Under A Winter Sun by Johan Dahlgren (ink ebook reader txt) 📕

She's got a point.

I sigh. “Alright. So, what now?”

“We set the civilians down on Nifelheim, then burn hard for Muspelheim. Also, there are recent developments you need to know about.”

“What?”

Hildr's eyes grow wide. “You can't do that. You saw what they did to Ragnwald's men.”

She thrusts a finger at the screens displaying Nifelheim revolving beneath us.

“There must be people you can contact, Hildr. Relatives perhaps. We can't take you. This is a military operation.”

“But they will kill me.”

“Not if you're careful. You are not my responsibility.”

Jagr has a point. We can't afford to babysit the queen of Nifelheim and a priest. Not that Hildr requires a babysitter, but still.

Hildr looks to me for support. “Perez?”

“Sorry, Hildr. No can do. You heard the lady.”

I turn my back on her and pull myself towards the loading bay to stock up on ammunition. I can't bear to look her in the eye.

“Of fuck. I'm dead.”

The loading bay door slides shut behind me and I busy myself loading my magazines. I'm halfway done when the door hisses open again behind me. It's Hildr.

“Hey, what's up, Hil?”

“Don't call me that.”

“Sorry. What do you need?”

“Company. May I join you?”

“Sure.”

It's almost time for Braden to fire the thrusters to push us down from orbit to drop off our passengers.

“So, what can I do for you?” I push shell after shell into the magazine, refusing to meet her gaze.

“Oh, you know what I want,” she purrs and something in her voice makes me turn around.

She has pulled open her soft leather tunic and the white shirt underneath, and her breasts float free.

“Nice. What's the occasion?”

She pushes the button next to the door, and it slides shut behind her with a hiss. “I thought we'd say goodbye.” She pulls Skallagrim's sword from her belt and lets it float away across the bay.

“Saying goodbye is important.” I push off against the crate and float to meet her. She takes me in her powerful arms, and we go into a slow roll. Then she kisses me. Hard. She tastes of strawberries, and for a second I'm confused. The red hair and the strawberries make me think of Suki and what we never had.

Hildr wraps her powerful legs around me and her fur-trimmed leather skirt rides up high on her smooth thighs. She unzips the front of my jumpsuit and I grab her firm ass. She's not wearing any underwear.

What would it have been like if I had been here with Suki instead? Something stings my eye, and a drop of saltwater detaches itself from my eyelash and floats in the air. It splashes Hildr's cheek.

“Hey, what's this?”

She wipes the moisture away and licks it from her rough hand.

“Are you crying, little man?”

“Nah, I got your hair in my eye.”

She leans back and her eyes narrow.

“You're not as tough as you think you are, Perez.”

She gently shakes her head, making the beads in her hair clink.

“Deep down, you are a decent person. A good man.”

She smiles, but there's something about that smile that unsettles me. Like she's trying to sweet-talk me into something.

I shake my head, sending more drops of water across the room like tiny crystal projectiles.

“No, I'm not, Hildr.”

I wriggle out of my black T-shirt and throw it at the surveillance camera where it lodges over the lens.

“You have no idea how bad I can be.”

“Then show me,” she purrs and pushes my face down between her smooth thighs.

She is a natural redhead.

* * *

Braden's voice crackles from the speakers. “Starting landing burn in two minutes. Strap down, puppies.”

I study Hildr as we float together, still entwined. Our clothes and weapons bounce lazily off the walls and crates around us. “Are we done here?”

“You look like you're done, Perez.”

She smiles as we untangle. “I could go all night.”

“Hold that thought.”

“Better get me a ride out of here if you want more.”

“I'll see what I can do.”

I retrieve my jumpsuit and boots where they drift close by and pull them on. Hildr pulls her skirt down and laces the front of her top back up. I grab my T-shirt from the camera and pull it on.

“Ready?” I pick my weapons out of the air.

She smiles and her green eyes twinkle. “If you don't want to go again.”

“It would be a wonderful way to go, but I want to survive this burn. Come on.”

Hildr sighs but follows me out of the cargo bay and up the short airlock passageway.

As we float into the troop bay, Hildr ties the cord of her leather skirt and I realise my clothes are in shambles. I casually push the T-shirt down into my jumpsuit and zip up the front.

I'm not casual enough.

Jagr notices and her face congeals into a hard-to-read grimace.

What? She said herself that what we had was a one-time thing.

Women. Can't live with them. Can't space them.

“Jagr, I've been thinking,” I say as I pull myself into my crash seat. “We could use an extra pair of hands, and Hildr is good with guns.”

“I'm guessing that's not all she's good with,” Jagr says with a glance at Hildr who straps down opposite me.

“Can you afford to lose a shooter?”

Jagr looks sceptic. But at least she's not refusing outright.

Hildr lowers the safety bar on her seat. “I want to avenge Ragnwald, Jagr. Grant me this chance.”

Jagr thinks it over. Then she nods. “Fine. But they are your responsibility, Perez. She and the priest.” She points them out like I forgot who they are.

“Got it.”

“Braden,” Jagr calls. “We're not going down. Take us to Muspelheim.”

“Sure thing, boss. Plotting alternative course. Give me two minutes.”

“You said there had been developments, Jagr?”

She swallows her anger and is back in control of the situation. “Yeah. There's been a change of plan. Command has brought in Tyrus. We're playing second fiddle on this one.”

“What's Tyrus?”

“Terran black ops. You crossed paths on Utopia a couple of days ago.”

I give her a stiff smile. “Didn't work out so well for them, did it?”

“No. Not quite.”

I nod. “So, it was they who