Valkyrie Heat (21 page)

he won. He loved Brandr and admired his strength, but still felt on

edge about his ability to best such a seasoned warrior. Thorvald

was full of deceitful tricks and had no honor. Rolf would die before

allowing harm to come to his best and most beloved friend.

To Rolf’s frustration, they had lost both the captive and

Thorvald’s trail. They decided to try again the next morning and

returned to the cabin. Rolf had been surprised when Eirik

approached him with his request for Sky to dance.

She wasn’t a captive; it was rare for a free woman to dance

unless she had strong protection. The men could become a little

overwhelmed at the swivel of a woman’s hips.

Eirik told him that he had sworn to protect her and had

enlisted three other men, feeling the six of them should be enough.

After all it wasn’t as if she had any formal dance training. What

could it hurt?

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They could control the men after her simply swaying and

rocking, nothing to worry about. Rolf shrugged. He asked Sky and

she seemed eager enough and not afraid. After the annoying day he

had just had, Rolf thought a distraction would be most welcome.

After the children had been settled for the night, an area had

been cleared. Rolf and Brandr stood off to the side to watch Sky.

Brandr nudged him in the ribs and smiled. Rolf knew he was

amused. Brandr loved Sky, but had on numerous occasions

declared it was a good thing she was so damned cute and sweet

because she couldn’t do anything else. Rolf grinned in agreement

and wryly told him to never mind. This was something she wanted

to do and even if she was as horrible as Isibel, they would be

supportive and tell her she was wonderful. Brandr just shook his

head and chuckled. Secretly, Rolf hoped she wasn’t as bad as Isibel;

the woman’s dancing was not unlike a drunken goat escaping

slaughter.

The floor of the cabin was wooden but many fur rugs were

tossed around, as Sky was to dance barefoot. Rolf wanted no

splinters in her feet. When Sky moved to the middle of the room,

she raised her hands high over her head. Rolf saw her glance

around with some trepidation. The room, filled with massive

warriors and a few women, became so quiet he could have heard a

feather hit the furs beneath her tiny feet. Rolf smiled. She looked

so small and tempting. Her breasts were barely covered by a

leather strap of fur. She wore a simple flap of leather that dropped

across her behind and front. The material was very low and

revealing at the waist, exposing her entire left thigh and slit up the

other side. Most captive slaves danced nude but an exception had

been made. Sky wasn’t a slave; she was his and Brandr’s. With her

arms raised, the gentle swell of her rump was visible, peeking out

to tantalize. Her behind had long since healed and she was the

sweetest pale white. Like delicate meadow flowers.

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The flute began to play. It was slow and steady and Sky began

to swing her hips and rose to the balls of her feet, with her knees

bent. She found her rhythm. Murmurs of appreciation were heard

from many directions. It was soon apparent she could dance and

dance well. Every eye was on her. Rolf felt Brandr tense next to

him. His friend had gone from amused to shock. Rolf would have

laughed at Brandr’s wide-eyed expression but could feel his own

heart begin to pound.

By the Gods, she is a Valhalla Valkyrie come to life.

Sky moved as though she were part of the song; as though she

brought it to life. Rolf knew she had seen Isibel’s clumsy attempt

to tell a story through dance; the woman had failed miserably. Sky

danced like a master. Her body begged for protection. She stood

before man after man, rolling her hips reaching with her arms

pleading for someone to take her home with them and keep her

safe. Her eyes went from begging to seductive, making the men

sweat as her dance promised them anything in return.

When the man she was in front of reached for her, she danced

back spinning. They were given a tempting glance at her wares.

She moved to Eirik. Rolf knew she had no fear of the man and he

wondered how bold she would become. She trailed the backs of

her delicate hands down his unclad chest. Her sensuous mouth

pouted as she teased him into wanting her. Rolf saw Eirik tremble.

Thank the Gods Eirik was one who had promised her protection.

From the look on the man’s face, she would have needed

protection from him. Eirik’s jaw twitched.
Poor Eirik.
He clenched

and unclenched his sword hand. The man looked ready to battle

himself.

Sky looked at Eirik sadly when his hand began to rise. She

moved away, twirling, revealing her behind and front for a few

mere twists yet again to make every man in the room fall over

themselves for a look. It was part of the dance, to entice protection

through promises of heated desire.

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The pace of the music increased as the dancer became more

frantic in her search for a master’s protection. Was there no one

who would keep her safe if she were to offer her willing, eager

body in exchange? Sky was now in front of Rolf and Brandr. Sky

looked up at them both pleadingly with her huge brown beautiful

eyes and Rolf felt his heart melt. If she had been a captive and had

danced before him like this, he would have drawn his sword and

claimed her. He could tell Brandr felt the same. His lovesick friend

was almost beside himself to have her. His impressive erection was

straining toward her against his pants. Rolf sympathized, he knew

how his friend felt.

Sky dropped to her knees. A light sheen of sweat covered her

body. Her eyes were glazed with passion. He could tell she was

excited. He would swear he could smell her heat beckoning to

him. Her back bowed onto the furs before them writhing and

begging to be taken. When the dance finished she lay before them

both in submission, panting. Her arms held out in a pleading

gesture to be loved, to be made love to. Rolf could hear his heart

hammer in his chest. Sweat slid slowly down the side of his face.

The music stopped and for a moment all was quiet, until

Pandemonium broke out.

“I must have the woman!” a male bellowed.

Rolf and Brandr drew their swords and Sky screamed in panic.

