Rise of a Viking (The MacLomain Series: Viking Ancestors' Kin Book 1)

by Sky Purington

“Okay.” Sam squeezed her hand, obviously sensing Cybil was in turmoil. “Whenever’s good for you, Cyb. If I can handle this, I can handle anything.”

  Cybil swallowed. God, she hoped that was true. “So did Sean say when, better yet, how I vanished?”

  “Mm-hmm.” Sam nodded. “He said you were on a Jet Ski one second and gone the next.”

  “And you believed him?” Cybil shook her head. “I’m shocked. It sounds far-fetched.”

  “I believed him,” Sam said. “Lauren isn’t buying it for a sec. She reported you missing and is hiring crews to start looking for you in the water.”

  “Oh no.” Cybil frowned. “Poor Lauren. I wish I could send her a message and let her know I’m all right.” Her eyes went to Heidrek. “You were able to communicate with me. Maybe now that our powers are growing one of us can find a way to communicate with her.”

  “Powers?” Sam mouthed but said nothing.

  “I would not draw unnecessary attention to the Yggdrasill at this juncture,” Aella said as the others started entering the cave. Her eyes were on Sam though she spoke to Cybil. “Like it was when Erin arrived the first time, I expect your sister will create a stir with Heidrek’s kin. More so, I suspect her energy will only make the tree more of a beacon for our enemies.”

  That was the last thing Cybil wanted to hear. She shook her head. “You mean it’ll draw that evil dragon to my sisters?”

  “Dragon?” Sam murmured, her eyes wide. “And what’s this about Erin…not our Erin?”

  “Yes, our Erin.” Cybil put a comforting hand on her sister’s arm. “I’ll fill you in later.”

  Cybil’s eyes narrowed on Tait, Matthew and Bjorn as they headed their way. There was no mistaking their interest in Samantha. “Heidrek…” She yanked Sam between them. “Are we gonna have a problem here?”

  “Stop, kin,” Heidrek warned as his dragon tattoo started glowing. They did, but she knew it was taking them a great deal of self-restraint as they eyed Samantha. Cybil was somewhat amazed Sam had made it past Tait to begin with.

  “Son of a bitch,” Sam whispered, her eyes wider still. “The other two weren’t out there when I arrived. Hell, what are these guys eating? They’re huge.”

  “Mostly protein.” Tait issued a devilish grin as his eyes slid down her body. “But I can think of other things I’d like to sample.”

  Samantha snorted, mirth in her eyes despite what most women might find a daunting situation. “You don’t hold back, do you, Brown Eyes?”

  Before Tait could respond, Heidrek spoke. “I expect all three of you to respect this woman as if she was one of our own. Her name is Samantha, and she is Cybil’s sister.” He made introductions before continuing. “If you do anything to her that she does not wish, you will answer directly to me.”

  Matthew and Tait nodded.

  “Understood,” Bjorn said. He at least made more of an effort to drag his eyes away than the other two did.

  “My kin have come far since Erin arrived and can control themselves better around a female dragon,” Heidrek said into Cybil’s mind. “And of course, they have had more practice at self-restraint around you.”

  “I know,” she responded, more confident by the moment that the men were in control of their baser natures. Her eyes went to his. “I trust them, Heidrek.”

  And she meant it.

  Heidrek nodded, a flash of relief in his eyes.

  Meanwhile, she was surprised to see Sam’s gaze lingering on Bjorn as he dealt with the men filtering in. Typically, her sister favored the clean-cut, freshly shaven type that leaned toward lithe. Certainly not a tattooed, muscled Viking with a beard. But then maybe she was ready for the polar opposite of her ex-husband.

  “All of you are safe in here,” Aella informed the warriors and gestured to several fresh animal carcasses. “Cook the meat, regain your strength, then I will see that you get back to your boat.”

  She made a slight motion with her head then asked Cybil, Samantha, Heidrek and Kjar to follow her down a narrow hallway into a smaller cave with trinkets hanging from the ceiling. From what Cybil could tell, they were strings interwoven with a mixture of seashells, bones, tiny rusted bells and a bizarre variety of other things, including ship-wreckage.

