This is a work of fiction:
All characters seen in the story are either purely fan-made or from the X man's movies/ Marvel comics. I only own my own OC characters.
Thanks again to my Beta: lizzieBdarcy! You're the best!
Song: Ty Dolla $ign & Future - Darkside
(Sighs)
I'm so sorry this chapter took this long to post! Last few months have been busy as frick and before I knew it, it was already May!
Thank you for all the people that are following and favoriting this story. I'm very curious to hear what you guys think about the events in this chapter. So, drop a review and let me know ;-).
Some days I close my eyes and fade away,
that's just the dark side of me.
Some nights all the colors turn to grey,
Just like the dark side of me
Chapter 28: The dark side of me.
The CIA agent had kept true to her word; after they had left her bedroom they had made their way into Charles's office. Moira spent more than a half hour on the phone, talking with several of her contacts on the streets. In the same period of time, Katherine kept pacing back and forth, almost wearing out a path in the carpet.
It was only when the CIA agent had hung up the phone and told Katie the good news with a huge smile plastered on her face that the female mutant finally was able to relax.
John and his family were alright, and the girl that they had hired in Katie's place had been arrested and brought in for questioning. Relieved, she had thanked Moira with a freshly brewed cup of coffee and a good sturdy breakfast in the kitchen, before both women headed outside to find a suitable place to start their training. They soon found it behind the mansion near the garage. Moira had brought a few empty wine bottles that had been lying around in the kitchen with her and had arranged them on a wooden fence a few feet ahead.
The air was humid around them, warm and peaceful. Crickets buzzed loudly, and the few morning clouds that had been scattered across the sky were slowly drifting away. The summer sun beat down on her and the heat caused a tiny trickle of sweat to run down Katie's neck behind her ear. She ignored the ticklish feeling, focusing all her attention on the task at hand.
Moira took the gun out of the holster on her hip, checking the magazine first before she held it out for Katherine to take. "Are you really sure about this?" She asked, with a twinge of worry in her voice.
She took the gun from Moira's hand without hesitation. "Yes."
Moira nodded slowly, turning her head to look at the glass bottles first before shifting her eyes back to Katie. "Okay. You really know how to shoot?"
Another short reply left the mutants lips. "Yes."
Moira's chest heaved, a deep breath escaping out of her lungs as she moved to stand behind the female mutant, crossing her arms underneath her breasts. "Just take your time, take deep breaths and keep the recoil in mind when you pull the trigger." She reminded her all the same.
Katherine bowed her head with a nod, staring at the weapon in her hands. The gun fit perfectly. The weight felt solid. But not heavy and with a minimum effort she was able to lift the weapon. She licked her dry lips, looking down the barrel of the gun with both eyes open as she tried to ignore the heavy pounding of her chest.
James had taught her how to shoot, how to stand and how to hold the gun. She knew the basics by heart and though she had never been a good a shot she had been able to hit a target a few times in the past.
Her finger tightened on the trigger, the moment a familiar nervous flutter she hadn't felt in years gripped her stomach. She knew there was no other choice. If she wanted to protect those around her she had to learn how to fight, how to defend herself from those that meant harm.
Useless
The sound of the German scientist still haunted her and it caused a muscle in her jaw to tense. Her fingers clenched around the gun when another whisper echoed through her head, and before she had even realized her fingers had pressed the trigger.
The gun went off.
The recoil, even from such a small caliber pistol, made the weapon jerk aggressively in her hand. The butt slammed back against her palm, she winced but kept her finger curled around the trigger.
The bullet left the barrel, piercing the sky and disappearing in the distance.
Useless.
A chill swept over her, the icy-cold touch of ghost fingers tracing over the skin of her stomach, following a path up to the exact spot the bullet had entered her. She shuddered at the memory, her stomach tightening and twisting as his voice roared the word in her head over and over again.
Useless.
A frustrated scream pressed against the back of her throat, but she clamped her lips shut. Spasmodically her fingers started pulling the trigger, determination taking control of her hands. The loud sound of shot after shot being fired shattered the air around them, and with each bullet that flew from the barrel, her hands grew steadier.
A bullet hit the wooden fence beneath the bottle, sending woods chips flying.
Useless.
Another bullet hit the wood.
Useless
And another.
The bottle exploded suddenly on impact, glass shards raining down on the grass below. The sound of glass breaking stopped her finger on the trigger, and she drew in a deep breath filling her oxygen-starved lungs. The pent-up tension slowly seeped out of her bones, replacing the mind-numbing fear and anger with blissful silence.
" Katie?"
The female mutant was so caught up in her own thoughts that she hadn't even realized Moira had moved until she found the CIA agent standing right beside her.
