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- Herausgeber: Elizabette Remon
- Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
- Sprache: Englisch
Immortality is never ending and unforgiving when you’re all alone… Vex is a Freyodin Warrior sworn to protect mortals from the evils of the world. He’s bitter and angry since he lost his love several years ago, but pushes through to do the job he pledged to do when he became immortal. With his deadly daggers, he duals out punishment as fierce as the pain that slices his own heart. Rebecca is a linguist at the nearby university working on translating an ancient scroll and solving a riddle that could change the course of history as well as the future as we know it. She stumbles into trouble that requires someone rescue and protect her. Hiding her away from the danger that seeks to destroy her. And she is Vex’s lost love. Lost because of her humanity. It’s an assignment he doesn’t want, but can’t trust to anyone else. Will Vex be able to save her from their enemies and from himself or will she be lost to him once again? Timeless Love is about 100,000 words, and the second book in a series of paranormal romance novels, following the Freyodin Warriors and the mortals that love them. If you’re looking for stories that contain love, lust, epic battles, fierce warriors and the enemies who taunt them, you’ve found the right read! These books can be read standalone or in the series order. No cliffhangers and every book contains a guaranteed HEA!
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Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2016
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Elizabette Remon
Timeless Love
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Upcoming Release
TIMELESS
LOVE
A NOVEL OF THE FREYODIN WARRIORS
ELIZABETTE REMON
Copyright Information
Love’s Betrayal
Elizabeth Emmons
Copyright 2016 Elizabeth Emmons
Published by HEA Scribe, LLC
Smashwords Edition
Cover Art by Elizabeth Emmons; AdobeStock_61579063
eBooks are not transferrable. They cannot be sold, shared or given away as it is an infringement on the copyright of these works.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Warning: Adult Reading Material
This story, while purely fictional,
is meant for adults and contains explicit
material including sex and violence.
It is not suitable for persons
under the age of 18.
Readers, please be advised.
Immortality is never ending and unforgiving when you’re all alone…
Vex is a Freyodin Warrior sworn to protect mortals from the evils of the world. He’s bitter and angry since he lost his love several years ago, but pushes through to do the job he pledged to do when he became immortal. With his deadly daggers, he duals out punishment as fierce as the pain that slices his own heart.
Rebecca is linguist at the nearby university working on translating an ancient scroll and solving a riddle that could change the course of history as well as the future as we know it. She stubbles into trouble that requires someone rescue and protect her. Hiding her away from the danger that seeks to destroy her. And she is Vex’s lost love. Lost because of her humanity.
It’s an assignment he doesn’t want, but can’t trust to anyone else. Will Vex be able to save her from their enemies and from himself or will she be lost to him once again?
Dedication
To our fathers. May you rest in peace and love.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
About The Author
Upcoming Release
They are guardian angels in a paranormal army who battle demons. Demons that have succeeded in crossing over into the mortal realm. Their crusade is endless, therefore they are immortal. Not heavenly saints or divine angels, by far. They are warriors. Freyodin Warriors. Chosen by the Gods Odin and Freya for their extraordinary honor, bravery and supreme sacrifice to their individual causes for the good of their own people. Now, they fight side by side for the good of all mankind…
Chapter One
CHAPTER ONE
Ten years earlier…
It was the hardest goddamn thing he’d ever had to do.
His gut clenched and he felt as if someone was ripping out his heart from his chest cavity with a million red hot pokers as he softly closed the door for the final time and began to force his feet to trudge down the cement walkway.The pressure encompassing his head would surely explode at any moment and his vision blurred, making it impossible to decipher the jagged cracks on the pavement below. The brilliant early morning sky above him resembled a kaleidoscope bursting upon the horizon, but all he could see was the gloomy grays burrowing his feet. Oh Goddess, why did it have to hurt so much? Why did he have to feel so much? He hadn’t intended for this to happen, hadn’t planned it. But it did. Like it was preordained, predestined or something utterly unavoidable. He wished he’d had Zahara’s gifts of sight and visions to forewarn him of this insufferable mistake. He’d gladly go back and undo it all to stop this torture he alone must bear.
Wait! No! That’s not right. Never.
Never would he forget, nor would he regret. This was his path to travel and it had been so blessedly sweet while it lasted. Somehow, he’d try to remember the happier moments when it became too hard to deal. Like now. He’d have to find a way to separate the pain from the memories. Somehow.
He attempted that now as his thoughts drifted to last night…
*****
It took everything he had within him to hold his emotions in check. This was their last night together and she couldn’t know it. If all went well, he’d keep it together long enough to use his gift of enthrallment to carefully extract all memory of him and their time together from her mind. He had to do it. It was the only way he could think to spare her the pain. She deserved a better life. Although letting her go would hurt worse than the pain of a thousand scorpion strikes upon his flesh, he knew it was the right thing to do. For her sake.
