Viking Sensitivity (Night World Series Book 2) (6 page)

Mia didn't seem to be able to form words so she simply nodded in response to her aunt's question.

Charlie exhaled loudly. "After I re-ward your apartment I am going to use that time to poke around a little. Warriors bumming around this area for any reason couldn't have been kept secret." With that, Charlie stood up and came to stand directly in front of Mia. "Now, let's get to work on those broken shields of yours."

Chapter 6

"So how did it go?"

Viking didn't know why he was surprised to see Raider and Poet standing in the doorway to the lounge when he got back to the bookstore after his lunch with Mia. He should've known they would be waiting for him. Raider, because he genuinely worried and cared about Viking's well-being and Poet just out of sheer annoyance and curiosity.

He was tempted to ignore Poet's question and continue toward the store. He knew he would have to report to Gwen no matter what. When she wanted something she would be relentless until she got it. That didn't bother him as much as it usually did. Mostly he was touched by the fact that she cared enough about him to be concerned.

So far the only effect of the Maddening was a quicker temper. Though anger wasn't as far away as Viking would like. This surprised him because the symptoms had been so strong in Cesar so early on that Viking had expected his experience to be similar. He didn't know how to take the slow onset of symptoms, as a good thing or bad.

Shaking his head to get it back into the present, Viking continued walking towards the store.

"Aw don't make me ask in a more embarrassing and public fashion. Inquiring minds want to know. If you don't answer I'll just start making things up and telling people it's the truth. You know people will believe me."

That stopped Viking in his tracks, if for no other reason than he didn't want Poet telling everybody that he went on a date.

His last date had been about a decade and a half before he'd been assigned to Gwen's security. While for most of the old warriors that was still recent, there'd been enough changes in the last few decades to still put him out of touch.

Sighing, he turned back around to see Raider's expression. The other man's face showed he was annoyed with Poet but clearly appreciated that the other man's tactics worked.

Viking pushed past both men and entered the lounge, grateful no one else seemed to be in there. Once the other two stepped inside Viking turned back and shut the door behind all three of them. He then walked to one of the couches and plopped himself down. Raider sat on the opposite side of the same couch. Poet leaned against a nearby table so he could watch Viking's face. Poet's smile was a little too eager for Vikings taste.

"It was fine, awkward but fine."

"What, that’s it? That's all you got?"

"Shut up Poet!" Growled Raider.

Not wanting to repeat himself Viking sighed and closed his eyes. Drawing on his dwindling inner calm he called Gwen.

"Little One would you join us in lounge please. I was waylaid by Poet and Raider. And I do not wish to tell the story twice."

"
What you back already? Okay I'll be right there."

When he opened his eyes again Viking could see that the other men watching him.

"I take it you just called Gwen?" Raider asked.

Viking didn't respond, only waited. He knew the answer would be self-explanatory when Gwen walked into the lounge.

Sure enough in less than a minute Gwen was sliding through the lounge door before shutting it behind her. She calmly moved to the high backed chair next to the side of the couch Viking occupied. When she settled in she folded her hands in her lap and looked at him expectantly.

Viking sighed again. This was not his idea of courtship. A good part of him did not feel he needed to run the play-by-play of his trying to woo Mia by two Warriors and the Lady of the Dead. It seemed ridiculous. But Viking also knew if he didn't oblige them now it would only come back and cause problems later.

"So believe it or not there's not much to tell. I was early. I waited until one-thirty. Then we walked down to a sandwich shop that was in the same strip as her store. We ate with awkward conversation for a while. Before we got on the topic of what her advanced degree is in. And then we discussed ancient world religions for a while. Which thankfully I have some knowledge of. That was it. There wasn't anything else. She ended up running ten minutes late for her next appointment.

"When we got to the shop there were two women near the entrance that seemed to be waiting for her. One of them gave me a rather funny look. Interestingly enough this was an MP. I don't know what an MP has to do with Mia but the way the woman was looking at Mia and then me makes me think this MP might be close to her. Which seems against most of the rules MPs live by. Seeing as how Mia is a sensitive and the other woman with the MP appeared to be as sensitive as well. I'm guessing from the similarities in their looks and their energies the two Sensitives might be related. It all seemed a little strange.

"But it was still a typical first date in and of itself. I would be lying if I said I knew the best plan to bed her and be done with the Maddening."

The silence only lasted maybe a minute before Gwen chimed in. "Okay, well you seem to be off to a good start. Unfortunately you're a Warrior in Maddening so you need more than a good start. What I'm hearing is you're going to be coming with me to the seminar tonight. And you’re going to use that as an excuse to get closer to Mia. We can't afford to have you as incapacitated as August got."

She hadn't given any room for argument. Viking knew Gwen was expecting him to accompany her. Not that he would argue, he was planning to go himself.

"What is this about a seminar? Are we all allowed to come?" Poet did not even try to hide the curiosity and humor in his tone.

Gwen rolled her eyes. "The seminar is at her shop and no one could stop you from coming if you wanted to Poet. We all know you would just come along anyway. So you might as well come along in our car. That way I can at least watch you and make sure you don't wander off and wreak havoc."

Poet's grin grew big enough that Viking could see the sharpened eyeteeth. "Oh goody, a field trip"

Before Viking could say anything Raider stepped in and beat him to it. "I'm coming too."

"Well this will be nice and cozy."

Viking almost snapped at Poet but Gwen interrupted him with her usual calm demeanor. "Well on that note and seeing as how Viking seems not terribly affected by the Maddening yet I suggest we go about our work and regroup in a few hours for the seminar. And no picking at Viking unnecessarily." She was clearly looking directly at Poet when she said the last part.

