“No, we can’t leave Eirik. He’s still affecting people.” I tried to wiggle out of Torin’s arms, but his hold tightened, putting pressure on my bruised ribs. I smothered a cry. He cursed.
“I hurt you.” He stopped, his eyes searching my face.
“No,” I fibbed. “I told you to put me down back there.”
“And I told you not to get too close to him.” Carefully, he lowered me to the ground and touched my arm. “Your arm is bleeding. How are your ribs?”
“I can handle a few bruises, Torin. Eirik needs us.”
“I’ve already taken care of him.” He pushed back the sleeve of my jacket, a white artavus in his hand. “Now it’s your turn. How come you never listen to me?”
I tried to yank my arm free from his grip, but the sudden movement sent a spasm of pain across my chest. I ground my teeth. “What do you mean you’ve ‘taken care of him’? If you hurt him, I’ll scalp you.”
He chuckled. “You’ll have to catch me first. If you haven’t noticed, I’m a lot faster than you, novice.”
“Not for long.” I tensed and braced myself for the sting. As soon as the blade touched my skin, I felt the heat. It was as though energy shot from the artavus and into my skin. He etched the runes so fast the sting was barely there. The runes, pink and puffy, darkened and coiled, leaving my skin inked. Then the edges started to glow.
“Look at that.” He studied his work. “Beautiful, aren’t they?”
“You have no modesty whatsoever.” They did look beautiful, the glow intensifying before fading away along with the pain on my arm and side. My gaze connected with Torin’s. His eyes grew intense.
“I’ve runed you with my blade,” he said.
Just like the first time. “Yes, you have. Is that something special?” Then I remembered why were in the parking lot. “Eirik.”
Torin looked beyond my shoulders, the light in his eyes dimming. “There he is.”
I whipped around. Eirik was coming toward us. He staggered a little like a drunk, and his expression looked like he’d killed someone. I started toward him.
“Does he know how lucky he is to have your love and selfless devotion?” I heard Torin say behind me. I stopped and stared at Torin with wide eyes, shocked by his words. He sounded sad.
“Raine,” Eirik called.
My heart squeezed. Both men needed me, but for different reasons. Torin needed my love, which he had, even if he didn’t know it. Eirik was in trouble and desperately needed my help. Not sure who needed me more, I wavered. A prickly feeling of being watched washed over me. I turned my head and found them, the three Norns. Anger slammed through me. Cowards.
“I’m so sorry, Raine,” Eirik said, his voice filled with remorse. “I didn’t mean to hit you.”
“I know. You were, uh, in a trance. How did you snap out of it?”
He rubbed his jaw, glanced at Torin, and shrugged. “I heard you cry out. I don’t know what’s happening to me. That’s the second blackout in twenty-four hours. Did you see the mess back there?” He pointed at the video store.
I glanced toward the store, and my gaze connected with the Norns again. I turned, taking the necessary steps that brought me to Torin’s side. Reaching up, I cupped his face and kissed him.
“I love you, Torin St. James. But if you ever doubt my feelings or compare them with what I feel for anyone else, you’d better be as fast as you bragged because when I catch up with you, you’ll be very sorry.” While he stared at me like I’d sprouted a second head, I pulled the dagger from his inner pocket, turned, and marched to where the Norns stood. People poured out of the store, some apologizing, others voicing their shock at what they’d done, but I didn’t let them slow me down. For once, the fear of the Norns was no longer there.
Marching straight to Marj, I stopped in front of her and looked into her eyes. “Stay away from me, my friends, and my family. You had your chance to protect Eirik and failed. Despite all your powers, there’s one thing you are incapable of feeling and giving, and that is love. I have plenty of it. For him. For Torin. For anyone I wish to love. Eirik is now under my protection, and he’ll be just fine without your help or your stupid artavus.” I pushed the dagger into Marj’s hand, turned, and marched back toward Torin and Eirik.
“You gave her the blade?” I heard Catie ask, but I didn’t look back. I hoped our paths never crossed again.
