Astrid grimaced as the alcohol burned her throat. She wasn't much of drinker so the taste was strong and the effects already wearing in.

Hiccup seemed unfazed, his intense stare making her shift in her seat.

She licked her lips nervously. "So how long are you staying here?"

"However long it takes to finish the job," he answered ambiguously, tracing the top of his glass slowly.

Astrid nodded, biting her lip. "I know you want me to stay out of this but.. I.. I need to know.. you are not doing anything wrong, are you?"

His eyes suddenly hardened, and she felt her heart rate pick up, finding herself subconsciously alert. But the moment passed as quickly as it came, which left her wondering if it was merely her own mind playing tricks on her. "Of course not, Milady," she heard him reply with an impish smile.

Astrid crossed her legs, which caused her dress to ride up slightly and that did not go unnoticed by the man next to her. She felt him trace his fingertips on her bared skin suggestively, looking at her with hooded eyes. "Why don't we cut to the chase," he murmured. When she didn't voice any protests, he grew even bolder, sliding his hand upwards to cup the underside of her left breast, resting the weight of her plump mound in his palm.

Her breath hitched and a rush of heat swirled through her at the hotness of his touch. She could feel their faces inch closer.

Their lips were just about to touch when a loud bang on the door startled them.

Hiccup excused him and Astrid found herself letting out a breath she didn't know she had been holding.

Hiccup peaked through the peephole, finding the hallway empty. Frowning, he grabbed his soundproof gun and waited for the uninvited visitor to reappear.

Upon hearing footsteps, Hiccup swiftly kicked the door open and pressed the gun into the offender's temple. The man held up his hands in defense.

"What do you want?" Hiccup growled under his breath.

"I-I'm sorry.. I'm just following orders, I-" he moved to grab his gun but found himself crashed down on the ground in the same second, a pool of blood dripping from his forehead.

"So predictable it's almost boring," Hiccup muttered and closed the door. He messaged Ruff and Tuff to come and clean up the mess left behind.

"Who was it?" Astrid asked curiously, standing up from her seat as Hiccup reentered the living room.

Hiccup shrugged nonchalantly. "Just Mrs. Larson looking for her cat again," he said, closing in on the unsuspecting beauty.

Astrid found herself backing up against the wall as he stepped closer. "Did she find her?" Her voice wavered. "Maybe we should help her look-" Hiccup placed his finger over her lips.

"Enough talking."

Eret anxiously paced back and forth in his living room while Dagur, Viggo, Johann and Throk watched on with disinterest.

"You should have planted a tracking device on blondie," Dagur commented in a bored tone. "Didn't I warn you this would happen? Always put a leash on your bitch."

Eret glared at him. "Don't you ever speak of my wife way that," he scoffed. "So I have tried tracking Astrid through her phone but it turns out she never took it with her. Neither her phone nor her wedding band. Should we try sending out a searching team?"

"Maybe she just went to visit her parents again?" Throk offered offhandedly. "It will not the first time she has taken off without a word, right?"

Eret shook his head. "Yes.. but not like this. This is different."

"Well, things are different now," Johann chimed in. "That devil's spawn, Fury, is back from the dead and he will try anything to bring us down."

Eret felt the blood in his face drain. "Wait, you think he took her? No, that-"

"-would make sense, actually," Viggo interjected. "He could use her as leverage."