Lauren blinked, confused by the young woman’s words.
“You were lost to us, but he brought you back.” Runa’s eyes held hers. While Lauren heard the threat in her voice, it was well tempered. “So you will treat him with kindness when he awakes not unjustified anger.”
Though she was tempted to scream she had every right to be angry, it was pointless because her throat felt too raw. Or so she tried to convince herself as her eyes slid to Tait and she saw how ashen his skin was.
“Is he…are you alive?” she whispered, confused by the way her body tensed. While she was used to bracing herself against endless disappointments, it felt far different this time. Painful in an unfamiliar way.
“Yes, he is alive,” Runa assured. “Thank Odin.”
A sharp sense of relief washed over her. Lauren wasn’t so sure about Odin, but she did whisper a prayer of thanks to Mother Mary. Tait might not be her favorite person, yet he didn’t deserve to die.
“What happened?” Lauren finally managed to sit up and look around. They appeared to be in a huge cave. Kodran and Matthew sat in front of a fire. “Where are we?” She narrowed her eyes. “And where are my sisters?”
“We are still not entirely sure,” Runa said. “Except that we are further north.”
“How much further north?” Tait murmured, his voice hoarse.
Lauren started to stand, all too aware of being in bed with him, but he stopped her with a loose hold on her wrist. When their eyes met, she felt something strange roll through her. A new sense of recognition she couldn’t quite understand. As if a part of her remembered him. Had known him for a long time.
“How are you, Lauren?” he said, his eyes glassy as he studied her. “Are you all right?”
Imagine that. He had finally called her by her name rather than woman.
“She is just fine, Tait. You saved her,” Runa said softly as she urged him to drink. “You need to rehydrate, Brother.”
Tait nodded, but his eyes never left Lauren. “So you are well, then?” He looked her over again, unconvinced. “Not hurt?”
“I am fine,” she murmured. Her eyes dropped to her wrist. “You may let me go now.”
He did and accepted the animal skin of water Runa offered him. Lauren frowned as yet another strange sensation rolled through her when he let go. It was almost as if she preferred having his hand there. As if she wanted him to touch her. Why would she all of a sudden feel that way? It made no sense.
“Perhaps it is not all of a sudden,” whispered through her mind.
Lauren’s frown deepened at her thoughts. Of course, it was all of a sudden.
“Either way, I am glad you are feeling something. I was starting to think you were incapable.”
“What?” she whispered to herself and pinched the bridge of her nose. Why was she thinking these thoughts? They made no sense. More than that, an uncomfortable yet alarmingly pleasurable ache had started between her thighs.
When Tait inhaled sharply, her eyes shot to his. That’s when she saw it…them. A catlike flash at their center. Lauren gasped and leapt out of bed, only to stagger because she was so weak. Thankfully, before she fell flat on her face, Matthew was there.
Lauren still had no idea why he didn’t frighten her as much as the rest of the Vikings she’d met. After all, he certainly seemed fiercer. Nevertheless, she sensed something else inside him. Something she recognized but wasn’t sure why. She found it interesting that a man like him enjoyed trees. That he seemed to know quite a bit about them. It was an unexpected connection she had not anticipated. One that felt platonic. Because as far as she could tell, he didn’t seem to desire her which was very comforting.
“Thank you, Matthew,” she murmured and regained her balance.
“Oh, do not think he doesn’t desire you, Lauren,” came that same annoying voice in her head. “He is just going about it differently.”
“What is the matter with me?” she muttered softly as Matthew led her toward the fire.
“There is nothing the matter with you,” Matthew responded. “If having Tait speaking within your mind makes you uncomfortable, then tell him.” He scowled. “Hopefully he will listen and stop it.”
Her eyes widened on him. “Excuse me?”
“Exactly,” Tait grumbled from the bed. “You have no right to intrude on Lauren’s thoughts, Cousin.”
What were they talking about? She was about to ask Tait but froze when she turned back. Though clearly not at his best, he had just stood. That wasn’t what stunned her, though. No, it was his state of semi-undress.
