Empty Altars (29 page)

"That might have changed." Tyr's expression grew thoughtful. "Heid
didn't
wait when the runes told her to. Could that make everything different?"

Diana bit her bottom lip. Tyr had a point. "Destiny is all about timing, your journey's ups-and-downs. If you don't follow the runes' wisdom, you can change the outcome."

"Heid could lose?" Freya asked.

"Could we do another reading? Please? Maybe we'd get different answers." Inga put her hand on Jorunda's arm. "Just because he's our strongest warrior, Heid keeps trying to kill him."

Diana frowned. Surely, there was more to it than that. What had Gudrun told her? That the fate of the village depended on the warrior. Diana studied him, wondering what the seer
hadn't
told her. "Gudrun thought highly of him," she told Inga.

"Who wouldn't? Gudrun knew he was destined for me, and I want to keep him safe."

Freya laughed at Jorunda. "Love has created a tigress. If I were you, I'd never cheat on this girl."

He flushed. "I'd never do that anyway."

"No, you wouldn't. A perfect pair. Let's try to keep you both alive." Freya turned to Diana. "Who should do this reading?"

"Inga's too close to it," Diana said. "Let's have you give it a try."

Freya reached for her pouch. She closed her eyes, and everyone went silent. Even Peta hushed. Noir jumped on the table to watch, and Shadows hunched next to him. Diana stared. Obviously, the cats had bonded while they were gone.

"Can we win the battle with Heid?" Freya asked. Then she tossed the black, charred bones on the marble floor of the porch. They glistened in the moonbeams, and soon, an image appeared:

Heid and all of her forces stood on one side of the meadow. The gods and warriors stood on the other. Between them, a crumpled corpse lay on the grass. The sky roiled with dark clouds clashing against one another. A strong wind howled in a circle, slashing at everyone. On a signal, Heid's troops stormed forward, hellhounds bounding across the meadow, giants trampling anyone in their way, and magic slamming toward Tyr's troops. Diana raised her arms to stop Heid's energy. Tyr and Jorunda ran to meet the giants, and the image faded….

"What?" Freya slammed her fists on the marble slabs. "That's all?"

"What does that mean?" Inga cried. "Do we win or lose?"

"It means the outcome isn't known. It can go either way." At Inga's look of surprise, Tyr added, "Woden uses runes. I've learned a little."

Diana shook her head. Damn it! Why did the runes always go silent when she wanted an answer the most?

Tyr stretched out an arm and massaged the back of her neck with his one, good hand. “Relax a little. We expect too much from you. The runes have shown us the final battle. We’ve never seen that before.”

She almost pulled away, not used to such intimacy, but it felt
so
good. He was always so kind. Her whole body relaxed.

“You must be tired,” he said. “We’ve thrown one thing after another at you. I’ll prepare supper. Jorunda and Inga will do everything else. Sit. Drink wine. I’ll call you when we’re ready.”

Diana looked to the heavens, struggling for composure. Tyr’s touch sent odd spasms through her body. His warmth sank into her veins and traveled to every part of her. She wanted him more than she’d ever wanted anything. She was a goddess, damn it. Why deny herself? She turned to him. "You’re a man of your word, right?”

He blinked, surprised. “I have to be. I’m god of justice and….”

She didn’t care. “You promised you’d repay your gratitude to me.”

He stared.

“After supper, you'd better be as male and luscious as you look, or my first time is going to be a big disappointment."

He gulped in air, almost choked on it. "You don't have to do this. When Gudrun said that we’d save worlds together, she didn’t mean…."

"I
do
have to bed you. It's either that or I’m not going to be able to concentrate on anything else."

He studied her. "Are you sure? I forced our kiss…."

"Do you want me or not?"

"It’s all I can think about."

"Me too. Get ready, and make it good."

A sudden grin curved his lips. "I'm out of practice, but I might be able to meet your standards."

Jorunda shook his head, stunned. Diana felt sorry for him. Too much information. He asked, "Do you want us to leave? We could return to the village."

