Viking For Hire (Vikings Saga Volume 1) by Jo Grafford Read Free Book Online

exactly?”
    “Just north of Wales, on the outskirts of Machynlleth. We’ve men scouting and taking turns pulling guard. We are safe here.” Sven offered a steaming mug. Eirik intercepted it and lifted it to her lips. ’Twas a vegetable broth, a bit on the salty side with tiny shreds of meat floating at the top. Rabbit, perhaps? Or squirrel? “As always, your soup is delicious, Sven.” She placed her hands over Eirik’s to guide the broth back to her mouth.
    He bent his head to gaze intently into her eyes as she drank. She shivered at the mix of emotions she saw there. Wild concern and sheer possessiveness.
    He bent closer and her breath caught at the brush of his lips against her hairline. The burst of pleasure was there, but her normal frenzied response was strangely absent. Branwyn lips curved up in a mystified smile. Her mind raced to explain the phenomenon. Perhaps the excessive amounts magic flowing through her during the past few hours had eliminated the effects of the curse on her. Regardless of the reason, she was very much back in control of her actions where Eirik was concerned.
    To test her theory, she pressed a hand to his chest. Though Eirik’s eyes flared with heat at the gesture, the unnatural effects of the curse were clearly gone. Branwyn possessed a great deal of knowledge about magic and sorcery, so her knees grew weak as she was forced to acknowledge that the wild attraction she still felt for Eirik was very real. Very real indeed. Her heartbeat raced. Should she disclose to him the change in her?
    While Branwyn debated this new dilemma, she caught Sven’s eye. Initially, he had grinned his appreciation at her compliment about the soup, but the grin was fast fading as his gaze darted between her and Eirik. She wondered what was amiss.
    “Tell me what I can do to repay you for such a well-timed display of magic,” Eirik demanded, tipping her chin in his direction. “I never imagined one person could be capable of wielding such power. Name your price, lass. Anything I own, all of my wealth is at your command, for I owe the lives of my men to you this day.”
    Branwyn fluttered her eyelashes in consternation. She already possessed more than enough of his wealth in the form of jewels and other trinkets. What she wanted was...him. “What I want,” she said truthfully, “is to remain with you and your men.”
    Exultation leaped across his features at her words. He raised her hand to his lips in the English manner. “Nothing in the world would make me happier, lass. You may stay with us so long as you wish.”
    “I do not ever wish to leave,” she said with a sad smile. “I have no home to return to, no family besides my brother who wishes me dead, no place else to go. ‘Twould be my honor to serve as your healer — here and now and when we reach New Dorset.”
    “Whatever did we do to earn such favor from the gods?” Eirik shook his head ruefully. When he kissed her hand again, his lips lingered on her fingers, his head bowed in a worshipful manner. With great reluctance, he released her hand at last. “Pray pardon the mauling. Sometimes when I am with you, I forget the curse altogether.” In his voice was a world of self-recrimination. “No doubt ’tis discomfiting to sit so near to me when ye’ve barely the strength to sip at your soup.”
    Branwyn wanted to trail her fingers down his cheek and reassure him that his presence was far from a burden to her, that she was fairly certain she would never stop craving his touch till the end of her days. However, he had not once declared his feelings for her — not even when she’d blurted out her love for him back on the ship. On the contrary, he had denied the possibility she could entertain such emotions and assured her none of it was real. Best not to create an awkward situation for either of them by her continued fawning over him.
    Instead she asked, “Speaking of the curse, have you located any mistletoe yet?” She was immediately