EPISODE THIRTEEN
UNLEASHED
I am Jesus Christ
Can't thou see the light?
I preach the holy way
Join or be my prey ~ I am God by Unleashed
"See you this afternoon!" Hudson shouted to her parents, just before the screen door shut behind her and she jogged down the porch steps, slinging her backpack over her shoulder.
Taking a few bites of the chocolate Pop Tart in her hand, Hudson glanced up at the cloudless sky, wondering for a moment if Fall was ever going to hit. It was unseasonably warm for October, and a part of her was really looking forward to some snowfall. After all, it usually meant snow days at school, fewer chores and hot chocolate with marshmallows. It was still warm enough outside for her mom to brew sun tea in the garden, and make fresh lemonade. Hudson wanted hot chocolate, beef stew and pot roast. On top of that, AJ kept trying to cuddle at night and it was just too hot for that, so she continually told him to wait until the first snowfall. And then he could cuddle all he wanted to.
As she moved down the driveway, Hudson glanced around, checking for any passersby as she prepared to break into a run to school. The bus hadn't arrived yet but she wasn't really in the mood to take it anyway. The discussion among her classmates would most likely focus on the purchase of the class rings, which was taking place that day. She just wasn't in the mood to hear others talk about how their parents were paying for their rings, while hers had flatly refused. Hudson understood that her mom and dad were tight on money, and that the farm was costing much more than it was bringing in at the moment, so she really didn't need to see her peers flaunt their families' money.
Hearing the roar of an approaching sports car, and thinking how ironic it was for him to show up just then, Hudson glanced up and smiled as a red Ferrari came around the corner, turning into the gravel driveway. She met Lex's car halfway, pulling the Pop Tart away from her mouth as she leaned down to greet him through the window.
"Hey there, beautiful."
Blushing, Hudson's smile grew. Their easy banter had returned due to their nightly phone calls over the past week. Things were almost back to perfect. Almost. "Hi. I thought you were going into Metropolis this morning?"
"I am. But I left early so I could give you a ride to school." He paused and gazed up at her a moment through his sunglasses. "That is, if you want one?"
Like she was going to turn that offer down. "Sure!" Hurrying around the front of the car, Hudson took a few more bites of her breakfast as she opened the passenger door and slid inside. "New car?"
"Yes." Lex made a face at her pastry. "Try not to get crumbs all over the interior."
"Snob," she replied good-naturedly, finishing off her Pop Tart and licking her fingers clean.
Lex watched her silently, his gaze focusing on her fingers as they slid into her mouth before he turned his attention back to driving the car, and made a u-turn in the drive. Once they were headed in the right direction, he cast another quick look in her direction. "So, did you get that essay finished last night?"
"Mmhmm." She flashed him a smile. "Thanks for the help. I'm sure your insights into Helen of Troy will garner me an A."
Frowning, Lex stared ahead at the road. "Well, you shouldn't have waited until the last minute, and you should have done the research on your own."
"Nag, nag, nag- " Hudson broke off in her teasing to squeal when Lex reached over and pinched the inside of her thigh. It didn't really hurt but she knew from observing others that it was supposed to. "Ow! Hey!"
"Don't be a brat," Lex scolded but a smile hovered over his lips. "What are you going to do when you're off at college and I'm not there to help you pass your classes?"
Hudson glanced over at him and offered a bright smile. "You'll always be there, Lex."
"Yeah. as your librarian apparently."
"Nag."
"Brat."
"Hmph." Hudson leaned forward to mess with the radio, flipping it over from the classical station Lex had it set on, to her favorite country station.
"By all means, make yourself at home," he commented sarcastically.
"Thanks."
Ignoring his quick glare, Hudson wiggled around in her seat until she was able to slip her hand into her front pocket and withdrew a folded stack of money. Flipping it open, she carefully began to count the bills, hoping she hadn't lost any of it between her bedroom and the car, and praying she counted it correctly earlier that morning. She was terrible at keeping track of money. Maybe she should start carrying purses or something, like Lana and Chloe did. Even though the contraptions seemed like a horrible nuisance.
"That's quite a bit of money," Lex remarked, flashing his gaze into the rearview mirror before looking over at her. "Planning on running away? Getting an apartment in the city?"
"Oh, ha." She waved the bills in the air. "The class rings are in today. And I'm thinking of buying one."
Lex's brow furrowed above his mirrored glasses. "If I remember correctly, you and your dad had this discussion more than once throughout the summer. He didn't want you buying one."
Hudson snorted. Sometimes having Lex around was like being constantly followed by her dad. It was ludicrous how alike they could be. "Yeah, well, it's my money and I'll do what I want with it."
"Three hundred and fifty dollars is a lot to throw away on a ring."
"Oh, tell me you haven't spent much more on things much sillier."
Lex shrugged. "That's different, Angel, and you know it. My dad has more money than he could possibly spend in his lifetime. It's there for me to throw away on stupid things." He nodded toward the money. "You worked hard for that. Shouldn't you spend it on something that means a lot to you?"
"Having a class ring does mean a lot to me," she replied stubbornly.
Honestly, Lex and her parents just couldn't seem to understand. Fitting in at school was practically impossible for her. Sure, she had a few really good, close friends but she couldn't participate in any of the sports, wasn't interested in any of the other extracurricular activities other than the Torch. She wanted to be a part of something. Having the ring would make her feel as if she really was a student at Smallville High, that she belonged there just as much as the rest of the student body. And one day, she would be able to look at her ring and remember that at one point in her life, she did fit in, even if it was marginally.
"Chloe and Lana are both getting one."
"I see."
Lex didn't seem to like her reasoning but she didn't comment on it.
"What about Christmas? I thought you said you wanted to spend a lot of money on people this year."
"I have plenty of money saved, Lex," she responded with a heavy sigh. "You can lay off the lecture."
"Sorry." His mouth tightened a little. "I just don't want you to be disappointed."
Pulling the car into the school parking lot, Lex brought it to a stop next to the sidewalk, and put it into park before turning in his seat to face her.
"Promise me you'll think it over before you make any rash decisions. Is it really something you can't live without?"
Hudson smiled a little before reaching up to pull his sunglasses off. His eyes were especially blue this morning, probably caused by the deep blue dress shirt he was wearing. Sometimes she forgot how beautiful he was - though she was usually reminded very quickly. "You might be able to convince me a little better if I could actually see your eyes."
Lex grinned and leaned in to give her mouth a quick kiss. "Think about it." Pulling back, he snatched his glasses out of her hand and slipped them back on. "Now go get that essay turned in. We don't want points deducted for tardiness."
Making a sound in the back of her throat, Hudson pushed the door open, rolling her eyes. "Sometimes you can be such a parent." Climbing to her feet, she shouldered her book bag and leaned in the door to give him another smile. "Have fun in Metropolis!"
It was Lex's turn to roll his eyes. "Loads. Bye, Angel."
Shutting the door, Hudson stood back and watched quietly as Lex peeled out of the parking lot, drawing the attention of every student in the vicinity. She thought, Show off.
"Too good for the bus, I see."
Turning, Hudson flashed a smile and a shrug at Chloe as her friend walked up beside her. "Yeah, well. can you blame me?"
"You have it bad, Kent." The blonde shook her head as they headed into the school. Reaching into her purse, Chloe withdrew a check and glanced up at Hudson. "So, are you getting a class ring?"
She hadn't. Not until that moment at least. Nodding, Hudson replied, "Yeah. I'm going to do it."
Chloe raised her eyebrows but didn't reply.
As they approached the end of the hall where the tables were set up, Lana turned and waved to them from where she was about to step into the line. Hugging her books to her chest, she smiled at them both as she walked to meet them, though her eyes lingered on Hudson. The only explanation Hudson could think of lately for the way Lana watched her was that her friend was still coming to terms with the truth. It had to be a little weird - finding out that your friend was an alien. Then again, it wasn't much easier finding out that you were an alien.
"Hey, guys!" Lana greeted.
"Hi, Lana." Chloe stepped immediately into line, peering over the shoulder of the student in front of her.
Hudson reached into her pocket for her money once more as Lana stepped up beside her.
"So, have you decided to go through with this?"
"I'm here, aren't I?"
Lana raised her eyebrows and shrugged as she stepped into line, smiling a little.
Frowning at Lana's amusement, Hudson asked, "What?"
"I believe your dad's exact words this weekend were 'Three hundred and fifty dollars is a lot of money to spend on something you really don't need'."
Hudson sighed. First her parents, then Lex, and now Lana. Didn't anyone think she was capable of making a decision on her own? "I earned that money," she defended. Then she added, "Besides, my dad said that it was my decision to make."
Lana glanced over her shoulder at her. "Which means you're not really supposed to buy it."
Before Hudson could reply, Chloe turned around and waved her hand in front of them, flashing her new school ring, the red jewel glimmering in the light. "Nothing says school spirit like a ring that looks like it was jacked from P. Diddy."
Smiling, Hudson told her, "I think it looks great, Chloe."
Her friend frowned as Lana stepped past her in line to purchase her ring. "I think we'll be lucky if the glue holds through graduation," Chloe commented, her brow furrowing deeper as she stared at it. "I wonder if the ruby's even real?"
Hudson watched in amusement as a familiar glint appeared in Chloe's eye and then she darted away without another word, heading straight toward the Torch office. Hudson couldn't help but feel a little sorry for the ring company - after all, if it turned out they didn't use real jewels, Chloe would make certain everybody knew about it.
Stepping up to the table at her turn, Hudson handed over the three hundred and fifty dollars, regretting it only a moment until the tiny velvet ring box was handed back to her. Moving back to where Lana stood waiting, she opened it up to admire it, smiling at the object. Other than the necklace Lex gave her, it was the only real piece of jewelry she owned. Moreover, she worked for it and paid for it all by herself. That alone made it worth having.
"So, what do you think?" Lana leaned in beside her, glancing at the ring in the box before lifting up her hand to show her own off.
"It's very cool." Lifting it out of its cradle, Hudson carefully slid it onto her ring finger and a strange thrill ran through her. Something changed. A sense of freedom, of power flooded through her immediately. Heart rate accelerating just a bit, she smiled. God, nothing had made her feel like that since. Lex.
"H.C.? Are you feeling all right?" Lana was gazing up at her, concern showing on her beautiful features.
Hudson blinked. She'd never felt better in her life. It was like all of the cares of her life were suddenly gone, over with. She felt like laughing. Instead, she smiled down at Lana, who was really quite cute when she was worried, scrunching up her nose the way she did.
"Yeah. I feel great."
"Excuse me."
The voice of the vice principal, Mr. Gibbons, drew the attention of Hudson and Lana to where they saw Pete standing next to a tall blonde student. Hudson had never seen her around before - she definitely would have remembered anyone who dressed like that. Black leggings, sheer black midriff top that exposed her red bra beneath it. And she had the figure and confidence to match. It was a far cry from Lana's preference for pink and Chloe's preference for the Salvation Army stores. Hudson realized she wanted to look like that.
"It's Jessie, isn't it?... " the vice principal began. "Perhaps Mr. Ross didn't tell you, but there's a dress code here at Smallville High."
"Lame and lamer?" the girl named Jessie replied.
Hudson laughed, causing both Pete and Lana to cast her quick, sharp looks.
The vice principal looked in her direction as well, gaze narrowing. "You think that's funny, Miss Kent?"
Drawing in her laughter just a bit, Hudson watched in continued amusement as Jessie turned back to Mr. Gibbons and told him, "By the way, I'm not changing."
Wow. She had spunk. Hudson had yet to actually see any of the students at Smallville High stand up to authority like that. It kind of reminded her of something Lex would do, which just made her smile more. Mmmmm. Lex. She could think of something of his she wouldn't mind making stand up at the moment. Damn. He was in Metropolis.
"Well, perhaps you would like to discuss your attitude in my office," Mr. Gibbons replied.
Jessie rolled her eyes, casting a quick glance at Hudson, who was still smiling, before she turned to follow the vice principal down the hall.
Frowning a bit, Hudson started after them. "Excuse me, Mr. Gibbons. " She passed by Pete, who was watching her as if she'd sprouted horns. She smiled, felt like laughing again for some reason, and turned her attention to the vice principal and Jessie. "I think she looks really hot."
Jessie flashed her a smile and she found herself returning it. "And I think that your dress code. sucks." She giggled and Jessie joined her.
"Excuse me?" Mr. Gibbons demanded.
Hudson rolled her eyes. "Come on, it's her first day. Cut her some slack." She glanced at the vice principal and grinned again. "Besides, I don't think you should be the one giving fashion tips."
Seriously, the man was wearing a brown-striped tie and a suit that looked as if it walked out of the seventies.
Shrugging, as the people around her grew quiet, Hudson cast her gaze back to Jessie who was still smiling, though softer this time, her eyes assessing Hudson with a similar expression.
They ignored Mr. Gibbons as he finally turned to Jessie and told her, "Tomorrow, young lady, proper attire - or you're going straight home!" He stalked off.
Pete moved back up between them, glancing at Hudson once before smiling at Jessie. "Well, young lady," he mimicked the vice principal. "I guess we can finish our tour."
Jessie nodded a little, though she still stared at Hudson, even as Pete started down the hall. Hudson was about to introduce herself but Jessie flashed her a wider smile, almost teasing in its appearance, then turned and followed Pete.
"Uh. H.C.? Where did that come from?" Lana was beside her once more, staring up at Hudson, and then looking down the hall toward Jessie, who occasionally glanced over her shoulder back at them.
Hudson frowned at the question, only just realizing that she never before had spoken up to authority figures. Nor had she ever been quick in introducing herself to new students. Another smile appeared as she watched Jessie disappear down the hall - she really wanted an outfit like that. Then maybe Pete and the other guys in school would look at her the way they were looking at Jessie.
"I don't know, Lana." She turned back to her friend. "But, I think I like it."
***
School had been. a little more boring than usual that day. Hudson found it difficult to stay awake during classes, and quickly learned that amusement came in the form of making paper airplanes and tossing pencils into the tiles of the ceiling above her. Of course, there was a special knack for being able to do that without sending the entire pencil through the ceiling as she had done three times before she learned to throw it gently enough. It made her laugh though, even if it did disrupt Mr. Craney's history lesson.
Moving down the hall, Hudson flashed a smile when she noticed Lana approaching from the opposite direction. They met near the door and headed outside together as Hudson reached into her pocket to pull out a piece of paper. Unfolding the flier, she waved it to her friend.
"This is the place I was talking about," Hudson told her, referring to a conversation they'd had during lunch in the cafeteria. "It's right over the county line and they don't check ID's." Although Hudson was certain that if she really wanted an ID, she could probably convince Lex to get one for her.
Lana made a face before glancing up at Hudson. "You know, this is a bar, right?" She handed the flier back to her.
Hudson rolled her eyes. "I know! Isn't Whitney always telling you that if you want to have fun, you've got to take some risks?" She glanced back at the flier with a smile. "We can go this weekend."
Laughing a little nervously, Lana commented, "The day Hudson Clark Kent decides to break the rules, I'll be there."
Wondering if Lana knew she planned on keeping her to her word, Hudson nodded. "Alright then. It's a date."
"Hey! Wait up!"
Turning slightly at the call, Hudson and Lana watched as Jessie moved toward them, hips swinging from side to side as she walked. There was something about her that reminded Hudson of Desiree Atkins - maybe it was the walk or the confidence or just the sensuality that seemed to flow off of her in waves. She wasn't certain, but she liked it either way. And she wanted to emulate it - Hudson wanted to make people see her that way, want her that way.
"Hudson, right? Jessie Brooks," she introduced herself to Hudson, ignoring Lana. Her eyes drifted down to the flier in Hudson's hand and she smiled. "That place rocks... I checked it out on my way into town. Are you planning a road trip?"
Hudson returned the smile, pleased to know that Jessie approved of the place. She had a feeling that meant it really was a lot of fun. "Well if we do, I'll let you know."
Jessie watched her silently for a moment, grinning, before she reached over and grabbed a pen that was sticking up out of Lana's purse. Lana made an annoyed sound at the action but Hudson was too focused on the other girl, because Jessie took her hand, to notice. She flipped it over, palm side up, and began writing her phone number across Hudson's skin. It kind of tickled.
"You'll need to know how to get in touch with me," Jessie commented before lifting her gaze up to meet Hudson's eyes.
They smiled at one another once more as Jessie tossed the pen back to Lana, then turned and walked away. Hudson glanced down at her hand, instantly memorizing the number before lifting her gaze to watch Jessie.
"What was that all about?" Lana asked, frowning up at Hudson.
Hudson shrugged. "She's just being. friendly."
"Friendly?" Lana repeated in disbelief. "She was hitting on you, H.C."
Raising an eyebrow in amusement, Hudson looked down at Lana and couldn't resist replying, "Jealous?"
She opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted when Chloe appeared, commenting, "H.C., you and Jessie seem to be making fast friends."
Was Chloe jealous, too? Oh, this was far too entertaining. She wondered if she could make Lex equally jealous with another girl. Then again, he was the one who liked to tease her about the time she and Lana kissed. So, more than likely, he would simply want to join in. Hudson glanced back down the sidewalk, searching for Jessie. A threesome certainly sounded interesting.
"I'm just trying to make the new girl feel welcome," she finally replied, looking back at her friends.
Lana made a face, casting a quick look at Chloe once before asking them both, "So...are we still on for that cram session tonight at the Talon?"
Hudson slipped her arms over her friends' shoulders and started down the sidewalk, leading them with her. "If my two favorite girls are gonna be there, why not?"
Chloe raised her eyebrows. "Uh, H.C. Are you feeling okay?"
Grinning, Hudson tossed her hair, glancing ahead. "Never better."
She left her friends at the bus stop, telling them she was in the mood to walk, ignoring the strange expressions they flashed her over the idea of walking three miles home. Barely out of sight, Hudson took off full speed, laughing at the thrill of the wind around her and how everyone and everything seemed to stop. People and cars froze in place and she couldn't help but have a little fun with it. She switched the baseball caps of two old men as she flew by the barber shop and snatched a Snickers bar out of the grocery bag of some woman while she loaded her things into a car. She zigzagged through traffic downtown, took out a few mailboxes and finally arrived on the farm, coming to an abrupt halt in the barn to find her parents standing around her dad's motorcycle, wondering where she was.
"Hey, where's H.C.? She's really late."
"Looking for me?" Hudson called out with a big grin.
Her parents looked over at her call and returned her smile.
"Yeah," her dad nodded, moving away from the motorcycle that he never rode. "Weren't you supposed to be here with me, working on that garage door?"
Hudson snorted and rolled her eyes. "Geez, Dad, that'll take like, two seconds."
Flashing him another grin as he nodded, she lifted her hand and held it in front of her, gazing at her new ring happily. It sparkled from the few rays of sun sneaking in through the slats in the roof of the barn. Hudson loved the way it felt on her finger - heavy and warm, just like it belonged there. She never wanted to take it off. Her silent admiration was interrupted by the angry voice of her dad.
"And I thought we agreed that you weren't gonna buy that ring."
Making a face, Hudson glanced up at him, pursing her lips. "I thought we decided it was my decision to make." Turning away from her parents, she reached out for the hammer on the workbench, fiddling with it in boredom.
"That's because I assumed you'd make the right one. H.C., that ring costs a lot of money... "
Money. It was always about money. Lex never had to worry about that, Lana never had to worry about it, neither did Chloe or Pete. Spinning around, Hudson glared at her parents and snapped, "And I'm tired of worrying about every nickel and dime around here!"
Her parents stared at her, expressions clearly displaying surprise at her outburst. Hudson couldn't help but feel pleased - it was nice to get her true feelings off her chest. Maybe she should do it more often. What was the point of bottling everything up inside anyway? She had the right to be angry with the way her life was going.
"H.C., honey, why don't you go get washed up for dinner," her mom suggested quietly, flashing her a gentle smile.
"I'm not hungry," Hudson replied, thinking another night of cornbread and pork chops might be more than she could handle. She wanted to eat like Lex did - fancy meals in his dining room or expensive dinners out on the town.
Of course, Lex never had to mend fences and feed cows, either.
She glanced over at her dad and added bitterly, "Besides, I have chores to do."
Flashing them both a glare, she sped out of the barn.
***
Jonathan finished washing his hands in the sink in preparation for breakfast the next morning when the phone began ringing. Giving his wife a quick smile, he moved over and lifted the receiver off the hook.
"Kent Farm."
"May I speak with Jonathan Kent, please?"
"Speaking."
"Mr. Kent, this is Annie with Capital One," the cheerful voice on the other line informed him. "I'm calling you this morning because there were an unusual amount of charges to your credit card last night- "
"You're kidding!" Jonathan blinked in disbelief at the news, glancing over at Martha as she lifted the pan of sausage off the stove and turned to watch him, brow knitted into a frown.
"I take it by your response that these charges were not authorized by yourself or the other card holder, Martha Kent?"
"No, they weren't." He frowned, knowing very well Martha wouldn't have been off spending money they didn't have without telling him first.
"If you could please check into this and get back with me this afternoon so that we can cancel your card if it has been stolen. You can reach me at 1- 800-555-2434, extension 213."
Jonathan grabbed a pen and wrote down the information as she relayed it to him. "Okay, Annie. Thank you." Jonathan hung up the phone, and turned to his wife, who was gazing at him thoughtfully.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"That was the credit card company. They were calling to verify some charges that were made on our card. Last night."
They stared at one another in confusion for a moment, while Jonathan reached into his pocket to pull out his wallet. His card was right where it belonged. Martha started for her purse when the whine of a guitar, followed by a loud, thumping base line broke out across the silence of the farm. Martha started, looking up at her husband in astonishment before they both hurried over to the kitchen window. Pushing the curtains aside, Jonathan searched for the source of the music, which was coming from the direction of the barn. His gaze stopped on the new small satellite dish, attached to the side of the barn, near the window of his daughter's loft.
As if reading his mind, Martha asked beside him in bemusement, "When did we get a satellite dish?"
Frowning, Jonathan shook his head and started for the kitchen door, his wife tossing the dishtowel to the sink and hurrying after him. They cut across the yard toward the barn, glancing up at the loft window occasionally as the music blared. Pushing the door open, Jonathan stormed inside only to come to an immediate halt as his gaze moved over the items that littered the interior - a jet ski draped in clothing, with the tags still attached, a shiny guitar, a brand new Western show saddle with matching bridle, all covered in silver and turquoise, unopened boxes of even more junk and stereo equipment wires hanging down from the loft. Martha gasped as she moved past him, her hands waving around her as she seemed at a loss for words. They continued forward toward the stairs as Martha grabbed a jacket off of the jet ski, while Jonathan frowned at the wires.
"This is suede!" she exclaimed.
Shaking his head, Jonathan continued upwards, Martha still close behind him, both stopping once more in shock to find the loft likewise littered with an assortment of items - a new stereo, a flat panel TV, stacks of clothing and boxes of shoes. Hudson was in the center of it all, dressed in a new pair of stone-washed jeans and wearing only a fancy black velvet bra. It was trimmed in gold satin and pushed her breasts upwards as she bounced around to the music, mussed, wild hair framing her face. She seemed not to notice her parent's presence as she sang at the top of her lungs:
"Allow me some time to play with your mind
And you'll get there again and again
Close your eyes and imagine my body undressed
Take your time, we've got all night
You on the rise as you're touchin' my thighs
And let me know what you like
If you like, I'll go down
Da down down down da down down
I'll hold you in my hand and baby
Your smooth and shiny feels good
Against my lips sugar
I want you so bad I can taste your
love right now, baby. "
Jonathan felt his face flame red as he realized what his 'little girl' was singing about. "H.C.!" he shouted above the din.
"Hudson! Where did you get all this?" Martha chimed in beside him, waving her hand around the loft.
Hudson glanced over at them both briefly before returning to her pseudo- dancing as she moved in front of the full-length mirror, admiring herself. "Discount Eddie's in Metropolis," she replied with a smile. "Open all night"!"
"You mean to tell.... " Jonathan began to shout, then gave up trying to be heard over the music and searched through the stack of DVD's on the couch before locating a remote to the stereo that was hidden behind more boxes near the loft window. He struggled with the buttons, as he continued, "You mean to tell me, you took our credit cards... " The damn remote didn't seem to be working. "...credit cards, and you bought all this... "
Sighing in impatience, Hudson snatched the remote from his hand and switched off the stereo with the flick of a button.
Grateful for the silence, Jonathan finished, "You bought all this junk?"
His daughter shrugged. "Yeah! I figured it was time I had all the same cool stuff everyone else has."
Anger immediately swept over him and it was all Jonathan could do not to reach out for something to throw. Instead, he raised his voice, "Hudson Clark Kent, you stole from us!"
Hudson rolled her eyes. "No. I used your credit cards." She moved away from them over to her desk where she searched through a box of makeup, and removed a tube of lipstick. Opening it, she turned back to the mirror and began applying the fire engine red color to her lips. "What's the big deal? We don't have to pay for it right away."
Martha gasped at her reply, looking from her husband to Hudson with a stunned expression. Jonathan reached down and grabbed a supple leather motorcycle jacket lying over the couch, tossing it at Hudson angrily.
"Well, I'll tell you the big deal," he snapped. "The big deal is you're gonna take all this garbage back right now! Come on!"
Snorting as she caught the jacket, Hudson sneered, "Yeah, right," before blowing a kiss to her reflection.
"'Yeah, right!'" Her father mimicked, his tone angrier than he ever remembered using with her. He stabbed a finger towards Hudson, continuing, "And then, after you've taken all this garbage back, you and I are going to have a nice long conversation about this new attitude you've developed!"
Shrugging into the jacket, Hudson lifted up her hair, letting it fall back over her shoulders before replying dismissively, "Well, Dad, you can talk all you want. I'm out of here."
Flashing both parents a smirk, she superspeeded out the loft window. Jonathan glanced at Martha before they both raced to the opening, staring down at the ground where Hudson swung her leg over her father's motorcycle, gunning the engine to life
"Hudson!" Jonathan yelled down to her. "Hudson, come back here!"
Ignoring his calls, Hudson removed a pair of sunglasses from her jacket pocket and slipped them on before revving the engine once more and pulling out down the driveway at a breakneck speed, a pile of dust swirling in her wake.
"Oh... " Martha began and couldn't seem to finish. She looked up at her husband in dismay before dropping her head against his shoulder.
Slipping his arm around her, Jonathan stared after Hudson until he could no longer see her before squeezing his wife gently. "What did you say last night about teenage rebellion, Martha?"
She looked up at him and shook her head. "I. This should be a gradual thing. Not all at once. I can't believe she. " She trailed off and gazed around his shoulder at the items scattered around the barn.
Nodding once, Jonathan stepped away from her and walked toward the stairs. "Call Discount Eddie's and see about returning all of this stuff..."
"Where are you going?"
"To bring our daughter back here."
Jonathan quickened his pace as he exited the barn and moved toward his truck. Climbing inside, he started the engine and headed for Smallville High.
During the trip there, Jonathan went over every theory in his mind for what was causing his usually perfectly behaved daughter to act out like she was. This was the kind of behavior he'd worried they might see from her when she began dating Lex - exposed to his world, Jonathon feared Hudson would decide her own life wasn't good enough. But, that hadn't been the case. If anything, Lex almost seemed like a good influence on her, though Jonathan would be the last to admit such a thing out loud to anyone. The only explanation he could conjure by the time he pulled into the high school parking lot was that Hudson was reacting to the pain she'd been through in the past few months. Lex's surprise marriage and Lana discovering the truth about her, could have simply been too much.
Seeing his daughter moving away from his motorcycle and following Lana toward the school, Jonathan pulled up alongside her and called out through the passenger window, "Hudson, I'd like a word with you please."
She glanced in his direction, rolled her eyes, and continued across the parking lot. "Not right now, Dad."
Putting the truck in park, Jonathan threw the door open and stepped out as Hudson passed by. "Get in the truck, Hudson Clark."
Ignoring him, Hudson continued on her way, flashing a smile at a boy who walked by. "Give me one reason why I should," she called out over her shoulder.
Angrily, and not thinking, Jonathan reached out and grabbed his daughter by the arm, spinning her around to face him. "Because, I am your father and I just told you to get in the truck!"
"You're not my father," Hudson replied, gaze narrowing.
The words hit him hard. Jonathan had always feared telling Hudson the truth of her origins because she might feel even more detached from them, to the point where simply being the people who adopted her and took her in wouldn't be enough. The fear immediately returned with her words and he found himself stepping back, stunned by the pain they caused.
She smiled, almost pleased. "You never were."
With that, Hudson reached out and pushed Jonathan in the chest. He gasped at the impact, feeling as if a wheelbarrow full of bricks had just slammed into his chest as he flew backwards, into the open door of the truck. It shut behind him and he heard the metal dent with his impact, the air quickly escaping him as he slumped to the ground in pain.
Lana ran to his side, kneeling down beside him, her hand reaching up to touch his shoulder gently. "Are you all right, Mr. Kent?" She asked quietly.
Jonathan didn't reply. He just stared after his daughter as she turned and walked away.
After Lana helped him into the truck, asking over and over again if she shouldn't get an ambulance for him instead, Jonathan returned to the farm where Martha was pacing anxiously on the porch, phone in hand. As he hobbled out of the cab, she hurried toward him, almost bursting into tears when he explained what happened. Once she got him situated on the porch, she helped him out of his shirt, gasping at the bruises already forming across his ribs and back. Jonathan remained stoically silent, unable to stop thinking about the hurtful words Hudson had so casually tossed at him.
