Highland Thirst Read Free Page B

aye?”
    “Colin,
I find it verra difficult to believe the mon I just spoke with is a demon. If
naught else, surely he would have the power to get away from Hervey. That my
cousin may lust after men was something I had begun to suspect. Only the fact
that I kenned all too weel that he beds women kept me from being sure of it. I
didnae realize ye could lust after both. I had another cousin, a woman, who
only loved other women, so I am nay ignorant of such things. Aye, I was a
little shocked but, as ye say, I cannae condemn as the church does. God made us
all, didnae he, and I cannae see how loving someone, anyone, can be such a
great sin. Lusting as my cousin does, aye. Love, nay. But, to harm or kill a
person because he or she doesnae share your lust is wrong. Verra wrong. I
thought it was all done willingly.”
    “Most
times it is, mistress. E’en the lasses who dinnae really want to warm the laird’s
bed make no real complaint when they are called there. It isnae worth it, aye?”
    “There
will ne’er be another nay uttered now,” said Fergus. “Nay when it could mean a
demon will be fed your soul.”
    “Ye
cannae be sure that is what happened, Fergus,” said Brona. “I came down here
because I heard whispers about a mon down here, a mon caged like an animal and
being tortured. I decided I needed to ken what my cousin was doing and why. Now
I have e’en more I must learn about such as what has happened to Peter. And why
the two of ye are still held here. I must go now, however, for my cousin will
soon be arriving. Answer me this, Colin—do ye and yours have anywhere safe ye
can flee to?”
    “Aye,
mistress. Why?”
    “I
am nay sure yet, but this is wrong. All of this is so verra, verra wrong.”
    Heming
heard the soft rustle of skirts as Brona fled the dungeon. The rapid click of
the dog’s claws against the stone floor told him that Mistress Brona was
running away. It was no surprise. The fear of being discovered down here might
be enough to make her run, but he suspected talk of demons and murder gave her
speed as well.
    He
sighed and tried to get into a more comfortable seated position. It appeared
that Mistress Brona Kerr was just what she seemed to be—a young woman appalled
by the actions of her kinsman and struggling to decide what, if anything, she
could do to right things. Unfortunately, that young woman now had to wonder if
he was a demon who had killed a man by ripping out his throat and drinking his
blood along with his soul. Heming had to wonder if she would even bother to try
to find out the truth now. It would not surprise him to discover that she no
longer even thought he was innocent of all but attracting her cousin’s interest
in the impossible.
    It
was difficult not to rage against a lost chance at freedom. Heming knew that,
if Peter was dead, all chance of Mistress Brona helping him to escape her
cousin was gone. She might not fully believe he was some soul-sucking demon,
but she would certainly think him some dangerous madman.
    An
all too familiar footstep dragged Heming from his morose thoughts and his whole
body tensed. Hervey was returning and with at least three men. The blood that
had been forced upon him had almost healed all of his wounds and restored his
strength, so Heming knew that this time the torture would last for a long time
simply because he was now strong enough to endure it. He pushed aside a sudden
overwhelming sense of defeat. He could not let Hervey know that he was slowly
winning this uneven battle. He prayed that Mistress Brona would judge him
innocent and find a way to free him from this hell for he knew he was doomed to
madness if this constant torture continued for very much longer.
    He
also prayed that Hervey did not want to see the drinking of blood again. Colin
and Fergus feared they were being held for just that reason and Heming knew that
was a real possibility. He also knew that if he was driven to feed again on
either of those men, he was doomed. No one