“No, I never wish to lay eyes on her again. We can make that a condition of her leaving with funds.” Gunnar nodded. “I hope that she will not ever have to be a worry to any of us.”
Ursula would certainly not be a worry to me. But what about Gunnar? He’d announced that he wasn’t staying in Sweden. Gretchen was looking up at him like a love sick puppy and a clear “Full speed ahead”. Which meant the Viking was on his way to “the Texas” too. I sagged against Jerry as I finally got that message. Damn it all. Here we go again.
“Is there a key card in that coat pocket, Elsa? I need to give that to our bellman before he gets fired. It’s how Ursula got into the rooms here.” I was relieved when she waved it around. Jerry grabbed it and we’d deliver it to Viktor later.
“Can Ursula hear us when she is under this spell, Glory?” Gunnar clearly wanted this settled before everyone left the room.
“Yes, she can. I’ve been turned to stone before by someone with the same power. I heard and remembered everything that happened while I was like that.” And it was the most frustrating feeling imaginable. Not that I felt sorry for Ursula.
Gunnar walked up to his wife and put his large hand on her neck. “Hear me, woman. We will give you enough money for a fresh start somewhere far away. But you are never to bother me or our family again. I could take your head right now and no one would blame me for it.” We could all see his fingers tighten on her throat. “It would be easy and more merciful than a thousand years in the ice, ja? So think hard. Will you agree to go away and not return?” He glanced at me.
“She can’t answer until I release her. Are you ready for me to do that?” I admit I was nervous about it.
“Go ahead.” Gunnar stepped back. We could all see his fingerprints on Ursula’s neck.
I looked the woman in the eyes. “Don’t be foolish, Ursula. They can still kill you if you come out fighting.” I touched her shoulder and she instantly relaxed.
“Min Gud!” She looked around the room as if trying to find an ally. Edvard looked as implacable as his father. “I heard.”
“You accept our terms?” Gunnar held his sacks of gold.
“I seem to have no choice.” Ursula was eyeing his fortune.
“No money until travel arrangements have been made.” Edvard stalked toward her. “You also heard that we are putting you into Gretchen’s dungeon until you leave town. You will be guarded so there is no chance for escape. Of course that would be foolish. Leave there before we put you on a plane and you would miss the chance for money to take with you. Do you understand, Mamma?”
“A dungeon! But surely that isn’t necessary. I will cooperate!” Ursula looked indignant.
“Don’t waste your breath.” Elsa stood on her other side. She held her mother-in-law’s mink coat and hat and showed no signs of handing them over. “Servants will pack your things and your luggage will be sent to the airport when the arrangements are final.”
“Let us go then.” Gunnar, with Gretchen beside him, stopped to say goodbye but I knew we’d see them again soon. “Thank you for helping me. This is a good ending, I think. Or good enough.”
Edvard and Elsa hustled Ursula out between them. We all breathed a sigh of relief to see the last of her.
Ian stared after them. “Well, I still think she’s getting off lightly.”
I tugged Jerry to the door but sent a mental message to Flo first that I was going to give Richard and her some space for a while. He was furious with me and I didn’t blame him. But no one tells my best buddy what to do. She ran across the room and hugged me.
“We will be leaving here tomorrow night, Glory. I love you, amica. Don’t let Ricardo’s upset hurt you. I will see you in Austin when you are home from your honeymoon.”
“I love you too, amica.” I smiled through my tears. Guilt will do that to you. I’d almost gotten her killed. She’d had a part in that decision, but I could have done something to stall Ursula, maybe even chanced taking a bullet before making that stupid phone call. I didn’t like what I’d done tonight. Maybe I deserved to have my apartment overrun by cousins and their lovers.
Chapter Eighteen
The next night we got a call from the front desk reminding us that it was our turn for the hot tub gondola ride. We’d almost forgotten about it. Jerry was jazzed.
“Remember, we reserved it when we first checked in. We sit in a hot tub, just the two of us, while we ride over the mountains in a cable car and watch the Northern Lights together.” He was packing champagne blood for our trip.
