On a Black Horse: An Apocalyptic Paranormal Romance (Revelations Book 3)

by Monica Corwin

  “Would you please come with me?” he held his hand out to her. She didn’t want him to see her naked but she was also beginning to lose feeling in her toes. So she unfolded herself and took his hand.

  “I offered you a partnership before. This time I will offer you a deal?”

  “You have nothing I want.”

  “Oh, darling, I think I do.”

  He led her down a long stone corridor into a lavishly appointed bedroom. Arwan lay sprawled on the bed. Her mind raced. How did they get here? Arwan had been acting strange since he left the room with Gwyn, and usually that would have given her pause. Except the wine and the food seeped in, casting any doubt away as the night wore on.

  “You are wondering how you came here, yes?” Odin asked.

  She swallowed and nodded.

  “You have your hound to thank for that.”

  She tried to concentrate on the night before but couldn’t remember anything after falling asleep in Arwan’s arms. “I don’t understand.”

  “Don’t you? You had a meeting with Hel after me, yesterday? She noticed the raven feather on the table and contacted me to inquire why. It seems she could offer insight so I allowed her an audience, as much as it pained me. She told me she could get you to Asgard and I agreed.”

  “What did she want in return?”

  “That doesn’t concern you.”

  “You do realize I am not here of my free will. I will escape.”

  “Not if you are secured with Gleipnir.”

  She noticed the chain in his hands trailing behind him across the rich maroon rug. With a glance at Arwan again to make sure he still slept she faced Odin, keeping herself between him and Arwan. “And what of him?” she asked.

  “Also no longer your concern.”

  Anger began to slither in place of the fear. “What gives you the right? I’m at least somewhat a deity. You can’t just kidnap people.”

  He laughed at her outburst. “You are correct, you are somewhat of a deity and if you haven’t realized by now that us Gods take what we want, then you haven’t learned anything. It has been this way since the making and it will continue once the pieces fall from Ragnarok. I will survive it, which is where you come in.”

  She tried to think of a plan, a way to escape. There was never a need to learn escape tactics. Bianca and Scarlet lived for that sort of thing. In the hierarchy of the horseman Katherine fell into least ferocious and battle ready. Yes, she could fight but she’d never had to plan for situations like this. “You mentioned a deal.”

  “I thought you would want to reconsider. The deal, my dear, is that I will let you keep your pet, if you agree to stay and guard my home. You will do so as a Sphinx and no one will be able to pass.”

  “Have you considered someone trying to attack you might be smart…and answer my riddle.”

  He licked his lips and stepped forward into her space. As if he had no notion of personal bubbles or the fact those bubbles grew larger when nudity entered the mix. “What I think is my enemies won’t even know what to do with you. They won’t risk facing you.”

  The man had a fair point. She was the only sphinx is existence as far as she knew and anyone who had glimpsed her in the other form had been terrified of her. Enough to run away before the riddle left her lips.

  “You must promise me he will be safe. If I even get a whiff of Hel near him, I won’t be responsible for what happens.”

  Katherine kept running over ideas in her mind as she continued to check on Arwan. Once the others realized they were gone, they would come for her. It was just a matter of waiting it out. She feared them arriving only to face the sphinx. If one of them answered incorrectly, she’d be forced to eat them. That would not work out for her. One does not devour their friends and come out the other side intact, mentally.

  He reached out and fastened an amethyst around her neck. Great. Now she would be bound to her Sphinx form until someone solved her riddle. He smiled at her knowing her thoughts somehow. “I’ll take you where you need to be now. You can check on your pet later.”

  She cast one more glance at Arwan before following Odin from the room. She tried memorizing the passages and hallways but it was useless. He purposefully led her through a maze out to the door of his castle. In most circumstances she would have been awed and impressed. When imprisoned however, she couldn’t appreciate the view of his home had of Asgard, or even Asgard itself.

  “Now change,” he ordered.

  Fear, anger, betrayal all swam inside her. Hel would have ordered Arwan to bring them here and it would have been easy for him to drug her while she was passed out. She couldn’t hold that against him, it wasn’t something he’d ever do willingly. At the same time the prospect of such a momentous betrayal quenched part of herself she’d only just allowed to bloom.

  She took a deep breath and opened herself up to the Sphinx. In seconds she dwarfed the entrance to Odin’s castle. She’d hoped he was dumb enough to stand in front of her while she changed, but he’d moved behind her as she began and now she couldn’t ensnare and challenge him. The door closed behind her and she considered leaving, simply flying off, but she couldn’t leave Arwan locked away, and she couldn’t risk seeing anyone in Asgard for fear she might hurt them.

  So the only option she had was to lay down on the steps of the castle and wait. For someone to challenge her or someone to rescue her. At least she had time to consider her options. She needed to figure a way to find Arwan, get him out of the castle, and then both of them out of Asgard. A mirror seemed like the best bet but she had no idea how to use the mirror portals. She wondered if she yelled for Gwyn in the mirror he would show up. They probably didn’t work that easily.

  She shifted her wings spreading them out and back down to stretch. She wasn’t used to being in this form, especially for long intervals. Her claws were uncomfortably long and something itched under her feathers at the wing joint.

