12. Erik

1000 YEARS AGO

I’d found a small tribe near the north-eastern coast and remained in the mountain range close by. They called me the Night Walker. Their children were told stories about me. They lived in fear of my name; the creature in human form who came at midnight to take blood from their people.

I’d attempted the same tactic we’d employed in our previous village, but these humans weren’t so easily tricked. However, the arrangement had worked for me in the end once they’d started leaving out sacrifices for me to feed on. Those who broke the rules in their tribe were tied to a stake and left for me to devour. Though I never killed the victims, my bites were painful enough to strike fear in the hearts of the townsfolk.

I was lonely again. And so bored. The world was a blur, the days merging with the nights while I hid inside a large cave I’d found at the foot of a hollow mountain. I kept the company of bears and wolves. I’d even once tried to sate my hunger on one of their kills. But it was pointless. Only human blood could quench the curse’s desire. So I remained there, living for the day that Magnar and his people would succumb to old age and pass out of this world forever.

It had only been a few years and I was already tired of waiting. The rumours of my existence had spread to a few of the closest tribes. It wouldn’t be long before I’d have to leave this place behind. It was too risky to stay if word of my hideout reached the ears of the slayers.

I’d probably already lingered too long. Despite the less-than-ideal situation, it was better to have a constant blood supply than to uproot myself again in search of another tribe. I was at my most vulnerable when I was on the move. The slayers could sight me, or I could stumble across one of their camps. I knew they’d moved north in the hopes of finding us in the territories where the nights were longer. I’d heard the townsfolk speak of a fierce group of warriors living close to the sea a few miles south of here. They would head this way eventually. And I would be forced to run.

A storm was rolling in across the sky as I sat at the edge of my cave, waiting for the downpour to arrive. The air crackled with expectant energy, but the rain never came. Instead, a fork of lightning hit the ground in the forest to my right. I watched as it hit the same spot over and over, a frown creasing my forehead.

I’d never seen a storm act so strangely. Apart from...

My gut clenched as I rose to my feet. When the slayers had been blessed by the gods, one of them had wielded the weather with immense strength. But if she was close, surely that meant the others were too?

I growled my frustration. I hadn’t had a good feed for over a week. I’d heard whispers of a thief being laid out for me this very night. But if I fled now, I’d miss my chance for blood. The sun was not yet set, though it was close. The storm clouds gave me the reprieve I needed to run in the final hour of daylight. So I flexed my muscles, making my decision.

I’d head into the town and take the blood I needed before I made my escape. It didn’t matter if the disturbance caught the ears of the slayers. If they were this close already, they had no doubt heard the warnings of my proximity. Leaving without feeding was too dangerous. I didn’t know how far I’d have to go before I discovered another suitable place to take up residence. So I would drink fast then run.

Damn those slayers. We don’t even kill anymore, why can’t they leave us be?

I started running toward the town, my feet pounding across the rocky ground. As I met the tree line and darted between two thick trunks, the rain was unleashed from the clouds. A torrent drenched me in seconds, but as I moved deeper into the dark wood, I was relieved from it by the thick canopy above.

The scent of a dampened fire hit my nostrils and I urged my legs faster, tearing toward the village.

Get blood. Get out. Run for your life.

I burst out of the trees, arriving at the edge of the village. Men and women were hurrying into their stone houses to escape the downpour. A child stood by the fire as smoke sailed from its doused embers. He was jumping in puddles, laughing as the water splashed up his legs.

I stalked closer, searching for another victim and the boy’s eyes found mine, widening in fear.

“Night Walker!” he yelled in his native tongue and I cursed as a panic broke out around him. Those who hadn’t made it to their houses turned at the voice, finding me standing at the edge of their home.

My eyes locked on a man as he raised an axe from his belt.

“Get back, monster!” he cried, shoving a woman toward the boy by the fire. She gathered him into his arms, running for shelter.

I let the man come to me, spotting several more gathering behind him with their weapons raised.

“I will not kill you,” I told them, like I always did.

