The Alpha's Surrogate: A Paranormal Pregnancy Romance (13 page)

“As you wish,” he said as he forced himself into her.

They both grunted, and didn’t move for a long moment. Her eyes were squeezed shut, her every nerve frozen, savoring the feeling of being so very full. Then he started, slow at first but his rhythm picked up as she encouraged him with her groans of pleasure. A fire started in her belly, one only he could quench. It spread out from her core to her limbs, then over her skin and then crashed back down into her. She screamed as an orgasm like no other burst forth, her vision faded, she could not hear, all she could do was feel him in her. Her awareness slowly returned, she could feel him on top of her, his every breath vibrating her.

“We keep doing this and I’m likely to get pregnant,” she said with a warm smile.

“Reign, you are pregnant.”

The sudden intrusion of reality on her dream sent Reign bolt upright. She jumped up so hard, her head hit the roof of the SUV. Startled, Richard slammed into the parked car next to him. They were in some sort of shopping center. 

She rubbed her eyes, trying to rub away the memory of the dream. Her stomach fluttered and she was hot under her clothes; no dream had ever affected her that way before.

“You okay?” Richard asked her.

“Yeah, just, uh, weird dream,” Reign said. 

“We’re here. Are you ready?”

“Here? Where, we're in the middle of nowhere.”

Reign looked around as she got out of the SUV. The parking lot was full, but everything after the small one-story shopping center was flat and barren.

“Welcome to South Dakota, home of one of the largest Norwegian groups in North America.”

Reign hastily put her dark hair in a ponytail, wiped her face and tried to shake the memory of the powerful orgasm she experienced in her dream. It was as if her whole body was aching for the touch of someone who didn’t exist. Richard helped her out of the SUV, the memory of the dream faded and the reality of being almost ten months pregnant crashed down on her.

Everything was swollen, her joints, her stomach, her face, she did not feel sexy, and that faded the dream even faster. By the time Richard had her out of the vehicle, and helped her through the icy parking lot, the dream was all but gone.

The outside of the shop was quaint, painted in gold and red, the faded sign had a Vikings helmet and a long boat, the name of the shop proclaimed it, “Erik the Viking's Coffee and Cake”.

“Your friend works in a coffee shop?”

“He owns it actually, he loves coffee, has ever since they brought the stuff over to the old world.”

Reign was familiar with the Viking motif, her mom, after all, was from Norway, and while she inherited her skin, eye, and hair color from her Hindu father, she got her bone structure and shape from her mom, if not her height.

For the last ten months, even a little before that, Reign actively avoided coffee shops, after all, she was from Seattle, the world coffee capital. They served it in the schools, there were more coffee shops than churches, and Reign loved the stuff. African roast, Brazilian, the fresher the beans the better.

She used to wait down at Pikes for the small shops to get in their fresh shipments straight from Columbia. Every week she would curl up with a book, and a fresh cup of coffee made from fresh beans. And now, Richard brought her to a coffee shop, it
was
a nightmare.

Inside was much more modern and clean than the outside appeared. A small bar in the back was where the barista prepared the drinks, a glass display next to it had fresh looking treats -- mostly donuts. A few tables, but mostly just lounge chairs, filled the room.

A huge screen TV dominated one wall, silently displaying the news. There were a few patrons, mostly people killing time before work.

Richard left her on a comfortable couch, the kind she would need help to get up from, and went in search of his friend. Two of the customers ignored her, the third, a woman, gave her dirty looks.

It’s not like I lit up a cigarette, man, I’m just in a coffee shop, chill out.

The smell was glorious, she closed her eyes and enjoyed it, the first thing she was going to do was drink a cup of coffee once the baby was born. Well, not the first thing, but it was high on the list. That thought brought a smile to her face.

“Well aren’t you a pretty thing, dearie.” A familiar voice interrupted her merry thoughts of coffee beans.

She opened her eyes to see who spoke to her. He was a tall man, not particularly thin, or heavy, with shoulder length black hair, and a face that was full of sharp angles. His eyes, though, something about his eyes...

He was the man from her dream.

Her face heated from the memory of the dream, her body reacting to it so strongly she had to bite her lip to keep from moaning.

