Bound by Dreams (Cauld Ane Series) Read online

  “I have to pee,” Charlotte said.

  “You do? I’ll…ah…come with you, I guess,” Niall said slowly.

  “Kidding!” she quipped.

  “You’re trying to kill me, aren’t you?”

  “Just a lot a bit.”

  He smiled, kissing her before dragging her to the sofa. The rest of the evening went off without a hitch, and they managed to undress and climb into bed without incident as well.

  “I can’t wait to bind you,” he whispered as he pulled her onto his bare chest.

  “Why can’t we do it now?” She ran her finger down his chest. “It would be a whole new take on the Mile High Club.”

  He cocked his head. “I suppose there isn’t any reason, necessarily, other than your comfort if you start your conversion with the flight crew here.”

  She grimaced. “I didn’t think about the crew.”

  “They wouldn’t bother us, love,” he said.

  “They wouldn’t?”

  “No. They’ve been with us for as long as planes have been flown. Discretion is something we all practice.”

  She bit her lip. “Okay, can we then? I really don’t want to wait.”

  Niall smiled and climbed from the bed. “Come here, love.”

  Charlotte followed him and took the hand he held out to her.

  “I’m going to say the promise and then you’re going to repeat it. Once you do, we’ll say it again together, and then I’ll bind you physically.”

  She nodded.

  “Ready?”

  She nodded again.

  “Ég gef þér allt sem ég er, allt sem ég vil vera og allt sem ég get verið. Ég er þinn að eilífu. Eining okkar mun aldrei bresta. Ást mín er alger.” (I give you everything I am, all I want to be and all I can be. I’m yours forever. Our bond will never be broken. My love is absolute.)

  “Now, you,” he instructed.

  “Ég gef þér allt sem ég er, allt sem ég vil vera og allt sem ég get verið,” she repeated. “Ég er þín að eilífu Eining okkar mun aldrei bresta. Ást mín er alger.”

  “Together,” he said.

  “Ég gef þér allt sem ég er, allt sem ég vil vera og allt sem ég get verið. Ég er þinn að eilífu. Eining okkar mun aldrei bresta. Ást mín er alger.”

  Charlotte’s knees buckled and Niall caught her, setting her gently on the bed. His breath caught when she pulled her lace cami over her head and revealed her milky skin. He covered her body with his and trailed kisses from her lips to her navel. Making love to her was nothing like he’d imagined. He loved her with an intensity he’d never experienced before. More than he’d ever loved anyone else.

  “Did I hurt you?” he asked as they lay facing each other.

  She shook her head and smiled. “Not at all. I can’t believe how good it was.”

  “Oh? How come?”

  She blushed. “Because everyone always says that a man’s first time is really quick.”

  Niall laughed. “Ah, so I’ve impressed you, then.”

  “So, so much.” She kissed him.

  He ran his hand over her hip. “Your skin is so soft.”

  She licked her lips, running her finger down his chest. “How soon can we do that again?”

  “Let’s wait to see what your body does. We’ll have plenty of time for fun when we get home.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “I feel really great, though.”

  “So did Grace,” he said. “Her conversion hit her hard and fast.”

  “Fine.” She sighed. “Should we tell them so they’re ready?”

  “They know.”

  “They do?”

  He nodded. “They will have felt it.”

  “What do you mean?” She sat up. “Can they hear us?

  “No, love.” He pulled her back down. “There’s a charge in the air. Don’t you feel it? You just know when couples are mated.”

  “I just thought that was us.”

  He grinned. “Wow, I must have been better than I thought.”

  “Okay, no getting a big head…” She giggled and glanced down his body. “…unless you plan to do something with it.”

  “Minx,” he retorted, and kissed her.

  “Wait. Will everyone know when we…you know…”

  “No, love. They will only know that we are bonded mates.”

  “Oh, in that case…” She kissed him.

  Unable to resist her, he made love to her again. She grew frustrated with him when he attempted to be gentle, which only excited him more. She was remarkably strong, and he noticed her eyes flashed red and her hands grew colder the more intense their lovemaking became.

