Chapter Twenty-One

Two days later, they found themselves stuck in early morning traffic, the van surrounded on all sides by packed cars filled with smiling passengers. Erik sat in the back with Brenna, frowning as he studied the slow-moving cars.

“Is there an accident up ahead?” she asked him.

“Nothing online,” Mark announced as he scrolled through his cell phone. “Shows increased traffic in our area, but no accidents listed.”

Lucy pressed her face to the window, studying the slow-moving vehicles. “They’re not all coming to the show tonight, I’m sure of that.”

“Ah hah!” Mark pointed at the Ferris Wheel in the distance, the large wheel poking up over the treetops. He held up his phone, displaying the flashy ad. “County Fair.”

Jake scowled. “Damn it. Should have realized that when we made the booking. Campground said something about expecting a crowd—good thing we called ahead and got the reservation.” He glanced around. “Want to stop on in, see what the fuss is about? We’re ahead of schedule—the presentation’s not until tomorrow, and we have plenty of time to reach the campground.” He tapped the GPS mounted on the van’s dashboard.

Lucy laughed. “Do you even have to ask?” She looked at the others. “I’d love to win one of those big floppy dogs, the type you get for winning one of those midway games.”

“He’d have to ride on the roof,” Mark said. He grinned. “But there’s no harm in trying.”

Brenna lowered her voice as she turned to Erik. “Floppy dog?”

He couldn’t help chuckling. “I’ll explain on the way.”

The fairground was packed, with people of all ages wandering up and down the aisles.

“Fried…what?” Brenna pointed at a stall. The group had broken up right after Jake found a parking spot, much like they had in Las Vegas. But this time, Erik had taken her hand, pulling her away from the others.

There hadn’t been any questions or complaints. Mark had handed over his phone, noting he’d be hanging out with Lucy.

“Since neither of you have one,” he noted as Erik made an effort to refuse. “Be easier for Jake to round us up. Lucy’s number’s programmed in already.” He showed Erik the screens, flipping through the options.

Erik paused before shrugging and tucking it into the pocket of his leather jacket. He hadn’t thought about buying another cell phone during their trip, but Mark had a point—the fairgrounds was large enough that trying to find the others without some help would be almost impossible.

“Good idea. I’ll call you when we’re ready to go,” Jake said as he headed off with Helen in the direction of the midway. Mark and Lucy peeled off toward the livestock display, leaving Erik and Brenna standing in the parking lot.

She’d slipped her hand into his and grinned, waving at the bright neon signs flashing in the afternoon sunlight. They hadn’t gone far before she’d seen the flashy multicolored sign advertising what appeared to be a delicacy she hadn’t heard of before.

“Fried cookie dough.” He led her to the booth. “You’ll love it.”

She did, licking her fingers clean with an enthusiasm that shot straight to his groin, forcing Erik to think about icy-cold showers and glaciers to keep from publicly embarrassing himself.

Appetite sated for the time being, they wandered the grounds. Their path intersected once with Lucy, busy dragging Mark through the games.

“She doesn’t believe me when I say they’re all rigged.” Mark shook his head woefully.

“A big floppy dog.” Lucy pointed at a nearby booth.

“Right.” He shook his head and followed, making both Brenna and Erik laugh.

Brenna wandered over to one of the stalls and studied the cluster of adults tossing darts at balloons pinned to the wall. The balloons bounced from side to side, evading their demise.

One man grunted and put more money down on the counter, his eager little girl clapping her hands in encouragement.

Brenna frowned before taking Erik’s hand again. “These games of skill seem very difficult,” she noted as they moved along, leaving their happy comrades behind. “I don’t see many people winning.”

“Of course not. Just like the casinos in Vegas. Odds are against you. But you have fun trying, and that’s a good thing.” He gestured to the far side of the lane. “Check out the old-school photo booth.”

She stared at the squat box. “What is it?”

“Many years ago, before everyone could use their cell phones to take pictures of everything and everyone, couples used to come in here and get their photographs taken.” He led her over to the structure. The bright images decorating the booth had faded with age, chipped and worn off in spots.

He dug in his pocket for a pair of quarters. “Here. Get inside.”

She pushed aside the threadbare curtain and sat on the wooden seat. “I still don’t get it.”

“Right.” Erik squeezed in beside her. “Now I drop the money in here…” He put the coins in the metal slot. “And now we smile and look at the happy dot there.”

