Norse Valor (11 page)

Chapter 10

It took the entire next day, but by nightfall the women had
each warrior dressed head to foot in fur. Their bodies were encased in it,
right down to razor-sharp claws for hands and feet.

Svana stepped back from Vakr and shivered involuntarily. She
and Helga had transformed a buffalo hide into a man-beast. Horns stood out on
either side of Vakr’s head like pictures she had seen of Viking helmets. Svana
wondered if that was where the tale of horns had come from. A devil-man. If
Vakr were to come upon her unexpectedly in the woods, she would die of fright.

One glance around the large cabin room was spooky. Moving
bodies of fur seemed twice as large when the men dressed as animals.

Svana jumped when a claw tapped her on the shoulder. She
spun about and could barely make out who it was. Only his eyes and his close
familiarity told her it was her brother. Vakr would let only one man this close
to her without any concern.

“Guess what I totally want to be this Halloween,” David said
with excitement and growled.

“More mature?” Svana taunted.

My God, he looks
creepy.
The snout of the bear came down over his face and he peered at her
where eye sockets once were. He was close enough so she could see into his mouth
and his smile. The jaw bone had been broken. Two long sticks sewn inside gave
him the ability to bite on them and close the huge teeth over someone’s flesh.
The harder he bit on the sticks, the worse the bite.

Vakr was just as scary in the buffalo hide.

David’s explanation of a vampire had inspired huge fangs
they fashioned as teeth, top and bottom, from ivory. Vakr had claws as well.

Svana had never seen a more menacing-looking buffalo in her
life. When Vakr moved, he and David prowled around circling her. Svana felt
goose bumps form on her arms. She remembered that onboard Vakr’s vessel, for a
moment she had thought of him as a huge stag, now here he was. She shivered.
Vakr wrapped his furry arms around her.

“Don’t worry; nothing will happen to me,” Vakr soothed.

Svana almost snorted. “No doubt the wolves will piss
themselves when they see you coming.” She shoved him away. “You look
terrifying.”

“That’s the idea,” David snarled in her ear.

Svana jumped and swatted at him. When Ari prowled over, it was
almost too much. Ari had been transformed into a grizzly bear. At six foot six
he made a convincing one.

“How is Sibba taking this?” Svana asked. She was worried for
the girl, unnerved that the men-beasts came close to what had happened to Sibba.

“She helped make this costume,” Ari responded. “When she saw
the transformation forming, she began having doubts that it was real wolves who
had raped her. The poor thing had not only been terrified, but just the idea
was horrific. Now she is angry. The men, or whatever they are, went to extremes
to make her suffer emotionally as well as physically.”

“You can’t still believe they’re werewolves,” David said.

“There are legends,” Vakr replied grimly.

“Gee, can’t imagine how those legends started,” David said
with the flail of a furry paw.

“Do you not have legends in your time?” Vakr asked.

“If only you guys had satellite, the movies we could show
you,” David said.

Svana just knew he was grinning evilly from ear to ear.

Vakr jumped up onto a table and called for silence.
“Darkness has set. One-by-one we will leave by the back door and go around the
high fence we built that backs onto the woods. Our windows have been shuttered,
so there is no way we could have been discovered. Tonight, we kill with knives
only. Any wolf you kill will be brought back here. Be careful of one another;
know your prey before you strike. Our men only wear bear and buffalo. Anything
else is free game. Come morning, there will be a few less wolves to deal with.”

Nods of approval were seen. No one shouted, in fact the
occupants had been ordered by Vakr he wanted little to no noise. He wanted
their adversaries thinking them hiding like frightened children. Once outside
the safety of the cabin, the men had been forbidden to speak. They were to look,
growl, and grunt as animals, move and kill like beasts.

Svana shuddered with the idea. She was grateful to be a
woman and expected to remain behind. Right now, chivalry got a great big whoop
and equal rights could kiss her ass.

The men began to move out.

* * *
*

Vakr was grateful for the full moon. He slipped through the
forest quietly. Dry leaves crunched under his feet and he was careful not to
trap his horns on the foliage. He sniffed the air and cocked his head to the
side listening to the sounds of the night. Vakr felt like an animal. The
feeling invaded his senses. When he battled, he was merciless; now he would be
primitive, barbaric and deadly. Animals killed without remorse. For tonight, he
too would be without remorse. He moved for a moment on all fours like an
animal. A huge buck passed near him. Closer and closer it came and he growled
low in his throat territorially. The startled buck leapt away.
Fascinating.
He had never been so close
to an unwary buck. Perhaps the animal thought he posed no threat.
Interesting.
He was going to have to try
out the theory.

