My Viking Vampire

by Krystal Shannan

  Then he completely surprised me.

  He smiled. Again.

  Not a little grin. A whopping ear-to-ear smile, like a guy who just found out he was getting laid. My heart did a little pitter-patter and some of my resolve melted away, along with my fear. But I was feeling confused, too. Why did he care?

  “You remind me of someone I knew a long time ago. She was brave like you, kjaere. I admire that. My name is Erick Thorson. I’m headed home after a long overdue visit to my sister in Dallas. When I realized Darius was tracking you, I followed as well.” He nodded toward the Djinn.

  His admission seemed quite open, but my inner skeptic still took rein. “So what, you intend to share me with your pal?”

  He growled and I saw just a hint of his fangs. “I have no such intentions. I would never share you with any man.”

  “I’m not yours to share.” Jerk!

  He cocked his head to the side and stared. “No of course not, I meant if you were mine, kjaere.”

  The twinkle of amusement in his eyes confused me further. I’d said nothing to amuse him. Nothing to make him think I was his. And yet … I couldn’t erase the thought of being his. Something was terribly wrong with me.

  “Where are you going?” The question just slipped out. What did it matter where he was going? I needed to get as far away from Fort Worth as possible and I didn’t need to go anywhere with him. But a part of me felt like I could.

  I had a feeling he wouldn’t let Kevin or anyone else near me. Maybe he could just eat Kevin for me and … what am I thinking?! I can’t ask some strange vampire to eat my ex and not expect him to want something in return.

  Me, for example.

  I took a deep breath and tried to clear the murderous and selfish thoughts from my head. When I looked up, he was still staring. His gaze alone felt all-consuming. Hungry.

  My head told me to get away, but the tired, lonely, and beaten woman inside me wanted to trust the kindness I heard in his voice.

  “I’m going home to Sanctuary,” he whispered, glancing over at the Djinn again.

  That sounded nice. A sanctuary. Somewhere to rest. Maybe a small town would be a good place to stay for a little while. Wait? Was I seriously considering following this vampire home? What if he was crazy? Or hid me away in his place and drank my blood? Or killed me?

  His beautiful blue eyes caught my gaze and my worries seemed to vanish into their depths. If he offered, I would totally follow him home.

  Please offer.

  “What is it like there? Is it small?” I asked.

  “You could say it’s on the small side. Less than a thousand souls.” He paused and glanced around the lobby again.

  I followed his gaze and noticed the Djinn was gone. A sigh of relief slipped from between my lips.

  “He will be back. Darius doesn’t give up that easily.”

  “What?” I sucked in a breath. “You know him?”

  “We have an unpleasant history.” He reached out and tucked a loose strand of my wayward hair behind my ear.

  His touch sent a shiver of excitement racing through my body. When had my fear morphed into arousal?

  “You will be safe in Sanctuary.”

  I looked down at the floor again and then back up into his mesmerizing eyes. The last of my resistance melted away. I was so tired of running. Maybe it was time to take a chance on a man again, even a supernatural one.

  “Won’t he just follow us there?” It sounded too good to be true. Skepticism and an inability to trust anyone had kept me safe from Kevin for four years. Was it wise to give away that control to a stranger? To a vampire?

  “The Djinn are not welcome there. He would not dare follow you.”

  “How do you manage that?”

  “An old enemy of theirs lives there.”

  “There’s something worse than a Djinn?”

  He chuckled. “There are things much much worse, kjaere. But nothing you need to fret about.”

  Nothing I needed to fret about? Who talks like that? How old was he? No. I didn’t want to know that. It didn’t matter.

  “I don’t have money for a ticket, much less a place to stay.” I hated to ask for charity, but there was a first time for everything and I was in a desperate situation. Kevin would be checking bus stations soon and I needed to be gone by dawn, if not before.

  He raised an eyebrow and stared for a moment before answering. “I will cover the ticket and you are more than welcome to stay with me or at the Castle. The Sisters are quite hospitable, though you might find their version of entertainment a bit over-stimulating.”

