Page 61 of Valkyrie Confused

I pat the mattress. “We will let you rest. Just stay a while. Let us all bask in the afterglow.” Is she having second thoughts about what we did? I don’t want to entertain the idea, but if that’s the case, I’ll do whatever it takes to convince her this is right—and needs to be repeated as often as possible.

At least Arnlaug isn’t freaking out.

“I need to shower,” she says.

“I’ll magic you clean,” I offer. “But not now. I love smelling us on you.”

Arnlaug waggles his eyebrows, his eyes glimmering with mirth. “I’ll lick you clean.”

She huffs and drops down between us, giggling when we roll to our sides to wrap our arms around her. “Okay, but if I get a UTI, I’m coming after you both, so you know.”

Wouldn’t wanna risk that, so I magic us all squeaky clean and tuck her into my side, Arnlaug’s legs tangled with hers and his arm across both our bodies.

The room smells of us all, as I drift off.

The alarm I’ve set at 7:30 A.M. to prepare for breakfast service wakes me up way too soon.Shit.Scarlett missed her morning writing session. She’s not going to be happy about it.

We’ll find a way to make her happy. Icouldjust magic breakfast ready, which would give us another couple hours to play.

Arnlaug is standing by the foot of the bed, arms crossed and brow furrowed. What now? Is he bolting? I’m going to bitch slap him if he tells me we shouldn’t have slept with Scarlett.

“I need you to take me to NEON. Now.” As an afterthought, he adds, “Please.”

Okay. I didn’t seethatcoming. “We have wine here,” I hedge.

“I don’t want to drink.”

Scarlett is still asleep. I hate leaving her here alone, but I also don’t want to wake her.

“We’ll need to be back soon,” I tell Arnlaug.

“Yes, yes. You’ll be back in time for your quiches.”

I climb out of bed and think some clothes on. “I don’t serve quiches foreverymeal,” I say with an eyeroll.

His response is an annoyed sigh.

“You know what we did was right.” I approach him gingerly. “It felt right, didn’t it?”

He nods but won’t meet my gaze. He still seems ready to flee.

“Don’t second guess yourself.” I take his hand, and relief floods me when he tangles our fingers together.

“I have to.” But he gives me a peck on the lips.

I’m still worried, as the door to NEON materializes in front of us. It’s around midnight in Chicago, so we enter an entirely different scene than last time, with crowds of people swaying to music too loud for my ears.

“Now what?” I yell, for Arnlaug to hear me.

“We find Fenrir.”

I spot a couple huge guys, but the one heading our way with a scowl isn’t Fen; it’s Starkad.

I smile. I like Starkad. He’s a growly shifter, like Arnlaug, and I do well with that type.

Arnlaug doesn’t. He drops his shoulders and widens his stance, ready for a fight.

I squeeze his hand. “Remember, this is a no-fighting zone.”

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