The Willing Prey

by Scarlett Sunday

  “It is awesome Welland.”

  Welland watched her face. “I designed it with a woman in mind Tanis.”

  “It’s stunning. It reminds me of a Viking Chief’s hall.”

  “I’m pleased you like it, Tanis.”

  “It suits you Welland. Let’s go upstairs and have a look from there. It looks beautiful from down here. It must take the breath away from above.” The mezzanine floor proved to be a huge open plan bedroom and en-suite. “It’s beautiful, and it befits a Viking chieftain. I am impressed.”

  Welland squeezed her hand. “Come, walk with me.”

  Tanis glanced at the huge round bed. “What a nice big bed Welland. I’ll bet it’s seen some use recently?” She had a clear picture of Welland fucking Kathy in it. Had Kathy been in dominance, or had he? “Maybe tonight it will see some more use, either way?”

  Welland hinted. “It’s up to you Tanis, I’m open-minded.”

  “You are Welland.” Tanis laughed and glanced up at the old Norse artefacts. Which filled the spaces on the beautiful panelled pine wall? Beneath which stood a large black carved stone, that looked familiar. I thought I’d lost that in the North Sea? The huge black bladed battle-axe above the stone she recognised as the one she’d given Viking Welland at Odense. There were no paintings on the sidewalls only rare Viking shields, weapons, and coats of mail. Viking Welland’s armour she had on Zana, alongside her own and Freyja’s. Her eyes came to rest on the stone, then the axe, which hung above it. She drew a breath of memory. “These interest me, Welland?”

  “The battle-axe came from my mother. The stone from the North Sea. I bought it from the divers who found it.”

  Tanis studied the artefacts for a moment with her fingers. Turned, and caught him looking at her body. She smiled and matched his gaze. Her mind went back to when the Jomburg Vikings had attacked her on her way back to Fyn from Orkney. The stone had vanished overboard. She could have recovered it with Zana. But, her grief at losing Viking Welland had been too deep for her to care. The three other stones were safe on Zana and recounted her other lives. This one spoke of Tanis the Viking Chieftain. Viking Welland himself had commissioned it from a block of black stone she had given him a few weeks before he died. After his death, she had finished it for him. Her face flushed red with anger as she remembered his death. “You’re lucky to have that stone Welland.”

  “Is there something wrong Tanis you look angry?”

  “No. Only excited by what you have here.”

  “The runestone and the battle axe, are my most treasured possessions.”

  Viking Welland had died in his prime, a year after he had become High Chieftain of Orkney. Suspecting poison, Tanis tasted his blood to confirm her suspicions. She smiled as she recalled the terrible revenge she had extracted, on the perpetrators of a coward's deed. The leader, she had seduced and watched perish under her body. After hours of painful suffering. She made sure her venom liquefied him from within with slow agony. He felt every excruciating moment as she sucked the life from him. The surprise and horror at what he had unleashed upon himself as he died. Could never make up for the precious life he had taken. Even so, his cruel death helped to dull the pain. The others, she had executed in public giving them the Wings of the Blood Eagle. But only after she had rung from their torn and broken bodies the name of their leader. At Welland’s Viking funeral, she would permit only his four sons and herself as he lay in his longship awaiting a Viking burial.

  “Do you know how your ancestor died Welland?”

  “The stone says. Poisoned by a coward.”

  “Yes. It also says Viking Welland’s eldest son Rogvald succeeded him as Earl. His second son Sigurd succeeded Rogvald. As the First Earl of Orkney by order of King Harald Blue Tooth. After Rogvald left for Normandy to join Rollo. Harald, his third son, named for the King, had gone with Rogvald. Welland the younger was only ten years old at the time. The beautiful Gunhilde had died giving birth to Welland the Younger. Freyja was absent in Denmark recovering from wounds she had received in a duel.”

  The painful memory of Viking Welland’s death still rankled even after all these years. At least he had bred four strong sons who had carried his excellent genetic line down through the ages. Right to the magnificent specimen of manhood who now stood next to her watching her weep. The man she would be making passionate love to within the hour. She felt his muscular arm around her waist and leant into him.

