by Garnet Hart
“Midgar is not our world. This is the human’s world. We don’t belong here. We are not supposed to live like rats, hiding our real identities from everyone else and seeking solitude in an uninhabited place to avoid discovery. That’s not the world we want. We want a home where we can be free to be ourselves.”
“Come back to Skye, Garr. Take your group with you and I will forget all about this. I promise you. We’ll take Vanar through peaceful negotiations. We dunna need to resort to war and waste more lives.”
“How? By taking the Elf to Alfheim so they can execute her and be sent to Asgard?”
He was speechless. Garr’s blunt words was like a dagger to his heart.
Garr laughed scornfully. “I will not let you. You will have to kill all of us before you can take the Elf to Alfheim.”
Lior could see the fire in Garr’s eyes, which told him Garr meant what he said. Now, the Demons were not his only problem. “I’ll find your headquarters and kill all your men,” he threatened. “You know I can do that. So, if you care about their lives, surrender them to me.”
Garr sneered. “You canna even kill the Elf. What makes you think you can kill the rest of us?”
“Because she’s a woman.”
“We have women in our pack. Lots of them.”
Lior was surprised. He had not expected that. “I’ll kill them too if I have to. And when I do, the guilt will all be yours for refusing to surrender when you were given the chance. You’ll live with that for the rest of your life.”
“You don’t scare me. And you can’t win Odin’s favor again. Not when you’ve failed a simple task of killing an Elf the first time. He’ll never give you Vanar, so I’ll give you my final offer instead. Join us or we will consider you our enemy.”
He looked at Garr speculatively. “Suppose I join you, and suppose we find allies who can help us, and suppose we win the war and get back Vanar, what will happen next? Asgard will always be a threat to us. Odin will no’ stop attacking us. We will never have peace.”
“Not if all worlds unite to attack Asgard and put a stop to Odin’s arrogance. He was the reason why there are wars happening in the first place.”
“Odin’s no’ the only one who’s asserting his position. Surt is becoming more and more aggressive. The fall of Asgard could bring more terrible consequences.”
“Then I’d rather be enslaved by Surt than Odin.”
Lior sighed. “I’ll give you some time to think. But if I find your headquarters, your time’s up. I will crush your group as a warning to anyone who’d dare threaten my authority again.”
Garr just stared at him, unafraid.
“What of Asra? You will really deliver her to her death?”
“I will do what is best for Vanar. Now leave before I’ll declare you my worst enemy, Garr.”
Chapter 19
The fucking police had a search warrant this time and they wanted to search his plane for Asra, just when they were ready for takeoff.
Damn Garr!
The police were waiting for him and had not searched his plane yet. He told them to wait as he went inside the plane with Gustavo.
“It’s best that you release her. You cannot leave the country until they have searched the plane. If they find her here, which they will, it will be harder to get away from as she has a standing restraining order against you,” Gustavo advised him.
Lior tapped Gustavo’s shoulder as a gesture of his gratitude. Lysander’s butler had been at his disposal since he came to America. Gustavo had handled a lot of paperworks for him and his men, a shitty job he did not dare entrust with humans.
“I’ll handle her. Just keep the police entertained for a while. I’ll call you in a few minutes. Just agree to everything I’ll say.”
He looked puzzled but Gustavo nodded and walked back to the airport building.
The pilot and his assistant greeted him.
“Do you have any orders, Sir?” the pilot asked.
“None for now. We have to remain here until we are cleared,” Lior replied and headed to the mini-bar to pour himself a drink. He sat on a plush seat and drank a glass of whiskey to calm himself. When he was finished, he rose and headed to the cabin to check on Asra.
He tried not to feel too affected when he found her chained to a chair. She didn’t even turn to look at him.
He closed the door and approached her. He settled on the chair opposite hers and stared on her face.
“Where’s Geoff?” she asked coldly.
The sound of that human’s name on her lips was becoming intolerable. “Concerned for your lover?’
She turned to him, her eyes suddenly blazing. “What did you do to him?!”
“What do you think?”
“If you harmed him, I will never cooperate with you. Not even if you kill me!”
A one sided smile stretched the corner of his lips. “Since when did you ever cooperate with me? The minute I turn my back, you are running away, as if you’ll be able to protect yourself. I dunna think you actually understand the risk you’re putting yourself into. I told you. You are a songstress. Every realm wants you. The Demons, the Lycans, the Asgardians, the Dwarves, the Dark Elves, and who knows what the Vampires are thinking right now?”
She remained quiet, but he knew she was listening.
“You are never safe, Elf. That’s why I am here, to protect you and to keep you alive until you’re safe in Alfheim. Alfheim is your only safe destination. Once you’re there, no one will find you. The world of the Light Elves is filled with puzzles and mazes. Even if they manage to get through the portals which are guarded by the Archers, the forest of Alfheim will jumble their brains nuts. Unless you are escorted by the Elves, you can never get through their Forest of Confusion. That was why Alfheim has never been attacked by anyone. Don’t you see? You’ll be safe there.”
