I shook my head. “No. Eirik and Ingrid.”
She frowned. “Why not Lavania?”
“He doesn’t like her.”
“What? Why?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know.”
Mom sighed and gave me the seating cards. “Go ahead and place the seating cards.” She didn’t let go of the cards when I reached for them. “Look at me. I had a long talk with Sari and Johan and learned a few disturbing things. How long have you known about Eirik’s night terrors?”
“Uh-mm, since yesterday.”
“Oh. Did he have them last night?”
I shook my head. “No.”
“Hmm.” A pensive look settled on Mom’s face. “Okay, he can sleep on the pullout bed, but be careful when he gets an episode.”
“Okay, Mom.” Eirik would never knowingly hurt me, but what if he did? I didn’t have runic magic to heal me like his mother. On the other hand, telling him he couldn’t spend the night in my rollout bed might reinforce his belief that things were different between us. Sighing, I pushed the matter aside.
My seating arrangement was perfect, alternating the men and the women with Eirik and me on either side of Dad. Andris sat beside Ingrid, which seemed to make her happy. The men held the chairs for the women, waiting until we sat before taking their seats. I didn’t pay attention to the conversation once we started to eat. Torin’s left hand reached for mine under the table. The way Dad’s eyes kept straying to us, I wondered if he knew.
We were having Lavania’s mud-pie dessert when a familiar chill crawled up my spine. I frowned, recognizing the feeling too well. No, they wouldn’t dare come to my house. Even as the thought crossed my mind, the doorbell rang. Oh, that was bold.
“I’ll get it,” I said, my heart pounding. Torin’s eyes narrowed on my face, a question lurking in their depth. I shook my head. “Excuse me.”
My mouth went dry as I hurried across the living room and yanked the door open. My eyes locked with Marj. Behind her stood Jeanette and Catie. So angry I wanted to scream, I stepped outside and closed the door behind me.
“What are you doing here?” I said through clenched teeth.
Marj’s eyes narrowed. “Looking for Eirik. Where is he?”
I indicated my house with my thumb. “Inside. You can’t come to my house.”
“We can do whatever we want,” Marj retorted.
“We didn’t mean to intrude,” Catie said at the same time. “But when we didn’t feel young Eirik’s essence, we were concerned. Is he okay?”
“Yes. What do you mean you didn’t feel his essence?”
“It’s the way we monitor our charges,” Catie explained. “We focus on their essence. Something is shadowing Eirik’s. Are you sure he’s okay?”
My eyes volleyed between Marj’s foreboding expression and Catie’s concerned one. Jeannette had turned and now looked away from the house as though on sentry duty, so I couldn’t see her face. “He’s been, uh, having night terrors, and last night he blanked out.”
They looked at each other.
“The transformation is happening already,” Marj said.
“The darkness is too powerful,” Jeanette added and shuddered.
“No, it’s not,” Catie protested. “Something is wrong. Seventeen years of love and nurturing cannot crumble this fast. Someone is doing this to him.”
“What were you talking about?” I asked.
Marj pinned Catie with a glare. “No one is doing this to him. The darkness is taking over because she,” Marj pointed at me, “failed him.”
“It’s not her fault,” Catie protested.
“She fell in love with a Valkyrie and forgot him,” Jeanette added.
“I never forgot Eirik,” I protested. “I love him, and he knows it. I’d do anything for him.”
“Then why is the darkness consuming his soul?” Marj asked.
“It is moving too fast,” Catie said. “Someone is helping it.”
“No, the boy is just weak,” Jeannette piped in.
“Eirik is not weak,” I snapped.
“You know what that means.” Marj looked at Catie with a challenging expression. “She’ll have to use the dagger to stop him.”
“Whoa! No one is daggering anyone.” I tried to understand their banter. “So what you’re saying is Eirik is possessed by this, uh, darkness?”
Marj looked at me as though I had lost my mind. “Of course not. Didn’t your mother explain anything to you?”
