“He was doing fine,” Magnus retorted. “He just hit a rut.”
“Whose bike was he on?”
“Yours.”
“Any damage?”
“Nothing I can’t straighten,” he winced.
Erin stomped out the house to examine her dirt bike. It was fairly buckled. She let out a loud squeal and hit Magnus’ bike with a bolt of Loxhadrin. “Now neither of us are riding,” she hissed.
“Frayed tempers and Loxhadrin don’t mix, Erin,” Birdie scolded as she appeared in the hallway.
“How about dumb ass Vikings and Loxhadrin,” she scowled at both Magnus and Wilhelm.
“Behave, young lady,” Birdie warned. “Magnus, take Wilhelm up to his room. I’ll get the medical kit.”
“The one you use to treat farm animals,” Erin snickered and ducked back into the study before Birdie could respond.
Jasper shook his head. “I have entered a mad house, haven’t I?”
“Yes,” Erin laughed. “Welcome to your worst nightmare.”
CHAPTER 19
Sasha came home to an empty house. Her mum was still away travelling and Angus was not at home. She had the place to herself.
She wondered if Heinrekh had fitted her with a homing device because she had barely been back ten minutes before he materialised.
“With Angus not around, you might as well stay here. We are quite on our own.” With her arms wrapped around him, she was happy anywhere.
“I would love to, my dear. But my absence from Vasmaar cannot be for long.”
“Are you stirring up trouble again?” She fixed him with her sternest look.
“No. It is Olav who is camped at my border. He does not have the strength to invade, he is just making point.”
“Then you should return.” Much as she needed to be with him, she wanted him to kick Olav’s butt.
“I will. And you are coming with me.” He felt her stiffen and kissed her until she melted. “By my side you will come to no harm. There is no-one in the entire Realm that can hurt me.”
“Very well. But I will have only you as my escort.” It was the last time she trusted his inept guards.
Sasha stretched in the huge bed and was disappointed to find Heinrekh already up and dressed.
“I need to brief the army and talk to my generals. I will be back for lunch,” he ran his hand down her bare arm, “then we can spend some quality time together again.”
“Just don’t keep me waiting too long,” she murmured.
She would miss him, but it would give her ample time to explore the wonderful artefacts in the castle.
Having washed, dressed and breakfasted, she was exploring the huge castle. There were many areas she had not yet visited and she was keen to see everything. She first came across a room that was filled with portraits. It was like a photo album of his family. They all had white blond hair and the most incredible blue eyes.
The next room she came to must have belonged to his mother. It was full of the most elaborate gowns and accessories. Truly beautiful, but she wanted artefacts.
She headed down to the ground level and out across the courtyard. She knew the North Tower was off limits, it was where Lodraill was housed and she did not want to abuse Heinrekh’s trust. She spotted a set of winding stone steps leading down to the basement. Perhaps that was worth a look.
Standing in a large vaulted room filled with statues, she knew she had hit the jackpot. They were amazing. All Norse from what she could make out, cast out of marble largely. If she had a collection like this, she certainly would not have them hidden away. At the end of the room was another door. She bounced over to it, wondering what delights lay the other side. It was a passageway, leading to a short flight of stairs down into a room that had the most amazing frescoed ceiling.
“Wow,” she murmured staring up at it. What a strange place to have such a work of art. A noise to the side of her made her jump. There were strong metal bars in front of the vaulted space beside her, and on the other side of them was a young man, his chest bare from having just washed. He had mid-length black hair that glistening with tiny droplets of water.
“I have a much prettier guest than usual,” he ran his eyes over her, making her blush.
“Who are you?” she asked.
“I could ask the same of you. You don’t have the air of a servant,” he rubbed his torso with the towel.
“Good, because I’m not.”
“Then who are you and what, pray tell, are you doing down here?”
“I am Sasha, and if you really want to know, I’m studying the statues Heinrekh has. I’m taking fine art at Edinburgh University.”
The young man looked at her with a glazed expression. Then she realised he had probably no idea where Edinburgh was.
“I’m from the First Realm.”
“I’m well acquainted with where Edinburgh is,” his tone hardened slightly. “What I cannot fathom is why you are here in Vasmaar.”
“I’m dating Heinrekh,” Sasha responded nonchalantly. “Now how about you tell me who you are and what you’ve done to cause your incarceration.”
“My name is Lars, I am from the Third Realm. Or rather, Norway as you would know it. And you are sleeping with that man of your own free will?”
“I find him irresistible,” she pulled an apologetic face. “Are you going to tell me why you’re here?”
