Her Viking Valentine (All Fired Up) (2 page)
Read Her Viking Valentine (All Fired Up) Online
Authors: Kristen Painter
Tags: #Holidays, #Romance, #30 Minutes (12-21 Pages), #Paranormal, #Inspirational
The vehicle jolted over a bump and as both glasses of champagne splashed onto Calleigh a loud bang echoed through the interior.
“Oh no, my dress!” She brushed at the liquid but the fabric was already wet. “What else is going to happen tonight?”
The answer to that question worried him, too. The vehicle slowed and came to a stop. The partition between them and the driver whirred down and the driver turned to look at them.
“Sorry, folks, I think we have a flat.”
“A flat what?” Alrik asked.
The driver gave him an odd look. “Tire. I swear I didn’t see anything in the road, but we definitely hit something. Don’t worry, I’ll have it fixed in a minute.” He put the partition back up and got out.
A few moments after the driver opened the trunk he knocked on the car door. Calleigh put the window down.
“Folks, I apologize, but the spare is flat too.” He shrugged. “Normally, I could radio for another car, but on Valentine’s night, we’re booked. The best I can do is hail you a cab. I’m really sorry.”
“Unbelievable,” Calleigh muttered.
“Are we close to the restaurant?” Getting into another vehicle might not be a good idea. What would Freya do next? Cause them to crash?
“We’re not too far. Just a few blocks. You’ll be there in plenty of time for your reservation.”
Alrik held his hand up. “We’ll walk.” He looked at Calleigh. “If that is all right with you?”
“Fine with me. Getting out of the car sounds like a great idea.”
“If that’s what you folks want, I’ll let the company know. I’m sure they’ll reimburse you.” He opened the door for them.
Calleigh set her glass down and reached for her flowers, scooping them into her arms.
Alrik held onto her, keeping her from getting out. “Do you wish to go home instead?”
“No, let’s go have a nice dinner.” She winked. “Maybe I’ll eat dessert first.”
He smiled back. “That is exactly what we will do.”
She slid out and he behind her, then he offered her his arm and they strolled toward the restaurant. Alrik didn’t want to say anything about Freya being behind the evening’s mishaps. Calleigh seemed content to believe it was coincidence. Better that than thinking the goddess of love was out to get you.
Other couples walked past, holding hands or arm in arm just like him and Calleigh. So many other couples and yet Freya was focused on them.
“It’s a beautiful night, isn’t it?” She hugged his arm tight. “You can even see a few stars.”
He pushed away the unpleasant thoughts. Tonight was about Calleigh and making her happy. Nothing else mattered. “It is always a beautiful night when you’re with me.”
She laughed. “You’re my very own Viking valentine, aren’t you?”
The deep throaty rumble of thunder interrupted his reply. Fat raindrops followed a few moments later. So much for being left alone. If he could just get his hands around Freya’s throat…
Calleigh shrieked and held the roses over her head. “Let’s run for it or my shoes are going to be ruined.”
“I can do better than that.” He dipped and caught her up in his arms. “Which way?”
She pointed with the bouquet. “Two blocks and then a left.”
He took off in an easy jog. She stared at him while he ran. “Do I have something on my face?”
“No.” She sighed. “You’re just too good to be true is all.”
“It’s a husband’s job to protect his wife and take care of her.”
“So you’re just doing your job?” Her mouth bent like she was trying not to smile. He liked that. Any distraction from the night’s misfortunes was good.
“Aye.” He bounced her a little in his arms and gave her a wicked smile. “And I will be doing another part of my job later.”
She squealed, this time for a completely different reason. The lights of a grocer’s store showed the color in her cheeks. It was the same pale pink that spread across her chest when she lay beneath him, eyes closed, lips parted…he swallowed. Those thoughts were going to make for a very long evening.
“Here we are,” she said.
Someone from the restaurant opened the door and he dashed inside, putting her down once they were undercover. The smell of steak made his mouth water.
A group of young women in brightly colored dresses clapped from their seats at the bar.
“Nice chariot,” one said.
“Yeah,” said another. “Where do you find a guy like that?”
Calleigh straightened her coat and smiled. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
The women raised their glasses. “Happy Valentine’s Day,” they chimed.
One added, “At least someone’s getting to enjoy it.”
“Thanks,” Calleigh said, then turned to him. “You’re a big hit,” she whispered, her eyes glowing. “I’ll go tell the maître d’ we’re here.”
Alrik moved away from the door and the women at the bar. A few gazed at him in a way he did not wish to encourage. Calleigh returned a minute later, her mouth twisted in an unhappy line.
“You’re not going to believe this.”
“What?”
“They have no record of our reservation. None.” Tears lined her lower lids, making her bronze eyes look enormous. “I mean, really, what else could go wrong tonight? Do you know how hard it’s going to be to find another place to eat on Valentine’s night?” She sniffed and looked away. “Maybe we should just go home.”
Damn Freya. This was definitely her doing. “Calleigh lass, don’t weep.” The desire to strangle the goddess of love overwhelmed him. How dare she make his wife cry?
“I just wanted tonight to be perfect. It’s our first Valentine’s Day.”
