Scotland, Inner Hebrides - 1587: Sorcha's husband is easily the meanest cur alive. He blamed her for every misfortune that befell his clan since he took her to wife four years past. And now the bastard is determined to kill her. If she were half the witch he accused her of being, then she might possess the power to save herself, but Da had ousted her grandmum from the clan before she taught Sorcha the Pagan ways. She is certain of only one thing - if she lives long enough to become a widow, she will never take another husband.

Keiran, the Falconer of Barra, knew he and Sorcha were worlds apart in station - he, the son of a crofter, and she, the eldest daughter of the chieftain - but he'd spent the past seven years of his life trying to change his stars. Everything he'd done had been for her. He'd fought and killed for the clan and learned the Pagan ways, for her. And now that he'd saved her life and took her pain away, the foolish wench accused him of doing it all for the chieftainship.

Will Keiran's gentle touch crush the last of her resistance? Or will Sorcha's husband hunt her down and kill her before she discovers the depth of Keiran's love?

Originally published in The Mammoth Book of Scottish Romance.

Award-winning author Kimberly Killion has been hailed by Romantic Times magazine as an author who writes "captivating romance with excellent pacing and characters who are honorable, intelligent and full of humanity." Her debut book, Her One Desire, was nominated for the romance-publishing industry's highest award of distinction, the RITA Award. Her One Desire won the 2009 Booksellers Best Award for both Long Historical and Best First Book. In addition, Kimberly's writing was recognized in the 2009 National Readers' Choice Awards, the 2009 Golden Quill Awards, and the 2009 HOLT Medallion. Romantic Times magazine awarded Kimberly's second Scottish-set novel, Highland Dragon, with the K.I.S.S. Award and said this is "a tale to cherish".