Viking Heart (The MacLomain Series: Viking Ancestors Book 3) (14 page)

“How long were you with her?”

“One night.” He looked a little sheepish. “More recently that is.”

“Oh,” she whispered, not concerned with how many times he slept with her. “Is she like her sister, Yrsa, then?”

“Raknar’s former wife was evil.” Kol shook his head. “I didn’t exactly sense that off of Helga. And if she were evil, my brothers would have known.”

“What about you?”

Kol shrugged. “Hard to know. I usually go off what my brothers think.”

Amber understood that well because she had been doing the same thing her whole life. “Did you tell Naðr and Raknar how you felt about Helga?”

“Yes. I tell them everything.”

“And what’d they say?”

Kol took another swig from her mug, troubled. “That my cock has a way of muddling my impression of women.”

“They did
not
.”

“They did.” Though clearly forced, he grinned and made light of it. “And they’re probably right.”

“No, I’d say they’re complete jackasses,” she shot and polished off the mead. “But then I suppose siblings can be that way on occasion, eh?”

This time his grin was less forced. “I suppose they can be.” His eyes studied hers. "I'm curious about something."

"What's that?"

"Why did you tell your sisters we had sex?"

Amber blushed, embarrassed. "Ugh, they told you that?"

"No, my brothers did."

Lovely. "Sorry, I only said that to keep my sisters off my back. I think they're a little anxious about seeing the pact fulfilled."

Kol nodded, expression thoughtful. While she figured he'd make a wisecrack about how he could turn her lie to truth, he didn't.

Amber leaned forward to refill their mug, but Kol shook his head. “You need rest.”

When she protested, he lifted her and headed for the bed. “We
both
need rest.”

“I guess.” She eyed him as he laid her down. “F.Y.I., the same rules apply to you that applied to Kjar.”

“F.Y.I.?”

“For your information.”

“Ah.” He laid down next to her and pulled several furs over them. “I told you I wouldn’t touch you if you said no, Amber.”

She groaned inwardly. There was no more dangerous place on Earth for a sexually frustrated woman to be than in Kol’s bed. “You did. And I expect you to stand by your word.”

“Until you say otherwise,” he promised.

They lay on their sides facing one another. No touching. “I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings earlier.”

“My feelings don’t get hurt, woman.” Kol yawned, but his eyes never left her face. “But I’m glad you didn’t have sex with Kjar.”

A sensation of warmth totally unrelated to sex curled through her. In fact, she had no idea what it was save that she really liked it. “I told you we wouldn’t.”

Kol’s hand slid into hers, but he made no move toward her as his eyes slid shut. Amber stared at him long after he dozed off. Unlike Kjar’s fierce expression when he slept, Kol was completely at ease. As he was when awake, nothing seemed to faze him. The only thing that hinted that he kept partially alert was the slight clench of his hand on occasion, as though grasping a weapon. But then he’d relax and the handsome planes of his face smoothed.

Startled, she realized how badly she wanted to sketch his face like this.

Again and again.

In a place where everything else fell away and he was simply
him
…beautiful, free, exactly who he was meant to be. Wind howled. The fire dimmed. But still she stared at him.

Then she dozed.

Or at least she thought she did.

The next time she woke up, Amber was cuddled against Kol, her back to his front. Cozy, warm, she inhaled deeply, lost in his spicy scent before she drifted off again. When she again pried her eyes open, she was firmly tucked under the furs and Kol was gone.

A fire still burned and wind still howled.

She yawned and sat up moments before he returned, a tray in hand.

“What time is it?” she mumbled.

Kol smiled. “Late.” He set the tray beside her and sat on the edge of the bed.

Her stomach growled at the smell of freshly baked bread. “Sorry, just a little hungry.”

“I’d think so.” He handed her a piece of meat. “You’ve been asleep for almost two days.”

“No way!” Her eyes widened. “You’re kidding, right?”

He shook his head and popped a few nuts in his mouth. “No. You were tired.”

“I’ve never slept so long,” she muttered and ate. “That’s crazy.”

“Time travel,” he explained. “It had a similar effect on Veronica. She might’ve bumped her head on Raknar’s ship, but nobody passes out for as long as she did. Seems to be Odin’s way of easing the body through time.”

