Ch. 8 The Monster I am to Marry

As I struggled to process what had just happened, the man from my room approached. I felt a shiver run down my spine and fear settle in my stomach. My hand went to my mouth, wiping a red smear on my pale skin. My eyes darted back and forth from Eirik to the man, attempting to assess the level of danger I was in. Eirik held me tighter, the smirk on his face growing.

"Like I said before, you are too late. I've already claimed her," Eirik said, moving my hair to the side to reveal the marks his fangs had left. "Now, if you could kindly step back, I will take what is mine and go." I wanted to protest, to put him in his place, but the man glaring at us scared me beyond words. I stood still as a statue, watching the men face off. The man shook with rage. He didn't retreat, instead took another step towards us. Eirik showed his fangs and I felt a low rumble in his chest. "The girl was promised to me before she was even born. I see nothing but fang punctures... there has been no permanent mating. Give her to me," he said, reaching his hand out to me. The next moment, I felt wind in my face and the urge to throw up. I swiveled my head trying to get either man in my sight only to see nothing but darkness before losing consciousness.

...

"Valkyrie, wake up," I heard my mother's voice. My eyelids slowly lifted, blinking slowly at the bright light. I tried to sit up, but a hand gently pushed my shoulder to keep me laying on my back. "Shh... it's okay, dear. You are safe." I couldn't connect the chain of events. Looking around the 'room,' I saw we were in a cabin. The log walls and a an empty fireplace gave off an abandoned vibe, but the place was clean. "What... what happened?" I heard movement above my bed. Eirik stood, stretching. He looked tired, but unhurt. "You're awake. How long was I out?" He asked, turning to my mom. She looked at him like he was her favorite person in the world. "Just about fifteen minutes, I think. She just woke up. How are you feeling?" My mother watched Eirik carefully, concern on her face.

I took advantage of her distraction and sat up, my head throbbing. I felt my body sway before Eirik was by my side, his arms steadying me. "Easy... that was your first time Jumping. You'll feel disoriented and dizzy for a bit," he said, rubbing my arms. He plopped down next to me on the bed, pulling us both to lay back. I made a move to escape his arms but a wave a nausea made me stop. "What happened?" I asked again, squeezing my eyes closed. I felt Eirik nuzzle close to me, his lips close to my ear.

"I had to Jump us to get you away from the Lycan bastard that wanted to take you," Eirik said. The word 'lycan' triggered my memory. I saw the man's face- his sharp canines and threatening eyes. The the flood of fear came back to me. Eirik had sank his fangs into my neck. "Fangs?! You... you bit me!" I scooted myself away from Eirik, flopping myself down to the floor like a fish out of water. My mom cleared her throat. She pulled me to my feet and sent a worried look to Eirik, who sat staring at me with a smirk on his face. "Val...." He burst out laughing, pulling me from my mother and tucking me against his body. "You really told her nothing! Nothing at all! She's completely clueless! She's like a sweet innocent child... you really set her up." His last comment came out with a little snarl. Turning my to face him, Eirik tilted my chin up so my eyes could meet his. "Valkyrie Eir, you are my mate. Your mother promised you to me. Since she has neglected to inform you of... anything, really... let me. Your mother was a member of an old Vampire clan. She was married off to Drerik Eir, a powerful Viking and Lycan. You are the product of their mating, a hybrid. I am head of another powerful Vampire clan and leader of the most powerful clan of Vikings. I did bite you. I marked you as my mate, so that Lycan wouldn't want you." His voice dripped with sarcasm, like he was talking to a child. He turned to my mother, not giving me time to process what he just told me. "Now I need to eat. I'll leave you to finish explaining it to her. Don't leave out anything, my patience is running out. I've marked her, I'll need to mate her before that asshole comes sniffing around. " He stormed out of the cabin, leaving me in stunned silence.

"Valkyrie, I know you are scared and confused... I wanted to protect you. I'd hoped I wouldn't have to tell you everything. It seems like there's no choice now." My mother sat on a chair and motioned for me to do the same. I paced the room, my temper flaring. "If I don't get every answer I ask for right now.... " I grumbled at turned to stare at her. In that moment, I could feel rage building inside of me. My vision blinked red before turning back to normal. I sat down out of exhaustion. "Calm down, Val. I'll tell you everything. Eirik told the truth. I am a Vampire. My father married me off to a Lycan and you are a hybrid of the two. I'd hoped you'd never turn, so I'd never have to tell you. You were born human, which infuriated your father. He was going to kill you if you hadn't shown signs of turning by your second birthday. Since your red hair and temper were the only indications of anything out of the ordinary, I made a pact with Eirik's father. He knew you might never turn, but wanted a match between you and his son based on your lineage and your red hair. The color, like Eirik said, is special. We just don't know why yet. Everything seemed like it would work out. You were to marry Eirik, you would be safe, a human protected at all costs. But that's when your father's family took notice of you. After he was killed, his cousin took power. He had seen you once, when you were a baby. Since then he had expressed an interest in a marriage contract with you. I thought with your father dead, he didn't have the right or the nerve to stake his claim on you... but now..."

I slammed my fists on a table. "Why am I being hunted like prey? For my hair? I'll cut it off. They can fucking have it. I don't want to get married. Not to Erik, not to this Lycan... I don't intend to be mated by anyone. I don't have any idea what that is, but it is not happening!" My mother smiled sadly, leaning over to pat my knee. "You don't have a choice, Val. It's mate Eirik or the Lycan. Neither one will let go of you now. It's not just your hair, dear. You were born to the two of the most powerful families; you are the first living hybrid and we don't know what your future holds- except that you will be powerful. I had thought you were a mere human, but I think you needed to be exposed in order to trigger your transformation. When Eirik gave you his blood... it began a change in you. You were able to Jump with him, when a normal human would have been ripped apart. Your eyes have changed too... " I shivered. I did feel different, I could smell my mother's emotions. Her fear, her sadness, her worry. I felt the energy around her. I felt restless and edgy. And pissed off.

"Why didn't you tell me before this? Eirik is right... you set me up. Now I'm struggling to hold myself together when I am so angry I could rip your head off! I want to leave. I can't look at you right now." I felt my body shake, my vision going red again. My mother stood up slowly and began backing towards the door. "Val, I need you to take a deep breath. I understand you are angry, you have every right to be. But you need to try to keep control. The change is triggering this rage. It will get harder to control if you don't try to calm down. " I stood watching her, feeling like I was watching the scene from above. I felt no control over my body... just a wave of heat and anger.