Journeyman’s Ride Read online

  “Believe it. My daddy’s Odin. A piss-poor example of fatherhood, but there you have it.”

  She gaped. “The Father of the Gods?”

  “He likes to think so, and fuck knows he’s tried to repopulate the world in his own image. Odin’s one of three brothers born after the making of the world. Vi is actually a giant, though he likes to think of himself as a god. We humor him.”

  A godbolt sizzled in the sky in warning. And she knew it was a warning, could feel a strange connection forming between her and the world around her. Miranda listened with more than her ears, with her entire being. The whirring of the auton and the cackling of the ravens sounded distant.

  And then, for the first time in her life, she heard her father speak.

  Chapter Eight

  “Yes, daughter mine. You are godsent.” The voice boomed within Miranda’s mind, in a language both foreign and familiar.

  “Oh, my word.” She gasped, stunned, frightened and ecstatic at the same time.

  Danner winced. “He’s damned loud, isn’t he?”

  “You heard that?”

  “Yeah. All journeymen can hear the godline.”

  “Godline?”

  “It’s another kind of speak, one pitched for special ears.” He tugged her earlobe, and a frisson of arousal flared. “Oh yeah, you’re feeling it, aren’t you?”

  “Wh-what?” Her nipples tightened.

  “You know.” He glanced down at his own front. “’Course, I’ve been hard since I first saw you, so this ain’t a big deal for me. But you feel the lightning now, don’t you? You can sense your Ride.” He sighed. “You’re so damned lucky.”

  “My Ride?”

  “Your transport in and out of this world. It’ll carry you anywhere you want to go. No clicking gears, no rotators. Just energy. I like to think of it as my steam locomotive without the steam.”

  “So if I find it, we can bypass the rest of the Damned Plains and the Spyder Haven? We can head straight to the Crystal Palace?” she asked with excitement.

  “Honey, you don’t understand. You don’t need Clarissa now. Leave her be, go on with your Ride. Get on with your life.” He made it sound so intriguing, yet his tone warned her to take a closer look at his face, to see what bothered him.

  “Where’s your Ride?”

  “I lost it.” He didn’t say any more.

  “Um, so, my Ride. How do I find it?”

  “Ask Vi.” He looked resigned and a touch…sad? But when he saw her studying him, his face lost all expression. “In your mind, just call out to him. He’ll answer.”

  Call out to a god. The Western Overlord. Miranda took a deep breath and let it out slowly. I’m really going to do this.

  “Vi?” she asked, hesitant.

  “Yes, daughter?”

  Danner frowned. “He answer?”

  “You can’t hear him?” But she’d heard, and Vi’s voice had been soothing, warm and filled with love.

  Danner shook his head. “As long as you can, that’s what counts. Not every conversation with the gods is on the godline.”

  “What he said is correct. I’ve been waiting for you for a long time, child.”

  “Yes.” She paused, bemused by the sudden emptiness she could almost feel in Danner. “I need my Ride, and Danner told me to call you for it. But why can’t Danner have his?”

  She felt a touch of anger, and surprisingly, a touch of remorse. “The boy abused his gift, and his Ride was taken from him. He’s not yet learned his lesson.”

  “Have I learned mine?”

  Vi laughed, and the joyous sound lightened her heart. “Daughter mine, you ask all the right questions. I’m sorry to say, you have farther to go before you’ll see your Ride with such clarity. But I find no fault in you wanting to know your rightful place. Would you forgo your current journey and join us in Vanaheim?”

  She glanced at Danner. If she left now, would she leave him behind? What if she never saw him again? And what about Clarissa? Her mother had never held Clarissa’s spite against her, taking pity on the poor girl. Miranda could do no less. She sighed, wishing she could ignore her responsibilities just once. But it wouldn’t be right.

  To Vi, she answered, “I have to finish things here first. Clarissa might actually be in trouble.”

  “The puny mortal with selfish whims?”

  “She is as she was made.”

  “True. And now you see why your mother so intrigued me. You are as you were made, from a heart forged of the purest gold. Thoughts of Minerva still make me smile.”

