Very Much Alive

havoc.

Baldur required nothing more than to be pierced through the heart with something crafted of mistletoe.

Loki, admittedly, was more difficult, with his ability to heal much faster than expected, his shapeshifting abilities, and most of all, his daughter, Hel.

But you'd think, after a millennium, Vali would have gotten it right. The boy's penchant for toying with his intended victims was becoming more and more of a liability.

Grimm sighed and stroked the stone heads of the paired ravens sitting on his desk. Now that all of the players were in place, it was possible he would be able to take both his prodigal son and bastard blood brother out in one fell swoop, ending forever their threat to his rule of the Aesir.

All it would take would be a judicious use of his special weapon, a little trickery, and a lot of fast- talking.

All of which he had in spades. He smiled grimly at the cases of weapons lining one wall of his office, part of his “collection” of antiquities. He got up, opened the case closest to the desk, and pulled out the long spear. It was perfectly preserved, the shaft solid and warm in his grasp, the head sharp and deadly. With a simple thought the spear lit up, flaring brightly.

After all, he was still Odin.

Chapter Two

Jordan Grey rolled her eyes at the passionate clinch the two people on the screen were in. Her secretary, on the other hand, sighed blissfully.

'I have waited so long for you, my darling.'

'And I you, my sweet.'

'If not for your husband we would be man and wife now.'

'I know, Vincente, I know!'

'Oh, Gloria!'

'Oh, Vincente!'

'Oh my stomach.” The snort of laughter from the red-haired man sitting on the couch was nearly drowned out by Jamie's outraged squawk. Jordan put her hands on her hips. “Didn't I tell you no more dubbed foreign soaps in the office?'

'It's a classic!” Jamie spun around in her chair and glared at her boss.

Jordan stared at the overly mustached, mullet-haired “hero'. He had the blonde, overly hair-sprayed heroine in a clinch that could only be deemed terrifying. It looked like they were licking each other's tongues. “It's nauseating.'

'It's sweet.'

'No. Roses are sweet. Chocolate is sweet. This is...” She squinted, staring in horrified disbelief at the office screen. “Are those gold lame briefs?” She shook her head. “That man is wearing gold lame briefs !'

Jamie spun around in her chair so fast Jordan's head spun. “Really?'

'Ew. You know he's old enough to be your father, right?'

'Not in this he's not. In this, Vincente is hot .” Jamie fanned her face, her expression wicked.

'Jamie. Gold lame briefs are. Not. Hot. Ever .'

'Speak for yourself.'

She pinched the bridge of her nose. “For the love of God, make it go away.'

'Actually, I think Vincente is pretty hot, too.'

Jordan glared at Jeff, who ducked behind the book he'd been reading. “And everyone knows what great taste in men you have.” She turned back to Jamie. “Turn it off.” She sighed when Jamie, with a pout, complied. “That's better.'

'God, you are such a bitch.” Jeff laughed, peeking over the book he'd been reading.

She smirked at him. “Takes a bitch to know a bitch, bitch.'

'Aw, c'mon, Jordan! The love scene was coming up. Pleeease?'

Jamie had her hands clasped in front of her, her very finest imitation of innocence plastered all over her face. Jordan looked at Jamie over the top of pretend glasses, deepening her voice to match that of her stepfather, and the twins’ father, Fred Grimm. “It is undignified for a grown woman to beg.'

'Like Dad doesn't make your mom beg every night.” Jeff smirked at Jordan's look of horror.

' Ew!” Her brother and sister laughed as she stuck her fingers in her ears, scrunched her eyes shut and started yelling, “Lalalalalala,” at the top of her lungs. She'd never do something like that with clients in the office, but it was lunchtime, so she knew the place was empty. Besides, who else could she cut loose with but the Wonder Twins?

Jordan opened her eyes, ready to laugh, startled when she saw Jamie shaking her head. She stopped mid-'la'. Jeff's mouth was hanging open in horrified amusement.

Oh, no. Clients. I look like an idiot in front of clients. Crap. Travis is gonna kill me.

Jordan turned and saw the two most gorgeous men she'd ever seen in her life standing in her doorway.

I look like an idiot in front of hot clients. Double-crap.

The dark-haired one was obviously laughing at her. The wickedest smile she'd ever seen rested on a pair of full, sensual lips. Dark eyes danced as she slowly removed her fingers from her ears. He had a small gold nose ring marring an otherwise perfect nose. He was a full head taller than her in her heeled boots, and half a head taller than his companion, with broad shoulders encased in black leather. Ripped, dark blue jeans encased muscular legs, leading down to a pair of black sneakers. Rich, dark red hair tumbled around his head, making him look like he'd just crawled out of bed.

Bad boy alert.

Jordan was a sucker for bad boys. She could feel the saliva pooling in her mouth as her gaze traveled back up his legs, pausing at the impressive package outlined by his jeans, to that wide chest and back to his face. She felt her cheeks heat as he stared back with a hot, knowing look.

Embarrassed to be caught staring like a lusty teenager, she turned her direction to his companion.

Oh. My. God.

The blond next to him was ... was ... words failed her at the other vision of ultimate hotness standing before her. Long, pale blond hair cascaded down to just brush his shoulders. Blue eyes the color of forget-me-nots were wide open as he obviously fought off a laugh. His upper lip formed a perfect cupid's bow, something that should have looked feminine. On him, it just made her want to lick to see if he tasted as good as he looked. His full lower lip trembled with his efforts not to laugh. He was broad shouldered and muscular under his black suede coat. He, too, wore blue jeans and black sneakers, but where on the redhead they played up his dangerous looks, on the blond it was like wrapping paper on a present. She just wanted to rip into it and see what was underneath.

Apart, they were incredible. Together, they were enough to stun the most jaded of feminine eyes. She had the urge to stamp her name across each of their foreheads before anyone else got a look at them.

Angel and demon, eh?

A brief vision of her between the two of them, light and dark, yin and yang, flashed through her mind.

She squished it before it could go too far and get her in trouble.

Make that double trouble. “Welcome to Guardian Investigations. Can I help you gentlemen?” She nearly sighed in relief at the professional, only slightly breathless tone she managed.

'We're here to see Jordan Grey.'

Jordan held back a shiver as the deep voice of the redhead washed over her. He had a slight accent that slurred his es's a little bit. “I'm Jordan Grey.'

The two men exchanged a look she couldn't decipher. “See? I told you she'd be perfect.'