Never Kiss A Stranger Read Online Free PDF

fucking fingers off!”
    “Stop hitting her!
Let go!
”
    “I’m not holding it!
”
    “Layla!
Ow!
That was
me,
you bastard!”
    At last Alys managed to work an arm between the monkey and the hooded man, and wrench Layla away from the cloaked villain. She marveled at the amount of effort it took to remove such a relatively small animal.
    “My goodness, Layla,” Alys gasped, bending over at the waist to brace her hands on her knees now that Layla had taken up watch from her shoulder once more to chatter angrily at the man. “You’re a strong girl, aren’t you?”
    “Son of a
bitch!”
the man hissed, grasping his left wrist tightly in his right hand. His cloaked head came up, and although Alys could not see his face clearly in the shadows of his hood, she could imagine his ugly, furious countenance. “I’ll have that beast’s hide!”
    Alys straightened and knew a moment of unease. He was a large man, and obviously quite angry at the injuries Layla had visited upon him. There was no one around the old ruin as far as the eye could see. Who knew what he was capable of? Although he was dressed in the garb of a pious man, his vulgar language quickly gave truth to the fact that he was almost certainly common. Cecily would faint into a puddle at the very thought of the phrases issuing from such holy vestments.
    “She was only protecting me,” Alys said, lifting her chin and striving for an air of superiority. “What business have you sneaking up upon a woman whilst she sleeps and molesting her?”
    “Moles—” the man broke off. “Just what is a young girl doing about a desolate ruin in the dead of night with only a monkey for protection?”
    His summation of her as a young girl stung Alys’s already battered pride so that her courage experienced a rebirth. “That is absolutely none of your affair. Besides, this is Fallstowe land, and as I am none other than LadyAlys Foxe, I go where I please. ‘Tis
you
who are the trespasser. Layla has gifted you with but a sampling of the punishment you shall receive once my sisters hear of your assault.”
    The hooded figure snickered. “Oh, so I am to fear your
sisters
now, am I?” His mirth grew into a round laugh. He looked down at his injured fingers and flung blood away. “I cow to no
lady
.” He said the word as if it were a foul thing.
    Alys frowned at being laughed at. “You very obviously have never met Sybilla, then. She is completely vicious, I assure you.”
    “I have heard of Sybilla Foxe,” the man acquiesced. “And I am most familiar with vicious women. But I can assure
you
that I have already met the worst of the lot, so forgive me if I do not quake and tremble.” He paused. “What are you doing out here alone? ‘Tis unsafe for a girl, even if on your own lands. After all, I came upon you, and there would be no help for you should I have wicked intentions. A monkey is only so much against a blade and a quick hand.”
    “Well, she’s already taken care of one of your quick hands. And I am not a girl. I’m ten and eight.”
    “Oh, well then, my apologies, matron.” His hood turned slightly as if he looked at the stone slab. “I see you have your bags packed. Running away from vicious Sybilla, were you?”
    Alys felt her face heat in the cool moonlight. Observed by an outsider, her actions did seem that of a young girl rather than a grown woman. But he simply didn’t know how desperate she had been to leave Fallstowe for the Foxe Ring. And now Sybilla was going to see her married to
Clement Cobb
because the old legend had turned out to be nothing more than—
    “Oh, my God,” Alys breathed, realizing that her impossible wish had come true and she hadn’t even noticed it, so busy had she been arguing with the man. “Take down your hood.”
    The cloaked figure drew back slightly. “Why?”
    “Because”—Alys licked her cold, numb lips—“because I want to see your face.” Her heart pounded and she forced a nervous laugh. “You’ve