He scowled. “What do you mean?”
I talked, starting with his scars. Halfway through, he stood and started pacing. “So one of them is doing this to me?”
I nodded. “But I’ve eliminated Torin from the possible suspects.”
“Why?”
“Because I asked him. Torin can be annoying about some things, but he is honest. Even when he keeps secrets from me, he’ll tell me he is and why. Like right now. He’s keeping something from me, but it has nothing to do with you.”
Eirik made a face. “The Raine I used to know would never let a guy get away with a secret?”
I was different now. “I sort of understood. I mean, sometimes circumstances make it impossible to share things. I didn’t tell him what the Norns said this morning either, because I figured it wasn’t up to me. I assumed you’d decide who to tell after you and I talked.”
Eirik studied me intently then nodded. “Thank you.”
“We need to figure out who is doing this to you.” I reached for his hands and gripped them. “How are you learning the runes? You also said you’d used an artavus to open a portal to my house. Who gave it to you?”
He looked at our locked hands, his cheeks growing pink. Weird response.
“Eirik?”
“I’m an idiot.” He pulled his hands from mine and walked to the bathroom to splash water on his face.
I followed him. “Don’t say that. Did your parents give you the artavus?”
He gave a brief laugh. “First of all, I don’t know even know what the hell an artavus is. I saw Dad open a portal a few weeks ago with a knife-like thing, and I later asked him about it. He called it a stillo.”
“A stillo is a kind of artavus,” I explained. “So your dad—”
“Didn’t give me his, uh, artavus. If you’re thinking my parents did this to me, forget it. They didn’t. They couldn’t. I haven’t been studying runes, Raine. I just said that to get out of working with Lavania, who’s probably doing this to me.”
I still believed she couldn’t do this to Eirik. Even her reaction when she’d seen the reversed runes had seemed genuine. “I don’t know if Lavania is guilty or not. She’s really nice. Strict, but nice. How did you create a portal if you don’t sketch runes?”
He rubbed his eyes and sighed. “I didn’t need the runes. I was standing in front of my mirror thinking about you. Remember, I’d just learned you and Torin were, uh, had been seeing each other while we were dating. I was pissed and was going over what I planned to say to you when the portal to your place appeared.” A tiny derisive smile crossed his lips. “I freaked out. I didn’t know what to do, or even how to close it. Then I overheard your conversation with Lavania. You were discussing me. If you recall, I wasn’t wearing shoes. Once the portal closed, I had no idea how to open it again, so I pretended I’d forgotten my stillo. Since then, I just focus on a mental picture of you if I want a portal to appear in whichever room you are in, and it does. When I focus on my bedroom, it leads me here.”
“I barely started on runes for creating portals, but wow, they were right about your powers. They work differently from runic ones.”
Eirik shrugged, but his expression was pensive as though his mind was elsewhere. He started for the door. “I’m going to find out who did this to me.”
I followed him. “How?”
“I’m going to ask them.” He stopped by the door, turned, and closed the distance between us. He pulled me into his arms and held me tight. He was shaking. I wrapped my arms around him and held him tight, tears rushing to my eyes.
“Thank you, Raine.”
“You don’t need to thank me.”
“You’re always there for me, and I acted like a total douche to you. I’m sorry for yesterday.” He leaned back and sighed when he saw my tears. “I couldn’t think of a way to protect you, except sever the tie between us.”
I smacked him on the chest. “You could never do that. Try it again and I won’t be this nice. I will whoop your ass.”
“You could try.”
“Deity or Hulk, I’d fight dirty and win.” The corner of his mouth twitched, but the smile didn’t appear. I missed his sunny smile. “However, you must make amends this time, make it up to me.”
“Anything.”
“I want the latest iPad, 32 gigs, and the entire Supernatural series on my iTunes, so I can drool over the Winchester boys wherever and whenever.”
He chuckled, stepped back, and opened the door. “I’m amazed you can joke at a time like this.”
“Who said I was joking?” I hurried to catch up with him. “You called me a bitch.”
He laughed. “You’re going to milk this.”
