Chapter Nineteen
“THIS DOES NOT count toward our bet,” Sven heard Håkon grouse at Emily as they all bolted after Halla.
“I don’t see why not,” she exclaimed, her speed extraordinary. Almost unnatural. She was faster than she had ever been.
“Emily, slow down,” Sven roared into her mind, both furious and worried that she wouldn’t answer or even listen to him. When he awoke to find her gone, his world had come to a screeching halt. Then things only got worse when he found her lying lifeless beneath the water. He thought he had lost her.
Now this, whatever it was.
Not just Halla’s response and Vigdis’, who was finally in clothes again, but Emily’s.
Yes, she was alive, but the look in her eyes when she spoke of the strange man made him feel raging jealousy. Far stronger than anything he had felt before. Sure, some of it was his human half responding, but a great deal more was his inner dragon. This stranger was a threat. He just didn’t know how yet. Outside of the obvious, that is.
Sven scanned the sky again looking for Halla as he and Davyn raced through the woods after the other two. He gave Davyn credit for listening to Vigdis and not shifting to go after her. He knew how much effort that had taken. Some might say the seer’s semi-nude state kept him in place, but Sven knew he had truly heeded her words.
“Do not risk it until we know what we face.” Vigdis’ eyes had gone to Davyn's tattoo, the tone of her voice ominous even as she batted her lashes at him. “Until you know what that means.”
Kjar agreed. “We cannot risk you being destroyed if your tattoo’s meant to harm your dragon when you shift. What good will you be to any of us, if that happens?”
“And we cannot risk it being a tracker that helps the enemy see us better within this place,” Sven added. “If it is, you put all of us at risk. Most especially Emily and Halla.”
That had gotten through to Davyn. His inherent need to protect their females. So now here they were racing in the general direction in which Halla had vanished. Sven pushed himself harder, determined to catch up with Emily. She was fast. Faster than ever. Finally, he caught sight of her just ahead of them.
And just ahead of Håkon, much to his cousin’s chagrin.
“Loki’s cock, when did you get so fast?” her brother exclaimed, remaining a pace behind her.
Seconds later, Emily reached the top just ahead of him. Though Sven knew she was tempted to claim victory, she didn’t. Like the rest of them, she was too worried about Halla. Moments later, when he joined her, he realized that wasn’t the only reason for her stunned silence.
“Odin above,” she whispered, breathing heavily as her hand slipped into his. “It’s your carving, Sven.”
It was far more than that. The wide, sweeping valley below put his carving to shame it was so stunning. Glorious. Hard to look away from. Like what he had carved, it was surrounded by mountains, and lush forests with five crystalline lakes staggered at different levels pouring into each other via waterfalls.
To top it all off, Níðhöggr’s Ash sat on a cliff overlooking it all. Magnificent and ancient, its beauty was unsurpassed. Mesmerizing. Its trunk was as thick as their largest ship was long and its leaves indescribable. As if they had a life of their own. Several thick, winding roots grew down the side of the cliff where others twisted up the green velvet hill behind it.
“It is much like the Yggdrasill first brought to Midgard in ancient times,” Kjar said softly, as much in awe as the rest of them.
Because of Uncle Kodran, Aunt Erica and Mema Angie’s previous life, they were familiar with what it looked like.
“Well, if nothing else is true about it,” Emily murmured, “it definitely doesn’t seem evil.”
“It wouldn’t,” Vigdis murmured as she joined them. Her eyes seeming normal for the first time since Håkon’s tattoo acted up the day before. “Because without a shadow of a doubt that tree was created via seer power.” Her eyes met Sven’s. “I can’t speak for the rest of this place but Mt. Galdhøpiggen definitely aided in that ash’s creation.”
He nodded, not surprised. Grateful, he supposed. Though he wasn’t happy that the seers had lost their home, he was pleased that if its power was transferred anywhere, it was here.
“It seems we might not have been too far off about this river,” Kjar commented, gesturing to the small puddle of water that fed it. A comical impossibility. “Something the likes of this, so improbable and unassuming, must surely originate or perhaps even be Hvergelmir’s Spring.”