He beckoned for her to approach the bars. She did foolishly. He grabbed her around the throat and pulled her up against the steel. She thought for a moment the was going to strangle her, such was the dark look in his eyes, then at the last moment he just kissed her through the bars.
She took several steps back, rubbing her neck, not quite sure what had just happened. Lars stared at her, with the same look of bewilderment on his face. Sasha turned and fled back to the safety of the upper levels.
Lars watched the red-headed beauty turn and run. He was shocked by the feelings raging through him. He had originally planned to strangle her, in the hopes it would rile Heinrekh enough to vaporise him. Death was far more welcome rather than revealing something about the Vokteren. But as his hand closed around her soft white neck, he felt something surge through him. It was as if there was a barrier physically stopping him from hurting her. He saw the confusion in her eyes, she really was an innocent caught up in this war. He did the only other thing he could think of, he kissed her. If it was to be his last kiss, at least she was stunning.
But what was so gentle a woman doing with someone as evil as Heinrekh. When she spoke about him it was as if she was talking about someone completely different. He have his head a shake, he would never understand women. Even worse, he did not understand what feelings he was currently experiencing, they were completely alien to him.
Erin scowled at Wilhelm from the doorway to his bedroom. He was lying on the bed, Birdie had just stitched up a large cut on his leg and treated his other scrapes.
“Are you going to stay there the whole time giving me death looks?” Wilhelm grunted.
“No. I think I might inflict some pain on you for your sheer stupidity.”
“I’m sorry about your bike. I was trying to master it as quickly as I could so I could accompany you when you next rode out.”
Erin let out a loud hiss. “That’s not fair. How can I stay mad at you when you say something like that?”
“You can’t,” he grinned. “Now come over here and make me forget the pain I’m in.”
Erin flopped down on the bed and kissed him. Perhaps this was not such a good idea, she thought, as his arms were tight around her. She was getting urges she was having trouble controlling. Maybe he should have his own private quarters; she’d feel less like Birdie or Magnus were going to invade any time soon.
Wilhelm picked up her thinking right away. “I think my own quarters would be beneficial,” he ran a finger down her body seductively.
She slapped his hand. “Hopefully you’ll be able to walk tomorrow. We need to do some sleu
thing on our own.”
“I guess my accident put an end to that today. Even if I have to crawl, we will go tomorrow. But promise me you won’t go down there on your own?”
“Hell, no. It’s way too creepy for a solo mission. Besides, we have made some progress on identifying the crest.”
“We have?”
“Yes. It’s Voktere. Jasper confirmed it. He has the same crest on his signet ring.”
Wilhelm lay back on the pillows with a big grin on his face. “You really do have a strange mixture of people under your roof.”
“Something tells me that it’s only going to get worse,” Erin sighed and snuggled in to Wilhelm. For now she was content with just being alone with her exiled Viking prince as who knew what tomorrow would bring. A plague of locusts perhaps?
As Sasha was still fast asleep, and all was quiet on the borders, Heinrekh thought he could use the time interrogating his guest again.
He headed down to the dungeons, still feeling the high that only Sasha could give him. “Lars,” he beamed. “How are you this cold and freezing morning?”
Lars stretched out on the bed. “I am well, thank you. Although I am surprised you have left your bed, when you have such a beautiful woman to fill it.”
“And what do you know of the woman that shares my bed?” Heinrekh raised an eyebrow.
“Sasha is very alluring. If you get bored with her, send her down here. I’m sure she could keep me entertained for a while.” Lars was hoping to rile a response out of Heinrekh.
“Sasha will keep me warm and interested for a very long time, so I’m afraid you will have to keep yourself amused.”
“You must get lonely when she’s away at University. Come to think of it, she’s a young, healthy woman, she must find it difficult to stay celibate being such a long way from you. Does she have many lovers?”
“What makes you think Sasha goes to University?”
“She told me. Edinburgh, isn’t it?”
Heinrekh’s eyes narrowed. He presumed the servants had been gossiping, but none of them knew Sasha went to Edinburgh University. He applied some blue energy around Lars neck. “I know you’re trying to get me angry so I’ll vaporise you, but that won’t work. If you’re in need of a woman, I’m sure I can compel one of the servants to give you satisfaction.”
“Is that how you got Sasha, by compelling her?”
Heinrekh laughed. “Surprisingly enough, she came of her own free will. Talking of which,” he readjusted his trousers, “I need her once more before she goes back to Edinburgh.”
He released his hold on Lars and headed up to his bedroom. Time for another interrogation. Sasha was just waking as he came through the door.
“It is quite distressing waking to find you gone each time,” she yawned.
“I apologise, my lady. Evil sorcerers do not have much down time,” he dropped a kiss on her inviting lips.
