Howl for Me

The crags are sundered, the giant-women sink,
The dead throng Hel-way, and heaven is cloven.”

“That sounds lovely.” Jordan grimaced. “Zombies throng Center City.

Corporations notice no differences in productivity. Film at eleven.”

“Now comes to Hlin yet another hurt,
When Othin fares to fight with the wolf,
And Beli’s fair slayer seeks out Surt,
For there must fall the joy of Frigg.”

“The Joy of Frigg? Does that frigid bitch believe in joy?” Jeanne shook her head. “So Odin falls to the wolf?”

“That seems to be pretty consistent.” Jordan pointed. “But take a look:

“Then comes Sigfather’s mighty son,
Vithar, to fight with the foaming wolf;
In the giant’s son does he thrust his sword
Full to the heart: his father is avenged.”

“Meaning Fenris kills Odin, but dies by Uncle Val’s hand.” Jamie shook her head. “We’re all hoping that one’s wrong.”

Hell, Jeff was more than hoping. He was planning. After all, the Eddas didn’t say which wolf would kill Odin, did they? None of the translations specifically mentioned Fenris. Now that there was more than one giant wolf carrying Loki’s blood, thanks to his mating with Fen, there was a possibility Jeff could carry out the deed.

If anyone died while killing Odin it was going to be him. Fen had suffered enough at his grandfather’s hands, thank you.

“Hither there comes the son of Hlothyn,
The bright snake gapes to heaven above;
Against the serpent goes Othin’s son.”

Jeanne gasped. “Is this…?”

Jeff nodded. “Yeah. Everyone thought the serpent was Jormungandr.”

“But serpent has more than one meaning, doesn’t it?” Jamie frowned thoughtfully. “Sometimes it means betrayer.”

“If anyone has betrayed this family it’s the Old Man.” Jeff ran his hand through his hair and frowned at the feel of it. “What the hell?”

“You didn’t know?” Jordan ran her hand down his back. It met his hair the entire way down until she was almost at his ass. “Love the rock glam look on you, bro.”

“Shit.” No, he hadn’t noticed his waist-length hair. How the hell had he missed that?

“Language, Jeff.”

“Sorry.”

Jeanne read the next stanza.

“In anger smites the warder of earth,
Forth from their homes must all men flee;
Nine paces fares the son of Fjorgyn,
And, slain by the serpent, fearless he sinks.”

“Dad.” Jamie sniffed, close to tears.

Jeff finished it for them. Jeanne had taken Jamie in her arms and the two women looked ready to start crying.

Jeff couldn’t cry. Not yet. Not until Odin was dead.

“The sun turns black, earth sinks in the sea,
The hot stars down from heaven are whirled;
Fierce grows the steam and the life-feeding flame,
Till fire leaps high about heaven itself.”

There was silence as he finished. “The rest is all about the happy times as Baldur rules over heaven on earth. Wine, women, song, all that happy crap.” He stood and stretched his sore muscles.

A finger reached out and tapped the screen. “And then a dragon flies overhead with the bodies of the dead strapped to its back.”

Jeff stared at his sister. Jamie pulled free of their mother and went back to the pizza box. Her hand hovered over the extra pepperoni, but then suddenly grabbed a slice of olive and pineapple, moaning happily as she bit into it. “Huh.

That would qualify.”

“As what?” Jeanne shut the website down and picked up her own slice of pizza. “And don’t talk with your mouth full.”

He grinned at his mother. “The weirdest thing I’ve seen today.” He wasn’t talking about the dragon, either. Jamie hated olives, especially on her pizza.

Could Jamie be pregnant?

Jeanne’s brows rose, but not much could disguise the tear tracks on her cheeks or the grief in her eyes. “Only today?”

He pointed toward the front door. “Have you met your sons-in-law?”

Her head tilted as she thought about that. “Good point.”

“He’s going to do something stupid.” Fen stared at the front door of his father’s condo. Every one of his instincts said Jeffrey Grimm was going to go hunting his father’s killer. The look on his mate’s face as he’d dressed for his meeting with his family had been fierce, determined.

Fen was terrified.

Logan snorted. “That’s like saying he’s going to drool over Vincente.”

“Five will get you ten they’re sitting there, going over the prophecy.” Travis was pacing, a sure sign of his own agitation. If Jeff was going off half-cocked odds were good Jamie would be right behind him, with Jordan not too far off.