Kjar made a good point. He certainly would not have thought a muddy puddle could feed such a river never mind be the source of all life.
Emily pointed. “There she is!”
In her glory, Halla raced through the valley, swooping down low enough that her belly grazed the tree tops before she raced up the mountainside toward them. Her golden scales shimmered in the sunlight, and her dark chocolate cat-like eyes were full of excitement. Within moments, she shifted in a twirl of color, before she landed fully dressed in front of them grinning from ear to ear. “Loki’s balls, that felt amazing!”
Sven wanted to throttle her, and he wasn’t alone. Based on Davyn’s red face, and clenched fists as he stalked around her and eyed her over, he wanted to do worse. “Are you all right?” He shook his head, fuming. “You certainly seem it!”
She sighed and rolled her eyes. “I’m great!” She spread her arms and twirled. “Just look at me!”
Emily’s grin fell beneath Sven’s displeased look.
“What?” She shrugged. “She looks fine and,” she cocked her head as she connected telepathically with Halla, “she really does feel great.” Her eyes returned to Halla. “What is that?”
“Something good,” Vigdis purred, her attitude back to lusting as her eyes settled on Håkon’s groin and she licked her lips. “Good enough to eat.”
“Oh, no,” Emily warned Vigdis away even as the seer inhaled deeply then cuddled close to her brother, rubbing her cheek against his chest. “I won our bet, Håkon. That means no lusting until we figure things out.”
Meanwhile, Kjar’s narrowed eyes flickered from woman to woman. “Something is triggering the change in their behavior much like a mind-altering drug.”
Sven nodded absently and tried to remain focused as Emily got over worrying about her brother in the blink of an eye and sidled up next to him, her hands wandering. His vision hazed red, and he released an unstoppable growl of approval when one bold hand drifted lower. He knew he needed to get to the bottom of things, but all he could smell was her. All he could feel was her sweet temptation.
“King Sven,” Kjar ground out. “If you cannot control yourself, at least find shelter. We don’t know what’s going on and you’re too exposed. Emily is too exposed. You must keep her safe.”
If anything could get through to him right now, it was that. His need to keep her safe. So, using all the willpower he was capable of, he closed his eyes, held his breath and stepped away from her. Once he felt he had himself under control, he opened his eyes to Kjar and nodded. The demi-god nodded in return, clearly relieved he was in his right mind once more.
Intent to set things straight, Sven went to Halla and gripped her shoulders lightly but firmly. Enough that she knew how serious he was. “When you shifted you put not just yourself but all of us at great risk.”
He shook his head. Though tempted to rant and rave at her, he knew that wouldn’t get through to her as well as reminding her what she risked. “There is magic at work here we know nothing about. Powerful magic that could take you away from us forever. Keep that in mind the next time you break your word.” He squeezed her shoulders and held her gaze. “Keep in mind that no matter how strong the lure is to shift and fly, you cannot. If you do, that might be it. All you care about might vanish. Every last one of your kin.”
While he knew by the hesitant look in her eyes that she was tempted to argue with him, she didn’t. Instead, her gaze drifted to Davyn and everyone
else before she came to some sort of conclusion and nodded once. “Yes, Sven.” She notched her chin, genuine pride in her eyes as they met his. “I mean King Sven.”
Not king. Not nearly, he thought, but kept it to himself rather than argue. Though inclined to embrace her because he was as relieved as the rest of them that she was all right, he didn’t.
“Follow me,” he ordered as he took Emily’s hand and started down into the forest, throwing over his shoulder, “Davyn, hunt along the way.”
He knew full well his cousin was scowling behind his back because he wanted to keep an eye on Halla, but this served two purposes. It both tested and rewarded her for listening to him. The reward was freedom from Davyn. So was the test. Would she listen now that she knew he wasn’t breathing down her neck? Would she listen to an order from her supposed king?
