The Craving (Rogues of Scotland #1) Read Free Page A

but the seduction that had always come easy to him failed, as she hastily sent him back. That’s how he discovered it was a mirror he was in. And that the mirror belonged to the Alpin family.
    Both times he had been in Scotland, but a quick glance at the women’s clothes told him that a considerable space of time had passed in both incidences.
    Ronan let out a loud sigh and closed his eyes again. He wondered where his friends were, what they were doing, and how they had lived their lives.
    Were they dead? Had they found wives? Did they have children?
    Had they tried to find him?
    He knew the answer to his last question. Of course they had. Morcant, Daman, and Stefan were his brothers. Not once had any of them not been there for the others.
    Ronan wished he could let them know he was all right. Maybe they could figure out how to free him. Magic might have put him here, but the old gypsy had told him there was a way to earn his freedom. 
    He didn’t realize until it was too late how he had taken everything for granted. The sunlight, the taste of food, staring at the moon, swimming the cold waters of the loch, making love to a pretty lass, the excitement of battle, or just sharing a dram of whisky with his friends.
    The darkness he was bound to had brought to light one thing – he should have handled Ana better.
    So many times he had gone over that night in his head and said something different, done something different. His abhorrence to wanting a wife was not Ana’s fault. She might have blindsided him with her question of marriage, but he shouldn’t have been so callous.
    It never entered his mind that she would kill herself. She was young and beautiful, holding an allure only a gypsy could.
    She claimed to love him, and once he had said no to marriage, she took her life. All his dealings with love had proven it wasn’t worth pursuing.
    Another lesson learned, and one he’d known before Ana. His mother and sister had taught him all too well.
    Ronan rubbed a hand down his face. At least in the cursed mirror he didn’t have to worry about shaving, eating, or growing old. It was like all of that had been muted.
    The one thing that wasn’t muted? His need.
    It was agonizing, excruciating to be in such a constant state of arousal with nothing to relieve him. He had tried many times, unsuccessfully, to ease himself. Always he was left wanting, needy.
    He didn’t know what was worse – the loneliness, or the ever-present craving to ease his heated flesh.
    If he ever got the chance to get outside the mirror again, he would do everything in his power to remain and get free of the damn mirror once and for all.
    Ronan stilled. Was that...could it be...
    He opened his eyes and gasped when he saw the light shining through the mirror. He sat up and stood, the light beckoning him.  Ronan was powerless to ignore it, not that he would.
    His one thought, one goal was to get out of the mirror once and for all. The old gypsy had gotten her wish. He had atoned for what happened to Ana. Now it was time to live his life.
    When Ronan reached the light, he tried to step through the mirror, but he couldn’t. He didn’t know what had to happen to pull him out. All he knew was that it wasn’t happening now.
    He was getting a peek at the light and a room he didn’t recognize. There was no one in sight, no Alpin woman who had summoned him.
    At least that’s what he assumed took place. Then again, he knew next to nothing about what was going on with the mirror or how it was connected to him.
    Ronan put his hand against the invisible barrier that kept him in his dark prison. The light touched his skin, the heat of it sinking into his pores and racing along his hand to his arm and then over his body.
    How he longed to bask in the sun, to stand beneath the moon, to feel the rain upon his skin.
    A soft, very feminine sigh broke him from his thoughts. Ronan’s breath caught in his lungs. He silently prayed and begged to any deity who would