“Beast!” the man shouted, charging toward me with a battle cry.

I sighed, wishing I’d been able to sneak someone away rather than cause this much of a stir. But the slayers had forced my hand again. If I didn’t get blood now, I was in trouble.

I tensed as the man approached, knocking the axe from his hand with ease before dragging him close to me by the scruff of his neck. His kinsmen backed off as I dug my fangs into his throat, drinking deeply.

Screams cleaved through the air as his friends and family watched me drink from him. A woman slashed at me with a knife, but I knocked her to the ground, lifting the man from his feet as I took the blood I so desperately craved.

When I’d had enough and the man was woozy, I dropped him to the ground, the mud splashing over his clothes. He scrambled back into the arms of his people, clutching the wound on his neck in terror.

Two men stepped forward to intercept me, but I’d gotten what I’d come for. I turned, sprinting back into the trees, leaving their shouts of anger far behind me.

I remained in the forest, heading west under the cover of the canopy. If the slayers were close, they would have been alerted by the noise of the townsfolk. And while they charted a path there, I was going to slip right under their noses into the night.

A grin pulled at my mouth over my victory. I was well-fed and now I could spend my next days heading further inland to hunt down a new tribe. Perhaps this time I could convince them to trust me. To keep my secret from the slayers. So long as I protected their home in return, there was a chance I could find a similar life to the one I’d had before.

The thought alone sent a spurt of energy into my limbs as I quickened my pace, darting through the trees.

Lightning struck the earth ahead of me and I hit the ground before I realised what had happened. I sprang upright, hunting the forest surrounding me, the ground sizzling from the impact of the strike. Perhaps it was a coincidence but I’d seen too much of the gods in my life to believe in that. The slayers were near. I just prayed there weren’t too many of them.

When no warriors emerged from the trees, I took a sharp left and headed deeper into the forest. I sensed eyes on me and my skin tingled. I was being followed. But I was faster. I could outpace the slayers. And I damn-well would.

Another spear of lightning brought a tree down before me and I crashed into it, falling over the burning trunk onto the damp ground beyond it.

I bared my fangs, rolling onto my back as I waited for my attacker to appear. “Show yourself!” I roared, rising to my feet once more.

“I only wish to talk!” a female voice came in answer.

I hunted the shadows between the trees, backing up from the blazing fire before me. The rain slowly put it out so darkness reigned again. The woodland was quiet as animals scattered from the scene of devastation, and I listened for the approach of my enemies.

I turned to run but thunder boomed overhead and another fork of lightning ripped the ground in two before me. I backed up, sure I was being penned in, that whatever way I chose right now could equal my end.

Energy surged through me as I prepared for a fight.

She wanted to talk did she? Then why was she trying to burn me alive with the storm’s power?

“Stop!” she commanded and I wheeled toward the sound of her voice.

She appeared from the shadows in a blue dress that clung to her lithe figure; it was near-transparent from the rain that soaked it and I quickly dragged my gaze up from the sight. Her face was a picture of beauty, her brown hair spilling down one side of her neck in a braid. In her hand was a golden sword.

I snarled, running to intercept her, but a harsh wind pushed me back, so fierce I had to dig my heels into the soft earth to stop myself from falling.

“Erik Belvedere?” she asked, a smile pulling at her lips.

“Yes, and who are you?” I growled, battling against the wind, desperate to rip her heart out before more of her clan arrived.

“I am Valentina Torbrook. Magnar Elioson’s betrothed.”

I stilled and the wind eased a fraction as I narrowed my eyes at her. “Why am I not dead yet?”

Her smile fell and she drifted a little closer. “Because I have been scorned by my husband-to-be. I am tired of his games. And I am tired of seeking his comfort and receiving the back of his hand instead.”

I frowned at her words. So the great Earl Magnar beat his intended bride, did he? An ounce of pity found me despite the fact that she was a slayer. For all I knew, this could be a trick. But if it was, this woman was playing a long game. She could have attempted to kill me with the aid of her storm powers by now.