"Are you alright?"
Smoke still billowed from the barrel of the gun in her hands, and she stared at it calmly. "I'm fine," she replied, turning her sights back to the green bottle next to the one she had shot.
"You sure?" The worried tone was still in the voice of the CIA agent.
"Trust me I'm fine, I just needed to let out some frustrations." The exhilaration that she had been able to hit one bottle made her hands waver slightly, so she took in a few calming breaths to calm her pounding heart before she aimed the gun again.
" Katie I'm really not su-"
"I am" She interrupted almost harshly. "I'm not done yet."
Moira refrained from saying anything else; she only offered a small nod before she took a step back to give Katie the space she desperately seemed to need. "Okay," she spoke softly after pondering for a few seconds. "Just keep your breathing calm, before you pull the trigger."
Katherine nodded, accepting the advice without a word. She focused all of her attention, shutting everything else out until all that remained was the feeling of the gun in her hand. She aimed it back at the bottle that was mocking her with its presence. Vaguely her mind registered the sound of footsteps on gravel, but she blocked it out as much as she could.
"Charles."
Moira's voice drifted in the background but she ignored it, keeping her eyes focused on her target. She forced her lungs to inhale and exhale in a slow rhythm. Her finger curled around the trigger and with a soft tap she pressed it. The harsh bark of the bullet echoed around the area after it left the barrel. It flew past the bottle, barely missing it.
"Fuck." She cursed under her breath, frustrated that she had missed. With a flip of her finger, she put the safety on and pressed the release to take the magazine off to see how many bullets were left. She started counting but quickly stopped when movement from the corner of her eye distracted her.
She shifted her head and glanced up.
Charles and Erik were standing on the gravel path, both eyeing her with expressions that differentiated greatly from each other. Charles's face was edged with surprise, his clear blue drifting over her. "Katherine." Her name left his lips almost breathlessly and the full use of it made her cock an eyebrow. "What are you doing?"
She shrugged and started counting bullets again. "I'm training."
Erik's body tensed the moment the words had left her lips. His ice like gaze chased over her skin making her heart thud painfully in her chest while something in her stomach fluttered in a nervous reaction that was new to her.
She was so caught in his gaze that it took her several seconds to notice there was a probing presence in the back of her mind, but the moment she realized what it was, she tore her gaze away from Erik's burning stare and rounded them angrily on the telepath beside him.
"How many times do I need to tell you to stop reading my mind, Charles?" Her fingers tightened around the gun, and annoyed she slid the magazine back, clicking it into place by slapping it with her palm." If there is something you wish to know, you could've just asked."
Slowly, Charles his fingers lowered from his temple."I do apologize; it's just a rather unexpected sight to find you here, holding- "he paused taking a small breath before he continued." -A gun."
She aimed the gun back at the bottles with a dismissive shake of her head. "Things have changed."
"Changed how exactly?"
"I decided that I'm not going to sit still and be left behind when that bastard makes a move." Her fingers pressed against the trigger, the weapon responded swiftly. Charles was the only one that flinched when the bullet hurtled towards its target, shattering the bottle on impact. Satisfaction made her lips curl. She watched the glass shatter to the ground first before she turned her head, settling her eyes back on Charles. "I'm going with you."
For the first time since he had left her room the night before, she heard the voice of the metal bender as he finally parted his lips to speak. "I believe we all agreed that you coming with us is not the wisest course of actions."
"Like I said." She clicked the safety on the gun back again, before returning to the group. She held out the gun for Moira to take, which she did, without a word. "Things have changed."
The answer didn't satisfy him. "Nothing has changed." The barbed words escaped his lips at the same time that Charles stepped forward, hands jutted in front of him in an effort to defuse both mutants.
"Erik, there is no need for-"
But his words fell on deaf ears for the metal bender continued without stopping."You can't protect yourself, and using a gun against someone as powerful as Shaw is reckless and naïve and you should know better."
The nerves formerly fluttering within her belly now roared to life. "Excuse me?"
"What Erik is trying to say,- " Charles placed a defusing hand on her shoulder, voice soft and gentle as he attempted to end the argument before it could develop further. " is that given recent events it might be better for you to stay here."
She scoffed way too loudly, turning her eyes on him while shrugging her shoulder out from under his hand. "You were the one who wanted me to go with you in the first place. I seem to recall you even had Hank make me a suit."
"Yes but,–"
"He thinks I'm dead Charles."
The coldness in the tone of her voice when she spoke the harsh words made both men react differently. Charles winced, eyes momentarily closing as the images of what had happened to her the night before were forced upon his already weary mind without warning. Erik was more in control of his emotions. He only narrowed his eyes slightly when her words washed over him.
