Taken by the Vikings: Books 1-3 Bundle (Historical Group Erotica) (Taken by the Vikings (TbtV))

by Circe Ridley

  The elders of Ostenay knew that the time for another dangerous visit must have been close, but they were left without options. Their numbers were too few to consider sending out only a handful of the men. Hefty moose could not be dragged back just based on strength of character. And if they left some of the brave husbands and fathers back, then it would just mean that they got massacred as there were too few to mount a defense. When they were all together, they had a chance, but alone they were just lambs for the slaughter. So, a calculated risk had to be taken. Send them all out and risk the safety of the precious girls or keep them home in fear and go hungry. The choice had seemed like a logical one – risk possible danger to push back certain death.

  After all, no one could know that the striking hand of Viking warriors never came with warning. The patch of forest overlooking the little village hid a band of men, armed with heavy axes and clad in leathers. Determination shone in their eyes and their bodies were poised to pounce on the villagers in an effort to find what they needed. Holger crouched on his haunches, watching the lights in the houses go out one after another. Night was settling down and the unsuspecting inhabitants were laying their heads to rest on their soft pillows and covering themselves with their thick blankets to weather the cold of the dark. He chewed on the inside of his mouth, a twitch he didn’t pay any heed to. The perfect time to charge forth was nearing and he would just have to settle in to wait for it.

  The Captain had led his men to the village with a very particular task in mind. He had taken over command of the crew for one season as his true Captain, Erik, had decided to welcome his first child with his fiery-haired Scot wife, Dava. She had been the brightest conquest from their harrowing trek across the seas, the brave lass giving her body to the men in exchange for the safety of her people. They had all sampled her and felt the softness of her pale skin and the weight of her heavy breasts, but that had only proven the strength of her character to Erik. When she had asked Erik to come back to the Northlands with them, he had agreed without second thought. Now, more than a year later, they had welcomed their firstborn, Grayson. Holger was determined to find a bride of his own now and he would be damned if she was any less than the captivating redhead. His Captain’s happiness had shown him a path to a different life and he was hungry for a taste of it.

  He was not alone on his quest for a woman of beauty and grace. Many of his warriors were readying their houses for the addition of a spirit to keep it warm and clean when they were away, their hearts opened to the possibility of sharing their lives after the surprising twist in Erik’s tale. Holger knew of Ostenay’s reputation and the plight of dying crops and meager cattle that had befallen them. It only took a bit of careful watch-keeping to figure out when the men wouldn’t be around. As much as the Vikings never shied back from conflict, it didn’t seem necessary to bring bloodshed when all they wanted was their women, a painful blow on its own. There was little else to take from the village and Holger was well aware of that.

  “Soon, we go,” he murmured over his shoulder, receiving silent nods of agreement. The men were ready.

  CHAPTER TWO

  The little fire was burning brightly, licking up the logs that had been carefully set in the center of the fireplace. Helle was huddled on a chair in front of it, her hands swift at work on a piece of sowing. It was another pair of pants that her father had carelessly ripped on one of the hunting trips and now it was her task to make them somehow presentable. She sighed under her breath, pulling the shawl she had about herself tighter. Her long blonde locks were bound in a careful plait around her head, looking like a woven crown. It had been a long day of chores and housework and she was tired to the bone, but sleep had not yet overtaken her.

  Since the sun had gone down, the room had become murky with darkness. The fire drove the shadows back, but even it was becoming too weak to support her fine stitching. Helle knew that she would soon have to retire to curl up under the many blankets and furs that were set neatly on her bed. Going to sleep always seemed like a near-impossible task when the men were away. There was a certain coldness that gathered at the pit of her stomach, a sense of ominous worry that threatened to choke her if she just let it. She knew that there was little to fret about, but she had seen too many raids to sleep soundly when the village was left without protection.

