Viking's Orders (11 page)

“Don’t kill them,” he gritted out to Var, and his second nodded, surging ahead. Leaving the crew alive went against the grain, but these sailors hadn’t realized they were baiting the beast. Likely, they were good men just doing their jobs. Even if he wanted to tear them away from her.
Hurt
them. No. He’d show her he was more than the beast.

His feet hit sand and he raked the beach, looking for her. There, standing, legs apart on the deck of that pitifully small ship. He bared his teeth in a grin. His was
larger
. He’d convince her and she’d come with him. Or he’d take her.

Taking her was good.

He smiled slowly, meanly, and her eyes widened.

Yes. His Pure knew
exactly
how much trouble she was in.

Ignoring the melee on the beach behind him, he stalked towards her. Her four sailors were a truly pitiful match for his Viking crew.

Nice
. He was supposed to court her. Show her just how nice he could be. That had been Var’s advice. If she wanted nice, however, she’d picked the wrong Viking. And pick him she had. She’d gifted him with her virginity, begged him to touch her, and that meant it was far too late now to recant or rethink.

She’d given him a taste, and he was back for more.

###

Vikar was a glorious sight. Wild and powerful and free. And bare. Chest naked, his muscles bulged as he swung his big sword, black hair flying around his face as he stalked towards her. He didn’t even look as he brought the hilt of his sword down on the head of one of her hapless sailors. The man crashed gracelessly to the ground, but Vikar didn’t stop.

No. He just kept right on coming.

Her big, sexy beast. And he
was
a beast. She had to remember that. And yet, when he slapped a hand on her ship’s railing and vaulted easily over the side, all she could remember was what it felt like to touch him. To have those big, hard fingers in her and on her. Mastering her. Pleasuring her.

“You left me,” he growled. The length of the deck between them was suddenly too little space.

She pointed her blade at him. “Yes,” she snapped. “It was part of the job requirement.”

His sword came up, meeting her blade with a loud clash. One battle-scarred hand gripped the leather-wrapped hilt. A gorgeous sword, the pommel and guard all copper and silver wires. The work was strangely delicate. And yet in Vikar’s hands that iron blade could chop a man in two.

He grinned savagely. “You don’t want to fight me.”

“Oh, but I
do
.” She shoved, the edge of her blade sliding past his, and he pushed right back. The shock of that hit tore through her arm. He wasn’t holding back. Wouldn’t go easy on her.
Good
. She’d make him earn his victory.

“I kill things,” he pointed out. “People. Norse gods and other immortals. I’m not particular.”

She didn’t know what to say to that.

“I enjoy fighting,” he continued. “I always did.”

“That’s likely why Loki chose to make you a berserker.”

He nodded and glanced down at the sword in his hands. “Yeah. Likely. But his choice doesn’t change how I’ve spent my life. I’ve spent hundreds of years killing, on the battlefield and off. I didn’t mind, either. If Odin’s looking for a few more fighters for his end-time army, signing up isn’t such a hardship. Especially not if
you’re
the prize.”

Grinning fiercely, he lunged.

For long minutes, they parried, matching blow for blow, until with one last push, his sword pinned hers to the ground. She was human now, and her experience as Odin’s handmaiden was nothing compared to the battles he’d fought and won. No signs of berserker rage appeared on his face. No, when she searched his eyes, she saw only determination and a fierce possessiveness. And a predatory watchfulness. When finally he knocked the blade from her hand, he stalked her back to the ship’s mast, slapping his hands on either side of her head when the wooden post hit her back and she could go no farther.

He was magnificent and he was
hers
.

His mouth found hers, his lips covered her lips, and there was no more thinking. No time for strategy, because all she could do now was
feel
and open up to let him in. His tongue licked and pressed, stroking deeper, as an answering heat built inside her.

He lifted his head. “Admit you’ve been beat, baby.”

“No.”

“Doesn’t matter. I’m taking you.”

She opened her mouth. Closed it.

“You stay with me,” he ordered.

Vikar looked at her, his face demanding, branded with a raw hunger that mirrored the need on her own face. With every hard inch of him pinning her in place, Pure’s belly came alive, and she was wet just remembering how he’d loved her. She didn’t know if he’d been thinking about having sex with her then, but he damned sure was now.

