Tec

“Tell me about this one,” I murmured and ran my tongue over his chest. Over one of the tattoos.

“That’s Hati,” he breathed and looked down. I lifted up, watching him trace the tattoo with his fingers. I couldn’t determine if I was jealous of his chest, getting touched like that, or his fingers for touching him.

I lowered myself and kissed the wolf on the other side on his chest. “And this one?”

“Skøll.” His fingers traced the path from one wolf to the other and I didn’t know if he knew how infuriating it was.

“This one?” I murmured and kissed his stomach. I lingered and kept kissing it, and he quietly moaned.

“Armour. The runes are protective runes and the patterns...” He ran the palm of his hand over his ridiculously soft skin. “They’re the patterns of the armour my father wore.”

I moved to his hip and kissed the protruding bone. He gasped and gently ran his fingers through my hair.

“What’s that?”

“Hati’s tail,” he moaned. I was kissing his thigh now, not really paying attention to his tattoos anymore. I pulled up again and took his wrist in my hand, turning his arm. The circle symbol with eight arms.

“What does that mean?” I asked and nodded down at it.

“It’s vegvísir. It’ll show you the way home.” He smiled up at me so sweetly. So goddamn sweet. I swooped down and kissed him. He circled his arms around me and moaned softly into my mouth.

I couldn’t get enough of him. Most of the time just looking at him excited me. I wanted to be with him all the time.

I moved on to kiss the little rune on his cheek. “This one?”

“First rune of my name.”

Gods, I loved how breathy his voice was right now. How he pressed his body to mine. I wanted to drown in this man.

I moved down to his throat and bit down on his skin. Blood filled my mouth and I groaned. The taste… It was so sweet. As sweet as him and I could still taste the fire in him too. He whimpered and squirmed under me, clawing at me to take him. Who would I be to deny him?

***

“So, they’ll want to ask you a million questions and you honestly don’t have to answer them,” Ton explained to Frej. “Answer what you feel comfortable with.”

Frej nodded but kept his head down. He kept doing that around my siblings and I had no idea why. I hadn’t told him to act submissive.

“Lover,” I said softly. He looked up and met my gaze. “You’re family. No one is better than you. Bow to the people I bow to but not to anyone else. Understand?”

He nodded again. “I’m sorry… I don’t wanna seem… Weird.”

“You won’t. People will mimic you. They’ll look to you to see what to do.” Zitzi had the softest voice when she was speaking to Frej. And I loved her for being this gentle with him. He needed the gentle encouragement of my sister more than ever tonight.

We arrived at the estate where one of many winter solstice celebrations would take place. I helped my sister out of the cart and then Frej. Ton grinned at me and was about to take my arm, but I dropped it. He could get out on his own.

I offered Frej my arm, but he hesitated.

“Is it wise to flaunt it?” he asked and met my gaze.

“Is it wise for me to flaunt you?” I asked and offered him my arm again, a little more aggressively. “I want to rub it in everyone’s faces that I came with you.”

He took my arm very gently then. I grabbed his wrist and pulled him closer.

“Xipe,” he breathed.

“It’s okay, Fakkel. They can say what they want. I don’t care.” I kissed his cheek and it immediately reddened. He was biting down a smile, but he was unsuccessful much to my enjoyment.

We made our way up the stairs and servants opened the double doors for us. In the hall there were refreshments waiting but that wasn’t all. Neith almost dramatically whirled around, smiled very widely and met my sister under the massive metal chandelier. They embraced like sisters and then Neith turned to me. She immediately sobered and her smile slid off.

“Xipe Totec. Long time since you’ve graced us with your presence,” she said coolly.

She looked stunning. Two golden wings decorated her forehead and framed her angular face perfectly. She was one of the only women I knew, who kept their hair short. It was just above her shoulders and it made her look so much harder. I had learned a long time ago not to anger her.

I bowed at the waist, Frej immediately doing the same.

“Neith, you look lovely,” I tried and smiled a little at her. She didn’t look impressed. “This is Frej.”

