500 Miles Hellfire 2
By Princess Alexandria
Zoe was moving around the kitchen quickly, clearly knowing what she was doing. Raven watched the teenager from the other room, as Zoe worked preparing some dish for the night quietly while trying look like she was more interested in reading the paper.
"She is quite the cook." Heather spoke softly into Raven's ear, surprising Raven. "Zoe wanted to show off. She's fond of Drahke, treats her like a beloved aunt."
"Is there anything she can't do?" Raven asked just as quietly, thinking of her own very limited cooking abilities. Zoe was very good at school, was an athlete, and did some volunteer work. Being able to cook on top of all that seemed a bit much.
"She isn't very good at failure." Heather teased Raven and moved to sit down at the table with her.
"You have a pretty amazing daughter." Raven sighed. "Terrance is more interested in tv dinners. Neither of us cook very well." She felt a twinge of guilt at how broken his education was. He did okay in school, but Raven suspected that he'd do amazing if he were allowed to stay for more than a few months. She wasn't raising him right. It was impossible the way they lived and he deserved better.
"What's wrong?" Heather asked, staring at Raven. Raven's eye just widened for a moment, surprised at being caught thinking.
"I sometimes think Terrance would be better off if I just left him behind one of these days. I've been tempted a few times when he's liked where we were, but it isn't like I can just abandon him." Her voice got quieter, "even if he'd be better off. He doesn't have a real school transcript, he can't make long term friends. The holes in his education might be a mile wide for all I know."
"He's seeing the world, getting the type of education you just can't get in a classroom. He's sampling all sorts of lifestyles." Heather reached out and patted Raven's hand. "Don't just look at what he doesn't have, you're also giving him things he never would have had before." Heather's hand wrapped around Raven's, holding it, "every parent doubts, or at least the good ones do. Do you think I had no doubts when I started my business? I was concerned, but I just made sure to work on making Zoe understand what I did and why. She knows more about sex than most high school seniors, and the kinkier forms at that, but she's well balanced and I don't worry about her being irresponsible about her own sexuality and she's also not narrow minded. I think it made her a better person. I could be said to be biased," Heather smiled, "Terrance sounds like a good boy from what you told me, and he'll have a different view of the world because of the life you two lead, but if you really think about it that isn't a bad thing." It made sense and it felt like a weight was being taken off Raven's shoulders as she accepted Heather's words.
"Thanks." Her voice cracked a little and Raven was surprised at how emotional she felt.
"Come here," Heather gently hugged her. "I can't imagine how hard it is for you, but you always have a home here. We love you in Vegas." Heather whispered while caressing Raven's back. Raven wasn't used to Heather being so opened with her, but she hugged the woman back. "If you ever get tired you can come home."
Home. Raven took a deep breath to try and keep herself from crying. She wasn't sure where home was anymore, but Vegas was near the top of the list. New York, she'd lived there for years, and Seattle was where she was raised, but Vegas was moving up the list fast.
"There are no customers today." Heather pulled back and glanced to the kitchen. Raven found her eyes following to see Zoe looking at them with a little compassion in her eyes. "If you want to use the hot tub for a while you could. This is your vacation after all." Heather smiled at her, "and since you told me you can't cook perhaps you should stay out of the kitchen."
"You're just afraid I'll try to cook something." Raven smiled just a little. "But I don't exactly have anything to wear."
"Then wear nothing." Heather smirked just a little. When Raven's jaw dropped a little at the flirting Heather's smirk grew. "Or I could lend you something."
"Join me?" Raven felt a hint of a blush on her face as she asked quietly. Flirting with Heather was intriguing, and Mystique had told her to… well, she really shouldn't. Raven felt a bit nervous suddenly and wished she could take the invitation back. Mystique made her feel like she was supposed to sleep with other people, like it made Mystique uncomfortable that she didn't, but Raven just wasn't like that. It made it harder to resist temptation when she had such blatant permission, but Raven didn't think she'd be very proud of herself if she just turned sex into something that casual.
"You don't really want me to." Heather spoke softly. "You just want a Mistress, and I'm not in the habit of being that with my friends." Raven felt nervous and embarrassed. "I want my friends to be more equal than that, and you and I have always had a give and take with the bossy role." Heather smiled just a little. "I'll get you a bathing suit and then I'll help Zoe cook. You have an hour and a half before anyone shows up."
"I'm sorry." Raven couldn't deny what Heather said, and it wasn't really a nice thing to do to her friend.
"It's forgotten," Heather's eyes raked over Raven, "well, not completely forgotten. You'd make a fine submissive. Your Mistress, when you get one, will definitely be lucky. I can't say I haven't imagined what it would be like to spank you until your bottom glows." At Raven's soft gasp Heather smirked at her. The woman knew Raven wanted that.
"You are cruel." Raven spoke under her breath as she stood up to find a bathing suit.
"And you like that, just a hint of cruel. Most submissives do."
"You could…" Raven started and stopped herself.
"Get your lover to spank you Raven." Heather sounded amused as she opened her bedroom door and the discussion turned to bathing suits, but Raven couldn't help the thrum of arousal she felt from the ideas Heather put in her head.
…………….
Raven heard the front door and could hear the polite greetings. Drahke's voice carried to the guest room easily and Raven felt some of her nervousness fade as she heard her ex-lover asking where Raven was. Raven straightened her shirt and stared at her hair. It was much longer than it used to be. It felt like her heart was racing, her adrenaline making her shaky as she took a deep breath.
"Still beautiful." The words were whispered and Raven turned sharply to see Drahke standing in the doorway staring at her. The woman hadn't changed at all and the caring in those eyes had Raven moving towards her for a moment, before she jerked to a stop. Raven wasn't really sure how she was supposed to act with a lover that had moved on. She wanted to hug her, but was that going to cause trouble? "I can't believe you're here." Drahke stepped forward and finished what Raven started, by pulling her into a hug and holding her tight. "How are you?"
"I'm doing okay." Raven didn't make any motion to let go. "Been all over the world." She tried to spin it more positively.
"You've never stayed anywhere more than three or four months." Drahke pulled back and stared at her. The gentle touch to her hair and smile were nice. "How are you holding up?"
"It's getting old." Raven sighed, "I'm getting old."
"You're not old." Drahke caressed Raven's cheeks and gently touched her nose. It was loving and intimate, and more than Raven thought she'd be able to get. "You are different, but not old."
"Sometimes I feel it. I feel like I've aged twenty years in three."
"Well you are the most preserved forty something I've ever seen then. Even better than Dallas." Dallas had worked the Brothel, and Raven remembered being surprised to hear the woman's age.
