“You will have to help me.”
Jeff’s eyebrows rose and a spark of mischief lit his face. “Will I get to punch you again?”
Fen rubbed his jaw, nearly howling from joy. His mate had forgiven him.
“I’m not sure. You hit quite hard, my mate.”
Jeff laughed. “Then I’ll save it for when you’re really being a jerk.” He stood and took hold of Fen’s hand. “Let’s get you dressed and go visit your father.”
Fen nodded and allowed his mate to lead him wherever he wished.
The Old Man looked down at the trap he’d set. Gleipnir was coiled around his belt, ready to be used once more to bind the wolf. He wiped the blood off of his chin and called to his lover. “Rina?”
“Yes, my love?” The cool blonde stepped out of the office, her hands covered in blood.
There was blood spray across her nose, attesting to the fact that Rina liked to do her work face to face.
“What do you think?” He wanted his lover’s point of view before putting the final touch to the portrait he’d created.
Rina walked around the tableau and studied it from all angles. “I think it will work.”
“When Tyr arrives he’ll be in for a shock.”
Rina smiled. “An entire family obliterated right under the God of Justice’s nose.”
“The children were a nice touch, don’t you think?”
Rina nodded. “A bit over the top, perhaps, but you are an artist, my love.”
The Old Man grinned. “Wonder what the humans will make of it?”
“Who cares?” Rina waved her hand, and both of them were clean. An illusion, but a powerful one. “Are you done, or do you need a bit more time?”
“Just a few minutes more. I want to add one final touch before we go.”
Rina nodded and sauntered out of the room. “I’ll have the car running.”
“You do that.” The Old Man stared down and added the final touch to his grisly tableau. A scattering of wolf fur lay over the bodies, clutched in their fists as if they’d torn it out trying to save themselves. The Old Man smiled in grim satisfaction. “There. If Tyr doesn’t pitch a fit over this I don’t know what I’m doing. He’ll turn on Fenris faster than I can say gotcha.”
The Old Man walked out of a place that had once been a loving home, leaving behind a slaughtered family and shattered dreams…
Skye woke up from the dream screaming in horror. What would be done to that family was beyond vile, all in the name of a vengeance she couldn’t begin to understand.
Somehow, she already knew it had started, that by the time she got to them it would be too late. There was nothing she could do to save them.
Nothing. If she got there as fast as she could she wouldn’t even die for them, the deed done and the perpetrators gone.
But she could save the people the atrocious act was aimed at. Skye got dressed as quickly as she could and sprinted for the elevator, certain that there was only one place to go. She had to get to Fenris Saeter and warn him before it was too late.
“He bit you.” Logan couldn’t look more pleased. “I knew you were his mate.”
Jeff bopped Logan on the back of his head. “Shaddup. He didn’t even ask first. Just bared fang and bit. Asshole.”
Logan handed him a glass full of orange juice and gestured toward the huge dining room table that had appeared overnight. “Have a seat. The others will be here shortly.”
“Even Morgan and Magnus?” Jeff couldn’t wait to fill his big brothers in on what had happened while they’d been gone.
“Nope. Last I heard they were on their way to Yggdrasil to speak to the Norns.” Logan held up his cell phone and shook it. “They don’t exactly have signal there.”
Jeff rolled his eyes and took a sip of his OJ. He coughed at the strong taste of alcohol. “Wow. Dude. You got vodka in my orange juice.”
Kir strolled by and stole his glass, taking a sip as he flopped into the seat next to Jeff. “Nah. You got orange juice in my vodka.” His voice was mellow, deep and vaguely slurred. Jeff had to wonder how many screwdrivers he’d already had.
“So explain to me why we’re getting drunk at ten o’clock in the morning.”
Jeff settled back and crossed his arms over his chest. This ought to be good.
“I’ve been getting phone calls from your father. It seems your mother is kicking him out of the house.”
Ouch. “Let me guess, he blames you.”
Kir shook his head and took another sip of vodka. He leaned back and closed storm-filled eyes. “Nope. He wants to know if he can come live with us.”
