All for Love

© Lora Darling

Outskirts of London - 1800

The bullet tore through the fabric of Olivier Davignon's breeches, burning his thigh. He caught his breath and silenced a curse so as not to make things easier for his pursuer. From beginning to end, this night had been destined to fail. He should have listened to his gut and stayed safely tucked in bed, but he would bemoan his lack of foresight later. For now, he needed to get the hell out of here, preferably with his life intact.

Trying to ignore the worsening pain in his leg, he wheeled his startled horse around, searching through the foggy drizzle for some sign of his friend, Justin Tindall. It was dangerous to hesitate, especially in a clearing, but Olivier refused to go any further without Justin. The minutes ticked by. His heart raced and his thigh throbbed. Where the devil was Justin?

Just then, a horse and rider appeared through the trees, racing as if their very lives depended upon it. Without hesitation, Olivier spurred his mount and followed his friend's wild plunge into the opposite side of the forest. Branches whipped his face and smacked his wounded thigh, sending fresh moisture down his leg. Even without looking, he knew he was losing a dangerous amount of blood. He could not let the wound go unattended much longer, but seeing to it now when he could still hear the echo of pursuing horses, would surely be the end of him.

Up ahead, Justin's horse snorted, provoking a response from Olivier's mount. "Not much further, mon ami." He slipped his hand under the mane to stroke the horse's lathered shoulder. Muscles quivered and the horse snorted again but his pace never slackened. The beast crashed through the forest, unmindful of the punishing branches and sharp leaves slicing at its flesh.

Olivier wished he could be as oblivious but each smack of a branch unleashed a new wave of pain until his entire body burned with it. Burying his face in the horse's windblown mane, he trusted the beast to follow where Justin led. He would hold on. Their hideaway could not be far, and once there, he could get out of the bothersome drizzle and finally sleep, finally esc—

The ground rushed up to smack him in the face. The world blackened, swallowing him up as the sound of his horse's strides moved further and further away. He tried to call for Justin, but all he managed was a strangled moan of pain and then...nothing.

Save