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Chapter Fifteen
Erik
“Steal the dagger?” I echo.
“Do you have a problem with that?” Astrid asks, lifting her chin and pursing her lips. Her eyes flash with fire.
“Not at all.” I shrug. “After all, dragons are known for stealing treasure.”
A grin splits my face, and Astrid smiles, too. It’s a dangerous smile. Not because she’s trying to beguile me. But everything she does sends a spike of desire through my heart. It hasn’t even been two hours and I already feel the boundaries of my resolve weakening. What is it about her that drives me so wild?
Obviously, there’s the Kára thing. But it’s not just that. Astrid is her own woman, unique and alluring. The feel of her magic. Her love of books. Her fierce independence and strength. She’s a warrior in her soul, a warrior and a witch both, and she speaks to my dragon in a way no one else has before.
“Where’s the meeting hall located?” I ask. “And how many witches are usually there?”
“It’s located on the shore of a lake about ten miles from here. Usually only a couple witches, they keep the hall open for visitors.”
“That should be a piece of cake, then,” I say. “Obviously we won’t harm them, but I can cause a distraction while you put them under a sleeping spell or something. If they don’t see you, that’ll be even better.”
Astrid’s expression grows even more fierce. “I don’t care if they do or don’t. I have to get back to Lilli, and this is my path to that.”
“Not to mention helping a whole lot of other people,” I add. “If we can separate Light and Darkness again, that will help not only you but so many others around the world.”
Astrid looks at the other books strewn across the stone table. “I guess I’ll need to leave these here until I can come back and retrieve them. Too many to keep lugging around.”
Her obvious anxiety at leaving the texts is endearing. “You’ll be able to come back soon. After all this is over.”
She nods slowly. “I hope so.”
The candlelight plays over her face, and she worries her bottom lip between her teeth like she had a few minutes ago. It’s wildly sexy, and she doesn’t even realize it. She’s still sitting on the edge of the table, and I want nothing more than to tug off her pants and thrust into her, over and over. Feel her legs wrapped around me, see the stretch of her pale skin as she lays back on the stone. I’m growing hard just thinking about it.
I take a step toward her, even though I know I shouldn’t. I just can’t help myself with her. Every bit of logic in my head, every rule, every bit of professionalism just flies away when I’m this close to Astrid.
“I won’t stop fighting for you until this is over,” I say, leaning against the table, one hand on each side of Astrid. “No matter how long it takes. You’ll be reunited with Lilli, and your books. I promise.”
A shiver moves over her, even though her heat spell is still warming the cavern nicely. The way she’s sitting on the table, her thighs brush up against mine where I stand in between her spread legs. Just that barest of touches feels like a storm sparking between us. She’s still holding the book tightly to her chest. In my head, I take it from her hands, set it down on the table, and kiss slowly down the side of her neck…
No. I force myself to lean back. I can control myself. I have to.
“Thank you,” Astrid says softly.
She reaches out and places her hand over mine where it rests on the stone table. The moment our skin touches, she goes stiff as a board and her eyes glow golden. She stares right at me, but it’s clear from the distance in her gaze that she’s not seeing me. She’s seeing something else.
“Astrid?” I ask, trying to keep the panic out of my voice.
There’s no response. She’s dead still, her whole body rigid, not a muscle moving. Even her chest is still, it doesn’t rise or fall to draw in breath. The glow in her eyes intensifies, as if the sun lives inside them. Magic sparks from her fingertips where they touch my wrist.
Then her eyes flare and magic pulses out. A golden glow encompasses her, an aura, and something rises up behind her. Two things, unfurling and spreading wide on each side of her, made of the same golden light.
Wings.
The wings of a Valkyrie.
I stare in shock and wonder, and then Astrid’s body jerks and she gasps, sucking in a sharp breath. Her body slumps forward and the light vanishes. I catch her before she can fall off the table, my arms around her, holding her up.
“Are you okay?” My heart races, and I’m still in disbelief at what I just saw.
Astrid stares up at me, and this time, her eyes lock firmly on mine. A tremble runs through her. Then she drops her gaze and shakes her head back and forth. The quiver running through her body intensifies.
