What I wouldn’t give for a big burly bodyguard right now. One of those muscled giants you see surrounding celebrities. Bigger the better. Preferably with a gun. Very big gun. But no. I’m not a celebrity; I’m only under aged, runaway mutant sitting in a dingy bar. Directly in front of me sits big fat trucker smelling beer and hitting on me. I try to ignore him, but it’s pretty hard when I have to peel off his sweaty paws from me every two minutes. I think I’m going to be sick if he leans any closer. Only reason I put up his behavior is because I need a ride. Yes. I’m that desperate. He’s only one here who’s going to right direction. Although, if he keeps drinking like that for rest of the evening, I doubt he’s going anywhere but his motel room.

Oh. Uh. What is this? My ride is walking towards a cage. Yeah, this is a place for cage fighters. It looks like my ride is going to fight. Well, I hope that other guy doesn’t beat him too hard. My ride talks to other fighter and points towards me. Other fighter, man with funny pointy hair glances me and shakes his head. My ride whispers something to him. He looks like he’s thinking hard, and then he nods. My ride leers widely and pats his bare back. Man with funny pointy hair is dressed only in worn and sinfully tight jeans. Maybe I should move closer to the cage. Just to make sure my ride stays in one piece. Wouldn’t want to get stuck to this hellhole any longer than it’s necessary. And maybe drool for man with funny pointy hair. Even though his hair is funny, rest of him is gorgeous. Tight muscles. Little sweaty. Nice ass. And close your mouth girl before your tongue falls off. Wipe that drool from your chin before somebody catches you. Not going to drool. Nope.

Ouch. That had got to hurt. My ride just kneed funny hair to kidneys. Funny hair fell to floor. My ride kicks him. My ride is not a nice man. Funny hair stays down and my ride turns his back to him, flailing his hands to air. Suddenly funny hair jumps up. He taps my ride to shoulder. My ride turns and funny hair punches him to jaw. Hard. Really hard. My ride falls. It looks like he’s not going to get up any time soon. Small man with microphone climbs to cage and lifts funny hair’s hand to air.
“King of the cage! Ladies and gentlemen! I’ll give you Wolverine!” Announcer shouts. Wolverine. Weird name. Isn’t that some sort of animal? Like weasel? Two men enter the cage. Other takes hold of my ride’s legs and other from his hands and drag him out. Great. There goes my chance to leave this place tonight. I have money, but not enough for a night in motel. Maybe I should go and talk to that Wolverine. After all, he took my ride out of commission. Or maybe not. He doesn’t look like he wants company.

I sit to a barstool and order a cup of tea from the bartender. He looks me kind of funny, but gives me a cup of hot water and a teabag that looks like it was around when Jesus walked on the earth. Well, beggars can’t be choosers…
“Drink it fast, missy. I’m about to close this place,” he warns me when funny hair walks in and orders a beer. He has a large wad of cash and he starts to count them. Guess it pays when you’re ready to take the beating. He looks me thoughtfully and looks like he’s going to say something, but turns to his beer instead and takes a big gulp from it. Pockets his money and then we just sit there. Suddenly I notice there’s no one else left. We're the last customers. Funny hair turns to me again.
“That guy you were with. We made a deal.” He says. Oh, no.
“You come with me if I win.” Oh, no. This is so not happening. I take a sip from my tea and try not to choke on it when he suddenly continues.
“I’m not in to that kind of deals. What do you say if we make a new deal instead?” He asks. Bartender watches us with amused expression.
“What kind of deal?” I try to sound nonchalant, like this was something I dealt with daily basis.
“Outside. I don’t like audience,” he says and stands up. I collect hastily my belongings and follow his retreating back, away from relative safety of the bar to a darkened parking lot.

