Secured Mail (22 page)

“Thank you. I think I can take it from here.”

She jumped when the king took her hand and went down on one knee in front of her. His gesture as elegant and smooth as a powerful cat. He kissed her fingers one by one.

“I am in your debt, Thea Cooper. If there is anything I can provide for you, just ask and I will do everything in my power to grant your request.”

Thea sighed. “I don’t suppose you know how to make an intergalactic Viking realize he is a fool?”

The king smiled slowly up at her.

“Actually I think I do.”

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“You are a fool.”

Harlan’s face floated above Sven, his expression uncharacteristically grim.

Sven swallowed hard and managed to sit up. At least he was in his own bed again and not back in the nightmarish desert of his dreams endlessly watching Thea walk away from him.

“What in Thor’s name are you talking about?”

“This came from the king’s council this morning for you.”

Harlan tossed a roll of parchment at Sven and then leaned back against the wall, arms folded over his bare chest.

Sven unrolled the parchment and tried to focus on the elaborate Valhallan script.

His head pounded as if a herd of
wulfran
had run over it. The healer had told him to expect a headache for a few days but no other lasting effects from the blow to his head.

He finished reading and let the document fall onto the sheets and roll back up.

“The Council has freed me from my vows to the king and queen. I am no longer obliged to be the queen’s pleasure server.”

“Aye.”

Sven took a slow careful breath. “So now I have no job.”

“You’re still part of the security team. That is, if Ms. Cooper lets you stay on.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

Harlan raised an eyebrow.

“Didn’t you know? Ms. Cooper was confirmed by the king as the new head of Valhallan security today.”

“But that’s my job.”

“Not any more.” Harlan levered himself away from the wall. “You, my friend, are in a lot of trouble.”

“Harlan.”

Sven tensed as Harlan paused by the door.

“What am I supposed to do?”

“About what?”

“About, all this…” Sven touched the parchment on the bed. “Two days ago this news would’ve made me the happiest man alive. Now I have nothing.”

“And you expect me to feel sorry for you?”

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Sven glared at him and started to get up. “Aye, unless you would take a woman’s side against one of your oldest friends.”

Harlan half-turned back toward the door. “As I said, you’re a fool. To throw away your chance at happiness because of hurt pride is unforgivable.”

“Is that what she’s telling everyone?”

“Ms. Cooper isn’t saying anything. She just walks around looking as if someone has stolen her joy. I heard what you said to her at the caves, Sven. Everyone did.”

“You think I do this out of inflated pride?”

Harlan held his gaze. “It would be just like you to feel belittled because a female saved you.”

“It’s not that.”

“Then what? What in Thor’s name keeps you from claiming her?”

Sven sank back down onto the side of the bed and stared at his bare feet. “I can’t risk it.”

“Can’t risk what?”

“Loving someone and losing them again.”

Harlan sighed. “Sven, your wife died sixteen years ago when you were barely old enough to marry. You’ve grown up, you’re not the same man. You wouldn’t make the same mistakes again. Do you really want to spend the rest of your life mourning that loss?”

Sven said nothing and continued to stare at his feet, noticed the roughened and blistered skin from his frantic journey through the desert sands.

Harlan cleared his throat. “Not a fool then, but a coward.”

Sven raised his head and scowled. “I am no coward.”

“Aye, you are, but don’t worry about it, Sven. I’m sure you’re right, and a better man will come along and take Thea to wife. In fact, I’m going to seek her out now and see if I can bring a smile to her face.”

Sven forced the words out. “Then I wish you luck. She would be well suited to you.”

“Nay, she’s well suited to you, but if you don’t want her…”

Harlan left, slamming the door behind him. Sven continued to study the intricate tiled floor. Thea did deserve a better man than him. The trouble was, the thought of her touching another man made him physically sick. He closed his eyes and remembered the scent of her hair and the soft moans of pleasure she made when he slid inside her.

Could he bear to stay on Valhalla and watch her try out potential mates without killing someone?

