In the heart of Eastern Europe, the abandoned village of Vorstok stood in eerie silence, its buildings and overgrown streets bearing witness to a new age. The once bustling community was now a ghost town, shrouded in mystery and fear. It was to this desolate place that Wolverine and I had come, following rumors of strange happenings and disappearances of villagers. The last report was three weeks ago, and all word of the villagers had disappeared as a whole.
I was young... naïve, so it wasn't a surprise that my eyes sparkled with curiosity as we surveyed the decrepit village, my mutant power crackling with energy. Wolverine, ever vigilant and wary, scanned our surroundings with keen senses honed by years of experience. The two of us made an odd pair, but even to this day I trust him more than anything, and anyone.
As we delved deeper into the heart of Vorstok, my excitement turned to unease. The air grew thick with a sense of foreboding, and the shadows seemed to dance in the corners of my vision. At the time, I could tell that even Wolverine sensed it, his senses tingling with danger.
Suddenly, without warning, I was grabbed from behind, my vision becoming a blur and the sounds of my screams were muffled as I was slammed into the ground and beaten to a bloody pulp against the sands of a lake. From what we had observed earlier, the closest lake was miles away from the village, and it wasn't even a second later that I had found myself here.
Punch after punch, blood splatter after blood splatter, my strength left my body. I didn't want this, this isn't what I wanted... I didn't want to die like this. "Enough." A commanding voice ordered. Opening one eye, that was all that I could muster as the other had already swelled up, my lips, cheek and jaw much worse than anyone could imagine. It would have taken Wolverine a few hours to heal from this.
The one who spoke was pale, wore a black robe that had two gold belts around his stomach and waist. He also had a gold cloth that went around his shoulders and top of his chest. He had two gold are guards and black gloves, with pretty much everything else about him being gold, including his golden blonde hair. The thing that caught my attention over all were his bright red eyes.
"Bring her, I like the smell of her blood." He said, where the person on top of me got up, then stomped on my face, knocking me out. So, time passed, and I found myself gagged and tied, placed over the shoulder of what looked to be a giant troll of sorts. Getting placed on the ground, I was turned to face the waters. I could see that we were now on the other side of the lake, and Wolverine was rowing himself across.
The water rippled with an ominous energy, reflecting the late morning light like a mirror tainted with shadows. My keen senses told me that something sinister lurked beneath the surface, but i couldn't be sure of it.
Suddenly, the water beneath him churned and frothed, a massive shape rising from the depths with a deafening roar. "The Leviathan, a monstrous creature of legend and nightmares." The man with red eyes said, with me knowing the stories. It towered over Wolverine, with rows of jagged teeth and eyes that burned with primal fury. Its sheer size and power were awe-inspiring.
With a feral snarl, Wolverine leapt into action, his claws gleaming in the dim light as he faced off against the Leviathan in a battle of titans. The creature lunged at him with savage intent, its massive jaws snapping shut just inches from his face. Wolverine dodged and weaved, striking back with lethal precision as he sought to find a weakness in the beast's formidable defenses.
The fight was brutal and unforgiving, each blow shaking the very water around them as they clashed in a primal dance of predator and prey. Wolverine's adamantium claws sliced through the Leviathan's thick hide, drawing dark ichor that stained the lake a deep crimson. The creature roared in pain and fury, its massive form thrashing in a desperate bid to overpower its foe.
But Wolverine was relentless, his will as unyielding as his claws. With a final, savage strike, he plunged his claws deep into the Leviathan's heart, ending its reign of terror with a guttural roar that echoed across the water. The creature shuddered and fell, its lifeless form sinking back into the depths from whence it came.
Breathing heavily, Wolverine wiped the blood from his claws and surveyed the still waters around him, the silence broken only by the gentle lapping of waves against the boat.
"What a fascinating sight, the death of the Leviathan. I can't wait to have his healing power for my own.Then and only then, will we be able to roam the light." He said as he grabbed me by my hair and dragged me along.
