moaned about demons had given Raibeart a good idea of how the lass had died, and it had taken all his will not to just snap the fool’s neck. Now that he had found a Lost One, and one he had every intention of keeping for himself, he could not seem to get her free of the men hunting her. It was obvious that, in the future, he should just stay with training horses, he thought morosely.
Just as he was shaking free of his self-castigation and wondering exactly how angry Una might get if he went looking for them, he heard a sound that did not belong in the forest. A soft grunt and then a low, mean laugh. The sounds sent an icy chill down his spine. He moved Tor deeper into the shelter of the trees, drew his sword, and slipped into the woods, becoming part of the shadows as he moved silently toward the sounds.
The sight that met his eyes when he found Una caused his fangs to lengthen and the beast to roar to life within him. Two of the hunters had grabbed her. It was obvious from the thin trail of blood on her face that they had not been gentle in the capturing of her. They had also gagged her and were mauling her while she struggled. Their plan to rape her was clear, the scent of their lust tainting the air.
Raibeart could almost taste their blood, his fury making him eager to rip out their throats. It took a moment for him to regain enough sanity to plan his approach. The men would die, but he did not want Una hurt any more than she already had been. He needed a cold, clear mind to accomplish that, but he promised the beast inside him that it would be fed as soon as she was safe.
Una heard a twig snap as she busied herself brushing off her skirts. She spun around and found herself facing a grinning Red Rob and Donald. A quick glance around showed no horses, although their mounts could be just beyond her vision, secured in the dark shadows of the trees. More importantly, she saw none of the other hunters. That meant she had only two men to fight off. Not easy, but not impossible.
“I was right,” said Donald. “I was sure they were circling us, but that arse Angus wouldnae listen to me.”
“Nay, he isnae a mon to doubt himself,” said Red Rob.
“Ye will come with us now, lass.”
Una looked at Donald as if he was a complete fool. “I dinnae think so. I have no wish to return to that madmon ye call a laird.”
“Ye would leave the others to suffer for your freedom?”
That stung, but she told herself not to let Donald pluck at her own sense of guilt and her fear for the others. “The others cannae suffer any more than they already do.”
“Nay, mayhap they cannae. But they can die.”
“The laird willnae kill them. So, I suggest ye just run along back to him and tell him ye couldnae find me.”
“Or what? Ye will call that brute who took ye away from us?”
She blinked in surprise. She had not even thought of calling for help. It had been so long since she had had anyone to aid her that she had simply fallen into the habit of caring for herself, not thinking of how useful Raibeart would be right now. Una opened her mouth to call for him only to find herself slammed to the ground by a charging Donald.
All the breath left her body and she could not have cried out for Raibeart even if she had been able to breathe before Red Rob gagged her with a filthy strip of cloth. She glared at the man but then saw a look in his eye she had become all too familiar with, and it made her heart clench with fear. Red Rob meant to sate his lusts on her, and the glance he sent Donald who sat on her back told her that he had no doubt that man would join him in the assault.
Panic gave her strength and she fought, thrashing around until she bucked Donald off her back, but her freedom was short-lived. Both men wrestled with her, struggling to pin her arms and legs to the ground. Una managed to strike several good blows and even gouged Red Rob’s arm with her nails, but they still managed to get her pinned to the ground.
Just as he was shaking free of his self-castigation and wondering exactly how angry Una might get if he went looking for them, he heard a sound that did not belong in the forest. A soft grunt and then a low, mean laugh. The sounds sent an icy chill down his spine. He moved Tor deeper into the shelter of the trees, drew his sword, and slipped into the woods, becoming part of the shadows as he moved silently toward the sounds.
The sight that met his eyes when he found Una caused his fangs to lengthen and the beast to roar to life within him. Two of the hunters had grabbed her. It was obvious from the thin trail of blood on her face that they had not been gentle in the capturing of her. They had also gagged her and were mauling her while she struggled. Their plan to rape her was clear, the scent of their lust tainting the air.
Raibeart could almost taste their blood, his fury making him eager to rip out their throats. It took a moment for him to regain enough sanity to plan his approach. The men would die, but he did not want Una hurt any more than she already had been. He needed a cold, clear mind to accomplish that, but he promised the beast inside him that it would be fed as soon as she was safe.
Una heard a twig snap as she busied herself brushing off her skirts. She spun around and found herself facing a grinning Red Rob and Donald. A quick glance around showed no horses, although their mounts could be just beyond her vision, secured in the dark shadows of the trees. More importantly, she saw none of the other hunters. That meant she had only two men to fight off. Not easy, but not impossible.
“I was right,” said Donald. “I was sure they were circling us, but that arse Angus wouldnae listen to me.”
“Nay, he isnae a mon to doubt himself,” said Red Rob.
“Ye will come with us now, lass.”
Una looked at Donald as if he was a complete fool. “I dinnae think so. I have no wish to return to that madmon ye call a laird.”
“Ye would leave the others to suffer for your freedom?”
That stung, but she told herself not to let Donald pluck at her own sense of guilt and her fear for the others. “The others cannae suffer any more than they already do.”
“Nay, mayhap they cannae. But they can die.”
“The laird willnae kill them. So, I suggest ye just run along back to him and tell him ye couldnae find me.”
“Or what? Ye will call that brute who took ye away from us?”
She blinked in surprise. She had not even thought of calling for help. It had been so long since she had had anyone to aid her that she had simply fallen into the habit of caring for herself, not thinking of how useful Raibeart would be right now. Una opened her mouth to call for him only to find herself slammed to the ground by a charging Donald.
All the breath left her body and she could not have cried out for Raibeart even if she had been able to breathe before Red Rob gagged her with a filthy strip of cloth. She glared at the man but then saw a look in his eye she had become all too familiar with, and it made her heart clench with fear. Red Rob meant to sate his lusts on her, and the glance he sent Donald who sat on her back told her that he had no doubt that man would join him in the assault.
Panic gave her strength and she fought, thrashing around until she bucked Donald off her back, but her freedom was short-lived. Both men wrestled with her, struggling to pin her arms and legs to the ground. Una managed to strike several good blows and even gouged Red Rob’s arm with her nails, but they still managed to get her pinned to the ground.
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