"STOP THIS!" Wolverine exploded.
Viper smiled. He was really in a huff, she thought, mildly amused.
"VIPER!" Wolverine charged towards her, snarling despite his cuffs and collar. Three bodyguards stepped in front of him, weapons drawn. "Do not fuck with me on this! I will kill ya!"
Viper's smile faltered a little. "If you kill me, then she dies. The ruler of Madripoor will be avenged, have no doubts. Thanks to you I am a very powerful woman, Patch." She used his alias emphatically. "You should be proud of your wife."
Wolverine bared his teeth. Power. It was always about some idiot's desire for power. He glared at her. "It was never a real marriage, Viper."
"It could have been," Viper challenged.
"No. It couldna."
"We were together once," she said angrily.
Wolverine cringed at the memory.
He had been having a particularly vivid dream about 'Ro when it had happened. In his dream Storm was arching beneath him, her lips parted, whispering his name. "Logan, mmmm, Logan." He could feel her legs close around his hips, his thrusts becoming aggressive. "Oh, yes," she had cried. "Yes!" Wolverine surged forward, holding her to him.
"Ahhh, Logan. Ohhhhh." She was straddling him now. When had he rolled? His mind went blank again as she moved up and down on his shaft.
"Fuck, 'Ro," he groaned, close to coming.
"Viper, Lover. It's Viper."
Wolverine's eyes had shot open and he had thrown her from him. He had hated her then, for tainting his memory of 'Ro. He hated her still. He had honored his code of Giri, now his debt was paid, time for Viper to go.
In the balcony room Wolverine lunged at Viper despite the armed guards. She backed up, pulling her gun, pointing it at Gambit's skull. "How many of your friends do you want to see die today?"
Gambit sneered up at her, "Galette."
Wolverine took a placating step back. "Stop the fight, Viper. I'll do whatever you want."
Viper raised her eyebrow. "Whatever I want?"
"Yes."
"What I want is for that smug bitch to be knocked down a peg or two! Now sit down and watch." She cocked the hammer on her weapon for emphasis.
Down below in the arena Storm watched as Sabertooth approached, her fists clenching at her sides.
"Hello, baby doll."
"Before you ask, the answer is no, Creed. I did not miss you." Ororo said dryly.
He gave a harsh bark of laughter. "Feisty today, aintchya."
"No more so than usual."
Sabertooth licked his lips. "I wanna taste ya again, doll. You were soooo good."
Before Storm had chance to respond, and she doubted she would have anyway, the announcer came over the speakers and their was surprise in his voice as he stated for the crowd, "This will be a no weapon match up. No holds barred."
On the balcony Wolverine bellowed in rage, and fear for Ororo.
Storm's head snapped up. "Logan?"
Sabertooth caught her arm, flinging her across the arena. "Pay attention, doll."
Storm flipped, legs spread, one hand down, dragging herself to a stop. She peered at Sabertooth through her hair. He roared at her, mouth open wide, saliva spraying from his lips. She smiled. "My, Creed, you do put on a good show." With that she charged him, leaping at the last second, her legs catching him around the neck. Using her momentum Ororo flung herself towards the ground, flipping Sabertooth as she did.
The crowd went absolutely nuts, screaming and cheering.
"Grow a set, didjya?" Sabertooth snarled rising to his feet.
"Jealous, Creed? Afraid mine are bigger than yours?"
Sabertooth gawked. Who the hell was this? Not the same woman he battled before, for sure. He pounced, large hands outstretched to grab her shoulders. She dropped to the ground rolling beneath him and coming up on her feet behind him. She planted one booted foot on his ass and shoved, sending him toppling forward.
"Hold still!" he shouted from the ground.
Storm looked at him incredulously. She didn't respond, instead circling him, looking for an opening. He rolled to get up and she closed in, slamming her heel onto his ribs. He bellowed.
"Mmm, feels good, don't it baby," she taunted.
