Author Ramblings:

So after a ridiculously long wait the last chapter of The Haunted is now up with more Loki P.O.V goodness. Yaay! Now that school is no longer whooping my free time's butt I've had more time to write. I've also landed my dream internship at a Museum (double yaay!). Hopefully this chapter is able to clear up some confusion over what happened to Loki at the end of the first chapter. He was in quite the dilemma ;p

A big thank you goes out to my sweet, sweet Beta Soprano Shadow who has been kind enough to go through the pains of editing this behemoth for me.

And a big, big thank you to everyone who has reviewed faved and followed me thus far! I'm always worried that this story is either boring or confusing to readers and its nice to hear otherwise. Its also nice to know that there are signs of life out there and that I am not just typing into a giant white void of internet. So yeah! Hope everyone enjoys this chapter I had a lot of fun writing it!

The Haunted

Chapter 5

"Yes I am prepared

To stay alive

I won't forgive, the vengeance is mine."

-Muse

Am I cursed?

Once again he was falling. Only this time round it would not feel like the eternity it had when he had fallen from Asgard. Instead he was on a crash collision course with Earth. As the control over the raven he had shifted into dwindled the further he receded from Hela's grasp, the world below him suddenly became a lot clearer. And the more Loki struggled to keep his small wingspan from spiraling, the more he realized something was not right with this world. Midgard's usually colorful landscapes were unnaturally twisted and grey, like burnt skewered glass.

This was not the Midgard he had expected to return to. This was one of the many dimensions outside of Hel's jurisdiction-a gap between fire and ice- between the mixed heat of Muspelheim and the cold frost of Niflheim. He had never reached the land of the mortal living as he had first thought but its foggy in- between state of wandering demons and mortal damned.

Of all the places to have ended up in…the Ginnungagap, a place of purgatory, the mighty void! The God cursed his poor luck.

Had he the foresight he would have noticed that the very essence that made up the river Gjöll had been by proximity rejuvenating him, spoon feeding him energy his spirit now ached to return to. His soul, the soul of a God, restless when trapped in the river now felt drained of its resources. And try as he might he did not have the energy to lift his small wing span any higher towards the fading glow of Gjöll. His only option lying within the glyphs turned mysterious ruins below him, but they too grew just as elusive to find.

At a loss for what to do Loki found himself going in and out of consciousness. His life flashing before him; his clearest memory, the most vivid, that of his time spent with the Mad Titan.

Over a bubbling well of infinity an astral projection of Thanos had revealed to Loki lives lived and lost, all of which had been his own. And their stories had always gone along the same lines, even if the roles of those involved had been completely different. Odin, Frigga, Thor it didn't matter what role they had played. The bubbling well would always play out the same scenario. His purpose predetermined for him by birth. Where Thor was Asgard's protector, and Odin was its beginning, Loki remained its untimely end, the Ragnarok. And it had been all so incredibly horrifying. Trapped within a cycle of death, forever being hated, never truly his father's son, never truly meant to rule…that was, unless of course, he willingly aided Thanos.

And he had at first until she, the Cosmic Cube, had broken the Titan's spell. The Tesseract's power held far greater control over him than the Chitauri ever had. It was her mysterious energies that had allowed him to hide his thoughts and location of the Infinity Gauntlet. Her strong hymn of power that had allowed him time to plot his own destiny…

And where did that get me? The God thought, his mind now racing, wandering, fading, what am I now but a series of poor decisions? The very definition of madness: repeating myself.

Without warning a pulse passed through Loki's new form, shaking him awake.

Something was watching him, like a warm familiar caress reaching out to him, something not of this realm. Loki's mind quickly worked to discern what it was but all of his thoughts drifted towards the impossible: the Tesseract. He truly must be losing it if he could feel the bond they shared now and yet… he knew the self-aware matrix wanted him!

