Ives was swiping through Tinder, nursing a double shot Mai Tai, when the Valkyrie plunked on the stool next to her.
At least, she was pretty sure it was a Valkyrie. She ran through the mental check list of mythical beings as she pointedly ignored the six foot blonde staring at her. Definitely immortal, the woman gave off enough heat to melt the ice cubes in her drink. There were a few creatures that fit those kind of physical parameters, but it was the runes tattooed around her biceps that sealed the deal.
In a place like Johnny Ho's Tikki Lounge, she stood out. Aside from the glitzy name, Johnny Ho's was more of a local hole in the wall than a tourist hot spot. Compared to the bronzed and burnt skin tones of Johnny's clientele, the Valkyrie practically glowed like a moon flower.
Ives sighed. It was a rather appropriate end to a shit-tastic day. Determined not to let the shield maiden interfere with her personal sob fest, Ives ducked her head and sipped her watered down Mai Tai. She swiped her phone a little too vigorously, sending a string of potential one night stands to the gutter without a proper once over. Damn, she hated being stared at, and immortals were the worst for it. Most of them didn't need to blink.
"Ikepela Ives," said the Valkyrie. The sound of her full name made Ives jump, sloshing her drink onto her hand. She swore softly as the blonde noted her reaction with a satisfied nod. The Valkyrie leaned in with the clink of metal, far too close for comfort and stage whispered, "I have come to secure your services."
The bartender paused before them, quirking an eyebrow at the blonde as he placed a tumbler in front of her. "Here is your scotch neat, miss."
The Valkyrie pulled back and beamed at the man. "Ah, thank you good sir!" She boomed, slapping a handful of old coins on the bar as she threw back the drink in one swallow. "Another," she said, belching delicately into her fist. The bartender blinked at her. His eyes went unfocused. It was the same glazed over expression most mortals got when they stared at a divine being for too long. She frowned at him as the staring continued, waving a hand in front of his face.
"Nick, the lady asked for another," said Ives, snapping him out of it with the sound of her voice. The bartender shook himself. Some of the glassiness of his expression subsided.
"Be right up," he mumbled, shuffling away.
"What was wrong with that man?" The Valkyrie turned to her.
"Tattoos, scars, and makes a mean grilled cheese," Ives murmured, doggedly keeping her eyes on the screen. "That has potential."
The Valkyrie drummed her fingers on the bar hard enough to rattle the tiny tikki statue decor. "Ikepela Ives-"
"Treat me like a pirate and give me that booty? Too cheesy even for me," said Ives. Nick returned to place another scotch in front of the Valkyrie, scurrying off when he caught the thunderous expression on the blonde's face. Sparks of electricity crackled through her golden locks.
"Ikepela Ives," said the Valkyrie, at the end of her fuse, judging by the tone of her voice. "I demand an audience."
"You call me by my first name one more time and I will break your fingers," said Ives. She slurped down the rest of her Mai Tai, and slammed the glass down.
The woman snorted. "Where I come from that is merely flirting."
Ives squinted at her, fishing a rum soaked cherry from the bottom of her glass. The alcohol was starting to hit, sending a warm flush through her cheeks and fuzzing her sense of self preservation. "What about a broken arm?"
The blonde grinned, revealing absurdly perfect teeth. "Foreplay."
"Yeah, well, you aren't my type blondie, so fu-"
"Ives!" A petite girl popped up at Ives's elbow, wrapping slender fingers around her forearm. The newcomer stared at the Valkyrie with wide eyes. "I think it's time we get you home." The girl's stature might be small but her grip was iron, yanking Ives off the bar stool before she could insult the shield maiden further.
"I haven't paid my tab," Ives whined, leaning heavily on her companion.
"I took care of it," said the girl, wincing when Ives tripped over the half step at the entrance. "How many shots of rum did you tell Nick to put in there?"
