Shatterproof

by Stein Willard

Bo’s body sagged a little and Hlif realized that the woman must have been falling asleep on her feet. She gently swung the blonde up in her arms and watched as her eyes shot open. She gave Hlif a long, sleepy look before she sighed and closed her eyes again.

  She trusted Hlif.

  Hlif carried Bo down the hallway to her assigned room. She pulled the bedding down and after removing Bo’s shoes, tucked the woman in. As she turned to leave, she felt a strong grip on her hand. When she turned back, Bo’s eyes were opened. She still looked sleepy, but the soft, pleading look was unmistakable.

  Hlif sat on the bed and removed her shoes before she stretched out next to Bo. The blonde rolled closer and Hlif opened her arms. For most of the night, she’d obsessed about being in the same room with Bo. Now that she’d gotten her wish, all she wanted to do was just to ease her beloved’s discomfort.

  She lay awake for an hour after Bo had succumbed to exhaustion; listening to the soothing cadence of Bo’s breathing. Holding her woman was as satisfying as making love to her. Hlif closed her eyes, absorbing every little detail about the night.

  Then the impossible happened.

  She fell asleep.

  Chapter 10

  She didn’t know what woke her, but something wasn’t right. Looking around, she stiffened when she met the dark, cloudy eyes watching her. Bo’s eyes widened slowly and she swallowed hard. She was in bed with Hlif! How did that happen? Did she invite the tall woman into her bed or had Hlif invited herself? She doubted Hlif would be so forward. She didn’t know their host very well, but what little she had seen of the woman, was that Hlif was extremely polite. Which left the only other plausible explanation. She had asked the woman to her bed. Bo knew the right thing to do, was to get out of bed and apologize.

  However, she couldn’t bring herself to move. Lying here, with her arm flung over the hard, warm body and the rest of her pressed tightly against the tall frame, Bo struggled to find anything wrong with the situation. It was the strangest thing, but she felt like she belonged in Hlif’s arms and vice versa. The warm body fitted so well, curved around hers.

  “Are you okay?” The voice was sleep-roughened and it instantly woke all of Bo’s senses. The musky scent that emanated from the woman made her sex tingle. Her fingers ached to comb through the short, fragrant hair and her tongue wanted to taste the strong column of Hlif’s neck. “Bo?”

  “Yes, yes, I’m fine. Something woke me.”

  “I know. It woke me too. I’ll go have a look while you stay here.”

  She gently pulled away from Bo and that was when Bo realized that she had the back of Hlif shirt fisted in her hand. She blushed; hoping the shadows that remained at this early hour would hide her embarrassment.

  Bo followed Hlif with her eyes as the other woman left the room on eerily silent footsteps. She couldn’t comprehend how such a large person could move so quietly. Then again, the woman was in the private security business. Roger always reminded her not to think you'll hear your enemy come for you. Expect them to simply appear. That was usually when it was too late.

  She lay back, soaking up the lingering heat of Hlif’s body. It was amazing how erotic it felt to bask in the lingering heat left by Hlif’s body. What was worse was that she was thinking about sex at a time like this. It didn’t stop her from rubbing her thighs together and her mouth fell open in a silent gasp at the sensation the action created. Her senses pricked and she opened her eyes to find Hlif standing at the foot of the bed. Bo was stuck between feeling horrified at having been caught fantasizing and wanting to feel that tall body stretched out on top of her. Hlif’s hooded eyes watched Bo.

  “The cameras picked up a man outside the building. I’ll use the back door and surprise him.” Hlif left as quietly as she’d appeared.

  Bo covered her face with her hands and swore softly under her breath. She squeaked when the bed dipped and she jerked her hands away. Hlif’s eyes burned with an unfathomable light. They stared at each other.

  “Will you welcome me back in your bed when I return?”

  Bo’s heart was racing. Any woman turning Hlif away from her bed would be a fool. “Yes.”

  Hlif smiled, a phenomenal smile that made Bo reach out and touch Hlif’s knee lightly. The woman looked at her hand and nodded.

  “I’ll be back.”

