Viking's Claim

by Madison Faye

  Actually, I’m quite sure they aren’t.

  I drop my eyes, a darkness settling over my heart. There’s a bitter feeling in my stomach. For one night, I had something perfect. Because somehow, in the very last man I could imagine finding it in, I found love. True, passionate, wild, untamed love.

  I startle at the sound of Chauntleroy swearing as he throws his goblet across the room. The metal cup slams against the castle wall, bouncing to the floor as he whirls on me.

  “You… you…” He snarls, seething as he his eyes narrow at me.

  “You little whore.”

  I spit at him, catching him right in the eye and sending him screeching back.

  “You bitch!” he squeals. He whirls back, and when his hand slaps across my cheek, I wince, crying out. And yet, it’s worth every bit of the pain to have spit in his damn eye.

  “You know, I’ve been sitting here trying to decide what to do with you,” he growls. “Since you’ve been defiled by those filthy savages. Do I give you to my men to have fun with? Take your head?”

  He leans close, swearing at me, and when he tugs at the pommel of his sword, a spike of fear shoots through me. Chauntleroy sees it, and he grins wickedly.

  “But no. No, my wayward whore of a bride. I’ll still marry you. You will bear my heir. But after that?” he sneers at me. “After that, I’m throwing you to my dogs to be their bitch. After you bear me a son, you’re dead.”

  Terror spikes through me, but I’m determined not to let him see. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from Tor in the last few days—aside from what it truly means to come—it’s that: to be strong. To be fierce in the face of danger. To be unflinching and unafraid. And that’s what I try and do—swallow it back and show Chauntleroy nothing but the hard sneer on my face.

  “He’ll come for me.”

  Chauntleroy chuckles. “Oh, I hope he does. I’ll have him and his band of Norsemen hanging from my walls by sunrise. And then?” he grins wickedly. “And then I’ll be having you and taking you until you give me that heir. Do you understand me, you little—”

  “My lord!”

  He whirls as the guard comes charging into the room, panting and out of breath.

  “I’m busy!” he bellows at the man, rage clouding his face. “Whatever you’ve come here to—”

  “My lord, we’re being attacked!”

  Chauntleroy’s scowls. “What?”

  “My Lord Chauntleroy!” Another guard comes running into the room, also out of breath. Chauntleroy snarls at the man.

  “Now what?!”

  “We’re being attacked, my lord!”

  Lord Chauntleroy growls lowly. “As I’m informed right now, you simpleton.” He swears, shaking his head. “Who is attacking us?”

  The answers come at the same time, but they aren’t the same answers.

  “Highlanders!”

  “Vikings!”

  The two guards blurt the words out over each other before they whirl to look at each other in confusion.

  “What?!” Chauntleroy hisses. “Well which one is it!?”

  “It’s the other highland lords, my lord!” The first guard says stiffly. “We saw the banners of McAuley, Bruce, Ballentyne, and McDougall!”

  My heart begins to soar.

  The first guard frowns. “No, my lord, on the western wall, we’ve just seen the banners of the Viking marauder Tor Odinson! On horseback, my lord!”

  My heart jumps into my throat, my whole body buzzing with excitement at what I’m hearing.

  “Well it’s not both,” Chauntleroy spits. “So is it the lords or is it the Vik—”

  “My lord Chauntleroy!”

  A third guard comes tripping into the room, puffing for air.

  “What is it?!” he naps.

  “My lord, we’re being attack—”

  “I’m aware,” Chauntleroy spits in disgust. “Now which is it?! Highlanders? Vikings?!”

  The third guard blinks, glancing at the other two men before swallowing and looking Chauntleroy right in the eye.

  “It’s both my lord. They’re all attacking us.”

  A glow starts to burn inside of me, and very quickly, my heart starts to swell.

  He’s come for me.

  Chapter 15

  Tor

  I roar as I go smashing through a cluster of terrified looking guards, scattering them like matchsticks. I whirl, snarling as I block a weak thrust of a sword before taking the man’s head off with mine. I spin again, bellowing as I advance on the other few guards, when suddenly, they’re throwing their swords down.

