“I will, I promise.” Modesta gave Bianca a gentle shove toward the door.
As she slowly made her way down the corridor, Bianca glanced down at her aching finger and the drop of blood that had beaded on her snowy-white skin. The sight sent a sudden chill skittering down her spine and a sense of foreboding descended over her like a black cloud. Before she realized that she had changed directions, she found herself making her way to the stables, an impromptu plan forming in her mind. A deep need to get to Draco consumed her every fiber, her every thought.
“What is your great hurry, Beauty?” Jabulani appeared at her side at the door of the stable as she waited impatiently for her horse to be saddled.
She turned misty eyes on the huge man, swallowing her tears. “I have to find him, Jabulani,” she declared in a low, trembling voice. “Please, do not try to stop me. I cannot bear the waiting. I have to do something.”
“I have no intention of dissuading you from your purpose, Beauty. But I think it best that you have an escort. I will accompany you.” His intense black eyes sparkled with anticipation for a little adventure. With a wide smile, he gave her a wink that was purely conspiratorial. The giant servant was her friend as well as her guardian and he would give his life for her if need be. It was a certainty that she could talk him into almost any adventure and he would merely shrug his massive shoulders and ride at her side no matter the reason. Her heart’s desire was his duty.
“Thank you, Jabulani. Thank you.”
“Hurry, Beauty. The day withers even as we speak.”
Glace was brought around for Bianca. She was a beautiful white mare with a long, flowing mane that had been woven with ribbons into tiny braids. The Spanish leather sidesaddle had been a present from her father on her sixteenth birthday and she treasured it. The small horse was gentle but had the strength and stamina of a much larger animal. She was a true kindred spirit, and Bianca loved her deeply, but now she needed her strength and speed.
Jabulani mounted a great chestnut stallion that stood eighteen hands high and was the only horse in the stable strong enough to hold his mighty form. He grinned down at Bianca on her dainty steed and laughed aloud. “It is a strange spectacle that will be riding across the countryside this day. The mighty giant will ride guardian over his small beauty.” The thought of it seemed to tickle his fancy, for he chuckled all the way across the outer bailey and through the front gates. Bianca could not help but smile at his good humor.
But as they rode out of sight of the castle and turned south, the feeling of urgency that she had felt earlier became more and more weighty on her mind. Jabulani never questioned her about her destination, but he had no intention of letting her ride into danger either. He kept a steady pace that was not too difficult for her to follow, pushing the horses as much as possible without tiring them.
* * * * *
Tired and weary from being out since this side of midnight, the large garrison of fighting men made their way back toward Castle Neige at an unhurried pace. It had been a fool’s errand they had been sent on. Roused from their beds in the early hours of the morning, they rode out anticipating a battle with band of outlaws only to find when they reached their destination, a burned out croft and a cold trail that led into the deep woods only to disappear, untraceable.
A contingency of men was left to bury the dead while the rest went in search of the foe, a task that proved pointless. Upon their return to the croft, they had taken time to help rebuild several huts for the remaining survivors. With so many hands helping, it had not taken long. Feeling somewhat deflated they started the long journey home. They moved at what seemed a snail’s pace, stopping only for an unsatisfactory midday meal before moving on.
Draco was in a foul mood. It had not been his decision to return to Castle Neige. He did not consider that the task they had set out to do was yet accomplished. But the Duke de Neige had given his man at arms specific instructions on what he wanted. And apparently that knight considered it pointless to continue the search for the raiders who had done minimal damage to the croft. In his opinion, it was just a small band that raided along the southern border. A long-standing feud between the Duke de Neige and a minor noble to the south, whom it was rumored harbored more than one band of outlaws, was the source of these problems. The two nobles often had words over the outlaw bands allowed to roam freely over the border onto de Neige’s land where they attacked at will anyone to fall prey to them.
“I have orders to leave a small contingency of the duke’s guards here to patrol the border. That should quell the raiding for the time being.”