Later
Getting placed on a hook, I screamed as it tore through flesh and bone. Getting pulled up, I looked down at the ground as my blood was to fill a bucket. They were going to drain me of my blood, kill me. "My father would have done this the old fashioned way. Seduce you, trick you, lure you away, and then devour you as a whole. You would have joined his ranks as a mindless one." The man said, with me looking at him from above. I was ten feet off the ground, and he was looking up at me with satisfaction.
"Who are you?" I questioned, though it was weak and barely a whisper. I was going to die here, and if that was the case then I knew that Wolverine would save me, or avenge me. If he didn't do it now, then he would come back with the others, and they would kill this monster that stood before me.
"Where are my manners, Xarus, son of Dracula." He said as he held his hand up and caught some of my blood and locked it off of his fingers. "Jubilee? An interesting name." He said, shocking me that he knew who I was. "Logan will be here shortly." He said as he turned to face the door, with Logan jumping through, stabbing what looked like a werewolf in the head, then severed it.
"JUBILEE!?" He yelled, looking at me in horror. His uniform was nothing more than shorts now, clear sign that he had fought long and hard to get here. Rage flared within Wolverine as he witnessed my violation, his claws extending with a menacing *snikt*. With a primal roar, he lunged at Xarus, the two beings locked in a deadly dance of predator and prey. Xarus vampiric powers clashed with Wolverine's feral ferocity as they fought with unmatched intensity.
Meanwhile, I stirred, my eyes snapping open as I felt the chilling touch of undeath creeping through my veins. With a gasp of horror, I realized the nightmare that was unfolding before me. Xarus had turned me, planned on using me to fight Wolverine! My newfound vampiric instincts clashed with my human spirit, and a battle raged within me as I fought against the transformation that threatened to consume me.
As Wolverine and Xarus clashed, their blows echoing through the night, my struggle intensified. Breaking free from my hook, healed in seconds, I turned on Wolverine, my fangs bared and eyes filled with a hunger that chilled him to the core. Wolverine dodged my attacks with practiced ease, refusing to harm me even as I fell deeper under the vampire's thrall.
Just as the situation seemed dire, a mournful bell tolled in the distance, its haunting sound cutting through the chaos like a clarion call. The vampires, drawn by the ancient magic of the bell, retreated into the shadows, leaving Wolverine and I alone in the castle.
"I would love to stay and continue the fight, Wolverine, but some other time. For now, I must take care of another pesky Vampire lady who has declared war on my kingdom!" Xarus said, gave a false salute and vanished in a swarm of bats.
"Jubilee, get ahold of yourself!?" Wolverine called out as he tried to reason with me, to break through the haze of my vampiric instincts, to reach the friend he knew still resided within me. Our eyes locked in a moment of silent understanding, a bond of trust and loyalty that transcended the darkness that threatened to tear them apart.
But as the bell continued to toll, my struggle intensified, my willpower weakening against the sirensong of the night. With a pained cry, I turned and fled into the darkness, leaving Wolverine alone in the clearing, his heart heavy with sorrow and regret.
Now
The rain in Tokyo fell like a curtain of tears, drenching the city in a melancholy that mirrored my heart. I clung to Dakota for dear life, being able to touch his skin for the first time. Anything that touches his skin dies, though there are exceptions to that rule. If you have a similar power to his, much like Rogue does, then it cancels out his effect and yours. The second and last, is if you are already dead, and that was me. This was the final nail in the coffin, my once bright and lively eyes now held a dark, haunted look, a reflection of the curse that had befallen me. I had been turned into a vampire, and the very essence of who I was had been twisted into something unrecognizable.
I don't know who the girl is, but she brought me to an old friend, Dakota. He proved to me that I was dead, and I was wearing only a blanket or curtain that covered my body. "Dakota." I whispered, my voice barely audible. My eyes shone with unshed tears as I pulled from him. He looked down at me, his dark eyes meeting mine, and a flicker of sadness crossed his face.
