When Lightning Strikes (30 page)

Dominic was a knight by heart and soul and it seemed should have been even by birth. And yet fate had other ideas that had brought him here instead. Had he not been a gypsien, just as she herself was, they would never have met.

They were almost out of the woods and at the base of a large hill now. It looked more like a small mountain actually with craggy rocks and a narrow, winding road leading up the side. Sarah’s thoughts drifted back to the present where she knew they must stay in order for her to survive.

As they approached the base of the small mountain, Marco nodded up to the rocky indentures and small caves.

“That is where we will go. You will be safe there from the weather and from anyone who may come along and I will leave you my tinder to make yourself a fire if it is some time before we return.

He kicked his horse into more of a gallop and Sarah followed suit.

They rode about halfway up the hill where there was a small cave with a nice overhang at the entrance. Marco eyed it carefully and slowed his horse.

“Here,” he nodded. “He quickly dismounted and looked cautiously inside the cave before going fully inside to make sure there were no bears or other wild animals hiding within. He looked at the ceiling of the cave as well. Thankfully, no bats had taken up residence either. That wouldn’t stop him if he were on his own, but he wouldn’t feel right leaving Sarah in a bat-infested cave by herself.

He walked out of the entrance as Sarah was dismounting and motioned her to come in, then, he quickly ran over to some nearby bushes and pulled free some dead looking brush and dragged it in. He began to snap the wood into pieces and Sarah immediately began to help him. Soon a substantial pile was lying in the middle of the floor right near the entrance. It wasn’t aged and dried properly, so it would no doubt be smoky as hell, but it was better than nothing. At least it was dead timber and drier than a freshly cut part of the living tree.

“Margery, the old servant at Lord Thomas’s castle explained this to me….how to start fire with tinder,” she said. “I haven’t tried it all by myself yet, though.” She looked a little nervous.

“You will do fine. Just be patient because sometimes it takes a few tries, and make certain you start it near the entrance, so there will be proper air to keep it alit, and so you can breathe. And remember, the firelight can be seen in the dark from a distance by someone else…in the event we are detained past dark this eve.” He grabbed two long branches, and pushed them deeply into the ground and grabbed a rolled blanket from the
back of the horse, stretching it across. “This will help block the light at least a little.”

She nodded. “That is many hours from now…if you are detained for that long, then I will know you aren’t coming back.”

She swallowed back the lump in her throat.

He dragged in a heavy breath. “Sarah, he will come for you…we will come for you. Believe it. Even if we are detained, we will find a way to escape and come back here.”

He looked around to make sure there was nothing else he could think of that she might need, then added, “You know I would be more than glad to go out and hunt down something for you to cook, but I cannot. I must go to him now. He is in danger. Navarre and his men have probably descended upon them this very minute. I only left his side to bring you to safety by his order.”

Sarah nodded again. She was afraid to have him leave her here in the middle of nowhere, but she was more afraid of what was happening right now back at the caravan.

“Just go Marco. I’ll be fine. My welfare is the least of our worries right now.”

He walked out to his horse and gave Sarah a quick hug and a reassuring smile before mounting up. He looked down at Sarah once more. “If for some reason, God is not with us this day, I will keep the promise I have made to you. And, in due time, should you decide to stay among us, I shall see to it that you are provided for just as though you were my own sister.”

Sarah struggled to hold back the tears that now threatened to fall from her lashes and nodded. “Thank you, Marco. You are a good man – just as he is.”

He smiled weakly at her and kicked his horse into a hard gallop down the dusty mountain road. She watched as he descended to the bottom and rode hard out across the grassy field and back into the forest before he disappeared from her sight.

She walked back into the cave and plunked down hard on the sandy floor. What was she going to do now? Sit here and wait, pacing the floor with her stomach twisted into knots? How could she bear it?

She sat there marveling at it all. How could it all have come to this? She had come here – not of her own will, fallen completely head over heels in love and married the man of her dreams knowing full well that she could never stay here with him. She had been taken away from him only to escape by a miracle and return to his side. They had been through so much in the short few days they had known each other and had come to understand one another. And just when she was beginning to think they might have a future together somehow, some way, either in this time or her own…she was torn away from him again and he would no doubt be killed before they had ever had a chance to know what the future held in store for them and what sort of life and love they might have known over time.

