Horrible Terrible Things

Chapter Twenty-Three

Around me, the world smelled of saltwater and flowers in bloom. I stood with my hands curled into fists at my side, scattered around me were the Einherjar. Somewhere close, Thor called my name in a pained stutter. I could not see Kit amongst the scattered guards and armor.

I didn't stay to see how many I had killed. I fled. No one followed me, no armed guards or townspeople with pitchforks. Perhaps the silence made it worse, only the slapping of my feet on the pavement and pounding of my heart in my throat.

Whatever power I had expelled had weakened me and I didn't make it far, my feet dragging as I hid behind a tree, collapsing against it, the landscape of green before me tilting as I struggled to draw in my breath, my hands pressed against my chest.

I sat like that for a long while, my body filled with nervous energy, my head pounding and I could not concentrate on any one thought or piece together what had just happened. The power, the magic, whatever it was, it had just come out of me, as simple as breathing, a natural reaction to the fear. I lifted my hands to see the magenta pulsing beneath my skin, calmer now that I was safe. As if my outburst had satiated it. I tried to swallow, my throat dry.

There was a rustle of grass and soft footsteps coming toward me and I turned my head to see who it was that was stupid enough to come for me, the power did not pulse against my skin, and I could feel nothing inside of me shift or yearn to be released, I could only feel the thudding of my heart and the heavy pain of my chest when I inhaled. I thought my unease might draw my power out of me again.

Loki appeared before me and he offered me a small if not mocking smile. I sat up straighter as he made his way toward me silently, he was not cautious about his movements around me and it settled my nerves as he looked down at me, folding his hands behind his back. He was dressed in his Asgardian leathers, much grander ones than I had ever seen before, embossed with gold that gleamed in the early morning sunlight.

Even now as he stood before me - the backdrop of the palace gardens behind him, the small smirk on his lips, his blue eyes firm on me - I wanted him. Desperately. So much so that something curled in my lower belly, a delicious feeling of anticipation that only made my body react in wicked ways. I pressed my thighs together tightly but it did little but make me wetter.

I was too enthralled by his appearance before me to say anything smart-arsed and I had thought he was gone for good after what Thor had witnessed. I folded my arms over my chest, lifting my chin to him defiantly,

'Are you coming to see if I'm okay?'

Loki's brows furrowed, a small crease forming between his brows,

'No.' he said looking down at me like I'd asked him something scandalous.

I didn't bother hiding my disappointment as I frowned at him, sitting up a little straighter against the tree. I shouldn't have hoped as much. Even after having annihilated the Einherjar and releasing my power, I thought maybe he might have come running more so after the revelation that I was his mate. Did he not want to protect me? At least instinctually? Was he really so adamant to fight it?

'You're here to taunt me then.' I stated.

He shrugged, 'It was too good of an opportunity.'

I grasped the tree behind me to pull myself up, my body still weakened by the release of power that I almost collapsed but Loki's hands were on me, grasping my waist. I almost collapsed again with the feel of his fingers pressing against me. I shook him off me quickly to dispel the need to have him touch me more, my mind bringing up torturous thoughts of us in the cell, how close we had come to fucking. I knew it would have been bliss, I wasn't sure who I hated more, myself for knowing I would have let him have me anyway he wanted or Thor for interrupting us.