The timbre of his voice stroked my senses. Even when he pissed me off, I still wanted him. Torin moved to stand beside me like a guard and faced Echo, who was holding the car door. I was still seated in the back seat with my feet on the ground. They were acting ridiculous. Echo would not hurt me. Not physically anyway. And Torin’s antagonistic behavior didn’t make sense.
“I know you, Echo,” Torin said. “You never do anything without a reason.”
“And it’s always for your goddess,” Andris added. “Isn’t that why you are her favorite? The guy she goes to when she wants a job done?”
A spasm crossed Echo’s face as though Andris had hit a nerve, but he recovered fast and smirked. “Hel’s favorite? You have been reading up on me, pretty boy. How flattering.” He finally dragged his eyes from me to Andris and then Torin. “I’ll say it again. Step down, Valkyries. I appreciated the fact that you watched over her while I couldn’t, but I’m back now. This is between Cora and me.”
Torin casually placed his hand on the hood of my car and leaned back as though he had no intention of leaving. He was wearing his football gear, which meant he’d left practice to come here.
“Anything that concerns her concerns us,” Torin said.
I had enough of their performance. It didn’t make sense. “Let me butt in here, boys, since you are about to have another brainless testosterone showdown and I don’t plan to stick around and stop it this time.” I pointed at Torin then Andris. “You two guarded me this week because Echo asked you to and now you’re turning against him because…?”
“He never asked,” Torin said. “He said you were in danger and left.”
I shook my head. “I’m confused. Doesn’t that make him a good guy?”
“No,” Andris and Torin said at the same time. Echo just smirked.
“We didn’t see any Grimnirs while he was gone,” Andris said.
“Maybe I took care of them,” Echo said, sounding indifferent, as though he didn’t care whether they believed him or not.
“Maybe there weren’t any Grimnirs to begin with,” Andris snapped. “Maybe the broken trees and ruined vines near Cora’s home were staged to make her think she was in danger.”
“And you wouldn’t kill one of your own without facing Hel’s wrath,” Torin retorted. “You are here on a job, and it involves her. So I’ll say it again, leave her alone or deal with us.”
If everything they said was true… No, I wasn’t going to start believing everything they said, and I didn’t like the way they were ganging up on Echo.
“Whoa, slow down, guys.” I stepped away from the car and went to stand by Raine who hadn’t spoken since the guys started their little fight. “Thanks for keeping an eye on me, guys. Whether you had to or not, I still appreciate it, but it is not up to you to decide whether I talk to Echo or not.”
Echo smirked.
I glared at him. “You had your chance to explain things, but you walked out on me instead. And every night since then, you had a chance to talk to me, but you slipped me sleeping runes instead, so I’m not ready to listen to anything you have to say. In fact, I don’t know if I trust you enough to believe anything you say now.”
Eyes shadowed, Echo walked to where I stood. He was so close the heat from his body leaped between us and wrapped around me. Part of me wanted to put some distance between us, but another part wanted to grab him and hold him close. Forgive him for his shitty behavior the last week.
He didn’t speak, letting his eyes speak for him. He was sorry, they said.
“You can trust me, Cora. I’d never lie to you. You, Cora, not Maliina. She doesn’t matter or mean anything to me. They,” he waved toward Torin and Andris, “don’t matter. You do.” Heat flashed in his eyes. When his eyes moved to my lips, they tingled as though he’d kissed me.
It was time to create some distance between us.
“Don’t ever mention her name to me again.” I shuffled sideways and hurried to my car. When our eyes met, there was pain in his eyes. He had no reason to be hurt. I was the one he’d wronged. “Coming, Raine?”
Raine kissed Torin then ran around to the front passenger seat. I backed out and took off. I could see the guys in the side view mirror. They were still standing where we’d left them. Torin’s Harley and the SUV Andris usually drove to school were parked a few feet away.
“Do you think they’ll be okay?” I asked, my eyes returning to Echo. He was watching us drive away, his expression hard to read.
