Free First Of Her Kind (Book 1) by K.L. Schwengel

her more firmly into her attacker's grasp. He locked his arms around her stomach and yanked, and Ciara lost her grip. She flailed her arms, and grabbed desperately at any part of horse or saddle she could reach, but Scar-face swung her away from Fane. Ciara squirmed to get loose, and he laughed in her ear.
    "Keep that up, mouse," he said, his breath hot against her neck and reeking of stale ale. "I'll be good and ready by the time we get to it."
    He thrust his hips against her backside as though to prove his point, and trailed his tongue up the side of her neck. Ciara shivered in revulsion.
    "Yer a tasty one, ain't ya?"
    Ciara slammed the heel of her boot down hard onto the center of his foot and ground into it.
    "Little bitch!"
    He hopped backwards, dragging her along. Ciara threw her weight into him and Scar-face went down, the air whooshing out of his lungs as she landed on top of him. He lost his hold as he fought for breath and Ciara rolled away. She scrambled to her feet, only to find herself face to face with his toothless companion.
    "Leave her for me," Scar-face said, coughing.
    "She might be too much for ya, Gart. Mebbe I gotta tame 'er a bit first."
    Ciara angled around so she could see both men. Scar-face had gotten to his feet. He rubbed his ribs, and pointed a grimy finger at her. "Yer gonna pay, mouse."
    She backed away, and looked for Fane. The gelding had wandered off to graze at the side of the road, and the two men were now between him and Ciara.
    Scar-face followed her gaze and grinned. "Try it. I'll even give ya a head start."
    Ciara couldn't even work up enough spit to wet her lips. She took another step back, her palms slick with sweat as she curled her fingers into fists. She reached inside for her earth magic, and wrapped it around the words she spoke, "Leave. Me. Alone."
    The toothless man cocked his head, and a look of calm settled over him. Ciara held her breath, but Scar-face just stood there, amusement playing across his face.
    "Go," Ciara said, with extra emphasis and another push of earth magic. She could see it as it left her and glided around the toothless man, but it skittered past his companion like water on ice, leaving him unaffected.
    The jagged, white scar twitched as he chuckled. "Now, you and me are gonna have some fun."
    Ciara jerked her knife out of its sheath. "Not as much fun as you think." But her voice wavered like the blade in her hand.
    The toothless man turned to move slowly away, a gentle blanket of earth magic guiding his steps. Scar-face paid him no heed. Instead, he reached down to his waist and slowly undid the wide belt, his hard stare locked on Ciara. He swung the belt, buckle down, next to his leg, and nodded toward her knife. "You thinkin' of usin' that thing, mouse?"
    Goddess's light, if he only knew she'd no clue how to use a knife to do anything more than skin a rabbit. "Try me and find out," she said, before she could stop her tongue. And find out what? That fear had just run rough shod over every ounce of common sense she'd ever had? Damn fool. She risked a glance at his companion. Go, go, go, she wished him silently, pushing with her earth magic to keep him walking away.
    Movement jerked her attention back to Scar-face too late to do anything other than stumble away as he rushed her. She brought up her knife in a desperate slice that found only air. Scar-face swung the belt at her, and she cried out as the heavy buckle struck the backside of her hand. Her fingers went instantly numb. The knife fell to the ground, and Ciara whirled to run, but Scar-face wielded the belt like a whip. Pain erupted in her leg as the buckle caught her below the knee, and she felt a warm trickle of blood slide down her shin. She managed another faltering step before he wrapped his arms around her waist, and drove her to the ground. Dirt filled her mouth, and stones cut into her palms as she thrust out her hands to break her fall. He sprawled across her back, pinning her, and slid the