A breeze tickled Loki's cheekbones as he strode swiftly down the dark sidewalk that would lead him to his apartment building. Silver eyes danced across his vision, the owner's smile standing out in his memory. Anja…
At the thought of her turning him away, Loki felt a bit of bitterness resurface under his carefully composed thoughts. He had all but suppressed the negative thoughts about anything since he had seen Anja drive away with that mortal she had called Jim, the bastard that now had his bride to be in his possession. He wondered if they had shared what the two of them had shared back in Asgard… if they had made love. Well, they had to of, hadn't they? Where else would that child in her arms have come from?
That set his heart racing and his blood boiling in irritation. He could not think about that. Anja… with someone else in such an intimate fashion… The very thought left him cold and empty; Desperate, desolate, and alone… Like he had felt when he had learned the heart-wrenching truth of his heritage. Only this time… This time he did not have his skylark to comfort him.
He reached the door that led to his apartment, slipping a hand into his back pocket for the key. He was highly surprised to see the lock undone as if by magic. He caught the faint whiff of something in the air… and immediately recognized it as what he had sensed coming off of Eira in the bar.
Had a lesser Norn wound her way into his own physical world now as well?
He inhaled, stepping through the doors. He knew the Norns would not let him come to any true harm. They wanted him to relearn his old ways, something he could not do if he was in a city morgue in Midgard.
He looked around stealthily, keeping quiet as he hung his coat up on the hook by the door. He could see a light on in the kitchen at the far end of his apartment and he walked slowly and deliberately down to see what had found its way into his make-shift abode. He poked his head around the corner, inch by inch and found…
Nothing.
With an exasperated sigh he turned back to his living room and flicked on the lamplight. He went to pour himself a drink from the canter on the bookshelf, sifting through the meager supply of books he had managed to check out of the library. One was missing…
"I must say, these conditions are far less than what a Prince of Asgard is used to, no doubt."
A Scottish brogue had filled the room and as his head snapped up to look in the mirror on the wall in front of him, he could see a head of flaming red hair staring at him intently from the one armchair in the room. On the figure's lap, the library book he had had with the others was sitting.
He turned around swiftly, taking in the unmistakable figure of Grace's friend Eira. So there had been something about her… Best to play it cool, Loki…
"And a locked apartment tends to deter most mortal women," he said quickly. His silver tongue was still at work.
Eira chuckled as she stood up, tucking the book under her arm. "Do not trouble your little head, Princeling." Loki let out a hiss as she addressed him as the Norns had before they had sentenced him here. "I mean no harm."
"Good-"
"To Lady Anja, that is."
Loki arched an eyebrow as the woman stripped out of her leather jacket. She was still wearing her too short mini-skirt and a camisole was all she had on under the leather of her jacket.
"And to me?" he said lethally.
"I must confess I care not one way or another about you, Princeling." The woman just looked at him, the two in a standoff.
"Are you planning on telling me why you saw fit to break into my house? If not, I have quite a headache and am ready to be alone."
A small chuckle came from Eira's throat. "I am here to ensure the safety of Lady Anja… or as she has come to call herself, Grace." She watched as he grimaced. "I can tell you do not think it a fitting name. I quite agree, but I am not one to argue with the Norns."
"What are you then?" he said dryly as he leaned against the bookshelf lazily, arms crossed.
He watched as the short red head turned around, pulling her hair over her shoulder so he could see the creamy expanse of her shoulder blades… Only where there should have been bare skin, there were the inky outlines of wings tattooed to her back. She turned around swiftly after she heard him let out a surprised gasp.
"I think you get the message," she said quietly. "They do grow a bit when I am in need of them... quite a bit. I am Eir, Valkyrie of Healing." She handed him the book, and he took it without looking at it.
Loki looked at her unblinkingly, clearly unimpressed. "Really," he said as he stepped away from the wall. "And that means what to me?" He was fast becoming tired of this woman's attitude.
"As I said, I am here- sent by the Norns- to look after Lady Anja as she is the more innocent one in all of this." Loki could tell there was more the Valkyrie- if that was truly what she was- was keeping from him. He was the god of lies, after all.
"Are you now," he said, humoring her. "Why now do you come to find me, then? I have been in this realm for nearly four months now."
"I came here, Princeling, to inform you of my presence. Lady Anja is a good woman, a kind woman. You left her with more damage than you know when you abandoned her in Asgard. I merely wish to ensure that you uphold your end of the bargain with the Norns."
"I seem to recall the bargain was very one-sided. I had no choice in the matter." Loki watched the Valkyrie think through what he had said before turning to place the book in his arms back with the others.
