"I hear you. This has been nice." She jumped up and walked to the window. "How come Torin's place is all dark? Did he move to the mansion?"

"He's around. What is it?" I could always tell when she wanted to say something but wasn't sure how to do it. She got really antsy. When she hesitated, I sighed. "Seriously, you want me to nag it out of you?"

She made a face. "I want to go back to vlogging," she said then added quickly, "Not about Hottie of the Week, or anything that superficial. I want to vblog about real people with real problems."

She was serious. "Okay."

"Dealing with souls has shown me people never have conversations about important things. They hold on to their pain, anger, and resentment until they die. But then it's too late. I want to use the stories the souls tell me, Raine. You know, make each a blog entry, so if there's someone out there who's having the same problems, they can do something about it before it's too late." She stared at me expectantly as though she expected me to blow her off. "I know I don't have a degree in psychology, but-"

"It's a brilliant idea. And you don't need a degree. You're learning from listening to people."

She blew out a breath. "Listening to dead people kind of puts things in perspective."

I'd bet. I had yet to see my first soul. "So when do you want to start? Are you going to change their names, the setting?"

Her face scrunched as though she was about to cry then she hugged me. "Oh, I knew you'd support me." She jumped up, peered into her room through the portal. "Echo doesn't know. I thought I'd run it by you first. I'm going to start this week. I'll need your input before I upload, so expect to watch something in a day or two. Oh, there was something else I meant to ask you, but I can't remember now." She pouted and blew out air. "Phew. Oh well. It will come to me. Gotta go. See you tomorrow."

I smiled. She still got all chatty and her voice developed a high-pitch tone when she was excited. It was one of her endearing qualities.

I got ready for bed, went downstairs to say goodnight to Dad, but he was asleep. I left the inventory and tax papers behind.

Torin wasn't back when I went back upstairs. I stared at his house. I was tempted to text Andris, but I didn't want to be that girl. You know the needy and clingy, and completely useless when her boyfriend wasn't around kind.

I was in bed when warm air blew into my room and Torin entered.

My heart tripped. He made it so easy for a girl to drool. He'd already changed into his sweatpants and tank shirt that hugged his chest and left his sculptured arms bare. As usual, he was barefoot. I studied him from above my book.

He swaggered to the foot of my bed. "How come you're in bed early?"

I lifted my book without speaking.

"Miss me?"

I pursed my lips and pretended to think about it then shook my head. Okay, so I was a bit pissed at him because he hadn't bothered to check in. Portals took seconds to create.

He crawled under the blanket from the foot the bed and worked his way up, slowly driving me crazy. Did he ever do anything like a normal guy? I didn't realize I was holding my breath until he wiggled his head between my chest and my book. He gave me the most adoring look ever.

"Hi, luv."

The stinker. He knew when to work that British accent to his advantage and I almost forgave him, but I had standards. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to get your attention. You know I hate to be ignored." He bobbed his head to indicate the book, which was on top of his head. "What are you reading?"

"Moby-Dick," I said, forcing my heart to behave. It wasn't easy with his chest pressed against mine and his legs trapping one of mine.

"Isn't that the book you are reading to your father? You're cheating again?"

I put the book face down on his back and ran my fingers through his hair. I tended to get caught up in the stories Torin and I read together and sneaked a read without him, which drove him nuts. This was different. Dad had read Moby-Dick to me when I was little and I had a feeling this time round, we might not finish it. I couldn't even explain why I was reading ahead. I still didn't feel like discussing my father's death with Torin.

"Guilty," I said.

"And you look it." He slid his arms under my shoulders and propped himself on his elbows. His face was inches from mine. He really had a problem with giving me personal space. Not that I was complaining. "So what did you do while I was gone?"

"After the shop, I came home. Cora visited after dinner. Where were you?"

"Touching base with the other Valkyries."

I frowned. "About the Seeress?"

He nodded. "Most Valkyries are being called back to Asgard."

My stomach hollowed out. If he left... I couldn't even begin to imagine my life without him. "You're not-"

"Not that I've heard. I'm sure they have enough helpers in Valhalla." He stroked my hair. "I'm not going anywhere."

