Fresh blood at midnight isn't red. It's a purplish black that easily blends into the shadows. Karen Chance, Midnight's Daughter
I tried to sleep, but as I sobered up, the thoughts came back. Getting up, I was about to head to my room to grab my book, but then I heard Logan beginning to toss and turn. He was having a nightmare, and it seemed like a bad one.
I climbed back onto the bed, turning on the lamp and softly touching his bare chest. "Logan, wake up."
Before I could react, he woke with a roar. His claws came at me so fast. I whipped my hands up, using his blood to hold his arm back. But I reacted too slow, and his claws sank into my skin, just a little.
He sheathed them straight away, realising what he'd done. I sat there, in shock, as blood began to drip down my chest. It should have hurt, but I was just so shocked I couldn't feel anything.
"Red? Oh fuck, I'm so sorry." He pressed his hand to my skin, trying to stop the bleeding.
I pushed his hands off me, healing myself up. "I've got it." I took a deep breath, trying to stop my body shaking.
"You know I would never…" He touched my cheek, looking seriously upset.
"I know, Logan. I know." I climbed into his lap, pressing my forehead to his. "I'm fine. You just scared me. Here." I took his hand, placing it just above my chest, where he had cut me. "See?"
He ran his hands over my body, making sure there were no other cuts. Then he pulled me in for a strong hug. "I thought I'd really hurt you."
"I promise I'm fine. You had a nightmare, and I'm not going to hate you for reacting like that. I'll just wake you up differently next time." I looked down at the tattered lace adorning my breasts. "And you owe me a new bra."
He kissed me, a rough, desperate kiss, like he was worried I would change my mind on forgiving him.
"I don't really feel like sleeping right now, do you?" I whispered, unhooking my bra and tossing it aside.
"I'm not going to disagree when you're sitting naked on my lap." He pressed a kiss to my neck, before nipping my earlobe. "So what are you waiting for?"
I knelt up, kissing him as I carefully lowered myself onto his length. He gasped softly, his lips parting against mine. I ran my tongue over his, moaning as I pressed it to one of his canines.
Rocking my hips against him, I tangled my fingers in his hair. I didn't have the words to tell him how good his touch made me feel, but it wouldn't have mattered, because he didn't stop kissing me long enough for me to say anything.
His hands seemed to be everywhere, on my hips, in my hair, playing with my breasts and around my throat. But it wasn't until his fingers slipped between my legs, playing with my clit, that I really began to pay attention to where he was touching.
Our bodies seemed to fit together perfectly, like we were made for each other. We were in sync, moving and reacting to touch. Every thrust of my hips was met with his fingers pressing harder against my clit. It was sending me wild, and I felt like I was going to explode. From the way his body was tensing under my hands, I could tell he was close too.
"Red…" He breathed, raggedly.
I kissed him, moving harder and faster against him. He reciprocated, sweeping his fingers in circles around that senstitive bud. That growl rumbled up from his chest again, and my body gave in to his touch. I clung to him, shuddering and moaning as I lost all control. He came soon after, holding me so tight I was a little worried I might break.
As we came down from the high, I climbed out of his lap. We lay down, and I rested my head on his chest. I was exhausted, and I was using all of my energy to keep from crying.
"Would he come here?" Xavier asked.
"If he was desperate enough, yeah." Logan wrapped his arm around my shoulders. "I wouldn't put anything past him."
I dug my nails into my upper arm, trying to contain my anger. Everything was falling apart, and I was scared to lose what little I had left.
"He's blocking me, so I can't work out where he is. I think it would be safer for you, Annabel, if you stay within the school grounds and don't venture out alone."
"I know how to protect myself, Professor." I spoke quietly, but I knew my voice betrayed how I was feeling. "I don't need to be followed every time I leave the school."
The two men exchanged a look, and Logan stood up.
"Come on, Red. I'll explain everything." He took my hand and gently pulled me out of the room.
I followed him back to the bedroom in silence, but as soon as I shut the door, I couldn't hold it back anymore. I walked up to him, frustrated as all hell.
"What the fuck is going on, Logan?" I asked, angrily. "You know I could hold my own against your brother, so what aren't you telling me?"
He caught my arm, pushing me back against the wall. "Take a breath, Annie."
"You promised me the truth. I just want to know what's going on."
"I know, and I'm going to tell you, but I need you to take a moment and calm down a little." He touched my cheek, taking a step closer to me.
I nodded, taking a deep breath. He was right, there was no way I could handle this if I wasn't at least a little calm. Even though it would have been easier to stay angry at him, and I definitely wanted to be, I knew it wouldn't get me anywhere.
"I'm sorry." I whispered.
He shook his head. "No, I'm the one who should be sorry. I should have told you all this before I kissed you, so that you could have decided properly for yourself. But when I'm around you, I don't care about anything else, I just want you. Even if that means putting you in danger."
"I don't care about being in danger." I wrapped my arms around his neck. "I just want you here with me. But I need the truth from you."
"Sit down, I'll tell you the most important parts."
I did as I was told, watching as he paced back and forth across the room.
"Victor and I were in an elite spec ops branch of the army a long time ago. We were basically inseparable, until I saw him slaughter a village for fun during a mission. I'd never seen him do anything like that, and I couldn't just pretend I hadn't seen it. So I left." He leaned against the window sill, looking out at the rain. "He never forgave me for that, and vowed to punish me."
"Where did you go?"
"I ended up in the Canadian Rockies, where I was taken in by a Native American tribe. I… fell in love with a woman named Silver Fox."
I sat in silence, not really wanting to hear about old girlfriends, but knowing that if I stopped him, he might not tell me what I needed to know.
"I still don't know how he found us, but I came home from work one night, and found her brutally murdered. I'd never felt so angry and out of control. This was before my adamantium, so he was a lot stronger than me, especially when he was in control. I sought him out, but he beat me, breaking my claws." He sighed. "That was half a century ago, and I fought him over and over, even after the experiment, but he finally left me alone and I thought it was finished."
"Until I started using my powers outside of the school…"
He nodded. "He somehow knew about you, and I guess when you started practising more noticeably, he knew you were a way to get to me. If he manages to take you, I have no doubt that he'll prolong your death, just to hurt me more."
"Then we won't let him." I stood up, ducking under his arms so I could stand in front of him.
"Are you sure this is what you want?" He asked, his hand sliding up my back. "You can still run."
"Shh." I pressed my fingers to his lips to silence him. "You are what I want, and I'm not going to run anymore."
"I just don't know that I'm strong enough to keep you safe."
I placed my hand on his chest, feeling his heart race. Focusing, I used his blood to pull him back until he hit the wall. I kept him pinned there as I walked over.
"It's a little harder with mutants who have regenerative abilities, because your blood fights me, but I can hold you for a short while." I let him go. "I know what I'm doing, and I can fight back now. You know I'll do this with or without your support, so either help me or back off."
He pulled me close, turning so I was pressed against the wall. "I will always support you. I just wanted to make sure you understand how dangerous Victor is."
"I know this is dangerous." I wrapped my arms around his neck. "But the only other option is running for the rest of our lives, and I don't want that for either of us. Besides," I stood on my toes to kiss him lightly. "If you have to follow me everywhere, you might have to shower with me. You never know when he might strike."
"You're right. I will definitely have to join you in the shower." He lifted me up. "Right now seems like a good time."
