“It’s time for me to go.” Nik stood, his expression tight. “There are other things that require my attention.”

Travis nodded while Uncle Val shook the other man’s hand. “Thanks, Nik.”

Nik smiled that cold, cynical smile of his. “Not a problem.” He walked over to Detective Mancinelli and cupped her chin in his hand. “Stay out of trouble.”

“Excuse me?” The detective’s hair was still damp from the shower they’d convinced her to take. She was bundled up in Jordan’s robe, her clothes currently in the wash. Jamie wasn’t sure if all of the blood would come out.

“You’re playing in the big leagues now, little girl.” The smile left his face, his expression becoming intent. “Stay out of trouble.”

She gave him the finger.

Amusement crossed his face before he stood up. “Right.” He shook his head. “I’ll make sure to keep my eye on you then.”

Jamie choked. The last person in the world she wanted watching her was Heimdall. He was…creepy.

“Just what every girl wants. Their very own supernatural stalker.” Mancinelli was rubbing at her throat again, but she didn’t seem to realize it. Not even a scar remained. Like Jamie, she’d gotten Logan’s ability to heal. What that meant for the detective Jamie didn’t know, but from the way Nik had watched her the entire time she’d been with them she bet they hadn’t seen the last of her.

Nik sighed. “Tyr. Make sure she doesn’t get her ass killed.”

Mancinelli’s brows rose. “Again, you mean?”

Nik returned her look. “You didn’t die. And have you ever heard of the words thank you?”

Everyone ignored the detective’s growl.

Travis’s hand drifted down to Jamie’s ass. “Where are you off to?”

Nik tsk’d. “Sorry, need to know.”

“I don’t need to know?”

Nik grinned. “You’re not the leader of the Vanir anymore, remember?”

“Are you going to give Kir your allegiance?” The sudden tension in Travis’s shoulders worried her.

Nik waved on his way out the front door. “It’s been nice talking to you all.” He sent Mancinelli one last warning look before walking out, closing the door gently behind him.

As soon as the door clicked shut the detective was on her feet. “Will someone please explain to me what the hell is going on? Why am I not dead? Who are you people?”

Travis tugged on Jamie. She was more than willing to go along with him. “I think that’s our cue to go.

We’ve been over this before.”

Logan groaned. “Oh no, Lefty. You’re not leaving me alone to explain this one.”

“Sorry, hothead. I have to make sure all of Jamie’s new bruises are gone.” Travis grabbed her hand and began dragging her behind him.

Logan snorted, but he didn’t try to stop them as they headed for the front door. “I’m sure you do.”

Jordan took a deep breath. “Okay. It all started when Kir and Logan walked into my office…”

Jamie shut the door and let Travis tug her back to their condo.

Toni Mancinelli grimaced as her boss gave her hell. Not only was her new partner missing, but the labs had concluded that Grimm’s blood was, in fact, pig blood and that Travis and Val had never even been in the fun room, let alone killed anyone there. The only one whose blood still existed on the scene was Jamie’s. The samples had somehow been compromised, because the tests had come back that something else had been on that cross two days ago, not Jamie Grimm.

Jamie Grimm had agreed with the test results, claiming she’d been in her condo making love with her fiancé all night, just grateful to have him back in their new home.

If she thought about how the group of freaks had managed that she’d probably go insane. How in fuck was she supposed to explain to her boss that good old Danny-boy actually was Oliver Grimm, aka Odin?

Yeah. Pension plan, meet shredder. That was if she was lucky. If she was unlucky they’d desk her ass and psych her out of her detective’s shield. Either way she’d never work in law enforcement again.

So the lunatics were safe. For now.

She tried to focus on the window behind her boss. Rain poured down, darkening the sky. She couldn’t help but wonder if Kir was pissed off, or if this was a natural storm. And then she saw them. They’d haunted her dreams. Stunning silver eyes that seemed to be everywhere she went.

Niklas DeWitt, aka Heimdall. Gee, I sure know how to pick ’em. She dreamt of him nightly. When she was awake she would swear she saw him around corners, or in the mirror behind…her…

She whipped around, but he wasn’t there. Just the reflection of those eyes in the window.

“Mancinelli. Am I boring you?”

Yup, supernatural stalker alert. She shook her head. “No, sir.”

“Good. Then I expect you to…”

She did her best to pay attention to what her boss was saying, right up until DeWitt winked at her.

Then she had to bite back the screams.

Grimm shrieked at the top of his lungs. Again they’d eluded him, but damn it, this time it was his own fault. He’d allowed his temper to get the better of him, and so allowed them to get the better of him.

No more. Rina stood behind him, her blonde hair whipping in the wind, watching over him. Guarding his back. In her hand was a deadly combination of rifle and bayonet.

The bayonet she’d crafted was of mistletoe.

He panted, his fury finally fading. He looked around at the carnage he’d wrought. Ice, an inch thick, covered every surface visible in the park.

In his stupidity he’d allowed them to know that Gungnir couldn’t hurt him. Now they’d be on the hunt for something that could.

He’d be ready for them.

“They’re going to go for Fenris.”

He turned, staring at his lover. “Fenris?” He thought of the prophecy. “Fuck.” He headed back toward the car, pleased beyond measure when she stepped beside and slightly behind him, the gun cradled professionally in her arms. He climbed in, watching as she got straight into the passenger side. She knew he always preferred to drive, even when his life was endangered.

“My love, how would you like a trip to Norway?”

She held up her cell phone. “Sleipnir is ready, our passports in order. We have just enough time to pack.”

I think I might actually love this woman. “Remind me to thank you properly somewhere over Edinburgh.”

Rina grinned and blew him a kiss.

Epilogue

Jeff was ready to collapse. It had taken them days to get here. He was tired, filthy and desperately in need of a caramel mocha frappuccino.

If the two lovebirds didn’t stop playing snuggle-bunny in front of him he was going to puke.

But damn it, they were here. In Norway, land of his ancestors, freeing a creature of myth and legend he prayed would kill his grandfather before he could hurt anyone else in Jeff’s family ever again.

According to Travis, Old Man Grimm was right on their tails, no pun intended. The only thing that had saved them from facing him yet had been the necklaces Logan had given them. They’d masked their presence from his insane grandfather. Whatever else Logan had done to delay the Old Man’s progress Jeff didn’t want to know. Let his brother-in-law play around with the woo-woo stuff. Jeff was a lot more straight-forward.

He just wanted to kill the bastard and end this nightmare.

They’d found the cave where the wolf was bound, freed him, and now… now he was practically humping Jeff’s leg. In fact, the only one of the three of them he’d allowed near him was Jeff. Jeff had pulled the sword from the wolf’s jaws, muttering quietly the whole while about snot and drool, but damn if the whimpers the creature had issued at the sound of his voice hadn’t touched his heart.

Jeff watched as the wolf — Fenris, let’s be honest here—growled at Travis. Blood still dripped from its jaws where the sword had been.