Sven barely moved, let alone breathed as she went on.
“Anyway, I need several things from you,” she said on a heavy swallow. “I need you to allow me to take you if it comes to that because if by chance you do manage to deny me, I fear my dragon will look elsewhere.” Her eyes welled as they stayed with his. “And I don’t want to be mated with anyone but you, Sven. I don’t want to have children with anyone else.” She shook her head. “I couldn’t even imagine it.”
“I could try to restrain you until you’re through the worst of it,” he replied, truly not wanting her to lie with him for the first time because her dragon hormones forced her to. “Yes, your dragon magic is strong, but when it comes to your safety and what you want most, my dragon could find the strength. I know it could.”
“Maybe,” she whispered. “If things weren’t the way they were with everything going on. But right now, you have way too much on your plate.” Her eyes pleaded with his. “I won’t have protecting my virginity added to that.”
He saw a quick solution to this but kept silent as he gently brushed a tear from her cheek.
As it turned out, she was of the same mind.
“We should sleep together tonight,” she whispered. “So that I...we...do this of our own accord...because we both want it.”
“I will always want it,” he murmured, cupping her cheek, his vision hazing red no matter how hard he fought it. His dragon was roaring to the surface at her willingness. “But do you, Emily? Truly? Right now?”
Where he thought for sure, she would say something along the lines of ‘I have no choice’ neither her thoughts or words were such.
“I do want it.” She nodded, more tears falling. “More than I’ve ever wanted anything...I was just afraid...”
He knew. She had been afraid their friendship would suffer, that there would be no turning back. And there wouldn’t be. Not from something like this.
“Yet you are not afraid anymore,” he reminded softly. “Because we are forging a new friendship made both of the Emily I knew and the Emily who has found herself.”
She offered a jerky nod as her emotions continued to overwhelm her. While he knew some of her emotional response was due to her dragon hormones, the majority was her human half. The life-changing leap they were about to make.
“I know I said we needed more time...that we needed to explore the new dynamics of our friendship.” Her eyes met his. “But we haven't got time...” She shook her head. “No, that's not what I meant to say.” Her eyes leveled with his as she continued struggling with her emotions. “What I meant to say is no amount of time is going to change how I feel about you. I just needed you to see me through fresh eyes.”
“And I do,” he said softly. “Not just as the woman I want as my mate, but far more.” He wrapped his fingers with hers. “You were right to leave. To go to the twenty-first century and find yourself. To put space between us.” He shook his head. “Because the Emily who left wasn't ready yet and it all may have gone very wrong between us if she didn’t possess the courage to realize that.”
“It didn't feel like courage but cowardice,” she murmured.
“You were able to walk away from your best friend for the greater good, Emily,” he said. “That is courage. To stay when you had reservations would have been a mistake. You needed to find your own truth in your own way.”
“I didn’t just walk but ran away from my best friend as fast as I could.” She offered him a wobbly smile. “That won't be happening again.”
“No,” he conceded offering a grin to lift her spirits as he looked around. “It would have to be swimming this time.”
“Ha ha,” she whispered, but he could tell she appreciated his attempt at humor.
“Come.” He stood and pulled her up. “We will return to our cave.”
“Okay,” she whispered. Instead of diving in right away, she wrapped her arms around him and rested her cheek against his chest. “Just a few more moments like this first...”
He cupped the back of her head, wrapped his arm around her and closed his eyes. Though their hearts were racing, there was peace in this. Just holding one another.
Eventually, her eyes rose to his, but she didn’t pull away. Rather, she did the opposite as she cupped his cheeks, searching his eyes in the moonlight before she stood on her tip-toes and pulled his lips down to hers.
This time she was kissing him, coming to him as he knew she had to. Initially, it was tentative and soft before she became more insistent. Understanding what she wanted even if she didn’t, he flicked his tongue along the seam of her lips until they opened.
When they did, he finally kissed her the way he had wanted to for years.