“Can I talk to them now?” Eirik’s gaze was on the Norns.
“You don’t want to deal with them. They’re nothing but trouble. I’ll tell you everything you need to know.”
16. HEARTBREAK
Torin settled behind the wheel, a frown on his face. He’d had that expression since I came back from talking to the Norns.
“Where to?” he asked.
“The movie theater,” Eirik said from the backseat.
Eirik rarely let anyone touch his car, yet the way he’d handed Torin the keys told me he was still confused after turning evil. I winced, hating that I just thought of the word “evil” and Eirik in the same sentence.
I turned in the front passenger seat to study him. “Are you sure? I thought you wanted to talk.”
“We will, but I want to take care of something afterwards. We don’t have to watch the movie.”
I had a feeling that the “something” was Cora. I glanced at Torin. “I guess we’re going to the movies.”
Instead of starting the engine, Torin said, “Excuse me.” He stepped out of the Jeep, came around to my side and opened the door. “Come with me.”
Excitement zipped through me. I’d taken the first bold step and confessed my feelings, and he was about to tell me his. When we were a fair distance from the Jeep, he stopped and studied me with a frown. “Are you sure about telling him the truth now? Out here? He could shift and start what happened in there,” he indicated The Hub with a nod, “all over again.”
I sighed. He was right. Eirik might take the information hard and get pissed. “What do you suggest I do?”
“Convince him to wait until we get back to my place.”
“He might not want to wait.”
“You can convince him to wait, Freckles. You are the only person he listens to.”
I sighed. “Fine. I’ll try, but if he insists, I’m telling him. I hate what’s happening to him, and I hate keeping things from him.”
I waited for Torin to bring up what I’d told him, pull me into his arms and tell me he loved me, too. Seconds ticked by. He stared at me intently and rubbed his nape. “Okay, that’s fine enough for me,” he said and took my arm. “Come on.”
I dug my feet in. “You got me out of the car to talk about Eirik?”
Torin glanced down at me and frowned. “Yes. It would have been rude to discuss him in the car while he’s sitting in the backseat.”
Disappointment rolled through me. What had I expected? That he’d be so thrilled to hear that I loved him and tell me he loved me, too? Gah, I was such an idiot.
Back in the car, he made sure I was seated before he slid behind the steering wheel. He threw me quick glances, but I stared straight ahead, pretending not to notice. It hurt that he couldn’t even acknowledge what I’d told him. A pat on the back and “you just think you love me, Freckles,” or “it’s just a girlish crush” would have been preferable. At least then I would have had something to be angry about instead of this hollow emptiness expanding inside me.
Tears rushed to my eyes, and I stared out the window and blinked hard, until I had my emotions under control. He said something, but I didn’t catch it. When he reached for my hand, I turned and reached inside my pocket to get out my cell phone. His hand hovered in the air before gripping the steering wheel tightly.
For the rest of the drive, I checked my text messages. All of them were from Cora. The first ones asked where we were. By the sixth text, she was pissed off that I’d ditched her and taken off with Torin. Even though I knew she would have her cell phone off while the movie played, I answered her texts
. I was surprised when she texted me back. I grimaced. She was never going to forgive me.
Torin pulled up outside the movie theater, and I jumped out of the car before he could come around and open my door. By the time he reached my side, I’d opened the back door.
“We’ll catch up with you later,” I said, sliding beside Eirik.
Torin frowned, his eyes volleying between me and Eirik. “Freckles…”
“Just give us a second.”
Torin didn’t look happy, but he threw Eirik the keys and walked toward the movie theater. I watched him go, my heart aching with regret and yearning. I really shouldn’t have told him I loved him. He wasn’t ready. Maybe he’d never be. From the way things were going, he’d never recover his memories either, which only made one thing glaringly obvious. He would never be mine again.
My eyes filled up, and I blinked hard, trying to stop the tears again. I didn’t succeed.
“What is it, Raine?” Eirik asked.
