“You wouldn’t dare! Do you not remember what happened the last time?”
“Oh, dear sister. I remember all too well. Hence why you need to get your ass dressed and be downstairs in thirty minutes. It’s high time you get laid and join the real world. That’s an order.”
“You ass! I am not going!”
God damn mother fucker. That rotten bastard is not doing this to me. Every time we go out to the damn club, something happens. Trip over the stairs, break my nose, slip on a small itty-bitty patch of water, or I roll my ankle. Sometimes, it's all the above. After the last debacle, the owner almost banned me from the bar because I knocked over several thousand dollars’ worth of merchandise. I have no idea how that even happened. Clubs and I do not mix.
The last encounter at the bar is still freshly engraved in my brain. The last time we went to the bar down the street, I made a complete fool of myself. I groan loudly, thinking about that night. You know when you wear white pants, and Aunt Flow comes to visit? Well, I must have been off a week because I was getting jiggy with my bad self on the dance floor, and what for the love of all that is holy happens? I bent down in front of this insanely hot guy, only to hear him gasp and make a quick exit.
I turned to find out what happened when Etienne runs towards me with a jacket and ushers me to the bathroom. Suffice it to say; I never went out again after that. Or wore white.
“Oh, we are. If I have to drag your ass to your room and throw you in the shower, I will. I will not let my best friend sit here on the sofa with her cat, eating ice cream, and wasting her life when she should be getting out and enjoying herself.” Etienne pushes himself off the sofa and starts to make his way to the front door. “Oh, and I almost forgot! There is a hot guy from the funeral who wishes to see you. You know, the one with the blue eyes that made your panties wet the moment you saw him.”
My jaw drops, and I throw a pillow at him. He dodges behind the door and pretends to act offended. “You ass! That was not supposed to be repeated!”
A wicked grin spreads across his face as he hides part of his body behind the boor. “Oh, dear sweet, Stephanie. You have no idea what you are in for. Oh, and just a heads up, I won’t be coming home tonight. I plan to find me a nice wet pussy to keep me up all night.”
I facepalm myself and groan. Only Etienne. “Ew, mister tighty whitey. I do not need, nor care, to hear about your sex life. Now get out of my house.”
Etienne wiggles his eyebrows before shutting the door behind him.
“And Superman sucks by the way!” I yell.
“If Superman does. Then, so does Xena!” I hear Etienne from the other side of the door.
Shots fired. Oh, it is on. No one messes with the Warrior Princess and gets away with it.
Chapter 6
~ Finn ~
“Report! And you better have some fucking good news for me.” Pacing back and forth in my hotel room, I do everything I can not to snap and completely lose it. Bjarne and his men are still out there, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. While we have our tails between our legs, trying to figure out what the fuck is going on.
Liam and my brothers are out there searching, while I watch Stephanie from afar. The tip we received about the funeral was a false alarm, causing everyone to be on edge. Our men rifled through the entire area, abandoned buildings, new construction, even schools, to make sure they wouldn’t attack.
Bjarne and his men are ruthless. They will kill any innocent bystanders to curb their desire to get what they want. There is only one reason why they would lure us out here, to verify the location of the next heir.
“Bjarne is gone. While we’re focused on the girl, he attacked Sandefjord.” I hear shouting in the background, and I know Liam is already one step ahead. He sighs a few times on the phone, then barks orders for the men to load up.
“Goddammit! What of the family?” Running my hand through my hair, I calculate my next move. First, we need to make sure the family is secure. Next, we need to get Stephanie the fuck out of here and back home where she belongs.
“Christian and Daniel are on their way now. They left a few days ago when we received word Kari was missing. It turns out the skirja was off with her boyfriend getting high. I will call you with updates when I have them. But there is something else.”
Sensing the hesitation in Liam’s voice, I know this can’t be good. “What?”
“Asbjørn is back. Karl spotted him outside Skorraey.”
Red starts to cloud my vision at the mention of that bastard’s name. Because of him, my life changed forever. “Liam-”
“When we find his location, you will be granted a pardon this one time. I alone know the pain you are suffering. Make him suffer.”
