Her Viking Lovers (4 page)

“You
are a strong and valiant warrior.”

“I
should have died, Esa!” he snapped. These women telling him how wonderful he
was brought bile to his throat. He knew better. “I should have gone to
Valhalla. Instead I am left here with a weak leg and an aging body. Better to
have died on the battlefield than to die here, slowly rotting of old age.”

“Do
not say that! We need you, Alrek. I-I need you. How could I have survived these
years without you?”

“Do
you understand how it feels to be left behind? To be trapped with the women and
children while the other men seek out new territory and bathe in the blood of
their enemies.”

“Trapped?
I did not realise we were such a burden to you. I see now that our demands are
too much.”

The
hurt in her expression made him regret his words. Indeed, usually he relished
being looked to. Much of the time, it made him feel needed and worthy. If he
could not fight, he could at least help their village thrive. But this day,
being unable to claim the woman he loved made him regret bitterly that he had
not died the day he received the blow to his leg. He suspected even the halls
of Valhalla could not compare to being between Esa’s legs but he would surely
favour it over the torture of having had her once while knowing he could not
continue down that path.

“I
should never have asked you to lie with me,” she whispered.

Pain
stabbed his thumping heart. She regretted it. “
Neinn
, perhaps you should
not have,” he answered coldly.

Unshed
tears shone in her eyes—eyes that pleaded with him for something, but he could not
fathom what. Esa loved Rennir. He would never live up to such a man. But while
she might regret their lovemaking, he could not.

“Return
home and rest, Esa. It is late.”

She hesitated,
thrust up her chin and spun on her heel. Alrek let out a deep, bone-weary sigh.
Her shame hurt him, far more than the wound to his leg. How could he look on
her again knowing she did not view their lovemaking as he did? How could he
continue to watch the woman he loved from afar? If it weren’t for his duty to
the village, he would leave, but even if she did not love him, Esa tied him
here for he would never leave her to harm.

After
a sleepless night, Esa was glad to be distracted by Sibba, Rennir’s mother. The
old woman had been sick for some time now and the women of the village all
helped nurse her. Esa enjoyed her company and found that though her body failed
her, her mind did not. Sibba had been a woman of great bravery in her time.
Their settlement had been new and a nearby village thought them weak and easy
prey. Tales of how Sibba had fought of many attackers were still told to the
children. There had been little need for Esa to fight but she knew that if
needs be, she could slice down a man. All the women of the village knew better
than to depend wholly on a man.

Once
she had dreamed of being a bold warrior and fighting alongside the men. That
part of her had died with Rennir. Now she longed to live a quiet life and raise
many children. It seemed neither dream would come true. No man had interested
her since Rennir with the exception of Alrek and few approached her. None
wished to live in the shadow of Rennir. Not even Alrek it seemed. Or mayhap he
did not care for her as she did him. Though she knew Alrek had not touched her
before out of respect for Rennir, she had not realised his hurts sat so deeply.

He
wished for death! Oh, how that hurt. To think of never seeing Alrek again
caused her physical pain. But to look on him again would also break her heart.
It would not be long until she had to face him but the shelter of Sibba’s hut
provided her some respite. His callous words still lingered in her mind. Their
time together had meant so much. She could not even bring herself to feel
guilty for it. Rennir was long dead and she needed to move forward. Alrek’s loving
had awakened a part of her that had been hidden for so long. A small part of a
warrior remained in her and it wanted to love and be loved again.

Sibba
greeted her with a small smile and motioned for her to sit.

“I
have brought you some herbs and bread.” Esa lifted her basket and put it to one
side before taking a seat. Sibba reached out and Esa took her hand, cradling
the cold, bony fingers in her own.

“How
are you, Esa?”

“I
am well,
móðir
.”

“You
look tired.”

“I
did not sleep well.”

“Yrsa
says Alrek visited with you.”

Esa
narrowed her eyes at the woman. Trust Yrsa to be speaking of their time together.
Did she speak out of jealousy? Yrsa had not seemed territorial over Alrek and
she considered her a good woman, not the kind to speak out of anger.

“He
fixed my roof.”

“Yrsa
said you are lovers.”

“Yrsa
has said a lot,” Esa replied tightly.

“She
speaks out of kindness, Esa.” The old woman gave a gappy smile. “As do I.”

“What
kindness is this? Talking of my personal matters?”

“I
am old and wise. Yrsa is young and destined to take my place one day. We see
much and understand more. You, my dear, are not blessed with such
understanding. Alrek turned Yrsa away. It was then we knew that he had come to
realise something we have all thought for a long time. Alrek loves you.”

“Loves
me?” Esa spluttered. “But what of Rennir?”

“What
of him? I miss him more with each passing day but I know he is where he belongs
in the halls of Valhalla and he would not wish you to live such a life. Rennir
embraced life.”

“He
did,” Esa agreed.

“And
he would want the same for you. Become his warrior woman once more and take
Alrek as your man. Fight for his love.”

“I
do not think he really loves me. He was angered after our time together.”

“Alrek
harbours many hurts.” Asla squeezed her hand. “As do you. You have suffered
your grief for Rennir together but you need to let each other heal. Be bold. Do
not let him hide behind his wound or his duty. I give you my blessing, child,
as Rennir’s mother. I share his blood and I tell you this is what he would have
wanted. There was no man he trusted more than Alrek. You just need to convince
Alrek he is worthy.”

Esa
blinked, trying to absorb all she had said. “But how do I do such a thing?”

“You
will think of something, Esa. You may not be wise but you are smart and
courageous.”