Thunder was right. His leader had commanded him to end the relationship.The relationship that should not have gotten as far as it did, especially in such a short time span. The Warriors could dabble in sexual adventure with mortals but lasting relationships were forbidden. It was too great a threat to their secret existence.
Even though she was incredibly mature for her age, in reality she was only eighteen years of age. She was finishing her first year at college and her life had just begun. He was no match for her. Only through the grace of the Gods was he living out his second existence as a Freyodin Warrior. A life she knew naught and could never be a part of.
But knowing this hadn’t kept him from falling in love with her. Falling hard and fast. And now he must end it. But he would make love to her…one last time. That is what he must think on for now.
“Rebecca,” he murmured against the soft shell of her ear while running his strong hands up and down the length of her long, slender legs. He continued his slow exploration of her body as they lay naked together, memorizing every curve, bend and dip of her. Just as he would take her memories away, he wanted his memories to last until his last breath.
Rebecca’s passion heightened almost to the point of madness. “Ben, stop teasing me,” she begged. She was the only person he allowed to call him by his given name. The name he answered to when he was mortal. “Please.” Her plea was a warm rasping whisper across his skin as she nuzzled into the crook of his neck.
“In due time, my love. We have all night.”
“No, Ben. I need you now.” She writhed against him trying to find purchase and force him to cease his gentle ministrations, to touch her where she needed him most. She wanted his rough hands on her, in her. His mouth doing all the things she so loved that sent her soaring to the clouds.
“And you have me now,” he teased with a slight laugh, refusing her request. He continued with his light strokes up and down the sides of her ribs, barely brushing the underside of her breasts.
“Stop mocking me.” She playfully swatted on his powerfully muscular chest then ran her hand down his perfect stomach. His torso was hard as granite and she bit her bottom lip to stop from moaning as she reached her hand lower, taking a firm grasp of his cock. Also granite hard.
He growled against her throat as he involuntarily thrust up into her hand. Only she could ring such intense reactions out of him so easily. “You’re not playing fair, love. But two can play that game,” he warned. Then he bit down on her tender flesh where her neck and shoulder met with just the right amount of teeth and pressure. Just enough pleasure and pain that he knew would make her squirm with need even more. He knew all of her erogenous zones intimately and planned to draw them out.
Tonight, he would explore, savor and commit to memory every part of her, every sound, sigh, cry or pant that emitted from her lips, the way she moved above and beneath him, how she felt as her silky core surrounded him, the feel of her hands and lips on his eager body, the look of rapture on her face as she came apart in his arms. He wanted everything emblazoned in his mind so that he might recall it on the long lonely nights ahead of him.
He gave her what she wanted, entering her core in maddeningly measured increments. He made love to her languidly, tenderly, passionately. Long lingering kisses, slow deliberate strokes inside of her, building her desire unhurriedly to a fever pitch that caused her to beg for relief. When she could finally take no more, he plunged harder, faster, and rose himself above her to view her beautiful face as she reached her peak, crying out his name. The feel of her inner muscles contracting around him forced him to relinquish his own control. He joined her in his own release, filling her with his seed, his heart and his soul with a gut wrenching cry.
He immediately gathered her to him, holding on so tightly, his body refused to let her go. It was too hard and he was too emotionally raw, but he knew he had no choice, so he quickly pulled himself together and fixed a false smile on his face. Fortunately, she still floated in her bliss and his blunder hadn’t given him away.
They laughed, talked and made love several more times before dawn. As Rebecca drifted off to sleep wrapped tightly in his arms, she murmured, “Thank you, Ben. It was a wonderful, unforgettable night. You know I love you, right?” Her long tawny eyelashes fluttered slowly down to rest on her cheeks.
“Yes, Rebecca. I know. I love you, too, and I shall never forget,” he answered her though he doubted she was cognizant enough to hear it.
He would hold her while she slept this one last time, as he began the agonizing task of making her forget…
*****
At least she wouldn’t suffer. He took solace in that. She’d never recall the times he held her in his arms. Kissing her sweet lips until they were swollen with desire. Molding her supple curves perfectly into his hard yearning body. Bringing her to completion again and again as she cried out his name. A cry that would haunt him for eternity.
The godsdamn eternity he had to face…alone…without her.
