As I went over my conversation with Elatha, I sat on the bed, exhausted and overwhelmed. Pain pounded behind my eyes, making it difficult to think. Why he would make that vow after knowing me for less than a day? Against all logic and the short time of our acquaintance, I found myself liking and trusting the far too handsome prince.

With two fingers, I rubbed my aching temples. I didn't understand my response, my attraction to him. Is it just pregnancy hormones run amok? I love Loki. I miss Loki.

Gods, I want Loki.

However long it had been, it felt like forever since I'd seen him. Ages since we'd made love. That must be it. A combination of pregnancy and being a fertility goddess. I needed and craved Loki, his body on mine.

In all our time apart, I'd not touched myself. While a captive, there'd been no privacy to use the chamber pot, let alone anything else. The leering looks Galar had given me when I couldn't wait until they'd left the workshop had creeped me out. No way was I going to do anything with those perverted dwarves looking on.

Of course, now that I'd realized it, I could think of nothing else. Even my headache and exhaustion couldn't compete with it.

Stupid pregnancy hormones.

Aroused and insistent, my body demanded satisfaction. I didn't know if it would help my goddess powers, but perhaps I'd feel less edgy if I took care of it now while I had privacy. Or at least, the boost of endorphins might help this damn headache. 

Maybe then I'll be able to stop noticing how damn sexy Elatha is.

Getting up with a groan, I withdrew my armour and clothes into my torc and walked naked into the bathroom. There was both a jacuzzi tub and a separate shower. Not wanting to risk an orgasm-induced fall in my pregnant state, I decided on the tub. Dialling in the temperature I wanted, the tub filled rapidly, and I carefully climbed in. With it up to my chin as I leaned against a reclining seat, the heat soaked into my muscles and aching joints.

The control panel gave options for different jet configurations. After exploring each setting while laying on my back and side, I found what I wanted. The powerful jets pulsed, hitting exactly where I most needed them.

At the stimulation, my pulse picked up and arousal flared. As I panted, Loki came to life within my mind and his clever fingers played my body. My fingers became his slick-coated fingers, teasing me as fine tremors started, coaxed to life by sparking nerves.

Writhing as I grew closer, the mental image got more vivid and detailed. The jets in front of me became Loki, while the jets behind me became Elatha. Both males pressing hot and rigid against me, driving hard into me, hands and lips exploring.

Loud moans escaped my lips.

Heat built, searing me with its wildfire spread.

Caught at the precipice, breath held, my hips writhed until the stimulation was just right.

With muscles spasming, lightening exploding up nerve endings and gasping for air, I rode out the intensely glorious feeling.

Minutes later, sated and with a relaxed lethargy seeping into my bones, I fumbled for the jet controls, turning them off. Despite the climax, my head still pounded. But at least it'd backed off to a dull thumping, instead of an ice pick through my brain. While I floated in the water, I let my mind wander.

Gradually, rational thought kicked back in and I sat up with a sudden realization.

Oh. Fuck.

I'd fantasized not just about Loki, but Elatha as well.

And not just an insanely erotic fantasy about both of them, but also the most intense orgasm I'd ever given myself.

I couldn't believe it. What the fuck had I done? How could I cheat on Loki? Tears sprang to my eyes. The idea of hurting him, of betraying him like that, had me sobbing into my hands.

Eyes aching and nose stuffed up, my head pounded even worse by the time I finally climbed out of the tub. My mind kept circling around, unable to comprehend why I was so attracted to Elatha despite being completely in love with Loki.

After getting a long drink of cool water and eating a light meal of shrimp vegetable stir-fry, I crawled into the comfortable bed, falling into a fitful sleep.

Nightmares disrupted my rest, with visions of the women and children I couldn't save from whatever horrors the Unseelie had planned for them, the pain of the dwarves sucking my life's energy, slashing my body and harvesting my blood, and my fears for my son if I couldn't get us to safety. Interwoven through it all, Loki's face haunted me, accusing me.

After giving up on getting any more rest, I dragged myself out of bed. I'd been up several times already to use the bathroom when my son bounced on my bladder. That aspect of pregnancy was not enjoyable. Despite the sleep I'd managed, I was tired and grumpy. Some sadist was trying to crack my head open from the inside with spikes of pain every time I moved quickly. Eyes sunken in dark purple circles in my gaunt face stared back at me in the mirror. I'd lost so much weight that I barely recognized myself. Once bodily needs had been taken care of and after finding supplies to properly clean my teeth, I convinced myself that I was still alive, if not particularly perky.

Hearing a repeating chime that sounded like a doorbell, I looked around for the source. The damn thing needed to stop. It was not helping the pounding in my head at all. Not seeing anything, I tried saying "Hello?"

"Good ris—" the rest of the words choked off in a strangled low groan.

Still looking around, it took me another minute to find the large screen by the door. Once I got close enough, I saw Prince Elatha with his back to the screen.

"Hello? Can you hear me? I don't know how to work this. I'm sorry," I said, confused as to why I was seeing his back. In frustration, I rubbed my temple, trying to think past my headache.

Elatha's voice sounded low and rough when he answered. "It will respond to your voice controls, Princess. It shows audio and video." He cleared his throat, still facing away from me.

With the thumping in my brain, it took me a second.

Oh. Oh. My. God. I was still naked! Blushing, I apologized as I called my fighting leathers to cover me.

"It's safe to look now," I replied, cringing in embarrassment. I wanted to smack myself. It seemed I was determined to cause some kind of diplomatic disaster between Asgard and Atlantia.

Elatha cleared his throat again. "I'm not safe to look at right now," he muttered as he turned, his hands held in front of him.

