by Kate Pearce
“Then tell them to take us home.”
Einarr sighed. “There is no ‘home.’ That world has gone.”
Aki blinked up at him and shook his head. “I cannot accept that.”
“If you give them your word of honor that you will not fight, I’m sure you’ll be allowed to get up.”
“And do what, Einarr? All I want is for things to get back to how they were.”
Einarr offered his brother a drink of water and pressed the red button beside the bed to call the healer. To his relief Pel Aziz came through the door, her expression relieved as she studied Aki.
“I’m so glad you have regained consciousness, Aki, how are you feeling?”
Aki glanced at Einarr. “How is it that I can understand what she is saying now? I couldn’t understand anyone on the ship. Is it more magic?”
“It is like magic.” Einarr showed him the patch on his skin. “But it is also very useful, so please do not take it off.”
“We also have this.” Aki spoke in his head. “No one else can hear us here.”
Aziz repeated her question, and Aki finally looked at her.
“Who are you?”
“I am a medical doctor and research scientist. My name is Doctor Pel Aziz. I’m here to take care of you.”
Aki’s eyes widened. “You can understand me?”
“Yes.”
“Then release me from my bonds.”
“You sound just like your brother,” Aziz murmured as she ran a scanner over Aki’s body. “You also seem to be in good shape. A little malnourished, but that’s to be expected considering your past history.” She took his hand and he tried to pull it back. “It’s okay. I won’t hurt you.”
“As if you could, woman.”
Aziz raised her chin and stared right into Aki’s eyes. “Try me. I’m quite capable of defending myself.”
Einarr cleared his throat. “Do not fight her. She is a healer.”
“And obviously a warrior,” Aki murmured. “I will remember that.”
After a few puzzled minutes while the doctor tapped away at her white tablet, Einarr worked out how to raise the bed.
“May I release my brother now?”
Aziz looked up. “You’ll have to check with Brown. He’s in charge of security now.”
Einarr glanced over at the door where Brown stood guard and raised an eyebrow.
Brown nodded. “You are both free to move around the medical facility but no further. You will also be accompanied by security personnel of my choosing and will be monitored at all times. Do either of you have a problem with that?”
“No, we do not,” Einarr answered for both of them before Aki started to disagree.
“You will also be required to cooperate with both the FREN and TSA personnel who wish to speak with you both as soon as Aki is cleared by medical.”
“I understand.”
Einarr started undoing the straps that bound his brother to the bed. He didn’t like having to obey Brown’s orders but he had no choice. Until he discovered exactly what was required of him and his brother, he would continue to cooperate. For the first time in his life he had no purpose. He would have to find one soon or go mad.
Dr. Aziz talked with Brown before disappearing out the door, promising to send food. Aki sat up, grimacing down at the blue gown he’d been dressed in and stretching his arms over his head.
“Where are my clothes and weapons?”
Einarr checked the cupboard and found his brother’s garments neatly folded next to his sword and dagger. He handed over the clothing, aware of Brown stepping out into the corridor and closing the door behind him. He knew the man wouldn’t go any further. But at least he was attempting to give them some privacy. Not that he could assuage his brother’s fears or make anything right for him.
He hated that.
Aki placed his sword on the table and buckled his dagger into place at his hip. He finger-combed his long blond hair and re-braided it. He had always been more vain and careful of his appearance than his twin. He’d also been Einarr’s protector and had more of a temper.
A knock at the door heralded the arrival of a veritable feast, including some kind of ale and thick slabs of roasted meat. It was easy enough for Einarr to sit opposite Aki and eat his fill, prolonging the moment when he would have to disappoint his brother and disclose his inability to change anything about their current predicament. He’d been so caught up with meeting Frey that he’d tried not to think about the future. As long as she was with him, he’d instinctively believed that everything would be all right.
But she didn’t want to be with him. She didn’t believe he meant what he said… She thought him infatuated or…
Was she right? Was his fear of dealing with the new world making him cling to her like a suckling child to its mother?
“Einarr?”
He jerked his attention back to his brother who was watching him intently.
“What?”
“Are you certain we are alive?”
“I’m afraid that we are.”
“And we are in the future?”
“About four thousand years or so, aye.”
Aki’s blue eyes widened. “It is impossible.”
“I agree, but it is true.”
“And we can’t get home?”
“Home as we know it no longer exists.”
Aki sat down with a thump. “Our whole world has gone?”
“No, our ‘planet’ is still there, but it would be unrecognizable to you and me.” Einarr knew he was being too short with his brother, but there was no point in pretending anything would change.
Aki put down his cup of ale. “Then what in Odin’s name are we supposed to do now?”
“That, my twin, is a very good question.” Einarr tried to shrug off his own concerns. “I suspect the people from FREN and TSA might want something from us. I am not yet sure what that might be. I suggest we keep our counsel and listen to what they have to say before we make any decisions as to our future.”
Frey dressed in the clean uniform she’d found laid out for her on the bed and wondered what to do next. Should she go and find the FREN rep and ask permission to leave the planet, or was she supposed to hang around waiting to be dismissed or court-marshaled?
“Tecky?”
