Kerr put his hand around mine and started to walk. He stopped and closed his eyes. He turned his head to the side and looked like he was in pain for a moment before letting out a gasp and grabbing me tight. "Come, we need to get you home."

"You mean we need to get us home, right?"

He didn't answer me. I pulled on him to stop moving. "Kerr, what did you see?"

He turned around quickly and kissed my lips. He put his hand on my stomach and pulled me close to him. "Promise me that no matter what happens, you'll go back to Valhalla. We'll have another chance at happiness, I'm sure of it. Do not mourn yer losses, for we will meet again."

"Kerr?"

He scared me. I went to reach up for him and heard a rustle in the bushes off to our right. Kerr grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the second ridge. Two men jumped out in front of us. In a matter of seconds, their faces were twisted and fangs were showing. They let out ear piercing screams and focused their eyes on Kerr. "You're the one we've been looking for."

Kerr tried to move me behind him, but I gave him a hard time about going. "It doesn't matter what you turn me into, I'll never fight on yer side, demon or not. I will walk in the light of day and perish before I aid you in hurtin' the innocent."

I turned and looked at him. That's what he'd seen! He knew what was going to happen-they were going to try to turn him! I had to stop it. I couldn't let them turn Kerr into a vampire. I called upon my power, the same power that set me apart from the other Valkyries and I concentrated it in their direction. I sent a force of wind so great at them that it sent their bodies hurtling backwards and into the trees. One stopped moving when a branch went straight through his heart-the other looked like he'd just had the wind knocked out of him.

"Kill her and turn him." I heard Corbin's cold voice say from behind me.

I spun around to find at least twenty other demon-guards waiting for us. Kerr turned to me. "Go, run, go home. We will meet again, Valkyrie, I promise."

"NO! I'm not leaving you here with them." I brought more power up and sent another blast of gale force wind towards the vampires. I managed to knock a few out of commission but the rest came swarming at us. Kerr sent one flying backwards with his bare hand. He caught another by the neck and twisted it quickly.

Three came at me. Two with their swords drawn and one with a pistol pointed at me. I tried to bring more power up, I'd never attempted to use so much in such a short period of time before and wasn't sure I could. The pistol went off and I tried to move out of the line of fire, but felt the bullet rip through my lower abdomen. Kerr screamed out for me, and I fell forward clutching the dying dreams of having a family with him.

I looked up at Kerr and saw his blue eyes fill with water, then turn to rage. He twisted around and sent another vampire flying away from him. I pushed to my feet to help him. I struck out and managed to hit one in the neck. I felt my fingers crush its windpipe and was disappointed that I didn't take its head off. I pulled upon what power I had left and waited for the next one to come at me. As soon as it did, I cried out "core," and felt my hand pa.s.s right through its chest. I seized hold of its heart and brought my foot up to push it backwards. I kept hold of its beating heart and then tossed it aside. I turned to try and repeat my performance on another one and heard the sound of another pistol going off. A hot searing pain ripped through my upper back. I screamed out and found it cut short by the quick coughing up of blood.

I fell forward and felt someone grab a hold of my hair. My head was pulled back and I found myself looking into the very p.i.s.sed off face of Corbin. I smiled and spit blood at him. His tongue flickered out and he retrieved all of it. I felt the vomit rising up in me and had to fight to keep it down. He pushed me to the ground and kicked me hard in the gut. His boot came at me again and again. I screamed out and tried to grab his foot. I wanted to rip his leg and beat him with it-did that make me a monster too?

Corbin's body was ripped away from mine, and tossed aside. Kerr dropped down in front of me. "Oh G.o.d, Valkyrie, yer bleedin' all over."

A cramp in my stomach made me cry out again and I reached for Kerr's hand. "The baby.... "I gagged on my own blood. It would take the care of other Valkyries to piece me together again, but I knew that the baby was lost.

Kerr leaned down to pick me up. "No worries about that now, la.s.s, we need to get you home."

"But, the.... "I tried to talk again.

"I love you no matter what, Valkyrie," he said before his body was suddenly pulled away from mine. I looked up to see Kerr being dragged backwards by four vampires and Corbin standing over him-looking ominous, like a cloud before the storm.

"Hold his head still, I have never seen a human with this much strength, imagine how powerful he will be soon when our blood runs through his veins."

