The Rise of Hel {Loki Laufeyson} Book Two

Chapter Forty

"I might be able to muster some more magic if I concentrate-"

"You're drained enough." I reach up, cupping his face, skimming my thumbs over the shadows below his eyes.

"If I had enough energy to conceal that Osborn boy, I can conceal you-"

"Loki, you won't hurt me - I know you won't. It's perfectly okay."

"I've hurt you countless times before. I've been the one to get you hurt. This whole situation is my fault! If I hadn't have fallen in love with you that day in the park, none of this would've happened and you'd be safe in your home. A normal seventeen year old girl."

"If you hadn't fallen in love with me that day in the park, S.H.I.E.L.D wouldn't have seeked me out and arrested me, thus ending with me spending the rest of my life bitter and angry because I was passed around numerous Orphanages. My parents are dead, Loki - you saved my life in the best way possible by loving me."

"I can't put a hand to you. Just give me five minutes and I'll have enough energy-"

"Shut up and be a Norse God." I brace myself, inhaling and holding it.

"Just..." he presses his lips to mine and my face tingles. I pull away, tapping my fingers againstmy lip. It comes away bloody.

"What...?" I look up at him.

"We've been arguing for over five minutes - I mustered it. Now, how are your acting skills?"

I smirk, punching his shoulder playfully. "You bastard."

He whirls me around, pushing me toward the door leading to the roof but I stop, turning and kissing him. He wraps his arms around my waist, lifting me up so I can lock my legs around his hips, my hair shielding us from the world around us. For those last few moments, it's only the two of us and the taste of our tongues as they battle for dominance. I win and he submisses himself to me, allowing me to kiss him until I'm content. I pull away, smiling down at him, blue-green eyes searching mine with adoration. "I love you. Remember that." I whisper and he puts me down.

"I love you more-"

"Than anything in the nine realms, I know. Seems like I've heard that once or twice." I smile, leading him out the doors and immediately fall to the gravelly roof, my chest rising and falling quickly, like I'm out of breath after a battle. "Loki..." I croak as he steps over me.

"Give up Rebecca. It's all over now." He pulls his fist back and I flinch but someone catches it. They twist it and Loki recoils, crying out and falling back onto his rear.

"Tsk, tsk." Peter, really Harry under an illusion, shakes his head, helping me up and gesturing to Loki. "Ladies first." I watch him warily, afraid of watching what Harry has to do to him in order to gain Hel's trust.

He skims his thumb across a bleeding wound in my cheek, smearing the blood. "That wasn't very nice of him, now was it? Nothing like your brother - he's very gentle."

Loki smiles up at him. "Have you even met my barbarian of a brother? He's a brute."

Harry shrugs. "So are you - what's the difference." He kicks Loki hard in the side. I jump, suppressing my gasp at the sudden gesture. Loki warned me that this would happen, that I should look away when it came time for Harry to assault him. I didn't know how much it would affect me to see him being hurt by the face of the person I once trusted the most.

I whimper and Harry's hands caress my arms, binding my wrists with the web shooters.

"Do not attack my father without reason." She materializes from cloudy darkness. Her black hair and her pale skin glow against the red light of the sky, her scar just as ugly as ever. "He is on our side, after all." She walks over, watching him closely as he gets to his feet.