  “Did she know who you were?”

  “Not at first. But after, she knew.”

  “She never told me.”

  Vi sighed. “She kept her promise to me, and now I wish I hadn’t made her extend such a vow. But the past is just that, child. The future remains yours.”

  Miranda bit her lip in indecision. Leave this world for a tomorrow filled with wonder, with gods and a new power she could feel coursing through her blood? Yet she’d be leaving Clarissa to whatever fate befell her. And no matter what the spoiled princess had done, she didn’t deserve to be abused if Philippe had stolen her.

  And Danner, what of him? What little she knew of him told her he was a good man. Rough and forceful, but gentle when it counted, and not as selfish as he wanted to appear. He suffered; she could now see it more clearly.

  “I want to help Clarissa. And Danner.” As soon as she thought the words, a sense of right seeped into her bones.

  “You’re sure, daughter? You cannot come into your powers to aid Clarissa. As your life with her was once, so shall it be until your association ends. And Danner may be beyond your help.”

  Miranda didn’t like the thought of Danner alone again. Abandoned, cast out. His circumstances felt too familiar. Whatever he’d done, she knew he hadn’t deserved this existence. “I’m sure.”

  “Then I wish you Loki’s own luck. I look forward to tales of your success, my daughter. But take heed: a man’s affection is a tender thing. Treat it with care and tend it. And it will blossom into a fruit to rival the sweetest of apples.” And like that, he was gone.

  “Well, what did he say? Are you leaving?” Danner asked. A wash of bleakness lit his gaze before he blinked it away.

  “Not yet. I have to finish things here. I’m afraid you’re stuck with me for the duration, Danner.”

  Relief brightened the stormy color of his eyes. “Well, then, honey, let’s get a move on. Daylight’s wastin’.”

  Though she couldn’t explain it, she knew Danner needed her. Just as she needed him. Yet it wasn’t for Clarissa or even Danner that she’d made the choice to stay. It was for herself. Finally, she was in a position to help others. She was needed. And it felt more powerful than the lightning ever had.

  Danner didn’t know what the hell Vi had said to Miranda, but the sheer relief he felt that she wasn’t leaving scared the hell out of him. What did it matter if she left? She was just a woman, like any other.

  Ah, but she wasn’t like anyone else he’d ever met, honesty compelled him to admit. And it had less to do with her being a journeyman than it did essence of who she was deep inside. Why the hell would she stay for a cousin she didn’t even like? He had a feeling Vi had offered her a choice. For all that the bastard had a problem with Danner, the Western god had a reputation for being fair. Miranda had suffered her entire life, so why would Vi demand she stay with Danner, of all people?

  He didn’t have any answers, and his confusion and frustration nagged at him.

  When he found decent shelter halfway up the mountain, they stopped. They’d pressed hard enough the night before, and the going had been rough. Time enough for a solid break. A wall of rock sat to their backs, and thick trees closed off one side of their encampment. He set up a quick camp with her help, then put the auton on detection mode and placed his rifle within easy reach. He turned to ask Miranda what she wanted to eat and bumped into her.

  He placed his hands on her shoulder
s to steady her and felt the instant connection between them, the one he’d been hard pressed to deny since he’d first laid eyes on her. The violet depths of her eyes turned a darker purple. Lighting flashed in her pupils, and the soft gasp from her lips made him groan.

  “Damned woman.”

  “What?”

  “What are you doing to me?”

  “What am I doing to you?” She licked her lips. “I think it’s the other way around.”

  “I’ve tried to give you space. Tried to let you be, but I can’t get your taste out of my head.” His ran his hands down her body to her hips and pulled her closer. Then he flicked her hat from her head and tossed his with it to the ground. “We’re almost to Last Chance. Then we’ll hit the Spyder Haven and you’ll be on your way to a brand-new life.” Away from me.

  The thought bothered him more than it should. He didn’t want her to go. Not now. The impossible thought hit him: not ever.

