Prince of Desire by Donna Grant Page B

stared at each other. Finally, the Tnarg said, “Friend of the Fae or not, she must die.”
    In a blink the Tnarg had moved around Lucian and was headed toward Isabelle. Lucian shouted Isabelle's name to try and warn her as he raced after the Tnarg. He watched in horror as the Tnarg was about to reach Isabelle.
    “Nay,” he bellowed as he hurtled his dagger at the offending beast.
    The blade embedded in the Tnarg's back, yet the creature continued on its course to Isabelle. Lucian knew he had to turn the beast’s attention from Isabelle back to himself, but without his sword he had no weapon.
    Lucian dove at the Tnarg and wrapped his arms around the creature's chest. Using every muscle in his body, Lucian slammed the Tnarg against the mountain.  
    He turned to Isabelle and grabbed her arm as he helped her to her horse, “Take the mare and make for the pass. Doona stop and doona look back.”
    “Lucian,” she said, but he stopped her words with his hand.
    “There's no time,” he said and placed her on her mount. “I love you,” he said just before he slapped the mare on her flank.
    The Tnarg screamed and tried to get around Lucian, but Lucian brought his knee up and into the creature's gut right before he planted his fist in the Tnarg's face.   The beast fell back into the snow as blood gushed from its nose.  
    “You’ll pay for that,” it said.
    “I warned you that you’d have to kill me first,” Lucian said as the Tnarg picked itself up and glared at him. “Come slake your thirst on me.”
    The Tnarg laughed then, the sound menacing and evil. “I’ll most certainly have your blood, but before I do, know that I’ll have your bride. No matter how far she runs, she will die.”
      Because it had been generations since anyone had seen a Tnarg, Lucian himself only having seen drawings, he was curious as to why the beast had come out of hiding. Not to mention, he still needed his sword.
    “Why?”
    “Why?” the Tnarg repeated. “Why do you think?”
    “Isabelle has done nothing to you. Your quarrel lies with the Sinclairs.”
    The Tnarg wiped the blood from its face. “She’s your bride, therefore a Sinclair.”
    Lucian seethed with fury. The Tnarg's were vile creatures, but to attack a woman instead of a warrior – that took the lowest of the low. He stepped to his left and felt something hit the toe of his boot.
     
    * * * *
     
    Isabelle's heart pounded furiously in her chest. She hadn't been able to leave Lucian alone, regardless of what he had said. He might need her.   She stopped her mare on the pass and hid behind part of the mountain wall. Seeing the awful creature still didn't make it seem real to her. And it could talk.  
    A shudder ripped through her as she recalled it saying it wanted to kill her.   Somehow it was connected to Lucian and his family, she was sure of it. Lucian had spoken of magic, and though she didn't know much about it, the creature had to come from some sort of magic.
    As Lucian and the creature spoke, she fingered the dagger in her hand, ready to aid Lucian in any way. Her breath lodged in her throat as Lucian rolled and came up with his sword to face the beast.
    She blinked, and Lucian and the creature attacked. Lucian's arm moved with lightning speed as he kept the beast's claws away. She had seen Lucian fight once before, but in the light of day, she saw just how excellent a warrior he was as he battled a beast made of magic.
    Yet, powerful warrior or not, the monster was wearing him down. Isabelle could tell Lucian's movements slowed where the Tnarg's increased. By the resignation on Lucian's face, he knew it was simply a matter of time.
    “Nay,” Isabelle whispered. She could not lose Lucian after just finding him.
    She rose and started down the pass. Her feet slipped on the ice and snow, and she began to fall. She kept her eyes on Lucian as she slid the rest of the way, ignoring the cuts and scrapes on her legs.
    “Lucian,” she said through her tears as