Free Gods and Mortals: Fourteen Free Urban Fantasy & Paranormal Novels Featuring Thor, Loki, Greek Gods, Native American Spirits, Vampires, Werewolves, & More by Laura Howard, Kim Richardson, Ednah Walters, T. G. Ayer, Nancy Straight, Karen Lynch, Eva Pohler, Melissa Haag, S. T. Bende, Mary Ting, Christine Pope, C. Gockel, DelSheree Gladden, Becca Mills Page A

of response.
    “I think we need to stop.”
    In God’s name, why?
    “Will you be joining the rest of my tour, or shall I leave the two of you here?” The guide stood at the end of the corridor, literally tapping his foot. Oops .
    Ull placed his hands around my waist to right me. I smoothed my hair and straightened my dress, my cheeks burning the whole time.
    “Great timing,” I muttered. Just when things were getting good.
    “Do not worry Kristia.” Ull winked. “We have all the time in the world.”
    I sure hoped so.
----
    “ K ristia , oh my sweet Kristia.” The keening voice was back. I was shaken from a very pleasant dream. None too willingly, I might add. Thanks to my flat’s flimsy curtains, I could see the Elf Man clearly this time. I immediately longed for the cover of darkness. Creepy Elf sat in a chair next to my bed, gently stroking my hair. I sat up, incensed, gathered my blankets, and held them up to my chin.
    “Get your hands off of me! Who let you in here, anyway?” I demanded, feeling a pittance of the pluck I was trying to put off. I ducked as his hand reached out again. “For crying out loud, stop touching me!”
    “Let me in? Oh, poor human . I can go anywhere I please. Nobody lets me in.” He hissed through a row of perfect, white teeth. I’d never met anyone who could be both sinister and sexy at the same time. It was disorienting.
    “Why are you here?”
    “To gloat.”
    “Excuse me?”
    “You no longer threaten me. He will leave. You are not what I feared.” His smile stretched from ear to ear.
    “What are you talking about?” I inched farther from him on the bed, trying to get some distance. At the same time, I wanted to reach out for him. I wasn’t usually this indecisive.
    “Nothing of consequence, sweet Kristia,” he seethed. He snapped his fingers and without warning I was on my back, staring up at his glowing face. “But if he comes for you again, if you try to join our world, you will join me instead.”
    “If who comes for me again? What are you even talking about?” My words fell on deaf, pointy ears. With another snap of his fingers, he was gone. I looked wildly around the room, but there was no trace of Elf Man. This time, I was only half sure it hadn’t been real.
    I tried desperately to go back to my happy place, to the enjoyable dream I’d been having before I was interrupted. I failed. And I didn’t get much sleep that night, either.
----
    “ O h my gosh ! Tell me! What exactly happened at dinner? Don’t leave anything out!” It was Monday afternoon and my Archaeology study group had just gotten out. Since I’d gotten home too late to debrief the night before, I stopped by Emma’s class with a vanilla latte. Though judging by her pitch, a double shot was the last thing she needed.
    “Shh.” I sipped my Earl Grey. “What if he hears you?”
    “Ull’s not in Statistics,” Emma sighed. I glanced over her shoulder and saw Henry approaching, textbooks in hand. He gazed at my flatmate with an adoring look, but Emma continued talking, oblivious. “The only guys we get in there are total dwee–”
    “Hi Henry,” I interrupted loudly. “How was class?”
    “Good, good.” Henry smiled at Emma as he walked up the path. “What do you think Emma, should we hold study group tomorrow afternoon or tomorrow evening?”
    “Evening,” Emma voted. “I’ve got heaps of problems to work through before I could even begin to analyze today’s notes.”
    “Excellent. I’ll send the e-mail. See you then.”
    “See you.” Emma waved cheerfully and turned back to me. “So. After dinner. You. Ull. Did you go back to his place?”
    “Emma! No! It was our second date!”
    “Victoria would have closed the deal in one.”
    “She would do no such thing,” I argued.
    “For a guy like Ull? Are you kidding? Anyone would. What’s wrong with you?”
    “Nothing,” I sighed. “Okay, something I guess.” A lot of somethings. What was wrong with me?
    “So,