Curse Of Blood: Gods & Monsters

Chapter XX - Loki (Bonus Chapter)

He waited for Epona to leave the room, knowing full well who was at the door...and that it would not be long before Aila's kin disturbed this fleeting, hallowed moment. He should leave her now and never look back. She had what she wanted from him.

But he knew that that was only half-way accurate. She wanted him as well. Howbeit, if he possessed even a jot of decency and loved her at all as well as she deserved, he would never see her again. Ahh, but I am too selfish a creature to act so honorably. He would therefore continue to seek her out and avail himself of whatever she would offer him. Besides which, Loki knew that his sons would not always be so easily managed. Even by their mother. Not once they reached maturity.

Loki could feel the power of them thrumming across the space that lay between himself and his progeny. Would that they could be as commonplace as the mortals they would live amongst, but 'twas now only a question of when they would reveal that they were far from it. He smirked, unconcerned that they were not. It was only for Aila that he might consider entertaining some small measure of regret, and that only because she deserved a normal brood.

"You are very quiet," said Aila, her eyes roving over his features.

"I am content," he confessed, "and would not mind at all if time should stop forever."

"How utterly sentimental of you." Then, with a wink she hugged him.

"Aila, my love, tell me something." Loki stroked her beautiful hair before lifting her chin up to his. "Remind me, when do boys in this world usually become sexually mature?" He had never thought to remark the age for he had never had to be concerned by the knowledge.

"What an odd question."

"Not when one has sons that straddle this world and another."

"Fair point," she conceded with chary, widened eyes. "Orvar was sixteen, I believe." The year before he died.

"As I thought." Seeking to distract her with more favorable thoughts, he asked, "Pray what have you been so pensive about?"

"I have thought of names for our sons."

"Go on."

"What do you think of Rothgar and Renic?"

"I think they will suit them very well," said he with an earnest grin. "Will you not sleep now that the business of naming is out of the way?"

"Not yet." Aila sat up, placed her sons in his lap and then sat back to watch them with glistening eyes. "Each time I close my eyes or become distracted, you seem to vanish and are not seen for weeks on end. This time I shall watch you like an owl."

"Then I promise that I will stay here till it is by your leave that I go."

"Ha!" she cried victoriously, "foolish vow, for now I shall never give you leave to go!" She then bit her lip chagrined as she thought to lower her voice for the sake of all four children that now slept within her chamber. "How strange that with all my shrieking and grunting, the girls did not awaken even once."

"I confess that I am to blame for that." Loki grinned, quirking one knowing eye brow at her. Anticipating her next question, he explained, "I diffused the chamber with a soporific the moment I entered."

"You sedated us?"

"In a manner."

"Loki," she growled.

"Had I not done so, you might still have, even now, been in labor — it being your first pregnancy — and Epona would not have calmed down enough to attend you properly. Furthermore, I dislike the sound of wailing infants; especially when I am in no mood to hear it."