Page 18 of Vicar
“Shift as requested, remain by my side, and you will be my equal until you’ve proven yourself as more.”He flicked his tail from his followers circling overhead to those glaring at her from the castle walls and turrets.“Shift, and none will touch you despite what you just pulled.”
“You’re equal?”Trinity mocked, pushing her limits, not threatened by the numerous dragons waiting to pounce on her.“You really think that highly of yourself, don’t you?”
“Ja,”he replied without hesitation, gesturing at his followers again.“As do all of them.”
“It’s a good offer,”Destiny said, making it clear Vicar held some sway. Enough sway that Trinity would find herself in more trouble than Destiny and Leviathan could protect her from if she didn’t comply. She eyed the Múspellsheimr dragons circling overhead warily.“An offer I'd take sooner rather than later if I were you.”
What Trinity didn’t realize, and none were about to tell her, was that his offer was a Múspellsheimr pact and would literally lock her by Vicar’s side until she really did prove herself. She would have accepted his challenge, which meant she was vying for his position. And that made her a threat to other Múspellsheimr dragons hoping to achieve the same. A threat they wouldn’t hesitate to extinguish the moment they got her alone.
“You underestimate me.”Clearly catching his thoughts more readily by the moment, Trinity’s steady gaze turned his way.“I’m not so easily extinguishable.”She tilted her head and considered him.“I am, however, an opportunist.”Her every word dripped with confidence.“I accept your offer, Vicar Sigdir.”She shifted back to her human form, stood tall, and spoke loud enough for all to hear.“I will be your equal until I’ve proven myself as more.”
He had never dealt with such insolence, let alone from a female, but found himself more intrigued than angry now. Not just that, but confident she wouldn’t succeed but eager to watch her try. He shifted back as well and nodded in acquiesce. Oh yes, it would be very entertaining watching her, mainly because he intended to test her relentlessly. Test her until she was on her knees, begging him to let up or doing far more favorable things.
Once Destiny and Leviathan shifted as well, and Destiny urged Trinity to join her, Leviathan fell in beside him.
“This is not what I expected.” His mentor frowned at Vicar’s following, who continued watching Trinity with a mix of uncertainty, cunning, jealousy, and a smattering of respect. “We don’t need the turmoil this is likely to bring.Hasto bring now that you’ve made this pact with her.” He glanced at Vicar. “A move I could never have imagined you making.”
“Nor I,” he conceded, narrowing his eyes at the scant few Múspellsheimr dragons foolish enough to eye Trinity with appreciation. They would be dealt with later. “But it’s for the best, is it not? Until she’s back to herself?”
Leviathan and Destiny had already been caught up on everything telepathically, from Trinity’s arrival in the Alfheim cave to her obvious personality shifts.
“I see no alternative to the pact you made with her,” Leviathan granted, “but fear it might not be the best situation for either of you.”
“Ah, because I can be just as unstable,ja?” He didn’t mince words. “Just as unpredictable?”
“Yes,” Leviathan replied bluntly. “But also because of the impression your connection with Trinity gave her sisters before her arrival. The volatile nature of it.”
“A nature we’ve no choice but to explore,” he reminded. “Now that we know I met her when we were young. That we formed some sort of connection that brought her back to me.”
It had too. Straight back to him and no one else. He was certain of it.
“I know,” Leviathan murmured, noting, like most here, the confident, almost confrontational way Trinity sauntered into the courtyard. As if she were a queen returned to her lair and everyone best fall in line. “I’ll admit, I was hoping she would be the version of Trinity who helped you. The only version her sisters have ever known.”
While he understood it and knew his Sigdir side would feel the same, he much preferred Trinity like this. A challenge he intended to conquer. It made his blood rush and, considering the voluptuous figure she had, in fact, been hiding, made his cock swell. Trinity was lithe and curvy all at once with her long, fit legs, rounded ass, tight waist, and sizeable breasts. She had much for a man to hold onto when thrusting, and he fully intended to sample every part at his disposal. Because every last bit was his until she either proved herself or didn’t. Then, and only then, would he cast her aside for others to enjoy.
“You think thoughts at odds with what you must accomplish, protégé.” Leviathan shook his head and frowned at Vicar. “As you just said yourself, you met as children, so setting aside Trinity is not possible.”
He knew Leviathan called him protégé more than the others to remind him he wasn’t in charge here. Yes, the Keep was his to rule in his mentor’s absence, but that was it despite how many were loyal to Vicar.
“I will see through what I must,” Vicar said vaguely. He would, too. In his own way. Which, to his mind, meant working around the Forge. Mate with Trinity? Sure. Then they would invite many to their bed. Become fated mates with her? Nothing seemed more absurd. The best way to go about things was to bring her to heel, utilize her strengths, rally his followers, and fight without the Forge. Fight as dragons were meant to.
Without depending on gods to lead the way.
“I’m glad you’re thinking clearly once more, friend,”Torc said telepathically before he flew over, scoping out the situation.“Now, it’s only a matter of time before you retrieve the blade and we take action.”
Naturally, they kept the conversation private and with good reason. Leviathan would not like what he and Torc had been planning any more than his unknowing Sigdir side would. They wouldn't appreciate Vicar, Torc, and their following seeking out the battling gods without the power of the Forge. But they were tired of waiting for Loki and Thor to lead them into the godly war. Tired of standing by and looking weak.
So they would initiate their own uprising.
First, though, he needed Loki’s Dagger in hand.
While Torc insisted they had no use for the godly blade, Vicar sensed they did. That, Forge or no, it was a weapon they should have when they made their way into one of the godly storms, then hopefully, into the full war.
“I have Trinity in a good position,”he assured Torc.“Now that I’m myself again, it won’t be long before she returns the blade willingly.”Convinced she would be simpering at his feet soon, most likely by this eve, he grinned inwardly. “In little time, she’ll be begging me to take it, if only to feel more of what I have to offer.”
“Good.”There was no missing the approval nor the smugness in Torc’s voice.“Then it’s fortunate I never saw to her chamber here. That there are but chains and pleasure awaiting her in yours.”
“Brother,” Leviathan said in greeting when Torc swung back, shifted, and fell in beside them. He narrowed his eyes at his brethren. “I thought when Liv shunned you that you’d returned to your people.”
“She’s only shunned me temporarily,” Torc promised. “Otherwise, she would not be back here so soon either.” He shot Leviathan a knowing look. “Because Livisback here,ja? Despite knowing Vicar had gone to the future, which meant he was likely meant for the next Forge.” He clasped Vicar’s shoulder. “Which also meant I would return to help my brother-in-arms any way I could.”
Though Leviathan’s eyes were no longer narrowed, Vicar felt his distrust. It was to be expected, though. Vicar and Torc were notorious for making trouble together.
“Trouble, eh?”Trinity murmured into his mind, her voice so crystal clear and confrontational now, his dragon started to rev up again.“I like the sound of that.”
She swung back and headed their way, proving quickly enough how good at making trouble she actually was.
Moreover, that she had a plan to counteract his.
