will not undo what I have just done.”
Memories of those I loved, fought so hard to protect, sacrificed for, continued to flash across my line of sight. My child. Oh gods, my son. The threads appeared again, hot, throbbing, blowing apart any sense of self-preservation. I had to save my family, to keep the gods away from them.
The decision milliseconds from be coming reality, I heard a yell. A large body rolled me onto the floor. It jolted me back to reality, enough to regain control.
“Come, lass, control. You remember how to handle emotions, come on. Before you make a grave mistake. Easy, lass, easy.” The deep, rumbling voice close to an ear, a huge hand caressing the curls from my forehead.
I burst into tears . I pushed Aki off, and curled in a fetal position. The tears fell, while heavily muscled arms gently picked me up and settled me in his lap. A female form pressed against my back even as I uncurled and wrapped around Aki. The two held me in a tight embrace, no judgments, no words to shush. I understood, in that moment, they accepted all of me, a comfort in and of itself.
Chapter Nine
I woke to both of them sitting at the end of the bed, a hand on each ankle, expressions inscrutable. “What?”
Aki's large hand slid up and down a calf, lightly massaging the tense muscles. “Waiting to see how you fare.”
“Confused.”
“She tells the truth, Berserker.” Bru's hand mimicked Aki's, the motions unraveling the knots.
“Bru? What all do you feel from me?” I narrowed my eyes. Hopefully, if what I suspected was true, she wouldn't voice the on e thing guaranteed to embarrass.
“Everything, little sister.”
I smiled, relieved. We'd talk later, I could see it in her eyes. I pushed into a sitting position, shoved pillows behind my back, relaxed into the fluffy goodness. Aki followed to keep contact with my leg. Bru let go physically, but I could feel a tiny thread streaming thoughts and emotions between us.
“Now that the breakdown is over, anyone want to tell me the current state of events?”
They exchanged a glance. The smell of honey, desert, herbs and ancient spices filled the room. I closed my eyes, wishing he'd stayed gone.
“Come in, Amun.” I sucked on my teeth. It'd been too long since I'd felt so much, so deeply. It was rather disconcerting to have a high level of emotions after fifteen years, and to find my hatred for Amun ran Grand Canyon deep.
Bru and Aki stood, turning to the door in unison. In perfect timing, they went into a battle stance, swords appearing out of nowhere.
“I see you have gathered a Valkyrie and Be rserker to your side, Braider. Chosen sides?” Amun walked towards the bed, ignoring the show of potential violence.
“I see you haven't learned any lessons and continue to believe your arrogance will force me to your side.”
“Bitchy becomes you, Braider.” He smiled.
I wanted to puke. I d idn't have to move, Bru stepped in front of Amun's path.
“Egyptian, she now controls my loyalty. Careful you don't overstep.” Her voice sent chills down my spine.
Amun's expression, on the other hand, made me laugh. He stepped back quickly, bowing slightly in submission. Fairly sure if he'd had a tail, it would have been tucked tightly between his legs. “If you have bonded with a Valkyrie, Braider, you will carefully choose who wins,” Amun stated, not meeting my eyes.
“Nope.”
“Favoritism? After all of your lectures?” He met my gaze, anger in the mahogany depths.
“Enough, Amun. Leave.” Aki moved forward.
“I do not take orders from a lowly Berserker.”
I wanted to scream at the two males to shut up and get the hell out. I'd have to pay for any damages, but another side of me delighted in the idea of a good fight.
Where in the hell had that come from?
“Take it outside, guys. Don't damage anything in the hotel room.” I pointed at the door.
Amun ground his teeth, jaw muscles twitching. “I will not engage the barbarian.”
“W ell, damn.
Memories of those I loved, fought so hard to protect, sacrificed for, continued to flash across my line of sight. My child. Oh gods, my son. The threads appeared again, hot, throbbing, blowing apart any sense of self-preservation. I had to save my family, to keep the gods away from them.
The decision milliseconds from be coming reality, I heard a yell. A large body rolled me onto the floor. It jolted me back to reality, enough to regain control.
“Come, lass, control. You remember how to handle emotions, come on. Before you make a grave mistake. Easy, lass, easy.” The deep, rumbling voice close to an ear, a huge hand caressing the curls from my forehead.
I burst into tears . I pushed Aki off, and curled in a fetal position. The tears fell, while heavily muscled arms gently picked me up and settled me in his lap. A female form pressed against my back even as I uncurled and wrapped around Aki. The two held me in a tight embrace, no judgments, no words to shush. I understood, in that moment, they accepted all of me, a comfort in and of itself.
Chapter Nine
I woke to both of them sitting at the end of the bed, a hand on each ankle, expressions inscrutable. “What?”
Aki's large hand slid up and down a calf, lightly massaging the tense muscles. “Waiting to see how you fare.”
“Confused.”
“She tells the truth, Berserker.” Bru's hand mimicked Aki's, the motions unraveling the knots.
“Bru? What all do you feel from me?” I narrowed my eyes. Hopefully, if what I suspected was true, she wouldn't voice the on e thing guaranteed to embarrass.
“Everything, little sister.”
I smiled, relieved. We'd talk later, I could see it in her eyes. I pushed into a sitting position, shoved pillows behind my back, relaxed into the fluffy goodness. Aki followed to keep contact with my leg. Bru let go physically, but I could feel a tiny thread streaming thoughts and emotions between us.
“Now that the breakdown is over, anyone want to tell me the current state of events?”
They exchanged a glance. The smell of honey, desert, herbs and ancient spices filled the room. I closed my eyes, wishing he'd stayed gone.
“Come in, Amun.” I sucked on my teeth. It'd been too long since I'd felt so much, so deeply. It was rather disconcerting to have a high level of emotions after fifteen years, and to find my hatred for Amun ran Grand Canyon deep.
Bru and Aki stood, turning to the door in unison. In perfect timing, they went into a battle stance, swords appearing out of nowhere.
“I see you have gathered a Valkyrie and Be rserker to your side, Braider. Chosen sides?” Amun walked towards the bed, ignoring the show of potential violence.
“I see you haven't learned any lessons and continue to believe your arrogance will force me to your side.”
“Bitchy becomes you, Braider.” He smiled.
I wanted to puke. I d idn't have to move, Bru stepped in front of Amun's path.
“Egyptian, she now controls my loyalty. Careful you don't overstep.” Her voice sent chills down my spine.
Amun's expression, on the other hand, made me laugh. He stepped back quickly, bowing slightly in submission. Fairly sure if he'd had a tail, it would have been tucked tightly between his legs. “If you have bonded with a Valkyrie, Braider, you will carefully choose who wins,” Amun stated, not meeting my eyes.
“Nope.”
“Favoritism? After all of your lectures?” He met my gaze, anger in the mahogany depths.
“Enough, Amun. Leave.” Aki moved forward.
“I do not take orders from a lowly Berserker.”
I wanted to scream at the two males to shut up and get the hell out. I'd have to pay for any damages, but another side of me delighted in the idea of a good fight.
Where in the hell had that come from?
“Take it outside, guys. Don't damage anything in the hotel room.” I pointed at the door.
Amun ground his teeth, jaw muscles twitching. “I will not engage the barbarian.”
“W ell, damn.
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