Her Alpha Viking

by Sheryl Nantus

  She glanced up, watching Brenna’s face. “Don’t worry, you won’t be expected to do any talking, as you’re not technically part of the group. We’re fine with the extra company as long as you don’t mind helping out. Take a turn at the wheel or clean up after dinner and so forth.”

  Brenna nodded, taking the information in. “How do you plan to pay for gas and food? We’ve got a bit of money but…” She let it go, seeing the welcoming smile on the older woman’s face.

  “We’ve got some rations here, but we’re hoping for donations at the various stops, like the dinner tonight. Most of the schools we’ve arranged to stop at say they’ll supply us with something, canned goods or straight-up cash. We’re not allowed to ask for payment for our presentation, some sort of issue with the taxes and all. I don’t see it being a problem. If someone can give, they’ll give. If not, we’ll just manage until we find someone who can at the community centers and Legions we’ll be visiting.” She waved a hand at the off-white extended van. “Great way to see the country.”

  “Sounds interesting,” Brenna said.

  “Sure will be. Our routine is we drive for about five, six hours a day then pitch tent at one of the campgrounds. It all depends on whether we’re stopping for a talk or not. Some places asked for an evening appointment; some like it first thing in the morning. Good for you that we stopped in here. We got an offer from the local vets group for dinner after we did our high school presentation this morning and decided to stay around. Don’t worry, Jake’ll say a couple of words to the supporters and we’ll tuck into the food quick enough. Any questions?”

  Brenna shook her head, unsure what else to say or do.

  “Right. Let’s hop in and grab some grub,” Helen said.

  …

  A few hours later, Erik sat next to Jake as they drove to the campground. He resisted the urge to look behind him at Brenna, sitting beside Helen in the rear of the van. Jake loved to talk about sports and was now deep into baseball and his opinions on the designated hitter rule.

  The one-sided discussion had given Erik time to think and go over their turn of luck, hoping it’d last.

  Helen had taken Brenna under her wing when they’d arrived at the center, sitting with her and the other woman, Lucy.

  Jake and Mark put him at their table, welcoming him like a long-lost brother. Jake took the lead in getting up and making a short speech, thanking the small crowd for their support. The older man had a strong voice and knew how to make a pitch. He went over his experiences in the Vietnam war and what they hoped to accomplish by speaking at schools and various public venues as they made their way to Washington.

  It had won them applause and a hot meal along with cash donations for gas money, bringing a smile to Jake’s face.

  “The trick is to not sound like a politician but to sound exactly like a politician,” he whispered to Erik as they headed out. “Been doing this for years and finally got the hang of it.”

  After a last round of shaking hands and cheerful smiles, they were on the way to their sleeping accommodations.

  Reflexively, Erik checked the side-view mirror for anyone following them. Kara might be one determined woman, but this shift in their traveling plans might throw her off the trail, at least for the time being.

  Mark stirred, mumbling something in his sleep. His long blond hair was pulled into a tight ponytail, draped over one shoulder. The young vet gave up shotgun to Erik without comment when they’d left the center, a smile and a nod shuffling him into the second row with Lucy.

  Jake chewed on his lip, pulling gray whiskers into his mouth as he finished his thoughts on baseball. A few minutes later, he eyed Erik. “I saw you fight last night, caught an online feed. You crashed and burned bad, my man.” He studied the mirror. “She the reason?”

  “No. I lost my focus.” Might not be the whole truth but not a whole lie. “Got caught looking left when I should have been looking right. Matty got lucky.” He shrugged. “Can’t blame him for taking advantage of the situation. Did you bet on me?”

  “Sure did.”

  “Lose a lot?”

  “Enough that you’re driving the first shift tomorrow.” Jake laughed. “Got to keep your head in the game, brother.”

  Erik smiled his agreement.

  Head in the game.

  He glanced again in the side view mirror.

  “Your lady friend there…” Jake said quietly. “You’re not a couple, right?”

  “No.” Erik held back a possessive growl, surprised at the emotions rushing up at the simple question.

