Author's note : This one took me forever to write, and I'm sorry. I had some sort of blockage, but it resolved itself by the positive thoughts that I received from Meg and Rudiye. Oh! Oh! And you too Skye! Thanks girls! They send me so many vibes, that I ended up writing 13 pages, which I'm sorry too, but couldn't really cut them. Anyway, if you read it in 2 parts, it's okay too. lol!
Thanks to you Alejux for reading and making the corrections. xxx
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Y BlacK MagiC Y
Chapter five: Strawberries, Chocolate, or Me?
Logan closed the door to Max's apartment behind him, thinking he was about to have a stroke. 'Good God! I can't breathe!' He wheeled himself out of the building and got into his car, after taking a few breaths, he started the vehicle and closed his eyes, resting his head on the car seat, feeling his heart beating at a hundred miles an hour. He just couldn't help himself from picturing Max in her underwear, not 3 feet away from him. Logan knew she was a gorgeous woman, but seeing her half naked, and * really* knowing she looked like a Goddess was driving his mind to a whole new level of insanity and self-control; and his self-control was about to break. 'Since last night, I held her in my arms; I kissed her on the neck; I received some sex invitation or something while I was sleeping, and now * this*? How can a man stay calm after that? How am I supposed to look at her without wanting to just touch her soft tan skin with my hands while I just can't get enough of her sweet full lips, the most sensuous lips I've ever seen, and not wanting to just kiss her and taste her skin and feel her touch…OH MY GOSH! STOP THIS INSANITY CALE!' Logan opened his eyes and put his hands on the wheel to drive himself home, but he realized his hands were soaking wet. 'Look at me! I'm a 32 year old man going nuts over a woman like a teenager!' He dried them of his pants and decided it was better to go home before Max saw him.
Surprisingly, he managed to get to Foggle Towers without any accidents. 'I don't even remember driving.' He told himself, while he was in the elevator. 'Bling!…Bling will be there, and he'll know from the moment he'll look at me…oh! no…'
Logan opened the door and went to the kitchen. No sight of Bling.
"Bling? Are you there?" Logan asked, praying he wasn't there. Nobody answered.
Logan saw a note on the refrigerator's door: "Made dinner. It's in the oven. Be ready at 7:00pm. I'll see you tomorrow. Bling." Logan smiled.
'I need a beer.' He said to himself, opening the door. 'A good old cold beer.' As he was looking for it, he saw the brown bag he had bought for Max and placed there yesterday just before dinner, while Max was kicking some major Christ butt. 'Oh yeah, I forgot I had that. I have to give it to her before it gets expired.' He smiled again, took the beer and went to his computer. 'If she comes over tonight.'
********
Max nervously ran to her bedroom, wishing she would get stroked down by a lightning. She closed the door and rested her head against it for a few minutes, until she heard Original Cindy saying he had left. 'That's it! I give up! I can't do it anymore!' she walked to her bed, sat on it and started laughing hysterically, releasing the tension. 'What the hell are you talking about Max?' she put on her jeans and her baby blue shirt. She suddenly stood still and began picturing Logan's body language as she had been standing in front of him 5 minutes earlier. She had been so frantic and occupied with her getting out of his sight that she hadn't given him any attention. But her photographic memory was excellent - Manticore's courtesy- and she could remember everything perfectly. 'His eyes were so intense for the singularly millisecond that our eyes had been locked into each other's. God! And his hands holding tight to the wheels of his chair, probably knowing that one gesture of him could reveal right at that moment something he didn't want to. And then his eyes were moving around the place, not being sure of where he should look anymore.' Max took a deep breath, then finally released the air out of her lungs. 'Now I have to go there, and act normally, I can do that, I'm trained to act disregarding feelings; I just have to relax…yeah right, I know what * relax* means to him! If he still wants me to relax the same way he made me last night, I'm not sure I'll behave myself this time! I'm not even sure I behaved well last night…Gosh his body felt so good against mine, and his arms holding on to me like he didn't want me to go…' Max found herself thinking of a certain Logan in his black boxer on Dr. Vertes's physiotherapy chair. 'Hmmm…he *did* look very good in those boxer…his skin looks just yummy…wonder how it would feel against mine…WHAT THE F*CK AM I …?' Her thoughts were stopped by her home girl's voice.
"You better keep those thoughts out of your head sister, because it ain't gonna help you!" She heard Original Cindy say. She turned her head and saw her girl standing near the door, her arms crossed.
"What are you talking about?" Max asked, standing up and walking in the living room, taking her leather jacket, getting ready to leave.
"Original Cindy's talking about that dreamy face you just had." She said, following Max in the kitchen.
"I can do the faces I want to do, I can wear what I want to wear, and I can go where I choose to go. No need for you to mom me."
"Aiight sweetheart, but don't tell me afterwards IT was a mistake or Original Cindy's gonna bitch slap you!"
"IT? I don't know precisely what the IT is, and no need for a definition here, because I know what you're talking about in general," Max said in a joyful tone, "and I'm not thinking about mistakes or anything of that matter. The only mistake I could do would be ignoring what I know exist. And then, you could say I'm the dumbest thing you've ever seen for having done anything."
"You ARE the dumbest thing I've ever saw." Original Cindy said to her boo, smiling, before Max closed the door behind her, returning her boo's smile.
"The night should be interesting." She thought, walking to her baby -the ninja of course.
********
Eileen looked out of the window of her office, watching the sun disappear into the horizon. 'It's so beautiful.' She looked for about two minutes and then returned to the papers she was doing. Eileen was very good with numbers and she had been in charge of the church funds since she was 21 years old. She was staring at the numbers.
"It doesn't work. The "in" and "out" don't balance. There's money missing. I don't understand. Who would take 10 thousand dollars? None of the sisters here are that selfish…well, at least I think not. No, no, they just couldn't take that money out of the poor's needs. And I'd know; I would feel it if someone wasn't true to her vocation. I must have miscalculated it." Eileen counted the numbers all over again. Same numbers. 'What's going on? Weird things are going on here; I can smell it. Something's not right.' she thought. Eileen stood up and opened the files of all of last year's in and out. 'I have to find why this money's missing.' She took a deep breath, grabbed her hair putting them in a ponytail, and sat down. "I'm not going to bed tonight until I find out why it's missing."
