God of Mischief: Fate's Warriors, #1

Chapter One

~~~ Fate’s Dream ~~~

FATE STOOD AT THE TOP of a hill, staring unseeingly at the cloudless sky. Her feet were mere inches away from a cliff where an ocean roiled restlessly far below. Waves tossed themselves on the rocks with suicidal abandon. The water was as tumultuous as the events that were about to transpire across all dimensions of Earth.

Few knew this place existed. It was a creation of her mind and she could draw anyone she wished into it, but only when they were sleeping. This was where she came when she needed a moment of peace from the burdens that had been placed on her since her creation so long ago. Unfortunately, she seldom had a chance to visit it these days. When she did, it was usually to divulge important information to her chosen champions.

Her long, midnight dark hair stirred beneath the hood of her black robe even though the air was still. Her face was shrouded in shadow as she contemplated the enormity of the task that was before her. The time had almost come when she would call on her three warriors. They would face the agent that Chaos had selected for the purpose of wreaking havoc across the universe.

Loki, known as the God of Mischief on most of the worlds that he was poised to invade, was the perfect choice for her counterpart to have chosen. He was intelligent, ruthless and ambitious. His arrival would bring the upheaval and unrest that Chaos longed for.

Sensing that the time had come, she reached out and drew her warriors into her dream. All three women had been here before, but never at the same time. It would be interesting to see how they would get along. They were all headstrong and were used to being the deadliest warriors on their worlds. Things were about to change and they would no doubt be unsettled by it.

Arriving at exactly the same moment, her champions instantly recognized their location. Their surprise at being torn from their dreams was replaced by resignation when they saw her.

Lexi had met both of her companions before. Slightly taller than the other two girls, her hair was as long and dark as Fate’s. Her dark brown eyes were wise beyond their years. For a moment, she didn’t recognize one of the other girls. Instead of a hulking demon, Violet was now a beautiful young woman with light green eyes. Her long blond hair was the only thing that had remained the same.

Violet recognized Lexi and nodded in greeting, then narrowed her eyes as she examined the third warrior. Who are you? she asked. She’d been warned that she would have to save her world again. She wasn’t particularly happy that the time had apparently arrived.

Flicking her long brown hair over her shoulder, Natalie put her hands on her slim hips. Clad from her neck to her toes in black leather, she exuded an arrogant confidence that instantly rubbed Violet the wrong way. Her eyes were so dark that it was impossible to distinguish her pupil from her iris. I’m Mortis, she said in a tone that said the answer should have been obvious.

That’s a weird name, Violet replied. What country does it originate from?

It isn’t my name. It’s my title. It means ‘death’ in Latin, she said in what sounded like a British accent.

Scowling at the reply, Violet crossed her arms over the bronze skull buckles on her black faux leather jacket. Who lumped you with that title? She had a title of her own, but she wasn’t about to boast about it

Looking the younger woman up and down, Natalie’s expression became almost amused. A prophet came up with it a couple of thousand years ago. My name is Natalie Pierce. My friends call me Nat.

An awkward silence fell before Lexi held her hand out to the leather clad warrior. It’s been a while, Nat. It’s good to see you again. They’d only met briefly once before, but she trusted Natalie with her life.

It’s good to see you, too, Lexi, Nat replied with a grin that made her even more gorgeous. I take it you saved your world from the apocalypse?

Lexi nodded. It wasn’t easy, but my team managed to pull it off.

I get why you and I are here, but why is the kid here? Nat hiked her thumb at the blond teenager. Both she and Lexi were hardened warriors. They’d battled through several wars against supernatural beings to save mankind from extinction. It was hard to believe that the kid could possibly be on the same level as them.

I’m not a kid, Violet said with a glower. I’m almost nineteen. She vaguely remembered Lexi telling her about Natalie during their brief meeting. She hadn’t expected her to be so beautiful, not to mention arrogant.

I stand corrected, Nat said mockingly. Do you have a name, kid?

Her reply was terse. Violet Harper.