  An hour later, Charlotte gasped and took several deep breaths. “Is this it?” she asked, as she curled into a ball.

  “What do you feel?”

  “Cramping. But I don’t feel excruciating pain.”

  He frowned as he pulled on his jeans and T-shirt. “I’ll be right back.”

  He stepped into the hallway and knocked on Max’s door. Grace opened it. “Has she started?”

  Niall shrugged. “Sort of? She says she’s not in a great deal of pain. She just feels a little cramping.”

  “Seriously?” Grace complained. “Not fair.”

  “I don’t know what to look out for, to be honest.”

  “Let’s go see.”

  Niall led Grace back into the bedroom and found Charlotte in the middle of the bed, her skin red and her hair matted to her face. Grace lowered herself on to the bed. “Charlie? You okay?”

  Charlotte shook her head. “Þetta er sárt.”

  “What did she say?” Grace asked.

  “She said it hurts,” Niall said.

  Grace leaned down and stroked Charlotte’s hair. “I know, buddy. I’m going to get a few things. Niall can help, but he’ll have to touch you.”

  “Hvað?”

  Grace frowned up at Niall.

  “Ég get losað þig við sársauka, en ég verð að snerta þig,” Niall translated what Grace had said to Charlotte as best he could.

  Grace climbed from the bed and gave Niall a sympathetic smile. “Skin to skin is best. It’ll ease the pain.”

  Niall nodded as he pulled off his shirt and settled himself behind Charlotte, his chest to her back. She whimpered as he touched her, stiffening, but then her body relaxed against him and he was able to link his fingers with hers. “How bad is the pain?”

  “Hvað?”

  “Hversu mikill er sársaukinn?”

  “Betri núna þegar þú ert að snerta mig.” She kissed his hand. “Hversu lengi mun það vara?”

  “What?”

  “Hvað?” she said.

  “Bíddu í eina sekúndu.” Niall was at a loss so he asked her to give him a second. “Grace!” he called.

  She poked her head inside. “What’s wrong?”

  “I need a translator. Please get Gretchen. I only know so much Icelandic.”

  “Which one’s Gretchen again?” Grace said.

  Niall smiled. “The blonde one.”

  “Why is Chuck only speaking Icelandic?” Grace asked.

  “I don’t know, lass, but this happened with Pepper if I recall, and it lasted a little while.”

  “Okay, be right back.”

  Grace pulled the door closed again and Niall kissed Charlotte’s shoulder. “Gretchen mun hjálpa okkur að miðla, elskan.”

  “Hvers vegna þarf hún að hjálpa okkur að tala saman?” (Why does she need to help us communicate?)

  “Þar sem þú ert ekki að tala ensku.” (Because you’re not speaking English.)

  “Hvað? Ég er!” (What? I am!)

  “Nei, elskan, þú ert það ekki.” (No, baby, you’re not.)

  Charlotte groaned and burrowed herself into Niall.

  A knock at the door brought Gretchen, who stepped inside and smiled gently. “You needed me, sir?”

  “Aye, thank you. Charlotte’s going through her conversion, and she seems to only be speaking Icelandic
. I don’t know enough to grasp everything she’s saying.”

  “No problem.” She knelt beside the bed. “Frú MacMillan, finnst þér þægilegt að hafa mig hér, eða viltu frekar að ég hjálpa utanfrá?” (Mrs. MacMillan, do you feel comfortable having me here, or would you rather I help from outside?)

  * * *

  Charlotte bit her lip, partly from the pain, partly from the confusion. She didn’t understand any of this. She’d never spoken Icelandic, never even recalled hearing it spoken, and she didn’t know how she could have possibly forgotten how to speak English.

  “Why are you here?” she asked.

  The flight attendant smiled. “Because your mate is concerned that he won’t be able to understand everything. He’s not fluent in Icelandic.”

  “Oh. Yes, I’m fine if you stay.”

  “Don’t worry, ma’am, we are all very discreet,” Gretchen said as she stood.

  “I appreciate that, thank you.”

  She heard Niall and Gretchen speaking but couldn’t understand them, which irked her, and she couldn’t stop herself from letting out a squeak of frustration. “What are you saying?”

