Disclaimer: I don't own any of the following Characters (although I'd like it) but just, in a "moral" sense, Blackdragon; Captain Britain and MI 13 with their whole cast belong to Marvel Comics,


27. VAMPIRE STATE – PART THREE

MI-13 Headquarter; briefing room.

Dracula's too far from my magical room of wishes. You said to set it up so he'd walk into it thinking it was his cabin…

"At least, trapping him into his hearth desire bought us some time… - Chris says, still dressed with her usual street clothes, looking at magical screen in front of them, where the demon lord Plokta is showing them what he let Dracula believe – and gave us an idea about what he has in mind…I still can't believe that, after Dracula's destroyed the skull, we've passed 2 whole days looking at what he had in mind for us… he seriously is one of the greatest strategist of all the times, orchestrating a plan witch which he was going to destroy us all in less than 2 days… "

"The vampire has some strange ideas about Brian… - Blade says under his teeth, crossed arms, looking at soil – he likes fighting me, something I'm not sure how I have to deal with, and…"

"and he has some strange ideas about myself, too- Chris says, looking at him, ending his sentence before he could, knowing where he wants to go – one of his first move was to get me killed by Jac's second, muttering something about my head and that I'd be the last one… the last one of what?"

"According to Blade's info – Pete says as he reaches them again, after having said a spell to free Plokta after he had been so nice to help them, buying them 2 days – he is one of Dracula's second. His name is Lucien, a vampire almost as old as Dracula himself. He used to be his champion… rumours say he is the only one he is truly loyal to. We knew he had some enemies here, where he has been spotted the last time he hit, but it was almost 25 years ago."

"and he has it bad for me."

"your head, in particular, love. Seems that the Vampires are a little obsessed with the heads of their enemies."

"which I'm not, since I've never met a vampire in my whole life.- she says as they walk towards the communication room – any idea why those… thing, no offence Blade, was so obsessed with me?- as she asks this, Blade, silently, as they all keep walking, shrugs his shoulders, hands in his pockets, as she starts to speak again, with her British sarcasm, something she has never lost and has conserved in the years, from her childhood of child genius- sweet. Now, apart from aliens, monsters, demons, evil mutants and former criminals turned heroes, I've got even vampires who're trying to kill me! I'm starting to think that Alec was right, the day I decided to put on a costume I had to stay in bed and sleep."

"This is something we've to take in consideration, like the fact that you can't fight, not with your psychic powers that could run havoc while you're fighting"

"Not to contradict you, boss, but that was what Dracula wanted. How can you be so sure that I'll lose control over my telepathy if something will happen to any of you?"

She looks at him in the eyes, while they are leaning against a console, cold eyes and anger in her veins, a stone-cold tone. She doesn't like to be second-guessed, or to be put aside. Or, worst of all, when he sees her as a fragile porcelain doll. She is a fighter. She is a warrior. She is not ready to be put aside because she sleeps with the boss. She doesn't want to. "You panicked during the Skull war." He coldly says, without even looking at her.

"I've improved my abilities since them, developed new powers. I can control my own psyche like it was a computer, I can build a sub-routine in order to…"

"We'll se – he says without paying too much attention to her, focused on a radar in front of him – Dracula knows we saw his desires, he'll never let Jac call us, and, probably, knows everything about the international situation… in the few days Plokta bought us, we've been able to form the resources we have up, and now we know everything about him and his forces… I want the Black Knight and Excalibur in O's tech lab. Blade, there's a car waiting for you, they have order to bring you to destination. Cap – he says pointing to the screen, while Brian is already flying away – I'm sure you know what you have to do, you're Captain Britain, after all."

"And me?" Chris asks, the same tone, still cold eyes, as black as the night, as a night without any star or the moon.

