Page 124 of Highland Ruse

The difficult struggle had been worthwhile. A look of determination settled over Delilah’s face, and she lowered into a tensed fighting position.

Move, damn it.

Sweat prickled at his brow with the attempt to rise. His body trembled. To no avail.

Kaid watched helplessly as MacKenzie swung his sword toward Delilah and she blocked it.

If Kaid could move, just several feet, he could attack MacKenzie from behind. He could kill the bastard.

Delilah blocked the next blow and struck out with her own, her left attack not as powerful or fluid as her right.

MacKenzie easily evaded her.

She would need all the power she could get, or she wouldn’t survive.

His beautiful, incredible Delilah. She would do anything to protect Claire. Sacrifice anything.

Even her life.

The idea of losing her made the ache of his wound seem nothing in comparison to the powerful hurt in his chest.

Move, damn it.

• • •

Delilah kept her gaze fixed on MacKenzie’s cold, handsome face. His eyes were dark and empty. The eyes of a predator, completely oblivious to the blood soaking the room and the bodies strewn about.

Rhona with her chest glistening, Elizabeth bent over like a discarded doll thrown in a corner, Kaid…

Delilah’s throat drew tight while Kaid struggled with injured movements to rise.

She wanted to tell him to be still, that she would be there soon.

But she looked into the dead, predator eyes fixed on her and knew this could very well be the last day she lived.

Seumas moved to her right, but she did not relinquish her position in front of Claire. He shifted left, and still she did not move.

In a smooth lunge, he jabbed his sword toward her. Delilah brought her blade down hard and swiped the dangerous tip of his weapon from where it’d been aimed at her heart. The muscles of her left arm burned with exertion.

She would be able to keep up the energy only so long. A shiver of anticipation squeezed down her spine.

She knew what would happen when she could hold it no longer.

A moan sounded behind Delilah. Claire was coming to.

“Close your eyes, Claire,” Delilah said in as soothing a voice as she could.

After all the girl had been through, Delilah could not bear her to witness the carnage of the room.

MacKenzie smirked and swiped his blade in an arc toward Delilah’s torso. It whistled in the air with its powerful speed, but she leapt back in time to avoid the strike.

She had to mind her feet when she landed to avoid stepping on Claire. Still, the girl flinched on the ground.

Delilah chanced a glance at the nearby open doorway. If Delilah could get Claire to leave, perhaps the girl could still live even if Delilah fell.

“Keep your eyes closed and crawl forward, Claire,” Delilah said.

The girl started to cry. MacKenzie growled and swept his sword to the right.