Destiny of the Heart (Viking Destiny) (31 page)

The small ceremony went off without a hitch. Kristen
couldn't help thinking that though she wished Mel had been
there to witness the wedding, the ceremony couldn't have
been more perfect. The small gathering of witnesses clapped
with enthusiasm as Derrick and Kristen sealed their vows with
a kiss. Tristan rushed them both and squeezed them in a
massive hug that had Derrick grunting, and Kristen laughing
as her back popped in three different places.

"This is cause for celebration. I hope you don't mind,
but I've taken the liberty of organizing a feast in your honor."
"I believe that's a wonderful idea." Derrick said, grinning
and pulling Kristen close. "But, we really must set sail
tomorrow if I'm to make my deadline for those goods." He
added.
Tristan nodded and beckoned everyone to follow him.
They left the small chapel and made the short walk uphill to
Tristan's house. Kristen couldn't help feeling excited about her
future, despite all of the uncertainty. She knew there was a
chance that Derrick would break her heart, but she thought it
more likely they would have an amicable marriage. She hoped
that in time, Derrick would grow to love her as she loved him.
Derrick looked at Kristen and smiled, wondering what
she was thinking. She was always a mystery to him. But, she
looked happy and he wanted to see that she stayed that way.
He started by lifting her hand to his mouth and kissing the
back of it. She smiled brightly, the kind of smile that never
failed to take his breath away. He reached up and tucked a
stray curl behind her ear.
"I'm sorry Mel wasn't here today." He said.
"I appreciate that, but it's all right. We'll celebrate with
her when we get home."
Derrick wrapped an arm around her shoulders and
pulled her close, kissing the top of her head. They climbed the
steps to the porch and Derrick picked Kristen up before
walking over the threshold.
"This isn't our home, m'dear, so we'll do it again for our
own home. But, I thought you would appreciate the
symbolism."
"Cheeky git." She teased.
Derrick laughed and set her down in the foyer. Tristan
followed them in and disappeared to get things ready. The
smell of food made Kristen realize she was quite famished.
She stood on her toes and kissed Derrick's bruised cheek
lightly.
"I'm going upstairs to change. I'll be right back."
Derrick grabbed her wrist before she got too far away
from him. "I could help you." There was a wicked gleam in his
eyes.
Kristen laughed. "No, I think perhaps that should wait.
Tristan seems to have gone to a lot of trouble and wishes us
to be present."
Right on cue, Tristan returned to the foyer. "Indeed I do,
dear brother. Be a good chap and wait until this evening
before disappearing, hmm?"
Derrick sighed dramatically. "Fine, but do be quick
about it, m'dear." He released her wrist and she grinned
wickedly before darting up the stairs.
Derrick watched her and couldn't help feeling as if he
was the luckiest man in the world. Kristen was difficult to be
sure, but she was the best thing that had ever happened to
him.
***
Later, as they were all gathered around the table for the
feast, the mood was light and festive. Everyone toasted the
happy couple, and Tristan and Jack regaled Kristen with
stories from Derrick's childhood. They even went so far as to
reveal every ticklish spot on Derrick's body. Derrick threatened
their lives, but Kristen reached up to tickle him and he lost his
train of thought as she jumped up to get away from her. They
all laughed merrily and Derrick hugged Kristen, but rubbed his
knuckles against her head. She laughed until her stomach
hurt, not remembering the last time she had so much fun.
After the meal, Tristan arranged for a quartet to play for
them. Derrick led Kristen onto the dance floor.
"Try not to leave me standing alone on the floor this
time, hmm?"
Kristen chuckled at the memory of her first ball.
Derrick had escorted her, and despite herself, she watched
him the whole evening.
"The look on your face was rather funny." She teased.
"Was it now? I seem to recall Oliver saying something
similar."
"You know, it occurs to me that Oliver came round to
call on Mel that next day. Said they had business. I was
irritated with you at the time, so I didn't think to ask Mel, but do
you suppose the two of them conspired to put me on your
ship?"
Derrick spun her around expertly. "I suppose it makes
sense. Mel did seem to take an interest in matchmaking the
two of us."
"Yes, she did." Kristen said flatly.
Derrick laughed. "Don't be too angry with her. She has
always been a bit fond of me. I suspect Guy has a little
something to do with that."
"Don't take this the wrong way, Derrick, it's just that she
was supposed to be helping me."
