Vikings' Brides Box Set

by Jessica Knight

  Sure, in the beginning she and I bumped heads because we were trying so hard to stay true to our families, but the more time that went by, the harder it became. It’s easy to just be with her than to fight this need, this all-consuming infatuation that gravitated me toward her. Every moment I didn’t give in was suffocating.

  Footsteps bouncing off the tunnel chambers have me getting up and running forward. It’s Wulf. Praise the goddess, I hope he gets me out of here. He stops in front of my cell and unclips the key ring on his hip. “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” he mumbles. “I’m going to get thrown in here next.”

  “Wulf, no!” My hand shoots forward and grabs a hold of his before he can insert the key. “If Lord Grimkael finds out you let me go, he will throw you in here. I do not have a wife. I do not have children that need me. Don’t you dare.”

  “It’s been weeks, Trident. She is going to think you aren’t coming.”

  “Good,” my mother chimes in from the cell next to me.

  Wulf lips curl. “Hush, woman. No one is talking to you.”

  “I never liked you,” my mother sneers.

  “I do not care what you like or dislike.” Wulf shrugs, his hand gripping the handle of his sword.

  I lower my voice so the two eavesdroppers can’t hear what I’m saying. “Why won’t he let me go get her? I don’t understand. What’s happening out there?”

  Wulf unlocks the cell, and the hinges groan when the door swings open. “Walk with me, and after, if you truly wish to go back in the cell, I will put you further away from your parents.”

  “Right,” I drawl out the word with uncertainty. A thin layer of water is always on the ground from the constant trickle of water. My boots splash through it, but I pay it no mind. We walk in silence until we get far enough away, and Wulf looks left and right, sceptical of if anyone is in hearing distance.

  He places his hand on my shoulder and bends his head down, since he towers over me. “He doesn’t want them to expect anything. Lord Grimkael figured Aland would try and attack. A few of his men have trickled through, and we have killed them, but no sign of Aland. And honestly, Lord Grimkael thinks that if you go, you’ll think with your emotions and get yourself killed. Us warriors are useless when we love someone, I’m telling you.” His shoulders bounce as he laughs.

  “He wants us to all go together, but too many warriors are down right now. Leiva and Alaric are doing the best they can, but some of the injuries are extensive. We simply do not have the numbers for a battle.”

  “There’s no need to risk everyone for me. That’s stupid. Let me go.”

  “For once I agree with you and not Lord Grimkael.”

  “Don’t let him hear you say that, Wulf,” I tease, knowing Lord Grimkael would find a way to say something to make us believe he knows best.

  “I have Snow waiting for you, saddled and ready to go in the woods by the river.”

  “Snow?” That crazy beast. “What of Hank?” I’d prefer to ride a horse that doesn’t have a mind of her own.

  “Harlot is pregnant.”

  “Hank, that dog.” I’m not surprised. They have been in love for a while now. “Snow will have to do, I suppose. I have to say, I’ve never met a horse with such an independent mind.”

  “Trident, I need to know if you are sure you can handle this? I can come with you but be honest. Don’t let your pride get in the way. I’ll be there for you. You’re my brother.”

  I grip his neck with my hand and lay my forehead against his. “Aye, I know. I can do this. I promise. Do me a favor, though?”

  “Anything,” he confirms.

  “If something happens to me, promise me you will get Sylvie out of there. She deserves a better life than the one her parents have planned.”

  “Nothing will happen to you.”

  “Wulf, if something does, promise me. On our blood.”

  He intakes a sharp breath. From what I can see of his eyes, because it is so dark, the whites are showing.

  “Aye.” The word is spoken with emotion.

  He drags his sword from its scabbard. He places it against his palm and slices the skin. A normal man would wince, but not Wulf. This is nothing. He hands over the sword, blood dripping down the blade.

  “With our blood, you swear to uphold your promise. You swear to not let the blood sour with a lie. Your blood. My blood. We are brothers. And we swear to the goddess to stay true.” I cut my palm and hold my hand out. The slight flow of blood trickles down, dripping onto the filthy ground, mixing with the mud, dirt, and water. Wulf slaps his hand in mine, and we squeeze as hard as we can to get as much blood as possible out of the cuts.

