The Rise to Heroism {Loki Laufeyson} Book One

Chapter Fifteen

"...itch!" Loki screams as we hurtle to the ground, me - clutching his torso.

I break away from him as I hit the snow with tremendous impact. It knocks the air right out of my lungs and I gasp, choking. I sit up, moving my limbs just to make sure that I haven't broken anything with the fall, but nothing stand out, so I decide that I'm okay.

A shadow blocks my light and I glance up at Loki who's face is twisted into an expression of pure hatred. He opens his mouth to scold me but a roar echoes in the distance. The blanketed ground rumbles so powerfully that I feel it in my chest, rattling my lungs. Over the snowy mountain, a huge beast comes barrelling toward the two of us. It's the size of a mansion, Snow White with menacing horns and beady black eyes. It had four rows of teeth - two on bottom, two on top - that look perfect for shredded human and godly flesh. I start to scream but Loki kneels to cover my mouth. "It's already startled enough. Don't make things worse than you already have." He sneers.

Standing, his staff materializes in his hands and he stands at the ready, preparing for the beast. Something about the way he stands tells me that he, too, is frightened. He's tense, rigid, like he isn't sure of what he's doing.

"You dare challenge my power? Do your worst beast!" Loki bellows. The beast roars, causing the ground to shake. It charges Loki. Loki raises his staff, summoning a large ball of energy channelled at the beast. As the beast gets closer, Loki shoots but the energy just bounces off, merely irritating the beast. Loki's eyes widen and I try my best to stifle a laugh. He turns to me, furious. "If it weren't for you, we wouldn't be in this mess you worthless wench!"

He faces the beast, trying again but it bounces off as it did before. It nears Loki just enough to hook him in its horns and throw him across the snowy land. Loki screams as he hurtles through the sky and again, I stifle a laugh.

That's when the beast turns on me, checking me over and making a move toward me. Screaming, I scramble to my feet and start running away but the beast is too fast. It climbs the mountain beside me and jumps, cutting me off. Panicking, I feel the gun strapped to my hip burn. My hands slip down to the holster and hastily pull it out, trying to steady my shaking hands. I close my eyes and look away as I fire.

I hear a loud roar and a thump. Opening my eyes, I see the beast limping toward me and I shoot several more times. Each time, the impact of the bullet causes the monster to roar indignantly.

Noticing that it doesn't intend to stop chasing me, I put the gun back in the holster and decide to execute a bit of hand to hand combat, just like Loki taught me at the compound. I pull the dagger out from its sheath and charge, screaming.

I jump onto it's back, its body temperature shocking me with it's fierce chill, reminding me of both Loki and Jade's skin. Jade... I wonder how she's doing back at the compound by herself. Is she making new friends that aren't dead or kidnapped? Did she throw a proper funeral for Blaine?

My heart starts to ache at the thought of them so I push the thoughts aside.

Stabbing the back of the beasts neck, it roars and falls. It goes limp and I slide off, falling in the snow.

Loki appears at my side. I refuse to meet his eyes and instead, start going the way opposite of him.

"Where are you going?" He calls.

"Somewhere you're not!"

"Rebecca!"

"Loki!" I call back mockingly.

He materializes in front of me and I yelp in surprise. Grabbing my shoulders, he forces me to look at him. "I've lost you enough in these past few weeks and I don't intend on losing you again." He says. I search his face; the God of Mischief is genuinely concerned for my safety? That's a first...