Valkyrie opened the front door. Standing outside was her boss China Sorrows, wearing a blood red, low-cut dress with a slit on both sides that started just below her hips, showing off her long, slender legs. On her feet, China wore a pair of red open-toe high-heeled shoes. She had her long, raven black hair loose and she wore barely any makeup, just a little mascara and red eye shadow.

Next to China stood her best friend Tanith Low. Tanith was wearing a low-cut blue sleeveless top and a short black skirt with high heels. She wore yellow eye shadow to match her blonde hair and thick eyeliner around her lids as well as mascara on her upper and lower lashes.

"My favourite women in the whole world are here to pick me up!" Valkyrie smiled and pulled China and Tanith into a group hug. "Are you ready to have fun?"

Tanith laughed and China smiled as they hugged Valkyrie back. When they let go of each other, China swept out her arm. "Our ride awaits."

Valkyrie looked out into the driveway and saw a limousine with the engine running, waiting for them. She smiled widely and looked at China. "Seriously? Have you arranged a limousine for us?!"

"Only the best will do for me. I thought you knew that Valkyrie."

Valkyrie squealed with joy and couldn't lock the front door fast enough. She was the first to reach the limo and she couldn't get into it fast enough. She sat down on the leather seat and swept her eyes over the back seat. They'd their own minibar and music could faintly be heard through some speakers placed on the walls. The lights that illuminated the back seat glowed a reddish pink hue and Valkyrie found it difficult to sit still due to the excitement she felt.

She sat in a freaking limo!

"Someone's happy," Tanith said as she and China sat down next to Valkyrie.

"Aren't you? I've never sat in one like this before! This is so cool!"

China smiled and knocked on the door that shielded them from the driver and the car began to roll. She gave Tanith and Valkyrie a glass each before taking out a champagne bottle sitting in a bucket of ice next to her. She poured champagne for them all before raising her own glass. "Cheers to us! Especially for you, Valkyrie. Tonight, we celebrate that five years of hunting is finally over and that we have succeeded in ridding the world of a dangerous psychopath who has terrorized our country for over ten years."

"Cheers!" Valkyrie and Tanith said in unison before all three women downed the champagne.

The limousine ride continued amid laughter and stories of things the three women had witnessed during their years working for the Sanctuary. They avoided talking about difficult cases, but only talked about odd and different things they experienced. This night they were supposed to be relaxed and let loose, not talk about difficult things that made your mood darken. All this time the drinks were flowing and by the time they arrived at the dance club that China had selected for them the three women were a bit tipsy.

When Valkyrie was about to get out of the limousine, she tripped and had to put her hand against the limousine door to keep from falling straight down onto the asphalt. She giggled and looked around to make sure no one had seen her little misstep, but no one had noticed her. She stretched and took a deep breath to clear her head a bit and it helped with the fog that had started to settle around her skull.

When I get into the club, the first thing I'm going to do is get a glass of water, she thought to herself, moving away from the limo so her friends could get out.

Tanith and China were at least as drunk as Valkyrie, but at least they didn't fall out the car door like Valkyrie had. Tanith and Valkyrie got in line, but China just continued forward, talking to one of the guards guarding the entrance. He nodded and stepped aside to let her in. China turned to her friends and raised an eyebrow as if wondering if they were going to stand there and wait all evening.

Tanith and Valkyrie followed China into the club. The loud music hit them like a wall of sound and Valkyrie took a step back in shock. China laughed and the only reason Valkyrie knew she did was because she could see it on her, because the loud music drowned out the sound. Leaning forward towards Valkyrie, China asked, "Your first time at a club like this, Miss Cain?"

Valkyrie smiled a little embarrassed and nodded. China smiled back and put her arm around Valkyrie's. "Just do as I do, and this will go like a dance. The only thing you need to focus on is having fun, okay?"

"I can do that blindfolded."

"That's the spirit! Come, now we dance!"

