by Renee Jordan
What I hadn't expected were all the women. There were over a dozen of them, ranging from as young as eighteen to as old as fifty. Most were towards the young end, wearing tight clothing, their hair dyed and cut in strange styles. They looked tough and sexy all at the same time, piercings studding eyebrows and lips, tattoos covering arms or the slopes of their breasts.
They all turned to look at me. I felt so...plain. I didn't have anything more than a single piercing on each ear. These were the bikers' women, their ol' ladies. Magnus always talked about them as weak-willed women.
I had no idea why they glared at me.
“Bar's closed,” the old man said. “Special event.”
“I, um, I need to speak to Magnus,” I said.
A woman, stout and older, stood and marched to me, her impressive set of breasts held up by a black corset. She had a big heart tattooed on the inner slope of her right breast with the name Big Hoss written in the middle.
“So, you're the little thang that has Magnus all wrapped up?” she demanded.
A few of the younger women, all slutted out, gave me jealous looks.
“Yeah,” I said, annoyed by her tone. “And I'm here to speak with him, so out of my way.”
“Listen, little miss thang,” the stout woman said, planting a finger hard between my breasts.
I arched an eyebrow and stared down at her. I was the tallest woman in the room. I was a Valkyrie. I would not be called little miss thang. “It's Raven.”
The woman was not impressed. “Little miss thang, the boys are in church. They do not want to be disturbed. So you can plant your pretty little ass on a bar stool and wait for them to finish.” She poked me again with her hard finger. “You don't need to worry your pretty, little head about nothin', miss thang. Your man will take care of business.”
I grabbed her finger and pulled it away from my chest. “You poke me again, and you'll regret it.”
The other women oohed and aahed.
The woman balled up her fist and took a swing at me. My feet slipped into the stance Magnus taught me as I twisted and dodged her attack. I had fought monsters and had the scars to prove it. I could take this woman. Her second attack came on the heels of the first.
“Kick the skank's ass, Madge,” a woman shouted.
I caught Madge's arm and twisted. She gasped in shock. I doubt she thought I was stronger than her. I may be tall, but I didn't have a muscular build. But being a Valkyrie had its advantages. I twisted her around and pushed her against the bar.
“The name is Raven,” I hissed in her ear as I twisted her arm. “Okay.”
“Sure,” she groaned in pain. “You can let go, Raven.”
“You're not going to take a swing at me when I do?” I demanded.
She twisted her head around and flashed me a smile over her shoulder. “Naw, you got spunk. I can see why Magnus is wrapped up in you.”
I let go of Madge's arm and stepped back. She rubbed at her shoulder and gave me an appraising look. “You look like some soft city slut, but you got backbone.”
“Oh, I was raised in the country,” I winked at her. My eyes scanned around the bar. There was a door with a sign that read: “Wolf's Den.” I pointed at it. “Magnus in there?”
“Yeah, but he will not be happy if you go bargin' in there?”
“It's important,” I shrugged.
Madge seized my wrist and pulled me back. “Girl, nothin' is more important right now than what those boys decide in there. It's a war. Do you understand that? Those pigeons gone and crapped on us, and the boys are decidin' how to strike back.”
“This is more important than the silly rivalry.”
Every woman in the bar shook their heads.
“You don't get it, girl,” Madge sighed. “The club is their life. It's important. It's our family. Right now, you need to support your man, not make things worse with what ever silly thing has your panties twisted into a wad.”
“Trust me, this isn't some silly thing.”
“Fine. You need to learn the hard way.” She let go of my hand. “But you need to understand, the club is more important to Magnus than you are. He just met you. I know you're all in love and you think the world revolves around the pair of you, but it don't. You're about to get reality knocked into that pretty, little head, Raven, if you go bargin' in there and interrupt their business.”
How could Magnus's little club be more important than our love?
No, it wasn't. Magnus and I had been through a lot in our first week. We had fought and bled together. We had a powerful love. This woman had no idea what she was talking about.
