Shielded: A Valkyrie Saga Book 1

The Shooting - Chapter 9

Fuck me. I thought they had all been exaggerating about her. I figured I would find a stuck up female Valkyrie who was so used to the world bending to her every fancy that she was playing with my brothers for the fun of it. I hadn't expected to find a woman that the world had clearly mistreated but who was brave enough to face each day with fire and grace. I mean shit. I had come in here trying to piss her off so that she would show her true motives or at least try to target me over Connor. He was still sensitive and had a well hidden hope that the world was a better place than it really was, while I knew the score. But instead of throwing a fit or demanding that our entire Clan be punished for such an insult, she had actually overcame her palpable anger and fucking agreed with me. 

And Jesus was she attractive when she was pissed off. The allure and power that radiated off that girl was off the charts and she obviously didn't know it. I watched as she moved from table to table, completely oblivious to the many stares that drank in her every move. She was a mythical creature that I couldn't tear my eyes away from and it kinda pissed me off. I wasn't going to start following her around like the rest of my brothers. But God I wished she would look over here with her passion filled eyes once more.

All thoughts of Ray's looks went straight out the window at the sound of gunshots. I grabbed my sidearm, took cover, and scanned the room only to see Ray fall violently to the ground as another shot rang out. 

Oh my God, It couldn't end like this. Not on my watch.

--Derik

I was just heading over to a new table to get their drink order when the crack of a gunshot ripped through the air and I spun around to see a Hispanic woman pointing a gun at a middle aged white man sitting out on the patio not ten feet away from me. As I looked on, she fired another two shots into the man and all hell broke loose around me. People started screaming and running in all directions. The bus boy dropped a tray filled with empty dishes near me and my attention was drawn to my left where there was now a pile of glass and ceramic. Next to the wreckage stood a little girl with curly brown hair staring up at the woman with the gun. To my horror, the woman turned and aimed her gun right at the little girl.

I moved on pure instinct and adrenaline as I jumped between the shooter and the little girl. I wrapped my shield around both of us and pulled her into my chest as I felt the force of a bullet push us forward. I didn't have a good stance and I was knocked forward. I reached out to break our fall. I felt a sharp pain in the palm of my hand, but I didn't have time to worry about it. I couldn't be deflecting bullets in broad daylight. I rolled us under the closest booth and pulled the little girl against the wall and covered her small body with my own.

The sound of two more shots filled the air and I felt the little girl jerk in my arms. "Shhh, it's okay. You are safe. We are just going to stay under here for a while but I promise you that I will keep you safe," I murmured to the little girl while trying to hear what was happening behind me. My words seemed to be working because the little girl turned in my grasp and wrapped her arms around my neck and buried her face into my neck. My protective instincts surged and my shield flashed with power. I had just marked this little girl as one of my protected without conscious thought.

"Clear" I heard a voice yell out as sirens wailed in the distance. I turned my head to see Derik kicking the woman's gun off to the side before he rushed to the side of the table and dropped to all fours so that he could see us. 

"Are you okay?" He yelled in my face and I was too surprised to do anything other than stare at him like some mentally retarded person.

Derik reached out to me but yanked his hand back when he came in contact with my shield. I felt the zing of power and started chastising him in my head. Didn't he know how to touch another Valkyrie when their shield was up? And there was no way I was giving my new charge over to that asshole. The little girl started to whimper so I turned so that I could pull her more fully into my lap and Derik let out a gasp. I looked over at him to see that he was staring at my side with shock and worry. I glanced down to see my entire side was drenched in blood. Oh my God, what if I had been too late and my little charge had been hit.