A Viking Holiday: The MacLomain Series: Viking Ancestors' Kin Read online

  “But there are tons of lights on down there,” Emily said. “Pa-lease, Uncle Sean.”

  His steps slowed at her words, her eagerness. He suddenly remembered being her age. Pleading to see the boats, pleading for his dad to go fishing with him, but being told, “no,” time and time again. He only had one memory of his dad taking him fishing, and he’d just as soon forget it.

  “Okay,” he finally agreed as he finished tying down the tree. “Let’s head down there.”

  He had just turned, Emily cheering his decision the whole time, when someone called out, “Sean, is that you?”

  He squinted against the parking lot lights as the same female voice laughed, said, “It is you!” before she closed the distance and embraced him.

  Only when she pulled back and smiled did he realize who it was.

  Julie.

  The woman Megan’s sister Amber had been determined he fall in love with.

  Chapter Two

  DAGGER IN HAND, Svala almost brought it against the other woman’s neck.

  Almost.

  She didn’t want her anywhere near Sean.

  The only thing that stopped her were Emily’s wide, innocent eyes and the thunderous warning Sean shot her with a mere look. It was the most emotion he had shown since she met him and it lit her blood on fire. Not in an angry way but another way altogether. He was always so calm, always so able to turn from her.

  But now she had his undivided attention.

  At least for the brief moment their eyes connected and he promised her real trouble if she used the blade. She wanted to know what that trouble would be. If he could fight. If he could keep her away if she decided to take him…in more ways than one.

  Though not as tall as her brethren, he was taller than most and towered over her. She liked that. And she enjoyed his looks. Dark. Tousled. Intense. The only thing she hadn’t got a good look at yet was his body. But she would. Soon. Because she needed sex and it was starting to make her grumpy. Six fortnights without it was far too long. Unhealthy.

  Sean introduced Julie to them then explained that they were heading down to look at the boats. Svala had heard of her. Apparently, she was Megan’s cousin but had no memory of it thanks to magic. Otherwise, how would they explain how much Megan had aged in two years?

  “I’d love to come see your boats too, Sean, if that’s okay,” Julie said, so cheerful and flirtatious, Svala nearly sliced the blade quick.

  Nobody would see it. The woman would fall within the blink of an eye.

  “Sure,” Sean said at the same time Emily said, “Well, it was just supposed to be the three of us.”

  When Svala glanced at Emily, the child struggled at a wink. Ah, so she had a champion in the little one. Good. Regrettably, that meant nothing because Sean assured Julie it was fine and walked ahead with her.

  Emily shrugged and took Svala’s hand as they followed. “She’s not nearly as pretty as you, Auntie Warrioress Svala.” She scooped up a stick, thrust it in the air and released a small roar. “Or as fierce.”

  Julie glanced over her shoulder and smiled at Emily’s antics. Svala snarled in return but not before the woman turned her attention back to Sean.

  “That was a good thrust, Emily,” Svala said. “You have been listening well.”

  She had been spending a good deal of time with the child. It helped keep her anger at bay and kept her from being with Megan too much. Her brother, Bjorn, might have found peace with their mother before he left but she refused to. She remained bitter that Megan had waited so long to battle her illness.

  “I would very much like my own dagger,” Emily said, eying Svala’s as she tucked it away.

  “And you will have one soon,” Svala agreed with approval. “You are of the age to have your first weapon.”

  Svala met Sean’s frown when he glanced over his shoulder. Her brows flew together in question at his disapproval. To her mind, she was willing to consider his Christmas. Should he not consider her customs as well?

  “We don’t need to consider anything about each other because we’re not together.”

  Her breath caught, and she stopped short, more aroused than ever by the sound of his voice in her mind. Svala blinked several times and narrowed her eyes. No man outside of her family had ever spoken within her mind. And he had responded to her thoughts which meant…

  “Auntie Warrioress Svala, are you okay?” Emily said.

  Hand on the hilt of her dagger, Svala debated her next move. Because only one man could be inside her mind.