Her hands lowered to his chest as he cupped the sides of her neck, tilted his head more and deepened the exchange. The minute their tongues wrapped, and she groaned, he was lost. Gone somewhere so arousing and consuming, a growl reverberated deep in his chest. When it did, her fingers curled, and she trembled, her inner need merging with his in a wave of lust so strong, he was seconds away from taking her here and now.
“Not here,” he whispered, dragging his lips from hers. “Not like this.”
Only then did he realize that his tattoo was tingling with faint pain. Ignoring it, he gestured toward shore. “Let’s go.”
She nodded, holding him for a moment longer to gain her balance it seemed before she dove in and headed inland. In swift pursuit, he followed, so damn eager he swore he swam the distance in half the time. Then again, so did she, arriving at almost the same moment.
Determined to make this special, he left only one wall torch burning and allowed the moonlight to soften the rest of the area. Though there were two beds, he scooped her up, brought her to his and lay her down. Her blue eyes lightened considerably, almost sparkling as he lie on his side beside her and spent his time admiring her.
Still ignoring the sting of his tattoo, he brushed her damp locks back then ran the tip of his forefinger along her soft jawline until he dusted it across her lower lip, still stained pink from his kisses. Slowly, relishing every moment, he trailed his finger down her slender neck then along her collarbone before he paused and met her eyes in question.
When she nodded for him to continue, he painstakingly began to remove her tunic. They were both breathing harshly by the time it was off, and he finally feasted his eyes on her beautiful breasts. Lush and perfectly fitted to his hand he caressed one then the other before tasting a tight, pebbled nipple.
“Oh, gods,” she cried out, arching as her dragon roared up as fast as his. When their dragon eyes met, he almost lost it. He almost took her the way his inner beast wanted him to. Hard and fast. But he fought the feeling. Dragons might typically prefer rougher sex, but he didn’t want that for her. Not this time.
Still ignoring the ever-increasing sting of his tattoo, his lips returned to hers as he began to caress the juncture between her legs through her damp pants. Incredibly quick to respond, she squirmed and groaned, already warm and wet and ready.
“Sven,” she groaned through clenched teeth. “I don’t think I can wait much longer.”
Longer? They had barely begun. He wanted to touch every part of her. Learn what she liked. Build her up until she climaxed several times before he even took her.
“Please,” she whimpered, trembling again as she struggled to breathe.
“Shh,” he whispered, to calm her, trying not to flinch as the burning sensation of his tattoo became more of a fire-poker sear.
“I just want...” she panted, her eyes roaming his chest with stark lust before she pressed her hand against his cock through his trousers. “This...”
Regrettably, though he had been so determined to do this right, the plea in both her voice and eyes could not be denied. More than that, the feel of her small hand on his rigid cock was excruciatingly arousing.
Gone in an instant, out of control, he yanked her pants off with one quick swipe, before crippling pain broke through his l
ust. He roared in denial and came over her, yanking at the strings on his trousers even as his arm felt as though it were being ripped from his body again.
“Sven,” she said hoarsely, her eyes suddenly human and very worried. “What it is? What’s going on?”
“It’s nothing,” he ground out, trembling as he held himself off of her, shaking with blinding pain even as he longed to sink into her. “I am all right.”
“You are not,” she whispered. Her eyes widened in alarm at the tattoo before shooting back to his face. To features he knew full well were twisted in a mask of pain and likely ravenous desire. “Sven, no, you’re hurting yourself...it’s hurting you.” Incredible sadness filled her eyes. “And I think I know why.”
Before he could stop her, she scrambled out from beneath him. The moment she did, the pain began to lessen.
“No,” he ground out as he fell onto his back, shook his head and tried not to show relief.
Yet as she put her clothes back on, stealing her beautiful body from his sight, the pain lessened even more before it at last faded altogether.
“You’re better now,” she said softly as she sat beside him. It was more of a statement than a question. “You’re better now that we’re not...” her eyes met his in equal distress and untouchable sadness. “It seems Vigdis was wrong about your tattoo. Because it clearly won’t let us be together.” A tear rolled down her cheek. “It seems we’ll have to remain just friends after all.”
