Chapter 1
Demons From The Past
It was always the end of September, when the scar on my left cheek began to hurt. One week before the anniversary of when it was given to me, it became a constant reminder that my power had come at a price… as well as to always be careful with magic and those who possessed power.
It also served as a painful reminder of how foolish I had been in my youth...
Although the brand was always there, I did not have to be reminded of it everyday.
Five years ago, when I came to work with the Avengers, Tony Stark had been very kind as to develop a synthetic-breathable skin that could be implanted on top of the scar. With gentle care, it lasted up to three years, and with just a little bit of makeup it blended seamlessly, making it impossible to tell it was there. The only drawback, was that it could not be exposed to or submerged in water for extended periods of time.
It was a shame, for I did love swimming, but it was a small price to pay so I could live without the constant reminder. And I truly did forget about it during the year, so the pain always took me by surprise when it came back. Even after ten years, the sting of the burnt mark always startled me and took me back to that night.
This time, it had woken me up in the middle of the night.
For a moment, still between dreams and reality, I found myself in a foreign room, his cave. The tangled bedsheets had become chains, making me struggle to fully wake.
I could see his red eyes, his leathery wings expanding in the darkness. I choked back a scream, he was holding my throat as he branded me. The smell of my own flesh burning reached my nose and I almost passed out from the pain.
Just as I began to sob, the lights suddenly came on, blinding me for a second and bringing me back to reality. Instantly, I threw a shield of static noise around my mind, partly out of habit and partly because I knew there were now people in the building who would be able to see my distressed thoughts when I was so carelessly broadcasting them.
"Are you in the need of assistance, Ms. Rodriguez?" Friday's gentle voice came over the intercom.
I sat up, trying to catch my breath and dropping all the pillows and blankets on the floor as I leaned down. A mixture of sweat and tears dripped down onto the floor, as I kept trying to find my voice.
"I will alert the medical team…" Friday said.
"N-no…" I managed to get out.
"Your heart rate is dangerously elevated, Ms. Rodriguez. I recommend that a medical team examines you before…"
"N-no… I'll be fine…" I took a deep breath. "Just a nightmare…" It was so difficult getting the words out. I could still feel his claws piercing my neck under his steel-grip.
"Ms. Rodriguez…" Friday continued,
"I'm fine…" I choked out as I began to block out the world.
Filling my lungs in a long slow breath, I closed my eyes, and felt energy flow through me. My mind became blank, all emotions, all sensations encased in a small sphere inside of me. I didn't even register the pain on my head as I fell forward.
I was gone for a long time, encasing any sensation that arose. All thoughts, all painful memories…
When I opened my eyes again, I was laying back on my bed the room was dark and eerily silent.
Groaning as I sat up, I noticed my pillows and covers had been set back on the bed.
I'd have to talk to Tony about Friday not following orders. I had said I didn't want the medical team in here. I didn't like the idea of his robots roaming around the room and poking and prodding at me when I was passed out…but they had obviously made the bed and set me back on it.
I looked around the room, as my eyes adjusted to the darkness and the foreign space. I had recently moved to this facility in upstate New York, but nothing seemed out of place. The night was very quiet, something I also needed to get used to since we were no longer surrounded by the sounds of the city.
The rain from the day before had stopped.
Maybe it had all been a dream… I entertained the thought for a mere second as I reached for my phone on the bedside table.
I hissed in pain.
Not a dream…
My cheek stung as if it had been newly burned. Plus there was a bump on my head from having fallen on the floor.
I rolled my neck and shoulders, I was gonna need a painkiller.
Usually magic was enough to ease any discomfort from injury, combined with faster than normal healing, it was normally not an issue. However, the sting from the brand could never be subdued with magic. I was gonna need something stronger.
My phone marked a quarter past two, no one would be awake, and I didn't want to ask for the medical team to come in, again.
I got up from the bed, pulled my long hair back into a bun, and put on a pair of fluffy slippers before exiting my room and walking to the kitchen.
The common area and kitchen were empty, low lights switched on as I walked by. I opened the cabinet where a variety of common drugs were stored and looked at all the labels for something a little stronger than ibuprofen.
The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end, and the sensation that he was watching me made my stomach drop to my knees.
It couldn't be…
I turned around, lifting both hands in front of me and falling into a fighting position, my palms flaring up with waves of blue energy, ready to attack.
I was alone.
