Heart of a Mortal (Loki Romance)

Chapter 26

We all stared at the door for a moment before Liv stood slowly. She put her hand on the knob and looked at me. I nodded. She opened the door slowly and stepped back as five people stepped in. Three of them were men, dressed in all black and holding what looked like military grade machine guns pointed at me. I stepped back and held my hands up.

Had they traced Loki here? Was I a suspect because of my involvement? My eyes flicked to the women standing behind the men. They stepped through the group and stood in front of me. One was checking a device and looking around with narrowed blue eyes. Her red hair was tied back and as her eyes softened, her round face turned to me with a surprisingly kind expression. I frowned. I knew her from somewhere.

The other was familiar as well with tanned skin and curly brown hair. Her brown eyes smiled up at me as she put her pistol in its holster. "Stand down, boys."

The click of safeties being set and guns swung over backs filled the room. My eyes widened as I started to realize why I knew these women. "Kat?" I ventured. "Marci?"

The red head, Kat, grinned and shoved the device into a bag. "Hey, Eb!"

"Oh. My. God. You're alive!" I screamed, tackling them. They laughed and hugged me before waving their men down as my sudden movement had caused a flurry of aimed weapons again. I pulled away and grinned down at them. "So this is what happened to you guys, huh? SHIELD, what's that? Sounds important."

"Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division." Marci explained.

My brows rose and I smiled. "A god-awful mouthful." I laughed.

Kat rolled her eyes. "Yes! The worst name!"

Katarina and Marceline, my dorm mates from college. They'd both disappeared during finals and no one ever looked for them. Their families barely tried, which had been especially suspicious considering they were on fairly good terms with those who were left of their families. I'd been a mess, trying everything I could to find them.

"You looked for us." Marci said. I nodded.

"Course! You're my best friends!"

Liv was leaning on the doorpost, frowning. "So we're not in trouble?"

Marci shrugged. "Sort of. Not really. But um..." They looked at me. "Your boyfriend is. And so we need to bring you in."

I sobered quickly and nodded. "I know."

Kat held up her badge as Robby tentatively came forward to check them out. He took it and raised his brows, impressed. Kat explained the situation. "Loki is in custody. We need you to help us figure him out. He was traced back here through an energy signature similar to one locked on him during a recent attack on one of our bases. A search of recent Bifrost activity showed him by a house in your name for the last few months. Have you been hurt in any way? Should we prepare a witness protection protocol?"

I shook my head and waved my hands. "Loki doesn't need me and doesn't mean me any harm. But someone else might. I think we're okay for now."

Kat nodded. "Get your stuff and we can go. Thor just showed up so I'm kinda keen to meet him." She raised her eyebrows suggestively and I rolled my eyes, running to get my things. I ignored the others but Robby followed me to my room anyway.

"So that's it? You're going?"

"Yeah. Got a problem with it?" I started shoving things into my bag. I decided not to take everything, just the basics. "Listen, Robby. I have to try. I'm tired of moping here." I ran into the bathroom and grabbed my toothbrush.

"What about the baby?"

"I'm not planning on fighting. Just talking. I'll be fine. Okay?" He sighed and nodded, stepping aside to let me pass. I paused in the doorway, suddenly feeling sorry for all of this. Leaning up on my toes, I laid a hand on his shoulder and kissed his cheek. "I'll be fine." I murmured. He didn't look convinced but didn't say anything. Smiling sadly, I squeezed his shoulder. "Thank you. For looking out for me."