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“True.” Adisturbing twinkle suddenly appeared in the Valkyrie’s gorgeous light greeneyes. “Hey, if you die, I can’t possibly be expected to complete thisparticular item on Stephanie’s Goddess awful to-do list, can I?” The Valkyriegrabbed a piece of paper from her back pocket, unfolding it, frowning,muttering under her breath. “Let’s see. Organise stupid baby shower. GetGalen’s mother on board. Ugh, and his sisters. Sign up some Deity clients.Sure, yeah, I’ll just gate crash Olympus. Meet with the new meat supplier. Oh,and by Freyja’s Sword, find two new Heads of Departments. It’s official, I hatemy life, but I hate my boss more.”
Spinning aroundthe Valkyrie began to make a beeline for the window, which Kaleb could onlyassume she’d entered through. Again, he questioned the ethics and capabilitiesof his security team. Was it just one traitor amongst them, or were they alltainted by the same brush? “Hey. You can’t just leave me like this. An entireGxthian Hunting Party is trying to break in here right about now.”
“That’s so, notmy-” A glimmering haze appeared in the air right in front of the Valkyrie. TwoGxthians, tall and muscular, looking deadly and imposing in their all leatherbiker outfits and helmets appeared suddenly out of thin air.
Fuck, Kalebloathed his life, watching as the first Demon attempted to hip check theValkyrie out of his way. Only to be sent staggering slightly off course as shestood firm. The assassin stumbling, trying to regain his balance as he made arun at Kaleb.
It appeared theValkyrie despised rudeness, because in a blink of an eye she’d produced agleaming sharp edged halberd and was swinging it expertly through the air,decapitating the second Demon who had also attempted to ram her out of the way.Absently catching his head by the chin strap, sending it flying back throughthe Portal, which snapped out of existence instantly. It hadn’t been built fortwo way traffic.
Before Kaleb coulddo anything more than blink, the first Gxthian, still off balance, managed tostagger up to him, laser blade raised. Kaleb moving quickly into thewould-be-assassin’s personal space, slamming his knife into its chest. Whichwas kind of stupid for two reasons. One, the Gxthian’s two hearts moved aroundtheir bodies constantly and two, the leather jacket this guy was wearing musthave had some Kevlar in it, as four inches snapped off from the tip of thedagger.
Fuck. Kaleb’sinstincts screaming at him to duck, so he did, thinking he was avoiding theGxthian’s crackling laser sword but only to feel, more than see, it was that quick,the Valkyrie perform a casual back swing with her suddenly extended halberd.
The helmeted headof his attacker smacking down hard enough on the edge of Kaleb’s desk to leavea dent before hitting the carpet to roll away, spraying dark grey blood everywhere.His cleaning crew were going to be pissed.
Heart racing,Kaleb spent a moment trying to catch his breath, wondering why the bloodydrinks cabinet was situated at the far end of the room. That just reeked of badfeng shui in the light of today’s events. His prayer of thanks to Lucifer cutshort at the sight of the Valkyrie swinging one of those magnificently longlegs of hers over the window sill.
“Wait. Don’t go. Ineed you to protect me.” The casual scowling glare the Valkyrie gifted him withwould have shrivelled the manhood of a lesser Demon, but Kaleb was desperate.“I’ll pay you.” Who wasn’t motivated by money? Clearly the Valkyrie, as sheducked, easing herself outside on to the ledge.
Kaleb’s next stepshould have been an obvious one. Alert both his security team and his politicaladvisors that there had been attack. Except the whole flaming bunch of themwere probably in on it. Which is how Kaleb found himself out the window,following the Valkyrie, as she clambered down six storeys to the carpark belowusing drain pipes and decorative brickwork for hand holds.
Reaching theground Kaleb watched her stalk off towards the visitor’s carpark around therear of the building without so much as a backwards glance in his direction.Damn, she was a cool one.
Okay, so it wasofficial, he was on his own, where should he go? Somewhere safe. Somewhere noone would think to look for him. Wherever that was, Kaleb needed to get therefast, before the Gxthian assholes powered up another Portal. Thankfully he hadhis car keys in his pocket and his midnight navy Bentley parked a mere fifteenfeet away in a reserved space.
