Mist Revealed (6 page)

Rune dropped his head against the wooden door and dragged in a lungful of heaven. The female smelled of everything sweet and sinful. Her body and blood would nourish him, arouse him and complete him. He wanted to go back to Cat’s side, finish stripping her and lick every inch of her body.

My chosen consort.
Ironic that he hadn’t picked her, yet barely a day had passed, and he knew he wouldn’t be able to touch another female. The idea in itself shocked him. He’d had several lovers who’d warmed his bed along with Malin. They would’ve continued to do so even after he’d mated her.

The children of the mist shared their women. After meeting Cat, the idea didn’t hold the appeal it once had. If he was fucking another male’s mate, he wasn’t joined with his, filling her with his seed and reaffirming his claim on her.

He fisted his hands to stop himself from opening the door. The powerful mating drive riding him felt wrong. It was too intense. Another evolutionary response? The need to breed and revive his stagnant species?

Like my new power to kill with my mind?

He groaned at the implications of the awakened skill. One wrong thought while he had a human under his thrall and he could turn himself into a murderer. No guilt choked him over the death of the
eldjötnar’s
victim. It had been a mercy killing. What worried him was what might happen the next time if he wasn’t careful.

His stomach growled, reminding him of his immediate problem. He needed to feed, but he also had to stay close to Cat. The two primal urges warred. He stood there, muscles tensed and vibrating, while he fought to get himself under control.

Only one thing to do. He turned and surveyed the section of town where he’d been lucky enough to find an abandoned home. Hopefully, its rightful owners wouldn’t show up questioning his presence in it. He’d easily convinced the townsfolk he belonged here, but the seeds of doubt could undo his efforts.

He pushed the worry away. He’d deal with the outcome if it happened.

For the moment, he had to direct his efforts to being a predator, not a child of the mist and guardian of its treasures.
Lost treasures, now.
He ground his jaw.
No, don’t think of it. Focus on today and its challenges.

The reminder helped. He relaxed and continued his study of the town. The many rocks and protrusions lining the hilly village offered plenty of hiding spots for his enemies. The town was built along the shore, and the locals used every available inch of ground. Dozens of colorful homes sprouted along the barren soil.

No trees grew in
Niflheim
. Greenland, he corrected himself. His era had long since been replaced by the modern world where humans ruled, not the players of Ragnarok or the various species birthed of the gods’ couplings. For a moment, he wondered if any of the other nonhumans remained but dismissed the thought. If they did, they hadn’t thrived.

He continued his survey. The
eldjötnar
who’d found Rune could be anywhere. In his solid form, he wouldn’t be able to locate the demon unless Rune spotted him. His senses were only slightly better than a human’s. One with the mist, he could gather more information, but he couldn’t take his alternate form. The wind would scatter the pieces of his body. It would take precious moments to reassemble them. If Cat were threatened, those seconds could mean her life.

The limitations of his situation compounded his frustration. He would need to call another child of the mist to him, yet he couldn’t do that in his weakened state.

He growled.

A dog’s whine carried over the din of the village. He peered into the direction the sound came from. A husky crouched several feel away, head down and tail between its legs. Rune dropped to his knees and spread his arms wide. With his mind open, he sent the beast his plea for help.

The dog approached in a slinking crawl. Rune could do little to alleviate its anxiety. Whereas humans he could enthrall, animals had to be coaxed to share their blood. A foot away, it stopped. Its nose twitched, and cautious eyes assessed him. Rune waited patiently. The affinity wildlife had always shown his species would overcome the dog’s reservations. Of that, Rune had no doubt. Finally, the husky bumped Rune’s chest with its nose.

He wrapped his arms around the animal, bent his head to its neck and bit. Warm, slightly bitter blood filled his mouth. He wrinkled his nose at the pungent taste but swallowed the gift anyway. It nourished him, though not as fully as a human’s blood could. Still, it beat starvation or worse yet, succumbing to blood lust and attacking Cat.

He took only the amount of blood the animal could give without causing it harm. Before releasing him, he sent the beast his thanks. The dog trotted off, tail wagging.

