Viking Unbound (14 page)

“You have left another man for this reason?” The thought of her with another man made him even angrier.

“No. My father did it to my mother.”

“So you will leave me before I can leave you?” He raised an eyebrow. “I am not going anywhere, Frey. I am stuck in this Godforsaken world whether I like it or not and so are you.” He turned to the door. “If Aki awakens I will go to him alone.”

“Einarr…”

Before Frey could say anything more, he bowed and walked out into the bedroom, closing the door quietly behind him. She stomped over to turn on the shower. What the
heeze
did he know? She wasn’t some miracle worker or the kind of person who dreamed impossible things. Life had taught her that such optimism usually ended in heartbreak. Her dad had been a dreamer, and his romantic notions had left her family broken and bewildered.

She was practical, loyal and reliable. Maybe even a little boring. All qualities her father had lacked. She’d spent her whole life trying to make up to her mother for her father’s desertion. She’d caused no trouble and tried to be the most perfect daughter imaginable. Believing she could have a chance with someone like Einarr was ridiculous and terrifying and…

“Dammit!” Frey thumped the tiled wall of the shower. “It’s not
fair.”

He thought she lacked courage.

Even worse, he was probably right.

Chapter Ten

“Viking?” Brown knocked on the door. “Your brother is awake.”

“Thank you,” Einarr called out.

After a swift glance at the still closed bathroom door, he tapped in the security codes Frey had created and exited the room into the hallway beyond. In truth, he was glad to escape. His frustration with Frey’s insistence that he could not be with her had made him pace the small space and contemplate punching a hole in the wall.

Brown stood guard by Aki’s open door, his weapon at the ready. “You can go in. Behave yourself.”

Einarr gave Brown a scathing look, took a deep breath and walked through the door. Aki was strapped to the bed but he was stirring and starting to mumble. Einarr came to stand by his head.

“Aki?”

His twin’s blue eyes opened and blinked slowly. “Einarr? Are we truly with the Gods?”

“Not quite.” Einarr put his hand on Aki’s shoulder. “We were frozen in the ice for many years and were recently found and released.”

“That makes no sense. When I woke up I was trapped in a metal box that rampaged through the blackness of the night sky.”

“So was I. We were asleep for a very long time, Aki. Things have changed beyond our comprehension. Ships are built to fly between different worlds rather than just through the sea.”

“I cannot believe this.” Aki muttered. “It is a cruel joke played by the Gods. We are either dead or still dreaming.”

“At first, I thought the same, but I’ve come to realize I am simply alive in a very different time. “ Einarr patted his brother’s shoulder. “I can’t say I understand it yet, but if I am not to go mad, I will have to try. I wish you to try as well. These people are not our enemies Aki.”

“Then why am I a prisoner?”

“Because you attacked the crew on the ship that brought you here.”

“I had no choice. They attacked me when I came out of the ice. I’m not a coward.”

“Neither am I.”

“Then how is it that you speak so eloquently on their behalf?” Aki demanded. “Have they bewitched you?”

An image of Frey burned through Einarr’s memory, and he pushed it aside. “Nay. I have just been awake for longer than you have and I have learned more. These people are not our enemies. They truly wish to help us.”

“Then tell them to take us home.”

Einarr sighed. “There is no ‘home.’ That world has gone.”

Aki blinked up at him and shook his head. “I cannot accept that.”

“If you give them your word of honor that you will not fight, I’m sure you’ll be allowed to get up.”

“And do what, Einarr? All I want is for things to get back to how they were.”

Einarr offered his brother a drink of water and pressed the red button beside the bed to call the healer. To his relief Pel Aziz came through the door, her expression relieved as she studied Aki.

“I’m so glad you have regained consciousness, Aki, how are you feeling?”

Aki glanced at Einarr. “How is it that I can understand what she is saying now? I couldn’t understand anyone on the ship. Is it more magic?”

“It is like magic.” Einarr showed him the patch on his skin. “But it is also very useful, so please do not take it off.”

“
We also have this.”
Aki spoke in his head. “
No one else can hear us here.”

