Viking Sensitivity (Night World Series Book 2)

by Gretchen S. B.

  "You will not move." she commanded.

  The power behind her voice was stronger than Viking ever heard it. There was almost a rush of power that blew out of her like a hot wind. It jolted the being strongly enough that he flew back a yard.

  It growled at her. "You little wretch."

  Viking watched as the black cloud tried to move forward but seems to almost hit a wall. The being howled so loud and so inhuman it seemed to be ringing in Viking's ears. In the corner of his eye saw Mia to cover her ears.

  "You will leave Mia alone from now on. Do you understand me?" The power surged again but it wasn't as strong as the first time.

  "Isn't that just like you Night Worlders. Only looking out for your own. Don't worry little lady. I'll leave your captain’s mate alone. But everyone else is fair game."

  The being disappeared. As if it snapped out of existence. What he didn't know was if Gwen's words had him go or if the thing removed itself. From the look on Gwen's face as she lowered her hands she was asking herself the same question.

  Viking let go of Mia and the two of them walked back onto the trail to stand next Gwen.

  "Viking, I don't know where he went. And I do not like that threat." Gwen said still scanning the tree line around them.

  He found himself scanning the tree line around them as well. Even though he knew the being was gone and not coming back. Viking just couldn't help it. It was ingrained in him to check his surroundings for danger in all situations.

  He could feel the fear coming off of Mia. He felt bad, it was a lot to handle but there was no way around it. She needed as much information as she could if she was going to stay safe.

  Gwen turned to Mia. "Are you alright? How are you holding up with all this?" She watched the other woman with concern on her face. "I know this is a lot to take in. But I'm afraid we're not quite out of the woods yet. Did he say anything to you before we arrived?"

  Mia simply shook her head. "No. What did he mean, ‘everyone else is fair game’?"

  Shaking her head Gwen frowned. "I don't know. It means you are probably safe. Beyond that I'm guessing it means he's going to go after his next intended target. But he also could be saying he's going to go after somebody else that matters to us in spite. I just don't have a way of knowing until he makes his move."

  "I'm sorry. I never would've wanted to trade my safety for somebody else's."

  Gwen frowned at the other woman. "You can't think like that. You were on the list of Sensitives he's supposed to go after. You're not trading yourself for anyone. Odds are you're just getting removed from the list and he's moving on. That being said, I think our time is almost up. We only had about a forty-five minute window to begin with and I have no idea how long we've been here. I'll give you two some privacy before we end up heading out." Gwen turned on her heels and started walking straight into the woods.

  She had grown up quite a bit since Viking met her. A decade ago she would never wander off into the woods of somebody's dreamscape. The constant attacks made her fear any new situation. And now that she had come into her own she seemed to be almost a whole new person.

  When he looked back to the woman next to him she was staring up at him.

  "Should I be concerned? You ran off with such haste."

  There was a sneer on his face. He couldn't help it. "I wasn't running. I want you to have as much time as I can give you. That isn't necessarily going to happen if we are together in close quarters with no one else around.

  The concern and worry in her eyes made his chest hurt.

  "I am so sorry. I…"

  Before she could continue Viking cut her off. "There is no need for you to keep apologizing. You were thrown into this situation. None of it is your fault."

  He raised his arm and brushed some hair out of her face and behind her ear. She closed her eyes as he ran the back of his hand down the side of her face. For a moment, a small moment it felt as if this was something he could do, something he could cherish every day. It seemed like such a normal warm gesture. Sighing, he pulled his hand back. She opened her eyes at the loss of contact.

  Viking took a step away from her. Sighing again, he shook his head. "Is there anything that I can do for you? Is there anything you need?"

  "I think that you should come back tonight."

  Her words lay heavy in the air between them. She said it with such conviction. Part of his spirit lifted and the other part plummeted. She had not been given a choice, but by the same token the more he got to know her more time he wanted to spend with her.

  "Are you sure about that?"

  A curt nod was all she gave as a response

  He wasn't sure how long they stood there looking at each other. He couldn't think of anything else to say and he wanted to take in as much of her as he could.

  When he started to see the world blur around the edges he knew he was about to leave. When it felt as if a giant hand pulled his collar and was about to rip him from Mia's consciousness he lifted his hand goodbye.

  After second or two he and Gwen stood in the same field they had earlier facing his mother.

  "How did it go? Did you see it? What do you know about it?"

  His mother's shotgun questions came to faster than Viking could form answers. But luckily Gwen seems to be used to them.

  "It went interestingly, I think. We did see it, however, it got away. I seem to have convinced it to leave Mia alone, however, it said everyone else was open season. I'm not sure whether that means it's going to go after somebody else we know or if that means it's just going to go further down the list. I was able to recognize it. And by that I mean I could recognize its signature if I ran into it. But I am not sure I could track it.

  “My best bet is to go to an MP I know and asked if she could possibly formulate some kind of tracking spell. But there is no guarantee since I don't know exactly what the other Sensitives look like. Although, if we could get a sketch it might work or might not."