The music came to a crescendo, marking the end of the
song. Derrick bowed, Kristen curtsied. He took her hand and
tucked it into the crook of his elbow as he led her to the open
French doors. On the balcony, the evening breeze lifted the
loose strands around Kristen's face and blew them back. She
inhaled happily and didn't think she would ever get enough of
the exotic smell of the island. Derrick turned Kristen and
looked into her eyes, his own lit up brightly.
"I like to think she did help you, Kristen."
His voice was husky with need and Kristen suddenly
felt warm all over.
She licked her lips. "Yes, I suppose she did."
Derrick bent down to kiss her, his mouth was warm
over hers. He crushed her to his chest as his lips pressed hers
with a possessive need that made her knees weak. Kristen
leaned into him for support, twining her fingers through his
hair. He moaned and pulled back, resting his forehead against
hers. They were both breathing deeply.
"Perhaps we should move this upstairs before the
whole island gets a show." Derrick said hoarsely.
Kristen laughed. "If you insist."
She kissed him softly on the mouth, careful of his split
lip even though he hadn't been, then took his head gently
between her hands. "Don't take too long." She warned.
And just like that, she was gone. Derrick watched her
with a bemused expression as she calmly walked up the
stairs. He laughed to himself. His little Viking. He would make
her scream with pleasure.
Derrick started for the French doors, intending to do
just that, but an explosion from the second floor knocked him
to the ground. The sound of glass shattering was deafening
where Derrick was and he covered his ears. Stray bits of glass
flew across his bruised skin, slicing him. He barely noticed as
the fear that gripped his heart was taking over.
"Kristen!" He screamed.
He was on his feet and running for the stairs. Tristan
helped Chelsea from the floor, but most of the staff was
unconscious. Tristan looked at Derrick as he came flying down
the hallway.
"What the bloody hell was that?" Tristan growled, anger
twisting his handsome face.
"A bomb." Derrick answered, rounding the corner and
taking the stairs two at a time.
Chelsea gasped. "Derrick, Kristen - !"
"I know!" He yelled back down to her, still running up
the stairs.
Bits of the stairs were on fire, and as he neared the top,
several were entirely black and smoking. Derrick took in the
damage on the second floor. As far as he could tell, the bomb
had been localized to his and Kristen's room, which meant
they had been the targets.
He rushed to their room, his heart racing and a cold
dread creeping around his chest.
"Kristen!" He yelled.
Derrick kicked burning furniture out of his way. The
smoke in the room was thick, but he didn't care. He heard
Tristan yelling for him to get out of there, but he ignored him.
He had to find Kristen.
"Kristen!" Derrick yelled again, fear and panic
consuming him.
Derrick felt the smoke searing his lungs and he
coughed violently, falling to his knees. He didn't struggle when
he was suddenly dragged from the room by the back of his
shirt. His eyes burned and watered from the smoke, at least
that's what he told himself. He wasn't going to think that she
could be dead. He would find her, he wouldn't let her down.
Tristan dragged Derrick out of the burning room. The
whole house was going up in flames and they needed to get
out of there.
"Everyone out!" Tristan bellowed as he came down the
stairs.
He had managed to hoist Derrick over his shoulder and
was taking care not to fall through the burning steps. Chelsea,
Jack, and Tristan's staff were waiting for him and Derrick, but
with the order to evacuate at hand, they did so quickly.
Everyone was out and accounted for before the house
exploded. Jack helped Tristan carry Derrick's weight out of the
house. Once outside, he left Derrick to Tristan and went to the
tavern to get the rest of the men.
"Kristen!" Derrick screamed miserably.
He hadn't found her and now he was outside while she
was inside the house. He tried to run back to the burning
building, but Tristan held him firmly.
"Derrick, stop!" Tristan barked.
"Let me go." Derrick swung a punch at Tristan, which
Tristan easily deflected.
"She's not there. You need to calm down and think
rationally."
Derrick collapsed at Tristan's feet, breathing heavy,
face streaked with soot. He watched in sadness as the house
burned.
"Derrick, look at me." Tristan knelt down next to Derrick,
trying to get his attention off the house.
Derrick faced his brother, anger and grief warring for
dominance on his features.
"There wasn't a body. That means she wasn't in the
house. Whoever did this, took her." Tristan said calmly.
"What?" Derrick asked.
"Look." Tristan pointed out to sea.
A ship was fast making its way around the island's port.
Derrick growled as he jumped to his feet. Tristan grabbed him,
but Derrick shoved him off, his anger taking over where fear
had been before.
"Back off." Derrick said quietly, his eyes glowing so
bright that his skin seemed to glow with it. Tristan thought the
devil had surely come to his small island.
