CHAPTER THIRTEEN
LETTIE
It was nearly midnight. After a quick rinse down, I was dressed in fresh panties, T-shirt, and my favorite wide-legged yoga pants. The kind that were snug around your tushy, then pooled around the feet. After our oh-so-unsexy finish, I was sore and exhausted. I wanted to be comfortable, but this was Connor. Even if I was learning he was more Flawed Charming than Prince Charming, I still wanted to look hot. So comfy booty-hugging yoga pants and a fitted T-shirt without a bra it was. I sat sipping the coffee he’d just poured, and waited for him to be seated, because I’d be damned if I was going to start the opening dialogue on this awkwardfest.
He fidgeted in his seat. I swore I felt his anxiety from across the table as he finally joined me. I’d never seen Connor unsure or lacking confidence. No, that wasn’t true. That first conversation when he yelled at me to not be afraid of him, he was flustered that day too. I just didn’t know the difference back then.
“So how about those Raiders?” he asked, his voice high and pitchy. A flustered Connor gave me the confidence I’d never been able to really muster before in his presence.
“Seriously, Connor? Football? Next will we discuss the weather? Relax. I won’t bite… too hard,” I teased, finding my stride and beginning to relax.
It did the trick. His shoulders relaxed, and the right side of his lips kicked up into a simple but sexy smirk that had me squirming and flinching in my seat. My movement didn’t go unnoticed.
“How are you feeling, baby?”
Hearing “baby” come from his mouth and directed at me caused my heart to jump a beat. Licking my lips, I felt my cheeks heating. There was no point in lying. “Tender, but okay.” Reaching out and taking one of my hands, he rubbed circles with his thumb into the top of my hand. My core clenched, and belly dipped.
“Why don’t you let me run you a hot bath, and you can relax instead?” he asked in a soft, seductive voice as he looked up at me through a veil of long, sexy lashes.
Did he really think trying to seduce me would stop me from getting the answers I needed? “Does that usually work for you?”
He sat back and ran his hands down his face, “Yep, you’re definitely my mate. As much as I love that you’re immune to my powers, I wish you weren’t tonight.” Most of his words ended up mumbled behind his hands, but I caught them. Was he afraid what he had to say would scare me away? Didn’t he understand how much I already loved him and couldn’t imagine my life without him in it? I may not understand why I felt so consumed by him, but I did and I wouldn’t fight it. I couldn’t.
“Connor, please stop talking in riddles. Are you saying I’m your mate? Like Julie and Dean?”
“Come here.” He opened his arms, and I didn’t even think to hesitate. The moment I was in his arms, I felt home. My body calmed and relaxed against Connor’s strong frame.
“You feel it.” His breath brushed across my skin, and I shivered, loving the thrum it caused. “That’s our mate bond. We’re linked emotionally, similarly to how my brothers and I are, but that’s a mind link. Ours is in our souls.” Dear gods, I wasn’t crazy all this time. I truly was feeling him. “There is only one mate for each of us horsemen, but I have a confession. I was stupid and forgot our teachings. When we first met, I was overwhelmed, and a pussy. I thought you were a mundane human, and I was afraid I would scare you if I just told you what I was. So I tried to take my time but kept screwing up. At the same time, I wasn’t able to concentrate with your emotions always in my head, so I built a wall between us to cut down the flow some, kind of like turning down the volume. When the shit went down with your brother… I’m so sorry, baby. I regret every fucking selfish moment. I built that wall solid and cut you off from me.”
“The obis, you caused the nothingness?” I didn’t want to sound weak, but there was no concealing the hurt in my voice, especially when it cracked at the end. Connor grabbed me and held me tightly to him, as if he could absorb every hurt ever inflicted. Maybe he could, because as he held me, the metaphorical ache eased. I felt the warmth of his love, his regret, his fear, distress, his devotion…. He loved me, and this was eating away at him inside. I eased back out of his arms and picked up his hand. I then gave him the only thing in my power to give… my forgiveness.
Of course I happened to show it in my nerdy way that I hoped he would understand. “So, do I get any nifty superpowers now I’m your mate?”