Everyone at the table froze. “Oh fuck no, Blondie. No fucking way.” Logan was practically vibrating, a myriad of emotions flashing across his face before it settled into determination.
Kir opened one eye and stared at Logan. The other remained firmly shut.
“Do you think I’d say yes? Seriously? The man might be my brother but he’s an asshole.”
Logan grumbled under his breath but settled. He began shuttling huge plates of food to the table, waving away anyone who offered to help. “What the hell is he thinking?”
Jeff blinked and tried desperately not to laugh. Oh hell. He’d completely forgotten about that little fact, hadn’t he? He should have had fun with this before. He plastered his most innocent expression on his face and turned to Kir.
“I think you should tell him to fuck off, Uncle Kir.”
Jordan sputtered, spitting tea onto the tablecloth. Logan dropped a plate of sausages where Travis’s nonexistent right hand would have been. Jamie, who’d been leaning back in her chair, hit the floor before Travis, distracted by sausages, could catch her. Uncle Val, who’d just come into the dining room, stared down at her with a bemused expression. “Did I miss something again?”
“Oh no! Don’t you dare call him Uncle Kir!” Jordan had recovered her voice nicely, only choking a little on the word uncle.
He knew his grin was evil and really didn’t give a shit. This was fun. “Why not, Aunt Jordan?”
Kir gulped down the vodka-laced orange juice as if it were water.
“Oh. That.” Val took a seat and snagged a sausage. “Be grateful we aren’t the Greeks. Talk about inbreeding. At least our dad didn’t marry his own sister.” He shuddered and wrapped the sausage in a biscuit before taking a huge bite.
Everyone stared at him as he chewed. “What?”
Fen picked Jamie up, chair and all, and set her straight. “No, he just shared Frigg with his brothers, Vili and Ve.”
“Who?” Jamie looked absolutely horrified. “You mean she had sex with Uncle Luther and Uncle Henry?”
“Every chance she got,” Logan muttered, placing a huge platter of pancakes and a bowl of pineapple chunks between himself and Kir. He finally took a seat and placed his arm around Jordan’s chair. “Dig in, everyone.”
“Oh God. No. Do not tell me Grammy was in a ménage a quattro.” Jordan shuddered and held her stomach. “I think I’m going to puke.” She grabbed the bowl of pineapple and began chowing down.
Jeff hid his smile. “No wonder she doesn’t miss the Old Man that much.
She’s still gettin’ some.”
“You think he used the apple juice to get them to all agree to that arrangement?” Jordan looked up at Logan hopefully.
“Nah. I think she’s a little slut-puppy who likes getting her furrows plowed.”
Jordan slapped him in the stomach. “Logan!”
Kir started laughing, his blond head resting on his arms.
Jeff grinned. He loved family time even more these days. “Pass the pancakes, Uncle Kir.”
Uncle Kir threw a pancake at his head.
There was a knock on the door. “Never mind, I’ll get it.” Jeff got up and answered the door to find a stunning blonde standing there. Her hair was practically on end, her eyes wide and full of fear. Her shirt was misbuttoned, her jeans barely zipped. Her feet were bare, and she looked like hell. Every instinct he had came to att
ention. Something bad had happened to this woman, and his first thought was to grab her arm and yank her into the condo. Had she been assaulted? He couldn’t see any signs of damage. “Can I help you?”
“Skye?” Jeff looked back to find his lover standing there, staring at her.
“What’s wrong?”
She broke down, sobbing into her hands. “I think someone’s dead.”
Chapter Six
Skye settled down on the white couch. She ignored the plate of food Logan placed in front of her. “I don’t know if you’ll believe me, but ever since I can remember I’ve had dreams.” She didn’t understand the look that passed around what was obviously a family gathering, but that didn’t matter. Getting them to believe her did. “Those dreams always come true.” She swallowed, hard. She could still see the innocent eyes of the dead children staring at her blankly. “I saw some people murdering an entire family. The man was called Old Man.”
“Shit.” Logan paced away, swiftly joined by Jordan.
“He called the female with him Rina.”
