upon Elic and his lover.
With wicked delight, she watched their slow and painful death. Their cries for mercy went unheeded.
Her heart, the one he had so carelessly shattered, had completely closed off.
With Elic’s death, Grainna felt a Druid’s power sliding into her for the first time. It was a drug more powerful than seduction.
Using her gifts for revenge was forbidden by the Ancients. To avoid persecution from her own people, she fled the country of her birth.
For years, she practiced the dark arts and searched the land for people with powers. Druid or witches she didn’t care. Those souls she could turn to her evil ways she let live. Those who refused, met with untimely deaths.
Her quest for blood and revenge on anyone who loved was insatiable. Her power grew as the years went on. In a final act of defiance, Grainna used the blood of her dead in a potion of immortality.
The Ancients who had watched and waited, gathered to stop her evil. They cursed Grainna to an eternity in an aging and powerless body. They bound her Druid powers and those she had gathered, making it almost impossible for her to return to her former self.
They pushed her five centuries into the future.
Into a time and land she had little knowledge of.
Now, in order to break the curse, she had to find a woman of Druid descent, a virgin. Only the virgin’s blood would set her free.
For seventy years, Grainna had lived in the new world with all its technology and ways. Even without her Druid gifts, she practiced the dark arts and perfected the ability of sight and mind control.
Grainna’s plan for luring a virgin into her web was brilliant. Posing as a palm reading Gypsy, 49
Catherine Bybee
running a Renaissance fair, and exploiting virgins, was a perfect way to draw in her prey.
Duncan and Fin were sent by their parents to prevent Grainna from finding all the requirements in a woman she needed. Up until now, Duncan found his missions pleasurable.
If there are no virgins, there is no threat. It was that simple.
Duncan watched the makeshift village come into view. His arm circled Tara’s tiny waist. Her sweet scent permeated his senses.
His mission wasn’t as simple, however, when the virgin in question was Tara McAllister.
****
The people of the village watched them ride past. Duncan led Durk to the doorway of her tent.
The man standing guard watched in astonishment, eyes darting between Tara and Duncan.
Tara untied Duncan’s cape with a shaking hand and gave it back. Ignoring the stares of those who passed by. “Thank you so much for today.”
Grainna’s man took a step closer to them.
Duncan tilted Tara’s chin and placed his lips to hers. He left them there long enough to feel her relax, then broke away. “Thank you, lass,” he said against her parted lips. “I’ll see you at supper tonight.”
“Okay,” she whispered.
Duncan laughed when her body swayed toward him instead of away. He turned her around and gave a gentle nudge.
She glided passed the guard. “Nice night, don’t you think, Bruno?”
****
“She did what?” Grainna’s voice could be heard well beyond her tent. Fury sparked from her eyes.
She stormed past her guard, barely giving him the time to move out of the way.
50
Binding Vows
Grainna stormed into their tent and found Tara sitting on her bed, wearing nothing but her underclothes, and talking to her friend.
She pushed her way into their minds.
Tara resisted her intrusion with a coveted power.
Don’t you look cozy gossiping about your adventure with a stranger? Grainna could hardly contain herself at the sight of the laughing women.
They didn’t appear to have a care in the world.
Cassy’s thoughts however, were wide open. They sizzled with excitement and sparks of love generated by Tara’s romantic interlude.
Bile backed up in Grainna’s throat as she read the thought.
Tara looked up. They locked gazes. The woman was attempting to look inside Grainna’s mind. Tara
With wicked delight, she watched their slow and painful death. Their cries for mercy went unheeded.
Her heart, the one he had so carelessly shattered, had completely closed off.
With Elic’s death, Grainna felt a Druid’s power sliding into her for the first time. It was a drug more powerful than seduction.
Using her gifts for revenge was forbidden by the Ancients. To avoid persecution from her own people, she fled the country of her birth.
For years, she practiced the dark arts and searched the land for people with powers. Druid or witches she didn’t care. Those souls she could turn to her evil ways she let live. Those who refused, met with untimely deaths.
Her quest for blood and revenge on anyone who loved was insatiable. Her power grew as the years went on. In a final act of defiance, Grainna used the blood of her dead in a potion of immortality.
The Ancients who had watched and waited, gathered to stop her evil. They cursed Grainna to an eternity in an aging and powerless body. They bound her Druid powers and those she had gathered, making it almost impossible for her to return to her former self.
They pushed her five centuries into the future.
Into a time and land she had little knowledge of.
Now, in order to break the curse, she had to find a woman of Druid descent, a virgin. Only the virgin’s blood would set her free.
For seventy years, Grainna had lived in the new world with all its technology and ways. Even without her Druid gifts, she practiced the dark arts and perfected the ability of sight and mind control.
Grainna’s plan for luring a virgin into her web was brilliant. Posing as a palm reading Gypsy, 49
Catherine Bybee
running a Renaissance fair, and exploiting virgins, was a perfect way to draw in her prey.
Duncan and Fin were sent by their parents to prevent Grainna from finding all the requirements in a woman she needed. Up until now, Duncan found his missions pleasurable.
If there are no virgins, there is no threat. It was that simple.
Duncan watched the makeshift village come into view. His arm circled Tara’s tiny waist. Her sweet scent permeated his senses.
His mission wasn’t as simple, however, when the virgin in question was Tara McAllister.
****
The people of the village watched them ride past. Duncan led Durk to the doorway of her tent.
The man standing guard watched in astonishment, eyes darting between Tara and Duncan.
Tara untied Duncan’s cape with a shaking hand and gave it back. Ignoring the stares of those who passed by. “Thank you so much for today.”
Grainna’s man took a step closer to them.
Duncan tilted Tara’s chin and placed his lips to hers. He left them there long enough to feel her relax, then broke away. “Thank you, lass,” he said against her parted lips. “I’ll see you at supper tonight.”
“Okay,” she whispered.
Duncan laughed when her body swayed toward him instead of away. He turned her around and gave a gentle nudge.
She glided passed the guard. “Nice night, don’t you think, Bruno?”
****
“She did what?” Grainna’s voice could be heard well beyond her tent. Fury sparked from her eyes.
She stormed past her guard, barely giving him the time to move out of the way.
50
Binding Vows
Grainna stormed into their tent and found Tara sitting on her bed, wearing nothing but her underclothes, and talking to her friend.
She pushed her way into their minds.
Tara resisted her intrusion with a coveted power.
Don’t you look cozy gossiping about your adventure with a stranger? Grainna could hardly contain herself at the sight of the laughing women.
They didn’t appear to have a care in the world.
Cassy’s thoughts however, were wide open. They sizzled with excitement and sparks of love generated by Tara’s romantic interlude.
Bile backed up in Grainna’s throat as she read the thought.
Tara looked up. They locked gazes. The woman was attempting to look inside Grainna’s mind. Tara
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