Shannon tried to keep her eyes off his body. Tall, broad-shouldered and well-built, he currently wore brown leather pants and a sleeveless dark brown jerkin that showed off his numerous tattoos. He must be warm from the fire because it was chilly in here.
“As I’m sure you’ve figured out, you and your daughter have traveled back in time, Shannon,” Matthew said. “You are now in tenth century Scandinavia and currently north of your sisters’ locations.” He gestured at Sven. “We are looking for my son, Håkon.”
“So you haven’t found him yet.” Shannon frowned. “Have you heard anything? From anyone?” She swallowed. “The enemy?”
“No.” His expression remained unsettled. “I was told that Uncle Kjar has him, but I have not been able to confirm that.”
“How long has it been?” Her heart went out to him, yet she felt hopeful. If her child were missing, she would be comforted to think they might be with a family member. And a demi-god at that. “How long has he been missing?”
“Almost a fortnight,” he replied. “That is how long it’s been since I returned from the twenty-first century.”
Almost two weeks? She couldn’t imagine Emily being missing one day, never mind that long. Matthew had to be in pure hell. Shannon almost put a hand over her mouth but stopped herself. He didn’t need to see her overreact. He didn’t need to see her pity or heartache.
“So now you’re heading where exactly?” Her eyes flickered to Sven, surprised Matthew only had a teenager along for company. “Just the two of you.”
“North,” Matthew said. “To the lands on which Bard’s tribe used to reside.”
Bard was the first dragon of the enemy’s lineage.
“Because despite what you were told, you’re not convinced Håkon’s with Kjar,” she murmured.
“Until I hear from my uncle, I need to keep searching,” Matthew said. “And that seems like the most logical direction given I am dealing with an enemy that can be anywhere at any time.”
Shannon nodded. “I understand. I would do the same.”
She would go to the ends of the Earth, to hell and back to find Emily.
“Here.” Sven handed over a stick with meat on it. “You should eat. Regain your strength.”
“Thank you.” She took a small bite, pulled the fur tighter around her, and tried to ignore its spicy, masculine scent. Matthew’s scent. It hadn’t been easy keeping her distance from him in Maine, and she knew it would be just as difficult here. Not only because she was attracted to him but because he was a male dragon.
Shannon focused on her food rather than him and tried not to think about what that meant. For the most part, she had always been good at accepting she was half dragon. But then, repressed as it was, it had taken a backseat to what she was on a daily basis. A clairvoyant medium. Someone who could communicate with the dead. And that had always been the more prevalent part of who she was. Yet now, because of Matthew, she suspected her inner beast might start to rear its head.
“So what happened to you, Shannon?” Matthew asked. “What do you remember about how you and Emily ended up here?”
She frowned and tried to hide her disappointment. “So you had nothing to do with us arriving here? Samantha didn’t?”
He and Sven shook their heads before Sven spoke. “Emily’s wolf appeared when Uncle Matthew summoned the bear. When the wolf came, so did you and Emily.”
Summoned the bear? But one thing at a time.
“Emily’s wolf?” She shook her head. “I don’t understand.”
“It is the one I carved for her come to life,” Sven explained. “I do not know how or why only that it is. And it means to protect her.”
Shannon’s stomach flipped. Unreal. “I should tell you everything that happened.” So she did. About the river, the boat, the shadowy woman. She also told them about the sail, Laben-rune, and the wolf. Then she shared the woman’s message for Matthew.
“Who is she?” Shannon shook her head again and took another swig from her skin. The alcohol didn’t burn so badly this time. “Because whoever she is, she wasn’t happy with me barging in on her.”
Matthew appeared more troubled than ever, and even Sven appeared ruffled now.
“She said that Helheim was hers?” Matthew murmured. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.” She ignored another chill as it raced through her. “And that you would be joining her soon.” Shannon kept her eyes with his. “Who is she and why do you suppose she’s convinced you’ll be joining what you Norse consider the land of the dead?”
