“Tell me. Please.”
He leaned down and kissed her. He knew it was time. Guilt had twisted his gut too much. He could no longer breathe. He sat up and turned away from her. Her soft hand rested on his arm.
“Whatever it is, you can tell me,” she said, leaning her chin on his shoulder.
Courage was leaving him fast. Before he lost it forever, he turned and faced Julia. He took her fingers in his hand. “There’s something I must confess,” he started to say. “All I ask is that you keep your heart open.”
“Of course.”
He took her hands between his. “First, I want to tell you how much I love you, elskede.”
“I know you do.”
He smiled and kissed her fingers. “Remember the last time we saw each other, and I told you I’m immortal?”
“Yes. I know you said that to push me away because of Nigel’s lies.”
“That was part of it.” He rubbed a hand across his face. “The truth is...” He looked into her eyes. “I cannot die, not unless I find my one true love. Then I must die, and if that happens, the curse will be lifted.”
Confusion filled her eyes, but he didn’t see fear. Did she believe him? Did she think he was crazy?
Before she uttered a word, he took a deep breath and pulled out a pocketknife from his pants laying on the floor. He made a slashing cut across his wrist. Then he looked into her widened eyes.
“What are you doing?” she gasped.
* * * *
A breath stuck in Julia’s throat as she watched Ragnvald’s skin open before her eyes. Panic filled her. Immediately, she pressed her hand to his wrist as hard as she could, feeling his hot blood under her fingers. His face lost some color.
“What have you done?” she asked.
Taking a peek at the cut, Julia saw the blood had stopped flowing despite the deep gash. How was that possible? But she kept her hand on his skin until she grabbed her cotton tank top from the floor beside the bed and covered the wound with it.
“How? When?” Julia couldn’t form a full sentence. Too many questions bounced in her head.
“I can bleed, but I cannot die from my injuries.” He covered her hand with his own. “One night a long time ago, a rival clan attacked our village. They killed a lot of my clansmen and my betrothed.”
Sadness veiled his eyes. She felt his grief, his loss. “Go on.”
He took a deep breath as she saw the past invade his eyes. “I didn’t know how to live without her, so one day I visited an old woman outside our village. She told me if I swallowed a potion, I’d be reunited with Arnora.”
“What happened?”
He paused before saying, “When I awoke, nothing had changed. I went to see the old woman, but she had vanished.”
“How did you know you were...”
“Immortal?”
She nodded.
“I didn’t know until we went on a raid and I was badly injured. My clansmen said I had died. But I was alive. I felt no pain and I fully recovered within a day.”
Julia could only imagine what everyone must have thought of Ragnvald. “They feared you.”
He gave a short nod. “At first, the earl accepted me. He told everyone that I was blessed by the gods. But then we went on more raids, and I never died. Before they could banish me, I left, never to see my people again.”
She pulled him into her arms, offering him some comfort.
He laid his forehead on her shoulder. “Please, forgive me for keeping this from you.”
“You did nothing wrong,” she said, lifting his chin.
He leaned his brow against hers. “Thank you for believing me.”
“Always. I love you, Ragnvald.”
He brought her into his arms as they lay side by side. Julia closed her eyes and tried making sense of all that was said. She did believe him. But she wondered if they could ever be together knowing that meeting each other hadn’t lifted his curse. She trembled. As if Ragnvald could sense her uncertainties, he held her a bit tighter. He kissed her brow.
“Care for a glass of whiskey?” he offered.
Before Julia could answer, he got out of bed and found the bottle of whiskey on the side table. He took the two glasses beside the fireplace. When he returned to the bed, his boyish grin made her melt. How could she ever think of letting him go after all he had done to find her? He poured the whiskey and handed her a glass.
“To finding each other,” he said, tapping his glass against hers.
Her heart sank. Was she the one for him? Julia glanced at the cloth around his wrist, which was gleaming white. The wound was no longer bleeding. That meant the curse had not been lifted, therefore, she must not be his one true love. Heaven help me! She didn’t want to lose the only man she truly ever loved. But it wouldn’t be fair to keep him from finding the woman who would release him from his curse. Christ! She loved him. How can I ever let him go?