  Aella handed them fresh skins and urged them to sit around a small fire. Though tempted to keep Samantha safely between her and Heidrek, Cybil wanted to show him she meant what she said about his family even if it was just Kjar. So she let her sister sit where she wanted which thankfully, wasn’t too far away.

  Sam took a tentative sip from her skin then coughed a little before she grinned. “Rough stuff but not too bad.”

  “It’s mead,” Cybil said. “And pretty strong so be careful.”

  “I’m all right,” Sam assured. “No worries.”

  Famous last words.

  Aella’s eyes met Cybil’s across the flames. “It might be best if you shared your hidden truths with your sister before we speak of what just happened outside with the enemy.”

  Cybil nodded. “Right.” Her eyes went to Samantha. This was it. The moment she had long avoided. How to phrase it? What would Samantha think? How would she react?”

  Heidrek’s hand slid into hers, his mental words gentle. “Just tell her what is in your heart, Cybil. Give her honesty.”

  “Okay,” she replied. Fueled by his strength and support, she took a deep breath and finally told Samantha what she should have told her long ago. “As I’m sure you’ve picked up on over the years, I’ve always been a little different than the others. I don’t get overly involved with men, and I’ve probably spent more time than is considered normal watching out for you and our sisters.” She frowned. “The ones who allowed it that is.”

  Samantha nodded and shrugged. “Sure, but I always had you pegged for an overprotective big sister.” Her eyes narrowed slightly. “Maybe a little too insightful sometimes.”

  “There was a reason for that.” She took another measured breath and came right out with it. “Sam, I’m a prophet. I can see things before they happen.”

  When Samantha remained silent, soaking it up, Cybil decided to lay it all on the line. So she took her sister’s hand and shared everything. From Sam and the rest of their sisters being dragon-shifters to the fact that Heidrek’s family was too. When she finally stopped talking, utter silence fell.

  Samantha started to speak a few times but couldn’t quite get the words out. Instead, she took several deep gulps of mead, flinched at the liquid, and then took another drag. Cybil didn’t blame her. She would do the same.

  “Okay, so let me get this straight,” Samantha finally managed. “For starters, you’re a prophet…so essentially a psychic?” Her brows drew together. “And I’m…” She swallowed hard. “I’m part…dragon?”

  “Yes, I’m a psychic of sorts.” Cybil squeezed Sam’s hand. “And yes, you’re part dragon.”

  Her sister stared at her for a long moment before a chuckle bubbled up. “You’re shitting me, right? I mean…” Sam’s eyes covered everyone before returning to Cybil. “You can’t be serious. I would’ve known if I was a dragon.”

  Strange response but Cybil brushed it aside and remained focused.

  “I’m very serious,” Cybil said. “I’ve been protecting you and our sisters from this knowledge your whole lives. I did as much by explaining away any unusual things that happened to you over the years.”

  Sam’s eyes narrowed. “Go on.”

  Of all the sisters who could have traveled back in time, she was glad it was Samantha. She had the most open mind of the lot and while overly playful at times—mostly since her divorce—she had a bright, logical and most importantly, reasonable mind.

  “Do you remember when you were in seventh grade, and you got in a fight with that girl who was picking on another kid?” Cybil said. “You were so furious that I made sure you cooled off in the bathroom. But not before you swore you saw your eyes glow in the mirror. That was your inner dragon, Sam.”

&nbs
p; “I remember,” Samantha whispered. “You told me it was just my imagination. That the sunlight had reflected on them through the window.”

  “I lied,” Cybil murmured. “As far as I know, that was the first time your dragon appeared.”

  “But it wasn’t,” Sam said softly, her eyes glistening. “I saw the same thing the night mom died. I just figured I was losing my mind.”

  “Oh, Sam.” She embraced her. “You weren’t either time, and I should’ve been honest. I should have found a way to share with you earlier.”

  “No.” Sam shook her head as she pulled away. “I’m not sure that would’ve been a good idea either.” She rubbed her arm and stared at her hand. “This explains a lot.”

  “So you believe me? Really?” Cybil looked at Sam’s hand, confused.

