Nik pulled the ball out of his pocket. “This.” He pressed something on it, and the ball opened up to a weird, multi-faceted mirror. He frowned, then grunted in irritation. “Get Val and Sylvia. We’ve found her.”
“Where?” Toni couldn’t perceive a damn thing in the mirrors, but apparently whatever was there was vivid to Nik.
“Two blocks away in a townhouse.” He continued to stare at the mirror, moving toward Jordan’s sofa. He settled down, completely avoiding tripping over anything in his way. “This is going to be a bitch.”
“How so?” Toni settled next to him and stared some more at the mirror. There was nothing there but a weird, distorted image of Nik’s face.
“Wait until the others are here. We’ll need to brainstorm.” Nik settled back and glanced at her. “I’m not hiding anything, I’m just trying to keep things simple.”
“I understand.” She leaned against him, her head against his shoulder. It had been a hell of a week. “Don’t worry so much. Your moms explained a lot to me, helped me understand some things I hadn’t before.”
“Hmph.” He curled an arm around her shoulders. “Not too long ago, you didn’t trust a thing I said.”
“Of course I didn’t. You’re a stalker. What did you expect, open arms? Way too many people die due to stalkers than I care for.” Each one haunted her. If only they’d been able to help those women and men before things turned deadly, but with the current system there wasn’t much they could do. A determined stalker would react to a restraining order the same way Toni did a fly.
His arm tightened around her. “I watched everything you went through, but until the time was right I couldn’t let myself be with you.” He kissed her forehead. “Part of me wishes you’d never gone through those things, but the other part recognizes you’ve been shaped and honed by them. Who you are today is because of your career, your heritage, and your family. I wouldn’t change that no matter what.”
That had to be the sweetest thing he’d ever said to her. Her cheeks heated as her body flooded with pleasure. She could barely keep her gaze on his, but she managed despite the sudden on-rush of shyness. “Thanks.”
He simply smiled, their gazes locked. She’d never realized how warm his eyes could be, but the more time she spent with him the more she realized something.
The Guardian of the Bifrost Bridge, King of the Dökk Alfar and ultimate stalker dude, was lonely. So fucking lonely he practically wore it like Ulfrun’s cloak. He needed her far more than she needed him. That knowledge made her want to protect him from that shattering desire to be around others. He lit up whenever someone spoke to him, becoming animated even when engaging someone hostile. He watched over everyone but never spoke until the last second. He was a workaholic, both in his human life and his godly one, giving him barely any time to sleep.
“Nik, I—”
She was interrupted by the door opening. Val, Sylvia, Slade, and Magnus walked in, all four staring at Nik as if he were the second coming.
“You found her?” The hope in Sylvia’s voice was hard to hear. She was shaking slightly, Magnus holding her protectively under his arm.
“We did.” Nik sounded positively wicked. “She’s in a townhouse two blocks from here.”
Val actually fist-pumped. “Then let’s go get her.” He turned toward the door, obviously eager to retrieve Sydney.
“Stop.” Nik held up his hand, and the door that Val tried to open refused to budge. “We need to plan this out.”
Lonely Nik might be, but he was also arrogant as fuck. Val looked ready to kill him. Toni decided she needed to back up her partner or he’d get his ass handed to him by the Terminator. “I have to admit, he’s right. We were ambushed at the last site. Let’s make sure that doesn’t happen again.”
Val grunted, but he let go of the door handle. “Fine. What’s the plan?”
Could he be any more pissed? His lips were tight, his shoulders tense, and his blue eyes were cold as ice as he glared at Nik.
Nik stared into the mirror. “They’ve blocked the back door and all of the windows both physically and magically. The only way in or out is through the front door. The only other way is for me to teleport in, but that’s not the best option.”
“Why not?” Jordan sounded curious rather than upset. “And how are they blocking access magically?”
“A powerful spell, one that can’t be broken easily,” Nik replied. “Even if we managed it the backlash would be brutal.”
