Hello everyone! Welcome to another chapter!
Logan's Wolverettes: Once again, a HUGE thank you to everyone who took the time to review! Many thanks to Anindoufu, 12kirby12, wolverina32, Laudine and sagas pen! And 'hello!' to new reviewer pheobep3!
And without further rambling from me, it's time to take up our story! Onward ...
ooXoo
14. By Firelight
It was full dark by the time they reached the safety of the river, although Logan's body clock told him it was a little after three in the afternoon. At the girl's request, they collected dry wood from beneath a nearby stand of trees and formed a small fire a few feet from the water's edge, which Jubilee lit with a couple of low level fireworks. In the fire's flickering light, the civilians looked pale and tired and Kristi urged them all to sit before they fell where they stood. She wished they had thought to grab a couple of blankets before they fled the house, but in the absence of those, the grass would have to suffice.
Attention was then turned to the matter of food.
Not knowing what to pack – or how long for – Gordon had panicked and grabbed whatever came to hand and the duffle yielded a loaf of bread, a large block of cheese, two tins of baked beans – which, in the absence of dishes, or anything to heat them in, would have to be eaten straight from the tin – a tuppaware full of slices of cooked beef, two bottles of water, several oranges and apples, a pack of biscuits and a large block of dark chocolate. There were far too many perishables for Logan's liking, but he silently approved the addition of the chocolate – it was just what the civilians needed to improve flagging spirits and he quickly broke off several segments to hand them around.
The cooked meat, tins of beans, biscuits and the majority of the fruit were returned to the duffle, along with the bottles of water – with a river nearby they had no need of the bottled variety. Common sense dictated that they should use up the perishable food first and so the bread and cheese became the main staple of their first meal in the wilderness. The absence of cutlery meant that Wolverine was called upon to slice the bread and cheese with a claw, which he did but only after complaining bitterly about being used as a kitchen utensil. No one paid him much attention and Jubilee, who was handing out the fare, gave him an extra thick slice of cheese to soothe his wounded pride.
It was a meagre meal, eaten in silent reflection, with the crackling of the fire filling in for absent conversation. Afterwards, Wolverine grabbed an apple in lieu of a cigar and leaned back against a tree stump, eyeing the red haired girl over the camp fire, speculatively.
"Okay. What's the story?"
"I can get you home," the girl replied instantly and without preamble. "The way will be long and dangerous but, if you do as I say, you will be safe."
"And you will do this because ….?" asked Gordon, suspiciously, still not sure of the girl's good intentions. "Out of the goodness of your heart?"
"No. Because you do not belong here." The girl gestured around her, ignoring the shocked faces of those seated around the fire. "The between worlds are finely balanced. Your presence here disrupts that balance and promotes disharmony. I am here to lead you home before you do irreparable damage."
"But why do you have to lead us home?" asked David, seizing instantly on the key word. "Can't you just open another portal or something? The way that Deathstrike person did?"
The girl shook her head. "It is not within my abilities to open a portal between worlds. I wish I could, for then I could send you home instantly and our problems would be over." She smiled to lessen the sting of her words. "However, the veils between my worlds and yours occasionally grow thin and it is sometimes possible to pass between them. It is my intention to locate one of these anomalies and send you through."
"An' how you intend to do dat, chere?" Gambit's eyes glittered eerily in the firelight as he posed the all-important question.
"I can sense them. All the inhabitants of the worlds can. It's how the snare-rats knew where you were going to be."
"So all we have to do is find one o' these anomalies o' yours an' we're home an' dry?" growled Wolverine.
The girl cast her eyes downwards to the fire. "In theory, yes."
"In theory?"
"Yes. Getting you through the anomaly will be relatively simple compared to finding one."
"An' why is that?"
"Because they move."
Logan tossed his apple core into the fire, where it popped and threw up a shower of sparks. "Knew there'd be a catch somewhere, darlin'. Never seen the X-Men get outta any kind o' situation without there being some sorta catch involved."
"Well, I'm glad you're happy about it," retorted David, huffily. "Me, I'm seeing less to laugh about here."
"I'm not laughin', jus' stating a fact." Logan glared the boy down and dusted off his hands, feeling his claws pricking the skin just behind his knuckles. He was tempted to release them just to ease the pressure, but he knew this wasn't the best time for his blades to make an appearance. No need to spook the civilians. They were nervous enough already.