Knowing it wouldn’t be enough, he spent several minutes coaxing more dogs to him. Luckily, the town had plenty. Stronger from the feedings, he opened his mind and reached out to his brethren. The distance separating them prevented him from connecting with any individual, but he was able to push the urgency of his need into the call he sent on the wind. Jaron or whoever was closest would feel his anxiety and come.

He straightened and faced the rundown house he’d claimed. Guilt weighed on him for what had occurred inside. Cat had offered herself to him, and he’d walked away without a word.

At the time, it had been the only way to avoid giving into the urges riding him. He saw the callousness of his actions, however. Unlike the females of his era who’d overlook the slight, Cat, he suspected, would not. The modern woman was complicated.
And far more fascinating.

Unfortunately, he didn’t know the best way to deal with her anger. He knew little about his chosen consort. With a lifetime ahead of them, he had plenty of time to uncover her personality. Until then, he only had his instincts to guide him.

He gripped the handle and hoped he could find a way to repair the damage he had caused.

Cat drummed her fingertips against the piece of plywood and waited for Sam, her lab partner, to finish scribbling in his notebook. He was hunched over his workspace, and a thick lock of his light brown hair covered his eyes. His image froze every few seconds. The spotty internet connection on the island wasn’t meant for video messaging.

She took a moment to study her on-and-off lover, though they were more off than on. Friends with benefits might describe their unusual relationship better, but she honestly couldn’t call Sam a friend. He was a coworker she sometimes screwed without any emotional involvement.

Damn. That sounds cold.
She wrinkled her nose at her own description. After the disaster a few minutes ago with Rune, she couldn’t help but wonder if the “scratch an itch” sessions she and Sam engaged in were the only ones she was capable of having. She didn’t have time to devote to a relationship or apparently the skills it took to keep a man satisfied.

And why do I suddenly care? Guys are too much effort for the few minutes of ecstasy they offer.

She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her computer, annoyed by the direction of her thoughts. “Aren’t you done yet?”

Sam leveled glinting green eyes at her. The chiding look cut through the screen. “No.”

She huffed and turned her back on him. Her gaze strayed to the window. After Rune had stormed out, she’d run to it to see which direction he’d gone. The angle hadn’t been great, but she’d found him standing with his head pillowed against his bent arm on the opposite side of the door. The tortured expression displayed on his face had eased the worst of her embarrassment, but not all.

Is he still there?

The question took hold. So did the demand for an answer. After a lifetime of dealing with her obsessiveness, she knew better than to fight the simple stuff. If she did, she’d hyper-focus on it until she gave in. A sigh of acceptance fell from her lips. She wandered toward the parted curtains.

Through the opening between the heavy drapes, she found him crouched with his arms wrapped around a gorgeous husky. The sight made the butterflies in her belly take flight. There was just something about a guy and his dog that tugged at her heart.

“Catherine?”

She cringed. Named after her grandmother, Cat had always walked in the woman’s shadow. She’d never lived up to her standards and had stopped trying to compete. She went by Cat, the nickname Janice had given her. Tears threatened. Cat pushed the memories aside. She’d cried enough, and her sorrow wouldn’t bring Janice back.

“I could be doing other stuff, Catherine. I’m a busy man.”

So was Rune. He’d said so himself. Maybe that was why he’d walked out. Then why hadn’t he actually left? She ground her teeth.
Doesn’t matter. He’s nothing to me.

“Fine, if you want to play games, do it on your own time.”

“No, I’m here!” She rushed back to the small screen. “I was looking for the data I’d written.”
Or ogling a near-stranger I almost screwed and wondering what I did to send him running.
She’d thought she’d played their liaison so well.

Sam leaned back in his desk chair, arms crossed. He looked her up and down. “Why did you demand a video chat? You could’ve emailed or texted me.”

Both of which he would’ve ignored. She didn’t waste her breath mentioning that. In the end, he wasn’t much different from her.

“Did you tell Roland I was going to Greenland?”

“I haven’t seen him. The message left with me said he’d be in Washington for several days discussing UP-33 with the president and his staff.” Sam chuckled. “The old man’s got balls. I have to give him that. He threatened to take our findings to the press. Suddenly, they had time for him.”

