by C. R. Jane
Miranda mumbled something about getting the doctor before heading back out the door. Bev didn’t seem to notice.
“Oh my god, Ash. When they said you got hit in the head with a pool ball, I just wanted to rush to your side but there was so much blood, and you know how I am with blood…” She trailed off but then jumped back in. “But I wanted to be there by your side. I did. Thankfully, someone called 911, and we got you to the hospital.” Bev’s brows furrowed. “Sadly, for Alpha Phi Alpha, that meant the party was over, and they’re under probation. No more parties for the rest of the year. Which is totally okay. It’s fine. We’re all just happy you’re alive. When you didn’t wake up...” Her eyes watered and she squeezed my hand close, kissing my hand. “I thought I had lost you.”
I waited until she was done to try and speak. It was weird. My throat was dry, and it took me a few tries to get my words out. “Thank you.”
“Here.” Chris offered me a cup with a straw, allowing me to drink my fill before fluffing my pillow. I watched him with a curious frown. How long had he been here?
As if reading my mind, Bev jerked her head in his direction. “Chris hasn’t left your side for a second. They have to physically remove him from the room when they needed to change you.” She suddenly grinned. “Did you know they gave you a sponge bath? Was it as hot as they make it seem in the movies? Oh, wait.” Her grin dropped. “You probably didn’t realize anything that was happening, did you? Well, did you?”
I wasn’t paying her much attention, since my eyes were still on Chris. He’d been with me the whole time? For some reason, it made me sad and...guilty? I’d been in Valhalla, falling in love, and completely not thinking about anyone back home or how they felt about me being gone. Now that I was back, I didn’t know how I was supposed to feel.
“How long?” I asked in a low, hoarse voice. “How long was I out?”
Bev and Chris exchanged a look before Chris finally answered, “Two weeks.”
“They thought you might not recover,” Bev added, her voice full of emotion. “We thought we were going to lose you.”
Two weeks. I’d been gone for two weeks. It’d only been the span of a few days in Valhalla. Time worked differently it seemed. I wondered what the guys were doing now. Were they watching me? Were they weeping for me? A part of me hoped they weren’t. They sent me back for a reason, but if I wasn’t allowed to put my life on hold for them, they sure as hell couldn’t do it for me.
Loki would have had it the worst. He felt things so greatly that he hid it behind his jokes and tricks. I worried about him. When I was pulled through the veil, the expression on his face had been devastation. Heartbroken.
I knew then and there that I would have stayed for him, for all of them, had they given me a chance.
“Hey, Ash, you okay?” Bev waved a hand in front of my face, pulling me out of my thoughts.
“Huh?” I glanced to her, and then noticed Miranda and the doctor standing behind her. “Oh, yeah, just thinking my parents must be freaking out.”
“Oh, they’re here. Or they were.” Bev winced and then looked to the older man standing behind her. “Maybe you are better off explaining.”
“Hello, Ashleigh, I’m Doctor Miller.” He took Bev’s spot and began checking my vitals. I winced against the bright light he shone in my eyes. “Your vitals look good. By now the swelling on your brain has mostly healed. We’ll want to keep you for a few more days just to be sure.”
I nodded, but even that hurt my head. “My parents?”
“They were here when you first arrived, but when I told them it was best for you to stay here, they took turns sitting with this young man.” He pointed his pen at Chris, and then jotted some more stuff down on the clipboard in his hand.
“They just went home to grab some stuff and come back,” Bev explained, holding onto Miranda’s arm like a lifeline. “They’ll be so happy to see you awake.”
I gave her a weak smile.
“I don’t have to tell you how lucky you are,” Doctor Miller continued with a grave expression. “Many who have sustained an injury like yours didn’t come back. You must have someone on the other side who was looking out for you.”
My lips pressed tightly together. Doctor Miller didn’t know how close to the truth he was. I did have someone on the other side looking out for me. Three someones. No matter what they told me, I’d never forget them. Not Thor, with his carefree spirit. Or Baldr and his warm hugs. Not even Loki and his tricks. I knew the next few years would be the hardest for me, the waiting, but I was determined to keep my promise. I’d live my life for them and then, when the time came, I would return...to Valhalla.
Epilogue
64 years later
Chris died six months ago. Natural causes. Didn’t make it hurt any less.
I stayed around as long as I could. We had two children who had grown up and had children of their own. It was hard to lose Chris and even harder to lose my children and grandchildren.
The gods had been right. I did need to live my life. I knew now that if I had never actually lived my life, then I would have regretted it for the rest of my afterlife.
So, I did it.
I married Chris, but not until after we graduated from college and went around the world for a year. Then I got a job as a photojournalist in New York where Chris took up office with his father’s company.
