Marek (The Knights of Stonebridge Book 1) (2 page)

It was all too bizarre to think about when a more pressing matter concerned her.

“My daughter. She’s still inside.”

“Your daughter is safe.” He fairly ground out the words through clenched teeth.

Kitty let her head fall back. Vanesa was safe. Thank God. Kitty let her body melt into the wet grass beneath her. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves and let it out in  a slow stream.

She couldn’t breathe with the man’s considerable weight bearing down on her. “You can get off me now.”

The man remained on top of her, pinning her to the saturated ground. Propped on one elbow, he brushed her wet hair out of her face with his other hand before running it down her side, over her breast, along the length of her thigh.

“Thou art not hurt?”

A rush of blood spread to the area between her thighs, despite the amalgamation of emotions racing through her. Her skin tingled where he touched her. Kitty had not felt such arousal since - well maybe never. The feeling surprised her. Even more shocking was the pressure against her other thigh, the one pressing against the fireman’s…

Was that his…? He had a hard-on?

“Hey!” This time Kitty shoved against his chest with as much strength as she could muster. “I said. Get. Off.”

This time, the man obeyed the order. He pulled her to her feet as he got up, but he did not release her.

One look at the man before her and Kitty knew this was no fireman. His dark hair hung past his shoulders. He wore a heavy cloak, so she could not tell exactly what he was wearing, but she felt sure it was not a fireman’s uniform.

She let her eyes travel across his broad chest then up to his lips. They were full and moist from the rain. He parted them slightly as she stared up at him. Kitty wanted to press her own lips to them. To her amazement, one corner of his mouth lifted in a smirk that was anything but inviting.

Her eyes flashed to his. She found it easy to read the emotions there. Anger. Hatred. The yearning to kiss him dissipated instantly. What reason could this gorgeous man possibly have for being angry at her?

Commotion at her elbow interrupted her thoughts.

“What devilry is this?”

Kitty felt an unpleasant sensation of at the back of her neck. Prickles of fear snaked down her spine. She would recognize
that
voice anywhere. Even as she turned, she told herself it could not be possible. Jake had been dead for over six months.

Her jaw slackened. This must be a dream. There could be no other explanation. 

She snapped her mouth shut as the big man pulled her behind him, shielding her from the ghost of her dead husband. She grew light-headed and held on to him for support as he addressed Jake, who was inexplicably dressed like a priest.

“’Twould seem you were mistaken, Father, when you pronounced my wife deceased.”

“I was with her when she drew her last breath,” the priest stammered. “I felt the coldness of her skin as I helped your brothers place her lifeless body upon the pyre.”

Kitty had to listen carefully to understand their strange speech. It was English, but not like anything she was used to. Scrunching her eyebrows together, she looked at her surroundings. The pyre in question stood but a few feet away. Steam rose from the wood stacked around the platform, the fire nearly extinguished by the rain, not a fire hose. Behind her was a stone church she had never seen. It must be two hundred years old. Thick blades of grass shot through the flagstones leading to a wooden door. It barely hung on hinges that, even from this distance, looked rusted and unsecured. The entire building leaned slightly and had the overall appearance that it could simply fall over at the slightest breath of wind.

But the people. A small crowd had gathered in the churchyard. They looked like they had just come from the Renaissance Festival. Kitty swallowed the lump that clogged her throat at the memory, nearly a year ago now. The three of them, she, Jake and Vanesa, had gone to the festival in Annapolis as they had every September since Vanesa could walk. They went all out, dressing up in costumes, calling each other by some bizarre medieval-sounding name.

But their costumes had not been the drab homespun of these dreary-looking people. These outfits could barely even be called clothes, much less costumes. Threadbare and ragged, the cloth hung from bodies that looked half starved.

The haunting voice of her husband, seeping through the priest’s lips, called her attention back to the immediate problem. “”Tis more of the devil’s work, my lord, I insist that the lady accompany me to the church. There I can properly examine her and, if needs be, exorcise the demons in possession of her immortal soul.”

“Thou shalt make no demands of me, priest. My wife will accompany me back to the keep. I will examine her myself.”

By now, discontent had begun to rumble through the crowd. As one, the congregation began to move away. Kitty recognized fear in the expressions of most. She didn’t feel exactly comfortable with Gigantor. His resentment of her was obvious. But she was terrified of the priest, for no real reason except his resemblance to Jake. Her mind told her he could not be her husband, but she despised the priest immediately nonetheless, and found herself afraid of him, as well.

So when her protector moved away and started to press through the crowd, she clung to him, following so closely she nearly brushed against his back as he walked away. The shabbily dressed people backed away from them. Everyone she looked at made the sign of the cross and turned from her. Many rushed away, their faces paled, their eyes widened.