Standing, he moved over to the railing as he heard the door swing open behind him and his wife emerged with a bag of frozen peas to use as an ice pack. Gently, she set it against the worst of the bruising.
"Here you go," she said softly, wincing as he grunted in pain. After a moment of silence, she added, "I can't believe Hudson would do that."
Jonathan shook his head and sighed. "It's like she's a whole different person."
"How are we going to get her home?"
"I don't know." He frowned as the enormity of their problem hit him full force. "The fact is, if she doesn't want to come home, there isn't much either one of us could do about it."
Irritated by the inaction of the moment, Jonathan reached over to grab his shirt and pull it back on, ignoring the pain that the movement caused him. He took the frozen bag from his wife and held it against his side with a sigh. "Takes your whole teenage rebellion theory to a new level doesn't it?"
Martha leaned against the porch railing beside him and shook her head, eyes tired with worry. "This is more than teenage rebellion. A change this drastic doesn't happen overnight."
"Martha, it's Hudson," Jonathan reminded her. "All of her other abilities cropped up overnight."
"Do you think this is part of her development?"
He shrugged, then realized exactly how painful that motion was. "I don't know. From what she said... " He hated thinking about what she said, about how dependent he was on knowing that their daughter loved them as much as they did her. "I guess those feelings have been boiling up inside her for a while."
"No, Jonathan." Martha reached out and touched his shoulder gently. "Hudson loves you. But there's something seriously wrong with her."
"I don't think another father and daughter talk is gonna help this time," he replied, unable to keep the sorrow from his tone.
Martha grew thoughtful for a moment before suggesting, "Maybe Lana can help."
Jonathan shook his head. He didn't see how anyone could help right now.
"They're always together," his wife continued encouragingly. She pressed, "We should talk to her, find out if she has any idea what's causing Hudson's behavior."
It couldn't hurt, he supposed. "Well, we've got to do something." Giving his wife a quick look, Jonathan let out a low breath and turned to disappear into the house.
***
As Lana moved down the halls of Smallville High, she wondered if life was just going to continue to get weirder. First she finds out her best friend is an alien from another world -- no matter how human she might look. And now that same gentle, kind, slightly bashful friend was running around town on a motorcycle, openly flirting with other girls, wearing leather and shoving her dad around. What the hell was going on?
The Kents had called her, apparently at their wit's end of what to do with Hudson. Mr. Kent explained to her that they didn't think this was a normal part of her development, that something had to be causing it, and asked if there was anything Lana could think of that would pinpoint the moment Hudson went all raging bitch whore on them. Of course, he hadn't used that exact term but they were the only words Lana could equate with her friend's current behavior. During lunch that day, Hudson had spent the entire time detailing every little sexual escapade she'd ever had with Lex - and then went on to tell them every little thing she was still looking forward to doing with him! Lana doubted she would ever be able to look at her business partner again without turning bright red. Jessie only seemed to encourage Hudson in her behavior, telling her it sounded like Lex just needed to be showed what he was missing out on, and then take it. God, she really didn't like Jessie.
And it wasn't just because she was jealous, either.
Turning the corner, Lana entered the office of the Torch where Chloe was standing behind her desk, examining a large rock. While Lana had no idea where to begin searching for clues regarding Hudson's off-the-wall behavior, she figured the best place to start was with the one person who always noticed the strange and absurd. If Chloe didn't know how to help, she really didn't know where to turn.
Glancing up to see Lana, Chloe's expression lit up and she exclaimed, "Lana! You are not going to believe what I found out! Our El Cheapo class rings are, in fact, fake."
That really wasn't as important as their friend at the moment. No matter how much she might have spent on the damn thing. "Chloe, there's something wrong with Hudson."
Chloe comes out from behind her desk. "More than usual?"
"Her behavior with Jessie, the motorcycle, pushing her dad... " Lana thought about the credit cards her parents told her about, and her descriptions of Lex and her at lunch. "Other stuff. "
"What kind of other stuff?"
"The kind of that has Mr. and Mrs. Kent calling me," Lana replied as Chloe handed the rock over to her to look at. She took it and continued, "They're really worried. It's like, they think she's on drugs or something."
Chloe smirked. "H.C. would have to be on drugs to be on drugs," she replied, eyeing Lana as she tapped the rock against her opposite hand distractedly. "Uh, just be careful with that." She reached out and snatched the rock back from her friend.
Having completely forgotten about the object, Lana glanced at it once more, frowning a little. "What is it anyway?"
"My exposé," she replied as she walked back behind her desk and held out the hand on which she was wearing her class ring. "See this lovely $350 piece of school spirit?"
Lana looked down at the ring and nodded.
"It's a rip-off," Chloe told her bluntly. "The Jewelry Company was substituting worthless meteor rocks for rubies to save money."
Lana shook her head. That was impossible. "Uh, Chloe, the ring's red," she pointed out. "Meteor rocks are green."
"Not the load they found near Hobbes Pond." She held the rock back out to Lana, smiling smugly as if she held the key to the universe. Her finger tapped against the glitter of red near the usual green. "Note the red vein."
Taking the rock from her hand, Lana studied it carefully, a frown appearing between her brow.
"You can read all about it on page one of today's Torch."
Lana continued to study the rock, barely hearing Chloe's comment. She'd seen the effect of the meteor rocks on Hudson and how sick and weak they made her. But, Hudson never mentioned anything about red meteor rocks. If no one knew about them, then maybe that included the Kents as well. Her frown deepened as she glanced down at her own ring, and she remembered the morning they purchased the rings - how Hudson seemed so flush suddenly and Lana asked her if everything was all right. Immediately afterwards, her friend approached the vice principal, telling him what she thought of his dress code. An act completely out of character for the usually shy and retiring Hudson Kent. If Chloe was right, and the red veins were actually meteor rock, what if.
She needed to get this information to Hudson's parents right away!
Turning, rock still in hand, Lana broke into a run out of the office, ignoring Chloe's shout behind her.
Not bothering to call her aunt and let her know she was going to be running a little late that evening, Lana headed straight for the Kent farm, meteor rock tucked firmly in her purse. She'd overheard Hudson tell Jessie that she was going to stop by to visit Lex that afternoon, so she knew it would be safe to explain her theory to Mr. and Mrs. Kent. Lana only hoped Lex could hold his own against the very newly formidable Hudson Kent.
Pulling up beside the white picket fence, Lana turned off the truck's engine, swung the strap of her purse over her shoulder and climbed out of the truck. She glanced toward the barn for a moment, wondering if she shouldn't check there first, before changing her mind and heading straight for the back door that led to the kitchen. Knocking on the screen door, she peered inside to see Hudson's parents standing in the kitchen, silence heavy between them.
"Mr. and Mrs. Kent?"
Martha looked her direction. "Lana. Come in!"
Pushing the door open, she hurried inside, sliding her purse off her shoulder and setting it on the island beside where they stood. Reaching in, she pulled out the meteor rock and handed it over to Mr. Kent. "I think Chloe stumbled on the reason for H.C.'s recent behavior."
Jonathan frowned as he looked over the rock. "This is a meteor rock, Lana. It makes her sick, not crazy."
Shaking her head, Lana reached out for the rock and turned it in his hand until the red veins were facing upwards. She pointed to them. "See those? Red meteor rock."
Martha leaned over to examine the rock while Jonathan continued to frown. "Lana, even if there is such thing as red meteor rock," he commented. "I don't see what this has to do - "
"The class rings we just purchased," she interrupted, pulling off her own ring and holding it out to him. "Chloe's going to force a recall because all the rings are made from this stuff."
Jonathan took Lana's class ring from her hand and looked over it quietly, while Martha did the same with the rock. "You think that's what's causing Hudson's behavior?"
Lana shrugged. "Well that's when it all started, right after she slipped on the ring."
Jonathan and Martha glanced at one another and then at the ring and the rock again.
"If the green meteor rocks affect Hudson physically," Martha began, looking once more at her husband. "Maybe the red affects her... emotionally."
"It would sure explain her personality changes," Jonathan agreed, handing the rock back to Lana.
Martha frowned, worrying her lower lip, the exact same action usually made by her daughter when thoughtful. "The longer she's exposed to the green meteors, the worse she gets. If the same is true with the red rocks, then God help us all."
"We've got to find her," Hudson's dad stated in a determined tone. "And we've got to get that ring back."
"I'll be seeing her tonight," Lana offered, pursing her lips as Jonathan and Martha turned their attention to her. She nodded. "Hudson wants to go to out, so she's taking me and Jessie with her. Maybe I can convince her to come back here with me?"
"Just be careful," Jonathan warned. "There's no telling what she might do in this state. She could hurt you, Lana."
Lana glanced over at Martha who made a sound of frustration at her husband's comment. "How are we going to stop her, Jonathan? Like you said, if she doesn't want to do something, we're not strong enough to force her."
"Sweetheart, I don't know, but we have to figure out a way."
Martha sighed, and both of Hudson's parents looked over at Lana as if she had the answers to everything. Sadly, she couldn't think of a damn thing to do. Right now her best friend needed her, and she felt more helpless than ever.
***
Lex frowned as he looked around the study - his study - that no longer looked or felt like his study. His father couldn't be happy with just adding his equipment. No. He had to rearrange the entire room, turn the pool table into a work station, move the desk in front of the fireplace - a stupid position if anyone asked Lex, which he knew they wouldn't - he'd even had the rugs rolled up and moved. Lionel was resting at the moment, so Lex took the opportunity to disappear into the room that was once his sanctuary and look around. Not that he really expected to find anything interesting; his father was careful when it came to hiding confidential documents. That, when it came to his own flesh and blood, meant anything from lunch receipts to doodles on post-it notes.
Hearing the doors open behind him, Lex tensed a little, waiting for his father to demand what he was doing when Hudson's voice rang out across the room:
"Well, I came over to shoot some pool but it looks like this establishment's been closed."
Lex smiled. Just hearing her voice did that to him. "My father's presence has required. certain sacrifices."
"Why don't you throw him out?"
"Angel, it's not like the thought hasn't occurred to me," Lex replied, turning around to face her. "But. "
He trailed off, staring in shock at the pair of bare legs that greeted him. For a long moment, they were all he noticed - impossibly long legs looking impossibly longer due to the red stilettos on her feet. Slowly, Lex lifted his gaze, discovering that her legs just continued to go upward where they ended at a too-short white denim mini skirt. An expanse of flawless back was bared to him, followed, starting at the midriff, by a sheer white blouse. Hudson turned around to face him, and Lex knew he was catching flies when he realized she wasn't wearing anything under the shirt. A pair of dark nipples teased him from beneath the ghostly fabric. He swallowed, searched his mind for whatever it was he'd been talking about as she moved across the room toward him.
"His. his blindness changes the. situation," he stammered, body tensing as she drew up beside him.
Hudson seemed oblivious to his reaction. She flipped through some of the paperwork on the top of the pool table. "Just because your father has a problem doesn't mean he needs to ruin your life."
Lex's mouth was dry. He stared at the hipbone exposed above the waist of the skirt - a skirt that couldn't have been more than seven inches total in length. Okay, so maybe it couldn't be classified as a skirt. More like the piece of material that was wrapped around her hips to keep her from being entirely indecent. Lex's brow furrowed as he stared. She couldn't possibly be wearing underwear under that, could she? Slowly, his gaze moved back upwards, lingering over her breasts before meeting her eyes. They were darkened in black liner, her lips ruby red, hair full and wild. He'd never seen anything so fucking gorgeous in all his life. She was the thing wet dreams were made of. She was. Hudson?
Mouth twitching just a bit, Lex asked, "Hudson, what's going on?"
A corner of her mouth turned up in a smile and she leaned back against the table, thrusting her hips out. "Why? Like what you see?" She reached out to run her finger along the line of the buttons on his shirt.
Watching her finger for a moment, warmth sweeping through him at her touch, Lex finally replied, "Uh. it's just different. for you, I mean."
"It's the new me," she responded, her voice an octave lower, softer. She leaned closer, hand smoothing over the material of his shirt at his stomach. "I'm sick of the old Hudson Kent. She's boring. I thought it was time for a change. Time to be more like," she raised her gaze up to his, "like those women you seem to enjoy being with so much."
Lex frowned. Oh, that was what this was about. Desiree. Apparently they weren't completely past his mistakes. Sighing, he began, "Hudson, look - "
"I'd like to borrow your new Ferrari," she cut him off, switching subjects, licking her lips as she watched him. "Lana and I are going to go out. I'd like to do it in style."
"Neither you or Lana have ever struck me as the type to care what people might think about their style."
"Fast cars, fancy clothes and lots of money always seem to get the women you've been with exactly what they wanted."
"Hudson, that isn't - "
"Victoria, Carrie Castle, Desiree. "
"No one ever said I was with Carrie Castle," Lex defended.
Hudson rolled her eyes and laughed softly. "Oh, please, Lex. I'm not that naïve." She smiled suddenly and moved back to him. "Come on, Lex." Her voice was a caress. "I just want to make tonight special."
Lex didn't like the idea of her going out - not without him, and especially not dressed the way that she was. The Ferrari would be a target for every male in Kansas, and once they saw what it contained. Well, every cent he had wouldn't be enough to keep them at bay. Hudson belonged to him, and apparently she didn't understand that yet. They were too close to making things work again for him to allow her to throw it away on some stupid teenage whim. Of course, he couldn't tell her that. Jealousy was an emotion too easily used as ammunition.
Brow furrowed, Lex told her, "I don't know. It's a very expensive piece of machinery. Difficult to handle."
Hudson smirked at his reply. "It's not like I'm going to. drive it off a bridge."
That was rude. Lex glared.
Apparently sensing his displeasure, Hudson softened her smile and stepped closer, hand reaching out to touch him once more. "All you have to do is ask yourself, who's more responsible than Hudson Kent?"
Swallowing, Lex stared at Hudson, at how bright her eyes appeared lined in black, the full lips that she swept the pink tip of her tongue over once more. If he didn't know better, he would have sworn Hudson had an evil twin. Okay, maybe not evil so much as naughty. Then again, with the way her gaze seemed to be devouring him, evil could be a good word, too.
The thought caused Lex to frown. His gaze swept over her outfit again, hovering on her barely-seen dark nipples through the sheer fabric. "You're not going anywhere dressed like that," he told her. "I can't believe your parents let you out of the house in that outfit."
"Like they can tell me what I can and can't wear." She rolled her eyes.
"Well, I'm telling you." He pointed at her. "At least. put on a bra or something."
A slow smile spread across her face. "Since when did you become so stodgy?" She glanced up at him through her lashes. "Besides, why should I wear a bra when I'm not even wearing any panties."
Okay, that wasn't the response he'd been expecting. Lex's gaze drop to her skirt, as if he might be able to possibly see through the denim while next to him, Hudson giggled.
"Now you. you look good enough to eat." Hudson moved in to breathe against his neck, her fingers moving teasingly against the front of his slacks. "Is that what you want, Lex? To be my dinner?"
Well, yeah. That wasn't exactly an invitation he would turn down. He could think of worse things to be than Hudson Kent's dinner, and everything it implied. Lex sucked in a sharp breath as he felt her nails drag gently along the zipper of his slacks, against his growing erection. Fuck. It had been far too long since he'd felt her hands on him.
"You've never let me taste you, you know," she whispered, teeth nipping lightly at his earlobe. "I bet you taste good."
Lex suddenly couldn't remember what they were talking about. Her tongue was in his ear and her hand was pressing against his slacks and god, she smelled good. His eyes closed as he listened to the sound of metal against metal as her fingers guided the zipper downwards. Her hand slipped through the opening of his boxers and then long fingers wrapped around his cock. There was something very wrong here but it was difficult to concentrate on that fact when everything he'd dreamt about since Desiree left his life turned upside down was now being offered to him.
Still, Lex tried. "Hudson," he gasped as the pad of a finger slid over the head of his cock. "What's. going on?"
"Shhhh." She nipped at the shell of his ear, a little hard, causing him to flinch. "Stop thinking so much. You always do that, think too much. Try to have a little fun."
Then Lex watched in astonishment, and undeniable excitement, as Hudson slid to her knees before him, working at the button on his pants and tugging his boxers down. He swallowed, shifting slightly as she knelt there, hand slowly stroking the shaft, eyes focused fully on his cock as she licked her lips. Fuck. He was going to come just watching her. Then she leaned forward and licked at the head, gathering a drop of precum on the tip of her tongue. Her head fell back a little, eyes closed, and she smiled as she tasted it.
"Mmmm. Premium Luthor, vintage 2002."
Lex was beyond the ability to speak.
Hudson's eyes opened and she watched him for a moment before moving forward and swirling her tongue around the head of his cock once more. And then her lips were closing around it, just barely covering the tip, and she went at him like she was dining on her favorite ice cream. Lex reached blindly behind him, grabbing the edge of the pool table to hold himself up as he wondered where in the hell had she learned to do that? Hudson told him once that she'd been doing research on the web so that she wasn't a complete idiot when it came to sex. But what exactly was the internet teaching kids these days??
Not that he was complaining. This was the stuff that his dreams were made of, right? He was standing here, in the midst of his father's new 'office', in the middle of the day with his Angel kneeling at his feet, his cock in her mouth, dark hair brushing against his slacks as she bobbed over him. And he was supposed to be feeling guilty about this, supposed to be fighting it a little harder - hell, fighting it, period - but he couldn't find the desire to do so. For weeks he'd been waiting for her forgiveness, waiting for her to put his mistake behind them and come back and now here she was, giving a lot more than just forgiveness. Sure, something was wrong, but Lex doubted it was anything beyond teenage rebellion and Hudson Kent's methods of teenage rebellion paled significantly when compared to his own. If she had a burning urge to give him a blow job, there was no point in arguing any longer. The summer they'd spent together effectively wiped out any of Hudson's innocence that Lex might have wished to keep intact.
Just as soon as the exquisite torture began, it ended. Lex blinked, staring down at Hudson as she leaned back on her heels and looked up at him. He opened his mouth to ask what was wrong but then she was on her feet and he was falling backwards, splaying onto his back across the pool table and Hudson was on him, straddling his hips. Immediately the head of his cock was enveloped in wet warmth and he groaned a little at the sensation, fighting the urge to grab her hips and press upwards. She really wasn't wearing panties.
Bringing his eyes to hers, Lex was a little surprised to see an expression on her face that he hadn't expected. Anger, resentment, determination. His gaze narrowed and the previous desire quickly began to cool. He grabbed her hips, but attempted to push her up, instead of pulling her down.
"What're you doing, Lex?" Hudson asked, remaining in place.
"That's what I was about to ask you, Hudson." He struggled to sit up but she flattened her hands against his shoulders and pressed him down into the felt.
"I'm just taking what I deserve."
Lex felt his eyes widen a bit at her reply. "What are you talking about?"
Hudson barked an ugly laugh before leaning down, pinning Lex closer to the table. "What do you think it's like for me, Lex, to watch you with all of these women, knowing you're fucking them, and you won't fuck me. What kind of masochist do you think I am? How many times must I be forced to live with the knowledge that all of these women know what it's like to feel your cock inside of them and I'm denied?" She straightened and smiled. "Now, I guess I'll just have to take what I want, what you owe me."
During her tirade, it was all Lex could do not to flinch with her use of the words 'fuck' and 'cock'. Apparently, Hudson decided to take teenage rebellion to a whole new level, and she seemed particularly focused on testing his limits. While he found her clothes sexy and the attitude new and a little thrilling, there was no way in hell he was going to allow her to believe she had an ounce of control over him, let alone that she could take advantage of it. No woman ever had control over him; and no woman ever would, not even Hudson.
Grabbing her wrists, Lex pushed at her. "Get off of me, Hudson."
Smile fading, her eyes narrowed as she continued to gaze at him. She squirmed a little over him, hiking her skirt up another inch as her wetness slicked the tip of his cock. Her smile quickly returned. "You want me, Lex. Don't deny it. It'll go quickly. I promise. Just be a good boy and let me do the work - "
"I said get off of me! Now!"
Hudson jumped a little at his words and her eyes flashed with anger. The fear that she would truly force him, actually rape him here on his own pool table, was enough to cool the desire that had been burning through Lex, and he was beyond thankful for the reprieve. Unfortunately, as his cock softened beneath Hudson's attempts, her expression only seemed to darken with more anger. When she shifted in an attempt to try a different approach, Lex took the opportunity to catch her off guard, throwing his hips upwards as he pushed her back. She slipped backwards off of the edge, catching herself before she fell, stumbling back as she continued to glare.
Lex struggled to sit up, returning her narrowed gaze with his own. He reached down to redress himself, looking up at her once. "You and I are going to have a long talk, Hudson, right after you go home and change out of those ridiculous clothes and wash that whore's makeup off your face." If she wanted to behave like a child, then he was more than happy to treat her as one.
Instead of showing an ounce of fear at his words, Hudson laughed and tossed her head. "Yeah. Whatever, Lex." Her eyes traveled over him for a moment before she added, "Since it looks as if I'm not going to get what I'm after here, I'll have to go find it elsewhere. Why don't you go jack off in the bathroom, Lex? Apparently, it's what you do best."
Still fumbling with his belt, Lex slid to his feet just as Hudson hurried out of the room. "Fuck!" He started for his phone then thought better of it. Lex doubted that the Kents had any idea Hudson was behaving this way and he just wasn't ready to get her grounded just yet. The idea of reprimanding her himself was far more entertaining.
Staring at the empty doorway, it slowly began to dawn on Lex that he'd just turned down the one thing he'd longed for since the day he first laid eyes on Hudson Kent. To be buried in her warmth, where he was certain he'd find safety and peace like he'd never felt before. The only problem was, the Hudson he imagined making love to wasn't the girl who just left the study - this one had been more like Desiree and that comparison was every shade of wrong. To make it worse, he'd still wanted her, he'd still been tempted. If his upbringing hadn't warred with his desire, Lex would have allowed Hudson to do whatever she damn well pleased. It didn't matter if she was behaving strangely or not. Sure, he would have hated himself afterwards, mentally and emotionally reprimanded himself into a drunken stupor of guilt, but that wouldn't have stopped him from enjoying it.
Fortunately, Luthors never allowed anyone that kind of control over them.
God, he needed a drink.
"Sir?"
Glancing up at Dodd's voice, he found the man standing in the doorway of the study, brows knitted together in a frown. Hell. He sure as hell hoped Hudson hadn't decided to use her newfound attitude on Dodd. "What is it?"
"Miss Kent just took off in the Ferrari."
"Goddamn it," Lex snapped, running a hand over his scalp in aggravation. He hadn't given her permission. What the fuck?
Dodd seemed amused by his exclamation. "Should I call the police?"
It was tempting. Beyond tempting, really. But Lex shook his head. "No, just. " He paused, and considered her words to him before she left. He'd be damned if another man touched her. Ever. "Find her, Dodd. Follow her. Don't get too close unless you need to. Just. don't let another man touch her."
"Understood," Dodd replied with a quick nod before turning and disappearing down the hall.
Lex headed for the wet bar. He really needed a drink.
***
Head cradled in the crook of her bent arm, Hudson stared up at the night sky above while beside her, Jessie sang along softly to the music blaring through the speakers of the car stereo. It was a perfect night. It kind of reminded her of the night of Homecoming her freshman year, when Lex found her walking along the roadside and danced with her in the headlights. Only tonight had been a lot more fun and not quite as. wholesome. The more Hudson thought about it, the more she realized she lived the life of someone on a family holiday TV special - safe, sheltered, boring and poor. She hated it. She wanted more. She deserved more. Being what she was, she could damn well have anything she wanted.
She'd learned that tonight, learned how easy it was to make people fear and respect her. She understood a little better why Lex and Lionel got such a rush off the stuff. There really wasn't much out there that felt better than having people back away from you, sensing their fear, their shock, their realization that you're so much better than they are. Even Jessie was treating her with a little more respect. At least some people seemed to understand.
After leaving Lex's place, Hudson had been angry enough to do serious damage to the Ferrari. After all, it wouldn't have hurt her whatsoever. She just couldn't believe that someone who'd participated in the kind of activities he had back in Metropolis could be such a prude now. What guy turned down sex? She refused to believe it had anything to do with her - she was just as good as Desiree or Victoria or any of those other women. Hell, better even. The biggest issue was, Hudson didn't want anyone else. Oh sure, she'd had her share of pickings tonight but none of them had interested her. They were either too ugly, too dumb or too Smallville. She wanted Lex. And whether or not Lex knew it at the moment, she would have him. No matter what it took.
Rolling onto her side, heels scraping over the hood of the car, Hudson propped her head onto her hand and stared at Jessie for a moment. The girl flashed her a tentative smile before returning to singing along to the music. It was 'I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman' by Britney Spears. Jessie had a nice voice.
"I'm not a girl
Not yet a woman
All I need is time
A moment that is mine
While I'm in between"
Hudson reached out and brushed her fingers through Jessie's hair. "Did you have fun tonight?"
Jessie shrugged as she stopped singing. "Sure. You looked. well, it was cool to see you beat up those guys. I guess farm girls really are tough, huh?" She gave her a curious sideways glance.
"Something like that." Hudson grinned.
Well, if Jessie hadn't had any fun, she sure did.
After picking up both Jessie and Lana in the Ferrari, the two girls squished together in the passenger seat, Hudson floored it across the county line to the Wild Coyote bar. It obviously wasn't what Lana had been expecting, considering she was dressed more for a trip to the ice cream shop and shopping in the boutiques. Jessie, on the other hand, was dressed as sexy as usual in knee-high boots and skirt, hair all done-up. She'd complimented Hudson's choice in clothing while Lana just stared in open- mouthed shock, eyes rarely moving from her breasts, barely visible beneath the sheer blouse.
"H.C., are you. sure you should be wearing that?" Lana had asked her, voice higher in tone than usual.
Hudson glanced over at her and smiled. "What's the matter, Lana? Afraid you'll get too turned on?"
Lana's gaze shot quickly to hers and she paled a little before looking back out the windshield, her tiny body tensing beside Jessie. Hudson just laughed. It was strange but she found she truly enjoyed the way Lana looked at her. It almost made her feel the way Lex did when he admired her. She considered the ramifications of those thoughts only briefly before they headed into the bar.
Unfortunately, the bar had been kind of a bust. Lana became snippy and uptight almost immediately, saying they didn't belong there and that they should leave. But the music was loud and the atmosphere was rowdy and there were men all over the place - men checking her out, their appreciative gazes lingering far too long, leering smiles crossing their faces as their eyes lingered over her body. She'd smiled back, and even caught the gaze of a few women before Jessie pulled her out onto the dance floor and they began moving to the music.
Hudson hadn't exactly spent her years learning to dance. It was just one more strike against her parents that while other kids were out enjoying themselves, going to clubs and parties, she was stuck at home on the family farm. Luckily, Hudson picked up on things quickly, and by watching Jessie she discovered that dancing was all about making a statement, advertising yourself. All of her moves seemed to scream 'I know I'm sexy! Check me out!', and by the gazes from the crowd, it seemed to be working.
Soon, Hudson was moving right along with her, hips gyrating slowly to the music. She closed her eyes and lost herself in the moment, in the freedom that she felt, the sheer pleasure that was rushing through her. She could feel the pulse of the crowd around her, smell the smoke and sweat and alcohol, hear the admiring whispers. She felt Jessie's hands settle on her waist, and then their bodies were pressed together and they were moving in sync with one another and she could feel her breath against her neck, warming her. Seconds later, Hudson felt another body behind her, bigger, taller, heavy hands moving over her hips, entwining over Jessie's and brushing against her bare stomach. Her muscles flexed instinctively at the touch and a thrill ran through her. She smelled the thick musk of male, cigarettes and domestic beer.
Opening her eyes, Hudson turned her head slightly to look at the man behind her. He was older, probably in his late twenties, blonde and scruffy, weathered skin from too many hours in the Kansas sun. He reminded her of her dad, and that was enough to send an instant frown storming across her face.
"You're the hottest chick I've ever seen in here," the man whispered into her ear, the smell of beer wafting over her.
"That's right," Hudson replied with a smug smile. "Far too hot for you. Excuse me." She slipped out of his reach and moved a few feet away with Jessie.
"They fall short of a sexy bald billionaire, don't they?" Jessie asked over the music, grinning at the disgruntled expression Hudson's recent castoff was giving them.
Hudson snorted. "If Lex wants a piece of this, he's going to have to come crawling back to me." She tossed her hair over her shoulder and glanced around at the less-than-adequate men that were gathered in the bar. Okay, maybe he wouldn't have to crawl that much. "I thought Lex was different from everyone else around Smallville. Apparently, I was mistaken."
"I doubt that," Jessie replied, turning her back to Hudson who pulled her close against her as they moved. "He's probably just trying to fit in. Remember, Hudson, you can take the boy out of the city but. "
Grinning, Hudson buried her nose into Jessie's hair, breathing deeply for a long moment, preferring the scent of soft perfume over the smoke around them. She closed her eyes again, enjoying the feeling of her friend's body brushing up against hers until she felt a hand tug on her shirt sleeve. Pulling back, she discovered Lana glaring up at her, arms wrapped tightly around her waist as if to protect herself.
"I want to go home!" she demanded, flashing Jessie a dirty look.
Hudson smiled and stepped back from her dance partner. "Lana, chill. Get yourself a beer or something. Loosen up."
"This is not my idea of a good time," Lana told her, moving closer as she pointed a finger around the bar. "We don't belong here. You don't belong here. Hudson, don't you see that? There's something wrong with you and you need help!"
