Viking Heart (The MacLomain Series: Viking Ancestors Book 3) (22 page)

Awed, she watched the creature…Raknar…fly, partially aware of Naðr still urging Kol forward. But it seemed the youngest brother still feared. “You must do this now, little brother. We need you to be with us.”

Kol watched Naðr step away, voice firm. “We’ll always watch over you, but it is time for you to do this. For us.” He stood up straighter. “Do this for your brothers.”

As it had been around Raknar, colored wind started to swirl around Naðr. When it twisted away, a black dragon stood in its place. Easily six feet tall, it lowered its wings, cocked its head, blue eyes staring at Kol before it took off.

Kol watched his brothers fly over the ocean, fists clenched and little jaw firm. God, he was so young and obviously terrified.

But he was also brave and determined. Or so it seemed.

He took a few steps back then ran to the edge of the sea and froze. Body trembling, he eyed the sky. Then he hung his head. Meanwhile, his brothers flew overhead, close but not too close. Yet it seemed Kol wasn’t quick to give up because he strode up the rock then turned. He stood there for a minute or so, shaking, before he again ran down the rock.

This time air shimmered around him.

And he shifted.

Maybe three or four feet tall, covered in obsidian and shimmering brown scales, he bounded a few times then spread his wings. Though he flapped them, it was clear he had no idea how to work with the wind shear as his body wobbled. He hadn’t climbed all that far over the ocean before he lost control and started to nose dive.

Her breath caught in her throat as the little dragon fell.

Then, out of nowhere, he landed on the back of not a black dragon but a golden one.

Raknar had saved him.

His middle brother gained altitude then drifted. Waited. Amber got the sense they communicated and that Raknar was proud that Kol had faced his fear and embraced his other half. While she almost thought the golden dragon might show some tough love and flip him off, he didn’t. Instead, he let Kol ride him for awhile.

She smiled when Kol at last chose to leap from his brother’s back. He flapped his wings once, twice, and then coasted, learning the feel of the wind. Emotion welled up in her as Kol gained confidence and the dragon flapped his wings, flying out over the ocean between his brothers.

Their forms ghosted away as she knew Kol’s memory faded.

“That was...” Amber swallowed hard, fighting unexpected emotions. "Touching."

Her eyes turned to Kol, not a little boy dragon with a will to be as strong as his brothers, but a full grown man. A tall, well-muscled, Viking at that.

Another unexpected wave of emotion crashed over her. He had shown her something truly special to him. Something that showed that though he'd been terrified, he faced his fear. She wasn't entirely sure what to make of it. She got the feeling he wanted her to take something from it. “While I love that you shared, I’m wondering if you showed me that memory for a particular reason.”

Kol was looking at her a little too intently. "I only meant to share a piece of my childhood with you. A turning point in my life." He took her hand. "Why else would I have shown it to you?"

"I don't know," she murmured. "Maybe you think I fear more than just the dark."

Kol pulled her close and cupped her cheek, dark gaze meeting hers, eyes a thousand times stronger than the boy who had just struggled with his dragon. “Do you?" He skimmed his fingers over her jaw. "Maybe in some ways you're like me, like the memory I just showed you. Afraid to take that next step. Afraid to have faith in what might happen. Perhaps you have been for a very long time."

She nearly drowned in his eyes, almost agreed before she realized she was about to relent to something that she long ago learned to repress.

“No.” Amber pulled away and tried to focus on the ocean but couldn't. His words and actions had gotten to her. He was bringing her closer when they were supposed to remain apart. Layer by layer, it felt like she was becoming more and more exposed. And she didn't like looking at herself too closely and seeing the real reasons she was commitment phobic.

Amber made her way back to the fire and clenched her hands by her side. Why had watching him embrace his dragon made her so aware of her own issues? One’s that she still clearly had not gotten over. But what he had implied about her possible fears made her feel edgy and defensive. Really, the only thing she couldn’t face were mirror images of his own emotional roadblocks.

