A Viking's Lost Soul

by T. M. Grinsley

  Ian shakes his head at our ridiculousness in the back seat but hands us a small thermos full of coffee. Ah, medicine for the gods, or in this case, something to make Sam not so bitchy after she wakes up. “Thanks,” Sam mumbles as she pours herself a small cup and downs it in one shot.

  “Etienne warned us about your coffee addictions and told us you needed to have some on standby when we got here,” Christian says from the front seat.

  Finn, Ian, Christian, Sam, and I were in this car, while Etienne, Karl, Iyrik, Darren, and Dimitri were in the other vehicle.

  Finn puts the car in park and walks around to let everyone else out, but stops me in my tracks. “Been waiting all day to do this.” His hands wrap around my waist, and he pulls me towards him. Our lips clash together like it’s been an eternity since we have seen each other.

  “It’s only been six hours. But maybe we should spend more time apart so you can kiss me like that more often.”

  “Not happening, woman,” Finn mutters as he pinches my ass before letting me go.

  The Ice Hotel in front of us is, damn, I have no words. The entire front of the building is a massive glass structure with large rock formations holding it up. Igloo-shaped roof arrangements can be seen from the side, and tiny white lights lead to the main entrance.

  Making our way into the ice sculpted building, I zip Luna inside my jacket to keep her warm.

  Ian holds the door open and, as we walk inside, it is not what I expected. Ice steps lead down to a large spacious room, where a few employees are waiting to check people in. A massive solid ice sculpture is sitting in the middle, with access to stand on the top and overlook the room or stand underneath with several slats to sit down and have a cup of joe.

  “Wow.”

  Sam holds Christian’s hand as we make our way down the solid sheet of ice that is our staircase. Of course, as if fate is mocking me, my foot slips on one of the steps. Please don’t break anything, please oh please. But nothing happens. Familiar arms hold me in place, and that rare smile, the one reserved for only me, is plastered on Finn's face.

  “I can’t take you anywhere, can I?”

  “Nope, I like to make things interesting. What can I say?”

  Finn releases his grip on me, and we take our time with the last few steps. The guys have already checked us in by the time we get downstairs, so they lead us to our rooms. The hallway’s small white light illuminates the walls, showing unique, intricate designs carved into the ice.

  Winding the corner, there is a massive hole in the wall, which opens into gorgeous scenery. Several circular structures are dug into the ground with glass ceilings, giving a perfect view of the sky. They look exactly like igloos, but with glass instead of snow.

  Darren skips to the glass railing and opens his arms wide. “Welcome to paradise.” He howls like a wolf and starts to run down the stairs towards the massive teepee to my right.

  “Alright, children. Listen up.” Dimitri holds several cards in his hands as he yells at Darren to come back. “Looks like he will be stuck outside.”

  “I am older than you, asshole,” Christian growls before swiping a key out of his hand and joining Darren down below.

  “Anyway, there are five keys. Two are for the Ice Hotel Extravaganza Experience, and the other three are the glass igloos outside, which overlook the stars. Who wants what?”

  “We’ll take the Ice Hotel Extravaganza for two hundred points, Sir.” Sam jokes and pulls Etienne beside her. “Give the other one to Steph and Finn. You knuckleheads can sleep outside with your kin.”

  Sam grabs the two keys from Dimitri and hands one to me. “Give Luna to me. I’ll take care of her for the night.”

  Unzipping my jacket, Luna pops out of her warm embrace and nuzzles my chin before going to Sam.

  “Dinner is at six. See you later.” Ian waves to the group before he walks down the stairs to his room.

  “Mind if I talk to Steph for a sec?” Etienne has been silent most of the way here, and until now, I didn’t notice how cold and distant he’s been.

  “Sure.” Finn kisses my temple before taking the spare key to our room and leaving me alone with Etienne.

  Etienne shifts uncomfortably, not saying a word. He clenches his hands several times before he exhales loudly. “Steph, I need you to promise me something.”

  Seeing Etienne like this is nearly breaking my heart. My best friend is the trickster, the man who makes a woman swoon with his smile, and always knows the right things to say. “Anything.”

