Guardian

Chapter 2

1030.

Liv's eyes fluttered open, a groan departing her mouth as she regained consciousness. Everything was fuzzy, making it difficult to recognize her surroundings as a dungeon cell. Pain radiated through her body and she glanced down to her stomach, her eyes widening as she saw the crimson staining her undershirt. But the chains binding her hands to the rough wall prevented her from examining her injury and the cloth clung to the skin, making it impossible to see the wound even through the slit made by some sort of blade.

A frown played upon her lips as she tried to remember how she had gotten locked up in a cell and why she had been bleeding so profusely. The lingering headache told her that she must have received some sort of head injury and the last thing she remembered was seeing the man she loved dying while she tried futilely to save him.

Tears pierced her eyes as she thought of him, wishing desperately that they could have changed places. Not that she would wish her place in this cell upon anyone, but at least she was alive, which was certainly impressive with how much blood was staining her shirt. Although she could not see the wound, she knew the blade had pierced deep within her stomach, most likely meant to kill her.

But she was still alive. In pain and confused, but alive. That's all she could hold on to, the only thing she could cling to to keep her from going mad.

-

(Olivia's POV):
I backed up against the counter as I stared at the man who had materialized on my kitchen island. My hand groped blindly in the bag behind me until my fingers wrapped around a scalpel, which I pointed at him, despite knowing such a puny weapon was not at all threatening.

"Who are you?! How the hell did you do that?!" I questioned him, watching him raise an eyebrow at my pathetic weapon.

"Who I am doesn't matter at this moment, I need you to help me. After that, I shall explain everything and answer whatever stupid questions your limited midgardian brain can concoct," he replied, his voice laced with pain despite his clear attempt to hide it from me. I finally realized who he was, remembering him from all of the footage of the attack on New York.

"I wouldn't insult the person that you've come to for help. But I suppose I should expect no less from the guy who tried to take over my planet," I growled, slowly pulling my phone out of my pocket so that I could call 911.

"Look who has finally figured out what is going on." Even though I was trying to make my movement intentionally small so that he wouldn't notice, his eyes flickered down to my hand and he warned, "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"And what are you going to do to me? You are bleeding out all over my kitchen and can't even breathe steadily. I'm afraid that you're not all that threatening."

Suddenly there was a dagger right in front of me, the blade inches from my face. Despite Loki's pathetic state, he was incredibly commanding as he snarled, "I could kill you in an instant. I may be injured, but I will never be as weak as you. All I need to do is think of your gruesome end and you will meet it. Understood?"

I swallowed nervously and nodded my head, feeling my heart racing in my chest. The dagger clattered to the ground and Loki inhaled sharply, causing a pang in my heart. It was wrong to feel pain for the man who had just threatened me and had attacked my city, but I couldn't help the automatic response. I had had enough patients to know that he barely holding on with those injuries.

"Are you sure that you don't want me to bring you to a hospital? I'm a vet, I don't work on human patients."

"I know what you are," he growled, resting his head back on the island. "If I could go to a hospital, don't you think I would be there right now instead of entrusting my life in the hands of some veterinarian?"