Vikings battle Zeppelins while forbidden desires spark! (Swords Versus Tanks Book 2) by M Harold Page Page A
Authors: M Harold Page
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the main gatehouse awaited a warm bed, a persuadable lady, and the hope of love.
As he reached the ground-floor entrance, his ears picked up a muffled cry. Almost a scream. Ranulph heaved open the door and made in the direction of the sound. Another cry echoed down the stairwell, then a whimpering groan. Definitely female. Maud was in trouble!
Ranulph thundered up the spiral staircase. With each step, he cursed himself for forgetting that the Invaders were not an honourable enemy. As Hjalti had pointed out, Lady Maud was a possible heir to the throne of Westerland. That made her an obvious target for abduction or assassination. He should have guarded her better.
He burst into the first-floor room, drew Steelcutter, and looked around for Lady Maud.
The noise came from the fireside beyond the great bed.
The embers spilled hellish light on Lady Maud. She lay stretched out on the bearskin like a pagan sacrifice, skirts drawn up to her waist, blood-red hair shimmying as she writhed and gasped in response to whatever it was that Jasmine was doing to her.
Ranulph froze. He wasn’t quite sure what he was seeing, but it had to be unnatural.
Lady Maud’s cries ebbed and flowed with no hint of subsiding.
Without changing position, Jasmine brushed her fringe clear of her face and looked up at the sorceress's face — then beyond to Ranulph. She sprang to her feet. She drew her dagger and, with her left hand, flicked back her hair and wiped her mouth.
Lady Maud raised her head, her face was lacquered with perspiration. "Why have you stopped?" She twisted to meet Ranulph’s gaze. "Oh." She struggled to her feet.
White thighs and copper curls flashed in the firelight, then the green velvet dropped into place. She smoothed out the creases. "Do not be so shocked, Sir Ranulph," said Lady Maud with a smile. "In a nunnery, what other purpose would an invisibility spell serve?"
Ranulph looked from lady to Amazon. He opened his mouth, but no words came.
Jasmine said, "Hurt her, and I’ll beat the crap out of you."
Ranulph eyed the dagger. In this confined space he’d have to use Steelcutter in a half-sword grip or else risk being defenceless while he dropped the sword and drew his dagger. He shifted his left hand onto his sword blade. "This time, you will not find me so merciful."
The shrill whistle resounded through the chamber.
Jasmine half turned her head then dropped into a fighting stance. She switched grip to hold her knife pick-fashion, the blade down for a stab. Perhaps she could even parry Steelcutter if she put the flat against her arm — Ranulph must not underestimate her.
"Are you such a hard-ass without the tin cans?" she asked.
The Invaders sometimes spoke very strangely, but Ranulph guessed the gist of it. "Are you so brave without an army at your back?" He raised his left hand so that sword covered his body.
No matter what skills she had, her attack would be a wild, angry rush – he knew the type. It should be easy to pivot forward, catch her wrist with the edge, and pommel-smash that beautiful round face.
"Put up your weapons! Both of you!" said Lady Maud.
Ranulph returned Steelcutter to its sheath. Jasmine did likewise with her dagger.
"Jasmine, was that whistle for you?" asked Lady Maud conversationally, as if nothing untoward had happened.
Jasmine glanced at the strange silver bracelet on her left wrist. "Pick up time."
Lady Maud’s brow furrowed. "You mean, time to return to your airship?"
The Amazon glanced at Ranulph.
He put on his best swordsman’s expression, giving nothing away.
"Um. No, Princess," said Jasmine. "The airship returns to us, not the other way around." She smiled sweetly. "Pickup is in front of the main gate. Why don’t you watch from the roof?"
"I should like that." Lady Maud offered Ranulph her arm. "Let us walk on the battlements, Sir Ranulph."
"It will be my honour, Milady," said Ranulph. He smirked at the grey liveried Amazon.
The red-haired sorceress raised her
As he reached the ground-floor entrance, his ears picked up a muffled cry. Almost a scream. Ranulph heaved open the door and made in the direction of the sound. Another cry echoed down the stairwell, then a whimpering groan. Definitely female. Maud was in trouble!
Ranulph thundered up the spiral staircase. With each step, he cursed himself for forgetting that the Invaders were not an honourable enemy. As Hjalti had pointed out, Lady Maud was a possible heir to the throne of Westerland. That made her an obvious target for abduction or assassination. He should have guarded her better.
He burst into the first-floor room, drew Steelcutter, and looked around for Lady Maud.
The noise came from the fireside beyond the great bed.
The embers spilled hellish light on Lady Maud. She lay stretched out on the bearskin like a pagan sacrifice, skirts drawn up to her waist, blood-red hair shimmying as she writhed and gasped in response to whatever it was that Jasmine was doing to her.
Ranulph froze. He wasn’t quite sure what he was seeing, but it had to be unnatural.
Lady Maud’s cries ebbed and flowed with no hint of subsiding.
Without changing position, Jasmine brushed her fringe clear of her face and looked up at the sorceress's face — then beyond to Ranulph. She sprang to her feet. She drew her dagger and, with her left hand, flicked back her hair and wiped her mouth.
Lady Maud raised her head, her face was lacquered with perspiration. "Why have you stopped?" She twisted to meet Ranulph’s gaze. "Oh." She struggled to her feet.
White thighs and copper curls flashed in the firelight, then the green velvet dropped into place. She smoothed out the creases. "Do not be so shocked, Sir Ranulph," said Lady Maud with a smile. "In a nunnery, what other purpose would an invisibility spell serve?"
Ranulph looked from lady to Amazon. He opened his mouth, but no words came.
Jasmine said, "Hurt her, and I’ll beat the crap out of you."
Ranulph eyed the dagger. In this confined space he’d have to use Steelcutter in a half-sword grip or else risk being defenceless while he dropped the sword and drew his dagger. He shifted his left hand onto his sword blade. "This time, you will not find me so merciful."
The shrill whistle resounded through the chamber.
Jasmine half turned her head then dropped into a fighting stance. She switched grip to hold her knife pick-fashion, the blade down for a stab. Perhaps she could even parry Steelcutter if she put the flat against her arm — Ranulph must not underestimate her.
"Are you such a hard-ass without the tin cans?" she asked.
The Invaders sometimes spoke very strangely, but Ranulph guessed the gist of it. "Are you so brave without an army at your back?" He raised his left hand so that sword covered his body.
No matter what skills she had, her attack would be a wild, angry rush – he knew the type. It should be easy to pivot forward, catch her wrist with the edge, and pommel-smash that beautiful round face.
"Put up your weapons! Both of you!" said Lady Maud.
Ranulph returned Steelcutter to its sheath. Jasmine did likewise with her dagger.
"Jasmine, was that whistle for you?" asked Lady Maud conversationally, as if nothing untoward had happened.
Jasmine glanced at the strange silver bracelet on her left wrist. "Pick up time."
Lady Maud’s brow furrowed. "You mean, time to return to your airship?"
The Amazon glanced at Ranulph.
He put on his best swordsman’s expression, giving nothing away.
"Um. No, Princess," said Jasmine. "The airship returns to us, not the other way around." She smiled sweetly. "Pickup is in front of the main gate. Why don’t you watch from the roof?"
"I should like that." Lady Maud offered Ranulph her arm. "Let us walk on the battlements, Sir Ranulph."
"It will be my honour, Milady," said Ranulph. He smirked at the grey liveried Amazon.
The red-haired sorceress raised her
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