“Did that happen to Megan too?”

“No.” He shrugged. “She was an exception.”

Amber nodded and grinned. “She usually is. A force of nature, that one.”

He grinned in return. “Like my king.”

When Kol handed her a skin, she drank deeply, grateful it was water. Then she eyed him, embarrassed. “Sorry I took up your bed for so long.”

“Don’t be sorry,” he murmured. “I like having you here.”

Amber kept chomping and played it safe. “So I didn’t mess with your lifestyle?”

“Lifestyle?”

“Spending time with other women.” She looked away, suddenly uncomfortable with their conversation though she had initiated it.

“I don’t need to be here to spend time with other women,” he said then stopped short, as though he hadn’t meant to say that but couldn’t quite help it. “I like having you here,” he repeated, voice rough. He swallowed as if he again said something he wasn’t sure he meant. “It’s good you got to rest.”

“Right,” she mumbled and drank down nearly the entire skin of water. “But I still feel really silly taking up space in your bed for so long.”

“Woman, you don’t take up space,” he grumbled as he picked up a fur she must’ve kicked to the floor.

“You’re sweet but seriously, I kinda did.”

“All right. Yes. Like anyone, you take up space.” He stopped and eyed her. “But I like that it was my space.”

Their gazes held.

Amber was about to ask why when he said, “Your sisters thought you would like to bathe so there’s a warm tub of water waiting.”

“Thanks,” she whispered, still caught in the fluctuating emotions that seemed to ping-pong between them. “But I need to go get my clothes.”

As if he didn’t know quite how to put the words together but managed, Kol nodded at a trunk. “Your clothes are here.”

“Ah,” she said softly, eying the evidence that some might speculate meant that she’d been moved in with him. “One change of clothes would’ve been fine.”

“And I told them that,” Kol said a little too quickly, eyes flickering between the trunk and her. “I’ll have it moved to your lodge after you bathe.”

Amber wasn’t entirely sure that’s what she wanted so she said nothing. Instead, she plodded over to the bath and tested it. “Feels good.” Her eyes went to Kol. “Thank you.”

“Thank your sisters,” he reminded but she didn’t miss his pleased expression.

“Okay.” She eyed the tray of soaps and creams next to it. “Thank them for those too.”

“I will.” He nodded at a towel. “That’s for after.”

Before she could respond, he was gone. Amber smiled as she pulled off her clothes and sunk into the water. She had just leaned her head back when Megan stuck her snow-covered head around the corner. “Hey, little Sis.”

“Hey.” She smiled and waved her in. “How goes it?”

“Good.” Megan came in and warmed herself by the fire as she eyed Amber. “You’ve been snoozing for a bit. I was starting to get worried.”

Amber wondered if Kol had told her what happened with Kjar but wasn’t about to bring it up. “I guess I was tired.”

“I get that.” Her sister nodded and eyed Kol’s lodge. “You’ve been through a lot.”

“Sure have.” Amber picked up the bar of soap closest to her and wondered if Kol had put it there on purpose. It smelled similar to vanilla. “Sorry, have I missed most of the Winternights celebrations?”

Megan waved away her words. “No, they go on for a while.”

Then her sister’s eyes locked on hers and Amber knew she had more to say. Scrubbing the soap over her shoulders she said, “What’s up? Looks like you have something on your mind.”

Megan hesitated a moment before continuing. "It turns out that guy who pulled a knife on you is one of King Alrek's men. From what we could gather he was just here to snoop around and gather information."

Before she could respond, her sister continued. "So though security is tightened around here, I want you to stick close to Kol."

"Yeah, okay," she said. "Or Kjar?"

Megan offered a reluctant shrug. "Sure, I suppose."

Her sister’s eyes again studied her for a long moment before she smiled and nodded. “Okay then. I'll give you some privacy.” She strode for the door and stopped short at the entrance. “Your lodge is waiting for you whenever you’re ready.”

“I’m heading that way soon,” Amber said.

“Yeah?”

“Of course.”

