by Maren Smith
“Morrigan,” I started slowly, not wanting to argue this early in the morning, “you will never return to your normal life That is a life you will have to put behind you. The sooner you accept who you are, the better it will be for everyone.”
Morrigan sighed and opened her mouth before shaking her head and closing it. Maybe, just maybe, she was learning not to argue with me.
“I have a surprise for you.” I wanted to reward her for her self-control and was excited to see her face when I showed her Winter.
“What is it?” She bounced with excitement, her bright blue eyes widening.
“I’ll show you after breakfast.”
The pout on her face was nothing if not adorable.
“Can’t you show me first, and then we can have breakfast? I’m not even hungry!”
I sighed. I shouldn’t have mentioned the surprise yet. I should have known her childlike abandon would take over. “You need to eat, little goddess. You will need your energy for today. We have a lot on our plate. Plus, we never know when we might need to battle. You’ll need your strength. The dark forces are looming and an attack is imminent.”
“Please?”
“No, Morrigan. That is final. Let’s go eat.”
“Fine!” She stomped her foot and rolled her eyes at me as she headed toward the door. “You are no fun anyway!”
“I’ll show you fun!” With an arm across the doorframe, I stopped her from leaving the room. I brought the flat of my hand down over her butt three times, watching how it jiggled.
Down boy. You don’t have time to play.
“Hey!” She squealed, turning to look at me. “This outfit isn’t very protective after all.”
“You can still feel blows in it.”
“I can see that,” she muttered, scowling.
I wasn’t liking her attitude, not one bit. Snatching her arm, I turned and pulled her back into the bedroom. I walked her toward the wall. Once I had her there, her back against it, I had her pinned.
“My little goddess woke up on the wrong side of the bed and is behaving like a child.” I trailed her chin with my finger. “Now, I don’t want to keep having this discussion with you today. No more pouting, no more eye rolling and no more attitude, or I will take you across my knee and reacquaint you with the sword of justice, understand me?” I didn’t wait for her answer, but instead claimed her mouth. I punished her lips with mine and owned her, taking no time for tender reassurances. She gave the cutest little sigh as I pulled away, trying to pull me back to her.
“It is time for breakfast, little goddess. Are we clear?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
I smirked as I turned to leave the room. I had kissed the vinegar right out of her and had my sweet girl back.
“When we get downstairs, I’d like you to apologize to Kara for last night. When we spar with our teammates, we do so in a controlled manner. You were out of control and weren’t playing fairly.”
She opened her mouth to protest, but I raised my hand to silence her. “I’m not saying it is your fault, sweet little goddess of mine. I understand that your world was spinning. However, they were still your actions and you must own responsibility for them, yes?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
“Good. Let’s go eat.”
Morrigan
Forseti led the way, and I followed absentmindedly behind him, lost in my thoughts and the memory of his lips on mine.
That man and his kisses were going to drive me mad. He kissed me straight into submission every time.
I couldn’t understand how. Most men were nothing more than annoying gnats flying around my ear, I swatted them away. I had never met a man who caught my attention for more than a few moments, and yet within one short day, I had one whom my attention wouldn’t waver from.
It was both exciting and confusing as hell. I didn’t like the feeling of confusion, but oh, the excitement. It almost made up for the clusterfuck the last twenty-four hours had been.
Almost.
Arriving in the dining room, I was both startled and relieved to see Edda and Kara sitting at the table, a wide spread of hot food before them.
“Oh, wow! Where did this come from?” Surely neither of them had cooked all of this.
They laughed.
“She doesn’t understand how things work yet,” Forseti said behind me. “She will.” He turned to me commanding, “Sit, little goddess.”
I sat and he filled my plate to the brim with an array of hot deliciousness. Digging in, I looked up to see Forseti shooting me a look and nodding toward Kara. Oh, yeah, the apology.
“Um, Kara?”
“Yes, Morrigan?” Kara looked up from the large pull of coffee she had just taken.
“I wanted to apologize for last night. I allowed myself to get out of control and I wasn’t fighting honorably. I take full responsibility for my actions.” I felt guilty as crap. One thing I had always prided myself on during my Krav Maga training was never allowing anyone to goad me. I always had the utmost of discipline and kept myself calm, cool and collected. I hadn’t been a good example of that in the past twenty-four hours, and I was ashamed. She must have felt the sincerity of my words as she graciously accepted my apology. I found myself seeking out Forseti’s approval. He nodded and smiled. I was able to sit back then, and relax some.
“Can I at least have a clue?” I asked through a mouthful of cheesy scrambled eggs, my mind already wandering back to the promised surprise. I batted my eyelashes at him, hoping that I didn’t look like I was having a seizure. I had never been very good at flirting.
“Clue about what?” Edda asked.
“He said he has a surprise for me! Do you know what it is?” I asked hopefully. Maybe they would tell me since Forseti wasn’t.
“Surprise? I love surprises. Did you bring one for each of us?” Kara chimed in.
“No, her surprise is something you have both had since you were little,” Forseti answered. I noticed the women exchange knowing glances. They knew!
“Oh, come on! Please?”
“Nope.” Edda shook her head.
“Not a chance,” Kara said.
