Page 92 of Valhalla is Full of Hunks
“I’m so sorry, Jör,” I croaked, hustling over to where he stood—needing to be close. “I’m sorry that my trust issues made it easy for you to believe I deceived you. What I should have done was justtellyou guys how I felt. I should have said that the thought of you three disappearing to Valhalla felt like a death sentence—even without the end of the world—because I can’t imagine living without you.”
Might as well be dramatic.
I was speaking my drama noodle’s language. His pretty eyes were glassy with happy tears as he reached for me. “Does this mean—”
“Yes!” I cried. “I’m yourmate,Jör! I’m definitely your mate.”
“—that you want to make babies with me?” He laughed, peppering me with kisses. “I already knew you were my mate,Blódughadda,”he joyfully added.
And I should have listened in the first place.
I laughed, too—a little overwhelmed to be back in his arms, but incredibly grateful for it. “Well, I still don’t know if wecanmake babies, but we can sure as hell try!”
Jör nodded solemnly. “I like that plan.”
Same.
“Not to interrupt…” Ladon’s resonant voice did exactly that, but it was a good thing, since we still had two murderous mates to collect.
I turned to the dragon, who I rarely saw in human form—if you could call it that. With his iridescent scales, bright green hair and ruby eyes, Ladon looked more like the hero from a hot-bod alien romance.
Maybe I should look into reading some of those next…
“The wolf and fire giant were past the point of reason when we caught up with them at the base of the World Tree,” Ladon continued with a grim expression.
“Like Berserkers.” Vann’s voice sounded from behind me, tinged with signature annoyance.
I turned to discover him and Timyn emerging from the surf, one looking way more excited about their recent adventure than the other.
“Whew!” the Hydra exclaimed, approaching Jör with the same star-struck expression he usually reserved for his dragon idol. “You werefastout there, Jörmungandr—and so…big…”
A massive tentacle shot out of Vann’s spine to coil around Timyn, yanking him backward until he was flush against the Kraken’s front.
“If you keep flirting right in front of me, another tentacle is coming out,” Vann hissed. “And you won’t like where that one goes.”
“Oh, I think I will,” Timyn cackled. “You’re so hot when you’re angry,calamari.”
Zephyr snorted, while Ladon rolled his eyes. “As I was saying…” the dragon huffed. “Now that this one is no longer threatening to displace the entire ocean”—he nodded curtly at Jör—“we don’t need to worry about saving the human race. However, your other mates are currently climbing the World Tree, headed for Asgard. We should probably intervene, as I assume the gods won’t take kindly to the great Fenrir and Surtr showing up at their doorstep, hungry for war.”
My babies!!!
“We need to save them!” I shouted, causing Ladon to eye me appraisingly. “Stop them… whatever. But I swear, if the gods hurt one hair on their hot-bods, I amTHROWING HANDS!”
“Yup,” Leia snickered, popping the p. “These fools are her mates all right.”
Damn straight.
“Very well.” Ladon solemnly nodded before shifting into his dragon form—his voice deepening as he did. “Let’s fly.”
While I’d used the Hydra as ground transportation a few times, I’d never gotten the chance to be a real-life dragon rider. Luckily, Timyn was fangirling enough for all of us as we climbed aboard, so my dorky excitement went blessedly unnoticed.
I do have a reputation to uphold.
Possessive alpha that I was, I made Jör bring up the rear behind me, so he wouldn’t be touching anyone else. Vann was directly in front of me, which I assumed was by design, since—besides Leia and Timyn—I was obviously his favorite.
“Thank you,” I whispered in his ear as Ladon lifted off with powerful beats of his massive wings. “I know you weren’ttryingto set me up with my guys, but you did it, anyway.”
I’d expected his usual half-exasperated—and extremely loving—annoyance. Instead, Vann turned his head to offer me a secretive smile. “Yes, well, theNornswork in mysterious ways.”
