A/N: Hello all! This is the first one-shot I have ever written. This is no more than me experimenting with writing in third-person while I take a break from my longer fics. I got this idea when I was browsing through the archive of the Loki's Dirty Whispers blog on tumblr. If you haven't seen it, and are completely in love with Loki, check it out! It's pretty amazing. And it gave me motivation to write again, which is even better!

Let me know what you think and enjoy!

Sacrifice

Ivy groaned as she slowly started regaining consciousness. 'God, what happened?' she thought as the pounding in her head started to increase with her growing awareness. The last thing she remembered clearly was the pub her and her friends were visiting while they were staying in this little village. 'I didn't drink that much, did I?'

Very carefully, she opened her eyes, careful of any impending light. Oddly enough, there was hardly any light at all in the room she was lying in. Blinking a few times to allow her hazel eyes to focus, she took a look around. This was not the bed and breakfast she was staying in. In fact, she didn't recognize her surroundings at all. Becoming more nervous, she took a quick look around. If she didn't know any better, she would have said she was in a temple. Stone columns broke up the expansive space holding up a stone roof. The architecture was beautiful, with the high ceiling and the intricate knot carvings covering almost every available surface. However, that did not help her figure out where she was.

Closing her eyes again, she tried to think back to what happened the previous night. Moving her hand to try and rub the tiredness out of eyes, she was stopped short. Her eyes flying open, she looked above her head. Her hands were shackled above her. She had to lift her head in order to see her feet, but upon inspection they were also shackled to the stone slab she appeared to be lying on. Yanking on the chains that bound her to what she couldn't help but imagine was a sacrificial altar, she tried to choke down the rising panic within her. The chains were not giving an inch. There was also one other detail that she noticed: she was wearing a simple white dress that reached her knees. She has never seen this dress before.

"Okay, okay, stay calm, Ivy," she whispered to herself. Relaxing as much as she could, she let her head rest against the stone and tried to think back to the previous night. She clearly remembered entering the small German town with her friends. Her and her best friends decided to backpack through Europe before the beginning of their college careers. They were a full month in when they happened to stumble on this little town. And boy, was it little. It barely had five hundred residents. Deciding it would be fun to spend the night, they all checked into the only bed and breakfast in town and then went to all of the shops. They met many interesting people, all very kind.

However, everyone they talked to gave them one simple warning: Don't venture outside after dark.

Shrugging it off as local superstition, the girls continued their shopping and eventually stopped at the pub for dinner and a drink. And that's where Ivy's memory seems to have faded. 'Something must have happened. And I know I didn't drink that much.' She could remember flashes—talking to a cute local boy who bought her a few drinks, a townsperson speaking to everyone about an angry spirit, laughing with her friends about the ridiculousness of it all.

Oh! Now she could remember: there appeared to be a town meeting going on. Her German was a little rusty, but it appeared to be about some local spirit or deity that was angry. The people of this town still believed in the archaic beliefs, it seemed. Apparently this local spirit was making it so none of the crops would grow and now the cattle and horses were dying before their very eyes. Ivy and her friends hardly paid it any mind: it was just a disease going around due to the lack of crops. At least in their eyes it was. However, when voicing those opinions, they were met with very disdainful looks from the locals.

"You might want to keep those thoughts to yourself," whispered the cute boy—'that's right! His name was Bill—before turning back to the town crier.

That proved to be easier said than done for Ivy's friend, Kristen. "But it's probably just a virus. Why should you all be so worried about a trickster that doesn't exist and instead try and find a vaccine or something for the animals?"

The townspeople did not seem to agree with her friend. "I'd recommend minding your own business, outsider," responded the one leading the show.

Before Kristen could respond, Ivy did. "Well, if it's not as simple as finding an antidote, what do you suggest these people do to fix it?"

Smiling a particularly creepy smile at her, he said, "We leave a sacrifice for it. Like our ancestors have done for centuries before us." Looking over the crowded faces, he began speaking to the townsfolk again. "You all know what is required. If we do this, the trickster will move on and leave our village in peace."

"Wow," muttered Kelly, Ivy's other friend. "These people are seriously backwards."

"Just leave it alone, guys," Ivy told them. "This isn't our town or our ways. We don't have to concern ourselves."