“Then what? They’ll kill me and summon my soul to the gods?”
So, Garr had not wasted time in enlightening her of her purpose.
“You’ll be a goddess. Very few humans become goddesses. You should be honored.”
“And then I’ll be singing for the Aesirs and help them slaughter all those who threaten their pedestals… and probably including your people… and even the humans?”
He was unable to answer for a few seconds. After talking to Garr, he was no longer sure of his personal convictions with regard to Asgard. He hated to admit but Garr’s words had some grain of truth. A lot of hard truths.
Now that the rebellion was rising, it would be possible that Odin would soon slaughter the remaining Lycans to assert his authority over them once again, but he was sure of one thing. “Odin will never attack Midgar. He will defend this world with all his power.”
“What makes you say so?”
“Because humans are his subjects. They glorify him and consider him their creator. What else could be more pleasing to a god than to be praised?”
She didn’t look convinced. “Where did you take Geoff?”
He clenched his knuckles, fighting the jealousy that was consuming him. She had sacrificed herself to save the life of her lover. Did she truly love this human?
Geoff was with his men. Asleep and safe. When he’d wake up, he’d find himself in his own bed in his own condominium unit. But she didn’t need to know that.
His immediate concern was to bring Asra to a safer place as soon as possible. He could have sneaked her out of the US without being suspected but that was impossible now as the police had been informed she was missing before his plane could take off. He knew Garr was behind this. Now, she had to leave the country legally.
“I have him locked somewhere. And if you want him to live, you will talk to the police, retract the restraining order and come with me willingly.”
She looked away from him. A blunt refusal.
“Are you willing to risk Geoff’s life over this?”
She remained silent.
“Just one call and I can have my men sever his head. Are y
ou still no’ going to speak?”
“You will kill an innocent man? I thought you protect humans! You are a monster after all! Not only a monster but a coward and a traitor to Vanar! Garr is right to leave you. He has more courage and honor than you will ever have!”
His hand raised to strike her.
“Go on! Kill me! Kill me now!”
Breathing heavily, he lowered his hand. “No. I won’t kill you. I have use for you yet.”
He took out his cellphone, dialed a number and put the speaker on. It was picked up right away.
“My lord.”
He met her eyes. “Kill him. Sever his head. Rip his heart out. Quarter him. Then send me a picture of his head. I want Miss MacLeod to see her precious lover dead.”
“As you wish, my lord.”
He cut the line off.
She was breathing hard, her tears spilling now. “You are a monster! Evil!”
He smiled cruelly. “And you are no better. You let your lover die.” He glanced at his watch. “His life is in your hands now.”
He turned away and reached for the door knob.
“Wait!”
He stepped out and shut the door.
“I will do it, damn you!”
He smiled and didn’t move from the door.
“Lior! Call it off! I will do it!”
After a few more seconds, he opened the cabin door again.
Her eyes were awash with tears.
“You will do it now.”
“Damn you, I hate you!” she snarled.
He went inside again.
“The police are here. Talk to them. Retract your restraining order. Tell them you are willingly travelling outside the country with me. Do this all without trouble. I am done with your shit, Asra. You have no idea how serious the situation is now. Fuck with me again and your precious Geoff dies.”
She just nodded, hate burning in her eyes.
Asra went to the police station, by Lior’s order, to present herself and to tell them that she was never abducted by Lior. She also retracted the restraining order she had filed against him.
Lior ordered a score of his men to get her travel documents from her condo. Gustavo accompanied her to the police station. She had seen the man once but it was only now that she got to interact with him. If anything,
Gustavo was a kind, soft-spoken gentleman.
As they exited the police station together, she saw the familiar van that Bran had used to abduct her parked at a curb some meters away. Although she could not see through the tinted windshield, she knew that Lior was there, and he and his men were watching her every move.
She and Gustavo were walking to the parking area when someone yelled. “That’s her! Geoff’s new girlfriend! Emerald Greene!”
To her shock, people suddenly flocked towards her. Cameras appeared, all aimed at her. Flashes ignited all around her. Horrified, she turned back only to see more flashing cameras.
“Hey, stand back please!” Gustavo shouted.
Then everyone fell quiet.
They were all looking at her in shock.
Knowing that something went wrong, she touched her ears and realized they had elongated. Panicking now, she covered her ears and searched for a way out of the throng as Gustavo tried to shield her from the mob.
But the people had recovered from their momentary shock and had gathered closer around her, denying her any chance of escape.
“Freak!” someone yelled.
A strong arm snaked around her waist, practically hauling her like she weighed nothing. Before she knew it, she was out of the parking lot and inside a van.
She was back in Lior’s plane.
“I let you loose for a few minutes and you get into some shit again!” he snarled as he dumped her on the bed.
She bounced on the bed. Scrambling into a sitting position, she faced him, spitting mad.
“The paparazzi mobbed me!”
