Saved

As suddenly as it had started it was over and they hit the ground with a thud. After the initial shock of hitting the bottom of whatever that was Brooklynn realized she was sprawled atop Falcon again. He shook his head and then smiled up at her, “I could get used to this lass.” She narrowed her eyes at him and rolled off of him to find herself at the feet of an older woman. The woman smiled down at Brooklynn and shook her head, “Forgive him…he’s still getting the landing down.” A hand was offered to her and she quickly took it, “Thanks.”

“Oh she’s polite I like that. Falcon hurry up and pick your self up,” said the woman as she brushed Brooklynn off. Who ever this woman was Brooklynn liked her already, “Who are you and where the hell am I?” The woman laughed as she took her by the arm and started walking towards a castle, “Honey I’m Vivian McBane, that lout’s mother. You would be in my home at the moment but I don’t think it’s a question of where…but when.”



Brooklynn shook her head and realized that they were walking towards an honest to goodness castle. She stopped dead in her tracks as Vivian’s words sake in, not where but when? Shaking her head again she stood quietly for a moment, blinking profusely as she tried to figure out what the hell was going on here. Taking a deep breath Brooklynn chewed her lower lip a little and then spoke in a quiet almost whisper voice, “When?”



With an angry glance at her son Vivian smiled to Brooklynn, “Oh dear…he didn’t tell you did he?” Falcon came up beside his mother, “I figured it would be easier this way. She would never have believed me.” Brooklynn shook her head again, “What the hell are you two talking about? What’s going on here?” He turned to her, “You’re in the past…well it would be past for you but present for us. You aren’t in your time anymore because in order for you to help you have to be here.” She held up a hand to stop him as she tried to wrap her mind around what she thought he was trying to say, “Wait…I’m in what time period then?” Vivian smiled warmly at her, “The 16th century to be exact my dear.”



That was all Brooklynn needed to hear; she turned away from them both and started walking. “Stop her you fool!” Falcon growled at his mother, “Just go back to the castle, I’ll fix this.” He went after Brooklynn, catching up to her easily, “Where are you going?” She laughed as she threw up her hands, “Hell if I know. Any where but here is looking pretty good right now.” Grabbing her arm he spun her around, “Wait a minute. You don’t have any money, you certainly aren’t dressed for this time, and you have no idea where you’re going. What good will that do?” She tried to pull away from him but failed, “Will make me feel like I’m not crazy…like I still have a little control over my life and what goes on in it.”



He sighed, “Look…Brooklynn I’m sorry this is the way it had to be. I knew you wouldn’t believe me so I had to have proof…this is the only proof I have. Please just come to the castle with me; we’ll get you clean cloths and something to eat. Then when you’re ready we’ll talk about what’s going on and how we think you can help.” With a giant sigh she glanced around and realized he was right, she didn’t know where she was or how she was going to make it without some help. Shaking her head she threw up her hands in defeat, “Alright…alright. Doesn’t look like I have much choice in the matter, you seem to have taken that away nicely.”



Laughing he led her back towards the castle, “I didn’t mean to Brooklynn, really I didn’t.” She sighed and walked beside him quietly, at the moment she couldn’t think of anything to say…this was all too much to deal with. Falcon respected her silence and decided it would be best to just let her think about things, to let her come to her own decisions about what was going on. Sooner or later she would have to realize that she wasn’t in the 21st century anymore, she would have to realize that she didn’t have much of a choice in helping them.

Vivian stood waiting in the foyer, “I’ve had a bath drawn up and I think I have some old dresses that will fit you for now. You’re a bit taller and…well just bigger than me so we’ll have to fix them later but for now it will have to do. Let me show you to your room.” Falcon nodded and moved off to his own room, ready for clean clothes and a bath himself. Brooklynn merely let Vivian led her off without so much as a word, obviously this was going to take some time for her to grasp.



After a long hot bath Brooklynn wrapped herself in an over sized towel and sat down on the over sized bed. Running her hands through her hair she closed her eyes and sighed, how could things have gone this wrong? With a sigh she fell back onto the bed and curled up on her side, “Maybe it’s all a dream…a really messed up dream.” It didn’t take long for her to drift off to sleep what with the warmth of the room and the utter exhaustion she was feeling.



It had been almost three hours since Vivian had left Brooklynn to her bath and Falcon was getting a little worried about her. He climbed the stairs to the second story of his home and knocked softly on her door. When she didn’t answer after the third or fourth knock he tried the handle and found that the door wasn’t locked. He expected her to be huddled in a corner crying or something but instead she was sprawled out on the bed in not but a towel. He couldn’t help but stare at her beautiful form in the soft fire light. Her hair was mostly dry and lay over one shoulder as she was still laying on her side. Toned muscles in her arms and legs flexed as she turned over in her sleep and Falcon almost dropped to the floor.



