Disclaimer: Of course I don't own Dark Angel. I don't want any money from this. It is here for entertainment.
Authors note: Here we are, practically the end of the story. The next and final chapter is written. It's been quite a bit of fun writing this and I'd like to thank all the people who reviewed. They were really nice.
Story note: I am quite happy with this chapter, I went over it a few times before posting, so I think that there is a fairly nice flow and mix of words but if you don't think so, well that's what you think. This is the second last chapter, I've written the last one, which turned out the be very, very short. Enjoy the reading.
Special thanks: Milla the marvellous beta reader (she's marvellous every chapter, I hope you've noticed). It really is great the work she's done for this. Thanks Milla.
Chapter 8 – All things warm
Logan was still sitting on the couch dazed, his shirt lying in tatters around him. He had a small grin on his face as crazy thoughts ran through his head.
'So what was that all about? And where did she go in such a hurry?' He realised again that it wasn't his head doing the thinking, but another part of his anatomy, as the next idea slipped into mind.
'Maybe she is going to 'freshen up' a little before…' His brain had caught up with the rest of him now.
'Before what? There's no way you are having sex with Max now. She definitely wouldn't want that to happen so quickly.' Logan thought to himself. Now that he had control of most of his body parts he started to think that something was wrong with Max. He didn't understand but he felt different somehow. It was like he had just realised that Max was the world's most beautiful woman, and he happened to be a guy. Logan quickly put this aside and was becoming concerned with the way Max had acted, how she just jumped off him and ran into his bathroom slamming the door behind her. Something was definitely up.
Logan stood and walked toward his bathroom door. He noticed that his shirt hadn't been ripped; it had been completely shredded, so there were bits and pieces still hanging off his arms and chest. As he looked down at the remains of his shirt he noticed that his bruise was gone, and it had only been an hour or two since he had seen it last.
'Must be some excess cells of Max's floating around and cleaning up the old system.' Logan thought happily as he reached the door. He bent his head in and listened intently, trying to gauge if Max was in any kind of immediate trouble. After a while he could only hear heavy breathing so decided to knock.
Max was curled tightly on the floor of Logan's bathroom. She had her nose between her knees, in an attempt to block out his overwhelming smell, and her arms wrapped tightly around her ears, desperately trying not to hear his voice or the footsteps coming toward the door. She knew this was bad, and she knew it was the worst possible timing for it as well.
"Max, you alright?" Logan asked quietly as he rapped on the door. Max's head snapped up and looked at the door longingly. She could feel her body starting to stand and slowly make its way over to open it. She resisted and sat back down in a tight ball, again trying to not focus on anything at all since all her thoughts seemed to be twisted into something to do with sex. Make that Logan and sex.
"Max? Are you okay?" Logan asked again, this time louder and with worry in his voice. After another short pause where he didn't receive any answer he spoke louder still and started to turn the handle.
"Max, I'm coming in," he announced, just in case she was doing something she didn't want him to see.
When Max heard those words her world crumbled; she knew she was done for now. She sat there waiting in dread but still a vehement desiring for Logan to come into the room.
Logan gently turned the handle and pushed the door open slowly. He stood in the doorway and looked at Max huddled on the floor at the other end of the bathroom. Max didn't look at him; she had one option and she was going to try it. Very quickly she jumped to her feet, and started to run out of the bathroom. Her intention was to run straight past Logan, then out of the apartment. She knew it would hurt him, but she decided it was best to explain this whole thing to him after it was over. Problem was when she looked up to see where she was going, Logan was standing there with little bits of cloth hanging off his upper body. Max's mindset changed but her speed didn't. Logan watched her running straight at him, getting a little worried at the speed she was going and the decreasing distance between them. He wondered if she would stop before she knocked him over. When Max was about two feet from Logan she jumped and wrapped her legs around his waist, grabbing the back of his head and hungrily devouring him. Logan staggered backwards into the hallway – a mix of shock and the sheer momentum of Max's body – and started to fall. He had a feeling that he was about to become very close to his hardwood floor again, since his arms were quite occupied with Max. She didn't seem to be letting up either as he felt his body become more and more horizontal. Just when he thought he was going to smack into the floor, he stopped. Max had stuck her legs out and was still holding – and kissing him – by the head and neck, so she lowered him gently the rest of the way to the ground, and continued to kiss him passionately.
