Author's Note: Okay, this time it's my fault. I am so, so sorry. I thought this would be a boring summer where I had no life and wrote chapters non-stop but then I got something of a life and stories got put on hold. So again I am so sorry. But here's a new chapter finally and please let us know what you think of it! It's mushy for the first half and probably underwhelming in the last but please tell me what you think. Thank you so much for staying faithful dear readers!

Chapter 18

Don't look at your feet; don't look at your feet, if you look at your feet you'll fall. Niki kept repeating this mantra to herself as Loki led her from the table where they had just finished eating out onto the elegant dance floor. Several other very beautiful and very rich looking couples were already there and her feeling of inadequacy and displacement grew exponentially. Her breathing was beginning to quicken and her heart was pounding audibly, she was sure of it. So far the evening had been going along fantastically. They had finally relaxed around each other enough to begin small talk which grew into friendly chatting and blossomed into deep and serious conversation. The meal had been amazing and wine superb but the orchestra had gradually pulled people from their tables out onto the floor and now it was tugging on Niki and Loki. At first she had started to protest but the demigod simply smiled and continued to hold out his hand. Finally she took it and was trying to calm herself but was failing miserably. Then her feet were on the floor and her absolutely stunning date was deftly turning her to face him.

He had seen her fear the moment he asked her to dance and he had been fully prepared for it. While it had taken a good deal of prodding to actually get him to take her on this date, once Loki set his mind on it there was no stopping him from claiming this amazing woman's heart. His hand never left hers as he placed his other hand on the small of her back. "Niki," he murmured. "Look at me." It took a gentle squeeze and another request before she finally looked up at him, her fear rolling off her. "Don't think about the others. Don't look down. Just look at me." Slowly they began to turn.

Niki's lips parted in a silent gasp as she locked eyes with her (he was hers now) dark haired deity and could not look away even if she wanted to. But she didn't want to. Everything else dropped away and all that mattered was the hand at her back and those dark green eyes. The orchestra didn't matter, the other people who were now staring at them didn't matter, and her former insecurities didn't matter either.

What they were missing while they danced, or at least Niki missed, was the rest of the dancers stopping to watch them elegantly sweep across the floor as the orchestra continued to play not wanting to interrupt the beautiful dance. They missed a few Prima Doña's leaving in a huff dragging their escorts along after them. And they almost missed the wall of windows shattering as a massive green serpent crashed through. That was more than enough to pull them out of their own little world and back into the present.

The snake was massive with a frilled head and teeth the size of street lights. Its yellow eyes searched before spotting the couple that had previously held the attention of the whole room. Ignoring the screaming people it reared up to brush the vaulted ceiling before slowly arching down. Only then did Niki see the blonde woman in green perched on top of the monstrous head. Stopping a yard away the pink tongue flicked out as the woman dropped down and slowly sashayed across the remaining distance. When the windows had first come crashing down Loki had stepped in front of Niki. Now he remained in front of her, bristling with annoyance and anger. "Enchantress," he spat once the blonde was close. Far too close for Niki's comfort.

"Loki dear," she cooed in a sickly sweet voice. "I was beginning to think you had forgotten about me."

"Unlikely," the dark haired man snorted. "But it was never a pleasant memory in the first place."

The Enchantress clucked her tongue at him but Niki was temporarily distracted by the large burly man just descending from the snake. "You are hard to please. How this mortal has I haven't the faintest idea."

Loki stiffened. "What do you want Amora?"

"I," she asked with feigned innocence, a hand flying to her chest. "I want nothing. No, I am here to leave a message and collect a prize." She sauntered up to him, leaning forward to play with his tie. "Someone is very unhappy with you. I haven't been told everything but I did not need much incentive to come see you." She winked. "They'll be sending another message soon but for now…" With that she trailed off and disappeared in a wisp of light green smoke just in time for the large burly man Niki had seen earlier come charging at Loki.

Suddenly there was a long spear in Loki's hands and his formal suit was slowly being replaced by Asgardian armor. The Executioner's axe clanged loudly against the metal spear and Loki shoved it aside to bring the end up intending to smash it in the others face but it was blocked by an arm and the axe was swung again this time in a sweeping motion. Planting the pointed end against the floor the smaller god used it to vault over the axe and land behind his opponent but his cape was caught in a meaty fist and he was yanked forward. Or would have been but as soon as the hand fisted in his cape, Loki disappeared only to be seen a few feet away sending a binding spell at the bald man. Unfortunately the man charged right through it but Loki again disappeared only to reappear somewhere else.

This continued for another twenty minutes when suddenly the Executioner stopped, smirked, and disappeared in the same green smoke as the Enchantress. Startled, Loki quickly looked around but everyone was gone. He looked again but it was still the same. Everyone was gone. Everyone.