Had they used a portal? I didn’t know where the thought had come from, but I scoffed at the idea. Witches didn’t use portals. That would only be possible if the man with her wasn’t a Witch.
I hurried back to the bedroom and got my overnight sling bag, where I’d hidden the cloak. Hayden turned and for a moment, I was sure she’d wake up. I carried the bag back to the living room and pulled out the cloak. I closed my hand around the pin and looked around.
I couldn’t tell whether the Veil had been lifted. There was no portal or remnants of runes in the air. I went to the window and peered outside to see if they were taking her car. My jaw dropped. Lights zipped around downstairs. Then they slowed down.
What the hell? Two people were doing something in the parking lot and the light came from their glowing runes. I opened the door, stepped onto the balcony, and peered down, expecting to see Tammy and the stranger.
One thing about runes was they lit up faces like a Christmas tree, and neither of the two women below was Tammy. I recognized the two Grimnirs from last night—Ginger and Samoan. From the looks of things, they were busy etching runes on the wall of the building.
I opened my mouth to ask why and remembered at the last minute that it was five in the morning and most people were still asleep. I started to turn to enter the house and caught movement from the corner of my eye.
One of them was inside my car?
I wasn’t sure how I reached downstairs so fast. But I was ready for a battle when I opened the back door and stepped outside, the cloak around me, the hood up.
“Grimnirs, there’s a law against graffiti painting in this realm,” I yelled. “Even invisible ones by invisible people.”
The girls stopped before I finished speaking and stared at me with wide eyes, but the one inside my car kept writing.
“You think she can see us?” Ginger asked, a glowing artavus in her hand.
“No. I think she can feel us,” Samoan answered. “Come on. Let’s get done and head to her cousin’s.”
For a moment I was too stupefied to react. My cousin’s? What was this? Rune-fest in Windfall? The guy working on my car was now on the roof. Since he didn’t have my keys to be crawling in and out of my car, he’d probably used a portal.
I marched to my car, yelling, “I’m serious. Get down from there. That’s my car, and I didn’t give anyone permission to mess with it.” Closer now, I could see the runes inside my car. Some of them looked like they’d been around for a while.
“You can really see me?” he asked.
“No, I make a habit of talking to my car. Of course, I can see you.” I realized I was yelling and lowered my voice. “Why are you defacing my car and the building with runes?”
“For your protection,” Samoan said.
“We’re following orders,” Ginger added.
“Whose?”
“Baldurson’s.” The women spoke in unison and moved closer.
I groaned. Who died and made Eirik my protector? At least he could have asked me first. I didn’t need runes. I was a Witch and could feel bad mojo from a mile away.
“Don’t you guys sleep?” I asked, not containing my annoyance.
“We are doing the night shift,” Samoan said.
“How come you can see us now when you couldn’t before?” Ginger asked.
My eyes volleyed between the two girls. Last night, I hadn’t really noticed how young they were. They must have been in their late teens when they’d become Immortal.
“What do you mean before?” I asked.
“Four months ago when we put protection runes on your car,” Samoan said.
“And your home,” Ginger piped.
“Don’t forget the school and her cousin’s place,” the dude on top of my car finished. He’d gone back to etching more runes on my car.
“I swear, you etch one more rune and I will personally go to the goddess and report you. Get down. She and I are pals now, if you haven’t heard. You don’t just rune people’s property without asking their permission.”
A chuckle came from behind me, and I whipped round. Eirik stood a few feet away, hands in the front pockets of his coat, an amused expression on his face. Unlike the others, he didn’t have any runes on, so he was visible, the security light bathing his handsome face.
“Do you know that anyone watching you right now probably thinks you’re a lunatic?” He looked up and sure enough, when I followed is gaze, a few early risers were staring down at us. I groaned.
The twice-divorced Mr. Bufford was Tammy’s next-door neighbor and the owner of a cigarette shop. He was a creep, but he respected Witches. The newly married couple owned a lingerie shop. The wife crossed herself, and her husband didn’t bother to lower his voice as they turned to enter their home.
