CATRIONA WOKE UP to the sound of rain pelting the thatched roof, and the soothing rhythm of Gavin’s heartbeat thudding under her cheek. Her unborn son lay sleeping inside her, his presence like a tiny candle flame. For a time she simply lay with her eyes closed and relished the sounds and sensations of her life. She had faced Uncle, achieved justice, and found her tribe again. She carried the child of the man she loved. She almost laughed when she realized that because of Gavin, every one of her most precious dreams had come true.

Something made a purring sound, and the little paw inked on her belly stretched just as the big man under her did.

“I ken you’re awake,” he said, his voice deep and drowsy. “You snore when you’re asleep.”

She lifted up her head. “What? You lie.”

“Like a wee kitten. It drives me mad for you.” He brushed the rumpled hair back from her brow, and traced his finger down the length of her nose. “We dinnae have to leave today. The laird can wait.”

“Aye, Lachlan McDonnel, awaiting our leisure with his great clan of highlanders looking after my tribe of bairns in their great dark castle hidden from all on an island. Teren will have to show us the way.” She kissed his chest. “We should have gone to Dun Aran yesterday.”

“Our tribe.” Gavin curled his arms around her and shifted her so that the curves of her bare breasts brushed his chin.

When he did that she wanted to put her nipples against his mouth—which was likely his aim. “What did you say?”

“Our tribe. No’ your tribe.” He nuzzled her there, breathing in the scent of her skin before he rubbed the tip of his nose against the tightening peaks. “Teren agreed to initiate me, once I’ve learned a bit of Druidry. Evidently being a color-changing warrior only makes me a great lizard.”

An urgency spread through her as soon as he moved her up against him to suckle her sensitive breasts. “And then, when you’ve had your training?”

He growled something and rolled over with her, tucking her under him. “I’ll be a druid proper.”

“And today you’ll be my mate,” she said. The feel of him rooting between her thighs made her bones go liquid. “Mayhap we could go after midday.”

“Oh, aye,” Gavin murmured as he lowered his mouth to hers, and slowly pushed into her.

All the fear and loneliness that had followed her to the island had gone along with her uncle, and now Catriona had Gavin. Being with the man she loved made up for all the long, empty years. When he came into her she could feel the surge of his beast spirit, now much gentler since she had conceived. It moved inside her with Gavin’s thick, hard shaft, stroking her and him with pulses of heat and hunger.

“Yes, Cat, sweet lovely soft woman. You feel so good under me. I want to do this to you every morning. I want to bring you over and over, until you never want to be anything but naked and with me.”

His words made her gush with wetness around him in response, and he pumped deeper.

“That wouldnae be wise, my beast.” She looked up into his eyes as he buried himself deep in her. “We’ve a baby coming. He’ll want more than parents who willnae leave their bed.”

His mouth curved as he slid his hand between them to cover their tiny son. “So he will.”

Without warning he withdrew from her, making Catriona cry out in frustration, and then make a very different sound as he slid down and put his mouth to her damp quim. Gavin stroked her open with his tongue.

Catriona gripped the bed linens as Gavin suckled her, his mouth so hungry she had to muffle another cry with the pillow. Then he pushed his fingers into her, working them in and out of her clenching opening.

“Gavin,” she breathed.

“That’s what I want, oh, aye, my beauty, my lady. Let me have all your pleasure now. Drench me with it.”

They spent the rest of the morning in bed, making love and talking. They rose only to make a brew and have some fruit and morning bannocks, and then to heat water for bathing. That ended with more love-making, as they couldn’t seem to stop touching each other when they were naked. When they finally emerged from the cottage the sun had begun its descent toward the west. Catriona felt glad to see no more dark smoke from the burned black ships tainting the sky. The rain had also washed away much of the signs of battle from the glen. She would always love Everbay, but it no longer felt like her home.

Gavin was that now.

She spotted two figures walking up from the glen, and squinted against the sunlight. One appeared to be a clansman from the McDonnel tartan he wore, but he was fair-haired and carried an axe instead of a sword. The woman beside him had long, gleaming golden hair, and wore trews and a tunic instead of a gown, but even at this distance Catriona could see she wasn’t Kinley.

Beside her Gavin went utterly still, and then Catriona knew who the couple were.

“We could leave for Skye now,” she said quietly, and took his hand in hers. “If you wish.”

He glanced at her. “No, lass, I only thought I wouldnae see her until we went there, if at all.” His mouth hitched. “She couldnae wait to confront me. She never can.”

They walked down to meet the couple, both of whom wore stern expressions. The clansman definitely had the look of a Viking, Catriona thought, as did the woman. She also saw in miniature Gavin’s chin and his brows on Jema Liefson’s face.

They stopped a few yards apart, like opponents on a battlefield, Catriona thought. No one said anything at first, and the silence stretched out so thin and tense that she wondered if either of them could speak to the other. Then she understood. This woman was Gavin’s twin sister. She was so angry with him that she didn’t trust herself to speak.

“Well?” Tormod Liefson said. “You’ve no’ seen each other for almost a year. You cannae have changed so much. You’re twins. Have at it.”

“You bastard,” Jema said, her voice like ice. “You made me think you were dead. You ran away to hide. One message, that’s all I’d have needed.”

“Why? You were glad to be rid of me,” Gavin said, sounding lofty. “You didnae even bother to check that I drowned. I understand, Jema. I ken what you had to do for me when I was sick. It wore you down.”

“Oh, aye, right, you ken. Worn to the bone, I was, loving you and looking after you and trying to keep you alive. And you think I wished you dead so I could be free of you?”

His sister’s eyes narrowed as she stretched out her hand to Tormod, who gave her a silken sack. Still looking at him, she pulled out a piece of clothing that he recognized. It was the jacket he’d worn that day they’d fallen through time.

“Where did you–”

“In the little cottage near the burial mound,” Jema snapped, shaking it at him. “I was so keen to be rid of you that I sought you out even when you were supposed to be dead.” Her eyes began to glisten. “Night after night I dreamt of you.” Her lower lip trembled as she bunched the fabric in her fist. “Then yesterday, I thought you truly had…”

“Jay,” he said, his throat tight. “’Twas bitterness at how Thora had used me. I saw your new life with your Viking and the clan—and it ate at me that you were happy without me.”

“Gee,” she sobbed, “I never stopped thinking of you.”

He held out his arms and she rushed into them. “Forgive me, Jay,” he said into her hair. “It was a madness.”

Gavin felt her nod silently against his shoulder and kept holding her tight, unable to speak past the constriction in his own throat.

“He loved her,” Catriona said. “Twelve months gone, and he still mourned her—and you. ’Tis time for the grieving to be over.”

Jema separated from him and nodded as she wiped her eyes. “We’ve no’ been introduced,” she said to Catriona.

“I am Catriona Haral. You might remember me as Iona Errol in the future.”

“The gardener’s daughter?” Jema looked from Catriona to Gavin and back again.

“’Tis a long story,” he said, bringing Catriona to his side. “But you should know that she carries my son—and your nephew.”

“A child?” Jema exclaimed, sobbing anew as she threw her arms around them both.

Tormod took a step back, and caught Catriona’s eye. “I’m Viking,” he explained gravely. “We dinnae do group hugs.”