"You follow me – he says as he is leaving, just to stop and turn to give a last look at the staff – I want to know that all the airports are under lockdown and I need a picnic hamper. You have 10 minutes from now"

"I seriously hope you're joking- she says as she takes him for an arm, like to stop him and force to look in her eyes – I'm not here because I'm your tool, sir - she says underlining with her tone the last word – I'm here because I'm good in what I do."

"We're needed elsewhere – he says as he forces her to let him go, a bit mad for her behaviour, like she was questioning his authority, something that, she seems to underline with her looks, she is doing and has all the intentions to keep doing - besides, I'll explain you everything when the time will come."

"Pete, please, I just want to…" she is begging, no longer drove by rage and her eternal insecurities. Begging him to let her go. To be part of the game. To be alongside her friends in the final battle

"you'll stay here – he orders her with a magisterial tone – that's everything that has to be told. besides, this isn't the last battle, and it will have short life. I guess they'll be back sooner than we expect them to be. "

"But.."

"Enough of this, Johnson – he says, turning again to look at her, facing the young woman without letting his guard down, in the most authoritative tone he has never had, at least with her, in their whole time together – that's an order. you follow me, you do as tell you. And now you have to come with me. we'll need your telepathy"

"as you whish, sir" she says, giving up, embracing herself at avoiding to look not only in his face, but at him at all, avoiding eye-contact, feeling like in the middle of a storm: she can just feels cold, as she, still avoiding to look at him, tightens her teeth and closes firmly her fists, so firmly that she can almost feels the blood on her black coloured short fingernails; she doesn't even care to remember that her powers – her telepathy, at least, doesn't work on vampires, that it's useless, she doesn't even care to ask him why he needs her, what he needs her for. There's no point, not now, at least, not for her. Not given the actual circumstances.

"objectives achieved. No losses" as she enters – better: as she follows Pete's shadow without lifting her eyes from the soil, like to avoid to be further hurt – she hears those words, and, finally, she looks at what's in front of her, a worm-hole created by mystical energies and technologies, projected into O's lab, and, from its core, the Black Knight, Excalibur, the humans took captive by Dracula in order to become Vampires and, in Dane's arms, an almost unconscious Spitfire, with the clothes she had on the last evening they saw her, covered with dust and blood, just mere pieces of fabric on her, the rest almost entirely destroyed by the ransom and the fights she had to go through in the last 3 days.

"you're Sheriff Daltry, right? – Pete says as he helps a man who's on the floor to stand on his own: his clothes are not so different from Jac's ones, just to less blood on, and it's not that hard to understand the reason behind this simple fact – you're free now. You'll taken for medical treatments and then I'd like to a briefing with you. Our telepaths will talk to you soon. I know you'll not remember much, and probably don't even want to, but…"

"I.. just….thank… - he starts to speak, faltering, as he finally stands, helped in walking to the medical bay by 2 men – thank you." And, as the sheriff walks away, Pete approaches the last person standing, alone, in the room, where nobody stays close to her but everybody is staring at her: Spitfire, in a position similar to the one Chris had before, but much more suffering and troubled, not fighting to shut down her tears, but letting them go, run wild on her marvellous and everlasting and forever young face, the face of an 80 years old woman who looks like a 35 years old, at worst. And, seeing how Pete is fighting his own tears, the sufferance in his own voice, his manners… Chris is rational. She is like a machine. She can be like a computer. That's what her new mutation is all about (although she is fighting hard against this new "programming", knowing too well where his extreme rationality, his computer-like mind brought Tony to ), but she can't help it. Not with him, not as he looked at her like she was the most precious thing in the universe. How can she do something like that? As they speak, as he embraces her, she knows why he is doing it, she knows she is destroyed by the thoughts of the lives she had to take in order to same the majority, but she can't help it. She can't not be jealous, as he takes her in his arms, trying to reassure her.

