I try to shove him off me, but that is impossible. He is stronger, faster, and a hell of a lot larger than me. “Get off me.”
“If you honestly believe, in your heart, that I betrayed you, then I will leave you alone forever. But answer me this. Do you remember the night, when you were sixteen, and your date tried to rip your dress off? When you slipped on the ice and smacked your head on the hood of the car? Do you remember who saved you that night? Who courted you for the past four weeks, when I could have bent you over my fucking knee and fucked you so hard you couldn’t walk straight. Taken you like a whore who wants a good fuck. No. I waited until you saw the real man. I didn’t want you to see the killer. I wanted you to see the real me. The Finn I know you love.”
Finn slides his knee between my legs, pushing my body higher on the tree, making it so my feet are no longer touching the ground. His hands slide down my arms to my hips, grabbing them with such force, I think I am going to fly into the tree.
Okay, this is no time to be making jokes, but my heart is racing a mile a minute, and I have no idea what to do. Finn just told me he is a trained killer, the Vikings have integrated themselves into this world, and I am the heir to… I’m not even sure what. Maybe I need to take a moment to breathe, and not let Mister Sex on a Stick cloud my brain.
“Finn.” I push softly on his chest, hoping to get some distance.
Finn nods his understanding, but only moves away slightly. We only have six inches between us now, but a part of me wants him even closer.
“You have my heart. You have since before you gave me the chakrum. But what am I supposed to think about all this? We have been here over a week, and you finally tell me the truth. You had every opportunity to tell me, but instead, you woo me with your sex appeal, fuck my brains out, and expect me to be okay with this. Sorry, buddy, that’s not how this works.”
Finn chuckles, and his rare smile starts to form on his face. “I expected nothing less of you, Steph. Why don’t we head inside, and you can ask whatever you want. I won’t hold back.”
“You told me when things were done, we would talk it out. What’s changed?”
“I'm done being their little lap dog. I’m doing what I feel is right.”
I bite my lip, contemplating what I want to do. Part of me wants to run away, but that is the old me. The new Stephanie Nils takes chances, and it is time I take risks and wait to see what the consequences are later.
“Okay,” I whisper.
Finn’s arms pull me into a tight embrace, holding me against his chest as I feel his heart rate slow down. “Kunna þǫkk, Steph.”
“For a big bad Viking, you sure are a softy.”
Finn kisses the top of my nose, and I feel my heart flutter.
“Only for the Viking Queen.”
Removing my arms from around Finn’s back, I curl them on my chest, hoping to bring feeling back into my hands. I may have a thick coat made of fake fur, and four layers on, but this is way too cold for a girl like me. My arms start to shake, and I look around Finn’s large bicep, but can barely see anything more than a few feet away.
“Uh, Finn. I think maybe we should head back now.” My voice comes out muffled since my mouth is talking into his jacket.
“What was that?” Finn whispers into my ear. I feel his cold nose tickle my neck, as he inhales my scent.
“I said, I think we need to head back before the snow buries us alive and we freeze to death.” I try to keep the laughter out of my voice, but he is making it impossible.
“I think I rather like this position better.” Finn nips my neck playfully, causing me to squirm.
“Down, Viking. I am not about to freeze my tits off here. Let’s go. And besides, you have a lot of questions to answer before I even think about doing that again with you.”
Finn tries to bite my neck, but I wiggle out of his embrace and take off. The snow comes up to my shin, making it impossible to run.
As the snow continues to fall, I feel a large mass on my back, tackling me to the ground. Rolling onto my back, I grin like a schoolgirl, only to have it vanish. My veins turn into ice, and my heart rate soars. I look into the face of a man who has haunted my dreams since my mother’s death.
I open my mouth to scream, but his hand clamps down on my mouth, muffling it.
“Hljóð. If you wish for your precious boy toy to stay alive, I suggest you come with me quietly. If not, they will torture him until his heart explodes. Now, you don’t want that, do you, Stephanie?” His venomous voice causes my body to shiver.