“I see you remember me, how nice,” the man said.

“You two have met?” Richard asked. He was next to the man, just as tall, much more muscled, but somehow, standing next to the fellow, Richard didn’t seem as big, or as imposing.

What is going on?

“How...?” Reign managed to get out before she had to gulp for air. Richard was there with a glass of water, hand on her back to sit her up, attentive and kind as ever.

“Always the knight, eh, John. Some things never change,” the man from her dream said.

“It’s why you chose me, isn't it? Honor, courage, loyalty,” came Richards reply. Did Reign detect a note of sadness in his voice?

“I didn’t choose you, as you know, but nevertheless, here we are.”

“Reign,” Richard said to her, “this is Loptr, he’s an acquaintance, and he owes me a favor, so he can help.”

“I cannot, you’ve wasted your trip.”

“What? No, I don’t know you from Adam, but if Richard says you can help, than you can, so do something, I don’t have much time.”

He turned back to Reign, a smile on his face. “Okay, dearie, so you have spirit, it wasn’t just in the dream.” He smiled at her.

Reign could not meet his gaze, or Richard’s either, so she just looked down, and the mix of shame and embarrassment colored her face and made her supremely uncomfortable.

“How...” She didn’t know how to ask how he did what he did; had it been real?

“No dearie, it ‘twas but a dream, you see,” he said as he knelt down in front of her, his hand hovering over her belly. “There is magic in the world, old and mostly forgotten, but it exists.” As he spoke, a soft blue glow emanated from his hand and illuminated her belly.

“It’s a girl, but you already knew that, she’s got your mother’s spirit, and for that I’m glad.”

“Who are you?”

Richard had remained strangely silent, almost as if he deferred to this man, but Richard was an Alpha, a wolf in charge, he deferred to no one.

“I spoke the truth, John, the magic my children have used is strong, I cannot break  it,” he said, the blue light winked out, his demeanor and tone changed so abruptly it caught Reign by surprise.

“Is there nothing we can do?” Richard asked him, almost pleading.

“She is strong of spirit, maybe.”

“I’m right here, talk to me, and why do you keep calling him John?”

“You chose well,” the man said with a smile.

Richard sat next to Reign. He had the look he got when he was gathering his thoughts. He was never quick to anger, or to speak, so his emotions, while on the surface, did not boil. Even the two or three times they had argued, he’d never once raised his voice to her.

“Reign, the wolves, my people, we were created through magic. Our father, his name was Fenrir, and this is his father; his name is Loptr, some people know him as
Loki.
”

Reign’s mouth worked, but no sound came out.

“You see, dearie, the world is much stranger than you thought.”

CHAPTER EIGHT

“Like in the movie? God of tricks and all that?” Reign’s mind attempted to grapple at the idea of Norse gods alive and well on Earth. The rational part of her brain, the part that told her werewolves were some sort of biological infection, and that vampires couldn’t be real, rejected the idea of the man.

“I love those movies, don’t you? Yes, something like that, though the details are very different. Lets just say, dearie, that the modern idea of Asgard, of the Norse gods, sprang from a source, and I, and my ilk, are that source. I know it’s a lot to swallow, but I’m sure you can adjust,” he said with a sly smile.

“How did you get in my dream?”

That got Richard’s attention. “You entered her dreams? That’s dangerous; you shouldn’t have risked it without asking.”

“Tsk tsk boy, I had to know, either she was Fade capable or not, and if not, then there would have truly been nothing I could do. As it is, I can only help her do what needs to be done.”

“Okay, okay, stop, both of you, you're acting like I know what either of you are talking about. Someone, anyone, start from the beginning, give me the Cliffs notes version, and fill me in.” Reign stopped being in awe of what and who she was talking to, and started to get more annoyed than anything else.

“You see,” Richard started, “a long time ago, around the time of Charlemagne, the protectors of the Norse were concerned that their people would be subjugated, so they created guardians, men and women who could take on the identity and appearance of Fenrir, to protect them.”

“‘Twas a good plan, too bad they forgot the number one rule of magic,” Loptr put in with a smile.

“Magic? You mean like hand wavy, Gandalf the Gray, magic?” Reign asked.

