Page 92 of The Very Virile Viking

"Only what everyone in the valley has heard." Gunther's beet-red face belied his words.

"The answer is no, Gunther," Grandma said, "and that is final."

Gunther stood and picked up his straw hat from the love seat where he had been sitting. "This is all because of that giant Viking, isn't it? He's convinced you to hold on here, hasn't he? Big, steroid-ridden ape! Doesn't know good wine from pig spit, would be my guess. Thinks he can run a vineyard with that old codger, Miguel. Hah! They will never make this place prosperous again. Never!"

Angela stood and advanced on Gunther. "Who are you to look down on Magnus? He's a better man than you are any day of the week. He's honest, hardworking, and a good father. Don't you dare disparage him. Don't you dare."

Grandma was staring at her strangely. "Way to go, granddaughter!"

"I'll tell you one thing," Gunther said, just before jamming his hat on his head and going outside.

"Someone had better tell the Incredible Hulk to watch his step."

Never make a Norseman mad…

"Magnus, why are you mad at me?''

Magnus was so blisteringly furious with Angela that his only response to her lackwit question was to glare at her. She had dishonored him mightily by declining to call for his assistance and placing herself in danger's way.

For the past ten minutes, Angela had been sitting at the large kitchen table with Magnus and his family, and he had barely spoken to her. Everyone was uncomfortable with the silence that hung in the air between them. Grandma Rose and Juanita kept exchanging worried glances intermixed with the rolling of their eyes. The children sat with their eyes downcast, eating a tasty dish called shrimp paella over rice that Juanita had just served along with a long loaf of crusty bread and a zesty arugula, tomato, onion, and mozzarella salad. Rose kept refilling the frosty glasses of iced tea. Jow had his head between his two front paws under the table, where he awaited droppings from Lida. Even Lida was especially quiet as she dug into the rice with her own tiny toddler spoon and drank milk from her sippy cup.

"I will tell you why I am angry with you, Angela. You did not summon me when Gunther arrived, even though we have discussed in the past the threat he poses to the Blue Dragon and its people. Did I not order you to call me immediately if he came onto this property?"

He saw Angela bristle at the word order . He had noticed that women in this country—and time— misliked the idea of a man being in control. They associated too much with man-haters like Carmen.

Could they not see that there were times when only a man's might and authority would suffice?

Lida must be turning into a modern female, because she made a little growly sound and flung a spoonful of rice onto his face with an almost gleeful-sounding, "Goo!"

"But I told you about Gunther's visit right afterward," Angela persisted.

He threw his hands in the air, after wiping the glob of rice off his face with a cloth. "What good did that do? He could have harmed you or Grandma Rose with no one nearby to defend you."

"He wouldn't have done that." Angela had the cheek to argue with him. "Gunther's methods are more devious than that."

"Are you never biddable?"

"Sometimes," she said, tossing her hair back off her shoulder in a challenging manner. The witch was reminding him of just which times she had been biddable with him. Like last night.

I can see you now, heartling, tossing your hair back in the same way while you practically neighed your pleasure. But I do not think I should remind you of that now. Mayhap later. He took a deep breath and said more patiently, "You did me grave insult by allowing Gunther to makes threats against me, then springing to my defense."

"What would you have had me do? Say nothing? Let him defame you?"

You are surely the most stubborn woman alive, Angela Abruzzi. Yield this once. Just free-can yield . "I do not need to hide behind a woman's robes."

"Oh, give me a break, Magnus. Maybe I should have called you back to the house when Gunther pulled up, but—"

Just then, the cell phone clipped to Magnus's belt began to beep. He could tell that Angela was surprised that he would carry such a modern device on his person. Hey, he might be over a thousand years old, but that did not mean he was unadaptable. He'd just purchased it that afternoon and was still getting accustomed to it. Gingerly he picked it up and spoke into the mouthpiece. "Greetings."

"Father, it is Torolf. We followed Gunther back to his house. Juan is hiding out front, and I am in the back. He is speaking to some rough-looking men just now. I do not think they are regular employees.

They are carrying weapons, I believe."

"Keep a watch. The men we hired today should take over soon. I have arranged to meet with them in an hour."

"How will you get there?"

"Miguel will drive me."