Alana glanced over her shoulder at Lechmere keep disappearing over the hills. She was relieved to leave Lechmere but her relief was short lived for what was she to expect now that 'The Fury' was her new lord?
She shivered inwardly as she surveyed 'The Fury' beneath lowered lashes. The sun making its slow descent cast golden strays of sunlight upon his tawny head, enhancing those wavy tresses to a lustrous hue.
What about this Norman had her heart pounding erratically? At the remembrance of their kiss she felt a deep crimson stain her cheeks and quickly drew her eyes away.
But it was his kiss that had stirred a curiosity to explore the passions he awakened in her.
Don't be so naïve, Alana. She warned herself, remembering painfully the consequences of trusting her heart. He was the reason her village now lay in destruction. She cast one last glance at the golden Norman and was startled to see him watching her.
Her heart fluttered chaotically against her breast as she quickly looked away and focused on the setting sun.
"Do you think he is as cruel as they say?" Nettie asked from behind.
Alana had been utterly surprised when they were given a horse to share and knew he had done it in their best interest considering Nettie's fear of Normans, but was quick to notice that the Norman did not trust them so easily. All four Normans surrounded them the moment they mounted the mare. An escape on horseback at the moment proved futile but escape had crossed her mind.
"I know naught." She whispered, remembering Nettie's question. "Just stay quiet and I'll think of something."
She turned her head and was startled to see one of the Norman's staring at Nettie. If not for the circumstances, Alana would have considered the warrior remarkably handsome. He was not quite as large as the other three but physically lean with kempt hair the color of wheat with a perfectly aligned nose and a distinct angular chin.
His hazel eyes seem drawn to her cousin and she detected warmth in them but she was wary of his attentions for nevertheless, he was Norman.
They traveled well into the night and Alana found herself drifting asleep in the saddle. A shadow fell in at their side and Alana jolted awake, her eyes connecting sleepily with gold eyes.
"How much farther?" she asked wearily.
"There is a glen up ahead, we will rest there for the night and continue in the morning." His gold eyes moved past her shoulder and settled on Nettie.
"Your friend sleeps. Mayhap you should let Gavin relieve you of her weight."
Alana straightened in the saddle to glare more firmly at him. "I am fine."
Those gold eyes narrowed with admiration. "You are very fond of her. She is your sister?" a tawny brow arched.
"She is my cousin." Her green eyes peered over his shoulder to Gavin, "And it would be wise of you to inform your men to not touch her."
"My men will not touch her unless I issue the order to do so."
Alana grew apprehensive as she studied him with sudden wariness. "And do you intend to ravish us, milord?" she was taken aback by the softness of her voice, her fear heightening all the more when he did not hasten to reply.
"Milord, shall we make camp?" Ranulf intervened as their horses entered the small valley.
His gold eyes rested intensely on Alana as he replied, "Aye."
As they settled into camp, Alana watched the scarred warrior produce a small fire. The warrior who had taken an interest in watching Nettie busied himself with the horses, tying their reins to tree branches while the third warrior sauntered into the shadows, whistling under his breath.
Alana's eyes found the golden Norman and for a moment, she wondered at his name. He stood at a magnificent height, every ounce of his masculine frame equipped in rippling muscle. She found herself inexplicitly drawn to watching him move about.
He had discarded his chain mail and wore a white linen shirt that outlined every distinct muscle that made up his forearms. The sheer breadth of his shoulders and chest were twice the size of others and his trousers molded to thick thighs, giving way to his leather boots. She had never witnessed a man of such proportion. If he were equipped for anything in life, battle seemed most fitting.
When he turned, she realized his direction and quickly looked elsewhere. Her heart began thumping irregularly in her chest at his approach and she struggled to appear impassive to his presence.
"Have you a need to relieve yourself?" his frankness caused Alana to grimace and catching this, Fallon resisted the urge to grin. "Have I offended you, milady?"
Her expression hardened as she gathered to her feet. "Your presence alone offends me, Sir."
As the two women started towards the entrance of the forest Alana was stunned to find that the Norman followed closely behind.
She whirled around. "What do you think you are doing?" she demanded.
He smirked, "You do not honestly think I would let you go alone?"
"Of course!" she snapped. "Do you honestly think we would try and flee in the dark?"
"The thought had crossed my mind." He peered at the other woman who merely watched the two of them with alarm. "You will have but this one moment to relieve yourselves, so I suggest you tend to your needs for the chance will not arise again until we reach Linden keep."
Fuming silently, Alana turned back around and ushered Nettie forward. She was grateful that the Norman had enough sense to turn away but in that moment with his back turned to her, she swept a fleeting glance around her, wondering at an escape. If she attempted it would certainly be risky. Would the two of them be able to accomplish such a feat without getting caught?
She brushed thoughts of escape from her mind for she was unfamiliar with the territory and didn't know of the dangers that awaited two vulnerable women. At least with the Normans, she and Nettie had some security but once the opportune moment arose, she would not think twice on escaping.
They made their way back to camp and found a spot by the fire. Nettie quickly settled down and fell into a deep slumber. Alana, slightly on edge, sat protectively at her cousin's side and peered around the camp.
