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  Copyright Š2007 by Donna Gratn

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  A FORBIDDEN TEMPTATION By Donna Grant

  Š copyright September 2007, Donna Grant

  Cover Art by Eliza Black, Š copyright September 2007

  New Concepts Publishing

  Lake Park, GA 31636

  www.newconceptspublishing.com

  This is a work of fiction. All characters, events, and places are of the author’s imagination and not to be confused with fact. Any resemblance to living persons or events is merely coincidence.

  Chapter One

  Highlands of Scotland

  Winter 1436

  The icy fingers of winter had nature firmly in her grasp. The cold slammed into Val’s body as soon as he stepped through the time portal.

  The Highlands, Aimery had told him.

  Val blew out a breath and watched it cloud around him though the light of the full moon. He gritted his teeth against the bitter temperatures and gripped his halberd tightly in his hand.

  His gaze scanned the darkness, noting the eerie quiet that had descended upon the area. He drew in a deep breath and frowned.

  Evil.

  Val quickly crouched down in the thick snow. He was out in the open, and the nearest grove of trees was several strides away. He would have to make a dash for it, but the heavy blanket of snow could slow him down.

  Just as he was about to bolt to the trees, he heard it-the steady flap of wings through the night air. Val raised his head and saw the great beast silhouetted against the dark sky.

  “By the gods,” he whispered. He hesitated only a heartbeat before he stood and ran to the trees.

  The small grove offered little protection. With the shadows hiding him, Val took his time to scout the area. The castle stood high atop one of the smaller mountains with the village below it in the valley. Massive mountains surrounded the area, making it near impossible to reach the town or castle without being seen many leagues away.

  His gaze searched the skies again, and it didn’t take him long to find the creature. With no word from Gabriel, the other Shield, Val would have to do this alone.

  He missed having Roderick and Elle with him, but with the great evil closing in quickly, Roderick had to take Elle and watch over her and the other Chosen.

  Only one more needed to be found to end the great evil. One more woman who bore the mark of the Chosen, and then all this could end.

  From the brief conversation he had with Aimery, the Fae Commander had told him that Cole, another Shield, had not only found his mate, but had also found the third Chosen one. It was cause for celebration, but the celebrating would have to wait. Evil still had a tight hold on Earth.

  He was about to make his way to the village when he heard the snow crunch. Val tensed and gripped his halberd with both hands, ready to strike at a moment’s notice.

  Val molded his back to a tree and waited. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the shadow against the snow. He stepped out and aimed the point of his halberd at the throat of the man.

  “Who are you?”

  A soft chuckle devoid of humor reached him. Val tried to peer into the hood of the cloaked form but saw only shadows. The man did not smell of evil, but that didn’t mean the man wasn’t evil.

  “And here I thought I might receive a warm welcome,” the man said and swept aside the hood of his cloak.

  Val instantly lowered his weapon as he recognized Gabriel. He shook his head and clasped Gabriel’s forearm. “I was beginning to wonder where you were.”

  “I’ve been scouting the area,” Gabriel replied. “I knew Aimery would have you arrive outside the village.”

  “Did you see it?” Val asked.

  Gabriel’s silver gaze met his. “I did. I was on my way to the village when you stopped me.”

  “Then let us go,” Val said.

  Without another word the two men started toward the village. They had gone only a few steps when they heard the shrill cry.

  The men exchanged a look before lengthening their strides to race down the mountain. They saw the flames before they reached the village.

  “The creature will be after the Chosen one,” Gabriel yelled over the screams of the villagers.

  Val nodded. “Let’s hope we find her in time.”

  Neither spoke as they reached the village and took in the devastation. Chaos reigned as people ran about, their cries echoing in the night. Some held the wounded, some held the dead.

  Yet not all of the village had been touched.

  “He left us a trail,” Val said and pointed to the line of destruction.

  Gabriel smiled. “Let’s not keep him waiting.” * * * *

  Nicole leaned against her door, her heart hammering wildly in her chest. She knew what had come for her, but she didn’t have the courage to meet it head on. Instead, she hid in her small cottage while the creature wreaked havoc on the village.

  Her breath shook as she inhaled. She closed her eyes and knew no amount of hiding would stop her Fate. For too long she had remained hidden in the hopes that she might have a future.

  But no more.

  Innocents were dying as it looked for her, and though she feared her death, she couldn’t stand the thought of others dying because of her.

  Before she lost her nerve, she turned and swung open the door. A blast of cold air hit her, but she didn’t bother with a cloak.

  The few pines around her cottage swayed ghostlike in the darkness as the full moon shed its bright beam around her. She gripped the doorframe until her knuckles turned white then she lifted her foot and stepped out of her cottage.

  Her lungs burned with the cold air, but it was nothing compared to the icy fear in her veins. With slow, unsure steps, Nicole walked to the loch to await her death.