Sabertooth reached out, flaying her leg with his claws. Ororo's breath hissed between her teeth but she didn't cry out.
"C'mon, baby, cry fer me," he growled. "Like ya do in my dreams."
"Keep dreaming," she snapped, hitting him hard in the face with two quick jabs, then dancing back to avoid his retaliation.
Sabertooth grinned, blood dripping into his mouth from his busted nose. The bleeding didn't last long and Storm frowned. Sabertooth's grin broadened. He stroked his hand across his neck. "No collar," he snarled. His foot lashed out, connecting with her shoulder, knocking her back.
Creed leapt high, landing directly in front of Storm, laughing maliciously. "You on the other hand are powerless."
"Why is it everyone assumes the only power I have is mutant based," Storm said, her eyes filling with inky black oil, her voice lowering several octaves. She focused, concentrating on building energy in her hand, delivering it into Sabertooth's midsection as she struck, sending him soaring against the far wall of the arena, dislodging a number of stones onto Sabertooth's still form. The crowd roared so loud the stadium trembled.
Ororo dropped to her knees, the spell taking a lot out of her. She was surprised she had actually done it. Much like the Phoenix lying dormant in Jean, Ororo had felt her powers as the Sat-ne a'nekh lying dormant within her since she opened and sealed the portal to Hell. It was as though they had only manifested to prevent the Daemonites from victory and returned to slumber once that was accomplished. She doubted she'd be able to pull off another spell. She closed her eyes. If she was lucky she would never have to draw on those powers ever again. She rose to her feet, the crowd chanting her name.
"What in the hell was that?" Viper demanded from the balcony.
"That was the Daughter of Light at her finest," Wolverine said, pride evident in his voice.
Rogue laughed. "That's right, yah didn't know, did yah Viper? Our Storm is an ancient power, something yah can never be, possessing things yah can never have." She looked pointedly at Wolverine.
Viper opened her mouth but was cut off by a throaty yell.
"VIPER!" Ororo stood in the center of the arena, glaring daggers at the balcony. "GET OUT HERE YOU COWARD!"
Viper strolled onto the terrace. "Well, done, Storm. Who knew you were such a trooper." She applauded mockingly.
"I want you, Viper," Storm said in a snarl that rivaled Wolverine's.
"I'm afraid I am not entered in the tournament," Viper drawled.
"Not for the tournament, Viper. For Patch."
Wolverine jerked, had he heard that right?
Viper sneered. "No. My husband is not a trophy to be won."
"Then I'll take your true heart's desire." Storm said, raising her voice so that it carried over the now silent stadium. "I am calling you out, Viper. In Bloodsport tradition, a duel to the end. I challenge you for the rule of Madripoor."
The crowd waited anxiously, no one moving.
Viper tensed. "I refuse."
Instant booing and yelling broke out among the watchers. Viper held up her hand. "Only tournament champion can challenge rule of Madripoor, Storm. And since the tournament is days from being finished, I must regretfully decline the challenge. Now, back to your cell," she ordered.
The gates opened and three prison guards entered the arena.
Wolverine bared his teeth, slamming his cuffed hands into the bodyguard to his right, and kicking the one on his left, both going down hard. Gambit leaned back, flipping over the back of his chair, spin kicking another of Viper's hired hands.
Wolverine raised his arms to strike again when Viper fired her gun into the air. She smiled maliciously. "For every harm you do me or my men, I will have returned on Storm ten-fold."
Wolverine flinched. Viper would never have believed it if she hadn't seen it, but the man was scared. "Sit back," she commanded.
Wolverine didn't comply. Viper pressed the comm link on her vest. "Dale."
"Yes, ma'am?"
"Shoot Storm."
"NO!" Wolverine stepped back, sinking into his chair. Gambit and Rogue had their arms pulled behind their backs at painful angles by several of Viper's thugs.
