Chapter Eleven
He'd found him.
There, in the arms of a slender migardian man, was the traitorous liesmith. He wore the form of a migardian infant, only a little older than one migardian lunar cycle and swaddled in green and black cloth. His magic hummed beneath his skin, turbulent and powerful with the icy edge of jotuun magicks. The Other glanced back at the Migardian man holding Loki and he bit back a gasp.
He was marked.
Ancient magic, the likes of which he's never seen before were woven in intricate patterns across his lightly tanned skin and he could see the faintest outline of wings in the space behind him.
Frowning he slunk into the shadows of the alcove he was hidden in and vanished to report back to his master.
Vincent frowned as the strong, dark magic that had been hovering on the edge of his awareness for almost four hours finally vanished. The mysterious source had suddenly appeared in his sensory range a short while after lunch and hadn't moved until it vanished, taking with it the slight taint of his brother's magic as well.
His eyes narrowed and he glanced over at Tony, who was standing in front of the window rocking Loki in his arms, a forlorn expression on his face. The man had been in a pensive mood since both Giovanni and Azelia had departed to return to their school and since Rhodes had left to return to duty earlier that morning, after he'd finally gotten his son to bond with his father. He had barely moved from his spot near the window for anything other than feed Loki and changing him.
He smiled softly.
In all his years he had never met anyone as fascinating and frustrating as Tony Stark. To the world, the man was arrogant and brash, his tongue and wit sharp but here, when his masks were down he was so sweet and kind, so blind to his own beauty because of the perceptions others held of him. The man's self-esteem was one the lowest he'd ever seen and no matter how well meaning he was, Steve was no help in bringing that self esteem up. All the man seemed to do was berate and degrade Tony who took it all with a wide, faux smirk.
He could see why his son was so protective over him. Stark had no sense of self-worth.
"Why are you staring at me?" He blinked and focused on the beautiful man in front of him, who was staring back with a slight frown.
He smiled, scarlet eyes softening.
"You are beautiful." He replied and the younger CEO blushed, looking away with a stubborn pout.
"Not this again."
Vincent scowled and stood, moving until he was standing in front of the man who looked up at him warily, his grip on his son tightening. One of the incognito Titan's hands came up to cup the billionaire's cheek and he flinched.
"When will you start to believe me? I will not deceive you."
Tony glared and tried to pull away, tears of frustration welling in his eyes.
"Why do you care? Don't you have a government to run?"
Vincent's lips quirked into a smile at his words, not surprised that the vixen knew of his involvement in the Italian government.
"And how do you know that, little omega?"
Tony rolled his eyes. "Puh-lease. The shadow leader of the Italian government shows up in my house and you think I won't know. Try again."
The raven chuckled, his thumb stroking the soft bristles of the other man's goatee.
"Smart and beautiful. Is it so hard to believe that you're either of those things? To believe that your masks are not you?"
Tony tried to pull away. "Please, Vince. Please stop."
"Not until you believe me."
Loki stirred in his mother's arms, curious green eyes staring up at them. One of his little arms came up to touch the omega's cheek.
"Mama." He cooed and the two CEOs looked down at him, Tony's lips twisting into a wide smile despite his earlier frustration. A glow unlike any other lit his features and he hugged the babe closer.
Vincent had never seen anything so beautiful.
Before the vixen could protest he bent down and captured the omega's plush lips in a short passionate kiss. Tony froze, then melted against him, his lips slowly reciprocating the action. The titan wrapped his arms around the brunette and pulled him closer, deepening the kiss while Loki giggled softly.
It was amazing. Tony tasted like honey and blueberries and something else, something so distinctly him that Vincent was instantly hooked. After a moment he pulled away watching as the beauty slowly came down from his kiss induced high, his cyan eyes glazed before they widened and he pulled away, cheeks flushing.
"I- uh- lab." He stammered before fleeing the room.
Vincent watched him go with a slight smirk.
Tony Stark was his...and now he knew it.
"A marked Migardian?"
The Other nodded and Thanos hmmed softly, shifting into his humanoid form.
Long inky black hair fell in sleek waves down his back, his skin a pale blue covered in black tiger-like markings and stretched perfectly over his thick roped muscle. His eyes were like the cosmos that surrounded them, inky black scalera, midnight blue irises with flecks of gold. A black cloth hid his genitals from view, his feet bare. His dark blue lips curled into a dark smile.
"Describe him to me again. This migardian."
"From what I could find his name is Anthony Stark. He has been chosen by Queen Frigga as Loki's caretaker for this new life of his. He has two other children. His son is marrying a migardian musician."
Thanos nodded, but didn't turn to face his subject, his gaze focused on the dark sky above them.
"And his markings?"
