Story Overview
Taking a few months to reflect on what she truly wants from life, Emily returns to her family home in Winter Harbor, Maine. Yet she should have known her ties with ancient Scandinavia and those with dragon blood would catch up with her. Moreover, that her connection with the man she loves would be impossible to ignore. Something soon proven when he pulls her back in time to tenth century Norway.
Determined to help his people defeat a dark prophecy, Viking Sven Sigdir returns to his homeland to find two regions minus their beloved kings. Leaderless, both clans look to Sven to rule. Though willing to rise up, he must first uncover the root of the prophecy. That means reuniting with the woman who holds his heart and setting forth on a perilous journey.
Sven and Emily navigate not only their feelings for one another but the burgeoning prophecy that might take it all away. Will they be able to conquer their new adversary before it’s too late? Or is this just the beginning of something that will change life as they know it? Find out in Viking King’s Vendetta, an action-packed adventure ripe with sizzling passion, epic battles, dynamic characters and powerful dragon-shifters.
Viking King’s Vendetta
Viking Ancestors
Rise of the Dragon
Book One
Sky Purington
COPYRIGHT © 2018
Viking King’s Vendetta
Sky Purington
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
Edited by Cathy McElhaney
Cover Art by Tara West
Published in the United States of America
Dedication
For my husband and the love of my life, Travis.
Our paths first crossed briefly when I was seven, and you were thirteen, but Fate eventually brought us back together, and now it’s nearly twenty years later. How could I not believe in destined mates?
Here’s to many more amazing fun-filled years together!
Xoxo
Contents
Story Overview
Series Overview
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Coming Soon
Just Curious?
Pronunciation Glossary
Midgard Locations Glossary
Nine Worlds
Previous Releases-Best Reading Order
Family Trees
About the Author
Series Overview
Long before the dawn of time on Midgard, or Middle Earth, war raged on the fiery world of Múspellsheimr. Dominant, restless creatures that were half man, half dragon forever struggled for more power. Two factions rose above the rest, crushing their opponents until none rivaled them but one another. Of equal strength and might, they fought for hundreds of years until the great serpent Níðhöggr met his end in the jaws of his double-headed rival. As he lay dying, the mighty dragon used the last of his magic to ensure his lineage would not be extinguished but resurrected by a dark prophecy. In his need for vengeance, Níðhöggr vowed his serpent offspring would someday destroy all trace of his nemesis. Therefore, he might from the afterlife, at last taste the glory of victory through his descendants. And so the story goes...
Chapter One
Winter Harbor, Maine
August 2018
“WELL, THAT CAN’T BE a good sign.” Emily crossed her arms over her chest, sighed and narrowed her eyes at the twenty foot tall ash tree in the backyard of her oceanside million dollar chalet.
“When did you get that hauled in here?” came a familiar voice from the deck.
She eyed Pierce over her shoulder and thought fast. “This morning.”
The truth was she hadn’t planted the ash, it simply appeared. Much like another that once stood in this very spot.
“I wish you’d spoken to me about it first.” He frowned at the tree. “It’ll hide too much of the house if anyone is looking at it from the bay. That isn’t going to help you sell this place.”
No kidding. “About that.” She headed his way. “I’ve been giving things some thought.”
“Have you then?” There was a hopeful octave to his voice as he took off his suit coat and tugged at his tie. Tall and well-built with sandy blonde hair, Pierce might look great in a suit, but he hated wearing them.
“I have been giving things some thought but not in the way you think.” She nodded thanks and breezed by him when he held the door open for her. The day was just starting to heat up, but it remained blissfully cool inside. “Let’s talk. I’ll get you some coffee.”
He nodded absently as he continued peering out at the tree before turning suspicious eyes her way. “You’re lying to me about that tree.”
She remained silent as she poured him a cup of coffee.
“The tree has something to do with Sean doesn’t it?” He closed the distance and leaned against the black granite countertop, his gray eyes locked on hers. “It has to do with where you’re from, right.”
“Technically, I’m from here, but yes, it most likely has to do with tenth century Scandinavia,” she said softly as she handed him the mug and met his eyes. “The last time an ash tree appeared I traveled back in time.”
His eyes stayed with hers as he set the mug down. “You’re leaving again then?”
As it turned out, Pierce was not only Uncle Sean’s cousin, but one of the rare people that knew the truth about what happened to Sean and her when she was a little girl. How her mother and all her aunts traveled back in time to Scandinavia and fell in love with Viking dragon-shifters. How Sean did the same with Auntie Svala.
