Page 52 of Elf Shot

Arne inclined his head. "Wouldn't dream of it, vennen."

* * *

Layla was certain that Arne wouldn't be early, so she was surprised when she heard the door to the apartment opening at four. She should have expected that she wouldn't get to slink off with the elves without a fight.

"Ah, so you are still here," Freya declared, coming up the stairs. "Is the hot elf around?"

"No. Why would he be?" Layla said.

Freya snorted and wrapped her up in an aggressively tight hug that she was famous for. "Because males are stupid when they are mating, that's why."

"We aren't mating. We are…testing out the waters."

Freya threw her head back and roared with laughter. "Oh, my darling, you actually believe that, and it's adorable."

Layla scowled at her. "I'm trying to be responsible here."

Freya's mismatched eyes sparkled. "Sure. Going off to Svartalfheim was so responsible, Layla."

And that's not even mentioning going to see Havi. Layla knew better than to mention that. Freya had hunted down the All-Father's dagger to save Bayn from his curse and would no doubt be too curious about his location. Layla still couldn't believe her hunch had been right.

"What are you doing here?" Layla asked.

"Here as in my own house? The cheek of you." Freya opened the fridge and pulled out a beer. "Don't worry. I'm not staging an intervention. I personally think it's about damn time you stood up for yourself and stopped being your family's doormat."

"Wow, Freya, don't hold back."

Freya opened a second beer and passed it to her. "I don't intend to. I love your family, but they are thoughtless on how they treat you sometimes, and it annoys me."

Layla took a mouthful of her beer. "I honestly didn't think anyone noticed."

"It annoys the boys all the time," Freya admitted.

Layla needed to change the subject before she started to get emotional. "Where is your more handsome half anyway?"

"He's gone to see Tor and Arne. They are dragging his moping ass out to Ritual. We are going to join them later," Freya replied.

"How good of you to organize my life for me. I happened to have plans tonight."

"Plans involving the sexy elf?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but yes." Layla turned red the longer Freya smiled knowingly at her. "Shut up."

"I didn't say anything, but she's going to," Freya said, gesturing with her beer. Layla turned around as shadows boiled out of thin air and a portal opened.

Imogen's lavender hair appeared. "Thanks for having us all worried, shithead."

Layla flipped her off. "Eat a dick."

"She will later," Arawan replied, coming out the portal and closing it with a cool burst of magic that didn't ruffle a single strand of his long black hair.

Layla was still a little nervous around the newest member of their family, but he so openly adored Imogen that Layla liked him immensely. He was dressed in a black button up shirt and trousers, which was about as casual as the god ever got.

Imogen in comparison was in her usual jeans, boots, and Led Zeppelin T-shirt. They would seem like a mismatched pair until you got to know them and realized they were spookily perfect for each other.

Imogen punched her arm and then hugged her until she groaned in protest.

"Help," Layla begged Arawan.

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