Eternity's Mark Read online

  “Aye, it fair steals your breath from your chest, doesn’t it?” Taggart nodded, heaving a contented sigh.

  Hannah climbed out of the car into the Highland wilderness and immediately understood what Taggart meant. The ancient pines whispered overhead, their feathered tops swaying in the late-summer breeze. The tang of the pinesap wafted through the air as the needles cushioned every step she took. The scent carried her straight back to Christmas and every Christmas tree she’d ever decorated as a child.

  A weathered stone stable squatted against the base of the mountainside. Hannah blinked and peered closer since the structure appeared hewn from the side of the cliff. What trees hadn’t been cleared away to form the well-trodden center of the paddock area were connected with graying split rails to form the enclosing fence. As the trees grew and the rails shifted too high, Hannah saw the scars on the trees where workers had stripped and lowered the rails to prevent the horses from escaping.

  The surrounding woodlands teemed with the voices of all the Highland creatures. Hannah’s mind and ears echoed with them all. She shielded her eyes, craning her neck to search the brilliant, blue sky for the golden eagle screaming overhead. She spotted a red squirrel studying her from beyond a cluster of bright yellow Scottish primrose at the edge of the clearing. Following her senses, Hannah turned and found the doe behind the scrub of fir saplings to her left. Apparently, her ability to understand animals spanned continents. Their thoughts came to her as clearly as the ones did back home.

  Hannah pulled her jacket closer, trying to keep from trembling, whether from excitement or nervousness, she couldn’t quite tell. A strange electricity crackled in the air; she raised her head and sniffed the breeze. She wasn’t sure if it was a specific scent she picked up or just a different sort of density to the wind. What was it? The air was different here. Excitement rippled gooseflesh across her skin. She risked a glance at Taggart and rubbed the tip of her nose. Was it the land or the close proximity to the man? Battling with the mess of emotions wreaking havoc with her ability to reason, Hannah struggled not to scream. She didn’t need all this confusion in her life. What she needed was the humdrum comfort and safety of good old Jasper Mills.

  Pulling herself from the mesmerizing magic of the land, Hannah shivered and rubbed her arms. “So, the stables are part of the estate as well? Even though they’re so far from the keep itself?” Hannah nodded toward the structure wedged into the side of the mountain and the horses wandering inside the corral.

  With a grin, Taggart motioned for her to follow. “Aye, Hannah, we’ve been on Taroc Na Mor land for the past two hours. Weren’t you listening to me while I was driving and pointing out the sights?”

  “Two hours? I thought you said one hour.” Hannah glared at the back of Taggart’s head, willing him to turn around. And he ignored her. Again. He’d been doing that a lot. A fresh horse chip in the middle of the path was almost more temptation than she could resist. She glanced at the steaming patty and gauged the distance to Taggart’s back as he sauntered off toward the stable. From here, she could peg him right between the shoulders. Biting her lip, she stepped around the dung pile. She guessed she’d behave and let him off the hook. This time.

  “I didn’t realize I owned the entire tip of Scotland.” Hannah kicked a stone out of her path, but it didn’t improve her mood. Rubbing her neck, she rolled her shoulders while following Taggart toward the stable. At least they were finally out of that tiny car. The way Taggart had folded up his massive frame to drive, she didn’t see how he still managed to walk.

  “ ’Tis about time ye arrived!” A gnome of a man with an unruly shock of white hair atop his head and a stained leather apron strapped around his barrel waist burst through the weathered stable doors. He held a horseshoe in one hand and a hammer in the other, but neither prevented him from shaking a stubby finger in Taggart’s face. “I’ve had the horses packed for nigh’ on thirty minutes and they’ve grown quite restless with the waiting. Ye need to reach Gearlach’s Pass before the sun sets or ye willna have a proper place to make camp for the evening. How many times do I have to tell ye of the importance of maintaining a proper schedule, Taggart?”

  “Gothgar!” Taggart brought the man up short with a quick jerk of his head in Hannah’s direction.

  “Oh, beg pardon.” Gothgar shot Taggart an irritated glance and turned to Hannah with a respectful squatting bow. “Gothgar McWinders, chief of your stables, ma’am. Welcome to the glorious Taroc Na Mor.”

