Son of Thunder (11 page)

Chapter Eleven

She heard chains break and rattle but didn’t turn her gaze from Erik. Not until Rune was beside her, his fingers tilting her chin so their eyes met. His gaze was filled with worry, pride, and, of course, desire.

Looked like once Erik was knocked out, the power that held Rune dissipated enough that he could break free.

“That was dangerous, Valkyrie. He may not have had the power of fear or guilt over you, but his electric power was still alive and well.”

She sniffed, then grinned, ignoring the pain that caused. “It’s who I am.”

He kissed her lightly. “Thank the gods for that,” he said, fingers lightly trailing over her bruised cheek. “You just saved my damn life, woman.”

“The images I saw…” Her voice cracked slightly as those pictures returned to her mind. “If Erik wanted to defeat me, he shouldn’t have used your death as a weapon.”

He wiped a stray tear from her eye. “I am sorry for the nightmares he has given you because of me, because of my family.”

She shook her head. “That’s not on you.” It really wasn’t. “We need to get out of this basement. Do you think—” The sound of sirens in the distance interrupted her. “The cavalry is closing in.” She met his gaze, sniffling, but still managing a weak smile. “Too bad, really. I mean, I
am
still in handcuffs.” A little humor never hurt in dire situations.

He kissed her, sweet and gentle, but she didn’t miss the heat in his gaze before their lips met.

“Can’t wait to use my own on you.”

She laughed softly then looked down at Erik. She could feel every bruise, every broken rib he’d caused. He’d done far worse to Soosie and the other women, and though she loathed the emotion,
hate
seeped through her. But in that hateful moment, the smell of wildflowers invaded her senses—Soosie’s favorite.

“I’m sorry it took so long to find him,” she whispered, and the smell surrounded her fully, almost as if it were hugging her. “Rest in peace, Soosie.”

Rune’s arms came around her, and she broke down in tears, letting out the six years of pent-up anger and guilt at not having caught the killer. Rune didn’t speak soft, soothing words. He did something far more important—he held her tightly as she completely fell apart.

…

Despite the injuries to his body, he felt nothing but shock, relief…and pride in the fierce redhead in his arms. He’d feared for her toward the end, when he saw Erik using the memories of what he’d done to Soosie against her, sending the images, even the echoes of screams, into her mind. Since the godkin couldn’t use fear against her, he used her guilt instead. But that hadn’t saved him in the end, even with his power at full strength.

Liv had defeated the son of a god, an heir to Odin, but the price of that was that she’d forever hear the echo of her best friend’s pain, see the images of what Erik had done. He knew she wouldn’t hide behind that grief. She’d find a way to use it to find another killer, to save another life.

And he loved her the more for it. She wasn’t there yet, but he was ready. He’d known thousands of strong women in his four hundred years of life—both human and goddess—and none of them held a candle to his Valkyrie.

But he still needed to get home, still needed to make certain he’d not lost another close to him to his brother’s anger. That need was eating at him, festering in his blood. Why had the Gate not opened yet? Why had Odin not come to claim Erik and take him back to Asgard?

To temper his emotions, his fear of losing someone else to Reign, he held Liv’s hand by the FBI truck. She was no longer crying. She’d allowed the paramedics to check her over, clean her cuts, and bind her ribs, but she refused the hospital, saying she’d go after speaking with her partner and the local police.

“So Erik was a son of your brother?” Agent Cory Adamson—dark haired and an inch or two shorter than Liv—asked.

“Yes. But my brother has always been careless in who he mates with, and forgets the children he sires until he’s forced to deal with them.” And damn him, Reign would never forget again after this.

“Does he have more children we should worry about?”

Rune shook his head. “He has five other children, and two of those are with human women. Them, you don’t need to worry about.”
But…
“I didn’t know of Erik, however, so I can’t be certain there aren’t more like him.”

Cory’s grim expression told him the agent understood very well what that could mean.

“We need to find these fifty-three women he claims he’s killed,” Detective Maurice Bass said. “How do we make him talk?”

“I doubt you can. Though, I’m sure Liv could do it.”

She snorted. “Yes, I could.”