"Wrong with me?" Hudson laughed and shook her head, glancing over at Jessie who was smiling beside her. "I've never felt more right in my entire life." She moved closer to Lana and reached out to run her finger along her cheek. "Come on, Lana. Even you've loosened up before. Remember the Nicodemus flower? Before it made you sick, you were having quite a good time. If you want, you can even kiss me again. You seemed to enjoy it before. "
Lana's eyes widened in panic and she abruptly pulled back from Hudson's touch. "I. we what? Why didn't you tell me?"
"Sorry. I thought you might freak." Hudson pulled her back and leaned in, nudging her ear with her nose. "What'd you say, Lana? Wanna find out what gets Lex so hot and bothered?"
Lana was silent and unmoving for the next few seconds, as if making up her mind. Then she suddenly pushed away, shaking her head. "You need to go home, H.C. You need to let me and your parents help you. Please?" She held out her hand. "Come home with me?"
Hudson rolled her eyes and turned back to Jessie. "Get a drink, Lana."
Her friend stood watching her silently as she returned to dancing before telling her, "I'm going home! And I'm going to call your parents and tell them where to come get you!"
Lana turned to leave and Hudson reached out quickly to grab her. "Lana - "
"Let me go!"
"Something wrong, girls?"
Hudson glanced to the side at the voice, to see the man who had been dancing with her earlier, and another man with dark hair and a John Deere cap, walking up to them. They eyed Lana for a moment and then turned their gazes to Hudson. The blonde folded his arms over his chest.
"I know you seem to think you're something, gorgeous," the blonde told Hudson. "But, I don't think your friend agrees. Why don't you let her go? Let my buddy here take care of her. And maybe I can give you a lesson in manners."
Lana quickly jumped between them. "Sir, I'm sorry, this is none of your business. Please don't - "
"Nonsense, Lana." Hudson pushed her gently out of the way and stepped closer to the blonde. "If this 'gentleman'," she grinned at the term, "thinks he can teach me a lesson, maybe he should just give it a try."
"Don't do this, H.C.," Lana pleaded.
Hudson was no longer listening. She eyed the man in front of her, blood pumping through her veins excitedly. She felt constrained suddenly, too confined in her surroundings and life. Surely it would be all right to let loose a little. as long as she didn't kill anybody. Humans were fairly resilient, and healed quickly. The dark-haired man in the baseball cap started toward Lana but Hudson reached out and slapped her hand against his chest, stopping him. Both men faced her.
"Thinking of taking us both on, gorgeous?" Her ex-dance partner asked with a leer.
Glancing down at her stomach, Hudson smiled. "Y'all don't seem like much a challenge," she replied before reaching out and grabbing them both by the collars of their flannel shirts.
With a flip of her wrists, she sent them sailing behind her, their bodies crashing into tables and knocking over chairs, sending the bar patrons scurrying. Hudson laughed as she spun around to look at them, while beside her Lana said something about her parents and then she disappeared through the crowd. Her actions only caused Hudson to laugh again - like her parents could seriously stop her. Looking over her shoulder, she smiled at Jessie, whose eyes were wide with shock and awe. She met Hudson's gaze and returned the smile tentatively.
"Okay, cunt, you're going down!"
Hudson looked up at the words to find the bartender moving toward her, baseball bat brandished over his shoulder. Hudson chuckled a little at his actions and responded, "I don't think so. "
Focusing on the bat, she felt the glorious waves of heat emanating from her eyes, sending the makeshift weapon up in flames. The crowd around them screamed as the bartender dropped the bat to his feet in surprise. Turning an angry gaze back to Hudson, he quickly pulled back his fist and slammed it toward her. Shaking her head in amusement, Hudson caught his hand in hers as it came toward her, holding it as she reached out with the other hand and took hold of him by the throat.
"Didn't your mother ever tell you not to hit a woman?" she asked curiously, frowning when she felt a large object slam into her back. The chair splintered into pieces around her and the patrons gasped. She glanced back at the man who had smashed it into her as he backed away in fear. Sighing, Hudson tossed the bartender out of her grasp, sending him sailing across the room and into the bar.
Brushing the bits of wood from her shirt, Hudson turned slowly, catching the gazes of the other patrons in the crowd. "Anybody else?" she challenged defiantly, smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. She could tear this entire place apart piece by piece, and no one could stop her.
"Hudson!" Jessie was suddenly beside her, tugging on her hand, gaze anxious. "I can't be here when the cops arrive! We've gotta go!"
Shrugging, Hudson allowed the girl to lead her out of the bar.
An hour later, they ended up parked in a wheat field, just outside of Smallville. Hudson had no idea what happened to Lana. Maybe she really did call her parents. They wouldn't find her; not unless she made the choice to let them do so.
Laying her head on her arm, Hudson continued to watch Jessie as the song she was singing ended.
"I'm not a girl
But if u look at me closely
You will see in my eyes
This girl will always find
Her way"
"Do you want to go somewhere else?" Hudson asked, fingers trailing over Jessie's jaw line.
Jessie shrugged, shifting a little beneath her touch. "I don't know. It's quiet here."
Hudson laughed. "No. I didn't mean this field and now. I meant leave Smallville. Leave Kansas even. Start new lives, live without restrictions." She sat up again and leaned over Jessie, their eyes meeting. "I'll take care of you, you know. I can give you the world. "
Frowning, Jessie remained silent before asking softly, "How?"
"That's for me to know. And you to find out." Hudson grinned. "Maybe."
Scrambling to her feet, Hudson balanced herself on the hood of the Ferrari and spread her arms wide, head dropped back as she gazed up at the star- filled sky. "I want to see the world! And I want the world to see me!" She stomped a heeled foot into the hood rhythmically. "I'm sick of hiding out on some poor farm, spending my life mending fences and shoveling cow shit. I'm better than that! I'm better than all of this! Don't you see?" She looked down at Jessie, who watched her silently. "The world can, and will, be mine."
***
Finished gathering the few clothes that she thought weren't completely embarrassing - considering her parents had the nerve to return everything she purchased - Hudson grabbed the bag, stopping a moment to look at her reflection in the mirror. She smoothed her hand over the snug-fitting red silk suit jacket and matching skirt, admiring how adult and sexy she looked. The heels added another three inches to her height, so that she no longer just felt like she could take on the world, she looked like it, too. Blowing herself a kiss, she moved down the steps of the loft and headed out of the barn, squinting a bit against the bright light of the sun. Heading toward the Ferrari, she didn't slow her pace when she heard her mom call out behind her:
"Where were you all night? We looked everywhere, Hudson!"
Smiling, Hudson opened the trunk of the car and commented, "Last night was the best night of my life."
"We want to help you," her mom pleaded, hurrying after her, brow furrowed with concern.
Hudson snorted in disdain as she tossed the bags into the Ferrari's trunk. "Help me. Help me what? Stay here on the farm, doing chores, wasting my life for a $20 a week allowance? Hardly."
"H.C., I wish you could hear yourself for just a minute." Jonathan moved up beside her, tone milder than it had been the day before. "There's something very wrong with you. It's that ring."
Hudson looked up at his words, raising one of her delicate eyebrows. "You're still upset about me buying this stupid thing? How pathetic."
"Hudson Clark. " Jonathan warned before reaching out to grab for the ring.
Hudson quickly jerked her hand away and gave her dad a warning look. "You really don't want to touch me," she told him, voice soft and menacing.
"Why don't you just hand it to me then?" he suggested.
"Honey, please," her mom chimed in. "It isn't the ring itself. Chloe found out it's made out of red meteor rock," she explained.
Jonathan nodded. "You know how the green rock makes you sick? Well, we think that this red rock is affecting your mind."
Well, that was interesting. Hudson glanced down at her ring, the same one she previously thought was simply a trinket to remind her of her high school years. She would look back on it some day, remember her time in Smallville, and laugh her ass off. But apparently, it was much, much more than that. If she was to believe her parents, this ring made the entire world, and all of it's cares, seem to filter away. It showed her what was important, it made her feel so much stronger, braver, more worthy.
"It's changed your personality, H.C."
With her dad's words, Hudson raised her eyes to his. "Everything I've been doing and saying is because of this?" It hardly seemed likely. But then, she was an alien.
"That's right. That's why you've got to take that thing off right away." He pointed to her hand.
"Take it off?" Hudson scoffed, wondering if the man was insane or just plain stupid. "I just wish I would have found it sooner!"
She slammed the trunk of the Ferrari and headed toward the driver's side of the car. "If you guys want to waste your life in this mud hole, that's your problem. I'm through being poor."
Apparently, that was all she needed to say to piss her dad off again. He was already charging toward her, face reddening with anger. "Listen, we might not have all the things that other people have, but I didn't think our family was about that!"
Shrugging, Hudson told him, "With my abilities, I can make millions. Sports, TV, movies - it's all waiting for me. You're the ones who have been forcing me to hide who I really am."
Reaching the car door, she opened it, only to have her dad approach and slam it shut before she could climb inside. His action brought her gaze around to face him, frank and assessing. It was all she could do to keep from yawning as he reiterated the same words she heard from her parents over and over again.
"No! We are the ones who have been trying to protect you. We don't want anybody coming here and taking you away!"
"Protecting me?" She spat. "Using me is more like it! I'm just another piece of equipment to keep your little farm going."
Her mom made a sound of negation as Hudson climbed into the car and started the engine. Slipping on her sunglasses, she glanced up at her dad and flashed him a smile.
"Well now, that's all going to change. I'm going to go where I want and do what I want." Her smile grew and she winked at her dad. "Hell, I think it's time I even did who I want."
With that parting comment, Hudson threw the car into gear and tore out of the driveway, glancing in the rearview mirror to see a cloud of dust surrounding her parents as she sped away.
Turning up the music, Hudson settled back against the leather seat and contemplated which direction to head as she neared the main road. Jessie was expecting her, and from there they would drive to anywhere, just because they could, and no one was going to ever tell Hudson what to do and how to do it again. Of course, it was only fair if she informed Lex that she would be borrowing his car a little while longer. At least until she got a hold of something better. Besides, she could probably give him one more chance to see exactly what he's missing out on. If she ran a little late to picking Jessie up, she certainly planned on making it worth her while. Smiling at her decision, Hudson floored it to the castle.
Pulling up outside the main door, she made her way inside without bothering to knock, moving through the halls as if she owned the place, though it was a little dank and dusty in her opinion. When she had the kind of money Lex did, her place would look a hell of a lot fancier, and she'd have more staff, too. People ready at a second's notice to answer her beck and call. And maybe, for the fun of it, she'd have a farm out back just so she could tell them to go mend fences and muck a few stalls.
Throwing the doors to the study open, Hudson moved inside, glancing around with a frown at the state of disarray the room was in. Father or not, she would have kicked Lionel Luthor out long ago. Glancing ahead, she saw Lex sitting on one of the couches, laptop in front of him, staring up at her as if she'd grown a second head or something.
"Hudson," he drawled, raising his brow. "I have to admit, I'm a little surprised to see you here."
Hudson shrugged at his petulant tone. "If it's all right with you, I'm going to keep the Ferrari a little bit longer. I'll send it back when I get myself set up."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down." Lex frowned as he watched her. "Angel, what's going on?"
Moving over to the leather sofa beside Lex, Hudson dropped into it, sighing in relaxation as she kicked her feet up on the opposite arm. She lifted one leg slightly, admiring it's shape for a moment before replying, "I left home."
"What happened? Was it a fight with your folks?"
Hudson rolled her eyes and glanced back at him. "My parents don't understand me. Truth is, there's nothing left for me here in Smallville."
Lex grew silent, studying her for a second. Finally, he asked quietly, "What about me?"
"What about you? You obviously have absolutely no interest in taking this so-called relationship any further. So I suppose it's time to move on." She sat up and pointed at him, adding sharply, "Look, you're the one always telling me I need to find my destiny. Well, one thing is for certain, it's not here in Kansas!"
"So, you just packed your stuff and you're off," Lex commented, looking back toward his laptop.
Bastard. Didn't he know he had no right to take that superior tone with her? Not when she offered him the world and he turned it down. She could give him a hell of a lot more than the proverbial silver spoon that was dangling from his mouth. Apparently, Lex Luthor simply didn't know a good thing when he saw it. Maybe if she slapped him upside the head a few times, he'd get it.
Eyeing him intently, Hudson finally remarked, "You have no idea what I'm capable of."
That seemed to catch his attention. Lex started slightly and turned to look at her, returning the intent gaze. Silence continued between them before he replied, "Really. Why don't you fill me in?"
Too late. You blew it, buddy boy. Hudson stared back at him, smirking to herself before getting up from the couch. She walked away, glancing at her ring, wondering if what her parents told her was true, and the only reason she felt so good was because of the little red rock. If so, she should have an entire jewelry set made of the stuff.
"Let's just say, that when I'm through showing the world what I can do, I'll have everything I've ever wanted. I may be even richer than you."
"Maybe you're right to get away from your folks," Lex remarked behind her. "Maybe I should do the same."
At his words, Hudson quirked an eyebrow and turned back to him as he stood, moving toward her, the same slinky walk that she used to be able to stare at for hours drawing her attention once again. Had a tailor once told Lex that black wool slacks and his hips went together like peanut butter and chocolate? Or maybe it was just something he instinctively understood.
"If my father wants the mansion so much," he continued as he moved to stand in front of her. "He can have it. I never wanted to live in Smallville anyway."
A slight smile broke out across Hudson's face. She suddenly had visions of traveling the world with Lex and Jessie at each side. She'd show them both what life was all about. "You can come with me."
Lex returned her smile. "Nobody's using the penthouse in Metropolis. We can stay there."
"Hudson Kent and Lex Luthor. I've always liked the sound of that." Hudson smirked.
She took a step closer, reaching out to run her hands over his chest and shoulders. He was slightly shorter with her in the heels, and she enjoyed forcing him to look up to her. She leaned in and brushed her nose lightly over his cheek before breathing against his mouth.
"You can come, but only on one condition, Alexander. "
Lex swallowed and shifted at her words, eyes darkening slightly. "What's the condition?"
Hudson slipped her tongue over his lower lip teasingly. "That you fuck me senseless every night in your Penthouse bedroom."
"I. I think I can accommodate you."
Curious. She could feel his heartbeat accelerating beneath her fingers and the skin of his neck was suddenly slightly damp. He wanted her. He wanted her bad. So why did he turn her away the other day? Well, it didn't matter. He was hers now. Just the way it was meant to be.
"Good boy."
"Let me just tie up some loose ends at the office," Lex told her, pulling back slightly, face flushed. "Make yourself at home. I'll be right back."
Hudson watched as he began to move away from her before commenting, "Aren't you forgetting something?"
Lex frowned as he glanced at her over his shoulder.
God, sometimes he was so dense. "Don't I get a kiss?"
The man seriously looked as if she'd just asked for a ritual sacrifice. She wondered at the response but quickly forgot it was he moved back to her, reaching out to wrap a hand around the back of her neck and pull her to him. Hard, fast, he totally consumed her mouth and she loved every moment of it. Her hands curled into his shirt and she was tempted to just rip it off of him then and there but instead, she concentrated on swabbing his mouth with her tongue. If Lex was afraid of being devoured but Hudson, then maybe he had every reason to worry. Nothing was allowed to taste that good, smell that good, send electricity shooting through her with every touch and not belong to her. She wouldn't allow it.
When Lex eventually pulled away from her, he was breathing hard, eyes shining silver with desire. She watched in silent amusement as he attempted to regain his control, gaze darting around the room, focusing on anything but her. Christ, they wouldn't make it out of Smallville without fucking like bunnies.
"I thought you were going to the Plant?" She reminded him, reaching into her pocket to pull out a lollipop. Mmmm. Cherry. She tore off the wrapper and popped it into her mouth, sucking loudly.
Lex blinked at her words, stilling as he watched her. He took one deep, slightly shuddering breath and turned abruptly, moving toward the doors as if his ass was on fire.
"I'll be back," he told her, the doors slamming shut behind him.
Hudson watched him go in amusement. The poor boy. He really needed to get a hold on those emotions.
Sighing, she sucked on her lollipop for a moment before extreme boredom swept over her. Glancing around, Hudson spied the pool cues hanging on the wall and decided a game of pool might be enough to tide her over until Lex returned. It wasn't sex, but it would have to do.
Taking the cue she regularly used off the rack, she sauntered over to the pool table and methodically tossed the paperwork and maps that were littered over the top to the ground. Once cleared, she removed the balls and set them up, before leaning over and preparing to take her shot. Unfortunately, a rhythmic tapping sound moving down the hall distracted her. Pursing her lips at the annoyance, Hudson glanced over her shoulder to see none other than Lionel Luthor enter the office, feeling his way around with his cane. Grinning at the idea of having a one-on-one chat with Lex's esteemed father, Hudson slammed the pool cue home, scattering the balls. She watched in triumph as four of them found their way into two corners and a side pocket.
"Lex? Is that you?" Lionel asked, stopping as he cocked his head, listening.
Tossing the pool cue to the table, Hudson straightened her jacket, pushed her hair over her shoulder and walked over to Lionel. All summer long, she was forced to listen to Lex berate himself over and over again regarding Lionel's blindness and how he was the cause of it. Lex should have seen this for the blessing it was, should have been taking advantage of it. He was always being pushed around by his father, just like her, and now he had the opportunity to push back. Only, he didn't because Lex wasn't really the holy terror the town seemed to think he was. Deep inside, Hudson thought it was kind of cute, how hard Lex fought to earn his father's love. But mostly, it annoyed the hell out of her.
Moving in front of Lionel, Hudson reached out and quickly snatched his glasses off of him, smirking as he jumped back in shock and fear.
"Hey!" He called out, swinging his cane out wildly in front of him, attempting to strike his attacker.
"Whoa!" Laughing at his useless antics, Hudson dodged the waving weapon.
"What do you want?" he demanded, circling out of the direction of her voice, though keeping his cane raised in front of him defensively.
Trying his glasses on, and finding they were a good fit, Hudson shrugged dismissively. "Lionel, go back to your room." She looked up thoughtfully, reconsidering her words. "Better yet, pack your bags and get the hell out."
Lionel turned toward her direction in shock. "I beg your pardon?"
She took off the glasses and slipped them into her pocket. "Lex may be too afraid to tell you, but I'm not." She leaned forward, enunciating her words carefully so that he would understand her when she continued, "No one in Smallville wants you here."
"You seem to know a lot about me. You got a name?"
"Hudson Kent."
"Jonathan and Martha Kent's daughter?"
Hudson nodded, annoyed.
"As far as I know, they're good people. Salt of the earth. I'm astonished they'd raise such a blatantly aggressive offspring."
"Well, if you like them so much, I'm sure they'll put you up. I hear they have a spare bedroom, and I, uh, know they could use the cash."
"You've got a lot to learn about tact, young woman. But you speak your mind. That's good. It'll take you far."
"Oh, I'm going to the top." Right after I fuck your son through the floor, that is.
A knock on the side door into the study interrupted the conversation, and Hudson turned to the side to see a man in a suit enter the room. "Mr. Luthor?" he asked.
Lionel turned to the voice. "Yes?"
"I apologize for the interruption." He opened his jacket, flashing a shiny badge. Hudson grinned, considering Lionel would have no idea if they guy was showing him his library card. "I'm a federal marshal. Your people at the gate let me in."
"Ah. What can I do for you?"
"Well, this young woman was seen last night leaving the scene of a disturbance in your son's Ferrari."
"Oh." Lionel turned slightly toward Hudson. "Is that while you were on your way to the top?"
She stuck her tongue out at him.
The US Marshal reached into his pocket and pulled out a photograph. "Where can I find this girl?" He showed the picture to Hudson.
Glancing at it, she recognized Jessie immediately. Ever since their first meeting, Hudson had the feeling there was more to Jessie than she was letting on. And last night, she'd seemed terrified of the cops catching them. Of course, she wasn't about to give this man any information about her friend. Not when they had places to go. and billionaires to do.
Hudson shrugged. "I've never seen her before."
The marshal's expression slowly dissolved into anger and he shoved his hand into his pocket, withdrawing a gun. Hudson watched in mild interest as he clicked off the safety and pointed it at her. Beside her, Lionel stiffened at the sound, his eyes widening slightly.
"Is that supposed to scare me?" she asked with a smirk, wondering why human's seemed so incredibly one dimensional in their behavior.
In a burst of superspeed, Hudson rushed over to the marshal, yanking the gun out of his hands and flipping it in hers to aim it at him. Shock at the blinding movement flashed across the man's face as he quickly raised his hands in surrender.
"How. how'd you do that?" he stammered.
Smugly, she told him, "You've got no idea who you're dealing with." Smirking again, Hudson held her hand out, palm up and aimed the gun at it. With a cocked eyebrow, eyes squarely on the man in front of her, she fired three shots point blank range into her palm.
"What's happening? Who's shooting?" Lionel demanded from across the room.
"Don't worry, Lionel," Hudson told him. "He missed."
In front of her, the marshal looked on in terror as Hudson opened her palm, blackened from the gunpowder. Slowly, menacingly, she turned her hand, allowing the bullets, their tips smashed from the impact against her invulnerable skin, fall to the floor. The clinking against the ground in the ensuing silence was an ominous sound.
"I'll call security," Lionel called out as he turned and shuffled from the room.
At the interruption, the marshal decided to make a futile attempt for the exit. Sighing in agitation, Hudson sped to the pool table, grabbing the edge and pushing it across the floor toward the man, pinning him against the opposite wall before he could escape. She pressed it against him until he gasped.
"Why are you looking for Jessie?" she demanded.
"It's not the girl," the marshal replied quickly, wincing as she pushed the table again. "It's her father. They were under witness protection, and they rabbited."
"Why?"
"He's a corporate whistle blower. His former employer offered me a million dollars if I could get the evidence from Jessie's dad."
Stepping away from the table, Hudson walked toward him, curious over the information he was giving her. She grabbed a ball as she moved past, tossing it into the air casually. "What kind of evidence?"
"Computer disks," he told her. "Accounting files, memos...endless smoking guns. Look, we can split it," he offered. "It's enough money to start a whole new life."
So pathetic. Hudson leaned in and put her hand on the marshal's shoulder, whispering to him in a conspiratorial tone, "It's a great idea... but who needs you?"
Grinning broadly, Hudson reached up to flick her palm against the marshal's forehead, stepping back as he slumped over onto the pool table, unconscious.
***
Maybe she was insane.
Lex frowned as his foot pressed down on the gas a little harder, rounding the curves heading toward the Kent farm.
No, that didn't make sense.
He shifted gears, forcing himself to slow into the last turn as he neared the farm entrance.
Simple teenage rebellion was one thing. And it generally came in stages. Going from attempted rape to running away from home was a little over the top, even for someone like Hudson, who seemed surrounded by mysteries that defied explanation.
Lex had been beyond angry with her when she left his place the day before. He'd never been so tempted to take the little brat over his knee and tan her gorgeous ass. Yes, he'd made his mistakes where they were concerned and yes, he'd hurt her, and yes, he'd been paying for those mistakes ever since. When would Hudson choose to just let the past go and move on? Allow him to learn from his mistakes and give him another chance? Instead, she chose to demand what she felt she deserved, attempted to simply take it from him, as if she'd never learned in all their time spent together, the type of person he was. If there was one thing his father taught him, it was how to keep control. That strength was the only thing that kept him from ravishing Hudson on the banks of the river that sunny October afternoon over a year before. No one, not even Hudson Kent, had the power to take that away from him.
But she tried, and that was the thought that wouldn't leave him alone. That, and the realization that she was likely strong enough to have succeeded. Luckily, he'd been able to somehow reach her before any real damage between them had been caused. The question still remained though - what was causing this behavior?
Pulling into the gravel driveway, Lex stopped the engine and climbed out, heading up to the porch. He knocked on the door twice, waiting for a few moments before realizing no one was inside. Turning, he glanced around the farm, until he spied the familiar red pickup. Moving down the steps, he headed across the yard and toward the barn, hoping one of Hudson's parents might be there. If they were out in the fields, he wouldn't know where to begin looking. And it would seem kind of strange to ring the dinner bell in order to get their attention.
Rounding the back of the barn, Lex walked through the door, blinking a moment as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. He heard voices and focused in their direction, finally seeing Mr. Kent and Lana standing near the opposite entrance, forms framed by the light beyond the door. Jonathan's hand was on Lana's shoulder and, for the briefest moment, Lex fought back the jealousy over how easily Hudson's other friends were accepted, when after all they'd been through over the summer together, her father still regarded him with misgivings.
Forcing the thought aside, Lex called out, "Excuse me, Mr. Kent."
Jonathan and Lana turned at his voice, their conversation dying abruptly, as if they'd been discussing something they'd rather he not hear. That hurt, too, because if it was about Hudson, and it likely was, then he had as much right to be a part of it as they did. He loved her. Couldn't they see that?
"Lana, why don't you. why don't you get going?" he suggested, patting her on the shoulder once and slightly moving her toward the exit.
Lana glanced over at Lex for a moment, flashing the barest hint of a smile. It almost seemed like an apology but that didn't make sense to him. He gave a slight nod in reply then watched silently as she moved in a quick pace out of the barn and disappeared around the corner. Lex's gaze returned to Jonathan as the man started toward him.
"Uh. Lex. this is really not a very good time."
Was it ever? "I understand you and Hudson have been having some problems."
Jonathan frowned and looked away, and Lex couldn't help but brace himself for the scathing set down he almost surely would receive. "Yeah. look, I don't want to be rude," he began.
Like hell you don't, Lex thought briefly, before pushing the thought from his mind.
"But, I'd prefer it if you'd stay out of my family's problems."
It was exactly what Lex had been expecting. Jonathan had spoken little more than a few sentences to him since the marriage to Desiree. It was as if even though the man had fallen under the exact same spell Lex had, being a Kent somehow held him above any recrimination regarding his mistake. That hurt, and no amount of Hudson assuring him that her father really didn't hold a grudge would help dispel his belief that Jonathan Kent would never give him a fair chance.
"Believe me, Mr. Kent," Lex replied softly. "I'm not trying to pry. But you know how much Hudson means to me. You know how close we are. I'd hate to see her relationship with you fall apart."
Jonathan sighed and reached up to rub the back of his neck, as if just talking to Lex made him tense. Maybe it did. Or maybe he had other things on his mind. Things like the fact that his daughter was running all over the countryside in hardly any clothing, driving a red sports car and planning on ruining her future in order to traverse the world at sixteen.
"I appreciate your concern, Lex, but Hudson and I can work this out."
Or, in other words, we don't want or need your help, Lex.
He should have just left. Just let Jonathan figure out how exactly to work this out, while he headed back to the mansion, climbed into the car with Hudson and sped away to. anywhere. It was a tempting fantasy. To simply forget that he was Lex Luthor, that he had a destiny and an empire waiting for him, and to just disappear with the one person on earth who made him feel stronger and better than any other.
And if it was all just about him, Lex would have. But, it was Hudson's future at stake here, Hudson's happiness. She simply meant too much to him for him to allow her to throw that all away.
"Then why is Hudson hiding out at the mansion?"
Jonathan glanced up sharply at Lex in surprise, and it took all his will not to smile in triumph. "How long has she been there?"
"Forty minutes, maybe." Lex shrugged. "I came over as soon as I could. I told her I had to run to the plant. She. uh. wanted me to run away with her."
Frowning, Jonathan looked away as he clenched his jaw.
"Mr. Kent, what's going on?" Lex questioned curiously. "Yesterday she came by and she. she wasn't herself. She was aggressive and angry and. "
"I can't talk about this right now, Lex. I have to bring my daughter home."
Sighing with impatience, Lex told him, "You wouldn't even know where she is right now if I didn't come by. I'm only asking for a little explanation, Mr. Kent. I don't see how you can't even grant me that much."
Jonathan stared at Lex as he finished, something changing slightly in the depth of his gaze with his words. His expression grew thoughtful for a moment and he nodded. "You're right, Lex. But unfortunately, my wife and I have no explanation. We're thinking it might be drugs - "
"Hudson would never do that," Lex defended quickly, realizing the thought had never once crossed his mind. He knew his Angel - she would never touch the stuff, not even out of curiosity.
"Well then, do you have an explanation for it, Lex?" Jonathan demanded. At Lex's silence, he nodded. "I didn't think so."
Swallowing back the irrational desire to shout at Jonathan about how wrong he was, Lex looked away. "What do you need me to do?"
More silence. When Lex lifted his gaze back to Jonathan's, the man was frowning as if in indecision. Their eyes met, and Lex could have sworn Hudson's father was about to tell him to go to hell. He was hiding something - anyone could have seen that. The man was tense and agitated and it wasn't just because he was having typical teenager/parent relation issues. But just as quickly, the feeling seemed to pass, and Jonathan gestured toward the door.
"We'll follow you back to your place and see if we all can't coax her into coming back here and discussing our problems."
Lex nodded, silently pleased that Jonathan was allowing him to help. "All right. I'll see you at the mansion."
Pulling his keys from his pocket, Lex turned and headed out of the barn, unable to shake the feeling that there was a lot more going on around him than he might ever possibly understand.
***
Jogging up the steps to Jessie's house, Hudson flicked a piece of fuzz off her shoulder as she reached the porch before tapping her fist lightly against the door. As she waited, she glanced out across the yard at the Ferrari, the dents across the hood gleaming in the sunlight. She was going to have to convince Lex to take a different car before they headed to Metropolis - just the two of them if Jessie didn't cooperate. The solution to all of their problems lay just beyond the door. Once they had the disks that everyone seemed to be after, then Lex wouldn't have to rely on his father for anything anymore. They would both be free.
