Yeah, I'm epic. Well, not really because I left this for so long but I'm being good now. After many pleas to update this series (all within the last week, did you guys plan that?), here you have it. A Trail of Blood rewrite! There will be one more chapter after this and then I'm off to tackle another Nikola ep (excluding Animus because it's partially done). I think, considering the story lines of the next ones, I might condense all three into a more manageable story. Or skip them. Not sure yet...
Also, this is unbeta-ed so it may be a bit rough.
As per usual, I don't own anything except for the smutty bits and even then it's totally inspired by the bits I don't own :P
xx
"The source blood? That's what you came here to find?"
Helen started to wonder if her heart could actually break twice. Anger was bubbling up inside her despite her best effort to stay calm though why she was bothering she wasn't certain. He was a bastard, a cold hard bastard and any of those girlish flutters the first tap of the autotype had stirred within her now meant nothing. Screw the agendas, screw the excitement, the intrigue. He was a bastard.
Why had she been so excited, why had the thought of running into him in some dark little cave in the middle of nowhere excite her so much? Why had she insisted on dragging the others along? She should have known it was just something self centred and egotistical that had gone wrong. It had been proven he called for no other reason.
Helen felt stupid, so very stupid. How could she have ever been afraid for this man? Why had her heart fluttered so embarrassingly at his breathy remark on her looks? She'd let herself get sucked in once again by his lies and this time, it was too much. Hell, she'd even believed the moment before when he'd clasped her hand tenderly was real.
Her stomach rolled painfully at the memory of her wanting to defend him. Will had been callous and rude and her first instinct had been to jump in and defend him. She'd been so very tempted to tell Will off, to remind him of his not so distant past when he had been the constant thorn in his colleagues sides. He was the one they had all lamented working with, the one who required the patience and understanding of those around him because he simply didn't act the way they wanted him to. Not that she could ever tell the two but they were more alike than even she wanted to admit. Both were a little bit odd, incomprehensible to those who didn't know them well enough and both far more resilient than many gave them credit for. Of course, their differences were there too (most notably Will's new found belief that he was somehow superior to this man who was apparently unworthy of their help) but when it boiled down to it, they both had a history of being outcasts.
Or so she had thought. For all Will's issues, he was, unlike bloody Tesla, a good man. A man who understood right and wrong and avoided doing things of a reprehensible nature.
She should have known, she should have guessed that there was more to this than iron deposits. He wanted a way to get back on top sure but she should have known it couldn't be as simple as exploring his magnetism. This was Nikola Tesla, vampire and proud of it, he'd stop at nothing to regain that title and she felt like the idiot she apparently was for not seeing it.
"It was never recovered when we took down the Cabal. They shipped it here to conduct research," Will said, his voice barely reaching Helen's ears as she glared angrily at Nikola.
"I was desperate and I thought enough time had passed-," he started softly, trying to explain but his words did nothing but fuel her anger.
"They used it on my daughter!"
"The source blood has value to us all Helen."
"You selfish bastard."
She'd called him that on many occasions but today, for the first time ever, Helen knew she really meant it. Looking at him she saw none of the old fondness, none of the attachment she had always felt bound them together further than that of The Five. All she could see was Ashley, her bright shining face cruelly twisted by the blood that had allowed Helen to bring the child to term in this era.
The others were talking again but Nikola's tortured eyes were locked on hers as if it would make a difference.
"Was she here?" she finally blurted out.
No one spoke.
Cowards, she thought angrily. All willing to look appalled but unable to even contemplate acting on such feelings.
"Yeah, I could type in a few key words," Henry finally said softly.
"Look, maybe we don't need to know this," Will offered.
"No, we can download the data, we can take it with us-."
"You've done enough, thank you," Helen all but growled, looking over to Nikola in disdain. He did, at the very least, have the good sense to look slightly abashed.
"No, no Ashley wasn't here. This is a bio-chem lab," Henry said and the pit of unease in Helen's stomach lessened somewhat.
"And the Source Blood?"
"Yeah, it was here. Past tense. It was destroyed along with everything else in the blast."
"Easy come, easy go."