********
Max arrived at Logan's penthouse at 5:30pm. She went inside without knocking,
to avoid the awkward moment of having him opening the door to her. As soon as she got in, she heard him talking, so she followed his voice. He was sitting behind his computer -what a surprise!- and was talking to someone. 'He's so handsome.' Max thought.
"Thanks Sebastian, yes, we'll get into it as soon as we can." He paused, obviously listening to what Sebastian was telling him. "I know, but I don't know if she'll come tonight…No, something came up at the last minute…" He scratched his hair, smiling nervously to himself, remembering Max running towards her bedroom when she saw he was there. "Okay then, bye." And he hung up.
"Hey." said Max, staring at him from the doorway, feeling a bit uncomfortable. Logan quickly turned his head to face her, after hearing the sound of her voice, and smiled.
"Hey yourself." He could see she was nervous even though she was looking at him straight in the eyes. "Hmmm…" he said looking at her mischievously like he was searching for something, "Did you change your hair or something? You look different."
"I've put some clothes on." She answered back, smiling at him and feeling the tension ease down a little.
"Ah…yes, I forgot." He said, smiling back. "That must be it then."
"Didn't know I was THAT forgettable." She said more to herself than to him, as she followed him to the kitchen.
Logan opened the oven's door and after a few seconds of reflection, decided to drop the level of heat. He then closed it, and turned his chair around in a way that he could see Max face to face. He saw that she was smiling, so she has been kidding about that " I'm forgettable" phrase, but Logan could see in her eyes that she was wondering if she really is.
"I have a good memory." He said to Max, half kidding, half-serious.
They stared at each other for quite a time, not knowing what to say or do next. It was like the two of them were waiting for the other to do something, but they were both frozen, even if the blood coursing in their veins was extremely hot. Max decided to break the tension before having an aneurysm.
"So, you were talking to Sebastian? Does he have any news?" 'God, I won't be able to go through the night.'
"As a matter of fact, yes. And I think we should go to the Church now, and then eat later. Are you hungry?" 'Because we wont be going to the Church later on if we eat right now. Not with the way her eyes are staring at me.'
"I can wait." Max replied, shrugging her shoulder. 'I've been waiting for over 6 months…what's 2 more hours?'
"Let's go then." Logan said, rolling himself to the front door. He opened the door, showing her the way out. "After you." He said, giving her his most charming smile.
"Thank you." She smiled at him, wondering why he was so gentleman-like all of a sudden. "To what do I owe this good manner?" She asked Logan, while he closed the door of his apartment.
"I need a favor." He looked guilty. 'She's going to kill me.'
"I knew it! What kind of *a favor*?" Max asked, not sure she really wanted to know.
"I received some information about this Lacroix guy, and well, I'd need you to impersonate a wannabe Sister of the Jesus Church." Logan got that out in one breath, just hoping she wasn't going to snap his neck. But Max just stared at him with wide eyes.
"Are you freakin' serious? Me, a SISTER? A genetically enhanced killing machine wishing to give her non-existent soul to God while she knows that Belzebuth must be the private guardian of her soul? They will never believe that!" She looked at him and wondered if he had lost his intelligence in her living room earlier -like most average guys do when they see a woman in her drawers. "You ARE serious…"
"The hell I am! What better way is there for us to find what we want? You'd have a foot inside and then be able to search for information. It will work Max." He opened the door of his Aztec and got inside. "And stop saying you're some sort of zombie -you're not a body with no soul."
"Fine." She said.
"So, you'll do it?" There was almost hope in his voice, which made her smile.
"How can I not? And I don't want to have another murder or disaster on my conscience." Max replied, thinking about Sunrisa.
"You see? Conscience. Zombies don't have that." Logan smirked.
"Shut up and drive Logan!" She answered, laughing.
"Yes m'mam!" Logan started the car and drove in the direction of the church.
*********
They arrived at the church at 6:00pm.
"You better keep that leather jacket in the car." Logan advised Max.
"Right." She said, getting it off of her. "A sister in leather isn't what we're used to see." She sighed. "I hope I can pull it off."
"Of course you can." He got out of the car. "Just do a lost puppy face and they will have pity on you."
"And who will YOU be?" She said, frowning.
"Your brother." Logan smiled.
"Great. Like I needed another control-freak one." Max said, thinking of Zack.
They got inside the Jesus Church and walked down the main aisle. Logan saw a Sister praying in the front seat and pointed her to Max. She made an OK sign with her head, lifted her index as if to say "Wait a sec, I have to do something first", and then she walked towards the candles. There were almost 500 of them. She put a quarter in the box and started lighting one candle, and then two. 'This one is for Eva, and this one is for my mother, wherever she is, on this earth or not.' She crossed herself and walked directly to the sister, who looked at Max as she approached her. 'Can't be bad for the Sister there to actually see me praying…it's been ages though, don't even know if I crossed right.'
"Yes Child, can I help you with something?" Sister Madeleine asked, in a very peaceful and trustful voice.
"Actually yes Sister." Max said in a soft, innocent voice. "I would like to become one of your own, and I wonder if you'd have a place for me in your church."
Sister Madeleine looked at her with kind eyes, and stood up.
"Sure, what is your name?"
"I'm Julia Grey, and this is my brother Colin." Max said as she saw Logan coming near them.
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Sister Madeleine. Follow me upstairs and I'll show you to the office." She turned around realizing that the brother was in a wheelchair, and she said to Logan. "I'm sorry Mr. Grey, we'll take the elevator." They got in and when Sister Madeleine opened the door to the office she saw that Eileen was still there. "Good grace child! You're still here?"
Eileen stared at her friend, tired of trying to find out where the lost money had gone.
"Yes, there's something I'm working on that's taking me more time than I thought." She said. 'No need to tell her I'm probably going to sleep in here.' She lifted her head from the papers and saw a black haired girl that was staring at her like she had seen her before.
"Eileen, this is Julia Grey and her brother Colin. She wants to join our community." Sister Madeleine told her.
"Hi!" Eileen said, taking the hand Max was giving her. 'She looks familiar to me…why?'
"Pleased to meet you Eileen." Max said. 'It's the woman who was in there when I kicked Jesus' ass!'
"Do you know each other?" Sister Madeleine asked, after seeing the two girls stare at each other awkwardly.
"No." They both said at the same time.
'What's going on?' Logan thought.
"I'd like for Julia to answer the admission forms before it goes in front of the committee."