  ***

  Hlif felt like she was floating on a cloud as she made her way to the service lift hidden behind a closet. She had doubted her decision in returning to the room a second time. Then the image of Bo, her mouth opened in a silent gasp and her face twisted in a look of extreme need, had flashed before her mind’s eye and she knew she had to go back. She couldn’t leave Bo thinking that she was the only one who felt that way.

  How happy she was that she did return.

  Hlif didn’t plan on a hasty coupling with Bo. No, she would need many hours to assuage her hunger for the blonde. The reason she wanted to be in Bo’s bed, was that waking up with the blonde in her arms had felt so right—so familiar.

  The biggest revelation for her was that she had slept for the first time in almost over two thousand years. That was a miracle.

  The lift doors opened on the basement floor and Hlif quickly pushed to clear her mind of all thoughts that pertained to the blonde in the bed upstairs. She briskly walked to the back door and punched in the code. The door silently clicked open and she slipped out.

  It was cold outside and she was only dressed in a wrinkled shirt and trousers. On top of that, she was barefoot. Hlif took the alley between her building to the next one; making sure to keep to the shadows. When she peered around the corner, she could make out the shape of a man. He was looking up at her building. Hot and reckless rage surged through Hlif.

  The arrogance of the man! He wasn’t even hiding the fact that he was staking out her building. She reached up and ruffled her hair. Pushing away from the building, she stumbled and caught herself just as she was about to fall. Hlif laughed and carefully placed one foot in front of the other as she slowly made her way down the pavement to where the man stood. He was staring at her as she came closer. She kept her gaze averted and her shoulders slumped. If he could see her eyes, Hlif was sure they would give her away. The fury that burned in them would make any person with a pulse fear for their safety.

  Her drunken ploy obviously worked, because he ignored her as she neared him. The moment she was within striking distance, she acted. She threw her arms around the man, clamping his arms against his sides. The man was shocked by the unexpected attack.

  But not for long.

  When the shock wore off, his powerful body sprang into action. He jerked his head back, but Hlif had anticipated the move. She drove him into the side of the building and pressed her body against him. With her forehead pressed against the back of his head, he lost the advantage of head-butting her. He was big and strong, but Hlif had strength and skill on her side as well. You don’t live for millennia and not learn every fighting trick in the world.

  “Who are you?” the man snapped.

  “I should ask you that. You’re the one trespassing.”

  The man stopped struggling. “You’re the one who has her.”

  “Depends on who you’re talking about.” The man’s audacity was intensifying her rage further.

  “Bo Witteman.”

  “Don’t know her. Now, who are you?”

  The man hesitated for a moment. “I’m a friend of hers.”

  Not able to contain her anger anymore, she rammed his face into the wall and smiled coldly when she heard him swear under his breath. “I don’t think so. Friends don’t skulk around their friends’ homes late at night.”

  The man stiffened. “Did she tell you that?”

  “Who?”

  The man swore again. “You know who I’m talking about. Let me go and we can talk.”

  Hlif chuckled. “It’s not safe for you if I let you go.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because you’ll try something and the
n I’ll have to kill you,” Hlif said quietly. She had tested his power and she would be able to take him in close combat.

  The man sighed. “And if I promise you that I won’t try anything funny?”

  “I don’t know you well enough to trust your word.”

  “Fine. I’m unarmed. I promise on my life that you can kill me if I try something. Viking’s honour.”

  Hlif chuckled. “Not sure if you noticed, but the Viking era is long gone. And so is Viking honour.”

  “Not for me. Never for me,” the man snapped indignantly. “Viking honour is our way of life. Iceland was founded on that principle.”

  Hlif frowned. Not many people knew that. In actual fact, not many people alive were aware of the ancient adage. Viking honour is our way of life. She stepped away, releasing the man. “Who are you?”

  He turned and Hlif looked into a face she hadn’t expected to see again.

