Zip. I close my bag and listen to the tapping of my heels across the concrete of the parking garage before I'm stopped abruptly. "No, you wait for us to verify your delivery." I cross my arms and tap my foot impatiently, waiting for the obvious dismissal and to go back on my way. The man I would assume is the boss of this crew of misfits thumbs through the contents, mumbling numbers and details to himself. He looks up with a wicked lustful grin, showing his lack of teeth. "How much for the seller too? I'd pay good money for a night with that." I swallow back the bile in the back of my throat and curl a lip in disgust, glad he couldn't see my eyes behind my sunglasses bulge nearly out of their sockets at his insinuation. "Not for sale, honey, you got your goods, I'll be on my way now." I pull my car keys from my pocket and twirl them between my fingers as I walk away. "Someday, little girl. I'll being watching you until then." I roll my eyes and slip into my car, still finding myself hitting the switch to lock the doors before driving off. Moments later, my phone rings and I answer it through the car's hands-free set. "Deidre? I'm assuming everything went well? Everything was delivered?" I clear my throat and sigh. "Yes, only the usual, but I have the money now along with a dying need for a drink after that encounter." Saoirse giggles and a small smile creeps across my lips. I sometimes forget to remind myself that she was on the roof of the next building watching me with a sniper rifle. Anything went down, she'd take pleasure in handling it for me. "Meet me at Bifrost Lounge in an hour, I'll buy drinks tonight. Dress slutty." Click. She never meant harm when she said that, that was just her quirky way of "I want to help, but I want to get laid, too." I take the turn off and after twenty more minutes, I'm home to my apartment. I lock up my car and wander to the elevator and take it up to my floor. I flip through my phone, knowing my half of the deal was to text some of my friends to meet up with us at the bar. Without missing a beat, I take my keys out and unlock my door, looking up to see my neighbor, Arlemis. "It always baffles me, the fact you can leave here in running gear and come back looking like you just stepped off the runway." I shrug and smile warmly. "Just charm I guess. Anyone come by here while I was gone, Arl?" He rubs the back of his neck and nods. "That Asher dude. He waited at your door for about an hour before leaving." I nod and wander over to him and kiss him on the cheek. He wasn't bad looking for his age. He was thirty-three with high cheek bones but not the horribly jagged ones, the ones that showed when he smiled. His eyes could only be compared the silver of a gun having never been touched and his skin was dark but flawless, like a perfectly molded chocolate. We'd been friends for as long as I could remember but he didn't know much about my secret life among the Black Market, he just took what connection he still had with me and ran with it. We still had occasional movie nights and such, stuff that Saoirse might've been to busy for. Even she had shown interest in him but, he turned her down, saying she was too tiny for him. Beautiful but just not his type. She was a petite figure, with short, blonde hair. Her eyes were green like the stem of a rose, the kind you would see on some of the finest velvets. She often joked with me that she didn't have my measurements and that's why he turned her down. I could only laugh and brush it off, I only had a couple inches on her height, but I was still incredibly short for my age. I'm 25 and still barely scraping by with convincing everyone of that I'm that old, my assets of breasts being the only thing on my favor to prove that point aside from my embarrassment of an ID. I waved to him and walked inside my apartment, lifting my shirt gently to quietly remove my gun and survey the whole apartment. Once I confirmed that no one remained in any of the rooms, I put my gun away again and wandered to the kitchen and poured myself a glass of water before getting a glimpse of a paper on the counter. I wander over to it and read it over, looking for indicators of a threat and my shoulders relax finally. It's the same as always with him, blaming me for the eminent death of his marriage. Telling me every flaw in my being and how he thought he was better than I deserved. Nothing to throw up red flags, he didn't have half the friends I did in dark places. I took the letter and held it over the sink as I took the lighter from the counter and set it on fire. Even as the flames licked up along my fingertips, I held it tight and only released when the pain seemed to cause discomfort. Once I'm finished diminishing his presence in my life, I walk to my room and change into the first dress I grab. It's a lacy, deep jade color and stops just short enough to peak interest of anyone that looks. I slip into it and pull the hair tie from my hair, letting the mass of ivory curls fall over my shoulders again as I rake my fingers through it to toss it to the side and I grab my stilettos from under my bed. From there, I slip out of my apartment, switching on the security system this time. I head down to my vehicle again and slip inside and drive to the lounge, feeling calmer where I could hear the music from inside. I hand my keys to the valet and head for the VIP door and search the bar for Saoirse. I find her with two guys fawning over her at the same time, not giving a shit about the other's presence. We'd never met the owner here, but our boss seemed to have family like connections to him, so we made it like our second home here. I could tell despite her affliction for attention, she needed air, so I grabbed her shoulder and whispered in her ear. "My turn, I wanna dance before the mood dies." She giggles and takes my hand, sliding out from between them and following me onto the dance floor. We spend the next couple songs grinding up against each other and talking about day between songs and drinks being sent our way. I was glad at this point that I'd learned to hold my alcohol because we got called upstairs after. I sent her up before me and smiled at her. "I just need a quick drink of water from all that dancing, I'll be right up." She nods and prances up the stairs and looks to be shaking hands and smiling. I get a drink of water and fix my hair, not being in any rush to get up there. I walk up, flipping through my phone, finally getting around to deleting old photos and such when I look up, seeing our boss, Frey, next to a couple muscular men. They introduced themselves as Heimdall and Odin, owners of the lounge. After speaking for a bit on how the last delivery went, Odin pulled me to the side. "Dear, I hear you're the best at what you do and was hoping I may be able to propose a favor, for good money of course." I nod and reach into my wallet for my calling card. "Anything just shoot, and I can tell you if it's in my skill set." He chuckles and waves me over to a vacant area of the upstairs and offered me a seat before taking a seat too. "This happens to do half with me and half with the person you'll be working with. I have a family member needing some deliveries done. Of what, I have no clue, he's just been requesting a good courier, not just an amateur. I also would need you to spend a fair amount of time with him. He's a bit infamous for the many cookie jars he seems to have his hands in so I need to know he's maintaining some dignity for us. I know that's not usually you M.O., but I would pay very, very good money just for that part on top of it all." I think it over and wave over a waitress with drinks, taking a good, long sip before looking back at him. "It's a deal. How hard can it be to babysit one grown man?" He shrugs and grabs one of his own and takes a good drink of it. "Frey allowed me your account numbers so the down payment's already there, it's still yours even if you back out. That was just to make sure to secure you but I'm still thankful for any of it that you can do. Now, I should probably let you know who you're working with, follow me." I do as I'm told and follow closely behind him as I pass Saoirse. She knew to never question what I was doing, just to be my back up. We venture downstairs and cut through most of the crowd when he waves his hand ahead of him, gesturing towards a tall, thinly built man with short, black hair. The color of his eyes put Saoirse's to shame with the brightness to them. He wasn't scrawny but wasn't overly muscular like Odin and Heimdall. The man walks over and looks me over, a little smirk creeping across his lips. "I'd assumed when I'd asked for the best courier you could find, it would be a man, not a little girl." I curl my lip in disgust and look at Odin. "I'd watch your glib tongue, I may be working for you, but don't think that makes you exempt from getting your ass laid out." He chuckles and takes my hand with an unexpected gentleness and kisses the back of it, peering at Odin. "I like her. She should do fine. I'll make good use of her." I gently tug my hand back from his and look up at Odin, myself. "I'm clarifying that my services don't cover escort services." He nods and turns a glance at the man I'm to be working for. "That's perfectly clear and not what you're getting paid for. But, proper introductions, this is Loki." I bow briefly, not wanting to touch him again and nod. "Deidre Lorelei, sir. Is this starting as soon as we part, Odin?" He nods and pats me firmly on the back before leaving. I look Loki over and sigh deeply. "If you need me, I'll be at the bar with my friend up on the second floor." I point at the pixie like figure hopping around with Frey and practically hanging off Heimdall. I didn't bother to add on that I was saving her from a drunk night waking up with the club owner to ghost him. I grab her arm and tug her downstairs, towards the bar and order some of the strongest drinks we could order. "Saoirse, I need this. I'm not getting paid enough for what I'm about to do." She giggles and takes her shot. "I saw, you're in for the time of your life being his nanny. He's known for mischief and being a womanizer. Surprise, he turned me down, though. Said I look too much like a little boy to him." I nearly spit my drink out on the last part and looked her over, smirking. "Don't take it to heart, Saoirse. He doesn't know what he's missing out on. Probably rather the blonde bimbos with the silicone tits." With that, she took one hand on each of our breasts and squeezed. "Yep, all-natural right here, bitches." We both giggle uncontrollably and she hugs me tightly, whispering in my ear. "You have me on speed dial but, please, be safe." I nod and hug back tightly before we separate and have no problem spotting him in the crowd. He has two girls hanging off him, one he seems to be focusing on more than the other and she get's bored fast. I give her a sarcastic wave as she shoves past me and he takes my presence as a cue of that I'm ready to leave. I'll give him that, he read me well and followed obediently. I only stopped once we were outside for him to show me which car was his. "Did you drive alone, Loki?" He nodded and perked a brow, confused by the reasoning of the question. I roll my eyes and pull out my phone and call Saoirse. "Hey, I need a favor, care to drive his car? I don't want him driving for a couple of reasons." I can hear the scoff from the other end and she's already coming outside when I hang up. "Gladly, I get to see what this sucker is driving." He clears his throat and almost seems to sober with her presence. "I'm fine to drive if this little twerp is my only option." I didn't even hesitate to snag the keys from his pocket as I handed them to her. "No, you're not and I'm being paid not only to be your courier, but your bodyguard. The safest place for you and your guest is in my car." I perk a brow and get on his level, looking her over. "More hands for her liking." He stutters for a moment before nodding. It's only as my car is being pulled up that he asks me "Just how much safer can your car b--." He's cut off when the valet accidentally revvs the engine of my Guardian S-600 as he pulls up. He finishes with a brief "Oh." As the passenger side opens for him. "Passenger or back? I'm nothing if not reasonable." He waves to the open door and looks to Saoirse. "It's the Audi under my name. Be gentle with her." She smirks and looks at me. "Want me to grab clothes from your apartment for you, Dee?" I nod and we both get into our respective driver's seats. Once we're pulling into the street, he breaks the silence. "Dee? How petite of a nickname for one of the best couriers out there." He resumes making out with the girl in his lap. "Call me that and I won't mind making the extra buck for your head." He chuckles as he bites at her neck. "Understood." We're almost to his place when he breaks the occasional direction. "You know, you can join us if you'd like. You seem tense." The girl nods and attempts to run her hand along my inner thigh. I grab her hand and twist it backwards until she yelps. "Do. Not. Touch. Me." She cocks her hand back to claw me across the face. "You bitch, you do what he wants not the other way around." She looks at him, still wincing. "Are you really gonna let her do that to me?" I pull into his driveway, preparing for the speech that I work for him until my debt is paid. Instead he took a different turn. "Actually, yes. She may be hired in part by me but, she does as she pleases. She's the best at what she does because she does it her way. She's free to be as uptight as she pleases." He grabs her chin and pulls her in close, eyes glossy with some sort of dee emotion emanating from him. "You on the other hand aren't being paid and are just to pass the time. So, now would be your chance to go home. After all, we both know you only want this, so you can turn around and nab me with something to sue me for." She goes rigid before the passenger door opens and she stumbles out, stopping to cling to who I assume is his assistant. He brushes himself off and looks at his assistant. "Take her home. I don't want to deal with her." His assistant nods and does as he's told as Saoirse pulls in next to me. She tosses the keys to him as he holds his hand out and they pull out of the driveway as quickly as she pulled in. She tosses me my clothes in a duffel bag and perks at brow at the both of us. He simply slides his hands into his pockets as he walks for the front door and stops when Saoirse starts to speak. "What's up with all that?" He turns on his heel without looking at her, playful nature gone. "She's middle class girl living in an apartment and sue happy with every famous person she sleeps with." She nods in understanding and gives me a glance that tells me to be careful. She mouths "Be careful, don't let him seduce you." She waves her petite little fingers in a creepy manner as I flip her off. We both giggle as she pulls her phone out to call a cab back to the lounge. I wander inside and peek into the kitchen where he's pulling a bottle of water from his fridge and glances at me. "Marcus will bring your car inside the