Chapter 2
"You can't pull a move like that in front of my parents today, Thor." Imogen warned as she tucked Shelby into a white baby suit. It was one of the one's she'd knitted herself. She was quite proud of it. Still, her eyes were serious as they levelled with Thor's across the bedroom, her bowed over the bed as she dressed their daughter. "Not like what you did last night. Not today."
Touching her while she fed her baby was ... morally debatable as it as, but in front of her parents...no, that was where she put her foot down. At least Shelby was unaware of what had been happening.
Thor just smirked at her, a grin so feral and sexy it almost made her forget herself and her seriousness - and just beg him to take her now. She held on to her composure and watched him finish the last adjustments to his armour before he gave her his full attention. "Are you commanding your prince?" he asked in a teasing voice, but one dripping with all the authority he rightfully possessed.
Like Imogen was intimidated. "Maybe I am." she said boldly. Unrelenting.
The growl rumbled powerfully through Thor's chest as his eyes darkened a handful of shades. Imogen didn't even have time to straighten up, let alone move before Thor strode forward and grabbed her, pulling her tightly to him.
She gasped as she came into hard contact with the cool metal plates of his armour, and the heat burning through his breaches from his erection. Her hips ground into it of their own accord, her lips parting in a silent appreciative sigh as Thor's hands held her tight and strong, looming in on her.
"And who's going to stop me?" he murmured, his lips millimeters apart from hers, hot breath breathing over her mouth tantilisingly.
They were late after all.
Imogen tried not to be too flustered as she walked with Thor through the Asgardian streets towards her parent's house. The only other time they'd made this journey was when she'd been his 'mistress'. She hadn't even slept with him back then. That was a whole year ago.
Since then, so much had changed. For her family, that was. The streets and the people were the same, but for her mother and father, so much was different from those days scrapping for medicine money.
Imogen glanced to Thor beside her; her mother was alive because of him, and probably only because of him.
His gaze was trained forward guardedly. Watching. Protecting. Imogen didn't really think that anyone would attack her out in the open, but there was no telling Thor that. This was different to the first time they'd come down this road. Now, she was a royal. Now, there were people that wished her greater harms than simply being banished from the palace.
"Don't be so cautious." she muttered, pressing her lips together. She turned to look head but still caught Thor's sharp glance. "If someone was going to do something they would have done it by now."
She appreciated the concern but... gods, could they not just act like a normal couple? He could put his arm around her - now that would make her feel safe! Not this watchfulness of his, silent and foreboding. Last time they'd come this way they'd talked all the way...
Shelby let out a quiet whine and stretched out in Imogen's arms, restricted by the blanket they as wrapped around her. It momentarily distracted her mother from Thor's sharp gaze.
This wasn't right, she thought with a frown. They were married now, no more secrets and pretenses... but it didn't feel like they were a couple in love. More like a prince and his maid. Or a woman and her guard. Her heart sank with horror at the thought. What was happening to them?
She stopped in her tracks.
Her eyes stared ahead vacantly; she didn't want to go to her parents like this. She vaguely caught Thor stop a stride ahead of her, turning with a furrowed brow to his stilled wife.
Her heart skipped a beat, all of her feeling light and anxious as he took step back to her.
Then she felt angry. Her violet orbs swirled violently back to life as they burned and angled towards the approaching thunder god. Glancing past him, she spotted the cottage.
It was bigger than the last time they'd visited, their daughter's marriage to the prince granting them many riches. But they were humble folk. The only luxuries they allowed themselves was to make their home more comfortable. Her father still worked, even though he needn't bother if he didn't want to. Only he did want to. Her parents old fashioned ideals of work-for-what-you-have clung to them even now.
Imogen let her gaze move back to Thor, feeling the strength course through her inside. The weight of the baby in her arms only spurred her on.
"Stop it." she snapped. Thor's eyes blinked wide with surprise. He hadn't been expecting her to say that, whatever he'd thought. "If we go in that house, you'd better start to at least act content. I'll not have you make a fool of me in front of my own parents."
Why was it that they were always fine with each other.. until it wasn't just 'each other' anymore? As soon as they were in public, the tension between them thickened. Odd, Imogen thought. He'd been more than happy to parade her as his mistress but now as his wife... the shock was evident on his face at her blunt warning, but she hardly cared. She meant it. Her parents had been through so much this past eighteen months. She wasn't going to let Thor burden them again with whatever was darkening his mood.