Vakr cocked his head when he heard the loud roar of an angry
bear. It was followed by a yelp, then silence. A wolf howled to his right and
stealthily Vakr moved swiftly toward the noise. He could see one wolf,
unmoving, on the forest floor. Two more wolves were snapping and snarling at a
grizzly. One powerful swipe of a claw to the head and another wolf moved no
more. The last wolf howled and raced in Vakr’s direction. He was ready. As the
wolf raced by, Vakr grabbed it around the neck and slit its throat. Three dead
wolves. Vakr dragged his to the pile. Silently he and Ari moved further.

Within mere feet of them, another pile of dead wolves lay
and Vakr was pleased. His beast-men had been busy. Six now in all. A wolf
howled and Vakr knew what it was saying. He could smell the fear in the air.
The wolves knew they were being hunted. A loud yip was heard ahead of them. The
animal then screamed. More frantic howling was heard, but not answered. Vakr
wondered if the wolves had figured out that if they were silent, they would
have a better chance of not being seen. It was a strange notion, but he knew
these wolves were smart.

Vakr threw his head back and roared loudly. He was
immediately answered by deeper roaring. His men were answering him and it
sounded as though all had been victorious in the hunt. Movement to his left
made him wary until a black bear came to him crouched submissively on all
fours. It was David. He had been paired with Baldr. Baldr appeared with a wolf
over each shoulder. Vakr motioned for David to help and they returned to the
pile of six wolves. Ari roared loudly into the night and more bears and buffalo
appeared. Their kills were collected and the men set off back to the cabin.

* * *
*

“You see, they are just wolves,” Vakr said. He wasn’t sure
if that made him feel better or worse as he stood staring down at fourteen
carcasses.

“Maybe they stay in wolf form when they die,” Baldr said.

“These aren’t like the wolves that attacked me,” Ing
insisted. “The ones that mauled me were part men, I know it. I saw flesh. These
wolves are big but not nearly the size of the others.”

“I think he’s right,” Ari said.

“There are no such things as werewolves,” David insisted.

“Then explain this,” Ing ground out and slit open a wolf’s
belly.

The guts spilled and David winced with a hand to his mouth.
“It’s a male wolf. Ari, didn’t Sibba tell you the wolves that attacked her were
as large as men?”

“Yes.”

“Does this wolf look as large as a man?” Ing snarled.

“So its dick is smaller than yours. You da man all right,”
David scoffed. “If those wolves were really werewolves, they would be out in
the full moon like last night looking for victims. There’s still a piece of the
puzzle missing.”

“Puzzle?” Vakr asked.

“A puzzle is a picture or portrait cut up into different
pieces. Each one is important, but without all of them, you don’t see the
entire picture when put back together. It’s incomplete.”

Vakr thought about that. “Maybe they hunt when the moon is changing
to resemble werewolves, but something of greater importance to them occurs on
the actual full moon.”

“Like a celebration of their kills?” David said and snapped
his fingers. “Think about it. They got the village, Hakon and one of our young
warriors. They raped the women to reward themselves after two kills. Maybe the
women didn’t escape at all.”

“Maybe they were let go to be hunted again,” Vakr
interjected, nodding.

“What about the other village women?” Baldr asked. “Only
Sibba got away.”

“Maybe she did escape,” Vakr pondered. “She said it was dark
and a cloud passed over the moon. But our young warrior was killed in front of
Birla; she was forced to watch him die. Then she was raped and let go. A
warning to us that they can do as they please.”

“I think it’s time we sent our own warnings,” Ari said, his
look intense.

“What do you have in mind?” Vakr asked.

“I say we mount the heads of these wolves on pikes for those
man-wolves to see. Show them they’re next and that we are ready for them. Show
them we are not afraid.”

Vakr and the others nodded in agreement.

* * *
*

Svana led Vakr to a corner in the cabin where a wool blanket
had been tied off for some privacy. She helped him remove his costume. Most of
it came off before she was stripped and pushed onto the furs. Vakr had removed
his claws and fangs, and anything else sharp that might hurt her. But she could
tell the hunt and the kill had made him excited. He remained covered in fur
with parts of his skin showing, making him look like half-man half-beast. She
tried to pull at the mask he wore, but he grabbed her hands over her head and
held her still.

“Vakr, your horns,” she said then giggled. That was
absolutely the last thing she ever thought she would say to a man she was about
to have sex with. But she was worried he might accidently gore her or poke an
eye out.

