Disclaimer: I don't own any of the rights to anything Iron Man, that right goes to Marvel Studios/Comics. I don't own any of the rights to anything dealing with the Witchblade, that right goes to Top Cow Productions. The only thing I claim as mine is any original characters I created and the plot of this particular story. No copy right infringement is meant. This is for fun and not for money.

Rated T: For language and romance

A/N: In any good story a villain is always lurking in the shadows. As Tony and Violet get more acquainted with each other, Kenneth Irons finds a way to disturb Violet's peace of mind. I'm trying to give the bad guy some screen time and start setting up the main conflict of the story. I took the part about how Jarvis was named from the novelized version of the Iron Man movie; unfortunately that comes from the screenplay writers and not me. Thanks to all of you who have been reviewing. You guys rock the planet!! I so appreciate the kindness and encouragement, and I'm really glad that some people are enjoying this story as much as I am. LOL!! Please keep the reviews coming!!

Thank you RadcliffePotter for another great beta job!!

- Ladyhawke Legend


Chapter 7

Here Comes Trouble

The rest of the day actually passed by in a pleasurable manner for Violet; well, more pleasurably than she thought it would anyway. Stark had given her a grand tour of his stunning mansion after his pronouncement of hiring her. He ended the tour in his breathing-taking workshop that also doubled as a garage for his extensive and expensive car collection. Violet had immediately fallen in love with the shop – the cars were kind of nice too. She couldn't believe all of the state-of-the-art technology that Stark had in place. To even get into the workshop, a person had to have the correct code and identity conformation. The rest of the house could be locked down in sections and almost every security measure possible was used to protect its occupant.

Most of the equipment in the workshop Stark had designed himself, along with the programs and software that ran everything. Violet had almost forgotten that Stark had graduated from MIT at the very young age of seventeen, and he had completely surpassed many of his professors there. He was something of a legend among the staff and student body of the acclaimed tech school. The robotics and mechanical machines Stark had in his employ were amazing. He could program everything into his central computer mainframe and his robotic assembly-line would almost instantaneously create it. He had the latest in design programs and even a 3-D projection program that allowed a person to see every delicate detail of a work-in-progress. Stark had told her all about his creation of Jarvis, an extremely complex and multi-layered artificial intelligence program.

"So, you're A.I. is the one who scared me to death when I first regained consciousness?" Violet had commented as she and Stark stood in the middle of the workshop.

"I'm very sorry about that, Miss Devonshire," Jarvis' voice apologized from all around them. "It was not my intention." He spoke in his very proper British accent.

Violet smiled at how much personality Stark had programmed into the A.I. "Oh, that's okay, Jarvis. It's just not everyday a girl gets to meet a computer program as unique as you." Then she turned back to Tony. "Where did you get the name Jarvis from? I mean it's fitting and all, due to the fact that you made him sound like a British butler, but it seems like there's more to his name than that."

"You're very astute, Miss Devonshire," Tony said with a big grin. "His name is an acronym. Jarvis. Just A Really Very Intelligent System."

Violet couldn't help but laugh. It was so simple, yet so clever at the same time. Tony loved to hear Violet laugh. He had a feeling she hadn't done much of it lately and that she was beginning to let her guard down; if only a little. He was trying to be on his best behavior around her too. He wasn't flirting or trying to be overly charming. He really genuinely wanted Violet to trust him, and hopefully, actually like him. If he had to reign himself in to make sure that happened, then he would, at least for a little while.

"And I take it that this is where you created and work on your Iron Man suit?" Violet then asked next. She could see tell-tale signs of different sections and parts of the red and gold armor all around the workshop.

"Yes, ma'am," Tony responded with a hint of pride. "And I'm now working on several different and newer models of it as well." Violet was impressed, which was rare these days. Stark had been very hard at work and was obviously very serious about taking a new direction in his life.

Stark had then allowed her time to meander around and examine the things around her. She understood most of concepts behind what he was doing, but some of it still eluded her. Violet knew she was gifted with computers, but Tony Stark had her backed off the map. He was light years ahead of her in his thinking.

