Dark Desire by Lauren Dawes Read Free Book Online Page B

asked, looking up from his shot.
    “About … Odin,” Loki replied, gently testing the waters. All four men stopped what they were doing and stared at him. Then they began laughing at him. Confused, Loki asked, “What’s so funny?”
    One of them stopped laughing long enough to say, “The All-Father is nothing but a joke now. I’m not even sure he’s still alive anymore.”
    Loki’s rage kindled within him. Odin might not be as powerful as he had been, and he was Loki’s mortal enemy, but he was a god who still demanded respect. And anyone who disrespected him would feel Loki’s anger. His hands curled into fists, ready to lash out. His muscles were tensed, ready to strike, when he stopped himself. He had to control his temper. Killing four Aesireans now would not get him the information he needed.
    Exhaling, he fixed them all with a hard stare. “Taking the All-Father for granted is not wise.”
    The group laughed out loud again. The first man stepped forward, leaning on his pool cue with two hands. “What could he possibly do to us now, huh? He’s lost his Valkyries. He’s lost his power. Nobody believes in him anymore.” The god turned away, sliding his cue back into the rack hanging on the wall. The others did the same, all of them walking past Loki and back to the bar to order some more drinks.
    Frustrated, Loki turned around and made his way to the door. He should not have brought it up so casually. He stepped out into the cool night air, resting his back against the wall beside the door. He knew Odin had to be in Chicago—especially now that he knew Thor was also there—but where was he? And who would know where to find him?
    Loki was so lost in his thoughts that his head snapped up suddenly when the door opened beside him, the noise of the bar trailing out after a couple of men as they left. One was blond, the other dark-haired. Loki’s nostrils flared when the faint odor of blood carried on the breeze hit his nose, and he immediately knew what the pair were. Apart from the altercation with Bryn’s Walker while Loki was trying to snatch one of the Valkyries from the street, it had been a very long time since he’d encountered any dark elves with such undiluted blood.
    “You need a woman, Rhys. You’re so close to the fucking edge right now,” the dark-haired male said to his friend, leading them away from the club, their backs to Loki.
    “I’m fine, Galen” the other man replied, his voice strained, his body tense. His hands were bunched into tight fists at his sides, his shoulders hunched up. The blond—Rhys—looked over his shoulder, pinning Loki to the spot with a piercing glare, and causing Loki to lower his eyes. Pretending to study the ground intently, Loki waited until he heard their footsteps retreating, and then waited a few beats before following them.
    He stayed far enough away to avoid detection, but kept them within sight. If they were Walkers as he suspected they were, he could find a use for them. Perhaps he could send them to hunt down Odin, Bryn, or even Thor.
    He tracked them to the edge of Humboldt Park, then looked around, trying to figure out what they were doing. It was deserted at this time, and the only humans around looked to be either whores or drug dealers. As they walked along North Avenue, a woman in a short dress stepped into their path.
    Sidestepping behind a tree, Loki listened to the exchange between human and dark elf.
    “How are you doing, sugar?” the woman asked, and the stench of stale cigarettes and alcohol drifted from her body. “You looking for a good time?”
    Loki waited for the Walkers’ response.
    “Not me,” Galen said. Gesturing in his friend’s direction, he added, “Him.”
    The whore’s eyes wandered over to Rhys, standing behind Galen and slightly to the left. She bit her lip nervously, and Loki could practically see the fear wafting from her body from where he was.
    “Well?”
    She searched for someone behind her for a moment,