"No! I can't do it here. It would feel too awkward." Diana rubbed her hands on her thighs, trying to calm herself. "It's a beautiful evening. We'll find some place in the woods."

"Put a protective spell around it to spare any innocent who might stumble upon you. Woden help anyone who interferes before your orgasm!" Freya teased.

"Freya!" Tyr's voice held a warning.

The goddess of love and beauty laughed. "Once you two get started, I'm predicting there'll be no stopping you!"

"No more jokes." Diana pushed herself to her feet and stalked into the house.

Freya pressed her lips together and followed her to the kitchen. "I love Tyr, and I've grown to love you. Yours will make a beautiful union, but not one more word out of me. I'm famished. Let's eat."

It wasn't a graceful change of subject, but it was enough. Diana was grateful. It was her own fault. If she had a little more patience, a bit more subtlety, but as always, she’d blurted her intent. They all busied themselves, preparing supper.

Diana went through the motions while Tyr and Jorunda grilled fish they'd brought from the village and mushrooms she'd picked in the woods. She diced fresh herbs while Inga sliced breads and cheeses. Freya set the table. Diana drank more wine than usual. Her stomach fluttered with nerves. She was calmer before a battle. Was this what a bride felt like? Why did anyone get married?

She fidgeted at the end of the meal until Tyr took her hand. "There's no hurry. Let's walk."

As they left, the others busied themselves, clearing the table, trying to give them some privacy.

Tyr led her on a path away from the village. When the trail forked, he took a direction she'd yet to try. They came to a small, secluded meadow. Tall blooms bobbed above the grasses. A stream burbled nearby. "Snorri's farm isn't far from here. Audun still works his fields. There's fresh hay." He led her to a field, and they gathered armloads of the fragrant plants. Her movements felt stiff, awkward. Her body felt unnatural.

They carried the hay back to the meadow and made a cushion to lie on. He scooped her into his arms and gently lowered her onto their bed. She squirmed uncomfortably. He positioned himself over her and gently kissed her lips. "If you change your mind, at any time, tell me, and we’ll stop."

She put a hand to his cheek. She could tell how much he wanted this, but he wouldn't force it. On the other hand, she might. His concern touched her. She lifted her mouth to his lips.

Her kisses started gently, then deepened. He lowered himself beside her and rolled to face her. Not close enough. She pressed herself against him, awed at the long, solid strength of him. He lowered his head and his lips moved to the base of her throat. Shards of pleasure raced through her. She could hear her own pulse. She could feel her heart beat. How could a neck be so sensitive?

Her nerves were on fire. He nibbled her ears, and her stomach clenched with need. Her body wasn't her own. It reacted in ways that surprised her. He sprinkled kisses down her neck, and an ache spread through her—a need she'd never known she had. His hand slid under her tunic, his fingers gently skimming her skin. Her pulse ignited. Everything tingled. His lips brushed the tops of her breasts, and pleasure melted through her. She wanted more. Her fingers fumbled with the clasp on the front of her bra. When it fell away, his breath caught as he gazed at her. His hunger made her ravenous. When he cupped her breast and lowered his mouth to it, her hips rose off the bed.

His mouth moved from her left breast to the right. Her breath came in tight gasps. His fingers gripped her jeans to unfasten them. His hand slid beneath the denim, under her thong panties, and disappeared between her folds. Her body went rigid. She couldn't move. Every one of her senses focused on the pleasure that was building. He stroked until he found her special spot, and then her body convulsed with need. He didn't move over her fast enough. She kicked her jeans lower and pushed him into place. Her hips ground upward. They met bare male. When had he removed his leather pants? She didn't know. She didn't care. She felt his erection and slithered against it, up and down, teasing herself. She spasmed and groaned. "Take me, damn it!"

He entered her, trying to be gentle. She jammed herself up, taking him quickly. He gasped. Then he began to move. Each plunge went deeper. She didn't think she could hold anymore. And then she exploded—a wet ecstacy of joy. She felt him come too, their juices mingling. "More!" She bit his shoulder. And his rhythm grew faster, harder until they came in unison. This time, she felt spent. She went limp under him.

