Valkyrie's Sacrifice: Paranormal Romance (Academy of the Immortals Book 3)

by Angel Lawson

  Hildi needed another weapon in her arsenal. She needed another man to bolster her strength. I think…I think I was afraid I wasn’t enough compared to her other Immortal lovers. I realize now that I’d been drawn to her from the beginning for a reason—a purpose. She peels the wet shirt off my shoulders and I know. I just know.

  I am man enough for the Valkyrie.

  Taking her face into my hands, I pull her close, lowering my mouth to hers. I lick her lips, coaxing them open. Our tongues meet, the kiss deepening. I feel her hands exploring the muscles of my chest, her fingers grazing the hair on my lower belly. My cock hardens and a deep growl comes from my throat when her hips press against me.

  “Gods almighty,” I breathe into her mouth, pushing the wet hair off her cheek. “I need to get you to a bed.”

  She shakes her head. “Here, now.”

  I look around, we’re in a narrow hallway that leads beneath the boat. There’s little room, but a rumble of thunder reminds me that the storm continues outside. It isn’t a normal storm. It’s one brought on by us changing the game. A warning. A wave knocks into the side of the boat, making the vessel whine and surge. I steady myself against the wall, but focus on the woman before me; slowly I untie the strings on her vest, revealing the soft curve of her breasts. My belly bottoms out, and I graze the pads of my fingers over her nipples. She shudders, squirming from the touch. I push my tongue into her mouth and run my hand down her body, feeling her hips buck.

  “You feel so good,” she whispers, blue eyes shining bright.

  Energy hums between us—currents from outside this realm. I refuse to rush, wanting to take my time. I kiss down her body, licking her flesh, nipping at her skin. I unlace the front of her pants and she tugs against mine. Once I’m freed, I almost cry when her soft hand meets my hard, hot length. As she explores, doubt flickers in my mind.

  Our eyes meet.

  “You’re wondering how you compare?” she asks, while stroking from my tip to my balls. My jaw clenches as the heat and urge to invade her intensifies. “Because that’s not how this works, Luke. This is about trust. About bonding. It’s about solidifying our faith in one another.” She looks between my legs, a little smile playing on her lips. “But, I think you’re up to the challenge, in and out of the bed.”

  A laugh ripples through me; this woman, gods she is just…well, I kiss her again, this time deep and throttling. I feel it from my lips to the ache in my balls. I dip a hand between her legs, feeling the warm, wet heat. Hildi’s back arches, her long, muscular leg hooks around my hip. I lift her off the ground, rocking into her, causing us both to tense in growing frustration. Another crack of lightning fills the sky and I push into her, just as the thunder starts to roll.

  Warmth spreads through me—powerful and intense. I press my forehead to hers and we hold each other’s eye. All doubt is gone, because this feels…it feels otherworldly. The boat pitches to the side and I slam into her and she groans, nails digging into my back.

  We move together and after a moment I can no longer feel the sway of the boat, just our bodies combined. The cord tightens between us, one I realize has been there for weeks, if not longer, and as my orgasm builds, I capture her lips with mine. I want to taste her as she comes. I want her breath to be mine. I want all parts of us connected.

  Her body seizes, her teeth clamp down with vicious hunger. That’s enough. That’s it. The thing that topples me over the edge. I barely suppress a roar as fierce pleasure tears through me and into her. I feel it across my skin, deep in my belly, along the muscles in my back. I feel it long after I’ve pushed into her for the last time.

  The sound of our heavy breathing fills the small corridor and sweat is the glue that holds us together. I open my eyes and see Hildi’s expression. Her jaw is slack, her eyes wide, confusion fills her gorgeous face.

  “What?” I ask, barely a whisper. “Did I hurt you? Are you—”

  Her finger presses against my lips. “Luke…”

  I raise my eyebrows. Confused and bewildered, neither helped by the post-coital fog. It does wake me enough to feel the burning pain across my shoulder blades. I wince and look to the side, sensing the shadow arching behind me. That’s when I go on full alert, a surge of protectiveness for Hildi, alarm that I’d let my guard and weapon down. All of this must show on my face, because again the Valkyrie reaches for me, hand gripping my jaw.

