Out of Control
Chapter XII
By Artemis Fortuna
Author's note: This chapter is twice as long as my usual ones and twice as awesome. I am sososo pleased with how this came out. Please review, please review, please review!
The next day I was excused from training to recover. I didn't want to miss out on training, much less sit in my room and simmer in my own misery all day. In addition, I felt like I needed the training now more than ever. Being attacked made me feel vulnerable and frightened.
So instead of brushing up on my combat with the rest of the team, I decided to go to the pool and break in my new bikini. The weather was warm enough to not make the water too frigid, but cool enough to not make me break a sweat. My new bikini was black with white paisley designs over it. Covering my green eyes was a pair of large white framed sunglasses. My dark hair was pinned up with a large clip.
Luckily, the pool was deserted. All of the students were in class, seeing as it was Monday morning. I set my straw pool bag down next to a chair and slipped off my glasses, placing them on a glass table. I ran up to the side of the pool and dove in, reveling in the feel of the cool water stroking my skin. I surfaced and wiped the water from my eyes. With a content sigh, I floated on my back and closed my eyes, just letting myself drift on the surface of the water.
My eyes shot open as a shadow moved across my closed lids. My heart was in my throat, panicking at the thought of being caught off guard.
But it was only Kurt, holding a tower of fluffy white towels, giving me a smile as bright at the sun.
"Good morning, Lilly." He greeted me, setting the towels down on the table with my sunglasses. "What a wonderful morning to swim." With his think German accent, his phrase came out, 'vhat a vonderful morning to svim.'
I gave him a smile and swam to the side of the pool then climbed out. Kurt handed me one of the white towels and I wrapped it around my middle, taking a seat next to the table. Kurt sat in the other chair. I put on my white sunglasses and removed the clip from my hair.
Kurt was wearing some white swimming trunks and some flip flops. His blue chest was engraved with intricate designs. He sat back in the chair, crossing one muscular leg over the other and looking out over the land that the Institute sat on.
"Lilly, I am sorry about what happened with Viktor." Kurt said. Instantly, I was uncomfortable. I wasn't ready to talk about the topic yet.
"Kurt, it's not your fault. You don't need to apologize." I replied, avoiding his eyes. "I guess word travels fast around here, huh?"
"Oh, Lilly, no body knows. I teleported the Professor and Jean to Boston to help you. I would never tell anyone." He sounded so sincere. "Once I got them there, I came straight back to help Storm out here." I stared into the distance, trying to keep my mind from reliving that night. "Lilly, you're an incredibly strong woman. You can handle just about anything."
I left Kurt with a warm smile and a friendly comforting hug. I had decided, thanks to Kurt, that it was time for me to talk to the Professor about what happened with Viktor.
The Professor, of course, had been expecting me. He smiled kindly at me as I took a seat next to him out of his balcony. The cool morning breeze caressed my skin and ruffled the few strands of hair that had escaped from my casual bun. From my view on the balcony, I contentedly lounged in my wicker chair, feeling at peace with my situation for the very first time.
"You believe you're ready to revive these memories, Lilly?" Xavier asked, his blue eyes on my green ones.
I nodded solemnly.
"Alright. Close your eyes and open your mind. You will feel me enter. Try to think of the last thing you remember from the hotel."
Exhaling audibly, I closed my eyes and envisioned my mind as a doorway, opening up to allow the Professor inside. He was right; I did feel his presence in my mind.
"Okay, Lilly. Think of the events leading up to you encounter. I'll take over from there." The Professor spoke into my mind.
I exited the elevator, discovered my keycard was missing and turned around and ran into a man.
His dark eyes were still the same color, but seemed darker and more sinister. His smirk revealed some fang-like, pointed canines. How had I not noticed those before? The short, sandy hair I was used to was now grown out and shaggy, almost shoulder length.
"Hello Janae Walker."
That was as far as I could remember on my own. I felt the Professor in my mind, unlocking my suppressed memories.
"Viktor?" I asked incredulously. My voice was shaky and weak.
