Sun's Tear (The Valkyrie's Passion Book 2): A Valkyrie/Shifter Romance (12 page)

“You failed to kill the Valkyrie,” the Thief laughed, “when she was helpless. At your mercy.”

Griff stood up. “You used us to get that fucking hunk of glowing rock.”

The President of the Blood Eagles Motorcycle Club pulled out a gun and pointed it at the Thief. His men followed, chairs falling back as they rose, cocking back the hammers on pistols and revolvers. The Thief faced them down and then whipped off the cloth.

A shining spear glowed in his hands. Liquid, golden light ran up and down the shaft. A halo surrounded the spear. Heat flooded through the room. The Thief marched up to Griff and thrust it at the biker.

“While I labored on the weapon that will kill Magnus and his whore, you sat down here sniveling like little boys,” growled the Thief. “Are you boys? Or fucking men who will stop weeping into their drinks like old women? Will you stand and fight your enemies?”

Griff seized the weapon. The light flared bright as the power surged through him.

Raven

We didn't speak for a long while. I let him hold me as my hands stroked the rejuvenating wounds on his chest and side. He had been hurt, but he was an Einherjer. Like me, he healed fast. My own side hardly ached any longer.

The sun lightened the window. Dawn approached.

“I called your club silly,” I finally said, breaking the silence.

“Yes.” His voice was tight. Controlled.

“It's not. I was just...panicked. I was scared for you, and I didn't understand why you were so focused on your club.” I swallowed. “I'm sorry.”

Magnus nodded.

“I understand. They're your family. They were attacked. You had to respond. It was just bad timing.”

Magnus shook his head. “It was all a set-up. The Thief was there, pretending to be Thomas. The Blood Eagles...” Magnus jaw tightened. “They were changed.”

“Were-eagles?” I asked.

He glanced down at my bandaged side.

“Griff,” I answered. “He turned into something like the frost troll, only an ape-eagle instead of an ape-wolf. He waited for me to pick up the Sun's Tear and put it in a pouch. The Tear was hot. It almost consumed me. But I'm special.”

“You are,” Magnus whispered and caressed my hair.

“What happened to you?” I touched his scars that had been bloody wounds only hours ago. “The were-eagles?”

“We planned an ambush. We were going to kill and wound as many of the fuckers as we could.”

I nodded. I wasn't shocked. Magnus was dangerous, an outlaw. The Blood Eagles attacked him, so he struck back hard. To teach them a lesson.

“But it was a trap. The Thief was pretending to be Thomas. The Blood Eagles transformed. Our guns didn't hurt them. They butchered my brothers.”

Pain thickened his words. His eyes were hard. I wanted him to let it out, but instead he clutched to the agony, feeding the angry wolf inside of him. I hugged him tightly. Tears were in my eyes. I didn't really get to meet his club members, but they were his family.

I knew what losing family was like.

“Then the Thief revealed himself. He killed Jim and Poncho.”

“The Thief was there?” I frowned. “But...he was at the crater where the Tear fell.”

“What?”

“He was there.” I swallowed and hesitated. “Loki lured him off.”

Magnus's face tightened. His anger lurked on the edges. He held it off.

“Loki came to help me. He lured off the Thief and let me grab the stone.” I paused. “Are there two Thieves? Loki called him a giant. I mean, they could be like brothers or something.”

“Maybe,” Magnus frowned and his eyes narrowed. Was his frown caused by the Thief or Loki?

“Did they all...die?” I asked him, steering away from Loki and the snarled mess he caused. It was hard keeping his handsome face out of my mind. I made my choice.

“No. Big Hoss, Thunder, and Skids made it out of the fight. Vince was on lookout and Dwayne's still in the hospital.” His eyes grew bleak. There had been over twenty men in the club room yesterday.

“Tell me about your club.” I snuggled closer, wanting to hold him and take away his pain. “What made it so special?”

“I was always fascinated with the lifestyle. My dad was a boxer. Never made it big, but he was always in the gym, training. Some of the guys he trained with were 1%. They were tough men, even compared to my dad.