  “Sorry, Mrs. MacMillan, I was relaying what you said to Mr. MacMillan.”

  “You can call me Charlotte,” she rasped.

  “Thank you.” Gretchen knelt beside the bed again. “Can I get you anything?”

  Charlotte shook her head, whimpering as the action caused a shooting pain through her skull. She felt like her head would literally explode.

  * * *

  Niall laid a hand gently on Charlotte’s head, doing his best to ease the pain. He felt her relax against his palm and her breathing evened out.

  “Hvað er að gerast við mig?” Charlotte whispered.

  “I don’t know, sweetheart. Everyone’s different.”

  Gretchen translated Niall’s words to Charlotte and he kissed her shoulder, staying connected when Grace returned.

  “They carry ice sheets,” Grace said. “Who knew?”

  “The crew is always prepared.” Niall smiled. “Ice sheets work for a myriad of things.”

  “Are you hot, Charlie?” Grace asked.

  “Er þér heitt?” Gretchen translated.

  “Nei.”

  “I got that one, Gretchen, thanks,” Grace said with a smile.

  The flight attended chuckled and poured Charlotte a glass of water.

  Charlotte’s relief didn’t last long. Niall felt her skin burn as a wave of pain hit her.

  “Ég er að fuðra upp,” she rasped.

  “Fire?” Niall picked out.

  “Aye, sir. She says she’s on fire,” Gretchen explained.

  Grace frowned. “How’s her pulse, Nye?”

  “Racing,” he said as he held Charlotte’s wrist.

  “Okay,” Grace said. “Let’s get these sheets on her. It’ll help.”

  Niall kept contact with Charlotte as Grace and Gretchen wrapped the ice sheets around him and Charlotte.

  “I’ll be right back,” Grace said. “She’s going to need more ice water, and she’ll probably want to throw up.”

  Syngdu fyrir mig.

  “Are you sure?” he asked.

  “What did you need sir?” Gretchen asked.

  “Sorry, Gretchen, nothing.” Niall shifted. “Will you give us a few minutes, please?”

  “Of course.”

  Gretchen quietly let herself out of the bedroom, and Niall pulled Charlotte close again and sang to her quietly. Grace returned without speaking and prepared the room for the worst of Charlotte’s conversion.

  The worst never came. Within an hour, Charlotte’s temperature and breathing returned to normal, as did her English.

  “Any pain?” Grace asked.

  Charlotte shook her head as she sat up. “I feel amazing.”

  Niall climbed from the bed and made his way to the dresser to pour a glass of water.

  Grace laid her palm on Charlotte’s forehead. “You feel cool.”

  “I’m fine, Gracie. Really.”

  Grace smiled. “I’ll leave you guys alone for now. Lunch is available, so I’m going to eat with my hubby. Will we see you at dinner?”

  Niall nodded. “Definitely.”

  Grace smiled and left the room, pulling the door closed behind her.

  Charlotte climbed from the bed and studied her new birthmark. Just as he’d said, it was the mirror image of his. “This is so cool.”

  He smiled. “It looks good on you, love.”

  She grinned and made her way to Niall. “Now that all this conversion business is over, I want more of what you gave me earlier.”

  “Aren’t you hungry?”

  She nodded as she unbuttoned his jeans. “Yep.”

  Niall wrapped his arms around her waist. “Then, perhaps we should eat.”

  “Oh…I’m not hungry for food,” she clarified, as she pushed his pants from his hips and ran her hands up his chest.

  Niall stepped from his jeans and lowered Charlotte to the bed. “I guess food can wait.”

  Charlotte nodded as he kissed her neck. “You talk too much.”

  Niall chuckled and moved his lips down her body, speaking a completely different language.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  THE COUPLES ARRIVED in Scotland eight hours later and Charlotte walked off the plane, feeling better than she ever had. She grinned up at Niall, who followed her down the stairs, wrapping an arm around her waist as they walked toward the car. Grace and Max stayed on the plane, as they were heading from Edinburgh straight home to Inverness, but promised they’d visit soon.

