by Nelson, JD
“Does that mean this thing is looking for me?” My mind raced with frantic thoughts.
“I do not know what its plans are. I will endeavor to find that out as soon as I return.”
I was skeptical. “How are you going to do that?”
“I shall ask my father.”
He sounded so sure of himself. “Um…isn’t that a bit dangerous?”
He mused. “Is it my dexterity you doubt?”
I cringed. Did I just insult his masculinity? “No, of course I don’t, but isn’t he like superman or something?”
He laughed and disregarded my worrisome concern with a flick of his hand. “Or something, don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”
Okay, clearly he could handle it. “How will you know where to find him?”
An alarming smile crossed his lips for a brief moment. It looked almost unnatural on his face. “That is the easiest part of it all. Do not distress yourself. Remember, I have yet to tell you about your intended.”
I feigned overly enthusiastic interest. “Oh yes, my intended, tell me all about him.”
“Emelie, you should take this very seriously. No one has ever escaped the Fates your mother has cast.”
My stomach sank. “Oh.”
“We will try to find a way to avoid your forced marriage and unite the elves once more. You are half Norn, it is certain that your abilities will surface as soon as you cross into Uppsala and who knows, you might have the ability to change your own Fate. We can experiment tomorrow. Until we figure out whether or not your Fate can be spared, you must be very careful that you do not bring attention to yourself. No one, not even Kristian can know about your Norn half. You are one hundred percent light elf is anyone pries. Do you understand?”
“Yes, is Kristian the one I’m Fated to?”
“King Kristian Väsen is your Fated mate.” He looked irked, like he hated even saying his name.
“The king? I’m to mate the mad king?”
“You are.”
I laid my head on the back of the couch and stared at the ceiling. “What is he like?”
He looked thoughtful. “His reputation is well deserved from what I’ve heard, but I have never met him in person, I couldn’t say whether it’s true.”
“What kind of reputation does he have?”
He looked everywhere but directly at me. He was hiding something.
“Uncle Soren!”
“I am hesitant to tell you, it is most unsettling, as is you calling me uncle, by the way.”
“If by some chance I cannot get out of marrying him, I’ll need to know. You have to tell me this; I don’t want to go in blind.”
“This is most uncomfortable.” He hesitated. “It is rumored that Kristian only takes his females by force. I have heard from a very reliable source that the females he invites to Väsen Castle are put into a harem and never heard from again. They are supposedly kept as slaves for his sick fantasies until he tires of them and has them replaced.”
What terrific news! “Are you telling me my mother sold me out to a slave-driving rapist?”
“Alleged rapist, I suppose.”
“Awesome. Now, I just need to add learning Jujitsu to my list of things to do this week.”
“I will assist you in self-defense training myself”
“This is unbelievable. How could my mother do this to me?”
“She was in love and love makes people irrational. I suppose it is possible that your mother knew Kristian wasn’t guilty of the offenses he’s known for; he hasn’t always been held in this esteem. It was said that he was the best of the King’s sons for hundreds of years.”
“I wish there was a way to find out.”
“You could ask him yourself. He’s right outside the house.”
I froze. “Come again?”
“He’s outside, in the forest.”
“How long had he been out there?”
“Three years. Only during the nights, he’s a Dark Elf, remember?”
I was going to have an aneurysm, really I was. “He’s been stalking me for three years?”
“Yes, he has. Your father told me he spoke to him about it once. He didn’t stop coming to the house, but he stayed out of sight, after that.”
Realization dawned on me. “Is this because my father ran away? Is that why he’s following me?”
“I can only assume so.”
I felt violated by his watching me, but determined all the same. “Don’t feel sorry just yet, I intend to get out of this. We already know that the guy is a creepy stalker; there has to be another way to bring about peace without me marrying him.”
“Let us hope so. Am I right in assuming you would like to greet him?”
I looked into his shrewd eyes shyly. “I would, if it doesn’t bother you.”