Shrugging nonchalantly, the girls went back to their food. Ivy couldn't help but keep an ear on the discussions raging around in the suddenly loud room. It appeared they were arguing over what would be the sacrifice. It appeared none of them wanted to give up… something. The chatter was too loud to really make out what was needed. However, the leader of this mad discussion kept staring over at her and her friends, and it was making her slightly nervous. Deciding she had enough, she leaned over to her friends and told them she was going to go back to the inn and rest. Then she left.

What happened after that, she doesn't remember.

Sighing at her lack of memories, she reopens her eyes and looks around the room for clues. She is obviously not getting out of these chains anytime soon, so she would have to rely on what she could see. The wall immediately on her right appears to be depicting some…thing. There are two torches that are lit, illuminating the mural in flickering light. She doesn't really know what to make of it. There is what she assumes to be a man carved in the middle with fire sprouting from his hands. A horse, a wolf, and a snake circle around him. More of the intricate knots frame the mural. The color seems to have faded with time. Looking elsewhere in the expansive room reveals little else. However, something just seemed so familiar about that image.

Continuing to stare at it, a niggling memory peeks through her thoughts. Her grandmother was born and raised in Germany before moving to America for a new life. She always told Ivy the stories of her homeland, usually in her native German, which is why Ivy could speak German. Suddenly, a piece clicked into place in Ivy's mind and her eyes widened.

"No way," she whispers, looking back around the room before her eyes landed back on the mural. "Loki."

This was a temple to Loki, the fire god of Norse legend. 'How in the hell is this place still around?' Suddenly, everything clicks into place in Ivy's mind. In ancient times, when the crops were being destroyed by forces that were not understood, the people of that area would leave sacrifices to their gods. Usually it was something like a chicken, goat, cattle, or even a horse. Only, rarely, when the situation was really dire, some would leave people as the sacrifice. Typically young girls.

"You have got to be kidding me," Ivy says to the empty room. Now everything makes sense. The townspeople were looking for someone to sacrifice to their local deity. Only no one wanted to give up their own daughter. 'How convenient that three young strangers walk into their village right when they need a sacrifice.' Some men must have grabbed her and drugged her when she was walking back to the inn. Shaking her head at her stupidity, she looks back up at the shackles. She can pretty much guarantee that no one was going to come and let her go, and unless her friends knew where this place was, she was going to have to get herself out of this one.

Examining the shackles with the little light provided to her proved to be a trial in and of itself. Whoever strung her up made sure that moving around would be barely possible. She had absolutely no give from the chains on her feet and the chains on her wrists only allowed her arms to move just above her head. And it appeared you needed a key to get them off. Whoever dressed her also happened to let her hair down from its characteristic ponytail which meant all of her bobby pins were gone. Quickly running out of options, she looks around the room again.

"I suppose I could scream until someone came." Shaking her head, she discards that idea. She growls out in frustration. "There's got to be a way to get out of here."

A bong sounds in the distance, making Ivy jump from the unexpected sound. She recognizes it as the town clock tower. Her eyes dart towards the archways above the opposite wall where she can see the night sky. She counts out each bong under her breath. "Twelve. It's midnight. My friends must be worried sick."

A wind comes breezing in through the open archways, causing the fires to flicker. Suddenly, the shadows get thicker around the room. Adjusting a little bit in discomfort, Ivy's eyes dart around the room. 'This is silly. There is nothing out there that can hurt me. There is not a vengeful god looking for a human female dinner.' However, no matter what she tells herself, she can't help but feel paranoid. The hair rising on the back of her neck doesn't help in the slightest.

She glances around the room once again. Only this time, there appears to be eyes reflecting back at her beside the farthest column. Eyes widening, she can't help but stare back at them. They are unblinking. A low growl rips through the air and Ivy gasps. The eyes move forward to reveal the biggest wolf she had ever laid eyes on. Its shoulder easily reached the top of the altar she was laid out on, which had to be at least five feet up off the platform she was on, which was at least another three feet up. It had a huge maw of a mouth that was contorted into a snarl. Its black fur was matted and its hackles were raised. It slowly stalked closer toward her and she tugged against the shackles. She desperately wanted to run, but knew that she would never be able to. Tears of fright slip down her face as she continues to watch the creature creep closer to her, a growl constantly rippling through the air.