“Dear God,” she whispered as her eyes unwillingly traveled over him from his broad shoulders to his muscular arms and stomach down to his tapered waist and slim hips. The leather pants he wore suddenly seemed far too fitted and led her thoughts directly back to what she saw after her bath. The unsightly bulge between his legs.
She tried to swallow but couldn’t.
She tried to breathe but couldn’t.
The room started to spin and her vision darkened with red. What was happening? Panicked, she tried to get a hold of herself, but it was impossible. Her legs went weak, and she started to fall.
Was she passing out? Worse yet, was she passing out over the sight of a man?
Tait?
She heard Kodran chuckle and say, “I think you should put on a tunic, Brother,” before she was scooped up.
Within moments, her vision started to lighten, and her breathing became easier as Matthew carried her toward the fire. More embarrassed than ever, she murmured, “Thank you. I am sorry.”
“There is no reason to be sorry.” He sat down with her on his lap. “You are trying to adjust to a lot since traveling back in time, yes?”
“Yes,” she agreed, keeping her eyes away from Tait as she tried to get off of Matthew’s lap. “I am okay. Thank you again.”
By the time Tait and Runa joined them, Lauren sat primly by Matthew’s side and tried to ignore her grumbling stomach.
“Here.” Kodran held a stick out to her with some sort of meat on it. “You need to eat, Lauren.”
“I only eat vegetables,” she stated with disgust but was caught by the enticing scent of it.
“That might be half your problem,” Tait enlightened as he received his own stick. “You’re a natural born meat-eater, Lauren. Dragons are meat-eaters.”
She closed her eyes with repulsion at both the meat and the dragon comment for a split second before she opened her eyes, snagged the stick and tore into the meat. Not a delicate bite followed by her usual ten well-measured chews, but a chomping, vulgar bite. She closed her eyes in bliss. It almost seemed to melt on her tongue it was so good. Mortified by her behavior but unable to stop, she had the entire thing down after a few overly large bites.
By the time she was finished, Kodran was chuckling again, Matthew was handing her another piece of meat and Tait was staring at her in wonder.
“I could go try to find you some vegetables, Lauren,” Runa said with an amused expression. “If you still want some.”
Lauren shook her head and resumed eating, barely satisfied by the first piece of meat. Why had she denied herself this for so long? But she knew full well why. Because Charles didn’t like meat. So she had given it up and become a vegetarian.
“I thought you didn’t know where we were?” Tait remarked to Runa as he ate. “From what I can see, we’re at Mt. Galdhøpiggen’s peak, are we not?”
“We are,” Runa agreed. “But it’s…different.”
Tait stopped chewing and eyed the cave again. “It is, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” Kodran said. “After you saved Lauren, we knew the closest location of safety would be here, but now we’re not so sure. As far as we can tell, there are no seers here.”
“Nor have any stepped foot here before,” Matthew said. “None that we know anyway.”
Tait frowned. “That makes no sense.” He shook his head as his eyes met his brother’s. “Any more than you attacking us
back at the Fortress does. Why did you do that?”
“Because I thought you were the enemy,” Kodran said. “One moment I was at the Lair, the next, at the Fortress trying to defend everyone. I only figured out after we ended up in the ocean that it was you I fought. Somehow the enemy had taken your form and tricked me.”
“What do you mean you were at the Lair?” Tait shook his head. “When you were clearly inside the great lodge with us at the Fortress?”
“That’s where it gets more alarming,” Runa said. “Because Kodran says that wasn’t him.”
Lauren felt Tait’s distress so strongly, she barely managed to swallow her food.
“Are you saying an imposter, maybe even the enemy himself, is with our King? Queen?” Tait asked. “Our people?”
“Yes,” Matthew confirmed. “That is exactly what we are saying.”
“Unless, of course,” Lauren said before she gave it much thought, “Kodran is at the Fortress, and we currently sit alongside the imposter.”