“Thank you, bróðir.”
Hanging up the phone, I take things into my own hands. By the time Liam gets everything squared away, the trail will be cold, and we will lose the only clue to finding Bjarne, Asbjørn, and their men. But first, I need to make sure the Nils household is safe and secure.
I call several of our contacts on the island to figure out what the hell just happened. After several excruciatingly long phone calls and several bottles of Guinness later, I’m able to track down the Nils family. Liam will scorn me for this, but right now, I am sitting in my hotel room feeling useless. Stephanie is still in her apartment safe and sound, while I sit on my ass watching her from a distance.
“Fífl,” I mutter under my breath.
The Nils family is hunkered down in the Breidablikk, staying out of sight until the coast is all clear. Stephanie’s grandmother, Eira, gives me an earful when she finds out I’m out of the country, but when I tell her what I’m about to do. She goes silent.
It’s been sixteen years since she last saw her granddaughter. The night that shattered this family and caused Cameron to leave will forever be etched in our minds.
I advise Eira of my plan on how to get Stephanie home, which only causes her to laugh.
“If she is anything like her mother, she will not come willingly.” Eira chuckles.
“I am counting on it.”
“She has a Viking’s spirit, just like her mother. May Freya bless you, you are going to need it.”
Eira snickers as the line goes dead. Fucking Nils women. I stare at the phone, baffled at what just happened. Eira is the head of the household and one hell of a woman. She can kill a man with a spoon if she wants, but when it comes to her family, she is feared by many. My brothers have worshipped her because of her passionate nature and drive to protect those she loves. But never in all the years that I’ve known her, have I heard her laugh like that.
A small shadow of a smile forms on my lips at the thought of Stephanie. “If I have to throw you over my shoulders to get you home, I will. Time to take things into my own hands. No way in hell is Asbjørn going to get another chance.”
I feel my phone vibrate and answer it before the first ring. “And?”
“Well, hello to you too, fucker.” Christian snaps.
“Cut the shit. What did you find out?” I may love these guys like they are my blood, but sometimes I want to wring their necks and hang them for the crows to feast upon.
“Bjarne and his men were here. They aren’t just tracking Stephanie, brother. They are after you as well. The entire house has been burnt to the ground, but we found a note near the barn. It was the only structure untouched. The note was nailed to the tree and had your name on it.” Christian calls out to Daniel to retrieve the note.
“Want us to open it?”
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I contemplate what could be on that piece of paper. There are a few things my brothers don’t know about me and for good reason. Right now, none of that matters. If we’re going to have any chance of catching Bjarne, Asbjørn, and his men, it’s time they knew about my past.
“Yes,” I say, praying to Odin this is just a sick joke.
“Alright.” I hear a small tear and Christian’s gasp when he reads the note. “
Fuck.”
“Christian, you alright?” I hear Daniel ask. A few moments later, he is cussing in Old Norse.
“By the grace of Odin, you better fucking tell me what the note says, or I will rip your fucking balls out and shove them so far up your ass, you will be singing my name for years to come.” My body shakes with uncontrollable anger. There is only one thing that would cause Daniel to revert to our old language. It is forbidden to speak it without the presence of our leaders.
“Never will I lower my eyes before any challenger. Never will I bend my knees before any God or Heir. I will bend the bones, and her screams will fill the empty void we so long wish to hear. For Odin and Freya will weep tears for the night to come. Asbjørn.”
No, dear Odin, no. Blood drains from my face as realization dawns on me. This isn’t a threat to the Nils. This is a promise. Asbjørn plans to Blood Eagle Stephanie, and use her as a warning to all those that oppose him. And, recreate what happened to my family all those years ago.
A menacing growl escapes my lips at the thought of her body displayed in such a manner. The skin on her back will be sliced open, exposing her ribcage, to give her executioner access to her ribs. Her ribs will be snapped and pulled back, making it look like she has blood-stained wings.