He figured it would be better if he let her sleep, sleep would help her mind wrap around this whole situation. Quietly he shut the door and had to force himself to move away from her room before he did something embarrassing like wake her up with a little more than a kiss. Shaking that thought from his mind he went back down stairs to tell his mother they might as well eat without her. He needed to get his mind off that like hell cat that was sleeping under his roof.



Some time during the time Brooklynn screamed and pulled out of a nightmare. She sat up in bed looking around for the attacker in her dream but didn’t see anything in the darkness around her. Brushing her hand across her face she sighed and jumped when the door burst open, Falcon moved into the room. “What’s wrong?” He glanced from her pale face to the room just to be sure and then back to her. Her voice wouldn’t work as she shook her head, trying to calm her racing heart. Kneeling in front of her he looked up at her with a questioning look, “What’s wrong?”



After a moment she managed to speak, “I…had a bad dream.” Falcon cocked a brow at her; from the sound of her scream he had thought someone had wounded her. “A dream? My dear I thought you were dieing.” She shook her head as she looked down at him and then closed her eyes. It had seemed like she was dieing, the nightmare had seemed so real. “Yes… I’m fine.” Standing he shook his head, “You’re a piss poor liar Brooklynn.” Shaken by the dream she merely shook her head and kept her face lowered so he couldn’t see the fear in her eyes.



Vivian appeared at the door looking flushed and breathless, “What happened?” For a moment neither Brooklynn nor Falcon answered her but then he shook his head, “Nightmares.” Moving into the room Vivian noticed Brooklynn’s lack of clothing, “Oh…well you let me take care of this. Go back to bed.” The look she received from her son would have stopped her in her tracks had it not been for the hurt and fear in stormy green eyes. Falcon missed what passed between them as his mother moved passed him to wrap her arms around Brooklynn. “I’ll take care of her Falcon.” Sighing he shook his head and moved over of the room, shutting the door behind him as he went. Women… he would never understand them.



Leaning away from Vivian to wipe at her face Brooklynn shook her head, “Really… I’m fine. It was just a nightmare.” “Child I saw your eyes that was more than just a nightmare.” Brooklynn ran a hand through her hair and sighed, “I can’t change what I saw… can’t go back and save her so it doesn’t matter either way.” She got to her feet as Vivian shook her head, “Save whom?” Taking a deep breath Brooklynn shook her head, “It doesn’t matter. I’m sorry I woke you and Falcon.” For a moment Vivian sat on the bed thinking, “Obviously it does matter if you’re having nightmares about it but if you don’t want to talk about it that’s your business. I just hope you know that I’ll listen should you decide to talk about it.”



With that said Vivian got up and moved to the door, glancing back at the towel clad woman standing before the window trying to fight unseen demons. She shook her head as she left the room, closing the door quietly. Everyone had demons though it seemed Brooklynn’s haunted her through her dreams. Sadly Vivian knew there was little she could do if the girl didn’t want to talk, one can’t help those who can’t help themselves. She went down the hall and back into her own room, wishing there was something she could have said to ease the poor child’s mind but she had no idea what it was that haunted her.



It took a great deal of time for her to push aside the images of her dieing mother and Mark. She refused to let herself crumple up and cry that had never helped her before. Her mother was gone and Mark… well Mark was on his way to meet her soon. Rubbing her face she leaned against the cool stone of the wall beside the window, what was she going to do? The nightmare was getting worse, though she’d never had other people around to wake; it was becoming far too real these days. With a sigh she opened her eyes to look out the window again, almost forgetting where she was.



Finding a dress across the back on a chair she set the towel she’d been wearing aside and dressed quickly. She had to get out of this room, maybe find something to read to take her mind off the nightmare. The dress was more than a few inches short for her and tight in the bust. It was a soft blue color, silver hems with a silver and black sash to go about her hips. Sighing Brooklynn poked her head out of her room, making sure nobody was around before slipping out. This was a castle… there had to be a library somewhere and she would find it hopefully without waking anyone.



Turning down a hall to her right she ran smack into a warm stone wall that had arms to circle her to keep her from falling. “You should be more careful,” purred his very husky voice. She pushed her hair over her shoulder and looked up at him to find his gaze stuck not on her up turned face but the vast amount of cleavage she was sporting due to the tightness of the dress. Glaring at him she placed a hand over her chest and stomped on his foot. He grumbled as he pushed her away, “Bloody hell lass, step on your own feet.”



