Chapter 4
Damn, she tasted good. Nik kicked the door shut behind him, ignoring the sound as it slammed. He was too busy savoring his first real taste of the woman he’d decided would be his. He licked at her lips, silently demanding she open for him, almost surprised when she did so with no protest.
She tasted like warmth and mocha Frappuccino and, underneath all of that, the unique taste of female. His female. He could stand there and kiss her until the sky fell and the moon burned and he’d never even notice. For the first time in his long existence, he couldn’t see anything besides the way her dark lashes fluttered over her gorgeous brown eyes. He couldn’t hear anything but the soft, almost silent sigh she emitted as she tilted her head ever so slightly to the left. He couldn’t feel anything but the way her hands gripped his biceps, her fingers digging in until he feared his skin would bruise.
Like he needed any reminder of how strong this woman was, both in mind and body. She’d proven that time and again. She had nothing more to prove, not to him or anyone else.
He tangled his fingers in her dark hair, tugging slightly to get her exactly where he wanted her. She grunted when he pushed her up against the door.
Maybe he could have been gentler, but she’d scared the shit out of him. Nik could no more stop himself than destroy Yggdrasil. It just wasn’t in him. He needed to reassure himself that she was there, in his arms, safe from Adam and Grimm.
Pulling away from her mouth was the second hardest thing he’d ever done, the first being giving his allegiance to Grimm the day he’d overrun the Vanir for the last time. He could barely catch his breath, but he needed to speak, to receive her voice in return. “You scared the fuck out of me.”
Her lashes lifted, revealing her eyes. Eyes that bored into him, filled with passion and frustration in equal measures. “I can take care of myself.”
That had to be one of the most frustrating things about Toni. That stubborn strength both drew him and annoyed him. “Do you always go in without backup?”
She glared at him, quite the feat considering the tip of his nose was brushing up against hers. “I asked for backup, but he refused.”
Fuck. “I told you why.”
“Screw it. I don’t care.” She pushed against him, startling him when he actually moved. For a split second he’d forgotten he was dealing with a Valkyrie. “Syd’s gone MIA. If Frederica doesn’t have her, who does?” She began to pace in front of the door as if they hadn’t just shared the most earth-shattering kiss in the history of forever. “And why did Grimm try to pretend to be my chief?”
“You were outside the protections and we’d do anything to get you back.” Or at least Nik would. He was fairly certain Sylvia would, too, which meant Slade and Magnus would be involved. Once those two decided to assist, it was only a matter of time before the rest jumped in. There was no way Morgan would miss a fight his twin was involved in, which meant Mjolnir coming out to play and random chaos ensuing.
She blinked at him, her cheeks flushing bright pink. “Seriously?”
He nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. He took another step back when she strode past him and into his living room. “Then why won’t… No. You said you won’t tell me, and I’m tired of asking.”
She hadn’t asked that much, but he understood. He wasn’t going to tell her anything simply because he couldn’t. Nik was a man of his word, no matter how much he might wish otherwise. “Things will happen as they were truly meant to despite Grimm’s meddling. You have to believe that.”
She put her hands on her hips, her head down. She was standing in front of a bank of windows, the setting sun bringing out the reds and golds of her dark hair. “I’ve seen a lot of shit in my time as a cop, Nik. It doesn’t always go down the way you want it to.”
“I’m the same.” He walked toward her as he would a spooked animal. He didn’t want her to start pacing again, angry at him and the world, but he couldn’t stand the defeated posture she’d taken. He’d rather have his warrior princess than a beaten-down cop who’d viewed far too much of the evil of mankind. He’d take her either way, but his princess could kick ass with the best of them. He’d make sure to be the rock the war-weary cop needed whenever she wished. “I won’t say I wish you hadn’t, because you’d gut me for it.”
She snorted out a laugh. “Damn straight.” She straightened her shoulders and turned toward him. “Syd has something they want, something they’re willing to kidnap her for. That’s the key.”
“We think she might be able to use a specialized computer to tap into Yggdrasil the way she would a network. If Sydney can do that, she can change things in the real world.” Syd might not have announced it, but she was essentially the Norse goddess of computers. The focus she’d had when she’d carefully held that cup over Loki, keeping the poison of the serpent from reaching his skin, her dedication to a man who was basically loathed by every other god out there, meant she’d had ample time to be alone. While working on the computer, that drive intensified, the loneliness alleviated, if only briefly, by the World Wide Web. Code was her bitch, the keyboard her plaything, and she controlled it all with glee.
Too bad others planned on using that for their own ambitions.
“If that’s true, I’ll be forced to stop her.” He closed his eyes. “I don’t want to hurt someone who has the potential to be a friend—”
“She is a friend.” Toni’s eyes narrowed. “Unless, of course, she’s not.”
He blinked. Guess I’m in trouble. “There are things about me I can’t tell you, Toni. Things I’m forced to protect. And as much as I don’t want to, I’d be forced to fight to protect them even against someone I care for.”
Now she looked more confused than anything. “Because you’re the Guardian of the Bifrost Bridge?”
“Something like that.” He couldn’t tell her the truth, not yet, not until he’d talked to what was left of the Nine. Jarnsaxa was difficult to get ahold of since she’d died. Helheim didn’t have the best cell reception. Last time he’d visited he’d been lucky to get three bars, and that was in Hel’s palace.
