Bound by Forever (True Immortality 3)

The contentment he found in the Highlands surprised Kiyo. After he left, the hunger for something that always seemed out of reach returned to plague him.

Over the years, Kiyo had traveled back to the Highlands of Scotland searching for that elusive serenity. The roads there, however, were busier now. Tourists descended in their masses at certain times of the year. But he could still find moments of tranquility standing on lonely, empty golden sands or mountain peaks during the tourist off-season.

If it had been for any other reason than chasing a fae woman who’d abandoned him, Kiyo would have been happy to arrive at Inverness Airport. The airport was surrounded by the Cairngorms and the Moray Firth. It was a sunny, wintry day, the water glistening a perfect blue in the distance.

Kiyo stood outside the entrance of the small airport, the duffle bag at his feet. The humans who passed gave him a wide berth while throwing him looks that veered between wariness, awe, and attraction.

He was used to it.

What he wasn’t used to was the unnerving impatience and urgency that thrummed in his blood.

An old Land Rover Defender rolled to a stop outside the airport in front of him and the hair on Kiyo’s arms rose before its driver even got out of the vehicle.

An alpha.

He pushed off the wall of the building and grabbed his duffle bag as the Alpha and chief of Pack/Clan MacLennan jumped out of the Defender and rounded the hood. His piercing gray gaze set stonily on Kiyo.

Kiyo would have known this was Conall MacLennan without feeling the impressive alpha energy emanating from the wolf. He was a huge male at around six foot six, made of solid muscle. A deep scar was visible down the left side of his face, from the tip of his eyebrow to the corner of his mouth, where someone had clearly slashed him with silver. If humans were wary of Kiyo, he could only imagine how they feared this wolf.

But none of that was the reason Kiyo knew who Conall was.

The Scot was the spitting image of his father.

“Kiyonari.” Conall halted before him.

“Kiyo,” he corrected.

Conall gave him an abrupt nod. “You’ve been hired to protect Niamh but she’s run from you?”

The question was asked without censor. “She had a vision … I don’t know what it was about, but I think it’s the reason she took off without me. Had I suspected for a second—”

Conall held up his hand. “You dinnae need to explain yourself to me. They’re tricky creatures, these fae women. Believe me.” He grinned, the action transforming his face entirely. “I have firsthand experience of their trickery.”

“Your mate?”

“Aye.” Conall nodded to the SUV. “Get in.”

Kiyo followed him to the Defender, pulling out Niamh’s comb from the duffle before he stowed it in the back next to a large backpack he assumed was Conall’s. Once settled in the passenger seat, he handed the comb to Conall. The wolf took it, his brows drawn together in thought.

Waiting impatiently, Kiyo watched as the hard concentration left Conall’s expression and he flicked Kiyo a weary look of acceptance. “I assumed we’d be leaving Scotland,” he gestured to the backpack, “but hoped that we wouldnae.”

“But we are?” Kiyo asked, though he’d assumed so as well.

“We are. My mate will be pleased.”

Noting the alpha’s sarcasm, Kiyo waited silently as Conall pulled out his cell and hit a speed-dial button. With his wolf ears, he heard it with clarity as the call connected and a husky female voice with an American accent answered. “What’s happening?”

“Thea, love, I’m heading out.”

“Where is she?”

“Not sure exactly. We’re heading south. She doesnae feel too far … so perhaps France.”

France? What the hell could Niamh want in France? Kiyo searched his memory for any mention of it.

“I should come.”

“You shouldnae come,” Conall answered patiently. “We’ve already discussed this.”

“I’m not fae anymore. It’s not dangerous.”

“It’s always dangerous.” An edge entered the alpha’s tone. “You have scars on your body from silver bullet wounds that prove my point.”

Kiyo heard Thea give a huff. “It feels wrong to stay out of it. I owe Rose and Niamh.”

“And I’m fulfilling that debt for you.”

“Conall—”

“Thea,” he bit out, flicking Kiyo an annoyed look. “Please. It’s not just you anymore.”

There was silence. “I know. I’m sorry. I’ll stay. But I want to hear from you every four hours.”

The alpha smirked. “I can do that.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too,” the wolf said, completely unabashed to admit so in front of Kiyo.

He sighed inwardly. It seemed he was surrounded by fools in love.

When Conall hung up, he turned to Kiyo, all business. “Let’s park the car. We need to get a flight to London.”* * *Traveling with Conall MacLennan had been somewhat easy at first. The wolf had asked Kiyo if he’d ever visited Scotland. He answered that the Highlands were among his favorite places to visit, which seemed to please the Scot. But Kiyo already knew that pride of their country was a huge part of a Scot’s national identity, and nothing endeared you more to them than to compliment the beauty of their homeland.