MistUnveiled

by Nancy Corrigan

  He brushed his lips over the wildly beating pulse in her neck while she worked him. “Aw, Cat.” He licked her throat. The exotic scent that drugged him tasted sweet on her skin. “That’s good. More.”

  Long, sure strokes took him to the brink faster than he could’ve imagined. She swiped her thumb over the head of his erection. Using his pre-cum to lubricate her glide, she quickened her stroking. He thrust into the fisted grip she provided.

  Closed mouthed, he pressed kisses to her neck. She moaned and squirmed under him. Unable to stop himself, he dragged his tongue along the column of her throat, from the base to the spot below her ear. Her shaky sigh encouraged him. He swirled his tongue there. More breathy sounds rewarded him. His fangs still throbbed, but he kissed her. She writhed for him.

  “Cat, want you.”

  She squeezed his shaft. “Yes, fuck me.” She pumped him, head to base. “Take me, Rune. All of me.”

  Take me. All of me.

  Her words broke his control. He clamped his mouth over her neck, pressed his fangs to her vulnerable throat and broke her tender skin. A couple drops of her blood hit his tongue. Hunger seized his gut. He wanted to drain her of blood and replace it with his. His honor stopped him from making their union permanent.

  Not what she asked for. Not what she expected.

  He licked the tiny cuts, jumped from the couch and turned his back on her. The image of her spread there in only her shirt and panties would tempt him.

  I’m a goddamn selfish bastard. She wants sex, not an eternal lover she’ll have to feed so I won’t die on her. I have to be more careful.

  He clenched his jaw and strode toward the door, not bothering to get his dick back in his pants. The damn thing pointed straight out and was as hard as a rock.

  “Rune? Where are you going?”

  He froze with his hand on the door. “For a walk.”

  He closed his eyes and listened to the squeak of the couch and the rustle of her clothes. In his mind’s eye, he imagined her propped on an elbow, the edge of her shirt pushed up and a tempting section of her soft belly exposed. Or maybe she’d be in the corner of the sofa with her arms wrapped around her knees. Both images would draw him right back to her side.

  Can’t look.

  “Did I do something wrong?”

  Yeah, you’ve tempted me to make you my eternal mate, here and now, when I should be hunting the eldjötnar who knows you belong to me before he kills you.

  “Aren’t you going to say anything?”

  He snorted. What could he say? Nothing other than that he was fool for letting his dick rule him.

  He opened the door and walked out before he gave into its demands or hers.

  Chapter Five

  Rune dropped his head to the wooden door and dragged in a lungful of heaven. The female smelled of everything sweet and sinful. Her body and blood would nourish him, arouse him, goddamn complete him. He wanted to go back to Cat’s side, finish stripping her and lick every inch of her body.

  My chosen consort. Ironic that he hadn’t picked her, yet barely a day had passed and he knew he wouldn’t be able to touch another female. The idea in itself shocked him. He’d had several lovers who’d warmed his bed along with Malin. They would’ve continued to do so even after he’d mated her.

  The children of the mist shared their women. After he met Cat, the idea didn’t hold the appeal it once had. If he was fucking another male’s mate, he wasn’t joined with his, filling her with his seed and reaffirming his claim on her.

  He fisted his hands to stop himself from opening the door. The powerful mating drive riding him felt wrong. It was too intense. Another evolutionary response? The need to breed and revive his stagnant species?

  Like my new power to kill with my mind?

  He groaned at the implications of the awakened skill. One wrong thought while he had a human under his thrall and he could turn himself into a murderer. No guilt choked him over the death of the eldjötnar’s victim. It had been a mercy killing. What worried him was what might happen the next time if he wasn’t careful.

  His stomach growled, reminding him of his immediate problem. He needed to feed, but he also had to stay close to Cat. The two primal urges warred. He stood there, muscles tensed and vibrating, while he fought to get himself under control.

  Only one thing to do. He turned and surveyed the section of town where he’d been lucky enough to find an abandoned home. Hopefully, its rightful owners wouldn’t show up questioning his presence in it. He’d easily convinced the townsfolk he belonged here, but the seeds of doubt could undo his efforts.

