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From One Book to Another:

Chapter Five:

Perseph-Anna-Marie sat on the jungle floor, an elegant green toga adorned her body, her long hair pinned up with ornate gold pins and a matching green piece of cloth was wrapped around her forehead, helping to hold her locks into place.

She blinked. Wait, was that really her name? She thought it was Rogue…

Something flickered in the corner of her eye, distracting her. 'Perseph-Anna-Marie, rolls off the tongue, does it not?' a voice snickered in her mind. 'Your mother begs your attention, my little Goddess.'

She blinked again before she realized she needed to adjust her position. She crossed her legs at the ankle, and placed her hands delicately on her knees. That was better. Now, she was the picture of perfection. The ideal example of grace for the younger tree nymphs who surrounded her, attended to her as she fulfilled her duties as a minor goddess under her mother's auspices. The breeze was lovely, colder than expected at this time of year, but it was a welcomed chill given the workload ahead.

"The harvest is almost upon us," her mother announced to all and sundry. She was standing in front of the group, adorned in a light blue toga that complimented the darker blue hue of her skin, with a fiercely pointed pike in her hand, as she did every year for as long as Perseph-Anna-Marie could recall. "There is much work to be done," she declared, thrust the pike into the ground, like she was readying to rally a band of soldiers for battle, rather than a group of wood nymphs to collect vegetables.

"Yes, ma'am," Perseph-Anna-Marie chanted along with the group, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. But only just. Briefly she met the sympathetic eye of Carol, one of the oldest tree nymphs in the coterie. Karol was older than her actually; of Perseph-Anna-Marie's earliest memories, she could recall Karol watching over her. Her long blond hair, striking black toga with yellow accents and red slash were a marvel to behold. It bespoke Carol's abilities, strong and swift like summer rains; bringing crops to the faithful, and destruction of the harvest to the ones who merited such attention. But the two had a similar spirit, and were often found in the other's company. Both of them managed to keep a straight face as their eyes parted and they listened to her mother.

Yes, feeding the mortals was important, but their crops had been plentiful for a well over twenty years. It was thanks to her mother's ardent focus on easing the mortal's passage that they could give thanks to such a bounty. Another early memory, Perseph-Anna-Marie was barely walking before she'd begun pulling carrots up by their roots. Yet, at this point in her apparently endless life, she almost wondered why her mother made such a show of it each year. She considered the thought, it helped to consume the amount of time she felt she wasted by doing her part, which sometimes felt like she was doing nothing at all. Why did everyone consider her to have such a passive gift?

And thus, she was currently putting on a show of her own. Sitting at attention, reacting with prompted to. Her mother was going on about how best to extract various crops from the ground. She wanted to scoff; these were lessons she heard hundreds of times before. Letting her mind drift, she focused on seeming engaged, as opposed to actually listening. Though she would have to tune in, shortly once her mother pointed her pike to the assortment of wooden baskets they'd spent the last three weeks weaving by hand.

Until then, she could relax, allow her mind to wander as she glanced past her mother. Eyes slightly unfocused as she allowed herself to consider weightier options than optimal harvest at this phase of the moon. Thanks to her lack of diligence it was then that she saw a shadow moving independently, oddly, off in the distance.

'Huh?' she asked herself, the shadow was far larger than she'd expected and it seemed to be moving fast as well. 'What is that?' she asked before her gaze snapped back to her mother when she saw her lift her pike.

"I want all of these baskets filled before day's end!" Mystique bellowed.

"Yes, ma'am," she chanted in crisp unison with the group.

Mystique's stein gaze passed over the group, lingering on her, before she said, "Dismissed." She rose to her feet, brushing off her toga, as she smiled encouragingly at the cluster of girls around her. For some, it was their first harvest and as redundant as felt her mother's speech was, once she was out in fields with her charges, she would rise to the gave her nod, as if the same thought had just crossed her mind.

"Perseph-Anna-Marie, a word," a guarded voice called out from behind her. She shared a final smile with Carol's, whose eyes flared before she turned to face her mother.

"Yes, Momma," she answered, bracing herself for whatever criticism the Goddess of Agriculture would hurl her way, wondering if she'd been caught afterall.

"You must be vigilant in your watch," she said.

"Ain't I always?" she asked indignantly, placing her hand on her hip. She blinked as her mother fixed her, not with an incredulous look as she might have expected, but instead her gaze was tempered, frightened almost. "Momma, what is it?" she asked, dropping her defensive stance, placing her hand on the other woman's shoulder.