  As they watched, Gwen seemed to be forming a plan. It was fascinating to watch. He couldn't help the small sense of pride.

  "That being said, we still don't know what to do with it once we find it or the people attached to it. Have you ever heard of such a being that could attach itself to multiple people at once?"

  His mother watched Gwen for second. Viking didn't know whether she was thinking of an answer or waiting to see if Gwen was done talking. Either way the silence only last a moment or two.

  "Are you sure it is controlling multiple people at once and not just jumping from person to person?" She asked, giving Gwen her full attention.

  The younger woman shrugged. "I don't know really. I have no proof one way or the other. I can only guess. But from what I know about beings that can latch on to people it takes time for the bond to solidify. A day and a half does not seem like a reasonable amount of time for the being to accomplish that. But I could be wrong. There is not exactly a handbook for the Spirit World and as far as I have found, Ladies of the Dead are not the best record keepers."

  Viking itched to be of help, but he knew Gwen and his mother possessed far more knowledge than he did. He might see bits and pieces of the Spirit World from time to time and have trained Gwen, but that still did not give him the experience.

  "I have actually heard of both. When I realized you were this century's Lady of the Dead I did some asking around so I would be better equip to help you. If it is jumping from body to body you will need to trap it in a body then send it back to the Spirit World. If it is controlling multiple people then you have to find the first person it controlled. The being will be using them as a base and its power will stretch out like an octopus from there. If you can cut all the connections then trap it, you can send it back. But finding the first person will be a challenge."

  The two women started at each other for a long moment. Both seemed to be frustrated that there was no easy answer.

  "How do I know when I have found the being's patient zero?"

  His mot
her shrugged. "I don't know. My guess is the being would feel more there than anywhere else. That is the sort of thing no one knew. I have been trying to track down a previous Lady of the Dead from the other side of the veil but they remain allusive. The only two I have ever found were both much weaker than you so that was not much help."

  Viking could tell from Gwen's expression that she wasn't sure how to take that information. She was almost physically setting that information aside to be processed later. That was the Gwen he knew. Set the stuff bothering you aside and mull about it later.

  Since she'd stepped into marriage so easily he'd been expecting her to stress about it now that the immediate danger was over, but she had not seemed to.

  Shaking his head to clear his thoughts Viking looked at the women and focused on the problem at hand. They did not have much time left in the dream and when they got out of it he was not going to be in his right frame of mind.

  "So tell me exactly, what is the plan?"

  Gwen shifted from foot to foot and crossed her arms over her chest. "I think the plan is to get a sketch somehow and give it to Lucia. See if she can do a tracking spell to find the two people the being used to bother Mia. We'll also give sketches to Carter. So he'll be on the lookout for them. Track them down and see if they are the central power source. Or if the thing is just jumping from person to person. I guess we will try to see just how many people this being had control over. Unless you have a better idea it's all we got." Gwen was looking at him almost challengingly. As if daring him to come up with a better idea.

  Instead he looked at his mother. "Okay so how do we wake up? Do you just wait for the spells to ware off?"

  His mother just looked at him and Gwen before raising her arms.

  ֍

  Viking sat up in bed so fast he hadn't even registered doing it. It took him a second to readjust, not only to being awake but the strong pull of the Maddening. The spell to put off the Maddening worked for a little while but it had done nothing to lessen its effects on Viking. It felt as if the Maddening crashed into him all at once. All he could think about was bedding Mia.

  About the slight curves of her body and what they would look like without clothes. The lusty feelings were so strong there didn't seem to be room for anything else.

  Viking struggled to find that inner well of calm he always possessed. Had to reach really far down to get to it. He pulled at it with all his might trying to cover himself in a sort of numbness. It wasn't as effective as it should've been. As it would've been if he hadn't been in the Maddening.

  There was just this red fog in his mind. Sex and violence were the only things he could think of. As the wave of calm, or what little was left of it, washed over the red haze it didn't disappear completely only lessened enough Viking could breathe normally and he didn't have the overwhelming urge to kill anyone.

  He got himself out of bed and strode out of Gwen's apartment. He didn't remember having his keys in his hand or his wallet but they were there just the same. He didn't even think. He walked straight to one of the dark SUVs. He had no idea how many people or Warriors he passed on his mission. His one single goal of getting to Mia was the only thing that registered in his brain. He turned on the car and drove out on the roadway headed south.

  If all else failed, if Mia rejected him. Then Viking would have no other option but to fall on his sword. He would rely on Poet to see him for the danger that he was and end him for the safety of everyone.

  He knew he couldn't count on Raider to do it. Raider was weaker than him and he wasn't entirely sure the other man would be up for trying to kill Viking. Poet however would see the necessity and was strong enough to follow through.

  For whatever reason, that thought seemed the only bit of comfort Viking had since waking up. No matter the outcome the Maddening would be ending within the next hour. Either Mia would accept him or Poet would end him.

  He glanced down at the clock on the dashboard. He only had about four hours until the Maddening had taken full control and his third day would be ending. He almost laughed at the thought that he had originally been convinced he could last past the deadline.

