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.
Chapter 13
Kat finally pulled her head up from Victor's chest – and was shocked by the sight of Tayla crying in Logan's arms. She looked back at her husband – the pain and anger etched across his face – something she didn't think she'd ever seen.
"Vic – we need to deal with Eric – to make a plan – something. We can't do anything about this – not now." Logan looked over at them – as Tayla lifted her head from his shoulder. She blushed furiously – and then pulled quickly away.
"Kat's right." She said – her voice tight. Kat knew she'd try to turn to work – it was how she handled things.
"The Professor wants us to stay with you – twenty four seven." Victor said – his own voice harsh.
"That's fine for you and Kat – but…" Tayla started.
"I'm sorry – but I agree with him – You and Logan will just have to deal." Victor said sharply. "Erik doesn't know about me and Kat – or you and Logan – so if anyone comes after you – we are the best line of defense. Xavier doesn't think he will do anything direct against the school – I ain't so sure – so Xavier needs ta concentrate on defending the kids here." Kat watched Tayla's face blanch.
"You are right – maybe we should leave – make sure the children aren't at risk. Speaking of – are OUR children safe?" Tayla said, panic filling the room.
"Myst is pretty sure they are – I am gonna call Micah – just ta double check." Victor pulled his sat phone out of his pocket and dialed a number. He put it on speaker – all four of them would hear it anyway.
"Downing residence." Said a voice on the other end of the phone.
"Is Micah there?"
"Who's calling?"
"Tom." Victor gave the code name.
"Tom who?" came the reply.
"Tom Riddle." Kat grinned – leave it to the kids to use Harry Potter for codes.
"Just a moment, Mr. Riddle."
"This is Micah." His familiar voice filled the room.
"It's Tom – how's things going?"
"Fair to middlin' can't say it's been quiet – but you know mom – always worrying about something." Kat heaved a sigh of relief – so did Tayla. The code phrase told them the kids were safe – and no one had been around.
"Glad to hear it – tell your mom not to worry so much – things will work out." Victor replied – telling Micah to keep his eyes open for trouble – and that they weren't where they could help if there were any.
"You know her – she worries about anything – even the price of rice in China." Micah replied – the chopper was ready – the kids were packed – ready to move at a moment's notice – and the destination was the Institute – even if Xavier didn't like it.
"Well – rice is cheap these days." Victor said – confirming the plan
"Yep. Listen I need ta go – we can catch up later." Micah cut the connection – just like he'd been taught. Both women heaved sighs of relief.
"Okay – can someone translate that?" Logan said finally.
"Nope." Victor said.
"Why not."
"Simple – you aren't one of us – the fewer who know the codes the better." Tayla said.
"Not one of you?"
"NOPE!" Victor growled.
"I take it the kids are alright at least." Logan said. Kat almost felt sorry for him. There were so many layers of communication between the other three – he had to feel left out.
"Yes Logan – the kids are fine." Kat said.
"And I thought I was paranoid." Logan muttered.
"What's the plan?" Victor said gruffly.
"I have work to do, these reports won't evaluate themselves." Tayla said sharply.
"So that's one no." He grumbled, Kat could hear the rumble in his chest – he was actually trying not to laugh.
"I hate to say it, lover, but I'm with Tayla. This is the best situation to get work done, and the defenses here are sound." She also liked that there was medical attention handy, feral pregnancies didn't always go smoothly.
"Runt?"
"This is my home – you think I want ta take off, when my kids might need me?"
"Guess that's four no's – we stay – and Erik better watch his back." Victor said fiercely.
XXXXXXXX
He left them working in the lab. Tayla and Kat both tended to use work to control things, he knew his Kitten would be curled up on his chest tonight, crying her eyes out again, but for now, she was back in control. Logan stayed with them – while he went to get something to eat. They didn't know when or how things would go down, and he wanted to make sure both women were eating.
He was scowling when he walked into the kitchen – scaring three of the younger students into running out the door. He was going to have to talk to Xavier about this whole BoogieMan thing. He hated what Tayla's dad had done, and being on the receiving end wasn't much fun either. Speaking of Al, he pulled his phone out of his pocket, he had a few things to say to his old 'friend.'
"Judge Jackson's office."
"It's Creed. Put me through." He snarled. The clerk didn't even pause.
"Judge Jackson."
"Al."
"Victor, how's Tayla?"
"NOT good – no thanks ta you. We nearly lost her."