"There are whispers of… Lord Magnus, he's resurfaced from the underworld," she replied. Perseph-Anna-Marie's concern grew as she watched a shutter run down her mother's spine.

"Why?" she asked, curiously.

"We don't know," she answered bitterly as she drove the pike into the ground, this time, leaving it where she stuck, her hand now free. "His armor was seen, in passing, but he was seen. Be wary of shadows; in them he thrives," she said.

"Momma, in a jungle?" she asked in disbelief, her arm dropping off her mother's shoulder, wondering if she should mention- "Where I dance among the trees-"

"I know, I know," Mystique said, placing both hands on her arms, just below her shoulders, and gripping her tightly. "Please be careful. If anything were to happen to you…" she said, her voice trailing off, her eyes unfocused, as if she couldn't stand entertaining the notion for even a moment.

"I love ya too, Momma," she said as she took a step forward and pulled her mother into a hug.

Later that morning, Perseph-Anna-Marie wiped her brow, the back of her hand now covered in sweat, a result of the laborious morning they've had thus far. She was kneeling on the ground extracting garlic bulbs from the dirt, her current basket filled to the brim as she felt the need to stand. Water. She was so thirsty, and none of the harvest she found would quench her need. Water was needed. Taking her basket in hand, she brought it over to the collection of other baskets already filled that morning, and deposited it before setting out to find a brook.

The walk wasn't long. Water was always close to their crops, their clever forgemaker had figured out more efficient ways to harvest what they needed. And so following the lines in the land, she quickly found herself by a vast body of water, and waterfall. Absolutely drenched in sweat, she felt that urge to jump straight in, but knowing she needed to set an example for her charges, she refrained, instead kneeling down next to the flowing water, she kept her hands and took a generous sip of the crisp clean liquid.

She blinked as she saw something flying over the water, a shadow? She jumped to her feet and looked around desperately. Then she saw it, she saw the shadow pass over the top of the water and further into the trees of the jungle.

Taking off like a startled deer, she took deeper to the forest on silent feet that knew where to place themselves. She barely acknowledged this decision consciously. Rather recklessly, she was chasing after it, if only to ensure it didn't go near her charges. She was running now, away from the others and deeper into the trees, giving chase to the shadow, or to perhaps lead it from further prey.

It was essential to keep her mother's garden safe. It was the place where all the prayers for a good harvest were stored. Their action of harvesting stood in for the harvest of all on mortal earth. If their work were interrupted-

She wouldn't let it. She wouldn't let it! Pouring on the speed, she continued into the woods, chasing the invisible, relying on instinct as familiar forest gave way to an older unknown grove.

Running. Further. Deeper. Away.

She passed a section of trees, coming to a clearing where the bright sun beamed down from above and-

She stopped. Dead in her tracks. There were no shadows to be seen in this clearing. Only a man, whose back was turned to her.

And she'd seen so few of those, as guarded as her mother was all her life. She was nearly thirty; well into adulthood for a mortal; still considered young compared to the other gods and goddesses who had centuries under their belts. She was practically a child gazing into the infinite maw. Even with the idea of infinite possibility, she had never considered this.

This man was a sight to behold, a full head of silver locks, a tall, lean muscular body that was well on display as it was covered merely with a loin cloth. His head was turning in careful watch, and before he could spot her, she scrambled back, hiding behind a tree.

He hadn't seen her. At least, she hoped he hadn't. The man was basking in the sunlight.

This couldn't be the Shadow King her mother had warned her about, could it? But if it was, she should probably keep an eye on him, right?

She peeked her head out, and saw his back was turned, he was glancing in another direction. He was merely standing there, with the confidence, grace and presence of a god, surveying the forest in front of him on the other side of the clearing. He was waiting patiently, himself. For something? For what? Whom? She couldn't know.

She should definitely keep watching him, just in case. Maybe if he took off, his loincloth would move and she would see his-

She was so overheated again, just from the short run. If she wasn't worried about losing her mark, she'd run back to the waterfall and refresh herself. The man could likely use some water too. Sweat was forming on his upper back muscles and she felt her breath caught in her throat as she watched the drops of perspiration run down his chiseled physique.