Her frown disappeared as he put his arm around her and grinned, joining him as they stared at the bright arrow pointing to the lens.

The flash startled her, enough to let out a throaty gasp that sent his heart racing.

“Keep laughing,” he urged. “There’s three more to go.”

“What?”

The bulb flashed again, her surprised laugh feeding his desire.

“That wasn’t fair,” she protested. “I wasn’t ready.”

Another flash.

Brenna let out an annoyed sigh. “Really?”

He laughed and pulled her into a tight hug as the final flash went off.

“Now we wait a few minutes for the photographs to be developed.”

“In here?” She laid her head on his shoulder. “It’s very small. Were these very popular in the past?”

“My grandparents used one of these on their first date to get some privacy.” He chuckled. “My great uncle was chaperoning them and turned away for them to get some pictures. Got some kissing in while the pictures were developing.”

She let out a soft laugh before leaning in, her voice dropping to a sultry whisper. “I see.”

He let her lead, giving her total control over the situation despite his growing hunger. Her lips brushed his again in a replay of their first meeting, the softness startling him as much as it had then.

Brenna’s hands went around him, pulling him closer on the narrow seat. She shifted her hips, swinging one leg over his as she moved in and deepened the kiss. Her fingers drew through his short beard, and he groaned, unable to hold back any longer.

A loud ding interrupted them, and Erik pulled back, reluctantly. “Guess it’s a lot faster now.”

Brenna smiled before rising, straddling his lap before making her way through the small doorway. “Your grandfather would not have approved. Hardly enough time to steal a kiss.”

He reached down and pulled the long strip free of the basket before displaying it to her. “One hell of a kiss.”

Her cheeks reddened as she studied the four small square color images, showing the two of them in various poses. “I see. So now what?”

He gently pulled the strip apart along the pre-cut lines. “You take two, I take two. That way we’ll always have a memory of us together, at a good time and place.”

Brenna tucked the photographs into her back pocket. “Sounds good.”

Erik did the same before they walked back out onto the midway. Her fingers entwined with his as they rejoined the crowd, the people milling around them as they strolled along.

This…was perfect. His worries fell away as his heart surged, the possibilities flooding his mind.

Cut across the country, maybe head north. South? Go to Europe—they’d have to keep moving, but as long as Kara was behind them…

A series of screams came from the nearby roller coaster, drawing his attention. Beside him, Brenna cocked her head to one side, frowning as she took in the small train racing around the track.

Maybe that’d be a little much for her. But…

He stopped and pointed at the Ferris Wheel, a short walk away. “Want to go up?”

She eyed the slowly spinning structure, the frown slowly disappearing. “Is it safe?”

“I thought you’d love to get up in the air.” He squeezed her hand as he drew her along. “There’s other rides, but…”

“No.” The firm reply made him laugh. “Those other…things would make me sick.”

“What?” The lineup wasn’t too long for the old-fashioned ride, most of the other customers waiting consisting of older men and women. “I’d think you’d love spinning around and around.” He drew circles in the sky with his finger. “Didn’t you do that when you had wings?”

The pained look in her eyes slammed into him like a kidney punch.

“I’m sorry.” He took both her hands and held them in his. “I didn’t…”

“It’s okay.” Brenna pressed her lips into a tight line before continuing. “Sometimes when I fall asleep, I dream about flying.” She gave him a wistful smile. “Then I wake up and it takes a few seconds to figure out where I am.” Her gaze went to the large metal wheel above them. “You sure this thing isn’t going to break down?”

The old carny operator heard her and let out a loud snort. “Ma’am, this is my baby here.” He slapped his calloused hand against the control box, hard. “I check her every few hours for wear and tear and put her together at every stop myself. You’re safer up there than you are in an elevator.” He pulled a lever, and the wheel slowly came to a stop.

He grinned and lifted the safety bar, letting a happy couple climb off. “Ready to go?”

Brenna nodded and slid onto the seat, Erik beside her.

“Get ready for the ride of your life.” The operator locked the railing in place before stepping back.

…

Brenna’s stomach twisted into a knot as the seat lurched forward, rocking back as they began to move.

Erik put his hand atop hers. “It’s fine.” He glanced upward. “We’ll go around to the top and maybe another circuit before the ride is over.”

She frowned as the slow climb began. “That could take a long time.”

He smiled and sat back, stretching out his arms along the top of the seat. “Yes. Yes, it could.”

