Free A Heart of Fire by Kerri M. Patterson

rocks beneath her as he dragged her to him. She
screamed again, thrashing wildly, but he deflected her every move and quickly
pinned her down with his body atop hers.
    "Nay!" Finna cried out, bucking under him,
tossing her head from side to side. She squeezed her eyes shut.
    "Not this time, woman," he growled. "I
grow tired of your antics. Come," he said, pulling himself from the forest
floor and hauling her to her feet by the top of her arm.

Chapter Seven
     
    Finna gasped. She had been sure he would rape her.
When she stood before him, she glared and tilted her chin high, even as his
fingers dug mercilessly into her flesh. Not even the snickers and howls of
laughter from the other men deterred her.
    Valdrik looked down on her, shaking his head for a
moment, but then looked away toward his men as he spoke. "Stieg, ride
ahead. I do not think they notice yet that she is gone. If we hurry, we can
make it back before midday tomorrow. Útryggr and Ragnarr, I wish you to stay
behind to watch for Aldar's men. Stay until morning light and then catch up to
us." One of the two men nodded to Valdrik and nudged his mount, trotting
off into the wood up a hill and out of sight with the other man flanking him as
they headed in the direction of her home.
    Frantic
thoughts of what might happen next clouded her mind as Finna watched them
disappear, leaving her alone with the madman. However, she supposed one was
better than four.
    "Can you handle that one on your own?" the
remaining man, Stieg, asked laughingly as he slowly turned his mount and
started away.
    Valdrik scoffed. "This one cannot have many more
tricks left to play. Go, I can handle her. I want you to ride ahead and tell
our Jarl we have rescued his daughter."
    Fear pooled in her belly when Stieg looked on her chillingly.
His eyes were cold and hard, leaving her with the distinct impression he did
not care for her, though she was not even sure he knew who she truly was. He
was a brutal looking man, with a heavy beard and scarred face.
    Her heart began to flutter, but at last, the man
looked away and urged his mount in the direction they headed before her captor
had stopped. Finna watched the man fade quickly into the night, and when she
was again alone with Valdrik, she asked, "What do you plan to do with me
now?"
    He turned to her, his look quite blasé. "Same as
I planned to do with you before you attacked me," he said.
    Finna looked upon him, appalled and in disbelief.
" What is in this for you?"
she demanded.
    He shrugged. "Your sister. The position of Jarl
when your father passes."
    Finna's eyes flared, and her back stiffened as he
grabbed her up with ease again and sat her on the horse's back once more, this
time with her legs draped over the side, mockingly like a lady would sit.
    After Valdrik climbed up behind her, he pulled another
length of rope from his belt. Finna looked at the binding and scowled. He must
have brought enough to wrap her in if need be.
    “Your
hands, sweet maiden ,” he said,
waiting.
    Finna
jerked her hands forward. “There is no need. I am no fool. I know when I have
been bested.”
    “And
I am no fool, either. You may cry defeat, but your eyes tell a different story.
So, you shall be bound, warrior maiden." He lowered his voice and leaned
closer, "Until I deem doing so unnecessary.”
    “And
how long might that be?” she asked scathingly.
    "You
are lucky, Finna. I am not a man to hurt a woman, but do not test me. I have
not done to you what most men might have." With one finger, he turned her
chin so she faced him.
    Finna
did not recoil as she had a mind to, but glared back, trembling against his
touch.
    "If
you do anything like that again, I shall take your clothing from your body
myself. I think you might be less tempted to run from me if you were bare from
your toes to your head. What do you think?" His eyes fell to her breasts,
his hot lusty stare evident.
    Finna
shivered under those hooded eyes, unused to a man looking on her so.