“Fuck. Burn the note and go to Eira. Stay there until I return with Stephanie.”
“But-”
“Do as you are fucking told, for once in your miserable fucking life. Got it?” My body begins to shake as images of what Asbjørn has planned to do filters through my head. If it were my enemies, who are a disgrace to our Viking ways and deserve to be hung from the sky for the gods to shun them, I wouldn’t give a damn. But to use her as a message, and for sport? No.
“Why the fuck did you have to die, Cameron? How the bloody hell do you expect me to get your daughter to Sandefjord now? FUCK!” Punching the wall, I channel my rage at something to keep the monster at bay. For now, he is under control, but if one hair on Stephanie’s head is touched, who knows what he will do.
“Finn, we will see it’s done. Odin be with you, bróðir.” Christian ends the call, and soon enough Liam is on the line.
I update Liam on what Christian and Daniel told me and my plan to get Stephanie home. It is reckless, but what other choice do I have? Liam tries to tell me a bunch of bullshit to keep me calm, but I am the complete opposite. The killer inside me roars to life, thinking about ways we can finally end this. My heart is racing, and blood pumping, thinking about putting an end to the man who started it all.
Bjarne is a conniving son-of-a-bitch, but his son, Asbjørn, is something else entirely. They have both killed thousands, just to get one single artifact or parchment that holds our secrets. Asbjørn murdered my family in cold blood when he found out about our brotherhood, and nearly destroyed Stephanie’s family, looking for the hidden scrolls. He is the reason her mother is dead. He is the reason she suffers and is alone. He is also the reason I am who I am today.
“Not even Odin will be able to protect you from me,” I mutter out loud.
“What was that?”
“Nothing. What did you say?” I say through clenched teeth.
“Bjarne and his right-hand man just boarded a plane to Iceland. He left a few of his goons behind. Something is brewing, Finn. I don’t like this.” Liam sighs loudly, telling me he is just as frustrated as me.
“What’s in Iceland?”
“I don’t know. I sent Iyrik and Karl to investigate. Dimitri, Darren, and Ian are securing Stephanie’s location now. We are running out of time. You need to get her out of there.” I can hear the urgency in his voice, but something tells me that is the worst possible thing we can do.
Our stubborn spitfire, who I have grown to love from afar, is never going to come willingly. Not to mention, her family is a bunch of tight asses who will never admit to their wrongdoing and own up to their mistakes. Because of them, she is an outcast. Because of their selfishness and thirst for power, her father fled the country. Because of them, her mother is dead. I vowed to protect them with my life, but not even Eira will stop me.
Granted, I can kidnap her, tie her up, and ship her to Norway, but I am no barbarian. She would have my head on a spike before the end of the day. Or I should say, her bodyguard will have my head.
He was supposed to grow up with her and protect her from Bjarne, not fucking become this close to her and mess up everything we have planned since she was born. Fucking idiot. If we have any chance of getting her home, Blackhawk is our only choice.
“No. Send the rest of the men back. Blackhawk and I will finish up here. Secure the package and get her family to safety. It’s time she knew.” I run my hand through my hair, knowing this is the worst thing I could ever do. But what choice do we have? If they get their hands on Cameron’s work, everything as we know it will change. The secrets of the Vikings will be revealed. And in the wrong hands, they will be unstoppable.
“You have three days, Finn. She needs to be on that flight in three days.”
I stare out my hotel room window and watch the people below me. How the hell am I going to get her to Norway in two days?
“Bróðir?”
“I will handle this. Duga Bróðir.”
Ending the call with Liam, I dial the only person I know who can help. “Blackhawk? It's time.”
Chapter 7
~ Stephanie ~
Thirty minutes later, I am dressed and waiting downstairs for Etienne to bring the car around. Stubborn ass stayed true to his word when I refused to move off my couch. He called me a few minutes after he left my apartment, making sure I was off my duff, getting dressed. When I told him no, he barged into my apartment, and threw me over his shoulder. Then dumped me into freezing cold water and left.
