Fleeing the clutches of her disreputable relatives, Sera Livingston has made her escape to Australia's Outback. Disguised as a boy, sharp-tongued Sera searches for her sister but is attacked by bushrangers. Thievery becomes her only chance at surviv...
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The sound of horse hooves dug into the earth. Sera was at a great disadvantage. From what she could tell from the pounding and rhythmic beat coming her way, it was only one.
She had her knife. She had a slim chance.
The horse was gaining on her and her lungs ached. Her chest felt like it was about to break into little fragments as she breathed in harsh and quick breaths. Darting around another large bush she heard the horse come to a halt and feet rushing toward her. Her legs burned and started going numb from exertion. He caught her arm and wrestled her to the ground. His hands immediately flew to her bound chest then stilled.
Her guise was discovered.
"So, I was right, you're no lad. That's a large price on your head. You're going to make us rich, you are." The same man from before stared down at her with malicious intent.
Sera fought hard until the sound of a belt clanking made her still in dread. She had halted her uncle's advances over and over for years. There was no way this pathetic man would ruin her. "A little romp won't hurt, I don't think."
Sera's knife was stuck in her boot and useless. Her hand dug into the sand as the man bent down hovering over her and she paused as her knuckles scraped against something hard. Swiftly, Sera picked up the rock and slammed it on the man's head, making him howl and fall off her.
She bolted again and a fire in the distance caught her attention. It was her only hope. She could be going straight back to the other bushrangers or salvation... or to even more danger. Her boots struck the ground hard with each pump of her legs. Sera couldn't hear the man coming for her, so she guessed he was either unconscious or dead from the blow. She had no time to feel guilty about possibly killing a man.
She pushed and the fire grew until she was close enough to see a sleeping man with a horse tied to the tree he lounged under. Sera stopped and took in huge gulps of air like it was a drug and she was the addict. Slipping off her boots to not make a sound, Sera tip-toed over until she was near the horse. She had never ridden one before, but it was her only choice at this point.
Sera lightly stepped over, bringing her hand out to the horse, letting it sniff her. Luckily, it didn't get scared and put its snout right into her palm. She glided her hand along with the stallion's beautiful black coat that shined from the fire's glow. Her fingers retreated and started hurriedly untying the reigns. A rough, big hand appeared out of nowhere, gripping the horse's leather straps and the flickering flames caused tiny x mark scars to blaze to life.
Slowly, Sera peered behind her and she immediately froze because if ever a man had intimidated her, it was this one. Stumbling back, Sera put distance between them, analyzing the looming figure before her. Something about the way his eyes lazily roamed over her from under his hat, made Sera's skin itch and blaze to life. She stared straight into the darkest eyes she had ever seen. She shivered inside but refused to break eye contact, despite her inability to regulate her breathing from this stranger's intensity.
