Dreams of a Dark Warrior (5 page)

only for me!”

“Aidan, wait,” she cried, grappling to free herself, but he’d pinned her arms to her sides. “Listen to me!”

He didn’t. “I was true to you, Valkyrie!” The rune stone began to crack under his assault. “I wil

slaughter any who’ve touched you. …”

Seeing no other recourse, she sank her fangs into one of the thick muscles of his chest.

He seemed not to feel it. She bit harder until she’d drawn blood.

Final y he slowed. “You’re biting me?” he slurred.

With a rol of her eyes, she released him.

“If you mean to pain me, you wil have to do better than that. I’ve had nine years of perfect misery.”

“I had to do something to make you listen. Aidan, I’ve never been touched. Not that it should matter—

since
you
are certainly no innocent.”

He sagged against her in relief.

She added sarcastical y, “My virgin’s blood is stil yours to spil .”

He took her words seriously. “’Tis
mine
by right. You belong to
me
! If there’d been another, I would make him eat his own entrails.”

She blinked up at him. “And these are your words of sentiment?”

“There’s no poetry in me, Reginleit. No fine words.” He stared down at her, his gaze seeming to

consume her. “I come to you as a man unfinished.”

Raw, grim male.

He took her hands in his bloodied, cal used ones. “Accept me?” His eyes glowed, his lashes spiked

from rain.

Lightning struck then and her breath caught—he had a face made even more beautiful in the blaze of

lightning. “Warlord, you once told me I’d always know what you’re thinking. What are your thoughts now?”

“Partly, I’m thinking that I might shame myself in my trews, just from the feel of you next to me.” One of his hands snaked around to cover her backside, gripping her there.

“Oh!”

“And partly, I’m fearing I wil frighten you away again.”

“You did not
frighten
me away before. Nothing frightens me.”

“Then why did you leave me?”

“Because you would not listen to me. You sought to take away my freedom.”

“And give you mine in turn, woman! Then why’ve you come to me now?”

“Mostly because of … the change. When beset by these needs, I came to you to have them eased.”

Again, he went stil . “You came to me,” he repeated hoarsely. “To your man. Reginleit, you make my

chest bow with pride.” His lips curled. “And my shaft swel . I’m greedy to sample these generous new

curves you’ve brought me.”

“My looks please you?” She straightened her shoulders self-consciously. “I fear I did not grow tal .”

“Please me?” He laughed from deep in his chest. “You stun me. Ah, little wife, if you did not grow up,

you certainly grew out.” One of his hands dropped to cover a breast, giving it a tender squeeze. When he

shuddered with delight, she felt a thril down to her toes.

“And you came to me to ease you here?” His other hand trailed down between them to gently cup her

sex.

She gasped. “Y-yes.”

His eyes burned with excitement, with possession, with pride. “I’m going to make your lightning rain

down.” He pressed the heel of his palm harder, and her head fel back.

“Ah, yes! Make love to me, warlord.”

“Words from fantasy. But I cannot. I need more time.”

She lifted her head. “I do not understand.”

“I want more of you. I want eternity.”

“What are you speaking of?”

“If I deflower a Valkyrie before wedding her, I wil never earn ohal a. Wóden would never gift me with it.”

“Wed?” She yanked his hand from her. “Immortals cannot wed mortals! It’s unnatural.” To watch him

die a little each day, until he withered with age …

“Precisely. So I must be of your kind. And even were it not forbidden, I stil would not wed you without

ohal a. I know of no warrior older than sixty winters. I’ve forty. Two decades should be but a taste of life with you.”

In a crestfal en tone, she said, “You want me to … wait?” Her plan was foiled, utterly. Not only would

she
not
get what she came for, she’d be punished for trying.

“Only to be claimed. Rest assured, I’l sate you in other ways til then.”

But she wanted to know everything, to experience it al . “How many battles do you have left?”

He lifted his chin. “A mere six dozen or so.”

“Are there even that many wars?” she cried.

