A random thought – what if I never saw them again – burst into my mind, but I pushed it away as quickly as it had arrived. This wasn’t the time to get melancholic. It was time to act. There were two other people here who had time travel experience. Lucas was only a student, but Heather was a trained time agent. Together, we might have a chance.
I sighed. I didn’t want to go back inside, especially not now that they’d started shouting at each other. It was mostly Asger doing the shouting. I felt bad for Heather, but she knew how to handle herself. She’d brought up two Vikings; she had to be able to deal with their tantrums.
The shouting stopped, and a moment later, Heather stepped outside. Without a word, she sat down on the bank beside me. I was half expecting Asger to storm out of the hut as well, but he stayed inside.
“My sons can be selfish sometimes,” Heather said with a smile. “They got it from their father. Hjalmar brought you here against his better knowledge, and now Asger is trying to prevent me from giving you this.”
She pulled something from a linen bag slung across her shoulder. It looked far too advanced to be of Viking origins. She turned the object in her hands and a strange expression flickered across her face.
“Those bracers have evolved a lot since I was a time agent,” she said quietly, then handed it to me. “Doesn’t this one look clunky in comparison?”
I took a closer look, recognising some of the same markings that had covered my own bracelet. This one, however, was massive, large enough to cover the entire lower arm. There was a hole for the thumb as well, so it had to reach all the way up to the back of the hand. If that was what time travel bracelets had looked like in the past, they really had changed a lot since then. The one Hjalmar had put around my wrist had been elegant, looking almost like jewellery. This was the opposite of elegant.
Heather pulled a second bracer from her bag. “I was given these when I told my boss that I was going to live in the past. Back then, I still planned to return after Hjalmar was older, but then Asger came along, and by the time both of them were old enough for me to leave for several weeks at a time, I’d got used to my simple life. I didn’t want to be a time agent any longer. Still, I kept the bracers. I’d been given two in case me or my husband fell ill and needed modern treatment. Sadly, I never got the chance to use it. My husband died instantly, a heart attack. No time to take him to the future.”
She sighed, her thumbs rubbing the metal of her bracer.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered, and she turned and smiled at me, her eyes full of sadness.
“It was hard. Whenever a child got sick in the village, or when the men came back from battle with missing limbs and searing wounds, I was tempted to take them into the future, use those bracelets to save their lives. But I had taken an oath to only use them for my own family, so I kept them hidden, never telling anyone about them. Until Hjalmar turned of age and decided he wanted to see where his mother had come from. I took him to the Academy, and he stayed there, getting the same training I had when I was his age.”
“And you returned back here?”
She nodded. “Yes, I couldn’t stay away from Asger and my husband. They needed me more than Hjalmar did. He’s always been the more independent of the two. But it was hard not to see Hjalmar for three years. Still, I’d promised that I’d only use the bracers in an emergency. Now, I think this qualifies as one.”
I gaped at her. “You can take me back?”
Heather smiled. “You were never trapped. Sorry if you thought that. Together with Lucas’s bracelet, we have three at our disposal. I don’t think he’s going to be able to join you though. It would be far too dangerous for him.”
“I don’t know how to programme them,” I admitted. “I’ve only been at the Academy for a week, I wouldn’t have been allowed to time travel for years had Hjalmar not taken me here.”
She chuckled. “He’s always liked to break rules. I only saw his TTA reports after he graduated, but let me tell you, they were quite the read. I think he committed every single offence that was possible without getting expelled. I’m not surprised in the slightest that he would inspire someone else to break the rules along with him.”
“Can we go now?” I asked quickly, too impatient to listen to what I’m sure are very amusing stories. We could do that once I was back in his arms.
“Not quite, I need to sync these old bracers with Lucas’s modern one. They should be compatible, but it may take some time for me to figure it out.”
“Why do we need all three? Isn’t it enough if the two of us travel together?”
She sighed deeply. “I promised Asger that he could come along. It was his condition in return for giving me the keys to the bracers. I should never have given it to him, but we were worried that people might come after Lucas, and Asger is far better suited to protect both our guest and the bracers.”
“Asger? But he doesn’t speak any English! He’ll stick out like a sore thumb!”
The words broke out of me before I could stop myself, before I could consider that I was talking about her son.
A frown joined her smile. “I know you’re feeling overwhelmed by him just now, but he only has your and his brother’s best interests at heart. We don’t know who tampered with Hjalmar’s bracelet or why they did it. He might be in danger, and Asger is a strong warrior. He’ll be good to have on our side.”
She was right, but that didn’t mean I had to like it. I could still feel that strange warmth inside of me from when he’d hugged me. I didn’t want to crave more of it, but I did. I wanted to be in his arms again and hated my stupid emotions for desiring that.
“I hope to get it sorted by tomorrow,” Heather promised. “I assume you’d rather stay with me than with the boys?”
I laughed. “You bet.”