He lifted her chin with his fingertips. “It is perfect. We’re together.” He put his arm around her and led her back outside. The rain had turned into a soft drizzle. Every cab that went by was full. His anger at Freya grew. “Come.” He took Calleigh’s hand and led her down the street until they stood under the awning of an apartment building. “I will be right back.”
“Where are you going?”
“To find a place to eat. There are many restaurants on this street.”
“Okay.” She sniffed. “I love you.”
“And I you, lass.” He took off down the street, ducking into the first alleyway he came to. “Freya.” He might be human now, but on Valentine’s Day, any mortal could call upon the goddess of love. “Show yourself.”
A crack of blue lightening brightened the alley, sending rats scurrying. Freya stepped forward out of the smoky wisps left behind. “Viking. How pleasant to see you again. Have you changed your mind about the little mortal? Do you wish to return to me?”
Her gown was a sheer slip of silk crossed with bands of gold that matched the ribbon tying off the blonde braids woven through her hair. Most men would find her irresistible. Alrik just found her irritating. “Stop your games. Whatever you are trying to prove, it won’t work.”
She raised one shoulder. “Whatever do you mean?”
He took a step closer and lowered his voice to a threatening growl. “You know exactly what I mean. The bee, the champagne cork, the flat tire, the rain, the canceled reservation, all of it was your doing.”
She smiled. “It’s just a little test.”
He lowered his head. “You hurt my wife.”
Freya waved his words away with a flutter of her hand. “The mortal will live. Well, not forever, but…” She laughed at her own joke.
Alrik snapped forward and grabbed her by the shoulders. “You will fix everything you’ve done. Do you understand me?”
Her eyes darkened to the blue-black of storm clouds. “Unhand me, Viking. What’s done is done. If she no longer loves you because of a few minor inconveniences, that isn’t my fault.”
“She still loves him. Like I told you she would.”
The voice came from behind Alrik. He spun, already recognizing who it belong to. “Eros.”
“Alrik.” He nodded. “Freya, fix what you’ve done and leave these two alone.”
She tugged out of Alrik’s grasp. “You’re both fools if you think I will obey either one of you.” She smirked at Alrik. “You’re mortal now. What recourse do you have?”
He glowered at her. “If you do not do as I ask, I will find a Phoenix talisman and I will call a Phoenix of my own. And you will not like the changes I make.”
She snorted. “Like I would let a talisman fall into your hands.”
“I would.” Eros walked to her side. “Do what he asked.”
“Stupid mortals,” Freya muttered. “Fine. All is undone.”
The rain stopped.
Alrik studied the goddess suspiciously. He’d never trusted her, now more than ever. “All of it.”
She rolled her eyes. “It’s done, I swear.”
Eros grabbed her hand, twisted off one of the rings she wore and threw it to Alrik. “Here.”
“How dare you,” Freya sputtered. “Give that back.”
“Freya, my love, you are a horrible woman. That’s a small price to pay for all your nonsense.” Eros tipped his head at Alrik. “Give it to your wife. So long as she owns it, Freya cannot touch her.” He laughed. “It’s worth a small fortune, too. That probably doesn’t hurt.”
“Thank you.” What Eros held over Freya, Alrik had no idea but he suspected the demi-god would pay later. Alrik looked at the ring. Diamonds surrounded a fat ruby atop a band of gold carved with cherubs and inlaid with more diamonds. Perfect for Valentine's Day. “This will make up for Freya’s mischief.”
“Mischief. Hmph. You make me sound like a spoiled child,” she said.
Alrik gave her a look that said that was exactly what he thought of her. “Goddess, Eros, I bid you good bye. My bride awaits.”
He tucked the ring into the inside pocket of his coat and jogged back to Calleigh’s side.
Her face brightened as he approached. “Did you find a spot for us to eat?”
“Aye, that I did.” He took her hand and they started walking back toward the way they’d first come.
“Shouldn’t we be going the other way?”
“Nay. This is the correct direction.” He smiled to himself. “How are your hand and your eye?”
She felt the spot above her brow. “You know, I don’t even feel a knot there anymore and my hand…” She flexed her fingers in front of her. “I’d actually kind of forgotten about it. Doesn’t hurt at all.”
Good. Now he would not have to kill Freya. Killing a goddess often had unpleasant consequences. “Are you sure? Perhaps your hand is cold?”
“Cold? No, not really.”
“Not even a little bit?”
She slanted her eyes at him. “Why?”
“I was just thinking I could warm it up for you.”
“How? You’re already holding my other hand.”
As they reached the restaurant that had lost their reservation, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the ruby ring. “With this.”
She glanced at what he was holding and stopped walking. Her chin dropped and her mouth opened, but no sound came out. “Oh, Alrik. It’s…it’s beautiful.”
“Just like you.” He slipped it onto her finger, not surprised when it fit perfectly.
She held her hand out and admired the ring for a moment before turning and taking his face in her hands for a kiss. “You are the most amazing man. I love it. And you.”
He kissed her back, then reached for the restaurant’s door. “After you.”
She hesitated. “Honey, I don’t think they’re going to magically find our reservation.”
He laughed. “I think that’s exactly what they’re going to do.”
Once inside, she went to speak to the maître d’ again. This time, she returned with a smile. “I don’t know what you did, but they have a table for us.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “You’re not still holding onto some super secret Phoenix powers you haven’t told me about, are you?”