  Jake nodded. “No problem. None of us here are hooked up, just so you know. Just wanted to ask. Don’t worry, I’ll fill Mark in. Last thing we need is someone getting the wrong impression and reacting badly. Mixed signals and all.”

  “Yeah. We’re just friends. Friends traveling together,” Erik said as he resisted the urge to turn and check on her again.

  …

  Over her time here on Earth, Brenna met many women along the way as she worked odd jobs to stay solvent during her hunt. Except Lucy and Helen were different from any of those. In Valhalla, they could have easily been her sisters, each strong in their own right.

  Lucy had spun around in her seat to chat, her short red hair almost colorless in the growing darkness. Dark circles under her eyes marred her pale skin. She looked to be not much older than Erik was, in her early twenties.

  The topics had been light, ranging from the weather to the traffic to the convention they were all driving to.

  “Supposed to be ten, twenty thousand attending,” Lucy said. “Hope it goes higher.”

  Helen nodded. “Who knows how many will turn up at the last minute? I saw the posters at the VA center—word’ll get around. People will travel for a good cause.”

  She flashed back to something Erik had said earlier. “San Diego has one. Erik’s been there.”

  “I’m not surprised. Guy like that, he gets around.” She eyed Brenna. “So are you together or…” She waggled her hand.

  “We’re friends,” Brenna said in a rush. “Nothing more.”

  “I got it.” Helen chuckled. “Can’t blame me for asking. Just in case he makes a move on me or Lucy. Don’t want to betray the sisterhood.”

  A flash of annoyance shot through Brenna at the thought of Erik being with either woman. The simple idea grated against her as if she’d stuck her hand in a bucket of loose knife blades.

  “Don’t worry,” Lucy said. “I’m not looking for any sort of hookup.” She smirked. “Helen here is dying for a friends-with-benefits arrangement. Broke up with her man a year ago and wouldn’t mind getting that itch scratched.”

  “I am not,” Helen shot back. The sheepish smile appeared a few seconds later. “Well, maybe.” She looked at Brenna. “Married for over twenty years, jerk decided he wanted to trade me in for a younger model. She’ll figure out his true nature soon enough.” She cleared her throat. “Enough of that. So, when we hit the campground…” Helen began to rattle off assignments, laying out their evening routine.

  Brenna listened intently, glad for the change in topic. She didn’t want to discuss her love life or Erik’s.

  Especially not Erik’s.

  …

  They pulled off the road not much later, heading into a small campground. Jake explained the travel and sleeping arrangements to both of them as he maneuvered the van to the assigned clearing.

  “We’ve got two large tents, plenty of room for one more in each.” He nodded. “Also, extra sleeping bags and blankets, so don’t worry—we’ll make you comfortable. Breakfast’s at sunrise, and we’ll be driving east with a stop every day or two someplace to garner support and take in donations.”

  “Sounds good.” Erik glanced at the horizon as the sun dipped beneath the trees. “Thanks again for letting us tag along.”

  “Don’t thank me yet. Some of those kids are going to recognize you from the fight vids.” Jake pulled into the spot and turned the engine off
. “Think about what you want to tell them about how your life has been since you came back.”

  Erik paused, letting that sink in.

  Perhaps this wasn’t the best idea after all.

  “I’ll take first watch.” Mark sat by the small campfire in a collapsible chair. “See you in the morning.”

  Erik frowned, looking over at Jake for clarification.

  “Had one of our coolers stolen the first night we were out. No problem replacing it but since then one of us always stays awake. Usually it’s Mark. Payoff is that he doesn’t have to drive the next day. I think that’s why he volunteers.”

  Mark responded by flipping up his middle finger, bringing chuckles from both men.

  Erik shifted in his own folding chair, finding it easier to relax. The simple procedure of setting up camp had been comforting, adding a sense of normality to offset the craziness of the past twenty-four hours.

  God, has it been that long?

  He rubbed his chin, scraping over the stubble with shock. It’d only been a day since discovering the existence of Valkyries and almost being killed by not one, but two of them.