"So," he continued. "All we gotta do is find one o' these anomalies, huh? Sounds like a plan to me."
"It'll be dangerous," the girl reminded him, carefully. "I can sense the anomalies, but not where they're going to open or when they're going to close. We may find ourselves going in one direction and then having to retrace our steps to go in another when the anomaly closes. There's no telling where our path may lead us. I will do everything I can to protect you all, but you must listen to everything I say. Some of the worlds may look harmless but appearances can be deceiving."
"You keep saying 'worlds'?" observed Jubilee, with a puzzled frown.
The girl nodded. "Yes. For there are many. They are all connected, yet not. It is ….. complicated to explain. You will see for yourself when we pass into the next one tomorrow." She paused and looked downstream into the darkness. "The first of the anomalies lies that way, two worlds over. I would suggest getting some sleep while you can. We will need to set out at first light."
"Sleep? On the ground?" Mrs Marsters looked around at the others in disbelief.
"What, you see a Ramada Inn around here someplace?" Logan knew he wasn't helping his cause any by snapping at the woman, but he couldn't help himself – she was seriously ticking him off. However, sensing his mate's disapproval in his mind, he shrugged out of his fighting jacket – leaving himself bare-chested – and held it out. "Here. Take this. It may help."
Mrs Marsters looked about to refuse it, but Gordon reached out to accept the peace offering, graciously. "Thank you," he said, simply, and meant it.
Remy peered into the darkness surrounding their s humble campsite. "Gambit, he t'ink we should set a watch. In case de rat t'ings come while we sleep, non?"
"There's no need, we should be quite safe," pointed out the girl, reasonably. "The snare-rats are afraid of fire – they won't come near while it's burning."
Logan snorted. "If it's all the same to you, I'd rather not take that chance." Memories of the creatures' reluctance to back down even in the face of his companions' fire power was still strong in his mind. He turned to the Cajun. "I'll take first watch, Gumbo, an' wake you in four hours."
Gambit nodded and removed his duster, spreading it on the cool grass. Jubilee squealed. "Goody! A camp-out!"
The civilians didn't look quite so enthusiastic as they arranged themselves around the fire and tried to get comfortable on the ground, using the duffle bags and jackets as pillows and makeshift blankets. Nikki was the only one who seemed excited at the prospect of sleeping outdoors and she and Jubilee settled down together, giggling as they draped themselves in the firecracker's duster.
Kristi watched them for a moment, envying their innocence, and then stood, edging slowly around the fire. "My hands and face feel dirty," she announced. "I'm going to the river to wash before I turn in." She glanced shyly at the girl. "Is there anything in the water I should be wary of? Sharks? Crocodiles? Something worse?"
The girl shook her head, smiling gently. "No, it's perfectly safe. This stretch of it, at least."
"Ya want me to come with you?" Logan half rose as his mate passed by, but she waved him down. "I'll be okay. I won't be long and I'll 'call' if I need you. You stay here and guard the troops."
The feral nodded, immediately picking up on her true intent through the bond. Kristi needed a few moments to herself, away from the ever-watchful eyes of her family. She had been on edge all afternoon, essentially putting on an act to fool everyone into thinking she was composed and in control but, in truth, she felt anything but controlled. Her mother's earlier outburst had shook her more than she had first thought and now, on top of all that, she couldn't shake the feeling that the girl was intent on stealing her man. Why else would she suddenly turn up in the middle of nowhere and offer to lead them home? The girl knew Logan from long ago and Kristi was certain her mate suspected this too, although he couldn't remember how or why. Had they been lovers? Kristi almost stumbled as the thought flitted through her mind.
Still linked to her mate, Kristi was able to see her way to the river's edge perfectly well, but she turned as she reached the bank and headed into a small stand of trees which grew nearby, seeking solitude beneath the leafy canopy. Because of the bond, she was never truly alone, but here she felt slightly less on show as she made her way carefully to the edge of the bank and crouched, waggling her hands in the cool water. It was a relief to allow her poise to drop, even for a moment, and she splashed her face vigorously, heedless of the water that wet her hair and trickled down the front of her leather jacket.
When she stood, shaking her head like a dog, she was startled to see the girl standing a few feet away, leaning against a tree and watching her intently. "You're not what I expected at all," the redhead stated, simply.