"Good boy. Now be very still." Viper leaned close, touching the collar around his neck. "No healing factor now, little big man. Lucky me. I can't rule if you divorce me, but…" She pulled a long blade from its sheath on her thigh. "I can rule as a widower." She plunged the blade into Wolverine's throat.
Gambit and Rogue strained against the men holding them.
Wolverine growled in pain.
Viper kissed Wolverine full on the lips her tongue slipping past and delving into his blood filled mouth. "Poison lipstick, remember, Wolverine? I doubt your death will be quick or painless. Too bad." His body began to convulse. "Ohhh, I bet that hurts, doesn it? It's a particularly lethal poison, and I doubt even with your healing factor you'd be able to counteract all of it."
"Viper…" Wolverine's muscles trembled as the toxin spread through his system.
"Fuck you! Fuck You, you cow!" Rogue screamed. "Logan! Logan!"
Viper flicked her off, walking towards the door. "Have fun with them, boys," she said to her men. "Kill Storm." Viper added into her comm link. Static. "Dale? Do you copy? Kill her!" Gun shots could be heard from outside.
Wolverine bellowed in rage, uncaring of the pain lancing through his body, wanting to attack.
Without warning, the bulky unconscious body of Sabertooth tumbled from the air, smashing through the wall, landing with a thud at Viper's feet.
Startled Viper looked up and found herself staring into the glowing eyes of a very angry Goddess. Ororo was twirling her collar around her index finger. "They have not made a lock that I can not pick," she said. In truth it had been Dale who had released her, but she didn't want Viper to take her wrath out on the young man or his family.
"Storm!" Viper recovered quickly, lashing out, uncoiling a whip, sending it whistling through the air, catching Storm across the cheek, drawing a scarlet line down her face.
Storm tilted her head, touching the smear. She licked her fingertips. Thunder boomed overhead, eliciting terrified screams from the people in the stadium seats. Streaks of lightening flashed and crackled across the sky, a cauldron of boiling clouds forming over the arena.
Gambit grinned his devil-may-care grin. His Stormy was very, very pissed.
"Tell me, Viper," Storm was saying, "Do you fly?"
Less than a second later Viper was lifted from where she stood and thrown off the balcony across the arena.
Ororo landed beside Wolverine. "Easy, Logan." She said as he tried to rise. "I am here, love."
She stood, glaring white fire at the men holding gambit and Rogue. "Drop your weapons and take your hands off them. If you do so I may let you live to go home to your families." Immediately Gambit and Rogue were released, the men scrambling from the room. Within moments they too were free of collars and cuffs.
"'Ro?" Wolverine blinked several times. The poison was effecting his mind, he thought.
"Easy," she soothed. She punched in the digital code Dale had given her, the collar around Wolverine's neck falling away.
"Took you long enough to get here," Storm chided, lifting Wolverine's head into her lap. He had begun healing, but was still unconscious.
Ororo laid Wolverine's head gently to the ground. "Take care of him, Remy. I have some unfinished business." She reached down, picking up one of the guns left behind buy the retreating thugs. She then jumped from the balcony, landing in the arena, the seats now empty as the crowd had run from the terrifying storm swirling overhead, the air crackling all around them.
Storm stalked towards the woman attempting to rise from the ground. "Tell me, Viper, is that vest you're wearing made out of Kevlar?" Ororo asked, voice deadly soft, checking the clip and slamming it back into the gun. She leveled the barrel at Viper.
"Oh, Please. We both know you aren't going to shoot me, Storm. You swore an oath not to take life. You can't kill me."
Ororo pulled the trigger.
Viper rocked back against the wall, blood seeping through her fingers as she clutched the wound in her shoulder. "No, I will not kill you." Storm confirmed. She aimed again, and fired, this time the bullet hitting Viper in the thigh. "But you would be amazed at what you can live through." She fired again, then twice more, mindless in her fury. This woman had taken Wolverine and used him for her own selfish ends, then tried to kill him after he had honored his code of giri and helped her. No one, absolutely no one hurt Logan! She pictured him lying on the floor, his neck a gaping wound, body convulsing as the poison seeped through his system. BITCH! Another shot.