“Our dragons would know if Kodran was not our real brother,” Runa argued.
“Yet our dragons didn’t know at the Fortress, did they?” Tait murmured, eying Kodran.
“You think me an imposter?” Kodran shook his head. “If that was the case, would I have not already fled with Lauren when everyone was at their most vulnerable? For that matter, I would have already destroyed you, yes?”
“Maybe,” Matthew conceded. “Or perhaps you are trying to achieve a greater goal. Something we cannot see yet.”
“Well, I would think any greater goal the enemy has planned would be more easily accomplished with four fewer dragons to contend with,” Runa said as she shifted closer to Kodran. “Shame on all of you.” Her eyes narrowed on Tait and Matthew. “Especially you two, for thinking he’s not our kin.”
Lauren knew she should stay out of this and that it was likely none of her business, but she was starting to feel different. Empowered in a way she couldn’t put into words.
“I think in light of how easily the enemy stole me from the future, it would be wise to be careful,” Lauren said. “Be watchful yet do not let it come between everyone because that in itself could be beneficial to those who wish you harm.”
All eyes turned her way, every last one of them clearly surprised either by her input or that she felt the need to give it.
“You are right,” Tait agreed before anyone else had a chance to speak. “Thank you for watching out for us, Lauren.”
“Simple politics,” she murmured, not sure what to make of his compliment.
“Does that not mean we will all be paranoid then?” Runa asked. “Because it sounds like you’re asking us to be suspicious of each other.” She cocked her head. “And is there such a thing as partial trust? Either you trust, or you do not. There can be no in between.”
Lauren nodded. For a child who couldn’t be much older than fifteen, Runa had an astute mind. “What I am suggesting is that you settle for something in between. Trust your family but always remain vigilant. Watch them closely and make sure they seem like themselves at all times.”
“Humph.” Runa crossed her arms over her chest. “So paranoid it is, then.”
She had a twenty-first century way about her that Lauren realized must be because her mother was allegedly from the future. If what Megan had said was true, of course. Lauren frowned when she almost rolled her eyes in exasperation at herself. Because something inside her clearly felt everything was true at this point and she should stop being naïve.
“Lauren is right,” Kodran said. “We should all be cautious of each other but not let it come between us. This enemy is far too unpredictable.”
“I agree as well.” Matthew nodded. “So far this dragon demi-god has been able to repress Bjorn’s and my dragons, bring down our former king, infiltrate our Dragon Lair, appear at the Fortress without us knowing, get inside Sam’s mind and steal Lauren from the future.” He shook his head. “There is no telling what else he is capable of.”
Lauren finished her meat and thanked Matthew when he handed her one of those unsightly animal skins. Nevertheless, she was parched and needed water. So she tilted it back and took several deep swallows before she realized it wasn’t water. Oh Lord in Heaven! Heat seared her throat and stung her eyes before she spit the last mouthful everywhere.
Well, mostly right at Tait.
Okay, all of it at Tait.
Lauren put her hand over her mouth, terrified by what he might do considering he had what she strongly suspected was mead all over his face and chest. A chest that was, Mary be blessed, now covered with a shirt. Yet that was the last thing on her mind as she remembered with vivid clarity spilling a glass of red wine during a dinner with Charles and his politician friends.
She never should have gone for that fourth sip even though she had counted five minutes in between each swallow. It must have been too soon, or she was too clumsy in general because it tipped over. He hadn’t yelled at her right away, but his expression went from embarrassed to distant for the remainder of the evening. After everyone left, she never heard the end of it. How ashamed he was. How she could do better, be better, improve. Always improve.
This time not only Kodran but Matthew and Runa chuckled as Tait wiped his eyes and blinked. Lauren barely processed his grin as he removed his shirt again to wipe his face.
All she could see was Charles’ disappointed face, his repressed anger.
The violence that was coming.
Tait’s grin dropped as a look of concern entered his eyes. But she couldn’t see his concern. All she saw was possible anger. His upcoming wrath.