Tristan raised his hands in surrender and stepped back,
knowing that Derrick would tear down the Earth to find her
now. Derrick spun around and raced across the lawn and
down toward the docks. Tristan looked at Chelsea. She
crossed herself and whispered feverishly in her language. He
walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her, and she
cried out as she buried her head in his chest. He stroked her
hair until she stopped shaking.
"Tristan, he is not safe just now." She said.
"I know. God help whoever gets in his way." Tristan
hugged her close and stared after his brother.
Derrick was a great many things, but Tristan had never
seen such rage. He prayed that Kristen was still alive,
because if she wasn't, Derrick would kill everyone responsible
and not think twice about it. Tristan feared Derrick wouldn't
come back from that. As Tristan contemplated his brother's
well-being, an explosion at the docks sent Tristan and
Derrick's ships flying into splintering pieces.
"Jesus. Derrick!" Tristan whispered in fear.
Chelsea screamed. He kissed her forehead.
"Stay here. D'you understand?"
She nodded rapidly as Tristan ran down the path that
lead to the docks, hoping his brother wasn't too close when
the explosion went off.
Chapter 34

Kristen woke up and felt pain race through every inch of
her body. She desperately tried to remember what happened,
but her brain was foggy. And, she was certain she wasn't
where she was supposed to be, though she couldn't quite put
her scattered thoughts in a coherent order. It was as if an
invisible barrier was preventing her from picking herself up, or
from moving at all. She discovered she couldn't even move
her hands or her feet, a fact that concerned her gravely.

"You will not be able to move for quite awhile, I'm
afraid." A woman said, her voice coming from the shadows.
Kristen knew that voice, but she couldn't process it. Oh,
why couldn't she remember anything? The woman seemed to
understand Kristen's confusion because she stepped into the
light with a cold sneer on her face. Kristen would have
furrowed her brow if she could move, but she could only look
at the woman before her. Kristen was certain they had met
before, but she just couldn't place it.
"Remember me?" The woman asked coldly as she
knelt down beside Kristen. "You ruined my life, your highness,
so now I'm going to ruin yours."
She stood up again and returned to the shadows.
Kristen heard a groan and a shuffle, then the next thing she
knew, someone kicked her in the stomach...hard. But, she
couldn't move. She couldn't defend herself. The only good
news in the situation was that the pain was making the fog in
her head clear a little. She had married Derrick, but there had
been an explosion and everything went black after that.
Derrick! She had no idea if he was alright, or if anyone else
had been injured.
The next kick was more vicious than the first and
Kristen's mind screamed with the pain that she couldn't
express. She had no idea what the woman had given her, nor
what she had done to invoke the woman's ire, but she knew
she wouldn't last long if she couldn't even defend herself.
A door opened and a man walked into the room. He
looked at Kristen on the ground with a bored expression on his
face, then walked to the woman in the shadows. He leaned
down and kissed her on the cheek. Kristen saw the woman
pull back in revulsion.
"Now, now my pet. What did we talk about?" He asked
her.
The woman stepped into the light. "The princess has
been drugged per your instructions."
"I see you have taken a few extra liberties yourself."
The man nodded his head at the one who had kicked Kristen
and the brute shuffled out of the room.
When the door shut, the man grabbed the woman and
shook her roughly. His voice was low, but Kristen had
impeccable hearing.
"I told you not to touch her, Alice. The king has other
plans for her, that is the only reason you are still alive. I'd be
very careful if I were you. Once the king has no further use for
you, he will have no reason to keep you around. I doubt very
much he would think kindly of you if you ruin his plans for the
girl."
The man shoved the woman away and suddenly
Kristen remembered where she had seen her. At Kristen's first
ball, the one Derrick escorted her to. The woman had told her
that Derrick promised to marry her and then cast her aside
when he was bored. Kristen had been angry on the woman's
behalf at the time, but after getting to know Derrick, Kristen
dismissed her as one of the vicious gossipers merely telling
tales about the Shane family.
When the man left and it was just the two women, Alice
turned her furious gaze on Kristen. What she wouldn't give to
pull her blade and slice Kristen's throat. Any chance Alice had
of escaping Adrian or the king was gone now that Kristen had
married Derrick. Why couldn't they have been a few hours
earlier? Not that it mattered now. Alice overheard the guards
discussing the king's plan to marry Kristen off to his son,
Nikolas. He hoped the people would accept his rule without
question if one of the original royal family was tied to him by
marriage. Alice could have snorted. Norway was home once,
when Kristen's grandfather ruled. Now it was just a cold, bitter
place full of unwanted memories. Alice had nowhere to turn
and no one to depend on.
