Runes (Paranormal Romance, YA,) (34 page)

I shook my head, his words and accusations piercing my heart.
 

“He gave you his word. What kind of crazy ass argument is that? You could have had a century or two together, and he would have made it up to you a thousand times. But no, a few centuries weren’t good enough. The worst part of it is he doesn’t even trust Mortal doctors, yet he refused to heal you and left you in their hands.” Andris slammed the empty bottle on the counter. “Stubborn fool.”

I stared at him with wide eyes. He seemed to alternate between anger toward Torin and bitterness at me. I wasn’t exactly sure what he wanted. Did he plan to take me with him? Kill me?

“Please, tell me what to do to fix this,” I said in a tiny voice.

Andris’ eyes glowed eerily. “Short of dying, nothing. The funniest thing is I begged him to let you die. At least then he would have escorted your soul home, visited you every time he took new ones, but I guess that wasn’t good enough either. I still don’t understand why saving your life was so important when it stopped him from having what he wanted. You.”

Escorted my soul? “What are you?”

He laughed bitterly. “For such a smart girl, you’re a little slow.”

“Torin told me you recruit athletes for your secret organization,” I protested weakly.

Andris chuckled. “He does have a way with words, doesn’t he?” He reached inside the fridge, removed another bottle, and twisted the lid. “No, Raine. We don’t
recruit
athletes. That’s the saddest part of this situation. Torin is willing to sacrifice everything so you can live your pitiful Mortal life and you don’t even know what he is. Had you died when you were supposed to, you would have known and all this explanation would be unnecessary.”

“Just tell me what you are,” I begged.

“We’re reapers, Raine. Soul collectors. We find strong, athletic men and women, wait for them to die, then whisk them to Valhalla and Falkvang to train for the final battle between good and evil, the destruction of the gods and your world, the beginning of a new one, yada, yada, yada.”

I stared at him with round eyes. I’d read enough about Norse mythology to guess at their identity. “You can’t be Valkyries,” I whispered. “Valkyries are women.”

He shook his head. “Mortal books are always behind the times. Originally all Valkyries were women. Men went to battle while their women stayed at home, so it was only logical to have female Valkyries collecting slain soldiers from battle fields. In death, as in life, opposites attract. Women soldiers are likely to follow a handsome male Valkyrie. Teens follow teen Valkyries. As more women joined combat, Valkyries started recruiting men, the younger and more handsome the better.” He spread his arms as though to indicate himself. “The world changed, and we changed with it. Soldiers are no longer found in fields. We get them at sporting event, arenas, swimming pools, and anywhere an athlete meets his or her untimely death.”

Everything fell into place. Torin might not have revealed his identity, but he’d given me clues. I just never connected the dots.

“You weren’t just after me,” I whispered. “You were here for the swim team.”

“Finally, you’re catching on. Just because we’re leaving doesn’t mean they’re safe. Torin just bought them time. They might have a day, a week, a month, but eventually, other Valkyries will come for them. They can’t escape death.”

Anguish gripped my chest. “Is that why you brought me here? To tell me my friends are going to die? Torin said you’re not supposed to tell Mortals about your world.”

Andris leaned toward me and smirked. Alcoholic fumes bathed my face. “No, we’re not. When we do tell or you notice us, we make sure you don’t remember a thing, but I think you deserve to know everything, Raine.”

I blinked at the anger in his voice. “Why?”

He rocked on his heels, his eyes glassy and watery. “Because of you, I’ve lost Maliina. Because of you, Torin is rotting in Hel’s Mist or turning evil. Knowing death is stalking your friends and you can’t do anything about it is a small burden to carry, don’t you think? So here’s to you, sweetheart.” He lifted his bottle and drained it, then threw the empty bottle. It smashed against the wall, shards of glass flying everywhere. “Come on, Ingrid.”

Runes appeared on their skin. I could swear there was pity in Ingrid’s eyes as she turned away. Their blurry forms zipped upstairs, presumably to use the mirror portal. I watched them go, dizziness washing over me, my knees threatening to give out.

