Fury of a Viking (The MacLomain Series: Viking Ancestors' Kin Book 4)

by Sky Purington

  “Oh, I know he does.” She shook her head. “No, don’t ask him. If I’ve figured out anything in all this, he’s a stout ally to Emily, and I don’t want to put him in a position where he’s forced to break her trust.”

  “But he could be keeping something important from us.”

  “I don’t doubt it for a second,” Shannon said. “But we both know if it’s anything that might threaten her life or those she loves, he’d tell us.” She gave Matthew a knowing look. “He would have no choice. He’s too connected to her. Too protective.”

  Matthew nodded. He knew.

  “I have a feeling we’ll get all the answers we’re looking for soon,” Shannon said. “But first, we need to find Håkon.” She was caught off guard by the sharp jolt of anguish she felt. As though it were Emily missing, and not Matthew’s son. “Are we heading in the right direction? Are we heading toward Mt. Galdhøpiggen’s sister mountain?”

  “Yes.” He frowned. “But to keep heading for it, we will have no choice but to leave the cave behind.”

  “What about traveling through the Place of Seers?” She pulled the pouch of Vigdis’ bones out of her pocket and eyed it. “Maybe that’s why we just entered it however briefly.” She glanced at him, hopeful. “Because of these.”

  “Perhaps,” he conceded. “But I remain under the impression we have to have an actual seer with us no matter what.” His eyes wandered over the others then returned to her. “Maybe this medium ability you and Cameron have means you were seers in another life.”

  “Maybe,” she said. “But I get the impression seers are more like psychics. They have the ability to see glimpses of the future.” She shook her head. “That’s not what Cameron and I do. Our gift is directly connected to death and all its facets. Nothing more.”

  “That you know of,” Matthew said softly. “I think it would be wise to keep an open mind.” His eyes went to her brother-in-law. “Especially when it comes to Cameron.”

  She couldn’t agree more. Because if nothing else was clear, Cameron had experienced some sort of revelation back there. He knew more than he did before. And so did Kodran.

  “So Erica was never really here,” she said. “Is she somehow caught in Helheim?”

  “Based on what happened in the twenty-first century when she appeared then turned out to be Einar,” he said. “I’d say she’s definitely accessing both worlds.”

  “Right. Einar.” Her eyes went to Kodran. “What do you suppose they figured out when they looked at each other?” She frowned. “And why isn’t he sharing it with us?”

  “Because we haven’t asked him.” Matthew’s eyes narrowed on his cousin. “But once everyone calms down, I will.”

  “We will,” she said.

  His eyes returned to hers. “I can question him. You do not need to upset yourself further .”

  “No more than you do.” She squeezed his hand. “We’re in this together now, Matthew.”

  And she meant it. Something had changed yet again between them, and it wasn’t just because of the sex. No, it was far more intense. Not to say the sex wasn’t intense. She nearly shook her head as she tried to redirect her thoughts. That was the last thing she needed to think about right now. The way he had felt earlier. The connection they had made. It’d been even more profound than what they’d shared beneath the pine.

  Shannon did her best to repress the memory and the arousal that followed swiftly in its wake, but it was too late. Matthew caught not only her scent but the direction of her thoughts. He clenched his jaw and spoke within her mind. “This is not a good time. You affect me too strongly. Stronger by the moment. Walking will become difficult.”

  “I’m sorry.” She kept her eyes straight ahead and tried not to think about how incredible he had made her feel. “I was pretty good at repressing lust back home but now…” She swallowed heavily. “It’s tough.”

  She sensed he wanted to ask her something but thought better of it.

  “What?” She glanced at him. “Just ask me.”

  “No, it’s not a good time.”

  “I don’t think there’s such a thing as a good time in all this.”

  When he chanted something, the air chilled and everyone blurred.

  “What did you just do?” Her eyes widened. “Why can’t I see Emily clearly?”

  Everything around them had turned blurry except for him.

  “It is only dragon magic.” He stopped and glanced at his hands. “A form of it I’ve never used.”

