Blood, Steel and Desire

When Kimbery finds a strange warrior unconscious on the road, surrounded by the bodies of five road bandits, there’s only one choice to make. She has no idea just how much that choice will change the lives of everyone in town.

~~~~~ Excerpt ~~~~~

Rael stepped forward and set the point of Whisker’s sword beneath his chin. “You mean Grim Jack? I left five of his men on the road a couple of months ago. They didn’t impress me any more than you three.” Rael looked the men over. “Though I see you don’t wear his sigil when visiting town.”

Whiskers stepped back from the blade and glanced down at the unconscious Top Knot. Blood bubbled up from his ruined face when he breathed. “He’s alive.”

Handsome staggered to his feet. Together, he and Whiskers lifted and carried the limp man. Rael and Alric walked the men to the west gate. “Never come back. If I see you again, your life is forfeit,” Rael growled.

The two men watched the brigands retreat down the road and then turned to the Baron’s soldiers that had been guarding there. The outlanders’ glare caught them by surprise. “We won’t let them near town. We swear.”

Rael turned to find Wulfwyn and Kimbery about ten feet behind. Kimbery held her husband’s father’s sword, and the innkeeper held a studded cudgel, no doubt normally secreted behind her bar. Rael tucked the war axe into his belt and handed the sword to Alric with a grim smile.

They walked back to the inn quietly to find the bartender, Dunn, tending to Osbern’s wounds on the inn’s porch. Osbern’s eyes met Rael’s, and something unspoken passed between them.

Rael heard heavy footsteps from his right and turned to see Hutha arrowing at his wife with an angry look. “Woman, give me that!” he said angrily, reaching for the sword in her hand.

Kimbery spun and pulled the sword behind her and pushed his reaching hand away from her. Shocked by her sudden willfulness, he lowered his voice. “You are humiliating me in front of everyone.”

Kimbery lowered the sword but did not give it to him. “You humiliate yourself, Hutha. Now go to the mill. The order must be finished this week so we can deliver it by the promised date.” Their eyes locked in a battle of wills and Hutha’s didn’t last long against her steely gaze.

Hutha dropped his eyes and stalked off towards the mill. Kimbery whirled on Rael, her eyes blazing. “And you! If you’ve ruined all my hard work getting you healed, with your ridiculous heroics, I will push you into the street tonight!” She pointed to the house with the sword. “Now move!”

Rael smiled and did as he was told, ignoring the few chuckles from behind.

Kimbery closed the door as she followed him in and shot the bolt. Rael turned and Kimbery stepped up, reached behind his head, and pulled his face to hers. Hutha’s father’s sword clanged to the ground, forgotten. They kissed feverishly, heat building between them as she felt his hot breath on her neck.

Rael reached down and lifted her as her legs snaked around his waist, holding him tight. The heat of her kisses on his neck and chest revealed their unspoken need, and he carried her boldly to the bed she shared with Hutha.

At the bedside she undressed him, pulling the leather ties on his deerskin breeches, with a gleam in her eye. For the first time in years, she saw a new path forward. She knew Rael wasn’t the sort of man to settle in a place like River’s Bend, but it didn’t matter. His appearance on that bloody road was like a pebble in a pond for her.