Hello friends!!

So I sadly won't be able to post until Wednesday because I'm heading to New York City tomorrow morning! I've never been but I'm so excited because THATS WHERE THEA IS FROM AND THAT MEANS AUTHOR FIELD NOTES!!! You know me and my author field notes. If anyone is in NYC, I greet you and hope your city likes me. :)

-Music-

Peter's Suspicions (Amazing Spider-Man)

Chapter Fifty-Eight

Peter, Jack, and Thor make their ways down a back staircase, outside of Thea's hallway. They had combed the room for any other signs of the girl, but apart from finding the same clothes she had been wearing when Loki had kidnapped her-which included bloody socks- they find nothing.

They encounter a sitting room, beautifully decorated, with several bits of antique, gothic furniture lying empty in the dying light of the sun. A candelabra hangs unlit from the center of the room. They cross the room, careful that their steps are soft and quick.

Thor, in the lead, peeks around a wall and stops short, bracing himself against the other side.

"What is it?" mouths Peter.

Thor holds up three fingers. Three guards, three servants?

Before Peter can further question him, Thor raises another finger, then several at once. Wait. There's more.

Jack signals vehemently, clearly gesturing that he wants to jump into the fray too, but Peter waves him down and nods to Thor.

Thor looks around, and then points to a side door across from them. It's partially blocked by a footstool sitting next to a high-back velvet chair. Peter nods, and Jack follows suit, and as Thor walks into the next room, the two younger boys hurry to the chair.

"It's bloody heavy," whispers Jack as he and Peter lug it with a squeak away from the door, just as several shouts come from the adjacent room.

"C'mon, hurry up, hurry up," mutters Peter. Finally, with a tremendous lug, they manage to scoot the chair out of the way enough to partially open the side door.

Peter shuts it quickly behind him. Although there's a sufficient air draft, telling him that they're standing in another hallway, it's dark, so Peter takes out the penlight that he always carries in his back pocket. When he turns it on, the boys see that it is indeed a hallway, one that is sloping downwards steeply.

"Well this isn't creepy at all," says Jack as they come across the dead body of two rats. "She really needs to do something about pest control."

"Evidently not," says Peter, "They're dead."

They walk down the dark corridor for several more minutes and then come across a split. One path leads up. One leads down.

The boys look at each other.

"We're not separating," says Peter, already knowing what Jack has in mind, "The note said no separating."

"Thor already separated," points out Jack, "And besides, it's not like Thea was ordering us not to. She was mostly giving us a friendly suggestion."

"You don't have to separate."

Peter and Jack whirl around, Peter flinging the penlight so that it accidentally flies out of his hand onto the ground.

The dry, accented voice laughs, and then as he bends down, Videl is thrown into the shadows of the penlight. Picking up the miniature flashlight, Videl throws it back to Peter. The young Velah is wearing dark clothes, holding a spear-like dagger, and has a white owl on his shoulders. The bright stain of blood is barely visible on one of his sharp fangs. Behind him, a lovely young woman stands, dark hair and dark eyes. Angelique.

"And you must be Videl," says Peter.

"And you're Peter," says Videl, and then turns to Jack, "And you, of course, have to be Jack. Thea does talk about you a lot. You're taller than I thought you'd be."

"Yeah," says Jack, only partially mollified by Videl's mention of Thea, "I don't like you."

"Sorry I scared you," says Videl in a tone that plainly says he's not sorry at all, "Have either of you seen Thea?"

"And you care because?"

Peter hits Jack and then says, "No, we haven't. Why? Isn't she with you?"

Videl's nostrils flare in annoyance. "She was supposed to be. But she decided it was a brilliant idea to go off by herself."

"Of course she did," says Jack in an admiring voice, temporarily forgetting his hatred for Videl.

"You let her go?" demands Peter, giving Jack a look.

"She didn't give me much of a choice," says Videl, crossing his arms. From his shoulder, Wairua flaps his wings. "I'm not sure if you've noticed, but Thea doesn't really like to listen."

"No she does not," says Jack, "And between you and me, it's extremely hot."

Videl snorts.

"Hey," says Angelique, cutting in, "Okay, boys, settle down. Wairua can't locate the three powers anymore-Neidra must have put a spell on them, but Videl and I just got out of some sort of kitchen, and used his creepy mind control on one of the servants."

"Who promptly died right after that. He had a very sassy tongue," says Videl.

She gives him a look much like the one Peter had given Jack.

"The servant said that the 'vaults' are somewhere in the lowest levels of the mansion in a labyrinth of sorts, even lower than the dungeons. There are ten entrances to the labyrinth. Videl and I just came out from one. Apparently, you two also found one."

"Where are the others?" asks Videl, "I thought you were supposed to be a team."

"We are. We split up," says Jack, "Thor was with us, but then went off to knock some people unconscious. It's an important job, you know."

"All right," says Videl, "We can't just expect the four of us to go down there, though. We need backup."