For some reason Eileen wanted to talk to the girl without Sister Madeleine being there.
"Oh yeah. Of course. Let me do that, it's okay, I'm not going anywhere for the next 2 hours anyway, I'll give it to her, no problem. Thank you Sister Madeleine." She stared at Eileen, and nodded before closing the door behind her. Eileen continued staring at Max, she was trying to feel something out of her, but she couldn't sense anything.
'That woman's a weirdo.' Max thought. 'But there's something about her…'
"Is everything alright?" Logan asked, Max turned around to look at him, and that's when Eileen got the vibes from both of them.
She felt a very strong feeling coming from Max, and she responded to that by a chest pain. Eileen tried to take a deep breath but it was blocked. Too many vibes were going through her right now. 'Good God!' She could feel the pain of the childhood of the woman in front of her, and the struggle of the guy she knew as Colin for everything in his life. Eileen took a deep breath, even it felt like she was inspiring razor blades, and took a sip of water, staring at them, almost on the verge of crying.
"Are you okay?" Max asked softly, seeing that no, she wasn't okay.
"Who are you?" Eileen asked frankly. "Who are you really?"
"I don't understand…" Max started to say to her, but she got cut.
"I think you do." She said to Max, knowing the girl knew something about her, but couldn't quite define what it was. "For some reason you know me, but I don't remember seeing you." Max turned towards Logan and he stared at her, as shocked as she was. "And this guy isn't your brother." Eileen added. 'If he was, you two would have some twisted relationship.' She told herself.
"How do you know?" Max said uncomfortably, feeling she could somehow trust her, but hoping that the girl wouldn't reveal too much either. Eileen understood how they felt, and knew she wasn't about to tell them what they should do. 'It's none of my business anyway.'
"Lets just say I have some sort of a sixth sense." Eileen told them, who didn't seem surprised by her *out of the common* sort of power.
"I thought you were about to choke for a minute." Logan said to Eileen, who had now regained her self-control.
"Well, you two are like bombs ready to explode, but lets not talk about that, shall we?" She showed Max a seat and Logan reluctantly rolled besides Max, not ready to trust her yet. "Something tells me you'll elucidate my problem."
"What problem?" Logan asked.
"First, I'm Eileen Hattaway, and you are…?"
"Lets just let it at Julia and Colin for the moment." Max said back.
"Fine. Now, tell me *Julia* why do I have the feeling I know you?" Eileen asked Max, knowing that if the girl lied, she would know right at the second she opened her mouth.
"I was here yesterday, and saw you in here, but you didn't see me." Max started to say, knowing perfectly Logan wanted her to be careful with what she was going to say, but Max knew in her guts that she could trust Eileen.
"Yesterday…when?" Eileen seemed in her thoughts for a moment.
"Just before the Jesus' statue fell down." Max answered her.
"I don't remember it falling down, which is rather strange because those walls are very echoing and I was in here."
"You were HERE exactly, in this office."
"Huh? I don't understand…"
"Do you know a man who goes by the name of Lacroix?" Logan asked her, realizing that she was the girl Max had seen in a trance, and so, probably his next victim.
"Sure." She said to him surprised. "He's the new priest of this church. Why does it have anything to do with him?"
"I thought you had a sixth sense? Couldn't you read his thoughts or something?" Logan said, not ready to trust this girl yet.
"Max's thoughts and feelings were surrounded by the Great Wall Of China before you spoke to her. That's only then that a door opened for me. Father Lacroix is a very private person, and I never was able to feel him. It happens from time to time." Eileen stared at the *couple* in front of her. 'And I thought my life was complicated…'
"What I saw is Father Lacroix talking to you in what sounded like Hebrew, doing some kind of incantation. You were completely out of it. I put my face an inch away from yours and you didn't even blink."
"That explains why I don't remember some events of the day…But he's a sweet man, why would he do that? Why me? What is he doing to me? And I don't even speak Hebrew!"
Logan explained to Eileen the murders that occurred 10 years ago, and then the one that took place in a Catholic church 5 years ago. That they were all related to this man for some reason, and that she probably was in danger."
"But I'm poor! I don't own a dollar!" Eileen almost shouted at them in disbelief.
"From what I can see on the desk, you're in charge of the Church's money." Logan added, more like a statement than a question.
Eileen looked at the numbers on the papers and closed her eyes.
"Yes." She sat down. "That's it! There's 10 thousand dollar missing from the bank account for the funds we got last year to repair the shelter, and that's it! I can't believe that son of a bitch made me sign the releases…" She stopped talking, joined her hands in a prayer, said a quick 'Sorry father I didn't mean to say those words.' and got back to them. "I've been searching for 6 hours now where did I put that money, and now I know: I gave it to him!" She was furious, and was surprised how much she talked tonight. "I trusted that…that lame excuse as a human being!"
"Can you help us put him behind bars?" Logan asked Eileen.
"You bet! I've never hurt anyone in my life, and now he wants to kill me?" She stopped walking and looked at Max. "You had government training. Are you in the police department?"
"No." Max simply replied to her question. 'Damn!'
"We're helping a friend who is. Let's just leave it at that." Logan didn't really want this woman knowing about Manticore.
"Okay, I'll find out anyway, one way or the other." She snapped at him. 'This man doesn't like me. Nor trust me. Well, can't really blame him, he must have plenty of enemies.'
"For the moment," Max told Eileen, "he's out of the city, even on the other side of the ocean, so he's not going to do anything until he comes back. Do you know where he lives, here, in this city?"
"No, I think he's got a hotel room." She took a deep breath, feeling a huge headache coming. "Can we discuss this tomorrow, please? I just can't deal with all of this right now. I need to sleep, and then I swear I'll be of any help if I can." She saw them look concerned. "I'll keep my mouth shut, I promise."
"It's okay." Max said to Logan. "I think we can trust her word."
"You THINK? Thinking isn't enough here."
"Hey people!" Eileen said to get their attention. "It wouldn't help me if I talked, I want to stay alive, remember?" Logan and Max stared at each other and agreed.
"Fine." They both said to Eileen Hattaway, who just sat there, while they were leaving, not believing in what she had put her feet in.
"A mess Eileen, A big huge mess!"
*********
Max and Logan arrived at his place around 8:00pm. The dinner was more than ready, but Logan had almost closed the heat when they left, so it would still be good.