She allowed her anger to take over now. How could her mother have done this? Damn! She couldn’t possibly have known how far this would go and the danger she was now in. She was sure of it. How much she wished she were back in the safety of her own house right now.

And yet, the lure of Dominic’s passion was enough to make her stay here with him forever. She realized that now. As much as she loved and missed her own time, with all its modern miracles of indoor plumbing and cell phones, automobiles, and every creature comfort one could cherish, she cherished him so much more.

And in that moment she realized she wasn’t going to sit here for one more minute while he faced Navarre’s wrath without her. She was his wife and she belonged by his side.

She walked outside to her horse. She patted its neck softly and whispered, “Well, sweetie. You’ve taken me this far. I know you must be tired, but I need you to be strong.”

She lifted her water skin to her lips and drank and then poured some into her palms and offered it to the mare and she licked it up hungrily. Sarah offered her water until the skin was half empty, knowing it wasn’t really enough but the horse seemed somewhat satisfied.

She sheathed the long knife Dominic had given her inside of her boot before hoisting herself on the mare’s sleek
back and dug her heels gently into her sides to get her moving. The horse seemed to know exactly what Sarah needed and she took off in the right direction towards the base of the hill and onto the forest below.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Dominic had watched as Sarah and Marco disappeared into the forest far in the distance. It had been only a short time ago, but it seemed like only seconds. Time was running out now as Navarre and his men descended upon them from the distance.

He knew it was only a matter of a very short time before they would be here. He prayed Marco would make it back here before then. His breath escaped him in a long sigh of relief as he saw his friend appear at the tree line across the wide grassy plain. The question was - would he make it here before the riders did? No matter, he was sure he could hold his own.

Dominic slowed his horse and ordered the wagon drivers to pick up their pace just a bit to buy them some more time. It certainly wasn’t going to stop what was about to happen, but at least it would give Marco a few extra needed minutes to get here.

Meanwhile he rode back to the second wagon where he knew Indiri would be riding inside – just as she always did when they traveled. He quickly jumped down from his still moving horse and ran alongside the wagon, finally jumping up over the side and into it beneath the canopy.

Indiri looked up at him in surprise, half expecting it to be one of their pursuers
.“Well…I am glad it is you and not one of them. But still, I need to box your ears, child!” she clucked at him.

He stepped forward and sighed
as he kneeled down beside her. “Well, old one. What do you foresee of this?”

“What do you mean, what do I foresee of this? You already know what must come, Nico. It is your destiny.”

“And what exactly is my destiny?”

“You tell me.” She winked at him. “You will know what to do when the time comes. Navarre is not the only challenge you will face this day. You will have to choose your path in more ways than one. Follow your heart and you will know what is right.”

She reached out and stroked the side of his face, as his mother had done when he was just a boy. His blue eyes closed and he relished the feel of her comforting, old hand there just as if he were still that youth.

He opened his eyes a moment later, wishing the moment could go on, but they were out of time. “I must go now. I love you, you know. You will be….?”

She cut him off and nodded. “I will be fine. I am old but I am still full of spit and vinegar!” She laughed out loud and pulled a small dagger from under her skirt. “I fear nothing, Nico. Not even death. But I do know that today is not the day it will come for me.”

“You’re certain of this?” he asked her.

She raised an eyebrow and smiled ever so slightly at his use of one of Sarah’s strange shortened words.

“Oui.”
She nodded and motioned for him to leave. Her eyes clouded because she knew it would no doubt be the last she ever saw of him. Not because death would come for him this day. Instead she had this feeling that something else awaited him. Not of this place, nor this
time
. But it did most certainly have to do with his future with the girl Sarah.

He reached forward and wiped a tear from the corner of her eye and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. “Fear not for me. You know I will defeat him.”

She nodded once again. “Yes. You will.”

He gave her one last look before he parted the canvas and jumped down from the wagon. His horse was still obediently trotting along side right where he had left her and he jumped up onto her back in mid-stride without missing a beat.

