Hi, I'm not new to this site, but I've read so many of your stories, I thought that I'd take my own spin on one. I must say, I've enjoyed Leonaria Dragonbane's stories, aswell as Linda J's. I love the Victor Creed stories and hope I do him some justice here!
As always - I don't own Victor Creed, and write this in pure enjoyment only. Thanks!
Audacity and Bravery
Sarah busied herself at her laptop. Keys quietly typing out her latest story she had going on in her head. She pauses in thought, then hurriedly types out a paragraph. Then pausing again... she's stuck. It wasn't the story that was stuck, she was good at those; But she thinks to herself how good a coffee would be right now.
She's reluctant to leave her cozy apartment. She likes living on her own. Young that she is, never did she feel more at home than alone in her own apartment.
It got easier when she finished school. Got an open contract with a publishing company, and submitted stories often for money. This latest story she was spilling out to her computer had her quite busy this week. Barely leaving her apartment except to grab a few groceries from the corner market. She was quite a loner but she didn't care. She had a friend or two that she would chat with occasionally but everything was as she liked it. All her adventures were in her stories, and sometimes she'd live them over and over in her head, or in a new story she poured out into text.
She sighed, and pushed her chair away from her desk. Yes...she had to get that coffee or that craving would gnaw at her all morning. She absently rubs her stomach '...hmmm, perhaps I should eat?' she thinks to herself.
She throws her hair into a ponytail, and grabs her jacket before exiting her apartment. She was about 5 floors up. She didn't bother with the elevator. She took the stairs down. She often avoided the elevator when she could. This building she lived in was pretty old. There were a lot of smells that wafted through, and it always seemed worse in the elevator. She swore she could smell the moment that guy down the hall lit up his damned cigarettes.
She almost wretched near the bottom floor The smell of kitty litter faintly wafted through that floor. The cat lady must be cleaning her cat boxes again. She hurriedly exited the stairwell out the fire exit, trying to breathe in some of the fresher air of the outside. 'Ahhhhh...that's much better!' she thought, silently reminding herself that she really should find a better apartment, but knowing she'd probably couldn't quite afford it just yet.
She started walking towards the cafe that was located just past the park down the street.
The morning was still quite early. Some of the early-birds were already out, going about their day. Shops along the strip were preparing for opening. She quickly peeked behind her. This feeling of being watched was really starting to bug her. She noticed it these last couple weeks. Every time she had caved and took a peek behind her, there'd be nothing there. She was beginning to think perhaps she was losing it. A life of loneliness was the probable cause, but still – she could swear she'd hear someone following at times!
She sighed, and continued past the park. Taking a deep breath in – savouring the smell of the woods, and the nearby pond. It was always so fresh smelling here. Then the waft of coffee slowly intermingled with it. 'Mmmmmm...' she stopped in front of the coffee shop and quickly admired it before entering. This coffee shop had an old feel to it. She loved this place!
She used to bring her laptop with her to continue her stories here, that was until the last 2 weeks after the 'followed' feeling started.
She waited in line. She didn't need time to check over the choices, she always got the same thing – large coffee, 4 creams – none of that fancy-schmancy shit they seemed to overload the menu choices with.
She caught herself lost in thought again, almost like she was in a trance. "Ma'am?" from behind her, it was an older gentleman that was waiting just behind her. She shook herself mentally, giving her head a slight shake. "Oh..." she exclaimed, when she noticed she was the next in line as the lady behind the counter was ready for her order. "Thanks, sorry!" she said to the gentleman behind her before approaching the cafe clerk. "Large coffee please – 4 creams..." she said to the lady, and fumbled out her money.
'What is wrong with me this morning?' she scolded herself. She couldn't quite concentrate for some reason. Almost like her mind just went hazy.
She handed the clerk her money and thanked her when she was passed the coffee. "Thank-you!" she said to the clerk when she was handed the change. She turned around and stepped to the side so the older gentleman could get by to give the lady his order.
She started to head towards the door and felt a wave of dizziness slowly sweep over her. She grabbed the side of a nearby chair and stood quietly for a moment.