No, there was no going back. Even if he could. Why had he finally found love as he’d never known before just to have it viciously wrenched away? Fate had played a cruel, cruel joke on this poor excuse of a man.But he wasn’t just a man any longer. Hadn’t been for well over one hundred years. He’d bravely died a man on that World War I battlefield in 1918, protecting all that he loved and treasured at the time. Then they had saved him. Gave him a choice to go on. To fight for all mankind and not just those that he cared for in his small portion of the world. They offered him life…immortal life…and brought him over, training and turning him into a Warrior.
Would he still make that same choice today? Knowing all that he would lose and all that he would yet have to endure? Every fiery nerve, strained tendon and cramping, clenching muscle in his body, especially his traitorous heart, screamed No! But his soul admitted defeat. Yes, yes…always yes.Odin informed him that there was no shame in rejecting the offer, no shame in choosing to take his well-earned rest in the eternity hereafter. He had already proven his exceptional bravery and honor and those qualities made him a candidate for serving humanity as a Freyodin Warrior.
Realization dawned as he stared blindly at the ground with no care as to where his footfalls were taking him. Fate had not determined the course of what was to be his long life. He himself had and he knew he couldn’t blame fate or anyone else for his own mistakes. No, she wasn’t a mistake. Never that. He had chosen to break the rules and fall in love with a mortal. Not intentionally, of course, but it had happened none the less. And he would have to bear the consequences…alone. And already he missed her, like the lost feeling of a phantom limb.
“Hey, there you are, man.” The deep Southern Mississippi drawl brought him out of the depth of his momentary sorrows.
Vex’s head whipped up to meet the aqua blue gaze of his fellow Warrior leaning against his car at the curb, but he said nothing. Justice had been his closet friend for more than twenty-five years now and wouldn’t expect a reply after seeing the sorry state he was sure he reflected. At six foot four, Vex’s frame should have stood proudly two full inches over his friend’s, but in his current solemnly stature, he was anything but.
“I thought I might find you here,” he continued as he uncrossed his arms from his broad chest and pushed himself away from his resting spot. “Thought you might need a ride after…uh…” His voice slowed and trailed away without finishing the thought as he looked first downward and then off into the distance. Anywhere but Vex’s tormented eyes.
“Thanks,” he mumbled raking his fingers over his scalp through his long flaxen hair. It was a nervous habit and an instant tell that all wasn’t right in Vex’s little world. A habit he could never break himself of whenever he was preoccupied or stressed that left the shorter hair surrounding his face standing up on end in a spiked, bedhead fashion.
Without another word, Justice skirted around the front of the car and sat down in the driver’s seat, placing his hand on the key in the ignition. Vex follow suit and took his place in the passenger’s seat, not bothering to buckle up. There wasn’t much that could end his miserable existence, but a beheading through a car windshield would certainly do the trick well enough.
Justice stared straight ahead at the row of houses that banked either side of the street, a hardness claiming his jaw as he clamped his teeth tightly together trying to bite back the words. “Are you okay?”
Vex’s gaze matched the direction of his friend’s, but the fog centered in his mind left him blindly staring at nothing but a white haze. “I guess. I mean, I don’t have a choice, do I? I didn’t have a choice in any of this.”
Together, Justice and Vex were known as the World War Buddies, as Justice had been brought over during World War II. They seemed to be naturally drawn to each other and had become and remained fast friends since that time. Justice wanted to reassure his friend, to be there to help alleviate his pain in some way. He wasn’t quite sure how he would do that, as he’d never really felt that strongly for a female, but for his friend, he wanted to try.
“No, I don’t believe you did. We don’t have much choice who we fall in love with, I suppose.” He paused and silence followed like a heavy weight within the confines of the vehicle. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry…and I’m here for you, brother…”
Through his peripheral vision, Justice watched Vex nod his head silently.
“Where would you like to go now?” Oddly, his fingers were still wrapped around the key in the ignition as if frozen in time.
“Anywhere. Just drive,” he managed. As his sorrow turned to a simmering rage he hoped they’d run into the Huldrekall. Beating a demon or two viciously to death sounded like something he needed right about now.
Justice turned the car’s engine over and slowly pulled away from the curb leaving behind Vex’s crushed heart and dreams of a love unfulfilled, tattered among the debris of dead fallen leaves on the street below.
*****
Chapter Two
CHAPTER TWO
Ten Years Later…
“Yes, Rebecca. I know. I love you, too, and I shall never forget.”
“Wait! No! Don’t go. Please. Please, come back.”
Becca Forrester’s own sobbing screams woke her as she shot suddenly upright in her bed, fighting amongst the twisted cotton sheets she found herself tangled within. Her heart beat erratically against her aching chest, pulse racing as if she’d just completed a marathon, sweat running in rivulets down her brow and between her breasts and the remnants of salty tears at the corners of her mouth. She stared sightlessly at the outstretched arm in front of her, the hand reaching for some unseen thing that her mind just could not grasp. Whatever it was, it was just out of reach, just beyond her ability to touch or visualize it, as though trapped behind a veil.She screwed her eyes back half-shut, hoping she could still see a glimpse of it. But it was gone. Again.