She spoke again, softer, more somber in tone. "He believes he killed me, he won't expect me to be there. I know that when he believed me to be alive I was a liability, but that's changed. As long as he thinks I'm dead, I can be useful." She turned her head slowly, her chin defiantly higher as she returned Erik's gaze brazenly. "So, I'm going, whether you agree or not."
Tension ratcheted up between them making each second feel as if it was being dragged on forever. It was only when a soft groan from beside her reached her ears she was able to avert her eyes to look at the sickly pale telepath next to her.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, the Professors eyes were screwed shut in an attempt to ward off the unwanted memories. "Charles?" Moira closed the distance between her and the telepath; worriedly she placed her hand on his hunched shoulder. "Are you alright?"
"Don't worry dear, I'm fine" he waved her concern away, dropping his hand back to his side as he focused his weary eyes on Moira. "I am just tired, that's all."
"You should rest."
He nodded slowly in agreement, lips curling at the agent's sentiment. "Yes, yes I should."
His eyes lifted, looking at Katie as he parted his mouth in one last attempt to change her mind." Katie, I understand what you are feeling and going through" knowingly he narrowed his eyes. "But I do hope that you will reconsider your decision or at least give it more thought."
"I've considered it, and reconsidered it, and then thought about it some more. It's decided."
He lowered his head thoughtfully to the ground; silently he scanned the grass beneath his feet. "If it is your wish to go with us then I will not go against it." He leaned more of his weight on Moira, wrapping an arm around her waist to pull her closer. "I will inform Hank of the adjustment in plans and see to it he finishes your suit."
A small thankful smile curled Katie's lips. "Thank you Charles."
He nodded slowly in reply, returning her smile with a small hesitant one of his own before he turned to look at the woman that was pressed against him. "Moira dear, if you would be so kind, would you help me inside?"
"Sure Charles, let's go." She started to walk, wrapping her arm around Charles's shoulder to help him move. The pair made their way to the garage door, softly whispering endearments; their bodies tightly pressed against one other. They disappeared inside the mansion without looking back.
The momentary relief she felt at dealing with one set of protests was cast aside just as quickly. There was still Erik to contend with. She took a breath of courage, lifting her head to look back at him. "Is there something you want to say, Erik?"
He gazed at her for a long, heated moment before he answered. "Several things."
"Then why don't you?" She demanded. He chuckled without mirth.
"Because you will not heed my words even if I speak them aloud."
His bitter tone made her throat tighten and there was an apology, a reassurance on the tip of her tongue. Instead, she forced herself to break the eye contact, turning her head away to stare at the garage door where Charles and Moira had disappeared.
"It's my decision."
He took a deep calming breath, staying quiet for a slow heartbeat before he answered in a softer tone than before. "I know."
She observed him from the corner of her eye, watching as his body visibly relaxed. He had stuffed both hands in the pockets of his sweatpants and had dropped his head, looking down at the gravel path he was standing on seemingly lost in thought. Without warning his blue-grey eyes suddenly shifted to her, and he caught her stare. Not wanting to gawk, she averted her eyes as quickly as she could.
"Just to make things clear, you are planning to go through with this?"
Something in the sound of his voice made her turn her head in his direction again. Just like before his gaze was still glued on her.
"Yes," She swallowed almost nervously under the onslaught of his intense stare. "I am."
Erik took a hand out of his pocket and scratched the two-day stubble on his chin. He nodded, and she could almost see the gears whirring in his mind as he processed the answers she gave to him.
"Follow me." A strange, almost manipulative tone smoothed his turned away from her, walking back over the gravel path in the direction where he had come from.
Baffled by his reaction she stared at his back as he retreated. "Follow you where?"
He stopped his trek for a moment, the gravel crunching underneath his feet. "The training room."
"For what?" She perked up hopefully. "Wait, are we going to train?"
He turned his head to look at her over his shoulder. The expression on his face had changed, and the sound of his voice when he spoke send a sharp prickle down her spine. "Just come along, we don't have much time."He turned his gaze away from her and continued walking without looking back at her.
His strange behavior made warning bells go off in the back of her mind, but the sound was soon overruled by the heavy beating of her heart when she recalled the tenderness in his eyes when he had looked at her. Her feet moved without thinking, picking up the pace until she walked beside him down the gravel path, all the while trying to ignore the quickening of her heart.
But it was useless, for it fluttered inside of her chest like a trapped bird.
Over the course of the day, the sun had lowered enough in the sky to pierce directly through the window in the training room. Its bright rays danced across the body of the woman that lay flat on the floor like a rag doll. Her arms and legs were splayed out wide, a fine layer of sweat beaded her brow, and a strand of dark hair stuck to her temples and cheeks.
