Chapter 23 Heimdallr
HEIMDALLR
Watching from Himinbjorg since the beginning of time, not much could surprise me now. All the realms played out before me while I stood guard above the cliffs of ásgarer. Waiting for the day of reckoning. Ragnarok, the war foretold where Loki and I would kill each other.
We’ve come close to the end several times. As the god of mischief and chaos, Loki would like nothing more than to destroy all the worlds. He’d cackle with glee as he watched everything burn and crumble to dust. Even if we ended as well.
A remnant would survive. Life would find a way to go on without the old guardians standing watch, though the worlds would be forever changed.
Whether they would be brighter or darker, I couldn’t say.
I wasn’t the only eternal watcher, bound to see everything unfold, yet forced to remain mostly powerless to change the slightest outcome.
This seemingly delicate woman standing before me had the power to change everything.
She not only had the power to tear Jormungandr asunder, but also to surprise me. Delight me. Torment me. Such a delicious torment it would be, when even a single drop of her blood in the Bifrost lit up the realms with sparkling energy.
With her acceptance, I lifted her bleeding wrist to my mouth and sipped on the forbidden wine of hot, fresh, living blood.
Queen’s blood, a goddess’ daughter, ripe with shimmering power.
I tasted the icy shores of Nástrond and the deepest, darkest pits of the Endless Slough in her blood, but it was the bubbling flow of pure, sweet wellspring I craved.
She watered Yggdrasil with her blood when she escaped Hvergelmir.
Now she watered me, and by association, the Bifrost. Uniting two titans of magical energy in a way I alone could never accomplish.
My power didn’t lie directly with the mighty world tree, even though the rainbow bridge shimmered among its roots and branches.
Now, her magic rooted in me, spreading Hel’s Darkness like a silent river winding along the rainbow bridge.
Still on my knees, I gently yet firmly pulled her closer, determined to solidify the Blood bond as soon as possible.
Selfishly, yes, I wanted the bond, but also just in case Loki lay in wait on the other side of the rainbow.
I could have pressed the bear’s bite on my forearm to her lips, but after millennia with very little companionship, I would certainly rather have her fangs in my throat.
Her goddess had given her fangs for a reason. I wanted to feel them buried in my flesh.
The piercing slide of sharp ivory was exquisite.
The sensation of her soft mouth on my skin, divine.
But more, the knowledge she fed. On me. She drank of me.
My power. My essence. My magic. My soul, such that it was.
I gathered her close in my arms and stood, cradling the back of her head so she would continue feeding.
Though if I had learned anything about this queen’s tender heart while watching from afar for so long, I knew her fear would be any discomfort endured by her Blood worrying for her safety away from them. “We shall return to your dark alfar and ice giant at once, Your Majesty.”
:Wait,: the bear said. :There were humans at the waterfall. I can’t shift back without… er… showing them my birthday suit.:
I bellowed out a laugh that likely shook the roots of Yggdrasil. “Then you’d best scare the life out of them by staying a polar bear.”
Rainbows streamed around me as I strode back the way she’d come to hasten our return. The bear grumbled and huffed at my pace, so I couldn’t resist teasing him.
“Don’t be left behind, Gunnarr, or you may find yourself wandering around on a distant planet overrun with dinosaurs hungry for a little blubber.”
She started to lift her head, so I tightened my fingers, pressing her mouth back to my throat. :I tease only, Your Majesty. I will never leave a single precious hair from your head behind, let alone one of your loves.:
A soft sound escaped her lips, her smile curving against my flesh. :Thank you, though I never would have accepted you as Blood if I thought you might abandon anyone.:
She did not know what her words meant to me.
With the Bifrost now at her fingertips, she no longer needed me to open the way to the golden halls of the gods themselves.
She could have taken my power and ordered me to remain a sentinel at the edge of the skies.
A risk I was willing to take, because I knew power simply for the sake of possessing more was not her goal.
Which was exactly why I had been unable to resist offering her my assistance. I wanted to be a part of her world. Not Miegarer, but her world. Her House. Her Blood. Her love.
Her laughter sparkled through my mind brighter than any frequency of light I could achieve. :I don’t think I should drink any more of your blood.:
Though I noted she did not lift her mouth. I pressed my lips to her temple. :Why is that, Your Majesty?:
:Helayna. Or should I call you God of Bifrost rather than your given name?:
:You can call me anything you wish, Helayna, and I will hear and hasten to your side.