"I don't like it Max." Logan said to her, opening the oven's door while she was putting the plates on the table. "She seems to know about you, I don't like it."
"I know, but I don't think she knows where I come from. I'm safe, and I think she sensed that she shouldn't mess with me or I'll kick her a$$." She said smiling at him. He looked at her and grinned.
"Don't take this that lightly." Logan said to Max, out of concern.
"I'm not taking it *à la légère* Logan, it's just that I can feel she's trustworthy. And it's more us wanting to help her, than her helping us. So it's in her advantage to shut up and let us do our work."
"Yeah, maybe you're right. I just don't want you to…"
"I know, but it will be fine." Max cut him. "Hmmm, that smells delicious!"
"Roast beef à la Bling!" Logan said, laughing.
"Oh, à la Bling? Really…should we be scared?" Max asked, laughing.
"No, he followed my recipe, so it will be great, as usual."
"What an ego!"
"You're the one telling me I'm a God in the kitchen!" He said, defending his male ego.
"I know. But maybe you'll say I am too after tomorrow, when you'll have tasted my fine cuisine." Max told Logan, as if she was a great Chef.
"Hmmm…should I be scared?" He risked asking.
"Hey! You don't ask those things, it's not ethical!" She replied, trying to look offended by his remark. "And NO, I'm sure it will be very good!" Max bit her lip. 'I hope so…'
After dinner, while they were sipping the wine in the living room, he went to the kitchen, and got back with the brown bag.
"What is that?" Max was suddenly curious. "It's not ticking I hope!" She smiled.
"Nope! It's not a bomb, not for today." He sat on the couch besides Max. "Remember last week when you told me the 2 things you had never tasted?"
"Sure. Strawberries and chocolate. Well, I tasted strawberries jam, but never the real fruit."
"So never the real chocolate either."
"Wow, you must be Intelligence incarnated." Max teased him.
"I got my hands on those two items." Logan said, proud of himself.
"Really? Even the Belgium chocolate?" 'Wow, I'm impressed…again.'
"Even the Belgium chocolate." Logan replied.
"Are you going to repeat everything I say? Because it's very annoying!" Max told him, with a half smile.
"Close your eyes." He ordered.
"Why?" Max asked, surprised. "I already know what it is."
"Would you just close your eyes Max and stop fighting me! It will taste better, with your mind concentrating only on the flavor, which you won't taste often at the price they sell those things."
"Hope I didn't ruin you." She teased him.
"Don't worry, I think I've got enough money for a second strawberry bag in the future." Max closed her eyes, still smiling. "Okay," he said like a schoolboy, "open your mouth, because this truffle is almost melting itself in my hands." Max obeyed, even if this was a bit uncomfortable to her, and took the truffle in her mouth, and then started chewing it.
Logan stared at her face, seeing the delight, which was delighting him that she was delighted.
"Hmmm!" Max said, taking her time to taste the chocolate. "I've never tasted something so good in my life! Oh Logan! That is so good!" Max couldn't believe the wonderful taste of that little chocolate ball. "Oh my god!"
'Okay now stop saying my name like that!' He thought to himself.
"Hmmm, that was exquisitely good!" Max said, still looking for some piece of it in her mouth. "Is there another one?" She asked smiling like a little girl, her eyes still closed.
"No. But there's something else!" Logan answered, enjoying seeing Max's face while she discovered new food. He still remembered his first strawberry, and how he had eaten it like it was something he would never eat again. He stared at Max, not being afraid she would see his face because her eyes were closed, so he could just stare at her without ending. 'She's so beautiful.' He told himself.
"Logan? I want more!" She said, biting her lips. 'Hmm, that is so good! That so tasted like Heaven!' He laughed.
"It's good isn't it? Okay", he took the fresh bloody-red strawberry in his hand, took the leaf out and told her to open her mouth again, putting the fruit in her mouth. "Outch! That was my finger!" He said laughing.
"Sorry!" She giggled. "Is it still there?"
"Yeah, I still have five, well…four and a half."
"Oh my God! That just tastes like…like…"
"Strawberries?"
"Very funny." She chewed the rest of the fruit, savoring the last moments. "Oh Logan, that was divine! Is there another one?" Max asked playfully.
"Well, there are other strawberries in the bag, yes." He looked inside and took another one.
"No, no, no…I meant 'Is there something else to taste'?" She clarified for him.
"Huh…" Logan answered. 'I should have looked for other food!' He thought. "No, there isn't."
"Never two without three! I'm sure you'll think of something." Max said to Logan, trying to stay calm, but hoping he'd get the message.
Logan stopped staring at the strawberry and fixed Max, for a long time, not sure he understood what she was saying. 'Is she thinking what I'm thinking she's thinking? Am I making any sense here? Oh my God…'
"Looogaaan…? Is anybody home?" Max asked after a few minutes of silence.
"I'm thinking." Logan said, very seriously.
"Don't think all night, or I may fall asleep! Just pick the first thing that came into your mind, that I haven't tasted yet, *really* tasted." Max repeated. 'Please! Please Logan, kiss me! Kiss me! Maybe I'll have to do it myse…' She didn't have the time to finish her thoughts when she felt his lips on hers. She responded to the kiss immediately, letting the soft touch of his lips give her a warm feeling. Max felt his hand taking a strand of her hair and ended behind her head as she caressed his neck with her hands on each side of his face. Both of them opened their lips to each other, exploring each other's mouth, sending electric currents each time their tongue intertwined themselves. It was what Max had always thought. 'He IS a very good kisser!' Just when she thought he was playing it safe -not like those teenagers who just plunge their tongues on the back of your throat to get more sensations faster- she felt him pressing his lips harder on hers, passionately, sending her waves of desire like she never thought she could have, and taking her breath away. Her heart was beating very fast, and the next thing she knew, she was sitting on his lap. Logan broke the kiss a little bit after that, looking at her with great desire.
"Max…I have to breathe…" He whispered to her out of breath, staring at those beautiful brown eyes he loved so much, mostly when they were looking at him with so much passion. "So…which one's the winner?" He asked her, smiling devilishly.
"I'm not sure." Max said back mischievously, her arms around his neck, staring at his gorgeous blue eyes. "I think I didn't taste the third one long enough to make a final decision…"
"I totally agree…" Logan replied just before Max pushed her lips further on his, sending him flying to the moon.
