The guys shake their heads in disbelief. Steph’s way of looking at life is a breath of fresh air. She knows all about our lives and what we do, but it never phases her.
“So, you are saying she has a magic pussy that sways the mind of man? Please, that is preposterous.” Ian growls and crosses his legs, challenging Steph.
“Seriously? If I recall, my magic pussy tamed Finn, and look at us now. I am sure when you find the right girl, or any girl, for that matter, you will understand.” Steph quips and has me choking back the laughter threatening to break free.
Darren smacks him on the back of the head and shakes his head. “She’s got you there.”
Taking a sip of my beer, I turn and walk out of the room before they start comparing their dicks and how many girls they have been with. Before Steph, I would stay inside and rip those assholes a new one, but she can handle it herself.
I feel something small brush my leg and look down to see Luna purring. “Meow.”
Bending down to scratch the top of her head, I join Liam outside. After Steph was discharged from the hospital, our crew found Liam shackled in the dungeon. He hardly ever talks about what went down when he was in captivity, and I don’t think he ever will.
Liam’s stares out at the open field before us. The snow has started to melt with the rising temperatures, letting us know spring is almost here. Several patches of green grass and wildflowers scatter all over the property. Just two acres away lies the coast.
Sitting in the empty chair next to Liam, Luna hops onto my lap and curls into a ball. A gentle breeze washes over my skin, and I can hear the birds singing in the trees. Liam doesn’t say a word when he sees me join him.
I listen as the animals frolock in the open field and try not to laugh when I hear Karl and Daniel argue with Steph about Xena. I learned a long time ago, you never say shit about her idol. She will kill you.
“Four months ago, I never would have imagined our lives to turn out like this,” Liam whispers, ending the silence between us.
“No one could. I never thought I would let a small furball leach her way into my heart and find myself curled up at night, with the woman I love, watching Xena. Or even have thoughts about children and marriage. I can’t even get her to commit to staying here, let alone talk about what we are going to do next.” I mutter to myself. Before Steph, I never saw myself having a future outside of Hrothgier. I envisioned my death by my enemy’s hands and the gods welcoming me into Valhalla. But now?
Now, I want more to life than the vow I took so long ago. I want to pack up my shit and see the world. I want to give her everything her heart desires and more. The Warriors of Hrothgier are on the verge of collapsing, but with our help, it will rise to be what it once was. As an heir to the entire empire, she needs to take a stand and fix all the shit that has happened, and I know Steph is up to the task.
I have tried talking to her several times about what her plans are for Skorraey and Hrothgier, but she always shuts me down. She waves her hand dismissively and changes the subject. At times, I want to fuck her brains out and others, I want to throttle her.
I hear Liam chuckle softly as a ghost of his former self starts to show. “She has been through hell and back, son. Give her time. She will come around.”
“I used to have to worry about simple shit. Now my world has completely changed, and the only thing in this world I care about is her. I’m willing to put down my weapons and start a new life with her. But she won’t hear it.”
Liam sighs loudly, picks up his beer bottle and takes a swig. “She blames herself for making you retire from the life you love. If she is anything like my sister, and from what I have seen, she is, she is trying to figure out a way to merge herself into your world.”
Nodding my head, I heard loud banging going on inside and nearly jump out of my chair when I feel tiny claws latch onto my dick, as the back door bangs open.
“GET YOUR NAKED ASS BACK HERE MOTHER FUCKER!” A very naked and pale as fuck Karl runs down the steps, towards the coastline.
Darren and Ian chase after him with bats in their hands, shouting curses in our native tongue.
Daniel, Dimitri, and Iyrik barge through the doors next and leap off the porch with loaded paintball guns. “I will hang you for this, you bastard.”
Liam is gripping his stomach and laughing his ass off next to me. Luna, on the other hand, has not released her death grip on my crotch. Weaving my fingers under her paws, she finally releases her death grip and runs inside.
Karl howls in the distance, keeping a steady pace from the guys. Several pops go off from the paintball gun, but Karl dives and maneuvers so they don’t hit him.
“OUCH! Fuck a goddamn mother fucking goat. You shot my dick!”
At this point, Liam and I fall out of our chairs and lose it. Tears prick my eyes when I hear several more pops go off and Karl threatening revenge. Several yards away. I see Steph on the back of a four-wheeler, with Etienne at the helm.
I leap off the chair and run towards the nearest vehicle. “Steph! You just got off your crutches, and your shoulder is still healing. What the hell do you think you are doing? You are going to get yourself killed!”
