I previously wrote a small drabble about Darcy and Loki being detectives (the chapter entitled Venue from Through a broken mirror). I was asked to elaborate so here is the first chapter of my new fic.

Enjoy.

University student, Catherin Margery Dyne was going home after an exhausting but much welcomed session of archery. It was a sport she had taken to in summer camp a few years back and it stuck with her until now. Fingers flexed as if pulling on a string, a smile spread over her face, Catherin was her own hero in the movie of her life. And right in that moment, everything was going along with the scrip in her head. Nothing could go wrong for her. Or so she thought until she felt a cold stare raking her form, from somewhere behind her.

Catherin Dyne hurried along the empty dimly lighted street. The diffuse glow of the few street lights barely provided enough light to make her journey seem like a safe one. Pulling her coat tighter against her body, the young woman risked a cursory glance behind her. There was nobody. She breathed a sigh of relief but couldn't sake the feeling that there was another person, somewhere near, watching her. Convincing herself that there was nothing to fear and that she was just tired after a few good hours with her bow and arrows, Catherin took a deep breath and moved forward.

But it had not been any trick played on her by a tired mind. No, behind her, there was a tall man who had just exited a dark corner of the street. He seemed utterly relaxed, just someone out to enjoy a nightly walk or a man on his way home for work. That would be the image an untrained eye would see. Despite that, something wasn't quite right. His gait was strained, although the hands shoved in his pockets said otherwise. He was out on a hunt, stalking his prey, and like any good marauder, waiting for the right time to strike. Not too long now.

At the same time, young Catherin was congratulating herself for keeping her cool. She was almost out in the main street. Just half a minute and she would be in the safety of a crowded area. In the back of her mind, a sharp voice chided her for refusing Melody's offer of a ride. Catherin partially agreed, however she was glad she could walk freely. Perhaps she'd indulge Melody another time. The view of a packed avenue folded out before her eyes, the anticipation coursing through her veins. The city was so lively despite the late hour and the fact that it was a week day.

But before the girl had the chance to get any further, a hand clamped into her auburn hair, hauling her back with a strong tug. Her cry of pain was muffled with a piece of cloth. An acrid smell filled her nostrils making breathing difficult. She tried struggling against her captor but the man's frame was not only tall, it was also strong. Slight, drained Catherin Dyne had no chance against a man two times her size in bulk. It was a lost fight for her before it even started. But that didn't stop her from trying her hardest to break free.

"Don't make this harder on yourself, doll." a suave voice whispered in her ear. The rich tenor tickled as he talked, "I have such great plan for you. I'm really excited to start." His enthusiasm earned a very strong protest from the girl in his arms who was starting to feel sluggish. "You may be feeling a bit slow, doll. Don't worry, it'll pass. You do understand why I'm doing this don't you." Catherin wanted to yell out that she didn't but her mouth was covered. "I need you compliant."

What did he have planned for her? Catherin swallowed thickly, her eyes growing heavy. The thoughts in her head were all a jumble, overlapping each other and making no sense at all. How was she supposed to free herself when her brain wasn't coming up with anything? Fatigue and fright took over and she went limp in the arms of the stranger. He stroked her hair gently, a sadistic grin settling on his face. "You'll be famous doll. You and I, both, will be so famous." Running his fingers through her ginger locks, his eyes sparkled with malice. "Off we go then. I have a lot of work to do with you before the press can see my art."

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Darcy sat at her desk, bored out of her mind. A stack of papers littered the counter but she paid them no mind. There was nothing worse than filling out forms. No matter how bored she was, Darcy wasn't touching those. She glared with thinly veiled contempt at the documents. Maybe she could burn them. It wasn't as if anybody read those bloody sheets. Wait, thinking better about it convinced her that burning wasn't the way to go about this. There was another way, perfectly safe for her and the papers. It was brilliant really. "I'm a genius."

"Indeed, love, you are." A voice drawled from the doorway making her jump. Darcy turned to glare at her partner and long time boyfriend, Loki Laufeyson. "Now, do you mind telling me what that grin on your face is all about?"

Said grin turned into a sweet, innocent smile. "I don't know what you're talking about." she replied with a serene expression. As was his nature, Loki saw right through it, and raised an eyebrow in question. "Git!" Darcy yelled and threw a pencil at him. "Come in and close the door."

"As you wish, sweetheart." he said dryly and did just that. "You need help with your paperwork? Again?" Faux-irritation dripped from his words in small rivulets.

"Not need per se." Darcy responded quietly to his enquiry.

Loki nodded his head in realisation. "Ah, you want me to do them for you. Always the procrastinator."

"Please! Your writing is so much neater than mine and you have more patience for these things." She levelled a pleading look his way. "If you do this for me, I'll give you whatever you want."

"Bribery, Miss Lewis? Really?" Darcy nodded her head unabashed. "Well, I am not above a bit of inducement in this case. Whatever I want, you say?"

