28
It took Roseleen a few moments to realize where she and Thorn were, back in the eleventh century. They were standing outside a hostelry, with sounds of rowdiness coming from inside, and the smell of the docks intruding from close by. But then she was still savoring Barry’s incredulous expression, and thinking that it was too bad that she would never see that particular Barry again so that she could get in a little gloating over it. But putting world history back on the right track was more important, a lot more.
Still, she was grinning when she glanced at Thorn and said, “If we had to shock someone with our disappearing act, I’m glad it was him.”
He grunted. “Your Blueberry husband is a man not to my liking.”
She recalled that inscrutable expression he’d worn and remarked, “Well, you could have fooled me. You seemed not to mind him one way or the other. And he won’t be my husband anymore, at least he won’t be as soon as we correct things here. ‘Ex-fiancé’ has a much nicer ring to it where that jerk is concerned.”
“I minded, Roseleen,” Thorn said with an edge to his tone. “Did I do as I would have preferred, Blooddrinker’s Curse would have feasted—”
She cut in with a tsking admonishment. “Killing wasn’t called for, Thorn.”
He sighed. “Verily, did I know you wouldst say some womanish thing as that.”
She realized he wasn’t asking a question, but stating a fact. So he’d refrained for her sake?
That produced another grin from her and the comment, “But I wouldn’t have minded if you had socked him.”
“Socked him?”
“Hit him a little bit.”
He looked down at his hands. “There is no little bit involved when I hit. Ask my brother, Thor. I am the only one who can—”
“Are you bragging again, Thorn?”
He shrugged before replying, “Vikings brag—but only with the truth.”
She laughed at that, feeling inordinately pleased with him all of a sudden. So he’d merely contained his anger? And he’d come to her defense, rescued her in his own fashion. He might not be wearing armor, but he was definitely a shining knight in her eyes.
“Well, I guess it’s time for me to meet your other Viking. But I hope you aren’t going to tell me he’s already inside that drinking establishment we’ve arrived at. Or are ladies allowed in—?”
“Nay, ’tis a place not for ladies, but for—”
“You don’t have to elaborate,” she cut in. “I catch your drift.”
“And I wouldst not allow you to enter such a place,” he added.
“Thank you—I think. Then I take it your other self hasn’t arrived yet?”
“Nay, but Sir John was already here when I came that night. I will speed him on his way to bed now, so you needs not deal with my other self.”
“Wait a minute,” she said in surprise. “I was looking forward to meeting you—the other you, that is.”
“You do not want to meet him, Roseleen. He would know you not, and he—”
“Yes, yes, I know, he had only two things always on his mind. But are you sure he isn’t going to show up while you’re busy in there? What if Sir John doesn’t want to leave right away? And remember, he has to be hale and hearty in the morning, not suffering any wounds that you might inflict if he gives you a hard time.”
He frowned, probably realizing that he didn’t have too many options for getting Sir John out of there. “Aye, he had a woman chosen for the night, the prettiest to be had. ’Twas why I challenged him to the drinking bout, as I recall. I wanted her for myself.”
Jealousy came up out of nowhere to poke its green horns at Roseleen. And it was absurd. It wasn’t this Thorn who wanted that other woman, at least not now, but the other one, and…and that didn’t seem to matter where these particular emotions were concerned.
“Just make sure you don’t get tempted this time,” she grumbled.
He grinned at her tone, and suddenly she found herself pressed up against him, his arms tight around her, while his mouth played havoc with hers. Within seconds, he had her turned on, so it was rather frustrating when he ended that stirring kiss and let go of her.
It took her a few moments just to remember where they were and what they were supposed to be doing. But when she did, she decided she’d have to get even with him for making her want him that much, when he had no intention of actually making love to her.
“Verily,” he said softly, “there is only one female capable of tempting me now.”
That had her blushing, and fighting to keep from grinning like an idiot—and forgetting about getting even. “Well, in that case, you better get busy. And I suppose it wouldn’t hurt if Sir John continues on as he had intended. Maybe if you slip a coin or two to the female, she’ll hurry him out of there for you.”
“An excellent suggestion,” he replied.
“I’ll just hide around the corner here, just in case you take too long and I need to do some distracting.”
He stopped long enough to say, “There is a back door to this place. Await me there. There will be no need for you to do any distracting.”
“All right, all right, just go.”
He did, but she didn’t.
Roseleen moved just around the corner of the building, where there were plenty of shadows to conceal her, and leaned against the wall there to wait. Thorn would realize where she was when he finished and would call her to join him. She had no doubt of that, and she’d worry later about his annoyance with her for not doing what he’d told her to do.
In the meantime, she wasn’t going to take the chance on having his other self show up too soon and walk into the hostelry while he was still in there. She couldn’t imagine what would happen if they ended up facing each other, but she didn’t want to find out.
But as luck would have it, time passed, and she heard footsteps approaching before she heard any call from the back of the building.
