FJORN
She stood before me, bathed in moonlight, her hair shimmering. Her cheeks were a bright, flushed red. My arousal, already hard, now throbbed for her. I wanted to press her against something, feel her body against mine, taste her lips, explore her with my fingers.
âCan I touch you?â were the only words I managed to get out.
She looked at me as if Iâd spoken in a foreign language. âWhat? No, why?â she asked.
âBecause I want to,â I replied, my gaze drawn to her pink lips. Gods, I wanted to kiss her. To touch her. She took a step back, and I matched it with a step forward, backing her up against a tree.
âWhat are you going to do?â she asked, her lip trembling. My mind was filled with things I wanted to do, but one desire stood out above the rest. I wanted to kiss her, right there in the moonlight, to taste her. âOnly what youâll let me. Can I touch you?â
Anticipation hung in the air, making each passing moment feel like an eternity as I waited for her response. Finally, she nodded, and I reached for her chin, tilting her face up to meet mine. I could feel her legs shaking as I parted her thighs with my own. I wouldnât touch her thereânot yetâbut gods, I wanted to.
I leaned down and kissed her. Her lips were hot, as if they could melt me. I wrapped my arm around her, pulling her into me, lifting her slightly. Her full breasts pressed against my chest. Her arms slowly wrapped around my neck, as if she was trying to resist but couldnât help herself.
I didnât want her to resist. I wanted everything she was willing to give. Did she like this? Would she let me do more? I gently pushed my tongue against her lips, hoping she would let me in.
She slowly opened her mouth, and I explored every inch of it. Her soft moans filled the air, making it hard to control myself. My hand slid down to her thigh, pulling up her dress slowly until I felt the warmth of her skin. She pulled away from me with a gasp.
Her eyes were foggy, and her breaths came in short gasps. I could feel her heart pounding against my chest, mirroring my own. Her scent intoxicated me, and the taste of her mouth lingered on my tongue. I wanted more. No, I needed more. More of her.
As I leaned in to kiss her again, a twig snapped. I turned, already reaching for my axe. An arrow whizzed past my head, and I grabbed Kendraâs arm, pulling her down with me. I scanned the tree line but saw nothing in the darkness.
Another arrow was released, then another. I felt Kendraâs arms wrap around me, her face buried in my back. ~Protect her~, a voice in my head commanded. I took her hand in mine, our fingers intertwining. I pulled her up with me, and we ran, hard and fast, through the trees. The glow of the camp was just ahead. We just had to make it.
A manâs voice echoed from behind us. âForward, men!â
A Saxon army? The scout hadnât mentioned ~them~. Had they been close to Kendraâs village all this time? Just a little farther, and I could ensure her safety. The thought of losing her filled me with rage. I glanced back at her, seeing the fear on her face as she clung to my hand. I couldnât let them take her.
An archer appeared behind her, arrow ready. âNo!â I yelled, pulling her into my arms and turning to shield her from the arrow. I felt the sting as it hit my left shoulder, followed by the warmth of blood trickling down my back.
âFjorn!â Kendra cried out while trying to hold me up. As I dropped to one knee, her eyes met mine, and I watched as a tear cascaded down her cheek.
âYou have to run. The camp is just ahead. Youâll be safe there. Tell them my name,â I instructed, pushing her toward the camp. I watched her run, stumbling as she went. I turned my attention back to the Saxons, axe in hand, and I let out a loud battle cry.
Ten, maybe fifteen men were rushing toward me all at once. Thank the gods I could hear my fellow Vikings coming to my aid. Gritting my teeth, I raised my axe, feeling the weight of it in my hands, and swung it toward my adversaries, despite the searing pain in my shoulder.
In the midst of the skirmish, a shiny object caught my eye, sparkling under the moonlight, as my brothers-in-arms rallied beside me. Chain mail. It indicated the warrior I saw astride the powerful stallion was skilled, and he was moving fast in Kendraâs direction. She could never outrun a horse. And from the distance they both were from me, there was no way I could reach her in time.
Regardless, I rushed toward her, my chest heaving with each breath as my heart raced. I could feel the burning pain in my shoulder, but I refused to let it slow me down. It wouldnât end like this. It wasnât fair for her to come into my life just to be ripped out of it so soonâbefore I even had a chance to truly know her.
The warrior reached her before I could, pulling her onto his horse and throwing her across his lap. Her scream echoed through the forest before she disappeared into the darkness.