I staggered backwards and gripped the banister. Torin was gone, and it was my fault. He’d sacrificed his existence, his soul, so I could live. Worse, my friends were in danger and there was not a thing I could do to change it.

I didn’t know how I did it, but one second I was inside Torin’s empty house, the next I was outside my house, warm tears racing down my face. I opened the door.

“Raine!” Mom ran toward me and yelled over her shoulder. “Cora… Eirik… she’s home. What happened? Where have you been? We’ve been worried sick.” She cupped my face. “You’re frozen, shaking… crying. What’s wrong? Are you in pain?”

Cora and Eirik ran from the kitchen.

“Come on upstairs.” Mom put her arms around me. “Cora, run her a hot bath.”

I forced myself to snap out of the cloying numbness. “No. I need… need to lie down. My head hurts. I need to rest.”

Mom helped me under the blankets and gave me some meds, but nothing could ease my pain. It was deep and vast, like someone had punched a hole inside me and filled it with nothingness. I curled under the blanket, wishing Torin was around to hold me, reassure me that everything would be okay.

Mom must have sent Cora and Eirik away because soon it was just the two of us. She curled behind me and stroked my hair, but I wished she was Torin. I missed his arms. Missed his scent. I wanted him back. My chest hurt, and the thought that I’d never see him again filled me with such anguish I couldn’t breathe. Sobbing silently, warm tears raced down my face.

***

Monday arrived too soon. I had shut everyone out, even Mom, and now I had to deal with school. I wished I didn’t have to go, wished I could stay in bed and never leave my room, but hiding wouldn’t bring Torin back.

I ate without tasting the food while Mom watched me from across the table with a worried expression. “Are you sure about going to school today? You don’t look too good. Maybe we should go see the doctor first.”

I shook my head and forced myself to smile. “I’d rather stay busy. Is Eirik coming to pick me up?”

“No, I’ll drive you to school myself.”

I couldn’t remember the last time she drove me to school. Kindergarten? In elementary school and junior high, Dad would give me rides whenever I needed, but I often used the school bus.

Eirik and Cora were waiting for me outside the school. He carried my backpack. According to my doctor, I wasn’t allowed to carry anything heavier than a two-liter bottle of soda. Cora opened the door and held it for me. Seeing the runes on the entrance sent a rush of anguish through me. Would everything I saw remind me of Torin? The walk to my locker happened in a haze. It didn’t sink in that Torin was really gone until my math class started and he didn’t appear.

“Do you need to see the nurse?” Mrs. Bates asked.

I stared at her with unseeing eyes. “No.”

She leaned closer and whispered, “You’re crying, Ms. Cooper. If you’re in pain, go home or take your meds. If you need a moment, go to the restroom and calm yourself down.”

I calmed down, but I couldn’t wait for the day to be over. Eirik was attentive, always outside my classrooms, walking me to class after class. When the bell rang and signaled the end of the day, I headed to his car. The closer we got to home, the tighter my stomach became. All I needed to see was Torin’s garage door. If it was open, then I’d know he was home.

The garage door was closed.

Days rolled by, his absence a festering wound that ate at me. A few times, I could have sworn I felt him, but it was only wishful thinking. Every time I turned around and searched the crowd for a pair of brilliant blue eyes and a wicked grin, the empty hole inside me grew.

At night, I cried myself to sleep, missing him. I wasn’t allowed to do any physical activities, so I couldn’t go swimming. Eirik and Cora filled me in on what was happening during practice. They came to my house most evenings after dinner. Not once did they mention Torin. Part of me appreciated it, while the other part resented them for not caring he was gone.

Eirik was attentive, loving, and patient. I couldn’t have made it through the week without him. He became my anchor. As for the swim team, I didn’t know what to do about them. The thought of either Eirik or Cora dying chewed my insides, but warning them wouldn’t change a thing. Cora had ditched Keith after the Homecoming Dance, but she didn’t seem too broken up about it. In fact, she seemed happier. He’d already moved on and had a new girlfriend.