  She sat for hours, she wasn’t sure how long, until a plate of steak was thrust out the door behind her and then shut firmly. She eyed the meat, but refused it.

  Once she had Arwan it wouldn’t be too difficult to escape the castle, and try to find someone who could help outside the gates. At the very least, he could shift and scare someone into helping them.

  She chuckled at the thought. A sphinx was by far scarier than a hellhound and yet he was the one who would have to do the work.

  A shout came from a parapet overhead. She stepped down a few steps, a little wobbly on four legs and glanced up the long face of the castle. Someone ran by but she didn’t catch a good look at them. Hopefully karma was kicking Odin in the ass right now. Come to think of it, all the recent kidnapping business needed to stop. Her mind drifted toward Baldir. If he were here, he would definitely help them. If only because he loved Arwan, she didn’t think he had much love for his father. Otherwise, why did he choose to wander around Earth rather than return home after he escaped Hel’s grasp. She considered it, those were her opinions, she’d never asked him why he didn’t go home, officially. They all avoided talking about the abuse suffered by Baldir and Hades. It made them uncomfortable, for good reason.

  Another shout interrupted her meandering thoughts, this time closer. She stood up again and fear bloomed past the annoyance. If someone accidentally ran across her they were screwed. She wouldn’t be able to help them at all, save offering them a riddle.

  Footsteps grew closer to the door behind her and then it opened. She kept her face forward and tried to close her eyes. If she didn’t see them maybe they could sneak past and get away. Then he spoke and a tear slid down her cheek. “Katherine, we have to get out of here.”

  Another hot tear joined the first and she opened her eyes to look at him, at least one final time. She hoped she could instill how much she cared for him in that look, but he stopped and stared at her, as if waiting. She swallowed and then the Sphinx took over and she said the only thing she could under the circumstances:

  “I am the begi
nning of the end, and the end of time and space. I am essential to creation, and I surround every place. What am I?”

  He was dressed now, she noted, he’d stolen a guard’s uniform. At first she thought he’d run, but instead he sat down on the stone in front of her. He was smart, he had the time, no one else would chase him out here and risk being ensnared, too. She knew she wouldn’t survive, mentally, after devouring him. It would kill her. He ducked his head and rocked back and forth taking a steady rhythm. She could only watch and do nothing until he gave her an answer. Once he got it wrong then she would have to act, and it would hurt.

  Five minutes passed…ten minutes…then he unfolded himself and stood before her again. “I request you repeat the riddle.”

  She flinched but found she could repeat herself. No one had ever asked. “I am the beginning of the end, and the end of time and space. I am essential to creation, and I surround every place. What am I?”

  Chapter 20

  “You are the letter E.”

  He knew without a doubt he answered correctly. She stood before him majestic and fierce while he waited. A tense moment passed as she began to shake and then collapsed in human form, naked on the stairs. Arwan leaned over her and moved a stray piece of hair. “You know we might have had to break up if you ate me.”

  She launched herself at him, tears streaming down her face. “Don’t ever fucking do that again.”

  He smiled and kissed her. “You’re getting better at cursing.”

  He wrapped the guards jacket around her back and hugged her close. They would need to get out of there quickly. The guard watching him was meant to bind him with an amethyst as well when he woke. Arwan took him out before he could try, stole his uniform, and snuck through the castle until he reached the point everyone else fled from.

  “Now what are we going to do? And how did you get away?” she asked.

  “I’ve got that sorted.” He lifted his wrist and bit down hard enough to break the skin, spitting away the coppery blood that welled inside his mouth. He lifted it to Katherine’s mouth and she jerked back.

  “You have to take it. It’s the only way we can both get out of here. Swear fealty to ride in The Wild Hunt and you will belong to Gwyn. It will allow him to find us and bring us both home.”

  “Why do I have to bind myself to Gwyn? Why can’t he find you and bring us both home?”

  “It’s part of his conditions for taking me, despite the trouble it would cause in relation to Hel.”

  Her eyes darkened and he noticed the burnt skin on her neck from the amethyst. He reached behind and unclasped it, carefully slipping it in his pocket.

  “They all want to use me for something.”

  “Would you rather be used by Gwyn or used by Odin?”

  She hugged the coat tighter. “I don’t want to belong to anyone.”

  Every nerve ending he possessed was stretched tight and all he wanted was to get her to safety. “Can we figure it out later? Right now I want you out of here. I don’t trust Odin or anyone here.”

  “I thought you brought me here because Hel ordered you to?”

  “I let them think that. I brought you here so we could end this once and for all. You’ll never feel comfortable in your other form if you worry for my safety constantly. I did it on purpose. Now Odin knows he can’t use you and Hel knows she can’t use me.”

  “What kind of logic is that? The let’s get us all killed kind?”

  He chuckled. “We can talk about it later, let’s go…” he shoved his wrist in her face again.

  She clasped it between cold fingers and bent her head over it. “What am I supposed to do?”

  “Just put a little blood to your lips and say: I give myself to The Wild Hunt.”

