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The Legend and the Laird [MultiFormat]
eBook by Marissa St. James
eBook Category: Romance/Fantasy
eBook Description: Her need for revenge outweighs her duty to her betrothed and his clan. Raven McDraoigh and her mentor have been riding through the Scottish highlands for several years, searching for clues to the man responsible for her mother's murder and the massacre of her clan. When she runs out of places to search, she can only turn to her betrothed, Jamie McKay, laird of Clan McKay. But Jamie has other ideas in mind. For the last ten years, Jamie believed his wife was dead, murdered along with her mother and clan. Imagine his surprise when she turns up on his doorstep. A battle of wits is about to take place. Jamie wants a wife, a partner to lead his clan. She won't give in until she's fulfilled her vow. When the McDraoigh Legend stands against the Laird of Clan McKay, there's sure to be fireworks.
eBook Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press, Published: 2008
Fictionwise Release Date: June 2008
11 Reader Ratings:
 
"The plot of The Legend of the Laird and the Lady is breathtaking. It grabs the reader's attention and does not let go. The characters are well-defined, strong, and endearing. The supporting characters bring depth to the plot. The Legend of the Laird and the Lady is very good reading, offering romance, adventure, and suspense all in one book."_Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for ReviewYourBook.com 4 Stars!
"As the story begins, the reader meets Meredith and Aiden who travel back in time to help Raven, Meredith's relative of long ago. Time travel and shape shifting are subtle, but strong threads in this historic tale that creates a picture rivaling the most intriguing tapestry hanging on the walls of any Scottish castle?The infighting among the clans is the conflict that most influences Raven's story and furnishes the most subtle and intriguing part of THE LEGEND AND THE LAIRD. Marissa St. James does a masterful job of making the time travel work to the story's advantage while never taking the reader far from the magic of the misty environment in Scotland. Ah, lads and lasses, besides working out a happy-ever-after for generation upon generation of The Draoidh, Marissa St. James makes this reader proud to have a hint of Scottish blood in her veins. This one is GOOD reading!"_4 1/2 Books! Reviewed by Camellia, The Long And Short of It Reviews "Myths and legends entwine to create a strong bond in this tale. The characters are easy to understand, but they jump around a bit determined to achieve their goals. All and all it's a good story with a few unexpected twist and turns. A pleasant read."_Rita, Night Owl Romance Reviews
Prologue Her breath came in short gasps. He was close behind her, rapidly closing the distance between them. If he caught her ... The tall meadow grass hindered her flight, but she continued to struggle through it, trying desperately to remain beyond his reach. Meredith glanced over her shoulder and saw him closing the gap. She'd had a good head start in her escape, but it wouldn't last. His long legs made it easier to gain on her. Meredith almost fell on the uneven ground. Clumps of wild flowers hampered her progress. She failed to watch where she was running and landed on her stomach with a decided oomph. Meredith raised her head and spat out a mouthful of grass and dirt, then struggled to turn over onto her back. Her legs were pinned, making movement almost impossible. "You ... play ... dirty..." she complained between gulps of air. "I know," he replied gleefully. He didn't seem to be breathing hard at all, and that annoyed Meredith. "You never play fair," she responded more evenly. Her heart no longer pounded from her frantic run, but she couldn't be sure if he was teasing her, or if he was serious. Meredith regretted having neglected him lately, regretted putting their work first, but he'd known what she was, and what to expect, when he 'signed on' to become her life-mate. He deserved better, and she fully intended to make it up to him, but not like this. Aiden leaned over Meredith's body until he could grasp her wrists and pin them above her head. Straddling her hips was the only way to keep her still. She could buck him off if she had a mind to, but he could tell her efforts were half-hearted. He leaned forward again and nipped at her throat, felt her pulse begin to race again. He loved to tease her this way. "When did I ever play fair?" he asked, mocking. "Playing fair only prolongs the inevitable, and right now, I want to make up for lost time. Any objections?" "We need to talk," she told him, ignoring his question. Even if she did mind, he'd ignore her answer. "This is not the time for talk," Aiden replied. His patience dwindled. "I've waited too long to get you alone." "You're going to have to wait a little longer." Meredith