He looked ready to pounce, tension in his muscles, body ready to launch itself forward. She took a breath, readying herself to give chase. Whoever this sculpture of humanoid form was, he wasn't leaving her sight.

Perseph-Anna-Marie stifled a yawn as she stood behind the tree. It had been an hour, maybe more? An hour of staring at the man, waiting for him to move, to make a single move. To strike forward, or notice her behind. But nothing, like marble he stayed still and-

'Oh, please don't tell me, my fool head imagined his movin', and I've been staring at a statue this whole time,' she thought, irritated with herself as she finally ventured out from behind the tree, walking into the clearing and up to the statue of a man. His head swiftly turned in her direction and she swallowed a deep breath as a face as beautiful as the body it was attached to met her gaze.

His hand grasped her wrist, and drew it up a bit as he asked, "What are you doing?" His voice, so deep, so commanding, was sharp, almost as if he wasn't truly seeing her.

"You're hurting me," she responded, not knowing what else to say. His eyes refocused and he seemed to finally see her; his grip loosened. But he didn't release her. His skin was warm against hers, pleasantly so.

"Good afternoon, my goddess," he said, his tone hushed as drew her in to stand, very very close to him.

"Good afternoon, good sir," she managed, not knowing how to address him, choosing a benign yet respectful greeting. Her cheeks felt hot again, the effect from standing so close to him. "What do you seek?" she asked. Her query was met with the arching of his brow and a slight smile upon his lips.

"A shadow," he answered, leaning his head down, closer to hers. "What do you seek?" he asked, his tone having an air of amusement in it.

"Don't know," she muttered breathlessly as she leaned closer to him, standing on her toes to-

"I think you do," he said as his other hand cupped her cheek.

She gasped in anticipation as his lips closed the distance and he kissed her. Her eyes shut instantly and she leaned into him, resting her free hand on his chest. His tongue sought entry into her mouth, and she gladly allowed it, moaning slightly as she ran her hand up and down his chest, feeling each muscle she admired from afar just moments before.

His hand moved from her cheek to her hip as he took a few steps backwards. She felt her feet shuffling beneath her, trying to keep pace when with a single hand on her hip, her body was lifted. Before she knew it, he had her pinned against a tree, the whole of his muscular body pressed against hers.

She moaned, their tongues entwined, as he pulled both of her wrists above her head and kept them both there with one of his. His other hand now free to grab at her breast, massaging her skin through her toga, his thumb taking turns hardening both of her nipples.

She was moaning now, muffled against his mouth and his tongue's assault. She was shaking against the tree, her limbs shuddering due to his attentions. He pulled back from her mouth as he loosened his grip on her wrists.

"Will the goddess keep her hands where I placed them without assistance?" he asked in her ear, his voice low, velvety, like music. It brooked little suggestion, and invited only an affirmative response.

"Yes, good sir, she shall endeavor to do so," she answered breathlessly, her eyes heavy with lust. She couldn't stop looking at him.

"See that she does," he uttered before his lips were on her neck and his hands were running up and down her toga. His lips, tongue and teeth ran down her neck, her collar bone as his hands hiked up toga. He sucked at her breast through the fabric, even with the layer between him and her skin, it sent a strong shiver down her spine, as she held her hands firm against the tree, trying to obey his command.

He was lowering his stance as he lifted her toga up. She moaned as she felt his lips on her inner thigh. Without verbal request, her legs fell apart for him and soon her compliance was rewarded with an eager tongue on her clit, licking; a hand on her thigh, caressing; and two fingers at her opening; rubbing, then penetrating.

She was panting, moaning and she felt her hands slipping.

"Good sir, I'm tryna-" she cried before she felt something take hold of them, glancing up, she saw liquid metal encasing her wrists, keeping them where he wanted. A smile came to her face, as she closed her eyes once more. "Thank you," she whispered, as she leaned into the pressure against her wrists and the pleasure he wrought between her legs.

It was so much, so much all at once and she- and she-

A blissful sigh left her as every muscle in her body tensed up, throwing her head back against the tree as she climaxed.

He lingered between her legs, licking her up, as her entire body shook with wave after wave of pleasure.

Nothing had ever felt this good.

A short while later, she felt him take her into his arms, her own laid against her chest. Her eyes were still heavy with lust and limbs filled with fatigue as she felt him carrying her somewhere?

"Good sir?" she asked lazily.