  The last one had been just a few years ago. She had been spared, the Vikings taking one look at her and then leaving her be as she was too young for their liking. But several of her friends had not had the same luck. Girls disappeared from their families, never to be heard from again, and the pain that it brought was hard to stomach. The constant threat was the reason why many families had taken to having a lot of children. The loss of one would then be easier on them as a whole, but Helle’s father had sadly not had the opportunity. Helle’s mother had died on child-birth, leaving the worn warrior with just Helle and no one else. Despite the villagers urging, he had never remarried and instead spent his time serving the community as best as he could, while raising his striking daughter.

  Now, when she was of age to marry, dark clouds had started settling over her father. He was a serious man of few words. So far, no man that had come to Helle’s door, asking for her hand, had gotten a positive reply. The aging warrior didn’t find any of them good enough for his only little girl, and she didn’t have the heart to fight him on it. Besides, she had always clung to the soft notion that love should come on its own, unannounced and without oxen to trade for the right of marrying her. Every day that went by without the girl being claimed by a man and married off meant that she was at danger during another raid. Both she and her father knew it, but that didn’t make finding the right man any easier.

  Perhaps he will come on his own, she thought glumly, pressing the needle into the thick material once more. Doesn’t hurt to believe in a bit of fate.

  She couldn’t have been more right.

  Helle had grown into her age and position in the village nicely. She was one of the few girls that was not married off yet, which meant that a plethora of tasks and responsibilities befell on her shoulders. The unmarried girls had plenty of chores to do and had to help out in the houses of their married friends to learn the secrets of being as good of a wife as they were beautiful. Helle was quick on her feet and an excellent cook. She could make children giggle with her antics and men blush with the harsh words she could muster, but for the most part, she was an excellent example of the Ostenay girls. Pure, beautiful, capable and spirited. Everything a Northern woman should be. It was no wonder that there were troves of men willing to line up behind her door for a chance at claiming her as their own.

  She was perhaps even a bit thankful that her father had taken such a steadfast stance on keeping her safe at home and tucked away from her admirers. Men from all over the lands came to visit Ostenay and Helle was an obvious choice for many of them with her sweeping hourglass curve and her sparkling smile. Yet, for all her options, she had not seen a man that captured her attention quite as thoroughly as she would have wished. In her dreams, she would be promised to a man as strong and capable as her father – a man who could love and protect with equal passion. She wanted to be kept safe from harm, to know that she was always tucked away behind the wide back of a warrior who would do anything for her. And she wanted him to appreciate her for her substance, not only for the near-mythical beauty that the Ostenay girls were known for.

  The girl sighed under her breath, curling her legs under her in an attempt to warm up her toes.

  One can dream, she reminded herself. Only a moment later, the heavy door to her house slammed open and rushed footsteps broke in, shutting and latching the door behind themselves as fast as they had opened it. Helle gasped, whipping her head around to face the intruders. Her first instinct was that her father had come back early, barging in like a bull on a stampede, but that quickly proved to not be the case. The blood drained from her gentle face, leaving her staring at the two wide-shouldered Vikings standing in
the middle of her living room.

  Her voice failed her, not a single peep coming out of her mouth. Helle’s heart pounded loudly in her chest as the roaming gaze of one of the men, tall and dark-haired, landed on her. A small smirk appeared on his lips as he took a step towards the frightened maiden, his eyes studying her intently. She felt almost naked in front of him, his piercing scrutiny cutting through her thick dress and the scarf wrapped around her shoulders. Holger watched her chest rise and fall in erratic bursts, her ample bosom swaying with each breath and her pale complexion making a sharp contrast with the dark colors of her dress. She was a vision, a bit of beauty on the cold shores of Austmarr, and Holger had to have her.

  „Don’t fear, little one,“ he murmured softly, his rougher accent scraping at her hears. She understood immediately who she was facing, but the tiny bit of hope that it was all a bad dream and she would wake up any moment still clung to her desperately. Helle bit her lip, her sowing forgotten on her lap, the needle pointing upwards threateningly.