I shook my head. “It’s nothing.
“You’re crying.”
“I’m not.” I sniffled and wiped my cheeks.
He reached up and turned on the lights on the roof of the Jeep. His jaws clenched as he studied me. “What did he do?”
“Who?”
“Who do you think? Torin!” he snapped.
“Nothing. He did nothing.” And said nothing. I pressed my fingers against the inner corners of my eyes to stop the tears, but they kept flowing. “It’s all this crap with Norns that’s getting to me. I wish I never met them. I wish…” No, I could never wish I never met Torin or learned the truth about Valkyries. I squinted and focused on Eirik. I imagined myself in his shoes, waking up every night scared out of my mind without knowing why, blacking out and seeing chaos that didn’t make sense. I’d go mad. On top of that, he hated lies. I refused to keep secrets from him, too, but at the same time I hated what I was about to do to him.
“What did the Norns tell you? Was it about me?”
I nodded. The stricken look that crossed his face had me pushing aside my own personal problems. His problems were worse than mine. I had to be strong for him.
I gave Eirik a sheepish smile. “I’m sorry I turned on the waterworks.”
“No, don’t apologize.” He reached out and wiped wetness from my chin. “Just give it to me.”
Now that it was time to tell him the truth, I didn’t know where to start. I chewed on my lip and mentally went through possible openings. How did you tell someone you loved something inside him was evil? I refused to believe he was evil. Whatever was making him affect people and induce rage in them was beyond his control.
“Just tell me,” he urged. “I can handle it.”
“You were responsible for the players going ballistic at Cliff House and the people at The Hub turning on each other.” My tongue tripped in my haste to say everything and get it over with. “Whatever emotion you feel, you infect people around you.”
Eirik sat up, his amber eyes narrowed. “How? Why?”
Exhaling, I explained the things Marj had said, from his background to why we were raised together. I searched his face to see his reaction, but his expression was unreadable. “I’m supposed to protect you, except I’m doing a crappy job of it—”
“No, they had no business making you responsible for me.” He shook his head. “I feel ridiculous saying this, but you’re Mortal, Raine, not a Norn.” He leaned back against the seat and rotated his neck.
“They insist I’m supposed to be a Norn and you are my first charge.”
He snorted. “Stupid crones.”
I studied him under the Jeep’s green interior lights. “Why are you taking this so calmly? There’s something inside you, Eirik. Something—”
“Evil,” he finished, and I winced.
“Dark,” I corrected. “Everyone has a dark side, but we all find a way to deal with it. You will learn to deal with yours.”
He shrugged. “I guess so. I kind of suspected I had a Hulk lurking inside me the last few months. It was driving me nuts. Now that I know the truth, I’ll be fine. I can deal with it.” He glanced at me and flashed a boyish grin. “All I need to do is be happy. This is the ticket to getting whatever I want.” Chuckling, he hugged me, then leaned back, his hand still gripping mine. “Thanks for being honest, Raine.”
He was taking this much better than I’d thought. “What about Cora?”
“Yeah, Cora.” He peered outside at the movie theater. “What time does the movie end?”
I checked at my watch. “Forty minutes-ish. It started an hour ago, and Cora texted me that it was about an hour-forty-five long.”
“I guess there’s no point in watching it now, but we can hang out with Torin until they come out.”
The thought of hanging out with Torin just didn’t appeal to me now. I needed time to lick my wounds. Come up with an excuse for what I’d said. I could take it back, but I refused to. I loved Torin and denying it was like denying myself air. “Do you mind dropping me at home?”
His brow furrowed. “Torin is in there waiting for you.”
I smiled. “Yeah, well, I’m not in the mood to be social right now. Dealing with Norns tends to suck all my energy,” I fibbed.
“Do you want to tell Torin we’re leaving?”
I was taking the coward’s way out, but I didn’t care. “No. He won’t mind. I plan to see him tomorrow.”
Eirik appeared undecided. Then he nodded. “Okay.”
