Filed To Story: The Perfect Luna by Marissa Gilbert
“No one is here accidentally,” Fenir assured him dryly.”
Even you, brother.”
“Oh?” Joran lifted his brow up. “Now I am intrigued.”
“You are going to like this one,” Fenrir smirked. “See, the thing is-I want you to kill me.”
“I must say, you look so different.” Vidar gestured for her to join him at the table right after Magnus bowed and left them alone. The God of Vengeance pretended to ignore the charred landscape around them while studying her face for a reaction to it.
She offered none and soon recognised the cruel glint in his eyes. He craved to see her pain over this. He still didn’t think he punished her enough. It probably would never be enough for him.
“Back in the day, you used to have this-ethereal glow around you that is now gone. You lost it completely.”
His gaze was shamelessly wandering over her body, making her want to cover away from him, but she was used to handling herself in unpleasant situations. He was the one not ready for her. Not the other way around.
“Maybe you shouldn’t have killed me if you liked it so much, then?” Astrea retaliated, brushing her fingers over the golden cutlery on the table before she took her seat. Pure gold. He wanted her to see the two contrasts, and now she knew him enough to understand the hint. The ruler of New Asgard could make her life as barren as the garden they were in, or he could bathe her in silk and gold if she behaved.
She preferred neither.
“It was never my desire.” His lips curled as if she had said something funny. His twisted nature enjoyed every minute of their encounter.
“And yet here we are.” She offered him an unimpressed glance. “Centuries later. Same place. I have to say, the garden looks freshly burned, though. One would think life could find a way to restore itself since Ragnarok.”
“I destroyed this place long before Ragnarok,” Vidar admitted, admiring his work as if there was something to be proud of. “And many times after that. The first time I burned it was on the day my sword took your life. I couldn’t stand seeing it anymore. It reminded me of you.”
“How romantic,” she scoffed, leaning over the back of her chair while he observed her every move.
“And then I burned it down every time I thought of you or saw a sprout of life here.” Their eyes locked, and she knew there was no love in him. Not for her, not for anyone. He wasn’t capable of it.
Gods were given powers that suited them most. He was a God of Vengeance because it was in his nature. There was no way around it.
“Did it help?” she asked, and he arched a brow at her.
“What did?”
“Destroying the Glowing Garden over and over. Did it help you feel better?”
“Only one thing could help me feel better.” Vidar’s tone got darker. “To get what is rightfully mine.”
“And by that, you mean-?”
She wanted to roll her eyes badly, tired of him already.
She had to listen to him, though. That was the game, and she had to play it right.
“Everything!” Vidar slammed his fist over the table, causing the glass to clink. “I want to have the bride I was promised, the power and respect that were supposed to come with it.
You and I were meant to rule Seven Realms together. Our children were supposed to become the new generation of gods. I want to enjoy our mate bond and not feel like I am thrown into lava each time that mutt touches you!”
She felt the tiniest prickle of guilt. Was this why her mate became so-crazy and obsessed? The bond definitely had its downsides for him too.
It did not matter, though. Nothing excused what he had done. Not to mention, he was the one not wishing to destroy the mate bond. He was the one clinging to her despite so many rejections.
He was a child who still refused to hear no, and she was not sorry for him.
“You are the ruler of the New Asgard,” Astrea commented, trying to stay civil. “Surely you have enough power and respect. Any woman could be yours. You don’t need me.”
Vidar’s eyes fashed red again.
“You think I did not try to forget you existed?” His lips twisted into a menacing smirk. “So many women were in my bed I lost count centuries ago.”
She swallowed uncomfortably-
Maybe he just needed a better math teacher. Nova snorted.
“And yet each time I went down to the mortal realm, each time I saw a glimpse of you, each time I touched you, kissed you -“
She shivered at the thought, and it did not escape him, a frown deepening on his face.
“You were mine!” He snarled at her. “We were destined for each other. We belong together, and yet each time you met that mutt, you chose him. Each. f*****g. Time.”
“Then, maybe we weren’t destined for each other after all,” she stated calmly, and his features hardened, making him resemble one of the ancient statues.
“Or maybe the son of Loki used sorcery to bind you to him!”
She pursed her lips, digesting what he had said. A part of her was still hoping he could be reasonable, but there was no chance if that was what he believed in.
“You know it’s not true,” she sighed. “Fenrir and I-It was written in the stars. Over and over.”
Vidar threw his glass over the remnants of the willow tree, breaking it into myriads of pieces in a fury.
“The stars wrote a sad story then!'” He said through clenched teeth. “So many attempts and no happy ending.
Don’t you think it’s time to try something new?”
He waited for her reply, and she knew it was best to say something to put him at ease, something to stroke his enormous ego.
She bit her lip, almost drawing blood. That was a hard challenge.
Screw him, Nova hissed in her mind. At the moment, he needs us more than we need him. The wedding blood-sharing ritual has to be willing and mutual for it to work. He will have to play nice.
You are right, Astrea agreed, feeling her blood boiling.
“There is nothing new about this.” She exhaled heavily. “We don’t work. You tested this many times and ended up killing me every other life. So much for a happy ending.”
Vidar’s jaw ticked. “So what?”
His question caught her off guard.
“So what?” she repeated with a gasp. Even after everything, she was surprised at how little her deaths meant to him.
She could feel the trauma of her past lives with her bones.
The tragedies that happened long ago marked her soul and almost destroyed Fenrir.
Vidar, on the other hand, seemed fine.
“Your little friend is at my mercy, Astrea. Do you really want to make her life that short?” The man before her smirked, knowing he had just won the argument. He had the leverage
“I would like to see Nikki, by the way.” She tried to look calm when, in fact, her heart was racing with worry for her friend.
“I am afraid she doesn’t want to see you,” Vidar sneered. “
The news you chose your real sister over her didn’t sit well with that one. She has quite the temper.”
Astrea’s claws grew uncontrollably, and she dug them into the armrest, realising he was again playing with her. What if Nikki didn’t want to go with her when the time came?
This could complicate their plan because Astrea couldn’t leave her ward alone.
“That’s another thing we need to talk about.” Vidar cast her an irritated look. “We need to get rid of that.”
“That?” She stared at him, puzzled at first. Slowly, she traced his gaze and realised he was staring at her, claws still digging into the chair.
“I don’t want those mutt genes passed on to our children,” he explained, pointing at her hands and causing Nova to growl. “That wolf has to go. You are my Queen, and I don’t want that beast inside you.”
“Nova is a part of me!” Astrea was appalled to hear this, even as a suggestion.
New Book: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
Dayson was the alpha of the largest pack in North America. Powerful figures from other packs sought to offer gorgeous girls as potential mates for Dayson. He steadfastly rejected these advances, he was not a pawn to be manipulated. But eventually there came a mysterious girl he could hardly say No. Who was she?