"excellent job, Jac. When you realised you weren't under his control, the initiative you took, how you went along with it, and the help you gave us when you contacted us…"

"Never mind that, Sir- she says, embracing herself and looking away, her voice a mere whisper, looking at the soil but not at the people. She can't stand the thoughts of looking at any human, not now. And even Chris, that can't reed her for her particular state of "semi-vampire", can understands it. – in the course of my actions, I had to kill an innocent… - she looks again away, avoiding him, who's trying to force her to face them, him – the enemy could have realised… too many lives was depending on it, and…. – she pauses again, as he starts to guide her outside- sorry. Just… I haven't had to do it since Norway, 1940… 20th June 1940 – she removes her tears, stopping, her eyes closed, and, few instants later, open again, her force back, her strength back, her decision back, a voice no longer a whisper, but resolute – but… I can't afford the luxury to whining. May I hope you'll keep me operational?"

Again he takes her for her shoulders, guiding her outside, under the watchful eyes of the woman he should do that with – although she knows she's being irrational. "of course I am – he tells her, smiling again – you're going to kill few of those damn bastards for us."

"Thank you, sir, and about my son…" her voice is again low and full of sufferance. That, Chris can't understand, she hasn't seen a son turned into a monster, but she can get it.

"We're on it, and Joe and Erik are already in the field, and now, let's find you something to drink, ok?" She can get it, but, still, it doesn't mean that she ahs to act nice. Not with him, at least. Jac isn0t responsible for his actions. He does. And she is still furious with him for what he did, for how he behave with her, how he is behaving with her.

"do you want me to go to see if the ones he held prisoners remember something?" she asks like out of the cold. Now turned cold like before, she acts like she doesn't care at all. About him and what he thinks of her. He wants to be the boss? She is fine with that. She'll be the good soldier who always hear the orders. Hears the orders, obeys and doesn't question her leader. And neither talks with him, for what it matters.

"Come back in the briefing room and wait for me. Give me ten minutes, and I'll by you.- He says as he leaves with Jac, while Chris tunes him her back, hoping it's the one and only time, to do as he says.- we need to catch a plane" she hear him say, almost a whisper he knows she is hearing, if not with her body, with her mind and soul. For the following minutes, she almost smiles, she almost feels relieved, as she keeps looking at her friends getting ready for the mission, while she is still sitting on the same chair, at crossed arms, her Armani still on, and she wonders. What's really going on? What's really Pete up? Is it something concerning the mission? Damn, of course it has to, c'mon, it's Pete she is talking about! She doesn't need to read into his mind to know what's going on! Maybe it's some sort of one of his master plans to get the job done and…

"We've to go" he says, without entering fully in the room, knocking at the door, still open.

"Oh? Sorry, didn't see you coming – she says as she joins him at the door, still acting a little coldly – I was…"

"Thinking- he says as he takes her for an arms guiding her towards the planes – I know. You always think. You over-think, seriously, you'd need to take it easy."

Once they take seat, still oddly silent, he puts his hand on her one, as she is looking outside the window, reluctant and not at easy with the whole situation.

"I have 3 simple request, before we leave" he says, although the plane is already in the air.

"I'm full ears" she says, trying to sound brilliant and happy – or close to – but still… still feeling something strange between the 2 of them.

"Don't ask me questions. Don't question my authority, not today. And don't read my mind. Especially this one. Don't. read. My. Bloody. Mind."

"You're thinking I could modify your thoughts in order to get what I want?" she asks, sarcastically, more a statement than a real question.

"Once we'll be where we'll have to, I'll explain you everything. Just, trust me, will you? -he asks, with a hint of a smile, one of those sad smiles he does when he needs approve. – I guess that I'll take your silent treatment as a yes." He looks at her, grinning, a grin she answers to with a smile, or, at least, a shadow of it, since it wasn't absolutely in her intentions to smile at him. He doesn't deserve it, not today, at least.

A field in Kent, near midnight.

"You're out of your freaking mind, Wisdom. This is odd even for you. No, wait, I correct myself – she says shouting at him, declaring officially over the silent treatment she was giving him until few seconds before – this is damn crazy even for your standards! What the hell do you think you're accomplishing here, exactly?" she is standing, close to a tree, in the middle of the night, and can't help but wonder exactly what's going on. And, mostly, what the hell was she thinking about when she started to "date" that man.