"What do you mean – no thanks to me?"
"You are such an ass. With everything going on, you couldn't look past your own damned issues and realize your daughter is HURTING – that she MIGHT need her Daddy. NO you have to throw her away – AGAIN – and the baby she very much wants."
"Is HE really the father?" Al asked, Victor could hear the tension in his voice.
"Logan – yeah."
"Damn – what happened? Did he hurt my baby?"
"He's her mate – it would hurt him as much or more to hurt her, you idiot." Victor snarled.
"I can't accept this – the man nearly killed me."
"Al – do you even KNOW what you were guarding that night?"
"Some shipment that was going out the next morning, we were put on the gate, told not to let anyone in or out until morning."
"Didn't that seem a little odd to you – not let anyone in or OUT!" Victor hissed.
"Yeah – a little – GOD Vic that was so long ago."
"That night has screwed so many things up – believe me, I am almost regretting saving your ass that night."
"WHAT!"
"It was a shipment of KIDS, AL! KIDS – kidnapped, being sold into slavery, Logan was there to RESCUE them, you dumb ass. You NEVER once, not ONCE questioned why he did it, or what could have caused him to be there, even after all the things you heard about him later, never ONCE thought he MIGHT have had a reason – and that you were fuckin lucky ta be alive. You KNOW just how much I hate that bastard – and I have to defend his ass to your daughter – and I DON'T LIKE IT, AL!"
"I didn't know – but he still – maybe…" He could almost hear the gears trying to spin in the other man's head. Al was smart – but dumb as dirt where his own fears came into play.
"I'm just givin' ya a heads up. He's the father of your grandkid – ya better get used ta the idea, or you will lose them both, because Logan ain't givin up his rights – and Tayla's startin ta get used ta him – so you WILL see him again." Victor slammed the phone shut. Let him chew on that a bit. He heard a noise behind him and turned, expecting Kitten.
"Wow – you really gave my dad hell." Tayla said.
"How long were you standin' there?"
"Long enough, when did you find out – what Logan was doing there that night?"
"Right after I dragged his ass here – we were talkin' and it triggered a memory."
"Oh." She walked to the refrigerator and grabbed a soda.
"Ain't that bad for the baby?"
"SHUT up!" She grumbled.
"Bringin' lunch down – anything in particular?"
"If there's any leftover potroast heat it up for me would you, Kat and I have Logan going over reports – and there's another stack for you when you get back." He groaned. It had to be done – and they recruited him nine times out of ten, but he hated sitting there looking at genetic percentages trying to find matches, he ended up cross eyed – and cranky.
"Kat owes me." He grumbled.
XXXXXXXX
She stopped in the hallway. She could hear Kat and Logan talking, but needed time to digest what she'd heard in the kitchen. She slipped into Hank's office instead.
"Are you alright?" The blue mutant said.
"Yeah – just need some space, I'll go someplace else."
"No – you stay here, I'll vacate, I require repast anyway."
"Victor's warming leftovers upstairs."
"Perfect." He gave her his warm smile, and slipped out the door.
She sat in one of the chairs. KIDS! It had all been to rescue some kids. She would like to think that her father hadn't known; but she knew him better than that, it wouldn't have mattered, he still would have been there, still would have taken the job, still would have gone head to head with Wolverine. Her father had a greedy streak a mile wide, and he would have done it for the money. Would it have made a difference in how she'd grown up? She didn't know, but it made a difference now. She wanted to scream – to tell her father exactly what she thought of him. She wanted to – she didn't know what she wanted. Her body was wound up tight, and she needed some kind of outlet.
"Here you are – you are SUPPOSED to be with Kat." Logan said from the door. "Creed's back with food."
"I'll be there – I just needed a moment."
"Tayla, I'm sorry. You just needed someone – I promise ta keep my distance. I shouldn't have…"
"What are you talking about?"
"Back there – the umm – well it won't happen again." He was leaning against the frame, but his body was tense.
"I still don't know what you are talking about."
"In your lab – I shoulda kept my hands ta myself." He was actually blushing.
"Oh…no, I'm fine with that – this is something else."
"What?"
"Nothing – I don't want to talk about it. We need to get back to work."
"Is that your answer for everything?" He said, relaxing against the doorframe.
"What?"
"Work."
"Pretty much."
"Come on – you need a break."
"I don't have time for a…" He walked across the room and grabbed her arm. "Let go!"