"'Ro! 'Ro!" Logan reached her side, nearly fully healed, as she leveled the gun once more at Viper's panting and bloodied body. She didn't seem to hear him. He touched her arm gently and she turned startled, tear filled eyes to him. "No, darlin'. This ain't you," he said gently, lowering her arm, taking the gun from her stiff fingers. "This ain't you, baby." Ororo blinked at him, tears slipping down her face. "Logan."
"Right here, 'Ro. Right here." He pulled her into his arms, holding her tight.
Ororo looked at Viper over his shoulder, who was nearly unconscious now, both amazed and shocked by what she had done. "She will need medical attention," Ororo said softly.
Wolverine stepped back, looking at Viper. "On one condition. Viper," he knelt beside her. "About that divorce?"
"D-d-done." Her voice was faint, but audible.
Logan turned back to Ororo. "Ready to go home?"
She stepped into his arms, "I am already there."
Xavier Institute
Westchester New York
"Thought I'd find ya here."
Ororo turned her head, greeting Logan with a warm smile. "I wanted to clear my head." She returned her gaze to the crystalline waters of the lake behind the Institute that had become a mutual favorite spot for the two X-Men.
Ororo, Logan, Remy and Rogue had returned from Madripoor several hours ago, all of them exhausted and drained. The flight home had been filled with more silence than conversation, but it had been companionable. Ororo had taken the helm with Gambit as co-pilot, but every so often she would feel Logan's eyes on her and she would turn giving him a reassuring smile.
Logan was staring at her now, transfixed not only by her unearthly beauty, but also by the new confidence she carried. She had surprised him back at the arena, shooting Viper. It was something he wouldn't have expected of her, though he should have, considering he was the one who taught her how to use firearms. She had been resistant at first, complaining that she had her powers and no need of weaponry. He had told her it would take an enemy by surprise, because it would not be expected from her, and he had been right. Viper was completely caught by surprise, so was he.
"How are you feeling?" Logan asked, shifting his weight so that he leaned a bit closer to her, then shifted back again.
The movement did not go unnoticed by Ororo. Her lips twitched and her brow furrowed at the same time. It was endearing the way he was uncertain, but it was also very wrong. Logan was the most self assured man she knew. They had always known where they stood with each other, always been completely open, but now a wall built from their two years of separation and his marriage to Viper, and what that had nearly cost, stood between them.
"I feel…like a swim." Ororo began unbuttoning her gray top, moving towards the water.
Logan swallowed hard as the shirt floated to the ground, revealing her bare back as she walked away from him. He heard her mutter something about "…offensive scraps of cloth…" but the rushing of blood in his ears drowned out the rest of her statement as she slid her long skirt from her hips, completely nude now. She cast him a come-hither look over her shoulder and Logan said a silent thank you to whatever maker had sent him this angel. Striding purposefully after her Logan ripped his flannel shirt from his body, followed quickly by his jeans and boots.
Ororo submerged herself in the cool, clear water, emerging a few feet away, turning to look at him. Her breath caught in her throat. Goddess, but he was the perfect male specimen, all raw, untamed power, and sexuality. He walked slowly into the water and she smiled inside, knowing how very much he hated to swim. Or sink, as was often the case with him. Several hundred pounds of Adamantium made it near impossible to swim, or float or anything else but sink.
Eyes dark with longing Logan stopped a few feet from her. "C'mere." he growled.
Ororo shook her head, giving him an impish grin. "You come here."
There was only a moments hesitation and then with a growl Logan lunged forward, covering the distance between them, catching her wrists pulling her against him, their bare, wet flesh coming together. Skin to skin, heart to heart. "Tell me what ya want, darlin'."
