Shadow Phantoms - H.P. Mallory Page 0,58

long,” Ermolai said, a lilt to her tone. Then she faced the younger woman. “When he is finished, send him to my bedchamber.”

Aaliyah glared at her. “I had fancied him for myself.”

Ermolai glared back. “Get used to disappointment.”

Aaliyah said nothing, but her anger was not diffused. Instead, she simply nodded and then turned her glare to me.

###

It was perhaps an hour later that I had finished my duties and had also finished rutting Ermolai. To say I was exhausted was an understatement. Ermolai had been demanding and I had fucked her until I could no longer stand. Waiting in the wings had been her two male attendants—Adrik and Brunor. Both seemed quite put-out that I was fucking their mistress and she seemed intent on adding to their discomfort as she hurled insults to them both about their manhoods.

She appeared to quite enjoy mine.

When I was returned to my cell, I was quite relieved and hoped I would have a moment to rest. As I said, I was thoroughly exhausted. But it seemed such would not be the case. For when I was thrust into my prison by Brunor, I found the other prisoners to be in quite the uproar as they yelled from where they all stood at the rear of the cell.

“Let her have it!” one of them called.

“Teach her a lesson!”

I pushed my way through the four or five men until I could see what all the ruckus was about. A man lay atop a small woman, where he was trying to force her hands to the side so he could kiss her, mayhap? It was hard to tell what his goal was but he never came close enough to her face because she punched him once and then raked her nails across his face when her punch failed to discourage him.

I found it curious that none of them, within this cage, were restrained by chains.

“Bitch!” he railed at her when he checked his face and his fingers came away covered in blood.

He pulled his arm back, clearly ready to lay her out cold, but I grabbed his fist and yanked him up and away from her. The men around me made a collective ‘boo!’ but I paid them little heed. Instead, I pushed the pecker away from the small, blond woman and inserted myself between the two of them.

“Lay another feckin’ hand on her an’ you’ll have to answer to me,” I ground out.

“An’ who the fuck are you?” the man, who was the largest of the bunch of prisoners, but was still no match for me, demanded.

“Nae matter,” I responded.

The man sized me up, just as the others did the same and after another moment or two, he backed away, clearly realizing I could take him. I could take all of them, even in my exhausted state.

“Aye,” I said with a nod of emphasis. I could not stomach violence against a woman or children. “This woman is oonder me protection from here on out. If any o’ ye touch her, ‘tis as good as if ye were touchin’ me.” I glared at each and every one of them, in turn. “Suffice to say, I dinnae like bein’ touched by nae man.”

The men backed away, as if to say they wanted no part of my meaty fists. When they had backed far enough away, I turned to face the woman, to inquire after her injuries. I could only hope I had arrived in time…

She looked up at me and the first thing that struck me were her soulful blue eyes that were as large as saucers in her small face. Her blond hair was drawn back at the nape of her neck in a long braid, but pieces had escaped and they stuck to her face from sweat and dirt. Even so, her beauty was obvious.

“Thank you,” she said in a soft voice as I reached out a hand to her and she took it. I pulled her to her feet.

“Are you hurt, lass?” I asked.

She looked down at herself, assessing her body with a quick once-over, but then she looked back up at me and shook her head. She swallowed hard when she met my gaze again. She was dressed in animal leathers, some of which were long worn. Her body was thin and muscular, powerful. She had been a survivor in this squalid place for some time—if her athletic build and worn clothing were any indication.

“I’m okay,” she said. “Thanks to you.”

“Nae one will lay