"Wow," was all Violet could say. She knew it sounded dumb, but nothing else was forthcoming. She feared that he'd have some smart-assed remark about her reaction, but he surprisingly didn't.

It warmed Tony's heart to see Violet awed by what he had accomplished. Nobody's opinion had really mattered before; this was new territory for him. There weren't many people he could share this with. He knew he was taking a chance with revealing so much to Violet, but trust was a two-way street, and if he wanted it from her, he had to give some himself. He could tell she actually understood some of the things that he was working on, and maybe with a little guidance and instruction, he could help her understand that much more. It would be very nice to have a lab assistant that was human and not a computer program or a robot.

"I have to say that myself sometimes," Tony told her suddenly, lost in her Caribbean blue eyes again. He had been taking in all her perfect curves - both front and back -, her shapely legs, and her beautiful face - the whole time he been talking to her. It was taking everything he had not to act on the wonderful way she made him feel.

Violet stared back at him for a long moment, and then she had to look away. She was starting to feel something and she couldn't let that happen. She glanced around the workshop trying to look anywhere but at Stark. Her eyes fell on the Iron Man helmet in all its red and gold glory. She couldn't help but walk over to it and reach out to touch it.

"Do you mind?" she suddenly asked, feeling tentative about touching Stark's helmet.

"Not at all," Tony replied, coming to stand beside her. "Go ahead, take a look and tell me what you think." He wanted to see how much she really understood about how the helmet worked. It was, after all, the true brains of the suit. He was enjoying being able to share this with someone who at least had an inkling about what he was doing. Rhodey and Pepper just didn't get it sometimes. Rhodey got some of it, but not enough. Tony knew Violet was different; she would get it, if he gave her enough time.

Violet slowly and carefully reached out and caressed the Mark III's helmet. It was smooth and cold under her fingertips. She picked it up to examine it more closely; it was a lot lighter than she would have thought. She held it up so she could look inside. The gold face plate lifted up she found out, allowing her a better view. She couldn't believe what she saw.

"Holy shit!" she whispered, but Tony heard her exclamation, and smiled to himself. "Don't tell me you have a HUD in this thing!?" she then demanded of Tony. A HUD was short for a "Heads-Up Display". It projected readouts against the lenses inside the eyeholes of the helmet. These allowed the wearer of the suit to view a constant stream of information about what was going on within and without of the suit.

Tony tried not to act too excited that she had indeed "gotten it". "It's the only way to monitor everything that's going on while I'm in the suit. Its sensors know what's going on with my body inside the suit and the performance of the armor itself. I can download a version of Jarvis into it to help with all the data that comes in."

"And that is a full time job, Miss Devonshire," Jarvis suddenly piped up.

Violet felt her lips pull into a small smile at Jarvis' comment. "Does it help you navigate when you fly? Tell you your altitude, give you crosshairs to help you correct your trajectory, and monitor your power levels?" Violet was now the one full of questions, directed at Tony. Through the dreams the Witchblade had been sending to Violet, she knew a lot of what the Iron Man suit could do; she'd seen it in action.

"Yeah, it monitors my vitals, has a GPS and comm system, and a whole bunch of other stuff," Tony informed her, still trying to play it cool, but inside he was cheering her on and jumping up and down in delight. This girl is one smart cookie, he thought. She knew much more than the average Joe. He then wondered if that was a good thing or a bad thing; for him, it might be both.

"I bet you can zoom in on targets and even run identification checks on people and weapons that you come across. Your sight in this thing must be amazing. You can probably pull up schematics and all other kinds of information to aid you when you're in a fight," Violet was talking with passion now. "For this thing to fly you'd have to worry about hull pressurization and flight stabilization. You'd also have to worry about ice formation depending on your altitude. You'd have to have thrusters of some kind. I can't imagine all the servos, hydraulics, gears, and tubing that would have to go into this. Then you'd have to find a way to map all of your body's nervous system to get the suit to move as you move…" Violet's voice drifted off. She straightened and looked at Tony as a realization came to her. "How in the hell do you power this thing?"

