Mated By The Demon Collections: Paranormal Romance Page 35

  He saw the house on the top of the hill. Conor pulled his shoulders back and headed up to the house. Unsure of how he would do this, but knowing it had to be done. Getting off his horse he tied the two up and removed Bradon’s body from the back of the one horse.

  Thankfully he had made it rather quickly from the battlefield. He would be able to bury Bradon before he had been dead too long. He put the body down by the front of the house. Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door.

  It was opened by a servant. “Yes how can I help you?” The lady asked him.

  “Hello ma’am, I need to speak to Mrs. McCloud.” He said.

  The servant looked behind him and saw the body in the wrap. “Oh heavens no, that isn’t Mr. McCloud is it?” She said a bit too loud for Conor.

  “Please don’t be too loud, I don’t want Mrs. McCloud to hear you. Could you please just go and get her?” He said again.

  She looked back at the body and then up at him again. “You don’t understand she just had a dream about him dying.” The lady said and backed away to go and get Heather.

  Conor watched as she walked away weighing her comment before she had turned away. He wondered if she was talking like a premonition. Something that it was known that only witched had the power to do. He felt his blood turn cold for a second. Was he walking into the trap of a witch? Surely not, he knew his friend and could see the love that had emitted from Bradon’s eyes when he talked about Heather. There was no way, it had to be one of those things that was simply coincidence.

  He shook the feeling as quickly as he could, hoping that his face didn’t show any of his thoughts when she approached.

  “Hello I was told you were asking for me.” He saw as a lovely 5’8” blonde hair and blue eyed beauty stood at the door.

  He stood there for a few minutes simply staring at her, and not realizing that she should be able to see the body just as easily as the servant had seen it.

  “I’m sorry, but I was just. Well it is amazing how well he always described you, I always thought he was just exaggerating.” Conor finally said.

  “Who are you? Do I know you?” She demanded and tried to push past him. She had been blocked from seeing the body, he now realized. But as she tried to get around him, she saw the body behind him. “Oh my God, no that’s not Bradon, it can’t be. Please tell me it isn’t?” She looked up at him, her eyes welling with unshed tears.

  He looked down and she knew the answer before he could utter a word. Conor watched as she fell on the body and let out a cry. Removing the cover she saw the face of her beloved husband and broke into hysterical sobs.

  Conor walked over to her and put his hand on her shoulder. Trying to soothe a feeling he knew only too well. Bradon had been one of the only men that Conor trusted completely. They had known each other for many years now. He tried to think of the total number of years he had known Bradon. To him right now it seemed like forever really.

  The tears had begun to fall from his eyes without him even realizing it.

  “Did you know him well?” She asked Conor.

  He tried to focus on the woman in front of him. “Aye I did know him quite well. Your husband is about the only man in the world I trust. He helped me out many a time and always was there for me.” Conor said, his eyes getting a faraway look in them as he remembered one of the many times he had talked to Conor.

  She got a suspicious look in her eyes, “Then why did you not visit us before? I know my husband well enough to know he would have invited you.”

  “He asked me a ton of times, but I always told him no. Once I even road to about a half a mile away from your house and turned away.” Conor admitted. “I wish I would have come now though.”

  He watched as she seemed to be thinking of things in her head before answering. He saw as many looks crossed her face and finally she stated. “You must be Conor , he always talked about you too. Said he kept asking you to come. He could never understand why you wouldn’t visit us.”

  “Yeah I had my reasons at that time. But one thing I’ve learned is that life is too short to put things off for too long.” Conor said.

  He watched as her face crumbled and she broke down crying once again. He took her into his arms, offering the solace of his arms to her. But he was also being selfish right now. The fact was he needed to have some human comfort too. He wished that he had found Bradon sooner right. Felt a flash of guilt at not picking that part of the battlefield to check first. If he had been quicker at finding Bradon maybe he would simply be helping his wounded friend home right now. Instead here he stood with the widow of his friend crying hysterically and talking about her unborn child.

  Chapter 4

  “Our child no Bradon, I told you not to go!” Heather screamed out at his body. She wanted to punch him, make him feel her pain. But it wouldn’t matter he was dead, he wouldn’t feel any of the punches.

  The tears streamed down her face, her body shook from the sobbing that was coming from her lungs. “How could you leave me alone? How could you go? You’ve been with me so long, you are my best friend.” She had broken out of Conor’s arms and was now hugging the lifeless body of her husband.

  He watched her not knowing what to do. The tears were streaming down his face as he witnessed something that he knew was special. To have a person care about you that way, it was shocking.

  Heather kept her head on Bradon’s chest, wishing she would hear his heart starting to beat again. She had already tried to kiss him back to life. But as her lips had touched her she’s felt the death in them. They were so cold and there was no response back from him. Though she had prayed that he would come back to life at her touch, at realizing it was useless, she cried even harder.

  In her mind all she could think was, please take me too. I don’t want to be alive without him. I can’t do this without him. She cried out in her mind. She wasn’t able to speak the words right now, her heart ached far too bad. Heather was wishing with almost every fiber of her body that she could join him right now.