Rune saw a smile flicker at the edges of Adamson’s mouth, and he shared that amusement at her response. There was no doubt in either of them that letting Liv loose on the godkin would be…something to see.

“But he is a godkin—Odin will see him to our home and give him a fit punishment. Human bars aren’t enough to trap him securely, not with his powers.”

Adamson and Bass immediately straightened, anger clear in their expressions.

“There is no—”

Detective Bass’s words were cut off by the distinct feeling of the Gate—strong energy to the right of them.
About damn time, All-Father
.

Turning in that direction, he saw the last bright, bluish-silver pulse of the Gate, then a tall old man, with long gray hair and the stature of a king, walked into view.

The Gate was invisible to the human eye, though they could feel the energy if they were close enough—and they were certainly close enough.

When Odin reached them, Rune bowed his head. “Great-grandfather.”

He saw that Adamson and Bass gave a quick nod to the All-Father, but not Liv. No, she met Odin’s clear blue gaze—well, his
one
blue eye—head on, unafraid and unwilling to bend to the king who’d let a godkin kill for over two decades.

This isn’t going to go well,
he thought as Odin took one step forward.

“You defy my position, Liv Winter?”

Probably shouldn’t greet her in that way, Odin.

Liv squared her shoulders. “Yes, I do.”

“And why is that?”

“You know why, and don’t pretend that you don’t,” she said sharply. “You knew what Erik was, what he was doing, for who knows how long. And you waited to claim him until Rune nearly killed his brother. How dare you, a king of gods, step back and let one of your own butcher so many innocent women?”

No. Not going to go well at all.

He flicked his gaze to the two other men—Adamson had moved closer to Liv’s right side as Bass shuffled slightly closer to her back, ready to push her out of the way or fight to keep her safe. Though Bass didn’t know her personally, he was obviously a man of honor, who wouldn’t let a fellow law enforcement officer suffer at the hands of a stranger—god or not.

That took bravery.

“You don’t fear me?” Odin said with wonder, as he ignored all but Liv. “How strange…”

Liv laughed at him—at
Odin
. And it was not a pleasant laugh. No, it was filled with anger.

“You allowed innocents to be slaughtered by your blood, Odin. You are as guilty as Erik is, if not more. So no, I won’t bow to you, I won’t worship you, and I sure as hell am not going to forgive you for the fifty-three deaths that you
allowed
to happen.”

Odin cocked his head, studying her. He sighed.

“I regret not moving when I noticed Erik over twenty years ago, but something…wasn’t right. I couldn’t see him properly.”

“And yet you sent no one to look in on him?”

Oh, she was pushing it now. Rune moved closer to her, knowing better than to act as a shield, but unable to stop himself.

Odin narrowed his gaze at her. “I chose to wait, that is a truth that I can’t deny. And it is a mistake I will not repeat. Rune’s brother will be punished for this. I promise you, child.”

Something in his tone made Rune very wary. Odin did not admit to mistakes easily, or without reason—he was planning something.

The All-Father’s gaze swept the crime scene, then the four people in front of him. “There are more godkin like Erik roaming the Earth, though no more of them are Reign’s offspring—of that I am certain. You are able to hunt them, Agent Winter, as can your friends. So I am going to propose a deal.”

“What kind of deal?” Adamson asked.

“We—you and the gods—form a team.
You
hunt down the godkin I’ve let…wander, then you hand them to one of us to defuse.”

“Defuse?” Liv asked.

Rune looked at her for a moment. “He means to strip them of their god power so that they can be punished by your courts and safely locked away here on Earth.”

“That’s right, great-grandson.”

“What’s the catch?” Bass asked, deep voice rumbling with suspicion. “I’ve met a god or two in my life—there’s always a catch with your kind.”

Unfortunately, the detective was not wrong. Rune wished he were, because whatever his great-grandfather was getting at, many strings were going to be attached. He was concerned, also, because gods had always hunted their own—why was Odin including humans now?

Odin grinned then let out a bark of laughter at Bass. “Smart man. The
catch
is that
we
are on your team.”

Liv folded her arms. “You mean you’ll send some of yours down
here
to work by
our
rules?”

“For the most part, yes. It’s good human relations.”