  “It’s good to meet you, Mr. McWinders—”

  “Oh lordy, no, ma’am. Call me, Gothgar. Don’t be a callin’ out to a Mr. McWinders. I’ll be a thinkin’ ye’re a talkin’ about me father and round these parts, ye just might bring back his contrary ghost.” Gothgar wheezed and snorted while he slapped his leg at what he obviously considered his very humorous joke.

  “It’s good to meet you, Gothgar.” Hannah smiled. Gothgar reminded her of old Mr. Henry back at Jasper Mills. “Now, what were you saying about us making camp this evening? Are you telling me we’re not going to make it to the castle tonight?”

  “Oh, lordy no. ’Tis too far a ride to make it this late in the day. You and Taggart will have to camp at the ledge at Gearlach’s Pass. But dinna worry. There’s a fine fresh spring and a verra nice clearing there. This time of year should be quite a pleasant evening. I’ve packed enough blankets and provisions, and Taggart will build ye a fine fire. The night air should nay be too cold for ye to bear.” Gothgar turned to hobble his way back into the stable, waving over his hairy shoulder for them to follow.

  Hannah didn’t move. She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. She couldn’t believe Taggart expected her to camp out on a rock in the wilderness of the Scottish Highlands. She was exhausted from the flight and the eternal ride in a car the size of a freakin’ matchbox. She wanted a shower, a good hot meal, and a nice soft bed.

  “Hannah! Come on, lass. We must get moving. Gothgar is right. We must reach Gearlach’s Pass before dark.” Taggart called to her from the doorway of the stable, grinning like a schoolboy just freed for summer vacation.

  Hannah stomped her way into the stable, kicking up the dust of the paddock until she found herself nose to nose with a chestnut mare. Her heart melted at the horse’s warm, reassuring touch and its soft whinny as it pressed its velvet nose against her. Hannah wrapped her arms around the horse’s neck and relaxed against its side.

  “I knew ye’d love dear, sweet Lisbet. She’s a bit older but she has the courage of a warhorse and will love ye true. Ye will find no better friend, Lady Guardian. Lisbet will take good care of ye on your journey.” Gothgar patted the horse on the rump as he winked a scruffy brow at Hannah.

  “Lady Guardian?” Hannah snagged Taggart by the sleeve. “Why did he call me Lady Guardian?”

  Taggart’s mouth tightened as he shot Gothgar a withering look, then turned to double-check the supplies in Hannah’s saddlebags. “’Tis a title of respect and is always given to the owner of Taroc Na Mor. Since ye are the new owner of the estate, ye are now considered its guardian.”

  “Oh.” Hannah rested her cheek against Lisbet’s satin neck as she watched Taggart double-check all the straps. “Why didn’t you tell me we were going to have to camp out in the wilderness tonight?”

  With a wicked grin, Taggart gave her a wink before he turned to check his own horse. “Because I didna want to listen to the sting of your tongue for the two-hour drive to the stables.”

  The only thing good about following Taggart down this narrow, twisting trail was the fact she had a perfect view of his nicely shaped behind and his fine, chiseled shoulders. Men just didn’t realize how much a woman appreciated a man’s well-shaped derriere. Hannah sighed and tilted her head. Taggart’s butt was perfectly symmetrical. It curved tight and filled out every line of his jeans as though they had been spray-painted to his delicious cheeks. She wondered if he worked out. She’d love to work him out. Wow. Where did that come from? Shifting une
asily in the saddle, Hannah fanned her shirt to give her flaming torso a little air. What was she doing? No way was she going there. She wasn’t about to get involved with the likes of Taggart de Gaelson. Besides, he was too much of a smart-ass.

  Narrowing her eyes, Hannah glared holes through the center of his muscular back. Didn’t want to listen to the sting of my tongue. Hannah squinted even harder as she visualized several pinecones bouncing out of the trees and pinging off the top of Taggart’s head.

  “That is not verra nice, Hannah,” Taggart called out, his chuckle rumbling out across the deep gully beside them.

  Hannah shifted in the saddle again and loosened the neckline of her shirt. “What are you talking about?” She worried the reins between her sweating palms. Surely, he couldn’t read her mind. God, she hoped not, especially after all she’d just been thinking about his anatomy.