  “Whatever happens tonight, promise nothing will change between us.” His eyes plead with me to say yes. What the hell kind of question is that? Nothing will ever change between us. If he were Satan’s child, that still wouldn’t change how I feel about him.

  “Etienne, what’s going on? What aren’t you telling me?”

  “Promise me.” Etienne snaps. His eyes are now cold and void of the warmth they’ve always held. Fear swirls in his eyes as he waits for my answer.

  Wrapping my arms around his waist, I hug him like my life depends on it. “No matter what happens, you will always be my brother. There is nothing in this world that will destroy that.” I feel Etienne relax as his arms wrap around me. “Besides, who else is going to listen to my inner geek babble and ridiculous monologue of my favorite shows? Superman and Xena for life, no matter what.”

  Etienne rests his chin on top of my head and rocks us back and forth. We stand there in silence for a long time before he releases me and walks me to my room.

  The walls start to get higher the farther we go, and each door holds a different design. Monkeys, Mermaids, faces, tribal, you name it. “This is your room.” Etienne points to a room with carved rivets, making it look like an old-fashioned door made of wood.

  Opening the thick door, I nearly stumble when I see what is inside. The inside of the room has massive pillars along the walls. Thin ice lines the outer walls with small bright lights, giving the room a beautiful blue glow. A few chairs are on the edge, with wool blankets draped over the armrests, and a massive boat-like bed is at the end of the room.

  Large flower-like lights are on each side of the bed, revealing an intricate dragon design above. To my right, is a small bathroom with little to no privacy what-so-ever.

  Behind me, I hear something scraping ice, causing me to turn around and see Finn in nothing but his boxers and boots. Yum. The door closes, and Finn stalks me with his eyes glazed over. “Get on the bed.” He barks as power radiates from him.

  Biting my lower lip, my eyes rake over his body one more time, before complying. “Take off your clothes.” He orders as I reach the bed.

  Stripping out of my clothes, his rough hands yank me against his naked chest. Moisture pools between my legs, anticipating what’s to come. “Do you know how intoxicating you are? Every time you shake your ass, all I can think about is bending your tight ass over and fucking you. You are a man’s wet dream.”

  Finn's teeth graze my shoulder, leaving me breathless. Small nibbles on my skin cause my neck to lean to the side to give him better access. “Bend over.”

  Finn pushes lightly on my back as my elbows lay on the soft, warm fur blanket. My heartbeat is pounding, thinking about what he is about to do.

  “Finn?” Finn stands behind me, with his massive erection right behind my backside. Sticking my tongue out, I lick my lips, wanting to get a taste.

  “Silence. We only have a few hours, and I plan to make the most of it.” A loud smack registers as everything inside me explodes to life. Each touch causes a wave of pleasure to surge through my body, making me crave him inside me.

  I hear the familiar sound of foil ripping behind me, and Finn’s hand slowly tracing the contours of my body before slamming two fingers inside me. “Arg!”

  Finding my G-spot immediately, he teases and tortures me. Soft kisses trail my spine down to my tailbone. “There is one thing I want to try. Do you trust me?”

  His fingers continue their torture on my G-s
pot, making it impossible to answer. I think I say yes, but to me, it sounds garbled.

  I feel the lack of his fingers all too soon, and I whimper in their absence. A slight pressure starts to form in my backside, causing me to tense. “Easy, Steph. Trust me.”

  Finn's hand starts to move in a circular motion as the pressure increases. Slipping one finger inside me, everything I thought I knew shatters. Fuck, this feels good. His lips continue their path from one butt cheek to the other. His mouth hovers over my hole, and the next thing I know, his finger slips out, and his tongue takes its place.

  His tongue does wicked things to me as two fingers slide in to pound my G-spot. Stars start to dance in my vision as fire takes hold of my body. “Oh God, Finn,” I scream as I near the edge. His beard tickles my skin, making everything spiral out of control.

  I feel myself about to combust and explode all over him, but he pulls out before I can finish. “Not yet, Steph. Not until I say.”