The scarred warrior studied her from across the fire and she quickly averted her eyes, unnerved by his dark stare. The other warrior whose hazel eyes had studied Nettie earlier, slept soundly to her far right.
She felt the relentless pull of exhaustion and unable to ignore it any longer, settled down beside Nettie and allowed a moment to rest. As her eyes fluttered closed, she was instinctively aware of his presence nearby and for some unexplained reason was comforted by that.
Alana awoke some time well into the night. As her eyes partially opened, she could see the fire burning low, the tips of the flames barely breaking the surface of the timber. She blinked away the sleepiness and was suddenly aware of a chill at her back.
Rolling over, she was startled to find Nettie gone. Gasping aloud, she scrambled to her feet, her eyes moving frantically around the circle of sleeping men. With her heart hammering against her chest, the only sound perceptible to her ears, she turned to survey the darkened foliage.
Surely Nettie hadn't chanced the forest? But Alana knew her cousin well enough to know that when overcome with fear; she was unpredictable which prompted irrational decisions.
Exchanging a wary glance between the wood and sleeping Normans she wondered if she should risk it? But the thought of Nettie out there alone, facing the unimaginable dangers that awaited a helpless woman, caused her heart to lurch.
Sparing one last glance over her shoulder and seeing that none of the men had stirred, she started into the blackened forest.
As she started her ascent, she called out softly, hoping her cousin would be nearby to hear but when silence answered, she continued, her steps slow and unsure of the earth beneath her.
Panic began to take place for what if something dreadful had happened to Nettie?
The forest suddenly came alive with clamor. A gasp wedged tightly in her throat as she spun about, abrupt noises sounding in all angles, twigs snapping, animals scurrying and she found herself stumbling through the thickets with fright.
Nettie! She wanted to scream but feared she would give herself away. Had the Normans arisen to find them gone? If she were caught would 'The Fury' punish her?
There was a sudden thunderous crashing of vegetation and the distinct murmur of male voices. Her panic rose to hysteria and fearing she would get caught Alana turned and began to run.
She slapped blindly at extended branches as their finger-like tips struck at her face. She could hear the ends of her skirt snagging and ripping as she swept past protruding limbs and her hair untangled from its restraint fell in loose waves down her back.
She heard an abrupt splintering from behind and momentarily startled by the noise, peered over her shoulder and collided roughly with a solid shadow.
The moment her hands contacted warm flesh, she cried out as the earth rushed up to meet them. In the sudden momentum, her attacker turned to brace the fall and she landed softly atop him.
He grunted at the impact and realizing she was perfectly unharmed, Alana lifted her head and her eyes connected with a pair of burning, amber eyes.
Startled, she scrambled to get to her feet but as quick like a stealth cat, 'The Fury' shifted left, rolling her beneath him.
She was suddenly very aware of the male contours pressing intimately against her; every sinewy muscle of his chiseled frame now lay flush atop her, with his hand cradling her head. She knew he held some of his weight to keep from crushing her and with his arms trapping her; she had little choice but to peer directly into those gold embers.
She had expected his fury but instead got silence. The quiet as well as the uncanny gleam in his amber eyes unnerved her.
"Why did you run?" he asked softly, his gold eyes searching her face.
She detected tenderness in him and it confounded her. "You startled me." She replied and then realizing he made no inclination of moving she asked, "Are you going to let me up?"
He was quiet and that prompted her heart into an erratic pace. His gold eyes settled on her mouth, parted in her labored breathing, she caught a flicker of desire before his tawny head leaned forward and he lightly pressed his mouth to hers.
The touch of his lips sent her heart spiraling madly out of control. She lay motionless beneath him, reeling in the elicited emotions cued beneath the caress of his pursed lips. He kissed her with a startling gentleness, catering to the corners of her lips and abandoning her mouth to trail hot kisses down the length of her throat.
It was when she felt a cool draft on her bare skin that she realized he had hiked up her skirt and his fingers splayed the length of her thigh. Her heart slammed against her chest and she stiffened beneath him.
"Nay!" she gasped, pressing a balled fist to his chest.
For a moment, he seemed in a trance, his gold eyes glazed with a fiery haze and slowly the fire in his eyes dimmed, but she knew his desire still burned beneath the surface.
She had to gain some semblance of control on her emotions and forcing the unbridled urges down, her green eyes hardened with disdain, "Let me up."
His face hardened to an implacable resolve and she regarded the man whom many feared but he remained quiet as he gathered to his height. He grabbed her wrist and jerking her forcefully to her feet; she stumbled and landed in his arms.
Catching her breath, Alana pushed poorly at his chest but his arms remained firm. He leaned close and the masculine scent of spices and wood assailed her senses, inducing that warmth that seemed to spread through her limbs like hot liquid.
"When we make love-" he said hoarsely, drawing a labored breath from her throat, "-you will not fight me but come willingly to my bed."
The chuckle that surfaced from her throat was not as convincing as it sounded as she struggled to remain aloof to his assertion. "That day, Norman, will never come to be."
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