Chapter 18 #2
“Not in the least,” she assured him, before stepping over to him and starting to fumble at his belt. Wolf’s eyes widened in shock.
“What in the…” he hissed between his teeth, lowering his head to her. “Are you seriously considering ravishing me here and now, wife?”
“Unfortunately, no.”
She smiled to herself when she felt that despite his protests, he had gone rock hard.
Unable to resist, she stood on tiptoe and kissed him.
It was a kiss in which she put all the desire that had exploded in her body at the feel of his response to her proximity, all the relief she’d felt at seeing he had not abandoned her.
For a moment, they forget where they were and just allowed their mouths to worship each other’s.
It was delicious, as heady and forbidden as their first kiss, but after a while Merewen forced herself to be reasonable and pull away.
They would have their whole lives to kiss, first they had to get out of here.
She raised the dagger she had retrieved from the sheath at Wolf’s belt and smiled when understanding dawned on his face.
Had he really thought she wanted to ravish him?
Well, mayhap, and in any other circumstances she might well have done just that.
But all this would have to wait until a more appropriate time.
“Threaten me, you big brute,” she said, handing him the weapon. “I trust you.”
Wolf made a growl deep in his throat, a growl that resonated all the way to her core. “Then turn around… woman.”
My. She could have collapsed then and there.
Clearing her throat, she complied.
Though she knew it was all just pretend, she could not help a yelp when Wolf’s hand closed around her neck and the dagger nudged at her ribs.
“Hush, it’s all right. I’m not going to hurt you. I’m only doing what you suggested. You’re right, it is our best chance.” A kiss on the top of her head, a soft groan in her ear made her close her eyes in pleasure. “Ready?”
She nodded, unable to talk.
Wolf marched her forward, stepping out of the gate.
“Move!” he snarled. “Let me pass or I’ll gut the woman.”
The voice was icy, lethal. Merewen whimpered and screwed her eyes tight, not finding it hard to pretend she was about to faint. Had Wolf been a real attacker she might well have passed out in fright.
Then she heard the men draw out their weapons. No! The men were not supposed to put up a fight!
“Don’t provoke him! He will kill me!” she screamed, her voice tinged with a panic she could almost feel. The dagger nudged at her gently. She obeyed the silent command and let out piercing scream. “Let him through, he’s hurting me! My future husband will not want me harmed in any way!”
Wolf saw the men hesitate. They were evidently wondering if they could overpower him. Considering he would have to fight the three of them and keep an eye on Merewen at the same time, it was not impossible. A single man could only do so much.
“You heard the woman. Move! Go and stand over there,” he ordered before they could work up the courage to try.
Faced with the prospect of Alaric’s wrath when he found out they had allowed him to escape with the woman he meant to marry, they might well decide that they had nothing to lose.
Dying now in a fair fight was probably better than being tortured later on.
“You will never have the nerve to do it,” the tallest one called out to him. “The master is a man to be feared, enough to make anyone think twice about harming his intended bride!”
This Wolf could well believe, but he was not just ‘anyone’, he was not truly harming Merewen and he would have faced a hundred Alarics for her.
Still, the men needed to be convinced that he was not going to leave the place empty-handed. Inspiration struck. He would impersonate Harald, who had every reason to hate Alaric and nothing to lose either.
“I care not what other men think. I am Harald the Strong and I swear that if you haven’t dropped your swords by the time I have finished talking I will slice the bastard’s bride open in retaliation for what he did to my wife Ingrid last week,” he said, speaking every word with deadly intent.
“You know I’m not lying. You will have seen her and what happened to her.
I am here to avenge her and nothing will stop me. Now, move!”
To his relief, the men took a step back and lowered their weapons.
Immediately, Wolf pushed Merewen forward and felt her stumble as if her legs had turned to water.
This was good. After such a performance no one would suspect her of being complicit to the scheme.
If they were caught he would be the only one facing reprisal, everyone would swear she had been weak with fright.
He half dragged, half carried her around the dying fire and toward the safety of the trees in the distance.