  “Why the tears Tanis. How do you know the story of the stone? My mother told me I am the direct descendant of Welland the Younger.” Tanis pushed the painful memory from her mind when she felt his arm tighten and his concerned voice say. “Come to me, my friend. The look on your face was like thunder at first. Afterwards, it softened into tears. I never expected to see tears, Tanis. Why now?”

  She looked up into Welland’s handsome, familiar face. “It’s nothing. Some memories of a man I was fond of once. Someone you remind me of.”

  “I’ve seen your look of anger before Tanis. You’re not angry with me for reminding you of him?”

  “No. Of course not, it’s a long story Welland. You see I know what happened there.” She pointed to the runestone. “Odd as it may sound, and me being a call-girl, I’m still a keen student of ancient Viking history. I can read the runestone as you can. Tell me how your family came to own the battle-axe Welland.” She nodded towards the enormous double-bladed battle-axe above the stone. Which she had given to Viking Welland after she had made love to him as Shani on the banks of the beck in Odense. Where she as Shani. Had taken Viking Welland’s oath of allegiance to her before they had departed for the Western Isles on their first raid.

  Welland looked down at Tanis with interest, his giant arms holding her close. “You feel like a kindred spirit, Tanis. When my mother died in Orkney two years ago, she left the battle-axe to me. Me, as the youngest son the axe, was mine to inherit with all you see. She, in her turn as the youngest daughter, inherited the axe from her mother. And so on down the line, back to my distant ancestor Welland the Younger. The First Earl of Orkney’s youngest son. Welland’s eldest brother Rogvald gave the Earldom to Sigurd. His father’s second son when he, with the consent of the King, left for Normandy to join Rollo First Duke of Normandy. I can never part with them Tanis. When I marry, and I will marry, my youngest son or daughter will inherit the axe from me.”

  “The daughter Welland, why should a daughter inherit a Viking warrior’s battle-axe?”

  “The battle-axe was given to my ancestor by his Chieftain. Who happened to be a powerful warrior woman. The legend tells, she was a warrior of high intelligence with remarkable fighting prowess, a great leader, and beautiful. She was also Viking Welland’s lover in the early days before Gunhilde. Before he died. Viking Welland insisted any daughter. Should she be the youngest, must also inherit the battle-axe. He decreed this out of respect for his Chieftain, who I suspect, enjoyed his undying love for her.”

  Tanis’s tears started to soak into Welland’s sweater. “Go on.”

  “It says here she was a great warrior. The warrior woman called Freyja was said to be her lover too. Though none dared utter it in their chieftain’s presence. The story goes she liked to lay with both genders. Look there.”

  Tanis turned in Welland’s arms and held him close. “Where.”

  Welland watched her tears with surprise. He placed one giant arm about her shaking shoulders and continued. “This woman... Jesus! Her name was Tanis too. Had won Viking Welland’s admiration and loyalty. Because of her leadership qualities and bravery in battle. The Jomburg Vikings held great respect for her. As she had killed many of their chiefs in single combat when their interests had conflicted with hers. I feel if I’d known her, I’d have loved her too. It’s strange you carry her name, Tanis. Was she an ancestor?”

  “No! You don’t know how happy I am to hear you say that Welland. If only you knew what the Viking sagas mean to me.” She gave him a long lingering kiss on his lips, as her hand strayed down
wards. “Perhaps one day soon you’ll know the whole story of what you and your Viking family mean Welland. Have you any family living?”

  He smiled down at her as she found his shaft. “I…I’ve one sister in Scotland who has two sons. She’s married to a doctor in Edinburgh. I never see her. Yet, I know she’s happy. There’s an elder brother in Australia who has four daughters. What you’re doing feels good Tanis.”

  “I’m glad for you Welland. I know I’ll not be the one to marry you as I can’t have children. You Welland must have children. It won’t stop me making love to you when we return here later though.” Her hand began to move, and his breaths became heavy. “In fact, it will be better for us not to worry so.” He reddened. She ran her hand up and down his hard bulge and watched his face as she caressed its oily tip. “I’ll have you all to myself tonight Welland Taggart, and what’s in your trousers too. Boy! Are you in for it, by the feel of it, so am I?”

  Tanis could feel the large bulge of Welland’s cock grow stiff in her hand as it responded to her expert caress. She ran her hand up his shaft again to the straining zip of his flies and began to undo it.