The shock soon wore out though. "What is wrong with you today?" he growled, eyes darkening and narrowing. Yes, she thought, definitely angry. "You have been bitter all morning."
"Me bitter?" Imogen's eyebrows raised. "Who is the one who hadn't even so much as a word to me since we left the palace?"
"I am guarding your safety." Each word was crisp and stiff through gritted teeth.
His eyes were blazing. A part of Imogen quaked in fear, but she refused to give it surface. She would never afraid of Thor, no matter what he did. No matter how true it was. That was a defeat her pride would never allow to happen.
Her eyebrows wriggled challengingly. "I feel guarded all right." she said quietly, but knowing Thor heard every word. "But not for my safety."
For a dangerous quiet second Thor said nothing. His molten blue eyes swirled at her, highlighting his tested patience. Imogen waited for it to snap. When he was this still, this towering, there was no going back.
She waited for the explosion.
His gaze almost sent shivers of fear down her spine as it would any other man, but not her. She'd been pinned to the wall by an angry Thor once and she hadn't let her skipping heart show. She'd stared him down calmly. As she did now.
Thor's voice was low and deadly when he finally spoke, eyes brightening - but not in a good way. "You think I am not content?"
Imogen had barely taken in his raised eyebrows before Thor grabbed her arm, and Imogen had to cling to Shelby to keep her safety tucked to her. She let out a protesting groan though, squirming.
That alarmed Imogen. Whatever Thor had against her, she wouldn't let him harm Shelby. He was being too rough. "Thor, for gods' sake, Shelby-"
"So long as your clumsiness does not drop her she will be fine."
Clumsiness?! Her body numbed with what he'd said to her, her jaw dropping with so many cruel remarks that never found sound. Clumsiness... she was not clumsy! How dare he-
The dark threat was shoved out of her head with a twinge from her arm, and it pulled her eyes up. Her face paled when she saw where Thor was dragging her to - the barn. Shit. He knew about the barn - what had happened in there between her and - a quick, hard tug and they were at the door, Thor's single strong hand swinging it wide open effortlessly.
Words just couldn't describe her horror as Thor harshly released her, leaving her staring at three workers, open mouthed and just as shocked as she was.
"Leave us." was all Thor barked as he strode to the back of the barn, inspecting it.
Imogen didn't move. Her eyes flickered to the retreating men, suddenly feeling very vulnerable at being shut in alone with this angry god. The door thudded shut and she jumped harshly.
It was just as she remembered it. Not the tallest barn in Asgard - but one didn't want a tall building full of dried grass when there were the blacksmith's furnaces not far down the street. The hay was piled in sizeable mounts around the wall of the barn, until it reached the bars of the empty stalls along the back, though bales were scattered all around the floor.
They were alone, not even livestock to hear their argument as Thor, satisfied the barn was empty, turned back to her.
He looked enraged.
"What, pray tell, would suggest that I am ill contented?" he asked, taking long, lazy, slow strides towards Imogen.
She clutched Shelby closer nervously. His voice sounded so calm, but the tense jaw, the piercing eyes... they said otherwise. She stood her ground defiantly though.
"You're cold to me." was all she said, eyes leveling boldly with her husband's. It stopped him in his tracks. "Before we were married we walked down this same pathway arm in arm, smiling and laughing and..." her head shook, shaking the hurt from her orbs - they rose defiant and strong to Thor. "And now you can't even look at me."
He looked shocked. As in, bolt shocked. The anger was still there, but the tense jaw had dropped - literally - and the narrowed eyes were wide with what he was hearing. Imogen couldn't read it. What was he thinking?
He ran a hand over his mouth, closing it and screwed his eyes shut, like he was thinking hard. Imogen's heart raced as she waited.
When they snapped open again though, they were the eyes of a commanding king. "Put Shelby down on the hay." he said in a no-nonsense voice.
For once in her life, Imogen decided it was best to do as she was told: she crossed to the side of the barn to where the hay was safety bound and lay Shelby on top of it, clear away from the edge or from the dirty wall. Straightening up, she silently apologised to the baby that they couldn't have just had a normal day.