“I am resigned; it is inevitable. Just be mindful that you will feel what seems to be a natural attraction to him. Do not be fooled; that’s your mother’s magic.”
“Okay.” I walked toward the front door, but stopped when he didn’t follow. He still stood beside the couch looking expectantly at me.
“What?”
“Are you going to put on something suitable?”
I looked down at my cami and pajama bottoms. “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”
He openly stared at my breasts. “I thought that you might get a chill. Perhaps you have a nice warm parka you’d like to slip on?”
I shivered under his stare. “Okay, I’ll put on a jacket.” I grabbed a hoodie from the closet and tugged it on. “Will he be able to read my thoughts?” I knew that there were a few high ranking elves that had the ability.
“No, the dark elves can only earn that talent if they perform a great service to their people. I’ve only met two with the talent in my lifetime.”
“Do Norns have it? Will I have it?”
“Yes.”
“Show me how to shield soon, will you?”
“I will. It is quite simple.”
“Why not do it now, then?”
He gave me a very carnal smile. “You know why.”
I blushed furiously at his innuendo, and just like that, my schoolgirl infatuation exploded into full on lust. This male was made for sex, and if he was giving out looks like that, he might need protection from his own stalker; me.
“Anything else I need to know?” I murmured.
His intense eyes fixed on mine and I felt a lightning strike of heat move throughout my body. “I have plenty that I’d like you to know Emelie, but not at this precise moment. As you say, let’s just get this all out in the open.”
—Chapter Two—
“Where is he?” I asked Soren, with a quiver in my voice. I was nearly paralyzed with fear. It wasn’t every day that you met your future, possibly rapist husband in the woods behind your house.
“He’s at the edge of the forest, just beyond the light of the streetlamp.”
I swiveled towards the spot he pointed. “I don’t see anything.”
“Kristian, come forth. Emelie would like to greet you.”
When he materialized into the moonlight from the shadowed tree line, magnificent was the only word that I could think of that would adequately describe him. I could hardly take my eyes off of his face. His hungry eyes were captivating, sparkling, and as purple as amethysts. His thick black hair was cut short, and with his straight nose, long eyelashes and kissable full lips, he looked distinctly Middle Eastern. I dragged my gaze down the length of his tall, muscular body; he was nothing short of absolutely breathtaking, perfection in elven form. I really hoped I wasn’t drooling on my shirt.
He smiled, knowingly as he looked me over; it was obvious that we were both satisfied with the other’s appearance, though in features we were almost complete opposites. I found myself instantly fascinated and wondered what the dark elves’ king was really like. He didn’t look like a rapist; rapists had trench coats, goatees, and chicken legs, right?
Kristian finally b
roke the silence between us. “Soren, I thank you for seeing my beloved to me. You may leave us; I will see her into the house after our visit.”
I was surprised and delighted by his gentle voice and the ‘beloved’ comment. I gave him a beatific smile and tried to loosen my hand from Soren's.
Soren, seeing my fervor to get to Kristian, gripped my hand tightly, and tugged me back to him. “The lady has insisted I remain at her side. Surely you want to ensure her comfort at any cost to your pride.” He was unwilling to waver.
Kristian looked supremely angry for a moment and then nodded in acquiescence. “Of course, her happiness is paramount.”
Remembering my own anger from earlier, I asked, “Kristian, have you been spying on me?” My mother’s magic was potent. I had to cross my arms to keep myself from reaching out; I was desperate to touch him.
“Is that what he’s told you?”
“She knows everything.” Soren interjected. “Be honest with her, King, she is your intended, remember.”
Kristian’s purple eyes flashed to black. “Of course I remember, as if I could forget!”
Soren took a menacing step toward him, and I snapped. “It’s apparent that you two can’t be civil to each other.”
They both stopped their glaring and looked to me, I continued, “Soren, please wait for me in the driveway. Let me have a few private minutes with my betrothed.”
