My heart? Damn, she should have paid better attention in her World Languages class. Obviously speaking Gaelic, he murmured to her in a way a lover might. A shiver rolled over her.

"Listen carefully to me, female, because I will tell you this only once." His grip on her wrist tightened. "You will not part from me." He tilted his head, his minty breath wafting over her skin. "I am ta take you ta the Kerr castle. If you try ta flee, I will catch you, and believe me, lass," his sharp teeth nipped at her ear, "you will no' like the consequence."

Goose bumps broke out over her skin. She did believe him. She was terrified and turned on all at the same time. Her nipples were so hard they bordered on painful. Yes, she wouldn't stand by and simply accept a sword at her throat, but she wasn't stupid. He was deadly. And it would be unwise to anger a wild animal.

Still, animal or not, perhaps this male could prove useful. He obviously had knowledge about her people, so maybe he could lead her to them, or at least provide her with some answers about her grandfather.

She nodded her head in agreement and attempted to ease away from him. He allowed her space, sliding his rough palm from her neck, down the curve of her breasts, and over her stomach. Izel slowly pulled away and instantly shivered from the lack of his heat. She crossed her arms over her chest, attempting to hide her lack of clothing.

Dagger still in hand, she stepped toward her pack, taking her eyes from him only long enough to fish out a T-shirt and slip it on. Apprehension washed over her again. The waves of emotion were unyielding, and Izel had no idea how to handle them.

She was semi-confident with her words. Knew what information was necessary and, more importantly, how to retrieve it. Obtaining intel and extracting vows was an art. She would just have to ride these waves of random emotions out and rely on her speech. If she was to trek through Scotland with this barbarian, she needed some insurance.

"Are you going to hurt me?" she asked plainly.

He met her eyes. "No."

Could she honestly believe him? "On your honor?"

"Aye. On my honor, I will no' hurt you."

"Then why did you try to kill me?"

"Circumstances were different then."

"Really?" Izel raised her eyebrows. "And what has drastically changed since then?"

The man looked at her as if the answer was obvious. "You, lass. You have changed." He motioned to a small hanging mirror near the door. She gave him a disbelieving look. Hesitantly, she faced it.

"Oh. My. God," she whispered, staring at her new reflection. Long, thick hair so dark red it looked like scorched chocolate laced with raspberries. Her normally bland skin was now a lovely olive color, and her eyes were the brightest green she'd ever seen. Her whole life she had wished to be beautiful, and now she was beyond.

She must be dreaming. What could have caused her entire being to change? It wasn't just her looks or her body that was exponentially different. It was her whole self. She felt truly awake for the first time. Like a gigantic invisible magnet was pulling her toward the brute who previously tried to slice her open. She tore her stare away from the mirror and faced the Scot.

"What has happened to me?" Her hands rose of their own accord to touch the newly defined plains of her face.

He ran a palm over the back of his neck and shook his head. "I donna know for sure, but you appear to be human."

Izel swayed on her feet, disbelieving his words. Anxious tremors boiled just under her skin. Finding a being that had fifty percent mortal blood was rare, but a full human? Impossible.

"How?"

"You changed in front o' my eyes. We think the Mystic had some kinda spell on you-"

"The Mystic, meaning my grandfather?"

"Aye."

A light sweat broke over her brow. She was going to be sick. Hunching over, she folded her lips together and heaved.

A hot palm rested on her back. Surprised by the touch, she scurried back, looking up at the towering man before her. He was frowning at his hand, as if it had forsaken him by reaching out to comfort her.

This whole time Izel had been fighting this male for her life, when it turned out she was going to die much sooner than she'd ever thought. Humans lived, what, maybe eighty years? Oh God, how could this be? She had no information about her parents. Hell, she didn't even know where her grandfather was!

All the answers he'd never given her had just got thrown into her mortal face. If she had in fact been born human, undoubtedly Euan would have disguised her with magic. She trusted her grandfather, knew her health and safety were his main concerns. But why not tell her? Maybe that was why he asked her to meet him here, in the middle of the Scottish highlands.

"You said my grandfather was dead." Izel's breath hitched and her eyes watered. She fought the urge to wretch again.

The Scot's expression was hard. Inscrutable. "I have it on good authority that he's gone ta the Cypher."

A tear danced along Izel's lower lashes. The Cypher was a realm far worse than Hell, the only realm that truly frightened immortals. "How do you know this?"

He adjusted his shoulders. Did her tears make him uncomfortable?

"Ryo the Righteous," he said. "She's our witch." His brows suddenly rose as if an idea just occurred. "Come with me, and you can speak with her yourself. Gain your own answers."