Kitty shivered. Where a few minutes before she’d been overwhelmed with heat, she now felt chilled to the bone. Glancing down, she remembered that she wore only her flimsy nightgown, and it nearly burned away. No wonder they stared at her so. Thank God she’d put on underwear before she went to bed.

Gigantor stopped in front of her, causing her to crash into him. He turned with a scowl. The emotions she saw in his expression, such hatred and malevolence, unnerved her. She imagined she would have looked at Jake that way, had she been able to confront him before he died.

Without a word, he pulled the cloak from his shoulders. Beneath it, he wore a quilted jacket of sorts. When he wrapped the cloak around her shoulders the lingering heat from his body enveloped her, permeating the chill in her bones and offering relief from the cold drizzle. Glancing over her head, he glowered at the people behind her.

Kitty turned, following his gaze. The crowd had thinned considerably, most having fled, probably in fear, she realized, and not from the shock of her near nudity. The priest remained, glaring back at the man he’d called ‘lord’. Kitty wrapped the cloak tighter around her body like a protective shield.

Gigantor took her by the arm. Even through the heavy wool, his grip was strong and powerful. He led her to a group of men sheltering beneath a tree. Each of them held the reins of a horse and stared at her with the same fear she’d seen among the faces in the now dispersed crowd. She imagined she had looked just like that when she’d seen the face of that priest.

A small boy struggled to control a black monster of a horse. On closer inspection, Kitty realized he must be about ten or so, no older than Vanesa. Her heart clenched.

“Where is my daughter?” she blurted.

Gigantor ignored her. Instead he spoke, or rather barked, at one of the men. This one little more than a boy himself.

“Bryn, take William ahead. Prepare the household for our arrival. Explain what has happened.” He took the black horse’s reins.

“But, Marek…”

“Do not test me.” He fairly shouted. “Those blasted servants will be throwing themselves from the ramparts at the sight of her. Now go!”

With a huff, Bryn leaped onto his own horse. The boy, William, handed the reins of the black monster to Marek, then allowed Bryn to pull him up behind him. Bryn kicked the animal into a run as if they were being chased by the devil himself.

She cleared her throat. “Um – Marek – is it? I demand to know where my daughter is.” Kitty spoke with more confidence than she felt. But she’d vowed to never again let Vanesa come to harm. And she wasn’t going to be ignored by this…this…whatever he was, dream or no dream.

He looked down at her, then at the four men left standing with them. Kitty followed his gaze, inspecting them one by one. They were all dark like Gigantor. Overwhelmingly big, these were men’s men. The word ‘burly’ came to mind. Some of the fear had gone from their expressions, but everyone one of them seemed to be on guard, poised to do battle at any given moment.

And they were all dressed for it. They looked like the actors at the festival who’d performed in the joust, and those hilarious guys from
Fight School
. Kitty almost smiled. That had been her favorite show.

One of the men shrugged at Marek, but said nothing. When she looked back at him, she found him studying her. His eyes were a startling shade of green, the same as Vanesa's. Kitty took a deep breath, squared her shoulders. She would not be bullied by these brutes.

“My daughter?”

He narrowed those piercing eyes. “Why do you ask?”

Not the answer she had expected. She parted her lips, shocked. “Why?” But he didn’t wait for further response. Circling her waist with both hands, he lifted her onto the black monster.

Nearly panicked, Kitty gripped the coarse hairs of its mane. Thankfully, it stood surprisingly still. Then in one bound, he leaped onto the animal’s back and settled himself behind her.

CHAPTER TWO

They rode through the early morning mist. The rain had stopped, but the air was so thick with moisture it seemed they could swim through it. Kitty tried to concentrate on keeping her seat. She had never ridden a horse before. When visiting her grandparents’ farm, she’d avoided the animals for the most part, preferring instead to splash around in the pond and play Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer with her cousins. She always played Becky.

Kitty found it more and more difficult to ignore the man behind her. It was as though she was being accosted, by one animal beneath her and another behind. At least the one beneath wasn’t making her want to grind against him. What was wrong with her? She’d had no stirring of such feelings since well before Jake’s death. And here she was aroused by this man whose hard-on pressed against her and made her want more. It made no sense.

It must be this bizarre dream she was having. And it had to be a dream. How else could she simply wake up in the midst of such strange people? She
had
been feeling disappointed lately that she would miss the Renaissance Festival this year. She always loved going. But she absolutely was not ready to face those memories.

She tried to recall what she’d eaten for dinner. Sometimes spicy food made her have strange, discombobulated dreams. She shook her head. She’d heated up the remainder of the spaghetti for Vanesa. With only a jar of peanut butter and half a head of lettuce in the fridge, she’d settled for a twenty-five cent pack of Asian noodles.

Nothing spicy about that.

