acting. When she had asked him again why it would be helpful for the guards to think she hated him, he gave a soft laugh.

 

“Everyone hates me around here. It wouldn't be proper for us to be getting along. Do you think the guard would want his stallion in a Highlander lover? I'm here because I'm exactly the kind of man Lord Lachlan can't stand. I uphold my beliefs and protect my kind. I cause trouble in his kingdom. He captured me and kept me here so he can execute me himself just before or right after he married you. Apparently that's the only way he'd be able to get his rocks off on his wedding night.”

 

Another crude wink, and then he was back to tugging the blanket away from her and making himself a comfortable nest with it in the corner, near the entrance where she had been instructed to whisper into the guard's ear. It didn't take long before the guard was outside, standing in front of the bars dutifully. She looked over at James, who seemed to be watching beneath his seemingly closed eyes. He gave her a reassuring nod.

 

She inhaled deeply, pressing her body against the bars and into the guard's back, exhaling gently into his ear. “I always thought I would experience the touch of a man before my death,” she whispered, moving her body gently up and kissing the back of the guard's neck gently.

 

He stiffened and said nothing, seeming to weigh his options.

 

“I'm going to die a virgin. I'll never get to find out about these feelings. If I should die a sinner, is it not possible to die having done God's most pleasurable sin?”

 

James had moved forward silently, reaching his hand tentatively through the bars toward the keys. He motioned to her hands, and she knew she was supposed to take it another step further so he wouldn't think the movement of his keys suspicious. She could almost hear James smiling, trying not to laugh out loud. The guard was captivated, completely under her spell, and she wrapped her arms around him, touching his chest and trailing her hands down, hovering over his groin and bringing a soft groan to his lips.

 

“Please don't let me die empty,” she whispered.

 

It had been a long time since she considered her own physical attractiveness. Her ex-husband hadn't been keen on praising it or pointing it out, and somehow she’d forgotten that it was a part of her identity. But the guard hadn't, and neither had James, who slipped the key off its ring and fled back to his corner with it.

 

“Hey! What's going on over there! Guards! Guards! This woman is being a succubus!” James shouted gleefully.

 

The guard stood quickly and pushed himself away from her, clearing his throat. “Mind yourself, miss!” the guard said sternly, then walked away quickly, no doubt to calm himself down.

 

They were left alone in the dungeon and James grinned, holding up the glimmering key ring. “Let's get ourselves out of here.”

 

Chapter 6

 

Sadie crept behind James as he crouched, his golden muscles rippling in the torch light. He paused suddenly, holding his hand back to stop her. After a moment, he motioned her to continue following. Her heart pounded nervously. She had begun to believe that whatever was happening was real, and whether it was a dream or not, she wanted to escape without having to face Lord Lachlan again.

 

“Listen, lass, what do you know about the layout of this place?” he asked under his breath. His whispers echoed hauntingly off the stone walls, and she thought back to the tour she had escaped from. What had it been like when she was roaming around with the tour group? It seemed like only hours ago that the world was normal, and now here she was, sneaking around a dungeon with this handsome stranger. Fortunately, she had been through the dungeon first; it was a place of grotesque interest to most of the tourists, especially considering Lord Lachlan's bloody history and preferences.

 

“If we keep going, there's a staircase. It leads up into a closet...well, I'm not sure what that would be here. But back in my time it was a closet, with brooms and things like that. But it's close to a door coming in from the back. We met in front of the castle then went around to see the dungeon first.”

 

“Right, must make it easier to put captives in their place without disturbing his royal slumber,” James said bitterly.

 

He must have lost people close to him, people he had loved, Sadie realized suddenly. She had gotten used to his playful nature, but now, hearing the grim note in his voice, the plight of the Highlanders never seemed so real. These were real women and men, children, who had been terrorized. All because they wanted to defend their way of life from the crown. Whether he was just an actor or not, having this reality brought to her mind was disturbing and sad. She wished she could go back in time and change the atrocities...

 

Then she realized that may be exactly what she was supposed to do. Whether she knew it or not, there was something unexplainable at work – magic maybe, or maybe just a deep dream in a haunting old castle. Either way, she was here and there was no waking herself up out of it.

 

James continued creeping along the corridors, listening intently, with his muscular neck craned. They made it safely to the staircase, one that wound in a slow circle up to the next level. She nearly ran into him when he slowed to a stop. The nearness of his body quickened her heartbeat. She was sure he would hear it, but instead he turned to her and grinned.

 

“I smell fresh air. You did well, lass. Let's get out of here.”

 

Sadie couldn't smell anything but the fuel of the torches and the musky stones, but she trusted his rugged senses. It felt good to make him proud, and she smiled privately to herself as he turned back to the stairs ahead of him. They walked carefully up toward the closet, listening intently for any sound of movement.

 

When they reached the top of the staircase, the sound of voices echoed toward them. Suddenly, Sadie was weightless as James picked her up in his strong arms and ducked into the room that she remembered being a closet. He held her protectively close to his chest, curling himself so that he was in front of her with his eyes fixed on the door, ready and alert.

 

Being so close to him that she could practically feel his heartbeat made her nervous. She peered up at him, the chiseled features of his face, his eyes, narrow but beautiful. His mouth was full, for a man's, and he didn't have the same steroid-buff look of the men she saw at the gym. Rather, he was solid, almost meaty, as if he had earned every muscle in his body. She had never thought that the muscular look was particularly attractive, hence her ex-husband, but now that she was pinned in James' strong arms, forbidden curiosities of what else he might be capable of playing on her mind, she had a sudden change of heart.

 

He seemed to sense the shift in her energy and glanced down at her, a soft smile spreading on his lips, barely there before it was gone, and he was back to listening to the voices of the men as they neared, ultimately passing the closet and heading down the staircase. They were telling crude jokes about women, and she recognized one of the voices as the guard she had been ordered to seduce. When they were about halfway down the stairs, out of sight but not out of earshot, James lifted her again, apparently not trusting her to keep silent, and carried her out the open door of the castle. They were free.

 

Chapter 7

 

James ran swiftly with her in his arms. There was no way she would have been able to keep up with him. It was thrilling to be pressed into his chest as they ran, but she imagined she would have different feelings about it if it were any other man. Somehow though, she trusted him with her life, and they were running through the trees now.

 

Wait, trees? Last she remembered, there were no trees there, just a huge grassy yard and a large parking lot. Since when was the castle surrounded by foliage? She didn't have time to pursue the thought before a sudden commotion met their ears. The guards had discovered their empty cell, and now they were on the rampage. The whole castle seemed suddenly alive with activity, and she heard the galloping of hooves as men mounted their horses and followed after the fugitives.

 

What had seemed to be a romantic dream suddenly turned into a nightmare as James and Sadie were surrounded by a huge group of men. James wasn't able to outrun the horses, not when they were being whipped and kicked. He stopped, setting Sadie down and pushing her gently behind his broad back.

 

“Well, now, looks like we've got company!” he said to her cheerfully. She was frightened, but his effort to keep her feeling calm made her feel a little bit better.

 

“Stuff your face!” the guard that Sadie had manipulated shouted. He was the most embarrassed and angry of all of them. The rest of them just looked predatory, excited for the hunt. “You have violated Lord Lachlan's orders, and for that you—” he leered at Sadie, “the both of you—will have to pay the price.”

 

“Lord Lachlan wants them brought back alive so he can finish them himself,” one of the guards said dutifully.

 

“Well, Lord Lachlan should have put his knickers on and come to join us for the hunt then,” the angry guard shouted. “Do your best to follow orders but show no mercy! The little wench is a Highlander lover; it's why she's down there in the first place. Don't you think Lord Lachlan figured that out?”

 

With that, the troops began to advance upon Sadie and James. An involuntary gasp of fright escaped her lips and she clenched James’ back. But he wasn't James anymore. She was surprised when her fingers gripped a handful of fur. She looked up in confusion as the man in front of her grew taller and taller still, until he towered above the group of men. The blood drained from her face as she realized that James had shape shifted into a huge black bear. He unleashed a mighty, earth-shattering roar, and she fell back onto the ground in shock. The roar spooked the horses, and they took off running. Many of the men were thrown from their steeds, while others hopped off just in time. Some were trapped on their horses as they bolted through the dark forest, cursing at their mounts but clinging for dear life.

 

They were left facing off with seven men, all of them panting in anticipation of the battle before them. Sadie's heart thudded in her ears as James, or the bear, rather, lunged into the group of men. He gave a swipe of his large paw, disarming most of them of their swords. Those left defenseless either scrambled to retrieve their swords or ran into the dark forest, back toward the castle. If they stayed on the frontlines, it was to their detriment. James showed no mercy and pounced at them, sinking his teeth into one as he batted still another with his fierce paw, craning his neck quickly to tear into another man who fumbled with his weapon.

