by Connie Mason
“Reyna, of course. I did not recognize her at first. You know how it is when a man is blinded by bloodlust. You can imagine my profound shock when comprehension dawned. I think she knew me too.” He paused, staring thoughtfully into the rising steam. “If I’d had the sense to recognize her beauty and value, I would have claimed her for myself before you carried her off.”
“Did Hagar or Olga explain what happened? How she came to be my thrall?”
“Olga told me. My sister wants Reyna gone. She fears Hagar is too fond of her.”
“Olga is wrong. Hagar bought Reyna for me; he never wanted her for himself. Your sister’s jealousy is unwarranted.”
Sweat poured off each man in rivulets. When the steam started to dissipate, Wulf dumped another bucket of cold water over the hot rocks and returned to the bench.
“Olga should not have to suffer Reyna’s presence if it makes her uncomfortable,” Rannulf said. “I am confident Hagar will agree with me. He has waited a long time for an heir.”
Wulf slanted Rannulf a curious look. “What are you suggesting, Rannulf?”
“I wish to purchase Reyna from you. Name your price.”
Wulf hissed out a breath. “I thought you wanted to wed Helga.”
“I did…I do. I understand Helga and Reyna are friends. Doubtless my new wife would welcome Reyna in our hall.”
Wulf fought hard to control his rage. “If I sell Reyna to you, do you intend to bed both my sister and Reyna?”
Rannulf shrugged. “Why should that bother you?”
“It bothers me that you intend to bed another woman under my sister’s nose and feel no guilt about it.”
“Hmmm, I suppose you are right. If you will allow me to purchase your thrall, I will wed her instead of Helga. After all, I was the first to have her. Did I ever tell you she was a virgin? Tight and hot as anything I’ve…”
Without warning, Wulf lunged. He picked up Rannulf and tossed him out the door.
Chapter Seven
Red dots of rage formed behind Wulf’s eyes as he pulled on his leggings and stormed from the steam hut, stepping over Rannulf, who was still lying in the dirt.
“Wulf, wait!”
Wulf whirled at the sound of his name. He cursed beneath his breath when he saw Hagar hurrying toward him.
“What happened here?” Hagar asked, gesturing to Rannulf, who had apparently regained his wits and had staggered to his feet.
“Put some clothes on,” Hagar ordered the dazed warrior. Rannulf returned to the steam hut while Wulf and Hagar continued their conversation.
“I hope you are not considering Rannulf as a brother-in-law,” Wulf said.
“Why not? What has Rannulf done to offend you? I could not believe my eyes when I saw him staggering before the steam hut.”
“The bastard wanted to buy Reyna.”
Hagar’s brow furrowed. “What is so unusual about that? Thralls are bought and sold every day.”
“He wants Helga and Reyna, with the intention of bedding both women. When I flatly refused, he offered to wed Reyna.”
Both men stared at Rannulf as he exited from the steam hut. Hagar motioned for him to join them.
“I brought your jerkin,” Rannulf said, handing Wulf the rest of his clothing. Wulf snatched it from his hand. “I did not mean to upset you, Wulf. We have been a-Viking together too often. And you, Hagar, are my sister’s husband. I meant no disrespect.”
Hagar shook his head. “No disrespect? Did you truly intend to wed Helga, buy Reyna, and bed both of them?”
Rannulf shrugged. “I spoke without thinking. Helga deserves better from me.”
“Wulf said you offered to wed Reyna instead of Helga.”
Rannulf shot Wulf an exasperated look. “I thought it no more than right since I took her virginity during the raid on her farmstead.”
Hagar held Wulf back when Wulf made a menacing move toward Rannulf. “I was not aware you were the man who assaulted Reyna during that raid. Now I understand why she avoids you.”
“It took awhile, but Reyna finally recognized Rannulf as the man who had hurt her.” Wulf glared at Rannulf. “Until she saw you, she held me responsible.”
Rannulf huffed out a breath. “You are not entirely guiltless. You sold her to a slave master.”
“I am well aware of that,” Wulf replied.
