The Highlander

Chapter Thirty

Finlay

My men and our newly allied warriors from the McDowell clan flooded the clearing. Their heavy footfalls sounding loud in the darkening night.

Rose clung to me, her lips pressed hard against mine and I wondered how I could have ever hit this beautiful creature. How I could have ever accused her off being possessed. Yes, her sudden undead status was confusing and suspicious but I should have known from one look that it was her.

But I hadn't.

And now on her cheek was a large painful looking bruise.

Brushing her hair from it, I gently placed a single kiss on it, noticing the slight twitch of pain from Rose.

"Sorry." I muttered once before Rose silenced me with a soft light kiss. I took pleasure from the kiss but the realisation of the pain I caused her still lingered at the back of my mind.

"Finn." Graham spoke behind me. I knew it was him instantly from the recognisably sorrow in his voice. I had heard it before. Graham was two years older than me at twenty five and when he was only seventeen he married a farmer's daughter. They had the most wonderful three years before she died of the common cold one fatal winter. Unfortunately they hadn't been blessed with children so Graham now lived for the fight. To kill and protect others so they didn't have to fall to the black hands of death like his beloved Emma had.

Rose's death must have brought back painful memories.

I grudgingly pulled Rose from my arms and placed her behind me, mostly out of sight as I turned to face Graham and a band of confused and possibly fearful warriors. They may have been able to fight till they died or a body part fell off and witnessed the most atrocious things in life but someone coming back from the dead...I didn't know how they were going to take that.

"Is it...her?" Graham asked. His eyes skimmed over my shoulder tying to catch a glimpse of Rose. I felt her fingers wrap around my shoulder as she tried to peer at the audience before us.

Graham either believed me or wanted to see Rose as evidence as he took slow shaky steps towards us across the clearing.

When he was near I felt Rose pull from around my and take her own steps towards Graham. They met a few yards from where I stood and Graham halted for a moment unsure if Rose was truly back. Rose didn't move, I believed in fear that Graham would respond badly or in uncertainty and fear.

After a few silent moments Graham arms shot out and bundled Rose into a hug. She seemed to disappear under his huge tree trunk arms and for a moment I fared she would be smothered to death.

Across the short distance I heard Graham whisper into Rose's hair, "I thought you were gone again Emma."

Rose looked perplexed for a moment but brushed the comment aside, not pressing on the subject obviously aware of its possible personal history. Instead she hugged him harder, whispering in return that it was her and she wouldn't leave again. Hopefully not an empty promise which would one day be broken.

Rose and Graham parted and I saw Alistair step out from the ranks of warriors. I thought he was going to advance towards Rose but he stood at the edge of the crowd only looking at Rose with a look of yearning and want.

I stepped forward, away from the edge of the hill and towards the centre of the clearing, "We should leave for McCain land immediately."

Everyone's eyes shifted to me and Rose drifted to me side, her small hand slipping into my own. The atmosphere had grown heavy with tension and I swallowed a lump of unease in my throat.