Vakr thrust into her powerfully.

She cried out with the force. Svana looked into his eyes and
shivered at what she saw. She was right, the kill had excited him. Tonight was
the first night he had slain his enemy with a disguise and claws. Animal lust
burned deeply. Raw power was unleashed. Svana could hear the grunts and growls
all around her in the semidarkness. Vakr’s were loudest.

Svana pulled her legs up to wrap them around Vakr’s waist. For
a moment, his shaggy face pressed next to his hers. He bit her cheek, grazing
his teeth over her. His mouth gripped her chin for a moment. Lower he went
until his mouth captured the side of her neck. She struggled when he bit into
her tender skin, but he held her firmly. She whimpered and lay submissively,
her throat exposed and vulnerable. Vakr loosened his grip and his tongue licked
her. He nibbled his way to her earlobe then across to her mouth. When he kissed
her, he sucked her tongue into his mouth.

Svana could feel him sliding into her frantically. He bucked
against her harder than ever before and she became breathless. With a heavy
grunt, he removed himself and flipped her onto her belly. Her hips were pulled
up and he plunged back inside her. She cried out, as her fingers dug into the
furs beneath her. Vakr’s hold on her was brutal and she whimpered his name. She
wanted him harder. He was so forceful, her knees were lifted with each bang of
his hips against her. She was forced to meet his thrusts with his strength.

Svana closed her eyes as her face settled into the bedding.
Her man-beast was relentless. When he howled his release, answering howls
filled the cabin. Svana was completely spent. When he let her go, she dropped
to her side and lay still. She could hear Vakr fumbling with his costume. When
he lay beside her, he was bare. A strong arm draped across her middle and she
was pulled into him.

“I love you, Svana,” Vakr whispered.

“I love you, too.”

Chapter 11

Over the course of the next few days, things were quiet. The
wolves were skinned and each one was given to one of the fourteen hunters
involved in the kill. The men were restless and prowled like predators until
the women thought it would drive them nuts. It would seem Vakr hadn’t been the
only man to change slightly after their kill. Something animalistic remained
with each man. It was apparent each warrior wanted an opportunity to repeat the
victory. After an organized hunt, the men returned with three more bears. Three
new hunters would be added to their pack.

Svana couldn’t put her finger on it, but there was something
a bit spooky about Vakr. The leader of the village was now also the Alpha male
of his man-beast pack. His actions were more domineering and his temper with
some seemed excessive. Before he had been somewhat controlling, now it was
getting out of hand and Svana was becoming angry.

It took some getting used to, but slowly Svana was able to
ignore the mounted wolf heads that sat atop pikes around their village. High wooden
walls surrounded them to form their community. Their cabin had become an
impenetrable fortress. Everything they needed was within the walls that
stretched to new boundaries with the find of a hot spring. Svana found it
maddening that she wasn’t allowed to roam free. There had been no further
sighting of wolves, no howling, nothing to indicate danger. When Svana broached
the subject to Vakr, he told her the forest was off-limits to everyone except
his warriors. Even then, the men only ventured out in groups of no less than
ten.

Svana argued about the need to forage as new vegetation came
to life.

Vakr told her he would arrange a time when his warriors were
free and she could take a few women out then.

Svana tried wheedling, pleading and yelling.

Vakr remained unmoved by any of her actions.

When Svana reminded him that they were also farmers, he only
grinned. It was apparent he was up to something. The men had built a room where
they would gather and talk and arrange hunts. Svana called it the boys’ club—no
women allowed. Even David was tightlipped about what went on during those
meetings.

At those times the women gathered at a table to talk and
socialize while many a stray glance was cast to the closed solid wooden door
that barred their entry into the men’s secret domain. Two young pre-warriors
stood guard outside the door during these meetings so the women couldn’t even
listen, or come close.

On one occasion, Auga had snuck outside and attempted to
peer through a crack in the cabin wall but was caught. Vakr had been furious.
Svana had been surprised at his temper, so too had been Auga. His voice had
thundered so loudly throughout the cabin, the children and a few women had
cried in fear. Auga had tried to appear calm before him, but Svana had seen the
older woman begin to shake as her face paled. Only then did Vakr cease his
bellowing and demand Auga be punished. Vakr had told her if she wanted to
behave like a naughty child, she would be disciplined as one. To Auga’s
mortification, she had been sent to her furs with no dinner.

Much of the conversation the women had was about the men and
especially Vakr’s behavior. Vakr had insisted to Svana that what they did in
privacy was done to spare the village women any fear. That thought made Svana
worry the most.

