who stopped him in a crowd. He wanted to know everything about her and vowed to know her secrets. This new challenge gave him the rush he needed, and he watched her work the floors for the rest of the day.
* * * *
“Vivi, that guy keeps watching you,” her friend Ashley said from behind the perfume counter. “And might I add that he is fine.”
Vivi looked up to the second floor where Loki casually looked at ties more expensive than the rent for some people. His eyes weren’t on the material but on her and every step she took. Ashley saw the good-looking glamour he wore, but she saw his true self and that was even more devastatingly handsome. Loki’s hair was as black as midnight, falling like a waterfall down his shoulders and he had eyes as green as emeralds. Michelangelo himself couldn’t have chiseled such a gorgeous face. There was not even a hint of stubble on his cheeks. She could almost feel the manly curve of his jaw and strong cheekbones beneath her fingertips. But the mouth she was watching caught her eyes the most. The word kissable didn’t do those lips justice. She could imagine just how he could make her crumble; he wouldn’t even have to use his magic.
“Vivi, are you listening to me?” Ashley said, bringing her out of her musing.
“Um, yeah, handsome guy,” Vivi answered. “I kinda bumped into him earlier.”
“You left an impression, it seems, because he’s got all senses on you,” Ashley replied. “I’m half expecting him to come over here any second and try to lick you.”
That comment made her laugh. “Yeah, that’s going to happen. Nah, he’s just some guy looking for something to do. You know the kind, money and nowhere to spend it.”
“Some could say that about you, Ms. Trust-fund baby playing an elf for the holidays,” Ashley pointed out.
Vivienne had many friends and most of them knew about her rich father and mother. They also knew that if any of them were down she would be there to help them up. But they also knew not to try to use her because Vivi had learned long ago to spot the fake friends. And they knew that when the chips were down that she would write a check for five thousand dollars to help get a family back on their feet, but would refuse to pay off a gambling debt for an idiot who got himself in trouble. Case-in-point: her ex-boyfriend.
She was on the board of various charities and had projects of her own. Being an elf for Christmas was one of them and brought her joy, just as going to foster homes with bags full of presents to make children happy and to see their little smiles helped her sleep at night. She knew Ashley was teasing; she was the closest thing to family that Vivi had since her parent’s death. From middle school to high school and then college to now, Ashley was family and the only one who knew her secret—that she could see what normal humans could not, including the veils between worlds.
“But at least I use my bank account to help where I can, unlike people like him.” Vivi turned away from Ashley. “He lives for chaos. Watching human misery is one of his pleasures. He gets off on it.”
“He’s one of them, isn’t he? I mean…not human,” Ashley whispered.
Vivi nodded and stepped closer to the counter.
Ashley looked up to where he was again and Vivi did too. He waved and she rolled her eyes.
“Okay, werewolf, vampire, tooth fairy?” Ashley asked.
“None of the above. What we have up there is a genuine demigod. Loki, god of mischief and chaos,” Vivi replied. “And, no, we don’t want to talk to him because his life is built on the unhappiness of others, even his own family.”
Ashley gave a low whistle. “Then you should tell him to stop making eyes at you.”
“Trust me, he is not getting anywhere near me,” Vivi muttered.
Her words were far from the truth. That night, after bidding Ashley good night and good luck on her date, Vivi decided to take a cab home. It wasn’t far from here, and she usually
* * * *
“Vivi, that guy keeps watching you,” her friend Ashley said from behind the perfume counter. “And might I add that he is fine.”
Vivi looked up to the second floor where Loki casually looked at ties more expensive than the rent for some people. His eyes weren’t on the material but on her and every step she took. Ashley saw the good-looking glamour he wore, but she saw his true self and that was even more devastatingly handsome. Loki’s hair was as black as midnight, falling like a waterfall down his shoulders and he had eyes as green as emeralds. Michelangelo himself couldn’t have chiseled such a gorgeous face. There was not even a hint of stubble on his cheeks. She could almost feel the manly curve of his jaw and strong cheekbones beneath her fingertips. But the mouth she was watching caught her eyes the most. The word kissable didn’t do those lips justice. She could imagine just how he could make her crumble; he wouldn’t even have to use his magic.
“Vivi, are you listening to me?” Ashley said, bringing her out of her musing.
“Um, yeah, handsome guy,” Vivi answered. “I kinda bumped into him earlier.”
“You left an impression, it seems, because he’s got all senses on you,” Ashley replied. “I’m half expecting him to come over here any second and try to lick you.”
That comment made her laugh. “Yeah, that’s going to happen. Nah, he’s just some guy looking for something to do. You know the kind, money and nowhere to spend it.”
“Some could say that about you, Ms. Trust-fund baby playing an elf for the holidays,” Ashley pointed out.
Vivienne had many friends and most of them knew about her rich father and mother. They also knew that if any of them were down she would be there to help them up. But they also knew not to try to use her because Vivi had learned long ago to spot the fake friends. And they knew that when the chips were down that she would write a check for five thousand dollars to help get a family back on their feet, but would refuse to pay off a gambling debt for an idiot who got himself in trouble. Case-in-point: her ex-boyfriend.
She was on the board of various charities and had projects of her own. Being an elf for Christmas was one of them and brought her joy, just as going to foster homes with bags full of presents to make children happy and to see their little smiles helped her sleep at night. She knew Ashley was teasing; she was the closest thing to family that Vivi had since her parent’s death. From middle school to high school and then college to now, Ashley was family and the only one who knew her secret—that she could see what normal humans could not, including the veils between worlds.
“But at least I use my bank account to help where I can, unlike people like him.” Vivi turned away from Ashley. “He lives for chaos. Watching human misery is one of his pleasures. He gets off on it.”
“He’s one of them, isn’t he? I mean…not human,” Ashley whispered.
Vivi nodded and stepped closer to the counter.
Ashley looked up to where he was again and Vivi did too. He waved and she rolled her eyes.
“Okay, werewolf, vampire, tooth fairy?” Ashley asked.
“None of the above. What we have up there is a genuine demigod. Loki, god of mischief and chaos,” Vivi replied. “And, no, we don’t want to talk to him because his life is built on the unhappiness of others, even his own family.”
Ashley gave a low whistle. “Then you should tell him to stop making eyes at you.”
“Trust me, he is not getting anywhere near me,” Vivi muttered.
Her words were far from the truth. That night, after bidding Ashley good night and good luck on her date, Vivi decided to take a cab home. It wasn’t far from here, and she usually
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