“Yes, Slavin?”
“Are you okay?”
“As okay as anyone facing an ignominious dismissal can be, why?”
“I wanted to let you know that I contacted my cousin back in Pavlovan about what’s been happening with you and FREN. He’s on the council. He was most concerned and said he’d make sure your Pavlovan interests were properly represented.”
“What exactly does that mean?”
“I’m not sure, but I hope he’ll stop you from being prosecuted for something that wasn’t really your fault. You can’t choose who you are mated with.”
“Perhaps you should also tell him about the other science officer on Aki’s ship. He’s Pavlovan too, and experienced a very similar situation to mine—apart from the kissing bits. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was dismissed or prosecuted by FREN as well.”
“Having two witnesses should help your case. I’ll let my cousin know about this as soon as possible. When are you due to speak to the FREN rep next?”
“I’ve no idea. I assume they’ll be more interested in interviewing the Bloodaxe twins than me.”
There was a slight hesitation. “Have you seen Einarr’s twin yet?”
“Nope. I don’t think there’s any reason for me to do so, is there?”
“I can sense him better than Einarr.”
“That’s weird.”
“I know.” Again that pause. “I’ll let you know if my cousin has any definite plans in place.”
“Thanks.”
Frey brushed her hair into a neat ponytail and turned the collar of her uniform up to hide the bite marks Einarr had left on her shoulder. Her unremarkable face looked back at her from the mirror, an
d for a moment she wished for some of Slavin’s blond beauty. Einarr hadn’t even glanced at Slavin, even though she was a telepath. But what if he’d met her first?
“And why are you trying to deny what you feel for your mate?” she asked herself loudly, her voice ringing around the tiled bathroom. “Why are you such a wuss?”
She turned away from her reflection in despair. Why couldn’t the Gods have offered her a nice safe Pavlovan male rather than a four-thousand-year-old magical Viking? And what happened if one couldn’t or wouldn’t accept a mate? Would the Pavlovan Oracle offer her another one? Somehow she doubted it…
She wished she could talk to the Oracle right now. She was so conflicted.
“Tecky?”
A knock on the outside door made her straighten up and walk out of the bathroom. She tapped in the codes and the door swung open to reveal Moshe, one of the security team from the ship. He appeared to have recovered from his encounter with Einarr.
He pointed at the door across the corridor. “Einarr’s in there with his twin and the reps from TSA and FREN. He asked if you could join him.”
“Do I have to?”
Wow, she sounded like a whiny child. Having to see Einarr again made the idea of walking away from him even harder.
“I think he’d appreciate the support,” Brown said quietly from his position outside the door.
And then Frey felt like a heel for even attempting to avoid her mate. If she was going to abandon him, she could at least support him right up until the end. Squaring her shoulders, she allowed Brown to open the door and went inside. The smell of roasting meat made her stomach rumble and she clutched a hand over it.
Gron, the TSA rep, stood and bowed to her. “Science Officer Frey.”
Mitzi Lahm stayed where she was and kept ogling the Vikings. Frey saluted, her gaze drawn to the opposite side of the table where the brothers sat side by side. They were identical in size—both had pale blue eyes, bulging muscles and fierce expressions. The only difference she could see was that Aki was blond and Einarr was dark. The other thing she noticed was that Aki’s mind didn’t call out to her.
“My lady.” Einarr also stood. “May I make my brother known to you? Aki, this is Frey. She is the reason I didn’t go mad when I woke up on the space ship.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Aki.” Frey risked a small smile at the blond Viking. “I apologize for jumping on your back and knocking you out.”
“Ah, that was you, was it?” Aki’s gaze became considering. “The women in this world are all warriors, then?”
“Most of them,” Einarr answered for her. “They don’t seem to believe they need a man, either.” His cool gaze flicked over her and his mind remained closed. That hurt more than she had anticipated.
Aki laughed. “All women need a man. How else would they have children?”
Frey glared at him. “They don’t need a man for that. Just his sperm.”
Aki’s gaze widened. “But, how—”
Einarr talked over him. “I was recounting the tale of my emergence from the ice to Gron and Mitzi Lahm. I thought you might wish to tell them what you witnessed as well, Frey.”
Mitzi swiveled in her seat to stare at Frey. “We already have her report. Her participation isn’t necessary.”
Gron held up his hand. “I don’t agree. I’d like to hear from Science Officer Frey.”
Mitzi snorted and folded her arms, shoving her ample chest upward and drawing Aki’s appreciative gaze. “Fine, but as far as FREN is concerned, she’s already lost her job. I won’t be recommending her to any other space program.”
Frey set her jaw as she took the seat Gron offered her. “Have you both read the report from the science officer on Aki’s ship? He noted the same sequence of events that I did. It can hardly be a coincidence that both Vikings defrosted at exactly the same time during the same phase of the eclipse.”
Gron nodded. “She does have a point, Mitzi.”
“But the other science officer didn’t fornicate with his charge, did he?” Mitzi said sweetly.
“He was the first to be knocked out. Maybe he didn’t have a chance to make the same physical connection I did,” Frey said.
“As if a big strong Viking warrior would be attracted to another man,” Mitzi scoffed.
