Don't own Marvel... still... also, little bit of sensual stuff heading your way, just throwing that out there :D

"Bleeding love, the silent escape.

You got to hang onto yourself.

It's like the sound of winter."

'Sound of Winter' by Bush

-Veronica-

I heard Loki's footsteps before anything else. His booted feet echoed on the tiled floors as he came closer to the bedroom. I knew what I was going to do. I just had to figure out how to get myself to do it.

The doors opened to the bedchamber and my heart thudded against my chest. I stood up as Loki strode into the room, arms behind his back and a smirk on his face. It was almost like he knew how anxious I was. I noticed a set of keys, dangling from his belt before he picked them up and placed them in his inner breast pocket.

"Your friends truly are wonderful, darling," he said through his grin. "With the right persuasion they can be excellent sports."

I closed my eyes in an attempt to block out what he said, biting my lip. When I opened my eyes, he was standing directly in front of me, the two of us toe to toe.

"You really shouldn't do that, darling," he said, running his thumb over my lower lip. "It is far too enticing." He pulled me into his arms, our chests crushing together forcefully. I felt the breath whoosh from my lungs and he smirked.

"Can I know where my friends are?" I said quietly. "Please?" I batted my eyelashes, feeling like an idiot.

He chuckled as he pressed his lips to mine. "You never were an empty-headed fool, Veronica. Don't start acting the part now."

"I have no idea what you are talking about," I said in the same tone.

He kissed me again, more forcefully this time. I could detect the same urgency he had exhibited the first night I came here. I pulled away and went to sit down on the couch by the window. Of course, he followed me. He wouldn't stop smiling and it unnerved me. I held my ground, not shifting as he trailed a hand to rest at my knee.

I looked over at him, taking his hand. There was nothing tender about this scenario, but I forced my will into it, trying to show him what he was doing was wrong, that Magneto was not out for the good of the whole, that I was in the right.

This was the part that disgusted me. Not because of what I was about to do, but why I was doing it. I straddled his lap quicker than he could react. "I'd appreciate it if you would look me in the eyes when I'm talking to you," I said as I placed a hand at his cheek. He smirked as I shifted my weight to get closer to his torso. I fiddled with the buttons of his shirt, teasing him. "Please tell me where my friends are," I whispered into his ear.

I felt his hands tighten around my waist, digging in hard enough to make me pull away a bit, but he pulled me even closer, letting out a groan as I moved against him.

"Persuade me, Love," he whispered back.

-Loki-

"I have a meeting, Love," Loki said in between kisses. The two had been on the couch longer than he had anticipated and he needed to go.

"Have. I. Persuaded. you enough?" his wife purred as she kissed his neck. He closed his eyes as he grabbed her elbows and pulled her up to meet his gaze.

"You did a wonderful job, Darling, but I really must be going."

Something flickered in her gaze. "Please." Was she actually begging? "Loki… I have to see them."

Loki rolled his eyes as he stood up, setting her down gently on the couch. "Always searching, aren't we, dear? Why can't you just be happy I have not killed them?"

Veronica's gaze retained the same, pleading look. "Loki. I don't know what you have done to them." Loki stood up, but she grabbed his hand. "Stay," she said softly. Her warm flesh was hot against his cool palm. "I am afraid."

With a roll of his eyes, he pulled her up from the couch and kissed her again, long and hard. "Afraid of what?" he gasped out, pleased to find her breathing had quickened as well.

"Magneto threatened me, Loki. I know you don't believe me, but-"

"Sweetheart, I highly doubt you have anything to worry about. You are safe with me."

"But Rose-"

"Do not go there again, please," he said. There was no politeness in his tone. "She will make a fine heir, but I feel she must prove herself. You will understand when this is all over."

"When what's over?" Veronica asked.

"What have I been telling you about?" he asked, exasperated. "No matter, there are still humans out there that need… attending to. Mutants as well. Your Wolverine friend for starters. But it never occurred to me that you would know where they are." He pulled Veronica in so they were nose to nose. "Where are the X-men hiding?"

Something was shifting in Veronica's eyes. "I- I don't know. I couldn't find it if I tried."

She was lying. Loki knew it, but he didn't push her further. What he had in store for her next would make her come around. He would allow her to think she had won for the time being. He gave her one last kiss.

Her hands slipped to his chest, taking hold of the fabric of his shirt, pulling him into her and deepening the kiss. Her hands travelled to his hair, leaving it mussed when he pulled away. "I will be back tonight," he promised. "Stay here."

He was really running late now. He needed to get to the meeting. He smoothed his hair, his skin ever so slightly flushed from their encounter, and turned to walk towards the door. Veronica sat back down on the couch, arms crossed and gazing out the window. The sunlight made the red in her hair stand out even more and it framed her face at it fell in waves over her shoulders, stopping just at her breasts... What if he just didn't show up….

With a shake of his head he left the room, closing the door softly behind him.

Veronica shifted in her seat, lifting up one of the cushions that had been under them. She allowed herself a smirk as she pulled the set of keys that had been in Loki's breast pocket out from under the pillow.

ooOOoo

Mr. Laufeyson," Magneto said as Loki stepped through the doors several minutes later. "Glad you could join us, sir."

Loki nodded to him curtly as he took his place at the head of the table. Mystique sat to his left, Magneto to his right. A line of mutants sat at the rest of the spots of the table, but Loki was unable to identify any of them by name. One of them, however, looked extremely familiar. A woman, with short brown hair and mirrored aviators sat at the far end, arms crossed as she took everything in.

Loki disregarded her the moment Magneto began his report. "We have lost all contact with the mutant known as Victor, last seen in one of the eastern villages. This is in need of correcting as he was our main source of command in Eastern Europe."