She shook her head and moved closer, letting his hand fall on her shoulder. “And what do you do while waiting to come back down?”

“Enjoy the sights.” Erik pulled her close, snuggling her tight as the chair continued to rise.

It was fun to slowly ascend into the sky, the people below them shrinking away as the bright lights of the midway sparkled, the wheel placing them between the heavens above and the crowd below.

Just like us, she mused. Caught between Valhalla and Helheim.

She pushed the thought away and leaned in, enjoying the warmth Erik’s body offered. A cool wind buffeted them, and the chair swung forward, sparking a gasp as she dug her nails into his thigh.

“Don’t worry. We’re fine.” Erik pulled her closer, hugging her tight. “We’re not going to fall out.”

She didn’t want to admit that was her first thought. She studied the people below, milling around the various booths and stalls.

“They all seem so happy,” she murmured.

“For the time being,” Erik said. “That’s sort of the point. You come here, eat what you shouldn’t, play games that’ll take your money, and enjoy a break from the rest of the world for a few hours.” He dropped a kiss into her hair. “A little piece of heaven on earth.”

The chair rose higher, the squeaking sound of metal rising above the din below. She curled into Erik and closed her eyes.

Suddenly his hand tightened on her shoulder, fingers digging into her coat.

Brenna opened her eyes to see Erik flinching, pressing his fingers to his forehead.

“What is it?” She sat up.

“Just a headache. Just…” His forehead furrowed. “Like in Vegas.”

She frowned. “I don’t understand.”

He sat up straight, his grip on her firm and solid. “In Vegas, I had this same type of feeling. It’s a sensation, that something’s wrong.” He looked at her directly, locking eyes. “The first thing that came to mind was the type of pain you told me about, when you were hunting me.”

Her mouth went dry as she remembered, the calm of the last few minutes swept away in anticipation of Kara’s arrival.

Spinning away from Erik, she scanned the crowd beneath them. Her heart raced, her pulse thudding in her ears as she searched the pedestrians.

Erik leaned forward, the seat shifting as he did so. “We’re sitting ducks up here.”

She wasn’t familiar with the term, but she got the intention. “Is there any way for us to get down faster?”

“Not unless we climb down.” He gestured at the metal bars nearby. “And that’ll draw attention to us.” He dug out the borrowed cell phone, tapping the buttons to bring it to life. “Can you see her anywhere?”

“No. Not yet.” She squinted, dragging her gaze across the crowd. “But even if we find her, what…”

There.

She pointed to their right, her arm sweeping across Erik’s chest. “Kara. She’s down there, over by the games. The one with the goldfish bowls.”

“Are you sure?” He followed her direction, staring down into the mob.

“Yes. She’s wearing the leather coat—I’d recognize her anywhere. She’s beginning to move, see her?”

“Fuck.” He put the phone to his ear. “Keep an eye on her.”

Brenna started to ask what they could do to keep Kara from confronting them and finishing her mission, but Erik began snapping orders into the phone.

She focused on Kara as the giant wheel began to turn again, lowering them toward the ground. After a few feet, it stopped—the seat swinging as a couple exited below.

Kara made her way through the crowd, the end of her walking stick thumping into the soft ground. She hadn’t looked up at the Ferris Wheel yet, but as soon as she did…

The wheel turned another notch, bringing them closer to the platform.

Erik tucked the phone into his pocket and turned to her. “As soon as the chair stops, get out and run for the van. Don’t look behind you. Just run.”

She grabbed his hand. “We go together.”

The seat lurched forward again.

“She’s not after you,” he protested. “She’s after me.”

“That’s why you have to get away.” Brenna glanced over where Kara stood only a few hundred feet away, surveying the people around her. The minute she turned her attention skyward, they’d be lost. Freyja might have been blessed her with the same ability Brenna had to hunt Erik down, but the Valkyrie still had to work for it.

But once she spotted them, stuck in a metal car high off the ground…

A shout went up in the distance, a low roar that spread through the crowd like wildfire.

The chair dropped again—now they were only two seats away from the platform, about thirty feet. They could jump, but…

“Hold on.” Erik leaned in, putting his mouth to her ear as the yelling increased. “Don’t go until we get our feet on the ground. We don’t want to draw any attention to ourselves. We go too fast, people yell and point. Our goal is to slip back into the crowd, disappear.” His gaze went past her to focus on Kara, who stood now with her back to them as she studied the people around her.