“Then don’t stare. My eyes aren’t down there,” she grumbled back at him. He shrugged his big shoulders as he looked into her eyes, “Can’t blame a man for being a man. It’s not my fault you’re…so… there.” There was a slight blush on his cheeks as he tried to get himself out of the mess he’s created. Brooklynn rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms, not realizing she was only making things worse, “It’s not my fault your mother’s dress isn’t quite big enough.” He laughed, “My dear I don’t think “quite big enough” are the right words for it. You’ll have to have whole new dresses if they all fit like that.”



When his eyes dropped to the creamy white breasts that were almost popping out of her dress she couldn’t stop herself from stepping forward and taking a swing at his face. Some how he managed to catch her wrist before she struck him and had her backed against the wall before she knew what had happened. “Doona try to strike me again lass… I have never struck a woman but don’t think that will stop me if I’m provoked.” His voice was low and almost a growl as he looked down into her eyes but he didn’t see what he wanted there. Instead of fear and submission he saw anger and defiance, something stirred in him even though he wanted her to be afraid. He had a feeling this woman wouldn’t frighten easily, something in him liked that.



She growled… actually growled at him as she tried to push him away, “Get off me you oaf. If you had any respect for women you wouldn’t need to be slapped.” He was thankful he was between her legs because he had no doubt she would try to knee him if it meant she would get away from him, “Give woman… you’re no match for me.” Snorting she gave him that defiant look and pushed harder and surprisingly she was rather strong for her size. He had her at a disadvantage though, being the bigger of them and having her pinned to the wall as he did.



Out of no where her head snapped forward and if he hadn’t reacted quickly she would have likely broken his nose. Instead of striking his face her forehead met his chin, jarring his jaw which caused him to growl at her. “Bloody hell woman… stop.” “I’ll be damned in I give in to you. Let me go.” She was a fighter, he would give her that but she was foolish to think she could get away from him. By god he would make her back down. Using his whole body he pressed against her, pushing the air from her lungs. She gasped and she glared at him as he stretched her arms out above her head.



Before he realized it he was reacting in a completely different way, his body was defying him as much as she was. The blood was suddenly rushing to an entirely different part of him, a part that would lead him into trouble if he wasn’t careful. There was just something about the way her eyes gleamed or was it the way she was fearlessly fighting him for her freedom. Her little growls and gasps for air made him hotter than he’d ever been for a woman. He found himself wishing he didn’t need both hands to restrain her, wished he had a free hand to wrap around the pretty little neck of hers.



Lowering his head he pressed his lips against her, not realizing what he was doing until he was already doing it. Instantly she went still, her eyes wide as she looked at him to find him looking back at her. His kiss wasn’t soft or gentle; he was demanding that she acknowledge he had beaten her. He punished her with his kiss, forcing her lips apart and sliding his tongue into her mouth as he looked into her eyes. Instead of melting against him like he thought she would her tongue met his and fought him, tried to push him out of her mouth.



Amusement passed through his eyes as he pushed back, not about to let her win anything.

His hands slid down her arms to her hair, fisting and pulling her head back roughly. A groan escaped her as her nails threatened his shoulders through his thin shirt. She berated herself for that groan but was rewarded with a husky rumble from deep in his chest as she wrapped a leg around him to pull him against her. They still sparred with their tongues, neither one of them willing to let the other win. She’d never been kissed like this, never been challenged in such a way. Frankly it was getting harder to fight him; she was suddenly considering what it would be like to fight for a dominant position or what other things would be like.



Realizing she had let this go too far and resorted to cheating, she let him push his tongue into her mouth. Just when he thought he had won she bit his tongue which caused him to jerk his head back. There was fire in his eyes and something else that she didn’t care to think about right now. “You cheated,” he purred at her. She shrugged her shoulders, giving him an innocent look. “I did what I had to do now get off me. You merely got ahead of yourself.” He narrowed his eyes at her, not about to back away from her, not sure he could pull away from her.

Someone cleared their throat which caused Falcon to turn his attention away from her. His steward was standing there with a murderous look in his eyes, “Miss…are you in need of some assistance?” Growling Falcon answered before she could, “She’s fine. Just go back to bed Artemis.” The man ignored his master, his eyes on Brooklynn as he repeated his question. She looked from him to Falcon and then shook her head, “I believe we had just finished our… argument. But if the lord is a sore loser I may indeed need your help.” For a moment she didn’t think Falcon would step back but when he released her hair and moved away from her she let out the breath she had been holding.