"Sit down. Put on the bloody jacket I brought you – he says as he opens a bottle of wine and start to take everything out from the picnic hamper he already found where he told his agents to put it, putting all the choice food on the white and red tablecloth on the grass – drink some wine for once and enjoy the fireworks."

"Pete, for God's sake, this is.." she ménages to say, but, as she looks at him, seeing that he is no longer intended to answer her, and remembering that she, effectively, did promise, she gives up and, frustrated as never before (last time she was that much frustrated, was when she and her group of research won the Nobel, almost a decade before, and a journalist didn't wrote the name Christine Stark, but defined her simply as Anthony Stark's sister), sits at crossed legs and arms, in front of him, while he keeps offering her food – her favourite food – and wine – her favourite wine, the only one she has never drank in her entire life, a bottle of Brunello di Montalcino DOCG from 2001, a red wine that, according to the bible of the field, Wine Spectator, was the best wine of history; she still remembers the first time she had it, it was Happy and Pepper's present for her 25th birthday. She had it with her friends… it was the last time she saw Clint before he died. McCoy was there. Natasha – the only ex of her brother she can stands and can speak to. Happy – it was the last time she saw him alive, before the burial -and Pepper. Rhodey. Kitty. Jean. Kurt. How much of them did she lose along the way? How many of them were going to come back? How many of them already did? How many of them weren't coming back at all?

"Chris?- he wakes her up, as she takes from his hands her glass. He removes, first time in days, his sunglasses, looking briefly at her and then at the stars, at the sky, the full moon – do you know that I'm a big fan of Christopher Priest? The novelist…– he looks at her again, almost sorry – what a thing to say, of course you know him. You know everything."

"The guy who wrote The Prestige and eXistenZ? Yeah, well, I'm a nerd in this kind of literature. didn't know we had the same tastes in science -fiction" she looks at him, trying to understand where he is going.

"I liked the Prestige. My favourite book. If you listen to me, the movie wasn't that bad, but neither you could compare it to the novel."

"Ok…"

"It's that I like reading about stage magic. My sort of magic, considering what I do for a living."

"it's a metaphor, ok, I get it, but, Pete, to be honest, if I wanted a philosopher, I'd went to study to some classical institute, not to work here."

"There's this big trick I'm in the middle of, deadly serious. It's like when Churchill forced Hitler to fight the battle of Britain, knowing it was the only battle we could win, at the time. It was here, you know?"

"More metaphors, ok, but you're still making no sense" she almost smiles, still the glass in her hand.

"Yeah, and I haven't had my wine yet – he said, smiling, too, his forehead against her one, as she starts to breath in his scent, his typical Hugo Boss cologne she can find herself lost into, like melting – I'm here because I want to… I hope to see that my trick worked. And because I need you now. Because, just in case, it didn't… the last person I want to be with, the last person I want to see, the last thing I want to see – he says as he embraces her for her shoulders – is you"

"This is the reason you left the tie and shirt at home and went for something less typical?" she ask him, still smiling a little.

"someone once told me that I could look nice with a polo and jeans – he says, as he turns again to face her, who's looking at his shaggy old blue-jeans and black polo, with a V-neck on it –if I got it wrong, it's all over for Britain. Get ready… - he says as he takes her hands, holding it as firmly as never before, even he hold her in his arms when the Thunderbolts almost killed her – it all starts now…"

"What the.. – she says as she sees something in the sky- that's not a star, isn't it?"

"You see – he says grinning – everyone's treating this like a game of chess… but, you, when lives and a country are at stake…"

"You cheat?" she asks him, understanding, a little, where he is going.

