by Nelson, JD
“What?” I mouthed.
“Can I see you in the parlor, Emelie?”
His angry face confused me. “Yes, of course.”
I walked around the table and Jakob yanked me into the doorway. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“What?”
“You caused that, Emelie.”
“Caused what, Jakob?” I was getting annoyed.
He sighed exasperatedly and spun me in the direction of the dining room. “That.”
I looked in and saw Viggo and Nils laughing hysterically at Cedric and Katrine, who were kissing passionately over the tabletop. “I did that?”
Jakob looked amused and horrified at the same time. “Yes, I’d say your Norn powers have surfaced.”
“Do you know how I can stop this? I’m afraid to try, Jakob. What if I do it wrong? I don’t know what I’m doing!” I felt lightheaded.
Jakob noticed and eased me down onto a stiff plaid chair. “Don’t worry. We’ll figure this out. Ask Katrine when she comes up for air. She’s a Dis; she’ll know what to do.”
After dinner, I asked Katrine to come outside with me. She was reluctant to leave Cedric’s side, but he gave her a little push in my direction, and she complied.
We stepped outside and were thankful that Viggo had the foresight to start a fire in the pit, it was freezing outside.
“Jakob tells me you are a Dis.”
“The dark one speaks the truth. We help a Norn’s vision become reality if there are impediments. I was your mother’s Dis.” She gave me a contemplative look. “She was my best friend for hundreds of years, and in those years she never once gave me a gift like you have today.”
“A gift?”
She grinned. “Cedric. I know you are distressed, but please put your mind at ease. I rather enjoy the time I’m spending with him. It’s been decades since something of interest has happened to me, and it certainly doesn’t hurt that he’s a hottie.”
I burst into laughter.
“What? Isn’t that what they say in modern times?”
“Yes, I just never expected, ‘Hottie’ to be in your vocabulary.”
“I didn’t either.”
We both laughed. “Does he know what you are?”
“He does, and he doesn’t care that I’m not human.”
“I’m glad.” I was relieved. I wondered if I should ask her about Kristian.
“What about him?”
“You heard that?”
She laughed. “Yes, you are remarkably bad at shielding your thoughts. It’s quite amusing for the males.” She pointed inside and even I had to laugh at myself. They were hanging onto our every word.
“Concentrate on blocking them out, Emelie.” She paused for a moment. “Now think about kittens.”
I giggled and she looked over—the guys were still looking expectantly at the glass.
“Okay girl, spill.”
I hesitated. Should I tell her? Oh, what the hell? I was going to explode if I didn’t tell someone. “I met Kristian the night Soren came to get me, and we had kind of a moment. Long story short, I let him drink my blood.”
Surprise lit her features. “How interesting, and what did he give you in return; a proposal?”
“He didn’t give me anything.”
She looked thoughtful. “Odd indeed.”
“He came to see me today, before you arrived.”
“Why didn’t you say so?”
“I wanted to start at the beginning, with the…um…blood thing.”
She tucked her bare feet under her and got comfortable “I see, what did he say when he came here today?”
“He asked if I would go to his castle with him. I did, and he proposed.”
“You accepted?”
“Yes, I accepted.”
She glanced at my barren ring finger. “But, no ring?”
I pulled it out of my pocket and showed her. “I met Viveka while I was there.”
She looked up sharply. “You didn’t!”
“Yes, I did. She is NOT a very nice person.”
“Jilted people rarely are, especially to the offspring of the union that broke her Fate.”
“I can tell you that that statement is one hundred percent true.”
“So, tell me why you aren’t wearing that gargantuan ring?”
I sighed. “Because of his harem.”
“Pardon?”
“He has a harem. I saw them; all lined up for him to choose from.”
“It’s true? You’re shitting me!”
I shook my head in the negative. “I wish I was.”
She pulled me into a hug. “Oh Emelie, that sucks. You need to call him and tell him it’s you or the harem. I suspect it will be you.”
