Page 6 of The Stolen Bride (Kings of Fury #2)

Chapter

Six

All Out War: When Your Last Resort Is A Battle-Loving Beast

–HOW TO TRAIN YOUR BERSERKER

By Elizabeth “Elle” Darcy-Bruce

“ Y ou are here, but she is there.” Gold rimmed Viktor’s pupils, which constricted to needle points as he looked between me and the ring. “There are two of you. She’s your twin.”

“Trust me, it’s a shock to me, too.” I fisted his shirt to gain a firmer hold as my insides sang with joy, fear, and resolve. I truly had a sister. My other half. Juniper. Separated from me at birth.

Taken from me.

Longing and fury collided. Longing won. All my life, I’d missed her as if I’d lost a limb, I just hadn’t known it until now. I’d bet she’d felt the same. Who would do such a cruel thing to us?

My adoptive parents had always yearned for more children. No way they would have refused to raise my precious sister. And she was precious to me. I wasn’t just bonded to her; I loved her with the whole of my being.

“Will Deco harm her?” I asked again.

“Deco is a shifter,” Viktor replied. “Malicious. Untrustworthy. Insidious. He is especially motivated to take out anyone suspected of being my firebrand. He won’t play nice.”

A whimper left me. Screw Malachi. I’d considered recruiting Viktor to go after the guy, but here, now, I didn’t exactly care about the other king. I preferred to have Deco’s head on a platter.

The decision to work with my captor solidified. “Viktor, I officially sign the roster to join your team.” He might not be sane at times—or ever—but he was strong and capable. With my help, he could get this job done and save my sister. “Now, prepare yourself. I’m going to say something you may not like, but I need you to hear it. Are you wearing your listening ears?” I gave him a little shake for good measure.

A bemused glaze overtook his features.

I continued. “Help me rescue Juniper. Please! If you refuse, I’ll strike out on my own. And before you rage about losing the firebrand you haven’t exactly claimed but hope to keep, don’t. Just say yes. When you do, I’ll return the favor by helping you find your precious. That’s your key,” I clarified, in case he couldn’t connect the dots. “If there’s something else you prefer, now is the time to name your fee. I’ll pay it.” I’d meant what I’d said. There was no price too steep. I didn’t care if I wasted bargaining power. The outcome was too important.

“I will rescue her, yes,” he offered without hesitation, and I nearly sagged into a puddle of relief. “And you will owe me anything I desire. ”

Well. Someone had certainly regained his wits in a hurry. I pursed my lips. “I’m not a hundred percent on board with your wording, but we’ll hammer out the semantics on the road. So. Yes. Agreed. You can collect your reward when the job is done.”

“I will rescue her,” he repeated, his tone hardening. “But you will stay behind.”

Ha! “I’m sticking to you like hot glue, bud. And you’re gonna get happy about that real quick, because you remember I keep you calm and focused when you’re not avoiding me.” I gave him a final shake to let him know I meant business. “So? What are we waiting for? Let’s go. We’re already a day behind schedule.”

He said nothing. Nor did he budge.

“Viktor,” I huffed. “I’ve played nice with you so far. Bottled up my emotions and barely let anything leak out. But my patience is thinning rapidly.”

“We’ll be walking into a trap,” Bodi pointed out, reminding me of his presence.

“Yes. We will. A dangerous one. This comes with us.” Viktor tossed the ring that had projected the live feed to the prince, as if he didn’t trust himself to be its caretaker. “If you lose it, Bodi, you will also lose your head.” He kept his attention on me. Weighing his options, as well as trying to intimidate me into staying behind, I’d bet. “I am not afraid of your emotions, drága.”

Easy to say while I was calm.

The intensity of his unwavering focus roused a thousand different sensations. Too many jumbled together, ensuring I couldn’t pinpoint a single one. But this I knew: I’d never, in all my days, been examined so thoroughly. He studied me from the top of my head to the soles of my booted feet. It felt as if he bore holes in layers of concrete, reaching parts of me I’d hidden even from myself. I didn’t understand it, and I didn’t like it, but I didn’t protest.

