“I have no idea who you’re talking about,” I stammered. “I’m just here because she,” I gestured to Caroline, “wanted to see Yellowstone.”

“Really?” said Loki. The air in front of him shimmered and rippled. His face shifted, flickering like a flame.

And then I was staring at Vali. Handsome, impossible Vali, with his long, dark hair and high cheekbones. His golden eyes. He was sitting just across the table, painfully close to me. I almost reached for him, almost sank my fingers into his hair and pulled those soft lips to mine—

“You’ve never seen me?” Loki’s voice came through Vali’s lips.

Adrenaline spiked, and my heart leapt, clattering against my ribcage. My muscles tensed as my whole body cried out to run.

“Who the hell are you?” I hissed, gripping the edge of the table as if I could somehow force reality to go back to normal by squeezing something really fucking hard.

“I am Loki, father of Vali. And I’m trying to free him.” He paused. “It’s time for him to come home.”

“No.” I forced myself to my feet. “I won’t help you find him. If he’s running from you, there’s a reason.”

Diana gave a smug smile. “Thank you, Karen. Lie-smith, you are most unwelcome here. I suggest you depart. Immediately.”

Loki turned to me. For a heartbeat his face flickered; something deep and angry flashed in his eyes. “Please,” he said, the word falling like a stone from his lips.

I shuddered. I’d run away from him too.

“No,” I said.

Loki’s expression did not change, but he seemed smaller somehow. Caroline took his hand. She was still staring at the painting, although it looked like she was about to cry.

“Karen, you may stay with me tonight,” Diana said. “The road to Bozeman will be impassable.”

“Thanks,” I muttered. “But, Caroline - your flight leaves tomorrow morning, right?”

Caroline glanced around the empty restaurant before speaking. “I don’t actually have a flight,” she said. “I don’t really travel that way anymore. And don’t worry, we’ll pay for your dinner.” She turned to Loki.

And they fucking disappeared.

One minute, Caroline was sitting in front of me, saying something crazy about not having a flight home. The next, I was alone with Diana in the empty dining room of Jake’s Bar N’ Grill, staring at the glassy eyes of stuffed deer heads on the wall.

“Whoa,” I said, sinking back into my seat. “This is quickly turning into the craziest night of my life.”

Diana stood. “I’ll see you shortly.”

I watched as she disappeared through the front door. Snow swirled into the dining room behind her. The low growl of Diana’s motorcycle thundered through the dining room and faded, leaving me listening to the clatter and hiss of the kitchen. Somewhere, someone was singing about whiskey for their men and beer for their horses.

“Hey, you want a to-go box or somethin’?” the waitress called.

I turned to see her standing by the kitchen doors with a tray, holding four untouched dinners and a pitcher of piss-pale beer.

I forced a big, happy smile. “Sure. Boxes would be great.”

****

I REALLY DIDN’T WANT to drive back to Diana’s house.

For a second, as I pulled my Subaru away from Jake’s Grill, I thought there was a chance I could make it back to Bozeman if I just drove really slowly and carefully. But after skidding out at the one and only stop sign in Cooke City, I had to admit Diana was right. The road were impassable, and snow was still coming down. The Park Service had probably lowered the gates over Route 212, meaning I really did have nowhere else to go. I sighed and turned onto the road to Diana’s house. The single tire track of her motorcycle was already filled with a thin layer of fresh snow.

Diana’s door swung open when I pulled into her driveway, and a fresh round of barking and howling greeted me as Diana stepped into the driveway. She still looked angry, with her arms crossed over her formidable chest, but at least she wasn’t wearing her gun this time. I glanced at the four take-out boxes on the passenger seat, had a brief vision of myself getting knocked into the snow by Diana’s pack of enormous dogs, and decided to leave them in the car overnight. They’d probably freeze solid.

“Come in,” Diana said, making it sound less like an invitation and more like a command.

I followed Diana through her front door, pushing the dogs aside. As I walked into her living room, it occurred to me she’d probably killed all the taxidermied animals in her house, from the black bear by the fireplace to the cougar over the mantle.

“There’s pajamas on the couch,” Diana said. “And you’re welcome to use the shower.”

“Thanks,” I stammered.

“Tea?”

“Yeah, please.”

She left the room without another word. I picked up the blue moon and stars pajamas from the couch and wandered down the hall. Once I found the bathroom, I took a very hot shower and tried to forget everything that had just happened in Jake’s Bar N’ Grill. Once I’d washed my hair and pulled on pajamas, I felt slightly more normal.

Diana was in the living room, sitting with her legs crossed in an enormous recliner. Two of her hunting dogs curled at her feet. She looked cold and regal in the silver moonlight pouring through the windows.

“Your tea,” she said, gesturing to the coffee table.

“Thanks.” I sat down and wrapped my fingers around the steaming mug.

We sat in silence for a few minutes. An Northern saw-whet owl called outside the window, sounding small and lonely in the darkness. Diana scratched one of her dogs behind the ear.

“I’m sorry you had to be involved with this,” she finally said.

I wasn’t sure how to respond, so I turned to my tea. It smelled good, like honey and mint. I took a few sips, and exhaustion settled over my arms and legs. The owl called again. I let myself sink into Diana’s enormous couch. It felt very welcoming.

“Time for bed,” Diana said. “He’ll be waiting.”

“Who?” I asked, blinking slowly. My eyelids felt very heavy. “Who’s waiting?”