  He glanced over to where she was busy with the other women, helping with the evening snack before they turned in for the night. Brenna giggled as Lucy said something under her breath, all three women joining in.

  The cheerful look on her face lightened his heart, helped push away some of the darkness encroaching on their lives.

  Kara and her lance seemed very far, far away.

  Erik sipped his coffee and looked into the fire. The small voice at the back of his mind mumbled, adding a warning to the domestic tranquility.

  It wouldn’t last. There’d come a time when the pair would have to peel off from this group, go on their own again. This was only a temporary fix, the hunted getting a short reprieve from the chase.

  Except tonight he’d sit and chat about nothing.

  It was as normal as he figured his life was going to get for the next few days.

  Brenna’s laugh reached his ear, bright and hopeful.

  He cupped the ceramic mug and tried not to think about the future.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Brenna couldn’t sleep. Every snap of a twig, every bird whistle she imagined to be Kara moving in, ready to kill. She rolled over in the bag, listening to the other two women sleeping soundly. A light snoring came from the other tent, and she caught herself wondering if it was Erik or Jake.

  That brought up an image of Erik resting on the hotel bed, and her pulse quickened, remembering the silent strength on display. He’d had the confidence to close his eyes and sleep, trusting her to be there when he woke up.

  The memory helped push her into a light nap, soothing her fears for the time being.

  She crept out of the tent just before dawn to see Mark preparing a pot of coffee. He nodded at her without comment, seemingly used to having fellow travelers join him early in the day.

  She sat on the thick logs by the fire and rubbed her eyes, the weariness dragging her down. This was nothing like what she thought was going to happen when she tracked Erik to the warehouse.

  Except it was her life now, and she had to figure out what to do.

  Fly straight.

  “Here.” Mark offered her a cup. “Don’t frown. Give you wrinkles if you do it too often.”

  She smiled reflexively, taking the drink. “I’m thinking.”

  “Well, there’s your problem.” He returned to his job of whisking the eggs together in a large bowl. “You should stop.”

  “Thinking?”

  “Thinking too much.” He tapped his temple. “Sometimes you can analyze something to death. Maybe the first answer is the right one.” He grinned. “Hope you like bacon. We’re full believers in big, hearty breakfasts here with plenty of meat.”

  She cradled the mug. “Why did you come on this trip? Don’t you have a job, family?”

  “I do.” He reached down and added a pinch of pepper into the eggs. “The family, not the job. My wife and I are…” He paused, pressing his tongue into the side of his mouth to puff out one cheek. “We’re taking a time out.”

  “What does that mean?” The black coffee was strong and scorching, reminding her of the drinks in Valhalla.

  “It means I’m here and she’s there. Gives us a bit of breathing space. As far as the job goes…” He shrugged. “Let’s just say I’m between work assignments. Got laid-off and took it as a sign to jump on board.”

  “What do you do?” She watched him toss a slice of butter into a pan heating over the fire.

  “I’m a mechanic.” He gestured over his shoulder at the van before pouring the eggs into the pan. “It’s a long drive. Figured I’d volunteer to keep the baby going. Cross-country is a hell of a run, and last thing we need is to have ’er break down in the middle of the desert or worse, get ripped off on a simple repair. Budget’s tight enough—don’t need to toss in any more expenses if we don’t have to.”

  She was about to ask more about how he ended up on the road, but Erik came out of the tent, only wearing a pair of gray track pants. The bruising on his left side was almost gone already, the mottled yellow and blue marks fading fast.

  She sucked in her breath as he strode toward them, rubbing the back of his neck. The sleepiness in his eyes, the tousled hair had her thinking very un-sisterly thoughts.

  Mark glanced over, taking in the scarred skin. “Caught yourself a handful of metal?” It was a casual question as if Erik had tattoos scattered across his chest instead of battle scars.

  “Yeah.” Erik patted his chest. “Flak vest did its job but couldn’t catch everything.”