“Kind of.” Marj opened her mouth, but I lifted my hand, my attention going to the window on my left. A shadow shifted behind the curtain, which meant that someone just entered the living room. Probably Mom looking for me. “Listen, I know who Eirik is and why he was raised on earth. I also know that you knew about the shadow or darkness following him, but you refused to explain to anyone what it is, just like you didn’t explain to me what you meant by I was alive because of him. I know you are powerful and invincible, but you,” my eyes swept their faces, “suck at explaining things. If Eirik is really in danger, I need to know from who or what. If you’re playing mind games and something happens to him, I will hold you three accountable. But if this is a concocted plan to lure me to your side, I will become a Norn just so I can break every rule you hold sacred. So, I’ll ask again. What is this darkness after Eirik?”
“The darkness is not after him. The darkness is within him,” Marj said.
I stared at her. “What?”
“She’s coming,” Jeannette warned. Lights from a car swept the cul-de-sac.
“Come with us, Lorraine, and we’ll explain,” Catie said.
I hesitated. Even though I wanted to help Eirik, I still didn’t trust these three. This could all be another one of their tricks to get me to leave with them. “No, I can’t leave right now, but I can meet you somewhere in, say, an hour.”
Marj snorted. “We don’t have time—”
“We’ll make time,” Catie said. “Meet us at The Hub in thirty minutes.”
Thirty minutes would be pushing it, but…
“We have to go. She’s almost here,” Jeanette warned.
They moved toward the driveway and blended with the darkness. The tap-tap of heels on pavement reached me. Then Cora appeared from the same direction, a puzzled expression on her face.
“I thought I heard voices. Were you talking to someone a few seconds ago?” she asked.
“No, just talking to myself.” I glanced behind her, but the three Norns were gone.
“So what are you doing outside? No, let me guess,” she added, not giving me a chance to answer. “You just came back from your date.”
I gnawed on my lip, still mulling over what the Norns had told me. The darkness is inside him. Everyone had a light and a dark side, so that couldn’t be bad.
“Raine! Snap out of it. Did you have a fight with Torin?”
“No. I saw your car and came outside to meet you.” That sounded lame. From the grimace on Cora’s face, she thought so, too. “Aren’t you supposed to be on a date?”
She shuddered. “Worst. Date. Evah. What a douche Jaden turned out to be. Anyway, I texted you, but you didn’t return my messages, so I took a chance and drove over. Are you done with your private dinner with the gorgeous QB? I mean, can you hang out?”
“Maybe later. We’re having dinner right now. Mom decided to have one of her dinners and invited Torin and his friends over.”
The door opened behind me just as I finished explaining. “Raine, what’s taking you…?” Mom’s voice trailed off when she saw Cora. “What on earth are you two doing outside? Let her inside, Raine.” She rubbed her arms. “It’s too cold to be talking out here.”
“I just stopped by to see if Raine wanted to go to the movies, Mrs. C.”
“You can ask her inside. Come on.” She stepped back to let us enter the house. “Have you eaten?”
“No. I kind of walked out before they served dinner.” Cora and I traded smiles.
Mom glared
with disapproval. “You had a fight with your parents and walked out?”
“No, Mrs. C. My parents and I are okay. I had a bad date.”
Mom chuckled. “Never consider them bad dates, dear. They’re growing pains. One day you’ll find the one and all your pains will disappear.” Mom closed the door and patted Cora’s cheek. “Oh, you poor child. You’re frozen. Raine, take her to the dining room. I’ll fix her a plate.”
“I’m not really hungry, Mrs. C.”
“But you must eat something. Tristan made the most mouth-watering lamb roast and scalloped potatoes.”
“Really, I’m not hungry.”
“Then have some dessert,” she insisted. “I’ll get you some.”
“Quit while you’re ahead,” I whispered to Cora. “Just agree to dessert so we can get out of here. I have to be somewhere in thirty minutes.”
I doubted Cora even heard me. She froze when she saw the number of people in the dining room. Then she found Eirik, and her gaze locked with his. Her cheeks grew pink. He got to his feet along with the other men, his eyes not leaving her.
