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11. Montana

Isat with my legs folded on the make-shift bed I’d slept in last night, watching Julius pace around the room. He’d attached his cellphone to his arm with a strange black strap that glowed blue as he moved.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“Charging my cellphone,” he said. “Kinetic energy makes it work. When I awoke in this new era, Idun led me to a place of long-dead warriors. A base of sorts, full of strange weaponry and technology beyond my comprehension. She gifted me enough knowledge to stifle my fears and help me make use of some of it.”

“Right. So what does ‘charging’ mean?” I frowned, not really understanding as he continued to circle around us.

“Well there are two definitions. The old one I knew better than this.” Julius went charging across the room with a battle cry and Callie jolted from sleep beside me, looking a little pale as she sat upright.

“Are you alright?” I murmured.

“More bad dreams,” she whispered.

Magnar eyed her from the moth-eaten chair he was sitting in. “The kind with Fabian Belvedere in them?” he growled, but Callie didn’t answer, getting to her feet and taking a bowl of oatmeal which I’d warmed on the fire.

Magnar stroked the hilt of one of his blades, eyeing Julius’s cellphone with unease. “I don’t like these devices. What if a vampire can use its mystical ways to find us?”

“Not a problem,” Julius said lightly. “I have the phone cloaked so neither the GPS, internet, or radio signal is traceable.”

“I do not understand,” Magnar grumbled, seeming irritated, and I had to agree with him on that.

“Leave it to me, brother.” Julius continued his pacing and Magnar finally rose to his feet.

“Enough. You’re driving me insane. If you wish to expend energy then spar with me. The gods know I could use a distraction.”

“We all could,” Callie agreed, dropping down beside me with her breakfast as if readying for the show. She waved her hand at them. “Go on. Let’s see which brother is the strongest.”

“It’s no competition,” Julius said cockily, rolling his shoulders. “I shall prove to you that I am the finest, most skilled-” Magnar’s fist slammed into his jaw and Julius almost hit the floor, catching himself on the edge of a broken table. He released a dark laugh. “Oh, is that how you’re going to fight today, asshole? You’ve got the fires of Muspelheim in you this morning.”

Julius swung out a leg, catching Magnar by the backs of his knees and knocking his next punch off balance.

I watched in awe as the brothers set into a furious fist fight, parrying every blow, their technique and ferocity a true gift of the gods. Magnar suddenly fell back and started circling his brother like a predator hunting its prey.

Julius drew his sword from his hip. “Let us do this properly or not at all.”

“Prepare to lose then,” Magnar warned, his eyes lighter than they’d ever been since I’d met him as he picked up one of his swords.

“Prepare to be shamed!” Julius leapt at him, bringing Menace down at a terrifying speed.

Magnar lifted his blade, easily knocking the blow aside, and the clash of metal rang in my ears as they slashed at each other again. My heart rate picked up, the thrill of this fight setting my blood ablaze.

“Who do you think will win?” I asked Callie and she threw me a grin.

“Magnar, but I’d like to see him get knocked on his ass first.”

Magnar glanced over at her, hearing the comment and Julius pressed his advantage, knocking him right onto his ass just like Callie had hoped.

My sister laughed, and Julius beamed in victory. “Someone’s getting in your head, brother. Whoever could it be?”

Magnar growled his fury, lunging forward and toppling Julius as he snatched his legs from under him. He straddled his brother, throwing punches into his gut with wild abandon. I gasped at the sight, wondering how far this would go.

Julius spluttered, slamming his knuckles into his brother’s chest and Magnar reared back, but as Julius tried to rise, Magnar took hold of his throat and forced him down onto the floorboards again.

“Yield,” he snarled.

“Ne-ver,” Julius coughed.

Magnar’s grip only tightened, and Julius started turning blue, his legs kicking as he tried to unseat his brother, but it was no good. The seconds ticked into a minute, and I rose to my feet in alarm.

“Magnar, let him go!” I yelled, concern warring in my chest.

“Yield!” Magnar bellowed.

