What Have I Become?

by shlb

One minute she's living the dream, the next minute she's fighting to live. A terrifying encounter with Ronan the Accuser will forever change her life - and the universe - in ways neither could have predicted. Her life just became a lot more complicated, but she's never backed down from a challenge before. (GOTG, Loki, Avengers, Captain Marvel)

17. Part II: Chapter 1

Chapter song: The Ship Song by Lissie

---

I stared at him in awe, silently wondering how the hell I managed to earn his affections, before softly placing my hand on his heart.

"Ronan," I whispered as I leaned into his chest.

We didn't speak anymore after his unexpected confession, but there really weren't any more words left to say, and the two of us were content with silence.

It's surprising I'm even capable of feeling anything other than pain and sadness after what I've endured, but here I am, grinning ear to ear with glee. Of course, I remained stoic as he spoke the words I always wished to hear, and waited until he was asleep before I began smiling like a giddy, little school girl. In a way, it felt like I had been liberated from the dark. I no longer had to doubt my significance or wonder what role I played in his weird, alien life.

For a few hours, everything was perfect.

My dreams always got the best of me, and there was no way for me to turn them off. I was plagued with horrible nightmares that felt real in every sense, forcing me to relive excruciating moments, and I'm unable to escape Mac-Varr's hands once again. Fortunately, I was able to wake up and save myself from the worst of his torture. As I sat up in bed, I noticed the sheets underneath me were cold from the sweat that now covered my body. I brushed aside the wet hair that was sticking to my face and looked over at Ronan, who was thankfully asleep and unaware of my midnight crisis.

I quietly made my way to the bathroom and closed the door behind me, trying carefully not to wake Ronan up from the light. I opened the sleek, glass door to the shower and stepped inside the large, tiled spa which reminded me of home. The water felt refreshing against my sticky, damp skin, so I quickly closed my eyes and got lost in the heat. I must have been standing there for a while because when I opened my eyes, the shower and bathroom were heavy with steam. There was an assortment of bottles on the corner shelf next to me, which I assumed were filled with aromatic soaps and oils, and I eagerly began inspecting them. As I grasped a small, purple bottle and held it up to my nose, I felt a hand on my shoulder, instantly making my blood run cold.

Hands.

His hands.

No! You're dead.

The familiar vibrations resonated throughout my body, bubbling up inside of me until I felt it suddenly explode, sending a powerful blast of energy around me. Before I even had time to turn around, I heard the shower door shatter as something heavy was forced through it. My heart was pounding wildly with fear as I braced myself for another session of torture and humiliation by Mac-Varr's hands. I hesitantly turned around and looked outside of the shower, gasping as I realized what I had done.

It was Ronan.

My hand instantly flew to my mouth as I looked on in shock, horrified at the sight of Ronan lying unconscious on the floor. He was surrounded by broken shards of glass, some of which had broken his skin, covering his body in dark blue cuts. I quickly ran over to him and kneeled down next to his naked body.

"Please be OK," I whimpered. My hands reached out to touch him, but I had to stop myself for fear of what else I might do to him. Just as I started to lean in closer, I noticed his right hand twitch next to me, making me slightly jump with surprise, and I immediately placed my lips next to his ear.

"I'm here, Ronan. Wake up," I said as I remained kneeling on the ground.

The second I finished speaking, Ronan's eyes shot open and immediately landed on my face, making my heart chill over with fear. I barely had time to register the rage in his eyes before his hand shot out and grabbed me by the neck. He remained lying on the floor as he held my body above his with one arm, slowly squeezing the life out of me.

"Ronan, it's me," I choked, grabbing onto his hand. His eyes flickered before recognition dawned on his face and he instantaneously released me from his painful grip. I fell backwards coughing and watched him sit up, staring confusedly at the glass on the floor.

"What has happened?" He asked with uncertainty, watching me as I regained my breath.

"I don't know, Ronan. One minute I'm just standing here and then my hands start glowing fucking purple! What's wrong with me?" I cried, holding my hands out in front of me. He stared at me in silence, glancing back and forth between my hands and face with unease.

"We must speak," he said quietly before standing up. I looked up at him from the floor, frowning at the multiple cuts on his body, and hesitantly stood up to join him. I grabbed a towel from the counter and wrapped the soft fabric around my body before following him into the bedroom, where he pointed at the bed for me to sit down. My pulse began beating rapidly in my chest as I contemplated what he was about to tell me. What did he know?

"You're bleeding," I whispered as my eyes trailed his body.

"It is nothing," he answered quietly as he continued staring at me.

After a moment of awkward silence, I raised my eyebrows at him impatiently. "Well?" I said with a sigh.

He took a deep breath and gave me a serious stare. "The night I transferred my blood into your body, a fraction of the stone's powers transferred into you as well, granting you an unnatural ability," he said as he slowly paced in front of me. "I thought your ability would remain dormant, but recent events appear to have triggered the stone's energy inside of you. I have instructed the scientists aboard to develop a device which may limit your power and allow you to live without consequence."

"Live without consequence?" I asked nervously. He stopped pacing so he could face me straight on.

"Your emotions are connected to your ability, and as long as you remain emotionally unstable, your ability remains unstable as well. You have the potential to destroy yourself as well as everyone around you. We do not know the extent of your powers, and it is best we do not tamper with this any longer," he said somberly, sitting down next to me.

"What exactly is my ability?" I asked, suddenly feeling lightheaded.

"You can drain the life force from any living being," he answered quietly, glancing at me sideways.

"I can… kill you?" I muttered with disbelief.

"No, it is quite difficult to kill me," he said, raising his head with pride.

"But I can hurt you," I said in a sad voice. The thought of causing him any more harm had me instantly frowning.

"Yes, it would appear so," he replied unhappily. I looked over and saw him glaring at the floor, obviously upset about what just happened.

"How long have you known?" I asked quietly.

His voice was low and filled with hesitation as he spoke. "Since the night in the bath when…," he said, coming to a pause.

"When I took the pill and almost drowned?" I asked, glancing up at him. His facial expression was far too morose for the situation at hand. Why did he look so upset?

Oh, that night.

"You mean when you almost drowned me," I said with a hint of sarcasm. Ronan remained sitting quietly next to me as I scoffed at our fucked up relationship. It's in the past. Forgive and move on.

"How did you know?" I asked, trying to hide my irritation.

He remained facing forward as he spoke in a serious tone. "When you grabbed my hand I felt the stone's power inside of you, attempting to consume my body's energy. I decided not to share this information with you – "

"Because you didn't want me using it against you," I answered for him, already knowing the truth. Ronan didn't like threats and if he kept me naïve about my ability, then I would remain powerless against him.

He straightened himself up and looked over at me, his eyes heavy with thought. "Yes," he said with a solemn expression.

"If you had told me about it earlier, I could have trained myself and been able to use it against Mac – " I said, choking on the name. I took a deep breath and steadied my breathing as I felt myself getting sucked into another episode of flashbacks. "I could have saved myself," I said under my breath.

"Perhaps," he said thoughtfully. "But there is no certainty your power can be tamed."

I turned my body to face him as I thought of an idea. "Maybe we could try training and I'd be able to use it for protec– "

"No," he interrupted. "It is too dangerous," he said, his voice growing rough.

"But – " I whined.

"Silvia," he growled, standing up. "You remain half-Terran, yet your power grows stronger with every sunrise. Tampering with the stone's energy may result in your death, and I will not allow you to die for some childish fantasy," he grumbled.

"It's not a childish fantasy, Ronan! There are people on my planet with powers too and from what I've read, they've managed theirs pretty well. Why can't we at least try?" I said with growing agitation.

"Unlike those you speak of you were not born with this power. It was given to you by an infinity stone, one of the six most powerful objects in the universe. Terrans cannot touch an infinity stone without perishing instantly, yet you live with its powers inside of you. You should be grateful you are still alive," he said in a stern voice. His eyes bore into mine with such intensity I had to look away out of sheer embarrassment. I had forgotten how intimidating his stare could be.

"Fine," I mumbled unhappily, causing Ronan to take a deep breath.

"Trust my judgement on this," he said in a low voice.

I stood up and walked over to my side of the bed, shivering slightly from the wet towel which remained wrapped around my body, and glanced up to catch him watching me with a curious look on his face. I proceeded to release my grip on the towel and quickly slid into the bed, under the silky, heavy sheets, where I knew warmth awaited me.