Erik stepped away from the table and gripped the back of his chair. “Have my seat, Cora.”
“No, son,” Dad said. “She can take mine. We’re heading to the living room.” He led the others out of the room, leaving Torin, Eirik, Cora, and me behind.
“One slice of mud-pie coming up,” Mom said, entering the dining room with a dessert bowl. She placed it in front of Cora. “Eat up, sweetheart.”
“Mom, can we go to the movies?” I asked her before she left the room.
She paused, turned, and studied us. “Sure. After Cora’s done eating.”
As soon as she left the room, Eirik asked Cora what she wanted to drink, and he left to get it. Her eyes followed him and so did mine, but for a different reason. Marj’s words kept ringing in my head. The darkness is inside him.
I needed answers. A quick glance at my watch said I had twenty-five minutes to come up with an excuse and leave.
15. MY BROTHER’S KEEPER
“What’s wrong?” Torin whispered in my ear, the warmth of his breath on my ear sending a shiver through me. I smiled, amazed at how well he could read me.
“The Norns were here,” I whispered back. “They’re the ones who rang the doorbell.”
Torin’s eyes narrowed. “What did they want?”
“I’ll explain later. I need to get out of the house.”
“When?”
“Next ten minutes. I’m meeting them in twenty.”
“Where?”
“The Hub.”
Eirik’s voice intruded in our conversation with, “I heard you had a date tonight, Cora.”
“Yeah, a bad idea on so many levels,” Cora said, scooping some of her dessert. “Jaden was a total douche.”
“But you knew about his reputation,” Eirik ground out through clenched teeth.
Cora glared at him. “Your point is?”
“Why do it unless you wanted him to treat you the way he treats the other girls?”
Her eyes narrowed. “Yeah, I guess I wanted to see how it felt to have a guy grope me under the table during dinner. You should try it sometime, Eirik. You might even score.” She got up with her half-eaten mud-pie and headed toward the kitchen.
I glared at Eirik. “Did you have to bring that up?” He shrugged. “Go after her,” I added.
He shook his head and leaned against his chair. I groaned in frustration. He was so stubborn. I pushed back my chair, got up, and started out of the room. I nearly bumped into Cora in the doorway connecting the dining room and the kitchen.
“Are we going out or what?” she asked. “The movie starts soon.”
“Dying to see Jaden again?” Eirik threw in the dig.
Cora gave Eirik a sweet smile. “Since you and I are done, it’s none of your business who I date.” She turned to me. “Let’s go.”
Even though Mom hadn’t said it, Eirik and I often cleared the table after dinner. From the way he was glaring at Cora, Eirik wasn’t going to be much help tonight.
“Give me a moment to clear the table,” I said. Torin jumped up to help. “Don’t. You’re a guest.”
“I don’t mind.” We left Cora and Eirik still glaring at each other in the dining room. “Are they always like that?” Torin asked.
“They’ve gotten worse.” It was sweet of him to help clear the table, but he went beyond the duties of a boyfriend when he helped me load the dishwasher.
“Very domesticated,” Andris mocked, entering the kitchen. He sat on a stool and leaned against the counter. “You do know her old man is watching your every move and imagining several ways to disembowel you.”
I glanced toward the living room, but Dad’s back was to us. Mom, on the other hand, could see us. She lifted her glass and grinned, which caused Dad to turn to see what caught her attention. He frowned. I waved. Once again, I was sure he was trying to figure out my relationship with these two Valkyries.
“Go away, Andris,” Torin said.
I elbowed Torin. “Don’t be rude. We need to finish here and head downtown, Andris.”
“He doesn’t need to know everything,” Torin retorted.
I nodded. “I know.”
“What’s going on downtown?” Andris handed his glass to Torin, who snatched it and faked a move as though to clock him on the head. Andris ducked and smirked. Then he reached for an apple from the apple bowl, rubbed it against his sweater, and took a bite. He wore a black and gray V-neck sweater with buttons halfway up and gray slacks. Very J-Crew.
“We’re going to the movies,” I said. “Want to come?”