  “I knew something was off about me. But…a dragon?” She shook her head, baffled. “That never crossed my mind.”

  “You mean to say you thought you were something other than human?” Cybil said, incredulous. How had she never sensed this? And if she missed it with Sam, what might she have missed with her other sisters?

  “Yeah, eventually I figured out that it wasn’t just my imagination.” Sam’s eyes lingered on her hand. “I started dreaming I had talons.” She touched her cheek. “And that my skin glistened.” She shook her head. “It started happening a few years ago when Rick started coming home from work late. When I found out he was having an affair, the dream became reality, and I’d catch my skin sheening over when I was awake.”

  “Jesus, Sam.” Cybil searched her eyes. “Why didn’t you say something? Why didn’t you come to me?”

  “Honestly? I figured you’d think I was losing it over Rick and haul me to a therapist.” Samantha shrugged. “Had the circumstances been reversed I would have done the same to you…for you.”

  Perhaps that was true. Either way, now wasn’t the time to feel hurt or chastise. Now was the time to stay strong and move forward together. “What about our sisters? Have any of them mentioned anything to you about similar experiences?”

  “No.” Sam rolled her eyes. “But that’s to be expected. We’re not all that close anymore.”

  Regrettably, she was right.

  “So your psychic gift allowed you to know what we were?” Samantha continued.

  “Yes.” Her eyes held her sister’s. “But so did Dad.”

  “What?” Sam’s eyebrows lurched. “Dad knew?”

  Cybil nodded. “He told me when I started having visions about you guys and your dragons.”

  “What did you say when you found out you were half dragon too?” Sam asked.

  “I’m the only one who’s not,” Cybil murmured. “As I learned when I arrived in Scandinavia, I’m something called a Dragon Seer.”

  She described what that was then said, “Not only that but I’m a little something more.”

  When Sam cocked her head in question, Cybil told her the rest. About finding out she had a different mother, being part Celtic god and something more now that she and Heidrek were mated.

  “Hell, I thought Tait just meant you could kick ass when he said you were a warrior goddess,” Samantha whispered, stunned.

  “She can kick ass,” Kjar interjected. “Your sister is an excellent fighter. We are very proud to have her as part of our Viking family.”

  “She definitely fights well,” Sam agreed, her eyes still on Cybil. “I would’ve loved to watch you fight Vikings. That had to have been intense, Sis.”

  “It was.” Her eyes went to Heidrek’s. “Very.”

  “And how are you doing with learning mom wasn’t...” Sam’s hand slid into hers. “Well, that’s she’s not your real mom?”

  This is why she loved Samantha so much. Most might be wowed by the fact Cybil was a demi-god and focus on that but not Sam. She was concerned about what mattered most.

  “I’m okay, Sis,” Cybil assured. “Mom was every inch my mother whether or not we were blood-related.”

  “I know she was.” Samantha squeezed her hand. “If you ever need to talk about it, you know I’m here.”

  “Thanks, Sam,” she said. “But let’s focus on you right now.”

  “No, I’m all right,” Samantha said. “You’ve focused on everyone but yourself for a long time.” Her eyes went to Aella then back to Cybil. “Now I think it’s time to focus on you and what’s going on here.”

  Aella nodded and met Cybil’s eyes. “Your sister is right. We must focus on you and your new enemy. Who he is and how you managed to stop him. More than that, what we might expect from him in the future.”

  Vigdis floated in followed by Tait, Bjorn, and Matthew. Apparently, they were meant to be here for this part of the conversation. The odd seer looked over Samantha curiously but turned her eyes to the fire when Aella shot her a stern look.

  “Long before the time when my sisters and I called this mountain peak our home, another resided here. His name was Eluf,” Aella began. “He was powerful in unimaginable ways and communed with the gods regularly. Through them, he learned of a new tribe born onto Midgard, or Middle Earth, via one of the Nine Worlds, Múspellsheimr, a place of fire and lava. They were a clan of Vikings who were half man, half creature. A species called dragon that were more powerful than any other.”

  At this point, the men’s eyes were no longer lingering on Samantha. Aella had their undivided attention.

