***WARNING*** - The following chapter contains mature content. It features graphic depictions of sexual acts that may be inappropiate for young readers.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:Thank you so, SO much for the avalanche of positive feedback you've graciously provided for the new story. Considering that in the Loki fandom (particularly in Tumblr), the idea of Loki being a father is one that is widely frowned upon, I am so very grateful for the great acceptance it has received. I couldn't have asked for better readers! My most heartfelt thanks! I love you all!
I am also very happy to announce that 'Game of Shadows' and 'Of Madness and Mayhem' has produced some unbelievably beautiful fanart. Hiddles-Skittles has created two amazing photo manips for the GOS chronicles. One of them is being used as the official poster for this story. If you wish to see them, I have provided links to them on my profile page. Check them out, they are absolutely beautiful! Thank you so much Hiddles-Skittles for using your awesome Photoshop skills to create such wonderful fanart. I am so flattered, humbled and honored!
Responses to guest reviews are at the end of the chapter!
Of Madness and Mayhem
Chapter 1
On the computer screens inside a subterranean, secret S.H.I.E.L.D. base, the face of a beautiful woman was displayed. A program running a trace hummed with the typical electronic sound as it swept through millions upon millions of footage from around the world. Security feeds, traffic cameras, ATM scanners, social media, civil records. On the top left corner, the program displayed her name: Barbara Elizabeth Contreras.
On the computer screen next to hers, was another. It showed the name of the second person the program was trying to locate: Loki. The same picture used the first time S.H.I.E.L.D. was searching for him was displayed, along with stock footage of his presence in Stuttgart, Germany. In front of the two monitors stood a tall, large figure. His broad shoulders were sagged as he watched the human mechanical devices that so far, had failed to locate the two individuals. Sky blue eyes observed the pictures of the man and woman he had so desperately searched for. Somewhere out there, Barbara was hiding, and Loki was with her. His brother had been reunited with the woman he loved. He was sure of it.
"You think he beat us to it?" Director Fury spoke as he came to stand next to the blond god.
"I am most certain" Thor replied, quickly glancing at the leader of the Avengers.
"What if they've already left the planet?"
"Loki may travel undetected through dimensions only when he is alone. Had he transported another with him, your devices would have alerted you to it"
Fury nodded, and unconsciously glanced at another set of monitors that showed all atmospheric activity. The slightest energy fluctuation was instantly displayed, even when space dust particles passed through the atmosphere and disintegrated. If Loki had left the planet with Barbara, the smallest surge of energy would have been picked up by the detectors placed strategically around the globe.
"So why does he keep her here?" the tone in the Director's voice was one of apprehension.
"I do not know" Thor replied with a sigh. Yet the emotion in his response was a mirror of Fury's. It was fear.
"Director! You may want to see this" the voice of an agent who controlled all the news feeds from around the world reached the duo. Thor and Fury instantly turned and walked over to the large wall of dozens of television screens. They were directed to one specific monitor. The volume was instantly raised and everyone in the room listened with total interest.
"We bring you this breaking news report. A branch of the Intesa Sanpaolo bank in Florence, Italy has been robbed by what security guards claim was a lone female thief. A reported $2.7 million have been stolen from their vaults and no trace of the perpetrator or perpetrators has been found. Witnesses say that the thief, whom they all claim was a woman, entered through the windows on the top floors and forced her way to the subbasement. Three security guards were pronounced dead on the scene and at least six others are in critical condition. Twelve American banks and nine jewelers have been robbed in an identical fashion over the past twenty one months, but this is the first time a bank outside of the US has been targeted. All past robberies have been blamed on a woman famously known as The Phoenix, who until three months ago remained unidentified. Thanks to a sketch produced with the description provided by a security guard in New Jersey, we now know the identity of the woman as Barbara Elizabeth Contreras, an American citizen who was reported missing nearly three years ago. Employed by Russian Ambassador Alexander Koltsov at the time of her disappearance, some reports link her to the extraterrestrial attack orchestrated by the alien invader known as Loki, who was defeated by the Avengers..."
The voice of the news anchor became distant background noise as Fury's voice suddenly resounded in the control room.
"Get Agents Romanoff and Barton in Italy. Alert Paris, Munich, London and everyone else on that side. She's in Europe. Maybe him too"
Then he turned to Thor, who still had his eyes glued on the screen as everyone else scrambled into action.
"You will go with Stark and meet me there"
"Shall warriors Banner and Rogers join us?"
"No. Cap has his hands full in Russia and Bruce, well, let's just say he's better off where he is at the moment. If things get really serious, I'll call him in"
"Sir, we got a hit"
For the second time, Fury and Thor turned. Barbara's monitor was beeping.
