The Boogie Man

Sequel to Kittens Have Claws, Too. Victor, Katherine and Mystique discover the secret to helping keep female ferals alive…But will nightmares be the setback for an old friend, or will her personal Boogie Man be the one to save her soul.

I DON'T own them…at this point I wish I did…I would put them all out to pasture and go on with my LIFE…SOMEONE get Victor Creed OUT of my head. Wait, never mind. (Victor muse purring in the background as he throws back the covers on the bed…) I am going to pet the kitty while you guys enjoy the story.

Chapter 2

He sat in the dark room, his stomach still churning. That kid didn't deserve this didn't deserve what they were forcing him to do. He looked over at the bound sheaf of papers on the dressing table in the room.

They had done so much research, so much work to help a situation no one at Xavier's even knew existed – no SHE had, well the formidable Mrs. Creed seemed to have quite a bit to do with it too. He still couldn't get over that. All these years, fighting the big furball and he had a wife at home.

They had dragged him into this room after the second session with her. He still wouldn't let himself think of her by name. It was bad enough that every time she opened her eyes, he thought of Jean – maybe it was the fear, maybe the sorrow, maybe the plea in her green eyes, but all he could see were those last moments when Jean begged him to kill her.

After the first session he had been in shock, and when they left him alone to read the research he had been absorbed. They knew more about him – and mutants like him – than anyone else. And did it without hurting anyone – the way research was supposed to be done. According to their research they had saved over thirty feral females by finding their mates, couples that were – from all indications – happy, healthy, couples. Blueboy would love this place.

He gripped the arms of the chair – he had to check on Ro and the others. Mystique said they were fine, but he trusted that bitch about as far as he could throw her. He was standing up when the door opened, and Rogue was pushed inside, Sabretooth right behind her.

"They wanted ta make sure you were alright, Runt." He growled. His wife slipped into the door behind him.

"Vic – go, you aren't helping things." She said softly.

"You know how I feel about this, Kitten." He said, brushing her hair with his fingers before turning and leaving the room. Logan didn't hear the lock click behind him, and knew he was standing right outside.

"Logan, are you alright." Marie asked, rushing across the room. They had left her in her uniform, gloves covering her hands.

"I'm fine, kid." He said, as she carefully embraced him.

"They wouldn't tell us nothin…we were getting worried down there." She said

"Down where?"

"They have us in some kinda basement, where Ro can't use her power really, and the room is kinda small. She's hanging in there, but you know how nervous she gets."

"Yeah, I know." He looked over at the young woman leaning against the wall.

"Please let Ms. Monroe know that I am deeply sorry for her discomfort, and as soon as Logan has finished what we need him to do, you will all be free to go." She said quietly.

"WHAT!?" Marie turned on the feline feral. "What you need Logan ta do?"

"Yes."

"You people are somethin else. Ya drag us out here – lure us, beat the hell out of us, and then you want Logan to do something FOR you?" He reached out and put a restraining hand on Marie's arm.

"Yeah. They did ask nice – about three weeks ago, I turned 'em down." Marie looked back at him

"So – they KIDNAPED you - us, and are forcing you to do what they want at what, gunpoint?"

"Not exactly. I ain't explainin right now, kid. Just get back to the others and let them know I am alright." Marie looked over his bare chest, borrowed sweat pants and bare feet.

"Yeah, sure, you are alright." She said sarcastically.

"Kid – I'm fine – now go." Mrs. Creed nodded at him from across the room, and pointed to the clock on the wall. He had two hours, until he had to – he couldn't even think the word. He felt another wave of nausea hit him. "Go on kid." He said softly to Marie.

She walked out the door, Mrs. Creed right behind her. He could see Sabretooth standing outside the door ready to escort her back to her prison.

"You should get some rest…" the one called Kitten said as she pulled the door closed and clicked the lock. He did the next best thing; he ran quickly into the bathroom and heaved over the toilet. He wasn't sure if it was his disgust at what they were forcing him to do – or at the fact that on a base physical level he was actually enjoying it – or the complete terror that washed over him every time she opened her eyes, but it had him physically sick. And what was worse, when they put him in that room, Wolverine took over, and Logan couldn't even stop it. It was pure instinct – mate, breed and protect. The problem was, he couldn't protect her…he was the one hurting her. He just sat there, his head resting on the cool porcelain, and allowed himself a brief moment of weakness – tears rolled down his face. He closed his eyes for just a moment.