She couldn't help but snarl the words at him. Everything was just a game to him, everything and everyone was disposable. A means to an end and nothing more. It was all she'd ever been to him and the fact that she could only see this now was causing some rather unwarranted pain in the vicinity of her heart. Not quite heartbreak, after all she was no stranger to that sensation but something just as terrifying. Perhaps her heart was too cold and broken to be destroyed much further so instead her own treacherous mind was filling her head with stupid ideas of dreams that had no place in her life let alone being smashed by this arrogant sod.
"Helen-."
"Find us a way out of here."
With that she turned on her heel and stalked away from him, from all of them. She couldn't deal with this any longer. Her heart was too shrivelled to break like this but that was the only way she could explain the sensation. She had let herself believe that Nikola needed their help, had bought into his paltry explanations of lode stone deposits. This was Nikola, he'd never accept his powers for what they are. Vampire or bust.
She could hear footsteps following her but paid no attention as low voices began to mutter softly. Helen reached out with a shaking hand and grabbed onto the wall, eyes tight shut as she tried to breathe through her tears.
Ashley.
Poor Ashley. She hadn't deserved to die the way she did. It was her choice to be involved in Helen's work but still she'd deserved to go with more dignity than she had. The Cabal were truly monsters in every sense of the word. They were the stuff of nightmares. Just being in one of their laboratories set Helen's teeth on edge. Part of her feared that by being here, some of their ruthlessness would rub off on her. Then she remembered that it already had.
Letting out a great shuddering breath, Helen gripped the wall tightly, rough hewn rock sinking into her skin.
She focused on nothing but the sting of the skin tearing, using the pain to shove aside the feelings that were bubbling up within her.
Then she felt something soft on her shoulder, the lightest of touches.
She didn't have to turn to know who it was.
Gritting her teeth, Helen spun, swinging a balled fist straight towards Nikola's face.
He anticipated her move, only barely and grabbed her wrist, tugging her hand away from his face. Her other hand came up in response but he grabbed that too, using his grip on her to shove her back into the corner. Helen struggled but his grip was tight and she quickly found him pinning her to the corner she'd been using to hide from him.
"Get off me Tesla," she growled, unable to keep from baring her teeth as she continued to struggle against not only his body weight but his grip too.
"No," he snapped back. "No you are going to listen to me Helen."
"Over my dead body," she hissed. "Or, perhaps over yours."
He chuckled humourlessly at that but didn't let go.
"You have every right to hate me," he allowed, his voice low and menacing. "But you are sure as hell gonna listen to me, alright?"
Helen fought the urge to spit in his face but before she could snarl a reply, he shoved her into the corner with even more force. Her head hit the rock sharply and her vision swam for a second. When finally she could see again, he was so close she could smell the nine days and seven hours worth of grime on him.
At that a bolt of fear streaked through her. He could hurt her if he really wished, maybe even kill her. For the first time in a long while, Helen remembered the true nature of the man across from her. She'd seen him kill, tear people apart with his bare hands without a hint of remorse. What would keep him from doing the same to her? He did, after all, have nothing to gain.
Helen shivered involuntarily at the thought, swallowing thickly as she glanced about the room. Henry and Will were bent over a tablet, discussing something quietly and paying them no attention.
Should she call to them? Should she try and get help?
"I won't hurt you," Nikola half whispered, his voice rough.
Her gaze flickered back to his for a moment and her breath caught in her throat. His normally bright blue eyes were dull with what she knew to be pain.
Then the world seemed to stand still for a moment, her breathing slowing to what would have been dangerous if she'd really thought it through but all she could see was him, his big blue eyes as his warm body held hers in place.
She knew what was happening the moment before it did but she didn't move, couldn't move. There was something about him that held her captive and she knew that even if he was to let go of her wrists, she'd stay exactly where she was.
And then he leaned in and she closed her eyes.
His kiss was angry and bitter, his taste making her heart throb painfully. He tasted desperate, his tongue furiously discovering her mouth. He was swallowing her whole, taking her in and demanding that she yield. But she didn't. She fought back, her own mouth slanting against his in defiance. He growled into her mouth before pulling back, panting.
"Do you know what I've been thinking about these past nine days and seven hours?" he demanded. "You. You Helen. I couldn't stop thinking that I'd made the biggest mistake and that I would die here without you."
He leant forward and bit her lower lip harshly.
"I made a mistake Helen," he continued. "But I don't have a choice in this."