Megan again looked at her for a long moment before she vanished. That was
bizarre
. But she assumed it had to do with her being in Kol’s lodge. So she finished bathing, dried off, slid on some pants and a tunic, and then ate. By the time she was finished, Amber felt restless.

“Want to go riding?”

She spun at the sound of Kol’s voice. Like Megan, he was covered in snow. “Riding? It looks like it’s snowing pretty heavy out there.”

“Yes.” He brushed the snow off his head and grinned. “But Thorunn doesn’t mind it.”

When she hesitated, he said, “Or we can join your sisters for the celebration.”

“That sounds like fun,” she said. “And probably what I should do after sleeping for so long.”

“Probably,” he agreed. “But it’s what my people always do during a celebration. Party, dance…” His voice lowered. “Have sex.”

Amber pulled on her boots, eying him in his black fur cloak as he stood before the fire. “And what? We’re gonna go riding into the storm to find a better time?”

“Your choice.” Kol offered her a crooked grin. “We spend the eve with my brothers and your sisters while they try to figure out if we’ll fulfill the seer’s pact or…” He shrugged. “Go find some fun of our own.”

“Door number two sounds good.” When he frowned in question, Amber stood and grinned. “I’m all for getting out of here.”

And she was…

Until it was too late.

“We’re insane,” Amber murmured as Thorunn plodded through the wind-driven snow. “Your poor horse.”

“She’s protected,” Kol assured. “By my magic.”

“She better be.”

Even once they left the shore and entered the forest, the wind was so strong that they weren’t able to talk again until Thorunn walked around the edge of a rock face into a cave. Protected from the snow, Kol swung down and pulled her after him. He removed a fur cloth from the satchel and began rubbing down the horse.

“Why not dry her with dragon magic?”

“When out in elements, she doesn’t get as skittish if I use magic. In here where everything is calm, it’s different. In here she’d feel the dragon much more strongly.”

Having no clue what he meant, she said, “But wouldn’t it be quick and painless if you pulled one of those hair drying tricks you and your dragon nephew seem to be so good at?”

Kol frowned. “You underestimate how much a horse feels.”

Amber had no idea what to make of Kol’s behavior, but well understood his compassion toward animals. “I’m sorry. I’m not familiar with horses.”

Kol said nothing for a time as he continued to dry off Thorunn. When he finally spoke, it surprised her. “While Vikings respect animals, my grandfather twice removed started a legacy in my bloodline that gave great thanks to horses. He did it because a horse thought nothing of sacrificing himself.”

Amber ran her hand along Thorunn, marveling at the power beneath her fingertips. “What happened?”

“Unnatural death,” Kol murmured. “Of my kin. A dragon. Local tribes had been warring. My brethren tried to fight them, but there were too many, even for a dragon, too much magic.” He continued to stroke Thorunn. “But he had loved his horse well and it seemed his horse loved him just as much because when he was taken down, the horse was there…”

When Kol trailed off, a shiver went through her. Amber took his hand. She wouldn’t ask what happened next. That was for him to say. And it seemed her touch kept him talking.

“My ancestor had been riddled by so many weapons that he had no choice but to shift back into human form. When he did, his horse came, protected him.” Kol’s words were pained. “The enemy kept shooting arrows until the horse fell as well.”

Kol’s eyes met hers. “At that moment, when my kin and the horse lay dying together, he cast a spell. Because he was so grateful to the creature, he gave the horse the power to not only temporarily house his soul but to survive the deadly wounds. Both the horse and my kin lived on for many years after. But through that bond, a magical gene was created between those of my bloodline and horses. Made of dragon blood, it was powerful and a gift he passed on to future generations.”

“What does that mean,” she whispered, awed.

“Resurrection,” he murmured, stroking Thorunn’s mane. “While most will think it Viking magic in the future it wasn’t entirely. No, it was a gift born of the connection between a horse and a dragon shifter. Something untouchable and meant to protect future generations.” Kol’s eyes met hers. “It’s a gift that will bring anyone of my bloodline back to life if used correctly.”

Amber had read briefly about this ancient Viking magic in Megan’s manuscript back home, but hearing truth put to the manuscript about the MacLomain Next Generation made speech impossible. Did she believe the women in that story traveled back to medieval Scotland? Certainly, especially considering her circumstances. Yet the idea that she stood across from a Viking confirming and sharing ancestral secrets was jaw-dropping.