And he did. The relief was palpable; his smile could have lit the whole damn state. “Well yes, and no. Let’s see, you don’t have any projected powers that can affect others like we do. But you have what I like to think of as shielding or protections. You’re able to link with me, which though you didn’t understand it before, you’ve been experiencing since we first met.” Connor dropped his head and continued while speaking to our intertwined hands. “And I know you’re letting me off the hook, baby, but you need to know that I really fucked up. Tonight, I opened the link, and there are damaged blind spots. Fal says that if you don’t get fed up with all my fuckups, when we close the circle, complete the mating ritual, the bond should heal the damage. Till then, we just have to deal with the spotty reception I’ve created.”
Close the circle.
Complete the mating ritual.
And heal the bond between us.
He wanted me. Oh wow, Connor was really mine.
My mate, my partner, and my love. My emotions overwhelmed me, but in the best way possible. I pulled my hand free and used both hands now to lift his gorgeous stupid face to mine. “I’ve never loved another man before you, and apparently, you’ve ruined me for all others. So you’re kind of stuck with me. Get used to it. We’ve both made honest mistakes that came with shitty consequences that hurt the other. That’s done. This is us now. Christ, I’m sitting on the lap of my childhood crush as he tells me I was made for him. That’s some pretty swoonworthy stuff right there, Connor.” His sexy smirk was a sign he liked that I’d crushed on him for so long. I glided my hands to his neck as he settled and wrapped his arms loosely around me. “Now, you got anything else that’s going to knock my glasses sideways, or can the rest wait till after we get some sleep?”
“Only that you will be immortal like I am. The ceremony is a blood magic ritual that will tie our souls together. As long as I live, so will you.” I could again feel his wariness.
Putting him at ease, I said, “So, no age spots, wrinkles, or gray hair, and all I have to do is put up with you and the crazy cast of characters you call family for the rest of… well, forever?” I asked, leaning in and pressing a soft kiss to his smirking lips. “I think I’ll manage somehow. Can we go to bed now?”
“Fuck yes,” he answered against my lips before carrying me to bed.
* * * *
“So explain to me again why we’re researching this Wayland guy once more? Other than that it seems to have gotten Warren the Grump’s approval,” asked Dean. We were all in the library the morning after…. Honestly, I was at a bit of a loss about how to describe last night when I finally got around to penning my memoirs. But I felt… at home in a way I had never felt before. After Connor had carried me to bed, he’d explained I was allowed to make out with him, but apparently, he would no longer allow me to take advantage of his innocent virtues. We were taking it slow from now on. After rolling my eyes at him, I slept in his arms. It all was a beautiful dream till the reality of Connor’s dragon breath hit me at 7:00 a.m. All I could do was laugh though, because that only made reality so much better than any dream version I thought up. My Connor was flawed. Even though he was so damn pretty I had to squint or I’d hurt my eyes… he still got nervous and freaked out, made mistakes, and had some gnarly morning breath.
“Earth to Lettie, come in, Lettie,” Dean said, waving his hand in front of my face.
“For crying out loud, Dean, give the girl a break. If she has half the hangover I have, then she ain’t firing on all cylinders today. Who’s the crud muffin who decided this research was necessary to start today? You guys have been sitting on this information for almost a week,” poor Julie complained as she rubbed her obviously aching temples.
“That would be me who decided that,” stated Falcone, who was arriving late with a stack of laptops. We were all seated at a large table in the rear of the library, Julie and Dean across from me and Connor, who was to my right, and even though he’d suggested to take things slow he sure didn’t mind touching me every chance he could. Right then he had his hand on my thigh, and the sensation of him rubbing it up and down, trying to be comforting was doing the opposite and arousing me. I quickly placed my hands over his and curled my fingers around his. Falcone grabbed a seat at the head of the table before continuing. “And you’re right, we had to delay for security reasons, but every minute we delay further is a second closer Kayne and the Order come to discovering what we already know. So everyone take a computer. Lettie, here’s the memory stick we put the information on we pulled from your mother’s bracelet. Now, if you wouldn’t mind answering Dean’s question, I think it will help the others better understand what we’re looking for.”
