SEXUAL CONTENT WARNING
At end of chapter so you can skip if you don't like to read that sort of thing!
Hoping to get back to weekly updates now, but I might jump around in which story a bit. I plan to start posting the new Way of the Woad, and another story I've yet to choose...
So if you had a choice for the new story, would you want:
Another Werewolf story?
Another Vampire story?
Something new...possibly with Dragons? ð
Or something pure historical fiction, with no magic or anything really supernatural in it?
Pronunciation/translations:
Cuimrigh - Wales (Coom-ree)
Annwn - the afterlife ruled over by a Welsh God Arawn (Ann-oon)
Chapter 8
The door to Hati's room shut with a gentle click, casting us into darkness. The fire was nothing but smouldering orange embers in the far wall, but with that I could see well enough as Hati released my arm and stalked over to the fireplace to grab pieces of flint. He lit one candle, and his stern face was illuminated in the flickering glow. He looked me over once before he began to move around the room to light the rest of the candles.
Silence and tension reigned between.
I stood awkward and unsure. This was his space, not mine, and with his anger simmering in the air, I almost felt like an intruder. Had one little promise of trying to communicate with Bruadar really infuriated him so? Surely what I did with my own cursed gift was entirely up to myself?
Indignation swelled and I opened my mouth to start the brewing argument myself, but when Hati froze with his back to me, something about his stricken posture made me pause. I sighed instead, lifting my heavy skirts to make for the hearth. There was no point in us fighting in the chill.
The stone was still warm to touch as I knelt beside it. I lifted the metal poker and stoked charred lumps of wood with small flames fighting to find fuel beneath. Broken twigs and leaves from the basket next to me soon brought it back to crackling life, and once the heftier logs were carefully placed, it would go for hours.
"You don't need to do that," Hati murmured from behind me. "You'll get ash all over your dress."
Settling back on my knees with a shrug, I peered at him over my shoulder. The side of his face was lit by the fire, catching tones of honey gold and near white blond in his hair. He set a candle down in the middle of the small table beside him before lifting his gaze to mine. Intense eyes were hard and reproachful, maybe even with a glint of disappointment. That made me swallow. Hard.
"You've given Cerri false hope." The statement was simple but the depth of his voice showed how not simple it was. "After I told you to say nothing, after I warned you. . . Whatever you're thinking, whatever plan you've conjured up, forget it. Now."
"I might not be able to bring her any peace," I agreed, keeping my tone soft and even when it would be easy to lose my temper. "But if I can do this, he might be able to tell me who the killer was, or something about their scent, what they wore, or why he was outside the stable walls. Any small detail could give us enough of a clue to finding them."
His eyes rolled skyward in his usual show of utter exasperation, a snarl curling his lips. I stood slowly, and the movement brought brightening eyes darting back down. I didn't flinch as much as I wanted to. I lifted my chin and peeled back my own lips to ward him off.
"You can be angry with me, Hati. You can can growl and push your weight around as Alpha, but you won't intimidate me into submission."
He seemed to grow in stature as I thwarted his attempt to get me to bend, but he held his tongue as I continued firmly, "I won't be just any other member of the pack when we are bound. I will be your mate. Your equal. That means if I want to do something with my powers, just as I'm sure you decide to all the time, it is my choice. That means when I think you're making a wrong decision as Alpha, I will say so."
"As I would expect from my mate, and I will do the exact same for you. Little Alpha," he said, leaning down to wrap his hands around my upper arms, his voice lowering, "You are making a bad decision. Hear me out before you grow defensive. Despite the myriad of things wrong with what you think to do, the first is that you don't even know if Bruadar is in Helheim. Even if you did know how to control your powers-"
"What do you mean?"
I didn't like the look in his eyes. It was pitying. The way one might look at a pup who'd made a mistake because they were too young to know better. It made me want to growl and posture but he'd asked me to hear him out, and I owed him that. He did know more than me. He was more experienced than me. It shouldn't hurt my pride to admit that.
"His father, Brokkr, worships Fenrir, and the Aesir and Vanir too, but Cerri does not. She is from Cuimrigh, south of even your Alba. Bruadar was brought up with both stories of Helheim, Folkvangr and Valhalla as places for the dead, as much as Cerri taught him about her belief in Annwn. Who knows where his soul went when he passed, which gods ushered him to their hall?"
I faltered.
Indeed, I hadn't thought of that, but then what else was calling me to return to Hel's realm? Maybe I simply couldn't accept that I couldn't help, that I couldn't offer Cerri something that might lessen her grief; especially when I held a measure of the blame.
"He must be there. When I slept, I felt something tugging me there, and it was different than the other times. It might be as easy as allowing it to take over the next time I sleep. I'm certain it's him, Hati. It has to be. Why else would I have seen images of his death?"
He blinked once, and I realised I'd never gotten the chance to tell him.
"It might have been a nightmare," I admitted. "But I saw it when I slept. I saw the flash of the knife and the hood of the attacker, too fast to make much sense of it. Bruadar is the only one who could make sense of it. Doesn't that mean something?"