  He pushed the worry away. He’d deal with the outcome if it happened.

  For the moment, he had to focus his efforts on being a predator, not a child of the mist and guardian of its treasures. Lost treasures, now. He ground his jaw. No, don’t think of it. Focus on today and its challenges.

  The reminder helped. He relaxed and continued his study of the town. The many rocks and protrusions lining the hilly village offered plenty of hiding spots for his enemies. It was built along the shore, and the locals used every available inch. Dozens of colorful homes sprouted along the barren ground.

  No trees grew in Niflheim. Greenland, he corrected himself. His era had long since been replaced by the modern world where humans ruled, not the players of Ragnarok or the various species birthed of the gods’ couplings. For a moment, he wondered if any of the other nonhumans remained but dismissed the thought. If they did, they hadn’t thrived.

  He continued his survey. The eldjötnar who’d spotted him could be anywhere. In his solid form, Rune wouldn’t be able to find the demon unless he spotted him. His senses were only slightly better than a human’s. One with the mist, Rune could gather more information, but he couldn’t take his alternate form. The wind would scatter the pieces of his body. It would take precious moments to reassemble them. If Cat was threatened, those seconds could mean her life.

  The limitations of his situation compounded his frustration. He would need to call another Warden to him, yet he couldn’t do that in his weakened state.

  He growled.

  A dog’s whine carried over the din of the village. He peered into the direction it came from. A husky crouched several feel away, head down and tail between its legs. Rune dropped to his knees and spread his arms wide. With his mind open, he sent the beast his plea for help.

  The dog approached in a slinking crawl. He could do little to alleviate its anxiety. Whereas humans he could enthrall, animals had to be coaxed to share their blood. A foot away, it stopped. Its nose twitched and cautious eyes assessed him. Rune waited patiently. The affinity wildlife had always shown his species would overcome the dog’s reservations. Finally, the husky bumped Rune’s chest with his nose.

  He wrapped his arms around the animal, bent his head to its neck and bit. Warm, slightly bitter blood filled his mouth. He wrinkled his nose at the pungent taste but swallowed the gift anyway. It nourished him, though not as fully as a human’s blood could. Still, it beat starvation or worse yet, succumbing to blood lust and attacking Cat.

  He took only the amount of blood the animal could give without causing it harm. Before releasing him, he sent the beast his thanks. The dog trotted off, tail wagging.

  Knowing it wouldn’t be enough, he spent several minutes coaxing more dogs to him. Luckily, the town had plenty. Stronger from the feedings, he opened his mind and reached out to his brethren. The distance separating them prevented him from connecting with any individual, but he was able to push the urgency of his need into the call he sent on the wind. Jaron or whoever was closest would feel his anxiety and come.

  He straightened and faced the rundown house he’d claimed. Guilt weighed on him for what had occurred inside. Cat had offered herself to him and he’d walked away without a word.

  At the time, it had been the only way to avoid the urges riding him. He saw the callousness of his actions, however. Unlike the females of his era who’d overlook the slight, C
at, he suspected, would not. The modern woman was complicated. And far more fascinating.

  Unfortunately, he didn’t know the best way to deal with her anger. He knew little about his chosen consort. With a lifetime ahead of them, he had plenty of time to uncover her personality. Until then, he only had his instincts to guide him.

  He gripped the handle and hoped it didn’t lead him astray.

  * * * * *

  Cat drummed her fingertips against the piece of plywood table and waited for Sam, her lab partner, to finish scribbling in his notebook. He was hunched over his workspace, and a thick lock of his light brown hair covered his eyes. His image froze every few seconds. The spotty internet connection on the island wasn’t meant for video messaging.

  She took a moment to study her on-and-off lover, though they were more off than on. Friends with benefits might describe their unusual relationship better, but she honestly couldn’t call Sam a friend. He was a coworker she sometimes screwed without any emotional involvement.