“Yes, but I can’t stand the thought of sex with him after this. Not to mention, I don’t know whether the other part of the harem rumor is true. What if he really is a rapist?”
“Did they seem afraid of him?”
“Not one bit. They seemed like they couldn’t wait to fuck his brains out.”
“I really don’t think he’s forcing himself on them, then.”
It was a relief to hear her say that, but I still didn’t feel good about it. “What if he says no? How can I ever compete with the six other experienced females in his life?”
“Six? That’s a lot…shit. Forget I said that. Look, he’s almost a thousand years old, and he’s only been waiting on you for twenty years. That’s a blink of an eye for him, and oftentimes old habits die-hard. You have to forgive him of this.”
“I know, and I will. I like everything else about him.”
“He is gorgeous isn’t he?”
“He is so freaking hot, Katrine. I feel like I’m losing my mind when we kiss. The match could have been a lot worse. I’ll give my mother that.”
We went inside after the fire started to die down and challenged Nils and Cedric to a game of billiards, boys against girls. I thought that this would be a good way to keep Nils at bay, but in typical Nils’s fashion he tried to show me the correct position for every shot I took by standing behind me and positioning my hands.
Katrine, amused by this, eventually asked if he was planning to hump me right on the table.
I blushed at her comment, but almost melted into the floor when he answered her, “If Emelie was game, I would do anything and everything to her on this table, under the table, against the table...”
I scooted out from under him and sat next to Katrine. “Okay, okay, that’s enough of that.”
Nils barked out a laugh and racked up the balls for the next game.
Katrine nudged me and whispered in my ear. “He is very beautiful, is he not?”
“Who? Cedric?”
“Although he is scrumptious, I meant Nils.” She said with a growl in her voice.
“Yes, he is. They all are, really; Viggo and Jakob in their tall, dark, and delicious way, Nils in his rugged Viking warrior way, and Soren in his…” I trailed off thinking how to best describe Soren’s beauty. “Being with Soren is like being immersed in the winter’s night.”
“That’s a very poetic description, Emelie; some might say romantic.” She arched her brow.
“I know what I’m here to do, Katrine. I just wish the circumstances were different. I really like Soren and I’d like to experience love just once before becoming my people’s Savior.”
Katrine frowned. “Cedric is my first.”
“Your first?”
“He’s my first love. In over four thousand years, I’ve never felt this way about anyone. I think he might be my true-mate.” She took my hand. “Thank you, Emelie, for letting me feel this. I didn’t think I ever would.”
She hadn’t mentioned the obvious problem with their love affair—Cedric’s mortality. “Katrine.”
She interrupted me. “I know what you’re going to say. We’ve talked about it and he is ready to become immortal, if you are willing to perform the necessary enchantments for him.”
“I can do that?”
“Yes, you just need to train up a little first. You can do just about anything.”
“Can I get out of marrying the King?” I asked, hopeful.
“No, it is your Fate.”
“Bummer.” I slouched down into the couch.
“Indeed.”
“Well, I guess I’m going to turn in. Will I see you in the morning?”
“I’m an extremely bored and retired Dis and you’re an unsanctioned Norn with no Dis. I’d say you can count on me being around for a while.”
I hugged her tightly. “Thanks. I need all the help I can get. Good night.”
I left the group, walking slowly toward Soren’s bedroom. Even though things were looking up, I was feeling depressed. I had never truly understood the saying ‘Having the world on your shoulders.’ until I actually had the fate of two worlds in my ridiculously incapable hands. Clearly, my mother didn’t think this thing through. Hell, I doubt she ever cared for me at all. I was betting she didn’t even blink an eye when she shoved my father’s responsibility into my lap.
When I unlocked Soren’s door and flipped on the light, my eyes instantly went to the place where he’d left me the token of his affection. Just looking at the indent he made in the unmade bed made my chest pang with longing. I missed him so much already, and it had only been one day. What would it feel like when I was married to someone else?