Kol put a blanket over Thorunn then pulled Amber after him. “Come. I promised you fun.”

Still a little stunned, she nodded. “You did.”

“This is the cave behind the pine we climbed before,” he explained as they entered a narrow cavern.

Amber eyed the spindly roots that she’d climbed from the backside before Kol pulled her along and they climbed a fairly narrow passageway. It grew so steep that she had to lean forward and use her hands. When they reached the top, he pointed down. “That’s where we jumped from a few days ago.” He pulled her up another steep incline then pointed down to the opposite side. “That’s where I want to go now.”

Amber stared into a dark tunnel, a hole in the rock actually. “Seriously?"

“Yes.” His eyes met hers with a spark of challenge. “To get where we need to go we have to climb down. Are you up for it?”

She stared at it, unsure. But she didn't want to seem like a wuss. “Yeah, let’s do it.”

Kol grinned. “Clothes on or off?”

“On.” She chuckled. “I’m sure women usually say off when you bring them here, right?”

“I’ve never brought a woman here. You’re my first.”

Really?
Interesting.

He swung over the side. “It’s not that far. Grab the roots and climb well, woman.”

Moments later, he was gone. Straight into the darkness. One that had no foreseeable end. Amber looked around. There was nothing but mountain and driving snow.

Should she follow him? She said she would.

Amber clenched her fists and squinted down. Maybe this was a little bit too much adventure for her after all. She leaned back against the rock and closed her eyes.

Kol’s voice echoed up. “Are you coming?”

Amber peered down into the darkness. Was she? She crouched and sat back. When they were on the other side a few days ago, she hadn’t thought twice about stripping down and diving. Now? It was different. There was absolute darkness. And that wasn’t good.

“Not gonna happen,” she whispered, trying to repress old anxiety as it crept up. Why had she thought for a second she was over this old fear? Amber hung her head, disappointed in herself.

“Even if I stay with you?” Kol said softly.

He’d climbed back up.

“Hell,” she muttered, head still down. “I feel like an idiot.”

“Why?”

Amber shook her head and met his eyes. “Because it’s better to be the fun girl who jumps off a cliff and takes chances than to be the girl who’s afraid of the dark.”

“I disagree.”

She frowned. “You do?”

“Yes.” He nodded at the cliff she’d jumped off. “That might have been fun for you.” He grew more serious. “But not so much for me.”

“Why?”

Kol scowled. “You jumped and it was dangerous.”

“Because I trusted you,” she reminded.

He grinned and braced his arms on the edge. “You didn’t know me.”

Amber narrowed her eyes. “You see how you’re working against yourself right? I trusted you and though dangerous, I had fun.” She nodded at the hole he was in. “That’s an entirely different situation altogether.”

“Maybe.” Kol held out his hand and curled his fingers. “But you weren’t hurt then and won’t be now.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because this time I’ll be going down first.”

“Technically, you made it down before me last time,” she pointed out.

“Barely.”

The skies were darkening which meant that hole was only bound to get blacker than it already was. When she continued to hesitate, he murmured, “Why do you fear the dark?”

She shrugged. “I guess it’s just something that’s stuck with me since childhood. I know. Silly.”

“Not really. We all fear something at some point.”

“I thought Vikings were fearless.” She arched a brow. “Especially Vikings that can shift into dragons.”

“Not true.” His lips inched up. “Follow me down and I’ll tell you of my fear.”

“Just one fear?”

“Yes.” He glanced down into the hole before his eyes met hers. “Are you ready then?”

Naturally, she was curious as hell what a guy like Kol feared. “Is there light at the bottom?”

“Not directly at the bottom but close enough.” He climbed down a few feet and looked up. “Come. Join me. I'll stay close.”

Definitely willing to face her fear more readily with him right there, she ignored the heavy thud of her heart, swallowed hard and started after him.

“Just feel for the roots and you’ll be fine,” he said, his deep voice echoing all around as she followed.

“Easier said than done,” she muttered but found it really wasn’t all that bad. And it wasn’t all that far.