  “Ma’am, please you’ll lose the baby if you don’t come down.” The servant had come out of the house to pay her respects to her master. Tears were streaming down the ladies face as she pulled Heather up to her feet. “Please come inside and lie down, you need to think of the baby right now.” The lady reminded her.

  Heather perked up and listened closely, finally realizing that she still had a part of Bradon here with her. She shook her head and let the servant lead her inside to lie down. “Thank you Sylvia.” She said to the lady.

  She looked at Conor through tear streaked eyes as they passed him. She really didn’t know what to say to the man. A part of her wanted to hit him and make him pay for the death of her husband, she was angry at him. Maybe it was because of you he wouldn’t stay home. Because he didn’t want anything to happen to you instead, now here he is dead. Should it have been you?

  Then she realized how mean those thoughts were and realized that he didn’t have to bring Bradon to her. He could have easily gone back to wherever he was from and she would never know about her husband being dead. So she wanted to thank him as well. But it was too hard for her to think of the words.

  Heather was having a hard enough time adjusting to the fact that she would never see Bradon ever again. And knowing that she had their baby in her stomach right now and she had to make it. That was all that she should really be focusing on right now. They had tried for so many years before they had gotten lucky.

  Well not really lucky, she reminded herself. That’s right they had finally decided to go see the witch. To help her calm down she let the memory take her back to that day they found out she was pregnant.

  “I’m pregnant I thought you might want to know.” She had told him that morning not so long ago now.

  She could still see Bradon looking at her and having this huge smile on his face. He had always wanted to be a father, just as much as she wanted to be a mother. So the joy that he felt had been obvious in his face wh
en she told him the news.

  Heather closed her eyes and pictured his face on that day right now, as Sylvia helped her get into bed and rest. She needed to relax and what better way than remembering that day? She asked herself.

  “Really, your pregnant, we’re pregnant?” He had scooped her up off the ground quickly and kissed her passionately.

  “Yes you’re going to be a father!” She had smiled and said to him.

  “You’re going to be a mother too!” He had kissed her again.

  Heather had loved him for so long, now he was gone and she didn’t know what she was going to do. How could she be strong for a child? She didn’t know. She really had no clue, because right now the pain was crushing her. The weight of the pain made it feel like she couldn’t even breathe. On more than one occasion she was sure she was going to die from the way the pain made her feel.

  But she wasn’t upset about that feeling, she was more upset when she realized it wasn’t going to let her off the hook that easy. Not she would feel okay for a second, and then the tears would overwhelm her again.

  Her grief was far too strong for her to want to live. She didn’t want to feel selfish, but she did. How could she even think of hurting the life of her unborn child? The guilt that she felt made her try and focus again on the life inside of her.

  She tried for a second to think of something good to think about, something that would help the pain go away. But she couldn’t think of anything. Because everywhere she turned she thought of Bradon. At each corner of her mind he was there to see her and smile. However, it never made her feel better for long, because she would remember she would never see him again.

  “I was so in love with you.” She cried out. Feeling like her heart was being squeezed so hard that it would stop beating. Praying that it would stop beating too at points. “Bradon I miss you so much, please come back to me.” She cried.

  “Shh, please ma’am try to think of only good things.” She heard Sylvia say as she felt the old ladies hand rubbing her brow.

  Heather knew she was right. It was the only part she had left of Bradon. If she lost the baby too, she knew for sure she would never live another good day in her life. Because she knew without a doubt that it wouldn’t kill her. No she would be alive and have two missing people from her life. She couldn’t do that.

  So Heather tried as hard as she could to think of the many happy times she had with Bradon through the years. She had to focus really hard to not allow the sad thoughts back into her mind. There were plenty of times where she would slip back into that feeling. Wanting to die and join him, it was easy to want. She had known him for so long, she remembered what the people had said when they first announced their engagement.

  “I knew Bradon and you would be together forever!” He one friend Syrah had said to her when Heather had told her.

  She hadn’t been the only one, they had all said it. The thing about it was Bradon and she never seemed to disagree about anything. Except for this last time, she reminded herself. That was true the one fight she could remember they had in all their years together. It had been the only one she thought of, nothing else.

  “Please don’t go Bradon, please stay with us?” She had cried out to him.

  “I have to go, I’ll be safe, and I promise you dear.” He had taken her chin in his palm and kissed her lips. “I love you dear, and now that we have that little one in there, well I have to come back!” He had kissed her once again.

  Heather had smiled, he had made her believe him. She hadn’t wanted too either. She should have trusted that gut feeling the whole time. Pushed it and begged him more to stay. But she knew even if she had he still would have gone. There wasn’t a part of her who didn’t believe that to be true.

  She would tell their child how kind and caring their daddy was when they grew up. She would make sure that they would know that if he were alive right now, they wouldn’t doubt that he loved them. This is what she pictured, the child that they would have, that he wouldn’t see.

