Part Two
Sarah fidgeted at one of the tables. Her eyes kept glancing at the clock on the far wall, her watch, her phone…basically everything that could tell time. Her hour was almost up, and she wished it would hurry. She’d have given up and left twenty minutes ago if she’d thought Loki was outside waiting for her. He wouldn’t be outside in the rain. If he were going to wait, he would have just waited in the library with her, she’d reasoned.
She sighed, trying to focus again on the books in front of her, but she gave up. Her head was filled with eyes the color of spring grass, shoulder length black hair, and an oddly accented voice. As she gathered the books into a pile, preparing to put them back, she tried to place his accent. It wasn’t British…at least not any inflection she recognized. It wasn’t Australian either. Maybe somewhere in Europe?
Shaking her head, she set the books on the return cart, and gathered up her things. She wondered what he would think if he looked at her notes. His name figured prominently in the margins and several doodles which could only be considered him if one was being extremely generous. Hey, I tried, she thought, running her finger over one drawing.
She remembered the delicious sensation of his hand over hers as they’d held the umbrella. He had large strong hands with long nimble fingers. She shivered. Giving herself a shake, Sarah packed her bag, slipped on her jacket, scooped up Loki’s umbrella and headed for the door. She cleared the doorway with five minutes left to the hour. Well, maybe he would be early, she hoped.
Sarah skidded to a stop at the bottom of the library steps yet within the circle of light that ringed the library. Her eyes scanned the darkness which extended into the park, but she didn’t see him. Well, he wasn’t waiting for her. It looked like he wasn’t as impatient as she was. At least it had stopped raining while she was inside, she thought, even if the air still held a chill.
As she glanced into the park once more, she noticed a shadow that seemed to materialize from the deeper darkness. It seemed to shift, and Sarah retreated a step, suddenly unsure. The figure stepped closer to the light, and she realized it was Loki. He looked at her curiously. “Is everything all right?”
She returned his curious gaze. The shadow she’d seen…she shook her head. “Sorry,” she apologized, smiling at him, “probably reading a bit too much.”
“What was it you were researching again?” he asked, stopping in front of her.
“It’s really rather boring,” Sarah hedged, looking away.
He tipped her chin so their gazes met again. “Tell me.”
She found herself speaking before she even realized it, “I’m researching the role of Viking women in everyday life. Some archeological evidence suggests that there were many more female warriors than previously determined. There’s going to be an expedition to Newfoundland, and this paper I’m working on will determine if I can go or not.” She blinked, unsure why she’d mentioned that. Unsettled, she turned away from him and started down the dimly lit path through the park. After a moment, she heard his footsteps as he followed her. His hand curled around hers, and she found herself smiling as she twined her fingers with his.
“Why wouldn’t you be able to go, if that’s what you truly wish?” he asked, his black brows drawn in a frown.
“Only so many people can go with Dr. Engstrom. There’s only so much funding.” She shrugged. Beside her, Loki froze, and she opened her mouth to ask him why. His green eyes intent on hers, he shook his head before darting his gaze back into the darkness.
“Well, look at what we have here.”
There were four of them, and they spread out over the path. Belatedly, Sarah realized they were trying to surround them. Sarah had seen them before but never together. They had been hanging around on the fringes of campus for awhile. The campus police had put out warnings about them. Apparently they’d attacked a girl, and she’d filed a restraining order against them.
The park was in the heart of the campus. They weren’t allowed on campus. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a campus cop to handle them. Loki stepped in front of Sarah, his gaze never leaving the four in front of them.
“We don’t want any trouble,” Sarah said from behind him, her eyes darting among the four.
The tallest one, a blond, smirked. “It’s a shame you found us then,” he chuckled.
Loki’s eyes seemed in constant motion, moving between the four in front of them and into the trees just beyond the dim light. “Where’s your friend?” he asked. “Did he get lost in the trees?”
Sarah blinked at Loki. “What…” the word died on her lips as a fifth man stepped onto the path behind her. “Crap.”
Loki didn’t move, but said to Sarah, “Just trust me. You’ll be fine.”
“Ooh, your boyfriend thinks he’s all that…that he can take all of us.”
Loki smiled then. “I know I am,” he said simply, “and I not only can…I will take all of you.”
Sarah’s hand was light on Loki’s shoulder. “Loki…”
“Just trust me, Sarah. I will not let you be hurt,” he said, patting her hand.
“Oooh, Sarah, huh? I think we’re gonna have some fun tonight, Sarah,” the blond leader mocked.
