Page 22 of Vikingr
"Sorry, lost my phone. I take it Donail filled you in?"
Pam cackled. "Quite the story. You'll have to tell me everything yourself once we see each other in person. For now, I just have one important question: how hot are these Vikings?"
I couldn't help but laugh. "Very. Scorching. Just like the Albyans, they have a severe aversion to wearing shirts. Or at least the Vikingr who kidnapped me did. I never got to see any others."
"Yummy. Our lassies are going to love them. I've been thinking for a while that our current offering is a little same-same. You know I love a red-haired Highlander as much as the next woman, but it'll be good to get some fresh blood into our database." She lowered her voice slightly. "Was there one you fancied in particular?"
"Pam! I was abducted, it would have been very inappropriate to think of such things."
"True, but you're not abducted any longer. Do you think you'll find a mate among them?"
I'd not thought about that yet. I was in the Hot Tatties database too, so it was possible that I might finally get a match. A Vikingr. Did they all look like Njal? And more importantly, did I want one who wasn't Njal?
No, that was Stockholm talking. Njal was not mate material. Starting a relationship based on an abduction was a bad, bad idea. Terrible. Yet when I thought of him, the throbbing in my core became even stronger. I rubbed my wrists where he'd held me, pinned against the wall. He'd been so strong, so fast, so alien. Hot in all the wrong ways.
"Steff, are you still there?"
"Yes, sorry. I don't know. Maybe. When are we meeting them?"
"Tomorrow morning. My hubby had planned to take me to see his mother, so I'm glad I have an excuse. Plus, we thought you could do with some more rest after your...ordeal. If you need to talk, you know I'm there, right?"
"Thanks, Pam. But I'm fine."
"If that changes, you know where to find me. And get yourself a new phone. Wait, you can have my spare one. I'll bring it with me tomorrow. Meet you at 9am at the agency?"
Usually, I would have hated having to get up early on a Sunday morning, but I was too excited to care about that.
"Sure, see you tomorrow."
I joined the Albyans as we waited for our pizzas to arrive. This had to be the strangest twenty-four hours of my life. First, I'd been abducted by one kind of alien, and now another kind of alien was chilling in my living room. If I'd not been working at Hot Tatties for the past three years, I would have thought I'd lost an entire bag of screws.
* * *
The Albyans were fascinatedby our trains, so much so that we were late. They'd caused a queue at the ticket barrier, and we'd missed our bus. Both of them wore C-suits that camouflaged their extra set of arms and their mating antennae. I'd made them wear shirts, or at least appear to wear them. I wasn't sure quite how those C-suits worked, but apparently, they could simulate clothes. For all I knew, the Albyans were completely naked under those high-tech suits.
Pam was already in our meeting room, along with four Albyans led by Donail. The captain gave me a warm smile.
"I hear you fed my males Peritan food last night and that it was delicious."
I exchanged a look with my guards. They looked slightly guilty for blabbing.
"What food?" Pam asked with a smirk.
"Pizza. They ate two each. I'm glad I had the foresight to order extra."
Pam laughed. "I guess I know what we're having for lunch. Donail, you and your men shall be introduced to this planet's biggest debate. Pineapple or no pineapple."
Donail, clearly clueless about what we were talking about, nodded happily. A short vibrating sound made him look at his wrist, where he wore a sort of oversized smartwatch.
"The Vikingar are approaching. We shall welcome them."
That turned out to mean,'we shall intimidate them as we stand broodingly by the entrance'.
The Albyans formed two rows of three, arms crossed, expressions hard. As much as Donail had told them he was willing to help, it was clear these two species were not friends. Nowhere near it. It made Donail's offer even more generous. I hoped he got something out of it. Maybe once we added some hot Vikings to our advertising, more women would sign up to our roster, increasing his chances of finding a mate himself.
Njal was the first of the Vikingar party to enter. He had white paint smeared on his blue face and carried a huge axe in his left hand. On his belt were several daggers and a smaller axe. He looked prepared for battle. So did the five men behind him. They didn't have the same war paint, but they all carried enough weapons for a small army.
Idiots. This was a meeting to help them find mates, not to crush skulls.