Funny hair leans his back to a beat up camper van and lights a cigar. I stand beside him and try to look brave even though my fingers and toes are slowly freezing and I have a distinct feeling I’m not going to like the deal he’s going to offer.
“You’re going to north?” Funny hair asks. I nod. My mouth is too dry to talk.
“I’ll give you a ride at least to next town. Maybe further.” I think about it for a while.
“Wha… What about my part of the deal?” I manage to stutter. Now funny hair starts to look uncomfortable. He shuffles his feet, clears his throat several times and then mutters something so fast I don’t understand a word he’s saying.
“Could you rephrase that?” I ask. He throws away his cigar and looks me directly to eyes. Wow. He has beautiful eyes.
“Sleep with me.” Whoa, buddy boy! Just what the hell is Mr. Wolverine, king of the cage, Mr. Funny hair thinking?
“There was that kind of women in there few hours ago. I’m not one of them,” I tell him.
“No sex. Just sleep. Please?” And now he looks a little desperate. What’s wrong with him? I’m sure there are plenty of women who would gladly jump to sack with him. I don’t see a reason why he should try to trick little girls to his bed. Oh, what the hell! If it really is just sleep, fine. I could use it myself. If he tries anything else, I can always flip on my mutation and drop him.
“You got yourself a deal,” I say and funny hair sighs.

My mutation. My curse and my gift. Very reason why my parents threw me out eight months ago when I manifested. I can kill with a touch of my bare skin. I’m like some sort of energy vampire. My skin drains life force from other living beings. Thank god I learned to switch it off few months ago. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great defensive weapon when some jerk tries to cop a feel, but after every touch I get to deal with new different personality for few days. And I have a feeling if I actually killed somebody that person would stay in my head permanently. So, I’m very glad about that control thing.

We climb in to camper. Funny hair turns engine on. I take a glimpse of sleeping area. Uh-huh. Hopefully he’s not planning to sleep in there. Place’s a mess.
“There’s a motel about ten minutes from here. I have a room.” Like he read my mind.
“What should I call you? Is Wolverine your real name?” I ask.
“As real as my other name. Call me Logan. What about you?” Funny hair asks.
“Rogue,” I answer and try to rub some feeling to my frozen digits.
“What kind of name is that?” Funny hair asks.
“As good as Wolverine. Look, maybe I should tell you something,” I start. Better get this over with so there will be no unpleasant surprises later.
“I’m a mutant. I have a lethal skin. Try anything and I turn it on.”
“Fair enough. You can control it?” He asks like were talking about something trivial, like weather.
“Yes.” Usually after I tell I’m a mutant, car stops and driver throws me out.
“Since were confessing things…” Funny hair says and takes his other hand off from the steering wheel.
“I’m a mutant, too.” Metallic zinging noise and three long metal blades shoot out from between his knuckles. Holy hell! That has got to hurt! I reach my hand and try to touch them, but he pulls them back in. Skin between his knuckles heals instantly.
“Does it hurt?” I ask. He looks a bit surprised.
“Every time,” he says. Suddenly my skin doesn’t feel so big issue. I feel bad for him.
“What kind of mutation is that?” I ask. I have never heard of mutation that would make artificial implants.
“I heal and I have enhanced senses. Claws are ‘gift’ from government,” he says and something in his voice tells me he doesn’t appreciate that gift very much.

“So… Is the deal still on?” Logan asks when he parks camper to in front of motel.
“Of course. Right now I need shower and warm bed more than anything in this world,” I tell him truthfully. It has been several days from my last chance of bathing. I hope there’s Laundromat. My clothes are beyond ripe.
“You hungry?” Logan asks when we enter to his room. As a matter of fact, I’m starving, but how much I can rely on his hospitality? My stomach growls before I can answer, and Logan smiles.
“Guess that’s a yes. There’s a diner across the street. I’ll go get us some burgers. You can take a shower while I’m gone. Leave your clothes outside bathroom, I think I saw a Laundromat outside.” I can only stare at him in awe. If he’s not going to make a move at me, maybe I should jump on him. He’s too good to be true.
“I’ll wait outside while you undress. Just leave your clothes on the bed,” he says and leaves.

Nice. Hot water. I dig a bottle of my favorite body wash and shampoo from my backpack. After a moments hesitation I take out my razor. No sex, but there’s no reason to scare poor Logan with my hairy legs and armpits. I dig deeper and get a hold of plastic bag and pull it out. In there’s my most prized possessions. Long nightgown and bathrobe made from silk. For special occasions. And take your mind out from the gutter! Special occasions as I feel great, I have roof over my head and I’m clean and warm. In hung them to a hook on the door. After I’m done in here, steam should have smoothed wrinkles and warmed them nicely. I like the color of them. Wine red patterns on black. Almost all other my clothes are green. I like green, too. And now shower. I am in heaven. Water is just perfect temperature. I could move in here. But I believe Logan would like hot water, too. Better hurry so I don’t use all of it. Maybe I should use conditioner to my hair. It’s long and gets tangled easily.