"Yeah, well, about the head of Quincy Harker… the one we saw destroyed… there's something I didn't inform you all of. Well- he smirks –Blade knew, of course. But, as I was saying, I was able to contact Diana, the nice old lady who doesn't like me but love you, and, well… I asked her to take one of those skulls she had and, well, make it look like a mystical artefact of unthinkable power."

"make it Look like? – she realises, at open mouth, looking just at him, both hands on the cover – you mean that the real deal…"

"Always said you're the smart one in the family, love – he says inches from her lips – everything we've done from the day he thought he had destroyed it, it was to avoid him to find out the truth. Plokta stopped him before he could really launch his scouts. We had a raid on his ship, letting him believe it was the only thing we could try. But it wasn't. technically speaking, it wasn't even that necessary. But we just didn't want to stop him, we wanted to save as many of us as possible – he says as he points something up in the sky, letting her see that there's no longer just one fire in the sky, but hundreds – those lights, as you imagined, aren't stars. Not even fireworks, to be honest. Those are vampires, entering in our orbit at an incalculable velocity. In… - he says, looking for a second at his wristwatch – in 5 seconds, they'll find out that, with the exception of Dr. Hussain, who I now declare is welcome to come back home, they aren't welcome here."

"a vampire has to ask for permission before to walk inside a property…" she asks astonished, more a statement.

"And the skull's spell enlarged this permission to the whole country. And, looking at the lights in the sky – he say grinning, resting on the soil, hands under his head, as a bigger fire sees the light in the sky, clear from everything – it worked. This way, we'll have them all. and there goes the ship – he pauses for an instant, taking again a proper position at her side, and, a simple touch on his digital wristwatch, he starts to speak again, going again into Nick Fury mode – the enemy has disengaged. The reminder will be heading for the locations Spitfire pinpointed. All reserves to commit. All units to engage. Everyone in – he closes the call, and looks at her again – now, everyone who's with Dracula, is because they want to, their consciousness are now free from Lilith's spell."

"I should be there with them." She still points it out, but unsure of how she has to feel about it.

"I know, but… - he pauses, lowering his eyes a little – well, Vengeance is now served, and the best part of it? Almost no one in the Reign had to take in on themselves. That's' what we do for a living, in the wonderful world of intelligence… cheers!"

Epilogue one: London, Arden Road. The day after.

As she enters in her home, the place that once belonged to her parents, her biological ones, Chris throws, first thing, her high stiletto heels on the carpet, without even paying too much attention to where they end, and, removing with her hands the jacket Pete gave her and her waistcoat, she turns her fireplace on with a little aid from her telekinetic abilities. As she jumps on the sofa, crossed legs, she starts to massage her shoulders and her neck, looking at Pete, who, instead on coming closer to her, takes a chair from the nearby table, once covered with pieces of fabric, and goes to seat at the other side of the sofa, not as close as she'd like.

"Ehy, you know – she says as she goes by him, her head on the armrest, close to his knees, still on the sofa, ling down on it, trying to look seductive, both with her voice and her mannerism – although my whole body is starting to ache, I'm pretty sure I still have few hours of adrenaline left –she says as she starts to play with his v-neck – wonna take advantage of the situation and celebrate that everything ended well? I guess it's what Brian and Meggan and Dane and Faiza are doing…"

"Although I'm pretty honoured to be the object of your attentions and to be able to unleash such a sexual and hormonal storm in you – he says with a sad smile and forcing her to seat on the sofa, where he joins her, taking her right hand in his one putting it to rest on his legs – I'm… there's something you need to know. Something I've recently found out that regards you. something I didn't have the gut to tell you before, but that I have to."

"Pete, I seriously hope it's not a proposal, because for as much I love you, I'm not ready to commit myself.- She smiles and laughs. She thinks he is not serious, he is joking, but, a look at him, and she changes her mood, her yes mirroring his owns – oh my… - she closes her eyes, focused on the her and now, trying to understand what could trouble her- them- so much, and in the blink of an eye she has her answer – Tony… Tony is… he is dead, isn't he?" she says, hands covering her face, tears running wild from her eyes, as she jumps in his chest to find peace and comfort.

