Authors: Dakota Trace
“She was taken from the portal room. The fool has taken her to
Asgard
, the one realm which I cannot go. She’s in Valhalla.”
Flannery bristled. “Who dared take what’s mine?”
“Ramses.” The name came out as a hiss. “He dared to take my niece, to butcher her hand like a common thief.” He turned his reddened gaze to Flannery. “Kill him, bring me his head and insure her safe return, only then shall I wave your first child’s service to me.”
Violence threatened to overtake Flannery at his rival’s name. The demon had gone too far.
I should’ve killed him last night.
“It will be my pleasure.” He turned to leave but spun back around to face
Bilé
. “But I’d have gone without your permission, Your Lordship.”
Bilé’s
grin took a sinister look. “Of course you would. With her being your
TrueMate
, or at least for the time being, you have every right to storm Valhalla and reclaim your bride.”
Lightning danced along Flannery’s fingertips and he didn’t bother to contain the streaks. “Just try and mess with our bond,
Bilé
, and I’ll fry your conniving ass where you sit.” Flannery strode towards the portal room. He wasn’t surprised when
Kennet
joined him.
Strapping a sword around his lean waist,
Kennet
glanced up at him. “What? Did you honestly think I’d let you go alone and have all the fun?”
* * * * *
Stepping out of the portal, Flannery hefted the silver war hammer in his left hand. At the gate, a tall man with a bushy white beard and braids awaited him. A growl built in his chest as his brother joined them.
“Odin.” Stopping in front of him, Flannery looked him in the eye.
“Why have you come here, Flannery
Baghadur
? This is no place for one such as yourself.” Odin’s stance barely shifted as he blocked the gates to Valhalla.
“You have something that belongs to me and I want it back.” He rolled his shoulders, readying himself for the inevitable battle if the god denied him access.
“The woman?”
Flannery clenched his teeth. “My
TrueMate
.”
“You dare abuse the one that Fate has given to you? You do not deserve such a treasure, Son of
Camulos
. Leave this place—you are not welcome.” Odin crossed his massive arms.
“She’s mine and I have not once abused my mate. Either step aside - or I shall kill you the same as I will kill the bastard who saw fit to send her index finger to me.”
“You didn’t…” A frown marred Odin’s features and his bushy brows lowered.
“No, I didn’t, but I will kill Ramses who did then take back what is mine.”
“Ramses!” Odin’s bellow resonated throughout
Asgard
.
Moments later, the hair on the back of Flannery’s neck tingled before Ramses walked into the courtyard, dragging a stumbling
Braelyn
behind him.
“I see you’ve finally come,
Godling
. Just as I knew you would.” The anticipation on Ramses’ face sent Flannery’s ire even higher. His hand flexed on the hammer. That was until Ramses forced
Braelyn
in front of him as a living shield.
Flannery devoured her with hungry eyes. When he’d taken his walk with his father to learn how to care for his new mate, he’d never imagined that said mate would wake up to find him gone, crawl out of their bed and leave. He’d nearly torn apart the cottage in rage. There was no way he’d allow his mate to leave him like his mother had his father.
She’d known what he was like when she’d mated them, and what he expected of her he’d placed the silver chain around her slender throat. He was damned if he was going to let her back out now. Taking in the white bandages gracing her left hand, the familiar berserker rage began to over take him, especially when he noticed
Ramses’s
finger was hooked under
his
chain as the idiot pushed her forward. “Let go of her, Ramses. This is between you and me. You never should’ve brought my mate into this. I will kill you that alone.” He moved forward only to be stopped by Odin’s hand on his chest. Odin looked at him and then back to Ramses and
Braelyn
.
“What in Hades is going on here?”
Flannery growled. “He stole my
TrueMate
. This isn’t the first time he’s attacked her in hopes of riling me.”
Again Odin looked over his shoulder at Ramses. “Did you attack the banshee with intents to rile the
godling
?”
Ramses bared his teeth at them in a mocking parody of a smile. “Of course. When she wouldn’t scream to draw his attention, I gave her a bit of encouragement, but she wasn’t mated to him at the time. I did nothing wrong.”
A huge bolt of lightning shook the ground and smoke filled the air. When it cleared, Jupiter, the king of the gods, stood in the entryway of the Valhalla. Dressed in the white robes marking his station, he was beyond livid.
“What is the meaning of this, Jupiter? You are not allowed entrance here!” Odin looked frustrated by another unannounced visitor.
“She’s my daughter!” He strode up to the gate, his countenance fierce. He stopped mere inches from
Braelyn
and Ramses. Lifting his hand, he slowly ran his palm over her hair. “You look so much like your mother, child.”
Ramses’s
eyes darted around wildly until Flannery thought he was going to go into convulsions. Evidently it was one thing to challenge a
godling
and another to take on the King of them. “I didn’t know…” Ramses scrambled backwards, dragging
Braelyn
with him.