Nay. And if she’d accepted the job as security chief it didn’t look as if she intended to return to Earth soon either. Could he live there instead? He glanced out the small 125

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window, caught the purple shimmer of the desert. He couldn’t leave the beloved homeland that had just been restored to him.

With a resigned sigh, Sven got up and headed for the shower. For the first time in almost fifteen years, he had no idea what he was supposed to be doing. His job as the queen’s pleasure server was gone as was his position as head of Valhallan security. The only thing left to do was meet with Thea and see if she was prepared to let him work for her. He smiled bitterly. Perhaps she would enjoy ordering him about, as was her right.

Perhaps he deserved to see her take another mate. It was a fitting punishment for a man with no honor or ability to protect his womenfolk.

Thea sighed as yet another tall Valhallan loomed over her. She’d taken over Sven’s desk in the security office and buried herself in work. Making the palace more secure was now her top priority. Since Sven’s public rejection of her, every Valhallan male in the palace had found an excuse to come by and “chat”. Not that they weren’t pleasant and great eye candy, but the only person she really wanted to see was Sven.

The king’s plan to bring Sven around had shocked and aroused Thea, but she still wasn’t sure if she’d get the opportunity to try it out.

When the king had offered her the position as head of Valhallan security, she was uncertain what to do. It had never been her intention to take Sven’s job away from him.

The king insisted her acceptance was vital to the success of the plan and Thea reluctantly agreed.

“My lady?”

She finally looked up. It was Harlan, his expression warm, his eyes full of concern.

“What’s up?”

“Sven wishes to talk to you.”

She managed a shrug. “What’s stopping him? My door is open.”

“Perhaps he thought you might not wish to see him.”

Thea tried a smile. “Why would he think that? It’s not like I don’t get dumped in front of an audience every day.”

Harlan winked and lowered his voice. “If you need Bron and me to get him down to the caverns, let me know.”

“It depends how this discussion goes.”

“Good luck, then.”

Thea took a deep breath as Sven appeared at the door. To her secret relief, he looked as tired and strained as she felt. She gestured to the chair in front of her desk.

“Sit down, Mr. Magnusson. What can I do for you?”

He sat, his gaze fixed on his linked hands.

“I am wondering if you have a job for me.”

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Thea winced at his humble tone. This wasn’t the Sven she’d imagined coming into the office, roaring at her, demanding his job back, taking her hard on the desk…

“A job? Don’t you already have one with the queen?”

He shrugged. “Nay. The Council has freed me from my vows.”

Thea waited to see if he had anything else to say. Anything else suggesting he was free to claim her and would she accept his heart? He continued to stare down at his hands. Thea barely controlled an urge to slap him.

“Great! Now you can go and find some meek little Valhallan woman to keep safe forever.”

To her dismay, Sven didn’t even react.

“I would like a job.”

She stared at him. “Do you really think you’d be able to work for me? Do what I say and not argue?”

He shrugged. “If it is the only way for me to remain in the palace, then yes.”

Thea stood up. “I don’t believe you.”

Sven rose too, his expression darkening. Anticipation curled in Thea’s stomach.

“You have taken my job. Do you want to steal my home from me as well?”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

He shrugged. “If I don’t work in the palace, I have no right to be here.”

Thea raised her eyebrows. “Do you expect me to feel sorry for you? You made your choices.”

Sven braced his palms on the edge of the desk. “Aye, I did. What do I have to do to prove I am serious, kiss your feet?”

“Maybe it’s time to find out.”

Thea smiled slowly and walked past Sven to the door. Bron and Harlan were waiting in the hallway.

“Take Sven down to the temple and contact Woden. I’m sure he won’t want to miss this.”

Sven allowed himself to be led down to the lower levels of the palace without complaint. He had no idea what Thea was up to, but he wasn’t prepared to fight yet.

“Bring him in here.”

That was the king’s voice. Sven hesitated as Bron guided him through a carved arched doorway into the ancient palace temple. He’d never been in this most sacred of female Valhallan places before. Water flowed from a circular fountain set to one side.