  “What does that mean?” She glanced from Emily to him. “You don’t sound so sure of yourself.”

  “But I am.” His eyes met hers. “More sure of myself than I’ve felt in a long time.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Neither do I.” His eyes went from Emily and Sven, who almost seemed frozen in time, then back to Shannon. “But I am.” His eyes seemed to intensify on her. “Look inside my mind. See what I see. What I feel…what I’ve felt.” He didn’t hold back. “See and feel everything.”

  Their gazes held. She had allowed him to do this very thing to her but was she ready to do the same with him? Because she had a feeling it was going to be intense. Still, she needed to know Emily was okay, so she did as Matthew requested. As he assured, Emily was perfectly fine. Just caught in a time-warp of sorts that had to do with Matthew having one foot inside Helheim.

  Her eyes widened. “You can slow down time like the enemy.”

  “Yes,” he murmured, just as surprised as her. “It seems I can.”

  “Could you before?”

  He shook his head. “No. Only Lauren could.”

  “I had no idea.” She nodded. “But this is good. This can only help us, Matthew.”

  He said nothing but watched her closely as his mind opened to her.

  Images flashed.

  Back to when he was younger. The time he had spent with his father, brother, and sister. His mother. How deeply he loved all of them. Then the day Håkon was born. His excitement. He had declared a celebration for a full fortnight. He laughed and smiled. He was so happy. She pressed her lips together, feeling his emotions as readily as he had. The absolute joy.

  Then she saw other things.

  Sad things.

  Sigrunn. Her love not for Matthew but another. But there was more. Matthew hadn’t felt love either. They were only friends. Close friends. Yet Sigrunn’s parents wanted more for her. They realized they could gain prestige and esteem if their daughter married the Viking King’s nephew. More than that, the first-born dragon to his generation and brother to he who would be the future king.

  Shannon’s heart sank as she realized what had happened. What Sigrunn had done to please her family. What Matthew had done so that her reputation would not be ruined. She wasn’t pregnant, not yet, but the threat had been laid by her father that he would say she was and lost it if Matthew didn’t marry her. He would tarnish her reputation so that no other man would marry her.

  Shannon felt not only the Viking King’s anger but Matthew’s parents. They would find a way around it. But Matthew refused. He would not risk Sigrunn being hurt more than she already was.

  So they married not out of love but friendship and duty.

  He knew she still loved the other man, but she was never unfaithful to Matthew, and eventually, they found something solid enough when Håkon was born. And that something blossomed into a type of love that sustained them both. It was the sort of romance born of friendship then strengthened by the mutual love of a child.

  “Matthew,” she whispered, unsure when she had cupped his cheek. “I’m so sorry it started off like that but happy that you eventually found true love together.”

  Yet they both knew it wasn’t quite that.

  Not true but good.

  Wholesome.

  Important.

  After all, it had created Håkon.

  Matthew said nothing at first, swamped in the rawness of old emotions before his eyes focused more readily on hers. “
So you believe me now, yes? That Emily is safely caught within my magic.”

  She nodded. “Yes.” Yet she remembered where all of this had started. “You wanted to ask me something before but hesitated. What was it?”

  When he shook his head, unsure, she urged him again. “Please, Matthew, I need to know.”

  He eyed her for a few moments before he finally relented.

  “Why did you become good at repressing lust back home?” he said, his voice soft, respectful almost. “That is an odd thing for a female dragon to do when no male dragons are around.” Then he came out with what she knew he was really wondering about. “And why would you do that when you were married?”

  “I repressed it using my dragon merely because it was handy,” she confessed, ready to be honest with him. More than ready. Eager almost as odd as that sounded. Something about what had happened with the dragons’ spirits and then being inside his mind progressed their connection even more. “Unfulfilled arousal can be just as uncomfortable for women as it is for men, you know.” She shook her head and sighed. “Like you and Sigrunn, Anthony and I probably should’ve just remained friends and not married. I saw the way he looked at Erica. Not exactly lust but with such affection. I always got the sense they shared a strong connection.”

