Free Dare to be Mine by Kim Allison

was a most
bleak thing, she mused as Percy reached her with one final step. Picking up the
ring from the table, Percy held it in front of Elyssa's face, her eyes brimming
with unshed tears of frustration. "Now put it on and never remove it again.
Do you understand me?"
    "I need no heavy ring of silver
upon my finger to remind me I'm in hell."
    Of an instinct, Percy's hand came up.
With an intense outrage at his young wife's complete disrespect, Percy slapped
her face with the back of his hand. The contact was so harsh and unexpected
that Elyssa fell back and stumbled to the floor, crying out at the abrupt pain.
Percy jerked Elyssa's left hand up and forcibly thrust the ring onto her
finger, her sobs going unnoticed and uncared.
    "Perhaps you will use more wisdom
the next time you think to dishonor me so blatantly." He began to walk
away, issuing one last command before leaving her room. "I would advise
you to pack your bags. I think tomorrow would be a splendid time for you to
visit your parents in London, for I do not wish to see your face for the next
several days."
    He slammed the door shut so loudly it
shook on its hinges. Elyssa lay on the floor still, holding her cheek with her
hand, as she cried aloud at the unfairness of life. She had never wanted this,
had never asked to marry a man more than twice her age, only to live a
miserable and forlorn life.
    As the tears slowly began to subside,
Elyssa pulled herself up on the edge of the table. She still felt weak, her cheek
tender and sore, and her stomach churned in distress of everything that had
taken place. She had pushed Percy past the limit, and her face was certain to
be a reminder of that fact for the next day or two.
    As she sat in the chair and saw her
reflection in the mirror, Elyssa's fingers went to her other cheek as she saw
the streak of dried blood marring her skin. Her mind returned to the moment it
must have been traced there, and she reminisced about the forbidden kiss shared
with the stranger. She recalled the shocking way in which he'd purposely cut
himself to mix their blood together in unholy alliance. It was his blood
on her cheek, Elyssa realized anew, and a shiver went up her spine at that
notion.
    Exhausted, she fell into bed, the tears
fresh on her face and Elyssa settled into a numbness of her own making.
Difficult as it would be, she must face what life had cruelly dealt her and
simply make the most of it. Any hopes of romanticism or thoughts of a happy
marriage must be done away with. Finally, her eyes drifted shut and Elyssa fell
into a restless sleep.
     
    ________________
     
     
     
    It was roughly midnight, Daniel guessed,
still reclining in the far recesses of the stables, where he'd been since
before ten o'clock. She told him she could not see him again, but Daniel still
hoped Revee would come. He could not explain this fierce obsession with the
young woman, only knew that his every thought revolved about her.
    At that moment, he heard a sound at the
other end of the stables. Having long since gone to sleep after more than a few
drinks, the stable hand would not be up and about. Daniel knew that for a fact,
for he'd seen to it himself that the man had imbibed his share of whiskey
during their card game before finally retiring to his humble loft over the
stable. Daniel hadn't wished to be disturbed should Revee decide to come, hence
his generosity with the man's favorite bottle of spirits.
    Fleet of foot, Daniel was at the other
end the hint of a smile e we of the stables in mere seconds. Stray strands of hair came to rest in front
of Daniel's eyes as he skidded to a halt, not wishing to appear as desperate as
he felt at the hope it might be her. His lips curved upward when he spotted the
lovely sight standing in the doorway staring back at him. She had come after
all.
    Barely able to contain his pleasure,
Daniel felt like a schoolboy elated at the chance his feelings might be
returned by the prettiest girl in town. He ran his fingers