**I'm back! Almost lost this one, really did, but the writers block is gone and inspiration has finally graced me with the material to finish this one. Stay tuned for the last few chapters, and again...SO SORRY FOR TAKING SO LONG!**
Chapter Eleven: Otherworldly Assistance
She opened her eyes, quickly adjusting to the dim light around her; save of course for what felt like a spot light hovering above her head. The painfully annoying throb that was echoing from the back of her skull only persisted further while she lifted her head, cringing through the dull ache in her neck that served to tell her she had been in that position for entirely too long. It took a fraction of a second to establish that her predicament was not getting any better.
Her hands were bound behind the back of a metal chair, by what felt like a pair of shackles. Seated at one side of an interrogation table, she glanced up at the one way mirror against the wall in front of her before taking in the rest of the room. Brick setting, painted white throughout, a water valve mounted high on the left wall that came complete with an irritatingly slow drip, and a large grey door on the right wall.
A brief moment of confidence fluttered in her mind, knowing that getting out of here would be simple enough, but that moment was gone upon the realization that her jacket had been removed; the orb with it. Kade gritted her teeth, sighing heavily and briefly testing her restraints. There was nothing to stop her, nothing that could anyway, from powering up and leveling everything around her to find that orb and transport herself back to her own time-period…save for one crucial fact; these guys weren't HYDRA.
A loud 'click' echoed into room, snapping her attention to the gray door as it opened, a man stepping into the room just enough to be seen; his hand still firmly on the outside handle of the door. The white of his belt and helmet contrasted violently with the dark brown of his button-up Army uniform; a black MP stamped on the front of the helmet. A second man entered the room at that point, considerably older judging by the gray and white seasoning his normally brown hair.
His face was weathered, eyes that of someone who has seen entirely too much warfare, and his clean pressed uniform was donned with an array of metals and pins. She had seen his face before in a black and white photo, preserved and framed, hanging on the wall at S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters; one of the three that spearheaded the founding of the organization.
The older gentleman glanced at the MP, giving a curt nod before directing his attention back to Kade. The MP said nothing, exiting quickly and closing the door behind him. He approached the opposite side of the table, pulling a small chair out from underneath and seating himself on it. She kept her eyes on his, never breaking eye contact; he himself doing the same.
"Let me tell you how bad this looks" he stated sternly.
"Here we go" she mumbled under her breath.
"You were apprehended fleeing a HYDRA weapons base, while in possession of advanced weapons technology. You have no identification on you whatsoever, and while they aren't exactly the most forthcoming with their tactics, the folks back home have confirmed they do not have any operatives on the front lines…so you might want to start filling in the blanks"
She sighed heavily, expressing her frustration.
"Colonel, even if I had the time to go over the details, I seriously doubt you'd be able to wrap your head around all of it" she remarked.
"I think you got all the time you need…so how bout you start talking and if I start to lose you, I'll say so" he retorted.
"I've got a better idea" Kade grumbled, fidgeting with the shackles as she straightened herself in her seat.
"How about you take these useless restraints off, give me back the things you took, I'll be on my way and it will be like I was never here"
"You are in no position to make any kinds of requests little missy"
She smirked, clenching her fists, feeling the rush of power lace her arms. With a quick snap the chain connecting her wrists broke, giving her freedom of movement again. The Colonel made a move to stand before she was able to snag him in her sights, his eyes flaring a bright blue before he slowly sat himself back down.
"Trust me, I don't like doing this to allies but as I said before, I don't have time to bullshit with you. Now…where is my jacket and the orb you took from me?"
"His name is Dhardron…he was one of Thanos' chosen" Constance stated softly, not taking her eyes off the monitors.
Much like her, Steve and the rest could barely take their eyes off the news feed unfolding on TV, as if trying to process the situation as an abnormally tall, lanky being wreaked havoc in downtown Manhattan. Clothed in dark colored armor with a tattered cloak attached at the shoulders, long pointed ears protruding up from his head, ashy gray hair thinned and frayed, and red hued skin marred by a deep gash across his face that ran up to the top of his skull; seeming stapled with metal brackets. The staff he clutched ejected another energy beam at a retreated swarm of people, causing Constance to flinch and look away.
"I thought you said he wasn't due for another four years" Steve questioned.
"You said was" Scott added.
"You're right…both times" JB stated as he walked into the room, Bucky close behind him.
"What are we dealing with JB, is Thanos here now?" Steve asked.
"That would be our luck" Clint quipped, getting an elbow from Natasha.
