CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN:
Give Me a Reason
Professor Xavier sighed, rubbing his temples as the Blackbirds lift finally came up.
"Professor?" Ororo asked worriedly as she held the jet steady. "Are you alright?"
"Yes, Storm." The Professor tried to smile reassuringly. "It's only that constantly controlling two stubborn ferals can be very draining."
"I can only imagine." Steve said dryly, looking down at the young woman he thought of as his sister. "Ma petite chaton, are you hurt?"
She smiled up at him. "A little overwhelmed, but otherwise I'm fine."
"He did not harm you?" the blonde looked her over, ignoring the feral Sabretooths warning growls.
"No, he just scared me at first." She answered. "But it's kinda weird. I'd like to go home."
"Of course, cheri." Steve said soothingly, hugging her.
The Professor cleared his throat, looking for a way to defuse the situation. Sabretooth was fighting madly for control of his body, demanding to rip the blondes throat out with his teeth. "I have asked that Miss. Andrews stay at my school for a while till things are settled."
Steve shot the Professor an icy glare. "She is not a prisoner, Xavier." His very tone suggested that she damn well better NOT be or some heads were going to roll. "If she wishes to return home, she may."
"Things are more complicated than that—" the Professor started in.
"Because you are making them complicated." Steve interrupted.
"Do you know that she slept without medication?" the Professor asked, trying a different tactic.
Steves entire body language seemed to change, becoming tense. "What?" he looked down at the young woman whom he held in a paternal hug. "Is this true?"
Cassie blushed, but nodded.
"When Victor holds her, she sleeps." The Professor pushed the issue. "Without needing the use of drugs, I might point out again. I am trying to make you see that Victor may just be GOOD for Miss. Andrews."
Sabretooth gritted his teeth together. Of COURSE she slept when she was in his arms! She was SAFE there! Instinct told him that frails ALWAYS slept better and deeper when they felt/were safe. And if this b*stard thought he was going to take HIS MATE away from him, he had a few limbs that were about to go permanently missing…..like his head.
"With a few exceptions she has been calmer." The Professor continued as the Blackbird continued to hover. "More at ease. Would you take her away from that?"
Sabretooth pictured Steves head flying off of his shoulders again. He would NOT be taking her away from him, period.
"Why not let things play out a little?" the Professor cajoled.
Steve looked down at the young woman he thought of as his sister, then glared at the Professor then the frozen Sabretooth. "I know of the great `Der Schatler`. The Butcher they call you; a murderer, an assassin for hire with no conscience or regret. Why would I want to leave my petite soeur in the care of one such as you? After all those you have killed…..maimed. Tell me, what are your reasons?" the last question came out more as a demand, sharp and deadly.
Sabretooth felt the Professor in his mind. *Victor, I am going to free your vocal cords and mouth so you may speak. Please, at least ATTEMPT to think things through. For what reasons should she stay with you…..* the Professors voice in his head 'paused' for a moment, reading his thoughts before adding; *…..and 'because she is your mate' is not a good enough reason.*
Victor let out a low, dangerous growl. `Just let me speak, baldy.` and his vocal cords were released. "You wanna know why I'm good enough to be her mate, even though I already am?" the feral almost challenged. "I'm a hunter, yes, a murderer, but I never harmed a cub or a frail who didn't deserve it. NO-ONE and I MEAN no-one will hurt her, not while I'm around." Part of him couldn't believe he was defending himself to this jerk. Another part of him felt like he had something to prove and still another felt as though he was telling HER, his mate, why she should chose him.
Victor made sure the jerk was caught in his golden stare before he continued. "She'll never go hungry. No-one can match up to me in a hunt except for Jimmy and even though he needs a few more lessons learned. I can keep her safe, warm, fed. I know how to live off of the land."
"And could you hold a job?" Steve interrupted. "How do you expect to create a steady income?"
Sabretooth growled at the challenge. The right mark for a hit could give him a couple grand easy, and he had quite a bit stashed away as well, never used. He had kept the money, the gems, mainly just to prove to others that he COULD provide money for himself if he wanted. Heck, he even had a huge mansion of his own in Malibu, though It was probably long gone to dirt and dust from un-inhabitance.
"Money's not gonna be an issue." He growled.
"Blood money, no doubt." Steve dismissed, unimpressed. "What about an honest living?"
An honest living? Victor almost-ALMOST- scoffed, but managed to hold it back. Had he even ever DONE an honest living? Even when he was a child running with Jimmy, he had still broken into farmers chicken-coops to get some bird for him and his brother to eat when times were desperate.
"What about a home for her?" Steve continued. "I'm not talking about a simple, one-room cabin, but a proper home. What about her work?"
Victor eyed his frail. Maybe she would like Malibu?
Just then the white-haired woman cleared her throat. "We're here."
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