Logan was completely stunned with the situation but his libido fought for control, and his brain didn't think it was that bad a thing to be happening, so he just let himself go with the flow.
'Well what the hell. Max seems to be fairly into it, not too concerned with taking it slowly. I suppose her whole life has been formed around making split second decisions.' With that thought he wrapped his until now pretty inanimate arms around Max and pulled her tighter, even though there was some part of his mind trying to remember what it was he was doing wrong, because he knew this just wasn't right but he couldn't pick it.
Max's mind was going berserk. Logan felt so good against her, underneath her, around her, and yet she knew there was something not appropriate about it. She felt it back there, trying to fight through the heat and the frenzied passion but it was in vain, there was nothing here to stop her now. The sight of Logan standing in the doorway without a shirt on would have been enough to make Max stop and consider jumping him on a normal day, but now that she was in heat her mind had them doing very different things, involving a lot less clothing.
Just as Max had broken away from Logan's mouth and was feverishly kissing down his chest and stomach, then licking and biting the way back up to his lips again, the door opened.
Both their heads snapped around and they looked at the person coming through the door. Logan looked over, his face clearly expressing that he was very pissed off with whoever it was for interrupting this. Max's face flooded with relief, and her grip on Logan eased slightly. She hoped she could make a getaway now that someone else was here. Then, realizing who the intruder was, Max held Logan protectively tighter and her eyes narrowed. When Logan realised who it was, he got even more pissed off.
"Valerie. What the hell are you doing here?" Logan half yelled at her. The pain from their last visit was gone, replaced not so much by anger, as by plain distain. He usually wouldn't have been so unwelcoming, but being interrupted in a situation like this was frustrating, and to be interrupted by his ex-wife, who had caused him so much grief, was even more infuriating. Max slowly straightened up, kneeling over Logan, and studied the woman more closely. She realised that Valerie was and had been crying a lot and she had a big bruise on the side of her face. Max didn't look down at Logan, still struggling not to throw herself on him again, so she just spoke, still looking at the woman at the door.
"Something's happened to her, she's shaking and is bruised all over," Max stated, as she slowly and very grudgingly got to her feet and stepped over Logan so she was no longer straddling him, and made her way to the woman at the door. Logan was still lying on the floor, completely confused with the situation, and had been drumming his fingers for a bit, expecting Valerie to get the hint and shove off quickly. When Max stood up and spoke to him he realised he needed to do something. He also couldn't help feel a slight twang of guilt when he heard something had happened to her. Even though she was his ex-wife and had treated him badly so many times, he felt like he should be able to protect her a little still. Logan slowly got up and walked over to Valerie. He noticed Max was standing near her, but not touching or saying anything to her. He couldn't quite read the expression on her face, but it looked as if she were relieved and disgusted at the same time. Max felt exactly like this, she hated what this woman had done to Logan so many times, but she was relieved that Valerie was in this state and felt she could come here for Logan's help. Since it meant Valerie would have to stay and be treated and cared for a bit, it made it easier for Max not to jump him. Max decided right then to stay for a few reasons. Mainly because she had a feeling that if she left this place she would somehow hook up with some stray male off the streets, something she definitely didn't want to happen now. And secondly, because Valerie had turned up, and Max felt she needed to protect Logan from this wicked evil woman.
Max tried not to watch as Logan made his way to Valerie and placed a reassuring hand on her back. She was a little jealous that he was touching another woman but the main reason she averted her eyes was because he still wasn't wearing a shirt, which would cause Max to most probably indecently tackle him again.
'The wonders of science.' Max thought pathetically as she fought the again rising urge to attack Logan. She slowly turned – away from Logan – and headed toward the kitchen, trying to make herself forget about Logan standing there without his shirt on comforting his ex-wife. It didn't really work too well since she kept getting stuck on the part with Logan and no shirt. She moved to the fridge and opened it, hoping to stem her desire with something else, but since they had just eaten she wasn't really hungry. She did, however, on impulse pull out the red cordial and pour herself a glass. Max moved over to her window and looked out on the city and the people far below, immediately concentrating her vision on every set of pants that walked by, thinking things that she knew she shouldn't be thinking.