“Etienne would never put me in any danger. I have to see this for myself! Karl said Superman was the lamest superhero ever created, and Xena was just a wannabe commoner who slept her way up the food chain. Etienne and I declared war!” She shouts back.
Jumping inside the truck, Liam slides into the passenger side and motions for me to hurry up. Putting the car in reverse, I follow the ridiculous spectacle that has now become my life.
Rolling down the windows, I race after the four-wheeler carrying my precious cargo. Fuck, listen to me. I sound like a lovesick puppy dog who can’t go five seconds without seeing his bone. But in this case, my woman.
Steph’s warrior battle cry bounces off the trees as we near the open ocean. Etienne is keeping a slow pace to ensure Steph won’t be harmed or further injure her fragile body. She may say she is fine, but I hear the moans at night and screams from the nightmares of the night that took her innocence. She became a stronger woman that night, and the strength she now holds astounds me.
Steph only shows her real weaknesses to me when no one else is around. I see the real Steph behind closed doors.
“Never a dull fucking moment,” Liam says as we pull up to the coast. Etienne lifts Steph off the four-wheeler and has her leaning against him for support. Being on the beach is a bad idea with crutches but knowing her, she is waiting until I pick her up and cradle her in my arms.
“Get him, Darren! Time to prepare the sacrifice!” Steph giggles when she sees Darren shoot Karl in the ass several times. Whatever he did, he most likely deserved it.
Opening my arms, the smile that is only reserved for me blooms on Steph’s face as she hobbles towards me. Keeping my hip away from Steph, so she doesn’t notice the small black box, I swoop her into my arms and take her to the nearest log. I made this ring three weeks ago, and have been a nervous wreck, just thinking about giving it to her.
“Going to call off the hounds yet?” I smirk and put her on my lap as we watch the guys chase Karl. Everyone looks to be having a blast, and I know why Karl did this. Fucking bastard. Just couldn’t let me plan something special.
“KARL! You fucker. Just couldn’t wait, could you?”
“I had to do something. Your lazy ass took too long, and if you didn’t do it soon, I was going to take a whack at it.” Karl yells back, dodging another paintball to the ass.
Steph’s turns slowly in my lap, to make sure she doesn’t harm her shoulder and stares at me wide-eyed. “What is he talking about?”
Clearing my throat, it is now or never. “I know I promised you each day I would make up for everything that happened between us. And I mean every word. But I can’t go another day without making you completely mine. Your smile and weird outlook on life has changed my heart and soul. The thought of another day without you kills me. I still
think about what happened that night, and it tears me apart. If I would have pulled my head out of my ass, this never would have happened. I can’t… I am so sorry, Steph.”
Steph starts to interrupt, but I put my finger against her lips.
“Shush and let me finish.” Placing a soft kiss on my lips, she pretends to zip her lips to show she isn’t going to interrupt anymore. Fat chance that will happen. She always has something to say.
“I no longer want to live a life full of death and destruction. I want to rebuild our world and show the people what we have kept hidden for so long. I want a life with you by my side. I love you more than life itself, Steph.” Lifting her off my lap, I set her down beside me and pull out the ring that took me forever to make.
Getting down on one knee, I lift the lid on the small box and look into the hazel eyes that changed me into a better man. “Stephanie Marie Nils, will you give me the greatest honor a Viking could ever bestow and become my wife, my equal, my soul?”
An arm wraps tightly around my neck, and I feel soft kisses all over my face. Everyone around us starts to whistle and shout for Steph to give an answer.
Giving me her left hand, I pull out the metal ring engraved with the markings of Goddess Freya. Putting the ring in her palm, I motion for her to flip it over.
Steph raises her eyebrow, but her breath hitches when she reads what’s inside. “Fight. Protect. Love.” She looks at me with a quizzical look, and the guys start to make gagging noises.
Flipping them off, I put the ring on her finger. “My new vow is to Fight for family, protect those I love from our enemies who kill without honor, and Love with everything I have and never lose sight of who I have become. Warriors of Hrothgier will rebuild and become anew, thanks to you. I vow to honor our new laws and protect everything we have fought so hard to build, without the cause of bloodshed. You are the true heir to Hrothgier, and with you, we will finally change for the better.”
I hear a few sniffs and coughs as they wait for Steph to finally answer the question we have all waited to hear since we got back. She hasn’t said anything yet, and suspense is killing me.
“Etienne?” Steph bites her lip to stop a smile from forming. What is she up to?