I marched across the bar. I could feel all the women's eyes on me. My back set as I gripped the doorknob and ripped it open.
Chapter Six
Magnus
“Okay, if we come down here,” I said, tapping the map we had spread across the table, “hauling ass, we can make it to the brothel in six minutes. I'll take the boys for the ambush down this spur here, stash our bikes, and get set up.”
“We should leave someone down here to act as a scout,” Thomas said, tapping the base of the road that led up to the brothel. “In a civilian car. Park 'em on the side of the road. He can radio up when the Blood Eagles come.”
“I like it,” Big Hoss nodded.
I glanced around the table. “Vince, that's you.”
Vince's face fell.
“Big Hoss, you pick two and handle torching the brothel,” I continued. “Make sure you get everyone out. We'll really have a lot of heat burning our asses if we kill some local politician who was getting his dick wet.”
“I'll treat them like they were fine china,” Big Hoss nodded.
“Okay, that leaves—”
The clubhouse door opened and Raven stepped into the room. I blinked in surprise. Why was she here? The club fell silent for a moment as Raven's eyes swept around the table to find me at the head. “Magnus, I...”
“What the fuck are you doing in here?” snarled Thomas. He rose. “This is a private meeting.”
“I just need to talk to Magnus,” Raven said without flinching. She folded her arms beneath her breasts and gave Thomas a defiant stare. “So sit your butt back down and don't glower at me.”
I groaned.
“Raven,” I said, moving to her. “We'll talk later.”
“No, this is important.” Her face was hard and beautiful. “Real important, okay.”
“Get your ol' lady packing,” Thomas said.
“You have to leave, Raven,” I told her, my voice firm.
“No. This is important. I spoke to...Owen.”
Odin. “That doesn't matter right now. I have club business to deal with. I'll talk to you when we're through.”
“You'll talk to me right now,” she snapped. “This is more important than your silly club.”
The room went silent. Chairs scraped as the entire club stood.
“Silly?” I demanded as I seized her arm. How could she think that? Didn't she understand who I was? What the club meant to me? They were my brothers? We were attacked today. How could she not understand that? My hand tightened on her arm. “You were there. You could have been killed. This is anything but silly, Raven.”
“Let go of me, Magnus,” she hissed.
I pushed her out the open door. “We will talk later,” I snarled before slamming the door shut.
Raven kicked the door.
Anger seethed in me. All my brothers fixed hard eyes on me. “You better have words with your bitch—”
I cut the rest of Vince's words off when my fist smashed into his face. He crashed back into Thomas. “I will have words with Raven later, but if any of you want to insult my woman, then I will make you bleed.”
“Sorry, Magnus,” groaned Vince as he rubbed at his cheek.
“She's not part of the lifestyle. She doesn't understand.” I sat back down at the head of the table. “Let's finish planning this.”
I glanced at the door. What did Odin
say to Raven? Did it involve whatever happened to the sun this afternoon? My fists were clenched.
Silly club.
Those words echoed in my head. I had fought and bled for her. I died for her, and she called this silly? What was wrong with her? I ground my teeth as Thomas assigned spots on the ambush with input from Jim. The pair were both vets. They had fought and bled.
Damn Raven. I couldn't focus on the plan. My thoughts were all twisted up with her. Her silly club comment was wrapped around the question of what Odin told her. Why did that god have to show up today of all days?
Our plan was too important for me to be distracted by Odin and the strange eclipse. My club had been attacked. Odin's mission could wait. We were hitting the Blood Eagles back hard tonight. It was time to wipe out their damn club. Then I could worry about Odin and the sun.
“You okay,” Big Hoss whispered as the rest of the club listened to Jim and Thomas.
“Fine,” I growled.
A smile crossed his lips. “She's got fire.”
“Yes, she does,” I agreed.
“She's going to burn you.”
