Valhalla Page 8

  I laughed softly and he jerked me back from him. His green eyes found me and they were wild. I’d never seen him this worked up before. "This isn’t funny! I’m going to lose you and I know it."

  I shook my head. "I’m not going anywhere. I love you."

  "Yet, you won’t accept my proposal."

  I let out a sigh. "Not this again, Gregory. I can’t marry you, they won’t allow it."

  "We’ve been together so long and you still won’t let me lift my magic from you so that we can conceive a child. You won’t marry me … you won’t make any commitment to me at all. How am I not supposed to be concerned?"

  I couldn’t tell him that I was already married. I’d never told him about Kerr, and he’d never asked. I think he suspected that there was someone dear to me once, but he wasn’t the type who demanded answers. This need for a commitment from me was new, but the more I thought about it, the more sense it made. We’d been together for four years, Valhalla time, and around eighty years on earth time.

  "Yes, Gregorios, I will marry you when we get to Italy."

  At first he looked shocked, and then he picked me up in his arms and swung me around. He stopped and looked into my eyes. "Children too?"

  The mere mention of having a child set me on the verge of tears. I looked away from him and he kissed the top of my head again. "We will wait until it’s safe for you. I don’t want you to suffer another loss."

  I looked up at him with questions in my eyes. He smiled at me softly and touched my chin as he spoke. "The first night we laid together, when you asked me to use my magic to keep you from conceiving, I felt the loss in your womb when my power swept through it. I’ve known that you lost two children since then."

  I started to cry. For the children I’d lost, for Gregory not feeling like he could share this with me, for my not sharing it with him, but most of all for Kerr. My love for him had never died and this opened old wounds. Gregory started to rock me back and forth. "I’m not asking you to forget him. I’m just asking you to give me a chance to make you as happy as he did, that’s all."

  I grabbed Gregory by his hand and pulled him behind me as I ran from my room. I ran across the field and down the lane to Alodie’s home. Gregory followed close behind me, but never asked what I was doing. I pounded on her door and waited for her to answer. She cracked the door open and it took me a minute to catch my breath.

  "I’m … I’m going to marry Gregorios," I said.

  She smiled and gave me a very smug look. "No, you’re not, my Queen."

  "What?"

  "You heard me. Bronte has nominated you for our Queen and now I’ve decided to second that nomination."

  My mouth fell open. She knew exactly what she did. She made it impossible for me to marry Gregory. If I was the official leader, the Queen of Valhalla, then I was only permitted to wed royalty, if I wed at all. The only royalty that was worthy of the Queen were Fey, creatures of magic, mostly faerie, and as far as I knew Gregorios didn’t fit the bill.

  Gregory put his hand on my shoulder. "Accept her offer, Valerie. I understand that you can’t marry me."

  I shook my head. "No, we’ll marry before it’s official and she’ll have no choice but to accept you as my husband."

  Alodie laughed. "Oh, I’m sorry, but it’s official as of now. Consider yourself warned. The anointing ceremony will take place one week from today. Unless you can prove he’s fey, if not you’ll have to find another suitor."

  I spun around and snatched Gregorios’ hand. He tried to stop me and talk to me, but I wouldn’t listen to him. I rushed back to my room and grabbed my dress. I threw his clothing at him and stormed around the room. He caught me by my waist and tossed me on the bed. I looked up with wild eyes and realized that this was the only option I’d left him with to get my attention.

  His green eyes blazed and his jaw was tight. "Stop, and listen to me! I love you regardless of what they say, and I’ll keep on loving you. They can’t stop that … they can’t stop me from loving you, Valerie."

  I looked at the bags on the floor and back at Gregory. I’d let one man slip through my fingers. I wouldn’t let another. Alodie could keep her rules, and I would keep Gregory.

  "Let’s do it, let’s get married anyway." I spoke softly, afraid that Alodie would somehow hear me.

  His mouth came down on mine. I drank in his tongue, and pulled his body closer to me. I ran my hands up his back and wanted more than anything to have him inside me, but I knew that time was of the essence so I pulled back from him. He stood slowly and brought me with him. He was so sweet and helped me into my dress. Beau appeared in the doorway and it took me a minute to recognize him. I’d seen him dress as a pirate, and a Viking before, but I’d never seen him like this. I laughed a little and Gregory turned to see him standing there.