In America, she’d found out that people were tabloid crazy. How was she supposed to know that paparazzi have abounded even at police stations waiting for scoops or whatever strange news they could make money from?
“They saw your damn ears! You could be all over the internet by now! The Demons will recognize you to be an Elf! Fuck!”
“I couldn’t control my ears!”
“Yeah, you’re uncontrollable! You should be chained again!”
“You just try!”
He stared at her, breathing hard.
The plane vibrated. Its engine came to life.
“Are you freeing Geoff now?”
He smiled. “Did I say I would free him?”
Her jaw dropped. “But...! But you said...!”
“I just said I’d spare his life.”
When she realized what he meant, fury suffused her. “You bastard! You tricked me!”
“I dinna. You just chose to believe what you wanted to believe.”
She looked for something to throw at him, but she could see nothing but pillows. She grabbed them and threw them at him, calling him filthy names Bran had taught her.
The plane moved.
Before she knew it, Lior had hauled her up and deposited her on a chair. “Let me be your seat belt.” He grinned and put his arms around her as the plane took off.
She was taken aback and was assaulted by his scent and warmth. But she did not resist. This was only her third time on a plane and the ascent terrified her.
After a few minutes, the plane was airborne and had settled into an altitude.
Lior let her go. She tried to stand up but found her hands were attached to each other behind her back.
“What...?” She wanted to look behind her back but couldn’t. The bastard had chained her to the chair!
Lior knew what was coming next so he left the cabin and shut the door. Asra’s screams could still be heard but they were not hurting his ear drums now.
He took a shot of whiskey to settle his blood pressure. Damn that Elf! The things he’d done to protect her and she treated him like her worst enemy.
He was just comforted by the fact that the plane had taken off and the threat to Asra in the US was temporarily abated.
He waited until she’d stopped screaming before he went back to her.
Feeling calm now, it was time to teach that little bitch a new lesson in submission.
He smiled. Hell, yeah.
Asra watched silently as he secured the chain on a steel beam at the ceiling, and then he abandoned the chain and moved in front of her. She had no idea what he was going to do with her, but his wicked smile made her breathless.
He reached behind him to open a drawer and brought out a sword. She gasped when she recognized the black scabbard and the mark of MacLeod engraved on the hilt.
“That’s my father’s sword!” she cried.
He smiled. “It is. He told me to give it to you.”
“And why didn’t you?”
“Because you’ll use it against me.”
Indeed, she would have cut his throat with that sword had he given it to her earlier.
“That’s mine.”
“Of course, it’s yours,” he replied and settled back on the chair in front of her. “But before I give it to you, perhaps I’d like to sample its legendary sharpness.”
Her eyes widened when he pulled the sword out of its sheath and pointed the blade at her throat. She moved her head away, trying to avoid the sharp point. Just a slight touch and the tip would pierce her flesh.
There was a demonic look in his eyes. He was even smiling as he moved the pointed tip over her shoulder. She held her breath as he cut the right strap and then the left strap and her dress fell to her waist.
“That’s not a toy,” she warned when she noticed he was aiming to cut at the middle of her strapless bra. “That’s a sword forged by the Elves. It’s sharper than any sword you’ll find in Midgar. Don’t play with it.”
That seemed to amuse him even more. “I know, Elf. The Elves forge our swords,
as well. I know how sharp they are.” He carefully worked the point underneath her brassiere.
She closed her eyes as she felt the cold metal come too close to her skin. She dared not move, or she’d cause more trouble for herself. When she felt her bra fall on her lap, she opened her eyes and snapped. “Crazy son of a bitch!” she snarled.
He grinned like the bastard he was. “What a very rewarding task.”
Her breasts were now on full display before his eyes. She knew he had seen her naked many times before, but she wouldn’t let him play with her body anyway he wished.
“Get your filthy eyes off me,” she said. “I’m not having sex with you.”
He smiled, more than amused. “But you’ll be begging me to fuck you in a short while, Elf. I know you will. You’d come the moment I take your nips in my mouth.”
The way he was staring on her breasts, and the way he ran the tip of his tongue under his teeth, ignited a spark within her. Her body began to burn, and the current jolting inside her travelled to her breasts. Her nipples hardened and lengthened.
“See, I haven’t even touched them yet and they have responded,” he taunted her.
She hated her body as wild current raced down to her center. It melted there, moistening her entrance with the lavish fluid of her desire. For him.
His smile widened, and she was afraid he knew that, as well. “I can smell your arousal from here,” he said which had her face flaming in shame.
She wanted to slap his face but her wrists were bound, so she had to endure this degradation.
“I know you’re dying to get fucked now but… I’m no’ yet through testing this sword.”
She held her breath as he moved the sword down her waist, but the danger was not enough to kill her arousal. While he immersed himself in slashing her dress in pieces with unbelievable precision, she couldn’t take her eyes off the bulge at his crotch. Just as she was with him, he was so easily aroused.
She felt the tip of the sword at the garter of her underwear and she jerked.