 

There were three dead and bloodied on the ground, and two still standing. James stared them in the eye, giving another no-nonsense growl. It chilled Sadie – she had never seen anything like this before. Now she knew it had to be a dream; there was nothing left of reality in this situation. Nobody was joking with her. All of this was either real, or at least real inside her own head. The angry guard was still there, glaring at her from behind James. James crouched in front of her protectively, his hackles raised.

 

The resentful guard lifted his sword and charged. Sadie was sure James would dodge it, but he let out a growl as the little blade pierced his flesh. He smacked the guard hard, and he went flying over the treetops. James glared into the eyes of the one man left standing. Sadie could tell the guard was frightened, and his hands shook as he held up the sword. He significantly lacked power without the others to back him up.

 

“You should go before he kills you,” Sadie whispered as loudly as she could. It was difficult to get any words out; the slaughter she had just witnessed had been seriously gruesome, and she sincerely didn't want to see anybody else get killed. The man's face was white as a sheet, and he glanced at her, a quick flick of the eyes, before dropping his sword and running into the darkness of the forest. James gave a final powerful, victorious roar before his huge body began to shrink back into his human form.

 

He looked at her with a cheerful glint in his eye, and she realized, with some embarrassment, that he was completely naked. His kilt had fallen off during the transformation, and she averted her eyes, but she had already seen him in full, his body a ridiculously flawless sculpture of what bodies were meant to look like in their perfection.

 

“That was close,” he said, pursing his lips. “It's time we get a move on. They'll be back, no doubt. Lachlan's furious with you, lass; there will be a search party.”

 

James slipped his kilt back on with a taunting casualness and led the way through the darkened forest.

 

Chapter 8

 

“Unfortunately, we're a long way from home,” James said.

 

“You're telling me,” Sadie said with a sigh.

 

James laughed. “So you really just put that necklace on and appeared here out of nowhere?” he asked, gathering dried wood to build a campfire with. He had lifted her again and galloped as quickly as he could to the west, to an area where he felt safe enough to make camp and allow Sadie to rest.

 

“That's right,” she said with a sigh. “There is nothing I can think of to explain why this is happening.”

 

“Maybe you were just meant to help me get out of there,” he said with a wink.

 

“I doubt that,” she said with a laugh, though she was secretly wondering the same thing herself. She watched him dab the small wound left on his arm by the man's sword and was sucked into the unpleasant memories of the battle between man and bear.

 

“So...what happened back there?” she asked reluctantly. The images would surely haunt her forever.

 

He had treated his transformation like it was an obvious fact of life, one that she should shake off as if he had simply changed clothes. But Sadie had never seen anybody shapeshift before, and it brought to mind the painting she had seen in the castle, where the bears were surrounded by a group of men, dressed exactly like the guards they had just escaped from.

 

“What do you mean?” he asked, dumping his armful of firewood into a pile. He set to work starting a fire, something she had seen her ex-husband struggle with and fail at many times before. She had learned how for herself because she was tired of his impromptu camping trips and waiting a taxing curse-filled three hours for crispy hot dogs.

 

“I mean I've never seen anybody turn into an animal before, is what I mean!” she said, a little too loudly. She was disturbed by everything that had happened that night and felt the need to protect herself from all the overwhelming experiences. There was no way she could explain these things to herself.

 

“Oh, that... Well, why do you think Lord Lachlan hates us so much?” James asked, plopping down onto the ground.

 

“I don't know; he feels threatened by your way of life? Thinks it's bad for business?”

 

James laughed heartily. “Something like that. He's a scared little man, full of anger and fear. He doesn't understand us, and he doesn't like it. Knows we could kill him in a heartbeat. But he gets off on picking us off one by one, with unfair numbers, so he can feel powerful.”

 

“Right, but how do you change into bears? Do you all do that?”

 

“All Highlanders?”

 

“I guess so.”

 

“Just my clan, as far as I know. But he doesn't know that.”

 

“So he tries to kill you all because he thinks all Highlanders can shift into bears?”

 

“He doesn't like our song, or our dance, or our ways. Especially not the bear ways. It wouldn't matter if the others weren't bears. He is a small man who wants to feel big and will plow big people down to do so. We rebel against the rules he sets to try to feel in control of his little world, and many of us pay the price.”

 

“I see...”

 

This little history lesson was taxing on Sadie. After everything else she had gone through that day, it made her head swim. She suddenly felt exhausted, as if she could curl up on a rock and sleep as soundly as if it were a feather bed.

 

“I promised I would try to help you figure things out,” James said after a long silence. The fire crackled between them and she looked up at him.

 

“How do you plan to do that?” she asked.

 

“In my clan, there are wise people, a council we could talk to about your situation. Maybe they would be able to shed some light on how you got here. If nothing else, we would protect you from Lord Lachlan. No harm would fall on you with us, I would see to it personally.”

 

He said the last part seriously, the charming humor in his eyes completely gone. “If you don't mind living in a rebel camp, we would do our best to help you.”

 

“That depends,” Sadie said. “Will they turn to bears and eat me if they don't like me?”

 

James laughed, the sparkle back in his clear eyes. “Perhaps, but it's doubtful. I'd keep you safe.”

 

Her mind drifted to the way his strong body had cradled hers, and how she had never felt safer in her life than she did pressed against James' broad chest. She gave a small nod, and he returned it. Both of them smiled privately, and suddenly, she wanted him as close to her as possible.

 

“Come here,” she said softly.

 

“Why?” he asked with a grin, not budging.

 

“I want to check the wound on your arm.”

 

He obliged and walked over to her, his muscular body moving languidly. Her eyes were fixed on his perfect abs despite herself, and she gripped his arm tenderly to examine the cut.

 

“It's not too deep, that's good.”

 

“We Highlanders fight hard and heal fast,” he said with a laugh. “You'll soon find that out for yourself.”

 

“I think I already have.”

 

He grinned down at her, and Sadie did something she so rarely had the confidence to do throughout her life; she made the first move.

 

Her soft lips were suddenly tasting the fullness of James', and she squealed in delight as he kissed her back, gripping her by the waist and lifting her until she was sitting on top of him. She ran her tongue against his and was startled by the unexpected desire that hijacked her, bringing a flush to her cheeks.

 

“Maybe we shouldn't—” he said, suddenly pulling away.

 

But no, it was too late for both of them. She could feel the powerful rod testifying to his desire, and she held him firmly, letting their lips linger together. He bit her lip gently with a playful little growl and buried his head in her neck. The contrast of his gentle, warm kisses and the rough stubble on his cheek brought a moan to her lips. That was all the encouragement he needed, and before she could stop him—not that she wanted to—he had stripped her and thrust his hard cock inside of her, as powerfully as thunder. They cried out simultaneously, and she closed her eyes as he had his way with her, using all of his strength to his advantage, moving her easily however he wanted her, holding her up and allowing her to feel completely helpless in his arms. His strong hands grabbed on to her breasts, squeezing them and flicking her nipples. She surrendered to her own pleasure in a way she never had before.

 

She closed her eyes as her bliss overpowered her, and she let out a low moan as her body began to quake under his. She gripped his hair tightly, and he hissed in pleasure as her climax contracted around his rod and made it impossible to avoid a climax of his own. She cried out loudly as he unleashed a hot explosion inside of her, enhancing her orgasm and leaving them both panting in disbelief of how unbelievably good the sex had just been.

 

Sadie yawned loudly, and James gathered her up into his muscular arms.

 

“Rest, sweet lass. I'll see you in the light of the morn.”

 

With that, Sadie fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

 

Chapter 9

 

Sadie was wakened bright and early by a gentle nudge on her shoulder.

 

“Wake up, lass,” James whispered. His voice sounded worried, and he was no longer holding her. He seemed to be keeping his distance, and suddenly, the night before came in a powerful memory that left her embarrassed.

 

When her eyes fluttered open, she swallowed hard. James was peering down at her, his handsome face creased with concern. He gave her a gentle smile and moved away, leaving her body cold and her heart aching with an inexplicable loneliness.

 

“We have to get a move on; the guards will surely be after us. If any of them were smart, they would have been tracking us through the night. We will have to find a way to get them off our trail. If I shift into a bear, do you think you would be able to hold on while I run? We can outdistance their horses that way.”

 

“You want me to ride you?” she asked, the sudden sexual implication of her words hitting her with an embarrassing clarity.

 

“If you can handle it,” he said with a grin. She couldn't tell if the past made him naively oblivious of the innuendo, or if he was just that confident. Either way, it did nothing to take her mind off of the raw attraction she felt toward him.

 

“I guess if there's no other choice,” she said with a small laugh.

