She sat up and scooted toward the edge of the bed where he was standing. Grabbing his hips, she pulled him closer. The tip of her tongue shot out, tasting the tip of his dick. His breath hitched.
Astrid encircled the base of his shaft with her hand and lowered her mouth over the head. He’d never seen anything as erotic as her hot, wet lips gliding down the length of his dick as she swallowed him whole. She sucked hard and cupped his balls.
He had to concentrate to not expire on the spot. His head fell back, and he grabbed a handful of her blond curls to hold on as she slowly pulled her mouth back to release him, only to swallow him again and again. His balls pulled up and she squeezed them gently.
He growled and broke out in a sweat from the effort of not blowing his load in her mouth. He tugged her head back by her hair.
The vixen grinned at him, eyes glittering from behind her lowered lashes.
He vowed payback and grabbed her arms to push her back on the bed. Astrid had other ideas and rolled over on her stomach, looking at him across her shoulder. She kept eye contact as she slowly pushed herself up on knees and elbows. Her sultry gaze and that glorious ass in the air had him hyperventilating.
He rushed to the nightstand and grabbed a foil package, which he ripped open using his teeth. The silicon glided down his dick in a weak echo of where Astrid’s lips had been. As soon as he had sheathed himself, he kneeled behind her. He grabbed her hips and paused, waiting for a sign that this was still okay with her. She touched the top of her lip with her tongue and nodded.
With one deep thrust, he buried himself fully inside her gloriously wet sheath.
She groaned as he pulled out and then moaned his name when he pushed in again. He tried to keep a slow pace, but she pushed back against him, meeting his thrusts. Astrid arched her back and he couldn’t hold back.
He plunged into her over and over again, reaching around to find her clit. He pinched it and she shattered, screaming out her pleasure. As she convulsed around him, he thrust one final time. The power of his release floored him. He collapsed on the bed, taking her with him cradled in his arms.
Like last time, he blacked out and felt as if he somehow left his body. The warm darkness engulfed him until the dude with the crows showed up again, his body somehow lit from within.
The guy smiled, but it wasn’t a joyful expression. “Trust the bond,” he said. The crows cawed.
Luke wanted to ask him what the hell he meant, but he was pulled by an invisible force and shoved back into his body. He came to with a gasp and opened his eyes to find Astrid watching him with a worried look on her face.
“You okay?” she asked. He could only nod as he tried to catch his breath. She rubbed the back of her hand and frowned as she looked down. “Look,” she whispered and held up her arm. The lines on the back of her hand extended and spiraled up around her wrist, continuing over her forearm and elbow until they met the snake on her bicep. When the whole body was complete, the lines glowed in gold and then faded back to black.
Luke would have freaked out if he wasn’t so exhausted. “We’ll figure it out in the morning,” he said, pulling Astrid closer and folding the comforter around them.
“I can’t stay,” she protested.
He silenced her with a kiss and tightened his embrace as sleep claimed him.
Chapter 20
Astrid quietly closed the door of the fortress behind her. She’d caught a cab from Luke’s house to the main road outside the Norse compound and then jogged through the forest. She hadn’t meant to fall asleep at Luke’s, but after their session in bed she’d been exhausted, and snuggling in his arms had felt safe. He felt like home. She’d never had a place she’d thought of as home. Even after living for more than a century in this mansion, she had no personal effects on the walls of her room or knickknacks on her shelves. A warrior was always ready to head out at a moment’s notice. She could see herself creating a home together with Luke.
She was so screwed.
Shaking her head, she walked across the entryway to the stairs that would take her up to her bedroom. The sun’s rays were barely touching the sky. She’d still be able to help Naya get ready for her big day. Maybe she’d even be able to get some sleep and grab a shower before the queen got up. She’d only made it up a few steps when she heard her name quietly spoken and turned.
The king regarded her with solemn eyes. “We need to talk.”
“Yes, min kung.” On heavy feet, she descended the stairs and followed him down the hallway to his office. She always managed to screw up a good situation. Henri had left her when she issued the ultimatum of choosing between duty or her. And now she’d messed up her relationship with the Norse warriors.
She was actually surprised it had taken this long. Leif had been lenient when she screwed up the mission to retrieve Scott, and he’d been kind when she almost got that bystander killed. She wouldn’t survive this third strike though. The king would see her bond with an outsider as a betrayal.
The only thing she could hope for was that Leif would let her attend the wedding before he told her to leave. She wanted to be there for the queen and to have a chance to say good-bye. She swallowed the lump forming in her throat. She would miss Naya and Irja. They were the closest she’d ever had to sisters, to family.
Astrid followed the king into his office and then frowned when she saw Ulf, Irja, and Harald sitting in front of the king’s desk. She hesitated as the king took a seat in his usual chair. She preferred no witnesses to her dismissal.
Harald jumped up and fetched another chair for her, which he plunked down between his and Irja’s. Astrid thanked him and sat down. Ulf gave her a sour look, which she returned with one of her own. She’d deal with him later.
“I looked at the pictures you emailed me,” Irja said.
Astrid startled. “Okay,” she hedged. She shot a quick look at Ulf, but he ignored her.
