Page 10 of Heart of Fire
Rurik frowned down at her, offering his arm. He too understood the whispering vibe of the crowd. Somehow he looked different, as if the lazy, handsome wastrel had washed from his countenance, to be replaced by something infinitely feral. Meaner. His cheekbones seemed harshly cut, and his eyes glittered like a smoldering furnace. He placed his body between her and the crowd; cutting off the dagger-glance the dragon slayer gaveher.
She shouldn’t trusthim.
“Take my arm,” he said. “Dine withme.”
Freyja slid her hand through the crook of his arm, swallowing hard. The press of his body against hers filled her with heat and an odd longing. Dare she trust it?Him?
“I won’t let them hurt you. Come.” He pushed through the inn door, holding it open for her. A slow smile curled over his mouth. “Be brave, my lady. I did not think you the type to retreat fromanything.”
Freyja sucked in a breath. He was right. If she could face down the mighty wyrm by herself, then she could certainly handle a crowd of superstitious, narrow-mindedgossips.
The thought brought an ill-timed smile to her lips, and Rurik’s gaze sharpened on them. “You areamused?”
“I have an odd sense of what to be frightened of. If you knew what I have faced… and yet I quail at this.” She laughed softly. “Foolishness.”
Rurik guided her through the door with his hand in the small of her back. The low-beamed ceiling was stained with peat smoke and several locals leaned on the bar, smoking their pipes. Mostly men, for women rarely frequented a place like this, only those like herself who were forced to trade for lack of menfolk in theirlives.
“People are frightened of what they do not understand,” Rurik murmured, the pressure of his hand warming the small of her back. For a moment she caught a hint of his cologne, and turned her face unconsciously toward his chest to breathe it in. Spicy. Smoky-hot.Delicious.
Their eyes met. Something about his gaze frightened her. Darkly knowledgeable. Patient. As if he knew precisely what sort of reaction she was having, and simply waited for her tosuccumb.
“Perhaps they have cause to be frightened,” shemurmured.
“And are we speaking of you or mehere?”
His gaze raked over the plain black cloth of herskautbúningur. It was her best gown, with gold leaf embroidered around the neckline and skirts, and a spill of white lace at her throat. It covered her from throat to toe, but for a moment she felt dangerouslyunclothed.
Both of them.For he had a certain powertoo.
“Thank you,” she murmured, drawing away from him and ignoring his implication. “But I dobelieve—”
“You are not walking away from me again, are you? And here I thought the North was known for itshospitality.”
Freyja’s words died in her mouth. With such a distance between farmsteads, and the harsh climes, to turn a man or woman from your door was unthinkable. To suggest she lacked in hospitality was an insult, and he knew it, from the amused twinkle that lit his ambergaze.
“This is not my home,” she said, using precise, clipped words. “You may come or go as youplease.”
“Then I shall stay to dine.” He stepped past in a swish of scent that left her breathless. Freyja’s hands curled into fists, but Rurik seemed not to see. A smile curled over his sensual mouth as he glanced behind him. “And look. There is one table left. If you ask me nicely, I shall share it withyou.”
Arrogant devil. She did not wish to dine with him, but her stomach clenched as if reminding her of how long it had been since breakfast. And glutton that she was, she had been dreaming of baked kipper pie or roasted salmon for the entire journey to town. A rare treat, and now she had coin she could indulgeherself.
But he wasdangerous.
For she’d never felt like this before: as if she had a secret he somehow knew. A secret carnal craving that had never flared ’til now, as if her body knew things she herself didn’t. Perhaps having men shy away from her eyes had been a hidden boon in the past. Rurik’s frank interest in her unnerved her in so manyways.
“I wish to know more about thedrekibeneath Krafla,” he said, starting toward the table as if she’d given her assent. “To further my studies. I would be most appreciative if you would joinme.”
Cursehim.
What could it hurt? She did not have to speak overmuch. And his insinuation of her inhospitality irked her. Her mother would have been shamed, and Freyja herself…. Had she changed so much in recent years? For a moment she remembered the joy of being a child, when she had been sheltered and protected out there on the plains, not understanding quite why they had so few visitors, or why she was often sent to bed early when there were. She’d been hungry for human company once, before she’d learned what the world was trulylike.
His manner had been uncondemning. Freyja’s heart gave a small twist in her chest. More than anything, she longed forthat.
Rurik glanced over his shoulder as he wove his way through the crowded seats. Eyes watched him as he went, conversation dropping to a murmur. An outsider. Likeher.
Freyja didn’t realize she’d taken a step toward him until the hardness leeched out of hiseyes.
“My lady,” he almost purred, holding a chair out forher.
