I heard my mother cry out again and this time I could see her because she ran toward the grove but hit a wall of spirit warriors. One stabbed her shoulder with a ghostly spear and she screamed.
She fell to her knees, met my gaze. Tears burned my eyes because I knew that my mother, not Loki, was trying to get to me. That she was fighting as hard as she could to get to me. That was one question answered. She still lived.
The warriors stood around her in a wall of scary, misty figures. She choked, bent, and I could not believe my eyes then. Her coat began to grow until feathers enveloped her entire body. They covered her face, her legs...everything. In the next second, she shot into an opening in the sky. For an instant, I saw the blackness beyond, but it closed with the sound of shattering glass.
Like that, she was gone.
“That’s how,” I whispered, thinking of the phone calls with my sisters, how they thought she was there. She had been.
Vanir turned to me. Our eyes met and that connection I’d felt from the very beginning snapped taut between us. Sarah was muttering near my ear, placing things on my chest, but I didn’t look to see what. Didn’t care. I wanted to watch him if this was it. Wanted him to be the last thing I saw.
He knelt, bent over my face. His hair swept down to cocoon us in our own private world as the sounds of battle raged around us. “You will live,” he whispered before he kissed me.
It had been Vanir’s voice. The relief that swamped me stilled the fear that Odin had taken him over. And with that relief came prickly feelings in my right toe, my left hand. I sucked in a deep breath, taking in Vanir’s warm, masculine scent, tasting him on my tongue. My lungs filled, expanded, and with the return of life to my limbs, the pain swept back. One of those pathetic whimpers escaped my throat. He pulled back, but only enough to meet my eyes. They slowly, slowly turned back to that beautiful, dark brown. I only saw the color for a second before the loss of the glow made our private world dark.
Vanir kissed me again, his lips warm, soft. He slid his fingers behind my neck in that way he liked—the way I really, really liked. He cradled my head to him, kissing me with long, slow, drugging kisses. I didn’t care that his aunt watched—that the sounds of fighting went away. All I cared about was the feel of his mouth, the warmth of his hand—that bond we shared.
And from his hand and mouth came that healing warmth. It flowed down my throat and into my chest. Blossomed and spread like wildfire through my veins. It numbed the pain. I felt the ground, cold beneath me, but tolerable here in this grove. I felt the eyes of others on us.
He pulled back slightly, his breath brushing over my face. “Loki knew he couldn’t fight the song or the spirit warriors.” He touched my lip with the pad of his thumb. “That he couldn’t fight me with you here. But, Raven, I’m positive that in the end, he was also fighting your mother. She was battling him for you.”
“She was.” A sob caught in my throat. “Do you think he’ll come back?”
“If he does, I’ll be ready for him. When Odin began that chant, I saw the past he shared with Loki, the friendship Odin deliberately built with the trickster. He knew they would end up on opposite sides. He learned everything he could about the tricky god. He knows his weaknesses.”
I remembered the dream of Kat and the fire demon. The other two boys...realization slamming into my chest. I pushed him up, sat and nearly fell over from the head rush. Vanir grabbed my shoulders, held me steady.
“Careful,” Sarah said. “Give your body time to recover. That spell was strong.”
Heat crept up the back of my neck when I realized she’d been watching us, when I saw that everyone stood around the grove. All eyes were directed our way. Hallur stood in front, bleeding, shoulders slumped with exhaustion; a rifle dangled from his hand. I craned my neck, looked for Ari and found him on the ground about two yards from us, inside the grove. He was obviously fine, propped up on one elbow to watch us, his amusement strong enough to see from here in the little light still left.
Sheesh. How long had we kissed?
The corner of Vanir’s mouth turned up. He knew exactly what I was thinking. I bit my lip. “We have to help my sisters. He, or she...Mom will go after the others. I didn’t die.” My voice broke. “So the prophecy could be talking about one of them.”
“Let’s get home, get warm first.”
I shook my head. “No, I have to call Coral and Kat now.”
He handed me his phone. It had new scratches from when it had dropped in the warehouse. I dialed Coral first but she didn’t answer, so I called Kat.
“Gods, Vanir McConnell, your timing stinks. Again!” she yelled.
“It’s Raven, Kat. Have you talked to Coral? She’s not answering her phone and—” I broke off as she yelled at me again.
“Are you hurt?” Kat’s voice was loud and frantic. “Because I felt something really, really bad a few minutes ago.”
I was pretty sure everyone around us heard her. “I’m okay. Listen, it’s not Mom. It’s Loki and—”
This time I broke off because I heard a roaring and crackling sound. Like fire. “Yeah, Peaceboy and I have figured that out already. Sorry I haven’t had a chance to call.”
Heavy breathing interspersed her words. “Are you running?”
“Shit, Raven, I can’t talk! We’re dealing with a fire here.”
“One last thing! Loki is using a feather cloak to travel.”
“That ugly feather coat? Weird. I’m sorry. I promise I’ll call, but I gotta go right now.”The dial tone played in my ear. I pulled the phone away, stared at it. I wanted to tell her about what Urd had shared. Our birth, the hint that something dark had fathered us. There was so much I still didn’t know and I needed to be with my sisters so we could figure it out. Together. We were supposed to be together in this.
