Page 11 of Bats Out of Hell (Vikings Rock #1)

A strid snarled and banged her shield, as though confirming Haakon’s threatening words. Orm tossed his dagger into the air, let it spin three times, then caught it neatly. Gunner growled and Egil, Ivar, and Knud followed suit and bared their teeth.

Haakon looked around the crowded room. A sea of faces was turned to him and each held fear in their eyes.

Good. If they were scared, intimidated, then perhaps blood wouldn’t be shed.

“Kenna is my daughter,” Noah said. “ I decide who she marries.”

“Then you should decide upon me.” Haakon banged his fist on his chest, letting the name Kenna settle there. It was a beautiful name and one he’d waited his whole life to hear. “Because if you do, I will not kill you and your people.”

Noah’s mouth hung open as he stared first at Kenna and then the other old man someone had called Olaf.

“You said you would come in peace,” Olaf said, as though speaking for his leader. “And now you wish to pleasure yourself with our toisech ’s only daughter?”

“I wish to marry this woman, Kenna, daughter of Noah MacCallum. Ja .” He paused. “If I sought only pleasure, I would take her out to a barn right now, tear off her pants, and satisfy myself as though she were nothing but a mead wench.” Though that idea wasn’t totally unappealing. Kenna smelled nice, like flowers—lavender, perhaps. A stark contrast to how he smelled, Haakon knew that.

“Get off me, you big, ugly brute.” Kenna shoved at him, pushing him hard in the ribs with the heels of her hands.

He didn’t budge. “I dare say you think I am as ugly as I think you are beautiful.”

“Do not speak of me that way. I don’t want to be your wife.” Her nose wrinkled, confirming his smell was distasteful.

“But I am the new… What do you call it? Ah, yes, toisech . I am the new toisech , so you will obey me,” Haakon said.

“I will obey my father.” Again, she twisted. “He is the village leader. Not you.”

Haakon held her tightly. She wasn’t going anywhere.

“And she is my sister.” The young man who had hair the color of Astrid’s stepped up to Haakon. His eyes flashed with daring and his pale, freckled cheeks had flushed pink—the same way Astrid’s did when she was really angry about something. “I demand you let her go.”

“I will let her go when it is agreed that we will wed.”

“‘Wed’? ‘ Agreed ’?” Kenna glared up at him. “Are you mad?”

“Probably.” Oh, she was so pretty—her features petite and perfect, her mouth so kissable and her eyes brimmed with every emotion he wanted to learn more about. “But being mad means nothing can stop me from getting what I want. It means I am very determined.” He leaned closer and spoke against her ear. “And I want you. Have from the moment you touched me on the beach. Do you remember that? Do you remember how you touched me and brought me back to life?”

She gasped and pulled away again.

This time, he let her stand free. He placed his hands on his hips and looked around the room. “So it is decided. My friends and I are staying in Tillicoulty, it is ours now, but because we are benevolent, kind men…” He pressed his hand to his chest and inclined his head. “We are not interested in killing—at this moment in time at least—instead, we wish to integrate. To marry your women, farm your fertile land, and learn your skills.”

Orm swung his arm around, pointing at everyone. “We wish to suck your knowledge from your brains.” He laughed wildly. “And we wish to have our cocks sucked too.” He made wild, swinging movements with his hips. “Oh, ja , baby!”

There were several gasps and a few women shrank deeper into the shadows.

Haakon wasn’t sure if the villagers were more scared of him or Orm. His younger brother was more manic than usual today and with his wild hair and the charcoal on his face, he could have come straight from an underworld party with Loki.

“Father.” Kenna made a cross shape on her chest. “Please, you can’t let this brute become my husband.”

Noah was quiet.

As were the other village elders.

“Father,” Hamish said. “You can’t really—”

“It is not going to happen,” a young man with curly, dark hair said sharply as he withdrew his dagger. “I will not let it.”

Haakon studied him. He was of average height. Had all of his teeth, though his nose looked as though it had been broken a couple of times. He was broad and strong, no doubt a decent hunter and with an eye for a bow and arrow. He also concluded that this man had affections for his wife-to-be.

Which made him an enemy amongst enemies.

“And who is going to stop it happening?” Haakon stepped up to him. “You?”

“Aye. I am Bryce O’Blaine of Tillicoulty. I will not let you marry Kenna.”

“And why is that?” He paused. “Because you want to?”

Bryce’s eyes darted to Kenna and his mouth opened. He didn’t speak.

In that moment, Haakon knew that indeed, Bryce O’Blaine was in love with his bride. He chuckled. “Look at her all you want, boy, but she’s mine now.”

