Valkyrie Heat (11 page)

eyed one another warily.
Is she a thief?
Tiny or not, she would be

punished severely for certain if she was. Rolf lifted her roughly

under the arms, gave her a firm shake and demanded to know

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where the coins came from. Brandr wouldn’t slap her behind for

stealing these. Because she was theirs, the wealth now belonged to

him and Rolf. But he couldn’t let her take anything from anyone in

the village, because the council would be called.

Sky was saying something in a frightened voice. She didn’t

look guilty; she looked more fearful of the angry wrath on Rolf’s

face, and her hands were splayed in a pleading gesture. Perhaps she

thought she would be hit again and he quickly interfered.

“I don’t think she stole them,” Brandr said. “She is afraid of

you, your anger, not of the coins and that they have been

discovered. Perhaps they were a dowry.”

Rolf loosened his hold and studied her face. “My mother told

me a story from long ago about a woman from our village that

spoke a strange language. She was said to be from the mist—a

Valkyrie. Do you suppose Odin sent Sky here to us to help the

village? It seems odd you found her at a time when things are dire,

when both coin and women are scarce.”

Brandr rubbed at his chin. “It’s possible.”

“Perhaps her coming to you looking like a boy was a test. If

you had killed her you would have been unworthy and the coins

would have been lost. But because you showed mercy we now not

only have a woman but wealth.”

The idea made sense to Brandr; he could have killed her. If he

had, he wouldn’t have thought about removing her footwear. He

also would have walked away without ever knowing that the ‘he’

was in fact a she. Rolf was very smart; no doubt he was right.

Brandr caressed her silken cheek.

“That would mean Sky is a Valkyrie. No wonder she is filled

with such heat. And she’s ours.”

“My mother warned me a Valkyrie can be hard work. They

are willful. You must tame them with power and kindness or you

will suffer Odin’s wrath,” Rolf warned.

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“We can tame her. And the reward will be great,” Brandr

said, grinning. He clutched the coins tightly.

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Chapter 3

Sky had no idea what the men were talking about. They had

both gone from concerned to angry to smiling in a matter of

minutes. She knew it had to do with the coins.
Do they belong to the

Rolf in this place?
No.
Maybe they had thought she stole them. She

hoped they hadn’t thought she had robbed the destroyed village.

Sky had done a great deal of thinking. The way the men behaved

toward her had been her first clue as to where she was. None had

seemed concerned when she had been stripped nude then spanked.

There was no worry of retribution in their eyes. No one came

forward outraged when she was carried unclothed into the village

and lifted for all to see. What Brandr had done had seemed natural

to them all. They weren’t just barbaric, they were real barbarians.

Still, the concept was so unbelievable, she struggled with it.

She wasn’t naive enough to assume she was on a different

planet. She felt certain she wasn’t on her own continent. Her

deliberations had settled on a thought: one authentic-looking

Viking village was a mystery, two was her answer. As outrageous

as it seemed, Sky guessed she had somehow traveled back in time

through the cave and she was positive it had been the coins. They

were the only thing she had kept when she had exited the cave.

There had to be a connection. Then there was Rolf and Brandr

who were identical in looks to her Rolf and Brody; again it was just

too much of a coincidence. Somehow it all had to work together,

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although how she had no clue. It was the proverbial rabbit hole,

curiouser and curiouser.

Sky had no idea what to expect when Brandr and Rolf dressed

her in the skimpy leather skirt that fell just past her behind and the

small soft leather band she wore around her chest. They took her

from the hut and led her around the village. Many huts were

gathered around to form a community. Everything looked so

outdated and yet new. The ground beneath her feet was dirt, a

well-trafficked area. The women, what there were of them, wore

long woolen dresses. Sky wondered at her own clothing. It

appeared Brandr had just found pieces of soft leather. She

wondered if they planned on keeping her in this attire. She felt

exposed, but also too curious with her surroundings to want to

hide. Besides, she had bikinis at home that were more revealing.

Her discoveries in the village were fascinating. She wanted to

touch and examine everything.

In the distance, through the trees still essentially bare of

foliage, she saw the ocean. Further from the village, she could

make out the beginnings of what would be a seafaring craft. Her

hand ached to trace the carvings as much as they ached to feel hard

stone beneath her hand. These people were gifted designers.

Everything may look primitive to the eye, but it was undoubtedly

durable. It would suffice to say the strong would know how to

appreciate strength.

When she had her fill of objects, her curiosity was again

drawn to the people. She noted almost all of the men went bare-

chested. All wore daggers strapped to their thighs with leather.

Many carried swords on their backs. A man swung an axe, splitting

a massive log. Sky gaped. He saw her watching him, split another

log and grinned at her open appreciation. Sky couldn’t help it; she

had never before been completely surrounded by sheer animal

magnetism and vigor. These people put the awe in awesome.

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Brandr and Rolf pointed out many different things and made

her repeat words. Children gazed at her curiously. The men in the

village gawked at her with unveiled interest, but Brandr and Rolf

made a point of declaring she was theirs and off-limits. She didn’t

understand their words, but the fierce look on their faces made her

glad she was under their protection. As they walked, they gathered

a long line of curious children until Brandr laughingly shooed them

away.

Sky was taken to a huge log cabin that had been repaired in

many places. Newer additions had been added. Inside, it was open

and airy. Food hung from rafters, with more stored in cellars dug

deep into the ground. Many different smells lingered in the air.