Tony watched Violet survey the workshop again to try and find his power source. Part of him was thrilled that her mind was working through all the necessary configurations and calculations that had to go into his suit, but now he would have to tell her about the mini Arc reactor. He didn't quite know how he felt about that. Violet's eyes came to rest on the Mark III's main chest piece, all hot-rod red. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed the circular hole in the middle of it. She studied it for a long moment, and then her gaze returned to Tony and his chest. She looked back and forth from the chest piece to him several times as she put two and two together.

"Stark," she said slowly. "How do you power your suit?" she asked again, her eyes focused back on him and narrowed again suspiciously.

He felt like he would melt under that searing gaze. "With this," he answered her as he carefully unbuttoned his white shirt. When he had opened it enough, he made sure Violet got a good view of the circular device embedded in his chest. "This not only is keeping me alive, but it also powers the suit."

Violet put down the Mark III helmet gently, not wanting to damage it. Then she turned to face Tony and closed the space between them. Her eyes were riveted to the mini Arc reactor. "What is it?" she asked softly, going to reach out again to touch it, and then she thought better of it.

"It's okay, Violet," Tony used her first name to be more personal, "you can touch it if you want to." He couldn't believe he had just said that. Pepper had been the only one he had trusted to handle the device. He had a terrifying flashback to Obadiah ripping it out of his chest and leaving him to die as the shrapnel had moved dangerously close to the inside of his heart. Violet wasn't Obadiah, but that treacherous act of betrayal by a trusted friend still cut Tony to the core. He wanted Violet to touch it, however, because then it wouldn't be an obstacle for what he had in mind for later; an intimate moment with his lady thief.

She raised her hand again, hesitantly. Violet didn't want to make Tony uncomfortable, for she had seen him tense up a little. "Are you sure?" she asked.

"It won't hurt you or me," he informed her. "It is a miniaturized version of the Arc Reactor that used to be at Stark Industries, until it overloaded and blew up a few months ago. It basically functions like a nuclear reactor only much more powerfully, safely, and efficiently. The original one I designed could generate up to three gigajoules. This one," he said indicating the one Violet was currently looking at, "is a little bit more sophisticated than the old one. It allows a powerful electromagnet to keep a whole bunch of pieces of shrapnel from reaching my heart and killing me. They were a souvenir from my trip to Afghanistan and my incarceration there."

"Oh, so that's what happened," Violet whispered as her soft and feminine hand met the metal surface of the mini Arc reactor. Tony was thoroughly relieved when she didn't recoil or draw back as she caressed it like she had the Mark III helmet, with great care and softness. She used her right hand, the one bearing the Witchblade. It swirled to life as Violet came into contact with the power source. It glowed a bright red and the white mist spun around inside the red jewel. Then it activated and became the gloved gauntlet. Violet and Tony both gasped at the sudden event and the sensation it caused in them respectively.

The science behind the mini Arc reactor was based on the natural laws that governed the universe. The Witchblade's supernatural power was also based on the laws that governed the universe, just in a different form. They were like polar opposites; highly attracted to one another. Tony felt the mini Arc reactor hum and whirl away; its power output steadily increasing. It glowed brilliantly bluish-white under the Witchblade's and Violet's touch. The air around Tony and Violet seemed to electrify and buzz. The pressure and power continually built up until the red and the bluish-white lights merged and became one. The light danced all around Tony's workshop; not hurting anything, but putting on a spectacular show. In the tumult, Tony had grabbed Violet, and her free hand had grabbed on to him. Finally, the Witchblade shut down and the power play ended. Tony staggered backwards slightly, pulling Violet with him and into him.

