Fallen Star

Chapter 2

He landed nimbly, straightening with the grace that came naturally to him and scanning his new horizon. So this was Earth. He took in the brown sand disdainfully, unimpressed by the lifeless desert surrounding him. What on this ugly planet could possibly hold his foster brother's attention so completely?

Then he saw her, and he knew.

She had been running to him with an expression of pure joy on her face, which radiated such hope and beauty that even he was thrown off for a second. Her form was slender and wonderfully feminine, her eyes soft pools of brown, her chestnut hair whipping around her face in unruly curls.

So this is Jane Foster,Loki thought with satisfaction. This is the woman who conquered my brother.

He remembered his last confrontation with Thor, battling his brother at Asgard's Bifrst Bridge. Thor had managed to arrive in time to shatter his plans and once again snatch Odin's approval. No matter how hard Loki tried, he could never step outside his foster brother's shadow. And suddenly, any shred of love remaining for his big brother had vanished.

"I don't know what happened on Earth to make you so soft!" he screamed, his mind frenziedly groping for the best way to wound Thor. And then he had it: Jane Foster. "Don't tell me it was that woman? Oh, it was! Well maybe, when we're done here, I'll pay her a visit myself!"

Loki could never have foreseen what happened next; there was no way for him to guess that Thor's love for Jane was so strong that he would destroy the Bifrst Bridge to protect her. At first, as Loki saw the bridge shatter, his resolve had shattered too. But he had more tricks up his sleeve—he always did. Poor Thor, thinking he had saved Jane, when all he had done was cut her off from his protection. Perhaps he was too stupid to know other ways to visit Earth, but Loki had discovered the secret passageways long ago.

And he had waited and planned for the perfect moment to pay Jane Foster a visit. He would wait until Thor's mind was at ease, until Asgard seemed to go back to normal and life had hope once again. Then he would strike Thor where it would hurt the most.

As he saw Jane's expression change from joy to confusion, he felt his heart fill with sadistic glee. This was going to be fun.

Jane knew as soon as the figure straightened that it couldn't be Thor—the outline was far too lean. As she approached closer, she took in the sharp features, piercing dark eyes, ebony hair and pale skin, feeling herself blush as she appreciated the stranger's striking handsomeness. She could tell by his green and gold leather outfit that he was from Asgard, and that reassured her—surely he was an ally of her beloved Thor.

"I—I'm sorry," she apologized automatically as she slowed to a walk. "I thought you were—I mean, I've been expecting…"

"You've been expecting Thor," the stranger said. "I know."

If he's familiar with Thor, they must be friends, Jane reasoned, so she stuck her hand out and said with a smile, "Hi, I'm Jane."

The stranger took her hand with an amused smile, sweeping it to his lips with a flourish. "I know."

He didn't let go, even when Jane started to pull her hand away. Suddenly, she didn't feel as safe and carefree. Suddenly, something felt very off. He was watching her so closely, and there was something in his eyes that unsettled her—a secret amusement from a joke she was sure revolved around her.

"Who are you?" she asked, trying to hide her unease behind a smile. "You must be a friend of Thor's. Is he all right? Where is he?"

"Thor's still on the other side of the universe," he replied, his smile widening to reveal glinting teeth. "And I'm not his friend. I'm his brother."

"Loki!" Jane gasped, jerking her hand from his. She took a step backwards instinctively. "What are you doing here?"

"Why, I'm here to see you, of course, dear Jane," Loki replied, taking a long step forward and easily closing the gap between them. "My brother spoke so highly of you, I had to come and… ahem… sample for myself."

Jane felt an almost paralyzing fear well up inside her, but she shoved it down. It wouldn't do to panic. If she could just get back to her house, if she could just get to the basement— Without another word, she turned and ran.