Yuletide Mischief by Dahlia Rose

Chapter One
     
    New York in wintertime. Loki loved it and reveled in the hustle and bustle. Not because he loved Christmas, no, that was for his cousin Nicholas and his alter ego Santa Claus. Not because of the cold—that was more suited to his other cousin, Jack Frost. It was because it made for the perfect atmosphere to cause mayhem—a ruined gift or even a misunderstanding that could put a couple at odds for the holidays. It was an addiction to him and fed his mischievous side, and he simply enjoyed it.
    Today looked like a perfect day to cause a little havoc. From his cousin Jack’s penthouse apartment he could see the commotion on the city streets below. Loki threw his scarf over his shoulder in a carefree, jaunty move. It was time to have some fun.
    He thought about his family and wondered if he should make the trip back to Valhalla for the holidays. Jack wasn’t going to be able to come to New York anytime soon. Lucy’s second pregnancy showed one thing very early on: The baby wasn’t going to like the heat, so they moved directly back to the snowy North Pole. Nick and Neeva were expecting their first, so everyone was in the family way. Jokul and Odin, mother and father of the gods, were thrilled at the new additions to the household.
    If he did go home, he could still play in Asgard. The women and the wine . He grinned at the thought. He made the decision that when he got bored of New York that was where he would head. He looked at himself in the large mirror over the fireplace and changed his looks. Being able to shift had its advantages. Brown hair, brown eyes, and fuller lips worked for him, and he grinned at his reflection before heading toward the private elevators. On the elevator ride down, Loki actually hummed along with the awful music.
    “Nice to see you, Mr. Loki.” Mike, the doorman, tipped his hat.
    “Happy holidays.” Loki was feeling generous and pulled a fifty from the roll of bills in his pocket and handed it to the doorman. “You enjoy the day.”
    “Thank you, Mr. Loki!” The doorman beamed.
    Loki gave him a small wave and exited the building. He didn’t mind the man using his name as a surname. If humans knew the kind of power he wielded in his hands alone, he was sure they would all fear his face. He’d leave falling in love and the family life to his cousins. He was all about the fun. He stepped outside and was assaulted by the scent of hot roasting peanuts, fresh bagels, and hotdogs. The cold, harsh wind blew through the streets that were hemmed in by tall buildings. He watched as people tried to bend into the wind, burying their noses into their scarves and coats and bracing themselves against the cold biting into their bodies. Loki didn’t feel it; he just dressed the part. Their home was in the farthest point of the North Pole, so this was like summer to him.
    As he passed people carrying packages moving toward a job or their home, he trailed magic from his fingertips. He chuckled as the mayhem began. A slip and fall there, a bag falling into the dirty water there, briefcases popping open and important papers flying through the breeze. It was just the beginning, and he stopped outside one of the biggest retail stores, their window display bright and cheery, beckoning passersby to come in. Barneys was the perfect place to see what trouble he could get into.
    Stepping inside, he found himself in an exact duplicate of Nicholas’s house in the North Pole. Loki bit the inside of his lip to keep from snarling. Tall toy soldiers stood here and there and Santa impersonators were on every floor. People dressed like elves were running around handing out candy canes. It was enough to make him nauseated. He decided to start his mischievous ways on the main level and work his way up to the second floor. He could pick out a few ties while watching the ruckus. An elf came up to him. She was perky, pretty, and the bright glare from her eyes stopped him dead in his tracks.
    “Don’t you