“Enough,” he murmured to the others before his voice grew gentle. “Lauren, are you all right?”
She blinked several times, confused at first by his words. Why was he asking if she was all right when he was so upset?
“I’m not upset with you, Lauren. Not at all,” he said softly. “You do not need that stick to defend yourself.”
What stick? Only when she tore her eyes from his did she realize how badly she was shaking and that she’d picked up a stick and held it so tightly her knuckles hurt. Her eyes returned to Tait only to find compassion. Not anger.
This wasn’t her past. He wasn’t Charles.
“I am sorry,” she whispered and tossed aside the stick. “For both spitting in your face and for overreacting.”
Lauren straightened her spine, clasped her shaky hands loosely on her lap and focused on the fire rather than their varying expressions. She felt like a fool and wished she could simply vanish.
“You have nothing to be sorry about,” Tait responded before he redirected the conversation to other things. She appreciated what he did. Refocusing everyone’s attention elsewhere. It gave her a chance to regain her composure, and she couldn’t be more appreciative.
“So if we are at Galdhøpiggen’s peak, the seers’ home, where are they?” he asked his family as he shook his head. “Are they using magic to hide from us?”
“I don’t think so,” Matthew said. “Even the landscape between here and the ocean is different. The villages are gone.”
Tait narrowed his eyes as something seemed to occur to him. “We’ve traveled through time, haven’t we?”
“It seems like the most logical explanation,” Matthew said. “So if we assume that, the next question would be who moved us through time? Because it wasn’t Sam.”
“No, it wasn’t,” Tait agreed and met everyone’s eyes but Lauren’s. “I was not myself. Did any of you sense whose magic it was? And of what variety? Dragon, seer, demi-god…evil?”
Everyone shook their head, perplexed.
“Was the bed here before we arrived?” Lauren said, amazed her voice didn’t shake. Doubly amazed that she was joining the conversation. But she was intrigued.
“Yes,” Runa said. “But it’s really only a slab of wood.” She looked over her shoulder at it. “There is not even a headboard or frame of any type.”
“Re
gardless, it is man-made, is it not?” Lauren asked.
“It is,” Matthew conceded. “But it could have been built by anyone passing through.”
“True.” She stood, drawn back to it in a way she couldn’t explain. “Matthew, please join me.”
“We will all join you,” Tait grumbled as they followed.
Lauren nodded absently as she tossed aside the furs, crouched next to the heavy slab of wood and ran her hands over it. “Matthew, what type of wood would you say this is?”
She already knew but wanted confirmation.
He crouched beside her and touched it as well.
“It is made of an ash tree,” he murmured as his eyes met hers. “This means something, yes?”
“I think it does,” she whispered, not sure why she thought that in the least. “I think it all ties into the ash.” The ash tree in Maine arose in her mind. First the one in the yard then the one in Emily’s keychain.
“Where did it go?” She stood and patted at her clothes like she might find it there. “Where did my—”
“It’s right here,” Tait said softly as he pressed Emily’s gift into her hand. “I’ve had it since you bathed and somehow managed to keep hold of it through everything.”
A breath-altering shiver raced up her spine, and her fickle legs grew weak yet again. Except this time she knew it was directly related to him and his close proximity. While tempted to ask him precisely what had happened between them, she just wasn’t ready. So instead she turned her attention to the ball.
Better yet the ash tree within.
This time there wasn’t a green dragon flying around it breathing fire or an awful Nidstang, but something else altogether. An old man. The moment her eyes locked with his, a voice came from behind.
“Welcome, Dragons.” When they spun the old man was no longer in the globe but standing far taller by the fire. “I was the first to learn of your kind on Midgard and the only seer who has tracked every last one of you since.” He stomped his cane and the cave transformed entirely. “My name is Eluf. Welcome to my mountain.”
Soul of a Viking (The MacLomain Series: Viking Ancestors' Kin Book 3) Page 9