Once her head cleared, she decided to sit down at one of the chairs for just a moment. "Maybe I have a cold coming on..." she said under her breath as she started to open the lid so she could sip her coffee a bit. She took a long sip, letting the warmth slide down her throat. She loved her coffee, always made her feel like she could do anything after that first cup. Heaven forbid if she ever had to give it up, she was thinking to herself allowing a glance around the room at the other coffee seekers enjoying their coffees.
Then she locked eyes with a gentleman at the far corner. She's not sure how long he had been there for but it was as if he was watching her the whole time. It made her uncomfortable so she looked away almost as quickly as they'd locked eyes, and looked back down at her steaming cup of coffee.
She then looked up at the tv the cafe had installed just ahead of her. The 24 hour news channel was on as always. There was a ticker with news flashes on the lastest happenings in the city. Nothing too interesting. Local crime, entertainment, government fighting with the mutant rights parties that was stirring up the elections.
Never a dull moment there. The whole reason why she was in this mess. She had tested positive for the X gene. Her family practically flipped out. She was furious when she found out her Step-Father had her tested for it to begin with. Then the whole mood in the household changed, like she was less of a person. Fights ensued. Later, she appied for emancipation so that she could move out. Now at 18, she was finished highschool – and providing for herself in her own apartment doing was she loved to do – write! Fate works in mysterious ways sometimes.
She sighed and sipped her coffee again. It didn't quite taste the same anymore, it actually tasted more. Like she had grown more tastebuds or something? She felt a little warm. "I gotta get home..." she muttered to herself quietly and started to stand, easing herself up again. Dizziness wasn't quite as bad but she felt nothing would feel better than being home again – maybe she should go back to bed? She grabbed her coffee, and quickly looked around.
The fellow she had locked eyes with wasn't at his spot anymore. She didn't care where he had went, she just mentally shrugged, turned around and exited the cafe.
She slowly started walking back towards the apartment. Maybe she was coming down with something? She started to feel a little feverish. She tried to hurry a little more, hoping a good sleep might work her through it. She reached her building and decided the elevator was the better choice. She pressed for her floor and leaned against the wall as the elevator squeeked up 5 floors. The doors opened and she quietly walked to her apartment.
She locked up the door behind her and made her way to the bedroom, but before she could get there, a strong dizzy spell had her grab for the wall in the hallway, and she slid down it, her cheek catching the wall on the way down, and passed out.
When she came to, sounds around her were a little buzzy and far off sounding. She opened her eyes fully, glancing around and remembering that she had passed out. She then became suddenly alarmed.
She was now on top of her bed! The blanket that was usually at the end of her bed was pulled over her. She pulled it slightly off herself, 'Did I get up, and go to bed?' she tried to rack her brain to see if she could remember getting up off the floor but for the life of her, the last thing she remembered was going down.
She felt her head. It was still warm but not quite as bad as this morning. This morning...she glanced over at her alarm clock by the bed. It was 5 o'clock in the evening. Had she really been asleep all day?
She shifted her legs over the side of the bed. She was about to stand up when she heard running water coming from the kitchen.
Ok...now she was very alarmed!
She spied the bat just by her closet and quietly grabbed it. No one had a key to her place! She didn't have a clue who it could be in her apartment. 'Maybe the landlord?' No, she'd have no reason to come up here, she was always on-time with her payments, and she wasn't even friendly with her.
She slowly opened her bedroom door wider. Making her way to the kitchen, she kept looking around the rooms she passed. Nothing was out of place. The TV was on, but the volume was down really low.
The water turned off in the kitchen. Her heart jumped, and sped up. She heard a metal sound being placed on her stove. She fought the urge to call out to see who was there.
As she was almost at the opening of the kitchen... "You should be in bed, you need your rest" a deep male voice came from the kitchen. Just then, he poked his head out at her. Those eyes had her locked in that stare she remembered from earlier at the cafe.
"Who are you...and, what are you doing in my apartment?" she exclaimed quickly, her bat raised at her side like she was waiting for a pitch. Her heart thudding through her ears.
He smirked slightly, rather dangerously even. It sent a deep chill of worry through her. His dark hair & sideburns made him seem gruff and scary looking. He was taller than her, almost a head taller. "I don't want to have to carry you there again if you pass out" he said so matter-of-factly.
She narrowed her eyes, "Who are you?" she demanded coldly now.
"I'm Victor Creed" he nodded toward her, almost friendly like, but not quite.