He needed to find out why, he needed to find a way to it, but right now that would be like looking for a needle in a haystack, especially now that the Cube had manifested a mind of its own. And unfortunately shape shifting, as he was quickly learning, was not an option for him anymore. And so Loki pushed all of his remaining strength outwards, projecting hypnotic signals in the hopes that they might lure something, anything, for him to possess. It was a terrible risk, to spread his vulnerable consciousness out like this, but a risk he was going to have to take in order to retrieve the Tesseract and return to Asgard. And, as his mind dispersed, he felt as though something began to tug- something from the world of the living-willingly drawing in his bait.

A flock of birds in the nearby area had heard his call and like moths to a flame they swarmed round his spirit in droves. Gathering and feeding off the energy the creatures now supplied him Loki was quick to possess them body and mind. The lower life forms easy enough to manipulate as their wings flapped in unison to his will. The many eyes within the flock now his, as his vision adjusted to their colorful world.

Nothing. His bird's eye view saw nothing but barren rocks, green countryside, and a house. And yet, upon closer inspection this was no ordinary mortal household. It shone with hidden powers, magical properties, and…and S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives? They had gathered round the vast estate as if to stake their claim on it, and they had come prepared, with an array of strange Midgardian gadgets by their side.

As an incorporeal being, Loki could not feel emotion but the birds he possessed could, and at the sight of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, rage filtered through Loki's host bodies more primitive parts of the brain.

Were they too after the Tesseract? The God wondered his mood dour as he commanded his flock to split up and spy.

"Matthews!" A high-pitched voice squeaked from underneath one of his many perches. A man and woman were arguing, the bespectacled female was an amusing sight to behold as her bright eyes glared daggers towards her companion. Her chest heaving comically in anger at something the man had said. In her strange Midgardian getup the female reeked of familiarity- no doubt she was one of Thor's little friends, which could only spell opportunity for him.

But for now Loki paid the couple no heed far more entranced with the aura coming off the man that they headed towards. Now this mortal practically radiated energy, a blockade of miasma festering around him like a shroud, the very same as the household behind him. It was an alchemy the God knew of well, magic, the kind that relied on extra-dimensional sources.

When did those simpletons over at S.H.I.E.L.D have a practicing sorcerer in their custody?

Loki ached at the prospect of possessing such magic, of consuming the energy he knew to be emanating from within that house. And upon his command, the birds drifted closer to the manor. But somethingwas in their way. Symbols, thousands of them, small intricate blue patterns had expelled the very magic binding him to the birds. It left his scouts stranded, immobile, and unresponsive to his commands.

Now this certainly is interesting. The God mused thoroughly irritated by this new predicament, what would mere mortals know of such spells to keep trespassers out?

He needed to find out. He needed to get closer to that man. He needed to get inside that house.

While Loki tried to make quick work of the barrier his keen eyes spied more familiar faces gathering round the sorcerer; the scientist Jane Foster… his enemies the Avengers. At the very sight of them Loki's myriad of birds cawed in triumph. The fact that they were here only confirmed his previous suspicions. Magic may have separated him from hearing their simple banter but he knew what they were after.

Let them try, the God glowered, let them go through all the hard efforts of finding the Tesseract. In the end they will only know failure.

With the Avengers gone, the mortals had now entered the manor leaving Loki even more determined to break the wall. But the more he attacked the barrier's thick exterior, the denser the barrier got, and to his great annoyance, each assault was only absorbed by the wall's intricate symbols.

Without warning the mansion's doors flew open to reveal S.H.I.E.L.D.'s new sorcerer in quite the hurry. Darting out of the main entrance and, heading not towards the gated exit as one would expect, but behind the house and into the courtyard alone. Curious Loki gave up his ongoing assault of the manor in hot pursuit of the man. If he could find a way to possess the wizard hijacking S.H.E.I.L.D's plans for the Tesseract would be an easy victory. And with this in mind, Loki followed the mortal from a distance, only to give pause at what he saw next.

To the unobservant eye past the gardens unkempt groves lay a vacant lot. But the immortal God knew better. The place was rife with magical activity spiritual overlap from the Otherside. Manmade portals had been crafted to communicate and summon the damned here. They had been left scattered across the property and purposely left unattended. Leaving the world of fog to pool and fester through. Leaving that annoying obstacle that protected the house to waver. It was as though someone had worn out the barrier's inner recesses overtime in an effort to get in. And if the wall had been torn here then similar gashes must be elsewhere around the house as well!

