Page 20 of The Devil's Viking

She gestured around her, her bare breasts lifting with the motion. “For all ofthis. How do I pay for it?”

“How do you –” Viking ran his large hand over his beard, staring at her with astonishment. “Youdon’tpay for it and even if you did, it sure as hell wouldnotbe like this.”

“I – really?”

“Yes, baby. Really. Now put your top back on and let’s talk.”

She did as he said, then watched in utter confusion as he extended a hand to her. Cautiously, she accepted it, her hand disappearing completely into his, and he helped her to her feet.

“OK,” he said, and she saw that he had the gentlest brown eyes that she’d ever looked into. “That’s better, huh?”

“Yes,” she said, her hand still warm and small in his. “Thank you.”

“So maybe we can start again?”

“Yes. I’d like that.”

“Right.” He released her hand, and she briefly missed the sweet pressure. “So like I said, I’m Viking. And you are?”

She paused as it came to her that that was not a totally straightforward question for her to answer because although she’d been Iris for the past year, she actually had another name too. It was one that she’d been ordered by Gideon to forget, to kill and bury deep. She’d done so happily enough, back when she’d thought that Gideon and the Garden of Divine Light were something good and pure, but she knew better now. If she wanted to resurrect her former self, to reclaim a part of herself that had been lost, this was the perfect time to do that.

Then again, did she really want a bunch of criminals to knowanythingreal about her? She didn’t have a clue what might happen to her in the foreseeable future, and she had to face the possibility that she’d have to run from this place when nobody was watching. If that happened, why would she tell them anything to help them track her down?

“Iris,” she said and immediately felt a bit safer.

“Iris,” he repeated, smiling down at her. “Well, Iris, why don’t you sit down and we’ll get acquainted a little bit.”

She nodded, and turned to go sit on the chair in the corner – then she gasped and whirled around.

“I’m sorry,” she blurted out. “I won’t do that again.”

“Do what?”

“Turn my back on you.” She was sure that he’d punish her for the disrespect, that her reprieve was pathetically short-lived because as usual, she had fucked up the most basic of rules. “I know that was wrong.”

He looked at her with those amazing eyes and he seemed to be seeing through her skin, past her bones, right to her core. Iris shivered at the thought that he had that power, the same way that Gideon had, and that she’d never be able to keep any part of herself just for herself.

“Well,” he said in that rough voice. “You don’t need to worry about that with me, or with anyone else around here. Feel free to turn your back on us any damn time you leave a room, or walk away, or even if you just feel like it ‘cause we’re being annoying.”

“I – really?”

“Yes, honey. Really.” He pointed at the chair. “Go on and practice now.”

It was the strangest feeling to turn her back on him and walk over to the chair, and then it occurred to Iris that she used to do thisall the time. Back before Gideon and his rules and demands, back when she’d done everything she’d wanted whenever she’d wanted to. Not everything from that time in her life was good or admirable, to be sure – but at least she’d been able to walk to a fucking chair without crumbling to the floor in fear. Strange how she'd forgotten this tiny part of her alternate reality; it was only a year ago but it felt like a lifetime.

She sat down, tucked her legs up and into her chest. She wrapped her arms around her knees and watched as Viking leaned against the wall, his massive tattooed arms loosely crossed, the muscles bulging and stretching the t-shirt material impossibly tight.

“So I’ll ask you again: do you need some medical attention?” he asked her. “You were out in the cold for a long time, and I have to make sure that you’re OK.”

“I am.”

“You sure?”

“Yes. I really am.”

“OK, then," he said. “And I’m guessing that you have some questions for me. So shoot, baby.”

“Erm.” Iris wasn’t used to asking for anything or needing anything, but he was right and she did seek some pretty crucial information. “Where am I?”

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