Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Marvel or any quotes you might recognise.

NYCTOPHILIA

Chapter 3

"Welcome to my nightmare,

I think you're gonna like it,

I think you're gonna feel you belong."

-Alice Cooper-

She stared down at the book in her hands. Her fingers gently traced the golden patterns on the leather cover. A smile slowly formed on her lips as she opened the book at a random page. This was the book the Dark Prince of Asgard was reading when she arrived. He truly surpassed her expectations and she savoured the feeling of her triumph in provoking him to the point where he showed his true self.

The look of utter disbelieve when he realised that she succeeded in drawing him out was the sweetest thing she had ever experienced. He definitely hated her with a passion now, but that was what she wanted. To see that rage burn like a voracious fire in his eyes and feel his power vibrating through his body, begging to be released to destroy and wreak havoc. She was playing a very dangerous game, one that was sorely needed to achieve her plan and for it to be successful.

The soft fall of nearing footsteps brought her out of her delightful thoughts and out of the corner of her eye she noticed his tall frame standing in front of the barrier between their cells. She deliberately ignored him and turned another page of the book in her hands.

"That belongs to me." He hissed and she almost failed to hide the smile that was forming on her lips.

Looks like someone got out of bed on the wrong foot, she thought as she slowly looked up at him.

He was staring down at her, his eyes threatening to bore right through her. Let's see if he is in a gaming mood.

"I just borrowed it. I hope you don't mind." She said in her sweetest voice.

His eyes narrowed and he took another step closer to the barrier.

"How did you manage to remove it from my cell?"

Ah, and this was the interesting part she was waiting for. She closed the book slowly and stood up from the chair she was sitting on.

"I went into your cell and took it." She answered and watched as a thrown formed between his brows.

Silence fell between them and she could see his mind racing to comprehend how she managed to enter his cell, which was logically impossible from his point of view, but not for her.

"How?"

He was definitely in a foul mood and a smile formed on her lips as her eyes travelled over his stoic posture, tall dark and handsome with a heart as cold as ice.

"I walked through the barrier and …"

"Impossible!" He hissed as he interrupted her rudely. "Do you think me a fool? Odin designed these cells himself and no force can penetrate them or undo them. Your display last night was but a mere illusion and don't think for one moment that I fell for it. Heed my warning you insufferable woman, I am done playing your vile games. If you attempt to mock me again you will pay dearly for it!"

She shook her head from side to side and clicked her tongue before she answered him.

"Why is it so impossible for you to believe a word I say? How many times do I have to prove you wrong before you realize I do not lie? Perhaps one more time?" She said and the next moment she flung the book at him.

It hid him straight in the chest and abruptly fell at his feet. He stared down at it for a while before he slowly raised his head and when their eyes met she knew she was in big trouble.

He stepped through the barrier like a predator stalking its pray and with a wave of his hand his full battle armour appeared on his body, complete with his horned helmet. The sight was intimidating and strangely alluring as her heart began to race and she took a small step back. Did she bit of more than she could chew?

In seconds he was on her and grabbed her with one hand around the throat and pushed her hard into the wall behind her. His long fingers choked her and she struggled to draw another breath as her hands automatically gripped around his wrist to try and free herself.

He stared down at her with those beautiful emerald eyes that shone with amusement as he watched her struggle in vain. A sly grin formed on his lips as he leaned down to her. His face was so close to her that she could feel his warm breath caressing her lips.

"I will destroy you in the most beautiful way possible and when I'm done you will finally understand why they call me a MONSTER!"

Her eyes widened as he tightened his grip around her throat, cutting of all her air supply. The edges of her vision began to swim in darkness and a strange ringing sound filled her ears. She frantically fought to stay conscious, but it was getting harder and harder.

Suddenly he loosened his deathly grip slightly and she sucked in a desperate breath and her vision slowly returned to normal as sweet air filled her lungs. She stared back at him as her chest heaved and when she read the emotion in his eyes her heart stopped and her body froze.