  “Yield! Yield!” one cries, actually sobbing as he falls to his knees.

  “Mercy!” another begs in a whimpering tone.

  I have half a mind to kill them all anyways, just for being on the side of the man who took my love. But that way leads to the demon inside of me taking control, and that won’t be happening today. Instead, with a snarl, I kick them both over onto their backs, growling menacingly as I stand over them, pointing at them both with my sword.

  “Where,” I snarl, rage burning fierce in my eyes.

  “The girl!” I bellow when they’re silent.

  “T-the Lord Chauntleroy’s tower!” one whimpers out in a simpering tone.

  These men are cowards—frail, week cowards. That said, this was no fight. This was a toppling. Chauntleroy’s sell-sword army of paid fighters that he’s bought in secret for his desire to conquer the highlands hasn’t arrived yet. And after Malcolm, Hamish, Callum, and Lachlan all sent ravens to that very army mentioning how united a front there was against Chauntleroy and what would happen if they set foot in the highlands ready for war, I very much doubt they’ll be seeing these shores anytime soon.

  Instead, we found a castle manned by untrained boys, drunk soldiers, and shocked guards. The idea that Chauntleroy thought he could make war on the entirety of the rest of the lords of this land is laughable, even if he was paying for an army. When we’d overrun the defenses in about four minutes, it was Erik who growled about having made deals with the other lords for their help, when it was easily apparent, we could have taken the whole castle ourselves. But these truces aren’t just about now. They’re about a future with us living on this land as neighbors to these men.

  I snarl at the simpering guards before whirling and bolting for the stairs. I take them two at a time, my hand clenched tight around the pommel of my sword. My blood is on fire with rage as I prepare to tear the man who stole my woman away from me in two. Three surprised guards put up a weak counter to me, but they all fall under my sword, my stride barely slowing as I storm higher and higher, towards where he’s got her.

  The door to the room at the top of Chauntleroy’s tower splinters under my wrath, metal hinges shrieking and wood shattering as the door goes tumbling inside in four pieces. I roar as I storm inside, and when my eyes lock on to the screeching Chauntleroy as he scurries away, grabbing Rhona with him, my teeth flash white in a snarl.

  “You!” I thunder, muscles clenched, and sword raised as I move towards him. But he grabs my love, making her scream as he wraps an arm around her neck. I catch the flash of steel, and I hiss as my eyes land on the small knife he’s got held to her ribs.

  “Another step, savage,” he spits at me, his eyes wild. “One more step and I bleed her out like a pig!”

  “It would be the last thing you do on this earth.”

  Chauntleroy swallows, paling, but he glares at me, his eyes twitching.

  “Are you ready to trade her life for mine, Norseman?”

  “Nay,” I growl. “But I am ready to separate your head from your body.”

  He pales again, but he grinds his jaw, eyes flashing at me.

  “Tor!” Rhona cries out, making my heart wince as I see Chauntleroy push that blade tighter against her.

  “You want your whore back, savage?!”

  “Take your fucking hands off of her,” I hiss through clenched teeth.

  “Take your men and ge
t out! And then I’ll let her go.”

  I shake my head. “No deal. Let go of her now, and I’ll make your death fast.”

  Chauntleroy’s eyes go wide with fear.

  “The alternative is I keep you for your friends, the other lords of these highlands, to do with you as they will. Me? I’m quite happy to just cut your head off. I hear they have more… interesting ideas for men they view as traitors to their country and kin. Ideas that involve burning oil and very nasty looking tools that I hear go in very uncomfortable places.”

  Chauntleroy shivers, freezing, his attention paused by my threat. It’s the only moment I need, and the last mistake he’ll ever make.

  I’ve seen thousands of battles and seen thousands of men react in the face of death or harm. The fighters will stay and fight, but Chauntleroy is no fighter. I rush him, and he instinctively shoves Rhona away from him as he turns to run.