“I see no reason to fall out because of a thrall. What say you, Wulf? I but tried to do the right thing, for I understand you and your family value Reyna. If you allow it, I would still like to court Helga.”
“Over my dead body!” Wulf raged.
“Calm yourself, brother,” Hagar soothed, then turned to Rannulf. “If we allow you to court and wed Helga, Rannulf, we will expect you to give up raiding and rapine and turn to trading, just as we did.”
Stroking his chin, Rannulf considered Hagar’s stipulations. “You would still let me court Helga if I agree to your terms?”
“Hold on,” Wulf injected. “We would also require you to remain faithful to my sister, promise that you will take no other woman to your bed during your marriage.”
Rannulf’s gaze shifted to Hagar. “You are the elder brother, what say you? Are you a faithful husband? Was Wulf faithful to his wife while she lived?”
“Aye, to both your questions. The only way we will allow you to court Helga is if you agree to our terms. If you refuse, you had best seek a wife elsewhere.”
“Let me add to that another condition,” Wulf said. “You are to keep your hands and eyes away from Reyna. She is mine.”
Rannulf sent Wulf a puzzled look. “I have never known you to be so possessive of a woman.”
“Nor I,” Hagar said, grinning. “Nevertheless, Reyna belongs to Wulf, and I confirm his final condition. If you do not agree to the terms put forth by us, I suggest you return to your farmstead.”
“I agree,” Rannulf said without hesitation. “Helga is worth any sacrifice.”
“So be it,” Hagar replied.
They clasped arms. But when Rannulf turned to Wulf, it took a good deal of prodding from Hagar before Wulf offered his hand to Rannulf.
Reyna was still sleeping when Wulf returned to his hall. He knew because Uma made it a point to mention Reyna’s laziness.
“I am famished,” Wulf said. “I will wake Reyna while you fix us something to eat. Where is Lorne?” he asked when he noted the thrall’s absence.
“Gathering firewood,” Uma replied.
Wulf nodded as he strode toward his sleeping alcove and slipped through the curtain. He was surprised to see that Reyna was up, dressed, and sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at her hands.
“I was hoping you’d still be abed,” Wulf rasped, his expressive silver eyes hinting at his reason for wanting her in bed again. “Disrobe for me.”
Reyna’s eyes widened and she glared up at him. “No, I refuse to become your whore.” She rose and swept past him. She had almost reached the curtain when Wulf grabbed her arm.
“When I give you an order, I expect you to obey.”
“I will obey when it pleases me to do so. You cannot force me to your bed.”
Wulf scratched his head. “What has gotten into you, woman? You were amenable last night.”
“Last night was an aberration. You caught me at a weak moment. ’tis bad enough that I am a slave. The only way you will bed me again is by force. That will make you no better than Rannulf. Is that what you want?”
Wulf scowled. He hadn’t anticipated this kind of defiance from Reyna, though he should have expected it. But after her passionate response to his lovemaking last night, he’d thought they would move forward, not backward. What had changed in the span of a few hours?
“I want you in my bed willingly,” Wulf said tersely. “But if you continue to resist me, I may change my mind.” He held the curtain open for her. “Come, we will break our fast together and discuss this later. I am starving.”
Though Reyna doubted Wulf would accept her refusal easily, she sw
ept past him into the hall. Wulf wasn’t the only one who was hungry.
Reyna had thought long and hard this morning about the passion they had shared last night. Her first thought had been that she had willingly bedded the man who had sold her for profit. She supposed she’d been so grateful that Wulf hadn’t been the man who had taken her on the hard ground the day of the raid that she had lost control of her emotions.
But upon awakening this morning, Reyna had realized Wulf wasn’t guiltless. In the space of two summers, terrible things had happened to her. Wulf had led the raid on her farmstead, and for all she knew he had slain her entire family save for her brothers, who had been off on a trading voyage. And she laid the blame for those deaths at Wulf’s feet.
Reyna still had a modicum of pride left, and that pride was telling her not to add insult to injury.
Clasping her elbow, Wulf led Reyna to the table. She sat on a bench, trying to ignore the sullen glances Uma slanted her. When Uma slammed trenchers of eggs, bacon and thick slices of toasted bread down on the table, Reyna dug in, ignoring the thrall’s obvious hatred.