He turned and looked back to see the riders were almost upon them.

He motioned to Jean-Paul and one of the other men to ride to the back of the caravan. He was unafraid. He had waited long for this day and even if he ended up lying in a dungeon in his sire’s keep, come hell or high water he was going to see the end of Navarre de Lyonne…or whatever his bastard name really was.

The party of riders descended on them very quickly and in moments they had the caravan slowed to a halt. Jean-Paul was engaged in combat with one of the riders almost immediately and had soon disarmed him. He jumped from his horse toppling the man to the ground and knocking him unconscious.

Navarre moved in closer to where Dominic was. He looked drugged or intoxicated and his expression was hateful as usual.

“Ah. Well, I see we meet again, you and I. You cannot escape me and you cannot escape the fate I hold in store for you, either. And as for my lovely wife, well that is for our private pleasure alone.” His expression was smug.

Dominic wanted to leap at him and tear his throat out, but he restrained himself. This was not the time. He needed to keep calm and have every ounce of his strength and wits about him.

Navarre looked distracted for just a moment as he eyed the area all around the wagons. Sarah was nowhere to be seen and a sense of nervousness welled up inside of him. The girl was the gypsy’s undoing and not having her here to distract him would be disastrous. Not to mention the fact he intended to take the little witch with him and show her exactly who her new master would be after he had disposed of du Barbaronne.

He turned to Dominic.

“Where is she?” His mouth drew into a tight line.

Dominic’s expression was unwavering. His eyes bored into Navarre’s but still he remained silent.

Marco was just pulling his horse to a halt and he prayed Navarre would suspect nothing. That he would simply think Marco had ridden out to keep an eye on how close they had been.

Navarre’s eyes narrowed suspiciously.

“Check the wagons.” He nodded to two of his men. Dominic looked to Marco as the men checked the wagon. Marco nodded imperceptibly to him indicating that Sarah was safe up in the hills.

Dominic’s breath came out in an inaudible sigh. Moments later the men came back from the wagons shaking their heads.

“Lord Navarre. There is none here except for the gypsien women.

Navarre’s jaw tightened. They had spirited the wench away from here. This did not bode well, but
no matter. He would take the cur back to the keep and before killing him he would torture the information from him as to the woman’s whereabouts. Yes. And how much he would enjoy torturing him. So many different ways to do the deed!

“So, you think you have bested me – but I tell you, you have not.” He nodded to his men. “Tie him. He is coming back with us. I will find out where you have taken my wife, dog. And when I am finished with you, death will be a merciful end.”

“Perhaps, death will be a merciful end to you instead.”

Dominic raised his sword and in one instant his men drew their own swords and without warning the battle had begun. Navarre’s expression twisted as he began swinging his weapon violently at Dominic.

“Time to die, bastard.”

Dominic remained calm as he engaged Navarre. Marco watched for a moment standing ready to defend his friend but a second later his attention was drawn off to the left. Two men were jumping onto the horse of their troupe’s knife maker, Salazar and yanking him down. Marco made the decision to leave Dominic to his own long enough to come to Salazar’s aid.

He quickly rode several yards back to the third wagon and leaping down from his still moving horse, he jumped into the fray.

Moments later both he and Salazar stood up bruised and bleeding, but alive as the soldiers lay at their feet wounded.

Marco coughed and stood up brushing himself off. “Ami, you are well, no?”

Salazar nodded to him.
“Oui. I am fine. If we live, you will play a bawdy song on your lute and we will sing a song of our greatness, eh? ” He forced a weak smile.

Marco nodded. “And drink much ale to debauch our senses when we get back to the village, just as we always do! These pompous asses are no match for us.” His smile was toothy and arrogant.

“But they are at least twice our number!” Salazar shot back.

Marco raised an eyebrow, nodded and shrugged. “Then we will do as we always do. No rules. Fight and live. I wager you one tankard of ale that I can make it out of here alive and without any cuts longer than the span of my fingers.”

Perhaps a good bet would keep their spirits up and the game would keep them alive if nothing else could.

Salazar nodded and smiled. “We shall see!”

