Tricking Loki by Marteeka Karland, Shara Azod

Chapter One
     
    The gods weren’t meant to be domesticated. Apparently no one had explained that to Thor, the traitor. Right about now, the Norse god of thunder and all things virile and manly was snuggled by the fireplace somewhere in Norway with his American—gag— wife and bratty but absolutely adorable child.
    It had been five long years since Loki had tricked Thor into being summoned by the beautiful but all-too-human Jeanna. Well, he thought he had been playing a prank. Ha! The joke was on him, wasn’t it? It was supposed to have been a delightful lark—the mighty Thor at the mercy of a human female, one who had absolutely no roots in Norse traditions and wouldn’t know what to do with him. Well, the wily little American had certainly found a use for Thor, hadn’t she? And now, the once all powerful Thor was bound for all time to a woman who—okay, she just might be perfect.
    How the hell was Loki to know his parents had enchanted the Christmas tree ornament meant to cause a little mischief? Unbeknownst to him when he had snuck the actual gateway to Asgard into the cabin Jeanna had been renting, Odin and Frigga had enchanted the damn thing to work only if Thor’s soul mate were summoned. What were the odds of a random American, traveling to Germany for Christmas, just happening to be the one meant for Loki’s brother? Of course, the meddling parents had probably guided the human there. As a result, for the last five years Jól had been seriously depressing for Loki. There was no one to play with during what had once been one of the very best of celebrations...back when people actually believed in the gods. It was still fun. At least it had been before Jeanna.
    Such beautiful pouty lips, such glorious dark skin, and best of all, she adored a good joke. It was impossible to hate his sister-in-law as she called herself, which irritated Loki all the more. He really needed to hate the woman who’d taken his favorite playmate away from him. Hanging with his brother just wasn’t any fun when Thor was constantly making googly eyes at Jeanna, touching Jeanna, doing things that had nothing to do with debauchery and everything to do with love for Jeanna. It was enough to make a grown god wretch.
    Even worse was when Loki had to deal with Thorn, who was a devilish little cherub with dark golden skin, big, fat light brown and golden locks of hair, and the brightest sapphire eyes that always seemed to twinkle.
    The kid was dangerous. The kid was a menace. The kid made Loki wish he had one just like him.
    Which was why Loki found himself skulking in—Odin help him—Georgia. Not even the interesting Georgia, either, but the one in the Americas. This place was certifiable. People talked slow, moved slow, and seemed to love being around people they couldn’t really stand during the holiday season. What the hell was up with that? Families gathered, barely suppressing their disdain for one another, drinking to excess (which was a good thing) while muttering about each other under their breaths. But they were genuinely happy. Even those who seemed to be impoverished by their country’s standards were full of cheer and goodwill.
    Maybe that was where Jeanna got her disgusting cheerfulness. Okay, so maybe that was why Loki was really here—because Jeanna was from here. He just wanted to see if all the women were like her. The answer was decidedly no, but there were plenty who were close. Not that he was looking to settle down or anything. He was a virile god with plenty of playing around to do. Several thousand years of good times and laughter was not enough, right?
    Right?
    “Uncle Loki, what are you doing?”
    And the cutest little irritant in the world was right there by his side. Thorn’s parents should put a leash on the kid. It was just dangerous to have a little god growing up at the same pace as humans, but Jeanna didn’t want to miss a moment of the “mommy experience.” Loki had no idea what that was, but he