Free Vulcan's Woman by Jennifer LaRose Page B

The instant he spun she leaped to her feet and pushed him
with every morsel of strength she could gather. Other than a short stumble
forward he barely moved. Her blood chilled but she didn’t look back as she tore
from the hut.
    Two robust men stood near the fire in nothing but
loincloths. Nauseated from panic, she glanced at the forest for an open route
to flee.
    “Rocko, Grunt, seize her,” the chieftain shouted at her
back.
    Her heartbeat raced. The hairs on her arms stood. And unless
she moved, she’d be recaptured.
    She clutched the blade handle and dashed down the path
toward the meadow. She had no place to hide but it was better than trying to
rush past the two Barbarians and into the forest.
    Someone caught her by the arm and jerked her backward. She
flayed the blade wildly through the air. It hit against something hard. Flesh! She heard a grunt and was immediately released.
    She wanted to retch but dropped the blade and ran through the
long stretch of meadow toward the forest. In every direction stood a border of
trees and she felt as if she was running in circles. She’d completely lost her
sense of direction but knew the Barbarian camp sat to the right because the
fire peeked through the leaves.
    With a long jump she breached the forest border and stumbled
to her knees. Quickly she shot to her feet and ran, smacking branches aside
until her legs nearly collapsed and her lungs begged for air. In the distance,
just outside the tree line, she saw a large area glowing under the bright moon. The lake! She was close to home?
    With her tummy and chest burning, she charged toward the
water, jumped across the stepping-stones and hid beneath the feather tree. She
never knew the Barbarians resided so close to the lake. Which meant they also
lived close to her camp. She shuddered at the thought.
    She dropped to her knees and dragged air into her lungs.
Sweat beaded her brows and tears filled her eyes. Hugging herself, she sat
down, listening to every single sound assailing her ears. The water kerplunked as fish or tortoises surfaced for air while crickets chirped all around her.
Then someone called her name. She froze and backed into the tree trunk.
    “Wisteria,” he repeated.
    The familiar voice added a spark of light to her dark,
battered soul. “Vulcan?” she whispered, her voice catching on a sob.
    “I’m here.”
    She glanced over her shoulder. He stood at her back just
outside the perimeter of the tree. The moonlight glistened over his bare chest
and arms as he offered his hand. He was the most beautiful sight she’d ever
seen.
    “Come,” he said in a gentle but commanding tone.
    “It’s not safe. We must go. The Barbarians—”
    “Shhh,” he soothed. “Come.”
    Slowly she stood and as much as she regretted leaving the
safety of the tree, she walked the few steps and took hold of his fingers.
“They’ll see us. We’ve got to find a safe place.”
    “You’re safe with me.” He embraced her, pulling her tightly
to his body.
    So tightly his heartbeat thumped inside her ear. She nestled
closer, accepting his protection, but she couldn’t shake the fear. Any moment
the Barbarians were going to charge the lake. She felt it. They couldn’t have
been too far away. Like animals, they followed the scent of their victims. “You
don’t understand. They were chasing me.” Trembling, she glanced over her
shoulder and scoured the woods. “You cannot stop them. Please!” she begged,
burying her face in his breastbone as tears trickled from her eyes. “I saw them
kill a man.”
    He tilted her face. “Contrary to your beliefs, unlike the
Mountain Slayers and Flesh Eaters, they will not harm you without a reason.”
    “But I,” she paused and inhaled a deep breath, “gave them a
reason. I escaped captivity. And I…” She couldn’t say the words.
    He stiffened. “What did you do, Wisteria?”
    “I…” All he had to do was look for blood on her hands. Was
there blood? Why hadn’t it crossed her