Concentrate on the task at hand. “I don’t care about the danger. I’m coming with you. You’ll worry about me if I don’t.” There was a chance, anyway.

He breathed in deep and told Bodi, “Have my elite ready to leave for the mountains of Fenylith in ten minutes.” Still his gaze remained locked on me. “And pack the violin. The prisoner comes with me.” He linked our fingers. “You’ll play for your passage. To start.”

Victory achieved! “Yes. Agreed.”

“Are you sure this is wise?” the prince asked his king.

“My compensation outweighs the aggravation,” Viktor said, ending any argument then and there. I didn’t even mind the insult.

The prince hesitated only a moment more before stalking from the tent to do as commanded.

Tightening his grip, Viktor held me in place. “Let’s discuss my rules.”

“There’s no reason. I can guess them. No running from you, ever, no excuses allowed. Obey your every command and only speak when spoken to.” Was this what my dream had always pointed to? Placing my safety in his care? Possibly. The meaning of the dream felt bigger than that, however. And what about the sword? Why raise it and swing, as if to kill me? Which I didn’t believe he’d do. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here. “Did I cover everything?”

He stepped closer. “I already know you won’t run. You comprehend that I’m the only one capable of succeeding in this endeavor. And you’ll obey my every command for the same reason. But I do not, under any circumstances, want you speaking only when spoken to. Nem. I prefer how you’ve been. I like not wondering what you’re thinking. ”

Whoa. Talk about a sudden, sharp turn and an unexpected confession. “What are your rules then?”

“To start, tell me without delay whenever Deco reaches out to you. And he will reach out. No matter what he tells you, trust me, not him. Also, keep no secrets from me.”

Mind blown! Viktor’s requests were, like, super reasonable. “I agree, yes, please and thank you. Anything else?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I agree to it too, whatever it is. You can explain on the road.” I tried to tug him toward the door, but he dug in his heels, remaining rooted in place.

“I’ll finish outlining my rules, after I explain what we’ll face.” He pulled me against him, our bodies suddenly pressed together, and I shivered. His warm breath fanned over my face. “We must journey to the traveling stones. A perilous task in and of itself. Unless Deco is a fool, he won’t attack us until we’re deep in his territory, a good distance from those stones. Then, he’ll put an army around them. We won’t get out without a fight. And that comes after the battle for Juniper. Do you really wish to be there when all of that transpires?”

My blood flashed from hot to ice cold. “Yes. I still want to go. You won’t change my mind.”

He worked his jaw. “I’m unsure how much you know of our kind…” He paused to await my response.

“Of the legends, a lot. But in truth, not so much. I only found out you were real when you did your eye glowing thing.” Our kind, he’d said. As if he considered me a berserker. What a preposterous idea. I mean, yes, Malachi Cromwell had insisted I belonged to his lineage but come on. I might have a volatile temper, but I wasn’t an immortal rage machine. “I’ve studied berserkers in books and movies and my adoptive mom used to tell me cautionary tales, but I lack a vast amount of background information.”

He seemed to absorb even the smallest details of my words, tones, and expressions. “All of us possess the spirit of an otherworldly animal. Beasts that existed before time began. Many hosts never sense it. Some spirits, like mine and those in my elite, are stronger than others. When any of us rage, we feed the beast. If we allow the creature to grow more powerful than we are while in such a state, it takes over. Evil takes over, and we want only to tempt others to become the same as us.”

“Okay, but what are you trying to tell me, exactly?”

“The shifters live to ruin our lives, make us miserable, and push us over the edge until we become one of them. Or die.”

Hmm. Was that why Malachi wished for such an outcome with Viktor? Had he turned and now hoped to oversee the same transformation with the other kings?

And now, Deco sought the same, intending to lure Viktor to the dark side. “Based on what you said, I assume Valkara is evil.” Right? “Since she guards the primordials, the very evil you speak of.”

“The Valkara,” he corrected without heat. Then he scowled, his entire countenance tightening. “The beasts aren’t inherently good or evil. They feed on our emotions. If we become evil, they become evil. The primordials are simply the oldest and most powerful of their line. The Valkara sacrificed her life for us, and you will address her with respect or not at all.”

