Valkyrie Heat (15 page)

other women’s list. She always knew when he was watching her;

her skin would crawl. He seemed to find reasons to be near her. As

a result, a few of the woman had shied away from her. It was

apparent he was interested. But Thorvald wasn’t the only one.

Many a man looked at Sky with more than just a passing fancy. Sky

understood why. The ratio of woman to men was small. Rolf and

Brandr had their hands full protecting her from unwanted

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advances. Between the work and the demanding men, Sky was

feeling at a loss.

Thinking about that had her thinking about what Brandr had

asked her the night before. Sky now understood a great deal of

their language and was certain Brandr was trying to coax her into

having some very kinky sex with him. She was uncertain she

wanted to. She didn’t mind his rough sex when she could ask him

to be gentler. He always complied—especially when Rolf was

around. But when Rolf wasn’t around, it was harder for him to

curb his desire and he could be a bit frightening.

Sky trusted Rolf not to hurt her; she even trusted Brandr not

to harm her, but she sensed he wanted something more. Of what

she was uncertain and was worried to find out. Brandr was so big;

he could hurt her without even trying if he wasn’t careful. Sky had

seen Eirik scowl at some of the bruises she had received after

Brandr’s lusty romps. The leader had taken an interest in her after

offering her his protection. It appeared to be his right to inquire.

Sky had tried to explain to Eirik she just bruised easily, but he

appeared skeptical. Rolf was patient with the man’s questions.

Brandr was a bit more annoyed at the intrusion. Eirik always asked

if she was fearful of Brandr. Sky wasn’t afraid of himmore

concerned about his tastes in the furs. It was strange to realize after

this short time she had come to love both men. She was willing to

try anything Rolf wanted, because he was always gentle and

patient. It was more difficult to give in to Brandr. Rolf cherished

her; Brandr always seemed to want to devour her.

They protected her differently as well. Rolf kept a close eye

on her but gave her freedom to explore her surroundings and even

speak to other men. She quickly learned who was approachable and

who was not. At times, just the sight of Rolf’s tense jaw had Sky

turning herself in the opposite direction from a certain man. Other

times, his relaxed position indicated she was in no danger and free

to ask questions. Some of the men were patient and easy to chat

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with. The young men in the village would occasionally touch her in

places she preferred they not and Rolf snapped at them. If Brandr

saw them touch her, he would send them flying. The lusty young

lads learned to give her a wide berth when he was around. The

young men never hurt her, they were annoying and she smiled

inwardly thinking they reminded her of Brody. Brandr looked like

Brody; he was lusty like Brody…but he wasn’t like Brody in any

other way. She felt safe with Brandr.

Sky felt equally safe with Rolf. She had learned Rolf was a few

years older than Brandr. It made sense to her. She could see both

men loved each other. Rolf was more the wiser older brother,

almost paternal in a sense. Both men were protective of one

another, but anything in Brandr’s best interests was met head-on.

Sky’s needs always came first, then Brandr’s, then Rolf’s. Neither

man seemed to mind. All just seemed to understand that in the

end, the last say was Rolf’s. Rolf had more control over his

temper; he was more grounded. Sky had no doubt if someone tried

to harm her, he would use his sword on them. But Rolf would

think before acting. Brandr was a bundle of physical reaction.

The men’s camaraderie toward one another was so endearing.

That she was included into their loving family made her feel very

proud to have been accepted with open arms. It was one of the

reasons she tried so hard to please them. Above all else, she

wanted their acceptance to continue. She just wished she had

something special to add to their home life. Something they could

be proud of her for. Unfortunately, as she stretched and winced

again, she realized she hadn’t found it yet. The men always knew

where they belonged; she wished she did, too.

At night when she sometimes made dinner in their hut,

Brandr and Rolf would discuss the day’s activities. Brandr was less

concerned about food scarcity while Rolf was always planning a

hunt. Both men trained every day relentlessly. Rolf and Brandr

took turns watching her for the most part, but if they needed to

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both be gone, she was delivered into Eirik’s capable care. She

didn’t mind. Sky was growing very fond of Eirik’s wife and their

children. Katla, Eirik’s wife and she had become fast friends. Sky

had never had a female friend who had grown as close as a sister

could. No doubt Eirik saw that. As leader, he was more than

capable of adding a second wife to his family. Not a day went by

when Brandr didn’t complain Eirik had tried to purchase her or

trade for her. The thought made her chuckle, just thinking of

Brandr’s reaction. She often wondered if Eirik did it just to rile

him.

A howl of despair reached her ears and Sky spun about to see

Katla, carrying the limp body of her four-year-old son onto the

riverbank. He was dripping wet and wasn’t moving. Katla dropped

to her knees, screaming, the boy clutched to her breasts. Sky raced

to them as well as everyone else. It became apparent immediately

Katla had lost sight of him in the fast-flowing current for a few

moments and he had gone under water.

Sky dropped to her knees before her friend. She was

horrified—the poor boy, his poor mother. Instinctively, she

touched her fingers to the unmoving child’s throat. There was a

pulse! There was still a chance! With her revelation, she tried to

yank the boy from his mother, but Katla refused to part with him.

“He is gone; let his mother grieve,” Rolf said sadly.

“He’s not gone,” Sky insisted wide-eyed, her heart pounding

madly within her breast. “I have a pulse.” But the word she used

was foreign to them all. “Katla, please.”