And they did. They danced both with each other and with strangers. They danced alone sometimes too, letting the music flow through their bodies. Valkyrie danced with both unknown women and men, while China and Tanith were mostly drawn to men. There was a lot of innocent caressing and bodies being pressed against each other, but never anyone who went too far.

Valkyrie didn't know how much time had passed when Tanith found her dancing in the middle of the dance floor with a young woman whose lips, she was inches away from kissing. Tanith laughed in her ear and Valkyrie reluctantly pulled away from the young woman who immediately found a new dance partner.

"You seem to be having fun, I see."

"Correction: I was having fun before you came and disturbed me."

"Sorry, but I was thinking of going to the bar for a drink and was wondering if you wanted to come along? Looks like you could use some refreshment after all that dancing you've been up to."

"Certainly."

Valkyrie and Tanith walked away towards the bar when Tanith suddenly stopped. Valkyrie was about to ask what was wrong when Tanith pointed to two men standing at the bar. They looked to be their age and were talking animatedly to each other. Valkyrie could tell by the way they conversed that they were friends and very good friends at that.

"While we're about to head over to the bar, how about striking up a conversation with those two? I think they are very handsome."

Valkyrie snorted. "Since when you have used the word 'handsome' to describe a man?"

"Since tonight, that's when."

Valkyrie laughed and looked at the men. She had to admit that Tanith was right. They were handsome, especially the man on the right. She couldn't explain it, but there was something about him that made her unable to take her eyes off him. He was tall, thin and sinewy like herself.

As if sensing he was being watched, the man turned his head and looked straight into Valkyrie's eyes. She felt a shiver of pleasure travel down her spine, and she couldn't stop a shiver from spreading throughout her body. The man did not break eye contact with her as he said something to his friend who nodded in agreement. The tall man gave her a smile before raising his hand and motioning for her to come over.

Tanith squealed with joy beside her, pulling Valkyrie with her to the two men. Standing in front of them, Tanith gave them one of her most flirtatious smiles. "Hello. I'm Tanith and this is my best friend, Valkyrie. We couldn't help but see you guys standing here looking handsome, so we thought it would be a good idea to come over and introduce ourselves."

Valkyrie felt her cheeks turn red with embarrassment and she was extremely glad that the men couldn't see it in the dim light that radiated throughout the club. She glanced up at the man who met her gaze and now that she was this close, she could see that they were green with brown splashes in them. He had sharp cheekbones that only made him even more attractive than he was before and he had blonde, medium length hair that reached halfway down to his shoulders.

She turned her head and looked at the man's friend who was currently in the middle of answering Tanith's question regarding the scars on his face that Valkyrie had only now noticed. The man had two scars: a thick one that went in an arc from just below the left eye down the entire cheek and another equally thick that started on the right side of the forehead and went down along the eyelid all the way down to the cheekbone.

"These? I got them in a knife fight when I was a teenager. I was young and stupid and had fallen into bad company. I didn't realize how bad until it was too late, and I had to pay for it. I always carry with me the memory of that time through these scars."

"Wow. I think they are beautiful. They suit you."

The scarred man laughed and extended his hand. "My name is Ghastly. Nice to meet you, Tanith."

Tanith shook Ghastly's hand and soon the two were embroiled in a discussion regarding the incident that gave him his scars. Valkyrie smiled at her girlfriend before turning her attention back to Ghastly's friend. She held out her hand to him. "Hi, I am Valkyrie as you already know thanks to my friend Tanith. What you might not know is that my full name is Valkyrie Cain."

"Hello, Valkyrie Cain. My name is Skulduggery Pleasant. Always so nice to be introduced to such a beautiful young woman like yourself."

"Same, Skulduggery." Valkyrie smiled and sat down on the barstool next to Skulduggery. "So, how come you're here tonight?"

"Do I have to have a reason to go out?"

"Most people tend to have."

Skulduggery smiled and Valkyrie felt little butterflies start to flutter around in her stomach and make it tingle in that nice way. Skulduggery was attractive, very attractive, she couldn't deny that. What surprised her was that she felt so drawn to him even though she had never met him before. There was something about his posture, the way he looked at her with those green-brown eyes…

"To be honest, it's only because of Ghastly that I'm here. He thought I had been a little stiff lately and that I needed to get out for a while to think about other things. He doesn't like it when I bury myself in work."

