Rapture (36 page)

A
few Valkyries tentatively stepped forward, eyeing Draven and Ethan, and
carefully stepping around the Valkyries that guarded them. “Yes, I can feel
it,” one said, peering into Ethan’s eyes with astonishment. “Can you summon
lightning?”

“Yes,”
Ethan replied. “With great emotion.”

As
if his statement had summoned it, a strike of lightning battered the ceiling
outside, shaking the building. The female who’d asked it grinned broadly and
took her place back within the perimeter. Others stepped forward and did the
same, looking into her sons’ eyes and nodding their agreement of some sort of
connection. More stepped forward, a particularly angry-looking one peering at
them from the corner of her eye. Caleen shifted her stance, but didn’t move to
stop her.

“It’s
all tricks, Daughters. Don’t you see? They must have a witch among them.” He
flicked a glance at Nitro, who gaped a split-second before she growled at him.
“I’ll show you witch,” she mumbled as Raider gripped her arm.

In
an instant, the angry-looking Valkyrie struck, her sword connecting with
Draven’s arm as he and Caleen tried to block the blow. Just as quickly, a bolt
of lightning arced sideways through the room, sending his attacker flying.
Raine had barely had time to look in order to see that it had come from Ally,
who was walking toward Draven at a fast clip as bolts streamed from her
fingers. She only stopped when the female had landed against the wall at the
far side of the room.

“How
did you?” Odin sputtered. “That’s—”

More
Valkyries gripped their weapons, crouching low and readying to attack.

“Enough!”

The
room quieted at Odin’s booming demand, and Raine extricated herself from
Ferox’s hold. He followed her as she stepped toward her father, feeling every
step as pain surged up her legs. She stopped, gesturing for her vampire to hold
back before she continued forward. “You and I aren’t all that different,” she
said. “You said a few days ago that I was just like my mother, that she valued
love, but I think you do, too. In your own, messed up way,” she added.

Odin’s
eyes narrowed, though he made no other move than that. She could see he was
furious, but he’d yet to come up with a plan of attack, and knowing that he was
a War God, no doubt he’d have to devise a plan before carrying on.

“I
am your daughter, and I always will be. But I have other family now, too. I
love them, and I protect them.” She peered at Ferox and the other warriors.
“And they protect me. I know you want us all with you, but what kind of life
are you offering your daughters? I found my mate and have built a life with
him, but what have you allowed the others?”

“I
didn’t
allow that,” Odin sneered.

“You’re
right. You banned me from ever returning because you didn’t want me to love.
You banned me without ever hearing me out, without giving me the chance to
explain that Ferox and I had planned to split our time here, and in Vampur.”

The
god’s face fell, and he closed his eyes for a minute before resting his eyes on
Raine again. “You were created to be my army. You were created to love only
me
.”

She
shook her head. “We weren’t created, Father. We were born.”

The
entire room erupted in whispers as the Valkyries spoke amongst themselves.

“I
only hope that my sisters can have as full a life as I’ve had,” she added.

Odin
looked surprised at her words at first, but slowly, his brows drew in and his
hands tightened into fists. “You really think you’re going back to it?”

“Yes.
Do you really think that I should live the rest of my life, missing my mate and
family? Just so that you can see me whenever you want?”

“That’s
how it should be!” he yelled. “You and your sisters are mine to command as I
please.” He closed his mouth as a rumble of voices echoed throughout the hall.

“She
is right!”

“No,
Father is right. We live to serve him!”

“Why
should we live this way?”

“We
should be able to have mates!”

“And
children!”

The
room split into two as Valkyries turned on one another. Many so obviously
agreed with Raine, while others remained loyal to Odin. Within minutes, that
division had morphed so that half of the Valkyries now stood in front of the
Guardians, standing with them, protecting them from those who opposed.

Raine
used her father’s distraction to step toward the Guardians, which had once
again reclaimed Draven, Ethan, and Ally, though her sisters stood within the
crowd. “We need to get the Guardians out of here.”

“What
about
this?
” He gestured toward the
battle going on amongst the Valkyries.

Her
eyes met Ferox’s. “We have to get the Guardians out before it’s too late. This
is my father’s realm. He created it, and he is most powerful here. Get them
out.” She grabbed his hand and rushed toward the portal inside the hall as fast
as she could, yelling at the others to follow, only she ran smack into a wall
instead. No, no! Her father blocked the portal!

“Garrick?”
Ferox yelled.

“I’m
on it!” Garrick concentrated as his hands raised and lowered in the air. “I
can’t. It’s not working!”

Raine
peered at her mate, and then at the others. Odin’s Valkyries were pushing
through, battling their way through the sisters that now fought against them.
She met Odin’s eyes, gaping as she saw who he held. With Odette gripped in his
arms, he smiled and drew his Hjörr across her neck. The room filled with
shrieks as her head fell to the ground, rolling at his feet. He dropped her
body and grabbed another Valkyrie that now fought his army. Tears streamed her
cheeks as another fell, and another.

His
Valkyries charged, but others—those who believed in their right for
freedom—stood their ground. Swords clanged, and arrows whizzed. Odin laughed as
some of her sisters turned on him. He held a hand out to them, and they were
frozen in place, no longer able to charge, and not able to retreat. She moved
to rush him, but she couldn’t. Her breath heaved in and out of her as her eyes
darted back and forth at the Guardians. They were all frozen in place.

“You
have
got
to be kidding me,” Ally
groaned. She was the only one amongst them that could move, and did as she gave
Odin a disgusted look and a shake of her head. “I should have guessed. Give me
a minute, guys. I’ll have you all loose soon.”