Did you save your world, too, V?

Don’t call me that. And, yes, I saved my world.

From what? Nat said scornfully. Animated teddy bears and unicorns that shoot rainbows out of their butts? She was already getting tired of the teen’s snarky attitude. Violet reminded her of herself when she’d been an adolescent.

Lexi stepped in before they could descend into a brawl. Don’t underestimate Violet just because she looks young. I’m not much older than her. From what I saw when Fate sent me to talk to her, she went to hell itself to save her world.

Nat’s eyebrows rose in surprise. Hell really exists then?

It does on my world, Violet said stiffly. She’d only just met this Mortis person and she already didn’t like her. Natalie had probably been a mean girl at school who enjoyed tormenting anyone who was less genetically blessed than she was.

You don’t want to get on Violet’s bad side, Lexi warned Nat. She’s more than what she seems.

Aren’t we all? Nat replied philosophically. It sounds like we were all put through hell to save our worlds. Literally in V’s case. It changed all of us into something other than human.

Violet didn’t want to stroke Natalie’s ego, but curiosity had her asking a question. Lexi told me you’re a vampire. Is that true? She’d seen Lexi transform her hand into a hairy paw with razor-sharp claws when she’d paid her a visit in hell. She was apparently a mixture of several supernatural creatures, one of which was a werewolf.

Yep, Nat said and grinned. Her incisors lengthened to wicked points and her pure black eyes began to glow red. But I’m not a normal vamp, she added when her fangs retracted. The glow from her eyes was slower to fade. I have Viltaran nanobots in my system. They gave me all kinds of special powers.

The other two girls shivered at the name of the dreaded aliens they’d both heard of, but hadn’t had the displeasure of meeting. The Viltarans made an appearance on my world a long time ago, Lexi said. Asgardian warriors followed them to Earth and wiped them out before they could do too much damage. Unfortunately, one of them had unleashed a different type of danger before leaving. Lexi was a byproduct of the Asgardian’s sick sense of humor.

A similar thing happened on my world, Violet said. Except angels drove them back to their ships and they haven’t been back since. The Asgardians came later. They took a liking to Earth and the angels had to step in and evict them.

Nat stared at her incredulously. Actual real life angels fought Asgardians?

Yep, Violet said with some pride. My boyfriend made a deal that the Asgardians would leave if he defeated their greatest warrior, Thor. They fought and Nathan won, of course.

Nat looked at the kid with a hint of respect. You’re dating an angel? Is he hot?

Violet’s lips curved upwards and a dreamy look entered her eyes. Nathan is perfect in every way.

My man is far from an angel, but Luc is pretty awesome, Nat said, then nodded at Lexi. Her boyfriend is gorgeous, too. It looks like we all received the same reward for saving our worlds.

Lexi smiled a little at the thought of her mate. Reece was sleeping soundly beside her in their compound near Denver. They were linked so strongly that she could sense his thoughts even here in this strange dream.

Remembering that they weren’t alone, she turned to the hooded figure that stood at the top of the hill. Come on, she said to her companions. Fate is waiting for us.

Here we go again, Nat muttered as she moved to flank Lexi.

I am so not looking forward to this, Violet said just as unhappily and shifted so she was on Lexi’s right. Moving in step, long grass brushed their fingertips as they made their way up the gentle slope to see what destiny had in store for them this time.

Fate waited until they were lined up beside her before she spoke. And so, my chosen three warriors have come together. Soon, you will face the agent of Chaos. Her voice sounded hollow, as though it was coming from the far end of a long tunnel. Her hair drifted towards Natalie and she unconsciously shifted away with a slight grimace. Fate wasn’t offended. She was well aware of her disturbing strangeness. Unlike most beings, she didn’t exist as separate entities in each dimension. She existed in all of them simultaneously. This made it possible for her to keep track of her champions and her nemesis at the same time. It also enabled her to interact with any being she needed to.

Who are we fighting this time? Lexi asked. Raised by a soldier, she was almost brusque in her manner at times. Once she was given a mission, she would see it through to the end.

His name is Loki, Violet said before Fate could answer. He’s from Asgard.