I could hear my heart pounding in my ears, and my breathing was fast and jagged. I scanned my surroundings.
The kitchen was empty. I cautiously walked to the adjacent dining room, but it was empty as well.
Slowly and not letting my guard down, I walked down the stairs where a common area was located.
Empty.
The windows shutters were down, the room was silent, only the sound of my heavy breathing and pounding heart.
I swallowed hard, bringing my hands down, and taking a deep breath. The feeling that someone was watching now gone, but the anxiety wasn't.
He couldn't be here. I rationalized. The feeling was just part of the earlier nightmare. He was dead… he couldn't come back…
My cheek stung once again making me wince.
I needed to take something for the pain.
I climbed up the stairs once more, and went back to the medicine cabinet. After getting a couple of percocet I grabbed a glass of water and swallowed both pills.
The smallest noise behind me made me jump. The glass I had been holding shattered against the cool tile floor, as I jumped back into a fighting stance.
"Tsk...tsk...tsk…" Loki reprimanded as he walked into the kitchen from the opposite side of the hall. "Jumpy tonight, aren't you, Little Charmer?"
I wrinkled my nose at the stupid nickname, but sighed in relief and relaxed a bit.
Quickly breaking eye contact, I distracted myself with cleaning up. I had not realized that in the shadowed light, he was even more attractive, more compelling, and I didn't need to dwell on that on top of everything else going on this evening.
I did note, however, that in the low light, his eyes were the color of seafoam.
I waved my hand, a tendril of gold energy picking up the glass pieces and dumping them in the nearby recycle bin, before I spoke.
"You just startled me, Loki." I over emphasized his name in an attempt to remind him that we could be civil to each other besides our mutual dislike for each other.
I grabbed another cup filling it with more water at the sink. I took a small sip as I leaned against the counter and ignored him.
If I was honest with myself, I didn't really dislike him, but he did seem to have a dislike for me.
I was not about to let him know that my skin would prickle with warmth and goosebumps every time I heard his voice. Or that my breath would catch in my lungs and my pulse would hammer against my throat when I would catch him staring at me with those stunning viridian eyes.
"I admire your bravery, standing so close to the water faucet, considering your aversion towards water." He said snidely, and I had to look up to meet his gaze as he also poured himself a cup water.
He stood just a couple feet away and I hoped he couldn't hear just how fast my heart was beating.
I narrowed my eyes at him.
The reason for his stupid comment about the water, was that I had refused to go on a mission with him the day before. To my defence, it was raining, and when I had brought it up to Tony and Steve, they had understood. Loki however, had seen it as a personal attack.
Which was fine, I didn't need the extra aggravation of having guard my attraction to him while we worked on a mission.
I ignored his comment and continued studying while pretending not to.
He was wearing all black, pants and t-shirt, as well as a pair of leather slippers. His hair was loose and a bit frizzy, but he looked too good even then… and that was another reasons to keep away from him.
From the moment we met, from the moment I sensed his power, I could feel the lure of his magic. The lure of that cool sexuality that he possessed and used so effortlessly. He was too handsome, too tempting, his power was too… appetizing. He was devastatingly alluring and dangerous.
I had seen that kind of power.
I had been burned by it before.
Quite literally.
I had made myself a promise to stay away from him. It wasn't like it would be difficult either. He had destroyed half of New York a few years before, which was reason to dislike him, yet I couldn't help but be attracted…
It was true that he had helped Thor destroy Hella a few months ago. -Some god like entity from their realm that had threatened to bring forth the apocalypse to the whole universe- Apparently this Hella had managed to destroy their realm, Asgard. Forcing Thor to escape with a few hundred thousand refugees from his home planet, as well as his brother, and extraordinarily enough, Dr. Banner who had been lost in an alien planet all this time.
The refugees had all been settled a few weeks ago, not something that had been easy, as the world leaders had all had to agree to help.
After that, Thor had arrived back at headquarters with Dr. Banner, a warrior that went by the name of Valkyrie, and Loki in tow.
The decision to allow Loki to stay had taken a lot of reassurance from Thor, and after a group vote, Loki had been allowed to stay when Dr. Banner had broken the tie in his favor.
He had thanked us all, and had assured us we would not be dissapointed, but I still had my doubts about him.
I wasn't too convinced he was truly reformed… but so far he had behaved and had been extremely helpful to the team.