garage when he gets back. I will show you your room upstairs but, you have free roam of the house." I nod and follow him down the hallway and up the stairs to the rooms. He points to the first room to the left. I peek inside and there's a fully furnished room with its own bathroom. I step inside the room and set my bag on the bed and hold my hand out for his phone. I look up at him. "Let me see your phone." He hesitantly does so, and I pull up the contacts to punch my number in. I hand it back to him and watch as he takes it back. "In case you need me and I'm not close. I'm in there as Deidre. Go ahead, make the joke that it was easy to get my number" He gawks his head at me slightly before a small smile creeps back across his face. "Thanks, that helps. I sleep in the second room to the right if you ever need me. No need, it already seems to have been said and I may be difficult, but I have my moments of being a gentleman, too." I roll my eyes and nod. "Thanks." He reads into my reaction and chuckles. "I'm not going to seduce you, at least not intentionally. This is purely professional as long you wish it to be." I nod and look back at him. "Don't worry, that's exactly how I like it." He leaves on that note and I take a little bit after the door shuts to pick out my clothes for the night and slip in for a short shower. Afterwards, I slip into a little black shirt and grey shorts and grab my laptop and reading glasses before sneaking off to the kitchen. Aside from privacy, I had no real idea why I was tiptoeing through the house. I set my stuff up on the island in the kitchen and peek in the freezer and see a small tub of pistachio ice cream. I smirk and bite my lip, looking around for a piece of paper and see sticky notes on top of the fridge. I grab one and write "IOU" on it and stick it where the tub was. I close the freezer with my hip and grab a spoon and dig while I type on my computer. It wasn't the most conventional view, a laptop with a gun and ice cream on either side of it but that's how I spent the next two hours. Before I knew it, I'd finished the tub and make a slight "oops" face to myself as I take the sticky note and stick it to the outside of the freezer before sitting back down, sticking my headphones in, only occasionally stopping to fix my glasses as they slide down the bridge of my nose. After a little while, I'm startled as a hand reaches around the front of me and catches my glasses falling from my face and I grab my gun in a swift movement and spin to be inches from Loki. He uses his other hand to stick the sticky note to my laptop next to the mousepad and raising both hands in surrender, smirking. "Sorry, didn't wanna interrupt you and whatever you were typing." I untense slowly and set the gun back down next to my laptop, taking my glasses from him. "I-It's fine, just damn near took a bullet to the forehead is all." He nods as he walks around to the other side of the counter and leans against it, shrugging. "Would've been my fault. What are you typing, if I may ask?" He seems less tense now as he looks me over and I look at his expression for mockery. Oddly, he seems sincere. "I just write in my free time. I like studying other places and the religions and traditions. Why I find the irony in all of your names." He perks a brow at my last statement. "Where the irony?" I smirk and shrug, looking away. "I'm pagan, Asatru specifically. Not the racist kind, though. The irony is that your nicknames are all gods that I follow. I guess it's not so much irony but, a perk to my job." He chuckles and shrugs. "Good point. So, you don't know any of our real names?" I nod and clear my throat, realizing I'm getting comfortable. "Figured it was nothing big. It pays well enough that I have no need for real names besides my own." He thinks for a moment before standing up and nodding as he crosses his arms across his chest. It's only now that I realize he must've showered and never put a shirt on. I'd already figured he wasn't bad looking beneath all the high-priced suit. Not that it mattered in comparison with his attitude and personality. I'm snapped back with him speaking once more. "Have you traveled to any of the places you've looked up?" I nod and sigh. "A few but, only briefly, for deals and leave. I always figured it would look weird a woman my age traveling alone at any other time so, I never did go back to any of them on my own." His smile disappears, and he sighs. "I'm sorry, that's a pity. I hope you get to eventually. Anyways, I have some places to be tomorrow afternoon so, you have the house to yourself. I shouldn't be too long. Around dark, I'm gonna need a courier for some goods so I'm not carrying them in my vehicle personally. I'll meet you at the parking garage over by 10th St." I nod and wave to him as he walks back to his room. He yells from the bottom of the stairs "I'll figure out that IOU on the ice cream eventually, don't worry." I roll my eyes and save what I have typed on my laptop and close it before heading back up to my room and going to bed for the night. When I wake up, I brush through my hair and put it up in a ponytail as I wander into the kitchen for a glass of orange juice before I leave for the morning. I peek in the garage where my car is parked like promised and slip out the front door. I run to the dojo nearby. I arrive in good time and find one of the empty rooms and practice for a while on one of the dummies. I'd self-taught myself kendo over the years, not that I needed it, but it centered me. After a couple hours of blaring my music through my headphones and practicing, I wrap up and run back to the house for a shower and my car. Once I was cleaned up, I changed into a pair of tight-fitting pants and a white tank with my teal jacket with my gun holstered under it and put my hair back up. I slide into my car and drive to the location he gave me. I don't know why I caught myself thinking as I was driving, hoping he was ok. I knew I was getting good money to keep him out of trouble but, it seemed like more than that. I shook it out of my mind as I pulled into the parking garage and seen him, leaning against his car and checking his watch. I get out and sigh. "Relax, I got here early. It'll be over before you know it." He scoffs and shakes his head, rolling his own eyes for once as they pull up. The group was heavier set men with beards. The whispered in Norwegian to each other, unaware that I knew what they were saying. One chuckles and looks at Loki. "You bring little girl to protect you, how cute." He opens his mouth to respond but I cut him off. "I'm not like women of this day and age. I may look petite, but I carry just as sharp of blade as you all do." We both jump at the sound of clapping coming from one of the vehicles as a man steps out. "Very impressive. He never ceases to impress the heat he packs when we meet. Anyways, they're yours, Trickster. Just make no mistake, there will be Hell to pay if they fall into wrong hands." Loki takes the bag and hands it to me. "I know, I don't need a lecture, especially from you." He pulls his phone out and looks at the man across from him. "The money's there. Verify so we can get this over with." The boss checks his own accounts and nods before waving us off. Loki looks at me without a hint of humor and nods, meaning it was time to go. I loaded up and waited for him to leave and I started to follow behind until I hear a familiar ring. One of them had fired off a warning shot, and Loki slammed on the brakes in front of me. He gets out and I stop him, placing a hand on his chest, holding my own gun up. "Don't play games with me. I play like the rest of you. Any eye for an eye, you want to taunt me? Go ahead, shoot me." Loki nudges me. "Do have a death wish?" I smirk as one of the men lifts a gun to attempt to level the playing field and I shake my head. Just then, the man's hand falls limp and lifeless as his gun falls to the ground. Saoirse had leveled the playing field for me. With that, I pointed him towards his car again and I slid back into mine. We sped off and we got back to the house. I can see the look of utter confusion as I slide out of my car, stifling giggles. I gawk my head and open the trunk, smirking. "Come on, you at least owe her a drink for that." He still looked utterly lost until he thought for a moment. "Your friend was nearby wasn't she?" I nod and charade a sniper rifle. I take the bag out of the trunk and offer it to him. "I told her I had a job, so she kept an eye on me. She doesn't accompany me on all of them." He seems to relax a little more and I giggle and wiggle my fingers. "No, I'm magic. Now, if we're done here, I'm gonna go relax for the night." He nods and waves me past as he takes the bag. I go inside and change into my sweats and grab a book before wandering downstairs and making myself comfortable on one of the couches. I kick up my legs on one of the arms and sprawl out across it and read for a while. After a while, he wanders in and changes too before he comes back downstairs and joins me in the living room. After a moment of silence, I close my book and look over at him. "What?" He chuckles and leans against one of the arms of the chair. "Am I not allowed to sit where I like in my own home?" I shrug. "Maybe, maybe not. Just figured there was a reason you're creeping." He shakes his head and grins. "Only you would think that I'm doing that in my own home." I roll my eyes and smirk. He sighs and relaxes back in the chair. "So why did someone like you start in this profession?" I sit up and shake my head. "What? You want the sob story of an orphan or a military brat? It's not that cinematic. I just spent so long being the outcast and people avoiding me that I finally figured I'd give them a reason to. I wanted them to look at me and actually have a reason to fear me, since they already did for the fact I was different." He chuckles and shakes his head. "Can't say I hate that reason." I sarcastically sigh and giggle. "Sorry to disappoint you with my lack of scars from my pervert uncle putting cigarettes out on my bare skin." He chuckles, and we banter back and forth like that for what felt like forever until we finally got tired and I started to rub my eyes more than talk. The next couple days seemed to follow suit. Job and banter like normal, the both of us opening like two good friends. One morning, about two weeks later, he leaves and peeks his head in while I'm eating breakfast. "Today you're free to do what you like. I don't have much to do." I nod and go about my day normally. I even take a brief walk on the beach before heading back to the house. It's only once it's dark that my day seems to get a little thrown off, when he stumbles in making out with a brunette with too much makeup on. I wanted to kick myself in the teeth for the sting I felt when I see that. I didn't want to admit that I ever thought something was happening with us. I was doing it, I was falling for him and he was moving on. I hid it with a sigh and went upstairs to change. I was going to have fun myself. I put my make up on slid into a dress and heels and walked out to my car, yelling. "Be careful, kids, use protection." I slid into my car and sped off towards Bifrost Lounge. What possessed me to not call Saoirse, I have no clue. Once I was there, I ordered a drink and found myself swaying to the music and taking my night off for myself. I danced with who I wanted and acted how I pleased. I even ignored the chirp of my phone, letting my life outside of here disappear for a while. I'm not slowing down, even when I wander back to the bar and let one of the guys there buy me a drink and do one of the stupidest things I'd ever done. I almost always checked my drinks before drinking them, but I didn't this time. I didn't taste the difference but I sure as Hell felt it. Suddenly, I got weak and the guy used it to his advantage. I toppled against him. The scariest part of it all was knowing that I could see Heimdall upstairs out of my peripheral vision. I did what looked like drunken stumbling out of the club with this man and couldn't muster enough force to push off him. I clenched my eyes shut, knowing the events that were going to follow as he threw me on the backseat. It was only as I laid there, and nothing happened that I finally opened them again. Then I heard it, a tiny female voice and a male voice. It was Saoirse and Loki. She knocked him out as he was getting ready to lean over me and Loki took his place and gently lifted me up from the back seat. I let myself lean against his shoulder as he mumbled. "You're not immortal, you stupid girl." I wanted to hit him for that, but my hand weakly touched his cheek before I suddenly felt my normal reflexes kick in and I had to vomit. He held my hair back and kept his arm around my waist to keep me from falling to the ground in my own vomit. I started to clear up, but was drained from the heaving, only staying awake long enough to hear Loki talk to Saoirse. "Take him to my place, I'll deal with him. Meet me there. I'll take her." She goes to argue but decides against it, knowing he deserved it and loaded him up into my car after taking my keys from me. I woke up once more when Loki lifted me from his car and took me inside. He set me on the couch and pointed downstairs for Saoirse to take the man who'd drugged me. After a while, Saoirse came back up and was wiping my head with a wet washcloth until I finally fell into a more natural sleep. I had flashes of vivid nightmares, always the same from my childhood but only long enough to catch images. The usual stuff that scares kids growing up, flames, death, inability to escape. When I woke, my head was pounding like crazy as I sat up. I tugged at what I expected to be my dress. Instead, it was one of my t-shirts and my shorts. As if like clockwork, Loki came in, peeking at me and all I wanted to do was grab something to throw at him, but I gave up when I couldn't. At least until he came closer with a pill and a glass of orange juice. I looked over the pill, making sure it was real and took it with the entire contents of the glass and looked up at him. I set my glass down on the night stand and beckon him closer, as if I needed to talk to him. He perks a brow and leans in and I smack him hard across the cheek. His head jerks and he grabs his cheek, smirking after a moment. "It's not funny, you prick. You undressed me, how is that any better than what you guys stopped? How do I know you stopped there?" He looks a little wounded by the last one and runs his tongue along the inside of his cheek, sitting up. "You can ask, Saoirse, I had one glass of wine with her like you asked and she kept on my ass all night not to be a sleaze bag, not that it was even on my mind." I cuss him out under my breath and look at him. "But, you're not denying being the one to undress me. Fucking pervert." He tosses his hands and sighs. "Damned if I do, damned if I don't. Should've stared while I got the chance since you're accusing me of it. I mean, I did but, should've done it longer." He chuckles even as I kick him for giving me shit. "But, yes, I did. I didn't want you sleeping in