She scrambled to her feet and hid, crouching, behind Rolf’s legs.

Many more swords were drawn and sparks flew as they

clashed. Many more women were screaming and running, hiding,

fleeing for safety in all directions.

Rolf engaged in battle with the man who swore he had to have

Sky. A massive bear of a man. They exchanged heated blows. Rolf

kept one eye on the sex-crazed man and watched as Sky and a

bunch of other women fled to a room to barricade themselves in.

The door slammed behind them.

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With Sky safe, Rolf returned the blows of the man eagerly.

All of his concentration was now centered on the clash at hand.

Rolf didn’t strike to kill; the man was a comrade after all. He

couldn’t blame the man for wanting Sky. Rolf himself had battled

not to take her on the floor when she had lain so enticingly before

him. By the Gods, she had been magnificent. But it was up to him

and Brandr to protect her. If they couldn’t, they didn’t deserve to

have her.

“Enough!” Eirik bellowed into the frenzy-filled room.

A few last hits of swords followed then the room went silent.

“Sky is not a captive for any man. She is Rolf’s and Brandr’s.

Tonight she is mine as well. Would you dare take what belongs to

your leader?” Eirik yelled.

“You never said she could dance like that,” Gulli growled

heatedly.

“I didn’t know,” Eirik replied. He looked at Rolf who

shrugged.

“I had no idea,” Rolf said, just as surprised. “And now she’s

hiding in terror.”

“Now we know and because you behaved like the fools you

are, I bet she will never dance again,” Brandr snapped.

The men groaned.

“But she
must
dance again,” Lud said.

“Rolf, talk to her. Tell her to dance again. She was not

harmed,” Cull pleaded.

“I’ll think about it,” he replied then grinned at Brandr.

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Chapter 7

“You’re all sex-craving lunatics!” Sky declared.

She marched past Rolf to sit at the table in the hut, fuming.

With her back ramrod straight, and her shoulders set, she glared at

them both. She had thought the men might get a little riled, but

not go insane. Swords had clashed and flown—that hadn’t

happened when Isibel danced. Eirik had battled three men at once.

And she had a sneaky suspicion one of the men Eirik had enlisted to

keep her safe had declared mutiny. All because of a little dance.

Once again, she was reminded that she was surrounded by

barbarians.

“It’s just been a while since the men have seen anyone dance

as well as you. It’s been years since a trained dancer has passed this

way. You are very good, Sky,” Brandr said soothingly. But she

wasn’t soothed…
she was pissed
.

“I had to crawl between legs, under tables, around furniture.

Flying sparks from swords zapped my butt. Little Leif stood in the

doorway waving his wooden sword calling me into the room. I was

being protected by a five-year-old boy with a wooden sword!” she

howled.

“It’s all right, Sky,” Brandr said. He dropped to his knees

before her. “We would never let anyone touch you. You were

never in any real danger.”

Sky glared at him. It had been so invigorating to dance for him

and Rolf. The look on Rolf’s face had meant so much to her. He

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had wanted her, and she had danced for him and then Brandr. They

had looked so handsome, her two proud warriors, and she wanted

them to be proud of her. This was something she could do the

other women couldn’t. Finally, she had something she could be

proud of that no one did as well in their village. She had seen the

looks of appreciation from everyone. It had been so exhilarating,

she never wanted the song to end. But it had. Then all hell had

broken loose. Hearing about battle-crazed Vikings was one thing,

experiencing it firsthand was another. She was grateful she had

lived through it. So many sparks from swords had lit the large dim

room, it had looked like the Fourth of July.

Why had she agreed to wear the skimpy costume? The fur

across her chest only emphasized her breasts, making them appear

larger. She never should have agreed to wear the revealing skirt

Katla had given her. Thinking about that, she clamped her legs

together. What had she been thinking?

“Sky,” Rolf began but she cut him off.

“Goodnight,” she said between clenched teeth.

She could see the hard-on both men had under their tight wolf

and leather pants.
Over my dead body.
Sky got up stiffly and went to

lay in the furs. She pulled a blanket around her indicating she

wanted to be left alone. She heard Rolf and Brandr argue quietly.

Before long she slept.

* * * *

Rolf stayed with Sky at the cabin the next day.

Leif was her shadow. Katla was helping her with the shirt she

was making.

Katla smiled at her.

“No,” Sky snapped in a grumpy tone.

“How did you know what I was going to ask?” Katla said

innocently.

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“Because a few of the other women have asked me to dance

again,” Sky grouched. “I don’t get it. The men were all hot and

bothered to have me last night. Don’t you find that offensive?”

“Not at all,” Katla replied with a secret smile. “Eirik came to

me after. Many men sought out their wives last night and if they

had as much fun in the furs as I did, I can understand their

disappointment in you not wanting to dance.”

Sky looked at her questioningly. “They want their husbands to

go nuts over me?”

Katla shrugged. “They can’t have you. The captive is gone and

there wasn’t a man in the cabin who wanted to wait for a turn after

you danced and the heat of the fight. Some of the wives have

complained that with the captive here they get no attention from

their husbands.”

“But I’ve seen how they took the captive. Their wives

wanted…”

“Don’t you have Brandr the same way?” Katla countered.

Sky could feel the blush heat her cheeks. “But it was so scary,

the way they started fighting.”

“Men fight, it’s what they do,” Katla said. “Next to screwing

with a woman, they like fighting best…or perhaps eating comes

next. That one’s always a guess.”