Asgardian Goddess of Beauty and Battle (Book 1) *Currently Under Editing*

CHAPTER 9

He looked up at Stark and chuckled lightly. 'Stalling me won't change anything.

I continued walking closer to Stark's bar, acting as Loki's guard in a way.

Stark turned around and pointed to Loki. 'No, no, no? Threatening.' He pointed to the glasses against the wall. 'No drink? You sure? I'm having one.'

Loki quickly walked over to the glass wall that over looked New York on his left. 'The Chitauri are coming, nothing will change that.' Loki turned on his heels to face Stark. 'What have I to fear?'

Stark took the lid off a glass cubed alcohol bottle, making a pop sound. 'The Avengers.' He looked up at Loki.

Seeing his confused expression as he walked towards Stark, he explained. 'It's what we call ourselves, sorta like a team. "Earth's Mightiest Heroes" type thing.'

Stark poured the liquid content into his glass cup.

Loki smirked. 'Yes I've met them.'

Stark smiled as he looked up at Loki and chuckled. 'Yeah, takes us a while to get any traction. I'll give you that one. But, let's do a headcount here. You're brother, the demigod'. Stark looked up at Loki who turned and began stepping away at his brothers mention, continuing to listen. 'A super solider, a living legend who kinda lives up to the legend; a man with breathtaking anger management issues; a couple of master assassins, and you, big fella, you've managed to piss off every single one of em.'

As Stark mentioned the man with anger management issues, Loki turned and smiled at Stark. He had turned and stepped back to where he was before.

He smiled and almost whispered. 'That was the plan.'

Stark picked up his glass and took a sip before he began walking towards us. 'Not a great plan. When they come, and they will, they'll come for you.'

Loki gave no expression. 'I have an army.'

'We have a hulk.' Stark quickly implied.

'Oh I thought the beast had wandered off.' Loki moved his sceptre outwards, enacting the motion.

Stark started walking down the steps.

His voice had a tone of anger and talked in a fast pace. 'Yeah, you're missing the point. There's no throne. There is no version of this where you come out on top.' He stopped walking after he was a few steps from the bottom of the stairs. 'Maybe your army comes and maybe it's too much for us, but it's all on you, because if we can't protect the Earth, you can be damn well sure we'll avenge it.'

Stark took another sip of his drink as Loki began to approach him.

Loki gave off an evil and sly sense to his expression. 'How will your friends have time for me when they are so busy fighting you?'

He brought the tip of his sceptre to Stark's chest, landing on a metal thing attached to him. The stone fired up but failed to take over Stark's mind when it touched his chest.

Loki looked at Stark's chest and frowned. He tried it again, repeating the fire up and failure.

He moved his head backwards in complete confusion. 'This usually works.'

Stark looked away and explained. 'Well performance issues, not uncommon.' Loki looked up at Stark. '1 out of 5-

Loki grabbed Stark's jaw. He lifted him from the ground and threw him to the side, hitting the hard floor with a thud and a loud slap as he used his hands for a better landing. I began to move closer in forced defence for Loki.

Loki walked over to Stark as he was rising from the floor.

Worry set in to his voice a little. 'Jarvis, anytime now.'