that dress after you vomiting and tearing it." I nod and rub the back of my neck nervously. After a while, I look up at him and mumble "Thanks for last night, all of it." He nods in acceptance and sighs before he gets up and leaves. I take a while to soak it all in, the events of last night. Finally, I get up and hobble down stairs to the kitchen, but I can hear yelling from the garage leading outside and I peek out the front window in above the living room and watch the man from last night stumbling off with his shirt in his clenched fists as he tripped. He was stumbling, trying to get away from Loki yelling fast enough. He was pale with what looked like fear and I was content with that. I went and made myself some breakfast, soon realizing I made too much and decided to make him a plate, too. I went to the living room to eat. He came in and I seen that he ate the plate I made when I went to clean mine. The next few days went roughly the same, only really being around in passing. I even went out for drinks with Saoirse and a couple side deliveries and neither of us spoke of that night. It was four days past when my phone finally went off the on the counter, showing Loki had messaged me. "I'll be home soon. I need a favor. Meet me in the garage, please." I finish my lunch and walk downstairs to the garage, deciding to save snooping down the other halls down there for another time. I lean against the table in there and he comes in as the garage doors opens. "Thanks, it seems I'm gonna need a huge favor of you. I need your company to a function because of the guest list. Odin and Heimdall will be there, too. I just need someone of my own." I look at his expression and nod. "Of course." He seems to relax a little and sits on the hood of my car. I knew there was more. "What is it? I see the gears turning in your head." He clenches his fists and sighs. "The other night was stupid of you. You could've been killed." I roll my eyes and grind my teeth. "You don't pay me enough to make that judgement on me with the way you live, sleeping with girls that you know are your destruction. You say I have a death wish, but you're the one living with your neck in a constant guillotine. I'm human, I make mistakes." With that, I turned and walked upstairs, not letting him answer. I knew that may have costed me this job and may have just unleashed the beast, making me thankful I'd been out for the day already, meaning my gun was still holstered on my person. My heart sank a bit more when I heard his footsteps up the stairs and coming towards the kitchen and I almost didn't have time to unholster my gun and point it at him. Instead of slowing, he came right around the island, towards me and grabbed the gun and pointed it at his own chest, looking down at me. It was then that I realized just how much taller than me he was. I prepared myself to pull the trigger on him when his expression changed as he watched me. "You're afraid of me. Go ahead, pull the trigger, but I would never lay a hand on you." I don't know why but, I caught myself feeling deprived when he stepped back and sighed before walking upstairs without a word. I sank to the floor and rested my head on my knees for a while until I could stop shaking so bad. I finally started to feel guilty for what I said, knowing none of that was for me to care about anyways. I needed to apologize to him, I was out of line. But, why all that extra? I let myself lean against the cupboard as it started to sink in, the shitty realization I was compromising this all and I realized he was, too. We really were falling for each other and trying to fight admitting it with every fiber of our being. I pulled myself up and sat my gun on the counter, giving up on fighting and quietly walked upstairs to his room as I stood outside of the door. I rested my hand on the door and fought with myself whether to knock or not. I was startled when he opened the door and found myself not fighting the fact that my hand landed on his chest, just feeling his breathing as I peeked up at him and mumbled, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said all that. I don't know what got into me." I felt myself tense when his fingers tangled into my hair, but he just pulled me close to kiss me, simply guiding me against him. I found myself kissing him back and taking my hand against his chest and grab his shirt to pull him close. After a moment, we finally come up for air and rest our heads against each other but, he still held me close. "Y-you can't be stupid like that. I thought you were gone." I took his free hand and placed it over my heart and laid my head against his for the first time since that night. "It's still beating, see?" He chuckles half-heartedly as he shakes his head and kisses my forehead. "Let's keep it that way." I nod and sigh. "C-can we just lay together for a bit? It's been a long day and I need to know you're not mad at me." He wastes no time and nods. "Of course, and I was never mad. I was scared. No, terrified and unsure of myself for once." We both go over his bed and lay down on it. We lay there with each other and eventually I fall asleep as he brushes my hair back gently. My nightmares had always been the same, no matter what, since I was young. That changed this time. This time, it was the worst of my inner demons, including my sudden vulnerability to Loki. All enough to leave me waking up in a sweat and in a fetal position. I was thankful it seemed that he had left me there alone, I didn't want him to see me like this. I took the time to sneak off to my room and sink down next to my bed. It was causing my head to spin, everything that'd just happened and had been happening. I pulled my hair over my shoulder and twirled and untwirled it around my hand, a habit from when I was little. What was I supposed to do? I caught myself falling for a notorious player. Someone I knew was not only going to hurt me but make a show of my entrails if he so chose. Then there were my demons, a circus in themselves. Could I just lay my heart out on the kitchen counter for him to cannibalize? There's a sudden but light tap on my door and I peek over the edge of my bed as it creeps open. He leans against the door frame and sighs. "If I made a mistake, just tell me. You'll get paid regardless and I wouldn't dare hold it against you." I sink back down and tug at the hair in my hand, biting my lip. "I need time, it's not a no but, I just need time." He chuckles softly and stands back up. "I can do that but, in the meantime, we have money to make. Care to join me?" I wave my hand as a yes and take my other gun from my own nightstand and he's already around the other side of the bed, offering his hand to help me up. I look up at him once I'm on my feet, back to normal despite the shaking in the pits of my stomach of nervousness. "Do we need both cars or just one?" He chuckles before looking away momentarily. "How much extra on your paycheck to let me drive the Guardian just once?" My shoulders slump and I roll my eyes, smirking just a little. "You're insatiable, I hope you know that." He grabs the keys from my nightstand and waves me ahead, I walk down to the car and run my thumb along the handle to the door, not used to getting to be the one opening the passenger side and I tug. I slide in and sigh as I watch him as he looks the dash over before starting it and I stare out the window as we drive, braiding my hair to avoid the real thoughts I needed to focus on. Everything goes normally until we're getting ready to leave, when one of the men grabs my arm firmly. "You get to stay, missy. I got a nice warm spot for you in papa's lap." Loki walks towards us at first but, I stop him. I raise my hand and lock eyes with him. "You need to learn how I do things, what you're getting into. I don't need you to protect me. This has been a long time coming as it is." Without missing a beat, I bring my heel of my boot up backwards hard to nail the guy in the chin before slamming it down hard on a nearby, empty pipe. I pick it up and twirl it smoothly like my kendo staff from practice. "I've had about enough of you pigs. I'm not a prize, nor am I a treat for you to drool over." The man is pissed and reaches for me once more when I bring the pipe hard into his collarbone, causing a loud snap. He drops hard to the floor and I look around at the rest of them, smirking. "Anyone else?" They shake their heads and I pick up the bag from the middle of us, tossing it over my shoulder with a smile. We both get in and we drive away in silence. We're back to the house when he finally speaks. "What in the world was that?" I look at him and shrug. "That's how I deal with things. Saoirse is in Maui for a week and I needed you to know I don't always rely on her company. I mean, she needed the time off but, I'm not useless without her." He looks me over, even as we get out and I hear him chuckle softly. "Definitely not a sheep among wolves." I wander upstairs to the kitchen and holster the gun again without a second thought to it. He comes in and, for once, takes my place. He takes a seat at the counter across from me and smirks. "Just what do you know how to do?" I lean back against the counter and sigh. "Well, Saoirse and I met in sniper training. From there I'm self-taught in interrogation, infiltration, deception, courier and a handful of other things. I practice kendo in my free time every morning when I'm gone." He chuckles and shakes his head. He looks out the dark window for a while before tracing the pattern on the countertop. "Permit me a favor? On top of the other one, I mean. Go with me tonight. A date if you will otherwise, purely be getting out of the house but, as the two of us." I think for a moment, coming back to the reality of the tension between us and finally sigh and nod after what feels like forever. He smirks and tries to hide the triumph in his expression as he nods and we both split for each of our rooms. I take out a dress I hadn't worn in a long time. One that was a little less like my normal night wear but happened to be my favorite of all the ones I had. I slid into it and did my makeup and slid into my heels, letting my hair from it's braid as I walked downstairs. I'm startled by him waiting right at the bottom of the steps as we nearly run into each other. We freeze in our tracks, looking back at each other, the tension like a brick wall. "Y-you look nice, Deidre." I shake my head to clear it. "T-thanks, you too." We both head downstairs to his car and drive in awkward silence to Bifrost Lounge. We're stopped as soon as we get in by Odin. "She's alive. It's a miracle. I heard what happened the other night. I can assure you it's been dealt with on our end." I nod and look around as Loki speaks to him. I tuned back in in time to catch the part of him having already dealt with it on his own terms. Odin smiles and leads us to the bar, where he buys us drinks. "How have things been going with working together?" Loki perks a brow and looks as if he's searching for the right words and I beat him to it. "Incredibly well, actually. Seems to be working out thus far." He nods and chuckles as he pats Loki on the shoulder before he walks away, whispering something to him before heading upstairs. I look at him and smirk. "Are we going to drink ourselves out of awkwardness or are we going to dance a little?" He chuckles and waves me along in front of him and I try to sneak in a deep breath as we walk out. I had to decide here and now where I wanted this to go and if I was going to let it. I look back at him, thinking hard for a moment before it comes naturally. I was stupid. I was impulsive. To hell with logic. I was taking the leap. I offer him my hand to dance with me and he takes it as we chuckle, and I pull him closer. We dance for a while without a word but never truly separating from each other. Our eyes lock, finally after a while and he looks like he's searching for answers in my expression. "What has you hesitating with me?" I turn so that his hands are on my waist and I sigh softly. "For one, I'm paid by you and Odin. Two, it feels a gambit. Of course, I'm falling for the notorious playboy. I'm an upper hand if you can get me that vulnerable. But, that's the thing, I don't do gambits, gambits end up dead in my world." One of his hands trails up to my neck to tip my head back to look up at him. "A gambit would be letting the other night play out and just tell everyone that I slept with you or take advantage of you. But, I deserve you thinking that, it's true of me in any other case." He takes his free hand and lifts my hand to his lips and softly kisses the back of it. "Give me the rope to hang myself. Let me prove it and you hold the lever that drops the floor out from under me if I fuck up." I bite my lip and find myself smirking a little as I nod. "Fine, but buy me another drink?" He chuckles and kisses my bare shoulder. "I think I can swing that." He runs a hand back down to my waist and turns me back around to take my hand to lead the way to the bar. Once we're there, I look up at him and giggle. "I have an idea. Order two of a drink you usually get and the other will try it and drink it. I buy mine, you buy yours." He smirks and nods, thinking over his first one. He waves the bartender over and whispers something to him. He nods and makes two of what he asked for and hands one to each of us. It's not something I recognize so I lock eyes with Loki. He senses the tension and takes his hand and runs his finger along my chin. "I wouldn't do anything to your drink, it's why I had you watch him." I immediately grab his hand and nuzzle into it. "No, no, I know you wouldn't. I was hoping you were gonna say what it was." I giggle and take my glass, taking a deep breath and look at him. "Sip or shot?" He chuckles and grabs his own. "Sip." We clink our glasses together and take a drink at the same time. It's certainly has a strong and unique flavor to it, but I like it. We set our glasses down and he chuckles. "Thoughts? It's black absinthe." I shrug and giggle. "I like it." I lean over the bar and whisper mine to the bartender and he comes back with two Crownberry Apples. He picks up his and smells it and I stifle a giggle. "Yes, I'm going to drug you and drag you to the car. No, it's good, I promise." He chuckles and perks a brow as he takes a drink and I do too. "It's sweet but not horrible. I like it." I smile, and we go on for a couple more rounds until my knees started to shake and I had to lean against the bar. He wraps his arm around my waist, eventually scooting to stand behind me. I wanted to say my cheeks flushed because of the alcohol but that was a lie. "I don't remember being such a lightweight." He brushes some of my hair back behind my ear and traces along my shoulder, leaning in so I could hear him. "Why don't we go outside for some air to help that red in your cheeks? Not that I'm not loving the hell out of it." I nod and try to hide the shiver that traverses my spine afterwards. I follow him outside and I lean against him, the breeze having picked up. He takes his jacket off and wraps it around my shoulders as we look at each other and he