“I don’t know why we moved to this town. Everyone is…” I didn’t catch the rest of his words, but I was sure the sentence ended with crazy or weird.
Heat crawled up my face. “Mornin’, Mr. Bufford.”
“You okay, Celestia?” He still stood by the rail.
“Oh yes. Just getting rid of critters. They tend to come out in the witching hours while people are still asleep.”
“I might have one hiding in my storage room. Can you stop by later today and take care of it?”
The letch. Tammy had warned us against going to his store.
“I’ll tell Tammy.”
He chuckled and disappeared inside his house.
Eirik studied me with an amused expression. But when his eyes shifted to my legs, I realized I hadn’t bothered with shoes and my pajama top was one of my oversize T-shirts. It reached my upper thighs, covering the skimpy shorts underneath, so to an observer I looked like I was only wearing the T-shirt. It also barely covered the scar from his bite.
Worried he might see it, I adjusted the cloak and got a chuckle for my efforts. I ignored him. The Grimnir on my car was back at it again.
“Down.” I grabbed his foot and pulled, but I might as well have been trying to haul the Rock of Gilbraltar.
He glanced at Eirik.
“Don’t look at him. It’s not his car. It’s mine, and no one asked my permission or checked with me first.”
“This is for your own good, Celestia,” Eirik said. “Granny might soul-nap you again.”
My stomach dropped. “You found her?”
“No, but I have reason to believe she’s in Helheim. Last night, someone at the party felt her presence.” He moved closer. “I’m not the only one concerned about you. If she becomes a threat to you again, my parents want you to stay with us until she’s taken care of.” He studied me. “So ask yourself which one is better. A few protective runes no one can see or a longer stay in Hel?”
Man, he got me. I couldn’t fight his parents and win. And going back to Hel for an indefinite period of time was out of the question. The magic there was too potent. It messed with my head. Last night was it for me.
“We can do protection spells too, you know,” I said. “In fact, the store is protected with spells.”
“Runic magic doesn’t counter your spells. It enhances them.”
I sighed. “Fine. I respect all forms of magic, so your people can do their thing. But next time, I need a heads-up.”
He grinned.
“What’s funny?”
“I like it when you are agreeable. I was so sure you’d hurt my people.” He indicated for the Grimnirs to wind it up. “I think you and I work well together, Dimples.”
“Just because I let you off easily this time doesn’t mean I’ll always agree with you. You got lucky because it’s five in the morning and I’m half-asleep.”
He moved closer and reached out to play with a lock of my hair. “Does that mean I can get you to agree to anything?”
His voice had dropped to a low, husky timbre, and his body seemed to radiate heat. It wrapped around me like a cocoon as he caressed my jawline and moved down the side of my neck while I stood there and let him. His touch was
electrifying, and I didn’t want him to stop.
“Invite me upstairs, stjärna mín,” he whispered, tracing my collarbone.
“I share a bed with Hayden.”
“Your place is a portal away,” he countered.
I would love to fall asleep in his arms again.
Wait a second. Was I actually considering inviting Eirik back to my place? He didn’t even belong in my world. Not to mention that my father could have a heart attack if he heard me in my room when he knew I had spent the night at Hayden’s. He might think I was an intruder and burst into my room with his gun cocked. I shook my head, rattling my brain back to common sense from Stupid Land.
“No. I’m going to bed. Alone. You continue playing hero.” I ran back inside the building. As I punched in the combination on the pad to unlock the door, I could feel him watching me. I glanced back.
“Go ahead and run. Just don’t forget I’m faster than you. When the time is right, I’ll catch you.”
“Don’t be too sure about that,” I shot back.
“You will want me to catch you.” He sounded so sure of himself a thrill shot through me.
I opened my mouth to say something scathing, but he shook his head and I stopped, which annoyed the crap out of me. He wasn’t the boss of me.
