Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 92771 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92771 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Shade stared frustrated at the closed door. He might be confident, but she wasn’t. There was no telling what awaited him out there. More than one person could have broken in and with an arrow almost hitting her, it meant that someone was out to kill.
She felt helpless and vulnerable, but she was wise enough to know it would be foolish of her to go after Quint and possibly place herself and him in even more danger. She had to trust him, so she reluctantly stayed put.
Quint heard the voices clearly, the fools not realizing that sound carried easily in an abbey made of stone, one of the reasons the monks spoke softly or not at all. He crept closer quietly and listened.
“I hit her. I know I did.”
“You should have hit him. Wounded he’d be easier to handle.”
“He can’t take six of us.”
“Why not when he’s already slaughtered eight singlehandedly?”
“We wait. The others will join us soon, then there will be ten of us.”
“We’ll see it done then have some fun with the woman before we kill her.”
“Unless she’s wounded badly from your failed attempt to hit him.”
“Even better. She won’t be able to fight us.”
“I like when they fight.”
“That’s because there’s not a woman alive that would want you between her legs.”
Quint contained his anger, though he knew it wouldn’t be long before he’d be unable to control it, not after hearing what they had planned for Shade. He had to get her out of there. Then he would see these men got what they deserved.
He hurried back to Shade and found her pacing in front of the fireplace.
She gasped when he entered the room. “I didn’t hear your footfalls.”
“The others didn’t either,” he said and grabbed her cloak off the bench.
“Others?” she asked, her eyes turning wide with fright.
“Aye, six with more on the way. We’re leaving now,” he said, draping her still-wet cloak over her shoulders.
Shade grabbed her healing pouch off the floor. “Won’t they hear us?”
“They are too busy talking and we will be too busy keeping quiet for them to hear anything,” he assured her and slipped his arm around her waist. “Come. We need to hurry.”
They reached the front door without a problem. Shade was relieved he recalled the way back, so they did not have to inch slowly along the wall. He removed the plank as soundlessly as possible and opened the door just as carefully so the little sound that was made would not attract attention.
Vicious wind and heavy rain whipped at them as soon as they stepped outside and after shutting the door, Quint took Shade into his arms and tucked her tight against him. He plunged ahead into the ferocious storm, his only thought getting her home safely.
Night fell not long after they left the abbey and between the darkness and the storm the path home was not easy to follow. Shade almost tripped twice, if it wasn’t for Quint’s strength, but having no choice they kept going.
Shade was never so happy to see her cottage. Quint ushered her quickly through the door, and she leaned against the table, exhausted and drenched, rainwater pooling at her feet while Quint hurried to get a fire going.
“Get out of your wet garments and into warm ones,” he ordered, setting enough logs in the hearth to have the flames soaring.
Shade wondered how she was going to do that with him present. It was settled more easily than she expected.
Quint went to her, his hand going to rest at the curve of her waist as if it was the most natural thing for him to do. “You will make sure the door is latched after I leave.”
Panic flashed in her eyes. “You cannot mean to leave me. How do we know the men have not followed us?”
“That is why I must leave you. I’m going to make sure no one followed us. It will take me a while, but I will return to you.”
“Promise,” she asked, upset over the thought that he might not return.
“I promise,” he said and kissed her gently, at first.
Shade wouldn’t let his lips leave hers, she kept the kiss alive, and it grew. His arm tightened around her pressing her so tightly against him that it squeezed the rainwater out of their garments to pool at their feet. Her arms went around his neck holding on to him, not wanting to let him go, not ever.
He reluctantly ended the kiss, wishing he had time to linger in it since he knew it would be more than a kiss they shared tonight, and he let her know that.
“We both want more, Shade, but it’s your decision. Kiss me upon my return and the night will be one to remember and many nights to follow until I must take my leave.”