  Damn. That sounds cold. She wrinkled her nose at her own description. After the disaster a few minutes ago with Rune she couldn’t help but wonder if the “scratch an itch” sessions she and Sam engaged in were the only ones she was capable of having. Goodness knows she didn’t have time to devote to a relationship or apparently the skills it took to keep a man satisfied. And why do I suddenly care? Guys are too much effort for the few minutes of ecstasy they offer.

  “Aren’t you done yet?”

  Sam leveled glinting green eyes on her. The chiding look cut through the screen. “No.”

  She huffed and turned her back on him. Her gaze strayed to the window. After Rune had stormed out, she’d run to it to see which direction he’d gone. The angle hadn’t been great, but she’d found him standing with his head pillowed against his bent arm on the opposite side of the door. The tortured expression displayed on his face had eased the worst of her embarrassment, but not all.

  Is he still there?

  The question took hold. So did the demand for an answer. After a lifetime of dealing with her obsessiveness, she knew better than to fight the simple stuff. If she did, she’d hyper-focus on it until she gave in. A sigh of acceptance fell from her lips. She wandered toward the parted curtains.

  Through the opening between the heavy drapes, she found him crouched with his arms wrapped around a gorgeous husky. The sight made the butterflies in her belly take flight. There was just something about a guy and his dog that tugged at her heart.

  “Catherine?”

  She cringed. Named after her grandmother, Cat had always walked in the woman’s shadow. She’d never lived up to her standards and had stopped trying to compete. She went by Cat, the nickname Janice had given her. Tears threatened. Cat pushed the memories aside. She’d cried enough and her sorrow wouldn’t bring Janice back. Best she could do was make sure another little kid’s mom didn’t die from UP-33.

  “I could be doing other stuff, Catherine. I’m a busy man.”

  So was Rune. He’d said so himself. Maybe that was why he’d walked out. Then why hadn’t he actually left? She ground her teeth. Doesn’t matter. He’s nothing to me.

  “Fine, if you want to play games, do it on your own time.”

  “No, I’m here!” She rushed back to the small screen. “I was looking for the data I’d written.” Or ogling a near-stranger I almost screwed and wondering what I did to send him running. She’d thought she’d played their liaison so well.

  Sam leaned back in his desk chair, arms crossed. He looked her up and down. “Why did you demand a video chat? You could’ve emailed or texted me.”

  Both of which he would’ve ignored. She didn’t waste her breath mentioning that. In the end, he wasn’t much different from her.

  “Did you tell Roland I was going to Greenland?”

  “I haven’t seen him. The message left with me said he’d be in Washington for several days discussing UP-33 with the President and his staff.” Sam chuckled. “The old man’s got balls. I have to give him that. He threatened to take our findings to the press. Suddenly, they had time for him.”

  She worried her lip. That explained his failure to answer her email. Roland had been pulling every favor he had earned to find out why the CDC refused to acknowledge UP-33. All along, he’d hinted at a conspiracy. It made perfect sense that he’d contact someone from the village to be her go-to person. The question remained, how did he find out?

  “Did you tell anyone that I was coming here?” Nobody else knew.

  He ran a hand through his hair and snorted. “Who would I tell? You’re the only one I talk to about things outside of work.”

  Her cheeks warmed. She dropped her gaze to the floor. If they weren’t discussing their projects, they were talking about sex or engaging in it.

  “Speaking of talking, you and I haven’t had a chance to meet for drinks and unwind in months.”

  Their code-phrase for fucking. She cleared her throat. Time to change the subject back to important stuff. “Focus, Sam. Did anyone ask where I was?”

  He rubbed his jaw. “Yeah, now that I think about it. A guy called looking for you to confirm your flight and stuff. Igor…”

  “Ivan?”

  “Yeah, Ivan.” He nodded. “He said he wanted to help in any way he could. Then he went on to talk about murders and…”

  Another swipe of his hand through his hair and he flashed a smile. “Something. You know me. I stopped listening. By the time I remembered I was on the phone, he’d hung up. Sorry, but Susie said he’d called her too and she handled it. Was it important?”