It was the last thing he said because that’s the moment Loki chose to move, and he was Loki’s first target. The blond leader was on the ground before Sarah could blink. Loki’s hand shot out, and daggers flew, catching two and sending them flying backward.
An arm caught her, spinning her around. Sarah didn’t think. She lifted the umbrella Loki had given her and slammed it against her attacker’s head. He staggered, and she took the opportunity to kick him in the groin, hard. Her attacker sank to his knees with a groan.
“Well done,” Loki said at her ear, and Sarah whirled. He caught her and easily disarmed her. “It’s only me,” he explained, “you’re safe.”
She glanced over his shoulder and saw the truth of his words. The other four attackers were sprawled in various positions. Three were groaning in pain, much like her own attacker. Only one was eerily silent, the blond leader, who lay on his back in the middle of the path, seemingly unconscious. She turned back to Loki, and that’s when it clicked: why his name had been so familiar.
As part of her class, she’d been forced to read about Norse Mythology. Besides Thor, God of Thunder and King of Asgard, a key figure was his brother, Loki. He was a warrior, a god… Her eyes widened as she looked at him.
Loki sighed, “I see you realize who I am.” He took a slow step closer, his armor shimmering back to the black clothes he’d been wearing before, and waited for her to retreat. Sarah didn’t move but kept her eyes on his. “Are you afraid of me now?” he asked.
Afraid? she asked herself. “No,” she replied, “not afraid.” She took a step and closed the distance between them. She lightly touched the right side of his chest, which only moments before had been covered by armor. It didn’t feel like armor. It was just a leather jacket.
One finger under her chin tilted her face up so their eyes met. After a moment, he said softly, “Your eyes are full of questions.”
Her attacker chose that moment to gain his feet. He took one step toward them before Loki turned and looked at him. Her attacker took one look at Loki, another at his friends who were still unconscious on the ground, turned and ran back into the trees.
Sarah couldn’t fight the grin that curved her lips, but she sighed when she looked again at the others on the ground. She turned to find Loki looking at her curiously once more. “We should go,” she said, reclaiming the bag she’d dropped and his umbrella before taking his hand and leading him down the path through the park.
“For a drink?” he asked, letting her lead him. He twined his fingers with hers.
Sarah nodded, smiling at Loki over her shoulder.
***************************
Loki stood in front of Sarah’s desk, listening to her moving around her kitchen. He ran a hand over the different books on the shelves next to her desk. Many of the titles held no appeal for him but there was one which did. It was a thick volume, plain, but it peaked his interest. He leaned one hip against the desk and read.
He was still reading when Sarah came into the room, two steaming mugs in her hands. She blinked in surprise at the volume in his hands. “Which play are you reading?”
He hadn’t moved when she came in, so she doubted she’d surprised him. Without looking up, he quoted, “We cannot all be masters, nor all masters cannot be truly follow’d.”
Sarah frowned. “Which one is that from?”
One dark brow rose in question as he looked at her. “You don’t know?”
“I haven’t read the entire book yet,” she replied, crossing the room to him, and holding out one of the mugs to him. “I’ve only read a few old favorites.”
Loki closed the book and set it back on her desk. “Which ones?” he asked, taking one of the mugs from her. He looked at the tan liquid curiously.
“Macbeth, for one,” she replied, taking a sip from her mug. “And that’s just coffee.” She watched him take a reluctant sip. He blinked in surprise before taking a larger sip. She smiled behind her mug. “So, which play is that from?” she asked.
He held the mug in his hands, as if warming them. “Othello,” he replied, his eyes on the liquid in the mug. “But you have other questions, do you not?” He lifted his gaze to her.
She frowned, thinking, before saying, “We should sit down. This may take awhile.” Putting action to words, she headed to the couch on the other side of the small room. It faced a widescreen television set up with a Playstation 3 just beneath it, which Loki also eyed curiously. “Is this your first time here?”
He sat beside her, his eyes still on the electronics. “In your…apartment, yes,” he answered, pausing over the unfamiliar term.
This is going to be a long conversation, she thought.
“Is there something wrong with long conversation?” Loki asked, setting the mug on the table beside the couch and moving forward to investigate the television.
Sarah blinked. She hadn’t said that out loud. “You can read my mind?” she asked.
He didn’t reply; he was too busy investigating the television. He pushed a button, and the screen came on, revealing a rerun of Supernatural. He stepped back, startled, as the sound came on. He smiled. “This is extraordinary.”