"I'm okay." Raven snuggled into Drahke's arms. "There were some bad times, but for the most part I'm okay." She decided to stop making Drahke worry. Raven pulled back and stared at Drahke. "I hear you have a new girlfriend." Raven spoke softly.
Drahke's soft smile in response was answer enough, but Drahke did talk. "Yeah. She's a lawyer, works for next to nothing defending people." The smile faded a little. "She didn't always do that, if you know what I mean." Raven nodded just a little. It looked like Heather's suspicions were right on.
"Hard to step into being a professional. I've never tried to do that." She kept her voice down. "I did a stint or two that needed more training than I had and I learned to fake it, but a lawyer?"
"No, she is a lawyer." Drahke closed the bedroom door and kept her voice low. "She doesn't want me telling anyone, and I couldn't really tell her about you." Drahke looked worried. "Raven, she's so lost. I wouldn't have broken my promise to her if I wasn't worried about her." Drahke looked around the room that was the setting of her own painting years ago. "I know you try to keep it a secret, but everyone here but Alex knows you're in a weird Witness Protection program. I was hoping you could talk to her. You've been under so long and she's relatively new. She was prosecuting someone big somewhere, I don't have details, but it went bad and they had to fake her death."
Raven wasn't sure she wanted to trust a stranger with this, but she could see Drahke's worry. "Let me think about it." She wasn't making any promises.
"Well, I want you to meet her." Drahke stood next to Raven and after a hesitant move, pulled her into another hug. "God, it is so good to see you." Drahke didn't take her arm away, draping it over Raven's shoulder as they left the bedroom, and Raven enjoyed the closeness.
The blonde in the room talking politely with Heather looked over at them as soon as Raven and Drahke stepped into the room. Raven could see intelligent eyes taking in the closeness without any hint of jealousy and it helped Raven relax. She didn't want to cause Drahke trouble. The blonde was actually a little taller than Heather, which was a surprise. Raven's eyes trailed down to see that it wasn't shoes that did that. "Alex, this is Raven."
"The artist," Alex bowed her head just a little in recognition. "It's good to meet you. I've loved your painting. It really captured Drahke well."
"You should see the one she did for me." Heather smiled a little mischievously at Raven.
"Drahke!" Zoe's voice came from the kitchen and in mere seconds she was standing in front of Drahke. Raven liked the way Drahke seemed important here and she stepped away to let Zoe fill Drahke in on the latest.
"It's nice to meet you too." Raven found herself in standing near Alex while Heather watched her daughter talk fondly.
"I'm sorry we couldn't get here sooner." Alex was pleasant, but Raven felt like she was being measured in some way. "We were on a vacation when Heather called to say you were here."
"I'm sorry." Raven grimaced a little, imagining a scene she hoped didn't happen. How understanding would a lover have to be to drop a romantic vacation to go visit their partner's ex? "I couldn't really call and warn anyone."
"Yes, well, that's fine." Alex moved to sit and Raven got the impression that this woman could be trained to be a Mistress if she wanted it. There was confidence, practiced confidence. Like a rich woman. Raven glanced over at Heather and nodded just a little to Heather's raised eyebrow while Alex glanced at Drahke. She could see why Heather picked up on something not fitting here. A poor defense attorney in Vegas just didn't move like that. Not without training.
The talk over drinks was polite, normal, and didn't really mean much of anything in Raven's opinion. There were other things she wanted to talk about, but she waited. Drahke expression showed she was a little surprised Raven didn't have wine, but didn't comment on it.
Zoe seemed to proud at the compliments tossed her way once dinner was served, and Raven made sure to add her own as well, even if they weren't as informed as Heather or Alex's.
"Some day I want to visit Europe and trying some of the restaurants." Zoe smiled over at Raven. "You had to have tried a few nice ones in Paris."
"Once." Mystique had taken her out on a real date shortly before Raven had to move away from there, "But I wasn't working in a great paying job at the time and all my fun money went to the museums."
"What about Rome?" Zoe asked and Raven noticed everyone else looked interested in her answer.
"Ah, I focused more on the out of the way tiny places. There was some very good food there." Raven set her fork down for a moment to take a sip of her juice, which was nearly the color of the wine the others were having, well those not Zoe. "Australia had good food too, which I know people don't really think about. Scottish food was, well, I just didn't like it but Terrance thought it was fine." She smiled a little. "Now you want good food for someone with my crappy little budget, try Mexico. I made next to nothing working, but I had a little savings by then and American money goes far in Mexico. The tourist can also be manipulated into paying an American sized tip if you flirt."
"Using your sex appeal to get money dear?" Drahke teased her.
"Where do you think I'd learn a bad habit like that?" Raven smirked at her ex before taking another sip of her drink. "Seriously though, working at the brothel taught me some very valuable things, like how to get money out of men."
"You worked at a brothel?" Zoe's innocent question made Raven cringe on the inside, but she kept a calm appearance. The girl didn't know? Did she know about Drahke?
Raven glanced at Heather and got a slight tilt of Heather's head in response. This one was all hers. "I did a little time doing books and stuff there." She left out being a madam. It had taken her a while to tell Terrance about that particular job and he'd teased her for a few days afterwards, but Raven didn't know Zoe well enough to know how she'd feel about it. Some people seemed to think Madams preyed on innocent young women to force them into a life of hell. It wasn't like that. They weren't pimps. "The things you can hear…" Here words trailed off. "Well, it was an education." Drahke chuckled.
"I'll bet." Heather smirked at her. "Does anyone want more wine? I can open another bottle." Heather got up and while she was getting the wine Zoe was bringing out dessert, as if anyone had room for it.
"Well, is there anywhere you haven't been?" Alex asked with a soft smile.
"Home. I can't go home." Raven held Alex's eyes as she noticed the flinch. She watched the blonde's eyes widen a little through the glasses and Raven nodded. "Not safe." She added quietly, but turned to smile at Zoe when the girl came back to the table with something new. She'd let Alex think about that. Raven did notice the nod and look of appreciation Drahke gave her.
……………
After dinner Zoe left for a friends house and a small party. Drahke pulled Heather away to talk to her about something and it left Raven alone with her ex's new love. It was probably a calculated move. "What do you do for a living?" Alex asked her.
"Anything, everything." Raven sighed. "I've been construction, a masseuse, a tour guide, I've worked in retail" Raven nodded towards Drahke, "I've been a Madam."
"That's a pretty wide range." Alex stared at her and Raven got the impression this woman as a trial lawyer. "What are you doing now?"
"I can't tell anyone." Raven gave Alex a weak smile. "Just like I can't tell anyone where I live right now. I live a life for a few months and I have to move on. I didn't start this wanting to see the world Alex." Raven sighed and decided to spell it out, knowing this was Alex's cover and she couldn't make the first move, while Raven wasn't risking an identity to do this. "I change identities every few months, move around, take different jobs, because I'm being hunted."