"Forty percent match. Cross match, sixty two percent. A camera outside a Florence theatre caught her this morning. Final match eighty nine percent, sir"
The screen changed, and the video of a woman dressed in an airy, pretty turquoise summer dress and heels was shown. She walked out of a café, and past a theatre. She stopped right below the camera, where a homeless woman sat cradling a baby, and begging for alms. The beautifully dressed woman reached into her handbag, then crouched down and placed a thick roll of bills into the beggar's hands. She looked to the right and the angle caused her face to be clearly visible to the lens. Then she rose to full height, and casually walked away.
"Barbara" Thor whispered.
"Well I'll be damned" Fury said without taking his eyes off the screen "now that's something I sure as hell did not expect"
Barbara exited Dulles International Airport through a side exit reserved only for the affluent. In her arms she carried her son, while a luggage handler pushed the cart containing her belongings behind her. Shielded by large sunglasses, a red wig and an elegant hat, she went undetected by the security cameras as they made their way down the corridor. Automatic doors opened at the end, and she walked out into the bright afternoon sun of Washington, DC.
The gloved driver opened the door of the Lincoln Town car that was waiting for her. While he and the airport handler loaded her bags into the trunk, she placed Arik into the car seat and strapped him in. Arik was fussing, tired after having spent nearly nine hours in an airplane. His blue-green eyes were wet with unshed tears as he once again found himself confined, little legs kicking in frustration and hands reaching out for her, begging to be taken back into the comfort of her arms.
"Shhh... I know, I know precious. Soon we'll be home" she soothed him, letting him hold her hands while she planted feather kisses on his forehead. The driver entered the car, and they were on their way.
She breathed a sigh of relief when she finally crossed the threshold of her home. Spending three days in a large villa outside of Florence had not exactly been a vacation. Yet it had yielded the result she had planned for. She had finally made her presence known to S.H.I.E.L.D. and no doubt the buffoons had taken the bait. She had left only hours after she had let a camera capture her face, and while she was making her way back home, Thor and the rest of the Avengers no doubt descended upon Italy. The master thief was now going international, and soon the Avengers would be scattered in all directions of the planet, playing her game of cat and mouse.
She placed a sleeping Arik in his crib then covered him with a blanket. After turning on the sound monitor that stood on the night stand, she made her way back to her bedroom. She kicked her heels off and plopped down on the massive bed, arms outstretched as she looked up at the intricate carvings on the ceiling. Minutes later she smiled upon feeling the presence that suddenly filled the room.
"My compliments on a job well done" Loki's voice floated towards her as he walked in through the balcony behind her. She tilted her head back to find him looking down at her on the opposite side of the bed, a devilish smile on his face.
"Why, thank you" she replied putting her arms up in an invitation to join her "did you miss me?"
"Beyond the measure of words"
He laid next to her but remained hovering over her. A hand went to the zipper of her dress as he bent down and claimed her lips. She buried her fingers in his long hair as the zipper opened down her right side, then his hand went for the knot behind her neck, and the dress was swiftly removed from her body. She draped her leg over his hip, and he left a wet trail as he kissed his way down her chin, her jaw, past her neck and into the valley of her breasts. Taking a nipple into his mouth, he suckled the taunt peak, then showered the other mound with the same attention. Her legs opened in response and a sigh escaped her lips.
His mouth traveled south, open lips running past the firm muscles of her stomach, and onto the soft flesh of her abdomen. She gasped in anticipation as he tore off her lacy panties and slid further down the bed, settling between her thighs. She cried out when without teasing or warning, his mouth encircled her moistening folds, his tongue lapping at the swollen nub. Her thighs trembled, her toes curled and her mouth was open in sheer ecstasy as he continued to taste her. She cried out when he gently sucked her now throbbing clit, and she came with a force that threatened to shatter her to her very core.
Still riding the waves of her orgasm, she was suddenly pulled up and made to straddle him. She barely registered that his garb had magically vanished when he quickly entered her in one swift stroke. Her clenching walls clamped around him like a vice and he groaned into her shoulder. Throwing her arms around him, they began moving as he took hold of her ass and brought her down to meet his thrusts. She arched her back, moaning towards the ceiling, leaving the skin of her neck exposed, which he voraciously attacked with his mouth.
Suddenly, he released her and flipped her onto her stomach. She had barely managed to take hold of the sheets and accommodate herself in her new position when he grabbed her hips and sheathed himself inside her again. The force of his entry sent her forward, burying her face into the bed.
"Ahhhh... Lokiiiiiii... Yessss" she whimpered, grabbing fistfuls of the bedding. He responded with a hiss and a hard-placed smack on her backside. She cried out in surprise in pleasure.
