Stained (N.R)

Chapter 2

Both turned at my voice.

Natalia stood in shock, still trembling, her green eyes soft and her voice broken. "Katyusha?"

"The dead is back," Loki laughed in glee, not at all seeming surprised. "Back to bargain against the living. She has betrayed you, maimed you, killed you, yet you still grovel at her feet."

"Toying with emotions, Loki, is that your plan?" I threw the card into the air, watching as it turned into a sleek black leopard. "Making them fight among themselves?"

"Your plan is Banner." Natalia seemed to compose herself in a second, returning back to her usual self, as if nothing happened, despite the fact that she would not look me at all.

She hurried out of the room, talking into her earpiece. "Loki means to unleashed the Hulk, keep Banner in the lab, I'm on my way. Send Thor as well."

Before she went, she hesitated at the door, opened her mouth as if to speak, but thought against it and disappeared into the hallway.

"On her behalf, God of mischief, thank you for your co-operation." I bowed, tilting my head at him.

Loki raised an eyebrow, amused."So this is love."

"I would have preferred the term possessiveness. But, no, you are correct. She has all the power over me."

He shook his head. "You are one of a kind, Reaper."

I stroked Diana's head as she nudged her head on my waist. "An ugly name they gave, but very descriptive."

"I do not believe you are here for chitchat." He rolled his eyes. 

"Actually, I am here to see the monkey in the cage." I ignored his murderous glare and mused to myself. "It is not every day you see a psychopathic sociopath. I wonder what your soul will be like. I personally think the body of a serpent will suit you good. But flying monkeys will also be well acquainted with your personality, Although you may suit Elphaba better, since you both have a excess liking of black and green." 

He scoffed and nodded his head up and down, as if counting. Half a minute passed, and I stiffened. Pluto sent a warning my way and I looked over at Loki. Then the pieces all clicked together. "The scepter, all of them together, that is your plan B isn't it. If someone figures out about plan A, they would either gather around the Scepter, or avoid it. And your strike team must be on the way. They would be faced with an unguarded scepter or the Avengers in disarray. Either way, we have to face you on your strong side. Clever. "

He spread his hands, as if looking for praise. "Will you stay to watch over my victories, Ms Dreykov?"

Then an explosion shook the whole of the airship. I paled, running for the hallway. "I think I will pass on that, Mr Elphaba."

"Aren't you going to stand guard over me?" Loki mocked, "Now that you know they came to free me."

"Them freeing you or not is not my business. " I shouted over my shoulder. 

'Natalia, however, is.' I added in my head, whilst scrambling over debris, searching desperately for the familiar red head.

"Diana," I vaulted onto the leopard's back. "Detect." 

The leopard carried me through the remains of the hallway, jumping down cracks into the scaffolding of the air ship. There, on a metal platform, lay a red head, clearly dazed from her fall, her left leg stuck under a iron pipe.

"Diana, cut it ." I ordered whilst slipping off her to kneel at Natalia's side. Diana's claws protruded, tearing the pipe into shreds. I helped the red head to her feet. "Natalia."