  Her mate.

  So now she had a decision to make.

  Kill Julie for even laying a finger on him.

  Or find another way so that she didn’t push him away.

  Svala frowned at her thoughts. Since when did she worry about pushing away a man? She battled men. She took them to her bed. She was always in control. Simple as that.

  Yet now it wasn’t so simple. She had to go about things differently.

  So she thought fast.

  “I do not feel well,” she declared, casting Sean’s boats one last forlorn look before she flinched and held her stomach. “I wish to go back to the lodge.”

  Sean’s eyes narrowed on her.

  “Oh, no,” Emily said, worried as she glanced from Svala to Sean. “We should get her back right away then, Uncle Sean, don’t you think?”

  Svala cast the child a sidelong glance. Emily might be young, but she knew exactly what Svala was up to. Which made her wonder. Was there a young dragon asleep in her as well?

  “Of course, you should get her back,” Julie said as she met Svala’s eyes. “I hope you feel better for the party, Svala.”

  Sean had already invited this imposter? She clenched her jaw, appeared properly ill and headed for the truck rather than responding.

  “You should use your manners and say, “Thank you,” Emily whispered as she skipped alongside. “So Uncle Sean stops acting so grumpy with you.”

  “I don’t thank my enemy,” she growled.

  “But you should,” Emily chimed. “If you wanna play the game better than her.”

  “No.”

  “Yes,” Emily said. “Because Julie expects you to continue acting rude and she already knows Sean doesn’t like it when you do.”

  Svala glanced at the child again. Without a doubt, a smart little dragon was inside her. A beastie that was quite likely correct. One that seemed to understand her fated mate better than her. So she turned back, nodded and said, “Thank you, Julie. It will be nice seeing each other at the party, yes?”

  A surprised look flickered in Julie’s eyes as she offered a weak nod. Emily was right. The other woman did not like Svala having manners. Meanwhile, Sean’s eyes remained narrowed on Svala as he tried to figure out what she was up to.

  Neither said a word as they piled into his truck and headed home. Christmas music blared as Emily belted out, “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer,” followed by a stream of other foolishly named beasts. Comet. Cupid. Donner. Blitzen. On and on. No title a respectable dragon would ever be proud of.

  By the time they made it back, a wide array of colorful decorations were laid out, and her mother sat on the couch. Though her skin looked gaunt, she appeared healthier than she had mere weeks ago.

  Svala grabbed a beer from the refrigerator and ground her jaw against the memory of her mother collapsing. Chemotherapy and radiation had done Megan no favors, and pneumonia had set in. Then she got what they called severe sepsis and should not have survived. Very few did. But she had. Then, against even greater odds, she lived after they removed the breathing apparatus that had kept her alive.

  Svala had finally educated herself about everything going on with her mother. Regrettably, the ash tree’s magic didn’t apply to the internet, so she had to spend more time than most deciphering the differences between Old Norse and what they spoke now. But she had. By herself. On her own.

  Nobody knew, and she intended to keep it that way.

  Anger was
better for her.

  And ignorance was easier to hide behind.

  “What are you up to this time, Svala?” Sean said as he leaned against the counter beside her and twisted the cap off a beer. “Because I don’t trust it, and your mother doesn’t need the drama.”

  They both knew exactly what he was talking about.

  Julie.

  “I was using much-needed manners, yes?” She took a long swig of beer then resumed eying him as she was prone to doing lately. To say she had no idea what his body looked like wasn’t an exact truth. She could tell much by the way his sweater stretched over his broad shoulders and hugged his muscled arms. He wasn’t fit from being a warrior but a tireless laborer. A fisherman.

  And she liked it.

  “Manners, eh?” He snorted and shook his head. “Hope that beer’s helping your sick stomach.”

  She smirked and took another swig. “It is.”

