ROMANCE: Mr. Mystery: (New Adult Bad Boy Romance) (Contemporary Mystery Short Stories)

by Viva Fox

  Moving away from the bed, Sigurd reached for the pitcher of water and cups that were sitting beside the cot. Angela could barely think straight, but gladly took the cup of water that was handed to her. They both sat in silence for a few moments as they drank their water.

  Angela’s mind raced to Matthew who was the only man she had ever been with. Their love was undeniable, but the passion and raw sexual energy that Sigurd put off was impossible to ignore. Sigurd watched her face as she thought, trying to rationalize that it wasn’t cheating because he was dead.

  The Viking man stood, understanding now the expression on her face as one of loss. Leaning down he kissed her gently on the forehead and dressed quickly, finishing his water and placing the cup back on the table. He nodded to her and without needing to say anything, Angela knew that he would be right outside if she needed him. She nodded in return and he dipped under the flap in the door and she listened as the leaves crunched beneath his feet.

  Just then there was a slight commotion in the distance and Angela heard a number of the men, including Sigurd, run in the direction of the noise. Angela stood and dressed herself and began to walk towards the exit to see what the noise had been, but a familiar voice whispered from the far side of the tent.

  “Angela, I’m here to take you home.” Angela froze at the sound of Matthew’s voice. It had been so long since she had heard it, or heard the voice of anyone besides the Vikings. She shifted her weight towards Matthew but hesitated. She stood, caught between her two decisions. After thinking for moment she took a deep breath, and decided.

  THE END

  Viking Bad Boy

  Maura had never really questioned her upbringing. She had no real reason to honestly. That was, until she turned eighteen and the king appeared in her small village to celebrate her birth with her. She had never known her father and grew up with a woman she called “mother,” but on the day she became a woman, all of that was thrown out the window.

  While celebrating with friends and family, she heard a blast from a trumpet and the thundering noise of hooves on pavement. In their village it was not completely uncommon to have people pass through, but never in the numbers that they heard approaching. As they stepped outside, Maura noticed that everyone who was present, began to bow. She looked up and saw the King.

  She quickly dropped to her knee and bowed her head in respect as the man hopped from his horse. He was not a tall man, nor was he particularly attractive, but neither of those things made you a king. It was his vicious ruling style that allowed him to stay in power. Maura, like everyone else, had heard the stories of his deeds in the war over the kingdom.

  While most would have been comfortable allowing others to torture to get information about troop movements, King George seemingly took pleasure in performing the acts of torture himself. Children, Maura included, had grown up and been told that if she behaved badly the king would find her and hang her by her toes. She had constantly been conditioned to be scared of him and now, here he was in the flesh.

  His armored feet clanked against the pavement as he walked and she could hear him removing his gauntlets as he walked toward her. She dared not to look up at him in fear of causing him some sort of irritation. However, gently, a hand reached down and raised her chin upwards so that she was looking at him.

  Maura had never known the age of this man and had been told roughly what he looked like, but it was clear that people were lying. He was an old man, most likely in his sixties or seventies, but looked far older. He had a crooked nose and his face was covered in ghastly scars, most likely from the war. She tried not to look too frightened as he spoke.

  “Maura, my love. Your hand maiden sent word that you would be becoming a woman and I couldn’t bear to miss it. Not after all these long years of waiting.” His voice sounded as if someone was holding his throat, as he almost had to hiss the words out. Even through that though, she still struggled to understand what he meant. He held out a hand for her and helped her to her feet and continued.

  “You see, when you were but a baby, my court mystic had a vision.” He placed his arm around her shoulder and walked with her. “That mystic told me that you would be the most beautiful girl the world had ever known, but that you would cause a rift in my kingdom.” He looked over at the woman Maura called mother and continued once again. “So, I took you under my own wing and had you raised by my scribe so that you could not marry a man who would split my kingdom.”

  Maura tried to take this information in but couldn’t process any of it. Still unsure of even if she had a say in any of this, she was confused with what he had in store for her. “If you have any questions, I would gladly answer them.” Maura stared at him and looked into the faces of the other people in the crowd, all whom were still bowed.

  “I don’t understand what it is that you want from me, your Highness.” The King then laughed and turned so that he was facing her. With both hands on her shoulders he leaned in and kissed her. She tried to pull away, repulsed by his very nature, but she was shocked at how strong his grip was. She felt his tongue trying to creep into her mouth, but she held firm. He pulled away and the towns’ people gasped quietly to themselves.

  “I’m going to marry you myself of course,” he exclaimed.

  ******

  Maura was horrified and didn’t speak for the rest of the day, unable to seemingly get the taste of his chapped lips off of her mouth. She ate and drank her fill, hoping that either the food or wine would make her appear less beautiful to the king. However, even when she tried to disgust him, she only appeared to become more gorgeous.

