Loki's Game (17 page)

Chapter Fifteen

Rowan was waiting just inside the living room when Lily got home. Without a word, he crossed the room, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her roughly. Again he tasted like whiskey, and the wicked way his tongue danced across hers reminded her of all the wonderful, depraved things he could do with it. Rowan crushed her body to him, claiming her with enough force to make her squeak in discomfort.

“I apologize,” he said as he broke away. “But I cannot bear the thought of you being with him.” Lily wrapped her arms around him and laid her head against his chest.

“It has to be this way.”

“I still hate it.”

“I do too, but he’ll be here to pick me up for dinner soon, and if he catches you here he’ll kill both of us.”

Rowan sighed, long and loud. He cradled her face in his hands and looked deep into her eyes. Lily swore he could see her very soul. Her mind momentarily flat-lined. All she could think about was him. The way he smelled. The feel of his hands on her skin. The warmth radiating from him. The memory of him moving inside her.

“I
hate this,
Lily.”

“I know.”

“I do not want to let you go with him.”

“The sooner you end this, the less time I’ll have to be with him.”

“I know.”

Sighing, Lily pushed up on her toes and kissed him. His arms went around her waist again, and he crushed her close, molding her form to him as his hands traveled from her shoulders down around her rear. Lily let him hold her close while she drew his tongue into her mouth and suckled it gently. When she finally took his face in her hands and pulled back, they were both breathless.

“We have to stop,” she gasped, and carefully disentangled herself from his grasp. “As much as I want to keep you, you need to go and I need to get ready.”

Rowan groaned. “I know,” he said. He sounded so heartbroken. Her chest ached for him.

“End this,” she said, and squeezed his arm as she passed by and locked herself into the bathroom. As she started the shower, she heard the faint click of the back door closing. Lily blinked back tears as she climbed under the hot stream and washed away his scent from her body.

* * * * *

The dog had been here. Recently. Despite her best efforts to remove it, his stink still permeated the air. In the back of the house, the washing machine ran. Windows stood open despite the bitter cold and melting icicles hanging from the eaves. The window had already been replaced. The house smelled of winter and strawberries, and he knew by the sound of her feet on the carpet that she was stalling. Lily was always efficient to a fault. She never took extra time to do something.

“Everything okay?” he called out, and heard the soft thump of something hitting the floor.

“Coming!” she shouted back, and he picked up on the low curse she muttered. As she scurried up the hall, Loki considered his options. He should cut his losses and kill her now. He should…but the temptation to cut her pretty little throat in front of the wolf was still too strong. She would be the tool he needed to bring Keir to his knees and give up the treasure once and for all.

Plus, the temptation to strip her of her dignity as well as her clothing was ever-present. Debauchery with her would be the ultimate insult to the wolf. And, Loki really did want to know if she flushed all over when something knocked her off balance.

* * * * *

His eyes sparkled like they were imbedded with a thousand tiny jewels. Lily gave a delicate shiver as she crossed the room and painted a too-broad smile on her face.

“I’m sorry about that,” she said, her voice too airy, too bright.

“What kept you?”

“Oh…my mom called,” she lied. He didn’t buy it—she knew that—but said nothing.

“I hope she’s well.” He offered his arm. “Dinner awaits.” Reluctantly, Lily accepted his outstretched elbow and allowed him to lead her to the car. He smelled nice, and he was attractive enough, but the thrill of his company was nothing. Desire didn’t whip through her at the sight of him. He didn’t fuel her imagination the way Rowan did. When Loki wasn’t around, it was easy to tell herself she could allow him the things he wanted, but in his presence she knew that was never going to happen.

She only hoped she could use his intimidating nature and a little ego-stroking to throw him off.

Naturally, Loki chose the most expensive restaurant in the whole of Savannah. Lily wanted to groan, but she knew there would be no benefit in it.
Be strong,
she reminded herself, and stepped onto the sidewalk. Lily and Loren—at least, what she pretended was Loren—lapsed into a tense silence as they took their seats in a remote corner of the restaurant. Around them, the low hum of contented diners filled the air. Glasses and silverware clinked. Linens rushed against legs and chairs. The soft churn of the old building’s furnace filled the space between silence and sound. Lily folded her hands in her lap and stared at her wine glass. The liquid inside looked like blood.

“This isn’t working, is it?” Lily asked. Across the table, Loki remained immobile.

“I am afraid it isn’t.”

“Well, you didn’t give me much choice, you know.” She accented the sentence with a pointed look over the lip of her glass. “Besides, this time yesterday you stopped time and gave me an ultimatum. Forgive me for being tense,” she growled. He smiled. It made her want to slap him.

