Jane. It is time to go home.” Zaren held his hand out to her.
She frowned at him. “I’m not some bitch to come when you call. And my home is not the same as yours.” She was tired of this and if she didn’t get away from them soon, she was afraid she’d do something really stupid, like burst into tears in front of them all. She had too many emotions bubbling around inside her and they were all close to the surface just waiting to explode.
Zaren’s features grew hard as he walked towards her. “Your home is with us now.”
Jane kept backing up, needing to keep the distance between them. She couldn’t think straight when he touched her. “Jane,” he barked, making her jump backwards.
Her foot caught the edge of the ground and then fell into nothingness. Losing her balance, she felt herself falling backwards. She swung her arms, trying to regain her footing, but it was too late. Down she plummeted. Her body hit the water with a smack and she gasped just as the water engulfed her.
As she sank deeper into the lake, she thought she heard someone yell, but she couldn’t be certain. Then she couldn’t hear anything at all. The last thought that flitted through her mind was that she wished she’d learned how to swim.
Chapter Five
“Wake up, Jane.” The voice sounded as if it was coming from far away, but it sounded so urgent and desperate that she struggled to respond. She tried to speak but coughed instead. Then she groaned. Her chest hurt.
“We need to get her back to the castle.” The other male voice sounded just as concerned. She wanted to open her eyes and reassure them that she was fine, but she just didn’t have the energy to do so.
She felt herself being carefully lifted by a strong pair of arms. Her head rested against a damp, rock-hard chest. But underneath she could still smell the unique scent of male tinged with grass and water. Definitely Zaren. It was incredibly gratifying to know he’d jumped in the water to save her. She’d thank him later. Right now, all she wanted to do was rest.
“Give her to me.” The arms wrapped around her tightened. “We need to get her back to the castle and get her warm and dry.”
“I’m already wet. I’ll carry her.” Zaren’s chest rumbled against her cheek as he spoke. She was glad he wasn’t going to hand her off to one of the other men.
“As you wish, brother.” There was a note of concern in the male voice. For her? For Zaren? She wasn’t sure. Zaren shifted her in his arms as he swung them both up onto the horse.
Jane didn’t open her eyes, but she could hear the horse snorting and shuffling beneath her. Her feet brushed against the shaggy coat of the beast. And then there was the smell. Definitely a horsy smell. She hadn’t been on a horse since she was a kid. Too bad she wasn’t able to enjoy it more.
He set a quick pace and it felt as if they were flying. The horse’s hooves pounded against the ground in a punishing rhythm. The wind whipped at her hair and stung her eyes when she tried to open them, so she closed them again and just enjoyed the sensation of moving so fast. The feel of the powerful beast beneath them and the muscular man holding her made her feel safe and allowed her mind to drift.
So the other two men were his brothers. She had suspected as much as they seemed as familiar to her as Zaren did when she first met him. Her head was spinning. So much had happened so quickly. Was it only last night she’d fallen asleep on her daybed in her one-room apartment? She had to face the fact that this was real. Somehow, she’d defied all the laws of physics and been transported to another time and place.
The consequences were frightening. Could she even return home? Would they let her? She had so many questions and no answers.
Opening her eyes a crack, she took a peek to see where he was taking her. Her jaw dropped open at the splendid castle in front of her. Like something out of a fairy tale, it was large and hewn from
She frowned at him. “I’m not some bitch to come when you call. And my home is not the same as yours.” She was tired of this and if she didn’t get away from them soon, she was afraid she’d do something really stupid, like burst into tears in front of them all. She had too many emotions bubbling around inside her and they were all close to the surface just waiting to explode.
Zaren’s features grew hard as he walked towards her. “Your home is with us now.”
Jane kept backing up, needing to keep the distance between them. She couldn’t think straight when he touched her. “Jane,” he barked, making her jump backwards.
Her foot caught the edge of the ground and then fell into nothingness. Losing her balance, she felt herself falling backwards. She swung her arms, trying to regain her footing, but it was too late. Down she plummeted. Her body hit the water with a smack and she gasped just as the water engulfed her.
As she sank deeper into the lake, she thought she heard someone yell, but she couldn’t be certain. Then she couldn’t hear anything at all. The last thought that flitted through her mind was that she wished she’d learned how to swim.
Chapter Five
“Wake up, Jane.” The voice sounded as if it was coming from far away, but it sounded so urgent and desperate that she struggled to respond. She tried to speak but coughed instead. Then she groaned. Her chest hurt.
“We need to get her back to the castle.” The other male voice sounded just as concerned. She wanted to open her eyes and reassure them that she was fine, but she just didn’t have the energy to do so.
She felt herself being carefully lifted by a strong pair of arms. Her head rested against a damp, rock-hard chest. But underneath she could still smell the unique scent of male tinged with grass and water. Definitely Zaren. It was incredibly gratifying to know he’d jumped in the water to save her. She’d thank him later. Right now, all she wanted to do was rest.
“Give her to me.” The arms wrapped around her tightened. “We need to get her back to the castle and get her warm and dry.”
“I’m already wet. I’ll carry her.” Zaren’s chest rumbled against her cheek as he spoke. She was glad he wasn’t going to hand her off to one of the other men.
“As you wish, brother.” There was a note of concern in the male voice. For her? For Zaren? She wasn’t sure. Zaren shifted her in his arms as he swung them both up onto the horse.
Jane didn’t open her eyes, but she could hear the horse snorting and shuffling beneath her. Her feet brushed against the shaggy coat of the beast. And then there was the smell. Definitely a horsy smell. She hadn’t been on a horse since she was a kid. Too bad she wasn’t able to enjoy it more.
He set a quick pace and it felt as if they were flying. The horse’s hooves pounded against the ground in a punishing rhythm. The wind whipped at her hair and stung her eyes when she tried to open them, so she closed them again and just enjoyed the sensation of moving so fast. The feel of the powerful beast beneath them and the muscular man holding her made her feel safe and allowed her mind to drift.
So the other two men were his brothers. She had suspected as much as they seemed as familiar to her as Zaren did when she first met him. Her head was spinning. So much had happened so quickly. Was it only last night she’d fallen asleep on her daybed in her one-room apartment? She had to face the fact that this was real. Somehow, she’d defied all the laws of physics and been transported to another time and place.
The consequences were frightening. Could she even return home? Would they let her? She had so many questions and no answers.
Opening her eyes a crack, she took a peek to see where he was taking her. Her jaw dropped open at the splendid castle in front of her. Like something out of a fairy tale, it was large and hewn from
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