"When Thanos arrives in the future, Dhardron tries to take the gauntlet and use it to kill him. But Thanos saw it coming, and nearly split Dhardron's head in two. Amazingly enough the bastard survived, Thanos forced him to live with the shame…he's been wanting revenge ever since" JB explained.
"So why is he here now if that technically hasn't happened yet?" Sam asked.
"Because that's the Dhardron from our future" Constance answered, swallowing hard.
"He must have figured out what we were up to and found a way to follow us here, which means he's here for the stones" JB added, gingerly placing a hand on Constance's shoulder.
She went rigid and made a move to brush him off but hesitated, lowering her eyes to the floor.
"So is he getting them for Thanos…or himself?" Natasha asked.
"Thanos already has the stones in our future, but in this time frame he doesn't. If Dhardron were to get his hands on them, he'd no doubt use them to overthrow Thanos" JB stated.
Steve turned to the young soldier, opening his mouth to speak.
"Before you even mention the idea of trying to get him to fight with us, you should just give up now. Dhardron was trained by Ronin, so that means he cares for nothing but his own ambitions, and he will kill anyone to get what he wants…he's killed enough of our friends and family to prove that"
Constance let out a ragged exhale, steadying herself against her brother's words; even JB himself lowered his head in a silent observance.
"So he's an enemy that needs to be put down…should have just led with that" Steve remarked, turning to head for the door.
"We're gonna need a plan. If this cat is loony enough to go after Thanos, who is supposed to be the big bad, then it's safe to say he's not gonna go down easy" Clint warned.
"Especially since our big gun is out of the picture" Sam added; wincing when it was his turn to get an elbow from Natasha.
"She's not out of the picture…we're just stalling for her" Bucky remarked.
It was a statement that enlightened most in the room, save for the young woman near the monitors.
"How can you say that?" Constance asked, turning to face her father, tears in her eyes.
"I told you, going back is easy…but nobody has ever been able to find a way to return to their own time"
Bucky stayed silent, he wasn't sure how to counter that comment, and judging by the brief silence in the room, it seemed nobody else did either; until JB cleared his throat uncomfortably.
"Well this is mom we're talking about here…so I'm sure she's already figured out what I did…and is probably already working out a way to come back and kick my ass for it" he mentioned lightheartedly.
Constance turned a heated gaze at him, tears still welled up but brows furrowed.
"Whose fault is it that she's even there, hm? You took it upon yourself to plan this out without saying anything and now suddenly you wanna talk to me, you can go to hell" she growled.
"Constance" Bucky soothed.
"No!" she snapped, pointing at her father as if to silence him further.
Her breathing became ragged, as a tear fell down her cheek, her muscles steeling against the urge to break down and cry; yet still she glared daggers at her brother.
"I'm not going to forgive you for what you did, not now, maybe not ever…because you weren't thinking of mom…or any of us…you were only thinking of yourself…as far as I'm concerned…you're no better than Dhardron"
JB looked visibly hurt by the remark and before anyone could so much as blink she disappeared in a puff of smoke. Bucky let loose a sigh, hanging his head in defeat.
"Remember the saying about giving a woman time to cool off?" Bucky asked.
"Should have gave her more…yea I noticed" JB remarked.
"Enough family drama folks, we've got bad guy butt to kick" Clint quipped, taking his own cue as the first out the door.
Simon sighed heavily, pulling the injector out of his forearm and tossing it on the bed. A fine sheen of sweat coated his skin, and it was all he could do to keep his whole body from shaking. The liquid now inside his body etched across his muscles, burning the very definition of pain into his tissue. He hissed through his teeth, clenching his jaw and curling into himself; nearly falling forward off the side of the bed.
Seconds felt like hours before the crippling pain finally started to fade, and he thanked whatever gods would listen that it was the last application he had left…he wasn't sure if he'd survive another round. A quick beep from the device on his wrist finally brought him to brave sitting up straight, though he partially regretted it, his muscles prompt with their complaint. He gazed at the screen, seeing three more bars appear, finally turning orange instead of the consistent red he's been settling with for the past several years. It wasn't much, but maybe enough in an emergency.
It was the abrupt knock on his door that made him flinch and instantly give out a stifled groan from the sudden movement.
"Uncle Simon, you decent?" JB's voice asked from the other side of the door.
"Give me five minutes" Simon replied.
"Don't worry about it, look just get dressed and meet Scott in the garage" JB instructed.