“Maybe we should cancel. Stay in and just relax here in our own bathtub.” I was trying to figure out how this could go wrong. We’d thought a sleigh ride with Rudolph had sounded like a romantic idea too. Look how that had ended.
“Now, Gloriana, we can’t let one mishap turn us into hermits.”
I was about to start an argument when there was a knock on the door. “I can make our tub in our own bathroom here very interesting, Jer.” I threw open the door.
“I’m sure you could, Glory.” Ian grinned at me. Of course his vampire hearing hadn’t let a closed door keep him from joining the conversation. “I’ve come to say goodbye or I’d offer myself as a third party. Now that would be interesting, I can promise you that.”
“A MacDonald and a Campbell in the same bathtub? At the same time, with the same woman?” I laughed. “Would there be swords?”
“Of course, darling.” Jerry laughed. “I know you’re kidding or there already would be. Goodbye, MacDonald.” Jerry was ready to slam the door in Ian’s face.
“Wait. I have news. Something that Glory will be happy to hear.” He pushed his way inside. “Florence told me she’s already been by to say her farewells and she and Richard are waiting in the car. My news is that Gretchen and the Viking are leaving with us.”
“Really?” I held onto Jerry, afraid to believe it. “They’re leaving with you? On your plane?”
“Yes. Since I’m fairly sure we’re kin, I’ve invited Gunnar and Gretchen to stay at my house while they’re in Austin.” Ian laughed at my expression which I was sure was pure relief. “I know your place is just an apartment. I have plenty of room and, frankly, I want to run a few experiments on the man.”
“He won’t like that.” Jerry had his arm around me. He was actually holding me up. I felt a little weak in the knees from happiness. I wasn’t going to have house guests.
“Probably not, but I told him I needed to confirm our relationship and Gretchen explained the DNA test to him. It will be on me to persuade him to do the rest of it.” Ian seemed sincerely happy too for a change. For the usually dour Scot it was quite a difference. “I don’t mind telling you I’m a little excited to have discovered this relationship. If it proves true, I may eventually take Gunnar home to Scotland. To meet the clan.”
“I can imagine how that will go. You say Fiona is still around?” Jerry squeezed my shoulders. “Gretchen won’t be eager for that visit.”
“No, she won’t.” I pulled myself together and moved to give Ian a farewell hug. “Thank you for taking them on. I mean it.” I stepped back. “As to the Scotland trip, I wouldn’t rush it, Ian. That could sabotage Gunnar and Gretchen’s relationship. You need to give those two a chance to get to know each other better. Who knows if Gretchen will even stick with Gunnar after the dust settles? She really is on the rebound from Fredrick. Gunnar’s fresh out of the ice too. He may want to play the field as well, once he gets used to this century.”
“I don’t interfere with relationships, Glory. Those two can do as they please.” Ian exchanged a guy to guy look with Jerry. “Toes all right? Ursula did a number on you last night.” Ian looked down at my bare foot. “Do I need to examine you?”
“They’re fine. Thanks for asking. A couple of bottles of synthetic and I healed.” I knew Jerry did not want Ian touching my foot and I was telling the truth. Have to love the vampire powers. Jerry had moved close and wrapped his arm around me again.
“All r
ight then. We’re pushing off. See you in Austin.” In typical Ian fashion, he was out the door.
“I can’t believe they’re all gone. And no visitors in the apartment when we get home.” Jerry picked up the insulated bag he’d packed. “You going to keep grinning, Gloriana?”
“Of course.” I kissed his smile.
“Then let’s go.” We were picking up our coats when there was another knock on the door.
“I knew it was too good to be true. What now?” But I smelled a familiar scent and threw open the door. “Flo! We already said goodbye.”
“I know, amica, but Gunnar was fussing in the car about a reward.” Flo was glowing in another beautiful cold weather outfit. This one was red leather with matching boots.