“She already has.” I smiled, the anger vanished for a moment. My Valkyrie. She would have taken on the whole club if I hadn't shoved her out the door. What a woman.
Just, why did she have to be so strong right now? I couldn't be weak in front of the club. Not in a crisis. If they lost their confidence in me, Thomas could end up President. I wasn't about to lose all I had worked for for the last few years.
~ ~ ~
Raven
The door slammed in front of me.
I kicked the damned door. What was wrong with Magnus? Didn't he understand how important this was? Odin showed up. We were his slaves. I hated that word, but it was the truth. He had given us a mission, and we needed to do it.
Or there would be consequences.
And he was too busy with his silly war. The Blood Eagles didn't matter. His club didn't matter.
I let out a frustrated screech and whirled around. All the barflies and ol' ladies fixed smirks on me, nodding their heads in gleeful delight at my humiliation. I wanted to claw out all their staring eyes. Especially Madge's. She was already walking up to me, fake, motherly concern in her smile.
“See, Raven, I told you,” Madge smiled.
I ground my teeth. “Yes, you did.”
I stalked past her, heading for the doors. I had no idea what I should do. Should I go after the Sun's Tear on my own or wait on Magnus? I wanted to wait on Magnus. I wanted him to go with me. I wanted him to show me I was more important than his club.
But the sun also needed to be healed. I shivered as I crashed through the bar's door and stepped outside onto the gravel covering the parking lot. The sun sank towards the horizon. It would be twilight in a few hours.
The soft warmth of Sun's Tear shone on my skin from off beyond Maple Valley. I could find it on my own. How difficult could it be?
I marched to the truck.
“Hello, Raven,” a suave voice greeted.
I froze and turned. Loki strolled up to me. He cut an impressive figure in his hand-tailored, Italian suit. The gray silk was cut to show off his strong physique. And the smile crossing his handsome face was full of confidence.
I hated the way my body reacted. He was a gorgeous man, as strong and powerful as Magnus, but cultured and refined, not the rough diamond that was my biker Einherjer. Loki's green eyes seemed to strip me naked as he stopped before me.
My nipples hardened. Why didn't I wear a bra? I wanted to cover myself, but I didn't want to show Loki he affected me.
His smile grew broader as his eyes lingered on my breasts. He knew how he affected me.
“Why are you here?” I demanded. I needed to remember that his smile was a lie. By his own admission, he was an honest liar. A hero and a villain. He was not a man to be trusted. That was the real difference between Loki and Magnus.
They may both be gorgeous men that made my body burn with excitement, but there was only one of them I could trust with my heart.
It was a shame he was too busy with his silly club to help me. I ground my teeth.
“Has your wolf angered you?” Loki asked.
“That is none of your business,” I snapped.
His smile was so confident and cocky. I wanted to slap it off of him.
Or kiss it away.
“So, he angered you.” Loki shook his head. “Is his club more important than you? What a fool.”
The words stung. I should be more important to Magnus than his club. He was more important to me than Odin, Baldur's killer, the Thief, and the Sun's Tear. I clenched my fist and kept my eyes steely on Loki.
“Why are you here, Loki?” I repeated. “Are you here to help me?”
“Didn't my help aide you last time?” Loki asked. “I even returned your little wolf's bike. It must have worked because here you stand, safe and sound in Midgard.”
“Fine, you helped me,” I said. “This time. But, as you admitted, you're a liar, a trickster.”
“A hero and a villain. I have been so many things. Lover, husband, cheater, comforter, killer, thief, liar, seer. I have told truths that made men weep and said lies that made men laugh. I flatter with truth's deception.”
“See,” I said. “I do not understand you. Why do you keep saying those things? It won't make me trust you.”
“I told you why.”
Loki's teeth were so white. My face flushed as he took another step closer. “You think I want to solve you.”