Urd fluttered in my chest. It wasn’t her usual creepy-crawly sort of shifting, either. This was friendlier, like a tap to my chest to tell me I was on the right track. I shouldn’t have been fighting her my entire life, but I couldn’t dwell on that now. Kat was in trouble and I knew with all my heart that Coral was, as well. I looked up at Vanir. “I need to get there. Or to Coral. I can’t lose either of them—I just can’t.”
Vanir pulled me close, wrapped his arms around me. “We have to get some sleep. Then we’ll find a way to go, okay?”
I pulled back so I could see his face. Exhaustion pulled at his mouth, but his gaze was a clear, wonderful brown again, and full of something that made warmth fill my stomach. “Together?”
“Oh, yeah.” He grinned and started to kiss me again.
Hallur made a loud grunting noise. “Don’t you two start that up again. We have to get help for the men who are hurt.”
“And the dogs,” I blurted.
“Of course,” Hallur continued. He limped into the grove, laid a hand on Vanir’s shoulder. “That was something else.”
“The chanting or the kissing?” Vanir tightened his arms around me.
Hallur rolled his eyes. “Both, but don’t bother to get all uppity with me, new glowing god powers or not. I’m still your older brother. Come on, let’s go. We have a lot to figure out because Raven is right. Her sisters are going to need help. But we all need to rest at home first. Plus, there’s birthday cake.”
Willy came into the grove and pulled Hallur back out. The two walked to one of the cops propped against a tree. He offered them a weary, pain-filled smile as they knelt to speak with him. Hallur stroked the neck of a dog sitting next to the man. No longer under Loki’s spell, most of the animals had run off, but some hung around, wounded, probably bewildered. I forced myself to look at some of the ones who hadn’t made it. Devastation filled me and I could tell from the others around me they all felt the same. Some of the men were barking out questions right and left, some were looking over the dogs and big
cats, one watched Vanir with outright suspicion. Guess not everyone had been let in on the magic in the family.
I frowned. This was going to change Vanir’s life.
But then, all of this had changed all our lives. I’d spent mine on the run with my mother, fighting a goddess I thought would erase me, and all along, she’d needed me to work with her. How this would all change our lives was still open because it wasn’t over. I had to be with my sisters for it to be. I knew it with everything in me.
Hallur had said we’d go home. It wasn’t really my home and I had no idea where that would eventually be. Would the snow stop—even if we succeeded in stopping Loki entirely? I couldn’t think in terms of if, because if we failed with the trickster god, fire would wipe out most of the world.
Kat was in Yellowstone. The significance hadn’t escaped me.
I leaned against Vanir, my heart pounding, and he turned me to face him, wrapped his arms tight around me. “I don’t know that I can rest, not with my sisters still out there fighting.” Shivering, I burrowed closer. “But I’m so tired.”
“We have to try. I really am going with you, you know. I wasn’t teasing.”
I leaned back, met his dark eyes. “When I came to try and stop my mother from hurting you, my sisters both went out to do the same. She was after three who carried gods’ souls. I don’t even know which place to go first, so I haven’t told you where I’m going.”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“Of course it matters. What about school? You can’t drop out.”
“I have no intention of dropping out of school. It hasn’t started yet and I can catch up once we’re back. You’ve been here days, Raven, and with that feather coat, Loki has probably been wreaking havoc with your sisters at the same time. I have a feeling this will all play out fast.”
“Just like the portents of Ragnarok have come along so fast.”
He nodded.
“Wait. You said when we’re back?” I lifted an eyebrow. Grinned at him. “You think I’m just going to move in with you? What, while you finish high school? That would be too weird. Even for me.”
He lifted his face into the moonlight, laughing, and I wondered if his red cheeks were because of the cold or his words. “No,” he finally said. “I don’t expect you to move in with me. Not yet, anyway. We’ll have plenty of time for that later.” His expression grew serious. “I hope that’s where we’re headed. I know it hasn’t been that long, but I want to be with you.”
“Me, too,” I whispered. My stomach was all knotted with excitement, my heart beating frantically against my chest. “We’ll figure this all out later. After we help my sisters.”
“And you come back here.”
His determination made me smile. And feel warm. I started walking toward his brothers and aunt, tugging him with me by the hand. I didn’t give him an answer, though I had a feeling I might be coming back here. I’d have to look into the anthropology department at Oklahoma University.
But first, I was going to help my sisters stop Loki and hopefully change the destinies of all the people carrying the gods’ souls. And this time, I wouldn’t be driving off into a snowy unknown all by myself.
Vanir would be with me.
* * * * *
Don’t miss Coral’s story in FORECAST
Coming August 2014
Read on for an excerpt from another unforgettable Harlequin TEEN digital-first story
RUN TO YOU PART 1: FIRST SIGHT
by Clara Kensie
Acknowledgments
Foretold couldn’t have been written without some important people. First and foremost, my critique partner, Rachel Vincent, who not only worked with me to get this polished nicely, but offered incredible support throughout its writing. She’s continued to be priceless ever since. I’d also like to thank The Deadline Dames for their constant support and for the occasional last minute read. I never expected to become such good friends with this fantastic group of talented writers—Devon Monk, Jackie Kessler, Jenna Black, Rachel Vincent (again), Lilith Saintcrow, Toni Andrews, Keri Arthur and Karen Mahoney. Special thanks again to Karen Mahoney for our late night chats. What six hours of time difference?
