A/N: Hey everyone, this is my first fic! I've actually just started reading Marvel fics like crazy and developed an unhealthy obsession. So enjoy my current addiction. I'm still fleshing the story out. I know the general direction I'd like it to go but if anyone would like to assist as a beta, please let me know! I'll try and update frequently at first and then even out to weekly once I get the ball rolling. I've already got a second chapter written that I'm adding final touches to. Please comment! It'll be my lifeblood going forward. I know it will likely be difficult to read with an original character, but I just could not get her out of my head!

Prologue

""Without purpose and meaning in our lives, we banish ourselves to wander this plane of existence with self-destructive tendencies until the bell tolls and our breath capsizes in our lungs, snatching our chance to redeem ourselves forever."
― A.J. Darkholme, Rise of the Morningstar"

Cassia waited patiently within the white room. The air felt sterile and the blinding light echoed off of each surface. The perfect opposite of the dark and dank cell she had spent the last however long in. It must have been a while because she could smell the mildew seeping from every pore in her body. The only time she was pulled from her quarters was so the red headed woman could bring her into this very room for a series of questioning and tests. Now she was back and could not imagine what else they had to ask.

It barely registered when the brief, shrill tone sounded; indicating someone being buzzed into the room. She knew the next sound would be the cranking of state of the art locks. She supposed these people felt secure that those locks and the chains around her wrists would keep her in these cells. Even at her diminished state she could have easily gotten up and walked away. She was here on her own accord.

When the last click of the heavy lock sounded, the white panel swept past. Cassia had become accustomed to Agent Romanoff's presence during questioning so she had raised a brow when the tall, one-eyed African American man stepped through. The energy around him buzzed with authority and ill-tempered confidence. He tossed the blue file down on the white table separating the two.

PROJECT REDEMPTION

"Afternoon Cass-ia, I've heard a lot about you." The one eyed man spit out as if breaking the ice with one of his prisoners left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"It's CA-sha." Agent Romanoff stated simply before rounding the corner and standing next to the man. "Sir." She corrected herself and nodded in his direction.

She could feel his eye narrow on her. Cassia had not had the luxury of a mirror in quite some time but she could feel her once chocolate tresses had devolved into a greasy and matted mess, strands flowing wildly in front of her dark eyes. She could imagine her once olive skin had likely faded into a sickly green. Not necessarily the look she was wanting when she was about to plead her case for freedom. Cassia was used to using her looks and the desire of others to get what she wanted. So maybe this would at least keep the man off guard.

Agent Romanoff and the man sat directly in front of the woman. "Cassia this is Director Fury. He has had a chance to review your chart and our interviews regarding the upcoming project. He has some questions of his own." Her voice was indifferent. Some days the Agent held the façade, though in recent days the other woman had softened to her. She could only surmise the Director would discourage that sort of behavior until she received her PASS.

The director pushed the blue folder over to Cassia. "Read it." He stated simply.

APPLICANT NUMBER: PR387930
APPLICANT NAME: CASSIA
AGE: UNKNOWN
TIME HELD: 2 YEARS
IN HOUSE INFRACTIONS: NONE
CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY: INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER (X7), RESISTING ARREST, ASSAULT AND BATTERY, THEFT, KIDNAPPING, OTHER CRIMES UNKNOWN.

SPECIES: UNKNOWN. CLAIMS OF BEING THE CHILD OF GODS
ABILITIES: SPEED, STRENGTH, SOME PSYCHIC ABILITIES, MANIPULATION OF THE MIND, MANIPULATION OF MATTER, EMPATH
RISK LEVEL: 4 WHEN KEPT UNDER FED. SUBJECT REQUIRES PSYCHIC SUSTENANCE. 10 WHEN SHE HAS FULLY FED.

COMMENTS: SUBJECT SUFFERS FROM POSSIBLE AMNESIA. CLAIMS TO BE THE DAUGHTER OF MARS AND VENUS, ROMAN GODS OF WAR AND LOVE. SHE GAINS STRENGTH IN BATTLE AND CLAIMS TO GAIN STRENGTH DURING SEX OR ROMANTIC ENCOUNTERS. IT IS THE OPINION OF THE REPORTING AGENT THAT THESE STATEMENTS ARE AS TRUE AS POSSIBLE. SUBJECT WAS APPREHENDED BY AVENGERS BLACK WIDOW, HAWKEYE AND THOR. THE THREE AVENGERS ALL REQUIRED MEDICAL CARE. THERE WERE 7 CASUALTIES WHEN AVENGERS ARRIVED ON SITE….