He brought the cup to his lips, his eyes had been studying me as well, devouring every inch of me and tempting me with that ensnaring energy that enveloped him. It made me weak at the knees and left me bubbling with excitement… which I hated…
His clear green eyes caught mine. They glinted with a hint of mischief before he spoke.
"Still, there are far worse things to fear than water." He smiled and took another sip as my mind came back to our conversation. "I should warn you," He spoke quietly, "not to roam around on a nights such as this, Little Charmer."
I wrinkled my nose at the stupid nickname again, more than a bit bothered by his tone considering the earlier nightmares.
"Oh?" I asked, acting semi-interested as to what he meant.
Since he had arrived, he had gotten into the habit of letting me know just how little I truly knew about the magic I possessed, hence the stupid nickname. He was probably just teasing me again, but the thought that I had perhaps revealed too much before I had been able to shield my mind earlier made me stay and listen.
I tapped my fingers rhythmically against the glass as I waited. He smirked and took a very slow sip before he spoke again.
"I am sure you're well aware we are approaching the end of the season."
He'd hint at things that, according to him, were obvious and basic knowledge to skilled magicians. Then, if I didn't know it or had the wrong information on the subject, he'd make sure to correct me and emphasize just how little I knew about magic. Even going so far as to suggest to the team that perhaps it was a bad idea to let me play at magic.
I narrowed my eyes as he took another sip.
"The veil between your world and the magical world wanes every night as we approach the hallows eve, as it is called here. You can feel your magic increase, correct?"
I almost rolled my eyes. Even normal humans knew that!
"Yes... " I answered impatiently, drinking the last sip of water.
"The veil is weak and there's a full moon tonight…" he said suspensefully. "You wanna be careful."
"Oh, yea?" I dismissed him as I set my cup on the sink. His emerald eyes glinted maliciously. I had enough of his riddles, and I was tired.
"Full moons light the passage between the spirit real and our realm. It would be unwise for you to wander at night…" He gave me a meaningful look over the rim of his glass. "You wouldn't want to encounter your old demons…"
..oo0oo..
The light might have been minimal, but he saw the color drain from her beautiful face.
Cassandra Rodriguez was a sight to behold, even in the dim light.
Feminine, voluptuous, mysterious, and powerful...
He had been quite charmed by her from the first moment he had set eyes on her, and he was glad he could stare at her so openly at the moment.
Not that Loki needed an excuse, really; he always did what he wanted.
Still, he did not wish to make the signs of his excitement for her too obvious. At least not until he understood this enthrallment for her.
Part of the reason he found her so intriguing was how she made him feel.
They had met only a few weeks ago, and all of their interactions had been communal and public, as part of the team. Yet every time she spoke, every time she looked at him, he was mesmerized by her. His pulse would quicken, his heart beat faster. The reaction to her was so foreign and new to him, and he was cautious, but too fascinated not to investigate it further.
He needed to know if he had the same effect on her, not that she made it obvious if that was the case. At most, she seemed annoyed by him, but tonight she was vulnerable and perhaps she would reveal more.
She broke eye contact as she looked back to the empty cup in the sink, but he kept studying her face.
Her eyes were wide and he knew she was recalling the dream… or memory that had assaulted her earlier tonight..
Loki had caught a glimpse of it too, and he had felt it, the foreign presence that had roamed around the building as it happened. It had drifted through the halls like a cold breeze, shielding itself only when Loki had made his presence known.
He hadn't been scared of it. Quite the opposite. But he had been scared for her, of her.
She had made the stupid decision to allow her body to be vacant and vulnerable while she hid inside her own mind. He could not conceive why she had done it, but he had felt the moment she had pushed everyone outside of her mind and had disappeared into herself.
He had ran down the hall to her room, and if he hadn't learned to fool the intelligence program that guarded the building earlier this week, they could have all been in a lot of trouble thanks to this naïve girl who thought herself capable of wielding power.
He had found her on the floor, unconscious and unresponsive. No matter how many times he had tapped her cheek and called her name in an attempt to rouse her, he had gotten no response.
The presence had hid as he had placed her back on her bed, and had awaited for her to be done with whatever she was doing inside her mind.
He recalled what he had seen during her dream. She had been trapped, in a cave. Chained to the floor, nude, and trembling. She had screamed as something loomed over her, as something hurt her. The vision had been but a flash, muddled by his own dreams and sleep, but he had felt her pain, her fear, her guilt.
Once he felt her consciousness begin to come back he left her side. Staying close by and hiding his own presence to watch over her and guard her in case the presence decided to reveal itself.