Not it.Him.The man of her dreams that she could never fully remember. She only knew that he was there one moment and then cruelly gone the next. Every time. It was the same thing every time. That faceless man that made such wonderful love to her in her slumber.So wonderful she never wanted to wake up. But she always did and he always said the same thing before he disappeared. Foggily fading out like some Hollywood movie magic illusion.
“Yes, Rebecca. I know. I love you, too, and I shall never forget.”
It was always the last thing she could remember before gaining complete consciousness.
She snorted to herself with derision.And it seems I’m destined never to remember, she ruefully thought.
She’d been haunted incessantly by these dreams again the past few nights. Years ago, they’d plague her regularly, but the passing of time had lessened them to only the occasional occurrence. Why now? Why was the dream coming back to haunt her?
Could it possibly be the stress at work? She had been notified by her associate at the university that he would be taking an immediate unexpected sabbatical.Seems he’d gone and met the love of his life and had gotten himself married.Poof! Just like that. He would need her to step in for him for a while and run the department by herself for a short time. But he hadn’t been working from his university office much of late anyway, always on the other side of the world at his dig site. That couldn’t be the cause of her stress.Though her field of work was with languages, she’d worked closely with Dr. Janson and his dusty, dirty relics for quite some time now. With her years of school, her internships and her mentor’s personal training, she’d had no trouble with his current absence and didn’t see any in the future. She could take whatever they could dish out. Of that she was confident.
As much as she didn’t want to wake while dreaming, she didn’t want to be dragged back into that fantasy world again either. She fought long and hard to retain her sanity and stop the dream from torturing her nightly once before. She never wanted to feel that out-of-control of her life ever again.
It had taken long hours of therapy, with no definitive conclusion as to why it happened in the first place, to rid her of the nightly terrors that woke her grieving a loss she’d never truly endured. She’d never once been in love so how could she know such a thing in her dreams? Without the help of her therapist, she surmised that she’d spent way too many hours watching romantic movies and reading those damned romantic novels.She’d even grown up on Disney princess movies, for God’s sake. From a very young age, before ‘mystery man’ made an appearance in her dreams, she’d fantasized as little girls often do. She loved them all so much; the movies, the books - but then had to give them up in favor of sanity. It was all fantasy, after all and she wasn’t a little girl anymore.
She certainly had no close relationships in her life to make her think otherwise and believe in the ‘true love’ or ‘soul mate’ theory. Not even her parents, although still together, had such a fantastical, blissful life. Not one single connection that would make her yearn for something she’d had or witnessed. Not one taste of a life that would make her hunger for one just like it, one that she wanted to emulate as her own.
The funny thing was she didn’t just yearn for it, like something she wanted but would never have. Sometimes, she actually felt like shemissedit. How funny was that? Not funny ‘ha ha’, but funny ‘strange’.
Still…it felt so real.
She couldn’t keep a steady relationship for an extended period of time. The men in her life were nice, but they never measured up. Not tohim. She could never recall his face. Just the way he touched her with such passion and expertise as if he knew every inch of her body intimately.
As well he should, since he’s been screwing me repeatedly in my dreams for hundreds of nights.She laughed bitterly to herself as the thoughts of him touching her caused desire to spread through her body. Oh God, I’m losing my mind.Occasional fantasy was healthy. Fixating was not.Desire quickly turned to loss and loneliness.
Deciding to mentally shake off the dreaded feelings, she untangled herself from the contorted sheets and swung her legs off the side of the bed. She glanced at the clock on the bedside table, groaned out loud at the time it reflected and forced herself off the bed and into her bathroom to start her day.
“Already twenty minutes behind schedule. Dammit,” she grumbly swore to no one else in the room.“Shit. No fault but my own. Best get on with it then.”
She went into her adjoining bathroom, quickly showered, dressed and applied minimal makeup, except around her darkened eyes. They needed a little extra attention this morning due to her nightly unwelcomed visitor.
Unwelcomed? Well, that was the question, wasn’t it?
It’s not like he left her sexually frustrated. Not truly.No, he more than met her needs in that category.At least in her dreams.That was the part that made her not want to wake up. He even met her psychological needs, to a point. He never left her wanting – physically or emotionally. That was until he actually left and she woke up alone, yearning. A yearning she swore she could feel to her very soul.She had to stop dwelling on this though. It wasn’t doing her any good and she knew dwelling on it wouldn’teverdo any good. It hadn’t helped even once in the past and she didn’t relish the thought of spending her life in therapy.
