Read Online Serpent by Kathryn Le Veque - Free Book Online

eye had quickly submerged and his men were standing on the edge of the marsh, waiting and watching for the beast’s return. But his attention was more on the knight he had grabbed than the beast; he had no idea it was a woman until she spoke and now, his curiosity had the better of him.
    He studied her intently in the silver moonlight; her dark hair was pulled back against her skull, braided and pinned behind her head. He hadn’t noticed her hair until now; she must have had a lot of it because the bun and the braid were very thick. At close range, he could see her exquisite features with a pert nose and seductive, long-lashed eyes. She was a remarkable beauty, even in the dark, but she was also wearing heavy mail, portions of plate armor that was custom –fitted to her body, and a scabbard for the sword she had just launched into the beast’s eye. His curiosity turned to confusion.
    “You... you are not a knight,” he stated the obvious. “Who are you?”
    Penelope looked at the man, hearing the disapproval and hazard in his tone. She resumed her attempts to pull away from him. “I am with William de Wolfe,” she said, avoiding giving him an answer for the most part. “Who are you ?”
    Bhrodi wasn’t going to tell her; at this point, he really didn’t want anyone to know. He still wasn’t sure he wanted de Wolfe here and certainly didn’t want to meet the man on a level playing field, here out in the middle of the marsh as they fought off The Serpent. He wanted to meet the man in his great hall where he had the upper hand and the perception of being in control in his own castle.
    “A man who has saved your life,” he said, eyeing the mail hood about her shoulders. “What are you doing dressed as a knight? Where is your husband that he would let you dress like this?”
    Penelope could see he was more interested in what she was than who she was. Still, she didn’t like the questions. She didn’t like his tone. But there was something in the depths of his dark green eyes that smoldered at her, like the glowing embers of a raging fire that were waiting to be rekindled. There was something very unsettling and powerful about the man, something that was starting to shake her.
    “What was that… that creature ?” she asked, instinctively shrinking away from him.
    He sat next to her, watching her pull away . His grip tightened. He didn’t want her going anywhere. After a moment, he stood up and pulled her up next to him. “Where is de Wolfe?” he asked, ignoring the question. He could hear the shouts of men in the distance. “I want to know why this man lets you fight for him. Are the English so desperate for knights that they are now recruiting women?”
    Penelope had enough of his condescending attitude. She tried to yank her hand away but he held fast. “He lets me fight for him because I am a warrior,” she said snappishly. “Let me go immediately or you will not like my reaction.”
    Bhrodi looked at her, his eyes glimmering with amusement. “Is that so?” he said. “I would like to see your reaction, in fact.”
    “Nay, you would not.”
              “I think I would.”
    Those eyes were pulling at her again, stronger than before. There was something in the glimmer that made her heart skip a beat. But she was also incredibly frustrated, fearful and angry to boot, so she lashed out a fist and nearly caught him in the neck. Bhrodi was too fast for her, however, and managed to move out of the line of fire just in time. Penelope’s momentum took her forward and he got in behind her, wrapping her up in a bear hug . Infuriated, Penelope threw her head backwards, right into his face, and hit him squarely in the nose. Stars danced before Bhrodi’s eyes but he didn’t release her. Something about the tussle excited him. Something about her intrigued him.
    I can feel her heat through the mail , he thought even as his nose throbbed with the blow. He could feel the blood begin to