Sam and Dean were talking to Balthazar about Celine Dion. “It’s the Titanic episode,” she mused aloud.
He turned to look at her. “The what?”
She opened her mouth to reply and then closed it again, shaking her head. “Never mind that,” she said, frowning at him. “You can read my mind?” she asked again.
He looked suddenly uncomfortable as he came back over, sitting beside her once more. He reclaimed his mug of coffee. “Yes,” he said, taking a sip. “Not just yours,” he said, smiling charmingly at her, “everyone’s.” She processed that and then struggled to remember what she’d thought about him while he was around. She blushed as she watched his smile widen before he drained the mug. “Is there more?” he asked, gesturing toward the mug.
Sarah nodded, draining her own mug. Rising, she took his mug from him and headed into the kitchen. Once the door between the living room and kitchen swung shut, she leaned on the counter in front of the coffeepot. He could read minds; he was a god, for crying out loud. She tried to remember everything she’d read about him in that Norse Mythology class. He was the adopted brother of Thor, who had become king of Asgard when Odin had stepped down. Loki was a warrior who had fought alongside Thor throughout the realms. Called the God of Mischief by some translations, he was also considered the God of Justice, as he dealt with a fairer hand than his brother.
Her thoughts focused on Loki as she automatically spooned sugar into both mugs, she hadn’t realized he’d entered the kitchen behind her until he spoke, “I’m not much different than you.”
Sarah’s hand shook, and sugar spilled over the countertop. She reached for a paper towel to clean up, and Loki moved behind her, his hand covering hers. She froze at his touch, her heart hammering in her ears. He turned her to face him, his body close. “You are afraid of me,” he softly accused.
She shook her head. “No, I’m not afraid,” she said. He didn’t frighten her; he intrigued her, and it wasn’t because of what he was. From the moment she’d encountered him on the way to the library, he’d fascinated her. He’d shared his umbrella with her and called her beautiful. He’s smiled at her, and she’d melted. He was unlike anyone she’d ever known, and she wanted to know so much more. Her eyes met his, and he looked away after a moment; his gaze sliding over her like a touch.
“Your heart,” he said, one hand lightly brushing over the left side of her chest, “it’s racing, pounding.”
She nodded. She couldn’t hide that if she tried. “That’s not from fear,” she said softly. She found herself clutching the counter behind her to keep her hands off of him. She wanted to touch him…peel those clothes off of him…
“Then what…” his gaze met hers, and she froze, seeing the wonder in his eyes. She blushed, realizing he must have read her thoughts. “Not just that,” he said, his voice as soft as hers. His fingers lightly traced the blush on her cheek. “Your eyes…I can see your need in your eyes.”
“Does that surprise you?” Her voice was husky, and her fingers ached from clutching at the countertop.
His hands slid over her shoulders and down her arms. “Yes,” he answered simply as his hands gently pulled hers away from the countertop and rested them on his chest.
Sarah’s fingers curled in the black fabric. “Why?” He was so close, but she needed to be closer. He shook his head, his hands gliding down her sides and around her, gripping her backside and pulling her closer against him. His body was hard against hers, and she couldn’t suppress a shudder at the hard length of him against her core. His grip tightened and he moved against her. She moaned but she caught herself, pushing against his chest. “No,” the word was a breathless whisper. She cleared her throat and tried again, “No.” Her voice was stronger but not by much. She leaned back and he met her gaze. Emerald fire swept over her, and she shuddered again. “Tell me why,” she demanded.
There was admiration in his small smile. “Very well,” he began, “you know about Thor.” It was a statement, not a question, but she nodded anyway. “Women have tried for years to get close to my brother through me or settled on me as being one step away from the throne.” Sarah thought there was more to it than that; that Loki didn’t quite understand the attraction he held in his own right. Again his lips twitched into a small smile. He moved forward, pressing intimately against her. She sucked in her breath, struggling to hold him at arm’s length. “But, you…” he shook his head, “you don’t see that when you look at me, do you?” He bent closer; his lips hovered over hers. “What do you see?”
“You,” she breathed, “I see you.” Her hands fisted in his shirt as she closed the distance between them and pressed her lips to his. It was his turn to shudder, and he kissed her back, his mouth moving expertly over hers. She groaned into his mouth, and he flexed his hips against hers. She moved against him, arching her hips against his.
He tore his mouth free, pressed his forehead against hers. “You steal my sanity,” he groaned.
“Then let us be mad together.” She let go of his shirt and slid her hands into his hair, pulling his mouth down to hers for another kiss.