At the sound of the door opening, Hudson turned back around as Jessie appeared, flashing a smile when she saw who it was.
"I thought you'd forgotten about me," she joked. "Ready to go?"
Ignoring the question, Hudson pushed past her into the house, her gaze scanning the immediate room. "Almost." She surveyed the area a moment longer before looking back at Jessie. "I know about your father, Jessie, and the disks. We're not going anywhere until I have them."
Almost instantly, Jessie gave herself away as she looked around, her expression fearful. "I. I don't understand. Why are you doing this?"
"The money." Hudson shrugged matter-of-factly. "You said that you wanted to leave this hick town, and a million dollars is more than enough money to make a fresh new start."
Jessie reached out to her, pleadingly. "If I give you those disks, then my dad is a dead man!"
"He was a dead man when he started running," a voice commented from the side.
Turning, Hudson discovered the US Marshal standing in the doorway between the main room and another, gun drawn. Apparently she didn't hit him in the head hard enough. Or maybe she shouldn't have stopped to flirt with those two guys downtown before she headed over to Jessie's. Either way, she was annoyed.
Frowning, she commented, "Didn't I tell you that I didn't want to split?"
"You need me, doll," the man told her. "I know the players, and I know how to get the money."
Hudson raised an eyebrow as she considered his words. He had a very good point. She couldn't just walk into the middle of Metropolis and start asking people on the street if they would pay her money for the disks she had. That was just silly.
The Marshal pointed his gun at Jessie threateningly. "Now give him the disks, Jessica!"
Glancing over at Jessie with a smirk, Hudson flashed her a 'You'd better do what he says' expression but remained silent. The girl shook her head slightly, backing away, and Hudson began to wonder if maybe she wasn't actually prepared to die in order to keep those disks safe. Curious. Didn't she understand how fragile a human life really was? Maybe Hudson would have to show her. She took a step in Jessie's direction just as the sound of a shot rang out across the room. Staring ahead at Jessie, Hudson knew it wasn't her that had been hit. She looked over her shoulder to see the Marshal staring blankly ahead in shock before collapsing to the ground, dead.
Frowning at the sudden turn of events, Hudson followed Jessie's gaze to the hallway where Mr. Brooks crouched on the stairway, hiding behind the railing, gun pointed toward her. Slowly he rose to his feet, continuing to keep the gun leveled on her while he moved down the steps toward his daughter. Where had he come from? Hudson glanced back at the body of the Marshal before looking at Jessie and her father in surprise. Well, the loss of the man was a minor one; she was certain Lex had just as many connections.
"I don't want to hurt you," Mr. Brooks told her quietly. "But I will. Get out."
Snorting, Hudson rolled her eyes heavenward. Would they never learn? "Just like my dad. Always telling me what to do." Stalking slowly toward Jessie's father, she continued, "I don't listen to him. What makes you think I'm going to listen to you?"
Reaching out suddenly, she snatched the gun from his hands, while Jessie flinched, face paling in fear. Ignoring her, Hudson moved closer, leaning into the man's face. She asked good-naturedly, as if discussing the weather, "Where are the disks?"
He remained silent.
Shaking her head with an impatient sigh, Hudson spun away from him and began to walk around the room, occasionally glancing through the walls and floor with her x-ray vision. "In the floorboards?" she asked curiously. "In the ceiling?" She glanced up but saw nothing but dust and termites. Gaze sweeping the room, she pointed the gun toward a chest of drawers. "In here?"
Moving up to it, Hudson slammed her fist through one of the drawers, shattering the wood into splinters. Reaching in, she grabbed what was left of the demolished drawer and ripped it out, tossing it to the floor angrily.
"It really doesn't matter," she taunted. "I'll figure it out one way or another."
Grabbing the TV that sat on top of the chest, Hudson hurled it across the room at Mr. Brooks, watching in amusement as he dove out of the way to the floor. Sighing as the TV shattered against the wall, she walked to where Jessie's father lay huddled on the floor and picked him up by the collar. Spinning around, she threw him against the wall, lifting him upwards as she slowly tightened her grip more forcefully around his throat. He was already beginning to choke, further cementing her theory as to how fragile humans were. She was far superior, deserving of their worship, instead of this crap all of them -- beginning with her parents -- continued to give her. Hudson wondered, as she held him there, his face slowly reddening with the lack of oxygen, what it would really feel like to crush a man's skull between her hands.
Shaking the thought from her mind for the time being, she watched Mr. Brooks intently before asking in a cold voice, "So, why don't you save yourself a lot of pain and make it sooner?"
"You can kill me," he gasped. "You can tear this house to the ground. you won't find those disks!"
Hudson stared up at him for a moment, knowing there was something hidden behind his meaning.
And then she realized that Jessie was gone.
"Jessie," she muttered, gaze turning toward the door.
Glaring up at the man trapped helpless in her grasp, she slammed him hard into the wall before letting go, watching apathetically as he slumped to the ground unconscious. Stepping over him, she pulled the door open and moved out onto the porch, gazing around the yard. To the right was an open road; to the left, a cornfield. Narrowing her gaze, she focused through the stalks of corn until she saw Jessie running, not more than a few hundred yards ahead of her. Smiling slowly, Hudson took one step off of the porch and then sped across the yard and through the corn toward her prey. Moving in a circle around Jessie, she maneuvered her way in front of her, coming to a halt only yards away from the girl.
Apparently Jessie was looking over her shoulder, searching for Hudson as she ran. Hudson smirked as she ran right into her, squealing in shock as she fell back, sprawling on the ground. She struggled up into a sitting position as Hudson squatted down in front of her, their eyes meeting.
"Please, don't do this," Jessie begged.
Suddenly she wasn't the tough girl she seemed to want everyone to believe she was. Apparently no one was ever who they appeared to be. Hudson considered this as she reached out to pick up Jessie's purse and ripped it open, pulling out the disks from the hidden pocket within. "I never realized how easy it would be to get everything I've ever wanted," she commented off-handedly.
"H.C!"
At the voice, Hudson quirked an eyebrow. "Lana?" She stood and turned to her friend, regarding her in amusement. "What, did it take the whole study group to find me?"
"No. Lionel Luthor heard you mention Jessie." She glanced past Hudson to Jessie and yelled to her, "Jessie, run!"
Hudson started as Jessie grabbed the purse and disks from her hands, before leaping to her feet and disappearing back into the corn.
Blithely watching her go, Hudson shook her head before glancing back at Lana. "How far is she going to get, Lana?" She took a threatening step toward the girl before her. "You know, no one can get away from me."
"Hudson!"
Rolling her eyes at the sound of her dad's voice, she turned around, clearly displaying her annoyance. When she saw that Jonathan Kent was brandishing a sledgehammer, she almost laughed. Did he really think that could stop her? Did he really think anything could stop her?
"I'm not going to let you hurt anybody else," he warned her.
"Still trying to tell me what to do?" Hudson cocked her head and peered at her dad, walking slowly toward him. Strange. She could almost smell the fear emanating from him, just like those men in the bar. "Are you scared?"
Her dad didn't answer, but he did grip the sledgehammer more tightly.
She smiled. "Then again, you and mom were always afraid of me."
Jonathan shook his head. "No. We've had nothing but love for you, H.C. That makes what I'm about to do all that more difficult."
The threat was laughable. She just stared at him, waiting for this amazing thing that he was about to do.
"Lana, do it."
Frowning, Hudson turned around toward Lana, looking down as she pulled a box out from behind her back. Lana flicked the lid open, exposing a small pile of green meteor rocks. Instantly, pain shot through Hudson as their effects reached out to her, causing her body to feel as if it were collapsing in on itself. She dropped to her knees, looking up at Lana with fear, disbelieving that someone who could claim to be her friend could purposely do this to her. The familiar sensation of having her intestines ripped out through her throat swept over her, and the entire world seemed to waiver around her.
"Lana..." She gasped.
Lana blinked, eyes filling up with tears. "H.C., I'm sorry."
Hudson fell forward on her hands, wincing from pain, attempting to fight against it. She had to be stronger than that!
"Hudson!"
Hudson looked up with her dad's cry, anger suffusing her entire body, almost overriding the pain. He was the real one doing this to her, the one out to control her again, to stick her back on the damn farm and use her as little more than a workhorse. He'd go back to telling her she couldn't see Lex, and had to wear flannel and denim because it was all they could afford and never, ever allow her to have a real life, the kind of life she deserved. Jonathan Kent wanted to take all of this away from her, and dammit, she wasn't going to let him! Not this time. Not ever again!
Using her last bit of strength to form a fist, Hudson swung toward the man threatening her, determined to cause him just as much pain as he was her. If she had to rip through his stomach and tear out his intestines herself, she would do so. Just to make him see and feel and understand.
At the same moment, Jonathan swung the sledgehammer toward her, and Hudson realized it could hurt if it hit her, because of the damn meteor rocks. They could knock her out, they could take the ring, they could stick her back in that loft, hidden away from the rest of the world. But, the blow wasn't aimed toward her head, it was angled instead to meet her fist, just as she hit the base of the sledgehammer with all of the force she had left. There was a loud crack, and suddenly all Hudson knew was pain and terror and humiliation as the past few days' events rushed over her. She collapsed to the ground with a cry, curling into herself.
Oh god. What had she done??
Her dad tossed the sledgehammer away and dropped down beside her, gathering her into his arms. He held her close and brushed her hair out of her face, kissing her forehead gently.
"Dad?" She asked, wondering, hoping that everything in her mind were the effects of some horrible nightmare. Except here she was in this red suit and the scent of fear from both Mr. Brooks and Jessie still clung to her.
"It's okay, honey," he assured her softly. "It's alright."
Lana knelt beside her and reached out to touch her shoulder, squeezing it, stroking her soothingly. "You okay, H.C.?"
"Thanks, Lana," Jonathan commented against Hudson's hair.
Lana nodded and looked down at Hudson who stared off into the corn, willing herself to forget.
***
Wringing her hands nervously, Hudson moved down the hallway quietly toward Lex's study. She'd rehearsed the upcoming speech over and over in her mind for the past twenty-four hours, and still she wasn't certain that she would be able to get it all out. The problem was, Lex deserved an explanation for her behavior. And she didn't have one that she could give him. At least, nothing that she could accept without her conscience kicking her repeatedly.
Ever since her dad destroyed the red meteor rock in her class ring, bringing her back from the strange, scary cusp on which she'd been teetering, Hudson had spent every waking moment saying 'I'm sorry'. She'd apologized to Lana time and again, unable to accept the soft assurances her friend had given her that she was forgiven, that none of it had been her fault.
The apologies to her parents had been a little more difficult, their acceptance not quite as forthcoming, especially with her dad. She'd hurt him terribly, said things to him she couldn't imagine thinking, and the worst of it was, he believed she truly felt that way. He believed she resented them for keeping her on the farm, for not being able to give her everything she ever wanted, for not being richer, more powerful, for not allowing her to exploit herself. And while Hudson sometimes dreamed of living the life of luxury, she'd seen first hand with Lex that money didn't solve all of your problems. She wouldn't want his life or his family. How could her dad believe that she would?
It hurt to know her dad couldn't completely accept her apology. And maybe that was why she was in the castle now, running away from the farm again because she couldn't stand the guilt over everything she'd done. Hudson had to believe that Lex would give her the forgiveness she sought, that he would make it all better. After all, he'd always done so before.
And she would force herself to ignore, for the moment, that her actions were purely selfish and spoilt. She didn't care. She wanted a lap to curl into, and strong arms to hold her, and make her forget the ugly thoughts and feelings that erupted within her while wearing the red meteor rock. Hudson hoped that Lex would give her that.
Stopping in front of the study, she leaned against the door that sat slightly ajar, peering into the room. She was surprised to see that everything was back in order - all of Lionel's belongings gone, Lex's desk back where it belonged. As usual, Lex was sitting behind it, staring at the screens of his dual monitors. Hudson watched him quietly for a long moment, noting the light shadows beneath his eyes, the tense set of his shoulders. Had she caused that? The set of his frame was familiar - she'd seen it in both her parents and Lana. The only thing she could be thankful for was that none of them knew what she was really feeling the past few days, none of them knew the truth about the horrible thoughts and ideas that filled her mind.
"You might as well come in."
Hudson started at Lex's voice, focusing her thoughts on the present as she stared ahead. He hadn't looked up yet, kept staring at the monitors. Worrying her lower lip, she stepped tentatively into the room, hanging back near the doors, suddenly afraid of everything that she needed to say to him. The apologies she needed to make.
She took the coward's way out. "If you're busy. I can come back."
Lex finally raised his gaze to her, and there was a hint of mockery in his expression. But, it disappeared almost as soon as she glimpsed it. "No need," he commented. "Nothing pressing."
Turning off the monitors, he leaned back in his chair, hands folding into his lap as he watched her. Hudson shifted under his gaze before forcing herself to take the steps needed to cross the room. She slipped quietly into the chair across from his desk and dropped her gaze to the glass surface. The painful silence continued.
"Everything better with your folks?"
Hudson mentally applauded herself for not jumping at the sound of his voice. "Y-yes. We. worked everything out."
"I don't suppose you have an explanation for me, do you?"
Hudson raised her gaze to his quickly, watching as a sharp, painful smile flitted across his face.
He leaned forward, resting his clasped hands on the desk. "Or maybe you were hoping I wouldn't ask for one?"
"I. " Hudson began and trailed off before finally shaking her head. "No. I mean, I owe you one. An explanation."
Lex nodded, waiting.
Except Hudson grew silent again and didn't continue. Truthfully, she didn't know where to begin. Across from her, Lex frowned as her silence stretched across the moments. He looked down at his hands.
"Maybe you should go home, Hudson."
"No!" She looked up quickly, immediately reaching across the desk to lay her hand over his. "I mean. It's difficult. " Her voice softened and she stared at their hands. "I don't even know how to say I'm sorry to you, Lex, for the way I behaved, the things I threatened to do."
"An explanation would be a start."
Hudson frowned. "Would that make it better? I mean, would it make it go away?" She met his eyes. "When it came to Desiree, did the explanation make it all better? Or was the pain still there?"
"You're blaming this on that?"
She began to shake her head in the negative, and then stopped herself. Furrow in her brow deepening, she told him, "Maybe." Pausing for a moment, Hudson held his gaze. "It hurt, Lex. Maybe more than I let on. And maybe that resentment in me has just been festering all this time. And maybe it wasn't all focused on you - it was on her - but you're the one that's here. And in the end, you're the one that matters.
"I hate the idea of her touching you, Lex. Of you touching her. Of you being together - "
"Of me fucking her?"
Hudson winced at his cold words, remembering how plainly she had spoken to him three days ago. She couldn't deny Lex his anger, but couldn't he see how difficult this was for her?
"It was never about you, Hudson," Lex commented, voice softening only slightly. "Not once. Not when it came to Desiree or Victoria or - "
"I know," she cut him off, pulling her hand away. She whispered, "I know. I just. Maybe I can't understand why you don't want me."
Lex sighed impatiently and pushed back against his chair. "Dammit, Angel. It isn't that, and you fucking know it! I've explained to you a dozen times - "
"Well, none of it fits anymore!" Hudson raised her voice to match his, cutting her hand in a swath through the air. "I'm not a child, Lex! I know what I want, I know who I love and I know how to love! And I don't see what the issue is. If we both want this, what makes it so wrong?" She waited for an answer but Lex remained silent, forcing her to press further. "If everything else we've done is all right, why does sex matter?"
Running a hand over his face, Lex shook his head. "Because it changes things, Hudson. No matter what people might say, it has that affect. Especially between two people who lo. " He stopped before saying the words, and Hudson felt the tiniest stir of resentment within her. "Besides, you're sixteen. As safe as we can try to be, there's always the possibility you could get pregnant. Unless you're willing to go on the Pill?" He stared at her intently. "And I won't allow you to do that without telling your parents."
Well, she couldn't exactly do that anyway. And how did she explain to Lex that she had no idea if she could even get pregnant, being an alien and all.
"Are you ready for that, Hudson? To tell your parents you're sleeping with me?"
That was the question, wasn't it? Lex laid it wide open for her, right there in front of them. Was she ready to be an adult about this and take the responsibility needed to be in the kind of relationship Lex deserved? No more holding hands at the Talon and sneaking in a hurried kiss on the couch in the family room before her parents came home. Lex wanted to know if she was willing to accept the responsibility of being his girlfriend, and not just some teenage crush.
Taking her silence as the answer, Lex pushed himself out of the chair and turned away from her, walking quietly over to the windows. His shoulders slumped a little as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his slacks.
"You still haven't given me an explanation." His back was to her.
Jumping out of her chair suddenly, Hudson moved over to stand beside him, reaching out to touch his arm. He refused to turn to her. Biting back her fear, she told him, "I was angry, Lex. And I took it out on everyone. You, my parents, Lana, Chloe, Jessie. even your father." She paused, wondering what explanation Lex would offer to him for her rude behavior. "Aren't I allowed to blow off a little steam now and again?"
Lex turned to her, his expression incredulous. "Hudson, you were running around town braless in a sheer top!" He waved at her breasts.
Her face flamed red almost immediately. "Uh. yeah. well, there's no accounting for taste. I did grow up on a farm, you know."
His mouth twitched with just the slightest hint of amusement. Or annoyance. She could never tell when it came to him. Eyes flashing just a bit, Lex suddenly demanded, "And where the hell did you learn how to give a blow job??"
Fighting the urge to shrink back from his obvious anger, Hudson quickly replied, "The internet! Oh, and Chloe's fanfic. But, I think she got that from the internet, too."
Lex blinked and ran a hand over his scalp. "I don't think I want to hear this." He turned away from her again.
"Lex, please." She touched reached out to touch his cheek. "Look at me."
His eyes flashed over to her, but he didn't move.
Sighing, Hudson stepped closer, arm drifting around his back, nose nuzzling the light blue fabric covering his shoulder. "I'm sorry. for everything I did and everything I said. I'm sorry if I hurt and upset you. I did the same to my parents. But, I'm not going to apologize for the truth - and that is that I want to be with you. I don't want to wait anymore. I want. I need to be with you."
Lex's shoulder shifted beneath her and he pulled away, turning to face her. The lingering doubt was visible in his gaze, shadowed only by the familiar flash of longing she'd grown to understand lived in his eyes when he looked at her.
She took a hesitant step toward him. "Lex, I love you. Nothing has changed that. If anything, it's only grown stronger." She touched the front of his shirt gently. "I'll tell the world, if you want me to."
Lex smiled slightly. "I'm afraid of what will happen when you tell your parents, let alone the world, Angel." Reaching out, he cupped her face in his hand and pulled her close, eyes searching. "Is this really what you want?"
Hudson didn't hesitate. "More than anything. I want to know what it feels like to have you be a part of me, Lex."
His gaze softened. "I've always been a part of you, Hudson."
Leaning in, he brushed his lips against hers and Hudson sighed at the contact, arms reaching up to wrap around his shoulders and hold him close. When he held her like this, when he touched her as if she was the most precious and fragile thing on earth, all the cares of her world seemed to melt away.
"We'd better go upstairs," Lex whispered against her mouth, his voice slightly teasing. "Wouldn't want my father to walk in on us."
Her face grew warm at the comment, and when Lex pulled back to look at her, he chuckled. She slapped his shoulder gently. "Don't kill the mood."
Rolling his eyes, Lex caught her hand in his and tugged her out of the room. Elation flowed through Hudson as he led her up the stairs to his bedroom. She'd always believed she'd be nervous when the time finally came for them to have sex but she didn't feel a trace of that emotion in the least. She felt completely calm, except for the slightest bit of anticipation as Lex closed and locked the door behind them, turning on the light and then instantly pulling her against him for another kiss. She could sense that he was trying not to hurry this, even though his heart was slamming wildly against the wall of his chest and his breathing was accelerating with each passing moment. It was difficult not to give in to the desire to superspeed through the entire undressing process, but then everything would be halted in lieu of an explanation.
And there was an entire future ahead of them left for explanations.
Sweeping his tongue against hers in a wet caress, Lex deepened the kiss only a moment longer before pulling back long enough to pull her shirt up over her head and toss it aside. Immediately, his mouth was back against hers while his hands worked at the fastenings on her bra. A chill moved down her spine at the feel of his hands against her back, fingers gentle over her skin. And it had been entirely too long since he'd touched her, too long since his hands and mouth sent her sense spiraling out of control. She gasped with desire when he nipped her lower lip, and then her bra was gone and his hands were on her breasts and she couldn't hold back the moan of pleasure at the warmth of his touch.
"God, you're so fucking beautiful," Lex told her, mouth slanting across hers, moving over her jaw, and down her neck.
Slowly, he slid down her body to his knees, tongue lapping over her skin, teeth grazing lightly, pausing over a breast to suckle the nipple while his fingers worked at the button and zipper on her jeans. He lingered for only a moment before continuing downwards, painting circles over her stomach with the tip of his tongue, delving into her navel, placing soft kisses against her abdomen. Hudson closed her eyes at the sensations, at the butterflies that gathered deep in her belly, the ache of need that grew between her legs. She laid her hands gently against his scalp, cradling him like some priceless treasure as he pressed her jeans down her hips, over her thighs, mouth following, kissing, licking, causing her legs to tremble beneath his touch. She held back the sound of disappointment when he pulled back, carefully balancing her as he slid her jeans and panties off of each leg, dispensing of shoes and socks.
Leaning back on his thighs, Lex stared up at her, eyes stormy grey, fingers trailing lightly up and down her legs. He touched the thatch of dark hair between her thighs almost reverently, fingers carding through the curls. "Sometimes, I think you're meant to be worshipped," he told her quietly.
Hudson ran a finger over his temple. "I know the feeling."
Lex smiled a little at her reply, turning his head to kiss the inside of her wrist.
Rising back to his feet, he slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her close, kissing her once again before moving her toward the bed. Pulling the comforter back, he kissed her forehead and then gently pressed her back against the sheets. He reached down and picked up her legs, swinging them onto the mattress, pausing a moment to nibble at each knee. Hudson wriggled beneath him, laughing a little when it tickled and using her foot to push against his chest carefully.
"Tease. Get out of your damn clothes!"
Flashing her a smile, Lex straightened and began undoing the buttons of his shirt, taking his time as his gaze lingered over her, moving slowly from head to foot and back again. It took every ounce of will that Hudson had not to bury herself beneath the covers, away from his penetrating gaze, but she succeeded, even if she was ten shades of red by the time the slow perusal was over. Even though she knew he was simply admiring her, just as she liked to do with him, it was still unnerving. He found her beautiful, and that would always be difficult to fathom. She was just Hudson Kent, a farm girl from Smallville. And Lex. he was her prince. And he was perfect. And try as she might, she would never be his equal.
"What are you thinking about?" With his clothing finally removed, Lex sat down beside her, hand settling against the mattress on the other side of her as he leaned down to kiss her lips.
Hudson reached up to touch his cheek, brushing the backs of her knuckles against his skin. "How perfect you are."
Lex smiled in amusement, kissing the tip of her nose. "You have a warped sense of perfection, Hudson Kent."
"And you don't know how to take a compliment."
"Touché."
Hudson grinned.
Straightening slightly, Lex watched her face for a moment before his hand brushed over her belly. He smiled slightly as her muscles flexed beneath his touch. His finger traced a line to her left hip, circling the tip of her hipbone before falling into the dip at the inside of her thigh. Hudson closed her eyes as her legs parted voluntarily at his questioning touch, and then his fingers were dipping inside, cool against the wet heat. She whimpered at the touch, eyes slitting open to find him watching her still, even as his thumb pressed against the swollen nub of her clit. Her hips instantly lifted into his hand, searching for more. She tried to be embarrassed over the reaction, embarrassed about the pleasure in Lex's eyes when another moan escaped her as his fingers delved deeper, one sliding inside her opening, only to be shortly joined by another. Hudson bit her lip, fingers curling into the covers beneath her, even as she reminded herself not to tear anything. Holes in the mattress only led to more explanations.
"I want to hear you, Angel," Lex's voice commanded above her, his thumb moving faster against her clit. "Don't hold back. I want to know what you're feeling as I watch you come for me."
She whimpered at his words, head pressing back into the pillow as her hips surged up into his hand once more. His fingers moved faster and his free hand touched a breast, fingers gliding over the nipple, back and forth in a light, teasing motion as the skin ached and tightened against his ministrations. Suddenly Hudson couldn't decide what part of her body she wanted to arch into his hands as all coherent thought began to flee her mind. Thumb and index finger closed over her nipple, worrying the hard bud between them, and fingers pressed further inside of her, probing, exploring, while the circular motions of the pad of his thumb threatened to drive her mad. Hudson felt her mouth fall open, and sounds that couldn't possibly be her echoed through the room as the pressure in the pit of her stomach continued to build.
"Open your eyes, Angel. Look at me."
Hudson did.
Her eyes met his just as she felt the eruption move through her, stomach clenching, hips tensing and she cried out, body convulsing around his fingers. She couldn't look away, even as she gasped for a breath, legs shaking, body all at once alive and tingling, skin on fire. She barely heard the opening of the drawer to the nightstand beside her, the slight shifting of the mattress as Lex worked to slide a condom on and then he was stretching over her, warm flesh covering hers, knee pushing between her thighs, forcing her to open further. He petted her hips and kissed her and whispered something about going slow. And then she felt the tip of his cock pressing through her slick folds, and she was throbbing and aching again, and she tried to lift her hips up impatiently. Lex made a sound like a grunt and there was the strangest sensation of stretching, and she couldn't help but tense out of the slightest fear that something might be wrong, that her body might not be made for this. Her hands closed over Lex's upper arms and she sucked in a deep breath.
As if sensing her sudden anxiety, Lex halted his movement, spending the next few moments kissing her mouth softly. "Am I hurting you?"
She tried not to laugh. He couldn't hurt her; nothing hurt. Except maybe the fear. Sometimes that ate right through her.
Hudson shook her head. "No. I'm just. "
"Scared?"
Her fingers tightened around his arm. "A little."
Lex offered a gentle smile at her admission. "I'll never let anything happen to you, Angel," he whispered before covering her mouth with his and pressing into her once more.
She knew that, but he didn't understand. There was nothing she could do but wait and hope that everything was all right.
And then the worries and the fears fled in the face of the realization that she could feel him inside of her; feel him filling and stretching her and it was the most amazing sensation of her life. One thought consumed her: right now, at this moment, she wasn't alone. A sound - half whimper, half sob - escaped her. It seemed she had nothing to worry about; no hymen to keep her from experiencing this moment.
Lex seemed to read her mind. "Apparently an active farm girl took care of that little obstruction," he commented softly with a mixture of amusement and pleasure. Lifting his head to watch her for a moment, he asked, "How does that feel?"
There was the slide of his cock withdrawing, and then pressing inward again. Her body shook from the feeling. "I didn't know anything could feel like this," she whispered in awe.
Balancing his weight on his arms, Lex smiled at her reply and rocked into her again, eyes closing briefly. "Just wait. "
Hudson smiled at the promise of more, hands slipping up to his shoulders, holding him closer, gaze fixed on the sight of Lex as he moved above her. Occasionally the muscles in his neck would strain, and his eyes continued to slide shut in pleasure before opening again to return her stare. Flecks of blue flickered between the grey, and Hudson thought he never looked as beautiful as he did right then, skin glistening with the first beads of perspiration. Now and then, the ghost of a smile would drift across his face, and she'd return it, like they were sharing some secret only the two of them would ever understand. Then his head dipped down to a breast and he began suckling at the nipple and there was nothing left but feeling and being. She closed her eyes and lost herself to the sound of wet sound of his mouth on her skin and the light pat, pat, pat of their bodies against one another. The scent of Lex, of them together, surrounded her. Nothing mattered but that moment, and them.
Lex's hand drifted over her hip, tucking under her thigh, pulling it higher, and his angle into her changed so that the next time he thrust inside her, Hudson thought she saw stars. She gasped loudly, eyes flying open, then drifting shut once more as the indescribable pleasure continued. Lex's movements grew faster and soon Hudson was lifting her hips to meet him, a cry escaping her with each quick thrust. She began to tremble from head to toe, and she felt like crying with the ache that threatened to consume her. Against her, Lex began to tense and his hand was reaching between them, fingers once more seeking the tiny bundle of nerves.
He lifted his head and kissed her lips. "Come with me, Angel," he whispered into her mouth. "Let me see those wings. "
Her world exploded. And it was the most beautiful moment of her life. She heard Lex whisper her name, felt him shaking over her, body pulsing with his orgasm. Somehow, somewhere, Hudson remembered that she couldn't give in to the driving desire to sink her nails into anything within reach as her body dissolved into a quivering mass. She drew a shuddering breath, squeezing her eyes shut too late to stop the few tears that slid down her cheeks. Lex dropped his weight against her, and she wrapped her arms around him, holding him closer, never wanting to let go. Wondering if she would ever be able to. Silence engulfed the room, broken only by their deep breaths.
Minutes later, she felt Lex kiss her shoulder, fingers idly caressing an arm. He whispered, "Am I squishing you?"
Hudson ignored the question and whispered her own, "Can we stay like this forever?"
"Forever is a long time, Angel," he replied quietly.