XXXXXXXXXXX

"Idiot." Mystique was pacing the observation room. She had Logan's room and the basement room on the monitors in front of her. The three prisoners were pacing the room, the girl with the skin was almost frantic, trying to calm the white haired weather witch. Tayla's room was on a monitor to the side, along with the data from the medical monitors hooked to her body. She was sitting at her desk, working. Myst grumbled again.

Kat walked in. "He threw up again." Mystique told her with disgust, as she dropped into a chair. "I never would have thought the great Wolverine couldn't handle a little non con sex…"

"This isn't easy for him, McGoo." Mystique glared at the younger woman. She should never have told her about her favorite cartoon.

"It could have been, but he is too big an asshole." She leaned back in the office chair she was sitting in, her feet crossed on the table holding the monitors. "One of these days I am going to SHOW him what RAPE is…Jerk."

"Myst…cut the guy a little bit of slack; Tayla hasn't exactly been Miss Sunshine about this." Mystique knew Kitten was upset that Tayla had refused to see reason. "If she had let us try to bring him in sooner, if she would even TALK to him, try to get to know him instead of – she is so damned stubborn." Kat punched one of the walls. Mystique didn't even hide the smile. She liked to watch some of Victor's more violent tendencies rub off on the normally gentle Katherine.

"Wolverine just rubs me the wrong way, especially now. Tayla could help, yes, but it just pisses me off when I see him do shit like this. Why can't he just be a god damned MAN. I tried, after the red head rejected him, to remind him that sex was just that, to be enjoyed where you could find it, but not HIM – no he had to be all noble and self sacrificing and throw me out, and STILL ended up not getting the red head…or getting laid."

"Myst…it's not all about sex." Katherine was laughing.

"I know, it's just that Mr. Noble and Self Sacrificing in there is going to noble and self sacrifice himself out of the best thing that ever happened to him, and WE are going to be the ones who have to deal with Tayla after."

"What would you have him do? DEMAND to go in there before she passes out, try to talk to her. I have thought of that – Victor even thought of that, but right now he isn't in any shape to try to talk to her. I think if we put him in to talk to her, we'd end up with him LETTING her die, just because he feels so damned guilty."

"He is the king of guilt – I swear. You could get a hang nail, and he would spend weeks trying to figure out how it was his fault." Mystique looked at her long nails as she said it.

"And he's mated to Tayla…who is constantly looking over her shoulder trying to make sure she does everything just right, and feels guilty if the least little thing is out of place. They'll guilt each other to death." Mystique and Kat looked at each other, the teasing tones belying the true concern they both felt.

"We are going to have to do something…" Katherine said finally.

"But what?"

XXXXXXXXXXX

She stared at the screen in front of her for five minutes. She just couldn't get her mind to focus on work. She was exhausted. She was pushing her body too far, too close to the edge, but she knew she would panic if he came in while she was awake. It was bad enough the few times she had woken up, to see him over her, the fierce look on his face. She shuddered.

She shook her head. They had five females nearing estrus and no mates in the data base. She was trying a new formula to try to find a lower genetic compatibility. It had worked twice before, but there just weren't enough male reptile and amphibian based mutants in the system. They were going to have to go hunting again, something Victor and Katherine loved.

They were the major recruiters, they were able to find the ferals, to convince them to come in to be checked out, and most of the time, and they were the ones who made the initial introductions between mates. They both had a knack, an instinct for which individuals would make the strongest couples.

Tayla smiled. Victor had been the one who was the most surprised by how his mutation developed with a mate. The not being able to respond sexually to a woman other than his mate had really caused a huge temper tantrum…it had taken him weeks to calm down, and Kat had sent him out to WORK to get rid of him. That had been about eight years ago, and he seemed to have reconciled himself to it. It made work difficult for him, especially if the client wanted a specific type of demise…but he had figured out other ways.

It had been the development of his paternal, protective instincts that had amused them the most. Mystique would sit and giggle for hours, watching him sit in a room full of toddlers to kindergartners and have them crawl all over him. It didn't surprise Tayla that he was pushing Kat for a cub this time. His instincts were on overdrive. He saw all the young ones as his cubs, and having one of his own might settle him down.