  “I guess I should just be thankful ye visualized pinecones and not boulders.” Taggart laughed again.

  He had read her mind! “How did you do that? But more importantly, stop doing it!” Hannah clenched the reins tighter as a flush of embarrassment flooded through her body.

  Taggart’s deep rumbling laughter drowned out the steady thud of the horse’s hooves crunching along the dirt trail. “Sorry, lass. I couldna help it. When ye concentrated upon me and projected your thoughts, ’twas a natural response for me to protect myself.”

  Hannah closed her eyes with a silent groan. What had she gotten herself into? And what else had he heard her think that he wasn’t telling her? “No more reading my mind, or Lisbet and I are turning around right now and going back. Do you understand me?”

  His shoulders shook as he snorted with laughter, and Taggart nodded with the rhythm of his horse’s gait. “Aye, Hannah. I understand. No more reading your thoughts.”

  “Why do they call this Gearlach’s Pass?” Hannah’s gaze traveled over the limestone clearing with interest as she shielded her eyes against the glowing rays of the setting sun.

  Taggart paused in the unbuckling of their gear and rubbed the thick leather straps between his hands. What should he tell her? That Gearlach was a Draecna who still inhabited these parts, but Taggart had warned the nosy beast he’d best keep his scaly arse hidden or Taggart would thrash him until his horns fell off? “ ’Twas named after a legendary beast. Much like the famed monster of Loch Ness.”

  A low, deep rumble vibrated through the cliffs above their heads, sending a shower of pebbles and small stones scrambling down the hillside all around them.

  “Damn ye, Gearlach,” Taggart swore under his breath. The mischievous beast eavesdropped somewhere close by. He knew Gearlach had never liked the Draecna of Loch Ness. Said she was a narcissistic, snobby little slut who liked having humans vying to take her picture.

  Scanning the sky, Hannah frowned at the cloudless strip of sparkling azure peeping through the branches waving in the breeze. “I wonder where that thunder came from? There’s not a cloud in the sky.” Hannah led Lisbet farther away from the side of the cliff and scowled at the loose stones bouncing around their feet and rolling over the side of the ledge. “Are you sure it’s safe to camp around here? I don’t want to wake up in the middle of a rock slide.”

  “It’s safe!” Taggart shouted, tossing their gear to the ground and turning to cast a warning glare into the surrounding trees. Gearlach had better take the hint or he’d spell him into another dimension.

  “Don’t shout at me!” Hannah snapped and turned away to unbuckle Lisbet’s saddle.

  “I wasna shouting at you,” Taggart snorted as he peeled off his shirt and wiped the sweat from his face.

  Whirling back around to face him, Hannah fired back. “Well, if you weren’t shouting at me ...” Hannah’s voice trailed off when she discovered Taggart stripped to the waist. He stood bronzed in the sunlight, the angular cuts and planes of his upper body chiseled to delicious perfection. “I need to ...” Hannah stalled, her mind went blank; her awareness shifted to the rising level of heat overtaking her body. It had been so very long since she’d been with anyone. Hannah shook herself. She had to get a grip. She didn’t need to get involved with Taggart. “Is there a spring or someplace where I could go wash up or something?”

  Taggart nodded toward a narrow trail hugging the side of the cliff on the other side of the clearing. “Down that path, ye will find a spring eddied into a shallow pool perfect for bathing. Ye will find Gothgar packed a bit of soap and a towel in the bag I placed at the base of the pine over there.”

  Hannah snatched the bag and headed down the path without another word. She had to get away from Taggart’s bare chest. The sight of him had her eyeballs sizzling in her head. Now she knew what a thermometer felt like, and her mercury was about to explode.

  She rounded the curved wall of the cliff and found the oasis Taggart had promised. The spring had etched out a shallow pool into the limestone shelf, producing a peaceful, cave-like spa perfect for bathing. Hannah stood on the edge of the protruding rock and gazed out across the land of Taroc Na Mor. The surrounding vista stole her breath. She had to admit she’d never seen such beauty; not even her precious mountain back home compared. The jagged horizon of mountains hazed purple and blue in the distance, swathed with the deep greens of the impenetrable pines and dotted with strips of limestone grey. Hannah smiled when she realized the landscape of Taroc Na Mor mimicked the colors of an intricate tartan. It rolled across the land like the proudest plaid. The sweet acrid balm of the endless sea of pines filled the air as the branches whispered their secrets to the wind.