“Fine,” Julius wheezed and Magnar released him, pulling him up by one hand.

I gazed at the two of them, shaking my head as they embraced each other, their bond only growing keener from the violence.

“You’re both crazy,” I half laughed.

Julius rubbed his throat. “It’s just a bit of fun. Do you want a round, damsel?” He moved toward me, playfully jabbing my arm.

I rubbed the spot with a frown. “No thanks.”

“I will.” Callie sprang to her feet, gazing straight at Magnar. “You game?”

His mouth curved up into a hungry smile. “Always, drakaina hjarta.”

“At least wear this.” Julius took the phone from his bicep, holding it toward Magnar. He recoiled like it might burn him and Callie took it instead, strapping it to her arm.

“Um...Callie? Are you sure about this?” I asked.

Magnar was twice the size of her and he’d nearly strangled his own brother five seconds ago. That was two major reasons for her not to get into a brawl with the beastly dude, but I could definitely come up with more.

“I’ve never been as sure of anything in my life,” Callie snarled, a wildness entering her tone.

My heart lifted at the life in her eyes. This might have been insanity by definition, but she seemed more herself today. And if she was certain she could handle this fight, then who was I to stop her?

“No blades, but you can fight as dirty as you like,” Magnar announced, taking his leathers off and leaving them on the chair with his swords.

Callie grinned. “Even better.”

“I’m not going to go easy on you,” Magnar said, flexing his arms above his head.

Callie aimed a straight kick at his exposed stomach, and he lurched backwards.

“I didn’t say begin!” Magnar barked as she collided with him, locking an arm around his neck.

“It was implied,” Callie laughed, taking hold of her hand as she choked him like a hellion.

“Go on, Callie!” I urged excitedly.

Magnar grabbed her waist, throwing her away from him and she rolled with impossible grace across the floor, gaining her feet in an instant.

My mouth parted in awe. She was incredible, fierce and clearly able to take on a warrior like Magnar. I could hardly believe how much strength the slayer’s vow had given her.

She charged at Magnar and he prepared for her attack. Instead of delivering it, she ducked past him, grabbed a chair and smashed it over his back.

I gasped but he barely reacted to the blow, spinning and catching her arm, then tugging her forward to meet his other fist. She cried out as his knuckles slammed into her abdomen, once, twice, three times. My gut dropped and my excitement was lost in an instant, horror taking its place.

“Stop it!” I cried, running toward them.

Magnar’s elbow shot backwards for another punch, catching me right in the chin and knocking me from my feet.

I tasted blood as Julius rushed to me, pulling me upright. “Magnar, watch it.”

Magnar glanced my way, his brows dropping as he noticed the welt on my lip. “Shit, sorry.”

“I’m fine. Just don’t punch my damn sister,” I growled, dabbing at my lip with my sleeve. Shit, between these three, I felt like the only breakable person in the room.

Callie leapt onto Magnar’s back, wrapping her hands around his neck with a viciousness that said she was making a bid for revenge in my honour. He released a rumbling laugh, reaching above his head and pulling her over his shoulder with ease. She fought frantically, but he clamped an arm across her back, forcing her to remain there. But a second later she landed a solid punch right to his cock.

Magnar stilled, groaning under his breath as his whole body went rigid. He released Callie so she slid down to the floor and gazed up at him with a grin.

I bit my lip, but my laughter burst out anyway as Magnar turned sheet-white.

“Yield?” Callie asked, throwing her head back as she laughed too.

Magnar nodded stiffly, shuffling his way over to a chair and sitting down, dropping his head into his hands.

“Dick punch. Harsh,” Julius commented, chuckling to himself. “Though I’m not complaining because that was fucking hilarious.” He moved to Callie’s side, unstrapping the phone from her arm. “And we are charged!”

A jingle sounded through the room as he turned the cellphone on and my thoughts wheeled to Erik. I could contact him with that. And that was a very tempting idea. The cross on my palm prickled with yearning and I released a breath as I willed my thoughts to turn elsewhere, but they wouldn’t shift.

