Page 12 of Loki

“So are you.”

“Is he bothering you, Val?” asked a deep voice.

Loki barely bothered to look over at the hulking male standing to his right. The man’s golden-colored eyes made Loki smile, and his anger spiked. A shifter? What a great battle that would be.

“Nope,” said Val. “He was leaving.”

Loki’s smile broadened. She had an admirer. Now wasn’t that interesting? Not that he assumed she wouldn’t. Val was smokin’ hot, and you’d have to be deaf, blind, and a rotting corpse to not be into her.

“I can help with that,” said the stranger.

Loki laughed and turned to the man. “Oh, I doubt it.”

When he turned, Val dodged to the left around him and raced up the stairs.

Loki inspected the man for a moment. “Another time, perhaps.” He flicked a card between his fingers, which held the address to Odin’s place and handed it to the man before following Val. “Ask for me at the door, and we can continue this conversation.”

“Elle!”Val couldn’t help the edge in her voice. She’d thought Loki might genuinely be interested in her, but to find Thor with Elle, infuriated her. He’d been trying to distract her.

Elle flinched and moved out of Thor’s grasp.

Val leapt forward and flicked her wrist blade from its sheath. “You. Get away from her.”

Thor didn’t move. “Why? We were simply talking.”

Val moved her blade to his throat, and again, he didn’t move.

“Val.” Elle stepped forward. “Val, please stop. Lord Thor was saying he was glad I made it home safely last night after the... the speed thing.”

Val looked between Thor and Elle. How many freaking times did she have to tell Elle to stay away from the man? What did she have to do to make Elle understand the danger she was putting them both in?

“Val, I said stop,” Elle’s voice came out so strong it took Val aback.

For the first time, Elle resembled her mother.

A dull ache wormed through Val’s chest. The pain of seeing her old friend shine through Elle’s eyes brought with it a sense of loss. Val sheathed her blade in its wrist compartment.

“Why don’t you let me buy you a drink.” Loki appeared at the end of the hallway.

Val scowled. “In your dreams, playboy.”

As she wasn’t going to be able to stop Elle from talking to Thor, she stomped to the next apartment and slammed the door. Tears flooded Val’s eyes as memories of her friend filled her.

Frigg’s words floated back to her. “Then maybe it’s time someone helps you remember.”

Her mind immediately went to Loki. She shook her head.No. Not Loki.Why would her mind go to Loki? No. Benjinn? Yes. Benjinn could help her remember how to have fun... and maybe more. But that would have to wait until later. Val stripped off her clothes and walked naked to the shower before turning it on and stepping under the spray before it warmed. She couldn’t stand how the smell of Midgard clung to her. Every day she showered on her breaks. Sometimes two and three times a day. She’d wash as many times as she needed to scrub off everything she’d been through until she could peel away the layers and get back to who she truly was... if she ever found that person again.

Perhaps with Benjinn’s help, she would.

Val went through the rest of her shift with only a few bumps in the road. Thor showed up about five for his date with Elle. Val kept her mouth shut and her thoughts to herself. Thor surprised her when he jumped in to defend Elle against a table of assholes. He even gave her the same advice Val had a million times. Telling Elle to raise her head to instill confidence. Val couldn’t help but be a tad grateful to the God of Thunder for his assistance. But just a tad. Hopefully, with him teaching Elle to stand up for herself, she would listen.

As one a.m. came around, Val rang the bell, signaling the last round. Slowly the crowd thinned, and by one thirty, and as she was closing the door, a somewhat familiar frame appeared in the door.

“Hey there.”

Val looked into the same light-colored eyes and smiled. “Hey yourself.”

“You ready to let me try that amazing thing you have to show me?”