“Self preservation is a strong motivator.”

“It is,” she agreed, reining in her anger. “It’s the only thing keeping me in this chair.”

“He came to see you today.”

“He did. I told him that it was over.”

“Keir doesn’t take hints well.”

“No, but I think he values his life enough that he won’t be any more trouble for you.”

“So long as he breathes, he will be trouble for me.”

Their dinner appeared, halting their conversation. Lily had no appetite, and found she could only push her dinner around her plate. Loki ate as if he hadn’t a care in the world.

“One of the things I have come to appreciate about the modern world is the cuisine,” he said between bites. “Indefinite existence is made much better by the addition of a good meal.”

“You have these powers,” Lily said, shifting the conversation again. “Why not just stop time and take the ring.”

Loki shrugged. “Where’s the sport in that?”

“This is all a game to you…”

“Of course.”

“You are absolutely insufferable,” she snapped. He paused, his features twisting back into Loki’s cruel façade.

“You would do well to watch your tongue, girl.”

“Perhaps,” she pushed her plate away, “but maybe my sense of self-preservation isn’t as strong as you thought.” His expression darkened. “Don’t expect me to immediately fall at your feet or into your bed. Just because I made the choice to come to you does not mean you have me.”

“Then why come to me at all?”

“Consider it a peacekeeping mission.”

“Just understand, Lily,” he hissed, dropping his fork to his plate. He dropped his elbows to the table and steepled his hands in front of his face. “I always get what I want, one way or another.”

* * * * *

Lily lay awake in bed, thoughts tumbling through her mind so fast that she could remember few of them even seconds after they passed. Despite the tumult, she was acutely aware of two things:

1.               
   She missed Rowan.
   
2.               
   She was terrified of Loki.
   

As if reading her mind, the phone on the nightstand rang. Without looking at the caller ID, not with a greeting, but with his name.

“Rowan?”

“Gods, Lily…I cannot do this.”

“Do what?”

“Stay away from you.”

Lily sighed, warmed by the sentiment. “I don’t want to, but you know we have to.”

“One way or another, this will be over in forty-eight hours.” His voice held a hard edge; a promise.

“I hope so.”

Rowan paused, his breath rasping into the phone for several long moments. “I love you, Lily.”

Her heart stuttered, then seemed to expand in her chest. A broad smile split her face even as tears threatened to fall. “I love you, too,” she replied, her voice scarcely above a whisper.

“Sleep well.”

“Good night.”

Lily slept after that, though not well, and not for long. The alarm went off at six-thirty, and she grudgingly dragged herself from the warmth of her bed. One more day, and the show would be underway. And soon enough, this madness could come to its long-awaited end.

Chapter Sixteen

“What?”

Lily blinked at the watery-eyed kid in front of her. He looked like he would piss himself if she made any sudden movements.

“Miss Reynolds came through about ten minutes ago and said we were going to open tonight.” With a defeated sigh, Lily sank onto a nearby bench. “Sorry, Lily,” the kid offered before scurrying away.

She scrubbed her face with her palms and tried to swallow the panic in her throat. She needed to talk to Carolyn and fast. She struggled to her feet and ran for the stairwell. Taking two steps at a time, Lily burst through the fourth-floor door and into the sterile office.

“What do you mean we open tonight?” she shrieked by way of introduction. “We aren’t ready!”

“Of course you are,” Carolyn said without so much as batting an eyelash. “Your interns are buffing fingerprints from cases. And Mr. Eshu—”

“Is completely insane!” she shouted. “You can’t do this to me!”

“Oh, but I can.” Loki’s smooth, cold voice startled her. “It is, after all, my collection.”

“Why?” she snapped, rounding on him. “Why change it now?”

“Your work is magnificent,” he said, moving close up behind her. She could feel the warning in his words. “I want to change it now because you have given me such a spectacular display that I can’t wait to get started.”

Lily wished they weren’t having this conversation here. At all, actually. But there wasn’t much room for wishes anymore.

“Fine,” she said through gritted teeth. “Tonight.” She had to talk to Rowan…soon. She hoped his plans could be moved up too. Another bolt of terror rushed through her—did Loki know of Rowan’s plans? Was that why he moved things up? “If we have to open tonight, then I need to get back to work.”

“A word first?” Loki asked.

“Later. I’m busy.” Rude? Certainly. But Lily couldn’t be bothered to give a damn. He’d already inconvenienced her enough. If he was determined to talk again, he would have to follow her and make her talk. She raced from the room, slamming open the stairwell door, where she pulled out her phone.

Opening moved up. Gala tonight.

Less than a breath later, it blinked.

Loki is onto us. Will move fast. Be prepared and be careful.

