Vanquished by the Viking. Joanne Rock

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      Chapter Two

      His bastard brother had released the hounds on her.

      Reinn had not wanted to believe a man who shared his blood could be so cruel, but he had seen the evidence with his own eyes when the gates had opened and a fast-moving shadow of snapping teeth and howling fury descended upon the shore. Gunnar had been raiding and warring for too long, it seemed, having lost some of the humanity instilled in them by their warrior father. With their sire recently in his grave, Reinn had no one to appeal to, which meant he would have to confront his brother.

      A feat he did not relish since—if he could not make his brother see the error of his ways—Reinn would have to assume control of the family’s holdings to ensure they were fairly ruled. His days of wandering would be over. He had never craved his brother’s position as first-born, never hungered for the power and responsibility that came with being the eldest.

      But neither could he witness the growing brutality of his brother and not act. Reinn had subjugated people for Gunnar to rule. That alone made him responsible for how they were treated.

      Now, hours later, he rowed the lightweight faering close to the shore as they sailed to the west while dawn broke. Eva slept lightly in the hull of the boat under a fur he’d had in his pack. He’d hung her wet cloak on a spare oar propped to catch the wind. His own clothes had dried quickly, but the memory of being sealed to her in steamy heat, the feel of her soft, yielding body...that powerful sensation would remain imprinted on him forever. He’d gotten a thorough feel of her womanly curves, an armful of passionate, proud female.