Chapter Nine
Elle inspected herself in the mirror and fiddled with her blouse.
Emerald turned out to be a nice color on her.
Back on Muspelheim, everything had been tainted by the yellowish-orange hues.
But Midgard had no such problem, so she got to see the color clearly for the first time.
She smoothed down her black slacks and slipped on her new ballet flats.
She sorted through the different items she'd bought at the drugstore.
Various colors of powders, creams, and liquids meant to enhance her features, but she had no idea how to use them.
Finally, she picked out a gold powder and dusted it over her eyelids and cheeks.
Surprised by the glowy appearance it gave her, she decided to try the tube of light-peachy liquid.
As she smoothed the sticky goo on her lips, she found herself, once again, pleased with the outcome, though her curls kept getting stuck in it.
A knock sounded on her door, making her jump. She looked at the clock. He was five minutes early, again. She appreciated that about him. On Muspelheim, all she'd done was wait. Another way for her father to remind her she was less important than well… anyone.
She slipped on her shoes and grabbed her coat. She smiled and opened the door.
Her face fell.
Val cocked an eyebrow at her and looked her up and down. "Going somewhere?"
Elle sighed. "To dinner."
Val leaned against the doorjamb. "Anyone I know?"
Elle rolled her eyes. They’d avoided talking all day during their shift. Val had seen her with Thor the night before, but had managed not to corner Elle about it until that moment.
"Have you told him?"
Elle bit her lip.
Val nodded. "So, he isn't aware your mother and I were kidnapped after Ragnarok and taken to Muspelheim as your father's prisoners. And you are the daughter of the beast who rained destruction down on his entire existence."
"Why are you trying to ruin this for me?"
Val's eyes softened. "I'm trying to protect you, like always. What do you think is going to happen when he finds out? Especially when he realizes that not only are you the daughter of Surtr, but also that you kept it from him."
"You told me not to tell him," she insisted.
"To keep you safe. But now…"
"What does it matter?" Elle yelled. "Everyone else knows."
Val’s expression hardened. "But not everyone else wants your entire race wiped out."
Elle groaned. "Perhaps he won't care."
Val nodded. "If you truly believe that, then tell him. Tell him who you are."
Elle swallowed hard, and the stairs creaked as Thor's shaggy head appeared at the end of the hallway.
He stopped at the sight of her and smiled.
She smiled back.
"I should go," she said to Val.
Val nodded, and Elle shut the door behind herself. Val didn't move, so Elle walked around her and down the hall to Thor.
"Wow," he said. "And I didn't think you could be more stunning."
Elle's cheeks flushed. "You look great, too." And she meant it. He'd traded in his T-shirt for a black fitted button-up. Black slacks replaced his usual jeans and cut to his slim waist and rather sexy round rear. If she hadn't known better, she would have thought him a professional male model.
He held out his hand to her, and she took it, the familiar warmth traveling up her arm at his touch.
As they started down the stairs, Elle peeked over her shoulder to find Val hadn’t moved as she watched them go.
* * *
"How did you bring this up to Midgard?" Elle asked.
"Through the portal," he said.
Thor chuckled, grabbed a helmet off the back of his bike, and strapped it to her head before putting on his own helmet.
He tried not to stare at Elle in the beautiful green blouse that made her eyes shine, and her freckles stand out against her peachy skin.
Her beautiful curls cascaded down her back, and he felt bad she had to put a helmet on.
He should have thought of that. But… he’d never ridden one of his bikes with a female before.
Elle looked over the motorcycle. "Frigg let you bring it into the pub?"
"No, it was a different portal. A bigger one."
"A different portal?"
Thor studied her for a minute. "You're aware the one in the Raven Weaver isn't the only portal, right?"
She dropped her gaze.
"There are many portals in and out of Helheim."
"Can anyone come through?" Panic tinged her voice.
"No. There are Helborn guards. They know every soul and being in Helheim. They also know when someone hasn’t obtained permission to be there, and they deal with them."
She nodded. "Wow. Hel thought of everything."
“Not really Hel.”
“What do you mean?”
“Helheim is a part of the bigger realm that is the Underworld. Many deities of death have places there. But they are all overseen by Lucifer, the Midgardian version of Hel. He made the original realm. He granted Hel her portion to rule over. But even she has to answer to Lucifer.”
“Who does he answer to?” she asked.