  With a hoarse whisper, he groaned. “Stop it, Tanis! I can only take so much. I want us to go out first. I have to show you something.”

  She teased. “You mean you have to show me something else Welland.”

  “Yes.”

  With a last squeeze and a kiss, sure of him now, Tanis let him go. “Okay. I won’t let you get away with it Welland. You’re on a promise. When we return, I’m going to have my way with you.” What she had felt in his trousers had aroused her. Welland was right though. There was no hurry. They had the rest of the night together and most of the morning too. Her mind drifted again, as with arms entwined, they studied the stone.

  He continued, she remembered. “Now where was I, Tanis?”

  After the first battle in Ireland, when the adrenalin was high. Tanis had seduced Viking Welland into her tent where a naked Freyja awaited them. There, she in Shani’s body, Freyja, and her Welland had become closer. Though tired after the battle. Their bloodstained bodies had locked together in sex, in a tangle of arms and legs. Tasting, pulling, caressing, and in the end entering. It had become a ritual, almost a drug for them to bring each other down to normalcy and into orgasm after every fight. The orgasms reached. Seemed so much stronger and lasted much longer after having risked their lives in battle. Their minds electrified with the adrenaline of killing. They found great physical release in the pleasure of each other’s naked bodies.

  Tanis had felt the same after the fight at the club. When Kathy had come onto her in the toilet, there could only be one conclusion to their meeting. After the exciting build up, on Kathy’s motorbike. And the final capture of her beautiful uniformed young body in the cellar. She had felt invigorated again. If it had not been Kathy, it would have been an unknown client or Welland. She had only given in to Helen’s uniform fantasy. To gain the experience of being submissive to cruel authority in the body of a beautiful woman who had reminded her of Aysher the beautiful Pindarri princess? It hadn’t been a matter of conscience with her. Helen’s fantasy happened to be compatible with her thinking in the form of her police officer mother’s uniform. And of the beautiful woman in the motorcycle adverts of the fifties and sixties.

  Now she couldn't wait for Kathy to make cruel love to her for the second time. Within a drama which could release the feelings of Hilary. The woman Kathy was in love with. What a woman. What a turn on. Being submissive under the authority of someone else other than myself.

  She said, “Welland. I hope you find the right woman to love you. I feel you have so much to give her. It’s a pity Kathy is now a committed lesbian. She would have made a perfect mother to your children.”

  Welland smiled at her. “What brought that on?”

  “On the night of the killings, I sensed you’d had sex with Kathy.”

  “Yes, I had, and I hope to have again. You’d be easy to love too Tanis. You’re both strong and self-assured. If you both set your mind on something, you go out and take it.” He laughed. “Not to mention how beautiful you both are. I feel people would find you hard to resist, man or woman. If you will have me, Tanis. I would like to be your best man friend. If it led to more than that, I wouldn’t mind that either. Now, as I said, where was I?”

  “You were going to show me something. You are my best man friend, Welland Taggart. For the rest, you’re a man who in time should be a father. Something I can’t make you, but Kathy can.” The seed planted, she turned towards the artefacts again. “Before we go, tell me more about them. Do you know the whole story, or only what’s on the stone? I want you to confirm what I can read there. It seems so incredible.”

  Tanis was not facetious. She wanted to know what Welland knew of his ancestry. And of Viking Tanis, his ancestor’s chieftain, and lover. She held onto his arm and listened with interest when he began to speak.

  “Okay. We’ve plenty of time Tanis. The story goes. In the Ninth century my ancestor Welland, although not a full chieftain. Became by popular vote a captain of his own Jomburg longships. Tanis had killed his chief in a duel and invited him and his men to join with her on a raid to the Western Isles. Promising them great wealth. She was an Earl in her own right with her own fleet of Dragonhead longships. What was unusual, she was a woman, and by all accounts a powerful and beautiful one.” Welland paused for a moment, looked at Tanis, and frowned. “How did you come by the name Tanis? To me, that’s a weird coincidence.”

  “Maybe she is my ancestor, Welland?”

