Witch Bound (Twilight of the Gods) (18 page)

Understanding brightened Grace’s eyes followed by a shadow of uneasiness. To Aiden, she said, “He showed the bridge unraveling, but it started with one thread and there were far fewer threads binding it to the Asgard side than ours. Can it be so weak?”

Aiden looked to Raquel for an answer, but she had none to give. She hoped that wasn’t true, hoped the Vanir witch was only trying to scare them off. She was powerful, but no Æsir living or dead was powerful enough to fix Asbrú.

* * *

Fen watched Raquel leave with Rane. He didn’t even have to push aside the lacy curtains Grace had hung in the front window to do it. He wondered if that’s why she’d picked the lace. Grace liked to know what was going on around her at all times. It had something to do with the things she’d seen in her job as a private investigator but more to do with the way she’d grown up, he thought.

She came to stand next to him now and wrapped her arm around his waist. There was a time not long ago when Grace had flinched every time someone touched her. Aiden seemed to have cured her of that. Fen resisted the urge to curl into her for comfort. He wasn’t a little boy, and there were still a few of his men wandering around the house. And Aiden...well, he was already pissed off that Fen had challenged his decision.

He looked down into Grace’s upturned face. “Didn’t see this one coming did you.”

“Nope,” she said. “And I’m a Verthandi not Skuld. There’s a difference. I can’t see the future.”

“So you keep telling me. Are you sure you didn’t just keep this one to yourself for the entertainment value of watching it knock me off my feet?”

Her brown eyes lit. “She knocked you off your feet?”

“Like a jötunn taking down a toddler. There was nothing pleasant about it, so you can wipe that goofy romantic grin right off your face.”

Her smile widened and she hugged him tighter before letting him go. “Maybe the pleasant part will come later.”

“Brat,” he said without heat. “There’s not going to be a later. Christian—”

“Christian never loved her. He came to talk to Aiden last night about the possibility of reworking the contract. He seemed...frustrated by the mess of it, but he wasn’t heartbroken. You’re the hot mess...and Raquel doesn’t look like she’s been sleeping either.”

Raquel’s car bumped down the driveway that would need to be regraded in the spring, and Fen turned away from the window. “She would be happier with Christian than she would be with me.” Grace opened her mouth to object, but he held up his hand. Grace hadn’t been raised clan and didn’t see all of the possible complications. “How many happy hound relationships have you seen?”

“Your parents.”

He shook his head. Everyone held them up as an example. “You didn’t see it from the inside.”

“That doesn’t mean it would be the same for you. I might not have been raised clan, but Raquel was. Trust her to know what she’s getting herself into.”

He smiled then because he couldn’t help it. She didn’t understand Rocky at all. “She leaps into trouble with both feet. You saw her face right after she crossed over, all starry-eyed and drooling when she saw Christian.”

“But she figured it out soon enough.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “And the runes on her leg?”

“Everyone makes mistakes, Fen.”

He grabbed his jacket off the back of the chair. “I know that. I just don’t want to be one of them.” He dropped a kiss to her forehead and headed for the door. “Stop worrying about me.”

“Fen,” she called out and he turned. “What happened with Carly?”

Of course, Grace would know about that. By now, everyone in town probably knew what a pathetic fool he was. And they didn’t even know the worst of it. Gods willing, no one ever would.

“Nothing happened. Nothing at all.”

* * *

It had been Audrey’s idea to come out to the scenic overlook to break the news to their mother. Five miles outside of town. A steep drop. Total isolation. Raquel arched one brow at her sister. “Nice place to dispose of the body.”

Audrey smiled enigmatically and leaned against the hip-high stone wall. “I didn’t know about this either, Mom. Not until this morning.”

Raquel shook her head and turned to look at her mother’s retreating back. On impulse, she spun back to the cliff and shouted into the gorge. It wasn’t nearly as satisfying as she’d hoped. The sound echoed, empty and hollow, before merging with the dull rumble of thunder. Audrey glanced nervously at the sky. Raquel followed her gaze and swore under her breath. Storm clouds roiled directly over their heads. Black and ominous, maybe they would have passed for normal during the summer. No way would that pass for normal in November.

Lightning sliced down and she could feel the impact below her feet. “Mom.”

“I’m going to call your father.” She stormed off toward the car.

“You’re lucky she didn’t hit you with that one.” Audrey smirked. “Æsir or no, that would have stung.”

“She’s not going to let this go easily, is she?”

Audrey tipped her head to one side. “You sound surprised. She’s only been planning this wedding for the last twenty-five years.”

“I don’t care about the wedding.” Raquel sounded childish and bitter even to her own ears.

“But she does. Dad will talk her down. You should have called him first. He would be here within the hour if the full moon wasn’t tomorrow.”

“Well, that’s something.”

“This is about Fen, isn’t it?” The frown on Audrey’s face was more confusion than concern.