 

“Afraid not. Not to offend you, but you're not very fast, even by human standards. Not that it's a problem, you know, if we were settled in a camp somewhere safe, but since we're kind of on the run now, lass, you don't want to be lagging behind. You never know who might pop out of the bushes. So don't wander off, all right?”

 

“All right,” she agreed.

 

She didn't think it was a point he needed to stress very much. She was terrified of this unfamiliar world, and the men who had locked her up and were now pursuing her. There had to be a way back, and if this man could help her find it, she would stick with him.

 

“Are you ready?” he asked. “When we get far enough away, I can catch you some breakfast.”

 

“I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be.”

 

“You have an interesting dialect, lass,” he said. “Mind grabbing my kilt when the transformation is over? It's a favorite. Besides, you don't want to be stuck with me running around as nude as a babe, do you?”

 

She wasn't so sure she wouldn't, but she just laughed and shook her head because that answer was easier. She promised to pick up his kilt, and he straightened himself up, looking toward the sun. A strong wind rustled the leaves around them, and suddenly, instead of James, the large black bear from the night before stood before her.

 

She bent down and swiped the kilt. It was still warm from his body and she swallowed hard, shaking her head sheepishly. Did this mean she would get to see him naked again? But surely since she knew it was coming, she should cover her eyes, right? But if he didn't seem embarrassed about it, why should she? She sighed shakily and mounted the bear's back, gripping its fur as she had the night before, and held on tightly as he began to bound forward through the forest.

 

It was an exhilarating feeling. She had never felt so free. She had ridden a horse once as a child, or at least, been trotted around on one until she begged to be let off, but nothing she had experienced in her life could compare to the experience of swiftly rushing through the forest, dodging limbs and branches, the wind blowing through her fiery red curls and bringing her to life.

 

When James finally slowed down, she couldn't help but feel disappointed. He slowed to a stop near a running stream and lay down, signaling that it was time for her to get off. One of her legs was asleep, so she stumbled when she hit the ground. She had to rub her leg and try to walk off the pins and needles surging through her muscles. She heard James laugh and turned around in surprise. She had forgotten his powerful masculine form, just as impressive as his bear form. He had slipped his kilt back on while she wasn't looking, and she felt embarrassed again for even considering whether or not she would be able to peep at him again.

 

“I don't know about you, lass, but I'm getting hungry. Why don't you get some water in you while I go catch us lunch?”

 

“All right,” she said, realizing with some embarrassment that her heavy footfalls and slow body would scare off any of his potential prey.

 

“I'll be fast, don't worry,” he promised. He gave her one of his grins, which were becoming somewhat signature to her now, and disappeared into the heavily wooded forest.

 

When he was alone, James let out a deep sigh. What had he done? The clansmen would surely lynch him. What would Sadie do if she knew the truth? He had better lay low and keep his hands to himself from now on. It wouldn't be good for either of them if he allowed himself to give in to temptation again. His face was hot as he remembered the night before. Although it had felt incredible, it couldn't happen again. He would have to hide his secret well and cover his tracks.

 

***

 

Sadie sat beside the stream, dipping her hand into the cool water and scooping a palm full of it into her mouth. She would never have been able to do that with the water back home. It would be murky and gray-green; not particularly safe for consumption without filters and boiling involved. She wondered how long it would be before James returned and took the opportunity to take in the scenery. The greenery was shocking and vibrant, and the sky a crisp blue. She doubted that she would be able to see anything quite so beautiful back home, at least not in her own timeline.

 

Her curiosity was piqued by a family of deer, wandering peacefully through the forest. They ambled slowly, lapping up some water from the stream and not seeming to notice her at all. She was shocked by their nearness, how they didn't perceive her as a threat to their well-being and simply continued to move forward. If it was her own timeline, the trauma of gunshots would have made all of them wary of her, and she wouldn't have been able to blame them.

 

They sauntered quietly into the forest, and she was unable to resist the urge to follow them. They tolerated her company, going about their business as they grazed, their heads raising lazily, an ear twitching here and there as they checked for signs of danger. She felt honored to be accepted into the group, even if it was just temporarily, and she stayed quiet and respectful, amazed by their fearlessness and beauty.

 

Suddenly, a twig snapped and the little family of deer froze in fear before taking off through the trees as quickly as their long legs would carry them. James must be back from his hunt. It had gone faster than she thought it would, but then, that didn't surprise her. He was turning out to be more competent than any man she had ever met before.

 

“James, you wouldn't believe what just happened! There were so many deer! I've never seen that many at once. And they were so beautiful. You should have seen them,” she exclaimed, turning around.

 

Suddenly she was face to face with the scorned guard – the one she had led on and humiliated.

 

“James isn't here, and there's no way he will be able to help you now,” he said with a cold grin. She tried to scream for help but the guard clamped his hand over her mouth, his eyes wild with anger and delight. “You thought you could get away from me so easily, you bloody bear lover? Not likely.”

 

And with that, he cackled and gripped her arm tightly, twisting it around her back and shoving her forward. To keep her from screaming, he stuffed a cloth in her mouth.

 

“I'm going to make you pay for humiliating me, wench. And it's not going to feel very good. Not for you anyway.”

 

Sadie’s eyes widened in panic as she squealed uselessly for James to rescue her. But James was gone.

End Book One

Book 2

“Sadie?” James called uncertainly when he came back to the clearing by the stream. He was holding two dead rabbits, and his beautiful companion was nowhere in sight.

 

Fear suddenly gripped his heart as he caught a whiff of something familiar – the sour scent of Lord Lachlan's men. He dropped the rabbits on the ground and immediately transformed into a bear, roaring ferociously the moment the shift was complete. He sped off, galloping as quickly as possible, following the blood-boiling stench of the guard, and the blood-curdling scent of Sadie's fear. If he was too late, he knew he would never forgive himself. He should have known better than to leave her alone!

 

His sharp ears picked up a whimper in the distance, and he bounded toward it as quickly as possible, cursing himself for his carelessness. If he hadn't been so embarrassed about overcrossing his boundaries and worried about losing his place in the clan, he wouldn't have put her life in danger for a hunt. They could have stayed together. He had been so foolish.

 

James leapt through the trees toward the whimper and landed right in front of the guard as he was beginning to tear his uniform off. He unleashed a deafening roar that made the man pause in his tracks and pale. His pants dropped to the ground, and James wasted no time in sinking his massive teeth into his neck. A gurgling shriek erupted from the man and James began shaking him wildly, until he felt the life leave his victim. He tossed him as far away from Sadie as he could, howling with anger as he transformed back into his human self.

 

Sadie was bunched up on the ground, sobbing with a gag in her mouth. He ran swiftly to her and removed it, throwing it to the ground as he pulled her into a comforting hug. His strong body was still tense with the throes of battle, and she cried against him. He soothed her, stroking her long red curls and kissing the top of her head.

 

“It's all right now, lass. I'm so sorry that happened. I shouldn't have left you alone.”

 

“It's not your fault,” she said through broken sobs. “I left to go see the deer and...”

 

“Hush, lass, all that matters is that you're safe now. You won't be leaving my sight until we get back to my clan. Come now, I fetched us a meal.”

 

He lifted her to her feet, pursing his lips in an apologetic smile. “I don't have my kilt,” he said. “But don't worry, it's with our breakfast. Do you want a ride back?”

 

Sadie didn't know what she wanted. Being comforted by the naked James held a guilty appeal, but it would quickly become awkward.

 

“All right, lass,” he said, seeming to read her thoughts.

 

He shifted back into his bear form and looked at her with soulful brown eyes, giving her an innocent, eager to please look that reminded her of a puppy. As if to solidify this image, he gave her a gentle lick on the arm that made her face break out into a smile. She climbed onto his back, laying down with her cheek against his fur, gripping it tightly as he walked briskly through the forest, back to the stream where he had left his rabbits and his favorite kilt.

 

***

They ate quietly, a small fire crackling between them. When they were finished, James insisted that he look her over for wounds. She allowed him to run his large hands up her arms and down her legs, his clear eyes searching for signs of distress. Fortunately, he found none, and he lifted her to her feet. Their faces were unbearably close, and the thought of just how easy it would be to take her full lips into his, to take her again, haunted James. But he had already made his mistake. He would be crazy to do it again and risk his place in the clan. He'd worked hard for it.

 

When she reached out as if to touch him, he turned away, as if he didn't know what she was doing. He bundled up the supplies he'd used to create the fire and tucked them away in his kilt before dousing the fire with stream water and making sure that it was out.

 

“The spirits won't let me hear the end of it if I burn the forest down,” he said with a grin.

 

“What spirits?” Sadie asked, frowning.

 

“Oh, you know, lass. The spirits! The dead who speak to us. They have a soft spot for the wee ones, animals like the deer you were chasing after. If I endangered them, leaving this fire lit, they'd haunt me.”

