Harvey planted his hands on his lean hips, eyes narrowing as if the hammer could see his expression.Hisangryexpression.“Stop playing the victim here, buddy.You know very well my reasons.You root for my father’s wishes.He tasked you with monitoring my every move because I won’t bend to his will.And let’s not forget, you’re anag, MC.If I haven’t said it a hundred times, I’ll say it a hundred more.I’m a shipwright.I’m not meant to rule the realm!”he thundered.
Rule the realm?What realm?
If she wasn’t freaked out before, now she bordered hysterical.Where was the realm?Whatwas the realm?
Forgetting her fears, forgetting the notion they might kill her to keep her quiet about their secrets, she had to ask.
Twisting her hair around her index finger, she rocked back and forth on nervous feet.“I don’t want to sound like a complete idiot, but I’ve been a little busy and haven’t had time to catch up on my superhero movies.What’s the realm…?”
Harvey’s eyebrow lifted, haughty and high on his forehead.“The realm, as in Asgard where I hail from.But there’s also, the sky, all of humanity, better known as Earth to you, or Midgard, as we Norse call it.My father unceremoniously took it upon himself to abandon MC, as a not-so-subtle nudge in the direction of taking over his duties because he claims he’s tired and it’s time to hand over the reins to me.But in the process, he also ensured MC would be kept safe with me by giving him free will, as long as, when called upon, he does his job.”
His job?She didn’t want to know what his job was.She wanted to know what he wanted with her.“Then how the heck did he end up with me?If you’re supposed to be watching him, you’re not doing a very good job, because he was at a swap meet in Great Neck.”
“As I said, that’s his free will in play,” Harvey said.“If MC wishes to roam, he’s free to do so until needed.I’m sorry he roamed here.”
“I cannot be owned, Harvey Larsen!”MC cried.“I’m no one’s property!I’m a free spirit with free will, and my spirit brought me here to you, Dominique.Isensedyou.I woke up the other morning, and as I meditated, your spirit connected with mine and instantly I knew.You’re the one.”
Now Marty and Wanda, who’d let this exchange play out without saying a word, each held up a hand.“The one?The one what?”
“Dominique is the one person in all of Midgard worthy of my power.There are many who have come close, but she hammers, pardon the pun, the competition.She will rule.”
Dom felt her face go slack.“I feel like I just won a contest I didn’t know I’d entered.”
The panic that had only begun to settle in her stomach bubbled in an angry boil to the surface, making her hands shake and her legs feel like butter.
She held up MC and shook it at Harvey.“I don’t know what’s going on.I don’t know where you people came from or how you found me, but I do not—I repeat—Ido notwant this hammer!Now take it!”She shoved it at Harvey.
He held up his wide hands in protest.“You don’t understand, Dom.And we’ve gotten a bit off track.If you’ll let me explain?—”
“I said,take it!”she bellowed, shoving it at him and letting go of the handle, fully expecting Harvey to grab it.
Wow, was that ever a mistake.
Because when she thrust the hammer at Harvey—and, in his favor, hedidtry to take it—it fell to the floor of her townhome.
And exploded.
In flashing sparks of colors and thunderous claps of sound that ricocheted off the walls and left a gaping hole in her floor the size of the Grand Canyon.
Okay, that was an exaggeration, but it was a big hole.
Areallybig hole.
ChapterFour
So, Nina’s hoodie caught fire.
And did she ever let Dom know it, too.Yes siree.
“Are you fucking insane?”she yelped, as Dom used a kitchen towel to beat at the flames sizzling across the shoulder of the vampire’s hoodie.“Get the fuck off me!”She swatted at Dom, the wind she created with her hands alone akin to a gale force.
Dom winced, backing off immediately.“I’m sorry, Nina!I didn’t know… How could I have known that would happen?”
Nina’s eyes narrowed in her direction, and if coal-black eyes could glow red, hers were on fire.“This was my favorite goddamn hoodie!”
Marty rasped a sigh, tugging at the hoodie to pull it off her friend’s shoulders.“You have ten others just like it, and you can afford a hundred more.Can it, Drama Queen.”
Wanda booped the tip of Nina’s perfect nose with an indulgent grin.“Look at it this way, Dark Lord, at least it wasn’t your hair this time.”Then she laughed at some private joke they all clearly shared.