Shaking it off once more, she took a few calming meditative breathes in and out, pasted an acceptable smile on her face and opened the front door of her quaint Victorian styled home. Off to face another day at the university. Ready or not.
*****
“You’ve been selected for a special assignment.”
Thunder’s instructions reverberated in Vex’s head.Yea sure, right.No way did he believe there was anything special about this assignment other than the timing of sending him away. They wanted his sulking ass out of their hair. That’s what his leader had really meant. Although, Thunder had seemed sincere and even somewhat compassionate in his understanding of Vex’s feelings. But he should be. After all, Thunder, or Thor, the God of Thunder and son of Odin himself, was the one to give him the directive ten years prior that catapulted his life into a sinking spiral of pain he couldn’t seem to drag himself out of. He’d searched high, low and everywhere in between for a lifeline, but none could be found. In the end, he’d had to settle for a godsdamn life preserver that left him floating in his river of self-pity.
Okay, maybe he was overreacting a little. Yes, life had been hard – so hard at times– and lonely, but he still had his friends, and they were very good friends. His Warrior brothers and sisters were his family now. It was an honor to be chosen to serve humanity as a Freyodin Warrior and he certainly wasn’t ungrateful. In fact, completely the opposite. But he still had a hole the size of the Grand Canyon where his heart used to be.
He realized that he needed to speak with his Warrior sister, Danielle, and apologize. Not so much for what he’d said, but for what he didn’t say…or do. He had to remove himself from the festivities in celebrating her chain bonding to that mortal, Aaron Janson, and he did so rather discourteously by leaving in the middle of her ceremony. He hadn’t meant to be rude, but the overwhelming feeling of his chest being crushed by an unfathomable weight drove him away. He recalled the feeling as he watched the happy couple being blessed by Freya at the sacred altar. How he couldn’t breathe and, at the same time, how every muscle and bone in his body wanted to stand up and screamNo! at the injustice and jealousy that consumed him.
Mating with a mortal was a rare, almost unheard of even. Mortals weren’t allowed in their world of Warriors and demons unless they served a purpose. Apparently, Aaron Janson did.
If only she had…, he mused. Life would have been so different.
But there was no time to dwell on the past now. Maybe Thunder was doing him a favor by sending him away. He wouldn’t have to sit around watching the happy couple and torture himself further. Yea, maybe there was something good in this new assignment after all.
He’d given some thought as to who he wanted to accompany him on this mission. He’d been instructed to choose a female, someone that could blend into the office atmosphere of the university. Obviously he couldn’t.He wasn’t bad on the eyes as far as looks went and he could get just about anything he wanted with his sexy baby face, blue/green eyes and turned-up charm. A flash of his irresistible smile was usually all it took. He also looked really good in a suit, in his opinion, but his larger Warrior frame of six foot four might be a little intimidating. Not to mention he refused to cut his hair and he doubted tying back his shoulder length brunette locks would suffice. No, it had to be one of the female Warriors…and he knew just where to find them.
There was a gathering tonight. It was the week before Halloween, or Samhain. They made it a tradition to celebrate Samhain at least a week before the actual holiday since they wouldn’t get the chance to do so during. It was one of their busiest times of the year against Loki’s demons. The Huldrekall. The transformed evil-infused humans who died in battle or were otherwise chosen by Loki to become his servants, carrying out his malicious endeavors. While Odin chose the bravest and most honorable, Loki chose the worst of the lot. Loki didn’t have the power to turn a human heart evil. The wickedness had to already be present, filling the mortal vessel with the black slime of disease and destruction. Evil hearts bred evil deeds all on their own. He simply gave them the tools to carry them out.
Of course, there was a cost for this gift. They would not be given freedom to do their devilish tasks. No, Loki had his demigod children keeping a tight rein and mastering control over his demons and their minions. Minions were recruited often from weak and evil minded humans to terrorize mortals and perpetrate all manner of maliciousness on earth. They were easily compelled to carry out commands, coming and going quickly due to their feeble human state. The same state of susceptibility and weak mindedness that ironically made them perfect to be minions in the first place were the same attributes that would see to their quick demise.Unfortunately, there was no shortage for Loki to choose from which kept his army ever growing.
The Warriors had their hands full on a good day ever since the Huldrekall managed to cross over into the mortal realm, but during Samhain, the veil between the worlds was too thin and evil was even stronger. Naught could be done for it except to fight the darker forces and try to push them back to the abyss where they belonged.