“No, I won’t have it.” Suddenly, Bryce lunged at Haakon with his blade.

Haakon dropped his body weight and sliced his forearm to the side, knocking Bryce’s attack to the left and sending the dagger skittering over the floor. It came to a halt beside a barrel. He reached out and caught the young man around the throat, squeezing his fingers until he could feel his windpipe.

Bryce gasped and flailed his arms, going up onto his toes.

“I should kill you,” Haakon snarled. “As warning to anyone else here who tries to stop me from getting what I want.”

“Please, don’t hurt my friend.” Kenna was suddenly at his side, her small, warm hands curled over his tense forearm. “He is showing loyalty, that is all, and loyalty is not to be punished.”

Haakon relaxed his grip. “Loyalty to whom?”

“To me, to the village, to his people. It is a good trait.” She tugged. “He will not cause any more trouble.”

“Is that right?” Haakon dragged his attention from Kenna’s mouth and the way it moved as she spoke. “He won’t cause any more trouble?” He studied Bryce, who had gone quite red and whose eyes bulged.

“Please. I beg you,” Kenna said frantically.

Haakon released Bryce and pushed him away.

He stumbled backward and knocked into a barrel. Two villagers rushed to support him.

“I don’t want to hurt anyone,” Haakon said, stomping to the table and retrieving his ale. “I wish to live peacefully on the path of my destiny. Do not stop me from doing that.”

“Please,” Noah said. “Let us continue our negotiating tomorrow. You are tired from a long journey and the night is drawing in. Stay here, in our Great House, and rest, eat, and drink. Tomorrow, we will speak again.”

“ Ja , we will.” Haakon sat. “There is much to discuss, except for one thing.” He used his mug to point at Kenna. “I’m marrying her. Tomorrow. Before the light leaves the day, we will be man and wife and I will take the head of anyone who steps in my way.”

“A wedding, such fun.” Orm hopped onto a straw bale, his drink in hand. “Now leave, everyone. We wish to get our beauty sleep.” He flicked his free hand toward the door. “And so do you.” He cackled and pointed at Bryce. “Especially you, for you fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down.”

“Why, you…” Bryce cleared his throat and stepped forward, hand on his dagger handle.

Hamish gripped him. “He’s not worth it. Leave it.”

But Orm wasn’t listening. He was at the barrel pouring ale and he had half a fish tail hanging out of his mouth. Not a care in the world, apparently.

Haakon sought out Kenna. She was with her father now as the anxious crowd moved with haste to the door.

She turned and glared over her shoulder at him, then lifted a small cross that hung around her neck and kissed it.

What did that mean? That she wanted to kiss him? That she was kissing her god?

He didn’t know, but tomorrow, he would start asking her all the questions until he knew everything and had nothing left to unpick about her.

“You really want to marry that foreign woman?” Astrid said with a frown as Kenna disappeared from view.

“ Ja , I do.”

“Why?”

He sat. “Haven’t you seen her? She’s fucking beautiful.” He closed his eyes, picturing her face again. “So beautiful.”

“I guess, for a Lothlend woman, she has a certain prettiness.” Astrid shrugged. “Bet she can’t fight, though. No shield-maidens here.”

He opened his eyes and frowned. “She doesn’t need to be able to fight.” A surge of protectiveness came over him. “Not now I have arrived. I will ensure nothing ever harms her. Not one hair on her head.”

“Fuck, you’ve got it bad, brother.” Astrid frowned at him, a hint of confusion, or maybe disbelief, in her eyes. “Freya has rolled your destiny hard and fast.”

“Didn’t you say, when you read my rune stones, that the symbol of Ingwaz meant fertility?”

“ Ja , brother.”

“Well, don’t you see?” He grinned suddenly and cupped his cock over his pants. “I have found the mother of my children. It is about time I started producing heirs to take over my new kingdom.”

Astrid raised her eyebrows. “I am not sure how pleased she is going to be about your plan. She seemed particularly unamused by the prospect of being your wife. Do you really want a woman who is unwilling?”

“I will win her around.”

“Ha,” Orm said, slapping Haakon on the back. “She looked at you with daggers in her eyes. I am surprised you are not bleeding all over.”

“ Ja , watch your cock. She’ll bite it off,” Gunner said with a laugh.

Haakon frowned at him. “She’ll be wet as spring rain and as willing as my most faithful horse by the time I have seduced her.”

“‘Seduced her’? Really? I’d like to see you try.” Astrid poured ale and took a pickle from an earthenware pot. “You have about as much charm in you as a stupid giant.”

“I have charm.” Haakon was offended. “Have I not had women before? Many women?”