chuckles, brushing my hair out of my face. "I'm going to guess the flush in your cheeks isn't from the alcohol?" I shake my head and bite my lip. He smirks and leans in to whisper in my ear. "What would you happen to be holding back?" I smirk and play with my hair, coming to enjoy the aroma of him that clung to his jacket. "Wouldn't you like to know?" He chuckles and traces his fingers across my shoulder. "We could, do something for that. Though, you'd have to ask." I pull his jacket tight around myself, contemplating the idea and look up at him, reaching my hand up to trace from his cheek to his chin. He leans down and plants a soft kiss on my lips, pressing his forehead to mine. I could feel the tension coming off him, he was holding back for once, and I could tell. I wanted to let him be him, but I needed the time. I truly had no clue why, but I did. I couldn't just blindfold myself and go into this of all things blindly. "Loki, I want to, I just can't, yet." He smiles warmly and offers his hand. "Nothing to apologize for. What do you say we call it a night?" I smile back at him and nod, taking his hand and squeezing it to reassure him that I was there. We got in the car and I twined my fingers in his gently. It wasn't the limit of what I wanted to show him, but it was a start. I hated that at times like this, my walls could be so vexing. They may have been the only reason I was still alive at this point, but they also became my bane when I knew I needed to take a leap. Once we were in the driveway, I was startled out of my daydreaming by him subtly squeezing my hand. He was watching me and had that same warm smile on his face as before. "Humor me, nothing has to happen but, I-Stay up with me a bit longer?" I giggle and nod, squeezing back. "Just let me get changed into something for the night and you have me for the night." He chuckles and helps me out and we walk upstairs. I walk to my room and take my dress and heels off gently as I slip into something a little more comfortable for the night. I looked myself over in the mirror, realizing how few and far between I did it. I caught myself assessing every part of myself, down to the scars up my legs and my side where the shirt had ridden up. I didn't truly think of the way I'd spent my last few years until this point. It wasn't one of those turning points of giving up the life, it was recognizing after almost eight years, that this was Deidre in the reflection. I sighed and took my phone out of my purse, dialing Saoirse. She picked up after four rings with her always sunny personality. "Dee! I've been away for almost my whole vacay and you're just now getting in contact? You doing ok?" I giggle and smile to myself. "Yeah, everything's fine. A lot has happened, and I don't know how to explain it all but, how's the trip?" She sighs happily and giggles. "It's heavenly but I think I'm calling it quits like tonight or tomorrow. This guy is getting a bit clingy and 'marry me' for my tastes. Not that I'm not thankful for a free Maui trip. Is Mr. Mischief keeping under control or do I need to castrate him?" I freeze for a moment and roll my eyes. "Yes, he's being his usual self, nothing new to report. Kick ass and take names, like always." She giggles and blows kisses to me from the other end. "Good, I got to go, lots of love. I will stop by when I land home." She hangs up and I toss my phone on the bed, smiling. I could've told her but, there was so many facets to the situation, a phone call wouldn't have done it justice. I wasn't even sure how she was going to take it in the first place. I wasn't sure who I was more afraid for, him or myself. I shook my head and went downstairs, into the kitchen. I reach into the fridge for a bottle of water and open it and take a drink as I peek in the freezer. He'd bought another tub of pistachio ice cream to replace the one I'd eaten. I reached inside for it and hummed to myself as I swayed my hips and searched for a spoon. I was taking a good-sized bite when I turned and seen Loki standing in the doorway. I smiled guiltily and blushed scarlet when I could tell from the smirk on his face, he'd been there for at least most of it. He's trying to stifle a chuckle, drumming his fingers on his lips. "The Lady Deidre, jamming out in my kitchen with pistachio ice cream, that's first. Can't say I wasn't enjoying watching." I roll my eyes and smirk, taking another bite. "So, what do you have planned for our evening?" He rubs the back of his neck nervously and peeks at me from staring down at the floor. "I'm not really sure, I guess, I was thinking a movie or something? I have no clue, I just didn't want to split up for the night, yet." I gawk my head slightly and walk closer to him, peeking up at him. I take a spoonful and offer it to him, a gesture to relax him. He takes a bite and never breaks gaze with me, leaving him open to me being able to see the storm stirring somewhere in those green eyes of his. I yearned to know what was stirring him up inside so much and it killed me to not be able to help. I reach up to brush his cheek and he sighs and smiles half-heartedly. "Anything, Loki. I would love to." We wander to the couch and get settled for the night, throwing in a movie we both knew, and I got comfortable, finally leaning against him after a couple minutes pass of the movie. I catch myself staring up at him halfway through and so does he not too long after and pauses the movie. "What?" I shook my head and giggled nervously, realizing I'd been caught. "It's nothing. Just got thinking on something and next thing I knew, I was watching you. I was thinking how I don't know your real name. Is that something you hide for emotional reasons or safety reasons?" He sighs but smiles warmly, caressing my chin. "It's personal reasons that end up falling into both categories, something for another night if that's ok?" I nod and smile. "I understand, it was curiosity." But, was it? Or was I allowing fear to sneak in? Was I starting to doubt him already? I leaned back against him and let the comfort flow back in. I found peace there, next to him. Enough that I never recollected falling asleep with my head in his lap. I woke to his arms slipping underneath my neck and my legs, lifting me to him and carrying me upstairs. I didn't even bother to see which bed he put me into, but I felt him even pull the blanket over me and the bed sink next to me, meaning he was staying until I fell back asleep. I slept a good way into the day before I woke up, finally opening my eyes to see my alarm clock. It said 11:08 and, as if by fate, I hear Saoirse from in the house. I wasted no time making a dash downstairs when I thought of the two of them being alone. I skidded to a halt in the living room, they were sitting, completely fine. "Someone's up a little late for her daily routine, what do you say we catch up? I need some release beyond the good kind. That guy was uber creeping me out." I giggle and nod, looking at Loki, mouthing. "Does she know?" He chuckles and shakes his head. "You'll have to tell me if you've had to kick his ass yet." I hug her from behind the couch and smile. "Give me twenty minutes to clean up and I'll be ready to go." She nods and looks at Loki, patting my arm. "Care to join us? See the guard dog you've taken on?" He looks at me and perks a brow and chuckles. "Sure. I don't see the harm in that." I roll my eyes and walk upstairs to my room and change into my workout clothes. I pull my hair up into a ponytail and run back downstairs to meet up with her, giggling. "Who's driving?" She lifts her hand and rolls her eyes. "It's my fucking turn to drive my car finally when I'm around you both." We smirk and follow her downstairs, me catching occasional glimpses of the smirk he was trying to hide. It was relatively silent on the way there and when we checked in, it finally broke when Saoirse started to tell me about Maui, even as we started our basic sparring, she was telling me all the places the guy took her and all. "And this guy you've known for-what, a couple days? Isn't it the usual stereotype that guys don't want to settle down?" She giggles and takes a drink of water, looking at Loki. "My thoughts exactly, they're almost all like you, sir. Playboys and chronic players. No offense." I watched him for some sort of a reaction, but he just leans back and shrugs, his usual smirk still spanning his lips. "None taken, you're smart girls, I know that." She scoffs and rolls her eyes at him. "I'm sure you're just loving watching us right now, enjoying the show?" He chuckles and peeks at me. "Maybe, for multiple reasons. The top one being that I'm thoroughly impressed with your skills." That sets her off and she smirks. "Oh, this is nothing, yet." She reaches over and grabs two staffs and hands one to me. "Our girl here can use this like it's attached to her. I don't even think blindfolding her would hinder her. She keeps me on my toes as a sparring partner." That's when I see the gears grinding in her head. "Uh oh, what's going on in that head of yours, Saoirse?" She grins and tilts her head at me. "It's about time we spice this up, someone you don't know their moves already." She tosses her staff to Loki and I nearly spit out my drink of water when he catches it and shrugs. "You've got to be kidding me, Saoirse. Are you serious?" She nods and plops into his spot on the bench as he slips his shoes off and steps onto the mat with me. "I could probably lay him out blindfolded, Sao. I don't get paid if my boss is hospitalized." He perks a brow at me and smirks as she tosses a blindfold at me. "Blindfolded, it is. Why don't you call him master while you're at it since you feel bad for him?" She knew what nerves to hit and I bit my cheek as I tied the blindfold on my forehead. Before counting my steps to the edge of the mat, I turn towards him. "I need you to promise this isn't going to end up being personal, however this ends." He nods and crosses his heart. I walk to the edge of the mat and lower my blindfold over my eyes. I wait until I hear Saoirse's signal and strike with partial reservation. It's when I heard the smack of a flawless block that I finally cut loose, realizing he's keeping up almost perfectly. I tried to hide my amazement and true staggering to my technique because of my surprise. It took me years to perfect fighting off only certain senses, and this weapons dealer was giving me a true run for my money. My heart even managed to skip a beat when I finally heard him stumble a little and I stop my staff just above his head. I yank the blindfold off, revealing my expression. He stands back up and takes my staff from me, looking me in the eyes. "What's wrong?" I punch him square in the upper arm. "Where in the hell has that been? You're paying me as much as you do for the pure company?" He chuckles and smiles warmly at me. "What can I say? It gets lonely in this line of work." I smirk and roll my eyes, taking my staff back from him once he let me. That put us suspiciously close in front of Saoirse, but we went back to what we were doing. I put the staffs up and turn when I hear the three of our phones go off at the same time. I take mine out to read a message from Frey. "Not sure if Loki said anything, but I would like you and Saoirse to attend the party tonight. Dress formal and a mask if you want." I wanted to throw my phone at Loki but refrained from it. "Loki! You didn't tell me that was tonight!" He threw his hands up in mock surrender and Saoirse throws her arm around me. "Shush, my child. I'm going to kidnap you and shower you in gifts. Think of it as an early present for your birthday." Loki perks a brow and smirks. "I can handle that but what's this about a birthday." I shoot Saoirse a dirty look. "You bitch." She giggles and leans against me. "She doesn't like telling people her birthday is next week. Saturday to be exact." I stomp on her foot and he chuckles. "Well, I'm going to let her steal you while I head home to clean up. Meet me there?" I smile a little and nod. "Are you walking?" He shakes his head. "No, I have a plan to get home, though. Go, I'm fine." Saoirse takes that as her starting shot and yanks me along. She pushes me into the car and immediately sinks into jabbering about where she is going to take me and what she wants to wear. I did my best to listen and giggled at how excited she was getting about going. Once we went inside the store, she had five dresses she already wanted to try on. My eyes were immediately drawn to one. It was a blue-black, mermaid gown with glitter across it that made it look like a night sky. After she finally slowed down to breathe for a moment, she followed my gaze to it. I was too late to look away and she'd already memorized my size and bought it right off the rack. "I'm only letting you buy your mask because that shit's cheap." She giggles and hugs me tight. I looked around for a bit longer, helping her choose between a couple of hers and found a simple lacework mask that turned into horns along the side of the face. I paid for the rest of my stuff when she tugged me back out to the car and we headed to her place. She was a little less humble about her place. You could tell she had money of some kind when you looked at her living space. We helped each other in our dresses and I stood in her bathroom, tugging at my curly, white ringlets of hair and looked at the straightener on the counter for a moment before grabbing it and going to work on straightening all of it. At the end of it all, I almost didn't recognize myself, but I finally seen something beautiful in the reflection. It took Saoirse only a moment longer than me, but when she came out to see me waiting, her jaw dropped. "Can you say knock them dead? I almost think you're asking for his attention, Dee." I rolled my eyes and decided silence was the best answer for the time being. We got back in her car and arrived just before it got busy with many of the guests flooding in. I looked over the parking lot and seen his car. I knew he would be here earlier than us, but I wanted to know he was here, too. Someone helps the both of us from her car as the valet takes it. Once we were inside, I sent Saoirse ahead as I grabbed a drink and was stopped by Odin. "Glad to see you could come, sweetheart. I heard that you chose to be Loki's plus one. You're well to get close so you can keep an eye on him. I like the way you think, infiltration to keep him on a leash." Without waiting, he pats my shoulder and walks off to the other guests. The words tug at the pit of my stomach and they made me filthy. I ordered a shot of something to clear my head and took a deep breath. I finally went to the top of the stairs, aching to see him. As I walk down, it takes me a moment to spot Saoirse and Loki, but when I do, Saoirse is nudging Loki and that's when he stops anything and everything to watch. He even ignores the woman trying to shake his shoulder for his attention. He meets me at the bottom step, the biggest grin across his face as he slides his arm around my waist. Then it happened, Saoirse had to pick her jaw up from the floor. She knew how I was about being touched, especially intimately. He