Chapter Three

T HE LAST THING Savannah expected when she opened her eyes from her worst nightmare to date was to find herself not snapping awake in her car or bed but still very much in hell. Or so it seemed when she came to, standing in some sort of dark, dank dungeon with her hands shackled above her head and her ankles strapped to a wall.

"?Qué carajo?" she cursed, trying to remain calm despite her growing terror. She yanked at her bindings only to find them unforgiving.

"I would not bother trying to escape them," an all-too-familiar deep voice rumbled before someone emerged from the darkness, almost as if he'd been waiting for her to stir awake. "They are binding in a way that will only cause pain if you fight them."

She stilled at the sight of the towering, broad-shouldered, tribal-looking man who was clearly Viking. Several lethal weapons were strapped to him, including a mighty axe at his back. He wore black leather from head to toe, only accentuating his powerful muscular build in a way she imagined women took notice of. Not just that, but his dark hair was shaved on the sides and braided back, lending a dangerous, raw, primal bearing to him that likely landed every one of those women in his bed.

He was a bad boy through and through.

A true alpha in every sense of the word.

He possessed numerous tattoos and piercings and had three thin slashes shaved in his right eyebrow. While all that was notable enough, his lightly bearded face captured her attention most. How could it not when it was so familiar? Familiar like a dream she forgot, however impossible it seemed given how ruggedly handsome he was.

His features were chiseled and masculine, and his eyes were impossibly piercing. Intelligent. A dark shade of brown that almost appeared black, they were the sort of eyes that undoubtedly made most squirm in discomfort when they locked on them in warning like they were on Savannah as he approached.

Even so, despite her heart rate kicking up a notch, she was undaunted and narrowed her eyes in return, knowing full well who he was. "Zane."

"Savannah." The rich timber of his voice kicked her pulse up another notch. "Good to see you know who I am."

"Yet I sense you're as curious as I am as to why that is." When he moved even closer, she focused on keeping her breathing as even as she could. Worked to keep her voice from sounding as shaky as she felt at his ever-nearing proximity and her undeniable vulnerability. "In fact—" she frowned the more she sensed — "I have a feeling you know me, but I'm not supposed to know you...not really."

"Because you are not."

Even though she sensed he wasn't supposed to get this close, Zane stopped directly in front of her, making clear how much he actually dwarfed her. She was tall for a woman, but he had her by at least a foot. If that wasn't enough, his strength was more than apparent, both inside and out. And this was just his good side. She was certain of it.

So imagine how strong his more lethal side was.

"You never saw me in person," he went on. His gaze wandered her face languidly with approval. "But I saw you, Savannah. As often as I could until I couldn't anymore."

"Why?" she asked, frustrated when her word came out as more of a breathy whisper. He was too close now, his fiery, spicy scent surprisingly alluring. She cleared her throat and went on, needing to understand. "Why did you seek me out? Why did you watch me without me knowing? Why did you only ever remain in my dreams and nightmares because I know you did?"

When his pupils flared, it occurred to her he might not have realized that. More so, those dreams, however hazy most might be, could very well be a way to get deeper inside him. Get ahold of him in a way that revealed all his secrets to her. Let her see everything.

Alarmingly, sensing her intentions, Zane clenched his fists as if trying to keep from touching her and shook his head slowly. His voice dropped an octave in warning. "You must not think like that around anyone but me lest they catch your thoughts because I cannot guarantee your safety."

So he wasn't worried about himself but others? How much did he know about what she was capable of, especially with male dragons? Because it sounded like too much.

"How did I get here?" How did she go from traveling through the door at the Maine Yggdrasil to being chained in a dismal castle-looking dungeon? "Why am I tied up? Where are my friends?"

"Here, Savannah," Zoey said, emerging from the shadows a ways off, clearly worried, only for Magnus to appear and stop her from going any further. If she weren't mistaken, her best friend looked at her with fear and compassion before going on.

"I'm right here, sweetie." Zoey shook her head. "I'm so sorry you had to be shackled like this." Blinking back tears, she looked at Savannah with reassurance. "It won't be for long. I promise."

Outside of her apparent worry for Savannah, Zoey looked good in Viking attire with little braids woven into her sleek black hair. Her beautiful oriental features seemed even more stunning than usual, and her turquoise eyes were vibrant. Savannah could see by the possessive yet adoring way Magnus looked at her there was good reason for it. She was in love. They were an interesting match but looked good together. He was a textbook Viking with dirty blonde hair and a thick beard, his build substantial beside Zoey's petite form, but it worked. They worked.