This man wanted her.

Did he know just how much she wanted him? He was miles and miles out of her league. He was all rough brute and determined lover. He shouldn’t have come for her. She’d betrayed him, plain and simple, and he’d warned her what the consequences would be. And yet here he was.

And yet, she wasn’t a trained bitch to heel when he called. Even without the hands-on experience, she knew letting him get the upper hand now would be a mistake.

“This isn’t a game,” she said.

“No. This is war, baby.”

Her heart skipped a beat, an unwelcome fright emotion. Freya’s teeth, she had to learn to control this. “You shouldn’t be here.”

“I’m a Viking. I take what I want.” His eyes narrowed. “Right now, that would be you.”

“You sailed here just to make that point?”

“I have plenty of points to make,” he growled. “I warned you what would happen if you lied to me again.”

He’d promised to heat her backside. Desire uncurled in her belly.

“You came here to fight with me?”

“Fight with you?” His slow smile. “Yes, that too.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Because I wanted to. Because I want you.”

How she wanted those words to be true. “Maybe I’m done wanting you. Move along, Viking.”

He just smiled, damn him. “You do.”

She pushed, because she knew precisely what he meant. “Prove it.”

“Come here.”

She went. It was stupid and foolish and yet felt so good. She wanted this man, this berserker. She should have kept a deck’s length and then some. Instead, she walked right up to him.

“Good girl.” He wrapped his fingers around hers, his hand swallowing up hers. God, the heat of him. The rough calluses on his palms were an erotic friction against her softer skin.

“You left before I could ask you to stay,” he said simply.

“You don’t do
ask
.” That man was all
tell, tell, tell
. They both knew that. That arrogance made him good in bed and devilishly charming. None of which explained why she’d let him pull her up against his chest.

“Like you don’t do
tell
?” He slanted her one of
those
looks. “You should have told me that you were a Valkyrie. You definitely should have mentioned your bargain with Odin. And then you let me take your virginity, knowing that meant you’d no longer be immortal.”

His voice rose on that last sentence. Interesting. “I didn’t want to be immortal anymore.” She shrugged. “Living forever had a price tag I didn’t want to pay. I wanted to be free.”

“I swore to keep you safe. Instead, I ruined your best shield.”

“Sleeping with you was my choice.” Her berserker was more handsome than ever before. He glared at her now, clearly not liking her words. He wanted to keep her safe, and that was a delicious first. “I’m hardly ruined.”

“Not for long.” His arms whipped out, pulling her back against his chest. His mouth brushed her ear.

###

His Pure was gods-damned beautiful thumbing her nose at him on the deck of her ship. Her white-blonde hair poured around her face and shoulders, unconfined. As free as she was now. Her eyes glared at him, daring him to do something.

He’d do something all right.

She’d challenged the wrong Viking.

She spoke the word
ruin
like it was something dirty. Yes, he’d enjoyed ruining her. Taking her virginity and being the first to taste her sweet pleasure. Perhaps that made him a bastard, but truth was truth.

“I’m not ruined,” she repeated stubbornly.

“No?” If she was pleased about their lovemaking, he had a chance. A chance to win her. To
keep
her.

“Absolutely not.” She tugged at his arm where it lay over her breast. He wasn’t going anywhere. Not alone.

“This Viking life of ours isn’t easy.” He slanted her a glance. “Truth is, I’ll always be a berserker. That’s who I am. What I am. But that doesn’t have to be
all
.”

“What else do you want to be?”

“What did you want when you struck your bargain with Odin?”

“To be free. To live. To go after my sister, Eira.”

“And when I struck my bargain with him, I wanted
you
.”

“You said
no emotions
,” she reminded him.

He pressed her body between his and the mast. “I did say that.”

“Are you recanting?” Her question was a breathy moan.

“I am.” When she opened her mouth to protest, he silenced her with a hard kiss. “I’ve come back for everything, Pure. I want all of you. Body, heart and soul.”

“I want to go after my sister,” she said. “I need to find Eira.”

“Whatever I can do,” he vowed. “You have my word. I’ll do it.”

“It may not be safe,” she said. “My sister fell into a dragon’s lair. Fire and brimstone, smoke and one hell of a mouthful of teeth—good times.”