In a futile attempt to keep her ire under control her jaw clenched and unclenched, and it took all of her willpower to stay on the ground, instead of lunging towards the metal bender who was calmly standing a few feet away from her. The man was trying to look relaxed as if nothing was bothering him, but over the weeks they spend together she had gotten to know him well enough to see through his guise.
Ever since they had entered the training room an hour prior, he acted differently towards her, colder and harder. He'd said little, only a smug taunt to "come at me with everything you've got."
And she had, or at least tried too.
She had lunged after him again and again, desperately trying to hit him using all of her strength, all of her power, but it wasn't enough. Every attempt was easily blocked without any effort, and every time he had swept her feet out from underneath her to make her crash to the floor. As a result, her mutation was working overtime, and sooner than she had expected most of her energy was drained making it harder for her to keep the pain at bay. Even now she could barely feel the energy humming inside her veins.
Her eyes shifted to him, and instantly she was caught by the net of his gaze. He was staring straight at her, looking over her with such a deep and fixed attention that it almost snatched the air from her lungs. Their eyes remained locked, until he broke it, shifting his head away from her to look towards the window. He parted his lips to speak, letting the words slip through clenched teeth.
"We should stop, it's getting late."
There was something in the tone of his voice, and in his manner, that caused her heart to painfully thud inside of her chest. His weird behavior flashed off and on like a light switch and more and more she was starting to believe that he had lured her to the training room with an alternative motive in mind.
She forced herself to stand, hands at her sides. "I'm not done yet." The words came out sounding a lot calmer than she'd expected.
His eyes shifted away from the window and they narrowed when they reached her. He didn't seem to be happy with her answer. "Stop acting foolish, you're exhausted."
She ignored him, raising her fists up to guard her face. "I'm not done."
He removed one hand from his pocket and clenched it at his thigh. Annoyance, disappointment and something that almost looked like anger, darkened his eyes until it was almost impossible to detect the transition from pupil to iris. "Suit yourself."
She breathed in deeply before she moved, closing the distance between them swiftly. Her small hand reached out, brushing over his shirt, but he dodged her attack before she could clinch the fabric between her fingers. She swung her other fist his way but he caught it, twisting her arm behind her back and pulling her hard against him. She struggled and lashed out with her free hand but his own captured her wrist easily. He wrapped his fingers around the tender skin and held it away from himself, hindering any attempt at escape. Her head snapped up and she glared at him icily, even scornfully. She struggled madly, but he didn't release her, he just kept holding her rigidly against him.
Alright, another tactic was necessary.
She raised her foot and bent her knee aiming a kick at his hip, but before it could land he stuck his foot behind her leg and pushed forward, making her trip backward. The arm at her back stopped her fall. Her breath trapped at the base of his throat as she jerked her head up to look at him. He was the only thing that was keeping her from falling on the matted floor and the realization renewed her anger.
"Don't you fucki-"
He released her the moment the curse word slipped past her lips, and she yelped, arms flailing wildly in all directions before her back hit the ground. The wind was knocked out of her lungs, and with a groan she rolled onto her side, cursing under her breath before she forced herself to sit. Immediately her eyes found him. If she had been angry before she was absolutely seething now.
"That was uncalled for!"
"Is that so?" He responded calmly.
With a huff, Katherine forced her limbs to work, pushing herself up to stand again. "Yes, it is! You don't have to throw me to the ground every damn time!"
"Than perhaps you should stop tripping."
She scoffed angrily at his words, "Stop it, Erik, I mean it. Stop whatever it is you're doing."
Her accusation made one of his eyebrows rise and calmly he stuffed his hands back into the front pockets of his sweatpants. "And what is it you believe that I'm doing, exactly?"
And there was the catch. It was crystal clear that he was planning something, even if she hadn't quite yet figured out what it was. What she did know was that he had been treating her like a child ever since she had walked into the room, and the absurdity and unfairness of it made her fume.
"You haven't attacked me once."
His eyes shifted the moment she crossed her arms.
"You're on the defense, and you keep throwing me to the fucking ground EVERY damn time, not even taking this serious enough to fight me for real!"
He stayed silent when she finished, glancing up at her face for a small fleeting second before he lowered his eyes back to her hands. "We are done here."
Her eyes narrowed angrily. "What? What do you mean we're done?"
"It's exactly as I say, we're done. You are not capable of continuing with this charade any longer."
"I can still-"
"Stop it, Katherine!" He chided her harshly. "We're done. You cannot possibly be planning to go through with this. Look at yourself. You're not even capable of healing your own bruises."