Matthew and Sven’s eyes met briefly before Matthew shrugged, took a swig from his skin then said, “By the sounds of it, you met Loki’s daughter, Hel, ruler of Helheim, and she’s under the impression I’ll be visiting soon.” A growl entered his voice. “But that will not be happening. Not until I find my son and make sure he’s safe.”
Say what? Shannon sighed. Wonderful. The only good news in all this was that the Norse version of Helheim, or Hell, was vastly different than the Christian one. There were no burning fires and everlasting damnation. Rather, it was a place that those who had died passed through. No judgment. Just an ethereal area between life and death. A bridge of sorts. But, as she could attest to, a daunting one.
“What about the boat Sean and Svala made for Emily?” she asked. “We traveled here in it. Where is it now?”
“There was no sign of a boat.” Sven shook his head. “Just you, Emily and the wolf.”
“So we just appeared out of nowhere?” Shannon said, unconvinced.
“Yes,” Matthew replied but not before she saw the look he and Sven exchanged.
“What aren’t you telling me?” she said.
Now it was Matthew’s turn to sigh as he barely managed to meet her eyes. “I had been in the process of seeking extra warmth and protection when you arrived.”
A funny little feeling fluttered in her stomach, but she ignored it. “What does that mean?” She tried not to frown. “Is that Viking for you were with a woman?”
Sven chuckled as Matthew’s brows flew together in confusion. “Why would I be with a woman for warmth and protection?”
Shannon shrugged and wished she hadn’t said that. “So what were you doing exactly?”
Matthew cleared his throat, uncomfortable, but who knew over what now. His eyes were anywhere but on her. “I was calling on a bear to provide us extra furs for the trip north.”
“Calling on a bear?” She cocked her head. “You mean hunting one?”
“No.” An impressed look entered Sven’s eyes. “He actually means calling on one.” He proceeded to tell her what happened. Because Sven was a dragon, he was able to share it from Matthew’s viewpoint having been inside his mind.
“My God,” Shannon whispered. Her eyes met Matthew’s once Sven finished. “That’s why they haunt you. Because you can access the land of the dead.”
Matthew frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“Didn’t you know that’s what you do?” She softened her voice at the look of confusion in his eyes. “When you asked that of the bear, you connected with it on a different dimension than this. I’ve always called it the land of the dead. Maybe it’s Helheim for you. Either way, what Sven just described is exactly what I experience. The brighter colors. The heightened sense of awareness.”
“But why would he have to connect with the bear in Helheim?” Sven asked. “When both he and the bear are alive?”
Shannon shook her head. “I have no idea. Maybe it’s just how his dragon magic works. Maybe that’s where he can truly connect with animals. Where they’re not afraid of him.”
“But how could the bear access Helheim?” Matthew said, clearly agitated.
“I don’t know.” Her eyes went to his. “I think animals are more in touch with other dimensions. Or worlds. Realities. Whatever. They can see things we can’t. They understand things we can’t. So it’s not such an out-there idea that you’d connect with an animal like that.” She gave h
im a pointed look. “Especially considering you’re a dragon. I can’t imagine animals take to you all that well as a rule in this reality. Am I wrong?”
Based on his expression, she knew she was right.
“So you mean to say that when I call on a bear, I am entering Hel’s, Helheim?” Matthew shook his head. “That is impossible.”
“Why?” Though tempted to tell him about Freydis and Sigrunn, she bit her tongue. Too much, too soon. But she would share more about herself to get through to him. “I’ve been in contact with the dead my whole life. So I know firsthand realities can cross over.”
Both Matthew’s and Sven’s eyes widened.
“You have?” Sven said before Matthew had a chance to say anything.
“Yes,” she confirmed. “That’s why I work with the dead for a living. So I can help them cross over.”
They continued eying her, unsure and curious before Matthew spoke, his words a bit stunted as he wrapped his mind around it. “That sounds very…difficult…for you.”
