Skadi's Ski Resort

With the last of his spare clothes packed, Kyle zipped up his suitcase and met Lucy in his living room. "All set?" She asked.

"I got my winter clothes on, along with spare underwear, socks, boots, and books to read," Kyle listed. "I'm ready to go!"

Lucy cracked her knuckles and used her powers to open a small ethereal portal in the living room. The two lovers crossed through the portal, stepping into a cozy mountaintop ski resort. Cabins and lodes surrounded them as a ski lift carried skiers and snowboarders overhead.

"Welcome to Skadi's Ski Resort," Lucy said happily. "Winter Wonderland for Yuki-Ona, Frost Giants, and Yeti!"

Kyle gripped his coat close as the cold air hit him. "It's another monster place? Who runs it? Another Demon Lord?"

"No, Skadi's a Norse deity," Lucy explained. "She's a Frost Giantess and the Goddess of Bowhunting, Mountains, Winter, and Skiing."

Kyle raised an eyebrow. "There's a Goddess of Skiing? Seriously?"

"Babe, Skiing dates back about five millennia," Lucy said. "Trust me; the history wing will explain everything. But first, let's find our rooms."

Grant practically gulped his coffee as he sat at the cafe counter. "Refill, please."

Roxie, sitting beside him, nearly threw down her newspaper. "Will you slow down? You've probably got enough caffeine in you to kill a horse!"

"Well, I'm sorry, but it's freezing cold here!" Grant snapped. "Why the hell did we get stuck on this post anyway?"

Roxie rolled her eyes. "Gee, it can't have anything to do with how we lost the Devil, got several weeks' worth of supplies destroyed, and ended up naked and having sex in front of hundreds of people!"

"SSH! Keep it down!" Grant whispered. "And I was being sarcastic!"

"So was I!"

Grant sipped at his refilled coffee. Roxie pretended to read her newspaper. "This entire Ski Resort is crawling with monsters, and it's run by a Norse Goddess. How are we supposed to clear this place out unless we're lucky?"

She could've sworn she heard Grant **** on his coffee before he answered. "Well, Roxie, I think luck is on our side this time."

Roxie lowered the newspaper and nearly dropped it in shock. The unmistakable form of the Devil herself walked through the front door of the lobby with her handbag and a suitcase in tow. Beside her was the same man she had been dating during their first encounter. Roxie nearly squealed with glee as she tried to keep her excitement at a low volume. "The Devil! She's actually here!"

Grant checked his watch again. "Where in the hell are our contacts?!"

The impossibly tall woman at the front desk smiled as she saw Lucy and Kyle approach. Her eyes shined with an otherworldly blue hue. "Lucy Morningstar! What a pleasure to see you again!"

"Oh, it's a pleasure to be back," Lucy greeted.

The woman stared down at Kyle. "And who's this handsome fellow?"

"This is Kyle, my boyfriend," Lucy said proudly.

"A human boyfriend? I guess we immortals have a shared taste," the woman said, throwing Kyle a wink. He nervously waved up at the woman while she entered their information into a computer. Its keyboard was enlarged to accommodate the woman's huge fingers.

"Okay! A room is available in the Midgard Lodge!" The woman said. "Enjoy your stay!"

Lucy gave her a nod and moved out of the line with Kyle. Sensing his confusion, she leaned over to him and said, "Don't let all that propaganda fool you. Forst Giants are very gracious hosts."

"Frost Giants. Gotcha," Kyle said. "You'd think I'd be used to this stuff by now."

"Well, hurry up and get used to it," Lucy said. "Because this vacation starts as soon as we put our bags away."