He couldn't promise that. "But if they order you-"

"I'm not going anywhere, Freckles." His voice said he'd defy any orders, which would only land him in trouble. He lowered his head and added, "No one will ever make me leave you." The kiss that followed was sweet and too brief. He shifted and switched our positions, his arms wrapping around me. "So when you said you came home, do you mean you came alone or did Andris pick you up? Because if he didn't, I'm going-"

I pressed a finger on his lips. "Whoa, slow down. Andris did. Poor guy. He has a stalker and acted really fugitive-ish. He also seemed to think you won't approve of my working at the shop after school."

He stiffened. "Why would you want to do that?"

"It's something to do."

"You do me after school," he retorted.

I giggled. "That sounded wrong."

"That's because you have a dirty mind." His tone said he didn't find my comment funny. "You know what I mean. We hang out and do stuff. Now that it's warmer, I plan to teach you how to move faster without hitting someone or something, and I'm not talking about while riding a Harley."

"You should have said something or texted me." He stared at me like I was a ditzy teenager, which I wasn't. He hated texting. "I don't read minds you know."

"Well, now you know. Then there's creating portals in the air instead of solid surfaces. Portals to places around the world without appearing in someone's bedroom or in the middle of some high society ball in London. That happened to me once and it wasn't funny. They thought I was a stable boy trying to steal the family silver."

"And the bedroom?"

"The woman believed she'd conjured me. I mean, she was standing naked in front of a mirror talking to herself when I walked through it." He shuddered. "One mistake and it had to be with a bloody witch."

I ignored the comment about the witch. "No one walks blindly through portals. You must have seen her."

He smirked. "I was young and cocky, and she was hot." A wicked twinkle entered his eyes.

"Oh, you were such a man-whore." I tried to slide off him, but his arms tightened and his legs lifted and trapped me.

"That was before I met you. Now, I only lust after one woman." He buried his face on my neck, his breath fanning the sensitive skin. I shivered.

"Tell me again why you hate witches. Weren't you one, once upon a time?"

"Technically, all Valkyries were once spiritual Mortals," he stressed, lifting his head. "Mortals in touch with their inner self. Mortals sensitive to nature and those around them. Mortals aware that they are part of something bigger than what an average Joe sees. They didn't have to draw circles or chant. No matter how nice or what culture they come from, witches can turn vicious and go Carrie on you."

Movie reference? He was picking up stuff from me. I wrapped my arms around his neck. "You think I could hurt you."

"No. You could never hurt anyone." He forked hair away from my face and kissed me again, deeper this time. When he stopped, I had trouble focusing on his next words. "Just promise to stay away from witches. We have runes for everything imaginable, except for fighting witches and their ability to mess with people's heads."

I frowned. "Have you ever been attacked by a witch?"

"No, but I've seen what they can do and it's not pretty. Now, about this job..." He nibbled his way along my jaw to my neck, sending heat through me. His hands slid down my sides, passing over my hips to my thighs. He tugged until I straddled him. Then his lips covered mine, the taste of him going straight to my head. He really didn't play fair. "So you'll tell Hawk you've changed your mind?"

I wasn't ready to be a doormat yet. "You can have Tuesdays, Thursdays and sometimes Saturdays, but I'll be working on Mondays," I pressed my lips on his cheek, "Wednesdays," then the other, "and Friday at the Mirage." I kissed him on the lips.

I thought he was going to resist, but he let me in and allowed me to play with him. I loved it when he let me indulge myself. A shudder rolled through him, his arms tightening around me. He was wound tight like a caged tiger. Fighting his natural instinct to take charge.

I lifted my head. "Deal?"

"No. Convince me," he said, voice husky.

Grinning, I speared my fingers through his hair, gripped and tilted his head. He watched me from under the canopies of his lashes, waiting to see what I'd do next. Daring me with a half smile. I closed the gap between us and rubbed my nose against his.

"Tease," he whispered.

"You asked for it, so relax and enjoy." I took my time this time, savoring his responses. He stopped me before I got carried away and tucked me on his side. I buried my face in his neck and inhaled. I could never get enough of his piney scent.

He didn't mention the deal again, but then it wasn't really about the deal. Torin liked to push boundaries to see what he could get away with. Sometimes, I let him. Most of the time, I pushed back.

CHAPTER 5. BRITISH BASTARD.

Something woke me up. A sound or maybe a feeling that something wasn't right. My room was in total darkness. Darker than usual because I couldn't see my hands. I reached for Torin, but he was gone.