  “I’ll have a blue, blue Christmas without you,” wafted from the speakers as Emily, Shannon and Mema Angie sat on the floor untangling tree lights and going through ornaments. A fire crackled on the hearth as Megan watched them fondly before her eyes drifted to Sean and Svala. When they did, Svala saw what she was looking for. Something she hadn’t seen before tonight but might have very well been there.

  It was in the way Megan watched them together.

  So she headed her mother’s way and plunked down beside her, using her dragon to enter her thoughts. “I heard Sean inside my mind tonight. Is he my mate? Is that why you look at us as you do?”

  Megan took a small sip from her mug and met Svala’s eyes. “Do you want him to be your mate, Daughter?”

  “That is not what I asked.”

  “But it is what I asked,” her mother replied. “Do you, Svala?”

  “I want a strong dragon as a mate,” she shot back, her eyes drifting to him as he grinned at Emily and handed her a cup of hot chocolate. “Not a twenty-first century fisherman from…here.”

  “Ah, yes, ‘here.’ This awful place,” Megan said. “A place that can heal me and has introduced you to a man you haven’t been able to stop staring at for months.”

  “I have not been staring at him.”

  “I know when you are attracted to a man.”

  “Because I need sex,” she spat. “And I have not been around many men…any men.”

  “Were you not around men at the hospital?” Megan asked. “Were you not around them tonight when you got the tree?”

  Svala frowned. She must have been but didn’t remember seeing any but Sean.

  “So you have the answer to your question, Daughter, do you not?”

  Svala downed the rest of her beer and flexed her shoulders. According to Dragon Lore, when a female dragon met her other half, she only had eyes for him. The downfall to her mate being human? He didn’t necessarily have to feel the same way. Though uncomfortable, their souls could manage without each other. He could find love again. But she could not.

  “How was it for you and your sisters when you met Father and my uncles,” Svala said, more agitated with the situation by the moment. Not only did she dislike the concept of being fated for one man but she didn’t like the idea of not getting him if she wanted him. “How did Father ensure you would be his? How did my uncles do that with their human women?”

  “They were simply who they were, Svala.” Her mother tried to take her hand, but she pulled it away. “I loved your father, flaws and all. He never did anything to keep me. I fell in love with him for who he was…is.”

  “Love?” Svala guffawed. “I do not want love. Just sex from a male who can satisfy me until I am with my own kind again.”

  Megan took another sip from her mug and sighed. “Be a better person soon, Daughter. Or you will lose far more than you ever could have anticipated.”

  “I tried to be a better person once or do you so soon forget, Mother?” she ground out. “I wanted to go on that raid years ago. Had I, we would never have lost our loved ones. We would not have lost Freydis and Sigrunn because they would have had another female dragon protecting them.” Her eyes narrowed. “But we did lose them because you and Father kept me locked down. You used binding magic.”

  “Too many went on that raid,” Megan whispered. “I could not risk losing my only daughter.”

  Svala shook her head, angry. “It was my choice, and you had no right.” As she had many times in the past, she bit back emotion. “Though I was kept from the raid against my wishes, I still felt like a coward. Unable to fight. So it is good to remember why I got so upset when you did not seek treatment sooner. I did not want you to be a coward like I was. Yet you were. And it was pitiful.”

  “Svala,” Sean bit out seconds before he grabbed her wrist and pulled her after him into the garage.

  The moment the door shut, he released her, disgusted. “Don’t ever talk to your mother like that again.”

  She frowned. “What are you talking about?”

  Had he heard their mental conversation? Obviously based on his next words.

  He pointed his finger at her. “You ever call her a coward again, I swear to God I’ll kick your ass outta here.”

  Like before, she was enthralled by his anger. His emotion.

  “You cannot tell me how to speak to my own mother.” She shoved him in the chest, wanting more of that emotion. “Never.”

  “I don’t hit women, and I’m not gonna start now.” Sean put his hands in the air, shook his head and backed away, the disgust in his eyes only growing. “Get away from me, Svala. And if you care about anyone here, your mom, Emily, then you’ll steer clear of them too.”