She avoided his gaze now, as she rinsed her cup, but he continued watching her.
She was stunning, but her allure was beyond her physical beauty. Which was majestically accentuated by those tight, slightly sheer pair of pants and tank top that highlighted her very voluptuous curves. Her enchantment was beyond the beauty of her face, the fullness of her lips, or the sparkle in her eyes.
It was the power within her. A power which shone brighter each day as the hallows eve approached.
It was awe inspiring and all too enticing… and it was dangerous.
Something was after her... or her power...
She needed to be made aware of the danger, as well as learn how to keep herself safe; but he knew she would not trust him if he broached the subject outright.
Although he was more than willing to teach her, the moment he had set foot in this headquarters as they called it, she had taken a deep dislike for him and had refused to work with him. Making silly excuses that the rest of the team seemed to view a valid.
He needed to discuss it with Stark.
With trembling hands, she put her glass on the dish rack, he could see the fear in her face. She swallowed hard and opened her lips, but she closed them again as he caught her eyes for just a second.
"Good night." She said very quietly as she turned on her heel and fled to her room.
..oo0oo..
There had been no sleep until the sun had risen, and even then it had only been an hour.
I had hoped the medicine would have knocked me out, but I had no such luck.
My mind was racing with questions and fears. How much had Loki seen? Had Loki felt his presence in the tower or was he just being a jerk? Could he really be back? I couldn't even bring myself to think of his name...
I shook my head and my cheek stung once again. I had to get up, I was going away for the weekend and I would not allow this to ruin my plans
Tony's end of summer party in would be held in a newly acquired property in Malibu this year. Everyone from the team that could be spared was invited. And I was ready to spend the weekend by the beach, sunbathing, swimming… well, not swimming, but shopping and just relaxing for a few days.
I had been so excited to go, having missed it the last three years due to imminent threats to the planet, but the night before had definitely dampened the anticipation.
Sighing, I finally got up and gathered some clothes for a quick shower, I needed to be ready in less than an hour and I hadn't even packed.
I undressed myself, opened the medicine cabinet and found the jar of the cleansing and protective gel I used on the synthetic skin every few months.
Closing the medicine cabinet, I looked at my reflection in the mirror. My eyes were bloodshot due to the lack of sleep and I noticed dark circles had formed under my eyes as I unscrewed the jar.
"Shit…" I cursed when I noticed a small corner of the implant, near my jawline had began to crack.
"No, no, no, no, no…" I breathed as I analyzed it further. The synthetic skin which was paper thin, was beginning to peel off at the bottom, small flakes falling off as I pressed. I could see the bottom curve of the symbol that I had been branded with peeking out. It was barely noticeable, but it was there.
I sighed, patting some of the protective gel on top of it anyway. It would take some extra makeup to hide it, and I would have to be very cautious until I could talk to Tony about it.
After taking a quick shower, drying my hair, and making sure my makeup hid everything, I pulled out a large suitcase from the closet and began packing.
I wouldn't allow a bad night to ruin my plans. I would go on vacations and I would enjoy it… I had to keep telling myself, as flares of pain on my cheek kept reminding me of the night before. By the time I was finished packing, the pain had returned full force, leaving me exhausted, and in a bad mood that even packing the cute new swimsuits I had bought myself to sunbathe in did not help me feel better.
I threw on a large gray tee, and a pair of black yoga pants, large sunglasses that hid half my face, as well as a pair of flip-flops, before leaving my room.
I frowned as I got out to the common area.
It was empty.
Leaving my luggage on one of the chairs, I climbed the stairs towards the kitchen, only to find Loki sitting at the breakfast bar, eating.
"Where's everyone?" I asked him as I pulled up my sunglasses and placed them on top of my head.
He took the white napkin on his lap, cleaned his lips before he placed it on top of his plate. "They already left." He said quite simply as he got up and walked towards the sink. "You should have breakfast before we leave."
"What? Why did they leave earlier?"
"They didn't." Loki said simply as he drank the remaining liquid on his cup.
"What?" I looked down at my smart watch. I tapped on the screen when it didn't light up and clicked the side button.
It began rebooting…
I smacked my lips in frustration, it had been working just a minute ago when I had left the room. "Friday, what time is it?" I asked out loud as I tapped the screen on the watch impatiently.
"It is 12:57PM, Ms. Rodriguez."