Squeezing her eyes closed even tighter, she whispered, "I don't think it's long enough. "
UNLEASHED
I am Jesus Christ
Can't thou see the light?
I preach the holy way
Join or be my prey ~ I am God by Unleashed
"See you this afternoon!" Hudson shouted to her parents, just before the screen door shut behind her and she jogged down the porch steps, slinging her backpack over her shoulder.
Taking a few bites of the chocolate Pop Tart in her hand, Hudson glanced up at the cloudless sky, wondering for a moment if Fall was ever going to hit. It was unseasonably warm for October, and a part of her was really looking forward to some snowfall. After all, it usually meant snow days at school, fewer chores and hot chocolate with marshmallows. It was still warm enough outside for her mom to brew sun tea in the garden, and make fresh lemonade. Hudson wanted hot chocolate, beef stew and pot roast. On top of that, AJ kept trying to cuddle at night and it was just too hot for that, so she continually told him to wait until the first snowfall. And then he could cuddle all he wanted to.
As she moved down the driveway, Hudson glanced around, checking for any passersby as she prepared to break into a run to school. The bus hadn't arrived yet but she wasn't really in the mood to take it anyway. The discussion among her classmates would most likely focus on the purchase of the class rings, which was taking place that day. She just wasn't in the mood to hear others talk about how their parents were paying for their rings, while hers had flatly refused. Hudson understood that her mom and dad were tight on money, and that the farm was costing much more than it was bringing in at the moment, so she really didn't need to see her peers flaunt their families' money.
Hearing the roar of an approaching sports car, and thinking how ironic it was for him to show up just then, Hudson glanced up and smiled as a red Ferrari came around the corner, turning into the gravel driveway. She met Lex's car halfway, pulling the Pop Tart away from her mouth as she leaned down to greet him through the window.
"Hey there, beautiful."
Blushing, Hudson's smile grew. Their easy banter had returned due to their nightly phone calls over the past week. Things were almost back to perfect. Almost. "Hi. I thought you were going into Metropolis this morning?"
"I am. But I left early so I could give you a ride to school." He paused and gazed up at her a moment through his sunglasses. "That is, if you want one?"
Like she was going to turn that offer down. "Sure!" Hurrying around the front of the car, Hudson took a few more bites of her breakfast as she opened the passenger door and slid inside. "New car?"
"Yes." Lex made a face at her pastry. "Try not to get crumbs all over the interior."
"Snob," she replied good-naturedly, finishing off her Pop Tart and licking her fingers clean.
Lex watched her silently, his gaze focusing on her fingers as they slid into her mouth before he turned his attention back to driving the car, and made a u-turn in the drive. Once they were headed in the right direction, he cast another quick look in her direction. "So, did you get that essay finished last night?"
"Mmhmm." She flashed him a smile. "Thanks for the help. I'm sure your insights into Helen of Troy will garner me an A."
Frowning, Lex stared ahead at the road. "Well, you shouldn't have waited until the last minute, and you should have done the research on your own."
"Nag, nag, nag- " Hudson broke off in her teasing to squeal when Lex reached over and pinched the inside of her thigh. It didn't really hurt but she knew from observing others that it was supposed to. "Ow! Hey!"
"Don't be a brat," Lex scolded but a smile hovered over his lips. "What are you going to do when you're off at college and I'm not there to help you pass your classes?"
Hudson glanced over at him and offered a bright smile. "You'll always be there, Lex."
"Yeah. as your librarian apparently."
"Nag."
"Brat."
"Hmph." Hudson leaned forward to mess with the radio, flipping it over from the classical station Lex had it set on, to her favorite country station.
"By all means, make yourself at home," he commented sarcastically.
"Thanks."
Ignoring his quick glare, Hudson wiggled around in her seat until she was able to slip her hand into her front pocket and withdrew a folded stack of money. Flipping it open, she carefully began to count the bills, hoping she hadn't lost any of it between her bedroom and the car, and praying she counted it correctly earlier that morning. She was terrible at keeping track of money. Maybe she should start carrying purses or something, like Lana and Chloe did. Even though the contraptions seemed like a horrible nuisance.
"That's quite a bit of money," Lex remarked, flashing his gaze into the rearview mirror before looking over at her. "Planning on running away? Getting an apartment in the city?"
"Oh, ha." She waved the bills in the air. "The class rings are in today. And I'm thinking of buying one."
Lex's brow furrowed above his mirrored glasses. "If I remember correctly, you and your dad had this discussion more than once throughout the summer. He didn't want you buying one."
Hudson snorted. Sometimes having Lex around was like being constantly followed by her dad. It was ludicrous how alike they could be. "Yeah, well, it's my money and I'll do what I want with it."
"Three hundred and fifty dollars is a lot to throw away on a ring."
"Oh, tell me you haven't spent much more on things much sillier."
Lex shrugged. "That's different, Angel, and you know it. My dad has more money than he could possibly spend in his lifetime. It's there for me to throw away on stupid things." He nodded toward the money. "You worked hard for that. Shouldn't you spend it on something that means a lot to you?"
"Having a class ring does mean a lot to me," she replied stubbornly.
Honestly, Lex and her parents just couldn't seem to understand. Fitting in at school was practically impossible for her. Sure, she had a few really good, close friends but she couldn't participate in any of the sports, wasn't interested in any of the other extracurricular activities other than the Torch. She wanted to be a part of something. Having the ring would make her feel as if she really was a student at Smallville High, that she belonged there just as much as the rest of the student body. And one day, she would be able to look at her ring and remember that at one point in her life, she did fit in, even if it was marginally.
"Chloe and Lana are both getting one."
"I see."
Lex didn't seem to like her reasoning but she didn't comment on it.
"What about Christmas? I thought you said you wanted to spend a lot of money on people this year."
"I have plenty of money saved, Lex," she responded with a heavy sigh. "You can lay off the lecture."
"Sorry." His mouth tightened a little. "I just don't want you to be disappointed."
Pulling the car into the school parking lot, Lex brought it to a stop next to the sidewalk, and put it into park before turning in his seat to face her.
"Promise me you'll think it over before you make any rash decisions. Is it really something you can't live without?"
Hudson smiled a little before reaching up to pull his sunglasses off. His eyes were especially blue this morning, probably caused by the deep blue dress shirt he was wearing. Sometimes she forgot how beautiful he was - though she was usually reminded very quickly. "You might be able to convince me a little better if I could actually see your eyes."
Lex grinned and leaned in to give her mouth a quick kiss. "Think about it." Pulling back, he snatched his glasses out of her hand and slipped them back on. "Now go get that essay turned in. We don't want points deducted for tardiness."
Making a sound in the back of her throat, Hudson pushed the door open, rolling her eyes. "Sometimes you can be such a parent." Climbing to her feet, she shouldered her book bag and leaned in the door to give him another smile. "Have fun in Metropolis!"
It was Lex's turn to roll his eyes. "Loads. Bye, Angel."
Shutting the door, Hudson stood back and watched quietly as Lex peeled out of the parking lot, drawing the attention of every student in the vicinity. She thought, Show off.
"Too good for the bus, I see."
Turning, Hudson flashed a smile and a shrug at Chloe as her friend walked up beside her. "Yeah, well. can you blame me?"
"You have it bad, Kent." The blonde shook her head as they headed into the school. Reaching into her purse, Chloe withdrew a check and glanced up at Hudson. "So, are you getting a class ring?"
She hadn't. Not until that moment at least. Nodding, Hudson replied, "Yeah. I'm going to do it."
Chloe raised her eyebrows but didn't reply.
As they approached the end of the hall where the tables were set up, Lana turned and waved to them from where she was about to step into the line. Hugging her books to her chest, she smiled at them both as she walked to meet them, though her eyes lingered on Hudson. The only explanation Hudson could think of lately for the way Lana watched her was that her friend was still coming to terms with the truth. It had to be a little weird - finding out that your friend was an alien. Then again, it wasn't much easier finding out that you were an alien.
"Hey, guys!" Lana greeted.
"Hi, Lana." Chloe stepped immediately into line, peering over the shoulder of the student in front of her.
Hudson reached into her pocket for her money once more as Lana stepped up beside her.
"So, have you decided to go through with this?"
"I'm here, aren't I?"
Lana raised her eyebrows and shrugged as she stepped into line, smiling a little.
Frowning at Lana's amusement, Hudson asked, "What?"
"I believe your dad's exact words this weekend were 'Three hundred and fifty dollars is a lot of money to spend on something you really don't need'."
Hudson sighed. First her parents, then Lex, and now Lana. Didn't anyone think she was capable of making a decision on her own? "I earned that money," she defended. Then she added, "Besides, my dad said that it was my decision to make."
Lana glanced over her shoulder at her. "Which means you're not really supposed to buy it."
Before Hudson could reply, Chloe turned around and waved her hand in front of them, flashing her new school ring, the red jewel glimmering in the light. "Nothing says school spirit like a ring that looks like it was jacked from P. Diddy."
Smiling, Hudson told her, "I think it looks great, Chloe."
Her friend frowned as Lana stepped past her in line to purchase her ring. "I think we'll be lucky if the glue holds through graduation," Chloe commented, her brow furrowing deeper as she stared at it. "I wonder if the ruby's even real?"
Hudson watched in amusement as a familiar glint appeared in Chloe's eye and then she darted away without another word, heading straight toward the Torch office. Hudson couldn't help but feel a little sorry for the ring company - after all, if it turned out they didn't use real jewels, Chloe would make certain everybody knew about it.
Stepping up to the table at her turn, Hudson handed over the three hundred and fifty dollars, regretting it only a moment until the tiny velvet ring box was handed back to her. Moving back to where Lana stood waiting, she opened it up to admire it, smiling at the object. Other than the necklace Lex gave her, it was the only real piece of jewelry she owned. Moreover, she worked for it and paid for it all by herself. That alone made it worth having.
"So, what do you think?" Lana leaned in beside her, glancing at the ring in the box before lifting up her hand to show her own off.
"It's very cool." Lifting it out of its cradle, Hudson carefully slid it onto her ring finger and a strange thrill ran through her. Something changed. A sense of freedom, of power flooded through her immediately. Heart rate accelerating just a bit, she smiled. God, nothing had made her feel like that since. Lex.
"H.C.? Are you feeling all right?" Lana was gazing up at her, concern showing on her beautiful features.
Hudson blinked. She'd never felt better in her life. It was like all of the cares of her life were suddenly gone, over with. She felt like laughing. Instead, she smiled down at Lana, who was really quite cute when she was worried, scrunching up her nose the way she did.
"Yeah. I feel great."
"Excuse me."
The voice of the vice principal, Mr. Gibbons, drew the attention of Hudson and Lana to where they saw Pete standing next to a tall blonde student. Hudson had never seen her around before - she definitely would have remembered anyone who dressed like that. Black leggings, sheer black midriff top that exposed her red bra beneath it. And she had the figure and confidence to match. It was a far cry from Lana's preference for pink and Chloe's preference for the Salvation Army stores. Hudson realized she wanted to look like that.
"It's Jessie, isn't it?... " the vice principal began. "Perhaps Mr. Ross didn't tell you, but there's a dress code here at Smallville High."
"Lame and lamer?" the girl named Jessie replied.
Hudson laughed, causing both Pete and Lana to cast her quick, sharp looks.
The vice principal looked in her direction as well, gaze narrowing. "You think that's funny, Miss Kent?"
Drawing in her laughter just a bit, Hudson watched in continued amusement as Jessie turned back to Mr. Gibbons and told him, "By the way, I'm not changing."
Wow. She had spunk. Hudson had yet to actually see any of the students at Smallville High stand up to authority like that. It kind of reminded her of something Lex would do, which just made her smile more. Mmmmm. Lex. She could think of something of his she wouldn't mind making stand up at the moment. Damn. He was in Metropolis.
"Well, perhaps you would like to discuss your attitude in my office," Mr. Gibbons replied.
Jessie rolled her eyes, casting a quick glance at Hudson, who was still smiling, before she turned to follow the vice principal down the hall.
Frowning a bit, Hudson started after them. "Excuse me, Mr. Gibbons. " She passed by Pete, who was watching her as if she'd sprouted horns. She smiled, felt like laughing again for some reason, and turned her attention to the vice principal and Jessie. "I think she looks really hot."
Jessie flashed her a smile and she found herself returning it. "And I think that your dress code. sucks." She giggled and Jessie joined her.
"Excuse me?" Mr. Gibbons demanded.
Hudson rolled her eyes. "Come on, it's her first day. Cut her some slack." She glanced at the vice principal and grinned again. "Besides, I don't think you should be the one giving fashion tips."
Seriously, the man was wearing a brown-striped tie and a suit that looked as if it walked out of the seventies.
Shrugging, as the people around her grew quiet, Hudson cast her gaze back to Jessie who was still smiling, though softer this time, her eyes assessing Hudson with a similar expression.
They ignored Mr. Gibbons as he finally turned to Jessie and told her, "Tomorrow, young lady, proper attire - or you're going straight home!" He stalked off.
Pete moved back up between them, glancing at Hudson once before smiling at Jessie. "Well, young lady," he mimicked the vice principal. "I guess we can finish our tour."
Jessie nodded a little, though she still stared at Hudson, even as Pete started down the hall. Hudson was about to introduce herself but Jessie flashed her a wider smile, almost teasing in its appearance, then turned and followed Pete.
"Uh. H.C.? Where did that come from?" Lana was beside her once more, staring up at Hudson, and then looking down the hall toward Jessie, who occasionally glanced over her shoulder back at them.
Hudson frowned at the question, only just realizing that she never before had spoken up to authority figures. Nor had she ever been quick in introducing herself to new students. Another smile appeared as she watched Jessie disappear down the hall - she really wanted an outfit like that. Then maybe Pete and the other guys in school would look at her the way they were looking at Jessie.
"I don't know, Lana." She turned back to her friend. "But, I think I like it."
***
School had been. a little more boring than usual that day. Hudson found it difficult to stay awake during classes, and quickly learned that amusement came in the form of making paper airplanes and tossing pencils into the tiles of the ceiling above her. Of course, there was a special knack for being able to do that without sending the entire pencil through the ceiling as she had done three times before she learned to throw it gently enough. It made her laugh though, even if it did disrupt Mr. Craney's history lesson.
Moving down the hall, Hudson flashed a smile when she noticed Lana approaching from the opposite direction. They met near the door and headed outside together as Hudson reached into her pocket to pull out a piece of paper. Unfolding the flier, she waved it to her friend.
"This is the place I was talking about," Hudson told her, referring to a conversation they'd had during lunch in the cafeteria. "It's right over the county line and they don't check ID's." Although Hudson was certain that if she really wanted an ID, she could probably convince Lex to get one for her.
Lana made a face before glancing up at Hudson. "You know, this is a bar, right?" She handed the flier back to her.
Hudson rolled her eyes. "I know! Isn't Whitney always telling you that if you want to have fun, you've got to take some risks?" She glanced back at the flier with a smile. "We can go this weekend."
Laughing a little nervously, Lana commented, "The day Hudson Clark Kent decides to break the rules, I'll be there."
Wondering if Lana knew she planned on keeping her to her word, Hudson nodded. "Alright then. It's a date."
"Hey! Wait up!"
Turning slightly at the call, Hudson and Lana watched as Jessie moved toward them, hips swinging from side to side as she walked. There was something about her that reminded Hudson of Desiree Atkins - maybe it was the walk or the confidence or just the sensuality that seemed to flow off of her in waves. She wasn't certain, but she liked it either way. And she wanted to emulate it - Hudson wanted to make people see her that way, want her that way.
"Hudson, right? Jessie Brooks," she introduced herself to Hudson, ignoring Lana. Her eyes drifted down to the flier in Hudson's hand and she smiled. "That place rocks... I checked it out on my way into town. Are you planning a road trip?"
Hudson returned the smile, pleased to know that Jessie approved of the place. She had a feeling that meant it really was a lot of fun. "Well if we do, I'll let you know."
Jessie watched her silently for a moment, grinning, before she reached over and grabbed a pen that was sticking up out of Lana's purse. Lana made an annoyed sound at the action but Hudson was too focused on the other girl, because Jessie took her hand, to notice. She flipped it over, palm side up, and began writing her phone number across Hudson's skin. It kind of tickled.
"You'll need to know how to get in touch with me," Jessie commented before lifting her gaze up to meet Hudson's eyes.
They smiled at one another once more as Jessie tossed the pen back to Lana, then turned and walked away. Hudson glanced down at her hand, instantly memorizing the number before lifting her gaze to watch Jessie.
"What was that all about?" Lana asked, frowning up at Hudson.
Hudson shrugged. "She's just being. friendly."
"Friendly?" Lana repeated in disbelief. "She was hitting on you, H.C."
Raising an eyebrow in amusement, Hudson looked down at Lana and couldn't resist replying, "Jealous?"
She opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted when Chloe appeared, commenting, "H.C., you and Jessie seem to be making fast friends."
Was Chloe jealous, too? Oh, this was far too entertaining. She wondered if she could make Lex equally jealous with another girl. Then again, he was the one who liked to tease her about the time she and Lana kissed. So, more than likely, he would simply want to join in. Hudson glanced back down the sidewalk, searching for Jessie. A threesome certainly sounded interesting.
"I'm just trying to make the new girl feel welcome," she finally replied, looking back at her friends.
Lana made a face, casting a quick look at Chloe once before asking them both, "So...are we still on for that cram session tonight at the Talon?"
Hudson slipped her arms over her friends' shoulders and started down the sidewalk, leading them with her. "If my two favorite girls are gonna be there, why not?"
Chloe raised her eyebrows. "Uh, H.C. Are you feeling okay?"
Grinning, Hudson tossed her hair, glancing ahead. "Never better."
She left her friends at the bus stop, telling them she was in the mood to walk, ignoring the strange expressions they flashed her over the idea of walking three miles home. Barely out of sight, Hudson took off full speed, laughing at the thrill of the wind around her and how everyone and everything seemed to stop. People and cars froze in place and she couldn't help but have a little fun with it. She switched the baseball caps of two old men as she flew by the barber shop and snatched a Snickers bar out of the grocery bag of some woman while she loaded her things into a car. She zigzagged through traffic downtown, took out a few mailboxes and finally arrived on the farm, coming to an abrupt halt in the barn to find her parents standing around her dad's motorcycle, wondering where she was.
"Hey, where's H.C.? She's really late."
"Looking for me?" Hudson called out with a big grin.
Her parents looked over at her call and returned her smile.
"Yeah," her dad nodded, moving away from the motorcycle that he never rode. "Weren't you supposed to be here with me, working on that garage door?"
Hudson snorted and rolled her eyes. "Geez, Dad, that'll take like, two seconds."
Flashing him another grin as he nodded, she lifted her hand and held it in front of her, gazing at her new ring happily. It sparkled from the few rays of sun sneaking in through the slats in the roof of the barn. Hudson loved the way it felt on her finger - heavy and warm, just like it belonged there. She never wanted to take it off. Her silent admiration was interrupted by the angry voice of her dad.
"And I thought we agreed that you weren't gonna buy that ring."
Making a face, Hudson glanced up at him, pursing her lips. "I thought we decided it was my decision to make." Turning away from her parents, she reached out for the hammer on the workbench, fiddling with it in boredom.
"That's because I assumed you'd make the right one. H.C., that ring costs a lot of money... "
Money. It was always about money. Lex never had to worry about that, Lana never had to worry about it, neither did Chloe or Pete. Spinning around, Hudson glared at her parents and snapped, "And I'm tired of worrying about every nickel and dime around here!"
Her parents stared at her, expressions clearly displaying surprise at her outburst. Hudson couldn't help but feel pleased - it was nice to get her true feelings off her chest. Maybe she should do it more often. What was the point of bottling everything up inside anyway? She had the right to be angry with the way her life was going.
"H.C., honey, why don't you go get washed up for dinner," her mom suggested quietly, flashing her a gentle smile.
"I'm not hungry," Hudson replied, thinking another night of cornbread and pork chops might be more than she could handle. She wanted to eat like Lex did - fancy meals in his dining room or expensive dinners out on the town.
Of course, Lex never had to mend fences and feed cows, either.
She glanced over at her dad and added bitterly, "Besides, I have chores to do."
Flashing them both a glare, she sped out of the barn.
***
Jonathan finished washing his hands in the sink in preparation for breakfast the next morning when the phone began ringing. Giving his wife a quick smile, he moved over and lifted the receiver off the hook.
"Kent Farm."
"May I speak with Jonathan Kent, please?"
"Speaking."
"Mr. Kent, this is Annie with Capital One," the cheerful voice on the other line informed him. "I'm calling you this morning because there were an unusual amount of charges to your credit card last night- "
"You're kidding!" Jonathan blinked in disbelief at the news, glancing over at Martha as she lifted the pan of sausage off the stove and turned to watch him, brow knitted into a frown.
"I take it by your response that these charges were not authorized by yourself or the other card holder, Martha Kent?"
"No, they weren't." He frowned, knowing very well Martha wouldn't have been off spending money they didn't have without telling him first.
"If you could please check into this and get back with me this afternoon so that we can cancel your card if it has been stolen. You can reach me at 1- 800-555-2434, extension 213."
Jonathan grabbed a pen and wrote down the information as she relayed it to him. "Okay, Annie. Thank you." Jonathan hung up the phone, and turned to his wife, who was gazing at him thoughtfully.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"That was the credit card company. They were calling to verify some charges that were made on our card. Last night."
They stared at one another in confusion for a moment, while Jonathan reached into his pocket to pull out his wallet. His card was right where it belonged. Martha started for her purse when the whine of a guitar, followed by a loud, thumping base line broke out across the silence of the farm. Martha started, looking up at her husband in astonishment before they both hurried over to the kitchen window. Pushing the curtains aside, Jonathan searched for the source of the music, which was coming from the direction of the barn. His gaze stopped on the new small satellite dish, attached to the side of the barn, near the window of his daughter's loft.
As if reading his mind, Martha asked beside him in bemusement, "When did we get a satellite dish?"
Frowning, Jonathan shook his head and started for the kitchen door, his wife tossing the dishtowel to the sink and hurrying after him. They cut across the yard toward the barn, glancing up at the loft window occasionally as the music blared. Pushing the door open, Jonathan stormed inside only to come to an immediate halt as his gaze moved over the items that littered the interior - a jet ski draped in clothing, with the tags still attached, a shiny guitar, a brand new Western show saddle with matching bridle, all covered in silver and turquoise, unopened boxes of even more junk and stereo equipment wires hanging down from the loft. Martha gasped as she moved past him, her hands waving around her as she seemed at a loss for words. They continued forward toward the stairs as Martha grabbed a jacket off of the jet ski, while Jonathan frowned at the wires.
"This is suede!" she exclaimed.
Shaking his head, Jonathan continued upwards, Martha still close behind him, both stopping once more in shock to find the loft likewise littered with an assortment of items - a new stereo, a flat panel TV, stacks of clothing and boxes of shoes. Hudson was in the center of it all, dressed in a new pair of stone-washed jeans and wearing only a fancy black velvet bra. It was trimmed in gold satin and pushed her breasts upwards as she bounced around to the music, mussed, wild hair framing her face. She seemed not to notice her parent's presence as she sang at the top of her lungs:
"Allow me some time to play with your mind
And you'll get there again and again
Close your eyes and imagine my body undressed
Take your time, we've got all night
You on the rise as you're touchin' my thighs
And let me know what you like
If you like, I'll go down
Da down down down da down down
I'll hold you in my hand and baby
Your smooth and shiny feels good
Against my lips sugar
I want you so bad I can taste your
love right now, baby. "
Jonathan felt his face flame red as he realized what his 'little girl' was singing about. "H.C.!" he shouted above the din.
"Hudson! Where did you get all this?" Martha chimed in beside him, waving her hand around the loft.
Hudson glanced over at them both briefly before returning to her pseudo- dancing as she moved in front of the full-length mirror, admiring herself. "Discount Eddie's in Metropolis," she replied with a smile. "Open all night"!"
"You mean to tell.... " Jonathan began to shout, then gave up trying to be heard over the music and searched through the stack of DVD's on the couch before locating a remote to the stereo that was hidden behind more boxes near the loft window. He struggled with the buttons, as he continued, "You mean to tell me, you took our credit cards... " The damn remote didn't seem to be working. "...credit cards, and you bought all this... "
Sighing in impatience, Hudson snatched the remote from his hand and switched off the stereo with the flick of a button.
Grateful for the silence, Jonathan finished, "You bought all this junk?"
His daughter shrugged. "Yeah! I figured it was time I had all the same cool stuff everyone else has."
Anger immediately swept over him and it was all Jonathan could do not to reach out for something to throw. Instead, he raised his voice, "Hudson Clark Kent, you stole from us!"
Hudson rolled her eyes. "No. I used your credit cards." She moved away from them over to her desk where she searched through a box of makeup, and removed a tube of lipstick. Opening it, she turned back to the mirror and began applying the fire engine red color to her lips. "What's the big deal? We don't have to pay for it right away."
Martha gasped at her reply, looking from her husband to Hudson with a stunned expression. Jonathan reached down and grabbed a supple leather motorcycle jacket lying over the couch, tossing it at Hudson angrily.
"Well, I'll tell you the big deal," he snapped. "The big deal is you're gonna take all this garbage back right now! Come on!"
Snorting as she caught the jacket, Hudson sneered, "Yeah, right," before blowing a kiss to her reflection.
"'Yeah, right!'" Her father mimicked, his tone angrier than he ever remembered using with her. He stabbed a finger towards Hudson, continuing, "And then, after you've taken all this garbage back, you and I are going to have a nice long conversation about this new attitude you've developed!"
Shrugging into the jacket, Hudson lifted up her hair, letting it fall back over her shoulders before replying dismissively, "Well, Dad, you can talk all you want. I'm out of here."
Flashing both parents a smirk, she superspeeded out the loft window. Jonathan glanced at Martha before they both raced to the opening, staring down at the ground where Hudson swung her leg over her father's motorcycle, gunning the engine to life
"Hudson!" Jonathan yelled down to her. "Hudson, come back here!"
Ignoring his calls, Hudson removed a pair of sunglasses from her jacket pocket and slipped them on before revving the engine once more and pulling out down the driveway at a breakneck speed, a pile of dust swirling in her wake.
"Oh... " Martha began and couldn't seem to finish. She looked up at her husband in dismay before dropping her head against his shoulder.
Slipping his arm around her, Jonathan stared after Hudson until he could no longer see her before squeezing his wife gently. "What did you say last night about teenage rebellion, Martha?"
She looked up at him and shook her head. "I. This should be a gradual thing. Not all at once. I can't believe she. " She trailed off and gazed around his shoulder at the items scattered around the barn.
Nodding once, Jonathan stepped away from her and walked toward the stairs. "Call Discount Eddie's and see about returning all of this stuff..."
"Where are you going?"
"To bring our daughter back here."
Jonathan quickened his pace as he exited the barn and moved toward his truck. Climbing inside, he started the engine and headed for Smallville High.
During the trip there, Jonathan went over every theory in his mind for what was causing his usually perfectly behaved daughter to act out like she was. This was the kind of behavior he'd worried they might see from her when she began dating Lex - exposed to his world, Jonathon feared Hudson would decide her own life wasn't good enough. But, that hadn't been the case. If anything, Lex almost seemed like a good influence on her, though Jonathan would be the last to admit such a thing out loud to anyone. The only explanation he could conjure by the time he pulled into the high school parking lot was that Hudson was reacting to the pain she'd been through in the past few months. Lex's surprise marriage and Lana discovering the truth about her, could have simply been too much.
Seeing his daughter moving away from his motorcycle and following Lana toward the school, Jonathan pulled up alongside her and called out through the passenger window, "Hudson, I'd like a word with you please."
She glanced in his direction, rolled her eyes, and continued across the parking lot. "Not right now, Dad."
Putting the truck in park, Jonathan threw the door open and stepped out as Hudson passed by. "Get in the truck, Hudson Clark."
Ignoring him, Hudson continued on her way, flashing a smile at a boy who walked by. "Give me one reason why I should," she called out over her shoulder.
Angrily, and not thinking, Jonathan reached out and grabbed his daughter by the arm, spinning her around to face him. "Because, I am your father and I just told you to get in the truck!"
"You're not my father," Hudson replied, gaze narrowing.
The words hit him hard. Jonathan had always feared telling Hudson the truth of her origins because she might feel even more detached from them, to the point where simply being the people who adopted her and took her in wouldn't be enough. The fear immediately returned with her words and he found himself stepping back, stunned by the pain they caused.
She smiled, almost pleased. "You never were."
With that, Hudson reached out and pushed Jonathan in the chest. He gasped at the impact, feeling as if a wheelbarrow full of bricks had just slammed into his chest as he flew backwards, into the open door of the truck. It shut behind him and he heard the metal dent with his impact, the air quickly escaping him as he slumped to the ground in pain.
Lana ran to his side, kneeling down beside him, her hand reaching up to touch his shoulder gently. "Are you all right, Mr. Kent?" She asked quietly.
Jonathan didn't reply. He just stared after his daughter as she turned and walked away.
After Lana helped him into the truck, asking over and over again if she shouldn't get an ambulance for him instead, Jonathan returned to the farm where Martha was pacing anxiously on the porch, phone in hand. As he hobbled out of the cab, she hurried toward him, almost bursting into tears when he explained what happened. Once she got him situated on the porch, she helped him out of his shirt, gasping at the bruises already forming across his ribs and back. Jonathan remained stoically silent, unable to stop thinking about the hurtful words Hudson had so casually tossed at him.