Etienne runs back to the Four Wheeler and comes back with a large flat box in his hand. Kneeling in front of Steph, he removes the lid from the box. My heart stops when I see what it was.
“How did you?” This woman surprises me more and more each day.
“While you were asleep or doing business at headquarters, I was working with Etienne and Darren, to figure out how to incorporate my life into yours. When they told me about the Viking ritual, I had to find a way that would make me comfortable and honor us both. I knew one day we would marry and with everything up in the air, it was now or never to retrieve what I needed. That way, you wouldn’t be suspicious, and all my plans would be ruined.”
How in the hell did I land such a woman? Keeping my mouth closed, Etienne hands the sword to me since Steph can’t hold it. The hilt of the sword holds the crest of Iseley engraved on the end, and their ancient scripture is along the blade. To receive a gift such as this… Dropping the blade to the ground, I kneel in front of Steph and lay my hand over my heart.
“No longer are you the killer that Eira thought you were. No longer are you a slave to the Hrothgier and forced to kill without cause. No longer will you bear the mark that means death, destruction, and the will of Satan. Well, in your culture, Goddess Hel. I can’t take over Hrothgier when I don’t know their ways or the stories of our people. I need someone by my side who will help me rule over them. Pick me up when I fall, laugh at my stupid jokes, love me for me, and sometimes indulge me in my Xena craze. You, Finn Móðrbiǫð, are the only man who saw me for me. You saw through the veil I put in place and shattered it the moment I saw you. I never knew love like this existed, and I can’t live without knowing you are with me. Promise to be my Viking and show me the ways of your world. Our world.”
Slamming my lips on hers, I put everything I feel into this kiss. I can’t promise tomorrow will be perfect, but I will do everything in my power to make sure I keep my vow. For the Viking Queen has tamed the man. The killer who never thought life was worth living, now sees life is truly worth living. We only live one life before we join the gods in Valhalla, and I plan to live each day like it’s my last.
GLOSSARY
Kunna þǫkk - Thank you
Hljóð - Silence
Bróðir - Brother
Duga - Be safe
Kveða - Greetings
Skirja - young cow
Meyla - Little girl
Fægir - Warrior
Velkomin - Welcome! (when addressing a group of both sexes)
Skál - Cheers
Móðir - Mother
Fagr - Beautiful
Dóttir - Daughter
Skit – Shit
Old Norse Insults
Dunga (DOON-gah) — a useless fellow
Eldhúsfífl (EHLD-hoos-feef-uhl) — “hearthfire idiot”, an idiot who sits by the fire all day, a good-for-nothing
Fífl (FEEF-uhl) — fool, idiot
Gløggvingr (GLOHG-ving-uhr) — stingy person
Hraumi (HROWM-ee) — braggart
Níðingr (NEETH-ing-uhr) — villain, vile person
Slápr (SLAHP-uhr) — a good-for-nothing, lazy person
Vámr (VAHM-uhr) — loathsome person
Vargdropi (VAHRG-drohp-ee) — son of an outlaw*
Veslingr (VEHS-ling-uhr) — puny wretch
Acknowledgements
I want to thank my mother for everything she has done for me. If it weren't for her making me sit down and read Harry Potter, I would not be where I am at today. You are the best mom anyone could have, and I can’t wait to see what you think of my world.
To my beautiful daughter Amalija. You are the apple of my eye, and I hope to make you proud. You inspire me every day to push and test my limits. I look forward to the day when you can read my books.
To all my Betas – Sam, Hollian, Taylor, Sandra Steven, Andie and Amy. Thank you for putting up with my craziness since day one. You all push me and help me strive to be a better writer.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
T.M. Grinsley was born and raised in Washington State. Married to an army veteran, new mother to a beautiful daughter, she does everything in her power to give back to the men and women who bravely served in the armed forces. When she isn’t cooking meals, sending care packages, or beating the soldiers at video games, you will find her exploring the great outdoors with her family.
Current Books
Nerdboobs (A Warrior and Nerd Journey, #1)
Hathor’s Return (Eye of Ra Series #1)
Coming soon
Nerddick’s Game Over (Beware of Beauty. She Bites.: Paranormal Halloween anthology) Releasing September 30, 2018
Eighty Deuce (A Warrior and Nerd Journey, # 2) (Summer 2018)
Iabet’s Return (Eye of Ra Series, #2) (Fall 2018)
The Seven Kingdoms - Winter 2018/2019
Stay tuned!
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A Viking's Lost Soul Page 27