  She scowled at him but did as he said. He held his arms out to catch her knowing full well that she would likely fall over like he did. With a groan she fell back into his arms and he held her there until her eyes fluttered open. Gwyn’s voice wrung in his mind. You must get to a water source or mirror so I can bring you through.

  Instead of waiting for her to fully recover he lifted her up into his arms and loped down the steps toward the fountain on the next landing. It was big enough they could get inside it. He looked around but not a soul had walked by since he exited the castle. Everyone was under the impression the end of the world was coming. He stepped into the fountain, shoes and all, clutching her tightly to his chest. There was a faint zip in his chest and then he stepped out of a pool of water at the base of Gwyn’s waterfall. Darkness descended on Fairy and Katherine stirred, as Bianca rushed over to help lay her on the ground. “I might kill that bastard if I ever see his face.”

  Gwyn rubbed her shoulders. “Killing the All Father is probably not that easy.”

  Arwan pulled the amethyst from his pocket and tossed it toward Gwyn who caught it deftly and inspected it. “Nasty piece of magic. Hel certainly has evil on lock.”

  He tucked it inside his own pocket and Arwan learned down to focus on Katherine who was still lay unconscious. “Can you bring her out of this?” Arwan asked Gwyn.

  He closed his eyes and touched her shoulder gently. A few seconds passed and she jerked up, gasping for air.

  Bianca rubbed her back moving tendrils of hair from her face. “You’re home. It’s okay. You’re home now.”

  The women clung to each other before Bianca helped Katherine stand.

  She glared at Gywn. “This does not mean I am at your disposal and I’m not guarding anything. I know you orchestrated this scheme. I should have realized it from the moment I woke up.”

  He held his hands up, as if surrendering. “For the record you aren’t beholden to me, you’re beholden to The Wild Hunt. When it calls, you’ll know and you won’t have any choice but to submit.

  The memory slammed into Arwan. The blare of bugles and the seething mass of growling and chomping. He still couldn’t remember it all but what he could made him think he was better off not recalling the rest.

  He swooped Katherine up in his arms and she wrapped her hands around his neck. “Let me take you to bed.”

  Gwyn let out a whistle and Arwan stopped at the entrance. “Well, we are going to need a guide to get there.”

  Gwyn winked suggestively. “I thought you would never ask me to come to bed with you.”

  Katherine shook her head. “If another man ever joins our bed, I think you’ll have to fight Baldir for that role.”

  The collective went quiet until Arwan burst out laughing. The rest of them, besides Katherine, let out uncomfortable laughter. “Wait, you guys didn’t know Baldir prefers men?”

  Bianca grinned. “No, but now that I do I might have plans for him.”

  They laughed in earnest this time and Gwyn led them through his maze toward a guest room. Once they were safely on the other side of the door something seized him. He turned to Katherine, stripped the coat from her arms, and backed her toward the bed until she lay underneath his weight across the rich feather down.

  “Now?” she asked.

  “Now.”

  “Can I take a shower first?”

  He took a deep breath and let it out. “Fine, but I’m joining you. I don’t want you out of my sight for even a minute.”

  “Deal.”

  She wiggled out from under him and headed toward the bathroom. Her voice radiated from the door in an echo. “It’s like a swimming pool in here.”

  He dropped his face into the covers for a moment trying to get ahold of his baser instincts and then pushed himself up. She already had the water going in the continental size bathtub set into the floor. Steam began to build and then she stepped in slowly. His hard on ached as the water caressed her skin. Up the curve of her calf, then her thighs, and she ducked under as it cupped the bottom of her ass. He growled low in his throat and climbed in after her not taking his time, not giving her space. He needed inside her, he needed to claim her, mark her as his own. She let him drag her to an underwater ledge and then his lap.
When he reached into the water and massaged her clit gently she jolted in his arms, her nails biting into his shoulder.

  “Please,” she whispered, as she ground herself against his hand, seeking more.

  “Come here, Love.”

  He parted her and slid inside like he was made to be there. She snuggled into the curve of his neck and he did all the work lifting and surging up. The water helped carry her weight. Every whimper escaping her lips, and each press of her nails into the back of his neck drove him toward his end. “I’m going to come soon. I want you there with me.”

  She nodded and bit her lip, helping him reach a different angle. One moment he was propelling them toward completion and the next she had her knees braced on the underwater bench they sat on and rode him. He gently clasped her hips allowing her to take the rhythm. Her tight sheath was a heaven he’d never known. With each pass she’d grind down and swivel her hips forward grazing her clit on the top of his cock and it was propelling him toward oblivion. “Are you almost ready,” she whispered breathlessly.

  “Yes, Love. Come for me and I’ll follow.”

  She picked up the pace slamming down on his cock with a brutality he hadn’t been aware she possessed but it sent him right off the edge. She pulled every drop of his seed into her greedy little body and kept going until she collapsed in his arms. “I think my knees are going to hurt tomorrow,” she murmured, a pink hue pressing into her cheeks. He laughed and switched off the giant water tap. It had risen perilously close to pouring over.

  “I needed that,” he said, pulling the mass of her hair behind her neck so he could kiss the hollow at the curve. There was a single freckle in that hollow that invited his lips every time he touched her.