Immortal Love (34 page)

The bruise near his eye gave him an awful
headache and the gash on his cheek pained him with a persistent
throb. Daggers of pain shot through his rib cage with every breath.
But none of it mattered. Hate and anger kept him mounted.

“You will pay for your treachery, my
brother.” Robert’s order to his men was to capture Liam alive, then
he would punish him with torture, even castration. Liam’s
humiliation would cause him to take his own life or live in a
monastery, never to plague him again.

A wicked grin crossed his face, causing his
cheek to burn, but his thought was too delicious to stop. He looked
around at his men in the forest, confident that they could ambush
Dominick and Liam without much resistance. “You’re as good as mine
Liam.”

He thought about doing the same to Dominick,
but he was too dangerous to keep alive. His men were ordered to
kill him on sight. Once he was dead he would take over Godwin and
reclaim Eleanor.

He touched his cheek causing it to throb even
harder. The bitch will be punished for that. “Oh how you will pay.”
Revenge would be the sweet salve to all his aches and pains.

E
leanor’s words
haunted Dominick, piercing his heart like spears, each one driving
the sharp pain deeper into his chest. He couldn’t take a breath
without feeling it. Not since he had been sent away from his home
as a child had he felt such pain.

Eleanor might have apologized to him before,
but she obviously still thought him to be a murderer. A
blood-thirsty warrior. That he would commit senseless acts of
violence on innocent people. Would she ever see him as anything
else?

She didn’t see that he was protecting her.
Robert McPhearson had to be stopped or there would be no end to his
continued assault. The people of Godwin would never be safe

He rode in silence until Liam said, “You’re a
lucky man to have such a wife. She is very brave. Even when she
thought her life was in peril, she never gave in to her fear.”

“She is a brave woman,” he said, sighing
deeply.

Liam chuckled. “She would have to be.”

Dominick shot a quick look toward him.
“Why?”

“She married you.”

Dominick’s soldiers entered the edge of a
meadow and a forest lay just ahead. Dominick saw Randolf draw his
sword. Conditioned from years of fighting together, Dominick drew
his own. He halted the men behind him.

“What is it?”

Randolf didn’t answer. Instead, he stared
into the forest ahead. “Erik, send Celeste.”

Without hesitation the connection was made,
and the bird took flight.

Alertness pulsed through Dominick’s body.
“What do you suspect?”

“Robert’s men are in the forest.”

“How on Earth would you know that?” Suspicion
was written plainly on Liam’s face.

“I just know.”

Liam was about to ask more questions when
Celeste’s loud cry pierced the air, and Erik turned to them. “There
are about a hundred men hiding in the forest, waiting to ambush
us.”

“How is it you know that,” Liam said.

“Whether you believe it or not, it’s true.
Robert is hiding in that forest, Dominick said.”

Liam turned to Dominick, “What is your plan
now?”

Dominick’s hand twisted tightly on Aries’
reins. “We will wait here and draw them out.”

Dominick drew his sword, as did the others.
In moments a group of thirty men charged out of the forest.
Dominick looked for Robert McPhearson, but saw no sign of him.

Giving a command to his men, they all rode to
meet their attackers. Horses, swords, and bodies collided on the
charge. The clashing of swords and the shouts of men were
deafening. Dominick fought with instinct, due to years of battles.
Many bodies fell after one or two blows of his sword. The door he
had opened for Isolde now forced him to see what he had hoped he
would never see again—the spirits of the dead leaving their
corpses. Some walked toward a great light, and some tortured souls
wandered around in the darkness.

He turned away. Unable to help them, he had
to focus on the battle at hand. Fighting his way through the chaos,
he was determined to find McPhearson. Dominick could no longer keep
his vow to not destroy his enemy. McPhearson had taken them by
surprise. His resistance was certain and he would have to be taken
down.

More men fell to Dominick’s mighty sword.
Randolf, Erik and his men flanked him like an inverted ‘V’. Liam
and his soldiers followed the same pattern, mowing down the
enemy.

More of McPhearson’s men came out of the
forest attempting to surround them. Dominick was in a position to
see Liam and his soldiers’ fighting skills and was grateful they
were fighting on the same side. Together, they were able to keep
McPhearson’s army from overtaking them, but for how long, he wasn’t
sure. More men came out of the forest. Soon they were
surrounded.