Given hisoccupation, it went without saying that Kaleb had splurged on the bullet proofchassis, tyres and window package. Rejected parents, he had found historically,could be quite vengeful and the gun laws were so woefully inadequate on theEarthly Plane, it was sinful. Just one of the many reasons he, and a multitudeof his fellow Conflict Demons, chose to live and work here. All that tasty conflict.
Pity there hadn’tbeen a bomb proof option, Kaleb mused, as he hit the button to unlock the carand promptly found himself flying backwards through the air. A wave of heatscorching his face, and singeing both his eyebrows and white linen handmadeshirt. Large pieces of heavy metal raining down. The smell of burning rubberand leather tainting the air.
Grrr, he beyondloathed his life right at the moment, as he smacked up hard against theadministration office building. Thumping the back of his head hard enough tosee stars, winded momentarily. A stream of curse words falling from his mouthonce he was capable of taking a breath.
Now what? As if inanswer to his prayer, a throaty engine growled, the Valkyrie driving by in avintage top down convertible black mustang. Expertly manoeuvring around flamingbits of burning Bentley.
Yes. Thank theLord Lucifer Below.
“Get out.” TheValkyrie snarled the moment Kaleb dove into the passenger seat.
Dogging her first punch,Kaleb held up his hands to protect his pretty face. “No, hear me out. I have aproposition.” Rocking sideways as she slammed a palm against his shoulder.Thankfully he was big and sturdy and only budged an inch or two. That didn’tseem to deter the irritated Valkyrie flunky, as she slammed on the brakes,leaning past Kaleb to fling open the passenger door before using both handsthis time in an attempt to shove him out.
“Wait. Wait. Wecan help each other. I just need someone to watch my back for the next tendays.” Yeah, if he could survive ten days then he could off load the monarchyand all his would-be assassin troubles would just melt away.
“I’m. Not. A.Bodyguard.” With each word the Valkyrie rammed her shoulder into his,displeased to note he’d latched on to the dashboard and the seat, wedginghimself in tightly. “Get out of my car!”
“But I can helpyou.” Kaleb was forced to let go of the dashboard as she smashed a fist down onthe back of his hand. Fucking ouch.
“I don’t need anyhelp.” Continuing to batter at his shoulder. “And it will be a lot less hasslefor me just to let the bloody Gxthians kill you.”
Fuck, fuck, Kalebwas losing his grip, the next shoulder ram followed by a punch to the head hadhim rolling sideways, hitting the pavement with an audible thud. “But I know aparty planner! And heaps of Gods!” The mustang engine growling throatily, thepassenger door slamming shut as the car roared off. “And Galen’s mother andsisters adore me!” He shouted futilely. Fuck, pounding the hot tarmac, hereally thought that would have worked.
Movement out thecorner of his eye had Kaleb glancing upwards to his office window. By the FieryPits of Hell, two Gxthian Demons, sunlight reflecting off their black bulbousmotorcycle helmets were staring down at him. One reaching for a weapon. Great,his mother was going to be beyond mortified if he died in a carpark.
Tensing, gettingready to make a run for it, Kaleb was astonished when suddenly the mustangreversed. The passenger door flung open in his face, the Valkyrie glaring hisway, snarling, always with the snarling this one.
“Get in.”
“Fickled much?”But he didn’t have time for any more snarkiness. Too busy heaving himselfinside the car. His butt barely hitting leather before the mustang was roaring offonce more. Hurriedly, struggling against the g-force, Kaleb managed to put onhis seatbelt. Just in time as the mustang made a sharp left onto the busy road,narrowly missing a postal van and a large SUV. Setting off a cacophony of hornsand screeching brakes in their wake.
It was too latefor Kaleb to change his mind, wasn’t it? The wind ruffling his hair as theValkyrie drove like they’d just pulled off a bank heist and were making theirgetaway. Bloody hell, had he just swapped a Demon problem for a Valkyrieproblem? Staring at his new partner, he noted an almost smile gracing thoseplush lips as she cut in front of a school bus.
