Viking Heart (The MacLomain Series: Viking Ancestors Book 3) Read online

  Amber suspected it would take some time for her and her sisters to wrap their minds around the fact that their 'cousin' was a ninth century Scandinavian seer. Even so, they all gave her a big hug and thanked her.

  She wondered when Kjar and Aella met and clearly fell in love, but she supposed that was a story for another day. All stepped back when the demi-god stood, pulled Aella into his arms and murmured, “Too long have I waited for this day, woman,” before he kissed her soundly.

  Amber reflected on the Unnamed One…or Aella, appearing in the shields in his lodge the night she’d slept in his bed. Then her curt tone when Amber had spoken of Kjar’s desire for her because he was linked through Kol and Sean. She bit back a little grin.

  The seer had been jealous.

  And she didn’t blame her. She would have been too had it been Kol.

  As if he sensed her thoughts, Kol pulled Amber after him. There would be no more questioning Kjar and Aella. At least not right now. The demi-god and his seer were clearly making up for lost time as their embrace grew more passionate.

  She and Kol headed into the woods but didn’t get far before he had her backed up against a tree and his lips were on hers. Passion flared and though she might be lost in how he made her feel, how life was unfolding, she pulled her lips away. Chest heaving, she murmured, “Everyone sacrificed so much to get us to this moment.”

  “Yes,” he whispered as he trailed a hand up her side. “And I can assure you a moment as important as this...” He yanked up her dress and settled between her legs. “Is not meant for talking.”

  “But it should be talked about. It should be celebrated,” she murmured around his kisses.

  “And it will be,” he assured. His tongue flicked back and forth over her lips before he pulled back, humor in his eyes as he looked at her. “What do you think our ultimate saviors; Kjar and Aella are doing right now?”

  “It’s hard to know,” she breathed as his hands explored. Her words came out on a groan. “They could be chatting about their bloodline. No small thing knowing you can track your blood over a thousand years.”

  “I’d say they’re too busy getting their bloodline started to talk about it.” Kol chuckled against her cleavage. “Just like we should be.”

  “Oh yeah?” She could barely breathe as he lifted her, brushed his lips over hers and stared into her eyes.

  They might be new to commitment but everything they wanted and needed, everything they knew would sustain them was right here in the way they looked at one another. The mutual adoration. The pure passion and fun that could be found between a man and a woman. They knew how to laugh, how to communicate and most especially, they knew what it took to never grow bored.

  And if that wasn’t enough, now they were in love.

  Kol offered one of his low, sensual laughs before his lips closed over hers. Ravenous, way beyond just needing each other, they didn’t waste any more time on happily ever after’s.

  No, he thrust deep and shot them both straight into oblivion.

  Turn the page if you're not quite ready to say goodbye...

  Epilogue

  Scandinavia

  One Year Later

  “This sucks,” Veronica grumbled. “Do you have any idea how uncool I am with this?”

  Megan issued a wide smile, rested her hand on her swollen belly and eyed the shore. “You’ve had plenty of time to prepare yourself, Sis.”

  “Yup,” Amber agreed. She nudged Veronica’s arm and grinned. “Just wait. This is gonna be great. There’s nothing to worry about.”

  “I’m with Amber on this one,” Megan agreed. “Naðr and his brothers know what they’re doing.”

  Amber stood, stretched and grinned when Kol sauntered over. He eyed her up and down, pulled her into his arms and did what he did at least a hundred times a day. Kissed her senseless.

  “Hey, outta the way, you two.” Veronica peered around them and watched Matthew toddle alongside Raknar.

  Kol pulled Amber after him and they joined the proud father. Raknar smiled as Matthew laughed and walked to Heidrek. His big brother grinned and crouched in front of him. “Are you ready then, Brother?”

  Amber watched them and smiled. It had been a wonderful year. The best. Veronica and Raknar got married. Naðr and Megan had a baby on the way. And she and Kol?

  They got married too.