'At least you're up here and they're down there.' She reminded herself as she continued to look with open mouth and flushed cheeks. Max heard a door closing somewhere in the apartment, and could hear Logan's footfalls coming closer to her, as well as smell him. He approached her quickly and wrapped his arms low around her waist and lifted her up – the mood from earlier hadn't changed much for him. Max stiffened, and was impressed that she was still able to control herself when Logan had his arms around her. She could feel the skin of his stomach rubbing against her lower back where her shirt had been raised a little and she felt herself slipping. When Logan whispered in her ear and gently bit it, she was completely gone.
"Hey you." Logan whispered in her ear as he picked her up. He thought he had done something wrong because Max felt very stiff, but then she managed to wiggle around in his tight grip so she was facing him. Once again, she wrapped her legs around his waist and kissed him fanatically. Turning slightly to set Max on the countertop, Logan moved his hands around to her shoulders and dragged them down to the bottom of her spine, eliciting a slight sigh from Max. He still couldn't believe this was happening. Max suddenly pushed him back, and he noticed the demonic glint in her eye again as she pulled off the shirt she was wearing and threw it over her head, leaving her in a bright coloured singlet. Before Logan had a chance to realise what was probably going to be happening in his kitchen with his ex-wife in the other room, Max had grabbed him again and was pulling at him frenetically, trying to get as much of his body pushed against hers as she could.
As Max was lifting Logan up to join her on the counter they heard a glass smash. They both quickly looked around and saw Valerie standing there stunned, with a small pile of what was once ornamental glass shattered next to her. Valerie had decided to fix more of the positive energy flow in Logan's apartment and was on her way to ask him if she could move the object to another room, since it was a serious block to his Chi.
"I… oh… sorry," she said quickly, feeling very embarrassed with what she was seeing, and uncomfortable with the situation. There was Logan, her ex-husband, climbing on top of that girl he had introduced as a friend, in the kitchen. It was completely out of character for him, and it was a very strange sight, since the last time she saw Logan he as in a wheelchair. All Logan had ever said about her was that she was a friend and they did some work together occasionally.
The affect of Valerie interrupting them was similar to someone getting a large bucket of water – with many ice cubes – and throwing it over them. Although starting to get undressed and pulling Logan on top of her were pretty intense actions, Max was again relieved that Valerie was there and that nothing too serious had happened. Logan just looked very embarrassed and quickly slid off Max and moved a few feet away, trying to indicate with the space between them that nothing had actually happened. Logan was floundering, and he had no idea what to say.
"V… Val, you remember Max?" Logan said as his cheeks continued to change from a flushed passionate pink to a deep scarlet of embarrassment. Max looked over at Valerie and smiled a little, her face also going a healthy red. When Max hopped off the counter she noticed she was missing a shirt somewhere. Max again looked at Valerie and smiled shyly.
"Hi," Max said in a pretty small voice. She wasn't quite sure why she was so embarrassed in front of this woman, since she didn't like her at all. Max just walked further into the kitchen on the hunt for her shirt, hoping that everyone would forget she was there. She felt better now because of Valerie's arrival, so that had to be a good thing. Even though she had gotten some of the pent up energy out of her system, she realised it had just built up more of the burning animal passion.
Logan walked over to Valerie and started to pick up the broken shards of glass. Valerie bent down and started to help him.
"I'm sorry for just barging in like this Logan, but I didn't know where else to go. He's after me." Valerie apologised to Logan in a low shaky voice, still traumatised from her earlier experience with her husband. Apparently he didn't take too kindly to the fact that Valerie wasn't willing to leech any more money from Logan or his rich relatives. When she explained that last time was definitely the last, he became abusive, and started to hit her around. He was in trouble of his own, as he had a nasty gambling habit and kept losing big, and now there were some debt collectors after him. Valerie had managed to escape down the fire stairs while he was preoccupied on the phone but he noticed pretty quickly and started to chase her. She had run and hidden in a truck that happened to end up making a stop in Logan's sector, so she got out and made her way to his place to hide out. She figured it was the last place her husband would look, since it was the last place Valerie wanted to be.