“Anywhere,” he promised and kissed her again. “You come with me now, and I’ll go with you then. We’ll find her if she’s anywhere to be found. You’ll have your sister back.”

Var released the crew member he’d been hammering on and looked over. “I’ll go,” he offered.

She stared at him. “Why? This is not your fight.
Not your sister
.”

“I like fighting.” A feral grin split Var’s face. “And if your sister is at all like you, I’ll enjoy myself.”

An answering smile tugged at her lips as she canted her hips into Vikar’s. “You drive a hard bargain, Viking.”

He grinned. “I wouldn’t want you to think I was easy.”

“Here’s a secret,” she whispered, tugging his head towards hers. “I’d have come with you without any promises at all.”

She dragged his head down into a fierce, raw kiss. Lips pressed to his, she stroked her tongue along the closed seam of his mouth before pushing ruthlessly in.

She drew back. “I want you.”

“Good.” He asked his question before he lost his courage. “Come a-Viking with me, baby?”

She thought for a moment. “I did choose you.”

“True.” Valkyries hand-picked warriors for Odin’s hall. The way he saw it, she’d chosen him for herself. “And I just won our sword fight.” He didn’t bother concealing the satisfaction filling his voice.

“You did not.”

“Did too,” he said amicably. “But we’ll argue that later.”

“Pirate,” she accused.

“Yes,” he agreed cheerfully. “Pirate. Brute. Barbarian. Take your pick. I’ve got treasure, baby.” His lips plundered her throat, her ear.

“Good,” she gasped. “But you’re the greatest treasure of them all.”

“Then I’ll be doing a little more taking here,” he growled. Moving quickly, he tossed her over his shoulder, still a Viking at heart. “Because I’m taking you with me, Pure.”

Twisting in his hold, she brought her face up and kissed him fiercely. “And I’m taking you for my own.”

“You,” he said, carrying her swiftly to his dragonship, “can try, baby. Try all you like.”

Keep reading for an excerpt from
Tempted by the Pack
, the first book in the Blue Moon Brides series.

Once in a blue moon…
For Rafer Breaux, life in the Louisiana Bayou is harsh, violent—and deeply sensual. The Cajun werewolf lives for his Pack and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep his brothers safe. The longer a wolf lives without a mate, the harder it becomes for that wolf to shift back. To remember that he is a man—and not a monster. And those mates can only be found during a blue moon. When a blue moon finally rises, Rafer will need every weapon in his sensual arsenal to tempt one special woman into his arms and the heart of the Pack.

The Pack hunts for mates
Fighting to keep her family farm, Lark Andrews isn’t looking for love. Even if the very sexy Breaux brothers make her dream of hot bayou nights spent in their arms. When the blue moon leads Rafer to her door, however, Rafer has her rethinking her position on all work and no play. Now, the bayou nights are heating up as Rafer fights to convince her, one sensual touch at a time, to give love and passion a chance. But Rafer isn’t a one wolf deal. Is there room in Lark’s heart—and bed—for Rafer and his Pack?

Tempted by the Pack – Excerpt

The man tying up at Lark’s dock was gorgeous. Broad-shouldered, Cajun and dark, he was a giant of a man. God, that was a Breaux for you. There was no missing the impressive erection he sported, either. Apparently she had the same effect on him he had on her. Wet heat blossomed between her legs. His eyes were fierce, an ice grey that melted as he examined her face. For a fleeting moment, he’d looked like a cold-blooded killer and a predator. Now he just looked hungry.

For her.

He wore a pair of faded jeans, but otherwise he was barefoot and bare-chested. He made absolutely no pretense at being civilized, and yet she couldn’t help herself. She breathed in the clean, male scent of him and wanted him on sight. He stood motionless at the end of her dock, where he had tied up his boat, frozen in an almost predatory stillness. As if he wouldn't move until she gave some unspoken signal.

As if he believed she might be afraid of him.

The only thing she feared for right now was her virtue.

His bare chest had her heating right up, and when she dropped her gaze to the denim-covered thighs, she almost went up in flames. Dear God. They grew them hot in the bayou. The sweet flush of arousal sweeping through her was better than any date she’d had with her vibrator.