He yanks me up by the arms and spins me, pressing my front to the trunk of a tree. He doesn’t hesitate to lift my dress. In one smooth movement, he thrusts into me.
Gripping my hips, he fucks me without apology. He is in total control. I have close to no slack being pressed to the tree this way, but the bindings only provoke the desire more so. His movements are hard and deep, and when he wraps his fingers around my throat and squeezes, I feel my climax steadily approaching.
“Harder?” he huskily asks.
I nod.
He eagerly complies, fucking me with ferocity as he arches my head back and kisses me passionately with his fingers still wrapped around my throat. He is imprinted all over me, and I never want it to end.
“Scream for me, hugrekki.”
He suddenly pulls out and drops to his knees. He spreads my arse cheeks wide open and buries his face between them. His mouth and tongue leave no part of me untouched, and as he is eating me out from behind, he inserts two fingers into my sex whilst rubbing over my swollen bud.
He is relentless and coaxes me to bow backward, granting him deeper access to my behind. He tunnels his tongue into me and matches the rhythm with his fingers. It’s a new torture which I happily surrender to, and I do as he demands and scream as my climax tackles me low.
Tremors rock my body, and they don’t stop because Skarth ensures he pleases me until I am done.
He stands, his hand around my waist to steady me. With the other, he slips the fingers that were inside me seconds ago into my mouth. I suck, tasting myself on his flesh.
“Your honey is forever my poison.”
“Then let us both die a thousand deaths,” I reply breathlessly.
“I will follow you in life and death, Emeline, for you are my life and forever it will remain so.”
This moment is perfect.
However, a stillness suddenly overcomes Skarth, and when I turn over my shoulder to uncover why, I see that his chin is upturned as he peers into the night sky.
I see two ravens circling above us.
An omen of things to come, because moments later, we hear the galloping of hooves.
Skarth instantly stands in front of me, withdrawing his sword to protect me. When I see it’s Aric, I lower Skarth’s arm.
“He is a friend, not a foe.” From the desolate look on his face, I realize the news he bears is not good. “What news do you bring?”
“Milady, it is not in your favor. Northumbria is under attack, and the perpetrator is Lord Aethelbald. Most of your soldiers have surrendered in fear for their lives and the lives of their loved ones. He has made an example of your mother.”
My stomach drops, for I know what he is about to reveal.
“Your mother is dead. I am so sorry to have to deliver this news. Catherine is next. He sent me to find you and bring you back without an army, for if you fight, he?—”
“He what?” Skarth demands when Aric wavers.
“He will hold a public execution of your children. As reassurance that he speaks the truth, he sent this.” Aric retrieves a cloth from his pocket and offers it to me.
I shakily accept, and when I unravel the material, my entire world comes crashing down before me.
“No!” I painfully cry, dropping the cloth and the blue eye it contains onto the ground, for that eye belongs to Loki.
“He said an eye for an eye.”
And this punishment is fit, for Skarth took Aethelwulf’s eye. And now, his son takes our son Loki’s.
Skarth drops to his knees, his chin drooping in defeat. “Is that why you sent Huginn and Muninn? They are here as Odin’s ears and eyes to show me what fate befalls my son. Why? Take what you will from me, but leave my family be!”
Skarth claws at the dirt, digging a hole whilst mumbling Norse under his breath.