A scream was caught in her throat. She desperately wanted to let it out, but she was too scared to move. 'This is it. This is how I die, and no one will even know.'

"Fenrir," comes a deep voice from within the shadows. The wolf immediately relaxes and backs off to come to rest where it started. It lays down but never takes its eyes from Ivy. It takes all of her willpower to tear her gaze from that massive beast and look for the voice that came out of nowhere. Another set of eyes shine out next to the wolf, only these held a great amount of amusement. Her eyes lock onto the green orbs. "Well well, who is this that comes calling to our home?" the voice says.

'I hope that's a rhetorical question because I don't think my voice is going to work.' A deep laugh rings out into the room. Ivy continues to stare at the man's eyes with a wide-eyed look of her own.

"I suppose I should properly introduce myself," he says, finally moving forward and into the light. His eyes dim a bit now that he is in the light, but they are framed by a gorgeous face. It's all sharp angles—high and pronounced cheekbones, straight nose, and a sharp, pointed chin— and yet it is able to hold a certain youthfulness to it. A playful smirk is twisted on his full lips. Black hair that comes to his shoulders frames his face, and yet is kept neatly behind his ears. He is tall, at least a foot taller than Ivy. He wears green and black armor with just a hint of gold. Only his hands, neck, and face are uncovered. "My name is Loki, of Asgard." Giving a sweeping bow, he looks up and gives her a smirk.

"What," is the only thing Ivy is able to say. She is having a very hard time comprehending what is going on.

Loki's smirk gives way to a full smile. "You know, after someone introduces themselves, it is proper to also give an introduction." At her blank face, he rolls his eyes. "I may be a god, but I'm not omniscient. What is your name?"

"Ivy," she croaks out. 'This is just too weird.' She glances back at the wolf still lying on the floor behind him. He may be a sudden distraction, but she is not going to forget about the giant animal with the razor sharp claws and teeth sitting just behind him.

Noticing her shifting focus, he also glances back at the wolf. "That is Fenrir. Don't mind him. He tends to get a little uneasy when a mortal comes into our home." Regaining her attention, Loki gives her his complete attention. "So explain. Why are you in our humble home?"

"This is your home?" Ivy asks, not quite keeping up with these events.

He laughs softly. "It is not my permanent address, if that is what you are thinking." Walking a bit closer, he takes a closer look at her. She squirms a bit at his searching gaze. "However, it seems you are not visiting us willingly. How did you come by this place?"

Ivy swallows in an attempt to get moisture back into her throat in order to speak. If this guy really is a god, then it would probably be best to answer him. Even if he wasn't, it still would be best to answer him, just to keep her life a little bit longer. "I'm assuming I was dragged here, considering I only woke up here maybe an hour ago."

Quirking an eyebrow, Loki closes the distance even more. "And why were you dragged here?" Ivy shrugs, not really wanting to answer. "Oh, come now. I know you know. I wouldn't have shown myself if you had not figured it out."

Sighing quietly, Ivy averts her gaze and raises it to the ceiling above her. "The locals believe that you are destroying their crops. And now there is a disease ravaging their cattle. They believe if they gave you a sacrifice it would make the disease go away."

"Hm, yes. That has been what these mortals have thought for centuries." His voice is even closer to her now. However, she refuses to look at him to see him creep closer. "It is curious though, that they chose you."

Ivy rolls her eyes. "They chose me so they wouldn't have to give up one of their own daughters. Better an outsider that no one cares about."

"I suppose you are correct." His voice comes from right next to her. She can see him standing by her shackled hands just out of the corner of her eye. A finger traces up her arm, leaving goose bumps in its wake. "However, there are other reasons for why they chose you. One of them being that none of the other girls are—how do I put this delicately?—pure. Well, not as pure as they should be at their age." He chuckles softly, moving around the head of the altar to the other side, still trailing a finger down her arm.

"And I am?" Ivy asks, trying her best to ignore the sensation rippling down her arm. It's a little unnerving.

"Well, you are virgin, yes?" he asks, quite bluntly in Ivy's opinion. The blush that rushes up her cheeks is all the answer he needs. He laughs again before coming to a stop right beside her head. Grabbing her chin softly, he pulls it so she is looking at him once more. "That is where the villagers are wrong, and always have been. Virgins are to be treasured, not given up as sacrifice to appease an angry god." He wipes his thumb on her cheeks, removing the residue of her tears from before. "It is a very barbaric way of thinking."

