Valkyrie sat up and found herself in Skulduggery's house. She shot up and groaned in pain, looking down she saw bandages wrapped around her ribs. Confused, she got out of the bed and put on her tailor-made protective clothing. She didn't bother with shoes because it was a day off from the Sanctuary and she wasn't going anywhere. Normally she would be at home with her family but since she had the reflection and Skulduggery was still recovering from being in the realm of the Faceless Ones, Valkyrie thought he might need some help getting around, althought his planet sized ego would never allow him to admit it. Striding into the living room she saw Skulduggery sat in his chair by the window in his medative state. She smiled and flumped onto the sofa. Tilting her head she stared at Skulduggery. She gasped and shot up onto her feet. Running over to him, she saw deep grooves cut into his skull. How had she never seen that? She shook him. No movement. She shook him again. Still nothing. Frowning, she ran her finger along one of the deep ridges in the bone. Reilizing that he was fast 'asleep' she undid a few buttons of his shirt. God knows what China or Skulduggery might think if they saw me now. She thought. With a few searches she found his facade tattoos. Valkyrie held out her fingers and applied pressure and soon a face whizzed up onto Skulduggery head. China had managed to make a few additional features like the face he wore was the same from when he was alive. Short jet-black hair, deep emerald green eyes and quite pale skin. Raising an eyebrow she searched through his hair until she found the ridge again but it hadn't effected his human look. His head was completly smooth.
"Just what are you doing?" Valkyrie jumped as Skulduggery's velvety voice told her she was awake. Looking down she saw his deep green eyes staring at her. Skulduggery tried to raise an eyebrow. Valkyrie tried not to laugh. It was something he hadn't quite got hold of yet and it really made her laugh watching him try. She stepped back as Skulduggery touched the tattoos again and the face retreated revealing his bony skull.
"You made me jump."
"You were searching through my hair. I don't have head mice or fleas."
"Lice and I don't think you can even get fleas."
"Well, I can now. I am a living skeleton with a smashing fashion sense. Your argument is completly invalid."
"Have you finished talking nonsense?"
"I haven't talked nonsense for a while. I miss it. There was no-one over there worth talking to. If I tried talking turnt to torture." He sighed. "Back to the original point what were you doing in my hair if not to search for fleas."
"I was talking about these." Valkyrie touched the grooves again. Skulduggery got up and walked over to the mirror set above the fire. Tilting his head down and lifting up his gloved hand he prodded his skull.
"To be honest Valkyrie, I don't know what they are or how I got them. And ,if you don't mind, I might go and see a certain lady about these. They could be dangerous."
"I didn't know Tanith did medical duties."
"Not Tanith."
"Then there is only one other person and I didn't even know she was still alive after what happened."
Skulduggery covered his face with a hand.
"It's China you twit." He laughed. Valkrie just stared at him.
"What?" He asked innocently.
"You spend an awful lot of time with her, you know." She looked at him and raised an eyebrow suggestivly.
"No. Me and China, well..."
"Your more than friends even Tanith knows that much and she's got the mental age of a four year old."
Skulduggery sighed again. "Well, maybe China and I are more then friends. Is that okay with you?" He asked her seriously.
"What? Oh, yes of course. Me and Tanith have been trying to get you a girlfriend for ages, I just wouldn't think you would turn to China."
"China can be a very sophisticated lady. She's good at a lot of things that help me get from day to day without falling apart."
"I thought magic kept you together?" Valkyrie had an idea of what he might of meant but does the great Skulduggery Pleasent think that way.
"It does. I didn't mean that." Valkyrie's jaw almost dropped. Had he just said that?!
Skulduggery laughed again. "Come on, I'll get a certain Teleporter to take us there."
After texting him, Fletcher turnt up on Cementary Road in five minuites.
"Where we off to?" He asked.
"China's Library." Valkyrie replied.
"Why?"
"Skulduggery wants to see her. I think they are you know."
"A couple?!"
"Yeah, something like that." She winked and kissed his cheek. Skulduggery walked out of the house in his usual dark navy suit, crisp white shirt, blue tie and navy hat with a blue ribbon wrapped around the base.
"Shall we be off?" Fletcher nodded and grabbed Valkyrie's hand. She held onto Skulduggery and he held onto his ribs. Teleporting hadn't settled well with his broken ribs but it was the quickest way to get places. They appeared at China's door. Striding forward Skulduggery knocked on the vast door and as it opened, China apparened. She was wearing a sky-blue dress with light blue high heels and a white scarf.
"Well, hello handsome." She said with a wink and enjoying Valkyrie and Fletcher's expressions.
"Can you do something about this?" Said Skulduggery lowering his head and shoving her the grooves.
"I might." She smiled. This should be fun. She took Skulduggery by the collar and dragged him inside, shutting the door before Valkyrie and Fletcher entered. "You know I like my space." She laughed. Skulduggery nodded. Then China leaned forward and undid a few shirt buttons. Applying pressure to the tattoos a face ran up the skull. Skulduggery was a tiny bit confused. But he was quickly answered when China pusked him back into the wall and leaned against him.
"So that's how you wanna play." He whispered. He rolled and had her pinned to the wall. Then leaning forward he kissed her. Keeping his lips pressed against hers, his hands moved down towards her waist and he lay her on the sofa. Back outside Fletcher and Valkyrie were peeking through the keyhole.
"No...way." Valkyrie gently opened the door as not to disturb them and got a picture with her phone then shut the door again. Then, with Fletcher, she stared. Skulduggery and China were to caught up in each other to know. Finally coming up for air, Skulduggery panted.
"Lord, help her if she sneaks in when we're doing something a little more...private."
China laughed and pushed Skulduggery back. Pushing her tounge into his new mouth she kissed him again. Valkyrie just couldn't beleive it. She was even more shocked when Skulduggery leaned forwards and whispered.
"I love you."