The cold from the storm starts to seep into my clothes, causing my body to go numb. The man with his hand over my mouth grins. He may be thinking I’m cowering under his gaze, but he has another thing coming.
I am sick and tired of men thinking they can control me. That they know what is best for me. Well, now it is time to show them who I really am.
My hands move around on the ground slowly, until I feel a small rock about the size of a baseball under my hand. My fingers wrap around the rock, preparing for my attack.
The man leans down, his mouth inches away from my lips, causing me to look away and wish this wasn’t happening. I feel his tongue lick the side of my face, making my stomach recoil. I tighten my grip around the rock and go for it.
With every ounce of energy I have, I pray to the gods this will knock him out. The rock slams into his temple, causing the man to scream and fall next to me. I wiggle out from under him and run.
“FINN?” I scream while trying to look for him.
“RUN! GO FIND ETIENNE.” I hear Finn’s voice behind me and run in the opposite direction.
My boots slide in the snow, causing me to lose my balance. I fall to my knees, but push myself back up and run as fast as my small legs can go. My legs are burning from running in the almost foot deep snow. I turn to look behind me and see the man who licked me is not much better off than I am.
Slipping a few more times, Finn’s SUV finally comes into view, and it is only a few feet in front of me. Silently praying it’s unlocked, I push with everything I have, and swing open the driver’s side door. Diving inside and closing the door behind me, I look all around the jeep as fast as I can, to find the keys. My hands skim over the steering well, until I see a faint twinkle and notice the keys are dangling from the ignition. Turning the key, I see the passenger door fly open, and I watch a bloody and disheveled Finn hop inside.
“Next time I tell you to run, lock the fucking doors and drive.” Finn snaps. He presses the button to lock the doors and dives into the back seat.
“Finn?”
“Steph. Do as you are told. DRIVE! Do not look back, drive as fast as you can. If you see the police, keep driving. They will run the plates and notify Hrothgier.” I hear a few clips and clanks behind me.
I turn to see Finn lift the back seat to reveal a large stash of guns. “Oh my god.”
Finn’s hand’s cup my cheeks and his eyes search my face. “Steph, drive or we are dead.”
Something clicks in my brain, and my foot slams on the gas and we are off. Granted, with over a foot of snow and ice, that was probably not the best idea in the world. But Finn has an arsenal in the back seat, and people are trying to kill us. The least of my worries is the damn snow.
“When we get out of this, Finn, I am going to kill you myself,” I yell over my shoulder. The snow is thick, but thank god for Finn’s GPS on the dashboard.
“Don’t worry, baby. I have plans for us when this is over.”
I hear a few more clanks and the slide of a magazine. I look in the rearview mirror and see Finn with a large gun and a small hole in the back window.
Odin help me.
Chapter 31
~ Stephanie ~
“Turn right on E18 and then follow to Fv32 in Holmestrand,” Finn says over the sound of bullets hitting the jeep.
My hands are trembling from everything that is happening, I have no idea how to process it all. Finn fires off a few bullets, and I hea
r a massive explosion behind us. I look in my rear view mirror and see fire erupting into the sky and several cars driving through.
“Fuck! Steph, call Etienne and let him know what’s going on. We need to find an extraction point.”
“Extraction point, for what?” I snap, keeping my eyes on the road and trying not to focus on what is happening behind me.
“For Odin’s sakes, woman. Do as you are fucking told and fucking call Etienne!” Finn roars. I turn to see several bullet casings on the back seat and his back solid as a rock. He fires a few shots, killing a few men, only to have more take their place.
Looking back at the main road, I see the sign for our exit and almost miss the turn. The jeep drifts off course, leaving the driver’s side an open target. Several bullets hit the door and window, but nothing gives way.
“Bulletproof, baby.” I hear Finn say.