“The warehouse has all the equipment needed for in vitro fertilization,” Irja continued.
“Test tube babies,” Harald barked.
Irja gave him an impatient look. “Yes, although that’s a very outdated term. Judging by the large incubators and the gynecological examination chairs, this warehouse is going to be used as a fertilization clinic.”
“Incubators?” Astrid asked. Maybe this conversation wasn’t about her bond.
“The large refrigerator-looking appliances along the wall,” Leif injected. “What worries me the most are the cages.” He clicked the mouse in front of him and swiveled his computer monitor toward them. “These are designed for very large animals.”
“Or humans,” Harald said. The king looked up and nodded.
A chill spread through Astrid’s body as she realized the fears that had surfaced as soon as she’d seen the examination chair in the warehouse were true. “The women from Mexico,” she said. “They were going to use them as surrogates.”
Irja nodded. “That’s what I think. All the women were in their early twenties or younger. Those are prime years for conception.”
Bile rose in Astrid’s throat. She swallowed loudly. Those cages had been meant for Camila and the others. As poorly treated as Astrid had been when she was a thrall, she’d never been kept in a cage. “What kind of babies are they making?”
“That’s the big question,” Leif said. “We’ve talked it over.” He gestured to include the other three. “Based on how quickly these new wolverines have evolved in terms of fighting skills, they’re most likely created through new methods of gene manipulation. I’ve been chatting online with some of the other kings to see if they’ve encountered similar creatures.” He closed the image and brought up a map. “The Vikings in Taos, New Mexico, have fought creatures with similar inhuman speeds and acrobatic skills, who also seem to heal abnormally fast.”
Astrid sat back in her chair. Freya have mercy. It shouldn’t be that big a
surprise, since she’d encountered them in Colorado, which bordered New Mexico. “But we shut down the lab in North Dakota ten months ago. Wouldn’t it take at least nine months to make a wolverine hybrid baby? And then they would have to grow up. These wolverines are definitely full grown.”
Harald muttered something about “science shit.” Irja glared at him and then turned to Astrid. “If I had a blood sample of the new wolverines, the ones we call 2.0, I’d know more. But based on the genetic makeup of the wolverines we fought ten months ago, they undergo accelerated growth at some point.” She shifted some papers in her lap, which was a complete ruse. If Irja had read it, the information was logged in her head forever. “But I don’t think they came from human ova. If these new wolverines do, that may be one of the factors that give them enhanced skills, at least enhanced intelligence.”
“English, please,” Harald said. “What the heck is an ova?”
Even Astrid knew that. “It’s the term for women’s eggs,” she answered.
Harald blushed beet red. “Oh.”
“Maybe this lab is for an even more advanced model,” Ulf said. “Maybe they’re making wolverines 3.0.”
Alarmed, Astrid turned to Leif. “I barely held my own against two of the 2.0 models when they ambushed me. Anything more enhanced than that, and we’re totally screwed.”
Leif nodded. “I know. We have to destroy that lab.” He rubbed his forehead. “And the New Mexico king has also asked for our help.”
“Would the gods…” Ulf hesitated. “Can we take this to Odin and Freya? There must be a way we can convince the gods’ council that Loki is behind this.”
Leif shook his head. “Odin hasn’t come to me in dreams for a while, but the power struggle in the council had worsened the last time we spoke. The demise of a few humans is of no consequence to the gods at the moment.”
“What about the demise of a few immortal Vikings?” Harald muttered.
“The council prefers to pretend that we don’t exist,” Leif countered. “We’re a pet project of Odin’s and Freya’s. We’re not supposed to call attention to ourselves.” His shoulders slumped.
“You should get some sleep,” Astrid said. “Today is going to be a long day for you.”
The king smiled. It transformed his face, melting away the early tiredness. “It’s going to be a joyous day,” he said.
Harald slammed his fist on the table. “These fucking wolverines. They’re ruining our royal wedding day. Our celebration of love.”
Astrid exchanged a look with Irja. Since when had Harald become a fan of weddings and love? Irja shrugged.
Leif stood. “You’re right. Today is for my bride. Tomorrow we regroup and decide on a plan of action to shut down the fertility lab here in Pine Rapids. How we’ll help New Mexico will be an action item for a different day completely.”
“I’ll see what chatter I can pick up on the Darknet before tomorrow,” Ulf offered.
Leif nodded and the others stood to leave. “Not you, Astrid,” he said as she headed for the door. The king sat back down in his chair.
Irja squeezed Astrid’s shoulder and headed out with Ulf and Harald. The door clicked closed behind them. Astrid studied her folded hands in her lap. This was it, the moment she would be told she didn’t belong and had to leave.
“Ulf will apologize to you for leaving you stranded during a mission,” the king said. Once again, Astrid startled. She looked up and found Leif’s ice-blue eyes studying her. “Are you alright?” the king asked. “We didn’t send anyone to get you because Irja said you’d emailed that you were staying with a friend in town.”
“I’m fine.” She tried to look away, but his piercing gaze had her trapped. “I stayed with Luke Holden,” she blurted out.
