Page 74 of Elf Shot

Arne pressed a hard kiss to Layla's lips. "We need to have a talk, Layla Brigid Ironwood."

"Sorry, love, no can do. You heard the All-Father. We have to clean up the rabble,” Layla said, passing Arne back his sword before drawing out her daggers.

Varg was shouting orders, horns blew, and Vili’s army came surging towards them. Layla fell in beside Arne as the Midgardian army shouted, and as one, they raced to meet them.

* * *

In the end, the battle barely lasted twenty minutes in a tangle of blood and screams. Most of Vili's army refused to fight after seeing the gods of Asgard drag their king away. Part of the army had seen the Midgardian's winning and had surrendered or fled. The worse part was that when the dust had settled, Varg wasn't amongst the living or dead.

"He can't run from me forever," Tor snarled as he shifted out of his wolf form. He was naked and covered in blood and gashes. "I have sent a group of wolves to try and pick up his trail. Without Vili to make him a portal, he's grounded in Midgard."

"We'll get him, Tor," Arne said, passing him a cloak to cover himself.

"We need to get home to our mates and tell them that it's over," Bayn said. His armor was scratched to hell from taking on a bear shifter, but other than that, he looked fine. Kian's golden armor was soaked in blood, and he had a feral grin on his face.

"I worry about you, bro," Layla said with a shake of her head.

"You worry about me? I wasn't the one who tracked down one of the old gods, yelled at him, and then provoked another old god to come to Midgard," Kian replied. He looked around at the astonished faces of the queens, Brök, Arne, and Tor. "You don't know? Layla, who you all think is such a sweet human, provoked two gods to a pissing match!"

"It worked, didn't it? We couldn't take Vili by ourselves. Only Havi could. You can all pout as much as you want, but I won't apologize," Layla stated and crossed her arms stubbornly. She squeaked as Arne gathered her up in his arms.

"And you don't think you're good enough to be my mate," he said with pure exasperation. He kissed all the arguments from her mouth.

When they finally pulled apart, Arne looked at her with the kind of love in his eyes that could change worlds. "You are so much more than I could have ever dreamed of, Layla Ironwood, but don't you dare provoke any more old gods."

Layla grinned and placed a quick feisty kiss to his lips. "You're not the boss of me, prince."

Arne's golden eyes heated in a way that promised retribution when they would be alone. Layla couldn't wait.

31

Layla lay back on the tattoo bed, relishing the sting of a sharp piece of carved reindeer bone being tapped into her skin. Every now and again, Layla would feel a spike of magic coming from the shamans. Arne hissed beside her as the ink shaman worked.

"What's the matter, my mate? Did they hit an ouchy bit?" Layla teased. Arne narrowed his eyes at her.

"It surprised me, that's all."

"Sure it did," she said. Both of the ink shamans working on them snickered but didn't stop working.

They had been in the chairs for hours, Layla deciding that she needed a tattoo in a hurry. In another hour, their entire family was going to arrive at Alruna's for a dinner to celebrate Arne and Layla's mating. She needed something to calm her ramped up nerves, and nothing made her calm like a fresh tattoo.

"Your mating mark is finished, my prince," the elf working on Arne announced, wiping off the excess blood and ink. Arne's eyes went soft as he looked from his mark to the one over Layla's heart.

"Don't get all mushy on me," she said, her heart beating faster like it always did when he smiled at her.

"I'll save it for later," he replied.

Layla's tattoo was of a twisting stylized tree done in a Viking knot style. It fit perfectly in the remaining space on her inner left arm. It seemed fitting that Arne and the elves were the missing piece. She had slotted easily in with them, feeling more comfortable every day that she lived amongst them. She still hadn't been home to Ireland to see her family, so her family was coming to her.

"It looks perfect," Arne commented a short while later, studying the tattoo as they walked to Alruna's house.

"I know, right? I thought it would hurt way more than that," Layla said excitedly, swinging their clasped hands, the post tattoo euphoria still riding her.

Arne twirled her, laughing at her enthusiasm. "Who would have thought pain and ink would make you smile so much." He spun her into him and kissed her. "You ready to do this?"

"No, but that's not going to stop our mothers from doing it," Layla said.

"Good point. Better we are there to make sure no one starts any fights," Arne replied.

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