Izel absently nodded while debating the offer. Answers. The one thing she wanted desperately. Could she really put faith in this man to make good on his promise? There had to be more to it. No creature ever helped another without motive.

Another wave of emotion hit. This time, it was tenacity. A boiling confidence burned behind her eyes. She narrowed her glare on the Scot.

"Who are you and what do you want from me?" Threading her arms together, she felt a rush of boldness flow through her. She was a smart girl, and if given enough time to think logically, she could use people and situations to her advantage. It hadn't taken her long to figure out this man wouldn't, rather couldn't, hurt her. She knew her uniqueness was a lifesaving quality. Who and what she was seemed to be of great importance.

"I am Kelvin Kerr, Battle Chief and next in line of the Kerr clan," he said, visibly tense, as if anticipating a negative reaction from her. When Izel nodded with indifference and probed him to continue, his eyes widened. "You have no idea who I am or what my clan is?"

"Ah, aside from what you just said. No." Arrogant ass.

He stood there speechless. Izel looked to the floor, then to him, then to the floor again. The long, awkward silence filled the room. Had she just violated a local taboo? Was this Kerr clan famous or something? She suddenly felt like a bouncer turning away a celebrity at an exclusive club. At any moment she would hear this oversized man cry, Don't you know who I am!

"Well," he finally said with caution in his tone, "I am a Razorback Pookah with the charge to take you safely to the Kerr castle."

She bit her lower lip and jutted her neck out, displaying the universal look for, Boy, are you crazy! The man chose to ignore her questioning glare. With his fists clenched and his breathing ragged, he may as well have stomped his foot and formally declared his unwillingness to dish details. So that's how it's going to be, huh?

Izel was a master at avoiding conversational questions. She realized right then why her roommates back home got so irritated when she ignored them. Turns out karma was a bee-itch.

Izel analyzed her situation. She was a human hidden by magic for the last twenty-five years, currently being bossed around by an overgrown stranger intent on taking her to his castle.

P.S.... Mr. Tall, Dark, and Deadly tried to kill me earlier. How can I trust him? Chills rolled down her spine.

She wanted to talk to this Ryo about her grandfather, but maybe there were other ways to find the details surrounding Euan's disappearance, rather than traipsing through Scotland with this Pookah. Pull the cord. I'm getting off this bad-news bus.

"Well-ah, Kelvin, this sounds just dandy, but I'm going to have to pass-"

"That's no' an option I gave."

Izel threw her hands up. "Look, Man-Bear-Pig! You aren't my father or my keeper. You have no claim to me-"

"It's Man-Pig-Pookah," he cut in. "Man-Bear-Pookah is my cousin." Was he serious? "And you are the most fickle woman I've ever encountered. Not a moment ago you were set to leave with me."

"Was not."

"And now another debate? You know what will happen to you out there on yer own?"

Actually, Izel had been trying not to think of that.

"More than one species would gladly kill you on sight. Many will eat you. And almost all would scent you coming a mile away." His eyes flickered with an eerie seriousness that made Izel's gut ache.

"You are the last human." He enunciated the last word with care. "I am instructed to deliver you safely until we know more."

"Know more about what?"

"You," he snapped. "Now, if you are done with this questioning, we can get goin'." He turned toward the door.

Izel, completely unsatisfied and about ready to boil over, stood still. "You expect me to believe that you are taking me to your castle purely for informational value about my humanness? I don't think-"

"Believe what you want, lass." He spun to face her. "The fact o' the matter is, we live in a world where the majority feeds on blood, bodies, or souls like they were candy." He drew in a deep breath. "And, lass, you are a rare treat this realm hasn't indulged in for decades."

The hair on the back of her neck stood up. She couldn't determine if it was from the sound of his rough voice or from the warning in his words. Although she didn't want to admit it, he was right.

Izel was struck anew by her lack of knowledge regarding the world. She'd never known excitement or risk, only boredom and routine. The sexy male before her was a symbol of everything she'd been protected from-adventure, danger, fear, love. Her emotions were so new, they hurt. Although Izel knew he had ulterior motives he wasn't admitting, the truth was, she was safer with him than without him.

"Does your kind, um, eat my kind?"

He jolted his head up and let out a little chuckle. "Christ, no. I eat food. It's just that you are"-he slid two fingers absently along his lower lip-"distracting..." He cleared his throat.

"How about a barter then," he offered, as if sensing her hesitation. "I know you're curious about your background, so we'd be helping each other."

How did the Pookah know more about her lineage than she did? Then again, she knew practically nothing. Her grandfather was chief of the Campbell clan here, but he never went into details. It was as if he wanted to keep Izel as far away from her heritage as possible. Still, she must have some kind of family nearby, and maybe the Pookah knew just how to find them.