"Three," said Ives, holding up four fingers. She giggled. Tall, blonde, and frosty watched as they stumbled off, tracing a finger along the rim of her tumbler. She didn't move to stop them, though she looked clearly unhappy about Ives's departure. Another insult Ives would no doubt pay for later when the Valkyrie caught up to her.
All she wanted from the evening was to drink away her good judgment while looking for a possible shag online to round out an abysmal pisser of a day. Instead, here she was, making her 'drunken' escape with a Valkyrie burning holes in her backside.
The two made it into the parking before Ives pressed her mouth to the girl's ear. "Are we in the clear, Jules?"
"Gigantor hasn't followed us yet, but her intentions are clear." Jules nibbled her lip, eyeing Ives from beneath a mop of glossy brown curls. "I know it makes you a bit woozy, but we should take the express route home."
Ives's stomach flopped at the mention of it. That blonde was nothing but bad news. "Do it."
Jules wrapped her thin arms around Ives's waist. She felt a tug in her gut, straight up through her brain stem as the world wobbled at the edges. The next second, she blinked in her darkened apartment. Jules released her as reality caught up, squeezing her insides.
"Bugger!" Ives rushed for the bathroom, emptying the contents of her stomach. She paid good money for that Mai Tai too. Another grievance she could throw in the Valkyrie's face. With a groan, she straightened to find Jules waiting in the doorway with a fizzing glass of alka-seltzer. She took it with a grateful nod and drained its contents. The couch looked damned inviting but she was fooling herself if she thought the Valkyrie wouldn't track her here. Jules flit about the room, doing some nervous tidying. After her third circuit around the room rearranging the same stack of books, Ives came to a decision.
"We can't stay here tonight," said Ives, heading for her suitcase in the bedroom. "We'll head over to Dad's. He won't mind us crashing for the night."
Jules squealed, clapping her hands together. "He's sooo messy," she said, a dreamy look in her eyes.
Ives rolled her eyes. "You know you have an open invitation to stay at his house whenever the urge hits." She regretted opening her mouth when the girl's expression turned somber.
"You need me more," said Jules softly.
Ives flapped her hand at her spotless apartment. "Hogwash, this place is spotless."
"You know what I mean," said Jules, a sad smile lifting the corners of her mouth. Ives braced herself on the bed, her suitcase empty and waiting before her. She did know what Jules meant. It was why she'd stayed with Ives instead of returning to a 'normal' life. It was a mutual need. Jules had nowhere else to go. Ives had no other friends.
Ives dumped a few random articles of clothing, gathering her toiletries while Jules secretly reorganized her bag with matching outfits. The girl's eye twitched when Ives dumped damp bottles of shampoo and conditioner on top of everything. She snapped her bag shut, throwing an arm around Jules shoulder as they exited their shared cottage.
"Just promise me, organize, no rearranging. The last time, I thought he was going to have an aneurysm when you cleaned up the workshop," said Ives.
Jules pouted. "I simply put all his tools in their proper places."
"It took him a week to find his socket wrenches."
That made her companion giggle, though her expression swung back to worried. "What about the shield maiden?"
Ives could feel a headache spiking at the very thought of her. The Valkyrie would catch up to them sooner rather than later, and what she represented made Ives's skin crawl. I'm not ready to do this. The thought made her break out in a cold sweat. She forced a smile for her companion. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
***
The Valkyrie watched their departure from the comfort of a nearby high balcony. Hildr preferred high places, seeing the world from an aerial vantage point. She always felt she saw so much more than when she was on the ground. She pursed her lips as she watched the quite sober Ives and her fae companion clamber into a beat up jeep. It didn't start the first time, causing the young woman to shout and bang on it until it grudgingly rumbled to life. Hildr kept her ice blue eyes trained on them until the jeep's red brake lights were glowing dots zipping away into the night.
A crow landed on the balcony railing, dancing from foot to foot.
"Are we sure she is the one? She doesn't look like much," said Hildr. The crow tilted its sleek black head, cawing in a rather derisive tone for a carrion eater.
The Valkyrie made a face. "No need to be so rude about it."