"Jubilee?" he murmured, his voice tinged with disbelief and concern. He hadn't seen me in a long time, but he was still kind to me, even if he smelled of blood.
Biting my lip, I tried to keep from crying. "I need your help." I said as I closed my eyes shut tight. As the words spilled from my lips, I recounted the horror of my transformation, the loss of my humanity, and the hunger that gnawed at my soul. I spoke of the darkness that had taken root within me, a darkness that I couldn't escape. "I can't live like this..." I sobbed, my hands trembling. "I need you to end it. End me." I cried, wanting to die as this isn't the life I wanted.
Dakota's heart ached for me, I both felt and heard it. He had seen many things in his life, but the sight of me, so broken and defeated, was almost too much for him to bear. He reached out, hesitating for a moment before his fingers brushed against my cheek. I flinched, expecting the searing pain of his deadly touch, but remembered that it doesn't work on me.
He pulled his hand back, confusion etched on his face. "Jubilee, you're already dead. My powers have no effect on you." He said in a hushed tone, almost a whisper.
I stared at him, tears streaming down my face. "What do I do? How do I live like this?" I questioned as I didn't want to live this way.
Dakota's mind raced as he considered their options. We were in Japan, a dangerous place for someone like her. He knew I needed help,but he couldn't help.
"Doctor Strange," he said firmly. "He might be able to help you. I think he's dealt with things like this before." He said, my eyes widened as there was hope. I don't know who this Strange is, but he was a doctor apparently.
She looked at him, a glimmer of hope appearing in her eyes. "But... how do I get to him?"
"For now, it's about getting her out of the city." The woman said, with us looking at her. "You're a target here. We'll get you back to the States. From there, I can take you to Doctor Strange." She said, with me looking at Dakota.
"So you know him?" He asked, with the woman nodding. He looked at me, then gave me a small, reassuring smile. "We'll get through this, Jubilee." He said as he rubbed my head.
Suddenly, the woman's phone went off. She answered it, followed by her holding the phone away from her ear as it sounded like screaming. "He is onto us, so we better go." She said as she broke her phone. "My safe houses are a no go, any ideas?" She asked, with Dakota nodding.
Later
Getting pushed into an alley, a vampire hit where we just were, Elektra jumped at it and they both vanished in smoke. Getting pushed against the wall, Dakota, dawned in a white mask and a black coat, held his hand up, lightning sparked off of it. He moved around the corner and threw his hand out, with me hearing another explosion go off. "Let's move!" He said, grabbing my arm and dragging me with him.
"Return the girl, Reaper!?" I heard Xarus yell, with me looking behind and seeing the shadows moving towards us.
"Behind!" I yelled, with Dakota wrapping his coat around me. The next thing I knew, it became too bright to see, and it burned, like I was in sunlight. I held my scream in as I covered my eyes the best I could, but I could hear others screaming. Once I was picked up, I was carried over his shoulder, with me feeling the wind in my hair.
Opening my eyes, I saw his wings were out, and Xarus was behind us, his hand extended towards us. "I COMMAND YOU, RETURN TO YOUR MASTER!?" He yelled, with my eyes widening. I went to hit Dakota, but he tossed me further up.
"So, that's how it is." He said as he dove down and tackled Xarus, with both of them flying towards the ground as they fought. I fell, screaming as I was going to hit the ground from god knows how high up we were. Then I realized something, my back was still wrapped in his coat. I could see light coming from behind, as well as Xarus screams. Once the light was gone, I put the coat on and turned around, seeing ash fly past, as well as Xarus clothes.
The next thing I knew, I was caught, held bridal style. Looking at Dakota, he flew towards the top of the building. Once there, he sat me down and led me over to a S.H.I.E.L.D jet of sorts. I don't know if it was from S.H.I.E.L.D or not, but the blonde man standing next to it said otherwise.
"Quin." Dakota said as he walked me over to the man.
