Page 47 of Loki

Val scratched her head. “Well, can you tell me if Loki is in there?”

“I can’t.”

She nodded. “Well, how about this? You ask Loki if I can come in. I’ll wait here.”

“What if he isn’t here?”

“He told me to meet him here, so I guess I’ll wait for him to show up and let me in himself.”

Gadius’ eyebrow creased like he was trying to think of something. Then he nodded once and closed the window.

Val sighed and leaned against the wall. Loki hadn’t specified an actual time, so it was possible he wasn’t in there yet. Either way, she’d find him and his client and do what needed to be done to ensure Elle’s freedom and safety.

Less than five minutes later, the door to the club swung inward, and Loki stuck his head out.

He spotted her. “Lunkhead just told me you were out here. Have you been waiting long? “

“A few minutes.”

He kissed. “Smart, you told him to look for me, or you might have been out here all night.”

“Hopefully not. I’d like to think you would have come looking for me at some point.”

“Of course. So, are you going to do this?”

She nodded. “I need to talk to the guy first, though.”

“Of course you do. That shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Then let’s get this done with.”

Loki led her down the hallway. The crowd was much larger than it had been before.

“Tonight’s a full roster,” Loki said.

She wondered how many people would bet on her again and how many would lose the bet. Even though she didn’t know what the outcome would be, she refused to let the demon take Elle back to Surtr. Despite what she had to do.

“Let’s sit over there.” Loki pointed to a high in the arena in a darker area.

They squeezed past people cheering on the fighters and made their way to the empty bench on the other side of the room. She figured Loki had walked them all the way around so whomever they were supposed to meet saw them.

They sat on the wooden bench, and Loki leaned in. “Do you want a drink?”

She nodded and held up two fingers. He stroked her knee, walked down the bench, and out a curtain between rows. She watched the fight for a minute, analyzing the fighters and their moves.

One of the fighters had close to a hundred pounds on the other but was slow and sloppy. The smaller fighter used the first’s weight to his advantage. He moved around the ring, making the larger fighter expend all his energy just chasing him. Val grew bored and turned away. The battle would play out with the big guy tiring and the little one going in for the knockout. Not a bad strategy. Probably what she would have done as well.

“I take it you’re the Valkyrie,” said a smooth sexy voice from the darkness.

Val swung around to what she thought was a blank wall. Slowly a form emerged from the shadows and sat next to her. She stared at him for a moment. She’d expected a burly, menacing demon, possibly wearing leather and bondage gear, maybe wearing little of anything. He wasn’t, though. He was a soft-skinned, well-tailored young man who looked like he’d stepped out of a fashion shoot. Not a hair on his head stood askew. His age was indeterminable, but on Midgard, she would have guessed he was no more than a late teen. Early twenties.

“I take it from your silence, I am correct.” The demon turned his orange eyes on her.

“And what is your name?”

“Is that necessary?”

“You know me, but I don’t know you. I’m not going to make a deal with someone who won’t even tell me who he is.”

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