Alex's eyes widened a little at the confirmation of what she clearly suspected. "You're in Witness Protection?"
"Not the government's version, but yes. I have friends that help me. I know people that taught me how to make a new identity, how to try and blend into a new job. Someone that tells me when its time to go and leave everything behind yet again." Raven sighed. "And I have a boy that I drag around in that with me." Raven's shoulder's slumped as she glanced toward the hall that Drahke and Heather had taken and then back at Alex, "and Drahke doesn't even know my real name."
"Why are you telling me this." Alex asked, but it was pretty clear she knew.
"Because Drahke doesn't know your real name either, and she thinks since I've been at this for almost three years I might have something profound to tell you." Raven sighed and gave Alex a slightly pitying look. "but I don't. It's lonely as hell, and if I didn't have this home base I'd feel so lost. I write letters on the way out of town and mail them off, but I can never get letters back. I keep people at a distance so I don't have to make up lies about my past or remember the lies I've been given. I paint everywhere I go, I keep my passions, my hobbies, because I need them. I need them to remember who I really am, because it would be so easy to forget."
There was silence after Raven spoke and Raven didn't try to fill it. "She was right. You did have something profound to say." Alex whispered and Raven noticed the glassy eyes. It felt a bit awkward, but Raven leaned forward and pulled the woman into a hug.
………………
Drahke pulled Raven aside while she and Alex were getting ready to leave. "I want to show you something. Will you come with me while I drop Alex off?"
It took two hours after dropping the lawyer off at her apartment before Drahke pulled into a driveway, off of a very small road. They went up a green hill and stopped. "We're here." Drahke smiled at Raven and got out of the car before answering where here was. The woman hadn't given Raven any idea what they were doing during the entire drive.
Raven followed Drahke up the hill a bit further and noticed the hole being dug at the top of it. "What is this?"
"This is my new brothel." Drahke's smile lit up the woman's face as she beamed at the construction site. "Alex told me I should see if I could get a backer, so I didn't have to work on my back any more. I found a company willing to put down some cash. It would have taken me years to get what they gave me. I'll be up and running by this time next year Raven." Drahke's voice cracked and Raven moved to pull the woman into her arms. "My dream, I wanted you to see I'm getting it. I wanted to share this with you."
"The painting from Canada is for you." Raven spoke quietly while taking in Drahke's pride, it seemed to emanate from her. "Lady Heather said Mistress's should be larger than life, and I figured you should have a housewarming gift. I knew you'd get there baby." Heather had shown Raven the boxes of art, but they weren't opening them to look. It was more self control than Raven expected, somehow she'd thought Drahke would have found her gift by now.
"When you stop running, come home." Drahke wrapped her arms around Raven so they could both stare at the construction. It really was a beautiful location. "I know of at least three people that would hire you instantly. Lois already told you that, but when I get this up I wouldn't mind a Madam that can double as a bouncer either, and I'm sure Heather would love to teach you all about the ropes at her place." Drahke's voice took on a teasing purr.
"That's different from showing me the ropes isn't it?" Raven teased back and leaned into Drahke's body. "I missed you."
"Missed you too." Drahke just continued to hold her. "It's gonna look like a big house. I worked with the architects in designing it, and if business is really good I'll add an addition over there." Drahke pointed beyond the construction site. "Like Heather did when she added the poolhouse to the club."
"You're girlfriend must not be the jealous type, letting you take me out here." Raven finally said something about the holding.
"You know a jealous lover wouldn't have any interest in a woman like me. I was still turning tricks when I met her." Drahke sighed. "Still she wouldn't touch me while I was working. She's not quite as understanding as you. She came in like a Knight trying to get me out of that business." Raven felt a kiss to her cheek and closed her eyes. "You're one of a kind Raven. You're actually happy for me, for my getting this building started. I can't say Alex understands what this means to me, even though she helped me. To her, this is just making sure I'm not working on my back anymore. It really bothered her."
"I'm sorry." Raven gently caressed one of Drahke's arms, which held Raven tight.
"You seeing anyone?" Drahke asked quietly, and the tension in her voice caused Raven's heart to start to beat faster.
"I have an off and on lover." Raven sighed and tried to relax. "She finds me a few times a year and we date and have sex, and never talk about a future."
"Can you revisit your past?" Drahke whispered softly into her ear seductively. "I've missed you."
"What about Alex?"
"We never talk about the future either." Drahke's voice sounded sad. "Some loves are meant to be temporary, and what Alex and I have falls into that. I think she had to leave a lover behind when she left wherever she came from. I hear her crying out for someone called Olivia in her sleep sometimes, but she doesn't talk to me about it. I'm just keeping her warm for her lover."
"I know what you mean." Raven had to swallow hard, because she did know what Drahke meant. Mystique was always going to be Irene's. The woman didn't love her, she cared, but she wasn't in love with Raven.
"I wish more construction was done." Drahke sighed. "How do you feel about making love in the backseat of a car?" Drahke's seductive whisper teased Raven and Raven chuckled.
"Not really a good idea for us. I need more room."
"Shame, it would have been exciting, rolling around in the backseat like a couple of teenagers."
A wave of nervous guilt ran through her but Raven could still hear Mystique telling her she wanted Raven to have lovers. It wasn't like she hadn't been with Drahke before. Raven wasn't just picking up random lovers that meant nothing. "I could use a night of being young." She turned and took Drahke's hand in hers while backing up toward the car. This was going to take some creativity, but Raven was going to make love in the backseat of a car for the first time.
Drahke kissed her deeply when she dropped Raven off at Heather's house a few hours later. Raven pretended to not see the tears in Drahke's eyes at yet another goodbye and Drahke returned the favor by only quietly brushing the tears off of Raven's cheeks before kissing her again. "You be careful." Drahke whispered to Raven before pulling away.
It was hard to leave again the next day, but Raven hugged Heather and made her way through the doors she'd used a few years before.
…………….
It wasn't even two weeks after she got back from Vegas that they moved on. Raven stared out at the snow coming down from a window at her new job, dreading that she would have to go out in it. They didn't even have a car.
"County General Hospital…" She heard the admit desk answering the phone and it shook her out of her staring.
"You look like you're about to storm a castle." A slightly amused voice spoke to her and Raven turned to see one of the Doctors moving her way, the cane the woman used moved with her as if it were a part of her own body, which had to be a trick that took years to learn.
"Dr. Weaver." Raven nodded a little in greeting. Raven didn't know many names yet, but Dr. Kerry Weaver wasn't someone you forgot.
"Raven isn't it?"