"Yes." she spoke decidedly, leaving no room for doubt. She knew all too well what he would want and she was more than willing to indulge him and herself too. "Whatever you want." she added for good measure, leaning over the table in his direction. "Deal?"

"You've got yourself a deal, darling." he murmured, getting closer to her. "Just be sure it's what you want. My services don't come cheap. You might regret it."

"Impossible." Darcy snorted and closed the gap between them with a peck on his lips. "Now it's sealed."

Whatever else she might've cared to add was cut off when the door swung open. Thor strode in, earning himself a glare from Loki and an exasperated sigh from Darcy; both of which he was oblivious to. "Good morning!"

"Not 'good'. Don't say 'good'. It irks me." Darcy deadpanned. "Mornings are never good; they involve getting up and out of bed at insanely early hours."

"Thor." Loki acknowledged the other man, an acute lack of interest painting his face.

The blonde cleared his throat. "Actually, there's a new body, freshly discovered. I was wondering if you'd be interested. My hands are full at the moment." Thor was offering them a case? Loki's eyes narrowed contemplating the proposition.

"If it gets me out of doing paperwork, then I'm willing to take anything even if we're talking about a lost pet." Darcy admitted enthusiastically. "Give me."

"You're not fond of paperwork are you?" Thor asked jovially, a huge smile crossing his face as he extended a file out to Darcy and scribbled down an address.

"She's not." Loki answered in her stead. "And for that reason, I'm the one stuck doing all of them."

"Don't complain, you prick!" Darcy shot him a withering glare. "It's not like you're getting nothing out of it."

"True." His green eyes glittered mischievously, a sly smile forming on his lips.

"I really don't want to know." Thor complained, the insinuation not lost on him. "Look, here's the address. Just go and keep all thoughts of reward to yourselves."

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"This –" Darcy began, gesturing wildly at the crime scene, " This is something else." Loki nodded in agreement without taking his eyes off the body.

The corpse of a young female was sprawled on the ground in a pool of blood, presumed to be her own. Her identity was still a mystery but she was obviously young, twenty something by her trendy clothing. Her eyes had been pulled out of their sockets and she was missing a finger; her middle one. Medium length red hair darkened in contact with the blood seeming almost scarlet. The bruised legs and arms indicated that at one point she might've struggled against the murdered. Much good it did her.

Despite the current state of the victim, it was quiet clear that in her good days she had been fairly attractive. The bone structure and what was left of her face attested to it. Such a pity, that charming creatures, like that, seemed to drop dead at every corner now.

By the looks of it their killer had taken a great deal of pleasure in hurting the poor girl. Forced intrusion, no doubt. Loki grimaced, a faint wave of nausea passing over him. There was only so much his stomach could take. The act seemed one of pure rage. Perhaps a past boyfriend. Who would have anything to gain from her death?

"Call Jane. We're sending the body in." her partner spoke suddenly, distracting Darcy who was taking notes on her phone.

"On it." she replied promptly, agile fingers already pressing the call button. "Hey Jane. This is Darcy. Are you in?" A brief pause ensued. "No. How fast can you get there?" Loki heard Jane say about half and hour. "There's a body we need your expertise on. So see you in half an hour." Darcy ended the call with a 'bye'. "She wasn't very happy. I woke her up."

"She'll live." one very unconcerned Loki muttered under his breath.

"Yeah." Darcy agreed and tapped her foot impatiently at a rookie making a mess out of things. "Hey, watch the way you handle the body or we won't find anything to go with! Dolt." Loki gave an amused grin. "Not even Jane will be able to tell us anything if he ruins our source of information. Seriously, who allows such incompetent people to work here?"

"You sure know how to motivate them." observed her boyfriend, as the man she had chastised glowered at her. Loki's eyes glared right back at the fool. Satisfied when the idiot returned to his job, he finally saw Darcy looking at him. "What?"

"That was very sweet." He palled at her words. Caught in the act. There was no denying it. "Thank you." She pressed a kiss to his cheek.

Someone coughed indiscreetly behind them. "Do try to keep in mind that you are here to work." Coulson said, fixing them with a stony stare.

"Of course, sir." Darcy was mildly annoyed but what he said seemed valid enough. Loki just nodded absently. "I think we should be on our way to the lab now."

She pulled Loki after her, waving at Coulson who only hardened his look. "Jerk." Huffing she climbed into the car and waited for her partner to climb into the driver's seat. She would've driven herself but Loki was reluctant to let her after a minor incident not too long ago. It hadn't even been her fault. How was she supposed to know their case of the week would try to run her off the road? What kind of wanker does that? A really desperate one, obviously.

Anyway, his decision stood firm. She wasn't driving anytime soon by the looks of things.

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Jane scrubbed her hands with soap, a small tremble in her body giving away just how affected she was by what she had seen.