  The beauty of the loch had always held her spellbound. She had spent many hours here and decided that it would be a nice place to die. Not many got to choose where they would die, and since she had that privilege, she was going to make the most of it.

  She knew the instant the creature arrived. The air around her became difficult to breath, and her entire body froze as the evil encased her.

  With one last look over her beloved loch, Nicole turned to face her death. Her entire body began to shake, not with cold, but with terror as she stared up at the creature before her. Only in her nightmares had she seen the fearsome creature, but the real thing before her would strike terror in the bravest of souls.

  The enormous beast that stood easily three times her size had the wings, foreparts, front legs, and head of an eagle. His hind paws, tail, and ears were that of a lion. And he was as dark as pitch.

  Her gaze slowly traveled up until she looked into the beast’s yellow eyes. “God sa
ve me,” she whispered, unable to do more than pray.

  She knew trying to run would only irritate the Gryphon more, prolonging her death with added pain. When his massive claw reached out, Nicole opened her mouth to scream, but it was cut off when the beast wrapped his claw around her throat.

  Nicole’s blood pounded loudly in her ears as she quickly grabbed hold of the forearm that held her bound and began to slowly lift her from the ground.

  She ceased her struggles as she looked into the eyes of the Gryphon. All through her life she had feared being ripped limb from limb, when in fact the Gryphon would only choke out her life.

  Tears poured from her eyes as his claw began to tighten around her throat. She didn’t want to die, especially for something that wasn’t even her fault.

  Her throat began to burn as air was slowly cut off. Darkness crept around the edges of her vision, signaling her end was near.

  Just before she succumbed to the darkness, she thought she saw remorse in the Gryphon’s eyes. * * * *

  “By the gods,” Val hissed as he and Gabriel came upon the creature. “It’s a Gryphon.”

  “A what?” Gabriel asked.

  “A Gryphon,” Val repeated. “They aren’t evil, though. Never has evil touched them.”

  Gabriel grunted. “It has now. And he has a woman.”

  Val didn’t stop and wonder if the woman was the Chosen one or not, they had to save her. But just as he and Gabriel started toward the beast, the Gryphon threw back his head and screamed. And to their astonishment, the beast released the woman before flying off into the night.

  “Get the girl,” Gabriel said as he ran off to follow the Gryphon.

  Val’s gaze had never left the woman, and as he raced towards her, he saw her sink into the dark waters of the loch. When he reached the waters, he tossed aside his halberd and waded into the icy water. Thankfully, the woman’s heavy skirts hadn’t sunk with her, and he was able to find her quickly.

  He pulled her out of the water and onto land, her thick wool skirts making the chore even more cumbersome. Already bruises had formed on her neck, and her skin had a pale tinge to it.

  Val leaned over the woman and, through his own teeth chattering, heard her heart beating faintly in her chest. When he raised his head he saw Gabriel running towards him.

  “She’s not dead,” he said and clamped his teeth together.

  “Then she must not be the Chosen one. Regardless, she needs our aide, and we need to get both of you out of those wet clothes,” Gabriel said as he reached down and retrieved Val’s halberd.

  Val nodded and moved his arms beneath the woman to lift her. Once he was on his feet, he followed Gabriel as they walked away from the loch.

  “Where are we going?”

  Gabriel looked over his shoulder. “Somewhere safe.”

  “I saw a cottage near the loch. It’s closer.”

  “Aye,” Gabriel replied. “But I think we should wait before we make our presence known to the village.”

  Val knew he was right, but all he wanted was to get warm again. He hadn’t had any protection against the snow when he arrived, and then the quick swim in the loch had only hastened his freezing.

  He glanced down at the woman and saw her lips had turned blue. If Gabriel didn’t hurry and find them a safe place, neither Val nor the woman would be much good.

  “Let me have her,” Gabriel said as he suddenly turned.

  Val shifted and eased the woman into Gabriel’s arms. He hadn’t realized until just then how heavy the woman had been with her wet skirts holding the water.

  “Climb,” Gabriel said.

  Val looked at the mountain before him. Clouds had covered the moon, shielding everything from sight, but Val trusted Gabriel with his life and began to climb.

  The exertion from the climb helped to warm Val, and, midway up, when he had to take the woman so Gabriel could maneuver a tricky slope, he was able to take her easily. He shifted the woman to get a better hold on her and came in contact with the skin on her arm. She felt nearly frozen.

  “We’ve got to hurry, Gabriel,” he said.

  “I’ll run ahead and get a fire going. The climb is easy from here,” he said before running off.

  Val took a deep breath and started after him. Every once in a while he would glance down at the woman. Her shallow breath became even more so each time her chest rose. Val quickened his pace, especially when he saw the glow coming from a cave not far ahead of him.

  By the time he walked into the cave, Gabriel had a large fire going, and his black bag and its contents were out waiting for the woman.

  “Lay her here,” Gabriel directed.

  Val gently set her on the blankets Gabriel had piled near the fire then he stepped away.