The church they left behind stood in the center of what could only be called a ‘village’, if it could even be called
that
. The ramshackle building struggled to stay upright and seemed just about to lose the battle. But the houses they now passed were in even worse condition. They really were more like sheds than houses. Weathered wood structures that looked like someone had tried to enclose a lean-to, slapping mud in the crevices and tacking a worn blanket over the door. Here and there, chickens scratched at bare earth, tiny goats sniffed for green grass. Occasionally Kitty caught glimpses of people peering out at them, but no one came out to investigate further.

The place seemed strangely deserted.
Maybe because of the smell.
Manure and rancid meat, that’s what came to mind. Or maybe everyone was afraid of the men surrounding her. If she had encountered them moving down the street in the wee hours of the morning, she’d have hidden, too.

Or invited them in for breakfast.

Kitty pulled Marek’s cloak apart at her neck and peered down at her nightgown. There was little left of it. The nylon that had not actually melted away had disintegrated from the heat leaving only shreds of charred ribbon and lace. At least her underwear was still in one piece. Otherwise she would have been completely naked from the waist down.

Kitty adjusted the lapels, overlapping them and wrapping her arms around her body. She turned to look over her shoulder. “Are you taking me to the hospital?”

He kept his gazed fixed straight ahead. “You would prefer a hostel over your own home?” His rich accent and strange speech was difficult to understand, but the contempt in his voice was not lost on Kitty.

She chose to ignore it. “Not
hostel
, hospital.” He said nothing. “You’re taking me home? Is Vanesa there?” Still he ignored her. “Listen. I want to see my child. Is she all right?”

“‘Tis a late hour for you to be concerned for her welfare.”

Kitty felt as if he’d struck her. She had been overwhelmed with guilt since she found out what Jake had done to Vanesa.
She
was just as much to blame for not protecting her.

Tears sprang to her eyes, but she fought them. Her defenses flew up. “I would have done something sooner had I known. By the time I found out…” Unshed tears clogged her throat. Even to her own ears, Kitty sounded like she was making excuses for her maternal shortcomings.

The vent of a sigh brushed against her damp hair, sending a shiver down the back of her neck. “Woman, you have ever vexed me. Very well. As you seem so suddenly concerned, your daughter is safe at home. I thought it best that she not attend the funeral. A child could catch her death in this weather.”

Funeral? Is that what had been going on back there? The mood had seemed somber enough. “Who died?” she asked.

He looked down at her then. His lips thinned in a bitter smile, disappointment evident in his expression. “You did.”

Kitty laughed out loud. This really must be a dream. “I’m dead?”

“So it seemed.”

Maybe she’d fainted or passed out during the fire. But so deeply they thought she was
dead
? Who had decided that? Had she no pulse? No heartbeat? Couldn’t they have zapped her with those paddle things or something?

“So just like that I was to be cremated?”

“You appeared dead,” he said, no hint of remorse in his tone. “Most thought your death caused by your dalliance with the devil, so burning seemed appropriate. I am sorry for – well, it was most unfortunate that…”

“Sorry what?” Kitty did not try to hide the anger she felt. “Sorry that I was dead or that you nearly burned me alive? Or maybe you’re just sorry that neither of those came to pass?”

“I searched for signs of life myself. Your heart had ceased its beating, no breath came from you, there was no warmth to your body.”

She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Are…are you a doctor?”

This time he drew back to look at her. “Certainly not.”

“Then who are
you
to examine me?” she demanded.

“Cease your prattle, woman. You may have cheated death, but I am still lord and will not tolerate further insolence.”

He spurred the horse forward, pulling alongside one of the other men. Abruptly, he lifted her with one arm and deposited her behind his companion. Kitty grabbed the man about the waist when his horse shied at the added burden. He instantly brought it under control. Without a backward glance, Marek urged his horse through what remained of the village and thundered through the gate.

His entourage followed, but none seemed in a hurry to reach their destination. Kitty nearly choked when they passed through the fence surrounding the dilapidated village. Straight ahead, looming over them, stood a castle. She forgot everything else as her gaze slid up the walls of the enormous stone building. It must have been five stories high. It even had those notches at the top.

The muddy road led to a narrow bridge that crossed a ditch.
Was that a moat?
The road then disappeared through another fence at the base of the hill on which the castle stood.

A roar in her ears momentarily blocked out all other sound. This couldn’t be happening.

“Where are we?” she whispered. The man in front of her made no reply. They passed over the bridge in single file. The wood had rotted through in so many places, Kitty was afraid it would collapse. The ditch did not appear deep enough to do any harm, but the water looked more like muck. And the smell…Kitty covered her nose and mouth. She held her breath as long as she could.

The fence was a series of thick poles, probably eight or ten feet tall, sharpened to a point at the top, planted in the ground and plastered together. The bridge doubled as a gate, but was left open after they passed.