We moved to the front of the Jeep, and I reclined my seat, closed my eyes, and went over the scene outside The Hub. I tried to remember what I’d said word for word, the look on Torin’s face. He’d looked surprised. Surprise was good, wasn’t it? It meant I had blindsided him. Maybe he needed time to process what I’d said. Or maybe I was just making excuses for him.
“Hey.”
I glanced at Eirik. I realized the Jeep was no longer moving and sat up. We were parked in my driveway. “Thanks for the ride. See you tomorrow, or later.”
He pointed behind me, and I turned. Torin. He must have used a portal to get here this fast. He crossed our yard, his eyes flashing, stride purposeful. This wasn’t good.
“Do you want me to stay?” Eirik asked. I heard the smile in his voice.
“No. I’ll be fine.” I watched him back out of the driveway and take off, then focused my attention on Torin. “What are you doing here?”
“Looking for you. You ran from me.”
“No, I didn’t,” I said with a touch of attitude. “Eirik brought me home in his Jeep.”
Torin moved closer, his gaze unwavering from my face. “Why?”
I shoved my hands in the pockets of my jacket and shrugged. “I’m tired. It’s been a long day.”
“I would have brought you home.”
I sighed. “What do you want, Torin?”
“The truth.”
He moved closer until I could feel the heat from his body. His scent teased my senses, and the urge to cry washed over me.
“Did you mean it?” he asked softly.
I swallowed. “Did I mean what?”
“Please, don’t play games right now, Freckles. You said you loved me.” He blew out air and rubbed his forehead. “Did you mean it?”
My first instinct was to lie. Protect myself. Save face. But then I noticed the tension on his face, his fists clenching and unclenching as though he was bracing himself for bad news, and I knew I couldn’t run from the truth.
“Yes, I meant it.”
He searched my face. “Then say it again.”
“I love you, Torin St. James.”
He exhaled, hauled me into his arms, and buried his face in my hair. He was shaking. I wrapped my arms around him, and for a moment, we just rocked.
“Don’t ever stop loving me,” he whispered.
“Never,” I vowed.
He lifted his head and studied my face under the security light. “You are mine now, Raine Cooper.”
It wasn’t
exactly a declaration of love, but I had to be content with it for now. “And you are mine, Torin St. James.”
He chuckled, lowered his head, and kissed me. It wasn’t a passionate kiss. It was sweet. A whisper of reverence. A vow to cherish. Tears rushed to my eyes. When he lifted his head, he wiped the tears on my cheeks and gave me a sheepish smile. “I’m sorry I always make you cry.”
“These are happy tears.”
He tucked hair away from face, his touch so gentle. “When I didn’t find you in the parking lot, I thought I’d lost you. I never ever want to feel like that again.”
“And I never want to feel the way you made me feel outside The Hub. You acted like my feelings meant nothing to you.”
He pressed his forehead against mine. “They meant… mean everything to me, but I didn’t want to say anything because there’s a reason I came back here, Freckles.”
“I thought you were here to reap souls of football players, and Kayville was going to be your base for a couple of years.”
“It is, and we are here for some of the players, but more important than that, I owe someone a favor. I thought I shouldn’t commit to anyone, especially you, until I fulfilled it.” He searched my face, his gaze searing. “But I realized I wasn’t being fair to you and to us. I can’t lose you. I need you. I want you. You are all I think about every second I’m awake.” A tiny smile curled his lips. “You even invade my dreams.”
If that wasn’t a declaration of love, I didn’t know what was. I grinned.
“It’s not funny,” he said, but the corners of his lips twitched.
“So what is this favor you owe a friend?
He smiled and shook his head. “Sorry, I can’t discuss it.”
“You refused to tell me a lot of things before, too, and look where that got us.”
He touched my nose. “Nice try. You can’t guilt me into telling you something I’ve sworn to keep a secret.” His focus shifted, and I followed his gaze. Our kitchen lights had come on. Dad must have heard Eirik’s Jeep.
Immortals (Runes book 2) Page 23