After a quick shower, I got dressed and figured what the hell. I put on a little makeup, threw my hair up in a ponytail and figured this was as good as it was going to get. My auburn hair is in desperate need of a haircut, and my sapphire eyes have their old spark back. Leave it to Etienne and Sam to bring me back to life.
Tonight, I plan to drink, have fun, and get jiggy with my bad self. I can’t dance to save my life, but most of the people in the clubs can’t either. So, I figure, I will be in good company.
Standing outside our apartment’s main door, I am wearing my favorite bootcut jeans, an off the shoulder red blouse that shows off the girls, and black cowboy boots laced with blue trim. With my hair pulled back, my mom’s silver hoop earrings, which depict the symbol for the goddess, Freya, are out for the world to see.
I hear Etienne’s engine roar before it emerges from around the corner. A white, 1965 Mustang GT 350, with blue racing stripes, comes into view. At first, it was a rusty piece of crap, and I told Etienne it was a hopeless venture to try and fix it. But he proved me wrong. He spent months working on his baby.
“This baby is a classic. It just needs a little TLC.” Etienne told me the first time I saw the piece of junk.
He tried to get me to help him a few times, knowing I know absolutely zilch about cars. He laughed and told me to come along anyway. I mean, I know how to change a tire, oil, and fix a serpentine belt. But that’s it. The only reason I know how to change a belt is because my Ford decided to break hers in the middle of a thunderstorm.
Thank god I had Etienne with me or else I would have been screwed. We had hardly any tools on hand, and since my hands were small enough to slide between the engine parts and whatnot, I was tasked with getting it back on. Three hours, clothes soaked to the bone, and two irritated people later, it was back on.
The next day, Etienne and my dad took me to the dealership, traded in the Ford, and got me something new. All I told them was, I wanted something dark blue and easy to take on the back roads. So, what do these knuckleheads get me? A Toyota 4Runner, all souped up and built for a queen. I was thinking a small car, or maybe an SUV would be good. But nope. They got me a giant ass truck, which, if it rolls, I will be wrapped in bubble wrap.
<
br /> I love those two to death, but could they be any more protective?
Etienne pulls the car up along the sidewalk and gets out of the car to let me in.
“Your chariot awaits.”
“Took you long enough. I was about to put the Bat Signal out to rescue you.”
“Ha. Like that man stands a chance. He is a human with far too much money and overcompensates for his small man syndrome. Superman will be the only hero tonight. Now get your ass over here.”
As Etienne rounds the hood of the car, I try to open my door when he slaps my hand away and grabs the door handle. Sticking my tongue out at him, I slide into the car and prepare for a night of fun.
When Etienne gets in on the driver’s side and pulls the car onto the busy road, I notice he isn’t dressed up like normal. He is wearing jeans and a black button-up shirt, with a few buttons left undone to show off his Celtic tattoos. Normally, he would be wearing a black suit and look like a man on a mission.
The ride to the bar is short but sweet. My stomach is an entirely different story. I am going to be seeing this mystery guy, and for the first time, I am nervous as hell. Generally, on dates, I would be excited, but I am downright scared to death. No man has ever made my brain go fuzzy, or knees weaken just thinking about him. I am hoping beyond hope it is Finn, but there were several men at the funeral. So, who knows, it might be any of them.
“Drinks are on me tonight,” Etienne says as he pulls up outside the bar and hands his keys to the valet. “Ready?”
Taking a deep breath, I loop my arm with his, and we make our way inside. Sending a silent prayer, I pray to the god's that nothing embarrassing is going to happen tonight.
“Ready as I’ll ever be.”
As we make our way inside, the place is hopping. Hundreds of people filled the club.
“Welcome back, Mr. Latsch.” The woman in charge of the VIP section pays me no mind as Etienne keeps a firm grip on my arm as he guides me towards our usual spot. Ignoring Etienne’s overprotective behavior, I watch as people dance the night away. A few look like professional dancers, while others look like robots who don’t have a dancer’s bone in their body.
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