A/N: Reviewers, you have no idea how much you guys rock my socks! *muah* I love you all!

p.s. I loved the new fic you're working on, Rachel--I reviewed it on LJ. I def. think you should post it on this site.



Chapter 2


Professor Charles Xavier removed Cerebro from his head and groaned, clenching his fists in frustration.
A brown and white-haired head peeked through the door. Are you all right?
He sighed. I'm--fine, Rogue. Just frustrated.
She smiled and walked toward him. Any luck? Have ya found him yet? Is he with Kitty, in Alaska?
He frowned. No. There no traces of Nightcrawler up north.
.... Are there traces of him anywhere?
He hated to shatter the hope in her eyes, but he couldn't lie. No, Rogue. I just barely caught him in... I think it was Nevada? But I lost his signal as soon as I found it. It just--blinked out.
Rogue's eyes widened in fear for her foster brother. Does--does that mean he died?!
No, no! I've felt mutants die on Cerebro before, and this was nothing like that. I'd say it was more like... something or someone was hiding him from me.
But you got his location for a second, didn't you? Let's go get
I'm afraid I didn't get his location, Rogue--I felt his mind, for a precious few seconds, but I didn't manage to get his exact whereabouts. I thought it was Nevada, but that's still a huge area, and now that I lost him again... well, for all I know he could be on another planet.
The fierce Southern Belle's eyes were bright, and Rogue blinked back tears. But Professor... we can't just leave him out there! We gotta do somethin'!
And we will--as soon as the rest of the team gets back from fetching Kitty, we'll set out for Nevada immediately.

***

Darkness. Sand... hot sun... the smell of brimstone.

Attack. Hurt. Light...

Kurt awoke slowly from fractured dreams, and was immediately aware of stabbing, horrible pain in his ribs, head, shoulders, pretty much everywhere. His eyes fluttered open, and he yelped at the sight of a face and large metal something right in front of him. Scrambling back, tripping over bedclothes, falling flat on his face and then jumping clumsily back up, he hissed fiercely at his assailant.

The person who'd woken him up scowled at him. It's just soup, she said grouchily, holding out the large metal something--which Kurt could now see was, in fact, a bowl of tomato soup. It won't bite!

Kurt snarled, and then stopped as a tsunami of dizziness overtook him. Pain and nausea lurched in his head and stomach as he stumbled forward.

The woman's eyes widened as she realized what was happening, and a garbage can appeared under Kurt's head just in time. He vomited into it, feeling like he was expelling his very organs out, it hurt so much.

Oh, gross! Trent held the can at arm's length, as if afraid it would jump out and attack her. Man, how did I get myself into this?!

Kurt groaned, rolling over onto his back. Pain thudded in his temples and his sides, and he couldn't remember... god, what had happened to him?

Everything felt fuzzy... he couldn't focus, couldn't think. His mind and senses were reeling.

Here. Drink this. A tall glass of water seemed to appear out of nowhere before him, and he drank greedily. Finishing, he moved away from Trent, crouching into a fighting stance, his yellow eyes narrowed and glaring. Some animal instinct inside him was warning him, controlling him. He snarled.

Trent glared, planting her hands on her hips. I saved your life, you ungrateful little shit. I'm not gonna hurt you!

Kurt remained crouched in the corner.

Christ. Will you at least let me fix your bandages? Look, that wound in your side reopened... she reached towards him, but he only hissed and backed further away.

Trent rolled her eyes. Fine. Whatever. There's soup and water by the bed; just... I dunno, vomit or something if you need anything. She stomped out of the room.

Five hours later, Trent was sprawled on her couch, an ice pack on her aching forehead. What the hell...she never got headaches!! One of the advantages to having vampire blood, she supposed. But now her head felt like two (GIANT) german shepherds were mating inside it.

Groan!

She stared out the window. The air had that purple-gray light quality that manifests just before dawn, and she could see the city of Reno begin to wake up. Like it ever slept.

Her psycho houseguest had fallen asleep two hours ago, thank god. She didn't know whether he was a telepath or not, but his thoughts were abnormally loud to her, and they were not pretty. He seemed to be part animal, part human, part something else, and his constant confusion, anger and violent thoughts were what was causing her headache. She could tell that his mind was... altered. Whether it was from a bad concussion or something that had happened to him, she couldn't tell, but she knew that he wasn't always this... animalistic. Still, his terror and apprehension hanging in the air around her was annoying, to say the least.

Trent felt him wake up, and groaned. Dammit, here she was hoping she might get some sleep for once! Sighing, she got up, trudging towards her fretful charge.

When she entered her bedroom, she found her patient--his name is Kurt, she reminded herself--hurling into the trash can she'd placed beside his bed. Inwardly groaning at once more being forced to play nurse, she helped him up and sat beside him.

Kurt moaned and fell back, sweating and feverish. His yellow eyes swept over the form of Trent, and though his mind was still imbalanced and feral from whatever had happened to him, he seemed to recognize and want to talk to her.

Ssh. Don't talk. Trent placed her hand on his temple. At least, not that way.

Kurt gasped at the voice in his head, fighting the urge to leap back in fear like some animal. You... you can hear my thoughts?

Only if you direct them at me, she replied. With you being so weak, it's easier to communicate this way.