“I told him we didn’t expect one.” Jerry glanced at me. “He mentioned it when he thought he’d lost his gold. I’m sorry, Gloriana. I know you hoped…”
“Yes, it should go to Glory. She found him in the ice.” Flo waved a piece of paper. “Gunnar had a handful of coins to give you. I told him that was silly. What would Glory do with old coins? Though some of them were quite pretty. So I persuaded Ricardo to write you a check for their value, Glory. It is not much, but it made the Viking feel better.” She handed me the check. “And to him it is a fortune. Money isn’t worth what it once was, you know.”
I looked at the check. Fifty thousand dollars. That was a good chunk of change to me too. I knew Gunnar had ended up giving Ursula plenty just to get rid of her. I really shouldn’t take this. Though it would pay some important bills for my shop. I tried to hand it back.
“I can’t take this. Finding Gunnar was a fluke. And Jerry helped.”
“No, you must take it. It is a matter of pride.” Flo smiled at Jerry. “You understand, right, Jeremiah? The man must pay or he will think you give him charity.”
“Take it, Gloriana. Use it as you see fit. You were the one who insisted we dig out the man.” Jerry nodded. “And started the mess that made this one memorable honeymoon.”
“There, you see.” Flo hugged me. “We go now. Ricardo has calmed down. We will be fine once you come home to Austin. I make him buy me a new ring because he yelled at you. Hah! So it worked out for both of us. See you after the honeymoon!” She waved and headed down the hallway, her high heeled boots not making a sound on the Oriental runner.
“Well. I never expected this.” I folded the check and put it in my purse. I was locking both in the hotel safe while we were enjoying our cable car ride. “Seems like we’re salvaging this honeymoon after all.”
“Careful, darling. You know statements like that can bring on disasters.” Jerry waited by the door. “Let’s get out of here before someone else knocks.”
Thirty minutes later we were settled in a cable car, equipped with a hot tub, as it lurched into motion. An attendant had shown us to a dressing room where we could undress and we’d taken advantage of it. So we were naked and sitting in steaming water, the wide windows around us giving us fabulous views of the mountains and the snow below. In the distance we could see the lights of Stockholm. Above, through the glass roof, we could see the cables carrying us up to the mountains. It was a quiet ride except for the bubbling water in the tub as we kept gliding ever higher. The Northern Lights were giving us a brilliant show.
“What do you think?” Jerry poured champagne blood into a flute and handed me one. He’d explained to the attendant who’d wanted to set up our “refreshments” that he had brought us a special vintage. She’d just provided the glassware. We’d declined the offered snacks with a wink. She’d laughed and given us a knowing look. Obviously honeymooners never ate much on these rides anyway.
“I think, husband, that you have definitely managed to turn this honeymoon around.” Just then the cable car lurched. I grabbed him with one hand and steadied my glass with the other. “I hope I didn’t jinx us by saying that.”
Jerry laughed and pulled me into his lap. “That bump was because we just went over a section connecting the cables. It was nothing to worry about.” He took my glass and set it and his in the special holders that would keep the liquid from spilling. “Come here, wife.” He rearranged my legs so that I straddled him. “That feels better.”
I sighed. Better? It felt heavenly to be pressed against him so intimately. I loved the feel of his strong body and guided him inside me. “Mmm. Have I told you lately that I love you?” I kissed his cheeks, his forehead, then his mouth before I began to move.
“Only when we woke up together at sunset.” Jerry held onto my hips. “You are the love of my life, Gloriana. I will never let you go.” He surged into me, causing a mini tidal wave. Fortunately the water level allowed for some vigorous action and we were in no danger of swamping the car.
We moved together, our eyes on each other. There was no need to read minds. We knew what we would find there. It had taken me a long time to give my heart fully. This man could be demanding and commanding. But I’d learned to accept him as he was. And to make him understand that he’d get more from me with a less autocratic attitude.
He’d learned things along the way too. That I would do anything for the man I loved willingly. But I would not be ordered or coerced into following his lead. We were partners in this marriage. In some things, he was stronger. There was no doubt he was the better businessman. I didn’t resent him for that and looked forward to his help with my shop when we got home. And he acknowledged that I’d always have some special powers that he would never be able to achieve. If it came to a battle—God forbid—I could do things with them that would make his sword useless.