"Why are you so obsessed?" she spat, starting to fight him again. He wrapped a hand in her hair, the silver clip that had held it back clattering to the floor as he tugged her head back while they moved further into the corner. "Why do you have to get those damn powers back? They aren't you Nikola so don't give me shit about losing yourself."
"Because Helen," he snarled, their noses brushing. "I need to be myself again because I'm going to need an eternity to win your god-damned heart."
She gasped softly at that and he flinched at her quick inhalation. Neither spoke for a moment.
"You shouldn't have been here," Helen finally muttered in response. "It's... They were..."
"They are my only hope," he replied, his voice thick with anger. "Don't deny me this Helen. You may have given up hope but I will never."
"This is... is ridiculous," she said, her voice softening. "Nikola, why did you come here?"
"I didn't have a choice," he barked, his voice barely more than a whisper and he shoved her against the wall.
Then he moaned softly and dropped his head to rest against hers.
"I'm sorry Helen," he said hoarsely. "I just... I can't die. Not without you. You... you need me."
She swallowed thickly at his words.
"I couldn't think of anything else to do. I hadn't meant to drag you in."
"Why?" she repeated, closing her eyes. He released her remaining wrist and she grabbed the front of his shirt. With the way they were standing, his body shielded her from the others. For all that he'd just threatened her she felt so safe, so shrouded in warmth and him that tears slipped from her eyes. No one could see her here. She was safe.
"I love you."
The words were so soft, barely audible even in the near silent room but Helen caught in.
Turning her head she burrowed into his neck.
"I love you," he said a little more firmly. "And I know I fucked up Helen. But I refuse to believe die like this. I refuse to leave you. I have so much to make up for but you have to believe that I never meant for this to happen. I'd never... Ashley was..."
She felt him swallow and shudder but Helen could do nothing but cling to him. Her tears were few and far between but they rolled hotly down her cheeks. Nikola pushed her against the wall more firmly but this time it was a comforting gesture. Taking a deep breath, Helen fought to bring herself back under control. Pulling back, she looked up, surprise to see Nikola looking so forlorn. He opened his mouth as if to speak but promptly shut it again, his eyes taking on a blazing fire that Helen knew well.
He kissed her again, this time much more softly but with the same conviction. And Helen kissed back, giving everything she had in an attempt to make sense of this all. She was still furious, her entire being wanting to beat him half to death but crawling into his embrace as their lips moved together sounded just as enticing. Her mind was confused, anger duelling with lust though she quickly found the two emotions almost interchangeable.
The kiss was kinder this time, both of them revelling in the sensations as opposed to devouring each other but there was still a desperate tinge to it and, as they continued kissing, the heat reached a near unbearable level. Helen needed to be naked, needed to feel him pressed to her.
And it seemed Nikola was feeling the same.
His hands started to traverse her body hungrily, taking in each curve as she arched towards him. She tried to pull her lips away but he recapture them and the small moan that escaped her.
"The others," he breathed, unwillingly as his hand made its way between her leg.
Helen gasped into his mouth, her entire body trembling and he bit her lip, stifling her gasp. Long, supple fingers began to rub against her through the thick fabric of her jeans and the friction made her want to sob in pleasure.
Briefly her eyes flicked open and to where Henry and Will stood, backs turned. They'd clearly seen the embrace but were being polite enough to allow them their space. Then a horrible thought entered her mind. She honestly couldn't figure out which would be worse, having Nikola bring her off right here, right now in front of her team or having Nikola stop what he was doing.
She'd always been rather vocal when it came to sex, several partners commenting as such and the thought of moaning as Nikola's clever fingers brought her higher and higher was enough to redden her cheeks. Of course, Nikola it seemed had thought that through because he was doing his utmost to keep his lips on hers. It meant they were both lightheaded and breathless but as Helen unconsciously widened her stance by a fraction, she forgot all about the boys in the other side of the room.
And then, when Nikola rubbed that little bit harder she knew it wasn't going to take long. He apparently realised that too and picked up the pace as his lips moved against hers passionately so that, as she came he swallowed the small moans that slipped through her lips. It wasn't anything earth shattering or life changing but the pleasure that sang through her veins helped her to melt into Nikola's arms.