As I closed my eyes, I felt the bed dip as Ronan joined me under the sheets, silently pulling me into him so my head rested on his chest. I rolled my eyes and smiled at his attempt to cuddle with me, because I knew this was his way of easing the tension. Skin-to-skin contact made it nearly impossible for me to remain upset with him, and I had a feeling he knew this too. The gentle rocking of his deep breaths and his slow, steady heartbeat had me falling asleep in a matter of minutes.

Once again I found myself trapped in the white, blinding dungeon where my tormentor awaited me, smiling as red, gleaming wetness dripped down his face. His bright teeth shone vividly among all the blood.

"Silvia."

No! Stop! Get away from me!

"Silvia!"

I sat up gasping with wide eyes as Ronan roughly shook me awake. My hands gripped desperately onto his arms, enough to the point where I was sure it was uncomfortable, if not painful for him. Once I realized I was safe, I let go of him and closed my eyes with frustration, willing my body to stop trembling.

"When is it going to stop, Ronan?" I whispered shakily.

"I do not know," he said in a quiet voice, making me chuckle sadly to myself.

"You're so honest," I said, softly shaking my head.

"Would you have me any other way?" He asked seriously, furrowing his brow. I immediately sighed at his question and stared into his eyes, surprised to find concern lurking behind the purple irises.

"No, of course not," I said with a tired smile. Ronan's facial expression remained tense as he continued to stare at me. We continued sitting there in silence for a while until the lights in the bedroom slowly began growing brighter, mimicking the sunrise back on Kree-Lar, signaling it was time to wake up.

"I'm so tired," I mumbled, rubbing my eyes. Ronan swiftly got out of bed and began dressing himself in his usual armor before walking to the bathroom. When he came out his face was covered in the familiar, frightening black mask that made him look like a demon.

I frowned as I watched him finish dressing. "Why do you paint your face like that?" I asked, unable to hide my disappointment. "You look… scary."

"Fear inspires obedience," he said without looking at me. After a few seconds he turned to face me. "Do I frighten you?" He asked with a hint of amusement.

"No," I answered honestly. Ronan walked towards me with a slight smirk on his face and stopped right next to me, looking down at me with narrowed eyes. His hand pulled at the bedsheets I had tucked underneath my armpits, exposing my bare breasts to the cold air, causing my nipples to harden almost instantly.

I heard a soft, deep growl before his hand reached down to squeeze my left breast with a gentle, but firm grip. His lips were pressed against mine before I even had time to close my eyes, and I giggled at his eagerness. The paint on his face tasted metallic and had a gritty texture like dirt, but I didn't care. All I could think about was how good his mouth felt on me. As his mouth trailed downwards, I could see black marks all across my body where he kissed me. I felt my breath hitch in my throat at the sight.

They're not bruises. I'm fine.

"What?" I heard Ronan ask from between my legs.

Shit, I was thinking out loud.

I licked my lips nervously as I felt my mouth run dry. "Oh, nothing. Come back up here," I whispered, attempting to sound playful. Ronan's eyes slanted with suspicion as he stared at me, remaining still as he looked into my eyes, searching for something. I shifted uncomfortably as he pinned me with his gaze and fidgeted with the bedsheets impatiently.

"Come on," I whined, and only then did his mouth relax. I smiled with pleasure as his mouth once again found my neck and began sucking on the perfect spot, making my center tighten with expectation.

His heavy, lustful breathing as he continued kissing me turned me on even more, and I yearned to feel his skin against mine once again. As his hands gripped my wrists and held them down against the bed, I felt something inside of my throat tighten up. Let go of me, I thought as my body started to tremble. When I tried to tell him to stop, all that came out of my mouth was a whimper, which could easily be interpreted as a sound of pleasure. It wasn't until I started crying that he realized something was wrong with me. He immediately stopped and pulled himself up so he was hovering directly over my body. His eyes were filled with uncertainty and worry as he held my face with his warm, calloused hands.

"I just want it to stop," I cried, pulling the bedsheets over my face. Ronan immediately pulled the fabric away so I couldn't hide from him, much to my humiliation.

"His hands," I sobbed, pulling my knees into my chest. "I can feel him everywhere."

Ronan growled with fury and stood up from the bed in haste. "You witnessed his demise, Silvia. You are no longer in danger," he said in a low voice.

"I'll never be safe," I whispered hysterically. "Mac-Varr told me if I ever escaped it wouldn't matter which planet I ran to, Hal-Dan's men would find me and do horrible things to me. I can't go back there, Ronan. That white room…," I said, rocking back and forth.

"It was an empty threat," he growled.

"N-No… his threats were never empty," I whimpered. "I won't be safe until they're all dead," I said, choking on the last word.

"Get dressed," he said in a dangerously, quiet voice. I looked up at him and shuddered at the coldness I saw behind his eyes, knowing I had just awakened the monster in him.

"Why?" I asked timidly, already standing up. He simply glanced at me before walking out the door.

Our eyes only made contact for a few seconds, but that short moment was enough to have my knees shaking and my stomach twisting into knots.

For the first time in a while, I was scared of Ronan.

---

Ronan

There were no adequate words to describe the hatred he held for Mac-Varr. His Terran was far more damaged than he predicted, and there was nothing he nor the doctors could do for her. If only he had restrained himself, then Mac-Varr would still be alive, and Silvia would have the opportunity to inflict vengeance upon him. That is, if she is even capable of causing harm unto others. No. She is a weak, irrational woman. She does not have the stomach or mentality for such matters. That will change soon enough.

Her irrationality tested his patience far beyond anything else, and it angered him greatly to hear her question her safety, especially when he only just pledged to protect her. He will stop at nothing to keep her safe, even if that means protecting her from her own aberrant mind and putting an end to these hysterical mental lapses. Perhaps only then will she be capable of sleeping through the night without screaming, or feel his hands upon her without trembling.

In truth he preferred her as she is, his innocent Terran. She is the last glimmering light in his existence, but soon her light will be snuffed, as most things in his life are stained in some way. She must be strong to survive in his world, and so she will be. He will show her what it means to be brave. To be strong. To be ruthless. With him by her side, she will rise in the darkness and become anew. Coated in the blood of her enemies, she will taste the bitter warmth of victory and power upon her lips, and long for more.

She will resist of course, as she always does when compliance is asked of her, but in the end she will unwillingly comply. Ronan did not take no for an answer, and he would not allow Silvia to use her traumatizing experience as an excuse to transform into a quivering, mindless girl.

Yes, this must be done.

He stood in front of his fallen enemies and frowned as they tried to escape their fate. The chairs in which they were bound were in no way going to relent or break under their struggles, so their cowardice efforts were futile. He found it truly amusing to watch the façades of courage they maintained for so long crumble before his feet, revealing the spineless varmints he always knew them to be. It would be a lie to say he had never imagined this day before. The remaining members of Hal-Dan's exclusive, scheming circle were soon to be eradicated, and his Terran would once and for all be safe.

Ben-Nett. Terris. Sen-Darr. Vin-Tav. Mil-Tann. Saldar. Jon-Den.

These so called generals and governors did not deserve the titles bestowed upon them. Unlike Ronan who worked tirelessly to bring glory to the Kree Empire, these men have brought nothing but shame and treachery to their government. In the past, he found himself longing to kill them simply for being allowed to exist, and now his wish would finally come to life.

Ten minutes later Nebula entered the chamber with Silvia at her side, who was already shaking with unease. A short gasp graced her plump, parted lips when she spotted the group of bound men, and as he predicted she immediately turned to flee the room. He watched with contained amusement as she scurried towards the door, which was already in the process of closing. She missed her opportunity to escape by mere seconds, and thus was forced to remain inside this chamber with him until he allowed her to leave.

Ronan nodded at Nebula to signal it was time for the next step, and with impressive ease his subordinate placed upon Silvia's hands the devices his scientists constructed for her. By the time Nebula was finished, Silvia was only just realizing what was happening, and missed yet another opportunity to escape. She grimaced as she tried so desperately to remove the thin, black gloves from her hands, but relented when her efforts only resulted in pain. He assumed she realized they were designed to never come off. She looked at Ronan with a hurt expression of shock and betrayal, causing him to take a step towards her.

"Silvia," he said as he began walking towards her.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" She asked angrily, taking a step backwards. Ronan grimaced as she shook her head at him in an annoyingly condescending manner, but continued forward nonetheless. He reached out his hand to touch her in order to calm her down, but in her heated state of mind she pulled away from him and dared to push his hand away.