True to her word, in half an hour, Jane had been at the hospital where Darcy waited for her with Loki. The body had been deposited on an autopsy table, waiting for Jane to see it. And seen it she had, the pathologist wasn't sure she'd ever get the image out of her head. What kind of human being did something like that? It wasn't only the torture that had killed the young woman. The bruises, God, they told so many stories.

The door squeaked behind her and she turned to see Darcy in her dark jeans and light coloured shirt. "How are you hanging on?"

"Fine." Jane offered weakly. "Just fine." She burst in tears after that. "I'm just very emotional right now. I don't even know why. Sorry."

Darcy wrapped an arm around Jane, rubbing soothing patterns into her back. "It's alright. I was shaken up too when I first saw it."

"How can anyone do something like that?" the pathologist questioned. "It's sick."

"Killers normally are." assured her friend. "But we'll get him, me and Loki. Like we always do."

"That's what I'm counting on." Jane said between her tears, giving Darcy a small smile in encouragement. "Just give me a minute and I'll come out."

Darcy nodded and went out the door leaving Jane to her own devices. That was the great thing about their friendship. They always knew just what to do around each other. Jane smiled at her reflection in the mirror, drying her tears with a paper towel. She had been so emotional the last few weeks and she had no idea why,

Shrugging, the young pathologist fixed herself for a few more moments and went the same way Darcy had taken.

In the hall, her friend and Loki were caught deep in conversation, or disagreement more likely from the way Darcy was gesticulating and he was shaking his head. Finally noticing her approach, Loki nodded his head and Darcy stopped moving. She whirled around and smiled sweetly at Jane.

"Is it alright if I write my observations down and hand them to you?" In the bathroom it hadn't really been visible, what with the bad lighting, but now Darcy could see just how pale Jane was. It was worrisome.

"Please do." Loki politely requested before setting his attention on Darcy. "I have to go now. I'll see you at home."

"Don't count on it." she yelled after him.

"What happened?" Jane asked, confusion creasing her forehead.

"Sigyn called." Darcy said with a scowl. "Whenever she calls he takes off."

"She is his sister." the pathologist tried to reason with Darcy.

"No, she's his adoptive sister. Adoptive as in the one who he has no blood ties to. She's also the one he was supposed to marry when his real parents were still alive." Darcy reminded her friend. "There's something about the way she acts around him. And the looks she gives me are so cold. Sometimes I think she wants to kill me."

"I think you have nothing to worry about." Jane said softly. "Loki genuinely loves you, otherwise he wouldn't put up with you. And don't make that face; you are difficult. Whatever Sigyn tries to pull off, if she is indeed trying anything, won't work. If it makes you feel better, I'll pull her hair out if she so much as makes a false move. I've got your back."

"You're my best friend, Jane." The blonde woman nodded, happy to have lifted her friend's spirits. "And speaking of watching out for my friends, we haven't had a night to ourselves in a long while. Too long."

"That tends to happen when one of us is in a serious relationship." Jane quipped, a big smile in place.

"Well, I'm sure I can convince Loki to give us the apartment for one night." Of course she could, she was Darcy.

"And go where? To his parents'? Where Sigyn is?" Logic had always been Jane's forte.

"I though you said I had nothing to worry about." Darcy remarked with a glint in her blue eyes.

"You don't" Jane assured her.

"Okay." It was on.

"Fine." the pathologist huffed. "Saturday? I have this one off."

"Works with me." Darcy said and straightened her shirt.

"Darce?" Jane was unsure, Darcy noticed. Jane was rarely unsure, unless she was in big trouble. Really bid trouble.

"Yeah?" It was time to be a good friend, Darcy though as she listened attentively.

"I want to make an appointment to the doctor's." she confessed, her face flushing slightly.

"Say the time and place." That was Darcy being supportive. She was proud actually as it was coming along great.

"Three days from now, here." Jane replied with a thankful look.

"Okay, I have to go. I'll see you in three days and this Saturday." The dark haired woman hugged her friend. "Hang in there, Janey."

"You too, Darce."

With that Darcy adopted her usual blasé countenance and strode off, heading to her office. There was nothing more to do than wait for Jane's diagnosis and notes and the results from the lab. As far as Darcy was concerned, she had done everything in her power and now had other thing to worry about; like the fact that she was jittery over her boyfriend being with his adoptive sister. It wasn't that she didn't trust Loki; she didn't think Sigyn was reliable.

"Geez, I am worrying over nothing." she said to herself. It was almost convincing. She'd be a pro in no time at the rate things were being hurled at her. Darcy reminded herself to think positively and not let her problems get her. If Loki had wanted Sigyn, he'd be with her. But he was with Darcy, so he clearly didn't want Sigyn now. All the better, because Darcy wasn't one to share.

More to come when I feel inspired ( and have a higher tolerance for gore than usually).

In case you were wondering the title is in Latin and it means 'murders'.