  Now what was that supposed to mean? Over-stimulating? And what were the Sisters? Some kind of sex cult? Exhaustion always caused my mind to swim in the gutter.

  “Rose can always use help at the café. I’m sure she’d be willing to let you work some shifts.”

  A café. That sounded cute and quaint and non-threatening. I could work with that, but there had to be a catch. “Is she a vampire, too?”

  “No. She’s a …” He paused. “She would probably rather tell you herself. She’s very protective of anyone we bring into town. You’ll be safe.”

  Safe. I craved that word. But it was an illusion. I would never truly be safe from Kevin until one of us was dead.

  Erick’s smile faded and a frown replaced it. “Don’t worry about the Djinn. I will keep him away from you.”

  Again with the mind reading, though it hadn’t been the Djinn I was worried about that time. What was this guy’s deal? “How do you know what I’m thinking?”

  “Humans emit very different pheromones depending on their thought patterns. My sense of smell can pick up on those tiny fluctuations.”

  “Can all vampires do that?”

  “Only ones who’ve practiced for a long time.”

  “This Rose … she won’t care that I’m human?”

  “You will be my guest.” He shifted in his chair and his eyes drifted to the floor for just a second.

  “What aren’t you telling me?”

  “There are very few humans in Sanctuary, but I promise you will be safe.”

  A small town full of Others. It would certainly be the last place Kevin would look for me. For that I could get on board with just about anything. “All right. But, if someone eats me, I’m holding you personally responsible.”

  His blue eyes darkened and just a hint of red ringed the irises. “I can assure you, I have no intention of allowing anyone but myself that close to you.”

  I shivered, wondering if he was implying what I thought. Didn’t matter. I would let him fight my battles until I could get on my feet again.

  This sex-god of a vampire could have me any which way he wanted, at least until I had to run again.

  CHAPTER TWO

  “Come.” He took my hand and led me to the ticket window.

  I tugged his six-foot-six frame down into the atmosphere where I lived. He bent, putting his face so close to mine I could smell the faint scent of peppermint, my favorite candy. It made my mouth water.

  “What is it, kjaere?”

  The word he used made me pause. It dripped with affection, like something a man would say to his lover. My body agreed with my mind’s observation. Heat curled in my belly and moisture began to pool between my legs. I tugged my hand free and he spoke again.

  “Do not move from my side. The Djinn is not gone. If I’m touching you, he can’t jump with you.”

  Jump with me? Shit. Fear snaked its way to the forefront of my thoughts again, pushing aside my hunger and arousal.

  The guy in the suit had vanished from the bus station. Of course he was gone, right? He wouldn’t just wait outside for me. Or would he?

  Nausea chased away every shred of calm I’d mustered, replacing it with terror. I’d merely needed to go use the ladies room, but now … now I was afraid to leave Erick’s side. What if the suited creep was hiding in there and somehow stole me from the bathroom?

  This day was getting shitti
er by the hour. Actually, it was morning now. So the shit was just carrying over into the next day. What was I going to do when the sun came up and Erick had to go hide, or wherever vampires went during the day? There were only a few hours left before sunrise. I glanced out the front doors, sucking in a quick breath of relief at the still-black sky.

  “What about when the sun comes up?”

  He squeezed my hand and took the tickets from the clerk behind the thick glass window. “I can walk in the sun, kjaere.”

  “What does that mean?” I asked, ignoring his crazy answer about walking in the sun.

  “It means I will not leave your side, even when the sun rises.”

  “No.” I shook my head. “I mean that strange word you keep calling me.”

  “It means beautiful.”

  Beautiful. That was hard to believe. I was a mess. There was nothing beautiful about my bright blue Seafood Shack t-shirt, ratty jeans, and old gray tennis shoes. On top of everything, I smelled like something that might crawl out of a sewer.

  “You are,” he added, again acting like he could read my thoughts. “You will feel better after a shower and a good meal.”