A stranger, one she’d never met, began muttering in a language that sounded vaguely familiar. Where had she heard it before? His hard blue eyes went cold, his harsh features turned deadly. He looked almost like the bad Terminator, the one whose whole body became liquid. Skye was deathly afraid of him in that moment.
She’d always hated that movie.
“Who died?”
Kir was kneeling in front of her, his hands clasped around hers. There was such warmth and caring in him that she couldn’t help but respond. “A family of five. There were three little children.” She was crying again. Gods, they’d been so young. “He put wolf fur in their hands. Why would he do that?”
“Did they say anything?”
She kept her gaze glued to Kir’s face, the gentle command that had entered his voice barely registering. There was something about him that made her want to obey him. “He said that someone named Tyr would pitch a fit over the murders and that he’d turn on Fenris.” She darted a glance over Kir’s shoulder to Fenris, to find him staring in turn at a blond-haired man who was missing a hand. Something about that man was also vaguely familiar. “Why would this Tyr turn on Fenris over wolf hair?”
“We need to contact Magnus and Morgan.” The blond held out his hand and a little redheaded female curled into him.
“No signal, remember?” Logan Saeter shook his cell phone.
The blond smiled. “There are other ways.” He raised his brows at Kir, who grimaced.
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea. That much power will blow the wards for sure.” Kir stood, pulling Skye to her feet. “Do you think you can sleep, or would you like something to eat instead?”
Skye drew in a breath. It ended on a sob. “Can we order in pizza?” She loved pizza. It was her comfort food of choice, but one she rarely allowed herself. All those calories from the cheese and the toppings went straight to her hips. But if any situation called for pizza, this one was it.
Logan snorted. “You’ll fit in just fine.”
“Have you had any other dreams?” The red-haired man staying suspiciously close to Fenris was watching her closely. Unless she missed her guess he was the other redhead’s brother. They looked alike.
She bit her lip. Her dreams had been frequent and intense since moving into her new condo. One of the recurring ones sprang to mind, and she spoke without thinking. “Does dreaming about the end of the world count?”
The hard-eyed, cold man wrapped a surprisingly warm arm around her shoulders. “Do you like pepperoni?”
She looked up at him, and suddenly he wasn’t quite so scary anymore.
“Yes.”
“Me too.” He led her away, all the time chattering about nonsense and pizza toppings. She found herself relaxing with him.
Who knew she’d find comfort with the Terminator?
“I still don’t think this is a good idea. If we blow our defenses it will take all day for Logan and Travis to put them back up.” Kir was biting his nail. He’d led them into his bedroom where Skye couldn’t hear them. The woman didn’t know it but she’d just tumbled right into a living myth, and Fen had the feeling she wouldn’t be climbing out again anytime soon.
Logan removed Kir’s thumb from Kir’s mouth. “It’s okay, babe. Do what you have to do. You’re the only one who can.”
Kir looked up at Fen’s father, those blue eyes turning stormy, literally. “All right. But don’t do anything foolish, understand? This is going to be down and dirty. The last time we visited the Bifrost Bridge we took our time, cast the spells carefully to hide our presence. This is going to blow the wards in a loud way, you know that, right?”
“I know, Blondie.” Logan took hold of his hand and looked straight at Fen.
“Guard Jordan for me.”
Fen nodded. He’d guard his new mother, and the siblings growing inside her, with his last breath.
“Thank you.” Logan smiled at him. “We’ll be back.”
“We?” Kir was staring at Logan as if he’d lost his mind.
“You think I’m letting you out of my sight, Blondie?”
Kir rolled his eyes. “Sit, Kir. Stay. Good dog. Woof.”
Logan’s brows rose. “Be nice or I won’t take you walkies.”
“Why am I being left behind this time?” Jordan’s hands were on her hips.
She scowled at her husbands. “You took me to Hel, why not Yggdrassil?”
“Because of what guards it.” Logan held up his hand. “It’s not up for debate, and we don’t have much time. We’re going to fetch Morgan and Magnus and be back as quickly as possible. Ask Fen or Travis or, hell, your uncle what guards Yggdrassil.”