Putting an end to his wandering the human sorcerer had now pulled out a large wadjet of gold from around his neck an amulet in the shape of an eye. It beamed with light towards the wall's tears. Engrossed by the man's actions Loki' s flock flew lower to the ground to get a closer look…but it was a ruse. The mortal must have known he was being watched for the light's beams had exorcised Loki's spirit from the birds.

Who are you? The man demanded as his mind transcended the physical plane.

Baffled by the extent of the sorcerer's ability Loki battled for control over his feathered bodies only to feel them slipping away every time they flew closer to the light.

Reveal yourself! The mortal continued as he mentally prodded Loki for answers, are you a phantom? The mortal drew nearer, or are you one of Dormammu's filthy demon spies?

With his only connection to the living realm completely scattered the God of Mischief had once again become a vulnerable spirit. And with his cover blown he fled into the safety of man-made portals as he searched for a way back to the manor. But instead of bricklayers he spotted something else looming in the distance. A figure, feminine in its outline its movements were nimble and quick, and fast approaching him.

Death? The God wondered.

But as the mists cleared it became obvious that this was no apparition of death. This was a living breathing mortal woman one who was not just breathing but… dancing?

Every aspect of her movements was unruly, offbeat, and yet precise; a sensual rhythm that spoke of being in a trance. Her hair, a frizzled dark brown, flowed in time with the slow sway of her hips creating disheveled waves that adorned porcelain skin and red lips. Loki stood in abject silence disoriented and bewildered as he marveled at how effortlessly the woman wandered, and how little she seemed to actually be paying attention. It was as though she were dreaming, or a dream herself. He wasn't quite sure, but then he wasn't sure of anything anymore.

That girl, Loki thought as he tried to make sense of his delirium only for sudden dawning to hit, the strange girl from before!

Now he remembered her. He had seen her lingering within the memories of Erik Selvig when he controlled the man's heart. She was an apprentice of some sort named-

Darcy?

It was in that moment the God sensed an aura radiating off the young woman. It coiled around her body and beckoned to him. Reminding him of how very much he needed to feed from an energy source.

The girl had stopped her day dreaming now to stare transfixed in his direction and Loki froze. The summoning portals were making him visible to the human eye for curious eyes were now squinting and scrutinizing him. And as the moist air thickened all around them Loki made to lure the girl closer. That is until he sensed the sorcerer. Not wanting to risk detection Loki fled deeper into the fog, searching once again for a portal that could lead him directly to a weakened part of the manor. But there was nothing, nothing but more mist and there was no end of it in sight.

Life… like a thirsty man lost in the desert he was starving for it and that woman had been practically brimming with it. But she was lost to him now as was the sorcerer for there was no life out here only death. And with his vision blurring it was becoming harder to tell what was coming next.

Loki…

It was the Cube again. She had come out of her hiding to invade his mind once more.

Where are you? He asked of it. What do you want of me? But there was no reply.

What motive did that impossible object have now that it was finally set free? Did it lead him on out of spite? It was incredulous to think that something inanimate could hold a grudge against him but then there was not much that surprised the God anymore about the Tesseract.

Aura swirled in the sky above him parting paths between horizon, mist, and sky. The birds he had lost were returning, all of them moving in unison towards him. The Cube had been leading them to him.

So she wishes to aid me? The God thought rather puzzled.

This would not have been the first time it had offered him salvation having whispered to him promises of power before. If he was in any other state he would have been more cautious but she was far too strong and he was far too desperate to ignore her offerings.

Up in the air once again Loki's flock of crows weaved across torrential down pour. The Tesseract had cleared a path for him and in the far distance he could see among the faded roof tops an opening, the smallest crack of a portal, an entry point. That's when he found her again, his target, the girl known as Darcy sitting underneath the arch of a circular window eyes closed, body at ease…and his for the taking.