  Chapter 13

  Mia woke with a start. It had not been simply the waking up that startled her, even though she just had the strangest dream of her life. What set her adrenaline going was opening her eyes and seeing Poet sitting at the foot of her bed. At first her brain had not registered she knew him or that he was no threat. It simply registered that there was a stranger in her room. Panic set in strong and she wasn't sure if she had been breathing. It only took a beat for her mind to catch up and register who Poet was. Even then, it still took her another minute or two to settle her system down.

  "Are you all right?" He sounded genuinely concerned.

  Mia nodded.

  "Are you sure? You don't appear to be all right. Was the dream bad?"

  Mia concentrated on taking a deep breath before answering. "Yes, I'm fine. You just startled me when I opened my eyes. I'm not used to somebody being in my bedroom when I wake up and it took a second for my mind to catch up and register who you were."

  His face shone general concern and guilt. "I am so sorry for that. I have not been here the whole time. It's just, when I walked by your room to check on you I saw you stirring and realized you would awake soon. So I simply came in and waited. I did not think how distressing that might be. I am out of practice dealing with normal people." He smiled with his last statement.

  She knew it was a genuine smile because there was only a glimpse of his sharpened canines. He seemed to only fully show them when he was antagonizing someone.

  Before Mia could say anything, Poet's phone rang. His expression looked a little confused when he pulled it out of his pocket and answered.

  "What is it? What has happened? Do you know this thing we are hunting for?"

  There was a lengthy pause as the person was on the other end of the line spoke.

  "Hold on, hold on I'm going to put you on speakerphone. Mia should hear this as well." He then held the phone up between them and tapped the screen.

  "Okay can you both hear me?" It was Gwen.

  Mia looked at Poet. What could possibly be so important he wanted to put it on speakerphone?

  Poet answered for both of them "yes, I have you on speakerphone."

  "Mia, when I woke up and headed downstairs Viking was gone. I can only assume he's headed your way. That being said we have a game plan for how to find this being that was harassing you. It's not the best plan in the world. But we think it'll work.

  “In the meantime though, I felt you guys over there should be prepared for Viking's arrival. You have two options right now if he is as far gone as I think he is. You can either sleep with him. Or Poet can deal with him. If you decide to let Poet deal with him then you should stay out of sight. If you decide on the former than Poet should stay out of sight.

  “Know that Viking means the world to me but whatever decision you make we won't begrudge you the outcome. We will help you with this being no matter what. I just ask that you let me say goodbye before you deal with him, Poet." Then the line went dead.

  "You have my word." Poet promised, even though Gwen could no longer hear him.

  Mia wasn't sure what to take from that. Her blood pumped faster at the idea of Viking coming for her. Part of her was very turned on by that fact. Part of her was panicking. And part of her thought it was insane.

  This was a man she barely knew and yet she wanted to sleep with him more than anyone else she ever met. She was simply just not a girl who slept with someone she barely knew. Even when she wanted to. That being said, the circumstances were different than usual. If what everyone kept saying was true then this person, this Viking, was meant to belong to her forever. That seemed like a foreign concept.

  She looked up at Poet to see his blank face. By his lack of expression she knew she had to consider other people and in this decision. There were people that care very deeply for Viking that her
decision affected. She knew Gwen told the truth when the other woman said they would help her no matter what. But she also knew if Viking succumbed to the Maddening it would be her fault and all the people in his life would know it.

  "I am just not a girl who sleeps with men she barely knows. Yes, I know this is extenuating circumstances, but part of me has trouble seeing the difference. I wish I had another week. I think I would be okay with it if I had another week."

  Poet's eyes softened at her words. "Trust me when I say every Warrior wishes he had a week to woo his mate. But for whatever reason this crazy world has deemed three days to be enough time. So either the universe hadn't considered extenuating circumstances would bring mates together or it just didn't care. Or my personal favorite: the universe has a sick sense of humor.

  "For what it is worth, Viking is a good and moral man. A bit boring if you ask me, but he will do right by you. Once the Maddening has lessened, especially if you ask him, he will woo you as his and your old-fashioned hearts’ desire. That being said, if that is not a leap you can make, I understand. Viking will not be the first Warrior in Maddening I have had to take care of and he certainly is not going to be the last."

  The dark humor he inserted with that last part made Mia sad. Clearly this man in front of her was an old soul who had seen too many dark and unhappy things. Her thoughts were out of her mouth before she could think to hold them back.

  "Poet, why are you not mated?" She couldn't help her eyes widening in her own rudeness. Something about this situation seem to have destroyed her inner filter.

  Poet chuckled but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "That, my dear, is a very long story. I'll tell you what, I will tell you that whole ridiculously dramatic story over coffee once Viking gets through the Maddening and we solve this little mystery of the being that has taken such an interest in you."

  She knew what he was doing. He was trying to tease her into a better mood. She couldn't help but like Poet. But there was something inside her that felt he set off or rather should set off her warning bells despite the fact that he didn't. Like Viking, she knew Poet wouldn't harm her. But there was something dangerous about him. Despite that, she liked him.