He was gasping against her temple, his entire body shaking with what she knew to be lust and while she wanted to reach for his pants, Helen refrained. He groaned softly into her loose hair, his body plastered against her so that she was aware of every contour. Including those clearly aroused by their encounter.
"I'm still mad at you," she breathed softly, prepared for the anger to return but he simply pulled back slightly and smiled.
"I know," he allowed softly. "But we'll be alright?" His words were coloured with a hopefulness she'd never heard before, something so tender she was petrified to break him again.
"Eventually," she whispered, reaching up to up his cheek. His answering smile was brilliant and made her want to kiss him but before she could do so, Will yelped from the otherside of the bunker, making her jump. Heat flooded her cheeks instantly as she realised what she'd just done.
"Nest," he stuttered uncomfortably, shuffling backwards quickly. "Magnus..."
Pushing away from Nikola, Helen strode over to her protégé where he stood staring up at a large and now displaced grate. Carefully Helen approached, pushing past the desire still simmering away in her gut. She had to be mad at Nikola. He was the reason they were trapped in here anyway.
"We're under the kids bunkbeds, no wonder the adults are mad..." Will murmured from behind her as Helen stared in horror.
"Pardon?" Nikola asked, meandering towards them. He looked far too put together for Helen's liking which made being mad at him far easier.
"It's a nest," Will filled in, clearly uneasy. "Those creatures. We're in their nest."
"If the source blood was destroyed during the self destruct then there's a good chance remnants of it could have seeped into the ground and attached themselves to the mineral content in the rock," Helen said as the crowded around the singular table left standing.
"You mean these creatures..." Henry almost whispered, as if afraid of waking them.
"It would explain the size and aggression."
"And why they kept you prisoner," Helen continued with a quick look over at Nikola whose lips quirked before he responded, making her heart skip a traitorous beat.
"Same blood type."
"Remember what you said about territorial behaviour? " she asked, trying to keep focused. "They seemed to get really mad when we locked them out of the lab. This is why."
"We open that door, we get an angry PTA meeting swarming in here," Nikola said worriedly.
"I need options for taking out that nest," Helen ordered, her tone gruff. A brief picture of Ashley's transformed face flashed before her face, reminding her of what they had lost to these people.
"There's still some fuel in the tanks underneath us. They didn't use it all in the self destruct. I could rig a secondary detonation," Henry offered.
"Assuming we could get past the killer bugs outside the door," Will put in.
"I'm sorry, aren't we being a little hasty here..." Nikola started though she could sense the trepidation in his tone.
"No."
"Helen..."
"Nikola this is not up for discussion," she barked. "If those creatures hatch, they will burrow over a massive radius, lay new eggs and destroy the entire continent! These creatures are not naturally evolved! They're abominations cause by the Cabal's recklessness! Stop insulting us with your fake scientific curiosity! We know exactly why you want them alive and it is exactly why we are going to destroy every trace of these creatures. And if you get in my way, you along with them."
Her breathing was heavy by the end of her tirade but she meant every word. Despite the pulse of longing thrumming through her body, she'd not allow any of these experiments to taint the world.
Letting her gaze flick over Nikola, her breath caught in her throat. He was staring at her with the most peculiar look on his face. Like he agreed with her or something.
Helen shook the strangeness away, instead focusing on the task at hand. They had to blow the place up, there was nothing else for it.
"Nikola, c'mon!" she cried, fear taking a hold of her heart. No, not like this. Anything but this. The bugs were everywhere and would soon kill them, she was certain of it. Tears began to sting the back of her eyelids. She knew what would come next.
"It's no use Helen," he cried in response. Their eyes locked for a brief second before she had to shoot at more of the nasties. She watched in horror as he drew a knife from his belt, holding it up to his hand.
"Nikola!"
"You always did have more appeal than me. There you are my pretties, do you like that huh? Finest vintage!"
The words were delivered with his usual punch but it wasn't right. She wanted him to call out and do something foolish. Like give her the opportunity to say 'I love you too'.
"Speak well of me," he said as the bugs encroached on him, Helen forgotten in place of fresh blood.
"Nikola, no!"
And then with a thunk the solid metal door flew up and Helen's heart actually shattered. This time she was sure of it. He was gone. Actually gone. As in she'd never see him again kind of gone. Her friend, her Nikola, was gone.