Amber’s foot had just touched the bottom when Kol came behind her, hands on her waist, voice close to her ear. “Now that wasn’t so bad, was it?”

A shiver that had nothing to do with the chill in the air raced through her. She took a deep breath and stepped away when she eyed light down a small corridor. Both curious and needing to put some space between them, she followed it. A trickling sound grew into a steady pour as she entered a small chamber that stemmed off to several others. Evidently lit by Kol, a few torches burned. Her eyes instantly went to the waist-high hole where a thin sheet of water fell then poured down into a tunnel.

“Wow,” she murmured, walking over to it.

Kol kept grinning as he joined her. “That’s half the fun to be had down here.”

Amber couldn’t help but grin as well. “Only half?” She peered down into it. “And what makes this so fun?”

Kol removed his fur cloak and tossed it aside. “Now that you’ve faced one dark tunnel, are you ready to face another?”

“No way.” She fought a smile and shook her head as he pulled off his boots then his tunic.

“The water’s cold on the way down but warm at the end,” he promised.

“Oh hell,” she murmured as he grabbed a root suspended above the hole and swung up until he sat on the edge, feet forward, as though getting ready to go down a waterslide.

“Are you going to follow?” he dared, a twinkle in his eyes as his dimples erupted. “If you enjoyed your jump from the cliff, you’ll like this too.”

Amber pointed down and reminded. “Dark.”

“Yes. With nothing but light at the end.”

Then he pushed off and vanished.

Amber crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot. Damn him. Something told her he wouldn’t return to goad her to follow. Then she frowned. She never did find out what he feared! Keeping that in mind, she figured she better follow and prayed that like the descent down, it didn’t last long.

She tossed aside her cloak, yanked off her boots then removed her outer tunic. Though it was a trick at her height, she managed to grab the end of the root and walk her feet up until she was able to sit in the tube. Heck, she must be insane. But the water was too cold to stress overly long. So she pushed off, leaned back and
woosh
, she was off.

Amber crossed her arms over her chest, squeezed her eyes shut and squealed as she whizzed down what felt exactly like a waterslide. Down. Down. Down. One slight turn, then another, then she shot out. She opened her eyes moments before she plunged into warm water.

Sputtering, she broke the water’s surface and started laughing.

Waist deep, Kol was leaning against a rock grinning. “Have fun?”

Amber wiped water from her eyes, still laughing. “That was
awesome
.”

And it truly was. Between the rush of the smooth slide then the warm water cut by what was fast becoming a raging blizzard.

She had never seen him look so happy when he held out his hand. “Do you want to do it again?”

“Oh my God, yeah.” She eyed his hand, content beneath the warm water. “But it’s sort of a long, cold soaking wet hike to get back to the top, isn’t it?”

“It’s not bad from here.” He pulled her through the water toward the roots they’d climbed days before. Amber was surprised when he led her to a bend around the rock where the water grew shallow. Then they were able to walk upwards through a winding tunnel until they ended up in the same chamber. Amber nodded when he urged her to go down the slide first this time.

Four exciting slides later, she was ready for another but he laughed and shook his head. “Night falls and with it, the storm worsens.”

He pulled a dry dress from the satchel and handed it to her.

"Sure, okay. Besides, this was only half the fun, right?” Though she tried to avert her eyes, she couldn’t help but once more admire his cut body when he yanked off his wet pants, dried off and pulled on dry pants and boots. “Why not just use dragon magic to dry yourself now? We’re far enough away from Thorunn aren’t we?”

“I’d rather save my magic for later.” He grinned. “And you’ve already seen me without clothes so I didn't think you'd mind.”

Oh, she didn't for obvious reasons. But somehow it seemed a whole lot more personal this time around. Not only that but she suspected he was doing it on purpose. She almost said so but knew no matter how she phrased it she would sound like a flirt. And what was this about saving magic for later? She could only imagine.

Considering her current reservations, she almost went searching for a private area to change but wanted out of these wet clothes too much. And he
had
already seen her naked too so what the hell. By the time she peeled off the wet clothes and pulled on the dress, he was so still and silent she looked his way. Her breath caught at the raw lust in his eyes as he watched her.