He could not suppress the piqued frown on his face as he spoke. "You will be grateful one day," he said in a quiet tone before returning to his prisoners.

As he walked away, he could hear the two woman struggling behind him as Silvia was forced to follow in his footsteps. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply through his nose as he always did when he was annoyed, and looked over at his Terran who was now beginning to cry.

"What is this? Why am I here?" She asked as she eyed the men in front of her.

"You are to witness their executions," he answered calmly.

"No! I don't want to see this," she whimpered before attempting to run away. Nebula was more than capable of restraining her now that her powers were inhibited.

"These are the men who planned your abduction. You will watch, Silvia," he said, glaring as she shook her head in defiance. "And when it is over, you will no longer fear for your safety."

"I believe you, OK? I'm safe. Just let me leave," she said as the tears grew ever more present in her eyes.

"I will not," he said with growing irritation. Why must you always be difficult?

In that moment he was grateful he ordered the men gagged, for he was certain they would be appealing to Silvia's womanly emotions, only making it harder for her to witness their demise. Their muffled cries were enough for her sensitive Terran ears. In a final act of defiance, Silvia closed her eyes as a child would do when frightened, and this caused Ronan's body to tense with frustration.

"Silvia," he said, threatening her with his tone alone. After a few seconds, she reluctantly opened her eyes and settled them upon his face with a look of pure resentment. The outrage in her eyes was almost enough to make him feel guilty, but he knew what was best for her.

Seeing that she was not going to argue with him any longer, he turned to face the men and stared into their eyes. He felt the familiar detachment he always experienced before any execution, and tightened his grip on his Ultimate Weapon, enjoying the weight of it in his hands.

"The time for judgement has come," he said, addressing each man by his name in true Accuser fashion. "You stand accused of high crimes against the Kree Empire. Murder. Treason. Kidnapping," he said, growling with rage. "I declare you all enemies of our great nation, and thus, sentence you to die!" He snarled as he raised his hammer above his head and brought it down across Sen-Darr's skull.

Dark, blue blood splattered in all directions as the heavy hammer crushed Sen-Darr's head, leaving nothing but pulpy tissue in its wake. At the same moment, Silvia screamed a few feet away, causing him to scowl with annoyance at the high-pitched sound. When he looked over at her it became suddenly clear as to why she was so displeased. A trail of thick, fresh blood coated her face, running down her milky skin in ribbons of blue and onto the floor below. Her disgust could not have been more apparent for she immediately began rubbing her face in a rather erratic fashion, staining her perfectly clear skin a light blue color. In any other circumstance he would have laughed at such weakness.

Before she could protest, he brought the hammer down on the next man. And the next, and the next, until there were no men left. He watched with satisfaction as the blood ran down each chair and filled the intricate cracks of the Kree emblem he so often admired, before spilling into the hidden chamber below.

In the corner of his eye he saw a fallen Silvia down on her knees, staring at him with a blank look on her face as her lips moved. He stepped closer in an effort to hear what she was saying, but her mumbling words remained incoherent.

"What are you saying?" He asked irritably, stopping in front of her. She looked truly mad sitting there on the floor covered in blood, speaking to herself. Terrans are strange creatures indeed.

"I killed her," she said, her voice barely a whisper. Ronan looked at Nebula who was now glaring down at Silvia with a perplexed expression, and motioned for her to leave the room. The second the doors closed, he kneeled down next to her so the two were at eye level, allowing him to see fully into her eyes.

Every inch of her body seemed to shudder as he peered into her wide, round eyes. "Who did you kill?" He asked quietly. The fear and guilt in her eyes troubled him greatly.

Her breath shook as she inhaled through her mouth. "Jul-Linn," she said with a pained expression. Ronan felt his own eyes narrow at the revelation. Yes, of course. That explains the unusual circumstances of her death.

"Death is inevitable in battle. Do not burden your mind with her insignificant life. It is done," he said, frowning as she began crying once again. It took every ounce of his control to remain quiet as the tears gathered in her violet eyes.

"She's not insignificant!" She shouted unexpectedly, causing Ronan to glare at her. Her gaze lowered to the ground as her cheeks grew red with apparent shame.

"She saved me," she said, still looking down at the bloodied floor.

"I do not understand," he snapped, irritated by his own confusion. Silvia jumped at the sound of his voice, seemingly frightened by his very presence. Why does she fear me? With anyone else, he would relish in the sight of them cowering before him, but with Silvia it only brought him disappointment.

"She rescued me from my cell… she was bringing me to you," she said sadly. "I killed her because she was going to kill Mac-Varr." Ronan exhaled deeply and closed his eyes, finally understanding why it is she experienced so much guilt over that treacherous woman. Whore or not, she saved his Terran, and he would be eternally grateful for the selfless deed.

"Your mind was under the control of a powerful serum. It is not your fault, Silvia, and I am certain Jul-Linn knew this as well. Do not bare guilt for such uncontrollable circumstances," he said, wishing her to cease her trembling.

"There's something else…" she said quietly, looking up at him hesitantly. His fingers twitched against his weapon impatiently, yet he remained silent and calmly waited for her to continue.

"I found out something that… that might upset you," she muttered nervously.

"Get to the point, Silvia" he said, wanting nothing more than to end this unnecessary conversation.

Silvia took a deep breath and stared at him with more focus than ever before. The intensity in her watered eyes made it clear to him that she was preparing for his reaction, though he knew she would receive none. Silvia was dramatic to say the least, and he was positive her next revelation would be far from shocking.

"Jul-Linn was never unfaithful to you, at least not intentionally… Mac-Varr used the serum on her too to get information about you. It was Hal-Dan's plan all along. She never stopped loving you, Ronan. I'm so sorry," she said in a single breath. By the time she finished speaking she appeared exhausted.

Before he could stop himself he was standing up and turning away from Silvia so she could not witness his dismay. His judgement had been wrong; she did indeed surprise him, and not for the better. Why did she find it necessary to share this information? I do not want to know this. A heavy darkness settled in his mind, instantly filling him with murderous rage. His hatred for the men who caused such deceit in his life made his skin grow hot and his blood run colder than the ice of Jotunheim. Jul-Linn. Silvia. Although Mac-Varr was no longer alive, Hal-Dan is certainly hiding in some hole like a common parasite, and he will find him. He will avenge the women in his life and restore the Kree government to its former glorious state.

"Ronan?" He heard Silvia approach him from behind. The soft melody of her voice instantly calmed his maddened mind, allowing him to relax his tense body. The hammer dropped unceremoniously to the floor as blood returned to his clenched fists. He did not realize how vehement his breaths had become until the room became silent once again.

"Remove your garments," he said, turning to face her once again.

"Wh-What?" She asked, visibly caught off guard by his request.

"Remove your garments. All of them," he ordered again as he began undressing himself. He blinked slowly with annoyance when she remained standing there gawking at him.

"Does this mean you're not mad at me?" She asked with a confused look on her face.

"No, I am not mad. As I said earlier, it was beyond your control. Now for once do not argue with me and begin undressing," he said more sternly.

In the corner of his eye he could see her watching him undress, undoubtedly confused by their conversation's change of direction, but he chose not to utter another word. After another minute of silent contemplation, she chose to listen to him and began removing her thin layer of clothing. Due to the amount of armor he was wearing, he expectedly took longer to undress, leaving Silvia to awkwardly stand alone in the nude. At any second he anticipated her to ask questions or complain, or as she so often did – cry, but she remained uncharacteristically quiet as he removed the last of his clothing.

He lifted the large, bloodied hammer from the ground before walking to the outer ring of the ancient Kree emblem. Silvia remained standing where she was, covering herself with her hands in an act of modesty. Ronan smirked at her miserable attempt of hiding her womanly attributes.

"Come," he said, pointing to the center of the emblem. Silvia frowned with distaste as her feet walked across the blood-filled cracks, but much to his surprise, she remained silent.

He placed the end of his hammer into the keyhole in the floor, and walked to the center of the circle to join Silvia. Her height forced him to tilt his neck downwards as if he were to gaze at the floor. He found her staring up at him with a rather impatient, confused expression, but that look was quickly replaced with surprise when the floor began to lower into the chamber below.

"Ronan," she whispered, looking around her uneasily. The circle on which they were standing quickly descended into his meditation chamber below.