Chapter 4
We’re on a boat with nothing but tall waves all around us. The boat rocks from side to side and foam sprinkles my face, but I don’t feel scared. There’s someone else in the boat behind me, I feel his comforting presence, but I don’t want to turn around to look at him. He’s a friend, someone I know very well. He steers the boat with an expert touch, avoiding the biggest waves that could easily crush our little boat. I feel safe with him, even though I can’t see his face.
“The storm will pass,” he says confidently. “The sea will guide us where we need to be.”
I nod, taking his words as the truth.
“I’m glad you decided to come out with me today. It gets lonely sometimes.”
I nod again. I don’t remember getting on this boat with him, but I don’t feel like I need to have that memory. It doesn’t matter. The past doesn’t matter, nor does the future. The present is what’s important.
There’s a massive wave coming towards us, taller than several houses stacked upon each other.
“It’s going to drown us!” I shout when the boat continues to steer towards us.
“No,” the man behind me says calmly. “Don’t be scared. Nothing bad will happen.”
I trust him, but I can’t help but clench my fists as the wave approaches. It’s getting ever bigger, foam glistening on its curved top.
When it hits us, our boat glides into the water, taking us down into the depths of the sea. I can breathe underwater and I don’t question it. The boat continues its journey as if we were still on the surface of the ocean. Deeper and deeper we go, the light of the sun dimming until we’re in a gloomy underwater world.
Glowing fish swim all around us, illuminating the darkness.
The sea floor becomes a road for our boat, guiding us as the man behind us steers us to an unknown destination.
Suddenly, a dark shadow appears on our right, a shape so massive that it could be a hill if it weren’t moving.
“Jǫrmungandr,” the man whispers. In awe-stricken silence, we approach the body of the serpent that’s stretched out across the bottom of the sea. There is no end to it; a mountain of scales and rippling muscle.
&nb
sp; SEPARATED BY TIME, UNITED IN DREAM.
The voice of the serpent echoes in my mind and I bow my head in reverence. This is the World Serpent, the child of the God Loki, the being that surrounds Midgard, grasping its own tail within its jaws. The day it unfurls, Ragnarök will begin.
The boat approaches the serpent’s head, and with relief I see that it’s still biting its tail in its giant jaws. The end of the world hasn’t begun yet.
SO MANY TIMES YOU HAVE BEEN HERE, YET NO TIMES AT ALL.
None of what Jǫrmungandr says makes sense, but I listen nonetheless, knowing that this being is wise and nearly omniscient. Even if I don’t understand its words now, they might reveal their true meaning in the future.
YOU’RE BOUND TO EACH OTHER, YET YOU STAY APART, WAITING FOR THE MOMENT THAT WILL EXPOSE YOUR SOULS.
I know he’s talking about me and the man behind me. I’ve still not turned around. Something is stopping me from looking at him.
CHILDREN OF TIME. YOU NO LONGER HAVE TO WAIT.
The man gasps but doesn’t say anything.
I SHALL RETURN YOUR MEMORIES TO YOU THAT YOU GAVE TO ME FOR SAFE KEEPING.
I did that? I can’t remember. I’ve never been here before. Never met Jǫrmungandr. I would remember its greatness.
“What memories?” I ask quietly.
THE MEMORIES OF YOUR SHARED FUTURE. USE THEM WELL. IF YOU DON’T, THAT FUTURE MIGHT NEVER COME TO PASS AND THE CIRCLE WILL BE BROKEN.
A flash of light.
Sunlight.
We’re running over a field of green grass and dandelions, our feet naked, our clothes fluttering in a gentle breeze. I laugh at the sheer joy of the moment.
He is behind me, following me. We’re running towards our favourite spot at the top of the cliff. I’m faster than him, but he tries to race me nonetheless.
“Slow down!” he shouts, but I continue running. My feet barely touch the ground as I speed towards the cliff. My clothes feel too tight as I think of what he’s going to do to me once we reach it. It’s where we go when we need some alone time.
I grin as he keeps shouting for me to stop. He’s a sore loser. I don’t know why he insists on racing me. He loses every single time. Luckily, he’s got enough stamina to satisfy me after, even though he’ll be out of breath.
I reach the top of the cliff long before he arrives, panting, his cheeks red behind his blond beard. I love how his beard feels when we kiss. It's softer than it looks and it adds to the already thrilling sensation of having his lips on mine.
"You're so slow," I tease him.
"You run like the Valkyries of Valhalla," he groans, clutching his sides. "Are you sure you're human?"
"Valkyries have wings. Why would they run?" I quip, eliciting a breathless laugh.
"You're getting too cocky," Asger huffs.
I blink at him, all innocence. "You're the one with the cock."
He meets my eyes, burning with desire. I grin and slide my dress over my shoulders at the same time as he takes off his shirt. His chest is covered in scars, and I know each and every one of them. They each tell a story. Some of those he has told me, others he has kept for future times. Some stories he will likely never tell. He's been through wars, he's seen things that he'd rather forget.
He takes off his linen trousers, stepping out of them easily since his feet are as bare as mine. He grins at me, his expression turning into that of a predator. I'm his willing prey.
Asger stalks towards me until we're just a breath apart.
"On your knees," he says hoarsely, and I follow his command without question. I love it when he takes charge.