Yellow eyes gazed into Trent's blue ones, and she could feel his suspicions and fears, his doubts about whether or not he could trust her. My name is Kurt Wagner, he said'.

I'm called Trent Raven.

What.... who... where am I?! And why--

One question at a time! You're in my apartment, in Reno, Nevada.

Kurt tried to sit up, only to groan and fall back down as dizziness and nausea overcame him again. Trent caught him, supporting his neck as she pressed a damp cloth to his forehead. What happened to you? I know you were beaten by those bastards at the bar, but--your mind seems... injured. I think you got more than a concussion and a couple bar brawl injuries, fuzzball.

Kurt grimaced. Ja. I don't... quite remember what happened to me, but I do know in the midst of a fight I was teleported to the middle of the Nevada desert. I was... stranded there for quite some time.

I thought as much. So, you're a mutant, huh?

Kurt nodded. Yes.

This earned him a skeptical look from his rescuer. You sure don't look like any mutant I've ever seen. Ya sure you don't have some vampire or shapeshifter blood in ya?

Kurt stiffened. I may not exactly look like a normal mutant or human, but I assure you, fraulein, I am no vampire!

Trent winced, feeling his revulsion at the term. Maybe it was better to let him believe she was a mutant for now, instead of telling him who she really was. Okay, calm down, mister! Sorry, I didn't realize I was offending you.

He sighed. It is all right--I shouldn't have lashed out like that. Who were those men, in the bar? I noticed that they... they went after you as well as me. Kurt could feel a sort of... mental connection between him and his caretaker, and through it he could sense her mind withdraw. Beside him, her body stiffened. I'm sorry--did I say something wrong? he asked.

No--no. It's just.... Trent abandoned the line of thought his remarks had sent her down, and answered his question. Those men' that attacked you weren't men at all: they were vampires. Their leader, Gabriel, is an old enemy of mine. He's been hunting me for a long time, and must have tracked me down to that bar.

But then why did he attack me?

Gabriel isn't the most tolerant or kind of people--he hates those who are different, and also happens to be a sadistic asshole. Most likely he just thought it would be fun.

Trent's bitterness and hatred of Gabriel came through loud and clear through the link to Kurt. He squirmed, uncomfortable with feeling the emotions of others, especially this woman whom he barely knew. And you... saved my life?

Trent sighed. Well, yeah, I guess I did.

Thank you. I... I suppose I owe you an apology, Ms. Raven--

The name is Trent.

--Trent. Earlier in the bar, when you saved my life, I was delusional... I thought you were attacking me. And I probably acted the same way earlier.

Trent snorted. Yeah, you did. She grinned. In fact, I was beginning to think I'd rescued some desert animal, from the way you acted!

Kurt smiled weakly. She was damping his forehead with a wet cloth, and the moist coolness felt delicious as she gently cleaned his wounds. Nein, I am no animal--in fact, I am actually a refined young German gentlemen. A baron, no less! He winked at her, flashing a debonair smile.

Trent suppressed a chuckle. Yeah, lemme tell you, fuzzball, you most definitely fit that description!

But of course! Couldn't you tell by royal good looks?

This time Trent burst out laughing. Oh, really? So, is tattered spandex and fur the most recent fashion craze in the German court?

Oh, no. This revealing outfit is simply my ploy to seduce all these beautiful American ladies.

He laughed when he saw her roll her eyes, half-smirking, half-grimacing. And have you been successful, oh Blue One?

I'm sleeping in the bed of a beautiful woman, who is currently holding me and nursing my wounds while caressing my fur. What do you think?

Trent laughed and smacked him. You impudent little-- suddenly she stopped, and her expression changed. She cocked her head, as if listening for something, and then her eyes widened and she swore so vividly that Kurt's ears stung. Abruptly, she dumped him from her lap and stood up, clawing around underneath the bed, looking for something.

Was?! What's the matter??

A soft snarl escaped from Trent's mouth as she pulled a box out from underneath the bed. It was full of long, sharp wooden stakes of various lengths. Trent pulled out two that were almost a foot long each and tossed them to Kurt. Here. Take these. Shoving two shorter ones in each of her boots, tucking one in the back of her pants and palming a fourth, she kicked the box back underneath the bed and stood back up. Stay in here, and if anyone but me even so much touches the door, get the hell out of here. She swept out of the room.

Wait! Trent! What's going on?!

She turned back to him, her blue eyes wild and fierce. Kurt felt a tremor of fear shiver down his spine. They've found me, she said, her voice grim. In two seconds, they'll be past the spells surrounding this apartment; then they'll try as hard as they can to kill me, and you too if they find you. She gestured towards the stakes in Kurt's hands. Wood's the only thing that can hurt them, and I can tell you know fairly well how to use weapons, but in your condition I wouldn't bet a penny on your survival if they come in here looking for a fight with you. Kurt, I don't care what you hear outside this room, if one of them comes in here get the hell out. With that, she turned and left the room, shutting and locking the door behind her.

Trent had barely turned around when her protection spells exploded, breaking in the door and a good portion of the wall. She braced herself as dying magic and splinters of the door flew at her, and silently made a prayer to any god or goddess that was up there to let her get out of this one alive.