Shielded: A Valkyrie Saga Book 1

Formal Introductions - Chapter 3

She was absolutely beautiful. Thick hair of a dozen different shades of brown framed a narrow face with high cheekbones and full lips. A glint of silver decorated the right side of her nose and I saw that she also had several piercings lining her ears. A scar ran the left side of her forehead from her hairline to the edge of her dramatic eyebrow, and instinctively I wanted to hurt the person who dared mark her. Her long neck was displayed as she rested her head back on the tree trunk and her collar bones were clearly visible. This girl didn't eat enough. However, the curves of her body told a different story and I felt a flash of heat travel through my body as I admired how perfect she looked sleeping under my favorite tree. This rugged angel was not what I was expecting when the boys told me they had found a female Val. She didn't resemble any of the Queens that I knew of, so maybe she was from somewhere abroad. Letting this girl go was going to rip me and the boys to shreds.

--Elijah

I sensed someone coming closer and snapped to attention. I awoke like I always did, in a defensive crouch with knives in my hands. I didn't know the man that was standing about six feet away from me, but he was looking at me like I held all the answers to the universe. I took stock of my surroundings and noticed that I wasn't cloaked. Shit, I must have fallen asleep. Unless I was sealed off in the void, I was unable to maintain my cloak when I slept. I scanned the area but it seemed that the man was alone. I could retreat to the void or I could stay and get some answers. Jack's words rang in my head and I decided it was time to take some risks.

"Judging by your lack of surprise that I was able to call blades from thin air, I am guessing you are also a Valkyrie," I said in a dry tone. The man had raised his open palms in the universal sign of I am unarmed and mean you no harm, but I wasn't fooled. I knew that he could call any number of weapons in a blink of an eye.

"Yes, my name is Elijah and I am the head of the Oakland clan. Are you here for assistance?" Well that threw me for a loop. This guy was offering to help me? I just spent the better part of the day planning my escape because I figured that the Valkyrie wanted to capture me.

"No," I hedged. "I was told that I had to check in with you because this is your territory." Elijah looked at me in clear disbelief and I once again had the distinct feeling that I was missing an important piece of information.

"You are here to register?" he asked, sounding unsure. Well that sounded ominous. The Jews had to register before they were hauled off to the concentration camps. My instincts were telling me to run, but this might be the only opportunity I have to get some information. I could always retreat to the void if things went sideways.

"Can you please explain what that means," I responded while straightening from my defensive crouch. I didn't release my blades though. That was more trust than I was capable of right now.

Elijah cocked his head at me like I was a puzzle that he was trying to figure out before replying, "the Valkyrie act as a sort of supernatural police, ensuring that things remain relatively peaceful and our secrets are not exposed to the humans. Each clan monitors a certain territory and they require any supernaturals within their territory to register their identity, place of resistance, affiliations, and intentions with said clan. If you stay in Oakland then I will need to get some information from you." When I remained silent he continued.

"We can also offer assistance if you are in need of it." I used my truth seeking ability and knew that he was telling the truth. If I wanted to stay here and finish out the school year I was going to need to play ball with this man. But I was still going to need more information before I gave anything up.

"How large is your territory?" I asked and I thought about the possibility of fucking things up with my foster mom so that CPS would move me to another town. Or I could flat out run away. I only had four months left until I aged out of the system anyway and I doubted anyone would look too hard to find one missing seventeen year old foster kid.