Free Highlander's Rescue A Cree & Dawn Short Story (Cree & Dawn Short Stories Book 4) by Donna Fletcher Page B

sky. “Dawn sent me to get some air and renew my strength for the delivery.” He shook his head as he brought his arms down. “It is Wintra who needs the strength.”
    “Your strength is her strength. Besides, Wintra is too obstinate to admit weakness.”
    Torr was silent for a moment, then asked, “Tell me what we truly face.”
    “Mercenaries intent on seeing their mission succeed.”
    Torr went and glanced over the battlement. He turned to Cree. “I will not see my wife suffer through horrific pain to birth our child only to lose them both in battle.”
    “I never lose,” Cree said.
    Torr smiled. “I am relieved to hear that and I will fight for my family and those here when the time comes.”
    “Your exceptional skill with a sword will be needed.”
    “You are aware that Dawn is wearing herself out, helping both women.”
    “I expected she would, and I will not stand in her way of helping others as long as her giving nature causes her no harm. When we arrive home, I intend to make certain she remains abed all day.”
    Torr laughed. “If you want her to rest, then she had better lock you out.”
    Cree grinned and slapped Torr on the back. “You think a mere lock would keep me out?”
    The two men took the stairs down, laughing as they went. The laughter ceased as soon as they heard an anguished scream.
    Torr and Cree were both relieved when they entered Wintra’s room to see it was not her who had screamed.
    “She suffers so much more than I do,” Wintra said with empathy for Margaret. “I fear for her and her bairn.”
    Cree left when he saw another pain strike his sister, Torr taking her hand and holding firm to suffer through it with her. He went to the other room, remaining outside the door, wanting to see for himself how his wife fared.
    Ardit almost collided with him as she rushed out of the room crying. Sorrow filled her eyes as well as tears and before rushing down the stairs, she said, “I stand helpless, watching Margaret and her bairn die.”
    Dawn was there in the doorway when Cree turned around. They moved away from the open door to speak privately.
    “Margaret and the bairn will not survive?” he asked, annoyed at the fatigue he saw on her face, though he was glad for the spark of determination in her eyes. She was never one to give up and, like him, never one to admit defeat.
    She shook her head.
    “You are not giving up on her.”
    Dawn shook her head and stretched her arm out.
    “Never!”
    She gave a sharp nod as she stepped closer to her husband and placed her hand on his chest and shrugged.
    Cree rested his hand over hers. “I am fine, wife, there is no need to worry about me. All will go well.” He stopped her, keeping firm hold of her hand, when she went to tug it away from him. “I will deal with the men who wait outside the keep and you will think on nothing but helping Wintra and Margaret.” He kissed her before she could argue with him and what started off as a light kiss soon turned needy, demanding, hungry.
    To Cree’s surprise, his wife pushed him away and began shaking her finger at him as tears gathered in her eyes. He reached out for her, but she avoided his grasp, her hands gesturing fast. He stood a moment staring at her, then his hand shot out so fast that Dawn had no time to avoid his grip on her wrist.
    He yanked her against him. “That was not a farewell kiss, if I should die protecting you. It was a promise of what was to come.” He leaned close to whisper in her ear. “And I will make you come more than once when we get home and I lock us in our bedchamber for the day.”
    Her shoulders slumped as she shook her head.
    “You do not want to be locked in our bedchamber with me for the day?”
    Dawn smiled and swatted his arm.
    “That’s better. You wear a smile well, while the scowl is mine alone.”
    Her smile grew and she patted his chest and this time shook her finger slowly at him and gave his chest a light jab.
    “Nothing is going to happen to me.