  “No. Like you, Tanis couldn’t have a child. It’s all there.” He continued. “Viking Tanis and my ancestor were lovers.” Welland looked at her again with a puzzled frown. “Viking Tanis bought him a slave called Gunhilde to breed from. Welland fell in love with Gunhilde and took her for his true wife. She became the mother of four lusty sons from his loins. Rogvald, Sigurd, Harald, and Welland the Younger. While in childbirth with her fourth son Welland the Younger, Gunhilde died of birth fever. Viking Welland never looked at another woman after that. Yet, the rumours persisted. He, Viking Tanis, and Freyja, her captain of archers. Still indulged in the pleasure of their bodies after every battle. Having become inseparable friends. Viking Welland never went on another raid after Gunhilde’s death. Ten years later, a coward poisoned him. He was in his prime. Viking Tanis executed his killers in person. Later, she became enraged at Freyja’s wounding in a duel. Tanis challenged Freyja’s opponent killing him. She took Freyja straight home to Fyn where… Tanis, Freyja, and two other warrior women Tanis had bought or captured, disappeared. The story goes Freyja had died of her wounds soon after she arrived at Fyn. It’s strange her description fits you closely, Tanis. Golden hair, beautiful eyes and all?”

  Tanis pointed to the word Aysher. “I do have Viking ancestry Welland. There’s another woman’s name there. Who’s she?” Although she could read the rune, she let Welland interpret for her.

  “Her name was Aysher. She was a beautiful dark woman warrior from a land far to the South. I would hazard a guess in India. Tanis had bought Aysher as a slave from ‘The Arab’ in Ireland. The Arab could not handle Aysher. She, too full of fighting spirit. Aysher fell in love with Viking Tanis and wanted to join her in her raids. She took the place of Freyja. After Viking Welland’s departure from the scene. The story goes, Aysher became Viking Tanis’s sub-chief. She was the match in a battle of any three seasoned warriors. Also, known to be cruel to her prisoners after a victory. As Aysher always sacrificed the captives, she took in battle herself to some obscure Indian deity named Durga. The warrior woman half of Kali the Black Goddess. Insisting on cutting their throats herself. The Arab was glad to be rid of her, so Viking Tanis bought her new punitive Sub-Chief at a bargain price.

  “Holy Shit Tanis! Kathy did mention her family came from central India. The Pindarri bandit tribe were active there. Aysher the warrior woman and an Irish chieftain’s daughter named Erin disappeared wi
th Viking Tanis. Shortly after Freyja, vanished from the scene.”

  “I wonder why Viking Tanis disappeared so suddenly Welland?”

  “Tanis also known as Shani became depressed after Viking Welland’s murder and Freyja’s disappearance. She was never the same again. She vanished without a trace. Taking Aysher and the captured Irish princess named Erin Connor, with her. It says here. None were above the laws of Tanis, those who transgressed her code died awfully.

  “The Vikings treated Tanis like a Goddess. Never had a woman so filled their hard hearts with such respect.” Welland pointed to the last line of the rune. “As Odin’s chosen one. The Gods gave Viking Tanis the gift of everlasting youth and beauty. She never seemed to age. Held to be still young when she disappeared from the scene.”

  “What a wonderful tragic story Welland? There seems to have been a lot of love there, many brutalities too. Viking Tanis must have been some woman?”

  Welland nodded. “I’d love to meet her in the flesh. She said to have had the most unusual amber coloured eyes and copper-gold hair.” He sighed. “She must indeed have been a rare specimen of the gentler sex Tanis. Why so cruel though?”

  “Maybe it was a sign of the times Welland. The mark of a conqueror is to be ruthless.” She finished her answer in her mind. Shani was cruel, ruthless too. Even so, she was the most beautiful and most durable of my hosts. When in battle, unbeatable, when in bed the most desirable. She was not of this world and had been a General of armies on hers. With me inside her, she had to be ruthless. Our lives depended on it.

  “It confirms here, it was Viking Tanis who gave Viking Welland the beautiful battle-axe. After they’d made love for the first time beside a small beck in Denmark. From that moment on, he swore an oath he would never leave her side and protect her in all things. Things changed though when he fell in love with the beautiful Gunhilde.” Welland looked at her. “Like you Tanis, Viking Tanis must have wanted her Welland to have heirs. Lucky for me she did.”