They stared at each other in shock. Neither one knew what to say or what had just happened. Their breathing was labored and they held on to each other to stay upright. Tony felt like he had been through one hell of an adrenaline rush, almost as if he had been flying at supersonic speeds and battling with F-22 Raptor airplanes again. It felt damn good; ever nerve was on fire, but in a pleasurable way, not painful at all. Violet was feeling similarly. She felt like she had just brought down an enemy successfully in battle and every pore in her body was open and alive.

"Are you two all right, sir?" Jarvis asked, sounding rather concerned. The A.I. had been ready to intervene and protect his creator.

"That was incredible," Tony finally found his voice, but he couldn't bring himself to try and discuss what exactly had happened with Violet or Jarvis.

"I guess you could say that," Violet replied with a shaky voice of her own. She had to get out of this room and now. Trying to be calm and collected, Violet acted as if nothing had happened; denial was always a good tool for her to use. "Well, thanks for the look around, Stark. I think I'm going to go lie down. I'm feeling a little woozy still." She subtly pulled away from him. "We're fine, Jarvis," she added.

"My rooms still avail--," Tony started to say.

"Where should I g--," Violet said at the exact same time.

They laughed uncomfortably at themselves. "Go ahead and stay in my room for the time being," Tony managed to say. "I'll have Pepper, or Rosa, my maid, make up a guest room for myself. Then when things are settled down, you can pick whatever room you like, and I'll take my room back." His head was spinning so fast he didn't really know what he was saying. Violet seemed to be totally ignoring what had just happened. He wondered why; he wasn't doing much better about talking about it either, however.

"Oh, I don't want to take your room away from you," Violet said in a rush. "I can take a guest room." She felt herself warm from head to foot at the thought of being in Tony Stark's bed again.

"I don't mind," Tony told her. "You spent a couple of days in there already. You'll sleep better in its familiar surroundings than in another strange room. We can work it out later. I'm not worried about it, unless," he said, suddenly turning coy, "you don't want to sleep alone."

The meaning of his words was plain to Violet; she felt herself blush despite herself. He's doing it again, damn him, she thought to herself. It startled Violet that she found herself actually liking the idea of what he was suggesting. That was ridiculous; it wasn't going to happen. A part of her, however, longed to be in this man's arms, and that scared her most of all. She had denied herself for a long time, and she thought she would be content to keep on denying herself. It seemed as if she might be wrong. No, no, you don't need him; you don't, Violet tried to convince herself.

"Stark, I wouldn't sleep with you if you were the last man on Earth," she stated firmly, although that was the furthest thing from the truth. She had it bad for the weapons genius; she just wasn't going to ever admit that. Violet rolled her eyes at him, feigning disgust, and started to walk away from him.

"Is that so?" he questioned challengingly, following closely behind her. Tony had seen the desire-filled look in her eyes, even if it had been brief. She felt the same way about him that he did about her, but she was fighting it. Why? He would just have to double his efforts, but in a way that would pull her to him, not push her away.

Violet didn't slow in her quick pace as she opened the glass door into the workshop and started up the stairs. "Yes, and it's a fact that you had better get used to, if you think I'm even going to consider working for you," she huffed over her shoulder at him.

Tony was right behind her as they ascended the stairs. He reached out and grabbed her arm stopping her climb. He made her face him before he spoke. "You know, Miss Devonshire, I think you need an attitude adjustment. Your living armor seems to think I'm an okay guy, if you two are supposed to be of one mind, what's your problem?"

"Men like you, Stark," Violet spat at him, her ire rising. "And I may share my mind with the Witchblade, but that doesn't mean I always agree with it." She shook him off and continued on up the stairs to the top. Then she turned back to him and said, "I'm accepting your help because I really have no choice. I'm between a rock and a hard place right now; at my wits end. I do need help and you're offering it, but I don't have to like it or let you into my life." With that she started up the set of stairs going to the second floor.

He just stood there watching her walk away. Man she needs to loosen up! Tony thought to himself. And I'm the perfect person to help her do just that, he thought as he smiled to himself. "Oh, Miss Devonshire," he called up to her.

