Catch, Curse, Release (Immortal Warriors #1) ✅ Completed

Chapter Thirteen: Pride on the Line

Pride on the Line

Lori watched Eric and his elite guard march up the field. One of the last songs she’d heard on her iPod on the subway the day before seemed a fitting backdrop for the scene unfolding in front of her. In her head she could hear Fun’s, Some Nights playing as part of the soundtrack to her life. Shaking the intimidating effect watching Eric make his way towards her was having, she tried to keep her head in the game.

“You can so do this,” she whispered, trying to keep her wildly beating heart from flying out of her chest. She repeated the mantra to herself several times as the procession came up over the rise and she got a solid view of the lord of Wolfgard.

Lori felt her heart spasm as she saw him. Eric wore soft tan britches, dark leather boots and nothing else. Across his bare chest he carried his bow, while his powerful arms glistened in the midday sun, highlighting the black tattooed armbands he had on each bicep. Lori tried hard not to drool as her eyes moved over his body greedily and she realized she could probably bounce an entire roll of quarters off his abs.

That wasn’t even fair she thought miserably.  

Lori’s eyes cut over to Desmond who shrugged as if to say ‘huh…look at that.’ She didn’t buy it for a minute. “Did you have anything to do with that…that desperate ploy to distract me?”

Des just laughed and shook his head, “No, that was definitely all him.” Even he had to admit Eric was a pretty mean looking machine. It was no wonder half the female population practically fainted whenever he walked by.  

“Great,” Lori muttered as she watched many of these same women sigh happily at the sight of their half-naked ruler. Making a disgusted sound in her throat, she just stood up straighter and waited for the meat train to reach them.  

When Eric finally stood in front of her, he had the nerve to flash a brilliant smile as his gaze swept her from top to bottom, “Good mornin’, my lady. You look quite fetching in that dress.”

“Thank you, my lord. You’re looking rather…naked this morning,” she countered dryly. It took every muscle in her neck to keep her head on straight instead of ogling his biceps, or his chest, or any other exposed body part.

Eric laughed at that, “‘Tis a fine day for a competition and this is our standard tournament attire.” he said in his strange brogue.

“Oh, I wasn’t aware immortal warriors fought naked.” she said, raising her eyebrows questioningly. 

“Hardly, but mayhap we could accommodate such a request if you insist on seeing me naked,” he offered cheekily.

“No thank you,” she replied quickly. The man was worse than triple chocolate cheesecake or a half gallon of extra double fudge, chocolate chip ice-cream. He was temptation and sin all rolled into one yummy package.

Lori did her best not to squirm as his eyes passed over her body again. He raised one side of his mouth in mild amusement at her obvious discomfort, “I trust you rested well last night, my lady?”

Lori tossed her head and sniffed formally, “Yes, thank you for asking.”

"Aye, wonderful accommodations, my lord,” Des added obsequiously. Lori practically gagged on his butt-kissing, but he only ignored her and continued, “Perhaps we should go over the rules of the competition; for my sister’s sake, my lord. She is still unfamiliar with your ways.”