His words took her by surprise and she blinked a few times before she dropped her head, following his gaze that was still fixed on her hands. Two identical bruises wrapped around her wrists like bracelets, lingering on the exact spot where his hands had been moments earlier. She hadn't seen markings like the ones that now adorned her skin in years and the unexpected sight made her uncross her arms to look at them better.
A dull pain blossomed slowly, spreading from her wrist to her arms where it started to engulf the rest of her body. She tried to activate her mutation, tried to control the humming inside of her veins but it was futile for it refused to listen to her demands. The need to lie down and rest until her energy restored was almost overwhelming, but she ignored the aching tiredness, shifting her eyes back to him.
"I can still go on." She insisted.
"Stop it," He repeated, eyes narrowing dangerously.
"No."
The metal bender grounded his teeth so loudly she could hear it even if she was several feet away. "I mean it. I'm not done yet, not until you fight me without holding back. Stop treating me like I'm useless-"
Invisible, icy fingers touched her; creeping over her stomach, tingling and tickling the skin causing chills to work their way up to her neck. The German scientist's disembodied voice chanted the single word over and over again, and the sound caused images to flash violently inside of her mind until all that remained was a hideous blur.
For a small moment, her mind was too distracted to notice that the metal bender had moved. He closed the distance between them slowly, his feet thudding on the floor with each careful step. She sucked in a startled breath as the cold slipped from her veins, only to be replaced by the warmth, the heat of a familiar male body that invaded body and soul. His fingertips caressed the skin on the back of her hand, the touch so gentle and comforting that it made her shiver.
He took her hand, cradling it between his own as he lifted it to take a better look at the bruises that decorated her skin. Protectiveness, concern, quilt, and most of all anger flashed over his face in light intervals before his expression molded into a hardened chill. He released her hand abruptly almost discarding it. "We are done" his voice was firm, not leaving any room for discussion as he turned around and stepped away from her, heading towards the door.
The temporary warmth left her the moment he stepped away and her entire body shivered from the loss of it. "I'm not done!" She hauled in a breath, forcing herself to keep speaking "I want to learn how to defend myself, Erik. I want to go with you, so stop holding back when you're fighting me, I'm not made of glass."
Her words seem to hit him right where it hurt, for when he finally did turn his head to regard her, the emotionless and distant look that he offered her was not what she had expected. "Are you absolutely sure about this Katherine?" There was a dangerous low note in his voice that made her heart leap. But stubborn as she was, she managed to croak out what she wanted to say even if her tongue felt like a stone in her mouth.
"Yes."
For one tense second he remained where he was, but then, the moment she blinked he made his move, the distance disappearing between them in two strides of his long legs. Surprised by his sudden movement her feet moved back quickly, but it wasn't fast enough to get away from him. He threw a fist at her as soon as he was close enough and instinctively she raised her arm to block the hit. The sheer intensity and strength behind his fist knocked her back, pain blooming hot and bright. Without let up, he swung again and only a quick duck saved her jaw.
The man was quick and relentless, and with every move he made he was forcing her back. She hadn't noticed that she had already crossed half of the room until her shoulder blades hit the wall behind her. She tried to duck around him, but Erik had already reached her. His hands slammed next to her face on the wall, pinning her with his body, forcing Katherine to press herself against the stone in an attempt to keep from touching him.
She raised her hand to hit him but he was quicker, wrapping his fingers around her wrist before it could touch him and forcing it against the wall above her head. Her next attempt followed swiftly. She tried to knee him in the groin, but he already anticipated it. The moment her knee came up he used his free hand to catch her leg, pressing himself flat against her until she was trapped between wall and body
Her shoulders jerked while she tried to fight against them, struggling against the death grip he had on her by pressing the palm of her free hand on his chest. "Let me go!"
His head dropped, warm breath tickling the wispy curls at her temple as he spoke. "Make me."
"I'm not in the mood for your games Erik! Unhand me now!" She pressed her body against him again and again in a desperate effort to free herself, but his only response was to lean even closer.
"You wanted me to stop holding back, are you regretting your decision now?"
She growled and snapped her teeth at him. "Let me go now!"
"Your demands won't work when it's Schmidt that has cornered you, so try something else!"
The sound of the name of the man that had been haunting her ever since she had woken up that morning made her entire body go still with shock. The feel of Erik's warmth seeping through her own clothes reminded her of how close he actually was and it caused a claustrophobic panic to grip her. Her hand curled into a fist against his chest, clenching the fabric of his shirt between her fingers. She needed air; She needed to get away from his disorientating presence so she could think clearly again, instead of panicking.
" Erik," She tried again, speaking slowly trying to make her voice sound even. "Let go of me."
