Free My Rebellious Heart by Samantha James Page A

her mouth. She could only stand there as he took a single step back, trying hard not to tremble. The very air around them seethed with the force of his presence, so vital y alive, so primal y fierce ...
    So very ful of menace.
    He turned slightly. A weak light wavered from the candle, but it was enough to reveal his form in its entirety. A ragged gasp escaped when she saw he wore the coarse, dark robe of a priest. Thorne intercepted the glance. 'It was most helpful of you to grant my request for a priest, milady. You aided my cause greatly."
    There was no remorse in that taunting voice. Shana's blood seemed to freeze in her veins.
    "You murdered him," she said faintly. "You murdered the priest! Dear Lord, a priest, yet!"
    He said nothing, merely laughed, a laugh that sent a prickly unease through the length of her. Triumph glittered in his eyes as he gave a mocking bow.
    "I assure you, he's done God's work for the day and he'll have no need of such attire this night. And it wil assure me safe passage from Mer-wen—" there was an instant of deadly quiet, "as wil you, princess."
    A chil ing certainty gripped her mind. She heard herself speak, though she'd have sworn her lips never moved. "So what wil you do? Kidnap me?" She shook her head. "Nay, even you would not dare ..."
    "Lady," came his reply, as bold and brash as he himself was. "I would dare much where you are concerned. Why, you yourself confirmed the order to see an end to me! Oh, yes, princess, I would dare just about anything, for what have I to lose?"
     
    The glitter left his eyes. He stared at her with il -concealed dislike. "We waste time," he said flatly. "I want you dressed, princess, and quickly now." He strode toward the chest in the corner and threw it open.
    Shana remained where she was. Her heart quaked. Her hands trembled. She hid them in the skirt of her bed gown so he would not see. She wet her lips and gazed longingly toward the door. She knew the keep far better than he—she was fleet of foot, and in the dark he might never find her! If she could only reach the hal below, she could sound the alarm.
    The notion emerged, little by little. And so she retreated, little by little, as he rummaged through her chest. She bit her lip ... then whirled and bolted.
    She should have known better. As swift as she was, he was swifter. As quiet as she was, he was quieter still. He was at her side before she knew it, thwarting her cold. Hard arms imprisoned her, snatching her against him, jamming her back against the unyielding span of his chest. Shana kicked at him, succeeding only in entangling her feet in the encumbering folds of the robe.
    Stil she struggled desperately, riot out of defiance but out of instinctive fear for her safety.
    The earl was not a man to forget a wrong done to him. He would see that wrong righted ...
    whatever the means ... whatever it took.
    She sucked in a lungful of air and prepared to scream 'til the rafters shook. But before she could make a sound that hateful hand clamped over her mouth once again, his fingers jamming into the softness of her cheeks. His arm tightened so that she was certain her ribs might snap. With a strangled little moan of defeat, Shana went limp, convinced by the violence in his hold that he needed little provocation to pursue his threat further.
     
    "I'd like nothing more than to bind and gag you and drag you from here hand and foot, as I was dragged here." His grating voice rushed past her cheek. "You'd be wise to remember that, princess."
    He spun her to face him, gazing at her with eyes that seemed to bum her very soul—and left no part of her untouched. Shana flushed crimson, for only then did she realize her bed gown hid precious little of her body.
    He gave her a tiny shove toward her chest. "Get dressed," he ordered from between clenched teeth. "Else I shal do it for you."
    She bent and retrieved a gown of pale velvet. "Turn your back," she implored, clutching the gown to her breast. "Please." She