that now flowed through his twin’s veins. The love on her face for Travis was obvious, as was Travis’s devotion to Jamie.
For a brief moment Travis’s whole body glowed, but the God of Justice got it under control before Jeff had to cover his eyes. “Let’s head out, then.”
He followed the pair out of Jordan, Logan and Kir's condo and headed toward his own. It was strange, really. Only a short time ago he’d been nothing more than one of the private investigators employed by Guardian Investigations.
His parents had been human—or so he thought—his family, normal. Then his grandfather, Oliver Grimm, had kidnapped his twin and tortured her and Jeff’s world had fallen apart at the seams. Lies and betrayals, myths and legends now filled his waking thoughts and his every dream. His father was Thor, God of Thunder and son of Odin. His grandfather was the psychotic ex-leader of the Norse gods, the Aesir and Vanir. His older brothers, his uncle Val, even his once sweet but flighty grandmother were
His older sister had fallen in love and married Loki, the baddest of the bad boys, and Baldur, a god who was supposed to be dead. She was now carrying a pair of twins fathered by both men. And his twin had gone and fallen in love with Tyr, God of Justice and Jeff’s boss, and they were off on a merry jaunt to free the world’s oldest laser hair removal candidate.
He was still trying to decide whether to laugh or scream. He was leaning toward both. Maybe then they’d give him some nice happy pills and he could check out of this ongoing nightmare. He’d snap back into reality where his grandmother wasn’t a super-bitch and his grandfather wasn’t a psychopath. He hadn’t touched anything apple since his last conversation with his grandmother, who’d made it clear that he was no longer welcome in her home since he’d accepted Jordan’s relationship with Logan.
Jamie waved her hand and the front door of his brand new condo opened.
He still couldn’t believe he was living in a million-dollar-plus condo in the heart of Rittenhouse Square. He’d been able to make the rent on his last place, but only barely. Now he had a place people would kill for, rent-free. Jamie giggled as the door stopped just short of slamming into his wall. “I didn’t hit the wall!”
“Good girl.” Travis leaned down and kissed Jamie’s neck, earning another giggle.
“Good God.” Jeff shook his head. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that.”
“It’s easy.” Jamie waggled her fingers at him. “Wanna try?”
He shuddered. Just the thought of having magic woo-woo powers freaked him out. He was much more of a hand’s-on type. Hell, when he played World of Warcraft he always went for the paladin, warrior or death knight, never the mage or warlock. He’d much rather beat the bad guy with a huge metal stick than throw fireballs. “No thanks. One of us needs to stay sane.”
She stuck her tongue out at him and sauntered out, very much in charge of her little world. Jeff met Travis’s amused eyes and followed his boss out, locking the door behind him. Before he pocketed the key he stared at it, the wolf’s head gleaming in the hallway light. For just a second, he felt as if the wolf winked at him.
Jeff pocketed the key and ran after his twin, eager to end this once and for all. If they were right, freeing Fenris would be the start of something that had been coming for a long time, something he’d never thought he’d wish for so vehemently.
Movement. Sound where there shouldn’t be sound. Fenris lifted his head as best he could and stared at the mouth of the cave. Save for seagulls and crabs he hadn’t had a visitor in quite some time.
Mayhap, finally, his father had found the one to free him. He prayed for the day when a stranger would walk in and utter the words his father had taught him, changing the Norse he’d grown up with to match the modern Norwegian language. He couldn’t remember the last time his father had been to his lonely prison, but Loki had promised him that soon, soon he would be free.
If Odin entered the cave, then only pain would be his lot this day. Odin’s visits were few and far between, but Fen had learned that when Odin came, Fen had a truly bad time. However long Odin chose to stay, the results were the same—more agony than Fen had once thought it possible to survive. As near as Fen could tell Odin would stay for days before his need to inflict pain was spent.
Time tended to blend when you were chained alone in a dark cave.
Pain was his companion every day, but Fen had almost grown used to the agony of the sword through his jaws. Barely able to eat, only the water dripping from the cave walls easing his thirst, if he hadn’t been born of Loki he’d have been long since dead. But he healed over and over and over again, his body trying to repair the damage the sword and bindings and unending hunger did to him every day.
Fen wished he could place his betrayers in his place. Let them feel the icy burn of the sword, the unending pressure-pain of Gleipnir around their limbs.
“We’re here.”
Fen growled. He recognized that most hated of voices. Perhaps he’d come to lose another hand?
“Wow. It stinks in here.”
A light, female voice with a touch of power behind it. Fen cringed. Had his foster-father brought a witch? To what purpose?
“Jayzus, Travis. You sure know the great vacation spots, doncha?”
Everything in Fen stilled. That voice… Something about that voice made body parts throb that hadn’t in centuries. But oh, it was such a
Three figures stepped into the cave. One was all too recognizable, the powerful light surrounding him doing nothing to hide his warrior’s build. One was a slender female with flaming, curly hair and a glow similar to Tyr’s.
Another Vanir then, one of the
But the third figure did not glow. He was all human.
All delicious.
Fen kept his gaze locked on Tyr, but all of his senses were focused on the flame-haired man who approached him, hands at his sides, palms open to show he held no weapon.
“Jeff? What are you doing?”
Fen knew the words. His father had spoken to him in English often enough for Fen to ken their meaning. Even Odin had taken to English when visiting Fen in his cage. Jeff must be the flame-haired man’s name.
Gods, he smelled
The man smiled, and Fen felt his heart lurch. “
Fen whined. Did the man just say what he thought he did? Fen tilted his head, ignoring the pain any movement inflicted on his jaws, and sniffed the man once more. If he could have grinned he would have. Yes. Yes, he did, and Fen was going to hold him to it. His father had done it, done the impossible.
He’d found Fen’s mate, and soon Fen would be free.
Tyr choked, and the man lowered his arms. Fen allowed him close, listening to the mutters and curses that flew from his mate’s mouth. “He’s got sores all over him, Travis.” His mate sounded angry, his hands moving over the bindings with a confidence that pleased Fen. Fen whimpered, the best he could do with the sword through his jaws. His healing ability constantly dealt with the damage inflicted every second by that sword. The sores were a result, his body unable to cope with even minor infections. Still he lived, though at times he had wished it weren’t so.
No longer. His mate had come, and Fen would follow him to Helheim itself if he so desired. He longed to lick Jeff, taste his skin, see if he was as delicious as he smelled. It soothed Fen, that scent, made the agony bearable.
“Travis, we have to get the sword out.”
Travis must be the name Tyr went by in the human world. Loki had told him all about moving among humans as one of them. His father had even taken a human name—Logan Saeter. His lover, Baldur, had slid into the name Kiran Tate, and together they’d made a life for themselves.
Fen didn’t resent them. He should, but he didn’t. His father had cried over his bound form too many times for Fen not to know how much his imprisonment hurt him. Even Baldur had shed a tear or two for him, but not even the