Her head dropped and her shoulders sagged as she
walked to the wall and slid down, pulling her knees into her
chest and wrapping her arms around them tightly.
"Do you know what it is like to see your freedom so
close, your highness? So close that you actually think you
have won, and then it is brutally snatched away from you?"
Tears shone in Alice's large green eyes and Kristen's
heart wrenched. Whatever this woman had done, she hadn't
done it willingly. She may be responsible for the death of
Kristen's entire family, but Kristen saw a glimpse of what this
woman had been through. Never before had Kristen thought
of the people of Norway and what they must be going through
with a king who stole his power. He must be terribly cruel and
hard.
"Do you...suffer?" Kristen asked, struggling to get even
that out.
Alice looked at her in surprise. The drug should prevent
her from moving or talking, so Alice could be forgiven for her
astonished look.
"You shouldn't be able to talk."
"Very...hard." And painful, Kristen thought.
It took a good deal of concentration to form words, and
it felt like someone was searing her brain with a branding iron
each time she spoke. But, Kristen wanted to know what was
going on.
Alice grimaced. "We all suffer, your highness." She said
quietly. "Mine is not so great as others."
The door slammed open and another man walked in,
followed by the one Alice feared. She watched Alice shrink
into the wall as the two men walked into the room, but they
hardly noticed Alice as they stopped in front of Kristen.
"There she is Virgil, as promised." The man Alice
feared said.
"Indeed."
Virgil? Kristen knew that name. Her mother mentioned
it to her once. That was the name of the man who had
betrayed them. He allowed the traitors into the castle, and he
was the reason Kristen's family had to flee their home. She
bared her teeth at him. He stood up and looked at the other
man.
"You're sure you gave her the potion, Adrian?"
"Yes, of course. Just as you instructed. Why?"
"She's moving."
Kristen braced her mind for the pain she knew would
come, but she wouldn't lie before this man like a coward. The
anger welling inside of her helped to clear the fog, and she felt
bits of her strength returning to her.
"That's not possible." Adrian said as he watched her
pull herself up, slowly but steadily.
As they stared at her in surprise, Kristen pulled herself
to a sitting position. Sharp pains shot across her head and
down her body like jagged knives being dug into an open
wound, but she ignored them.
"How is that possible, Virgil? You said the potion was
enough to tranquilize an elephant."
"It is. She shouldn't be able to move at all. It must be
causing her extreme pain to do so. Then again, you did kill her
husband, and I suspect she fancied herself in love with him.
Her mother was very much the same in that regard. No matter
that she was promised to another."
Several emotions hit Kristen at once, and it was enough
for her to almost lose what little ground she gained. The first
was that they had killed Derrick. Anger, the likes of which she
had never known, welled inside of her and she felt it swirling
around, beating back the hazy fog that was constantly
threatening to envelop her.
"Ah, well we hadn't told her that part yet."
Virgil looked at him with interest, before looking back to
Kristen. "Well, seems I've put my foot in it, then." He grinned
at Kristen with cold, calculating deliberation.
The other emotion buzzing around Kristen's head was
sadness for her mother. If she understood him properly,
Kristen's mother had been promised to Virgil. But, Marie
wouldn't have loved a man like Virgil. He was bulky and
strong, which were qualities her mother loved, but he was
cruel and weak of mind. Kristen could see why she would
have fallen for another. Still, to betray Marie was unforgivable.
The rage inside her grew stronger while the pain
receded. She concentrated on getting to her feet. Beads of
sweat trickled down the sides of her face, but she marshaled
her attention back to her task. They killed Derrick and
destroyed her mother. She would see them rot in hell.
Kristen's eyes glittered with unchecked malice, promising
retribution if Virgil came any closer.
He laughed. "I'll give you points for style, your
highness, but not for intelligence. What exactly do you think
you will do in your weakened state?"
"I would not underestimate her if I were you." Alice said
from the shadows.
"Who is she?" Virgil snapped.
"No one, just ignore her." Adrian glared at her, silencing
her with his gaze.
Alice knew it was unwise to speak, and she was certain
that she would pay for it later if Adrian's glare meant anything.
But, she watched Kristen fight the drug that consumed her,
watched her as she stood up, as impossible as that should
have been, and she realized that her petty grievances against
Kristen didn't matter. The only way Alice would ever be free
was if Kristen resumed the throne. Rather than trying to kill
her, Alice should have been looking for a way to help her.
But, Virgil did not heed Alice's warning. He took several
steps in Kristen's direction, fully intending to knock her down,
but he was rather surprised when she was ready for that and
launched herself at him instead.