"I don't understand. What happened?" Savannah shook her head, confused. "The last thing I remember, I was chasing a little red dragon in a windstorm, then stepping through that damn door at the Yggdrasil." A shiver went through her. "I think Rune was trying to stop me, but I had to keep going. Finally step through it. I had to..."

"What?" Zane said, his tone surprisingly gentle when he gave up his fight to touch her and cupped her cheek. "What were you looking for, mitt hjertes flamme ?"

There was no way to know if it had been what he called her or their contact, but red-hot desire shot through her. Her vision hazed bright red, and it felt like her skin caught on fire. In turn, a low growl started in his throat, and a massive red dragon with flaming eyes arose in her mind's eye.

"Enough," another deep voice growled before Zane was yanked away from her by an unseen force, and another equally imposing Viking with dark brown hair, long black robes, and blazing grayish eyes the color of the stone behind him stood between her and Zane. He shook his head after introducing himself as Quinn's mate, Rafe.

"As Zoey said, we hope you will not be shackled long, but for now, it is necessary, Savannah." Though he didn't step any closer or touch her, Rafe managed to get through to her when he crouched, rested the flat of his palm against the earthen floor, closed his eyes, and chanted.

When he did, tiny lightning bolts zigzagged over the ground toward her before fizzling at her feet. Or so she thought until soothing, calming warmth spread up her legs and expanded through her body.

Seconds later, visions flickered through her mind.

A dark cave. Threatening male dragons. She was taller. Bigger. Had wings. Felt stronger. More fluid. Powerful in her fear.

Terrifying in her panic.

"Oh, no," she whispered hoarsely. Flashes kept coming. Her dragon protected herself the only way she knew how. "Oh please, no..."

She closed her eyes to the pain the images tumbling through her mind invoked. One, two, three, then two more mighty male dragons keened in pain as her vision went a deep, dark, angry red, and she growled. The more they cried in anguish, the more her fear turned to rage and her rage to death because their inner flames dwindled away, and she somehow attacked them in their weakened state.

"What did I do?" she choked out, opening her eyes to Rafe, who remained crouched with his wary gaze trained on her like she was a lethal weapon because she was . She swallowed hard, understanding what she needed to ask next. "How many did I kill?"

"All of them," Rafe said softly. "Three Múspellsheimr dragons and two Ancients."

"Oh God ," she croaked, heartbroken. She shook her head and prayed this was still some sort of ongoing nightmare. "Please tell me this is..."

Unable to get the words out, she trailed off, hung her head, and cried. Sobbed because deep down, she knew that hadn't been necessary. She had too many powerful friends here who could have stopped them from confronting her if they'd had warning.

A leader who would have stopped them if she'd given him half a chance.

A fact she saw clearly when memories of Zane's mighty red dragon stood between her and all dragons, clearly ready to die defending them against her. And he could have very well been successful, given his dragon was the first who'd ever stood strong against her debilitating magic. Able to keep standing despite everything she'd thrown at him.

"It's okay, my friend," came a soft, unexpected voice. "You're not to be blamed for what happened any more than I was when I cut down just as many dragons." A gentle hand tilted her chin until she met Quinn's shimmering golden eyes. "You were yourself no more than I. Afraid just as I was. Strong just as I was."

Similar to when Rafe had comforted her, warmth once more spread through her as Quinn's skin shimmered gold, undoubtedly her inner Valkyrie, and she wiped away Savannah's tears. Quinn offered her a small, knowing smile and looked over her shoulder at Rafe, who was clearly concerned she'd gotten too close to Savannah. "She doesn't need to be shackled anymore." She shook her head. "Whatever surfaced in the cave is suppressed for now. Blinded by our magic until she can finally, truly see clearly."

Quinn looked good in Viking attire, too, but then, with her tall, statuesque beauty, she tended to look good in anything. Her pale blonde bob was still cut shorter in the back than the front, only now a few tiny braids with what looked like talismans framed her face. She was a good match for Rafe's earthy, mystical vibe and classically handsome looks.

"How can you be so certain what surfaced within Savannah is suppressed?" Magnus asked, still by Zoey's side with his weapon drawn, set to defend her against Savannah if need be.

"Because we've been able to blind it using Savannah's own remorse," Rafe said quietly, obviously as surprised as the rest of them. "I would not have thought it possible given its sheer power, but it can no longer see through Savannah's eyes. It has been—" he seemed to struggle with how to explain it— "weakened through division. At least for now."

What were they talking about? What was blinded?

"What does that mean?" Magnus frowned at Rafe and shook his head. "I don't understand."