As it turned out, Halla and the other women remained in remarkably pleasant spirits as though Halla’s attitude had seeped into them. Strange how this mind-altering change affected the seer too. He would think if it were somehow controlled by Níðhöggr it would only affect dragons. Unless it came directly from that tree. A tree connected to seer magic.
Though Halla seemed a bit less amorous for the moment, as though shifting had relieved her some, Vigdis and Emily remained distractingly aroused. As if Emily being in heat wasn’t enough now she almost seemed enslaved by it. But she was not as bad-tempered with sexual frustration as she might have been.
No, he seemed to be the one suffering from that as the day wore on.
Because she was jealous of Vigdis, Emily remained close, which, he supposed was for the best when it came to her safety. Not so much for the state of his cock though. Especially when she continually brushed against him or touched him here and there. Either a hand on his shoulder or the occasional trail of her fingers down his arm. She was very affectionate, and it was driving him to distraction. It didn’t matter if their dragons weren't officially mated yet, his dragon wanted her relentlessly.
The forest they traveled through was as rich and enchanting as everything else in this place. Instead of being various ages as they would be in a typical woodland, the trees all appeared to be very old but in good health. Pines mixed with birches and ashes and even varieties of trees he had never seen before.
“Not everything here is native to Scandinavia,” Kjar said, obviously of the same mind. “Or even Midgard for that matter.”
Emily ran her fingers along the bark of one such tree as they passed. One that sparkled silver.
“So smooth...and cold,” she murmured.
“We should take care about what we touch,” he said softly as he pulled her closer. “There’s no way to know how it could affect us if it’s of another world.”
She nodded, threading her fingers with his as she smiled at him. He almost lost his step at how that smile made him feel. Not just joyous but ravenous for more...of her. He inhaled deeply and dragged his eyes away. He had to stay focused. Their lives depended on it.
“So are we heading for the tree?” Halla asked.
“Yes,” Sven confirmed.
“That’s going to take a while without shifting.”
“Yes.”
She sighed, plainly impatient but heeding his request so far. Yet that didn’t stop her from talking about it. “You should have felt it.” She came alongside them, beaming. “It wasn’t like regular shifting.”
“How do you mean?” Emily asked, her eyes curious yet lusty as they raked over him again.
“It was better,” Halla exclaimed, her cheeks flushed and her eyes bright. “Like lying with a male, shifting and flying all wrapped into one. A rush like you’ve never felt before.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Emily murmured, her eyes drifting to his groin.
“Trust me,” Halla gushed. “It’s unbelievable.”
Eager to shift the conversation and hopefully Emily’s eyes, he gestured downhill. “We’ll stop at the first lake and refresh ourselves.”
He relayed the message telepathically to Davyn. If they didn’t come across anything that slowed them, they should be able to make it more than halfway to the tree before nightfall.
“This is an unusual place,” Davyn responded. “With equally unusual game.”
When Sven questioned him, he responded with unmistakable pleasure at the challenge. “They are faster and smarter. More difficult to hunt.”
There really was nothing like a good hunt. Especially for dragons.
In the meantime, Vigdis had been collecting berries and herbs claiming they were safe.
“How do you know?” Emily asked.
“They are either native to our world.” The seer’s sly eyes slid to Håkon. “Or a worthy donation from another that will please your kind.”
When Emily frowned at Håkon over her shoulder, he scowled and redirected his attention to the seer. “How so?”
“You know damn well how based on the look in her eyes when she looks at you, Brother.” Emily frowned at Vigdis this time. “You’re not making my life easy.”
“I apologize, child.” Whether she meant that was debatable as her eyes went from Sven to Emily. “I think if you gave in to your dragon hormones more often, you wouldn’t care so much about me.”
“How is your tattoo, Håkon?” Sven asked, putting an end to that conversation.
“It is fine,” he replied, still eying Vigdis despite Emily’s dirty looks.
“How is your tattoo, Sven?” Kjar asked.
“Unchanged,” he began before he looked at it and arched his brows in surprise. “Actually, I think it has a bit more color to it.”