  The refreshing breeze kissed at her cheeks and Hannah relaxed with a sigh. This was so much better. Her body cooled down and she stripped off her clothes, piling them beside the bag.

  “Yeeeoowww!” Hannah screeched as she slipped her foot into the icy water. She had forgotten how cold spring water could be.

  A resounding roar shuddered across the hillside. The ground trembled beneath her feet and the surface of the pool rippled into a thousand rings. Hannah ducked her head and sidled against the wall of the cliff. Earthquake? She dug her toes into the slippery ooze coating the base of the pool. Lurching along the slime-coated limestone, her heart sank as she realized she’d never manage to make it across the trembling foundation to her clothes.

  A great scaly head appeared over the rim of the ledge. Huge iridescent eyes glowed in the half-light of the shadows; heavy lids narrowed, the golden orbs swept from side to side with a watchful gaze across the quaking pool. The beast had twisted horns at both the top of its head and where its great jaws hinged at its mouth. Its scales shone green, but whenever it moved, the smooth plates caught in the light shimmered every color of the spectrum. A long flowing beard trailed down from its lower jaw, snaking down the front of its tiled chest. The creature kept its great muzzle shut; two enormous fangs protruded from under its smooth green lips and curled down from its upper jaw. She remained motionless, clutching a jutting-out bit of rock. My God, I wonder how many more teeth are in that mouth.

  Hannah eased in a quiet deep breath. Breathe, Hannah. She had to stay calm. Surely this creature obeyed the basic laws of any large animal. As long as she didn’t make any sudden moves, maybe it wouldn’t eat her. Hannah slid her hand along the frigid slab of stone around the edge of the pool. Maybe she could reason with this thing. Get into its mind and let it know that if it ate her, she’d just give it a bad case of heartburn.

  She focused on a particularly greenish scale right between the beast’s golden eyes. Nothing. Velvety darkness filled her mind. Gritting her teeth, Hannah strained and concentrated harder. Still nothing. Dammit! Why couldn’t she get inside that scaly head?

  Holding her breath, Hannah inched her way deeper into the shadows. She squeezed her eyes shut and projected her thoughts with a decidedly mental scream. If ever she needed Taggart to be able to read her mind, that time was now. “Taggart! Get your ass down here! You’re not going to believe what just slithered up the side of this mountain! I
t’s a ... it’s a ... damn if it isn’t a freakin’ dragon!”

  “Gearlach!” Taggart roared, pounding down the trail and rounding the corner of the cliff.

  “She screamed,” Gearlach explained with a defensive flip of one curled claw in Hannah’s direction. “I was merely responding to the distressed call of our beloved Lady Guardian.” Gearlach cocked his horned head and gave Hannah a slow wink of a glowing eye. “And by the way, dragons are mythical creatures made up by drunken humans who couldn’t explain their sightings of Draecna.” Gearlach pounded his scaly chest. “I’m real. I am a sacred Draecna.”

  Hannah stared open-mouthed at the Draecna. The thing talked. It not only talked, but it apparently had no trouble hearing her thoughts even though she couldn’t get inside its head. “Gearlach?” Hannah sagged against the cold rock ledge, then knelt deeper until the water touched her chin and crossed her arms over her freezing breasts. Her teeth chattered as the chill of the spring water settled well into her body. She didn’t know which made her tremble more, the shock of talking to what appeared to be a mythical beast or severe hypothermia.

  Scrubbing his face with both hands, Taggart nodded and fixed her with a sheepish grin. “Hannah McPherson, meet Gearlach. The Draecna for which Gearlach’s Pass was named.”

  Shivering uncontrollably as she moved toward the edge of the pool, Hannah jerked her head toward her clothes. “Both of you turn around. I’m freezing to death. You can explain this to me once I’m out of this icy water.”

  “Oh. Icy spring water.” Gearlach nodded and displayed the rest of his razor-sharp teeth in a toothy grin. “Could that be why ye screamed?”

  “Just turn around!” Hannah snapped, trembling in the water until the surface of the pool echoed with ripples. “Both of you. Now!”