He often lied here in solitude, soaking in the blood of his enemies until he found the clarity he needed to complete his next mission. At other times, such as now, he longed to feel the warmth of his fallen foes out of retribution for their crimes. The custom always brought about a sense of completion to his kills.

When the blood began pooling into the chamber and rising at their feet, Silvia's small hands gripped onto his arms in blind desperation.

"What the fuck is this?" She exclaimed as she began frantically climbing onto him. He pulled her off his torso and held her where she stood, preventing her from jumping onto him again.

"Blood bathing is an ancient tradition of my people. Though it is rarely practiced today, it is still considered a sacred ceremony among the Kree. As a half-Kree, you should be honored to take part in such a spiritual act," he stated calmly, though his words seemed to only cause her more panic.

"This is disgusting," she groaned as the blood made its way up her calves.

"Lie down," he ordered as the complex chamber doors above began closing, sealing them in a pit of darkness.

"Ronan, I'm scared," she whispered. As a half-Kree, she could not see in the pitch-black chamber, however, Ronan was more than capable of visualizing his surroundings. The sight of her hands reaching out for him caused him to smile down at her, though she could not see him.

"Lie down, Silvia," he said, grabbing ahold of her hands. "I will remain by your side." He slowly lowered himself into the warm wetness until he was lying on his back.

"Ewww, gross," Silvia squealed as she joined him. As soon as she became submerged in the liquid, her complaining came to an end and her face transformed into one of euphoria. Ronan was genuinely taken aback by the sudden change.

"This is amazing," she whispered, closing her eyes. By now, the blood was completely covering their bodies leaving only their faces exposed. Soon however, they would be completely engulfed and forced to breathe in the nitrogen-enriched blood.

He watched with amusement as Silvia rubbed the blood across her face. "I can feel the life inside their blood, Ronan. It's alive," she said with a smile on her face. Though the gloves greatly diminished her ability, there were still some aspects of her power that could not be suppressed. He could not detect the energy which she spoke of, but he would take her word for it.

"We will soon be completely submerged. Do not panic. The blood is chemically altered for respiration," he said, closing his eyes.

"OK," she whispered only a few seconds before the blood covered their heads.

Her hand found his underneath the dark blue abyss and squeezed it with much more force than necessary. She reeked of fear. Once again he found himself smiling at the dependency she often exhibited for him. Her thin, delicate fingers felt so fragile in his hand and in a moment of weakness, he caught himself returning the grip. He was not accustomed to such foolish affections, but for her sake he would allow it for the time being.

It was only a few minutes later when he felt her body relax next to his, and not long after that she fell into a remarkable, heavy slumber. It was at this moment when he realized how difficult it would be to truly understand the workings of her mind, or any Terran for that matter, but he would try nonetheless. Terrans were not the dull creatures he once thought them to be; they simply lacked direction and control. Under tough guidance, they could be molded into capable allies and aide the Kree in more way than one. Terra's position is quite convenient for a Kree base, and would undoubtedly prove to be useful in the event of a Skrull uprising.

Perhaps one day, he thought as Silvia's fingers twitched in his palm.

He never released her hand. Not even as he slept.

---

Silvia

When I woke up I expected to still be inside the chamber of blood, but instead I was lying in bed, feeling more rested than ever before. Did that really happen or was it all a dream? Did I actually bathe in blood and enjoy it? I slowly peered under the sheets in search of evidence and noticed right away how differently my skin appeared. After my imprisonment my skin and hair lost much its vibrancy due to malnourishment, but now my whole body appeared rejuvenated. Back home I would have to spend thousands of dollars at the spa to get the same results. As I twirled my hair around in my fingers, I narrowed my eyes upon closer inspection and found blue, crusty material on the ends. Blood.

So it wasn't a dream after all.

The longer I lived with Ronan, the more I felt myself transforming into someone I didn't even recognize. A part of me feared what would happen if I stayed with him, but the other, stronger half of me wanted nothing more than to leave behind the weak girl I once was. I will not allow myself to regress back into the traumatized victim who cried all the time. I will not be another statistic. What happened to me does not define me, and I will grow stronger from my experience. Yes. I can do this. A smile formed on my lips as I heard my therapist's voice inside my head: "Empower yourself with positive thoughts. Remember, Silvia, only you can create your own happiness."

I stood up from the bed and walked over to the large, floor-length mirror in the corner of the room. As I stared into the glass, I became faced with two glowing eyes that appeared to be filled with violet, raging fire. My body remained perfectly still as I became mesmerized by the stone's energy hidden deep within my irises. The thought of having infinite power is both frightening and alluring, and every second, I can feel it growing stronger inside of me.

Although the gloves prevented me from accidently harming myself or others, I knew I was still capable of causing a significant amount of damage. There was a yearning inside of me that never seemed to go away. A hunger that could never be satisfied. I knew the stone was waiting for its opportunity to feed, it was only a matter of when and who.

Later that evening, one of Ronan's creepy, hooded servants brought me dinner. By the time I was done eating the rich, protein-packed meal my stomach felt uncomfortably full. Ronan thought I was still too skinny, so every meal I ate was loaded with carbs and fats. I wasn't complaining though, because now I could eat all the pastries I wanted without him lecturing me on the importance of a balanced diet. I licked my fingers clean of the sweet, sticky glaze as I stepped into the shower.

I took an especially long time cleaning myself because I wanted to make sure I removed all of the blood from my hair. After several minutes of smelling and exploring the large, dark shower, I settled on three different soaps that held scents of cinnamon, ginger, and citrus. The exfoliating soaps left my skin feeling cleaner than ever, not to mention I smelled amazing. I was slowly beginning to feel like myself again.

When I reentered the bedroom, I was pleasantly surprised to find Ronan standing by the bed, wearing only his thin, black pants. I watched him from behind as he wiped away the gritty paint from his face, silently admiring the way his muscles rippled across his back and shoulders. When he was finished, he threw the dirty, white cloth in his hand onto the floor and stared at the wall ahead.

I smiled as I approached him and ran my hand up the middle of his back, slowly tracing the curve of his spine. My fingers softly ran along his torso as I came to stand in front of him, causing goosebumps to appear on his blue, smooth skin. I felt the familiar longing deep inside my core as my eyes took in his strong chiseled abs and thick, muscular arms. He is perfect… and I get to call him mine.

Overcome with desire, I stepped closer and dropped my towel to the floor. "Silvia," he said, as I pulled his pants down his legs. Now that he was standing completely naked in front of me, it was almost impossible for me to pay attention to what he was saying. "Silvia," he said again as I quickly lowered myself to my knees.

I immediately took him in my mouth and smiled at his satisfied groan. "Stop," he grunted as he wrapped his hand into my hair.

I moaned at the sensation of him growing inside my mouth and grabbed onto the base of his length. My lips became tightly stretched as he grew to his full size, but I enjoyed feeling him stretch me. As I began moving back and forth across his throbbing cock, he produced a deep, masculine growl that made me instantly wet. His hand tightened around my hair, silently urging me to continue pleasuring him, and I was more than happy to comply. My eyes looked upwards to find him watching me with parted lips. I had never seen a more arousing sight. I pulled back so only the tip of him was inside my mouth and swirled my tongue around his thick head in a teasing manner, enjoying the power I had over him.

His eyes remained transfixed on my face, watching and waiting for my next move. I pushed my head forward once again and took more of him inside of me than before. He was so long I could only take half of him inside my mouth before I started gagging. Even as I gagged, I continued to push forward until I could fit the majority of him down my throat. As I held my breath and took him deeper than before, I felt his hand push against the back of my head, forcing me to remain there. When I began groaning for air, he immediately released his grip from my hair, allowing me to pull back to breathe. He smirked down at me as I ran my tongue along his impressive member.

"You want more?" I teased, looking up at him. His eyes narrowed with amusement as he ran his fingers through my hair. I could tell he was having a hard time restraining himself, and I loved it. When my tongue flickered across his head, he closed his eyes in pleasure, but I stopped only a few seconds later. I smirked as his nostrils flared with frustration.

"Ask nicely and I'll give you what you want," I said in a playful tone. Ronan emitted a low growl before pulling upwards on my hair, causing me to hiss in pain as I stood up from the ground. His teeth grazed the side of my neck, threatening to bite me at any second. I panted heavily with desire as his mouth rested next to my ear.

"I do not ask," he said, still holding my hair. "I take," he growled. With one swift push I was lying flat on my back on the end of the bed.

