Heroes (Eirik Book 2) (18 page)

“No, it was the Gordons’ dog,” the guy added.

“Stay out of my room and no runing my father.”

“Whatever she says goes,” I said. “Be creative. We should be back in a couple of hours.” The portal closed. “So you had a dog and an alligator in your backyard?”

“I’m not dignifying that with an answer. I don’t want anything weird done to Dad. He’s been through enough because of Witches and doesn’t need your kind of magic too.”

“Grimnirs are resourceful. They’ll keep him busy,” I said.

“Do they follow you everywhere?” Celestia asked, walking to her closet to grab a coat.

“Yes, but I’m learning to ignore them because mine are usually discreet. Those two are yours.”

Her jaw dropped. “Mine? Why?”

“Someone is killing Witches.” I still couldn’t believe she was willing to help me. I leaned against the doorway and watched her. “I’m not letting them come near you if I can help it.”

She paused in the process of putting on her coat and studied me, a tiny smile tugging at her lush lips. I tried not to be distracted, but those lips had a way of holding my attention. Telling her to find someone to date had been stupid. She was mine. Her actions now proved it. She was willing to brave Granny just for me.

“You don’t act like any guy I know,” she said.

“You don’t act like any girl I know.” I couldn’t help myself. “Besides, if I did, we’d be making out instead of going on a dragon hunt.”

Celestia stared at me with wide eyes. Shaking her head, she tugged the lapels of her coat and zipped it up, then reached for a fleece scarf and her bunny-eared hat. I wondered when she’d realize she was still wearing a skirt.

“We could,” I added to make sure she understood what I was saying.

“Yeah, right. Dragon hunting is more exciting.”

“No, it’s not.” My eyes went to her lips again, imagining how they’d taste. When our eyes met, her cheeks were pink. She didn’t look away, her gaze direct and innocent, yet challenging. “So, are you starting a new trend?”

Confusion flashed in her eyes. “What?”

“You’re still wearing a skirt and flats.”

She looked down and groaned. “This is your fault. You’re distracting me. Turn around.”

“You watched me change the other night, so it’s only fair—”

She threw something at me. Her sweater. It had her scent. Sexy. I looped it around my neck and went back to leaning against the doorway.

“I mean it, Eirik. Turn around so I can change.”

“You’ve slept in my T-shirt, which barely covered your legs, so there’s nothing I haven’t…” My voice trailed off when she reached under her coat and yanked off her skirt. The coat came to the middle of her thighs, giving me a glorious view of her smooth legs. My body reacted, my dragon side growling in appreciation.

She glanced at me over her shoulder and grinned. “Still watching?”

I wanted to say something witty or turn around, but I couldn’t move. Blood hadn’t returned to my brain, and I was sure I’d fall flat on my face. Like I’d said, she didn’t behave like any girl I knew. Her boldness was a serious turn-on. Instead of responding, I waited for speech and the ability to move to return to my limbs, so I could close the gap between us and forget about Granny.

Completely oblivious to my dilemma and lecherous thoughts, Celestia pulled on thermal pants, her dainty feet peeking from the openings. She’d always have those ugly scars, a reminder of a painful memory any sane person would rather forget.

She had the cutest feet I’d ever seen on any girl. Earlier when I’d massaged the scar, it had taken all my control not to kiss each toe. She wore light pink nail polish, unlike the first time she’d come to me in Eljudnir. Then she’d done them in black, which was what I expected from a Witch. Pink on her was feminine and sexy.

She pulled on snow pants, then unzipped and removed her coat. The look she threw me was mean, and I wondered why she didn’t just use her spells to make me obey her. Maybe she enjoyed knowing I watched her every movement and drooled. She pulled on a turtleneck top, added a pink sweatshirt that matched her nail polish, and grabbed her coat, boots, hat, and a knitted scarf.

“I hope you enjoyed the show, asshat,” she said, smacking me on the arm with the boots as she marched past.

“I would have liked more skin, but it was a start.”