Small battles between good and evil were fought each year during Samhain. The Gaelic-Scandinavian tradition was seen as a time when the door to the Realm of the Dead opened enough for the souls of the dead, and other beings, to come into the mortal world. Some held feasts at which the souls of dead kin were beckoned to attend and a place set at the table for them in case the dead relative accepted the invitation. Mortals also took steps to protect themselves from harmful spirits which led to the custom of disguising oneself in varied costumes. At present, they believed this custom was all for fun and took no heed of their past and the true reasons for their customs.
Vex would not be wearing a costume to this evening’s celebration. This would be a workingoccasion for him and there was little fun to be had. His mood alone would see to that. He had to decide which Warrior sister would accompany him on this mission. He had the strangest feeling that the decision was more important than he currently realized.
*****
The Windjammer was the hottest club within a hundred and fifty miles of their secluded Oregon mountain home, supplying alcoholic libations, loud music, local drug dealers and all the sex you could handle by gyrating out on the dance floor to whatever top forty, rap or R & B artist was at the top of charts at the moment. It didn’t live up to the classy clubs of New York or California, but it offered a great sound system, lighted dance floors on two levels and the drinks weren’t watered down. One large cornered portion of the club even had a twisted slide that would carry you all the way down to the first floor that proved a favorite of the very inebriated patrons in the wee hours of the morning.
Before approaching, Vex looked around the room, taking in the section that his horde of friends always seemed to gravitate to, like some unspoken rule stating it was off limits to all others. He began sizing up the females in attendance. They were all original Shieldmaidens – just a few of the three hundred women who had fought and died for the Danish in the Battle of Bråvalla, in the year 750 AD and made immortal by Freya, their queen. Their duties now were to scout the battlefields, choosing the bravest of those who have been slain and escort these heroes to Valhalla and fight alongside them in the battle to save humanity from the demon horde that roamed the Earth. Some would call them Valkyries.
Myste, Raven, Emeline and, of course, Makayla were present. Makayla never missed a party and had been having a few wild private ones to boot, if you could believe the rumors flying around recently. Nope. As much as he loved her, he couldn’t handle her this time around, so she was out of the running. She was also too much of a Warrior for the role he’d need her to play.
Myste was out of the question, too. Her hair color changed with her moods and her moods changed like the wind, which was ironic since she could control the weather with but a thought. No, the living, breathing mood ring would not be a good office worker. He chuckled as visions of her donning a dress suit with heels and typing or filing flitted through his mind. She preferred her own styles which led toward more gothic and bohemian traditions.
Still looking in her direction, he mind linked with her.Myste, I wonder how you’d look in a suit?
Me, in a suit? she questioned.What the hell are you talking about?
Nothing, really. Just curious is all.Vex chuckled and noticed he was enjoying this task more than he thought he would.It felt good to laugh.
Myste’s hair changed from blonde to gray, showing her frustration and confusion as she looked at him through squinted suspicious eyes. Then, losing her interest in him when she got no reaction, she turned her attention back to the group. As Vex watched her hair transition back to blonde, he sighed audibly with relief. She obviously wasn’t still upset with him.
Raven was a shapeshifter. She was great at controlling animals, scouting and recognizance. Watching her fight in battle was awe inspiring. Her short blue/black mane would whip around her face with her long leather coat winging behind her bearing a remarkable resemblance to Kate Beckinsale, minus the fangs. Freya had not transformed the Shieldmaidens into vampires, as Odin did when he brought over a male Warrior. Possibly because she transformed three hundred Shieldmaidens all at once. Not an easy feat. But fangs or not, Vex truthfully didn’t think Raven was the secretarial type. He chuckled to himself once again picturing her flawless maneuvers on the battle field, transitioning in one fluid motion into whatever animal could best accomplish the job at hand – possibly a large black timber wolf - and then he pictured that same animal shredding financial reports in a fit of exasperation. Tearing them bit by bit between its muscular jaws, jagged teeth and sharp pointed claws. The immortal document shredder, he thought. No, Raven’s silent-but-deadly demeanor would not do at all.
Emeline, on the other hand, just might do…, he pondered. Not too small for a female at five foot nine inches with a willowy frame. Her big bright azure eyes, edged by shoulder length blond hair gave her a false look of innocence. Although their Healer and gentle by nature, she was still a Warrior at heart, as all of the female Warriors were. Each with their own special gift bequeathed to them by Freya, herself.
Let’s get this over with. Vex ran his hand through his hair and began the trek across the crowded club toward Emeline, the crowd parted seamlessly before his six foot four inch Warrior’s physique. From the corner of his eye, Nadine came barreling up next to him.
“Give a girl a hand, kind Sir?” she quipped and rapidly batted her eyes at him playfully.
