Chapter 2
Maggie woke up screaming, batting at the hands on her shoulders. “What the hell, Mags?!?!” Kat, her roommate, cried, jumping back as Maggie cowered from her. “You didn’t get up when your alarm went off, so I was just trying to wake you up. Geez.”
Maggie struggled for a deep breath. She was shaking and her chest still throbbed, but at least she’d stopped screaming. It had only been this bad a couple of times…the last two times Loki had visited her in her dreams.
She looked at Kat. “I’m sorry…about…the alarm,” she gasped out.
“It’s all right,” Kat said, sitting gingerly on the edge of the bed. She cleared her throat, avoiding Maggie’s eyes, “You dreamed of him again, didn’t you?” she asked. She glanced at Maggie nervously. “That’s why you couldn’t wake up.”
Maggie only nodded. This was a sore subject between them, and Kat knew it.
“Mags, don’t you think this is a problem?” she asked then continued quickly before Maggie could answer, “I mean, this has happened three times now…”
“I’m fine, Kat,” Maggie said, and she was. The shaking had mostly stopped, and the ripping feeling in her chest had faded to a dull burn. “And the last time was over a month ago.”
“But, Mags…”
“I’m. Fine,” she repeated more slowly, and started scooting to the edge of the bed.
Kat jumped up. “Damn it, Mags, I’m just worried.”
Maggie sighed, “I know, and thank you, but, really, I am fine.” She rose from the edge of the bed and walked past Kat.
“If you’re so fine, why did you wake up screaming?” Kat wanted to know.
Maggie paused in the doorway, one hand on the doorframe. “I wanted to stay in the dream,” she replied without looking back and left the room.
Once in the bathroom, she leaned against the closed door, and rubbed at her chest. The burn was almost gone now, but it was worse than last time. She sighed. “It was worth it,” she whispered, “just to be with him again.”
As she showered and the burn faded completely, she wondered at the reaction. It hadn’t always been that way. She remembered the first time she’d seen him in the library. She’d fallen for him right then and there, literally. She’d been balanced on one of the rails, in front of the Shakespeare section no less, and when his appearance had startled her, she’d slipped off the rail and into his arms. He’d caught her out of reflex, she thought, and from the look on his face, she wasn’t sure who was more startled. He’d held her for half a moment more than he should have, and then he’d set her on her feet. It had been an interesting first conversation, she remembered:
“Are all Midgardian women so clumsy?” he asked, frowning at her. She came up to his chin, but one hand toyed with her long dark braid. His frown had deepened at the red ribbon woven into the braid. “What is the meaning of this?” he wondered, fingering the ribbon.
She snatched the braid out of his hand, earning a dark frown. “It’s from The Highwayman, and what do you mean, Midgardian? Who are you supposed to be, Thor?”
Maggie didn’t think it was possible for his expression to darken any further, but she was wrong. “Thor?!?!” he’d roared, “THOR?!?!” The library had shaken with his sudden fury. Piercing blue eyes pinned her where she stood, and he stalked toward her, “I am not Thor,” he spat the name. He stopped in front of her, seeming to tower over her. “I am Loki…”
“God of Mischief,” she interrupted, “or God of Chaos, depending on which translation you look at..or Wikipedia, for that matter.”
“Wik…what?” he asked, the unknown word slightly dissipating his anger.
“Wikipedia…it’s…an online encyclopedia,” she replied, looking at him curiously. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a god before,” she said wonderingly.
The title had assuaged his pride, she supposed, as the anger seemed gone. His long fingered hand caressed her cheek. “And do you know what you do when you meet a god?” She shook her head, and he gripped her chin, forcing her gaze to his. “You…kneel.”
Loki’s hand fell away, and she found herself falling to her knees. Her eyes left his, trailed down his armor covered body and down to the tips of his boots. She knelt.
“That’s a good pet,” he purred, and then he laughed, a low seductive sound that curled into her core. “You don’t like being called a pet, do you?”
She rose slightly and lifted her gaze to his. One dark brow rose in question as he looked at her, and she replied simply, “No.”
Loki dropped down on his haunches so they were eye level once more. He grinned, and it made her shiver. “You will.”