“You always did like to live on the edge.” Jackie grinned. “Then jump right off.”
Cybil shrugged, embraced Jackie then pulled away. “I guess it’s time to give this a shot.”
Heidrek nodded his agreement before his gaze returned to Vigdis. “Tell us what to do.”
The seer’s head rolled back, and her neck cracked as she eyed the sky. “Soon the sun rises. With it the energy of a new day.” Her eyelids began to flutter. “Take her hand, harness this energy combined with the power of love, and see your friend home. Envision where you want her, Heidrek, and she will be there.”
Heidrek’s eyes returned to Jackie. “To Hamilton Castle then?”
Jackie nodded, eagerness in her eyes. “Please.”
Heidrek took Cybil’s hand then Jackie’s.
Cybil closed the circle when she took Jackie’s hand.
When Heidrek closed his eyes, Cybil did the same, not sure in the least what she should do seeing she had never been to medieval Scotland and didn’t know the MacLomains or what Hamilton Castle looked like. Yet soon enough, she did through his mind’s eye.
Heidrek’s memories became hers.
The places he had been and the people he’d met. The connections he had made.
Then she saw something else.
The first time he laid eyes on Jackie. The many moments they shared. The development of his feelings toward her. How understanding he had been of…dear God, she had been sick…really sick. And he had stood by her and been a friend. She experienced the love he felt for Jackie then what existed after he let her go.
Sadness. Acceptance. Yet closure.
Then she felt something else altogether.
His growing draw toward a woman he had never met. A burning warmth that began deep in his soul as their connection grew.
His connection to her.
She finally had a face…thoughts…feelings.
When he wasn’t meeting her in their dreams, he had spent long hours thinking of nothing but her. Months went by, and like they had with Jackie, he developed feelings for Cybil. A mysterious woman who he related to, desired and needed in a way in which he was unfamiliar.
It felt like warm sunshine poured through her when he saw her for the first time at the fortress. When over a millennium didn’t separate them and they were finally flesh and blood. One thing was absolutely certain as their eyes connected in a memory.
The love he felt for Jackie could not compare to what he felt for Cybil.
There were no words to describe it.
The stark difference.
The instant connection that would always be theirs.
A strength that would withstand the ages.
Caught in the memory of that moment when their eyes connected for the first time in Naðr and Megan’s lodge, he didn’t let her pass but pulled her into his arms. Their lips met with such passion and need, nothing else got through.
Until a round of hoots and whistles erupted.
Where were they coming from? Nobody was here but Naðr and Megan.
Confused, still caught in the memory, her eyes met his.
“Cybil,” he whispered, his gaze roaming her face. “Come back with me now.”
Unable to respond, caught in a whole new level of pleasure, her eyelids drifted shut before the memory shimmered and their surroundings darkened. Jolted from wherever she was, she realized where the cheers had come from. She had been kissing Heidrek not in a dream or memory, but in the Place of Seers. The whistles of approval had come from his men and family.
Though embarrassed, she soon remembered what they had been trying to do to begin with, and her eyes shot to Jackie…only to find her gone.
“You were successful,” Vigdis announced, clearly not expecting as much. “The Highland woman has returned home.”
Cybil’s eyes returned to Heidrek before she unraveled from his embrace, stepped back and looked at the seer. “So she’s safe?”
“Yes.” The seer’s eyes remained on Heidrek. “And it seems the love between you and the Celt is true indeed.” A slight shiver rippled over Vigdis, and she rolled her shoulders, a tepid look on her face. “Too true in my opinion. And love like that has been known to make slaves of those who suffer from it.”
Cybil frowned. Suffer? Slaves? But then based on what Heidrek said about the bizarre seer, her experience with love had ended poorly one way or another.
“Keep summoning Thor’s thunder, You,” Vigdis said to Heidrek. “And tell your men they must hunt only rodents and birds for food. Then they must keep to the alcoves between here and the bend ahead when they seek rest.” Her eyes returned to the sky. “Even here, we are only as safe as our cautionary measures.”
