A Love Unveiled

Chapter Twelve

            Still enraged at Lechmere, Alana did not realize that the Norman still held her firmly against him, his muscular forearm pressing intimately beneath her breasts.

            An immediate flush stained her cheeks as she wiggled out of his embrace. She whirled around to face him and glared heatedly into those gold eyes which surprisingly were alight with warmth. She frowned for if this man was truly the ‘Fury’, she knew the warrior to be incapable of compassion.

            His golden tresses trailed the length of his chiseled face, and she seemed drawn to his perfectly sculpted mouth. He appeared far taller and much larger than she remembered and beneath his pressing gold eyes, her eyes swept hastily down the length of his stalwart frame.

            “You must learn to subdue that curiosity, maiden, for in your once-over, I find myself plagued with compelling impulses that I find troubling to ignore.”

            Alana stiffened, remembering that day in the village when he had spoken nearly the exact remark, and she was surprised by the velvety smoothness of his voice when only but a moment ago, his tone had been baritone and laced with fury. “So I am to be your property now?” she demanded, her green eyes narrowing sharply on his rugged face.

            “You do not seem pleased.” She detected a slight playfulness in the undertone of his voice.

            “Should I be?” she questioned, eyeing him distrustfully.

            A golden brow arched curiously as he asked, “Would you prefer the likes of Lechmere to mine?”

            Her chin jutted upward, “You Normans are all alike.”

            She noticed a slight tension forming around his mouth and sudden change in his demeanor. “You make a moot point, fiery lass, one that will be further scrutinized in our time together.”

            Her solidified expression signified her anger. “Whatever your means for me, you will find that I do not comply without difficulty, Norman.” This was lastly said with sheer indignation and Fallon struggled to conceal his mirth for despite her certain hatred for him, he found her irresistible in all her heated contempt.

            Damnation, she was beautiful. He found his defenses faltering for those sea-green eyes seem to burn right through him. He had expected to find the gentle maiden who had tended him so gently but in her place was this passionate woman teeming with a fire as red as her hair and he certainly agreed with it.

            Unable to resist, he stepped towards her and her face furrowed with sudden anxiousness. “It would please me to have you in my bed.”

            His curt remark prompted a sudden outrage in Alana, “Than you shall be sorely disappointed for I have no intention of sharing your bed!” she snapped.

            Her back came upright against the wall and she gasped, realizing he had cornered her for now the only obstruction standing in her way to the door was the sizable mass of muscle standing firm before her.

            She was forced to peer up at him and tilting her head back she glared directly into those gold eyes burning with unveiled desire.

            He reached up and grasped her chin gently between his forefinger and thumb. She attempted to jerk away but his grip tightened, instilling a sudden unease in her. Her heart thumped wildly in her chest for his honeyed gaze rested hungrily on her mouth.

            His tawny head tilted downward and Alana froze realizing the big brute intended to kiss her! She seemed riveted and unable to resist for though her mind demanded she turn away, her body seemed immobile to do so.

            The moment his lips captured hers, she felt a warm fluttering sensation in her belly and something foreign tug at her heart. The gentleness in his kiss startled her for she had expected viciousness, but his kiss only deepened with eagerness and his tongue swept delicately inside, encouraged by her inexperienced response.

            Suddenly, images of her burned village rushed to mind and the spell was broken. She shoved desperately at his chest and pressed herself against the wall to escape the tantalizing pressure of his lips.

            He was the enemy, she had to remind herself. She couldn’t allow him to deter her from her anger. He was not to be trusted.

            His hands ensnared her wrists and beneath the amount of chain mail, she felt his heart beating avidly in his chest and as she peered into that fervor gaze, she detected a struggle within.

            A scream erupted from somewhere within the keep, shattering the quiet and Fallon felt Alana stiffen immediately as fear clouded her green eyes.

            He did not think twice on releasing her for the scream had come from the flaxen woman and the moment he did, Alana swept past him and rushed from the room.

            He drew his sword from its scabbard and followed into the hall.

            The sight that met him forced an unexpected grin to his lips for Ranulf, a man of extreme size, had never looked so perplexed and uneasy as his friend struggled to control the flailing flaxen lass and attempted to ward off Alana’s sudden attacks as she wrestled with the burly warrior to free the other.

            Off to the side, Ivan catered to the ale in his hands with a wry grin stretching his face as Gavin watched the scene with a bemused expression on the flaxen-haired woman.

            Noticing Lechmere observing in the corner, the man merely surveyed the display with growing agitation.

            Perplexed and ready to depart Lechmere keep, Fallon rushed forward and snatched Alana around the waist, pulling her abruptly off Ranulf.

            “What goes on here?” he demanded, his arm latched tightly around her waist as she struggled to break free.

            Ranulf, still slightly dismayed by the sudden chaos, peered at Fallon with chagrin. “My apologies, my liege-“ he started, his voice gruff as he paused to maintain a grip on the woman twisting against him. “-this chit has gone mad!” he exclaimed angrily.

            “Let her go, you brute!” Alana demanded, her green eyes bestowing a vengeful glare on the massive, scarred warrior.

            Fallon was astonished for most women cowered before Ranulf because of his beastly appearance but she appeared undaunted.

            Fallon averted his gold eyes to Ranulf and said, “Release her.”

            With much eagerness, Ranulf released the woman and stepped away. She dropped to the floor, spent and breathless, and Fallon reluctantly did the same and Alana rushed to the woman’s side, gently running her hands up and down the woman’s spine for reassurance.

            As his eyes rested on the two women, he asked, “What happened here?”

            Ivan was the first to speak. “The woman tried to leave the room.”

            “I merely stopped her.” Ranulf added surly.

            Feeling a need to defend the woman, Gavin quickly cut in. “She was frightened.”

            Alana suddenly shot to her feet, her green eyes blazing as she glared hotly around the room. “Of course she’s frightened! She was left alone in a room with Normans!” she spat harshly.

            “Enough!” Fallon growled, “Gather the horses. We leave for Linden.”

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