his consent.”
Each one laughed and snickered. “We heard the land was gifted to the laird’s sister. She’s a pretty lass, that Gwendolyn. Lovely and ripe, perfect for picking.”
The second largest rubbed his jaw. “Just like your sweet lass. Pretty, too, nice clean skin that we’d hate to mark, but…well, it happens doesn’t it, aye.”
Ben clenched his jaw. The thought of Gwen and sweet Kenzie getting into such abusive hands sent rage roaring through his blood. “You’ll have to get through me first, before ye touch either lass. And if ye do, dinna think to be touching her for long.”
The leader pointed his sword at Ben. “Shall we see how long it’ll take for us to get to your sweet lass? Shall we commence?”
“Aye, if ye’re ready to die.”
The man lunged, and Ben swiped his sword up, bringing it back down to slice against the man’s stomach. Instead of spilling his innards across the grass below their boots, he nipped the skin, leaving a perfect line of red that seeped onto his cut tunic.
“Are ye sure you wish to continue?” Ben asked, rolling his sword in his hand.
This time, the men came at him from all angles, and it took some effort to fight off the onslaught. Ben managed to land a solid blow against one of the men’s temples, and he went down, out cold, possibly dead if he was lucky.
The other two remained persistent. The fight carried on for some time, and Ben cursed his sickness that had made him weak; his stamina was not as it once had been. One of the men threw his sword in the direction of Kenzie, and before Ben could shout out to her to run, the weapon lodged firmly in her horse’s chest, killing the animal instantly. The horse and Kenzie went down together, and out of the corner of his eye, Ben could see Kenzie fighting to get her leg out from under the horse’s body.
“You’ll pay for that,” Ben said, his voice laced with deadly promise.
The third man he’d knocked out came to and joined his clansmen. The men lunged, and Ben fought hard, but three against one wasn’t good odds, especially after his illness. “Run Kenzie. Now. Get out of here.”
He was glad to see she was able to extricate her leg, and she bolted in the direction of home. Ben had maneuvered the men around so their backs were facing the cliff and sea, but one broke off and chased after Kenzie.
The other two laughed, and Ben lunged, striking one bastard with a killer blow to his stomach, which was already bleeding. This time, Ben was pleased to see his guts did spill out over his shoes, the man’s shocked gaze watching it land at his feet before he stumbled backward over the cliff.
The last one, an idiot who stopped fighting to watch his comrade die, never saw the blow that sliced into his shoulder and neck, cutting his head partly off.
Ben grabbed his horse, mounted, and took off in the direction Kenzie had fled. Ice water rushed through his blood at the sound of her scream. He urged his mount on, coming across a scene that he never wished to see again.
Kenzie lay beside a slow-flowing river, the filthy bastard over her, ripping at her dress and pushing her legs apart. He could see she was fighting him with everything she had, but the man was large, too strong for her.
Ben jumped off his horse as it was still moving, coming up behind the man and slitting his throat, his knife sinking into the man’s skin so deep Ben could feel the neck bone grind against his blade.
Ben should’ve pulled the man off Kenzie before killing him, and it wasn’t until absolute shock registered on Kenzie’s face did Ben realize what he’d done.
He threw the man to the side and pulled Kenzie into his arms, rubbing her back, hating that she shook, was cold and rigid. “All’s well, lass. Ye’re safe now. I have ye.” She sobbed into his arms, her hands coming around to clasp his midriff.
“You killed him. I saw. I saw.” She paused, taking a deep breath. “His head nearly came off.” Heaving sobs wracked her body, and Ben cringed.
“I’m sorry, lass. I should not have killed him before ye. I forgot ye’re not from my time, and you’ve probably never seen such before.”
She shivered in his arms, and he picked her up, sitting down on a nearby fallen log to hold her as