Chapter 1: First Taste


As his consciousness drifted somewhere between contented sleep and the waking world, memories of the previous night drifted to the surface of his thoughts. Loki prided himself on his guarded nature. He allowed no one to fully know how he felt in any given occasion, preferring to play his emotions close to his chest and avoid any possible fallout. Walls were built from an early age, and few had scaled them to even get the barest glimpse of what lied on the other side.

But with one voice, his walls came crashing down.

Honey laced words with a breathy tone crept through his mind, the bittersweet melody falling like cool water over him as she sang out. Though she began singing to that small crowd, he later earned the opportunity to experience her siren song in private, a show just for him. Images of long, dark brown hair, dyed so as to blend into a lovely shade of pale green, framing a gorgeous set of wide doe-like eyes. Her eyes, a rich caramel shade that darkened around the edges of her irises. So sweet were her eyes, her voice, her skin…

Though many would not expect it due to his flirtatious nature amongst the women of the court back in Asgard, Loki rarely took lovers. He tended to assess them, searching, trying to weed out those who were seeking favor amid the royals from those who were genuinely intrigued by him. Some lovers he had known and tested for years before bedding.

But in one night, this woman, this mortal, she had him kneeling before her and worshipping her. Yet, unlike previous lovers, she had an air of innocence, of shock and awe over his interest in her. They had spoken to and flirted with each other for hours at the little bar where he had met her. He elicited as many blushes from her as possible, enjoying the darkening shades of her tanned cheeks. And she, in return, captivated him with her wit, her subtle charm…

Flashes came back of what happened after the talking, once she returned with him to his bed in the Avengers' Tower. For hours, he worshipped her and she worshipped him back, teasing him while humming that haunting song. As they lay in the afterglow of their passion, she had captured his lips, humming a few bars as she did.

And he felt utterly intoxicated with her.

Morning light began to creep in through the partially parted drapes of the window, and the waking world began to win over. But, he smirked, thinking of what this day could bring. Rolling over, his arms searched to ensnare her small waist and pull her closer.

But his hands found nothing.

Sitting abruptly upright, his emerald eyes darted around the room, searching for her. Her clothes, her bag, all of it was gone. That's when his eyes fell on a small slip of folded paper on his nightstand. Snatching it up, his eyes roved over the page, hoping for an explanation.

All that was written was the words, "I'm sorry."