Callie floated toward Magnar, and he lifted his head. “You okay?” she asked with a teasing smile.

“I will be in a minute,” he said through his teeth. “I hope that was practice for if you ever see Fabian again.”

“Sure,” she said airily.

I stepped toward Julius, glancing over his shoulder at the phone. “So...you can still see the cameras in the castle from this, right?”

“Yes, we can keep an eye on the bloodsuckers,” Julius said, bringing up the live feeds.

My pulse ticked faster as I immediately tried to located Erik on one of them. He suddenly felt so close, like the cellphone was a portal to him, offering me the chance of seeing him again. Even if just for a moment.

Julius tapped on one of the boxes so it filled the screen and my stomach knotted as I spotted Erik and Clarice talking together in a grand hallway. My heart crashed violently against my ribcage as I drank in the sight of him, his dark hair pushed back and the chiselled lines of his face set into a cold, distant kind of expression that made me ache to know what troubled him.

Julius increased the volume and their voices filled the room.

“-he doing?” Erik asked.

He looked tired somehow, his face paler than usual and the spark in his eyes was diminished. The mark on my palm heated and a longing to go back to him nearly overwhelmed me. But I’d made my choice. And it could never have been him.

“Better. The wound is healing, but it will take a little longer because of the damage the slayer blade caused. I think it’s Fabian’s pride which is hurt the most though,” Clarice said with a frown.

Callie stiffened, immediately moving to my side as she watched the feed, but Magnar remained in his chair, his expression sour.

“He keeps ordering people to do insane things,” Clarice said.

“Like?” Erik asked in concern.

“He has his people fixing up the Realms. All of them. He’s hardly got any Elite left in the city.”

“Well I’ve been telling him to do that, perhaps he’s listening to me at last,” Erik mused.

“I don’t think it’s that. He keeps talking about Callie. He asks everyone who attends him how he might appease her. And everything they suggest, he does.” Clarice twirled a finger around a lock of her golden hair, looking worried. “I think it’s the mark of partnership. Is it affecting you too?” She took Erik’s hand, turning it over to reveal the shimmering cross there and my throat tightened.

Erik curled his fingers into a fist. “Montana has always affected me, this mark is just a testament to that.” I glanced at Callie, and she gave me an intense look, but didn’t comment on what he’d said.

“Oh Erik,” Clarice cooed, bobbing up and down on her heels. “How wonderful.”

“Quite,” Erik bit out, not sounding so pleased.

My heart broke and rebuilt itself all over again. Or maybe it was the other way round, because right now, all I felt was the loss of him and the weight of my choice to leave him behind forever.

“We’ll get her back,” Clarice promised. “Once Fabian is well enough, he’ll create more Familiars. Most of them have been lost to the slayers’ blades, but there are still more out there looking. We could make our own, but his are more powerful and will probably find them quicker. Either way, we’ll find Montana and her sister soon enough, especially if you send your forces after them.”

Erik’s eyes darkened. “I am not sending any Elite, Clarice. I told you. Montana chose to leave, and I promised not to seek her out.”

“We both know you’re going to break,” Clarice said in a low voice. “You want her more than I have ever seen you want anything. But Erik…” She stepped closer. “There is only one thing you desire deeper than blood, and that’s breaking the curse. She can be yours; we can have it all. But this noble act will only keep us in chains longer. Don’t you want to be free?”

Erik’s lips pressed into a thin line and my breaths came quicker as I awaited his answer.

“My decision remains. And you won’t find them if they don’t wish to be found. They could be well beyond the borders of the city by now. They could have boarded a supply train back to the west coast, or maybe they’ve headed south toward the desert. If they make it there, they shall be lost forever.” His hand fisted at his side like the thought of that pained him.

Clarice pressed a hand to his arm. “You’re a hunter, Erik. Eventually you will hunt her. Better now than before she reaches a sun-drenched desert, because I have the feeling you will find yourself walking the sand, seeking what you lost, knowing that if you let her slip away now, you will regret it for all eternity.”