"I would imagine it means it doesn't feel the need to be so strong now since it knows your Valkyries can no longer be considered the heroines everyone thought them," Zane said. Unfettered by Rafe's magic now, he moved closer to Savannah, clearly frustrated he'd been kept from her in the first place. "How else could it be when one of their saviors so ruthlessly killed five powerful dragons without provocation?"

Quinn moved away when Zane crouched in front of Savannah, inserted a key into the lock shackling one of her legs, and went on. "Because that is how it will be told in these parts." He clenched his jaw as if struggling with what was coming. Magic shimmered around the key, and the shackle opened, freeing one foot. "And it will be told that way because of the breed of dragons taken down. Because of prideful yet powerful natures that are not in the habit of forgiving such even though their fallen were a threat to Savannah to begin with."

"Yet they forgave me for doing something similar," Quinn reminded.

Zane unshackled another foot, making Savannah yet again painfully aware of his proximity. Aware, despite her confusion and the endless questions churning in her head. Aware, despite the terrible guilt she suffered even after Quinn had tried to ease it.

"It's one thing to cut a dragon down in battle when he's in human form," Zane said softly, clenching his jaw again as he stood and unlocked one of Savannah's wrists. "That is a noble death and will earn those warriors a seat by Odin's side in Valhalla." He shook his head and looked into Savannah's eyes rather than avoiding them like she knew he wanted to. "What happened earlier will strike most as a shameful way to die, robbing those men access to Valhalla. For that, their families..." His voice dropped an octave, and he paused, clearly struggling with what he shared. A vein ticked in his temple before he went on. " All dragons and their families will see you as the enemy, Savannah, and will want justice. That is why you are shackled here and why—"

"Enough," Zoey bit out, coming to Savannah's defense. "Savannah's going through enough already and doesn't need to hear—"

"But I do," Savannah managed, cutting her off. While tempted to look away in shame for what she'd done, she would show Zane the same respect he had shown her and hold his gaze. "I killed without giving anyone a chance to fight back. Killed with magic, they couldn't counter. Couldn't fight." Despite the shackles falling away, she swallowed hard and kept her arms and ankles right where they were. "It was a ruthless slaughter, and I should be imprisoned. Should be brought to justice."

"Yet you won't be," Zane made clear. "Not yet." As if shielding her from the world, he remained close, protecting her despite it being obvious even he wouldn't be strong enough to keep her safe in the end. "Not until we understand what tries to take you from me."

Based on the way he tensed yet didn't move away, he was just as surprised as her he'd said that. Yet somehow, in a place made of dreams and nightmares, she realized he wasn't entirely wrong.

Even so.

"Taken easily enough, if that were the case," she murmured, trying to make sense of not just the words tumbling out of her mouth but all the strange feelings fluctuating between them. Because they were there and they were powerful. "Taken when you could have stopped me." When he narrowed his eyes in confusion, she narrowed hers in return. "Why didn't you stop me? Why did you let me go through the door?"

"What door?"

His gaze roamed her face as if he couldn't help himself before his eyes locked with hers once more, and he stayed right where he was. Too close. And it caused an untimely arousal she once again tried to ignore.

"What is this door you're so determined to go toward?" he continued. His eyes flared with his inner dragon, only amping up the lust blazing like wildfire over her skin. A searing heat that enflamed every last inch of her. "Why do you want to go through it so much?"

"No more, cousin," Rafe said when Savannah's vision hazed red with her inner beast. "Not right now. Not until you two are closer to your truth, and I trust her weakened state as much as Quinn does."

"Weakened or not, I will have my answers if it's the last thing I do." Zane wrapped his hand around Savannah's suspended wrist and lowered her arm despite her resistance. "And you will not be imprisoned." The fire in his eyes simmered down, but not the promise and even threat in his voice when he leaned closer and murmured in her ear as he lowered her other arm. "Not yet, and never like this again. Next time you are held back by shackles, rope, or magic, fear and confusion are the last things you will feel, mitt hjertes flamme ."

She stilled again, fully aware though she spoke to his gentler side, his darker, more primal half hovered near the surface. Both sides of him had every intention of claiming her as his, whether she was guilty in the end or not.

He would have her. Sample her. Make her feel things that made moving impossible as he inhaled the side of her neck deeply while squeezing her wrist tight enough to let her know she'd feel that pressure again. Then he stepped away, leaving nothing but cool air where searing heat had been moments before.

While her inner beast seemed frustrated by him stepping away, her human half was relieved. He was too intense. Overwhelming. Yet just right in a way that made everything in her come alive. And it seemed that sensation—the blasphemous heat that made her want to drop to her knees and pleasure him in any way he saw fit—was going to have consequences.

More than either of them saw coming.