  A tall, red-headed man stood by the car, opening the door when they arrived at it.

  “Charlotte, this is Kirk,” Niall said. “He’ll be driving for us, along with acting as your personal security.”

  “I thought you valued your privacy?”

  “Not above your safety.”

  “Silly man.” Charlotte smiled at Kirk and held out her hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “You as well, Mrs. MacMillan,” he said.

  Kirk was over six feet tall and bigger than Niall in frame and muscle, but not nearly as attractive to Charlotte. However, he looked like he’d walked out of the pages of a magazine. Dressed in a suit tailored perfectly to his frame, his dark red hair was swept back from his face, and his closely manicured beard contained no grey, just a rich golden red. He had sparkling gray eyes, and when he smiled, the severe expression of a bodyguard changed to the kind expression of a man.

  Charlotte slid into the car and waited for Niall to speak with Kirk before following. The driver closed the door and Charlotte turned to Niall. “I don’t think I need a bodyguard, Niall. What could possibly happen?”

  “Better safe than sorry,” he said. “I may not have as much visibility as Max when it comes to the band, but I am known, here especially, and if I’m not with you, I want to make sure you’re watched over.”

  Charlotte rolled her eyes. “Does he have to come with me everywhere?”

  “No. But be prepared that he’ll come almost everywhere with you.” He lifted her fingers to his lips. “Or I will.”

  “I guess it means I won’t have to learn to drive on the wrong side of the road. That’s a positive.”

  “That’s one way of looking at it. Although, driving on the right side of the road isn’t really that difficult.” Niall smiled. “Thank you for not giving me a hard time.”

  She let out an exaggerated sigh. “Truth be told, I hate to drive. So you kind of dodged a bullet.”

  “So, if I were to hire a live-in chef, you’d be okay with that?” he asked.

  “The question is, would you?”

  He sighed. “I’d be willing to adjust if it would make things easier for you.”

  “How big’s your house?”

  “How big’s our house?” he corrected.

  She smiled. “Yes, our house.”

  “How about you see it and then decide if it’s something you can live wit
h?”

  “Are you trying to tell me you don’t want to cook? I thought you cooked for yourself every night.”

  He chuckled. “No, not every night. I would cook on occasion, but mostly order in. And if you can’t cook, we might need to find an alternate solution.”

  “I didn’t say I can’t cook. I’m actually pretty decent at it, but I hate it. Every time I cook, a little piece of my soul dies.”

  Niall laughed. “We wouldn’t want that.”

  “No, we wouldn’t.”

  He cocked his head. “We have several places that will deliver close to us, so that’s also an option.”

  “What have you done in the past?”

  “I have a housekeeper who comes twice a week. She cleans the house and stocks the fridge and cupboards.”

  “Ah,” she said, and kissed his palm. Leaning against him as much as the seatbelt would allow, she closed her eyes and sighed.

  “Sixpence for your thoughts,” he said.

  “You can read my thoughts.” She glanced up at him with a grin. “Are you really going to pay me for them?”

  He chuckled. “I thought I’d attempt to play the gentleman.”

  “Don’t you dare,” she ordered. “I expect a certain level of debauchery, and will be extremely disappointed if you don’t deliver.”

  Niall laughed. “Your wish is my command, love.”

  “Thank you. With that in mind, do you care if we wait for a few days to tour Edinburgh?”

  “Of course not. We can wait as long as you like.” He ran his thumb over her knuckles. “What did you want to do instead?”

  “I’d like to spend the next week naked,” she whispered.

  He leaned forward and kissed her. “I love that idea.”

  Kirk pulled up in front of a Georgian townhome that looked like something out of medieval England.

  “Our home looks over the Water of Leith, which is the main river running through Edinburgh,” Niall said. “The structure was built in 1849, and was converted into townhomes at the turn of the twentieth century. I bought two units and combined them, so we now have about six-thousand square feet over four floors.”

  Kirk pulled the door open, and Niall climbed out and then assisted Charlotte. “It’s magnificent,” she said.

  “In the future, we’ll park in the garage, but I wanted you to enter through the front for the first time.”