“Yeah. Andris hates to fight and will stop them if things get out of hand.”
“I don’t understand why Torin dislikes Echo when he did him a favor—uh, never mind.” She might not know about her father’s soul.
“You mean when he chose not to reap my father’s soul?” Raine asked.
“Oh. So you know.”
“Torin doesn’t keep secrets from me. Torin owes Echo a soul, and Echo plans to collect.” She made it sound like Echo was wrong.
“It seems fair to me,” I said defensively. “A soul for a soul.”
“Or he could let it slide. I mean, it’s just statistics to him. I’m happy you told Echo to take a hike. He’s no good for you. Torin and Andris don’t trust him either.”
“I know.”
“He’s an odd ball, you know. A lot of Grimnirs can’t stand him.”
The details of Echo’s story flashed in my head. “Druids,” I muttered.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“I asked Torin why the Grimnirs hate him, but he doesn’t know,” Raine continued. “Chances are the Grimnirs who came after you were out to hurt him. That is assuming the story he told you is true. He was once a Valkyrie, you know, but he did something so horrible they kicked him out of Asgard and placed him on Hel duty—permanently.”
I hated the way she gleefully listed Echo’s faults. “I know about that, Raine.”
“You do?”
I glared at her. “Yes, I do. Echo told me. He doesn’t keep secrets from me. It is the same reason his fellow Grimnirs hate him. He did something noble, and those who disagree with him are idiots.”
Silence filled the car as I entered University Boulevard, the road that ran in the middle of Walkersville University. I glanced at Raine and caught her grin.
“What?” I asked.
“I knew it.” She laughed. “I was wondering how long you were going to let me hate on Echo before you told me to shut up. I watched your reaction when Torin and Andris were ganging up on him and when you were warming his hand. You are so into him.”
“No, I’m not. He’s an arrogant know-it-all, who seems to think he can do whatever he likes and get away with it just because… because he’s hot.”
“And you are so into him,” Raine added.
I sighed. “Am I that obvious?”
“Only to me. So, on a scale of Drew to Eirik, where does he fall?”
“You mean when he’s not driving me nuts and making me want to knee him?” Raine laughed, and I grinned. “Way, way above Eirik. Drew doesn’t count.”
“Aw. Poor Eirik.”
“I feel bad for him too, but Echo caught me by surprise.” I parked the car in the university parking terrace, and we started toward the Draper Building, Walkersville’s sports and recreation complex. “I can’t help how I feel.”
“I know. What did you mean by he runed you to sleep?”
I quickly explained about Echo coming to my room at night to keep an eye on me.
“How sweet. Are you going to forgive him?”
“Eventually. Right now, let him stew. He acted like I’d hurt him, when it’s the other way round. I’m pissed and hurt.”
“I don’t think he’s going to make it easy for you to stay pissed because he is here.”
I followed her glance and sighed. Echo watched us from the entrance of the building and completely ignored the college students who kept turning to check him out. Even the guys found him intriguing. How could they not when he looked lik
e a fallen angel in his black clothes, duster, and those unusual eyes?
“Please, don’t mention our conversation,” I whispered.
Raine shot me an annoyed glance. “Really? You really think I would?”
“He can be very charming and persuasive.”
Raine rolled her eyes.
Echo straightened when we approached the door, but I ignored him. Raine slowed down.
“See you after practice, Raine.”
I ran inside, almost bumping into students. The building tended to be busy this time of the evening. I showed the girls at the recreation service desk my school ID then ducked into the changing room. Warm-ups had already started when I entered the pool deck. Coach waved me over.
“Are you sure you should be swimming?”
“My hand is healing fast.” I showed him the hydrocolloid adhesive pads. “The doctor said this should keep the water out.”
“All right. Use the fourth lane and see me after practice.”