Draco had to be satisfied with that and, with Charles motioning him to hold his tongue, they set out for the castle, leaving the men to follow.
“He has his orders, after all. If he is satisfied that the outlaws have been contained there is nothing we can say or do to change his mind.”
Still Draco hated feeling powerless against the unseen foe, which could even now be hidden in the forest watching them and laughing behind their hands.
It went against his nature to just walk away. He even thought to offer his services as a seasoned warrior to help rid the Duke de Neige of this vermin, but then he would be committed to staying at Castle Neige and facing Bianca every day. It was a temptation he was not willing to face. His lustful desire for the fair maiden was too hard to deny.
His attraction for Bianca would only grow stronger with each passing day. Draco had come close to taking her innocence last eve and he realized now that he had been saved from his mistake by only moments. If Charles and Cynric had not shown up at his door, he would have taken her and enjoyed every sweet, sensuous morsel of her delectable body. And then this morning, he would have hated himself for doing so. Draco tried to convince himself that they were fortunate for the interruption. Even now, the thought of never seeing Bianca again left him with an ache in his chest that he refused to acknowledge. It would be best to leave it alone.
The company of men slowed as it reached the edge of a heavily forested area where the trail narrowed, making it impossible to ride more than two abreast. Draco and Charles took the lead, riding forward into the dark vegetation. The trees grew so close together that it was impossible to make out anything on either side of the trail. The trail twisted and turned every so often making it impossible to see any distance ahead as well.
Without warning, Charles raised his hand and reined in, halting the line of men behind them. The unusual quiet of the woods was deafening. No birds sang out. No squirrels screeched in protest at the intruders who moved through the forest. Draco glanced back at his young brother, as was his habit just before riding into the thick of fighting. After so many years and too many battles, he needed a reason to survive one more day. His concern for his brother’s safety had provided him with that reason these past years. He had made a vow to his mother that he would watch over her youngest son. She had come to realize that her oldest son grew more reckless with every passing year and that he would eventually lose the will to survive if he had no reason to carry on. She had been right in her assumption.
Lowering his helm, Draco unsheathed his long sword, and raised his shield, a signal to his men to be ready for a battle. Beside him, Charles drew his sword and waited for his command.
“Whoever awaits us up ahead apparently did not take into consideration that the forest creatures might give their presence away.” His voice was low and deadly. Eyes like black ice scanned the shadows of the forest ahead as Draco urged his steed forward with no more effort than the pressure of his knees. He understood the dangers of being in such a close space. Their men were stretched out in a long line, easily cut off from each other, making it difficult to defend their position in case of an ambush.
The column of mounted, armed men moved carefully along the narrow trail, all eyes and ears strained for the smallest sight or sound. Draco’s skin prickled with apprehension, he knew without a doubt that they were being watched.
“Do you sense it,
Charles?” Draco questioned in a low voice as he surreptitiously scanned the shadowy tree line ahead.
“Yes. They are out there watching. Do you think that perhaps it could be the outlaws who raided the croft?”
“I would wager Inferno on it.” As if the great steed could understand their conversation, he snorted and shook his head as if to object.
Draco smiled tautly from behind his helm as he patted the beast on the neck to soothe his wounded pride. “Have no fear, you great black beast. I would not let you go. I have never placed a wager lightly, and I am not about to start now.”
At a turn in the trail where the foliage began to thin, Draco raised his hand to signal to stop. He was not about to lead his loyal men into a trap. He wanted to see what lay ahead.
With Charles following close behind, Draco rounded the bend where the trail widened slightly and pulled up short. Never had he felt such fear. The terrible sight that met his eyes made him want to bellow with frustrated rage.
Bianca!
Standing in the in middle of the trail bound hand and foot.
Bianca had never felt so frustrated and helpless in her entire life.
Only hours before she had been riding through the countryside with Jabulani at her side. She had intended to find Draco and warn him of her premonition. The attack, when it came, took them completely unaware. One moment they rode under a canopy of tall, leafy trees and the next, Jabulani was pulled from his mount by a handful of rogues, whose faces were hidden behind masks.