“Sure. Do I bring a date?”
I nodded. “Ingrid. Or you can’t come.”
Torin laughed. Andris flipped him off with both fingers and sauntered back to the living room.
I checked my watch. “We have to leave.”
“I’ll get the car.” Torin glanced over his shoulder at my father then lifted his hand and ran his knuckles down my cheek. “You look amazing tonight. But then again, you always do.” His hand came down to grip mine before letting go. I watched him walk away.
“Quit drooling,” Cora said from the other side of the counter. I hadn’t seen her enter the kitchen.
“Shut up.”
“Just sayin’. Ready to leave?”
“Yep.” She said something, but I didn’t hear it. I was busy watching Torin say his goodbyes. I wasn’t sure what he said, but Dad stood and shook his hand. Mom got up and gave him a hug. As though he felt my eyes on him, he glanced toward the kitchen and smirked.
“Still drooling,” Cora said when I turned.
“Yeah, shoot me. I hope you don’t mind if we go in his SUV.”
“That’s okay. I’ll pick up my car later.” She headed back into the dining room to get her purse, totally ignored Eirik, and walked out of the room. Eirik watched her every movement, his jaw tense.
I sighed. This could end up being a very long night. “Are you coming?”
He jumped to his feet. “I’ll take my Jeep and follow you guys. I’m not letting Jaden anywhere near her again.”
I wanted to shake him. “Don’t tell me that. Tell her.” I pointed in the direction Cora had gone.
“Why, so she can throw it in my face? She’s impossible to have a conversation with.”
They were both impossible. I gave Dad a kiss, hugged Mom, and said bye to Eirik’s parents. Andris, Ingrid, and Lavania must have left with Torin. Outside, Torin pulled up to the entrance of my driveway and opened the front passenger door. He’d also gotten rid of his shirt and dinner jacket and replaced it with a T-shirt and his leather jacket.
Eirik hopped into his Jeep, which was parked in our driveway. He’d been the first one to arrive. I got in the car. Behind me, Cora stared at Eirik through the window. I could tell she was frustrated. She was in the middle seat, while Ingrid and Andris sat in the back.
“He’s going to follow us,” I reassured Cora
.
She harrumphed. “Why?”
“You’ll have to ask him.”
Andris leaned forward and rested his arms along the back of Cora’s seat as Torin looped the cul-de-sac and took off. “So you and golden boy are together?”
“No, we’re not,” Cora snapped.
“Ooh, the lady doth protest too much, methinks,” he said, quoting Shakespeare’s Hamlet. He leaned back against his seat and smirked. “I guess Cupid must intervene again.”
That wasn’t a bad idea.
“No, he can’t,” Torin said. “Stay out of their relationship, Andris.”
“Hey, I’m good. If I fixed them, I could ask for anything. Maybe a few centuries in Asga—”
“Shut up, Andris!” Torin warned in a voice I’d never heard him use before, and it stopped Andris. Cora wore a bewildered expression. She had no idea what Andris almost gave away.
“You told him?” I asked Torin.
“No, I didn’t. Probably Lavania. I’ll talk to him about keeping a lid on things.”
Torin pulled up outside The Hub. By the time he walked to the passenger side of the car, Eirik had parked beside us. The Hub was a video store, but it also sold books, comics, and manga, and had a café. From the number of vehicles in parking lot, it was packed.
“Drop them off and come back for me,” I said. “I should be done in fifteen-twenty minutes.”
“I’m not leaving you alone with them,” Torin whispered in an uncompromising tone.
“I’ll be fine.”
“I don’t trust them.”
“Me neither, but they’re too worried about,” I indicated Eirik with a nod, “to try to pull something.”
Torin’s eyes narrowed stubbornly. “No. I’ll give you space to talk to them, but I’m coming inside.”
The back passenger door opened, and Andris stared at us. “What’s the hold up?”
Torin dangled the car keys. “You go ahead and get us tickets. We’ll join you in a few minutes.”
“Why?” Cora protested, peering at us from behind Andris.
Immortals (Runes book 2) Page 21