“And since they’re in a townhouse we can’t just go in guns blazing. We’d alert the humans immediately. Taking down the spell would create a loud explosion, something not even humans can ignore.” Logan joined Toni and Nik on the sofa, gesturing for Kir and Jordan to join him. “Which means it’s through the front door or not at all.”
“So why can’t you teleport?” Val asked. “You step through shadows, so it shouldn’t be an issue. Is the spell blocking you?”
“No, that’s not it. The spell isn’t in the townhouse itself, just on the windows and doors. The problem lies with the number of people I can carry with me.” Nik relaxed back and put the mirror in his lap. His other arm remained around Toni. “I can do myself and maybe two more. It’s far more taxing to take others than to just move myself.” Nik held up his hand. “Go ask Travis about making others invisible if you don’t believe me.”
Val grunted. Apparently, he was already aware of the strain it would put on Nik. “So you’re saying we’re screwed?”
Toni shook her head, a wicked idea coming to mind. “Not necessarily.” She grinned at Nik. “I think I have a way to get in with more than three people.”
Nik’s brows rose. “Oh?”
She wagged her brows. “And they’ll never see it coming.” She straightened her shoulders. “I’m like you now, right?”
Nik’s eyes narrowed. “The spell isn’t easily mastered, Toni.”
She shrugged. “I figured, but with you teaching me it shouldn’t be that hard, right?”
He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Toni, if you screw up you could wind up inside a desk. Literally. Like parts of you in one drawer, other parts in another, none of them connected.”
She shuddered, thinking about how easily the spell could kill her. “There has to be a way to learn it without death.”
Nik nodded reluctantly. “I can do it, but it will take at least two days to learn. To master it would take longer.”
“Time we don’t have,” Val pointed out before Toni could.
“I can do this.” She kept her gaze on Nik, pleading with him silently to let her try. “I can.”
“You need to be able to keep an image of a place in firmly your mind.” Nik replied. He still looked frightened.
She couldn’t have that. She patted his cheek. “Homicide detective, remember? I’m used to visualizing crime scenes and looking for details others miss. I have confidence in not just me but you. Let me try.”
He stared at her for a moment before placing his forehead against hers. “If anything happens to you, I…” He breathed out a sigh, his eyes turning metallic silver. “I can’t let anything happen to you.”
She kissed him softly, aware of the others in the room with them. No point in putting on a display for the peanut gallery. “It won’t. Not with you watching over me.”
Nik nodded slowly, reluctantly agreeing to her request. “We start now.” He stood, dragging her to her feet. “Figure out who goes with us. I have a woman to train.”
Jordan snickered. “Good luck, Toni.”
Chapter 19
Toni took deep breaths as she prepared to step through the shadows. They’d been practicing all day, having her teleport from one end of the condo to the other, then down the corridor, then from condo to condo. She’d managed to master the steps far more quickly than Nik had expected.
She was right. She was excellent at visualizing where she needed to be. The ability served her well, and now she teleported with ease as if she’d been doing i
t for months rather than two days. His heart’s breath was far more capable than anyone could even imagine, and he loved her all the more for it. She’d be a formidable queen when he finally took his place on his throne.
Her skin had paled as well as his blood fully transformed her. Her hair had darkened from chocolate to near black. Her brown eyes had a silver glint to them that made them absolutely magical looking even in human form. She’d somehow blended the looks of the Dökk Alfar and humans, giving her an otherworldly appeal that was stunning to behold.
“We ready?” Magnus, who’d agreed to go along, was fingering the pendant Mjolnir. He was practically vibrating with eagerness.
“I think so.” Nik eyed Toni as she shook herself. Her guns were strapped to her thighs gunslinger style. She’d chosen to wear a black leather vest with black jeans and black shit-kicker boots, and he couldn’t take his eyes off of her.
“Eye-fuck your woman later, dude.” Logan grabbed hold of Nik’s arm. “It’s time to get this show on the road.”
“Asshole.” Nik grabbed hold of Kir, making the two he could carry linked to him.