"It's okay, you had no choice," Logan responded. He was by now over the fact that she had barged in and was truly worried for her well being, so there was compassion in his voice. Also, now that Max was a fair distance away from him, he felt a little more… normal.
"I can get you out of the city and to your sister's place in about hour. He doesn't know about your sister, does he?" Logan asked, realising that he had already arranged for Valerie to go to her sister's without consulting her first. Logan then straightened up and walking over to deposit the glass in the bin.
"No, not many people know about her," she replied as she looked at Logan and considered him. He had been so good to her and all she did was throw it in his face again and again.
"Thanks Logan," she said in a small and genuine voice to his departing form.
"Don't mention it," Logan replied. Valerie wasn't sure if he had meant it, because he felt sick helping her out again, or because he was being the lone soldier once more.
Logan had just dumped the glass in the bin when Max approached him – thankful for the nice buffer of the island counter in between them.
"Logan we need to talk," Max said quietly, although it was laced with seductive undertones that she was desperately trying to shake.
"Yeah, sure," Logan replied, again feeling a little more amorous now that Max was near him. He realised that there was a pleasant scent in the air, something he hadn't smelt before. It then occurred to him it was emanating from Max, which surprised him as she told him a while ago that the X-5's were made to not have an distinguishing odour. 'Oh that's Manticore for you, we don't smell, you know, so dogs can't track us.' Max had explained to him a while ago when he asked her about it. Snapping back, he noticed Max's eyes quickly skim over to where Valerie was still standing. Logan turned around and addressed her.
"Um Valerie, can you give us a few minutes?" Logan asked, and Max quickly interjected.
"Five minutes. Come back in here in five minutes," she said quickly and jerkily. Logan had no idea what was going on now. Valerie looked at Max a little puzzled, but nodded and left the room. Listening as Valerie wandered around the living room, Max looked at the ceiling, then the floor, then the table separating her and Logan.
"Logan. There's something I need to tell you. About me. It's something to do with how I was made. You know, another miraculous flow in the grand design," Max said in a sardonic tone. She was pretty happy she hadn't jumped Logan that second Valerie left the room, and even happier still that she had managed to get straight into confessing her terrible secret. Logan looked at her concerned and started to make his way around to her.
"What? Is there something wrong? Do you need something?" Logan asked desperately as he made his way around the counter to Max. She interrupted his movement.
"Don't move, stay where you were please," Max whimpered, because she was really struggling now. The urge was there and growing stronger by the second. Logan didn't take his eyes off Max as he slowly made his way back to where he had been standing.
"Max, what's up?" Logan asked worriedly. He had never seen her like this before; he could tell by the way she looked she was fighting with some great internal battle.
"You know how I've got a lot of feline DNA in me? Well, along with being able to jump high and run fast I've also inherited some other traits that cats have." She was leaning forward now gripping the edge of the table; Logan could actually see the wood starting to crack under her grip. Max was itching terribly to get at Logan, and trying to force her body not to move was becoming near impossible. Logan looked at her, a little puzzled with her statement but also worried.
"You know, mating cycles." Max finally got it out. It seemed to finally dawn on Logan.
"You mean you go into hea…? Wow." Max nodded coyly at his question. Logan felt incredibly relieved, since he thought there was something wrong with Max similar to seizures that she hadn't been willing to tell him about.
"Now it makes sense," Logan suddenly said, Max could tell he was talking about something else than her attacking him constantly.
"What?" she asked softly. She was still not able to look at Logan, and was barely hanging onto the side of the counter.
"Well, you know how you are… you know. It makes sense that I've been so… well… willing to go along with you. Not just because us males are all like that." Logan started explaining but was becoming very embarrassed with what he was saying, so he started to observe the shoes he was wearing.
"What are you saying Logan?" Max asked. She unwillingly started to climb onto the counter top and stalk over to Logan.
"When… cats go into heat, it's not just the females that get a bit… different. They let off a lot of pheromones that have an effect on the males. I can still remember losing our male cat for a week, only to be phoned by the lady down the street telling us that our cat was there along with a lot of other male cats. They were all fighting and surrounding her cat's cage." He had just understood why he was so much more into Max at the moment, it all seemed to make perfect sense. Well, perfect sense except for the fact that a person was going into heat.