  As he led me back to the bench, my bladder reminded me of its desperate need to relieve itself. I gestured to the bathroom and he redirected our path. He stopped in front of the family single restroom, opened the door, and stuck his head inside before letting me go in.

  The bathroom was dingy and smelled like pee and bleach. I turned on the light and gasped at my reflection in the mirror. My normally silky brown hair was stringy and hung limply in a sagging ponytail. All my makeup had melted away during the course of the day and my face was flushed pink. I didn’t have anything in my bag—no powder, nothing. I’d left everything behind in my toxic apartment.

  I closed the door and washed up the best I could, redoing my hair into a tighter ponytail. It helped alleviate the homeless vibe I gave off. Then I pulled off the blue Seafood Shack t-shirt and tossed it in the trashcan. The only clean shirts I had rescued from my closet were a black tank or a bright pink one. Black it was.

  I unlocked the door and stepped out, colliding with Erick’s chest. He wasn’t taking the whole protecting thing lightly. Strangely, it made me feel safer, instead of more worried. He wasn’t warm, but he was a wall of muscle. I’d never had something or someone as strong as he was on my side before.

  We walked to our idling bus, along with a half-dozen others. As small as he’d made the town out to be, I was surprised by how many were headed the same way. As we shuffled down the aisle of the bus, I noted several nicely dressed businessmen, a red headed young woman, and a handsome man whose gaze lingered a little longer on my body than I appreciated.

  I followed Erick to the back of the bus and settled on the bench next to him. No one gave me a second look after we sat, though several did cover their mouths. I couldn’t blame them.

  I was a hot mess. The smell alone should’ve cleared the bus, but no one spoke. Not even the bus driver.

  “Why are you helping me?” It really didn’t make sense. What did he want? Would he sell me? Drink me himself? My emotions began clouding my brain and panic threatened to claw its way out of my stomach and drag the rest of me into the dark pit my fear had created. I was on a bus, alone, with a vampire and who knew what other kinds of supernaturals.

  What was I thinking?

  “You are safe now. The Djinn can’t jump into a moving target. Just try to get some rest. It’s about a two-hour ride to Sanctuary.” The calmness in his voice transferred to my terrified body and my muscles slowly began to relax.

  One guy, the one who had stared, turned and glared straight at me. His eyes flashed a bright gold and I saw just a hint of fangs beneath his top lip. “You could at least wash what you plan to eat before subjecting the rest of us to such a stench.” His voice was low, but I could understand every cruel syllable.

  One second Erick was beside me and the next he wasn’t. The asshole complaining about me coughed and I sucked in a quick breath.

  Erick had him by the throat and growled something I couldn’t understand. It sounded like more of his native language. Whatever it was, it didn’t drip with affection like it had when he’d called me beautiful. This time it sounded like a knife and he cut the jerk down to size. The guy seemed to understand and apologized profusely.

  The rest of the bus fell silent. No one moved to help the man or hinder Erick.

  A flick of Erick’s wrist sent the groveling male sailing toward me. I barely held in a shriek when he landed only inches from my feet.

  “Apologize.” Erick’s voice was soft, but carried through the rumble of the bus with absolute authority.

  Every head bowed, and still no one spoke.

  The guy below me prostrated himself on the floor of the bus. “Please forgive me. I spoke out of turn. I should’ve been more respectful.”

  An “I do” squeaked out of my throat as I pulled my legs up under my body away from the stranger’s face. The terror in his yellow eyes surprised me, but I wasn’t the one he feared.

  Erick stood calmly in the center of the aisle. His blue eyes sharp as glass and his mouth open in a snarl, fangs descended menacingly. I couldn’t help but shiver.

  He caught my stare and everything about him changed back. His face softened. Fangs disappeared. Even his stance relaxed. He moved toward me as the other man backed away.

  I wouldn’t have to ask him to eat my ex. Kevin would bring it on himself if he ever came around.