"What now, Stark?" she said wearily.

"Sweet dreams, my dear," he said as he again smiled slyly at her and laughed slightly as she hurried into his bedroom and slammed the door. "You're getting to her, Tony, you're getting to her," he said to himself and made his way to the kitchen for something to snack on. Problem was, she had already gotten to him.


"Sweet dreams my ass, Stark," Violet cursed as she continually tossed and turned. Every time she closed her eyes the Witchblade filled her head with visions, sights, and sounds. They all involved her, Tony Stark, and his bed. She couldn't sleep, her body getting too worked up to do so. "What the hell is your problem?" Violet snapped at the Witchblade. "If you want him that badly, then go get him yourself," she hissed.

The Witchblade spoke not a word to her in return; it remained stubbornly silent. Violet finally flung the smooth, silky sheet off of herself and sat up. She need some fresh air and quickly too. The roomed seemed to spin around her then and change shape, until she no longer recognized Stark's bedroom. She was still sitting in a bed, but the sheets were a dark red color and very velvety instead of silky. The bed was a large, four-posted, dark wooden one, with sheer red colored drapes. It took Violet a minute to get her bearings, but when she did, a cold and thick dread washed through her veins. She knew this bed; it belonged to Kenneth Irons.

Before she had come to fully understand what the Witchblade was, and before it could warn her away from Irons, he had seduced her into his bed. It had only happened once and she had been slightly inebriated at the time, but Irons had fully put her under his spell for a short time. Violet quickly looked down at herself and was relieved to see that she had on a long, spaghetti strapped, white nightgown; she had feared that she would find just her skin and the sheets.

"And how is my precious flower, Violet," Kenneth Irons voice seemed to be all around her; it eerily reminded her of Jarvis. She must be dreaming this; it couldn't be real. How was it happening though? Violet felt fear rush through her like a raging river, threatening to drown her. "Have you missed me, my dear Violet?" Irons' voice came at her again.

She tried to put up her saucy front. "What the hell do you think, Irons, you murdering bastard?!"

"Now, now is that any way to talk to your lover," he cooed as he materialized beside her in the bed, dressed in a silky, black robe.

Violet about jumped out of her skin. She scooted back away from him and almost fell off the bed. Irons grabbed her just before she slid off and pulled her back to him. He kissed her throat and neck languidly. Violet squirmed and tried to get away from him, feeling dirty and soiled by his touch. "Stop it, Irons; stop it! Taking advantage of me one time does not make us lovers. I despise and hate you!" Violet shouted at him.

His grip on her didn't loosen, but he stopped his amorous advances for the moment. "That hurts, my dear. It truly does," he said in his very cultured way. It sent shivers down Violet's spine, but not in a good way. "For I have missed you terribly," he told her as his cold gaze took all of her in; he practically undressed her with his eyes.

Violet couldn't understand why the Witchblade wasn't putting an end to this. Why was it letting Irons get to her in such a way, and why now? "Because you are at odds with the Witchblade, my dear, that's why." Irons seemed to read her thoughts. "I've been trying for months to get into your dreams, but you and that ancient artifact have been so close, so bonded that I couldn't influence you in any way. Remember, I'm connected to it too, even though my encounter with the blade was brief. I do possess some of its power. This psychic connection to you is just one of them."

Tearing herself from his grip, Violet turned on her side away from him. Irons managed to hang on to her around her waist and pulled the back of her form against him, almost cuddling her from behind. "Please go away," Violet all but sobbed.

"I wish it was that simple, my lady Violet, but it is not," Irons' voice was right in her ear. "I need you more than you will ever know; you and the Witchblade. I must have you in my possession. After a year of running from me and finding me only a step behind you at each turn, you must have realized how much I have to have you. I will do anything to make that happen.