“I wanted to be like them. Independent. My dad always pushed me that way. Making sure I was tough, able to handle myself, and not back down from a fight.”

I smiled.

“I joined a few clubs, but none of them were true outlaws. I almost joined the Blood Eagles, but then I saw Talon beating one of the sheep.” He paused. “It's a name for the barflies that hang around, eager to be a part of the lifestyle and maybe become an ol' lady.”

“Am I an ol' lady?”

Magnus nodded his head. “But the sheep, well, they get passed around. They're for the club's use.”

I grimaced. I did not like the sound of that.

“And he was just beating the shit out of her. I hated it. She was weak. She couldn't fight back, and the rest of the club just laughed. They thought she deserved it. 'Dumb cunt spilled his drink.' As simple as that.”

“What did you do?”

Magnus licked his lips. “I attacked Talon. There were twenty of them. I got a few licks in before they overpowered me. They dragged me out back and kicked the shit out of me. I was eighteen and had more than a few illusions dispelled about outlaw bikers that day. But I still wanted to be one. Big Hoss was there. He watched the fight. He was drifting up out of California with his ol' lady. Something bad happened to his club, and he doesn't like to talk about it.

“But we hit it off after he helped patch me up. Took a few months; they fucked me up. We talked and met a few other guys lurking around Maple Valley. Men tired of the rules of society. We founded the Black Wolves. There were five of us. Thomas, Boots, Big Hoss, Jim, and myself. We made our patch and started recruiting.”

Magnus looked at the ceiling.

“We were brothers. If I needed help, any one of those men would be there for me. If I was attacked, we'd hit back together. Wolves are not solitary animals. We're a pack. We defend each other. Defend what's ours. We live and bleed together.”

“It's definitely not silly,” I whispered. “So it's boys only, huh?”

“The women, centered around the ol' ladies, have their own thing. They are there for each other and us.” He shook his head. “I led my brothers into a slaughter.”

“You were tricked,” I whispered. “By the Thief.”

“And he has it? This Sun's Tear?”

I nodded my head.

“What is it?” Magnus asked. “You mentioned that Odin would kill me if you didn't get it. Something
Loki
said.”

“I feel cold,” I told him. “Some of the warmth has gone out of the world. The Sun's Tear, it's the embodiment of Sol, the sun goddess. It's the Aesir's power. It doesn't really affect mortals or the real sun, but with her dead the gods are weak. So if I don't get it back, Odin will keep taking my fire until I can't sustain your life anymore.” Tears burned in my eyes. “He's so cruel.”

“And he told you that? Get the Sun's Tear or I die.”

“He claimed the Sun's Tear gave me power and the longer it was missing, the weaker I would get. But Loki said it was a lie. There's a prophecy. I'm chosen.” My tears burned hotter as they rolled down my cheeks. “Odin let my parents die so I would fit the requirements. I have a choice to make. I can restore the gods or end them.”

“And why would you end them? Because that's what Loki wants you to do?”

“He's not as bad as you think,” I said. “I know he kissed me. He shouldn't have done that. And...well...there is something...attractive about him.”

Magnus tensed. He let out a snarl.

“I think if I hadn't met you, I could love Loki.” I held him tighter. “But I met you first. I chose you. Loki was just too late. I told him that before he lured off the Thief.”

“He's a liar,” Magnus growled. “You cannot trust him. He's trouble. All the stories have him playing cruel tricks.”

“But he wants to be good. I saw it in him.”

Magnus pulled away.

“Please,” I gasped and clutched him. “Please. I believed him. He said to restore the Sun's Tear, I would have to sacrifice my fire anyways. Odin left out the part where I have to let you die to give Odin back his powers.

“What?” snarled Magnus.

“I can't do that. I can't let you die.”

“How do you know Loki is telling the truth? What made you so distrust Odin?”