  “But we’re not there yet.” She ran her hands over his arms up his shoulders and clasped her hands behind his neck. When she tugged him nearer, he let her pull him. “I want so much to kiss you again, Danner. I think about you all the time,” she confessed.

  “You ignored me for four long-ass days.” His heart raced. Was it true?

  “I tried. Believe me, I tried.”

  Arousal soared through him. Such innocence in her words, such seduction in her truth.

  “I see the way you look at me.” Her soft voice sounded so pure, but the carnal touch of her mouth on his cheek, his lips, then his neck said otherwise. “Won’t you kiss me back? Or don’t you want me any—”

  Danner groaned as he took charge of the kiss. He slipped his tongue between her parted lips and took possession of her mouth. Nothing mattered now but taking the woman and branding her as his. Better than any Ride, than the lightning that lit him up from the inside out, Miranda filled that emptiness he’d always felt but couldn’t sate.

  She tasted sweet, her husky moans and ripe feminine curves drawing him closer to that point of no return.

  He broke the kiss and trailed his mouth over her jaw to her neck. “Honey, this is it. I need you. If you don’t want this, say so now.”

  Miranda didn’t answer with words. Instead, she pulled him back to her and kissed him the way he’d kissed her, entwining her tongue with his as she stroked into his mouth. Her small hands swept down his chest and pulled at the fastening of his pants. She managed to slip her hand under his clothes and brushed the wet tip of him.

  Sweet Valhalla, but the woman made him burn.

  He quickly made work of her clothes and tossed them aside, kissing every inch of her naked flesh.

  Cupping her breasts, he couldn’t help himself from tasting her nipples, licking an answering moan from Miranda.

  “Danner, please. I’m aching.” She squirmed and dragged his hand between her legs. “Feel what you do to me.”

  His breath caught as her heat covered his fingers. He pushed one inside her, glorying in her tight sheath. “You’re ready for me now, aren’t you, darlin’? My sweet little virgin, so wet and willing.”

  He removed his hand so he could shed his clothing. He’d never undressed so fast in his life. Danner took her to the blankets, uncaring of the cooling breeze settling over them. He’d keep her warm all night long if he had his say.

  She reached for him, tugging him down with her. The open acceptance, the sheer sense of belonging she gave him, was as priceless as the gift of her body. He stared down into her eyes, captured by the bright sensuality brimming for him.

  “You’re so beautiful, Miranda.” He caressed her cheek, awash in the realization that Miranda would never betray him. The honesty in her soul matched the beauty of her face, and she shone with an inner light that took his breath away. His heart felt too full and he struggled to clear his throat. “You’re so gods-damned sexy.”

  She leaned into his touch. “I am to you.”

  “To anyone with a pair of eyes.” He kissed her again, reveling in the feel of his body over hers. He leaned on his forearms and gradually settled himself against her. A perfect fit. They both moaned at the contact.

  He couldn’t help moving, shifting so that his cock slid over the smooth plane of her belly. She felt so soft, so right under him. He needed to taste more and kissed a path to her breasts. Damn, but he could spend all night loving them.

  “Mmm, so sweet,” he murmured and sucked a nipple into his mouth. He smiled at the small cry she gave and loved it when she ran her hands through his hair and held him tight. Her nipple swelled and stood stiffly under his tongue and teeth. He turned his attention to her other breast and gave it the same treatment, teasing her with his mouth while he continued to gently thrust against her belly.

  He pulled back to look at her again, enthralled with her half-shut eyes and the white spill of hair, like silk, around her head. She made his heart ache with something wonderful and new. And he had no idea what to do about it other than feel.

  “This is hotter than any lightning I’ve ever had.” He kissed her again, a sweet taste of her soft lips. This is the Ride I’ve been missing my entire life. He must have thought it out loud, because Miranda’s eyes turned liquid and she dragged him back to her with a kiss that shattered his world.

  Miranda had never thought she could feel lightning in a man’s touch, but Danner freed her the way the godbolts did. His mouth alone made her boneless with pleasure, but when he said such lovely things, when he looked at her with his heart in his eyes, she couldn’t help loving him back. Whether he meant what he said or was caught up in the moment, she wanted to believe.