Workmen, busy dismantling an older, wooden structure, barely gave them a glance. Until one of them noticed her. The color drained from his face as he recognized her. He grabbed his nearest companion by the arm, generating attention from the other men. They completely stopped what they were doing to gawk at her.

Uneasiness settled in the pit of her stomach as her apprehension grew. She hugged Marek’s cloak about her. She turned her attention back to the castle as the men halted their horses and began to dismount. The man she’d ridden with helped her from the horse’s back, guiding her gently to the ground. As he dropped down beside her, he handed the reins to the older of the two boys who’d gone ahead. Marek had called him Bryn. The teenager took the reins of each of the other horses and led them all away, the boy, William, running along beside him. Kitty’s legs felt weak and unsteady back on solid ground.

The group disbanded quickly, each going separate ways, except for the man who’d brought her. “Your husband will be anxious to speak with you privately, milady,” he said.

So, not a dream.

It was a nightmare.

***

Kitty had never had a dream where she’d been so aware that she
was
dreaming. Why couldn’t she just make herself wake up from this nightmare? Her husband was gone. She’d seen his dead body. First as he lay in bed next her, covered in blood, a kitchen knife protruding from his chest. Then later at the hospital as she sat dazed listening to the attending physician tell her of the injury that had killed him. Finally at the funeral. Jake’s family had insisted on an open casket. Of course, by then Kitty had wanted to stab him herself over and over again as she looked down at his cold, lifeless form.

“My husband is in there?” she asked, indicating the castle.

The other man nodded. His hair, so dark brown it looked black, hung to his shoulders. He favored Marek, though not as handsome. Their startling green eyes were so similar she presumed they were related.

“And my daughter?”

Same response.

Sudden coldness hit her core. Vanesa could not be in there with Jake. She had to get to her. As long as she could see Vanesa, hold her, touch her, the nightmare couldn’t be too bad. “And you are…”

The man rolled his eyes, then bowed mockingly. “Most days you refer to me as
swine
, milady,” he said. “Others call me Thane. Come.” He climbed the seven or eight steps to push open a huge wooden door and entered the castle.

Kitty followed Thane up the stairs and through the door. She found herself in a tower that was nothing more than an enclosure for a spiral staircase. Even though it had grown stifling hot outside, it was cold in here. Kitty pulled the cloak tighter about her shoulders, shivering against the chill that swept her.

They climbed the stone steps until she thought her legs would give out. Kitty considered herself fit. She studied martial arts, a hobby she’d started for self-defense that turned into a passion. She’d been a runner for years, enough to realize that, dream or no dream, she would be sore tomorrow. The ride on horseback had already made her inner thighs weak and now this. There wasn’t even a rail to hold onto. She stopped to take a deep breath when they finally reached a landing. The stairs continued, but Thane turned and passed through another colossal wooden door.

The only castle Kitty had ever seen had been in California. Jake had taken her to meet his parents for the first time. During the trip, they’d taken a drive down Highway One, a winding road that hugged the spectacular Pacific Coast. They pulled in to tour Hearst Castle for an afternoon. Such luxury. So many riches.

This building was a stark contrast. The walls were merely the insides of the massive stones she’d seen from the outside. They’d entered an enormous rectangular room. On the opposite wall was a fireplace larger than a walk-in closet. At the moment, she wished there was an equally large fire in it.

“Marek will be upstairs in his chambers.” With that, Thane deserted her.

No one else was in sight. “Hello?” Kitty’s voice echoed off the walls, the only answer to her call. “Anyone here?”

Nothing.

She wandered to the other side of the room, hoping there was some heat coming from the fireplace. She found it cold, devoid even of ashes from any previous fires. Glancing around to be sure she was indeed alone, Kitty stepped into the gaping hole. Above her the chimney faded into blackness. She stretched both her arms to the side and turned all the way around.

She stepped back out and wandered around the room, waiting for Marek to appear. Where had Thane said he was? Was he fetching Vanesa? Would he come in with Jake on his heels? She hoped she could remember the details after she woke up. This would make quite a story.

The room was sparsely furnished. A few old tables and benches had been stacked against one wall. In the corner by the stairs were a stool and a pile of pillows. Several wooden trunks stood in various places against the walls. Upon further inspection, Kitty found them filled with pewter bowls and cups, larger wooden platters, thin blankets. The trunk nearest the stool and pillows contained slates and chalk, small wooden swords and shields, several old-fashioned tops, a few wool sacks, and a big bag of marbles.

She’d inspected each chest and its contents and still no one had come for her. In fact there had not been any sign of another person at all.

She saw only the one set of stairs. Kitty went to the door and listened for footsteps. She heard nothing from above or below. She knew he could not be downstairs. Apparently that way only led out of the castle. With resignation, Kitty decided to go in search of Marek. She began climbing into the unknown. She was anxious to say the least, expecting Jake to jump out at her any minute.