"It's about your family – he says forcing her to look at him in the eyes, sad and unsure- but not Tony. It's about… the family you had here, in this home. And about vengeance."

"Vengeance? You mean they found the guy who killed them in that damn hit-and-run? After 24 years?" she asks, like she doesn't care, like she feels it's kind of strange.

"They were killed, honey"

"I know it" she looks at him like he is telling some idiocy.

"24 years ago."

"Yes…" she is still in the dark.

"Lucien stroke for the last time here, In London, 24 years ago."

"You're telling me Lucien at the time was a human and was the one responsible for their deaths?"

"He was already a vampire, at the time"

"Didn't know vampires had cars… guess there's something right in that damn Twilight series, after all" she smirks, just a little, still into oblivion.

"They didn't die in a hit-and-run, Chris – he says, taking the oval of her face into his hands – they've been slaughtered by him. – he pauses – this is the reason I wanted you here yesterday. I wanted you to be safe, the more far away possible from Dracula and Lucien."

"Lucien, the one who killed me in Dracula's dream, and, according to you, killed my parents, even if I don't remember it." She is incredulous, like "you're just telling bullshit and I don't bought it."

"These are from few friends from by Black Air days - He then takes an envelope from his jacket, revealing many photos, and giving it to her, she sees it.-Charles Xavier. Still very young. Less than 20, more than a teen but less than a man. As you can see in these Photos, he is with your father, mother, sister and you. And the place, is the garden of this home. When the government found out about one of his citizens had powers, it managed to follow him, in order to find a way to get to him. Mutants were still a rarity at the time, and Black Air was extremely in needed of someone with his abilities."

"But I don't have a sister… this girl… she seems…"

"9 years older than you. Almost as old as Tony. Your older sister, Marion Susan Johnson, at the age of 13, when she first manifested her powers."

"I had a mutant sister."

"Xavier followed your dad and sister because they were both mutants, and thought you were going to be one, too. unfortunately, while he was still in England, 2 days after this pictures had been taken, they've been killed. You saw Lucien killing them, and the shock awakened you powers… but you were too young, and so, dear Charley played a little with your mind and brainwashed everyone into believing it was an incident. Even Tony and his parents."

"You're telling me he covered this up?"

"It wouldn't be the first time…wait, no, it actually was the first time he did it, but definitely not the last one, as we all know"

"But what about.. Marion? Why don't I remember her?"

"She was alive. No one knew where she is now, but she survived."

"I'd have a sister. And Xavier brainwashed me because I was going all madly destructive with my powers. Because my parents were killed. By a vampire." She calmly says, looking at the flames

"yes"

"here"

"yes"

"why?"

"your mother descended from a… tribe, we could call it, of hunters of demons and monsters and vampires. She was… magical, kind of. According to Diana, - he says showing her few photos of a younger Diana with her mother – she killed one of Dracula's favourite brides, letting the revenge game starting."

"Lucien was his champion"

"yes"

"So this is the reason I thought I knew Diana? That it looked like she knew me and my story? She looked so like…"

"Yes, they knew each other, and the Tanya she was talking about when we met her, was, in fact, your mother."

"How did you…"

"Plokta suggested it, he saw everything in your subconscious. It was part of our… pact, we can call it. In exchange of his services, he helped us and told me what he found inside your mind."

"HE saw… I saw a girl, in that dream-like scenario… older than me, looked like mum in the painting, but slightly different… and Plokta says it's her?"

"Nott exactly. It's Your version of her, how you think she should be by now. Probably it's not just for Plokta's power that you… dreamed of her. I think it could be somehow related to your new powers, you were the one saying you have now access to areas of your mind you hadn't before… it's not my work, but I can just think that your memory was trying to build some kind of new… connections… in order to let you see what was right under your nose – he pauses, again – anyway, I talked with Diana, she confirmed it, like even Blade did, too"

"Mum knew Blade?"

