Angel in Black (7 page)

“Rina knew him well. He gave her the stallion she is riding.” The questioning look on Blake’s face prompted Ryon to continue with the story. “She’s cared for all our sick horses for about four years now. A couple of years ago, one of our best mares had a difficult time foaling, so we sent for her. Grandpa thought we’d lose both the mare and colt, but Rina managed to save them both. Thankful, he gave her the colt. Everyone around here says there’s no one who knows more about horses than she does. It’s true; she has a remarkable way with the beasts. Grandfather was fond of Rina.”

“How fond was he of her?” The question came out before Blake realized he voiced it aloud.

Taken off guard by the blunt question, Ryon answered before understanding his brother’s deeper meaning. “They were friends. Why?” The anger he saw on Blake’s face gave him the answer.

“No,” Ryon exclaimed in objection, “it was nothing amorous, I’m sure. They used to play chess sometimes, or go riding; all aboveboard and innocent. For God’s sake, Blake, she was just a kid when she first came here.” Ryon gave his brother an appraising look. “Besides, why should it matter to you what was between them?”

“It does, that’s all.” Blake turned and walked away leaving Ryon bewildered. Blake mounted Hera and started for Windsong, angry at himself for reacting like a jealous adolescent. He didn’t understand the hold the woman had on him, or what strange madness possessed him. He hadn’t bedded her yet, and still, she drove him beyond reason.

Chapter Five

R
INA RODE FROM THE
graveyard as fast as Blackstar could carry her. One look at Blake Roberts brought back the confused thoughts plaguing her since he kissed her. She blamed the feelings he aroused on the wine. But now — she wasn’t sure. The shock of seeing him completely shattered her confidence. He stood strong and tall, his broad shoulders filling the church doorway; his presence leaving her weak in the knees. When their eyes met, the same feelings she experienced at the gypsy camp overwhelmed her. How could the mere sight of this man do this to her? Always in control of her mind and emotions, she did not understand why he managed to destroy her self-discipline so easily.

She tried to shake off the disturbing thoughts of Blake Roberts and chided herself for her silliness. Determined to keep him from her mind, Rina thought of other things. The sun warmed her back as she rode across the countryside, the afternoon lovely. Deciding to take advantage of the unusually warm day, she turned off the road and headed for her secluded swimming hole. She discovered it years ago, when she still lived at Camray. There was a waterfall and pond, surrounded by lush vegetation and flowers — a tiny bit of paradise completely hidden from the world.

Whenever Rina needed to be alone with her troubles and fears, she would visit her secret place. She spent hours swimming in the pond or sitting on the bank staring into its crystal-blue depths, looking for answers to whatever troubled her in the water. Several things crowded her mind today, but her thoughts always wandered back to Blake Roberts.

Carefully, Blackstar made his way through the thick trees, knowing the way well. They came to a dead end and a sheer rock wall rose in front of them. Blackstar stepped behind some brush and through a concealed opening in the rock. On the other side, they passed under a waterfall then back out into the sun. A deep, blue pool stretched out before them, its grassy banks sloping up into dense foliage, ending in the unbroken circle of rock. No matter how often she came here, she always found it breathtakingly beautiful.

Jumping from Blackstar, she allowed him to wander and nibble the tender grass, her own thoughts on the water. Colorful clumps of wildflowers stood out among the deep green, her nose delighted by the sweet aroma. The water sparkled and beckoned, the cool, clear depths promising relief from the hot afternoon sun. Rina sat on the bank and quickly shed her boots to soak her feet. She stretched out on her back in the soft, cushiony moss to watch the puffs of clouds drift lazily across the sky. She relaxed, the peacefulness easing the tension from her. She thought of Lord Roberts — sadness heavy in her heart. She would miss him terribly. Rina sighed and closed her eyes against the brightness. Drowsy, she drifted to sleep.