"Okay…what's going on?"
"He'll explain everything, I gotta go"
"Explain what, where are you going?"
Silence echoed from the other side of the door and Simon could only sigh in annoyance. There was no way he'd be able to keep up with the kid in his current condition.
Kade peeked carefully around the side of the building, finally able to see the tree-line several feet from camp, knowing full well she'd be able to reach it with a simple teleport. It would effortlessly avoid the gathered mass of firepower between her current position and the desired one, however her escape from the interrogation cell and the retrieval of her personal belongings was not as stealthy as she preferred…so the tree-line was decorated with spot lights and patrols.
She swore under her breath, not wanting to resort to violence against her own any more than she already did. Having no other choice, she elected to try another side of the compound, hoping for a gap in their alerted defenses. Kade turned on her heel and came face to face with a gun barrel. Instinctively she hardened herself, feeling her power race through her veins, that familiar warmth in her head when her eyes flared blue.
Upon a second glance she fixated on the gun's handler, quickly recognizing him…Bucky. At least the Bucky from this time period. Despite the situation, she exhaled slowly, relaxing her body; putting her power to a resting state. They stood there for several moments, and while he stared her down, she refused to break eye contact, still being careful to make sure her body language didn't spell out a threat to him.
He finally started to lower his gun, still tense in his movement, but she took it as an improvement; although last time this scenario played out she took a massive blow to the head…the sheer recollection of it causing the flicker of a headache.
"I saw what you did to those guys at the HYDRA warehouse…you could just do the same to everyone here" he stated, almost sounding puzzled that she hadn't already done just that.
"I'm not the enemy" she replied softly.
"So you said…"
He trailed off, holstering his gun; allowing Kade to finally breathe normally.
"…but you're not gonna make it out that way without being seen, follow me" he instructed.
Kadence had to admit, she felt a little confused when he turned and headed between the buildings, but time was of the essence; and she decided to follow without question.
They managed to sneak their way within the maze of buildings and tents until they reached main gate of the compound. Kade thought her heart was about to lodge itself into her throat at the sheer sight of firepower that stood between her and her new way out; two stolen HYDRA tanks being within that lineup.
"Is this your idea of an easier way out!? I so much as poke my head out and there will be nothing left to identify!" she spat in a hushed tone.
"Just trust me alright, I have a plan" he assured.
"And that would involve what exactly?" she asked.
"You have powers right?"
She cocked an eyebrow at him, partially wondering if maybe she dropped him a little too hard back in the woods.
"Yes?" she answered, implying she wanted details a little faster.
"Well use your power to make yourself invisible" he insisted.
Kade felt a knot in her throat that made it hard to swallow a bitter pill called foresight. She had any power she wanted at her fingertips but training herself properly with it was her ultimate downfall; arguing that it was her fear of loosing control of the stone that kept her from doing it.
"Can you?" he asked, sounding urgent.
"It's not as easy as it sounds to become completely invisible okay, so no…I can't"
"So how about being able to look like someone else?"
"I've never actually tried to shift into another human, so don't place your bets on that"
He let out an annoyed sigh, glancing around as a pair of soldiers walked by. His mention of shifting suddenly struck her with an idea, and the only reason she even dedicated herself to it was because at least she didn't have to live with this version of Bucky; since the other one would never let her live it down.
"I can, however, make myself look like something else"
Bucky glanced back at her, looking confused. She flashed him a grin, and her eyes radiated with blue. As her body redesigned itself, she rode out the uncomfortable cramping that came with this particular ability. She visualized the object in her head, and her form went to all fours, sleek black fur coated her body while a canine snout, ears and tail formed themselves. The blue eyes remaining.
He looked both horrified and stunned when the transformation was complete, and the woman that was next to him was now in the shape of a large, black shepherd; complete with a thick leather collar and leash.
"I uh…I guess that works" he stated.
Kade gave a quick bark and he flinched, shushing her and glancing around to see if anyone noticed.
'Calm down, nobody will suspect anything as long as you act normal' she scolded; albeit through a mental link.
He snapped his head back in her direction, clearly confused as to why he could hear her.
'Just take the damn leash and get me out of here please' she insisted, ushering him with a softer bark.
Bucky groaned, briefly lowering his head in defeat before he took the leash that dangled from her collar and got to his feet.
"Act normal huh? Nothing's been normal since the Nazi's showed up" he grumbled.