“Between the vampires and the unal ied demonarchies, a lifetime of war awaits.”

“Seventy battles could take years! I came here because I wanted you to be my first lover.”

“By al the gods, I wil be, woman. But not yet. You wait for me, Reginleit. I wil seize ohal a for you, for us.”

“And what would you expect me to do while you are out fighting? My Valkyrie nature hungers for war as

much as yours does. And I hold no love for vampires.” Her mother’s people, the Radiant Ones, had been

exterminated by them.

“You wil remain behind—”

Eyes widening, she opened her mouth to give him a blistering reply.

“—to train, as al my men do before they go to battle,” he finished.

“Train?” she scoffed. “I’ve readied for war al my life.”

“Using the wrong weapon. You stil wield your long sword?”

“Yes.”

“With your smal height and Valkyrie speed, you should be fighting with two short swords. I could teach

you how.”

She pursed her lips, reluctantly intrigued by that idea. “And once I am trained …” she prompted.

As if the words were pul ed from him, he said, “You can join me at the front. But only after I deem you

ready.”

She dug one fang into her bottom lip, actual y considering his offer.

He must have taken her silence as acceptance, because he leaned down to kiss her neck, his mouth

so hot in the rain. Against her skin, he rasped, “And, brightling, know this …” His tongue flicked out to lick drops from her. “I vow to you now, I wil be your
last
lover.”

She couldn’t think when he was doing that! “I-I haven’t agreed to this. Am I to have no say? Again?”

He inhaled as if for control, then raised his head. “Give me a chance, and I
will
claim your heart. Al I need is time.”

She didn’t believe that could happen. An immortal like her could never ful y love a mortal. Her instincts

would rebel against tender feelings like that.

After al , she could never give her heart to a man who would take it to the grave with him, leaving her

broken and yearning for eternity.

Stil , there was something captivating about Aidan’s utter confidence. As if he knew something about

her that she didn’t even know herself. And her out-of-control desires were making it difficult to deny him. “I wil give you three months, warlord. You have three months to win me.”

“Ah, Valkyrie”—he curled his finger under her chin—“your heart wil be mine in two.”

-iii-

Seven months later

Where is he? I’m going mad without him here.

Regin paced their longhouse as a blizzard raged outside. Aidan was a week overdue from a campaign.

She’d ridden the countryside searching for him for days, but found no sign.

There was rumor of a capture.

Did he even live?

Aidan.
The bear of a warrior she could never al ow herself to love, but the one she
wanted
above al others.

Even though she was a ful immortal now—her appetite for food had disappeared, her need for war

burgeoning—she lingered with him here at his camp.

I am better for being here, for being with him.
She was a better swordswoman—though he hadn’t

deemed her ready for war yet, and she secretly feared he never would.

She was a better lover. Though he hadn’t coupled with her.

Seven months ago, she had tried repeatedly to seduce him, coaxing him to take her completely. Yet in

time she’d come to want more of him, too. No, he couldn’t win her heart, but he’d won her desires. He’d

pleasured her relentlessly, teaching her to slake him as wel .

Each time he set off to battle, she demanded, “Take me with you, warrior.” His ploy to keep her in

camp? He left her sexual y sated and sprawled on the furs, exhausted but glowing with bliss. Already

pining for him to return.

As he’d done so long ago, Regin had begun to ask herself, why
not
him?

Because once she’d learned how to handle her stormy berserker—knowing when to tease him, when

to claw him, when to draw him into her arms and murmur,
“Shh, be at ease, warlord”—
life with him had been surprisingly gratifying.

He treated her like a goddess, spoiling her with gifts and surprises. And they laughed constantly. She

savored the sound of his laughter coming from his big barrel chest—as wel as his gruff words of

affection: “Remember those years ago when I vowed I would love you one day? I told you true.”

Could any male make her feel as he had the night he’d lightly rasped his blond stubble over her

stomach and murmured, “I want babes with you—berserker sons and Valkyrie daughters.” He’d raised

his head, gazing at her with clear gray eyes. “Give them to me one day?”