At that moment two more men leaped down from their horses charging the two men. Marco and Salazar looked each other and before they had time to take a deep breath, they grabbed their swords and went right back to fighting.

Several yards away, in the middle wagon, Shaia poked her head out from the canvas to see a rider sitting right outside. He was a strapping, golden-haired soldier with blue eyes.
Hmmm, she thought. He is quite handsome indeed
.

She sighed. It was not the time for thoughts such as this. She had
work to do. Not that she cared whether Nico and the gadge woman called Sarah rotted in hell right about now – but she did care about everyone else in the troupe. And she supposed, loathe as she was to admit it, she still carried some small piece of love for Nico’s well-being. He was after all their leader and she had loved him for too many years to just let it all go. No. She would still help him and help the troupe as well. They were her friends and the only family she had ever known.

She looked up at the man and made an ever so quiet noise to get his attention. The soldier looked down at the beautiful doe-eyed Romany woman and the breath almost escaped him. Her hair was like ebony, her skin like mocha and her lips were full and inviting. Gold earrings hung from her earlobes and one bare shoulder peeked out from the canvas. She was quite stunning indeed and she was looking up at him with those pleading eyes. What did she want? Shaia motioned to the man to come closer and she spoke very softly to him.

“Sir. I am afraid. I have done nothing wrong except to be a part of this troupe. You will not hurt us….me and my sister?”

The soldier’s mind was racing.
Sister? Could there possibly be another nymph as enchanting as this one within the confines of the wagon? His mind played out a heavenly picture and he smiled. Well, perhaps he wouldn’t hurt them. Pleasure them, yes….hurt, no.

He slid down from his horse and approached the wagon. Shaia backed in quickly and nodded to Fala who slipped a long knife just under the blanket on the wagon floor. The man poked his head into the wagon. There sitting before him were two of the most beautiful and sexually alluring women he had ever seen in his entire life. They looked almost exactly alike with their long hair, dark skin and luscious full breasts peeking out over the top of the chemises that were pulled down to expose their silky shoulders.

He licked his lips in anticipation as he moved forward.

Shaia backed up just a bit. “You said you would not hurt us, sir.”

He nodded. “I am not going to hurt either of you.”

“You will not let the other soldiers hurt us either?”

She raised an eyebrow and smiled ever so meekly before averting her eyes to the floor.

He smiled and nodded, never taking his eyes from the swell of her bosom. She smiled back at him and reached out, running two graceful fingers down the length of his chest. Seconds later she and Fala were undressing him, removing his outer chest plate, his long cape and sensually untying the laces of his shirt before pulling it up over his head. Shaia reached for the laces of his breeches and began to untie them as she rubbed his crotch and kissed the hollow of his thick neck. He threw back his head in ecstasy as Fala pushed him down on the pillows on the wagon floor.

Shaia had the man moaning within seconds as she worked her magic with her soft lips and tongue and in those brief seconds Fala had skillfully and quite securely tied the man’s hands to the wagon as she loosed her breasts and let him suckle them.

She moved seductively over the length of his body then kissed her sister full on the lips as he gasped in amazement. Then moving behind Shaia, she ran her hands up and down her sister’s now naked body before sliding down the length of his legs and securing his feet tightly. He never even noticed. He was too busy watching Shaia’s long tongue stroking the length of him. Fala reached forward and slapped her sister’s behind as a cue to let her know the job was done.

Without warning, Shaia suddenly lifted her head and slid forward on his body pulling forth a long knife and holding it to his throat.

His eyes widened in horror as he realized what had happened. He was lying here almost completely nude, his breeches around his ankles and he was trussed up like a pig ready for slaughter. His painful erection began to wilt as he tried to reach forward but found himself unable to move. Shaia quickly tore off a piece of his shirt and tied a firm gag around his mouth.

“Did your mama not teach you….never trust a
gypsien
?”

She winked at him saucily and licked the end of his nose. She stood up smiling and planted a sensuous kiss on Fala’s lips, enjoying the tortured look on his flushed face. They both pulled up their chemises and put back on their skirts in an instant. With that she picked up his sword and his knife, sheathing it in her boot. She also rifled through his clothing looking for anything of value, but a few coins
was all she found.