Bella swallowed hard as she gazed upon her father where he stood at the entrance to her chamber, dressed only in a robe. A belt was tied loosely around his hips, and the material gaped over his thick chest matted with wiry black hair. With trembling hands she smoothed her gown over her knees, praying the dark chamber hid her flushed cheeks and crushed gown.
“Ah, you’re awake,” her father drawled, and dread filled her belly as he silently closed the door behind him.
Her heart thundered in her chest as he moved across the chamber toward her, the moonlight casting his features in shadow as he came to tower above her where she knelt on the bed.
“I-I, don’t feel too well,” she lied, praying fervently that he would quickly leave. She flinched slightly as he laid his hand against her forehead.
“You’re warm,” he murmured, his fingers trailing down over the soft skin of her cheek, damp with perspiration. “You should take of your gown.”
“P-Please father. I would rather be alone. I-“
“Nonsense, Isabella. Let me help you out of it. There’s no need to call a maid at this hour.” Bella’s eyes closed momentarily as she fought to control her trembling as his large hands slid over her breasts before closing over the tiny pearl buttons marching down the front of her gown. It felt like spiders crawling over her skin.
Bella was frantic, knowing she had to get rid of her father before Leonn sensed something was amiss and came to her defence. Should her father discover the man his men were scouring the countryside for was hidden beneath her bed, a simple shout would bring armed guards racing to her chamber, and Leonn’s life would be forfeit.
“Father, really, I can do this myself,” she whispered, trying to struggle from his hold as he fumbled with her buttons. She gasped as he tore violently at the fine material, exposing the shadowy cleft between her tiny mounds upthrust by the crush of her bone corset.
“I fear I am too impatient,” he murmured as he pushed the material aside to gaze down at the rapid rise and full of the creamy breasts, their rosy tips a tantalising shadow against the thin cotton chemise.
“Father, don’t-“ The breath rushed from her lungs as he drove her back of the bed, his large body swiftly rearing over her as his mouth covered hers. She tried to turn her head away, but he caught her face firmly between his fingers as his wet tongue sought entry into her mouth. She fought him, her nails raking down his arms as the full weight of him fell on her, pinning her to the bed. She whimpered as his teeth bit down on her lower lip, the taste of her own blood filling her mouth as his tongue finally thrust between her parted lips.
She almost gagged from the taste of him, tears pooling in the corner of her eyes as she struggled beneath him. He drew back from her slightly to gaze down at her, the intensity of his dark brown eyes sending chilled darts down her spine. “I’ve longed to taste you, Isabella. Even as a child you drew me. I wanted to see your eyes widen as I thrust inside of you, tearing your maidenhead and filling you completely for the first time. I will make him pay dearly for what he has taken from me, before I end his miserable life.”
Her eyes widened in horror as she saw Leonn loom above them, his face a terrible mask of fury as he wrenched her father from her and shoved him away from the bed and Bella. Her father stumbled back, fear and disbelief written across his face as he caught sight of the man that dared deny him what he so long desired. “de Angel!” he cursed.
“You sick bastard. Your own daughter,” Leonn ground out menacingly as he advanced on the cowering man.
“She’s a slut,” her father rasped out, never taking his eyes from Leonn as he backed toward the door. “Couldn’t spread her legs fast enough, begged me to fuck her from the moment she arrived.”
In a blur of speed she saw Leonn throw himself on her father, sending them crashing to the floor. She could barely stand to watch as the two men struggled on the floor, praying the guards would not hear. She wasn’t to know that her father had sent them away for fear they would spread gossip of her screams.
Her eyes widened in horror as she saw her father reach for something in his boot, and she cried out to Leonn in warning. Her father rolled on top of Leonn and slashed the dagger down toward his chest. Leonn’s hands wrapped around her father’s wrists in a tight vice, the tendons in his neck straining.
Bella laid her hands on the first heavy object she found, her fingers trembling. She moved toward the two men, raising the silver candleholder above her head. She held her breath as she brought it down hard against the back of her father’s head, feeling the sickening thud reverberate up her arm. Her father groaned at her attack, his hand snaking out to grip the front of her torn gown, but she dodged him, swinging the solid silver instrument around with all her might. The blow landed on his temple, and a look of surprise filled his face before he slumped sideways, the dagger clattering to the floor.