As they went down one more notch, Brenna could make out the mutterings around them, voices rising over the dull hum of the crowd.

“Fight.”

“Two guys fighting over a girl.”

“Two girls fighting over a guy.”

People began to peel off, heading toward the end of the aisle where the crowd was congealing. The thick wall of people grew, spreading through the side lanes and rows as more spectators joined in.

The chair was almost level with the platform.

Brenna held her breath. If Kara turned around…

One woman bumped into the Valkyrie, then a pair of men as they surged toward the distraction. Kara took a step toward the crowd, caught up in the mob and her own curiosity, no doubt, as to what was going on.

The bench settled with a screech of metal on metal, their feet brushing the top of the wooden platform.

The operator flipped the safety bar up with a grunt and a smile. “Hope you have a good time.”

Before she could reply, Erik grabbed her hand and pulled her up. “Time to go,” he said as he led her down the steps and out of the gated area, in the opposite direction Kara had taken.

The crowd milled around them, bystanders torn between wanting to go see what was going on and not interested in getting caught up in a mob scene.

A pair of uniformed security guards jogged by, headed for the far end of the lane.

Suddenly a jagged pain shot up her right leg, stopping her cold. The world spun around her, the tight grip on Erik’s hand snapping away as she fell.

The ground was cold under her cheek, her ankle throbbing as she forced herself to turn over.

The industrial broom lay on the dirt, kicked or fallen into the aisle from a nearby booth. It’d been enough to trip her up and send her flying.

She looked up to see Erik sprinting back toward her, his gaze shifting to look behind her.

“Go!” She waved him off. “Get away before…”

Kara.

She braced herself, imagining the lance flying over her head to impale Erik, sending him skyward.

Nothing.

Nothing but silence, save for the yelling in the distance.

Erik skidded to a stop beside her and reached out.

Brenna grabbed his hand and scrambled to her feet, daring to glance around.

The lane was empty save for a few stragglers and the stall owners.

“Come on.” Erik grabbed her around the waist and hustled her down the open road, oblivious to her injury. “The others are going to meet us at the van.”

“But Kara…”

“She’s busy trying to work her way through the crowd. Let’s not push our luck any further by hanging around.” He pulled her into a side aisle and then another, zigzagging their way back to the parking lot.

“What did you do?” She winced as her ankle throbbed—it wasn’t broken, she knew that much. The burst of energy brought on by fear and anticipation had worn off, leaving her drained.

“Called Jake and told him to start something. Guess he did.” He paused. “Are you okay?”

“Twisted my ankle.” She gasped as she slowed to a walk, now visibly limping.

“Damn it. You should have said something sooner.”

Before she realized it, Erik picked her up in his arms and continued on, barely slowing down under the extra weight.

“What did he do?” She wrapped her arms around him, resisting the urge to demand he stop. They needed to get as far away as they could—this wasn’t the time to argue.

“Who knows? But it got the crowd moving and got Kara caught up in it.” He slowed as they hit the edge of the parking lot, the gravel crunching under his feet. “Can you walk from here?”

“Sure.” She slid out of his arms, missing the warmth immediately. Gingerly, she put her weight on her ankle and grimaced. “Just a bad twist.”

“We’ll ice it back at the campsite.” Erik took her arm and put it around his shoulders in a reversal of what they’d been doing on the Ferris Wheel.

Helen was already at the van, leaning against the side. She sprung toward the pair as they approached, taking Brenna’s other side.

Lucy sprinted across the parking lot, followed by the two men. She laughed as she slapped her hand against the hood. “That was crazy.”

Brenna gasped as she took in the state of Jake and Mark. Both men had torn shirts, and a cut over Mark’s left eye oozed blood. Jake’s lip was split and swollen, purple and ugly-looking.

“What did you do?” she demanded.

“We provided a distraction.” Mark laughed as he turned his head to one side and spat on the ground. “Not bad, old man. Not too bad.” He leaned over and rested his palms on his knees. “But next time I’m not pulling my punches.”

Erik passed the cell phone back to Mark. “Owe you both a six pack of beer. Let’s get out of here.”

“On it.” Jake pulled the van’s keys out, and within a matter of minutes, they were headed out of the fairgrounds.

“Did she see you?” Mark asked as Helen dug out the first-aid kit, shaking her head as she checked Brenna’s ankle.