  She shook her head, not sure if she wanted to go on but knew she had to. “It was enough to affect our marriage. Though he never did anything with her that I knew of, I never fully trusted him. Even having Emily together didn’t change that.”

  When she hesitated again, remembering, he pulled her a little closer and tilted her chin until their eyes met. “Do not continue if you’re uncomfortable, Shannon.”

  “No,” she whispered, caught, as always, in his brilliant green eyes. “I want to.” She cleared her throat and found her voice. “I desired Anthony. I really did. There was chemistry.” She clenched her teeth and shook her head. “But it wasn’t enough. Not when I knew how drawn he was to Erica. Not when the sex waned then became non-existent. So I learned to control my desire the only way I knew how. With dragon magic. Because I would certainly never cheat.”

  “But what about…” When he trailed off, suddenly uncomfortable, she knew exactly what he nearly said.

  “Using sex toys?” She perked a brow and managed a smirk. “Believe it or not, I didn’t start using them until after Anthony died. I was a little…” She quirked the corner of her mouth. “Repressed in more ways than one?”

  “And now you are not,” Matthew managed.

  “No.” She shook her head, well aware of the heavy erection straining against his pants. “Not even a little bit.”

  Shannon cupped his cheeks, stood on her tiptoes and pulled his lips to hers, murmuring, “Just a kiss,” before their lips touched.

  Yet it wasn’t just a kiss.

  Nothing she experienced with this man was just anything but so much more. From the way he pulled her into his arms to the way he touched her body. He lit her on fire so quickly she knew her inner dragon would never stand a chance.

  As his lips slanted over hers and the kiss deepened, her mind filled with images he put there. Him untying his pants and lowering them just enough. Her pants gone a chant later. Him lifting her until her legs were wrapped around him and his thick shaft slid deep inside. There was nothing to hold on to but him as he controlled her every move. As he reminded her she was at his mercy in a way that drove her crazy. In a way that drove them straight over the edge so quickly that she cried out in orgasm.

  Yet a blink later she found herself still wrapped in his arms, kissing, but fully dressed. Shannon groaned and met his eyes, barely able to breathe, overly aware of the continued clenching of the muscles between her thighs. “What did you do?”

  “Took care of both of us.” A soft smile curved his lips before his lips brushed hers. “Do you not feel better?”

  “Hell, yes,” she breathed, her eyes shifting to their surroundings, still caught in a time-warp, before she rubbed against him and realized his erection wasn’t as intense as before. He really had found release in a magical sort of way she supposed based on how dry he was. “How did you do that?”

  “I wish I knew.” He shook his head. “All I know is that I’m different now…stronger somehow even though I’ve yet to free my dragon.”

  “I can see that,” she murmured as he pulled away but kept a hand on her for support. Good thing because her knees weren’t working all that well.

  “I think it’s because of you, Shannon,” he said, his voice so soft she barely caught it. “I think the strength and power I’m experiencing has everything to do with you.”

  She had no idea what to say to that. It was a strong statement. Maybe too strong. Yet when uncertainty flashed in his eyes based on her lack of response, and he finally stepped away, she felt it. Something unexplainable but probably very simple.

  A sense of loss.

  She had never experienced anything quite like it. If she wasn’t mistaken, it had everything to do with not being in his arms anymore. The distance she felt because they were no longer touching.

  Matthew took her hand, murmured a chant, and everything returned to normal as they continued walking. Emily and Sven were still together, but chatting aloud now. Cameron, Kadlin, and Kodran still walked together, talking just as intensely as they had been before.

  When she glanced Matthew’s way, it was as if nothing had just happened between them. His eyes were on their surroundings. Yet she knew how he felt. He couldn’t hide that from her. Not anymore. His emotions were as twisted up in her as hers were in him.

  They said nothing more as they traveled. Though the rock remained flat, the ceiling gradually lowered until Matthew and Kodran had to duck. A few minutes later, Sven had to as well then shortly after, Cameron.