  Beau rolled his eyes. "Just wait, it’ll take you four days to figure the damn clothes out."

  Gregory snapped his fingers and he was dressed and ready. I was even impressed with that one. I’d never seen anything like it from him before. It shouldn’t have caught me off guard. His powers seemed to grow by the minute. I was pretty sure that he was now more powerful than even me. I looked up at Beau and then at Gregory. "Just so you know … I’m planning on disobeying Alodie on our little trip."

  Beau laughed. "So, how is this different than any other time you leave?"

  We all laughed as we headed towards the waterfalls.

  Chapter 18

  "Mi sono divertito moloto." The older man said more to Gregory and Beau than me, and I was the only one who could understand him. He walked down the hall, and we followed close behind.

  Gregory leaned over and took my arm in his. "What did he just say to us?"

  I smiled. "He said to make yourself comfortable."

  "Good, for a minute there I was worried that he’d tried to proposition me again."

  I watched as il singor Biordo walked us to our rooms. Gregory was right to be concerned, Mr. Biordo had already tried to seduce him and Beau several times since we had arrived. I knew then why he ran an inn. He liked men and what better way to meet them than to offer rooms to them? He’d taken a particular interest in Gregory. I was sure that it was because he was more boyish than Beau. Gregory’s face was smooth and void of any signs of facial hair. His chest was the same way. Beau on the other hand had a five o’clock shadow by eleven in the morning. Apparently, this wasn’t exactly what Mr. Birodo was into, but he’d take it. He turned and winked at the men as he motioned to our rooms.

  Gregory laced his hand in mine. I smiled and shook my head lightly—adjusted myself to hear in English, not Italian, and smiled. It was another extension of my gift, like a built in translator. I could speak to Mr. Birodo and he would hear his language, Beau and Gregory would hear English.

  Mr. Birodo looked at Gregory holding my hand and looked displeased. I smiled and patted Gregory’s hand. "Mio martio … my husband." It wasn’t the complete truth, but close. I did plan on marrying him soon.

  Every time I thought of marriage, I thought of Kerr. It made my chest tight to think of him being changed into a vampire. I spent the first year without him wondering every day that I woke, if this was the day that he walked into the sunlight. I thought for sure that I’d feel it when he died—when he gave up and let the light of day take him. But I never did. Maybe I wasn’t as close to Kerr as I had thought.

  Gregory pulled me to him and kissed my painted cheek. He led me into our room and nodded at Beau as he entered his own room. I looked around at the lavish furnishings and laughed as Gregory tossed his wig aside and stripped off his clothes. I leaned over and saw that Mr. Birodo had not yet left the doorway and most likely would not if he believed he would get to see Gregory naked.

  "We have company," I said to Gregory as he lifted me in the air.

  He didn’t bother to turn around. "Let him watch, I need you now, Valerie, this can’t wait. My loins are on fire, and I need you now!"

  I ran my hand down the leng
th of him and found what I was looking for, him hard. I smiled and pulled his lip with my teeth. "Mmm, you’re right, this can’t wait." He lifted me higher and I looked over his shoulder at Mr. Birodo. "Thank you, and good night."

  Mr. Birodo licked his lips a little as he closed the door. I was betting that he would be peeking in shortly, but I didn’t think Gregory cared. I know I didn’t. I ran my fingers through Gregory’s hair, untwisting it from the tie that now held it back. I let the silky strands fall loose around me. I was surrounded in a blanket of blonde and I loved every minute of it. I never tired of him. His mouth came down on mine and his hands worked their way up and under my dress.

  "Wait," I said, wanting us to be as safe as possible. His hand touched my stomach and he knew what I wanted him to do, but he didn’t look like he was happy about it. "I can’t risk this now, we have too many enemies."

  Gregory nodded and kissed my cheeks lightly. "The second that you’re ready, you’ll tell me, right?"

  "Of course I will! I want a family with you."