She turned back to Thor, unsure what was going to happen. Was he going to shout at her? Hit her? He'd never hit her before... but then she'd never upset him so before. She clenched her fists, holding on to her composure even though something inside her quaked when Thor advanced a step.
His eyes gleamed darkly. "I don't like being accused of such things, Imogen." he said quietly. "I cast aside pride and tradition to make you my bride and now you claim I regret that? I never regret choosing you."
His steps brought him closer, until he was right in front of Imogen, towering over her. She said nothing, glaring with her violet orbs. Her arms folded across her chest.
Thor's eyes flickered down to them. "Don't cross your arms at me." he warned.
Imogen's eyebrows danced coolly in reply. Her arms stayed in place. Her eyes said it for her: make me.
The spark of excitement jumped in Thor's orbs at her defiance. It took him back to when he'd first met her: proud, stubborn, defiant, argumentative... alluring. His eyes scoured over the rest of her. Her generous hip was pushed out more on one side than the other, her crossed arms pushing her generous chest up closer to the low v-shaped neck line of her dress. She was just so tempting...
The thunder god was soon clashed between anger and the tight, hot pressure in his groin. He remembered the last time he'd felt this way. Back in the corridor, after their first night together... he'd been so angry... and Imogen had been so pinned to the wall while he'd pressed his body against hers.
The wicked smirk started to cross his lips, eyes darkening with lust. Imogen's eyes blinked round with surprise but she didn't get a chance to say anything as Thor's hands reached for her, thudding her firmly against him. Her arms unfolded to brace against his chest as Thor held her to him, his erection digging into her belly. There was no way she couldn't feel that! Her eyes lowered and her lips parted, sucking in a shaky breath.
"Does this feel like I am ill contented with you?"
Imogen didn't have the words to answer as Thor held her against him, one hand running down her backside. The loose material of her dress made it easy for him to dip his hand between her legs from behind, rubbing her core.
Her hips pushed against Thor's of their own accord, and she cursed her betraying body. It was a moot point though, as pleasure zinged through her.
Her lips parted in a heated sigh, eyes fluttering shut. Her hands found his biceps and she didn't want to see what sort of smug grin must be on his face at her reaction. Her knees were starting to feel weak.
A quiet gasp left her, hands clenching.
"Look at me."
His command was undenyable, and Imogen blinked her lustful orbs to his. Her heart dropped to her stomach at his angry blaze.
What? But he was-
"Would you prefer to be married to Elga's beloved instead?" Thor growled, his other hand working the hem of her skirt up her body. Imogen couldn't take her eyes off his burning orbs. "He touched you in this barn, did he not?" His fingers trailed tantilizingly up the inside of her thigh, until his digits finally reached her dampness. A whimper left her as Thor circled his finger around her core. His eyes were burning: "You think he could satisfy you better than I could?"
No, she screamed in her head. In reality though all she heard from her was the thudding of her heart, the quiet moan as Thor's finger pressed into her slightly.
Oh gods, he was going to drive her insane with want!
"I want you, Imogen." Thor went on huskily, wrapping the arm not between her legs around her back, hugging her to him. He propped her head under his chin, his hand cupping the back of her head to hold her in place. Suddenly, despite the fact that he was touching her, she felt very relaxed, loved, like they were just holding each other tenderly. "And if anything ever happened to you or to Shelby, I would never forgive myself."
Imogen's heart was working on overdrive. Okay, she could forgive that, the protectiveness. Fine - whatever - it was almost a moot point now as his finger tempted her between her legs, teased her...
She groaned. Okay, she understood now, she accepted it - would he please just get on with it?!
"I cannot afford to let my guard down." he rasped, pushing his finger into slightly deeper depths within her. "A moment of carelessness for a lifetime of sorrow. I need my senses alert, my hands free ..." His mouth dipped down to graze her ear tenderly. "And a simple touch of you always sparks a need for more."
Another moan left her lips. She could understand the need he was talking about. Oh, so desperately. Her hips rolled back, trying to prise him deeper into her body.
Her hands gripped at his arms, but his strong second skin armour was hard to the touch, denying her his skin.
"Like now." he rasped, hand on the small of her back pulling her closer, fisting with restraint. "I need you now."
"Thor!"