Raquel pushed away from the wall and brushed the sandy grit from her palms. “Yeah, it’s about Fen. Not his fault or anything. He just made me realize I couldn’t go through with marrying Christian.”

“You should have told her we were just swapping out the grooms,” Audrey said. “Sure, she’s a little in love with Christian herself but if she at least gets to have her wedding, she might not blow anything up.”

The black clouds were slowly dispersing, like ink dropped into clear water. Raquel wondered what the news would make of it. Iowa weather seemed...odd. Possibly the locals wouldn’t even blink.

“Fen doesn’t want me.”

Audrey made a dismissive sound. “You’re wrong about that. He’s one great big furry ball of wanting you.”

“And you know this how?”

“I’ve spent time with the two of you. I figured you didn’t want to deal with the complications of bonding a hound or that you liked Christian more
or
that you were going to do your normal thing and go along with what everyone wanted you to do. It’s cool, you know, you tearing up the contract and going after what you want. Crazy in a berserker sort of way, but cool.” Audrey squinted into the sun and grinned. “Are you going to toss Fen over your shoulder and chain him to your bed?”

Raquel rolled her eyes. “I’m letting him make up his mind.”

Audrey was silent for several moments. A bald eagle dropped from its high perch in the tree across the river and dove toward the water, bringing up a struggling fish. The enormous bird beat its wings to gain altitude and then drifted in a gentle arc toward the tree line again.

“What does Fen say about all this?”

“That he never wanted a mate.”

“Some hounds don’t. You’re asking a lot from him. You’re asking him for everything.”

Raquel shoved her hands in her pockets. “He says he doesn’t want to get between me and Christian, but I think you’re right. He’s scared.”

“Well, you did almost destroy his town.”

“Shut up.” She grinned. “He doesn’t like change.”

“No hound ever does.”

“He doesn’t want to have kids. And...” Audrey waited, patient, attentive, concerned. Raquel sighed. “And he hasn’t said this, but I think he’s worried I’ll decide in a few years that I picked the wrong man.”

Her sister’s eyes narrowed. “You’ve only known each other a few weeks. Is it a possibility?”

“No,” Raquel said softly. “I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life.”

Chapter Nineteen

They gathered at Aiden’s house at four on the night of the full moon. The diner had sent over a few trays of lasagna, garlic bread and salad along with every sort of pie they made. When the riders went to prepare the horses, Raquel offered to help Grace clean up the mess because she couldn’t sit still and do nothing but worry.

“You don’t have to help with this. I can take care of it after...” Grace frowned at the bubbles in the sink. “I hate that he’s going without me.”

Raquel dropped a handful of forks into the soapy water. “You
want
to go?”

“No one in their right mind wants to go. But if he has to cross into Asgard, I’d like to be there too. I haven’t been training for very long with the sword.” She shrugged. “The gun has always been my weapon of choice.”

Guns were like engines, unreliable during a surge. And nonnative metals often didn’t come out the other side of a portal in the same shape they entered.

Grace gripped the edge of the counter, head bowed. “I’m sorry. I hate this. I wish...”

For one alarming moment, Raquel thought she was going to start crying. Raquel liked Grace well enough—what she knew of her—but she barely had the strength to keep her own nerves in check right now, let alone try to soothe someone else’s. But Grace didn’t cry. Her hands balled into fists and she scowled at the dishes. There was a slight tremor in her shoulders. This was worse, watching her try to swallow all her emotions.

Hesitantly, Raquel put her hand on Grace’s back. When Grace took a squeaky breath, Raquel took a step closer. Aiden walked into the kitchen just as she was wrapping her arms around his wife. He paused in the doorway before stepping forward.

“Your husband looks jealous,” she whispered into Grace’s hair. “He’s not going to drag me outside for this, is he?”

“I’ll protect you if he does.”

“Maybe between the two of us we can take him.”

Aiden grunted. “I might risk it, but I’m pretty sure both Christian and Fen would take your side.” He drew Grace into his arms and nodded at Raquel. For once, there was a touch of real warmth in his eyes. “I’ve got this. Thank you.”

Raquel dropped her hand towel onto the counter and left them alone. The twins were playing UNO with Hallie on the living room floor. A dog sprawled beside them, head on his paws, watching the fall of the cards with interest. For a split second, Raquel wondered where the hell the dog had come from until she realized it was one of the hounds, already changed.

Not Fen. This one was smaller and dark brown rather than midnight black. She waved when Rane looked up and then fled upstairs to the only bathroom in the house. If she’d actually managed to eat anything at dinner, she’d probably throw it up now. She didn’t really have to use the bathroom. She just needed a minute to herself. Her hands shook as she closed the door and leaned against it.

She hadn’t been in there long—she didn’t think she’d been in there long—before there was a knock on the door. Opening her eyes, she breathed a curse.