  “We will exit soon,” Matthew announced as he led the way. “But it will get tight for everyone except Emily.”

  He wasn’t kidding.

  It got downright claustrophobic as the ceiling and floor drew closer and closer together.

  By the time light shimmered ahead, all were crawling. Even Emily. She could still walk crouched over if she wanted to but decided it was more fun to join everyone else.

  “We’re almost there,” Matthew said. “Be prepared. We’ll soon be outside again, and it will be very cold until we find shelter.”

  “I don’t know,” Emily murmured, crawling alongside Matthew. “I think it might be warmer than we expect.”

  While Shannon sensed his tension with what lay ahead, she couldn’t help but notice how pleased he was that Emily had joined him. That she no longer seemed to dislike him. As Shannon fell in beside them, she fondly recalled watching them sleep the night before. How safe Emily seemed to feel by his side. It had broken her heart in some ways but warmed it in others. Her daughter had been without a father for too long, and now it seemed they might be moving on. That Emily could be ready to let another father figure into her life. That Shannon might be okay with that as well.

  It felt right.

  Like both she and Emily were finally ready.

  Shannon was still smiling when they left the tight cave, and everything opened up. That was until her eyes met Matthew’s. More so, who he was looking at as Emily raced into the arms of the last person she expected to see. Not transparent in the least, but completely solid.

  “Daddy,” Emily cried. “You’re here!”

  Chapter Twelve

  THE EMOTIONS MATTHEW felt as he watched Emily and Shannon reunite with Anthony were indescribable and most likely inappropriate. Rage. Jealousy. Sadness. It felt like he was watching another man embrace not their own family but his.

  At first, he thought Anthony had to be a spirit, but now he wasn’t so sure as the man held Emily. He seemed very solid.

  “It’s warm,” Kadlin murmured as she joined him, her eyes wide on their surroundings. “Just as Emily said it might be, yes?”

  Matthew ground his jaw and eyed their surroundings. He tried to remain
free of Shannon’s thoughts, but it was impossible. She was confused. Upset. More than that, she was shocked by how real Anthony felt when he hugged her. Spirits weren’t supposed to feel like this. Which made her wonder…was Anthony somehow alive again? Because who knew for sure with everything happening around them.

  “Matthew.” Kadlin nudged him. “Are you listening to me, Cousin?”

  Frustrated, his eyes snapped to hers. “What?”

  “It is too warm.” She gestured at their surroundings. “Are we where we’re supposed to be?”

  Matthew tore his attention from Shannon and Emily and truly focused on everything. The long tunnel of rock stretching in both directions. The trees and their roots that created a canopy far overhead. They were in the Place of Seers again. But how was that possible? None of them were seers.

  His eyes narrowed on Cameron. Or were they?

  “Come meet Sven,” Emily chimed, excited as she dragged Anthony over to Sven. “He’s my best friend on Midgard.”

  “Where are we, Cousin?” Kodran said as he joined Matthew and Kadlin then asked the same question his sister had. “And why is it warmer?”

  He told them about the area.

  “I do not know why or how we’re here,” Matthew muttered. “Nor do I understand the temperature change.”

  He again ripped his attention away from the family reunion and eyed their surroundings. It was as it had been before. Or at least that’s all he saw at first. Then something else appeared. Moonlight shined down through the heavy cluster of branches overhead and created an image on the wall beside them.

  “Ah, the Laben-rune,” Cameron murmured as he joined them, his eyes on the image before he looked at Matthew. “If I’m not mistaken that’s the same Nordic symbol Shannon saw on Emily’s boat sail when they first traveled back in time, right? A symbol that Hel said meant her and Shannon had someone watching over them from the land of the dead.”

  Matthew’s eyes remained on the symbol, and for a blink of an eye, he swore he saw the shadow of a small Viking boat. But by the time his eyes flickered to Cameron and back again, it was gone. And so was the Laben-rune.