Chapter Four
Ty
Thoughts still fuzzy from the aftereffects of the horse tranquilizer they had used on me, I glared across the table at my captors. Or rather, those who had ordered me to be brought in with the other delinquents. Six people sat on the other side of the solid oak table, three men and three women. A mixture of tension and power rolled off them. The tiny room was choked with it, making it seem all the smaller. One of the men wore a police uniform, the others were casually dressed, but they had no less of an authoritative air to them. Sunlight spilled through a window behind them, reminding me of how long they had knocked me out and held me up with their questioning.
“I have already informed you that I knew nothing about what Raul was doing in my territory, that is why I was hunting him. If I had, I assure you, he would not have been successful. Now, let me go so I may check on the woman. I will not ask again,” I warned.
If I had known what he was up to, Raul never would have succeeded. That poor woman… I had to get back to her. Not only was it my responsibility because she was in my territory, but something about her would not let go of me. Could I fight all six of them off to get away? I was not sure. But I was sure that I would try if I had to, and I let that show on my face. I knew I could take a few of them down at least, which would be devastating to them in more ways than one.
One of the men in a black leather jacket sprawled a spider-like hand onto the desktop as he leaned forward. He glared down his hawkish nose at me, pinprick pupils dark behind his dirty blond hair. It took all my restraint not to lunge across the desk and tear into him. I could have broken my bonds easily and done so, but I was not about to give him the satisfaction of knowing he had riled me with no more than a look.
“As you shouldn’t. You are in no position to ask for anything,” he practically hissed at me.
The man in the police uniform shot the speaker a harsh glance. “Enough, Bain. I think we can all agree that Mr. Viðarrson had nothing to do with the woman getting attacked. He clearly tried to stop it. And you stepped out of your bounds of authority by tranquilizing him and bringing him in.” He gestured to someone standing behind me. “Remove his bonds and let him go. We have the matter of the woman’s kennari to discuss, and we must decide on it quickly.”
Bain shot the man a sharp glare. “No, Isak, I had every right. The man was present during an unsanctioned biting. He wouldn’t have come in on his own, and you know it. We can’t let him go until we’re sure he had nothing to do with it.”
“Agreed,” came a woman’s voice from beside him.
A voice I had once found sultry. But now I heard the derisive, judgmental tone it truly held. Through the carefully styled wave of brown bangs, she tried to glare a hole through me. The disdain in eyes set above cheekbones so sharp they looked like they could cut made me wonder how I had ever found her lovely. To say Morene disliked me—and I her—was putting it far too gently.
Pulling at the collar of his police uniform, Isak turned a hard look upon Bain. “We can, and we are. The majority has ruled.”
I tensed as footsteps approached from behind. Steel rasped through sisal and my bonds loosened. The rope stuck to my blistered skin in places, forcing me to peel it off. The bastards had soaked it in wolfsbane. I cannot say that I blamed them, especially knowing now that it had been Bain who brought me in. He and I had a monumental score that he feared I would settle someday. Having the Council rein me in would make him feel safer. If they hadn’t taken such drastic measures with the wolfsbane-soaked ropes, this would have ended quite badly for him. But I had control of my temper now, and a reason not to act out. Yet.
Tossing the rope aside, I rose from the chair, rolled my shoulders, and took a step toward the desk. The group across the table from me tensed as one, several of them moving to rise as well, Bain even baring his teeth. Not wanting to seem too aggressive, I halted. The three who had started to rise sat back down. Relief flashed across Bain’s hollow face.
“Allow me to be her kennari,” I said, making it more of a demand than a question.
Bain’s beady eyes narrowed at me and he pulled his lips up farther from his teeth. “Why in Helheimr would we do that?”
“Because I am the closest one you have. And because she has met me. I tried to save her; she will be more likely to trust me,” I said.
It was more than that, but I wasn’t about to admit it out loud. Hell, I didn’t want to admit it to myself. Something about that woman pulled at me. The instant I laid eyes on her I knew she was special. Whatever it was, it was likely what had drawn Raul to her, which meant I had to keep him away from her at all costs. But being her kennari would be a double-edged sword, because I would have to keep my distance from her emotionally. The code demanded it. At least she would be safe in my care, though. And a spark was just a spark. I was a grown man in full control of my emotions and libido. Control would not be an issue.
Morene scoffed and rolled her eyes toward the ceiling. The jealousy I saw flash over her sharp features made my stomach roil. Bain muttered something derisive in Icelandic but I missed part of it due to the others erupting into conversation. They turned to one another, huddling in to speak in hushed, hurried tones. Even from halfway across the room I could hear them, no matter how quiet they tried to be. The fact that they even tried to be quiet spoke of their disbelief in my power. Their eyes darted among one another, to me, and back again as they spoke. As many argued for me as against me. I was not sure whether or not I should take comfort in that. What I didn’t like was how four of them were arguing to send kennaris of their own.
I took another step closer to the desk, bringing their conversation to a screeching halt. “This is not about your reservations in regards to me. This is about a young woman who was bitten in against her will by a wayward pup who was likely trying to avoid an arranged marriage.” I paused and nodded toward two of the council members. “Seeing as Raul is your son”—I paused and nodded toward another pair—“and he’s engaged to your daughter, a kennari sent from either party would not be impartial. This woman deserves the right to be brought through the verða by someone without an agenda. It is the law.”
The conversation started back up, but I was encouraged by the nods I received from two of the members who had been arguing to send their own.
“You sure you don’t have an agenda of your own?” Morene spoke above the others.
“Careful, Morene. You sound jealous. You dishonor yourself as a Viking woman and your pack if that is the case,” I warned.
Her eyes filled with so much hate it looked as though it would spill over. In a way it did. Power rolled off her in a biting wave that raised the temperature in the room. Using my own power, I whipped it away as easily as a summer breeze. She glared harder at me, but it lacked weight this time. Hateful though she was, she knew she couldn’t best me and she wouldn’t try. I heard the others reach their decision before they announced it.
They fell silent. This time, the woman sitting between Isak and a broad man with a scar across half his face leaned forward. She was a petite thing with long, wavy blond hair. But her demeanor did not fool me. I knew Gyda was more Viking shield maiden than fragile stereotype.
“The majority has ruled. You shall serve as this woman’s kennari. Please approach her immediately to begin your duties. It is her choice whether or not she attends Raul’s trial the day after the next full moon, but we hope you will encourage her to do so,” Gyda said.
I nodded my head to them as a whole. A deeper bow was customary, but I did not owe allegiance to any of them, and I wasn’t about to honor them by pretending I did. “I thank you for your wise ruling.”
With that, I turned to go. The young man standing between me and the door skittered to the side. Whether it was something he felt in my power, or something he saw in my face, I’m not sure. But he cowered in the corner as if I had whipped him within an inch of his life. Helheimr, I half expected him to lose control of his bladder by the look of terror on his face. Then again, maybe it was not my power or my demeanor. Maybe the stories about me truly had grown that bad. I did not care about that or about the Council that once again erupted into conversation the moment my back was turned. All that mattered was getting to that woman and helping her before the verða took hold.