Logan takes awfully long getting those burgers. Shouldn’t he be back already? I sit on the bed brushing my hair. TV’s on, but there’s nothing interesting. I flip channel to channel. Weather. News. Cartoons. Some violent movie. Hockey. Hockey. Hockey. Gah. I turn it of and brush my hair some more. I’m going to be bald soon if I don’t stop. There’s a knock on the door.
“Rogue? You decent?” Logan asks from the other side. Decent? Man asks me to sleep with him and is worried about my modesty?
“Come in!” I shout. Logan opens the door. He’s carrying my clothes and a big brown paper bag.
“I didn’t know if you had other clothes, so I waited until these were dry,” he tells me and gives me my clothes. He washed even my jacket.
“You mind if I sleep in this?” I ask and gesture towards my nightgown. He stares at it and flinches a bit, but waves his hand.
“No. Sleep how you like. Here’s food. Don’t eat everything. I’ll go to shower.” After the bathroom door closes I open the bag. Don’t eat everything? Do I look like I could eat four king size burgers and a ton of fries? Hope not. Not very flattering. But those burgers look delicious. And there’s coke with them. Six cans. Jay! Party on! Some people drink alcohol. Some like Pepsi. My poison is Coke.

I have eaten and I’m brushing my hair again when Logan emerges from the bathroom. Eep! He’s dressed only to a tiny towel! There’s no way I can keep a straight face if he’s going to stay that way. Apparently food is more important to him than state of his clothing. Or the lack of it. He sits next to me and looks in the bag.
“One burger? You seriously stay alive eating so little?” Ok. I ate only one burger. But I finished half of the fries and downed three cans of coke.
“I’m little. So I eat little.”
“Right. When’s the last time you ate decently?” Logan asks attacking to burger he’s chosen.
“I eat. Just not that much.” He munches his burger.
“Is your skin off?” He asks suddenly. I concentrate for a few seconds.
“Now it is. Why?” Dumb question. Dumb idea to switch it off. He grabs my arm. His hand closes around my bicep and he squeezes gently.
“I shouldn’t be able to do this. You should eat more,” he tells me and lets go. Is he some kind of nutrition expert? I know I don’t eat enough. I’m hungry all the time. But amount of money I have doesn’t allow me to eat so much and so often as I would like.
“What ever,” I grumble.
“Didn’t mean to offend you. I’m guessing you’re a runaway?” So fucking what? Wasn’t it supposed to be a slumber party, and after that a ride to next town? I don’t need him nosing in my business.
“Where exactly are you headed?” Logan asks.
“Alberta,” I tell him. He nods and finishes the last burger.
“What’s in Alberta?” He asks and stretches on the bed.
“Snow.” That’s honestly stupidest answer. And it’s the only one I have. When I left home, I just decided I wanted to see the snow.
“Snow,” Logan ponders. I nod. I don’t know what else to do. Logan laughs a bit. Then he stands up.
“I’ll go and put on some clothes. Open the bed,” he says and disappears to bathroom again. And now I’m having second thoughts.

There’s only one bed. Granted, it’s large, but not large enough to my taste. In order to keep my mutation off I have to be conscious. In order for me to be conscious I have to stay awake. I take bedspread and put it to a comfortable looking couch. I can sleep on there. I take the other pillow, too. I hope one pillow is enough for Logan. I curl on the couch.

It’s slightly disconcerting, and little scary to wake up next to someone, when you have fallen asleep alone. Especially when that someone isn’t lying next to you, but more like half on top of you, face propped on your chest. Thank God he looks like he’s waking up. What should I do now?

Hmm. Kid really has some issues with her skin. That couch can’t be comfortable. And I didn’t actually ask her to sleep on a couch. I asked her to sleep with me. And hey, take your mind out of the gutter. Sleep. Everybody wants to cuddle up occasionally. Even me. Don’t get chances to do that so often, not in my line of work. Chuck keeps me busy. Don’t have time for serious relationships. Even now I shouldn’t be here. I should be in my truck. Heading to pick-up place. Right. Chuck can wait. I need this.

She is so tiny. Long hair like silk. There’s a frown on her face. Wonder what she’s dreaming about? I hope it’s a nice dream. At least she doesn’t smell scared or sad. Just warm. Got to be careful. I don’t want to wake her up now. Don’t want to give her the wrong impression.

