Chapter Eleven
“IT’S HAPPENING AGAIN,” Raven exclaimed when a dark, ominous cloud seemed to fall over the cave. She shivered and shifted closer to Cian rather than Tor, much to the Viking’s displeasure based on his grumblings. “And it feels closer this time. Almost like it senses not just my little dragon in the memory, but me here and now.”
“Because it does,” Cian granted, allowing Raven another nugget of backstory. “The more you remember, the closer you get to who you’re supposed to be, the more of a threat you become.” He gestured at Tor. “And to get closer to who you are, you must get closer to your mate.” Though she sensed it was the last thing he wanted to do, he moved away. “No one else, despite how safe I might make you feel.”
Tor muttered under his breath that he could keep her far safer but didn’t go on about it. Instead, he withdrew an all-too-familiar blade and shifted closer to her. When she had seen Loki’s Dagger in Trinity’s possession in Maine, it had little effect on her, but now it did, and she couldn’t figure out why. Was it the blade itself? Or because of the man holding it?
All she knew was seeing it hit her so hard she teared up.
“You okay, sis?” Trinity asked, visibly relaxing when the darkness seeking Raven vanished along with the memory.
“I’m fine,” she said dismissively, wiping away an irritating tear. “I just...” More damn tears. “Something about seeing Loki’s Dagger....”
Embarrassed and suddenly so hot she felt like she was burning up, she crouched at the edge of the pond and splashed cold water on her face. What was up with her? She never got weepy. Not even with her mood swings back home. And that said something considering she tended to get severely depressed when she wasn't outright angry. Tor evidently figured out her odd behavior before everyone else based on his sharp inhale and the way he cursed under his breath.
“Ohhh,” came Trinity’s voice before her sister crouched beside her and flinched. “This never happened to you back home, and I always wondered why.” She glanced back at Tor, then gave Raven a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. “Your dragon must have been holding back for your sanity.” She gave a little shrug. “Holding back until you were around your mate, and it might be safe to—”
“What?” she cut her sister off and frowned before it occurred to her what must be happening. She had just gone into heat for the first time. “You’vegotto be kidding me.Seriously?”
She had been around her sisters enough when they were in heat to know this was very bad, given how attracted her dragon was to Tor. How much trouble she had controlling herself when he was too close. Now her body had been thrust into sensual overdrive with a primal need to procreate?Wonderful.Even worse? Based on the hard set of Tor’s features and the way his pupils flared when he looked at her, he wasn’t going to show much willpower if she decided to take him. None at all, she’d bet.
“Why would I?” He sheathed Loki’s Dagger and tossed the wizard a warning look before his attention returned to her. “You belong to me, after all.”
“Belong to you?” she mouthed, then rolled her eyes. “Revna and I both then, I guess.”
Although she knew it was irrational because she was the side of Revna he loved, it made little difference in her current state. If anything, it made her more jealous. Angrier.
“And that would be because your hormones, endorphins, and everything else are raging,” Trinity informed as they stood. “And it’s not much different for Tor being around you.” She winked at Vicar. “Trust me, us being in heat drives our mates crazy. Like supercharges their inner alpha.”
That sounded equal parts ridiculous and intriguing. Ridiculous because dealing with alpha bullshit had never been Raven's strongpoint. Intriguing because some small part of her was curious what Tor would do. How he would go about it. How she would let him. It was as if being in heat had given her permission to bypass how upset she was with him. A get-out-of-morals-free card.
Now she had two reasons to try him out.
First, it would help them learn more. Second, she would sate her blasted lust, right? Yet, despite the go-ahead she was beginning to give herself, she still had trouble imagining letting the jackass between her thighs.
“Then lay with the damn wizard,” Tor grunted, heading down a narrow path beside the pond that ran along the waterfall. Like her, his emotions seemed to be getting the better of him. A tug of war between taking her and shoving her into Cian’s arms. Surprising, really, seeing that minutes before, he had growled at the wizard for touching her.
“He’s just trying to maintain control,”Trinity said telepathically.“Because really, you being in heat is brutal on him.”
“Yet at the same time, he’s wounded,”Vicar kicked in, defending his cousin.“He feels as betrayed by you with Cian as you do by Revna.”He shrugged a shoulder at her before following Tor.“In his case, we know why he did what he did. In yours? Not so much.”
She knew he was right but still. What was she supposed to do? Cian wasn’t about to give anything up, so she had no way to assuage Tor. Not that she would want to. Not really.
“You knew you would go into heat when you came back together with your mate,” Cian said as they headed down the single-file path as well. “And you knew it wouldn’t go well initially.”
She stopped and frowned at him over her shoulder. “How could I have possibly known something like that?”
“You just did,” he replied in his typical vague fashion. “You wanted me to tell you to be patient with Tor.” He hesitated, then went on. “And that you should forgive him.” His gaze grew serious. “It was the most important thing you could do.”
“So I knew I would possess Revna.” She turned back and crossed her arms over her chest, ignoring the icy mist coming off the waterfall. If anything, it soothed her flaming skin. “That’s what you’re saying. I knew I would possess her to get closer to Tor?” She frowned. “How could I have possibly known I would go into heat, though? Unless...”
She trailed off when it became crystal clear.
“Unless you made sure you didn’t until now,” he finished for her. “Unless you used magic to ensure you would never be tempted by another.”
“Because it would drag my vibration too low,” she concluded but felt deep down there was more. Far more. “Did I...” She narrowed her eyes at him as the unbelievable truth hit her. “Did I magicallysavemyself for Tor?” She snorted. “Because hell, if I did, it was more than a little risky possessing Revna.”
Cian offered no response, but he didn’t need to. She was right. And she had absolutely no idea what to make of it other than she must have been head over heels for Tor. Like tripping over heels simpering at his feet smitten because damn,shecursed herself with virginity? She glanced down the path at his brooding self getting further and further away. What kind of superpower did he have to make a girl dothat?One I look forward to discoveringher lusty inner voice whispered before she pushed it back down.