* * * *
Relief filled Ragnvald as he watched Julia sleep. The gods had blessed him. He no longer doubted his fate.
As he glanced at his cellphone, he noticed the cut on his wrist hadn’t healed yet. In fact, his skin had stayed open. Could it be possible? Was his curse over?
He shook his head then glanced at Julia. His curse no longer mattered to him. Julia was the one for him. His heart sang over her. Finally, he could live his life with who was now his one true love—his beloved Julia.
He kissed her brow then turned his attention to a text message from Colin and another from Julia’s parents. He quickly responded, letting them know Julia fared well.
After he closed his phone, he sipped his whiskey and relaxed. Outside, the sky darkened. They had spent all day inside the carriage house without a care in the world. Yet, in the back of his mind, Ragnvald couldn’t shake the uneasiness haunting him about Nigel. But he knew he couldn’t do anything besides wait for the authorities to capture the man who had harmed the woman he loved.
Deep down, he wanted to find Nigel and make him pay for his wrongdoings. But Julia would never forgive him for leaving her. He glanced at her. Love invaded his body, his heart, and his soul. He pinched himself, making sure he wasn’t dreaming.
Gulping the contents of his glass, he rose and joined Julia in bed. Gently, he brushed a strand of hair away from her cheek. In the golden light of the hearth, his beauty slept in peace.
Slowly, she opened her eyes. “What’s wrong?”
He smiled. “Nothing, sweetheart.”
Her rosy lips lifted. No longer resisting temptation, he kissed her. He tasted her lips, drinking in her sweet nectar. His head spun with desire for her. All his blood rushed to his manhood, pulsing with a need only Julia could satisfy. She responded to his touch with equal fervor.
“I want you,” he whispered.
She touched his cheek. “And I want you.”
He glided a hand down until he reached her moist depths. He grunted with pleasure. Before he realized what was happening, Julia straddled him, taking his throbbing length within her hot depths. He closed his eyes, savoring her. Since the first moment their bodies had joined, he had never known such glorious sensations. If this was Valhalla, he never wanted to join the world of the mortals.
Chapter 12
A chill awoke Ragnvald. He reached over the side of the bed. It was cold. He sat up and noticed Julia had gone. He quickly dressed. When he grabbed his coat, a piece of paper fell to the floor. He picked it up and read it.
My dearest Viking,
Please forgive me for leaving you this morning. I want to thank you for the wonderful moments we shared together. I will cherish them forever.
It’s time for me to face my fears. Know that you will always hold a special place in my heart. But I cannot be the one to stop you from finding your one true love and releasing your curse.
Take care of yourself.
Love, Julia
His body weakened with his loss and he fell to the floor. Life had taken his beloved once more. He closed
his eyes and rubbed a shaky hand across his face. He didn’t quite understand what had happened. Had he misread Julia’s intentions? Why now? Regret and anger brewed in his gut. Now he feared telling her the truth had pushed her away.
Unshed tears stung his eyes. He had lost Julia once more, and this time, forever. Or was it forever? Part of him wanted to find her and fight for her. But he wondered if she’d let him. Her note was clear, their relationship was over. He cursed under his breath. At that moment, he swore never to love again. He would remain imprisoned for eternity.
Inhaling a deep breath, he stood on trembling legs. His stomach churned with loss and pain. He felt like a fool for believing he had found his one true love.
No. He did find her. Julia’s soul and his belonged together. He couldn’t deny that. What to do now? With a heavy heart, he glanced at the messy bed. A grin formed on his lips even as his heart sank. At least he’d always keep their moments together forever in his heart.
When he opened the door, a chilled wind and snow greeted his face. He didn’t care. He dressed, put on his boots and coat, and walked outside and down the path to the main house. Was Julia inside? He wanted to see her once more, but he respected her wishes. He walked past the house and away from Julia.