"What?" I could have sworn my watch said 7:50AM when I had left the room. I looked up a Loki who gave me a small smirk. "Did you…" I narrowed my eyes at him. No, he couldn't have, could he?
I looked down at my wrist watch as it finally restarted. 12:58PM it flashed.
I sighed. "Why didn't anyone wake me up?" I whined as I took a seat on the stool Loki had just vacated.
"I told them not to." Loki answered.
"What? Why?" He had started rummaging through one of the cupboards so he missed the withering glare I aimed at him.
My cheek stung once more, making me wince.
I took a deep breath as I leaned down and pressed my forehead against the cool granite countertop. The pain had turned into a head-splitting headache, and now I wouldn't get a relaxing weekend to take my mind off it.
Had I really read the time wrong? Had I been so tired that I had gotten confused? How could they have left without saying anything.
I winced and hissed quietly as another stab of pain shot through my head. I needed to find a better solution for the pain, it was messing with my brain. It seemed worse than other years… or was it always this painful?
"I talked to Stark this morning." I jumped up right, he was standing right next to me. I tried to glare at him, but I noticed the plate full of scrambled eggs and bacon he placed in front of me. I gestured questioningly as he also placed a cup of coffee down as well as a bottle of painkillers. "You should eat before you take these." He said calmly and rattled the small container before as he began to walk away.
Flabbergasted, it took me a minute to remember I still had questions.
"What?… Wait, what did you talk to Tony about?"
He stopped and looked over his shoulder. "I told him you had a rough night and probably didn't get much sleep, so I told them to let you rest." He nodded towards the plate. "You should hurry and eat, our ride will be here any minute."
"Our ride? What ride?" I asked more than a bit confused.
"To Malibu, of course." He said as he disappeared down the corridor to his bedroom.
"Oh no…" I frowned as I grabbed a slice of crispy bacon and took a bite.
..ooOoo..
The voice program called Friday had announced when the private jet arrived less than fifteen minutes later.
Loki had already been waiting for Cassandra downstairs. Sitting comfortably on one of the couches in the common area, he flipped through one of a magazine someone had left on the side table.
The magazine had different suggestions for decorating gardens and outdoor areas, but their beauty paled in comparison to the landscapes he had grown up in back in Asgard, which made him a bit forlorn for his past life and now destroyed planet, but he tried not to dwell on it.
No, he had been focusing on his Little Charmer instead.
She was in pain, but it seemed to be more than just a pesky headache. Every once in awhile, she would make the smallest sound followed by a sharp breath.
He had seen her take some medication the night before, but he had thought it had just been a sleeping pill. However, after a bit of investigation this morning, he had found that it was actually a pain reliever.
It hadn't seemed to help much, he noticed, as she had spent a restless night.
He could hear her. Her distracted and jumbled mind made it more difficult for her to keep her thoughts shielded.
He had never made it a habit to read people's thoughts. It required copious amounts of concentration, physical contact with the subject, and allowing himself to be vulnerable as he would be engulfed in the thoughts and memories as the subject re-lived them. It could also be magically draining, depending on the mental strength of the opponent. Truly a waste of time and effort, but humans were alway so easily deciphered without the use of any magic.
However, Cassandra was quite dexterous when it came to guarding her mind and emotions. She had piqued his interest before, only to be sorely disappointed every time he had tried to decipher what she truly thought. The events from the night before had disturbed her ability to guard her mind, however. All night long, small flares of her thoughts and distress had been broadcasted for anyone with the ability to tune-in.
It had been nothing concrete that he could make sense of, but her panic was quite evident. He was even more interested now, so he had chosen to alter her medication this morning.
Nothing more than a very mild persuasive draught, something that would allow him to better read her when she wasn't guarded. As well as a stronger pain-reliever that would perhaps bring her some relief as well as allow her to stay more focused until he figured out how to best help her with whatever was causing her so much distress.
He told himself it was only a precaution. Especially after sensing the powerful force that had attempted to attack her the night before. He was acting on everyone's best interests, and he reprimanded himself for second guessing his own actions.
There was a small feeling dread that she would find out, something he was not accustomed to, but he pushed it to the back of his mind.
He needed to know more about what was after her power, he told himself again. He had approached Thor, Stark and the Captain on the subject, this morning, yet it had not yielded much. Thor had only met her and worked with her briefly in the past, and neither Stark nor the Captain would reveal anything.
