Touching Rune (14 page)

“
Dimitri is not just Sergei’s bodyguard. He is the
Mihailov, in Vasiliev-Mihailov,” Rune said. “He is like Sergei’s older brother.”

“
Wow!” Pam whispered in surprise. “Brothers. That must be something. I’m surprised. I never saw a photo of him and Ms. Ferguson together. It was always Vasiliev and her in the gossip mags.”

“
Ms. Ferguson?” Rune asked in confusion. “Who is she?”

“
You don’t know about
Eloise Ferguson? The model and actress he was hot and heavy into just a couple weeks ago?” Pam asked. “They were practically engaged until she lost the baby. The magazines say she and Vasiliev were devastated about it. Supposedly, Ferguson was so upset she called off their engagement and retreated. I sure hope he didn’t pick you up on the rebound. I had that happen and it sucks,” Pam added.

“
Baby?” Rune whispered. “Rebound?”

“Yeah. I sure hope he doesn’t dump you the way my ex did,”
Pam said with a heavy sigh. “My last boyfriend didn’t tell me until three months later that he had broken up with his wife. What he also forgot to say was that he was still married and they were trying to work things out. Three and a half months later, he dumped me and went back to her. I guess he had really wanted kids and she didn’t at the time.”

“
What... what happened?” Rune asked with a sinking feeling in her stomach.

“With my ex-boyfriend and his wife?
They are expecting any day,” Pam replied with a shrug. “Live and learn. Take my advice; never ever get with a guy on the rebound. They always go back to the woman the moment she flutters her eyelashes.”

Rune opened her mouth to deny it but an older man in his late fifties walked into the room followed by Judy. He spoke briefly with Pam before glancing at the paperwork she had handed him. His eyes glanced up a few times before he nodded and spoke.

“My name is Dr. Sullivan. So, young lady,” he said cheerfully. “Do you think you are superhuman or something?”

“Superhuman?”
Rune asked confused. “No, my name is Rune. Rune August.”

Dr. Sullivan chuckled.
“I heard you tried to stop a speeding bullet,” he said with a gleam in his eye. He shook his head when she continued to look at him with a blank expression. “I guess my age is showing. They must not have made a movie of her yet.”

“
Movies!” Rune grinned suddenly understanding what he was talking about. “I like movies. That is where we were when a boy shot me.”

“
Well, let’s see what kind of damage he did,” Dr. Sullivan said with another chuckle. “Not too bad. A couple of stitches and you should be right as rain.”

Rune silently nodded as she watched him wash his hands, dry them then put on a pair of bright blue gloves. She winced when he touched the area around the wound. A moment later, her side went numb. She clenched her fists when he had her roll onto her right side. He stood over her with a bright light shining down and began stitching
the wound. She could feel the tug as he worked on her but there was no pain.

“Tis a miracle,” she murmured in relief.

Rune smiled up at the old healer as he looked over the rim of a pair of unusual glasses that made his eyes look huge. He smiled down at her briefly before he finished stitching her side. Picking up a pair of tiny scissors, he clipped the end.

“Pam and Judy will finish taking care of you,” Dr. Sullivan explained. “You’ll need to be seen by your regular physician in ten days to have the stitches removed. If you have any heat, redness or inflammation around the area contact him or her immediately. You’ll need to try to keep the area dry as well for the first few days. Do you have any other questions?”

Rune listened carefully as she rolled onto her back. “No, but I thank you for making this painless for me,” she said.

Dr. Sullivan smiled cheerfully and laughed. “I always do what I can. I’ll write you a prescription for some light pain medication. You can take an over the counter pain-reliever if you have any other discomfort after a day or two.”

“Thank you for your help,” Rune said not knowing what else to say.

She didn’t understand half of what he was talking about with seeing her doctor or over the counter pain medication. She was just thankful no one else had been hurt and her wounds had been minor. Unfortunately, the pain from her side had moved to her heart. She knew for certain now that there was no hope of her staying with Dimitri and Sergei. She now understood why Sergei had never told her that he loved her. His heart belonged to someone else even if he would not admit it.

“
She is sleeping,” Dimitri said with a deep sigh as he closed the door to the bedroom. “The pain medication made her sleepy.”

“
What happened, Dimitri?” Sergei said running his hand through his thick black hair. “I find it hard to believe that we just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

“
I am working on it,” Dimitri said heavily. “I have assigned Alex and Pierre to find out everything they can about the kid.”

Sergei walked over to the bar and poured a drink for him and Dimitri. He turned and handed the dark amber liquor to Dimitri before he sat down on the long couch. They were missing something. His gut was telling him it was more than just a random shooting. His mind went through all the possibilities.

He honestly didn’t think it had anything to do with the reason they had first come to Los Angeles. They had the programmer who was leaking the information. It had been easy once they completed their internal audit on emails. The man was sinking in debt and one of their rival companies had offered him a substantial down payment with the promise of additional funds if he could get the latest program they were developing to them by the first of the year.

“
I want to return to Moscow,” Sergei said suddenly. “Something isn’t right. I can feel it. I want Rune where we can protect her better.”

