Page 48 of Loki

He chuckled. “I was told you had spirit.”

Who had told him that? Loki? Or Surtr?

He turned back at the fight. “My name is Almax.”

“Why do all you demons have names that end in -ax?”

He smiled, revealing long sharp canines. “I don’t know, honestly. I guess it’s like humans who name all their kids, starting with the same letter.”

“What did Surtr promise you?”

His gaze slid toward her. “Why? Are you going to offer me more?”

“No. Just curious what I was worth.”

“Technically, you are only half the payday your friend is.”

“She’s off the table.”

“That’s not what I agreed to—”

“I don’t give a crap what you agreed to. You either make a deal for me and me alone, or we don’t come to an agreement.”

His gaze swung to her again, and a grin slid across his face. “I don’t have to make a deal at all. I can just take you now.”

Val pulled out her knife and held it to his chin faster than he could blink. “I think not.”

His stare never broke contact with hers. “To be honest, I love a street fight, but this is my favorite suit, and I would hate to ruin it. So, what are you proposing?”

“You and me, in the cage. You win, you take me, and only me, back to Surtr and collect whatever he will give you for me.”

“And if you win?”

“You tell Surtr we aren’t here. You’ve searched everywhere and checked all your contacts on Midgard and the Underworld, and no one has seen us.”

He chewed his lip, and she thought a twinkle sparkled in his eyes for a second. “I can live with that.”

She nodded. “Then let’s do this.”

He unbuttoned his jacket, and everyone broke into cheers in the audience as the large man fell backward on the mat, unconscious.

“Just one more match, and we’re up.”

Val nodded. “I’d say good luck, but to be honest, I don’t want you to have any.”

Almax’s smile widened. “If you weren’t a contract, I’d ask you out. I sure do like how you think.”

“Sorry, I can’t say the same.” Val turned back as Gadius entered the ring and dragged the larger man out. Almax stood and disappeared back into the darkness.

“Did you talk to him?”Loki handed her a drink.

“Yup. Our fight is coming up soon.” She downed the whiskey, took his second one, and downed it as well.

“Wait, what?” Loki gaped at her.

“What, what?” she asked. “That’s why you got me here, right? For us to fight?”

“I thought you would talk him out of a match and into something else.”

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