Tensions rose as Loki's birds experienced turbulence from the house's inner defenses. The flock's instinct to survive robbing him of any sense of direction. And as their lives waned from the crushing grip of the symbols so too did Loki's control over them as they crashed into glass.

He had made it inside the manor but at a great cost. The pain, the impact of landing, had caused him to fade and only one bird remained with him now to draw life from. He needed energy, he needed it quick, and he knew just the thing.

Like a statue the mortal Darcy stood before him horrified, her breathing coming out in short gasps. Loki could practically taste the life draining off her, feral and raw it spoke of her fright. She was vulnerable and if he played his cards right he could easily overtake her. He just needed to play dead… which in his case would not be a very hard thing to do.

Thinking it safe to move around him, Darcy went to fetch her machine from the table and Loki took this as his chance. It only took him a few seconds to attack. The poor girl never saw it coming.

He had entered human minds before. Destabilizing them, picking at their fears and greedy ambitions but this... this was different because now he faced resistance. The human's mind was strong, strong enough to the point where it actually fought back.

The God cursed. He had still to master the mechanism of this new form of possession. Although he could draw energy from her easily enough he was still unable to tap into her thoughts and memories. They moved far too quickly for him to read much less control. It overwhelmed him: feeling her adrenaline rushing through her blood stream, the pounding of her heart, her muscles as they tensed. To feel just how much he infringed upon her five senses. To experience it, life the way a mortal did. Loki never thought it would be so… intense. If he did not stop it now he could lose himself in her, her. Wasn't he the one who was supposed to be in control?

With as much restraint as the God could possibly muster he pulled out of the shaking woman's body, dizzy from the strong tings of withdrawal. He had now taken enough of Darcy's aura that, if he wanted to, he could roam the manor freely. And the God decided to do just that. Loki left ignoring the commotion that the S.H.I.E.L.D operatives made as they bustled through the door. For his failed attempt to possess the scientist's assistant frustrated him to no end.

What a joke I've become, Loki scoffed, unable to control the wills of weak-minded mortals. The God of Mischief reduced to giving little girls nasty head colds.

Unlike the possession of lesser life forms like the birds this whole process of human possession would take him time. And time was not something Loki had on his side with the possibility of Asgard already in ruins because of him.

But he had a purpose for being here.

Somewhere within this very house hold was a powerful magic that lay dormant- one that he had sensed the minute he set eyes on the manor, one that the sorcerer coveted enough to protect from trespassers-and Loki wanted it. Like a mad man he wandered tediously through empty corridors, leaving no stone unturned as he searched for the power he knew to be somewhere within the house. Yet, he might as well have been looking for the Tesseract. Though he could sense its presence he could not see its source. It was as though the magic was coming from deep within the manor's walls and worn-out floor boards…buthow?

Glancing around somber portraits Loki followed the source's trail until he reached the end of the hallway. There was a small door here, one that appeared to have never been opened. And taking advantage of the fact that he was disembodied consciousness Loki made to pass through it. But he never ended up on the other side. Instead he was right back to where he started: the hallway. Aggravated Loki returned to the door to try again only to end up in the kitchen; the manor had quickly become a maze. And every corridor he walked through, every room he entered and exited out of never lead him in the right direction. He must have set off a trap; some type of a trigger and it was maddening that a house was actually playing tricks on him.

Slipping through what felt like countless rooms Loki finally stopped at the smallest one. For in an undersized bed lay the source of his frustration. And without even realizing it, he had moved closer to her bedside. Though her eyes were closed and her expression peaceful Darcy appeared to be suffering from some form of sleeplessness.

What do you think about, little one? Loki mused.

The woman was practically glowing; her aura wrapping itself around her like a snug robe. And without thinking Loki's hand reached out as if to touch it. Perhaps in her calmed state he would have an easier time clouding her mind and so Loki pressed on.

But nothing had prepared him for this.

Because this was not the serene picture he had expected to find. These were fantasies now running at a rampant pace, images amplified, distorted, and unstable, and all because of his presence there.