"Stark won't protect you, at least not for very long any way. You know deep down inside yourself what kind of man he is. He will use you and betray you like all the other women he has had. You are but another conquest, one in a line of many. He sees you as a new challenge, but he will soon tire of you, and you will be left with nothing," Irons said with a serpent's tongue, trying to plant doubt and mistrust in Violet's heart and mind. "This hero business is a temporary fling, and once it has run its course he will be back to filling his pockets with money and swimming in blood with all his weaponry. He will hurt you, Violet. He will break your heart."

"You make him sound just like you," Violet choked out, trying not to let the monstrous fear overwhelm her.

She felt Irons chuckle behind her. One arm and hand stayed wrapped around her middle, while his other arm and hand began to rub up and down her arm with feather softness. "I've always been upfront with you, Violet. You've known from the beginning what to expect from me. Anthony Stark is worse, because he hides who he really is. He pretends to be something he is not. Then he betrays you. That is a more insidious evil than I am. He didn't tell you that he has set up a meeting with me, has he?"

That froze the blood in Violet's veins. Why hadn't Stark told her about that? Why would he want to meet with Kenneth Irons? It made no sense to her. Part of Violet want to rant at Irons, tell him that he was wrong about Stark that she had seen his goodness in his eyes, but another part of her was hearing her greatest fears confirmed. Violet was so conflicted and confused that she didn't know what to believe. What if Irons was right? What if Stark was building up her hopes to bring them crashing down again? Was he going to betray her?

"You can't trust a man like Stark, Violet. He can't change his nature; he will revert back to what he was and where will you be?" Irons continued on with his poisonous words. "Come back to me, my sweet Violet. Be mine and I will give you everything and anything you want. Help me unlock the secrets of the Witchblade and I will share its power with you." He nuzzled her neck with his nose and lips, and then caressed her arm softly.

She was so tempted to give in to him, so damn tempted. If she did, her fight would be over, her running would be over, and she wouldn't have look over her shoulder anymore. She could have peace and her path would be easier. He would lavish her with gifts, affection, and power. He did know so much about the Witchblade already, so much that she didn't know even after having worn it for over a year. He could also take away her pain.

But that was all an illusion and Violet knew it; her heart knew it. He would use her up and spit her out to get at the Witchblade's secrets. He had killed her brothers and her parents. He had turned her life into a living hell; always on the run, never getting close to anyone. It was because of him that her life had fallen apart; he was the cause. He was a selfish, prideful, wicked, and evil man; bound and determined to take what was not his. She couldn't given into him; she couldn't. It wasn't right; in fact, it was totally wrong. Violet may have been a thief, but she didn't want to be an agent of evil; she just didn't. She couldn't live with herself that way.

"Get out of my head you son of a bitch!" she snarled at him, trying to find some strength to fight him in her anger. She turned to face him and slapped him as hard as she could. His arms released her in his shock. She scrambled away from him, off the bed, looking for a door out.

He was suddenly right beside her, grabbing her roughly, and slamming her back into a wall. "Don't defy me again, Violet. I'm offering you one last chance to do this the pleasant way. After this, I will have the Witchblade, and then I will kill you." Irons voice was harsh and razor sharp.

"I guess I'm choosing the hard way then, because you can go to hell!" she shouted back at him.

He slammed her into the wall again, knocking the wind out of her; it really hurt as pain lanced through her body from the impact. "Then you'd better prepare to start running again, my dear, because I'm coming after Stark next, and anyone else who dares to offer you shelter," he threatened her.

"No!" Violet screamed. "No, you can't!"

Then, just like that, Irons was gone and Violet heard a familiar voice. "Violet, Violet, wake up!" the voice told her, sounding a little frantic.

Her eyes flew open to once again met Tony Stark's deep and dark brown ones. They were so full of life and light compared to the cold and dead gray-blue eyes of Kenneth Irons. Violet now was aware that she was drenched in sweat, her breathing was very labored, and her heart was beating so hard that she thought it would explode. "Stark?" she questioned hoarsely.