 

“I see,” she said, storing the little tidbit of knowledge into her brain. Things in the Highlander's world were not like her own. She should do her best to get used to it so she could keep herself out of harm's way. Trouble was always likely to follow those who were unprepared and willfully ignorant.

 

“There's good news,” he said, straightening his back so that his six pack of abs rippled tantalizingly in front of her.

 

“What's that?” she asked, somewhat distracted by his body.

 

Luckily he didn't seem to notice. “We're almost back to my clan. We made it halfway last night before having to stop for rest. There's a lot of daylight left, so we should make it by dawn.”

 

Sadie smiled at him, eager for any opportunity to sort out whatever was happening, but doubtful that it would make any real difference. Sometimes she almost forgot that she had a whole other world to get back to. Remembering home was strange, and comforting, but it also made her a little bit apprehensive. Back in her own time, there was no James, the man-bear who could lift her with one hand and fill her body with pure bliss. And there were no clear streams to drink from or deer who would approach you as if you were a friend, even without being fed by you. She was becoming quite fond of this world she was in.

 

Without warning, James shifted into his powerful black bear form and waited patiently by his fallen kilt. He bowed in front of her when she picked it up and used it as a saddle for his hairy back, pressing her head against his as he bounded through the wilderness and toward his clan.

 

Chapter 2

 

The sun was just beginning to paint the sky with the pinks and golds of twilight when James stopped trotting abruptly and lay down. Sadie had been nearing sleep and stirred as he growled gently. She slipped down his furry back and leaned against a tree, crossing her arms over her breasts as he began to shift back into his human form. He was facing away from her, and she eyed his lithe body as he slipped his kilt back on before turning to her.

 

“We're here,” he said, looking into the distance. “Before we go in, would you mind if...”

 

James trailed off and sighed heavily. Something was weighing on his mind but he was reluctant to say what it was. She peered at him and he sighed again, actively trying to avoid her eyes.

 

“What do you want me to do, James?” she asked, frowning.

 

“Nothing, never mind. But what happened back there can't happen again. I hope you understand.”

 

“What?” she asked, genuinely puzzled.

 

“I can't be with a Lowlander, not here,” he said thinly, looking down at the ground and kicking awkwardly at the dirt. “Things are a bit different in my clan. You'll soon catch on, I'm sure. But please try to remember that I'm not the man who made the rules. I'm just the man who broke them.”

 

She stared after him, her heart contracting painfully as he moved forward, leading her through the brush and toward a warm orange glow. The smell of a campfire filled her senses, and she suddenly forgot the cryptic words James uttered as she followed him into the camp. She felt self-conscious as all eyes turned to her, and James laughed, scratching his head as if he wasn't sure he would be welcome to the party. She half expected them to yell at him, he looked so guilty and sheepish, but instead everybody began to cheer and rush to his side, slapping his bare back excitedly.

 

“James! Everybody, it's James! We thought we'd lost you!” a man said excitedly. “Wait ‘til we tell the council, they'll be so relieved.”

 

“I doubt the council gives any care about me,” James said modestly.

 

“Who's the lass ye brought with you?” they asked.

 

Suddenly, one of them dropped his jaw. “I know that face! Isn’t it Sadie? Lord Lachlan's fiancée?”

 

“Oh, James,” an old woman said, shaking her head. “This may turn out badly. You may find yourself in some trouble, lad.”

 

He was about to respond when suddenly the woman's eyes locked on the pendant dangling between Sadie's breasts. She opened and closed her mouth, grasping at the air as if to try to find the words. But they didn't come.

 

James lay his heavy hand on her shoulder and steered her away from the scene, changing the subject.

 

“It's best we talk to the council about this first,” he whispered, and she nodded enthusiastically. “Please tell the same to the others, before word of the girl makes its rounds.”

 

“Of course,” she whispered and hurried off to inform the council.

 

“Now then,” he said loudly, turning around with his most charming smile. “I believe I could use a drink.”

 

“Aye!” the men shouted, laughing and throwing their fists and glasses up into the air.

 

Sadie and James were surrounded by the crowd and led to a bonfire in the middle of the camp.

 

“Princess Sadie, meet the rebels,” James said with a grin, waving his arm toward the Highlanders who were gathered in front of the fire. They acknowledged her, somewhat suspiciously, all of them hushed and reserved when their eyes fell upon the pendant. She glanced down at it self-consciously and wondered if maybe it held them captive in the same mystical way that it had drawn her in. Maybe she shouldn't have put it on. Maybe it was cursed and they could tell.

 

“Now where's my ale?” James exclaimed, disappearing into the crowd and leaving Sadie alone. She tried to follow him, but she quickly lost him in the crowd. She was learning that Highlanders moved quickly – very quickly – and she sighed, sitting down in front of the fire on a fallen log. She took the opportunity to be lost in the commotion and look around at the Highlander camp.

 

A scattered collection of tents littered the area surrounding the campfire, one tent standing importantly and looming higher than the rest. She realized that James was heading in that direction, a glass of ale in hand, and she fought the urge to follow him. If he wanted her there, he would have made sure she followed him. She smiled politely when someone offered her a glass, and she took it, sniffing curiously. The smell was strong and she threw her head away from it in surprise. Still, you were only in the past so often. She figured that you might as well live a little. Sadie brought the glass to her lips and swallowed, raising her eyes as the bite of the alcohol warmed her insides, almost helping her to forget that everyone there considered her a Lowlander.

 

“Got a nice bite to it, eh, lass?” an old man laughed, giving her a toothless grin. She nodded, giving him a shaky smile.

 

“Leave the poor lass alone, Ivar,” a woman about Sadie's age said, shooing him away. He gave her one happier, drunken smile before nodding and hobbling away. She promptly plopped down beside Sadie and smiled.

 

“You don't have to drink that rot if you don't want to,” she said. “Nobody will think any differently of you. In fact, the heathens will probably just be glad to have more to themselves.”

 

Sadie smiled at the woman and offered her the cup she was holding. She took it with a delighted laugh and drank it down with a few hearty gulps.

 

“My name's Gail,” she said, wiping her mouth. “I'd wager you don't really know what to do in a Highlander camp, but don't worry. I'm sure James is explaining everything to the council as we speak and they'll get you settled in. And if it's too late to take action, you're welcome to come back to my tent. I'll give you a change of clothes if you need it, we look to be about the same size.”

 

Sadie nodded gratefully. “Thank you.”

 

“You're welcome. You stick out like a sore thumb in that green dress of yours,” Gail laughed. “And trust me, you don't really want extra attention. The Highlanders aren't generally very welcoming of strangers. We like to keep to ourselves and protect our own. But as I said, if James sorts it out with the council, things should be fine.”

 

“He said he'd make sure...” Sadie said, feeling suddenly betrayed.

 

James had led her to believe that she would be accepted into the clan, as easy as that. And if she wasn't, he would intervene on her behalf. But something about him had seemed different when they had reached the borderlines of his camp, and she hadn't been able to reach the man she'd met in the dungeon again since. Had he simply charmed her to get himself back home with a prize, thinking he might be able to use her against Lord Lachlan?

 

Sadie sighed, dejected, when suddenly James was standing before her like the answer to a question she didn't know she had asked, a faint smile on his face.

 

“The council said it was all right for you to stay here and that it would be important to get you used to our customs,” James reported. He had taken on a self-important tone that she wasn't sure she liked.

 

“Oh good!” Gail exclaimed. “Do they have a place for her to sleep?”

 

James nodded. “There's a room open in the council's tent for her.”

 

Gail's mouth opened and closed. “But why?” she asked, a little apprehensively. Her reaction made Sadie nervous.

 

“They'd just like to ask her a few questions and keep her safe from anyone who might think it's a danger to keep her here, considering she was Lachlan's fiancée. They know she's not one of the same breed of Lowlander, they trust me, but they want to talk to her for themselves and keep her separated until the official announcement tomorrow morn. It's best not to surprise everyone; it will be better to put her up safe.”

 

Sadie listened to James speaking in his intoxicating Scottish lilt. He seemed like he was important in the clan, possibly the leader. If not, something close. The men were all flocking around him, hoping for his attention, but he ignored them and turned to Sadie.

 

“Let's get you settled in,” he said, and offered her his hand.

 

***

Sadie stood before the council, a group of stern elders with deep frowns etched into their thick faces. They looked as if they'd lived long, hard lives but were all the wiser for it. Many of them had long silver hair and beards, while others had their locks cropped close to their heads. They sat in tantalizing silence as they studied her before finally, one man stepped forward and cleared his throat to speak.

 

She looked around for James, who was standing dutifully by the entrance, his hands crossed in front of his kilt and his broad chin tilted up like a soldier at attention. She felt very alone and waited nervously for the councilman's words.

