Page 123 of Fallen Gods

I reach for her, my voice hoarse, raw. “You’re beautiful.”

I seal my mouth over hers, working the rest of her clothes off with so much urgency until it’s nothing but fire and ice, thunder and lightning. Her heat. My cold. Our skin colliding in the only way it ever should—without barriers, without hesitation.

She arches into me, and I can’t stop touching her—thighs, hips, the curve of her waist, the swell of her breast beneath my palm. Every part of her begs to be memorized. Every shiver she gives me stokes the storm roaring through my veins, begging to be released.

“Aric…” My name falls from her lips like a plea and a prayer, and I don’t know if I’ll ever recover from the sound of it.

We move together, slowly at first, learning each other, testing the edges of restraint. Her lips part beneath mine, her hands in my hair, tugging me closer, deeper. The ice inside me cracks and melts with every sigh she gives.

Maybe I was meant to break for her all along.

Thunder rolls, rattling the windowpanes, as if the world itself knows what’s happening.

I flip us, bracing her beneath me, my forehead pressed to hers as I reach for a condom, slip it on.

“This is right,” I whisper, because it feels like the truth. “Us.”

Her answer is a kiss so hungry, so affirming, I could come apartright there.

And then her breath is catching as I slide into her, and everything else ceases—no runes, no Gods, no betrayals.

The world could burn, and I’d still choose this.

I’d still choose her.

She moves with me, like the storm’s rhythm belongs to us alone. Every kiss I brand down her throat is answered with a shudder and a gasp, her body clenching around me and the thunder outside faltering like even the storm can’t keep up with our pace. She claws at my back, running her nails down either side of the runes. With a cry, I sink farther into her, losing myself to the rhythm, feeling her body grow taut, her legs and arms wrapping tighter around me.

When it happens—when we both finally let go—it’s not just release. It’s annihilation. The house rattles. The lights blow out. Outside, the music cuts off mid-beat. The whole world goes dark because of us and the intense sensations racking my entire body.

Because of our bond.

“That’s…not normal.” Rey’s laugh is breathless, wrecked, beautiful.

“No.” I sigh, brushing her damp hair back, pressing a lazy kiss to her temple. “Maybe next time we just start with the lights off.”

Her laugh bubbles again, softer this time, as she curls her arms around me. “Yeah. Good call.”

But the thunder still shakes the walls. Too loud. Too constant. And I know—I can’t control it. I also start to hear voices, lots of them, weaving up from downstairs. The storm’s clearly brought the party back inside.

“Bathroom?” she asks finally.

I nod toward the door. “Through there. Connected to my game room, where I keep all the fun stuff.”

“Nerd.” She slips out of bed and throws on a sweatshirt, giggling when she smacks into the wall before finding the switch.Light spills from the game room, warm and yellow against the dark.

Minutes pass, but she doesn’t come back.

“Rey?” I call. My chest tightens when I don’t hear her voice. I drag myself out of bed, still raw, still undone, then throw on some boxer briefs and stalk toward the bathroom.

I freeze.

Sitting in the corner of my game room, right next to my shelf of manga like it’s always belonged there—like I fucking put it there myself—is the cow. Audhumla. The cosmic cow, Ymir’s nurse, carved in stone, her ridiculous horns gleaming beneath the light.

“What the hell—” My throat closes. “That’s supposed to be in his office. I didn’t bring it here.” It’s ugly as hell and freaks the shit out of me.

Rey’s leaning against the farthest wall, arms crossed. “But that’s definitely it, right? Who would have put it in here? This seems too easy.”

“You’re right,” I admit. “But let’s not look a gift cow in the mouth. We got what we came here for.”