I barely even had time to blink before Ronan was spreading my legs with his knees and pushing his thick length inside of me. Almost immediately I was moaning with overwhelming pleasure, digging my fingernails into his biceps as he drove himself into me with steady, fierce thrusts. I had forgotten how amazing this felt. Just as I started to reach my peak, Ronan slowed down his rhythm and smirked down at me.

"Ask nicely… and I'll give you what you want," he said, mimicking me from earlier. He sniggered as I pouted below him, and brought himself down onto his elbows so his face hovered closely above mine.

I remained stubbornly quiet as he continued his agonizingly slow pace, and this only made Ronan more determined to win. After a particularly deep, and well positioned thrust, I relented and was unable to suppress my moans any longer.

"Please," I groaned, making him grin. Oh, shut up.

"Please, what?" He said, obviously amused. I glared at him and turned my face away, unable to give in just yet.

Ronan growled and quickened his pace once again, instantly causing my face to contort as I attempted to suppress my moans. It wasn't fair how he found my g-spot so easily, making it almost impossible for me to resist him. I didn't even last ten seconds before I was shouting every expletive known to mankind.

"Please, let me cum. Please!" I cried out desperately as my body began to quake.

I felt his hands grip onto the sides of my face before his mouth greedily captured my swollen, red lips. He continued his perfect rhythm as he kissed me passionately, swallowing my moans as I shuddered against his body. Only a few short seconds later, I reached my climax and Ronan followed shortly behind with his. As we came together, Ronan continued fervently kissing me, forcing me to moan into his mouth. It was as if he wanted to taste my pleasure on his lips. When I regained my senses, I began kissing him back with equal passion, enjoying our post-coital affection.

He lifted his lips from mine and gazed deeply into my eyes, instantly filling me with worry. After living with Ronan, I could almost read him like an open book. There was a noticeable sadness in his eyes, but I had no idea what could be wrong, especially since we just got finished having amazing sex.

"What's wrong?" I asked as I held his face in my hands. He continued staring at me in silent contemplation, making my anxiety grow by the second.

"You are returning to Terra tomorrow," he said quietly. My stomach dropped at the news, instantly making me feel sick. He watched me in silence as his fingers stroked the sides of my face.

"No. I'm not going anywhere," I whispered in shock.

"This is not a request," he said, running his fingers through my hair. "I thought you would be pleased to return home," he said. He suddenly frowned with displeasure as he held a strand of my hair between his fingers.

"Yeah, maybe before – ", I said, stopping myself. Before I fell in love with you. "You don't really want me to leave... I can tell," I said, feeling more confused by the second. Why is he doing this? Why now?

He peered into my eyes once again. "Yes, I do," he said, making me gasp with pain. Oww. That fucking hurts. He frowned and grabbed ahold of my face once again. "It is for your safety," he said more urgently.

"My safety? But you said you'd protect me. You killed those men – " I said, shaking my head.

"I have enemies in all corners of the universe," he said more quietly. "The Dark Aster is no longer safe for you."

"Are you in danger?" I asked, suddenly worried.

"My safety is none of your concern. It is your life that needs protecting, not mine. I would not be doing this if I did not find it necessary," he said, gazing into my eyes. This isn't fair.

"Come with me," I whispered, suppressing the urge to cry.

Ronan grimaced and shook his head. "I do not run from my foes. It is not the Kree way," he said in a low voice.

"It feels like you're abandoning me all over again," I said, turning away from him. How can he do this to me? He gently grabbed ahold of my chin and looked me in the eyes.

"I will return for you when times are less perilous. This is not the end, Silvia," he said, pressing his forehead against mine.

"I hate this," I said, my voice threatening to break. Don't you dare fucking cry.

"I know," he replied as his thumb stroked my cheek.

For the remainder of the night, we lied in each other's arms and enjoyed our last few hours together. As naturally quiet people, we didn't feel the need to create small talk. It would only ruin the moment. When the morning lights came on, Ronan did not immediately rise from bed as he normally did, but instead leaned over and kissed me gently on the lips. It was soft and slow, and so unlike him.

It felt like goodbye.

He was the first to get up, though he appeared reluctant at first. As soon as his feet touched the floor, he inhaled deeply and hardened his gaze.

"It is time," he said, walking over to my side of the bed. The tears which I held back for so long began making their appearance. I simply nodded and walked over to the closet, blindly grabbing whatever my hand first touched.

I looked around the bedroom one last time before entering the hallway. Ronan walked in front of me with his shoulders back and his head held high as we passed a few of his ugly, Sakaaran soldiers in the hall. To others, he might have looked terrifying, but to me he was beautiful. My eyes never left his tall, imposing figure during our ten minute walk through his dark, foreboding ship. I wanted to soak in every last, fleeting second I had with him.

When I saw Nebula around the next bend, time seemed to slow down, and it took all of my will power to keep moving forward. We came to a stop when we reached a square, air-tight door. The lump in my throat grew tighter by the second, threatening to choke me with horrible heartache and despair. As Nebula entered through the doors, I peered inside to see a large control panel and two Sakaaran soldiers sitting in tall, metal chairs. It's a spaceship. This is it, I thought as I prepared myself to say goodbye. Ronan remained silent as he faced me with stoic resignation, all emotion absent from his eyes and lips. I know you're hurting as much as I am. How can you not after all we've been through? I understood that he couldn't show emotion in front of his soldiers, so I wasn't hurt by his lack of affection. Still though, I wish I could hug him one last time.

"Remember the importance of discipline, Silvia. Do not allow your emotions to determine your fate. If you find yourself incapable of restraining that Terran mind of yours, take one of these," he said, holding out his hand. It was a glass bottle filled with white, spherical pills. "Do not abuse them. I know how easily you succumb to idle pleasures" he said with a frown.

I nodded in silence, too scared to speak because I feared I might cry. It didn't seem appropriate to show such weakness in front of his henchmen, especially when they looked like they already despised me. I needed to be strong for Ronan.

He glanced behind me into the ship and nodded at someone, causing an almost immediate reaction. There was a loud, mechanical ringing as the spacecraft came to life, making the floor and walls around us vibrate. Ronan eye's locked onto mine as Nebula placed her hand on my shoulder, telling me it was time to leave. I took a step backwards into the ship and watched Ronan walk away without another word. My heart pounded rapidly inside my chest as he became more and more distant. It can't end like this.

"Ronan!" I shouted before I could stop myself. He paused and faced me half-way, meeting me with calm, cool eyes.

Knowing that we were being watched, I smiled tearfully and raised my hand to say goodbye, unable to say what I truly wanted to at the moment. Even from this far away, I could see his bright eyes flicker before lowering to the ground, and he quickly strode away faster than before. The door to the ship suddenly closed only inches from my face, causing me to jump with surprise. My hands pressed against the cool, metal surface, willing it to open again so I could see Ronan. It was too late though; we were already flying into the dark, twinkling space ahead. When I turned around, I found Nebula standing only a few feet away, staring at me with an odd mixture of impatience and curiosity.

"Is there somewhere I can lie down?" I said, my voice breaking mid-sentence. My throat felt so tight it was making it uncomfortable to breathe. Nebula remained watching me as she tilted her head to the side, pointing at a door to the left of me.

I quickly staggered towards the room, desperately wishing to hide before I had a mental breakdown and embarrassed myself even more. As soon as the door automatically closed behind me, I threw myself onto the cot and allowed myself to finally release my pent-up emotions. No amount of physical pain could come close to the pain I was experiencing now.

---

Nebula

Nebula tapped impatiently on the control panel in front of her. Even at warp speed, it took nearly twenty hours to reach Terra. It wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the Terran's obnoxious weeping. Even with the door closed, Nebula's enhanced senses prevented her from blocking out the annoying sound. She's acting as if the universe is coming to an end. After another hour of listening to her incessant blubbering, she lost her patience and strode into the girl's room fuming with animosity.

She had every intention to set the Terran straight, but one look at her and Nebula felt her hatred for the girl slowly dissolve. It's hard to feel angry towards someone as pitiful as her. It still aggravated her beyond all hells to be stuck inside this ship with her, but Nebula knew pain when she saw it. Silvia was full of it.

"Stop crying, Terran," she said, realizing she sounded harsher than she meant.

Silvia stirred under the blankets and lifted her face from the damp pillow. "My name is Silvia! SIL-VI-A," she said, glaring at her with anger. "And leave me alone! You're always so mean," she said, sniffling as she rolled over onto her side. Nebula couldn't help but roll her eyes at the girl.

