Viking Warrior Rising

by Asa Maria Bradley

  Harald led them in a war cry. Leif’s berserker howled and he felt his Vikings’ inner warriors join. The energy of all those war-ready berserkers resonated within his chest. The power almost overwhelmed him. He had never connected with his warriors this strongly.

  The looks of wonder on his brothers’ and sisters’ faces showed that they experienced it as well.

  Harald took a deep breath and stepped forward. “Will you join your king in victory?”

  “Ja!” Their shouts echoed in unison through the foyer.

  They sheathed their weapons and Harald handed Leif a gun. Swords were the honorable choice, but that didn’t mean modern weapons didn’t have their usage. “Here,” he said then turned to bark at the others. “It takes you longer to get ready than a gaggle of women braiding their hair with midsommar flowers. Are we going to discuss how pretty our dresses are or are we going to fight?”

  “Fight!” Ulf shouted, and the others echoed.

  En masse, they spilled out the front door and loaded up into the SUVs parked in the courtyard.

  * * *

  Naya peered at the monitor in front of her. She needed to leave the Vikings, but worry about Leif had her dragging her feet. What if he didn’t survive this battle? She’d stay just long enough until she knew he was safe. Until then, she’d work on an encrypted email she’d intercepted by monitoring the wolverines’ email traffic from the farm.

  Frustrated, she tapped the keyboard. The lines of numbers and letters of the short message changed, but still didn’t combine into anything readable. She’d run an algorithm comparing the message to all the world’s languages. None had matched.

  She stretched in the chair, arching her back like a cat. She needed to work out. Even though her enhanced senses gave her the advantage in most fights, she preferred to train to keep her skills sharp. Especially now that she seemed to be fighting monsters every other day.

  She’d just try one more time to decode the message. A knock on the door interrupted her typing.

  Astrid entered and flung herself in the other office chair. Her muscles twitched and her blue eyes glittered. “I’m bored.” She sounded like a teenager.

  “I’m busy,” Naya retorted. “Go bother someone else.”

  “Come fight with me.” The Valkyrie widened her eyes.

  “No time.” Naya turned back to the screen.

  Astrid leaned forward. “What’s Batch 439?” she asked, staring at the screen.

  “You can read that?”

  The Valkyrie pointed at the screen. “It’s Old Norse. Of course I can read it.”

  Excited, Naya stood. “What does it say?” Damn, she’d only compared to living languages, not historical variations. She needed to update her encryption database.

  Astrid shot her a calculating look. “How much is it worth to you?”

  Sighing, Naya sat back down. “What do you want?”

  “If I tell, you’ll spar with me?”

  “Fine.” She could always pull back on her hits and slow down her reaction speed.

  “I pick the weapons?”

  “Yes.” She clenched her fists to keep from shaking the woman. “What does it say?”

  Astrid shrugged. “Something about a Batch 439.”

  “Please read the full text,” Naya said through gritted teeth.

  The Valkyrie sighed theatrically and pulled her chair closer to the screen. “I didn’t know you were interested in Old Norse. I have some books I could lend you.” When Naya impatiently waved to get her to continue, she cleared her throat. “It says, ‘Encouraged by the success of Batch 439. Inject all old models immediately. Keep them isolated until desired effect is observed.’”

  Naya carefully kept her face neutral while her heart pumped faster than a jackrabbit’s on speed. The government agent had called her an “old model.” Batch 439 could be an antidote. It could also be some new poison. Shit. To know for sure, she needed access to the camp’s computer records. She’d managed to break through their firewall, but not well enough to dig around in the records undetected. Their tracers always found her, and she had to disconnect in order to not be tracked.

  Astrid waved her hand in front of Naya’s face. “Hello, earth to Naya.”

  She shook her head. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

  The tall blond sighed dramatically. “I said, time to pay up.”

  “I need to figure this out.” Naya gestured toward the computer.

  The Valkyrie shot to her feet, grabbing Naya’s arm and making her rise. “Nope,” she said, dragging her out of the room. “You promised me a fight…a sparring, and I need to get rid of some energy. Can’t wait any longer.”