“They are hunting the werewolves again tonight,” Sibba
whispered. “Ari told me.”

“They aren’t werewolves,” Svana said.

“The name is better than man-wolf or creatures,” Sibba
insisted.

“I hope if they catch one, they bring it back and strip it
of its fur,” Svana said. “Then you will see for yourself.”

“They are going to look for the werewolves’ den,” Helga said
quietly.

“Vakr will not kill women and children,” Svana said with a
frown.

“No, they will not kill them,” Helga replied grimly.

Svana took a hard look at the woman. Helga was not pleased
with the situation and Svana was wondering if she had the same disturbing
thought. Vakr’s men wanted payback in a bad way. When they dressed as animals,
they became animals. They thought as animals. It was easy to do behind a
façade.
Just how far will they take their
role-play?

The door to the men’s club opened and they began piling out.
The women rose and began bustling about to get dinner set out. Svana took Vakr
by the hand and led him to their little area and pulled the wool blanket across
for some privacy. Vakr took her into his arms and kissed her. When the kiss
ended, Svana gazed up at him with worry.

“Vakr, what will you and your men do if you find the wolf
village?” Svana asked.

“Destroy it if we can.”

“Will you kill the men?”

“Of course.”

“What of their women and children?”

“That is my concern.”

“Vakr, the women are innocent. Please don’t let your men do
to them what’s been done to us,” Svana pleaded.

Vakr pulled her onto the furs and into his lap. He sighed heavily,
his gaze resting for a moment on the high rafters above them. “They belong to
the enemy.”

“If you capture them, they will belong to you and will no
longer belong to the enemy,” Svana argued.

“They will not be beaten or broken, Svana.”

“But they will be brought back as slaves, won’t they?”

“Yes.”

“What about the children? You can’t enslave small children.”

“The children will only be expected to do the same chores as
the village children. They might be children of slaves, but they will be free
if they pledge allegiance to me. You not worry that they will. Their mothers
will make them.”

“And you’re fine with that?” Svana snapped.

“Svana, do you have any idea what would be done to you if
the wolf warriors caught you?”

“I have no doubt,” she replied.

“My warriors train to be warriors for a reason. We need to
protect what is ours. I will not have you raped by a wolf…”

“But it’s okay for your men to rape as bears?” she said and
struggled from his grasp. Her breasts were heaving in her struggle for breath,
she was so upset.

Vakr eyed her thoughtfully.

“I have ordered my men that if they capture a slave, they
are to be brought here, untouched and unharmed. They have agreed not to touch
them in bear form; they saw what it did to Sibba and Birla. Even a slave has
rights under my command. None will be beaten or tortured. Do you feel any
better?”

“I don’t know yet.”

Vakr slid his fingers down her arm. His touch was soft. His
look was gentle.

“Did I scare you when I was half-man half-beast?”

“No. I wanted you. I knew it was you, not some hideous
creature. It was exciting and primitive. You are exciting and primitive. But
you’ve become such a control freak since you killed the wolves.”

“Have I?”

Vakr lunged before she could move. Svana squealed when she
found herself under him. Her hand reached up to stroke his face when he settled
over her.

“Will you take a slave?” she asked suddenly.

“Would you be jealous?” he asked.

“Not for long…I’d feel much better after I settled an arrow
through your balls,” she replied sweetly.

“Ouch.”

“So, how many slaves do you plan on returning with?” she
asked playfully. Her hand lowered and she squeezed his cock.

He groaned.

“Only one, to help my mother.”

“Only one for your mother?” She squeezed harder.

“Only one,” he promised. “I can think of a much better thing
to do with my cock than have it squeezed from my balls.”

So could Svana. Her grip loosened and instead she stroked
him.

* * *
*

As darkness fell, the men slipped from the cabin into the
forest through a secret door in the high wooden fence.

Svana watched them from an open window. When the last man
had gone, she shuttered the window and climbed down from her perch. Ten
warriors remained behind to guard the village. Svana felt they were safe
enough. Unless of course the wolves were in possession of fire…then there might
be trouble.

As the night waned, a stir began amongst the women. One of
the children was missing. Little Joka was nowhere to be found. Frantically the
women searched while enlisting the remaining warriors’ aid. The cabin was a
bustle of fearful excitement.

Svana knew she shouldn’t, but she went outside. It was the
only place they hadn’t looked.

“Joka?” Svana whispered.

