Page 131 of Valkyrie Unknown

I blinked out of sight and appeared behind her, close enough my chest rested against her sword arm, and the scent of talcum powder teased me. Her entire body went rigid as I dipped my head closer, and ran my nose up her neck, breathing her in but never making contact.

“Go on, then,” I said in a low, even voice. “Bring me to my knees.”

I didn’t need enhanced senses to know her pulse was racing, or empathy to feel her ambivalence.

I tried to be subtle about inhaling another breath. Dragging in more of her scent. “Do you know what the difference is between the hero and the villain?” I asked.

“I’m right and you’re wrong?” Her voice was steady and cool, despite her ramrod straight spine.

That was cute. She thought she was the hero. “The hero will sacrifice everything they have, including the ones they love, to save the world. The villain gets called that because he’ll burn down the world to save the ones he loves.”

I wasn’t either one of those. The world could go fuck itself and I only loved me.

“There’s a chasm of other options between those.” Did Azzie’s voice waver?

I smirked at the back of her head. “For most people. Not for the King of Snakes and the Shield of Flame.”

Azzie dropped without warning, already bending her arm as she flung it toward me.

I blinked out of sight before she could elbow me in the balls, and appeared immediately in front of her. It seemed referencing the two of us in the prophecy was her breaking point.Noted.

She was already on her feet again, bringing up her empty arm to block an attack that wasn’t coming.

Instead, I grabbed her sword arm, and dug my fingers into the tendon at her wrist.

She didn’t loosen her grip, but she did grimace.

I grabbed her other arm as well, and held tight. This was getting tedious. “I told you I’m not here to fight, I’m here to talk.”

“Bullshit.” She scoffed, and tried to twist free of my grip.

She may have years of training, but she was still mortal. Her pulse pounded against my fingertips, and her defiance drilled into me, drawing desire to the surface.

I couldn’t wait to taste more of what she was offering. “You’re going to be so much fun.”

The front door slammed against the far wall, and the sounds of cracking wood and plaster filled the air. “Let go of her.”

That was Davyn.

No. It was Davyn’s voice. A heavy footfall like his, running toward us.

I vanished and reappeared near the door he’d left behind, to see Davyn join Azzie. “Are you all right?” He paused in his pursuit to check on her.

That wasn’t Davyn. He would never take his eyes off a fight. Fascinating that whatever Azzie had to confront here involved a softer version of him.

“I’m fine.” She was already facing me again. “Look who I found.”

Davyn charged me again without warning.

Seemed the conversation was over. I vanished before test-Davyn reached me, and blinked into sight next to Azzie again. “Make it to the front door and the siren’s magic vanishes.”

She whirled with her sword at the ready this time.

I did one more teleport to behind her. “Next time, we’ll talk.” I vanished before test-Davyn could land a punch.

Even as I reappeared in my office on the TOM campus, I was wearing my current skin again, rather than my original. Beinghimfor too long was dangerous. It let thoughts in that only belonged to a me who I kept in a box. A young man who felt sorry for the woman I’d just met. A young god whowouldmake it personal, because he understood what it was like to be an avatar for everyone else’s expectations.

Fortunately, that version of me was gone. Destroyed by broken trust.

---