Val and Magnus surrounded Toni, who nodded as they both put their hands on her shoulders. “I’m ready.”
“You’ve got the visual?” He’d figured out a way to show Toni their destination in the mirror. He’d had to use his blood and hers mixed together with a few ancient words, but she’d been able to examine and memorize where he wanted them to arrive.
“Yes.” Her nerves had disappeared, only to be replaced by icy determination.
By the gods, she made his dick hard.
“I go first, then you. Count to ten, then come in. I need to get us out of the way.” The last thing he wanted was some sort of Star Trek-style transporter accident. That wouldn’t be pretty.
She glared at him. “Don’t get killed while I’m not there.” Her eyes went wide. “Wait. That’s not what I meant to—”
He laughed and disappeared, arriving inside the townhouse with Logan and Kir.
Kir instantly stepped aside and summoned Gungnir, the Godspear glowing brightly in his hand.
Logan, on the other hand, stepped in front of Kir, his flames licking up and down his arms. His eyes were filled with flame as he guarded his lover as always.
Nik summoned his sword and shield, the shield now carrying the symbol of the Dökk Alfar, a black tree on a silver background. He, too, got out of the way quickly, stepping past Kir and Logan to take the front.
Toni arrived within seconds, stumbling slightly as she tried to move. Magnus and Val didn’t let go right away, both men looking shaken. Neither had traveled that way before, unlike Logan and Kir, so Nik wasn’t at all surprised.
Toni pulled one of her guns out and glanced around the room, looking for enemies.
“Slightly tight quarters here,” Val muttered, glancing around as well.
Nik had chosen to teleport them into the basement. They’d come into a storage area with a tiny, rectangular window letting in some dingy light. There were plenty of shadows to come through, but the room itself could barely contain five large men and one pissed-off woman.
“Outta the way.” Toni pushed herself through all of them and reached for the door.
“Oh, no, you don’t. I go first.” Nik nudged her out of his path and pulled open the door himself. She was not going first. That was his job. He had the shield and he’d use it to deflect any incoming attacks.
Outside the door were four Jotuns playing cards. They jumped to their feet, yelling for backup as Nik charged them. He bowled over the flimsy card table, giving the others room to move toward the Jotuns.
Fire erupted behind him, met by ice. He turned to find Logan engaged with one of the Jotun, exchanging fire. Kir was also fighting, the Jotun backing away as Gungnir thrust forward, glowing with Kir’s righteous anger. Thunder rumbled through the house. No doubt lightning struck and rain fell outside as Kir’s rage flowed through him.
Val and Magnus moved past Nik, heading toward the stairway that led to the first floor. They stood guard while Kir, Nik, Toni and Logan made quick work of the four guards.
Val and Magnus were moving up the stairs before Nik could respond. Without the mirror in his hand he couldn’t warn them of what awaited them. He was as blind as they were, and it drove him crazy.
Nik was right behind Val when the god opened the door. There stood Nadine with a group of Jotuns behind her, about ten in all, waiting for Nik.
“Give me what I want and I’ll go away,” Nik said softly, staring at the woman. He wondered if she’d even get the Steven King quote or not, but somehow he doubted it. Nadine had never been one to read much. She’d much preferred getting her information from Frederica’s lips.
Nadine’s grin was savage. “Make sure you capture Baldur and Loki alive. Feel free to kill the others.”
The Jotuns roared as they attempted to swarm the stairs, but Val managed to hold them off. “Go!” he shouted at Nik, fending off one attack after another. The Avenger was vicious when riled, and today he’d gone all-out, killing one Jotun after another in swift succession.
The air behind him changed. Nik turned, suddenly terrified.
Toni was gone.
Nik roared as he allowed himself to change, his Dökk Alfar features coming to the fore. He would find her wherever she’d gone and paddle her ass until she couldn’t sit for a week.
Until then, however…
Nik moved through the shadows to the dining room, where the door to the stairway was located. He quickly killed one of the Jotun who turned to face him, leaving only three with Nadine.