Ororo didn't hesitate. "You. Only you. Always you."
Logan crushed her mouth to his, weaving his fingers through the layers of Ororo's wet hair, holding her to him, kissing her slowly, deeply. He traced her bottom lip with his tongue, sending chills along her skin. She shivered, pressing herself closer. Logan groaned, sliding his tongue into her mouth, teasing, stroking and cajoling. He caressed her shoulders, her arms, sliding his hands along her sleek torso, cupping her breast, the rough pads of his thumbs teasing her nipples, making her groan.
"Logan." She breathed, arching against him, more exotic and alluring than any dream he'd ever had.
"I need ya, darlin'." He groaned, rubbing himself against her so that she would know just what her touch did to him. He trailed his lips across her chin, along her neck, sniffing her flesh as he went, lapping her damp skin with his tongue, tasting the water, and the salt of her skin. She sighed, tangling her fingers in his ebony locks, holding him to her. He nipped her tender flesh and she moaned.
Ororo leaned back, semi-floating in the water, held up by one of Logan's hands spread in the center of her back as he trailed hot, fevered kisses along the graceful column of her neck, down over her collar bone, nibbling her aching flesh as he went, until at last him mouth fastened on the sensitive tip of one ample breast, laving the hard pebbled nipple with his tongue, suckling gently.
Logan growled low and deep as Ororo moaned in his arms, One of her long, shapely legs raising and curling around his hips, pulling him closer, his cock twitching against the snowy thatch of curls at the juncture of her thighs. "'Ro. Uhn, God, 'Ro." He moved his hips and she cried out with want.
"I need…" she panted.
"What, baby," he rumbled. "what do you need." He moved against her again and she bit her lip.
"You…Logan…" Without warning Ororo pressed her hands on his shoulders, lifting herself out of the water, cool droplets falling from her onto him, as she slid herself along his body, wrapping her legs around his waist, settling herself onto him with excruciating slowness. Logan felt his toes curl as he slowly penetrated her damp, hot and unbearably tight channel.
On a groan he pulled her face down to his, raising his hips to meet her, impaling her. Ororo opened her mouth and Logan swallowed her cry of surprised pleasure in his mouth, capturing her lips in a wet kiss. She met his tongue and thrust eagerly, moving against him, making them both moan. They were still for several moments, adjusting to the feel of each other again.
Logan ran his hands along her back, cradling her hips as he spread his legs, bracing himself in the water, pulling her down to meet his upward push. Ororo's head fell back, her eyes closed in rapture. "Logan…" He lifted her again, plunging home a fraction of a second later, relishing the way her body clenched around his and her fevered cries.
"Say it, 'Ro. I need ta hear ya say it." He ground his hips against her and she whimpered, biting her lip.
She opened sapphire eyes, staring into his dark depths and smiled with infinite tenderness and understanding. "I love you, Mountain Man."
"God, I love ya, baby. Oh, how I love ya." He was growling furiously now, holding her to him, moving in and out of her, unashamed, knowing she understood. His strokes became more aggressive and Ororo clung to him, her finger nails digging into the muscle on his shoulders.
"Goddess, Logan." She buried her face in his neck but her lifted her face, cradling her chin, kissing her softly. "I missed you so," she whispered.
Logan felt his throat tighten. He kissed her slowly, parting her lips, murmuring into her mouth how much he loved her, would always love her.
Ororo tensed, biting her already raw lower lip, her body trembling as she approached orgasm.
Logan ran one finger over her lip, releasing it from its pearly prison. He shook his head, a look of fierce determination and lust on his face. "I wanna hear ya come, baby. I wanna see yer face, yer beautiful face." he surged up, moving his hands to her hips, holding her to him, filling her to the brim. She sobbed in pleasure. "That's it, 'Ro. Let go. Feel me." He withdrew almost completely, then plunged to the hilt. She bit her lip. "No. I wanna hear ya. Say my name," he demanded, thrusting again and again.
