"Supreme," Baen knocked on the door as I worked on the seating arrangement for Christmas.
"What is it?" Arthur snapped as he had received word from his advisors that his uncle had gone silent.
I took silent to mean missing but the feeling I got from Arthur was betrayal.
"Be nice," I hissed looking up from my board.
"Jarek wishes to speak with you," Baen said his eyes guarded.
Arthur's eyes grew wider. "Why are they in our realm?"
The air was sucked out of the library as Emory and Tak swapped glances.
"Why do you smell like a litter box?" Tak asked casually to Baen.
"Cats," Arthur hissed. "Tell the lions they are not welcome here. We pushed them to the outer realm for a reason."
"He says he has information," Baen continued.
"Lions?" I looked at Arthur. "There are lions?"
"They will not harm you, lass," Arthur swore. "They were banished."
"To where?" I enquired trying to wrap my brain around the concept of lions.
"Every minuscule island and wasteland we could find," Arthur growled. "Send Jarek in but only Jarek. I can smell his crew."
"I believe they call it a pride," I helped.
Arthur growled. "There is nothing proud about them."
Baen left the office and before I heard his feet go down the hall, loud boots were walking with a purpose towards the office.
A Viking sized man walked into the study wearing a very tight short sleeve that had seen better days and tight dark washed jeans that clearly were worn and torn by activity and not for fashion.
His arms were like tree trunks and the veins popped out as they trailed down his forearms to his massive hands that were scarred.
As I looked up his barrel like chest to his face I recognized a gleam in his eyes.
My stomach did a flip flop and made me catch my breath. All of this was not overlooked by both Jarek and Arthur.
"Speak," Arthur growled, taking his attention from my reaction to the gorgeous rough man that had demanded an audience with us.
"You have vampires on your outer fringe," Jarek did not introduce himself but went straight to the point. His accent was Nordic of some kind.
"The vampire families were all dissolved," I pointed out.
"Lilly," Arthur chided.
"No, let the Thunder Heart speak," Jarek's blue eyes went to me. "Our warriors wished to stand in your presence but due to the laws put in place I will have to tell them of your beauty."
"You've heard of me?"
"Who does not know of Artemis' chosen shield maiden?" He asked sincerely.
"What of the vampires?" Arthur got us back on task.
"They have been raiding our territories since your coronation. They have even been so bold as to try and make peace with us, as allies against you."
"How can I trust you haven't made a deal with the blood suckers?"
"Your arrogance never stops does it?" Jarek looked at Arthur. Both were easily as tall, 6'6, but Arthur was more toned and not so bulky. "Something is here. You feel it. I know you do. Something grows stronger daily and is starting to frighten the natural world."
"What would you have me do?" Arthur asked looking to the floor.
"Our kind needs to make peace," Jarek said resolvedly. "Any slights you may have were of our father's making not ours."
"And what could we possibly do to combat this evil?" I asked sincerely.
"We shall call to the gods for help on that one," said Jarek.
"Oden or Apollo?" I smirked.
"The Thunder Heart is an unbeliever?"
"I believe in myself, Jarek."
"As I believe in you," he raised a blonde eyebrow. "My men would sacrifice their lives for the Thunder Heart." He turned to Arthur. "If you do not unite us, they will swear felty to her," he swore. "They will swear on their rings to stand behind her. As would I."
"Down kitty," Emory smirked.
"But let's be honest, there is no man in this world who would not give their left testical just to see her smile. Both testicals to be the one making her smile," Tak chuffed.
Arthur growled. "She's mine so you may keep your balls."
"She is the Thunder Heart," Jarek stopped me from speaking up. "She belongs to no one."
"Least of all you, Lionheart," Emory looked over at the man.
"Lionheart?" I looked around the room at the men.
"I was handpicked by Skaði," he said confidently.
"Ummm…" I looked for more information from the faces of the men.
"Their version of Artemis," Tak explained. "That's the reason, in my own personal opinion, why they were sent to the never nevers."
I stood from my seat and tried to wrap my brain around it all.
"There is a male version of me?!" I roared at the men.
Arthur buried his face into his hands. "You weren't supposed to meet." He growled and looked over at Jarek.
"How many more chosen ones are there?" I asked Arthur.
"Just the two of you," he said honestly. "One for the lions who roam the day and those for the wolves who protect at night."
I looked at the hulking man who leaned casually against the wall.
"You are my counter part," I realized. He was the opposite of me in every way.
"As the sun to the…. Måne?" He looked for clarification.
"Moon?" I helped.
"Moon."
"I will take him with me to the isle," I announced. "Arthur may stay here and handle things with council."
"Why are you going to visit Elli?" Jarek asked.
"To find my sister," I explained.
"She is in the Fae world?"
I nodded. "She is an omega."
His slanted eyes like a cats went narrow. "Omega?"
"The most human of us," Tak explained.
"How odd," Jarek whispered. "Would it not benefit your weakest to be with your strongest?"
"None of us know how to help an omega," I shrugged. "Her wolf was trying to leave her."
"Hmmm…" he murmured.
"What is it?" Arthur growled.
"When our kind are weak, we leave them to the elements," he said casually. "There is no room for weakness in a lion pride."
"How awful," Tak commented.
"Barbaric," I corrected him. "Not awful. Barbaric."
"Leave," Arthur demanded. "I will make a decision and let you know shortly. Christmas is coming and I wish to be with my mate for that time."
"You are invited of course," I said to Jarek.
He looked sad. "I've never experienced a Christmastide."
"Well, you'll have front row to the shit show this year," Tak smirked. "I hope that London won't burn in the process."
Emory looked out the window solemnly. I knew he was thinking about Tally again. Worried about her baby and what was to come. But I pushed that sensitivity back. There was no place to pity him.
"Out," Arthur ruffed. Quickly the room cleared but I remained. I could feel the fury on him.
"You will not be alone with him," Arthur chided.
"Excuse me?" I smirked and approached.
"I smelt your arousal as soon as he walked in," Arthur's eyes glowed and seemed on the brink of changing.
I took his hand and put it on my belly. "I'm pretty sure you're the man who filled my belly. The only man to ever touched me. He may be my counterpart but I am your mate."
His anger subsided. "I cannot lose you."
"But you must let me fight. I've had my share of vampires. I promise, no harm will come to me," I smiled sadly.
"Will you ever tell me what happened that day?" He asked lowly.
I pulled back and put my walls up. "It's ancient history."
"So is Artemis," Arthur pointed out. "But still here we are."