Kristen had been reserving her strength, waiting for him
to get closer. She wasn't sure she would be able to do much
damage, as big as he was, but she could at least let him know
she wasn't an easy target. As he got closer and raised his fist,
she lunged at him and grabbed him around the throat. She
squeezed until his eyes bulged and held on for dear life.
Adrian turned up behind her to pull her off, but Alice launched
herself at him and the two toppled to the ground not far from
Kristen and Virgil.
Virgil raised his meaty fist and swung it at Kristen's
head. The drug coursing through her system was taking its toll
and she was too weak to move, having exerted the energy
she did to attack him. His fist connected with her jaw and she
went tumbling backwards. But, just before he hit her, Kristen
dug her nails into his throat, and as the force of his punch hit
her, she took bits of his throat with her as she tumbled
backwards. His scream of pain came out as a gurgle as blood
poured from the gaping wound.
When Kristen's head hit the ground, she was stunned
and losing consciousness, but she saw that Adrian had
subdued Alice and was rushing to help Virgil before the room
went black.
***
When Tristan reached the docks, it was a mess. He
shoved bits of wood and other debris out of his way and
continued to the spot he had last seen Derrick heading. But,
when he got to the beach, what he saw stopped him cold.
When Jack left the house, he must have intended to follow
whoever had set off the explosion. But, they had all been too
close to the ships when they exploded. From the looks of it,
Derrick's entire crew had been on the ship or near it, and they
were all dead. But, there was no sign of Derrick. Fearing the
worse, Tristan climbed over a mast that had fallen against the
dock.
"Derrick?!" Tristan called out. But, there was no answer.
"Derrick! Answer me, damn you!"
A splash from the water caught Tristan's attention and
he ran down the dock. When he reached the end, he looked
over, and a man's body was floating face down. The splashing
noise had been the small wave his body created by running
into one of the pillars holding the dock up.
"Jesus!" Tristan cursed.
He jumped in and flipped the body over. Derrick's eyes
were closed and he didn't look like he was breathing. Tristan
put his ear to Derrick's mouth, but there was nothing. He felt
for a pulse at Derrick's neck and sighed heavily as he felt the
faint beat of Derrick's heart. Tristan wasted no further time. He
grabbed Derrick by his shirt and dragged him through the
water and off to the side of the dock where he could get him
up on the platform. Tristan climbed the short distance from the
water to the lower end of the dock and then reached down to
haul Derrick out after him.
He laid him down and frantically searched for a barrel
that hadn't exploded with everything else. After a few
moments, he spotted a fishing barrel on its side in the sand.
He raced down the steps and hit the sand at a wobbly run,
almost tripping on his own two feet. When he reached the
barrel, he picked up and inspected it for any protruding nails,
then took it back to Derrick.
Heaving Derrick's weight onto the empty barrel without
anyone to hold it proved to be more challenging than Tristan
had imagined it would be. Precious seconds were wasted as
Tristan tried to get Derrick face down on the barrel. Finally, he
abandoned the barrel and lay Derrick down on his back, then
slammed his fists on Derrick's chest.
"Come on! Don't you die on me!" Tristan slammed his
fists down again.
Tristan heard the crack of Derrick's rib and winced, but
kept pounding on Derrick's chest. Just when Tristan was about
to give up, Derrick coughed and sputtered water. He rolled to
his side as water poured from his nose and mouth. Derrick
inhaled sharply, trying to suck in as much air as possible.
Tristan sagged against one of the beams, relief washing
through him.
"I think you broke my rib." Derrick grouched, coddling
his side.
"You're welcome." Came Tristan's surly reply.
"What happened?"
"The ships exploded."
"Besides that."
Tristan shrugged. "I don't know, but we need to get
moving. Kristen won't have much time."
Derrick nodded. His whole body ached, and thanks to
Tristan, he had at least one broken rib, so it was beyond
painful getting up. But, he gritted his teeth and got up anyway.
He had to find Kristen and in a hurry. Derrick was pretty sure it
was the same person who had kidnapped her before, and if
Kristen's theory was correct, it was the person responsible for
the deaths of Kristen's entire family. That meant she didn't
have much time. But, how the hell had they found her?
"Let's go." He said quietly.
Tristan nodded and got to his feet, knowing they
needed to move quickly, or it was likely they would never find
Kristen. Fortunately, he kept a second ship hidden in a cave
for just such an occasion.
"I've got another ship. Follow me."
Tristan lead Derrick down the stairs, but came up short
as there were two pistols trained on them.
"What the hell are you doing, Ben?" Tristan asked
sharply.