Your Way Out

Wolf's Song

        We could've been walking into Hell. "Abandon hope all ye who enter here" scribed above the laboratory door, but we passed through the gates, hand-in-leather-bound-hand. Confidence rising in me as I walked with a minor amount of grace that I took from Loki. His head held high, back straight, shoulders down, and eyes homed in on an unseen target. I did my best to mimic him. Pretend that I belonged.
He liked that I was close to him. Walking by his side. Pacified desire echoing in low vibrations, from him, to me. Slowly, it rippled from my flushed cheeks to my stomach. That mild heat.
Only two bodied occupied the lab before us. Dr. Banner sitting at a large white surface with hologram documents, calculations, and diagrams circling through like a power point as he scribbled something down on a tablet. He was tense. Shoulders clenched tightly around his stiff neck, hunched over his work like a predator protecting its prey. I could feel his heart racing. The other was Agent Hanna, swiping through her own tablet. She had a crisp white lab coat thrown over her standard blue suit. She was unreadable. Even as I focused in on her, nothing manifested. It was like she had an on-off switch tucked inside her brain.
Two black eyes latched onto us as we walked into the room. I could feel her terrible glare burning a hole into my soul. Loki gave my hand an affirming squeeze. I was able to take a deep breath and relax. But just for that second.
"What's all this?" Hanna asked, pointing to our clasped hands with her stylus.
Loki held our hands up. "This? This lovely lady was making sure I didn't get lost," he teased. He planted a polite kiss on the back of my hand and released me again. I had to steel myself to harness the confidence I mustered on the way here.
"Okay," Agent Hanna smiled almost playfully. "Thank you for getting him here safe, you can go now."
"No," Loki snapped, "I've instructed her to stay with me. She's my assistant."
Her playful demeanor shifted like a glitch. A quick crease in her brow as her dark eyes narrowed. In a second, she was back with a placid friendly smile. "We shouldn't waste Miss. Bright's time with our numbers and calculations. She's busy with her own work."
I looked to Loki for words. He didn't bother to even glance my way. He was too busy glaring daggers at Agent Hanna. A silent war. "Actually, you haven't given me any assignments other than to escort Mr. Laufeyson and keep him in check. If keeping him in line is part of my job, I should be here. Especially if you still see him as a risk. We wouldn't want Dr. Banner's life to be in any danger," I stammered. Banner's head snapped around.
"Who's in danger?" he chirped.
"No one's in danger," Hanna quickly replied. Her eyes fixed on me like a knocked arrow. "Miss. Bright, S.H.I.E.L.D. no longer sees Mr. Laufeyson as a top priority threat. You assured us, with confidence, that he no longer was. In terms you might be able to understand, he went from red-level-threat to a yellow, maybe. Does that make sense?" she uttered slowly, mockingly. She placed her tablet on the table beside her and smiled like a host of a morning show for kids.
"Yes, but-" I began.
She took a step closer to me. "No buts, Miss. Bright. If you understand, than please show me by leaving." Another step. She was about seven feet away.
"I was instructed to stay with Mr. Laufeyson and keep him in line," I insisted. I stood my ground, rooting my feet into the floor. She continued to walk towards me with slow methodical strides.
"Miss. Bright," she smiled, her cheeks reaching her eyes, "I assure you, if Mr. Laufeyson steps one toe out of line-"
She reached for the gun that was holstered on her hip. I blinked and Loki was standing between us like a tall dark shield. He towered over me and was at least six inches taller than Hanna.
Primal heat surged from him like a fire to repel a beast. It was anger. Enraged fury billowing up from his hot core and rushing through his veins. It burned like acid as it seeped into me. I could feel the anger rise up in me. It was terrifying and powerful, like a shot of adrenaline straight into the heart. My face burned with the violent fever. Feet tapping impatiently against the smooth hard floors. Instinctively, I cracked my knuckles like I was preparing for a fight.
Loki's face was stoic and hard. He didn't show his anger through flared nostrils or primitive prostrating. He just stood there like trained solider. Fists clenched like he was holding a knife.
"Whoa, okay, folks," Banner popped up from his seat. "Officially, this is my lab and I have jurisdiction here. Agent Hanna, thank you, but I would love to have Elaina stay with us for the day. Another pair of hands can't hurt, right? Alright, go team!" he chuckled nervously as he clapped his hands together.
Hanna shot him a fierce look and returned to her station. Loki exhaled. He was still tense, but I wasn't worried he was about to kill someone. He quickly turned to me and softened his face.
"Are you okay?" he muttered quietly; concern laced through his heated his voice.
"Yeah, I'm fine," I lied. I was rattled, but it only felt right to keep up with appearances. Not let Hanna see me scared. "You didn't have to do that." I told him.
His hand slipped into mine. His eyes fixed on me with a glimmer of admiration. "You'll come to learn, bunny. I protect what's mine." His voice was hushed though I could hear the sultry purr slip from his throat. Icy blue eyes pierced through my façade, making me quiver pleasantly. That familiar erotic shiver. Loki's voice slipped around my neck like a collar and his words tugged on me like a leash. He finished me off with a wink before leading me towards Banner who resumed his place with his holograms.