Oil lamps and torches illuminated the cavernous rose-colored space. The crumbling marble walls were painted with intricate patterns worshipping the union of male and female and the promise of fertility.

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The king stood in the center of the room, arms folded across his naked chest, Woden right behind him.

“Bring him to me.”

Sven faced his king, noticed the lack of amusement on his face. A trickle of unease spread through his gut.

“Take off your clothes, Sven.”

“Why?”

Marcus raised his eyebrows. “I am your king. I do not have to answer your questions.”

Sven obliged, glad that the warmth of the underground chamber hid his shivering.

He straightened to find the king had moved to one side, revealing the stone structure behind him.

“Stand by the rack.”

“The rack?” Sven stared at the king. “Are you punishing me for leaving your wife’s service? I thought you agreed…”

“Be silent.” Marcus moved to stand by the stones. “Come here.”

Sven took a deep breath. If this was some ritual punishment for breaking his vows to the queen then perhaps it was best to simply get it over with. But what did this have to do with Thea? He approached the king and waited for his next instruction.

“Get his wrists.”

Harlan and Bron stepped up beside him and enclosed his wrists in silver manacles that looked as old as the room. After another command from the king, they moved him to stand between the stone posts.

“Use the steps cut in the stone to climb up to the platform and kneel.”

Sven counted the rough, well-used steps. There were only about five, bringing the level of the structure up to his waist height. He used the footholds to ascend and knelt on the worn stone platform, his knees fitting easily into the grooves. Harlan and Bron each grasped one of his wrists and drew them over his head, attaching the manacles to a chain above him. His arms were stretched tight, his muscles stretching against the slight strain.

He stiffened when they grabbed his ankles and manacled them to the stone as well.

The king walked around to face him.

“In the ancient days of Valhallan culture, the female ruled. The queen and priestesses used to bring their mates here to remind them of their duties.”

Sven stared at the king.
What in Thor’s name was he on about?
Marcus inclined his head.

“You may speak.”

“I don’t understand. My duty to what? To you and the queen?”

“Nay, your duty to your woman.”

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Sven licked his dry lips. “I have no woman.”

“I believe you do and she intends to remind you of your responsibilities. Perhaps you need to learn that being subservient to your soul mate is all about trust.”

“You would let the queen do this to you?”

Marcus smiled. “She already has.” His smile faded and he nodded at Woden. “Oil him.”

Sven refused to look at any of his companions as Woden spread oil over his chest and back. He flinched as Woden’s hands slid lower to cover his buttocks, his balls and his cock. Sensation flooded through him as the orange-scented oil heated on his skin and his shaft stirred. The king spoke again.

“Put on his cock ring.”

Harlan stepped forward, his expression calm and grasped Sven’s cock. With a few practiced movements he had Sven half-erect and slid the thick metal ring down over his shaft and tightened it.

“Are you ready, My Queen?”

“Yes, Sire.”

Sven’s gaze jerked to the right as the queen appeared, clad only in jeweled rubies and thick gold chains, her long dark hair flowing down her back. She approached Sven and stood in front of him. He held his breath as she stared at his rapidly expanding rod.

“Make him hard.”

The queen bent forward, her breasts swinging slightly and took his cock in her mouth. Sven tried not to speak as the metal ring bit into his swelling shaft. He arched to angle his hips into the rhythm set by the queen’s mouth but he couldn’t move. A groan burst from his mouth as his balls clenched and drew closer to his body.

“Gag him, Bron.”

Before Sven could utter a protest, Bron was behind him, expertly shoving a ball gag into his mouth and tying the leather behind his head. The king stepped forward, two clamps in his hands and applied them to Sven’s aching nipples. Sven began to pant, the overload of sensations driving him wild. He was so close to coming, his focus on the queen’s red lips as they moved over his cock, the hollowing of her cheeks and the ruby red flash of her jewels as she bent toward him.

“Stop, My Queen.”