Ivy just stares at him, not quite sure what to make of that. "So, you're not going to kill me?"

"Why would I want to do that?" Loki takes a step back, and moves back to the other side of the altar.

Ivy's gaze doesn't leave him this time. "The villagers seemed so convinced that you needed something in order to sooth your temper."

He snorts. "The villagers only care about getting a proper crop. Besides, they are appealing to the wrong god. I do not care about what happens to a crop or to a herd of cattle. And even if I did, I would never lay a finger on a young maiden, such as yourself."

Suddenly, there is a loud clink from above Ivy's head. She looks up and sees the shackles have sprung loose. She immediately frees her hands and sits up, rubbing her wrists to get the feeling back into them. She looks back over to Loki who is watching her with a distant look on his face.

"In fact, I find it rude and callous that they would believe I would do such a thing." At Ivy's confused glance, he gives a small secretive smile. Coming over to her once more, he removes the cape attached to his shoulders and drapes it over her own. "I'd recommend keeping this on. It will get colder tonight."

Loki turns his back and walks down the steps. "Wait! Where are you going?" Ivy yells, panic rising again at the thought of him leaving her behind.

Loki stops and turns back. "Those shackles will spring loose at dawn. Until then, remain here. Fenrir will guard you until then."

"But where are you going?"

A gleam enters his eyes and a downright evil smirk twists his mouth. "I said I would never lay a finger on you. I, however, cannot promise them the same mercy." And with that, Loki disappeared from Ivy's sight. Fenrir the giant wolf stood up and ambled its way over to Ivy, looking downright playful. The wolf's entire demeanor had changed: instead of the intimidating beast from before, now it was an obedient little puppy. Taking a seat in front of the altar, he lied down, blocking any possible escape Ivy could have made if she was free to move.

With no other choice, Ivy laid back down on the altar, Loki's cape wrapped around her. She was still having a hard time believing what had just happened. Maybe she was just hallucinating, or having a very weird dream? Recalling the events, she promptly fell asleep, with Fenrir watching.

The next time she opened her eyes, the sun was shining through the arches, lighting up behind her eyelids. Groaning at the intrusion, she opened her eyes and sat up. Looking around, she was still in the temple. However, there was no sign of the giant wolf or the god that had come visiting last night. 'Maybe it had all been just a bad dream?' Both the torches on either side of the mural were out. In the sunlight, the mural looked a little more decayed than it did in the torchlight.

Hopping down from the altar, Ivy made her way outside. The temple was on a hilltop, looking down over the village. There were so many trees, though, she could only see the rooftops and the top of the clock tower, which said it was eight. The trek back to the village only took twenty minutes, in which she convinced herself that last night was nothing more than a dream.

However, when entering the village, something felt off. It wasn't until she reached the center of town that she realized that everyone was missing; no one was out milling about. Walking into the inn, she ran upstairs, calling for her friends. Both were asleep. Leaving them, she walked around the rest of the bed and breakfast, looking for the owners. They were nowhere in the little house.

She walked back outside and walked across the street to the baker's shop. It wasn't open. Neither was the butcher's or the convenience store or the antique store. No matter where she went, there was absolutely nobody there.

After about an hour exploring the village trying to find anyone, Kelly and Kristen come running up to her, both carrying their bags and hers in between them. "Ivy! Where have you been?"

"Yeah, you've been gone all night! Totally figured you were shacking up with that hottie you were flirting with last night."

"I was not shacking up with some guy!" A little affronted at the accusation, Ivy snatches her bags from her friends.

"Hey," Kristen starts, glancing around them. "Where is everyone?"

"That's what I've been trying to figure out," Ivy responds. "I can't find anyone."

"Maybe there is something going on outside of the town?" Kelly suggests, shrugging. However, she is busy texting someone, so it is apparent she doesn't really care about where the villagers have disappeared to.

"Yeah, that's probably it," Ivy says after giving it a moment of thought. That would make sense. Feeling completely unnerved by the silence though, Ivy starts walking towards the town border. "Let's get out of here." The girls follow without question.

It wasn't until they had left the small village far behind them that Ivy realized she was still wearing Loki's cape.