The hand he had been using to stop her leg when she had attempted to kick him started moving. He ran his fingers along the side of her body, following the curve of her waist to her shoulders. "You have no idea what you are involving yourself in; step back now before someone gets hurt." The tone of his voice was dead serious as he ran his fingers over her collarbone gently before he wrapped them around the hand she had pressed on his chest. With just the slightest of pressure, he was able to pry her hand of off him. Slowly, eerily gentle he raised his arm, now trapping both arms above her head.
"Stop it!" Her voice cracked and her chin quivered as she fought to get her hands free. "Erik, stop it!"
"Schmidt isn't going to stop and neither am I until you force me to." His angry voice resonated in her ears as struggled against the death grip he had on her hands. But the man didn't budge, didn't move, he just continued pressing her against the wall.
A faint humming inside of her veins started to grow at the same moment her vision started to blur. A loud screeching sound, that reminded her of fingernails on a chalkboard, started echoing in the back of her mind, and it caused her to shiver in discomfort.
"You don't possess the power to fight. " He continued every word cutting and chosen with a particular goal in mind. "You can't defend yourself, and even if Shaw believes you to be dead your presence will only serve as a distraction" His iron grip was cutting into her wrists, grounding into the already bruised skin. "So change your decision to go with us, and I will let you go."
"So that's it!" Her vision cleared the moment she saw all his "training" for what it really was. "That was your plan? You wanted to prove to me that I can't protect myself by throwing me to the goddamn floor the entire afternoon?"
"Then prove me wrong and free yourself." He dipped his head to stare at her. "Or give up, and stay behind."
"It's not your decision Erik!" The scratching inside of her mind increased and grew louder. A familiar tingle of energy started spreading through her limbs, and the moment she realized what it was her body went completely rigid. She pushed herself back against the wall in a desperate attempt to create distance between them.
"Erik, let me go now!"
He lifted his chin slightly. "You heard my demands, say what I want to hear first and I will release you"
"Erik, let me go I can't-"
He interrupted her harshly "You can't what?"
"Control it-"
Something inside of her snapped at the same time that the last bit of control slipped away. The scratching got replaced by whispers that soon turned into screams. Terrifying, bellowing screams that commanded her to do what she did not want to do.
Transfer it.
Without warning her legs buckled and he was only just able to catch her before she fell.
"Katherine?"
Numbness gradually spread over his chest, when she didn't respond, didn't rouse. Her skin was ice cold to the touch and only the small breaths that escaped from her lips against the skin of his throat proved that she was still alive. He smoothed her hair back from her face, fingers ghosting over her cheek to the back of her neck. He shook her; her body was lax in his hold, her head falling back as if too heavy for her neck to support. His thumb traveled over her lips, barely feeling her breath against the digit.
"Katherine!"
Her name cracked from his lips like a whip and at the same time he called out to her, her eyes shot open. She straightened in his arms, gasping as her chest filled slowly with a deep intake of air.
Relief made the fingers of one hand clench on her waist while he stroked the back of her head with his other hand. He dragged her closer until he felt the skin of her temple underneath his lips and he breathed in the clean lavender smell that belonged to her.
He had allowed himself to be so consumed by his own thoughts that he didn't realize how far he'd gone until it was too late. Subtlety had never been his strongest trait and he had hoped that with this direct and relentless approach he would have been able to make her understand what he had already known. She was weak, powerless and vulnerable, and the all-consuming feeling of protectiveness he felt towards her pressed down on his shoulders like a heavy burden.
He had chosen to take care of her instead of going after Shaw the night before. He wouldn't make that choice again, he couldn't. Schmidt was and would always be his first choice and it was the sole reason why he didn't want her to go with them. He didn't want his mind to stray the moment he needed to be in complete control of his thoughts. He was close, so close to finally coming face to face with the man whose memories had tormented him for years that he wouldn't allow anything or anyone to come between them.
He wanted, needed to change her mind. Force her to understand she was making a wrong choice, forcing her to realize how vulnerable and weak she was.
But he had taken it too far, pushed her too far.
He felt her tremble in his arms and it dragged his mind back from the dark place it had gone to. He loosened his grip, pulling away enough from her to look down.
The sight that greeted him made his blood run cold.
The eyes meeting his own were black and featureless, the irises so dark that they merged seamlessly into the pupils. Her hand shot out like a striking snake, fingers clamping around his neck with a grip surprisingly strong.
He parted his lips to say her name but found he couldn't, his entire body was numb. Breathing became harder at the same time that a disturbing coldness seeped from her fingers into his skin, and for the first time in what felt like years he was unable to feel the energy of the metal that surrounded him.
Frozen he stared at her, unable to move, unable to talk.