  The darkness took her back again and she wished so badly for Bradon to be beside her, just holding her. Before she let it swallow her completely, she kept her focus long enough to tell Sylvia. “Please go ask the witch if I can take anything to help with this pain that won’t hurt the baby.” She stated to Sylvia.

  Then she let the pain take her down. Her heart felt like it would explode, it hurt so badly. Worse than the last time too. She thought. Maybe it wouldn’t matter what she planned on telling the baby. Maybe this time she would be lucky enough to be with him.

  The pain she felt was going to kill her. Then her mind reminded her of why she needed to calm down, or maybe it was the drink that Sylvia had just given her.

  She had barely registered the servant as she shook her awake. “Ma’am, the witch said to give you some of this.”

  Heather had taken the liquid that was given her and closed her eyes again. It made her feel good again, at least a bit. Still on the outside edges of her mind she felt the pain. But it was numb now, or a bit numbed, not gone for sure.

  She thought of their first official date. It wasn’t like they hadn’t already gone everywhere together at that time, because they had. But it was the first time they went out after they had admitted their feelings for one another.

  “I love you so much Heather. I’ve loved you for years.” She could almost hear him say in her mind.

  Heather smiled at the memory, it was one of the best in her entire life. She had of course spilled her feelings to him as well. Gushing with the love she felt, kissing him, maybe a bit more than she should have!

  The memory helped her heart feel like it might be able to go on for a second. But then she felt the pain coming in again, it crashed over her.

  In the matter of a second she felt like she was going to suffocate because she couldn’t catch her breath. Part of her mind was saying, “The baby you have to make it for the baby”. But the other part was yelling out please let me go!”

  Heather was really trying to let the good thoughts cover her mind again. However, she could shake the pain quicker this time, thanks to the liquid Sylvia had given her. She didn’t know what it was, but if she let it go, it felt really good.

  Almost like life was normal once again, she thought. I can make it, I think I’ll be okay. You’ll be fine little one, she thought to the unborn child in her stomach.

  Someway I will make sure you make it, and know about your father as well. She finally let the sleep take her as her mind went to the good side of her memories. At least if she went to sleep thinking good thoughts, the nightmare of truth could be avoided.

  She knew it was temporary, but any break from reality was good now. Her last thoughts were, please let me think of him alive.

  Chapter 5

  After he had watched the servant lead Heather into the house he had tried to relax. He was really worried about her. How can I save her and a child too? A guy like me, I can’t offer her what she deserves. I don’t believe in love.

  Yeah she may be beautiful and those eyes are amazing pools of blue ocean looking through to my soul. He thought quickly, but shook it out of his mind. I can’t be thinking of her in that way.

  “Why not he asked you to marry her didn’t he?” His mind reminded him quickly.

  “Please mister, I need you to go see the witch. Tell her that Mrs. McCloud needs something for pain that won’t hurt the baby. She’ll know what you’re talking about, but please hurry, I don’t know if she’s going to be okay. But if she makes it and loses that child, I wouldn’t want to be her. So please hurry.” The servant had said to him.

  His heart had sped up to double if not triple time and he felt energy bursting through his body. He had to help her. He couldn’t let this happen to her, she really would want to die. Not only that but how could you stand to see her eyes so sad again? That voice in his mind asked him.

  Conor rode to where the servant had said she lived. He rushed inside and said what the servant had told him
to say.

  The witch had looked sad when she had heard of the death of Mr. McCloud, and then put her finger to her head. “Hmm, let me see I do have something that will help her out a lot. Just tell the servant to give her one cap full every four hours. If she seems like she’s getting worse in between those four hours you can give her another cap full.” The witch had explained to Conor.

  He had taken the medicine and headed back. He hoped it would work and she would make it. He tried to remember his friend again and that last promise Conor had agreed too.

  “Please promise me you will take her as your own.” He remembered Bradon had asked him.

  Conor had thought of that in an all new way now that he had really seen Heather. Before he wouldn’t picture her in his mind naked, but now that he had seen her, and held her in his arms, he felt differently.

  Instead he tried to stop thinking about her all together. Trying to focus on anything but the thought of her, but it didn’t matter what he tried. Each and every way he though, she would be there in his way.

  It’s the eyes, his mind told him. They had been striking. Her eyes were the bluest he had ever seen in his life. He could have gotten lost in them for hours if allowed. His mind would go to places he had never imagined it would.

  “I could love her.” That thought had been the biggest shock to him. It made him try to think of anything else once again. He felt if he was out of control, that his mind only had one thing on its mind. It wasn’t that he could honor his promise, not at all. No the thought that swept his mind was of him making love to her. He could just imagine how supple her skin would be under his fingers. It had been a long time since he had a woman.

  So Conor was really ready to go if given half a chance. He hoped that it was simply the lust that was making his mind fuzzy. He hated to think that he really loved someone. After all his 34 years he hadn’t found one woman. Now suddenly with his best friend’s wife, no more than that his newly dead best friend’s wife.