A strangled scream broke the silence of the frigid night. Loki was on his feet before fully conscious, dagger in hand as he oriented himself. Another shriek echoed down the hall. One by one he resituated his fingers around the knife's hilt and scaled the wall with silent steps. Pressing his ear to the door of the spare room, he held his breath and listened.

Muffled whining sounded from inside and he flung the door open. He was met with dark silence. Then, someone whimpered, which was followed by the sound of labored breathing. He'd heard the noise enough times to know it was Petra.

Light poured in from the hallway, illuminating the girl's face. Confused when she appeared to remain unconscious, he scanned the room for invaders. Determining he and Petra were the sole occupants of the room, Loki inched forward to her side. Her blanket was strewn on the floor, sheet twisted between her legs and her forehead was damp with perspiration. The silvery white of her brows was furrowed as she reeled away from something he couldn't see.

"Skapning," he whispered.

Another moan.

Grumbling under his breath, he prodded her with an indigo finger.

"Skapning."

She flinched away from his touch with a hiss.

"Petra," he growled, shaking her shoulder.

The hand flying at his face was unexpected, but he caught the elf's wrist.

"Petra!"

She bolted up, crying out and yanking her arm to reclaim her hand, which Loki held firmly.

"Enough!"

Chest heaving as she fought to catch her breath, she squinted at him in the dark. "Loki?"

"Yes."

Loki stared at her as she blinked, her eyes focusing and thoughts clearing. "I'm on Jötunheim," she murmured to herself, wiping her face. "That was a dream."

"It would appear so."

Cheeks burning, Petra glared at Loki's unhelpful commentary. She couldn't control her unconscious. It's not like she chose to have a nightmare.

His face was paler than normal, his eyes sleepy. She'd woken him up. Petra almost mentioned she was sorry to rouse him, but his grumpy affect made the thought a fleeting one.

Gaze flicking over her form in the dark, Loki made eye contact with her for a moment, blinked, then turned for the door.

Her mouth opened to thank him for pulling her from her nightmare, but the door slammed closed before she got a word out. Rolling her eyes to the ceiling, she untangled herself from the sheet and tried to settle back into bed. She tossed and turned for a few minutes, then decided to light a candle and read until she grew sleepy again.

Sprawled on his bed, Loki slept soundly. Out of habit, his right arm was buried beneath his pillow, knife in hand.

His eyes cracked open when he felt his bed dip and before he registered what he was doing, his blade was flying through the air.

"Loki!" someone hissed.

His dagger stopped inches from Petra's face. She sat on her knees next to him. Loki's eyes shone in the moonlight, gleaming with rage.

"Jeg kunne ha lagt det gjennom øyet ditt!"

He didn't have to speak in the common tongue for her to know what he said.

"I know, you could've run it through my eye. I'm lucky you're so sharp," she recited.

Seething, he glared at her. "What do you want, aside from to die by my hand in the middle of the night?"

Petra avoided his gaze and pulled at the hem of her nightgown. "I can't sleep," she muttered.

Loki stared at her blankly. "Do you need a healer?"

She scowled and shook her head. Scooting closer to him, she leaned her shoulder against the wooden headboard.

His face grew concerned, though not for her wellbeing. She was acting oddly, as if she needed something she wasn't articulating. He didn't have anything he felt like giving.

"Why are you here?"

Scrubbing her face, she looked away. "I can't sleep."

"Yes, we've established that. Why can't you sleep? If you're not satisfied with the accommodations there are no other options—."

"My bed is fine," she snapped. "I just had a bad dream."

"About what?" he scoffed. "You're cohabitating with one of the most terrifying species in the Nine Realms. What else is there to fear?"

She rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands. "I wasn't afraid, I was reliving."

With a huff, Loki lay on his side facing away from Petra.

"Whatever disturbed your sleep will not be remedied in my bed. Return to your room. I do not wish for your company," he said over his shoulder.

He was met with silence. Rolling over, he stared at the outline of her form in the dark. The bright moonlight didn't gleam off the whites of her eyes; they were focused on her hands. The elf wiped her palms on her dress and grumbled under her breath.

"What was that, skapning?"

She repeated herself so quickly he couldn't understand her.

"Speak clearly or leave. This grows tiresome."

Petra squirmed, wildly uncomfortable appearing so vulnerable. She felt silly for her fears, but that didn't make her panic any less real.

"Please can I sleep with you? I keep hearing and seeing things I know aren't there, but I can't stop it. Being with someone else makes it a little better."

Slowly his brows rose as he studied her. He fought with himself for a moment, pragmatically listing off reasons to make her leave, but her wide eyes did him in. With a curt nod he rolled away from her, exhaling deeply. "If you must. Though this night will not repeat itself. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Good."