"On second thought, I must admit I quite enjoyed your attempt at playing the role of seductress very much last night. I would surely be a fool to waste such a given opportunity of indescribable pleasure, wouldn't you agree?" He said and pushed his body hard against hers.

Her hands flew to his chest and the cold metal of his armour burned into her skin. She swallowed hard as she stared back into his lust filled eyes. His other hand slowly and intimately pushed her hair over her shoulder to expose her neck and his fingers roughly grabbed the hair at the back of her head, forcing her head back.

"You truly are the most divine creature I have ever seen and I will enjoy every second as I ravish you and make you mine." He whispered softly and chills ran down her spine, her mouth fell open as he tightened his grip in her hair.

He crushed his lips to hers and she lost all control over her body. He slipped his tongue into her mouth roughly and deepened the kiss even more as he groaned into her mouth. Her eyes closed and sparks of electricity ran through her body as she shivered in his arms. Her fingers curled around his chest plate as her emotions took over and she answered his kiss with the same need. And in that moment when she surrendered to his will a surge of power pushed from her body and their seidr joined to form one.

He abruptly let her go and took a step back, his armour disappearing in a light green mist and she was left panting for breath, her heart racing at the speed of light.

A wave of different emotions crossed his face as he fought to get control over his own breath. He frowned back at her, shock and recognition settling in his eyes.

"Malia?"

The sound of her own name falling from his lips, ripped through her body and her knees threatened to buckle under the weight of her own body. A name she hadn't heard for over a thousand years. No, it was impossible she must have heard wrong. He could not know who she was.

He took a step closer to her and she pressed herself back into the wall like a frighten animal with nowhere to run or hide. He reached out to touch her and on instinct she slapped his hand away.

"Don't touch me!" She choked out and raised her hand, her palm facing him as she called on her seidr.

Her palm started to glow as she watched his hand fell to his side in defeat. A pleading light filled his eyes as he cocked his head to the side.

"I am sorry. I… I didn't recognise you. It's been so long and… I thought you dead." He whispered falling over his own words.

"Don't you remember? Remember our time spent in the gardens of the palace in Vanaheim?"

He took another step closer to her as his words tore open her long forgotten memories of a time spent with a boy which name she didn't know. Of laughter and joy, of stolen kisses under an old willow tree and a promise that he will return and take her away to see the golden city, a promise that they will never be apart ever again and that he will love her for eternity.

She wanted to scream, rip everything around her apart, and destroy everything in her path. She didn't want to feel. She didn't want to be reminded of a time when her heart was filled with hope, love. Love was weakness, a childish sentiment and there was no place for it in her dark heart.

"I remember watching my family burn. I remember there screams filling the air. I remember hiding, because I was too weak to do anything to stop it. I remember the look of satisfaction burning in murderer's eye as he watched my mother and sister stagger and fall to never rise again. I remember a promise I made that night, a promise that one day I will watch Asgard burn!" She hissed as a tear slowly streamed down her cheek and her body trembled with rage.

"Odin!" She heard him whisper and his eyes mirrored the rage that was threatening take over her senses.

She watched as he again tried to reach out to her and she couldn't take it anymore.

"Leave! Or so help me I will destroy you!" She screamed as she fought for control over her seidr.

"Malia, please! Please don't push me…!" He begged, his hand lingering in the air in front of her.

"LEAVE!" She screamed and released a blast of magic so powerful it incinerated the chair that stood behind him and the dust slowly settled to the floor around them.

He raised both his hands in surrender and slowly stepped back. Their eyes met one last time and the pain and sorrow that shone from his tore a hole in her heart.

He turned and walked through the barrier and with a wave of his hand it turned into a solid wall.

She fell to her knees, her palms flat against the floor in front of her as raw sobs tore from her chest and her tears stained the floor.

How she loathed her own traitorous heart. How she loathed him for igniting that spark of forgotten love and hope.

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A/N: Thanks a million for everyone that followed and favourited. I truly appreciate it! So, please let me know what you think?