  Danner’s lips trailed down her body from her breasts to her sex, and he made a feast of her. All thought was soon swept away under a wave of pleasure so intense she thought she’d faint.

  She thrust up, pressing harder into his mouth. “Danner. Oh, yes,” she breathed, overwhelmed by feeling. Sparks of light raced through her, centering between her legs and spiraling out to every part of her body. The hum of energy between her and Danner lit the gathering darkness, a shocking outline of glowing lavender.

  “So good.” He moaned as he sucked on her clit and eased his fingers up her legs. He caressed her with his hands, promising more as he inched closer and closer to her wet folds. When he pushed a finger inside her, Miranda thought she’d shatter. He thrust in as deep as he could and pulled his finger out, only to push back in again.

  Her hunger climbed higher, and she knew if she didn’t stop him, she’d climax too quickly. She wanted to come around him, to feel him inside her as he spilled the essence of his own life within her womb.

  “Please, Danner. I want to end with you inside me,” she panted.

  He withdrew his finger and kissed her clit once more before pulling away. Sucking his finger clean, he then kissed his way back up her body. When he reached her mouth, she moaned her delight. He tasted like her, and the knowledge that she was about to have all of him excited her to no end.

  “I’m going to put myself inside you, sweet.” His eyes glowed bright. “I’m going to love you, Miranda. All of you.”

  He braced himself on either side of her and prodded her thighs wider. “Guide me in.”

  She gladly wrapped her hand around his cock, smiling when he groaned, and positioned him to enter her. He pushed forward slowly. Though he’d breached her before with his fingers, his shaft was so much wider and longer than anything she knew. They locked gazes while he continued to thrust, until he filled her completely.

  “You’re in me now.” She sighed her pleasure.

  “Always.” He hitched his hips and jolted a fraction deeper.

  Ripples of her impending climax loomed closer. “Danner, more.”

  He withdrew, then slid back in, watching her while he took her. Shy yet enthralled, she studied him, taken with the agonizing pleasure of each push and pull. He was so handsome, so strong. And so careful as he took her.

  This was so much more than a physical joinin
g. She felt Danner deep within her soul.

  “I want more,” she demanded, seeing the strain on his face as he took such care. “Harder. Faster.”

  Sweat dotted his forehead and he stilled. “Dammit, Miranda. I’m trying to make this good for you.”

  “It is good for me. So good I’m going to die if you don’t finish.” She clenched him inside her, and he closed his eyes and swore.

  He opened them and stared down at her. “Shit, Miranda. I’m gonna come if you do that again.”

  “Good.” The thought of his seed inside her made everything better, and she used her inner muscles to clamp down on him again. “I want all of you, Danner. Fill me up.”

  His eyes flashed and a rumble of thunder overhead encouraged the storm brewing between them. “Oh darlin’, you don’t have to ask twice.” He pulled out and slammed back into her, causing her to cry out in pleasure. “Yeah, that’s it. More. Let me fill you up, honey. Fill you with my come.”

  He thrust harder and faster, his pace jolting her into a frenzied climax because each stroke over her flesh grazed her sensitive clit. He rode her hard, giving her exactly what she wanted. And all the while he watched her, the sounds of their mingled cries and breaths the only noise in the nearby forest around them.

  “Oh yes, yes.” She cried out as her orgasm burst over in a blaze of heat and light. She arched up into him, taking him with her.

  “Miranda. I’m coming, darlin’, oh yeah. Oh fuck.” He shoved hard and stopped, shuddering as he poured himself inside her. His climax prolonged hers.

  When they finally ceased, he brushed a lock of hair from her face and kissed her. So tender, she thought as she blinked up at him. So incredibly loving for a man who didn’t seem to want more than sex from her.

  “Gods above,” he whispered. “You’re perfect.” He nuzzled her cheek and ran kisses over her face.

  All the while, she felt him throb inside her, his large shaft still lodged close to her womb.