"Reaper, this the package?" He asked, with Dakota nodding. "Jubilee, I'm known as Quin, I'm here to take you to New York, I was also instructed to bring blood packets for your trip." He said as he held his hand out to the back. "The door to the back is sealed shut, it will be morning when we arrive, so I will keep watch over you until night time." He said as he walked me over, with me looking at Dakota as we walked over to the edge and then jumped off.
"Wait, what about him?" I asked as I ran over to the edge of the roof, with me looking for any sign of Dakota, but found nothing. "He's... different from what I remember." I said as I placed my hand over my heart. "He always hated the thought of killing, but... Now he doesn't think twice about it. His heart was as still as when I had spoken to him earlier." I said, frowning.
"From what I know." Quin said, with me looking at him. "After the X-Men disbanded after Charles Xavier and Jean Grey passed, he and Rogue moved in together, and she left him for another guy named Gambit. Whatever happened, hurt him so much that he threw himself into a world of killing. Punishing himself, to become a weapon so he doesn't have to feel again. At least... That's what I think." He said as he started walking me over to the jet.
'Rogue... What did you do? You hurt him again... Only... This time he might not be able to do back to who he was.' I thought, looking back at the edge as I was lead away, wanting to know more.
The next night
Seeing the door open, I stepped out and stretched my arms. Seeing Kitty, I was shocked to see her of all people. "Jubb's..." She said, using her nickname for me with a sad tone. I held my arm, looking away from her as I didn't want to be seen like this from the others.
"This is Jubilee?" A second voice said, with me looking at the other girl who was here, a teen by the looks of things, her dirty blonde hair tied to the side pony tail. "I was expecting... Pure pale skin and red eyes and super sharp teeth!" She said as she held her hands out to me.
"Quiet, Laura!" Kitty said, pinching her ear, with said girl flinching in pain. "Don't mind her, she's... Unique, like you." She said, confusing me on what she was talking about.
"So... Who's the shrimp?" I asked, crossing my arms. Then I smelt it, no, him. Walking up to the girl, I got in front of her and sniffed her hair. "You smell... Like Dakota? Weird." I said as I rubbed my chin in thought.
"Younger sister brought back from the grave, hi!" She said as she held her hand up to my face, with me looking at it and then Kitty.
"She for real?" I asked, staring her down.
"The real deal. Death brought her back, that is our guess, for what we don't know. We do know she can see spirits, confirmed that Jean is still alive." Kitty explained as Laura still had her hand out to me. "Anyways, you're here for Doctor Strange?" Kitty asked, with me looking at her as she now had my attention. "The process is... permanent, sorry." Kitty said, where I crossed my arms.
"How did you know that?" I asked, with her looking away from me.
"The New Mutants, they came across a similar situation, with vampires a few months back. Took him to see Strange, and when he learned he couldn't be human again, he tried killing them." Kitty said as she turned to look at me. "That doesn't mean that I'm not going to take you back, I want you back." She said, with me shoving her away, and Laura getting between us.
"Let's calm down!" Laura said, with me pointing at Kitty.
"The X-Men are gone!? I heard what happened, they failed, he failed, Charles failed!" I yelled, narrowing my eyes at her. "They won't accept us, let alone me! I'm not human, I'm not a mutant, I'm a god damn monster!?" I yelled at her, with Kitty standing tall.
"You think you're the only one?" She asked, catching me off guard. "You are the perfect person for MY team!" She said as she placed her hands on Laura's shoulder and moved her out of the way. "I'm not going to revive the X-Men, that is someone else's job. No, I'm making a new team, one you are more than welcome to join. I'm calling it, the X-Force." She said as a portal opened up, with a white woman with a black circle around her eye and black hair, Cannonball, Colossus, Psylocke, an Indian with knives, Boom Boom, Sunspot, and X-23 stepping through, standing before me, with Kitty crossing her arms.
"Everyone here is an outcast in their own right, more so than other mutants." Laura said as she placed her hands behind her back. "This team is made to take down a group of powerful mutants who have been working from the shadows." She said, her eyes narrowed. "We're taking on the Hellfire Club."