VENGEANCE – BRIDGE

"Well..." Molly began, her explanation abruptly interrupted when with lightening speed Khan moved. One moment he was seated in the Captain's Chair and the next he was looming over her, the epitome of an avenging angel, dark, menacing and brooding. Driven with a determination to cause as much death and destruction as possible.

And given the number of dead bodies that littered the bridge he'd made a more than reasonable start.

But the wanton loss of life, the memory of Admiral Marcus' tortured screams, even the threat to the Enterprise and her crew were temporarily forgotten as the young ensign gazed up at her abductor, the man formally known as Commander John Harrison.

Apart from his fringe that had fallen rather endearingly into his aqua coloured eyes, he was all alpha male. A warrior, trained to fight and to kill whenever he felt himself trapped or under threat. The incredibly well-toned body: broad chest and shoulders, impressive biceps, rigidly inflexible abs, long elegant fingers that extended from hands capable of squeezing the very life from those he proclaimed his enemy. Even his muscles as they flexed impatiently, straining to break free from the tight-fitting off-duty undershirt he wore. Not to mention the narrow hips, powerful thighs and legs that seemed to go on forever encased within the equally snug-fitting trousers that left absolutely nothing to the imagination.

Everything from head to toe loudly proclaimed him a primordial, potent and predatory male

When her gaze once again became a captive to his now piercing steel-coloured eyes, Molly had the uncomfortable feeling that he had the ability to see right through her. That he could so easily strip her of all her defences, laying her wayward thoughts completely bare.

Khan watched the young ensign in cool amusement, well aware of the affect he was having on her. He had observed that same reaction he could see so clearly reflected in her eyes more times than he cared to count, both in his own time and that of the alien future he now found himself.

The difference now was that her reaction wasn't based on any intention to align herself with him to gain power or political advantage. She had no idea who he really was, nor what he had been and what that had meant in his time.

She was reacting purely on instinct, completely incapable from hiding how she felt from him. Her body almost vibrating with expectation as it sensed the irresistible pull of his carnal masculinity that called to her, urging her to surrender. The delicate flush to her cheeks, the escalation of her breathing and the dilation of her pupils all told him exactly what she wanted.

And he was not the least averse to exploiting those needs for his own purposes.

Yes, he nodded to himself. Here was an opportunity. He would have her, would enjoy taking his pleasure as he took his fill of her, but only for as long as he had need of her. Then he would discard her, as he had with all the others.

His ability to seduce her without saying a word had made Khan supremely confident that the young ensign would now willingly do his bidding, and so he allowed a self-satisfied smirk to settle on his plump cupids-bow lips.

This was a mistake.

As soon as Molly's subconscious registered the cruel twist to his sensuous lips, it snapped her out of the hypnotic spell he had cast over her.

No longer blind to his intention to manipulate her, Molly's response was instantaneous.

The stinging sensation as her delicate hand made contact with his finely chiselled cheekbone was completely unexpected. His shocked expression filled Molly with immense satisfaction at the knowledge that he had not seen it coming.

Looking down at the young woman before him, Khan realised how clearly he had underestimated her. Small she may be, but there was a fierce determination to her that he had arrogantly overlooked, preferring to lump her in the same category as every other woman he had ever known.

Rubbing his injured cheek he took careful inventory of the woman before him.

There was nothing particularly remarkable about her appearance. She was small, around 5"4'. Her eyes and her hair, pulled back in a practicable ponytail were brown in colour. She reminded him of a sparrow, simple, plain and common, but endearing.

That analogy unexpectedly sparked a range of conflicting emotions within the augment.

Before when he had wanted to take, it had only been to use her. Now he was overpowered by something far stronger

Khan's gaze hungrily took in her dainty features. His eyes travelled slowly over her petite figure as his thoughts became more predatory, which was matched by the smile that now graced his lips.

She was nothing like what usually attracted him to a woman. But something about her called to a part of him that he'd only allowed those he'd just lost to reside. Her goodness, her kind heart and her innocence were having a disturbing affect on him.

He felt an unexpected need to protect her.

Confused by these unexpected and contradictory feelings, Khan used them to refuel his rage over what Alexander Marcus had done to him. And so he rounded on her, declaring between clenched teeth as he pointed towards the view-screen, where the Enterprises Command Crew were still visible. "Your Commanders have committed a crime I cannot forgive."

His loathing of Starfleet and everything it stood for was plain to see. And yet Molly could see through his intense anger, to the pain and the sense of loss he was feeling, and her heart broke for him.

She didn't know the full story, but from the little she'd heard from the ship-wide broadcast the admiral had clearly gone against much of what Starfleet stood for, and had been prepared to go to murderous lengths to cover his tracks. She didn't know how, but she knew she had to make Khan understand that one man's actions did not represent the organisation as a whole.

With quiet determination Molly stepped towards him, so that they were once again toe to toe. She looked up into his stormy eyes and noted calmly. "Except they didn't"

Khan raised an elegant eyebrow "Really?" came back his cool response. "I beg to differ."