He had no idea.
Or maybe he did.
“I’m used to it by now, so it’s all right.” Her eyes held his. “I think the more important thing to focus on is that Emily and I somehow ended up here when the three of us were crossed over into the land of the dead. More than that, why we possibly have its queen very interested in us.”
She couldn’t even wrap her mind around the fact that she may have just met Loki’s daughter. Loki. Brother to Thor.
“We should rest now and think on it,” Matthew grunted. “We will set out early to bring you back to your sisters.”
Way to end a conversation abruptly. But she understood his aversion and suspected he really did want to think about it. She had just provided a wealth of overwhelming information. Things he probably didn’t want to know in that Håkon was missing.
“How far are my sister’s from here?” Shannon asked. “How much time will you lose in getting to where you need to go?”
“Not too far,” Matthew assured as he settled back against a rock. “Get some rest now, Shannon.”
The way he said her name made her insides heat up. Somehow it sounded far different to her than the way others said it. Sure, they spoke different languages and evidently understood one another because of the Yggdrasill, but there was more to it. Something she had been trying to deny since the second she laid eyes on him. A memory that came and went so quickly, it was almost like a dream she couldn’t quite remember. Just out of reach.
Shannon did as he suggested and lay down beside Emily. She pulled her close, again thankful she was okay. Yet as all grew quiet, she continued to watch Matthew. He wasn’t sleeping but staring at the fire. Lost. Sad. Even angry. And she didn’t blame him in the least.
How much time would he really be losing bringing her and Emily south again?
Could Sven do it, so Matthew didn’t lose time?
If she were in his position, she couldn’t imagine being willing to help anyone, period. She would have a one track mind. Save my daughter. So some might say his priorities were askew. But she didn’t think so. There was more to Matthew than met the eye. And she had a funny feeling it had everything to do with the fact he could also access the land of the dead.
That, like her, he was some sort of clairvoyant dragon.
Then there was that other thing. What she had just learned about him in Maine. Because he was a reincarnate, he had a bizarre connection to the land of the dead that shouldn’t be there.
If all that wasn’t enough, now his dragon was repressed because of the enemy’s dart.
She would have to ask him more about that. Now that she knew what he was capable of, she wondered if it was all somehow related. Megan had filled her in on a lot once Shannon confessed she knew she was part dragon. So she knew Matthew had called her name when he broke out of his unnatural slumber caused by the dart. But how was that possible? Especially considering he didn’t even know her name yet.
Shannon watched him for a long time, wishing she could follow his thoughts. That she could better understand what was going on in his mind. Yet she did sense something. Though he never looked her way once, he wanted to. It was taking a great deal of effort not to. And that bothered him greatly. That he wanted to look at her when he was so worried about his son.
That’s when she realized.
Matthew had been punishing himself for a long time. Especially when it came to Håkon. But why? Because it went deeper than the raid. Deeper than the losses he had suffered.
Those were the last thoughts she had before she dozed off because the next thing she knew, Sven was gently shaking her awake.
“It is time to eat then travel,” he whispered.
Shannon nodded and woke up Emily. True to form, her daughter awoke in good spirits, her wide eyes first on Shannon as she smiled then wider still as she took in her surroundings. When her eyes landed on Sven, she sat up and downright beamed. “Sven! What are you doing here?”
She scrambled out of Shannon’s hold and headed his way, still eying the cave. “And where is here, anyway? The last thing I remember I was on a river on the boat Auntie Warrioress Svala and Uncle Sean made for me then there was a beautiful wolf with blue eyes and the scary dark woman then,” her eyes went wider. “You!”
Sven swung her up into his arms and held her on his hip. “Good to see you again, little Emily.” He sat on a rock, his smile just as wide. “You have arrived in my era. You are in my homeland.” He kept smiling. “What do you make of that?”