As it happened, time went by differently between then and now. Twenty years might pass there where only a year or so did here. Something about time trying to catch up with itself. Therefore, though she initially left Maine as a little girl two or so years ago, when she returned here a few months ago, she was in her twenties. On rare occasion, it didn’t work that way. Namely, the last time a tree appeared. But that wasn’t to be worried about at the moment.
“You knew I’d be leaving eventually, Pierce,” she said in response to his statement.
“Did I?” Though he had not moved closer, she knew he wanted to. “Because I was under the impression you were undecided. In fact, it almost sounded like you were leaning toward staying.”
She fiddled absently with the small piece of wood in her pocket and shook her head, well aware he was attracted to her. Had things been different something more might have existed between them. “I just needed tim
e to think...to decide where I wanted my life to be...”
“You mean who you wanted your life to be with,” he said softly.
“It’s less about that and more about returning to my kind. My people,” she replied. “You know that.”
When Sean left, Pierce took over his business and even moved into his log cabin. Where Sean had been a rugged driven fisherman, Pierce was an entrepreneur and a jack of all trades. Wildly successful despite his humble nature, he oversaw several businesses plus found time for real estate on the side. Hence him being her agent on the sale of this house.
But he had become more than that too. A friend she didn’t see coming into her life. A friend that knew far more about her than most because Sean trusted him. She did too, for that matter.
“I’m not sure I know anything when it comes to you,” he murmured as his gaze dropped to her pocket. “I know what’s in there though.” His eyes returned to hers. “What’s always in there.”
“Sven’s my best friend,” she defended. Or at least he was. She brushed her fingers over the little wolf one last time before she pulled her hand out. “You know that.”
“Oh, he’s more than that,” he murmured before he took several sips of coffee and turned his eyes to the paperwork on the counter. “I brought everything you asked for. Updated property assessments, etcetera.” He slanted her a look. “So if you’re so determined to return to Sven, why are you having second thoughts about selling this house?”
“I didn’t say I was going back to be with Sven,” she muttered, knowing full well he wasn’t there anyway. Or he wasn’t the last she had heard. “And I do want to sell the house.” She perked her brows at him. “To you preferably.”
“Me?” He frowned. “Why? I already have a place. A few places actually.”
“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “It occurred to me I hadn’t offered it to you and that you might like it as an investment if nothing else.” She grinned. “You can get it for a steal.”
In truth, she would all but give it to him. As it was, the money from the sale was going to him anyway because she wouldn’t be in the twenty-first century anymore.
His eyes swept over the floor to ceiling windows overlooking Frenchman Bay and the massive open-concept living room before he looked at her again. “I’ll have to give it some thought.”
She could tell by his expression that he could care less about the house but was disgruntled by her confirmation that she would be leaving. More so than that though she denied it, her real reason for returning likely had to do with Sven.
“You should definitely consider buying it.” She cocked her head and eyed him, not used to seeing him respond this way to talk of Sven. Usually, he was more of a jokester and lighthearted about his speculations. “Hey, are we good, sweetie?”
Evidently aware his behavior was out of character, he nodded and offered a smile that didn’t quite meet his eyes. “Sure we are.” He gestured in the direction of the tree. “So what’s that really all about?”
She was about to respond when his cell phone rang, and he took the call. As he did, she leaned against the counter, pulled the wolf out and stared at. Though tempted, she didn’t open the line of communication it allowed her and Sven no matter where they were in time. Instead, she remembered the day he had given it to her so long ago. How he had vowed it would always protect her. She still recalled the instant love she felt for him despite their age difference.
An age difference that no longer mattered.
When Pierce hung up and headed her way, she shoved the wolf in her pocket and returned to her coffee. “Who was that?”
“Not surprisingly, you already have a hit on the house from the online listing.” He sipped his coffee and eyed her outfit. “Up for a showing?”
“I suppose,” she began before he cut her off.
“Good.” He grinned. “Because she’s on her way.”
“Excuse me?”
“Yup.” He took her mug out of her hand and set it down while fixing his tie. “Better go change.” He eyed her up and down. “Not to say you don’t look great in that.”
She scowled at him and flew upstairs. Having dressed for gardening, she was in the dingiest clothes she owned. Luckily, she was pretty low maintenance, so it didn’t take long to throw herself together. After she put on some shorts and a t-shirt, she ran a brush through her wild black curls and smeared on some nude lip gloss.
“Ah, I figured you’d be showing up pretty soon,” she said telepathically to the huge white wolf that appeared sitting beside her bed. Named after the beast the god Loki begat with Angrboða, Fenrir was the manifestation of her little wooden wolf. Something she could see because like her mother she was a powerful medium.
“Where else would I be?” he replied, his blue eyes quite serious. “There is trouble afoot.”