Kir tugged on the pendant around his neck and suddenly Gungnir, the Godspear, was in his hand. The tip glowed brightly. The last time Fen had seen it the tip had glowed blue. Now it shone with a warm red light that seemed to mimic his father’s fire.
“Yes, that’s a promise and a threat.” Logan winked at Jordan and clasped Kir’s free hand. “Let’s go, love.”
“We’ll be back. Keep an eye on the girl.” Kir sighed, and the storm clouds darkened. “I’m not certain, because it’s been a while since I’ve seen her, but I’m pretty sure that’s Skuld, the Norn of the Future.”
“Which means we have a shit-ton more trouble than we originally thought.”
Logan blew a kiss at Jordan. “Be good.”
“Me?” His mother protested. Logan just shot her that demonic smile of his and stood by Kir’s side.
“Wait!” Jeff ran forward. “I wanted to ask you something.”
“Shoot.” Kir was already frowning at Gungnir, concentrating on the spell that would rip a hole in Midgard, the place humans called Earth, and lead them to the Bifrost Bridge that spanned the void between Midgard and Asgard. From there they’d be able to make their way straight to Yggdrassil, the World Tree.
“What does elskede mean?”
Fen’s cheeks heated as his father sent him a knowing look. “It means beloved.”
There was a ripple in the air, and before Fen could blink Kir and Logan were gone, sucked out of the room with a boom that shook the windows.
“Shit.” Jordan blinked rapidly. “He wasn’t kidding about that being dirty. I think I’m blind.”
“What the hell?” Travis ran into the bedroom, also blinking rapidly. “What the fuck was that? Every ward in the building just blew!”
“Kir and Logan went walkies.” Jeff ran his fingers through his curls. Fen smiled. Already he could sense the changes in his mate. Jeff’s hair was slightly longer, a little bit wilder. He couldn’t wait to see how it would end up. He adored Jeff’s hair.
“Shit. They could warn a guy.” Travis groaned. “Did you say Logan went too?”
“Yup. They left me behind. Again.”
Fen winced at the anger in his new mother’s voice. “You have some of my father’s magic. You could assist Travis with reestablishing the wards.
”
Jordan grumbled under her breath, but Fen could make some of it out.
Cowardly wiener was the nicest thing she said. “Fine. But if I screw this up I’m blaming hormones.” She stalked out of the bedroom, followed closely by a chuckling Travis.
Fen watched them go and wondered why Travis was so amused. “I don’t get it.”
Jeff patted his shoulder. “No man alive truly gets it, with the possible exception of your father.” Jeff shuddered and tugged on Fen’s hand. “C’mon.
Maybe we can get Jordan to reheat the pancakes.”
Fen turned to his mate and whispered in his ear, “What’s a wiener?”
“Can you explain to me what an epidural is and why your sister was threatening to rip off my father’s man parts if she doesn’t get one?”
Jeff snickered and flicked the video game remote. Mario jumped over another slab and grabbed some gold coins. “It’s something that blocks the pain of childbirth.”
“Oh.” Fen frowned at the television. “How painful can it be?”
Jeff paused the game and turned to stare at Fen. “Carol Burnett, this famous comedienne, once said that if you truly want to experience the pain of childbirth, you should take your bottom lip and pull it over your head.”
Fen’s head tilted. “That makes absolutely no sense.”
“It does if you’re female.” The doorbell rang. Jeff set the remote down. “I’ll get it.”
Fen sniffed. With an alarmed snarl he hopped off the sofa. “Wait!” Fen stood and followed him, but it was too late. Jeff was already swinging the door open.
Jeff pulled back, startled when he found his father on the other side of the door. He hadn’t seen his father in over two months, not since Jamie was attacked.
“Dad?”
Fred Grimm took one look at the wolf at Jeff’s heels and turned white as milk. He tugged on Jeff’s arm, almost pulling him out the front door. “We’re leaving. Now.”
Jeff pulled out of his father’s grip, all of the anger he’d been bottling up boiling over at the familiar sight of his father’s face. “Hi to you too, Dad. Jordan and Jamie are both fine. Jamie can even see out of both her eyes now. How’ve you been?”
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