Having a Valkyrie for his mate had done nothing to curb his arrogance. He behaved like an immortal

already—even more arrogant and lordly—thril ing her. “Wóden wil look upon me with favor,” he’d told her.

“No male could treasure his daughter more than I do you.”

’Twas simple enough. Regin desired him above al males and knew she always would, which meant two

decades was far too short—

He stumbled through the door.

She gave a cry, leaping to her feet. “Thank gods, you’ve returned! Where have you …” She trailed off

at the wild look on his face. “Aidan?”

His eyes ablaze, he dropped his bloody ax, then ripped off his sword belt and crimson-stained tunic.

His tattooed chest heaved as he stalked toward her, his expression warning her to take a step back.

Then another.

“Aidan, say something.”

“They tried to keep me from you.” He backed her into the table, cornering her, predatory.

“Who? The vampires?”

“
No one
keeps me from you. Not immortals, not men, not a god.
Nothing
can keep me from you.”

“Aidan, wh-what are you doing? You’re on the very edge. You must calm yourself.”

“My life passed before me, Reginleit. I’d rushed to battle because I want you forever—only to fal

without a single night inside you? The idea sent me into a frenzy!”

She’d never seen him this far gone when not fighting. They both worked to keep him from reaching his

berserkrage, knowing he’d lose control to the beast within.

The beast that roared inside him to claim its mate.

“I left a wake of death to return to you”—his hand shot out to cup her nape, yanking her close—“to

make you mine in al ways.” He dipped his head to nip her breast, making her gasp. “Tonight I’l ride your little body til you scream with pleasure.”

“Have you fever? Are you maddened?” She shoved him away, but again, he stalked closer. “You know

why we can’t!”

“We can! You are
mine
to claim. Ohal a is mine to take! I demand it al —mine by right.”

“This is the berserkrage speaking … speaking
nonsense
. Think about what you are saying! We’ve set

our course, and we wil be steadfast.”

Regin knew that the hotter his rage, the faster and stronger he’d be. If she didn’t make it out of here

with a burst of speed, al would be lost. She feinted left, then ducked to the right, sprinting past him—

He caught her dress, snatching her back.

“Aidan, nay!”

He seized her in the cage of his arms, carrying her to their bed, dragging her down with him. “’Tis

unnatural to deny this fated need. You know this—you feel it too!”

Before she could escape, his hands fisted in the front of her dress. With a roar, he rent the material

clean from her body, his smoldering gaze raking over her breasts and lower to her sex.

He was going into that mindless state, his muscles bulging even more. “You wanted me to claim you

before. Is that no longer true?”

“Of course I want you to, but not yet!”

He tore off his boots and breeches, rising up above her. His mighty shaft swel ed with lust, moisture

beading the proud crown.

Raw male.
Against her wil , the flesh between her legs dampened, her breasts growing heavy.

Whenever the spirit of the bear quickened inside him, she responded—as if he’d imparted some of his

beast, imprinted it upon her.

Because once it rose, she grew desperate to answer its cal .

Now she fought the growing need. “Nay! Do not do this!” She pummeled his chest, but when he was

like this, she was no match for his strength. He caught her wrists, easily pinning them over her head.

“Aidan, I-I am pleading, just wait—” The words caught in her throat when he dipped his head to one of

her breasts, his lips closing over her nipple.

As he sucked, his finger slid into her core. “Wet for me,” he growled around the peak. A second finger

delved as he moved his hot mouth to her other breast, suckling with greedy lips, his tongue swirling.

Her nipples were damp and throbbing, her sex quivering to his touch. “Aidan!”

“You’re ready, nigh coming.” But he slipped his fingers from her. She whimpered, undulating for them.

With her arms stil captured over her head, he covered her body with his own. “You are mine,

Reginleit!” He rocked his hips between her thighs.

She felt his thick manhood pulsing, seeking …

And gods help her, she tilted her hips so it could surge home.