Her dark eyes never looked away from him. They were glazed over and empty like she wasn't there at all. The cold numbing feeling slithered through the veins of his neck to his shoulder and down his chest. His spine tingled with an alarming feeling of danger, and with every second the feeling grew, the colder he became. Pain began seeping through their connection, until every nerve ending in his body hurt. He felt as if he was being devoured, as if his energy, his entire being was slowly being eaten alive.
And it seemed that the worse he was feeling, the better she was starting to look. Color returned to her face at the same time he knew his had turned ashen. Two identical bruises were slowly blooming on each of his wrists while the marks on her skin disappeared. He tried to speak her name, but no sound came, tried to make his arms to move, but the limbs felt like lead bars that weighed more than he could carry.
Unable to keep himself forms standing his legs buckled underneath him, and his knees hit the matted floor with a gruesome crack. Her hand remained on his neck, fingers curled into torturing claws on his skin. She lowered her head, cocking it slightly to the side, glancing at him with soulless predatory eyes.
More and more energy coursed through him, and she continued sucking it up through her fingers like a leech, replacing the energy she lacked with his own. His teeth gritted, his jaw set, eyes squeezed closed against the pain. Sweat poured from his brow as he forced all of his strength to his arms, trying to break through the barrier she had put between his mind and body. His hands trembled when he was finally able to raise them, and he clutched her waist pulling her into him. His fingers clenched and unclenched in the fabric of her shirt, holding on to her like she was his only lifeline. His lips felt like they were stitched together, sealed up and it took him more willpower than he thought he possessed to tear them apart to speak.
"Kate."
The moment it sprang from his lips the coldness inside of his veins stopped. The restriction on his windpipe disappeared, and he gulped down deep breaths, filling his lungs with the precious air.
Her fingers disappeared from his neck, her entire body shaking like a leaf. He tried to cling to her but he didn't possess the strength to stop her from scrambling backward. He fell forward, hands splaying flat on the floor, catching him before he fell. He dragged in a heavy breath, intent on calming his frantic heart.
The sound of her own breathing, which came in short panicked gasps made him lift his head to look at her.
Her body was pressed against the wall, her hands shaking badly; covering her ears on each side of her head in what seemed an attempt to shut out whatever it was that had been in control of her. Her eyes were still dark, pupils fully dilated and she focused them on the skin of his neck. Her face contorted in horror and disbelief. He winced, already feeling the deep welts and bruises blooming where her hands had been.
"Erik."The whisper of his name was thick, clogged with emotion, and the sound of it was enough of a trigger to force him to make his body move in spite of his protesting muscles. His heart leaped painfully in his throat, eyes clenched to ward off the pain as he rose shakily. He moved towards her, dragging his feet across the matted floor until he was in front of her. It took another long moment of breathing to gather the strength to raise his hand towards her cheek.
"Don't touch me-"The words slipped past her lips before his fingers could brush over the curve of her jaw and he stopped, hand dangling in front of her. Her black eyes remained focused on the dark welts on his neck.
I've hurt you." She whimpered.
The sound of her distress made his mouth dry. "Kate" he breathed her name, it was all he was able to croak out but the gentle prodding was enough to finally break the spell his wounds seemed to have put her under.
She raised her teary eyes to his. The vulnerable look inside of them urged him on.
He broke through the invisible barrier that stood between them. His fingers fluttered against her cheek, and then his hand was moving gently around the side of her face and over the hand that was pressed against her ear. He pried her fingers loose; engulfing them in a firm, warm clasp. His calloused palm slide against her when he laced their fingers together and he brought her hand back to his skin, placing the palm of her hand over the bruised skin before he covered it with his own.
"I'm fine."
He swallowed roughly as her warm fingers flexed against the skin. For a few seconds, they stood like that until she stepped closer, sliding her arms up around his neck, pressing the full length of her body against him. It took all of his strength not to fall down when she embraced him, but he forced himself to stay standing.
For her.
He returned her embrace with fervor, holding her tenderly. His tired mind was too exhausted to keep track of his thoughts and emotions. Relief rapidly morphed into confusion and the more energy he spent thinking the more upset his already tired body became.
She clung to him like a shadow. Arms locked around his neck, fingers dancing feverishly over his shoulders and back. Heat prickled along his skin wherever her fingers touched, and he groaned when he felt the tiny tendrils of energy sliding from her skin into his own.
"Don't "He groaned against her temple, trying to stop her from healing the marks she had left on him.
She breathed against his neck, trailing her fingers along his hairline. "Let me." Her energy dove deep inside of him without permission and as soon as he felt the addicting heat seep into his muscles he knew there would be no fighting it.
