A Viking For The Viscountess Read Free

even that wasn’t enough to bring her back.
    Her head ached, swelling up from the wound. Terror wrapped around her heart, for the boat was taking her too far away from the shore. And then how could she return to Harry? Though she didn’t want to leave the safety of the boat, she saw no other choice but to swim back.
    Steeling herself, Juliana slid both legs over the side of the boat, pushing herself into the frigid water. She strained with her feet to touch the bottom, but her head went underwater. What had happened? Now it seemed that the shore was twice as far away.
    Impossible. She fought to swim back, though the weight of her clothes pulled her down. The waves sloshed against her face, and she began stripping away the layers, letting her cloak fall first. She tore off her bonnet and let it sink. The water was so cold, it froze her movements, making it harder to stay above the surface. As she struggled against the waves, the beach disappeared, leaving her alone on the sea.
    Her heart was pounding with fear while her mind tried to make sense out of the impossible. Perhaps this was a dream and she was unconscious from the head injury. Dreams never made sense, and undoubtedly that was what this was.
    The moon turned the color of blood, sliding back from behind a misty cloud. She tasted salt water, and her arms ached from swimming. But it did no good. The more she swam, the farther away land seemed.
    It’s not real, she told herself. It can’t be.
    The nightmare only worsened, and horror washed over her when she saw that the boat was now gone. If she didn’t get help soon, she was going to drown. She cried out, though it was hopeless to think that anyone would find her on a night like this.
    Her arms grew heavy as she swam, her hair drenched against her face.
    And when she saw the outline of another ship in the distance, she prayed to God that someone would save her.

    Arik swam against the current, a rope tied to his waist. When he reached the woman, her hair obscured her face. He didn’t know if the gods had brought Svala to him, in spite of his death. Had she somehow crossed over, losing her own life? Her body was so cold, he didn’t know if she was alive or dead.
    He pulled her into his arms, but she remained limp and motionless. He kicked hard to stay afloat as he swam back to his ship. It was a struggle to bring her on board, but he managed to get her to the deck. She coughed hard, her shoulders heaving. Tremors shook her body, and a strange gown clung to her. It was dull gray in color, but high-waisted, with a square neckline and a slender skirt.
    The moon slid behind a cloud, shadowing her face. He couldn’t tell if it was Svala or not, but they were the same height and form. Her long blond hair was unmistakable. If he was on his journey to the afterlife, surely this was his reward. Eyker’s brother had offended the gods by striking a blow at his back, and Arik felt certain that Svala had been given to him as compensation.
    She was cold, her body shivering violently from the icy water. He carried her to the back of the boat, away from the oars. Carefully, he stripped away her wet clothing, cutting the strange girdle that was tied tightly to her waist before removing his own garments. Body heat was the best way to warm both of them.
    He laid her down upon a rough fur and covered her with his own flesh, cocooning her with another fur on top of himself. With her head tucked beneath his chin, he held her close, stroking her smooth skin.
    Her hair smelled the same as he remembered, like crushed flowers and sweet herbs. He rested his face against her cheek, inhaling the sweetness of her. Desire roared through him, along with the pain of Svala’s betrayal. She’d given herself to Eyker, sharing his bed instead of Arik’s. She’d offered him words and promises, but never her body.
    The grim rage festered within his mind, making Arik want to punish them both. He wanted to touch her, to bring her such raw need,