"My name is Magnus," he informed her, before bestowing a kiss on her sweat ladened brow. Her muscles tensed again, this time in fear. He paused for a brief moment, as if he felt the shift in her body language before he resumed his path.

"And what do you seek?" she asked again, keeping her eyes closed, not sure if she could bring herself to look at him, not if she had to leap from his arms and flee from him with haste.

"A shadow," he repeated.

"A King of shadows?" she asked cautiously.

"I prefer Lord of the Underworld," he replied, confirming her fears. She sucked in a breath. "One of my shadows, those I rule over, escaped the underworld. I ventured to the mortal world to set things to rights," he explained further.

"Oh," she said, finally opening her eyes and glancing up at him and the amused expression he fixed her with. "Ya know you were spotted, right?" she asked.

"Was I truly?" he chuckled and she wrapped her arms around his neck, now holding herself to him.

"My Momma warned me about ya. You've got everyone spooked," she informed him, as she trailed a hand along the back of his neck, liking the way she could touch him.

"My presence in the mortal world typically has that effect," he quipped.

"Why?" she asked, confused. He smiled down at her, pausing his waking, before he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. She melted into him, as he deepened the kiss.

"Because, my goddess, I refuse to announce my presence or my intentions," he answered as he resumed his pace.

"Why won't you?" she asked.

"Would you tell your mother if you were derelict in your duties?" he asked, glancing at her expectantly.

"Oh," she said as she felt her eyes widen, the implication clear.

"Hence, I would appreciate it if you would keep our pleasant encounter to yourself," he said as they came upon the same brook she first saw him in. He held her gaze for a long moment as he lowered her to the ground. "May I trust in your discretion, my sweet goddess?" he asked.

"I think Momma would have a heart attack if she knew what I got up ta this morning," she said, knowing repeating the offense would only add to her sins. But he was leaning over her, one of his hands at the hems of her toga, bunching it up. "Ya don't gotta worry 'bout me, Magnus," she answered as she spread her legs for him.

"Much obliged," he said and his lips were back on her neck and his fingers at her opening. Her eyes closed as he inserted them inside of her again. "Do they allot you reprieves?" he asked against her neck, as his fingers pumped in and out of her.

"A meal break… in the afternoon… I usually… go off… on my own," she managed between pants.

"Then unlike today, you won't be missed," he uttered pleased before kissing her again. Her hands were in his hair, holding him close to her. He pulled back from her lips. "Tomorrow afternoon, meet me here," he commanded.

"Yes, Magnus," she agreed instantly as he brought her closer and closer to the edge.

"What will you tell Mystique regarding your absence today?" he asked, his fingers pumping in and out of her relentlessly.

"The truth… mostly… don't worry… 'bout me, sugar," she panted.

"I leave it with you then, Perseph-Anna-Marie," he whispered. And she smiled at that. He hadn't told him her name, but the goddess of spring was known, even to the King of the underworld, she was known.

Short moans were escaping her now and suddenly his lips were pressed against hers, she knew it was to silence the sounds of her pleasure, to ensure they weren't caught. The pressure against her lips only added to the building pleasure between her legs and she relaxed beneath him as she came a second time.

After a little washing up at the brook, she'd reluctantly parted ways with Magnus, their planned reunion for the following day, the only reason she was willing to let him go. The smile he fixed her with before his departure; the way he softly touched her face; how gentle he was with her; the mere memory of their time together sent a pleasant shiver down her spine. She couldn't wait for tomorrow.

Today, she ran back to the others. Upon her return, Carol was standing with her mother.

"There she is now," Carol stated, her arms over her chest.

"Where were you?" her mother demanded to know.

"Chasing shadows," she admitted, frowning.

"Perseph-"

"I know, I'm sorry, I'm okay," she said as quickly as she could. Though her mother was swift to hold on to her shoulders.

She leaned in, her voice low, "did you find anything?"

"Nothin' that's a threat to any of us, Momma," she answered truthfully. "I'm sorry I was gone for so long. I swear I'll catch up with the harvest tomorrow. I promise," she said before the older woman pulled her into a hug.

"You're safe. That's all that matters," she said and Perseph-Anna-Marie felt a twinge of guilt in her stomach, knowing the worry she'd caused and knowing beyond the shadow of a doubt that it wasn't nearly enough to keep her from returning to Magnus tomorrow.

A rhythm formed as their pattern developed.

