Page 33 of Monstrosity
Before I can respond, there’s a figure in the door ofkirkja—Meghan storms in, blonde hair wild and eyes blazing. She's stillin her Beans & Babes apron, which means she came straight from opening the shop.
"Did I just hear Runes say 'your woman'?" She zeroes in on me like a heat-seeking missile. "Rio Rojas, did you finally pull your head out of your ass?"
"Meghan—"
"For years!" She grabs my shoulders, shaking me despite the fact I outweigh her by a hundred pounds. "So many years of watching you two moon over each other like teenagers! Finally!"
"Jesus, let the man breathe," Tor says, but he's grinning.
"Don't you dare!" She spins on her heel to face her old man. "Did you know about this? How long has it been official? Why didn't anyone tell me?"
"Since last night," I admit, and her squeal of delight could probably shatter glass.
"I need details! All of them! Is she here? Does she know about—" She pauses, taking in the serious expressions around the table, the maps, the photos of the burned warehouse. "What's wrong?"
"Culebra's making moves," Tor tells her, his voice gentling the way it always does for his woman. "You and Dasha are specifically targeted."
The joy drains from her face, replaced by the steel that made her survive this life. "Those fuckers think they can come for us?"
"They think a lot of things," Runes says. "All of them are wrong. Which is why you're both moving into the clubhouse tonight."
"I'll talk to Dasha," Meghan says immediately. "She'll listen to me if she gives Rio grief about it. We can close the shop early, tell customers we have a plumbing issue or something."
"I can handle my woman," I protest.
"Sure you can, big guy." She pats my cheek condescendingly. "That's why it only took you years to make a move on her."
The room erupts in laughter, and I flip them all off good-naturedly.
But the moment passes quickly as we return to the matter at hand.
"We got the surveillance footage from the coffee shop," our tech guy, Vanir, announces as he enters. "Ran facial recognition on the creep who was watching Dasha."
He hands me a tablet showing a clear image of the man from Dasha's description.
Average looking, forgettable, exactly the type Bembe would use for surveillance.
The timestamp shows him entering the shop at 10:27 AM, just like Dasha said.
"Got a name?"
"Carlos Mendez. Low-level Culebra, mostly runs errands and intel gathering." Vanir swipes to show more information—arrest record, known associates, addresses. "Lives alone in a shitty apartment complex off the highway. No family in the area, which makes him perfect for what we need."
"Perfect." I study the address, already planning. The complex is in a rough neighborhood where screams don't attract attention. "I'll pay him a visit."
"Not alone," Runes says firmly. "Take Bodul and Geirolf. Kid needs to learn, and Geirolf needs to blow off steam."
I nod. "When?"
"Now," Runes decides. "Before he has a chance to relocate. Get whatever intel you can about their plans for the women."
"And then?"
Runes's smile is cold. "Then remind him why threatening a Raiders of Valhalla’s family member is a fatal mistake."
I stand, already shifting into the headspace needed for what's coming. "I'll need supplies."
"Bjorn's got a kit ready in the garage," Fenrir offers. "Everything you might need for a properconversation."