Heidrek nodded and though Cybil knew he remained wary of the seer, he said, “Thank you for your help, Vigdis.”
She gave him a long, appraising look before she nodded and sauntered away, her hand again skimming languidly along the wall. Heidrek relayed her message to his men before he and Cybil joined Kjar and his cousins. Matthew had already vanished, presumably to hunt.
“If you find a well-hidden alcove you may light a small fire,” Heidrek said. “Otherwise, do not. I will summon weather, but as we all know, the enemy is unpredictable.”
Bjorn nodded. “Stay with Cybil. I will find you food.”
Heidrek nodded in return. “Thank you, Cousin.”
Not surprisingly, Tait’s eyes lingered on Vigdis.
“Though tempted, do not go near her, Tait,” Heidrek warned, not missing a thing. “She is not the sort to lie with.”
“Hmph, does he not deserve release from all the tension?” Svala muttered, eying Heidrek’s warriors. “I also need some sex. As do your men.”
Cybil got the distinct impression that Svala had no intention of being with just one and had meant ‘men’ in a very literal sense.
Tait chuckled.
Heidrek narrowed his eyes on Svala. “I forbid it, Dragon.”
“Forbid,” Svala mouthed and rolled her eyes. When she saw fire flash in Heidrek’s eyes, her moment of defiance vanished. “Fine then,” she huffed and strode off.
“Do not go far,” Heidrek called after her.
Svala muttered something under her breath and didn’t look back.
Kjar shook his head at Svala’s antics and handed Heidrek a satchel. “You will find mead and a change of clothing for you both in this, Nephew.” His eyes went back the way they had come. “The seer protects the bend. I will protect the rear.”
“Thank you, Uncle.”
Kjar nodded and gestured at Tait. “Come, let us hunt then you will join me rather than be tempted by Vigdis, yes?”
Tait sighed and agreed, winking at Cybil. “You did well. Jackie has a good friend in you and Heidrek has a good woman.”
“Thanks,” she murmured, still not sure what to make of what had happened except that it apparently confirmed Heidrek’s feelings were genuine. That most definitely made the prospect of marrying him far more doable. No, wrong word. Too mild. Because what had been confirmed cranked the thrill and excitement she felt earlier up a thousand notches.
“Come.” Heidrek put his hand to the small of her back, and they kept walking. “Let us find a spot to rest.”
Though daybreak had just arrived, the wind grew colder as Thor’s sword flashed with what appeared to be repressed lightning. Black clouds churned beyond the orange and purples of sunrise and ignited the leaves overhead. The beauty and moodiness of it snagged her attention and she stopped. “What I wouldn’t do for a camera right now.”
When Heidrek didn’t respond, she looked his way only to find him admiring her face as avidly as she had been their surroundings.
“There might be a way.” He pulled her after him.
A way? What did he mean?
Heidrek stopped at one of the few birches that grew up the rock wall, murmured a chant then carefully removed a sheet of bark. “Aunt Amber has always loved to sketch and continues to do so on these.”
He handed her one. “Your gift and even sanctity is found through the lens of a camera, is it not?”
Cybil nodded. “It is.” She shook her head as she looked at the bark. “But this isn’t a camera or film.”
“You possess magic where Aunt Amber did not.” He urged her to hold the bark with both hands and to look up again. “You are powerful, Cybil. Use what is inside you to see through the lens of not a camera but your mind’s eye. Find that same peace and excitement and capture what you see.”
Incredulous, she looked between him and the leaves. “You can’t be serious.”
“Just try.” He stepped behind her and murmured in her ear, “It cannot hurt to see what happens, can it?”
Caught between the feel of him so close and the possibilities he suggested, she breathed deep and looked up. The last rays of sunlight lit the leaves with shades of fiery red against tumbling black clouds. Caught by the dancing shadows and the way the light struggled with darkness, she gripped the bark, envisioned looking through a camera lens…and captured it.
