Read Sassy Ever After: A Hot Piece Of Sass (Kindle Worlds Novella) Online
Authors: Melanie James
“H
ey Rafe, you know where a guy can get an appointment with an original Nordic volva for a decent price?” Tanner joked half-heartedly, then instantly regretted it. He squeezed Hannah’s hand and waited to see if Rafe would answer. He’d put off talking to his Alpha about his little teleportation trick in Blue Creek.
Rafe turned and shot a concerned glance at Grace, then looked back to Tanner. He kept his answer in his head, knowing Tanner would pick up his thoughts.
“The answer is yes. But I’m not saying a damn thing more unless my Mom does. That Old Norse hocus-pocus stuff is her department, not mine.”
Tanner picked up Grace’s thoughts just as easily, and found they were dripping with anxiety.
“There is something about this wolf. Majik. Why in the world does he need to find a volva? Something fishy is going on.”
“What the hell? I can see the looks on your faces and hear your thoughts, you know. I didn’t realize it was such a sensitive subject.”
Grace squinted her eyes, accusing him of treachery. “Why would you want to meet a volva, Tanner? Do you realize there may not even be a true volva left alive? Or that if you go looking for one you might just find a witch instead? You have no idea what you’re getting into.” Grace’s tone betrayed her distrustful thoughts. “Or do you?”
Tanner didn’t need to read her mind to know it was a touchy subject. “Okay, I didn’t mean to—”
“It’s fine, Tanner. Mom, Tanner has some qualities that are very special and he’s looking for answers.”
“Special? Look around, Rafe. This is Black Paw. Who isn’t special?” Grace turned back to Tanner. “What makes you so different that only an Old Norse shaman could know about it?” Grace asked, her voice quivering with suspicion. “Have you been in contact with a witch?”
“Wait. What?” Alarm sounded in Hannah’s voice.
“Seriously? No, Mrs. Erickson, I haven’t, and what does that have to do with what I asked about? Hell, I wouldn’t know a volva from a damn Volvo,” Tanner huffed.
Questioning a Black Paw wolf’s loyalty was the greatest insult anyone could offer. “Forget I even asked.” If it had been anyone else, he would have shifted on the spot and challenged her. Instead, a low growl escaped as he turned around, ushering Hannah toward the door.
Rafe’s answering growl wasn’t subtle. It was commanding. “Stop right there. Mom, you owe Tanner an apology. I’ve never once detected so much of a whisker of dishonesty in him. I trust him with my life, and with every life in our pack. You have no right to question it. You know damn well how much blood has been spilled over careless words like that. Now, both of you calm the hell down and start over. The four of us are going to take a seat at the kitchen table. Mom, you’re going to start by apologizing and then explaining to him why his question made you flip out.”
“Do you think we should discuss this in front of Hannah?”
“She is his mate, which makes her a member of Black Paw. So, yes. She has every right to know.”
After a brief hesitation, Grace nodded. “You’re right, son. I’m sorry, Tanner. I’ve known you for years and I should have trusted you. I didn’t mean to come off like that. Not at you personally. The question freaked me out.” Grace took a deep breath and collected her thoughts before speaking. “There’s something you need to know about. The old sagas tell us that long ago, during the old days when our kind lived in Norway, a volva was someone who could act as a bridge between the world we live in and the world of spirits and gods. These volur were, of course, very important to our people.”
“So a volva was like a medium?”
“You could say that. According to the legends, there were very few volur. And of course they were all women. Very wise old women who wandered from village to village, although they always seemed to know where they would be needed next. Our enemies, including witches, knew how important our bond was with the volur. That’s one reason they were persecuted, just as we were. Most people say that the last volva was slaughtered centuries ago. That’s what I used to think, too.” Grace took another deep breath.
Tanner saw an image in Grace’s mind. He was certain it was the old woman from his dream—Dagrun. “But?”
“But… a few weeks ago I dreamed about a volva named Dagrun. She spoke to me, telling me that she was happy to find our pack. I asked her why she’d come, but she only held her finger to her mouth, as if it were a secret. The image of a small cabin in the woods was revealed to me, and somehow I knew that was where she could be found. Then I woke up. That was it.”
“And her dream checks out,” Rafe added. “I went looking for a cabin in the area Mom described. It’s there and someone is definitely living in it. I didn’t approach it, out of caution. The way Mom described the stories, I guessed the old woman didn’t get this far without being very secretive. I didn’t want to be the one to expose her.”
“That’s right, son. Neither do I. So Tanner, you can understand my shock when you asked about finding a volva, out of the blue. Is it a coincidence? No. Now tell me more about why you want to find one.”
“Dagrun. That name. It’s the same name as the old woman in my dream. All my life I’ve had the exact same dream over and over. In my dream, I’m an ancient Viking warrior. I know that Dagrun is a volva, but until now I never knew what it meant. I only know that, in the dream, she became a teacher of some kind to me and sent me on a journey to ‘find death and be reborn.’ Most of the dream seems to be about the end of the journey. I’m caught up in a blizzard, a complete white-out. Suddenly the wind stops, the air clears, and two crows are flying in circles above me. I know I’ve found Odin—or maybe he’s found me. I never see him, just a shadow that flies across the snow. But he speaks to me. I tell him to give me the majik to be reborn as a wolf-warrior, like I was told my fate would be. Then he basically tells me to go away and I’m crushed. That’s how it ends. Every damn time, it’s the same dream.”