struggled with little success to get out from beneath him. She couldn't talk to him rationally when he had her pinned down this way--not that she would have minded under any other circumstances, but they'd put off this conversation too long. "Don't you think it's about time we started our own agency?" she asked. Her eyes fluttered closed while she made a show of struggling to fight the temptation he offered. If he kissed her now, she'd be lost. He didn't. "I don't want to talk about work," he whispered in her ear, then lightly bit her earlobe. "You're not making this any easier," she warned, her voice becoming husky. She loved this man, but there was only so much she could take before she gave in to him, and now was not the time to surrender. "Mmm ... maybe we should consider it later. Much later," he whispered, and tried harder to distract her. Aiden leaned back and waited for a response. She was taking too long, and he grinned. He accepted her silence as acquiescence and slowly leaned over her once more. "I vant to bite your neck," he announced in a deep dramatic tone, in a parody of a movie vampire. Meredith protested whenever he did that, but his warm breath against her throat excited her. If truth be told, it was a turn-on for them both. She giggled and hunched her shoulders to keep him away from her neck. He could be a maniac sometimes, but she loved him in spite of his faults. Suddenly, something caught her attention. She struggled to sit up and free herself from his grasp. There was no one around but them, yet someone was shouting orders. Something was drastically wrong. Aiden sat back on his heels and watched Meredith's expression change from curiosity to determination. "Not again. Come on, Meredith. It's about time we took a vacation, don't you think? I've had enough adventure to last a while." He rolled over onto the ground and lay on his back, his frustration evident. They had been planning to spend an extended visit with his family--at their insistence. He and Meredith had had little time to themselves, and it was his intention to make the most of these few days. Meredith ignored his complaint, although she had to admit it was a valid one. They did deserve some down time. "Listen. There's some serious trouble going on, and we have to set it straight. After we take care of this problem, we'll take a nice, long, well-deserved vacation. When this is done, I promise to give you my undivided attention. Whatever the problem, it shouldn't take long to sort out." Aiden grumbled something about promises not kept, then got up and pulled his wife to her feet. His hands settled on her slender waist while he waited for her to whisk them away to wherever. The meadow, with its colorful flowers, vanished from sight while Aiden sighed in resignation. "I've got a bad feeling about this--"
* * * *Iron shod hoofs thundered across the moor. The ground trembled and clods of earth flew in all directions. A dozen riders pushed their mounts mercilessly, only to pull them up short when they reached what appeared to be a solid wall of mist. There was no way around it. The horses stamped and moved restlessly while their leader rode back and forth along the barrier. He called out a string of strange words and waited. Minutes later, nothing had happened, and his patience wore thin. "She said it was the way in," he growled. "I will wring her neck for the liar she is!" His voice grew louder with every angry word. "My lord!" one of the men called out. He pointed to an area that appeared to be shifting. The leader rode toward the soldier who called to him, then halted where his man pointed and examined the spot. He laughed when a narrow opening appeared in the swirling wall. A door of sorts slid open, its two halves creating an ominous, damp pathway. Behind it was a small clearing, like a cave. Past the far end, the mist swirled and thinned briefly to teasingly reveal the valley beyond. The gap was wide enough for one horse to easily pass without fear of becoming lost. The leader urged his mount through, keeping it to a proud canter. His men were more reluctant to follow. What was to stop the mist from closing and trapping them within for all eternity? The swirling fog before them danced on air currents, but offered no assurance of safe passage. The hazy walls churned and seethed as if they resented the unwelcome intrusion, as if they could tell the difference between friend and foe. The closing obscured the path behind the riders. The leader reached the far end of the gap, where his horse reared up and pawed at the air. He waited briefly as the last of his men emerged from the gloom. He showed no concern for the fact their one means of escape from this cursed valley was closed to them. A cruel smile touched his lips and he shouted for all to hear. His words echoed eerily, carried on the warm breeze. "The child is mine!" * * * *
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