"And what do you know of my background?"

"Apparently more than you. You have kin in these parts. So you come with me and once we reach my castle, we'll"-he trailed off again, seeming to pick his words carefully-"arrange to meet them."

A spark of excitement burst through her. She might finally get to find out about her family. Maybe even learn about her parents. How they died. What they were like. If they loved her.

"You'll help me?" she asked, looking at him from under her lashes.

"Aye."

Although Izel wasn't technically a Fionn anymore, she was still raised one. And with that came wordplay. She needed to bind this Pookah to a contract. The magical forces over immortals could be very useful.

When immortals agreed to a verbal contract and staked their honor, the being was bound to said agreement until completion. Should one default on the bargain, there would be painful ramifications. Izel didn't know the details, mostly because she had never entered into such a bargain before. Today, she had to. She needed this Pookah's protection, at least for a short while.

She had two goals, finding her grandfather and keeping her humanity. Never would she be camouflaged again. She was alive, feeling, and she'd trade a lifetime of emptiness for a single day of emotion.

She flicked her neck, sweeping hair from her brow, and summed up the contract. "I allow you to take me to your castle. You will not physically hurt me in any way." She paused for emphasis. "And once we've arrived at your clan territory, we will locate my grandfather's clan and I will be allowed to speak with Ryo at a time of my choosing."

She'd stated her terms and expected his word. If he wouldn't give it, she'd run. His eyes were like blue flames looking down at her. She thought she heard him mutter, "Clever lass."

"Aye." He picked up his pack, slinging it over his shoulders, and his gaze fixed on her mouth. "On my honor, you have my word."

Chapter 4.

"Can you slow down?" Izel was staggering through the dark woods of Scotland at a pace that would make a puma's heart explode, let alone a mere human's. In the early hours of the morning, she could almost see the glow of tension radiating from the Pookah in front of her.

"Kelvin!" she hollered when he didn't slow his pace.

He stopped, turned, and stomped back to her. "Donna scream. You want the entire bloody forest ta hear you?"

She narrowed her eyes and stood her ground. "I can't go on! It's two o'clock in the morning. I'm jet-lagged, exhausted, and my back is killing me!" Breathing hard, she softened her approach. "Please."

He clenched his jaw, brows furrowing. "All right, we're far enough out, should be no threat near."

Izel sighed with relief and dropped her pack. She massaged and twisted her neck while making her way to a nearby log. Kelvin handed her a canteen of water. Unable to help herself, she greedily chugged the contents. The cool liquid sliding along her dry throat was heaven. She hadn't meant to, but a loud moan broke from her lips as tiny drops escaped from the sides of her mouth, running down her chin. Her eyes shot open to find Kelvin staring intensely at her.

Her cheeks burned with embarrassment as she lowered the canteen.

Swiping a forearm over her mouth, she handed the water back to him. He took it, eyes never leaving her face. What was his deal? He looked as if he was fighting off blood poisoning or something.

"I'll be right back."

She jerked her head up. "Wait, what? Don't leave me in this creepy forest by myself."

"You make me uncomfortable." He looked over his shoulder and gave a sexy smirk that robbed her of breath. "But I have ta admit, I thought it'd take at least a full day before ya'd warm ta me."

Did he just wink at me? Arrogant prick! She rolled her eyes. "Don't flatter yourself. I basically prefer your company over death. Well, that and"-she tapped her chin and looked to the sky-"nope, just death."

Kelvin's eyes raked over her, his wicked grin returning. "Well, at least you prefer me over something, lass. Though I'd wager my odds are bound to improve." She shivered at the sound of his husky voice and watched him step away, hating her heartbeat for slamming against her ribs.

"You'll be fine," he said with a sudden change of tone. Wait; a second ago he was flirting, and now he was acting like she was a stranger.

"I'm no' goin' far. Just getting some firewood and dinner. I must feed and house my charge."

His charge? Lovely. Her racing pulse simmered. She was nothing more than a task at hand. "Ah, Kelvin, you melt my heart." Determined not to give him a second thought, she unzipped her pack. The Pookah was silent as he walked away and disappeared into the dark forest.

"Damn," Izel whispered to herself. What was it about Kelvin Kerr that had her acting like a tween with a bad crush? She hated and wanted him all at the same time. He'd tried to kill her only hours ago, and here she was pining after him. She was starting to understand the annoyance emotions brought on.

But it wasn't just her internal struggles. There was a force, some kind of sightless, tasteless influence that was pulling her toward Kelvin.

I should slap myself.

She rubbed her temple with two fingers, attempting to clear her mind. She would hold on to the hope that her grandfather lived, refusing to believe differently until proven otherwise.