Her energy eased the tension inside of him, satisfaction rumbled inside of his throat with every gentle pull of her energy. His fingers pressed against the small of her back. Her spine pulled in a tight curve at the touch until their bodies were aligned from shoulder to toes. He felt like he was standing on the tip of his toes, balancing on a tightrope between his logical mind and the raging need that coursed through his body.
He had no idea what had happened or what she had done, but for some reason, he didn't care. All he wanted to do was relish the feel of her soft body against his own. Her energy ran through his veins, causing his heart to race and desire to surge through his blood in an intoxicating rush.
Her hand, that had been massaging the weariness from the back of his neck stilled, and slowly he felt the energy leaving him through the tips of her fingers. He groaned in frustration and he forced himself to pull back. He dipped his head to capture her gaze, at the same time that she tipped her head back to meet his own. The color of her eyes had taken on the color of aged scotch again, and the familiarity within them made his pulse soar.
Almost unconscious of what he was doing; he lowered his head closer to hers. She met him halfway, standing on the tips of her toes to meet his eager mouth. Their lips molded together passionately and immediately he felt her unbridled heated response. There was a hunger behind her lips that matched his own and he returned it brazenly.
He backed her up against the wall roughly, lips never leaving hers. She arched against the wall, arched into him, returning his kiss with such abandon that their lips were forced apart. Teeth clashed before the softness and wetness of their mouths melded together eagerly again.
His hand slid underneath the hem of her shirt, feeling the warm skin of her back beneath his fingers. She whimpered, responding willingly to his touch, moving her fingers into the thickness of his hair, pressing her mouth harder against his. Every movement, every response only succeeded in fueling the fire that raged inside his loins. She clung to him as though she needed him every bit as much as he needed her.
His hands roamed her stomach, skimmed over her ribs, caressing the skin underneath her bra. With the tips of his fingers he traced the scar underneath her breast and the moment he started moving them up she froze in his arms, and twisted her mouth away from his, dragging in big gulps of airs.
He noticed the stirrings of panic in her eyes before she tightly clenched them shut. Her hands started trembling, sliding down from the back of his neck to his chest where she splayed them over his heart. She took deep calming breaths, forcing away the fear that had suddenly taken root inside of her, refusing to give in.
His curiosity nagged him and he parted his lips to ask the question but she answered him before a single sound could leave. "I'm fine, it's nothing" She opened her eyes, avoiding his gaze and staring directly at her fidgeting hands.
The abrupt change in her behavior made him pull his hand from underneath her shirt. He placed it on her chin and with a gentle pull; he tipped her head back to meet his gaze.
"You're not fine. What is it?" His voice was hoarse, demanding but it did not have the effect he desired for when she answered her words were the same.
"It's nothing."
"Katherine" He leaned closer, his breath fanning over her lips. "Stop lying."
She swallowed visibly, her tongue darting out to wet her kiss-swollen lips. " I…." she swallowed again."I keep hearing him, keep feeling him."
"Who?" He pressed.
"You know who" Her lip quivered slightly before she continued. "You're haunted by him too."
The grip on her face and the hold at her waist tightened when the truth of what had been plaguing her became clear. The apparent protectiveness that been scorching a path through his veins reared its ugly head again and as a result, his jaw tensed. She released his shirt and lifted one of her hands to the back of his head, pulling his mouth closer. "When you touched me, my mind played a mean trick on me."
It took all of his strength to remain unmoving when everything inside of him centered on the tiny spot next to his mouth where her warm, gentle lips touched the skin. His blood ran hot, pulse-pounding so loudly that he was sure she would be able to feel it thunder beneath the hand that was teasingly skimming over the skin of his chest.
"I want it to stop." She whimpered against his lips, begging him with her body and trembling voice.
He wasn't a stranger to people begging him. Over the years he had learned to grow cold to the pleas of those he had met in his endless search for the German scientist. People had always begged him to stop, for him to spare their lives, begged for him to leave them alone. And over the years he had learned how to ignore them.
"Please Erik."
Until now.
The way she begged him ignited something deep inside of him, something that made his longing and desire burn so brightly, he feared he would explode if he didn't release the pressure. With a selfish need, he hooked his hands under her hips, lifting her up and pressing her against the wall. She wrapped her legs around his waist, fusing them together from chest to thigh. The new sensation had him push himself against her to make sure she could feel how hard she had already made him through their clothes. He captured her lips, molding them together with heated passion and willingly her lips parted underneath his.
The feeling of being wanted, being needed, threatened to overwhelm him, and he clung to her as if he was drowning. There was a roar in his ears, a possessive yearning to claim her, taint her until all she would be able to remember was his touch upon her skin, and his name upon her lips.
Dum Dum Dum, what did just happen?
Let me know your thoughts and predictions! Curious to see what you guys are thinking.
Much love from Mira.
TBC.
