Mist Revealed (16 page)

Cat’s eyes popped open. Something had woken her. She listened a moment but didn’t hear anything beyond her own breathing. No evidence of Rune’s presence reached her ears. She sat up. Only rumpled sheets marked where he’d slept on the other side of the bed. She touched them. Cold. A scan of the room didn’t reveal him.

He’d left her.

Where would he go? After his adamant insistence she stay with him, it seemed odd. She twisted her fingers together and considered the possible reasons but could only come up with one plausible one. He’d gone to feed since he couldn’t take her blood.

She threw her legs over the side of the bed. Everything that had happened to her over the past few days came rushing back. She pressed the heels of her hands to her eyes. Confusion settled over her. UP-33, the
eldjötnar
, the missing Norse gods—they all tied into each other…if she believed everything Rune had told her. She did, to a point. It made sense in a twisted way.

What bothered her was more personal. Something was happening to her. The sensation of the mist seeping into her body when she’d orgasmed with Rune had been too real.

Draven had hinted at knowing what it was or what she was, to be specific.

She knew better than to trust him. Still, he dangled information in front of her. She wanted it. She’d always had a drive for knowledge. It had fueled her choices in life. When other kids had played, she’d buried her nose in a book. She’d given up so much to learn. Every fact she’d uncovered pushed her to seek more. Janice had grounded her, however. Without her big sister, she would’ve gotten lost in her world where science ruled.

Actually, without Janice, she might’ve fallen into the same shady footsteps her grandmother had taken in terms of experimentation. Animal research had played a major role in the Saunders-Downs institute until a series of reports had slipped out detailing horrid conditions and treatment of test subjects. It hadn’t gone away. They still had mice and rabbits on their facility grounds, but they were used in noninvasive testing. How they reacted to certain environmental triggers, for instance.

Several times over the years, Cat had been tempted to do more. Lots of research centers used animals, she’d reasoned. Janice had been aghast when Cat mentioned it. Janice had challenged her to find other means to get her data. Cat had.

Her voice of reason had died, though. Janice had succumbed to UP-33. In light of everything, Cat couldn’t help wondering if Janice’s death had not been a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time and instead had been intentional. Janice had worked at the center too: in the library. She would’ve known about the recovery of the bodies from Iceland, and Draven had said the
eldjötnar
knew where the gods were hidden. It didn’t take much to assume they got their knowledge of the gods’ location from Janice.

Cat groaned and dropped her head into her hands. The conclusion she drew saddened her.

Janice had been murdered.

Eyelids squeezed shut, Cat went over the events leading up to Janice’s death. It shamed Cat to admit, but she’d been so busy with research on UP-33, she hadn’t paid much attention to anything else, including her only sister. She recalled several calls she’d let go to voicemail and emails she hadn’t opened. The days since, she’d grieved and traveled here.

She walked to the desk where her laptop sat charging. A swipe across the screen woke it. She scrolled through her email and pulled up three from Janice. All unopened. She clicked on the oldest and read. Nothing important, just a reminder to make sure Cat was eating and sleeping. She clicked on the next, scanned the text and cursed.

Janice had gone on a date with a man who’d come into the library, claiming he was writing a book about women scientists of the 1940s. No details, no name.
Shit, shit, shit.

Cat clicked on the last message, her heart in her throat.

Hey Cat,

Have the wine and chocolate ready. I’m going to need some therapy. I had a one-night-stand. Well, worse than that. He pulled an orgasm from me, then left before we even had sex. Call me, okay?

She never had. She hadn’t even left her lab until their secretary told her Janice had called begging her to come out. She’d felt sick. Cat had went, but it was too late. Janice had died.

Regret left a bitter taste in Cat’s mouth. She clenched her jaw. The fucking bastard who’d bitten Janice would die. Cat didn’t know how she’d accomplish it, but she would.

And if I can’t, I’ll shove his ass in one of the walk-in freezers and let him rot.

She had to find Rune and tell him what she’d learned. She stormed across the room, threw clothes on and froze with her hand on the doorknob. Janice’s email repeated in her head.

He pulled an orgasm from me, then left before we even had sex.

Why? What guy would walk away from a willing woman, especially her beautiful sister? But he hadn’t been a man. He’d been an
eldjötnar
, a child of fire.

And Rune is a child of mist.

She clamped a hand over her mouth. Mist had settled over her the first time Rune had made her climax. She’d thought she imagined it. It had been cold in his house and well… She hadn’t wanted to admit anything weird had happened. The release he’d pulled from her had blown her mind.

Had the fire demon been looking for the same—a sign of his element? Smoke, perhaps? And why did sex with Rune trigger the appearance of mist, but Janice’s encounter had resulted in her being infected?

All the unresolved questions were driving her nuts. She wanted answers.

Draven claimed to have them, but he’d fled from the village, scared off by Jaron.

Don’t be a fool. You’re not seriously considering believing him over Rune, the man who worshipped you last night and has only treated you with respect since he met you?

No, but… She sighed. He’d admitted to not wanting to walk the path they were on. It made her wonder if what he’d shown her was true affection or duty. He wanted to protect her because she was a treasure. Draven had called her that too. It begged the question, what length would Rune go to keep his prize? Draven had suggested any.

Mumbled voices reached her, pulling her thoughts away from her uncertainty. She pressed her ear to the wood.

“She has agreed to mate you?”

Rune’s sigh skipped down her spine. Her body awakened with the simple sound. She pressed her lips together and ignored her desire.

