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JOSIE
“Again,” Rune demands. “Come at me again.” His voice comes from the left, then the right, but all I can focus on is the way the air around him blurs. Sweat stings my eyes as I struggle to both catch my breath and prepare for the next attack.
Despite knowing it’s coming, my Viking still catches me by surprise. He appears in front of me and knocks me to the grass in the same moment.
My breath gets pushed from my lungs when I hit the ground hard.
Even holding back, Rune is freakishly strong. And today, he doesn’t seem to be holding back as much as usual.
I lie there gasping for air, watching the trees of the Elysian parkette sway and the wispy clouds blow past on a welcome breeze. One of the things I truly need to get used to if New Orleans is to be my home is the thick Louisiana heat.
Rune’s rugged face blocks my view, and his golden braids hang down toward my face. “Is this nap time or a workout?”
I blink. “Okay, what’s got you so wound up today? I love the intensity, but while vampires may not get hangovers, I’m human. Our celebration last night isn’t fully out of my system.”
Rune grips my wrist and pulls me to my feet. “The wolves won’t only come at you when you’re bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Push through. Today isn’t about technique or strategy. Today is about relying on your instincts to survive a scrap.”
“My instincts tell me I need a break,” I huff, wiping my sweaty brow with the back of my hand.
“Fine. We can take five.”
“Five?” I’d like to call it a day and stop getting my ass handed to me, but Rune doesn’t pause long enough for me to say so.
“Trust me. Egan’s raising the stakes, so we have to be ready.”
“Is this about Egan or you being a sadist who gets off on bruising me?”
“That’s more Bas’s style. He likes to rough up whatever poor fly he catches in his web before he devours them.”
It shouldn’t surprise me, but the analogy doesn’t help my perception of the Bastard King. I’m not sure what he sees in my face but he lets out a long breath. “Sorry, I was joking.”
“Somehow, I don’t think you were.”
He pulls me against his chest and leans close, pressing a kiss on the end of my nose. My heart is already beating fast from the workout. Having him so close makes it hammer against my ribcage.
“Sebastian hasn’t always been the man you’ve seen. He’s cultured and used to paint and collect fine wines. He used to appreciate music. It’s just…”
“Since my mother cursed him, he’s lost himself.”
Rune frowns and drops his forehead to touch mine. “I see the guilt in your eyes, babe. What happened between your parents and Bas isn’t your fault. Your mom cursed him, not you.”
I draw a deep breath, taking comfort in the strength of his massive frame. “I don’t understand how she could even consider doing something so brutal to another person—even someone she hated. She had to know it was Egan who ended her life. Why would she curse Sebastian?”
He shrugs and pulls me in for a hug. “I don’t know, but together we’ll fix it.”
I ease back. “Okay, so if we’re facing things together, how about you tell me what’s pissing you off? I get that I asked you to train me, but I have a feeling I’m not the one you’ve been knocking the wind out of and throwing to the ground all afternoon.”
Rune releases me and steps away. “Shit. I’m sorry, Jo. I…Egan grabbed one of my guys last night. I got there in time to save him, but couldn’t get to him without getting shredded myself. He fucking bit him to turn him against us.”
“Oh, sweetie. I’m so sorry.”
“Yeah. Me too. Aiden was a good guy.”
“Was? Did he not survive the transition?”
Rune shrugs. “I don’t know. I just gathered my chipmunk and left.”
My mind stalls out on that sentence. “Is that some lewd reference to something I don’t want to know about?”