“And what do you think it means? Certainly you’ve thought about it quite a bit.”
“I honestly have no idea. The best I could come up with is that this dream is about my own self-doubts because I’m different. For example, everyone in the pack already knows my wolf is big. But it’s more than that. You and a few others know that I can read other people’s thoughts, and now there’s something else. Something very strange happened when I was trying to save Hannah. This may seem unbelievable, but… I found myself in that blizzard. It was just like my dream. The two crows showed up and I heard Odin tell me it was time to attack. I was sure I wouldn’t make it in time, but then everything became a blur. My next step took me right to Hannah’s side. Like, I went
through a wall
and suddenly transported to Hannah.” Tanner glanced at Rafe then Grace, wishing like fuck someone would clue him in on what the fuck happened.
“I need to know what the hell is going on. That’s why I asked about a volva. The way I see it, I need to find out who Dagrun was, or is, and why I was sent on that journey. I need to know how the dream ends and what it means.”
“I think she came here to find you, Tanner.” Grace turned to her son. “Rafe, you should take us to that cabin you found. It’s time for Tanner to learn his fate.”
T
he Alpha cautiously led Grace, Hannah, and Tanner along a winding path deep in the forest. The four wolves paused at the edge of a clearing. Rafe and Tanner stood shoulder to shoulder, inhaling the scents as they scanned the small log cabin for movement.
Unexpectedly, Grace shifted into human form. When she spoke the voice was familiar, but the accent was not right. “I’ve been expecting you, Tanner. A thousand years? You sure know how to make a woman wait. I see you brought along your mate. Shift, so I can get a good look at you.”
The rest of the wolves shifted into their human forms. “Dagrun? Is that you?”
“It’s not Little Red Riding Hood, big bad wolf. What have you been feeding on, Tanner? Redheads? Pretty girl, that one. She looks very much like someone we both knew, long ago.”
“Why don’t you stop using Grace’s voice? Show yourself,” Rafe said.
“I never show myself in the open. Come to the cabin.” Grace suddenly coughed. Dagrun’s control of her voice had ceased.
Rafe led the way through the clearing, stopping at the weathered front steps.
“How long has she been living here?” Hannah asked, pushing aside the brush hanging over the path.
“Not long. Maybe a week, two weeks at most,” Rafe replied.
Grace surprised them by opening the door and stepping through a screen of cobwebs. The others filed in close behind her. “Dagrun?” she called out.
A stained window allowed only the dimmest of outside light to seep into the room, just enough to see an old woman sitting perfectly still on a rickety old chair. Her long gray hair was braided with a green ribbon that matched her ankle-length dress. She was clearly a woman out of an ancient time. “Tanner. Come to me. You can’t stay here long, just long enough to finish your dream.”
Tanner obediently approached her and took a seat on the wooden bench that faced her. She took his hands.
“Your mate as well.”
Tanner saw Hannah’s slight, hesitant movements, and nodded for her to join him.
“Your Alpha and wise woman too.” Dagrun waited for Rafe and Grace to claim a seat. “Now, close your eyes and you will see.”
They were swept through the sky. A bird’s-eye view of a rugged coastline came into view. Diving down, a breathtaking sight appeared: A village, shrouded in the smoky haze of a hundred fires, hugged the shore. Several Viking longships were moored in the natural harbor, surrounded by numerous smaller craft bobbing in the gentle surf. One large building dominated the rest. Its ornately-carved, heavy timbers made it easily recognizable as the center of power.
Rafe felt the story of the people surge through his veins. Pushed north to the brink of survival, they had adapted. Striking out to raid enemies not only brought them treasures for trade, it also weakened the surrounding areas to prevent the rising of would-be adversaries. It was a harsh, unforgiving land. Survival demanded courage, resourcefulness, and even brutality from its inhabitants.
Images of a young man becoming a brave warrior flashed before them like a montage. They watched in their shared vision as Dagrun sent the Viking warrior away on his mission to conquer death, allowing them to partake on the journey Tanner had dreamed countless times.
Only this time the dream didn’t end. Odin’s giant wolves, Geri and Freki, suddenly appeared on the horizon. Odin, dressed in the dark robes of a temple priest, stood between them. “Warrior, you have come to the right place to find death.”
Freki leaped with lightning speed, landing on Tanner’s chest and taking him down instantly.
“You are the soul I have chosen to be reborn as a wolf-warrior,” Odin continued. “Your wolf will be unlike any others that roam the Earth, for he will have the size and the majik of my wolves. You will only return to the Earthly plane to walk among the wolves when my wolf-warriors need your special gifts to survive. I bestow upon you a great honor.”
“When?” Tanner struggled to speak.