Shannon appreciated that he remained vague but couldn’t help but wonder yet again why he was traveling with Matthew. That his path was once more crossing with Emily’s. What did that mean? Because it most certainly meant something. Their connection struck her as profound. As if they had known each other for a very long time.
“I think it’s awesome we’re here!” Emily gushed. “I told mama we’d be traveling back in time.” Her expectant eyes stayed glued to his. “And guess what else?”
“What?”
“I’m a dragon just like you!”
He kept grinning. “Are you really?”
“Uh huh.” Emily nodded. “I told mama that too, but I guess she wanted to keep it a secret.”
When Sven’s eyes went to Shannon to be sure she was okay with Emily knowing, she nodded. She supposed it was past time. Besides, she would much rather her daughter be around fellow shifters as she adjusted to the idea. If adjusting was what you wanted to call her utter joy and total lack of fear.
“Shannon?”
She nearly jumped out of her skin when she realized how close Matthew was. She was so focused on her daughter and Sven, she hadn’t heard him approach.
“I’m sorry.” He placed a comforting hand on her arm then handed her a stick with meat on it, and another skin of what she assumed was alcohol. “I did not mean to startle you.”
“It’s okay,” she muttered and took what he offered, hoping he would step away soon.
She wasn’t good with being this close to him. It was bad enough she had slept the entire night with his scent surrounding her. Not that it was a hardship. Definitely not. It just seemed to attach to her in a way she’d spent half the night trying to ignore, which meant repressing arousal. Something she’d learned to do years ago. She could stop her scent of desire from hitting the air. Nevertheless, his scent was wrapping around her, and filling her in a way she couldn’t quite separate from, never mind control.
It was different.
Alluring.
So perhaps she hadn’t learned to control anything. At least not enough based on the way he froze, and his eyes met hers. He didn’t inhale, but she sensed he was close. That he wanted to.
“That is an interesting talent you have,” he said so softly, she barely heard him. “But not quite perfected.”
Christ, he could smell her. And he was obviously not above sharing. Her cheeks raged with heat. About to mention his comment was in poor taste, she stopped when she r
ealized he had said it for a purely practical reason. One he shared as he removed his fur from her and wrapped her in a smaller one better suited to her size.
“That should help. It has no male dragon scent on it.” His voice remained soft, his tone almost clinical. “If you continue to have trouble, stay away from Sven. He is still a young dragon going through puberty.” His eyes stayed with hers. “It is a difficult time for him to be around a full grown female dragon. Especially one putting off a scent.”
“Dear God,” she muttered under her breath and stepped away, embarrassed. “I’ll do the best I can to get things under control.”
After she had thanked him for the fur, she kept her eyes firmly off of Matthew for a while. It must be nice to be so detached. To be able to navigate around lust like that and set such clean-cut perimeters. But then he had a lot more practice at being a dragon. Or at least being a man who had embraced his inner beast.
Shannon had taught herself little things here and there over the years. But without actually embracing what lay within, she was only capable of so much. In all honesty, she really shouldn’t be frustrated with him. He was only trying to protect Sven. And he had a lot on his mind.
No doubt half her issue was that she hadn’t been with a man since Anthony died. And even then, they hadn’t been intimate for some time before that. So she was willing to forgive herself for desiring a male dragon, especially if he aroused her more than a normal man.
“What is this anyway?” Emily studied the meat Sven had handed her. “Is smells positively delicious.”
“It is a rabbit,” Matthew said as he joined them.
Emily narrowed her eyes at him. “I was talking to Sven.”
“Emily,” Shannon warned. “You will treat Matthew the same as everyone else you meet here. With politeness and respect. Now apologize for being rude.”
“Yes, Mama.” Emily eyed Matthew for another moment before she pouted and murmured, “I’m sorry, Matthew,” then crawled onto Sven’s lap.
Fury of a Viking (The MacLomain Series: Viking Ancestors' Kin Book 4) Page 5