“To the bone.” I didn’t really need an iPad or Supernatural to ogle Sam and Dean, the two main characters. Torin was hotter than both guys combined, and I didn’t have to fantasize about him either. He was mine. Still, I’d made Eirik laugh.
“Okay, an iPad and Supernatural it is.” Eirik grabbed my hand. “Now shut up, and let’s find the traitor.”
23. SECRETS
“Not so fast.” I grabbed his shirt. “We need a plan.”
“I have a plan. You tell them what the Norns said, and I watch their expressions to see who looks guilty.”
He sucked at reading people. Otherwise he would have known I was into Torin while he and I were still dating. I dug my heels in and forced him to stop.
“I think I should tell them about the Norns and what they said about your Hulk side, but we shouldn’t mention that someone is poisoning you. This way, the person doing it will think he or she is getting away with it, become comfortable, and try it again. Remember the Norns said a few more and you’d join the dark side.”
Eirik shuddered. “I’ve seen the aftermath of my dark side, and it isn’t pretty. If we eliminate Torin, Lavania, and my parents, that leaves Andris and Ingrid.”
His parents were still on my list. Could Andris have done this? A few weeks ago he’d been ticked off that I was back with Eirik. But could he have hurt Eirik? That would be taking brotherly love too far. I just couldn’t see him doing it.
“Andris does things when he’s bored, but he’d brag about it without showing an ounce of remorse. He has a twisted sense of right and wrong.”
“Ingrid?”
“She blames me for what happened to her sister, but hurting you to get to me, I don’t know.”
He shook his head. “That leaves us with no one, Raine. You’re like Cora. You refuse to see the evil in people. I’m telling you, one of them is guilty.”
I still believed his parents had the means and the motive. Maybe not his mother. From what I saw earlier, she might actually love Eirik. His father, on the other hand, was hard to read.
“Well?” Eirik asked.
“I’m going with my gut feeling, but I could be wrong. The only person I’d bet my life on is Torin.” Eirik rolled his eyes. “Don’t do that. Lavania, Andris, and Ingrid believe that Cora was the one vandalizing my locker.”
“What?”
“Ridiculous. Right? They used hate runes around my locker and trapped her. They said she hated me.”
“That’s stupid. Her locker is by yours, and you two are tight.”
“Thank you. Torin didn’t jump on their stupid bandwagon. He told me to go with my gut instinct. He’s the only one who believed me when I said Cora couldn’t hate me or wouldn’t do anything to hurt me.”
Eirik nodded. “Damn right.”
I smiled. “That’s why I know he couldn’t hurt you.”
“So now what?”
“We go with my plan, and you sleep at my place until we catch the person doing this to you.”
“No way. I’m not going to run from this bastard. Let’s go.”
Raised voices reached us as we approached the foyer. I recognized Lavania’s and the deep one that belonged to Eirik’s father. Eirik and I looked at each other and broke into a run. They stopped as soon as we entered the living room, but t
ension hung heavily like a wet blanket.
His mother came toward us. “Eirik, you must tell us everything that’s been going on.”
“Raine will.” He put his arm around her and escorted her back to her seat.
Six pairs of eyes stared at me. Exhaling, I started. “The Norns came to see me at school the Monday after the cruise and asked me to watch over Eirik. They said he was in danger and I should protect him.”
“Danger?” Eirik’s mother said and gripped her husband’s hand, her eyes going to Eirik as though to silently ask him why, but Eirik was busy watching Ingrid and Andris.
“Why didn’t you tell me or your mother?” Lavania asked.
“Because I didn’t believe them. They’d manipulated me before, and I was sure they were up to their old tricks again. I had no idea what Eirik was, so I focused on that.”
“Is that why you wanted to know about him?” Lavania asked.
I nodded.
“You should have told us what the Norns said, Raine. You are a child, hardly the right person to assume such a responsibility,” Lavania added.
“The Norns said I’m meant to be a Norn and Eirik was my first responsibility.”
Lavania gave a short bark of laughter. “And you believed them? You are novice with untapped potential, but watching over a deity?”