"12 seconds!" came the shout from behind her but she couldn't move. It hurt too much to even breath.
It was only when a strong pair of arms reefed her back that self preservation kicked in and she began to run.
Inside she was counting down the seconds.
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
No, she thought, lungs burning.
2
It wasn't fair.
1
The explosion rocketed through her, tremors making it easier to ignore the sharp stab of guilt. She should have... should have... should have tried.
"Magnus..."
"It's alright Will," she replied, taking a deep breath as the tears started to well.
"You have to admit, that's a hell of an exit."
"Indeed. "
They both thought she was an idiot. They didn't have to say anything for her to know that but she had to go back if only to prove to herself that he'd never again pop up in her bed to give her a fright.
Henry it seemed was more accommodating, following quietly as she made her way through the debris. The young man had always looked up to Nikola, she remembered absently, her mind having trouble recalling anything but the glint in his eye that told her she was about to either be felt up or hit on. Or both.
But then she heard it. The tap. So soft, so quiet she almost missed it.
"Oh you gotta be kidding me."
"Start digging," she ordered, glee filling her body. She barely registered the hot metal on her finger tips. He was alive. He was tapping out that incessant tune and she'd kill him for getting it stuck in her head but he was alive and breathing and tapping!
Finally the metal gave way, revealing his dusty, crumpled self.
"Nikola," she breathed, her body desperate to surge forward and hold him.
"Rocking the magna-power," Henry put in, a note of relief in his voice.
"Fortunately, I can't hear what any of you are saying! It's very nice!" Nikola yelled at them, grinning inanely.
"That's quite the parlour trick."
"I guess this magnetic power has potential after all," Will offered and Helen was pleased to note he too sounded a little happy at having found Nikola alive.
"Yah well, you know what they say right?" Nikola replied, shooting her an irresistible grin. "It's not what you have, it's how you -."
His words were muffled by her lips, unable to resist kissing him for any longer. She heard Will and Henry moan in the background but she didn't care. He tasted of soot and grit but beneath it all was Nikola. Her Nikola. Her very much not dead Nikola. And she wasn't going to stop kissing him until one of them passed out from lack of breath.
Which, it seemed, would be Nikola this time. He pulled back, spluttering weakly.
"I should almost die more often," he joked and she rolled her eyes.
"Shut up and move it," she ordered, unable to stop from grinning at him.
Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as Henry shook his head at them but she pretended not to. Let him have his complaints, she thought happily, helping Nikola to his feet. After all she was getting the better end of the bargain.
"This calls for a toast. I can't believe you set off on a rescue mission and didn't bring any libations with you"
"What are we, Saint Bernards?"
Helen shot both men a warning look but never relinquished her grip on Nikola's elbow.
"To our lost brothers in blood. May we never see their like again!" Nikola continued, raising his free hand in toast. "Slimey perversions of science be damned."
"Oh do be quiet," she chided. "Or at least save it until the rest of us don't have to hear."
Nikola sighed at her words but before he could respond, she walked ahead of him, giving him a saucy grin over her shoulder.
Briefly she took pleasure in his soft groan but it was short lived, the sharp pinch to her buttocks making her yelp. Henry and Will turned to look at her in surprise and she waved them off before turning and glaring at Nikola. He simply walked along, grinning.
Rolling her eyes, she turned back to watch the others, pretending to ignore him.
Nikola, obviously unhappy with such treatment hurried along beside her.
"Oh Helen," he said in his lowest, most seductive voice. "Don't think this is a game you can win."
"This is no game," she said sweetly, giving him a melting look she'd perfected in her youth. He blinked and swallowed.
One point to her.
Just as she went to board the plane, Will grabbed her elbow.
"He kept one of the larvae, didn't he?"
Helen smiled, watching Nikola's retreating back for a moment.
"Oh definitely."
"You going to let him get away with it?" he asked as together they walked up the small staircase.
"No..." she answered, trailing off. A thousand different ideas shot through her head of how she'd get him to give up the larvae. The most enticing of which involved a full strip search and thorough pat down.
"Every time," Will said, shaking his head and Helen chuckled.
Well, she wouldn't frisk him every time he did something silly, she mused. Just most of the time.
Yeah, you know where this is going... Might be a bit of a delay with the next chapter though. I shall try and be good for y'all :P