“Sure, sure,” I said, patting his chest with my free hand. I shouldn’t irritate him. If he decided to back out, I’d be forced to go against supernatural forces all by my lonesome. No, thank you. “So the beasts are as good or bad as their hosts. Noted. But is she evil or not?”

“Her love is said to be so powerful, it will affect all primordials and their entire downline.”

Well. No wonder he hoped to win her, whether she was his firebrand or not. And that wasn’t depressing for some unknown reason. “I hear you loud and clear, Tor. Your final rule. Do not, under any circumstances, tempt you to fall in love with me. Ten-four. Don’t worry. I’m not even a tiny bit tempted to fall in love with you, either.”

He released a soft growling sound. “You can love me. That’s fine.”

“Too late.” I tapped my temple. “I’ve already logged the no-falling directive. It can’t happen now.”

His lips pulled back from his teeth. “Just…stop using your strange abilities on me. That is my final rule.”

I wrinkled my nose. “You’ll have to elaborate. Strange abilities?”

“Ja.” His nose wrinkled, too. “Making your eyes flash between gray and brown. It’s annoying. And mesmerizing. Also, no more turning the most irritating words into an enchanting spell. Or calling me ‘baby’ and ‘snarls.’ No more spting at me.”

Reeling . Was he, like, already falling for me and just didn’t realize it? Oh, my golden retriever . I mean, I got that I was his firebrand, and he was predisposed to all the feels with me. But what he described was full-blown attraction.

Not that I’d point that out to him. “You want me to stop being myself. Noted. Just be aware. None of those things are quote unquote strange abilities.”

“You have your orders,” he insisted before leading me from the tent. “I expect full obedience.”

“Ten-four,” I repeated .

Hand in hand, we traversed the campground. Bodi must have told the troops to stand down. The men and women who served under him engaged in battle drills. Commands sounded from here and there, blending with the clang of axes against shields, both wooden and metal.

Atop war horses perched Bodi and nine other warriors. The biggest, baddest, fiercest soldiers in history–the same guys who’d guarded my tent. They wore gold and black paint on their faces, with pieces of spiked, gold-plated armor strapped all over, alongside a variety of weapons.

At the head of the line, an eleventh horse stood without a rider. Viktor released me to mount, then bent down to grab me. I backed up.

“Um. Do you have a car?” I’d lived on a farm as a child, and the two ponies had despised me. I’d tried to ride one once and gotten thrown.

Viktor shook his head. “Fekete Ló is a fine ride.”

Wait. “You named your horse… Black Horse?”

“Ja. The area is too dense even for an ATV. Besides, I prefer the old ways. In my dimension, we don’t have to worry about drawing the notice of humans, but I’d rather not draw the notice of my civilians, either.” With that, he stretched further, snatched me by the waist, and hefted me onto the saddle in front of him.

Now I understood why he’d always included leggings with my dresses.

Speaking of other dimensions, Malachi had mentioned them too. “You have your own dimension. That’s nice.” I settled in with my back against Viktor’s chest. Heat wafted from him, carrying the most incredible scent. He still smelled of pine needles from ancient woods but also fresh mountain air and a hint of citrus instead of rose. Mmm. I breathed deep, savoring this calm before the storm. “But, um, we’re in it now?”

“We are. It mirrors the human world but lacks humans, ensuring they are kept safe if ever one of us breaks.”

An unexpected kindness from a man I might have, maybe, possibly, misjudged.

With a soft snick and shift of his heels, Viktor urged Fekete Ló forward. The others trailed us. We left the camp in our rearview, soon entering the surrounding forest.

The ride wasn’t terrible. To my relief, Fekete Ló behaved himself like a true gentleman.

“How far are the traveling stones?” I asked as we crossed a river, cutting a gentle path through moss-covered rocks. The babbling current harmonized with different bird calls. How deceptive nature’s tranquility could be.

“Two days, one night. Give or take a week or three.”

I groaned. “I wouldn’t be averse to a faster route.” The sooner we reached Deco, the better.

“There isn’t one.” Viktor sniffed the top of my head and tightened his hold on me. “I like the smell of your hair.”