“Just a minute,” Raquel called out as she washed her hands to cover up the fact that she was in there hiding like a coward.

She flung open the door and froze when she saw who it was. Fen. One hand resting on the doorframe, dark head bent.

He looked up when she sucked in a mouthful of air. “Can I come in?”

Stepping back, she sat on the closed toilet seat as he shut the door.

“Are you okay?”

“Great.” She might die tonight. She’d destroyed every plan she had for her future. The man she’d fallen hopelessly, desperately in love with had rejected her. Twice. “I’ll be fine.”

He shoved his hands into his pockets and leaned against the wall opposite her. “You know, for two people who just met, we spend a lot of time in the bathroom together.”

Despite everything, he still had the power to make her smile. “This one wasn’t my doing. I was innocently using the bathroom when you came along.”

“You were hiding,” he said. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

“Is that why you tracked me down? You don’t have to smother me, Fen. I get plenty of that.”

“Is your mom giving you trouble...Christian?”

She glanced at the door and thought about skipping this conversation, not sure her nerves could take it. But then she thought about all the people waiting downstairs, remembered Grace in Aiden’s arms. Fen stood as far away from her as he could get in this small space, but he was here. Her friend despite the fact she’d done nothing but complicate his life.

She sighed. “They’re fine. Neither of them wants me to do this.”

Fen frowned at the tips of his boots. “I have a right to watch out for you too.”

“As a clan member.”

He raised his head and something about the look in his eyes locked her in place. A hard look. No hint of humor there. Just a deep and raw hunger she felt like an ache in her bones.

“More than that, Rocky. You know that.”

“A friend.”

He stared and seemed to struggle with himself for a moment before pushing off the wall. One step brought him within reach, another and he did touch her, sliding his fingers along her jaw to lift her face. She closed her eyes, absorbing every second of that touch, wrapping it up in memory and making it a part of her.

He waited for her to open her eyes, then stared at her for a moment longer.

The corners of his mouth were pulled tight. He really had a beautiful mouth for a man—wide and expressive. His lips thin but fascinatingly mobile. Tension trembled in the hand that cupped her face, but his touch was careful, almost reverent.

“You really have no idea, do you?” His voice was husky. “I thought for sure that you would know.”

“Know what?”

He swallowed, the muscles in his neck flexing with the movement. “I barely understood what sex meant when I swore it off. It hasn’t been easy to keep that promise. It was never easy. But I never doubted it was the right thing to do.”

“Until you suddenly decide to bond to a woman you don’t even like?”

“I like Carly.”

She flinched as if struck.

“That’s not what—” Fen swore and leaned down to grab her hand. “Come here.”

“Fen...I can’t do this right now. It hurts.”

“I know. Believe me, I know it.” He straightened, pulling her up with him. When his arms settled around her, she stiffened. She wanted this so badly. But her world was falling apart right now and she couldn’t handle another blow. Pressing his cheek to her hair, he whispered, “Let me hold you, Rocky. Please. I just want to hold you for a minute.”

How could she say no to that?

A shudder ran the length of her body, and she let him draw her in. His legs were parted and she stood between them, her hips snug to his, her head resting on his shoulder, lips pressed to the side of his neck. He’d showered before coming. His skin smelled strongly of the soap he used, the fabric softener on his T-shirt, Fen. She could feel his warmth seep into her where they touched, feel the strength in his lean, hard body.

“This okay?”

Okay? Nothing...
nothing
had every felt so deeply, perfectly right. When she wrapped her arms around his waist, he sighed and touched his lips to her temple.

“I’m doing a crap job of this. When we get back, we need to talk.” She held her breath, waiting for him to continue. “About you upending my life and shaking out all the pieces. About exactly how the mating bond works.”

He wasn’t making any promises, she noticed, but hope filled her anyway, as powerful as the flow of magic passing through the fault. “We can talk now.”

“Not now. It’s almost time to go.” Placing him thumb beneath her jaw, he tipped back her head. His eyes fairly glowed. “I need you to do something for me. Don’t take any chances while we’re over there. You listen to Christian, and to Aiden.” The arm around her waist tightened. “You make it back. Okay, Rocky?”

She swallowed past the lump in throat. “Same goes for you.”

He touched his forehead to hers and closed his eyes. She thought he meant to kiss her. And—
oh gods
—did she want that kiss. Warmth slid down her spine. Her whole body tingled in expectation. He seemed to brace himself, but instead of kissing her, he let out a shaky breath. Then he let her go. She didn’t immediately release him, but Fen backed away slowly, as if every muscle had gone stiff.

“They’re bringing the horses around now. You’re sure you want to do this?”

“I’d rather finish this talk.”

A touch of amusement in his eyes, but the smile there didn’t reach the rest of his face. Reaching past her, he opened the door. “Make it back and we’ll do that.”