She wasn't sure if it was a gasp of protest or need as Thor's hands wrenched her up, wrapping her legs around his waist. He rushed her back, her arms wrapping around his neck as her thoughts were replaced with urgent bursts of now, now, now!
Her back thudded against the loose piles of hay against the wall, and she tore at the skirt of her dress, Thor's hands holding her up by the underside of her thighs.
One of them turned to push his trousers down his hips, and Imogen sighed as his hot need touched hers, his hands on her hips thudding her closer. Her hands hooked in the neckline of Thor's armour and used the to tug him down to her mouth for an urgent kiss as he drove into her, swallowing her cries.
"You see." Thor panted as he thrust into her, hard, fast and punishing. His eyes were burning hot coals, searing into her soul with desire. "This is what you do to me."
Imogen just gasped, the intensity of Thor's gaze and his thrusts just blowing her mind. He filled her so well, driving into her so good...
"Do you still think I don't care for you?"
A particuluarly accurate thrust had her whimpering, her lower body just quivering. Her inner muscles gripped him tight as he plowed into her, like she would die without him there.
His hand tore down the front of her low cut dress and palmed her exposed, aching breast, kneading it strongly. He wasn't holding back now.
A part of her vaguely remembered the workers waiting outside. If she screamed would they come to try and help? Would they think she was in danger? Her eyes rolled and she groaned hard at the thought, body clenching around her husband - this was so not something she needed to be rescued from.
His fingers pinched her nipple, weeping with tiny white droplets. She would have been ashamed were it not for Thor's hips driving her into next century.
"Could he please you like this?" Thor growled, burning eyes demanding her gaze. "Did he make you feel this way?"
His mouth dipped down to her breast and Imogen cried out as she felt his teeth lightly tug on her nipple, her hips bucking hard against his. Her mind was just a jumble from the onslaught of pleasure she was recieving. If this is what he did when she doubted him... then, damn, she should get him mad more often!
His teeth pinched in a way that bordered on pain, Imogen's body thrashing. "Answer me." he snarled against her.
Her hands gripped his hair, not sure whether to tug him away or hold him closer as she tried to channel the heat flooding through her. "Ah!" she cried, feeling her lower body trembling already. "No."
She felt like she was breaking her body quivered so bad. But - oh! - he was just divine, conquering her like this. She clenched around him, every muscle in her body tensing as Thor's hips drove her higher and higher, her consciousness lifting lighter and lighter from her body until-
Her voice quivered in a strangled groan as she came hard, tears in her eyes from it's intensity. Oh gods... this was incredible! She felt light enough to be realms away as Thor slammed into her and stilled, and she vaguely felt the inner warmth of him emptying himself in her.
His rasps were hot on her breast as they both fluttered down to reality, trying to pull together their thoughts. He was still inside her.
Imogen's fingers started to comb through Thor's blonde hair as she returned to her body, breaths gasping through her lungs. She didn't want to move. Not yet. Lying on the hay with her husband inside her and leaning on her breast... yeah, she was pretty happy where she was.
At least Thor had been given back some of his rationality, even if she hadn't: his hand steadied her hip as he slowly eased out of her, the definitive sigh of his warning the end of her dreamy bliss.
His head lifted from her breast and tucked her back into her dress, fluttering the skirt over her legs as he stepped away. He tugged his trousers back up as he turned away.
"I think we've kept your parents waiting long enough." he said, his voice still sounding a little raspy.
Imogen tried not to feel too proud of that fact. She eased herself down from the hay and waited for her knees to stop trembling before she took a step forward. Then another. She slowly made her way to her husband and wound her arms around his waist from behind, his armour cool against her cheek.
She didn't care. He'd made her feel so... wow...
"So much for the honourable prince I thought I'd married." she murmured with a smirk, the flushed skin of her face steaming up the metal plates of his armour slightly.
His chuckle bobbed his body. She loosened her arms as she felt him turn and grinned up at him sly as he twisted in her hold until he faced her, and his arms were engulfing her rather than the other way around. He grinned wolfishly down at her. "Even we honourable princes succum to our most basic instincts when our stubborn wives test our patience so." He leaned down and pressed a cute kiss to her nose, before he straightened up and stepped back, arms melting from around her.
Imogen understood, as he turned to the barn door, running a hand through his hair; they really had left her parents waiting long enough now!