  …He makes it two steps before my sword takes his head from his shoulders.

  I whirl, giving him not another thought before I rush to Rhona, scooping her in my arms and holding her tight. She gasps, peppering my face with kisses before I cup her jaw and sear my lips to hers, pouring every single ounce of my love for her into that kiss. She moans, kissing me wildly as I carry her out of the room, away from the carnage.

  “You came,” she murmurs into my lips.

  I grin, my eyes burning into hers. “I’ll always come for you, little bird. I’d have thought you’d know that by now.”

  She bites her lip, her eyes dancing with fire as she leans in to kiss me again.

  “Are… are the other lords here with you?”

  “Aye, they are.”

  Rhona’s brows shoot up, and I chuckle.

  “I wouldn’t say we’re friends, but for now at least, we aren’t going to be trying to kill each other.”

  “I suppose it was your charm that won them over?”

  I grin at her cheek, growlingly lowly as she giggles.

  “Keep it up, my little love, and I may just have to do something.”

  She blushes, her eyes flaming with excitement.

  “Like?”

  “Like tie you up and have my damn way with you,” I growl.

  Rhona flushes even redder, her eyes sparking as she rakes her teeth over her bottom lip.

  “Is that a promise?”

  “Absolutely,” I groan, leaning in. Our lips crush together, and everything else fades away. The battle, the sounds of trumpets announcing the surrender of the rest of Chauntleroy’s men.

  Because really, nothing else matters. Not battle, not treasure, not glory, not conquest. She’s my only treasure. My greatest battle. My final conquest.

  My heart.

  And there’s nothing I won’t do to keep her safe, and keep her in my arms, for the rest of my days.

  Epilogue

  Rhona

  When his cock sinks into me, I gasp, moaning in pleasure as my hand claws at his hip. Behind me, I can feel his hard body press against me, muscles clenching as he grips me tight and growls into my ear. His lips tease over my neck as he pushes forward, sliding more of his thickness into my tight, eager pussy as I cry out for more.

  I twist, turning my head over my shoulder to kiss him, moving into his lips as he starts to fuck me slow and deep, sending heat shuddering through me. My toes curl, feet clawing at the bed sheets as I arch my ass and thrust back to greedily take more of him inside.

  “Tor,” I gasp, shivering as I feel his thick, swollen cock drive in and out of me. My arousal drips down my thighs, coating me in slick heat as his gorgeous cock begins to thrust in and out. One of his hands slides up to cup my breasts, teasing my nipples and pulling on them just enough to make me cry out in pleasure.

  …This is without question my new favorite way to wake up.

  And it’s a perfect morning too, even aside from his gorgeous cock driving me wild. It’s the morning after our second wedding—this one more of a celebration than a ceremony, and one we could share with all of my friends as well. And if there was any oddness before with the highlanders and Tor’s people, it was soon forgotten. First, in the fact that they shared battle together in taking Chauntleroy’s castle. But if that wasn’t enough, there’s apparently something else that has the power to unite rough fighters from both the highlands and the north: drinking.

  And after a two-day celebration, not just of our marriage, but of the newly penned peace between Tor’s people and the people of the highlands, everyone is oddly close. Instead of enemies, now, they’re just two groups of figures—soldiers recognize soldiers, even if they’ve fought for different sides before.

  My friends were the best, taking my marriage to the man we were literally told scary stories about as children in stride. Their men did too, even Hamish, even if it took him a little longer to look at Tor as an ally, not an enemy. Which is fair. I mean my husband did attack his castle. But then, doing that led him to me, and led us here to our happy ever after.

  In the distance, I can vaguely hear the sounds of construction, and it makes me grin. Tor, the most feared, wild, untamed marauder of the seas, is truly settling down.

  …He’s building a castle.

  After our wedding, when his people settled down on the unclaimed land they’d found along the coast, one of the first thing’s Tor did was to take the massive fortune he’d amassed in years of plundering and give it away.

  …No, really.