She
inhaled slowly as her eyes took on a different color and her hair lifted as
though gravity had no hold on her. The air charged a split second before bolts
flashed all around. Some slammed charging Valkyries to the ground while some
did the same to Odin. He fell to the ground and sat up as Ally released
everything on the Valkyries that threatened them.

“Get
out of here!” Raine yelled as she regained movement. “Get to the portal.” A few
of the Guardians glanced at each other and took off through the hall, dodging
this way and that. Her father was on his feet again, bounding toward Ally with
one hand outstretched as he held the rest of them in place once more.

“How
in the gods names did you—”

“Oh,”
Ally said, taking a break from the light show. “I forgot to mention earlier…”
She smiled. “I’m stronger than you.” With a final push, a huge arc collided
with Odin, draping the room in a cloud of bright white.

Raine
wasted no time in reaching Ferox. He picked her up and ran toward the door,
with the other Guardians tight on their heels. They had the help of some of her
sisters, staving off Odin’s army.

“Which
way?” Ferox asked once they reached the corridor.

“That
way,” she pointed. “Any other way, and we’ll be checking hundreds of doors.”
They rushed out of the building as thousands of Valkyries exploded from the
building. They were still battling, but many were sticking by the Guardians’
sides and fighting off any threats. They reached the lake as lightning crashed
down all around, a constant barrage causing them to dodge back and forth to
avoid being hit. She could see the lake, and just beyond stood Ash, Demetrius,
Raider, and Nitro, standing on either side of where the portal was. Demetrius
took to the air and whizzed overhead. She tracked him as he collided with Odin,
the two engulfed in a battle of barreling fists. She and the Guardians were
almost to the portal, and yet she couldn’t take her eyes off of the battle
between Demetrius and her father. The winged warrior kicked off Odin’s chest
and flipped, landing on his feet in another battle stance. Both males had their
fists up, ready for more, when Odin waived his hand and charged. His fist
slammed into Demetrius’s face, and the warrior fell.

“Ferox!”
she cried. Her vampire stopped running and turned, facing the direction she was
looking. Draven, Ethan, Ally, and Blaze halted as well.

Odin
lifted his hand, and Demetrius rose into the air, though not of his own accord.
Her father brought Demetrius to him and gripped the warrior’s neck before
slamming him to the ground.

“He
can’t move,” Ally gasped.

Ferox
set Raine on her feet as quickly and gently as possible, and he and the others
flashed toward them, bypassing the Valkyries by rushing around the side of the
battle. Ally had taken off at a dead run as well, though nowhere near as fast
as the males.

Odin
slammed his fist into Demetrius’s face again and again as he held him down.
They had nearly reached them now, and Odin spotted them just as Ally threw her
hands out, and a flash of lightning zapped the god, nearly catching the Guardians
in the crossfire. Ferox was on him then, and the two crashed to the ground as
Draven and Blaze helped Demetrius to his feet.

Raine
couldn’t hear anything over the roar of battle as sister fought sister. Some
Valkyries had already made it through the portal, and Nitro and Raider were
nowhere to be found.

Draven
lifted Demetrius over his shoulder as he, Ferox, Ethan and Blaze turned to rush
back toward the portal. Ally stayed where she was, eyeing Odin, who was still
down at the moment, but he wouldn’t be for long.

“It’s
time to get you out of here,” Ferox said once he and the others had nearly
reached them.

She
glanced at the battle, practically seeing the two sides. The Valkyries still
sworn to Odin were getting closer, and there were casualties littering the
ground. Ferox lifted her in his arms and rushed toward the portal, following
tightly on Draven’s heels as he carried Demetrius. “How many have made it
through?” she asked Ash, who was now the only warrior manning the portal.

He
shrugged. “Hundreds? I really have no idea.” His gaze landed on Demetrius as
Draven carried the warrior, disappearing through the portal.

“How
can we stop Odin’s Valkyries from going through?” Ally asked, peering at Ferox
with a panic-filled expression.

“We
can’t.”

“We’ll
just have to hope that none of them do,” Raine added.

“If
any dare enter the portal, they’ll have a hell of a time finding how to reach
us.”

She
doubted they’d need it. A gigantic rift had separated his army. With any luck,
those that wanted to leave were already through or on their way. If the others
were ordered to find them, no doubt Odin would send them on their merry way
with his assistance. “We can’t worry about that.”

Blaze
ducked as an arrow flew past him. He eyed the fight and nodded. “She’s right. I
don’t like leaving a good fight, but there really isn’t anything we can do.”

“Alright,”
Raine said, peering out over the battlefield that was filled with so many
loving memories of her vampire. “Let’s go home.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

“I’m
taking tomorrow night off.”

“Oh?”
Raine asked, peering up into Ferox’s eyes as he held her in bed.

“My
mate needs a little TLC.”

She
smiled at that, and he brushed his palms lightly over the black and blue
bruises that covered her entire body. “What do you think Demetrius will say to
that?”

“I
don’t think he’ll say anything at all. No doubt he’d rather have me check his
wounds than have one of you females do it.”

A
laugh bubbled from her chest. “Yeah, I’m sure that’s true.”

When
everyone had returned from Valhalla, they’d put the Valkyries up in hotels
until a more permanent solution could be found. Over a thousand had returned
with them. And once they’d gotten home, Demetrius had been hauled up to one of
the spare bedrooms where he’d been diagnosed with a broken wing, and few broken
ribs.

Ferox’s
eyes traveled over Raine’s skin wherever he touched. “I’ll never forgive Odin
for what he’s done to you.”

She
closed her eyes, concentrating on the feel of his hands. “I won’t either.” She
opened her eyes again, peering up into Ferox’s. “What do you think will
happen?”

“With
Odin?” He shook his head. “I don’t know. He’s lost a good chunk of his army.
That’s not to say he doesn’t still have a lot of Valkyries to fight for him,
though.”