“Ale for me and buttermilk for Reyna,” Wulf ordered as he filled his plate. The ale and buttermilk appeared almost immediately.
“Is there anything else you desire, master?” Uma asked with a hint of sarcasm.
“Not right now,” Wulf replied curtly, “though it would serve you well to change your manner. I do not find it pleasing. Mother, Olga and my sisters plan to smoke meat and fish today. I give you permission to join them. You may leave now.”
Uma stormed off, grabbing her cloak from a hook beside the door before leaving the hall and slamming the door behind her.
“Uma is in a bad mood this morning,” Reyna ventured.
“Aye,” Wulf agreed. “She has no reason to be jealous, but she hates you for my attention to you. I plan to sell her to a new master soon.”
Reyna continued eating. Though she shouldn’t care about Uma’s fate, she did. They were both in the same situation, thralls dependent upon their master’s whim.
Reyna swallowed and cleared her throat. “I hope you don’t sell her to a cruel master.”
“Forget Uma. She does not deserve your consideration. She has been cruel to you since the day you arrived. I would rather talk about your duty to your master.”
Reyna pushed her empty plate away. “Not everyone is rich enough to eat off of pottery plates and bowls,” she said, abruptly changing the subject.
“We are not talking about pottery and such,” Wulf growled. “We were discussing your disobedience.”
“You were discussing it, not I. If you will excuse me, I promised to help Lady Thora today. There is a great deal of preparation necessary for the long winter months ahead.”
Reyna pushed her chair from the table. She didn’t like the expression on Wulf’s face; he looked like a child deprived of a favorite toy. But her hopes of escape evaporated when he grasped her arm and pulled her hard against him.
“You are not getting away that easily.”
Reyna watched his eyes kindle and burst into silver flame as he lowered his head, claiming her mouth with hungry thoroughness. Relentlessly his tongue probed against her lips, forcing them to open beneath his. His tongue searched for hers, found it and sucked it into his mouth. Reyna felt her insides melting, felt heat infuse her bones.
Stiffening her spine, she fought her own body’s response to Wulf’s sensual attack. Her body was betraying her in the worst possible way and she vowed to resist. When Wulf’s hands found her breasts with unerring accuracy, Reyna knew she had to put a stop to this or end up in his bed, enjoying every minute of his attentions.
Hardening her heart, Reyna bit down on Wulf’s tongue, wringing a yelp of pain from him. He lifted his head and glared at her. “Why did you do that?”
“I know where your kisses will lead. I succumbed to your seduction once, Wulf, but never again. Just because your family is kind to me it does not mean I have forgiven you for what you did to me and my family. The boundaries between right and wrong became blurred for a time, but after Rannulf arrived and I had time to think, I still hold you responsible for destroying my life.
“I no longer know if I have a father or mother, or if my farmstead is still standing. I am a slave to a ruthless Norseman with no possibility of freedom or escape.”
Her chin went up. “You can order me to your bed, but you will have to use force to get me there.”
Spinning on her heel, she stormed off.
Wulf stared after her. Most thralls would be shaking in their boots at the thought of defying Wulf the Ruthless. But not Reyna the Dane. He couldn’t decide whether she was ridiculously foolish or excessively brave. Wulf was utterly befuddled by Reyna. Should he force her to obey him or let her have her way? Either course had its drawbacks. Forcing Reyna to his bed would not be a pleasant experience, despite his newfound knowledge of her passionate nature. On the other hand, if he let her have her way, he would become the thrall and Reyna the master, leading him around by his cock.
Wulf’s resolve hardened. Reyna was his thrall and she had to obey him. Mayhap not today, or tomorrow, or the next day, but he vowed that soon she would come willingly to his bed. Confident of his ability to manage his thrall, Wulf left the hall.
He strode with purpose toward his brother’s hall to speak to Hagar about preparing and storing their ships for the winter months. They would still have two small rowboats available for fishing when weather permitted. Norsemen were born sailors. The sea was their life; it held no fear for them, and Wulf was more competent than most.