  “You’re a damn fool,” he says, his voice deeper than usual.

  Wulf isn’t the kind of man to get emotional, but he is right now. It’s an emotional thing to do, to share your blood with someone else. To make a promise to the goddess is extreme, but I know I can always count on Wulf to follow through. If I die, Sylvie will be safe.

  “So I’ve heard.”

  I rip my hand away. The slight sting doesn’t bother me. Our hands are red, soaked with one another’s life essence. I tear a piece of cloth from my shirt and wrap it around my palm, tying it off with my teeth.

  “Hit me.” He squares his shoulders and widens his stance.

  “What? Why would I do that?” I start going into the direction where the tunnels meet the sun.

  “So I don’t get thrown in that cell with your mad parents. I’ll say you attacked me when I brought you water and made me vow to the goddess.”

  “I thought you were a warrior. You can’t handle two old coots?”

  “Hell no. I’m not going to be responsible for killing your parents.”

  “Fair enough,” I say, and ball my fist. “You’re sure? You’re a big man. You’re going to fall hard.”

  “Aye, fuck off. I’m not going to fall. I’m a better man than that. Come on, hit me.” He squats down a bit, lifts his chin, and closes his eyes.

  I don’t give him any warning. I pull my fist back and let it fly. My knuckles fly across his face, slamming against his cheek. On a regular day, I would never hit him. The man could take me down in no time, but since he asked, I can’t say no. My hand screams at me from how hard his face is. I shake it to get feeling back into it, and Wulf is still standing in the same position, his cheek barely red.

  “My wife hits harder than that,” he grunts, rubbing the quickly swelling spot on his cheek.

  “Aye? Have her hit you then, since you like it so much.”

  “Go on.” He juts his chin out. “I’ll stop them for as long as I can.”

  “Thank you, brother. I’ll be back soon.”

  “You better come back. Alive. You hear me?”

  I back away, disappearing into the dark without answering him. I’m not sure what is going to happen when I leave. All I know is I have to risk my life if I want to see Sylvie again. And I can’t make a promise to Wulf that I know I can’t keep.

  I run by my parents, inhaling the damp air and the vibrations of their shouts. I don’t bother stopping and saying anything to them. I’ve said all I’ve needed to say.

  I take a sharp left instead of going straight and enter another tunnel that comes out closer to the forest. My boots resound against the archways as I run, and my arms pump. A chirp reverberates around me. A breeze of something flying by causes my heart to pump a little harder. I always heard there were bats down here, but I’ve never come across them before.

  It’s creepy.

  I finally see the tiniest patch of sunlight, and hope blooms through my chest. I stumble when my feet hit the ground, and my palms scratch against the blades of grass and pebbles. I don’t let it stop me. I can’t. There’s no time. If I hesitate, someone could see me and follow me, and that’s a risk I’m not willing to take.

  I slip every few steps when I get into the woods. The ground is slicker, muddier, and it’s cooler. My lungs burn form the cold air but sweat still drips
down my temples.

  I reach the river, the water rushing furiously. The boulders in the middle disrupt the flow. I don’t see Snow, so I follow the river to the left, hoping I made the correct turn. Branches scrape against my arms, and a few leaves slap me in the face. I stomp through the forest until the tree Lady Sassa and Lord Grimkael carved their names into comes to view. And Snow is attached to it, flicking her tail like she’s bored, a hoof tilted up and lazy.

  I smile. “Thank goddess. Snow, you ready?”

  She turns her neck and looks at me, blinking unphased when she sees me.

  “Well, it isn’t that great to see you either,” I mumble, hoping on to her back. She neighs and throw her head back, nearly hitting my face with her snout. She apparently disagrees with my statement. “Alright, we can fight later. Go to the border. We must get our girl back.”

  She neighs again. I unwrap the reins from the tree just in time before she bolts, jumping over the river. I really hate it when she jumps.