***
I jolted awake someone was in the room. “Who’s there?”
A lamp flicked on near the door and I covered my eyes at the sudden brightness. “Did you miss me?” A deep voice asked. It was Soren’s deep voice.
“Soren!” I jumped up and ran to him, squealing when he caught me and easily lifted me into a hug. I wrapped my legs around him, tightly hugging him back and breathed his scent in deeply. I whispered, “I missed you” into his neck right before I pierced it with my fangs.
Soren’s body stiffened briefly when I broke the skin, but then he groaned in satisfaction and I felt him relax against me. He walked us backwards to the bed and sat down, gripping me so tightly; I thought he would break me in two.
I took a few draws before breaking the suction on his neck and resting my spinning head on his shoulder. Overwhelmed and shuddering with pleasure, I lazily licked at his wound, lost in the smell and taste of him. I felt almost drunk from the power flowing throughout my body. Both of us were clinging on to the other for support and breathing heavily.
I’d never bitten anyone before. I’d expected some kind of warning signs, but there were none. I didn’t even realize I was going to do it until the second before I struck. One moment I was achingly glad to see him, and the next I was animalistic, mindless of what I was doing. I just had to taste him.
My mother had warned me about this. “Emelie,” she’d said. “When you meet the one that’s destined for you, it won’t matter what Norn cast your Fate. Nothing will keep you apart; you will crave him like nothing else.”
This must have been the way she felt for my father. I finally understood how my parents could shoulder the blame for all those innocent people’s deaths in the war. I’d thought them selfish before, but how could I not appreciate their struggle now? I couldn’t let Soren go, not after this; nothing compared to this feeling.
“Emelie.” Soren said seriously, interrupting my thoughts. I lifted my head weakly to look at him and the world fell away.
—Chapter Five—
“We have to stop meeting like this.”
Nils was straddling me while I lay in the grass accumulating enough leaves in my hair for a suitable squirrel habitat. I groaned. “That wasn’t funny the first five times you said it.”
He pulled me to my feet for what felt like the billionth time and ran across the lawn. “Try to keep me from attacking by using vines to restrain me. Even a beginner can do this one.”
I rolled my eyes. “Maybe you’re just a terrible teacher?”
“Oh, was that another comedic gem from the female who can’t even use her elven magic?”
I closed my eyes and concentrated on the vines overhead, hoping they would strangle him to death. “I’m ready.”
In an instant, I was back on my bruised butt with Nils’s smiling face above me. “I need a break.”
“Okay quitter. I have some errands to run anyway. See ya.”
I watched him energetically run across the grounds, even leaping up to scare the birds in the low hanging branches. Just seeing him walking upright made me mumble about “the stupid wolf bastard.” the entire length of time it took me to hobble up to the house.
I made a beeline for the shower once I finally made it inside. I’m sure I was trailing dirt and leaves everywhere; some poor maid would probably have it cleaned before I could get back to it, but I just couldn’t wait one more second to get these sweaty clothes off. I’d deal with the mess when I got out of the shower. If I didn’t collapse and drown in a puddle of water, that is.
The hot water felt so good. Of course, it wasn’t even close to the caliber of good I’d felt with Soren last night, but really, what could compare with that? Just thinking about it made my gums ache, though I doubt he’ll ever let me bite him again. It worried me how Soren had left this morning; I didn’t know how upset he was about it until he left without speaking to me.
Stepping out of the shower, I realized that in my haste I’d forgotten to bring a towel or any clothes with me. Sighing, I mumbled, “Figures,” and made a mad dash out of the bathroom to the linen closet, quickly grabbing a towel to dry my dripping hair before I had another mess to clean up.
“Emelie, you aren’t alone in the room.” Soren’s deep voice said in a provocative timbre.
I froze with the towel in my hair and looked up at him, smiling to mask my embarrassment. Then, I nonchalantly pulled the towel down to cover my front.