Rigid body relaxing, she slipped beneath the covers and pulled her knees to her chest.

"Thank you," she mumbled.

Loki remained silent, his breath growing even. Petra inched across the mattress, stopping only once she could feel her shins brush against his back as she curled into a ball. Tucking her hand beneath her pillow, she tried to settle in for the night.

Fifteen minutes later Petra was pulling and rearranging the covers. She huffed. Sleep was evading her, despite Loki's presence. Images of her mother, stoic but helpless, before the Dökkálfar court flashed in her memory. She could still hear her screams. The flashbacks fired rapidly, showing her glimpses of her mother being savaged by barbaric trolls. Rubbing her face, she fought back tears.

The king snored softly, unintentionally breaking her caustic train of thought. She gazed down at him, making sure he was truly asleep. His eyes moved beneath his lids; he was dreaming.

Words started bubbling up from her throat before she could stop them.

"They killed my mother before I left," she murmured.

When he didn't stir, she continued. She hadn't spoken to anyone about what happened that night. There hadn't been a time or place.

"After keeping it concealed for so long, a rumor started that my father was human, which is true." Holding her breath, she waited for him to roar awake. When he didn't, she watched him dubiously and continued.

"The Dökkálfar loathe humans. And loathe is putting it lightly. They hate the folklore, how they romantize elves, their optimism. Everything about them. I'd always known something about me was unusual. I cried easier than other elves as a child. I still do, I suppose, no matter how hard I try at apathy. My mother used to say it's because I'm half human; that I feel more. It was enough to make me stick out. Everyone could tell I was different."

She looked at her purple-stained hands. "It had little to do with my looks. It was my affect. My skin is really no different than most Dark Elves'. Melanin levels differ from Dökkálfr to Dökkálfr. That mine is a little lighter shouldn't have mattered. But it managed to draw even more unwanted attention. When a maid found a Midgardian photograph of my parents together in my mother's bedroom, she quickly realized what I was, why I'd been the way I am." She smiled bitterly. "Dark Elves aren't loyal. You know that. They're merciless. The servant knew she'd receive a hefty reward for exposing my mother and me, so she did. She showed the court the picture and my mother didn't live to see the sun the next day."

Before that night, Petra hadn't known the picture existed. She'd had no idea what her father looked like. The image had captured the couple on a lake in Vanaheim with a smorgasbord of food spread out on a blanket before them. Her mother's face was neutral, which was a change from the typical severity of her expression. It was the happiest Petra had ever seen her. Her father smiled adoringly at her mother with his arm wrapped around her shoulders. Knowing a memento of her mother existed on Svartalfheim that she'd never see again made her throat tight. Her lids fluttered closed, flushing a round of tears down her cheeks.

Despite the anguish, it felt good to talk about her exile, even if her audience was asleep. Keeping it locked up felt like holding on to a dirty secret and she no longer had interest in keeping it.

Wiping tears from her face, she sniffled and steeled herself against emotion. She was stronger than that. With an irritated huff, she plopped back down on the bed, nestling against the pillows when a hand reached out and patted her own. She looked at Loki in shock, but his eyes were still closed. It must have been a half-conscious recalled act of sympathy from his days on Asgard. There was no other explanation for it. It was unlikely he'd even remember doing it in the morning.

The oblivious action made her chest tight. Perhaps this was a glimpse at the possibility of something more than just sex with Loki. She gazed at his lips, recalling the butterflies kissing had conjured the few times she'd done it on Svartalfheim. Not that she wanted that, she reminded herself. She and Loki were fine the way they were. It was a business deal. Nonetheless soothed by his unaware gesture of comfort, she inched closer to him and closed her eyes.

The following night, Loki was surprised to find Petra waiting for him in his bed. She tried to keep her face neutral, to suppress her need. To her dismay, she'd been aching for more than sex after Loki had unconsciously consoled her. She pined for something that resembled intimacy, even if it was just a little. A kiss, an embrace, just a fond glance. She'd take anything at this point. The mere notion of craving such a superfluous emotional connection made her furious with her human half, of course. She also blamed it on hormones, but that didn't dampen the need.

Interpreting her readiness as eagerness, Loki began undressing with a cocky smile on his face. He shucked off his shirt, stalking to the bed and climbing on top of Petra. As he started rucking her skirt up around her middle, she pressed her hands against his chest, shaking her head.

"Wait."

Loki's expression was incredulous. She had been waiting for him, not the other way around.

"Are you resisting?"

"No!" She swallowed thickly. Being tied down had no appeal tonight. "No. I'm not resisting."

His eyes narrowed as he cocked his head. "Then what is it you want?"