  Unlike the big fan fair marriage Veronica and Raknar opted for, she and Kol kept theirs low key. It had been beautiful, sacred and at the foot of their pond beneath a full moon.

  Kol had spent months gathering up the right flowers, then dried, wrapped them and made her a crown. She had learned how to weave fabric and made him a special tunic for the occasion. Only a handful of witnesses attended including her sisters, his brothers, immediate family and, of course, Kara and Asmund.

  Naturally, they invited the musicians she created music with the first night she had arrived. Their choice of songs for background music? One she taught them and now fondly referred to as the Scandinavian Beer Bottle Wind Whistling Song. Then all were off and she and Kol spent their honeymoon playing in the water and making love in their cave.

  What they shared to this day, what had flourished between them, was everything she never knew she wanted. Neither desired another. If anything their passion had only grown.

  “Oh my God, they’re really gonna do it,” Veronica said. “I don’t think I can watch this.”

  “You can,” Megan said. “We all can.”

  Kol pulled Amber close. “This will be rough, but Matthew is learning at the right age. Right after he walks. My brothers and I were shown later.”

  She looked at him. “Should I be nervous?”

  Kol’s eyes swung to hers, as relaxed and ravenous to get her back to bed as always. “Not with me around.”

  Heidrek had stepped away. When the toddler stumbled a few times, Kjar held his hand and Aella crouched a few feet in front of Matthew. “It’s time, little one.”

  Kol’s lips hovered against Amber's, stirring her blood as quickly as he did when they first met. He put his hand against her still flat belly. “Soon enough it will be her turn.”

  Amber grinned. “You mean his.” She put her hand over Kol's. “You'll be a wonderful father.”

  “It’s time,” Naðr said.

  Kol’s eyes were still on her face as she watched the King shift and take flight, his obsidian body sleek against the ocean swept horizon.

  Raknar crouched in front of Matthew as Megan and Veronica came alongside. “You follow Father now, yes?”

  Wide-eyed, the toddler watched as Raknar shifted and leaped into the air. While a human child would have no idea what they witnessed, Matthew’s young eyes appeared to understand. Yet he didn’t seem quite sure what his next move should be.

  “I love you, woman,” Kol murmured and pressed his lips against Amber’s temple. “More than you’ll ever know.”

  “I love you too,” she whispered as he turned to baby Matthew.

  The toddler stared up at him, still confused. Kol grinned down. “Your father has a way of thinking young dragons should just spread their wings and fly.”

  Kol chuckled moments before he blurred and shifted to a dragon. Instead of taking off like his brothers had, he took a few steps toward the shore then lifted his wings.

  Matthew cocked his head, curious.

  Amber put her hand over her mouth, eyes wet as Kol proceeded to show Matthew what to do. First he would flap his wings and jump a little but not take off. Then he would take off but land almost immediately and prance around. Sometimes he would run. Sometimes he’d walk. Sometimes he’d fly. But mostly the massive dragon worked with the toddler as his brothers circled overhead. He really was going to make an amazing father and she suspected Raknar was giving him a little practice beforehand.

  Eventually, the golden dragon landed.

  Veronica shook her head as her sisters held her hands, as Raknar nudged his son to embrace the dragon…to take flight. T
o actually shift.

  Matthew hobbled a few steps as first Raknar then Kol launched.

  “This is crazy,” Veronica murmured.

  “No." Amber shook her head. “Not crazy at all.”

  Their eyes met for half a second before something in the air shimmered. As if a Fourth of July sparkler flashed in the corner of their eyes.

  Then Matthew was gone.

  Amber’s eyes swung out over the water.

  A tiny dragon wobbled, its little body so incredibly unstable.

  But it didn’t matter in the least when a massive dragon with black and brown scales swooped under him and let the baby dragon ride him.

  Uncle Kol.