My insides fizzed, and my bones softened.

Then he growled. “I thought I told you not to use your strange abilities.”

Way to ruin a moment. “That’s a you problem, bud. I used the soap in your bathroom.” Which reminded me. “How is your bathroom even possible?” For that matter. “How do you always have clothing in my size waiting?”

“Over the centuries, we gathered fragments from the traveling stones, both coming and going. We wove half of those fragments into the curtain and placed the other half inside the washing chamber, creating a doorway between the two. And I assessed your measurements our first moments together, then hunted down an array of clothing.”

“First, that was very kind of you. Thank you.” I would forever appreciate the supply of dresses, leggings, and boots. “But, um, can you explain the measuring process?” Because he’d nailed it. Even the undergarments.

“Look there. Minks,” he said, pointing.

Okay, so, I fell for it. That, I can admit. I looked and got wrapped up in the sight of two super cute minks near the water’s shore, watching our procession. I forgot all about my question and his avoidance of issuing an answer. The minks were just so cute.

We ate jerky sticks on the go and stopped to water and rest the horses only twice, but I appreciated each break. Unused to horseback riding, my thighs grew sore fast. They would have chaffed if Viktor hadn’t noticed my increasing discomfort and repositioned me, letting me ride sideways while comfy, cozy against him.

Hmm. I liked this. Perfect for propping my head on his shoulder, burrowing deeper into his warmth, and breathing in his incredible scent. “Thank you,” I muttered. “This isn’t me falling for you, by the way.”

He grunted in response, and I liked even that.

His heart beat hard and strong against my temple, keeping me aware of his nearness. When fatigue beckoned, I closed my eyes.

I tried to distract myself from the urge to sleep, occupying my mind with thoughts of the “greater good.” Did my sister have the same dream? Did the action of my kneeling before Viktor, offering my life to him, help her in some way? Because that was the only reason I might—might—do it.

As the sun began its slow descent, my stomach grumbled. Concentrating on anything but my starvation became a thing of the past.

“I believe I could set a clock by your hunger,” he told me, then signaled to his men. The procession stopped. “Though it would need only one setting. Always .”

I snorted. “You aren’t wrong.” But where was this sudden sense of humor coming from?

“Your legs need tending before you attempt to stand,” he muttered.

He hesitated before repositioning me, putting my back to him again and settling his big, strong hands on my thighs. As the soldiers set up camp in a small clearing surrounded by tall trees that offered a protective barrier, he massaged my aching muscles. Upon the first kneading, I arched my spine and groaned. Oh! It hurt so good!

“Don’t stop,” I croaked.

He increased the pressure, and I gasped at the perfection of it. Blood flowed to areas in need.

“You like this?” he rasped into my ear.

“Yessss.” So much!

He nuzzled his cheek against mine. “I might never stop.”

The soldiers erected six tents, created a pit, and started a fire. The setting sun cast the spot in muted shades of purple, red, and orange. So lovely. But when the guys finished, so did Viktor. Despite his claim, he ceased his ministrations when the men settled into a circle around the flames. After dismounting, he popped me off Fekete Ló as if I weighed nothing.

“Good horsey,” I praised. My knees nearly buckled.

“I’ve got you.” Viktor held me up with an arm around my waist and led me to a tree near the circle of soldiers. Didn’t want me joining the others, hmm ?

I eased to the ground, leaned against the trunk, and stretched out my legs, sighing with contentment. My stomach ruined the moment, rumbling loudly.

Cheeks heating all over again, I grumbled, “Some people say this is the stage of hunger where even horses look good enough to eat.”

Fekete Ló whinnied in the distance, and I winced. “Not you, sweetie,” I called. “Only the others.”

Viktor’s eyes glittered with what might have been but couldn’t be and surely wasn’t amusement. “Quick, Keve,” he called, “bring Clover her meal before you lose your mount.”

We shared a smile. An actual smile. It lit Viktor’s entire countenance, as well as different parts of me. A shock to us both, clearly. Next, he scowled like I’d actually devoured someone’s ride.

“Bodi!” he bellowed, marching off. “Figure out why I’m in a good mood so I can end it.” He disappeared in the foliage.