“Don’t do that,” Torin said in a hard voice, his eyes frosty as he stared at Lavania. “You have no idea what Raine’s been through at the hands of those Norns, so don’t belittle what she’s done or talk to her like she doesn’t know what she’s talking about. Let her speak. Please.”
Silence filled the room. If I wasn’t in love with him, I would have fallen for him hard right there and then. Blowing out a breath, I explained the incident at Cliff House and The Hub, learning about Eirik’s split personality, and the latest meeting with the Norns. “The Norns said the runes on his body are unlocking his second personality. They don’t know where the runes came from either.”
Most of the questions that followed were directed at Eirik. His parents stayed quiet as though waiting for everyone to leave before questioning him. Lavania, Andris, and Ingrid did most of the asking while Torin just sat there. He stared at me with half a smile and a bemused expression as though he was seeing me for the first time. A few times, when our eyes met, I cocked my brow in question. His grin just broadened as though he as enjoying a private joke. It was hardly the right attitude to have when Eirik was being grilled like an escaped felon.
I sighed with relief when it was time to go.
“Text me,” I told Eirik.
He nodded and slouched lower in his chair. It was time for him to face his parents. Alone. From his father’s narrowed eyes, I didn’t envy Eirik. We went through a portal into Torin’s living room.
“We won’t have lessons until I come back, Raine,” Lavania said briskly as soon as the portal closed. “Work on decoding and sketching more bind runes while I’m gone. Torin, you’re coming with me.” She turned and touched Andris’ arm. “Tell the coach Torin will not be around for the game on Friday.”
Andris nodded. Torin’s only response was the tightening of his lips. Weren’t they going to protest? Say anything? He couldn’t leave. I needed him.
Lavania started for the stairs. “We leave in five minutes, Torin.”
“He can’t. We need him. He’s the quarterback,” I protested, shamelessly using football as an excuse. I didn’t want him to go.
Lavania, who’d reached the base of the stairs, gripped the handrail and turned. “Excuse me?”
“Torin can’t miss the game. The team is depending on him.” I glanced behind me and caught Andris’ eye roll. Torin shook his head in warning while Ingrid scowled harder. “We can’t win without him.”
Lavania stepped away from the stairs and walked to me. “My dear, naïve protégé. We are here… They,” she nodded at Torin, Andris, and Ingrid, “are here on Valkyrie business. Playing football, swimming, or even cheerleading,” her glance touched Ingrid, “is a means to an end. Torin knows that. They all know that. Valkyrie business comes first.”
“Why does he have to go now? Did people die somewhere? Another accident?”
Lavania exhaled, and I could tell she was trying really hard to be patient. “Raine, something is wrong with Eirik. You have known for weeks and didn’t say anything. We just found out. Of course we have to tell his grandparents what’s happening. It is time he went home.”
“What? Eirik can’t leave.” I looked at Torin, but he didn’t say anything. Was this the secret he’d been keeping? I whipped around to face Lavania. “Why are you doing this?”
“Doing what?”
“Taking Torin and refusing to let him play on Friday, threatening to take Eirik from me.”
“Sweetie.” Lavania shook her head, her eyes filled with pity. “This is not about you. The game means nothing to us, unless the Norns told you something about it that we don’t know about. Did they?” She searched my face.
I shook my head. “No.”
“Then it is inconsequential. As for Eirik, he’s not yours to keep. He never was, despite what the Norns told you. Living here was for his safety, but the darkness we all feared still found him. No one knew he had it inside him.” Lavania reached out and rubbed my upper arms then gripped them and peered at me. “Eirik needs to be with his own kind. He needs to be surrounded by his family.”
My throat closed. “He has a family here. We…” Tear sprung to my eyes. I blinked hard and lifted my chin to stop them from falling. “We are his family. We’ve always been there for him, while they haven’t. His guardians can go back if they like, and Eirik can stay with us. My parents won’t mind. Mom loves him, and Dad treats him like a son.”
“Your dad…” She sighed, patted my arms, and stepped back. “Eirik will be going home soon, Raine. He doesn’t belong here.”
