Elle's heartbeat echoed in her ears, a relentless drum. Her eyes flickered to his lips before she willed them upward, meeting his intense, unyielding gaze, then glanced away, heat rising in her cheeks. Thor’s jaw clenched; she caught the quiet rasp of his breath. His hand hovered near hers.
Neither moved closer; neither broke the fragile tension. The space between them felt like a living thing- taut and electric.
Don’t reach for him. Don’t let desire consume you. Remember who you are. Who your father is.
He nodded and turned to leave. But before he stepped away, their eyes locked once more- a fleeting exchange which burned bright and urgent.
Her fingers twitched towards him, but she held back, biting her lip to stop the longing surging inside her.
Elle touched her pocket and shook her head. "I think I left my keys downstairs at the bar."
Thor gripped the door handle. "I can open it for you."
"No, don't break-"
As the door creaked open unexpectedly, a shiver ran down her spine.
"Looks like you forgot to lock it.”
Elle peered into a place always so familiar yet now wrapped in an unsettling chill. Forgetting to lock the door was unlike her. She retraced her steps from earlier that day. The hallway light spilled into the room, casting long shadows that danced across the floor.
"Want me to check if everything's okay?" His voice calm and steady as ever.
The subtle scent of vanilla lingered in the air, the candles she’d burned before work. A cool draft brushed past, making her skin prickle.
She shook her head. "No," she replied, feeling the steady thump of anticipation like drumbeats in her chest. "I'm sure you're right."
Elle stepped inside. Again, a chill raced over her, but nothing moved. She flicked on the lamp and did a quick inventory of the room, and nothing seemed out of place. The modest-sized space above the Raven Weaver sported a kitchenette tucked into one corner and a small bedroom with a large, comfortable bed against the far wall. Frigg had set it up for her when she'd first arrived, and Elle had done what she could with it since. The walls were bare of pictures, but the soft, creamy color warmed the entire space. A large wooden bookcase with books filling every inch. A half-finished copper bracelet sat on the kitchen table beside a pair of needle-nose pliers. The whole place smelled like the pub below- old wood and ale- mixed with the vanilla aroma of her favorite candle.
"Are you sure you're alright?"
Elle spun around and threw a smile on her face. "Yes, thank you. I’m being silly."
He nodded, but scanned the apartment once more, his dark gaze flashing for a moment. "Well, goodnight then, Elle. I’ll see you tomorrow."
"Goodnight, Thor." She fought the compulsion to curtsey.
He closed the door, and silence shrouded her. She stared at the door for several minutes, not moving, waiting. Waiting for someone to jump out. Waiting... for a sound of someone in metal armor. The smell of brimstone and coal. Something. Anything. But nothing came. Nothing jumped. Nothing emerged.
Without thinking, she raced straight to the door and locked both locks before running to her bedroom and throwing herself under the royal blue covers without even taking off her shoes.
She squeezed her eyes shut and pulled the covers over her head.
She was safe. She was safe. No one knew who she was. She was just being paranoid.
She thought of going to find Val, but if she did, Val would become even more overprotective.
She kicked off her shoes but didn’t get out of bed. She blew out a breath and focused her thoughts on the one thing that actually made her feel safe.
Thor Odinson’s face.
CHAPTER NINE
Elle inspected herself in the mirror and fiddled with her blouse. Emerald turned out to be a nice color on her. Back on Muspelheim, everything had been tainted by the yellowish-orange hues. But Midgard had no such problem, so she got to see the color clearly for the first time. She smoothed down her black slacks and slipped on her new ballet flats.
She sorted through the different items she'd bought at the drugstore. Various colors of powders, creams, and liquids meant to enhance her features, but she had no idea how to use them. Finally, she picked out a gold powder and dusted it over her eyelids and cheeks. Surprised by the glowy appearance it gave her, she decided to try the tube of light-peachy liquid. As she smoothed the sticky goo on her lips, she found herself, once again, pleased with the outcome, though her curls kept getting stuck in it.
A knock sounded on her door, making her jump. She looked at the clock. He was five minutes early, again. She appreciated that about him. On Muspelheim, all she'd done was wait. Another way for her father to remind her she was less important than well… anyone.