“Something like that; even Tolkien knew. You see, dearie, magic, real magic, the kind that changes lives, for good or ill, always comes with a price. And the men and women who volunteered for Fenrir’s blessings, well, they paid that price.”

“A lot of us died from the bite; of those that lived, well, many went mad. A few of us, though, we made it through. We were forced to put down the ones that were dangerous, but by the time we could control what we are, enough to do any good, it was over. The people who still believed in us were all dead; we had no one to defend.”

“Wait, you’re one of the original... but you said around Charlemagne... how old are you?”

“I didn’t want you to think I was some lecherous old man, or a braggart, I just wanted you to love me as much as I love you,” he said, his cheeks turning ever so red.

“Oh, Richard, or John, or whatever, there is no way I could love you less, I can only love you more.” She reached out to him, pulled his head to hers, and kissed him, and in that kiss she put all her love, all her warmth, everything she had that was special to her, and she gave it to him. She felt the splash of tears on her face as his mixed with hers.

“How touching, you make me sick,” Loptr said playfully.

“Now listen, the both of you,” he continued once she had stopped kissing Richard, “you can enter the Fade, Reign, that is what the dream was about, but I must warn you, its danger cannot be understated.”

“What is the Fade?” she said.

“It’s a world, like ours, parallel, but different. Emotions and thoughts are very real there, it’s the source of all magic, and you humans enter it when you dream. Normally, you can come to no harm, but when you enter it purposefully, like you will need to do, you can die in there, and if you do, you die out here.”

Reign gulped, she took a deep breath, closed her eyes and steadied herself. It was a lot to take in.

“And if you die in there, it’s gonna get messy out here. The magic they are using to suppress your birth will protect the baby, but if you die, well, it will get out...” he let that hang. She didn’t want to think about that, what could happen.

“Okay, I get it, but why? Why do I need to do this thing? Can’t you just...” she waved her hands in the air, “and break the spell?” She cringed inwardly at even using the word.

“If it were that easy, anyone could do it, dearie. No, you must break it, they cast it on you, after all. Once your in the Fade, just keep your mind on what you need to do, try not to let it wander, or you could be lost, then, well, same result, just in four days.”

“I understand, I think.” She didn’t, not really.

“Well, at least, you know you don’t know,” he said with a smile. “Remember this, it's a real world, but if yer strong enough of will, it can be your world. And you seem pretty willful to me.”

“Thanks, I think,” she smiled.

“Reign, listen, if there were another way, I would do it, we would all do it, but Loptr is it, and I can’t help you in there.” Richard held her hand, his brow furled with worry. “Try to hang on to what’s real, its easy to get distracted.”

“Can you come with me?”

“No, I went once, when I became what I am, but we can never go back, its just for humans.”

“You mean, you don’t dream?”

“Not in a long time. Like he said, magic always comes with a price.”

250

He touched her face with his hand, kissed her one more time, before standing to give Loptr space.

She hadn’t noticed the coffee shop was empty, there had been customers when they entered, now no one was there, the sign said closed, and drapes had been pulled.

“Are you ready?”

She nodded. “Remember, focus on the baby, you want her born, don’t let anything, no matter how pleasant, or painful, distract you from that.”

With that, he touched her forehead, and the pain began.

*

The crack of the whip emphasized the burning sensation down her back, like a line of fire that ran from her shoulder to her buttocks. Reign gasped, breathed deep and tried to keep from screaming out as the whip landed again and again. She was chained to a wall, her bare back faced the cell door, her hands were above her head as a man struck her with a whip. Tears streamed down her face as he continued to whip her.

This isn’t real, this isn’t real,
she reminded herself.

“Tell me you renounce your gods,” the torturer screamed.

Crack!

“Tell me the location of the heathens from your village!”

Crack!

“Tell me and the pain stops!”

Crack!

Reign choked back a sob.  Unable to stop herself, she screamed as the last lash hit.

He paused for a moment; she heard his feet on the concrete as he walked around. Her muscles collapsed and all her weight was on her bound wrists as she sobbed. She wasn’t Reign, she was the woman from the dream again. She could see her blond locks, and very light skin; she looked down to her stomach and saw she wasn’t pregnant here.

Where is here? He said it would be like a dream, this is a nightmare.