“Okay.” I went to my lane and checked the bleachers to see if Raine and Echo were there. They weren’t. Frowning, I dove in. Warm-ups were often intense, but Doc kept them short. He always made us taper down before a meet. If a swimmer pulled a muscle or got injured, we’d be in trouble. As it was, we were short on faster swimmers.
We lined up to race. Kicker was with the team on the lane to my left. She winked. “So it’s over between you and Mr. Hottie-in-a-Trench-Coat, huh?”
I shot her an annoyed look. “Yes.”
“So then why is he here?”
I followed her gaze to the bleachers, and my eyes met Echo’s. He winked. Where was Raine? I almost missed my turn and dove into the water seconds late. I pushed myself, kicking and pulling, happy as a clown. Echo was here. Watching me. Maybe I was going to listen to what he had to say.
I finished the lap and pulled out of the pool.
Doc checked his stopwatch and gave me a thumbs-up. “I want to see that drive tomorrow, Jemison. You just dropped nine-tenths of a second.”
I smiled and looked toward the bleachers. Echo got up, and my stomach dropped. Dang it. He was leaving. Instead of walking away, he moved closer to the pool and sat down again.
Smiling, I went back to practice. He was still there when I finished.
Doc pulled me aside when practice was over. He checked my hand. “Did it hold?”
“Oh yes.” I wiggled my fingers. “I’ll be here tomorrow.”
“How is Raine doing?”
I shrugged. “Okay.”
“Do you think she’ll come back to the team? We could really use her.”
Raine was too busy with her after school activities to swim. “I can talk to her, but I’m not making any promises. Her dad is pretty sick, and he’s all her family is focusing on right now.”
“I see,” Doc said, bending down and picking up a pair of goggles a swimmer had left behind.
“Like I said, I’ll talk to her.” I left him doing rounds, collecting things students forgot. I carried my stuff in a mesh bag and disappeared into the showers.
“So you two are back together?” Kicker asked as we changed.
I didn’t understand her obsession with Echo. Why should she care whether we were back together or not? “No.”
“I want to know where he bought his coat. It’s exactly like the one worn by the lead singer of the Reapers.”
“Oh. I’ll ask him if you like.”
She gave me a thumbs-up and disappeared with Naya. I finished getting dressed and grabbed my bag. Echo stood by my car when I entered the parking terrace, and he wasn’t alone. A girl was talking to him.
The green-eyed monster reared its ugly head somewhere deep inside me. I fought it. I refused to be one of those girls who became jealous just because her boyfriend said hi to another girl. Not that Echo was my boyfriend or anything like that.
He saw me and started forward, the girl completely forgotten. She stared after him and then at me, shrugged, and walked away. The monster quieted down.
I slowed down as he got closer. “I’m still not ready to listen—”
He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close, swim bag, wet hair, and all.
“I’m sorry I hurt you, Cora,” he whispered. “I didn’t mean to. I’d do anything to undo the way I behaved. I want a chance to explain, and if you decide never to talk to me after that, I’ll completely understand.”
The timbre of his voice washed over my senses in such a delightful way that I shivered. He sounded really sorry, and it felt wonderful to be in his arms. Funny how warm he was when he hadn’t visited Hel.
He leaned back and studied my face with such intensity I started to fidget, my heart tripping with anticipation and apprehension.
“I didn’t mean to leave you the way I did last weekend,” he said, stepping back and taking my gym bag. He gripped my arm and nudged me toward to the car. Instinctively, I pressed the button to unlock the car. “I should have stayed and tried to explain, but reasoning went out the window when I realized what I had done to you. I was pissed. Shocked. In denial. I made a terrible mistake.”
His words hit me hard like a brick wall. “I was, uh, a mistake?”
“No, sweetheart. Not you. You are the most honest thing in my life right now. You told me you couldn’t be the person I claimed you were, but I refused to listen or even consider you could be right. I had all the evidence that I was dealing with two different women, but—”
“What evidence?”