Unknown to Rina, one other person knew of the waterfall and pond, though it had been over fifteen years since he had visited the place. Blake came out from under the waterfall and wound around to the other side of the pond, thinking how little it had changed. Unable to bear the confines of Windsong earlier that morning, he had changed to his riding clothes and left, not knowing where he wished to go. Somehow, he ended up here, a pleasing place to be.

Hera snorted, her eyes drawn to Blackstar as he grazed in the grass. So deep in thought, Blake hadn’t noticed Rina asleep on the bank. Quietly, so as to not disturb her, he reclined on the grass among the trees, where he had a close, clear view. For the moment, he was content to lie back and watch her sleep.

The woman he studied stirred in her slumber. Blake noticed the change in her delicate features as something more sinister took hold. Concern touched him at her growing agitation, at the fearful place the terrible dream took her.

Rina bolted upright; stifling her scream as that long-ago night came to life in her sleep. Blackstar heard her muffled cry and moved to her side. He gently nuzzled her neck and whickered, comforting his mistress in the only way he knew. Rina stroked his soft, black muzzle and murmured, quietly, passionately.

“I’ll kill him, Blackstar. Someday, when the time is right, I’ll kill the bastard.”

Blackstar wandered off to graze again and Rina decided a swim would clear her head. Once her clothing was shed, she dove into the pool, surfacing several feet from the bank, the water soothing.

Blake watched Rina gracefully swim around the small pond, his heart racing. God, she was more beautiful than he had imagined. She was the color of honey, tanned from the sun, creamy and smooth. Her hair billowed out in a fan of dark gold as she floated about the calm water, its coolness making her nipples hard, their rosy tips peeking out to tease and temp his eyes.

She rolled over and swam to the waterfall, climbed onto the rocks to let the water shower over her in a misty veil, to run over each delicate curve. An overwhelming desire to jump in and join her ran strong in Blake, to take her right there on the rocks where she now stood. Lust consumed him and demanded he satisfy his need, but for some reason he held off. He felt the voyeur as he continued to observe her, and wondered why she was not yet married. Perhaps she preferred to be free, to favor all the young men of the village, like the big, blond fellow she was obviously fond of.

Again the strange envy snaked into Blake’s thoughts and he tensed from sudden anger. He forced himself to relax — why should it matter to him if she was a virgin or not? It would be much easier to bed her if she wasn’t chaste. Rina was bolder than most women — she probably had numerous lovers. Yet, everyone held her in high regard, despite wearing breeches and riding astride like a man. She also handled a knife damn well, in spite of her sex. She was a peasant, living no better than the others of her village, but there was something about her that was different. Blake shook his head in confusion and whispered beneath his breath, “Damned if I can figure you out, little one.”

Rina returned to the pool and floated around, luxuriating in the soothing water as it glided over her, massaging away her tension. Finally, she stood and climbed onto the mossy bank, the drops of water reflecting the golden rays of the sun, dripping from her. Wringing the excess water from her hair, she flung the heavy tresses out of her face. The sun kissed her wet form, bathing her in its warm golden haze as she raised her arms above her head, like a sun goddess paying tribute. Still unaware she was not alone, Rina walked over to her pile of clothes and started to dress. The garments clung to her, the moist shirt becoming semi-transparent. When she sat and pulled on a boot, something caught her eye.

She glanced about and spotted Blake’s horse moving in search of sweeter grass. Rina’s eyes narrowed suspiciously, recognizing the mare. Hurriedly, she pulled on the other boot and searched the green area for its owner. Anger washed over her and her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She jumped up and ran to Blackstar. Grabbing a handful of his long, slick mane, she started to mount him, but strong, long arms caught her around the waist and lifted her from the ground.

“Where are you going, little one?” Blake’s breathe tickled Rina’s ear. He twirled her around, crushed her to his chest.

“Let me go. You, you …” Rina spat, searching to find the right words. “How dare you spy on me!”