  * * *

  The rubber mat under Naya’s bare feet cooled her soles, a contrast to the rest of her overheated body. For the last hour, the Valkyrie had punched and kicked like a demented kangaroo. Even though Naya had blocked most of them, some had made contact with various body parts. She’d be black and blue in the morning.

  Naya tried to blow her bangs out of her eyes, but the sweaty strands remained plastered to her forehead. Wiping them away would leave an opening for Astrid, and Naya’s ribs already ached enough. She kept her hands in front of her face, protecting her nose and eyes.

  The tall, blond woman smiled. “You fight pretty well for a shorty.”

  She tuned out the taunting, concentrating on what Astrid’s hands and feet were doing. The Valkyrie was a master of advertising one move while executing a completely different one. Soon, Naya would have to stop pulling her punches.

  Her opponent bounced her weight to her left leg a little more.

  Naya watched both of Astrid’s legs and prepared a comeback kick of her own. The overhand punch took her by total surprise. Stars flashed briefly behind her eyelids as she fell down on all fours on the mat. “Shit, that hurt.”

  “Sorry.” Astrid grinned, not looking contrite at all, her eyes glittering mischievously.

  Naya pushed herself off the floor, shaking her head. Sweat flew in all directions, like a dog shaking itself after a swim. “I thought we were sparring, not fighting for real.” Astrid’s maniacal energy woke something within Naya. Her nostrils flared.

  Astrid laughed. “If we were fighting for real, you wouldn’t be just bruised—you’d be dead.”

  “Well, I am black and blue.” She found her footing on the mat. She faked a jab and crouched down when Astrid moved to block it. She quickly bounced back up, executing a semicircular spinning kick to the Valkyrie’s kidney. The tall woman fell like a lodgepole pine.

  If this had been a real fight, Naya would have followed up with an overhand punch or a front kick. Instead, she jumped back, bouncing on the front of her feet a safe distance from her opponent.

  Astrid took a deep breath, pushing off the mat with her hands to stand up straight again. “Good delivery,” she wheezed.

  Naya made a little mock bow, but kept her hands in ready position in front of her face.

  “Even Torvald would approve of that blow.”

  She frowned. “What does Torvald have to do with anything?”

  “Nothing.” Astrid’s gaze cut to the left.

  A classic sign of lying for right-handed people. Astrid’s dominant hand was her right, but this could be another fake.

  Naya cautiously lowered her hands. “Seriously, what does Torvald have against me?”

  Astrid sighed. “I shouldn’t have said anything. He just doesn’t think a human should rule over the Vikings and Valkyrie.”

  For all that was holy, these people would not give up. She laughed out loud.

  “What’s so funny?” Astrid tilted her head.

  “I’m not going to be your queen. There’s no way I’d marry Leif.”

  Astrid studied her for a few heartbeats. “But you are our queen. Leif introduced you as his mate at the ceremony beneath the ash tree.”

  Naya dropped her hands. Shit. That’s what standing by his side had meant. He snuck that one by her. “I don’t w
ant to be your queen.”

  Astrid tilted her head. “You have no choice. The gods picked you as Leif’s mate and that automatically makes you our queen.”

  Naya sat down on the mat with an ungraceful thud. “Bond or no bond, it’s just sex between us, nothing deeper than that.” Liar, the little voice in her head whispered. She ignored it.

  Astrid stared at her incredulously and then rich laughter bellowed from her mouth. She sat down, wiping her eyes. “The sex completed the bond.”

  Heat flushed Naya’s cheeks, but her insides were as cold as Antarctica. “Why is this bond so important?”

  “The bond between two själsfrände, soul mates, is sacred.” She punched her lightly on the shoulder. “Dang, girl, you guys are really going at it in bed if you didn’t even notice Leif’s tattoo completing itself.”