Instead of leaving the room immediately as she should have done, she found herself walking over to the cot and sitting down next to her.

"I'm never going to see him again," Silvia whispered sadly.

"Did Ronan confirm this?" Nebula asked skeptically. She found it hard to believe Ronan would allow the girl to remain on Terra forever. Her powers could prove to be useful one day; besides, she's heard the noises coming from his bedroom. Ugh. Gross.

"Well, no," she muttered. "He said he'd come back for me." Just as I suspected. I'm never going to escape this Terran, she thought with a grimace.

"Ronan doesn't make false promises," Nebula muttered resentfully.

She could still hear the warning he gave her the night before: "Fail me again, and there will be no end to your suffering." It's not as if his words caught her off guard, it was the fact that she knew them to be true is what troubled her. After her failure to protect the Terran on Kree-Lar, she couldn't really blame him for being upset. It's a miracle he didn't kill her.

"But what if something happens to him?" She asked quietly. Nebula shook her head at the girl's naivety.

"Clearly you aren't familiar with his reputation," she said sarcastically. The girl remained silent. "He will be fine, Terr-" she said, catching herself. "Silvia."

"Thanks, Nebula," she said with smile. Eww.

"Don't get any ideas. I still despise you," she said as she exited the room.

Nebula remained quiet as she contemplated in the pilot's chair. Ronan never did tell her the reason for taking the girl back to Terra. She assumed he would have at least told the Terran – or she would have bugged it out of him – but even she didn't know the reason for her sudden departure. Why is Ronan suddenly concerned with the girl's safety? He is far too controlling and possessive to just give her up, unless of course he thinks she's in danger. Yes, that's it. Why else would he abruptly clear her schedule and demand she return the brat home first thing in the morning?

Ronan is scared… and there is only one person capable of intimidating a formidable man such as him.

My father.

Thanos.

---

Ronan

From his throne he watched Silvia's ship get smaller in the great black sea until it was no longer visible. By his side stood his trusted subordinate, Korath, who had a habit of delivering unfavorable news. Yesterday evening would mark yet another time his comrade brought with him grim tidings.

In his lap lied the opened, unmarked package Korath found sitting on Ronan's chair, and inside was a message that disturbed even him.

The hand of The Other, preserved by strange, dark magic, held in its palm a scroll. He distinctively remembers opening the bound parchment to find a troubling sight: long, thin strands of pale yellow hair. Silvia's hair. But how?

On the parchment read ten words he will not soon forget:

Her screams will be the last thing you hear, boy.

---

Silvia

I had just fallen asleep when I felt someone angrily shaking me awake. My head felt as if it was spinning as I quickly sat up in bed and stared groggily into the dark, quickly spotting Nebula walking towards the door. Sleep is always a hard thing to come by when Nebula is around. After staying up last night and not sleeping much the day before, I was now completely delirious with exhaustion and felt as if I were going to collapse at any minute.

"What are the coordinates of your residence?" Nebula asked impatiently, already stepping through the door.

"I don't know," I said, rubbing my eyes. Nebula's face tightened with obvious annoyance as she reentered the threshold.

"What do you mean you don't know?" She said, raising her voice.

I shrugged my shoulders tiredly and looked up at her. "We use addresses not coordinates… unless you're in the government… or the military… and hmm… maybe – "

"Ahhh!" Nebula screamed with frustration. "Get up!" She shouted in a shrill voice.

I begrudgingly got out of bed and followed Nebula out into the pilot's quarters. I grimaced with disgust at the sight of the two Sakaaran pilots, but thankfully neither paid me any attention. As I looked out the front window, I felt my stomach twist uncomfortably when I realized we were in an asteroid belt. After flying around a particularly large asteroid we were met with the beautiful sight of my planet. I looked to the right of me when I noticed something flicker in the corner of my eye. Nebula was pulling up a 3D hologram of Earth in the middle of the room.

"Come here and locate your residence. Pointing should be easy enough for you," she muttered under her breath. I glared at her and walked over to the realistic projection.

I dragged my finger along the planet and slowly began spinning it until I found my country. I tapped on the Southeastern region, instantly causing it to zoom in. After several minutes of tapping and dragging my finger along the hologram, I was able to locate my house. Nebula stepped forward to get a closer look, and then looked at me from the side.

"Are you certain this is it?" She asked, her voice full of doubt.

"Yes," I answered.

"You live in that by yourself?" She asked as she eyed me up and down.

"No, of course not. My mom and dad live there too… and our servants, guards, and…" I said, stopping when I noticed Nebula raise her eyebrow at me. "Just forget it," I mumbled as my cheeks grew red with embarrassment.

An hour later, we entered Earth's atmosphere. It was fucking terrifying. There was a deafening roar as fire surrounded the entire ship, threatening to burn us alive at any minute. Nebula didn't look at all concerned though, and that was the only thing keeping me from screaming aloud. It couldn't have lasted more than two minutes, but it felt like a lifetime to me.

"Won't they see us?" I asked with concern as we continued our descent.

"Terran technology can't detect us. Your species is far behind in… well, basically everything," she said with an arrogant smirk. I glowered at her in my chair.

It was night time here on Earth, which was great for me because I desperately needed sleep and I wouldn't be thrown off schedule. As we flew over the park close to my house – the same park where I was abducted – I felt a surge of excitement course through my body. It had been so long since I've seen my parents. When my house came into view, I couldn't help but smile. Mom. Dad.

"Time to go. Stand there," she said, pointing to a circle in the middle of the room. The second I stepped inside the ring, a strange pale, blue light covered my skin. It became extremely difficult to move even a centimeter. There was an annoying ringing sound as my body began to vibrate and glow even brighter. Nebula looked at me as her finger hovered above a bright red button, and for the first time ever, I think she smiled at me. It could have easily been mistaken for a sneer though.

"Don't die, Terran," she said. Yes. It was a sneer.

"I'll miss you too," I replied sarcastically. Half a second later, her finger pressed down on the button, and I was immediately forced downwards until I landed roughly on the solid ground of Earth.

I sighed discontentedly as I pushed myself up from the concrete driveway and brushed the dust off my pants. By the time I looked up, the ship was already gone. My feet dragged along the pavement as I began the long walk up our curvy, lengthy driveway. At nearly one quarter of a mile long, our driveway granted us the privacy we so often needed and desired. Tall, thick trees and shrubbery blocked any street view of our house, so it was impossible for paparazzi to spy on us. As I rounded the first bend, I came upon the gated entrance and guard booth. Thank God.

"You there! Stop right where you are!" I heard Jimmy shout as he exited the booth. I smiled at the sight of a familiar face.

"It's me," I called out tiredly.

"Miss Alamanni? Oh my god! It's really you!" He began shouting happily. Jimmy always managed to make me smile, even when I didn't want to. His friendly demeanor, goofy smile, and thick Southern accent made him impossible not to like.

"Everyone has been looking for you! Your father has managed to get just about every department involved. Department of Justice, Homeland Security, Defense… you name it. Geez Louise! I can't believe you're back!" He said, smiling enthusiastically.

"I'm glad to be home," I said, returning the smile. "I need to borrow your golf car. I'm too exhausted to walk anymore," I mumbled.

"Of course! I'll drive you up to the house. Man oh man, your parents are going to flip!" He said as he retrieved the small, white vehicle.

The wind felt amazing on my face as we made our way up the windy road. A couple minutes later we finally reached my parents beautiful, stone - and obscenely large, mansion. I laughed as I remembered the look on Nebula's face when she saw it. I can understand why now. After living with Ronan and being confined to much smaller spaces, our house appeared to be outrageous size-wise. Sure, Ronan's house was large and opulent, but it was nothing compared to the grand speculation of the Alamanni family.

My relatives have the tendency to extravagance in all aspects of life; whether it be homes, jewelry, cars, or yachts, bigger is always better. They all seemed to enjoy the public spotlight, whereas I on the other hand detested paparazzi more than anything. Almost every cousin on my father's side of the family has appeared on the cover of some trashy tabloid magazine or been arrested for public intoxication, DUI, or my favorite – drug possession. No family is perfect, especially mine.

Of course, there are also a large number of do-gooders in my family who are involved in great causes. My aunt Fiona, for example, donates the majority of her income every year to orphanages across the country and overseas as well. She is without a doubt my favorite aunt.

