The Ides of July // Loki - Book 1 ✓

Chapter 36: Rage

WHEN ANNA WAKES she takes a moment, keeping her eyes closed, while the memory of her torture with Magnus floods her mind. Pain. Searing pain. It flashes through her mind, tendrils of the pain ghosting through her sore muscles. Her entire body tenses, and she takes a deep breath before allowing her eyelids to flutter open.

"Hello," Loki's voice hits her ears like velvet, and her muscles instantly relax.

"Hello," Anna replies, her voice small.

She lets her eyes close again before struggling to push herself upright. Her arms shake from the effort, nearly collapsing, and Loki arrives at her side in a flash. Left hand behind her back, he lifts her carefully.

"You should lie back," Loki encourages. "You need rest."

Anna quirks an eyebrow at him, shaking her head as she turns to face him. A curtain of brown curls falls in front of her face, and she reaches up to tuck it behind her ear. Loki's hand is still resting on the curve of her waist, a fact that makes a light blush tint her cheeks. Her thoughts drift back to before, to his lips pressed against her skin, and she unconsciously moves to cover the very spot they touched on her arm.

"Does it hurt?" Loki asks.

"No," she tells him, with another shake of her head.

This time, a single strand slips from its prison behind her ear and falls in front of her eye. Loki removes his hand from her waist, lifting the index finger of his right hand to hook around the curl, and guides it back to her ear. His hand drops from her ear to the second burn mark, a small circle no bigger than his thumb, that now sits on her neck.

"And this?" He questions, his thumb brushing the burn softer than the first light snow of winter.

She uses her right arm to reach up, letting her hand press on top of Loki's. His skin is like marble beneath her palm, cold and smooth, and she can't help but marvel in the way his touch soothes the burn on her neck.

"That feels better," she tells him, still holding his hand against her skin.

Their eyes meet for a moment, before Loki pulls his hand from hers and stands. Air floods the space where his hand was, warming her skin ever-so-slightly, and she shifts uncomfortably. The Asgardian turns away from her, his emerald eyes dark, as he begins to pace the tiny cell. Whatever moment they had, whatever kindness peeked out from beneath his shell, disappeared. However much Anna wants to hate the man in front of her, a part of her wishes he would stay that way. That man is someone she didn't expect. Kind. Caring. Cautiously holding his cool hand against her neck. Gently pressing his lips against the inside of her elbow. Her breath hitches at the memory of his kiss.

Hazarding a look up at him, she can tell he is deep in thought. The thunder cloud hanging over his features tells her that he's not remembering the same thing she is, and she shakes away the disappointment, reminding herself of who the man in front of her is and what their situation is at the moment.

Hold yourself together, she scolds herself. She can't afford this kind of thoughts, nor will she allow them. After all, it's practically Stockholm Syndrome. It isn't real. It can't be.

"How long was I asleep?" Anna asks, breaking the silence.

The door to the observation room opens, drawing their attention.

"About twelve hours," Magnus says, striding into the room followed by Eren and several guards.

Loki scowls at him before turning back to Anna, discovering that the blood has drained from her face. She sits rigidly, unblinking, as she stares at the man who enjoyed watching her suffer. Slowly, her eyes begin to narrow as they darken with anger.

"What do you want?" She croaks, failing to mask the fear lodged in her throat.

Magnus smiles, the bright lights in the observation room glinting off his gleaming teeth. Loki takes another step toward Anna, itching to wrap his arms around her and transport her far away from here, whilst cursing the shackles around his wrists. This man is a maniac, the likes of which he had not expected to encounter on Midgard. He'd had his own brushes with madness, of course, and it was typically a quality he could appreciate, but this time it is different. This time it is personal.

"I thought it was time for another of our sessions," Magnus replies, tucking his hands in his pockets. "Highly therapeutic, wasn't it?"

Loki bristles, ignoring the voice telling him otherwise, and immediately goes to Anna. Her shoulders are hunched forward as she curls into herself, physically cowering in fear at the threat of more torture. Magnus laughs at her response, which only fuels Loki's anger. He sits next to Anna on the cot, positioning himself between her and the door, before taking her hands and covering them with his own.

"I don't know where they are," she whispers.

"What's that?" Magnus asks, as Loki shushes her. "You can't wait for round two?"

"Touch her and I rip out your throat," Loki barks, his voice thick with malice.

Magnus shrugs, "Fine, then. We play it your way. See if she survives the gas."

He motions at Eren, who smirks as he taps on the control panel to their cell, watching as the familiar blue gas begins to billow from the vents. Panic and adrenaline surge through his veins at the sight, as Anna remains nearly catatonic with fear beside him. Both Magnus and Loki know that she will not survive the gas.

"Wait," Anna coughs, already feeling the sting of the gas as it hits her nervous system. "I'll go! Please...I'll go."

Loki releases her hands, spinning to kneel before her. His hands rest on her knees as his green eyes scour her face. A few tears threaten to spill from the corner of her eyes, but she brushes them away with her palms. The gas continues to fill the room, weighing heavy on Anna's lungs. Everything burns - her eyes, her nose, her throat. Even her muscles feel as if they are on fire. The cold weight of Loki's hands on her legs is the only thing keeping her focused.

"Anna..." Loki begins.

"I'm waiting," Magnus interrupts, motioning for Eren to open the door and reverse the gas once Anna approaches the door.

Anna stands and pushes past Loki, stumbling toward the door as she coughs. Blood splatters on the back of her hand, and her eyes grow wide as she feels Loki snag her elbow. Turning her to face him, Loki's eyes land on the blood - her blood - and drops his hand to take a step back in defeat. He watches helplessly as Eren reverses the gas, emptying the room of the poison, before unlocking the door so Anna can step through.

Ignoring the pain caused by the gas, Loki forces himself to do nothing, to stand motionless, while his hatred burns through every inch of his skin. Threatening to erupt, he is forced to watch Magnus and his men lead Anna to be tortured once again. As soon as the door clicks shut, leaving the observation room empty, his fury explodes. 

Now playing: "Ultraviolence" by Lana Del Rey.

*****
Author's Note

Three updates in four and a half hours. Do you feel special? (Because you should, RoseTyler827. This one is for you.)

Special shout out to loyalbuckybodyguard for some hilarious commenting. I love it! 

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