Copper Chameleon Read online

  *****

  Ann woke in slow stages. Her hands were hurting, their new and tender skin torn and ragged. Where was she? She moaned as she tried to rub the throbbing pain in her head and found herself chained upright to a wall. As she jerked alert in shock, a ribald laugh irritated her aching head.

  “Ah, the princess awakens.” A gravelly voice erupted. “It’s about time you hussy. I’m ready to claim my dues from you, girl. Ya owe me. Ya owe me big and I’m going to have my way with you.”

  The devilish laughter that continued almost convinced Ann that she had died and gone to hell until she smelled his breath on her neck. His wet repulsive lips claimed hers and she gagged as he tasted of stale whiskey and pipe smoke.

  “What’s a matter, princess? You tryin’ to play hard to get?” More laughter followed his words. “You ain’t never gonna get out of here until I tire of you. The contract will be upheld.”

  Her eyes widened in fear as he held up a piece of paper in front of her, waving it too closely for her to read, but she recognized it regardless. Her careless signature graced the bottom of the page. What was she going to do? Surely Dirk would come after her? Or would he? She gasped again when she thought about the baby. She had never told Dirk. He didn’t know they were going to have a baby. What if he decided he no longer wanted her? What would happen to her? Her baby? She drew enough strength to fight back. “My husband will come for me.”

  “If he can find you. If he cares to find you, that is. Who can say? But if he does get lucky and come this way, I have three guns trained on the entry path and the men holding them have orders to shoot anyone who comes this way.” Roberts spewed spittle on her face as he spoke. “He will die trying to reach his precious wife, or will he? He’s a rich man, you know. A divorce would not be a hard thing for him to get. He can start new with a woman of breeding, not a guttersnipe who peddles away her body for a bit of coin.”

  She must think. She had to keep him distracted to stall his plans. “Now Mr. Roberts, you know why I had to borrow money from you. It wasn’t for silly things. I had to repay Pa’s bills. I am a respectable woman.”

  “Ha!” His hand wandered down her chin, her neck, then slid into the bodice of her dress. “You ain’t going to have a respectable bone in your body when I’m done with you. I will take you places that only the most well-versed doxies have gone.”

  She fought back the urge to spit in his face as she tested her legs. Surprisingly, they were not chained. A plan began to form in her head as his hand ripped her dress, exposing her creamy breasts. Just as his mouth lowered to them, she raised her foot with all her strength. She did not miss her target.

  Roberts screamed in pain as he grabbed his crotch. “You little ….” He struck her hard across the cheek once more.

  The rest of his threat faded from her ears as blackness threatened to overtake her again. Oblivion never came and she sputtered as she was doused with a bucket of cold water.

  “You will pay for that, my lady. Oh, you will pay. I intend to have my way regardless. It seems to me if you are that much of a wildcat. Bergmann prob’ly has no use for you. Men like their women to be willing.”

  She could barely catch her breath as the chains were ripped from the wall and she fell to the ground in a heap.

  “I intend to claim my stake now.” He hauled her roughly up from the cellar, dragging her as each step edge branded her body with a new bruise. She tried to roll into a ball to protect the baby.

  By the time they reached the gaudy red and gold bedroom, Ann was a mass of painful scrapes and welts. Considering the filth in Robert’s house, she would be lucky if she didn’t develop an infection. She tried to envelope her arms around her stomach, but when he threw her into the middle of a large bed her wrists were forcibly tied to the bed posts. As a measure of caution, he also tied her legs to the foot posts. Remembering what Pa had once told her about encountering a wild animal in the woods, she tried not to show any measure of fear.

  Pa’s words drifted through her aching brain. “Feral creatures feed off of fear, Blaze. If you ever meet up with one, your best chance of survival will be to mask that emotion. Show no fear. Be a strong lass.” She could almost hear his voice as if he were standing next to her. She gave an oddly twisted smile. Pa thought he was protecting her from wild animals, not wicked people. Her green eyes shot flames at the madman who circled the bed and she maintained direct contact in silence.

  “Not got nothin’ to say, do ya?” He licked his lips eagerly and began to remove his breeches. “You will when I get done with you. That’s a promise.”

  Maintaining facial contact, Ann refused to look lower for if she did, her facade of bravery would shatter into a million pieces. Blinking rapidly, she tried to stop the flow of tears sliding down her face. All too soon he was on top of her, his hot breath robbing her of her own. She gagged again in earnest this time and the contents of her stomach found their way all over Robert’s face.

  He cursed profusely as he wiped the vomit from his face. “You will pay even more for that. I will make sure you will be beggin’ for my touch instead of being repulsed by it. Unless…” An evil gleam sparked his beady eyes. “You’re growing that high and mighty foreigner’s baby in your belly. Now wouldn’t that be the apple in the pig’s mouth!” He paused to think for a moment before blurting his thoughts. “Does he know about the babe?”

  Roberts could tell by the expression on her face that she was pregnant and that Bergmann likely didn’t know he was going to be a father.

  “Revenge is sweet. He will never have you back now. He will never know if the babe is mine or his.” An evil laugh range in her ears like a death knell. “He will never be able to look at it, not knowing. This is perfect. Just perfect.”

  He fell back on her, his mouth covering hers entirely, making her gag once again. If he smelled badly before, he was almost unbearable now. His words struck a chord in her mind. He was right. Dirk didn’t know about the baby, and he would never believe it was his own. He would never love it or her again. She had lost it all regardless. She did not know if she could keep her sanity after learning how it felt to be cared for and loved. Somehow she would have to keep her will to live for the baby as it didn’t sound like Roberts was going to harm it. Or was he? Consumed with her own thoughts, she never heard the commotion outside. She never saw the rage on Dirk’s face as he kicked open the locked bedroom door, shattering the wood into splinters. She never heard his growl as he ripped Robert’s from his wife’s person. She never saw the knife slice Robert’s neck in one easy swipe nor did she hear him whimper one last time as his lifeless body slid to the floor.

  Reality only began to seep back into her world as a familiar voice spoke softly in her ears, stating declarations of love and devotion and happiness about babies and family. She was afraid to open her eyes as she felt her mind has truly slipped this time. Her sharp intake of breath and full body shudder almost convinced her that this was what insanity felt like, but instead of smelling smoky vomit, she smelled the familiar scent of her husband. She breathed in the restoring fragrance of sandalwood and spice.

  “Blaze Ann. Open your eyes. Look at me. It’s over.” Concern laced his commands. “Blaze Ann. It’s me. Dirk. Bergmann. Your husband. Please open your eyes. I love you.”

  Her bindings were cut loose and limbs fell limply to the filthy mattress. She clenched her lids shut tighter. She knew this was a cruel trick of the mind.

  “Blaze Ann, open your eyes. Look at me. Don’t you have something you need to tell me?” He probed her gently, searching for injuries. “Something about a baby?”

  Her eyes flew open, locking her focus on her husband. “You came for us.” She breathed a sigh of relief.

  “Of course I came for my beautiful wife and child. I love you both.” He stroked her still flat stomach. “Did you expect any less?”

 
“Roberts?” Her voice quivered.

  “He will never bother us again.”

  “The men waiting to shoot you?” Fear began to ebb from her body.

  “Were very reasonable when I got here. Seems they weren’t as loyal as Roberts had hoped.” He smiled as he recalled the cowards’ rapid retreat.

  “Can we go home now?” She fell limp into his arms as he scooped her into his arms.

  His answer came without hesitation. “I’d like nothing more, my love.”