Page 13 of The Red Wolf’s Prize

Stepping away from her, he flicked his fingers toward thedoor. “Go then. Your work is done here for today.”

* * *

Serena looked up at the clouds gathering above her. Hunting thenext day not far from the village, she was hurrying to take enough rabbits tosatisfy Maggie before the deluge began. She’d taken four when a woman’s screambroke the quiet of the woods. Dropping her catch, she ran toward the sound. Asshe neared the small clearing just ahead, she heard a familiar voice.

“Nay! Let go of me! Do not do this!” the woman pleaded.

“Come wench! Give me what I want and I will gladly releaseyou.” The man’s voice was deep, husky and harsh.

Serena stepped into the clearing just as she heard the soundof ripping cloth. She had known who the woman was. Eawyn was her friend. Andshe knew the knight from the hall when she had first served the Normans theirevening meal. His leering glances had made her uneasy.

With one hand, the swarthy dark-haired knight held the womanin his grasp while wrenching down her tunic and shift, tearing the cloth stillfurther. Eawyn struggled to pull away while clutching at the torn fabric withher free hand, trying in vain to cover her naked breasts.

He reached out to touch one of the pink-tipped mounds ofpale flesh, and Eawyn let out a pathetic wail.

With lightning speed, Serena moved her bow into placenocking an arrow and pulling it back, ready to fire.

The knight threw Eawyn roughly to the ground, fallingheavily atop her. With her hands pinned beneath his weight, there was nothingEawyn could do to fight off the inevitable.

“Release her!” Serena shouted.

The knight did not stop but mercilessly squeezed one ofEawyn’s breasts, while violently sucking the other into his mouth. Eawynwrithed beneath the Norman, struggling to free herself while he shoved hisother hand between her legs, pulling up her tunic.

“Stop, I say!”

The knight turned to see Serena’s poised bow. Rolling offEawyn, he rose from the ground, dragging the terrified woman with him, stillholding her in his punishing grip. “Ah, another young beauty…and this one witha toy in hand. Come join us wench and we shall have good sport. There is morethan enough of me for the both of you.”

With cold determination Serena looked into the dark eyes ofthe beefy knight, who unlike his fellow Normans, wore a mustache and shortbeard and was all the more menacing for them.

“I will not miss my mark, Norman. Let her go now, orI’ll dispatch you to hell where you surely belong.” She would not hesitate tokill this man who would defile one of Talisand’s women. The vengeance shecraved ran strong and deep. Not just for Eawyn, but for her father, Talisandand all of England.

Still holding the struggling Eawyn, the knight laughed.

Serena would give him one last chance. She aimed for the armthat held her friend. Letting the arrow fly, its metal tip sank deep into thefleshy part of his arm, sending a warning the knight could not ignore.

With an oath, he let go of Eawyn. “What have you done,wench?” He looked at his arm dripping blood. “For this you will pay!”

“I think not,” Serena said. “Now, move away from her.”Serena quickly nocked another arrow. This one she would aim at his heart.

“Nay, I shall have my feast here in the woods,” he saiddefiantly, his dark eyes crazed as he gripped Eawyn with the hand of hisuninjured arm. “And then I shall have you before I kill you!”

“Say your prayers, Norman, for hell awaits you!” About tolet her arrow fly, Serena heard heavy footfalls behind her, snapping twigs.

“What goes here, Sir Hugue?” The blond knight who wascompanion to the Red Wolf stomped into the clearing and stood next to Serena.In a gentle voice he said, “It was good your aim went amiss, Sarah. You do notwant the death of a knight laid upon you. Put down your bow. I will handlethis.”

Serena slowly lowered her bow but did not take the arrowfrom its place, nor her eyes from the one called Sir Hugue. Inside she stillseethed.

At the blond knight’s words, the knight who held Eawynreleased her and stepped back, lowering his head as if a humble suppliant. ToSerena, his submission appeared feigned. His arm where the arrow pierced itdripped blood but he seemed not to notice. “Naught but a bit of sport, SirGeoffroi. And for it, I took an arrow in my arm from the wench.”

Eawyn ran to Serena who dropped one of her hands from herbow to wrap an arm around the distraught woman who was desperately trying tocover herself.

Serena whispered in her ear, “Do not reveal my identity.”

Eawyn’s dark tresses had come loose from her plait to fallin strings around her face and her blue eyes were full of tears, but she noddedeven as she continued to sob.

“The maid does not look willing to me, Sir Hugue.” SirGeoffroi’s voice brooked no excuse. “What were you thinking? Do you not knowthe Red Wolf’s rules concerning the women?”

“Aye, I know his rules,” Sir Hugue scoffed. “We are not totake a lady unwilling. But surely that does not include the servants!”