Savage Desire (Savage Lagonda 1) Read Online Free PDF

Indian struck her a stunning blow to the side of her head with the hilt of the knife. Pain exploded in her head and all was in darkness.
    When she regained consciousness, she found that her hands and feet had been bound and that she was lying face down in the bottom of a canoe.
    Mara's thoughts returned to the present. She looked down at her once elegant green gown that was now soiled and dirty. Her hair felt stiff from the mud that was caked in it, and she knew her face was grimy and streaked with mud, for that morning when the older Indian had lifted her roughly from the canoe and placed her on the muddy riverbank, she had lost her footing and fallen face first into the mud. The man had not even tried to come to her aid as she had struggled trying to regain her footing. The result was that she was now covered with dried, caked-on mud.
    She could hear the men now. Their voices came to her from the riverbank. She heard the sound of splintering wood, and knew they were destroying the canoe. Apparently they would no longer be traveling by the river. Somehow that thought caused her to become even more frightened. Did the destruction of the canoe mean they would now be traveling by foot? Mara felt as if her last hope of being rescued was being sunk to the bottom of the river along with the canoe.
    She watched as the younger Indian approached her. His companion had already lain down on the hard ground and appeared to be sleeping.
    The Indian knelt down beside her and offered her a piece of dried meat. Then he touched her face gently and his eyes grew soft. Mara turned her face away from him, hating the feel of his hands, and fearing the look in his eyes. She heard him rise to his feet, and turned back to look at him. She watched as he stretched his arms over his head. Her heart leaped into her throat as she saw his knife slip from his leather sheath and fall to the ground beside her. Looking at his face quickly, she saw he was unaware that he had lost the knife. She prayed he would not discover it was missing, for it had fallen well within her reach.
    She watched, hardly daring to draw a breath as he turned from her and lay down beside his sleeping companion. Mara waited, hoping he would not soon discover his missing knife. After what seemed like hours, she saw the even rise and fall of his chest that indicated he was sleeping.
    She strained against the ropes, trying to reach the knife. All of a sudden it had become the most important thing in the world to her, her only hope for freedom, a lifeline in her despair. Mara did not stop to consider what she would do with the knife once she had it in her possession, she only knew she must reach it or she would ever be a prisoner with no hope of escape.
    Her fingers came into contact with the blade, and slowly, inch by agonizing inch, she moved it toward her until she could wrap her hand around the hilt. The older Indian mumbled in his sleep and turned over so he was facing her. Mara quickly hid the knife in the fold of her gown.
    Minutes passed. Time no longer had any meaning. Mara picked up the dried meat that lay on the ground beside her. She was hungry, but if she made her escape, she would need nourishment more later on.
    Seeing a robin perched on a tree branch over her head, she watched it for a moment, feeling somewhat detached. Her plan was made. When she was sure the two men were sound asleep she would try to make her escape, knowing it would likely be the last chance she would have at freedom.
    The robin spread its wings and took flight. Mara watched, envying the bird its freedom. She tried to make plans. What should she do once she was free? She knew they were now on the opposite side of the river from her home. How would she cross over? She had never learned to swim as her brothers had. A minor setback—she would face that problem when she came to it.
    Cautiously, she removed the knife from the fold of her gown, keeping her eyes on the two men all the while. The blade was