“Unless you can specify what the disruption is, there is nothing I can do.”
Loki’s nostrils flared and he took a step toward me. “Listen. Do you think I want to be confined to this town of misfits? The sooner I can finish the job, the sooner I can depart this place. If I fail, I will be banished to the farthest plane in the universe and last I checked, it wasn’t a great place to vacation.”
Loki seemed sincere enough on the outside, but was that really enough for me to actually believe him? He was an expert at manipulating people to do as he wished. He had a thousand years of practice to perfect his art.
I had two options here and I didn’t like either one. I could humor him and take a quick tour of the town or I could tell him to fuck off. The latter was what I was leaning toward. The one that would make me feel better, but pissing Loki off could spell disaster for this town. I reminded myself Silver Springs was Willow’s home and she loved it here. I owed it to her to at least pacify Loki.
“Fine,” I said. “I’ll see if anything is amiss. However, if I find you were involved in any discord in this town, I will imprison you in Tartarus. Am I clear?”
Loki’s expression hardened. “Crystal.”
Without another word, I spun on my heel and stalked off to appease the trickster. I only hoped I wouldn’t regret it.
4
Kari
I scrubbed my hands through my tangled hair, my bleary eyes barely open. Whatever was in those drinks from Cider’s packed a punch. Maybe taking a tour of the menu wasn’t such a great idea.
The end result was me sleeping like the dead, and waking up wondering if I actually was. I dragged my feet as I finished the rest of my chamomile tea and made my way from the guest bedroom into the attached bathroom.
I set my empty cup on the granite counter and opened the glass shower door, flipping the handle to hot. Once steam was visible through the glass, I stripped off my robe and hung it on the hook next to the door, then stepped inside.
My moan filled the shower as the hot water soaked into my muscles. I turned and walked into the spray of water, letting it wash over my face, and drenching my long hair. Feeling the life gradually come back into my body, I lathered shampoo into my hair and began to sing It’s Raining Men. Making up words where I couldn’t remember them. I closed my eyes as the suds began to drip down my face and used my hand as a microphone while I belted out the chorus. The one part I did know all of the words to.
I was just about to hit the high note when without warning the water stopped flowing, abruptly cutting off the words to the song.
Goddess in my closet, please don’t tell me there was a water main break while I have soap in my hair and eyes. I fumbled around for the shower handle only to find something else was hard in my grip.
I swiped my free hand over my eyes and then snapped them open. Finding myself no longer in the shower, but standing outside with a kilted man’s junk cradled in my palm.
I held my breath and slowly dragged my gaze up an off-white linen shirt stretched tight over taught abs and hardened pecs. Long brown hair hung in waves past broad shoulders, before finally settling on rich brown eyes hooded with desire.
Praise the gods, this had to be a wet dream. I’d read Outlander a dozen times and fantasized about having hot dirty sex with a georgeous Highlander. And now my time was finally here.
“Where did ye come from and why were ye screeching like a banshee?” The Highlander asked in an irritated tone.
My mouth fell open.
A banshee?
My fantasy had lasted all of five seconds.
“Ye warned the redcap I was hunting,” he accused as his eyes skimmed my naked body and a predatory smile curled his lips. “Though this day may still end in my favor. Perhaps ye are the baobhan sith I’ve been searching for? Based on the way yer squeezing my cock I would guess I’m right.”
In horror, my eyes darted to where my hand was currently massaging his balls. I released them and stumbled backward, a blob of soap sliding down my temple. Why on earth had I still been holding on to him?
Afraid to release his intense stare, I finally tuned in to my surroundings. The coarse grass beneath my bare feet, the heavy smell of wood smoke in the air and the sound of a hammer striking metal in the distance.
A knot formed in the pit of my belly. This was most definitely not a dream. Mine were never this vivid. Although if it was, it didn’t seem to be the naughty kind. Unless running for your life was something you were into.
I knew for a fact I was no longer in Silver Springs. But then how did I end up in Scotland? While I had never been to Scotland before, I assumed people no longer dressed like this in modern day. I didn’t even want to think about what year it could be.
My hands began to tremble, my heart about to explode from my chest. Now was not the time to panic. I was a demigod. I needed to keep calm and remain in control. Even if I was standing naked in front of a strange man whose balls I’d just fondled.
Once I escaped this Highlander I would need to find my mother. If I was somewhere in the past, it couldn’t be more than a few hundred years. As a Greek goddess, she would still be alive and could help me find my way back home. I just had to focus and think logically.
What was it he had called me? A baobhan sith?
My mind scrambled to remember what a baobhan sith was. Hopefully, it was a creature that was revered in this time. Maybe he would take me back to his castle and ply me with sweets and wine.
That hope was quickly dashed when I discovered the claymore dripping blood by his side and finally remembered what a baobhan sith was. A beautiful woman who lured men with their sexual desires and then slaughtered them. Currently standing before him without any clothes on, I could see how he might draw that conclusion.
I took another step back, crossing my arms over my naked body. “I promise you I am not a baobhan sith. I’m the daughter of Khione, the goddess of snow. If you take me to her, she will confirm I am not who you think I am.” Then again, she also won’t know me since I haven’t been born yet. Maybe it would be better if I found her myself.
The Scot advanced toward me, his grip firm on his sword. The steel one, not the one under his kilt.
I retreated another step. “Look at me, I’m naked and covered in soap. It’s obvious I was in the middle of a shower when I suddenly appeared here.”
As if he’d awaited my invitation to check me out, his gaze roamed from my bare toes, back up to my face, his predatory smile never wavered. Damn he was hot and my traitorous body was reacting to every drool worthy muscular inch of him. Why couldn’t this be a dream so we could have hot, sweaty sex already?
My instincts told me I needed to flee, because there would be no reasoning with this guy. His mind was already made up that I was sent to seduce and kill him. It’s not like I could show him my driver’s license or social media profile to prove I wasn’t this monster he thought I was.
I had no desire to run through town naked, but what choice did I have. I only needed to buy myself some time. I flung my hands out to encase him in ice. Only nothing happened. I tried again and still nothing. Not even a single snowflake appeared. What happened to my powers?
The Highlander didn’t even so much as flinch at my movement. If anything, the corners of his mouth twitched like he was holding back a smile. Great, he thought I was weak and powerless, and he would be able to easily overtake me.