Liv chuckled, shaking her head. Whatever she’d picked up on, Rune wasn’t seeing it. Not that he was terribly surprised by that.

“You’ve already spoken to someone about this,” she stated.

Odin smiled, amusement dancing in his expression.

“Yes. Your president. You’ll be hearing from him soon. You and Adamson, that is.”

“And what will he say, All-Father?” Adamson inquired.

Odin turned to him. “That you and Ms. Winter will be changing departments. And”—his gaze met Rune’s—“that you, great-grandson, are to stay here on Earth and head the team with Ms. Winter and Mr. Adamson.”

Rune’s breath caught in his throat. “You wish me to stay here on Earth?”

Odin shrugged, nonchalant. “You are free to travel home, Rune, anytime you please. We will welcome you with open arms.
But
, you are the best for this position—a legendary hunter of gods and men, with or without your full power.”

Pride pulsed through Rune at the compliment, and joy circled his heart at the thought that he’d be able to stay close to Liv—that was, if she chose to have him as more than a work partner.

“I will return home briefly, to make certain of Erik and Reign’s fates, but it would be an honor to liaison between humans and gods. And to hunt the lost ones.” While that was true, his thoughts were on his close friends. “My loved ones, great-grandfather. Has Reign—”

Odin raised a hand to silence him. Rune obeyed, even though the need to know of his loved ones’ safety was pulsing through him as strongly as the last beat of the Gate. It took a great deal of willpower to shut his mouth and wait for Odin to speak.

“No. As soon as you were safely on the ground of Earth, we detained Reign.”

Relief flooded him, his shoulders relaxing at the news.

Odin stepped close, giving his shoulder a good, hard pat. “I will take the godkin now, then take my leave. Will you return home soon, Rune?”

“Yes. Within a day or two.”
As soon as I see Liv to the hospital, then safely in bed to rest
. Odin gave him a nod then locked his gaze with Liv’s. “I will be in touch…Valkyrie.”

Rune fought not to reach for Liv and hold her to him at the honor Odin had just given her. The All-Father had acknowledged her as a warrior, as a woman, and as a possible mate for his great-grandson. Rune could not ask for a more powerful blessing. But Liv didn’t know what that last word truly meant. He was thankful beyond measure that she didn’t reply to Odin, just inclined her head.

“Make certain that Erik gets his due in your Hel, King of the Asgardians.”

“Oh.” Odin smiled wide, mischievousness clear in his gaze. “I will.”

Bass took Odin over to the car that held an unconscious Erik. Every human bowed to the King of the Gods then got back to work. Once Odin had a hand on the godkin, the pulsing of the Gate returned. A moment later, the two were gone.

“Go to the hospital now, Liv,” Adamson said, his tone allowing no arguments. “Then get some rest.”

Yes, let’s get you to bed
,
beautiful flame.

But Liv shook her head, her arms unfolding as Rune slid one of his around her shoulders.

“I need to get to Boston first, Cory. I need to tell Soosie’s parents that her killer has been caught and is being punished for his deeds.”

That need radiated off of her, and he understood it well. That didn’t stop him from wanting to get her to a bed and resting…so she could heal faster and he could thank her—for saving him, for saving other women from Erik, and for, well, for being
her
.

“I can do that,” Cory said, tone softer, his expression understanding.

Rune knew that wouldn’t be good enough, and from the tone of Cory’s voice, the human knew it as well.

“I need to do it. But because I know you’ll breathe easier, I’ll go to the hospital first, get the x-rays and all that, let them patch up what they can, then Rune and I will head to Boston.” She looked to him. “You do know how to drive, don’t you?”

He smiled, amusement sweeping through him. “Yes, I know how to drive.”

She rolled her eyes, her gaze returning to Adamson.

“We’re staying here to process the cabins,” Cory told her, “but I won’t be far behind you, especially if what Odin says is true.”

Rune sighed. “He meant it. Whatever Odin desires, he usually gets.”

Cory nodded, then Liv yawned, the end of the hunt starting to wear on her.

“Let’s get going. I have unfinished business to attend to before I can sleep,” Liv said.

He put a hand on her lower back gently—she’d told him about the broken ribs.