"Nope. You are going for a walk – a swim – something to get the hell out of that lab, get some exercise, and get your mind off WORK!"
"And how do you propose I do that? The Brotherhood is trying to kidnap me, so a walk on the grounds is out, the pool is in use at the moment, and I don't think Xavier would appreciate me running his students out to relieve my tension,"
"There's always the Danger Room."
"The what?"
"Come on – I'll show ya."
He didn't let go of her arm, but she was curious enough to go with him anyway. What was this Danger Room? He led her to a small room full of computers and a large window into another large room, about the size of an aircraft hanger. The walls were painted a greenish gray, and there were small devices every two feet or so all around the room, even under a transparent plastisteel floor.
"What is this?"
"Danger Room – let me see what I have in here that I can modify for ya." He muttered as he sat at one of the control stations and keyed in a password.
"Do you like hiking?"
"Yeah – why?"
"Just answer the questions – why will be explained." He grumbled, and she smiled. She was becoming more relaxed around him, and even was finding his moodiness amusing these days. "Mountains okay?"
"I was born and raised in Colorado – what do YOU think?"
"I'll take that for a yes – safety level one, don't want ya gettin' hurt – no opponents – thirty minutes should be a nice hike – and let ya get away for a bit." She just shook her head and he pointed to a door that lead into the other room.
"Go in there, as soon as you are in – I'll start the program. I'll stay up here, keep an eye on ya, so you don't have ta worry about me." He said sharply. She opened the door and climbed down the ladder into the larger room.
"Okay – starting the program – I'll go get lunch and let Creed and Kat know what we are doin', be right back." His voice said over an intercom. She glanced up at the window, but it was replaced by a clear blue sky. She looked around – the little devices had to be hologram emitters – she was standing in the middle of a mountain meadow, a rough path taking off into the woods nearby. The remains of a camp fire were on the ground in front of her – the only thing missing was smell – she could even hear birds singing.
She couldn't help it – she grinned and walked across the meadow. There was a sharp drop which gave her a wonderful view down the mountain to a lake – a ruined dam the only sign of human hands on the landscape. It was stunning. She just sat on a rock and relaxed, enjoying the view. Her entire body started to relax, and then she heard his voice.
"Do you want me to bring your lunch in – or wait till you are done?" He asked over the intercom.
"Bring it in – I'm hungry." She said. She heard the door, and his footsteps, and then he was walking across the meadow – two plates in his hands, her soda she'd left in Hank's office balanced precariously on one of them.
"Here ya go – I'll eat mine in the control room." He said as he sat hers down on a rock and turned to leave.
"Wait – don't, I don't mind." She said.
"I don't want to upset you, Tayla. It's better if I stay away."
"Please." She watched the play of emotions across his face, doubt, concern, a brief flicker of hope that quickly died. She smiled, wanting to see that flicker again, but his face was guarded again.
"Logan – I heard Victor talking to my father – I heard him telling him about what happened – why you were there that night – and, well I'm ready to kill my father AGAIN for being an ass." She grumbled.
"I don't want to talk about it. It's not one of my best moments and – well now ya know – so we can just forget about it.
"I can't – that night has defined my entire life – and it was based on – well maybe not a lie, but a huge mistake my father made. He NEVER should have taken that job – never should have – I don't know. Maybe you should have killed him, Victor was saying he regretted saving him."
"NO! Then you wouldn't be here." He said simply.
"I hadn't thought of that." She smiled.
"Tayla – you can't base your life on what happened to your father. This thing we are stuck with – I know you regret it – hate it, and I can't blame you, but it's the way things worked out. I don't know what you want from me, and I am tryin' ta stay out of your way – and frankly I am not looking forward to playing twenty four seven guard duty – so the less we have ta deal with each other, maybe the better." He was picking at the food on his plate.
"Logan – I think maybe this might be a good thing – I am going to HAVE to put up with you." He choked on the bite he was chewing, and she chuckled a little. "And, maybe, if I can put up with you – it will get easier, and then I won't just be putting up with you."
"Put up with me. Right." He muttered, and then looked at her. "You are TEASING me?"
"Yeah." He just looked at her in shock a moment, before a smile fluttered across his face, gone almost as quickly as it came. She would have missed it if she hadn't been watching.
"I ain't sure I can get used ta this."
"I know – and I'm sorry. I won't do it again."
"NO! I meant that in a good way. God, Tayla any kind of normal interaction between us is progress. Please – give me time ta adjust, that's all I'm sayin." He said, his voice strained.