He propped himself on his elbows and kissed her forehead, her cheeks. "You're so beautiful."

"Not like you." She'd never seen anything so perfect as his body.

He chuckled. "Then it's mutual." His kisses rained on her face, her arms. "I love every inch of you." His hand moved to explore her collar bone, the dips in her abdomen, the inside of her thigh. She felt the heat rise up her neck. She burned with need. "Again," she begged.

"It's too soon. You'll be sore."

"I'm a goddess, damn it. I heal." She trapped his hand between her legs. "Fill me."

"This time, I'll be thorough." He kept his promise. When they finished, much later, their legs tangled and Diana was scarcely able to breathe; she was exhausted. He rolled onto his back, staring at the stars and their patterns. His voice was hesitant when he said, "I don't want this to be just one time, a mating to please our destinies. I want you as mine. I want you for always." He turned his head to see her. "Diana?"

She rolled on top of him, pressing every part of herself against him, their skin salty, sticking together. "We're one now, Viking. For better or worse."

His arms circled her, crushing her to him. "It's a natural thing—to have woman complete man."

"And vice versa."

He smiled. "Never change. Promise me."

She rolled back onto the hay, snuggling beside him. "Your odds are decent. My fellow gods and goddesses swear I've been perverse since I was born."

"Thank Woden."

They fell asleep under the stars. Appropriate, Diana decided, before slumber claimed her. The planets ordained this. They could watch over them. Along with her spells.

Chapter 25

They awoke to the ground grumbling under them.

Tyr sat up, alert. "The cliffs."

Birds darted to low branches, chattering a warning. "Giants," Diana said.

They tossed on clothes and ran toward the noise. When they reached the fork in the path, they met Freya, Inga, and Jorunda. Freya’s short sword swung from its shoulder belt. No one talked. They ran as fast and as hard as they could.

When they burst from the trees into the farm fields, a strip of scorched earth greeted them. The charred grasses crunched under their feet and the smell of blackened crops filled the air. Diana looked toward the longhouse. Peta, the dragon, spewed fire at two giants while hellhounds tried to get past him. The giants lifted body-sized shields to ward off his flames, but Diana could smell the singed flesh on their arms where the hot metal cooked their skin.

"He flew ahead of us," Freya said, "or everything would already be gone."

Diana stretched to goddess size and drew arrows from her quiver—always available in her huntress form—and let them go. The hellhounds fell before they knew they were under attack. The giants swiveled to see who was coming. When they saw the three gods, full-sized, they turned and ran. The earth shook with their footsteps. Diana sped across the heaving dirt as if she were sprinting on a boat in rough seas. Tyr and Freya kept pace.

"Go to the longhouse," Freya called to Inga and Jorunda. "See if anyone needs help."

"But…." Jorunda started to protest.

"You can be of more use to the family. They need you," Tyr called.

Peta unfurled his wings. He swept into the sky and flew toward the cliffs.

The giants knocked trees aside, smashing anything in their path. A herd of deer raced for safety. Birds rose out of crashing limbs. Squirrels leapt for outside branches.

Diana chanted, and the earth buckled in front of the giants. They tripped, grabbed at trunks, and righted themselves. If she did more, she'd uproot the trees herself—not her aim.

The giants meant to jump when they reached the earth's edge, to take their chances on finding footing farther down, but Peta blocked them, batting his wings and hovering just out of reach. He belched fire, and they had to duck aside. Tyr lunged toward the blond giant. The monster swung his shield in place, but Tyr dropped and rolled to the side, slicing the giant's ankles as he passed. The giant roared and turned to face him. The brute’s back to Freya, she ran and slammed her sword into his back. Blood gushed. The giant staggered, dropped his shield, and Tyr sliced his throat to finish him. He tumbled forward. Freya kicked him over the dirt ledge. His body crashed and bounced out of sight.