To my editor, Mary-Theresa Hussey, for believing in Foretold and coming back to request it when the right venue opened up. Thank you so much!
Also, I’d like to give a special thanks to the band Elsiane. Years ago, I stumbled upon a video of one of their songs, loved it like crazy, and lamented in public that I wished their CD was available for purchase in the US—that I could hardly wait to buy it when it made it here. Someone in the band spotted my wish and sent me that CD. Hybrid still thrives on my playlists, though one song is the most important. “Across the Stream” was responsible for that spark of an idea that became Foretold. While listening, I had this vivid image of Raven and Vanir staring at each other in snow-covered woods at night and their story grew from there. So thank you.
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Part One in the riveting romantic thriller about a family on the run from a deadly past and a first love that will transcend secrets, lies and danger...
Sarah Spencer has a secret: her real name is Tessa Carson, and to stay alive, she can tell no one the truth about her psychically gifted family and the danger they are running from. As the new girl in the latest of countless schools, she also runs from her attraction to Tristan Walker—after all, she can’t even tell him her real name. But Tristan won’t be put off by a few secrets. Not even dangerous ones that might rip Tessa from his arms before they even kiss...
My parents insisted we were safe until Dad saw Dennis Connelly coming, but I still hated going anywhere alone. Logan, usually, was sympathetic about this, so I went to his room, where he was composing a song on his saxophone. “Want to help me find a new jogging trail?” I asked.
He sighed, then floated the sax into its case. “Let me change. I’ll be down in a minute.”
Our new house was near a park, so Logan and I headed that way. As we rounded the corner, a police officer rolled by in his shiny white cruiser as he patrolled our quiet neighborhood. I ached to flag him down. Ask him for help. Beg him for protection.
But I kept my hands at my sides and my mouth shut. Dennis Connelly worked for the government, and the two times my parents had sought help from law enforcement—a police detective in Utah and an FBI agent in Pennsylvania—he had gotten wind of their investigations and learned where we were hiding. My dad had seen him coming and we’d fled, but despite our warnings, each of our protectors were killed soon after. I would never forget my father’s horrified expression as he used his mobile eye to watch Dennis Connelly slice those innocent men open, right down the middle. His message was clear: his reach was long. He would kill anyone who got in his way. And there was nowhere to turn for help.
Since then we depended solely on my family’s powers to evade Dennis Connelly and stay alive.
The Twelve Lakes cop drove past Logan and me without a glance in our direction. I wouldn’t ask him for help, and he would live to serve and protect the citizens of Twelve Lakes another day.
The park was another block down. Beyond the baseball diamond and playground, we found a jogging trail that wound around the tennis courts, into a forest preserve and back again. Perfect. I turned onto the path and quickened my pace until I was in a full-out sprint. Logan kept up for a short while, then fell behind.
Trees and wildflowers blurred as I zoomed past them. My feet pounded rhythmically, left-right-left-right. Always on the loo
kout for anything suspicious, I kept an eye on the other runners as I zipped down the path. Ahead of me a woman speed-walked in black yoga pants, hips swinging and arms pumping. I passed her quickly. Running toward me on the other side of the path, a man pushed a little girl in a three-wheeled jogging stroller. Behind him ran a boy about my age, a royal blue T-shirt stretching across his broad shoulders, the cords of his earbuds bouncing with each step.
After the first lap my lungs started to burn, so I pushed myself for three hundred more steps, then slowed so my exercise-hating brother could catch up. Looking over my shoulder to find him, I stumbled. Before I fell, though, my arm was caught in a strong grip. The boy in the blue T-shirt steadied me, his blue-eyed gaze as warm as his smile.
I realized I was smiling back.
With a gasp, I yanked my arm away and fled.
Once I rounded the bend I waited for Logan. “Slow down a little, would you?” he grumbled. I didn’t argue. I ran at his pace, keeping him close by my side. The broad-shouldered boy came up the path again and nodded at me. We ran the loop twice more, passing the boy each time. At the entrance to the path, we stopped, Logan panting and gasping with his hands on his knees while I stretched.
“Clockwise, huh?”
I turned to the voice, deep and confident. The boy in blue ran in place, his sandy-brown hair reflecting gold in the sun. “You were running in a clockwise direction on the path,” he said. “I’ve always gone counterclockwise. I’ll have to try it your way next time. You were going pretty fast.”
I suppressed the urge to run again.
His feet slowed to a stop. “Sorry if I scared you back there.”
Immediately Logan stiffened into bodyguard position, stepping between me and the boy. “He scared you?”
I started to nod but stopped. It wasn’t his fault I was scared. “I tripped and he caught me.”
Logan relaxed, but when I said nothing else, the boy shrugged. “Okay, then, see you around.” He put his earbuds back in and jogged off down the path.
Foretold Page 20