Nat looked at her in surprise. You mean the hot guy in the green cape and golden helmet from the movies? she said and her lips quirked upwards. If I wasn’t already married to Luc, I’d jump that guy in a heartbeat.

Lexi’s expression was far from amused. Her lips thinned and her hand shifted slightly towards the gun that rested beneath her blue leather jacket. Just hearing his name was enough to make her uneasy. I don’t think the real Loki is like the character you see in the movies, she said. It’s thanks to his penchant for causing havoc that my kind came to be.

What do you mean? Violet asked.

Loki used his magic to change some Vikings into shapeshifters so they could help fight the Viltarans. He didn’t undo the magic when he left, even though he knew the monsters that he created would go on to kill humans in his absence.

He sounds like a great guy, Nat said with false sincerity, then sniggered.

Violet trembled on the edge of laughter, but gulped in trepidation instead. She’d faced down some creatures that would turn most people insane, but this fight would be different. It wasn’t power hungry demons that they’d be facing. Instead, it would be a demi-god with unknown magic and a willingness to do whatever it took to reign supreme.

Natalie turned back to Fate. So, Loki’s our enemy, huh? What are we going to be dealing with, exactly? I take it he’s going to have lots of minions for us to slaughter?

There’s always minions, Lexi agreed.

What fun would it be if we just tracked down the bad guy and killed him easily? Violet added with a sigh.

Waiting until they finished complaining, Fate addressed them again. You are correct in your assessment that Loki will not be alone in his pursuit of ultimate supremacy. Once again, he has been banished from Asgard for causing mischief. This time, Chaos stepped in. He made sure Loki encountered creatures who will aid him in his quest for vengeance. They have given him the ability to speak to his counterparts in many other dimensions. He has also become allies with creatures who are war-like and brutal. They have agreed to join his crusade against his own kind. Once Asgard has been subdued, all of the various versions of Loki plan to conquer Earth. They will then move on to other inhabited worlds.

Of course they’re going to come here first, Nat muttered sourly. Please tell me Loki hasn’t teamed up with the Viltarans? As far as I know, I killed them all.

Fate inclined her head. You destroyed them on your world, but they are alive in many other dimensions. Before her warriors could groan in anguish, she spoke again. The Viltarans are only one species that Loki has allied himself with. It is another race of beings that has made his war on the universe possible.

Who are they? Lexi asked, all business as usual.

They call themselves the Grimgorg, Fate replied in a dark tone and drew her cloak around herself. They are primitive in comparison to humans, Asgardians and Viltarans, but they possess magic that no other species has. Loki has mixed his own brand of sorcery with theirs, which has enabled his allies to leave their dismal world. Using magical portals, they can now travel to other realms. They have managed to amass armies in each dimension and they are poised on the brink of unleashing Armageddon.

How do these portals work? Violet asked. Can they shift an entire army through them, or can they take only a few through at a time? The more knowledge they had, the better prepared they would be.

Perhaps it would be best if I showed you what you will be facing, Fate said. With a wave of her hand, a door appeared. Plain and unremarkable, it hung in mid-air. The door opened and they beheld their common enemy as he stealthily approached a battlefield.

Natalie assessed their new nemesis through narrowed eyes. Tall and lean, with shoulder length black hair and chiseled cheekbones, Loki had bright blue eyes and a brooding expression. His leather armor was in shades of black and green, with gold accents. His long green cape billowed behind him in a breeze.

Violet examined the demi-god and noted the gold helmet with twin horns that rose upwards and curled backwards slightly. They reminded her of the horns the Demon Princes sported in hell.

He might be our ultimate nemesis, but he’s still hot, Natalie declared. Violet nodded in grudging agreement, but Lexi simply studied him silently. Although she could concede he was handsome, the expression in his cold eyes worried her. She saw calculation, intelligence and a burning hunger to rule that didn’t bode well for their worlds. She hadn’t even met him yet and she already knew he would be a challenging enemy.

Chapter Two

