"Thanks. Is he up?"

"Yes." She pushed the door with her shoulder. "Stop by before you leave."

In other words, he wasn't ready for company. Femi meant well. She was overprotective of Dad and only allowed me to see him when he was at his best. Most of the time, I didn't mind. But after last night, I really wanted to see if he was ok.

I wasn't in the mood for eggs. I dropped frozen waffles in the toaster and finished my drink. Outside, the sun was warming our yard. I wondered how long that was going to last. Six more weeks of school then summer break and my eighteenth birthday. I couldn't wait.

I had a lot planned for my birthday. For now, I was taking it one day at a time. Dealing with Norns had been rough, but hopefully they were gone. For now anyway. I was under the protection of the gods. All because I would foresee the beginning of Ragnarok, the battle between the gods and the giants, the flooding and destruction of the worlds. It sounded all too surreal. Me, a mere seventeen year old would foresee the exact moment the world ended.

"He's ready now," Femi called out, snapping me out of my day dream. I left my bags at the entrance of the portal and went to see Dad. He was listening to an audio book.

"Morning, Daddy. What are you listening to?"

"The book we forgot to read last night."

"We can continue after school." He patted my hand and I froze. Funny how a small thing such as a touch could mean so much. I smiled and turned my hand to grip his.

"Can you run by the shop after school and see how things are going?" he asked.

"Sure."

"And, uh, ask Jared about tax forms and the inventory. I know it's asking a lot-"

"It's okay. I can handle it." I pressed a kiss on his cheek. "Love you."

"Same here, kiddo."

I left his room, grabbed my things and engaged my runes. The runes on the frame responded and the mirror became grainy. "See you later, Femi."

She blew me a kiss. "Have fun, doll."

While the others could open portals to just about anywhere they'd ever visited, I tended to use people as a locator. I visualized Torin and the portal opened to reveal the mansion's hallway. I followed their laughter to the kitchen.

Torin was by the stove while the others sat around the counter eating. The aroma of mouth-watering breakfast wafted in the air. It was cute how he still took care of them despite living elsewhere. That was the kind of guy he was, and the others, consciously or not, always deferred to him.

He'd changed into my favorite blue polo shirt. It made his eyes pop, hugged his masculine arms, and fitted snuggly across his broad chest. He gave me a slow, wicked smile. His eyes said he liked what I was wearing. Warmth crept up my cheeks.

We'd been dating for about five months, give or take a few weeks, and he still took my breath away. He was the only guy with the power to make me blush with a look.

"Is that your breakfast?" he asked.

I glanced at my pitifully dry waffles. "Yep. One-eighty calories of pure goodness."

"Come here," he said and reached up for another plate, his shirt riding up to give me a teasing glimpse of his rock hard abs. He served the remaining sausage and potatoes breakfast skillet into two plates and we joined the others.

Cora and her boyfriend Echo were making out by her car when we pulled up. The two never failed to make me smile. Psycho Maliina had used her Norn powers to completely mimic Cora and fooled us for weeks. We didn't know Cora had been admitted to a psyche ward during those weeks because Maliina had marked her with some jacked up runes and she could see souls. Like any sane person, Cora had thought she was seeing ghosts and going crazy. Meeting Echo had changed her perception of things.

"Come on," Torin said, wanting us to leave the couple alone.

I dug my heels in. "I want to talk to Cora."

Torin sighed. "I don't want to deal with him this early in the morning."

I thought they'd made up, but I supposed a few months of working together hadn't made up for centuries of bad blood. Grimnirs like Echo reaped for Hel and had a long history of stealing souls bound for Valhalla.

"You two need to make up. Cora is still my best friend."

"I am your best friend," he said firmly, hand slipping around my waist.

I gave him a look over my shoulder and teased, "I don't know. She's my best girlfriend, but Eirik... Now that is best friend material." My voice cracked. "You're just a glorified Valkyrie... my boyfriend."

