Page 28 of Loki

"Nik, Jorunn. I hope you didn't drink too much tonight. The weather report's all clear for tomorrow, so we can walk the site again, and see if the storm uncovered anything new!" Karl was just about dancing at the news.

She glanced at Nik. His hands were empty – no sign of the phone at all. He must have shoved it into his pocket or something.

Jorunn forced out a smile. "I'd better go to bed. I'll need all the sleep I can get if we're surveying again tomorrow." She hurried out before Nik could follow her.

She'd rather eat pickled herring for eternity than go to Nik's tent tonight, or any night. He could go fuck himself, for all she cared.

She had to find another way to prove her innocence...and his guilt. Damn it, there had to be a way. If only she could think of one...

TWENTY-NINE

Much later that night, as Jorunn lay sated in Loki's arms, she told him what had happened. "I didn't know what else to do," she lamented.

He tweaked her nipple. "That's because you aren't a trickster, like I am. I would have accepted his offer."

She reared up. "You told me you'd kill anyone else who touched me, that you didn't want me to pretend to seduce him!"

"Oh, if he lays one finger on you, I will kill him. Do not doubt that. But you could never pretend to seduce him, or anyone. Desire lights your eyes like the sun in the darkness. For a man you do not like, your expression would be lifeless. Any fool would know you were only pretending."

She wasn't sure Nik cared about that. It wouldn't matter to him whether she wanted him or not – this was about power and control and his pleasure alone. Fucking arsehole. If he ever got into academia, teaching actual students, he was a sexual harassment lawsuit waiting to happen. Then again, some of her tutors back home had been PhD students. Maybe he'd been bullying female students for years already, which would explain how easily he'd turned to trying to manipulate her. How many other girls had he forced into his bed with threats of bad grades or false accusations? Someone had to bring him to justice, the sooner the better.

"Which is why I shall proposition him in your place," Loki finished.

Jorunn laughed so hard she almost choked. "You? You think Nik would be interested in sleeping with you?"

"He will if he thinks I'm you."

She felt him shift beneath her, sliding out from under her until he stood beside the bed. Just as naked as she was, only...only...

"Fuck," she breathed.

Beside the bed stood her double. Blonde braid half undone, nipples wet and rosy from Loki suckling at them, even her inner thighs still slick from their frenzied lovemaking.

"Have you ever been with a girl, Jorunn?" he...no, she breathed, with a voice that sounded like Loki's but was just a little higher, and with an Aussie accent. "I promise you'll enjoy it."

Jorunn closed her eyes. "Stop. That's just...weird. Watching someone like me make those faces and say those things. Do I really sound like that?"

Loki grinned, and it was definitely his grin, even if it was on her face. "No. Your kind of seduction is much more straightforward. More... 'Kiss me, Loki,' or 'Fuck me, Loki,' or 'More, please, Loki,' and my favourite, 'Oh my god Loki!'"

Jorunn swallowed. She'd said all those things, several times over, tonight. But the thought of Loki doing any of what they'd done with someone else, man or woman, and looking like her...

She managed a watery smile. "All right, you can pretend to seduce him, but I have one condition."

"Anything."

"If he touches you, he dies."

Loki bowed low. "Your wish is my command, my lady."

A horrible thought occurred to her. "Wait, I didn't mean literally..."

But it was too late. He was already gone.

THIRTY

At sunset the following night, Loki waited until Jorunn had gone to her tent before he made his move. "Nik, can I talk to you outside for a moment, please?" he simpered, beckoning.

He wore the illusion of Jorunn's form, in the same clothing she'd worn today, so as not to make the man suspicious.

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