leans close and whispers to me "Would it be too much for me to steal you away for a dance?" I giggle and shake my head. "Please, do, maybe everyone will stop staring for a little bit." He chuckles and shakes his head as he smoothly spins me onto the floor and he pulls me close. "Sorry, that may be partly my fault. Though, I say let them stare." I smirk and shake my head. "You would. You love to antagonize Frey and Odin, don't you?" He shrugs, and his wicked little grin shows. "What can I say? I'm eager to give them hell." That's when I'm abruptly turned away from him. A woman is standing before me, roughly my height and a little slimmer with blonde hair. I was honestly expecting her to give me trouble, but she peeks past me though she's speaking to me. "Master Loki is being requested by Master Odin, he asks that you allow him to do his business." I look back at him and nod. "Go ahead, I'll be right here waiting." He leaves, and I walk over to Saoirse. "What the hell? You didn't think to tell me?" I giggle and shrug. "I figured I would let you figure it out on your own." She shakes her head and smiles a little. "I may not trust him, but I trust you, Dee. You must see something in him that not many probably get to see. Where is he anyways?" I point down the hall that he left down and sigh. "He was beckoned by Odin. I'm starting to question this all a little. He sounds like a bit of a dick to me." She drums her fingers across her lips for a moment and looks at me and perks a brow. She mouths "Go, see what's going on, I'll cover." I nod and wander down the hallway, careful not to give myself away. It was a blessing that they were so cocky about talking that the door being cracked open didn't bother them. I lean against the wall and listen. "How is that fair to the poor girl? I wouldn't be so sure of her feelings. You know how humans react to our charms and make no mistake, she's being paid to be around you. You're her meal ticket and they live in a world that their loyalty is only to the highest bidder until a higher bid stumbles along." I was clenching my fists so hard that my nails were digging into my palms when I finally heard him chime in. "And how much of your word can I take? Your game is turning every tragedy into your triumphs, no matter who's put on the chopping block for it. Have the eons not proven that?" Suddenly, I hear footsteps coming to the door and I was ready to play the "bathroom" trick until I seen it was him and I kept to the wall and held my breath as he turned and closed the door the rest of the way without touching it and lifts his hands to materialize a bar in the door handles and bends it. That's when I couldn't do it, I sunk to my knees and he seen me. He came running over and pulled me into his arms and I just shook. I couldn't even cry, I'd have to be upset to do that. I was—at a loss of words and didn't know what to think. "I thought you guys were just crazy-talking in there or metaphors, something. Those aren't code names." He shakes his head and sinks to sit on the floor. "I was going to tell you, I was just scared." I let out a sarcastic laugh and finally look at him. "A god, scared of talking to a human, that's funny. A human that has no place in your presence." That appeared to hit a huge nerve in him because his expression changes and I thought I might've offended him with the being scared part when he leans close. I jump a little as I lean back against the wall and he places a hand next to my head on the wall as he's over me. "Tell me this, did you just have an unexplainable attraction to me or did you actually fall for me? Honest answer." I lock gazes with him and say with certainty. "I despised you at first. I fell for you over time. I'm not stupid, though. I had to be a pawn." He kisses me hard and not violently but with an onslaught of emotion. "Nowhere near it. You're my reason to want to be better. You're my humanity, Deidre." The last part hit me like a meteor. I jump into his arms and kiss him deeply. His arms tighten around me and he stands with me in his arms, my feet just barely off the ground. He sets me down and leads me back to the party, but I stop him and shake my head. I look at the locked door and tug him along to another empty room I passed. Once we're inside, I point to the door and he waves his hand and it shuts and locks. I step closer to him again and pull him close to me and tug at the collar of his tuxedo. He grabs my hands and make me see those jade eyes of his. "Dee, you don't have to." I shake my head and kiss him once more. "I want this. No more holding back from you." He smiles warmly and sweeps me up off my feet and lays me out on the desk in the room, sitting me up gently to undo the back of my dress. The rest unfolded as you might expect, but we left that room content with ourselves and unshakeable in our resolve to not let them destroy either of us. I'd read the stories, and while it raised so many questions, it also made it evident that I'd always taken his side. If the stories bore any truth at all, he did spend a lot of his time being offered as a pawn or trade for anything the gods might've wanted. When we get back to our table with Saoirse, she wastes no time interrogating him. "Don't let it go to your head that you finally worked your charm on her. I'm still watching you, but you're good for her. Just don't make me regret thinking that." He buys us all drinks and smiles warmly. "I'll do my best." She moves on to me, gesturing to ask if he knew I was listening and I nodded. "It was the usual, harassing each other about what they each had their hands in. In the end, he had it handled, but I'm glad I have a bit better of an understanding." I could tell he was watching me close, probably on the fact that I was so quick on the draw to cover for him. I could've told her that we had all the right in the world to be suspicious of Frey, Odin, Heimdall and the rest of them, but that meant her potentially sinking into a world I knew she probably wasn't ready for. We all went back and forth for a while, tuning the rest of everything out and the party started to die down. Many had already cleared when I started to listen to the music and giggled. They both looked at me and I shrugged, smirking. "Sorry, I like this song. It's been months since I heard it." They look at each other and I suddenly see him wince. She'd kicked him in the shin and she gives an innocent smile and speaks through grit teeth. "Take her to dance. I've been eying a guy at the next table, anyways." I stifle a giggle and shake my head as he takes my hand and leads me back onto the floor. It wasn't a horribly fast paced song, but there was a beat to it, so we swayed to it. I still wasn't sure how to feel about all this, but I was trusting him, with the entirety of it and myself. He spun me after a while to face away from him and wrap his arms around my waist as he rested his chin on my shoulder and whisper to me. "I know this is all a lot to take in and I would never force you to go through this, but I'm glad I met you and pray that it's for you to stay." I stifle a giggle and nuzzle him. "What's so funny?" I turn just enough to look up at him and shake my head. "No, no, I hope so, too. It's the idea of you praying. The irony of it, is all. Who would you pray to?" He chuckles and presses his forehead to mine gently and sighs. "Anyone who will answer." I guess you could say that the rest of the night went by without the total realization of what I'd discovered until we got home. We'd followed Saoirse home to make sure she made it ok and pulled into the garage. He helped me out without a word and pulled me into his arms, kissing me deeply and smiling warmly as he looked down at me. "I have some things I need to do and take care of, wait up for me?" I smile back and nod. "I'm assuming Midgardian things, just don't take long." He chuckles and kisses my forehead and shakes his. We split off as he gets back into his car and I venture upstairs towards my room and take in the emptiness before undoing dress and letting it fall to the floor and taking my mask off. I took a long, hot shower and allowed my hair return to it's natural form and wash everything off from the night, deep in thought about what I'd found out. Once I was done, I got dressed and grabbed my glasses and my laptop before walking downstairs and looking around the empty living room before wandering to the kitchen. Despite try to research everything else, I keep returning to the thoughts of what I knew of him. Things I didn't know if I knew the truth or not and how much more there was to know. After about an hour, I finally gave in and typed in his name. One article after another and my head was swimming with the possibilities of every aspect being true. Though it didn't make me want to ever leave this place, it was just going to take getting used to. I ignored the ringing in my head from all this overwhelming me until it got to the point I couldn't think. That's when I finally got up from my chair and walked to the fridge, finding a cheap bottle of wine and pouring it for myself. After a couple sips, I hear the door swing open from the garage and I peek into the living room. Loki is walking but kind of dragging as he clutches to his abdomen. I set my glass down and run to him, grabbing onto him and making him lean against me. We hobble to the kitchen and I sit him on my chair as I search for anything I might need and stand in front of him. "What the hell happened? Take your shirt off." He chuckles and does as he's told, showing a two-inch gash in his side with something still lodged into it. "The same old, I refused to silence my glib tongue and it got me in some trouble. I'll live, I promise, I just need that out." I look at the gash and clean around it for a bit before grabbing the right tools to grab the shard. I look up at him and lock gazes with him as I yank and immediately applying pressure and sewing every off. What I'd failed to notice was the fact that while I'd been stitching him up, he'd been looking over my computer screen. I flushed red and leaned to close my laptop and he chuckles as he wraps his arms around my waist and stops me. "Why don't you ask me all of that in person?" I finally admit defeat and slip back onto my feet, sighing and looking at him. "Figured you'd be upset or realize just how fucking average I was." He smirks and leans in. "Average? Far from it. Upset? Why should I be? You want to figure me out." He nudges me playfully and nods his head to push me to talk. "Fine, where would you want to start with all of that?" He looks over the notes I have on the counter and shrugs. "I do have children, I'll be outright with that. You've managed to name off the entirety of them. They're not mine in a conventional sense, though." I roll my eyes and giggle. "I know. Your lives are more complicated. What about the women you had each of them with. Obviously Angrboda was a mistress and the mother of only three of them. One of which I'll save you your dignity with and then there's, Sigyn." Part of me was in disbelief of how casually we were discussing this, and I took a deep breath before he answered. He fidgets for a moment before looking back up at me. "She's gone. She died centuries ago because of my stupidity. She paid the price for sheltering me during my imprisonment. She took on more of the venom than she had let on and suffered a death meant for me." I'd known of that lore long before but had hoped it was wrong. I swallowed back crying when I spoke. "And that's how you lost Varfi, he was the chains that bound you. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked." He sits up and grips at his bandages as it seems to pain him a little to move that quickly. I walk over to him and press my hand gently over it, peeking up at him. I didn't know what it was about all of this, but I was still humbled by being around him, knowing all of this. I couldn't trick myself into feeling like I had a chance of winning in anything with him. He looks concerned but tired and leans his head against mine. "Well, you're still here. I'll take that as a win for me. Though, you look scared." I shake my head and weakly smile. "More intimidated. It's a lot to wrap my head around, having any control in comparison to you. He chuckles and lifts his hand to run his thumb along my nose. "Says the woman that holds my humanity. Like I told you before, I may have the physical ability to but never the heart to ever harm you. I step out of line, you know you have people on speed dial that would have me gone in no time." I jolt up and shake my head. "Never, the day I run to Odin and all of them for help again, put me out of my misery. I would never go there." As the last words slip from my lips, it dawns on me what he means. I may not have the physical strength to beat him here, but he has shadows already cast over him that would take delight in making up excuses to torture and kill him. I look back at him and sigh, letting out a little giggle and shaking my head. "I get it, now. I trust you. I did have one more, though, a question, I mean. Your hair. What's your natural color?" He smirks and shakes his head, hanging his head. "You've figured me out. I'd hoped that was the thing that threw everyone off. Yes, it's naturally red. Though, it peaks my interest to ask about yours. Naturally white or dyed?" I can't say I was thrilled every time I was asked that, but, he had a right. "Call me a liar, but it's natural. According to my father, I got it from my mother. I was always told she must've had one of those genetic conditions that caused pigment to be lost from our hair, I just brushed it off as a quirk about me growing up." He takes a piece of my hair and rolls it over in his fingers and locks eyes with me. "I'd been meaning to ask, but, are you still wanting a separate room still?" I freeze for a moment and think, realizing I didn't want to be separated. I shake my head and go to bring up all my stuff and he kisses me to shush me. "Don't worry about your stuff, I'll take care of it. In the meantime, care to help me upstairs?" I nod and wrap my arm around him and stop for a moment. I reach for the rest of my glass of wine and offer it to him. "I know, you're not Midgardian, but, this is going to smart a little and this'll take some edge off." He takes the glass and finishes it off before wrapping his arm around me and I lift him up. We hobble upstairs, and I help him rest onto the bed and I tug at my clothes, realizing I'd used them as rags as I was stitching him up. I look up at him trying to relax back in the bed and I bite my lip. I wasn't going to bloody his bed, so I was going to have to dress down. I pull my top and my shorts off, leaving me in just my bra and panties and he stops in his tracks, smirking and sighing. "You're really not helping the whole bed rest part of this." I couldn't help but smirk at his comment as I crawled into bed next to him and watched him as he slid down to lay down fully. Once he settles in, I lean over him and gently kiss him, grinning. "Get your rest and I promise you can do as you like." He growls at me in protest to my teasing and