As an only child, I am considered the outcast of the family. Both my mom and dad have two brothers and two sisters, and they all grew up to have large families as well. As of now I have over thirty cousins, some of which I've never even met. Neither of my parents wanted more than one kid though, because they knew it would make the inheritance more complicated. My father has complete control over the company, and one day, it will unfortunately be passed on to me. I'm not a fan of oil companies, and I'm especially not interested in having to deal with my greedy relatives for the rest of my life.

Every aunt and uncle on the Alamanni side is entitled to one tenth of a percent of ownership, and as a result, each receives a portion of the company's revenue. Combined, they didn't even own one percent of the company, but they are still rolling in hundreds of millions of dollars every year. Still, it was never enough for them.

I've always preferred my mom's side of the family. They are laid-back, simple, and prefer a less indulgent lifestyle. Most of them live in New England though, so I hardly ever see them except for family reunions.

Jimmy said something next to me, bringing me out of my thoughts. "What?" I asked tiredly.

"What happened to you? Where were you this whole time?" He asked with a worried look on his face.

I said the first thing that came to mind: "New England." I could feel Jimmy staring at me, but he didn't ask any more questions after that.

My knees shook with anxiety as I stood by the front door and entered the four-digit code. The knob produced a mechanical clicking noise as it unlocked, and I quickly proceeded inside. Scents of apple, redwood, and pine filled my nose as I entered the tall, wooden foyer. I smiled at the warm sight. I climbed the curved staircase and shuffled tiredly across the rich, wooden walnut floors until I reached my parent's bedroom. The second I entered the room, both of them woke up fully alert and gawked at me with astonishment.

"Silvia?" My mother cried, jumping up from the bed. Her soothing voice seemed to trigger something inside of me, because almost instantly I sank down to the floor on my hands and knees, and began crying.

It felt bittersweet to be home.

It took hours to explain to my parents what exactly happened to me. Neither believed me when I first started telling the story of Ronan and I, but after looking at my eyes and demonstrating my new strength on my dad's gym equipment, they were left in a dazed shock. Of course, I left the gruesome and naughty details out because I didn't want them to worry about me or lecture me on the importance of purity, modesty, and blah blah blah. If they only knew…

After our long, emotional talk, my mother insisted I sleep in their bed with them. It didn't take much convincing for me though, because to be perfectly honest, I didn't want to sleep by myself. It seemed so wrong to lie in bed and not feel Ronan next to me. The warmth of my parents helped me fall asleep, but I woke up several times throughout the night calling out his name. Ronan.

Where are you? Are you thinking of me? Do you miss me?

We were sitting in the breakfast nook of our kitchen when the doorbell began to endlessly ring. It had to be our relatives because they were the only ones allowed past the gate. Our butler, Henry, politely shooed them away one by one, but of course, they all hovered around the front door like vultures. I inhaled the rich, bold coffee in my mug and stared longingly at the plate of cinnamon roll pancakes in front of me. Our chef, Mindy, made them especially for me because she knows they're my favorite. I licked my lips hungrily as I began cutting into the gooey, rich stack.

"We need to figure out what we're going to tell everyone," my mother said before taking a sip of her coffee.

"Mmf," I interrupted with a mouthful of pancakes. "I yold yimmy I was in New Engwan," I mumbled. My parents looked over at me simultaneously with surprise.

"New England!" My father exclaimed. "How the hell did that happen? Jesus, Sil. What are we supposed to do with New England?" He shook his head at me with impatience.

"Tony," my mother scolded him. "It will be fine. We can work with that," she said, smiling at me reassuringly.

Later that afternoon, I found myself standing in the middle of my walk-in closet, gawking at the ridiculous amount of clothes and shoes that lined the walls. After a significant amount of sighing and groaning, I picked a blue Chanel blouson dress and black Manolo Blahnik flats. My stylist, who also happened to be my makeup artist, arrived shortly later to complete my ensemble. She also brought with her two pairs of blue contacts to cover up my bright, purple irises. The significant increase in her salary, as well as her new contract, prevented her from asking any questions; though, I doubted she even cared. Alexa is the definition of "go with the flow." I could tell her her house caught on fire, and she'd probably just shrug it off and say "oh well."

"You look beautiful, as usual," Alexa said as she brushed the tip of my nose. "I'm glad you're back," she said with a sincere smile.

"Me too," I immediately replied, but the words felt empty to me. Am I actually happy to be home? Yes, I missed my parents… but this… not so much.

My heels clicked loudly against the hardwood floors, sending echoes off the tall, wooden walls. It took nearly five minutes to walk from one side of the house to the other. The rooms appeared to grow larger as I passed through one to the next. Ballroom. Banquet Hall. Library. Another ballroom. Parlor. Servant's quarters. It just seemed to go on forever. Why is all of this necessary?

George was waiting for me by the Rolls Royce when I exited the side of the house. My long, beloved driver was one of the few people I trusted. During my rebellious teenage years, George would often chauffer me and my friends around town way past our curfews, and never once did he rat us out to my parents. He smiled and nodded his head at me as he opened the backseat door.

"It's good to have you home Miss Alamanni," he said, tipping his hat.

"Thank you, George. I missed you," I said wholeheartedly. My parents joined me in the limo not too long after that, and only fifteen minutes later, we arrived at City Hall to meet the press.

I frowned at the large crowd that already surrounded the building. "Look at all of them," I muttered with distaste. Every major news station's van was parked along the side of the street, and behind the metal barricade stood hundreds of reporters, paparazzi, and excited citizens.

I hope they believe my story. The last thing my dad needs is another scandal.

By the time we entered the building, my head was pounding from the screaming and relentless, bright flashing of cameras. "Silvia! Miss Alamanni! Silvia! Hey Silvia! Governor Alamanni! Sil!" Neither my parents nor I were huge fans of the press, but after speaking with our anxious publicist, Katherine, we decided a short press conference would be best. Apparently there are rumors that I was held in a Cuban prison for smuggling drugs. Another tabloid magazine predicted that I was secretly detoxing in a secluded drug rehabilitation center and was in fact never actually missing. Well, fuck you too.

After the press conference, we promptly returned home and retreated to the family living room. I sat cross-legged on the navy blue, tufted couch next to my mom. My father sighed and poured himself a glass of whiskey before turning on the large, flat screen TV. We all stared nervously at the screen as video of the press conference began playing on every news channel across the country.

"Lost at Sea: Silvia Alamanni returns after dangerous boat crash."

"Deep sea fishing gone wrong."

" – found off the coast of Maine."

"How America's wealthiest heiress defied the odds..."

"Privilege turned to peril. Tonight at 9. "

"She's so skinny! No wonder. The poor girl was forced to eat raw fish for fifty-five days!"

"… but did you see her dress? How beautiful!"

"Governor Anthony Alamanni's approval rating remains at nearly one-hundred percent."

"Sneaking off and stealing her father's boat? Talk about karma! I hope she's learned her lesson."

" – miracle she's still alive."

They believed it. The fucking idiots actually believed my story. My father sighed with relief and celebrated with another shot of whiskey. I heard my mother chuckle next to me at the same moment a photo-shopped image of me swimming in the ocean appeared. As the night progressed, we began laughing harder and longer until there were tears in our eyes.

For a few minutes, I forgot about Ronan, and I was genuinely happy. The sadness returned later that night when I was lying in my bed alone. I eyed the glass bottle of pills on my nightstand and felt the tears swell in my eyes. He knew I would need them. I bitterly opened the bottle and popped one of the tiny spherical pills into my mouth. It took less than a minute for me to feel the effects. My heart and respiration rate dropped dramatically as time passed slower with every second. It felt as if a foggy, warm cloud had made its home in my head, forcing my body to relax as my mind began to shut down. Minutes later, I felt nothing but warm, comforting nothingness. I was content, but not happy. Warm, but empty. I simply existed. The effects lasted for nearly eight hours, long enough for me to get a much needed night's rest.

Every night I started taking a pill before I went to sleep. As the days progressed, I started taking them earlier and earlier, until eventually I took one almost every morning. Nearly half the vial was gone within two weeks. Without them, I wouldn't be able to attend the endless parties and interviews my parents pushed me into. I smiled and said all the right things to all the right people.

I refused to use my phone and TV any longer because every time I turned them on, I became almost immediately upset. Endless calls from reporters, TV hosts, and self-proclaimed friends caused me to throw my phone against the wall in a fit of rage. My mother shrieked as it flew through our kitchen wall and into the backyard pool. Shit. My parents were very unhappy with me that day.