Blue flames leaped in his eyes. He leaned down and whispered in my ear, "Boyfriend, lover, guinea pig for naughty fantasies and-"

"Shut up." Just like that, he'd deliberately distracted me from my worries about Eirik. He had uncanny way of reading me.

"I'm not complaining, you understand," he added. "Just want to make sure you recognize my awesomeness."

"Oh, I recognize alright." I bumped him with my hip. "Your arrogance."

"We were having a moment here, you two," Echo griped and we looked their way. Cora waved from the confines of his arms. Despite his voice, Echo didn't look angry and his eyes had that weird intensity that made it hard to tell whether he was angry or teasing.

He winked at me. "Hey, Vlva. Why are you with the Valkyries when you could be running on the wild side with us?"

"I'm neutral, Echo. But if I were to choose, I'd be on the human side."

Echo smirked. "Uh, the losing side?"

Cora stepped from Echo's arms. She looked radiant as usual. Hair perfectly curled. Makeup flawless. We hugged.

"Sorry I was MIA over the weekend. Echo hid my phone."

And she said that while grinning? The girl I knew didn't take crap from any guy, not even one she was nuts about. "And you let him?"

Cora grinned. "He was being protective and he's adorable when he shifts into a protective mode."

Was she serious? Torin was unbearable when it came to protecting me. Made me want to scream.

"I spent Saturday on soul duty," Cora continued. "I crashed afterwards and didn't wake up until yesterday afternoon. He was pissed I'd overdone it. Mom thought I was coming down with something and insisted I stay in bed." She turned and I followed her gaze to Echo. "I didn't mind."

I'd bet. Echo and Torin were having an intense conversation by the Harley. Girls walking past turned and stared at them. Seeing the two of them together showed just how different, yet alike they were. They were both tall and in amazing shape. Maybe it was the way they carried themselves, confident and cocky. Whatever it was, it gave them a magnetic aura no woman could resist. But that was where their similarities ended.

Torin had a refinedness that made him slip in and out of any situation, fool anyone that he was just another pretty face, yet in a fraction of a second, turn feral to protect those he loved. Echo, on the other hand, was the kind of guy you met in a crowded room and warning signals went off to run in the opposite direction. Cora had chosen to run toward him instead.

Today, he almost looked like a normal guy in black jeans and a matching T-shirt under his duster. Usually, he preferred leather pants, vest and sailor shirts. So last century. The Druid rings were an on and off thing, but the fingerless gloves, like Torin's, were on all the time. I didn't know what that was about.

Torin rocked whatever he wore. The black boots and leather jacket was all kinds of sexy, and I loved the way his jeans hung perfectly. If I had to choose between jeans and sweats, sweats won hands down.

"We're lucky, aren't we?" Cora said.

I looped an arm around hers. "Why?"

"Our men have the sexiest asses in the entire universe."

Trust Cora to say something raunchy. "You're not lusting after mine, are you?"

She laughed. "Looking, Raine. I'm in love, not blind, but I leave the puppy dog drooling to you. And quit pretending you weren't checking out my man too. I saw you."

I laughed. "Let's go before the bell rings. Torin can be late and get away with it."

"That's because he has no problem runing teachers and anyone to get his way while you're chicken."

"Cautious, smarty pants. Not the same thing." We started across the street, but the guys ran to catch up.

"We should let them walk in front of us for better view," Cora said.

"Better view of what?" Torin asked, coming behind me and putting an arm around my shoulders.

"Your asses," Cora said, slipped a hand inside Echo's back pocket. "We happen to like them."

My face warmed. Did she have to be so loud? A few girls walking past us giggled.

She threw Torin a glance. "She tries to be subtle, but I know my girl wants you something bad," Cora added and Echo laughed.

I vowed to smother her when she was asleep and send her soul straight to Hel's Hall. Unfortunately, that was her man's home and he'd probably rescue her.

"You're not subtle, are you, luv?" Torin whispered. "Should I tell her how you-"

I covered his mouth, left Echo and Cora saying their goodbyes at the entrance, and went inside. A blushing Cora caught up with us in the hall, where Torin's fans waited. He had made history when our football team won state and was considered the golden boy. The darling of Kayville high. I was basking in his glory. The stares from the other students didn't bother me anymore.