Loki had purposefully been vague on the details of what he had witnessed the night before, but he had mentioned enough to provoke a flare of reaction from Stark and the Captain. He had pushed further, hinting that her magic could be a danger, and that she needed proper tutelage so she could defend herself in case of an attack, but the men had not disclosed whatever they knew.
Both men had been evasive, but Loki had not missed the worried glance they gave each other.
Although neither had gone into further detail, they had asked him to keep an eye on her; and had agreed to speak to her about furthering her magical abilities by working with him.
He had been pleased with their response, and he had made sure to adjust her digital devices to make her late this morning after she woke.
Tossing the magazine back on the side table he got up and did up the buttons on his black blazer.
Cass was just walking downstairs, her cup of coffee on one hand, the vial of pills on the other.
He couldn't help but smile as she tossed a couple of pills in her mouth and downed them with the remaining liquid in the cup.
As she set down the coffee mug, she stopped for a second and looked at the small container at hand, but shook her head. She turned to him and narrowed her pretty brown eyes at him, making his heart skip a beat… at the threat of being caught, of course…
"You're wearing that to the beach?" She finally asked as she gave him the once over.
"Ah!" Loki almost let out a relieved sigh. "Is that where we are going?"
She narrowed her eyes further.
"You didn't know? Why are you going, anyway?" She asked him, although it felt as though she wanted to ask something along the lines of why would anyone invite you?
"The invitation was extended towards the whole team, was it not?"
He was technically an Avenger, and Stark had not voiced any objections when Loki had mentioned he would be joining them for the weekend.
"I suppose…" She rolled her eyes as she brought down her sunglasses, set the white hat that had been laying next to her suitcase on her head, and placed the small container of pills in one of the front pockets of her luggage. She picked the case and began walking out the building and towards the landing pad where one of Stark's private jets awaited.
He joined her, stopping only when she did as she looked at him once more.
"You're not taking any luggage?" She brought down the glasses over the bridge of her nose, looking him over once more.
Damn him for looking so good in a suit…
A smirk adorned his face, as the thought, her thought, flowed into his mind like the quietest whisper.
"I have no need for luggage." He answered.
"You don't? I don't think you wanna swim in that." She smiled and pushing her glasses back up.
He extended both arms, just for flare. The clothes he wore shone with a golden glimmer as a new set materialized. A simple dark green undershirt, strategically untied to the middle of his chest, and pair of tight black lounging pants.
"As I said, I have no need for luggage." He reiterated. "Plus I prefer to swim in the nude."
"Ugh!" She let out and hurried outside towards the jet. Don't picture him nude...don't picture him nude...don't picture him nude…
He didn't help her resolve as he discreetly projected the image of himself swimming in the nude to her.
No...no...no...no...bad! The thoughts flowed towards him.
He was gonna enjoy teasing her, he thought, laughing as he followed along.
..ooOoo..
It was not very often that I had the pleasure of traveling in Tony's private planes, but every time I did I was always amazed by the luxury.
This particular jet had eight lounging chairs, upholstered in white soft fabric and brown leather accents, a large television screen, a full bar, as well as a private bedroom towards the back.
I walked to the room and closed the door straightaway. I had no intention of making small talk with Loki, especially when my mind kept picturing him naked.
After placing my suitcase in one of the storage cabinets and leaving my sunglasses and hat on the side table; I threw myself on the comfy bed.
I cuddled one of the body pillows, taking in the clean scent of whatever fancy detergent they had been laundered with.
I sighed, as I suddenly noticed that both my headache and the pain on my cheek were gone. We were up in the air now, the low hum from the engines began lulling me to sleep.
It was relieving that the painkillers had begun working, they would allow me to relax for the weekend. Well, as much as I could relax with Loki around.
Loki… No, no, no… I need to stop thinking about him. I didn't need the visual of him naked once more.
But trying to not think about him made me think of him more.
I could see him in that all-black three piece suit.
So dashing.
That sexy crooked smirk…
It made me smile like a fool.
Stretching and yawning, I snuggled the pillow closer.
What would it be like to hug him? His scent...cool and masculine... What would it feel like to have his hands roam my body? I sighed. Large, strong hands up and down my back, shifting forward with gentle caresses as he began exploring my breasts, my thighs...
