Jane's heart pounded in her chest as her mind groped for possible strategies. She heard the front door shatter under Loki's assault and fought to control her panic. Any second now he could do the same thing to her study's door. She scanned her study—there was nothing to use as a weapon, other than perhaps an especially thick textbook. And she doubted she'd have a chance to swing it at him. He was far too quick.
"Jane… I know you're in here somewhere…" Loki's voice had a teasing lilt to it, like he was playing with a child. His condescension irked her, helping her forget a bit of her fear as she turned her anger against this demi-god who thought victory was so neatly in his grasp. Startling even herself, she wrenched the study door open, stepped out into the hall, and called with false bravado, "I'm right here—come and get me!"
"Was that really so difficult?" a silky voice purred over her shoulder. She whirled, finding Loki mere inches away. How did he move so fast? She hated how she had to crane her next to look up at him—he was a full head taller than she was at least.
"I'm so glad you came out," Loki continued, leaning against the doorframe and cutting off her escape route down the hall. Now the only place she could retreat would be into the study, and the only place the study led to was the bedroom… "I've waited so long to meet you-I'd hate to further delay what my brother promises is so pleasurable," he said, his eyes sweeping her body hungrily. "You must know how useless it is to resist."
"All I know is that you're a grade-A psychopath," Jane spit out. "You think you can just show up here and terrorize some innocent person who's never even met you, all because of some grudge you have against your brother? What is wrong with you?"
Loki just smiled wider. Oh, how he enjoyed her spirit—it would be such fun to break.
"If you think you can reason with me, you're sadly mistaken," he replied. "I don't bend my will for mere mortals. Besides—" he leaned down and whispered in her ear, his breath hot on her throat—"I doubt you're so innocent, Jane Foster."
Jane felt her breathing quicken but she refused to let him see her fear.
"Get off me," she snapped, pushing against his chest with all her might. He barely moved—and he felt terribly solid. "I'm not going to be part of this stupid game," she added, backing up into the study to put some distance between them. Of course he followed. "Besides, I heard you were such a grand manipulator—you wouldn't stoop to something so thuggish as to merely overpower me? Don't you have some sort of honor?"
At that, Loki actually let out a harsh laugh, which grated at Jane's very spine.
"Sweet Jane, you're so naive," he chuckled, gliding into the study and pushing the door shut behind him. "You seem determined to believe there's no true evil in any man." His eyes darkened. "But I'm not a mere man. And I'm prepared to do whatever it takes to shatter my brother completely. It's merely a bonus for me that you're such a lovely creature."
"You can't," Jane answered, hating how vulnerable she sounded. She was trying to sound brave, but the fear was beginning to wear through. "I'm a human being. I've got feelings. This isn't right. You—you just can't."
"I can do anything I want," Loki said with that terrible, terrible smile. "I'm a god. Tell me, Jane Foster, would it be so terrible to be loved by a god?"
Jane could tell by looking into his eyes that she'd find no remorse, no pity there. It was useless to argue with him. But there was no way she would just lay down and let him take what he wanted. He'd learn what it meant to mess with these "puny mortals."
She whirled to the nearest bookshelf, grabbing the first book within reach, and she hurled it at his head. Even the great god of mischief wasn't expecting that, and he dodged back too late to avoid being smacked on the shoulder. It was a mere annoyance to him, and his words dripped mockery as he focused his gaze back to Jane: "Did you really think—"
But Jane had already spun and sprinted towards the study's other door, leading to her bedroom. She burst into her bedroom, smashing into her dresser but hardly feeling the pain as she made a beeline for the other door. This was the last place she'd want to get caught by the maniac following her. If she could make it to the hall, she had a chance of making it to the basement, and that door was thicker. Maybe she could even call for help through the transdimensional circuit. She hadn't given her latest science project a real test before, but this would really be a perfect time…
"Ah, so here's where the scientist sleeps," Loki called out behind her. He wasn't pursuing her seriously; he sauntered into the bedroom carelessly, taking in the details: the posters of space, the glow-in-the-dark stars, the open books and half-eaten pop tarts, the purple bed covers. "I love learning more about you, Jane. I just want to get to know you more—intimately."