Kade had already taken her real form again, relishing in the feeling of her spine popping back into place as she straightened out. Bucky was leaned up against a tree, his arms folded across his chest and his eyes fixated on the faint light of the compound through the trees. There were hints of the version she remembered, but this one was…softer. She fought back a sick bubble in her throat knowing what was yet to come, hoping maybe this timeline would be different.
"For what its worth, you're taking this in stride. To be honest, I wasn't expecting help from anyone here…I didn't think anyone would believe me" she admitted.
"I didn't at first…I thought you were crazy"
"Understandable…considering everything…but what changed your mind?" she asked.
His glanced at her and reached into his jacket pocket, fishing out a worn silver band with a small diamond mounted on top of it. Her mouth went dry and she reached for her left finger, finding it void of the treasure; she cursed herself for not noticing it missing earlier.
"I recognized it when they detained you…took it without them noticing. This looks like my mother's ring, though it's a lot more worn since the last time I saw it" he stated, gazing down at the ring.
"Well remember what I said about that distant future part" she chuckled.
"How distant?" he asked, turning his eyes to her and gesturing for her to take the ring.
She was silent for a moment as she reached for it, taking it gently and putting it back on her finger.
"It's complicated" she answered.
He huffed through his nose, eyes drawing back down to the ring briefly before they turned toward the compound.
"So what now?" he asked.
"I guess now you head back to base and I…go home"
"I know that much, but we have a slight problem"
"And that would be?"
"I left the compound with a guard dog remember"
Her breath hitched in her throat, and she promptly began wishing she had just teleported out like originally planned; even with the risk of being spotted.
"Shit" she sighed.
Bucky pushed himself from the tree and pulled his sidearm, aiming it out into the woods and firing four times. Kadence flinched violently and covered her ears, mouth gaping and eyes going wide. Even with covered ears she could hear the compound come to life.
"Have you lost your mind!?"
"Hit me" he ordered, tossing his gun to the snow ridden ground.
"What?"
"I said hit me, hard as you can!" he repeated.
"And what good is that gonna do?"
"I'm out on patrol, get jumped by the enemy, fire a few shots and miss, take a hook to the mouth and I'm knocked out, dog chases and gets lost in the woods…it's full proof"
She hesitated, weighing his plan and not finding any real flaw in it. He isn't suspected of treason and she gets an ample head start. Kade was given a window home, by the same man she was going back to. Again her stomach twisted, knowing what was in store for him, whether it was weeks or days ahead…it was bound to happen. She sucked on her tongue, trying to find relief, and risking a chance that maybe at least this version…would be spared that fate.
"Fine, but one more thing before that" she stated, closing the distance between them.
He looked surprised when she stepped in front of him, placing her hands on either side of his head and bringing her forehead to touch his. Kade activated her power, sharing the images from her own memories, directly with him.
"In my time, something happens to you…something bad…it changes you…into something you hate. I can't do anything to fix that now, but maybe…just maybe…I can keep it from happening to you in this time"
She slowly released him, and she wanted to cry when she saw the horrified look on his face.
"I want at least one version of you, to be able to go home when this is over" she remarked.
His breath was ragged, and he nodded slightly; clearly still processing everything that hadn't happened to him yet. She resisted the urge to kiss him. She wanted to do it, but now it was clear, this wasn't her Bucky anymore, she made sure of that. They would never meet in this timeline, he would be aged with grandkids by the time she was born, and their life would never happen. In hopes, with just this simple change, perhaps HYDRA will truly fall with the rest of the Nazi occupation, she would grow up with her real parents and have a normal life…but that was purely hope.
Kadence didn't give him warning when she clenched her fist and slugged him right in the face, forcing herself to picture him as she did when they first met and he shot her in the stomach with a dart gun. With a low thud he hit the ground, out cold. She didn't have time to relish, catching the sound of approaching vehicles and dogs coming from the compound. Needing no more persuasion, she disappeared in a wisp of blue smoke.
"Okay…just like before…just picture it in your head…concentrate" she told herself.
Kade paced back and fourth within the new ruin of the HYDRA warehouse, the smell of smoke still lingering in the air. It was night by the time she got out of the compound, but she had no idea how jumping would affect the place she'd be going back to…if at all. She stopped at the far end of the warehouse, setting her sights on the opposite wall, picturing the present time as she last remembered it. With a last steadying breath she took toward the wall, activating her power, feeling that rubber band like snap around her being, the energy swirling around her. She pushed all her energy into the last jump, and a blinding blue light enveloped her vision, but suddenly she felt herself being thrust forward and she came down hard on a concrete surface.