Even as they dragged the large servant to the ground and began to club him with large sticks, he had thought only of her. Jabulani bellowed for her to ride for her life. It was her moment of indecision about leaving him to his fate that had ruined her escape.
A cloaked man, wearing a black mask, came at her from the opposite direction and seized her about the waist pulling her from her mount. She had turned on him, kicking and beating him about the head nearly dislodging the mask that hid his identity. His curses had mingled with her screams of outrage but a hard cuff to the head had left her limp in his arms as he whispered a dire warning in her ear if she persisted in resisting him. As he dragged her to his mount and threw her across the saddle, he had ordered his men to kill the giant who protected her. Bianca’s cry of denial never made it past her lips as the kidnapper swung into the saddle behind her and clamped his hand over her mouth and warned her again to behave. This time he threatened her with her life.
Stunned by the horrible situation in which she had found herself, she sat like a puppet and barely noticed the trail they followed led them south in the same direction she and Jabulani had been headed. When she finally realized it, hope had flared in her chest that they might by chance run into Draco. She considered it her only chance of rescue since these villains had murdered Jabulani. Tears of sorrow flowed unchecked down her cheeks as she was carried deeper into the forest.
It seemed like hours that they rode, not stopping, not talking. Behind them, Bianca could hear the other outlaws catching up with them. Still no words were spoken. When at last she thought that she would scream with frustration, they came to a halt in a small clearing along the trail they had been following.
“I think this will do nicely. You, there,” he called to one of the men who had dismounted. “Bring me something with which to bind the little princess. Something sturdy.” He chuckled maliciously in her ear. “I would not want to lose such a prize as you, sweet Bianca. I have great plans for you.” With that, he dismounted and lifted her to the ground. There he held her hands out before her as another outlaw bound them tightly and then knelt to wrap the remaining tether around her ankles. With that done, the dark masked outlaw reached around her and before she realized what he was about, he punched her in the belly hard enough to knock the wind from her. As she gasped for air, he stuffed a rag into her mouth and bound another about her head to hold it in place.
“That should keep you quiet, little pigeon. I do not want you warning the great Dragon when he gets here. I want the element of surprise on my side. The game will be that much sweeter.”
His words both alarmed and puzzled Bianca. Why would this outlaw play such deadly game with her and Draco? But even as she thought over that question, she suddenly found herself all alone in the middle of the trail. The outlaws had simply faded into the shadows of the undergrowth without making any sound. It was then that she realized they used her for bait in a deadly trap for the Black Dragon of Normandy.
Bianca glanced frantically around the glade praying that she would not be the demise of Draco and his men. But even as this thought entered her mind, she heard the distinct sound of jingling bridles and horses’ hooves hitting the ground as they came down the trail toward the small glade. She made a noise of warning in her throat but it was not enough to be heard. She could do no more than stand there helplessly waiting.
Draco cursed viciously beneath his helm. Had he really expected Bianca to be safely behind the high thick walls of Castle Neige where he had left her earlier this morning? He should have guessed that the impetuous little vixen would never do what he expected. How she came to be here, he would have to wait until later to discover. At present, he needed to determine the best method of rescuing her from her present predicament without getting them both killed.
As Draco’s gaze swept over Bianca to discern her condition, he could see that her white face, the part not hidden behind the gag, ran wet with tears, which streaked down through the trail dust that covered her. Her gown was stained and crushed from the apparent harsh treatment she had received. Whether she had any serious injuries was difficult to discern from where he sat astride his warhorse. A thick rope bound her hands and her lower body. Whoever had put the restraints on her wanted to be sure that she was unable to move without falling.
A quick glance around the glade found no evidence of the villain or villains who had done this. But, by the way Bianca kept searching the surrounding trees, Draco knew her tormentors were just out of sight, hidden well in the shadows.
