Master of Umbra (The Valhalla Series) Read Online Free PDF Page A

fuck fucking fuck!
    She looks like I brutalized her with my blood leaking from her mouth and spattered across pale cheekbones.
    Odin! What have I done?
    Adam lurches past me, shunting me aside, skidding to his knees in front of her, opening her mouth and scooping two fingers between her lips to dislodge her tongue.
    “ Water!” I snap at Alweada, kneading my forehead to alleviate the throbbing in the bridge of my nose. Blood spurts hotly from both nostrils, but I don't rightly care right now. I have never lost an eagle and I don't intend to start today.
    Pushing Adam out of my way, I stand over her, legs akimbo, shoving my hands under her armpits and hefting her to her feet. Rocking her up in energetic jolts to the right level in my arms while she spasms in aggressive jerks, I execute the Heimlich, wrinkling my nose as the obstruction blows out of her with force.
    Gently lowering her back to the ground, the stench of puke is gut churning but I do my best to ignore it, even though the wildcat has forced me to breathe through my mouth. Checking she isn't swallowing her tongue again, I stroke back fever saturated hair.
    I am so proud of you. If I ever needed proof you are an Eagle, you just delivered it to me. You fought even when on the verge of collapse, you battled to the bitter end.
    She's a warrior, our kind. Surrounded by three men twice her size she didn't flinch, or even censor her opinion. Straight up and cutting. Perfectly acceptable and absolute proof.
    Alweada arrives, offering me a bucket and a glass of water.
    “Put them both down,” I mutter, unwilling to take my eyes off the last lost member of my clan. We're all accounted for now and I don't need these jackasses ruining my happy moment.
    Employing the water in the bucket I wipe her face clean, tenderly, afraid I'll inadvertently hurt her.
    “Ewan I don't mean to intrude, but you're bleeding. We'll stay with her while you staunch the nosebleed.”
    Hating the annoying voice of reason I glance at Adam, giving the meagre nod of thanks he's due, then ruin his hopes with Deliah by demanding, “Go get the cleaning supplies. Grab someone to help you swab this mess up. I'll carry her to my chambers and clean her up there after I stop the stigmata she punctured into my face.”
    He looks ready to argue, glancing from me to Deliah.
    “ Now!” I bellow, irritated.
    I know what he's thinking and it's never going to happen. She's got two choices, and Adam isn't one of them.
    He gives me the resolute 'this isn't concluded' stare before exiting the ashroom. The way he scuffs his footsteps tells me he's plenty pissed with the current state of affairs.
    Lifting Deliah into my arms again, relieved she's breathing normally, I look at my right hand man, “Bring the cat.”
    Alweada goes striding to the table the cat's now hiding under, and I stalk off to my suite cradling Deliah.
    She smells like she's been rolling in rotting turnips, but beneath the immediate stench is the smell of hope.
    Mine.
    She's marked me as effectively as I marked her. We may as well chuck out the old sofa and get it replaced. Luckily the stone floor in there doesn't absorb fluids or we'd be scrubbing for days.
    My nose is dripping hot blood onto her right breast, the spilling of Læraðr juice having suctioned her flimsy frock to her body, and now it looks like a macabre corset covering her breast.
    What a right mess we are.
    I'm her chief, I'm the only one I trust to clean her up without accosting her in any way. My men are good guys, but they're still guys. And the damn women have all gone off to pay their respects to the firstborn child of one of the clan who chose to move away and reconnect with society.
    Perfect timing, as bloody usual.
    Stalking into my bedroom I head straight for the bathroom. Carefully laying her in the bath, I snap to the basin, running the frigid mountain water.
    It's cold enough to preserve my eyeballs but the flow across the bridge of my nose halts the damage. My