"Oh." He heard Max say in an incredibly sultry and suggestive voice, only a few inches from his ear. Logan's head flicked up and he saw Max was now on all fours on the countertop, as apparently she had crawled – or more accurately, prowled – over to where he was. She didn't wait for him to say anything else, and as soon as his head had come up and she could see his eyes, or more importantly his mouth, she flung an arm around his neck and pulled him closer and started to kiss him passionately again. For a minute or so Logan went along with it, enjoying immensely the sensation and the red cordial taste of Max, then his conscious fought for control and he tried to gently ease Max from his lips. It wasn't working too well, since Max was a lot stronger and had the upper hand. He tried a little more forcefully and finally managed to pry Max's mouth off his. She didn't seem disappointed or even put off remotely, because she just hungrily started to kiss his chest and neck. Logan was having a very hard time keeping control of his hands, but eventually managed to push Max back onto the counter, and he moved to stand a fair distance away. Max just looked at him, an intense fire in her eyes.
"Look Max, it's not as if I'm not enjoying myself. I just think that maybe this… whatever, may make you do something you don't really want to do," Logan said. He wasn't sure if he wanted to be right, but he knew that Max needed to think about it. He glanced over and noticed she had retreated to the other side of the counter again and was looking down at her feet sullenly.
"I know Logan, but it's so hard. I have this uncontrollable urge to just… well… you know." Max smiled weakly, since Logan did know, as he had been the recipient for a while now.
"Max, I'm not sure I can say I fully understand how you feel, but it's making it difficult for me too. I mean you smell terrific and I usually don't notice how you smell, even if I try." Logan thought about what he had just said. That sentence was definitely not supposed to head in that direction. Before Max could say anything he spoke again quickly.
"Is there anything that will make this go away, or a little more bearable?" Logan asked, thinking maybe there was a heat tryptophane or something similar. Max slowly looked up at Logan again.
"There's only one way I know of," she said, her voice dripping with insinuations and desire. Logan looked at her and could feel his own resolve slipping.
"But you just said you don't want that Max. Would it be best if you went home?" Logan didn't want her to go, and on reflection it was only the second time he had ever suggested she go home, and the last time he did that… well, he didn't want to do it again.
"No!" Max practically yelled at him, her voice full of pain and concern. Logan was stunned.
"Okay, sorry," Logan apologised quickly.
"You don't understand. If I go outside, and if I see some guy, it doesn't matter who they are. As long as they are male, I'd end up jumping them. And not all men are as decent as you Logan," Max explained in short burst. The mere idea of hooking up with someone else at the moment brought her great pain. She felt she had explained, but not fully, so she continued.
"I don't want that to happen with anyone else." She couldn't believe she had just said that all she wanted was Logan, and she wanted him more than just the heat. All she had to do was leave out the 'else' part and it would have been perfectly plausible. But now Logan knew, and Max knew, since this was the first time she had admitted it to herself fully. Logan was equally stunned, and he was sure his mouth would have hung open if he hadn't had such a strict up bringing.
"Then what do we do Max?" Logan asked, only this time it was his voice that held traces of implication and a slight huskiness. Max couldn't shake the tone of Logan's question, so she leapt over the counter in a swift movement and was on top of him again, and this time neither one of them wanted it to stop.
Five minutes was up and Valerie walked back into the kitchen. She couldn't see Max or Logan anywhere, but heard a scuffling on the floor, so she went over to investigate. If she had another ornament in her hand she would have dropped it. There on the floor in a tangle of limbs were Logan and Max in the throes of passion. Valerie cleared her throat and both Max and Logan stopped what they were doing and looked up at her almost sheepishly. Valerie noticed that Max had Logan's belt in her teeth and Logan held the scrunched up cloth of Max's shirt in his hand.
"Um, you told me to come back in after five minutes, and it's been five minutes. I can go if you want though," Valerie said awkwardly, nervously placing her hand on the counter to steady herself.
