A Beast For The Eyes: A Steamy Shifter Romance (A Ravenswood Romance Book 2) (18 page)

Andor looked her up and down. She was young, seemingly just around his age. “And do you speak from experience.”

Astrid smiled, “we don’t age in the afterlife. I passed when I was 19, just a year younger than you are now. My home was invaded by vikings living here in Jutland. When arriving I had a decision to make: did I want to return as a ghost and terrorize the people of Jutland or return as a spirit and help other people gain control of an awful society. Here I am now, guiding you.”

“How do you know my father then?”

“He arrived in the afterlife just as I was accepting my place back here as a spirit. When he heard my story, he immediately became like a father to me. My own parents chose to be ghosts and we hadn’t spoken since. Your father informed me that you and your brothers were fulfilling his life mission and your dying mother's wish. He told me that Jutland was your next destination.”

“Did you warn the people to leave here?”

“I came back posing as a ghost and haunted them out. If you are anything like your father, I knew I had to meet you. He speaks highly of you and your brothers, but especially of you, Andor.”

Andor blushed. He had always felt like he went unnoticed by his father.

“I’m here to help you.” Astrid reached out again to touch his arm. Again, Andor pulled back.

“Are you afraid to touch me, Andor?”

Andor turned red. He was wary about coming into contact with a spirit, if they were anything like ghosts, he knew that she wouldn’t be a solid being and that he could pass through her as if she were a cloud. “Well, I’m just not sure I’m ready to accept the fact that you aren’t alive.”

“As a spirit, I am more human than I am ghost. You can feel me just like you can feel your brothers.” Astrid place her hand out, palm up, inviting him to place his hand on top.

Andor hesitated. He looked at her hand then back to her eyes then back to her hand. He slowly reached out his hand and placed it directly on top of hers. His heart began to race. Her hands were ice cold and it caused goosebumps to form all the way up his arm. “You’re freezing.”

Astrid laughed and said, “what did you expect? I’m not alive, just as you said.”

Andor laughed as well. It had been months since he was in the presence of a beautiful girl. His heart began to flutter. This caused him to feel nervous. He knew what a bad idea it was to fall for a girl that was unattainable. This girl was not even alive!

Part VI

Andor and the other men all slept under thick blankets made of animal skin that they found in one of the building that must have been the home of an avid hunter. With the sun gone, the wind picked up. Being inside and under blankets helped them remain warm, but the windows were cracked and drafts of biting cold wind blew through the house all night long. Astrid was gone for the night. She told them that she would be back the next morning with more news from Andor, Finn, and Kristoff’s father. Some of the mean questioned her word, but Andor felt confident that she would indeed come back to them. There was some sort of understanding between the two of them. Andor felt like he could trust her completely.

He could barely sleep at night though. Not because of Astrid, but because he had no idea how his brothers were or how the journey home was going. He dozed in and out of a dream state. He had a nightmare that his brothers got caught in a bad storm and that the ship capsized.

Some of the crew shook Andor awake. “Sir, you’re having a nightmare wake up!” They were shouting. Andor jerked awake and opened his eyes. He was drenched in a cold sweat. The sun was finally up, he made it through the night.

“Andor?” The sound of Astrid’s voice drifted through the window. Andor jumped to his feet, high stepped over some of the sleeping crew, and made his way outside. The ocean air was brisk. He pulled his robe tighter around himself.

“Good morning Astrid. I hope you,” he paused, “do you sleep?”

She laughed. “I don’t. There is no need to. I never feel tired!”

Andor smiled, something he rarely did. “Well I hope you had a good night then.”

Astrid grabbed his hand and pulled him away from the home he spent the night in. “Let the men sleep longer. I will tell you all about your father's plans while we search for something for you and the men to eat. Can you hunt?”

This took Andor by surprise. He hadn’t anticipated a hunt. The food was all on the ship with Finn and Kristoff. “No, I never have.”

“Be right back.” Astrid disappeared. It caught Andor by surprise every time that she could just come and go like that right in front of his own eyes. He stood there, not sure what to do or how long to wait. Before he made a decision either way, she returned. Appearing right beside him, just like she had never left. She now held a crossbow. “Do you know how to use a crossbow?”