The mortal was dancing again but this time it was different because now she was in a state of undress. Her hair wild and disheveled her eyes shyly smiling up at him as she caressed her supple arms and breasts. She was teasing him, displaying herself, and Loki, ensnared by the woman's lucid dream, could not bring himself to look away, especially when Darcy had begun to focus her attentions on him. Her hands now running up and down the length of his arms, her breasts softly rubbing up against his bared chest, her fingers spread out across his neck. She did all this to lure him closer to her pliant mouth, one that left a string of kisses along the sides of his cheeks and chin to finally rest at his lips.

She did all this …as if they were lovers and in this dream he was gratefully lapping it all up, eagerly responding towards her in kind. For though his actions were not his own it did little to quell his desire.

Loki swiftly bent Darcy's body to his. Forcefully nipping and sucking on the breasts she freely offered him as he pressed her harder against him. Kneading his fingers into her soft flesh he left marks all along the sides of her back. Kissing her in mostly the same spots she had been kissing him, only with a lot more vigor, especially when it came to her most tender parts. Unable to control the demands of his body any longer Loki had forced Darcy's legs open to take what she willingly gave. His hard length now rubbed up against her opening to playfully tease her, causing the girl to move in a frenzied fashion as her voice sweetly mewled out his name. And as Loki thrust deeper inside of Darcy to claim his own climax he watched as she stared back at him, her eyes glazed until sudden recognition of who he was spread across her face. The sudden realization of what she had done filling her eyes up with horror. It was enough to force the God out of her body and back into the bedroom.

Shocked but mostly angered by his actions Loki moved as far away from Darcy as he possibly could, her heavy breathing now the only indicator that she was still in the same room with him.

His inability to control his circumstances had gone beyond the realm of ludicrous now. He, who had lived for thousands of years on Asgard was now distraught over a human woman's fantasy, and the memory of it was still fresh in his mind. She had been begging him to enter her. No woman in Odin's court had ever begged him in a manner such as that. Just like the Enchantress they were usually put off by the fact that he wasn't Thor.

The teasing, the playfulness, the light touching, all of it had caused Loki to forget for a moment that it was an illusion and feel something that he had not felt in centuries…

Desired.

Infuriated with himself Loki's temper spiraled, another annoying side effect from being with the mortal, his instability causing him to go into fits.

Beside him lay a poorly polished mirror, one that the God glared into knowing full well that nothing would be glaring back. A solemn reminder that he was now nothing more than disembodied consciousness; a parasitic phantom without the power to be heard, let alone seen. In a fit of rage Loki took out his frustration on the glass surface knowing full well that nothing would happen. But somethingdid happen. His channeled fury had actually been enough to break the glass in the mirror and the sensation of it was thoroughly satisfying.

Loki smirked.Things might actually end up working out in my favor after all.

Scrambling out her bed Darcy flicked on the light switch to gape in mortification at what Loki had just accomplished; her male companion now clambering up the stairs to be by her side. But Loki paid the S.H.I.E.L.D agent no heed far too excited by what had just transpired. For only a fool would be too mindless to seize this opportunity. There was still time for him yet and he refused to remain trapped here, stuck within this twilight. He could still change his fate, he could still prove his worth. Prove that he was just as worthy as Thor, that he was just as worthy as any of them up there on Asgard.

With the bedroom window shut the agent had muttered a few words of comfort and finally left the girl alone in her panicked state.

"I ain't afraid of no ghosts," Darcy muttered as she glared off into the God's direction. The mortal's bravado causing a chuckle to slip out of Loki's lips as he graced her with a menacing grin.

Oh, believe me dear girl when I get out of this you'll have more to fear from me than mere apparitions.

And that was a promise.

Author Rambles:

And so begins the Trickster God's dark fascination with the young mortal Darcy Lewis...

Phantom!Loki has just learned a valuable lesson it seems… ghosts may prey upon peoples' fears but they also fall victim to their desires! Eee hee hee. Hopefully this didn't turn out too angsty or God forbid boring for any of you.

Comments feed my writing insanity... so don't forget to leave some in the tiny box below.