 

“Sadie,” the man said. “What do you remember about Lord Lachlan?”

 

“He's a tyrant,” Sadie said, her eyebrows creasing in anger. “And a rat.”

 

“What he means is,” another man interjected, “how many memories do you have of him?”

 

Sadie frowned. “Just the one. I'm afraid I don't know how I um...got here, exactly.”

 

“Yes, James mentioned this. He also said you sought our help in unraveling the mystery,” the first man said.

 

“If it's possible, sir.”

 

“Aye,” he said, glancing to the other council members, who nodded their approval. “As long as you follow the rules and learn how to pull your weight in the camp. Everyone does their share of work, you understand.”

 

“Of course,” she said. “I understand.”

 

“You'll stay in the council's tent for tonight,” the stern man said. “We will summon you when it is time to learn our ways. Until then, we implore you to stay put, as your presence puts our camp in danger.”

 

“I'm sorry, I—”

 

“James will show you to your accommodations,” he interrupted, not acknowledging her apology. “James?”

 

James moved forward, ducking through a flap in the tent and pausing for her to catch up to him.

 

“I thought you said I'd be welcome here,” she hissed as he led her into the little makeshift room.

 

“You are,” he said. “Just give it some time.”

 

He gave her a sweet smile and a wink. With that, he disappeared from her sight, leaving nothing behind him but the swaying fabric of her entranceway.

 

Chapter 3

 

Sadie awoke early, dazed and disoriented when she discovered that she still wasn't back in her own time. She half expected to be transported back every time she closed her eyes. Unfortunately, the longer she spent in this strange place, the more real it began to feel to her.

 

There was a tray of food near her bedside, and she pulled it toward her. A plate of berries and a slab of cooked fish. She ate hungrily, downing a cup of fresh spring water. A parcel of clothing was sitting on the foot of her cot and she sighed, undressing and putting it on. She wondered where she would be able to shower, but soon the thought left her head as she heard a commotion.

 

Deep voices were shouting – she couldn't tell if they were angry or excited. Maybe a mixture of both. She had been strictly ordered not to leave her room until they told her she could, which felt stifling. Still, she was more afraid of breaking the rules than she was tempted to find out what the commotion was about, and waited restlessly in the tent for a sign that she could leave.

 

She was captive until finally, a stooped-over man poked his head in. “It is time to introduce you to the clan,” he said.

 

She looked down at her dress and back at the man, her face burning red. “Do I have this on right?” she asked, gritting her teeth.

 

He examined her for a moment and uttered a light sigh. “Excuse me, lass, I'll be back with someone to help you.”

 

Sadie sat down on her cot and put her head in her hands. This whole thing was incredibly embarrassing. Suddenly, Gail was in the room and began chuckling heartily.

 

“Look at you, lass,” she laughed, poking at the buckle that Sadie had clasped around her waist. “It was a nice try, but actually that goes here,” she said, pointing to Sadie's chest.

 

“Oh!” Sadie exclaimed in surprise and tried not to squirm as Gail began tugging at her dress, fastening the buckle between her breasts.

 

“There!” Gail said, beaming at her proudly. “Come on now, the clan's ready to meet you. They'll only trust whatever the council says, so it was best for you to stay here last night. Don't worry though. They will be treating you like family in no time.”

 

“Sure they will,” Sadie said doubtfully. But when she looked at Gail, she was smiling, so Sadie tried to banish the nervous butterflies in her stomach and follow behind with a stoic face.

 

Gail led her out of the tent, where she was intercepted by the elder who had asked whether or not she was ready. He led her to the center of the camp, where the entire clan was gathered. James was standing sternly beside the council, who were in the center of the group. He looked particularly handsome now in the daylight, grinning at his comrades. Still, something seemed to be making him uneasy, and he avoided her gaze.

 

“Today we must welcome to our clan Lord Lachlan's former fiancée Sadie. It seems that fate has brought her to us and we must honor this with the highest respects possible. We must all do our best to teach her our ways, as her journey has been a wee bit unconventional.”

 

Sadie had been led to stand in front of the council, and she was nudged to step forward. She gave a meek bow, unsure of what else to do.

 

“Introduce yourself, lass,” one of the council members said. His voice was neither kind nor unkind and she sighed.

 

“My name is Sadie. I'd tell you where I'm from but I don't really know. This is all very unfamiliar to me so I appreciate your guidance.”

 

She bowed and backed up, standing beside James. She had the strong urge to lean into him, but it seemed wildly improper. And besides, he had backed away from her, his face grim. Something was going on with him, and she was beginning to feel very put off by whatever it was. She wished he would just talk to her about it. The rules somehow prohibited him from paying any attention to her? Was that what he was implying? What kind of rules were those?

 

“Sadie may roam about the camp and do as she likes, just as anyone else. But if anybody causes her any trouble, you will answer to the council. Be as considerate of her requests as possible and guide her however you can. That's all for now.”

 

The meeting was adjourned and the council members marched one by one in a single-file line to the big tent and disappeared behind its flap. James lingered outside for a moment before turning away from her, his muscular back rippling as he sauntered away, toward a group of men who were summoning him. She wanted to follow him and ask him what in the world she was supposed to do now, but there was no reaching him. And she refused to embarrass herself in front of James or his clan. She would just have to do what she had always done best – prove how independent she could really be.

 

Chapter 4

 

Sadie wiped her fiery red curls away from her sweating forehead as she ran, attempting to keep up with the stocky, fiercely beautiful Highlander women who were prowling the hills. Their job had been to look for berries and wildlife, and hunt if they were able. While she had never killed a thing in her life, she was determined to do her part. But the women were much faster than she anticipated, springing many feet ahead of her before she could stagger up the hill behind them.

 

She would have been completely miserable if it weren't for Gail, who had taken her under her wing and hung back from the rest, cheerfully explaining what they were looking for and giving her valuable advice about how to survive using the Highland wildlife. She shared a flask of water with Sadie and did her best to keep the mood light, using it as an educational experience rather than a way to show her up, as it seemed the other women were doing.

 

They had treated her bitterly since the moment she was allowed to roam on her own and given her own tent to stay in outside the council's watch. They fully expected her to become a highly functioning member of the community, and she had scarcely had any time to see James, not that he had given her the time of day since the moment they had arrived. He had been busy carrying out his duties, and she had seen his face covered in war paint as he sped through the camp after hearing rumors of strangers in the midst. She had never seen anybody so captivating as his vibrant, serious eyes shone passionately and his body moved in a sexy, almost panther-like way as he made his way toward the threat.

 

She blushed as memories of their passionate night in the woods came back to her.

 

“You all right, lass?” Gail asked, concerned.

 

“Yes,” Sadie replied, turning her attention back to gathering mushrooms in a basket.

 

“Don't let these women worry you,” Gail said, snatching a berry from Sadie's basket and sticking it into her mouth. “They're just jealous.”

 

“Why would they be jealous of me?” Sadie asked miserably. It was good to talk about this and get her mind off of James, but it left her feeling as if there was something wrong with her. It was never much fun to feel like you didn't fit in.

 

“Well,” Gail said. “I'm sure they have their reasons.”

 

She was mysteriously quiet for a moment before they moved forward in their search. The other women began brushing past them pointedly, their baskets full to the brim with edibles. Sadie watched them saunter back to the camp, their strong, thick legs and fiery hair descending down the hill, snickering as they left. They were probably laughing about her basket being only part full, Sadie thought miserably. Gail gave a cheerful squeal and soon her thoughts were back on the only friend she had made in the camp.

 

“Look it that, Sadie! I found me a baby bird,” Gail said, approaching it gingerly. “Do you see where it might have come from?”

 

Sadie peered at the trees, finally spotting the nest. There were two other birds much the same as the tiny bird on the ground.

 

“Up there,” Sadie said.

 

Without hesitation, Gail scooped the small bird up in her apron, careful not to touch it, and held it gingerly against her breast as she climbed up into the tree using only her long legs and strong arms. She placed the baby bird gently in the nest, bringing alarmed cries from all three of the babies, before dropping down to the ground with a satisfied grin.

 

“That'll do,” she said proudly. And with that, they collected their baskets and headed back to the camp.

 

***

Sadie hadn't been able to keep her mind off of James, and that night she finally had a moment alone with him. It had happened purely by chance – he had left the comfort of his group of friends and nearly ran into her as she emerged from her tent.

 

“Oh!” she exclaimed in surprise, before she realized it was James. “I'm sorry.”

 

He looked down at her, a faint grin on his lips. “Careful there, lass,” he said with a wink.

 

“Where were you heading?” she asked as he backed up. She was reluctant to let him get out of her sight now that she finally had him there.

 

“Just looking to get some water,” he said.

 

“I have some inside,” she said. “Come on in.”