  „What do you want from me?“ she asked, her voice small and tied with fear. She couldn’t pretend to be brave when she wasn’t. Even though her eyes glanced around for anything that she could defend herself with, the hopelessness of it all dawned on her and held her in a tight strangle hold. She steeled her nerves, determined to keep the apprehension from her voice and posture from now on. If she had to face the two Vikings, she would at least attempt to regain her wits.

  Holger chuckled softly, watching the fair-haired maiden scrutinize both him and the man with him, Knut, with a mix of fear and indignation. He could see that she was afraid, but it would have been odd if she hadn’t been. The girl was old enough to know what was to follow, so it was admirable that she hadn’t hidden herself under a bed or started screaming for dear life yet. Knut checked the door one more time, making sure it was fastened securely, and then stalked past Holger to look through the rest of the meager household. His heavy axe was slung over his shoulder, ready to strike at a moment’s notice. Helle’s breath caught in her chest when the man skulked deeper into the house, his musky scent filling her nostrils as he walked by her chair. Her frightened blue eyes took in the sight of Holger once more, studying the handsome Viking as her senses slowly returned to her.

  He was not an old man. His size was impressive, muscles hardened by a lifetime of work, fighting and rowing, and it spoke to Helle on a primal level. The Viking was just the kind of man that had he shown up on her doorstep, offering his heart and soul in exchange for her agreement to wed him, then she may have just paused to think about it. His face was hardened into a steady grimace, life having clearly not treated him in the kindest of ways – not surprising for a Viking warrior. The longish dark strands of hair lined his face and somber brown eyes, which were deep enough to get lost in at a moment’s notice. Helle bit her lip nervously, her teeth grazing her plush lower lip and the man noticing it immediately. If he hadn’t been there to pillage and plunder, Helle could have admitted to finding him rather handsome.

  I could do worse, a tiny voice said in her head, which both amused and horrified the girl. It was no time to check out the strong body of the man who had come to steal her purity, and most likely her along with it.

  „I think you know exactly what we are here for. Do you have any sisters?“ he asked, his deep voice falling softly on Helle’s ears. She shook her head quickly, her long fingers clutching the ends of her shawl to keep them from wringing her wrists.

  „Are you married?“ She thought she could almost see worry in his expression, but she shook it off. How could he be bothered by whether or not she was betrothed. It would only mean that after he was done taking her, he would have to find someone else to tie up and drag off with him. The sudden understanding that her fate was moments from being sealed sent a cold jolt up her spine.

  „No, I am not,“ she said, a single tear rolling down her cheek. The color was returning to her face, a certain resignation coming over the girl. The smile that appeared on his lips only confirmed her worries.

  „You are here to take me with you, aren’t you?“ she asked, her voice much steadier than she felt. The man seemed to ponder the question for a moment, the sound of Knut checking the latches on the windows cutting into the quiet revelry. Then, he nodded.

  „Yes. But I need to try you first.“

  CHAPTER THREE

  The words fell on her ears like anvils. Before she could scoot out of the chair in a desperate attempt of an escape, the man was upon her, raising her up on her feet with his strong hands wrapped around her. Helle could feel his heart beating heavily in his chest, almost as hard as hers as he pressed her against his chest. Her senses seemed to be filled to the brim with his presence. The man smelled of the forest and smoke, musky and masculine just like the rest of him. Being so close to him took her breath away and she found the coldness in her core being replaces with a steadily growing heat.

  “Ssh, don’t fear me. I do not wish to harm you. You are a beautiful girl. The moment I stepped in, I knew I had to have you and I cannot take no for an answer. What is your name?” he asked, a sudden softness coming to his tone. She could feel his cock stirring in his trousers, hardening as she writhed against his muscled body in feeble reluctance. It only served to light the fire in her faster.