The others could handle this. Nik needed to find Toni before Frederica decided to come out and play as well.
He bolted around the small group of enemies, headed for the front stairs and began to pound his way up them. She had to be up there. There’d been no sign of her in the kitchen or dining room. The front room was filled with antique furniture much to Frederica’s taste, but there was no sign of Toni there, either.
That left the upper floor and the attic.
Nik stalked the upper hallway, looking in the first room to find it empty of anything except a small bed, a dresser, and a makeup table. He closed the door behind him and tried the next door.
Locked, from the inside. He kicked the door down, ready to battle whoever was inside.
Henry and Luther Grimm, swords in hand, stood ready to defend Frederica, their lover. Their gazes were filled with the same rage that consumed Nik as they pounced on him eagerly.
He blocked the first blow with his shield, the screech of metal on metal deafening. “Where is she?” Nik bellowed at Frederica.
The goddess merely stood there wide-eyed, as if she’d never expected him to come in person.
“Where is Toni?” Nik blocked Luther’s next blow. He’d always been a bit quicker to attack than Henry. Neither could hope to win against Nik.
“I don’t care where your little whore is.” Frederica pulled her own dagger, her expression grimly determined. “I won’t hand Sydney over to you until she’s completed her task.”
Nik smiled. “You think Syd can hack Yggdrasil?”
Frederica looked startled.
Ha. Gotcha.
Henry and Luther actually paused in their attack to stare at him in horror. “Frederica?” Henry asked, sounding stunned. “Is that what you’re trying?”
She sniffed. “Of course not. I didn’t think it was possible,” Frederica muttered.
“Then why did you take her?” Nik stepped back, keeping his shield up. They might be willing to talk but he had no idea if Henry and Luther would come after him again in defense of Frederica. They, unlike Grimm, truly loved her and wanted the best for her.
The sounds of battle as the others made their way toward him were almost deafening as he tuned in to them. They were out of time for questions. “Everyone is coming, Frederica. Give it up, and give us Sydney.”
She growled, actually growled, at him like
an angry dog. “Tell me you didn’t bring Loki here.”
Nik smirked. “Of course, I did.”
She screamed and raced toward him, her dagger drawn. Luther was thrown off balance as she pushed past him, blood spurting from his arm as he tried to defend himself and got caught on the edge of her dagger.
Frederica didn’t even slow down. She crashed into Nik, her dagger stabbing over and over again at him, the edge screaming against his shield as it bounced off. The metallic sound shivered down his spine, reminding him of battles past and present.
He had to get her off of him. Luther and Henry were moving, flanking him and giving him few openings to stop Frederica’s frantic attacks. He should have been able to take them all on, but Frederica kept him from effectively blocking Henry and Luther’s attacks by repeatedly needling at him. Luther took the opportunity to attempt to run him through, making Nik jump back. Luther’s blade scored a deep gash across his stomach, leaving him bleeding…and angry.
He used his shield to bash Frederica aside, dropping her to her knees. He swung around just in time to keep Henry’s blade from giving him a matching wound across his back, but that left him exposed to Luther’s next attack.
An attack that never landed. Gunfire erupted and the blow never landed as Luther fell.
Frederica screamed again, this time in grief as a pool of blood spread slowly around Luther’s body.
Nik took a step back. Gunfire meant Toni was behind him, guarding his back. He could face Henry and Frederica freely once more. “Luther’s still alive, Frederica.”
She stopped screaming and just stared at him with hate-filled eyes.
“We have Sydney, and we’re leaving.” Toni’s voice was filled with determination. A bullet whizzed past Frederica’s head, shaving off some of her hair. “I may not be able to kill Grimm but I can certainly kill you.” Toni had one gun pointed at Henry, the other at Frederica. From the drop of blood on Henry’s ear that hadn’t been a single gunshot. It had been two, fired so close together that Nik couldn’t differentiate between them. “Try anything on the people I love and I will take you out without a single fuck given.”
Hide and Seek (True Destiny Book 6) Page 13