“Don’t think so.” Erik glanced at the rearview mirror. He’d taken the seat next to Jake. “If she had, we wouldn’t have gotten away.” He chuckled. “Guess two men fighting was more popular than we thought.”

“Hey.” Mark accepted a wet cloth from Lucy. “People pay to see you fight. Us, they got for free. One hell of a show, if I do say so myself.”

Brenna looked at Lucy. “Who were you cheering for?”

She tapped Jake’s shoulder. “I’ll never tell. Although I think some of the spectators thought you were both fighting over me.”

“In that case, I definitely won.” Jake let out a rough laugh before turning to Erik. “How did Kara find you?”

“No idea.” Erik studied the mirrors again. He rubbed his temple. “Thank God we saw her before she saw us.”

“Might be a coincidence.” Jake let out a snort. “Don’t believe in those. Helen, call the campground and cancel our reservation. We’re skipping this stop—I’ll make apologies and tell them we blew a tire or something, got thrown off our schedule.” He caught Brenna’s eye in the mirror. “As long as you’re both safe.”

“But you got hurt,” she protested.

Jake grinned. “Nothing worse than we do in basic training.” He turned his attention back to the road. “Now let’s get some distance between her and us.”

The next week was spent driving and camping. Jake’s route didn’t include any talks or meetings, and he backtracked over their previous routes, covering their trail. Helen updated the website with more false data about their travels, leaving red herrings that would send Kara north if she took the bait.

But the changes didn’t stop there.

Erik took night watch non-stop now, napping in the van during the day. No one contested his decision. Mark sat some nights with him; Jake took others to keep him company.

The sparring exercises in the morning expanded to include the rest of the troupe, Helen joking she needed to brush up on her hand-to-hand combat anyway. Lucy turned out to be quite capable of taking care of herself, rolling Mark into the dust more often than not. She hadn’t had nightmares since hearing about her father’s death—although she had her silent, melancholy moments where she stood away from the others, arms wrapped around herself as she stared into the distance.

It was understandable. Brenna wanted to go to her, give her the support offered earlier, but Erik had suggested she wait and let Lucy come to her if she needed sympathy.

“Take it from me—you can’t force someone to open up to you,” he said as he scraped the dishes clean one night. “She’ll do what works for her. Been working so far.”

Brenna couldn’t disagree with his advice. So far, the women had kept their tight bond, extending to the sparring practices where they laughed and shouted as they stood together to take the men down during their mock battles. The three-on-three fights were invigorating, pushing each of them to their limits with the intense workout.

It was a welcome change, and they all seemed to enjoy the exercise, a good way to work out the energy stored up by the long hours driving.

But under it all lay the anticipation of another confrontation with Kara. And no matter how much they trained and worked together, she knew this fight wasn’t going to be won with brute force.

Her relationship with Erik had changed as well, evolved into something closer, something…deeper.

Once or twice they’d gone into the woods for some “private time,” as Helen referred to it, usually with a wide smile. Stolen kisses, hand holding, and snuggling in the van during the long drives had become the norm. He didn’t press her for more, at least not yet.

But she wanted more—when the time was right. So they went on, watching for signs Kara was on their trail again and enjoying each other’s company.

On this particular day, they’d done a lunch presentation at the local high school, Jake and Lucy doing the talks. After the short reception, they’d piled back into the van and headed for the nearby site, right on schedule.

Mark had dozed through the drive, having woken up only when his phone had rung—not far from the turnoff for the campground. He’d read the message and let out a grunt before stuffing it back in his pocket. Other than not responding to the text, he’d taken on the usual chores of setting up the camp.

After dinner, he began tapping on his phone as he moved away again, to the opposite side of the clearing.

“We’ve got invites all the way through Illinois then into Ohio. Columbus, a handful of schools in Pennsylvania, Penn State, and then Philadelphia,” Jake announced as he finished his bowl of chili. “Gonna make a difference.”

“Maybe,” Mark said, breaking into the conversation. He shook his head as he stuffed his phone in the front pocket of his jeans. “Maybe not. I don’t know if any of this matters anymore. “

The anger in his voice caught them off-guard. Helen’s mouth fell open as Lucy stared down into her bowl. Brenna frowned but said nothing, glancing across to Erik for any hint of how to respond.

Jake pressed his lips into a tight line before giving a shake of his head. “Things change, and they’ll change again,” he said. “Just got to be around long enough to see it come ’round.”