“Don't you?” He leaned even closer. His eyes were a deep emerald. I could just drown in them. “Why else is your heart thudding so hard. You want to trust me. You want to understand me. You want to know why I fluster you.”
I did. What power did this man have over me? Could I trust him? Was he my enemy or my friend? He was right about Odin. Once again, Odin didn't tell me about the prophecy. The one-eyed god even admitted he had other servants, and yet it was me, his newest Valkyrie, he turned to for this task.
“You look cold,” Loki said. “Odin's stolen some of your fire.”
“What?” I frowned.
“The spark that burns inside of you. He's stolen a piece of it. The world seems cold to you.”
“No, I felt the cold not long after Sol was swallowed by Skoll,” I answered, rubbing at my goosebump-covered arms. “That's why I have to find her Tear and restore it.”
“Is that what he told you?” Loki asked, raising an eyebrow. “Because Odin is as honest as I am, right?”
My cheeks flushed. “I guess...he's not.”
“Your fire comes from Odin. That was the pact your ancestor made. Servitude in exchange for the fire, for the power to restore the man she loved back to life. She's been his slave ever since. Her and all her descendants.
“But Odin can take back his gift. That's how he keeps his Valkyrie in line.” Loki paused. “Has he threatened you?”
My blood grew chillier. “Yes. After the Fenrir attack. He told me...he would discard me if he had to.”
“He would steal your fire. And what does your fire sustain?”
“Magnus?” My voice was hoarse.
“You are a bright girl, Raven.” Loki's hand caressed my cheek. His touch was so warm. My skin drank it in. Heat rushed through me. The goosebumps vanished from my arms. The chill that had seeped into my bones was driven back. “Odin has underestimated your intelligence. You have seen past his lies and understood who he really is.”
“A petty tyrant,” I whispered. “A slave master.”
“Exactly.”
“But it doesn't matter. Not if he can take my fire and let Magnus die. I have to get the Sun's Tear back and restore Sol's life.”
“He hasn't told you the prophecy either, has he?”
“No. He just mentioned I was special.”
Loki shook his head. “Odin always hoarded knowledge like a miser with his coins, too scared to let even a single coin escape his greedy grasp. That wa
s why he has his little pets watching and observing.”
“Is Muninn and Huninn watching us?”
“Yes,” Loki answered, his eyes flicking up at the perching ravens, “but they only see you stewing, leaning against the truck.”
“How?” I asked.
“I'm a liar,” Loki laughed. “Who do you think covered up Odin's mess in Seattle? I thought the tornadoes worked perfectly.”
“You work with Odin?”
“Of course. I am one of the Aesir. But I am tired of his petty tyranny. You have him pegged.”
A pleased flush ran through me.
“What is the prophecy?” I asked.
“It was made a long time ago by the Volva. The prophecy was originally in Old Norse, so excuse the poor translation. It loses some of its...poetry:
“Wolf-orphaned daughter
Hair black as night
Odin's sword of fire
Sol shall cry
A tear of purity
A weapon of power
The hope of the Gods
Or cause of their Doom
What shall she choose?
“Wolf-orphaned daughter
Hair black as night
Sacrifices her fire
To restore Odin's might
Or shall selfish love
take hold in her heart
and thrust the tear
and blind Odin's eye.
“Wolf-orphaned daughter
Hair black as night
To restore Sol's life
Death must be paid
The Valkyrie's heart
Slain once again
Or will she choose
to save her love
and slay her Master?”
I blinked when he finished reciting that. “It sounds like...only I can grab the Sun's Tear?”
Loki nodded.
“And...I have to make a choice. To restore Sol's life by...killing the...” My eyes widened. “No.”
“To restore the Sun's Tear, you will need to sacrifice your fire,” Loki told me. “And then...”
“Magnus dies.” I trembled. “And if I don't find the Sun's Tear, Odin will steal my fire from me anyways.” Tears filled my eyes.
“I am sorry.” Loki's voice was so tender. His finger brushed away a falling tear.