He noticed she was laden with a large tray of drinks, which he instantly relieved her of. “Certainly, My Lady,” he returned with a hint of a smile curling up from the right side of his mouth and slight bow.
“Thanks. Glad you could make it out here tonight. Mac and Justice are here. Have you seen them yet?” Nadine referred to his two best buddies. They tended to hang around each other more than naught, but lately he’d kept his distance figuring no one would want to be around him in his current state.
“I saw Makayla from across the room, but I just got here. Haven’t spoken to anyone but you so far.”Well, not out loud anyway.He looked down at the bevy of drinks he now toted. “Did you get a job here or something? Or are you just that thirsty?”
“No, silly.” Nadine laughed and punched him in the arm. “They’re a little shorthanded on waitresses tonight and we got tired of waiting, so I went to the bar myself. Tell me what you’d like and I’ll run back and get it really quick.”
Vex feinted injury by rubbing the spot she’d hit him on his bulging bicep with his free hand. “Yes, actually, that would be great. Grab me double of Patrón…and keep ‘em coming, please.Better yet, bring the bottle.”
“Sure thing.” Nadine’s smile held a look of uncertainty and concern, but she pushed no farther. Then she about-faced and headed back toward the bar.
Vex appreciated that she kept her thoughts and inquiries to herself. He realized that Emeline was too caring, too much of a Healer to do that.Nadine… Hmmm. Quite possibly a better choice…Yes, the more he thought about it, the more he was certain.
He approached the group, exchanging light greetings with everyone as he placed the tray of drinks on the table. He didn’t partake of the brothers’ usual greeting of embracing in manly one-armed bear hugs, slapping each other on the back and spouting, ‘Brother’ in unison. He didn’t offer and the others seemed to be keeping their distance. As much as he hated it, tonight he appreciated their detachment.
Nadine was their community’s Protector. Her gift allowed her to create and maintain the shield that hid their village away from all others, mortals and demons alike. She had to be protected at all costs, but this wasn’t a dangerous mission and with her OCD tendencies, she just might be perfect. She was known for her ridged schedules and organization. Obsessive-compulsive had nothing on her.She was downright anal sometimes and couldn’t stand for others to be late for meetings or other appointments – a liberty the others Warriors sometimes took advantage of, but in a playful spirit. A last minute change of plans could drive her absolutely bat shit crazy. She would require reassurance and balance with this mission, but Vex could see nothing that should cause her mental or physical harm. She would be level headed and less confrontational and she’d make a good office worker.
Yes! You’d be perfect!
What was that? Vex? Are you talking to me? Nadine inquired.
He’d unwittingly opened communications with her before he’d meant to.Oh, sorry about that, Nadine. Yes, I need to speak to you about a new mission. We’ll talk more when you get back to the table.
“Great, ‘cuz I’m here now,” she said right next to him as she placed his double shot of Patrón and a few lime wedges in front of him. Then she brought up her other arm and set the bottle he’d requested before him.Take it easy, okay?She gave Vex a motherly look of concern.
She managed to sneak up on him. He must have been in deeper thought than he realized and that could be dangerous. Usually only Savage could manage that feat, as he was known for his uncanny quietness and stealth-like abilities.
Vex briefly filled her in on the mission. They were to infiltrate the office of the university where Aaron Janson’s linguist assistant worked, locate and retrieve any documents containing information on the location of Odin’s sacred relics; particularly the Eye of Odin, Spear of Truth and the Heart of Hope. Danielle’s newly chain bonded mate, archeologist and recently made immortal Warrior, Aaron Janson, had originally been hired by Tormond to find the Eye of Odin, also known as the EOD. Unbeknownst to Aaron, Tormond was Loki’s demigod son whocontrolled the Huldrekall, demons in human form that caused all manner of evil on earth and had the ability to compel weak or evil minded humans to do their bidding. Tormond planned to locate Odin’s relics for Loki so they could take over and rule the mortal realm. If Tormond succeeded in this quest, Odin, Freya and their Warriors would be cast out permanently, leaving the earth unprotected and transforming the mortal realm into a virtual hell on earth. And one Niflheim was enough.
“This may not be the most adventurous mission, but I’d appreciate you coming along,” Vex stated while downing what must be his third double shot, followed by a juicy lime wedge that squirted its juices out across the table with his bite.
“Sure, I’ll be happy to…,” Nadine began.
“Hey, watch it, Vex!” Steele bellowed lightheartedly while rubbing his eye. “Fuck, that stings.”
His smile flashed a hint of fang and reminded Vex that he hadn’t fed recently. He’d require both forms of sustenance soon-that of blood and also the psychic charge taken from a woman as she climaxed.