He chuckled. “That is up for debate. Come on. We have a reservation." He straddled his bike and motioned for her to sit behind him.
Elle slid over the bike. Thor grabbed her wrist and pulled her close against his back, pressing her hand into his stomach.
"Hang on to me," he said.
Her other arm snaked around his waist, and she clasped her hands together. He sucked in a breath at the warmth of her body against him. How long had it been since he’d been touched by a woman? Or better yet, wanted to be touched by one?
"Relax into me," he said, his voice raspy. "Let my body lead you."
She scooted closer, and her arms tightened around his waist as her body molded into his, and she set her chin on his back.
Thor turned over the engine and kicked the kickstand up.
The bike rumbled beneath him, sending tiny vibrations up his thighs.
The sensations mixed with her scent and the feel of her body against his made his chest squeeze.
He remembered how she’d looked at him the night before.
Like she’d wanted to kiss him or ask him to stay, but also something else.
A tinge of fear had creased the corners of her eyes.
So he hadn’t done either. He’d simply left.
Well, not truly. He’d spent fifteen minutes waiting at the top of the stairs to make sure she was okay and then another hour down in the bar with Heimdall before convincing himself that no one meant her harm. Then he had left.
Thor put on his blinker and pulled into traffic. Her entire body tensed around him like a form-fitting glove. The sensation made every nerve pay attention. Even the inconvenient parts of him.
Knock it off. It's not like a woman has never touched you before.
Thor rode down the street, and as they turned corners, Elle's body moved so easily with his, he couldn't tell where his body ended, and hers started.
A feeling of oneness came over him, making Thor no longer want to go to dinner.
As Thor leaned into a curve, the winding road beneath them seemed an endless ribbon of possibility.
Elle's thighs pressed against his with a familiar warmth, her presence both a comfort and a sweet torment.
Her scent- an intoxicating blend of something warm and spicy and flowers cut through the cool night air, making it hard for him to concentrate.
He wanted to cruise to the coast highway and ride with her as far as they could go.
Just the two of them. Away from everything and everyone else.
Take her to a beach to watch the sunset and kiss her on the sand.
Elle’s breath quickened as they turned another corner, leaning low to the ground. Her fingers shift, gripping him tighter and hooking her thumbs into his belt loops. The touch sent electricity skittering up his spine.
Thor exhaled sharply. A barrage of thoughts storms through him: Stop here. Hold onto this. Let this night unravel into passion.
Instead, he turned a corner and pulled up in front of a Japanese restaurant. He turned off the bike and put down the kickstand. He removed his helmet and realized Elle still hadn't released her grip on him. He patted her hands.
"You can let go now, we're here."
She lay her cheek on his shoulder, and he barely heard her whisper, "What if I don't want to?"
His gut clenched, and he wanted to tell her not to. Wanted to turn around and pull her lips to his. To kiss her on his bike, not caring who saw them. Screw dinner, they'd grab something on the road.
Again, Frigg’s words floated back, and he sucked in a breath.
"We can do it again. After we eat."
Elle nodded and took off her helmet. "Deal."
Thor picked up a piece of salmon sashimi, topped it with ginger, dipped it in soy sauce, and held it out to Elle.
She wrinkled her nose. "I thought I said no raw fish."
"No, you said you didn't want raw fish last night. Tonight is a different night."
She eyed him skeptically.
"Try it."
She scrunched up her face, leaned forward, and opened her mouth. Thor placed the fish on her tongue, and she began to chew. At first, her expression remained confused, but confusion turned to revulsion. She grabbed her napkin and spit into it before chugging down half a cup of soda.
"No. No. Nope." She waved her hands at him. "That is awful. Not tonight either. Not any night to be clear."
"It's delicious," Thor retorted. "You have to give it a chance."
"I did give it a chance, and the answer is no. It's slimy and chewy and... orange."
Thor laughed. "Orange? You don't like it because it's orange?"
"No. I don't like it because it's raw fish." She wiped her tongue on her napkin. "I'm beginning to think you are trying to starve me, Thor Odinson. First, no dinner last night, and now this."
"I offered to take you out to eat last night."
"You did. But if it had been anything like this, I would have been in the same spot, starving."
"All right. All right." Thor motioned the waitress over. "Please bring the lady a bento box with chicken teriyaki."
"Is the chicken raw?"