He and I waged a silent war with our eyes for several moments before he grudgingly nodded his compliance and walked away without as much as a word.
I stepped forward, still a little mesmerized by Kristian. Reaching up to graze my knuckles against his smooth cheek, I said, “When you are calm, we will talk more.”
He held my hand to his face for a moment and then kissed my palm. His speech was slightly altered as he tried to conceal his emerging eyeteeth. “I eagerly await your call, Emelie.”
An idea suddenly struck me when I saw his fangs, a completely crazy idea. I moved closer into his body—so close that I could feel his erection against my stomach. He drew in a sharp breath and I purred out, “Kristian, I’ve never seen anyone else’s fangs but my own. Do you mind?”
I tried to look innocent as I waited for his response. Clearly, he would think me forward; it was an odd request, I’ll admit.
After a moment’s hesitation, he flashed his elongated canines in a smile. “Of course not, how strange it must be to grow up away from all of your kinsfolk, without anyone like yourself to learn from.”
“I had my parents, but…” I broke off; I couldn’t finish that thought out loud.
“Emelie, I want you to know that even though the elves are at war because of your Father, if their murders would have occurred at night when I could have protected them, I would have done everything I could have to save them. It pains me to see you without your family.”
“Thank you, Kristian. I appreciate that.” He really did seem like a genuinely nice person and that pretty much sealed it; I was going to go through with my idea. Here goes nothing.
“Kristian?”
“Yes, Emelie?”
“My mother once told me that a single drop of light elf blood could allow a dark elf to see the sun for a week.”
He gave me an appraising look. “Did she?”
“Yes.” I reached up and gently ran my finger across his lip, exposing a fang. He sighed, wrapped an arm around my waist, and wound a fist in my hair, pulling me tight against him. I punctured the pad of my thumb against the sharp point of his tooth, and he went rigid. We both watched as the blood beaded up and started to drip. His face was tortured. “Taste it, Kristian. I want you to.”
“You unravel me.” His voice was almost at a growl.
Reverently, he licked the blood I offered. My whole body trembled against him when his lips touched my finger.
We locked eyes, staring at one other as if we were trying to memorize the each other’s face. There was a stronger connection between us now—something electric.
A twig snapped, and we were quick to move to a respectable distance for conversation.
“Will I see you tomorrow, Emelie?”
The longing in his voice spoke to my own loneliness. “I hope so, Kristian.” I whispered, before running to meet Soren who had just walked around the house.
As soon as we were apart I felt our new connection fade, and my doubts began to creep in. What if I had made a huge mistake in doing this; I don’t really even know whom Kristian is.
Soren and I let ourselves into the house, and I went straight to my bedroom to change the bedding while Soren cooked us something to eat. He insisted that I get ready for bed when he came in to check on me, but I didn’t want to be reminded of my brush with death, so I ignored him, picked up my mess, and then went in to take a quick shower.
I was so exhausted from tonight’s revelations that I could have passed out standing up, but my mind wouldn’t stop racing with questions as I washed my hair. Was it my intuition to give Kristian my blood, or was it my mother’s magic? And why was I so infatuated when I was physically with him, but not when he wasn’t around—ever since I left the meeting with Kristian, I hadn’t thought of the intense attraction I’d felt, not once. The electric connection was nonexistent.
I examined the situation from every angle, looking for an answer that didn’t make me feel like an idiot, but couldn’t find one. Damn my mother’s magic! I just don’t think I would have been this rash otherwise. Well, maybe. Okay, probably.
I was drying my hair when Soren finally mentioned Kristian. “I’m sorry if that was unpleasant.”
I lifted the towel and looked at him. He had turned down the sheets and was punching my pillow, which I guess, was his way of ‘fluffing.’ “Is that sarcasm I detect, because I thought he seemed really nice?”