“You. Maliina might have looked like you, but she could never be you. I noticed a few minor details.” He glanced at my chest and then my face and grinned. “Yours are perkier and bigger and… more responsive than hers.”
My face grew hot. “You have a one-track mind.”
“No, I don’t. Just stating the obvious. But beyond the physical, there’s… you. You are stubborn, opinionated, and take such pleasure in pissing me off.”
I grinned.
He sighed. “It’s not funny. Women adore me.”
I rolled my eyes. “For an apology, yours sucks.”
He winced. “You are also giving, loving, and an amazing listener. From the first kiss, I noticed the difference in the taste and texture of your lips, but I wanted you and couldn’t believe I hadn’t noticed…”
“That I wasn’t Maliina?” I whispered.
He lifted my chin with his forefinger and studied my face, eyes blazing. “The gem hidden underneath the vampy exterior, except I was dealing with two different women. You are the gem. She is the vamp.” He tucked strands of my wet hair behind my ear and moved his hand as though to cup my face. He stopped, fisted his hand, and let it drop by his side. “St. James was right about me. I use people and discard them when I’m done. I play dirty and don’t care who gets hurt in the process as long as I win.”
“But—”
He placed a finger on my lips. “Let me finish. I’ve been doing it for centuries, and I don’t think I can change. I’m no good for anyone, least of all you, doll-face.”
“Don’t say that!” I whispered.
He closed his eyes, and when he continued, his voice was heartbreakingly sad. “I will bring you nothing but misery and heartache, Cora. Believe me. I know what I’m talking about.” He opened his eyes and ran his thumb across my lips. His head dipped as though he was going to kiss me, but he stepped back, arm dropping to his side. “I shouldn’t even be touching you. Come on. I’ll escort you home.” He reached for car door and indicated I enter.
I pushed the door shut. “What do you mean by you know what you’re talking about?”
“It can’t work between us.”
“Why not?”
“You know why.”
The pain from a week ago returned. This time, it was worse. “Because I’m not Maliina? I’m not tough like her and would get easily hurt by the big bad Grimnir?”
Echo sighed. “This has nothing to do with her. Please, get in the car.”
I didn’t budge. “Is it
our age difference? Raine and Torin are making it work.”
“Our age difference doesn’t bother me. You are Mortal, Cora, while I’m a Grimnir. I deal with the dead.”
“So do I.”
“It’s not the same. Our worlds are not supposed to mix.”
“Raine’s mother and father made it work,” I said.
“And see what’s happening to him and Raine.”
“What do you mean?”
“The Norns and the Valkyries, even the gods, never forget. How do you think her father, a man who took care of himself physically and watched what he ate, got cancer at such a young age? That’s the Norns doing. I’d hate to see you hurt because of my choices.”
I laughed. “You’d hate to see me hurt? What do you call what you are doing right now, Echo?”
“Doing the right thing.”
“For you, not for me.” I yanked the car door open and got behind the wheel. He gripped the door when I would have slammed it. “Let go.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Whatever makes you sleep at night, pal.” I started the car and backed out, forcing him to jump back. He moved to the other side of the car, opened the door, and sat beside me before I switched gears. “Get out of my car, Echo. Let’s make this break clean and final.”
“I can’t do that. I need to explain why I came to your bedroom that first night.”
“That’s self-explanatory,” I snapped and hit the gas. “You thought I was Maliina, and you came for a booty call.”
“That’s not true.”
“Oh, please. Do I look stupid to you? I was there. You practically mauled me.”
He closed his eyes and sighed. “There’s a reason I was there, Cora, and yes it had to do with her.”
I stopped at the parking booth and handed the guy the correct amount of money. “I don’t want to discuss her or that night, Echo.”
“Then listen.”
“Don’t feel like doing that either.” So hurt by his attitude I couldn’t think straight, I stared straight ahead and stepped on the gas when the parking bar lifted. I careened around a corner without slowing down.
Runes #03 - Grimnirs Page 18