That explained his failure to answer her email. Roland had been pulling every favor he had earned to find out why the CDC refused to acknowledge UP-33. All along, he’d hinted at a conspiracy. It made perfect sense that he’d contact someone from the village to be her go-to person. The question remained—how did he find out?

“Did you tell anyone that I was coming here?” Nobody else knew.

He ran a hand through his hair and snorted. “Who would I tell? You’re the only one I talk to about things outside of work.”

Her cheeks warmed. She dropped her gaze to the floor. If they weren’t discussing their projects, they were talking about sex or engaging in it.

“Speaking of talking, you and I haven’t had a chance to meet for drinks and unwind in months.”

Their code-phrase for fucking. She cleared her throat. Time to change the subject back to important stuff. “Focus, Sam. Did anyone ask where I was?”

He rubbed his jaw. “Yeah, now that I think about it. A guy called looking for you to confirm your flight and stuff. Igor…”

“Ivan?”

“Yeah, Ivan.” He nodded. “He said he wanted to help in any way he could. Then he went on to talk about murders and…”

Another swipe of his hand through his hair, and he flashed a smile. “Something. You know me. I stopped listening. By the time I remembered I was on the phone, he’d hung up. Sorry. Susie said he’d called her too, and she handled it. Was it important?”

A matching smile tugged at her lips. “No. You answered my question.”

Susie, their administrative assistant, would’ve reported the call to Roland. With the mystery surrounding Rune shelved, she broached another. “I need you to gather some information for me.”

“Sure. What kind?”

“The locals mentioned artifacts had recently washed up on the shores here, but I can’t find anything on a basic internet search.”

He rubbed the edge of his hand back and forth under his chin. A considering look passed over his face. “You’re thinking UP-33 came from some ancient tomb?”

“Or from the ice itself.”

“So you’ve hypothesized.” He stretched across the desk and typed on another open laptop. “I’ll see what I can come up with.”

“While you’re at it, I want you to think about this…” She waited until he met her eyes. “What do vampires, Ragnarok and UP-33 have in common?”

He raised a brow. “I’d ask if you were serious, but I know you are.”

“Unfortunately I’m deadly serious. The townsfolk seem to think supernatural forces are at work, not simply a mutating virus.” She shook her head. “It sounds crazy, but if there’s some clue mixed into the legends, I have to explore it. It might trigger an idea. You know how it works.”

“Yeah, I do.” His image froze for a second before skipping to life. “What exactly have you walked into over there?”

“I don’t—”

A cold gust of wind swept into the room. She glanced over her shoulder. The sight that met her stopped her heart. Rune stood just inside the doorway, mist swirling around his feet. She looked from the odd fog to his face. The light from the nearby lamp left half of it in shadows. It didn’t dim his expression, however.

Hungry. Intense. Primal.

He focused his blue-gray eyes on her. She couldn’t have looked away if she wanted to.

“Catherine? You there? Your image cut out. All I hear is wind wailing.”

Wind? What wind?

Rune glanced from her to the computer. The lights flickered. A pop sounded. She gasped and swung her head to peer at her computer. Only a black screen showed. The lights wavered again, then went out.

The sound of a door slamming tore a squeak from her throat. Her heart raced. She hated the dark.

“Rune?”

No answer.

The window cast a small sliver of light across the room, not enough to see much but it calmed her frantic pulse.

“The power went out.” She stated the obvious, but she had to say something. The silence threatened to stir her anxiety.

He didn’t respond.

A shiver raced down her spine. The cold air Rune had let in chilled her. She rubbed at her arms to warm them. It didn’t help. Her teeth chattered. “Do you have a generator? It’s going to get pretty uncomfortable in here soon.”

Hands caught her hips from behind. A hard body pressed along her back. And the scent of a crisp autumn day filled her lungs. She relaxed into him. Rune hooked his arms around her waist. She tugged them tighter. The warmth he gave off felt heavenly compared to the icy air fogging her breath.

“Who was the male you were talking to?”

“Sam. He’s—”

“Is he your lover?”

Not seeing any reason to lie, she answered. “Sometimes. We’re not serious.”