“I don’t get you.” She dropped on the bed and fished inside her boots for thick woolen socks. “How can you be so nice one second, then turn around and act like a total douche? You’re so lucky I’m not a dragon. You’d be charbroiled right now.”

“I self-heal.”

“You’d still feel the burn.” She pulled on her hat and the hood of her coat, wrapped a scarf around her neck, and slipped on thick gloves. She’d be sweating before we took off.

“I give off heat, you know,” I said. “You don’t need all those clothes.”

“After last time, I’m not entering your world unprepared.” She grabbed her cloak and whipped it around her. She looked like a tent. The only recognizable part of her was her beautiful face.

“Nice cloak.” The one I’d worn Friday night had been made of similar fabric. I recognized my mother’s rune. “Where did you get it?”

“Maera. If I connect with this”—she showed me a gold and emerald clasp—“I can see portals and runes.”

At least it wasn’t Echo’s. I wanted to be the one giving her things and teaching her about my world.

EIRIK

I opened a portal that led into the cave. The drop in temperature was jarring, so I went into a partial shift, scales appearing on my limbs and torso. My face stayed free of scales, but I could feel them under the surface of my skin. I zipped up my duster and turned up the collar.

“Want to share my heat?” Celestia teased, grinning.

“Depends. Can you walk dressed like that, or do I need to carry you?”

“I suffered through the indignity of being carried yesterday, so no thanks. Just don’t let me fall. I don’t think I can stand up on my own or break my fall.”

“Who carried you?”

“Echo.”

Old feelings resurfaced. Celestia wasn’t Cora, and my feelings toward her were ten times what I thought I’d felt for Cora. In fact, I wasn’t sure what I felt for Cora anymore. I might have hated how she’d ignored me, and the way she had behaved with other guys, but I never fantasized about kissing her as much as I did Celestia. I never lost sleep worrying about her or wanted to rip apart another guy for touching her.

Oblivious to my feelings, Celestia added, “And if I start walking away from you and acting weird, that’s your granny pulling me to her.”

I pushed thoughts of Echo aside and focused on being vigilant. It would be great to nab Granny right now and get this over with.

We weren’t that lucky, but then again, I didn’t expect my grandmother to make things easy for us. We made it past the bridge without an incident, until Garm bounded over to us and almost knocked Celestia over in his enthusiasm. The hound wagged his tail in welcome and sniffed her face, completely ignoring me. He even landed a lick while Celestia laughed and petted him. Modgie saw us coming and opened the gate.

“Is that you inside that moving tent, Little Witch?” she teased.

“Hardy har har. Until I know your secret to staying warm dressed like that, I’m coming here like this,” Celestia shot back.

The Jötun grinned. “It’s called developing a thick skin. You’ll get used to it.”

Celestia would have to live here to get used to the cold, and I wasn’t talking about a few months. By the time we reached the hall, she was sweating. She ditched her sweatshirt and hat the moment we reached my changing room.

“Not a word,” she warned and disappeared outside.

I picked up her sweatshirt from the floor and hung it next to my robes. A rumble vibrated my chest and the urge to shift became unbearable.

Calm down. She’s not moving in. Not yet.

I shifted quickly, opened the door, and found her on her back on the snow. My first thought was she’d fallen and couldn’t get up. I took a step toward her, ready to be her hero, when I realized she was trying to make a snow angel and the cloak was getting in the way.

Her eyes widened, and her heartbeat spiked when she saw me. I didn’t move, giving her a chance to get used to me. She stared, her expression wary. Surely, she couldn’t be scared of me. I was awesome.

“You okay?” I asked.

“I’d forgotten how huge you are,” she yelled.

I grinned. “You don’t need to yell. My senses are heightened. I can hear a snake splashing in the Gjöll River,” I bragged, but I doubted she heard me. Her eyes were busy studying my wings and tail. “Ask me anything if it helps ease your fears.”

She grinned. “I’m not afraid of you, silly. You are magnificent, but larger than I remembered. You didn’t grow bigger, did you?”

“Maybe. Do you want to measure my wingspan? Feel my muscles?” She laughed, her cheeks turning pink. “What are you trying to do?”