Aziz repeated her question, and Aki finally looked at her.

“Who are you?”

“I am a medical doctor and research scientist. My name is Doctor Pel Aziz. I’m here to take care of you.”

Aki’s eyes widened. “You can understand me?”

“Yes.”

“Then release me from my bonds.”

“You sound just like your brother,” Aziz murmured as she ran a scanner over Aki’s body. “You also seem to be in good shape. A little malnourished, but that’s to be expected considering your past history.” She took his hand and he tried to pull it back. “It’s okay. I won’t hurt you.”

“As if you could, woman.”

Aziz raised her chin and stared right into Aki’s eyes. “Try me. I’m quite capable of defending myself.”

Einarr cleared his throat. “Do not fight her. She is a healer.”

“And obviously a warrior,” Aki murmured. “I will remember that.”

After a few puzzled minutes while the doctor tapped away at her white tablet, Einarr worked out how to raise the bed.

“May I release my brother now?”

Aziz looked up. “You’ll have to check with Brown. He’s in charge of security now.”

Einarr glanced over at the door where Brown stood guard and raised an eyebrow.

Brown nodded. “You are both free to move around the medical facility but no further. You will also be accompanied by security personnel of my choosing and will be monitored at all times. Do either of you have a problem with that?”

“No, we do not.” Einarr answered for both of them before Aki started to disagree.

“You will also be required to cooperate with both the FREN and TSA personnel who wish to speak with you both as soon as Aki is cleared by medical.”

“I understand.”

Einarr started undoing the straps that bound his brother to the bed. He didn’t like having to obey Brown’s orders but he had no choice. Until he discovered exactly what was required of him and his brother, he would continue to cooperate. For the first time in his life he had no purpose. He would have to find one soon or go mad.

Dr. Aziz talked with Brown before disappearing out the door promising to send food. Aki sat up; grimacing down at the blue gown he’d been dressed in and stretched his arms over his head.

“Where are my clothes and weapons?”

Einarr checked the cupboard and found his brother’s garments neatly folded next to his sword and dagger. He handed over the clothing, aware of Brown stepping out into the corridor and closing the door behind him. He knew the man wouldn’t go any further. But at least he was attempting to give them some privacy. Not that he could assuage his brother’s fears or make anything right for him.

He hated that.

Aki placed his sword on the table and buckled his dagger into place at his hip. He finger combed through his long blond hair and re-braided it. He had always been more vain and careful of his appearance than his twin. He’d also been Einarr’s protector and had more of a temper.

A knock at the door heralded the arrival of a veritable feast, including some kind of ale and thick slabs of roasted meat. It was easy enough for Einarr to sit opposite Aki and eat his fill, prolonging the moment when he would have to disappoint his brother and disclose his inability to change anything about their current predicament. He’d been so caught up with meeting Frey that he’d tried not to think about the future. As long as she was with him, he’d instinctively believed that everything would be all right.

But she didn’t want to be with him. She didn’t believe he meant what he said… she thought him infatuated or…

Was she right? Was his fear of dealing with the new world making him cling to her like a suckling child to its mother?

“Einarr?”

He jerked his attention back to his brother who was watching him intently.

“What?”

“Are you certain we are alive?”

“I’m afraid that we are.”

“And we are in the future?”

“About four thousand years or so, aye.”

Aki’s blue eyes widened. “It is impossible.”

“I agree, but it is true.”

“And we can’t get home?”

“Home as we know it no longer exists.”

Aki sat down with a thump. “Our whole world has gone?”

“No, our ‘planet’ is still there, but it would be unrecognizable to you and me.” Einarr knew he was being too short with his brother, but there was no point in pretending anything would change.

Aki put down his cup of ale. “Then what in Odin’s name are we supposed to do now?”

“That, my twin is a very good question.” Einarr tried to shrug off his own concerns. “I suspect the people from FREN and TSA might want something from us. I am not yet sure what that might be. I suggest we keep our counsel and listen to what they have to say before we make any decisions as to our future.”

