Hunter: Fate & Fury

Chapter 7

My throne was more comfortable than Karas. It smelt bad though, the pile of ash and still smouldering beams around me not exactly giving off a soft floral aroma to enjoy. I decided it only added ambience as I sat surrounded by the remains of Ullrs home. Thor wanted a Dark Queen, and I don't think he realised she already existed. It was the first thing he saw though as he reappeared where the front door had once been.

Oddly enough, I wished Cain was here and it wasn't to rescue me. No, I was beyond any need of that now. It would be fun to play for just a little while, really mess with Thor in a way we'd never get to with anyone else. Dark thoughts ruled my mind, and I let them. I wanted them. Closing my eyes I breathed in the salt air, slipping back into that memory of the time I was truly free. The darkness I'd unleashed that night returned now; ever dancing on the edge of my sanity and morals. This power was intoxicating, tempting, and every time I went too far, somehow I managed to come back to me. What would it really take for me to fall off the edge?

Subtly feeling the hardness of my stomach I knew the answer.

Thor didn't know how high the stakes really were, Ullr did and he paid the price for it.

I gave him a moment to take it all in, glad I cleared a path through the rubble like a pathway to hell. It made it easier to see him, and while I idly dusted off some ash from the black silk of my new dress, before the jewels layered on the neckline tinkled together as I raised my arms to adjust my crown. He spun around, taking a few hesitant and careful steps my way while the shock and awe on his face is clear to see. Looking behind him once more he must have spotted Ullrs body making him go that way. This time when I received his attention, rage sparked to life inside of him.

"What, happened?" He growled, stomping closer.

"I did." I held my hands up and gestured around us. "Much better than that creepy death room, don't you think?"

Thor stopped his approach, smart enough to keep a bit of space between us as he still looked around in disbelief. A string of cut off curses, grunts and choked gasps left him as he kicked something with his foot and threw one of the charred beams across the destruction site.

"I'm starting to think you don't like it, and heads up, I'm all about communication. So if you want this whole, bonding thing, to work, you're going to have to use your words."

"How?" Thor froze, looking around us again. "Where is he?"

"Who?" I pointed at Ullr. "Santa is right over there. He isn't going anywhere."

His steps made the earth shake as he stood before me, the sky blazing with lightning that followed his every move. He came right up close to me, my chin in his hands as he forced me to look at him.

"How did this fucking happen, is he here? Is Cain here?" He looked at my hands, no - he looked at the cuff lookalikes on my wrists as if to make sure they were still there. Idiot. "You're bound. Weak. You will tell me who did this!"

I slapped his hand away, his fingertips still imprinted on my skin,

"I told you the next time you touched me, it would be as you begged for mercy." I smiled up at him as his eyes widened, a second before he was forced to his knees in front of me. "You wanted the Dark Queen. Here she is."

"Impossible."

His strength was obvious, a lot greater than Ullr had been and I had to focus to keep him in my hold. The storm brewing around came with a cold wind that sent small flurries of ash and embers around us and glaring down at Thor, I stood.

"I told you to be afraid of me, not him." Looking down, I watched him look up at me, slowly following the slit in the dress that ended mid-thigh. My sword back in my hand I saw him flinch slightly yet he licked his lips as our eyes met. I leaned in closer to his ear. "I don't hear you begging."