29
Roseleen peeked around the corner of the building, her breath held tight, her eyes straining. There he was—the other Thorn! He hadn’t reached the light cast by the torches outside the hostelry yet. When he finally did, her eyes widened.
He seemed bigger than life. Of course, it had to be only her nervousness that made him seem so. He was still Thorn, just not the Thorn she had come to know.
This one’s light brown hair was maybe a little longer, a little bit shaggier. Not for him the Norman fashion of short locks. He wouldn’t conform any more than the other Thorn would—what was she thinking? They were the same man, just at two different times in their lives.
And this one didn’t know her.
Her nervousness took a big leap toward apprehension. Why had Thorn been so insistent about her not meeting this other self of his? Was this one really so different from him? And then it hit her. Of course he was. Think of how many centuries separated the two selves. The Thorn she knew had lived so much longer, had undoubtedly mellowed, matured, learned to control his emotions…
She was going to talk herself right out of doing what she knew she had to do, if she didn’t stop it. And he had almost reached the door. Short of rushing over to stand in front of it so he couldn’t pass her, and appearing quite deranged in the process, she wasn’t sure what she could do to keep him out of that tavern. Of course, she didn’t have to delay him for very long—she hoped.
With that firmly in mind, she called out, “Excuse me, I could use a little help.”
When he glanced around, but after a moment, still reached for the door of the hostelry, she realized he couldn’t see her. She quickly stepped out from the shadowed corner of the building to correct that.
The light caught her yellow gown and drew his eyes to her. His hand returned to his side. She apparently had his full attention—for the moment.
Her nervousness took another leap, especially since she still hadn’t figured out what to say to keep him there. An easy time-consumer in her day would be to ask for directions to s
omeplace and play dumb in confirming them, so she’d get a number of repeats and a very frustrated good Samaritan. But considering that ladies didn’t go traipsing around towns in medieval England at night, at least not alone, she had to scratch that idea. Hadn’t she already been reamed out for going around alone, even during the day?
His blue eyes were moving over her for a complete, leisurely inspection, the kind that bordered on insulting in her day. But men probably got away with it regularly in this time period. Come to think of it, he’d done the same thing to her before—rather her Thorn had. But this wasn’t her Thorn. She had to keep that uppermost in her mind. This one didn’t know her, was seeing her for the first time, and his inspection brought color to her cheeks that, fortunately, the torchlight wouldn’t detect.
When his eyes finally came back up to settle on hers, it wasn’t to ask what kind of help she needed. “Where are your attendants, lady?”
She sighed in relief. He’d just given her her delaying excuse, and if she weren’t so addled by this encounter, she would have thought of it herself.
“I’ve lost them,” she told him, and tried to sound suitably bewildered.
“Lost them?”
“My escort. We became separated. I have been wandering around looking for them for hours now. But I’m afraid to go any farther alone. I don’t know this area, and it seems most—unsavory.”
“Where is it you should be?”
“I was to join the duke’s party.”
He nodded, quite curtly. So he’d always had that habit? she thought, trying hard not to smile.
“There are bound to be some of Lord William’s men in the hostelry. I will fetch several to escort you where you needs go.”
“No, don’t do that,” she said quickly, and wracked her brain for a reason. All that came to her was, “The duke’s soldiers are notorious gossipers, and I can’t have this getting around, that I was found lost and alone down by the docks. My reputation would be ruined. Just now, only you know—and of course my previous escort. But they will be too ashamed of losing me to speak of it.”
He seemed satisfied with that excuse, but still wasn’t inclined to help her. “I have not the time—”
“You have an engagement?”
“Nay, but—”
“Ah, you’re just in a hurry to get to your…amusements. I understand, Thorn, but this really is an emergency. And the duke will be most apprecia—”
He interrupted with a frown, “How do you know my name, lady?”
Roseleen groaned inwardly. That had been a real blunder, one she certainly hadn’t intended. But this quibbling with him had been so familiar, she’d forgotten for a moment which Thorn she was dealing with. And unable to come up with any acceptable excuse for her blunder, she was forced to improvise again, this time with a little mystery that she hoped would hold his attention for a bit longer.
So she said, “I know many things about you.”
“How so?” he asked. “You are not one I would forget, had we met.”
That remark, complimentary as it was, was doing unexpected things to her, most critically making her forget again that he wasn’t her Thorn. She found herself staring at his lips, for so long that he had to repeat his question.
“How do you know me, lady?”
Her eyes came back to his with a jolt, and she sighed. She really wished her Thorn hadn’t kissed her so thoroughly just moments ago, leaving her wanting and…and here stood his double, with the same looks she found so handsome, the same war-hardened body, the same lips that knew so well how to devastate her senses…He was damn lucky she wasn’t crawling all over him already.
“Let us say your reputation has grown far and wide,” she said, unable to keep the grouchiness out of her tone at that moment. Sexual frustration sure was a bitch she hadn’t counted on ever experiencing firsthand.
It was her tone that raised his brow, and after a moment, had him chuckling. It was an easy guess which reputation he’d decided she was referring to, and it wasn’t his prowess on the battlefield.