Fear of getting too close.

Fear of losing everything that matters most.

Fear of losing love.

So when Kol started to speak, she shook her head and stared into the flames. “We don't need to talk about this anymore…” She braced her hand against the rock and sighed. “Just give me some space, all right?”

But it seemed he wasn’t going to give her any more space or chance to pull away than his brothers had given him so long ago because he strode over, spun her around and pressed close. He clutched her chin and forced her eyes to his. His thumb dusted over her cheek, concern and perhaps a touch of empathy in his determined gaze. “I’ll give you space later. For now, tell me what upsets you. Tell me so that I can help you push past it.”

Their gazes held and a heady rush of frustration mixed with lust blew through her. She wanted to hate him and love him all at once. Hate him for dragging deep feelings to the surface. And love him for standing by her side to weather the storm.

“Amber?" Veronica said. "Kol?"

Kol leaned closer and his lips hovered over hers, words low, profound. “Know that I am always here, that I will always listen.” Then his lips were against hers, not kissing but brushing lightly, feeling, and drawing in her air. Too soon, he pulled back sharply and her next breath was cold, lacking…empty.

“Yes, we're here, Veronica," Kol said.

Raknar nodded as he and Veronica entered. “Something has changed. It’s safe enough to go home and mourn.”

“What changed?” Kol asked.

“I don’t know. That’s all Naðr shared.”

Kol nodded and stepped away. They finished dressing and he left her to walk with Veronica.

Her sister eyed her, concerned. “Are you okay, Sis?”

Amber’s hands shook as she smoothed back her hair. “Yup. Good.” She worked to set aside all the feelings Kol dragged from her. “How is Matthew?”

"He’s fine, just newborn and cranky.” Veronica took her hand and allowed the men to walk ahead, her eyes still on Amber. “How are you…
really
?”

She had learned a long time ago how to keep her true feelings from her sisters and was about to say fine when her sister stopped short. Where Veronica would have typically frowned at her and snapped out something like, “Get over it. Rise up,” she didn’t.

Instead, she put her hands on Amber’s shoulders and shook her head. “You know I love you right?”

Huh? Megan might pull this mushiness, this need to connect, but never Veronica. As a rule of thumb, her middle sister kept herself distanced from too much emotion. So she shrugged. “Sure, Sis.”

Veronica stared at her so long, Amber almost pulled away. The words her sister spoke surprised the heck out of her.

“When you were taken by Alrek, it scared the hell out of me. It also made me realize that there was something I wanted you to know.” Her sister’s eyes held hers. “I might’ve thought you still needed to do a lot of growing up, but I was wrong.” Veronica shook her head. “You embraced life when I couldn’t. You still do.” She shrugged and grinned. “But I think I’m getting the hang of it.” Her sister yanked her closed and hugged her. “Do you have any idea how proud of you I am?”

Stunned, Amber slowly wrapped her arms around Veronica’s shoulders. It seemed her sister was going back to her roots and embracing something she forgot she was. Not an uptight, overachieving city girl, but a fisherman’s daughter. A girl who suffered. A woman who had lost a son. She was free from grief now and embracing a new life, a new
her
.

And she was one of two little girls who had helped Amber through the pain of their parent’s separation long ago. So she held her sister tighter. But even as she murmured, “And you couldn’t begin to know how proud I am of you,” to Veronica, there were still no tears.

From her sister, yes.

From Amber, no.

Never tears.

Tears meant finality. Tears meant the end.

Tears meant it was over.

Veronica’s eyes met hers and if she wasn’t mistaken there was a flicker of sympathy in them before she pulled Amber after her. “Let’s go. The ship leaves soon.”

She nodded and followed. Kol helped her down—his hands lingering on her waist just long enough to fuel fire beneath her skin—before he helped Veronica onto the ship. Then he swung fur cloaks over their shoulders, eyes unreadable as he made sure Amber's was secure.