*****************
To be continued…
Reviews please! Speak to me! Talk to your sweet Anna!
Tell me if it's bad, tell me if it's good…but don't stay silent. :-)
Anna
Thanks to you Alejux for reading and making the corrections. xxx
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Y BlacK MagiC Y
Chapter five: Strawberries, Chocolate, or Me?
Logan closed the door to Max's apartment behind him, thinking he was about to have a stroke. 'Good God! I can't breathe!' He wheeled himself out of the building and got into his car, after taking a few breaths, he started the vehicle and closed his eyes, resting his head on the car seat, feeling his heart beating at a hundred miles an hour. He just couldn't help himself from picturing Max in her underwear, not 3 feet away from him. Logan knew she was a gorgeous woman, but seeing her half naked, and * really* knowing she looked like a Goddess was driving his mind to a whole new level of insanity and self-control; and his self-control was about to break. 'Since last night, I held her in my arms; I kissed her on the neck; I received some sex invitation or something while I was sleeping, and now * this*? How can a man stay calm after that? How am I supposed to look at her without wanting to just touch her soft tan skin with my hands while I just can't get enough of her sweet full lips, the most sensuous lips I've ever seen, and not wanting to just kiss her and taste her skin and feel her touch…OH MY GOSH! STOP THIS INSANITY CALE!' Logan opened his eyes and put his hands on the wheel to drive himself home, but he realized his hands were soaking wet. 'Look at me! I'm a 32 year old man going nuts over a woman like a teenager!' He dried them of his pants and decided it was better to go home before Max saw him.
Surprisingly, he managed to get to Foggle Towers without any accidents. 'I don't even remember driving.' He told himself, while he was in the elevator. 'Bling!…Bling will be there, and he'll know from the moment he'll look at me…oh! no…'
Logan opened the door and went to the kitchen. No sight of Bling.
"Bling? Are you there?" Logan asked, praying he wasn't there. Nobody answered.
Logan saw a note on the refrigerator's door: "Made dinner. It's in the oven. Be ready at 7:00pm. I'll see you tomorrow. Bling." Logan smiled.
'I need a beer.' He said to himself, opening the door. 'A good old cold beer.' As he was looking for it, he saw the brown bag he had bought for Max and placed there yesterday just before dinner, while Max was kicking some major Christ butt. 'Oh yeah, I forgot I had that. I have to give it to her before it gets expired.' He smiled again, took the beer and went to his computer. 'If she comes over tonight.'
********
Max nervously ran to her bedroom, wishing she would get stroked down by a lightning. She closed the door and rested her head against it for a few minutes, until she heard Original Cindy saying he had left. 'That's it! I give up! I can't do it anymore!' she walked to her bed, sat on it and started laughing hysterically, releasing the tension. 'What the hell are you talking about Max?' she put on her jeans and her baby blue shirt. She suddenly stood still and began picturing Logan's body language as she had been standing in front of him 5 minutes earlier. She had been so frantic and occupied with her getting out of his sight that she hadn't given him any attention. But her photographic memory was excellent - Manticore's courtesy- and she could remember everything perfectly. 'His eyes were so intense for the singularly millisecond that our eyes had been locked into each other's. God! And his hands holding tight to the wheels of his chair, probably knowing that one gesture of him could reveal right at that moment something he didn't want to. And then his eyes were moving around the place, not being sure of where he should look anymore.' Max took a deep breath, then finally released the air out of her lungs. 'Now I have to go there, and act normally, I can do that, I'm trained to act disregarding feelings; I just have to relax…yeah right, I know what * relax* means to him! If he still wants me to relax the same way he made me last night, I'm not sure I'll behave myself this time! I'm not even sure I behaved well last night…Gosh his body felt so good against mine, and his arms holding on to me like he didn't want me to go…' Max found herself thinking of a certain Logan in his black boxer on Dr. Vertes's physiotherapy chair. 'Hmmm…he *did* look very good in those boxer…his skin looks just yummy…wonder how it would feel against mine…WHAT THE F*CK AM I …?' Her thoughts were stopped by her home girl's voice.
"You better keep those thoughts out of your head sister, because it ain't gonna help you!" She heard Original Cindy say. She turned her head and saw her girl standing near the door, her arms crossed.
"What are you talking about?" Max asked, standing up and walking in the living room, taking her leather jacket, getting ready to leave.
"Original Cindy's talking about that dreamy face you just had." She said, following Max in the kitchen.
"I can do the faces I want to do, I can wear what I want to wear, and I can go where I choose to go. No need for you to mom me."
"Aiight sweetheart, but don't tell me afterwards IT was a mistake or Original Cindy's gonna bitch slap you!"
"IT? I don't know precisely what the IT is, and no need for a definition here, because I know what you're talking about in general," Max said in a joyful tone, "and I'm not thinking about mistakes or anything of that matter. The only mistake I could do would be ignoring what I know exist. And then, you could say I'm the dumbest thing you've ever seen for having done anything."
"You ARE the dumbest thing I've ever saw." Original Cindy said to her boo, smiling, before Max closed the door behind her, returning her boo's smile.
"The night should be interesting." She thought, walking to her baby -the ninja of course.
********
Eileen looked out of the window of her office, watching the sun disappear into the horizon. 'It's so beautiful.' She looked for about two minutes and then returned to the papers she was doing. Eileen was very good with numbers and she had been in charge of the church funds since she was 21 years old. She was staring at the numbers.
"It doesn't work. The "in" and "out" don't balance. There's money missing. I don't understand. Who would take 10 thousand dollars? None of the sisters here are that selfish…well, at least I think not. No, no, they just couldn't take that money out of the poor's needs. And I'd know; I would feel it if someone wasn't true to her vocation. I must have miscalculated it." Eileen counted the numbers all over again. Same numbers. 'What's going on? Weird things are going on here; I can smell it. Something's not right.' she thought. Eileen stood up and opened the files of all of last year's in and out. 'I have to find why this money's missing.' She took a deep breath, grabbed her hair putting them in a ponytail, and sat down. "I'm not going to bed tonight until I find out why it's missing."
********
Max arrived at Logan's penthouse at 5:30pm. She went inside without knocking,
to avoid the awkward moment of having him opening the door to her. As soon as she got in, she heard him talking, so she followed his voice. He was sitting behind his computer -what a surprise!- and was talking to someone. 'He's so handsome.' Max thought.
