Rapture (35 page)

“You
were at Unitas?”

“I’m
afraid so. You know how it goes, I’m sure. Once a home is attacked in such a
violent
manner, it’s difficult to return
and feel the security you once did.”

“Hmm,”
Odin grunted. He didn’t really sound like he knew what Dellingr meant, but that
wasn’t surprising—he’d probably never been displaced himself. Ally had drawn
her attention back to him, worried that her face would give her away. “Well,
what realm did you mean to visit?”

“We’re
really just checking them all until we find something that speaks to us.”
Dellingr shrugged.

Odin
narrowed his eyes on Ally. “Is there something wrong?”

She
lifted her nose. “No, it just seems that we have interrupted you in the middle
of a ummm … trial.”

“My
darling is quite innocent. She’s never been around much violence.”

“Is
that so?” Odin said, a smile curving his lips. “I think there’s a little more
violence in your blood than you know.” He turned his attention to Dellingr
then, and she relaxed. Barely. As she’d met his gaze stare-for-stare, an
overwhelming sensation crept up her spine and put her on edge. She didn’t like
it, and she didn’t like him. “Why not go to Asgard? I think Alaina would find
it … pleasing.”

“Wonderful
suggestion. What do you think, Dear, should we try Asgard?”

“I
don’t see why not.” Ally smiled. “We’re trying them all, after all.”

“Well,
maybe not all,” Dellingr laughed.

She
laughed too, gripping his arms as the two of them carried on their role of
marital bliss. “No, of course not.” She flicked her gaze toward Raine again,
her smile faltering at the horrendous sight. Oh god, they hadn’t even
considered Raine being in his hall. How would the others find her now?

She
squeezed Dellingr’s hand, hoping that she was strong enough for what would
come. If it came down to it, she’d challenge Odin herself.

****

Ferox
stayed within the shadow of the trees and bushes, listening and watching for
the Valkyries that would no doubt make their routine pass along the trail. He
knew the schedule they mostly ran on, having watched the last few nights. The
other Guardians were nearby as well, dispersed, keeping an eye out, and moving
whenever Ferox did. They had met up with Caleen and Odette on their way here,
standing beside the portal that led them to Valhalla. They hadn’t known what
happened to Raine, though they all feared the worst.

From
here, he could only see the roof of the massive building peeking out over the
top of the tree line. There were still a few clusters of huts they needed to
pass, and more than a few Valkyries that they needed to remain hidden from.
Thus far, they hadn’t seen one female, but that was about to change.

“What
could we possibly do to help?” One said, walking beside another Valkyrie as the
two followed the winding pebbled path.

“I
will not leave her behind. She came back for me,” the other replied.

“What
do you really think it will help anyway?”

“I
don’t know. I just cannot give up.”

“Even
if it means that you could die? We have a real chance at freedom here. Can you
really throw it away?”

Savannah
left the shelter of the trees, stepping in front of the two Valkyries just as
Caleen and Odette did the same. “Raven?” she asked.

Ferox
stayed planted, shaking his head as Guardians peered at him in question. No,
they wouldn’t move, not until they knew if the other female could be trusted.

Raven’s
face lit with surprise. “You’re back! I mean, what are you doing back? I
thought you made it out?”

“We
did,” Caleen said dryly, “but Raine didn’t, and neither did you two.”

Raven’s
face fell, and she shook her head. “Father has her. He’s making her an example
in front of everyone now.”

Ferox
bounded out of the bushes and trees, coming to a stop in front of the Valkyrie.
“What do you mean? Where is she?”

“She’s
in Odin’s Hall. He’s beating her.”

He
hadn’t even noticed the others closing in around them as his vision swam in
white light, but it seemed that when he blinked again, his brothers, sons, and
friends surrounded him. He met Raven’s eyes. “Show me.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

The
whip cracked against her skin. Her body and the chains shook from the blow, but
she’d long since stopped screaming every time her skin was pried open. He’d
used swords on her, both to stab her and to burn her when he’d pulled the blade
out of the hot embers in his hearth. She’d received more sound lashings than
she’d been able to count, but that could have been because she’d lost
consciousness once, or maybe twice now. She was broken, bruised, and bloodied,
and to make it worse, she was dehydrated. She’d retched and retched, and yet no
one had offered her even a sip of water or a bite of food.

She
was grateful for the reprieve she’d been given. Ally and Dellingr had entered
Valhalla, distracting Odin long enough that Raine could catch her breath, could
feel like more than a piece of meat being tenderized. But Odin had already come
back, trying to end their conversation by returning to Raine, his whip in hand.

Raine’s
eyes met Ally’s, and she saw the terror in her future daughter-in-law’s gaze.
The tiny female’s hands were shaking, her face pale. She’d seen the resolve in
that stare before, so she knew what Ally wanted to do. Raine shook her head.
No
, she willed,
don’t risk yourself
.

Another
crack of the whip, and the pain bloomed from Raine’s neck. He’d gotten close to
her ear that time, probably meant to sheer it clean off. He’d stopped telling
her sisters why defying him was such a bad idea. Now, he just showed them why
it was. Raine was the example.

Odin’s
boots came into view, and she lifted her head to meet his gaze. “Do you have
anything to say for your crimes?”

She
blinked, averting her eyes from the male she’d once loved dearly, and instead,
met the stares of many of her sisters. Some, she knew their names, others, she
may have once. They stood side-by-side, some in their Valkyrie-wear, some
cloaked, hiding their faces from her view. Yes, she was the example, but not
for just the reasons her father thought. She was an example for all of them,
for every Valkyrie who wanted a chance at love, to have a chance at life. She
was the example because she had made it out of here and created a wonderful
life for herself, without her father.