“True, but they just wanted to fuck the son of the king, did they not?” Orm said with a teasing smile. “Ride your big, pierced cock.”

Haakon clenched his fists and resisted the urge to knock the smile off his brother’s face. “Shut up or I’ll banish you from my new lands.”

Orm chuckled and bit into an apple. Juice squirted onto his chin.

Haakon, still frowning, looked around. “This will be our home now. It is a good size and warm. The roof looks solid.”

“Beats the cave,” Knud said.

“Ah, it’s nice, even more so ’cause we didn’t have to build it.” Gunner threw a log into the fire trough.

“We’ll divide it up with the wooden planks I saw piled up outside,” Haakon went on, “make seven bedrooms.”

“Might only need six,” Egil said with a shrug.

“Why? Where are you going?” Haakon asked.

“Nowhere.” He nodded at Astrid. “But I reckon she wants to get into the bed of that guy she was sparring with. The one with hair as red as hers.”

“What!” Astrid who had sat on a bench, jumped up and clasped her dagger. “No way. Take that back. I wouldn’t lie with one of these people. He’s not even a warrior.”

A rumble of mirth went around at her indignation.

“You did seem quite taken with him,” Haakon said.

“Imagine the children you’d have,” Orm said. “Be able to see them in the dark.”

“Why you—”

She swung a punch Orm’s way, but he dodged it, knocking into a pitcher of water and sending it sliding over the table.

“Haakon may have lowered his standards, but I have not.” Astrid glared at Orm and then at everyone else.

“Hey, I can’t help it if the gods have chosen a woman from another land for me.” Haakon shrugged. Nothing could shake him from his elevating mood. He’d found a new kingdom, a wife, and a home, and he had food, fire, and drink that he hadn’t had to provide for himself for once. Life was good.

*

After feasting and making merry, Haakon and his crew created haphazard beds of straw and sacks. They’d fix up their new home tomorrow.

He slept well and was woken by the sound of a cockerel. His stomach rumbled and he hoped there were eggs and fresh bread to be had. It was then he remembered it was his wedding day.

Sitting up with a smile, he looked around at the other sleeping men. Orm was on his back snoring and Gunner let out a rumbling fart as he turned over. Astrid wasn’t there and he guessed she’d gone hunting for food. She always woke starving.

He had to make a start on creating a bedchamber for his bride. He’d have the largest, naturally, in the back corner, and he’d set two chairs outside the door for them to receive visitors. The place was big enough that it could still be used for entertaining, for making judgements and doling out new laws. Ja . It would do nicely once his vision for it had been achieved.

He got up, drank from a jug of ale, then went outside into the chilly air to relieve himself.

It was early light. The small, round houses held a frosty glow.

A dog barked. The cockerel called again.

But other than that, all was quiet.

He studied the treeline, mainly evergreen firs. A few had ravens sitting on the top branches. He liked that; they were a good omen. Odin was watching over him as he set out on his new life. He’d learn and work hard, create something special to leave here on Earth when he went to the next realm. Something to be proud of.

He moved between the houses quietly. Smoke was seeping from several chimneys and sure enough, he could smell bread. A pen of pigs snuffled around hoping he’d throw them treats, but he had nothing.

His attention was caught by movement behind him and he turned and saw an older woman at a well. She glanced at him then quickly looked away, hunching over, as though trying to make herself invisible.

Haakon frowned and walked over to her. He wanted the villagers to fear him if they wronged him, but not as they went about their daily chores.

“I will do it,” he said, reaching for the length of rope that held the pail.

She stared up at him with wide, green eyes lined with weathered skin.

“Here.” He handed her the bucket. “Have a good day.”

She made a strange, whimpering sound that caught in her throat, then scuttled away like a scared beetle.

“What are you doing?”

He spun around at the sound of a young woman’s voice. And when he did his mouth stretched into a smile. “Bride, I bid you good morn.” He gave a mock bow.

“I am not your bride.” Kenna slammed her hands onto her hips and flattened her mouth. The black-and-white dog at her side sat and glared at him. Its ears pricked forward.

His heart seemed to swell in his chest. In the pale light, Kenna was even more beautiful. Fresh as newly fallen snow. A vision he’d never forget.

“And I never will be your wife.” She tilted her chin.

“You do not have a choice.” He pointed to the sky. “The gods have made it our destiny to be man and wife.”

“The gods .” She huffed. “What are these gods? I know of only one, the Holy Father, God Almighty, and you…Haakon Rhalson, are a heathen, and as such, you are not a man I can marry. Not ever.” She tossed her hair over her shoulder. “So get that into that thick skull of yours and leave us be.”