  This time we make it. Her back hooves slip on the riverbank, and I hunch forward as she digs her front legs harder into the ground. I jostle on the saddle a bit as she tries to get her footing. When she does, she takes off, uncaring about the amount of trees she is going through that hit me in the face.

  And we ride into the darkness.

  Chapter Thirty

  Sylvie

  The warrior with the clouded eye sits in the chair drinking a pint of mead. He watches me. Not saying a word, just sipping on his beverage. He is repulsive. I’ve seen him around before. He is as unattractive as he is rude, and nothing about him is appealing to me.

  “You are a troublemaker, aren’t you?” he slurs, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand.

  I rip off a piece of bread with my teeth and spit it at him, the chunk hitting the iron bars.

  He growls and rubs his hand over his crotch. “Such a naughty girl. I could teach you how to be a lady, you know. Your father wouldn’t have anything to worry about if you were with me. I’d straighten you out. You’d be a good little bitch for me, wouldn’t you?”

  “I’d kill myself before having one of your tainted fingers touch me,” I seethe. My father must truly think so little of me to have this man watch over me. He is a rotten scoundrel. A worthless piece of human flesh that doesn’t deserve to breathe air, yet here he is, drinking my father’s expensive mead and eating his expensive food, watching me like I’m his next conquest.

  Just the idea makes me want to throw up the dinner I just had. Really, it’s in my throat.

  “I wouldn’t let you kill yourself. You’re too pretty to go to waste like that, sweetheart.”

  “I’m not your sweetheart. Will never be your sweetheart. Will never want to be your sweetheart.”

  He taps his temple. “You are, in here. And let me tell you, not only are you sweet, but you’re fucking filthy.”

  “Don’t talk to me like that.” I hit the bar with my palm, nearly breaking my wrist. “You don’t have the privilege to think of me like that.”

  “Because another man gets to think of you like that? I bet you gave it up to him, that virgin pussy. It’s a shame.”

  He reaches through the bars to touch my face, but I fall backwards, right on my butt. I crawl backward just in time before his filthy fingers touch me. He gives me a wicked, smug smile showing his yellow teeth that are black near the gums. “You’ll like me sooner or later. I’m going to convince your father to give me a chance.”

  “You’re too poor for him to even consider such a blasphemous idea.” If there is one thing I can count on, it’s my father keeping his standards, so our family is taken care of.

  He brings his lips to the rim of the goblet and pouts when he finds it’s empty. He slumps against the door and taps his nail against the metal. Ting, ting, ting. His nails are freakishly long. It’s disgusting.

  “You’d like me eventually,” his mutters while his eyes flutter shut. Soft snores come from him a second after.

  I inch forward and poke him with my finger. He doesn’t move. The keys to the door are hooked on his belt, right next to his privates. I reach through the bars and stop when he readjusts himself. I try again, and the iron key brushes against my fingertips.

  “Come on,” I grunt, my shoulder screaming in pain. It’s squeezed tight by the bars, and I’m stretching so far it almost feels like it will fall off. I flick the key and grab it between my middle finger and index.

  “Yes, yes!” I celebrate.

  Until his hand wraps around my wrist. “And what the hell do you think you’re doing?”

  I hold my breath and lift my eyes from the keys to meet his hard glare. His clouded eye makes me gulp, and his other brown one is dark and sinister. I do the only thing I can think of, I wrap my hand around his wrist and yank him hard, smacking his head against the door. His head slams the metal bars unforgivingly. His neck snaps back, and the man falls forward, his cheek catching on the side of the bar. It only makes him uglier. The skin stretches, bunching up to his eye and showing the teeth in the back of his mouth… that he is missing.

  I yank the ring off his belt and stare at them for a second and jump to my feet with joy. “Yes! Oh my goddess, I got them.”

  I fumble with the key ring, my hands trembling with hope and excitement. Oh, I must get going. I slither my arm through the bars again and unlock it. The sorry excuse for a warrior falls over, and I step over him, look into the empty cell, and drag him inside.