" 'Tis ancient magic, master. I've never seen anything like it."
With another nod, the titan finally turned, blue skin shifting to a more human coloring and tiger marking disappearing.
"Perhaps it is time that I visit Migard myself. While I am doing so, you will be searching the migardian city Loki attacked for The Gem."
The Other bowed lowly, repressing a shudder of fear at the gleam in his Master's eyes.
"Yes, Master."
Vincent kissed him!
Vincent Albion, his idol kissed him!
Tony blushed vividly as he sat at his work bench, the kiss between him and Vincent playing over and over in his mind in an endless loop. The kiss had been perfect! He'd never felt anything like it, so warm and loving, so sweet. Even with Rhodey, he'd never felt anything like this. The butterflies in his stomach, the weakness in his legs, and the trembling in his knees. All from one kiss.
His face flushed even deeper and he looked down at Loki, who was slowly falling asleep in his arms.
"What am I gonna do, Lo?" He whispered.
The babe cooed softly and curled closer to him contently, pulling his thumb into his mouth as he drifted into a sound sleep. Tony smiled sadly, wishing he could be as carefree as the child in his arms.
"Yeah," He responded, kissing his son's forehead chastely. "I don't know either."
Giovanni smiled slightly as he thought back to his trip to visit his mother. The trip had been an exhausting but a needed one because secrets had come out, he'd finally been able to stand up for his mother to the other Avengers. He'd also finally gave his dad a chance and made an effort to get to know him. Surprisingly they'd bonded over their over protectiveness for Tony and their disapproval of his self-destructive tendencies.
Rhodes had confided in him that he didn't like the fact that Tony was an Avenger because he didn't trust them to protect the omega, something Vanni agreed with entirely. His smile widened as he remembered how the man had gone off on Captain America because the man had gotten mad about Tony being late to an Avengers meeting, not knowing that the man was only late because one of his SI meetings ran overtime. He hadn't even asked instead tearing into the omega about being irresponsible and the dangers of being late.
His voice hadn't rose or anything. But you could practically feel the reprimand in his voice when he spoke to the captain.
"How dare you. This man is the only one on you little team with an actual job. He has to deal with Chairman meetings with the board of Directors, R&D meetings for Stark Industries, Three children, one of whom is an infant, Upgrade your weapons, Help with his research, do his own research, and upgrade and create new weapons and firewalls for the Shield on a daily basis. If he just happens to be late because he's working then he'll be late and you'll get over it. But call him irresponsible again, I dare you."
The captain had stared at the airman for almost a full minute in shock, then he'd turned and apologized to Tony, who had blinked and nodded slowly and accepted it, looking so shocked by the apology that it made all of the Avengers feel guilty. It was the first time Giovanni had seen why his mother had fallen so hard for the man in the first place. It was the first time he saw his father as something other than a coward.
All but Albion, who'd smiled a small but genuine smile at the omega who'd blushed and looked away.
He frowned at that.
He'd have to be blind not to see the mutual attraction between Albion and his mother. It was almost palpable whenever the two were in the same room. He was glad to see his mother actually attracted to someone other than his father for the first time in years, but he wished that it could be someone other than Albion. Something about him was off, and it was something big, something dangerous and it sent chills down his spine.
His fiancee's arms wrapped around him.
"Mama will be fine, Vanni. Even if you do not believe he is a good man, Vincent will protect him."
"In return for what?"
Azelia shrugged. "I do not think it is what you think it is. He cares too much about Tony."
Giovanni nodded in reluctant agreement to her point.
"That he does."
"It will be fine, Love. You'll see."
He awakened in a dark abyss, the inky blackness around him curling around his body like a blanket. Most would be terrified, but he smiled, cyan eyes twinkling. He'd only ever been here once, the night after he'd come home from Afghanistan. It mean She wanted to talk to him.
"My Dear Champion," Greeted a breathy voice and a pair of sterling silver eyes appeared directly before him, the pupil a dark emerald color. "Hel's mighty merchant, The time has come."
He frowned at Her. "Milady?"
"Danger approaches on the swift wings of Chaos, my Dear One. The time has come to claim your throne. Do you accept?"
His frown deepened. Was he ready for that kind of power? Did he even deserve it?
A slender hand made it way from the darkness and held his cheek in its caress.
"You are ready." She stated. "Now take your throne and protect your kingdom."
He nodded determinedly. "I accept."
A sharp fanged smile crossed the lips of the being before him and a white hot pain rushed through him, setting every nerve and nerve ending alight with hell fire and making his blood boil beneath his skin. He fought a scream and bit his lip, grateful for the black spots slowly clouding his vision. As unconsciousness took over he heard Her whisper.
"Good luck, Dear Heart. May the cosmos watch over you."
TBC...