"No, it's alright. We were just…" Max had begun a standard "Logan and her" response but realised it was worthless since she had the spit Logan's belt out to speak. Max quickly grabbed her shirt from Logan and stood up, putting it on, and then quickly walked out of the room. Logan was still lying bent at the bottom of the cabinet he had been wedged against, a dazed dreamy look on his face. He slowly got up and put his belt back on, and then looked at Valerie and smiled.
"Ah, thanks. I'm sorry you had to see that," Logan said, not really sure why he was sorry, since this was Valerie and she didn't really deserve an explanation.
"Um, that's ok Logan," Valerie said quietly, then walked out of the kitchen into the guest bedroom. Logan thought about it for a second, considering following her and explaining things a little better, but he felt he was right. She didn't need it. So instead he went in search of something far more important, Max. He found her in the living room, sitting on the back of the couch and staring out of the window. His first urge was to go straight over to her again, but decided it wasn't wise.
"Hey," he said from the other side of the room. Max looked over to him, the faint stain of tears streaking her face. Immediately Logan started walking over to her; he hated seeing her upset like this.
"Max. What's wrong?" he asked as he sat next to her on the back of the couch, moving the hair from her face and brushing away the tears with his thumb.
"I don't want you to see me like this. It's not me, it's Manticore and I hate it," Max said, with a voice that was still sad even though she had long ago stopped crying. Logan just rubbed her cheek with his thumb. Max was feeling very emotional for some reason, and also had a great desire to tell Logan everything.
"I, I want to be with you Logan but I don't know what to do. And I don't want it to happen like this." Max spoke softly but with determination. Logan's eyes bulged slightly when he heard what Max had said, and his heart fluttered slightly. This couldn't be true; it seemed too perfect.
"But I want to be with you too Max, and I don't think anyone ever knows what they are doing. I don't know what to say about the other part though. I'm not saying this just because I want to get you into bed, but if you and I both want to be with each other, I don't see why we shouldn't. I know it's rushed and everything but I can't see any other way around this… heat business. I mean if there is, or you want to try and hold out, just say so and I will be more than willing to help you out. I want you to be happy Max, whatever that means." Logan felt terrible for saying that, because he felt like he was trying to coerce sex from Max. He hung his head and let out a long sigh. Max, however, was ecstatic with what she had just heard. She couldn't believe Logan wanted to be with her, and he didn't care at all about her being in heat, and that he was just worried he'd do something to upset her. She made her mind up and kissed him on the shoulder, quickly getting his attention.
"Okay. I do want us to be happy, and the only way to get over this bitch is to… well. If you're willing to donate your body for a while I can get it out of my system, and then we can forget about it and carry on from where we were." She was trying to lighten the mood, and she noticed Logan laughing a little with the 'donate your body' part. Then she got very serious, and quiet, and very shy.
"This can't… can't count or anything. I mean, if we are serious about… each other. It needs to be special or something." Max was desperately trying no to sound girly about the whole situation, but she did want the first time she had non-heat related sex to be something special, and since it was Logan she knew it always would be. Logan looked at her, and this time no matter what his up bringing, his jaw hung open. Max had just asked to have sex with him. He couldn't believe it; you could have knocked him over with a feather, even half a feather. Then there was the part about wanting to be serious with him, which he realised meant more to him than the sex. He could still smell her and it was warping his judgement slightly. All his dark fears had just been flushed out and completely eradicated. He looked at her and smiled warmly.
"Okay Max, if that's how you would like it to be. How about we say we've been… going out since our last date. You know, so you don't feel like this relationship started because you were in heat and wanted some man meat." The last part caused Max to laugh and gasp at the same time. That was perfect, and Logan's suggestion made everything so much easier. All her previous relationships had started because she was in heat, but now this with Logan had started beforehand, even though they hadn't admitted it at the time. Max went incredibly warm and fuzzy inside and the heat was completely forgotten for a moment. In her excitement she lent in and grabbed Logan and kissed him. Logan could tell this was a different kiss, because for starters she didn't have a desperate hold of his head and her tongue wasn't thrashing about with his. This was a soft, delicate and loving kiss. He rubbed her back tenderly, then broke away from the kiss. Before he could say anything Max spoke.