Dominick and Liam’s men fought back to back
in a tight circle trying to move outward. The coppery smell of
blood filled the air. They were losing due to the large numbers of
McPhearson’s Men. They were fighting to survive.

Suddenly, a great roar sounded over the
cacophony of metal striking metal. The fighting paused for a
moment. Looking across the meadow, Dominick saw the company of men
he had sent to escort Eleanor charge into the battle. If his men
were there, who was guarding Eleanor?

Confusion overwhelmed him. A sword swiped at
him. Dominick had to overcome his surprise, and took the man down
in three strokes.

Each stroke became more calculated.
Desperately he worked his way to his captain to find out what had
happened to her.

Dominick and his men were winning the battle.
When he dropped another man, he got a clear view of the forest. He
spotted Eleanor sitting on her horse. Her gaze swept the
battlefield until finally, it settled on him.

He saw the visible sign of relief and her
shoulders slumped. Even at a distance he could see her mouth the
words, “I’m sorry.”

He moved his horse toward her, but one of
McPhearson’s men cut off his path. Blocking a blade just before it
came down on him. Their swords were joined at the hilt. Dominick
slammed his attacker with his shield, knocking the wind out of him
despite his armor. His enemy’s sword arm went weak and Dominick
spun the sword out of his hand, knocking it to the ground. Then
with the hilt of his own sword he hit the man in the throat causing
the attacker to fall off his horse.

To Dominick’s horror
when he looked back at Eleanor, McPhearson was charging toward his
unaware wife.

I
n helpless fright,
Eleanor watched the battle taking place in the meadow. The sound of
swords clashing, horses crying and men dying made her heartsick.
The smell of blood and gore drifted on the wind, engulfing her,
threatening to turn her stomach.

To her relief she found Dominick amidst the
chaos, alive and unhurt. Her heart pounded in her chest when she
saw a man lurch at him with sword raised. Dominick quickly
dispatched him with a downward blow.

The thundering of hooves headed toward her
drew her attention, and she turned to find McPhearson charging at
her. She kicked White Wind’s flanks, but the horse had no time to
gain momentum and escape before McPhearson’s arm slipped around
Eleanor’s waist and he pulled her from her saddle. He planted her
firmly in front of him, turned his horse and rode back into the
forest.

Eleanor’s heart pounded like a drum. Once
again she was in McPhearson’s clutches, but this time there was no
fear, only all-consuming rage. His body bent low over hers to avoid
low-hanging branches. This afforded her the opportunity to grab the
dagger she’d hidden in her boot.

They galloped headlong toward the north. The
pounding of hooves behind them told Eleanor Dominick was close. She
had to slow McPhearson down. With a downward thrust she stabbed the
dagger into his thigh.

“Ahh, you whore!” Loosening his grip and
slowing the horse down, Eleanore saw her opportunity and leapt from
the horse.

Her knee hit a rock sending shooting pain up
her thigh. The pain stunned her for a moment. She heard a horse
ride in behind them, but she couldn’t move. Suddenly, she was
yanked up by her hair. She ground her teeth and tried to fight
McPhearson but the grip was too tight. Her leg screamed in
protest.

Once she was off the ground, McPhearson’s
hand circled her waist, squeezing the breath out of her. The dagger
in his thigh was now held against her throat. The prick of the
knife kept her perfectly still. She saw Dominick rein in Aries not
twenty paces away.

“Stay back or I shall slit her throat right
in front of you.”

Dominick’s eyes bore into hers. For the span
of a heartbeat she saw fear in his eyes. She nodded, letting him
know that she was sound, avoiding the tip of the dagger.

“Harm her, McPhearson, and you will die in
the next moment,” Dominick’s voice was deadly.

Dismounting with sword in hand, he moved
forward. McPhearson backed up with Eleanor in tow.

“I said stay back!” The dagger pricked her
skin, releasing a small trickle of blood. Dominick froze in his
tracks. I suggest you let me mount my horse and head back to my
castle.” He limped back a step.

