Page 24 of Thorulf
Chapter Nine
“WHY CAN’T WE fly?”Jade grumbled yet again, casting the horizon where the purple dragon had vanished a frustrated look. “We’d get there in a fraction of the time.”
“Because another storm brews, and it’s unsafe,” Vicar reminded, though he seemed just as eager to break the rules. “Best we heed Loki’s advice until we reach Thorulf’s lair.”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” she muttered, not bothering to shoot Loki another imploring look over her shoulder where he walked with the other three now. “I think he just wants to keep close tabs on us. If we fly, he can’t stay close. Not really.”
“You underestimate just how close Norse gods can stay no matter their form,” Vicar returned, chuckling when she ignored his attempt to help her up a steep ledge. “If Loki wants to be with us, he will. For he can be the air we breathe if he wishes.”
“Right, because he’s a shape-shifter only on a much grander scale.” She dusted off her shorts once she made the climb and considered Maya’s attire. “I should probably change, huh? Try to fit in a little. I’m surprised Maya hasn’t made me already.”
Vicar shrugged and eyed her bare legs with approval. “I like your attire just fine.”
“Of course you do.” She grinned and considered him. “So when are you gonna tell Thorulf your intentions when it comes to me?”
“When I’ve figured out your other sister,” he stated bluntly.
“We can hear you two, ya know,” Maya called out. “Jade, change already. It’s cold out and only getting colder.” She jogged to catch up. “And Vicar, you’re not keeping Jade on hold until you figure out if you want Trinity.” Then, just to drive it home and irritate Jade more, Maya said, “As to you, sis, there’s no point using Vicar to keep Thorulf away. I tried that with Thorulf to keep Dagr away, and it didn’t work.” She shook her head. “It just doesn’t when it comes to fated mates.”
“Hey, I run hot, so lay off the shorts,” Jade defended before scowling at her sister. “As to any agreement I have with Vicar, it’s none of your business.” She shot Thorulf a look when he had the nerve to look amused. “And it’s certainly not yours.”
He thought to make her his fated mate? Figure the odds.
She grinned at Loki and Vicar and said, “Come on guys,” before she started up the mountain again, but not before she flicked her wrist and changed, knowing full well the men, dragons, and gods alike, caught her nudity for a fraction of a millisecond. Just long enough to make Thorulf growl and for Vicar and Loki to scramble after her.
“Blasted dragon,” she cursed, referring to Thorulf. “He’s got some nerve.”
He did, too, after his numerous displays back at the Keep. Between blatantly lusting after the purple dragon yet again and entertaining the Múspellsheimr females, her thoughts of payback were only intensifying. Becoming more creative.
Neither Loki nor Vicar responded to her grumblings, they were so busy admiring her outfit or perhaps even holding onto the glimpse of her naked ass. Hard to know. Both were pretty impressive. She’d even won a contest once, bouncing a quarter off her backside. Not an errant bounce either, but a tight well-aimed shot off her rear-end into a shot glass. As to the outfit, what could she say? She had a gift.
Following her thoughts as clearly as everyone else apparently, Maya snorted and chuckled from behind her. “Good Lord, sis,really?”
She suspected the comment was about both her quarter-bouncing skills and her unique spin on Viking fashion. Naturally, it was form-fitting supple-black leather. Head to toe, from her pants to her sleeveless cleavage-revealing tunic. Her knee-high fur-trimmed boots were absolute perfection, from their sexy yet functional black design to their bright green fur-trimmed tops. Screw a fur cloak for now. It was too blasted hot. Her hair was fashioned in a high ponytail with a few scattered Viking mini-braids, and her jewelry just flashy enough to impress Viking women.
“Hey, I worked long and hard to have an ass like this,” she reminded her sister, slapping said backside just to remind Thorulf what he would never touch. “You would, too, if you worked out as much as me. If you took all the self-defense and fighting classes I have taken.” She rolled her eyes. “You knew full well the chances of us traveling back to places we wouldn’t need those skills like Regency England or Colonial America when we were destined to save humanity was slim to none.” She gave a little shrug. “As to the outfit, you know I love my splash of color.”