  “What are you doing?” Gabriel snapped.

  Val blinked. He was cold, hungry, irritated, and not the least bit in the mood for Gabriel’s temper. “What do you want me to do?”

  “Warm her,” Gabriel said without looking up from his many herbs.

  Val went down on his knees and reached for the dagger he kept in his boot. He gripped the woman’s soggy gown and cut it away from her. Once the gown was removed, he quickly covered her with blankets.

  Gabriel reached for some water and shook his head. “That will never warm her, Val. You know that. She needs body heat.”

  He knew it all too well. Hurriedly, Val pulled off his boots and wet clothes then climbed under the blanket with the woman. As soon as his skin touched hers it was like he had fallen into the loch again.

  “By Jupiter, she’s freezing.”

  “Wrap your body around hers,” Gabriel instructed. “This brew I’m making will take a little time, but it will do no good unless she’s warm.”

  Val moved his arm underneath the woman’s neck so that he pillowed her head, then he gently turned her onto her side and pulled her back against him. He sucked in a breath at his body’s contact with her cold one. Gabriel was a master at healing, but Val began to worry that it might be too late for the woman.

  “Why didn’t the Gryphon kill her?” Gabriel murmured as he mixed herbs.

  “I don’t know. Even though she’s not one of the Chosen, it killed plenty of villagers, so why not her?”

  Gabriel stopped grinding the herbs and slowly raised his head. “We won’t know anything until she wakes, but it does give me pause. Tell me what you know of Gryphons.”

  “They’ve always been used for good, never evil. If one was to see a Gryphon it was a sign of powerful new beginnings. The Gryphon is supposed to help bring the dark side of ourselves into submission, and they are a powerful guardian of vigilance and vengeance.”

  “I’ll admit that what we saw tonight was most certainly powerful, but it was a guardian of darkness, not light,” Gabriel said.

  Val nodded and felt the pull of sleep as the heat generated from him and the woman seeped around him. He snuggled next to the woman and found his face near her hair. He inhaled and smelled the fresh, clean scent of her. Feeling out of sorts, he cracked open an eye and stared at the inky mass of hair that spilled across his arm and down her creamy back.

  Unable to stop himself, he reached for a strand of her hair. The silky lock was thick and straight, and he couldn’t stop himself from winding it around his fingers.

  He loosened his hold on the strand and watched it fall onto his chest. Sleep called to him, but he refused to give in. When he shifted to get more comfortable and his rod brushed against the woman’s round bottom, Val found it all together way too pleasurable.

  Never one to turn down pleasure when it came his way, Val wrapped his arm over the woman’s narrow waist and molded himself to her curves. The underside of her breast grazed his hand and he smiled.

  It was too bad she wasn’t awake since there were many things he knew they could do to occupy their time, very pleasurable, enjoyable things.

  “You’re supposed to be warming her,” Gabriel said suddenly, breaking into his thoughts.

  Val smiled at his fello
w Shield. “I am.”

  Chapter Two

  Val opened his eyes to realize he had dozed off. He blinked and turned his gaze to Gabriel.

  “Feel better?” Gabriel asked.

  “Aye. Sorry for drifting off.”

  “Don’t be,” Gabriel said as he leaned over to grab more herbs from his black leather bag. “You were in the freezing water and then warmed up quickly. It pulls most people under.”

  Val ran his hand down the woman’s side and found her skin warm and a little flushed. He scooted out of the covers and turned to find his clothes waiting for him.

  It was one of the many benefits to being a Shield. Whatever they needed, be it clothes, weapons, food or coin, the Fae made sure they were equipped at all times.

  He tugged on his pants and boots, then pulled his tunic over his head. He left his leather jerkin for the time being beside his sword, dagger, and halberd. When he turned back to Gabriel, his fellow Shield had risen from his spot beside the woman.

  “What’s wrong?” Val asked.

  “I’m missing an herb. I must go and find it. Watch over the woman and get her to drink the water I mixed.”

  Val glanced at the small wooden cup and doubted he’d get much into her. He walked around the fire and added more sticks before he took Gabriel’s place beside the woman.

  “What’s your name?” he asked, not that he expected her to answer, but he hated the quiet.

  He scooted closer to her and gently turned her onto her back. He hissed when he saw the massive bruises on her neck. “Quite a night you’ve had, but with Gabriel’s healing, you’ll be just fine.”

  Val studied the woman’s face. Her full lips were no longer tinged with blue, but had now taken on a dusky pink color. She had skin the color of cream that contrasted nicely with her raven locks. She had a small nose, high forehead, and black brows that arched regally over her eyes.

  He found himself strangely curious to know what color her eyes were. He imagined them to be a bright, vivid blue. Val shook aside his musings and lifted the wooden cup.

  “Gabriel said I must get this water down you,” he said as he moved his hand under her neck. “Let’s not make this difficult. Gabriel will have my head if I don’t get at least some of this in you.”