Chris was the love of my life. My human one, anyway. We had sixty-four wonderful years together until he got sick.
Then, it was months of him slowly getting sicker and sicker. By the end, the gorgeous man I knew from high school was nothing more than a cold body on a slab. It broke my heart all over again.
I hadn’t hurt so much since I came back from Valhalla. I’d been so heartbroken after leaving the gods that it took months for me to finally crawl out from under my rock. But one person was always there for me.
Chris.
Every single day Chris would come by and see me. Some days I refused to see him. But he’d leave me flowers and my favorite coffee with Bev, and say he’d come back tomorrow.
Eventually, I gave in. I had showered, put on something other than my pajamas, and hunted Chris down.
I found him in the library asleep on top of his books. It was such a rare and adorable sight that I couldn’t bear to wake him. I took the seat across from him and waited for him to wake up.
When he did, I was waiting. He blinked his beautiful blue eyes at me and gave me a sleepy smile. “Hey.”
I smiled back. “Hey.”
And it was all downhill from there.
But today, today was the day I died. I could feel it. It was in my heart. In my bones. I was ready for it to be over.
At least, here on Earth. I wasn’t sure if the gods would follow through and actually be waiting for me on the other side, but I figured I couldn’t lose. Either I went to Valhalla and found them waiting, or I went where all other souls go and got to be with Chris. I couldn’t lose.
When I was coming to the end of my life, my family surrounded me. They cried and hugged me. Begged me not to go. I never felt so loved.
My breathing slowed, and I felt infinitely more tired. Like I could sleep forever.
When I blinked my eyes awake, I was no longer in my bed at home. The green and blues of Valhalla were laid out before me and I stood on strong legs. My aged, mortal body had shifted back to the time I had been here before.
Unlike last time, I didn’t find myself in Loki’s cavern. Disappointing as it may be, what greeted me was far better.
“Hello, woman!” Baldr lifted me off the ground and wrapped me in his arms. As I snuggled into his embrace, I inhaled his scent, the mixture of ale and sunlight, and I knew I was home.
“Stop hogging her,” Thor growled, making the ground rumble beneath our feet. Before I could blink, I was up and out of Baldr’s arms and surrounded by Thor. I sighed and leaned my head back to let him kiss me. The kiss sizzled all the way down to my toes. “Ashleigh, so won
derful to have you back. How did you enjoy Earth?”
I smiled. “It was bearable.”
Thor chuckled and sat me back on my feet. “Well, I would be remiss if I said we didn’t check up on you every once in a while and make sure you weren’t miserable without us.”
I giggled and shook my head. “Always.” I sighed and looked around for the third part of our party, but my mischief god was strangely absent. “Where’s Loki?”
Baldr and Thor exchanged an uncomfortable look. Then Thor scratched his chin. “Loki, well, he didn’t take your leaving as well as my brother and I did.”
Baldr snorted. “Speak for yourself. I was drinking my weight in ale to drown out the need to rush to the mortal realm and bring you back.”
Thor rolled his eyes. “Do not act as if you were the only one who missed her.” Thor turned his gaze back my way. “I slaughtered a whole horde for you.”
I grimaced. “Thanks.”
I waited for them to elaborate, to take me to Loki, but neither of them acted like they were ready to move. I threw my hands up in the air and sighed. “Where is he?”
“Oh, right.” Thor snapped his fingers, and we were suddenly in a stone basement filled with cells. A prison?
“Why is Loki down here?” I glanced around and took a step toward one of the doors.
“I wouldn’t go near there,” Baldr grabbed my arm, stopping me.
I shot Baldr a look before pulling my arm out of his grip. “What else can happen to me? I already died. Twice.”
The gods before me winced, and then shared a chuckle. It was Thor who stepped forward and motioned me over to one of the cells. There was a door with a little window that I had to push up on my toes just to see through.
The inside of the cell was dark, and even though I was dead and old woman, I didn’t suddenly get night vision. “Loki?” There was no answer. I sighed and tried the doorknob.
It was locked.
I turned to the two of them. “Keys?”
Thor rolled his eyes and handed over a set of keys he pulled out of—well, it looked like his ass, but I figured it was one of those fancy air pockets they had.
I grinned and took the keys. Once the door was unlocked, I peeked my head through. Still, the darkness kept me from seeing anything or anyone. I growled and rolled my eyes over to the gods. “A little light, please?”
Baldr smirked and used his fingers like a gun. Several candles lit in the room, lighting up the black, green, and gold bundle lying on the floor.
I inched toward it with a sinking feeling. “Loki?”
The bundle shifted. A groan came from it as I moved closer. I reached for him as I said his name again.