Maybe I shouldn’t have told her the truth about me. He shook his aching head. She would have eventually seen he stayed the same physically and didn’t age, he reasoned. He cursed under a gust of wind.
Beep. Beep. He turned his head. A car came up from behind him. He waited until the driver stopped.
“Hello, lad,” the older man said with a kind smile. “Are ye in need of help?”
Ragnvald nodded. “I could use a lift into town.”
“Hop in.”
Ragnvald opened the passenger door and climbed inside the automobile. The heat warmed his bones.
“Bloody storm coming,” the older man declared. “My name is Graham.”
“Ragnvald. Nice to meet you, sir.” He offered his hand.
The old man shook his hand. “What brings ye to our neck of the woods?”
“Visiting a friend,” Ragnvald decided to say.
“I hope ye had a nice time.”
Too short, he thought. “Yes, thank you.”
“Sounds like ye miss her.”
Ragnvald chided himself for wearing his heart on his sleeve. “I do miss her.”
“Sorry, lad.”
He felt his heart sink a bit more. “It’s quite all right.”
“Ye will find yer way back to each other,” the older man said. “Love always prevails.”
Ragnvald hoped so.
“Where can I take ye?”
“I’m not sure. I hadn’t counted on leaving Edinburg so soon.”
“My wife and I keep an inn just a mile from here. Please be our guest for tonight.”
“Thank you, sir. I really appreciate your offer.”
“Uch! Not a problem, lad. Ye look like ye need some rest.”
They drove until the nearest village came into view. Under the snowfall, the surrounding scenery would make a beautiful painting. He wished Julia was beside him to share this moment. Sadness filled his heart. He cursed under his breath. How could he go on with his life without the woman he loved?
“Here we are,” his driving companion announced.
Ragnvald looked up. It was a pub.
“I’ll have my wife prepare a room for ye upstairs. Care for a drink, lad?”
“I do.”
Graham parked the car in front of the pub, and Ragnvald followed him inside. The chatter inside stopped. He felt all eyes on him. He was, after all, a stranger in a strange land. After a long pause, one of the men sitting at the bar welcomed him with a smile.
“Come, laddie. Have a drab on me. Ye look like ye need it.”
The man had read his mind. Thankful for the man and Graham’s kindness, Ragnvald sat at the bar while a rugby game played on the small TV screen above. He removed his jacket and offered his hand.
“My name is Ragnvald. Nice to meet you.”
“Callum MacInnis.” He lifted his pint of beer.
“Here ye are, lad. Our finest whiskey. It will warm ye up,” Graham said, setting the shot glass on the bar.
Ragnvald lifted it. “My thanks.”
“Slainte mhath!” Graham poured himself a shot and raised his glass. “To yer good health!”
In a strange way, Ragnvald felt welcomed. He’d always liked the Scottish people. During his lifetime, he had lived in this Gaelic country, learning their culture and ways, appreciating their whiskey. And he liked that no one pushed him to spill his guts about his personal life. All he wanted at this moment was to numb the pain in his heart and in his body. Was that even possible? He doubted it. As he drank his second shot of whiskey, he knew he had no other choice but to return home. Back to Denmark. His life would be empty once more. A lump formed in his throat.
“Can I have one more please,” he asked Graham.
Graham poured him another glass. “Ye love her, don’t ye?”
Ragnvald looked up and nodded. Words stuck in his throat.
Callum tapped his shoulder. “Don’t ye worry, laddie.”
Ragnvald didn’t want to worry. He wanted to believe Julia would come back to him. But he didn’t blame her for breaking up with him. He was cursed for all eternity. His head spun. Was it the sense of loss or the alcohol? He didn’t care.
“If a room is still available, I’d like to rest.”
Graham nodded. “Of course, lad. Follow me.”
When they reached the back of the pub, Graham opened the door to a kitchen. An older woman greeted them with a warm smile. She kissed Graham and then hugged Ragnvald.