In case you’re unaware of my abilities, I can see and hear nearly everything in the Nine Worlds, which was exactly why I stood guard at the final bridge to ásgarer.
If you whisper my name inside your own head, I will always hear. :
She laughed again. More of a giggle really. :Your blood has gone straight to my head. Gunnarr, is this what it means for a human to be drunk?:
:I have heard of queens getting blood drunk or moon drunk before, but you don’t seem drunk like a human would be on alcohol. They stagger around and generally act like fools.:
:I don’t think I could walk right now.:
The rainbow arched over the last bridge to Miegarer. Millions of water droplets filled the air as we exited. :Then it’s a very good thing you have Blood to carry you anywhere you wish to go.:
As we exited, the rainbow shimmered away into dancing waterfall spray. The stone gargoyle immediately melted back to life. :Fuck me, I never thought I’d be so glad to be human again.:
Shaking water from my eyes, I strode straight to the biggest dark alfar. I chose my words very carefully so there would be no misunderstandings between us. I had no desire to usurp his authority. :Alpha, I return our queen safely to your protection.:
Dorr of the Black Mountain kept a wary eye on me, but his granite face softened with relief. He touched her back but didn’t take her away from me. Not while she was still feeding. :Let us get to the privacy of the vehicles before we do formal introductions.:
:I don’t know why I can’t stop.: She laughed again despite the vague concern in her words. :I’ve drained the rest of my Blood to unconsciousness before.:
I clenched my jaws, fighting back a fervent plea for her to attempt the same to me. :I doubt it would be possible for you to drain me. My blood carries too much magic.:
She tightened her lips on my throat and sucked on the punctures. :Challenge accepted.:
HELAYNA
Vaguely, I was aware of humans screaming, “Bear! Polar bear!” in the background as we headed back to our vehicles.
Playing along, Gunnarr roared and lunged a few times, making sure we had the riverbank to ourselves.
Hopefully they were too rattled to notice we returned to the beach with an extra member of our party, though Clara certainly noticed.
I couldn’t bring myself to care if she saw me feeding.
I’d been careful to keep my hunger controlled around her, though she certainly knew exactly what kind of queen I was.
I just liked keeping it private. Personal. Intimate.
Though the more of Heimdallr’s blood I drank…
The more I regretted not having privacy for at least a couple more hours during the drive to Reykjavík.
By the time we got back to the vehicles, most of the visiting humans had left. But we still had our two human drivers. Dragging my mouth away from Heimdallr’s blood took all my will. I averted my face, hoping if I didn’t see the blood dripping down his throat, I could regain a little control.
Lokken rummaged through the bags in the back of the SUV, looking for Gunnarr’s spare clothes. The polar bear scooped up the items in his mouth and hopped up into the back to shift and change.
“Who else wants a change?” Lokken asked. “At least let me find a dry sweater for you, my queen.”
“There’s no need to change because of water,” Heimdallr said. “Nor blood. Both will respond to your will, Your Majesty.”
I’d seen Karmen pull her blazing blood out of Myrk before, so I knew it was possible. I just hadn’t needed to do it myself. Water seemed a stretch…
Until I remembered I’d filled the lake outside of the cabin. Easily.
He looked down at me, his eyes flashing in the growing darkness. :You are the wellspring from which all rivers flow.: The same words he’d said to me in the vision of Yggdrasil.
Still in his arms, I closed my eyes, trying to focus myself.
But the smell of his blood intensified. Coppery amber laced with honey and spice and everything nice.
Tantalizing rainbows sparkled behind my eyelids.
In my veins. Making my mouth water for more.
Even if it made me giggle. How much more could I even hold?
He laughed, low and wicked. :Let’s find out. I’m not even close to weak kneed yet, Your Majesty, let alone drained to unconsciousness.:
Giving in to my hunger, I licked the trails of blood up his throat. :At least make sure the humans aren’t watching.:
“Who knows how to drive?” Heimdallr asked. “Would it be possible for one of us to drive and give our queen some privacy?”
“I’m familiar with many modern conveniences but not driving, I’m afraid,” Lokken replied.
Gunnarr hopped down out of the SUV in fresh clothes. “Humans do it. How hard can it be?”