"Yeah, it's me, Violet," Tony replied as he slowly helped her to sit up. He had a white hand towel which he wiped her forehead off with. "Here's some water," he then told her as he handed her a tall glass of the stuff. "You were having one hell of a nightmare. Jarvis was monitoring you and observed your distress. He woke me and informed me that you needed some help."

"Thank you, Stark," she whispered, shaking like a leaf.

He gathered her in his arms almost instantly, taking the water back and placing it on a nightstand. She allowed him to hold and comfort her for a moment. Then she pulled away and panic set in. "I've got to get out of here, Stark. I can't stay. I'm putting you in danger. Irons is going to kill you because you tried to help me." It all came out very fast and Tony had trouble following all of her thoughts.

"Time out, time out," he commanded, partially serious and partially in jest. "Sit down young lady and talk to me."

Violet looked at him like he had grown another head. "You don't get it. Kenneth Irons knows I'm here and that you are giving me aid and shelter. He is going to kill you for it. I have to leave and get as far away from here as I can."

"Bad idea," Tony said following her as she ran around the room, looking for her clothes. She had gone to bed in a pair of his sweat pants and a T-shirt. They drowned her, but she felt they were less revealing than the creamy nightgown she had had on earlier. "How does Irons know you're here? Besides, I'm not that easy to kill." He was trying to make her feel better, but it didn't appear to be working. "Stop moving around so much," he finally said, exasperated with her flitting all over the room. He gently grabbed her and pulled her back to sit on the edge of bed.

"No, I can't sit," Violet was almost manic now. "I've got to leave. I've got to go," she kept saying.

Tony did the only thing he could think of to get her attention; he slipped his arms around her again and soundly kissed her on the lips. Violet's ranting stopped immediately, and she kissed him back. The kiss grew in intensity and lengthened in duration. Her hands wrapped around him as they drank each other in. Tony seriously considered pushing for more, but he knew now was not the time. After savoring her taste and touch for a few moments longer, he finally broke their kiss. "Feel better?" he asked with a smirk.

Violet blinked at him. "Uh-huh," she said dumbly. "Wha—what was I saying?" she then asked.

"I haven't a clue, Violet," Tony said lightly. "You tell me. I think it has something to do with Kenneth Irons and that you think he's found you, but I'm not sure."

"He somehow invaded my dreams. I guess a trick he picked up through his connection with the Witchblade," Violet said much more calmly now. She was trying to think through the sensations that Tony's kiss had produced in her that were now mingling with the visions the Witchblade had given her earlier. "He, uh, he, um…," Violet stumbled with her words.

Tony watched as Violet blushed and stammered. "What happened in your dream, Violet?" he gently prodded.

"Irons tried to seduce me again," she finally got out. "He offered to give me anything and everything I wanted, if I would let him have me."

"By seduced you mean more than you tempt you with fame and fortune I take it?" Tony queried, a flash of jealousy zinging through him. How dare Irons make a move on his woman? At Violet's bashful nod, he went on. "And how did you answer him?" Tony asked anxiously; this was not sounding good.

"I told him to go to hell," Violet explained. "Then he threatened me, told me he'd get the Witchblade even if he had to kill me to do so. He also told me that he'd kill anybody that gave me sanctuary. He mentioned you especially, by name."

"Good girl," Tony commented on Violet's answer to Irons overtures. He took a deep breath, feeling more at ease again. "I'm not going to let Irons get to you, and I won't let him kill me. I have resources at my disposal that Irons has no concept of."

"I pray to God that you are right, Stark," Violet said looking down at the floor. "I'm sorry to put you in this position. This is all my fault. I should never have tried to rob Hugh Hefner. I really think I should go on the run again. Maybe Irons would leave you alone then," she added, glancing at Tony a little.

Tony picked up one of her hands and held it tightly in his own. "I doubt that, Violet," he said bluntly. "If he is as obsessed as I think he is, he'll try and kill me no matter what you do. It's time for you to face this guy and put him out of commission, but you don't have to do it alone. You'll have help this time. You shouldn't have to live in fear of this asshole or any asshole like him. It's time you fought back."