pulls me in close as I lay next to him and we fall asleep. Me a little after him to the rhythm of his breathing. The night slipped away rather uneventful and I woke how you might expect, to gentle kisses along my shoulder. I giggle and feel as he traces his fingers along my outer thigh and whispers to me. "If you want me to stop at any time, just say the word." I nod and bite my lip as he sits up and lets me roll onto my back and his fingers trace along my inner thigh now as he kisses me and, before I know it, my panties are gone under his touch and he had his way as promised. I had to admit that his bed and early morning was better than Odin's office by a long run. I could only hope Loki's house was better in the way of muffling sounds because of how vocal I got. I didn't wake again for a little bit after it all and woke to him being gone. I wandered half naked to my room and get dressed for the day in a pair of blue jeans and pull a form fitting shirt over my head as I walk down stairs. I look around the house vaguely and see that he more than likely left and a nagging sense of curiosity creeps back in. I look over towards the other stairs to the downstairs, the part I hadn't ever been into. I bite my lip and finally succumb to the temptation as I walk down the stairs and run my hands along the wall, feeling for a light switch or something. About three feet from the last step, I find one and flip it on, illuminating a hall consisting of three doors. Two were to my left, the other one to the right and I looked them over closely, enough to catch that the second one on the left was unlocked. It wasn't wide open but, I could tell it was barely latched. I peeked up the stairs one last time before nudging it open and watching the light automatically react to my entering the room. There was a wide array of spears, swords, staffs, even dual blades. I look over to the table in the corner of the room, seeing the bag from a couple nights back and tiptoe over to it. I unzip it and see more blades within, the only one standing out from the rest being buried under a couple more. I take it out of the bag and set it on the island in the middle of the room, drumming my fingers on my chin, knowing I recognized it. I looked over the runes and the crafting of it and went to pull my phone out, knowing I had notes on my computer that I could retrieve from my phone when I heard a noise and put it down to listen for it. I curse myself for not grabbing my gun from upstairs, but grab the sword and carry it with me, ready to use it as I clear the hallway and head up towards the living room. I hear the noise again and stop a couple steps from the top and press against the wall and I grip the sword tighter in my hand. I round the corner and hold the sword out of sight, seeing a heavy-set man with no hair on his head but his brunette beard. "You must be Deidre." I lean the sword against the wall quietly and step out, nodding. "Yes, who are you and what are you doing here?" He wastes no time getting to his own business. "I was sent here by Odin for you, actually. You know too much to be good for what they want." He steps towards me and tries to grab at me, grabbing a little bit of my hair and tearing it from my scalp and I fight back. I land quite a few hits as well as take a few as we tumble and break through the living room. Suddenly, he's taken me to the floor and is getting ready to pounce on me and I panic. I can't fight back properly and in a moment of will to live, I reach for the sword leaning against the wall and simply point it upwards as he's already launching himself at me and the blade plunges clean into his lower torso and I push his body off me. As I'm using the handle to bring myself to my feet, it starts to glow, and I freeze as we both start spiraling and falling. I reach for the sword and pull it from his body and hold it to my body as I clench my eyes shut. When I finally open them, I ache all over and roll onto my back. I hear the crunch of grass under me and see it swaying above me as I sit up. I had a gut feeling that something was horribly wrong but allowed there to be a doubt. I kicked his dead body off my legs and stood up shakily and looked around. There was nearly nothing in sight but livestock and a small home in the distance near the ocean. I slide the sword back into it's sheath and start walking. I knew there was no other option if I was going to find out where and when I was. Once I reach the house, I knock on the door and look around until they answer. A young woman with her red hair braided back that stood a little taller than I did answered the door, looking puzzled and babbling is Norse to the man behind her. I know I'm more than likely somewhere in Norway and retort in the same language. "I'm sorry, I seem to be lost. Would you happen to know where and when I am?" She gawks her head and hesitantly nods before responding. "Yes, you are in the Northern parts of Norway. As for the year, it is 791. Do you need to warm up?" I'm thrown off by her sudden hospitality at first but nod and walk inside with her, nodding to the man behind her in greeting despite his puzzled look. "Who is this, Lorna? Why is she dressed like that?" The woman I assume is Lorna lifts her hand to silence him and walks over to a chest, where she pulls out an array of clothes and hands them to me, looking me in the eye. "We will feed you and let you sleep here. I'm not sure where you're from and why, but I believe you were sent our way for a reason. Whether on accident or by the Gods." I try to stifle a smirk as she hands them to me. "T-thank you, I mean it." She waves me to another room and I can hear her arguing with the man in the next room about her blind faith in the Gods sending a weird woman their way. I knew I needed to plan for once I woke in the morning. I now knew that I was way out of my element now and had a while to go before finding help. The clothes weren't most protective for all I needed to go, but they made blending in a bit easier. I came out and the arguing stopped, the both looking at me before the man approached me. He extends his hand out to me for me to shake it. "My name is Arne, I apologize for my unwelcoming nature. I find myself less full of faith than my wife here, but then again, that's why I fell in love with her. We are here for whatever you may need. Yours?" I shake his hand sternly and nod. "Deidre, and no harm. I wouldn't have it any other way. You are simply protecting what's yours. I will be gone come morning to continue my journey, but I can't thank you enough." For the remainder of the night, I help them prepare their dinner and sit to eat with them. We finish eating and sit near their fire outside, telling stories and mine coming from ones that I remembered off the top of my mind from my research. We go on like this for a while until Arne breaks the silence about the proverbial elephant in the room. "So, say Lorna is right, where and when are you from?" Lorna elbows him hard to stop him, but I shrug and nod. "She is, there's no harm in telling someone. The worst that can happen is you don't believe me and label me crazy. I come from year 2018 and a place called Los Angeles, far across the sea. I seem to have found myself within the affairs of the Aesir, trying to make my way back to one of them." I found myself fidgeting as I spoke the last part and Lorna came to sit next to me and hug me. "Dear, we believe you and are here to help. Allow me to braid your hair for you before bed and we will send you off in the morning with whatever you need. You have a long journey ahead of you." I nod and slip down in front of her for her to braid my hair, closing my eyes to the rhythm of her fingers moving until she pats my shoulder. "Let us show you your bed for the night." I follow them both to the room I changed in and hug them both before they depart for the night. After they left, I wasted no time laying out on the bed and sighing deeply. Before I knew it, tears were trickling down my cheeks. I was truly scared and didn't know what I was going to do. I wanted to know it was going to be ok, but I really was going into this blind. I didn't want to imagine Loki finding the house the way it was and me gone. Him having to deal with Saoirse finding out and blaming him. As if Odin and the rest of them finding out about this wasn't already going to be a noose to his neck. I was never one to pray, due to my religion, but I found myself sliding off the bed to do so, wiping the tears from my face. "Loki, I know you probably can't hear me. I'm not even sure how this works, but I will find my way back. I won't give up until I do. Just hold fast for me and don't forget about me. I will defy the gods if I have to find my way back." I knew I had a lot to learn and make up for in this period and knew I needed to make up for it quick. There was no telling what time could pass and not pass here, I knew that much when it came to travel on what I assumed was the Bifrost. The next morning, I was a bit sluggish, a given with everything that had changed for me over the last 24 hours. My hair was still braided so I tidied it and packed everything up before heading out to the main room. Lorne and Arne are waiting for me with food and supplies, Arne pulling me to the side after a moment of goodbyes. "I know not how long you may survive out there, but if you're as blessed as we believe, there are tournaments going on in the next town. Anyone to make their way up in those is certain to be able to get an audience with the Gods" He hugged me once more before I was on my way and I set out for the next town over, dead set on making my way up in that tournament, no matter the amount I had to bleed. It took me a good part of the day to get there, but once I was, I knew I needed to find something to wear. I knew I would cover as much ground as any man would in this society, but I knew my hair would draw attention. Saoirse would kill me for this, but I knew my necklace with sapphire in it would carry enough weight to buy me something here. It took me a solid ten minutes to convince the merchant, but I managed to get ash and tan fur cloak from it and I put it on, drawing my hood up and tucking my hair inside. I had to search for a while and gain information from other merchants where the tournament was taking place, but I eventually found it and wandered in. I found where the waiting fighters were gathering and joined them, nearly knocking someone out as they abruptly turned me. It was a woman with short, ebony hair and plenty of scars covering her all over. "Look at you, so tiny and petite. You won't last long in here. Where is your war paint? Where is your weapon?" I shake my head and pull back my cloak, showing the double-sided axe on my hip from Arne and shrug. "True, I lack war paint, but, we'll see how long I last." She chuckles and slaps me hard on the shoulder before holding out a bowl of paint to me to mark my own face. "I like you. True, I'll watch for you, but, first, a good luck charm. You look like you could use it." She turns and grabs a skull from the ground. The inside was carved out for a human head to fit inside and leather straps made for it. I took it and slid it on, looking back at her and pulling my hood over the mask. "It brings blessings from Fenrir, he who shall be there, even as Ragnarok falls upon Asgard." I nod and after a few more men, it's my turn and I wander out. Everyone is laughing at my size and rooting for my opponent. He was heavier set and nearly twice my height and sported a spiked mace and treasures from his plunders. From the audience, I could get enough to know that most challengers had been mowed down by him like nothing, and I took that as a challenge. I take my axe out and spin it, stopping only briefly to realize that it had started to glow in my hand when I wasn't looking. I shook my head and ignored it as I fell into heated battle with this giant. After he's landed quite a few hits on me, leaving me bleeding and panting, I managed to get behind him and up onto his shoulders where I brought down the axe hard into his skull. It was then that I watched the light slip from his eyes and he came rolling onto his knees and onto the ground. Even as I held the axe, I watched the massive wound start to slowly pull themselves back together. I wanted to panic but I knew that my focus had to be progress, or I would die here. I was sent a few more challengers before the Arl holding this tournament requested us to stop and I was called to meet with him. I didn't know what might unfold when I did, but, I know I had to face this head on. I was escorted upstairs to the Arl and we both greeted each other formally. "Certainly impressive for someone of your size. Who owns you, little one? Who teaches you to fight?" I shook my head and smirk slightly. "No one owns me, and no one teaches me but myself and the Gods." I watch as he nearly chokes on his food when he hears me speak. "You're a woman? You certainly don't sound like you're from here, but, I never expected the current champion to be a woman." He picks up a small, crimson rag and dabs at his mouth before speaking again. "What brings you here if no one sends you here?" I tug at my cloak and look away, searching for a proper cover. "I come here to challenge a man. Not just any man, but one of power. I feel if I can win here, I'll earn his attention and be away from this place." He smirks and stands to circle around me, chuckling and humming as he stops. "If it's a man of power you're in search of, you've found him, m'lady." I know lashing out here and now would only land me dead somewhere, so I held my tongue. It finally hits me after a moment, taking example from mythology and I smirk. "I suppose so, but, I wager you don't want me easily. If you can find a champion to defeat me, you can claim me." He thinks it over for a moment before offering his hand to shake. "A deal it is. I shall have you soon enough." With that, I was permitted to leave, and the weeks followed as expected. He had men sent to try and throw me off my game wherever I went, in hopes that each night I arrived, I would fall. I spent much of my time outside of the arena, finding what knowledge I could on what was happening to me. It was nearly a month before someone managed to give me answers. I was pointed to a man with dark, brunette hair in a dark alleyway. I knelt next to him and we spoke for what felt like forever, even through his ticks. I discovered from watching him, that he had what was called tourettes in my day. He explained to me that there were children of Valkyries that existed and that they bore the abilities of their parents. Even those of us who were half-human, were destined to be Valkyries. I had moments where I felt the fool for asking, but I discovered that I would eventually earn the use of my wings and that I could use any weapon I chose. I was bred for combat in any form and it would take a great mortal or a god to take me down. It was a lot to take in and left me with so many more questions, but it also answered enough to keep me going. Several more days had passed and I grew tired of the same fighting happening day