Loki nodded, tracing his bottom lip with his finger in thought… and cringing when it hit a spot that Veronica had bit down on earlier. How could that infernal woman still get under his skin even when he was out of her presence. Love, he decided. Love would do that to a man.

"Proceed," he said curtly.

Magneto continued on, speaking of each of the regions that had been secured whether by force or by surrender. Loki was impressed, despite himself.

"So, with all of this being said, Brothers, we are ready to finally commence the final phase of this magnificent plan."

Magneto looked to Loki as he said this. "Lord Loki, are you prepared for your part in this?"

"My daughter's part, you mean," Loki said quickly. "Yes. I have not presented the idea to her but I am sure she will be most pleased with her role." The woman at the end of the table raised an eyebrow over the rims of her sunglasses.

"Excellent," Magneto said as he clapped his hands together. "Then this meeting is dismissed. Date and time for the final phase shall be set within twenty-four hours."

Loki slumped in his seat as everyone else got up to leave. Magneto stopped walking to face Loki. "Mr. Laufeyson, are you quite well?"

Loki looked up, placing the hand that had been covering his forehead flat on the table in front of him. "I need a word with you," he said.

Magneto nodded. "Of course. How can I help?"

Loki inhaled. "My wife seems to think you have threatened her in some way… and that you have reason to believe that this machine could hurt my daughter."

Magneto seemed to deliberate for a moment. "Mr. Laufeyson," he said as he took a seat. "I was afraid this might happen should you bring a… less than brotherhood quality queen into this."

Anger flashed through Loki like ice. "How dare-"

Magneto stopped him by putting up a hand. "Allow me to finish, please." When Loki stopped talking, the old man continued. "Tell me, was that your wife I saw attempting to escape earlier today with your daughter?"

Loki remained quiet. He had not intended on letting anyone know about that.

"Do you really think, Mr. Laufeyson, that you can contain one such as her forever? She wishes not to be here. She will find a way to escape eventually. She will be your destruction, Mr. Laufeyson. Whatever obsession you have for this woman-"

"Some call it love," Loki said dangerously.

"Very well, whatever love youhold for this woman, will be the key factor in the crumbling of all our plans. I assure you. She is a thorn in the side of our cause. She serves as a distraction to your duties, as proven today." Magneto indicated to Loki's rumpled shirt and still messy hair. How had Loki let himself present himself in this way?

Loki glared at the old man. But he knew what he said was true. Veronica was a strong-willed woman that would do what it took to achieve what- in her eyes- was right.

"What do you propose I do?" Loki said. It was nearly a growl.

~Veronica~

After Loki left, I went straight for his wardrobe. I needed pants not the flimsy dress materials he had given me. to my delight, I found a pair that actually fit me, though they were a bit long. I rolled them up at the ends, and ended tucking them into my boots. My boots had been the only things of mine that I had salvaged. I found one of his white button-down shirts, slipped it on and turned to face the mirror. Well, I had always gone for function over fashion anyways…

I slipped the keys to the dungeons into my pocket and left the bedchambers quickly. I looked left then right down the marble hallways, then took off towards the huge staircase I had seen upon arrival.

Before I could get to the stairs, however, I ran smack dab into someone as I rounded a corner.

"Hey," Carter McIntyre's voice rang out in a harsh whisper. "Watch-" Then she realized it was me. She took off her mirrored aviators, her neon green eyes glowing in the semi-dark hallway I had pulled us into to avoid detection.

"Carter?" I hissed. "What are you doing here?"

The girl grinned from ear to ear. "Pretty sweet, huh? Got a deal as a double agent- wait… what are you doing here?"

"A double agent for who?" I asked quietly.

Carter rolled her eyes as she put the glasses back on. "Who do you think? SHIELD, of course. When the tower fell-"

"Shh." I said, cutting her off. We froze as two guards walked past. She didn't start talking until the echoes of the echoes of the guard's footsteps went away.

"The tower fell and we were thrown into disarray. No one knew where you or Rose were- oh and I have a story to tell you about her and Loki by the way- And we went into hiding. A few days ago, Clint and Tasha went missing, so I came out of my hole to investigate."

"I know where they are," I said quietly as I pulled the keys I had taken from Loki out of my pocket. "They're here. Do you know where the prison cells are?"

Carter let out a snort. "Do I know where the prison cells are? I can damn sure find out, now can't I?"

I smiled. "These'll get you in. I'm not sure who else he has, but you'll find out I am sure."

Carter nodded, giving me a little half salute. "But you're coming too, right?"

I shook my head. "I need to stay with Rose. I can't get her away from here just yet."

Carter crossed her arms. "Okay, V. I'll get the team out. But we'll be back. As far as Rose… well, I take it you know what he's planning with her?"

"The machine?" I asked quietly. Carter nodded.

"Yeah. I am fully aware. I'm… I'm working on it."

"I know you are. You'll do fine. We'll be back soon. Don't kick too much ass while we're out," the agent grinned again, knocking me playfully on the arm. "There's a lot more hope for the rebelion than Loki would have you believe," she added seriously.

"I'll try not to," I said, smiling back in the first genuine smile that had crossed my lips since coming here.

ooOOoo

I slipped back into the bedchambers to find an even darker room than the one I had left minutes before. I barely noticed, though, as I walked over to Loki's wardrobe, stripping as I went in an attempt to change as quickly as possible.

A voice from the shadows nearly stopped my heart in its tracks. It was coming from the bed. "My Little Veronica, what do you think you are doing dressed in that?"

Oh snap. Haha what's she gotten herself into now? Please review, guys!

Also, didn't want to give anything away in the beginning, but I don't own Carter McIntyre either. She belongs to MacnMeez :D