"Get me a rope!"
I shouted. People were gathering around, looking. Whispers and mortified gasps. I raised a brow as I heard giggling behind me. Maya shrugged her shoulders at me and did a half try to keep her laughter down. Odin, Hel, and sweet Loki, please tell me I'm not about to bring a woman with Hades' kind of humor back to my pack!
The freaking thing was a flying animal skeleton, most likely an old wild dog or maybe even a lion. With him, who knows! Flying around over our heads, coated with Hades's black dust, and right between the legs of the skeleton, a massive whale cock was flapping back and forth over our heads.
My nose wrinkled, and my lip twitched as I watched that meaty thing flap all over up there. How the hell did he even manage to attach that thing? You know what? Don't even want to know!
"Where is that rope?"
A couple of the old females jumped back, looking like they would have a heart attack soon. Well, I'm not that amused by his humor all the time, mainly because all my attempts to beat him at this old message banter have fallen short. But to see most of these people either about to pass out, empty their stomachs or fall to their knees praying for Odin to save them made me realize how boring this pack must be.
There is no wonder Eir would be bored here! I snickered. From what I've heard so far, she managed to turn things upside down in the short time she spent here. I could only imagine the mortified faces of these dry sticks when Maya and Eir stuck their heads together and made new plans. I didn't have much time to get to know her that well when I met her, but I do feel like I know her, at least some of her already.
When I finally managed to catch that damned thing flying over our heads, bones began to fall off and scattered around the open grass field. At least some of the driest bystanders scrambled off like the place was on fire. That damned head fell off right before that meaty thing slammed to the ground. My face twitched in disgust, but Maya's laughter roared behind me. Rolling my eyes, I know she's going to find a complicit in Hades.
Looking at the head rolling away, a sudden thought struck me. She is indeed much like Hades, a female version of him. What if I let my mind work on its own when I squatted down to search through the remaining bones for the message he left. I knew it was a far fetch, but what if she was his mate? I mean, who else could be such a perfect fit?
"So, did you find it?"
Maya was the only one that had mustered some courage to walk up to me. I've been sitting here now, picking that cursed skeleton apart for what felt like ages. The magic powder was gone, and the wings had faded. All that was left was dry old bones and a limp whale dick. But no freaking message! I knew my aura bothered many of them when I was this angry; even Maya looked a bit pale. However, she stood right next to me. Holding it down, well, humans do not feel it the same as shifters, but hidden behind my seething irritation, I'm Impressed.
"It is not here! It's just bones and junk."
"Yeah, literally, I can see! Have you checked it out?"
I spun around and observed her with obvious disgust."
"Why would I do that? Look at it! It is disgusting! Even in my eyes!"
"Yeah, yeah. Sure!"
She crunched down, and I almost puked when she grabbed that damned thing and lifted it. It reminded me of a skinned, thick eel flapping in her hands while she struggled to keep it straight. One quick move, and she sliced up the god damned thing, and my stomach was doing flips. She sliced it up! Just like that.
But just as I was about to reunite with my breakfast, there it was! A little piece of paper flew up, and I had to stifle my smile at Maya. She stumbled back while his deep voice sounded around us.
"Brother! As ugly as always, I assume. Either you threw the pleasure meat on the fire in pure rage, or you tried to eat it. Besides that, I can't see you figuring out this one!"
His taunting laughter followed, and I could picture him before me. His amused look and that mischievous spark in his eyes. The laughter died down, and the message continued,
"Anyway, we need to meet. Let us sail into the sunrise; let us bathe with the seals. Swim with deadly temptation and drown by night. I know I will see you there; I will be there when the sun has risen three times. You need sweetened mead and dark sunshine."
I sighed and watched the paper burst into flames before it fell to the ground as smoldering pieces of ash. I knew where it was, but sweetened mead and dark sunshine, took me a couple of extra minutes. Maya still looked down where the paper had disappeared.
"We call it; talking paper,"
I said with pride.
It had always been our way to communicate from we were little. Well, at one point, it had started with using birds and critters, but as time went by, we both had developed more creative ways to send them. It did, however, irritate me a little that he was the first to send an actual dick. I should have thought of that!
"Talking paper? Really, that was the best you came up with?"
"Well, excuse me! Do you have a better suggestion?"
"Many! Voice messages would be my first go-to."
Fuck, that did sound better. I knew this woman was trouble! But instead, I got up and began to walk away. Sending my pack, a mind link; we needed to pack up and get the ship ready.
"You still want to follow? Pack up your stuff; we are leaving tonight!"
For the first time since I got her, I sensed her doubt. Even fear. I turned around and studied her. Swallowing hard, she kept her gaze on her feet.
"What? It was an offer, not a request. I told you that. But I do hope you will join, if not just for Eir's sake."
"What if he won't let me?"
Her confident and bubbling voice was suddenly reduced to a thick whisper.
"Who?"
"My mate?"
I frowned and smelled the air around her before my eyes darted to her neck.
"You are not marked? Do you have a destined mate here?"
"No idea what you mean by that, but there is a man that claims he owns me."
"So he caught you, then why are you not marked?"
This was ridiculous. I knew the Vikings practice on this; they marked their hunting prey when they caught them or got back. I saw no reason for them to hold that back, especially if he claims ownership.
"Because I'm not lady enough. I need to learn to cock better and adjust my attitude. He had a long list. Most important is, I can't have kids."
"so, for him, you are useless? Then it should not be a problem. He will let you go in return for a new try at the mate hunt."
I shrugged it off, but the pain that flashed over her face made me second-guess my words. Was it not what she wanted? Like a flash of light, the expression was gone. Her jaw tightened, and her chin lifted.
"Yes, I'm useless. Don't leave without me!"
And she stormed off.
What the heck was wrong now? I pinched the bridge of my nose; I could feel a headache brewing. I'm sure this is the reason why there aren't more females born here! They all say one thing and mean something else! They would have turned us all into lunatics!
As the shadows grew longer and the sun started is travel down into the horizon, the ship was ready. We were all packed. Alpha Birger, so eager to get us off his land, he even ordered his men to help us and gave us extra supplies.
Now, all we waited for was Maya. Why wasn't she here already?