Chapter 14: Kidnap

Arron took a deep breath and turned towards the Princess. "Well, Your Highness..." A commotion erupted at the far side of the camp and one of the guards who had been standing nearby stepped close to the Princess and held a knife to her throat and dragged her to her feet. Arron stood and reached for his sword, but at the same time, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Minara reach for her weapons.

"Don't move," the guard hissed, pressing the blade against the Princess's throat. Arron saw the look of fear in her eyes and relaxed the hold on the hilt of his sword. Just at that moment the unpleasant officer from the Matheros contingent appeared. Arron cursed the candles because the bright light of the awning prevented him from seeing what was happening. He did notice Minara move closer to him as the one holding the Princess was distracted by the officers' approach.

"We have secured the compound. The others will be here in a moment." Arron heard hoof beats in the distance rapidly approaching. The officer jerked his head at the one holding the Princess. "Take her away." Arron noticed Minara stiffen, but she made no other move concerned with the Princess's safety. The officer must have noticed her movement. "Don't make a move and no harm will come to the Princess." His smile was evil. "As for you, General, your days of being a thorn in our side are over."

Arron stood still, cursing his stupidity for being caught with his back to everything going on in the camp. A movement caught his eye; Minara was slowly removing a glove. Arron wondered what she was bothering for, she could fight just as easily with gloves on.

Another person walked up to them, dressed as a bandit, and he spoke to the officer. "We have her now. Kill the rest of them and follow after us. Meet at the arranged place the day after tomorrow."

The officer nodded, then once the footsteps had disappeared into the distance he turned to a group of men that had just appeared beside him. "Kill them."

Minara touched the back of Arron's hand with hers, her fingers brushing his skin. His body trembled at her touch as she leaned into him. "Protect me, Arron."

The primordial beast within him surged through his blood like fire, and there was no controlling it once she had touched him. An anger powered through him with one thought in his head. Protect what is mine! Time seemed to slow as he drew his sword, spinning round to face the darkness. He had killed two before they even had time to take a breath. Someone destroyed the lights and he could see they were surrounded. A growl rumbled in his throat as he slashed with his sword. More came at him. He was aware of a warm presence against his back, powerful muscles moving with his. He knew it was Minara without even looking. The smell of blood was strong and the bodies started to pile up in front of him. He was hardly thinking, the beast within had all the control, no one was going to touch or harm what was his.

Minara knew she had taken a massive risk touching him then reinforcing the touch with a whisper, but it had worked, all she had to do was protect his back, he was slicing their attackers apart. She was awed at the speed and fury she had unleashed. No wonder unpaired males were killed before they reached adulthood. A creature like this lose in a civilized society would leave death and destruction in his wake. The problem was when the battle was over and there was no one else to fight he would turn on her. The primitive, violent part of her even wanted it. She could feel the need building within her, heat in her thighs as she fought back to back with him, but she could not afford for it to happen, not now, when they needed to go after the Princess.