“Ah,” he whispered and ran his hand down her arm to where she held the paper. “Look.”
She gasped when her eyes fell to the bark. Better yet, the image imprinted on it. It was exactly what she had seen, vividly caught with deep hues. “I can’t believe it.”
A smile warmed his voice. “Why, after all you have seen, is it so impossible to believe that your gift would manifest itself within your magic?”
“Honestly?” Her eyes met his over her shoulder. “I haven’t seen much beauty or found much peace in what I’ve experienced outside of this and…”
She didn’t have to finish her sentence for him to understand. What they felt when returning Jackie home had been just as beautiful and in its own way, a level of peace she never felt before.
Hope.
A glimpse of something tangible that she could have with him that washed away all the years of loneliness.
Their eyes held for a long moment before a heavy drop of icy rain hit her cheek. He wiped it away gently then took her hand. “Let us find shelter.”
They didn’t go far before he pushed aside a heavy swath of roots and led her into an alcove about the size of a large walk-in closet. Plush green moss crawled along the walls and floor. Stones created a semi-circle at the rear with a small bushel of roots and sticks at its center. When Heidrek’s eyes glowed pale blue, sparks hissed then ignited a fire.
“Won’t it get smoky in here,” she started before she realized a fist-sized hole was above it, effectively sucking the smoke away. Cybil peered up. “That goes all the way to the top? This mountain is easily hundreds of feet tall.”
“Yes, it goes to the top and is one of many. All of the mountains in the Place of Seers house sanctuaries like this,” he explained as he removed his fur and laid it on the ground. “They come here not only to worship but to mate.”
“Mate?” She perked her brows and couldn’t stop a small grin. “Where they worship?”
“They are Viking.” A rare twinkle lit his eyes. “Our mating and religion go hand in hand. Both are afforded equal devotion.” The corner of his mouth inched up. “And of course, a fair amount of worship is applied whether communing with the gods or mating.”
“So no churches or sex behind closed doors.” She chuckled as she removed her fur and laid it beside his. “Interesting.”
“Many of my people prefer mating in the open.” He returned to the entrance. “Sex is something to be enjoyed wherever and whenever the urge comes upon us.” There was a mischievous glint in his eyes when they slid over her. “Have you mated in front of others, Cybil?”
“Not that I know of.” She met his blossoming grin and held her forefinger within centimeters of her thumb. “Though I always had a little thing for leaving the light on at night and the curtains open during sex. Does that count?”
The flash of desire in his eyes as he envisioned such a thing spoke volumes. “My lodging at the fortress has plenty of torchlight and firelight as well as windows.” He shot her a predatory look. “And I will make more windows if you wish. Many more.”
“It might get pretty cold,” she murmured.
“No.” His eyes were full of promise. “If anything, it will likely get too hot.”
It occurred to her that this was the first time she and Heidrek had come close to flirting, and she liked it. There was more to him than what he showed the world. A playful side she would enjoy exploring for years to come.
She tore her eyes from his at the thought, surprised by how easily she had fallen into seeing a future for them now that she knew he loved her. That she must love him too.
Yet nothing had really changed.
Not her reasons for staying or going.
She would be where her sisters needed her most.
Her eyes stayed on the fire as Bjorn stopped by, gave some skinned birds to Heidrek then left. She sat down and watched absently as he created a small spit and set the meat over the fire.
Only when his eyes glowed blue again did she realize the rain, wind and thunder had increased. When the sound of sleet drew her eyes to the entrance, she was shocked to see the roots caked with thick enough ice that nothing but blurry, faded light could be seen beyond.
Heidrek sat down, handed her a skin of mead, met her eyes and remained silent. He was letting her know that she didn’t need to share her thoughts aloud, but he would like her to. That he wanted the opportunity to share his as well.
She liked that about him. His patience at certain times and his fierceness at others. The way he let her think things over when she needed to then urged her to connect when he needed to. Beyond friendship and even love, she knew that they were remarkably compatible.