I slipped out of bed and automatically glanced out the window. His house was in total darkness too. Voices came from downstairs again. They must be the ones who'd woken me up.

I left my room and headed downstairs. The door to my parent's bedroom was open, but it was empty. Where was Femi? She slept there now that Mom was gone. Halfway down the stairs, the voices reached me again. They were coming from outside.

I went to the front door and angled my head to listen. My stomach dropped. Someone was singing. It was the same Seidr song. A Witch was outside my house. Or was this a summoning? I unlocked the door and turned the knob, but it didn't move.

Not again.

I ran to the window, jumped on the couch and pushed aside the curtains. Several people stood in my front yard. I tried to see the faces of the ones facing me, but they were blurry. The glowing circle and runes were visible between their legs, and light flickered in the circle, but I couldn't see the Seeress either.

"Why do you need to find them?" a woman's voice asked. Probably the Seeress. Her voice was different from the one from last night. It sounded low and husky, like Femi's.

"We don't need to give you a reason, Seidkona." Dang it, he still sounded like Torin. I tried to see which one of them had spoken. Maybe see his face.

"I cannot help you," the woman said defiantly.

"You will or you will die," he snarled.

"Just like you've killed the others who refused to help you," the woman said with disgust. "Your kind is not supposed to kill."

"We can do whatever we want. This is your last chance," Mr. British warned.

"I will not betray my kind," the woman snapped. "Not for the likes of you."

"Then you seal your fate too," Mr. Brit said. A scream filled the air and then it was cut short with a telltale crack.

Holy crap! He just snapped her neck.

I let go of the curtains and jumped away from the window. Totaling forgetting I was on the couch. I lost my balance and fell backwards.

Arms wrapped around my waist.

"I got you," a voice whispered in my ear. It was the voice of the Seeress killer. I screamed, kicked, and reached up to claw his face. He caught my arms and pinned them down. "Whoa, Freckles. It's me."

The familiar warmth and earthy scent registered first, then his words. Freckles. Only Torin called me that. I stopped struggling, opened my eyes and stared into Torin's face with unseeing eyes. His fierce blue eyes came into focus.

"Is she okay?" Femi asked from the doorway and my eyes flew to her. Everything became confusing fast. Her voice superimposed on that of the Seeress. Torin's voice became that of her killer.

I scrambled from his arms and shot off the bed. My knee connected with my dresser and I hissed as pain shot up my leg. When Torin reached for me, I dropped on the window seat and scooted back until the hard ledge pressed against my back. I tucked my legs up to my chin and hugged them. My eyes volleyed between him and Femi. The confusion on their faces didn't help, so I focused on my room and familiar things.

The time on my alarm clock said it was only ten. I'd barely gone to sleep. I heard Torin say something then Femi left. Panic still churned in my gut. I stole a glance at him.

Torin stared at me from the bed with a grave expression, his expressive blue eyes shadowed. He was shirtless, yet I couldn't see the shirt he'd worn earlier. The last thing I remembered before falling asleep was the rhythmic motion of his hands as he stroked my hair and the thumpity-thump of his heart.

"What happened?" I asked.

"You fell asleep a few minutes ago and I left. Then I heard you scream."

He got off the bed, his movements slow. Graceful. It was a weird thing to notice, but I was processing things at a weird level. The muscles on his arms flexed and relaxed, the light casting a golden blush on his skin. The entire time, he kept staring as though he knew just how skittish I was.

He sat on the edge of the bed and studied me without speaking, giving me time.

"Was it bad?" he asked.

The killer just sounded like him. That was it. I nodded.

Concern darkened his eyes. "You want to talk about it?"

I shook my head. He looked ready to push, appeared to change his mind and raked his fingers through his hair. "Do you want a hug?"

Did I want his arms around me? Like I needed the freaking air. With that thought, sanity bitch slapped me. This was the man I was madly in love with. The man who'd broken rules to heal me without thoughts of consequences. The man whose memories the Norns had erased yet had fallen in love with me again. He knew me in ways I still didn't understand. Knew when I needed a good fight, to be brought down a peg or just held.

I didn't answer him. I leaped into his arms. He caught me and, without saying another word, shifted against the pillows, pulled the covers over us, and turned off the lights.