“Thor,” Loki groaned again. “Leave me alone. I’m not falling for it again.”
Falling for what? I gave Thor a curious look over my shoulder. Then knelt next to Loki. “Loki. It’s really me. I’m here.”
Loki chuckled and turned over to look at me. The look on his face was maniacal. He didn’t so much as blink at me. He fell back against the wall and pointed at me. “Ha. Ha. Good one. But not good enough.”
My heart ached seeing him like this. I couldn’t handle it anymore. I reached for him again, but he lashed out at me. His hand hit my chest, and I fell back onto my ass.
Thor and Baldr came barreling into the room, filling the tiny cell even more. Baldr picked me up with a glare. Watch it, you swine.”
Loki gaped at me. “You were supposed to disappear. Why didn’t you disappear?” He inched closer, his mouth open and his eyes wide, as if I were some kind of mythical being he was seeing for the first time.
I stayed still as the God of Mischief came toward me. His long, slender fingers found my face, and I leaned into his touch. “Loki.”
Both hands cupped my face now. “Ashleigh,” Loki breathed before his mouth covered mine. He pulled me into his arms and engulfed me in his kiss. I held on to him tightly, needing him as much as he needed me.
When we finally withdrew from each other, it was only because Thor and Baldr started complaining.
“Oh, Ashleigh,” Loki sighed, staring into my eyes. “When you left, my world fell apart. I thought I’d never see you again.”
I held on to his hands and grinned up at him. “I’m sorry I left you waiting. I’ll never leave you again.” I glanced toward Thor and Baldr. “None of you.”
Valhalla was my home, and so were the gods I fell in love with.
Indebted to the Vampires
A broken vase isn’t all this maid owed her masters.
Piper needed a job. Any job would do. But when the temp agency assigns her to clean the house of a bunch of snobby rich men, she isn’t sure it's worth it.
Stuck in a job she has no choice but to keep, Piper becomes even more indebted to her employers when she breaks a priceless vase.
However, her clumsiness is the least of Piper’s troubles. Her mysterious and dangerously tempting employers have a secret. One that they are willing to kill to keep. Will she be able to save her job? Let alone live through it?
Chasing Rabbits
Alice was wrong – Wonderland wasn’t so
wonderful after all.
Kat never expected to be back in her hometown, but when house sitting turns into a mad rabbit chase, Kat finds herself with a whole new set of problems.
A two headed bird with a Game of Thrones obsession, a party full of tea addicts, and a Cheshire Cat who could seduce the pants off her grandma? And if the citizens weren’t bad enough their prince was off his rocker.
This wasn’t your run of the mill Wonderland. This was the Fae world, where rules are rules, and some things are exactly as they seem.
Start the series!
Marked By Hell
The road to heaven is paved with Mary Wiles’ victims.
Los Angeles isn’t just a playground for those searching for a new start. It’s a darker and more dangerous place than they’ll ever know. But Mary’s not fooled.
With her hands full trying to play human while looking for a way back to heaven, Mary doesn’t have time to polish her halo let alone solve a murder case. But when she finds out demons are responsible, Mary just can’t help herself.
When Mary makes a mistake causing her best friend to be taken, she will have to make a choice: sacrifice an innocent for the chance to get her revenge or lose everything she has worked for. Mary starts to realize there is no clear path back to heaven without becoming tainted herself.
Start the series!
Until Midnight
They call them the Crimson Fold. High up in their castle they look down on my little world and wield a silent control. That is, until the invitations are sent out.
I never dreamed I’d be selected. They tell me it’s a privilege. I should be honored. But the fear in their eyes doesn’t lie.
If I refuse to go, my family will be shunned. If I go, my life and my body will no longer be mine. It’ll be theirs.
At midnight it will be over. At Midnight I’ll be his.
Start the series!
About Erin Bedford
Erin Bedford is an otaku, recovering coffee addict, and Legend of Zelda fanatic. Her brain is so full of stories that need to be told that she must get them out or explode into a million screaming chibis. Obsessed with fairy tales and bad boys, she hasn’t found a story she can’t twist to match her deviant mind full of innuendos, snarky humor, and dream guys.
On the outside, she’s a work from home mom and bookbinger. One the inside, she’s a thirteen-year-old boy screaming to get out and tell you the pervy joke they found online. As an ex-computer programmer, she dreams of one day combining her love for writing and college credits to make the ultimate video game!
Until then, when she’s not writing, Erin is devouring as many books as possible on her quest to have the biggest book gut of all time. She’s written over thirty books, ranging from paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and even scifi romance.
Also, third person is really we
ird when writing about yourself. Just putting that out there.
Come chat me up!
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This is work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Copyright© Yumoyori Wilson, 2019
All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
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