“N-no,” Andor stuttered. It was hard for him to admit that he had no idea how to do something considered to be a man's job.

“Well you’re in luck,” Astrid said, “I borrowed this from a man in the afterlife who was one of the best hunters. He taught me how to use it. We will have meat in no time.”

The two of them made their way into the forest in search for some animal to eat. They tiptoed around, trying to remain silent, and they spoke in hushed whispers. “So how is my father?”

“He’s a great man. I see a lot of similarities between the two of you. He is also stubborn.”

Andor laughed.

“I think that is the first time I have ever heard a laugh from you.”

“It’s been a while.” Andor agreed. “Since my father passed, it’s been hard. Kristoff and I don’t see eye to eye most of the time and poor little Finn struggles with that. It’s hard being bossed around when Kristoff isn’t even a full year older.”

Astrid lowered the crossbow and turned to look at Andor. She stared deep into his eyes. Andor felt his heart beginning to beat faster. “Your father said Kristoff always bossed you around, but that he knew you were the real leader. He said that you allowed it more often once Finn was born, because you didn’t like it when he cried.”

Andor’s stomach tightened into a knot. He hadn’t thought about their childhood in so long. Finn used to cry at the sounds of his older brothers arguing. Andor would always back down and let Kristoff have his way, because it made Finn stop crying. Years had gone by and Andor became bitter at the thought of always letting Kristoff be in charge. It was nice to remember that deep down he was a good man and not the hardened shell Kristoff had forced him to become.

He reached his arm out and brushed the back of his hand down Astrid’s jawline. Her cold skin made his skin feel alive and electric. She smiled back at him. “It’s strange,” he said, “you make me feel comfortable. You make me remember there is more to life than these journeys with my brothers.”

“Andor…”

Andor leaned down to her and kissed her lightly on the forehead.

“Andor, I don’t think this is the best idea. You could get hurt.”

“You wouldn’t hurt me, would you?”

Astrid shook her head. “No, I wouldn’t,” she paused, “but we are not the same. This can’t work.”

“I don’t care.”

Astrid stood on her tip toes, dropped the crossbow to the ground and wrapped her arms around his neck. She whispered in his ear, “no one can know.”

Andor wrapped his muscular arms around her waist and pulled her against his body and kissed her passionately.

Part VII

Two days had gone by since leaving the shores of Jutland. The crew was exhausted from all of the extra rowing. They were to tired to voice their exhaustion and continued warily rowing the ship through the rough ocean water. Finn was also exhausted, he was very obviously the weakest of the three brothers. As the peacekeeper, a role he appointed himself to, he didn’t feel the need to bulk up like his brothers did. It didn’t matter to him who was the strongest or most in charge, just that everyone got along. Kristoff was probably exhausted as well, but he would never admit it. As long as Kristoff was rowing, so was everyone else. They stopped rowing for two meals a day and to sleep for about three hours per night.

“We should be there by tomorrow, right Kristoff? That’s the plan, right?”

Kristoff was growing annoyed with the amount of questions his younger brother was asking on the journey home. He snapped, “Finn, what did we tell you about caring so much about plans?”

“That I needed to relax, I know, but this trip is different. We went to be back quickly for our mother. I think I should be allowed to worry about our timing, aren’t you worried at all that she will pass before we get there? Or, even if we get there in time, that she will pass before we get back to Jutland and Andor has the chance to say goodbye?” This rebuttal surprised everyone in earshot, including Finn. He was never one to talk back to Kristoff.

“We’ll be to mother tomorrow. Keep rowing.” Kristoff didn’t have the energy to fight with Finn nor did he want to upset him. Kristoff tried his hardest to stay on Finn’s good side, because he thought it would help him get his way more often when he and Andor had a disagreement.

The water was choppy but not too rough and they had been lucky in terms of weather. It rained lightly that morning, but it wasn’t too much that everyone was soaking wet and freezing. All things aside, the trip was going smoothly.