  Ice water trickled through her veins. So Astrid also believed that the tattoo had somehow completed itself. A forgotten memory from the night Leif first made love to her rose in her mind. “The tattoo,” she whispered. “It glowed and tingled.”

  Astrid nodded. “When you make love, the tattoo might glow. I’ve never heard about tingling though.” She pushed Naya’s shoulder, leering at her. “Was it in a good spot?”

  In a daze, Naya shook her head.

  If Astrid and the others thought she’d made a commitment by sleeping with Leif, it would be harder to slip away unnoticed. She turned to face Astrid. “Tell me everything about this bond and the freaky tattoo.” Leif had explained, but maybe Astrid knew of a loophole.

  “Hey.” The other woman frowned. “This is a good thing. The bond only works between people who have the potential to truly love each other. Once it is completed, it makes the two själsfrände physically stronger and enhances their connection.”

  Naya startled. “What do you mean, ‘enhances their connection’?”

  Astrid fidgeted. “Maybe you should be talking to Leif about this.”

  Naya grabbed the blond woman’s hand. “Are you telling me that this…this bond thing is messing with my emotions?” Astrid pulled on her hand, but Naya refused to let go. “Tell me!” she shrieked. “You say I’m your queen. I demand you tell me.”

  The Valkyrie’s eyes cooled. “Very well, Your Highness.” She executed a small bow. “What is it you want to know?”

  “Have I been given something that alters my emotions?” She already knew her blood had been altered. Had they been putting stuff in her food? Was it in that broth Irja brought when she was sick?

  Astrid tilted her head. “Nobody’s given you anything.” She jerked her hand free. “You started the process when you first touched Leif. Saving his life might have enhanced the connection. It’s not always clear how the bond is triggered, but the själsfrände bond must be completed or the warriors are called back to Valhalla.”

  The room spun. “What do you mean, our connection got stronger?” She put both hands on the mat to anchor herself.

  “I’ve heard of själsfrände who could read each other thoughts, but that’s unusual. Most couples pick up on the other’s feelings, especially if they are strong. And when they are near each other, they influence the other’s emotions.” She glared at Naya. “Are you okay? Has Leif not explained this to you?”

  No, she was not okay. Would never be okay. He’d explained some ancient Norse tradition that was connected to the tattoo. He hadn’t explained that it influenced her emotions. Maybe she should have suspected something when she learned about the altered blood. But how could she ever have suspected that the strong connection, the attraction between her and Leif, had been nothing but a trick of manipulated neurochemistry? She’d felt safe among these people, but it was no different than when she was imprisoned in the lab.

  Her feelings were not true. They were a by-product of whatever had been done to her body. She couldn’t trust her emotions.

  Her friendship with Irja and Astrid wasn’t real.

  Her affection for Leif was a lie.

  Bile rose in her throat. “I have to get out of here.” Unsteadily she rose and stumbled to the wall for support.

  Astrid took a step toward her. “Hey, let me help.”

  Naya flinched. “Don’t touch me.”

  The other woman backed up. “I won’t, but let me help you. You look sick.”

  She had to get out before Leif decided she was the enemy and made her a prisoner. Before he looked at her with disgust and contempt. She shook her head. He may feel that already. He probably lied when he said he wouldn’t hurt her. The connection between them was manipulated. Whatever he may have felt for her could be turned on and off. If there were any feelings at all. He’d never shared anything deeper than sexual attraction. Her head spun. Maybe this had all been a game. A way to lure the wolverines to come out in the open. Had she been his bait all along?

  She dragged herself across the courtyard to the main house.

  In her room, she stuffed her laptop into its bag and threw everything else into her duffel. She shrugged into her leather jacket as she surveyed the room for anything forgotten. Her gaze lingered on the bed, and she furiously blinked. She’d been such a fool.

  Downstairs, she grabbed the keys to Sten’s bike from the wooden cabinet by the door. Once she reached the city, she’d ditch the bike so they couldn’t track her through its GPS. Without looking back, she opened the huge front door just enough to slip outside. The door closed behind her with a soft click.