"Thanks Sebastian, yes, we'll get into it as soon as we can." He paused, obviously listening to what Sebastian was telling him. "I know, but I don't know if she'll come tonight…No, something came up at the last minute…" He scratched his hair, smiling nervously to himself, remembering Max running towards her bedroom when she saw he was there. "Okay then, bye." And he hung up.
"Hey." said Max, staring at him from the doorway, feeling a bit uncomfortable. Logan quickly turned his head to face her, after hearing the sound of her voice, and smiled.
"Hey yourself." He could see she was nervous even though she was looking at him straight in the eyes. "Hmmm…" he said looking at her mischievously like he was searching for something, "Did you change your hair or something? You look different."
"I've put some clothes on." She answered back, smiling at him and feeling the tension ease down a little.
"Ah…yes, I forgot." He said, smiling back. "That must be it then."
"Didn't know I was THAT forgettable." She said more to herself than to him, as she followed him to the kitchen.
Logan opened the oven's door and after a few seconds of reflection, decided to drop the level of heat. He then closed it, and turned his chair around in a way that he could see Max face to face. He saw that she was smiling, so she has been kidding about that " I'm forgettable" phrase, but Logan could see in her eyes that she was wondering if she really is.
"I have a good memory." He said to Max, half kidding, half-serious.
They stared at each other for quite a time, not knowing what to say or do next. It was like the two of them were waiting for the other to do something, but they were both frozen, even if the blood coursing in their veins was extremely hot. Max decided to break the tension before having an aneurysm.
"So, you were talking to Sebastian? Does he have any news?" 'God, I won't be able to go through the night.'
"As a matter of fact, yes. And I think we should go to the Church now, and then eat later. Are you hungry?" 'Because we wont be going to the Church later on if we eat right now. Not with the way her eyes are staring at me.'
"I can wait." Max replied, shrugging her shoulder. 'I've been waiting for over 6 months…what's 2 more hours?'
"Let's go then." Logan said, rolling himself to the front door. He opened the door, showing her the way out. "After you." He said, giving her his most charming smile.
"Thank you." She smiled at him, wondering why he was so gentleman-like all of a sudden. "To what do I owe this good manner?" She asked Logan, while he closed the door of his apartment.
"I need a favor." He looked guilty. 'She's going to kill me.'
"I knew it! What kind of *a favor*?" Max asked, not sure she really wanted to know.
"I received some information about this Lacroix guy, and well, I'd need you to impersonate a wannabe Sister of the Jesus Church." Logan got that out in one breath, just hoping she wasn't going to snap his neck. But Max just stared at him with wide eyes.
"Are you freakin' serious? Me, a SISTER? A genetically enhanced killing machine wishing to give her non-existent soul to God while she knows that Belzebuth must be the private guardian of her soul? They will never believe that!" She looked at him and wondered if he had lost his intelligence in her living room earlier -like most average guys do when they see a woman in her drawers. "You ARE serious…"
"The hell I am! What better way is there for us to find what we want? You'd have a foot inside and then be able to search for information. It will work Max." He opened the door of his Aztec and got inside. "And stop saying you're some sort of zombie -you're not a body with no soul."
"Fine." She said.
"So, you'll do it?" There was almost hope in his voice, which made her smile.
"How can I not? And I don't want to have another murder or disaster on my conscience." Max replied, thinking about Sunrisa.
"You see? Conscience. Zombies don't have that." Logan smirked.
"Shut up and drive Logan!" She answered, laughing.
"Yes m'mam!" Logan started the car and drove in the direction of the church.
*********
They arrived at the church at 6:00pm.
"You better keep that leather jacket in the car." Logan advised Max.
"Right." She said, getting it off of her. "A sister in leather isn't what we're used to see." She sighed. "I hope I can pull it off."
"Of course you can." He got out of the car. "Just do a lost puppy face and they will have pity on you."
"And who will YOU be?" She said, frowning.
"Your brother." Logan smiled.
"Great. Like I needed another control-freak one." Max said, thinking of Zack.
They got inside the Jesus Church and walked down the main aisle. Logan saw a Sister praying in the front seat and pointed her to Max. She made an OK sign with her head, lifted her index as if to say "Wait a sec, I have to do something first", and then she walked towards the candles. There were almost 500 of them. She put a quarter in the box and started lighting one candle, and then two. 'This one is for Eva, and this one is for my mother, wherever she is, on this earth or not.' She crossed herself and walked directly to the sister, who looked at Max as she approached her. 'Can't be bad for the Sister there to actually see me praying…it's been ages though, don't even know if I crossed right.'
"Yes Child, can I help you with something?" Sister Madeleine asked, in a very peaceful and trustful voice.
"Actually yes Sister." Max said in a soft, innocent voice. "I would like to become one of your own, and I wonder if you'd have a place for me in your church."
Sister Madeleine looked at her with kind eyes, and stood up.
"Sure, what is your name?"
"I'm Julia Grey, and this is my brother Colin." Max said as she saw Logan coming near them.
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Sister Madeleine. Follow me upstairs and I'll show you to the office." She turned around realizing that the brother was in a wheelchair, and she said to Logan. "I'm sorry Mr. Grey, we'll take the elevator." They got in and when Sister Madeleine opened the door to the office she saw that Eileen was still there. "Good grace child! You're still here?"
Eileen stared at her friend, tired of trying to find out where the lost money had gone.
"Yes, there's something I'm working on that's taking me more time than I thought." She said. 'No need to tell her I'm probably going to sleep in here.' She lifted her head from the papers and saw a black haired girl that was staring at her like she had seen her before.
"Eileen, this is Julia Grey and her brother Colin. She wants to join our community." Sister Madeleine told her.
"Hi!" Eileen said, taking the hand Max was giving her. 'She looks familiar to me…why?'
"Pleased to meet you Eileen." Max said. 'It's the woman who was in there when I kicked Jesus' ass!'
"Do you know each other?" Sister Madeleine asked, after seeing the two girls stare at each other awkwardly.
"No." They both said at the same time.
'What's going on?' Logan thought.
"I'd like for Julia to answer the admission forms before it goes in front of the committee."
For some reason Eileen wanted to talk to the girl without Sister Madeleine being there.