  A matching smile tugged at her lips. “No. You answered my question.”

  Susie, their administrative assistant, would’ve reported the call to Roland. With the mystery surrounding Rune shelved, she broached another. “I need you to gather some information for me.”

  “Sure. What kind?”

  “The locals mentioned artifacts had recently washed up on the shores here, but I can’t find anything on a basic internet search.”

  He rubbed the edge of his hand back and forth under his chin. A considering look passed over his face. “You’re thinking UP-33 came from some ancient tomb?”

  “Or from the ice itself.”

  “So you’ve hypothesized.” He stretched across the desk and typed on another open laptop. “I’ll see what I can come up with.”

  “While you’re at it, I want you to think about this…” She waited until he met her eyes. “What do vampires, Ragnarok and UP-33 have in common?”

  He raised a brow. “I’d ask if you were serious, but I know you are.”

  “Unfortunately I’m deadly serious. The townsfolk seem to think supernatural forces are at work, not simply a mutating virus.” She shook her head. “It sounds crazy, but if there’s some clue mixed into the legends, I have to explore it. It might trigger an idea. You know how it works.”

  “Yeah, I do.” His image froze for a second before skipping to life. “What exactly have you walked into over there?”

  “I don’t—”

  A cold gust of wind swept into the room. She glanced over her shoulder. The sight that met her stopped her heart. Rune stood just inside the doorway. Mist swirled around his feet. She looked from the odd fog to his face. The light from the nearby lamp left half of it in shadows. It didn’t dim his expression, however.

  Hungry. Intense. Primal.

  He focused his blue-gray eyes on her. She couldn’t have looked away if she wanted to.

  “Catherine? You there? Your image cut out. All I hear is wind wailing.”

  Wind? What wind?

  Rune shifted his gaze from her to the computer. The lights flickered. A pop sounded. She gasped and swung her head to peer at her computer. Only a black screen showed. The lights flickered again then went out.

  The sound of a door slamming tore a squeak from her throat. Her heart raced. She hated the dark.

  “Rune?”

  No answer.

  The windo
w cast a small sliver of light across the room, not enough to see much but enough to calm her frantic pulse.

  “The power went out.” She stated the obvious, but she had to say something. The silence threatened to stir her anxiety.

  He didn’t respond.

  A shiver raced down her spine. The cold air Rune had let in chilled her. She rubbed at her arms to warm them. It didn’t help. Her teeth chattered. “Do you have a generator? It’s going to get pretty uncomfortable in here soon.”

  Hands caught her hips from behind. A hard body pressed along her back and the scent of a crisp winter day filled her lungs. She relaxed into him. Rune slid his arms around her waist. She tugged them tighter. The warmth he gave off felt so good compared to the icy air fogging her breath.

  “Who was the male you were talking to?”

  “Sam. He’s—”

  “Is he your lover?”

  She frowned. The carefully articulated words didn’t give away the reason behind the question. Not seeing any reason to lie, she answered. “Sometimes. We’re not serious.”

  He buried his face in the crook of her neck. For a long moment, he only breathed slowly. Each exhale heated her body.

  “You won’t touch him again.” He pressed his lips to her ear. “I won’t share you.”

  The stark possessiveness in his voice and words should’ve made her see red. It didn’t. Confusion over why he would care after he had walked out on her surfaced instead.

  “Share me? What are you talking about?”

  “Your body, Cat.” He kissed her, right below her ear. Another shiver raced down her spine. Desire fueled it. She was no longer cold. “And your heart, your life, your future. They’re mine.”

  Oh. Dear. God.

  Arousal flowed with his low gravely declaration. Every inch of her body tingled, desperate for his touch.

  Hello? Modern woman here. The alpha male attitude should not push me into a state of instant desire. It did, though. She didn’t want to ponder what that said about her.

  “Don’t I get a say in this?”

  He clamped his mouth over her neck and nibbled. His teeth scraped her. A groaned sigh escaped him. He eased back so only his lips brushed her skin.