After his humor wound down, she got another one of his curt nods, albeit with a grin, and the remark, “I cannot guarantee your safety, do I take you to Lord William.”
She all but snorted. “Nonsense. Look at you. You’re more than capable of dealing with any—”
“From myself, lady.”
She blinked. “Excuse me?”
He didn’t bother to elaborate. He simply cornered her against the wall of the hostelry, with one arm braced on either side of her, and leaned forward to prove just how unsafe she would be with him.
He kissed just like Thorn—well, why wouldn’t he? But that made it that much more difficult to keep her senses intact, with his mouth working on hers in that sensual way she found so thrilling. And he brought his body into play, carefully pressing against her so that she could experience all of him—as if she weren’t already familiar with that body.
She’d been warned. She’d been told not to deal with this Thorn. She really should have listened, because it appeared he wasn’t going to stop proving his point, and soon she wouldn’t want him to.
She strained to hear the call that would release her from this dilemma, but she heard nothing beyond her own rapid breathing and his. Apparently her Thorn was having trouble in getting Sir John off to his bed, which meant she still had to keep this Thorn occupied, but she hoped, not in the way he seemed to have in mind.
Again, her choices were limited. She could appear to accept his attentions, which she seemed to have no trouble whatsoever in doing, or she could pretend to be outraged and insulted.
Which would keep him longer? Acceptance most likely, and besides, it would be pretty hard to play the outrage scenario convincingly considering how long she’d been standing there, letting him kiss her. But she had to throw in a little objecting. After all, the goal was to stall, not to find herself in the alley with her skirts tossed up.
She managed to free her mouth and push him away a little. She even managed to get back to the subject that had prompted his demonstration. That her voice sounded breathless and husky was entirely his fault. Just like his other self, he’d managed to stir her passions, with barely any effort on his part.
“I see you do manage to live up to your reputation, don’t you? But in this case, couldn’t you just try to restrain yourself for once?” she asked him. “At least long enough to escort me to William.”
One more torrid look down her length and back. “Nay, I think not.”
She realized she would have been disappointed had he answered otherwise, and yet, damnit, this wasn’t her Thorn. She didn’t really want to be kissing him anymore; she just had to make him think she did.
“I would know your name, lady.”
For some unaccountable reason, Delilah came to mind. She said it, then had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing at how apt it was. The classic sexual deceiver, which was exactly what she was about to be.
To that end, she gave him what she hoped was a come-hither smile to keep him interested, but since she’d never had any practice at sending such smiles, she didn’t know if she was doing it right. By the curious look she got from him, however, she had to assume her smile was probably more on the sickly side, so she gave that up with a sigh.
“You are impatient, Thorn Blooddrinker. In some ways, that isn’t such a bad thing, but in others…” She glanced around at the immediate area. “This is hardly the place for us to become better acquainted.”
At that provocative remark, he took her arm and started her off down the street so fast, she went into minor shock. She’d just blown it. The idea was just to keep him occupied, not get herself dragged off where she’d have the devil’s own time finding her Thorn again—if she could manage to get away from this one.
“Wait!”
He did stop, but by his expression, it didn’t look as if it would be for long, so in desperation she said, “Since it is quite possible now that I won’t be joining the duke�
�s entourage tonight, there is no longer any hurry, is there? And just now…” She paused to gather her courage to say the rest. “I have a powerful urge to taste you again.”
She never would have been so bold if she hadn’t panicked, but that boldness was going to get her exactly what she’d asked for. He pulled her close, his hands cupped her cheeks, his mouth started to descend…
And she heard her name called at last from down that dark alley.
Her decision was swift and final, and made with only a little regret. Just as his lips grazed hers, she slipped her foot behind his and pushed with all her might. He tumbled to the ground. She ran like hell, down the alley and smack into a very hard chest.
“Get us out of here quick! I may be followed by you-know-who!”
“Aye, you will be followed” was Thorn’s terse reply as he grabbed her hand, a tad too tightly, bringing a slight wince to her brow. “I have the memory of it now, and verily, did I search long for you, Roseleen.”
Her mouth dropped open. Fortunately, she was in another place and time, and so away from the dire threat of the two Thorns meeting, before she got to close it. She wished she could have left her shock and embarrassment behind as well, but wouldn’t you know, that managed to travel right along with her.
30
Roseleen was mortified. In fact, she didn’t think she’d ever been quite this embarrassed before. All she wanted to do was find a deep dark hole and bury herself in it. She wouldn’t look at Thorn. He was still holding her hand, but she kept her back to him, concealing the furious color in her cheeks as long as possible.
I have the memory of it now.
Why hadn’t that occurred to her? It stood to reason that whatever happened to the younger Thorn in the past, or was added to the past by unnatural means as in the case of his meeting her, this Thorn would gain the memory of. And that was just what had happened.
Thorn probably had a clear memory of everything she’d said and done to the other. He probably even got those memories exactly as they were occurring, so they’d be as fresh to him now as they’d been to his other self—who was at this moment in the past searching for her.