I shrugged. “I still don’t know if I want to marry him, but he could’ve been a lot worse, I guess.”
He threw the pillow into place. “I don’t know how that could be possible.”
Huh? “What do you mean by that?”
“He could be a fucking rapist. Who cares if he was a ‘nice guy?’ Don’t you have any self-preservation?”
I pouted in response. He was right, but I wasn’t about to say it out loud. His ego was big enough.
He pointed to the bed and the heaping plate of omelet next to it. “Time to eat and get some rest, you have an early day tomorrow.”
“Why? What’s going to happen?”
“Tomorrow we leave here.”
Of course, I’d have to go to the Norse-lands. I couldn’t rely on others to supply my magical life-force forever, but leave California? I’d lived here my entire life. My human life was the only one I’d ever known.
He smiled at me in a ‘you poor creature’ way. “You’ll be staying with me until your wedding, if that is to happen…”
“Oh.” I guess Kristian wouldn’t be seeing me tomorrow, after all.
“My butler, Cedric, will arrive in the morning. He and I will accompany you to my home in Uppsala, Sweden.”
I lay back onto the pillows. “Soren?”
“Yes, Emelie?”
“Thanks for…well, for everything. I would have died if it wasn’t for you.”
“It’s my pleasure, now get some sleep. I’ll be back to check on you soon.”
Sweden—how would Kristian find me there? My idea had already backfired.
“As it should.” Soren berated from the doorway. “I really don’t know what you were thinking.”
Damn, I keep forgetting about his telepathy. “Where were you with that an hour ago, smarty-pants?” Sheesh.
When I awoke, I surveyed my surroundings. I was obviously in a hotel room, a really nice one. A quick glance at the notepad on the nightstand told me we were at the Hesperia London Victoria. I briefly wondered how Soren had managed to transport the two of us to London without waking me, but I already knew—magic. As a son of Odin, I should have realized he could accomplish something like this.
<
br /> The moonlight spilled through the sheer curtains, illuminating Soren’s face next to me. His soft breaths lured me closer and I took a moment to admire his peaceful face, wishing for the hundredth time that I could somehow figure him out.
He seemed to be almost an omniscient being, like an angel, or demon (I still hadn’t figured out which), and that made me afraid of him. Whether I was more afraid of his unlimited power or my own lust for him, well, I wasn’t quite sure of that either.
He was absolutely beautiful as he slept, not at all like the perpetual frowning male that I was used to. Impulsively, I leaned forward and caught a lock of his hair between my fingers. It was softer than any fur I had ever felt, and so white that I could barely distinguish it from the sheets on the bed. I sighed. He was as perfect as he ever was in my dreams. Why couldn’t he have been the male I was meant for?
A mirror hung next to the bed showed me my own visage. As expected, my frizzy hair was a tangled mess, but upon closer inspection, it was my bloodshot silver eyes that had me the most concerned. I looked a complete wreck, like I’d almost died. Ha ha.
I decided to take a bath, even though I was sorely tempted to stay in front of the mirror and wallow in the misery of my circumstance for the next couple of centuries. My attempt or should I say attempts at heaving myself upright proved to be a bigger feat than I’d expected; I wobbled before finding my balance and tottering across the small room.
Closing the bathroom door as quietly as I could, I wrenched my clothes off and dropped them unceremoniously to the floor, then turned on the bathtub’s faucet and stuck my hand under it, waiting for it to warm. Stoppering the tub once the water was hot, I climbed in letting the water fill up around me just like I’d done a thousand times before and probably would a million more in my long lifespan. When the tub was full, I immersed myself up to my nose. It felt good to do something routine.
I floated there for at least an hour, listening to the drip of the faucet, and thinking about what I was going to do. Even if I developed my Norn power today, I knew I couldn’t simply walk in there, stop my marriage, and change Kristian’s Fate. I had to think of a way to end the war and give him the one he’d always been Fated to back to him. I had to do both. It was only right.