Vowed (The Vampire Journals, #7) - Morgan Rice Page 0,10

was evolving, was telling her to completely forgive them and let it go.

She took a deep breath, and focused on letting it go. She exhaled, and nodded.

“Yes, I forgive you both,” she said.

They both smiled back.

“You might forgive them,” King McCleod suddenly said, dismounting and stepping towards them, “but I don’t forgive them for embarrassing my men like that!” he said, letting out a hearty laugh. “Especially Polly. The two of you put my finest warriors to shame. Clearly, we have a lot to learn from you, as we have learned from the others. Vampires versus humans. Never fair,” he said, shaking his head, with another hearty laugh.

McCleod stepped forward and approached Caitlin and Caleb. Caitlin liked him immediately. He was quick to smile, had a deep, comforting laugh, and seemed to put everyone at ease around him.

“Welcome to our island,” he said, reaching up, taking Caitlin’s hand and kissing it with a bow.

He then reached over and shook Caleb’s hand warmly in both of his. “The Isle of Skye. There is no place like it on earth. Desperate home to the greatest warriors. This castle has been in my family for hundreds of years. You’ll stay with us. Aiden will be thrilled. As will my men. I officially welcome you!” he said with a shout, and all his men cheered.

Caitlin felt overwhelmed at his hospitality. She hardly knew how to respond.

“It is a great pleasure,” she said.

“And we thank you for your graciousness,” Caleb said.

“Are you a king?” Scarlet stepped forward and asked. “Is there a real princess here?” The king looked down and broke into uproarious laughter, louder and deeper than before. “Well now, I am a king, yes indeed—but there is no princess here I’m afraid. Just us men. But perhaps you shall rectify that, my beauty!” he said with a laugh, and took two steps forward, picked up Scarlet, and spun her around. “And what might your name be?”

Scarlet blushed, suddenly shy.

“Scarlet,” she said, looking down. “And that’s Ruth,” she said, pointing down.

Ruth barked, as if in response, and McCleod set her down with a laugh, and stroked Ruth’s fur.

“I’m sure you are all ravenous,” he said. “To the castle!” he shouted. “It’s time to celebrate!” All his men shouted, turned as a group, and headed for the castle’s entrance. As they did, rows of guards snapped to attention.

Sam draped an arm around Caitlin’s shoulder, and Caleb around Polly’s, as they all walked together towards the castle entrance. Caitlin knew she shouldn’t, but despite herself, she allowed herself to hope that, once again, this time, they had found a permanent home, a place in the world that they could all, finally, be at peace in forever.

CHAPTER SIX

It was the warmest and most lavish welcome Caitlin could have imagined. Their arrival had been like one long celebration. They’d run into one coven member after another, and she saw faces she hadn’t seen in what felt like forever—Barbara, Cain, and many others. They’d all sat for lunch at a huge banquet table, in the warm, stone castle, furs beneath their feet, torches along the walls, the fireplace roaring, and dogs running all around. The room felt warm and cozy, and Caitlin realized that it was cold outside—the end of October, Caitlin had been told. 1350. Caitlin couldn’t believe it.

She was nearly seven hundred years away from the 21st century.

She had always tried to imagine what life might be like in this time period, in the times of the knights, of armor, castles...but she had never imagined anything quite like this. Despite the stark change in surroundings, the lack of major towns or cities, the people were still very warm, very intelligent, very human. In many ways, not all that different from the people of her time.

Caitlin felt very at home in this time and place. She had spent hours catching up with Sam and Polly, hearing their stories, their version of what had happened to them back in England. She had been horrified to hear of what had happened between Sergei and Polly, and so proud of Sam for saving her.

And throughout the whole night, she couldn’t help but notice that Sam barely took his eyes off of Polly. As a big sister, she sensed that a major shift had happened within him. He finally seemed more mature, and for the first time ever, truly and totally in love.

Yet Polly, this time, seemed a bit more evasive. It was harder for Caitlin to get an exact fix on