“Go inside,” he said firmly, straightening. “I’ll see you later today. We need to talk.” He didn’t sound cocky anymore. He sounded worried. I wanted to ask him what was wrong. “Go. I’ll leave once you’re upstairs.”
It wasn’t until I was upstairs, looked out the window, and our eyes met that I realized I’d obeyed him, again. Damn dragon bite was turning me into a lap dog. There was no way I could go through life doing his bidding because of a damn bite. I wondered what stjärna meant. I knew mín meant my. I hope it meant something nice. Like my kickass Witch.
~*~
EIRIK
Why hadn’t I checked Celestia’s wounds four months ago? She’d had a few abrasions and surgical tape on her foot, and that had been it. I never tried to check the rest of her body for wounds. When had it happened?
My grandmother had said she could call my sister whenever she wanted. The same could be said about Celestia, which was why I hadn’t slept and had used the reapers to run all over Windfall, giving her added protection. It still wasn’t enough. Granny might go after her again, and I wouldn’t be there to save her. She needed to be here with me, where I could keep an eye on her until I found my grandmother. The problem was going to be convincing her to come willingly.
Scowling at the ceiling wasn’t going to accomplish anything. I needed to see her again today and work on her. I glanced at my watch and cursed. It was time to get up.
I shrugged on a robe and left my quarters. I was entering the tunnel separating the main hall from the east dungeons when a solitary figure entered the other end at a run and raced toward me. Dressed in all black with a hood up, I couldn’t tell whether it was a guard jogging or one of our guests. The runner slowed to a walk. Closer, I noticed the silver eyes and the tattoed face. It was the pretty Dokkalfr girl from last night.
“Morning, Niorun.”
So sure she would ignore me and continue walking, I was surprised when she lowered her hood and seized me, not missing my robe or slippers.
“Not a good one,” she said. “There’s no place to run and train without bumping into your reapers. Rude people. They stare and wink at me. They’re lucky I’m a guest here.” She spoke fast and had a husky voice.
“I’ll make sure we add a private exercise area just for you before the next ball.” If she recognized my response as a joke, she didn’t show it.
“Don’t bother. Not to insult you, but I’m never attending another one of these. Meat markets.” She inclined her head. “Thanks for not taking my father’s offer seriously.”
“Who said I didn’t?”
She scowled. “Offer for my hand and I will kill you in your sleep that very night, son of Baldur.”
I touched my neck and faked a shudder. “Consider the offer rescinded. I love my head where it is.” She didn’t crack a smile. “But I’d still like to visit Svartelfheim.”
“Look me up, but as long as you’re after an adventure, not an alliance.” She pulled up her hood and walked past me. I stared after her and shook my head.
Sounds of animals greeted me when I reached my dragon room. Our guests were leaving late. Or maybe Garm had prevented them from leaving. I could hear him howling despite the door being closed. When Mother had the weapons room modified to suit my dragon, she’d added a rack for robes and shelves for slippers and food. The food was missing this morning.
I opened a portal to the kitchen. “Maera!”
Trudy appeared instead, a broad grin on her face. “Hey, Rising Star. Running late today, aren’t you? It’s a beautiful morning. The sun is shining and they are finally leaving. Having girls around my age in the hall isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. The right kind of girls mattered. Celestia was fun to have around. These Elven girls, not so much.”
A smiling Trudy was a rarity. She’d given me attitude ever since I refused to take her to see Celestia. A chatty Trudy was annoying.
“First, don’t call me that stupid name. Second, where’s your mother?”
Her eyes widened. “Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed.”
“Trudy!”
“Mama is busy. If you haven’t noticed, our guests are leaving and need to be fed. What do you want?”
“Food and something to drink.”
She cocked an eyebrow. Trudy might be Mother’s personal maid, but their relationship wasn’t that of a servant and a mistress. Unlike her parents and most people in the hall, she spoke her mind with Mother and never seemed intimidated by her. Today, she was behaving weirdly.