 

He stood hesitantly in front of the tent, bringing his broad hand up to his forehead and running it through his hair.

 

“Come on, I won't bite,” she said.

 

“That a fact?” he asked with a grin, and she laughed, looking down at the ground in embarrassment. He was referring to their tryst in the woods. But he'd made it clear that it wouldn't happen again. She could see why he had become so formal, it seemed like he was under constant supervision, working hard under the Elders to carry out some important position in the clan.

 

He stood just inside the tent, to make it obvious to anyone who might be watching that he didn't intend to fully enter. She poured him a glass of water and brought it to him, biting her bottom lip and looking into his eyes. He held her gaze, his eyes soulful but pained. Was he holding himself back? What was keeping him from being the man she had met in the dungeon?

 

“Thank you, lass,” he said finally, taking the glass and drinking deeply. “How are you liking your accommodations?”

 

“They're...” She didn't quite know what to say about the tent the Highlanders had set up for her. It was flattering to be thought of and given her own space, but she wasn't used to sleeping on a cot, or being so cold, for that matter. The women who had been in charge of her placement had decided that she should be put as far away from the campfire as possible. “It's cozy.”

 

“Well, you take care then,” he said with a nod. He began to leave, and then thought better of it and turned back to face her. She watched him hopefully, secretly wondering if maybe he was going to say or do something romantic, but instead he cleared his throat and straightened his back, taking on the self-important look he got when he was on official council business.

 

“The council wants to summon you to their tent tomorrow for an announcement.” His face was flushed, and she tried to read his expression. It had gone cold though, and she frowned.

 

“Oh...okay. Thank you.”

 

James gave her a formal nod and ducked out of the tent, leaving her alone, her eyes fixed on his broad back as he made his way back to the bonfire.

 

Chapter 5

 

The next morning, the light filtered through her tent, and she woke up feeling alone. All that ceased when she heard a familiar voice.  James was at her entrance again.

 

“Hi,” she said sleepily. She'd been finding it difficult to adjust to the intense schedule the Highlanders kept. They were up late into the night laughing and drinking, singing and dancing, and woke bright and early, even before the sun finished rising. She had been doing her best, but her body was confused and exhausted.

 

“The council is ready to meet with you,” he said, swallowing hard.

 

“Do you know what they want to talk to me about?” she asked, looking down at herself. She was still in her night clothes.

 

“Well,” James said thoughtfully. “I think it's about your plight. They have some things they want to explain to you.”

 

“Great!” she exclaimed, rushing to her dress and slipping her nightshirt off to slip into it. James cleared his throat, clearly embarrassed.

 

“Oh, I'm so sorry,” she said. That had been absent-minded of her. She had dressed casually in front of her husband so many times before that she didn't think twice about undressing in front of James. She really needed to get more sleep. And it might help if she stopped wondering if the two of them might ever be a couple.

 

“It's all right,” he said, his voice strained. “I'll wait for you outside. Just come out when you're ready, lass.”

 

Sadie nodded, pulling the dress on and buckling the brass buckle over the cloth on her breasts. She did her best to smooth her rebellious red locks, but had to be contented to tuck them behind her ear before meeting James outside of her tent.

 

“Ready?” he asked, his voice smooth and gentle. He took her by the elbow and she fought the urge to lean against his broad, muscular torso as they moved swiftly through the camp together. But he dropped his hand from her arm once they reached the scarcely populated bonfire. Most of the Highland rebels were still tucked securely in their tents, preparing for the day.

 

He lifted the tent flap for her and they walked in, first Sadie, then James.

 

“Welcome, Sadie,” the lead councilman said. She had finally discovered that his name was Ivar.

 

“Thank you, Ivar,” she said.

 

“We brought you here today to discuss the pendant that you are wearing. We have cause to believe that you came upon it in another time.”

 

“Another time,” she acknowledged. Even though it was clearly the truth, it still sounded startling and unbelievable coming from anybody else.

 

“Yes. You are from the future, aren't you, lass? It seems time to tell you the story of the necklace you are wearing.”

 

“All right,” Sadie said.

 

Ivar gave her a small smile. “You may sit down for this, lass, it's a long tale.”

 

Sadie sat and watched Ivar curiously.

 

“It began on a day much like this, nearly ten years ago,” he said. “These strange things somehow happen in plain sight. A girl, matching your description, had been sighted coming in and out of the Highlands. Not wandering or journeying as you might envision, but more like fading, in and out, in different places. Most people thought of her as a spirit, and were fearful and afraid.

 

“Fortunately, it soon became understood that there was a thin veil between certain points in time. And many of the spirits agreed that this was the case with the fire-haired girl who was seen walking between the realms. She was absolutely beautiful, and as time went on, she aged normally as any girl does. She was the Highlander's secret, she was, and one of the best kept.”

 

Sadie tried to picture this strange phenomenon and how it must have made these superstitious people nearly go insane trying to figure out what kind of omen such a woman might bring. Would she be a sorceress? A teller of evil? A bringer of good luck? Only the community could decide.

 

“Eventually, this woman was discovered and sought out by many clans, and Lord Lachlan heard her tale as well. He became obsessed with seeking out this woman, claiming she was a Highland witch who could give him the power to defeat the bear clan once and for all. He was convinced that she would be the most beautiful woman in the world and give him everything he had been desperately seeking – power and control over the Highland tribes.”

 

Sadie frowned, remembering Lord Lachlan's disgusting, pock-marked face as he had tried to force himself on her. She looked at Ivar, anxious to hear the rest of the tale.

 

“Lord Lachlan was part right. He went out to seek the specter, and the first Highland woman to meet her description was the fire-haired beauty, Alana. Alana met all of his fantasies, and he captured her immediately without another word.”

 

The whole council bowed their heads at this, their faces frowning deeply.

 

“She was able to help him fulfil his dark intent in a way he had not anticipated. She was the leader of the bear clan, fearless, strong, and beautiful. But Lachlan and his men had overpowered her and taken her by force. She'd been taken to his castle and thrown in the dungeon, where Lachlan enjoyed himself as he tortured and killed her. The necklace you wear belongs to Alana. She who finds it around her neck is able to carry the new spawn of the Alpha of the bear clan within her, thus continuing our clan's legacy. Without that necklace, our clan is barren and we are left with no heir to continue the Bear Clan's blood line.”

 

Sadie looked down at the pendant, her eyes wide, and suddenly realized that the war paint James had been wearing when they met in the dungeon was the same symbol on the pendant. Did that mean that James was the leader of the clan? Were they destined by forces stronger than fate?

 

“What if we just gave the necklace to somebody else?” Sadie asked, fingering it.

 

“I think you'll find that removing that pendant, once on, is a difficult task,” Ivar said with a soft, private laugh. “It has come to you by way of fate.”

 

“Oh,” Sadie said.

 

She tried to remove the necklace, but her body seemed to have no desire to take it off and it stayed put.

 

“I see what you mean,” she said, dropping her hands back in her lap.

 

Ivar smiled. “When Alana was killed, Lord Lachlan took the necklace and hid it away in his castle as a trophy. He considered her death a small victory against the Highlanders, as he was aware of her status among the top seniority of the clan. She was a leader. But that wasn't the impact he wanted, at least, he didn't know it. Without his knowledge though, he had left us with the inability to bear any more children to the clan by removing the source of our female leaders' power. Normal women cannot bear the bear shifter children. It takes a lot of strength and power. Normal women are not even chosen to wear the necklace. Our brides have come from far and wide, and apparently,” Ivar's eyes twinkled, “through time.”

 

“This doesn't make any sense,” Sadie said, exhaling. She sneaked a glance at James, who was standing dutifully, staring forward and making no notice of her.

 

“Well, maybe it will, my dear. Remember, Lord Lachlan wanted the specter. He had tested poor Alana and discovered that she was human after all. And with that, she had been killed and he had lost his temporary sense of victory. That being gone, he was back on the hunt for the Highland specter. He found her just a few days ago, and somehow, he was able to capture her in a special room. The spirit looked just like you, lass. You've come and gone from this place since you were a wee one, traveling in your dreams and walking through the hills of Scotland, waiting for your chance to come once and for all. Perhaps you have an old soul and missed our beloved land.”

 

“Wait,” Sadie said, holding her hand up. “That doesn't make any sense. How could that be me? I never left my little town. How in the world would I have ended up here?”

 

“As I said, lass, your dreams. Every leader of the clan has had extraordinary gifts. It takes a lot of power to find this rebel clan – we are masters at disguise. It's only through careless mistakes that we have been discovered over time. You clearly are capable of immense power, and now that the necklace found you again, no doubt in the future, right where Lord Lachlan left it, it summoned the whole of your body back to the time of your dreams, when you were the mysterious Highland specter.”

