Mischief's Mate (The Immortal Mates Book 1) (16 page)

He thought she would lie to him. How could he think such a thing? She wouldn’t dream of it. She was too afraid to analyze the reason behind her need to be truthful with him. Chantelle knew there was a feeling behind her reasoning. She just wasn’t sure if she liked it or not. If he knew how she felt for him, there was no doubt in her mind that he would be demanding her to follow him.

Loki shook his head, his raven hair swaying about his shoulders. The movement held her captive. She found herself wondering if he would allow her to run her fingers through it again.

“See, you cannot even think of an answer.”

“What would you like me to say? That I give you my word to try?”

God help her, his eyes lit up at her words. He wanted her to agree to try. Chantelle felt her heart breaking; there was no way she could just drop everything for him. Emma depended on her.

Loki knew he needed to convince her that they belonged together. There had to be a way for him to prove his love to her. That she was more than just a plaything for him. That after all his life, feeding the hatred for her race, he could love her. That she was more than someone he wanted to keep as a pet, he wanted her for his mate, his equal. Truly love her.

Loki knew, Emergence or not, he would love her. He could fight it all he wanted, but he would inevitably loose. Loki had waited lifetimes for her. If he was to ever prove his love for her; he would need to set aside his feud with her race.

“I have lived through millennium, always in darkness, without you.”

He watched as Chantelle moved toward him. She moved like fog across the water. Silent and hypnotic.

“I am the light to your soul.”

Loki nodded. “Always. Come to me and I’ll keep you safe.”

Chantelle walked into his waiting arms and rested her head on his chest. He knew with her in his arms the darkness could not hold him. This is what he was always meant to have, his female. Just the scent of her hair had his body heating to claim her. His need for her rising like a full moon. Heavy and demanding.

Loki was about to say the words that would bind her too him irrevocably, when a vision shifted in his mind and he knew that Chantelle was needed by Emma for the time being. There was a foul power attacking the girl. He only prayed it wasn’t Signe, or else they would have their hands full.

Loki knew that helping her help Emma was the only way to prove his love to her. Loki would send her back so she could care for her sister.

“We are far from finished, my love. Now awake so you can see to Emma. She is in need of you.”

Chantelle watched as Loki began to fade into the mists of her dream. She sat upright on the couch, trying to push the last of sleep from her mind. It had been a week since she last saw Loki but she had dreamed of him every night. Ever since she had walked out on him.

Chantelle glanced at the clock and noted that it was only 11:30 in the evening. She must have dozed off while she was reading. It was her new way of drowning out her need for Loki. Every evening Chantelle would sit on the sofa with a romance novel in hand. Hoping that it would put thoughts of Fatum Anima’s out of her mind. Fat chance.

Looking at the book in her hand, titled ‘Heart Mate’; she shot the book a dirty look. These books weren’t a good idea. They only made her long for a love so deep it transcended time and space. Chantelle tossed the book into a corner of the room. It fell facing up; the green eyed man mocked her from the cover. She found herself sticking her tongue out at it.

“Stupid romance.”

Chantelle rose to collect the novel and head to bed; when the sound of someone falling in the bathroom galvanized her into action. The meaning behind Loki’s cryptic words began to worry her as she ran upstairs.

Putting her ear to the door, she listened for a moment. The sound of the shower running was all that met her. Maybe Emma had just drop the bottle of body wash or something? But then why wasn’t she singing? Her baby sister always sang in the shower; she would sing these horrible top twenty songs. But now all was quiet behind the door.

“Emma, are you ok?” Chantelle leaned against the door waiting for an answer.

But all that answered her was the sound of the shower and nothing more. She felt her heart begin to race and when she reached for the doorknob her palms were sweaty. With a firm push the door opened.

Her eyes caught the sight of Emma on the floor. Quickly she got down on her knees and tried to shake her awake. All the while hoping she had only slipped and bumped her head. But the longer she shook her, the more Chantelle realized something was terribly wrong.

She stood noticing some blood pooling from beneath her head. That was all it took for Chantelle to run to her room; grabbing her cell phone she called for help.

“Hello. 9-1-1. what is your emergency?”

“My sister is passed out and bleeding. She must have gotten weak from her chemo and fell. Maybe she hit her head. I don’t know.”

Chantelle was frantic and couldn’t even think straight. If she stood back from everything she would have known that given her position anyone else would have acted exactly the same. And yet she was berating herself for not being more coherent.

“Miss, what is your address?” The operator’s nasally voice brought her mind around.

“Um… 925 Hemlock Place. Please hurry; she’s all I have left. I can’t lose her too.”