Chapter Fourteen
THE NEXT MORNING dawned as stormy as her mood. What sort of fresh hell was this that when the time finally came to sleep together, they were denied it? Emily had never wanted anything so much and was furious she couldn’t have it. That he couldn’t. What was Fate playing at?
Better yet, she narrowed her eyes, what was Níðhöggr playing at?
Though they weren’t allowed to have sex, it seemed cuddling was just fine because Sven was allowed to hold her all night. No easy thing considering their state of arousal but he refused to be anywhere else.
“We will get this sorted out,” he murmured, kissing her temple.
“Did you just wake up?” She cuddled closer to him and inhaled the scent of his skin. “And damn straight we’ll get this sorted out.”
“I’ve been awake most of the night thinking.” He stroked her hair. “I didn’t want you to wake up without me here.”
“Thanks,” she whispered, glad he had stayed. Glad he was here to hold on to even though it felt like he was being ripped away.
“Good morning,” came an all-too-familiar and far too chipper voice as Halla didn’t hold back respectfully in case they were indecent but flounced right in. She shot them a devious smile. “So how was it?” She rolled her eyes and smiled broadly. “Finally?”
“None of your business.” Emily sighed and sat up. “What brings you this way, Cousin?”
Halla stopped short, caught off guard by Emily’s less than characteristic grumpy mood. “Well, firstly curiosity which I see will get me nowhere. Secondly, Kjar says we must leave soon. That—”
She snapped her mouth shut when an arrow whizzed by so closely that it breezed her hair. Sven and Emily shot out of bed as Halla spun, notched an arrow at the ocean and narrowed her eyes before she shook her head and raced their way, muttering, “Pointless. They’re too far out, and the wind’s not in my favor.”
Two Viking ships had appeared on the horizon, their square sails unfurled despite the black sky and cracks of thunder. It was a wonder they got an arrow this far. It made no sense. She eyed the sky. No dragons. But still magic. She’d bet anything.
“They’re Årud,” Sven said moments before Vivienne arrived and waved them along. “Come. You must take a ship and go before they get any closer.”
Emily and Sven nodded as they yanked on their boots and grabbed their weapons. She imagined that all ancient dragons had been ordered to stay in the cave and not shift. They would not give away one of their strongest assets. That being themselves. Yet why wouldn’t Emily and her kin flee through the Cave Catacombs? Why by water instead?
That question was soon answered when they joined the others and saw the grim expression on Håkon and Davyn’s faces. Better yet, their inky black tattoos.
“They need to head north faster than the caves allow,” Vigdis explained. “We’ll have to battle those ships then make haste. Hopefully, that will lessen your kin’s pain.”
“Sven,” Emily said, alarmed as she touched his arm and peered at his tattoo. “Look.”
This time the male dragon was fading.
“There’s an assassin on one of those ships,” Emily said. “And you’re the target this time.” Her eyes went to Vigdis as everyone hastily prepared satchels of food and drink before they headed for another cave. “We never did get around to talking about these supposed assassins. Any thoughts? Especially considering Sven’s tat is supposed to be of Níðhöggr’s making?”
“I would say it is Níðhöggr himself warning you the only way he can,” Vigdis replied as they entered the cave where the ancient’s kept their ships moored. Not many but enough that they seemed like a normal Viking community rather than a large fleet of powerful dragons. “As you know, it takes considerable energy for spirits to communicate from the afterlife. It seems a fading tattoo would not require much, no?”
“So he warns us when we might die, and adds color when we work together,” Emily muttered, embracing Vivienne and Kage goodbye. “But the prick won’t let us sleep together.”
Everyone’s eyes widened at that as she stomped off toward the ship. She didn’t care if she was behaving childishly, she was pissed off. She wanted Sven, and she wanted him yesterday, so said her vision hazing red now as she thought about it. As her inner dragon got as huffy and impatient as her. She growled in frustration, semi-aware that her dragon hormones were way out of whack.