Standing, he moved over to the railing as he heard the door swing open behind him and his wife emerged with a bag of frozen peas to use as an ice pack. Gently, she set it against the worst of the bruising.
"Here you go," she said softly, wincing as he grunted in pain. After a moment of silence, she added, "I can't believe Hudson would do that."
Jonathan shook his head and sighed. "It's like she's a whole different person."
"How are we going to get her home?"
"I don't know." He frowned as the enormity of their problem hit him full force. "The fact is, if she doesn't want to come home, there isn't much either one of us could do about it."
Irritated by the inaction of the moment, Jonathan reached over to grab his shirt and pull it back on, ignoring the pain that the movement caused him. He took the frozen bag from his wife and held it against his side with a sigh. "Takes your whole teenage rebellion theory to a new level doesn't it?"
Martha leaned against the porch railing beside him and shook her head, eyes tired with worry. "This is more than teenage rebellion. A change this drastic doesn't happen overnight."
"Martha, it's Hudson," Jonathan reminded her. "All of her other abilities cropped up overnight."
"Do you think this is part of her development?"
He shrugged, then realized exactly how painful that motion was. "I don't know. From what she said... " He hated thinking about what she said, about how dependent he was on knowing that their daughter loved them as much as they did her. "I guess those feelings have been boiling up inside her for a while."
"No, Jonathan." Martha reached out and touched his shoulder gently. "Hudson loves you. But there's something seriously wrong with her."
"I don't think another father and daughter talk is gonna help this time," he replied, unable to keep the sorrow from his tone.
Martha grew thoughtful for a moment before suggesting, "Maybe Lana can help."
Jonathan shook his head. He didn't see how anyone could help right now.
"They're always together," his wife continued encouragingly. She pressed, "We should talk to her, find out if she has any idea what's causing Hudson's behavior."
It couldn't hurt, he supposed. "Well, we've got to do something." Giving his wife a quick look, Jonathan let out a low breath and turned to disappear into the house.
***
As Lana moved down the halls of Smallville High, she wondered if life was just going to continue to get weirder. First she finds out her best friend is an alien from another world -- no matter how human she might look. And now that same gentle, kind, slightly bashful friend was running around town on a motorcycle, openly flirting with other girls, wearing leather and shoving her dad around. What the hell was going on?
The Kents had called her, apparently at their wit's end of what to do with Hudson. Mr. Kent explained to her that they didn't think this was a normal part of her development, that something had to be causing it, and asked if there was anything Lana could think of that would pinpoint the moment Hudson went all raging bitch whore on them. Of course, he hadn't used that exact term but they were the only words Lana could equate with her friend's current behavior. During lunch that day, Hudson had spent the entire time detailing every little sexual escapade she'd ever had with Lex - and then went on to tell them every little thing she was still looking forward to doing with him! Lana doubted she would ever be able to look at her business partner again without turning bright red. Jessie only seemed to encourage Hudson in her behavior, telling her it sounded like Lex just needed to be showed what he was missing out on, and then take it. God, she really didn't like Jessie.
And it wasn't just because she was jealous, either.
Turning the corner, Lana entered the office of the Torch where Chloe was standing behind her desk, examining a large rock. While Lana had no idea where to begin searching for clues regarding Hudson's off-the-wall behavior, she figured the best place to start was with the one person who always noticed the strange and absurd. If Chloe didn't know how to help, she really didn't know where to turn.
Glancing up to see Lana, Chloe's expression lit up and she exclaimed, "Lana! You are not going to believe what I found out! Our El Cheapo class rings are, in fact, fake."
That really wasn't as important as their friend at the moment. No matter how much she might have spent on the damn thing. "Chloe, there's something wrong with Hudson."
Chloe comes out from behind her desk. "More than usual?"
"Her behavior with Jessie, the motorcycle, pushing her dad... " Lana thought about the credit cards her parents told her about, and her descriptions of Lex and her at lunch. "Other stuff. "
"What kind of other stuff?"
"The kind of that has Mr. and Mrs. Kent calling me," Lana replied as Chloe handed the rock over to her to look at. She took it and continued, "They're really worried. It's like, they think she's on drugs or something."
Chloe smirked. "H.C. would have to be on drugs to be on drugs," she replied, eyeing Lana as she tapped the rock against her opposite hand distractedly. "Uh, just be careful with that." She reached out and snatched the rock back from her friend.
Having completely forgotten about the object, Lana glanced at it once more, frowning a little. "What is it anyway?"
"My exposé," she replied as she walked back behind her desk and held out the hand on which she was wearing her class ring. "See this lovely $350 piece of school spirit?"
Lana looked down at the ring and nodded.
"It's a rip-off," Chloe told her bluntly. "The Jewelry Company was substituting worthless meteor rocks for rubies to save money."
Lana shook her head. That was impossible. "Uh, Chloe, the ring's red," she pointed out. "Meteor rocks are green."
"Not the load they found near Hobbes Pond." She held the rock back out to Lana, smiling smugly as if she held the key to the universe. Her finger tapped against the glitter of red near the usual green. "Note the red vein."
Taking the rock from her hand, Lana studied it carefully, a frown appearing between her brow.
"You can read all about it on page one of today's Torch."
Lana continued to study the rock, barely hearing Chloe's comment. She'd seen the effect of the meteor rocks on Hudson and how sick and weak they made her. But, Hudson never mentioned anything about red meteor rocks. If no one knew about them, then maybe that included the Kents as well. Her frown deepened as she glanced down at her own ring, and she remembered the morning they purchased the rings - how Hudson seemed so flush suddenly and Lana asked her if everything was all right. Immediately afterwards, her friend approached the vice principal, telling him what she thought of his dress code. An act completely out of character for the usually shy and retiring Hudson Kent. If Chloe was right, and the red veins were actually meteor rock, what if.
She needed to get this information to Hudson's parents right away!
Turning, rock still in hand, Lana broke into a run out of the office, ignoring Chloe's shout behind her.
Not bothering to call her aunt and let her know she was going to be running a little late that evening, Lana headed straight for the Kent farm, meteor rock tucked firmly in her purse. She'd overheard Hudson tell Jessie that she was going to stop by to visit Lex that afternoon, so she knew it would be safe to explain her theory to Mr. and Mrs. Kent. Lana only hoped Lex could hold his own against the very newly formidable Hudson Kent.
Pulling up beside the white picket fence, Lana turned off the truck's engine, swung the strap of her purse over her shoulder and climbed out of the truck. She glanced toward the barn for a moment, wondering if she shouldn't check there first, before changing her mind and heading straight for the back door that led to the kitchen. Knocking on the screen door, she peered inside to see Hudson's parents standing in the kitchen, silence heavy between them.
"Mr. and Mrs. Kent?"
Martha looked her direction. "Lana. Come in!"
Pushing the door open, she hurried inside, sliding her purse off her shoulder and setting it on the island beside where they stood. Reaching in, she pulled out the meteor rock and handed it over to Mr. Kent. "I think Chloe stumbled on the reason for H.C.'s recent behavior."
Jonathan frowned as he looked over the rock. "This is a meteor rock, Lana. It makes her sick, not crazy."
Shaking her head, Lana reached out for the rock and turned it in his hand until the red veins were facing upwards. She pointed to them. "See those? Red meteor rock."
Martha leaned over to examine the rock while Jonathan continued to frown. "Lana, even if there is such thing as red meteor rock," he commented. "I don't see what this has to do - "
"The class rings we just purchased," she interrupted, pulling off her own ring and holding it out to him. "Chloe's going to force a recall because all the rings are made from this stuff."
Jonathan took Lana's class ring from her hand and looked over it quietly, while Martha did the same with the rock. "You think that's what's causing Hudson's behavior?"
Lana shrugged. "Well that's when it all started, right after she slipped on the ring."
Jonathan and Martha glanced at one another and then at the ring and the rock again.
"If the green meteor rocks affect Hudson physically," Martha began, looking once more at her husband. "Maybe the red affects her... emotionally."
"It would sure explain her personality changes," Jonathan agreed, handing the rock back to Lana.
Martha frowned, worrying her lower lip, the exact same action usually made by her daughter when thoughtful. "The longer she's exposed to the green meteors, the worse she gets. If the same is true with the red rocks, then God help us all."
"We've got to find her," Hudson's dad stated in a determined tone. "And we've got to get that ring back."
"I'll be seeing her tonight," Lana offered, pursing her lips as Jonathan and Martha turned their attention to her. She nodded. "Hudson wants to go to out, so she's taking me and Jessie with her. Maybe I can convince her to come back here with me?"
"Just be careful," Jonathan warned. "There's no telling what she might do in this state. She could hurt you, Lana."
Lana glanced over at Martha who made a sound of frustration at her husband's comment. "How are we going to stop her, Jonathan? Like you said, if she doesn't want to do something, we're not strong enough to force her."
"Sweetheart, I don't know, but we have to figure out a way."
Martha sighed, and both of Hudson's parents looked over at Lana as if she had the answers to everything. Sadly, she couldn't think of a damn thing to do. Right now her best friend needed her, and she felt more helpless than ever.
***
Lex frowned as he looked around the study - his study - that no longer looked or felt like his study. His father couldn't be happy with just adding his equipment. No. He had to rearrange the entire room, turn the pool table into a work station, move the desk in front of the fireplace - a stupid position if anyone asked Lex, which he knew they wouldn't - he'd even had the rugs rolled up and moved. Lionel was resting at the moment, so Lex took the opportunity to disappear into the room that was once his sanctuary and look around. Not that he really expected to find anything interesting; his father was careful when it came to hiding confidential documents. That, when it came to his own flesh and blood, meant anything from lunch receipts to doodles on post-it notes.
Hearing the doors open behind him, Lex tensed a little, waiting for his father to demand what he was doing when Hudson's voice rang out across the room:
"Well, I came over to shoot some pool but it looks like this establishment's been closed."
Lex smiled. Just hearing her voice did that to him. "My father's presence has required. certain sacrifices."
"Why don't you throw him out?"
"Angel, it's not like the thought hasn't occurred to me," Lex replied, turning around to face her. "But. "
He trailed off, staring in shock at the pair of bare legs that greeted him. For a long moment, they were all he noticed - impossibly long legs looking impossibly longer due to the red stilettos on her feet. Slowly, Lex lifted his gaze, discovering that her legs just continued to go upward where they ended at a too-short white denim mini skirt. An expanse of flawless back was bared to him, followed, starting at the midriff, by a sheer white blouse. Hudson turned around to face him, and Lex knew he was catching flies when he realized she wasn't wearing anything under the shirt. A pair of dark nipples teased him from beneath the ghostly fabric. He swallowed, searched his mind for whatever it was he'd been talking about as she moved across the room toward him.
"His. his blindness changes the. situation," he stammered, body tensing as she drew up beside him.
Hudson seemed oblivious to his reaction. She flipped through some of the paperwork on the top of the pool table. "Just because your father has a problem doesn't mean he needs to ruin your life."
Lex's mouth was dry. He stared at the hipbone exposed above the waist of the skirt - a skirt that couldn't have been more than seven inches total in length. Okay, so maybe it couldn't be classified as a skirt. More like the piece of material that was wrapped around her hips to keep her from being entirely indecent. Lex's brow furrowed as he stared. She couldn't possibly be wearing underwear under that, could she? Slowly, his gaze moved back upwards, lingering over her breasts before meeting her eyes. They were darkened in black liner, her lips ruby red, hair full and wild. He'd never seen anything so fucking gorgeous in all his life. She was the thing wet dreams were made of. She was. Hudson?
Mouth twitching just a bit, Lex asked, "Hudson, what's going on?"
A corner of her mouth turned up in a smile and she leaned back against the table, thrusting her hips out. "Why? Like what you see?" She reached out to run her finger along the line of the buttons on his shirt.
Watching her finger for a moment, warmth sweeping through him at her touch, Lex finally replied, "Uh. it's just different. for you, I mean."
"It's the new me," she responded, her voice an octave lower, softer. She leaned closer, hand smoothing over the material of his shirt at his stomach. "I'm sick of the old Hudson Kent. She's boring. I thought it was time for a change. Time to be more like," she raised her gaze up to his, "like those women you seem to enjoy being with so much."
Lex frowned. Oh, that was what this was about. Desiree. Apparently they weren't completely past his mistakes. Sighing, he began, "Hudson, look - "
"I'd like to borrow your new Ferrari," she cut him off, switching subjects, licking her lips as she watched him. "Lana and I are going to go out. I'd like to do it in style."
"Neither you or Lana have ever struck me as the type to care what people might think about their style."
"Fast cars, fancy clothes and lots of money always seem to get the women you've been with exactly what they wanted."
"Hudson, that isn't - "
"Victoria, Carrie Castle, Desiree. "
"No one ever said I was with Carrie Castle," Lex defended.
Hudson rolled her eyes and laughed softly. "Oh, please, Lex. I'm not that naïve." She smiled suddenly and moved back to him. "Come on, Lex." Her voice was a caress. "I just want to make tonight special."
Lex didn't like the idea of her going out - not without him, and especially not dressed the way that she was. The Ferrari would be a target for every male in Kansas, and once they saw what it contained. Well, every cent he had wouldn't be enough to keep them at bay. Hudson belonged to him, and apparently she didn't understand that yet. They were too close to making things work again for him to allow her to throw it away on some stupid teenage whim. Of course, he couldn't tell her that. Jealousy was an emotion too easily used as ammunition.
Brow furrowed, Lex told her, "I don't know. It's a very expensive piece of machinery. Difficult to handle."
Hudson smirked at his reply. "It's not like I'm going to. drive it off a bridge."
That was rude. Lex glared.
Apparently sensing his displeasure, Hudson softened her smile and stepped closer, hand reaching out to touch him once more. "All you have to do is ask yourself, who's more responsible than Hudson Kent?"
Swallowing, Lex stared at Hudson, at how bright her eyes appeared lined in black, the full lips that she swept the pink tip of her tongue over once more. If he didn't know better, he would have sworn Hudson had an evil twin. Okay, maybe not evil so much as naughty. Then again, with the way her gaze seemed to be devouring him, evil could be a good word, too.
The thought caused Lex to frown. His gaze swept over her outfit again, hovering on her barely-seen dark nipples through the sheer fabric. "You're not going anywhere dressed like that," he told her. "I can't believe your parents let you out of the house in that outfit."
"Like they can tell me what I can and can't wear." She rolled her eyes.
"Well, I'm telling you." He pointed at her. "At least. put on a bra or something."
A slow smile spread across her face. "Since when did you become so stodgy?" She glanced up at him through her lashes. "Besides, why should I wear a bra when I'm not even wearing any panties."
Okay, that wasn't the response he'd been expecting. Lex's gaze drop to her skirt, as if he might be able to possibly see through the denim while next to him, Hudson giggled.
"Now you. you look good enough to eat." Hudson moved in to breathe against his neck, her fingers moving teasingly against the front of his slacks. "Is that what you want, Lex? To be my dinner?"
Well, yeah. That wasn't exactly an invitation he would turn down. He could think of worse things to be than Hudson Kent's dinner, and everything it implied. Lex sucked in a sharp breath as he felt her nails drag gently along the zipper of his slacks, against his growing erection. Fuck. It had been far too long since he'd felt her hands on him.
"You've never let me taste you, you know," she whispered, teeth nipping lightly at his earlobe. "I bet you taste good."
Lex suddenly couldn't remember what they were talking about. Her tongue was in his ear and her hand was pressing against his slacks and god, she smelled good. His eyes closed as he listened to the sound of metal against metal as her fingers guided the zipper downwards. Her hand slipped through the opening of his boxers and then long fingers wrapped around his cock. There was something very wrong here but it was difficult to concentrate on that fact when everything he'd dreamt about since Desiree left his life turned upside down was now being offered to him.
Still, Lex tried. "Hudson," he gasped as the pad of a finger slid over the head of his cock. "What's. going on?"
"Shhhh." She nipped at the shell of his ear, a little hard, causing him to flinch. "Stop thinking so much. You always do that, think too much. Try to have a little fun."
Then Lex watched in astonishment, and undeniable excitement, as Hudson slid to her knees before him, working at the button on his pants and tugging his boxers down. He swallowed, shifting slightly as she knelt there, hand slowly stroking the shaft, eyes focused fully on his cock as she licked her lips. Fuck. He was going to come just watching her. Then she leaned forward and licked at the head, gathering a drop of precum on the tip of her tongue. Her head fell back a little, eyes closed, and she smiled as she tasted it.
"Mmmm. Premium Luthor, vintage 2002."
Lex was beyond the ability to speak.
Hudson's eyes opened and she watched him for a moment before moving forward and swirling her tongue around the head of his cock once more. And then her lips were closing around it, just barely covering the tip, and she went at him like she was dining on her favorite ice cream. Lex reached blindly behind him, grabbing the edge of the pool table to hold himself up as he wondered where in the hell had she learned to do that? Hudson told him once that she'd been doing research on the web so that she wasn't a complete idiot when it came to sex. But what exactly was the internet teaching kids these days??
Not that he was complaining. This was the stuff that his dreams were made of, right? He was standing here, in the midst of his father's new 'office', in the middle of the day with his Angel kneeling at his feet, his cock in her mouth, dark hair brushing against his slacks as she bobbed over him. And he was supposed to be feeling guilty about this, supposed to be fighting it a little harder - hell, fighting it, period - but he couldn't find the desire to do so. For weeks he'd been waiting for her forgiveness, waiting for her to put his mistake behind them and come back and now here she was, giving a lot more than just forgiveness. Sure, something was wrong, but Lex doubted it was anything beyond teenage rebellion and Hudson Kent's methods of teenage rebellion paled significantly when compared to his own. If she had a burning urge to give him a blow job, there was no point in arguing any longer. The summer they'd spent together effectively wiped out any of Hudson's innocence that Lex might have wished to keep intact.
Just as soon as the exquisite torture began, it ended. Lex blinked, staring down at Hudson as she leaned back on her heels and looked up at him. He opened his mouth to ask what was wrong but then she was on her feet and he was falling backwards, splaying onto his back across the pool table and Hudson was on him, straddling his hips. Immediately the head of his cock was enveloped in wet warmth and he groaned a little at the sensation, fighting the urge to grab her hips and press upwards. She really wasn't wearing panties.
Bringing his eyes to hers, Lex was a little surprised to see an expression on her face that he hadn't expected. Anger, resentment, determination. His gaze narrowed and the previous desire quickly began to cool. He grabbed her hips, but attempted to push her up, instead of pulling her down.
"What're you doing, Lex?" Hudson asked, remaining in place.
"That's what I was about to ask you, Hudson." He struggled to sit up but she flattened her hands against his shoulders and pressed him down into the felt.
"I'm just taking what I deserve."
Lex felt his eyes widen a bit at her reply. "What are you talking about?"
Hudson barked an ugly laugh before leaning down, pinning Lex closer to the table. "What do you think it's like for me, Lex, to watch you with all of these women, knowing you're fucking them, and you won't fuck me. What kind of masochist do you think I am? How many times must I be forced to live with the knowledge that all of these women know what it's like to feel your cock inside of them and I'm denied?" She straightened and smiled. "Now, I guess I'll just have to take what I want, what you owe me."
During her tirade, it was all Lex could do not to flinch with her use of the words 'fuck' and 'cock'. Apparently, Hudson decided to take teenage rebellion to a whole new level, and she seemed particularly focused on testing his limits. While he found her clothes sexy and the attitude new and a little thrilling, there was no way in hell he was going to allow her to believe she had an ounce of control over him, let alone that she could take advantage of it. No woman ever had control over him; and no woman ever would, not even Hudson.
Grabbing her wrists, Lex pushed at her. "Get off of me, Hudson."
Smile fading, her eyes narrowed as she continued to gaze at him. She squirmed a little over him, hiking her skirt up another inch as her wetness slicked the tip of his cock. Her smile quickly returned. "You want me, Lex. Don't deny it. It'll go quickly. I promise. Just be a good boy and let me do the work - "
"I said get off of me! Now!"
Hudson jumped a little at his words and her eyes flashed with anger. The fear that she would truly force him, actually rape him here on his own pool table, was enough to cool the desire that had been burning through Lex, and he was beyond thankful for the reprieve. Unfortunately, as his cock softened beneath Hudson's attempts, her expression only seemed to darken with more anger. When she shifted in an attempt to try a different approach, Lex took the opportunity to catch her off guard, throwing his hips upwards as he pushed her back. She slipped backwards off of the edge, catching herself before she fell, stumbling back as she continued to glare.
Lex struggled to sit up, returning her narrowed gaze with his own. He reached down to redress himself, looking up at her once. "You and I are going to have a long talk, Hudson, right after you go home and change out of those ridiculous clothes and wash that whore's makeup off your face." If she wanted to behave like a child, then he was more than happy to treat her as one.
Instead of showing an ounce of fear at his words, Hudson laughed and tossed her head. "Yeah. Whatever, Lex." Her eyes traveled over him for a moment before she added, "Since it looks as if I'm not going to get what I'm after here, I'll have to go find it elsewhere. Why don't you go jack off in the bathroom, Lex? Apparently, it's what you do best."
Still fumbling with his belt, Lex slid to his feet just as Hudson hurried out of the room. "Fuck!" He started for his phone then thought better of it. Lex doubted that the Kents had any idea Hudson was behaving this way and he just wasn't ready to get her grounded just yet. The idea of reprimanding her himself was far more entertaining.
Staring at the empty doorway, it slowly began to dawn on Lex that he'd just turned down the one thing he'd longed for since the day he first laid eyes on Hudson Kent. To be buried in her warmth, where he was certain he'd find safety and peace like he'd never felt before. The only problem was, the Hudson he imagined making love to wasn't the girl who just left the study - this one had been more like Desiree and that comparison was every shade of wrong. To make it worse, he'd still wanted her, he'd still been tempted. If his upbringing hadn't warred with his desire, Lex would have allowed Hudson to do whatever she damn well pleased. It didn't matter if she was behaving strangely or not. Sure, he would have hated himself afterwards, mentally and emotionally reprimanded himself into a drunken stupor of guilt, but that wouldn't have stopped him from enjoying it.
Fortunately, Luthors never allowed anyone that kind of control over them.
God, he needed a drink.
"Sir?"
Glancing up at Dodd's voice, he found the man standing in the doorway of the study, brows knitted together in a frown. Hell. He sure as hell hoped Hudson hadn't decided to use her newfound attitude on Dodd. "What is it?"
"Miss Kent just took off in the Ferrari."
"Goddamn it," Lex snapped, running a hand over his scalp in aggravation. He hadn't given her permission. What the fuck?
Dodd seemed amused by his exclamation. "Should I call the police?"
It was tempting. Beyond tempting, really. But Lex shook his head. "No, just. " He paused, and considered her words to him before she left. He'd be damned if another man touched her. Ever. "Find her, Dodd. Follow her. Don't get too close unless you need to. Just. don't let another man touch her."
"Understood," Dodd replied with a quick nod before turning and disappearing down the hall.
Lex headed for the wet bar. He really needed a drink.
***
Head cradled in the crook of her bent arm, Hudson stared up at the night sky above while beside her, Jessie sang along softly to the music blaring through the speakers of the car stereo. It was a perfect night. It kind of reminded her of the night of Homecoming her freshman year, when Lex found her walking along the roadside and danced with her in the headlights. Only tonight had been a lot more fun and not quite as. wholesome. The more Hudson thought about it, the more she realized she lived the life of someone on a family holiday TV special - safe, sheltered, boring and poor. She hated it. She wanted more. She deserved more. Being what she was, she could damn well have anything she wanted.
She'd learned that tonight, learned how easy it was to make people fear and respect her. She understood a little better why Lex and Lionel got such a rush off the stuff. There really wasn't much out there that felt better than having people back away from you, sensing their fear, their shock, their realization that you're so much better than they are. Even Jessie was treating her with a little more respect. At least some people seemed to understand.
After leaving Lex's place, Hudson had been angry enough to do serious damage to the Ferrari. After all, it wouldn't have hurt her whatsoever. She just couldn't believe that someone who'd participated in the kind of activities he had back in Metropolis could be such a prude now. What guy turned down sex? She refused to believe it had anything to do with her - she was just as good as Desiree or Victoria or any of those other women. Hell, better even. The biggest issue was, Hudson didn't want anyone else. Oh sure, she'd had her share of pickings tonight but none of them had interested her. They were either too ugly, too dumb or too Smallville. She wanted Lex. And whether or not Lex knew it at the moment, she would have him. No matter what it took.
Rolling onto her side, heels scraping over the hood of the car, Hudson propped her head onto her hand and stared at Jessie for a moment. The girl flashed her a tentative smile before returning to singing along to the music. It was 'I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman' by Britney Spears. Jessie had a nice voice.
"I'm not a girl
Not yet a woman
All I need is time
A moment that is mine
While I'm in between"
Hudson reached out and brushed her fingers through Jessie's hair. "Did you have fun tonight?"
Jessie shrugged as she stopped singing. "Sure. You looked. well, it was cool to see you beat up those guys. I guess farm girls really are tough, huh?" She gave her a curious sideways glance.
"Something like that." Hudson grinned.
Well, if Jessie hadn't had any fun, she sure did.
After picking up both Jessie and Lana in the Ferrari, the two girls squished together in the passenger seat, Hudson floored it across the county line to the Wild Coyote bar. It obviously wasn't what Lana had been expecting, considering she was dressed more for a trip to the ice cream shop and shopping in the boutiques. Jessie, on the other hand, was dressed as sexy as usual in knee-high boots and skirt, hair all done-up. She'd complimented Hudson's choice in clothing while Lana just stared in open- mouthed shock, eyes rarely moving from her breasts, barely visible beneath the sheer blouse.
"H.C., are you. sure you should be wearing that?" Lana had asked her, voice higher in tone than usual.
Hudson glanced over at her and smiled. "What's the matter, Lana? Afraid you'll get too turned on?"
Lana's gaze shot quickly to hers and she paled a little before looking back out the windshield, her tiny body tensing beside Jessie. Hudson just laughed. It was strange but she found she truly enjoyed the way Lana looked at her. It almost made her feel the way Lex did when he admired her. She considered the ramifications of those thoughts only briefly before they headed into the bar.
Unfortunately, the bar had been kind of a bust. Lana became snippy and uptight almost immediately, saying they didn't belong there and that they should leave. But the music was loud and the atmosphere was rowdy and there were men all over the place - men checking her out, their appreciative gazes lingering far too long, leering smiles crossing their faces as their eyes lingered over her body. She'd smiled back, and even caught the gaze of a few women before Jessie pulled her out onto the dance floor and they began moving to the music.
Hudson hadn't exactly spent her years learning to dance. It was just one more strike against her parents that while other kids were out enjoying themselves, going to clubs and parties, she was stuck at home on the family farm. Luckily, Hudson picked up on things quickly, and by watching Jessie she discovered that dancing was all about making a statement, advertising yourself. All of her moves seemed to scream 'I know I'm sexy! Check me out!', and by the gazes from the crowd, it seemed to be working.
Soon, Hudson was moving right along with her, hips gyrating slowly to the music. She closed her eyes and lost herself in the moment, in the freedom that she felt, the sheer pleasure that was rushing through her. She could feel the pulse of the crowd around her, smell the smoke and sweat and alcohol, hear the admiring whispers. She felt Jessie's hands settle on her waist, and then their bodies were pressed together and they were moving in sync with one another and she could feel her breath against her neck, warming her. Seconds later, Hudson felt another body behind her, bigger, taller, heavy hands moving over her hips, entwining over Jessie's and brushing against her bare stomach. Her muscles flexed instinctively at the touch and a thrill ran through her. She smelled the thick musk of male, cigarettes and domestic beer.
Opening her eyes, Hudson turned her head slightly to look at the man behind her. He was older, probably in his late twenties, blonde and scruffy, weathered skin from too many hours in the Kansas sun. He reminded her of her dad, and that was enough to send an instant frown storming across her face.
"You're the hottest chick I've ever seen in here," the man whispered into her ear, the smell of beer wafting over her.
"That's right," Hudson replied with a smug smile. "Far too hot for you. Excuse me." She slipped out of his reach and moved a few feet away with Jessie.
"They fall short of a sexy bald billionaire, don't they?" Jessie asked over the music, grinning at the disgruntled expression Hudson's recent castoff was giving them.
Hudson snorted. "If Lex wants a piece of this, he's going to have to come crawling back to me." She tossed her hair over her shoulder and glanced around at the less-than-adequate men that were gathered in the bar. Okay, maybe he wouldn't have to crawl that much. "I thought Lex was different from everyone else around Smallville. Apparently, I was mistaken."
"I doubt that," Jessie replied, turning her back to Hudson who pulled her close against her as they moved. "He's probably just trying to fit in. Remember, Hudson, you can take the boy out of the city but. "
Grinning, Hudson buried her nose into Jessie's hair, breathing deeply for a long moment, preferring the scent of soft perfume over the smoke around them. She closed her eyes again, enjoying the feeling of her friend's body brushing up against hers until she felt a hand tug on her shirt sleeve. Pulling back, she discovered Lana glaring up at her, arms wrapped tightly around her waist as if to protect herself.
"I want to go home!" she demanded, flashing Jessie a dirty look.
Hudson smiled and stepped back from her dance partner. "Lana, chill. Get yourself a beer or something. Loosen up."
"This is not my idea of a good time," Lana told her, moving closer as she pointed a finger around the bar. "We don't belong here. You don't belong here. Hudson, don't you see that? There's something wrong with you and you need help!"