The vampires bared Kerr's neck to Corbin and I fought to stand up. Kerr never made a sound as Corbin sunk his fangs deep into him. I staggered and fell backwards, and felt the air around me change. The portal opened. I must have fallen into its path. I tried to walk forward to go to Kerr, but strong arms grabbed me from behind."Linnea, oh my G.o.d, what happened...?" I heard Beau's voice stop dead when he saw the swarm of vampires on Kerr.

"Help him.... "I coughed and went limp.

Beau picked me up and looked towards Kerr-Kerr's eyes locked on mine and I saw them start to swirl to black. He was dying and the change was taking place. I reached out for him.

"Take her and GO!" Kerr cried out through gritted teeth.

Beau backed up into the portal and tried to calm me down as I cried out for Kerr.

Chapter 9.

"Won't you at least see him for just a few minutes?" My mother asked.

I folded my arms in the chair and turned my face away from her. She tossed her hands in the air. "Beau doesn't deserve this treatment. The man went against the elders for you. He found his way to you through a portal and brought you back to us safe.

Freezing him out for a year isn't right, you should be thanking him. They're talking about allowing him a say on the board now, you know."

That made me turn my head and look at her. Getting a say on the board was a huge deal and it wasn't given to just anyone, especially not a man. My mother looked out towards the field. No men were training there today, no, today they were out learning the art of firearms and that was much too noisy to have near the homes. "Linnea, you've been working yourself too hard. You should take a break. Bringing in six new recruits a week is insane. You can't keep going like this, it will...."

I stood up. "It'll what, Mother, kill me?" I pulled my shirt up, revealing my unmarred torso to her. "Many have tried to kill me and look," I ran my hand over my smooth, tight, skin, "not a scratch."

She looked past me and spoke softly. "I know that you fell in love with him."

"Beau?" I asked, shocked that my mother would think that I loved Beau.

"No, the potential that you went to the Highlands for, the Scot, Bhreac, and I know that he was lost to the other side. Your heart will never truly heal the loss of him, but someone else will come along and fill that gaping hole that you feel now, trust me."

"Don't be silly, Mother. I only knew Kerr a couple of weeks. I was foolish to marry him." Even I knew this was a lie. I loved Kerr from the moment I saw him and would until I took my final breath.

My mother laughed and then smiled. "Linnea, it only takes a moment to fall in love, and even the shortest of love affairs can stay in your heart for a lifetime."

"You sound like you speak from experience, Mother."

"I do, now go and finish up this run, then when you return home, take some time, and mend fences with your friend Beau. He meant well, and now that he is in the favor of the elders they may be willing to make an exception to their rules for the two of you."

I turned and headed out of the room. I wasn't going to discuss the idea of marrying Beau, it was preposterous. My mother was right on one thing. I was overdue for some rest time. I'd been burying myself in work since I'd lost Kerr, and she was right about Beau, not in the sense of marriage, but that I did need to work things out with him. As much as I hated to admit it, he'd done what needed to be done. Kerr was lost to me, and to our cause, forever. Knowing this made it hurt more. It wasn't supposed to hurt still, it had been a year-it should have felt better, right?

I walked into my room and headed for my wardrobe. I stood in front of it and put my palm on it. "Rome, 351 AD," I said softly. I opened the door and found it full of the clothing I'd need to blend in. After my experience in the Highlands, I'd returned home and bewitched my wardrobe to produce costumes suitable to each time frame I traveled to.

I reached in and pulled out the white knee-length tunica. It seemed shorter when I put it on, but it'd have to do. I didn't want to be mistaken for a wh.o.r.e again. I grabbed hold of the white stola and draped it over myself. It went to the floor and was slit up the side. I had a hard time getting the shoulder clasps done, but managed. I glanced in the mirror and shook my head at the high waisted dress ... it wasn't very flattering. I pulled out the golden cords and wrapped them around my body. They served two purposes-they slimmed out the unflattering garment and gave me places to tuck my weapons. I put the palla back in the wardrobe, a shawl would normally do, but I needed the red cloak, it would better hide the sword that I took along. I slipped into my sandals and stood back to admire my handiwork.