On Friday, we entered the cafeteria, and the first people I noticed were Marj, Catie, and Jeannette. The three Norns were back. The swim team’s time was up. Fear rose to my throat and stifled me while they laughed and acted normal.

“You okay, Raine?” Eirik asked.

I shook my head, dizzy with dread. “Do you guys know those three over there?”

Cora and Eirik turned and followed my gaze. Marj and her friends were staring at us now. Eirik nodded at them. Cora waved.

“Yeah, we met them yesterday during practice,” she said. “They’re transfers from Doc’s old high school. They’re starting on Monday because we have the Crimson versus Gold meet tonight. Why do you ask?”

I shrugged. I didn’t have an answer for them. What could I tell them anyway? That another accident was about to happen? Without Torin to stop it, more people would be killed. My stomach churned, and my mind raced with possible things I could do to stop them. Would they strike tonight during the intrasquad meet?

“If I was a new student, I wouldn’t want to join the team now,” Cora said, drawing my attention to the conversation she was having with Eirik.

“Don’t start with that again,” he said.

“I’m not the only person thinking it,” she retorted.

Eirik rolled his eyes.

“Thinking what?” I asked.

“Doc tried to organize a dinner party, but there were no takers,” Eirik explained.

We always looked forward to team dinners. “Why?”

“After the incident at the club and last weekend, everyone thinks the team is jinxed or something,” Cora said.

Or something.

“Excuse me.” I stood on shaky legs and started across the cafeteria. I had no idea what I was going to tell the three Norns, but I had to try and reason with them. By the time I reached their table, I was shaking with fear and anger. The alarming coldness I always felt in their presence threatened to overwhelm me. I ignored it, leaned down and looked into Marj’s eyes. “Bring Torin back.”

She stared blankly at me. “What?”

“I want Torin back.”

She looked at the other two then pinned me with a glare. “Who are you?”

“You know who I am, just like I know who you are, Marj LeBlanc.” I glanced at the one with black hair and tan complexion. “Catie Vivanco.” Finally, my eyes connected with the blonde’s. “And you, Jeannette Wilkes. It doesn’t matter what names you’re using now. You are Norns. You were there when I was born. You were recently at the hospital when I got hurt, though I thought I was dreaming, and now you’re back. What do you want?”

They didn’t hide their shock, but Marj recovered first.

“You’re crazy,” she snapped. “We’re new here. We’ve never met you before.”

“Oh, stop it, Marj,” Catie said. “She can see right through our lies.”

Jeannette glared at Catie. “And whose fault is that? You just had to save her. She’s going to be impossible to control just like her—”

“Don’t,” Marj snapped and gripped Jeannette’s hand.

“My what? My father? My mother?” Catie smiled. She seemed to be nicer than the other two, but I wasn’t ready to play nice. “I won’t let you kill my friends or keep Torin and me apart.”

Marj’s brown eyes glowed eerily. “
You
won’t let us?”

I swallowed against a rising panic. “That’s right. My friend has a vlog that most students around here watch and millions more online watch. Starting tomorrow, I’ll use it to do an exposé on you, your world, and what you do.” They stared at me, then each other, and then back at me again. “Leave my friends alone, and bring Torin back.”

I turned to leave and bumped into Eirik and Cora. They’d followed me and were looking at me like I was nuts. How much had they heard?

“What’s a Torin?” Cora asked.

16.
 
A SURPRISE

How could she not remember Torin? I glanced at Marj and her Norn buddies. Their expressions were watchful as though daring me to confess.

“
Toe ring
,” I improvised and shrugged when Cora gave me a you’ve-got-to-be-kidding look. “It was special. They came to the hospital when I was sick and stole everything from me.”

I didn’t know whether I convinced them or not, but I couldn’t eat after that. I munched on an apple without tasting it. What was I thinking challenging Norns? Especially after Andris had told me no one got away with it. I was tempted to glance over my shoulder at their table to see what they were doing. Since I didn’t dare, I forced myself to listen to Cora whine about the meet with our archrivals, Jesuit High and Lake Oswego. Would the Norns strike then?