"Okay. I want things more relaxed between us – too. It will be better for the baby, in the long run, if we can at least stand being in the same room." He just nodded, and concentrated on his lunch. They finished eating in silence, just as a female voice said "Simulation Terminated, and the meadow dissolved into the big room again.
"Good timin." He said as he gathered up the plates. He piled them on top of each other and reached a hand out to help her stand up. She took it without thinking and he pulled a little too hard and she ended up pressed against his chest. He looked down at her, and with a slight moan leaned down and kissed her.
She froze. He wasn't being rough, his free hand slipped around her waist, supporting her, and while the kiss was demanding – it wasn't forceful. Her body gave her brain a kick – and took over. She was still trying to analyze everything – but her arms slipped around his neck and she leaned into him, her mouth opening under his, giving him the access he wanted. He groaned against her lips as he pulled back.
"Not a good idea." He said softly.
"What?"
"Uhhh – that wasn't a good idea."
"Why?"
"Darlin' if ya have ta ask – we have bigger problems than your father's horror stories." He smiled. She could feel his reaction to the kiss between them, and blushed.
"Oh."
"Yeah."
"Sorry."
"No, I'm sorry." He said.
"WOULD YOU BOTH QUIT WITH THE I'M SORRY'S ALREADY!" Victor shouted over the intercom. She laughed, and so did Logan.
"I need ta get these dishes to the kitchen."
"I need to get back to work."
They said it at the same time, and she felt his hand slip reluctantly away from her waist. It was her own reluctance that surprised her. She hadn't wanted that kiss to end.
XXXXXXXX
Walking out of that room was the hardest thing he'd done in a while. She tasted so damned good. She hadn't bolted, hadn't even said NO, just kissed him back, he'd been afraid at first, she'd stiffened up, but then – He knew sleeping wasn't going to be easy tonight, and another cold shower was definitely on the agenda.
"I'd call THAT progress." Creed said as he walked down the corridor. The big man was leaning on the wall, a huge grin across his face.
"Shut up." He muttered.
The kitchen was deserted when he carried the plates in, something he was grateful for, since his erection was just a little obvious at the moment. He wondered if he had time for that shower before going back down to the lab. He didn't know why they called it a lab – it was an office for crying out loud. He leaned on the counter with a sigh, willing his blood to run anywhere but to his groin.
"Logan." He moaned. It was Kitty
"Hey Half Pint. You done with the mission already?"
"Yeah – wanted to let them know in person everything is alright." Alarm bells were going off in his head. He hadn't heard the Blackbird come back.
"I think they are in the library." He said, and watched the fake walk that way. This one wasn't as good as Mystique; it couldn't disguise its scent. He dashed down the emergency stairs; there was no way in HELL he was letting that thing near his mate and child.
"Creed – we got trouble. A metamorph – not as good as BlueButt is here – looked like…" The lab was deserted. "SHIT!" He took a test scent. Just the three of them, he followed it down the hall to the elevator, they'd gone up.
He grabbed the emergency ladder and climbed as fast as he could. He needed to stop them – warn them. They'd gone upstairs, and he could smell the metamorph back towards the kitchen again. He dashed up the stairs and found them in Creed's room.
"Metamorph. Looks like Kitty at the moment."
"Shit."
"Not as good as Myst – can smell it." He said shortly to Creed.
"Okay – you two stay here."
Logan, we are on it. The Blackbird is on the way back with the survivors, keep Kat and Tayla there.
He passed on the message, and Creed locked the door and leaned against it. Both women just looked at them, annoyance on both their faces.
"You do KNOW our factors are back to normal – and we aren't helpless, right?" Kat said finally.
"SHUT THE FUCK UP KITTEN!" Creed snarled at his wife. "You ain't riskin my cub when I can take care of ya."
Logan wisely decided to keep his mouth shut. Tayla just glared at him, and he gestured to the door as if to say 'if you can move him, it's all yours.' She just switched the glare to Victor, but it had a about as much effect as glaring at a stone. The big man just stood there, arms crossed across his chest. Logan took a stance near the window, just to be sure.
XXXXXXX
Someone was trying to get his mate – his MATE. She'd accepted him. He didn't know what caused it – didn't care, but she wasn't afraid anymore. Angry – sometimes – but not afraid, now he just had to protect them both – her and the child, no one was taking what was his.