Read Online The Key (#1 of Anna Kippling Series) Paranormal romance by A.D. Duling by A.D.Duling - Free Book Online

for you! Any normal man would, but what I also feel
for you is love!” He urged.
    “I admit I get butterflies in my stomach
every time you kiss me, but that does not mean its love!” she
argued.
    “Anna, that’s exactly what love is! It
starts with little things like that and grows into more!” he
emphasized.
    “How do you know these things? Have you ever
been in love before Hayden?”
    He shook his head, “No, I admit I have not,”
he answered her.
    “Well then, I’ve made my point!” She picked
up her sword and started to walk away, but he grabbed her arm.
    “ Now wait just a minute
Anna, what I feel for you is real! And I believe a little part of
you feels the same for me! Admit it!”
    She shook her head, “I’m not talking about
this anymore Hayden.” And tugged at her arm, but he held on.
    “I want you to look me square in the eyes
and tell me that you don’t love me, not even a little!”
    She looked straight into his eyes, “I don’t
love you… not even a little.” He let go of her arm.
    He was also silent during the whole ride
back. His father had left the barn door open for him and he guided
the horse inside. They climbed off and he led Thunder over to his
stall.
    “ So you’re just going to
ignore me now?” she spoke behind him.
    He grabbed a nearby pail and filled the
horse’s feed sack with oats; the horse dug into his meal with great
enthusiasm. While he ate, Hayden unsaddled him. She leaned against
the stall and watched him, “I thought you said you would respect my
response, no matter what it was?”
    He finished his task and looked over at her,
“Well, I lied.” And he walked out.
    “Fine then, be a big baby about it!” she
yelled after him.
    She walked over to the horse and rubbed his
head, “You still like me, right?” The horse nudged her hip gently
with his muzzle in response. She gave his head another rub and left
him to finish eating his meal. She pushed the barn door shut and
latched it before she started for the house. As she was walking
towards the front, she heard a noise off to her right and looked
over to see what it was.
    She caught a glimpse of a dark figure on a
horse charging for her, swinging a rope above his head. She
instinctively raised her hands up to protect herself and screamed!
The rope came down over her head and around her neck. She grabbed
at it, just as the figure kicked his horse and the animal sped up
jerking her onto her back! Cinching the rope tight around her neck,
with her fingers caught in between!
    Her fingers throbbed from the tightness, but
thankfully they also kept a big enough gap for her to breath! The
ground tore at her clothes, scratching the exposed skin. The rocks
beat hard against her flesh and the bones beneath it. Tears
streamed down her face from the pain and her head throbbed from the
pressure, she knew if she didn’t get free quickly, this would kill
her!
    She remembered her dagger and worked on
wiggling free a hand. The rope cut into her fingers and burned
every inch of the way! Finally she freed them and reached down to
her belt and pulled it out.She reached up above her head to cut the
rope, but couldn’t see it!She would have to flip to cut it! Anna
jerked her body as hard as she could to one side and flipped
herself over onto her front.
    Unfortunately the flip caused the rope to
tighten even more around her neck and it cut off her oxygen. Trying
not to panic, she reached up and desperately started cutting at the
rope as quickly as she could! The ground was just as vicious to her
front, but she kept on cutting! Her lungs started to scream for the
air it was being deprived of and just as she was about to black
out, the rope snapped and she slumped to a stop. She inhaled the
precious air into her lungs as she shakily loosened the rope and
pulled it off.
    Behind her, she could hear the figure coming
back and she unsteadily got to her feet and tried to run away! She
stumbled just after a few short steps and tried to get up