I cursed them both in my head.
“Those aren’t very nice names you are calling us,” Edda said disapprovingly. “We just want you to enjoy the surprise.”
“Is she calling you names?” Forseti asked. “I hope you aren’t using the naughty language that I have repeatedly spoken to you about.” He frowned at me. I tried to bite back my outrage.
“You absolutely cannot scold me for my thoughts!”
“Your thoughts are what leads to your words and misbehavior. If you think about it, you will eventually say it.”
No, some of us have some self-discipline. I glared at him as I thought it.
Edda giggled.
Don’t you dare. I turned my gaze on her.
“I won’t,” she reassured me.
“You won’t, what? You know how I feel about secrets among my team.”
“I’m not on your team.”
I wasn’t, either. Odin hadn’t appointed me, and Forseti had made it clear that I wasn’t a soldier. I wasn’t trained. So, nope, not on the team. I could have all the secrets I wanted, including my own plan.
“You are mine,” Forseti said, claiming me again. His tone wasn’t possessive, it was that of a man filled with love and admiration for a woman. “And I am yours, little goddess. That automatically means we are on the same team.”
“Sure, I guess.” I took a large bite of delicious, crispy bacon. Chewing, I thought about it. “We are a team, as in a couple. But, I’m not on the team, you know, I’m not an Odin’s Operator.”
“Yet,” Edda corrected.
“Yeah,” Kara chimed in. “Once you are trained up, I bet you will be in no time. After all, you’ll need a new job.” She smiled at me and I knew she meant well but her words settled like a bomb exploding over me.
A new job. I loved my job. A new life. I loved my life. I didn’t
want a new anything. I wanted to stay where I was, and keep doing what I was doing, but I wanted to keep Forseti, too. Why couldn’t I do both? Why couldn’t he come to Earth and be my husband?
“Because he is the God of Justice, Morrigan,” Edda said gently. “Asgard needs him. Heck, all the realms need him. He keeps the peace in many ways. War would have raged your Earth by now if it hadn’t been for Forseti’s ability to deescalate situations and dole out fair judgments. I understand how hard this must be for you, cousin. But it is what it is.”
“How about we take one thing at a time?” Forseti interjected. “Eat your breakfast so that I can take you to see your surprise.” I quickly started shoveling the rest of my eggs into my mouth. “And, just to be clear, I won’t ever punish you for your thoughts, little goddess. Odin knows that my thoughts are far from pure.” He paused and looked straight at me, slowly licking his lips. “Especially, when they are about you.”
My pulse raced, and just like that, I felt my panties dampen again.
Damn that man. I’d have to take stock in panty liners at this rate.
Edda must have been reading my thoughts again, because she burst into laughter. Kara, on the other hand, had a very disgusted look on her face.
“Ew. Get a room.”
I guess some things were the same no matter what world you lived on.
Chapter 12
Forseti
I tried not to focus too much on the concern I was feeling over Morrigan’s comments at breakfast. I had thought she was accepting her place in life and was, albeit slowly, giving over to the truth of the situation. Hopefully, meeting Winter would be just the nudge she needed to step over the line from human to valkyrie demigod and take her rightful place among us.
“Okay, I think you have eaten enough to appease me. Would you like your surprise now?”
She stood up so quickly, her plate toppled to the floor.
I chuckled. “Slow down there, killer.”
“Oops. Sorry! Guess I am just excited.”
“I’d say.” Edda smiled teasingly at her.
“If she gets this excited over the word surprise, I can’t even imagine what she’ll be like when she actually sees it,” Kara said through laughter.
Both girls pushed in their chairs and headed outside with us. It was heartwarming to see my girls all happy this morning. Morrigan had been good for us. She brought almost a childlike joy with her. As team leader, Edda and Kara were my responsibility. I put their safety and wellbeing first, always. They knew this, respected me and my authority, and I trusted them with my life. I considered them mine, but in the most platonic of ways. Mine to care for, mine to protect.
Morrigan was something else altogether. I felt it all the way to my bones. She was mine in a different way. Sure, she was mine to protect and take care of, but it was deeper than that, much deeper. She was mine in the ways that would partner us together for all of eternity. If I were to admit it, I was also hers. Now that I had her, I knew if we were ever to separate, a part of me would go with her, and I could never be whole until she returned.
Deep into thought, I hadn’t realized we had reached the stables on the back of the property. Morrigan turned to me, questions dancing across her expression.
“Is it a dog? Or a horse? Is it alive? A pet? Is my surprise a pet?”
She was bouncing from foot to foot, excitement radiating from her.
“Stay right here,” I commanded, turning to Edda. Edda nodded in understanding and went to get Winter. I came behind Morrigan and turned her into my arms. Placing my hand on the back of her head, I held it into my chest.
“Hey! I can’t see!”
“That would be the point.”
She pushed against my hand, seeing how much give it had.
I leaned into her ear so that Kara couldn’t hear. “Stop struggling. It will all be revealed soon.”
Her little muttered, ‘ugh’ under her breath made me chuckle. She was too much, this goddess of mine.
Edda brought Winter around and stood him just a few feet from us. “Are you ready for your surprise, my little goddess?”