"I recognize myself in that."

"You say so? It doesn't happen that you, like me, are a bit of a workaholic?"

"When a case comes up that catches my attention, yes."

"A case?" Skulduggery raised an eyebrow. "Are you possibly a lawyer or maybe a prosecutor?"

Valkyrie laughed. "I deal with many such people in my profession. My work does not consist in proving or disproving that someone has committed a crime, but I am the one who is tasked with catching the people who committed the crimes."

"Police?"

"Criminal Inspector."

Skulduggery whistled. "Well, well."

"Surprised?"

"A little. It is not common to meet women as young as you in that profession."

"Do you meet many criminal inspectors in your line of work, Mr. Pleasant?"

Skulduggery raised an eyebrow again while giving her another smile. "Mr Pleasant? How formal it suddenly became."

"You have that aura around you."

"What kind of aura?"

"That you are someone you don't want as an enemy. That you are someone you should respect. That you are a man to be careful around."

Skulduggery leaned closer to Valkyrie and his proximity made Valkyrie shiver with pleasure. Their arms touched each other, and Valkyrie's body filled with electricity. The small hairs on her arms stood straight up and another shiver filled her whole body and found its way down to between her legs. She crossed one leg over the other to hide what she was feeling for Skulduggery, but she could tell from the way he smiled at her that he understood what had just happened to her.

"You say so, Miss Cain? What makes you think I'm dangerous?"

Valkyrie swallowed. She had suddenly become very dry in the mouth and wanted nothing else at that moment to have a drink in front of her. She dropped Skulduggery's gaze and waved the bartender over to her. She ordered a drink and only when it was in front of her, and she had tasted it did she dare meet Skulduggery's gaze again.

"Because I've met a lot of dangerous men in my life."

Skulduggery smiled and let his finger slowly caress her forearm. Valkyrie had to fight not to throw herself at this stranger she felt such a strong attraction towards for some reason. This had never happened to her before. Sure, she could have been turned on by a person based on their looks and the way they flirted with her, but not the way she now felt towards this Skulduggery Pleasant. She had never experienced this animalistic attraction she was now feeling.

Trying to calm herself down and think about something else, she took another sip of her drink before asking, "So now that you know what I'm working with, I think it's only right that I find out what you're up to when you're not out picking up young women in clubs, Mr. Pleasant."

Skulduggery laughed and pulled away from Valkyrie, much to her chagrin. "I'm working as something similar, actually. I am a private detective."

Now it was Valkyrie's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Really? I could never have guessed that. I thought you were a personal trainer or something like that."

"Because of my physique and because most people think that private investigators are just fat guys who are bitter that they couldn't become police officers?"

Valkyrie laughed and took another sip of her drink. Feeling like she was about to go from tipsy to drunk, she decided she wouldn't drink anything but water after she finished the drink she had ordered. She didn't want to embarrass herself in front of Skulduggery. She wanted to be clear-headed and show her best side. She didn't want to embarrass herself in front of this man. She wanted to impress him, why she didn't know.

"Now if you are a private investigator, perhaps you have been in contact with my employer at some point during your career?"

"Not impossible. I have worked with many police units in my days."

"Do you know the Sanctuary?"

Skulduggery looked genuinely surprised when she mentioned her workplace to him. "The Sanctuary? Yes, I know it very well. I have had a lot to do with them during my ten or so years as a detective."

"How come we've never met each other in the five years I worked there if that's the case? I know I would have recognized you if you had helped us before."

"I am not out in the field in the same way as you and your colleagues are. I work best in the background where no one notices me. Also, I happen to know your boss quite well as we go back many years."

Valkyrie raised her eyebrows. "You say so?"

"Yes," Skulduggery answered shortly.