I frowned when I saw my waist-length black hair flowing freely. From what I knew of Rome, which wasn't much since it was to be my first trip there, the women wore their hair up. I wasn't very good at doing anything with hair above and beyond brushing it. I said a quick chant and hoped for the best. I opened my eyes to find my hair piled high on my head. It was curly now, and long ringlets fell loose down my shoulders and back. I didn't have much faith that this hairstyle would hold up through the portal, but I went ahead with my mission anyway.

I glanced down at the parchment in my hand. I looked for a Roman soldier named Gregorios. He was twenty-three and had been rumored to have supernatural gifts. My jaw tightened when I read this again. I had refused to go on any more hunts for gifted recruits after Kerr. Gregorios was to be my first in a year. According to my paperwork, I'd find Gregorios in the battle of Mursa.

He was more than qualified in the bravery department and the speculation that he possessed special gifts only added to his appeal.

I'd become very focused on the mission. I wanted to prevent the Apocalypse from coming and I wanted to defeat evil, but most of all, I wanted to take out my frustrations on any demon I could, and I knew that they'd be crawling all over this recruit-revenge would serve just fine cold.

Chapter 10.

I cursed myself again as I walked past the slave trader for the fourth time. He still tried to get me to purchase one of his slave girls.

As much as I wanted to buy them all, I couldn't. I had nowhere to go with them all. They were too young to come to Valhalla yet, and I couldn't take that many through the portal anyways. At most I'd be able to get four through it, including myself.

The man reached out and touched my arm. I looked down at him and raised an eyebrow. "Why are you touching me?"

"I'm sorry, my lady, I have such a good deal going today on these girls and a lady such as yourself requires lots of care."

I grabbed his wrist and twisted his hand off me. I was sure that I'd used a little too much pressure, but I didn't care. The filthy swine was in the business of trading little girls. He let out a small cry and the girl behind him gasped. He turned around and struck her across the face. His hand came back and he went to hit her again. I reached out and grabbed his wrist. I squeezed it hard and felt his bones crushing. He turned and his beady little eyes locked on me.

"If you ever raise your hand to one of them again, I will kill you, do you understand?" He nodded frantically. I let go of him and smiled. "Good, now answer some questions for me."

After brow beating-okay, actually beating-the slave owner for a few minutes, I figured out why I wasn't able to find the battle of Mursa. I was a year too early. I should have guessed after I went over the waterfall's edge, I had thought of Kerr again and lost my concentration. There was no way that I could wait around here for a year to take Gregorios, and according to all the literature I had, he would not be ready to come with me until then.

I kicked out at a tiny pebble by my foot and turned to head back into the marketplace. I hit something hard and looked up to find that it wasn't a something, it was a someone, and he was beautiful. I got lost in his forest green eyes for a moment. I shook my head and smiled up at him. I'd never seen hair so silky and blonde before. It hung loose to his shoulders, and seemed to radiate light out at me. His head blocked the sun, but I could still make out how innocent and soft his features were. They were a sharp contrast to ... I turned my head and stopped myself from thinking any further of Kerr."I'm sorry," I said and went to back away.

The man walking with the Golden-Adonis grabbed his arm and pulled him in the other direction. "Stop staring at her, Gregorios.

She's out of your cla.s.s."

I stood still and watched as the man tugged Gregorios down the alleyway. Gregorios turned around two more times before he disappeared. I looked around at the Romans and laughed out loud. Somehow, the G.o.ds knew what they were doing, and they'd sent me here for a reason. Perhaps Odin himself had written this meeting in the stars-I laughed at the thought and set out to follow him.

I walked down the crowded alley in search of Gregorios. The alley was littered with people and it was almost impossible to move, let alone find anyone. The further I walked, the narrower the alley seemed to be. Finally the crowd tapered off and I found myself standing outside of a brown door. A large man, no doubt a soldier by the looks of his toga, pushed past me and entered. He gave me a sideways glance before pa.s.sing. The sound of voices surrounded me and I went ahead and followed him in.

I looked around the large room and knew that I stood in a bar, a pub, a tavern-whatever the h.e.l.l they called it. From the looks of the women sitting on the men's laps, it was one that offered more than just drinks, perhaps it was a brothel. I was shocked to see a man fondling a woman's breast in plain view of the public. She didn't seem to care. She was too busy kissing a second man to pay notice.

"Hurry up, Gregorios. I don't want to be found in a place like this. If my mother caught word of this she'd have my hide."