The older kids and teens adored him as well; he trained them, worked with them, taught them to work as a team, if they were mated, or how to work in a team if they weren't. He didn't just teach them to fight. Nine years with his Kitten, as he called her, had taught him a few things about relationships, and he managed to find a way to pass that on without sounding sappy, which helped with the teens, especially. He still avoided anything that might sound 'frail' as he put it, and Tayla could count on one hand the number of times he had actually had a true kind or loving word for anyone. You just had to learn how to understand what he wasn't saying.

Her eyes were blurring and she could feel her breathing becoming labored. She knew it was almost time for another session and looked at the bed full of dread. She almost hoped she would get pregnant just so that it would be over. She stood, and slipped the dressing gown she was wearing off of her body and climbed into the bed. She was tired; perhaps she would just sleep through it this time.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Victor opened the door; Logan wasn't on the bed, or in the chair. He heard a noise from the bathroom. He walked over and pushed the door open. The Runt was half sitting on the floor, passed out against the toilet.

"SHIT!" Vic grumbled, before reaching down and grabbing him under the arms and lifting him into the tub. He leaned him against the back and turned on the cold water, full blast through the shower head.

"WHAT THE FUCK!!!" Logan shouted, trying to cover his face with his hands.

"Rise and shine…Runt." Victor said, glaring down at the smaller man.

"Fuck you." Logan tried to push himself up, but slipped on the wet tile and cracked several when his head hit the back wall of the shower stall.

"Hope you plan on fixin' that before you leave." Victor said, trying to hide a smile. He was getting so much pleasure out of watching Logan deal with his predicament.

Logan finally clambered out of the tub and worked himself into an upright position. He just glared at Victor who just gave Logan a huge grin.

"Just leave me the fuck alone." Logan managed to say. Victor had to cover his nose from the smell.

"Not only no – but HELL no…brush your damned teeth. You ain't goin ta mate Tayla smellin like that. While you are at it, get a fuckin shower." Logan glared at him again. Victor walked back into the main bedroom they had assigned to him and pulled clean sweats out of a drawer.

"Put these on when you are done. You have about half an hour, she just laid down."

"Why can't I go now – get it over with?" Victor was actually feeling sorry for the Runt, something he thought he would never do.

"Tayla's stubborn – and willful – and determined to have her own way in this. I don't agree with it, but none of the damned females around her ask my opinion on much. Hell, my WIFE doesn't ask my opinion…unless she really wants it.'

"Don't get me started on THAT, Furface. Why – why does she have to wait until – I can hear her heart laboring when I go in there, it ain't healthy for her body to keep doin that."

"Finally startin ta get protective, huh…it's her choice. She is afraid. Fear makes you do strange things sometimes."

"What the fuck do you know about fear?" Logan said over the running water of the shower.

"Enough. You live with your mate a year…six months…you will learn more about fear than you have learned in a lifetime – TRUST me." He was leaning back against the door.

"Yeah…RIGHT! Trust YOU!" He glared at Logan as he grabbed the brand new toothbrush from the counter.

"Or don't. I ain't the one with a mate that don't want me around. That seems to be your problem." He almost laughed at the angry glare over the white foam of the toothpaste; it almost made him look rabid.

"I hate this." Logan said, finally glaring at Victor in the mirror.

"I know. I ain't thrilled about this particular set up either. I wish it had been anyone but you." Logan glared at him.

"Not good enough…" He snapped.

"No…you are NOT! Not for Tayla, that kid deserves better, deserves a hell of a lot better than she is getting in this…and don't you ever forget it. If I ever hear of you doing ANYTHING to hurt or upset her…I'll rip your guts out. I won't kill ya…she don't deserve ta die because you are an asshole…"

"Wait a damned minute…die. I still don't get that."

"YOU are her fucking mate…if YOU die…she WILL die during her next mating cycle."

"You are shitting me. Her fucking life depends on if I live or die."

"Yes."

"Does your wife…do you guys…?"

"Yes RUNT…if I die – so will she." Victor didn't like thinking about that particular part of the bond. It wasn't the sex drive that bothered him as much as knowing her very life depended on him. He had lived his entire life without ever having anyone depend on him like that, and now…he couldn't imagine a world without his Kitten, and knew if anything ever happened to her…it wouldn't be a pretty thing.