  It was something she had noticed since she was a young girl. The way that men, and even a few women, looked at her was very confusing. She was taller than other girls, but in a way unlike the others. She had long legs that appeared to go on forever and she had a shapely figure. Thick thighs and wide hips, as well as a large butt which tended to be the area that most men liked to stare at.

  She was traditionally beautiful, with delicate features, but had piercing olive eyes that could cut through iron if she had desired. She had thick, luscious lips that always appeared to have a red coat of lipstick on them and full eyebrows that fully gave away how she felt. Pale skin as well, but in a way that only made her seem to glow in the sunlight.

  So, even though Maura tried to repulse him, he only seemed to smile wider. She noticed too that the other soldiers who were in the room protecting the King also seemed to have the same reaction to her. Whenever she would turn and look at them they would quickly avert their eyes, or look at the King to make sure he had not seen them staring.

  The dinner and the party progressed and Maura couldn’t help but dread her future as the evening went on, but near around the time the King was planning to return to his kingdom, they heard more horses arriving down the road. The soldiers snapped to attention as three black horses rode into the town square. Maura and the rest of the party once again stepped outside to welcome the new arrival and Maura was caught speechless as she walked out to greet them.

  On the lead horse rode a blonde haired man. She noticed that the hair was long as it peaked out from the back of his helmet which he was wearing. The other soldiers all placed a tentative hand on their swords as they investigated the symbols on their armor. They were not the Red Branch that the soldiers in the kingdom wore, but rather a Black Hawk, which few of them had ever seen before. Maura listened intently as one man whispered to another.

  “That must be what is left of the Black Hawks. They’re one of the most brutal mercenary clans that gold can buy.” He glanced over his soldier at the King, whose jaw was clenched shut. “King George sent forces to help take them out and they were never heard from again, save one, it was said he overtook five soldiers.” He looked back towards them, “Imagine how many these men killed.”

  Maura looked back as the man removed his helmet and hopped down off the horse. He was the most handsome, and mysterious man, that she had ever seen. And she was immedi
ately smitten.

  ******

  The man walked forward towards the crowd as he placed the helmet under his arm. He looked out at the stunned audience and laughed. He hung his head slightly and began to speak, immediately, the air left Maura’s lungs hearing his voice.

  “My good people, don’t tell me that this is the kind of hospitality that I can except from everyone in this region.” At once, nearly all of the women in the town, married or not, ran forward to help him and the other men. Maura stood cemented in her place, which the man noted. “Well, if you aren’t the most splendid angel my eyes have ever seen.” He began to walk towards her. The other women’s hearts breaking was almost audible.

  As he took the few steps closer to Maura two guards stepped in front of her and drew their swords slightly. Not as an immediate threat, but as a warning. He held up his hands in surrender and laughed. Maura looked at him with a panicked look and wanted nothing more than to step forward and greet him, but it was King George who stepped forward.

  “Watch where you step, Alistair. Maura has already been claimed.” Alistair looked away from the King and stared at Maura, whose eyes were still drawn open in terror. He took a step back and responded to the King without looking at him.

  “That’s Knight Alistair to you, Sir. As you know, I was knighted by the great King Henry.” King George spat as he said this and cursed his name loudly. “I know you see me as nothing more than a mercenary, but I’m practically royalty now.” Alistair laughed as King George spat again.

  “King Henry holds no authority here and neither does the weight of your name.” He motioned and the two guards who were protecting Maura lunged forward and attempted to grab Alistair who easily avoided their sluggish attempts to grab him. “Guards, seize this man,” the King exclaimed. Just then, multiple guards rushed forward and attempted to grab Alistair. Alistair bobbed and weaved his way around the men until he was face to face with Maura.

  With one hand he leaned in and grabbed her by the lower back, the other gracefully and gently cupped her chin and raised her up onto her toes where he planted a kiss on her lips. Once again, she felt the air leave her lungs, but instead of fighting against the embrace, she felt herself reaching towards him. However, the tender moment was torn short.

  Alistair was torn away from her and was dragged to the ground. But, now that he was so close, she was able to get a much better look at him and she could feel herself falling for this man. He had long blonde hair that seemed to glow with a reddish hue in the evening sun. He had soft, blue eyes that were certainly not the ones that would be found on a killer, she thought to herself. And, even under the weight of four men, he seemed to have complete control of his body, her mind raced to all of the magnificent things he could do with those muscles that didn’t involve fighting.

  She shouted and screamed at the men to let him go, which was greeted by a smile on Alistair’s face and a horrified look on the King’s. The soldiers glanced up towards Maura and then back at the King who stared back at them with a look of confusion and frustration. She turned towards him and pleaded her case.

  “King, please, let him go and I will collect my things and return with you tonight.” She turned and looked at the procession of horses and cart they brought with them. “You had clearly intended me to return tonight which is why you brought the covered cart. Allow me to ride in that and sleep, so that I may be well rested for our wedding.” The King gazed into her eyes searching for a lie, but found none. With a sweeping motion of his arm the knights raised up off Knight Alistair and pushed him down further as they stood.

