Dream Love

IX

The armory was the safest place for Erika to be right now. With the assassin on the loose, he wanted her protected. He couldn't handle losing her again. It almost killed him the first time. Only his desire for vengeance had kept him alive. Now that he had her, he was willing to let go of his anger. The one thing he was not willing to give up was his desire to see that bastard assassin dead. Haldor clenched his jaw as he looked at Erika huddled on a wooden table, her legs raised and her arms wrapped around them, with her head laying on her knees. He felt his heart twist. He knew that she didn't understand a lot of what was going on. However, she seemed to have enough trust in him to do as he asked. Even if it was frightening for her. Going to her, he picked her up and set her in his lap once more.

"Little wolf, I'm sorry that it has come to this. This was never supposed to go on like this. He should have been dead by now. Along with Edward and his cruel son. Your life should never have been forfeit for their greedy desires. However, now that I have you, I refuse to lose you. You are mine. You are the reason my heart beats and my lungs breathe air. I cannot survive without you. Not again. My life would be worthless if I lose you again. I barely made it through all of these centuries without you. I can't do it again. He will be found, Erika. He will be killed when he is. There is no question about that. He cannot be allowed to live this time. He represents too big of a danger to you, and I will not allow this to continue." Wrapping her arms around her legs even tighter, Erika rocked herself while trying to grasp exactly what it was that was happening around her. A 500 year old viking, an equally old adversary, a protector about the same age. A head full of memories that defy imagination, an explanation that only made sense if you believed in all of it. While she had lived each and every memory the last two weeks, Erika was not sure she really knew what was real anymore. She felt like she was slowly loosing her mind. It felt like her emotions were hers, yet not. When she looked at Haldor Landvik, she was at once familiar and at a lose to know who he was.

She could feel his hands gliding over her flesh in an intimate way, yet they had never been in that type of situation before. She knew every scar on his body. Yet, she had never really seen it. She knew his favorite foods, colors, seasons and even, God help her, how he liked to pleasure her. She could recall all of these things in stunning detail. But yet, he was a relative stranger. These thoughts were what frightened her. Looking around her at what she knew was her former home, she could see soldiers running to arm themselves. Grabbing spears, crossbows and bundles of bolts(arrows), getting ready to protect the keep and its inhabitants. Suddenly, the chill that Erika felt on the plane was back. This time, it was worse. She had never been this cold and feared that she would never know warmth again.

Haldor looked again down at Erika. He was terrified when he noticed that her eyes were shut and she was shaking so very hard. The anxiety attack was probably the worst he had encountered before. Tightening his arms around her, he bent and began to whisper in her ear. When that failed he began to sing an old Norse lullaby. While not from their time, it still hoped it would soothe her.

The sky is dark and the hills are white
As the storm-king speeds from the north to-night;
And this is the song the storm-king sings,
As over the world his cloak he flings:
"Sleep, sleep, little one, sleep;"
He rustles his wings and gruffly sings:
"Sleep, little one, sleep."

On yonder mountain-side a vine
Clings at the foot of a mother pine;
The tree bends over the trembling thing,
And only the vine can hear her sing:
"Sleep, sleep, little one, sleep;
What shall you fear when I am here?
Sleep, little one, sleep."

The king may sing in his bitter flight,
The pine may croon to the vine to-night,
But the little snowflake at my breast
Liketh the song I sing the best, ---
"Sleep, sleep, little one, sleep;
Weary thou art, anext my heart;
Sleep, little one, sleep."

As the last verse let his mouth, Erika felt her heart slow and her breathing return to normal. The heat from Haldor's large, muscular body warmed her and her shivering stopped. Once she was back in control she lifted her head to look at him. With tears in her eyes, she came to a decision.

"I love you. I always have and I always will. Should death separate us again, I will continue to search for you. We can not be parted. Sjofn has tied us together forever. When this is over, I want us to remarry. Maybe this time I can bear you children. Oh....I just thought of something. Maybe with all of this over, we can have children. I want a little boy with your strength and integrity. Soon, Haldor, our destiny will be fulfilled."

When Erika stopped speaking, she laid her head on his broad shoulder and closed her eyes, breathing in his scent. Just then, an explosion rocked the house.

********************************************************************************************

Evil of me to leave you with a cliffhanger, isn't it? Laughs manically. All will be revealed soon. I have one, maybe two more chapters of this book left.

Remember, please vote and comment.