Petra looked away, her brows knitting together.

"My patience runs thin, skapning. You were practically laid out for me when I arrived. Are you sure you're not denying me?"

Panicked, she blurted the words before thinking them through. "Do you know how to kiss?" She winced, ashamed of asking. Eyes cast downward, Petra continued. "Is-Is that something Jötnar do?"

Loki's made a face, his lip curling in distaste. "It's uncommon."

"But you know how?"

"In my travels I've had women of all realms. Of course I know how."

"Will you kiss me?" she whispered, squeezing her eyes shut. She didn't want to see the smirk on his face when he denied her, but she couldn't stop the words from tumbling out.

Suspicion worked itself across his face. "Why would I do that? How will it benefit me?"

Petra looked away, racking her brain for a tradeoff. What would he want? What did Frost Giants desire?

"I-I'll please you." She bit her lip, glancing up at him. "Kiss me once and I'll please you."

"You haven't the faintest idea how to please me."

She momentarily wilted beneath him. She'd been foolish to think she had the power to satisfy him.

Petra frowned. When she thought about it, he was a man, no different than any other. He'd want what all men want. Stubbornly she met his gaze and elbowed him as she crossed her arms in both defense and frustration. "Let me try?" He raised a brow. "Let me… Let me earn it. I'll go first. I'll show you. I can do it."

The corner of his mouth twitched and his brows raised in amused doubt. "Fine. Prove yourself worthy."

Raising her chin, she feigned confidence. "Take off your trousers."

Loki chuckled and pushed off her to resituate himself on the bed. His head bent forward as he untied his trousers. The sound of bedcovers rustling indicated Petra was moving, but he didn't pay her any mind.

He felt the her warmth at his side a second before her lips brushed against his horn. Both bodies froze. Petra waited for him to say something, to stop and ridicule her. He didn't. She leaned forward, kissing it once more and paused again. He could feel her nervous panting against the black sheath of his horn, causing a shiver to trill up his spine.

"Petr—."

His voice caught in his throat when her tongue made contact along the smooth surface.

Loki released a guttural grunt, his eyes closing in pleasure.

With her free hand, she stroked the length of his other horn as she dragged her oral muscle along the first. She could hear him grind his teeth in an effort to keep quiet.

Confident that she could, in fact, please him, she gave his opposite horn a kitten lick before sliding off the bed and creeping between his legs. His freed cock bobbed, angry and swollen from her touching his horns. Chest heaving, Loki peered down at her. The intensity of his gaze made it hard to breathe.

Eyes cast downward, her tongue darted out to taste the bead of precome gathered at the tip. When his breath caught and he didn't push her away, she let her eyes flutter closed, relishing in the heady taste of him. Without thinking she hummed in satisfaction and took him between her lips. She traced the ridges of his length with her tongue, following them from root to tip.

Though he made no additional sounds, she glanced up to find his lips parted in ecstasy and his face contorted in pleasure. With a pleased purr, she took him further inside her mouth until he bumped the back of her throat.

Not having had a mouth envelop his cock in ages, Loki made her stop before his body embarrassed him. When he brusquely pushed her away she screeched in surprise, her stomach sinking. She'd exposed herself by trying to appease him, and it had backfired.

With a growl he slid his hands under her arms and squeezed her ribcage to haul her into his lap. She straddled his legs, her cheeks glowing crimson as she prepared herself for his scorn.

She gasped when fingers tangled in her silver hair as he yanked her face to his. They made eye contact for a brief moment and Petra braced herself. She made a squeak of surprise as their teeth knocked and his lips descended on her mouth. She faintly registered the sting of a her upper lip splitting, but paid it little mind.

Once she recovered from shock, Petra's arms slipped around his neck and she pressed her chest to his. With his free hand he cupped her jaw, angling her as it pleased him. Wrapping his arm around her middle like a vice, his tongue flicked past her lips, seeking hers. She met it with her own and quickly lost herself in the erotic act as he plundered her mouth.

Growing light headed and self-conscious, Petra abruptly pulled away when she ran out of breath. Stomach fluttering, she cautiously raised her eyes. "That-I pleased you?" she panted.

Loki grunted and jerked her body back against his. "Quiet," he muttered against her mouth. His lips savaged hers, kissing and nipping with the occasional all out bite.

His hand roved over her belly and he groaned as it slid over the small bump of her abdomen. He renewed the kiss with vigor, idly massaging her tummy as he ferociously took her mouth.

Petra's eyes opened surprise as he handled her stomach. If anything, she assumed her growing middle would repel him, not encourage fondling. Apparently she was wrong.

She melted against him, intoxicated by his unnecessary touching and the kiss. The way he took control of her mouth was no different than how he controlled her body. It was effortless and completely electrifying.