Leonn pushed the limp weight off of him and rose, catching a swaying Isabella and pulling her firmly up against his broad chest.
“Is he dead?” she mumbled against his chest, the bloodied weapon in her hand falling to the stone floor as she slid her arms around his waist.
Leonn kissed the top of her head as he arms tightened around her. “Yes.”
She shivered at the matter of fact tone of his voice, even as she felt relief that the monster was finally dead.
“Why didn’t you tell me about him?” he demanded, shaking her slightly. She buried her head against his chest, but he caught her chin in his fingers, titling her head back. There was no escaping those burning amber eyes. “Why Bella?”
“You never asked,” she said quietly. “Go,” she whispered, pushing against his chest as she tore herself free from his arms. “They will kill you if they find you here.”
She couldn’t bear to look at him, knowing it would tear her heart out to watch him leave her again, perhaps this time forever now that her father was dead. She turned her back on him, struggling to get out of her torn gown, and kicked it away from her with disgust as it fell to the floor.
“Would you try and stop them?” he asked quietly, and she stilled.
How could he ask that of her? Didn’t he know how he made her feel?
A lengthy silence filled the chamber as he waited for her answer.
He gave no warning as he strode across the chamber and caught her up in his arms. She shrieked as he tossed her over his shoulder, and he slapped her firmly on the bottom. “Don’t make this harder than it has to be, little one. I’ll drag the answer from you if I have to.”
~ * ~
She knew she shouldn’t have been surprised that Leonn had discovered secret passages that led deep into the bowels of her father’s castle, but she was. Her lips parted on a silent gasp as he lifted a large, dusty tapestry that lined the far wall of her chamber and pushed against solid stone, revealing a narrow passage.
“How?” was all she could manage, her fingers clinging to his linen shirt as he slowly made his way through the dark maze.
“You’re father made the mistake of allowing the steward to live when he murdered the family who lived in this castle to take possession. The man, upon learning my name, came to me, eager to spill his secrets in return for my promise to kill your father.”
“Why didn’t he go to the King for help?” she asked naively, trying to comprehend her father’s despicable behaviour.
“Your father had his wife and daughters locked in the dungeon as surety.”
A shiver racing through her at the horror the steward and his family must be going though. “I must go back, Leonn. I have to release them.”
“They have been freed. I saw to it myself.”
His tone was final, inviting no questions, but her mind tried to piece together the night he had come to her room and the distraction of her father’s missing horse to the steward’s plight. The rush of feelings she had for this man who would risk his own life to fulfil a promise threatened to overwhelm her.
Leonn carried her for what seemed an age, feeling his way through the darkness until eventually the air seemed to ease around them. Finally she spied moonlight filtering softly through grates above them to spill on the ground at Leonn’s feet. He paused beneath one and pushed it aside with one arm before lifting her up through the tiny gap and squeezing through behind her. She found herself standing in a thick grove of trees, the full moon casting long shadowy fingers across the mossy open ground before her. Her toes sunk into the damp softness and she breathed in the moist air as Leonn moved to stand beside her, his fingers seeking hers.
She caught sight of movement from the corner of her eye, and she clung to his warm strength.
“They are my men, little one. They won’t harm you.” He ran his hand soothingly down her back as his men silently closed around them.
They had been laying in wait for their lord, and Bella was only beginning to appreciate the calculated mind of her captor. One man handed the reins of a large black stallion to Leonn, and it tossed its head and nickered in greeting as it caught sight of his master.
Leonn swung his leg gracefully over the back of the stallion and leaned down to lift her up before him. It was only as she settled on the saddle before him, her chemise drawn up high on her thighs that she realised her state of undress, and her hands flew up to cover her breasts as a heat bloomed in her cheeks. She quickly gazed around her, and found that his men refused to meet her gaze as Leonn guided his horse along a barely noticeable trail.
Belatedly realising her distress, Leonn handed her the reins before unbuttoning his white linen shirt and slipping it off, baring his tanned chest to the cool night air. He gathered it around her shoulders and fed her arms through the sleeves one at a time before reaching beneath her arms to button up the front.