“The King wishes Kjar to hold Matthew until we reach the fortress,” Raknar said softly to Veronica. “He is safest in the demi-god’s arms.”

Veronica nodded. “Of course.”

The small ship disembarked. Once they had navigated past the rocks, they sailed along the coast, never straying far from land. Veronica and Amber stayed close to Kjar as Raknar and Kol helped man the ship. Little was said and faces were somber when the fortress loomed in the distance and their sail was lowered. At first all she could see were the last golden rays of a setting sun glittering over a deep blue sea. Then slowly but surely she saw something else.

Small boats floating away from the shore. No, canoes really. Several of them. Too many.

Thirty at least.

“God, no, not that many dead,” she whispered and fingered the satchel at her neck. “All because of this.”

Knees week, she was grateful when Kol came behind her. He wrapped a supportive arm around her waist and pulled her back against him. His words were mournful but strong. “The dead are being sent to Odin where they might be welcomed for a battle well fought.” She heard the catch in his voice. “It is time to say goodbye to my brothers and sisters.”

Amber’s throat closed as dozens upon dozens of fiery arrows whizzed through the air, thumping into the drifting boats. Likely Kol’s friends, fellow warriors, maybe even lovers. Her chest clenched so tightly she could barely breathe let alone move. They were people he’d been raised with. They were family. Prayers were murmured softly along the ship as fires caught on the small boats and crackled against the dying sunset.

She said nothing for a long time but mourned alongside the others.

Only when the fires were lazy entrails of smoke on the horizon and deep twilight descended did Kol pull away. Strong jaw clenched, she could see the sadness and anger he worked through. The rest of the men wore similar expressions as they took up oar and brought the ship into port.

Megan and Naðr waited on the dock. Amber was surprised when she saw two tall, kilted men standing by their side. At first she couldn’t make out their features but as they drew closer her eyes widened. While she didn’t recognize the first, she definitely did the second. Though he looked remarkably different, she was certain he had been Sean’s lawyer during the sale of Megan’s house.

Amber waited for Kjar, the baby and Veronica to disembark before she followed. The minute she set foot on the dock, Megan wrapped her arms around her and murmured, “Thank God you’re all right.” She held her a long moment then pulled back. Eyes wet, her older sister kept her at arm’s length and looked her up and down. “You
are
okay, right? They didn’t hurt you?”

“I’m fine, really,” she assured. “Kol and Kjar saved me.”

Megan frowned, eyes searching. “Nothing happened before that?”

Before her sister kept on, Amber shook her head. “No, I wasn’t hurt. Just a little scared.”

“I can imagine,” Megan said through clenched teeth.

The next thing she knew, she was pulled into the king’s arms. Sort of stunned, she stilled. Naðr gave her a brief hug then pulled back, a harsh frown on his face and dark words on his tongue as he met her eyes. “I vow that I will see Alrek drawn and quartered for what he did to you.”

Lord, he and Megan were cut from the same cloth with their fierce expressions.

Amber could only manage a nod before her eyes drifted to the Scotsmen. Wow, were
they
something with their plaids, boots and furs wrapped over their broad shoulders. Extremely handsome. But not quite as hot as Kol. He had a little something extra that other men seemed to lack.
Pure sexiness.

Her eyes narrowed on the Scotsman with pale grayish blue eyes and her shoulders tensed. Mainly because he brought Sean roaring to the forefront of her mind.

Megan made introductions. She gestured at the man with jet black hair and pale blue eyes first. “Amber, meet Adlin MacLomain.”

The
Adlin MacLomain? The clan’s infamous patriarch and immortal wizard? Amber’s mouth fell open as he kissed the back of her hand.

“Nice to meet ye, lass.”

“You too, Adlin.” She offered a small smile, still overly aware that this was a somber occasion.

Megan gestured to the other man. “And I believe you sort of already know Grant MacLomain.”