The next day, Perseph-Anna-Marie went to the brook, to find Magnus standing beneath a waterfall. His body half obscure from view, she figured to fully hide himself in the alcove of rocks behind the waterfall, in case another arrived before her. Upon seeing her, he emerged from the body of water, the wet loincloth clinging to his member, even docile she knew he was sizable.

It was only a moment before she was running into the water and his arms. Her lips were on his and her hand was stroking his covered cock.

"Anna-Marie," he muttered against her lips as she felt him harden in her hand, his length growing as she stroked him.

"I missed you," she muttered before thrusting her tongue into his mouth.

"And I you, my sweet goddess," he groaned. She smiled before kissing his chest, enjoying the way the water flowed around them.

She pulled him backwards, into the waterflow and then behind it, into the shadowy alcove of rocks, a small cave more like, the flow of water from the fall, granting them privacy. It was then she kissed her way down his chest and kneeled in the sand beneath the shadow pool of water. Her hand lifted up the loincloth, pushing it out of her way when she took his full length into view. Hungrily, she parted her lips and took his cock into her mouth.

"Anna-Marie," he groaned, his hands on her shoulders as she bobbed her head up and down his cock. "My goddess," he uttered as his hands tightened on her skin. He released that tension and soon repeated the process. She moaned against his cock as she realized he was massaging her shoulders.

Further enthused, she doubled her efforts, increasing her speed, her head bobbing over his cock as she stroked the base of his cock with her right hand. Her lips were covered with spit and precum. She opened her eyes to look up at him, and he, down at her. The hunger she saw from him, egged her on further and slowed the pace of her lips, if only to tease him as they stared into each other's eyes.

"You truly are a goddess," he stated. She smiled at that as she pulled back for a moment.

"And are you a god, Magnus?" she asked, before her lips returned to their task, her tongue licking circles around the tip of his penis, stimulating the most sensitive part of it.

"Oh, yes," he said and with a flick of his wrist, the metal pin holding her toga in place was dislodged and her breasts freed from the fabric. Using her free hand, she grabbed one of her breasts and massaged it as she took him deep into her mouth. His cock twitched against the inside of her cheek; oh, he liked that.

She picked up speed again, releasing the base of his cock to fondle both of her breasts as she sucked the full length of his cock, pulling it in and out of her mouth. All the while, her eyes never left his and as she endeavored in her task, for several minutes. He did eventually succumb to her touch, buckling against her mouth, he pulled himself out of her mouth and stroked his cock as he came, his seed falling into the water. She moaned as he reached down to take her in his arms-

"Perseph-Anna-Marie!" a voice called out and she rose to her feet.

"I havta go," she said frantically, as she pulled up her toga. He spun her around and quickly pinned the garment back in place. His hands lingered on her shoulders, massaging the skin as he kissed her neck.

"Till tomorrow," he said against her ear. She turned, giving him one last kiss before submerging herself in the shallow water. She swam underneath the waterfall and toward the other end of the brook before reemerging, as not to give away their hiding place.

"What are you doing?" Carol asked, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Cooling off," she announced happily.

"You're out of breath, it's not working," she declared irritated.

"Give a girl a minute," she quipped back as she floated her body, happy to let her ears fall below the water and drown out the elder nymph's scolding.

The next day, she swam back underneath the waterfall and was pleased to see Magnus waiting for her in their little alcove of sin. His strong arms scooped her up out of the pool. Her legs wrapped around his waist as he pushed her up against the stone wall composed of large rocks, placing her against a flat sleek surface. His mouth on her, hungerly capturing her lips. She shuttered against him as he lifted her toga up and his fingers were inside of her. Clinging her arms around his neck, she lifted herself up and rocked against his hand, meeting his thrusts with her own as they kissed.

Sweet release soon followed, along with Carol's bitter beckoning and they parted again.

The following afternoon, he had her front facing the stone wall as he kneeled behind her, his face buried against her quivering mound, his tongue inside of her, as his fingers stimulated her clit. She was biting the inside of her cheek to keep from screaming out and failing rather spectacularly to keep quiet.

"My goddess, I'll have to stop if you can't-" he teased her with his words and with his gentle caressing of her clit.

"I know, Magnus," she said, tasting blood in her mouth, having bit her cheek hard. "I'm sorry," she whispered, panting as he lifted herself up, standing before her. "It's hard-"

"It most certainly is," he quipped before he captured her lips, thrusting his tongue inside of her mouth. He pulled back, a moment later. "Is that unpleasant?" he asked.

