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Regret flickeredacross Lexi’s face before it was abruptly squashed. “Part of Timo’s deal isthat he live in a stable family situation for the next four years. Even if Iswitched over to Quests or Treasure Retrieval, I wouldn’t be guaranteed regularhours or that I’d make it back to the Earthly Plane every night.”
“Bummer.” Shawtotally shared that feeling of loss that radiated from Lexi. Time to change thesubject. “How goes the arts and crafts?” Lexi was all Valkyrie, but a smallmeasure of Fury vengeance lit her blood, creating one powder keg aggressivewarrior woman if she didn’t keep a tight lid on her anger.
After walking awayfrom the battlefields, Lexi had fought hard to keep her temper… and her griefunder control. Her attempts to find peace, or just remain on an even emotionalkeel were legendary. She’d tried yoga, meditation, tai-chi, and even salsadancing.
In the end it wasa little old lady at a bus stop who taken the time to show an angry, all butfrothing at the mouth muscular woman with sleeve tats, how easy it was to caston a knitting needle that had perhaps saved Lexi’s life. Now she knitted,crocheted and quilted to control her inner demons.
By all accounts itworked. More astonishing for Lexi was to discover she had a real talent for it.Shaw should know, she had a beyond gorgeous throw on one of her sofas that wasjust divine, courtesy of Lexi.
“I’ve almostfinished this afghan snood that’s kind of awesome. What about you? What bringsyou and the Demon hottie here tonight?”
Lexi didn’t miss atrick. Of course she’d noticed Kaleb tagging along in Shaw’s wake. And itwasn’t like Lexi didn’t have two eyes in her head, Kaleb was clearly a hottie.Shaw snuck a quick glance back to see what mischief he was up to, perhapschatting up some young naïve thing. Not that there were many naïve Valkyries,but there were plenty with healthy libidos who’d like to hook up with ahandsome built Demon for a boink or two.
Crap, she’d lostsight of him. No, Shaw caught a glimpse of him out on the packed dancefloor ofall places, jumping up and down with the same enthusiasm displayed by herbrethren. Even pumping his fist in the air at the appropriate moments andwoo-hooing. He was an idiot… and yet, she couldn’t help smile, there was justsomething about the damn Demon that had her considering not killing him. Wow.
“Do you want me toget the word out?”
“Huh?” She turnedback to Lexi.
“The hands off,he’s Shaw’s property?”
“That Demon is notmine.”
“Sure.” But Lexi’stone clearly betrayed her disbelief. “So, if I was to mention that Penna iscircling him with the intent to drag him out to the beer garden in order tobang his Demon brains out, you’d have no issue with that?”
Shaw had taken twosteps towards the dance floor before she re-called the seriously gorgeous,seriously sexually voracious Penna, was currently storming a fortress on theKoilpoli Plane, along with five hundred of their sister Valkyries. “Hah, veryfunny.” Shaw moved back to the bar. “It’s not like that, me and the Demon, wehave a contract.”
“There are sexcontracts now? Cool. What’s your safe word? Fluffy kittens?”
“No, we have adeal, an exchange of services contract. He has a Hunting Party of Gxthians onhis trail, and I need help with all this corporate crap Stephanie has deemedcritically important. Speaking of which, do you know where I can find Janca,Bethree, Lola or Mea?”
“Janca’s two weeksinto a six month campaign. Bethree is on a quest for some magical donkey statuethat farts magic when you rub its belly. Lola’s knee deep in Wrekeral guts onSix Geil. Lastly, Mea’s playing squad leader to a bunch of newbies on theirfirst assignment.”
“Damn.”
“Why? What’s up?”
“I need to thefill the Head of Valkyrie Resources position.”
“And you thought oneof them would be appropriate? How many ales have you had? I’ve never heardJanca string more than six words together.”
“She’s direct.Doesn’t believe in wasting time. Any meetings we have would be super brief.”
“But it’s alwaysthe same six words.Out of my way, scumbag.” Lexi made a thrustingdagger gesture with her arm. “Next?And Bethree? You heard she’s knownas the Grudgebearer? With that little black book, always jotting down slightsagainst her, real and imagined. Heard she put Nala in there for bleeding on herboots when Nala almost lost her arm three years ago.”
“Exactly. Bethreeknows everyone. That’s got to be a good thing for the Head of ValkyrieResources, right?”
“Probably. But Ialso heard Bethree has like four pages of grudges featuring your name. Whichbrings us to Lola. What are you thinking? She has narcolepsy.”
“So? She’ll be toobusy sleeping to drag meetings out, perfect.”
“No, because she’strained herself to sleep fight. Everyone knows to stay at least ten feet awayfrom her when she goes into snooze mode. And Mea? You really want thatheadache?”
“What? I heardshe’s always in VR complaining about something or other.”
“Because she’sanal about the rules being broken.”
“At least sheknows the rules.”
