The Boogie Man

Sequel to Kittens Have Claws, Too. Victor, Katherine, Tayla 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.

SparrowsVixon – yes bold print is the Wolverine, Italics is something going on in someone's head, like Logan's meditation. Had to differentiate with Mr. Split personality there….

Cerdwyn3 – WHERE DO I START? One – there will be a meeting with Judge Jackson at some point, but much later in the story. Two – Victor and Kitten's cub was always in the plot…it is no surprise, but glad you are happy. Three – Logan is pushing for a face to face meeting, but yes, they do have speaker phones. Four - Mort has not been mated yet, but he is first on the list for reptile or amphibian DNA…he just doesn't match any of the four. Five – the feral mutation can't be 'tricked' they have tried hormone treatment, which will be brought up later, the Cure, and various and sundry ancient Voodoo practices. Six – The mutants you have mentioned are not in the feral database that Tayla has access too, they are in the Xavier database, and yes we are including non "born" ferals as potential mates. Leech at this point is not an option because of the proximity issue…he would literally have to have all four of these females within touching distance of his body to nullify their mutation (according to movie verse) Mimic wouldn't work because the mutation can't be tricked, and there is more to the mating bond than even the people working on it understand. All will be explained in time…trust me.

As for Megan and Graydon…I just couldn't let that opportunity escape…

Arden Skysender – Look for some Hankie Pankie in this chapter…

Erisah Mae – Ohhh the fun is just getting started….and sparks and fur and fireworks and the whole nine yards will be forthcoming.

Chapter 5

She was sitting at her desk…it still felt strange calling it her desk. She wasn't used to owning things, to being settled in one place. She shifted her shape again – just to remind herself that she still could. She was going over the accounts – again. It was going to be tight this year. She was going to have to talk Kitten into sending Victor out to work – or pull some more money out of the reserve accounts. They were feeding close to one hundred people every day; she shook her head, a lock of red hair falling down over her eye.

She tried to remember how she got roped into this. Ok it had been HER idea to start with, and little Tabitha had been so small, so alone. She had been the first. David and Diane had taken her in, but every time Myst had turned around, she found another child in need of help, another little girl cast out because she was different, or worse – when she got there too late, and they were just cooling. Tayla wasn't the only one to cry over the bodies.

The girls had still been in undergraduate school when Mystique had talked Victor into setting up a foster home for ferals. David and Diane were perfect foster parents, and Dave Jr. had been great with the older girls. It had started with them – but Mystique kept finding more.

It haunted her that these children died before reaching their potential, and after the Cure she had needed something – anything to help her heal.

Erik had cut her, deeply. She had given him her life, her heart, her body, and when he couldn't use her anymore, he had just walked away, as if she meant nothing. He had convinced her to come back, after the Cure wore off, but she just didn't trust him anymore. She had watched what he was doing – how he was building his army, and she was afraid. He didn't care who he hurt, anymore…he was obsessed.

He had found out her money was being siphoned out of her accounts, and he had wanted to know where it was going, why she wasn't using it to help him. She had refused to tell him, she didn't want him within a thousand miles of her children. He could hurt her – and she would get even – but if he hurt even one of her children, she would kill him.

She jumped as her phone rang…her cell phone. She looked around, trying to find it, and realized she had left it in her pocket. She morphed back into her regular form, her clothes forming around her and reached into her pocket.

"Hello."

"Mystique, My Dear. How are you?"

"About to hang up the phone."

"Now why would you do that?" She heard his deep chuckle on the other end. It still sent a thrill through her.

"Because I told you I never wanted to speak to you again." She hissed.

"You don't want to speak to an old – friend?" She hated when he twisted things.

"I don't want to speak to you – ERIK!" She said, using his slave name. He knew how much he hated anything that didn't reek of his power.

"Really, Raven…is there any need to get testy? I just wanted to see how you were doing."

"What do you want?"

"I have found out something of interest…something you might be interested in." He said.

"What…more of your plots. Is some senator plotting to wipe out all mutants again?"