I'd never cared about being popular, but I'd be lying if I said I hated it. Now I understood why girls clawed their way to the top of the social ladder in high school. The attention was addictive. I didn't even mind the adoring female fans with envious glances.

Okay, that was a stretch. My fingers tightened on the back of Torin's shirt and I sunk against his side. His arm tightened around my shoulder.

Yeah, back off, piranhas.

We headed toward the lockers. Cora talked nonstop about the people she'd helped over the weekend, but she was careful not to mention the word 'soul'. There were rules for Immortals and Valkyries, but the first was anonymity. Mortals were not supposed to know about our world.

Now that the swim season was over, Cora was working a few times a week and Saturdays at hospitals and nursing homes. Six months ago, she'd insisted that working for the Habitat for Humanity was enough community services to impress any college application committee. Nursing homes and hospitals were going to write her a glowing recommendation for the time she spent with patients.

Me? I didn't think any college admin would ever know I'd saved lives. I couldn't explain the things I'd done.

Torin disappeared toward his locker, while Cora and I headed toward ours. I was putting my books away when a sliver of awareness shot up my spine. I associated that sizzle with the Norns, except this time was different.

Someone was humming a tune. The song was familiar but I couldn't place it. I angled my head to listen better and find the source. I couldn't tell where it came from or explain why the hairs on my neck rose. Heart pounding, I turned and searched the singer.

Cora slammed the door of her locker and yanked my attention. I grabbed my folder and the books for my morning classes, and followed her. Torin met us in the middle of the hallway.

One look at me and he asked, "What's wrong?"

I squeezed his hand. He knew what that meant: wait.

"See you at lunch," Cora said and took off toward her English class. Torin and I headed upstairs toward the math floor. His jock buddies followed us like he was a magnet. Someone was throwing a party on Friday. Another had a birthday party or was it dinner? One wanted him to join Lacrosse.

We lost them a door away from my math class and I heard it again. The same song was being hummed again. This time I recognized the tune from last night during my vision, or whatever it was. I turned and searched the students hurrying past us. The sound rose above the conversations and the laughter. Was I the only one hearing it?

Torin caught my hand. "Hey? What's going on?"

"Can't you hear it?" The person was using words now. Not English.

"Hear what?"

"The song." I didn't understand the words, but the song was sweet and soothing, like a lullaby. I cocked my eyebrows at Torin. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Torin shook his head. "I, uh, can't hear anything other than the noise from the students." The first bell rang. "And the bell."

The song disappeared, drowned by the bell or the singer decided to stop. "You didn't hear that haunting music?"

He frowned. "No. You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, or I'm hallucinating." I didn't tell him it was the song I'd heard last night during my vision or he'd start worrying. "Let's go."

We entered the class just ahead of Mrs. Bates. Torin's seat was right behind mine. When I glanced back, he was still frowning. I shouldn't have mentioned the song.

"I'm fine," I mouthed.

His expression said he didn't believe me. For the rest of the class, my thoughts kept drifting to what I'd heard and what it meant.

In-between classes, I cocked my ear to catch the song again. No such luck.

Lunch time, Torin was waiting outside my class, a group of girls hanging on his every word. One reached up and brushed his shirt. That was crossing the line. I staked my claim when I reached his side, sliding my hand into his. They took off. "Groupies?"

He laughed. "No."

"Next time Leanna Finch strokes your chest, I'll break her fingers."

"Who's Leanna?"

I forgave him for not noticing. Girls were always pushing boundaries like a damn predator checking for weaknesses. Someone needed to tell them Torin and I were tight. Fortified like Fort Knox. "Have you seen Ingrid?"

"No." He stroked my cheek with his knuckles. "Are we eating here or at home? I can make us something."

I wanted to stay there and let him stroke me. His touch was intoxicating. But first things first. "Okay, but I need to ask Ingrid something first."

He went still. "About?"