Jupiter scowled. “Release her!” Falling over himself, Ramses did, looking for a way out. Turning towards Odin, Jupiter tipped his head in deferral. “I would like to request a boon, Odin.”
“Ask.”
“I’d love to be watch as her
TrueMate
avenges her honor.”
A thin smile graced Odin’s lips. “Of course, Jupiter. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen a good old fashioned bout between a
godling
and a demon.” He turned to Flannery. “Just don’t kill him too quickly.”
Blood lust boiled in his veins. “I won’t. I intend to draw it out.”
* * * * *
Minutes later,
Braelyn
sat between Odin and her estranged father as the two men circled each other in the center of the arena. Sitting in the elevated royal box, she had a clear view of both men bouncing on the balls of their feet. It was if they were trying to determine each other’s weaknesses. Behind her, with his hand upon her shoulder in support, was
Kennet
. She jumped as Flannery and Ramses engaged each other with a flurry of speed that made her head spin. She’d never seen men move that fast before.
The silver flash of the hammer colliding with the broadsword held by Ramses made a discordant clanging sound. From where she sat, she could hear the murmur of their voices, but was unable to tell what was being said as they came together and then parted.
As they continued to move around each other, she bit her lip, wishing it was already over so she could go home. She’d heard Flannery’s words of claiming, but she wasn’t sure if he meant them or not, but anywhere was better than here. Even if her
TrueMate
decided against their mating.
Watching the fluid movements of their muscles reminded her of how he’s surged in and out her during her bonding. She couldn’t help but be envious of the ease in the way he handled himself on the battlefield.
This was no Banshee to open his mouth and wail in hopes of decimating the enemy. No, her
TrueMate
was going to tear his enemy apart limb by limb. She had the strangest urge to scream and yell her encouragement but didn’t utter a sound. Flannery deserved his pound of flesh and with her screams she’d kill Ramses, depriving him of his revenge.
She jumped when she saw Flannery take a shallow cut on his bicep from a parry he was too slow in blocking. “Dear Goddess, why is he toying with him?” Her whisper drew chuckles out of all three males.
“He’s allowing Ramses to think he might actually have a chance.”
Kennet
rubbed her shoulder.
“Then he needs to knock it off before I really do go to
Bilé
and ask him to dissolve the mating between us. I don’t think my heart can take much more of this.”
As if he could hear her, Flannery looked up into the stands. “Mine!” His cry carried to the royal box as he pivoted and, in one graceful move, slammed his war hammer into
Ramses’s
neck. The loud crack of the blow caused her eyes to widen as Ramses hit the dirt-packed floor, his head tilted at an unnatural angle.
Crouching, he hefted the sword Ramses dropped. It took only one clean stroke and the demon’s head departed from his body. Stripping the bloody shirt from the corpse, he wrapped the head in it.
“What is he doing?” She turned frightened eyes towards
Kennet
. She’d never seen Flannery this vicious before.
“Your god-father told him to bring
Ramses’s
head back.”
Her heart sank. “So he came after me because
Bilé
commanded it?”
“No. I came after you because you’re mine.” Her eyes widened as Flannery jumped straight up and landed on his feet on the edge of the royal box. She’d never imagined he’d be able leap in a vertical jump that high. “You ran from me, little one, and that’s not acceptable.”
He crowded close to her after tossing the bloody shirt-wrapped head to his brother.
Kennet’s
muffled exclamation barely registered as Flannery lifted her until her face was level with his. His finger traced over her necklace. “This declares that you’re mine. You’ve had your one free pass; you run again and I will tie your ass to our bed and fuck you until you forget why you ran in the first place.”
Searching his expression, she licked her lower lip. “Threatening me with a good time, Sir?”
He buried his face in her shoulder. “Don’t ever do that again,
Braelyn
. I nearly lost my mind when I came back to find you gone.”
She threaded her fingers on her good hand through his hair. “I thought it for the best. You never wanted to be mated.”
His palm came down on her backside. “If I hadn’t wanted it, I wouldn’t have removed the ball gag.” He lifted his head. “Give a guy some slack. You pack one
helluva
punch, little one. I expected to take another docile submissive into my bed, but I never expected to be rocked to my core. I’m only a man and even I need some time to deal with the fact you now own me, heart and soul.” Tears stung her eyes as he gave her a mock glare. “But if you ever tell anyone, I’ll deny it.”
She rested her face against his shoulder. “Figures. You’re lucky I love your stubborn ass, Sir.”
He chuckled first, then holding her tight to his chest, turned to leave.
“So where are we going, Sir?”
“First to have your hand looked at. After that we’re going to deliver
Ramses’s
head to Bilé. Who says that we can keep our firstborn, by the way. Then after that we’re gonna ditch my annoying brother, your manipulative god-father, and your over-protective mother to go back to the cottage where I’m going to love you ‘til you can’t see straight. I might just even get the cups out. Do you have any problems with that?”
She shook her head, before laying it back down on his shoulder. “No, Sir.”
The End