"No, but I believe someone is breeding mutants…feral mutants." He said quietly.

"What?" How had he found out?

"Somewhere in Colorado…"

She felt a surge of panic. He knew. "Why do you care?"

"If someone is breeding mutants, there must be a long term goal in mind…if they are breeding an army; I want to know what they are doing and what they are planning."

"I can look into it." She said, hoping he would take her up on it.

"Please do…and find Sabretooth, he should be able to infiltrate this situation, since he is a feral, and get inside."

"That's easier said than done." She grinned. The budget was getting tight…nothing said Erik couldn't help with the funding.

"I will wire money to your account. Pay him whatever he asks. If you need more call me, this number is safe."

"Alright…I will find him and we will look into it."

"I look forward to hearing your report…in person."

"It may take a while. I'll call you when I have something to tell you."

"Mystique…My Dear…" His voice was soft, inviting. "I have missed you."

"I will call you." She hung up the phone. How the HELL had he found out about the facility. They were going to have to move and quickly. She could stall him for a month, maybe two, but after that – he would know. She pushed the surge of panic down. For now they were safe, and she could give them time. She wouldn't allow him to hurt these children.

"Myst, Miranda – she's failing." It was Micah, the pilot.

"Oh no! Have you told Tayla?" She jumped up, hurrying past the lupine feral and down the hall to the infirmary.

"She's in cycle."

"SHIT! As SOON as you can get to her, let her know. Is Kat with Miranda?"

"And Victor."

"Bring up the prisoners; let them see exactly what we are dealing with. Maybe it will help them realize we aren't trying to hurt them."

"Is that wise? Miranda wouldn't want a bunch of people there she doesn't know." She knew Micah was taking this hard. He and Miranda were close friends.

"I know…you are right. Just bring the weather witch and Tayla's mate when you can get to them. They are the only two I need to convince."

XXXXXXXXXX

Kat sat, quietly stroking her hair. This was going to kill Tayla. She had been working so hard, gone through so much to save them, and they were going to lose one – and she was stuck in a cycle and couldn't even be here. Kat looked up at her husband standing across the bed.

"Kitten…" he had quiet tears in his eyes. It was the one time he didn't deny them, when they lost a child, and Miranda was one of their children, one they had raised since childhood. His form wavered in her vision as her eyes welled up again.

Mystique and Micah were standing at the foot of the bed. It had become a habit; each of them had their position when one of the girls died. The only one missing was Tayla. One of the younger boys came in, the white haired woman with him.

"Why is she here?" Kat demanded.

"They need to know – to understand WHY!" Mystique said.

"GET HER OUT!" Kat yelled. Miranda jumped a little at the sound of her voice, she whispered softly and soothed her hair, her eyes shooting daggers at the shapeshifter. "This isn't an object lesson, Myst."

"I know."

"Let her stay." Victor said quietly.

Kat looked up at her husband. "Why."

"The Runt can't be here, and Myst is right, they need to know…know that we ain't hurtin these kids, and that this is these kids' lives we are dealing with, not just numbers on a page." His throat was tight, his voice harsh from the unshed tears.

"You are both cold unfeeling assholes." Kat hissed at them, glaring at her husband.

"You know that isn't true, Kitten." Tayla said from the door. She was still buttoning her shirt, and Kat could smell the stink of her mating as she walked in the door. Behind her, Logan walked in, quietly and stood next to Storm. Tayla took her place on the other side of the bed, next to Miranda's head. Kat stepped back, allowing Tayla her time. Victor walked around and put his arms around her.

"Tayla." Miranda whispered weakly.

"I am so sorry." Tayla whispered back. "I tried…"

"Keep trying for the others." Kat could hear her heart laboring, under the strain. It wouldn't be long now, it usually wasn't. Her husband's arms tightened around her and he leaned his head against the top of hers. She could feel his tears. He wanted a girl, God help them both.