~~~ Asgard ~~~

STANDING ON THE FRINGES of the battlefield, Loki cloaked himself in an illusion of shadow and surveyed the scene. Asgardian warriors fought beings that had seemingly appeared from nowhere to overrun the city. He’d watched on without being noticed as his brethren forced their foes out of the streets. They’d beaten them back to a grassy field where the little monsters were currently being decimated.

Short and squat, the Grimgorg warriors held crudely made swords in both hands. Their faces were triangular and their tiny mouths were filled with sharp, overlapping black teeth. Large and yellow, their eyes didn’t appear to have pupils. They were hunchbacked, and their heads bobbed like vultures pecking at a corpse when they ran. Clad in bronze armor that left their arms bare, their skin was a fungal green and sported unsightly lumps that looked like they would burst at any moment.

While his brethren had no idea who the interlopers were, Loki knew them well. He’d spent the past year negotiating terms and using his magic to upgrade their spells. Few knew the Grimgorg existed. Being banished yet again for an infraction had led Loki to their planet. It was his cunning and intelligence that had allowed him to forge an alliance with the disgusting aliens. Primitive and unsightly they might be, but they’d been instrumental in allowing him to make allies on other worlds that he wouldn’t otherwise have been able to visit.

He watched on as the mightiest of Asgardian warriors swung his beloved hammer, scattering Grimgorg soldiers in every direction. Tall, blond and wearing a gaudy red cape and magical silver armor, Thor towered over his enemies. Powerful in stature, he was terrible with purpose. Thor loved nothing more than combat and he was in his element. Raising his weapon, he called lightning from the swiftly gathering storm clouds and sent more of his adversaries to their deaths.

Sneering at the flashy display of power, Loki inadvertently let his cloak of shadow slip. One of the alien soldiers spotted him and charged. The common foot soldiers didn’t yet know him, or what his role in this battle was. They just saw an enemy and reacted to his presence. Pulling two daggers from his belt, Loki parried both swords, narrowly avoiding the whirling blades.

As he slid his dagger between the ribs of his enemy, his gaze was drawn to a motionless figure standing on a rise across the field. Dressed in a black robe, her face was hidden in the darkness of her hood. Shadows seemed to gather around her menacingly. Tendrils of her hair moved in directions that were contrary to the wind.

He thought his eyes were playing tricks on him when her clothing began to transform, but it had to be magic at play. Her robe turned into a formfitting black leather suit with a cape that fell around knee height. The hood remained, but the shadows receded from her face to reveal a mask that covered her eyes. Her body was slender, but had enticing curves. As he watched, she drew silver daggers from sheaths on her hips and started directly towards him.

One of the goblin-like aliens leaped at her and she deftly sidestepped his attack. Her daggers flashed out rapidly and came away stained with purple blood. The creature fell with multiple stab wounds to his chest. With her upper face covered by a mask, he couldn’t read her expression, yet he sensed she was coming for him.

Several more of the monsters made the mistake of getting in her way on her journey. She dispatched them just as easily as she’d killed the first one. Quick and graceful, she used one blade to block and the other to slice, cutting off limbs and puncturing vital organs. After each death that she meted out, her eyes returned to him.

A sliver of alarm ran down Loki’s spine when he realized that he might very well be in danger. These clumsy and primitive warriors were no match for his skills, yet the unknown female was altogether different. He noted that she only killed the aliens and avoided his brethren, yet she wasn’t an Asgardian. It was unclear what she was.

Distracted by an approaching group of aliens, he turned his attention back to staying alive, not that these soldiers had the ability to kill one such as him. His powers were still untapped and his full potential hadn’t yet been realized. Throwing a quick glance over his shoulder as he dodged inept swings from the trio of monsters, he saw the female closing in on him.

A blade sliced through his cape, drawing him back into battle. While his armor had been infused