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With less than ten minutes to spare, the five of us are gathered in my quarters. No one says a word as we wait for Kára and the other Valkyries to arrive, but I know our thoughts are likely very similar.
What in the fuck is Odin getting us into?
6
Makayla
“You must come with me.”
Wildly shaking my head, I stretch an arm out in front of me to keep some distance between me and the woman who appeared out of nowhere. One minute two Vikings were holding me down while a third assaulted me and the next, they disappeared.
My heart had been hammering against my ribcage, but now… nothing.
Odd.
“Where’s my husband?” I shriek, frantically searching my surroundings for him.
“His whereabouts do not matter right now,” the woman states calmly.
A little too calmly.
“Of course, they matter.” When she stops trying to move closer to me, I lower my arm.
“And you shall have him. But not here, not now.”
A shock registers in my chest, as if I’ve been struck by lightning, and my body becomes weightless. The bright light around me dims, and arms wrap around me. I try to struggle, but it’s useless. Even though I’m not being held tight, I have no strength to fight the woman off.
“It’s all going to be okay,” she croons, but her voice sounds far away. “You’ll see, M—”
I bolt upright, sweat soaking my t-shirt and causing it to stick to my skin. After kicking my legs free from the sheets, I swing them over the edge of the mattress and stand. Adrenaline courses through my veins, and my heartbeat throbs in my ears. Pain radiates through my body, and my arms ache in the same spot where the woman in my dream was being held by evil men.
Bile rises up the back of my throat, and I race for the bathroom.
I’m on my knees in front of the toilet just in the knick of time. As I wretch the contents of my stomach, I can’t help but wonder why the dream I’ve had for years has suddenly turned into a nightmare.
When the heaving subsides, I scoot toward the vanity and grab a hold of the edge to pull myself to my feet. I turn on the cold water before splashing some on my face and try to shake off the dregs of sleep. Once I feel somewhat normal, I return to my bed and crawl under the covers.
For the next several hours, I toss and turn, unable to find any sense of rest. As the sun peeks through the blinds, I quit trying. I get out of bed and make my way to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. After the night I’ve had, I’m gonna need it.
I guzzle a sufficient amount of caffeine and then take a quick shower. I have class and a shift at the library, not to mention the mountain of research I need to pour through for my thesis.
As soon as I step outside, a cold breeze whips my hair, and I lower my head against the wind. I rush to the car and climb into the driver’s seat, and it’s not until I straighten and turn the key in the ignition that I notice the piece of white paper tucked under my windshield wiper.
I roll down the window and stretch to grab it, shivering as I do. The paper is folded in half and when I open it, I frown.
You’ll regret this.
Twisting in my seat, I search for someone who could have left the note. It’s not signed, and the three simple words don’t give me any indication as to the author. There isn’t anyone around, suspicious or otherwise, so I decide that whoever left it obviously got the wrong car. I crumple it up and toss it on the passenger side floor.
“People are stupid,” I mutter as I back out of the driveway.
The drive to campus is short, and traffic is minimal. Once I reach my class, I take one of the front seats and wait for the lecture to begin. There are twenty-five of us in my particular program, and all are in this session.
“You working later today, Mak?”
I turn to face Jeff as he slips into the chair next to me. “How many times do I have to tell you, it’s—”
“Makayla,” he mutters. “Yeah, yeah.”