I smiled awkwardly. I hated being put on the spot. I knew in my gut Wayland was the right guy, but there was always that nagging feeling of doubt. What if I was completely wrong and was about to make an ass out of myself?
Connor’s hand squeezed mine reassuringly. “It’s okay, baby.”
“Aw, he called her baby. I am so texting Fallon this,” Julie gushed as her fingers flew. Twenty seconds later, Connor’s phone alerted. I thought she said she was messaging Fallon? I saw Connor check his phone and sigh before turning it toward me.
Fallonartor- Pussy whipped already? I knew I liked that girl.
I laughed so hard I snorted, which, of course, only made it worse as everyone else at the table joined in. Once we wound down, my nerves evaporated, I finally answered Dean’s question.
“As you well know, legends and histories get twisted over time, especially back before proper records of historical events were kept. I chose Wayland for many reasons. First, the timeframe of the stories fit. Second, there is some documented proof that he did exist, and I believe he was of Navah descent, one of the last. Then, third, there are the legends themselves.”
I took a moment to breathe and gather my thoughts, then went on, “There are two main versions of the legend, both start with Wayland and his two brothers, Egil and Slagfid. In one version of the myth, the three brothers lived with three Valkyries: Olrun, Allwise, and Swanwhite. After nine years, the Valkyries left their lovers. Egil and Slagfid followed, never to return. In another version, Wayland married the swan maiden Allwise, and they had a son, Heime, but Allwise later left Wayland. In both versions, his love left him with a ring.” I happened to take a glance at Connor to find him already looking at me smiling, his eyes shining with pride. It caused me to stumble over my next words. “T-the thing is.” I cleared my throat. “In both versions, the women are strong and powerful. In order to forge a weapon potent enough to destroy beings created by science and magic, you need something with more components of equal or greater value,” I explained.
“So if the Horsemen were born of genetics and alchemy magic, then the athame would need to be forged with alchemy and something else. You think the females provided this, how?” Dean asked.
“I think the wives were witches. I think all six of them, Wayland, his brothers, and their eventual wives, worked the Power of Six. Wayland forged the actual metal, one sister, a strong earth witch, spelled and strengthened the metal, one brother worked the alchemy, and a second sister called the four elements to add power to the spells. This kind of ritual would require a blood sacrifice to seal it—that would, I assume, have been the third sister’s job. The third brother would have been in place to hold the circle. From what I understand, it would have been a bubble seal over the casters to keep all that power contained as they forced it into the object.”
Julie looked positively green. “Blood sacrifice? Criminy!”
“How the hell do you know all of this stuff?” Connor asked in an awed tone.
“I, um, read.” I blushed against his admiration, and quickly turned back to Julie. “If it helps, from what I’ve discovered, most witches no longer practice these spells. Modern medicine and technology have replaced the need. Very few even retain the knowledge. Those who do practice, use animals. I choose to imagine vermin of some kind. Oh, spiders too, they most definitely must use spiders. Bleh!”
Julie straightened in her seat, color returning, looking placated by my answer. “Yes, that does help a bit. Thank you.”
“So if you have all that figured out, which I have to admit it sounds like Warren was right to agree with you immediately since he knew the history of this dude offhand, what the hell are we all doing here now?” Dean pushed.
“Well, remember how in both stories the wife leaves? I don’t think she left. I think she was killed or kidnapped. It would depend on if the Navah mated like the Horsemen.” My eyes flitted to Connor, and my cheeks warmed as he smiled like the cat who caught the canary. “That isn’t the end of the story either. In every version, King Niduth captured Wayland in his sleep and ordered him hamstrung and imprisoned on an island. There, Wayland was forced to forge items for the king. Wayland’s wife's ring was given to the king's daughter, Beahilda. Niduth wore Wayland’s sword.
“I never understood the meaning of the ring till now, but knowing the mating forever thing, I think the king took the ring from Wayland’s wife, Allwise, when he kidnapped her. The ring was proof and to ensure his cooperation.
