More Valguine-ness here. I think I'll get some violence in soon. Too much mush and fluff :)

After all, what's a good story without punching?

TheSquirrelLordess

The next day Skulduggery and Valkyrie had their hands full investigating the murder of Reyna Kriss and searching the neighbourhood for anyone else who Freya might have revealed her visions to. Valkyrie smiled as she inspected the room. There wasn't even a trace of blood. Skulduggery searched for hours but it was like Reyna had just got up and left.

"Are you sure they were murders? They could've ran away"

"They had no reason to run away from their homes. Both of them seemed perfectly normal when we investigated them. If they'd run away they would've at least taken a few of their most treasured possessions but nothing's moved"

Valkyrie ran her hand along the smooth surface of the polished table as she digested this information. She remembered Sanguine and frowned as she remembered Darquess. Was this her first step to becoming a mass murderer herself? She turned and signalled to Skulduggery that she was ready to leave soon. He went to do some final investigating nand Valkyries phone rang. She stepped outside and answered it quickly.

"Hello?"

"Howdy. Listen up, as we're what you might call an item I figured I might as well take you out for something to eat"

"Are you asking me on a date?"

"I suppose so. Pick you up at eight?"

"Sure. See you then"

"Oh and also, as I'm a criminal the place we're gonna be goin' to is a little shabby, so don't wear your best frock or anythin'"

"I don't have any dresses"

"Thought not. See ya soon"

Sanguine hung up and Valkyrie noticed Skulduggery standing next to her.

"Um… hi?"

"Why does you not having dresses have to do with anything?"

"It doesn't matter. Did you find anything?" Valkyrie asked hoping to distract him. It worked.

"Not a thing. Whoever this is, they're good and what they do"

You got that right, Valkyrie thought.

"Ok then. I found Stephanie by the way, but I didn't get to talk to her. I've come so close it would be stupid to give up now so I'm off again tonight. And I need to stop by Ghastly's soon too"

"I'll give you the afternoon off then" Skulduggery said and looked around the streets behind him.

"Thanks Skul"

Skulduggery said something afterwards but Valkyrie didn't hear it as she teleported to the Sanctuary.

"If it isn't my favourite little underling!" Ghastly said as she wandered into his office.

"Doesn't that title go to Skulduggery?"

"He's not little"

"I'm not little either"

"You are compared to the rest of us"

Valkyrie rolled her eyes and sat down on the sofa in Ghastly's office.

"So how can I help?"

"Well I'm going out tonight and I want something nice to wear, but the place I'm going to is going to be a bit shabby so nothing too nice"

"So in other words you have a date"

"Sort of. Just don't tell Skulduggery"

"Why not?"

"He'd follow me. I know it"

Ghastly chuckled and nodded his head.

"I won't deny that. Come back in two hours and I'll have something ready"

"Thanks Ghastly"

Valkyrie left the room and after exactly two hours of wandering around and trying to dig out some hairclips Valkyrie walked back into the room where Ghastly was adding the finishing touches to her new clothes. The outfit was made up of a tight black dress that stopped above her knees with a huge, red belt and the shoes were black high-top trainers with red laces.

"It's perfect!" she squealed and ran her fingers over the fabric "How much do I owe you?"

"You don't owe me anything"

"If you don't name a price you know I'm going to pay you anyway"

Ghastly grumbled as he remembered finding money stuffed in his letterbox for a week.

"About 50 is the rate I usually charge" he mumbled

Valkyrie instinctively pulled out 50 and handed him the money. She picked up the dress and the shoes and left quickly. She put the clothes on and smiled as she remembered how Ghastly knew just what she looked good in. The outfit was amazing and she pulled her hair up into a messy bun with loose bits of hair by her face to finish it off. There was a tap on the back door and Valkyrie skipped down to answer it. Sanguine grinned when he saw her.

"You try too hard"

"I didn't try at all" Valkyrie said and linked arms with him. They sank into the ground and popped out in a dark alleyway with towering brick walls and a single door set in the stone.

"In here" Sanguine drawled and held the door open for Valkyrie. She walked in and immediately liked her surroundings. It was small, badly lit and full of criminals but Valkyrie felt warm and cosy.

"It's not much" Sanguine said and waved to a greasy haired man with a stained apron.

"I like it"

The man shuffled over and practically dragged them to an empty table. He shoved a menu in front of their faces and Valkyrie scanned it for something that didn't sound like it would give her food poisoning.

"How did you find this place anyway? I don't even know where we are!"

"The guy who owns this place looks up escaped criminals and gives 'em and invitation"

"Skulduggery's face if he saw this lot" Valkyrie sniggered and Sanguine laughed.

"Yeah. You haven't told ol' Funny Bones about us have ya?"

"Even if I wanted to tell him I doubt he'd believe me"

"Good girl. You can call me Ray by the way. Billy sounds so stupid and Sanguine's what my enemies call me"

The man came back and glared at them as they ordered. Valkyrie looked around again and noticed how everyone seemed on edge apart from her. As the night progressed and the drinks were ordered they loosened up slightly and the atmosphere became warmer and louder.

"So ya told me ya might show me the new powers once we were out of that hellhole" Sanguine said. Valkyrie smiled at him and happily teleported around the room.

"So it's all true huh?"

"It sure is. And this is China's power" Valkyrie happily demonstrated and Sanguine practically fell of his chair. She stopped and giggled as he turned red and got back on his chair.

"That's pretty impressive"

"Yeah"

One of the men on the next table caught a tiny bit of the effect of Valkyrie's powers and came over. He leaned over to her and whispered something in her ear. Valkyrie gave him a sickly sweet simple back and beckoned him outside. Sanguine didn't even bother going after her. Valkyrie wasn't that nice unless she was about to kick you into next year. Sure enough, she swaggered back without even a chipped fingernail and the man from before staggered rather than swaggered clutching his hand and covered in cuts and mud.

"Poor guy"

"Indeed" Valkyrie said, a habit that she had picked up from Skulduggery.

"We'd better start headin' back soon"

"Sure" Valkyrie pulled out some notes and put them on the table before standing up to leave.

"I'm payin'" Sanguine said and left his own money on the table. He shoved Valkyrie's notes back to her and dragged her away before she could protest.

"You must be the most gentlemanly murderer I've ever met"

"Sure I am. I enjoy a fair bit o' killin' but I'm a nice guy on the inside"

Valkyrie laughed and Sanguine put his arm around her as they stepped out into the alleyway. She kissed him as they sank through the earth and rose up again at Gordon's.

"For the job" Valkyrie said and gave him the 10000 she'd promised. She gave him a wave and disappeared through the door. She saw him grin at the door she'd gone through as he tunnelled away. A figure in the shadows gasped at what she saw and clapped her hands over her mouth.

"This should be interesting" Tanith sighed and ran back to her apartment.