“Why would he not?” Aki shrugged. “I am willing to enjoy a tumble in the hay with anyone.” He met Frey’s eyes and smiled slightly. “I can see why my brother was enticed into your bed. I would have done the same as he did.”
Frey’s cheek heated. ”Thanks, I think.” She didn’t dare look at Einarr.
“Still—” Mitzi started and Gron talked over her.
“Unfortunately, both the TSA and FREN have rules about fraternization with other crew members, rules which you broke, Science Officer Frey.”
“Einarr wasn’t a crew member.”
“He was the property of FREN,” Mitzi snapped. “And you had no right to act in such an unprofessional manner.”
Einarr scowled. “I am nobody’s property and neither is my brother. Frey and I had no choice in our joining. We were destined to meet by Fate. I do not regret my mating with her. She is my female.”
“She can’t be,” Gron said gently. “You’re still in a state of shock. Any decisions you make at this point are not really valid or realistic.”
Einarr’s laugh was harsh. “You sound like Frey. She too imagines I am not a man of my word.”
Frey swallowed hard. “That’s not true. I—”
“You are mated to my brother?” Aki’s voice sounded in her head as Mitzi interrupted her and went off on another rant.
“I don’t know.”
“I can feel the link between you. It is strong.”
“And there’s nothing I can do about it. I’m about to lose my job and be sent away. Einarr will stay here with you.”
“A warrior such as yourself does not fight for what she wants?”
“I’m a scientist, not a warrior.”
“You do not care for my brother?”
“I—” Frey broke off contact as she noticed Einarr staring right at her. She returned her attention to Mitzi and Gron and answered all the questions they threw at her. Despite being pressed, she couldn’t bring herself to deny her sexual relationship with Einarr, or even to say it had been a mistake. And that lack of remorse would be her downfall. No one in the TSA or FREN would let her near another scientific mission in case she made a habit of seducing attractive aliens.
Eventually, Gron nodded at the Vikings. “Thank you for all your help. We would appreciate your cooperation and your patience while we assemble a program to help you readjust to life in this century. We weren’t anticipating the speed of your emergence from the ice.”
Einarr pushed his chair back and looked up at Gron. “We will bide here as you wish. Unless you have the ability to magic us back to our original time, then I fear we are stuck on this planet and at your mercy.”
“I repeat that we wish you no harm,” Gron said earnestly. “After a period of necessary adjustment, we will do everything in our power to make sure that you both live full and satisfying lives.”
“And what will you require from us in return?” Einarr asked.
“Your cooperation,” Gron repeated.
“And your agreement to be studied by our scientists,” Mitzi added. “We need to learn as much about your DNA as we can.”
Aki snorted. “I do not understand these words.”
“What she means is that you will be given everything necessary to survive and thrive in this world.” Seeing the incomprehension of the men’s faces, Frey couldn’t help but speak up. “In return, you will help the scientists, the seekers of knowledge and the healers find out more about you and how you are different from the current population.”
“Studied as one would study an enemy’s habits before moving in for the kill? Or as one hunts one’s prey?” Einarr murmured. “Does this mean we will never be truly free?”
&
nbsp; Frey looked at Gron and Mitzi. “That’s up to them. I would hope that you are eventually reintegrated completely into society.”
Mitzi stood and smiled at the Vikings before turning to Frey. “Perhaps we should leave the brothers to think through this discussion. Science Officer Frey, you will accompany me.”
As Einarr made no effort to detain her, Frey could only walk out of the door and wait for Mitzi and Gron to come after her. Would this be the last time she saw Einarr? Could she even bear to have to see him again? It already felt like her heart was breaking in two.
Mitzi beckoned imperiously at the security guard. “Brown? Take Science Officer Frey back to the detention center.”
“What have I done now?” Frey blinked as Brown approached her, his expression resolute.
Mitzi held her ground. “You are not a good influence on our guests, and you are still facing charges of dereliction of duty and fraternizing with an unknown alien race.”
“He’s human!” Frey snapped.
Mitzi ignored her impassioned interruption. “You will be tried, and if I have my way, your mind will be wiped before you are allowed back into a society far away from these Vikings.”
“You can’t do that to a Pavlovan,” Frey raised her voice as Mitzi turned away and Gron followed her without even protesting.
Brown touched her shoulder. “Come on, Tecky. I have my orders.”
“No!” Frey shrugged off his hand. “This can’t be allowed to happen, I have rights, I want to see my—”
A hand clamped down hard on her shoulder. “There’s no point in upsetting our guests now is there? Come on, or I’ll get Dr. Aziz to knock you out.”
Frey refused to stop struggling. Voluntarily leaving Alpha Three and the man she knew was her mate was one thing. Having those memories forcibly removed from her head was another thing entirely. She would not allow them to take that away from her, she would not.
She kicked out and caught one of the security guards in the kneecap and then knew no more as a needle jabbed into her neck and the whole world went black.
Einarr stared down at his folded hands as Frey and the others left the room. He’d successfully managed to build a wall in his mind to keep Frey out, but it was a pitiful, harsh existence being barricaded away from her warmth.