Samantha Holt (Highland Fae Chronicles) Read Online Free Page A

her lips and he lifted his head to see her eyelids flutter. She made no attempt to wriggle from his hold so he dropped his head and held her tight. Katelyn must have been very cold not to fight him on this. She’d already shown such determination. He couldn’t fight the grin of admiration spreading across his face. What a lass.
    “Forgive me, my lady, ye need body warmth.”
    She responded with a small sigh, one that had his gut twisting and his body responding to her once more. Ach, but he was in a precarious position. Let her freeze to death or risk frightening her further with his inappropriate behaviour.
     “All will be well, lass,” he soothed. Her body relaxed further into him and his grin expanded. “We’ll have ye to safety soon, never fear. Finn mac Chaluim willnae let any harm come to ye, I swear it.”
    The sound of gentle breaths somehow broke through the slosh of waves and creak of wood. He nodded with satisfaction. Aye, he must have assured her now. With luck, she’d be singing his praises to Lorna and the lassies always loved a hero.
     

Chapter Two
    A strange squeak echoed through Catriona’s head. An ache pounded in her skull and each squeak made it worse. Why in God’s name was her bed making such a sound? She wriggled but found herself pinned, a substantial weight holding her down by her stomach. She grumbled and twisted again but to no avail. Then she became aware of a heavy puff across her neck. She stiffened.
    Male breaths.
    She wrenched open her eyes and the throb in her head increased. Dark damp wood surrounded her. A brown fur covered her body and... and a large arm encircled her waist. Breaths growing rapid, she fought the rising surge of panic and forced herself to consider her surroundings properly. The day had turned to night at some point and only slivers of moonlight seeped into the small boat. She could not view the men rowing without drawing attention to herself but she heard the odd low mutter between them and the splash of their oars.
    Whoever had her restrained was a large man. Was it the Viking who had taken her? His thighs pressed up against the back of hers and his head rested near her neck—intimately. Her chin wobbled as the haze in her mind cleared. Her clothing was gone. Only the pelt separated her naked body from the warrior. Had he undressed her? Or…or done something else to her? A sound of anguish scrabbled up her throat and she fastened a hand over her mouth.
    Catriona considered her body. Aside from the ache in her head and cheek from where the other man had hit her, she did not hurt anywhere else. It was unlikely he had ravished her. Something to be grateful for at least. But now what? She was naked, most likely in the middle of the ocean and trapped in the hold of a vicious warrior. She’d seen the way he’d run that Norse invader through. If he would do that to his own people, what would he do to her?
    It was odd for even though she’d studied him momentarily, his eyes had reflected warmth, so very unlike that of the man who’d tried to rape her. No doubt that man would have killed her once he’d had his way. This man, however, had done nothing yet.
    Yet.
    Just because he had kind blue eyes and an oddly comforting way of holding her, did not mean he wasn’t as vicious as the rest of the Norsemen. Enough tales of their barbarity circulated the castle prior to their invasion. He probably didn’t want to ruin her so he could sell her off.
    Catriona chewed her lip and concentrated on the waves splashing the hull. Visions of the man against her, his clammy hands pawing her thighs kept threatening to invade her mind. The last thing she needed was her thoughts to be further muddled. And the thought that confused her most? Why did this man’s hands upon her—albeit with the furs as a barrier—not send revulsion through her?
    A shout brought her kidnapper to his feet and Catriona bunched the furs in one hand, tightening them around her. The boat rocked wildly