All Hail The King // Loki - Book 2 ✓

Chapter 42

SHIFTING UNDER the heavy bedcovers, Anna turns to the side. Instead of finding Loki, the impossibly soft sheets are bare - his pillow is rumpled - and there's no sign of the fallen Asgardian prince. Panic surges through her for a moment, especially considering what just happened, and she sits up whilst clutching the covers to her chest.

She didn't intend for it to happen. When she was waiting for the Bifrost to open, she remembered the words Odin said to her at the funeral, the words that Loki whispered to her just before swearing an oath binding his soul to hers. It was a long shot - surely Loki could've learned the expression from Odin himself - but something in her gut told her that it was Loki. That he was still alive. That he wouldn't leave her like that.

When he revealed himself, a whole horde of emotions rushed through her. Shock. Fury. Relief. Love. Everything happened all at once. He was dead, she had accepted that he was, and suddenly his arms were around her. His lips pressed against hers, and everything was well in the universe. She lost herself in the whirlwind, carried away with passion for the man she thought she'd never see again, and they slept together. There was no regret. Loki was...intense, to say the least, and every second of their coupling had been sheer euphoria.

It's only now, alone and naked in his bedroom, that Anna realizes what has happened. A blush burns in her cheeks when she thinks about it, and part of her wonders if he wasn't...well...satisfied. He is practically a god, while she certainly is not. Shaking her head, she pushes the thought from her mind. Now is not the time nor the place to be self-conscious. What's done is done, and now she has to move forward. Ideally with Loki, but she's been forced to pick up the pieces and move on after losing someone she loved before. She can do it again if necessary.

Her mind begins to settle, and she exhales slowly. Loki is alive. He's alive. A broad smile grows on her face at the thought, despite doubts that begin to trickle in through the corners of her mind. How did he survive? She watched him die at the hands of that monster. She held him, his blood coating her hands, while the light left his eyes. How do you come back from that?

Another thought pops into her head, and her smile disappears. Loki was impersonating Odin again. Why? Did he know that the Allfather wouldn't attend his funeral? Was he curious to see who would mourn him? Was it all some big joke?

The door opens, cutting through the flood of questions swarming her thoughts. Loki steps inside, a tray piled with food balanced on one hand. He smiles when he sees her, carefully closing the door behind him, and placing the tray on the table beside the bed.

"Did you sleep well, my love?" He purrs, green eyes glittering in the afternoon light. "I thought you might need sustenance...to restore your strength."

She blushes at the lascivious tone in his voice, sitting up straighter and wrapping the blankets around her chest, "I didn't know if you were coming back."

"Would I not?" He lifts an eyebrow. "The greatest treasure in all the Nine Realms is in my bed. Nothing could keep me away."

He lifts a piece of fruit, similar to a peach, and brings it to Anna's lips. Giving him a wry smile, she opens her mouth to allow him to feed her, savoring the sweetness of the fruit as a trickle of juice runs down the corner of her mouth. Loki laughs, leaning forward and kissing the corner of her mouth to lick the juice clean.

"That's delicious," Anna says.

Loki runs his other hand up her bare arm, "Yes, you are."

"Loki," she rolls her eyes, "None of that silver tongue. You don't need to seduce me. I'm already here."

The corner of his mouth turns upward, "Ah, but I am simply speaking the truth. I cannot help it if you are so wonderful that words can hardly express it."

His hand wanders across her shoulders, gently caressing her back, before attempting to slip beneath the blanket. Anna resists, clutching it tightly to her, and goes rigid. Frowning, Loki drops his hand and straightens. She did not refuse his attentions earlier, so he is confused at why she is beginning to do so now.

"What is it?" Loki asks, adopting a blank expression.

Anna bites her lip, thinking of the words, "Nothing, it's..."

"...does my touch repel you?" He demands. "Is the thought of uniting with a monster so disgu--"

"Loki, no," she replies firmly, cutting him off. "Don't do that."

Relief spreads over his features, and she intertwines her fingers with his. Using his other hand, he closes her palm between both of his. She waits patiently for him to bring his temper under control, watching as the tension dissipates from his jaw.

"I'm sorry," Anna says softly. "It's just...I can't go back to the way things were before. Not so quickly. I know it's only been a few days, Loki, but...you died. I watched you die. I need to, I don't know. I don't know..."

Her voice trails, and he frowns, "You're angry with me."

"Yes!" She throws up her other hand. "Yes, I'm angry with you. How could you do this to me? How could you leave me? You...you...lied to me. I'm furious with you, but at the same time I'm starting to question if I should be angry with myself for trusting you - which only makes me feel worse. I don't want to doubt you, Loki."

"Then don't," Loki replies simply.

Anna sighs, "Then tell me the truth."

He doesn't respond, his thumb no longer brushing across her wrist, and Anna groans. Pulling her hand away from his, she slides out of the bed - pulling the sheet with her - and wraps it around her body. Loki rises to his feet, circling the bed slowly while Anna tries to collect her clothes.

"What are you doing?" He asks.

She doesn't look at him, "I'm leaving."

"Anna, be reasonable. You can't go, not now. Please, just...stay," Loki urges.

"No, Loki," she snaps. "No more. I'm going to go find Odin, then I'm going back to Midgard. Thor doesn't know you're alive, so I'll find him and be back in a few days. Hopefully you'll be ready to tell me the truth by then."

Snatching up her clothes, Anna tries to brush past him toward the bathroom, but his arm snakes out to stop her. His fingers are tight around her upper arm, the grip bruising, and she glares up at him. If it weren't for the fact that her other arm is occupied with clutching the sheet to her chest, she'd be tempted to slap him again.

"Let go of me," she demands attempting to yank away from him.

"You want to know the truth?" Loki tightens his grip, tugging her closer to him. His emerald eyes are bright with anger, and a sliver of fear cuts straight through Anna as he lowers his voice to a venom-filled whisper. "Odin is dead." 

Now playing: "Woman" by Timber Timbre.