As soon as the shade engulfed them, he sheathed his dagger but kept his arm about her waist in support. Even if she wasn’t limp anymore, he could not bear to let her go. He wanted to hold her tight, kiss her again, hold her tighter, grovel at her feet, beg for her forgiveness.
“Are you all right?” he whispered, barely resisting the urge to take her earlobe between his lips. It was so good to have her in his arms again!
“Yes. I’m sorry, I feel—”
“I know. But we need to move before the men alert everyone. We don’t have long before they come after us. Do you want me to carry you?”
“No, no.” Merewen shook her head. His heart swelled at the sight of her bravery. “I need to pull myself together, that’s all.”
Just then, shouts were heard in the distance. Now was not the time to dally, soon the men would be after them.
“Let’s go, then,” Wolf said. “Demon is waiting for us.”
They ran to the meadow where the horse was tethered. The stallion snorted softly when his saw his master but, thankfully, made no other sound. Wolf hoisted himself into the saddle then helped Merewen to climb on behind him.
“Hold on tight,” he said, wrapping her arms around his waist. “I’m going to go as fast as I can.”
A heartbeat later, they were thundering toward the coast. For a long while, they raced across fields, jumping streams and fences in silence.
It was a cold, misty morning, as if nature had decided to aid in their flight by making it impossible for the pursuers to see more than a few yards ahead.
With each passing moment, Merewen could feel her anxiety melt away.
Surely they would not be caught now? Once Demon had slowed down to an easy canter, she finally picked up the courage to ask Wolf the question uppermost in her mind.
“Why did you decide to come back for me? I thought you…”
Biting her lip, she stopped. What could she say without revealing the extent of the pain he had caused her?
I thought that you didn’t care what happened to me, that, as you knew we were not really husband and wife, you jumped at the chance of ridding yourself of me, that you had been disappointed in my performance in bed.
That you did not feel anything for me.
Unable to voice her most secret fears and doubts out loud, she stayed silent.
Why had he come back? Wolf gritted his teeth because the answer to that question did not reflect well on him.
Once again, had it not been for Sigurd, Merewen would have died.
His friend had done twice what he should have been doing himself.
Should he lie, tell her he had come to his senses on his own?
No. He owed her the truth, and he didn’t deserve to be spared from whatever accusations and reproach she chose to throw at him.
Before answering, he slowed the horse to a walk. Talking with his back to her would help.
“You thought I’d forsaken you. With good reason, I might add, because I did, most shamefully, and handed you over to the very man who wanted you dead,” he said slowly.
Never had he been more ashamed of himself.
“My only excuse is that I was genuinely trying to ensure that you would be safe. Will you ever forgive me?”
There was a pause, then he felt her cheek against his shoulder blade. Hope surged through him, as potent as one of Helga’s potions. Surely she would not do such a thing if she thought him beyond redemption?
“I might forgive you if you actually answered my question,” she said in a low voice. “I need to understand.”
Of course, she did.
“This morning at dawn, Sigurd came to tell me he’d found out who had sold you to the slave trader.
When he said the man in question was called Alaric and had a purple stain on his left cheek I realized it was none other than the neighbor you had disappeared with.
I ran, hoping I wouldn’t arrive too late. ”
Wolf shivered. He had almost not made it. Another moment and Alaric would have raped and possibly killed her. He owed his friend so much…
What would happen now? Could he and Merewen pick up where they left off after what he had done?
He was not so sure. One thing was certain, he was not going to let her out of his sight ever again.
If anyone was going to look after the woman he loved, it would be him and no other.
He would warn his friends at the village, tell her all about the dangers she was facing, make sure she was well guarded.
He shook his head. The future was not something he could afford to think about just yet.
First he needed to make sure they were not recaptured, and then he would see.
Once he had Merewen in a place of safety, he would be able to think about it all, and set about earning her forgiveness.
Jaw set, he scanned the horizon, on the lookout for shadows indicating Alaric’s men were riding in hot pursuit.
When nothing disturbed the mist surrounding them, he allowed his body to relax. Then two words reached his ear.
“Thank you.”