"Do ya love her?"

"What kind a frail question is that, Runt?" Victor glared at the man as he led him out the door.

"Just wondering…" Logan wasn't looking at him, he was looking down the hall, at a door that drew closer, Victor could see dread lining his face.

"You know what ta do…" He said as he pushed Logan into the door. He closed it quickly behind him, snapping the lock into place. Victor turned and rushed down the hall, he didn't like being anywhere near that room when Logan was in there.

Katherine was waiting when he entered her office.

"Did you know he threw up?"

"Yes, Kitten, I knew…I made him clean up before I took him to her."

"Why?!" He could see tears in his mate's eyes.

"Come here." He pulled her close. "It's hard for him…he's doing something that to him is well – worse than murder. I can honestly say I have never heard of him forcing a woman." He brushed his lips across the top of her head. He knew this was rough for her. Tayla was her best friend, her partner, and having to sit back and allow this to happen was hard on all of them.

"I am not sure who I am more disgusted with, HIM for not standing up and demanding to be treated like an equal partner in this mating, or HER for forcing him to go through this."

"KITTEN! Are you on HIS side?"

"No…I just want her to have what we have, and that isn't going to happen if they don't TALK."

"TALK! Baby…I try to avoid talking and you know it." He leered down at his mate.

"VICTOR! I am worried about Tayla…tone down your libido."

"Like hell…we have a cub to practice for."

"No we don't. I have too much work to do to raise a cub."

He put his finger under her chin and smiled at her. "Darlin, your work IS raisin cubs…one more won't matter."

"Victor, I don't want to discuss this right now."

"Alright…we'll wait until you are in cycle…I'll just make sure all the condoms are here and not at the house."

"VICTOR CREED!"

"I usually get my way, Kitten." He leaned down and captured her mouth with his. She reached up and raked her claws down his cheek. She was good and pissed…just the way he liked it. He picked her up and carried her to the couch.

"I don't think so..." She said when he released her mouth.

"But I do…you need ta get your mind off of things, and I know one sure as hellfire way ta do that." He was slipping her T Shirt over her head as he said it. She inhaled sharply as he gently took one exposed nipple in his mouth.

"You are NOT playing fair, Vic." She moaned, as his hands unfastened her jeans and slid them down her hips. He had finally convinced her a couple years ago that underwear were just in the way, so it was a simple matter of slipping off his jeans and shirt. Her entire body seemed to melt against his, and he leaned back on the couch, pulling her down into his lap, her body welcoming him home as he slid inside.

"Baby, I never play fair." He grinned as she started to move her hips. She leaned down and kissed him, her hair slipping from the knot she was wearing, and covering his face and shoulders. It had a life of its own, like a thousand tiny fingers, stroking and caressing his skin as she moved on top of him. He could feel her building to her climax and just threw his head back, allowing her lips to travel down his exposed throat, grabbing a hunk of skin right at the base. Her climax washed over both of them as she bit down, her teeth grinding against his collarbone, the sharp pain causing his body to climax with her.

She was panting a bit as she pulled back, his blood staining her chin.

"Damn you…" She muttered. "I have work to do." He leaned up and started licking the blood from her face. "Victor…" She moaned, as she leaned down, letting him lick the drops that had run down her throat. He felt her hips start moving again.

"As I said, Baby…we have a cub to practice for." He gripped her hips, and thrust deep; she threw her head back and moaned. He knew just how to distract her, when she needed it…and today she needed the distraction.

XXXXXXXXXXX

He opened his eyes. She was there, on the bed. He could smell her – her need, causing his to rise uncontrollably. She was his mate…HIS. He didn't know why they wouldn't let him stay…stroke her, touch her hair; let her curl her soft dark skin against his body. She was beautiful - his mate.

Her heart was beating slowly again, laboring. He didn't understand why it was like that when he saw her, why she wouldn't wake up, why she wouldn't respond to him. He slipped up the bed, her naked body ready for him, he could smell it. He slid inside her tight opening, her body welcoming him, even in her sleep. She knew she was HIS.

He buried his face against her neck, inhaling her scent as he thrust deep inside her. He heard her slight moan, felt her body start to respond, and grinned. She knew…she belonged to the Wolverine.