Valkyrie could tell by the tone that this was a topic Skulduggery didn't want to continue talking about, so she quickly changed the subject. "So, what does Ghastly do? Is he also a detective?"

"Far from. Ghastly is actually a tailor. Have you heard of Bespoke's tailoring?"

"Yes, it is well known." Valkyrie glanced at Ghastly. "I would even go so far as to say it is the best tailor in all of Ireland."

"Don't say it so he hears you. Ghastly happens to find it most uncomfortable when you praise him for his work."

Valkyrie smiled and was about to answer when she felt herself being reminded of all the drinks she had consumed during the evening. She sighed in annoyance and jumped down from the bar stool. "Will you excuse me for a moment? I must go see the lady's room."

Skulduggery smiled and stroked her arm gently. "Do not linger. I get bored easily."

Valkyrie smiled and walked over to the restrooms that were on the other side of the room. Luckily, there was no queue for the toilets, and she was able to enter without having to crowd other drunk women. Besides herself, there were two other women in there. The first was a girl in her late teens who just came out of one of the booths and stood at the sink to wash her hands. The other was her boss.

China turned her head when she heard Valkyrie enter. She broke into a big smile and walked up to Valkyrie. "Valkyrie, are you having fun?"

"Yes, a lot. And you?"

"I'm having a blast! I don't know how many men I've danced with during the night who have gone out of their way to impress me. It's so entertaining to watch them tail me like little puppies."

"Why am I not surprised?" Valkyrie laughed.

"And you? Have you found someone interesting who has caught your eye?"

"Yes, I actually have. Tanith too."

"Good." China winked at Valkyrie and asked, "Do you think you'll get laid before the night is over?"

Valkyrie snorted. "I'm not here to get laid, China. I'm here to let loose and have fun just like you ordered me to. Which is exactly what I'm doing."

"It might be fun to get laid too," China pointed out, giving Valkyrie a knowing look.

Valkyrie snorted again. "I'm not here to bring anyone home, China. Just because I'm talking to a nice man doesn't mean I want him to get inside my panties."

China just smiled and said, "I guess we'll see," before turning on her heel and walking into one of the vacant restrooms.

Valkyrie shook her head at her boss, and she too sought out one of the toilets. She relieved herself and washed her hands before heading back to Skulduggery. When she returned, she was delighted to find that Tanith and Ghastly were now sitting on a barstool opposite each other with their heads close together. They were in the middle of a lively discussion and their heads were so close together that they were basically kissing each other.

Valkyrie smiled. She knew that Tanith was going to get a nice ending to her evening. She was happy for her best friend, as Tanith had been unlucky with love. The few relationships she'd had in the past hadn't lasted very long and they'd usually ended in heartbreak for various reasons. With Ghastly it seemed different, however. She could see it in the way Tanith looked at him, in the way she laughed, in the way her eyes twinkled…

Just like I feel when I watch Skulduggery, Valkyrie thought.

She dropped Tanith and Ghastly with her gaze and instead walked the few steps that separated her from Skulduggery and sat down on the barstool next to him. She let her gaze meet Skulduggery's and she could tell in his eyes that he had seen what she was looking at before she sat down next to him. "It seems our friends get along extremely well, or what do you say?"

Valkyrie laughed and was about to reply when she saw China heading over to them. Valkyrie raised her hand and waved at her boss who saw her and started walking towards them. Skulduggery had his back turned to China and therefore couldn't see who she was waving at. He turned his head to see who Valkyrie had called to and the moment he saw who Valkyrie beckoned, his entire body language changed. He became tentative and the smile disappeared from his lips. His eyes that had just been so warm now turned icy cold.

The moment Skulduggery turned around and China saw who it was Valkyrie was talking to, she froze and became rigid as a statue. Her eyes widened like saucers and her mouth gaped in shock.

"Skulduggery, China, what's wrong?" Valkyrie asked.

Before China could answer her question, Skulduggery said, "Hello, China."

"Do you know each other?" Valkyrie wondered in surprise.

Skulduggery laughed dryly. "Yes, we do. China is my ex."