His cock is hard already, ready for me. His one remaining ball is waiting for my attention. I smile and run my tongue along his length, marking him as mine. He's mine through and through. My Viking.
Asger groans when I reach the end of his shaft. He puts his hands around my head, entangling his fingers in my long silky hair. He pushes me closer to his cock, but I fight him a little.
"What's my prize today?" I ask, stalling for time. Not because I don't want to suck his cock, but because I want to increase the anticipation for both of us. It will make it even better.
"You're greedy, you know that?"
I chuckle and teasingly swipe my tongue against his head, licking up a pearl of pre-cum.
"It was your idea to race," I reply with a grin. His taste fills my mouth, and I can barely stop myself from taking him all the way into my mouth.
Asger sighs. "A truth. You get to ask a question and I will tell you the truth, the whole truth. So I swear."
"You're dramatic, you know that?"
He laughs. "Ask your question before I change my mind, little Valkyrie."
My mind is blank. It's an opportunity to find out more about my lover, but all I can think about is how much my body craves him. How much I want to taste him. Feel him inside me. Come at the same time as him.
My gaze falls on his cock and what waits at the other end.
"How did you lose your other ball?"
He sucks in a sharp breath. I've asked that question before, but he never answered. Now, he has to. He gave me his word, the most precious thing any Viking possesses. I almost feel bad for it, but I won this truth fair and square. I would have been happy with another prize.
"Fuck me," he says roughly and takes his hands from my head. "Ride me, clench your cunt around my cock, let me hold your swollen breasts as they whip up and down, and then I will tell you.
My body burns with heat at his words, the same intense warmth that I always feel in his presence. He lies on the grass and I lower myself onto him until the tip of his cock presses against my entrance.
"You don't have to tell me," I say quietly when his intense blue eyes capture mine. "We can fuck without your secrets."
He shakes his head. "I gave you my word. I was planning to tell you anyway, at some point."
Suddenly he grabs my hips and pushes me down, impaling me on his cock. I'm used to his girth, but it's still a surprise every time that I can somehow take him. I moan when he starts to move in me, rocking his hips up again and again. He wanted me to ride him, but for now, he's the active one, thrusting into me with all the strength of a Viking warrior.
"Our village was attacked once," he says without stopping his thrusts. "We were unprepared and most of the men were at sea. I managed to get most of the villagers into the longhouse, which had the strongest walls. We thought it would be easiest to defend. The other men were patrolling outside, and I was guarding the door from the inside. We'd barred the door, thinking that the men outside were enough to defend us. I heard them die."
He thrusts into me with new fervour, his fingernails burrowing into my hips. I match his pace, grinding against him, riding him like he wanted me to.
"One by one, they died. Then they started knocking against the door. I was ready to defend my people, my village, but I knew I had no chance of succeeding. I was one against many. They threatened to burn down the longhouse, burn us all alive, but their chief was having a good day. He offered us a bargain. Our lives in return for my humiliation. I was inside the house with the women and children. He said he wanted me to turn into a woman too, as proof of my cowardice. He thought I'd been hiding with them, even though I was there to defend my friends, my family."
He's fucking me like he never has before, ramming into me without pause. The pain is evident in his entire body. He's reliving the memory, and the only way he can cling onto the present is by being with me, in me. I wish there was more I could do, but I know I can't interrupt him now. He needs to finish his story. I give him my body as an anchor, a lifeline that he can cling to.
"They hacked a hole into the door, not to get in, but to watch. To watch me cut off my own balls. I took my axe, the axe that had killed many men before, and put it to my crotch. But I didn't want to spoil my axe with my own blood, so I asked one of the women for a knife. A sharp one. I wrapped a hand around my balls, telling myself that this was a small pri
ce to pay for the lives of my people. Outside, they were jeering, while their chief was watching me with a grin on his face. I stared him down, looked at him as I sliced through my flesh.
"He laughed when I held up my ball as proof, then told me to cut off the second one. That's when I heard shouts in the backgrounds. The others were returning! Before the chief could react, I threw the knife at him. It flew through the hole in the door as if Óðinn himself was guiding my hand, embedding itself in the man's eye. He was dead, and the shock and surprise of his kinsmen were enough to distract them. They never realised that the rest of our warriors had returned just at the right moment. We prevailed, although the cost was great."
He stops his thrusts for a moment, making me realise how much I'm hurting. Not just my body, my heart. For him.
"You're more of a man than others who still have both balls," I whisper, gently touching his cheek.
"I'm not talking about my balls. It was a small price to pay. No, I lost friends that day. They're now waiting for me in the halls of Valhalla. While I was healing, fighting the weakness that overcame me again and again, I often wished to join them. But not anymore."
His eyes continue his story. Because of you, they say.
I bend forward and kiss him, bruising his lips like he's bruised my body.
"You're the bravest man I know," I whisper in between kisses.
And then I sit up and grind my hips, faster and faster, showing him how much I care for him. Together, we soar, our bodies moving as one, coming undone at the same moment.
Seducing Her Vikings Page 3