There
was some scuffling in the back of the room as some of the Valkyries shifted to
get a better view. One stepped forward, nearing the front. Not a female, she
realized, and met his hidden gaze. Two fangs peeked out from under his top lip,
his strong, stubbly chin unmistakable.

She
inhaled as pride and excitement filled her. Tears formed in her eyes, and
though she would have wished them away, she couldn’t regret that everyone here
would see the truth. She was excited and scared, fearing what would happen to
Ferox, and what would come of Ally and Dellingr. They were all in great danger,
but Ferox being here told her one thing: They wouldn’t go down without a fight.
She mourned them: any sisters that would be killed by Ferox’s hand, any sisters
that would live their life under their father’s’ rule; she mourned Ally if she
was lost, and Draven, if he lost her. She mourned Ethan and Riley, praying that
they would both live their lives to the fullest; and she mourned the unborn
child that lived in her belly. She hadn’t recognized the child within for what
he was until now, wishing she could give him a better chance.

Raine
blinked at the face hidden under the cloak, barely able to see as his jaw
tightened. If she and her vampire were about to die, she would make sure he
knew her love for him.

“I
do have something to say, Father,” she said, though far weaker than she’d
wanted to sound. He met her eyes, and tracked a tear as it fell down her cheek.
With a nod, he stepped back so she could address her sisters. “I fell in love.
I didn’t go looking for it; I even tried to tell myself that I wasn’t in love.
But I couldn’t convince myself fully, not when the sight of him looking at me
made me feel alive, and the feel of his lips made my heart feel like it would
leap out of my chest. Love is strong, and it takes you whether you’re expecting
it or not. I followed my heart; I followed my Instinct and did what I thought
was right.”

“And?”
Odin said.

Raine
peered at him and squeezed her eyes shut. She sniffled, though her tears were
done falling. “I don’t regret a single day of it. I would do it again, a
thousand times over because I love Ferox with every beat of my—”

Her
face burned as the whip lashed against her cheek, and a ferocious growl echoed
through the hall, followed by others as some of the onlookers broke away from
the crowd, careening toward her.

Odin
was no longer near her as a flash of black, gossamer wings soared in and
upended him. The entire room erupted in panic as Valkyries drew their weapons
in preparation for battle.

“Get
her down,” Raider said, and she turned to see Ferox rush to her side. He
wrenched and wrenched, but the chains wouldn’t break.

“Garrick!”
Ferox shouted.

“Let
me try.” Ally was on her other side, closing her eyes as she gripped one of the
manacles around her wrist. And then Garrick was on her other side, working on
the other. There was a
crack
high
above, and she peered up as Demetrius kicked the beam that held her chain. It
split, and the two chains fell to the ground. Within seconds, Ally and Garrick
had freed both bonds.

“Get
her legs undone,” Ferox ordered as he held her to him. She inhaled the familiar
scent of him, letting it wash over her as reality came crashing into her mind.
It hadn’t just been Ferox. It was all of them. “
Caalia
, oh gods, are you okay?” Her legs were freed, and he shifted
her, looping an arm under her ass as his other hand shakily touched her face
and hair.

“I’ll
live.” If they could get out of this.

“You
need to drink.”

Raine
shook her head. “You need your strength.”

“And
so do you.”

“We
have a better chance if you can fight,” Ferox insisted.

“I
won’t heal fast enough.”

Her
vampire didn’t listen though. He bit into his wrist and brought it her lips,
holding her head to it so she couldn’t pull away.

Valkyries
gasped, and Odin roared. “How in the fuck did you all enter?”

“I’ve
got a better one for you,” Draven replied. “How in the fuck can you torture
your own daughter?”

Odin’s
red-hot gaze turned on him. “And who the fuck are you?”

“I
am her son.”

The
Valkyries gasped again, many whispering disbelieving comments, others, excited
ones.

The
war god heard it too, glancing around at the females before looking nonplussed
at Draven. “My daughters are incapable of bearing children.”

Ethan
snorted from somewhere behind Raine. “Says you.”

“Don’t
tell me, another ‘son’,” Odin said, earning a dimply grin from her son.

Raine
continued to drink what Ferox offered, feeling strength build within her. She
was a long way off from being normal again, but she already felt leaps and
bounds better than she had only moments before.

Her
father turned a heated glare on Ethan before returning it to Draven, and then
at Ally. “Why are you standing with them?” he asked, shocked.

Ally
narrowed her gaze before flashing a brilliant smile at him. “I’d like to
introduce my soon-to-mate, Draven.”

Odin
gaped at the couple, and then at Dellingr before sliding his glare at Raine.

Raine’s
lips stopped sucking on Ferox’s blood, and she breathed a sigh of relief as her
eyes met her father’s. “If you don’t believe they’re my sons, then put it to
the test.”

“What?”

“You
know as well as I that Valkyries can sense one another, so they should be able
to feel a kinship with my sons.”

Though
she was still weak, and still clinging to Ferox as he held her in his arms, she
looked at Draven and Ethan, nodding in encouragement. The two broke away from
the Guardians, stepping into the middle of the hall. “Just be careful who you
get near, some would kill you as fast as they’d look at you.”

Ally
gasped and moved to follow them, but was held back as Dellingr gripped her
shoulder. She didn’t need to fear at the moment though, because movement
amongst the Valkyries brought Raven, Davina, Caleen, Odette, and Savannah into
the center of the room, where they stood by Draven and Ethan.

“We
stand with them,” Caleen announced, lifting her chin lest anyone question her
meaning.

Odin
fisted his hands. “This is ridiculous. I demand this stop at once.”

“Why?”
Raine hissed. “Because you don’t want everyone to know the truth?”