"Miss me?" He asked in his familiar gruff voice, giving me a smile.
Tears sprang to my eyes as I nodded weakly. I was terrified of taking my eyes off of him in fear that he wasn't really standing in front of me.
"Come here, Jenny." Viktor said, opening his arms to me.
With no hesitation at all, I stepped into Viktor's familiar embrace, letting my tears spill over. His thick, muscular arms wrapped around me, holding me against him. I heard his heart beat in rhythm with mine. He smelled like home.
Was he really back? Had he forgiven me for keeping my ability a secret? Was he going to stay with me now?
It didn't matter to me. All I cared about was that he was here with me now, holding me again for the first time in years. My wet tears stained his shirt.
"I've missed you so much, Viktor." I whispered into his chest. I inhaled his amazing, musky scent, trying to recommit it to memory.
"Did you?" He asked, pulling away to look me in the face. "You look so different."
I ignored the last part of what he said, not wanting to explain that I wasn't Janae Sullivan without him. "Of course I missed you." I said honestly. "How could I not? Viktor, we were engaged. I loved you."
His brows furrowed. "Loved? Do you not anymore?"
I was speechless. Did I still love him? After he left me, unable to accept me for whom I was. He left me in shambles, without as much as a phone call in years. Standing in front of him, hardly able to grasp that he was actually there, I realized that he felt like a stranger to me.
"I-I don't know." I muttered. A few more tears tracked down my damp cheeks.
Viktor put his palm to my face and wiped my tears away with his thumb. I leaned into him, closing my eyes. I noticed how long his nails were.
"Oh, Jenny…" He whispered, leaning his forehead on mine. I could feel his delicious breath on my lips. His large, calloused hand moved from my face, down to my neck. I shivered as his other arm wrapped around my waist.
I sighed contentedly.
"I'm sorry." He whispered.
"Wha-" I began, but I was cut off.
Viktor lifted me up by my neck with one large hand. I choked and gasped for air, my eyes silently begging for mercy. I grasped around frantically, trying to pull his hand off of my throat.
He threw me into the hotel room, using my body to break open the thick door. I crumpled to the ground at the foot of the bed. Sweet air filled my aching lungs and I gulped in air as I rolled onto my back. I felt stinging splinters of wood biting into my skin. The rest of my body was aching from demolishing the door.
I heard Viktor's heavy footsteps approaching. Groaning, I pulled myself into a crawling position and feebly tried clambering away.
"Janae Sullivan…" Viktor chuckled to himself. He strolled behind me. I whimpered when he picked me up by the back of my shirt. He tossed me roughly onto the bed, as if I were made of air. His strength frightened me.
I ended up on my back, looking up at my ex-fiancé fearfully.
"Viktor, why are you doing this?" I whispered.
He crawled on top of me, placing himself in between my legs and lying on top of me. Viktor's rough lips planted kisses along my collar bone and neck, throwing in a gentle bite here and there. He moved his mouth to meet mine. I did not kiss him back. I couldn't show affection to someone I was terrified of.
"Aww, c'mon, Jenny." Viktor whispered. "You used to love this…" He nipped at my ear lobe. I felt betraying shivers race throughout my body.
I tried pushing him off of me, but he wouldn't budge. I collapsed with my arms on either side of me, letting Viktor smother my chest with kisses. And suddenly, I remembered who I was and what I could do.
With every ounce of energy I could muster, I thought, "GET OFF."
Viktor hustled off of me and darted across the room. I mentally commanded him to remain over there. I limped over to him, keeping a few feet of distance between us.
"So you're also a mutant, Viktor." I said, giving him a look of loathing disgust. "You are a selfish hypocrite." I was hurt and I was beyond angry; I used those feelings to fuel my ability. I felt him fighting against me. Viktor just looked at me blankly. "So you have nothing to say for yourself? No apology for needlessly breaking my heart?"
Then, I did something completely unlike me. I punched Viktor square in the mouth with every bit of pissed off energy I could find from every corner of my being. All of the hurt, the loneliness, the betrayal exploded through my fist. I could finally hurt him back.
