Chapter 2
It was sunset when the blonde woke up. Niki watched as he sat up with a shake of his head, long hair falling about his face. He put a hand to his bandaged side before franticly looking around until he caught sight of the pale man next to him.
"Oh gods, it really did happen," he moaned in a deep voice like thunder. Covering his face with his hands, he let loose several sobs that shook his entire bulky frame. "They're dead. They're all gone," he repeated over and over again.
Slowly, Niki stood and, taking a cup of water in one hand and her silver knife in the other, walked over to the bed. The movement caught the large man's attention and he whipped his head around to look at her with a warning glare.
"Calm down doggy," Niki said putting up the hand with the knife blade down and holding out the water. "If I wanted to kill you, do you think I would have helped you? I could have left you and your 'brother' to bleed out and burn in the sun but I like to think I'm a nice person."
Warily he took the water and, after sniffing it, downed it quickly. He was still for a few moments, waiting for any possible poison to take hold. When nothing happened he sighed with relief and relaxed.
"Thank you for your kindness. I doubt many humans would allow a vampire or a werewolf into their house, let alone both." Running a hand through his hair, he held out the other and said, "My name is Thor and this is my brother, Loki. If it wasn't for your kindness we would have been dead long ago."
Niki shook his hand and slid her knife into her back pocket. "Niki. Well, I try to follow my parents' example. However, a human can't be too careful so if you would please explain why you two are running and why you call yourselves brothers, I would feel so much better."
Thor nodded and sighed. "I understand your hesitation. If it weren't for recent events, I wouldn't have hesitated to turn you as others of my species would. But I am in your debt and the least I can do is tell you our story."
"My brother is not my biological brother, obviously. My father found Loki after killing his real father, Laufey. Loki was just a baby, not five days old and had already been bitten by his real father. My father, Odin, felt sorry for one so young having it's choices made for it and not being given a chance to live so he brought Loki home and raised him as my younger brother with strict rules about biting." Thor smiled at this, his gaze unfocused, lost in the retelling of his life.
"Years past and my father's pack remained strong. He grew angry at my family for a while, claiming that we treat him as a pet. An oddity to observe. An amusing distraction. That phase lasted for many years before we were able to convince him of our love. Loki and I will always be brothers, no matter how much he lashes out in anger. But he does have biological brothers. Helblindi and Byleister are vicious, revenge driven vampires and attacked our home with a small army of vampires. At first they tried to convince Loki to join them, saying they had made a powerful ally who would destroy all the wolves and give the world to its rightful owners. When he refused, kneeling in the blood of our parents, they attacked him. I was just barely able to grab him and run before they killed him." His shoulders shook as another sob took him. After a moment he continued. "That was two days ago. We have been running ever since, unable to stop in fear of being caught and killed. He collapsed at sunrise yesterday and I had to find shelter for us. Then I saw your home and took a leap of faith. I had no other choice. Thank you, so much for your kindness, again."
Settling on the foot of the bed Niki reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry about it. I'll do what I can for you. Call me crazy. Many would. I don't have much in the way of food besides what I grown in the garden and there's not much left in the shop, but I'll go see what I can find." She stood and turned to leave. Half way to the door she stopped and, turning to him, said, "Oh, and I have a strict 'no biting' rule. If I feel uneasy or suspicious at all, I'll shoot first, ask later. Tell him that when he wakes up. Or stops pretending he's still asleep, which ever happens first."
With that, she left the brothers alone. After the door was closed and her footsteps retreated down the hall, the darker brother, Loki, sat up. "Now how the hell did she know I was awake? I've fooled mother for years now!"
Thor laughed and clapped his brother on the shoulder. "She is a human living on her own. I'm sure she can pick up on a lot of things. Humans don't seem as foolish as we first believed."
"She was foolish enough to take in a werewolf and a vampire," Loki muttered.
"Yes, but if she hadn't, we would both be dead now, wouldn't we."
"Then she is doubly foolish. If it weren't for the fact that she saved my life, she would be a meal by now."
"Don't you ever dare," Thor said growing suddenly very serious. "We owe her our lives. As soon as you are able, we will leave and never trouble her again. We are already putting her at risk by our very presence in her home."
"It was only a joke, brother," Loki growled. "I am not so dishonorable as that."
"I'm glad," Niki said from the door. "Sorry, I knocked. Maybe. I'm not sure. I heard talking and guess I started eavesdropping. Sorry."
They both jumped and looked at her in surprise before Thor burst into laughter. "At least your honest," he said.
Niki smiled and walked further into the room "Well, I have no kibble or tomato juice but…" This earned her a glare from the vampire brother. "But I do have a few veggies and a can of forever-old baked beans. As far as the fanged-one goes," and she pointed at Loki. "I have no idea what to offer him."
"Obviously I cannot eat your human food," he snapped at her. "But I do need sustenance of some form."
"Don't look at me," Niki said holding up her hands and her knife. "I have no blood for you here."
Loki rolled his eyes at her and flopped back on the bed. "Thor, can't we just leave now?"
"That depends," said his golden haired older brother. "Can you get up and if you can, can you run?"
The only answer he received was a glare. "I thought not."
"Would animal blood work," Niki asked?
Loki made a face and grunted. "It's not as satisfying but yes. But it would also take a lot of it. Unfortunately, I am wounded and it will take a while to heal, even if I had human blood."
"Well, I don't have any pets but there is a massive deer population around here. If you're willing to hunt them that is."
"Apparently I am unable to get out of bed."
"Is he always this surly," Niki asked turning to Thor.
He laughed. "Unfortunately, yes. You learn to get used to it."
Niki sighed. "It would take me hours to even find a deer and then drag it back here. You're stuck with whatever I can find. If it's a squirrel, so be it."
Loki made a face. "That is disgusting."
"Then get your own food!"
"I cannot!"
"Then shut up and take what you get!" With that, Niki left, slamming the door behind her. She leaned against it for a moment letting her anger pass. Through the door she heard their muffled voices.
"You shouldn't be so harsh brother," Thor was saying. "She's helping us out of the goodness of her heart. Being difficult will just get us kicked out."
"Isn't that going to happen anyway? Do you want her to ask us to stay? You were just saying a moment ago how we cannot stay. Would it not be harder to leave if she actually wished us to stay? The longer we keep her at arm's length the better."
"That's not an excuse for antagonizing her!"
"Yes it is! You are, unfortunately a very lovable person so I must do the job for both of us."
Niki pushed away from the door and quickly ran outside. She returned later leading a cow from a wild herd that stayed near by.