  Maybe my identity would be easier to hide in a small town. I hoped so. I needed a chance to rest. A chance to live without fear of being caught and dragged back into the hell I’d experienced with him—beaten until my spirit wilted at the very sound of his voice and sexually used every day before being chained or caged for the night. Dying was preferable to being caught by that sonofabitch.

  Erick settled in next to me. He wrapped an arm around my shoulder and pulled me closer, surprising me with a soft kiss on the crown of my head.

  “You are safe with me, kjaere. Always.”

  Maybe it was my exhaustion, but I nodded my head and leaned against his chest. An unfamiliar silence greeted my ear. No heartbeat. Still, I found comfort in his strength, and I believed him.

  “My name is Bailey Ross,” I mumbled, as my eyes closed and I began to drift off. At list that’s what my name was right now.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Bailey Ross.”

  My name slipped from his lips slowly, like he was tasting a sweet treat. Maybe he’d be tasting me later … I found myself not caring as the vibrations of the bus on the highway and his pleasant scent lulled me to sleep.

  ***

  The screech of brakes roused me from my deep sleep and I opened my eyes to find Erick typing in a number on his cell. He put the small glass screen to his ear and then looked at me.

  “I need you to remain calm and still.”

  Fear clenched in my belly again and I nodded.

  “Rose, we’re on the bus in. Darius is on the move again.” He pressed the screen again and slipped the phone into his pocket. “Garrett,” he pointed at the man with the yellow eyes, “sit next to her and hold tight. I’ll take care of the Djinn.”

  “B-but.” My brain raced, trying to understand but I was still groggy. Darius was back? We were in the middle of a highway. He asked the man who’d been mean to me to watch over me?

  “Calm and still.” Erick repeated and held my face for a moment with his free hand. I met his gaze again, trying to scrape up enough courage not to start bawling like an infant. Nothing I did could hide the tremor in my lip, though.

  “You are safe, Bailey, but whatever happens while I’m gone, do not let go of Garrett.”

  His claim reassured me and terrified me at the same time, but then he leaned down and pressed a kiss to my dry, trembling lips. It was soft and reminded me of the kindness I felt in his voice. I nodded against his mouth. He pulled back swiftly and exited the bus before I could s
peak. At least he’d confirmed he was interested in more than just drinking my blood.

  Garrett moved nearly as fast, replacing Erick by my side and wrapping an arm around one of mine. His breathing was heavy and I could hear a rumbling growl coming from his chest. He was tense, but in control.

  “I’m sorry about before. I can’t believe I missed that tattoo when he got on the bus. I shouldn’t have opened my mouth and said what I did about you. It’s been a rough couple of days.”

  “Join the club. Mine went from shitty to nuclear,” I replied, a heavy sigh slipping from my chest. Two men were hunting me and both would do horrible things if they caught me.

  “I’m sorry.” He tightened his hold on me. “No one should have to suffer the way you have. I’m truly sorry.”

  Again with the mind reading. Could they all smell pheromones the way Erick had mentioned?

  “Nope, I can actually read your mind.”

  I tried to jerk away, but he tightened his grip. “If Darius is here, he can’t snatch you away if I’m hanging on, too. Djinn can only jump with one extra body in tow.”

  Good to know.

  “What are you?” I stopped trying to pull away and glanced out the window. Morning sunlight began to warm the blue skies, from a dark navy to a soft lavender, but Erick said he could walk in the sun. He’d said he wouldn’t leave me.

  “Lycan,” Garrett answered.

  “A werewolf.” They were the ones who’d been caught on video first. The very first riot happened after a half-dozen werewolves tore up downtown Los Angeles in 2046.

  “We prefer to be called Lycan.”

  A thud outside rattled my nerves. I held my breath and closed my eyes.

  Garrett’s grip on my arm tightened more and a terrifying growl ripped from his throat.

  “You’ll pay for helping the Protector,” a silky male voice spoke from the middle of the bus. “She was mine first. He stole her from me.”