Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 33347 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 167(@200wpm)___ 133(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33347 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 167(@200wpm)___ 133(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
I resist the urge to roll my eyes, thinking quickly instead.
“Captain, I…” I smile sweetly, stepping closer to him. “I actually need privacy.”
He frowns, not quite getting me. “M’lady, I—”
“It’s my cycle, you see,” I sigh heavily, making a face as I shake my head. “My womanly cycle? I need to go clean—”
“That would be fine, Lady Rhona,” the captain stutters out, his face going red. “Do you…?” he frowns. “Do you need assistance?”
I smile as sweetly as I can to cover both the lie about it being my time of the month and my laugh at his offer to “help.”
“No, Captain, I think I’ll manage just fine myself.”
“Of course, of course,” he stutters out again, awkwardly looking everywhere but my eyes as he squares his shoulders.
Men.
“Just don’t go far, m’lady.”
I thank him as I gather my skirts and step off the dirt road, stepping into the trees and pushing my way through the branches. There’s a saltiness to the air, and the further I move away from the wagon and horse train, the more I can smell it. Branches tease at my arms as I push my way through, finally breathing easier as I lose myself in the woods. Soon, I know I’ll have to go back, and continue on my way to go marry a man I don’t want. But for now, I can escape, if only for five minutes.
I keep walking, pushing my way through the trees, wandering further and further from the road. I know I’m probably going further than I ought to, but there’s a sense of adventure and a thrill of going off alone. And besides, what could possibly happen? We’re nowhere close to any town, or village, and there’s half a garrison of my father’s guards right back there by the wagons.
I push through the trees, until suddenly, I find myself stumbling out of them and right onto the rocky shore with the ocean rustling against the rocks. I blink, stiffening for moment. The coast has always made me think of Vikings, even before Tor. But I shake my head at my silliness as I step out onto the rocky shore. After all, it’s not like the ocean automatically means Vikings are near—
I stop short, my heart skipping a beat as my eyes land on the dozen longboats sitting at anchor just off the shore of the little inlet I’ve stumbled onto.
Boats with blood-red sails.
…Viking boats.
I need to get back. NOW.
My pulse thunders in my ears and I shiver as I whirl to head back for the trees, and when I do, suddenly, the scream catches silent in my throat.
It’s their eyes I see first—fierce, piercing, hungry eyes, followed by the glint of the steel in their hands. There’s a dozen of them, and as they slowly make their way out of the trees with wild, hungry grins on their faces, I tremble in fear.
Vikings.
I can’t scream. I can’t say a word, or move, or blink, or even think as the group of them advance on me, grinning savagely. The men chuckle, speaking to each other in a language I don’t understand as they move closer and closer. One grabs at his crotch, saying something that brings dark chuckles to the other men. I shiver, shriveling inside, my eyes darting fearfully from one terrifying face to the other as they get closer and closer.
Suddenly, a voice booms out from the tree line behind them, stopping the men fast and bringing fear to their eyes. They whirl, and my eyes follow.
…And my jaw drops.
Because I know the huge, towering beast of a man standing at the edge of the trees with the massive sword in his big hands and the terrifying scowl on his face. Oh, I know him alright. I know what his lips taste like. I’ve dreamed fever dreams of him for weeks.
…I’m wearing his necklace.
The massive and terrifyingly beautiful Tor Odinson steps from the trees, scowling at the other men before he turns to me. His eyes blaze with dark grey fire, piercing right into me and taking my breath away as he steps towards me, pushing aside the others.
“Mine,” he snarls in accented English as he moves closer.
“Mine,” he growls, quieter as he steps right into me, until he’s towering above me.
“I—I—” I blink, trembling, my mouth opening and closing without words.
A low growling sound grumbles in his throat, a gravely baritone sound that rumbles through my very core.
Wordlessly, he reaches out and touches his big knuckles under my chin, raising my head up as he smiles wickedly and hungrily at me.
“Mine.”
He moves like lightening, and I don’t even have time to blink or take a breath before he’s scooped me up like I weigh nothing at all and tossed me over his shoulder. Adrenaline spikes through me, my whole body shivering and trembling at the feel of his rippling muscles against my body and his powerful hands holding me firmly.