Straightening her dress and then her hair she moved over to Artemis and smiled sweetly to him, “I was in search of the library when I started this endeavor… would you be so kind as to show me the way?” Hiding a smirk as Falcon glared at the two of them Artemis nodded his head, holding out a muscled arm for her. “Why it’s right this way Miss.” She wrapped her arm around his, completely ignoring the seething mess of a man behind them as she walked down the hall away from Falcon.



A door slammed shut as they entered the library and Artemis couldn’t help himself any longer. He burst into laughter, holding his side as he shook his head. Brooklynn moved to a chair and sat down, collecting herself. “Oh my dear I haven’t seen him look that shocked and murderous in the same instance since I don’t know when,” he laughed. She shook her head as she closed her eyes, “I take it he doesn’t lose often.” Artemis shook his head, “No… never. Falcon doesn’t lose so therefore he’s a rather poor loser as you put it.” Laughing softly she opened her eyes to look at him, “Thank you for your help. I’m not sure what would have happened had you not come along.”



“Oh I know what would have happened. He would have dragging into his chamber and we wouldn’t see ither of you for days,” he said as he collected himself. Brooklynn blushed as she thought about that one then Artemis continued, “I’ve never seen a kiss like that child but I have seen that type of passion before though never in Lord Falcon. He’s a rather collected and domineering man.” She snorted, “Oh that much I could have told you. I can’t believe his nerve staring at me like that.”



She crossed her arms beneath her breast angrily and Artemis cocked a brow at her, “Lass if you stood before him as you are now I can’t image a single reason anyone would look at you.” Glancing down she quickly uncrossed her arms and sighed, “Oh…well he didn’t have to make it so obvious that he was looking and it really isn’t my fault Vivian’s dress is so tight.” He smiled at her, “I believe I’ll have the seamstress find you sometime during the day. Can’t have you reeking havoc all over the castle in such fashion now can we?” Placing a hand over her chest she blushed again which cause Artemis to smile more at her, “Lass I believe you’ll do this house hold some good while you’re here.”



“Do you know why I’m here?” He nodded, running a hand through his graying hair as he sat down in a chair across from her. “Yes Miss McLeod I do know. There isn’t much that goes on under this roof that I don’t know about. I truly hope you can adjust and carry out the task they’ve set before you.” She sighed and shook her head, “Hell I don’t even know why I’m here. No one has told me much of anything since all this has started.” Artemis sighed, “Doesn’t surprise me. Falcon and that… fairy he works with have a tendency to do things on the fly. I’ll let him explain things to you though, will make more sense coming from him.”



Rubbing at the bridge of her nose her stomach growled loudly which caused her to laugh softly. Artemis shook his head and got to his feet, “You missed dinner and you must be starved. Come on, we’ll see about getting you something to eat.” She got up as well and followed him to the kitchen where he instructed her to sit on a stool around a large island table. The kitchen was furnished with everything a kitchen should have for that time: cutting block, knives, shelves of dishes, an ice box, the table in the middle, a giant stove, an oven made right into an outside wall, and pots hanging over head. “What would you like Miss McLeod,” he asked from the pantry.

“Please… Brooklynn is fine. I’ll eat left-overs,” she said as she looked around the kitchen. Artemis came back with some bread and cheese, a piece of cooked meat in his hand as well. Setting them down he began to make two sandwiches, “Those are given to the poor who come to the door at night. But this will do just as well.” She nodded her head as she watched him quietly. His rough hands worked quickly to slice cheese and then meat to put between slices of bread. He was a big man, his shoulders broad and his arms strong. From the look of him he must have been working for a good length of time, he also seemed to know a great deal about everything here.

“I usually come down for something to eat this time of night. I was surprised running across the two of you in the hall. Usually there isn’t any one up at this hour,” he said as he handed her a plate with a sandwich on it. “Oh there’s milk in the ice box if you want some.” She got up and went over to the ice box blushing and pulling out the bottle of milk. Glancing around she spotted glasses through a glass door and moved over to get down two. “I’ll have some as well while you’re at it.” Setting the glasses down she filled them and then returned the bottle to the ice box.



Carrying the two glasses in one hand she grabbed a nearby towel, moving back to where he was standing. Handing the towel to him she looked at him to find him giving her an odd look, “What?” He smiled and shook his head, “Nothing, I’ve only seen barmaids carry glasses like that what did you do at home?” Setting the glasses down again she sighed, “I was a waitress…or a barmaid I suppose you could say. It’s habit now I suppose.” Artemis nodded his head as he sat on a stool, “Hmm, interesting talent for a woman of you beauty.” She wrinkled her nose at him as she took a bite from the sandwich and ignored the comment.