His expression darkened to something purely villainous. “You think I don’t know that? You think I am not in agony grappling with the beast in me who demands I go after her? You think I am not suffering with the knowledge that I will likely fail to hold out against my demons?”

My heart knotted at his words, the admission making my breathing ragged.

“We’ll never let that happen,” Julius muttered to me, his muscles tensing.

Clarice stepped closer to Erik, sadness pooling in her bright green eyes. “Maybe you should let that desire win out. Maybe it’s meant to.”

Erik said nothing, and I wondered whether he was considering her words. The darkest pieces of me wanted him to, but a greater part of me didn’t. Because there was no future that existed for us, no matter how painful that was to accept, even if my heart shattered further with every moment we spent apart.

“We need to focus on catching Valentina,” Clarice changed lanes. “My Elite are searching for her in the east of the city where most of the rebels are known to reside. But a few of them have been killed in the process. And Erik...” She bit her lip. “Some of my sirelings have gone to join them. Miles has told me the same thing. Our people are abandoning us.”

“Not the ones who count,” Erik snarled. “I will kill Valentina myself when we have her location.”

“You know I’ll be by your side,” Clarice said. “We’ll take her down together. She’s the biggest threat to our empire since we took control. But I know we can handle her, so long as we remain as a unit. We can’t show weakness now.”

“Of course,” Erik sighed. “I do have one idea. But it may be a bad one.”

“What is it?” she asked.

Erik ran a thumb over his lip as he prepared to air his thoughts. “Wolfe is a biter. He may have some information that could help us locate her, though I doubt he will tell us willingly. However, he is due to be banished tomorrow. Perhaps we could allow some news to reach his ears that Valentina has gone into hiding. Then once he is banished, we could follow him to see where he goes. He could lead us right to her.”

“Erik, that’s genius.” Clarice nodded quickly. “I’ll have a guard leak the information to him. We’ll stage it so it seems he is told by accident.”

“Thank you.” Erik nodded. “If it came from my men, he would suspect my hand in it. Wolfe must not be underestimated.”

The two of them parted, heading separate ways and my soul ached as Julius pocketed the phone. I missed Erik more than anything. I was suffocated by his absence, like a vital piece of myself was gone, and I was never going to get it back.

“He’s going to free Wolfe,” Callie snarled.

“Not free. Banish,” I pressed. “And if they hunt down Valentina that way, maybe it’s worth it.”

“Montana is right,” Magnar said from across the room, surprising me. “I despise the Belvederes, but if they cut off Valentina’s head, I will be more than happy. It will save me the task of doing it anyway.”

“At least we know they’re not looking for us too hard right now,” I said. “It sounds like Fabian is still bedridden from his injuries.”

Callie nodded, looking sad. “I hope he feels better soon.” Her nose wrinkled in disgust at what she’d said. “Ergh. Good enough for me to stab him again, I mean.”

I squeezed her arm and she gave me a forlorn look.

“It’s alright,” Julius spoke to her. “We know you really want him dead. Just like Montana wants Erik dead.” He glanced at me with amusement in his eyes and I fought the urge to punch him.

“Exactly,” I forced out, and Callie’s shoulders dropped a little, leaving that lie burning on my tongue.

“I think we should use this window of opportunity to move to a more secure place,” Julius said thoughtfully. “Once Fabian is on his feet again, he’ll send a host of Familiars to find us and I doubt we will be able to outwit them for long.”

“Where will we go?” I asked.

“I know a place. But we will need to travel under the cover of darkness,” he said. “We’ll be in plain view on the river otherwise.”

“The river, Julius?” Magnar questioned.

“Yes, there’s an island between Manhattan and New Jersey. A place no one goes anymore. I holed up there for a while when I arrived at the city. There’s an old statue there of a huge green woman in a dress. And there’s a room inside her head.”

“That sounds like a fairy tale,” Magnar rumbled, his brows drawn low.

“You’ll see,” Julius said with a devilish glow in his gaze. “Her head is even bigger than yours, brother.”

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