Emily peered at it and nodded. “I think so too.”
She was about to continue on but trailed off and stopped short as the way cleared ahead and the lake came into view. Everyone else stopped as well, fully aware she wasn’t looking at the remarkable water but who sat beside it fishing of all things.
“That’s him,” she whispered. “That’s the stranger from my dream.”
Chapter Twenty
LIKE THE OTHER women, Emily was profoundly aware of the strange man’s presence as the men drew their weapons and approached slowly. She almost urged Sven to hold back but knew that would not go over well. Still, she didn’t like the look on his face. It bespoke a man who had already judged his opponent and found him guilty. Worse than that? He was prepared to serve a swift death sentence.
“He is very much dragon,” Halla whispered, breathless. “But what kind of dragon...”
Vigdis licked her lips and eyed him with blatant approval. “The best kind.”
The men were nearly on him before Sven called out, “Who are you, stranger?”
“I am Leif,” he replied, undaunted. Or so it seemed. His roughly strewn fishing rod remained in place, and his eyes were still on the lake. “And I mean you no harm.”
“I do not believe you,” Sven replied. “Put down the rod and toss aside your weapons.”
“I have no weapons.” Leif slowly put the rod down. “You can check me if you like.”
When Sven moved toward the man, Kjar shook his head and stepped forward instead. She understood why. Sven was too important. Håkon, meanwhile, seemed different. Though he remained on alert, his body language was far too relaxed.
As promised, when Leif stood, and Kjar looked him over, no weapons were found. Yet that didn’t put Sven and Kjar at ease and with good reason. Though it was hard to tell in the darkened woods of her dream, Leif was not only as well-muscled and as tall as the Sigdirs but rougher built somehow. However peaceable he appeared now, this man was a fighter. And based on his numerous scars, she would say a warrior who fought often.
“Why are you here?” Sven asked, sword still in hand as he narrowed his eyes. “What people do you belong to?”
“If I could answer either of those questions, I would, friend.”
“I am not your friend.” When Sven nodded at Kjar, the demi-god began looking Leif over for dragon tattoos. Anythin
g that might mean he was an assassin. “Tell me how you got here.”
“I do not know.” Leif didn’t look her way, but Emily knew he wanted to. “All I remember is being in a dark forest with your woman—”
“My mate,” Sven growled.
“Your...mate,” Leif conceded though she got the impression he knew their dragons hadn’t fully mated yet. His bronze eyes never left Sven’s. “I was with her and you then I was here. I awoke on this very shore.”
“He’s lying,” she said into Sven’s mind. “He has to be.”
“I know,” he replied, trusting her.
Yet they both knew Leif was doing it very well. So well that his vitals hadn’t changed. As far as they could tell via their dragon senses, Leif was telling the truth. Or at least the truth as he knew it.
“Well, I for one believe you,” Halla announced. She dodged away from Emily before she could catch her and sauntered his way. “As does my dragon.”
“Halla,” came Davyn’s dark, warning growl as he appeared at the forest’s edge. “Take another step, and I will drag you all the way home right now. Don’t think I won’t.”
Unbelievably enough she listened. But then Emily suspected Sven had just offered her some sharp internal words as well.
Though Emily knew Leif was tempted to look at Halla, his eyes never wavered from Sven’s. If nothing else, he was playing this right and showing respect to the one dragon he should.
“So you appeared here without any memory of how you arrived,” Sven said. “Or any memory of terrifying my mate.”
“Well, it wasn’t exactly him that—” she began.
“Emily,” Sven warned. “I will handle this.”
“I did not mean to frighten her,” Leif replied. “And yes, I have no memory of how I arrived or where I am from.”
“So you awoke in a strange place with no memory,” Sven said dryly, “and decided the best course of action was to sit down and fish?”
“I was hungry.”
“As a rule, dragons prefer meat to fish.”
“As a rule, dragons can shift too,” Leif countered. “But that does not seem to apply to me.”
Viking King's Vendetta Page 17