"Thanks Logan. I've wanted something like this for so long… nearly as long as I've known you," she conceded shyly. Logan looked at her as his heart swelled greatly.
"Max. You make me so happy, and I'm so glad you tried to rob my place." Max laughed a little at this and bent her head, again embarrassed with the compliment. Logan stood up and walked off.
"Now I'd better get a shirt on," he said walking towards his bedroom.
"I think maybe it should count," he heard Max happily saying as he reached his bedroom door. His smile doubled. Max was watching Logan, so completely happy and perfect, not even feeling the heat urging her to attack him. Even though now it wouldn't be an attack, and this made Max a little nervous, since she had never actually thought about sex before she did it. It just seemed to happen and then she'd be left feeling like crap for the next week or so, cheap and dirty. Max knew it was going to be different this time, and even if it wasn't, she knew what she was feeling now was more than worth it. Max was still watching Logan as he opened the door to his bedroom, a pleasant fulfilled smile on her face, but then she saw the corner of Logan's bed and immediately the heat was back with severe vengeance.
As Logan was opening his door, completely in another world of pleasure, he decided to tease her by playing the "relationship game", so he turned to ask her what shirt he should wear. As he turned around he was caught by Max, who was mid-flight and heading in the direction of Logan's bed, and now she had him with her. Before they even landed on the bed Max was already kissing Logan again, panting slightly and continually moving her hands over his body. Logan was still in a fairly sane state of mind, but knew it wouldn't last long. He immediately closed his mouth tight and tensed his entire body, something that generally would receive a severe scowl and most probably offend one's partner. Max didn't really care though; she just left his mouth and kissed down his chest and stomach again, ripping his belt off with her teeth once more. Logan realised that laying there motionless wasn't going to work, so he reached out and grabbed the sheet and rolled over a few times, cocooning himself in the sheet.
"Ahh, get out here!" Max yelled at him, as she started tearing the sheet from Logan's body.
"Max, we have to wait. Valerie is still here," Logan responded, a little panicked. Max had by now completely removed the sheet – although in bits and pieces – and had Logan on his back again looking at her. He could see the fire in her eyes, as if she was possessed, and without thinking he reached up and slapped her across the face. he immediately covered his own face with his arms. He didn't really understand why he had just slapped Max, but he had run completely out of ideas. Logan stayed with his arms shielding his face for a few seconds, expecting Max to either hit him back, or continue ravaging him.
"Thanks," Max panted, and she sounded completely relieved, almost like someone who had just been pulled from a burning car. Logan slowly moved his arms away and looked at her suspiciously.
"Sorry Max, I didn't mean to hit you. I just panicked I guess." Logan was desperately trying to apologise for his actions, because he had just hit Max, and that didn't feel right at all.
"No, really thanks. It's the only way to stop me," Max said happily as she climbed off Logan, and again had to retrieve her shirt from somewhere in the room. Logan sat up and looked at Max again.
"I'm really sorry Max, I… I can't believe I slapped you." Logan was very worried now and his voice was sad. He had let her down, and himself. He had become something he never wanted to be, a man that hits women because he couldn't think of anything else to do. Max just walked over and sat next to him on the bed, placing a reassuring hand on his arm.
"Really Logan it's alright, remember I'm no normal girl. You think you puny mortals can hurt me." She ended with a mock evil laughter, then stood up and headed out of the room. Just as she got to the door, she turned to him and spoke.
"Don't do it again though, or I will have to kick your ass." With that she smiled happily and left the room. For some reason Logan felt a lot better now that Max had threatened him, and he was still smiling a little from Max's mock evil laughter. She had really changed in the past few days, and he liked it, even though he didn't want her too. He realised the change was him coming to appreciate her more, and she was so much more special than he had ever thought.
Logan had found a shirt and walked out of his bedroom, a little worried with how to pass the time until Valerie left and… well, he was a guy, and it was hard not to get excited, but he felt mainly nervous. Max was the perfect person, and he didn't really feel adequate at all, but then he saw Max, and she smiled at him warmly and knowingly. Their secret agreement, continually discussed with the gazes they shared.
