His Captive Bride Read Online Free PDF Page B

sword can do to a man. I have. It is too dangerous, Kel. Forget her.”
    “ Nei , you told me to choose and I have chosen. That is the woman I want.”
    Hauk caught him by the shoulder, tried to turn him away. “You will find another.”
    “ Nei , Hauk, I—by Thor’s hammer!”
    The alarm in his voice made Hauk look over at the stall just in time to see a familiar, hulking figure heading straight for the girl Keldan admired.
    Keldan swore vividly. “Thorolf!”
    ~ ~ ~
    Josette felt a shadow fall over her, blocking what little daylight was left. She had been listening intently to Avril, who was upset about some misadventure she had had in the street—but they both turned, gasping, as a towering, dark-haired man appeared suddenly from behind them.
    Josette guessed him to be a trader of some sort from his simple clothes. But his eyes, the blackest she had ever seen, fastened on her in a way that chilled her blood.
    “Sirrah?” She cringed away, trying to step out of his path only to come up against the hard wooden counter of the booth.
    “What is it you want?” Avril demanded.
    Their guard stepped forward, his tone challenging. “Be off with you—”
    Josette screamed in fear as the stranger shoved the guardsman aside and grabbed her.
    He tossed her over his shoulder, the impact and his rough hold knocking the breath from her. Panic seized her. She heard Avril cry out in alarm. Saw the guard leaping forward to defend her—but the stranger drew a sword and dispatched him with a single thrust. The crowd in the street shouted in terror and scrambled for safety.
    A scream of shrill terror rose in Josette’s throat as the man brandished his sword at any who would dare challenge him and started to carry her away.
    ~ ~ ~
    Shocked and furious, Avril snatched her knife from its sheath. Barely even aware of what she was doing, she launched herself forward to help her friend.
    “Release her!” she cried, attacking the black-haired knave, dodging beneath his sword as it sliced toward her head. Slashing out, she wounded his arm.
    With a sharp curse of pain and surprise, he lost his grip on his weapon. It clattered to the ground. He let go of Josette to fend off Avril, snarling at her in a language she did not know.
    “Run, Josette! Run!” Avril danced backward, trying to hold his attention but stay out of reach, her knife raised in front of her.
    Suddenly a second dark-haired man appeared—the companion of the blond trader she had run into only moments ago. Her heart leaped that this good Samaritan would rush to their aid.
    But in that second that she was distracted, the hulking stranger smashed her across the face with his fist. Pain exploded through her jaw as she spun and fell to the ground, her weapon flying from her hand. Dazed with pain, her ears ringing, she could not believe what she saw as she lay sprawled in the dirt, blood in her mouth.
    The “good Samaritan” was not rushing to their aid. He was carrying Josette away over his shoulder!
    The knave who had attacked them roared something in that odd language, clearly furious at losing his prize. Then he turned on her, fury blazing in his black eyes as he grabbed his sword from the ground, the blade dripping scarlet.
    Numb with terror, Avril tried to scramble backward but her limbs would not obey her. The world turned hazy in her vision. The ringing in her ears became a buzz that blocked out all else.
    She was defenseless, her knife gone. He lifted his blade to slice her in two. She shut her eyes, a single word filling her mind and heart. Giselle .
    But before he could touch her, someone grabbed her from behind, yanking her to her feet. A muscular arm circled her waist. She felt herself pulled backward against a hard, male chest. Her rescuer shouted something in that guttural language—the same words twice, his tone clearly threatening as he brandished a sword at her attacker.
    Then the pain in her jaw pulled her down into a fog that darkened her vision, and she