Bianca stood helpless in the path of the large warhorses, wondering if she were about to be trampled into the ground. The elation that filled her nearly dropped her to her knees when she recognized the huge knight in black armor and the blonde knight who rode at his side. But her relief was short-lived, turning to horror, as she understood her captors reasoning for placing her in such a position. Her violet eyes widened eloquently as she struggled with the bonds that held her hands so that she could remove the piece of cloth stuffed in her mouth. But she could do no more than shake her head furiously, trying to warn Lord Draco and Lord Charles of their vulnerability. But even as she began to struggle, her kidnapper made his presence known.
“So the great war heroes have finally arrived.” A voice rang out through the clearing. But it was impossible to pinpoint the villain’s hiding place since his voice seemed to echo through the trees.
“What do you want?” Draco demanded. His anger was barely under control. When he located the ruffian, his wrath would know no bounds. Nothing would hold him back from seeking his revenge for this insult.
“I want the little beauty to die, of course. But then I realized that I could not just slit her throat as I first planned. No, it would not be enough. I want to be entertained. I am willing to give you, the famed Black Dragon of Normandy, a chance to show the little lady what a great hero you really are.”
“What are you talking about? Why the hell would you want to kill an innocent woman? Who are you?” The questions where shot at the invisible knave without pause, Draco hoping to draw him out giving them time to discover his hiding place.
“One need not have a reason to snuff out an insignificant life, perhaps I enjoy the killing. Or perhaps the fault is hers. Perhaps her very existence is cause for ending her miserable life. But if you must know the truth on the matter, her only crime is that she has become a stumbling block for a certain party and they want her permanently removed. It seems that your lovely little whore ha
s made a formidable enemy.”
The reference to Bianca being a whore nearly pushed Draco into charging blindly into the glade to find the man who dared to speak such an insult. But he gathered his last shred of control and stood his ground. It would do none of them any good if he carelessly got himself killed at this point.
“Who hired you?” Draco demanded, knowing even as he asked the question that he would not get a truthful answer.
For a moment, silence was the scoundrel’s only response and then the woods filled with his harsh laughter.
“You must think me a real fool, m’lord. It is enough to know that someone wants the beautiful Bianca out of the way and they have taken certain measures to that end. But I find that I am a compassionate man. I am willing to give her a last moment of reprieve. You, without interference from your noble friend or your men, will be allowed to ride to the center of the clearing and retrieve the woman. Or if you prefer, I can simply put an arrow through her very lovely breast and end it all now. The choice is yours.”
“‘Tis a trap, Draco,” Charles protested under his breath as his eyes swept the trees for any sign of the outlaws.
“I know. But I cannot sit here and watch her die at the hands of some madman.” Not waiting for more argument, Draco spurred Inferno who leaped forward and rode at full gallop straight toward Bianca.
Bianca had listened in horror to the choices that Draco was given and she wanted to scream and rave at him to stop. She did not want to trade his life for hers. She feared that the madman lied and even as Draco rode at full speed straight at her she expected to find a hailstorm of arrows descending on them.
The scene played out before her took only seconds but those seconds seemed to stretch out into long moments as Bianca watched Inferno’s huge hooves throw sod and chunks of grass high as they ate up the distance between them. When his mighty churning hooves tore past her, Bianca felt his hot breath against her arm and then strong arms lifted her high to deposit her on Draco’s lap where she was completely engulfed in his protective embrace. It all happened so swiftly that she barely had time to take a breath, but when she did her eyes caught a movement in the foliage to their left and then a man stepped into view with a long bow stretched to let loose a deadly missile. Before she could cry out a warning, the arrow was launched. Knowing that the archer’s intended target was the vulnerable place in Draco’s armor, Bianca threw herself hard against his chest, taking him unaware. The momentum of her actions was enough to unseat them both. They fell to the ground in a tangled heap. Draco had been able to turn as they fell so that his body cushioned Bianca as they hit the ground hard.
Kiss of the Dragon Page 16