“And what does that have to do with me?” I snarled, baring my fangs.

She didn’t react to my display of aggression, only seeming keener to close the gap between us. “I have spoken with the gods. They tell me of your family’s great calling. That you are to be monarchs one day.”

My eyes sharpened to slits. “And what god tells you such a thing? I have been fooled by them too before, but if you hadn’t noticed I’m waist-deep in a shitty life here, trying to scrape by. I am hardly a monarch.”

“Yes, but I think you might be. One day.” Her earthy eyes glimmered and I had the strangest feeling she was admiring me. “I have news,” she went on. “A gift of knowledge that could allow you and your kind to defeat the slayers once and for all.”

My mouth opened and closed.

“Liar,” I hissed eventually. “You must think me a fool if you expect me to trust a slayer.”

She raised her hands in innocence. “I’m not just a slayer. I am a woman. Human. And I need more in my life than the empty existence my betrothed offers me. My clan disregard me, mock me. And I am tired of living that way. Why should I protect the people who show me no love?” Her voice cracked and a tear slid down her cheek.

If she was lying to me, she was damn good at it. Perhaps she was waiting for her clansmen to arrive and finish me. Perhaps she feared she couldn’t do it herself. But I’d seen her wield the heavens; she was a force to be reckoned with.

“What is it you want from me?” I growled.

Slowly, she dropped to her knees, bowing her head. “I’ll be your faithful follower. I’ll help you ascend to power over the whole land. And I will offer you information that will assist you in ending the slayers. All I want in return is to have a place at your side.”

My mind spun at the strange display from her. The wind still kept me from attacking her, but I could feel it easing as if she was about to place her life in my hands.

I bit down on the inside of my cheek, assessing her. “What information?”

A small smile crept back onto her face. “The prophets have foreseen a great war between the slayers and the vampires. They have told us that you and your kin are going into hiding for a hundred years to try and wait out our deaths.”

My mouth parted in horror at such news. Could we hide nothing from these bastards? Were the gods so intent on having us fight them?

A feral noise rolled from my throat and Valentina winced, increasing the press of the wind again.

“So? You will all be dead by then,” I snarled. “Will you train your children and your children’s children just so you can have your fucking war?”

Valentina bowed her head, her dark hair falling around her beautiful face. “I can stop Magnar’s descendants from ever being in that war...I will kill him and his brother to rid you of their plight.”

My brows pulled together and I released a bitter laugh. “And why would you do that?”

Her eyes twinkled with tears as she looked up at me. “I am hurt and broken by Magnar. I would see him dead as you would.”

I observed her closely, unsure if I could really place my faith in her, but I couldn’t see the point in her lying either.

She went on, “I wouldn’t have come to you if I wasn’t desperate. But I have quietly admired your bravery in facing us. I know it was the god Andvari who placed this curse on you. I know you didn’t choose it.”

My heart softened at her words and I felt the urge to trust her. After so long without company, I couldn’t deny it was a relief to speak with someone at last. But Magnar’s betrothed? The chances of her truly being on my side seemed ludicrous. Yet I could see candour in her eyes. I could see the hurt he’d caused her. And it stoked a rage in me that begged to be appeased.

Valentina eyed me hopefully, evidently sensing my altered mood. “So perhaps I can stay with you tonight? The clans won’t miss me before dawn. They remain south of here for now. And I can guide you away from them to ensure you don’t cross paths.”

I gritted my teeth, unsure how to respond. Taking the company of a slayer seemed like a fool’s idea. But she had offered me a vital piece of information. And if it was true, then she really was betraying them.

“Why come to me?” I asked again. “Why not run from them and start a new life elsewhere? There is no need to take up with your enemies.”

“I cannot abandon my vow. But like I said...the gods have spoken of you rising to power. I believe Idun will release me from it eventually. And I am willing to put all of my grievances aside to follow their righteous path.”

My brow creased. “I don’t do what the gods say.”

“We all must, whether we want to or not is irrelevant. Each step we take is designed by them. So if they wish for you to rise to power, you will.”