I almost shouted for his return. Spend a little alone time with berserkers who didn’t view me as their one and only special firebrand? No, thanks.

As a young soldier left the circle to stride over, I prepared to uncap a couple bottles of rage. “Hope you’re ready for the best cuisine the forest has to offer,” he said, handing me something wrapped in a cloth.

I accepted tentatively. “Is that code for poisonous wild berries?”

A mischievous grin curved the sides of his mouth, disrupting a scar that ran down one cheek. “You are the woman who prevented countless injuries today. I would poison my comrades, but never you. ”

Everyone nodded their agreement with great enthusiasm as he rejoined the group.

Relaxing a bit, I unwrapped the cloth and said, “Yes, well, this hero appreciates a good meal.” Hmm. Turned out, the “best cuisine of the forest” was a piece of bread.

I sank my teeth into the outer edge and moaned with delighted surprise. So good! Rich flavors teased my tongue.

“You don’t have to be afraid of us,” a second male said. He was leaner than the others, almost wiry, with intense eyes.

“Oh, I’m not afraid of you. I feared what I might do to you .”

They all guffawed. “We understand outsiders are terrified of us. But I promise, we don’t bite.”

“Well, not often,” added a third, cracking himself up. His broad-shoulders and booming laugh reminded me of my father, and my chest squeezed.

“Don’t worry, guys. I always carry spare chew toys.” I put up my dukes to display said toys.

Booming Laugh raised a brow. “She’s got jokes, too. That’s good, because handling an original isn’t the same as handling an average sentinel, neither of which is for the faint of heart. Just ask Deco and Le?—”

Another soldier elbowed him in the stomach, and he went quiet.

Oooh. What name had he almost revealed? Leann? Leslie? Levi? Leo? Was this the information Viktor didn’t wish me to learn? “Don’t worry,” I repeated. “I’ve dealt with something far worse than an original.”

“Do tell,” Keve said.

“Imagine giving a cat a bath. Now that’s a battlefield.”

Snickers rang out, and I marveled. I’d never experienced such a lighthearted meal. Which was especially wild, considering I was in the middle of nowhere with an elite contingent of legendary berserkers.

“We have some semantics to discuss,” Viktor said from behind me.

Yelping, I craned my neck to peer up at him. That someone of his colossal size had crossed a path of twigs making no noise boggled my mind.

Then his words registered, and my heart raced. “I hope you’re speaking of the ten answers I owe you, and not the payment for including me on this trip.”

“The payment. Ja. That. You owe me anything I desire,” he all but purred. “Now I require my parameters. The Q and A is next.”

Gulp. The wild glint in his emerald eyes suggested I wasn’t going to like anything he had to say. “I’d rather save that particular discussion for a time when you haven’t murdered your so-called good mood for no reason.”

“No need to wait, then. My mood hasn’t improved,” he grumbled at low volume, ensuring only I could hear as he settled in at my side. “Bodi tells me the only way to rid oneself of such a pleasing sensation is to spend more time with the source and become inoculated.”

I wasn’t sure if Bodi had done me a major favor or a huge disservice. “Here’s an idea. Enjoy it forever, except when you’re spanking turul-shifter kings.”

Viktor hiked his shoulders in a shrug. “You may provide me with one limit to my payment. Use it at your own discretion.”

I could work within those terms. “You can’t pick anything that violates my moral fiber. So, as you can see, that’s only one limit.”

“Accepted. The payment I demand will do nothing to violate your moral fiber.”

Hmm. He’d acquiesced too easily. He must not get my meaning. “That includes anything romantic or harmful to myself and others.”

I could feel his eye roll.

“As if I have any need to demand romance from you or anyone. I’m a king. Women throw themselves at me daily. It’s one of the reasons I go to war. To rest.”

This time he didn’t moderate his volume, and his grinning men all nodded their support of his claim.

First, Viktor had displayed a sense of humor, now ego. I wasn’t sure what to think.

“Besides,” he added. “I want only to win the Valkara.”

I ground my molars. An action my stomach misunderstood, obviously. It gave another rumble. Feeding time again.