  Before she could respond, he ground out, “And stay away from Julie when she visits. She doesn’t deserve whatever game you might be playing with her.” He gestured at the loft above the garage. “Why don’t you call it a night and sleep up there. Give us all a break, eh?”

  “Ah, yes, proper punishment for me then.” Svala narrowed her eyes on him as he headed for the door. “Is that not where you often had sex with Aunt Amber?”

  Sean paused at the door before he shook his head in disappointment then left.

  Furious but at the same time unsure, Svala paced and kept eying the door. Undoubtedly, he would come back. She had only spoken the truth. To him. To mother. It should not matter that he was with her aunt over twenty-five winters ago, for him it had been but two. She had every right to be angry. She glanced at the loft stairs and for the hundredth time imagined what they’d done up there. She had every right to be furious.

  Especially now that she knew he was her mate.

  “It was a long time ago, darling.”

  Svala spun, surprised that she never heard Mema Angie enter. But then the woman wasn’t quite what she said she was. What or who she actually was remained a mystery.

  “Amber did not love Sean like that,” Angie continued as she handed Svala another beer. “She loved your Uncle Kol.”

  “It makes no difference,” Svala shot back then said the last thing she intended. “Because Sean loved her.”

  “Yes,” Angie confirmed as she sipped her drink. “But not like Amber loved Kol. Or like your mother loves your father.” Her eyes met Svala’s. “Or like he will love you if you start releasing your anger and let people in.”

  “I don’t want him to love me,” she replied without thinking.

  “Good, because he doesn’t,” Angie confirmed. “Furthest thing from it right now.”

  Svala ground her jaw. “Good.”

  “Is it?”

  She nodded. “Very.”

  Mema Angie considered her for a moment before she said, “If you change your mind before the party in a few days, let me know so that I can help you. So that I can show you how to deal with Sean far better than you are now.”

  Svala was about to respond that she could handle things just fine on her own but Angie stopped short at the door and shook her head sharply. “Oh no, child. You are terrible at handling things on your own.”
Her eyes grew hard. “Let me help you, and we might just be able to stop Sean from his destiny.”

  “His destiny? That would be me, yes?” Svala said, knowing full well she must be.

  “No, no, dear. I thought you knew?” Mema said softly. “Sean is destined to fall in love with Julie.”

  Chapter Three

  SEAN SAT IN the upstairs hallway with his elbows on his knees and his chin resting on steepled hands. Christmas music and laughter drifted up as people began arriving but he just couldn’t get into the spirit of the season. Megan had been up half the night sick, and he worried she wasn’t up for this.

  “Hey, sweetie,” she said softly from the doorway.

  His eyes shot to her, and he stood. “How are you feeling? Any better?”

  “Oh, sure.” She smiled. “Just another day closer to getting home to my husband.”

  “That’s right,” he agreed and offered what he hoped was a genuine-looking smile. “Soon enough.” He kept eying her with concern. “Are you sure you want to do this, Meg? I can send everyone home.”

  “No, I’m fine. Really.” She patted his shoulder in reassurance. “This will be good for me.”

  “If you say so,” he murmured, unconvinced.

  He was about to lead her downstairs when she stopped him, her golden eyes concerned. “I’ve barely seen Svala since the night you got the tree. Is she all right?”

  “I don’t know.” They both knew he and Svala had exchanged words so he wasn’t sure what else to say but, “I’m sorry, Megan.” He ground his jaw. “Sorry that I dragged her out of the living room like that.”

  “It’s okay. You weren’t violent.” Megan eyed him for a moment. “Right, Sean? You didn’t hit her?”

  “Hell, no.” He inhaled deeply and kept things honest. “But I wanted to,” he clenched his jaw, “and that’s not good.”

  “It all depends on how you look at it,” Megan murmured. “Because I think any other man in your position might have.” Her eyes held his. “But you didn’t, Sean. You never could. Not with her.”

  Confused, he finally looked away. “It doesn’t matter now. It didn’t happen, and I haven’t seen her since. When Svala wants to vanish, she does.”