  “Where did you get them? How long have you been hiding it?”

  “Hiding what?”

  She twists my face, pushing it as far over my shoulder as it will go. That’s when I see them, pure white and cramped in the small hall.

  Angel wings.

  33

  Hildi

  The storm continues outside as we sit together at a long narrow table. The Immortals are all here, too big for the small space. Darius is awake and at the end of the table, sitting next to Elizabeth. He looks better, the color back in his face. I reach under the table and squeeze Luke’s fingers as everyone stares at him. Well, not at him, at the magnificent cloud-white wings jutting from his back.

  “I didn’t know,” he says slowly. “They’ve never been there before.”

  Marshal’s eyes have been narrowed in suspicion since he walked in and saw them for himself. He’d tried to walk over and touch them but I slapped his hand away. “How? Wings don’t just appear.”

  “Do they not?” I snap, thinking of Agis. “We’ve all seen abilities and attributes develop since we arrived in the academy.”

  “I agree that we’ve all experienced some changes, but what brought this on?” Armin asks. “And why now?”

  “I have no idea. I’ve always had gifts from my father. I have increased speed and strength. My injures heal quickly. But my form has always favored my mother’s human qualities. I never, ever knew I had wings.”

  Rupert stares at Luke, jaw tight, deep in thought.

  “Well,” I say, looking at him. “Obviously you have an opinion.”

  “If I had to guess, it happened once you consummated your relationship.”

  Marshal barks out a laugh.

  “What?” I ask, regretting it immediately.

  “I knew Hildi had a magical pussy, but this is unreal.”

  The speed in which I grab and fling my dagger at his head is faster than the blink of an eye. The knight snags it easily out of the air, which only proves to annoy me more. He places it on the table. “So seriously, he and Hildi had sex and now he’s a real boy.”

  “Marshal…” I warn. I know he’s fine with this. I see it in the glint of his eye. Maybe this is some kind of initiation into the group. Maybe they’re always bratty when a new Immortal joins their league.

  “Or angel,” Elizabeth adds. “I mean, his father is a fallen angel, which means he’s not a boy but…”

  Again, all eyes look down the length of the table at Luke, who shifts awkwardly.

  “Not that I want to encourage Marshal,” Rupert says, “but he may be right. The wings may be a sign of maturity—an attribute once a Nephilim accomplishes a rite of passage or ascends to a higher level. Consummat—”

  “Dude, I swear to god, just say the word fuck,” Marshal pleads, “just once.”

  Rupert ignores him and continues, “Being with Hildi can spark strong reactions, physically and emotionally.”

  Darius clears his throat and holds up his hand like he’s in class. “Can I ask something?”

  I give him a warm smile. “Sure.”

  His eyes dart to the others. “Does this mean I have to have sex with Hildi, too?”

  “No!” Armin roars.

  Marshal reaches for the blade.

  I blink in disbelief. “What the—”

  “I mean, I was kind of wondering the same thing?” Elizabeth interrupts, touching her chin thoughtfully. “Is this like a sex gang, because—"

  “Did you say have to?” I interrupt, shooting Darius a glare. I’m trying not to be offended.

  Darius holds up his hands. “N
o, no, you mis-understand.” He gives me a sympathetic look. “The Shaman work differently—our relationships—I’m just trying to understand. I just got here, remember?”

  “The Nephilim is one of us,” Armin says clearly, then glances between Darius and Elizabeth. “You two are allies. Those are different things.”

  I glance at Luke when Armin declares him one of the team. Although it’s clear he wants to appear stoic, he can’t hide the pride. I reach under the table and squeeze his hand.

  “Personally, I don’t care how Luke got the wings. I’m just glad they appeared.” I look between my allies. “I have a feeling today is our last shot to get Agis back, and we’re going to need all the extra help we can get.”

  Rupert nods. “I’ve been thinking about it, and I may have an idea.”

  “Good.” I smile at the prince, “I was hoping you’d say that.”

  We act before dawn, the air heavy with rain. Out on the deck, Darius says, “One thing. No matter what happens, please don’t leave me here.”