They stood there, while Tayla rocked the cooling body, finally Victor peeled her hands away, and carried her away. Kat wiped her own tears away, and signed the death certificate, as the doctor present. The county coroner would come in an hour or so and pick up the body; she would be buried in the town cemetery, just like all the others. Kat looked over at the two X-Men in the room. They both wore identical expressions of shock and dismay, Logan to his credit had tears in his eyes.

XXXXXXXXXX

"YOU could have given us the database, days ago." She shouted at him.

"It takes time to set up; protocols have to be taken care of." He said back.

"FUCK YOU and your protocols. YOU killed that girl, just as if you had plunged your claws into her heart. You could have given us the information days ago, you bastard. My father was right about you. YOU are a fucking MONSTER. GET OUT! GET OUT!!!" Tayla shouted at him.

He just sat there staring at her. "You are my mate. As much as I didn't like that idea at first, I accept it. I am never letting you go through that. You can hate me all you want, I don't care. I will get you access to that database, like I promised." His voice was deceptively calm. She could smell the rage brewing inside him.

"When this is done, I don't want to see your face again. I don't want to hear your voice, if I even scent you, you are too close. You are a monster…and a hypocrite, and I want NOTHING to do with you." She spat, all the anger and venom and fear of her entire life shooting out of her.

He surged out of the chair, pinning her against the wall, his lips crushing down on hers, her hands pinned to the wall behind her by his.

"You are my mate, like it or not. You don't want to see me, fine. You don't have to; at least not until your NEXT cycle – after that you have ten years to figure this thing out. But remember, I am an asshole, and a bastard, and maybe even the monster you claim I am, so watch your back, MATE!" He hissed against her lips, grinding his hips against hers in a claim of ownership. He let her go, and turned and stormed from the room.

"Don't worry; you'll get your database. I might be a monster, but I do keep my word."

XXXXXXXXXX

Hank stared at the phone in his hand. Logan was insane, he had to be – or being coerced. Allow these people access to their database – limited access, but access nonetheless.

"And Ororo has approved this?"

"Yea, Bluebutt, just do it." Logan snapped at him across the phone lines. This was testy even for Logan.

"I am afraid, without proper approval, I cannot comply. I cannot guarantee you are not under some coercion." Logan knew the protocols; he had helped set them up.

"I know. Here's Ro." The phone switched hands, and Hank's sharp ears caught the sounds of others in the background. He picked up Rogue and Piotr's voices, as well as another female he didn't recognize and Sabretooth.

"Hank, give Logan the access he requests. I – these people need our help, and as much as I hate the idea, it is a life or death situation."

"Yours?"

"No. We are fine, not exactly comfortable, but fine…if Pete doesn't eat them out of house and home we will be lucky." He heard her laugh, easy and without strain. Something was going on, but she was in approval of it.

"Very well, I will have Katherine begin the programming and have a secure network address you can access. It will be for a limited time and limited scope, what information do they need to be able to access?"

"The mutant database and all genetic information we have." He blanched at that scope.

"ORORO!" he gasped "That amount of information could jeopardize hundreds – thousands of mutants."

"I know, but they need it."

"I am afraid I cannot comply without compelling reason to do so." He heard a slight struggle over the phone, and then Logan's voice on the other end.

"McCoy, do it. They need the information to save lives. I didn't believe it at first – I have seen it first hand. When this started they had four girls, under eighteen, who needed to find mates to survive; now they only have three." Hank heard his voice break. "They need what we have, to try to find mates for the other three."

"Very well, you should have access within the hour."

"Thanks." The phone line went dead. He looked at the pile of paperwork on his desk; somehow it didn't seem as important.

XXXXXXXXX

Her anger – her hate – he had smelled them both. She was his MATE! She was his MATE!! She would accept it, she had no choice. He looked down at his hands holding the phone, he could feel the calm one, Logan, aching, and her words had cut him deeper than her claws ever could. He didn't care, he was a monster, always had been, and always would be. Logan hated that part of him, evidently she did, too. Fuck them both. He was her mate, and she belonged to him.