"Yes Ma'am." Raven smiled just a little, keeping her very slight southern accent going. It was easier to pretend to be covering the accent than explain why someone claiming to be from Mississippi didn't have one all the time. Her time with Rogue was paying off, not that she'd been as social with the girl as Christy had been.
"I need to change your shift for tomorrow." Dr. Weaver moved to lightly take Raven's elbow, before moving to the side of the walkway. Raven hadn't even noticed she'd been in the way of the lucky customer on the portable bed. "I was thinking you could work in a new position, bent over my desk."
"What?" Raven just stared a moment, sure she misheard it, when she saw the flash of yellow eyes and the mischievous smirk.
"Shit, you scared me." Raven glared at her lover. "And you shouldn't impersonate her; you might end up having to operate on someone."
"What? You don't want to play doctor with me?" It was a little strange to see that seductive look on Dr. Weaver's face. It didn't look bad, Raven mused before shaking her head clear of that thought and turning to look at the door again.
"I'm off, let's get out of here."
"She's such a short little thing. I was surprised when I saw you staring at her." Mystique spoke quietly while walking out the door with Raven. "Not really your type is she?" Raven didn't bother to correct Mystique and tell her that Dr. Weaver was exactly her type, strong, in charge, commanding but still compassionate, that was Raven's type.
"She is a red head." Raven offered as they walked out the door and the moment no one was looking she found herself walking next to a different woman, still not blue, but otherwise it was Mystique's true form, bundled up against the cold better than Raven was.
"Reconsidering my offer to be anyone you want? I'm up for games tonight, I feel frisky."
"When are you not feeling frisky?" Raven faked a smile, while wondering if she should admit that she'd been with someone else, but then again she was sure Mystique slept around and Raven had never heard details about that. It was just expected.
When they got to the apartment Mystique glanced around. "Where's the boy?"
"On a date."
Mystique turned to look at her with a grin on her face. "You mean we're alone?" Her skin shifted to blue and the bulky winter clothes faded into Mystique's normal clothes.
Raven took in the outfit and spoke softly. "You'd look better in leather pants." She repeated words Christy had said years ago. Raven's eyes captured Mystique's and held them. "Change for me." Her words held a hint of a command and Raven waited to see if that was okay. Mystique just gave her a curious look and shifted into leather pants and a leather halter.
"Yes." Raven unwrapped the scarf around her throat as she walked around Mystique looking at the woman from every angle. "Very nice." When Mystique moved to turn and look at her when Raven stopped to remove her coat Raven spoke again. "No, don't move. Just stand there."
"Feeling bossy?" Mystique asked as she continued to turn, ruining the illusion.
"Terrance will probably be away until tomorrow morning. He's learned the joy of sex." Raven set her coat on the couch. She nibbled her lips a little nervously before asking. "Can I show you what I meant by being my mistress? Will you be my submissive tonight?" She wasn't really sure Mystique would say yes, she was so strong the thought of dominating her was intimidating, but if Raven ever wanted a Mistress she'd have to train this woman to be that for her.
"You seem so sweet," Mystique smirked at her, "hard to believe you're the kinkiest lover I've ever had. What is it with you and this?"
Raven struggled to find the words. "I need," Her words trailed off. Her words became softer, hoping she could talk Mystique into this. "I need this. I've always felt," Her eyebrows drew together as she fought for the words, "I want to submit. I want a lover powerful enough to make me. Even as a kid I fantasized about a woman that would be so strong she'd…" Her words trailed off again and Raven took a deep breath. "Yes, they used me and they perverted my fantasies, but they were my fantasies before I ever walked into that club. They're mine, and I won't let what happened take that from me."
Mystique's amusement faded and she gave Raven a concerned look that quickly changed to support. "You want to play Mistress tonight?"
"I want to show you my fantasies. You're too gentle with me; I want to show you what I really want." Raven sat back on the arm of the couch, feeling very exposed but trying to not show that. "It might be more than you expect and I'll stop if you want, but…"
"You need this." Mystique finished for her gently.
"I need this." Raven confirmed it.
"I role play all the time, I guess it wouldn't hurt to do it a new way." Mystique looked down at her own clothes. "This isn't really subby wear is it?"
"Not really." Raven's eyes caressed Mystique as she tried to think of something to dress the woman in that would be better. Finally she just decided on a few items. "You need a collar and cuffs." Raven stared into Mystique's eyes. "I'll never tie you down, and I can't be tied down, not yet. I'm not ready." Selene had tied her down and it would take a while to be ready for that again, to trust anyone enough for that. She noticed the hint of command in her voice and rather than temper it with a soft comment at the end she let it sit that way. "Can you submit?"
"I'm a spy, I can do anything." Mystique gave Raven a half smile.
"Okay." Raven took a deep breath. "I need to go change my clothes." Her leather pants and halter, and she'd add the jacket as well. Mistresses tended to wear more than their submissives and if Raven was letting Mystique wear pants she'd need to wear more. "Change the pants to leather underwear." She ordered as she left the room. A little more apparent inequality would help.
After changing her clothes she didn't rush back out to the living room. Raven instead stood in front of her bedroom mirror and stared at herself. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and she added thick makeup around her eyes and deep red lipstick to her lips. She straightened her shoulders and took a few breaths to calm her nerves.
It was Lady Raven that opened that door and looked around the living room with a bit of disappointment at the décor, which didn't lend itself to the illusion. She could understand why Lady Heather insisted that Raven have Mistress clothes now, the atmosphere was important. She'd just have to overcome that if she could.
Mystique was standing by the dining table looking through Raven's sketchbook. Raven's eyes trailed over Mystique's flesh, taking in the long legs that no longer were covered, and hoping that they could do this. Raven felt a rush of adrenaline at the images in her mind of what she'd like to do with Mystique. She was surprised at her own anticipation, because this wasn't her role she was playing.
"Rabbit." Raven spoke lazily, mindful of her role. "You find that it's no longer fun you say that and I'll stop. If you can't promise me you'll use it if you need it I can't play." Mystique turned to look at her and Raven felt some satisfaction at the slight widening of her eyes. "If you can't put your macho aside and admit it if you want to stop I can't do this Mystique. I can't risk abusing you."
Mystique actually seemed to think about it, so when she finally said she could do that Raven believed her. "I would never let you abuse me either Mystique. I know the word and I'd use it." She whispered, remembering Heather telling her Mystique was afraid to hurt her. Raven's back straightened and she obviously looked around the living room. "This apartment is so inadequate for this, but we'll muddle through. Come." She waved Mystique over to her commandingly. When the blue spy stopped in front of her Raven nodded her approval at the lowered eyes and slightly militaristic stance. "Stand still, I want to look at you." Raven smiled just a little and felt a small rush of power as she ran her hands slowly over blue shoulders and down blue arms, whispering her appraisal of the body of her submissive while Mystique remained frozen, open to her every look and touch. Raven didn't touch her sexually at all, she wanted Mystique to understand the painful pleasure of denial and the way it intensified every touch.