Blake caught her wrist in time to save his face from her sharp claws. Rina’s indrawn breath was like a hiss and her eyes turned as dark as a midnight sky. He lost himself in their depth and momentarily forgot his purpose. When he hesitated, Rina brought her knee up, but Blake was more alert than she anticipated. He twisted and she missed her aim, but her actions threw them both off balance and they tumbled to the ground.

Rina jerked free and stood to face him. Blake bounded to his feet in a split-second but stopped mid-stride when the steel blade in her hand flashed in the sun. Tangled in a wet mass, her hair cascaded down her back, her breathing ragged with rage. Rina’s eyes spewed blue sparks as she faced him, legs braced apart, ready to fend him off.

Blake took in every detail, every sweet inch. Leisurely, he admired the way the men’s clothing molded seductively to her feminine curves. His bold gaze lingered on the swell of her breasts straining against the tight shirt, her nipples tantalizing beneath the wet fabric. Her lips were parted slightly and her face was flushed, but he saw no apparent fear. Blake started to laugh, the sound echoing off the high rock walls. Rina’s eyes narrowed as she waited for his next move, wary and tense.

“God — you’re the most confusing woman I have ever known.” Smiling, Blake relaxed and leaned against a tree, unconcerned Rina still held a knife in her hand, obviously willing and able to use it.

“You, sir, do not know me,” refuted Rina, still mad as hell. “If you did, you would not find me so.”

Blake’s laughter stopped; his eyes now serious as the fires of desire danced in them. “I want nothing more than to get to know you, Rina. I want to get to know every beautiful inch — very intimately.”

He spoke softly, so softly Rina had to listen carefully to hear his words. When their meaning sank into her mind, she felt a blush creep over her face.

“You are lovely, Rina. When you came out of the water and stood beneath the waterfall —”

“You bastard,” Rina interrupted. “You
were
spying on me. You, you … I …” again she sputtered incoherently.

“What are you so damned angry about?” snapped Blake, sudden irritation surging in him. “You certainly don’t think twice about swimming naked in a pond in the middle of the countryside. It wouldn’t surprise me if you knew all along I was here. Perhaps you are the type of whore who likes to tease, then back away pretending to be virtuous.” As Blake went on, he grew furious with her. He lost all composure when she stood there, shocked and hurt by his tirade. He thought he would go mad from the lust she inspired. Why wasn’t she willingly wrapping her long luscious legs about him so he could ease his agony? Instead, the little vamp was standing there, gorgeously attractive, dangerously wielding a knife, daring him to come closer with those damnable eyes.

“Whore?” As the shock of his words wore off, a blinding rage exploded in Rina. The word reverberated in her mind with a numbing force. She was hurt he
could
think such a thing, and was furious he
would
think such a thing. “I am no man’s whore.”

The words came out calm, but the cold underlying tone of her voice should have warned Blake to stop. “What about your big blond lover? I saw the way you looked at him.” Unable to stop himself, he blundered on, careless of his words. “Do you warm his bed at night? How many men have there been, Rina? Do you sleep with them for money, or pleasure?”

The violence Rina barely held in check shattered at his brutal words. She sprang at Blake, flying through the air, knife slashing, teeth bared. A scream escaped from deep within her, startling Blake into action. His reactions were quick, and he blocked her assault easily, but Rina was fast on her feet and continued to hack at him in a fury.

Although Blake was twice her size, he had his hands full trying to keep her from shredding him to ribbons. Like a jungle cat, agile and strong, she attacked again and again. Her strength shocked Blake, as everything else about her had. Yet, Rina’s blind wrath drove her to carelessness, and he maneuvered to grab her wrist. He wrenched the knife from her hand and tossed it aside, out of her reach.

He wrestled her to the ground and laid his full weight on top of her, stilling her wriggling form. With Rina’s wrists held firmly in his grip, he looked down at her in disbelief. The wench had actually tried to kill him! The teasing witch.