Matt froze.<\/p>\n
There was someone else in the forge, lurking in the shadows.<\/p>\n
He let the door fall shut behind him. The sound of the Hunt\u2019s horn echoed hollowly, muffled by the walls. His hands tightened around the haft of his battle-ax, taking a slow, deep breath, forcing himself to relax by inches, to try to think clearly.<\/p>\n
I should have stayed where I was. I shouldn\u2019t have come back.<\/em> He\u2019d come back for a few extra blades, the ones they\u2019d just finished, the ones he should have grabbed the minute they heard there was trouble.<\/p>\n But he\u2019d forgotten in the midst of all of the excitement and left them behind\u2014and then doubled back to get them once it seemed certain that Thom had everything in hand without his help.<\/p>\n We probably don\u2019t need them anyway.<\/em><\/p>\n He stood near the door, silent and listening. The forge fire was banked, the coals glowing only faintly in the darkness, casting a little warmth but almost no light to see by.<\/p>\n I\u2019m not alone. Who\u2019s hiding here?<\/em><\/p>\n He took a slow breath.<\/p>\n Something warm eased up behind him. An arm snaked around his waist, hard, holding tight and dragging him back against a decidedly feminine form, but one as solid and muscled as he expected someone like Sif might be. He felt the cold kiss of steel against his throat and stiffened further. A soft breath tickled his ear.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, well,\u201d the Hecate purred. \u201cWhat do we have here?\u201d<\/p>\n Shit. Shit, shit, shit.<\/em> Matt\u2019s hands tightened further around the haft of his ax.<\/p>\n The Hecate tsked softly. \u201cDon\u2019t even think it,\u201d she said softly. \u201cDrop it like a good little hero unless you want your throat laid open.\u201d<\/p>\n There wasn\u2019t much choice.<\/p>\n He dropped the ax.<\/p>\n He could almost feel<\/em> her smile.<\/p>\n \u201cGood druid,\u201d she said. \u201cNow we can talk<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Matt froze. There was someone else in the forge, lurking in the shadows. He let the door fall shut behind him. The sound of the Hunt\u2019s horn echoed hollowly, muffled by the walls. His hands tightened around the haft of … Continue reading