Flame Thrower by Alice Wade Read Free Book Online

face smiled with joy. He wanted to see one similar to what she just bestowed on him every day.
    Tillian again sat with her head hung forward with her long black hair covering her face and back. He never felt this powerless, and that drove him to do something. He was frankly overwhelmed and exhaled loudly. “I won’t let anymore harm to come to her, Wallace. Do your job and keep watch for signs of treachery, and I will watch over her heart.”

    * * * *

    Back inside the cabin, Edda continued to chatter in an attempt to calm Tillian’s nerves. “You are in good hands, dear. Our King is kind and he’ll find who did this to you. I’m sure afterward, you can go home.” Edda’s words were met with a curious reaction. Tillian flinched. Edda frowned at what she could have said to get that reaction, but didn’t push the topic. She could plainly see the Princess was about to break apart.
    After a moment, Tillian replied half-heartedly, “We’ll see, Edda.”
    “Well, have a heart. My girl here is ready to wash that grim off.”
    Tillian nodded and lifted her face. The younger healer slowly began to wash Tillian’s skin, starting with her face, wiping away the dirt that crusted her skin, careful of her cuts and swollen lips.
    When the cloth touched her breasts, Tillian cringed back from the memory of lips suckling on her sensitive nipples and she trembled violently as the phantom images rolled through her body. When her body responded, she pulled away from Girdie quickly. The drug they had her drink daily was still in her system, obviously, and her aroused reaction was embarrassing.
    Girdie watched her with concern and halted her washing, but with quick nod from Tillian, she resumed her careful ministrations. “It’s the drugs,” Girdie whispered. “You have nothing to be ashamed of.”
    “Aye,” Tillian shyly looked up with a flushed face. “It is still embarrassing none the less.”
    “Not to me,” Girdie whispered back.

    * * * *

    Ryan watched from outside, catching Tillian’s reaction. Her flinch caused him to purse his lips in anger. He assumed she’d been drugged, but the flinch showed the effects of her abuse. A rumbling sound erupted from his deep in his throat from the burning hatred for the men who caused her such pain. He quickly turned away from the view and paced down the porch and then back shaking off the irrational anger building in his soul.
    His pacing brought him right back to the window where he stopped, rooted to the spot by what he saw. At his side his hands clenched into tight fists for his anger suddenly changed into a simmering desire. From this position, he got a good view of her naked profile and it showed him how utterly perfect she was. She had a narrow waist and flat stomach, distinct and muscular rib cage...and perfectly proportioned breasts that defied gravity. She was perfect. The evaluation of her beauty stemmed the anger he felt moments before, that was until Girdie moved.
    His attention piqued when the younger of the two healers swept Tillian’s long black hair to the side to wash her neck and back. This action exposed her shoulders to his hungry view for the first time. What he saw caused him to explode into action and burst into the cabin violently. His sudden appearance scared the wits out of the three women.
    Ryan stormed directly to Tillian trembling with anger. “Are those lashes I see on your back?” he demanded in an eerily deep voice that forced Tillian to look away in shame. When she didn’t respond, he demanded more forcefully of Edda, “Are those lashes on her back?”
    Edda didn’t balk under his intensity. She looked down at the marks, touching them gently before replying, “Aye, Sir. They are old, almost healed, but yes, they are lashes.”
    Ryan couldn’t believe what he saw with his own eyes and could barely contain the flash of rage that her perfect skin had been marred by a whip. When he heard the healer reply, he growling out, “How old are