  “Three dragon lineages were born of the first family. One was birthed from the seed of Bjarke.” Her eyes went to Heidrek. “That is your family’s patriarch.”

  Then she continued.

  “The second family was birthed of Bard’s seed. From the beginning, there was great strife between Bjarke and Bard’s families. Some say it started over territory…others say it was a woman. We have long thought Bard’s lineage died off,” she said softly, her eyes meeting Kjar’s. “But it seems to have reappeared.”

  Kjar issued a low growl then stalked out of the room.

  Surprised by his response, Cybil glanced at Heidrek and spoke within the mind. “What’s that all about?”

  He frowned. “I do not know.”

  “And what of the third family?” Samantha of all people asked, a strange look in her eyes.

  “They were of Einar’s seed. Yet another lineage we thought long extinct. It is also believed that they were somehow at the heart of the feud between the other two families.” Aella’s eyes met Cybil’s. “You and your sisters are of Einar’s lineage.”

  “Wow,” Samantha whispered.

  “So we’re all distantly related?” Cybil said, flinching as she looked at Heidrek.

  “Though it seems you should be, no,” Aella said. “The power of the dragon redesigned its own DNA strain for its individual lineage. A way to prevent the problems that could arise from inbreeding.”

  Very interesting. Cybil let the information sink in and embraced it like she would a vision, seeking more truth and revelation. It was the first time she had done such a thing since she’d been here.

  What happened next was the last thing she expected.

  Everything vanished except perhaps the cave.

  No fire.

  No people.

  Only darkness.

  Unafraid, she continued chasing the idea of her bloodline being of Einar’s lineage…and saw through the darkness until things became clearer. An old man with hunched shoulders and sharp eyes spoke with a raspy voice to someone standing in the shadows.

  “Go. You cannot stay here anymore,” he said. “They will hunt you and rape you until you submit. They will be merciless and unforgiving.”

  “What of the Sigdir’s?” came a soft, feminine reply. “Surely they will give me shelter.”

  “Perhaps they would. Perhaps they would not,” he said. “We cannot trust in uncertainties.” He pressed something into the woman’s hand. “Take this and start anew. Never say who you are. Never shift again. Become anonymous. As time goes by, the dragon will go to sleep.”

  “Will i
t ever awake?”

  “Only if something awakens it.”

  “And what would cause such a thing?”

  Cybil never heard the answer as darkness faded and memories started swirling around her. A busy port with carriages rumbled by on a dirt road. A sign hanging on a storefront window caught her attention. More so its words...Plymouth, Massachusetts.

  Her eyes turned to a ship and locked onto a pregnant woman disembarking what was most certainly the Mayflower before she vanished into the crowd. Then she saw the same woman screaming in pain as she gave birth.

  After that, memories came and went, following the child then his child, so on and so forth as the centuries passed. Then she somehow recognized the woman giving birth. Better yet, the child.

  Cybil’s father.

  No sooner did he come screaming into the world than everything snapped shut and she once more sat in the cave at Mt. Galdhøpiggen’s peak.

  All was as it was.

  Heidrek wrapped his arm around her lower back and pulled her closer against his side. “I was with you, Cybil. I saw and heard everything.”

  “As did I,” Aella said. “You possess great power and it will serve you well.” Her eyes went to the fire. “Regrettably, we still do not know what made the dragon awaken in your generation. Nonetheless, one thing of importance was gleaned. We can be fairly certain that your lineage shares the same enemy as the Sigdir’s.” Her eyes went to Cybil’s. “Even now.”

  “What about Erin?” Cybil frowned. “What lineage does she descend from?”

  Aella shook her head. “I do not know, but it must be one of the three, and it is not the Sigdir’s.”

  So Erin might be related after all? That wouldn’t surprise her. Still, she wondered at family secrets yet revealed. Why Erin’s father was best friends with hers. Was it relevant? What was their back story? An unexpected chill went through her, and she strongly speculated that before all was said and done, she and her sisters would know.

  Though she sensed Heidrek was eager to ask about Kjar’s foul mood, he didn’t because he felt it inappropriate. Yet Cybil wondered…was this the time for more secrets? Especially if they were facing the same evil?