"I'm not?" Kristi felt herself go on the defensive – something akin to what Logan would call 'her hackles rising'. "What did you expect?"
"I'm not sure." The girl pushed away from the tree and stooped to pluck a flower, peering up at Kristi through lowered lashes. "I always knew Logan would take a mate one day, but I assumed the girl he chose would be ….. stronger."
"I can be strong," retorted Kristi before she could stop herself and then mentally gave herself a kick. She had no reason to defend herself to this person, so why was she doing it? She was the Wolverine's mate and that was all that mattered.
The girl stood slowly, twirling the flower between her fingers. "Do you love him?"
"Excuse me? I hardly think that's any of your business!" Kristi snorted angrily and made to move away, but the girl drew back a step, reaching out desperately with her free hand.
"I'm sorry. I don't mean to be forward. Or rude. But I really would appreciate an answer to my question."
Kristi hesitated, torn between simply walking away and giving the girl a piece of her mind. "Why is the answer so important to you?" she asked instead.
The girl lowered her gaze, meekly, and Kristi felt a sudden stirring from the feral side of Logan's psyche, her own understanding of his wild nature recognising the girl's submissive posture as the actions of an underling towards an Alpha. In the sudden realisation of her own dominance, she raised her head haughtily. "Of course I love him," she declared, hotly. "What kind of a mate would I be if I didn't?"
The girl accepted this answer with a thoughtful nod of the head. "I'm glad to hear that," she whispered, softly.
Kristi was thrown by the sincerity in her voice. "Look, just what is all this about? Because I'm sure you didn't follow me just to find out if I love Logan."
"No. You're right." The girl looked down at the flower in her hand and brushed the petals with a gentle finger. "I could have been Logan's mate ….. once ….. a long time ago. But I threw it all away for someone else and didn't realise what I'd done until it was too late. I just wanted to know … well, I guess I wanted to know if you deserved him."
Kristi bristled. "That's none of your business!" Angered, she made to leave.
"Kristi, wait! Your name is Kristi, isn't it? Please don't go. I need you to understand something."
Kristi stopped, but didn't turn around. "What?" she demanded.
"You think I'm a treat to you." It wasn't a question but a direct statement, aimed directly at the suspicions that were festering in Kristi's mind.
The young mutant turned, warily. "Are you? Have you come to try and reclaim Logan?" She raised her fists, which were glowing slightly in the darkness. "I warn you, I won't give him up so easily."
Again, the girl lowered her eyes, submissively. "I'm no threat to you, Kristi. I know you can see me in Logan's memories, but I need you to know that I'm not here to come between you."
"How can I be sure of that?"
The girl smiled. "It's quite simple really. Because I'm dead ….."
oooOOOooo
Logan had moved away from the campfire, standing with his back to it so as not to impair his night vision. All of his senses were trained on the darkness beyond the little group, alert for any sign of approaching danger, but a portion of his mind was inevitably focused on his mate. She hadn't yet returned from the river and, while she didn't seem to be in any form of distress, he was puzzled as to why she was taking so long. Finally unable to contain his curiosity no longer, he glanced once towards his huddled companions and then slid into the trees, unaware that he was being watched by a pair of spiteful eyes …..
Mrs Marsters knew where the feral was heading. It was obvious in her mind that Wolverine and her daughter had arranged some kind of sinful meeting away from the prying eyes of her family, and she felt sick to her stomach. She simply couldn't believe that her once chaste and obedient daughter had turned into such a wanton hussy, willing to allow her foul-mouthed lover to drag her to the very depths of depravity under the noses of her own family. It was also equally as obvious that her own husband had been taken in by the couple's web of seduction, but their lies and the clever little game they were playing had no effect on her. No. In fact, she was going to put a stop to their unholy tryst right this very minute.
She began to rise, only to be brought up short by the sight of Gambit's devilish red eyes glittering at her in the firelight. He propped his head on his hand, reaching out with the other to pull up a blade of grass, which he stuck nonchalantly between his teeth.
He nodded towards the trees. "Your daughter, she a lucky lady, oui?"
Mrs Marsters bristled, suspecting that 'lucky' would be the last word she'd use to describe her daughter's current status. "I'm sure I don't understand your meaning," she snapped, peevishly.
Gambit rolled the blade of grass slowly from one side of his mouth to the other, seemingly unperturbed by the woman's tone. "De bond dey share," he explained carefully, as though speaking to a child. "T'is special, Remy t'inks."