"L-logannnn," she moaned. He thrust again and again she cried out, grabbing fistfuls of his hair. She lifted herself, matching him thrust for thrust.
"More," he growled into her hair. He rotated his hips, grinding her down onto his shaft.
"Looogaaann!" Ororo was coming, trembling around him, clutching at his damp skin, arching her back, and still he continued moving in and out of her, with agonizing slowness now, prolonging her release.
Ororo leaned forward kissing him heatedly, biting his lower lip, drawing blood, knowing what it did to him. She loved this tender Logan but she wanted all of him. She would settle for nothing less.
Logan rumbled long and low, turning and walking through the water, carrying her back to shore, laying her down on the grass, the cool breeze caressing their skin. He reached between their joined bodies, stroking her as he moved in and out of her in deep, hard strokes.
Eyes darkening even more Logan felt his inner beast coming to the surface, lured out by her frantic cries and heated moans. He tried to slow down, wanting to be gentle for her, but Ororo was having none of that. Lifting her hips she raised her legs so that her ankles rested on his shoulders, whispering, "Make me yours." Wolverine lost himself, claws bursting forth, sinking into the ground, his gleaming fangs bared, pumping against her furiously. Ororo screamed her pleasure, shattering into a million pieces as her climax hit her again, and again.
Feeling her inner muscles clenching and releasing against him was exquisite torture. Wolverine threw his head back and howled, driving into Ororo even faster. She clutched at him, pulling his hair, tilting his head back. His dark eyes glittered down at her, feral and dangerous. Ororo smiled, leaned forward and bit him, hard on the chest, her teeth sinking deep, the coppery taste of blood teasing her tongue.
With a savage snarl Wolverine withdrew, flipping Ororo over, and yanking her hips back against him, reentering her in one fluid motion. Ororo cried out, head thrown back, her body responding to the animal in him in ways she had never done before. Wolverine fisted one hand in her hair, pulling her head back, tilting it to the side, baring the soft flesh between her shoulder and neck. His hips bucked uncontrollably now, his desire for her beyond reason, beyond human. Ororo lowered her eyes, shifting slightly, completely submissive. Wolverine roared, teeth clamping down on the back of her neck on the exposed section of flesh, his canines piercing deep, marking her, claiming her.
This taking was base and animalistic, savage and raw, but above all of that this joining was pure and honest and true. Perfect. Absolutely beautiful.
For the first time in his life Wolverine was not ashamed of the beast he carried within. It had found its mate in the loving form of a goddess returned. Pouring his heart and soul into her, Wolverine came with a long howl, shuddering against her, lapping the dark liquid from her neck, panting against her throat, sniffing her hair.
Ororo reached behind her, pulling Logan to her. They held each other close, legs intertwined, faces buried in the others neck as both succumbed to wrenching sobs, bodies trembling, hearts fulfilled.
A long time later, the sun setting behind the trees, staining the sky with oranges and pinks, Logan sat up, looking down at the sleeping woman in the grass. He padded quietly to his clothes, returning to her a moment later.
Ororo opened her eyes, sensing she was being watched. Logan was seated beside her, running his hand along her back. She raised one eyebrow in silent question to his serious expression.
"I love ya, 'Ro. You are…everything. I am not whole without ya."
"Nor I you, my love."
Logan cleared his throat. "So, would ya put this back on?"
Ororo glanced at his outstretched hand. In the center of his upturned palm sat her three stoned diamond and sapphire engagement ring. She raised her eyes to his and said, "No."
Logan felt like someone had hit him with a truck. He swallowed hard.
Ororo sat up, still looking him straight in the eye, holding out her trembling left hand. "You put it on me."
Logan's hand shook as he slid the ring onto her third finger, more nervous now than he had been the first time. "I love you." Ororo whispered, pulling him to her. Moments later they were once again lost in the miracle that was their love.
