“Of course it was wrong. But I know you—you’re not going to run around killing a bunch of pathetic rich people and you’re not going to let us do it either.”

Kera rolled her eyes. “Okay. You’re right. But we can alert the police.”

“Alert them about what, exactly? The Nordic goddess they were trying to bring into this world?”

“That the Mara were helping them?”

“That the world actually has Nordic gods? And Greek gods? And Rom—”

“Okay, okay! I get your point.”

“Isn’t she cute when she forgets this isn’t normal for most people?” Vig asked, pulling Kera into a tight hug.

“Shut up.”

“Uh . . . Kera?”

She looked at Stieg. “What?”

“You may want to do something about . . . that.”

Vig lifted his head and watched sweet Brodie prance by with a Mara arm hanging from her mouth.

Kera gasped, horrified, and ran after her dog. “Brodie Hawaii, you drop that arm right now!”

Brodie took off running, and Kera chased her all over the yard, the Mara and stupid rich people forgotten.

“Your girlfriend’s weird, bruh,” Stieg joked.

“As compared to what?”

Brodie spun around and dashed back the other way, a panicked Kera trying to stop her. “Brodie Hawaii, you come back here! Don’t forget! You represent all pit bulls! This looks bad on all pit bulls!”

Stieg stared at Vig. “Everything.”

Brianna, still coughing, walked into her apartment.

She knew she should have gone to the hospital but all she wanted to do was go home. She just wanted to go home.

She opened up a bottle of red wine and poured herself a glass.

The most important thing at this point was that she had to get her job back. But how?

Maybe if she groveled enough . . . Betty might take her back.

With her glass of wine, Brianna walked toward her bedroom. She just wanted a shower and to get some sleep. But she stopped by the mirror over her couch and stared at herself. That’s when she saw it. She had a gold necklace around her neck. It kind of reminded her of a bracelet because it was thick and open in the middle, the ends fashioned with dragon heads. It was beautiful but . . . why was she wearing it? She didn’t remember putting it . . . putting it . . .

Brianna blinked. Shuddered. The wineglass slipped from her hand and hit the hardwood, splattering red wine across the floor. Brianna grabbed her stomach, her entire body beginning to shake. As she watched herself in the mirror, Brianna moved her hands to her chest, up to her throat.

“Nnnn . . . o,” she stuttered out instead of screaming. “N—”

She watched in horror as the skin on her chest stretched out from her body. It was like a hand was trying to punch its wayout of her. But . . . but that wasn’t possible.

That wasn’t possible!

Gullveig tore her way out of the girl’s body, pushing bone, muscle, and skin out of her way until she was able to suck in clean air.

She laughed, pushing the girl’s remains down to the floor and stepping out of her body like a suit. Gullveig raised her arms overhead and stretched. It felt good to be back on this plane of existence. Such an interesting world. So much to entertain herself with.

So much gold.

She loved gold. All of it.

She walked to the balcony and opened the double windows and stared out as the sun began to rise in the east.

“I see you failed,” she said to Shona-sari, whom she knew now stood behind her. She glanced back at the Mara, but those grotesque little fangs held no appeal, so she returned her gaze to the sun. “You let Skuld’s Clan stop you.”

“It wasn’t just the Crows. It was the Ravens. They teamed up.”

“Oooh. How horrifying. Crows and Ravens. Did they squawk or just caw at you and your females?”

“Goddess—”

“No. Don’t bother.” She gestured to the body on the floor. “Just clean that up. And quickly. I’m starving and I want to order in some food. Oh.” She returned to the body of the girl, removed Freyja’s torc, and peeled the skin off the corpse.

Gullveig smiled at the Mara leader. “Forgot I’ll be needing these.”

She headed to the bathroom. “I know it’s early but you know what would be delightful . . . a mimosa. See if you can whip one up for me, would you, hon?”

“Wait,” the Mara said before Gullveig could close the bathroom door. “What are you going to do now?”

“Well, after you clean this up and order my food and get my mimosa—I do love champagne in the morning!—you’re going to set up a meeting for me with Hel.”

The Mara took a step back. “Why would I do that?”

“Well, one reason is I told you to. And the other is that you and your dentally challenged girls fucked up. And I need an . Hel can provide one.”

“Hel won’t help you.”

“Don’t underestimate how far I’ll go and how much rage dear Lady Hel still has. Just set up the meeting.”

“And you?”

“Me?” Gullveig asked, smiling. “I have a job to go to. But I think it’s time for a promotion. Don’t you?”

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Betty hung up the phone and blew out a breath. It looked like Yardley would need plastic surgery again due to a fight a few hours ago. The girl never protected her face during a battle! So Betty would need to come up with another believable lie for her client-slash-sister-Crow.