"Huh?" she asked, confused, not sure what he was asking.

"The metallic taste on your tongue?" he asked.

"No," she answered, shivering. "I don't mind the taste of metal," she added.

"Is that so?" he asked lustily before capturing her lips in a searing kiss.

Once he pulled back, her eyes widened as he presented her with a metal ball suspended in a metal ring with two chains links coming out of either side of the ring. Shivering fiercely in anticipation, she parted her lips, inviting him to make use of his metal contraption.

The ball was against her lips and the chain secured around her head before he slowly lowered himself back into the water. His eyes were intensely on hers as lifted the soaked fabric of her toga to reveal her equally soaked mound.

"Yes?" he asked and she nodded eagerly to give her consent, before he spun her around, her hands having someone where to go and brace herself against. He resumed his tongue's assault, his hands wrapping around her front, one to hold her hip and the other to rub her clit insistently.

She was moaning now, muffled by the gag. Her eyes shut tight as he brought her pleasure. She was close. So close now-

"Perseph-Anna-Marie-" Mystique's voice called out. She felt Magnus pulling back at the interruption, intent to stop, but she pulled his hand back where it was, rubbing her clit. She was so close.

"Are you certain?" he whispered, even as he continued to rub at her behest. A muffled moan and a rapidly nodding head was her response. "If you insist, my sweet minx," he sighed before his tongue joined in it's assault of her senses, she felt her hands and her front sliding down the wall, her ass hiked up still as he held her hip where he wanted her and she dipped her head into the water, if only to drown out any noise and keep herself from hearing her mother's voice.

Practically, bent in half, she glanced upwards to see him staring down at her from between her legs. His fingers doing the bulk of the work as he held her gaze. They increase their speed, rubbing her clit mercilessly, before his other hand released her hip to insert three fingers into her mound, pumping them vigorously.

It wasn't long before she cried out against the gag, coming hard. He swiftly spun her right side up, both of them sitting in the pool of water and took her into his arms.

"What a rogue of a goddess you are, Anna-Marie," he said, his hand on her cheek, as he released the gag, freeing her mouth to pant as she wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging to him. "Perhaps, I should steal you away to my Underworld," he mused as her legs wrapped around his waist. Yes, there, she felt his hardened member.

He lifted her toga up, gathering the fabric up between them. She moaned, nodding at him as he positioned his cock at her opening. "Perhaps in the shadows," he rumbled as his member slipped inside of her, "is where you'll truly thrive," he said before kissing her, they rocked together, gently meeting the other's thrusts.

"Perseph-Anna-Marie," Mystique called out again.

Magnus wrapped his arms around her back and lifted her up, to then lower her into the water, just low enough to submerge her ears as they kissed each other passionately. She was moaning against his mouth, as he took over, thrusting hard into her.

She clung to him, her eyes shut tight, the sensation of his cock pumping in and out of her overstimulated cunt, so soon after she climaxed, was heavenly. The pleasure was continuous; all consuming; eternal. Nothing else mattered. There was nothing else in existence beyond the two of them, this little cave and the pleasure he wrought for them both.

'Yes, my pets. Both of you, give yourselves over to pleasure. Surrender to the shadows. Surrender to me,' a grim voice stated greedily as Rogue tossed her head back, climaxing again as Magneto came hard inside of her.

Her eyes were heavy with lust still, as she watched Magneto glance up at the wall behind her. Surprise filled the lord of the underworld's eyes. His eyes seemed to refocus a few times before a look of utter terror overtook his features and he gripped her even tighter than in the throes of their lovemaking moments prior.

She quickly lifted her head up and out of the water to see a shadowy creature with glowing red eyes, staring at them both with a large smile of sharp white fangs. Her own eyes widened, even as she was panting, his member still pulsing inside, his seed spilling out of her. She gripped his shoulders tightly as her muddled memories stumbled over themselves in an attempt to understand.

"Shadow King," Magneto hissed, pulling her close to his chest, protectively in his arms. Thought and memory snapped together in a tight grip. "Leave us be," he demanded.

'Oh, it's far too late for objections, Magneto. You're both mine,' it said before diving forward, as if to attack them. Rogue clung herself to Magneto's chest as they did what little could be done to protect them from the shadow, before it encapsulated them both.