“I’m making my first snow angel.” She waved her arms, but her eyes didn’t leave mine.

“You’re doing it wrong,” I said, curling my legs and settling on the snow to watch her. This is the life I wanted. Spending time with her. No responsibilities.

“Any dimwit can make a snow angel. You just wave your arms and move your legs in and out.” She moved her legs this time.

“How come it’s your first snow angel?”

“We don’t get snow in Louisiana, except once and even then it was only a few inches. You should have seen us. Hayden and I tried to make a snowman. Who knew you needed a special type of snow to do that? And we couldn’t make snow angels.”

“Let’s see how you did.” I offered her the sharp edge of my wing. She grabbed it without hesitating. I lifted her off her snow angel and set her aside. Whatever fear she’d felt was gone. Her heartbeat was almost back to normal.

“Nice,” she said, studying it. “Actually, it’s perfect.”

It wasn’t, but who was I to burst her bubble? Grinning, she dug inside her coat, pulled out her phone, and started taking pictures from different angles. Before I realized her intentions, she was taking pictures of me.

“I don’t think you should be doing that.”

“Then why are you posing?”

“I’m not. This is how I stand.” I turned my head. She laughed, the sound ringing in the air. I loved hearing her laugh.

“You are beautiful,” she said.

“I like magnificent better.” I lifted my wings.

“And you have zero modesty no matter what form you take.”

She put her phone away and moved closer. Anticipating her needs, I lowered my head and let her touch my scales. Her heartbeat was high again, but steady, her caress gentle. Each stroke was electrifying and I wanted to purr, but I knew the sound might scare her.

She touched my horn. “What happened?”

“I chipped it in the cave when I rescued you.”

She frowned. “Can’t you fix it when you shift?”

“I could, but I choose not to.”

“Why?”

“It’s a reminder that I should never be careless again. I almost lost you.”

“You’d never lose me.” She pressed a kiss on the scales on my neck.

My breath caught and I waited to see what she’d do next. She touched my wings. My claws. It became too much.

“Are you done?”

“No. There’s so much of you to explore. You know what I mean,” she added when I grinned. “I want you to make me a snow angel.”

“Are you serious?”

She nodded. “I bet it’s awesome because of your wingspan. How big are they?”

“I haven’t measured them yet.”

She snickered. “Yeah, right. Bet you have, and your tail and anything else
measurable
.”

I cocked my eyebrows, and her cheeks grew pink.

“Just make a snow angel, you show-off. You know you’re dying to.”

Between lessons and searching for my sister, I hadn’t taken time to play since I’d arrived here. She made it easy to forget my duties and responsibilities.

“Okay, move back.” The snow was powdery and fresh. She scooted back, and I rolled onto my back. I didn’t bother to move my wings. I spread them out and pressed them on the ground, leaving a firm imprint. I swished my tail. Getting up without destroying the angel was going to be tricky.

“Nice.” Celestia appeared by my head. “Need help getting up?”

She had her phone out to take pictures, but the gleam in her eyes said she was enjoying my dilemma. Above her and to her right, my parents watched us by the windows on the west wing of the hall. They weren’t the only ones. I wondered how long we’d been entertaining them.

“Seriously, do you need help getting up, Eirik? I could whip up a spell to lift you.”

“You have a mean streak in you, Celestia Deveraux.” I engaged speed runes, rocked back, and leaped up and forward. I landed a few feet away. She took pictures of my snow angel and then ran toward me. I wished we didn’t have to leave. I wanted to spend a day with her playing in the snow, or making out, but duty called. I dropped on my front legs.

“Come on. Up you go. Take more pictures from above. The view is worth it.”

“You want me to step on you and climb?”

I grinned at her incredulous tone. “Or I could grab you with my teeth and throw you onto my back like last time.”

“No, thanks.” She grabbed scales and climbed. “Does it hurt?”

“Unbearably.”

“Smart ass.” She made her way up slowly, pausing every few seconds to search my face for pain.

“Come on, woman. We don’t have the whole day.” She made a face and scampered the rest of the way, settling at the base of my neck. I felt a pinch when she gripped part of my mane. “Ready?”