“
Me too,” Dimitri said staring moodily into his drink. “Pierre said the kid kept saying the old woman told him to kill her.”

Sergei scowled.
“What old woman? That makes absolutely no sense.”

Dimitri took a sip of his brandy and leaned back.
“I never said it did. Neither one of us know any old women who would want to kill us and Pierre said the boy insisted he was just supposed to shoot Rune.”

“
Did the boy say her name?” Sergei asked sharply.

Dimitri shook his head.
“No, he insisted that the old woman told him to just kill the girl with you. As far as I’m concerned it is impossible for anyone to know about Rune. Hell, she has only been in our lives a little over a week.”

“
It feels like much longer,” Sergei admitted as he finished off his drink and stared blankly at the empty glass.

“
When are you going to admit you love her?” Dimitri asked.

Sergei threw Dimitri a heated look.
“I care about her. That is not the same as love. You know how I feel about that,” he bit out evasively.

“
She is not Eloise,” Dimitri stubbornly pointed out.

“
She could never be like Eloise,” Sergei admitted.

*.*.*

Rune leaned back against the door that she had just closed. She had woken up thirsty and lonely and wanted to curl up in the other room near Dimitri and Sergei instead of being in the large, cold bed all alone. Tonight’s events had shown her just how precious her time with them was. Now, she wished she would have stayed in bed. The medication had taken care of the pain in her side but she didn’t think anything would help with the pain in her heart.

She had discarded what the young nurse had said about Sergei. There was no way he could make love to her the way he did and care about another woman. Now, she wasn
’t so sure. She had frozen with the door cracked when she heard Dimitri ask Sergei if he loved her. His comment that he cared for her but she would never be like Eloise seared through her heart.

She pushed away from the door and walked silently into the bathroom. She used one of the glasses next to the sink to fill it with tap water. Sipping it, she looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her hair was a tangle of curls that hung half way down her back now instead of to her waist. Her brown eyes were slightly glazed from the medication that Dimitri had insisted she take as soon as it arrived from the pharmacy. She was wearing one of Sergei
’s dress shirts instead of one of the nightgowns they had purchased for her. Sergei had suggested it would be better as it wouldn’t brush against her side. By the time the medicine kicked in, she didn’t care what she was wearing or not wearing.

“
What are you doing up?” Sergei’s husky voice asked from the doorway to the bathroom.

“
What?!” Rune gasped turning around so quickly her head spun.

Sergei caught her in his arms as she swayed. Rune placed a hand on his chest and another to her head as the room swirled around her. She gasped as she found herself lifted into a pair of strong arms.

“Sergei,” she protested.

“
You should not be up without one of us with you,” he gritted out as he carried her back to the bed. “You have been shot! You’ve lost a lot of blood, had a traumatic experience and are taking medication which can cause you to be lightheaded. You should have called one of us if you wished for something to drink.”

Rune laid her head against his shoulder and sighed.
“I can get a drink without fainting,” she retorted softly as he gently laid her down on the bed. “Though, I have to admit the medicine does make my head feel a bit light.”

Dimitri chuckled as he came in.
“You are not used to such things,” he commented as he pulled his shirt over his head. “I will get my shower while you hold her. She needs someone to watch over her.”

Sergei pulled the covers over Rune before lying down next to her. He tenderly brushed her hair back from her face as she rolled onto her right side to look at him. Rune reached up and touched the line along his brow.

“If you keep frowning you are going to have a wrinkle there,” she murmured. “My mother used to tell my father that all the time.”

“
What happened to you? The first time when you...” Sergei’s voice faded on the last word.

“
When I died?” She finished.

Sergei nodded as he relaxed next to her. His thumb continued to caress her cheek as they lay facing each other. Rune closed her eyes briefly before opening them again. Her lips curved into a small sad smile as she remembered her family.

“There was my mother, father, two older sisters, my younger brother and I in my immediate family. It was the end of the summer months and we were working hard to prepare for the coming winter. My brother, Olaf, was one and ten years of age. He was spending more time with my father by this time. They were helping the freed thralls who were under my father. My mother did not believe in slaves much to my father’s frustrations. Each time he returned with one, she would declare them free and give them the option of staying and becoming a part of our family or returning from where they were bought. Father finally gave up. Most of those who he brought home stayed and declared loyalty to my parents,” she said with a sigh.

“
How many were there?” He asked curiously.

“
We had close to twenty living on our farm. My father was a warrior under Jarl Bjarni Asvaldsson. He had saved the Jarl’s life on several occasions and was gifted land of his own. In addition, my mother was the youngest sister of Bjarni. She and my father fell in love and our family was born. The match between my parents didn’t hurt my father’s standing. He had been strong before but now he was also very powerful. Some were jealous of my father’s position; jealous and afraid. Over the years as we grew, my father also became very adept at growing crops that were bountiful and was skilled at breeding many fine horses. This made him very wealthy as well.”