I don't think he expected me to hear that. My mouth lost all ability to speak, my brain misfiring even as my pulse pounded in my veins and my core spasmed.

I'd thought he looked hot yesterday, but today, oh my good god. Elatha wasn't wearing his armour, just the skinsuit, and every muscle was clearly defined. In distinctive glorious delineation. He was fucking gorgeously ripped. There wasn't an ounce of fat on his tall, athletic body. Not one. Especially not the thick erection his hands were doing a terrible job at hiding.

"Good rising, Princess. Would you like to have breakfast with me?" he asked politely, his voice still low and gravelly and silver eyes full of heat.

Although I heard his words, it took me a few long seconds to get my voice to work. I had to swallow several times and tear my eyes up to finally meet his silver starburst gaze.

"Thank you, but no. I was about to take a shower," I managed in a husky croak.

His eyes darkened further, eyelids lowering with predatory intensity.

Holy fuck. 

There was no way I could fail to notice his cock leapt at my words. That gloriously proud beast straining at the leash. A fresh flush of moisture drenched the already slick heat between my thighs. I tried to scold myself for reminding him of my previous nudity and for looking at his cock in the first place. I have no business looking there! Oh. My. Gods. Why does he have to wear clothes that don't hide a damn thing?

I could not drag my eyes away. It was magnetic. I looked away, only to find my eyes pulled right back.

Through the fog of my desire, I heard him groan. A shudder of reaction rippled over me and I squirmed. Elatha groaned again, gripping that exquisite cock through the tight but stretchy material. His eyes locked on me.

"Shannon, I'm sorry to be so blunt, but if you don't stop staring, I'm going to cum right here." Elatha pumped his hand a couple of times.

A moan escaped me and I clenched my thighs together as I leaned against the wall. I couldn't look away. Yet, I couldn't answer.

"Or you could let me inside," he growled as he pumped his hand again.

Literally going up in flames, heat flowed through my veins like molten lava, searing my nerve endings. Erotic hell. Oh gods, I was in erotic hell.

I couldn't let him in here. No. No way. If I did, I'd be fucking him in seconds. I wanted that magnificent, thick cock inside me with a feral intensity that had me whimpering. Don't do it. Don't do it. Don't.

With a hand out, I shook my head as if to keep the image of him away, desperate to keep him out of touching range. Yet, I couldn't look away. I licked my lips as I panted.

Elatha snarled, ripping open his skinsuit to take his cock in hand.

"Oh my gods," I moaned, going to my knees. My hand reached out to touch the screen.

Like his skin, it was both silver and black, with the thick shaft a dark midnight black and engorged head a shiny, wet silver.

The heartbeat in my core demanded satisfaction with every pounding throb.

"At least show me that fantasy-inducing sexy goddess body of yours again. Please have mercy, Shannon. Give me that much," Elatha groaned as he stroked himself.

I don't even remember thinking it, but next I knew, I was naked and on my back. One hand played with my sensitive nipples, twisting and tugging, as the other delved between my soaked thighs.

"By the shell, I would give pretty much anything to taste you," he growled, eyes watching my glistening fingers.

I lifted my fingers and sucked them into my mouth and he swore.

"Show me that pretty pink pussy while I cum," Elatha demanded as he stroked over his glorious cock. With his thumb, he slid glistening pre-cum over the head before pumping his hand.

I wanted to see him. To imagine it was me he'd be cumming on. I spread my legs as my fingers stroked over my clit. My body trembled with tantalized arousal.

"Fuck. Oh fuck. Fuck. Fuck!" Elatha groaned progressively louder as he stared at me, pumping hard with his hand.

"Shannon! I'm going to—" His body jerked, legs trembling as he spurted, cum jetting in bursts of white.

It was so sinfully erotic, I started to orgasm.

Moaning, I writhed on the floor, hips bucking against my fingers as I pinched my nipple hard. Just as it started to wane, I pinched the other nipple, prolonging my trembling as I kept my orgasm going longer.

Finally, my body stopped convulsing and the waves of rippling sensation abated. Panting, I waited for my heart to slow down as I looked up at the screen.

Elatha looked down at me, his face flushed and cock twitching in his hand.

"Watching you orgasm was, by far, the hottest, most erotic thing I have ever seen in my long life. Just looking at you, so soaking wet I can almost taste your honey from here. Relaxed, and so insanely fertile and sensuously voluptuous with your pregnancy. Damn, it has me hard as a sea pillar again," he groaned as I watched him stroke himself.

Clearly, I was going to the deepest level of hell reserved for cheaters and betrayers.

I brought myself to screaming orgasm again as I watched Elatha handle his gorgeous cock that I desperately wanted buried inside me. Rougher with himself this time, he told me what he'd be doing to me if I let him in my room.

I was so tempted.

Insanely teeth-grittingly tempted, but I retained just enough control to deny him. I wanted it, though. Gods help me, I didn't know how I was going to live with myself because I yearned to fuck Elatha desperately. A fiery poison in my blood, it was destroying me from the inside out. So savagely did I want him that it had me ready to tear my hair out and scream.

Loki owned my heart and soul. That I desired someone else this much broke me. I hated myself, and I'd never hated myself before. Riddled with self-loathing, my heart was anchored in the depths of despair and disgust. I'd thought I knew who I was inside. But this shredded my self-respect and self-worth right down to my soul.

When I managed to shut the screen down, I cried. Time had no meaning as I sat there, in the hallway by the door, sobbing. The screen chimed and chimed, but I ignored it. Body and soul ached with the cold of dead expectations. By the time I finally got up, my limbs were as stiff as the grave.