Page 20 of Reaper
“And you’re making a very simple thing extremely complicated,” she counters.
“How the fuck would you know?” I argue. “You’ve never had a family and lost them.”
Her expression falls, and her shoulders slump. “I know more than you think, Reaper. Or were you under the impression that Valkyries didn’t have a life before their afterlife in Valhalla?”
“Shit, Skuld. I’m… I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
“Of course, you didn’t know because you never bothered to ask.”
I stop in front of her and level my gaze on hers. “I’m asking now.”
“I was blessed to have love twice. My human husband survived an attack on our village that I did not. And as a Valkyrie, I fell for a Warrior. It was forbidden, and when Odin found out, he damned my Warrior to the Fire Pits.”
Anger rolls through me on her behalf. If I didn’t hate our god before, I would now. “Yet you still serve him.”
“I do. It’s been many years since he issued that order, and he’s making up for it.”
“How?” I ask, genuinely curious.
If I were in her shoes, I don’t think I could ever forgive him for what he did.
“With you, Reaper. Aside from my loves, you’re the only person, dead or alive, that I’ve allowed myself to care about. And he’s making it up by trying to give you happiness.”
Not what I was expecting.
“Oh.”
“So, you see, if you deny yourself this opportunity, you’re not only hurting yourself, you’ll be condemning me as well.”
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again… Warriors, as well as Valhalla Rising MC brothers, are loyal. We’re loyal to our brothers, our god, and our Valkyries. But that loyalty only carries a man so far.
“Skuld, I don’t know if I?—”
“All I’m asking is that you keep an open mind and heart.”
I chuckle, but there’s no humor in it. “I’m dead, Skuld. I don’t have a heart.”
“You know what I mean.”
“I do. But all I can promise is that I’ll try.”
“That’s all I want.”
Skuld begins to shimmer, and I know my time with her is coming to an end.
“Wait!” I call, and she hesitates. “Can I ask you something?”
The shimmer disappears, and she nods. “Anything.”
“Did you have kids in your human life?”
Her eyes widen. “I… Uh… No. But I was with child when I died,” she admits, settling her hand on her stomach. As she begins to shimmer again, she says, “Now, there’s some thingswaiting for you and the others outside. I suggest you all get a move on and head to the diner.”
I glance at the window and note that it’s still dark outside. Next, I look at my cell to check the time. It’s four in the morning. Why would we go to the diner now?
After changing into jeans and a hoodie, I make my way outside, and shock courses through me at what I see.
Skuld was right… We need to get moving.