She needed them to get here soon. Chantelle didn’t know what she would do if the bleeding grew worse. Nor did she know if she was able to think past her failure to keep Emma safe.

“I’ve dispatched someone. Please stay on the line ‘til they get there.”

The fire crackled in the hearth as the Acolytes gathered about the study. They each took their assigned seats around the rough-hewn table. Signe stood in the shadows.

“I called this meeting in order to ascertain which of you present agree we need a change. For too long we have been ruled by King Odin.”

There were murmur of agreement all around the table. For although, not one of them would have moved on the house of Odin alone, together they stood strong. Signe watched from the shadows as her words rallied the troops. The Acolytes were eating up every word she dished out. She found herself remembering a saying about stupid people in large groups, and how one shouldn’t underestimate them.

“I would like to inform you all of my progress.”

Signe stepped forward into the light and gasps were heard all around. They had all heard the stories, of how Frigga had damned her to be a walking corpse. But the woman before them was young and vibrant. They didn’t know what evil magic she used to make it so, but it proved she was powerful in her own right.

“Please, gentlemen I know from the looks on your faces that you have questions. All will be revealed in time.”

If she was able, Signe would have them all eating out of her hand before the night was over. She would be able with just a little deception to convince them that Frigga needn’t be feared.

They sat in rapt attention as she spoke on. “I have been to the town of Olympia and I know that the house of Odin is short four members. The whispers are true. Queen Frigga, Loki, Bragi and Hodder are amongst the mortals.”

“Are you saying that Odin is short warriors?” Tomas asked, a hint of disbelief hidden in his words.

Signe conjured up a looking glass and waved her hand across the silver surface. It became liquid as it swirled before their eyes. Soon it settled and there for all to see were the four immortals she had mentioned.

She passed it around the table. Each man peering into its surface. They all knew the surroundings in the looking glass were not Valhöll. When the glass was finally handed to Tomas a look of disbelief crossed his face. Sure, the four Asiers were no longer among the people of Valhöll but that was no reason to rush into anything. He was not willing to send his men on a suicide mission.

He handed the looking glass to the man sitting next to him. “I don’t see how this shows we should take action now.”

“He is short warriors and is vulnerable without his mate.”

They could not have asked for a better time to strike. One mate was always weaker without the other near. Signe thought love equaled weakness, but it was a bonded pair that was strongest.

“And what of Prince Thor? Have you forgotten he wields Mjolnir?”

Ah yes, the thunderbolt. Signe should have known Tomas would have used such a transparent excuse. In her opinion it was his cowardice not Mjolnir that kept him from fighting. She knew Tomas would be the hardest to sway. He wished to reap the benefits of their success, without lifting a finger to help.

“What of it? Thor has a hammer and we have an army. Whom do you think shall be the victor?”

A triumphant smile settled on her lips when the other Acolytes nodded in agreement. “Besides, we will soon have Loki on our side.”

“How?” Tomas eyed her suspiciously.

“I have begun draining the life of his mate’s sister. Not only will it crush the stupid mortal, she will push Loki away because of it. Then the darkness will overtake his soul and he will be ours.”

Another round of murmurs were heard around the table. “Shall we take a vote? Those with me stand and show your allegiance.”

Slowly one by one they stood showing their allegiance, until only Tomas was left sitting. His deep hazel eyes moved about the room. Everyone had shown where they stood and he needed to act. Tomas let a sigh escape his lips and rose to join the others, if only to make sure he got out of Castle Malas alive.

“Good. Now that we all agree on moving forward, “Signe shot a pointed look in Tomas’ direction. “Let’s begin to plan.”

Savannah stood outside the hospital room, watching everything through the window.  She knew that Chantelle needed some time to adjust to what the doctors were telling her. Emma had been in the hospital four days now and there was no change.

Chantelle hadn’t been there when she slipped into a coma, but Savannah was. She watched on, horrified as Emma struggled to breathe. It was as if she was fighting someone off. Her arms had flailed and her eyes went wide. Savannah was happy that her friend hadn’t been there to witness it. Seeing that would have only pushed Chantelle further into grief.

Her thoughts came to a halt as the head doctor exited the room, “Is she going to be alright?”

His tired eyes told her more than his words ever could, “You should go and speak to your friend. She needs someone to help her make a tough decision.”

Chantelle didn’t even turn when she shut the door behind her with an audible click. Her eyes were trained on the sleeping form of her sister.

“He warned me, you know?” Chantelle’s voice was barely above a whisper and Savannah had to strain to hear it.

“Who?”

Savannah thought she had a good idea just who her friend was talking about, but she wanted to hear her say it. Maybe if Chantelle could admit that Loki wanted to protect her and Emma then she would see he loved her.