  Though his friends protested at first, and I think I even saw Bjorn cry when they took the last of the treasure chests away, Tor gave every coin they’d taken back to those they’d taken from. And I can tell you, it went a very long way into making them a part of this land instead of being viewed as savages on the prowl for more victims. And don’t worry, Tor and his people could hardly cry poverty even after they’d given away all their plunder.

  …Not when they claimed the unimaginable wealth of Chauntleroy’s own vaults as their own.

  Most of my former fiancé’s lands were split up amongst his neighbors, with Lachlan and Callum taking most of it, as well as giving far better conditions and freedoms to the people who’d lived under him. Other parts of his land went to Tor, who immediately set about starting to turn it into farmland for his new little community of Norsemen. I know there was some trouble with his former king when he effectively quit his post, but Tor was quiet on the details. All he said was, we wouldn’t need to worry about reprisal, and his promise that the coasts of the highlands would be safe from attack from now on stayed.

  As for the castle? I mean how does a man who lived without a roof in tents and on boats decide to do that? Well, I think he put it best when he told me it was for our children, not us.

  “It’s for the future, little bird,” he’d told me. “It’s our legacy to leave for those we bring into this world.”

  Construction is going to take a few years, but Tor found a beautiful spot on a cliff overlooking the ocean, and his design is borrowed heavily from Hamish’s castle, Dungow.

  “What? He’s got a nice castle,” Tor grumbled when I giggled and pointed out the similarities.

  For now, we’re living exactly how I want to with him—in our tent, surrounded by nature. Yes, there’s also a much more permanent settlement going up quickly, including a manor house for us. And we do sleep there as well, it’s just that sleeping under the stars just feels better, especially wrapped in his arms.

  …Like this morning, for instance.

  Tor’s arms circle around me, enveloping me and holding me tight to his body as his hips begin to thrust harder, fucking me deeper. I writhe against him, moaning in pleasure as I feel him stretch my pussy tight, plunging in and out as my honey soaks us both. His heavy, swollen balls slap against me with every thrust, and when he slips a hand lower to roll my clit in maddeningly slow circles, I start to tremble.

  He groans, lifting one thigh up and plunging in, going even deeper now as I whimper in pleasure and thrust back against him. His teeth rake my neck, han
ds all over me, and his body thrusting against mine as he plunges his thick cock in and out of my tight pink wetness, over and over until I’m clawing at the sheets and tumbling towards that edge.

  “Come for me, little love,” he growls into my ear, fucking me harder, and faster—sinking his beautiful cock to the hilt inside of me as I cry out in pleasure.

  “Come for me and take my cum deep in your eager little cunt,” he purrs, making me shiver heatedly. “Let me feel your sweet little cunt squeeze my cock, Rhona. Let me feel you flood my balls with your sweetness.”

  I cry out, my body thrusting back against him wildly. There’s a savagery to him that comes out when we come together like this, and I love it. It’s like he’s barely holding back, barely in control. And knowing that it’s me that does that to him sends my body reeling in pleasure. His fingers roll over my clit, his cock plunging deep inside of me, and suddenly, I know I’m going to explode.

  “Tor—!”

  “Now, little love,” he grunts, his cock swelling so hard inside of me. “Let me feel you come. Let me feel your little cunt come for me.”

  He plunges in, his fingers pinch my clit, and when his teeth rake over the skin of my neck, my entire body spasms as I suddenly go shattering over the edge. I scream in pleasure, moaning wildly as I writhe and shudder against him, the climax blazing through me like fire. I can feel myself squeezing down around him, my pussy rippling up and down the length of his cock as I everything else shatters away.

  Tor roars, grabbing my hips and thrusting deep, grinding his thick, big cock as deep as he can before suddenly, I can feel him let go. Hot, thick jets of his cum spurt into me, flooding my soaked pussy with his seed as I cry out in pleasure. More and more of him fills me, leaking out and trickling down my thighs as he hisses, his powerful hands holding me tight as he fills me to the brim.