  “I decree that at this point tomorrow, Maura will be my Queen.” He looked out over the townspeople. “As you all as the witness, she has agreed to it.” He shouted this and looked out at the townspeople who all bowed their heads and nodded. “Good,” the King turned his attention to Maura, “now go and prepare for the journey.”

  She nodded and looked back at Alistair who still had a smile on his face, even after everything the King had said. She turned and walked to the house, saddened by the fact that he was not even slightly heartbroken by the news.

  ******

  Within the hour she had packed up her worldly possessions and allowed the soldiers to pack her away into the small riding carriage that had been prepared for her. Once she stepped inside she was surprised to see that the carriage was actually furnished rather well. Large cushions and blankets covered the hard wooden interior and the few windows were well insulated so that Maura felt that she had complete security and privacy.

  She yelled once just to see if anyone noticed and after she waited for a moment no one said anything. Maura popped her head outside of the door and looked around at the soldiers who stood near it in attention. She turned her attention to the crowd that stood around and noticed a familiar face in the crowd.

  Alistair’s blonde locks popped and she noticed that the same smile was plastered on his face, but this time it seemed slightly sinister. She also noted how his armor was off and he was wearing a tight fitting leather shirt and pants, both had been stained black. He held up his hand to his mouth and held a finger over his mouth to shush her. He then pointed at the two soldiers who were nearest the caravan.

  Just then the soldiers turned and nodded to her delicately. She had not paid much attention to them before, but noticed how both of them had similar facial structure to Alistair. She realized then that they were both the other Black Hawks. She looked back up to find Alistair in the crowd, but he had disappeared.

  King George exited from her home and motioned for the troops to ready up. Maura watched as the two Black Hawks took the horses to the rear of her carriage. Within five minutes the whole caravan of people, led by King George, was headed back towards the capital city and her new home.

  ******

  She had asked the King how long the journey would take and he had told her that it would take a few hours, but she honestly had no real understanding of time, especially when she was locked away in the booth that the King had crafted for her. So, she sat and tried to allow herself to drift into sleep.

  As her eyelids began to grow heavy she noticed that there was a strange sound coming from the floor of the carriage. It sounded like something was grinding or ripping and she shifted from her spot and began to pull away the number of pillows and blankets that were in the way. As she flipped away the last pillow she saw the tip of a blade, poking out from the base of the carriage.

  She sprang back and began to scream, but knew that no one could hear her. However, the sawing stopped and there was a small knock that came from the same spot where the knife was. She stopped and the sawing continued. She slid back further into the carriage and didn’t know what to do, so she grabbed a pillow to defend herself.

  After another moment of the sawing, a piece of wood broke loose and Maura slammed down as hard as she could muster with the pillow. As the pillow began its descent she saw the smiling face of Alistair, but couldn’t stop it. The pillow made contact and she pulled away quickly. However, the face was gone.

  She quickly jumped down to the hole and looked for him, but he was nowhere to be found. She slowly peered out and only saw the ground flying past the opening. She sat back into the carriage and couldn’t believe what she had done, but she didn’t have much time to grieve because a hand appeared where the face had once been and she heard a masculine voice call out to her.

  “Please don’t hit me this time. As much as I enjoy a good pillow fight, I would much rather watch others compete.” Maura laughed to herself and reached out to help Alistair up into the cabin. “Oh, thank goodness. I wasn’t going to be surprised if I was greeted by another pillow.” Maura didn’t know what took over her, but she leaned forward and kissed him. Their lips locks and their tongues intertwined and they both could feel as their muscles relaxed and tension seemed to leave their bodies. Maura pulled away and saw that Alistair looked a bit flush in the face.

  “Well, that’s certainly nicer than a pillow, i
sn’t it,” Maura asked him as his eyes took a second to readjust. He wiped off his lip and laughed to himself.

  “I’ll say.” He looked at her and his face seemed to lighten up. “So, do you know why I’m here?” Maura looked at him confused, but that smile never left his face. “I’m here to rescue you.” Maura shook her head and reached out, taking his hand.

  “You can’t do that. King George has waited eighteen years to marry me. He’ll stop at nothing to kill you if you do this.” Alistair laughed and took her hand inside his own. Maura found the laugh to be comforting, not insulting.

  “Darling, King George has been trying to kill me since I could lift a sword. His problem is, I have yet to die.” Alistair scooted himself forward a little bit closer to Maura and she felt herself leaning in a bit towards him. “There is nothing to fear. We’ll make our way to King Henry’s kingdom where we’ll be welcomed like royalty and you’ll be treated like you deserve. His free hand reached up and grabbed her behind the neck, pulling her in slightly. She leaned down and they began to kiss again.