Max was back in the living room, sitting on the couch again. She was so happy she couldn't explain all the sensations running through her. She was nervous as well, since Logan had never experienced anything like what he was getting ready to, and Max was worried that he'd be shocked and scared with what happened. Knowing that she was different from normal people didn't help either. Surprisingly, neither of them had even spared a thought for Valerie in the other room.
"You want something to drink?" Logan asked Max as he walked into the kitchen.
"Yep, you know what," Max responded simply, as she turned and smiled at him.
Logan had just poured the glasses of red cordial when the phone rang, so he walked out and handed Max hers as he made his way to the phone.
"You're sure? Okay, thanks." Logan put the phone down again and looked at it a little put out. He walked off to the spare bedroom. Logan returned a few seconds later with Valerie. Max looked at her hopefully.
"You're going?" Max asked, voice as hopeful as her expression. She was feeling a little more normal, so she decided to be rude to this woman, as she deserved it. Logan smiled and shook his head behind Valerie's back at Max's comment.
"Yes, that was my contact on the phone, says he is in the basement ready to pick Valerie up." Logan replied to Max's question, as Valerie was getting over the initial shock from the way Max had addressed her.
"Oh good," Max replied. Logan smiled again, still shaking his head a little.
"Problem is, my guy says that Valerie's husband is down in the car park waiting, because he somehow managed to find she was here," Logan responded, looking at Max and smiling triumphantly. He had managed to get a pout out of her since she knew what this meant.
"So I have to escort 'her' and kick some bad guy's ass?" Max asked a little annoyed, but not really since she was so excited about what would be happening afterwards.
"If you don't mind. Of course Valerie could just stay here until he gets bored and leaves," Logan replied to Max, and smiling cheekily. In response Max glared at him slightly, then jumped off the back of the couch and grabbed her coat.
"Come on, Val," Max said, emphasizing her name, for no other reason than to be nasty to her.
Valerie was completely confused with this exchange, and even more so when Logan had without thought suggested Max, the little girl, take her down and protect her.
They were in the lift on the way down, Max shifting from foot to foot, and her mind had skipped forward about 20 minutes and she was getting edgy again.
"Thanks for this. I know you don't really like me," Valerie spoke quietly.
"That obvious is it?" Max replied sarcastically.
"I didn't mean to hurt Logan so much…" Valerie tried to explain to Max, but she interrupted her.
"Look, Val, I don't really care what you have to say. You've done the damage now, and apologising to me isn't going to fix anything. Let's just get you out of here so you can never bother Logan again." Max spoke innocently, but in a tone that Valerie was sure was completely faked. Valerie was getting a little angry with the way Max had been constantly treating her.
"So now you're after his money are you? You have a lot to learn, little girl," Valerie attacked scathingly. Max was about to respond, because the idea of smacking Valerie across the face for a bit seemed to appeal to her, but the lift doors just opened. As soon as they did, Valerie's husband barged in, wielding a baseball bat.
Max didn't give him opportunity to speak. She was a little pissed with Valerie, but her main reason was to get back to Logan. As soon as he got through the lift doors, he went flying back out again, courtesy of Max's foot. He hit a car, and was out cold. A van approached the two ladies, and out jumped a man, addressing himself as Logan's contact, and Valerie jumped in the van.
"Um, thanks," Valerie said, humbled a little by the fact Max had just protected her.
"Don't mention it. Please," Max responded as she headed back to the lift, and more importantly Logan. The urge was back stronger than ever now, and she was excited for a change because it was going to happen with Logan. It seemed that he was making everything exciting and great these days Max thought as she pushed the button for the penthouse.
Up in the penthouse Logan was frantically preparing his room. He got a new sheet, lit as many candles as he could find, got some red cordial and placed it on the bedside table. 'We will most probably need a refreshment every now and then.' Logan thought cheekily as he put it down. He considered dimming the lights, but it was useless since there was still a substantial amount of light coming from the sun. After all, it was still the daytime he reminded himself. Now he was getting nervous, as the pheromones had left with Max, and he was just sitting waiting anxiously.
Max, now clawing at the walls of the elevator; wished it would just hurry up. A few floors up, an incredibly attractive pizza deliveryman hit the button and waited for the lift, also on his way up.