  “I am Helle,” she said breathlessly, the words tumbling off her ruby lips. Immediately, the man kissed her, taking her mouth deeply. His long beard tickled her cheeks and chin, but she responded to the kiss. The passion and need that exuded from his every pore tore her along with him and she could feel her knees going weak under her.

  What am I doing?! a confused voice questioned, filling her head with doubt. But her body responded to his touch in a way she couldn’t have imagined and the girl was lost from the first kiss onward.

  Finally, he pulled back a little, a gentle smile on his lips.

  “I am Holger. You have nothing to fear.” Next thing she knew, the man had swept her up in his arms and carried her to the second room, where two modest cots lined the walls. He set her down upon one of them and Knut turned his attention to the two, sharing a quick look with his Captain. Helle knew that it was common practice to share a woman between the warriors before she was wed, after which she would just be one man’s unless they both agreed otherwise. Her nerves sparked to life at the thought of being taken by both of the rugged men, the blonde Knut eyeing her with his calming green eyes. She could have never imagined submitting to such an idea, but now when it was close at hand and Holger had breathed life to the fire that she had within her, it seemed more and more like a worthy notion.

  “Do not worry, I will not let him finish in your sheath. That is only for me,” Holger whispered in her ear, his hot breath making her tingle all over. He had dropped his weapon when he had grabbed for her and now he shrugged off his heavy vest and pulled off the tunic that hid his wide torso. The girl gasped, the battle-scarred and powerful body of the man being a sight of wonder. She reached a hand out to trace down his gray-tufted chest, the small scraggly hairs parting under her touch and the scars making bumps on his skin. Knut had also taken off his shirt and set down his axe, two pairs of expectant eyes now upon Helle.

  She gulped down a breath as Holger removed the shawl from around her shoulders and then reached for her dress, carefully untying the ties that held it closed. A tiny whimper reached her lips as he shimmied the dress off of her and revealed her pale, plentiful breasts to their hungry eyes. A part of her wanted to scream, to run, to fight, but another side of her was deeply mesmerized by the men before her. She had always thought that perhaps her love would come in an unconventional way, and it was feeling more and more like a distinct possibility. Helle had never felt the same kind of excitement around a man as she did with Holger, his powerful aura stifling any protests she had.

  Holger gripped her breast with one hand, making her wince. He kneaded the soft flesh, her taut young tits deliciously malleable in his hands. She could see the bulge in h
is pants growing and knew that he must have been fighting his urges to put her at east. Knut wouldn’t make a move without the other man approving, so he waited patiently for his time. Holger exhaled and then grabbed Helle by the hips, dragging her down on the bed a bit. She yelped in surprise, but didn’t scream. It was an odd sensation to trust a man who had come to take her virginity and make her his, but she couldn’t bring herself to battle against him. She wanted it more than she dared admit to herself.

  He pulled off her panties and exposed her wet sex. The blonde curls of hair that surrounded her heat did little to hide her modesty as he parted her legs with determined hands. Helle struggled with her need and her sensibility. She was completely naked now, lying on her bed with her slit ready to be plunged into by Vikings, and it seemed like the most natural thing. Holger’s hands traced her wet folds, swirling gently over her clit and driving her on in her shuddering ecstasy. He was going to make sure that the girl would have no doubts about submitting to him and that she would want him completely. They were in a hurry, but there was enough time for this. There had to be.

  His fingers rubbed against her soft heat, discovering the secrets she had not shown anyone before. Knut watched him with rising need, but iron self-control kept him rooted to his spot, arms crossed over his bare chest despite the rock-hard erection tugging against his pants. Her breathing came in quick bursts, the girl’s body twisting in unexpected pleasure. Her thighs began to quiver as he explored her deeper, finally dipping one finger into her wet tightness. He pressed it in a as deep as it could go, her tunnel clenching around him, before pulling back out and adding another digit. A thick thumb rubbed at her clit as he settled into a steady rhythm, his fingers forcing in and out of her in a beat that made her body hum with pleasure.