Chantelle turned to her, “You know who.” Sorrow flashed across her eyes, “I hurt him and he still warned me.”

“He loves you Chantelle, what else could he have done. Loki wasn’t about to stand by and watch as your world fell apart.” She waited for that to sink in, “You wouldn’t seek him out so he gave you a dream.”

He had. If Loki hadn’t come to Chantelle in her sleep then she might have slept through the night. There was no telling what would have happened to Emma if she had. Although the head wound had been small she was still in a dangerous situation without aid.

Even now as she sat here hoping Emma made it out of this and refusing to go along with the doctor’s wishes; Chantelle longed for Loki. She wanted him to be there to ease her heartache. She knew if he was there he would tell her everything would be alright and somehow she would believe him.

It was her pride that kept her from reaching out to him. He had been lying to her for years. Every time he had come to her in one of her dreams he had the chance to explain everything. Yet he chose not to. Chantelle just couldn’t understand why.

“I can’t Savannah. You just don’t understand.” Her tear filled eyes turned to her sister, “Neither did Emma. But at least she was talking to me before all of this.”

That was the only bright spot in all of this. She hadn’t slipped into the coma angry at her. Chantelle had just gotten her to listen to her before everything went haywire. They had come to an agreement of sorts. Emma had made her promise that she would at least hear Loki out.

Something that, if she didn’t love Emma she would never had agreed to. But now with her like this all Chantelle could think about was making sure she got well again. Screw what the doctors were telling her. She knew Emma was a fighter. There was no way she was taking her off life support when there was a chance she would rebound.

“They want me to take her off life support. But I won’t.”

Savannah sent her a small smile, “Good choice.”

Chantelle started when Savannah place her hand on her shoulder, “’Telle, when was the last time you ate?”

She shrugged. Who cared about eating at a time like this? But then she thought about it and remembered that her last meal was whenever Savannah had brought her something.

“Last time you were here I guess.”

“Last night? Well actually two nights ago?” When Chantelle didn’t answer Savannah moved toward the door. “I’ll be right back.”

“Yeah, sure.”

Chantelle continued to watch Emma. Not even bothering to ask her where she was going. Her mind was just too lost in all that was going on; from finding the one man that could be her everything, to possibly losing Emma forever. Chantelle felt like she was on a rollercoaster.

A frantic knocking woke Frigga from her deep slumber. It had been the first night in two weeks that anyone in the house had slept soundly. Now some lunatic was pounding on the front door.

It had taken her two days to calm Loki and Hoder down. The night Chantelle had walked out of their lives, taking Emma with her; they had been ready to spirit them both away.

Loki was the one who protested the loudest. Saying that she was his to deal with and he would teach Chantelle how to see things his way. Frigga had laughed at him and that only fueled his rant even more.

Ranting that there was no way a respectful mate should treat a man of his stature in such a way. She had tried to reason with him, telling him that mortal women were different than immortal ones.

That even though the Academy taught the girls about mates, that didn’t mean they would submit so easily. Besides, she asked him what he would do with a submissive female, surely there was no challenge for a man as great as Loki there. That was the only thing that seemed to calm him.

Frigga pulled her robe on as the pounding invaded her thoughts. She was moving a little faster now, not wanting the others in the house to awaken. There would be complete and utter chaos if the three warriors awoke to this racket.

Her eyes shot to the clock on her night table and she sighed. Frigga hoped that whoever was banging on the door had a good reason for doing so at six am. Or else they were going to see a side of her others rarely saw.

“I’m coming.” She called as she came down the darkened steps. Her voice usually sounded like bells, but now it rasped with loss of sleep.

Pulling the door open her eyes met Savannah’s frantic ones. The young mortal was shaking and crying. It looked as if she had run all the way there, Frigga looked past her to the driveway and noticed her mustang sitting there. This had Frigga assuming that something was wrong with either Chantelle or Emma for her to be this upset.

As she motioned Savannah into the living room, she noticed that her own hands were shaking. Too many worst case scenarios were running through her mind. There were too many things that could have transpired in the time she hadn’t seen Chantelle.

Frigga sat her down hoping she would calm down enough to speak. She handed her some tissues.

Savannah accepted them and began to quiet her sobbing. Tears weren’t going to make what she had to say any easier so what were they good for? Not a damn thing.

She sat there looking at her hands, trying for all she was worth to think straight. When she had taken off to get Frigga it had seemed like a good idea. She thought that if anyone could convince Chantelle to take care of herself it was the woman before her. But the longer she sat there the stupider she felt.

