“Fuck me,” Wregen growls as he tries to stanch the flow of blood from his broken nose. But he’s not angry, the sick fuck. His cock is stretching his pants, and he’s licking bloody lips with the hungriest grin I’ve ever seen on a male. “Oh, the hate fucks we’ll have,” he purrs after a moment. “I could come just thinking about how hard I’m going to take you, how loud you’ll scream, and how fast you’ll come when you finally give in.”
I should have known he’d get off on my fight. “You’re delusional,” I yell, throwing my hands up to ward him off as I back away. “I won’t argue with you about this again. I’m not going anywhere with you. Take Svend,” I add as I glare at the traitorous elf. “Ride that disgusting serpent back to your mistress. Enjoy life in that Hel-hole.”
I turn and spin, ready to stride away when that snake’s tail whips out from the ocean, wrapping around my ankle and tugging me to the water. My stomach slings into my throat, and I swear to all the gods, nearly out through my clenched teeth. Twisting, I scrabble for something to hold onto—some way to fight against the monster dragging me to my doom.
“Breathe before he takes us below, Finaan,” Wregen says as he grabs Svend and shoves him in my direction. “This is a long trip and you’ll suffer more than you should if your lungs are empty.”
“Don’t do this, Wregen,” I shriek, struggling to break free of the serpent’s stranglehold.
I won’t win with either of them, though. Jörmungandr has me, and I’m his until he lets go. I’m a strong elf, but I can’tcompete with the serpent’s raw power. Wregen’s even more intractable. That bastard shakes his head as he wraps his arms around Svend, positioning them at the water’s edge.
“Don’t you dare take me back to her,” I hiss, images of Helheim flipping through my mind as I spin my head searching for anything that might save me from Hel’s clutches. But sand and pebbles dominate the beach here. Like the first time she dragged the elves from our home, nothing stands between me and that bitch.
Wregen puffs out a sigh, drawing my furious glare to him. His eyes are softer than the devil’s ever should be. “It’s done, my skjaldmær,” he murmurs as Jörmungandr’s tail pulls me toward the waiting males. Wregen drags me from the ground, and before I can break free, the serpent wraps the three of us tightly, yanking us into the waves. “I couldn’t prevent this now if I tried,” he tells me. “Breathe deeply, my mate. Don’t make this worse than it has to be.”
When he turns to Svend, his expression shifts, anger contorting his features while his nostrils flare. “You, too,” he murmurs. “Wouldn’t want you to die before I get a chance to kill you myself for betraying Finaan so despicably.”
I bark out a laugh at the narcissistic bastard who demanded the betrayal he’s now condemning. But Wregen isn’t bothered by his own hypocrisy. His drawn brow and scowl at Svend are the last thing I see before I suck in a deep breath and close my eyes. The next second, we’re fully submerged. The water that’s warm at the top, where it basked in the sun’s rays a few hours ago, grows cold more quickly than should be possible.But Jörmungandr’s one of the gods, the child of that trickster Loki, and the impossible is possible with these cruel bastards.
I start counting, trying to calm myself as the reality washes over me, chilling me even more deeply than the water rushing around us. Wregen’s taking me back to her. Memories of my time in Helheim whip through my mind, a never-ending nightmare. The ghouls, with their decaying flesh and open wounds telling the stories of their deaths. Stagnant air circulating in that enclosed space, surrounded by rocks and water, with a handful of caverns and the pit alone permitting any fresh air to breach Hel’s accursed domain.
Worst of all is the dread that every single being wears like a second skin—fear of that bitch and her minions. Especially Wregen. My mate, he claims. Not that I believe him. I refuse to accept that the fates paired me with such a perfidious, self-centered prick.
This time, I’ll be alone. The other elves made Helheim bearable. They became my closest friends, most devoted allies. We grieved together and even found a way to laugh occasionally. I don’t want them to suffer this with me. But a chill more bitter than the surrounding water spills through me as I ponder the centuries I’ll spend in Hel’s embrace without them to help me find some joy in my days.
The air I sucked in lasts fifty-three seconds before I have to struggle not to open my mouth in search of a breath. My eyes are still closed, but I wouldn’t be able to see anything if I opened them. The further we travel, the colder I get, so wemust be going down. The sun can’t reach this place. Nothing’s here but us and the monster ferrying us to his sister.
Still counting, I drag my thoughts away from the burning in my chest and try to focus on my rage at the males shoved up against me. Even that doesn’t last long, though.
Because. I. Need. To. Breathe, gods-dammit.
And as much as I despise the idea of existing in Helheim again, I fear death more.
My chest is screaming at me, and it takes all the focus I can muster to hold on. To not open my mouth and gasp in something, anything. And fuck me, the pressure down here is somehow making it all worse. It feels like a stone slab is resting on every part of my body, pressing down into the rocky ground on the other side. I have no clue how my organs still function, but they do. The heartbeat pounding in my ears tells me my blood still flows. For now.
And then it all shifts. One second, we’re racing to the ocean’s floor and the next … we’re not. Jörmungandr spins, turning us in a different direction, and then flings us up through the water. I slow down and stop, still submerged, convinced this was the plan all along. Hel’s done with all of us, and her brother brought us to a watery grave we’ll never escape.
But Wregen’s arms wrap around me and he starts propelling us somewhere. My body melts into his, finding a comfort in his embrace that I’m too tired to fight and don’t want to consider. For a moment, I don’t move, afraid to open my eyes. Then a whisper inside draws me from my stupor.Live. Look. So I do.
The water around us is bright, as if we’ve emerged on Vanatia’s shores on a sunny day. We’re almost at the surface, and the relief at knowing I’ll survive washes through me, a warm bath soothing a frozen body. I kick my legs weakly, trying to help, but he doesn’t need that. This monster will save me.
I should look for Svend but I can’t bring myself to care. He’ll live or he won’t. He doesn’t matter.
Wregen doesn’t fully let go when we breach the surface, spinning me around to face the cave above us, his arm still wrapped tightly around my waist. I float there, sucking in air, thinking of nothing but how good it feels to breathe.
At last, the fog starts to dissipate from my brain, and I come to my senses. Shoving away from the bastard who stole away my freedom, I spin around and glare at him while my legs struggle to keep me afloat. I don’t know where we are, but it’s not Helheim. I’m not trapped yet.
“I did what I must,” he barks, swimming toward me as I propel myself backwards. “We belong here. Together.”
“The fuck we do,” I spit, twisting toward the closest shore and starting to swim. I glance back once—disappointed to see Svend following Wregen, who’s closer than I’d like—but otherwise ignore those assholes. I need to reach the shore before them. This cave must branch out a zillion ways. I’ll lose them and find my way back to the sun.
I am tired, though. I was barely catching my breath when I broke away from Wregen, and my lungs don’t want to work this hard after being empty for so long. My muscles already arestarting to protest, and I’ve got two dragon’s-lengths or more until I reach the shore.
But I’ll be gods-damned if I’m going to let that bastard catch me. Drawing up the strength that carried me through centuries in Helheim, I push out thoughts of everything except the swim. The feel of my legs kicking as my arms lift from the water and dig in to propel me forward. The inhale and exhale, timed with my strokes to go as far and fast as I can. The cool water rushing past me.
“Finaan,” Wregen yells from behind me, his voice harsh, as if he’s angry at me. “If you make me give chase, I’ll punish you.”
I ignore him, my energy too low to waste on bickering over nothing. Even if I had something to fear, it wouldn’t matter. I’d risk my life, my health, every moment of happiness to stay away from Hel and her minions.