“What?”
“Are we going to see Celestia?”
“No. I’m going flying.”
Her eyes narrowed. I would never take her with me to Earth. If someone honked a horn and scared the crap out of her, she might shift into her real size and start a global manhunt.
“You are planning on taking me, right?” she asked.
“Flying? No. Can I get food?”
“I’m not talking about flying, and you know it. I entertained those stupid Elven girls for you last night and you promised.”
Damn. “Fine. Soon. Just not today. Get me something to eat. Please,” I added when she shot me a mutinous glare.
She muttered something under her breath, but I heard it. I was officially a Dökkálfr troll. I had no idea why the Dark Elves became the standard for ugliness or evil. Niorun was hot.
As soon as the portal closed, I shrugged off the robe and shifted. I lifted my wings and stretched my neck. Ten to one, Trudy wouldn’t bring my food, and I couldn’t fly far on an empty stomach. Five more minutes and I’d call for food. Maera hated when I did after shifting. She often complained my bellows startled the cooks.
Usually, I was gone by this time of the morning, training with Mother or the warriors. The few times I found myself here in the middle of the day, the only sounds I heard were occasional neighs from the horses in the stalls next door. Since the arrival of our guests, the stables had housed not just horses, but wolves, cave lions, saber-toothed tigers, and even giant pigs. The people from other realms enchanted animals to pull their sleds.
Howls, snarls, and growls said the animals sensed my presence. Garm responded from beyond the wall, reminding me I needed to exercise him. Since I overslept, I might have to make our morning run short.
A portal opened, but instead of Trudy, Litr wheeled in the food. I thanked him and wolfed it down, eager to leave. I sniffed. Mother was missing this morning. Her scent often reached me before I left the changing room or after training. It felt weird not having her around.
“I’ll bring more food.”
“Not today, Litr. I’ll eat breakfast with my parents when I come back. I won’t be gone for long. Just an hour.” Last night�
��s conversation with Chief Skevnir made me resent my grandmother, even though I’d been ready to forgive her and even have some sort of relationship with her. Now I couldn’t see beyond the fact that she’d bitten my sister and Celestia, and bound them to her. It would have made sense if they were orphans.
I opened the door, which I’d mastered the last few months, and squinted at Karle. The colors of his cloak were so bright and in such sharp contrast to the snow behind him my sensitive eyes protested.
“I thought you were leaving early,” I said.
“Not when your family decided to send us off with our bellies full. Your cooks are amazing.” He stepped back to give me space. “My uncles are getting the horses ready. Are you going out now? Do you need company?”
“Not right now. I’m going to exercise Garm.”
“Is that the hound that swallows ten souls in one gulp?” he asked.
I laughed. “I didn’t know he had such a terrible reputation.”
“They say his fangs drip with the blood of his victims and he delivers second death to the oath breakers.”
Oath breaking was such a terrible crime in all the realms those guilty of it were considered worse than murderers. “I’m not sure what Garm does all day, but if he takes a chunk out of someone, then they deserve it.”
As though on cue, the hound’s howls ripped through the air. Snarls and growls answered him to our left. More guests were preparing for their trips home and were harnessing their rides. They saw me and bowed. A few made eye contact and smiled. Their animals were restless, and I had a feeling that had something to do with my presence more than Garm’s howls.
“I’m sorry I told my father about your grandmother,” Karle said. “He’s always going on about the orphans and blood bond. Then he saw that strange girl in weird clothes, and he got really excited. You should have seen how they smiled at each other. They recognized their connection right away.”
Not exactly what I wanted to hear.
“Her name is Celestia, and her clothes are not strange. Just different.” I spoke with more bite than intended and felt bad. Karle was a great guy and biting his head off wasn’t going to make me feel any less guilty about Celestia’s situation. “She’s a friend from Midgard, and those clothes are worn by girls there.”
Heroes (Eirik Book 2) Page 11