"Maxus, old friend, don't worry. I do not think that your mother would talk with anyone who frequents this establishment," I heard a male voice say.

"As much as I would like to believe you, Gregorios, I do not need to anger the woman any further. You are lucky that yours is...."

"Dead," Gregorios said flatly. "And, I do not consider myself lucky at all. I have no one now."

"You have your friends."

"Go get some wine, Maxus, and I will be back out in just a minute."

"Gregorios, tell me that you can go longer than a minute."

I heard a loud thump and then saw the man who'd been tugging on Gregorios come walking out of the back hallway rubbing his chin. He made his way past me and to the bar. I took this opportunity to get to know my recruit a little bit better. I was disappointed that he sought the comfort of a wh.o.r.e, but he was a man and a soldier, and he needed a release.

I followed the sound of his voice and pressed my ear to the door. I was shocked to hear more than one female voice in there with him. "Oh, Gregorios, we weren't sure you'd come."

"I made you a promise years ago, and I've honored that, haven't I?"

There was a collective "yes" from the group. "Now, lie down and I will begin. I see a few of you are new." He let out a sigh.

"Oh, don't worry bout them none, they're trustworthy. They'll not tell a soul."

"Very well, let's do this then."

I leaned up against the door to hear better.

"Will it hurt?" A young voice asked.

"Just for a moment, then you'll be good as new." I covered my mouth. I couldn't believe that he was going to have s.e.x with all those girls at one time. I pressed my ear to the door and felt the temperature of the air around me change. A sensation that I was familiar with hit me next, it felt like someone ran the tips of their fingernails all over my skin-it was magic, someone was using magic! I leaned against the door more and felt it give. I fell forward and closed my eyes tight. I really didn't want to have the image of the handsome recruit s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g several females in my mind forever. I would have to look at him on a daily basis and I was sure that I'd have a hard time if that was etched in my brain.

"What the...?" I heard Gregorios say.

"Sorry, I've got her," Maxus said from behind me. He grabbed hold of my shoulders and hoisted me up. I managed to keep my eyes closed until I was safely out of the room. "Miss, I don't know what you're doing down around these parts, but it'd be wise for you to go home now. This is no place for a lady."

I smoothed my cloak out and smiled up at Maxus. "Thank you."

Chapter 11.

I stood at the edge of the waterfall and concentrated on September 8, 351 AD, the battle of Mursa. I wouldn't make the same mistake twice. I'd just returned from having spent two days chasing Gregorios around Rome while he visited almost every wh.o.r.ehouse they had. I wasn't sure if I was more upset with the fact that he'd done that, or that I was attracted to him even though he was a swine.

I closed my eyes and thought of the date I needed to go to. A year would have pa.s.sed for him now, and he would be in the middle of the bloodiest battle that century would see. I jumped forward and felt the wind ripping at my sides. I put my arms out and welcomed the pressure, it felt so safe.

The portal dumped me off in the middle of an open field and that was unusual. I looked up to see Gregorios on his knees, with his head bent down. I looked around him and saw charred bodies. The scent of magic filled the air, and the realization of what he'd done hit me. He'd burned these men alive. I took a step towards him and felt the portal tugging at my back. It did not want to close yet, and that meant that danger came. I pushed out of it and watched as Gregorios looked up at me.

"You've been sent here to punish me haven't you?"

I smiled at him and shook my head. "No, you are one of the bravest warriors I've ever seen, and from the looks of it, one of the most powerful."

It took him a minute to understand that I wasn't here to kill him. He looked up at me and focused on my face. "Your eyes."

"Yeah, they're turquoise and are considered plain where I come from."

"I don't understand how anyone in their right mind would think you plain."

I walked towards him and bent down to help him to his feet. He didn't fight me. He let me guide him up. "I'm a Valkyrie, a Falkyr and I've been sent to collect only the bravest of souls, and yours is one of them."

"Your name is Valerie?" he asked. As soon as the word fell from his lips, I thought of Kerr and the way he p.r.o.nounced Valkyrie, and I started to cry. Gregorios touched my cheek and came away with one of my tears.

"I did not mean to make you weep, Valerie."

I didn't correct him about my name. It felt good to hear him call me that. "Valerie?" he said softly. I laughed. I hadn't laughed like that in over a year, and it felt wonderful. I pulled back from him slowly.