The two brothers just hoped that Andor, back on shore in Jutland, could say the same.

Part VIII

Back in Jutland, everyone was in high spirits. Astrid was able to provide the men with every resource they needed. The houses were looking better, their stomachs were full, and they had all learned to hunt and build fire. During the day, Andor assigned the men different jobs that needed to get done before his brothers returned with his mother. At night, the men gathered around a campfire, drank the mead provided by Astrid, and ate their killings from the day.

All of the men adored Astrid. She was a beautiful spirit who provided them with anything they asked for. She shared amazing stories about her life before and gave them news from loved ones they had lost.

“If only Finn had stayed behind. He would have loved to get to know you. Maybe he would let his silly fear go,” Andor said one night.

“His fear isn’t silly, Andor. He is afraid of ghosts, as everyone should be. He just needed to learn the difference, and he will.”

“Do you know how they are?” Andor asked her this multiple times a day. He knew she was unable to locate anyone who wasn’t on solid ground, but he hoped she may have found a way.

“They haven’t made it home yet, but your mother is doing well. She is sick, but she is strong.”

Andor took a long gulp from his mug. He was extremely worried that his mother would pass without him having the chance to tell her he loves her one last time. Mentioning this would make him seem weak in front of the men, so he kept his concerns to himself. He didn’t even tell Astrid, because he was afraid of what news she might bring him if she knew how upset he would be.

Astrid noticed the look of sadness on Andor’s face. She refilled his mug and spoke up so the entire group could hear, “I think I should walk around and see what might need to be done tomorrow, so I know what to bring back in the morning. Andor, can you please join me, so I know what you will want?” She shot him a look, letting him know she had other intentions.

“Hey, Andor!” one of the crew members shouted, “if you can shoot another one of those big bear looking things, that would be great! That meat tasted so good!” He then tumped over to the side and off the stump he was perched on, having drank way too many mugs of mead. All the men laughed.

“I’ll keep an eye out for you.”

The crew seemed to have no idea that there was anything to even be concerned about. Everything at Jutland was going so well, they seemed to forget that half the crew was still sailing and that Andor’s brothers were also out of the picture.

Andor didn’t feel that it was his responsibility to bring the spirit down.

“I can sense that you are afraid, Andor.” Astrid didn’t hesitate to get to the point as soon as the two of them had walked out of earshot of the other men.

“I am.”

“Talk to me, I can help.”

“I fear that my brothers will not make it back in time for me to say my final goodbye to my mother. I fear that Finn and Kristoff may be butting heads without me there. That Kristoff is taking advantage of Finn’s quiet demeanor. I fear that I am stuck here with no ship to ever leave.” He took a deep breath.

“And?” Astrid prompted.

“I fear that I am falling in love with you.”

Astrid took both of his hands in hers. Again, the sensation of her cold hands in his warmth sent electricity throughout his entire body.

“Finn and Kristoff have spirits on their side. Your father made sure he sent you all back for your mother before it was too late. Finn being alone with Kristoff is probably the best thing for him, he is probably growing up so much and learning how to speak up for himself. Kristoff may be hard, but he would never take advantage of your little brother. You are not stuck here. they will be back.”

“And?”

Astrid stepped closer to him. “I am falling in love with you too.”

Part IX

Kristoff and Finn finally made it back home. The ship pulled right up to shore and they were the first off the ship, running toward their house. Kristoff arrived first and he barreled through the door.

“Mother?” He shouted. Fear came through his tone for the first time since they left Andor back in Jutland.

“Who’s there?” the voice of their mother came from the back room. She sounded panicked.

Finn barged in right behind Kristoff and they took off to the back room. Their mother was lying on her bed covered in layers and layers of quilts.

“Are you okay Mother? How are you feeling? We came back for you. Father sent us.” Finn shot a million questions at her.

“Slow down son. What’s this you say about your father? Are you sure that you are okay?”

“It’s a very long story, Mother. We have a whole village just for you. We came back to take you there. We will name it whatever you want. You will be the ruler of the land. We got it for you.”