Skars started laughing. “Why would I do that?”
Raucous male laughter filled the air.
“There is no better way to go to Valhalla than meeting death clasped between the thighs of a woman.”
Chapter 10
Raine
It may not have been my brightest move to let Tayla take over the discussions with the Vikings, Raine thought ruefully.
Moving to their side, Raine nudged Tayla’s thigh with her foot to get her attention. “Stop it. They’re laughing.”
Tayla pressed her legs harder together. “They won’t be laughing,” she muttered between clenched teeth, “for long.”
It must have clicked in Skars’ head that Tayla meant business.
Angrily separating the combatting man and woman, he leaned down and lifted Ulf to his feet, dragging Tayla up also. “Woman, if the Ferajorin arrive before we can depart, we will need Ulf’s ax. Release him.”
Dropping her legs as they rose, Tayla gave the Vikings a feral grin. “I have a suggestion that should make all of us happy.” Tayla’s blue-green gaze went to Skars. “Is there a way to talk to each other if you’re separated?”
“Já,” Skars responded.
“Then you take the other two Vikings and Raine with you to the ship while I can show Ulf where our group is hiding. If Raine thinks it’s safe, you can bring more machines to transport us, and we’ll come willingly.”
Skars seemed to consider the suggestion. “My word isn’t enough that none of you will be harmed?”
Raine bit down on her bottom lip. The big Viking seemed hurt that neither Tayla nor she were willing to trust him.
Hesitant, Raine reached out to touch his arm. “I trust you. The problem is, if I’m wrong, several people will pay the price for my mistake. Tayla trusts you, too, don’t you?” Raine jiggled her eyes at Tayla to get her to agree.
Tayla tried to appear as if she was agreeing with her, pasting a fake smile on her lips. “A hundred percent,” she said, bobbing her head up and down.
Raine wondered if the Vikings would notice if she planted her foot up the other woman’s ass.
“How would you know we didn’t force her to lie when she talks to you?”
“You can give us a minute alone, and we’ll agree on a code only the both of us will know.”
Skars frowned. “You want to take Ulf in case we try to betray you?”
“Yes.” Raine hated that Skars had put it that way, but it was basically what they wanted.
“Before I agree, you have to tell me how many there are of you.”
Dammit, could nothing be simple? She didn’t know whether to escalate their numbers or try to make it seem as if there were fewer of them.
Tayla didn’t have the same problem opening her mouth to lie before she could. Skars held his hand up, stopping her from speaking.
“My wife will whisper me this number while you whisper to Ulf your answer.”
Seeing no way out of doing what she wanted, Raine walked over to Skars. Going to her toes, she whispered the answer as Tayla turned her head to whisper in Ulf’s.
“Seven,” she whispered huskily as her eyes were caught and held by Skars. Raine felt the heat of embarrassment flood her cheeks. The man must be aware of his impact he had on a woman; she saw it in his eyes and the curl of his sensuous lips.
Amusement filled his face when she hastily took a step backward.
“Ulf doesn’t go without his ax.”
Raine let Tayla handle that one, keeping her expression blank.
Tayla might have stayed in the ruined car while the Vikings fought the other aliens, but she was able to take care of herself. The woman hadn’t been playing around when her legs were around Ulf’s neck.
Only working three days at the bank, for enough money to get her new business off the ground, Tayla had spent the other days giving lessons in different fighting styles.
Since the bombing, she had regretted more than once not taking the discount that Tayla had offered her to teach her how to defend herself.
“He can take his ax as long as he leaves that doohickey he threw on us here.” Giving Ulf a frosty glare, she agreed to Skars’ stipulation.
Skars gave Ulf a nod, and then Ulf reached to his side to remove what appeared to be an old leather bag and tossing it to Skars.
Placing the bag within the folds of his cape, Skars touched the side of the vehicle next to him. The clear outer shell rose upward, leaving Skars room to sling a leg over the side. “You may speak alone to the old woman.”
It took Raine a moment for her to figure out that Skars was talking about Tayla. Taking the opportunity, they stepped to the side and out of earshot of the Vikings.
“Congratulations, your disguise worked.” Raine eyed Tayla’s silver-streaked hair.
“Pfft. I told you it would. Men, whatever the species, go by first impressions. They took one look at the color of my hair and the thick makeup to place me in the older-than-hills section.” Giving an uncaring eye roll, Tayla gave Ulf a withering glare. “It’s not like any of them are geniuses. They probably share the same brain cell. They bought Piper is a boy, and all that took was a baseball hat, short haircut, and boy’s clothes.” She sniffed disdainfully at the men’s gullibility. “Make sure you don’t tell stud muffin any different. I don’t trust any of them any farther than I can throw them.”