The Stolen Valkyrie: Broken Bonds (Part One) (Fantasy Erotic Romance Novelette) (2 page)

Approaching the village, she heard Johan’s booming voice and paused, but she was too late. Her Master’s head turned as if sensing her nearness. He spun and pinned her with an angry gaze. Asta braced herself as he crooked a beckoning finger.

Squaring her shoulders while her chin thrust forward, she prepared for his wrath. Instead, he remained quiet and circled her waist with a muscular arm to draw her forward, “You’re just in time, my Grand Mistress, to help prepare the kill. I’m sure ye have a knife somewhere on ye.”

Daring to glance at him, she saw his jaw muscle tighten while his lips were drawn in a thin line. She knew he was furious. With newfound respect at how he held his temper, she drew her hunting knife out as she started toward Tani. Johan snagged her bow and arrow off her shoulder, “I’ll keep this. A fine bow is always useful. Mayhap Nikoli has arrows for it.”

At the loss of her prized possession, she whipped her head around but Tani tugged on her arm at that moment, “Asta, did ye gather the herbs for…?”

Johan’s stern voice silenced Tani, “Ahhh…ye are the one that took Rohan’s bow, Mistress.”

Asta tensed. After their last heated argument about her hunting, he had forbid her to construct one. She had snagged a bow and broken it. Rohan, a jolly warrior, had gloated over his own strength.

With a defeated sigh, Asta shook her head, “He knows where I was, Tani. Master Johan is anything but ignorant.”

“She’s right. Choose one of your friends, Girl, and see me after the celebration.”

Fearing that she was in trouble, Tani’s gaze flew to Asta who was searching Johan’s face. Finding no threat, Asta’s eyes narrowed. Johan stared with obvious lust at Tani. He had never looked upon other females although it was his right as their Grand Chief. Before Asta could stop the words, she blurted out, “Tell me your thoughts…”

“Ye know my thoughts, Mistress of my heart. Ye constantly disobey them. Now, go help prepare the kill, which our
new warriors
admirably honor Clan Zajihn with. ” His heated gaze landed on Tani once again, “I’m most assured that
Tani
will appreciate my choices.”

Pointing a finger at Tani, his passionate growl rang through the night air for all to hear, “Ye will welcome and obey me as
your
Master Johan of Clan Zajihn for the night. What say ye, Tani?”

Asta tensed, watching the firelight play over the birthmark on his chest. Obviously dumbfounded, Tani stopped tugging at her arm and remained silent for a moment. Johan looked pointedly at Asta before raising a brow at Tani’s speechlessness. She finally stammered out, “I-I-I…um…of course, M-Master Johan.”

Enraged at the gall of welcoming Tani to call him
her
Master, Asta watched Johan turn and walk away. Tani, with chin trembling, began to apologize but Asta sliced her hand in the air and tried to control her emotions, “Do as he says, my friend, and choose wisely. After all, he bestowed ye with an honor. For now, we must prepare the celebratory feast.”

With chin held high, Asta joined the other women. Keen to Tani’s searching eyes and Asta’s shielded thoughts, the clanswomen averted their gaze and continued their conversations. Aware of the ramifications of her task, Tani knew that every woman would gladly join her to partake of Johan. Massive in stature and charisma, their Chief had just offered a prized opportunity in the eyes of all the clan.

Clansmen valued women chosen by their Chief, especially a Master that had never stepped outside his own bond. Both overjoyed at the prospect and nervous over how it may affect her friendship with Asta, Tani’s mind raced to settle on a choice. Having never mated, she was clueless but had been privy to Asta’s awe over Johan’s size.

Knowing that every female wanted to be
THE chosen one
, Tani glanced at Asta repeatedly and yearned for some advice. Unfortunately, in this matter, gaining advice from a bonded partner was forbidden. A few times, she locked eye contact with Asta who immediately lowered her gaze.

This did nothing for Tani’s confidence. She knew the Chief Mistress well enough. Johan’s unexpected offer to a close friend had pained her more than Tani could ever know. Throughout the celebrations, Asta kept a discreet eye on Tani while Johan watched Asta monitor every move her young friend made.

When Asta’s gaze crept toward him, Johan occupied himself with other business. Although he loved Asta deeply and really held no desire for others, he refused to let her recent defiance go unchecked. By the end of the ceremony, Tani had chosen a newly bonded female named Ziki.

The remaining clanswomen drew them both aside, pampering them while hoping the handsome Grand Master would pick them next. This awareness traveled through the clan. The clansmen retired alone to their respective abodes, optimistic that Johan’s sexual appetite would linger and grace their own mates.

Deep murmurs over who would be next created an excited undertone. The women fawned over Tani and Ziki, treating them like royalty. When the fire burned hot and the antelope was cooked, they settled around the pair of chosen women and fed them. In her royal moment, Tani glanced at the woman feeding Asta and her nervousness increased.

Since no other woman had shared Johan and she was forbidden to ask the Grand Mistress, Tani leaned toward Ziki and breathed, “Will it hurt?”

The woman nodded but, seeing the fear flood Tani’s face, quickly added, “Only for a minute. I hear that our chief is built like a bull.”

For a moment, Tani thought she would be ill. Another older woman slapped Ziki’s arm and said, “Do not scare her.” She soothed Tani’s hair, urging her to eat and said, “Ye are not yet bonded. Chief Johan will not ask that of ye. He will ask for ye to lavish him.”

Both of the women’s eyes widened. Neither had a clue what that meant. Blinking in confusion, Ziki started to ask but her bond mate growled nearby, “Taste of him, my mate, taste him well. A phoenix descendant’s seed is precious brew indeed.”

Tani swallowed the lump in her throat at the lust on the warrior’s face. He grinned, “Afterward, I will surely plant a babe in ye.”