“In revenge, Wayland killed the king's sons when they visited him in secret, and fashioned goblets from their skulls, jewels from their eyes, and a brooch from their teeth.” Honestly, it all sounded disgusting and sad at the same time. Yet, history was history and I loved to learn. “He sent the goblets to the king, the jewels to the queen, and the brooch to the king's daughter. When Beahilda took her ring to Wayland for mending, it’s said he took the ring and raped her, fathering a son. He then escaped, using wings he’d made. Though I’ve also read that she was in love with him, and he used her as a means to an end, which sounds more plausible. She only cried rape after she found out she was carrying his child.”
Falcone shook his head. “Sadly, that was very common cry of that time.”
I nodded before carrying on. “The thing I noted is he’s known to have had possibly two sons, but the bastard son, Wudga, is pretty well documented. I’m hoping we can trace the bloodline and in turn find the athame’s current keeper or resting place.”
“Well, then let’s get to it then,” Falcone recommended, and we all put our heads and hands to the task.
* * * *
Time passed, and in it we took turns to grab coffee, make snacks and take a breather for a moment. At least Connor and I had when he dragged me off into the shelves of books to kiss me senseless.
“I couldn’t wait any fucking longer.”
“Hmm,” I mumbled against his neck, and then bit. His hands landed on my bottom and thrust me forward so I could feel his harness under his jeans. “You drive me just as crazy, Connor.”
“But?” he asked hesitantly.
Glancing up, I smiled sadly. “But we have to help the others.”
“Shit, I know.” He sighed, and leaned in to claim my lips with his one more time before taking my hand and tugging me back toward the others at the table. Of course I blushed when Dean sent Connor a knowing look.
It was a good six hours later when we reached our conclusion. Falcone had been right to bring so many of us in to attack the task. We broke down the searches by regions where the legend was retold. We traced his descendants through areas of Scandinavian, German, and Anglo-Saxon origin. It seemed every few generations would circle back to the Berkshire Downs in England. It also happened to be where Wayland’s tomb was suspected to reside.
Leaning back in my seat, I stretched with my arms above my head and caught Connor taking in my exposed skin with a look of hunger in his eyes.
“So that’s it. We’re going to have to go to Ashbury. We’ll start with the museum adjacent to the tomb. Maybe they’ll be able to shine a light on some artifacts or a genealogy archive not digitally logged yet,” Falcone informed us all while he stretched as well. “I will take care of the travel arrangements,” he told Connor and me, before he sighed. “And Warren. You two should head up to eat and pack.”
Me?
He wants me to travel.
Even though the thought excited me, especially knowing I’d have Connor at my side, there were a few problems. “Wait, you want me to go with you to the United Kingdom? Even if Warren okays it, I don’t have a passport to get out, or more importantly, back into the country.”
“Don’t worry about that, baby, you’ll be with me. You forget I have certain charms that help in these situations, but we also have no-question fly rights on our private jet. It pays to be a million years old sometimes. We’re granted certain rights or have bought into certain privileges early on in the countries’ development. We needed continued access to Kayne to check on his containment through the years, till we eventually relocated here and even then, we needed the ability to come and go freely to deal with our Horsemen duties,” Connor patiently explained, as he played with a strand of my hair. I noticed he was no longer restraining himself. All day there were small touches, caresses, and even chaste kisses, but I think the best part was feeling his contentment. He was so relaxed, happy.
“Yeah, but these days with technology and so many nonprofits in place, we no longer work and travel as much as we once did. We tend to oversee others efforts and monitor for new issues. It’s been good, since Kayne’s crap has taken most of our time lately,” Dean griped.
“Well, if this is settled, I think its nap time. Have a nice trip, Lettie. Keep the boys out of trouble,” Julie said to me before turning to Dean. “Come on, sexy. Let me show you my ghost-whispering skills.” She started down the aisle, giving her hips all she had.
“Fuck yes. See you, guys,” Dean shouted, catching up to Julie and then throwing her over his shoulder with a crack on her ass for good measure. Julie’s giggle was infectious, and we all laughed along with her.
“Bon voyage” was shouted by Dean as he and Julie rounded the corner out of sight.
This was my family now. I was down a brother, but I had gained so much too. How can you be both insanely happy and also miserable for being so at the same time?