  And then lock him in. I tuck the keys in my dress and go out through the small door my father placed down here for a way to escape if the castle was ever under attack. I run and toss the keys to the dungeon into the grass, hoping they are lost forever, and make my way to the border line through the woods that Aya and I usually take.

  I’m coming Trident. I’m coming for you.

  I jump over a few trees and land in a huge puddle. The water is freezing, but I keep myself under control. I must escape. I must find my way to Trident.

  I wade through the murky water. My teeth chatter since half of my body is emerged in the cold, and when I finally make my way out, my skirt is so heavy with water that I can’t run. I try and wring most of it out, but it’s pointless. The sun is starting to set, and the night is getting cooler. I may just die out here tonight, wet and cold.

  Even with the fire I know how to make now, thanks to Trident, I don’t know if it will be enough. I keep walking until my feet hurt and tears prickle my eyes. I’m so tired. I reach for the closest twigs and grass and make a small fire. Hoping I wake up not frozen to death.

  “Sylvie? Darling?”

  I grin. My dream is bringing me Trident. I’ve missed him so much.

  “Sylvie? Wake up. Come on, let me see those green eyes that I’ve missed so much.”

  I settle into a deep sleep, happy and warm that I can finally dream of Trident. He may not be here to rescue me, but that is okay. I will have him in my dreams.

  Now all I must do is drift away into sleep. Drift away, like I am on the sea, heading to our secret island.

  Just drift away…

  “Darling, come on!”

  I feel something. Not a dream. I feel his soft lips land on mine.

  I open my eyes to see Trident staring at me. His face is smudged with dirt, but his eyes are vibrant when he sees mine open.

  “Trident? You’re here. You’re real?” I mumble, reaching my hand toward his face. His beard is rough against my palm, and my fingers trace the curve of his lips. “You’re here.”

  “I’m here, my love. I’ve missed you.” He yanks me to his chest in a tight hug. I can’t stop the heavy, gasping sobs that leave me.

  “You’re here,” I wail. “You’re really here.” I inhale his scent. He smells of the woods after a storm. I can’t get enough. “I thought I’d never see you again. I waited and waited. I knew you’d come for me, but I got to escape and—”

  He silences me with his lips, giving me a long kiss. “Shh, I know. I’m sorry, I
’m so sorry, darling. I tried to come for you sooner, but I got caught and thrown in the dungeon. Wulf let me out. I came as soon as I could. Lord Grimkael wanted to take your father by surprise, so that’s why so much time went by,” he says in one breath.

  “Breathe, Trident. We are together now. I’m just so glad you’re here. I thought I’d die trying to get to you.”

  He wipes my tears away and kisses each side of my cheek. “Just kiss me,” he says, taking my mouth again, but this time, it’s hot and life-changing. There’s no gentle touch, no slow caress, it’s jerky, sloppy, teeth-clattering kisses. I moan into his mouth, tasting his tongue against mine. His hand slides to the back of my head, and he pulls me closer.

  A part of me is still half-asleep. I’m not sure if this is real and right when I think I’m about to slip back into the dream, Trident wraps his arms around me and throws his fur around me to keep me warm

  “I’ve missed you so much. Worst days of my life not being with you,” his lips mutter against mine. He kisses his way down my throat, nibbling my collarbone, and then kisses back up my neck again.

  I kiss him too. I cannot believe he is here. He found me. We will be safe.

  He rubs his fingers over every inch of me, every touch leaving trails of sparking fire. Warming me up, even as the cold deepens around us. I want to give myself to him, wholly and completely.

  “Trident,” I gasp. “I need you.”

  His dark eyes bore into mine. “Are you sure, my love? You have been through—”

  “Do not make me wait any longer!” I cry. “Make love to me.”

  He lowers his hands to pull up my skirt and slides down his own pants. One hand grips my hips and the other goes down to his own throbbing, hard cock. Goddess, how I’ve missed it. How I’ve missed him.

  Slowly, with care and concern, he lies me on the ground and peppers me with kisses once again, stoking the fire within me hotter and hotter even as I am warmed by the fire next to us. He steals a finger between my legs, dipping one, then two, into my warm, aching pussy. I moan with lust and need.