Adrian Drunsquille was doing exactly as he’d been instructed, to do nothing. He’d caused enough problems and a few days ago, he was finally summoned and been given a suggestion to take a vacation. “Vacation my ass.” He muttered. He knew an exile when he saw one. They needed him out of the way, steering up no trouble for the six months they required to seal the deal in his absence. He tried to find some interest in the dancing ladies and failed. A dangerous apathy had settled on his mind and nothing he did filled that hole. He fucked and drank and gambled all day and yet that hole only seemed to yawn wider with every passing day. He was wasting his time. He was just about to stand when the roof caved in. He felt a flare of anger and leaped up. He’d paid an exorbitant fee for the peace and solitude to brood in his thoughts and what was this interruption?“What the fuck is the meaning of this?” He snapped. She landed in the middle of the debris and he felt his anger falter. An immor
Freya couldn’t believe this was happening to her. She didn’t want this man, whoever he was, he was a stranger and a nuisance. The only man she wanted was Riordan but Riordan was nowhere in sight and when the strange male made a low sound at the back of his throat and ground against her like he was helpless to resist, she moaned; turned on like her body was on fire. Immediately the guilt followed, and the denial. This stranger was not the man she wanted, he had surely done something to trick her wolf into thinking he was her mate. She gritted her teeth and ripped her arm from his. Gripping his shoulder, she flipped their position, fisting his shirt and growling in his face. “Take me back!” Her voice was nearly a scream as she shook him hard. “Take me back right this instant!” “I said I cannot!” He hissed. “Even if I could, what makes you think that I would want to?” “You fucking bastard!!” She screamed her rage and tried to head-butt him but he was quicker, evading her attack. He
Freya walked for hours, determined to walk her way out of the strange field while ignoring the man that just wouldn’t shut up. “Like I said, there’s no cause for concern. I used to portal myself accidentally all the time when I was young.” He continued and she gritted her teeth in annoyance, marching straight ahead while sweat drizzled down her back. “It worried the kingdom then, my mother thought I would some day portal myself right into the Underworld or something. I did once, barely returned with my life intact.” He continued chattily. She bit down hard on her curiosity but the questions burned her mind. What did he see down there? Was he just a child when he portaled himself to the Underworld? Was the realm as terrible as it was believed to be? She refused to indulge him however, wanted nothing at all to do with him. “The other times were much less dramatic but not any less dangerous. I once found myself in the depths of the ocean once. Another time it was a realm made of de
Freya snuck a glance behind her, glimpsing the long bony creatures that rose high above the field of tall grass. She saw three of them and they were pale as the moon itself with long spindly arms and legs such that one of their strides was three of hers. “What the hell are they?!” She hissed. “I’ve seen their type before.” Said Adrian. “It’s enough to say that they’re not picky eaters.” They were still running but the creatures were closing in on them fast. “Take off your jacket!” He ordered. “Now is not the time to be trying to get into my pants!” She snapped. “Touché Princess. There’s never ‘not’ a good time to try but that’s not what I’m about. Trust me and take the jacket off or the both of us will be warming those creature’s bowels forever.”“I’m not a fucking princess.” She growled and yanked the jacket off her shoulder. “Of course you’re not.” He took the jacket from her, never breaking stride as he hurled it far. “Why did you do that?” She yelled. “Because our pursue
“Over my dead body.” She growled and he tsked. “A pity. You have thirty seconds before you’re as good as dead.” He sat on a high root and watched her. “I don’t need your stinking help.” She growled and heaved again. If she could just gain some leverage, she could push her way out but as if the tree was an expert at kidnapping sleeping women, the thick roots had immobilised her legs and her arms entirely. They creeped over her neck and started over her jaw. “Twenty seconds.” Adrian said. “I’d make my decision fast if I were you. Say yes, it’s just a kiss.”“‘Once I get out of here,” She gritted out. “You will pay for every second of my discomfort.” “Fifteen seconds.” He replied. “Once you get swallowed fully, you’ll not even have the power to scratch an itch. Don’t be stubborn, I offered a fair deal.”“You’re the reason why I’m stuck here in the first place!” She growled. “I know, I’m quite shameless.” He grinned again. “I saved your life though. I know those men weren’t chasing
Distance might have made it seem smaller but up close she saw that the hut was the single largest hut she ever saw. The air wafted and brought the scent of roasting denizen to her nose and her stomach growled in answer. She immediately started walking in the directing when Adrian’s hand landed on her shoulder. “Are you just going to work into the hut and demand for their food?” He asked and she smiled patiently. “Exactly. I’m pretty sure neither of us is holding money to pay. You can remain here if you’re scared.” She said. She turned away and found herself smiling. He was falling into step beside her a moment later, shaking his head. “You know this is a suicide mission don’t you?” He asked her and she laughed. “Leave the fight to me and get the food.” She replied. She’d fought Riordan before, fought Undead Council dogs that were resistant to her magic. She feared nothing more. “As if.” He muttered. “You’re good at making series of bad decisions. Will you at least tell me your n
Freya scrambled up and immediately tried the lock.“Don’t bother.” Adrian drawled. “It won’t budge.”He didn’t lie. She gripped the bars and watched what looked like a celebration down below. There were at least twenty of the giants and she recognised some of them from their scuffle earlier though she couldn’t be sure as they all looked alike. There were a few of them that had stringy colourful patterns on their head that made her wonder if they were the females of the tribe. “They look like they are celebrating a hearty dinner later.” Said Adrian. “Between the both of us, how much fucking meat could they possibly get?” She growled. “Have you tried talking to them?” She asked. “They don’t speak any language I understand.” He replied, looking very calm and collected for someone that would soon be in itty bitty pieces and in eternal torment in some smelly gut. Down below, a fire was lit with twigs and slowly started to burn. “Is that what I think it is?” She asked and the fire refl
Freya was raised up and six pairs of eyes peered at her. The women bellowed something joyful and the joyful cries were picked up. The mother giant crushed Freya to her chest, suffocating her with her stench and she nearly passed out. Speaking excitedly, she displayed her proudly to the men. This was not exactly Freya’s intention when she crawled into the shroud but somehow, she was being mistaken for the dead baby come back to life. Warily, her eyes met the male giants, the ones that had chased her into the hut and she found their large filmy eyes narrowed suspiciously at her. A male giant said something, making her tense as she prepared to spring out of her smelly disguise. He pointed to her and spoke harshly but the mother giant snatched her away from him and her words became harder and even harsher than the men. Did he recognise her?She waited with bated breath to see which way her luck would swing and for the first time, it seemed Lady Luck was smiling at her today. The male