“
Power and wealth can be seen as a threat to many who do not have it or who crave it,” Sergei murmured as he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“
Yes,” Rune responded with a sigh. “Our land bordered that of Jarl Leifsson, a rival chieftain who was jealous of my uncle and father. Leifsson wanted not only the land that my father owned, he also wanted my father to declare his loyalty to him. Leifsson wanted to rule over the other Jarls but he did not have the support or power he needed without my uncle and father backing him. He wished to join our families through a hand-fasting between his oldest son, Gamli and I. Aesa was already promised to Jorundr Hasteinson and Dalla was already hand-fasted to a warrior who was away. Father refused all of his requests, of course. Soon after, nightly raids began and two of the freed thralls living with us were found dead and many of our sheep and horses taken. Father approached Jarl Leifsson who swore that it was not done by him or his people. Father knew he had done it but without proof my uncle would not strike against him.”

“
But your father did,” Sergei guessed.

“
Yes. Father and ten of the warriors who lived on the farm set up a trap. Jarl Leifsson’s youngest son, Frodi, and four raiders were killed when they tried to burn the huts of some of the families and steal a prized stallion father had raised. Jarl Leifsson refused to believe my father when he delivered Frodi and the other men back to him. He and his oldest son, Gamli, attacked my father,” she whispered.

“Was your father killed?” Sergei asked as Rune fell silent for several minutes.

“What?” She asked, distracted by her memories. “No. No, he was not killed then but he was badly wounded,” Rune replied with a soft sigh and rolled over onto her back to stare blindly up at the ceiling. “He made it home with an arrow in his shoulder and thigh. He caught fever and mother nursed him as best she could. She insisted that my sisters, brother and I should go to stay with our uncle. She feared that Jarl Leifsson would take us to force my father to agree. We all argued with her that we should stay and fight or at least send word to our uncle for assistance but she would hear no more of it,” her voice grew fainter as the memories came. “Five of my father’s warriors were to escort us. We had not traveled more than a few miles from our home when smoke rose high in the air. We knew that Jarl Leifsson, Gamli and their warriors were attacking.”

“Rune,” Sergei whispered soothingly as he wiped the tears that escaped as her memories of that day flooded her. “You do not have to tell me anymore.”

Rune rolled back over so she could look at him. “I’ve never told anyone what happened,” she whispered. “I would like someone to know. Someone to realize the injustice done to my family because of greed.”

“Then I would be honored to be that person,” Sergei replied tenderly.

Rune gave a small smile of thanks before the smile died. “Olaf pulled the small sword my father had given him and turned back, ignoring Aesa’s demand that he stay with us. I... I told the guards to escort Aesa and Dalla while I went after Olaf,” she said quietly. “They did not listen. We crested the rise above our home in time to see Gamli take my father’s head from his body. My mother in her grief broke free and attacked Jarl Leifsson. He ran his sword through her before we reached the bottom. One of... one of Leifsson’s warriors struck an arrow through Olaf,” Rune’s voice broke as she remembered watching her younger brother fall from his horse. “He was dead before he hit the ground.” She looked at Sergei. “He died a warrior with a sword in his hand,” she added tightly.

“What happened next?” Sergei asked reluctantly, knowing deep down he was not going to like what he was about to hear.

“Jarl Leifsson had brought most of his warriors even though he knew my father was still recovering from his wounds. I was able to kill six of his men with my arrows before we were captured,” she said in an emotionless voice. “One by one, he ordered each of those who refused to declare loyalty to him killed. It did not matter whether it be man, woman or child. Soon, there were none but my sisters and I. I swore I would kill every one of them,” she replied. “I was my father’s daughter. He often said I should have been a boy. I gave great insult to Jarl Leifsson and Gamli, challenging their honor and male abilities.”

Sergei’s swift inhale of breath told her he realized the extent of insult that would be to a Viking warrior. Rune could tell he was remembering the first time they met and how she had fought against both him and Dimitri. She tenderly brushed her thumb over the crease in his brow.

“Rune,” Sergei started hoarsely.

“Nay, neither had the chance to rape me as you know,” she said. “We would never let such an indignity befall us. My sisters and I struck at the same time. Aesa and Dalla buried the knives they carried in those guarding them before they were struck down while I…” Rune closed her eyes. “I buried mine in Gamli’s throat. We were supposed to take our own lives but our hatred for the loss of our family was so great we sought revenge first. My sisters fought savagely before Leifsson’s men cut them down.”

“Leifsson?” Sergei whispered.

“He lost both of his sons to my family,” Rune replied. “In his rage, he drove his sword through me. I remember feeling the rain as it fell upon me. It made me think that even the Gods wept in sorrow for the deaths of so many. Leifsson left me in the mud surrounded by my family. I saw one of the warriors carry the body of my brother and toss it between my sisters and myself. As I lay dying in the mud, I heard Leifsson cursed me to eternal life. He swore that I would remember his rage each time that I lived and died. I did not understand what he was saying at first. It was I who should have been angry yet all I felt was sorrow as I looked into Olaf’s sightless eyes. My tears mingled with the rain that fell upon my face,” she whispered. “So many lives lost for the greed of one man. He had lost his two sons, I had lost everything. All I asked for was to find someone to love and have a family like my parents while all he wanted was power. In his rage, Leifsson begged the Gods to grant his wish.”