“What have you been doing this time? Winding up Olav?” Sasha ran her hand under his tunic.
“Interrogating Lars some more.” He watched her face closely for a reaction. He got one as he saw the colour flood into it.
“The sneak,” she hissed rolling away from him. “I was examining your sculptures and came across him quite by accident. I mean who keeps such a wonderful collection of marble underground, and then sticks their dungeons next to it.”
It was so like Sasha to berate him for mistreating his artefacts. “You should not have been down there.”
“I thought the only place off limits was the North Tower as Lodraill is being held there.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you’d seen Lars?”
“I was embarrassed. I didn’t think you actually had dungeons and people in them.”
“You stayed and talked to him.”
“He was behind bars. It would have been rude to just run off. I figured he probably didn’t get many visitors.”
Heinrekh laughed unexpectedly. He could not be cross with her, she was so wonderfully trusting and a tiny bit naïve as to the true extent of his abilities. He pulled her back to him. “Are you disappointed with me for having someone in my dungeons?”
“You have surprisingly good accommodation down there and he didn’t look like he lacked for anything, so no. But I could not bear to think you could actually truly torture someone.”
He kissed her upturned face. “Then think the best of me,” he murmured. “Now I need to undertake a thorough interrogation of you.”
Sasha let out a squeal as his hands started to do very mischievous things.
CHAPTER 20
Erin was thrilled to have Sasha stop in for coffee, it was like her sanity check.
“Thank God,” Erin hugged her friend. “Somebody half–assed sane.”
Sasha laughed. “Has it been that bad?”
“It’s like a mad house here. I was thinking about escaping to yours then realised with Angus away, I would be crashing in on a love nest. I can just about handle the idea of you two in a relationship, but catching Heinrekh in the buff would be probably push me over the edge.”
“He is rather gorgeous in the buff,” Sasha swatted at her playfully. “The house was actually empty, I’ve been in Vasmaar.”
“How come?”
“Olav’s been strengthening troops on the Skarsgaard borders, so Heinrekh had to respond. It was obviously not a good time to abscond for a weekend away.”
They sat down at the kitchen table with their cappuccinos.
“So what exactly has been going on here?”
“We’ve gone from three to six. Wilhelm crashed my bike and sliced his leg open. He’s decided to move into the South Tower, which means we need to open up that part the house. Magnus and Ingrid need their own space, so I’m giving up the West Tower to them. If we get any more guests, I’ll be out in the stables.”
“Where are you sleeping now?”
“I’ve taken Dad’s old rooms. It’s about time they were given a refresh.”
“Was that hard?”
“Not really. I’ve been in this house a while and although everything in his room reminded me of him, it doesn’t bring him back.”
“Who’s the other guest? You said there were six of you?”
“Yes. Jasper, my Norse tutor. If you remember I’m taking a course in Norse studies.”
Right on cue Jasper walked in. Luckily for Erin, he did look slightly bookish rather than a warrior for Valkarin.
“Jasper, this is Sasha, our next door neighbour.”
Jasper extended his hand politely. Erin was surprised to see Sasha staring at his ring as she cautiously shook his hand.
“Your ring. The symbol on it, is it rare?” Sasha asked awkwardly, feeling her cheek flame. She quite clearly remembered seeing one just like it wrapped around her neck.
“Yes. Only three people have one. My uncle, me and my son.”
“Lars,” she murmured, her eyes glistening over.
“You have….” Jasper started.
Erin held up her hand for Jasper to keep quiet, she saw how pale Sasha had gone. They were friends, so she had to tread with extreme care. “I know we do not talk about each other’s activities, but I will ask just one simple question which does not betray Heinrekh’s trust. Is Lars alive?”
“Yes. Very much so. I came across him quite by accident.”
“I don’t want to know any more,” she squeezed Sasha’s hand. “Although next time you go wandering, perhaps you might look in and see how mum’s doing. In fact you can give her the ear-bashing she gave me via dad. And don’t ask how she did that either,” Erin tried to lighten the atmosphere.
Sasha giggled. “I don’t do towers. And by the sounds of it, neither do you anymore. Unless there is more to the opening of the South Tower?”
Actually there was, but Sasha wasn’t to know it. “I don’t know how Wilhelm would handle waking up next to a slobbering St Bernard.”
“You don’t drool that much,” Sasha snickered. “Now I need to get on my way
back to Edinburgh, I have an essay to work on before tomorrow morning.”
Erin walked Sasha out to her car. “Drive safe. Are you back again in a few weeks?”
“Yep. Every girl needs their fix of something bad!”
“Most girls usually go for chocolate,” Erin rolled her eyes.
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