"Oh yeah. Of course. Let me do that, it's okay, I'm not going anywhere for the next 2 hours anyway, I'll give it to her, no problem. Thank you Sister Madeleine." She stared at Eileen, and nodded before closing the door behind her. Eileen continued staring at Max, she was trying to feel something out of her, but she couldn't sense anything.
'That woman's a weirdo.' Max thought. 'But there's something about her…'
"Is everything alright?" Logan asked, Max turned around to look at him, and that's when Eileen got the vibes from both of them.
She felt a very strong feeling coming from Max, and she responded to that by a chest pain. Eileen tried to take a deep breath but it was blocked. Too many vibes were going through her right now. 'Good God!' She could feel the pain of the childhood of the woman in front of her, and the struggle of the guy she knew as Colin for everything in his life. Eileen took a deep breath, even it felt like she was inspiring razor blades, and took a sip of water, staring at them, almost on the verge of crying.
"Are you okay?" Max asked softly, seeing that no, she wasn't okay.
"Who are you?" Eileen asked frankly. "Who are you really?"
"I don't understand…" Max started to say to her, but she got cut.
"I think you do." She said to Max, knowing the girl knew something about her, but couldn't quite define what it was. "For some reason you know me, but I don't remember seeing you." Max turned towards Logan and he stared at her, as shocked as she was. "And this guy isn't your brother." Eileen added. 'If he was, you two would have some twisted relationship.' She told herself.
"How do you know?" Max said uncomfortably, feeling she could somehow trust her, but hoping that the girl wouldn't reveal too much either. Eileen understood how they felt, and knew she wasn't about to tell them what they should do. 'It's none of my business anyway.'
"Lets just say I have some sort of a sixth sense." Eileen told them, who didn't seem surprised by her *out of the common* sort of power.
"I thought you were about to choke for a minute." Logan said to Eileen, who had now regained her self-control.
"Well, you two are like bombs ready to explode, but lets not talk about that, shall we?" She showed Max a seat and Logan reluctantly rolled besides Max, not ready to trust her yet. "Something tells me you'll elucidate my problem."
"What problem?" Logan asked.
"First, I'm Eileen Hattaway, and you are…?"
"Lets just let it at Julia and Colin for the moment." Max said back.
"Fine. Now, tell me *Julia* why do I have the feeling I know you?" Eileen asked Max, knowing that if the girl lied, she would know right at the second she opened her mouth.
"I was here yesterday, and saw you in here, but you didn't see me." Max started to say, knowing perfectly Logan wanted her to be careful with what she was going to say, but Max knew in her guts that she could trust Eileen.
"Yesterday…when?" Eileen seemed in her thoughts for a moment.
"Just before the Jesus' statue fell down." Max answered her.
"I don't remember it falling down, which is rather strange because those walls are very echoing and I was in here."
"You were HERE exactly, in this office."
"Huh? I don't understand…"
"Do you know a man who goes by the name of Lacroix?" Logan asked her, realizing that she was the girl Max had seen in a trance, and so, probably his next victim.
"Sure." She said to him surprised. "He's the new priest of this church. Why does it have anything to do with him?"
"I thought you had a sixth sense? Couldn't you read his thoughts or something?" Logan said, not ready to trust this girl yet.
"Max's thoughts and feelings were surrounded by the Great Wall Of China before you spoke to her. That's only then that a door opened for me. Father Lacroix is a very private person, and I never was able to feel him. It happens from time to time." Eileen stared at the *couple* in front of her. 'And I thought my life was complicated…'
"What I saw is Father Lacroix talking to you in what sounded like Hebrew, doing some kind of incantation. You were completely out of it. I put my face an inch away from yours and you didn't even blink."
"That explains why I don't remember some events of the day…But he's a sweet man, why would he do that? Why me? What is he doing to me? And I don't even speak Hebrew!"
Logan explained to Eileen the murders that occurred 10 years ago, and then the one that took place in a Catholic church 5 years ago. That they were all related to this man for some reason, and that she probably was in danger."
"But I'm poor! I don't own a dollar!" Eileen almost shouted at them in disbelief.
"From what I can see on the desk, you're in charge of the Church's money." Logan added, more like a statement than a question.
Eileen looked at the numbers on the papers and closed her eyes.
"Yes." She sat down. "That's it! There's 10 thousand dollar missing from the bank account for the funds we got last year to repair the shelter, and that's it! I can't believe that son of a bitch made me sign the releases…" She stopped talking, joined her hands in a prayer, said a quick 'Sorry father I didn't mean to say those words.' and got back to them. "I've been searching for 6 hours now where did I put that money, and now I know: I gave it to him!" She was furious, and was surprised how much she talked tonight. "I trusted that…that lame excuse as a human being!"
"Can you help us put him behind bars?" Logan asked Eileen.
"You bet! I've never hurt anyone in my life, and now he wants to kill me?" She stopped walking and looked at Max. "You had government training. Are you in the police department?"
"No." Max simply replied to her question. 'Damn!'
"We're helping a friend who is. Let's just leave it at that." Logan didn't really want this woman knowing about Manticore.
"Okay, I'll find out anyway, one way or the other." She snapped at him. 'This man doesn't like me. Nor trust me. Well, can't really blame him, he must have plenty of enemies.'
"For the moment," Max told Eileen, "he's out of the city, even on the other side of the ocean, so he's not going to do anything until he comes back. Do you know where he lives, here, in this city?"
"No, I think he's got a hotel room." She took a deep breath, feeling a huge headache coming. "Can we discuss this tomorrow, please? I just can't deal with all of this right now. I need to sleep, and then I swear I'll be of any help if I can." She saw them look concerned. "I'll keep my mouth shut, I promise."
"It's okay." Max said to Logan. "I think we can trust her word."
"You THINK? Thinking isn't enough here."
"Hey people!" Eileen said to get their attention. "It wouldn't help me if I talked, I want to stay alive, remember?" Logan and Max stared at each other and agreed.
"Fine." They both said to Eileen Hattaway, who just sat there, while they were leaving, not believing in what she had put her feet in.
"A mess Eileen, A big huge mess!"
*********
Max and Logan arrived at his place around 8:00pm. The dinner was more than ready, but Logan had almost closed the heat when they left, so it would still be good.
"I don't like it Max." Logan said to her, opening the oven's door while she was putting the plates on the table. "She seems to know about you, I don't like it."