“Not yet, but she will.” Rune paused. “She must, Jaron. There is something different about her. She is special.”

“Or it could be that she is the first female you’ve touched since your last consort.”

“Actually, it was yours that I’d fucked last. Malin had been in Lyal’s bed the day we’d left.”

“With me too.” Jaron chuckled. “Your female had favored my dick.”

“And?” Rune paused. She could envision him raising a brow. “I didn’t care. Malin was meant to carry my sons, nothing more.”

Cat covered her mouth. The cold tone to Rune’s words chilled her. It mimicked what he’d said about the
eldjötnar
and didn’t support his claim they valued their women.

“Yes, our consorts were our obligations, but is that not what Cat is? Something to protect?”

Rune grunted.

The door handle jiggled. She jumped back and knelt at the bag on the floor. Rune entered.

“Cat?”

She glanced over her shoulder. “Yeah?”

He frowned. “What are you doing?”

She pulled something out of the bag. She had no clue what.

“Getting this.” She held it up and nearly groaned. A box of condoms.
Shit.
“I’m going to leave them in the bathroom for the next guest. I figured since we don’t need them, and—”

“Okay.” He watched her carefully as if he sensed her words for what they were—a diversion. Finally, he closed the door behind him. “We have a flight out at three. You slept most of the morning away, so Ivan’s wife will send something up for you to eat before we leave.”

The mention of food made her stomach growl.

“Great.” She dropped the box and stood. “I’m starved.”

He moved toward her in a stalking gait that weakened her knees and set her heart racing. One hand at the dip above her ass, he drew her against him and kissed her. Slow strokes of his tongue heated her body and readied her for his possession. It shocked her how quickly moisture pooled and slickened her lower lips. The lengthening of his cock against her belly matched her growing desire, but he didn’t quicken the pace of his kiss. The careful way he took her mouth was necessary, though. The tips of his fangs poked past the straight line of his teeth.

He eased back. Glowing bluish gray eyes met hers. “As am I.”

She clamped a hand over her throat. “I’m not ready. I—”

“Of course not.” He stepped away from her. “I still need to explain to you what our mating will entail.”

If he mentioned sharing her with his brother, they were done, unbelievable attraction or not.

“Well, go ahead.”

He ran a hand through the short waves of his hair. “I will require certain things from you.”

She waited for him to tell her what. He took an interest in their rumpled bed sheets, fingering the silky edge. “And those would be?”

He slid his thumbs into his front pockets. “Your blood. Your body.” He caught her gaze. “Your heart.”

Her pulse kicked into high gear. She gave a nervous laugh and barely stopped herself from running for the door.

“Um, you don’t mean that literally, right?” He’d said his species never would repeat the crime the
eldjötnar
had committed, but his conversation with Jaron had planted the seeds of doubt.

He chuckled. The sound eased her tension. He closed the distance between them and laid his hand over her chest.

“Your love, Cat.” He tipped up her chin. “You are mine to protect. I will do anything to ensure you are safe. I’ve told you this.”

He had and with his hand on her body, her doubt seemed silly. It was the same reaction she had whenever he touched her. It was also beginning to make her question her sanity.

“Even mate me?”

He narrowed his eyes. “Why ask me such a thing?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know you well, Rune. I’m trying to understand.”

“I wouldn’t take the step unless I wanted it.”

He’s lying. That’s not what he said to Jaron.
She stepped away from him. “So matings are based on love, not obligation.”

“Not necessarily, but ours will be, which is why we are waiting.” He skimmed his fingertips down her spine. She arched under the simple swipe, a sigh escaping. “And if I am to remain honorable, I need to feed.”

Confusion over his motives toward her returned. She shoved it away. Once he left, she could consider his words and determine what he meant. His nearness messed with her mind.

“Okay then. I’ll wait here. I need to do some research too.” She walked toward the desk. Each step away from him eased some of the unquenchable desire. By the time she sat, she could breathe easier. “I believe I know how the
eldjötnar
found out about your gods.”

He stepped behind her but didn’t touch her. She was grateful. “Really? How?”

She told him of Janice and the encounter she’d had, but not her theory of why the guy had left. Cat didn’t want to voice it until she had more facts. She waited for him to acknowledge how his element had surrounded her during sex. If he saw it too, she could confirm it wasn’t simply her imagination. His features hardened, the only sign he heard her, but he didn’t comment.

“Be ready to leave when I return.”

With that, he turned and stormed from the room. The door slammed. She stared at it for a moment. He might’ve left, but she was just as confused. The only difference—she didn’t feel the need to push him to the bed and ride him.

* * * *

Rune left Ivan safe inside his office after feeding from him and stormed to where Jaron sat on a chair opposite the stairs. It gave his brother a perfect viewpoint of Cat’s door. Other than allowing Jaron into her room, putting him on guard duty was the only way to ensure her safety while Rune fed. He’d sealed the windows of her room with ice, but he refused to trust her not to run again.

She still doubted him.

“What do you remember of the alternate outcome to Ragnarok?”

Jaron tilted his head. “No more than you. We share the same memories.”

So they did. Rune made a noncommittal sound and paced. Ragnarok had happened many times before he had been born. The events had been detailed and passed on to the humans so they would believe.

The alternate outcome had not.

The gods hadn’t wanted it known. Although, they were a noble and honorable race, they were still individuals with unique personalities and motives. They didn’t want to die, not permanently at least. If they did, a new set of gods would take their place.

What would the new race look like? And how would they become immortal to ensure the end of the world never again came to pass? The only immortals were the children of mist and fire.