Viktor motioned to Keve. The warrior left the circle and rushed over with a second, bigger slice of bread.

“Thank you,” I said, digging in. When I finished, I curbed the urge to request a third and leaned against the tree trunk, stretching out my legs. “I’m a fan of that bread. It’s almost filling.”

“It is H?skenyér. It provides a sentinel with all the nourishment required to maintain strength on a long journey.”

Even better. “I’d love to score the recipe, if it’s not some treasured family secret.”

“Your world lacks many of the ingredients.”

Too bad. I peered at him, intending to say something but... Golden firelight bathed his face, painting his skin with loving strokes. My heart kicked into another mad race as if—No! Nope. No way I was attracted to King Viktor, the feral primal leading Hungarian sentinels, who sought the devotion of an otherworldly woman able to speak into his head. But why did he have to be so gorgeous ?

“Since I have my parameters, I can consider what I wish to demand from you,” he said, bordering on gleeful. “For now, I’m ready to ask a few of my questions.”

Flutters erupted in my stomach. “Go ahead. Ask,” I told him, breathless. “Just know I’ll be keeping count.”

He canted his head. Quiet again, he asked, “Do you have a male?”

That was what he wished to know first and foremost? How interesting. I may have smiled. Okay, I definitely smiled. He might want that Valkara chick, but he was super into me.

“No. No male. Man. Not too long ago, I was engaged to a mechanic.”

Viktor stiffened. “What brought about the end of your relationship?”

Second question, check. “He decided he preferred my former best friend Kami. Well, that, and because I have a so-called heart of ice. Oh, and also because I’m a ‘toe-stepper’. Excuse me for speaking my mind and containing my emotions to protect others from my wrath.” Jerk. “Anyway. I caught Benjamin and Kami together a couple of days before my wedding.” Ugh. Had I really needed to share the whole sordid story of my greatest rejection?

Viktor’s expression grew pensive. He better not be working up to pity. I was glad Ben dumped me. Gladder than glad. The gladdest. Who wanted to be legally shackled to a lowdown, dirty cheater? Travesty averted—for me. Neither Kami nor Benjamin could say the same.

“You contain your emotions with me, too,” Viktor stated, “and you will cease doing so immediately. I told you, there’s no need for it.”

Maybe. And oh, how tempting was such a thought. To let go. To experience emotions at full wattage. If anyone could handle my temper, it was this man. But I merely shrugged, noncommittal. Could I handle feeling things other than rage?

“Back to the fool you almost married. You loved him.”

Not a question, but I counted it, anyway. Three down, only seven to go. “I did, yes.” I paused, waiting, but Viktor didn’t speak up again. “Ask me how he won me over, and I’ll tell you.”

Viktor didn’t take the bait, but he did waste an additional question on Benjamin. “How long ago did this occur?”

“Six months.” Not long enough, honestly.

“What do you feel for him now?”

A wee bit jealous, was he? “Relieved that he’s someone else’s problem.”

Five.

Viktor rubbed two fingers and a thumb over his stubbled jaw, pensive.

“Hit me with the next,” I encouraged. “I’m ready.”

“I’ll save my remaining questions for later.”

Bummer. I’d hoped to wipe out his entire reserve.

His brow wrinkled. Then he jolted, as if punched by an invisible fist. “She whispers again.” Pause. “Yes, yes. Find, destroy, happy,” he muttered. “Find, destroy, happy.”

Ugh. Not this again. I cupped his cheeks, determined to nip this little episode in the bud. And yeah, okay, prevent any interactions with Valkara. Better his affections centered on me during this journey. “Hey, Snarls. Focus on your firebrand. I want something from you. I need it.”

A beat passed. Then another. I figured I’d failed. Eventually, his gaze slid to mine. The hazy glaze faded from his irises. “What do you need, drágá?” His voice had dipped.

Ignore your shivers . “To sleep. Be a darling and show me which tent is mine.” The moment after I spoke, I yawned. Man, I’d had a day . “I’m ready for my beauty Zs.”

“You’re staying in that one.” He pointed to the smallest structure and grinned a slow, languid grin that ignited un-ignorable flutters in my belly. “With me.”