Highland Defiance - By Sky Purington Page 0,1

slammed into her. Dark clouds rolled overhead. The air chilled.

Through it all, his eyes never left hers.

As always, she felt no fear.

One by one, the men crumpled, caught in his strange magic, in his pure power.

As always, they were left alone on the cliff watching one another.

She stood and once more looked to the sea, forlorn and sad.

Because this in when she felt fear for the first time.

As he jumped.

Chapter One

Salem, New Hampshire

1942

Mildred opened her eyes. Covered in sweat, she took long steady breaths. Long ago, she’d learned not to panic upon waking. It served no purpose. With a quick swipe, she removed the tear that’d fallen down her cheek and sat up in bed. She clenched her hands for a few moments and willed the tremors to subside. Waking this way had become far too regular.

“The same dream then?”

She pushed up the window by her bedside and gulped in fresh morning air. Resting her arms on the windowsill, she propped her chin on folded hands and responded to her older sister, Irene. “Yes.”

“You really should tell mother about them, dear.”

“Mmm hmm.”

But she wouldn’t.

Irene sat and rested a hand on her shoulder. “Happy Birthday, Mildred.”

With a sad sigh, she worked at a smile. Why couldn’t he have let her be for one night? One single night. But what would it have been like if she’d awoken without having seen him? Probably worse.

Enough with these depressing thoughts. The world was fraught with enough drama without her adding to it. No matter how handsome and intense, the man from her dreams was only a figment of her overactive imagination.

Mildred shook off her current mood and cocked a brow at Irene. “How was your date with Timothy last night?”

Irene lay back and rolled her eyes. “Total flat tire. I had Phillip in my sights by the end of the night.”

“That bad, eh?”

“Worse. If Timothy told me one more time what a hard boiled guy he was, I was going to plead ill. If he’s all that special, he should do his country a favor and enlist.”

“I told you to pass on that one.”

They smiled as their younger brother Jonathan joined them. Sitting on the other side of Mildred, he shook his head and winked at Irene. “But I think you enjoy the game too much.”

“That she does.” Mildred leaned over and gave her brother a peck on the cheek. “Truth told, you’re no better.”

His thick, dark brown hair in disarray and expression properly wounded, Jonathan shrugged. “Can’t change who I am.”

Irene clucked her tongue. “So you admit it.”

Jonathan grinned. “Always have. Always will.” His merry blue eyes danced. “All the ladies are keen on me.”

Mildred grinned. Her brother and sister were both very attractive and had never had any qualms about it. But they were humble too. Half the reason she adored them. Jonathan would be turning eighteen tomorrow. Irene was twenty-two.

“So I’ve made a decision,” Jonathan said softly.

Both sisters went on alert. Their brother never got serious. With his eighteenth birthday looming, Mildred put a hand over her stomach, prepared for the worst.

Irene stood abruptly, her sea green eyes dark. “Don’t you dare say it, Jonathan. Don’t you dare, I tell you.”

Jonathan’s eyes met Mildred’s before they went to Irene. “You must understand.”

“I need not understand a thing.” Irene looked at Mildred, dismissing him altogether. “It’s time to get dressed. We’re due at the factory within the hour.”

Mildred blinked away tears before they could form and took Jonathan’s hand. “She just doesn’t want to hear it is all.”

“Well it needs to be said to you both before I tell Mama.”

“Mama should always be told first, not us,” Irene snapped.

Mildred sighed. “Oh, stop it, Irene. We’ve always shared with one another first. You’re just afraid.”

Irene frowned. “Of course I am. As you should be!”

“He will do as he pleases.” She squeezed his hand even though her heart broke. “It is our job to support him, to love him.”

“Well, Lord knows I love him.” Irene plunked down on the bed and put her hand over theirs, voice direct. “You are going to enlist, aren’t you?”

Jonathan nodded. “I am.”

“Hell.” Irene closed her eyes for several moments then met his. “Are you sure this is what you want?”

“Yes,” Jonathan whispered, emotion in his voice. “I’ve no doubt.”

Irene gritted her teeth and squeezed their hands briefly before standing once more. “Fine then.” She took a deep breath, looked around the room aimlessly before she came to some sort of internal conclusion and straightened her shoulders. “You will