Diana smiled at me. It was disconcertingly similar to the smile she’d given the dog when she scratched its ear. “Sleep well.”

With that, she left the room, her dogs trotting after her. I lay down and pulled a blanket over the couch, trying to relax. Diana’s living room was not exactly calming. The pale moonlight cast strange shadows over her taxidermied animals, making it look like the black bear’s head tilted at a slightly different angle every time my eyes wandered. And I could have sworn the mountain lion blinked at me. I shivered, telling myself sleep may just be impossible tonight.

And then I fell asleep.

****

SUNLIGHT DANCED ACROSS the nodding heads of grass and the delicate green aspen leaves, filling me with a wave of relief so strong it was almost ecstatic.

“Dreaming,” I whispered. “I’m here. Dreaming.”

I stepped forward and the aspen trees parted around me. A few more steps and I could see Vali, standing in our meadow.

I paused, frowning. Vali wore clothes, something dark and tight across his back and rear. Heat surged through my core as I stared at his backside, realizing exactly how tight those black pants were. Damn, he looked good dressed. I took another step, leaving the protection of the trees.

My heart plunged.

Someone else was in our meadow. With Vali. Someone tall and proud and beautiful, wearing a delicate blue dress.

“Diana?” I said.

Vali turned, a smile rippling across his face. “Karen!” he called.

I stumbled backward, into the shade of the aspen grove, my eyes stinging. He’s wasn’t alone. The realization burned. My vision blurred with tears as Vali’s warm hands wrapped around my shoulders, his smell enveloping me.

“Are you well?” he asked. “I’m sorry, the last time I saw you, I was—”

“Don’t!” I pulled out of his arms and pressed my hands to my eyes, trying to hide the tears. “Don’t start. I just came here to warn you. Your...Loki is here. He’s looking for you.”

“Karen, I know. Diana told me.”

I took a deep breath, but I couldn’t quite force myself to open my eyes. Diana. Diana and Vali. Of course she’s protecting him. They’re lovers.

I’ve been such an idiot.

“Then I guess Diana’s got everything you need,” I snapped through gritted teeth.

His hand brushed my arm again, and I backed away. “I’m done!” I yelled. “I’m done here. I’m ready to wake the fuck up!”

“Karen, wait—”

But the aspen grove was already vanishing before me.

I gasped and sat up on the couch, facing the black bear in Diana’s living room. His wide mouth was fixed open in a permanent grin; it looked like the old stuffed bastard was laughing at me. I wiped away my tears, furious with myself.

“He even told me,” I hissed to the bear. “Vali said I wasn’t the first to find him in dreams.”

The bear grinned at my stupidity, and my heart ached. Of course Vali had other lovers. His father was a god, for fuck’s sake. No wonder Vali had the body of a god. My stomach clenched violently and I pressed my hands to my eyes, trying to stop the new tears. Thinking about Vali’s body was not a good idea right now.

The hallway flooded with yellow light.

“Karen?” Diana called.

I took a deep breath and briefly considered ignoring her. Then I considered punching her as hard as I could in her beautiful face.

“I’m here.” My voice trembled far more than I’d have liked.

Diana stepped into the living room, followed by an undulating cloud of wagging tails and long, pink tongues. She looked strange in the low, blue light. In fact, she looked exactly the same as she’d looked in the dream. She was even wearing the same bizarre, shimmery dress.

“You really don’t know much about mythology, do you?” she said, offering me a steaming mug.

“Excuse me?”

This was so far from what I expected her to say that I froze, forgetting to take the mug from her hands. After a moment she set it down on the coffee table and sank into the chair opposite me, crossing her legs in front of her like a closed gate.

“I have no lovers,” she said. “Well, no male lovers, at least. And I kill those who try. So, even if Vali were so inclined, I dare say he’d know better.”

I stared at her in the thin blue light, unsure how to respond. She gazed absently out the window to the dark, snow-covered forest. One of the dogs let out a long sigh, and she reached down to pat its head.

“Anyway,” she said, “Vali, son of Loki, is yours alone.”

“Really?” I squeaked.

“Really. And I have to say, you are rather appealing. If you ever change your mind about Vali...” Her voice trailed off and she gave me a slow smile.

I blinked. Did a Greek goddess just hit on me?

“Damn!” Diana yelled, slamming her mug down on the table. She exploded to her feet, the dogs howling around her. “Oh, that lying sack of shit!”

“What?” I asked. “What happened?”

“That bastard!” she hissed. “I know how to cover my tracks. But you—” Diana stared at me as if she’d never seen me before. “Of course! You and your little emotional outburst in Morpheus’s realm. And Vali’s reaction. By all the gods of fucking Olympus, we might as well have lit a signal fire for him.”

“For who?” Fear coalesced in my stomach like a cold, hard stone.

“Loki’s found him,” Diana said. “Loki’s got Vali.”

My heartbeat surged. “What? How?”

“Through you, damn it. Loki must have tracked you through your dreams and used Vali’s little emotional outburst to find his physical location. And now Loki’s got him. Loki’s finally trapped him.”

My stunned brain snagged on something she said. “Vali had an emotional outburst?”

Diana ignored me. “Get your boots. I may be able to use you.”

I jammed my feet into my duck boots and stood up, not bothering to lace them. “What can we do?”

Diana barely looked at me when she grabbed my arm. The room spun—