Cassia cringed and shut the folder. She didn't need to read anymore. She relived the moment over and over. This was soon after she started feeding once more. Her blood started to heat at the memory of bodies mingling, the smell of sweat, pleasure, and consensual pain. However, like all of her encounters of over-indulgence it had ended with being surrounded by a room full of bodies. It just so happened that the door was broken in by the Avengers this time around. 2 years into starvation had finally afforded Cassia some clarity.

"I've read the file. I've heard the interviews. Maybe you can tell me why in the hell I would choose an unknown species who has no memory of who they are or what their abilities may be? I can't trust you around our men or our women. I can't trust you in battle because according to this" – he gestured at the folder, "that will feed you."

Cassia simply nodded, "I can gather intel. I can keep my composure during normal hand-to-hand combat. I may not know much about my past but I've learned how to keep myself in control."

Director Fury scoffed. "Miss Cassia, I am in the business of training heroes. I am not in the business of keeping an eye on a succubus. Which is essentially what you are. We don't know your background. We know next to nothing."

"Sir—I am willing to train Cassia in espionage. She's my pick." Agent Romanoff spoke up. "With the Avengers Initiative, my primary focus has been there. We need someone with my skills to gather intel. She has similar skills to mine and I believe could be an asset in the field. I'm too recognizable now."

Fury continued to look ahead, searching Cassia's eyes for something. She was unsure of what. He exhaled a long breath through his nose. "Why do you want to be a part of this project?"

"I can think clearly now. I would like to serve and make up for my crimes. Even a goddess feel regret." She inwardly cringed at that. It sounded ridiculous to call herself a goddess. She has vague memories over an unknown time span. She was pretty sure she was old, though she didn't know how old. SHIELD had brought in some sort of Agent with what she was told was the ability to read people and confirmed the information she was able to gather. Gods are real. Or at least were real, to some extent.

Fury stood, towering over her and scooped up her file once more. Cassia steeled herself for her first letdown. Agent Romanoff warned her that Fury was a difficult man to warm up and it may take quite a bit of time before he finally agreed to release her to the Program.

"You will be released to Agent Romanoff's custody under strict 24 hour surveillance. You will be staying in the Project Redemption quarters. During the day you will be training with the Avengers, as well as Romanoff on espionage when you are not under mission. We will figure out a way for you to be fed a minimal amount to keep you alive. You will have a curfew. At that time you will remain in a cell on the PR premises. Remember, you will be surrounded by a full team of Avengers, security measures and guns. One wrong move and its shoot to kill."

The fiery haired Agent smirked in her seat which made the imposing man glower. "Stop smiling. Don't let her fuck it up. I've got big plans for this project and I'm not sold she should be our first." With that he was out the door.

Cassia released a breath she didn't know she had been holding. Freedom. Before the waves of relief could pour through her, her stomach started in nervous knots. Freedom. Shit, shit, shit. Agent Romanoff noticed the minor muscle ticks within the goddess' face and her features softened, safe from her boss.

"I trust you. You will be fine. Welcome aboard Agent Cassia."

xxx

3 Years Later

Cassia carefully opened the heavy double doors before entering the room, chest filled with anticipation. She was able to stalk silently across the blue mats with a cat like grace, donned in her black spandex and training bra. Her eyes moved to her target. Tall and broad shouldered, hard in almost every place that counted. She could almost see every individual muscle trailing through his shirt. The man's back was turned to her. Already a wrong move.

"Whats happenin' Captain?" She shouted out. Captain Steve Rodgers pivoted and slowly turned to greet her, wide smile on his face. "You look awfully cheery for someone who's about to get his ass handed to him." She could almost see his eye twitched at her crude use of the language.

"I feel like today might be my lucky day." He said with a smile and a wink.

"My money's on the little girl!" She heard Stark shout from the stands. Cassia took a deep breath in, reveling in the smell of sweat and the leather of the equipment. Sparring day. After the first 18 months of figuring out what energy levels fit Cassia best, the team came up with a training schedule. The simple one on one sparring was enough to last her a few days. Most days she sparred with Steve but on the rare occasion Thor was in town, she sparred with him as well. Steve had become a great friend and confidant, however he always pulled his punches and for that, he always wound up face first on the mat.

Steve joined her on the mat, standing perfectly still while Cassia circled him like prey. In the beginning she couldn't imagine how straight laced Captain America came to terms with being someone's meal long enough to agree to test out these sessions. She later found out that no one had told him that she was storing his energy during their sparring matches in order for survival. It took a lot of long talks between the two of them, a hunger strike for herself – she was not happy with the fact that he had not been able to consent – but now it had been something the team looked forward to. Mostly because of the humble ass kicking Mr All American took each and every time they fought.