No, no, no… I need to stop thinking of him like that. I can't complicate my life any further… There is just no way… He's…. he's... evil!...or was evil… or maybe is still evil but he's lying about not being evil… and he...reminds me of… no, no, no… It's just the way he makes me feel because I find him so sexually attractive...was it? Or was he… no Loki was not like Him… and what if … what if Seafra is still alive?…
Just thinking of his name sent a chill down my spine and made me feel nauseous.
No, no, no…He couldn't be… It just wasn't possible. It was all in my head… it was all because of the scar and the pain...
I took a deep breath.
I needed to relax. I needed to calm my mind.
I yawned again and rubbed my eyes.
I just need some rest and now that the pain is gone and I can actually rest, I should take advantage of it… But...what harm could it do to just think of snuggling next to Loki… I closed my eyes and buried my face under the pillow. Just to think of his hand running up my inner thigh. Slowly, I ran my hand up my thigh. To just feel him tease me… Pressing my palm against sensitive flesh, I rubbed firmly and gasped.
His lips against my neck… drawing a trail of kisses to my breasts… nipping at my skin...
Another gasp escaped my lips.
'Cass…'
I could almost hear his voice whisper against my ear as I shifted slightly, bringing my hand inside my pants.
I could almost feel his touch
His fingers separating my wet folds. Two fingers moving to my heated core, teasing, tracing little circles around my entrance before slowly gliding up again to tease my clit.
"Loki…" I moaned, the sound of my own voice making me open my eyes and stop. Sheesh! That had been too loud and the walls on this jet were probably not soundproof…
Stupid…
I shouldn't be doing this. Not here, not ever.
It's Idiotic to even think of him as anything other than a teammate, because nothing could ever happen.
I couldn't.
I wouldn't.
I let out a frustrated sigh and closed my eyes.
Sleep came more easily than I expected.
..ooOoo..
Loki was thankful that she had remained inside the private room, and that she had slept throughout the whole flight.
His mouth had actually gone dry after he witnessed her thoughts and actions in that room.
That little bit of his magic that he had slipped into her drugs had been a lot more potent that he had expected. He was not even sure if the enhanced connection between their minds had been his fault, or her doing.
He had seen and felt all of it, and it had left him struggling for words as the air attendant asked him some innocuous question. Having dismissed the woman, he took a deep breath and had walked, rather uncomfortably, towards the bar; where he searched for whatever hard liquor he could find to drown his lust.
He had been so caught up in her actions, that he had whispered her name into her mind. His heart skipped a beat before he realized she hadn't noticed it had been him whispering her name.
Downing the amber liquid he had poured in the crystal snifter, he let out a shaky breath and hung his head as he pushed his hands against the counter.
Caution.
That's what he needed, along with several cold showers if this continued.
He taken the bottle back to his seat, forgoing the snifter in the end. Opening his mind to her thoughts again, he found she was truly resting, dreamless sleep having overtaken her.
He had found tiny bits of information before her more distracting endeavours had begun.
She was terrified of someone. Someone she thought dead but was perhaps still alive? It was all a jumbled mess in her mind, so it was more confusing to him.
She had thought of the name and it had made her panic.
What had it been?
"Agh!" He could not remember, he grunted as he took a swig of the bottle.
And it was all somehow related to the pain she was experiencing, because of a scar? He wondered where this person she so feared had left a physical scar.
The night before, when she had awoken from the nightmare or the memory she was reliving, he had felt pain as this individual hurt her. Perhaps that had left a scar that still bothered her.
He rubbed the mouth rim of the glass bottle against his lower lip as he stared off into space.
What troubled Loki the most, was that she found him similar to this person that had hurt her. She thought of him as evil. She also found the attraction she felt towards him similar to the one she felt for the person she feared.
Rather than be elated at the thought that she was attracted to him, it upset him greatly that she found similarities to the one who had hurt her.
The need to convince her that he was trustworthy overwhelmed him…but only for her safety, he told himself.
Before he realized, he had drank the whole bottle of liquor.
He had a lot of work to do.
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Note: I'm sorry... I know I should be working on the next chapter for Windows to the Soul, but I haven't been able to write much and all I did write were stories that are also not finished and are all different... XD
I've decided to just post everything I'm working on, even though nothing is finished and I'll just keep working to finish them all. I'm so sorry again! I will finish them! I promise!
Do yell at me if you'd like, so I can finish the rest of Windows to the Soul. And leave me some nice comments if you feel so inclined, as they do fuel my writing! You're only helping yourselves if you comment, really. XD Sorry, I'll go write some more now...