"They met once, while they were hunting the same vampire.- he pauses – he didn't know you were her daughter, thought. He said your dad was pretty jealous of him. Of everyone, it seems. Guess now I know where you take it from."

She pauses, looking still at the flames "So, Charles…"

"After what Plokta and the others told me, I did few investigations on my own, and a friend of mine gave me a file with the pictures of your dad and Xavier."

"Charles… I can't believe it… he already knew me, when he asked me to be one of his spies… he lied to me the whole time…"

"yes"

"So, I've been a tool in his hands since the beginning…"

"We can't be sure how he interfered in your life, Chris, maybe…"

"and I've been loyal to him since… since ever. – she laughs – guess it's time to show my colours and whom I'm truly loyal to when it comes to mutants, right?" she says as she takes his hand and drives him outside, sealing the building with a force-field.

"Chris, what…" he says, breaking the silence, and looking at her standing outside the building staring at it with tears and rage and hate, until a soft violet light surrounds the whole construction, and, at the same time, the windows explode-

"Call the Fire Department. I don't want to see the whole neighbourhood in flames- she states as she looks at the building going in fire – but not too soon, please. I want to make sure that nothing of the place where my parents found their deaths will stand, once this will be over…"

Epilogue Two. Elsewhere…

"Do I have to suppose that they eventually win?- as he enters in the salon of the ancient castle, he goes near the immense window, enlightened just by the moonlight, where, on a throne-like chair, sits a woman, beautiful, so white and pale that she looks like an albino, drinking a red liquid from a champagne flute; on her knees, sits a young boy, more or less 5, maybe even 6, not older, as pale as her, if not more. As the man goes closer to woman who spoke, his silhouette takes form, showing him for what he is: almost a giant, his physique similar to the one of a culturist. As he joins her, the boy drinks the same liquid from the glass, and the man, the beautiful man with long brown hair, knees at her side, while the duo who was already there look outside, at the starlight; soon, the room, once void if not for them, becomes full, filled by beautiful and pale creatures, and, as they surround the man, the blonde woman turns to look at the man on her knees, and, caressed him, she forces him to stand – No, please, we've lost our Lords… you're the oldest of us now, you were his favourite… you don't have to knee in front of me…"

"No, I wasn't his favourite – he says, as he closes his fists and hits the wall – she was. I can't understand why he didn't listen to us… the Master had to knew he couldn't trust that… that creature! You told us we couldn't trust a Falsworth!"

"The master saw Kenneth as a son, my ex husband has always had the ability to convince everyone to do as he pleases…"

"Everyone but not his mother."

"As you said – she says as she stands at his side at the window, the child still on the throne – she was a Falsworth, and the only Falsworth good is John… Kenneth has always been even too sweet. At the end, he even asked his loyal friend – she continues with disgust – to spare his miserable life… not that I'm that much surprised, though: he even wasn't able to give me a proper heir, I had to give our beloved John everything by myself… immortality, power, strength, youth… the only thing he passed him, was his sickness."

"What do we do, now, my Baroness?"

"we wait, my love. Our Lord will come back. He always does. Until then, we wait, and now, my dear love, you are our new Master… and our new Baron Blood… - she pauses, as she puts a medallion at his neck – and we wait. We wait for our revenge on Blade. On Spitfire. On Wisdom and his people… and, mostly, we wait to get our revenge on the last daughter of the Hunters…. We wait to get our revenge on the Blackdragon, and to end her life once and for all, my dear Lucien. we killed all her people, and one day, she'll be dead, just like them."


Ok, now you can tell me if you liked it or if you hated it... I WANT A lot of reviews!!... and see you with next chapter in a month or so... next: it's always war, but this time, Blackdragon is fighting against her own kind... it's mutant against mutant, as Cyclops calls the shot for X-Force to find the hope of theri future and destroy Bishop!