“Yea, you gonna share that Patrón you’re throwing down your gullet like water to go with the lime juice you just showered me in?” Turbo joined in laughingly. Turbo was a hardcore playboy, the groups mixed martial arts expert and could put anyone to shame with his katana, but his mechanic skills were what Vex liked most about Turbo. He kept Vex’s gleaming jet black ZR1 Corvette in tip top shape.
Vex eyed them across the table, ironically sporting their version of Halloween costumes – a Batman T-shirt and a True Blood T-shirt with fangs dripping in blood. Always the jokesters, the best friends could brighten a room upon entering it alone.
“Sorry ‘bout that guys,” he said sincerely. “Guess they got some damn juicy limes tonight.” He quickly scanned the bar for any potential females with which to slake his lustful needs before turning back to Steele and Turbo.
Lifting his chin in a nod toward their T-shirts, he commented sarcastically, “I like your costumes. You two always did have a lot of class,” he said with a smirk. The sarcasm wasn’t necessary. These two obviously loved the attention and sought it on a regular basis.
“Yea, well…hide in plain sight, I always say,” Steele offered through a bout of chuckling. “Don’t even have to hide the fangs this time of year.”
Turbo joined in by slightly raising his upper lip while he allowed his incisors to lengthen, then took a fiercely sexy pose, emulating the very popular fair-haired Scandinavian star of the television series his T-shirt flaunted. “Eat your heart out, Eric. At least mine are real.”
Makayla hip-checked Turbo with her short but curvaceous little body and flung her auburn mane off her shoulders. “Yours may be real, but I’d let him sink those fake ones into me anytime.”
“That’s not all you’d let him sink into you,” Turbo snickered.
“Can’t deny that now, can I?” She laughed out loud.
Vengeance growled lowly down at her, but she only smiled back. His normally blue/gray eyes grew dark and spoke volumes regarding his opinion of her aspirations.Makayla brushed his long blond hair behind one ear then grazed her fingers down to the corner of his very kissable mouth.
“Don’t go getting all possessive, Venge. It’s not a becoming look on you.” She intentionally left off the fact that her attraction to their second-in-command was partially due to his uncanny resemblance to the said actor in question.Now that would really piss him off, she thought to herself.
Nadine had been taking this all in, remaining quiet as usual until she had something worthwhile to add. But right about now she thought a change of subject couldn’t hurt. She turned to Turbo who still held his pose, “Put those away.” She motioned with an upswept hand toward his elongated teeth. “They can be dangerous…especially on you.” Everyone was well aware of Turbo’s proclivity to a darker nature, especially when it came to sex. He definitely liked it rough, with a side of whips and chains. He relaxed and retracted, receiving a smile from Nadine. “Is anyone worried about next week? Samhain is always our busiest time of year and every year it freaks me out a little, I have to admit.”
“Stick with us, Nadine. Steele and I will take care of you,” Turbo offered.
“I don’t think she’s alluding to her safety, bro,” Steele interjected, wiping the back of his hand across the handsome van dyke beard that surrounded his mouth. “It freaks me out, too. The Celts were closest to the truth, understanding how the door to the otherworld weakens, allowing demons to cross more easily into this realm than at any other time. Their Samhain rituals helped protect the people from evil. But to the mortals, it’s a harmless holiday they call Halloween when their children don costumes and go door to door asking for treats.” Steele was a master swordsman, once a member of the twelfth century Templar Knights, and would like nothing more than to unleash his aiming sword against the demons that threatened the ignorant mortals. There was a smoldering fire within him that was anxious for the battles he would face in the coming week.
“Yes,” added Nadine. “They think as long as they keep their children safe from strangers and crossing the street and then check the safety of their candy once their back home so no sicko tainted anything, that all is well. If they knew what was really happening around them, they'd lock away their families and board up their houses, as they should.”
“But that’s what we’re here for – to keep them safe and fight off all those ‘bad guys’. That way they can go on living their oblivious, unsuspecting lives.”
“Yea, well, tonight we drink, dance and celebrate…because next week we’ll be way too busy and spread far too thin to breathe. So…” Vex said, having lost count of the number of drinks he’d had already, he raised his glass which was miraculously full once again, “Let’s all toast to the Celtic New Year. May she bring peace and prosperity to all!”
Glasses were raised all around with a chorus of cheers, followed by the slamming of empty shot glasses as they hit the hardened shellac covering of the wooden table. As soon as Vex had lowered his glass, a pale slender arm wrapped around his waist as its twin reached around to refill his drink once more. His eyes followed that twin arm up to the shoulder, neck and then