Her voice was soft and seductive. "You can call me Lady Raven or Mistress." Raven started to lay out the rules. "You don't speak unless I ask you a question, unless you really need to, in which case you need to signal for permission to talk." Raven stepped around to the front of Mystique and stared at her, unable to believe this strong woman was standing in front of her with her head bowed like this. It was an incredible gift, and it showed how much Mystique must care. Raven took a deep breath and pushed the tender emotions away so she could stay in the role. "You are here for my pleasure, and I'll tell you what gives me pleasure. Do you understand?"
"Yes Lady Raven." Mystique spoke softly, and it clashed with everything Raven knew about the woman. Was it harder to play a role in your true form when you usually use another for that? Raven did notice that Mystique chose to not call her Mistress and it made her smile just a little.
"You are so beautiful." Raven reached out and caressed fiery hair. "Exotic," Her words seemed to fall from her easily, more easily than normally. "I love the color blue on you. It's a shame it's such a rare color." Her hands trailed over soft blue cheeks. "You do know that's why I prefer your real form don't you? Because you are so beautiful." Mystique didn't respond, but then it wasn't a real question. Raven did notice a flinch of surprise at her words though, and it saddened her that Mystique wouldn't have known the truth of it. She really should have said something sooner.
She felt a wave of awkwardness as she debated about what to do with her submissive now that she had one. Her own fantasies might be too demeaning for Mystique, but then how could Raven let Mystique know what was okay if she didn't show her? Raven straightened her shoulders and reminded herself to trust Mystique. She had to trust her to stop it if she needed to. Raven walked around Mystique's still body, taking in the slight shifting from foot to foot and the tension. "That stunt you pulled at work wasn't very well thought out. What if I'd taken Dr. Weaver up on her offer later? You could have cost me another job." Her voice was low and dangerous. "You play your games, use sex as a weapon, and think I'll never punish you for it. Well, you're wrong." Raven smirked just a little as she looked down at the barely covered deep blue rear and imagined the nice purple hue she planned to instill. She glanced around the living room, looking for some inspiration on how to go about this, and wished she had a footstool or even a bean bag. Well Mystique was a tall woman, and the couch was no loss if it didn't survive this.
Raven strode over to the couch confidently and grabbed the table on the side of it, pulling it away. She grabbed the pillows and put them on the side next to that arm of it and then turned to Mystique. "Lean over the arm and grip the couch cushion." She ordered and had to stare a moment longer to make herself seem more powerful and dangerous to cross.
"Yes Lady Raven." Mystique's voice held a small hint of amusement at the order. Raven didn't let herself share the slight smile, she just helped Mystique get into position.
"Bare bottom." Raven spoke in a soft voice and remembered how Tessa had spanked her. Her hands caressed Mystique as she pulled the panties down to mid thigh, using them to hold Mystique's legs together while she did this. Raven caressed soft blue skin with light touches, before pulling her arm back and cupping her hand so that the sound would be loud when it finally connected. Mystique's body jumped a little at the contact. "You'll need a pillow to sit on tomorrow." She warned her lover, before pulling her hand back for another hit.
The sound of flesh on flesh, the loud slaps, filled the living room and seemed to echo. Raven stared at the flesh taking on the desired hue, listened to the labored breathing and the soft whimpers as she contacted sore flesh. Her own hand stung a bit. Raven stopped the spanking to caress the sore flesh slowly, her hand dipping down to see if Mystique found this as erotic as she did. Raven could feel her own wetness, her own arousal at being able to do this to Mystique and was a bit surprised she would like this end of the game.
Mystique wasn't as wet as Raven was, but that could be fixed. With slow light touches Raven caressed Mystique's sex, circling the areas that would want her touch the most. She slowly teased, watching as Mystique's body grew tense and the slight rocking on the couch arm started. She slapped Mystique hard once. "No, don't seek a release. I'll give you one if I deem you worthy." She spoke harshly, and could almost hear Emma Frost in her own words. It made her wish Heather had shown her more, so that Raven had other points of reference than that week she'd been a prisoner.
It forced her to admit to herself that there were moments she'd enjoyed of that week, that she couldn't blame all of that on Christy. It was probably only Raven's desire to submit that made any of that good for them, she doubted a strong woman like Christy had that strong of a submissive streak.
"I'm sorry Lady Raven." Mystique spoke and her voice sounded a little rough, but the amusement was still there. It was a game to her, but it was better than it being a torture. Raven suspected Mystique didn't get the same out of being a submissive that Raven got, but if Mystique was willing to play they'd continue.
"You will be. I want you to pleasure me, and don't you dare think of slipping one of your hands between your own thighs." Raven ran her hand over purple tinted flesh slowly, feeling the heat of it. Blue skin made the normal blush of abuse more interesting to look at. Raven moved to help support Mystique as the woman moved to stand, and she could see some soreness that Raven made a mental note to massage out later. It was an awkward position she'd put Mystique into. She pulled Mystique's panties back up. "Undress me."
"Are you sure Terrance isn't coming back, because this is a big show we'd be sharing." Mystique glanced at the door and Raven was irritated at the reminder she didn't live alone at that particular moment.
"If I want to show you off, you'll just look forward and submit." Raven spoke a little harshly, instead of telling Mystique that Terrance had told her that he was sleeping somewhere else that night. The boy knew to always let her know where he was just in case there was trouble. Terrance had developed into a very good looking young man and other men noticed. Raven did her best to not nag him about his tendency to date when they knew they weren't staying. She didn't want to break hearts, but she didn't have the right to tell him to forgo that part of his life. "Now undress me." Mystique stared at her a moment, the look on her face making Raven think Mystique was surprised Raven wasn't breaking character for a simple question.
Two hours later Raven had Mystique on the bed and was gently rewarding her for her obedience. Raven massaged sore muscles and caressed flesh, while listening to the soft sighs of her partner. Once she was done with her backside, which took most of the abuse, Raven had Mystique roll over and she stared into yellow eyes. "You did very well." Raven spoke softly, tenderly. "Thank you."
"You really are the kinkiest lover I've had in years." Mystique smiled just a little. "You want that? I never would have tried some of that with you, it seems a bit,"
"Demeaning? Abusive?" Raven felt a hint of a blush on her cheeks as she filled in words.
"That about covers it." Mystique agreed while Raven moved down to kneel between Mystique's feet. Raven stared at the exposed sex and licked her lips just a little, stopping Mystique's words before another sentence was uttered.