I wrestled with that possibility. I didn’t care much for power. But I did care for a peaceful life. One me and my family could exist in without the fear of being hunted.

“Get up,” I commanded and Valentina rose from the mud, releasing the pressure of the wind. She lifted her blade and I readied myself for an attack, but it didn’t come. She slammed her sword into the muddy ground in a fierce gesture.

“I pledge myself to you,” she said, taking hold of the straps of her dress and pulling them down her shoulders.

My face twisted in confusion as she dropped the dress to the ground, stepping out of it as thunder cracked overhead. A lump lodged in my throat as she moved toward me, completely bare, with her hands outstretched. Her naked body was perfectly curvaceous, her breasts full and tempting.

“How long has it been since you had the company of a woman?” she asked, her eyes glittering as lightning arced through the clouds above us.

I backed up, certain she was just trying to get close enough to rip out my heart. That had to be her ploy.

“Don’t fear me,” she begged, and I couldn’t stop my eyes from roaming across her naked flesh, a new kind of hunger growing in me. I had yearned for the touch of a human woman for so many years. But this wasn’t just any woman. She was a slayer. And Magnar’s betrothed.

Although...the idea of taking something like that from him sparked a heated lust in me.

I cleared my throat, backing away. “I don’t know what games you’re playing, slayer, but I am not going to fall for them.”

“No games.” She raised her hand, pressing her finger to a tattoo on the skin above her heart. “Magnar has branded me as his. But he has bedded many woman in all our years of betrothal and humiliated me. Now I am taking my destiny into my own hands. The gods wish me to have a powerful husband, so I am choosing another one for myself.”

“Husband?” I murmured, backing up again and my spine collided with a tree.

She sauntered toward me, her hips swaying seductively as she approached. I bared my fangs, stepping forward but she pressed a warm hand to my chest, pushing me back against the trunk. My eyes roamed to her breasts and I cursed myself for my weakness as she moved closer, the scent of her delicious skin rolling beneath my nose.

“I can be everything you’ve ever dreamed of,” she purred, placing a finger under my chin and lifting her mouth towards mine. She was obviously unarmed but I still expected her to turn on me at any second. My muscles coiled as I prepared to intercept the attack she was about to unleash on me.

It never came. Her mouth captured mine in the first kiss I’d had since I’d been turned. She moulded her body against mine, sliding a hand around the back of my neck as she arched into me with desire. Wanting me as I was, as this monster that the world recoiled from.

I was torn between a thousand conflicting emotions as she slid her palm down my chest and took hold of my waistband.

Fear rose in me as I recalled Andvari’s words. That we could have children with humans.

“No,” I growled, knocking her hand away. “We cannot do this. There’s too much at risk.” I pushed her back and she stumbled, her eyebrows pinching together.

She ran her hand to a coiling rune above her pubic bone, caressing her skin. “I can’t bear children out of wedlock, vampire. If that is what concerns you.”

My throat constricted at her words and she closed the distance between us again, her eyes lighting with hunger.

“Have me,” she commanded, placing my hands on the silken skin of her waist.

My resolve weakened. I’d been so alone for so long. And despite the terrible repercussions this was probably going to cause, in that moment, I wanted her. I longed to desire someone again. I needed a woman’s warm flesh against mine. I wanted to remember what it was like to feel again. And I wanted to feel wanted in kind.

Her hand snaked beneath my waistband and I sucked in air as she gripped my cock in her fist. I lost myself, a slave to this single moment in time, forgetting right from wrong and giving myself to my basest urges.

I spun her around, flinging her against the tree with force and giving myself to her tender skin. I hooked her thigh over my hip and drove myself inside her, fucking her with all the pent up fury in my body and taking out my rage with the gods upon her flesh.

She moaned my name and sometimes she moaned Magnar’s, which only spurred me on to make her forget all about him.

I knew I was going to regret this. But fuck it. I was going to take Magnar’s betrothed and damn the consequences.