Ok, by now I think you guys know the drill. I don't own these characters (except Rowena) so I'm going to stop posting at the beginning of each chapter.

This chapter is a little… *ahem* naughty. Case in point, the theme song is "I Get Off," by Halestorm, which was largely the inspiration. So just warning you, we're getting to the point where I earn that M rating.


Chapter 33: Nothing is for Free

When Loki returned, it was with a scowl on his face. Of course he was up to something, when was he not? Thank the Norns She had only said something to Thor who would, as always, suspect nothing.

But he would have to be more careful from here on. He had been cooperative because it suited him to do so-cooperation earned him privileges and a modicum of trust from SHIELD, which he needed. Especially from Natasha...


Loki glanced at the clock one last time. Poker night had given him precisely the opportunity he needed. Now it was time to take advantage of his neat little alibi. "Well gentlemen, as much fun as it's been I think I'll turn in now."

"Aw man, really?" Tony was busy raking in his chips—Loki had let him win tonight. "It's not even midnight yet."

"Yeah," Bruce was frowning down at his modest pot. "You're worse than Natasha," he said.

Loki swallowed and took a deep breath very slowly. Natasha's voice came to mind – Bluffing isn't lying. Change the subject. Don't answer. Give an elusive answer, like maybe. Lie with your face but not your words.

"I thought you didn't need to sleep as much as your human form," Steve frowned. "And she is quite the night-owl."

Say something funny quickly, Loki. "Well," he smiled self-deprecatingly, "unlike her, I actually need my beauty sleep."

That got a round of chuckles from the table, and they let Loki go without further fuss. Once he was in his room, he let out a long breath he hadn't known he was holding. That was more difficult than I anticipated….He glanced over across the courtyard. The two living rooms were lit up, but all the bedrooms were still dark. Good.

He walked over to the curtains, and disengaged the automatic motor that opened and closed them. He drew them together until there was only the slightest gap between them. Then he shut off the light in his room. He glanced at the clock—11:59—and felt his pulse race a little. He stood at the curtain and peered out the tiny crack.

As he watched, the light came on in the bedroom across from him, and the accompanying living room light turned off. He licked his lips. Showtime…


Natasha sighed heavily. Another day done, she thought. She did a quick sweep looking out her window. The lights were still on in Thor's living room, but she could only tell from it shining down on the courtyard. From this angle, she couldn't see more than a foot of the wall of the room. They were probably still playing poker anyway. She glanced at Loki's room, but the lights were out and his curtains were closed. He was probably cheating them out of a month's worth of pay. She smiled a little.

Maybe it was paranoia, but she never liked closing her curtains. It made her feel shut in. Even if she was surrounded by her friends and co-workers in this place, she always felt open to attack. Besides, what did she have that the world had not already seen? Okay, maybe she was also just a teensy bit of an exhibitionist too, but with as little action as she'd seen lately, it was about the only thrill she could get.

Well, almost the only thrill. Unbidden, the image of Loki's dangerous smile came into her mind, along with his threat—or was it a promise? Oh Natasha, I don't need my magic to make you kneel…. Natasha swallowed, and let her mind wander down that path—in a strictly professional way, of course, as she began undressing.

What kind of lover would Loki be? From their discussion of Dr. Bryardie, her initial assessment of him as a straight-up sadist seemed fairly accurate. But Thor had also said that he'd never really felt much for most of the girls he took to bed. How would that change if he cared for the person at the end of the rope? Would it temper his violent desires?

She had experience with sadists, of course. There had been several times when she was unsure if she was being tortured for information or just for fun. They seemed to understand pain much better than the brutal ones. Too much, and your brain just ignores it. Just the right amount though, spread out over a long enough time, and it became your whole world.

She shuddered as she tossed her shirt into the laundry hamper and began removing all the various knives and tools from hidden pockets in her pants. She didn't like pain, plain and simple. But she had to admit there was a certain amount of fun in being tied up, in the challenge of trying to break free. So many people—men and women alike—had underestimated how much she could accomplish without the use of her hands. Somehow, she didn't think Loki was ever going to underestimate her again.