“Ye must be our new guest. Come. I’ve prepared some food and a nice room for ye.”
“Thank you. Both of you.”
Ragnvald sat at the table, and she placed a plate in front of him. He tried to eat but the food wouldn’t go down.
“I don’t have much of an appetite. Forgive me.” He stood. “Could you point me to the room please?”
“Top of the stairs, lad. First door on the left.”
“Thank you. Both,” he said before heading upstairs. There, he closed the door of the room, alone again with his thoughts. “Julia,” he whispered through tears.
* * * *
A chill ran down Julia’s back. She swore she’d heard Ragnvald’s voice behind her. She turned, seeing only patrons drinking hot beverages. A week had passed since she’d left the man she loved in her family’s Scottish estate. She knew leaving him was her only choice. Yet guilt gnawed at her. Regret peeked its ugly head often, especially during the night. Memories of their time together haunted her nights and days. Her heart and soul missed him.
Julia took a deep breath. Outside the cafe window, passersby distracted her for a while. Then a tall man walked by. His long, light brown hair and athletic form reminded her of Ragnvald. She kept her gaze on him until she could no longer see him. Christ! Stop thinking about him, she chided herself. You must let him go! Her heart sank in her chest.
With a shaky hand, Julia raised the coffee cup to her lips. She took a sip, hoping the hot beverage would warm her chilled body. But she knew only one thing could help. Unshed tears stung her eyes, and a lump formed in her throat.
“There you are, love,” a familiar female voice said beside her.
Julia lifted her head, seeing her friend and business partner Rachelle.
“I was looking for you all over,” Rachelle said with concern.
“Sorry. I needed some time alone.”
Rachelle sat across the table and patted Julia’s hand. “Tell me what’s wrong. You haven’t been yourself since you returned from Scotland.”
“Is it that obvious?”
“Yes, love, it is.”
Julia sipped her coffee, deciding if and what to tell her friend. She knew Rachelle would understand. She had spent the last year mourning her fiancé’s death. “Maybe you can hel
p me,” Julia decided to say.
“Go ahead.” Rachelle took her hand.
Julia inhaled a deep breath. “I met someone while I was in Copenhagen.”
Rachelle’s eyes widened. “How wonderful! What happened?”
“I ended the relationship,” Julia simply replied. “We couldn’t stay together.”
“You ended it? Why?”
Julia twirled the coffee in her cup, reliving the moment she’d decided to leave Ragnvald in order for him to find his one true love. The weight of her decision felt like a ton of bricks on her heart. She couldn’t breathe. “He’s better off without me.”
“Nonsense. I’m sure you two can find a way to work things out,” Rachelle said. “You look miserable without him in your life.”
Julia shook her head. “It’s too late now. Besides, things are better this way.”
Rachelle squeezed her hand. “It’s never too late, especially if you love each other. You do love each other, don’t you?”
“We do.”
“Then you should talk to him,” Rachelle said.
“Thank you. Truly.”
“What are friends for if not to help each other out?”
Julia thanked her lucky stars for Rachelle’s friendship. They had known each other in school, and run into each other a few times since then, and then they reconnected several months ago when Julia received more designing contracts than she could handle. Rachelle’s talents as an interior designer was a god-send for Julia. Their partnership was the perfect distraction.
“What did you want to tell me before I so rudely distracted you?” Julia asked.
Rachelle waved a hand. “No worries. You weren’t answering your phone, so I thought something happened to you.”
“That’s sweet of you. But I’m all right. I just needed some time to clear my head. Sorry if I worried you.”
“Well, I did think Nigel had found you and...” She paused. “Took you again.”
A chill ran through Julia’s body. She hadn’t thought about Nigel finding her. He wouldn’t dare come after her. Not when all of Scotland Yard was looking for him. The authorities hadn’t stopped searching for him. They’d reassured her that he was nowhere to be found. But they warned her to remain vigilant and careful. Julia no longer feared him. If he came after her, she had two assigned Scotland Yard agents to protect her. They stayed close to her at all times.
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