"Well Victor, mind telling me how you got into my place?" she said incredulously, bat still raised high. His eyes seemed to smile at the fact she was still brandishing the bat, ready to strike at him. He crossed his arms over his chest, and leaned back against the stove behind him.
"Locks were never a problem for me...besides, I don't think they've updated those since this old place was built. It was child's play."
"So what, is this a regular thing for you – to go into people's homes where you don't belong?" she said starting to get more annoyed, and upset at his audacity.
"Who says I don't belong here?" he said coolly.
"Who says you do?" she said without missing a beat.
"Look, you really need to calm yourself down before you hurt yourself." He said standing from his leaning position. When he unfolded his arms from his chest, that's when she noticed his fingers had claws.
This made her back up one step, and her eye's met his again. He smirked at her, darkly. He knew she'd seen the claws.
"You're a mutant." She said...paused, then "What do you want, why are you here?" He stepped forward another step, forcing her back one. Her bat raising slightly, heart started pumping harder with adrenaline.
"I'm here for you kitten" he said rather sweetly but the dark look in his eyes never leaving.
That was all she needed to rear up and strike her bat at full force. She missed the first time, and she reared up and swung again with a viciousness she never knew she had in her. He caught the bat mid swing as it was aimed right at his head. His dark look changed to a disappointed anger. He looked at her then, and yanked the bat from her grasp.
She then turned to run down the hall hoping to get to her bedroom. She felt her feet get swiped out from under her, landing her on her stomach knocking the air from her. She started gasping and trying to get up to go further but he pinned her down on the ground in front of her bedroom.
"I was going to try to do this nicely, but I see you aren't really leaving me a choice here" he said lowly in her ear.
"Get off me you asshole!" she screamed really loudly. Hoping that someone would be in the outer hall to hear her, she started screaming out loud.
That started to even hurt her ears, but didn't stop her. Quickly he clamped a big hand over her mouth, and picked her up around the waist with his other. She was carried like some doll to her bed, and thrown on top of it.
That shocked her as he pounced on her on the bed, straddling his legs over her, slightly sitting on her hips effectively immobilising her onto the bed. His hand covered her mouth again as she had taken in a deep breath to scream some more. Her hands started desperately trying to claw off his hands when suddenly she stopped.
He stopped and looked where she was looking and smiled.
"Yeah, just noticed that did ya?" he said.
She stared at her hand that was still around his hand that covered her mouth. They were clawed! The nail beds still looked the same, but the white tips were thicker, and came to rounded points at the ends.
"If ya promise to stop screaming, I'll take my hand away..." he said eyeing her for an answer. She sighed and blinked in a submissive way, looking up at him as if to say she'd behave, for now, anyway. He took his hand from her mouth.
"You really shouldn't be up just yet, what you're going through, this is normal" he said to her.
"How do you know, I mean, what's normal?" she questioned him.
"I have a half brother, he fell ill before he changed too."
"I didn't think I was going to change" she said, not really to him.
"What do you mean" he said giving her a curious look.
She looked up to him like she hadn't meant for him to hear that "I mean...when I knew I had the gene, I didn't think it really meant anything. You know, nothing was wrong with me when it showed – I thought maybe nothing else would happen"
"There is nothing wrong with you" he said, a little annoyed.
"Why are you here anyway, you said for me, but why?" she said trying to get herself up from under him. He wasn't budging. "Can you please get off of me, you're heavy!"
He seemed to look her in the eye a moment, judging if she'd do something stupid but her eyes remained looking at him. He shifted his body off her, and sat beside her effectively in the line to the door. She sat up against the headboard, tucking her feet under her.
"If I hadn't come here for you, someone else may have." He said to her. That confused her even more. Fear started subsiding into confusion.
"I haven't a clue what you're talking about?"
"What's happening to you now, may draw others too you. You have no idea what you are, do you?"
"A mutant?" she said, slightly shaking her head as if to say 'duh?"
"That's beside the point. You're a feral, a female feral"
"Feral...what, like an animal?"
"Yeah, something like that." He said with a slight smile.
"Okay...so what?"
"So, ...do you have any idea how rare a female feral is?" he asked her, placing his hand down on the bed beside her.