Mark shook his head, the ever-present cigarette behind his right ear in danger of falling. “Don’t make sense why we’re doing this. No one cares about us; no one needs to hear our sad-sack stories.” He stood and plucked the cigarette out. “We’re all losers not worth loving.”

He stomped off into the darkness.

Erik looked over at Jake, raising an eyebrow in question.

Jake shrugged.

Erik rose from the canvas chair, dusting off his jeans. The other women observed him in silence.

Brenna gave him a curious look but stayed quiet and watched him follow Mark’s trail around the parked van.

…

Mark was leaning on the van’s sliding door, a cigarette dangling from his lips as he stuffed the half-empty pack into his pockets. He pulled out the lighter and fumbled with it, his thumb sliding off the igniter with little effect.

“Here.” Erik took it from the man’s shaking hands and brought the flame to life, cupping it with his hands. “What’s up?”

Mark took a deep drag on the cigarette, blowing the smoke out through his nostrils. He closed his eyes and let out a long, drawn-out sigh.

Erik waited. Some things you couldn’t rush, and some you didn’t want to.

“Got a note from my wife. First one in about a week.” He snorted. “I guess she’s my ex-wife now. After five years, five goddamn years, she’s decided she’s done with the marriage. Filed the papers today.”

Erik winced inside, familiar with the words. He’d heard them before from men and women under his command. It didn’t make it any easier to hear.

Mark pulled the cigarette from his mouth and held it up, studying the bright orange embers. He gave a puff, the sharp breath adding fuel to the fire. Some of the ashes fell to the ground where he carefully and slowly squashed them under the heel of his shoe, making sure they were fully extinguished. “When I first came back, I started drinking. Not blind, knock-out drunk, but too much. Decided to do this trip, give us breathing space. Now she’s decided to make it permanent.” He shook his head. “Been hard lately. Tempted to climb back into the bottle and stay there.” He gave Erik a sheepish smile. “You helped keep me busy and sober. Can’t spar if I’m hungover.”

Erik nodded, letting the silence do the talking.

Mark dropped the half-smoked cig into the dirt and ground it under his heel. “Good thing you got Brenna. She understands this crap, even if she’s got her own issues. Woman like that, she knows where you’re coming from. Makes it easier to cross the distance.”

Erik shook his head. “I’m not with her. I mean, I’m with her but not with her.” He stumbled over the words, his inner voice berating him for sounding like a lovesick teenager.

He gave him the side eye. “Look, my marriage might be crap, but I’m not blind to the obvious. Life’s too damned short to screw around, and if this crazy broad is coming after you? Grab onto what you got with both hands, ’cause tomorrow isn’t guaranteed.” He poked Erik in the shoulder. “Understand?”

He walked off into the darkness without waiting for an answer.

…

Brenna finished off her chili, washing it down with a last sip of her cooling coffee. Lucy glanced up as Mark came back into sight.

“You okay?” Lucy said quietly. “Poured a fresh cup of coffee for you.”

He gave her a friendly smile. “Always got my back.”

“Well, yeah,” she replied with a sheepish grin. “That’s what friends are for.”

“Thanks. Be back in a few minutes. I’ll help clean up.” He jerked a thumb at the dirt road leading to the campground washrooms. His attention turned to Jake. “I’m sorry for what I said before. Got some bad news and…”

Jake waved him off. “Son, you got nothing to apologize for. We all have our bad days. Just glad you’re holding it together.” He drained the last of his coffee. “We got each other, and that’s what’s going to get us through this and everything else on this trip.”

While Brenna digested the words, she realized Erik was nowhere in sight. She knew where he’d gone, but Mark’s return meant he was around the corner alone.

Brenna nodded to Helen and rose, putting her dishes with the others on the picnic table. She puttered around the campsite for a few minutes, tidying up and wondering if she should pursue him.

Finally, she walked behind the van, finding Erik there. He was leaning against the vehicle, arms crossed as he stared at the ground.

“Mark…”

“Mark’s all right. Just dealing with some personal issues.” He grunted. “His wife decided to leave him. Sent a text in place of a phone call. Doesn’t get rougher than that.”

She shook her head. “That’s not right. She should be standing by him no matter what. They swore vows to each other.”

“Vows are more complicated than that. They can’t fix everything.” Erik scratched the back of his head, searching for the right words. “Sometimes people aren’t meant to stay together. A couple can grow apart instead of getting closer over time. They don’t understand their partner like they did when they were younger.”