She thought she heard an answering whimper. Svana moved
toward the sound. She whispered the child’s name louder and more urgently.
Another whimper. She peered into the darkness. Crickets sounded from every
direction. A rustle of leaves was not more than ten feet in front of her. Svana
could feel her hair stand on end. She was being lured farther from the cabin.

“I’m not falling for it, wolf-man,” she called out, balling
her fists.

Svana stood still. Whoever it was wanted her away from the
safety of the warriors. She wasn’t stupid enough to fall for it.

“If you’ve kidnapped the child, you will be killed for it,”
she said with as much bravado as possible.

“Same stubborn ballsy little thing in any century, aren’t
you?” a voice in the dark said before letting out with a low chuckle.

“Daddy?” she whispered incredulous. Without thought she
moved forward into the dark.

Large arms crushed her to a solid chest. Svana was sobbing.
Her father was as large as David, and his embrace was comforting. Without a
shirt, he felt even bigger than she remembered.

“I missed you and your brother, sweetheart.”

“How on earth did you find us?”

“When I searched high and low and you were nowhere to be
found, your aunt came calling with another ring and a very interesting story. I
figured I didn’t have anything to lose, grabbed another yacht and well, here I
am.”

“How did you know I was here?”

“A pack of wolves told me,” her father said.

“Huh?”

“I know, as odd as it sounds, it’s the truth. I heard them talking
about kidnapping the beheader of wolves’ woman and when they described her long
flowing auburn hair, I knew it was you. There was no way in hell I was going to
let the filthy beasts get their paws on you. Who the hell is this beheader of
wolves? Why is this place surrounded with them? Overkill, don’t you think? And
I swear I saw the men sneak out as bears and buffalo. It’s how I got in,
through the secret door.”

“His name is Vakr and he is the chief here and Alpha leader
of his bear pack. It’s a long story, Daddy. The wolf-men have been killing our
men and raping our women and others. Vakr and his men decided if those others
could be wolves, they could be bears and some really wild-looking buffalo and
well it’s an animal war now. But we can talk about that later. It’s not safe
out here and there is a child missing.” Svana began to pull him by the hand.

“Wait. There’s something I need to explain,” he said and
stopped her.

“What is it, Daddy? Are you hurt?”

“No, I’m not hurt. But I don’t want to spook you when you
see me.”

“Spook me?”

“Svana?” a warrior shouted.

Within moments torches lit the entire area and the warriors
had their weapons drawn. All were centered on her father. Svana almost fainted
when she caught her first glimpse of him. It was her father, but not how she
remembered him. Her dad was a man of fifty-three, well-built but soft from
years of leisure, and graying at the temples. The man before her couldn’t have
been more than thirty. He looked so much like David, she had to blink. There
wasn’t a gray hair on his head and he was built impressively without any
thickening of his middle.

“Daddy?” she whispered.

“That’s why I needed to see you in the dark first, to explain.
I don’t know what the hell happened. It’s me, Svana. I know you’ve seen
pictures of me before you were born. You said how much I looked like David,”
her father said, willing her to believe him.

“Tell me who you are or die now,” Ing snapped.

When Ing placed his sword at her father’s throat, Svana
stepped between them. “He’s my, uh, my family, Ing. Leave him alone,” she cried
out.

“My name is Bram,” her father said.

He pulled Svana behind him. If it were David, she would have
jumped right back in front of him, but this was her father, and she was used to
him protecting her.

“He looks just like David, but a bit older,” Ivar said.

Ivar was a new young warrior who had just been initiated
into their bear pack. He was anxious to go on the wolf hunt, but Vakr thought
him too anxious.

Her father had yet to pull his sword.

Ing moved closer to take it from him.

“It’s not safe to stay out here,” Ing said. “Bring him inside
and we can question him further.”

When the men tried to take Bram into their special room,
Svana was all fists. When Ing insisted her father was to come with them and she
was to remain outside in the large cabin, she nailed him with a hard right to
his eye.

“Damn you, Svana,” Ing snapped.

“No, damn you. You will not take him out of my sight. We
will wait right here for Vakr,” Svana insisted.

“He will be easier to watch in the other room,” Ivar said.
He wisely remained out of her reach.

“He can sit right here at the table,” Svana said. She cast a
glance about at the curious people and was happy to see little Joka sleeping in
her mother’s arms. She wondered where the child had gotten to and was glad she
was safe.

“Vakr will not be pleased to see a stranger roaming free
around his people,” Ing argued.

“Well he’s going to get used to it,” Svana countered, with
her arms crossed smugly over her chest.