Holy shit! She’s nothing more but skin and bones! That’s it. Deal is off. I’m not taking her to next town. I’m taking her with me. Chuck will have a fit, I’m not supposed to mingle with people, but this is different. This one is mine.

Where the hell did that come from? Mine? Well, whatever. I’m just going to snuggle up… This is just the right spot. I can hear her heart. She has a slight murmur. Wonder if she knows about it? I’ll just put my arms around her… She’s so warm… This is perfect… Rogue? Can’t be her real name… So soft…

*Logan…*

*Logan?*

*WOLVERINE!*

*GET THE HELL OUT OF MY HEAD!*

Christ! I knew this would happen. One lousy night. Is that too much to ask? I just want to sleep… She’s… I don’t know. She’s right. She feels right.

*Logan, you were supposed to meet Scott two hours ago. I really need those files.*

*You will get your fucking files first thing tomorrow morning. Now, would you please get the fuck out of my head?*

*I must say I do not appreciate your attitude…*

*Considering that I spent a week cooped up next to an active research center to get those files, I think I’m entitled to show a little attitude. Get lost. This is MINE!*

*…*

Ahh… So much better… I’ll just… Wha… Shit. She woke up. Should probably say something. Her heartbeat hitched up.
“Hi?” Dear God. Put me out of my misery right now. She looks about ready to bolt.
“Hi. That couch looked uncomfortable. I hope you don’t mind me moving you here.” Right. She hadn’t even noticed we were on the bed. She freaked out because of me. Smooth. Come on, kid. Talk to me. Say something. Scream. Cry? For fucks sake, at least breathe!
“Uh… No, I don’t mind. But be careful. I can’t keep my skin off while I sleep.” Is she for real? Because right now I’m just about ready to kiss the living daylights out of her. She has seen the claws. She knows what’s buried inside my arms that are currently under her, and she’s worried about me?
“I’ll be careful. I promise. I won’t touch your skin. But can I… Do you mind if I stay here?” Please? Pretty please? I can’t remember last time I begged, and now I’m praying. Thin line appears between her eyes, just above her nose. She’s thinking. She doesn’t smell so scared anymore.
“Be careful. I don’t want to hurt you…” She finally whispers. I snuggle my head back between her breasts. This is beyond good. This is heaven.

“There has been a change of plans.” All right. This is it. Here it comes. Well, bring it on, Funny hair!
“My employer called. He’s coming to pick me up in two hours. I can’t take you to the next town.” Should have guessed. He was too good to be true.
“I’ll better be going then. There might be some truckers at the diner. In this hour even sober ones…” I start to collect my clothes and stuff. I’m not going to cry. He was decent enough not to molest me while we slept, though I have to admit I didn’t sleep all too well. I’m not used to sleeping with somebody. Especially somebody as gorgeous as Funny hair. Have to think him like that. Funny hair. Not Logan. Logan was cuddly.
“I’ll buy you a breakfast. I want to talk with you about something.” Now he sounds almost exactly like he sounded last night. Mr. Funny hair. Not going to cry. Nope. I’m just folding my nightgown. It’s actually still little warm. And I have a warm, tingly feeling on my chest. Right where his head lay just half an hour ago.
“Breakfast sounds good.” I’m quite sure it came out normally. Casual tone. Around that huge lump in my throat.

And does my host have some serious issues with food? I think my arteries are planning a strike as I speak. Eggs, bacon, sausages, ribs… From the looks of it all dipped to generous amount of butter before, and after frying. And coke. Guess he noticed I’m addicted… We sit in a booth next to a large window, and he keeps stealing glances from outside all the while we eat. He doesn’t talk much aside urging me to eat. Might as well. I have no idea when I am going to get my next meal.

“So… Everything okay?” He asks. We have been here about an hour. I’m finishing my last pancake, and he’s sipping coffee, leaning his elbows to the table. I nod. It’s not polite to talk while chewing.
“I want to make a new deal with you.” Uh… Is this the part where he asks how much for the blowjob? I hope not. Right now it would be free.
“You said you were going to see snow. It’s a good plan, nothing against that. Would it be possible to you to postpone your plan for couple of years?”
“Huh?” Now he’s lost me. Postpone my oh so luxurious and exiting adventure through sea of filthy rednecks? Well, I could be persuaded…
“I live in Westchester, near N.Y. I’m working for this guy Xavier. Quite boring, actually, but pays well. And that place is a school. Would you like to come with me?” Oh, honey, I would like to come with you. But how that relates with your work and some school… Oh.
“Are you asking me to move in with you?”