Hati stood firm, a flash of warning in his eyes that told me my arguing was useless. "It means nothing good. In fact, it only makes me more certain that we need to speak with Freyja, or any God who might be willing to say more than Sköll. But speaking with Bruadar, even if you could, is not a good idea. The land of the dead is no place for the living, surely you understand that? You die when you go there, Eabha. Who knows what that does to you? Who knows if you could get stuck there, or hurt? You want to risk your life for too small a reward. Bruadar, if he is there, might not have even seen his killer."
I swallowed at that. It was disconcerting to know my body was as good as dead when my soul left, but if I was going to let fear get the better of me now, then there was no point in going on.
"He'll know why he was outside when by all accounts, he would have gone straight to his den to rest. A den which is outside the walls, but on the opposite side of the castle to where he was found. The horses were taken care of, you said. All the tools and supplies they carried were safely put away. There must have been a reason he was there. There must have been a reason he didn't put up a fight or even have the chance to call out."
Sliding his hands down to capture mine, Hati's gaze softened as he implored me to understand. "I know you want to help, Little Alpha, but I fear this is not the way and will only bring you disappointment or trouble. I'm speaking with the wolves who were on duty, or seen awake, from the time Bruadar got back to the time his body was found. That will lead us somewhere. And I have a few plans to find the spy using false information. If I can figure out what gets back to Sköll, I can figure out who along the chain is the traitor." He squeezed my hands tight. "If none of that works, we can talk about this again. I promise. I'm not dismissing you, but there are options we can take before we need to put you in any danger."
I'd made a promise to Cerri, and I would find a way to keep it, but maybe Hati was right?
I couldn't look away from him as I debated with myself. His expression was tense, lines of stress and worry creasing around pleading eyes. This was his last offering of a discussion too, I knew. If I pushed any further, he would deal with me as an Alpha, and I knew how that would end too. With his teeth at my throat.
Rocking forward, I buried my face against his chest to hide away, and muttered, "What is the point in my having power over the dead if I can not use it to help? I'm useless."
"You are far from useless, and you will help. You've helped me much already. The whole pack owe you a debt even if they don't know it," he insisted, pausing to nuzzle the top of my head as strong arms wrapped around me. "Besides, I don't think your power is over the dead at all, Little Alpha. I think it's something much more than that. Until we are sure what you're capable of, we must be wary."
Why did that admission seem to frighten him so much? Beneath my cheek, I felt his heart flutter, and I peered up to catch a glimpse of his face. Staring into the fire, he seemed lost in thought, one of his fingers tapping absentmindedly against my hip. Whatever troubled him about my powers, he wasn't pleased they might not be over the dead.
"Freyja better have answers for us." The words were distorted through a yawn, exhaustion weighing down on me as much as the damn dress was. My eyes filled with tired tears and I sagged against the male who tomorrow would be mine.
Today felt like it had stretched on forever.
"Take me to bed, Hati," I requested.
I was weary of talk. Weary of thinking and fretting.
But the male's arm slid up suggestively and tightened as he purred at my ear.
"I do not want to go to bed with this disagreement between us, and I find I'm not quite ready to sleep yet. Can I convince you to stay awake for a while longer? I haven't tasted you in an eternity, and I wish to remind myself of the sound of my name sighed from your lips in that way you do when you're about to-"
I yanked away and span about to cover my flaming cheeks with my hands. But despite my embarrassment at such crass, desire filled words, he'd inspired the response he wanted. Any residual disgruntlement I felt with him fled. Skin on fire, the spot between my legs ached no matter how tight I pressed my legs together and tried to clear my throat.
"You're far too comfortable with such talk. Would you enjoy it if I spoke so?"
"Yes." The Alpha spoke without missing a beat and grinned, golden eyes raking over my form, probably catching the way I tremored and squirmed, the change in my eye colour and scent betraying me. "You're a nomad. I would have thought you'd be less overcome by hearing me tell you how much I enjoy you."
I chuckled nervously as he began to take languid, predatory steps towards me. The closer he got, the harder my heart tried to hammer its way out of my chest. "Stumbling across busy wolves is far different from hearing the things you say whispered in my ear."
His grin widened, and my breath caught in anticipation as he hooked an arm around my waist to drag me back to him. His nose dipped to my throat as sneaky fingers slid up to a knot holding the bodice of my dress in place.
"I am fond of the dress," he crooned, tugging the lace free with ease. "It's a pity I'll have to be careful with it."
Breathless, my lids fluttered shut. "Next time I'll wear something you don't have to be careful with."
Had I really just said that? I blamed alcohol for blurring my inhibitions. At first, I was humiliated with such brazenness, but when I saw the glint in Hati's eyes, both impressed and surprised, I found myself standing straighter instead. My fingers crept up beneath his tunic to splay over his abs, curling to scrape at his skin with my nails. His head fell back on a groan.
"Or maybe next time," I murmured, feeling a rush of primal need shoot through me at the thought, "I'll make sure you have to catch me first. Mother says a worthy male can always catch his female."