Soren’s glance lingered on my now fully lengthened canines, making my blood lust grow stronger. “Emelie,” His voice was tense. “You really are terrible at blocking your thoughts.”
“So I hear.” I couldn’t believe we were having this conversation with my front barely covered.
He half-smiled and pulled me into his arms. I shuddered when his heavy jean-clad erection pressed into my stomach. “Emelie, I have just as hard of a time talking to you without wanting to kiss you, or touch you, or taste you.”
His eyes started to glow, and the heat shot up between us. I shivered from the change in temperature. “Why?”
Walking me backwards towards the bed, he said wickedly, “There are too many reasons.”
He leaned toward me until I was on my back, the muscles in his arms bulging as he positioned himself between my legs and locked his hands in my hair. His crimson eyes burned into mine. I don’t think I’ve ever wanted anything as much as I wanted him inside me right then.
He gently rocked his thick, denim covered shaft against my most intimate part and whispered huskily into my ear. “I can see it perfectly in your mind; you want me inside you. You want me to make you scream out my name. I want to give you all of me, Emelie. Everything I have. My cock, my heart, my soul, whatever you’ll take from me, but I cannot. The lives of hundreds of thousands of elves depend on your marriage to Kristian; I cannot have their deaths on my conscience.”
I knew he was telling me something important. I knew it, but I couldn’t understand it. Not while he was moving against me, the way he was. All I could do was concentrate on the heat of him, the sharp breaths against my neck. I met his subtle thrusts with my own, my nails digging into his back. I was frantic, desperate for him. “Please.” I begged. I didn’t care if I was engaged to another; Kristian wasn’t the one I wanted.
“I can deny you nothing.” Soren said hungrily, placing blistering hot kisses against my mouth and along my neck.
I quickly rose to my crescendo. My cries of pleasure echoed off the walls until Soren took my mouth in another ravenous kiss. I could feel him trembling in restraint as I clut
ched myself to his chest and experienced the most unbelievable orgasm of my life.
When I finally relaxed enough to unclench myself from his body, he said, “You are beautiful when you come.”
I was breathing so hard and fast that I could barely speak. He still held himself tight against me; the magic was throbbing between us in time to the heartbeat in his erection. It was sweet torture. “Thank you, that was amazing.”
“I aim to please.” He growled out, with a hint of wildness in his eyes.
Oh, I knew exactly where he wanted to aim. I opened my mind and let him hear my thoughts. If the last five minutes are any indication, I’m afraid I wouldn’t survive sex with you, Soren.
He kissed me tenderly “I’d make sure you survive. Once would not be enough.” He smiled a wide smile that unveiled his own set of sharpened canines.
“Any more surprises?” I asked, almost afraid of the answer.
“Yes.” He said seductively. “Plenty.”
He was staring intensely at my neck, and I felt obliged to offer it. Hell, I’d put a bow on it if I could get him to bite me. I wanted him in every way.
“Are you sure?” He asked, examining my face as if looking for doubt.
“Yes. I said, breathlessly.
He gently kissed my neck before biting down.
I cried out in pleasure, my own fangs throbbing in response. On his first draw of blood, he bucked against me and I lost all of my control. He resisted when I first tried to unzip his pants, but I eventually managed to push his jeans down with a combination of my hands and feet, and wrapped my fingers around his length, stroking him. I wanted him inside me—now.
He broke the suction on my neck and lifted away from me. Breathing heavily, he said, “I cannot take your innocence, Emelie. No matter how much you or I want to. It is forbidden.”
I continued to use my hands to stroke him. “How could anything be more right? I’m supposed to be yours.”
He shuddered. “Emelie, don’t do this. I shouldn’t have let this go this far.”
I boldly caressed his sex against my slick entrance; I was so ready for him. “He doesn’t have to know I lost it to you. I could have had sex with a human.”