"I know, but I don't think she knows where I come from. I'm safe, and I think she sensed that she shouldn't mess with me or I'll kick her a$$." She said smiling at him. He looked at her and grinned.
"Don't take this that lightly." Logan said to Max, out of concern.
"I'm not taking it *à la légère* Logan, it's just that I can feel she's trustworthy. And it's more us wanting to help her, than her helping us. So it's in her advantage to shut up and let us do our work."
"Yeah, maybe you're right. I just don't want you to…"
"I know, but it will be fine." Max cut him. "Hmmm, that smells delicious!"
"Roast beef à la Bling!" Logan said, laughing.
"Oh, à la Bling? Really…should we be scared?" Max asked, laughing.
"No, he followed my recipe, so it will be great, as usual."
"What an ego!"
"You're the one telling me I'm a God in the kitchen!" He said, defending his male ego.
"I know. But maybe you'll say I am too after tomorrow, when you'll have tasted my fine cuisine." Max told Logan, as if she was a great Chef.
"Hmmm…should I be scared?" He risked asking.
"Hey! You don't ask those things, it's not ethical!" She replied, trying to look offended by his remark. "And NO, I'm sure it will be very good!" Max bit her lip. 'I hope so…'
After dinner, while they were sipping the wine in the living room, he went to the kitchen, and got back with the brown bag.
"What is that?" Max was suddenly curious. "It's not ticking I hope!" She smiled.
"Nope! It's not a bomb, not for today." He sat on the couch besides Max. "Remember last week when you told me the 2 things you had never tasted?"
"Sure. Strawberries and chocolate. Well, I tasted strawberries jam, but never the real fruit."
"So never the real chocolate either."
"Wow, you must be Intelligence incarnated." Max teased him.
"I got my hands on those two items." Logan said, proud of himself.
"Really? Even the Belgium chocolate?" 'Wow, I'm impressed…again.'
"Even the Belgium chocolate." Logan replied.
"Are you going to repeat everything I say? Because it's very annoying!" Max told him, with a half smile.
"Close your eyes." He ordered.
"Why?" Max asked, surprised. "I already know what it is."
"Would you just close your eyes Max and stop fighting me! It will taste better, with your mind concentrating only on the flavor, which you won't taste often at the price they sell those things."
"Hope I didn't ruin you." She teased him.
"Don't worry, I think I've got enough money for a second strawberry bag in the future." Max closed her eyes, still smiling. "Okay," he said like a schoolboy, "open your mouth, because this truffle is almost melting itself in my hands." Max obeyed, even if this was a bit uncomfortable to her, and took the truffle in her mouth, and then started chewing it.
Logan stared at her face, seeing the delight, which was delighting him that she was delighted.
"Hmmm!" Max said, taking her time to taste the chocolate. "I've never tasted something so good in my life! Oh Logan! That is so good!" Max couldn't believe the wonderful taste of that little chocolate ball. "Oh my god!"
'Okay now stop saying my name like that!' He thought to himself.
"Hmmm, that was exquisitely good!" Max said, still looking for some piece of it in her mouth. "Is there another one?" She asked smiling like a little girl, her eyes still closed.
"No. But there's something else!" Logan answered, enjoying seeing Max's face while she discovered new food. He still remembered his first strawberry, and how he had eaten it like it was something he would never eat again. He stared at Max, not being afraid she would see his face because her eyes were closed, so he could just stare at her without ending. 'She's so beautiful.' He told himself.
"Logan? I want more!" She said, biting her lips. 'Hmm, that is so good! That so tasted like Heaven!' He laughed.
"It's good isn't it? Okay", he took the fresh bloody-red strawberry in his hand, took the leaf out and told her to open her mouth again, putting the fruit in her mouth. "Outch! That was my finger!" He said laughing.
"Sorry!" She giggled. "Is it still there?"
"Yeah, I still have five, well…four and a half."
"Oh my God! That just tastes like…like…"
"Strawberries?"
"Very funny." She chewed the rest of the fruit, savoring the last moments. "Oh Logan, that was divine! Is there another one?" Max asked playfully.
"Well, there are other strawberries in the bag, yes." He looked inside and took another one.
"No, no, no…I meant 'Is there something else to taste'?" She clarified for him.
"Huh…" Logan answered. 'I should have looked for other food!' He thought. "No, there isn't."
"Never two without three! I'm sure you'll think of something." Max said to Logan, trying to stay calm, but hoping he'd get the message.
Logan stopped staring at the strawberry and fixed Max, for a long time, not sure he understood what she was saying. 'Is she thinking what I'm thinking she's thinking? Am I making any sense here? Oh my God…'
"Looogaaan…? Is anybody home?" Max asked after a few minutes of silence.
"I'm thinking." Logan said, very seriously.
"Don't think all night, or I may fall asleep! Just pick the first thing that came into your mind, that I haven't tasted yet, *really* tasted." Max repeated. 'Please! Please Logan, kiss me! Kiss me! Maybe I'll have to do it myse…' She didn't have the time to finish her thoughts when she felt his lips on hers. She responded to the kiss immediately, letting the soft touch of his lips give her a warm feeling. Max felt his hand taking a strand of her hair and ended behind her head as she caressed his neck with her hands on each side of his face. Both of them opened their lips to each other, exploring each other's mouth, sending electric currents each time their tongue intertwined themselves. It was what Max had always thought. 'He IS a very good kisser!' Just when she thought he was playing it safe -not like those teenagers who just plunge their tongues on the back of your throat to get more sensations faster- she felt him pressing his lips harder on hers, passionately, sending her waves of desire like she never thought she could have, and taking her breath away. Her heart was beating very fast, and the next thing she knew, she was sitting on his lap. Logan broke the kiss a little bit after that, looking at her with great desire.
"Max…I have to breathe…" He whispered to her out of breath, staring at those beautiful brown eyes he loved so much, mostly when they were looking at him with so much passion. "So…which one's the winner?" He asked her, smiling devilishly.
"I'm not sure." Max said back mischievously, her arms around his neck, staring at his gorgeous blue eyes. "I think I didn't taste the third one long enough to make a final decision…"
"I totally agree…" Logan replied just before Max pushed her lips further on his, sending him flying to the moon.
*****************
To be continued…
Reviews please! Speak to me! Talk to your sweet Anna!
Tell me if it's bad, tell me if it's good…but don't stay silent. :-)
Anna