Mrs Marsters snorted, her eyes straying to the tree-line into which the Wolverine had so recently disappeared. Gambit saw this and knew he had to do something to distract her or she would go storming after him and make matters a whole lot worse than they already were. The silly woman had no idea what she was dealing with.
"Let Remy put dis another way," he began deviously, and Mrs Marsters found herself unable to look away as he used all his powers of persuasion to capture her attention and keep it. "Many women, dey long to know de love of a good man, non? An' when dey find it, dey often live dere whole lives never knowing if de love dere man professes be true. But Kristi, she know de Wolv'rine loves her. She can feel it ev'ry time he looks at her. Whenever dey touch. Whenever dey kiss. An' because of de bond, she know he will never ever leave her. Dere love is for life ….. an' beyond." He shrugged, casually. "As Remy say, t'is special, non?"
Shocked, Mrs Marsters nodded dumbly and Gambit spat out the blade of grass, turning his back on the woman and snuggling down under his duster, facing the fire. His work was done. The seed was sown. It was all down to Kristi's mother now.
He sensed, rather than saw, the look she gave her husband, sleeping at her side. He knew she was mulling over his words, wondering what it could be like to feel the love of the one she had promised her life to glowing in her mind's eye day after day – growing old together and knowing without a shadow of a doubt that he still saw her as fresh and as beautiful as the day they both met.
And when Mrs Marsters lay her head on the Wolverine's jacket and linked her arm through her husband's without waking him, Gambit smiled.
Yes, the seeds had been sown. Now they only had to grow …..
oooOOOooo.
Logan slipped through the trees like a ghost, following his mate's scent with ease – no surprise, really, considering that she hadn't been trying to conceal it. What did surprise him was the scent that overlay hers. It was obviously the girl's and it was equally as obvious that she was following his mate.
Concerned, Logan let his mind reach ahead, but all he could sense from Kristi was a kind of shocked curiosity – certainly nothing that suggested his mate was in any kind of danger. Nevertheless, he increased his pace, covering the ground silently like a panther on the hunt. He knew he couldn't hide his approach from Kristi, but he guessed the girl had no such advantage and, if she intended mischief, his stealthy arrival would put a stop to it quickly.
Slipping silently from tree to tree, he found his mate soon enough, engrossed in quiet conversation with the girl. As he stepped closer, she gave Kristi a quick but heartfelt hug and melted swiftly into the trees, heading back in the direction of the campsite. Logan watched her go, until he could no longer make out the details of her white dress through the darkness and then turned towards his mate.
She was waiting for him with her back pressed against a tree.
"What was all that about?" he asked, nodding in the direction of their absent guide.
Kristi shook her head. "Nothing. Just girl talk." She pushed away from the tree and held out her arms. "Come here."
"What for?" Logan was suspicious. When women started ordering him around, things usually ended badly for both of them.
"Because I want to hug you, silly!" Kristi grinned brightly at him and he huffed to show his disapproval of something as girlie as a hug, but nevertheless moved into her arms. She rested her head on his bare shoulder with a gentle sigh and he thanked his lucky stars that he hadn't had time to grab his under tee when they'd fled the house – the feel of her against his bare skin was just too good an opportunity to pass up.
"You smell real good," he whispered softly, nuzzling his nose into her hair. This close he could feel the beating of her heart – could also feel it speeding up as he enfolded her in his arms and he knew his closeness was having an effect on her. He couldn't deny her closeness was having an effect on him too. "Jesus, Kris, I want ya so much. I could take ya right here – right now."
He felt her stiffen against him and he pushed her back slightly so that he could look down into her face. "I made ya a promise, Kris," he told her, sincerely. "An' I'll stick to it no matter what." He grinned, ruefully, flashing a rare glimpse of his elongated canines. "However, I did not promise to stop feeling horny whenever I hold ya."
Kristi blushed prettily, reminded in that moment of her mate's true nature. Being feral, he was accustomed to reaching out and taking whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted it, and to hell with the consequences. But for her, he was willing to make sacrifices – simply because she had asked.
She placed her hands flat against his chest, feeling the heat of him pulsing into her palms. Beneath the skin, his heart jumped rapidly.
"Kiss me," she demanded.
Her mate was more than happy to oblige …..
NEXT: The first veil!