Sky determinedly yanked the boy from his mother and laid

him flat. She tilted his head back, pinched his nose and puffed two

breaths of air into the boy’s mouth. His chest didn’t expand. She

dipped her baby finger into his mouth down his throat, exploring

with caution, and fished out a small rock that was obstructing his

breathing. Again she blew into his mouth. His little chest rose and

fell with each breath, until finallyhe coughed.

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The boy threw up a mouthful of water and gasped in air. He

called for his mother pitifully, who screamed in joy. The woman

crushed the boy against her and sobbed uncontrollably. Eirik knelt

beside his wife. His hand tenderly brushed his son’s drenched hair

from his face.

“The Valkyrie was sent to save my son,” Eirik said with wide-

eyed awe.

Sky didn’t realize she was shaking until Rolf pulled her to his

chest. Her knees buckled. Rolf scooped her up. He was grinning

widely. Both Sky and the boy were carried to the log cabin.

* * * *

Sky shifted from foot to foot. Rolf and Brandr remained

protectively close. She was standing in front of the council in the

main hall. All the villagers crowded around them.

Upon their return to the cabin, both Sky and Leif had been

ushered into a back room. A protesting Leif had been tucked into

bed while his mother had hovered over him with an eagle eye.

Thankfully, Katla had helped Sky dress or she would have felt

twice as vulnerable when told the council had demanded an

immediate audience with her.

Katla was her friend; Sky could see she was feeling protective

of her, especially now. Katla had asked another woman to sit with

her son. Sky could see Katla off to the side. The woman looked at

her, smiled then leveled a glance onto the council members that

surprisingly resembled that of a pissed-off tigress.

The men seated in high-backed chairs before Sky were

exceptionally intimidating. She swallowed hard. Five men in all

gazed back at her, all wearing various expressions, Eirik’s was a

soft expression, Thorvald’s harsh. Lud just seemed honestly

curious and was the first to start.

“How did you know Leif wasn’t dead? His mother heard no

heartbeat.”

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“He had a pulse,” Sky explained. But she didn’t know their

word for pulse. Biorn was standing beside her just in case she

needed his help. She looked up at him. “Biorn, what is word for

this?” She took his fingers and placed them over her wrist so he

could feel the beating beneath his hand.

He said a word. Sky repeated it.

“You are a healer?” Eirik asked.

“No,” she admitted. “Adisla is healer.”

Adisla stood to one side watching Sky. She was the village

doctor. Sky had seen the woman care for a few people. She treated

ailments and many wounds the men incurred by accident when

sparring. Sky was nothing like her. She admired the woman’s skill.

Sky knew the technique, artificial resuscitation, she had used on

Leif wasn’t known as yet, and if it was, it wasn’t apparent to this

village. She supposed the village thought she had brought the child

back from the dead. Hopefully they would chalk it up to thinking it

was because she was a Valkyrie, not a witch; the latter word made

her shudder.

“I have no knowledge of medicine. What Adisla knows she

learn long time, remember many things. I know few. Adisla smart

woman, good healer for village. I have much respect.”

Adisla smiled at her.

Sky counted her among her friends. “I watch children in water

when younger,” she stammered. How was she to explain life-

guarding and first aid? Her jobs had helped put her through

university.

Thorvald, the older man who had questioned her validity of

being a Valkyrie spoke next. She could tell from his look he was

skeptical.

“Why did you watch children swim?”

Sky frowned. “When mothers busy, I watch children while

they work,” she answered, hoping that made sense.

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“Yes, I see!” Katla cried out. “Sky is too small to help in the

field and with too hard labor, other mothers could leave their

children with her. It’s perfect.”

Other women began nodding enthusiastically and began

talking animatedly.

“Wait, wait,” Thorvald said, scowling and waving his hands as

the commotion grew louder. “We have not finished with her.”

But the mothers warmed to this idea quickly and set their

shoulders. They liked Sky and were concerned for her aching.

They knew how hard she tried. In their opinion, she was already

one of them…and they took care of their own.

“It’s hard to watch little ones in the field and at the lake and

ocean when we need to work!” an older graying woman referred

to as Amma yelled.

“If Sky watched children in Valhalla, why not here?” another

woman Sky liked, Dalla, grouched.

“Her help would be most welcome,” a friend of Sky’s, Pyrna,

agreed.

The women’s voices soon drowned out the council. Soon

Thorvald was ignored altogether and Sky could see he was none

too happy. It became apparent the men would be doing battle with

the women if they didn’t give in on this issue.

Eirik laughed loudly and held his own hands high. Everyone

quieted immediately. He looked at Sky.

She was appreciative of his big welcoming and calming smile.

He reminded her of a great gentle bear, all warm and cuddly.

Others would think her description laughable; especially those who

had witnessed him slice opponents in half.

“Do not be afraid, little Valkyrie,” he soothed, no doubt

seeing her worry. “You are in no trouble. You saved my son’s life.

We only want to know how this mouth-on-mouth thing works.”

Sky frowned thoughtfully. “Too much water, no breath.

Forget to breathe. I remembered for him until his brain remember

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on own.” She had used the English word for brain and a few looked

confused. She looked at Biorn. “What’s the name for the organ

inside your head?”

Biorn said the word and everyone began nodding in

understanding.

“Is it a trick?” Eirik asked.

“I suppose a life-saving trick. Anyone can learn,” she said and

shrugged.

“Trick or no, my son lives because of Sky. She is like a second

mother and will watch him when I am busy,” Katla said.

A few of the women groaned.

“Sky can help others when needed, but Katla is right,” Eirik