By the time they rowed out of what the ancients called Cave Harbor and unfurled the sail, the Årud ships were considerably closer. Though Emily and Sven’s kin counted few, every Sigdir had the strength of at least three men, so they were able to man the Drekkar ship with ease. It mattered little that Håkon and Davyn were in pain. They were tough. Or so she hoped as she eyed them.
“Once we have dealt with this, you and I will talk, child,” Vigdis said softly, joining her at the helm. “Until then, redirect your fury at what comes our way.”
Emily managed a tight nod, knowing full well the seer was right because even from here, she could see the ships were full to capacity with fighting men. Numbers even higher than what they faced yesterday.
“Are you sure we can’t shift?” she asked.
“It would be very unwise,” Vigdis replied as rain began to spit and the waves swelled higher.
“But I could hide us,” Halla reminded as she joined them. Her eyes met Emily’s. “Remember that’s the main reason I was allowed to come along.”
“That was the only reason,” Emily countered, eying Vigdis with curiosity. “So can we if Halla hides us?”
“I think it would be far too risky.” Vigdis shook her head. “There is no way to know if Halla's magic would even work against an enemy backed by the likes of the double-headed serpent. His magic is beyond my comprehension. Anything to do with your dragons, whether embracing them or their magic could lead you straight to slaughter.” She gestured at the ships. “At least based on yesterday’s fighting, you know what to expect going up against them.” Her eyes went between Halla and Emily. “You fight like the Vikings you are.”
Both nodded as they eyed the ships and the seas grew rougher. It had been a long time since Emily had been out on the water like this. Her eyes went to Sven as she joined him and began rowing. Since the moment she stepped foot on a Viking ship so long ago, she knew she was born to it. She loved the ocean and seafaring as much as the rest of them. Well, all but her cousin Rokar but she couldn’t think about him right now. It would only sadden her when she needed to remain strong.
Fee
ling a renewed rush of adrenaline, she pulled in her oar like the others when the wind filled the sail, and they lurched forward. Right on time to the battle, Thor slammed his hammer and thunder cracked overhead, vibrating the ship. Sven met her grin, his excitement matching hers as he stood, braced himself on one side of the helm of the ship and notched an arrow while Davyn did the same on the other.
Though tempted to tell Sven to be careful because he was on their hit list, she wouldn’t do it. That wasn’t any way to go into battle. Not when fighting alongside Vikings. They found honor in dying in battle. Honor that they might, at last, dine with their all-father in Valhalla.
Now there was someplace they could use help from. Asgard's, Valhalla. The god Thor had helped King Heidrek long ago so might his father Odin not at some point help them? Did he care nothing for the well-being of Midgard? And what of Thor’s brother, Loki? If Magnus of the Årud worshiped him, did that mean the devious god might aid the violent tribe?
Not to be worried about right now she supposed. No, now was the time to let her angry dragon hormones find release. Like the rest of them, she gripped her weapons and waited eagerly for the quickly approaching ships. They were coming in on either side, and that was just fine. More of a challenge.
Emily and Halla grinned at each other and nodded before arrows started flying. Sven and Davyn were excellent shots, still meeting their targets despite the high winds. Their enemy? Not so much. Kjar barrel laughed as he dodged several arrows then leapt onto one of the ships before anyone else, swinging his ax in a wide arc. No matter his advanced age, he was a force to be reckoned with.
Emily and Halla stayed put on their ship, fighting one after the other. It was bloody chaos, but her dragon absolutely loved it as she slashed down warrior after warrior. Though they couldn’t embrace their inner beasts or use magic, their eyes were not to be helped. So setting aside the sheer size and fury of their males, being faced with a host of fiery dragon eyes in the midst of a stormy sea battle only aided in striking fear into the hearts of their foes.
Viking King's Vendetta Page 12