"If you think I'm going to wait here, then you're more mental than you look," says Jack.

Videl rolls his eyes, "And unless you want to die and never see Thea again, you'll wait for at least the word that more people are coming."

"And how are you going to tell everyone it's down here?" demands Jack, "Do you have a walkie-talkie that happens to work in Asgard or something? Or maybe you Velah lot have a special power?"

More amused than annoyed, Videl nods to Wairua, "No. But we have him. He'll find the others, providing that Neidra hasn't warded this entire place, and send them down here."

"And we'll wait," says Peter, "For everyone else to get here."

"Or at least that they're in the same sort of paths that we are. There are ten entrances, remember. Eventually, they all pour out to one large corridor, but we don't know where. We'll start walking, and then wait, and then walk a bit more. Hopefully, we'll get down here before Neidra can find out what we're up to."

"What about Thea?" demands Jack, "Where's she?"

"Wairua can probably find her. She'll be with us soon."

"I've got a better idea," says Peter, "Leave some people on the upper floors. Not only can they warn us about any movement, but they can also keep an eye out for Thea."

Videl shrugs, "Fine. Do you know who could do that?"

Peter and Jack look at each other.

"Tony and Sif, probably," says Jack.

"They're the smallest group, and Sif knows Asgard," agrees Peter, "That should do it. Everyone else needs to get down here."

Videl looks at Wairua, and for a moment, two pairs of amber eyes stare at each other. Then, with a flap of his great wings, Wairua vanishes in a cloud of black mist.

*

"Well, Kyle, I think we found your favorite room in the house," says Bruce.

The Calen brothers and Dr. Banner have come across a large dining room, and beside it, an extremely large kitchen hidden behind two narrow doors that are brilliantly blended with the papered walls. There are no people inside, but the kitchen is filled with rows of spices, long tables with cooking utensils of all sorts, fowl and meat hanging from the rafters above. A small fire crackles in a large clay oven near the back, but the flames dance in a multitude of colors, as if lit by magic.

"No knives," says Max, nodding to the counters, "No sharp objects. Either Neidra likes to tear meat off the bones, or she's removed all possible weapons from this place."

"Both extremely plausible suggestions," says Kyle, walking around an instrument similar to a cheese grater and inspecting it.

"Look over here," says Bruce, who is bending down in the corner, where a large cabinet stands. He traces the ground with his finger, "Blood."

Kyle's keen eyes follow the track of the blood, which leads him to the doors of the wooden cabinet. He feels the edges of the doors. "There's a draft. This is a walk-in pantry." Without further ado, he pushes the doors, which open with a whoosh.

There's only a dull lantern flickering feebly from the ceiling, but that's not what draws Kyle's eyes. It's more the body of a dead servant, a middle-aged man with a pointed beard. He is propped up against a shelf, with bits of flour staining his already blood-stained clothes, like snow, which trace down to also cover the knife hanging limply in his pale hand. He's covered in blood.

"Throat ripped out," says Adam, kneeling down next to the corpse, and then points to the deep gash in the man's neck, "See those? Bite marks." He stands up with a grunt, "My guess is on Videl."

"Where's Videl now?" asks Max. "Thea's supposed to be with him."

"And Angelique," adds Kyle.

Bruce looks around, his eyes tracing the shelves of the pantry carefully. "The blood stops here. Either Videl is extremely good at covering up his trail, or the three never left the pantry."

"Which would make perfect sense," says Kyle sarcastically, "Seeing as they're standing here right in front of our eyes."

Bruce is opening his mouth to say something when black mist appears in front of them, and Wairua appears.

"Finally," says Kyle, "Owl post is here."

"Except I don't speak owl," says Bruce.

"Minor detail," says Kyle.

Wairua hoots, and circles, then soars down onto a shelf of the pantry, nipping at the wood with his beak. There's a single drop of blood on the wood, staining it a crimson circle.

"Ooh, secret door," says Kyle, walking forward. Like he did for the pantry's entrance, he feels along the edges of the shelf with his fingers. Seconds later, he pushes, hard. The shelf of the pantry swings backwards, revealing a long black tunnel.

"Someone better have a flashlight," says Max as the three men gaze into the steeply sloping darkness, "'Cause I sure don't."

*

Thea is currently in pain, the poison from Neidra's dagger sending vibrations of agony pulsating across her cheek. Gritting her teeth, she wipes as much blood as possible from her face, wiping the red liquid on her pant legs. Sheathing the ruby dagger, she walks forward, opposite the direction Neidra had vanished into.

Occasionally, as she walks, she reaches up and touches the terrible cut on her cheek. She knows already that it will scar, and that the scar will have a twin, just like Neidra said. Although the pain is terrible, Thea at least is comforted by the thought that she and her father have something else in common: mirrors of the torments that Neidra had put on them both.

Thea has no idea where she's going, but she doesn't care. She just knows she needs to find her friends before Neidra does. At this point, she knows that the Avengers have probably made their way to the mansion, and she is desperate to warn them that Neidra has figured out what is going on.