We were reaching the mountaintop in more ways than one. Tension rose inside me, the spiraling need for release that was more than physical. In some ways it could only be satisfied by this man. My lover quickened his moves and I gripped his waist with my thighs. He kissed me hard, taking my mouth with the same thorough hunger that he showed as he drove into me, harder and deeper until I threw back my head and panted his name over and over again.
“Take my vein! Jerry! Please!” I leaned forward, offering my jugular to him.
He struck hard and true, taking my life force fiercely, the pull resonating through me until I trembled with an orgasm that made my toes curl and my nails rake his shoulders. He drank for endless moments before he released me then licked the punctures closed, kissing the spot before just holding me. He soothed me with soft touches until I finally came back to myself, my heart pounding as I let my head fall to his shoulder. I saw the damage I’d done and kissed away the marks.
“How do you do that? Make me lose my mind every time?” I sat back and ran a finger over his lips. “I know it’s coming and yet you continue to surprise me.” I could feel the aftershocks where he still pulsed inside me. “You are a stallion.”
“And you are the one woman who can make me lose my mind.” He smiled and sucked my finger into his mouth. “Remember when Gunnar wondered how we could still be so hot for each other after four centuries? It made me think.”
“I don’t have to think about it.” I pulled my hand back before he bit that finger. “We are what they call soul mates. It was written in the stars as they say.” My gestures toward the sky made him grin. “Oh, mock me, I don’t care. I’m a romantic. You obviously are not. So what were you thinking?”
“That Gunnar hasn’t met his soul mate yet or he couldn’t ask that question. You know I’ve pursued you for all of those centuries, Gloriana. I’m not mocking your soul mate statement. It is just the truth.” He ran his hands up and down my back. “We are one now. In God’s eyes because of our marriage, yes. But we were two halves of a whole looking for one another when we met. I knew it then. It just took you longer to realize it.”
“Jerry.” My eyes filled with tears. “That is the most beautiful thing you’ve ever said to me.” I kissed him then, pouring all my love into it. By the time I pulled back, I’d made a decision. Our honeymoon had been exciting, horrifying and wonderful. But it was time for our marri
age to start. We needed to do it where we would spend our lives together.
“Husband, it’s time for us to go home.”
I hope you enjoyed Real Vampires and the Viking. I sprinkled in some foreign words, mostly Swedish, used by my Viking and his family. I’ve included a short dictionary. The words are in the order they appear in the book. Native speakers may disagree with some of my translations. If so, blame the Internet. I write fiction, so I do take a few liberties. Many of words are a bit obscene but that’s the way the story goes…
After the Swedish section, there’s a little bit of Florence da Vinci’s Italian vocabulary. Have to love our Italian spitfire. Thanks for reading! -- Gerry Bartlett
Gunnar’s Swedish Dictionary:
Skitprat=bullshit Stopp! Vi är stang da!=Stop! We are closed.
Gullig=sweet or darling tjuv=thief
Min kärlek=my love Vad hander?=What’s happening?
Fostra av Gud!=Mother of God! min sota=my sweet
Flotta=fleet Jaklar!=Damn!
Fiende=enemy Herregud!=My goodness or My God!
Batars=boats Min modiga kvinna=My brave woman
En timmes=one hour jakel=devil or bastard
älskling=darling, sweetheart förbannad=cursed, damned
liten pojke=little boy sötnos=honey
pultron=coward jävla=fucking jävla tik=fucking bitch
min fina= my precious gruvlig=horrible
köttiga=fleshy krigsbyte=booty
slyna=slut, bitch, whore pille=prick
min vackra lady=my beautiful lady Skit=shit
Det gör mig galen= It makes me crazy. Liggande jävel=Lying son of a bitch
Tack=Thanks Kär=beloved
Florence da Vinci’s Italian Dictionary:
Amica=friend
Teppisti=thugs
Capiscimi?=Understand me?
Molto irritante=very irritating
Real Vampires and the Viking Page 27