Twisted [Degenerate Series, Book 1][Blackfrost] ✔️

Chapter 17

I gave him a knowing grin and handed him his book back. As I walked to the kitchen and turned back to him, I noticed that he wasn't reading it. He was staring out the far window to his left. He looked calm.

I chewed on my bottom lip as I carefully took in his features. He had a perfect jawline, chiseled cheekbones, and glowing blue eyes. He was so, incredibly handsome. Why had I not noticed before? I felt a wave of butterflies flutter in my stomach at the thought. Loki glanced over at me and I turned away, my cheeks hot.

"Did you eat anything, yet?" I asked without looking at him.

"No." I heard him reply, so I proceeded to make breakfast for the both of us, using the items I had bought at the store yesterday.

I made eggs, bacon, and toast and poured two glasses of orange juice, not really sure if Loki had ever had it before, or if he would like it.

"Breakfast." I said to him, placing the plates on the table. Loki stood up and moved around the couch to the table.

We ate in silence for a minute. I had to talk to him, but I was forming the words inside of my head at first.

Finally, I spoke, "So..."

Great start, Natasha.

Loki looked up at me and raised one eyebrow.

I took a breath and continued...after I ate a piece of bacon. "Would you...you know...ever tell me what happened to you? You know, after Thor took you back to As-" I was speaking as quickly as I could, because I knew Loki would try to interrupt me. He did.

"Natasha!" He exclaimed, exasperated.

"Hear me out." I continued carefully. "I want to know if you would ever tell me anything. More about this...army? that you said you had. More about what happened to you. Anything." Loki was looking at me, annoyed. "Because if you're not...then we need to figure out what we're going to do about this Christmas deadline."

Loki sighed deeply. "Natasha, I..." He looked like he was fumbling to choose words. I rarely saw him like this. "It's not that I don't want to tell you what happened to me. Like I said yesterday, I feel no loyalty for this army...thing. But I can't." He looked uncertain for a second. "I mean...maybe I could. I'm not really sure of the limitations..."

"Limitations? Limitations on what?" I questioned, unable to help the excitement that was streaming into my voice.

"This...army...assigned me a task." He stopped for a second, as if he was thinking. "I have to retrieve-" His voice broke on the last word, and he buckled over, as if he was in pain.

"Loki?" I asked, standing up, now more worried than curious.

As he stood up to face me, his face was pale white, and he was breathing heavily. I noticed his hands on his stomach, covering up a large stain of black seeping through his shirt.

He threw down his fork and stood up suddenly. "I'm sorry. I can't." And he left to go to his room.

Confused and uncertain, I no longer felt hungry. I quickly cleared our plates and continued to clean up from breakfast, deciding to busy my racing mind through cleaning.

I briefly wondered if I should go after Loki and see if he was alright, but I quickly decided against it. I knew Loki was angry with me, at least a little. I wasn't really sure, he had left so abruptly. 

As I cleaned, a memory of the past month flashed across my mind. I remembered the horrible-looking blackened wound on his right abdomen. Was that what had just happened? Was it acting up again or something? I remembered that the wound had gone from black and bubbly to a pink, healing scar in less than a day. The wound had to have been caused by magic. But why? What happened?

I dropped the dish in surprise as Loki suddenly sidled up next to me and reached into a cabinet. 

"Sorry." He mumbled, seeing my shock. He reached up and grabbed the long bandage that I had used for his wound last time. Listening closely, watching him, I realized that he was gasping for air. 

One hand was reaching for the bandage, and the other, I noticed, was clutching his chest. The blood had seeped through his shirt and was now staining his fingers. He finally grabbed the bandage and stepped away, though I noticed that he was swaying, as if dizzy, and his face was a pale, ghastly white.

"Do you need help...?" I asked, reaching toward him.

"No, it's fine. I'm all...right."

"Loki, stop." I said, pulling on his arm that was clutching his wound. He let out a groan of pain. "Sorry!" I said. I was only making it worse. "Let me help you. Please."

He stared at me, defeated, and gave me a small nod. 

I helped him back to his room and instructed him to sit on his bed and wait while I soaked several towels in water. I made my way back to Loki and saw him leaning back on the pillows, eyes closed. My heart gave a small thud.

I rushed over and he peeled his eyes open. My shoulders sank with relief. 

My face and ears began to feel hot as I peeled his shirt away from his wound and lifted it up. I saw long, black veins stretching up his chest and turning toward his heart. 

"What is this for?" I asked quietly. "This wound. To keep you silent or something? Is that why you 'can't' tell me?"

His eyes were searching mine desperately before he gave a small nod. I felt a sudden burst of pride. I had put the puzzle pieces together. I understood! The feeling vanished quickly, for as soon as he nodded, he leaned back watched in horror as the black veins stretched father up his chest, madly chasing his heart.

His head was lolling aimlessly, and I realized that his eyes were rolling to the back of his head. His skin was so pale, and beads of sweat were rolling down his temples. My heart thudding with worry again, I grabbed his face with my hands and said, "Loki? Loki? Can you hear me?" I think he nodded.

Grabbing one of the wet towels next to me, I pressed it against the wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding. He was losing too much blood.

It took three towels before the bleeding finally began to slow. Loki did not appear to have passed out. His eyes were open and searching the ceiling. His breathing was unsteady, and he was in obvious pain. 

"Can you sit up?" I asked quietly. The blackened veins were retreating away from his heart, thankfully, and the blood had finally stopped. 

He nodded and slowly sat up. As quickly as I could, I wrapped the bandage around his chest. 

"How does that feel?" I asked hopefully. Was he angry with me?

Loki let his shirt fall back over his chest, though it still had a large black stain in the center. "Better," he said, and sighed, "thank you."

I nodded and gave him a sideways smile.

I left his room after that and gave him privacy to change. 

Loki didn't make an appearance for the rest of the day.