The Rise to Heroism {Loki Laufeyson} Book One

Chapter Twenty-Seven

"AHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Oof!"

I open my eyes and see Thor on top of Loki. Thor appears savage, beaten up with a busted lip and dishevelled blonde hair that hangs just above Loki's face. Loki, fear eminent in his glare, thrashes around underneath him, desperate to break free of his brother's grasp on him.

"Touch her Loki, I dare you!" Thor growls.

"Nice to see you too, brother." Loki smirks.

Suddenly, Mjolnir whizzes past my face. I yelp and they both look at me. Mjolnir smacks into Loki's jaw, his head thrown back, laughing despite the obvious pain in his expression. My thoughts begin to cloud as I watch him. He seems so happy yet broken since forgetting me - like he's in mourning while dealing with fierce anger and minimal elation. I find myself standing there and wondering what he's been doing since I left. Of course, he's been hunting me down, according to him. He wants to kill me... the one person I love wants to have my head on a platter.

The same ache from when Thor told me he didn't remember me comes back. It's uncomfortable, making me want to freeze time and lie down on the floor before the both of them, crying silently. I haven't felt this scared and confused since my father. One second, he'd be the best person in my life until at night, after drinking out at lest three bars, he'd beat Mom and I to a pulp.

Right now, that's what it's like to love Loki. I love him, but I know that I should be scared of him.

"Mjolnir!" Loki exclaims. "How I've missed your kisses of pain." He laughs.

"Brother, what do you want with Rebecca?"

"What wouldn't I want with her? I mean look at her," They both look at me again - Thor, with interest and Loki, with hungry lust. I shift awkwardly, feeling as if I'm on The Bachelor and they're trying to size me up. I don't like this game. "What I wouldn't give to have her, for her to be mine to use and discard as I like!"

My heart breaks. He doesn't know what he's talking about. He's lost his memory, so he doesn't mean the words that he speaks, right?

The ache intensifies, memories of Dad flashing in my mind. Broken beer bottle in hand, police tape surrounding the alley he died in. As much as I denied it, I loved him deep down and was crushed when we got the call.

This will happen to Loki soon - but I'm not ready to lose him too.

Thor punches him and Loki cries out. "Why are you here?" Thor demands.

"To watch your precious earth burn with you and her in it." He snarls and blasts a bolt of energy at Thor. Thor flies into a pillar, the hole in the shape of his body.

Loki looks to me and I try to run but he's right there to grab me. He wraps his arms around me and presses the dagger to my throat again. "How does it feel, brother, to watch as the girl you love dies at the hands of your best friend?" What? What does he mean by that? Thor isn't in love with me. Is he? I mean - I know that the Thor I woke up with this morning wasn't Thor at all. It was Loki. But this - this doesn't make any sense...

"I know how it feels." I whisper, remembering the moment I woke up to find that the person I loved the most was completely stripped of any waking moment with me.

"What do you speak of, Loki?" It's plain on Thor's face - Loki's hit a nerve.

"Did you really think that I wouldn't put it together? The heartbroken look you gave me before putting me down like a dog? You pathetic, snivelling, muel! You'll rot in hell for trying to take what's mine!"

I freeze. How does he know about that if he lost his memory? What does he remember last? "How...?"

"Quiet." He hisses pressing the dagger in further. My eyes trail down and suddenly, I devise a quick plan. If he remembers us - what we've said and done - maybe he'll react to me the same way... My hands slip to his thighs and locate the sheath that holds his second dagger. Instead of pulling it out, my hands find themselves on his back and caress down it, eventually reaching his thighs again. I start to rub my palms against his skin and I feel him shudder but he doesn't stop me. I then pull the dagger out when his forearm relaxes against my neck, pushing away from him and slashing at his face. It cuts his cheek and he rears back screaming.

He falls to his knees and I kick his stomach, making him choke. He looks up at me with sad blue-green eyes and I hesitate for just a second. But that's just enough time for him to jump up and back hand me to the floor, bringing his staff down but I roll out of the way. He roars in anger and tries again, each time I dodge.

I then swipe my leg, kicking his feet out from under him. He slams against the floor and I scramble for another weapon. I spot a pole in the distance, recalling something Pepper had said; I thoroughly whacked him in the head with a pole. He finally recognized me.

I grab it, turning around to find Loki right there. He takes the pole and throws it away. He swings his staff toward me but I drop to my knees and push him backward. He stumbles, falling back to the floor. I reach for the pole and grab it, quickly turning around and hitting Loki in the head. He remains intact, unaffected.

Sometimes, I forget that's he's a god and completely unfazed by head traumas by poles to the skull...

He wraps his hands around my neck and brings my face to his. "Naughty girl." He says dangerously low. He throws me to the floor, planting his foot on my chest. "Did you really think you could win? Sweetheart, I am a god. You're a mere mortal. Though, I will admit that your fighting style surprised me. I figured you a weakling."

I shake my head, astonished. "You really don't remember do you?"

"Excuse me?" He blinks.

"You were the one who trained me. I was enrolled in your boot camp for army recruits. Are you telling me that you remember none of that?"

"I don't understand..." His brows furrow and I know that I've hit a nerve deep down. I have him right where I want him!

I continue digging. "Those moves are yours. You taught me how to use a dagger as skillfully as you could. You sent me to detention just so I'd make you pizzas every Thursday."

He shakes his head, obviously in denial but the pressure of his foot against my lungs lessens. "No..."

"You murdered my best friend right in front of me and then proceeded to kidnap me. Loki, please... listen to my voice - I mean, really listen. Do you honestly not recognize me?" I plead. My eyes start to blur as he stares at me shaking his head continuously. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe he doesn't remember anything since before the compound - doesn't remember me, doesn't remember us.

"I don't-" He stops, his eyes flashing. His blue-green eyes brighten and I know that he's back. "Becca?" He whispers.

I stop, nearly crying. "My name... you actually said my name..."

He shakes his head, eyes clouded. "I don't..."

"Yes, yes you do! Fight this, you can do it-" I try.

"Stop!"

Loki's eyes dull as he turns to the voice, his expression darkening.

I look to the doorway.

There, stands Jade.