  "I’ll settle for practicing now," he said, his voice low with an edge of humor in it.

  Chapter 19

  "Stephan, wait, we mean you no harm!" I cried out as I ran down the alley after the potential we’d come in search of. He was fast for a mortal, I’d give him that. According to the information we had on him, he had the ability to move things with his mind. I think we may have underestimated him a bit. He’d already sent a cart full of bread pummeling into Beau and when Gregory tried to use magic to stop him, he deflected it back at him.

  I’d fallen behind a little, making sure that my men were okay, but gained fast on Stephan now. He was one of many potentials that I’d gone in search of over the years that misunderstood our intent, and thought that we were the devil come to take their souls to hell. Stephan would most likely end up there if he didn’t stop running from me and let me help him. I sensed some serious negative energy around us, and my money was on demons. They always seemed to be one step ahead of us, and I got sick and tired of it.

  I caught sight of Stephan’s skinny little body turning down another alley. I thought he was part cat, the way he landed on all fours with every twist and turn he took. I seriously regretted my decision to wear authentic clothing to search in each era. My boots weren’t made for running, and my arms hurt from holding up all of the excess material that my costume had. I’d fallen over it twice already and didn’t want to do it again.

  I hit the corner and turned fast. I stopped dead in my tracks and couldn’t believe what my eyes were seeing. Stephan’s back was to me, and his feet were at least a foot and a half off the ground. He was being turned by the vampire that now held him captive.

  I ran towards Stephan and tried to rip his body free of the vamp. The vampire tore its mouth away from Stephan’s neck and hissed at me. Its twisted face held eyes of black and fangs that would send any man running. I was normally a little put off when a vamp showed me its true form, but there was something about this one, something familiar. Its long, dark red hair hung in silky waves to his mid-back. I looked harder at it and saw a tiny white scar on his chin, the one I’d learned to love so many years ago.

  "Kerr?"

  I said his name as he dropped Stephan and grabbed me. I had the power to destroy vampires, but I couldn’t use it against Kerr. I reached out to touch his face and he threw my body to the ground. I cried out as his six foot five frame fell on me. He pinned my body down and struck my exposed neck with his mouth. Corbin’s bite still had odd effects on me, and now with Kerr pulling blood from me, I could feel his cool, static-like energy pushing through me. I tried to pry his face from me, but he wouldn’t budge, he grabbed my wrists and pinned my arms back as he continued to feed from me.

  I could feel my body growing cold. I tried to focus on anything that would help me bring my Kerr back to me, but for every bit of blood he drew from me, he clouded my mind.

  I thought of Gregory and screamed out as the image of his face dissolved away. I tried to concentrate on what had just upset me, but I came up with nothing. I had no memories and I knew that I should. I couldn’t think clearly, and there was something, someone on me. I felt the pain in my neck and hit at the creature on me. It pulled its head back. Its mouth oozed blood. I tried to keep my eyes open long enough to see what the monster was going to do next, but I was so tired. The last thing I heard was the creature saying, "Linnea?"

  Chapter 20

  I felt like I swam in a sea of nothingness. I reached my arms out, but there was nothing, no one there to grab onto. I didn’t fall—so much as I glided downwards. All I knew was that it was cold, so very cold. I called out, hoping that someone would hear me. My body fell faster now, and the pit of my stomach hollowed as I plunged into the black abyss.

  I screamed out and opened my eyes. My mouth tasted like copper. I turned my head to the side and looked at my surroundings. The off white room was beautiful. I’d never seen such a sight. It seemed to go on forever. I sat up slowly, drawing the sheets up to cover my naked body. My hand brushed over something cool and I turned to see a man lying next to me. I touched his dark blue jacket lightly and his eyes opened. They were as blue as his coat and took my breath away. He moved towards me and his long red hair fell forward.

  "Linnea?"

  I pulled the covers up higher and moved away from him. "Where am I?"

  "You’re safe, lass. I’m so sorry. I did not know it was you." He said, as he reached his hand to touch me. I jerked my leg away from him.

  "Who are you?" I asked, unsure why this man was here with me, and why he kept calling me Linnea. I had a name. I just couldn’t seem to remember what it was.