in and day out. I always felt the need to say a silent prayer for the men I killed. They had even tried to send in multiple challengers, hoping that I would become overwhelmed. Despite the high stakes, my wings still never surfaced, and I was growing agitated. It was starting to feel like I wad being led on to a lie. After killing a group of six men, I snapped and pointed my axe to the sky and screamed. "Enough! I've been fighting all these men for no reason. We fight for the audience of the Gods, but where are the cowards. Certainly sounds to me like they don't exist. Even if they did, sounds to me like The God of Mischief deserves everything he's accused of. If Odin wills me dead, why doesn't he come and do it?" This threw the crowd into an uproar and some items to be thrown at me before there's a sudden crack in the sky and three forms stand before me in the arena. There stood Odin, Thor and Loki as clear as day as the dust cleared. I could see the hint of a smile on Odin's lips, telling me he knew very well who I was, even as he looked at Loki. Loki looked entirely displeased to be here and I knew he had no clue. Thor, of course, was soaking up the attention. Odin and I step towards each other and once it's just us, I whisper to him. "I know you know who I am, and you have the chance to kill me right here, but, let's play fair. I know what I am now and who are you but a man of playing fair if you kill me out of my timeline. Face me in my time, like a God and allow me this." He scans the crowd with his eye, nodding after a moment. "Only if you make a spectacle of leaving here. If you face off, you will minimally disturb the timeline and lore behind us. That's the least I can ask." I nod and sigh, knowing I had to really get Loki riled up. The one person who could probably beat me at my own game. "Fine." I point to Loki with my axe and yell to him. "You, if you have so much to prove, Trickster, now is your chance. Prove you're more than what they make of you." With that, he perks a brow at me and I can't help but smirk. That same face was still there, and his hair was bright auburn now. He had a lot more hair than I remembered, and he was wearing his armor this time. He was a bit more menacing now. Thor was obviously offended by this proposition and speaks up. "Why face a coward trickster instead of a true God, woman?" I waste no time as he steps towards me, taking out Mjolnir and my palm glows. "I would rather not waste time on a god that hides behind a magic hammer. Plus, the one with power to prove is in front of me. After all he's done for you all and despite you all. Just to have an affair on Sigyn with one of his kind and bores children from that. Fenrir, Hel and Jormangund. Hardly deserves to be counted as a god, in my opinion." With that, he appears in front of me and towers over me, growling with rage. "Who are to address me like that? Human, I could kill you right here." I chuckle and shake my head. "I would love to see you try, God of Mischief. But, I'm not human and I thought you would've figured that out." Odin is still behind me and nods. "She's a Valkyrie, Loki. Let's not do this here amongst the mortals." Loki doesn't hesitate as he grabs my arm and we ride Bifrost once more. This time, landing in Asgard and Heimdall stands before us, smirking as well. I knew if anyone here knew it was me, it would be Odin and Heimdall. We wandered through the vast city to the castle and out into the throne room. He shoves me to the side and looks at Odin. "Just who is this? How do you know who and what she is?" Odin shook his head and took his seat. "Reasons, Loki. Why don't you ask her yourself?" He grabs me by my cloak and shirt as he lifts me to my feet. "Give me one reason I should give you the time to tell me who you are? No one speaks to me as such." I chuckle and feel something grow from my back. They had to be my wings. "Still full of yourself and how you think the world should treat you as always." He tosses me across the room, enough to cause me to roll, my wings wrapping around me. I knew he was going to regret it when he realized but I wanted him to think. I stood back up and it seemed fate had other plans as the clip holding my cloak together fell to the floor. The cloak slowly inched off my head, letting loose my curly, white hair and leaving only my mask to hide my identity. I could see the spark of something in his eyes as he stepped towards me. "No, no, no. You can't be." He swallowed back what he was about to say and appeared in front of me, holding the snout of the mask and undoing the straps from the back. The rest of my hair falls around my war paint stained face, finally showing him once and for all. He falls to his knees and his shoulders shake in emotion. He shifts from anger to pure relief as I stood here before him before he stands to look at Odin. "Why did this happen again, Deidre?" I watch Odin as well and sigh. "Odin sent one of his men to kill because I know of you all. Instead, I ended up using one of your weapons from downstairs and it apparently triggered a one-way trip on Bifrost. I only recently discovered what I was and had no clue how to recreate what happened, let alone to a specific time." The anger begins to return as he grabs my arm and pulls me against him "Why have you played with her like this instead of finishing what you started, Odin?" Odin stands and nods. "We made a deal, if she could elicit a reaction out of you to not disrupt the timeline, I would permit her to come back to her time and face me there." Loki nods and looks me over, still shaking with anger as he escorts me outside. "I will walk you to the gate, from there, you will leave by yourself back to your time. From there, call me and I will be there to get you." Once we're outside the gate he turns to me and leans down to shakily kiss me on the forehead. "Please stay safe until I get there. We will take care of this." I nod, and he disappears, and I walk back up to Heimdall as he opens the gate and I watch him as I walk through. I start falling through the sky and search around for signs of civilization before allowing my wings to spread out enough to cushion my fall and stumble onto my knees. I'd forgotten how much I was aching from the recent events and ran the grass between my fingers, crying. I pull my wings back in and walk to the nearest town I can see and ask someone out walking if I can borrow their phone. Their kind enough to not ask many questions and I dial Loki's number, listening for his voice. It's like the air leaves around me when he picks me up. "I tracked this number as soon as it called, you're only three hours from me. I will be right there, Deidre. I am so sorry." I hear the click of him hanging up and hand the phone back to the woman. She smiles and hugs me as she goes back to what she was doing. Before I knew it, Loki was rounding the corner of the block where I sat and was running to me. It was the most determined I had seen him since the night I was drugged at the bar. He picked me up and held me tight and inhaled the smell of me and I finally leaned my head against his shoulder and sobbed. "I want to go home. We will deal with this after I shower and eat. He nods without a word and he turns, down a dark alleyway holding me and we appear in the garage, where he sets me on my feet lightly and he follows me up the stairs quietly. I look around the living room and see that he's cleaned up minimally and spent more time looking for me. He points to the kitchen and mumbles. "Go shower, I'll make you some food." I nod and do as I'm told and end up taking a two-hour shower before coming out and getting dressed normal clothes for the night and sit on my bed. It really was a lot to take in, everything that I knew now. I allowed my wings to stretch and flutter softly behind me as I checked myself over, seeing the scars that still lingered from the massive hits I took. I hadn't realized how big my wings were until I felt them brush the floor off the end of my bed and I heard the door open and I sat up. It was Loki with my food and he sat it on the table next to my bed and I turned carefully so that I made room for him on the bed next to me, my wings still out. We watched each other as I ate for a bit in silence before he finally reaches over and tilts my chin up to look at him. "What's weighing on you? I know this is a lot to take in, but I don't want to lose you again." I smile at him and giggle. "I'm not going anywhere, I just still have questions. I'm overwhelmed and scared and don't know what to do. I was bred to serve him and I'm here doing the exact opposite. It's hard to believe I was bred to serve someone as pompous as him." He chuckles and leans in to kiss me on the lips and I kiss him back. "We will survive this, Deidre, I promise, and you'll get your answers. You are owned by no one, not even me. No one's fate is set in stone and I refuse to be told where you belong." I softly smiled and nodded, knowing he was right and I was going to wake up tomorrow, ready to deal with this. I took a couple bites of my food and looked up at him, searching for the words to apologize for earlier. I said anything to get a rise out of him and I knew he probably hadn't forgotten about much of it. "What? You look troubled, Dee. You don't usually look like that." He looked honestly shook and worried for me and it made me feel bad. "No, no, I'm fine. I'm just—sorry." He tilts his head and I can already feel my wings flutter a little nervously, trying to hide me. "For what I said. The deal was to get a reaction out of you. To hit a nerve and get you to retreat to Asgard with me and I honestly was playing Russian Roulette whether you would do that or kill me right there. I wanted you to know I didn't mean any of it." I went back to eating, in hopes that I didn't have to maintain eye contact after speaking and I'm startled to the point of nearly spitting my food out when I hear him chuckle. "To be honest, I deserved all that. I'm the reason you were there in the first place, I deserve every bit of venom from that mouth of yours. I was stupid for thinking Odin wouldn't take you out for finding all that out." I nudge him and shake my head. "Stop, it's just as much my fault. You said I could ask you anything and I still felt it necessary to snoop downstairs. I know now that it was the sword that I used that caused all that." I can see the strain in his face as he tries to find an argument to that and he sighs in defeat. "Fine, we're both to blame. That did make things hard. But, that's in the past. I need you to ask about those things, so you know what you're dealing with." I nod and lean towards him, resting my head on his arm and sighing. "I still feel so drained from all of it, can we just lay here?" He chuckles and we both adjust in my bed as my wings disappear so that I'm sprawled out over the side of him with my head on his chest. "Get your rest, you've been through hell. I'm right here." He didn't have to tell me twice as I gripped tightly to his shirt and sank into a deep sleep. I didn't wake up until way into the next day and the bed was empty next to me. My heart sank, and I rushed to look all over the house and punched the wall when he was no where to be found. I sat at the bottom of the stairs, trying to convince myself he hadn't just done what I thought he did. I knew it didn't matter if he had or not, that I had a decision to make of what I needed to do to help. I refused to accept him doing it by himself or carrying my dead weight. After arguing with my best judgement for a while, I call the number I was give for the Norwegians we had traded with a while back. A woman picks up and I introduce myself. "This is Deidre, I need to speak to Arvid, it's an emergency." She hands the phone off and he answers. "You've figured him out, haven't you, little girl? What has he done wrong?" I convince myself to not throw my phone or go off on him. "Nothing. I do know, but I need something I think you may have. Something is wrong, and I need to know if you have something that would help me against their kind." I hear his sudden intake of breath and his deep sigh. "I may have something for you, but it's very dangerous. It could kill you and I can't have Loki ready to kill me if that happens." I waste no time responding. "I'll do it and I'll make sure he knows I chose to do it. Meet me at our same spot and you will show me." He sighs once more, and I hear him speaking to his men. "Fine." I get dressed and jump into my car, doing everything to tune out how scared and helpless I felt about it all. I didn't want all our effort to be nullified by what I'd learned. I didn't want to believe that I was born to honor him, but that was the truth. My mother had tried to hide it from me and that's why she never came back. The seer in the past had told me that a Valkyrie going against her orders was killed on the spot. She was promised at birth to be loyal to him and she had no other options. This was my way of gaining control of my own body to have some hope that I was going to be able to help. I pull into the parking garage and I slide out of my car and walk over to him. "Whatever it is, I need it. I know it's dangerous, but try to make sure I live through it?" He nods and offers me his hand. We shake on it and he looks at me. "I swear on my honor that I will make sure you make it." I nod, and I get into his car as he drives me to an open area on the beach where no one went. I looked around at everything as I followed him down to what looked like a bonfire. Arvid splits off and returns with a masculine woman with short, red hair and symbols drawn all over her. "My name's Mag, Arvid is having me help you do this. One last time are you sure about this?" I nod and sigh, shutting my phone off as I look down to see a call coming in from Loki. "More than anything. I may be a Valkyrie but that can be a liability just as much as it may help me." The two exchange words before finally calling me over to the fire and a ritual ensues. We do a series of things before the end, but it hits me like a train. Suddenly, everything is burning and painful in my head and I'm brought to my knees in pain. I can barely see through it until I see her. I see a woman crouched in the identical position to mine with long, blonde hair. She is determined and upset. "Who are you and where is Loki?" It was that question that made me realize. The only one who could help me was the only other person on his side, undoubtably. I was staring at Sigyn. Before I can answer, I hear Loki come running up and feel his arms wrap around my waist tightly. Thankfully, he's focusing on me rather than blaming Arvid and them, so he picks me up and winds his arm under my legs. "What the hell did you just do, Deidre?" I scream out in pain as Sigyn lashes out, screaming at me. I tell him through me grinding my teeth. "I think you know what I just did, and I had to. I knew you would try to do it alone and I wasn't going to let you, but I could be a risk for you." I knew he was lecturing me about being stupid and not answering the phone and trying to get myself killed, but Sigyn was louder. "Who in the hell are