The Legend by Kathryn Le Veque Page A

lady."
    Peyton's nervousness moved to her
hands and caused them to shake. "I....I know not what you mean, my
lord."
    Alec's irritation became full-blown
with her evasive answer. In the blink of an eye, he dismounted his destrier and
moved to Peyton's small palfrey. In a great whoosh of turquoise silk, Peyton
was removed from the animal and she yelped in surprise.
    "Unhand me, beast!" she
found herself in the most powerful grip she had ever experienced.
    "Not until I have had an
explanation," his voice was calm and characteristically controlled.
    Ivy bolted from her horse to aid
her sister but was immediately halted by an armored figure. Ali had hold of the
big woman and was not surprised to discover her to be extremely strong.
"Hold, demoiselle," he commanded quietly.
    Infuriated and frightened, Ivy
took a swing at his helm and cried out when the metal bruised her fist.
Undaunted, she took to kicking and twisting in his grasp, but he simply
tightened his grip.
    Around them, the St. Cloven
soldiers tensed but were quickly quelled by well-armed Summerlin men. And
through it all, Jubil sat atop the wagon and smiled foolishly.
    "Spank her, sweet
Alec," she murmured. "She is a naughty girl at times."
    Alec heard the purred words but did
not give the older woman a second glance as he pulled Peyton into the trees,
away from the party. Peyton screeched and struggled, fought and grunted as he
hauled her through the undergrowth for several yards before coming to rest.
    He loosened his grip and Peyton
slapped his hands away, managing to yank herself free. Once loose, she
attempted to turn away from him, but he grabbed her with hands of steel and
trapped her against his massive chest.
    Frightened sapphires met the blue
of the sky. "Now," Alec's voice was a growl, "you will tell me
what prompted your little performance back at Blackstone. And no lies, else I
will take you over my knee."
    His size was overwhelming. Peyton
blinked nervously at him, the mental picture of his trencher-sized hand meeting
with her backside nearly bringing tears to her eyes. But she would not give in
to her fear; not yet, at least.
    "I shall not tell you
anything!"
    His face remained expressionless
as he lowered his great head until it hovered a mere inch from her own. She was
quivering with fear and fury, feeling the heat from his body as if the sun was
scorching her tender white flesh. He was incredible large and powerful and
fearsome, yet his expression anything but hard. She'd seen the look in James'
eye many a time. Always before he kissed her.
    "You will," he growled.
"Shall I pry it from your delicious lips?"
    Instinctively, she knew he meant
to kiss her and she tried to pull away. But his hand moved into her hair,
holding her tight. His face dipped even lower until she could feel his breath
on her lips.
    “Tell me, Patton, or I shall
force it from you."
    She was trembling, but not
entirely from fear. His closeness somehow brought a fire to her limbs like
nothing she had ever experienced. Her mouth was dry from her heavy breathing
and she reflexively licked her lips to moisten them.
    Alec caught the flicker of pink
tongue and painful lust bolted through his limbs. Honestly, he had only meant
to intimidate her, but the erotic action inflamed his senses and he was
dangerously close to losing his control. The urge to suckle the tender pink
morsel was overwhelming.
    "M-my name is Peyton,"
she breathed, knowing she should pull away from him but strangely not wanting
to.
    "As you say. Explain
yourself and I may be merciful."
    Merciful? What did that mean?
That he would let her go, or that he would put her over his knee regardless?
She struggled against her fear, against her confusing giddiness, against
herself. Why did he seem to scald her at every point where their bodies
touched?
    "We.... my sister and I,
that is, have no desire to be married," she stumbled through her
explanation. "We thought.... we hoped to discourage Lord Brian against
seeking