  ***

  Bo got worried as the minutes ticked on. Maybe she should’ve gone with Hlif. However, Hlif didn’t look like she wanted Bo to accompany her. The woman looked more than capable of taking care of herself. She sat up and looked around the room. It was getting light outside. She could wait for Bo in the lounge. Perhaps put on some coffee.

  Getting out of bed, she left the room. On her way to the kitchen, she noted that there was a light burning under her grandm… She swallowed. After last night, she didn’t have a grandmother anymore. She was about to walk past the room, but her feet acted like they had a mind of their own. Her hands, too. She watched as her hand lifted and knocked on the door. Stupid hand!

  “Come in, Bo.”

  Bo’s eyes widened. How did she know it was her? She opened the door and her heart almost broke at the sight that greeted her. Magarethe sat, fully clothed, at the foot of the bed. If Bo was not mistaken, that was the position she had left the woman in last night. That pointed at something Bo hadn’t considered last night. The impact the truth must’ve had on the older woman. This must be as difficult, if not more, for Magarethe. She had lived with the secret for almost forty years.

  Bo entered the room and went to sit next to the woman. Magarethe sat ramrod stiff, staring straight ahead. She looked much older than when Bo had left her last night. Her exit could be better described as ‘storming out without waiting for an explanation’. Magarethe’s hands were folded in her lap and looking closely, Bo noticed that they were trembling slightly.

  She felt tears well up in her eyes. Yes, she’d been lied to, but considering all else, Magarethe didn’t give her away because she didn’t want her. If that had been the case, why else would she have stayed on in Bo’s life as her grandmother?

  “I’m sorry I didn’t give you a chance to explain last night.”

  Magarethe turned her head slowly and looked at Bo. Her eyes were bloodshot and sad. It looked like she had spent the whole night crying. Bo felt like a jerk.

  “I knew you would be angry,” Magarethe said quietly. A tear rolled down her cheek. “As much as what I did hurt us both, I would do it again in a heartbeat.”

  Bo felt her own tears well up in her eyes. “I understand.”

  Magarethe nodded. “That’s all I had hoped to get from you, Borgny.”

  Not love. Nor forgiveness. Just understanding. Bo swallowed. She was the offspring of this complex woman. As a child, Bo wasn’t very close to her grandmother. As a renowned professor of Mathematics at the University of Iceland, she was respected by many, but was rather standoffish when it came to Bo. She had justified the aloof behaviour as Magarethe being a typical absent-minded professor. Now she understands why. Magarethe couldn’t afford to get too close to her. She didn’t have children, but she had read a lot about the bond between mother and child. She couldn’t begin to imagine what it must’ve been like for the other woman. Watching someone else receive the love and attention, she as the true parent craved.

  “Will you tell me why you did it?”

  Magarethe’s eyes turned dark with emotion. “It might be hard to hear this.”

  Bo wiped her face. “You think so? Compared to finding out that my grandmother is my biological mother, I don’t think anything else can beat that.” She rose and held out her hand to the older woman. “Would you like some coffee?”

  “Yes, I could do with a cup.”

  “Then I’ll make some while we talk.”

  ***

  Hlif was cold and in dire need of a cup of coffee when the elevator deposited her in the safe room of the apartment. Her mood lifted when she smelled the welcoming aroma of coffee. She’d wanted to crawl back into bed with Bo, but now that the blonde was up, Hlif would settle for a cup instead.

  She walked into the kitchen and nearly swooned at the beautiful sight of her beloved cooking breakfast. It was still early, but since they were all awake, they could just as well have breakfast. Bo was stirring scrambled eggs in a pan, while Magarethe was toasting slices of bread.

  “Good morning.”

  Both women spun around to look at her. Magarethe was studying her half-dressed state with critical eyes, but Bo’s reaction was all that mattered to Hlif. The icy blue eyes warmed at the sight of her and Hlif felt the cold beginning to recede from her chilled body. A cup of steaming coffee was held out to her and Hlif accepted it with a grateful smile.

  “Were you outside like that?” Magarethe asked disapprovingly. “You might be big and strong, but even Viking warriors get sick.”

  “The stalker was outside and Hlif rushed out to chase him off,” Bo quickly stepped in for Hlif. They shared a look. “Did you find him?”