“Time is an illusion,” Odin answered as Geri closed in.
The dream ended with the color red spreading through the snow.
Dagrun’s visitors opened their eyes. She told Tanner, “That was your dream. You have been reborn to fulfill your destiny. Odin has given you as a gift to your pack, to your Alpha. You are the only one who can save Black Paw from annihilation.”
With those words, Dagrun disappeared before their eyes.
Hannah sucked in a sharp breath. “Where did she go?”
Grace was the first to answer. “To where she’s needed.”
“That was…” Rafe sat wide-eyed on the bench.
“Yeah,” Tanner agreed. “Hey Grace, is there any chance she could be wrong?”
“The ancient volur were never wrong.”
“Shit.” Rafe sighed.
“My thoughts exactly.” Tanner rubbed his forehead.
T
anner sat down on the couch and pulled Hannah onto his lap. “Come here, you.” He sniffed her strawberry blonde locks, addicted to her sweet scent. “I bet you’ve witnessed more crazy in the last forty-eight hours than you have in your entire life.”
“You could say that, but you’re worth it.” Hannah leaned back against Tanner, needing to be close. He was right; she’d seen more majik since she’d met him than she ever had before. Dagrun’s parting words rang through her head. “What do you make of the volva’s warning?”
“I think it means trouble is coming to Black Paw, but we’ll be ready for whatever the Fates send our way.”
Hannah reclined back onto the couch, dragging Tanner down with her. She wanted to feel his weight pressing against her. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she tugged his head down to meet hers. “So what do you want to do tonight?” she teased, sucking his bottom lip into her mouth.
“I thought it might be nice to watch a movie and hang out. What about you? What do you want to do?”
Hannah pretended to be deep in thought for a moment or two before answering.
“You.”
“I think that can be arranged.”
His lips were on her in an instant, his sensual taste filling her mouth and drowning her senses.
“I love being able to hear your thoughts. And just so you know… I never imagined saying that to anyone.”
“I like hearing yours, too. Knowing how badly you want to get me naked… mmm. Serious turn-on.”
Hannah squealed as Tanner ripped her nightshirt from her body, then moaned as he caressed and squeezed her breasts before leaning in to suck each of them. He kissed a path from her chest to her abdomen, and lower. His fingers danced over her clit, making her body shake.
“I want to feel you inside me,” Hannah begged her mate.
“Soon.”
Tanner continued to tease her, burying his face between her legs and sucking on her clit.
“Oh gods, yes!” Hannah nearly came undone. Grasping his hair, she held on tight as he licked her pussy up and down. She cried out for more when he slid his tongue in and out of her.
“I love the way you taste.” Tanner continued to lap up her juices.
“Please fuck me.” Hannah was surprised by the huskiness of her voice. Never before had she begged a man to fuck her, but more now than ever, she needed her mate.
Tanner sat back on his heels, stroking his cock. “You look so sexy with your legs spread wide for me. I want you to bend over.”
“There’s one thing I want to do first. I hope you don’t mind.” Wrapping her palm around Tanner’s cock, she stroked it up and down. The tip of her tongue darted out of her mouth.
“Who am I to say no?” Tanner tunneled his fingers through her hair, guiding her mouth onto his cock.
She sucked him deep into her mouth, reveling in his taste. Squeezing his balls with one hand, she worked her palm in unison with her mouth.
Hannah heard him groan with pleasure with each bob of her head on his cock. “Easy.” Tanner pulled her head back.
“Did I do something wrong?” Hannah looked up with a knowing smirk. She had him right on the edge and enjoyed being privy to that knowledge.
“Not at all. I want to slide my cock into you now, if that’s okay.”
“Yes, please.”
“Bend over.”
Shivers of anticipation raced over her body. Hannah held her breath when she felt the thick head of his cock pressing against her entrance.
“Is this what you wanted to feel?” Tanner slid the tip in, then back out, and then repeated the motion.
“More.”
“Like this?” Tanner slammed his cock deep inside her in one single stroke.
“Yes!” Hannah moaned. “You feel so good.” She pushed herself back against him, loving the fact that she could feel every thick, hard, fucking inch of her mate.
Tanner grabbed onto her hips, grinding his cock in her, before pulling out and slamming back inside her again. “Ahhh yes. That’s it, baby. I love how tight your pussy feels wrapped around my cock.”
Playfully slapping her ass, he picked up his pace. His balls slapped against her with each forceful thrust.
Hannah was lost in the sensations as Tanner worked her body over like no one else had ever done. Every nerve ending came alive as one beautiful orgasm after another tore through her body, leaving her weak at the knees and panting for air. The aftershocks of each orgasm were just as impressive.
What she loved the most about sex with Tanner was that, for once in her life, she didn’t feel the need to cover her body or hide her curves. He worshipped her body, lustfully licking and kissing every inch of her every chance he got. Any doubts caused by her past lovers had vanished from the first moment her eyes had met his.
Hannah didn’t know what their future might hold, but she was certain that, as long as she had Tanner by her side, she would enjoy every last minute of it.