  “We won’t,” I assure him. It turns out, Darius was dragged into this circle when he left the temple. He’s been caught in a battle with Agis ever since. The Shaman, although skilled warriors, are not an angry people. Pitting him against his ally, and mentor, was a specific brand of torture.

  After Miya, I’m not planning on losing any more allies. Even if we didn’t need them to face the sixth circle, there’s no way I’m leaving anyone in this literal hellhole.

  The plan itself isn’t that complicated. Lure Agis out of the tower. Once it’s clear, we’ll remove Fake Hildi, and I’ll take her place. The hope is that if I’m the only one there, he’ll snap out of it and I can slip the ring on his finger.

  I touch the metal band in my pocket. Armin spent some time reshaping it into something resembling a circle. Hopefully this time It’ll work.

  There are a few variables in the plan; the rain, the demons lurking in the water, Agis’ formidable strength and rage. But now we have three sets of wings to work with and thanks to Luke and I seeing through the haze of this place, we’re all a little more powerful.

  Elizabeth and I stand under an awning, waiting for everyone to get into position. Luke speaks with Armin, going over last-minute details. I watch the two men. They interact differently. Luke is no longer a kid—or a student—he’s truly one of us. The Devil’s son looks my way and winks, sending a shiver down my spine.

  “Was it weird?” Elizabeth asks, tightening the lace on her boot.

  “Was what weird?”

  “Having sex with Luke.”

  I frown. “No, it wasn’t weird. It was…”

  Her eyebrow lifts and a wicked grin lifts her lips. “What? Like robbing a cradle? What’s that other term? Jailbait?”

  I give her a shove and she stumbles into the rain. Her violet eyes flicker with life and I yank her back under the shelter.

  “It wasn’t like that.” I glance at him again, eyeing the glorious wings, unaffected by the rain. “Admittedly, I wasn’t sure. And yeah, I guess it could have been weird, but it wasn’t. The emotions were very high, sex with these men, the ones that provide balance, it’s not just sex. It’s like finding something holy.”

  She nods. “It doesn’t hurt that he’s so hot, though, right?”

  I laugh. “No, it really doesn’t.”

  “Everyone ready?” Armin calls. I peer out at the tower, nearly impossible to see with the rain. Lucifer isn’t going to make getting Agis back easy, we know that, but it seems like once Luke and I bonded, he cranked up the pressure.

  “Yeah,” I reply back, “Let’s do this.”

  Darius goes first, bursting into a sprint, then racing down the deck of the boat. He leaps off the pointed end, shifting mid-air. His body transforms seamlessly, arms and legs elongating, face twisting and reforming. In a blink he’s no longer a man, but a six-eyed monster. Massive wings sprout out of his back, leaving us in a gust of wind, his howling cry echoing off the water.

  “Gods,” Luke says, walking over. “That was fucking terrifying.”

  “Hopefully it’s the last time he has to do that,” I say, facing him. Luke’s arms circle around my body, pulling me against his chest. “You sure you know how to use these things?”

  His wings expand, blocking me and Elizabeth from the rain. “I think I can figure it out.”

  It’s only a few moments before a familiar, rage-fueled roar crosses the expanse of water. In the distance Agis stands on the edge of the tower railing, swinging his reaper’s scythe at Darius. The monster swoops by quickly, taunting the God of Death. A heartbeat later, they’re both careening through the air.

  “It’s time,” I say, and Luke doesn’t hesitate. He pushes off the deck and my body is lifted through the air. He’s faster than Elizabeth, his wings bigger, stronger. But he’s new at this and we veer off course.

  “Shit,” he mutters, tightening his grip. The water below is filled with angry, dark waves, and I see the first sign of the demons appearing at the edge of the shore. I know that in minutes, Rupert, Marshal, and Armin will be down there fighting them back. We need time, that’s all, time to get into position.

  “Hey! This way!” Elizabeth shouts, waving her arms toward the tower. He shifts directions, pushing into the rain. Rain pelts against us, hard and stinging, but we get moving the right direction, flying over the island and meeting up with Elizabeth at the top of the tower. Luke releases me and we quickly move inside, where he shakes his head like a dog, splattering droplets of rainwater everywhere.

