Page 43 of Thor

Thor pulled her in tight to his side. “Sorry, this is the only way to dad’s personal rooms.”

Elle nodded and kept her eyes on the floor as they reached a door and Thor knocked. After a moment the door opened and an imposing man stood in the doorway.

“Thor.”

“Fenrir.”

The tall man with eyes the color of burnt ashes, stepped aside and let them in. Elle had never met Fenrir, but she recognized him from the legends. Son of Loki, Fenrir was a werewolf more feral than humane. He looked exactly like he’d been portrayed.

The room they walked into was like the front room of an apartment. An ample leather sectional hosted half a dozen people. Val and Loki sat at a bar on the left side of the room, Frigg stood behind serving drinks. The scent of cooking meat filled Elle’s nose making her stomach grumble.

Behind the sectional a wall of French doors stood open and led into what appeared to be a back yard of some kind. Odin tended to a deep fire pit cooking meat and drinking from a mug while talking to a woman and another man.

“Elle.” Frigg moved toward them with a broad smile on her face. She hugged Elle and then Thor. “I’m glad you two came.”

“Thank you for having me,” Elle said.

Frigg smiled at her and squeezed her arm. “Would you like a drink?”

“Ale,” said Thor.

“Sparkling water, please,” said Elle.

Frigg nodded and headed back to the bar.

“Is this where your dad lives?” asked Elle.

“Most of us live where we work. Makes it easier. No real commute.”

The woman from out with Odin walked inside with the man who’d been out there as well.

“Thor!” The woman ran over and hugged Thor.

“Hey sis. Meili, this is Elle. Elle, this is my sister Meili.”

Meili shook Elle’s hand with a surprisingly firm grip. “It’s nice to meet you, Elle. I don’t think I’ve met any of Thor’s girlfriends since—”

Thor coughed. “Yes, well, until Elle I haven’t had anyone I wanted to meet you lot.”

Meili snorted.

“I smell metal and melancholy, must mean Thor has arrived,” said the man who’d entered with Meili.

Thor smiled and the two men hugged. The man’s eyes were the palest shade of blue, almost white. Elle couldn’t put her finger on it but something was off about them.

“Elle, this is my brother Hod.”

Hod ran his fingers over her hand and then bent and sniffed it. Elle looked at Thor but Thor just smiled.

Hod kissed the back of her hand and stopped. He stayed there for a tense moment before straightening. “Even a blind man can see her beauty,” said Hod, letting go of her hand.

“Th... Thank you,” she stammered. Elle swallowed hard realizing Hod was blind. Though his eyes didn’t work, she sensed he saw straight through to her soul. The sensation sent a chill down her neck.

“Chow’s ready,” Odin called.

The group headed out to what Elle had taken for a patio to find it was actually a giant room with a surprisingly tall ceiling in which white fabric and perfectly round glowing light bulbs had been strung across the beams creating a beautiful romantic effect. In the center of the room stood an enormous rustic wood table which looked like it had once been an ancient tree.

Thor pulled out a seat for her and Val slid into a chair next to her. Thor sat on her other side.

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