With one hand, he took hold of her shoulder and brought her up onto her hands and knees. His hips pounded into hers, a wet smacking sound that became muddled with her loud moaning and the deep groans that escaped his throat, occasionally interrupted by the sounds of his hand coming down hard on her backside. The sheen of sweat covered their bodies, causing them to almost glow in the dwindling red-orange sunlight of late afternoon that streamed form the balcony. He felt his end nearing and let his hand snake its way around to her speared sex, two long fingers teasing her swollen clit. She gasped loudly and began squirming as she felt herself going over the edge a second time.
"Ah yes, my delightful little devious creature" he breathed into her ear "you're my queen but also my whore"
"I'm coming!" she screamed, her thighs quivering violently in the throes of her climax. She rested on her knees as she collapsed backwards against him. He wrapped an around her breasts while his other hand continued to touch the center of her heat. Suddenly he stilled and pulled her tightly against him, burying his face in the crook of her neck and groaning his completion into her skin. She leaned her head back against his shoulder and turned to the side, pulling him down into a devouring kiss.
They remained in that position, bodies linked and lips joined until the rhythm of their heartbeats subsided. Moments later, they collapsed onto the pillows, facing each other and legs tangled, her fingers drawing intricate patterns on the skin of his chest while his hand roamed over the curves of her body.
"I must return" Loki finally broke the silence.
"But you just got back and I've been away for three days" she gently protested.
"I cannot gather the forces needed if I stay away from the presence of our needed allies for too long" he reminded her.
Barbara only nodded and sighed with understanding. He rose himself to a half sitting position and caressed her cheek as he studied every detail of her features.
"Soon we will reunite, never to be parted again" he reassured her before he kissed her longingly. Then he rose and sat on the edge of the bed. His garments reappeared on him and he stood. He walked to the balcony and looked back when he reached the double French doors. He gave her one last smile before he walked out and disappeared.
Barbara remained on the bed. Now deprived of the comfort of his body, she pulled back the plush comforter and wrapped herself with it. He had not been gone more than a minute, and she already missed him desperately. As much as she tried to comfort herself with thoughts of what they would soon accomplish, she could not ignore the unsettling feeling that was pooling in her stomach.
"Open the gates!" the soft voice of the queen echoed off the walls "he has returned!"
The demon guards were swift to obey, and the massive double golden doors parted. Soon, a figure dressed in black leather, green cape and golden armor entered the palace and walked briskly to meet the woman that hurriedly descended the steps to meet him. She moved to embrace him, but he quickly dodged her by taking her hand and sensually brushing her fingers with his lips.
"Must you always go back and spend much wasted time with a woman you no longer hold dear to heart?" Queen Karnilla whispered "all for the sake of keeping her wrath at bay?"
"We cannot risk her rage coming down upon us, beloved" the man replied "no amount of sorcery is enough to stop her powers"
She nuzzled his neck and wrapped her arms around his waist.
"Then find a way to end her life and see an end to the oppression of her presence" she purred.
"Perhaps I shall" he replied. He wrapped an arm around her though his gaze was fixed on the stars that could be seen beyond the large pillars. Somewhere beyond them, she waited for him...
"The legions await your command" Karnilla's velvet voice pulled him out of his thoughts "the Norns have predicted a great victory, my love. Everything will be ours"
She looked up at him and was met with a beaming smile. His eyes glinted with malicious mischief and fiendish satisfaction.
"Excellent" he purred.
Standing on top of an enormous mountain, shrouded in darkness, Loki watched as his double engulfed the queen of Nornheim in a loving embrace.
End of Chapter 1
Responses to guest reviews:
New Fan: Hi there! Thank you so much for the unbelievably massive support you showed 'Game of Shadows'. You literally reviewed every single chapter and I was blown away! Glad you're also along for the new ride =) You're awesome! *hugs*
MinnieMimi: Yes! I love the nickname you created for Loki and Barbara! To answer your question, I'm a Kindergarten teacher. Were you the one that told Braxton about the story? If you, thank you so much for sharing 'Game of Shadows' with others! Much love! And hooray for LOKARA! ;-)
Kat: Oh you, wonderful you. I've missed you mama! Look at you, getting into FF after some hanky panky with your hubby. You sly thing! Hahahahaha To answer your question, no I did not study psychology in college, I studied computer programming and graphic design. How I ended up as an early childhood educator continues to puzzle me to this day. LOL However I do enjoy analyzing the psychological and emotional aspects of people around me, and I've always been known and accused of being 'too profound'. I enjoy studying and delving into the reasons why I and other people say and do the things we express and do. Save some of that wine for me and thank you so much for your continuing support darling!
Lisa F: Right back atchya luv! Glad to know that I was missed!
Braxton: Hello! I'm glad you enjoyed 'Game of Shadows' and a million thanks for the wonderful reviews you left on the story. Like New Fan and MinnieMimi, you left a comment after every single chapter. Wow! Thanks so much! I hope you enjoy 'Of Madness and Mayhem' as much as you enjoyed 'Game of Shadows'! :-)