Maybe I understood why Hati spoke as he did, it was thrilling to see the reaction it caused. Something dark and delightful flashed across his face as a growl rumbled up, his hand curling around my hip to scrunch the fabric of my dress.
"You can try and run from me if you like, but I won't let you get too far." He leaned in to nip at my bottom lip, and chuckled as I gasped.
His promise was one I'd hold him to. I could already feel the echo of the thrill I'd feel to have this male hunting me through the forest. I'd make him work before letting him catch me. Using my melting thoughts to his advantage, Hati spun me around and swept my braid over my shoulder, fingers brushing my neck to leave a trail of tingles before his hands smoothed down, following the curve of my waist and back up over my ribs. A mighty tug relieved me of the bodice, and the skirts billowed down to pool at my feet.
Hati's answering growl vibrated the very ground beneath my feet and sent a delicious curl of heat through my gut.
Exhilarated, I laughed and sent him a teasing look over my shoulder, watching as fire-lit eyes raked over the light underdress still hiding too much of me from his view; something he seemed to find most distressing. Turning slowly, I captured his attention as I lifted a hand to play with the strap on my shoulder. As much as I was sure he wanted to tear the garment off, his fingers twitching at his side, he watched transfixed as I slowly slid it down.
Goosebumps pebbled my flesh as my body was bared to the air.
I didn't move, not even when embarrassment began to creep in as Hati studied every single inch of me with open hunger. He sucked in a deep breath and slowly lifted his gaze to mine. Something primal and lust-filled darkened his expression, but I felt no fear as he snatched me up like a predator catching prey. I giggled as he tossed me non-too-gently over his shoulder, causing the drunken world to abruptly spin around. My wriggling was met with his hand coming down on my rear.
"Hati!" I gasped, pushing myself up on his shoulder only for his hand to fall again. The sting wasn't entirely unpleasant, it brought a warm sensation to my skin and fuelled the ache between my legs. There wasn't enough time to consider what that meant before the world span once more and my back hit the bed, leaving my sprawled out and staring up at the male towering over me.
My legs parted instinctually, then fell together again in uncertainty, my breath coming quicker as the air between us crackled. But still Hati didn't move. I growled a demand for him to touch me, and his lips twitched ever so slightly.
He wanted to study, draw this out, learn what other things might make me moan his name, I could see it written in his stance, but that wasn't what I wanted. His head cocked to the side as I slowly sat up, that small half-smile never leaving, not even when I nipped impatiently at his arm and tried to drag him over me.
"I need you," I whispered.
He must have heard the truth in the rasp of my voice. His weight came crashing down to crush me against the bed, his lips meeting mine in a heady fever of claiming nips. The sound of tearing fabric was ignored by us both as I fought to strip him so I could feel the bunch of muscle beneath my fingertips, and find security in the strength he exuded. Encompassed by this male, nothing beyond the burn of his gaze or the pleasure his touch brought, mattered.
Elbow hooked under my knee, his other hand flew out to desperately grab at mine, our fingers entwining as he forced it against the bed by my head. My body arched to press as much of myself against him as I could, pebbled flesh scratching against the hair on his chest to send a shiver up my spine.
Soft kisses fell across my shoulder then scraped down to tease a nipple. Rocking his hips, a growl tore from Hati's throat as he pressed against my heat. He bit down at the same time he finally thrust forward to fill me, and a gasp caught in my throat.
A sense of relief and building desperation warred within me.
This was what I'd needed.
Every thrust, every sharp nip and bite of claiming teeth, ever sting of claws on red skin as we tried to draw the other impossibly closer, it scattered the ability to think.
I'd been looking forward to having Hati again, but this was unlike the first time. There was no hesitation from him, less from me, tonight was about taking what was needed and it was thrilling to take. The growls that tore from his chest when my fangs met his shoulder or my nails raked down his back were electrifying, shredding away any lingering doubt I had about my abilities, or uncertainty in what I was doing.
And to have an Alpha, a God, willingly roll to his back, gave a sense of power that broke through my lust-filled haze. Panting hard, I stared down at him. Breaths rasped past his lips, glowing eyes of the brightest flames hooded and watchful. I rolled my hips, and decided I liked it this way too. A moan caught in my throat as he pressed his hips up to meet my movements, hitting a spot that made my insides clench. And when his thumb found the bundle of nerves throbbing between my legs, I broke.
It was like the air had been sucked out of my lungs. The world went black. Then filled with bright colour as waves of pleasure battered against me. Braced against Hati's chest, I could only cry out when his hands gripped my hips to keep me moving against him. Another release tore through me and my arms could no longer support my weight. I fell against his chest, biting my lip when a roar ripped from his parted lips as he ground himself against me.
Twitching and gasping like wolves saved from drowning, neither of us seemed to have the ability to say a word. I nosed at Hati's jaw, and let out a long rumble from deep within my chest as I nestled into him like a cat by the fire.
"Gods, Eabha," he rasped. Dragging a blanket over us, one arm anchored around my waist so there would be no moving. "If you aren't mine. . ."
I glanced up as he trailed off, but sleep caught him quickly and his next exhale was on a snore.