 

Sadie was glad he had invited her to sit for this story, because now she was feeling extremely tired. If she was standing, she was sure her legs would be shaking. She looked up at the top of the tent, unable to meet anybody's eyes, and exhaled loudly.

 

“It's important to tell you this now, because it marks another change for our clan,” Ivar said. “Now that the female leader has returned, allowing the bear clan's unique gene pool to thrive well into the future for generations to come, we must explain to you the role that you are expected to uphold in this clan. I do hope to help you discover a way back into your own time. It is a certain course of action. After, of course, you are mated with our leader.”

 

Sadie's heart lurched. Did that mean she would have an obligation to be with James? And he would be able to finally express his affection for her without worrying what the rest of the clan and the council said? She was sure that he still harbored feelings for her, secret, private feelings that he was scared and worried about for some reason. She caught his eye across the room, but for some reason he was staring at her with a hopeless, helpless expression. It almost looked, in that brief moment, as if he might cry.

 

“Broc will be back tonight, and you will finally meet your betrothed.”

 

“My be—” Sadie said in an exhale, her voice barely above a whisper. She was surprised and a sinking in her stomach suddenly overwhelmed her. She glanced over at James, who had his eyes squeezed closed and his face pointed up toward the ceiling. He was clenching his fist hard.

 

“I don't understand,” she said toward James, but it was Ivar who answered.

 

“As payment for us helping you to get back to your own time, where you so clearly belong, we would ask that you follow our customs. Once you have the child in your womb and give birth to a new heir to the clan, we will be able to open the portal. Returning to your own time should remove the necklace so that it can seek a new leader.”

 

“This is unbelievable,” she breathed. She could tell that James was having a hard time keeping his composure, but nobody in the council seemed to notice except her.

 

“Please stay in the council's tent for the rest of the day to prepare for the welcoming ceremony for our leader Broc. Gail will help to dress you in the appropriate attire.”

 

And with that, she was led from her chair and into the room where she had stayed during her first night in the clan.

 

Chapter 5

 

Sadie waited nervously beside the council, dressed in a fancy tartan dress, her buckle no longer brass, but silver.  They were standing around the campfire, the rest of the clan seated and circled around them, quietly awaiting Broc's arrival. Gail had helped Sadie with the proper greetings and customary way to wear her hair, and sighed wistfully.

 

“It's such an honor, being the matriarch of the clan,” Gail said. “I used to dream of it when I was a wee cub. But of course there's no way I could have done it. It makes sense for it to be someone like you. Me, I'm too excitable.”

 

“Is Broc nice?” Sadie asked, ignoring Gail and cutting right to the chase. She was nervous and grew even more so when Gail danced around the subject and began brushing her long red hair with a hum.

 

“Broc is very handsome,” Gail finally said with a faltering smile.

 

Sadie sighed, considering what might happen to her if she ran away. Lord Lachlan would most likely catch her, and if he didn't she would probably catch her death in the winding hills of Scotland. That was the last thing that she wanted. The worst part would be that she would be unable to get home. Had James known all of this the whole time?

 

“What happens if I don't want to be with Broc?” Sadie asked. “Are there any other men in the clan I could be with?”

 

“Only the Alpha,” Gail said thoughtfully. “Nobody else has good enough genes to carry on the blood line.

 

“Oh,” Sadie said, sorely disappointed.

 

James had kept his word and brought her somewhere that she would be able to get back home, but from the looks of it, he had been miserable about the whole affair, from the moment before they entered the camp and right up until the crowd of Highlanders stood in anticipation of Broc's heavy foot-falls. He must have been in bear form, because everything around her vibrated with the sound of a mighty roar as he marched into the camp.

 

His face was bristling with negativity, and he demanded food and drink at once. He didn't seem to notice Sadie standing beside the council, and she was happy to feel invisible as he sat down and tore into food, scowling around at the clan.

 

“What are you all staring at?” he asked, his mouth open and food spilling out as he spat at them. Nobody answered. “Make yourselves useful and get some firewood or something.”

 

Several of the men rose immediately and walked into the forest. It was dawn, and the light was beginning to leave the camp, cloaking them in an inky darkness somewhat illuminated by the low fire crackling in the center of the group.

 

“Welcome back, Lord Broc,” Ivar said with a low bow.

 

Broc ignored him and kept eating, leering at one of the women across the fire from him. She looked at Sadie nervously, but pleased with the attention.

 

“My lord, we have something of an unexpected surprise,” Ivar said.

 

Broc looked up at him, still chewing, waiting for him to proceed. Sadie's stomach churned – he was almost as disgusting as Lord Lachlan. James was nowhere in sight.

 

“Well, what is it?” he finally asked. Ivar smiled and nudged Sadie forward. Broc's eyes roamed her greedily and her heart thudded in her chest. Why was this happening?

 

“The pendant has returned. You may take a mate to ensure the survival of the Bear Clan.”

 

Broc opened his mouth in disbelief, food being exposed and making Sadie recoil. He stood abruptly and tugged her closer to him by the arm, looking her up and down, examining her in the same way her ex-husband might have examined an antique car.

 

“Looking for dents in the hood?” she asked coolly so that only he could hear.

 

“Huh?” he grunted. His greasy black hair fell in front of his dirty face, and his brown eyes looked into hers expectantly.

 

“Nice to meet you, my lord,” Sadie replied begrudgingly, remembering her manners and the greeting that Gail had pushed her to remember. He was stocky, meatier and less lean than James. Overall much less refined in every way, she decided, watching him shove another piece of meat into his mouth as he stared at her as if he had just won the grand prize.

 

“When do we mate?” he asked.

 

“Well, of course there would be the ceremony, but unfortunately she cannot stay with us for the long term, so it won't be necessary. But you will be able to mate with her as many times as you wish until she has conceived a child. Then we will send her back to where she came from. That was the deal we made with her, and we must honor that deal,” Ivar replied.

 

Somewhere in the distance, a loud cracking sound grabbed everybody's attention. They all stared out into the distance, startled, but the sound wasn't repeated.

 

Ivar smiled. “We still have some lads chopping wood,” he said. “I think it's enough to meet for tonight. In a week's time, we can schedule the first mating.”

 

“Why not tonight?” Broc demanded, licking his lips and leering at Sadie.

 

She shuddered.

 

“There is much to discuss and preparations to be made,” Ivar said firmly. “Until then, Sadie will stay in the council's tent again.”

 

And with that, it was decided.

 

***

That night, Sadie lay in bed, wide eyed with horror. Broc was terrifying and aggressive, and there was nothing about him that she liked. What did they expect her to do? How had she gotten herself into this mess? What about this horrible place in the past made the men think they could have their way with women and give them no say in the matter? Of course she wanted to get home, it would be safer and women were a little bit more empowered, but did she want to go home at a cost that high?

 

A moment of panic seized her and Sadie sat up suddenly, her heart thudding rapidly in her chest. She would have to escape. There was no way she would let them mate her with Broc.

 

She slipped out from the tent, surprised but grateful that there was such lax surveillance. If she could just disappear into the woods, maybe she could find a better Highlander clan, one that would help her, instead of limiting herself to the thought that maybe she would suffer a fate worse than death by being forced to wed Lord Lachlan or starve to death on the ground.

 

She snuck behind the tent, avoiding the bright campfire light, and ran into the inky darkness of the trees. She cried out when she ran into a warm, firm body.

 

“Oomf,” came James' voice from the blackness.

 

“James?” she asked in a hushed whisper.

 

“What the – what are you doing out here, lass?” he asked.

 

His breath reeked of booze and she peered up at him, frowning.

 

“Are you drunk?”

 

“That's a silly question,” he said, cackling unkindly. “What bloody point is there in being sober?”

 

He lifted a glass to his lips and she saw a liquid glistening on his knuckles.

 

“Why is your hand bleeding?” she asked, frowning.

 

“Oh, I punched a tree,” he said, stumbling a little as he looked down at her. His handsome face was still contorted in pain.

 

“What's going on, James?” she asked. “Why haven't you been talking to me?”

 

“Isn't it obvious, love?” he asked. “The council would have my head if they knew I'd already been – you're supposed to be the savior of the clan.” His voice lowered to a stage whisper. “If they knew we mated, they'd have my balls for it. And I'm not keen on that. Mighty fond of the little buggers.”

 

He grinned at her before his face contorted back to the worried look he'd been wearing since they arrived at the camp.

 

“James,” she said, touching his face gently.

 

“You watch yourself around ol' Broc, lass. He's a scoundrel. Much worse than me, though I'm sure you'd doubt that if you're smart. Probably seems like I set you up to be our clan's baby producer.” He spat this out, and now she was sure that he was going to cry.

 

She sighed and leaned against a tree. “James, all I think is that if you don't like the rules, you should find a way to change them...or go somewhere with better rules.”