The cell door opened and a new person came in.

“Perhaps she’s had enough for now, Inquisitor,” the new voice with some sort of German accent said.

“As you command, my lord.” He put the whip down on the table. “She’s stubborn, sire, but no one lasts forever.”

The torturer departed and Reign breathed a sigh of relief. If she could just have a few minutes to think, she could get out of here, find the spell, and get home to have her baby.

“He’s not all bad, you know, he has a wife, kids, a dog I believe; as torturers go he’s a decent man,” the new voice said. Reign tried to turn her head to see who was speaking, but her body ached from the lashings when she moved.

“I will be sure to add him to my Christmas card list,” she managed between clenched teeth.

“You’re quite the feisty one, even after all this. I think some time to reflect on your pain will put things in perspective.”

A hand grabbed her wrist; she jumped from reflex, sending a fresh wave of pain down her back.

“Hold still,” he said as he inserted a key into her manacles. With a click they opened, and she nearly collapsed. He grabbed her, and gently dragged her over to a cot. There was a small table with water and bread on it. He laid her down, covered her naked torso with a blanket and sat down next to her. She got a clear look at him for the first time; older, perhaps in his thirties, long black hair, a thick beard, and dark brown eyes.

“Why,” she started before coughing, “why are you doing this?”

“You must renounce who you were to the inquisition, only then can you be free from the guilt of being a heretic.”

Reign had seen enough movies to know how this went, so she decided to skip ahead. “Okay, done, I’m a heretic, what’s next?”

“If only it were that simple, you see, you must believe what you are saying. Now, get some rest, he will be back soon, and you need your strength, after all, you can’t convert while you still resist.”

She was so tired, her back hurt, her muscles were numb from holding herself up. She tried to stay awake, but as he stood, she sipped into unconsciousness.

“Again,” her captor said, and the whip cracked on her back. It seemed like it had been days since she awoke here, days of torture and deprivation. The small cot held only enough warmth for her to fall asleep after she was whipped, the food held just enough calories to keep her going; she was no closer to finding an escape.

She stood now, wrists crossed above her head, legs braced, as the lash fell on her back. She screamed after the fourth one, and the tenth, her tears started on the fourteenth; after the twentieth she was sobbing uncontrollably, begging them to stop.

“She’s almost ready, I think, sire,” her torturer said to the mysterious lord who watched her day and night.

“Do you renounce who you were?”

Reign started to say yes, she would almost say anything to get them to stop, but something held her tongue. What had Loptr said, don’t get lost in the world. At the time, what seemed forever ago, she thought the fade would be a magical realm she wouldn’t want to leave, but now, she was ready to say anything to get them to stop whipping her.

“Renounce your village, your faith, tell us where your warriors are hiding, and we will stop. You can sleep in a real bed, eat real food, just say yes.” He was close to her now, almost whispering in her ear.

She’d said this the first day, and wanted to say it again, after all she didn’t mean it. Or did she? If she said what the man wanted, if she said it enough to mean it, then didn’t she? Would she trade her old life for this one, just to get the pain to stop? Reign had never taken the easy way to anything. She worked two jobs since she was fourteen to pay for her college, she studied the hardest subjects, fell in love with the most difficult instrument to master, for Pete’s sake, she was in love with a werewolf, being tortured by a reject from a Nazi film.

No, I will not give up.

She pulled violently on her manacles. “Fuck you,” she spat at him.

“It’s a pity, you have spirit, but the truth is, you’re going nowhere, so either you renounce your life, or stay here and get whipped, either way, you die soon.” She could hear the smile in his voice. It angered her, angered her beyond reason, that anyone should endure such suffering, that the woman she was, or the girl she used to be, was just a piece in a puzzle in someone else's scheme.

She wasn’t a wolf, she was just a human; she had no special powers, but she had her mind, her will, her desire to live, and nothing to lose here.

With a sudden burst of energy, she stuck one foot on the wall and pulled at her manacles with all her might. She strained as her muscles protested, but her mind was set; she put aside her pain, her worry, and focused on the seething rage that boiled under the surface. Her jailers laughed, until the pike holding her manacles to the wall gave way in a shower of dust and mortar.