She remembered it feeling like her body was ripped apart, and the nauseating swell in her stomach; not to mention the deafening bang as she broke through the time barrier. As she laid on the ground in a twisted heap, she felt a rise of panic in her chest, as if something had gone wrong. Kade shook it off, groaning as she struggled to her feet and gained her bearings. The night still covered the landscape, and the ruined building was just as it was.
It was the smell of smoke in the air that caused that initial panic to resurface, remembering that the destruction to the warehouse should have been long passed, and this damage was new.
"What?...why didn't it work?" she asked aloud, not really expecting an answer, but perhaps clarification for herself.
"Why indeed?" a male voice answered.
Kadence wheeled around to face the owner of the voice, seeing a tall, lean man walking from the tree-line and toward her. Black hair was combed back but falling to his shoulders, a youthful yet charming face with mischievous eyes. Dark colored leather was clad over his body, and a deep green cloak flowed behind him. She froze. Memories assaulted her so painfully, recalling the last time she saw that sinister face…he tried to kill her.
"You" she growled.
The energy that suddenly coursed through her was so raw and powerful she thought it was going to tear her apart, but she reigned it as best she could and fought through the pain, finding satisfaction in the ability to bind his body and raise it a few feet off the ground. His surprised gasp at her display was barely audible when she pushed that control into his body, gripping his lungs. She could feel the force of his life in her hands and relished in the thought that she could kill him, right here. This man who claimed himself a god, was now no more than a mere insect at her mercy.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't break you down into subatomic atoms" she seethed.
"Without…me…you're…stuck here" he rasped, not even able to breathe anymore.
She took what he said for a grain of salt, he's lied to her before, whose to say he wasn't doing it again. Playing into her want to get back home, to get her to lay her guard down.
'Kill'
A voice so soft, yet clear as day. She clenched her fists, feeling a few bones snap under the weight of her hold. He let out a strangled howl of pain, expending what was left in his lungs.
'Kill'
The voice sounded more like a demand than a suggestion, the pain in her own body flared, reminding her that even more of that raw energy was being tapped into, but she ignored it. It was when that pain began to burn across her skin, leaving faint blue lines in its wake, that she realized what was happening. The voice she heard was not her own will for revenge…it was the stone.
Kade let out a growl and shut herself off from the power, the man falling to the ground and gasping desperately for air. She herself had to catch her breath, her body wracking with pain; the lines slowly fading into nothing. Kade was shaking, from fear or pain, she wasn't sure.
"It's scary to think what you'd be capable of if you really let loose" he mocked, still sounding winded.
She snapped a glare at him that could kill and charged him, using every bit of strength she had to take him by the throat and pin him to a tree. At this range, she realized just how much taller he was compared to her, and she felt the resistance in his hands as they grasped her wrist in retaliation to the hold on his neck.
"I can crush your windpipe just as easily without it…Loki" she growled.
He smiled wide, easily showing the amusement in his eyes.
"You remember me" he laughed.
"I remember you trying to kill me"
"You should also remember that I helped you break free from Andromeda's control"
"Both because you wanted this power for yourself…I'm still tempted to use it to kill you"
"You almost did…what stopped you?"
Kade hesitated. She already knew the answer to that question. Killing him would have been satisfying yes, but it's what the stone wanted, and she feared what would happen if she obeyed it. Sneering she finally let go, turning and putting a few steps worth of distance between them, her hands on her hips.
"Sentimental attachment…that's what stopped you. You almost lost control of it a minute ago, I saw it in your eyes…you almost became the destroyer. And when that happens-"
"Cut the bullshit, why are you here!?" Kade spat, cutting him off and catching him with the corner of her eye.
He chuckled, eyeing her carefully as he sauntered in her direction.
"I'm here to help you" he answered slyly.
She scoffed, folding her arms across her chest and narrowing her eyes at him as he started to circle her; keeping at least an arms-length of distance between them.
"What makes you think I'd believe you?" she challenged.
Loki stopped, turning to face her and closing the gap to the point she could feel the warmth of his body radiating from his chest.
"Because…I don't care much for the fact that someone like you has this power…but I absolutely detest the idea of Thanos getting it" he replied softly, almost growling with the mention of the name.
His eyes shifted and she felt them study her. His hand reached up, and with almost a feather like touch, his fingers cradled her chin, his thumb tracing her bottom lip. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end, but she held her ground. He was an inch from death mere moments ago, but now all bets were off. He was that of ancient power, existing even well before her ancestors were born, and while she possessed a power that put them on equal starting ground…he was far more adept at using his than she was.
