Betrayal

Vegas

Chapter 16

When we arrived at Lake Mead we parked our car some distance away and waited in the pitch black. There was a new moon tonight so everything appeared darker and it brightened the stars in the sky. With my eyesight I could see galaxies above our heads as the stars twinkled. It gave me hope that this might soon come to an end. It was almost three in the morning and my uncle would be arriving soon to pick me up from his goons. I smirked in the darkness at the thought.

I turned to Ragnar who was standing to my right and put a hand on his arm. "Ragnar." I said quietly, looking up at him. I could barely make out his features as his head tilted down to look at me.

"All I ask is for you to do what you do best. And keep yourself and them alive." I felt his hand brush my cheek in a soft caress.

"I make no promises when it comes to protecting you." He let out a soft growl.

"Just do this for me. Okay?" I asked him.

He needed to be reminded I could handle myself. I heard him sigh and I quickly grasped his hand before he pulled it away, lightly pressing my lips to the palm of his hand. I turned away to face Liam.

I lifted up on my toes so I could kiss his cheek. "Be safe, please."

I stepped over to Jaxson and touched his cheek. "You as well, my mate. Protect each other."

I looked over to where Aris was standing and I took his hand in mine, pulling him down to my level so I could whisper in his ear. "Stay alive or you won't bear my mark." I nipped his jaw and chuckled softly as I gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"You bet your sweet ass I'll make good on that promise, my Queen." I could hear the wicked grin in his voice alone.

I shook my head and turned around to face the open span of desert. Headlights came flying over the sand as my uncle's men parked their cars a safe distance away.

I let out a breath to relax my tense muscles. As I watched the cars pull closer, I put my hands behind my back while Ragnar tied them together with some rope. Jaxson covered my mouth with a bandana he found in one of his bags, tying it behind my head. My dagger rested in the back of my pants, the hilt pressing against my lower back comforting me. I felt lingering touches from Ragnar on my hands and Jaxson's fingers brushing through my ponytail. It calmed me more as my uncle's cars pulled up in front of us.

Watching as his men stepped out of the vehicles, their gazes raked over my form. One male stepped out of the car and walked to the other side to open the door for my uncle. I stiffened as I watched my uncle's brown hair pop out of the vehicle. He adjusted his suit and walked around the vehicle with his hands in his pockets.

"Ah! The infamous niece of mine. Princess Lagertha. I see you're still alive. I'm so glad because I really miss your father and mother. My, you really look like her don't you?" His cold eyes scanned my face as he stepped closer with a smug grin.

I snarled at him from behind the bandana covering my mouth.

His eyes widened in surprise from my outburst and he chuckled. "Someone has her father's temper. Now, let's take this bandana off so you can speak." He untied it from the back of my head and shoved it in his pocket.

I kept my gaze trained on him as he pulled back to look at me. "It's so nice to finally meet you, I apologize for the circumstances but I'm sure you understand." He folded his hands in front of him.

His hazel eyes scanned my face as mine did the same to him. He looked a lot like my father with his pronounced jaw and his stocky build, but there was something about him that didn't click with me until I realized how cold he was. Where my father was warm and loving, this man was calculated and screamed danger. Just standing in his presence angered me to the severity of losing control over my powers. But in that moment I calmed myself enough remembering what Jaxson told me.