* * *

Christian touched her knee. “Comfortable?”

“Sure.” She adjusted her foot in the stirrup and after trying and failing to figure out what else to do with her arms, she wrapped them around his waist.

He stiffened and then let out a short laugh as he relaxed. “You know, when I used to imagine this kind of thing, I always thought you’d be more enthusiastic.”

“Yeah?”

“And naked.”

“On a horse?”

“You lost your right to criticize my fantasy life.” She slapped his stomach, but her position didn’t allow her to do any real damage. He rubbed her arm. “As much as I enjoy this, I’d rather not die before we leave the yard.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Fen’s already shifted and I’ve seen him give demons kinder looks than the one he’s giving me now. What exactly happened upstairs?”

She loosed her hold on Christian’s waist and tried to see over his shoulder. His stiff leather armor made him even bulkier than normal and she couldn’t see a thing.

“He wants to talk when we get back.” For a minute she’d thought Fen might kiss her, but he hadn’t. “He tried to talk me out of coming again.”

“Huh.” Christian drew in a breath as if he might say more, but she was pretty sure he changed direction at the last minute. “I’ll get you back safely. Here.” He took her hand and moved it. “Aiden had this saddle designed when Grace rode with us to find Hallie. There are handholds so you don’t get in the way of me using the sword.”

“I don’t like feeling helpless.”

“You’re a witch,” he countered. “A good one. You’ll never be helpless. I’ll take care of the demons. You worry about getting the Vanir free. Deal?”

“Yeah.”

Aiden lifted Hallie into a bear hug and then kissed Grace one last time before mounting his big, black horse. Christian’s was a dappled gray that seemed silver in the quickly fading light.

Aiden held up his hand, half goodbye, half signal, and they moved toward the woods.

The days were short this time of year and the sun set quickly, sinking like a pebble in a pond. Raquel could almost see the shadows moving, spreading from the trees to slip over the fields. Reaching toward them like long black fingers. Frost crunched beneath the horses hooves but otherwise the hunt was silent. It was weird being with them. Ever since she was a little girl, she’d watched her father ride out at least twice a month to make sure no demons slipped through into their town. She’d always understood that he risked his life to keep her and all of the Æsir in his care safe. But she’d only ridden with them once, on her own horse, when Kathy convinced her father that a clan witch needed to know exactly what the hunt did. He’d planted her as far away from the fault as he could manage, stationing half the hounds and two huntsmen around her.

And it had still been terrifying.

The speed with which the demons moved. The ferocity of the riders. The blaze of Skimstrok and the black darts that were the hounds. And the magic, more powerful than anything she’d been exposed to, raw and bleeding from Asgard into this world. The riders were people she’d known all her life, but that night had been a revelation.

She’d understood why Kathy insisted she go. Raquel had asked to accompany the hunt a second time to try to make sense of the magic, all those small interactions. It was like an incredibly complex symphony and experiencing it once hadn’t been enough. Despite her fear, she’d wanted to witness that horrible perfect beauty again in an attempt to grasp the how of it.

Seeing the hunt in action had also made her aware of all they had lost. An ancestor of hers had cast the spell that made it possible. She could barely comprehend the complexity of the spellcraft, let alone hope to recreate something similar. Instead of giving her some insight to enable her to reach her magic, it had only made her more wary than ever—and she was not by nature a particularly humble or cautious person.

The harsh caw from a crow caused her to jump and Christian touched her knee. “Steady. It’s Rane letting us know she’s reached the portal and that the way is clear. A couple months ago, it split early and we ran right into a pair of demons heading toward Alan’s house. Elin saw them a few seconds before I jumped the ditch they were hiding in. She saved my life. Aiden’s had the crows scouting the area early and thoroughly before we ride, especially with the fault so unstable.”

That thought distracted her temporarily and she grabbed onto it. “Christian? What’s between you and Elin? Without the contract in your way, maybe you can be together.”

She felt his sigh more than heard it. He dropped back a bit and the deepening darkness gave them the illusion of privacy. The frost on the ground glinted, making it seem as if they passed through a field of stars. It crackled beneath the horse’s hooves as they rode. Christian’s voice lowered even further though they’d barely been speaking above a whisper. “Did Fen tell you that? That’s not why—”

“No,” she said. “That’s not the reason I can’t marry you. You know this isn’t right either or you would have been more upset about me breaking it off. I didn’t even get a sniffle.”

“Maybe I’m crying on the inside. Is this you trying to ease your conscience?”

“Do I need to?”

He gave a long-suffering sigh. “If I say yes, do you go back to being too scared to talk to me?”

“I was never scared.”

“Good.”

“Elin?” She prodded gently when he fell silent.

“Elin’s in love with a man who’s been dead nearly a century. She’s no more
in love
with me than I am with her, though I do love her dearly.”