Leif closed his eyes briefly. A pained grimace twisted his face. “Of course you did. I’ll never get rid of that guy.” He schooled his features and captures her gaze again. “Ulf says Holden is your själsfrände.”
Astrid nodded.
“Have you completed the bond?”
Astrid shifted in her seat and nodded again.
Leif sighed. “This is going to be challenging for you. The others accepted Naya, even though she was a mortal, but she’s a woman and is handfasted to a king.” Not quite sure where he was going with this, Astrid made a noncommittal noise. The queen had also saved the life of Per, one of the younger Vikings, which went a long way toward earning the respect and acceptance of the warriors. “As much as I respect and admire my warriors, they are very territorial,” Leif continued and then paused for a breath. “I can be very territorial. You are our sister. It’s not going to be easy accepting another man as part of your life.” He smiled.
Astrid had lost all ability to speak. This was so not how she had imagined this conversation. Where was the reprimand? The blame? She mumbled something incomprehensible again.
“Have you decided where you are going to live?” Leif asked.
“Live?” she croaked.
He frowned. “It’s going to take some getting used to having Holden live here at the fortress, but if that’s what you want, the warriors will adjust.” He sighed. “I’ll adjust.”
Astrid finally found her voice. “You are taking this very well. Better than I am. I’m not sure how to feel about being bonded to someone I don’t really know.”
Leif smiled. “Believe me, I know that feeling, but you can’t plan for the bond. It’s the gods’ choice.” He turned serious. “The important thing is whether or not it makes you happy. Are you happy, Astrid?”
A huge lump formed in Astrid’s throat, and to her mortification, tears welled up in her eyes. “I’m getting there,” she croaked out.
The king stood and came around the desk to sit in the chair next to hers. He grabbed her hands. “The bond can be confusing. If you need to talk, find me or Naya.”
Astrid blinked to keep the tears from falling. “I will.”
“Let me know what you decide about the living situation. I’d prefer you to be here with your battle brothers and sisters, but it may be easier for the others if you lived at Holden’s for a little while. Come here for meals and other social gatherings. Once the men…and I”—he shot her a quick smile—“are used to him, you two can decide if you want to live here.”
She couldn’t look at him. If she did, she’d be reduced to a sniveling mess. “Sure,” she said. “Luke doesn’t quite understand the bond or the handfasting. Making him live with a bunch of burly Vikings is probably not the best idea.” She didn’t even know if he wanted to move in with her, but he did seem to want some kind of commitment. He’d said he needed her, that he craved her. Warmth filled her chest.
Leif snorted. “I don’t know how mortal men react when they are first bonded, but I was insanely jealous if another male as much as looked at Naya.” Astrid hid her smile. The king was still insanely jealous. He’d learned to hide it better on the outside, but he usually got so caught up in the emotion that he forgot to shield his berserker’s reaction. The warriors always knew when he was jealous. “What about your inner warrior?” Leif asked. “Has she calmed down?” Apparently, the king also used pronouns for the beasts.
Astrid paused for a moment and checked in with her berserker. “Yes, the berserker is easier to control. And whenever I’m close to Luke, it’s almost docile.”
“Good.” Leif stood, pulling her up with him. “What do you say we go and get ready for a royal wedding, Valkyrie?”
“I say that sounds like an excellent plan, my king.” The joy she saw on his face made her happy for him and her queen. Maybe one day, she would have what they had.
Leif pulled her in for a bear hug. “If he doesn’t make you happy, you let me know,” he whispered in her ear. “I’ll make him sorry.”
* * *
Astrid had a big problem.
She stared at her bridesmaid
’s dress on the bed.
She’d managed an hour of sleep and a long shower before she started getting ready for the wedding. Irja had braided her hair, which was now kept from her face with small twists coiled around the rest of her curls to keep them in place while allowing most of them to cascade freely down her back. She felt very feminine and pretty in the hairstyle. The dress, however, was a disaster.
The flared skirt reached midthigh, and the bodice draped over only her right shoulder, leaving the left one completely bare. And she happened to have a very eye-catching tattoo swirling all down her left arm.
She sighed. The dress was the same one she’d worn to Naya’s and Leif’s handfasting ceremony. That’s what Naya wanted. As a bride, she would wear the same white dress she’d worn too, but with the addition of a bridal crown and veil.
Astrid gnawed her bottom lip. The other warriors would take the blatant display of her tattoo as a challenge. She sank down on the bed next to the dress, trailing her fingers along the rose-colored weightless chiffon. Why did testosterone always complicate things?
She shrugged out of the robe she was wearing. The completed serpent tattoo contrasted sharply with her skin. She twisted her arm to better see its design. Two parallel lines outlined the serpent. In between the two lines, runes and symbols formed the body. Astrid read runes better than anyone in the fortress, but these she couldn’t interpret. They were either of a Norse dialect so old it had been forgotten or a language that was not Scandinavian.
The night before, when she had found her release with Luke, her spirit had left her body and traveled through a vast darkness until she’d encountered a circle of pinprick lights. Freya had appeared as a silver-haired woman in a long, white dress. Astrid had tried to speak to her, but the goddess had just smiled cryptically and stroked her cheek.
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