you? Why is he holding you like that? Why am I here?" I arch my back as he sits me down in the passenger seat of his car and I look up at him, tears welling in my eyes. "I-I need a room to go to. Somewhere I can hash this out with her. Right now, you're only going to aggravate her more since she doesn't know what's going on." He stops and nods, his face suddenly turning to a mixture of confusion and fear, mouthing to me. "It's Sigyn in there, isn't it?" I nod, and he sighs, running to the driver's side and getting in and driving home. He brings me downstairs to one of the other rooms and it's an empty cell. He brought me down onto the cold floor and, some simpler part of me was comforted by the coolness of the floor. He lays his hand on my back and settles there next to me. "I know neither of you want it, but I'm staying in here. For the both of you." I knew I didn't have much argument in the matter, so I just nodded and took the punches she had to deal. It took us two days before she calmed down enough to talk. I spat blood on the floor and continued talking. "Look, I'm not looking to replace you. I could never compare myself to you, but he needs you. You protected him once and I need your help to do it again. All I have to offer is what I've given you, my body to work with. If I must, I will give you it for good if it means keeping him safe." He sits up to speak up and I shake my head, starting to cry. "Please, I know I'm not human, but it's all I have, and I know it's so little." He places his hand on mine and I see him jerk when he feels hers touch both of ours. I look her in the eyes and she nods. "I wouldn't do that to you. All I wish is to speak to him one last time, to say what I want to say, and I am yours to use. I can see that he loves you dearly as he did me and I hope that you take good care of him, Valkyrie." I nod and feel a lightness wash over me as she enters me finally and I speak to her in my mind. "I will leave you two to have your time. Simply have Loki bring you back to me so that I can come back." I feel a gentle, mental nudge and nod, letting out a deep sigh as I let her take over. It was a little weird for me at first, but I got used to it fast as my form stood up slowly and walked up stairs. I knew I didn't have far to walk from my body, so I sat at the top of the steps and laid out on the floor. I didn't know what I was going to do when I finally seen Odin and all of them, but I knew I finally had a better chance, whatever they had to throw my way. It was two hours before I heard her stumbling in my body and I sat up to meet her at the bottom of the stairs. I watched as Loki kissed her forehead one last time through my body before she took my hand and I phased back into my own body, where I brush away the tears I noticed building in his eyes when he kissed her goodbye. "Loki, I can give you her in this body if that's what you want or need. I'm sorry I didn't listen." He wastes no time and pulls me in, kissing me deeply and smiling through his tears. "No, never leave. Please, Deidre. I'm not mad or upset. Thank you so much. I finally got to tell her good bye and I know you're safe finally. You think you have so little to give, but you fail to realize that you give me the world and more. You're my humanity and my happiness. You're the air that I breathe, and I need you more than you will ever know." I shook, even as he held me close and I buried my face in his shoulder, taking in this moment for as long as it was going to last. I couldn't guarantee either of us would make it out of this alive, but we had to try because we had something to fight for. All I could guarantee was that I wasn't going to go into it without knowing I held him as long as I could. After a while of him holding me, he nudged me and took his hand to lift my chin for me to look up at him. "Sigyn needs to show you something. She can help us and doesn't have to use your body the entire time." I nod and turn to face away from him, even as he never let's go and only lets his hand drop to my waist. I mentally nudge Sigyn and she wakes back up and appears in front of us. "Can you see her when she's like this, Loki?" I peek up at him as he nods, and I look back at her and I take a deep breath. She looks us both over and nods. "In order to be anchored to this plain of existence, I do need your body, though, I can leave your body for extended amounts of time and act partially off the world around me without you as a vessel. I will only need to periodically jump in with you to re-anchor myself. Your abilities are the ones we should probably touch on, so we know what we're working with. You may not have much in the way of actual magic to work with, but your combat skills will be keener than even before, now that you know what you are. We think that some of your newer abilities may have been awakened by your use of the sword and traveling on the Bifrost." I nod in agreement and turn back to look at Loki. The next few days were going to be long for us and we had plenty still ahead. Loki had to push me to every limit he could to bring out my abilities and I could see how my physical pain was starting to match his emotional pain having to do that to me. Sigyn remained there through all of it and reassured the both of us at every step. After a week, I had curiosities of my own that I had to test out. "Loki, enough sparring. I have an idea that I need to give a try. The both look at me and I smile. "I promise, I know more of what I'm doing than you think. Sigyn, I need you to jump back in my body for this and Loki, I need you to take us somewhere open. Somewhere no one will see us, but wide open." He nods, and I feel Sigyn jump back into my body as he wraps his arm around me and we appear in an open field. I had to look around to finally realize where we were, and I had to hide my child-like glee. He had taken us to an open field in what looked like Switzerland, near the Alps. Though, my heart sank when I seen a home nearby and I looked at Loki. He knew what I was about to say and could only grin before speaking. "Relax. No one live there. I own it and the area around it, do as you please." I bite my lip in excitement and allow my wings to spread out. "Sigyn, now's your chance to jump out for a bit. I'd hate to hurt you and I kind of want you to get to watch." Loki puts his hand on my arm briefly and I smirk. "Relax. I will be fine. I just need you to do me one favor." He perks a brow and slowly lowers his hand, still worried for me. "If I lose control, catch me. I have a good feeling about this, but I just need that promise." He nods, and I can see him holding back stopping me with every fiber of his being. I got a run for it and took off from the ground and rose a good way up off the ground. I had learned in the last few days that Sigyn and I had a mental connection even when she was outside of my body. I told her "You two may want to cover your ears in case I can pull this off." I can see her nod and the both cover their ears. I knew they were probably fine, but it was worth letting them know I cared enough to worry. I took in a deep breath and clenched my fists, holding my arms close and tight to my body as I built up speed. It took me a bit to find the right currents in the air, but I finally found the sweet spot and felt myself really start to glide. I had a rough feeling of when it was going to happen, but it startled me still when it happened. I had just built up enough speed to break the sound barrier and my body managed to handle it. It was a rush and I couldn't help screaming in joy, even as I sped to the ground and landed between them. I could tell Loki wasn't entirely sure what had happened, so I explained. "It's a human science thing. Light, sound, etc. They all move at certain speeds and I just happened to get flying at a high enough speed to break the thing called the sound barrier. There are human pilots who can't handle those speeds without blacking out and I just did it. That means more force behind my hits if I can get in the air." He thinks about it and smiles, finally seeing what I was seeing. "That's good thinking, Dee." He realized his mistake only after he made it and I had my spear I'd conjured inches from him. I peeked at him and smirked a little, comforting him. "It's fine. You know I just must give you a hard time. I just have one favor to ask." He chuckles and nods as he pulls me close and kisses my forehead. I watch Sigyn as he does so and wonder to myself what they had said to be so at peace with all the affection he was showing me. I look at him and giggle a little. "Can we stay a bit longer here? You know my whole thing of not getting to travel outside of work very often." He chuckles again and nods before tugging me to walk towards the house. The three walk some ways before I break the silence with my nagging question. "What did you guys talk about when I was away? You seem so at peace with him being with me, Sigyn." She giggles, and I see yet another reason he fell in love with her. "I suppose humans have what they call 'polyamory', I think. Our marriages are not as binding as everyone is led to believe. I was afraid for him, yes, but I embrace that beyond that rugged personality of his, he loves wholeheartedly and not just myself. I see it as that I'm blessed that he chose me to be one of the people he came to love in life." I thought it over and smiled at the both. "I get it, I understand that and can identify with it. I just didn't want to put you out of place." We went inside and sat, drinking and laughing. They had explained to me the reason why her being with me was temporary and we learned more about each other. Loki and Sigyn both even told me more about my mother and the stories they had of her. I broke the conversation only long enough to stand up and answer my phone, walking towards the door. Though, I'm stopped in my tracks when I hear Frey on the other end. The number had identified as Saoirse and I knew something was wrong before he even spoke. "Dee, it's been a long time since we've heard from you. Odin is still aching for that meeting you promised him. We've been forced to take collateral until you show your beautiful face, love." I swallow back screaming and sigh deeply. "Consider it done. We will be there any second now. You harm her and don't think I won't impale you on Brawlhalla." He chuckles and whispers into the phone. "I wouldn't have it any other way, dear." He hung up and I had forgotten that I left my head open for Sigyn. She'd heard what I heard once she listened in. She could tell something went wrong and had to see what it was, but she knew now. She slid back into my body without another word as I look at Loki. "They have Saoirse. She's in danger." Loki doesn't hesitate to stand and take my hand. We appear in the hall I remember from the party at Odin's. It was empty and loud as our footsteps echoed down the hall. After a couple minutes, we found the room they had met it before and Saoirse was chained in the corner of the room, Frey standing above her. I knew Odin could already see how this was going to go and was waiting for me without even looking up to see him. "Oh, how nice for our little Valkyrie to join us. Have you decided what you have in store for us?" Honestly, I wanted to tear him limb from limb, but all I could see was the horror in Saoirse as she looked at all of us and the fear tearing at Loki being here. Sigyn stood next to me and I could tell she had something to say. I nodded to her to speak and she did. "Deidre, I know you want him dead, but you also know he has seen that outcome already. There are plenty of us who would love to see him dead. You need to think of Saoirse and a future with Loki." I took a moment before I finally let out a deep sigh and walked towards him. His guards tensed around him and he leaned forward with a wicked grin to look at me. I allowed my wings to spread out and I conjured my spear and rolled it in my hand before chucking it hard into the floor in front of me and turning to look at everyone in that room. "Enough of this. Have we not learned from how many of you were lost to Ragnarok? Aren't we all hounds of Ragnarok after what it had done to all of us, even before Asgard fell. Did Asgard fall just for you to all be at each other's throats? Hand over Saoirse and we will peacefully go, under one condition." I look back at Odin, only glancing at Loki's puzzled look and Saoirse was already gone from fainting after seeing me change. "What is it, child?" I look him dead in the eyes as I spoke to him. "We will no longer wage war on each other. We'll continue our way as we have, but we no longer belong to you. I'm no longer your hired help. From this day on- "I turned to watch Loki as I spoke "-we work as independent contractors. The humans will never be the wiser on our existence and there's no reason to kill any of us. I'm one of you and so is Loki. Saoirse will be my responsibility." He mulls it over for a painful amount of time before nodding. "It's a deal, then. Let me be the first to say that I'm pleasantly amazed by the turn of events." I grab my spear and pull it from the floor as I walk back to Loki. "Do not ridicule me, Odin. I know seen all od what could happen here and knew this was coming long before we did." He chuckles and sighs as he stands, and I turn to look at him once more. "You know me all too well, Lady Deidre. Just you know your freedom is only an illusion until I so choose." In that moment, every fiber of my body locks up and steps towards him. As painful as it was, I wasn't going to let him control me as I lifted my spear to his throat. "I-I belong to n-no one, nor b-bow to anyone." He held a moment longer just to toy with me before releasing me and my legs weakened beneath me. Loki's arms were right there to ease me to the floor. Odin simply smirks as he turns and leaves the room through another door. We take that as our sign to leave and I wave Loki towards Saoirse as I stand back on my feet and wipe the blood from my nose. He unbinds her, and I reach to carry her on my back and Loki hesitates. "Are you sure?" I nod and roll my eyes. "It's not the first time I've had to carry her after her blacking out. It happened on New Year's, a couple years back, after she realized we had slept with each other after a lot of drinking." I only had to glance at him and his puzzled look before I interrupted him. "That's a story for another time." He helped me hike her up onto my back and we walked out, Sigyn close at our sides. She smiled warmly at me and nodded, simply saying good bye and that she was done here as I watched her fade off. I watched as Loki's expression changed, knowing that it wasn't just her leaving that was weighing on him. We may have finally made it past all of this, but it was far from over. This was merely a chapter in a novel of what was to come in our lives.
YOU ARE READING
Hounds of Ragnarok
FantasyWhat is one girl to do when her already twisted life begins to tangle with the Gods? She has to question everything she has ever known and felt or die denying it. The Gods of Norse lore have survived Ragnarok and thirst to tear each other apart.