Her heart started to speed up again. She didn't like being so close to this stranger, even if he does have a name now. The fact that she hasn't tried to run from the room screaming yet, she tacked up to the fact that he seemed to be knowledgeable to her current predicament, and that she must be in shock or something.
"Up until today I didn't even know what a feral mutant was, so no, how would I know how rare a female feral would be?" she said trying to focus her fear again.
That remark seemed to draw a slight smile from him, but not much.
"I've encountered one, many, many years ago. But I didn't claim her, and have regretted it ever since. I'm not making that same mistake again." He looked her in the eye at "claim", it unsettled her.
She was dumbstruck; she didn't know what to say at that point. If he thought he was just going to come in here and take her away, she wasn't going without a fight.
Anger started to build in her. She wasn't sure where all this bravery was coming from, because normally, she would've just fallen apart or ran screaming for help. But she felt like she was being challenged at the moment.
With her anger, she felt a tingling sensation where her nails were and noticed they had started to elongate from the nail beds. This didn't go un-noticed by Victor either as he watched her nails grow, a smile grew on his face. He looked up to meet her gaze again.
"I am not chattel!" she said coldly and calmly.
With that, she lunged at him. He acted like he had expected it, and grabbed her in midair, rolled over the bed and had her flying over his head and into the far wall. It stunned her at the speed of the whole maneuver but she got up and ran for the door. He had already flipped off the bed and grabbed her from the door posts, flipping her towards the bed again. Her fingers still had pieces of the door jam in it.
She flipped over the opposite side of the bed and started to grab things off her dresser to throw at him. That seemed to piss him off because he started coming for her then. She tried to hop over the bed to get to the door but he swiped her foot out from under her and pinned her down to the bed again much like they were before.
"You bastard! Get off of me you asshole!" she started yelling out at the top of her lungs. She tried to claw at him but he grabbed each wrist and pinned them to her sides. She was panting, trying to catch her breath. He was barely winded but looked pissed off.
"Look, I'm trying to be really nice here, and you're ruining it – so either, you're going to behave, or I'm going to make you behave, got it?" he was really close to her face.
"Please, just let me go?" she said...scared now, almost at the point of crying.
"Not a chance!"
"Why...why are you doing this?" tears started streaming down her face.
"Because you are mine...the sooner you realise that, the less painful our encounters are going to be."
She took a deep breath. He wasn't letting this go. She had no idea how she was going to get out of this, but hoped to be smart enough to try to figure out a way. If she just behaved, and maybe got him to trust her, he'd let his guard down and she'd be able to get away then.
She looked away from him, facing away from the door and started to silently cry. He took it as submission as she thought he would. He stared down at her for a minute, before nuzzling her neck "good girl" he purred into her ear.
She could feel him get up off the bed, and slightly close her bedroom door. She could hear him walk down to the kitchen and move stuff around. She assumed he was getting something to eat.
Her mind started racing again; Trying to formulate possible escape plans. She mentally smacked herself for being on the fifth floor. Had she been on a lower floor, she could've taken that as an opportunity to jump out her bedroom window. There'd be no way she could survive a jump this high.
She fully faced the wall, pulling at the little pieces of wood still in her new nails, or claws rather. She couldn't believe that she was a mutant. When her step-father had tested her without her knowledge, she seriously thought it was a load of crap. She didn't feel different, and to have been treated so differently after this gene test, was heartbreaking, not that she had the best relationship with her parents to begin with but that just made things worse.
She heard him walking back to her room. Her door opened wider, she could smell food.
"Here, sit up." She heard him say.
"I'm not hungry, please go away!" she said, not very loudly, just very put out.
"I wasn't asking – now sit up!" he said a little louder.
She spun around just then, with an angry look on her face "Fuck you! You can't just come in here and do what you want and take who you want, just leave me alone and let me sleep! I told you, I'm not hungry!"
With that, he put the food down on the bedside table, and sat on the edge of the bed. Almost calmly, he grabbed her by the front of her shirt and pulled her within an inch of his face so they were eye to eye. The move was so quick, it had Sarah take in a gasp of breath.
"You listen here kitten, I don't take kindly to people telling me what to do. So either, you eat your food, or I'm going to feed it to you. You got me?" he said, with a shake at the end for emphasis.
She paused a bit, before dropping her eyes and nodding.