Forbidden Highlander by Donna Grant Page A

Never,” he swore. His eyes were narrowed, his cheeks reddening in anger. “There is nothing Deirdre could do that would make me tell her anything.”
    Fallon was skeptical, but he gave a nod of his head to Malcolm. “I hope you are right.”
    “You have my word, MacLeod.”
    “It seems I do.”
    Malcolm bowed his head. “Take care of her.”
    “I will. And Malcolm, if you ever need anything, you are welcome at my castle anytime.”
    “Thank you.”
    Fallon watched him leave. Malcolm was a fine Highlander. His clan should be proud of him for putting his life on the line for Larena. Fallon made a silent vow that if Malcolm or the Monroe clan ever needed assistance, he would lend it in any way necessary.
    Without a backward glance at his chamber, Fallon strode from the room. He was ready to leave Edinburgh as well. He couldn’t wait to show Larena his power.
    Fallon had found his power quite by accident. Lucan called it
leum
, the Gaelic word for “jumping.” The term had taken hold and everyone at the castle now used it.
    Fallon still couldn’t believe he could do it. For hundreds of years he’d had a powerful tool to use, but he had drowned himself in wine instead of learning to control his power. He feared there would come a time when he needed to use it and he wouldn’t know how.
    He followed a path through the garden until he came to a bench where Larena sat. It was secluded. Perfect for them to depart.
    Fallon recalled the first time he had “jumped.” It had been by accident. He had let loose his god so he could learn not to fear it so. He’d been in the great hall and wished he was down at the beach. The next thing he knew, he stood ankle deep in the sea.
    After that, he spent his time learning how to call up the power at any instance. He hated that he had to let his god loose in order to use the power, but he was determined to learn to use it without the god. He was sure it was possible, and he was going to make it so.
    “Will you tell me now why we had to meet in the garden?” Larena asked, a welcoming smile on her face.
    It struck Fallon that he had someone else now depending on him. Was it a trait of his to fail everyone? He hoped to God it wasn’t, because he couldn’t stand to have Larena look at him in disappointment.
    “We’re leaving from here. By my power.”
    Her brows rose. “Indeed? I cannot wait to see this power. What is it?”
    “My brother calls it
leum
.”
    “Jumping?” she asked with a frown.
    He laughed and held out his hand. “Is there nothing you want to take with you?”
    “Not a thing.”
    “Then let me show you what
leum
is.”
    Just as Fallon began to transform to use his power he heard a wyrran. He jerked and looked around for the creature.
    “Another one?” Larena asked.
    Fallon clenched his jaw. “You canna fight in your gown. Stay here. I’ll find this one.”
    Larena didn’t like being left behind, but she knew Fallon was right. She sank back onto the bench and listened for the wyrran.
    Fallon had told her to stay here, but she would help if she could.
    As she sat there she contemplated all she had learned of Fallon. Never had she felt so beautiful, so cherished as she did in his arms. Every touch of his hands made her feel as though she were the center of his world.
    Not even his admission of having been a drunk had any effect on her wanting him. He was trying to change from what he had been, and who was she to judge him after everything he had been through. She had known by being around him that he no longer drank. The reasons he had started she could understand, and she was happy to hear he had stopped.
    The love he had for his brothers was obvious. All anyone needed to do was listen to his voice as he spoke of them. His brothers were all that mattered to him.
    Larena wondered if she would matter to someone like that one day. She knew that something linked her and Fallon, but would it last? That, she couldn’t answer.
    The one thing that bothered her