"Wrong with me?" Hudson laughed and shook her head, glancing over at Jessie who was smiling beside her. "I've never felt more right in my entire life." She moved closer to Lana and reached out to run her finger along her cheek. "Come on, Lana. Even you've loosened up before. Remember the Nicodemus flower? Before it made you sick, you were having quite a good time. If you want, you can even kiss me again. You seemed to enjoy it before. "
Lana's eyes widened in panic and she abruptly pulled back from Hudson's touch. "I. we what? Why didn't you tell me?"
"Sorry. I thought you might freak." Hudson pulled her back and leaned in, nudging her ear with her nose. "What'd you say, Lana? Wanna find out what gets Lex so hot and bothered?"
Lana was silent and unmoving for the next few seconds, as if making up her mind. Then she suddenly pushed away, shaking her head. "You need to go home, H.C. You need to let me and your parents help you. Please?" She held out her hand. "Come home with me?"
Hudson rolled her eyes and turned back to Jessie. "Get a drink, Lana."
Her friend stood watching her silently as she returned to dancing before telling her, "I'm going home! And I'm going to call your parents and tell them where to come get you!"
Lana turned to leave and Hudson reached out quickly to grab her. "Lana - "
"Let me go!"
"Something wrong, girls?"
Hudson glanced to the side at the voice, to see the man who had been dancing with her earlier, and another man with dark hair and a John Deere cap, walking up to them. They eyed Lana for a moment and then turned their gazes to Hudson. The blonde folded his arms over his chest.
"I know you seem to think you're something, gorgeous," the blonde told Hudson. "But, I don't think your friend agrees. Why don't you let her go? Let my buddy here take care of her. And maybe I can give you a lesson in manners."
Lana quickly jumped between them. "Sir, I'm sorry, this is none of your business. Please don't - "
"Nonsense, Lana." Hudson pushed her gently out of the way and stepped closer to the blonde. "If this 'gentleman'," she grinned at the term, "thinks he can teach me a lesson, maybe he should just give it a try."
"Don't do this, H.C.," Lana pleaded.
Hudson was no longer listening. She eyed the man in front of her, blood pumping through her veins excitedly. She felt constrained suddenly, too confined in her surroundings and life. Surely it would be all right to let loose a little. as long as she didn't kill anybody. Humans were fairly resilient, and healed quickly. The dark-haired man in the baseball cap started toward Lana but Hudson reached out and slapped her hand against his chest, stopping him. Both men faced her.
"Thinking of taking us both on, gorgeous?" Her ex-dance partner asked with a leer.
Glancing down at her stomach, Hudson smiled. "Y'all don't seem like much a challenge," she replied before reaching out and grabbing them both by the collars of their flannel shirts.
With a flip of her wrists, she sent them sailing behind her, their bodies crashing into tables and knocking over chairs, sending the bar patrons scurrying. Hudson laughed as she spun around to look at them, while beside her Lana said something about her parents and then she disappeared through the crowd. Her actions only caused Hudson to laugh again - like her parents could seriously stop her. Looking over her shoulder, she smiled at Jessie, whose eyes were wide with shock and awe. She met Hudson's gaze and returned the smile tentatively.
"Okay, cunt, you're going down!"
Hudson looked up at the words to find the bartender moving toward her, baseball bat brandished over his shoulder. Hudson chuckled a little at his actions and responded, "I don't think so. "
Focusing on the bat, she felt the glorious waves of heat emanating from her eyes, sending the makeshift weapon up in flames. The crowd around them screamed as the bartender dropped the bat to his feet in surprise. Turning an angry gaze back to Hudson, he quickly pulled back his fist and slammed it toward her. Shaking her head in amusement, Hudson caught his hand in hers as it came toward her, holding it as she reached out with the other hand and took hold of him by the throat.
"Didn't your mother ever tell you not to hit a woman?" she asked curiously, frowning when she felt a large object slam into her back. The chair splintered into pieces around her and the patrons gasped. She glanced back at the man who had smashed it into her as he backed away in fear. Sighing, Hudson tossed the bartender out of her grasp, sending him sailing across the room and into the bar.
Brushing the bits of wood from her shirt, Hudson turned slowly, catching the gazes of the other patrons in the crowd. "Anybody else?" she challenged defiantly, smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. She could tear this entire place apart piece by piece, and no one could stop her.
"Hudson!" Jessie was suddenly beside her, tugging on her hand, gaze anxious. "I can't be here when the cops arrive! We've gotta go!"
Shrugging, Hudson allowed the girl to lead her out of the bar.
An hour later, they ended up parked in a wheat field, just outside of Smallville. Hudson had no idea what happened to Lana. Maybe she really did call her parents. They wouldn't find her; not unless she made the choice to let them do so.
Laying her head on her arm, Hudson continued to watch Jessie as the song she was singing ended.
"I'm not a girl
But if u look at me closely
You will see in my eyes
This girl will always find
Her way"
"Do you want to go somewhere else?" Hudson asked, fingers trailing over Jessie's jaw line.
Jessie shrugged, shifting a little beneath her touch. "I don't know. It's quiet here."
Hudson laughed. "No. I didn't mean this field and now. I meant leave Smallville. Leave Kansas even. Start new lives, live without restrictions." She sat up again and leaned over Jessie, their eyes meeting. "I'll take care of you, you know. I can give you the world. "
Frowning, Jessie remained silent before asking softly, "How?"
"That's for me to know. And you to find out." Hudson grinned. "Maybe."
Scrambling to her feet, Hudson balanced herself on the hood of the Ferrari and spread her arms wide, head dropped back as she gazed up at the star- filled sky. "I want to see the world! And I want the world to see me!" She stomped a heeled foot into the hood rhythmically. "I'm sick of hiding out on some poor farm, spending my life mending fences and shoveling cow shit. I'm better than that! I'm better than all of this! Don't you see?" She looked down at Jessie, who watched her silently. "The world can, and will, be mine."
***
Finished gathering the few clothes that she thought weren't completely embarrassing - considering her parents had the nerve to return everything she purchased - Hudson grabbed the bag, stopping a moment to look at her reflection in the mirror. She smoothed her hand over the snug-fitting red silk suit jacket and matching skirt, admiring how adult and sexy she looked. The heels added another three inches to her height, so that she no longer just felt like she could take on the world, she looked like it, too. Blowing herself a kiss, she moved down the steps of the loft and headed out of the barn, squinting a bit against the bright light of the sun. Heading toward the Ferrari, she didn't slow her pace when she heard her mom call out behind her:
"Where were you all night? We looked everywhere, Hudson!"
Smiling, Hudson opened the trunk of the car and commented, "Last night was the best night of my life."
"We want to help you," her mom pleaded, hurrying after her, brow furrowed with concern.
Hudson snorted in disdain as she tossed the bags into the Ferrari's trunk. "Help me. Help me what? Stay here on the farm, doing chores, wasting my life for a $20 a week allowance? Hardly."
"H.C., I wish you could hear yourself for just a minute." Jonathan moved up beside her, tone milder than it had been the day before. "There's something very wrong with you. It's that ring."
Hudson looked up at his words, raising one of her delicate eyebrows. "You're still upset about me buying this stupid thing? How pathetic."
"Hudson Clark. " Jonathan warned before reaching out to grab for the ring.
Hudson quickly jerked her hand away and gave her dad a warning look. "You really don't want to touch me," she told him, voice soft and menacing.
"Why don't you just hand it to me then?" he suggested.
"Honey, please," her mom chimed in. "It isn't the ring itself. Chloe found out it's made out of red meteor rock," she explained.
Jonathan nodded. "You know how the green rock makes you sick? Well, we think that this red rock is affecting your mind."
Well, that was interesting. Hudson glanced down at her ring, the same one she previously thought was simply a trinket to remind her of her high school years. She would look back on it some day, remember her time in Smallville, and laugh her ass off. But apparently, it was much, much more than that. If she was to believe her parents, this ring made the entire world, and all of it's cares, seem to filter away. It showed her what was important, it made her feel so much stronger, braver, more worthy.
"It's changed your personality, H.C."
With her dad's words, Hudson raised her eyes to his. "Everything I've been doing and saying is because of this?" It hardly seemed likely. But then, she was an alien.
"That's right. That's why you've got to take that thing off right away." He pointed to her hand.
"Take it off?" Hudson scoffed, wondering if the man was insane or just plain stupid. "I just wish I would have found it sooner!"
She slammed the trunk of the Ferrari and headed toward the driver's side of the car. "If you guys want to waste your life in this mud hole, that's your problem. I'm through being poor."
Apparently, that was all she needed to say to piss her dad off again. He was already charging toward her, face reddening with anger. "Listen, we might not have all the things that other people have, but I didn't think our family was about that!"
Shrugging, Hudson told him, "With my abilities, I can make millions. Sports, TV, movies - it's all waiting for me. You're the ones who have been forcing me to hide who I really am."
Reaching the car door, she opened it, only to have her dad approach and slam it shut before she could climb inside. His action brought her gaze around to face him, frank and assessing. It was all she could do to keep from yawning as he reiterated the same words she heard from her parents over and over again.
"No! We are the ones who have been trying to protect you. We don't want anybody coming here and taking you away!"
"Protecting me?" She spat. "Using me is more like it! I'm just another piece of equipment to keep your little farm going."
Her mom made a sound of negation as Hudson climbed into the car and started the engine. Slipping on her sunglasses, she glanced up at her dad and flashed him a smile.
"Well now, that's all going to change. I'm going to go where I want and do what I want." Her smile grew and she winked at her dad. "Hell, I think it's time I even did who I want."
With that parting comment, Hudson threw the car into gear and tore out of the driveway, glancing in the rearview mirror to see a cloud of dust surrounding her parents as she sped away.
Turning up the music, Hudson settled back against the leather seat and contemplated which direction to head as she neared the main road. Jessie was expecting her, and from there they would drive to anywhere, just because they could, and no one was going to ever tell Hudson what to do and how to do it again. Of course, it was only fair if she informed Lex that she would be borrowing his car a little while longer. At least until she got a hold of something better. Besides, she could probably give him one more chance to see exactly what he's missing out on. If she ran a little late to picking Jessie up, she certainly planned on making it worth her while. Smiling at her decision, Hudson floored it to the castle.
Pulling up outside the main door, she made her way inside without bothering to knock, moving through the halls as if she owned the place, though it was a little dank and dusty in her opinion. When she had the kind of money Lex did, her place would look a hell of a lot fancier, and she'd have more staff, too. People ready at a second's notice to answer her beck and call. And maybe, for the fun of it, she'd have a farm out back just so she could tell them to go mend fences and muck a few stalls.
Throwing the doors to the study open, Hudson moved inside, glancing around with a frown at the state of disarray the room was in. Father or not, she would have kicked Lionel Luthor out long ago. Glancing ahead, she saw Lex sitting on one of the couches, laptop in front of him, staring up at her as if she'd grown a second head or something.
"Hudson," he drawled, raising his brow. "I have to admit, I'm a little surprised to see you here."
Hudson shrugged at his petulant tone. "If it's all right with you, I'm going to keep the Ferrari a little bit longer. I'll send it back when I get myself set up."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down." Lex frowned as he watched her. "Angel, what's going on?"
Moving over to the leather sofa beside Lex, Hudson dropped into it, sighing in relaxation as she kicked her feet up on the opposite arm. She lifted one leg slightly, admiring it's shape for a moment before replying, "I left home."
"What happened? Was it a fight with your folks?"
Hudson rolled her eyes and glanced back at him. "My parents don't understand me. Truth is, there's nothing left for me here in Smallville."
Lex grew silent, studying her for a second. Finally, he asked quietly, "What about me?"
"What about you? You obviously have absolutely no interest in taking this so-called relationship any further. So I suppose it's time to move on." She sat up and pointed at him, adding sharply, "Look, you're the one always telling me I need to find my destiny. Well, one thing is for certain, it's not here in Kansas!"
"So, you just packed your stuff and you're off," Lex commented, looking back toward his laptop.
Bastard. Didn't he know he had no right to take that superior tone with her? Not when she offered him the world and he turned it down. She could give him a hell of a lot more than the proverbial silver spoon that was dangling from his mouth. Apparently, Lex Luthor simply didn't know a good thing when he saw it. Maybe if she slapped him upside the head a few times, he'd get it.
Eyeing him intently, Hudson finally remarked, "You have no idea what I'm capable of."
That seemed to catch his attention. Lex started slightly and turned to look at her, returning the intent gaze. Silence continued between them before he replied, "Really. Why don't you fill me in?"
Too late. You blew it, buddy boy. Hudson stared back at him, smirking to herself before getting up from the couch. She walked away, glancing at her ring, wondering if what her parents told her was true, and the only reason she felt so good was because of the little red rock. If so, she should have an entire jewelry set made of the stuff.
"Let's just say, that when I'm through showing the world what I can do, I'll have everything I've ever wanted. I may be even richer than you."
"Maybe you're right to get away from your folks," Lex remarked behind her. "Maybe I should do the same."
At his words, Hudson quirked an eyebrow and turned back to him as he stood, moving toward her, the same slinky walk that she used to be able to stare at for hours drawing her attention once again. Had a tailor once told Lex that black wool slacks and his hips went together like peanut butter and chocolate? Or maybe it was just something he instinctively understood.
"If my father wants the mansion so much," he continued as he moved to stand in front of her. "He can have it. I never wanted to live in Smallville anyway."
A slight smile broke out across Hudson's face. She suddenly had visions of traveling the world with Lex and Jessie at each side. She'd show them both what life was all about. "You can come with me."
Lex returned her smile. "Nobody's using the penthouse in Metropolis. We can stay there."
"Hudson Kent and Lex Luthor. I've always liked the sound of that." Hudson smirked.
She took a step closer, reaching out to run her hands over his chest and shoulders. He was slightly shorter with her in the heels, and she enjoyed forcing him to look up to her. She leaned in and brushed her nose lightly over his cheek before breathing against his mouth.
"You can come, but only on one condition, Alexander. "
Lex swallowed and shifted at her words, eyes darkening slightly. "What's the condition?"
Hudson slipped her tongue over his lower lip teasingly. "That you fuck me senseless every night in your Penthouse bedroom."
"I. I think I can accommodate you."
Curious. She could feel his heartbeat accelerating beneath her fingers and the skin of his neck was suddenly slightly damp. He wanted her. He wanted her bad. So why did he turn her away the other day? Well, it didn't matter. He was hers now. Just the way it was meant to be.
"Good boy."
"Let me just tie up some loose ends at the office," Lex told her, pulling back slightly, face flushed. "Make yourself at home. I'll be right back."
Hudson watched as he began to move away from her before commenting, "Aren't you forgetting something?"
Lex frowned as he glanced at her over his shoulder.
God, sometimes he was so dense. "Don't I get a kiss?"
The man seriously looked as if she'd just asked for a ritual sacrifice. She wondered at the response but quickly forgot it was he moved back to her, reaching out to wrap a hand around the back of her neck and pull her to him. Hard, fast, he totally consumed her mouth and she loved every moment of it. Her hands curled into his shirt and she was tempted to just rip it off of him then and there but instead, she concentrated on swabbing his mouth with her tongue. If Lex was afraid of being devoured but Hudson, then maybe he had every reason to worry. Nothing was allowed to taste that good, smell that good, send electricity shooting through her with every touch and not belong to her. She wouldn't allow it.
When Lex eventually pulled away from her, he was breathing hard, eyes shining silver with desire. She watched in silent amusement as he attempted to regain his control, gaze darting around the room, focusing on anything but her. Christ, they wouldn't make it out of Smallville without fucking like bunnies.
"I thought you were going to the Plant?" She reminded him, reaching into her pocket to pull out a lollipop. Mmmm. Cherry. She tore off the wrapper and popped it into her mouth, sucking loudly.
Lex blinked at her words, stilling as he watched her. He took one deep, slightly shuddering breath and turned abruptly, moving toward the doors as if his ass was on fire.
"I'll be back," he told her, the doors slamming shut behind him.
Hudson watched him go in amusement. The poor boy. He really needed to get a hold on those emotions.
Sighing, she sucked on her lollipop for a moment before extreme boredom swept over her. Glancing around, Hudson spied the pool cues hanging on the wall and decided a game of pool might be enough to tide her over until Lex returned. It wasn't sex, but it would have to do.
Taking the cue she regularly used off the rack, she sauntered over to the pool table and methodically tossed the paperwork and maps that were littered over the top to the ground. Once cleared, she removed the balls and set them up, before leaning over and preparing to take her shot. Unfortunately, a rhythmic tapping sound moving down the hall distracted her. Pursing her lips at the annoyance, Hudson glanced over her shoulder to see none other than Lionel Luthor enter the office, feeling his way around with his cane. Grinning at the idea of having a one-on-one chat with Lex's esteemed father, Hudson slammed the pool cue home, scattering the balls. She watched in triumph as four of them found their way into two corners and a side pocket.
"Lex? Is that you?" Lionel asked, stopping as he cocked his head, listening.
Tossing the pool cue to the table, Hudson straightened her jacket, pushed her hair over her shoulder and walked over to Lionel. All summer long, she was forced to listen to Lex berate himself over and over again regarding Lionel's blindness and how he was the cause of it. Lex should have seen this for the blessing it was, should have been taking advantage of it. He was always being pushed around by his father, just like her, and now he had the opportunity to push back. Only, he didn't because Lex wasn't really the holy terror the town seemed to think he was. Deep inside, Hudson thought it was kind of cute, how hard Lex fought to earn his father's love. But mostly, it annoyed the hell out of her.
Moving in front of Lionel, Hudson reached out and quickly snatched his glasses off of him, smirking as he jumped back in shock and fear.
"Hey!" He called out, swinging his cane out wildly in front of him, attempting to strike his attacker.
"Whoa!" Laughing at his useless antics, Hudson dodged the waving weapon.
"What do you want?" he demanded, circling out of the direction of her voice, though keeping his cane raised in front of him defensively.
Trying his glasses on, and finding they were a good fit, Hudson shrugged dismissively. "Lionel, go back to your room." She looked up thoughtfully, reconsidering her words. "Better yet, pack your bags and get the hell out."
Lionel turned toward her direction in shock. "I beg your pardon?"
She took off the glasses and slipped them into her pocket. "Lex may be too afraid to tell you, but I'm not." She leaned forward, enunciating her words carefully so that he would understand her when she continued, "No one in Smallville wants you here."
"You seem to know a lot about me. You got a name?"
"Hudson Kent."
"Jonathan and Martha Kent's daughter?"
Hudson nodded, annoyed.
"As far as I know, they're good people. Salt of the earth. I'm astonished they'd raise such a blatantly aggressive offspring."
"Well, if you like them so much, I'm sure they'll put you up. I hear they have a spare bedroom, and I, uh, know they could use the cash."
"You've got a lot to learn about tact, young woman. But you speak your mind. That's good. It'll take you far."
"Oh, I'm going to the top." Right after I fuck your son through the floor, that is.
A knock on the side door into the study interrupted the conversation, and Hudson turned to the side to see a man in a suit enter the room. "Mr. Luthor?" he asked.
Lionel turned to the voice. "Yes?"
"I apologize for the interruption." He opened his jacket, flashing a shiny badge. Hudson grinned, considering Lionel would have no idea if they guy was showing him his library card. "I'm a federal marshal. Your people at the gate let me in."
"Ah. What can I do for you?"
"Well, this young woman was seen last night leaving the scene of a disturbance in your son's Ferrari."
"Oh." Lionel turned slightly toward Hudson. "Is that while you were on your way to the top?"
She stuck her tongue out at him.
The US Marshal reached into his pocket and pulled out a photograph. "Where can I find this girl?" He showed the picture to Hudson.
Glancing at it, she recognized Jessie immediately. Ever since their first meeting, Hudson had the feeling there was more to Jessie than she was letting on. And last night, she'd seemed terrified of the cops catching them. Of course, she wasn't about to give this man any information about her friend. Not when they had places to go. and billionaires to do.
Hudson shrugged. "I've never seen her before."
The marshal's expression slowly dissolved into anger and he shoved his hand into his pocket, withdrawing a gun. Hudson watched in mild interest as he clicked off the safety and pointed it at her. Beside her, Lionel stiffened at the sound, his eyes widening slightly.
"Is that supposed to scare me?" she asked with a smirk, wondering why human's seemed so incredibly one dimensional in their behavior.
In a burst of superspeed, Hudson rushed over to the marshal, yanking the gun out of his hands and flipping it in hers to aim it at him. Shock at the blinding movement flashed across the man's face as he quickly raised his hands in surrender.
"How. how'd you do that?" he stammered.
Smugly, she told him, "You've got no idea who you're dealing with." Smirking again, Hudson held her hand out, palm up and aimed the gun at it. With a cocked eyebrow, eyes squarely on the man in front of her, she fired three shots point blank range into her palm.
"What's happening? Who's shooting?" Lionel demanded from across the room.
"Don't worry, Lionel," Hudson told him. "He missed."
In front of her, the marshal looked on in terror as Hudson opened her palm, blackened from the gunpowder. Slowly, menacingly, she turned her hand, allowing the bullets, their tips smashed from the impact against her invulnerable skin, fall to the floor. The clinking against the ground in the ensuing silence was an ominous sound.
"I'll call security," Lionel called out as he turned and shuffled from the room.
At the interruption, the marshal decided to make a futile attempt for the exit. Sighing in agitation, Hudson sped to the pool table, grabbing the edge and pushing it across the floor toward the man, pinning him against the opposite wall before he could escape. She pressed it against him until he gasped.
"Why are you looking for Jessie?" she demanded.
"It's not the girl," the marshal replied quickly, wincing as she pushed the table again. "It's her father. They were under witness protection, and they rabbited."
"Why?"
"He's a corporate whistle blower. His former employer offered me a million dollars if I could get the evidence from Jessie's dad."
Stepping away from the table, Hudson walked toward him, curious over the information he was giving her. She grabbed a ball as she moved past, tossing it into the air casually. "What kind of evidence?"
"Computer disks," he told her. "Accounting files, memos...endless smoking guns. Look, we can split it," he offered. "It's enough money to start a whole new life."
So pathetic. Hudson leaned in and put her hand on the marshal's shoulder, whispering to him in a conspiratorial tone, "It's a great idea... but who needs you?"
Grinning broadly, Hudson reached up to flick her palm against the marshal's forehead, stepping back as he slumped over onto the pool table, unconscious.
***
Maybe she was insane.
Lex frowned as his foot pressed down on the gas a little harder, rounding the curves heading toward the Kent farm.
No, that didn't make sense.
He shifted gears, forcing himself to slow into the last turn as he neared the farm entrance.
Simple teenage rebellion was one thing. And it generally came in stages. Going from attempted rape to running away from home was a little over the top, even for someone like Hudson, who seemed surrounded by mysteries that defied explanation.
Lex had been beyond angry with her when she left his place the day before. He'd never been so tempted to take the little brat over his knee and tan her gorgeous ass. Yes, he'd made his mistakes where they were concerned and yes, he'd hurt her, and yes, he'd been paying for those mistakes ever since. When would Hudson choose to just let the past go and move on? Allow him to learn from his mistakes and give him another chance? Instead, she chose to demand what she felt she deserved, attempted to simply take it from him, as if she'd never learned in all their time spent together, the type of person he was. If there was one thing his father taught him, it was how to keep control. That strength was the only thing that kept him from ravishing Hudson on the banks of the river that sunny October afternoon over a year before. No one, not even Hudson Kent, had the power to take that away from him.
But she tried, and that was the thought that wouldn't leave him alone. That, and the realization that she was likely strong enough to have succeeded. Luckily, he'd been able to somehow reach her before any real damage between them had been caused. The question still remained though - what was causing this behavior?
Pulling into the gravel driveway, Lex stopped the engine and climbed out, heading up to the porch. He knocked on the door twice, waiting for a few moments before realizing no one was inside. Turning, he glanced around the farm, until he spied the familiar red pickup. Moving down the steps, he headed across the yard and toward the barn, hoping one of Hudson's parents might be there. If they were out in the fields, he wouldn't know where to begin looking. And it would seem kind of strange to ring the dinner bell in order to get their attention.
Rounding the back of the barn, Lex walked through the door, blinking a moment as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. He heard voices and focused in their direction, finally seeing Mr. Kent and Lana standing near the opposite entrance, forms framed by the light beyond the door. Jonathan's hand was on Lana's shoulder and, for the briefest moment, Lex fought back the jealousy over how easily Hudson's other friends were accepted, when after all they'd been through over the summer together, her father still regarded him with misgivings.
Forcing the thought aside, Lex called out, "Excuse me, Mr. Kent."
Jonathan and Lana turned at his voice, their conversation dying abruptly, as if they'd been discussing something they'd rather he not hear. That hurt, too, because if it was about Hudson, and it likely was, then he had as much right to be a part of it as they did. He loved her. Couldn't they see that?
"Lana, why don't you. why don't you get going?" he suggested, patting her on the shoulder once and slightly moving her toward the exit.
Lana glanced over at Lex for a moment, flashing the barest hint of a smile. It almost seemed like an apology but that didn't make sense to him. He gave a slight nod in reply then watched silently as she moved in a quick pace out of the barn and disappeared around the corner. Lex's gaze returned to Jonathan as the man started toward him.
"Uh. Lex. this is really not a very good time."
Was it ever? "I understand you and Hudson have been having some problems."
Jonathan frowned and looked away, and Lex couldn't help but brace himself for the scathing set down he almost surely would receive. "Yeah. look, I don't want to be rude," he began.
Like hell you don't, Lex thought briefly, before pushing the thought from his mind.
"But, I'd prefer it if you'd stay out of my family's problems."
It was exactly what Lex had been expecting. Jonathan had spoken little more than a few sentences to him since the marriage to Desiree. It was as if even though the man had fallen under the exact same spell Lex had, being a Kent somehow held him above any recrimination regarding his mistake. That hurt, and no amount of Hudson assuring him that her father really didn't hold a grudge would help dispel his belief that Jonathan Kent would never give him a fair chance.
"Believe me, Mr. Kent," Lex replied softly. "I'm not trying to pry. But you know how much Hudson means to me. You know how close we are. I'd hate to see her relationship with you fall apart."
Jonathan sighed and reached up to rub the back of his neck, as if just talking to Lex made him tense. Maybe it did. Or maybe he had other things on his mind. Things like the fact that his daughter was running all over the countryside in hardly any clothing, driving a red sports car and planning on ruining her future in order to traverse the world at sixteen.
"I appreciate your concern, Lex, but Hudson and I can work this out."
Or, in other words, we don't want or need your help, Lex.
He should have just left. Just let Jonathan figure out how exactly to work this out, while he headed back to the mansion, climbed into the car with Hudson and sped away to. anywhere. It was a tempting fantasy. To simply forget that he was Lex Luthor, that he had a destiny and an empire waiting for him, and to just disappear with the one person on earth who made him feel stronger and better than any other.
And if it was all just about him, Lex would have. But, it was Hudson's future at stake here, Hudson's happiness. She simply meant too much to him for him to allow her to throw that all away.
"Then why is Hudson hiding out at the mansion?"
Jonathan glanced up sharply at Lex in surprise, and it took all his will not to smile in triumph. "How long has she been there?"
"Forty minutes, maybe." Lex shrugged. "I came over as soon as I could. I told her I had to run to the plant. She. uh. wanted me to run away with her."
Frowning, Jonathan looked away as he clenched his jaw.
"Mr. Kent, what's going on?" Lex questioned curiously. "Yesterday she came by and she. she wasn't herself. She was aggressive and angry and. "
"I can't talk about this right now, Lex. I have to bring my daughter home."
Sighing with impatience, Lex told him, "You wouldn't even know where she is right now if I didn't come by. I'm only asking for a little explanation, Mr. Kent. I don't see how you can't even grant me that much."
Jonathan stared at Lex as he finished, something changing slightly in the depth of his gaze with his words. His expression grew thoughtful for a moment and he nodded. "You're right, Lex. But unfortunately, my wife and I have no explanation. We're thinking it might be drugs - "
"Hudson would never do that," Lex defended quickly, realizing the thought had never once crossed his mind. He knew his Angel - she would never touch the stuff, not even out of curiosity.
"Well then, do you have an explanation for it, Lex?" Jonathan demanded. At Lex's silence, he nodded. "I didn't think so."
Swallowing back the irrational desire to shout at Jonathan about how wrong he was, Lex looked away. "What do you need me to do?"
More silence. When Lex lifted his gaze back to Jonathan's, the man was frowning as if in indecision. Their eyes met, and Lex could have sworn Hudson's father was about to tell him to go to hell. He was hiding something - anyone could have seen that. The man was tense and agitated and it wasn't just because he was having typical teenager/parent relation issues. But just as quickly, the feeling seemed to pass, and Jonathan gestured toward the door.
"We'll follow you back to your place and see if we all can't coax her into coming back here and discussing our problems."
Lex nodded, silently pleased that Jonathan was allowing him to help. "All right. I'll see you at the mansion."
Pulling his keys from his pocket, Lex turned and headed out of the barn, unable to shake the feeling that there was a lot more going on around him than he might ever possibly understand.
***
Jogging up the steps to Jessie's house, Hudson flicked a piece of fuzz off her shoulder as she reached the porch before tapping her fist lightly against the door. As she waited, she glanced out across the yard at the Ferrari, the dents across the hood gleaming in the sunlight. She was going to have to convince Lex to take a different car before they headed to Metropolis - just the two of them if Jessie didn't cooperate. The solution to all of their problems lay just beyond the door. Once they had the disks that everyone seemed to be after, then Lex wouldn't have to rely on his father for anything anymore. They would both be free.