She ignored the steady hammering of her heart, refusing to be exhilarated by something so novel, an act she knew meant nothing to Loki.

After several minutes, the king pulled away, dragging her lower lip with his teeth. She released a soft whine and he let it free. Both gasped for air, Petra dazedly touching her lips. She could feel hot wetness at her fingertips, but was too blissed to feel pain from the cut.

Loki studied her, appearing equally stunned. Eyes darting away from hers, he cleared his throat, still fighting to catch his breath. "We're even."

Petra blinked, trying to process his meaning. So she did please him? He'd kissed her, and that was the agreement. She counted it as a success.

Loki lugged her from his lap and tossed her on the bed behind him. He nodded for her to recline. "Undress. Get on all fours." He needed to seize self-control, and he couldn't do that with her gazing up at him.

Stomach twisting, Petra prayed her disappointment didn't show on her face. She'd thought they'd made at least a little headway with the kiss, but evidently he felt differently. Peeling off her dress and underclothes, she reluctantly positioned herself on her hands and knees, presenting her rear to him.

A finger dragged through her slit, causing her to startle. She glanced over her shoulder and caught Loki licking her off his digit, his eyes closed in satisfaction. Were he kinder, he'd allow her more kisses if her sopping cunt was the result of such attention, but he wasn't.

Face hardening, he crawled on his knees behind her. She couldn't suppress the small noise that escaped from her throat as he pushed into her, and had she been able to see his face she would've known he'd smirked. It was reassuring to know he still held power over his skapning.

He fucked her brutally, his thighs slapping against her ass as she took him. She deserved to be punished for what she'd subjected him to. A kiss was something for lovers, which they were not. He didn't owe her anything.

Frustrated and taking his anger out on her, he shoved Petra forward so she lay on her belly. He slid over her, her closed thighs between his legs as he planted his hands on the bed. Petra arched with a cry as he slammed deeper, bottoming out with a grunt. She tilted her head back in delirium, only to catch him staring down at her from above. Her face contorted as she took in the fire in his red eyes and the snarl pulling at his lip. He truly looked like a beast with his canines exposed and black nails tearing into the bed on either side of her.

"Come. Now," he growled.

His command coupled with the eye contact was all it took to send her shrieking over the edge, her walls contacting hard over his pistoning cock. He fucked her through her orgasm, making her wail as he prolonged its duration with his brutal thrusts.

Her climax prompted his own, and he grunted as his sac drew tight against his body and come shot from his cock. He bathed her insides, ignoring the out of breath coo she emitted as he emptied himself inside her.

Loki made a conscious effort to keep his weight from collapsing on her, but he couldn't keep his head from bowing, his forehead resting against her crown as they caught their breaths. As his vision returned to normal, Loki rolled off the bed and stalked to the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.

Petra let out a loud breath, pushing her sweaty hair from her face and rubbing her eyes. Though it still hurt that he was taking her like an animal again, Petra realizes he was distancing himself again. She'd gotten through to some part of him that wanted more than a meaningless coupling, even if he was storming around and causing a racket now.

She used his sheet to wipe the culmination of their tryst from between her legs, fully planning on returning to her bed. Telling herself she was just catching her breath, she lingered only to ask him a question. Eventually, Petra nodded off.

She started awake, watching him through half-opened eyes as he climbed back into the bed. She propped herself up on her elbows, watching him with bleary eyes. It took a moment to form her thoughts, but she managed just as he was laying down.

"How do your horns work?"

He made a monosyllabic noise from the back of his throat and flopped back onto the mattress.

"They're just sensitive?" He didn't acknowledge her question. "Why don't the other Jötnar have them?"

With a heavily exasperated sigh, he tilted his head to look at her. "I have them because I'm of royal lineage." He massaged his eyes tiredly. "They serve as a method of defense against those that challenge the throne, though that hasn't occurred in some time."

Perking, Petra sat up. "Have you been challenged?"

"My father was. He was betrayed. It's a story for another night."

"Will our child have horns?"

His lids slipped closed. "It's likely, if we have a son. They're a dominant trait."

Petra's brows furrowed. "How do you know that?"

"I have children. Not solely with female Frost Giants. The males are all born with horns of various sizes."

Petra's chest grew tight. She didn't like the thought of other women bearing his offspring.

Loki interrupted her thoughts. "Sleep, Petra."

With a sigh of her own, she lay back against the pillows. Aching for something that at least resembled a normal connection, she squirmed closer to him. Not enough to touch, but enough to feel the coolness emanating from his skin.

"Goodnight," she murmured.

He responded with a grumble and she closed her eyes again, a small smile pulling at the corner of her mouth.