ENTANGLED (#2 The Valkyries)

Chapter 21 - Unexpected Contact

Leaving Mist at the temple had my blood raging and seeking an outlet. As I landed back at the palace, I sent a command through the air to bring Nabu to me. If I couldn't fuck my Valkyrie or little Anna, then I'd damn well spar with my best friend.

A red-rimmed portal opened, and Nabu stepped out in his business suit.

"Change," I demanded.

Nabu held up a hand. "Aw fuck. Don't tell me you are working off your mood on me. I like my head where it is, my prince."

I bared my teeth, snarling. "Change."

He sighed. With reluctant fingers, he removed first his suit coat, then tie, and shirt. Finally, he kicked off his dress shoes and dragged his socks off. Grey seidhr surrounded him and his grey-spotted wings, talons, and fangs appeared. Tail flicking behind him, grey and black scales now protected his torso, shoulders, and arms as he joined me in his humanoid battle form.

"We could just spar in our dragon form," he suggested as he dropped into a crouch to face me.

"Too easy. This is more of a challenge." I lunged with a swipe of my forearm talons.

He leapt back, his eyebrow rising in mocking question. "Is that all you have?"

Growling, I spun, lashing out with a leg sweep. "I'll show you what I have, you arrogant bastard."

Nabu laughed, blocking me and trying a swipe of his own. "Come now. My parents were mated."

No longer holding back, we traded blows in blurs of speed and strength. Spinning, leaping, and diving, our battle moved up into the air and down again, then from one end of the courtyard to the other. Although they appeared fragile, our wings weren't. He caught me in the side of the head with an edge at the same time as I landed a blow to the seam in his abdomen.

"Talk about hitting a dragon where it hurts. That's a low blow, Pazuzu," Nabu wheezed, cupping his cock pouch.

I snorted and shook my head to clear the dizziness. "Quit whining." I hadn't actually intended to do so, but I wasn't going to apologize for it. All was fair in battle, after all.

"I did actually have another reason to come talk to you, other than for you to beat on me," Nabu said, still bent over.

"Fine, fine... what do you have for me?" I guided him to one of the stone chairs and shoved him back into a seat. A serving acolyte stood in a doorway, a tray in his hand and I motioned him forward. Once he'd placed his drinks on the table, he left and I looked at Nabu.

Nabu waited until the acolyte had disappeared through the door, then turned to face me. "As you expected, the Asgardians have reached out to make contact. Surprisingly, not Prince Loki, although given he's busy with a new baby and soulmate, perhaps that's to be expected."

"Who?"

"Prince Thor wants to meet with me."

Nabu held my gaze and I frowned. "I'm a little surprised it took them this long to figure out where Mist is, but okay. I knew they would... eventually."

Nabu continued to hold my gaze, not replying.

"By the Abyss, you are trying my patience. What the fuck are you not telling me?"

"Manannan Mac Lir is with him."

My chest tightened and I looked away. "That's a name I haven't heard in a long time." The words came out in a whisper and I wasn't sure if they were even intended for Nabu or if I was simply speaking my thoughts aloud.

"Do you want me to deny the meeting?" Nabu asked, his voice quieting to match my own.

Fuck. What stake did Manannan have in this? Memories from three thousand years disappeared as if it was yesterday and the image of his youthful face formed in my mind's eye. The stricken look on his face, collapsing to his knees as I told him Inanna was dead. She'd chosen me of her own volition, but he'd loved her before me and she'd born him a child. Left him to raise his daughter himself.

I wasn't even sure if the child Inanna carried when Lamashtu killed her was mine or Manannan's, although I'd never admit that to him. She'd accepted my mating mark, my blood bond, but not opened her mind to me. I'd believed I'd tamed her. But as a Vanir fertility goddess, she'd loved many across numerous races, and while my little Anna and Manannan's daughter Aine were the only descendants I'd managed to track, I knew there were others from before either of us had known her.

I stood, my hands at my back as I paced, too restless to sit.

Why was he involved with the Asgardians? They weren't at war now, sure, but still, I'd thought relations between the elves and Asgardians remained strained.

I rubbed my jaw as I recalled the punch he'd landed. Barely out of his boyhood, yet he'd stood up to me, unwisely shouting my name repeatedly to gain my attention when Inanna had left him. He'd blamed me for tempting her away from him but had given me access to his chaotic thoughts in the process.

"Take the meeting. The standard deal applies. If they want to come see her in Muspelheim, they have to work a five-year contract but offer them a combat or fertility temple contract. Don't confirm that she's here, though." I couldn't hold back my amused smirk. "Let's see what they do with that."

Nabu shook his head. "Are you deliberately poking them?"

I shrugged and smirked. "Maybe a little."

"How's the investigation going?" he asked, casually throwing a knee over the chair's arm.

"Mist has figured out who supplied the poison and how it got into the food at the palace. She's confirming the poisoner today, finding out what he knows," I told him, rejoining him as I sat and poured us both a drink.

Nabu's eyes widened. "Wow. She's good."

Pride swelled in my chest and I nodded. "Indeed. My fierce little Valkyrie is clever, loyal, and by Tiamat, I wish she wasn't Asgardian so I could keep her."

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