Read Online Night's Beauty (The Valkyrie's Passion Prologue): A Valkyrie/Shifter Romance by Renee Jordan - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Renee Jordan
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tall and beautiful, her black hair braided and flowing behind her as she swung her sword. The father parried with a battle ax, his strong arms rippling. The child was too absorbed in her dolls to pay attention.
Her parents had sparred many times before.
It was the snarl of the huge, gray wolf bursting out of the trees that drew the child's attention from her dolls. The wolf stood taller than a horse or even an elephant and was covered in coarse fur. Baleful, crimson eyes fixed on the mother and the father. The wolf howled with bloodlust as it charged.
The child trembled in fear.
The mother glowed with sliver light and was clad in shining armor, a winged helm covering her raven-black hair. The father snarled like a wolf, leaping forward and swinging his battle ax at the giant beast as black fur sprouted from the father's body. The father fought with a reckless, berserker fury as he became a beast himself while the mother danced about the flanks of the giant wolf.
Every time the giant wolf growled, a foul, black breath rolled out, a poisonous fume that killed the wildflowers. The mother and the father fought valiantly, leaving bloody wounds on the giant wolf's hide. But nothing seemed to stop the wolf. The wolf didn't feel pain.
The father fell first. A massive paw struck his furry stomach, ripping him open. The child screamed in grief and terror. The mother fell moments later as she lunged her blazing sword at the beast's flank. The wolf turned, and its snapping jaws crushed the mother's body.
Splattered with blood, the wolf snarled at the child.
The child trembled in fear, but ravens screamed and the wolf grew tense. Hooves thundered. A man rode up astride an eight-legged horse, a raven perched on each shoulder. The child sobbed her grief, staring at her dead parents as the man drove the wolf off.
The man had a patch over his left eye. He moved to the child. “It is not the time for you to remember this, Valkyrie's daughter.”
~ ~ ~
Raven
“Mommy,” I whispered as I came to. The dream faded. It always did. I tried to clutch onto the memory of the beast that killed my parents, but it poured out between my fingers. It was like trying to clutch water.
I shook my head. I was groggy. I tried to sit up, but my seat belt was wrapped across my torso. I was in my car. Fog billowed around in the darkness. My car was on the gravel shoulder of the highway. Ahead of me, a bar lit up the foggy night.
“What happened?” I muttered, shaking my head. There had been a figure— “Oh, no.”
I fumbled with my seat belt and climbed out of my car, looking around for the glowing man I hit. I frowned. That couldn't be right. Men didn't glow. I didn't see anything on the highway. My heels clicked on the wet asphalt as I walked down the road.
Nothing.
I frowned and headed back to my car. I examined the front end. I didn't notice any damage to the body or blood spattered on the hood. Did I actually hit anything? Right before I blacked out, I had the strange idea that the man had passed through my car. But that would be impossible.
Not sure what else to do, I walked back to my car and tried to start it. Nothing happened. Not even the dome light came on when I opened my door. My car was completely dead.
“Great,” I muttered. I grabbed my phone off the holder and swiped the screen.
The screen didn't light up.
How was that possible? It was plugged into my car charger. It should have a full battery. I held the on button. The phone didn't turn on. What was happening? I glanced at the watch on my left wrist. The second hand was frozen in place.
Even my watch was dead.
I put my phone in my purse and climbed out of the car. I glanced around at the foggy night and then looked at the bar. A line of motorcycles were parked out front. I didn't want to go in there, but I didn't think I had much choice.
I walked along the side of the highway through the fog, shivering in the cold. I should have brought a jacket. It had been
Her parents had sparred many times before.
It was the snarl of the huge, gray wolf bursting out of the trees that drew the child's attention from her dolls. The wolf stood taller than a horse or even an elephant and was covered in coarse fur. Baleful, crimson eyes fixed on the mother and the father. The wolf howled with bloodlust as it charged.
The child trembled in fear.
The mother glowed with sliver light and was clad in shining armor, a winged helm covering her raven-black hair. The father snarled like a wolf, leaping forward and swinging his battle ax at the giant beast as black fur sprouted from the father's body. The father fought with a reckless, berserker fury as he became a beast himself while the mother danced about the flanks of the giant wolf.
Every time the giant wolf growled, a foul, black breath rolled out, a poisonous fume that killed the wildflowers. The mother and the father fought valiantly, leaving bloody wounds on the giant wolf's hide. But nothing seemed to stop the wolf. The wolf didn't feel pain.
The father fell first. A massive paw struck his furry stomach, ripping him open. The child screamed in grief and terror. The mother fell moments later as she lunged her blazing sword at the beast's flank. The wolf turned, and its snapping jaws crushed the mother's body.
Splattered with blood, the wolf snarled at the child.
The child trembled in fear, but ravens screamed and the wolf grew tense. Hooves thundered. A man rode up astride an eight-legged horse, a raven perched on each shoulder. The child sobbed her grief, staring at her dead parents as the man drove the wolf off.
The man had a patch over his left eye. He moved to the child. “It is not the time for you to remember this, Valkyrie's daughter.”
~ ~ ~
Raven
“Mommy,” I whispered as I came to. The dream faded. It always did. I tried to clutch onto the memory of the beast that killed my parents, but it poured out between my fingers. It was like trying to clutch water.
I shook my head. I was groggy. I tried to sit up, but my seat belt was wrapped across my torso. I was in my car. Fog billowed around in the darkness. My car was on the gravel shoulder of the highway. Ahead of me, a bar lit up the foggy night.
“What happened?” I muttered, shaking my head. There had been a figure— “Oh, no.”
I fumbled with my seat belt and climbed out of my car, looking around for the glowing man I hit. I frowned. That couldn't be right. Men didn't glow. I didn't see anything on the highway. My heels clicked on the wet asphalt as I walked down the road.
Nothing.
I frowned and headed back to my car. I examined the front end. I didn't notice any damage to the body or blood spattered on the hood. Did I actually hit anything? Right before I blacked out, I had the strange idea that the man had passed through my car. But that would be impossible.
Not sure what else to do, I walked back to my car and tried to start it. Nothing happened. Not even the dome light came on when I opened my door. My car was completely dead.
“Great,” I muttered. I grabbed my phone off the holder and swiped the screen.
The screen didn't light up.
How was that possible? It was plugged into my car charger. It should have a full battery. I held the on button. The phone didn't turn on. What was happening? I glanced at the watch on my left wrist. The second hand was frozen in place.
Even my watch was dead.
I put my phone in my purse and climbed out of the car. I glanced around at the foggy night and then looked at the bar. A line of motorcycles were parked out front. I didn't want to go in there, but I didn't think I had much choice.
I walked along the side of the highway through the fog, shivering in the cold. I should have brought a jacket. It had been
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