  “Sucks.” Mark shrugged and turned his attention back to the eggs. “Bet the women like ’em.”

  Erik laughed. “Some of them do.” He stopped by her chair, putting his hand on her shoulder. “Good morning.”

  “Same to you.” She felt oddly shy, the domestic scene unsettling her.

  He smiled and took the coffee from her, not asking permission. “Thanks.” He took a sip before looking at Mark. “Not bad.”

  Mark chuckled and gave the eggs a stir. “I’ll pour you a cup in a minute—no need to steal hers.”

  “No rush. I don’t want anyone yelling at me ’cause you burned the eggs.” Erik squatted down beside Brenna and eyed her. “I was worried you wouldn’t be here when I got up,” he said in a low whisper.

  She returned the gaze with interest. “Right back at you. Thought you might bolt.” She kept her voice at the same level, not wanting to stir Mark’s curiosity.

  “Won’t lie and tell you I didn’t think about it. Figured staying was still the best option.” He studied her, frowning as he searched her face. “You didn’t sleep well, either.”

  “No.”

  He looked around the clearing. “Worried Kara might swoop down on us?”

  “Maybe.” She eyed him. “Kara’s smart and fast. She’ll follow her intuition and figure out where we’re going. She won’t go all the way down to San Diego; she’ll pick up that we’ve switched directions and are now heading East.”

  “Possibly. Still, this is getting us faster and further away than riding a bus to assigned stops or trying to hitchhike.” He took another sip before handing the mug back. “I’m open to suggestions. If you have any idea of how to throw her off our trail or, better, defeat her, I’m all ears. Otherwise I’m fine with sticking with these people for the time being.”

  She stayed quiet, having nothing to offer.

  The tent opened, and Jake emerged, grunting and groaning like a wounded bull, and the conversation turned away from them, giving her an out.

  The group packed up the campsite within the next hour and pulled onto the highway, Jake at the wheel. She found herself in the center of the van, next to Helen. Mark and Lucy took the back, Mark preparing for a nap while Lucy studied her cell phone.

  “We’ll be driving by Las Vegas later this evening—we’ve got a spot reserved at a campground o
n the other side,” the older man said. “Don’t really have plans to stop in the city itself, but if you guys want a break before we settle in for the night…”

  Erik shrugged from his position in the front seat, glancing back at Brenna. She paused, sorting through her emotions. Relaxing and enjoying the sights was a new concept to her, much like everything else that had happened in the last few days.

  Mark spoke first. “Wouldn’t mind a crack at the roulette table. Anyone else?”

  Jake caught her eye in the rearview mirror. “Ever been to Vegas?”

  “I’ve driven through but never stopped,” she confessed. “Always had to get somewhere.”

  Erik tilted his head to one side, a gentle smile on his lips.

  “But I’m open to new experiences,” she added, fighting back with a smile of her own.

  “Well, then—we can spend an hour or two in town before heading for the campground. You’re in for a treat.” Jake grinned. “They don’t call it Sin City for nothing.” He lifted his head, looking at Helen. “You good with this?”

  “Actually, I’ve got a great idea.” She tapped Brenna on the shoulder. “For the women.”

  “That sounds ominous.” Jake chuckled. “We going to have to worry about you ditching us for some hot male strippers?”

  “Not so much.” Helen’s cell phone beeped as she ran her fingers over the small screen. “Don’t worry, we’ll behave.”

  Jake glanced over at Erik. “Now I’m really scared.”

  Brenna didn’t want to admit it, but she had to agree with Jake.

  Hours later she studied the bright neon signs as they drove into the city, keeping their distance from the Strip. Erik had switched places with Helen at their lunch stop, sitting with Brenna in the middle seat while Mark and Lucy stayed in the back. Jake still drove, refusing to give up the wheel until they reached the campground.

  She stared out the window at the hypnotic flashing lights. “Reminds me of Valhalla at night,” she whispered.

  “Really?” He followed her gaze to one tall hotel, the golden outline glittering in the night. “Sort of flashy, don’t you think?”