***

When
Alrek returned to his hut that night, he bit back a groan at the sight of an
orange glow seeping from the wood. Someone had lit a fire. It couldn’t be Yrsa.
The woman had discovered his deeply buried secrets somehow so it had to be
another woman seeking pleasure. How could he bed another when he knew how sweet
and tight Esa’s heat was? None would compare.

He
pushed open the door and readied himself for confrontation. Instead he found Esa
kneeling before him, naked and golden in the light of the fire. She kept her
head dropped, her thighs slightly parted. She shivered as he stood in front of
her. Lust rolled through him at the sight of those thrust out breasts and
slender thighs. He recalled how wet and delicious she’d been between them. The
fragrance of her arousal teased his senses.

“Esa,
what are you doing?” He slammed shut the door.

“I
am offering myself to you.” The slight tremor of her voice gave away her
nervousness.

“Offering?
What do you mean?”

She
lifted her head and met his gaze. “You are the boldest warrior in the village,
Alrek, and I am offering myself fully to you. My heart and my body. You can do
with me as you wish.”

Her
offer staggered him. He was used to women coming to him but it was about their
pleasure for the most part. He always gave. Pleasure, protection, aid. Now Esa
offered herself up to him. What did it mean? Her heart? Did she love him? While
Esa had grown quieter after Rennir’s death, he still saw the spark of a Viking
warrior in her. For a Viking woman to put herself on her knees for a man was
unheard of. But part of him wondered if that was not a greater show of strength
than wielding a sword.

“Esa,
I do not deserve this.”

“You
do, Alrek. You work harder than any other man here. We depend on you and you
never fail us. Our village thrives thanks to you. I am being selfish in taking
you from the other women, but I must, for I love you, Alrek.”

“You
love Rennir.”

“I
do.” Her gaze softened. “I always will. But you do not have to take his place,
Alrek. Am I not a caring woman? There is room in my heart for both of you. You
have proved yourself worthy over and over again and now it is up to me to prove
my worth for you.”

“Esa—”

She
trembled. “Will you not take what is offered?”

His
mind raged, fighting a battle with itself. She loved him. And thought him
worthy. But he still could not believe it. How could he be worthy of this
goddess in front of him? He gritted his jaw. She parted her legs further,
displaying her vulnerability.

“I
can deny you nothing, Esa.” He wrapped his hands around her arms and drew her
to her feet.

“I
wish for you to take this night, Alrek. Take and do not give. You are too
generous a lover and you deserve so much. I am here for your pleasure and your
pleasure alone.”

“I
do not see how it is possible I could deserve such a gift.”

“Think
on all you do, Alrek. Think on what you offer the people here. You deserve more
than a simple woman such as myself but I think you love me and so you must have
me, the woman you love, instead of all the riches you are due.”

“I
do love you.” The words came out fragile.

Her
shoulders sagged and she flung her arms around his neck. “Then take me, my
warrior. Take me and make me yours.”

He
plundered her mouth then, scooping her feminine form to him. His fingers found
the dampness between her thighs and he spread her arse cheeks to dip deeper.
All thoughts of anything but skin and sex and love dispersed. Her soft breasts
rubbed his chest and her hands scrabbled across him. He intended to take everything
he offered and more, but not without ensuring she screamed his name to the
rafters.

Alrek
snatched her into his hold and pressed her up against the wall. He planned to
do much to Esa but for now, he needed to take her and stake his claim before
she changed her mind. With one swift thrust, he invaded her hot cunt. She cried
his name and scattered kisses across his face. He bit her neck and the crook of
her shoulder, he marked her, sucking her pale skin.

Against
the wood, he took her hard and fast. She raked her nails over his shoulders as
he mindlessly pounded into her sheath. Years of watching her from afar, of
looking and never touching, poured into his movements. As her pussy pulsed
around him and she pleaded to the gods, he began to splinter. They came
together in a rush and Alrek did something he had never done before—he spilled
inside of her. In a hot haze of pleasure, he filled her deep and grated out her
name.

He
stilled and rested his forehead on hers while they gathered their breath. Still
buried inside her, he suspected he had found Valhalla in Esa’s arms.

“I
love you, Alrek.”

“And
I you, Esa.”

***

Esa
stretched leisurely and eyed the sleeping warrior next to her. Her back twinged
at having being so mercilessly fucked against the wall, but she did not care.
Even her shoulder ached from where he bit and sucked her skin. The marks made
her smile. Alrek—giving, dutiful Alrek—had lost control in her arms. He had
taken for himself and confessed his love for her. She could not regret a single
moment. She felt alive again, for the first time in years. Sibba had been
right. Rennir would never have wanted her to live wrapped in her grief. He had
been the kind of man to embrace life—and love.

The
door rattled and Esa scowled. The sun had not even risen properly. Only a grey
light seeped into the hut and no doubt most of the villagers were aware of Esa
having visited with Alrek. If Yrsa and Sibba had anything to do with it,
everyone knew Alrek and Esa were bound together by love by now.

The
door rattled again so she snatched a fur and wrapped it around her. It couldn’t
be an attack, no alarm had gone up. She opened the door to see a wide-eyed
Yrsa. With her unbound hair and harried look, she gave Esa cause to let her
frown deepen.

“What
is it, Yrsa?”

“Esa…
I… you must return home.”

“What
is this?” she hissed, wary of waking Alrek. He had made love to her several
more times during the night and was no doubt as exhausted as she. “Are you
jealous, Yrsa?”

Yrsa
shook her head and pursed her lips. “
Neinn
, I would not be so selfish.
Alrek’s happiness surely takes precedence over my simple needs, as does yours, Esa.
We have always been good friends, have we not?”

“
Já
,
you are right. Forgive me. I speak with the tongue of a jealous lover.”