"Silvia," my mother said softly. I looked up from my plate of Belgian waffles and stared at her numbly.

"I'm worried about you. You hardly speak to us anymore, and when you do it's like you're not even there. What's wrong, honey? Do you need to talk about something? Dr. Moynihan said she can fit you into her schedule tomorrow morning if you want. Your father and I are very concerned," she said with a frown.

"I'm fine, mom. You and dad should quit worrying. It's bad for your health," I replied calmly. The pill I took from earlier was doing its job very well at the moment. My mother's frown deepened as she continued watching me eat.

"I've decided I'm going to leave town for a while, at least until things calm down here," I said before taking another bite of waffle.

"Uhh, well, where are you going?" My mother asked in her worried tone.

"Our villa in Monaco. I think the south of France would be good for me," I casually answered.

"I can go with you," she said, holding onto my hand.

"No. I need to be alone for a while," I said, staring back at her. I looked away when I saw her eyes glisten with tears. I can't handle your tears as well as mine.

"It will be fine, mom," I said reassuringly. "I will be fine," I whispered again to myself.

"At least take Ralph for protection," she said after a few seconds of silence. I looked over at her, and the expression on my face must have been amusing because she began laughing tiredly.

"Never mind. I forgot… you're superwoman now," she said as she tenderly stroked my hair.

"I love you, mom," I said, my tone void of all emotion. Stop sounding like a fucking robot. I leaned forward and hugged her to bring myself out of my apathetic state, but not even the warmth of my mother could provoke emotion.

The next morning I ate breakfast on the family jet, free of any mind-numbing medication. Simply stepping inside the jet made me feel ten times lighter. Leaving town is the best choice I made all week. I value freedom more than anything else, but back home, I couldn't even walk out my front door without being harassed by nosy relatives or trespassing photographers. For the first time in weeks, I fell asleep without the aid of Ronan's powerful drug.

The air was cool and the sun was bright at Aéroport Nice Côte d'Azur. The wind was refreshingly strong and crisp with the smell of sea as it threatened to blow away my floppy hat. I quickly crossed the landing and joined Jean, my overly-friendly pilot, as he boarded our helicopter. The bright, blue waters of the French Riviera shone beautifully under the clear sky. By the time we arrived at my family's villa on the coast, my cheeks were aching from the unfamiliar act of smiling. I waved at Jean and walked backwards towards the house. "Ciao, Jean!" I shouted above the loud, whirling propelling.

"À plus tard, mon cherie!" He replied with a wink, making me laugh.

I stood there in the secluded backyard and watched the helicopter lift into the air with a smile on my face. The palm trees around me appeared to be waving as well. I held onto my hat as the wind subsided and turned to face my beloved, vacation home: Villa Marie, named after my beautiful grandmother. The two-story, pale yellow stucco villa was both elegant and charming. Its ivy-ridden windows and soft, blue shutters gave it a rustic appearance, but renovations over the last few years modernized it on both the inside and outside.

The large lap pool and ten-person Jacuzzi was the most obvious update to be made on the outside. The inside of the house was cheerful and bright with sunlight due to the abundance of windows and white-stucco walls. The dark, shining hardwood floors and thick, heavy wooden furniture offered sophistication and warmth. Soft throw pillows and textured blankets filled the elegant white sectional and chairs, making it feel inviting and cozy. Every modern amenity you could ever want was here, plus, it was powered by clean solar energy, so I didn't feel bad for blasting the surround-sound speakers and home theater system. There honestly wasn't any place more beautiful, or fun, than the Villa Marie.

I was practically living on cloud nine, finally regaining a sense of my former self when I received a disgruntling call from my mom.

"It will take less than a day, Silvia. Germany is only a few hours away! Do us this favor and please don't be difficult about this," my mother chided me.

"Mom, I came here to get away, not to go to another stupid, pointless party," I complained. Ugh, this means I have to wear clothes again. After days of walking around in only my bra and panties, putting on a formal gown sounded terrible.

"Silvia, Dr. Schifer is a strong supporter of your father's campaign and a family friend. He's invited all three of us, but your father and I won't be able to attend, so you need to make an appearance for us and apologize on our behalf," she said as she blew her nose into the phone. I wrinkled my nose and sighed with annoyance.

"Dr. Schifer is creepy. Every time I see him he makes me call him uncle Ric," I muttered unhappily.

"Just go, Silvia. Honestly, we don't ask that much of you. I love you. I need to take care of your father now. Poor thing has the flu!" She said before hanging up.

Well, at least I brought a dress with me, I thought as I pulled out the black, floor-length gown from my closet. I didn't even make it a week before I was being forced back into the lion's den. A part of me must have known this would happen, or else I wouldn't have packed such an extravagant dress.

I called Jean a few minutes later and arranged for him to pick me up early the next morning. His response was less than surprising:

"Bien sûr, mon cherie! It brings me great plaisir to help a friend comme vous!" I couldn't help but laugh at his cliché French accent and oddly, polite forwardness.

After a lengthy day of traveling and hearing Jean talk about his love for women, I finally arrived in Stuttgart, Germany. My hired driver was already waiting for me upon exiting the jet, and we immediately left for Steigenberger Hotel which was only a few blocks away from the museum. It took me nearly two hours to get ready because Alexa wasn't here to help me. This is why I prefer wearing nothing, I thought as I struggled to zip up the back of my dress.

As I walked through the streets of Stuttgart in my gown, I looked nervously down at my hands, wondering when people would start noticing I'm wearing the black gloves all the time. For all I know, they probably have, but my avoidance of social media and news channels makes me ignorant about my reputation. At least tonight the gloves match my outfit, I thought positively as I approached the white, stone building. I felt a pang of sadness as I saw the elegant museum, because it reminded me of Ronan's home. I pushed aside all thoughts of him when I noticed the paparazzi were starting to take my picture. Like a good little heiress, I smiled cheerfully and posed on the red carpet for ten seconds as I always did.

Throughout the night, dozens of people approached me, of which only half I knew, and I dutifully plastered a smile across my tired face. The expensive champagne definitely helped make the party more interesting, but it was still filled with pretentious assholes. Where the fuck is Dr. Schifer so I can say hi and leave? As I pretended to pay attention to some old man's twenty-something-year-old wife's boring story, I looked around the room and fully appreciated Europe's high class society. Fur coats, trim suits, expensive rings, and even more expensive watches, were adorned by all, including me. I had an image to uphold after all. I'll never get out, I thought bitterly to myself as I chugged the remainder of my drink and grabbed another off a passing waiter's tray. The second the trophy wife looked away, I shuffled up the curved, marble stairs where I knew no one would pester me.

On the second floor balcony, I looked down at the laughing, aristocratic crowd and frowned as I caught a glimpse into my future. This couldn't be all there was to offer.

"Ronan, if you can hear me, I'm begging you… please…rescue me from this meaningless life. Please, God, don't leave me here," I said, closing my eyes. A slow, mischievous chuckle from behind caused me to gasp and drop my glass, but before it hit the floor, it miraculously turned to sand. Oh, shit.

"Praying to be rescued? How entertaining," taunted the mysterious man lurking in the dark corner. His exceedingly smooth, English accent was far too alluring and regal sounding to be from around here. There was something about him… I could sense something… his energy… it wasn't human.

"Who is that?" I demanded, already walking backwards towards the stairs.

"I am Loki of Asgard, and you mortal, will kneel before me," he stated with confidence as he stepped out of the shadows.

The fuck?

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Author's Note: Ahhhhhhh I'm so sorry to keep you guys waiting for soooo long! I made this chapter extra long to make up for it! I had some pretty major surgery done on my jaw so I've been out of it the last few weeks! Really hated leaving you guys hanging like that. Thank you everyone for the reviews and PM's and follows/favs. I have the best fans ever :) The positive feedback definitely helped quicken my recovery... I was very anxious to get back to writing. Don't worry... I am NOT quitting this story any time soon. It's allllllll taken care of people! The updates might be a little slower, only because I'm starting to work on my book, and this is more of a little side project. Again, thank you guys for everything!

I would love to hear what you guys thought of this chapter... a lot went on! And a new character is making his appearance. I know some of you are probably excited about that - I know I am! ;) Yes, this will still remain a Ronan/OC story, but a lot can happen. Hope you enjoyed it! Love you guys 3