Wolverina: The Fangs of Revenge

Written By: June Gilbert

X-men Next Generation Book 1

Part One: Before My Eyes Opened

Chapter Three: The Awakening

"Grrrr..."

Logan was frustrated. And that was putting it nicely. I can't BELIEVE I lost the scent. After a couple hundred miles the scent just up and vanishes... Maybe I need a break. Coffee or booze would do nicely... He spotted an old fashioned looking roadside diner up ahead. Pulling over, he parked in one of the spots marked out for motorcycles, covered in snow. With a bad tempered grunt, he got off the bike and locked the engine- preventing it from being stolen. A gift from one of the technically gifted students- Shannia Smythe.

The corner of his lip lifted a little when he thought of Shannia. She was shy, refusing to speak normally around most anyone; however, he seemed to be the exception. With everyone else, the mechanical parrot on her shoulder translated her thoughts into words. So far Logan had been the only one to hear her voice. He didn't know why the kid favored him; he was his gruff, ornery self with her on most occasions.

Still. She spoke to him alone. Most days, except when she was busy with a project, you could find Shannia just sittin' next to his garage's door. Playin' with her parrot or some other toy she'd built and would bring, the fifteen year old technopath would just wait for him to come out from wherever he was having private time- once or twice, although he'd never admit it, she'd sneaked up on him when he was distracted by one of his many vices. She never asked what it was- it seemed she already knew.

Sometimes it got annoying having the brunette following him around, but she didn't talk just to hear herself. Shannia only spoke when it was necessary, and he was alright with that. Which was why he let her follow him around.

Logan couldn't help but remember her face. Heart shaped and tanned- when had she started getting darker skinned- her face was always looking up to him, the girl still being shorter than him. He hated to admit it, but Shannia's face was what had kept him calm in many a situation after they had found her. Having the kid to look out for was reining in his darker side, no doubt, these last five years.

She had been ten years old and living in a city dump when her powers revealed her location. Apparently, her parents had owned the place when they were alive. From what Charles had gleaned from the child's mind, her parents had been mutants as well, one a metal-manipulator like Magneto (that asshole) and the other parent a hacker- good with electronics. When Chuck had found her, she had been scaring the fuck out of the mutant-haters that had killed her parents. They had come back for her, it seemed, after they murdered her parents. None had been killed, but all of the damn bastards were scared shitless by the rough automatons Shannia had cobbled together instinctively.

Chuck had managed to knock her out that night, but Logan felt that he would never forget the sight of those pitiful charred metal crosses that were all that was left to mark where Shannia's parents were buried. He had felt an ache for the girl somewhere deep inside; he hadn't known it at the time, but this almost figured in her later attachment to him. Chuck had told him that, as a child, most mutants and humans alike could sense both kind or cruel feelings towards themselves. It was that inner sense kids had.

And so, the rest was history. She'd been at the Institute five years now, and still followed Logan around as if nothing had changed from the first day. Shannia had silently tolerated his brief spells of roaming. She was, admittedly, rather excited the first time he came back after one such spell. But soon it settled into routine, where she would always be the first to greet him when he came back. Those two little words she always said managed to warm him where he hadn't had much feeling before.

He honestly never thought that the words "Welcome home" would ever mean so much to him.

Shaking himself out of fond thoughts of one of his favorite students, he gruffly ordered coffee from the young, pimple-face girl that manned the formica topped counter. She dashed over to the coffee maker, looking glad to be out of his way. Rubbing his tired eyes, Logan waited the brief amount of time it took for the girl to pour a cup of black coffee and bring it over. He paid with cash- debit or credit cards were too damn complicated for him to remember how to use- and the girl scuttled over to the cash register.

Looks like the diner's short-handed, Logan mused as he sat on the somewhat battered red bar stool, the old fashioned kind you only saw in movies nowadays. It was comfortable, if a little small. Warming still chilled gloved hands on the hot cup, he waited till it cooled some. Then he started drinking.

The still hot brew burned its way down his throat, clearing his cold fogged mind. Maybe this is a fool's errand. I could just be finally gettin' paranoid... Hell I already am paranoid... Maybe going back to the Institute would be a smart idea... No. Sitting on my ass at the Institute isn't doing any good. Whether or not this is a wild goose chase, I need the damn exercise. I've been bored too long.