Lily hurtled herself down the stairs and back to the gallery. Four interns stood in the middle of the room, whispering amongst themselves, unaware of her presence. When one saw her, each of them straightened and turned to face her.

“We’re opening tonight,” Lily said on a sigh. “We have to be ready. I’m sure we are, but let’s go over things one more time.”

Together, Lily and her army of frizzy-haired, freckled college kids spent the afternoon perfecting their work; reanalyzing, re-tagging, and re-cleaning. Finally, at 4:30 she sent them home and made her last pass before turning for the door.

Loki blocked her path.

“I think you and I will talk now.”

“If you insist,” she said in a flat tone.

“Watch your tongue, girl.”

“What do you want?” she asked with a derisive snort.

“Tonight,” he said, advancing on her, “you will appear as my escort.” She stood her ground, even as he stood so close that their bodies touched. “And you will be my lover.”

“But I’m not.”

“You will be.”

“You said—”

“I know what I said,” he snorted. “But you would do well to remember that I do not make a habit of keeping trivial promises.” With a sudden rush of fear, Lily backed away several steps.

“God or not, you’d do well to keep this one,” she said, and fled the building. She expected to find him blocking her path, but he never appeared. She reached her car, frightened and gasping for breath, and tore away from the building before remembering the icy roads and her not-so-new tires.

Cursing herself, Lily righted her car on the road and focused on getting home alive, which seemed to help alleviate the raw fear from Loki’s last few statements. The words still bounced through her brain, but she had more important things to worry about…like getting home in one piece and getting back. The majority of the snow was gone, but the water left in its place was already starting to ice over again, making the roads even more dangerous. Combining that with the wet southern air, Lily feared the condition of the roads as the day grew later.

At the same time, she had to wonder how on Earth they had moved the gala in only a few minutes. Two thoughts crossed her mind simultaneously. First, they’d been working on it for weeks and hadn’t told her. Why they wouldn’t give her notice, she didn’t understand. Second, she was dealing with an old god. He could do almost anything he wished. He’d likely stopped time again or gone back and changed events as he saw fit, particularly if he knew she wasn’t one-hundred percent on his side.

She only hoped as she navigated the slick streets into her neighborhood that Rowan still had enough time to concoct his plan.

Lily was careful to lock both the front door and the bathroom door behind her before she shucked her clothes and stepped into the calming heat of her shower. Over and over her mind replayed the wicked things she and Rowan had done in the small space, which didn’t help her nerves.

It was with shaking hands that she fastened the zipper on her dress and twisted her hair into the smooth chignon that bared her neck and the chain holding the ring. She had grown so used to its cold weight around her neck that she’d managed to forget about it.

Lily’s first thought was to take it off—to bury it in her jewelry box and let it wait out this madness. But even as she reached for the clasp she found she couldn’t. Instead, she stared at her reflection and the gold band lying just at the curve of her breasts, contemplating her options.

She only had one… Wear it. She was already damned. She may as well let Loki know she had what he wanted. With one final deep breath, Lily fluffed her bangs and left the house.

* * * * *

Once again Rowan found himself pacing the house like a caged animal. Damn Loki. Once again he’d found a way to be two steps ahead. Unfortunately, Lily’s life hung in the balance, and that said nothing at all of her dignity. Loki would no doubt take what he wanted, whether or not she was willing to give it. He’d find a way to twist her brain and make her think it was him that she wanted.

Snarling, Rowan punched the wall, putting a six-inch dent in the plaster and drywall in the shape of his fist.

His best tuxedo hung over the back of the bathroom door, freshly laundered and pressed. Luckily Dane was efficient, whether he smiled or not, and Rowan had everything he needed to end this. Or so he hoped.

He didn’t have the massive arsenal Loki possessed. He didn’t have the god’s cunning wit and timeless wisdom. But he had seen Asgard, sipped from the Well of Wisdom, and lived more than half a century while watching those he loved wither and die around him. And now the one person that could change his very existence was trapped at the heart of the threat. The task passed down to him by blood stood unfinished, and no matter what it took—a shift or a sharp-edged blade—this would end tonight.

Rowan stripped out of his clothes and stepped into the tux, careful to knot the tie just the right way, line up the cummerbund with maniac precision, and brush the two bits of lint from the left sleeve of the coat. He stepped into his shoes, and on the way out the door picked up the keys to his car. His last option was to choose a weapon at the door and hope like hell it was the right one.

* * * * *

Despite the sudden change in date, the gallery was packed. Men and women in their most fashionable southern-socialite attire milled around the museum, their eager eyes cast toward the still-closed French doors. A large, red ribbon stretched across them. The air was light, expectant.
All of these people
, she thought,
so oblivious to the truth
. She understood now the phrase “ignorance is bliss.” The toughest decision most of these people were faced with in the past twenty-four hours was what to wear to this very function.