After getting the SUV under control, I grab Finn’s cell phone and call Etienne. It rings a few times, then goes to voicemail. I hang up the phone and keep calling until he answers my call. After the sixth time of calling, he finally picks up.
“This better be good, mother fucker, I was feasting on pussy when your worthless ass called. Odin better have descended and skinned you alive, or Stephanie better be dead. What the fuck do you want?”
“What the hell crawled up your ass and died?” I snap. Great, I am being chased by crazed maniacs who want to kidnap me and skin Finn alive, and this asshole is worried about his next meal.
“Steph. Ah fuck. Sorry, hun. Everything okay?”
Several bullets hit the jeep, causing me to squeal and my heart rate to go into overdrive. The driver’s side window has several small indents from the bullets trying to penetrate, and if memory serves me correctly, it’s only a matter of time before it finally cracks.
“Steph? Where the fuck is Finn? What’s going on? Are those gunshots? FINN!” Etienne screams Finn’s name and starts spouting cuss words in a language I don’t recognize.
“Pull your cock from that woman’s ass and get to work. Bjarne and his men found us.” Finn fires off several shots, but I refuse to look behind me again. An orange hue fills the jeep, which means another car full of men just died.
“Fuck. Where are you now? Hold on.” I can hear ruffling coming from Etienne, and a few words are exchanged with someone in the room. I hear buttons click on a phone and someone soon answers. Etienne gets straight to the point, and it sounds like he is cussing the poor guy out. “Go home and call Christian. I don’t give a fuck if he is asleep. Go.”
Etienne slams the phone back on the receiver and starts to mumble under his breath. A door slams and I hear a few things crash to the floor.
“Uhh, Etienne?”
“Give me a minute.”
I feel a light touch on my shoulder and nearly jump out of my skin. I see Finn's blue eyes and feel my heart rate slow down. “I love you, Steph. But right now, I need you to get us out of here. Can you do that?”
Wow, what a way to tell a girl you love her. Not the time, Nils!
I nod my head slightly and turn back to the road. Heavy snowflakes fall from the sky, making it almost impossible to see the road. “Okay, I’m back. Where are you?”
“Fv32. I have three bogies on our ass and more coming in.” Finn yells from the backseat. Several shots are fired behind me, and I hear another explosion. My knuckles turn white from how hard I’m gripping the steering wheel.
Don’t look back, don’t look back. Breathe. “I didn’t ask you. Steph, you need to talk to me.”
Everything around me starts to blur. Black dots line my vision, and I have a feeling I’m having a panic attack. Sharp pain starts to erupt through my heart, and my breathing becomes labored.
“Give me the goddamn phone, eldhúsfífl skit! Let me talk to her. Growl all you want, if you want them to make it here alive, you will give me the damn phone. NOW!” Sam snaps. I hear static in the background and the door slam. “Steph, can you hear me?”
I go to open my mouth, but nothing comes out. Finn continues to fire at our attackers, as more come in. Two cars flank our sides, so I slam on the breaks, hitting someone behind us. Finn flies into the front seat and rolls down the window to fire at the SUV on our right.
“Since you are silent but alive, I am going to get you through this. Imagine these assholes are enemies from Xena and you are in charge of kicking their asses and saving the town. But you are not Xena, you are Stephanie Nils. You have hidden behind Xena, needing her strength to deal with what happened to your mother, but she was just a crutch. Deal with what happened and get your ass out of there. I will not lose my best friend. I am sorry I have to say it this way, but you are Xena. You are a warrior, who will do anything for her family and you are wicked fast with a bow. You proved that at Gudvangen.”
Images filter through my brain of what happened to my mom, and I finally remember the truth of my mother’s death. “Stay put, Steph. Whatever happens, do not move. Wait until someone can find you. I love you, baby, with everything that I am. I wish we had more time. You are the greatest gift any mother could wish for. I will always be watching you.” The burly man screamed at my mom to say something, but she never did. I curled up in a ball, hating myself for being frozen, unable to help my mom. I just sat there and listened to him mutilate her.