Frey dressed in the clean uniform she’d found laid out for her on the bed and wondered what to do next. Should she go and find the FREN rep and ask permission to leave the planet, or was she supposed to hang around waiting to be dismissed or court-marshaled?

“
Tecky
?”

“
Yes, Slavin
?”

“
Are you okay
?”

“
As okay as anyone facing an ignominious dismissal can be, why?”

“I wanted to let you know that I contacted my cousin back in Pavlovan about what’s been happening with you and FREN. He’s on the council. He was most concerned and said he’d make sure your Pavlovan interests were properly represented.”

“What exactly does that mean?”

“I’m not sure, but I hope he’ll stop you from being prosecuted for something that wasn’t really your fault. You can’t choose who you are mated with.”

“Perhaps you should also tell him about the other science officer on Aki’s ship. He’s Pavlovan too, and experienced a very similar situation to mine—apart from the kissing bits. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was dismissed or prosecuted by FREN as well.”

“Having two witnesses should help your case. I’ll let my cousin know about this as soon as possible. When are you due to speak to the FREN rep next?”

“I’ve no idea. I assume they’ll be more interested in interviewing the Bloodaxe twins than me.”

There was a slight hesitation. “
Have you seen Einarr’s twin yet?”

“Nope. I don’t think there’s any reason for me to do so, is there?”

“I can sense him better than Einarr.”

“That’s weird.
”

“
I know
.” Again that pause. “
I’ll let you know if my cousin has any definite plans in place.”

“Thanks.”

Frey brushed her hair into a neat ponytail and turned the collar of her uniform up to hide the bite marks Einarr had left on her shoulder. Her unremarkable face looked back at her from the mirror, and for a moment, she wished for some of Slavin’s blond beauty. Einarr hadn’t even glanced at Slavin, even though she was a telepath. But what if he’d met her first?

“And why are you trying to deny what you feel for your mate?” She asked herself loudly, her voice ringing around the tiled bathroom. “Why are you such a wuss?”

She turned away from her reflection in despair. Why couldn’t the Gods have offered her a nice safe Pavlovan male rather than a four-thousand-year-old magical Viking? And what happened if one couldn’t or wouldn’t accept a mate? Would the Pavlovan Oracle offer her another one? Somehow she doubted it…

She wished she could talk to the Oracle right now. She was so conflicted.

“Tecky?”

A knock on the outside door made her straighten up and walk out of the bathroom. She tapped in the codes and the door swung open to reveal Moshe, one of the security team from the ship. He appeared to have recovered from his encounter with Einarr.

He pointed at the door across the corridor. “Einarr’s in there with his twin and the reps from TSA and FREN He asked if you could join him.”

“Do I have to?”

Wow, she sounded like a whiny child. Having to see Einarr again made the idea of walking away from him even harder.

“I think he’d appreciate the support,” Brown said quietly from his position outside the door.

And then Frey felt like a heel for even attempting to avoid her mate. If she was going to abandon him, she could at least support him right up until the end. Squaring her shoulders, she allowed Brown to open the door and went inside. The smell of roasting meat made her stomach rumble and she clutched a hand over it.

Gron, the TSA rep stood and bowed to her. “Science Officer Frey.”

Mitzi Lahm stayed where she was and kept ogling the Vikings. Frey saluted, her gaze drawn to the opposite side of the table where the brothers sat side by side. They were identical in size, both had pale blue eyes, bulging muscles and fierce expressions. The only difference she could see was that Aki was blond and Einarr was dark. The other thing she noticed was that Aki’s mind didn’t call out to her.

“My lady.” Einarr also stood. “May I make my brother known to you? Aki, this is Frey. She is the reason I didn’t go mad when I woke up on the space ship.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Aki.” Frey risked a small smile at the blond Viking. “I apologize for jumping on your back and knocking you out.”

“Ah, that was you, was it?” Aki’s gaze became considering. “The women in this world are all warriors, then?”

“Most of them,” Einarr answered for her. “They don’t seem to believe they need a man, either.” His cool gaze flicked over her and his mind remained closed. That hurt more than she had anticipated.