She sighed as she tossed the last of her clothes over to her hamper, and ran her hands down her body. It was an old habit, to check for injuries or anything left on her. But tonight, it was something else, and she realized that her line of thought had her significantly turned on. She had fooled herself into thinking she was assessing Loki in purely professional terms. An image invaded her mind, of Loki watching her with that smirk of his, as she tried to free herself from a web of his creation.

A shiver passed down her spine and goose bumps rose on her exposed skin as the sensation of being watched intensified. She glanced back out the window, but everything was the same as it had been before. The light was on in Thor's living room, and all the others were off. Loki's curtains were closed—

Goddammit, Natasha, that was sloppy! she thought to herself. Loki's curtains were not closed, not all the way. There was the very slightest gap between them, and a sliver of darkness beyond. It was more than enough for covert surveillance, and she should have seen it at first glance. She looked away casually, making it look as if she hadn't noticed. Was he there, watching her? She allowed another glance at the curtains, and saw them stir just the slightest bit.

He was! "Why that…" she muttered under her breath, but paused a moment. As much as Loki loved mischief, this didn't seem like a prank. If he had wanted to embarrass her, he could have left the curtains open and just smirked at her. No, he wanted her to think that he was still with the boys, playing poker, and had not taken the time to notice that she went to bed at the same time every night, that she never closed her curtains.

Natasha felt for a moment that she should feel angry, that her privacy had been violated in a place where she thought she was safe. But strangely she couldn't muster up the expected emotion. Hadn't she just mused that maybe she wanted someone to watch? Fine then. He wants a show? I'll give him a show.

Still acting as though she had not noticed his observation, she sauntered over to her dresser. She had planned to wear some comfortable sweats to bed, as she usually did, but instead she pulled out one of the more provocative pieces she kept at home. It was a short, black, lacy babydoll, cut on the bias to cling to her curves. The material was nearly sheer, and the bra was entirely composed of loosely woven lace, allowing little peeks of the pink below. She grinned. He liked black. I should get something green… or would that give me away? Hmm… how about a little mood lighting? She turned on her bedside lamp, with its red shade, and turned the room light off. She ran her hands through her hair, and flopped down on the bed in a pose that looked effortless.

Hmm… what now? She glanced around, and noticed the book on her bedside table. It was a racy novel that Femme Loki had recommended to her, which she had never gotten around to reading. She grabbed it, and stretched out on the bed, piling her pillows up behind her. She flipped through the book, skimming for a good scene. She found one, and began reading, biting her lip as the action started to get heated. After a few minutes of toying with the ribbon bow nestled between her breasts, she began to let her hand wander lower… and lower….


Loki gripped the curtains hard, afraid he might tear them out. His shallow breath came quickly, and his heart was pounding. What did she think she was doing? He had seen her glance at his window, just a moment too long. She knew he was watching, and she did this? Once again, she had beaten him at his own game. A low growl rose in his throat, and he slammed the curtains shut.

He walked stiffly to his bed, and collapsed onto it. He groaned. He was so hard it hurt, but he had no wish to follow her lead. He pulled a pillow to himself, crushing it against his front just as he wished to hold her. He was torturing himself, and she was only making it worse. He was angry, angry at himself and a little bit at her, too. What is it that Tony said? He thought wryly. "Never go to bed angry. Stay up and plot your revenge…"


A/N: *giggles maniacally* What do you guys think? We're definitely headed in the direction of more sexiness… just a few chapters away from 'the big one' as it were. I was literally so excited about posting this chapter that I couldn't sleep and got up at 6:45 so I could post it before work.

Sorry this chapter is so short, Saturday's is nice and long with a lot of song lyrics: "All is Fair."

Reviews are what make me so excited about posting this story… I really can't wait to hear what you guys think!

There appears to be some kind of technical difficulties going on with the site, I posted chapter 34 this morning, and it appears in all of my information, but it won't let anyone (including me) view it. I apologize for the delay, and hopefully it will get sorted out soon.