"Don't move." Raven ordered quietly and leaned down into her lover's sex, her arms reaching out to hold the spy's arms down as Raven did something submissive in a dominate way. She slowly pleasured her lover, tormented her, consumed her. She listened to Mystique's breathing become ragged and she smiled wickedly when she finally heard Mystique beg.
…………….
"Professor Peterson." A voice called out in the hall and Raven stopped walking to turn and look at the girl walking her way quickly. "Professor." She looked familiar.
"Yes?" Raven asked once she wouldn't have to yell down the hall like a teenager. The word Professor paired with her new identity wasn't comfortable. Whenever she heard that word she thought of someone else, someone she didn't like, someone who'd taken her trust and betrayed her. "Call me Raven." She smiled at the girl.
The girl looked a little flustered at that, but she got to the point of this mad rush. "I have to miss Wednesday's class, and I was hoping I could go to your Thursday class to make it up."
Raven hated to admit she didn't know which of the classes she taught the girl was talking about. Her job was new and she had to think for a moment to figure out what class it might be. "Yeah, that works. I'm doing the same lecture both days." It was Art History. She was teaching two sections of that, one section of drawing and one section of painting.
"Thank you Professor." The girl smiled and Raven resisted the impulse to remind the girl yet again not to call her that.
Raven left the building and glanced around at the trees. Fall brought out some really pretty colors and she almost wished she had time to paint some of it even though she wasn't one for painting landscapes.
"You have a message." The secretary told her as Raven pulled out her mail from the box and she took the piece of paper.
"Thanks Carol." Raven glanced at the paper and found her plans for the night were shot. Terrance had a group meeting he hadn't been aware of. It wasn't like Raven was going to begrudge Terrance his effort to get good grades his first semester in college. Still it hurt a little, because she knew her time with him was limited. He was eighteen, he wanted a future, and she knew he was getting tired of running, she could see it in his eyes. His scholarship was for four years. The Adler foundation arranged for his tuition and text books to be paid for and if he had a dorm that would be covered as well, and while it was good at any school, it was made out to one name, Terrance Peterson. Irene hadn't really been too secretive about it. It was the large elephant in the house that neither of them brought up. Terrance wasn't moving on, but Raven was.
Raven didn't bother going home after work, since she'd just be alone and somehow being alone right now didn't appeal to her. She craved people, it was her loneliness starting early.
It was the voice that drew her attention out of the book she was looking at first. There was something familiar about it. Raven looked over toward the woman asking about a book she'd ordered and almost dismissed her instincts, almost, until the woman turned to glance at the rest of the bookstore while the clerk looked for the order.
Raven set her book down and moved toward the counter, watching as Alex's eyes noticed her and the shock she saw there was something Raven could relate to. She'd never run into an old face at a new life. Keeping her voice down Raven smiled, "Alex."
"Emily." Alex replied quietly, making it clear that was her new name.
"Raven Peterson." Raven got a little closer and glanced around at no one paying them any attention. "Free for dinner?"
She could see Alex debating about it and was relieved when she heard the answer she wanted to hear. "My place, so we can talk?"
"Lead the way." Raven smiled, feeling a little less lonely.
She followed a small car into a rather boring looking neighborhood with only three different houses, repeated down the street. Alex's house was white and actually had a white picket fence. It really didn't suit the woman Raven had met for dinner all those months ago.
This also meant poor Drahke had lost another lover to the run. Raven sighed heavily as she put her car in park and turned it off.
Alex actually remembered that Raven didn't drink. It was a nice touch and Raven sat on the couch in the sterile living room with fake pictures of a past she doubted Alex really had. "I'm an insurance claims adjuster now." Alex sat down heavily, clearly weary.
"I'm an Art Professor at the University of Wisconsin." She knew her job was above her and that Alex's was way below that woman. She wouldn't doubt Alex was more than just a lawyer, she was probably a very good one in her real life. "But I've done crappy stints before too."
"They want this stint to be the one I stay in." Alex looked lost and Raven set her glass down and scooted closer. "All those years at Law school and now this." Alex looked around the house. "I even hate the furniture."
Raven pulled Alex into her arms. "Then get rid of the furniture." She spoke softly. "Make this your own, don't let them have that much control."
"I still jog. They wanted me to quit or join a gym, but it's my passion and you said to hold onto those." Alex's body was tense but it was starting to relax. "I still read law journals too."
"That's good. Keep up, you won't be running forever."
"They say that many people who go into the program never get out. They want me to just build a life here. Get married, settle down." Alex's voice cracked. "Don't you ever miss your old life?" Raven just stared at her for a moment. Alex needed this, and the woman was family in a strange way. The ex lover of my ex lover, her mind distorted a different saying… well, the weirdness of it didn't fail to make it seem right to share. Drahke had wanted Raven to help Alex.
"Some parts of it, but I chose to run from that life. There isn't anyone I'm going to be a witness against. My enemies are too powerful to fight and I didn't want to make it easy for them to find me." Her voice softened with her quiet pain, "I miss my friends and sometimes I miss what I used to do. I miss some of my other lives, like the one I had in Vegas."
"Why are you running, I mean, can I ask that?" Alex seemed hesitant and Raven felt a rush of adrenaline as soon as she heard the question. "I know I'm not supposed to share anything, but I was prosecuting a case against a very powerful and corrupt man and I didn't want to let him get away with murder. He decided adding a few more murders would take care of his legal problems and put a hit out on me." Vague enough. Raven suspected something like that but Alex managed to say it without giving details. Still it was an act of trust.
"I was spying on some people and got caught. They kept me prisoner for a week, raped me repeatedly and were most likely going to kill me or sell me into lifelong slavery when my friends got me out of there."
"I used to prosecute rapists." Alex's eyes were soft, but not pitying, as she extended the trust game just a little further. Raven started to wonder how far she'd go with this. It had been years since she'd been run out of a town with people right on her heels. "You couldn't go to the police?"
"They were powerful people, some were telepaths." Raven sighed. "They control too much."
"I went up against a drug cartel, because someone has to try to get justice."
"But what if your cartel had the power to control what people thought? What if they could just make evidence disappear, or control the jury's minds?" Raven sighed. "Would you expect any justice then?" Raven felt a small hint of bitterness. "I didn't stand up and you did, but we're both in Wisconsin. Doesn't look like justice is all that powerful." Alex didn't have anything to say to that right away. Silence filled the room.
"I would have taken your case regardless." Alex spoke softly and Raven's jaw clenched as she tried to not tear up. It was a good friend that would try, at least try. The Professor hadn't been willing to.