At the sound of the door opening, Hudson turned back around as Jessie appeared, flashing a smile when she saw who it was.
"I thought you'd forgotten about me," she joked. "Ready to go?"
Ignoring the question, Hudson pushed past her into the house, her gaze scanning the immediate room. "Almost." She surveyed the area a moment longer before looking back at Jessie. "I know about your father, Jessie, and the disks. We're not going anywhere until I have them."
Almost instantly, Jessie gave herself away as she looked around, her expression fearful. "I. I don't understand. Why are you doing this?"
"The money." Hudson shrugged matter-of-factly. "You said that you wanted to leave this hick town, and a million dollars is more than enough money to make a fresh new start."
Jessie reached out to her, pleadingly. "If I give you those disks, then my dad is a dead man!"
"He was a dead man when he started running," a voice commented from the side.
Turning, Hudson discovered the US Marshal standing in the doorway between the main room and another, gun drawn. Apparently she didn't hit him in the head hard enough. Or maybe she shouldn't have stopped to flirt with those two guys downtown before she headed over to Jessie's. Either way, she was annoyed.
Frowning, she commented, "Didn't I tell you that I didn't want to split?"
"You need me, doll," the man told her. "I know the players, and I know how to get the money."
Hudson raised an eyebrow as she considered his words. He had a very good point. She couldn't just walk into the middle of Metropolis and start asking people on the street if they would pay her money for the disks she had. That was just silly.
The Marshal pointed his gun at Jessie threateningly. "Now give him the disks, Jessica!"
Glancing over at Jessie with a smirk, Hudson flashed her a 'You'd better do what he says' expression but remained silent. The girl shook her head slightly, backing away, and Hudson began to wonder if maybe she wasn't actually prepared to die in order to keep those disks safe. Curious. Didn't she understand how fragile a human life really was? Maybe Hudson would have to show her. She took a step in Jessie's direction just as the sound of a shot rang out across the room. Staring ahead at Jessie, Hudson knew it wasn't her that had been hit. She looked over her shoulder to see the Marshal staring blankly ahead in shock before collapsing to the ground, dead.
Frowning at the sudden turn of events, Hudson followed Jessie's gaze to the hallway where Mr. Brooks crouched on the stairway, hiding behind the railing, gun pointed toward her. Slowly he rose to his feet, continuing to keep the gun leveled on her while he moved down the steps toward his daughter. Where had he come from? Hudson glanced back at the body of the Marshal before looking at Jessie and her father in surprise. Well, the loss of the man was a minor one; she was certain Lex had just as many connections.
"I don't want to hurt you," Mr. Brooks told her quietly. "But I will. Get out."
Snorting, Hudson rolled her eyes heavenward. Would they never learn? "Just like my dad. Always telling me what to do." Stalking slowly toward Jessie's father, she continued, "I don't listen to him. What makes you think I'm going to listen to you?"
Reaching out suddenly, she snatched the gun from his hands, while Jessie flinched, face paling in fear. Ignoring her, Hudson moved closer, leaning into the man's face. She asked good-naturedly, as if discussing the weather, "Where are the disks?"
He remained silent.
Shaking her head with an impatient sigh, Hudson spun away from him and began to walk around the room, occasionally glancing through the walls and floor with her x-ray vision. "In the floorboards?" she asked curiously. "In the ceiling?" She glanced up but saw nothing but dust and termites. Gaze sweeping the room, she pointed the gun toward a chest of drawers. "In here?"
Moving up to it, Hudson slammed her fist through one of the drawers, shattering the wood into splinters. Reaching in, she grabbed what was left of the demolished drawer and ripped it out, tossing it to the floor angrily.
"It really doesn't matter," she taunted. "I'll figure it out one way or another."
Grabbing the TV that sat on top of the chest, Hudson hurled it across the room at Mr. Brooks, watching in amusement as he dove out of the way to the floor. Sighing as the TV shattered against the wall, she walked to where Jessie's father lay huddled on the floor and picked him up by the collar. Spinning around, she threw him against the wall, lifting him upwards as she slowly tightened her grip more forcefully around his throat. He was already beginning to choke, further cementing her theory as to how fragile humans were. She was far superior, deserving of their worship, instead of this crap all of them -- beginning with her parents -- continued to give her. Hudson wondered, as she held him there, his face slowly reddening with the lack of oxygen, what it would really feel like to crush a man's skull between her hands.
Shaking the thought from her mind for the time being, she watched Mr. Brooks intently before asking in a cold voice, "So, why don't you save yourself a lot of pain and make it sooner?"
"You can kill me," he gasped. "You can tear this house to the ground. you won't find those disks!"
Hudson stared up at him for a moment, knowing there was something hidden behind his meaning.
And then she realized that Jessie was gone.
"Jessie," she muttered, gaze turning toward the door.
Glaring up at the man trapped helpless in her grasp, she slammed him hard into the wall before letting go, watching apathetically as he slumped to the ground unconscious. Stepping over him, she pulled the door open and moved out onto the porch, gazing around the yard. To the right was an open road; to the left, a cornfield. Narrowing her gaze, she focused through the stalks of corn until she saw Jessie running, not more than a few hundred yards ahead of her. Smiling slowly, Hudson took one step off of the porch and then sped across the yard and through the corn toward her prey. Moving in a circle around Jessie, she maneuvered her way in front of her, coming to a halt only yards away from the girl.
Apparently Jessie was looking over her shoulder, searching for Hudson as she ran. Hudson smirked as she ran right into her, squealing in shock as she fell back, sprawling on the ground. She struggled up into a sitting position as Hudson squatted down in front of her, their eyes meeting.
"Please, don't do this," Jessie begged.
Suddenly she wasn't the tough girl she seemed to want everyone to believe she was. Apparently no one was ever who they appeared to be. Hudson considered this as she reached out to pick up Jessie's purse and ripped it open, pulling out the disks from the hidden pocket within. "I never realized how easy it would be to get everything I've ever wanted," she commented off-handedly.
"H.C!"
At the voice, Hudson quirked an eyebrow. "Lana?" She stood and turned to her friend, regarding her in amusement. "What, did it take the whole study group to find me?"
"No. Lionel Luthor heard you mention Jessie." She glanced past Hudson to Jessie and yelled to her, "Jessie, run!"
Hudson started as Jessie grabbed the purse and disks from her hands, before leaping to her feet and disappearing back into the corn.
Blithely watching her go, Hudson shook her head before glancing back at Lana. "How far is she going to get, Lana?" She took a threatening step toward the girl before her. "You know, no one can get away from me."
"Hudson!"
Rolling her eyes at the sound of her dad's voice, she turned around, clearly displaying her annoyance. When she saw that Jonathan Kent was brandishing a sledgehammer, she almost laughed. Did he really think that could stop her? Did he really think anything could stop her?
"I'm not going to let you hurt anybody else," he warned her.
"Still trying to tell me what to do?" Hudson cocked her head and peered at her dad, walking slowly toward him. Strange. She could almost smell the fear emanating from him, just like those men in the bar. "Are you scared?"
Her dad didn't answer, but he did grip the sledgehammer more tightly.
She smiled. "Then again, you and mom were always afraid of me."
Jonathan shook his head. "No. We've had nothing but love for you, H.C. That makes what I'm about to do all that more difficult."
The threat was laughable. She just stared at him, waiting for this amazing thing that he was about to do.
"Lana, do it."
Frowning, Hudson turned around toward Lana, looking down as she pulled a box out from behind her back. Lana flicked the lid open, exposing a small pile of green meteor rocks. Instantly, pain shot through Hudson as their effects reached out to her, causing her body to feel as if it were collapsing in on itself. She dropped to her knees, looking up at Lana with fear, disbelieving that someone who could claim to be her friend could purposely do this to her. The familiar sensation of having her intestines ripped out through her throat swept over her, and the entire world seemed to waiver around her.
"Lana..." She gasped.
Lana blinked, eyes filling up with tears. "H.C., I'm sorry."
Hudson fell forward on her hands, wincing from pain, attempting to fight against it. She had to be stronger than that!
"Hudson!"
Hudson looked up with her dad's cry, anger suffusing her entire body, almost overriding the pain. He was the real one doing this to her, the one out to control her again, to stick her back on the damn farm and use her as little more than a workhorse. He'd go back to telling her she couldn't see Lex, and had to wear flannel and denim because it was all they could afford and never, ever allow her to have a real life, the kind of life she deserved. Jonathan Kent wanted to take all of this away from her, and dammit, she wasn't going to let him! Not this time. Not ever again!
Using her last bit of strength to form a fist, Hudson swung toward the man threatening her, determined to cause him just as much pain as he was her. If she had to rip through his stomach and tear out his intestines herself, she would do so. Just to make him see and feel and understand.
At the same moment, Jonathan swung the sledgehammer toward her, and Hudson realized it could hurt if it hit her, because of the damn meteor rocks. They could knock her out, they could take the ring, they could stick her back in that loft, hidden away from the rest of the world. But, the blow wasn't aimed toward her head, it was angled instead to meet her fist, just as she hit the base of the sledgehammer with all of the force she had left. There was a loud crack, and suddenly all Hudson knew was pain and terror and humiliation as the past few days' events rushed over her. She collapsed to the ground with a cry, curling into herself.
Oh god. What had she done??
Her dad tossed the sledgehammer away and dropped down beside her, gathering her into his arms. He held her close and brushed her hair out of her face, kissing her forehead gently.
"Dad?" She asked, wondering, hoping that everything in her mind were the effects of some horrible nightmare. Except here she was in this red suit and the scent of fear from both Mr. Brooks and Jessie still clung to her.
"It's okay, honey," he assured her softly. "It's alright."
Lana knelt beside her and reached out to touch her shoulder, squeezing it, stroking her soothingly. "You okay, H.C.?"
"Thanks, Lana," Jonathan commented against Hudson's hair.
Lana nodded and looked down at Hudson who stared off into the corn, willing herself to forget.
***
Wringing her hands nervously, Hudson moved down the hallway quietly toward Lex's study. She'd rehearsed the upcoming speech over and over in her mind for the past twenty-four hours, and still she wasn't certain that she would be able to get it all out. The problem was, Lex deserved an explanation for her behavior. And she didn't have one that she could give him. At least, nothing that she could accept without her conscience kicking her repeatedly.
Ever since her dad destroyed the red meteor rock in her class ring, bringing her back from the strange, scary cusp on which she'd been teetering, Hudson had spent every waking moment saying 'I'm sorry'. She'd apologized to Lana time and again, unable to accept the soft assurances her friend had given her that she was forgiven, that none of it had been her fault.
The apologies to her parents had been a little more difficult, their acceptance not quite as forthcoming, especially with her dad. She'd hurt him terribly, said things to him she couldn't imagine thinking, and the worst of it was, he believed she truly felt that way. He believed she resented them for keeping her on the farm, for not being able to give her everything she ever wanted, for not being richer, more powerful, for not allowing her to exploit herself. And while Hudson sometimes dreamed of living the life of luxury, she'd seen first hand with Lex that money didn't solve all of your problems. She wouldn't want his life or his family. How could her dad believe that she would?
It hurt to know her dad couldn't completely accept her apology. And maybe that was why she was in the castle now, running away from the farm again because she couldn't stand the guilt over everything she'd done. Hudson had to believe that Lex would give her the forgiveness she sought, that he would make it all better. After all, he'd always done so before.
And she would force herself to ignore, for the moment, that her actions were purely selfish and spoilt. She didn't care. She wanted a lap to curl into, and strong arms to hold her, and make her forget the ugly thoughts and feelings that erupted within her while wearing the red meteor rock. Hudson hoped that Lex would give her that.
Stopping in front of the study, she leaned against the door that sat slightly ajar, peering into the room. She was surprised to see that everything was back in order - all of Lionel's belongings gone, Lex's desk back where it belonged. As usual, Lex was sitting behind it, staring at the screens of his dual monitors. Hudson watched him quietly for a long moment, noting the light shadows beneath his eyes, the tense set of his shoulders. Had she caused that? The set of his frame was familiar - she'd seen it in both her parents and Lana. The only thing she could be thankful for was that none of them knew what she was really feeling the past few days, none of them knew the truth about the horrible thoughts and ideas that filled her mind.
"You might as well come in."
Hudson started at Lex's voice, focusing her thoughts on the present as she stared ahead. He hadn't looked up yet, kept staring at the monitors. Worrying her lower lip, she stepped tentatively into the room, hanging back near the doors, suddenly afraid of everything that she needed to say to him. The apologies she needed to make.
She took the coward's way out. "If you're busy. I can come back."
Lex finally raised his gaze to her, and there was a hint of mockery in his expression. But, it disappeared almost as soon as she glimpsed it. "No need," he commented. "Nothing pressing."
Turning off the monitors, he leaned back in his chair, hands folding into his lap as he watched her. Hudson shifted under his gaze before forcing herself to take the steps needed to cross the room. She slipped quietly into the chair across from his desk and dropped her gaze to the glass surface. The painful silence continued.
"Everything better with your folks?"
Hudson mentally applauded herself for not jumping at the sound of his voice. "Y-yes. We. worked everything out."
"I don't suppose you have an explanation for me, do you?"
Hudson raised her gaze to his quickly, watching as a sharp, painful smile flitted across his face.
He leaned forward, resting his clasped hands on the desk. "Or maybe you were hoping I wouldn't ask for one?"
"I. " Hudson began and trailed off before finally shaking her head. "No. I mean, I owe you one. An explanation."
Lex nodded, waiting.
Except Hudson grew silent again and didn't continue. Truthfully, she didn't know where to begin. Across from her, Lex frowned as her silence stretched across the moments. He looked down at his hands.
"Maybe you should go home, Hudson."
"No!" She looked up quickly, immediately reaching across the desk to lay her hand over his. "I mean. It's difficult. " Her voice softened and she stared at their hands. "I don't even know how to say I'm sorry to you, Lex, for the way I behaved, the things I threatened to do."
"An explanation would be a start."
Hudson frowned. "Would that make it better? I mean, would it make it go away?" She met his eyes. "When it came to Desiree, did the explanation make it all better? Or was the pain still there?"
"You're blaming this on that?"
She began to shake her head in the negative, and then stopped herself. Furrow in her brow deepening, she told him, "Maybe." Pausing for a moment, Hudson held his gaze. "It hurt, Lex. Maybe more than I let on. And maybe that resentment in me has just been festering all this time. And maybe it wasn't all focused on you - it was on her - but you're the one that's here. And in the end, you're the one that matters.
"I hate the idea of her touching you, Lex. Of you touching her. Of you being together - "
"Of me fucking her?"
Hudson winced at his cold words, remembering how plainly she had spoken to him three days ago. She couldn't deny Lex his anger, but couldn't he see how difficult this was for her?
"It was never about you, Hudson," Lex commented, voice softening only slightly. "Not once. Not when it came to Desiree or Victoria or - "
"I know," she cut him off, pulling her hand away. She whispered, "I know. I just. Maybe I can't understand why you don't want me."
Lex sighed impatiently and pushed back against his chair. "Dammit, Angel. It isn't that, and you fucking know it! I've explained to you a dozen times - "
"Well, none of it fits anymore!" Hudson raised her voice to match his, cutting her hand in a swath through the air. "I'm not a child, Lex! I know what I want, I know who I love and I know how to love! And I don't see what the issue is. If we both want this, what makes it so wrong?" She waited for an answer but Lex remained silent, forcing her to press further. "If everything else we've done is all right, why does sex matter?"
Running a hand over his face, Lex shook his head. "Because it changes things, Hudson. No matter what people might say, it has that affect. Especially between two people who lo. " He stopped before saying the words, and Hudson felt the tiniest stir of resentment within her. "Besides, you're sixteen. As safe as we can try to be, there's always the possibility you could get pregnant. Unless you're willing to go on the Pill?" He stared at her intently. "And I won't allow you to do that without telling your parents."
Well, she couldn't exactly do that anyway. And how did she explain to Lex that she had no idea if she could even get pregnant, being an alien and all.
"Are you ready for that, Hudson? To tell your parents you're sleeping with me?"
That was the question, wasn't it? Lex laid it wide open for her, right there in front of them. Was she ready to be an adult about this and take the responsibility needed to be in the kind of relationship Lex deserved? No more holding hands at the Talon and sneaking in a hurried kiss on the couch in the family room before her parents came home. Lex wanted to know if she was willing to accept the responsibility of being his girlfriend, and not just some teenage crush.
Taking her silence as the answer, Lex pushed himself out of the chair and turned away from her, walking quietly over to the windows. His shoulders slumped a little as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his slacks.
"You still haven't given me an explanation." His back was to her.
Jumping out of her chair suddenly, Hudson moved over to stand beside him, reaching out to touch his arm. He refused to turn to her. Biting back her fear, she told him, "I was angry, Lex. And I took it out on everyone. You, my parents, Lana, Chloe, Jessie. even your father." She paused, wondering what explanation Lex would offer to him for her rude behavior. "Aren't I allowed to blow off a little steam now and again?"
Lex turned to her, his expression incredulous. "Hudson, you were running around town braless in a sheer top!" He waved at her breasts.
Her face flamed red almost immediately. "Uh. yeah. well, there's no accounting for taste. I did grow up on a farm, you know."
His mouth twitched with just the slightest hint of amusement. Or annoyance. She could never tell when it came to him. Eyes flashing just a bit, Lex suddenly demanded, "And where the hell did you learn how to give a blow job??"
Fighting the urge to shrink back from his obvious anger, Hudson quickly replied, "The internet! Oh, and Chloe's fanfic. But, I think she got that from the internet, too."
Lex blinked and ran a hand over his scalp. "I don't think I want to hear this." He turned away from her again.
"Lex, please." She touched reached out to touch his cheek. "Look at me."
His eyes flashed over to her, but he didn't move.
Sighing, Hudson stepped closer, arm drifting around his back, nose nuzzling the light blue fabric covering his shoulder. "I'm sorry. for everything I did and everything I said. I'm sorry if I hurt and upset you. I did the same to my parents. But, I'm not going to apologize for the truth - and that is that I want to be with you. I don't want to wait anymore. I want. I need to be with you."
Lex's shoulder shifted beneath her and he pulled away, turning to face her. The lingering doubt was visible in his gaze, shadowed only by the familiar flash of longing she'd grown to understand lived in his eyes when he looked at her.
She took a hesitant step toward him. "Lex, I love you. Nothing has changed that. If anything, it's only grown stronger." She touched the front of his shirt gently. "I'll tell the world, if you want me to."
Lex smiled slightly. "I'm afraid of what will happen when you tell your parents, let alone the world, Angel." Reaching out, he cupped her face in his hand and pulled her close, eyes searching. "Is this really what you want?"
Hudson didn't hesitate. "More than anything. I want to know what it feels like to have you be a part of me, Lex."
His gaze softened. "I've always been a part of you, Hudson."
Leaning in, he brushed his lips against hers and Hudson sighed at the contact, arms reaching up to wrap around his shoulders and hold him close. When he held her like this, when he touched her as if she was the most precious and fragile thing on earth, all the cares of her world seemed to melt away.
"We'd better go upstairs," Lex whispered against her mouth, his voice slightly teasing. "Wouldn't want my father to walk in on us."
Her face grew warm at the comment, and when Lex pulled back to look at her, he chuckled. She slapped his shoulder gently. "Don't kill the mood."
Rolling his eyes, Lex caught her hand in his and tugged her out of the room. Elation flowed through Hudson as he led her up the stairs to his bedroom. She'd always believed she'd be nervous when the time finally came for them to have sex but she didn't feel a trace of that emotion in the least. She felt completely calm, except for the slightest bit of anticipation as Lex closed and locked the door behind them, turning on the light and then instantly pulling her against him for another kiss. She could sense that he was trying not to hurry this, even though his heart was slamming wildly against the wall of his chest and his breathing was accelerating with each passing moment. It was difficult not to give in to the desire to superspeed through the entire undressing process, but then everything would be halted in lieu of an explanation.
And there was an entire future ahead of them left for explanations.
Sweeping his tongue against hers in a wet caress, Lex deepened the kiss only a moment longer before pulling back long enough to pull her shirt up over her head and toss it aside. Immediately, his mouth was back against hers while his hands worked at the fastenings on her bra. A chill moved down her spine at the feel of his hands against her back, fingers gentle over her skin. And it had been entirely too long since he'd touched her, too long since his hands and mouth sent her sense spiraling out of control. She gasped with desire when he nipped her lower lip, and then her bra was gone and his hands were on her breasts and she couldn't hold back the moan of pleasure at the warmth of his touch.
"God, you're so fucking beautiful," Lex told her, mouth slanting across hers, moving over her jaw, and down her neck.
Slowly, he slid down her body to his knees, tongue lapping over her skin, teeth grazing lightly, pausing over a breast to suckle the nipple while his fingers worked at the button and zipper on her jeans. He lingered for only a moment before continuing downwards, painting circles over her stomach with the tip of his tongue, delving into her navel, placing soft kisses against her abdomen. Hudson closed her eyes at the sensations, at the butterflies that gathered deep in her belly, the ache of need that grew between her legs. She laid her hands gently against his scalp, cradling him like some priceless treasure as he pressed her jeans down her hips, over her thighs, mouth following, kissing, licking, causing her legs to tremble beneath his touch. She held back the sound of disappointment when he pulled back, carefully balancing her as he slid her jeans and panties off of each leg, dispensing of shoes and socks.
Leaning back on his thighs, Lex stared up at her, eyes stormy grey, fingers trailing lightly up and down her legs. He touched the thatch of dark hair between her thighs almost reverently, fingers carding through the curls. "Sometimes, I think you're meant to be worshipped," he told her quietly.
Hudson ran a finger over his temple. "I know the feeling."
Lex smiled a little at her reply, turning his head to kiss the inside of her wrist.
Rising back to his feet, he slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her close, kissing her once again before moving her toward the bed. Pulling the comforter back, he kissed her forehead and then gently pressed her back against the sheets. He reached down and picked up her legs, swinging them onto the mattress, pausing a moment to nibble at each knee. Hudson wriggled beneath him, laughing a little when it tickled and using her foot to push against his chest carefully.
"Tease. Get out of your damn clothes!"
Flashing her a smile, Lex straightened and began undoing the buttons of his shirt, taking his time as his gaze lingered over her, moving slowly from head to foot and back again. It took every ounce of will that Hudson had not to bury herself beneath the covers, away from his penetrating gaze, but she succeeded, even if she was ten shades of red by the time the slow perusal was over. Even though she knew he was simply admiring her, just as she liked to do with him, it was still unnerving. He found her beautiful, and that would always be difficult to fathom. She was just Hudson Kent, a farm girl from Smallville. And Lex. he was her prince. And he was perfect. And try as she might, she would never be his equal.
"What are you thinking about?" With his clothing finally removed, Lex sat down beside her, hand settling against the mattress on the other side of her as he leaned down to kiss her lips.
Hudson reached up to touch his cheek, brushing the backs of her knuckles against his skin. "How perfect you are."
Lex smiled in amusement, kissing the tip of her nose. "You have a warped sense of perfection, Hudson Kent."
"And you don't know how to take a compliment."
"Touché."
Hudson grinned.
Straightening slightly, Lex watched her face for a moment before his hand brushed over her belly. He smiled slightly as her muscles flexed beneath his touch. His finger traced a line to her left hip, circling the tip of her hipbone before falling into the dip at the inside of her thigh. Hudson closed her eyes as her legs parted voluntarily at his questioning touch, and then his fingers were dipping inside, cool against the wet heat. She whimpered at the touch, eyes slitting open to find him watching her still, even as his thumb pressed against the swollen nub of her clit. Her hips instantly lifted into his hand, searching for more. She tried to be embarrassed over the reaction, embarrassed about the pleasure in Lex's eyes when another moan escaped her as his fingers delved deeper, one sliding inside her opening, only to be shortly joined by another. Hudson bit her lip, fingers curling into the covers beneath her, even as she reminded herself not to tear anything. Holes in the mattress only led to more explanations.
"I want to hear you, Angel," Lex's voice commanded above her, his thumb moving faster against her clit. "Don't hold back. I want to know what you're feeling as I watch you come for me."
She whimpered at his words, head pressing back into the pillow as her hips surged up into his hand once more. His fingers moved faster and his free hand touched a breast, fingers gliding over the nipple, back and forth in a light, teasing motion as the skin ached and tightened against his ministrations. Suddenly Hudson couldn't decide what part of her body she wanted to arch into his hands as all coherent thought began to flee her mind. Thumb and index finger closed over her nipple, worrying the hard bud between them, and fingers pressed further inside of her, probing, exploring, while the circular motions of the pad of his thumb threatened to drive her mad. Hudson felt her mouth fall open, and sounds that couldn't possibly be her echoed through the room as the pressure in the pit of her stomach continued to build.
"Open your eyes, Angel. Look at me."
Hudson did.
Her eyes met his just as she felt the eruption move through her, stomach clenching, hips tensing and she cried out, body convulsing around his fingers. She couldn't look away, even as she gasped for a breath, legs shaking, body all at once alive and tingling, skin on fire. She barely heard the opening of the drawer to the nightstand beside her, the slight shifting of the mattress as Lex worked to slide a condom on and then he was stretching over her, warm flesh covering hers, knee pushing between her thighs, forcing her to open further. He petted her hips and kissed her and whispered something about going slow. And then she felt the tip of his cock pressing through her slick folds, and she was throbbing and aching again, and she tried to lift her hips up impatiently. Lex made a sound like a grunt and there was the strangest sensation of stretching, and she couldn't help but tense out of the slightest fear that something might be wrong, that her body might not be made for this. Her hands closed over Lex's upper arms and she sucked in a deep breath.
As if sensing her sudden anxiety, Lex halted his movement, spending the next few moments kissing her mouth softly. "Am I hurting you?"
She tried not to laugh. He couldn't hurt her; nothing hurt. Except maybe the fear. Sometimes that ate right through her.
Hudson shook her head. "No. I'm just. "
"Scared?"
Her fingers tightened around his arm. "A little."
Lex offered a gentle smile at her admission. "I'll never let anything happen to you, Angel," he whispered before covering her mouth with his and pressing into her once more.
She knew that, but he didn't understand. There was nothing she could do but wait and hope that everything was all right.
And then the worries and the fears fled in the face of the realization that she could feel him inside of her; feel him filling and stretching her and it was the most amazing sensation of her life. One thought consumed her: right now, at this moment, she wasn't alone. A sound - half whimper, half sob - escaped her. It seemed she had nothing to worry about; no hymen to keep her from experiencing this moment.
Lex seemed to read her mind. "Apparently an active farm girl took care of that little obstruction," he commented softly with a mixture of amusement and pleasure. Lifting his head to watch her for a moment, he asked, "How does that feel?"
There was the slide of his cock withdrawing, and then pressing inward again. Her body shook from the feeling. "I didn't know anything could feel like this," she whispered in awe.
Balancing his weight on his arms, Lex smiled at her reply and rocked into her again, eyes closing briefly. "Just wait. "
Hudson smiled at the promise of more, hands slipping up to his shoulders, holding him closer, gaze fixed on the sight of Lex as he moved above her. Occasionally the muscles in his neck would strain, and his eyes continued to slide shut in pleasure before opening again to return her stare. Flecks of blue flickered between the grey, and Hudson thought he never looked as beautiful as he did right then, skin glistening with the first beads of perspiration. Now and then, the ghost of a smile would drift across his face, and she'd return it, like they were sharing some secret only the two of them would ever understand. Then his head dipped down to a breast and he began suckling at the nipple and there was nothing left but feeling and being. She closed her eyes and lost herself to the sound of wet sound of his mouth on her skin and the light pat, pat, pat of their bodies against one another. The scent of Lex, of them together, surrounded her. Nothing mattered but that moment, and them.
Lex's hand drifted over her hip, tucking under her thigh, pulling it higher, and his angle into her changed so that the next time he thrust inside her, Hudson thought she saw stars. She gasped loudly, eyes flying open, then drifting shut once more as the indescribable pleasure continued. Lex's movements grew faster and soon Hudson was lifting her hips to meet him, a cry escaping her with each quick thrust. She began to tremble from head to toe, and she felt like crying with the ache that threatened to consume her. Against her, Lex began to tense and his hand was reaching between them, fingers once more seeking the tiny bundle of nerves.
He lifted his head and kissed her lips. "Come with me, Angel," he whispered into her mouth. "Let me see those wings. "
Her world exploded. And it was the most beautiful moment of her life. She heard Lex whisper her name, felt him shaking over her, body pulsing with his orgasm. Somehow, somewhere, Hudson remembered that she couldn't give in to the driving desire to sink her nails into anything within reach as her body dissolved into a quivering mass. She drew a shuddering breath, squeezing her eyes shut too late to stop the few tears that slid down her cheeks. Lex dropped his weight against her, and she wrapped her arms around him, holding him closer, never wanting to let go. Wondering if she would ever be able to. Silence engulfed the room, broken only by their deep breaths.
Minutes later, she felt Lex kiss her shoulder, fingers idly caressing an arm. He whispered, "Am I squishing you?"
Hudson ignored the question and whispered her own, "Can we stay like this forever?"
"Forever is a long time, Angel," he replied quietly.
Squeezing her eyes closed even tighter, she whispered, "I don't think it's long enough. "