  His hands roughly grab my hips, and he slams inside of me with powerful thrusts, exploding everything around me. Each thrust brings me to the edge, but he pulls out before I can let go. He is toying with me. The fire inside me starts to become unbearable. Everything around me starts to swirl as I lose myself in Finn. He is a Dom. He is insane in the bedroom and kills my vagina every time. He also owns my heart, body, and soul.

  Chapter 24

  ~ Finn ~

  “Since Asbjørn’s death, there have been no sightings. His men retreated when they found the place destroyed and none of our contacts have heard a thing. Something doesn’t feel right about this.” Etienne paces the length of the room, wracking his hand through his hair.

  I left Stephanie passed out naked on our bed so I could talk to the guys. Bjarne has been silent since we threw his son's body into the ocean, and frankly I don’t give a shit. Another body fed to the bottom feeders.

  “Does she know anything?” Ian leans against the back wall with a beer in his hand.

  Darren, Dimitri, Karl, Iyrik, Christian, Ian, and Sam are scattered around the room trying to figure out how the hell we are going to tell her.

  “I don’t know why the fuck you guys are having a hard time about this. Etienne and I have lied the entire time we have known her. She will be devastated and think everything we have built with her has been a lie.” Sam’s voice sounds defeated as she slumps in her chair. “She is the only friend I have beside you assholes. I can’t lose her, Finn.”

  Darren wraps a comforting arm around her shoulders. “And you won’t.”

  “Daniel called an hour ago to notify us about the family. Eira is getting restless and wants us back immediately. Says shits going down at Hrothgier and we need to get back.” Karl never takes his eyes off his phone as he notifies us about our home.

  “What about Liam?” Iyrik asks. “We haven’t heard from him in days. That isn’t like him.”

  Rubbing a hand through my hair, Iyrik is right. Liam was never one to be off the grid this long. A day or two maybe, but over a week? Never. Hrothgier is still under radio silence, and Eira is starting to become a problem. “Iyrik and Ian. Head back to Hrothgier tomorrow and find out what the hell is going on. I will give you orders first thing tomorrow morning on what the objective will be. We need to tread carefully. I don’t know what is going on, but there is something we’re missing.”

  “What about Eira?” Iyrik brings up a valid point. What about Eira? Since Gudvangen, she has been blowing up my phone looking for updates, but never once asked about Steph. My sources tell me all is good at Skorraey, so why she is acting like a loose cannon is beyond me.

  “Sam, buck up. We have shit to do, and right now, we need to tell Steph that we are a secret organization that has trained us since birth. Fight for what we believe in, kill our enemies and bring faith back into people’s hearts, and erase the pieces of shit from existence. Etienne-”

  “She needs to know about Bjarne and the truth about her mother, Finn. She is in more danger than we realize. Think about the note!” Ian snaps as he breaks his beer bottle against the wall. Small pieces of glass stick to the ice as the glass shatters all over him. “She has grown on all of us. I have only known her a few weeks, and right now, I want to pack her ass, and that little furball, and get her the hell away from us. She doesn’t deserve this.”

  Etienne is off his feet and has Ian pinned against the wall in seconds. “Don’t you think I fucking know that? Her own mother fucking piece of shit family kept her a secret to keep her alive. But, they didn’t want to deal with the targets on their backs and were glad to be rid of her. They never wanted her, and right now we are leading her to a place that is full of cold hearted people, and it will kill her when she finds out the truth. We all love Eira and the Iseley’s like our own, but they are not the most loving people on the face of the earth.”

  “You didn’t watch her cry herself to sleep when she had nightmares about her mother. Steph doesn’t know what the dreams mean, but I sure as fuck do. You didn’t see people try to use and abuse her all her life when they found out who her father was. She knew they were rich, but never wanted the money. All she wanted was a family to love and accept her. I have more to fucking lose than all of you combined. Sam is like a sister to her and Finn is madly in love with her. So, don’t fucking get pissed off, when you don’t have shit to worry about.”