Viking heaved himself off the couch. He looked down at the still sitting Gwen. "I am going to do inventory in the stock room. Let me know when we have to leave." He didn't wait for her response or anyone's response. He simply walked out of the room and headed towards the relative solitude of the stock room.

֍

Viking was nervous. He couldn't remember the last time he was this nervous. It was ridiculous. He felt so foolish. But at the same time he knew his interactions with this woman held the outcome to the rest of his life. Whether the rest of his life was the next two days or centuries to come. It did not help any that the ride to Renton was spent with Poet making comments and Raider repeatedly telling him to shut up. That alone would've gotten on Viking's nerves even if the Maddening was not a factor.

He was lucky. Mia was a beautiful woman. He loved the way her light brown hair glowed as she moved around the shop getting everything she could ready. They arrived at five-forty-five. When Gwen guided him towards the seating area, he assumed she had been to a speaker here before. Though he couldn't remember when it could've been.

He wished he'd paid more attention to the times Gwen mentioned the other bookstore owners in the area. Maybe then he would have some kind of heads up with this woman whom he was supposed to spend his existence with.

"You need to relax. If you seem too nervous or uptight you're going to scare her away."

"That's easy for you to say Little One. You knew what your mate was when you met. Mia does not even know of our world let alone my place in it. That is a lot for one person to handle, especially under the particular time crunch we are facing."

He could almost hear Gwen sighing in his head.
"Nevertheless you seem too agitated. She's not going to come over and talk to you period. So at least pretend like you're a normal person."

He could feel Gwen smiling up at him. When he turned she was looking at him from where she sat in the seat to his left.

He noticed Mia scoot by again, several books in her arms as she moved towards the front where there was a table set up full of what he assumed was merchandise the author was selling. It was then he realized she was avoiding looking at them. Not just him but Gwen too. He racked his brain trying to figure out what might have changed in such a short period of time.

With about ten minutes until the speaker the MP he noticed earlier came and sat in the plastic chair to his right. At first he didn't look at her. But it didn't take long for him to realize she was boring a hole in the side of his head with her gaze. He knew Raider, Poet, and Gwen were all watching the MP. Slowly and authoritatively he moved his head so he could look her in the eyes. He recognized her in a vague sort of way. He had probably been introduced to her at some point by someone. But he couldn't for the life of him remember her name or a particular circumstance where he would've been introduced.

"Can I help you?" He said quietly enough that only the MP and his companions could hear him.

The woman nodded to Gwen in acknowledgement before looking back at Viking. "What is it that you want with her?"

That caught Viking off guard. It was blunt which he found refreshing however it wasn't expected. Before he could answer Gwen did it for him.

"Excuse me but may I ask how we know you? And what specifically your question pertains to? Because as a general rule people do not inquisition the head Warrior of the Lady of the Dead's detail."

Viking stole a glance at Gwen. She was smiling politely at the other woman. But he knew the look in her eyes was not exactly friendly. He could feel the protectiveness coming off of her in waves and tried not to smile. Poet and Raider looked on behind her giving the MP blank yet intimidating expressions.

The MP leaned back before she realized what she was doing. Then she looked between Viking and Gwen. "Look, I'm not one to beat around the bush. But it seems a bit odd when a Warrior, a well-known Warrior, is suddenly sniffing around a girl who’s basically my niece. It is not like she's part of the Night World or anything like that. She's just a relatively strong human sensitive.

"This is made even stranger by the fact that her shielding goes a little wonky when she meets him. If you ask me that all doesn't add up. So I ask again, what exactly is it that you want with her?"

Viking had to hand it to the woman, though his mind wanted him to jump down her throat, for daring to question his judgment or to question him at all, he knew that was the Maddening, mostly the Maddening in any case.

Taking a deep breath he pushed the aggressive anger aside before answering. "My interest in Mia is that I find her an interesting, beautiful, and intelligent woman. I am expressing that interest by spending time with her. As for the holes in her shielding I'm not entirely sure what you're talking about. You have to explain it to me."

She watched him for several moments. He wasn't entirely sure she was going to give him any sort of response but in the end she answered.

"Something attacked her in a dream last night." The woman sounded almost hesitant like even though she was already speaking she still wasn't sure whether she wanted to continue. "Though it appeared to be rather benign she said she felt frightened by it. That if it touched her she knew something bad would happen. The girl has good instincts when it comes to that kind of thing. If she says she was in any kind of danger then she was."

That made Viking's blood run cold and hot at the same time. He was frightened for her. Curious as to what these abilities entailed more specifically. What this being would want with her abilities. He was angry anything would dare try and attack his mate. He wanted to rip it to shreds. Whatever it may be. Then it dawned on him whatever it may be it was probably a being of the Spirit World, that made it Gwen's territory. She would be the one, the only one, who might be able to help his mate.

Apparently Gwen was thinking the same thing. "Could you perhaps describe what it was to me?"

The woman looked at Gwen for the first time since they started speaking. The look on her face said that she was frustrated at being derailed from her initial line of questioning but also said she wasn't going to dismiss Gwen's question because it was still important.

"She said it appeared as Pac-Man to begin with. She was one of those little ghosts. When he caught her instead of eating her he turned into this black almost shapeless thing. She said she could see red eyes and there weren't any other distinct lines or markings. She did not mention anything about recognizing the voice or anything like that. But later on she did mention that for several nights she had the feeling of being watched in her dreams. Do you know such a thing?" The last was said with quite a bit of interest.

Gwen seem to be genuinely thinking about it. She cocked her head to the side and she was staring off into space. Viking had no doubt she was going through her mental catalog to see if she knew of such a creature. After a moment she looked back at the MP shaking her head.