Thor's grin and sparkling eye met her before she could sigh with disappointment that their moment was over. He strode towards the door, passing her as he went. "Go and get your daughter, wench, so we can be on our way."
Imogen yelped as his hand made playful contact with her bottom and he threw a smirk over his shoulder, waltzing lazily to the door. How could she not just grin at that? That man...
She hurried to grab her baby before sunlight streamed back into the barn, and the sound of questioning voices caught her attention. The workers had been waiting after all, she thought as she walked to the door with Shelby in her arms, Thor clearly negotiating calmly with the small group of men he'd chased out earlier.
She walked over to join them. Thor glanced at her as she approached and his hand touched her shoulder gently. The workers followed his touch and the effect was incredible: when they saw Imogen - and maybe the tell-tale flush of her cheeks - a fair few just melted away with murmured apologies.
Only two remained. An older looking man who Imogen guessed had been in charge of the workers and a young man with shaggy dark hair and stubble.
Her brow dug in a frown. She knew this man.
His eyes lit up with surprise too as he recognised her, the smile stretching his thin lips. "Imogen?" he chuckled, eyes scouring her curiously. They lingered on the baby.
Thor's head snapped to Imogen so fast his neck clicked and she felt her cheeks flush. Well, this is awkward, she thought in her head with a sigh. She didn't need to glance up at Thor to know his eyes were dark, serious, maybe narrowed, but definitely demanding to know how this man knew her.
Her blush deepened. "Thor, this is Koli." Her eyes flittered up from the man's handsom face to her husband, forcing her face to stay impassive to his blazing eyes. Yes, exactly as she'd thought. Not impassive, she decided quickly, apologetic: her shoulders lifted in an awkward shrug. "Elga's beloved."
That sparked recognition. The anger drained out of Thor's eyes as he remembered the woman who he'd had locked in prison in Imogen's place for framing her... and her beloved. He glanced behind him at the barn. The smirk was already forming on his face.
Imogen fought the urge to roll her eyes. "Koli, this is Thor... my husband."
She'd caught the glint in the workers eyes and thought it was time to set the record straight. That's right, she thought as the man's eyebrows lifted, husband.
"I'd heard about that." he murmured, shifting his gaze to Thor, a little more respectfully than before. "So you are the man who put my woman in jail."
Thor stood his ground. "I hope there are no hard feelings about that."
Imogen could see the spark of possessiveness in his orbs at facing his old adversary. This was the man, without whom, he probably never would have met Imogen. The only one ever to touch her intimately besides himself... his thoughts strayed back to the barn and he couldn't fight the smirk again - yeah, he definitely won.
"None, my Lord." Koli shook his head, bowing it slightly. His hands clasped formaly behind his back, though his grubby grey shirt and trousers and grime stained face spoilt the image somewhat. "The law is the law."
Good answer, Imogen mused. She knew the question had been one to try and trip him up, making him fast choose either his loyalty to Thor or to Elga. Wisely, he'd chosen the former.
Still... she shifted awkwardly, knowing that Thor's thoughts were still lingering on the barn. On both encounters. She rolled her eyes: men!
She wasn't sure if Koli understood why Thor just smirked at him, lifting his eyebrows in a confident, superior expression, but she did, and Koli wisely didn't question it. Thor didn't say anything as his eyes roamed up and down the worker, sceptically.
His eyes said it for him, glinting with arrogance: I'm better than you, he thought proudly.
Imogen grinned as her husband turned from the worker and walked on towards the cottage. She could hardly say he was wrong after that, between her legs still tingling with well use! She trotted after her husband as smoothly as she could with Shelby in her arms, grinning like an idiot by the time she caught up with him.
Koli was well forgotten behind her.
"Satisfied?"
Thor just arched an eyebrow, though his gaze stayed forward. "Are you challenging my level of content again? Because if you are, I should warn you of the fallout. Though I would hardly complain, I don't think your parents would appreciate me taking you in the middle of their humble abode."
Imogen pressed her lips together in an amused smirk, trying to hold back the chuckles. When his eyes glanced down to her though, sparkling with mischief, she failed. She giggled like a little girl.
"That's better."Thor breathed as they stepped up to the cottage's front door, winding an arm warmly around her shoulders. "Let's not fight anymore today."
Imogen nodded in agreement as Thor rapped on her parent's door, smiling happily.