  Amber and her sisters watched the dragons fly out over the sea, circling a few times as several Viking longships drifted beneath. It wasn’t long before the brothers and Matthew sailed into the sunset. Three huge dragons and one little one, at last flying on his own. And it wouldn’t be long before more babies joined their brethren in the sky.

  So though they had all been through a lot to see a pact fulfilled, the benefits far outweighed the sacrifice. Great love had been found and there was renewed hope for a dwindling species.

  Nothing lay ahead but a bright future.

  It was a new beginning for dragon-shifters and most especially, for those who loved them.

  The End

  Dear Reader,

  I hope you enjoyed reading The MacLomain Series: Viking Ancestors as much as I enjoyed writing it. It’s hard to say which part I liked more, the research or spending time with the characters. One thing is for certain, I absolutely fell in love with 9’th century Norsemen and their seafaring culture. Not only that but I got to write about dragons, one of my favorite mythological creatures. Because I had so much fun writing about Vikings and dragon-shifters, I’ll be revisiting this series in early 2016 as we follow the descendants of the Sigdir brothers and their kin (starting with Heidrek). Not only that, but everyone will finally get a chance to follow not only Sean’s love story but Kjar and Aella’s.

  For those of you who love Highlanders, be sure to look for The MacLomain Series: Later Years in autumn of 2015. In this series, Grant MacLomain becomes the patriarch of the MacLomain clan. Book One, Quest of a Scottish Warrior, is now available for pre-order. The Later Years is best enjoyed after The MacLomain Series: Next Generation but may appeal to those who read Viking Ancestors since a few characters from the Viking series make guest appearances in the Later Years series.

  As always, thank you so much for reading.

  Best Regards,

  Sky Purington

  The MacLomain Series

  Later Years

  Coming Soon

  Quest of a Scottish Warrior (Logan’s story)

  Honor of a Scottish Warrior (Niall’s story)

  Oath of a Scottish Warrior (Rònan’s story)

  Passion of a Scottish Warrior (Darach’s story)

  Previous Releases

  ~The MacLomain Series- Early Years~

  Highland Defiance- Book One

  Highland Persuasion- Book Two

  Highland Mystic- Book Three

  The MacLomain Series- Early Years Boxed Set is also available.

  ~The MacLomain Series~

  The King’s Druidess- Prelude

  Fate’s Monolith- Book One

  Destiny’s Denial- Book Two

  Sylvan Mist- Book Three

  The MacLomain Series Boxed Set is also available.

  ~The MacLomain Series- Next Generation~

  Mark of the Highlander- Book One

  Vow of the Highlander- Book Two

  Wrath of the Highlander- Book Three

  Faith of the Highlander- Book Four

  Plight of the Highlander- Book Five

  ~The MacLomain Series- Viking Ancestors~

  Viking King- Book One

  Viking Claim- Book Two

  Viking Heart- Book Three

  ~The MacLomain Series- Later Years~

  Quest of a Scottish Warrior- Book One

  Honor of a Scottish Warrior- Book Two

  Oath of a Scottish Warrior- Book Three

  Passion of a Scottish Warrior- Book Four

  ~Calum’s Curse Series~

  The Victorian Lure- Book One

  The Georgian Embrace- Book Two

  The Tudor Revival- Book Three

  Calum’s Curse Series Boxed Set is also available.

  ~Forsaken Brethren Series~

  Darkest Memory- Book One

  Heart of Vesuvius- Book Two

  ~Song of the Muses Series~

  Highland Muse

  About the Author

  Sky Purington is the best-selling author of seventeen novels and several novellas. A New Englander born and bred, Sky was raised hearing stories of folklore, myth and legend. When combined with a love for nature, romance and time-travel, elements from the stories of her youth found release in her books.

  Purington loves to hear from readers and can be contacted at [email protected]. Interested in keeping up with Sky's latest news and releases? Visit Sky's website, http://www.skypurington.com to download her free App on iTunes and Android or sign up for her quarterly newsletter. Love social networking? Find Sky on Facebook and Twitter.