“Besides the fact we're his slaves?” I spat. “My ancestor made a deal with him, and she signed up all her descendants. And I roped you in when I made my choice. We're his tools to be used and discarded. He did it to my parents. They were more useful to him dead, so they died.”

“And?” Magnus asked.

“After Fenrir's attack, Odin told me how we ended up in Utgard.”

Magnus sat up. “Why didn't you tell me?”

“Because Odin did it to us.”

~   ~   ~

Magnus

The growl ripped out of my throat. Odin had thrown us into Utgard? He had put my Raven in that much danger?

“Odin sent the frost troll to attack me. Us,” she continued. My fist clenched. “He did it so you would die, and I would make you an Einherjer. Then he threw us into Utgard. Odin didn't have time to train me. He needed me ready. He was willing to gamble on us being trapped in there forever. On us dying. What if Loki never told us how to get out?”

“He sent the frost troll after you.” My teeth clenched. I wanted to find the one-eyed god and tear his throat out. Him and the Thief. No one tried to harm my Valkyrie.

“I didn't tell you because you would try to kill him.” Her arms went around me. “And he would win. He was savaged by Fenrir, but was instantly fine. I'm not even sure the wolf could have killed him. It was just a ploy. Another way to train me. We both almost died fighting that beast.” Raven shuddered in my arms. “But I can kill him. With the Sun's Tear. I can set us free.”

“How do we kill him?” I growled. The wolf snarled in me. The rage threatened to consume me.

Raven had almost died. Odin had almost killed her.

Just like the Thief.

I would rip them both apart. My fangs, my ax, my teeth would taste their flesh and drink their blood.

Raven

A light knock rapped the door. “Raven.”

I wrapped the sheet around me and walked to the door, leaving Magnus on the bed. He stared up at the ceiling, warring with his anger. He wanted to go after Odin and the Thief. Magnus needed to hurt everyone that tried to kill me. I gave him the wolf, and it snarled for blood.

I opened the door a crack and discovered my best friend Haleigh. “Hi.”

“You must be feeling better,” Haleigh smirked. “I can't believe how loud you two were.”

My cheeks went crimson. “You, um, heard us.”

A smile crossed her spunky face and her green eyes twinkled. “You may have inspired Kris.” Her red hair was disheveled, and she was wrapped up in a loose bathrobe. “He felt...competitive.”

Kris was an outdoorsman and lumberjack. He was a manly guy. I gave her a wink. “You can thank me with breakfast.”

Haleigh bit her lip. “What happened to you two? You looked banged up. Like...” She swallowed. “I saw his patch on his vest. Black Wolves. Something real bad happened last night. It's all over the news. His club and the Blood Eagles warred last night. There are a lot of dead men.”

“Yes,” I nodded.

“What have you gotten yourself into?”

“Put the coffee on, find us something to wear, and I'll tell you everything.”

Haleigh nodded, then peered in the room. Magnus lay naked on the bed. Her eyes twinkled again and her smile grew. “I see why you're with him. Mmm, he's almost as hot as my guy.”

“Almost?” Magnus asked, arching his eyebrow.

“Damn,” shuddered Haleigh. “You keep that look for your woman. I am happily taken.”

“I will.”

Magnus's eyes were on me. My skin warmed.

“Thanks for everything,” I told Haleigh.

“Hey, we both survived being single in Seattle together. I will always be there for you.”

I reached out and squeezed her hand. Family. It was important. If Haleigh had been attacked, I would be as eager to help her out as Magnus was with his club. Haleigh disappeared and then returned in a few minutes with a bundle of clothing.

We were about the same size and often swapped clothing when we lived together. I had to go without a bra—she was bigger than me—and she threw in one of Kris's jeans and a shirt. Magnus ignored the shirt and pulled on his cut over his bare shoulders like he was donning a uniform.

Magnus pulled out his cell phone. I groaned. “I wish I knew what I did with mine.”

He froze. “What?”

“My phone.” I sighed. “I haven't had a chance to check Facebook, Twitter, Gawker, Instagram, Pintrest, and Youtube in a while.”