Hell, Savannah didn’t even know if her being here would piss Chantelle off. Though what she did know was that as soon as she had seen Chantelle at the hospital tonight she had thought of Frigga. Well, maybe not Frigga. If Savannah was being completely honest she had thought of coming to Loki.

There was something deep inside her soul that told her he would help fix her friend. There was no explaining it, no matter how she tried. She shouldn’t have been as trusting of a guy that wanted to spirit her best friend away, but she was. It was a part of her gift, she knew he really was Chantelle’s destined mate.

“What is it Savannah? What’s wrong?”

She wanted to answer her, but her throat worked as if nothing would come out.  As if she had lost the ability to speak. Savannah’s eyes went wide as she heard three sets of footsteps descending the stairs. She should have known they would still be here. As soon as Bragi entered the living room she was off the couch and in his arms.

“Shh now, tell us what has happened.”

Bragi had sat down on the couch and drawn her into his arms. Savannah was normally a lot stronger than this. But for now she would lean on Bragi; she needed the comfort he was willing to give her.

“It’s Emma, she’s dying.” She couldn’t say anymore as she buried her head in Bragi’s chest once more.

“Mother, what does she mean, Emma is dying?” Loki’s jade eyes filled with sorrow.

Savannah turned to face him her eyes ablaze, “As in she’s going to stop breathing, you jackass.”

Loki stood taller then, “I know what dead means, mortal.” He turned his attention back to his mother, ignoring the quelling look Savannah shot him. And wondered why Bragi hadn’t jumped to his woman’s defense. “How did you not see this?”

After the dream he had of Chantelle in the garden he hadn’t dreamt of her since. Loki found it odd that he really couldn’t recall the dream the way he had every other. Was that because she hadn’t really been present in the last dream? Instead she was somewhere caring for Emma, while he stood by and did nothing?

“I did not know any of this would happen. You arriving so soon threw a wrench in the works.”

A wrench? What the hell was that, Loki wondered. He wished his mother would not use sayings she picked up from mortals; they irked him to no end. Besides they were unfitting a woman of her stature.

“There is no time for that now. We need to leave for wherever they are keeping Emma.” Hoder, who was usually level headed, was annoyed now as well.

Loki knew they were talking about Hoder’s mate. From the look on his face, he knew his brother needed to find her. To spirit her away. He would help Hoder. Getting Emma to the best healer immortals had to offer. They were by far superior to the mortal doctors.

Loki knew they needed to get them all back to Valhöll. There they could do more for her than anyone here. But he would have to convince Chantelle of it; a feat easier conceived than done.

“Are you kidding me?” Savannah had turned to him, “Chantelle doesn’t want to see you. She’d kill me if she knew I was here.”

Frigga felt an ache where her heart was. She had loved Chantelle like a daughter and now she refused to see them. She should have never kept the truth from her. But it was forbidden and the queen knew that to meddle where she wasn’t supposed to, would have disastrous consequences.

“I will be going whether she likes it or not. I am sure Bragi will keep you safe from Chantelle.” Loki turned on his heel and left the room, Hoder following close behind.

“Did she really say she did not want us there?”

“No. But I know if I was in her shoes I wouldn’t. Being lied to by someone you trusted sucks.”

Frigga agreed with Savannah. But what was done could not be undone. It was tough to understand the way fate worked. She could understand exactly why Chantelle was pushing them away. But it would never make it easier; the pain was there to stay.

“I understand she is upset, but there was nothing I could do.” Frigga felt like a small child instead of a regal queen.

“You understand nothing. She trusted you and you used her.” She was up off of Bragi’s lap, standing toe to toe with the immortal queen.

Frigga was too appalled by her accusation to be angry over her rude behavior. “I did no such thing. My gift of foresight does not allow me to intervene.”

“You have to be kidding me? So it’s standard practice to not inform the prince’s intended that her life is going to change?”

“My hands were tied.”

“I guess you thought that Loki spiriting her away was fine, so long as he was happy.” She moved toward the door, “I guess I will see you at the hospital.”

Savannah turned and walked out of the house, leaving Frigga to her thoughts. Soon after Bragi left to find his brothers and the silence in the room was deafening.

Frigga was trying to figure out what had happened here this morning. First off, Emma was dying. They would have to do something about that. She knew that Loki and Hoder would see to it that everything worked out.

But something else troubled her. Bragi had claimed that Savannah was his Fatum Anima; she had heard him tell Savannah over the phone. But tonight her tears hadn’t moved him. And when Loki had snapped at her, Bragi hadn’t even flexed a muscle. That was not the standard behavior for an immortal male when their female was distressed. Something was off with her son and Savannah. Something that she knew was not going to turn out well. But Frigga wasn’t sure which one was going to end up broken.