Blushing furiously, Tani’s eyes rose to find Nikoli studying her with similar lust on his face. She squirmed and jerked her eyes back to the fire. A shiver ran down her spine. The women attending them giggled and said, “We must bathe ye but not before the marking. Watch how the new warriors gleam in the firelight. They cannot wait to bear the Jihn mark.”

They spoke the truth. The two warriors had a glow about them, beaming over their kill and chance to wear such a sacred symbol. Tani could not tear her eyes off them. Fantasies of Nikoli in the future and how handsome he would be with the same glow sent goose bumps over her flesh. Her attention was ripped back to the present when Johan stood.

He beckoned the new warrior’s chosen mates to his side without looking at them. The women knelt and rubbed the colorful ochre over both of Johan’s feet. Raising his fist in the sky, he said in a booming voice, “I, Grand Chief Johan of Clan Zajihn, pronounce ye warriors. Wear my Jihn mark proudly for the night and may the Gods and Goddesses bless many kills upon ye.”

All the warriors cheered, standing in unison. The women rose on their knees, heads bowed with respect. The two new warriors stepped forward. Johan signaled for their selected mates to rise. The two women stood with hands covered in the colorful dust.

Johan spread his arms, allowing them to trace his marking. After imprinting the outline of the phoenix in their mind, the women turned to their chosen bond mate and drew the Jihn mark from memory onto their partner’s chest. When the outline was complete, a warrior cry rang through the air.

The new warriors swept their mates into their arms. Once Johan declared them bonded for life, he bid them a fruitful night and turned to signal Tani and Ziki.

Both froze but the clanswomen pulled them to their feet, “We must bathe ye now.”

They stumbled after them into the night. Asta could hear them splashing in the tiny stream. On one level, she was happy for them but her pride still stung severely.

Johan made his way to Asta’s side as the clansmen, all in higher spirits than he had ever witnessed, disbursed and headed toward their individual shelters. Having chosen Tani on purpose, he glanced toward the stream while knowing Asta watched him out of the corner of her eye.

Even though she was stung by his request, Asta refused to let him know how much. Lifting her chin in the air, she gazed at a star in the distance while watching the firelight flicker over his face. So focused on keeping her expression neutral, she failed to notice everyone ducking into their respective dwellings. Johan’s hand whipped out and caught her around the wrist as he growled, “Are ye ready to watch your Grand Master and learn your true place?”

She pulled her arm, trying to break free, “I will readily watch ye Master over others. There is no need to bind me when our vows are enough.”

He yanked her to him and called out, “Our vows bind us but ye still rebel. The ropes will surely help ye remember that ye are a Gojicia,
Grand Mistress
Gojicia of Zajihn,
and not a warrior. Tani, bring the rope forth and kneel before me,
The Grand Master
of Clan Zajihn.”

Caught in his tight grasp and held by his challenging stare, Asta’s pride demanded that she not make a scene in front of her un-bonded friend and the chosen female. Noticing her jutting jaw and prideful stance, Johan lowered his face to hers and breathed, “We are well-matched in pride as well as spirit. Ye are
Mistress of my heart
, Asta Gojicia, and I intend to have ye submit no matter what it takes.”

She quickly lowered her gaze, fearing that he would detect her hurt pride at the coming scene. She had spoken the truth to Tani when declaring that she cared deeply for him. Asta could not begin to understand her own reluctance to surrender completely to him. Despite respecting him more over the years, there was something still missing that she could not pinpoint. Knowing the imminent punishment would not be diverted no matter what she said, she remained quiet as Tani handed him the rope.

In no time at all, she was bound to a tree with a clear view of them in front of the fire. With heated cheeks, she avoided looking upon the trio as Johan commanded the kneeling females to disrobe. Seeing that she refused to look in their direction, Johan did something unheard of for someone of his status.

He knelt beside her and explained, “Ye surely cannot expect me, your bonded Master and the Grand Chief of Clan Zajihn, to ignore such disobedience.” She still refused to look at him so he snapped, “Look me in the eye, my Grand Mistress, and explain your actions to your Master.”

Her gaze lifted to his and, with fury in her voice, asked, “Why must your tone always be apologetic,
Grand Master Johan Gojicia-Zajihn—Jihn Ruler by birth of the Great Shire?”

Hearing her defiantly spit his complete title back at him, raw anger and confusion leapt into his eyes. Asta immediately regretted her words but could not take them back. He quickly rose and shed his own clothing, barking at the nude females in the process, “Crawl on your knees and lavish me. I tire of women who disobey.”

Both women’s palms slapped the dirt. Knowing their future bond mates were watching, they scurried to obey his every command. Ignorant of mating rituals with a Master, Tani had chosen Ziki because she was already bonded. She followed the female’s lead, rising on her knees at Johan’s feet and dropping her gaze to the ground.

Despite her injured pride, Asta was unable to rip her gaze off Johan’s massive chest. Firelight danced across his rippling muscles, making the birthmark appear even more like a phoenix with wings proudly spread.

Memories of her father’s lessons about Jihn, pronounced
Heen
and meaning phoenix within the Shire Clans, flooded her mind. Very few warriors bore true phoenix markings throughout time. It was no wonder that everyone treated Johan as if he were a God since he was the last warrior to bear the phantom’s mark.  

Asta watched Ziki shake with suppressed desire while asking, “May I be graced by The Grand Master’s touch?”

Johan stopped between them, thrust his hand into Ziki’s hair, and pulled her face toward his lengthy member. With anger snapping in his eyes, he glanced back at Asta and said, “I forbid ye,
Great Mistress of Mine
, to shield your sight. Ye shall learn from the eagerness of these lowly ones.”