“You rarely take this off,” she murmured and fingered the bear pendant hanging around his neck. “You told me it helped connect us through the Yggdrasill tree, but I sense you’ve had it for a long time.” Her eyes met his. “What does it mean to you?”
“Strength and endurance. Silent wisdom. Kjar led me to believe it connected us, but now I suspect it was unrelated.” His gaze was a little lost. “I originally found it around the neck of a dog I once called my friend. Her name was Guardian, and she was brought here by Aunt Megan.”
“Oh,” she said softly, feeling his sadness. “Why was she wearing it?”
“I do not know. She had been attacked by something and was barely alive when I found her.” When he gazed into the past, she could see everything. The mortally wounded dog. His intense heartache. The bear prints in the snow.
“Yet her wounds were not inflicted by a bear,” he continued, well aware she followed his thoughts. “Later that day I caught glimpses of a bear cub without its mother. As the years went by, I continued to see it. Watching me. Lending strength. The last time I saw it was a few years ago. It had grown very large. Master of its forest and still a friend from afar. ”
She slipped her hand into his and whispered, “So one friend was traded for another.”
“So it appeared. And I have garnered great strength from both.” Heidrek touched the pendant. “And this.” He pulled it off then put it on her, his eyes never leaving hers. “Now might it bring you equal strength, Cybil.”
Her gaze fell to the bear and though tempted to say no, that it meant too much to him, she knew it would hurt him. That he truly wanted her to have it…something that was part of him. Not just a piece of metal but a piece of his heart and memories.
“Thank you, Heidrek,” she murmured and ran her fingers over the bear as he turned to the spit and rotated the birds. His gaze seemed a million miles away as he stared at the fire.
Cybil didn’t want him to look that way…entrenched in sad memories. She wanted him here with her. In the present where they could face things together. Where she could lend him strength as readily as this pendant had for so long.
“I’m not hungry,” she whispered and set aside the skin. “Or thirsty.” She pulled her shirt off when his eyes returned to he
r. “But I am warm.” Then she straddled him and cupped his cheeks. “Aren’t you warm?”
Fire flared in his eyes as he pulled her tight against an arousal that sprang to life in an instant. “Very.”
He trailed a finger between her breasts then flicked his thumb across a taut nipple, sending shivers straight to her core. Ravenous, his gaze followed his hand, lingering on her chest before he tugged at her pant strings.
Swollen, throbbing, she yanked at his shirt until he allowed her to pull it over his head. As his hand slid down the front of her loosened pants, she kissed him for all she was worth. She tasted and sampled and explored with her tongue as readily as he did.
As he worked the flesh between her legs, she kissed and licked her way over his strong jaw, down his neck and nipped at the hard flesh of his upper chest and collarbone.
Cybil grazed her teeth over his tattoos then kissed and tasted as much of his salty skin as she could before he growled and lifted her while still kneeling. She enjoyed the frigid, rough texture of the wall as he slammed her against it and yanked hard, ripping away half of her pants then shoving his own pants down.
Cool air met overheated flesh as he grabbed a root for leverage and drove right into her. She clamped down hard on her lower lip and shuddered with pleasure when he stopped moving, purposefully keeping her on the edge of instant gratification.
He tilted his head and brought his lips close to her ear, his breath hot and tempting as it fanned her cheek, as his deep, husky words promised a night denied them before. “Now we will continue where we left off at the waterfall.” He nipped her earlobe. “Again and again.”
She tried to respond but only managed a gasp then a long, strangled moan when he started moving. Then it became a mad frenzy to get closer, to feel more, to release all their pent up emotions in a joining of the flesh.
The first orgasm built quickly and overtook her as another then another swelled behind it.
All sense of time vanished. Nothing existed but their bodies sliding and grinding as she peaked particularly hard and screamed out, her body locking up against his. He held her that way, dropping gentle kisses on her temple then cheek, then lips.
Rise of a Viking (The MacLomain Series: Viking Ancestors' Kin Book 1) Page 18
