Page 103 of Dead End

“And what do you make it mean if they don’t show up?”

“That they don’t care.”

“Except you can’t know that for certain. Perhaps they’re embroiled in a battle of their own. Perhaps they have others to protect and don’t want to incur The Corporation’s wrath. There are a multitude of reasons why someone might not show up that has nothing to do with how they feel about you.”

I gave him a wry smile. “You sound like West. The two of you really ought to spend more time together. I think you’d have a lot to discuss.”

“Assuming we survive this, perhaps we shall.” He engulfed me in his arms, and I breathed in his scent. Kane was a balm to my wounded heart.

Goran darted into the kitchen. “Um, Lorelei. I hate to interrupt, but I think you should know there’s a monster outside the gate.”

I disentangled myself and raced to the porch. Not just any monster.

A magma monster.

I blinked to make sure I wasn’t imagining the cherufe as I stepped outside. “Max?”

He opened his rocky arms. “I’m back, baby. Did you miss me?” Even without the admission, his lisp was the dead giveaway.

Emotions jammed my throat as I hurried across the bridge to the gate. “You’re really here?”

“Fairhaven called for aid. Helheim has answered.” A smilestretched across his wonderfully monstrous face. “And I brought a friend.”

A tall, statuesque figure emerged from behind a telephone pole. It was impossible not to remember the Norse goddess, Hel. “Max tells me you are in need of our assistance. Max has proven himself a faithful servant. If he says the future of the realms are at stake, I believe him.”

My nerves rattled. “Wait. If you’re both here, who’s watching over Helheim?”

“Not to worry. I have a trusted team in place, and they have been advised to watch for any suspicious activity. If any god or goddess tries to enter without authorization, believe me, they won’t get very far.”

The tension in my shoulders eased. I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if The Corporation seized control of Helheim while its goddess and guardian were in Fairhaven to help me.

“You never know with them,” I said. “They have deities to spare.”

Hel adjusted her antler crown. “And now you do as well.”

“Welcome to Bluebeard’s Castle. Please, come inside.” With the new arrivals, the Castle was quickly becoming a fortress.

Max lumbered over the bridge beside me. “No offense, but the garden’s looking a little unkempt. I guess Nana Pratt has other priorities right now.”

I inhaled deeply to counteract the rising tide of tears. “Actually, Nana Pratt and Ray decided to cross over. Claude’s been pulling weeds here and there, but yard maintenance isn’t exactly at the top of anyone’s list right now.”

Max stopped at the front porch to hug me. “I’m so sorry, Lorelei. I know how important they were to you.”

The weight of his natural body armor crushed my chest. “Thanks,” I wheezed.

Hel strode past us and straight inside like she was thequeen of my castle. I felt a pang of embarrassment as the hinges of the front door creaked loudly. I’d have to hunt down the bottle of WD-40 Ray was so fond of.

Max eyed the door. “Maybe I should stay outside. I take up more space than your average guest.”

“What’s the point of having a massive money pit if I can’t accommodate my friends? Come inside with the others. We’ll make it work.”

The cherufe’s lead foot broke straight through the porch step. He froze in place, his molten eyes registering pure horror.

“It was already on the verge of breaking,” I said, as breezily as possible. “You just hastened it along.”

Max shook his head. “Your house is a china shop and I’m a bull. This will never work.”

“It will. This house was built with the extraordinary in mind.”

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