  “What the hell,” Elizabeth mutters, using her own wings as a shield from the spray. She gives Luke a stern look, but he doesn’t reply. Instead he’s frozen, blinking at the bed against the wall. Fake Hildi is curled on her side, knees tucked to her chest, still asleep.

  “Welcome to hell, where your father makes everything extra crazy,” I say, moving toward the bed. I stand over my copy—she’s disturbingly real.

  “Does she ever wake up?” he asks.

  “I don’t know,” Elizabeth says, from the other side of the bed. “But I do have a theory.”

  Well, that’s news. “Care to share?”

  “While sitting with Darius last night, I did some thinking about it. I sensed the magic when I was here yesterday. I actually think it’s just a glamour.”

  “A glamour,” Luke repeats. “What does that mean?”

  “It means that we see Hildi, but really, whatever is underneath the magic is…” She shrugs and makes a worried face. “It could be anything.”

  “Or anyone,” I add. An unpleasant feeling twists in my belly, which only intensifies when a wall vibrating howl comes from outside. “Well, whatever or whoever it is, I say we get them out of here fast. I don’t know how long they can hold off Agis.”

  The goal is to get her out of here without Agis knowing. Once Luke carries her off, Darius can bring him back our way. Then I can deal with him by myself. Luke bends over her and slides his hands under her body. “Damn this is weird. She looks like you, feels like you, but…” he wrinkles his nose, “she doesn’t smell like you. She smells…weird.”

  I guess it’s good to know I don’t smell weird? “Get her out of here.”

  He’s halfway to the window when Luke cries out in pain. Elizabeth and I dart toward him. When I reach him, I see bright red blood dripping down the pure white of his wings. Fake Hildi’s nails, pointed and sharp, have clawed into Luke’s neck, leaving a vicious trail of blood.

  My eyes shift from his neck, to the nails, back to Fake Hildi’s face. Her lips are twisted and cruel. A dark glint in her eyes. “Elizabeth,” I whisper, dagger held tight in my grip, “can you pull off that glamour.”

  “I can try.”

  I don’t give her a chance before I go after her. She leaps out of Luke’s weakened arms and faces me. The moment is surreal, fighting myself, but I remind myself over and over this is magic. It’s all fake. Like everything else in this gods-forsaken place.

  Elizabeth
’s voice enters my conscious—she’s muttering some kind of spell. Fake Hildi swings her claws at me and I jump back, barely escaping. I pivot and fling myself toward her, slamming my body into hers. The move stuns her and we fall to the ground. I land on top, pinning her to the ground.

  She squirms beneath me, struggling against my strength.

  “Who the hell are you?” I ask, but there’s no need. Whatever magic Elizabeth summoned works, and slowly her face begins to shimmer; the hair shifting from blonde to red, the face pale and the eyes dark as sin. Her lips are blood red and curved in a wicked grin.

  Victorine.

  My heart pounds in my chest; veins pumping with rage. With my eyes on her face, I grind out, “Get Luke out of here. I’ve got this.”

  “But—” Elizabeth starts.

  “Now!” I shout, my voice bouncing off the stone walls.

  Elizabeth, half the size of Luke, helps him out to the balcony. Blood trails behind them. A moment later they lift off the ledge and soar into the air. I refocus my attention on the woman before me.

  Victorine had made my life a living hell in the academy. She used and abused me, humiliated me, tortured my friends and lovers. She’s pure evil. A harpy—which explains the foul smell. I wrap my hands around her throat and say, “How dare you steal my face, my body, and my…”

  Victorine grins, despite her position. “Your what? Your man? Your lover?”

  “My mate,” I snarl.

  She snorts. “You rejected him, Valkyrie. He was so lost and confused when he came here, when he came to me. But I gave him what he wants—what he needs. He cares for me. He loves me. He fights and kills for me, day after day.” Her tongue wets her lips. “And at night, every night, he comes back and sleeps with me and I soothe all that rage, all that anger, giving the God of Death what he needs to go back out there and do it again.”

  At some point during that speech, my vision turns a blinding white, caught in such anger, such pain, that I barely notice that blood trickles from her chest where I point my blade.

  “He’s mine,” I growl. “Mine. Bound to me by the Gods in and out of this world.”