Magnus stared at me like I spoke a foreign language.

“Oh, you've heard of some of those,” I complained. “Just because your phone is a dinosaur...”

“When did you last see your phone?”

“I don't know. I thought it was with me when I went to the bar yesterday. When I reached where the Sun's Tear was, it was gone.”

“Then who sent this text message?” Magnus fiddled on his phone and twisted it around, showing me the tiny screen.

My eyes widened. It was sent from my phone. The text read, “Leave me alone.”

“I...” I swallowed. “I didn't send this text. I don't know where my phone is.”

Magnus hit call. He put it on speaker. My phone rang and rang. My stomach twisted. Who had my phone? My voice mail picked up.

“I need a computer,” I gasped, rushing out of the room. “Haleigh, where's your phone. I need to activate my phone's GPS.”

In a minute, I went through the security protocols and activated my phone's GPS. My phone sat in the Bear and Eagle bar—the Blood Eagles' nest. My eyes widened. “How did they get it?”

“I don't know,” Magnus growled.

Haleigh marched up to me. “Okay, what is going on?”

Kris stood behind her in a flannel shirt, his face concerned, his arms folded.

“Well,” I swallowed. “I'm a Valkyrie.”

Haleigh shrieked when I summoned my sword.

~   ~   ~

Magnus

“I just can't believe this,” Haleigh repeated as she stared into her coffee.

Kris sat beside her, just as white-faced. He was a strong man, independent and concerned for his woman's safety, but seeing Raven summon her sword and armor had unnerved him. I opened cabinets in the kitchen and found a bottle of sherry.

Not the best stuff. I poured it into a pair of shot glasses and set it before Haleigh and Kris. Haleigh tossed it back without looking. Kris held his shot glass, swirling it around as he stared at Raven.

“This is...” Haleigh said, the shock wearing off. “I mean...gods and magic and were-eagles.” She glanced at me. “Though...he does seem a little wolfish. But...”

“I could don the cloak,” I growled, “and show you.”

“Don the cloak?” Kris shook his head. “What?”

“It's a kenning from Norse poetry. Kennings are poetic descriptions, agreed-on metaphors. Donning the wolf's cloak meant going berserk. Becoming a beast, usually a wolf but sometimes a bear.”

“A kenning,” Kris repeated. “I...okay. I don't think you need to transform. I mean...” He glanced at Raven and then threw back his sherry.

“So...” A smile grew on Haleigh's lips. “Does this make you, like, a superhero, Raven?”

“I guess.” Raven nodded her head. “Yeah, I guess it does.”

“And you're really going to lose your fire if you don't find this Sun's Tear?”

Raven rubbed at her goose-pimpled arms. “Yes.”

I had faced death many times, and not just since I met Raven and became her Einherjer. When you wore the 1% patch, you had to be prepared to use violence or receive it. I had been shot, stabbed, beaten, and even run off the road.

All those other times, death had been something immediate. Something I had to face that instant. I didn't have time to think about what would happen. I was too busy surviving. But learning I would die if Raven didn't retrieve the Sun's Tear was like being told I had cancer.

I swallowed. Images of my father lying in bed burned through my mind. He had cancer last year. He lay on the hospital bed, a breathing tube stuck through his throat, his strong body reduced to a wizened, dried-out husk only kept alive by machines. The man who taught me to be independent and strong had wasted away before me.

Fucking cancer.

I pulled out my electronic cigarette from my vest pocket. I switched to e-cigs after seeing what smoking three-packs-a-day did to my dad. I turned it on and brought it to my lips, inhaling the atomized vapors.

It wasn't the same as smoking a cigarette. The nicotine rush was still there, but the acrid, bitter flavor was gone, replaced by a more friendly vanilla. I exhaled a cloud of vapor. Everyone at the table stared at me, including Raven.

“You smoke?” she blinked.

“Trying to quit,” I answered her. I took another drag. Damn, I did not want to die. Not when I just met Raven. The nicotine rushed through me. I savored the buzz.