  The man sat up and I saw for the first time how big he was. He was well over six feet tall and seemed to be solid muscle. He put his hand out to me and I screamed.

  "No, Linnea … it’s me, Kerr."

  I shook my head and tried to pull the cover out from under him so that I could stand. "Don’t touch me!"

  "What’s wrong? Do you not know me, Linnea?"

  "Who is Linnea? And, no, I don’t know you." I spit the words at him, but even as I said them, they didn’t feel true. My hand went to my lower stomach and I found myself rubbing it lightly, and thinking of this man Kerr.

  He noticed me doing this too, and he smiled. "Yer startin’ to remember," he said his voice thick with a Scottish accent.

  "Remember what?"

  "That is what I would like to know." I heard a man’s voice say.

  I turned my head and found a brown-haired man standing there. His light grey eyes found me and he smiled. "Hello, Linnea, it is nice to finally meet you."

  I didn’t say anything as he walked towards me. He was shorter than the man next to me, but still taller than me. His feet never touched the floor, yet he moved. I pulled back and closer to Kerr.

  Kerr put his hand on my shoulder and I stiffened up. I wasn’t sure if I should be afraid of him or hiding behind him. Kerr leaned his face up and exhaled deeply. I got the feeling that he wasn’t happy to see our new visitor. "Valentino, what brings you here?"

  "Oh, Kerr, I think you know why I’m here. I have come to sample the newest arrival. We in the vampire community have been waiting a long time for her to come. There has been much talk of her since," he put a finger to his chin and looked past me at Kerr, "shortly before you became one of us. Hmm, coincidental, don’t you think?"

  Valentino came to a stop next to the bed. He laid his pale hand on the sheet and pulled it slowly. I grabbed hold of it to keep it close to me. Kerr sat up and pulled my body towards him. Valentino’s face changed. He smiled and looked at Kerr. "What is it about this one that has you so fired up?" He pulled the sheet more and my left breast came uncovered. "Ah, I can see why you like her so very much. Is she as good in bed as she looks?"

  Kerr growled and pushed past me. Valentino laughed as he backed up. He reached his hand out to me and I felt compelled to take it. His hand was icy cold, but mine wasn’t m
uch warmer. I found myself moving to my knees and willed myself to stop. Kerr’s large hands grabbed my waist and pulled me back to him. Having his hands on my bare skin broke the hold that Valentino seemed to have over me.

  Valentino threw his hand out and Kerr cried out. I turned and found that Kerr’s face was slit open. The cut started just under his right eye and went to his chin. I could see his jawbone and instantly I grabbed hold of him to apply pressure to his wound. The harder I looked into his blue eyes, the more I wanted to be close to him. My hands held his face closed and his blood ran through my fingers. I leaned forward and licked the trail of blood from the back of my hand and let it slide down my throat. When I got to his cheek, I licked along the edges of his fresh wound and let my eyes flutter closed. He tasted so good. Each and every drop of his blood held power--magic. His arms locked around my body and I worked my tongue in deeper, licking the edges of his raw bone. Heat flared between us, and I pulled back. Kerr’s face began to heal, slowly at first, and then faster. He reached his hand up and ran it over his smooth skin.

  "How?" Valentino asked from behind me.

  I wasn’t sure what had happened or why I’d felt compelled to taste Kerr’s blood, but I knew one thing, my stomach was full, and now I wanted something more, I wanted sex. I pressed my naked body against Kerr and went for his mouth. There was a sharp pain across my back, like someone had just struck me with a whip, followed closely by another. I spun my head around and found Valentino glaring at me.

  "You will obey me, you are mine. I sired you! That thing that you cling to could not bring himself to make you one of us once he’d already drained you of your blood. He fought the good fight to leave you dead, but I have had my eye on you for some time, Linnea, and now you are mine."

  I looked down at my back and saw that he’d slit it open in much the same fashion that he’d done Kerr’s face in. I should have been scared, but I wasn’t. I smiled and watched as my skin pulled back together. There wasn’t so much as a drop of blood left on my pale white skin.