  Ian struggles to get free of Etienne's hold, but he is a solid brick wall. Anger and fear are radiating off him in intoxicating waves. We grew up without a family or knowing much about who we were, so when we find someone to call our own, the thought of losing them is terrifying. They are our way back home.

  “If it wasn’t for her mother sacrificing herself to save Steph, and her father ending his own life that night, Bjarne would have found her by now and performed the Blood Eagle as a warning to his enemies.” The thought of him touching her makes my stomach churn. Her brunette hair hanging off her shoulders as her body is strapped to an old pagan cross. Blood dripping down her sides as she screams in agony. A menacing growl comes from me, stopping everyone in their tracks.

  “Enough!” Sam barks. “Look, we are all on edge, but getting at each other’s throats isn’t the answer.”

  “You’re one to talk. Taking lavish vacations while blood soaks our skin, from that of our enemies or people who were at the wrong place at the wrong time. You weren’t there when we had to kill all those men on the mountain to stop news from traveling to Bjarne. Protecting someone who doesn’t know who we truly are, is a slap in the face and a betrayal to the code.” Every word out of Christian’s mouth is right. But for right now, we have a part to play. Find out what is going on back home and lure Bjarne out of hiding, on our terms.

  Rubbing my hand on my chin, I watch my brothers argue back and forth about what our next move is going to be. The only way we have a fighting chance is if one of us sneaks inside and steals the record books. Every decision and move Hrothgier has ever made is logged in leather twine books and stored away under lock and key.

  “He’s right. But for now, we keep Steph in the dark. Play our part and do what we must to survive. Liam is gone, so we need to pick up the pieces and carry on with the mission. Etienne and I will stay with Steph per our orders and get her to Skorraey. Eira is becoming a thorn in my side, and we need to shut her up before shit gets out of hand.”

  “Look at Mama’s little boy breaking the rules.” Ian chastises me with a wicked grin.

  “Zip it. As for the rest of you, stay low and keep your ears to the ground. I want Christian at Skorraey when we arrive. If I have to deal with Eira’s shit, then you need to be there to watch over Steph. No one gets near her without me knowing.”

  To find the leak, we send in a rat to find the trap. Infiltrate our own and flush them out. It’s one hell of a risk, and one that is sure to get us all killed, but if I am right, I know who the leak may be. “Darren.”

  Darren takes one look at me and chuckles. “Why do I have a feeling what you are about t
o tell me is going to make my balls shrivel and wish Eira was my wife?”

  Chapter 25

  ~ Stephanie ~

  “Come on, baby. It’s time to wake up.” Soft lips make a trail starting at my hip bone and continue their torturous path to the side of my neck, right below my earlobe. With each kiss, he leaves a fiery sensation, causing my body to shiver and crave another round.

  Since we are in an igloo, you would think I would be freezing my tits off, but the way he is looking at me right now… any girl would be burning up.

  “Mhmm. If you keep that up, we will never leave this room.” Rolling onto my side, I reach over my head to crack my back and release the tension from last night’s marathon. My legs feel like jello, my vagina has a do not enter sign, and my back is stiff from the crazy positions he had me in last night. I never thought the human body could bend and twist in the ways that it did last night.

  Finn's fingers trail along my side as the fur blanket that covers my body falls off, revealing all my goods to the world.

  “You are blessed by Goddess Freya. A true beauty only my eyes will ever feast upon.” Finn continues to run his fingers along my skin, causing pleasure to pool between my legs. The way his voice growls the last few words, every fiber inside me wants to call him a caveman. But he is starting to own my body and soul. He is an alpha male who needs control.

  Groaning loudly, I mentally scorn my vagina. And here I thought you had a do not enter sign. Sheesh. You are worse than he is.

  As Finn’s fingers circle my navel, he places his lips on my stomach and kisses me softly, until his lips meet my breasts. His teeth lightly graze my nipple as his eyes watch my every move.

  “You are like a drug to me. Do you know that? Sweet, succulent, and forbidden.”

  “Finn…” My eyes roll back as I exhale, trying to do anything to stop my body from wanting him right now. If he has his way with me now, I will die. There you go, headline news, ‘female dies from best orgasm of her life.’