Chapter 3
I couldn't take my eyes off Loki's as he stalked towards me. Slow and graceful; elegant. If I didn't know any better I'd say Loki was part cat. I thought it best to keep that comment to myself. I was already screwed enough. Should I run? Ha, I had nowhere to go. I was sure whatever hold was keeping Loki in this cell now had me too. Getting in was easy, getting out however...
He was towering over me now and I had yet to move. I was still paralyzed. Was it from fear, or was it those bright green eyes I couldn't bring myself to look away from? Loki was still smiling the same wicked smile. Then he grabbed my wrists with both hands and yanked me up so hard it caused me to cry out. He wanted me to stand, which was ironic since just days before he'd demanded a crowd of people in Germany to kneel before him. Though, that wasn't truly Loki.
He was gripping my wrists so hard I was sure to have bruises. That is, if I survived this.
I didn't even realize Loki had pushed me backwards until my back hit the cell wall, his body pressed hard against mine, pinning my wrists above my head with one hand. The other gently caressing my cheek.
Then it hit me.
No pain.
My eyes grew wide then. Loki had faked his injury.
The cell hadn't harmed him at all.
He'd lied to get me to show concern for him.
How had he known I would come to him?
How had he known I'd be that fucking stupid!
Though, in my defense, I had tripped. I never actually planned on entering Loki's cell.
Well, as they always say, 'curiosity killed the cat.'
'No.' I told myself. 'He won't hurt you. He needs you.'
He just didn't know it yet.
"Well, well, little one. Look at you, here, now, all vulnerable and alone in my cage." Loki's now husky voice made me weak at the knees, literally. If the son of a bitch hadn't been holding me up, I would have hit the floor. Why was I turned on right now?
And why did he smell so goddamn amazing?
I should have been terrified, concerned for my life, even. Instead, I couldn't help but find myself wanting to kiss those lips that threatened me so amazingly. I could feel his breath, his rapid heartbeat.
I wanted him so damn bad.
I had to be insane.
My eyes flicked from his eyes to his lips and he furrowed his brows. "What are you thinking, mortal?" His anger had turned to confusion as he eyed me intently. "Why are you not pleading for your miserable life?"
"B-because I know you don't want to hurt me." I sucked in a breath, bracing myself for the wrath that I had likely ensued, but Loki did nothing.
He just stared at me.
Now I wanted to know what he was thinking.
"You truly believe that?" His tone wasn't angry, but there was something to it.
I realized that Loki probably wasn't even sure if what he was and wasn't capable of anymore.
Before he would have never hurt me, or anyone. Only in battle-when necessary.
Then he had found out what he was, Jotunn; a Frost Giant.
How could anyone expect him to be okay with such a revelation when he had literally been raised to hate them?
To hate himself.
Loki truly thought he was nothing but a monster; nothing more than another stolen relic.
He thought he was supposed to hurt others; that it was expected of him now.
Though, I knew deep down he still didn't want to hurt anyone.
At least not anyone who didn't deserve it.
Also, Loki had been brainwashed and controlled over the past several days.
Not to mention what happened to him before he had been sent here.
He let go, expecting to die, only to find himself in Hell.
I couldn't blame Loki for his crazy and unstable behavior.
Loki was hurt, angry, lost.
I knew too much for my own damn good.
"I do." Was I getting through to him? I hoped. I really didn't want to die today.
"Then you are a fool!" he spat, tightening his grip around my wrists. "I should kill you right now." Loki leaned in, brushing his lips against my ear. "Just for knowing the things you know, I should kill you."
I swallowed. "Please, don't." His gaze flickered back to mine once more. "I can help you. I know you're innocent. If you kill me, they will never believe you. Let me help you." I hated to beg, but this was a guy who had literally nothing to live for.
Well, except for his mother. Wait...
"Your mother wouldn't want you to do this, Loki!" It was out of my mouth before I could allow myself the chance to wuss out. This could end in one of two ways right now.
One being death.
"She is not my mother!" Loki growled, eyes wide. "She never was..."
"She's still your mother. She loves you." I had seen the way Frigga adored Loki through his memories. They way she looked at him.
She loved her son.
"You lie!" Loki snarled, but I could tell he knew I was right.
"How much of my life did you see?" he choked.
"All of it." I might as well be honest. "Everything." He let go and took a few strides away from me. It was then I noticed the only thing in the cell was a bed and a shitty looking one at that.
Why did that even matter?
"You know nothing." Loki tried to convince me, or himself.
Perhaps both.
"I know too much." I admitted. "I know how this must feel, but I swear I only want to help you. I can help you."
"How! How can you possibly help me?!" he challenged, stepping into my personal bubble once again. "How can you even begin to mend someone as damaged as I?" The tone in his voice made me realize he was being serious.
He legit wanted to know what I was going to do; a mortal-for him; a god. Loki either didn't want to admit the fact that he knew that I knew exactly what he needed, or he was so stubborn he had refused to believe I could know such a thing, despite everything else I had claimed to know.
"I know what you need."
Loki snarled, pinning me back against the cell, slamming his hands against the glass beside my head.
He didn't even need to hold my arms. I was helpless either way.
"And what do I need, mortal?"
"Lily."
"What?"
"My name. It's Lily."
"I didn't ask for your name!" I could tell Loki's patience was wearing thin. "Do not make me repeat myself." he warned.
"I figured you'd at least want to know my name first."
Loki stared at me in complete and utter disbelief. "Are you mad, woman! I could kill you; break you."
"But you won't." I took a shaky breath. "You want to be touched. You crave affection, real affection, and not just some cheap whore you doesn't even know you. A whore who doesn't care to know you.
Even men like you need to be loved, Loki...
You want to feel equal to your brother, but Loki, you will never be his equal." Before he could take what I said wrong I continued quickly. "You are so much better than he is. Look at what you've accomplished, the things you can do. How brilliant you are. Thor is nothing without that hammer. Yes, he may still be strong, but you are stronger. Your power lies in here." I took one of his hands since Loki had stepped back just enough to allow me to maneuver mine; his demeanor no longer threatening.
"And here." I place the other hand to his temple, carefully, seeing as the last time I did that it hadn't gone so well, but to my surprise Loki didn't flinch from my touch this time.
"Everything you are is inside you. No one else sees it, but I do."
And I did. I saw how Loki was treated compared to Thor, as a child and as a young adult. He had to work twice as hard just to feel like he was even half as good as his brother.
I knew too much. I knew I shouldn't know this much about a person I hadn't met until today.
Hell, I should never know this much about a person.
I shouldn't feel this way.
I shouldn't care as much as I did. But that's just it. I did care. I cared more than I wanted to admit and I was willing to do anything to make Loki's pain go away, even if it was only for a few minutes.
I knew he would never trust me. He could never care for me as I did him, but right now that didn't matter. I didn't matter. Only Loki mattered. Before he could reply I grabbed his leather coat and pulled him forward, surprised I even caught him off guard, and kissed him. I kissed him hard and deep. I could tell he wanted to fight me, he may have even tried for a split second, but he couldn't fight me.
It was hard to fight something you so desperately wanted; something you craved.
I had him.
Loki was powerless to me. He needed me.
Perhaps I even needed him to.