Page 20 of Bought to Break
‘We aren’t enthralled!’ Viktor all but shouted. Then he lowered his voice. ‘But there is something that wefeelabout her. Perhaps if you can take your head out of your own arse, you’ll feel this thing too.’
‘Feelings? What has happened to you? We’re fucking Dark Brothers! Whatever you see in our future, this girl is not there.’ Kane waved his hand. ‘But I can see you won’t be told. So be it. I’ll apologise to the lass for making my little trial a mite difficult.’
Inwardly Kane cringed. He’d known at the time, watching her body tremble as she tried to fight what she couldn’t see, that he was being too rough with her. When he’d first laid eyes on her, he had indeed felt thisthingthat Viktor spoke of. He had no idea what it was, but it terrified him. He’d made her suffer for that. He’d used his full strength on her, compelling her to run because he wanted her as far away as possible, but also so that he could pursue her in some primal urge he’d never felt before. He’d never met her like.
But when she’d faced him down, his fear had quickly turned to anger. He had wanted to hurt her. He would destroy that pride he saw and make her beg for her life. He’d thought it would make him feel in control, but the look in her eyes when she’d understood the power he had over her body … he’d never felt so feeble and pathetic.
It had been years since he’d been kind to anyone save his Brothers. He knew how to hurt and kill, and he liked doing it. He hadn’t had a woman in a very long time; hadn’t missed them. But a fire had ignited as soon as he’d seen her. Even now it raged within him. He needed to see her.
He stalked from the fire and back into their tent. The others would want to follow. They were oddly protective, but he didn’t intend to hurt her this night. Though he’d said the opposite to the others, she was indeed special. And, despite his comments, he’d been shocked at her ability to resist him. No one could, save Sorin and Viktor, and that was only because they were bonded to each other as each unit in the army was.
As soon as he stepped over the threshold, he knew she had fled. That was what had been bothering him. She’d been watching them from the forest. He smiled. Perhaps he would get his hunt after all.
He went back out to the fire. Both Sorin and Viktor eyed him with ill-concealed anger as he approached them.
Sorin stood up. ‘Well?’
Kane shrugged. ‘Well, nothing. She’s gone.’
‘What?’
They both ran for the tent. Viktor emerged a moment later just as the dark sky lit up with lightning. A clap of thunder followed in the distance. He ran a hand through his hair and strode to where the horses were tethered. ‘There’s a storm coming in fast. We have to find her!’
Kane snorted and followed him slowly.
‘Fuck! She’s taken my horse,’ he heard Viktor mutter in the shadows. ‘How did she even get out of that blasted tent without us seeing her?’
Kane heard a groan as Viktor kicked the man on watch awake.
‘Dorn, you fuck, get up! What did I tell you would happen if you fell asleep on watch again?’
‘I’m sor–,’ the man began and then fell to the ground with a gurgle as Viktor plunged his knife up under his ribs. He wiped his dagger clean absently, looking out into the forest as if the girl would simply reappear.
Sorin came up behind Kane. ‘Who’s on watch?’
‘Dornwas.’ Viktor spat on the body.
‘She used a knife to cut through one of the seams at the back of the tent.’
Viktor growled, running a hand through his hair. ‘Where’d she get a blade? The weapons in the tent are all too heavy for her to lift.’ Suddenly he was in Kane’s face. ‘This is your fault! You and your fucking mind games, Kane!’
Sorin sighed. ‘The knife from your saddlebag is gone, Viktor. Some coins as well.’
Kane smirked. ‘It looks to me that your own negligence is the problem here, Brother.’
Pain exploded in his jaw as Viktor’s fist connected with bone, and he stumbled, laughing aloud before regaining his balance.
Viktor was pacing in front of him, ignoring him now, his anger replaced by bewilderment. ‘I can’t believe she stole from us.’
‘I can’t believe you didn’t notice.’ Kane tutted. ‘A Dark Brother being taken advantage of by a slip of a slave girl. Pathetic. Clearly you were both wrong. She’s nothing more than an opportunistic slave, and now she’s got our gold and a very valuable mount.’
Kane had the satisfaction of seeing Viktor’s fury return just as Sorin stepped between them.
‘Enough, Kane.’ He glanced at Viktor. ‘He’s goading you, for fuck’s sake, Viktor. She’s simply afraid. We can trust –’
‘Can we?’ Viktor snarled. ‘Perhaps she was playing us all along. Waiting for the right moment.’
Sorin waved a hand in dismissal. ‘We’ve spent time with her. We know her.’ His eyes narrowed. ‘Don’t let Kane get into your head. You know he’s just amusing himself.’