No. I shook my head, my throat tight.
Lavania started upstairs, paused, and turned. “Oh, I almost forgot. I know that there’s something you’re not telling us. I hope it has nothing to do with him.”
I blinked.
She sighed. “Why do you kids think you can hide things from me? I’m old enough to know when someone lies or keeps secrets from me.” Her gaze shifted, and I followed it to Torin. She knew his secret? “If anything happens to Eirik because you’re keeping something from me, you will feel the wrath of the gods.”
I swallowed, panic slamming through me.
“Don’t talk to her like that,” Torin said, coming to stand beside me, one hand resting on my waist and the other on my arm. I sunk against him, seeking his support. “You’re scaring her.”
“Good.” Lavania’s eyes flashed. “She keeps forgetting Eirik is a deity, someone that must be protected at all costs.” Her eyes narrowed on me. “What are you not telling us?”
I wanted to tell her the truth, but something held me back. What if she was the one hurting Eirik and this was a ploy to make me confess? Indecision ate at me. My stomach churned, and the feeling of impending doom coursed through me. Torin’s arms tightened.
“Eirik and I told you everything.”
She shook her head. “Fine. Keep your secret. Come along, Torin.” She continued upstairs.
I could only stare at her. Torin turned me around to face him. I studied his face, memorizing his beautiful features—the sculptured cheekbones, the beautiful lips, the sapphire eyes burning with love even though he’d never said he loved me. I swallowed, but my mouth tasted like sandpaper. My heart pounded, threatening to burst. “Will you come back?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“I don’t know. Getting an audience with the gods takes time.” He cupped my face. “But I will come back, Freckles.”
He wouldn’t lie to me. Still… “What do I tell Drew and Keith if they ask me where you are?”
He made a face. “Don’t worry about them or the game. Like Lavania said, they are not really important. Take care of Ei
rik.” He glanced to his right, where Andris and Ingrid were talking in low voices. “Andris! Once again, I am entrusting you with the most precious person in my life. Do not let anything happen to her again.”
Andris smirked and bowed, but his eyes said he took his orders seriously. “I’ll guard her with my life, sleep in her room if—”
“No,” Torin and I said at the same time.
Andris chuckled. Then he took Ingrid’s arm, and the two disappeared somewhere in the living room. Then what Torin had said registered. “Again?”
“My memories are coming back.” He grinned. “They started when you yelled my name earlier in Eirik’s bedroom. I felt your fear. I remember the night you landed in the hospital, Freckles. I felt your fear that night, too.”
That was the night we kissed for the first time and he told me how he felt about me. “Everything?”
“Not yet, but the memories are coming back fast.” He ran his knuckles along my jaw and touched my lips, eyes smoldering. “I remember our first kiss, the way you felt in my arms, the fear of almost losing you. I never want to feel like that again.”
“Me either.” Yet I was feeling it now, and I couldn’t explain why.
“I remember the first time I saw you. You opened your door and looked at me with—”
“Awe,” I said, laughing, surprised I could with everything that was going on.
Torin chuckled and touched my nose. “Disappointment. You took my breath even as you called me rude and condescending. Minutes later, you looked at me like you couldn’t wait to rip my—”
I blocked his mouth, fighting a blush.
“Torin!” Lavania called from upstairs.
He removed my hand, cupped my face, and looked into my eyes, the smile leaving his face. “You mean everything to me, Freckles. Nothing matters without you in my life.” His eyes darkened, his gaze darting across my face as though memorizing my features. “I’ll be back. Not for the game. Not for the souls. For you. I’m coming back to claim you as mine, Raine Cooper.”
He lowered his head. I met him halfway, threw my arms around his neck, and hung on tight as we kissed. There was something different about his kiss. It was as though he’d been holding back before. The dam broke this time. With his lips, he gave me a glimpse of the world he planned to give me. The barriers between our souls disappeared as mine melded with his. Two halves of a whole coming together and completing each other. I thought I heard Lavania call, but nothing could penetrate the sensual haze we’d created.
Immortals (Runes book 2) Page 33
