32 #3
a??I have your bitch, Rorik Haraldsson,a?? Einar called out, such pleasure in his voice that it made her flesh crawl.
She held very still, waiting. The tears trickled down her cheeks, and she hoped Einar saw them and laughed and believed her afraid of him.
She felt the heaviness of Einara??s breathing against her back.
a??Aye,a?? Einar yelled out even louder now, for he was enjoying himself.
He had the upper hand. a??Aye, Rorik Haraldsson, she thought herself so above me in skill and cunning, but I know her, much better than you do.
Aye, I will tell you something else, I had her before I had to give her over to the old king for the pathetic lecher to sweat over her and maul her.
Aye, I stuck my fingers into her, for shea??d claimed she wasna??t a virgin, that shea??d married you, but I didna??t believe her.
I had to make certain, and I felt her and she was ready for my finger, Viking, aye, more than ready.
There was no maidenhead, she hadna??t lied about that.
She moaned and lifted herself for me. She begged me to take her, Viking, this faithless bitch of yours.
a??You wonder why shea??s trying desperately to kill me, Rorik Haraldsson? It is because she knew I would tell you that Ia??d taken her, that she pleaded with me until I freed my rod and drove into her and she shrieked like a whore.a??
His arm loosened about her throat. She was ready.
She closed her eyes a moment, drawing on what strength she had left.
His arm tightened again as he shouted to Rorik, whoa??d remained obdurately silent, a??Nay, dona??t come closer, Viking, or Ia??ll twist off her skinny neck.
You will remain here and I will take her with me.
When I am tired of her scrawny body, why then, I might return her to you.
I will survive, Rorik Haraldsson. I always have and I always will.
Did I tell you that I finally remembered your precious wife?
What a loud fishwife she was, yelling and screaming and trying to fight as my men held her down and jerked her arms and legs away from her body.
But when I took her, she was just like your second wife here, she begged me, and pleaded with me and I took her, again and again, until she was quiet, very quiet.
My men had enjoyment with her as well, but not all that much, for I killed her with joy.a??
She had to move and she had to do it now. She knew Einar. He would quickly realize that Rorik would not be taunted into foolish action and then he would take her away with him.
She jerked her head down and bit as hard as she could into Einara??s forearm.
He screamed, but she didna??t let go. He tried to strangle her, but the pain was too great.
He hit her head, but her teeth, strong as her will, went deeper into his flesh.
She felt the bone in his arm. She tasted his blood and wanted to vomit.
She knew he couldna??t get enough leverage to strike her with the club. She hung on.
Then Rorik was on him and she released his arm. His blood filled her mouth and she spat it onto the ground. Einar no longer had his club, it had fallen on a pile of leaves. Mirana grabbed it up, readied it, and moved closer to the struggling men.
Einar was fighting for his life, and he knew it. He was crazed, striking Rorik at every chance, most of them glancing blows of little import, howling and groaning at the same time.
Mirana saw the berserker madness in Rorika??s eyes, and knew the end was near.
Still, she moved closer, just in case he needed her, just in case he slipped or fell.
She saw his large hands go around Einara??s throat.
She watched Rorik hook his foot around Einara??s leg and whip him about to face him.
She watched her husbanda??s eyes grow calm and deadly even as he squeezed the life from the man whoa??d haunted him for far too long, squeezed even harder as he looked into his face and watched the life fade away.
Einar fought it, fought it with all his might, but it wasna??t enough.
Rorik said softly, his face but inches from Einara??s, a??This is for my sweet wife and for my two small babes and for all my people you brutalized and murdered. And it is for my parents as well so they will face the future without the horror of you still alive from the past.a??
Finally it was over. She watched Rorik release Einar and let him slide to the ground at his feet.
He looked down at the man whoa??d killed so many of the people hea??d loved.
Then he looked up at her. He wasna??t breathing hard.
He looked strong and fit and ready for any number of battles.
He looked neither triumphant nor brutal.
He looked calm and, strangely, at peace.
He said only, a??Thank you, Mirana.a??
a??For what, my lord?a??
He smiled then. a??For allowing me to kill him.a??
They both looked about at Haftera??s agonized shout.