  “I just missed him.” Bo’s face fell. “But now that I know what he looks like, I’ll be able to find him again.”

  She took a seat at the island and watched as Bo dished up some eggs and toast. She placed a plate before her and Hlif hungrily dug in. It was a simple breakfast, but utterly delicious. Who would’ve thought Bo could cook? Gurith was a great eater, but a lousy cook. She found out when they went on a camping trip once. To minimize the risk of Gurith herself dying of food poisoning, Hlif had insisted on taking over the cooking duties.

  “This is very good.”

  Magarethe made a sound in agreement and Bo blushed prettily. Hlif simply adored the contrasts that were Bo Witteman. Shy and bold. She must be an absolute marvel in bed. She blinked, trying to clear her mind of the erotic thoughts that threatened to surface.

  “Does she know?”

  Hlif glanced at Magarethe who had asked the question. Bo slowly shook her head.

  “You spent the whole night with her and you didn’t tell her?” the older woman stated slowly. “Maybe talking was the last thing…”

  “Grand…” Bo sighed and looked away. “Please, don’t start.” Bo looked at Hlif. “Last night…The reason I was so upset, was that I found out that…”

  “Magarethe is your mother?”

  Both women gaped at her.

  “How…?

  “Who told you?”

  Hlif shrugged and took a sip of coffee. “You look alike and share the same mannerisms. I could tell the moment I saw the two of you together.”

  Magarethe smiled, obviously impressed. “She’s smart, too.”

  Hlif noticed that Bo kept her focus on her plate. Judging from Bo’s reaction last night, the news must’ve come as quite a shock for the younger woman. Even now, there was an air of sadness around her. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sound so casual about it.”

  Bo looked up. “No need to apologize, Hlif.”

  “You can tell me to mind my business, but why would you pass your daughter off as your granddaughter?”

  Bo put her fork down and regarded Magarethe. “That was what we were going to discuss.”

  Hlif grabbed her cup and stood. “I’ll give you some privacy.”

  “No, stay.” Magarethe sat back in her chair. “For some reason, someone is killing off people in our lineage. For the past five hundred years, the Haardraad line had been plagued by inexplicable dea
ths. Most of us changed our surnames or married off our daughters quickly to protect them from this curse.” She bit down on her lower lip. “But it was something we couldn’t avoid. Every female descendant in the line was expected to procreate. My parents were murdered when I was sixteen and my grandmother changed my last name and smuggled me out of Iceland to Greenland. After finishing my schooling and studies, I moved to Norway where I studied further and began teaching.”

  Hlif could tell that a very difficult memory was surfacing, for Magarethe’s eyes had a sheen of tears in them.

  “I met a wonderful woman and we decided to settle down together. I was teaching and she was a well-known artist. But I had my duty to fulfil.” She glanced at Bo, an apologetic look in her eyes. “She didn’t want to complicate our life together and a child would’ve done that. So, I had to make a choice.”

  “You chose to have me.” Bo’s voice was void of emotion and Hlif could almost read her mind. She probably felt like she was only a duty that had to be fulfilled.

  “I did. My partner left and I started preparing myself to become a mother.” A soft smile formed on Magarethe’s lips. “I was six months pregnant when a second cousin of mine approached me. She and her husband had tried to have children, but they couldn’t conceive. Nothing worked for them. I had my career and with a baby on the way, I wasn’t sure how I was going to balance motherhood with all the other things going on in my life.”

  Bo shot to her feet and walked to the stove where she stood, her back to them. Hlif wanted to go to her, but she knew that for Bo to move past this, she didn’t need someone to run interference for her.

  “My cousin was aching to be a mother and as much as I was falling in love with my baby as she grew inside me, I knew that I could never be the kind of mother that Ebba would be. I didn’t want my child to feel neglected or even doubt that she was loved.” A tear trickled down Magarethe’s cheek. “But I wanted to try. That’s why I proposed that I be introduced as the grandmother and that should the curse threatened the existence of my child, I would step in.”