Filed To Story: The Perfect Luna by Marissa Gilbert
“Where did you come from?” Astrea smiled at it, still not feeling any danger from the beast despite its heavy and dark aura. “A unicorn! Who would have thought!”
She stepped closer, stretching her hand forward and trying to create some kind of bond with the ethereal creature.
“Don’t touch it!” Fenrir’s voice cut through the stillness of the night, sending shivers down her spine.
She was so busted! Two bags full of weapons and gadgets were right behind her, and she was unlikely to frame the unicorn for hiding them here.
She could, however, use the creature as a distraction.
“How could I not touch this beauty?” she giggled, continuing her way and thinking, hectically, of what to do next. Between the unicorn and Fenrir, the horse seemed like the safe option. This was now officially one big mess!
“Astrea!” the wolf growled behind her back, but she was only looking at the beast before her, their eyes locked. She could tell it liked her, and when her hand was finally close, it brushed its head against it. Its coat was as soft as silk, and she could feel the energy coursing through the creature, knowing it wouldn’t hurt her.
“What are you so worked up about, Fenrir? It’s just a unicorn!” she scoffed, thinking if the creature could help her escape. Her mission had officially failed. Unless…
Unless she tried to kill him here and now. Just the thought of it made her nauseous, but it wasn’t a choice anymore. When he found out about her bags, he would kill her himself. And if she returned to the Firstborn island, not completing her mission, she would have to stay with the Serpent forever.
And yet she didn’t want to do it, prolonging the inevitable as long as possible.
“It’s not a unicorn!” Fenrir informed her, folding his arms over his chest. He clearly saw the bags already but mainly looked annoyed with her not obeying him. She wondered why he was so hard to read while she thought of reaching for her knife. One quick throw and…
It had to be done.
Quick. She would do it quickly and forget about it.
“It’s not?” she smirked at the rogue king and slowly brushed her finger over the horse’s horn, playing with fire. It felt cool to the touch. As if it was made of glass.
Fenrir watched her intently, and when the corners of his lips went upwards slightly, she knew there was a problem she didn’t figure out yet.
“No,” he shook his head with a chuckle. “It’s not a unicorn. It’s a Nightmare. And you really shouldn’t have touched its horn.”
“Why not?” Astrea tried smiling, but her vision suddenly got blurry, alarming her. Did she just miscalculate who was the biggest danger?
“Because it’s poisonous!” Fenrir replied, confirming her suspicions and watching how her legs gave up on her.
Panic rippled through her body as she was losing control over it. Her eyelids were getting heavier and heavier as she watched the Nightmare staring at her with its deep purple eyes.
One second later, the demon, or whatever it was, galloped away into the night, sprinkling her with sand in the process.
Fenrir towered over her, and she tried squeezing the knife in her hand harder, knowing that he would probably kill her.
The King was saying something, his eyes sad for some reason, but she couldn’t decipher the words anymore, regretting only that her end was this… unimpressive. She always knew she would die young but hoped to go out with a bang.
“Do it… fast!” she managed to form her last words before her mind switched off, and she lost the battle to the darkness.
***
“How could you bring her here?” The witch was furious. “She is going to be the end of this place!”
“Salome, I don’t think I need your permission,” Fenrir snarled at her. “I only need a detoxifying potion from you, and you may go.”
“Tell me why I shouldn’t leave her like that?” the brunette hissed, narrowing her eyes at him, her bright red kaftan flowing as she walked back and forth to calm herself down.
“Because that would make me very angry. That’s why! And because next time you need a favour, I will be the one hesitating.”
That seemed to work, and the woman clenched her jaw tightly as she considered her options.
“Fine!” she finally agreed. “I’ll be back in half an hour. She can wait that long.”
The witch stormed out of the bedroom, and he knew this wasn’t the end of it.
He knew and, yet, he didn’t care.
“I should have sent you away,” he sighed, brushing a lock of silvery-white hair off Astrea’s forehead. He should have known that horrible thing would get to her sooner or later. It found her every time!
He took her hand to check her pulse and… didn’t find it in himself to let go. The thoughts of Asgard invaded his mind again.
Especially that night…
***ASGARD***
“They want me to attend?” Fenrir asked, words laced with distrust.
“Yes,” Tyr chuckled, adjusting his gauntlets.
It was rare for Fenrir to be invited to big events and, although he was concerned, he couldn’t contain the excitement that was building inside him against his will.
For the first time ever, the stars aligned for him. The invitation came right when the young wolf wanted to be present at the feast because there was someone he wanted to see.
He had seen her a few times during the past weeks, but the Astraea was always surrounded by other people and, on top of that, awarded him with such a glare every time she noticed him that he avoided approaching her to let her cool off after their first encounter.
He liked it, though. He liked the way her cheeks flushed each time their eyes locked. He loved getting any kind of reaction from her because, after observing her for a while from a distance, he could tell that no other man aroused such emotions in her.
Fenrir craved her attention, and he was going to get it tonight.
“Rir, you are not going to cause trouble, are you?” Tyr asked him, narrowing his eyes.
“When have I ever caused trouble?” Fenrir adjusted his golden pauldrons and received a reproachful gaze from his mentor. Which wasn’t fair because he wasn’t the troublemaker. His father – yes, his brother – definitely, his sister – probably, but Fenrir’s life goal prevented him from having fun. All he wanted was for the ruler of Asgard to allow his siblings to live with him here and for that, he was ready to behave.
“I will pay my respects to the guests, eat, and leave,” he promised and noticed Tyr sighing, a flicker of sadness in his eyes.
“I’m sorry,” the god of war and justice could never pretend he didn’t see how his pupil was treated. “Just a bit longer-” He stopped talking because this was something he had promised Fenrir many times, but there had been no changes for centuries. “Just a little longer” wasn’t cutting it anymore.
“Never mind,” Fenrir friendly nudged his shoulder, “let’s drink mead and have fun tonight.”
“After you!” Tyr grinned, happy to enjoy this rare opportunity together.
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?