He wasn’t called the Guardian just because of the bridge. He was the Guardian, the one who kept Yggdrasil safe. Guarding the bridge was just part of it.
He was something else as well, something he’d hidden a long time ago. Something Tyr should have remembered, but apparently hadn’t. He’d have to tell Toni eventually, but until the Nine gave him permission, he couldn’t. He was bound by oaths as strong as the roots of the World Tree, and only the Nine could allow him to break them.
“You’re as transparent as a teaspoon.” Toni rolled her eyes and once again walked past him.
Her fragrance filled his nostrils, a warm amber scent that had him following before he’d even consciously made the decision to do so. “I’m sorry. I’m going to find out if I can tell you my secrets, but until I get permission I need you to trust me.” That was as far as he could go now. His oath tingled along the base of his spine, threatening to yank him back to the home of the Nine at the base of the tree. Luckily, they lived on the opposite side of the tree from the Norns of Fate, so neither Urdr nor Verdandi could tune in to them. Even better, the Nine had threaded his life on their own looms, so neither Urdr nor Verdandi could ferret out what was to happen to him or even what his origins were. Skuld had, but she wouldn’t tell. The reborn Skuld seemed to be of the same mold as the old one, from what he’d gathered.
“Permission?”
Her question yanked him back from his thoughts. “Yes.”
She sat on the sofa and studied him thoughtfully. Then she pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and began speaking in a distracted tone. “I’m not stupid. I’ve been reading the Eddas.”
Uh-oh.
“And I have them on my phone.”
Damn.
She started to read, her gaze never leaving the small, glowing screen.
“Once there was born in the bygone days,
Of the race of the gods, and great was his might;
Nine giant women, at the world's edge,
Once bore the man so might in arms.
Gjolp there bore him, Greip there bore him,
Eistla bore him, and Eyrgjafa,
Ulfrun bore him, and Angeyja,
Imth and Atla, and Jarnsaxa.
Strong was he made with the strength of the earth,
With the ice-cold sea, and the blood of swine.”
Toni stopped reading and looked up at him, her brows raised.
Nik shrugged his shoulders. What could he say? “My childhood was filled with battles over who stole whose shoes and who’d gotten to peek at Tyr naked.”
Toni chuckled. “Must have been hard.” She blinked. “Wait. Tyr is Travis. You saw Travis naked?”
“No.” Never ever ever. He’d stick to that to his dying day. “I’ve never seen any of the guys naked.”
She laughed, the sound low and filthy and going directly to his dick. “That’s your story, huh?” She shook her head. “Must have been fun, living with nine women.”
He shuddered. “Let’s just say I know more than I want about that time of the month.” He pointed to the kitchen. “In there I have a stockpile of wine, mead, and chocolate.” He pointed toward his powder room. “In there are three different kinds of sanitary napkins and four different kinds of tampons.” He pointed to the kitchen once more. “Don’t even ask me about the ice cream.” He rolled his eyes. “I have more ice cream in my freezer than Coldstone Creamery.” Then he pointed toward the coffee table, a large chest that reminded him somewhat of a pirate’s chest. “And in there are lots, and I mean lots, of Kleenex. Worst of all, though? They come wherever I’m living and rifle through my Netflix. I’ve watched Brokeback Mountain seventeen…no, eighteen and a half times.”
“Half?” She was biting her lip, her entire face lit with suppressed laughter.
“Imth and Eistla had a fight about a borrowed necklace. Not even a naked Heath Ledger could distract them.”
Her eyes went wide before she really started laughing. “Man, and I thought my mom could be intrusive.”
He bit back his smile. He couldn’t wait for them to meet Toni. They’d either love her or kill her.
Or both. He never gambled where they were concerned. He lost every time.
***
Frederica tied the robe around her waist and scowled. “You’re certain?”
Nadine nodded. “She was definitely here. I could sense her presence just before she left. She was looking for Sydney.”
Frederica began to pace. How dare that little human come onto her property? At least she hadn’t found Sydney. They’d moved her long before that blasted half-Valkyrie had shown up.
“Then our preparations weren’t for nothing.” She stopped and stared out the window. She’d left Luther and Henry upstairs waiting and was eager to return. “Set the trap and make sure you catch that annoying fly.”
Nadine bowed. “I’ll do my best.” She strode off, her cell phone to her ear, no doubt calling in the Jotun Frederica had hired to guard not only the estate but all her little plots as well.
They were some of the best bodyguards in the business, and unless Antonia Mancini had gotten much better than Frederica expected, they’d have no trouble taking down one tiny half-Valkyrie.
She couldn’t afford to have anything disrupt her plans. Sydney would find where that blasted serpent was or feel Nadine’s whip. Once Jörmungandr was under Frederica’s control she’d be able to demand anything she wished of Loki. She’d force him to leave Baldur’s side once and for all or risk losing his son forever. She’d also demand that he remain silent about their deal. Jörmungandr health would depend on it, as would Loki’s. If he told Baldur about their little agreement, Jörmungandr’s life would be forfeit.
As for the bastard monster that her granddaughter carried, she’d see about that once the brat was born. Baldur’s child she’d accept, but Loki’s?
Never. It, like his other children, would suffer for the sins of the father.
Frederica returned upstairs to the nice, warm bed she’d left not ten minutes before. She slipped the robe off her shoulders, loving the appreciative gazes of her men.
“So, gentlemen,” she purred, “where were we?”