She could feel a flutter of energy spilling around her body, sending slight pins and needles to her fingertips. Steve noted the look in her eyes and changed his stance to a low defensive position. Cassia tested the waters with a light kick directed towards the side of her friend's face, which he easily blocked with his right arm. He took his move and immediately swung with his left, this time following through as it connected with her cheek. He was learning to strike as soon as he could before her energy had the chance to increase. Cassia grinned and continued to circle.

She tossed out a few halfhearted punches which were easily blocked and countered. She could feel the rush of her energy starting to wake up through her limbs, letting her know it was ready. The woman swiped her left leg in a full circle at Steve's abdomen, causing him to jump back to stay out of reach. She used this as her in to move forward in a cartwheel, using the momentum to put him in a scissor hold and roll him to the floor. The energy tickled and sparked behind her eyes as she stared at him heatedly and Cassia knew to pull back a bit.

The Captain sensed this and brought his own legs up to flip them around and pull out of her grasp, kneeing the woman in the process. Cassia tumbled backwards and brought herself back to her feet, charging at the man once again with a right jab to the corner of his mouth. She was so enthralled with their dance that she almost didn't notice the double doors being slammed open.

"Team – take a break!" Natasha shouted out into the room, immediately snapping Cassia from her trance. "Mission time." She finished, looking pointedly at Cass.

The brunette woman turned to Steve and patted him on the back. "Mission time!" she echoed, feeling a bubbling of excitement. It wasn't often that she joined in on missions with the Avengers. She could probably count on one hand how many times she got to join them. She still had to keep her distance from large battles and that was the majority of what the A-team was called out for. She was paired with them as a security in case she went full nuclear, though they no longer looked at her as a ticking time bomb.

"It was just getting good!" Stark supplied from the bleachers yet again before making his way down in a huff.

Steve jogged to Cass' side, lightly grabbing at her elbow. "You good?" She knew what he was referring to. It wasn't often that their sessions were cut short and she was only allotted a few sessions per week. She wasn't the most comfortable discussing her 'meals' with her friends so she simply nodded.

They made their way to the room that was lovingly dubbed the war table and was surprised to find Fury and Thor already seated in uncomfortable silence. Thor's face lit up at the sight of the team. It had been almost 4 months since they had seen him last. He stood and said his greetings to everyone.

"I wish it were under greater circumstances." The god said, almost regrettably. Cassia warmed up to Thor the quickest out of the entire team. He had helped her uncover more about her lineage and was the only one who was never fearful of her, despite the injuries she had inflicted and the carnage he witnessed during their first meeting. It had made perfect sense to Thor that Midgard had its own version of true 'gods', which he believed to be some sort of ancient royalty rather than actual gods. It was explained that her need to feed was probably an evolutionary trait to power the specific energy needed for her abilities. She still required food and drink but if she wanted to maintain any of her abilities then she also needed to 'feed'.

Fury stood as everyone took a seat. "Today is graduation day." He spat out, placing his arms behind his back. "I feel like a proud papa bear." He did not sound like a proud papa bear. "With the current success of Project Redemption and our expanding needs, we have decided to open up another space."

Cassia shrunk a little as she felt eyes land on her, expecting some sort of response. Instead it was Stark that spoke first.

"Cass has been different than anyone else in custody. I've had JARVIS run different scenarios and there hasn't been a single one who seems up to snuff."

"That's where Cassia comes in. With her skills of – suggestion and other techniques, it's our hope that this new candidate will be ready within time. A lot of time, but we're hoping to see results. He will be brought to the PR headquarters and for Stage 1 spend his time in a cell, only being released to spar."

Cassia sunk a little lower and shot Steve a look, she was unsurprised to see him staring back at her from across the table. If their cancelled sessions affected him, he was good at hiding it.

"Cassia is comfortable with me, sir. We know each other's limits and have been working well together."

Director Fury offered a smile that did not quite reach his eye. "Yes, but its time to shake things up. You can't make progress if you're not willing to push yourself. You stay stagnant. Cassia, you've been a good spy but now it's time to see if you'll make a good leader. We're also upping your sparring sessions to once per day." Cassia was sure that her blood froze in her veins.

"I'm sorry Cass," Tony cut in, distress obvious in his eyes. She had never sparred with Stark, his energy was too limited since he didn't come with god or super soldier powers but he was always on the side line cheering her on. "but I don't think it's time to push anything yet. We have been working on an implant to place in the applicants to block aggressive behavior. We should be waiting on that first."

"We do not have time to wait." Thor spoke up. "We have received word that Thanos has been on the hunt for some artifact. We do not have much detail yet as it is a rarity to be left standing after facing Thanos or his army."

"Which applicant are we pulling?" Cassia finally found her voice.

Thor looked at her with sorrow in his eyes. "Loki".

And the entire room erupted into chaos.