Loki moved among the crowd with grace and ease. Many people called to him by name, while every other person in receipt of his attentions fawned under his gaze. His façade was flawless…except those eyes. Those dark orbs reflected cunning and cruelty, and when they located Lily, the gaze that followed chilled her blood. The ring hung like dead weight around her neck. She realized something as he crossed the room toward her. She was terrified. She had no idea how to proceed. The plan was all in Rowan’s head, and she wasn’t privy to that information.

“You look stunning,” Loki said, and pulled her against him. Lily silently prayed he wouldn’t notice the ring as he tipped her chin up and brushed his lips over hers.

“Thank you,” she replied, disentangling herself from his arms. “Excuse me. I have to go open the gallery.” She tried to smile at him, and had no idea if she succeeded. “We’ll talk in a minute, okay?” She turned away and raced toward the ribbon-wrapped doors leading to the exhibit. Loki fell into step several paces behind her and she tried not to focus on his overwhelming presence.

As she turned to face the chattering crowd, a wave of panic crashed over her. She
hated
large groups. Loki watched her with an expression of amusement. She wanted to punch him.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Lily shouted, but only a few patrons even acknowledged her. “May I have your attention please!” she tried again, to no avail.

A sharp, piercing whistle echoed through the building, immediately silencing the crowd. Everyone turned toward her, and Loki winked as he slipped his fingers from his mouth. “All yours,” he whispered.

“Thanks,” she replied, and turned a smile toward the crowd. “Thank you all for coming,” she said, and prayed her voice remained steady. “The exhibit inside is truly a fascinating one. Spanning history, from the dawn of time through the present, the artifacts you will see tonight are of the highest quality and rarest form. Some of the items contained inside are even rumored to have been owned by gods themselves.” A chuckle rippled through the crowd. “This evening, and this wonderful feature would not be possible without the kindness and generosity of one of the Gallery’s most affluent benefactors, Mr. Loren Eshu.”

The crowd clapped, though the sound reminded her more of boredom than gratitude. Loki smiled and waved his hand.

“Thank you,” he said, and at the back of her consciousness, Lily felt the tug of his influence. “But I refuse to take the credit for this show. Four weeks ago, Miss Redway came into my home and faced an unbelievable challenge. The items in the room behind me were packed away in boxes, crammed in corners, and generally neglected. In a stunning display of concentration, talent, and intuition, she has, in just under a month, mind you, turned my haphazard collection of junk into a showcased display of history that any collector could be proud to call his own.” He curled one arm around her waist and pulled her close. “Thank you, Lily, for all of your hard work.” Bending at the waist, Loki pressed his lips to her cheek, and whispered in her ear. “If you try anything, you will be the villain in this room.”

Lily swallowed, beat back the panic, and grinned broadly at him as he righted himself. “Now why would I do something like that?” she asked under her breath as the noise subsided. “Thank you,” she responded to the uneager applause. “As you move through the exhibit, please be sure to speak to the attendants. As interns, they…” she faltered as a new presence overtook her senses.

Rowan.

She felt him long before he entered the room, and found it hard not to physically react to his presence. He was calming and invigorating and reassuring and unbalancing all at the same time, and she had to shake herself to regain her train of thought.

“I’m sorry,” she said with a nervous chuckle, “I wandered off there for a moment.” The crowd chuckled as well which, thankfully, put her at ease. “As I was saying, they have done the majority of the grunt work, and are eager to share their progress with you. They are extraordinary young men and women, and I could not have done it without them.” She picked up the over-sized scissors from the podium and turned to Loki, using the moment to gauge his reaction to Rowan’s presence.

Loki had completely shut down. His dark eyes were cold and empty. No humanity remained in his demeanor, and when she pushed the scissors into his hand, he did not respond.

“Take it,” she ordered. Only then did his gaze flicker to her. “Wait until they’re inside,” she added. Loki took the comical shears from her and, smoothing his features into the serene mask he’d worn earlier, turned to the doors.

“It is with great pleasure that I present to you my personal collection: Shadows of History.” He slipped the blades over the ribbon and snipped it in two. Another round of applause, more enthusiastic this time, rose as he pushed open the doors and waved the patrons inside. In the rush he reached out and pulled Lily flush against his side. She squeaked in surprise, but managed to keep her smile painted across her lips.

She dared a glance around, but Rowan was nowhere to be seen. He was still close; she could feel him out there.

“Don’t try anything,” Loki snarled in her ear. Lily sighed.