Morrigan nodded her head yes emphatically.
“Yes, Daddy! Yes!” I’m not sure she realized that she had called me Daddy.
Edda and Kara noticed. I saw their exchanged looks.
“I don’t know. You don’t seem like you really want to see it,” I teased her.
“I do! Please, Daddy!”
“Okay, little goddess, turn around.” I let go of her, and she stepped out of my arms and turned around so quickly I wondered that she did not give herself whiplash.
Her face lit up like a lantern, shining brightly for all to see. Had I known her delight would turn her into a vibrant sunbeam, I would have taken her straight to Winter when I arrived back from Asgard last night.
“Her squeal is going to bring the dark forces here,” Edda said, jokingly.
“Do you see how happy she is? Aye, that is the valkyrie in her,” Kara spoke with pride, nodding toward her cousin.
“Oh, I’ve always loved animals,” Morrigan called from over her shoulder. “But horses, horses have always been my favorite.”
“Yes, she is definitely a valkyrie,” Kara confirmed with a laugh. “We ride into battle on the back of them, you know,” she called after Morrigan. “Our great grandmothers would pick the winners of the battle and escort the dead, those who had earned their seats, back to Valhalla to dine with Odin himself. They would ride straight down to battle on the back of the gleaming white steeds and raise the souls.”
“When they weren’t engaging in battle on behalf of the winning side,” Edda added.
“She has been fixated on his nose. When do you think she will notice his wings?” Kara wondered, aloud.
“His what?” Morrigan’s shocked tone carried across the yard. She stumbled back three steps and took in Winter in all of his glory. It was then that she finally noticed his magnificent feathered wings. I could feel her heart racing as I strolled up upon them.
“This,” she stroked his left wing, tracing along the feather-like design, “is impossible.” Her whisper carried off into the wind.
“Only to humans. You see, humans can’t see things they don’t believe in.”
“He’s magnificent,” she whispered in awe. “Can he fly?”
“Of course, he can fly!” Edda exclaimed, joining us. “What do you think his wings are for?”
“His name is Winter. Your mom named him that when he was born on the same day as you. She always knew you would someday find out who you are and fulfill your destiny,” Kara said.
“Winter.” The word rolled off her tongue in the sweetest of ways.
“If you don’t like it, you can change it,” I told her.
“I love it. I love him!” She threw her arms around his neck and he neighed. Morrigan hadn’t taken her eyes off of him at all.
“Well, do you want to ride him?”
Her eyes met mine, and for a moment, time stood still. The amount of emotion in them had me catching my breath. There was excitement mixed with fear and unbridled joy. I saw a hint of arousal lingering in the background.
Morrigan
Of course, I wanted to ride Winter. I wouldn’t mind riding him off into the distance away from everything and having a minute to just think. I also knew that wouldn’t happen, there was no way Forseti was going to allow me out of his sight.
“I have never ridden a horse before,” I confessed, stroking Winter’s silky white coat and nuzzling my face into his neck. I slowly traced down the lines of his wings, still in shock by what I was seeing. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed it. Heck, I still have a hard time believing it.
“Sweet boy.” I stroked his flank with even, firm rubs. “Beautiful boy.” He lifted his head and blew out of his nostrils. “I wish you could talk to me, but I suppose that would be taking all of this a bit too far.” He neighed and I laughed. “Shall we go for a ride, sweet bo
y?”
Surprising even myself, I threw myself across his bare back.
How did I know how to do that?
Sitting astride, it was as if I had been doing this my entire life. As soon as I landed on his magnificent back, every instinct in me kicked in. We were as one. It was natural and a bit terrifying.
Without a word of direction, Winter took off galloping across the field.
I looked over my shoulder at Forseti and he waved me on. I was surprised that he was giving me the freedom to ride him alone, but I suppose he knew I didn’t know where I was or how to get anywhere else. He wasn’t wrong. Plus, he was out there watching me. I wouldn’t leave in the middle of the day with their eyes on me.
As I rode, keeping all of Winter’s feet on the ground, not quite ready to find out what flying would be like, my thoughts wandered. There was one thing that Forseti forgot when describing my Krav Maga training. The very basis of our training was to avoid combat. My instructor’s favorite phrase was, the best way to win a fight is to not get into one. I spent as much time, if not more, practicing how to deescalate and negotiate situations. Avoiding conflict was of utmost importance. I needed to find a way to avoid all combat and see about fixing the situation in a way where no one got hurt.
Sure, Loki was known for his trickery, but what class clown wasn’t looking for attention? How dangerous could he be, really? I thought back to all my Marvel movie watching and remembered seeing Loki more as a manipulative trickster and less as someone who was the dangerous villain they portrayed him to be. Perhaps if I offered him a solution that was more beneficial to both sides, he would take it. After all, I wasn’t a threat, especially being the only one left.
A tiny voice in the back of my mind warned me about finding Loki myself. I shrugged her off. I didn’t need that kind of negative thinking in a time like this. I needed to focus. I wished I had my phone so that I could google and do more research on Loki. I considered this for a moment, and laughed. According to Forseti, men had gotten most details about the gods wrong anyway.