"Well, Loki," she grinned when he winced at her direct address of him. It was disrespectful on so many levels for someone to address him in such a way that knew his true rank. "I shall be keeping my eye on you as you seek to win your lady's heart back. I have been given the knowledge of you that the Norns possess, Princeling. I can only hope that you will find the strength to win her over as you once did." She was near the front door now, hand brushing the doorknob before he stopped her.
"And what of this Jim?" he said quickly before the woman could go anywhere.
She turned her head, not turning to face him fully, but by the way her cheek was raised he could tell she was grinning. "Prince Loki, surely one of your caliber for mischief can come up with a way to speak with Grace alone at some point during her days."
And then the woman was gone, leaving Loki in the fragile shell of certainty he had come to know as home.
*o*O*o*
Grace inched down the shelves of the children's section of the library, a tall stack of books in hand as she placed them back where they were supposed to go. One by one she laid them out on the lower shelves so the shorter children could grasp them easily.
Her long curls were pulled back in their usual braid and she tossed it over her shoulder as she rose from setting the last two books on the very bottom shelf. A sigh escaped her un-reddened lips as she popped her back, raising her arms over her head as she stretched. It was very near closing time and she found herself alone in the countless aisles of books. The smell of paper and dust met her nostrils as she took in another deep breath.
This was such a wonderful place. Truly, it was. And everything about her job came so naturally to her. It was a blessing that she could work here…
She looked up at the clock on the wall. Only another hour until her shift ended.
"Grace?" she turned around quickly to see one of her coworkers walking up to her from the stairs that led up to the reference materials.
"Yeah?"
"Could you cover for me? My sitter just texted me and said my son's running a fever. I'll let Miss Elena know she needs to stay at the front desk downstairs."
"Is anyone up there?" Grace said, her tone shriller than usual.
The other young woman shrugged. "The usual college students trying to finish their mid-term papers and a few others."A few others, what did that mean?"But I really need to get home. Thanks so much!"
Before Grace could object at all- which she wouldn't have even if she had the chance- the young woman had ran to the break room to punch out.
Her heart was in her throat as she trailed a hand on the old wooden banister of the stairs as she made her ascent. What if… Loki… Her head was spinning.
Her silver eyes scanned the room as she made it to the top of the stairs, hands in the pockets of her dress pants as she made it to the circular information desk at the center of the room. She was in her seat in one fluid movement, looking around at the people around her. To her left was a rather scruffy looking couple, the boy in a beat up baseball cap turned backwards and T-shirt, the girl in the same type of wear. An elderly man- a regular- was sitting at the window, looking out at the sun setting over the hills. A few more college students had flocked the computers.
"Are you looking for someone?" She recognized the voice before she saw who it belonged to… and it was coming from behind her.
She turned around to see Loki, typically pristine hair slightly disheveled and green eyes sharp as ever. "N-no," she said breathlessly. The collar of his dress shirt was unbuttoned slightly lower than usual and she could make out the rise and fall of his collarbone under the white linen.
He chuckled as he pulled a slip of paper from his pocket. "Well, I have a question for you. I am in need of a book of paintings by this artist."
Grace stuck her hand out to grab the slip of paper that Loki had produced… and that same familiarity she had felt earlier in the week with him was back in an instant. She met his eyes, looking into them as he peered back, small smile tugging about his lips… Those perfect lips…
She shook her head slightly as she looked down to focus on the green ink that had been used to write the words: Claude Monet.
That hand-writing… she knew that hand-writing from somewhere… The smell of leather bound books reached her… The feel of water against her skin… The passionate kiss of a lover in the dark… A lover that was not Jim.
"Um…" she said breathlessly again.
"I am told he is quite famous," he said softly. "But I am afraid I have been remiss in my learnings of Art history. I wish to rectify this problem."
Grace looked at him intensely, still unable to speak as her mind swam. "Um, yes, right this way, Sir," she said softly as she found her voice.
"Thank you," he said, and she could hear the smile on his lips in his voice. "And I told you to call me Loki, Grace," he said even softer. Only because she had been listening to his every breath did she hear his last comment.
She squared her shoulders as she kept walking towards the art section, choosing to ignore him. There was something brewing inside of her. Whether it was coming from her heart or her head she did not know.
Perhaps it was both.
Haha see? Eira's not quite so bad is she? ;) I quite like writing for her. And don't worry, she'll be back soon enough.
Can I say this is my favorite chapter so far? XD
Review?
~Sirius