Read Online Taken by the Enemy by Jennifer Bene - Free Book Online Page A

belongs to me as well.”
    “So he took you from the woods?” she asked, glancing over at the warm expression on Lucie’s face.
    “Actually, no. He wasn’t in the hunting party that found me, and I was in the stable a few weeks before he saw me near a fire during dinner and asked to sit with me.”
    “He asked?”
    “Yes.”
    Emmie snorted, thinking of Lucian’s brash, commanding tone. “That must have been nice.”
    “It was.” Lucie smiled to herself. “I started spending almost every night with him, and it could have continued like that for a long time, but then my moon time came and I was supposed to drink the moon tea.”
    “The one that keeps you from getting pregnant?” Emmie had stopped weaving completely, staring at the other woman, and she stopped too. Lucie’s dark hair was bound in a messy bun atop her head, pale blue eyes and her kind smile making an otherwise plain face look beautiful.
    “Yes, and don’t let Clara frighten you. It’s not nearly as bad as she makes it sound. I’d already taken it a few times, and it’s just a stomachache, but —” Lucie blushed a little and shrugged. “Evan asked me not to take it, and then he asked me if I’d be his mate. Begged is more like it. He said the most wonderful things, he called me beautiful, said he wanted to always have me beside him, that he wanted us to have a family.”
    “And you said yes,” Emmie spoke softly and she nodded.
    “I did.”
    “What would have happened if you had said no?”
    Lucie shrugged. “Other than breaking Evan’s heart? Nothing. He probably would have returned me to the stable so I could find a mate I wanted, but I didn’t want anyone else. I wanted him, and he wanted me, and soon we’ll have the family we wanted.” Her hand landed low on her belly and Emmie gasped.
    “You’re pregnant?”
    “Hush!” She laughed, and leaned over to grab Emmie’s hand, tugging her forward to lay her palm against the firm roundness of the other woman’s belly. “No one really knows yet. Pregnancies are tricky things, but this little one is moving, fluttering. It is only four, maybe five months along, but I have a good feeling. Isn’t that right, little one?” Lucie’s voice went soft and sweet as she held Emmie’s hand against her stomach.
    “Can I feel it move?”
    “I don’t think the little one is quite big enough yet, but one day. I’ll make sure you get to feel.”
    “Thank you.” Emmie felt a warm excitement at the idea of seeing Lucie’s child, but it was quickly cooled by the realization that it meant she would have to be there, in the village, for months. Many more months – and that was an unwelcome thought. She pulled her hand back, glad to see that Lucie had not caught the shift in her mood.
    “Are you sure you did nothing else in the city? What did you do to earn money?” Lucie’s voice broke into her thoughts and Emmie squirmed. These exiles had a way of asking the worst questions.
    “Various things. I used to take down letters for —” My father , she finished in her head, but then cleared her throat. “People. Anyone who needed it done.”
    “You can write ?” Lucie gasped, and Emmie nodded a little. “Can you read too?”
    “Um, yes?” For a moment, she wasn’t sure if she had just made a huge error. Was it that uncommon to be literate?
    “That’s amazing! Oh my, we have to tell Mathias!” Lucie put her basket aside and ripped Emmie’s from her hands before tugging her to her feet. “Come on!”
    “What? Wait! Who is —” Emmie’s words were lost in Lucie’s excited rambling as she pulled her through the village, in the direction of Lucian’s home. The urge to dig her heels in was strong, but she didn’t want to hurt the nice woman, even on accident.
    They fortunately passed Lucian’s home and walked to a slightly larger structure, built in the center of three huge trees that helped to support it. It also had a rough version of a door and Lucie knocked on it loudly.