As Wulf reached the front entrance, the door opened and Reyna dashed out, straight into his arms. Wulf’s protective nature roared to life. “What is wrong? Has someone hurt you?”
Reyna’s face was colorless, her mouth open in a mute scream. Wulf glanced behind her and saw Rannulf standing in the open doorway. “What did you do to her?”
Rannulf shrugged, his expression inscrutable. “I merely wished your thrall a good morning. Reyna has no reason to fear me. I will not harm her.”
Wulf grasped Reyna’s shoulders. “Look at me, Reyna.” She raised her eyes to his. “Is Rannulf telling the truth? Did he merely wish you a good morning?”
“I cannot be in the same room with him. Every time I see him, I want to kill him.”
Her words were spoken so fiercely Wulf did not doubt her sincerity. “If Rannulf hurts you again, I will kill him. Do you believe me?”
Reyna stared into his eyes with such intensity that Wulf wondered what was going through her mind. Did she hate him with the same intensity that she hated Rannulf? He could scarcely credit it after their passionate night together. With Reyna, however, anything was possible.
“Do you believe me?” Wulf repeated harshly.
After several interminable moments, Reyna gave an affirmative nod.
“Then listen to me. No one here is going to hurt you. You belong to me, I am the only one who can punish you, and right now punishment is the last thing on my mind.” His silver eyes burned into the green depths of hers. “You do understand what I want, do you not?”
Reyna gave a jerky nod.
“Return to what you were doing.”
Reyna turned and sidled past Rannulf. When Rannulf started to follow her inside, Wulf stayed him with a hand on his shoulder. “What did you do to frighten her?”
“I neither threatened nor hurt your thrall, Wulf,” Rannulf denied. “I am determined to obey your brother’s rules and court Helga. She is old enough to be a bride, and I truly want to wed her.”
“Do you swear you have no designs on Reyna?”
“Aye, my sights are set on Helga and no other. I will not poach on your territory. Even a blind man can see you have feelings for Reyna beyond those of thrall and master.”
Wulf went still. “You are wrong, Rannulf. Reyna is a Dane; her people killed my wife and unborn son. Any feelings I have for Reyna are centered below the belt. You above anyone s
hould know about lust. Dane, Swede or Finn, my cock makes no distinction when it comes to pleasure.”
Laughing, Rannulf slapped Wulf on the back. “Fear not, I consider Reyna beyond my reach.”
Eyes narrowed, Wulf watched Rannulf stroll off. Mulling over Rannulf’s words, Wulf wondered if what he felt for Reyna was lust and naught more. When had his attitude toward her changed? When had Reyna the Dane ceased to be the enemy? The day she saved his life or the day she had stepped off his brother’s dragon-ship, faced him defiantly and spat at his feet? Confusion muddled his brain. Did his entire family know he yearned so intensely for his thrall?
During the following days Reyna moved like a shadow about the farmstead, keeping well out of Wulf’s way and avoiding Rannulf altogether. She continued to spend a great deal of her day in the stillroom, pro cessing the herbs and roots she had gathered. Not only did she enjoy the solitude, she was honing her skills. A fortnight passed before the idea of sleeping in the stillroom occurred to her. She already took her meals in her private sanctuary. Helga brought food to her three times a day and thus far no one had insisted that she join the family or eat with the thralls.
She still feared that Wulf would lose patience with her and order her to his bed. She couldn’t allow that to happen again. She had enjoyed it too much. As long as Reyna remained a slave, there was no future for her and Wulf. And Wulf wasn’t likely to free her any time soon. He enjoyed the role of conqueror too much. That was why she tried to avoid him. Out of sight, out of mind.
One day, when Helga arrived with her midday meal, the girl appeared reluctant to leave.
“May I stay and help you?” Helga asked shyly.
“I’ve placed some leaves in a bowl,” Reyna said, gesturing toward a crockery bowl resting on the worktable. “You can grind them into a paste with a pestle, if you’d like.”
Helga took her place at the table and picked up the pestle. After a lengthy pause she said, “Why do you not like Rannulf?”
Reyna went still. “Is it that obvious?”
“It is to me. Did you know he is courting me?”