Raven took a deep breath and stared at Alex long enough for the woman to blush just a little, in spite of her very in control posture. "Thanks." She didn't know what else to say. After that talk Raven needed something less emotional, so she started to talk about her new job. They shared dinner while complaining about how hard it was to dodge questions sometimes and the sense of guilt that comes with lying, even though it was something they had to do.
It was nearly ten when Raven stood at the door to leave. "Perhaps we could do dinner again?" Alex asked. "It's so nice to be me, or at least mostly me."
"At least I know you aren't who you claim to be." Raven spoke softly, understanding that they weren't completely honest about themselves, but at least they knew that.
"How is that boy of yours?" It was like Alex just remembered there was another person in this boat.
"He just started college where I work." Raven smiled just a little, remembering how excited he'd been. "He's not leaving when I do. His running is over."
"But he's not going home?" Alex asked.
"He never wanted to. He's a gay mutant and his father had serious problems with that." Raven stood in the opened doorway and fidgeted a little. It was an idea and it would make her feel better. "I'd like you to meet him. He can know you as Emily if that's better, but it would be nice if he wasn't completely alone when I leave."
"I don't know." Alex sounded hesitant.
"I'm leaving him completely alone. I can't call him, can't check up on him. I can send letters but I can't get letters back." Raven took a shuddering breath. "I'm not asking that you adopt him. I just want him to have an adult friend to back him up. I've been there Alex, and having someone around that you don't feel you have to protect yourself against once in a while is nice. He won't ask questions if you tell him you can't give him answers. I trained him that way. He doesn't know my real name, and he knows that. With telepaths interested in me, I can't be honest with people I know I could trust to take it to the grave, because he wouldn't need to say anything to betray me."
"Maybe he could come to dinner some time." Alex gave in just a little. "But I still would like to see you alone." Raven nodded that she understood. She'd earned Alex's trust, but Terrance would have to do that on his own.
It was early December that she got the letter and Terrance glanced over at her as she read it, understanding that this was it. "You have Emily's number." She spoke softly as she took in her ticket.
"Raven." His voice was soft as he got up. She tried, she really did, but tears streamed down her face in spite of her determination to be strong.
"I'll write whenever I leave, like I do for the others." The other friends she'd made along the way.
"Raven." He spoke again and Raven felt the gentle touch on her shoulder. She turned the ticket so he couldn't see where she'd be going and it hurt to do that, but it was survival for both of them. She didn't want anyone thinking to use him against her. Terrance pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry."
"No, you have to have a life. It's time." She hugged him tight. He never had to say he was staying.
"When do you leave?" He asked and her heart felt like it was tearing.
"Now. I have to leave right now." Why she was being sent to Afghanistan was a mystery, but Irene said it was urgent. Raven was concerned.
This time it was Terrance driving her to the airport and Raven marched stiffly through the doors, doing her best to not look back. He had Alex, it was something. Alex promised she'd keep an eye on him for her for as long as she could.
…………….
Morgan sat down next to Raven and slid a letter towards her. Raven briefly took in the tension in the woman's face. "We're supposed to trade bags." Morgan told her firmly and Raven looked down to the twins of her own bags. Her bags were filled with things that meant something to her. Irene's assistant would take care of them, and Raven believed she'd see them again.
The tension in the air was probably normal around here, and Raven noticed the amount of guns as well. Irene had sent her into hell, and there had to be a reason. Raven stood up while finishing her drink and grabbed three bags on her way out the door.
Her hotel was a bit run down and the desk clerk glared at her a bit. She was a woman walking around uncovered after all. Raven glared at him and asked for her room key in Pashto, surprising him.
She remembered Tessa teaching her the language during their long shut in times during their training together. Tessa had come from a village around here, had carried guns around just like the men outside did.
Once she had some privacy she pulled out the note and read it. Her body became rigid as she recognized the danger. Mystique had been captured and it looked like she needed a rescue.
This was the type of mission she would never have been allowed to go on as an Xman, and her lover needed her to do it right. Raven took a deep breath and started to look at the supplies she'd been given, as well as the instructions. It was like Irene was going to be with her every step of the way, but Irene needed a champion to do this, and Morgan didn't speak the language.
It felt like forever, but it was two days later that Raven drove into the small village. She prayed like she hadn't prayed in forever that Mystique was okay, untouched, as she got out of the vehicle. The fake beard itched in the heat, but she didn't scratch. She went in as a young man, knives and guns strapped to her body and only one in her hand, clear for all to see. Raven showed no emotion as she walked into the building and sat down at the table Irene told her to sit at. It had a view of the front of another building, the one she knew Mystique was in.
In Pashto and a slightly deeper voice she ordered a drink, and read the local paper while she waited. Reading the language was always hard for her, because of the way she was taught. Tessa used to quiz her while Raven drew, they didn't write much.
Some other men in the place asked her questions, suspicious of a stranger in their town. Raven answered briefly, claiming to be on his way to see his betrothed in another village. The details Tessa had given her about her home town were enough to make her sound authentic, even though the information was years old. The others eventually stopped paying attention to her.
The man she was waiting for walked toward the building and Raven tossed her money on the table and left, nodding politely to the waiter.
Raven was terrified that her hand would jerk again, like it did with Christy. She felt worried sick about what Mystique had been going through. She felt ready to kill, and a part of her was upset that it wasn't a harder decision to make.
She walked faster and caught up to her prey just as he got to the door, tossing him inside and as he fell her gun was in her hand. Don't think, she repeated to herself as she pulled the trigger again and again, keeping most of the men away from where they'd stored their guns. Men fell, bullets started towards her and she didn't flinch, didn't move, just like Irene told her. It was one of the hardest things she'd ever done, standing still and not taking cover. Her hand shook a little with the effort. Raven stood in the doorway shooting even as a bullet carved its way through her shoulder, and other bullets hit the doorway on either side of her as the brothers Irene warned her about shot at where she could run to instead of where she was.
"RAVEN" A familiar voice screamed and Raven turned her gun to the voice, seeing the man standing behind Mystique. Don't think, she repeated again and took aim without even a pause, shooting towards the woman she'd come here to save. The bullet was aimed right at Mystique's head and Raven sent all her thoughts to a pray to Irene, please be right, please be right.
Mystique jerked to the side at the last minute and Raven felt the death, yet another death, hit her. "You missed me lover?" Mystique teased while struggling with her chains. Raven moved almost mechanically to her, taking keys from a fallen man and unlocking the spy.
"Don't tempt me to try again." She gave Mystique a weak smile. She stood looking at the bloody room as Mystique removed the inhibitor they'd put on her so she couldn't use her powers. She didn't have time to let the horror of what she was seeing touch her now. Irene was very specific about everything Raven was supposed to do. "Can you shift?" A brief nod was all she got, so Raven pointed to a man, the one she'd followed in and shot in the back of the head in the commotion. "Be him. Irene said be him."