Bounding from the trees, two of McPhearson's
soldiers rode at Dominick from opposite directions. He managed to
ward off one blow, but the other caught him in the back of the
head. Eleanor watched in horror as he hit the ground. Her scream
sent the birds to flight. McPhearson drew back farther. She
struggled frantically to help her husband, but McPhearson’s
vice-like grip kept her at his side.

Dominick quickly got up. The soldier that
struck him made another pass. With an upward thrust of his sword,
Dominick penetrated the man’s armor, gutting him as he fell off his
horse.

“Dominick!” Eleanor screamed as another rider
charged at him.

Staggering, Dominick lifted his sword to
avoid another blow. He pulled the soldier off his horse by his
chainmail and the two of them collapsed to the ground. Dominick
plowed his mighty fist into the man’s head, knocking him out.

Dominick’s head bled profusely, running down
his face. She saw his eyes glaze over.

Breathing heavily, like a great ox, Dominick
turned to them. The sight of him made her heart pound loudly in her
ears.

“No!” she shouted, as he fell face down into
the ground, like a great oak tree.

Stomping hard on McPhearson’s instep, Eleanor
freed herself from his grasp and ran to Dominick’s side. His
breathing was deep, but she couldn’t wake him from
unconsciousness.

McPhearson laughed, a laugh so wicked it
seeped into her bones. Hatred welled up inside her. “You bastard,”
she ground through her teeth, as she stood.

Smugly, McPhearson shoved her aside, drawing
his sword. He kicked Dominick’s unconscious body. Like a mad woman,
Eleanor attacked him. Easily, he shoved her to the ground, pointing
his sword to her throat.

“Stay put, bitch, or you will draw your last
breath this moment.” He turned back toward Dominick. “Immortal,
indeed,” he sneered. “You’re no more than the King’s dog, barking
at his feet.”

He kicked Dominick again. “You have lost,”
McPhearson snared. Now I will be the one with the privilege of
killing you.” Eleanor felt the blow as if he had kicked her as
well. Aries stepped closer, a crossbow swinging from his saddle.
She looked back at McPhearson. He was shouting at Dominick like a
madman. Eleanor stood slowly so as not to attract his attention.
Engrossed in taunting Dominick’s unresponsive body, he didn’t see
her move. She unhooked the bow.

“The all-mighty knight has failed,” Robert
shouted down at Dominick. “I will take all that belongs to you.
Godwin will be mine, and so will its lady.” He raised his sword
over his head. “You will know this every time you look up from hell
and see me ride your wife, night after night.”

Cold resolve settled in her heart when she
leveled the crossbow. There was no hate, no sorrow, only the
knowledge that this man could no longer be allowed to live. As
McPhearson raised his sword, she pulled the trigger, sending a
deadly bolt through the devil’s heart.

The force threw him forward and he landed on
a fallen log. Eleanor didn’t move. She felt hollow, and her mind
raced with disbelief. She forced herself to breathe, one deep
breath in, then another out.

In the distance she heard the snapping of
wood as riders charged forward, but she couldn’t move, her eyes
fixed on McPhearson’s prone body. It wasn’t until the crossbow was
taken out of her hands by Randolf that she turned away. “I—I killed
him,” she heard herself saying.

“I know, sweetheart,” he said as though
addressing a child.

“He-he was going to kill Dominick.”

Randolf led her to a nearby log. “Maybe you
should sit down.”

Her mind couldn’t grasp what she’d done. Her
limbs felt heavy and slow. The nightmare was over, but she couldn’t
surface to reality.

A low groan caught her attention.

Dominick!
She pulled from Randolf’s
arms and staggered to her husband’s side. Erik knelt and helped him
as he struggled to sit up. Using the hem of her skirt, she wiped
away the blood from his face. As she looked into his eyes, a
belated surge of emotion washed over her.

Dominick’s large hands brushed her hair from
her face. “Are you all right, my love?”

His penetrating gaze pierced the thin wall
that held back her emotions. A well of tears burst forward. She
wrung out the sobs from her heart while Dominick held her
tightly.

A flurry of words burst out of her mouth.
“Dominick, I’m so sorry for what I said. I had no right. You have
done nothing to warrant such an attack. I didn’t understand, then
my mother showed me the truth.”