“Sounds like you’re talking from experience.” She eyed him. “Did that happen to you?”

“No. I guess I’m lucky.” He shrugged. “I had girlfriends when I was younger but nothing serious after entering the service. Didn’t feel I could devote the time needed to keep a relationship going, not with me going from base to base. From what Mark said, they moved away from each other emotionally over time, and she just gave up on it. Seen this happen over long deployments. No harm, no foul but time to call it quits and move on.”

“It’s still wrong. When you pledge your heart to someone, there’s no timetable.” She glanced upward. “The warriors in Valhalla keep their vows. If they’re married, they either wait for their spouses to arrive or they stay chaste. They don’t take on lovers; they don’t break their promises no matter how frustrating it might be. They stay faithful.”

“What if they’re single? Can’t imagine all those men and women staying chaste until Ragnarok.”

Her cheeks burned, betraying her. “Some of them find more…short-term relationships.”

“Valhalla orgies?” He let out a low whistle, lips twisting into a smirk. “Can’t imagine how that party would look.”

“Intense. Very…intense.” She cleared her throat. “But those who have taken vows to another find other ways to occupy their time.”

“Good to hear love survives beyond death for some people.” He looked at her, a soft smile sliding under her armor. “Sort of gives you faith.”

She smiled back, a warmth spreading through her body as she moved to be next to him, leaning against the van. “I guess so.” She turned her face toward the stars. “It sounds crazy, but when a husband or wife arrives in Valhalla, the reunions are…” She sighed, the deep emotion in the single breath grabbing Erik’s heart and squeezing it tight. “Beautiful doesn’t cover it.”

“Even if they’re not both military?” Erik asked. “I thought you said Valhalla was only for those who served?”

“Not all warriors wear uniforms.”

The soft whisper hung in the air between them, covering them in silence for a few moments.

Brenna cleared her throat, breaking the detente. “Every night I pray to Freyja, asking her to give me some idea of what path she wants me to take. I’ve gotten no response. No indication of what she desires from me.”

“I won’t let anything happen to you.” He pushed off the van door and moved to face her. “I promise.”

She couldn’t hold back a laugh. “Considering our positions have reversed, I find that sort of funny.”

“Yeah, well…” He reached up and stroked her cheek. “Our situation is rather unique. I have a vested interest in keeping you alive and well.” His touch soothed her skin, the warmth traveling straight to her insides. “A year ago, I almost died. You’re the woman who kept me alive.”

She frowned, confusion clouding her senses. “What?”

He placed his palm against the metal, not far from her shoulder. “When I was in recovery, all I could think about was the ones I’d left behind, the ones you’d taken away into the sky. Scotty, April—the others.”

Her throat closed up at the pain in his voice.

He pressed his hand against his heart. “It burned. All the way through my physical therapy, all the way through the psych sessions, all the babbling about survivor’s guilt—why not me? It was killing me, eating me inside. Didn’t know what I wanted to do when I got my release papers, if anything. Lost my command, lost my friends. Let them all down.”

An invisible hand tightened around her heart.

“There was a guy on my ward, a big fan of the bare-knuckle fighting. Watched it online all the time, showed me the videos. I did a little research and called a few numbers—found a manager who wanted to see what I could do. As soon as I got out of the hospital, I went to him, got on an undercard.” He studied the back of one hand. “Put my man down in the first round. After that, well…”

She flashed back to her initial search, her inner compass swirling around as he moved from town to town, without direction.

“It was a way to step out of myself for a few minutes, to do what I do best—fight. I had nothing else I was good at, nothing else I could do without thinking about Scotty and the rest of the men and women I’d lost. When I got in the cage, I didn’t have to think about whether I was worthy or not. All I had to do was fight and win.”

Brenna bit her lip, unable to find the right words.

“I didn’t know where I was going or what I was doing—but every night when I closed my eyes, I saw your face, felt your lips on mine. It gave me the strength to go on for one more day, even if I knew it was a dream, a hallucination. Then you were standing on the other side of that fence when I was in the cage and the world changed.”

He moved in, their noses almost touching. His voice dropped to a low, sexy whisper.

“Now that I’ve found you, I’m never going to let you go. Even if it means taking on Kara, Odin, and Freyja herself in the bare-knuckles match of all time.”

She was about to reprimand him for speaking their names in such a disrespectful way, but he pressed his lips to hers and she was lost.