They drove out of there. Raven took in the way Mystique moved, and the obvious sore ribs. She wondered what damage she wasn't seeing. "Dammit, you were shot." Mystique's voice drew Raven's attention back to reality, and she hadn't even noticed herself staring blankly. "Hold something to it. We have to stop the bleeding." Raven tried to hold the towel she was given to her shoulder for the rest of the trip, but when she fell unconscious it slipped from her hands.
Six men. Raven stared up at the ceiling shortly after regaining consciousness, trying to ignore the pain while Morgan sewed her back up. Six men, she killed six. They were bad men, they must be to beat up on Mystique after she'd been captured. It almost felt like Christy was saying the words with her in her mind, they were bad and would have done bad things. Raven sighed as Morgan finished up with the sewing and put a bandage over the stitches. She had yet another scar to add to her collection.
"Is she okay?" Raven asked again, forgetting she'd asked three times already. The pain killers didn't numb all the pain, but they did make it hard for Raven to follow anything or remember.
"She's resting." Morgan spoke patiently. "She has some bruised ribs and will be sore for a while, but she's okay."
"They didn't hurt her?" Hurt wasn't the word she was really thinking, but Raven didn't want to say rape while thinking of her lover at the same time, it was too close to her nightmares lately. Her nights since she'd found out Mystique had been captured had been filled with nightmares.
"They didn't find my blue skin nearly as exotic as you do. They wouldn't touch me with their flesh, afraid I'd curse them." Another voice answered gently. "I'm okay, really I am." Mystique moved into Raven's line of sight and gave Raven such a tender and concerned look. Raven let out a breath she'd been holding, along with some tension. "You get some rest and we'll head out in the morning." Mystique gently caressed Raven's hair, fingers caressed her cheek and Raven finally noticed her fake beard had been removed at some point.
The next morning Raven was moving very slowly, carefully, to avoid pulling on her stitches. She noticed Mystique's interested look when she told the hotel clerk she was checking out. Mystique was in a different form, but the expressions were still all her own and easy to read.
"How many languages do you speak?" Mystique asked quietly as they walked out to the car and Morgan.
"Well, I was barely passable in French, but that got better. I know enough Spanish, Russian, and German to just barely survive, and then there's Pashto." Mystique helped her into the car and then got in after her. Morgan was ignored as the woman started to drive. It was pretty rare to actually see Morgan; Irene had pulled out her all for this mission, including the rather reclusive blonde. "I was left behind on a lot of missions, and the other mutant that got left behind a lot was Doug. He helped me practice, since his power was speaking all the languages." She didn't volunteer that it was the other team members that taught her enough to start, and then she worked with Doug, because no one knew there was woman from Afghanistan on the team.
They landed in Austria and Raven could see Mystique's weariness, and it worried her. The woman seemed withdrawn and quiet.
They spent a quiet holiday season in Mystique's home land recovering from Afghanistan, Raven taking much longer than Mystique to do it. It was right after she got home from her first appointment with a physical therapist that Raven walked into their apartment and could tell immediately that something was wrong. Even the air felt tense.
"So, are you going to regain mobility?" Mystique asked quietly, without even turning away from the stove.
"He thinks I should be fine with a little exercise. It missed most of the really important stuff." Raven said a little warily as she pulled her coat off.
"Well that's good." Mystique still didn't turn around and Raven felt like alarms were going off in her head. Something was wrong. Something had been wrong their entire time here, but Mystique insisted she hadn't been raped, and that the abuse was really rather tame compared to other missions. "I was thinking I should head out soon." Mystique put the lid on the pot of whatever she was cooking and finally turned to look at Raven. Raven didn't like the look in her lover's eyes.
"Okay, well, I might stick around here a little longer." She was hoping the apartment would be made available to her while she worked on healing. Normally she wouldn't question that it would be, but something was off and Raven felt disoriented.
"You do that." Mystique sighed and sat down at the kitchen table. "Look, Raven, we need to talk."
"That never sounds good." She gave Mystique a weak smile, hoping to get one back, but she didn't get it.
"I'm sorry." Mystique gave her a sympathetic look and Raven's heart started to pound as fear hit her. "This isn't working out."
"What do you mean?" Raven couldn't believe Mystique was dumping her. Her face paled at the mere thought of it. It wasn't like she asked anything of the woman, she didn't even ask her to be faithful. She didn't bother Mystique about rarely seeing her, even though she would have wanted to see her more. She listened to stories about Irene without jealousy, what else could she do?
"Us, this us thing. It isn't working." Mystique played with her glass and Raven just stared. "I'm not looking for serious, I'm just after a little fun."
"I didn't ask for a commitment." Raven finally spoke a hint of her anger leaking through. "I never have. I know you sleep around and I've never asked you to stop."
"It isn't sleeping around if all we have is a little fun." Mystique took a deep breath. "You're a great woman Raven and we've had a lot of fun, but it isn't enough for you."
"I never said that."
"You don't need to. I'm never going to be what you need."
"God dammit Mystique, you're the only thing constant in my life." Tears were starting to fall, and Raven brushed at them angrily.
Mystique stood up and walked to the window. "And that's not a good enough reason to stay with me. Some day you'll stop running and you'll have that stability you crave." The blue woman turned to look at Raven, holding her gaze for a moment. "You aren't like me. It would have never worked. We gave it a good try and now it's time for you to fly free."
"Why are you doing this?" Raven's voice cracked with her pain.
"I should have done this a while ago, but you are rather intriguing." Mystique gave her a slight smile as she acknowledged they'd been good together in at least some ways.
"We don't have to do this."
"Tell me, when you think of the time when you can stop running, what does your life look like?" Mystique spoke as if the answer was clear, but Raven didn't know, couldn't imagine it any more. "I see you in a house with the garage converted to a studio. I see you working a 9 to 5." Raven didn't interrupt as Mystique went quiet. "I don't see you standing still and letting bullets hit you." Mystique's voice was suddenly tight, angry. "I don't see you," Another point was stopped and Mystique's voice calmed, "I just don't see you and I together. Get on with your life Raven."
Mystique moved to the door and opened it. Raven could barely think of a come back and Mystique said one last thing before she left. "The next time Irene sends you a letter telling you to run and play hero, don't." Mystique's voice was firm. "Just don't. I have it under control and I don't want to see you," Her words trailed off. "Just don't." The spy commanded, before turning away.
Raven's hands were shaking violently as she fought the urge to cry, and the urge to beg. Dinner started to boil on the stove and Raven had to get up and turn the heat off, but she wasn't eating it.