Interestingly enough, she couldn’t speak with Fenrir—or should she say couldn’t hear him reply—until after the first and only kiss she had shared with Sven. Why that was remained a mystery. The kiss had been chaste enough, so she wasn’t sure what sparked it. Not really. Sometimes she speculated it might have been the kiss after all. Because as much as she told herself it hadn't affected her, the truth was it had. Profoundly.
She was about to reply to Fenrir when the doorbell rang. “Gotta go. We’ll talk later.”
“Perfect timing,” she declared as she headed downstairs, flashed Pierce a winning smile and headed for the front door.
“I am your agent,” he called after her. “So maybe I should answer the door, eh?”
She waved him off and flung open the door only to have the oddest sensation wash over her as she locked eyes with the woman standing there. Stunning and petite, she wore a flowy sundress, strappy sandals and possessed an ethnic look. Perhaps Gypsy? She had cinnamon tinted shoulder length black hair and pale mint green eyes that reflected what Emily instantly recognized as powerful magic.
Dragon magic.
“Hi, there.” The woman offered a soft smile. “My name’s Sage. Are you Emily?”
“I am,” she said slowly, as everything inside her went on high alert, and her vision hazed red.
In direct response, Sage’s eyes flashed cat-like with her inner dragon before she blinked and it vanished. “I’m a friend, Emily. Here to protect you.”
“Protect me?” She narrowed her eyes. “From who?”
“I’m not entirely sure,” Sage replied. “All I know is I’m supposed to be here...that something has begun.”
“Um, Em,” Pierce called down the hallway, his voice strange. “I think you might want to come see this.”
Emily glanced over her shoulder only to find Sage had vanished when she looked back. Yet her SUV was still parked in the driveway.
“Damn it,” she muttered, heading Pierce’s way first. What was going on? She slowed when she reached the living room and saw what had him so awed. “Oh, that really can’t be a good sign.”
In the short time she had been at the front door, the ash tree had more than doubled in size. Magnificent, it appeared both youthful and ancient at the same time. She stepped out on the back deck with Pierce only to find Sage standing several feet from the tree. Rather than admiring its glorious foliage like most people would do she stared intently at its gnarly roots.
“Prophecy,” Sage whispered before her dragon eyes drifted to Emily. “Prophecy begins.”
Chapter Two
EMILY WAITED SAGE out while the woman walked around the tree studying its roots a half dozen times. Though she had asked her what she meant by a prophecy beginning, she only shook her head.
So here she was again, arms crossed over her chest wondering what the heck was going on with this tree. Nothing good she imagined seeing how Sage was under the impression she was here to protect Emily. Unseen by anyone but Emily, Fenrir stalked around Sage, not impressed with the whole situation.
Though tempted once again to reach out to Sven, she figured she would try to get more answers first. W
ould that frustrate him? Absolutely. But he needed to start having a little faith in her. At least that’s how she felt the last time she laid eyes on him. Since then, the gods only knew what he was thinking. Unless she was looking at his face, he could hide his true emotions all too well.
“It’s not going to be as easy as I’d hoped,” Sage finally announced before she began braiding her hair and headed for the deck. “C’mon. We need to talk.”
Pierce, who dutifully wore his suit jacket again, plastered on a smile and launched into real estate mode as she climbed the stairs. “I’m so glad you like—”
“Save it, Pierce,” Emily interrupted, bounding up the stairs after Sage. “Don’t you dare step inside until we’ve talked, Sage.”
“Be careful, Emily,” Fenrir warned, trotting behind her. “I do not like this.”
While at first, she thought Sage was going to ignore her, she ended up stopping at the door. Then, bizarrely enough, she rested her hand on the window pane and closed her eyes.
Emily shook her head at him when Pierce started to speak then planted her fists on her hips and eyed Sage. “I’m really going to need you to start giving me some answers.”
A small smile curled Sage’s lips before she murmured, “This house has seen a lot.” She pulled her hand away and looked at Emily. “You do realize how much he loves you, right? Always has?”
Pierce cleared his throat, evidently thinking Sage referred to him before she shook her head. “I wasn’t talking about you but the handsome Viking.” Her eyebrows swept up as she kept her eyes on Emily. “A Norseman who can speak English thanks to the amount of time traveling that’s happened between here and Scandinavia.” She grinned. “Convenient.” Her attention finally turned Pierce’s way. “You must be the real estate agent.” She cocked her head. “Interesting finding you here.”
Though his brows initially whipped together in confusion, a blink later, Pierce resumed his charming salesman persona. “Well, of course, I’m here.” The corner of his mouth shot up. “Just for you.” He gestured at the house, laying it on a little thick. “And the house of your dreams.”
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