She ran a hand over my scales. This time, I purred. Then she spoiled the moment by patting my neck and saying, “Giddy up, horsey.”

I turned my head to look at her. “Just for that.”

She stopped smiling. “Don’t do anything crazy, Eirik.”

I smirked.

“I swear if you drop me, I’m going to make you sorry.”

Like I’d let her fall. I took to the air. It was a beautiful afternoon; the air was clear and the sun touched the top of the mountains. I flew toward Garm’s field, staying low so Celestia could get used to being on my back.

The hound did his usual crazy leaps as he ran and howled. Celestia’s laughter answered him, and for a moment, I pushed aside apprehensions about going after my grandmother and enjoyed myself.

But thoughts of Granny crept in. Using the most precious person in my life as bait to lure Granny out of hiding was possibly the dumbest plan I’d ever made, but it was absolutely necessary. The old dragon wasn’t a fool. I was sure she’d planned moves and countermoves, and was several steps ahead of everyone, including me. It explained why she’d bitten Celestia. That was her backup plan in case biting me had failed.

I let out a loud bellow, a warning to Garm to stay put, and headed north.

~*~

CELESTIA

Holy cow!
When Eirik bellowed, the sound rumbled through him, sending vibrations through my entire body. The effect completely blindsided me. A shudder rocked through me, the feeling like nothing I’d ever felt before. I almost asked him to do it again just to make sure I hadn’t imagined it, but then I looked down and wished I hadn’t. We were so high up I was reminded that the only thing between me and the ground was Eirik.

Instead of panicking, a weird calmness settled over me. I trusted Eirik. Whether in human or dragon form, they were one and the same, and they’d never failed me.

Grinning, I glanced over my shoulder as we left Hel’s Hall behind. Eljudnir blended with the landscape, but I recognized the conical roofs of the corner towers and the keep. Eirik hadn’t lied about it being breathtaking from the air, or that he released energy. He was a natural seat warmer. And cheek warmer. I alternated resting my cheeks on his neck and let him warm them. His neck was big enough to protect me from the cold air.

The air was fresh and crisp, and the snow covered most of the terrain, except for the rivers snaking between the mountains, crashing waterfalls, and lakes on valley floors. There were no trees or animals.

“Where are we going now?” I called out.

“I swear my ears will be ringing for days after this. Quit yelling. There are three locations where I’ve found my grandmother’s scent. We’ll check them out one at a time and then head back home.”

The effect when he spoke was the same, but to a lesser degree. I didn’t mind. The vibrations were so stimulating. I turned, resting my other cheek on his neck, and sighed. If he were my boyfriend, I’d lie on him and make him growl instead of making out. Thinking about boyfriends naturally led me to thinking about the girls in his life. He’d talked a lot about Raine for months, until I felt like I knew her.

“Tell me about Cora,” I said.

There was silence, then, “Cora? Why?”

“Because you grew up with her. I feel like I know Raine, but I have a feeling Cora is just as important to you.”

He chuckled, and I grinned. Dragon chuckle was sexy.

“I used to think she was my first crush, but I don’t know anymore.”

“Why?”

“It’s hard to explain. For a long time, it was just the two of us. Raine and me. We did everything together from as far back as I can remember. Anyone messed with her, they had to deal with me, and she was a mean kid when she thought someone was picking on me. We had each other’s back. Like you and me now. I could do no wrong in her eyes and vice versa. We lived in our little world, and our parents did everything to support us. Of course, we didn’t know they were supposed to do that. According to the Norns, I needed Raine’s family to keep me from turning evil like my mother.” He chuckled again. “Interfering old hags always think they know better.”

“How old were you when they took you?”

“About a year. At least that’s what I’d thought. I’ve always celebrated my birthday on March fifteenth because they told my Immortal guardians I was a year old when they handed me to them. But I just found out last year that my actual birthday is November twenty-eighth.”

“That’s insane. Do you think they used a fake birthday to confuse anyone trying to find you?

He glanced at me and grinned. “That was our conclusion too when my parents sprung that little surprise in November.”