 

James quirked his eyebrow at her before his eyes suddenly grew wide. “You should get back into your prison cell, lass, one of the members from the council is coming back. They'll probably be checking on you to make sure you've kept your purity.”

 

“But I haven't,” she said, looking deeply into James' eyes, unapologetically aroused as they were both taken back to the blissful memories of their first encounter in the campsite James had set up after they escaped from Lord Lachlan's men. “And I wouldn't want to. Not for him.”

 

Sadie turned away, leaving James staggering as he stared behind her, his drunken mind reeling with difficult thoughts and feelings.

 

Chapter 6

 

As the days passed, Sadie grew more and more miserable at the idea of sharing anything, especially bodily fluids, with Lord Broc. He was a dim-witted, brutish man whose temper was short and demands on others high. She hated him with all of her might, but it didn’t matter.

 

On the morning before they were to be mated, she found Broc sneering at Gail.

 

“But please, I gave my rations to the lad next to my tent; he was nursin' a young fawn back to health and needed the extra food. I'm just asking for a piece of bread or something to stave off hunger ‘til supper,” Gail begged.

 

“You shouldn't have been stupid enough to give it away,” Broc said, deliberately pulling a handful of berries from a bowl beside him and eating them pointedly. “You learn, being an Alpha, that all you should be caring about is yourself. Who cares about the little deer when your own stomach will be empty? Your own survival matters just as much.”

 

Gail groaned loudly and turned away, shuffling quickly and hiding her face when she realized that Sadie had seen the interaction. Sadie was furious and ran to her own room in the council's tent to bring Gail a plate full of food. They had lunch together, quietly bashing Broc and lamenting the fact that they were to mate the next day.

 

Gail shook her head sadly. “I don't know whether to be happy that with you here, all our troubles will be over, or sad that it means you have to be with that...that thing out there.”

 

“It's all right, Gail. Please don't let my troubles weigh you down. I'm happy to help your clan,” Sadie said, inhaling bravely. That's all there was to it. She would do it for Gail, and the incredible bear shifters, so that they wouldn't be lost to time and only remembered by obscure paintings in castle museums.

 

***

The next morning, Sadie awoke with a groan, her heart fluttering with apprehension. This was the night she was going to be forced into mating with Broc. She had always imagined that her first pregnancy would end a little bit differently, but apparently it was her fate to give birth to a half-bear child. There were many things about the union that she found regrettable. If James had been the leader of the clan, the choice wouldn't have been quite so difficult...

 

But there was no point in thinking about that. Over the past week, he had been staring at her meaningfully whenever they passed each other, his eyes intent and his face alert. His handsome body still left her captivated as he passed her, and he was growing stubble, something she hadn't known could look so sexy on a man until he wore it and gave her that burning look.

 

As night fell, she looked again for James, who had disappeared as had become his custom. She was tired of trying so hard to get and keep his attention. He had been too worried about his life and her ability to get home to approach her, so what made her think he would show up and save her somehow from being forced into mating with the horrible brute?

 

She was to wait by the fire for Broc to approach and take her to his private tent, and she sat beside Gail, quivering in fear. She didn't anticipate that he would be very gentle or skilled with her body and felt very nervous about what might happen to her behind closed doors. He seemed very self-interested and she knew that if she stood any chance at all, she would have to try to stay in control of the situation.

 

Finally, he showed up to the campfire, his face contorted in a sickening leer that made her blood curdle. His stomach, somewhat droopy from a few too many pints of ale, drooped over his kilt with a blue symbol scrawled onto it – the one that the pendant bore as well. It looked much better on James, she decided, and cursed at him for getting her into this mess.

 

Suddenly, an earth-shattering roar quaked the ground beneath her feet. She could feel it pierce through her, and Broc's eyes widened. Suddenly, brown fur sprouted from his thick body, and his face strained as it morphed into that of a large brown bear. From the forest strode James; she would recognize his huge black bear form anywhere.

 

“What's going on?” Sadie asked Gail in a hushed voice.

 

Gail was speechless for a moment, watching as the bears began to face each other.

 

“James is challenging Broc,” she said in disbelief. “For the Alpha role.”

 

Sadie's heart melted as she realized what this meant. James had come up with a way to save her. He was willing to risk his life to be the man she laid with, the man to carry on the legacy of his clan. Her eyes filled with tears, and she covered her mouth with her hands, awed that James would be willing to go to such measures to protect her from Broc, and knowing that this meant that the entire time they'd been in the camp together, she had been on his mind.

 

Chapter 7

 

The world quaked as the giant bears roared before lunging violently at each other. The council had come running upon hearing the challenging roars and were watching, rapt, as James and Broc fought. The battle was terrifying and exhilarating, and Sadie cheered for James to win. Every so often, his gentle bear's eyes met hers, and she would smile at him, cheering.

 

Suddenly, Broc clamped his huge fangs around James, drawing blood from his neck and shoulders. Broc pulled back, swaying smugly, no doubt relishing in the hit he got, when James surprised him with a powerful tackle, biting him fiercely on the neck. Broc roared in pain, the sound becoming gurgled and weak, until suddenly the bear went limp under James. James roared victoriously, shaking the foliage of the trees around him, and shifted back into his elegant human form. He walked toward Sadie, completely nude, his handsome, muscular body glowing golden in the firelight. The clan was hushed, quietly accepting his victory, and he took her by the hand, leading her into his tent.

 

***

“James! Are you hurt?” she exclaimed, the moment they were inside. Broc's teeth had punctured his shoulder badly and scraped his neck. It was still bleeding profusely, and she dabbed it with a cloth, tending gently to the wound as he hissed in pain.

 

“Nobody can keep me from you now, lass,” he said with a grin, sweat beading his brow.

 

“No, not ever again,” she said gently, and they fell asleep entwined in his cot.

 

***

Sadie spent the next day tending to James as he recovered and regained his strength. The council told her that the battle had changed everything, but she would still be allowed the portal if she were to provide them an heir as James' mate.

 

She ran to him with the news and he smiled, sitting up good-naturedly despite wincing in pain.

 

“Well, that's good news,” he said, his charm returning in full along with his strength.

 

She nodded and was surprised when his arms, arms she had declared weak and injured, gripped her and lifted her with so much force that she cried out in shock. He had lifted her and pulled the blanket off his nude body, tracing her face with his hands. She trembled with desire, gripping his muscular shoulder tightly.

 

“James,” she whispered.

 

He grinned at her and slipped his hand up her thigh, under her dress, pressing his skilled fingers lightly against her, rubbing gently and filling her with a hot, urgent longing. She could feel it as his arousal began to take root, and he rubbed the length of himself against her as he stripped her dress off, kissing her wildly, passionately. She tried to be careful of his arm, but she had wanted him for so long that they were losing all sense of propriety.

 

“Aren't we supposed to wait for—”

 

“Shhh,” James said, pressing his hot mouth over hers and maneuvering himself between her legs, pressing tantalizingly against her middle. “No more rules. They almost took you from me once, I'm not taking my chances.”

 

She moaned as he kissed her breasts and pushed his cock deep inside of her. She buckled against his strong body, gasping softly as her entire being was filled with pleasure. He was still somewhat weak, and his love brought a tenderness to their lovemaking that sent pulses of heat all through her. He trailed his tongue against her neck as he pushed fully inside of her and groaned when she sighed, her hair falling in front of her face. He brushed it away and they kissed as he thrust himself in and out of her gently, until she was so overwhelmed that she closed her eyes and felt herself cumming against him.

 

Her climax milked a sweet, hot explosion from deep in his loins, and he gripped her hard as they came together, their bodies in unison. When Sadie opened her eyes, panting heavily, she knew, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that she was pregnant. They lay peacefully beside each other, their bodies entwined.

 

***

 

Suddenly, the world around erupted in a commotion. James struggled to get to his feet but Sadie shushed him and gently pushed him back down.

 

“It's all right,” she said, pulling her dress back on. “I'll go see what's going on.”

 

“All right,” he said, frowning deeply. “Hurry back, love.”

 

“I will,” she said with a sexy smile.

 

When she ran out of the tent, the smile on her face quickly faded. Lord Lachlan was standing in the bushes behind the tent, hidden behind the trees. Horses in the stables were whinnying, and the birds were all fluttering as if in warning to the Highlanders. She opened her mouth to cry out, but a hand gripped her tightly and waved a vial under her nose. The last thing she saw was Lord Lachlan's sickening smile before she blacked out.

End Book Two

Book 3

“James!" Sadie tried to scream, but Lord Lachlan had his hand over her mouth, peering down into her eyes with sadistic glee.

 

“Nobody is going to help you, lass. You have done it this time. I'll have my revenge yet.”

 

She could feel his erect shaft against her back, and it brought shivers down her spine.