Violet then remembered Irons taunts about Tony and how there was the possibility that he would betray her. Irons had said something about Tony setting up a meeting with him. "Can I ask you something, Stark, and have you be totally honest with me?" she now asked him.

"Sure thing," he answered her. "What do you want to know?"

"Are you really going to meet with him; Irons I mean?" her voice shook as she asked.

Tony closed his eyes and thought, Oh crap. I forgot to tell her about that. "Yes, I did have Pepper schedule a meeting with him, but it was before I really knew who you were and how you were connected to him. Remember I told you how I came to be at the port the night you were there too?" Violet nodded at him. "Well, Jarvis discovered that a dummy corporation was shipping of some of Stark Industries' weapons to another dummy corporation in Bosnia. Both of the fake companies could be traced back to Vorschlag Industries when Jarvis dug deep enough. Irons is selling my weapons illegally and to some very bad people. I wanted to confront the stealing bastard. I wanted to take measure of the man and see who my enemy was."

"And why didn't you mention this to me before?" Violet inquired softly, still not meeting Tony's eyes.

"Because I'm a total and complete idiot sometimes," he confessed, but it got a tiny smile out of Violet. "I honestly forgot about it with all that's happened with you. I know we talked a little about Irons before, but I didn't connect the two situations at the time. I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to hide that fact from you; I just entirely forgot about it. I hope you believe me."

He put his finger under Violet's chin and made her look up at him. After gazing into his eyes, she finally said, "I do believe you, Stark. I can see the truth in your eyes; they really give you away, you know? Also, for you to admit that you're an idiot, well that's something, even if it's true."

"That was not nice, Violet," Tony said, trying to sound hurt by her last comment.

"You deserve it, Stark," Violet told him. "Don't you ever kiss me like that again, unless I specifically ask you to. No more of that, got it?"

"Oh, come on," he whined. "You enjoyed that as much as I did. Why can't you just admit that?"

"I've had my heart broken one too many times, Stark," she actually spoke the truth. "I can't handle it again. I'll accept your help and try and return the favor until Irons is no longer a problem for either of us. Then I'm gone; end of story."

Tony felt his own heart break. "You think I'd really break your heart? I'm not the same man that I was a few months ago. I'm starting to see how my relationships with people are important. I would never do anything to hurt you, Violet."

"I can't take that chance," she whispered, pulling her hand out his. "I just can't." A single tear rolled down her cheek. "My heart is closed and will remain that way. And it is not in my nature to do the casual physical relationship thing. I made that mistake once with Irons, and it's something I regret to this day, and it haunts me."

"You and Irons?" Tony asked, honing in on that fact. He felt himself literally go green with jealousy. Violet had slept with that piece of human filth and yet she resisted his own advances. Albeit, Tony didn't want just a casual physical relationship with Violet, but why would she give into Irons and not him? Because she learned a hard and valuable lesson from the horrible mistake she had made; just like I have, Tony answered his own question.

Violet went positively scarlet at what he was asking about. "Yeah, I guess that little fact slipped my mind. It's not something I'm proud of or want to advertise. He caught me at a weak moment, before I really understood the Witchblade. Believe me I wouldn't make that choice again."

"I'll make you a deal," Tony then said. "We'll take down Irons, together, and then will see what should happen next. You may find you like it around here. I won't put any conditions on you until this bad business is over, okay?"

"You'll knock off trying to win me over?" she said, trying to make him give her a definite answer.

"Well, a leopard can't change all his spots, and I can't stop being me," he replied nicely sidestepping committing to anything. "But I won't force the issue." Even as he said this, he knew deep down inside that he could never stop trying to win her over. He had fallen for her, head over heels, and he knew that she was close to doing the same; she just needed a little push over the edge. Tony Stark was determined to give her that push, and then catch her when she fell.

TBC

Let me know what you think. Am I still doing okay? Any suggestions, comments, or thoughts? Please review; it is a simple act of kindness. :)