“I don't mean...” Kris trailed off as I looked at him. He was a strong man, worked outdoors, but he wasn't used to confrontation. They didn't raise too many men these days. “Listen, this is my house.”

I arched an eyebrow. He found a pair of balls.

“Yeah, yeah,” I sighed and put it away. The one nice thing about an e-cig—they were always ready to go. Just fill it with the juice and have a charge on the battery. You take a few puffs and put it away. Didn't have to smoke the entire thing.

“You smoke?” Raven repeated.

“Yep. 'I haven't a particle of confidence in a man who has no redeeming petty vices whatsoever,'” I quoted. Mark Twain always had an appropriate bit of wisdom on most subjects.

Raven furrowed her eyebrows. “Who were you quoting?”

I winked at her.

“He writes her poetry, too,” Haleigh smiled, glancing at her boyfriend.

“Great,” Kris muttered, folding his arms before him. “Does he juggle?”

I stared at Kris. It wasn't my fault his woman kept staring at me like I was the juiciest piece of steak she had ever seen. I cracked my knuckles. If he thought to insult me, I would disabuse him of it, friend or no friend of Raven.

“Magnus,” Raven groaned, “put your dick away.” She put her hand on mine. “These are my friends. Play nice.”

I glanced at her and she did not flinch from my gaze. Damn, she was a woman.

“And you, Kris,” Raven said, glancing at the logger. “Don't poke my wolf, he has a nasty bite.”

“I bet,” Haleigh nodded.

“And Haleigh, let's have a talk in the other room.”

“Oh,” Haleigh said, her eyes going wide and innocent. “On?”

“Haleigh,” Raven said as she stood; her tone would brook no revolt from her friend. “Let's have a few words.”

“Fine,” sighed Haleigh.

It was awkward once the women left. Kris folded his arms and glared at me. I gave him a wolfish grin and didn't flinch. An analog clock on the wall ticked away every second while our women talked in the other room.

Kris's eyes grew harder. He did have a spine.

“So...” He finally said, growing uncomfortable at the silence. “You're a werewolf.”

“Basically,” I answered.

“And you have to fight were-eagles.” He shook his head. “That sounds fucked up.”

“It's...”

The roar of motorcycles grew louder. I stood, my chair scraping on the kitchen floor. Raven darted into the kitchen, her flaming sword springing up in her hand. Kris jumped and almost spilled out of his chair.

“What is it?” Haleigh asked, her face pale as she peered into the room.

“My brothers,” I answered.

“Oh.” Raven dismissed her sword.

“What does that mean?” Haleigh asked. The motorcycle engines chugged and then went silent. Heavy boots walked up to the door, chains rattling and leather creaking. They climbed up the steps, and someone pounded hard on the door.

“Magnus must have called the survivors of his club,” Raven explained behind me.

I walked through the house to the front door. I ripped it open. Big Hoss stood there, his eyes red, his face twisted. He threw his arms around me, pulling me down for a tight, fierce hug. I crushed my arms around him.

“Fuckers,” Big Hoss growled.

“Yep,” I agreed.

Madge, Big Hoss's ol' lady, was behind him, her eyes swollen and her cheeks stained with tears. “I...I can't...”

I pulled her in for a hug and she sobbed into my cut. Then I hugged Thunder, Skids, Vince, and Dwayne, the prospect shot in the drive-by yesterday. He had a bandage wrapped about his leg, his youthful face twisted in pain.

“We have the ol' ladies and the girls up at Rick's farm,” reported Big Hoss. “Miss Jenny's watching over them.”

I nodded. Miss Jenny, Rick's mother, always had a place at her table and a space in her house for any member of the club or one of the girls that needed it. “How's she doing?”

“She's a tough old bird,” Skid said, his eyes distant. “This is all fucked up, Magnus.”

“How do we fight these fuckers?” Big Hoss groaned. “What the fuck is going on?”

“Come in and we'll talk,” I told them. “We have plans to make, and you guys deserve to know the whole truth.”