I wasn't the only one leaving this hotel room with a bruise.
Viktor groaned and spat blood onto the floor. "Damn, Jenny." He muttered, rubbing his jaw tenderly with one clawed hand. "Didn't know you had it in 'ya."
And for underestimating me, I punched him again.
"I'm done with that for now, Viktor." I said. "Now tell me why you're attacking me."
"Jenny, I-"
"DO NOT call me Jenny." I roared.
Viktor shut his mouth and stared at me.
"TELL ME." I both mentally and verbally commanded.
"Magneto sent me to spy on you. He didn't tell me to attack. I saw you with my filthy brother last night-"
"Wait, your brother?" I asked, gingerly touching the back of my head; where I'd hit the door was moist and tender. I glanced at my fingers, seeing that they were coated in glistening blood. I tried to hide the fact that my energy was draining. Perhaps if I left his mind very slowly, he wouldn't notice and wouldn't move. I didn't have the strength to just hold him in front of me any longer.
"Logan. James. Wolverine." Viktor said. "Whatever he goes by in this century."
"Logan is your…brother?" I asked in disbelief.
Viktor scoffed. "He didn't tell you during your little outing last night?"
I glared ferociously at the mutant. "Do not talk to me about keeping secrets, Viktor." I snapped. "Besides, he doesn't know about us. The only person who does is Xavier." I tried to grasp how little I knew about Viktor. "You were spying on me? You work for Magneto?"
Viktor smiled fully at me, revealing his long, intimidating canines. His Cheshire smile unnerved me to the core. He held up his hand, shaping it as if he had a cup in his hand.
"Janae Sullivan, there is a lot you don't know about me."
I watched in terrified awe and all five of his fingernails lengthened, stopping at about four or five inches long. Until that moment, I figured his only ability was super strength. Then, I knew otherwise. A scream built up in my chest and I turned to run. From out of nowhere, Viktor was in front of me. He slammed me into the wall, again by the throat. I watched in horror was he brought the nail of his index finger along my jaw, still smiling menacingly as I fought for air. He drew his nail down my neck, pressing harder and harder until I felt him pierce my skin. Moaning in pain, I felt him draw two lines together, both leaking blood. Viktor inhaled deeply.
"Oh, Jenny… you smell delicious." He whispered into my ear. Viktor then licked my wound, his rough tongue sending agonizing waves of pain throughout my body. "I have marked you, Janae. You will always be mine."
I came back into the present with a gasp. I brought my hand to my face and realized I'd been crying. My eyes finally landed on the Professor.
"Lilly, you are a strong, wonderful woman." He began, his kind blue eyes sympathetic. "Don't blame yourself."
I felt numb. "But…why couldn't I remember to use my powers?"
"It seems as if while you're under stress, you're too distracted to even remember you have the capability to defend yourself."
I mulled that over and accepted the tissue Xavier offered me. "Can that be improved with more training? Or perhaps different methods?" I asked.
"I don't see why not." The Professor said. He paused for a minute, staring at me and seemingly concentrating. "You're wondering if I knew about Viktor before. The answer is yes, I did. I saw him in your memories and recognized him. I did not tell you because I knew that people knowing of your abilities would be unnerving enough." He placed his hand comfortingly on my knee. "Lilly, if I can avoid suffering in any way, I try to. I would rather you either found out on your own or not at all. It causes me great displeasure to see you in this state."
I nodded, sniffing quietly. "I understand Professor, and I really appreciate your help." I stood up, using the tissue to wipe away my tears. "If you'd excuse me, I'd like to be alone for a while; I've got a lot to think about."
Xavier nodded understandingly. "Of course, Lilly. I'm very proud of you, just know that. Also, I am here if I am ever needed." I gave him a weak smile and turned to leave. "Oh, and Lilly," he said after me; I turned around. "Logan may be of assistance, too. Sometimes two people who are alone prefer to be alone together."