Maybe that is why I’ve been haunted with that nightmare every night since I was a child. For so long, I blamed myself for her death. I cowered behind Xena and used her as a shield against everything rough in the world. But Sam is right.
I hear a faint voice in the background and everything comes back into focus. “Steph? Steph, can you hear me?” Sam is screaming on the phone and barks at Finn to make sure I am okay.
Finn turns around to face me but keeps his gun pointed at the SUV next to us. “Baby?”
Taking several deep breaths, a single tear slides down my face. The realization of what happened all those years hits me. I killed my mom. “I’m okay.”
“Steph, she died protecting you. They both did. Don’t hold that in anymore. Let it go and kill those assholes. Send them a message.”
Slamming my foot on the gas, Finn throws several grenades out the window, and two of the SUVs are no longer pursuing us. “Tell me where to go.”
“I am sending you the coordinates now. Whatever you do, don’t look back. Knowing Finn, his rig is full of shit. Which is also a bad thing, because if you guys get hit, it will look like the Fourth of July and-”
Images of us being blown to bits flash in my head, which is so not what I need right now. “Sam!”
“Sorry, sorry. Okay, I just sent out a ping to our contacts. They are fifteen minutes out. Stay alive.”
Rocks fly against the driver’s window after a bomb goes off. The SUV tips to the left, and I scream as it starts to tip over. In a flash, Finn grabs the wheel and does his magic to stop us from tipping over. “Move over. I’ll take it from here.”
Finn uncurls my death grip on the steering wheel, attempting to take my place. But his plan is short lived. The back of the SUV gets blown to bits and bullets fly in every direction. Finn applies pressure to his right side and holds a gun with the other.
“Time’s up!” Finn yells over the sound of all hell breaking loose.
“No need to yell, princess. The cavalry is here.” Christian’s voice comes over the speakers, and I hear Ian laughing in the background.
“Dun na na na. Die, mother fuckers. You messed with the wrong brothers.”
I send a silent prayer to whoever is listening and move my hand until I touch Finn. Feeling his hand wrap around mine, I feel my panic attack dissipate. “When we get through this-”
“That better be a promise.” I hear the smile in his voice, but it’s overshadowed by his raspy cough.
“Finn!” No, I can't lose him. “Finn!”
Finn continues to cough, and I hear a loud thud on the roof. My hand moves around to grab Finn’s discarded gun when the passenger door flies open an
d one of Bjarne’s men tries to get in. Not on my watch.
Putting the gun up, my finger touches the trigger, and he is gone. “Watch it! You almost blew my head off.” Christian snaps as he swings his body inside. “Give me the gun and turn right at the next road. How bad is it?”
Christian looks over his shoulder and curses when he sees Finn. “Hold on, Brother.” Christian turns to me, and the look on his face makes my heart sink. “I know he told you, don’t make him regret it.”
Chapter 32
~ Stephanie ~
For the past few hours, the men have been locked in Finn’s room, trying to save him by whatever means necessary. I banged on the door screaming to see him, but it only fell on deaf ears.
After pounding and screaming his name for what felt like an eternity, Christian wrapped his arms around me and didn’t let go. I sobbed into his chest, dreading the worst. My heart is shattering at the thought of never again seeing his trademark smirk or that sexy smile only reserved for me.
Christian doesn’t leave my side, and the tears don’t stop flowing. He tries to talk to me a few times, but after a while, we sit in silence as we wait for the guys to come out.
I hear someone call my name, but everything inside me is breaking. This man called Bjarne is after me, and Finn got caught in the crossfire. I have seen several T.V. shows, and normally the victim makes it out alive. But these bullets were laced with poison.
Rough hands grip my shoulders, bringing me out of my fog, “Steph?”
Still frozen, Christian kneels in front of me with sorrow in his eyes. “He is a tough man. If anyone can make it out of this, it’s him.”
A Viking's Lost Soul Page 22