Minutes later, she finds a large staircase. Looking around and not seeing anyone, she begins to climb, quicker and quicker. The pain drives her forward, as does the knowledge that she is the only one that knows that Thor's plan has been thwarted. The blood continues to drip down her face, leaving a path, but Thea can't stop and clean up the trail.

She'll just have to hope that nobody is following her.

*

Nat, Steve, and Clint enter a depressingly dismal hallway and through an archway, with stone gargoyles leering at the entrance. Clint grabs a torch from the wall and holds it out. In front of them is a long corridor. On the entire right side are cells, some open, most closed. Halfway up the left side, there is a possible turn to the left, although the cells continue straight ahead into the dim light of the torches as well. The ground is wet, and small creatures rustle in the corners. It smells dank, a mixture of water and blood, but there's something else that they all clearly detect, coming somewhere from the left. It's an exotic mixture: spices and wood, fire and steam.

Clint waves the torch to the right, into the cells. They're empty, but as the three walk forward, the torch illuminates one cell that is open, this one particularly large, but with no barred windows on either of the four walls. There is a bench on one side, holding silver instruments with red dripping off the edges. Most grotesquely though, the wall at the back of the cell that is stained with blood over the stone and on the floor, a dried path snaking towards a small round drain in the center of the room. Manacles hang open in the cell.

Natasha shakes her head, her lips pursed. "This must be where Loki was held. Ky said that he's been tortured by Neidra."

"The question is," says Clint, moving the torch to the left, towards the other hallway, "Where is he now?"

Steve shrugs, and Natasha points to the left corridor, "C'mon. Let's check there."

The corridor, as it turns out, slopes up, and is illuminated by torches on the both sides of the walls. The three of them trudge upwards, occasionally splashing in puddles, completely silent except for this. There's a door at the end of the hallway, right before it branches off to the left, into darkness again.

Clint bends and inspects the keyhole. "This lock has been picked. Someone's tried to bust in here recently."

He pushes the door open, and they walk inside. Immediately, they all know what this is, judging by the rows of shelved jars, feathers, bones, and spices. Steam wafts from a pot in the corner, and water drips from a single hole in the wall.

"This is sorcery," says Steve, looking around, stopping at the skull of some rodent, the incisor teeth hanging over the jaw.

"This is also where Neidra must have drank the phoenix blood," says Natasha, "But I don't see it here. It was a while back, though. What I'm looking for are signs of her being in here recently."

"Not many," says Clint, "I think she's been busy elsewhere."

The black mist erupts behind them, and Clint whirls the torch around in time to catch Wairua as the owl emerges from the darkness and soars above them, a beacon in the shadows.

*

At the top of the stairway, Thea heaves open a heavy wooden door, gritting her teeth. Stepping forward and letting the door remain open behind her, in case it locks, she looks around.

In front of her is a huge room, and it's a library. It's perfectly circular, with stained glass covering a more sturdy wood floor. There are rows and rows of circular walkways stacking up against the perimeter of the room, each a level higher filled with a wall with books. Sloping and circular stairs, complete with iron rails, spiral up to reach the highest books, leaving nooks and balconies in between some of the more massive shelves. Gargoyles leer over the sides of the rooms, menacing in the crackle of the lightning. The ceiling is domed, and blasts of lightning reflect the glass, temporarily blinding Thea.

She walks forward cautiously, taking out her dagger as she does so. Her steps echo, and she can hear her breath come quickly. Her nerves are on edge, every muscle in her body ready for movement. The lightning throws the girl into shadows, a figure halfway of darkness and halfway of light.

And then, a brilliant flash of lightning coincides with the boom of thunder, and before her eyes, a shadow is illuminated. A tall shadow, the familiar shadow of a man. A man behind her.

Slowly, Thea turns around, and her senses seem to fail her.

Loki stands there, only about five yards away. He is wearing his normal armor now, green and silver and gold in the dim room, but his hair is long and matter like last time, and his face as terribly bloodied. Thea can see the scar on the left side of his face, and she subconsciously reaches up to touch her own still-bleeding cut. His figure is powerful, and dangerous; any man would be a fool to challenge that gaunt face, those strong muscles, that intimidating stance. What are most fearful, however, are his eyes, a sickening silver like cast metal.

It is the color of his eyes that makes Thea take a step backward.

"No," she whispers, shaking her head over and over as if trying to rid herself of this twisted image, this hellish fear of hers come to life, "Please, no."

Loki, still staring right into his daughter's eyes, unsheathes a glinting knife in his hand, razor sharp and ragged.

"No," whimpers Thea, and then, he is upon her.

I know I left you with a cliff hanger and I know I'm a terrible person and I'm so sorry :(

But I love you all!! Please vote and comment!

What's your favorite Blue Moon book? My favorite, personally, is usually Ei Diafol

LOVE YOU FRIENDS HAPPY READING

xxSierra