Women were inside working on various things at different long

tables. Sky uttered a sigh in relief. Other women were dressed the

same as herself. Large hearths blazed brightly with women and

teen girls attending cooking haunches of meat. Juices dribbled into

the flames to sizzle and spit—the smell was heavenly. Rolf took

her to a huge handsome blond man with brilliant blue eyes and

asked him a question. To Sky’s surprise, he spoke to her in broken

English.

“You Valkyrie?” he asked.

“You speak English!” she declared, filled with relief. “Please,

where am I? Who are you? What’s going on?”

The man shook his head. “I Biorn,” he began. “Not much

words. Some. My great-grandmother teach long ago. Not speak

this way in long time. You from mist?”

The cave had been full of mist. “Yes,” she said with surprise.

He nodded and said a few words to Brandr and Rolf, who

were smiling widely. “Why wear warrior clothes?” he asked.

Sky was confused. “Warrior? I didn’t know they were warrior

clothes. When I came from the mist, I was nude. My clothes had

vanished. I walked alone and afraid for two days, seeing no one. I

found a village, but all were dead. It was a horrible sight. I was in

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shock and terrified. The clothes were the only things I could find

not covered in blood. It was so cold at night, I just wanted to keep

from freezing to death.”

Biorn said a few words to Brandr and Rolf. Brandr wrapped

his arm around her and said what she thought was an apology.

“Brandr sorry he hit you. He sorry he not wait until you come

here and speak with me. He not know I speak some words of

yours,” Biorn said.

This confirmed her suspicions.

“He not want to hurt you, but was worried council would

punish harsher if he had not.”

“For simply wearing clothes?” Sky asked, appalled.

Biorn nodded gravely. “Big offense, could be killed by

accident in warrior clothes. Odin cause wrath if women killed.

Bring bad misfortune to entire village. Boys who wear and

shouldn’t are lashed. Not safe for boy or woman, warriors deadly.”

Sky now understood why Brandr had hit her; he was worried

his village could have been punished if he had killed her. She

swallowed hard when realizing she could have been killed by

Brandr if he had possessed less compassion. She shuddered with the

thought that simple clothing could have caused her demise.

Biorn then said, “You woman, not lash. Something different.”

“What would they do?” Sky asked fearfully. The spanking had

been painful enough.

Biorn motioned to a dark corner. Sky looked hard, barely able

to see anything, then gasped in surprise when she thought she saw a

woman, belly down on a large fur. Everything was in silhouette,

but she could make out a few men. A moan reached her ears; a

pale limb was visible for a second. Each looked to be taking a turn

with her. Her eyes widened in shock.

“For one day, maybe two, you would be considered a captive

slave and belong to all men. Though most just order woman

around for day, some take too far. Brandr saved you.”

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Sky felt her face pale as the blood drained from it.
A captive

slave? The woman is an actual slave? But how? Where? Who?
Oh my God,

where am I? Who would be so barbaric?
“Where am I?” she whispered.

Biorn shook his head. “Not where, when. Year 983. This

Viking village, many strong warriors. You safe here.”

Sky almost hit the floor, she was shaking so bad. She had read

stories about the Vikings. Viking warriors took what they wanted;

she had experienced it firsthand. The only laws they had were the

ones they created. They were strong enough; a formidable foe.

I can’t just stand here
…

Sky took a step in the direction of the captive woman. Her

mind was racing. She was stopped by a large hand placed onto her

shoulder. Biorn held her back.

“You think you can challenge warriors?” he asked, his voice

incredulous.

“But, but,” she stammered.

“You challenge warriors, Rolf and Brandr fight, could die.

Will you risk death of many?”

Sky was frozen. “I want to go home,” she said and began

weeping.

“Home here,” Biorn said sternly. “Danger in mist. Bad things

happen. Stay with Brandr and Rolf. They keep safe.”

“What do they want from me?” she asked fearfully.

He shrugged. “Want you.”

Rolf said something and Biorn asked her where the coins came

from.

“They were in the cave with the mist,” she replied.

When Biorn explained this both men looked relieved. Sky

looked at Biorn questioningly. “Not steal is good thing,” he said.

“Steal bad. Council punish.” He again pointed to the dark corner.

Sky quivered.

“Never steal,” she whispered. “Am I a captive? A slave?” she

asked with mounting dread.

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“Not exactly, you Brandr and Rolf’s. Not slave, not real

captive. But until you mate with them, you dress as captive, but be

treated as mated woman in all other ways because you stranger. Is

same with any woman taken from different village, unless

arranged. No mist. Danger.” Biorn said the words ‘no mist’ again

then repeated them in his language. He conversed with Rolf and

Brandr and left.

“Mated?” Sky whispered to herself. They expected her to

marry both of them? Never go home? She couldn’t help it; she

whispered the word ‘home’ aloud.

Sky felt her face cupped and Brandr made her look at where

the captive woman was. But Sky could no longer see her. The

corner was too dark and for only a brief second, she saw a bare leg.

“No mist,” he warned.

Sky nodded in understanding. Her body quivered. She moved

into Rolf’s arms. He held her protectively to his chest. When Sky

glanced up at him, his expression was thunderous. He, too,

seemed to be staring toward the captive. From the way his body

tensed, she got the impression he was angry. If he was angry, why

didn’t he say or do something?