He buried his face in the crook of her neck. For a long moment, he only breathed slowly. Each exhale heated her body.

“You won’t touch him again.” He pressed his lips to her ear. “I won’t share you.”

The stark possessiveness in his voice and words should’ve made her see red. It didn’t. Confusion over why he’d care surfaced instead.

“Share me? What are you talking about?”

“Your body, Cat.” He kissed her, right below her ear. Another shiver raced down her spine. Desire fueled it. She was no longer cold. “And your heart, your life, your future. They’re mine.”

Oh. Dear. God.

Arousal flowed with his low gravely declaration. Every inch of her body tingled, eager for his touch.

Hello? Modern woman here. The alpha male attitude should not push me into a state of instant desire.
It did, though. She didn’t want to consider what that said about her.

“Don’t I get a say in this?”

He clamped his mouth over her neck and nibbled. His teeth scraped her, and a groaned sigh escaped him. He eased back so only his lips brushed her skin.

“Oh yes. You get the final say. I will never take anything from you that you don’t willingly give.” He covered her lower belly with his spread fingers, then inched them higher. At her waistband, he popped the button, tugged the zipper and shoved her jeans down. “And you offered to feed me.”

“I did, but you walked—”

He slipped his hand under her panties and pushed two fingers into her dripping center. Her words turned into a moan.

“I wasn’t ready to enjoy you before.” He stroked her achy core with slow, controlled thrusts. Her thoughts scattered. “I am now.”

He withdrew his hand and dragged her pants completely off, leaving her panties. She stood frozen in place, unable to think beyond the desire pulsing through her.

He dropped to his knees in front of her. The swatch of light from the moon highlighted a section of his face, from the edge of his jaw to his hairline, drawing attention to his eye. The longer she stared, the lighter the color of his eye became, appearing more gray than blue. Beautiful.
Like liquid silver.
She couldn’t tear her gaze from him.

He pressed his lips to her thigh. Instead of breaking the trance he’d cast over her, his touch made her hyperaware of what he was doing to her. She waited for him to move. Anticipation built as the seconds ticked by.

Finally he exhaled, and her pent-up air escaped in a rush. A flick of his tongue, and he worked his way to her knee, licking and nipping her skin, before lifting her leg. She stretched an arm to the side to steady herself. Her hand met the back of the couch. She gripped it while he skimmed his lips to her ankle, then nuzzled against her calf.

The gentleness of his actions left her weak inside. She didn’t know how to respond. No man had ever touched her with such care. He slid her sock off and placed her foot on the ground, then treated her other leg to the same level of attention. More nips, more flicks of his tongue, and a whimper crawled from her throat.

He stilled. She felt his smile against her skin. He kissed her foot and set it down. His gaze on her hidden sex, he leaned closer but turned his head before reaching her panties. He kissed her thigh. Tingles danced from where his hair teased her skin to her clit, and a breathy moan slipped past her lips. The wanton sound wasn’t one she’d often made outside of sex. She couldn’t have stopped it. Rune’s seduction was beyond anything she’d ever experienced.

Desire had never felt so good.

His fingers replaced his mouth. He drew them in a feather-light caress up her leg. She shivered and automatically widened her stance for his exploration. He took her offer. His sweeping touch reached her satin-covered cleft. With one finger, he stroked down the seam. The soaked material of her panties created more stimulation. She didn’t need it. Her arousal dripped in welcome for him.

In one quick move, he placed his hands on her bottom and tipped her hips forward. She gasped and grabbed his silky hair. A tug on his strands tore a low growl from him. The deep rumble whipped through her, leaving her weakened. He licked between her thighs and prodded her opening with the tip of his tongue.

The barrier of her undies prevented him from tasting her, but the teasing excited her. More arousal flowed. The promise of ecstasy he offered her was one she couldn’t pass up. She wiggled against him, a silent plea for more. He moaned and pulled her closer. Her toes left the floor, but she didn’t fall. His grip on her ass held her up and open for his suggestive kiss.

He caught the edge of her panties with his teeth. The wet tip of his tongue touched her skin, right at the crease where her thigh met her groin. Time stretched. Each second that passed without him moving quickened her pulse.