  Tears streamed down her face as her heart broke. There was no “home” for her, no deep connection with the Viking king. Only altered neurochemistry that tricked her into feeling normal affection for another.

  But she was not normal. Hadn’t been for a long time and would never be again. It was time she stopped deluding herself by thinking she was anything but a freak.

  Chapter 18

  Leif bounded up the stairs to Naya’s bedroom. His vision blurred and he couldn’t draw enough oxygen into his lungs. His heart raced like a deer on the first day of hunting season.

  The berserker howled inside him, clawing to get out and take control of his body. It demanded to find its själsfrände.

  The berserker had surfaced while they fought the wolverines and burned the truck with the poisonous plants. Battle fever had raged through his body more intensely than usual, but he had known Naya would calm the warrior spirit as soon as he returned to the fortress.

  Where was she? The bed hadn’t been slept in. Maybe she was in the computer room. He turned, but before he could leave Astrid glided through the door.

  “Min kung, are you okay?”

  “Naya,” he growled. “Have to find Naya.”

  Astrid shook her head. “She left. I don’t know where she went, but she took one of the bikes.” She looked around the room. “She packed her stuff.”

  His berserker spun out of control. Howling, it clawed at the mental barriers keeping it in check. Leif’s vision bled crimson. He pulled out his dagger from his boot and pressed the tip into his palm until blood trickled through his fingers. Ice-cold pain centered him. Breath by breath¸ he calmed his panting. Slowly, the berserker receded and Leif took a shallow breath. “Why didn’t you stop her?” he wheezed out.

  Astrid took a step back, her face registering alarm. “As your själsfrände, she is my queen. I have no right to stop her.”

  The berserker bellowed in rage. She’d left them. The beast inside him was dangerously close to taking complete control of Leif’s body.

  He needed to find her. To reason with her. He needed her to soothe and comfort his inner warrior, to comfort him.

  He banged his fist on the dresser, smearing the wood with blood.

  “Fuck!” he shouted, feeling marginally better.

  Astrid disappeared into the bathroom and came out with a towel that she used to wipe up the blood.

  Harald entered the room. His second-in-command was still in battle gear. He took one look at Leif’s hand, then hastily glanced away and cleared his throat. “Did I come at
a bad time?”

  “Fuck you,” Leif snarled. “We have to find Naya.” At the thought of Naya, the berserker paced faster in his cage, running in tight circles. Leif pressed the dagger into the wound on his palm again.

  Harald flinched when blood dripped on the floor. He took the towel from Astrid and used it to wrap Leif’s hand and forced him to sit down in one of the blue chairs. Harald then took a seat in the other. “What did she tell you before we went to battle?”

  Leif tried to think through the red haze of anger filling his mind. “She has a client she’s visiting.”

  “Luke Holden,” Astrid said, leaning against the wall. “He owns Desire, the nightclub.”

  “Find him.” Leif wasn’t sure if it was his voice or that of the berserker growling out the words. They both wanted to get their hands on the man who had their woman. Preferably wrap them around his neck. That Naya was going with Holden of her own free will didn’t matter.

  “We will.” Harald leaned forward in the chair. “I’ll have Ulf track down all property registered to Holden.”

  Leif nodded. The berserker demanded to hunt, to fight. The chair toppled when he stood. “Check for her name on any passenger list. Buses, trains, and planes.” He wanted to wring Naya’s neck for leaving. He wanted to yell at her. But what he wanted most was for her to be back where she belonged. With him.

  Harald stood. “I’ll take care of it.” He watched him for a few moments. “You need to calm down. We’ll do everything we can.”

  Leif ignored him. “What was the name she used when she first came here?” He pressed his hands to his head as if the pressure would spit out the answer he wanted. “Daisy something. Ask Irja.”

  “Daisy Driscoll,” Harald said. “We’ll search that name too.”

  “She may use other aliases.” Desperate, he looked up. “How do we find her other aliases?”

  “We will find her.” Harald grabbed Leif’s hands and lowered them. “You need to try to remain in control.”