Lokai's Curse by J. Lee Coulter Read Free Book Online

am certain that you will…and sooner, rather than later.” He kissed the top of her head lovingly. They observed the bairns for a few moments more before Lokai took her away.
    Diedre thought they were returning home but a small village is where they appeared next. Lokai took her hand as they strolled amongst the villagers in full form. There were many festivities going on around them. A local girl had just wed and there were numerous activities occurring in the newlyweds honor.
    He bought her a sweet pastry and was entertained by a puppet show as she devoured it greedily. They nodded greetings to people and bought some of their wares. Diedre was thoroughly enjoying herself as she conversed with these strangers.
    Lokai was bartering with a vendor as she strolled to the edge of the crowd. She noticed a toddler a short distance away playing in the rutted road. He was apparently improving on the rut…making it deeper. She smiled.
    T here came a sound of thunderous hooves as the local laird’s soldiers galloped into the village. They took no heed of the people as they sped down the road at an alarming speed. Diedre panicked as she realized that the child was in their path. Without a second thought, she leapt in front of the horses and snatched up the bairn, rolling with him to avoid the deadly hooves. A woman screamed as the soldiers halted just a few feet away.
    Lokai jerked around in time to see Diedre’s brave feat and his heart leapt to his throat. He fought to get through the crowd as his wife confronted the warriors.
    The leader of the men eyed the scene before him. He saw no man with this beautiful lass struggling to rise from the grass. The child she held was quickly retrieved by his mother as he wailed in fear and confusion. She wore peasant clothing which meant she was fair game to him, although she held herself regally before him. A slow leer crossed his face as he dismounted and grasped her arm.
    “It seems that good fortune has found me this day.” He snickered, pulling her roughly against him. He gave her a bruising kiss as she struggled to free herself, squeezing her breast painfully. “Ye men go on ahead. I will catch up ta ye.” His eyes never left her face as he commanded his troops. They rode on as he dragged her struggling body towards the woods.
    Fear gripped her as she resisted him. Where was Lokai? She stumbled and his arm wrapped about her waist as he picked her up, carrying her the rest of the distance. She looked up into his black eyes and shuddered. He tossed her to the ground…knocking the wind out of her.
    “Spread your legs wench! I will have ye now!” he snarled.
    Diedre stared at his scarred face in disbelief. Was he insane? “You have no right to make these demands of me! I will not!”
    “Aye…ye will.” He grabbed a handful of her platinum locks as he ripped her bodice wide open. He fell on top of her as he crushed her lips with his foul mouth.
    Diedre was frantic. Why was this stranger attacking her…hurting her? She had done nothing to deserve such treatment. Her mind could not comprehend such a violent assault on her person. All she had done was save the child. Was that wrong? As she resisted the man’s attentions her knee caught him in the bollocks. He roared with rage as he struck her repeatedly in the face. Diedre’s mind could not cope with the brutality of the onslaught and escaped to her favorite glen. She felt no pain there…only safety. Yes…this was a much better place than reality.
    ***
    Lokai was beside himself with frustration. He did not wish to reveal that he was Fae which slowed him down as he tried to reach Diedre. Why does she not use her magic to escape him? That is when he realized that she was not aware that her powers were back. He had not told her yet.
    As he came upon them in the woods , he roared with rage. His wife lay beneath the soldier staring vacantly at nothing…her skirts bunched up to her waist. The soldier was eagerly releasing his cock