"Besides…a mortal's life is a mere blink compared to mine…I can wait"
His tone was low, and almost seductive. Kade inhaled deeply, doing it mostly to calm herself but breathing in his scent in the process. He smelled of rich spices, and vintage wine with hints of things she couldn't place. She blamed it on the fact he was from another world entirely and grit her teeth in frustration.
"You can remove your hand while you wait…before I splinter every bone inside of it" she warned softly.
He smirked and his eyes lit up playfully, clearly amused by her, but taking his hand away nonetheless.
"Feisty little thing…I can see why the soldier likes you so much" he remarked, taking a small step back.
She flashed him an annoyed smirk and let out a heavy sigh.
"So hypothetically speaking, I believe you…how do you plan on helping me get back?"
Loki laughed softly, slowly starting to circle her again, only this time she followed, not wanting her back to him.
"When you've lived as long as I have, you learn a few things" he replied.
"Such as?"
"Such as the fact that there are rips in time and space everywhere…you just need to know where to look"
"And you know where one is I'm assuming?"
"I do"
Kadence huffed through her nose. Part of this felt like a trap, but she saw the sincerity in his eyes when he told her he didn't want Thanos getting this power; and in truth…she had no other options. Trusting him was a risk she'd have to take to get home, since her own efforts were in vain. An aggravated sigh parted her lips and she shook her head, admitting defeat.
"Fine, show me" she instructed.
"I will, but at a price"
The disappointment that flooded her quickly evaporated, her subconscious already prepared for a catch.
"I knew it!" she spat, narrowing her eyes.
"You know what they say, if you're good at something…don't do it for free" he mused.
"You wanna know what they say about poking a dragon?" she growled, her eyes flaring a bright blue.
"Easy now, you can try to kill me if you like, but if you do…you're stuck here, and without you…all your loved ones will die" he warned.
Kade curled her lips in sheer rage at him. He was dangling them on purpose, knowing full well she'd take them into account for any decision she made. Growling she calmed herself down, fists still clenched, but disarmed for the moment.
"What do you want?" she asked, her tone hostile.
"I want to make a deal"
"Keep talking"
"That power will stay with you until the end of your short little life, and when you draw your last breath, you will relinquish that power to me and me alone"
"And how will you know when that is?"
"Once you've made the deal, I will know, and I will come to collect on it myself"
"Comforting to know" she retorted sarcastically.
"For that power, I will even go so far as to personally escort your soul to Valhalla"
She was silent for a moment, contemplating his offer before she spoke again.
"Then I also have a counter offer"
"Do you now?"
"I relinquish this power to you, but whatever you have planned to do with it…Earth is off limits, understand?"
It was Loki's turn to be silent, flickering eyes contemplating her words for several moments before a grin stretched the corner of his mouth.
"Very well. You surrender your power to me at the moment of your death. In return Earth, and all it's inhabitants, will remain untouched by me for the rest of eternity…do we have a deal?"
She took a deep breath, wondering deep down if making a deal with the god of mischief was really a good idea.
"Deal" she sighed, extending her hand.
He glanced at her gesture and chuckled softly, his smile growing wider.
"No my dear, a deal with a god…is binding"
Before she had a chance to question his statement, he grabbed her hand and yanked her into him. An arm wrapped around the small of her back, securing her to his lean chest and a yelp of surprise gave him the opportunity he wanted. Suddenly his lips were on hers, his tongue snaked against her own and all she breathed was his essence…she was ready to kill him now.
Just as quickly as he grabbed her she felt a hot, burning sensation in the depths of her throat. Wide eyes caught rays of a bright light bursting up between them, nearly blinding her in the process. For a brief second she couldn't breathe, and that sensation in her throat made her think she swallowed a branding iron.
Within seconds it was dark again, he released her and she gasped for air, recoiling as those gulps of breath brought a painful chill that hung in the air; though it did nothing against the lingering burn in her throat.
"Give it a few minutes…it'll pass" he advised, amusement teasing in his tone.
"What the hell did you just do!?" she hissed, clutching her throat as she spoke.
"I told you already. A deal with a god is binding, with that seal, neither of us can go back on it"
"Not even you?"
"I bear the same seal, and I'll have to live with it much longer than you"
"Try that shit again and you won't" she threatened.
He laughed, amusement sparkling across his face.
"Let's get you home then"