With a last gulp, he finished the coffee mug. He now knew what he had to do- fool's errand or not, he had to follow this through to the end. His lips twisted just a little as he set down his coffee cup. Sticking his hands in his pockets, he stood up. Exiting the diner, he allowed the cold wind to wring a smile from him.

Wolverine was on the hunt once more.

Vector POV

"Awaken... Rise, my darling creation," Vector crooned as the fluid drain from the bio tank. The room, walled in metal, was lighted by a line of glass containing who-knew what, but it lit the room with a dull green glow. The only source of white light came from the bio chamber, revealing the naked body of one of the most beautiful women ever created.

Her hair had grown long and lush in the chamber, the shade of wet cocoa powder to Vector's liking. Even if it was wet, he knew it would be soft when dried. Her skin was perfect, unmarred by scars or even age lines. Her body was lithe but not overly muscular- once clothed it would be hard to tell that she had the strength of two werewolves packed into her frame. But young Victory was a far cry from a snarling, slobbering beast. Her body was tailored to Vector's desires- even the girl's own biology seemed to be on his side. She would be extremely agile once awake, along with being one of the fastest feral mutants alive.

Vector reflected upon the differences between he and she: she was in the first fresh bloom of youth, while he was in his declining prime. With pride he ran his hands through his hair excitedly. Victory was young yet, while her target was over a century old. While he was supremely confident that his perfect mate could not fail, there was a tiny, niggling doubt in the back of his mind... Logan had escaped before...

No.

Doubts caused failures. And Vector REFUSED TO FAIL. He took a soothing breath, wringing his hands nervously. He refused to fail this time. Never again would he stain his father's name. Even if Logan killed her, he would let slip the knowledge he held. Wolverine would never sleep sound again for foolish, useful guilt at what he'd done. He released a soft, shaky breath as he turned his eyes back to Victory. Her body was perfectly shaped to his desire. A groan escaped his lips when he realized he had a hard on, just from looking at her. He was quickly distracted by the fact that Victory's eyes were opening.

A soft, rich brown was revealed to him, with flecks of gold near the centers. Her eyes stared into his, curiously. When he hastily backed up, Victory eased into a sitting position, looking neither to the right nor to the left. Rubbing his hands together gleefully, Vector realized he had truly created perfection in terms of looks. Now he needed to test whether her intelligence was as sharp as her claws would be.

He questioned her intensely on the vital points to a kill, the finer points of the art of silent killing, and the need to control her own beserker rage. Her voice was lyrical as she replied, just as clever as expected. She slid around to face him, her eyes locked on his as she answered easily. Victory was just as clever as he expected.

Now for the questions that would make or break her.

"Do you know your name?"
"Victory."

"Do you know your purposes in life?"

""I have three purposes: to serve my master, to pleasure my master, and to anihilate his enemies."

Now the all important question.

"Who is your one and only master, for all time and eternity?"

"Vector Xerxes Creed is my master, for as long as my life endures," Victory said, leaning over to place her cherry red lips on Vector's scarred hand. Her eyes looked up at him, glowing a warm, bright golden brown. He felt stirrings where he hadn't in years. He couldn't repress a groan. So beautiful, now that he had given her the right treatments...

But there would be time for that later. She needed clothes, if she was to survive in the open. Otherwise, her instincts would take care of her. He flicked his hand, and she released. Standing up, she waited for direction, eyes gazing at him and him only.

Vector fished out the outfit that he had chosen. Sleek, white furred leather jacket; simple white tank top, no frills; white flared jeans, that were bleached to be so; lastly, a pair of sleek white boots that wouldn't impede her movement so much. He handed them over to her, smiling in happiness. The white of the outfit symbolized the purity of his revenge. How he would have Victory kill Logan in return for Logan's murder of his sire.

He handed it over to Victory, who promptly put it on. She retained basic functions, like putting on clothing and bathing herself. He wasn't that interested in being a nanny to her. It would take too long for him to teach her everything.

"How do I look, Master?"

"Perfection."

So, at last, an update! ^^; I don't expect alot of reviews, especially since I've left you hanging so long... Almost a year since my last update, sheesh... I'm a meanie but I had trouble with life, so forgive me T^T Junior and senior year started to kick my ass and I totally forgot about this story... I hope you guys aren't too mad at me. And that you still want to read this...

This chapter is where Victory wakes up, obviously ^^ Next is the clash of the claws! Logan vs. Victory!

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Love, hugs, and cookies to all who do

-June