She shifted her dark brown eyes to my lover and narrowed them a little. She took a step forward and slowly raised her hand, the tip of her finger grazing the blue rune on his cheekbone. Her eyes dropped to his hand and she lifted it up, taking a closer look at the tattoos.

“Savages,” she murmured and dropped his hand like she had been burned.

Frej’s breath caught in his throat and he averted his eyes to the floor. I took his hand in mine and gave it a squeeze.

Neith was done with us and waved us away. I tugged Frej with me into another room, hoping just getting him away from Neith could loosen him up a bit. Ton trailed behind us but then grabbed my shoulder.

“They’re here,” he murmured. “I’m gone. I’m not here.”

“Ton-” I started but he was gone before I could even say anything. It was understandable though. The closest thing we would ever get to parents were casually talking to a very tall woman with dreadlocks down to the floor.

“Coatlicue. Quetzalcoatl,” I hurried to say and tried to plaster on a smile.

Both turned and looked at me. Neither looked very impressed with me.

“Mamá,” I said softer. Coatlicue, my mamá, smiled at me. She very softly took my face in her jewelled hands, a golden ring on every finger, and kissed my forehead.

“Your travels have held you from us for too long this time, Tec,” she murmured softly.

“I know,” I said and took her wrists in my hands, placing a kiss on each of her palms. “Quetz.” I turned my eyes to the god of life and wisdom and he stoically returned my greeting with a nod.

“We have news for you, my child,” Mamá said. “But maybe we should wait. I see you have company.”

“Y-yes,” I stammered nervously, grabbing Frej’s hand and pulled him closer. “Frej has been chosen by Death. I… I made him rise.”

Both of my parents regarded Frej with a coolness that was unmistakeable. I had been hoping at least they would support me in this, but I seemed to be mistaken. And that hurt.

“You love him,” Quetz said with a low voice. Leave it to the god of wisdom to see that right away.

“Yes.”

“Tec,” Mamá said and stepped back, a horrified expression on her face. “We have a mate for you. You know this.”

So I kind of did know that but I also knew they had been looking, not that they had actually found someone. Not that it mattered now. Frej was the only one I wanted.

“I’m sorry to disappoint you.” I gave them both a nod and got ready to leave, when Quetz grabbed my arm.

“Tec,” he said very seriously. “Stay.”

I sighed deeply and turned to Frej. “Find Zitzi. I’ll be right with you.” I kissed his cheek and gently pushed him towards the entrance hall.

He looked at me over his shoulder and I sent him an encouraging smile. Time to turn back to my parents but I couldn’t tear my eyes off him.

“Tec.”

I reluctantly turned my attention back to my father. He shook his head at me.

“Why?”

“Why what?” I sighed.

“You know your fate. You’ve known since the day you… Since the day you could walk.” He sighed too and put both of his hands on my shoulders.

My father was taller than me. Larger. His features were my features. Dark eyes, a strong jaw and sharp cheekbones. I was created in his image after all.

“It’s not up for discussion,” I replied courtly.

“You’re right, child, it isn’t. He is not for you.” Mamá put her hand on my arm. “He is beneath you.”

“Don’t. You don’t know him.”

“It’s not about that,” my father chimed in. “You know this. Why are you subjecting yourself to this? You’ll be ostracised by our community.”

“I don’t care.” I steeled myself. I hadn’t cared about the community before and I would not start now.

“You have to care, Tec. You have a role to play in our society. You have a responsibility.” Quetz frowned at me.

“I never asked for that. I never agreed to it. I chose to do Death’s bidding. Not yours,” I growled back. “I’m sorry. It’s not going to happen. Whoever you’ve lined up for me has to find someone else. I don’t doubt she’ll be happier that way too.”

“It’s not about happiness, Tec, you know that,” Quetz said very coolly. He folded his arms over his chest and had never looked more disappointed. It stung. It truly did, but I’d never give up Frej. Not now. Not ever.