Dear God. She looks so cute, little crumble of pancake in the corner of her mouth, lips blue from blueberries, eyes wide as saucers. I can hear her heart ticking. Like a bird. Fast and little erratic. Her pupils are little dilated. From sugar, caffeine or excitement? Hard to tell, but I’m hoping for the latter.
“I figured you need a place to stay. And I’m in a situation that I’m able to offer that for you. So how about it? Think you could stand me as a roommate?” Please. Say yes. Because if you don’t, this will turn to a kidnap. I’m sure as hell not going to leave you here alone.
“I won’t probably be at home that much, so actually my place would pretty much be yours alone…” Gotcha! Definitely interested now.
“I just… I’m tired of living alone.” And that’s the truth. I have been planning to leave for couple months now. Xavier does pay well, but no amount of money can replace that feeling I got last night, just from holding her.

“What?” She looks scared, eyes fixed to something behind me. And now I can smell it. Victor. Huge hairy paw locks around my neck and I can feel his foul breath tickling my ear when he leans closer.
“Nice to see you, runt,” he whispers and licks my cheek.
“Nice to see you too…” I manage to gasp and suddenly I’m airborne. Huge window shatters, and small shards of glass rain on me when Victor throws me through it. Oh, fuck. Have to get up, have to get up… Fucking glass is so slippery… And here we go again… Oh, fuck that hurt. I think I popped my shoulder… But looks like Victor is having problems, too. Oh, shit.

Nobody, and I mean nobody touches my ride! Not after what happened last night! That is some fucking scary hairy monster man, but if I can get my hands on his skin… I think he’s planning to go after Logan. He hasn’t noticed me yet. If I’m quiet enough… Maybe… Maybe… Nope. No skin. Crap. And I think he noticed me now! Ow! That paw looked big enough to strangle Logan, and it’s around my throat now! I can’t breathe! I can’t breathe!
“Scream for me…” His face is so close I could kiss him. Not that I want to. But I can pat him to the cheek. I need air…

“Let go! Let go, kid!” Somebody’s shouting. Logan. Doesn’t he understand that I can’t let go? If I let this maniac go, he will get back on his feet. He’s like Logan. My both hands are on his face, I have a firm grip from his ears and he seems to be unconscious. His voice inside my head is screaming. I’m quite good at blocking those voices, but this one is impossible. And he keeps telling me all the things he would like to do to me. I tell you, this fucker has a dirty imagination. And he’s sick to the bone.
“I can’t let go! He is healing already! I don’t know how long I can hold him!” I’m crying now. Logan huffs, grabs the back of my jacket and tosses me to the side. Within two seconds hairy monster opens his eyes.
“You wanted her to scream?” I can hear Logan asking. Other man is snickering. Logan puts his fists against his chest, and I can hear crunching sound. Other man stops snickering, and suddenly there’s a river of blood, coming from his nose and mouth. Logan stands up, wiping his hands to his jeans, leaving huge bloodstains.
“Lets go. Grab your bag.”

Fuck. She’s still crying. Not bawling her eyes out, but silently. Where the hell is Scott? He was supposed to be here over an hour ago.
“Hush. You’ll freeze your pretty face.” I try to wipe the tears away, but she shakes her head.
“I’ll heal. At least for a while now. I got his mutation.” And judging from the look on her face something else too. Crap. I know Victor. I know what goes around in his head. It’s not a nice place.
“Try not to think about it.” Suave. How lame can I get? She clings to me and cries even harder. That fucker messed her up real good. Well, we have time.

*Chuck?*

*Yes, Logan?*

*Victor was here. I managed to put him to sleep, but could you tell Scott to hurry the fuck up. I’m not sure how long we have before Vic wakes up.*

*There’s some problem with the Blackbird. It takes at least two days to get it fixed. Do you have any other means of transportation?*

This is fucking ridiculous. First he needs me there ASAP, and now…

*I have my truck. We’ll be there in couple of days.*

*“We?”*

*“We”, as in my fucking business. Your offer about that boathouse still stands?*

*Of course. I’ll ask somebody to tidy it up a bit. Can I take this as a sign that you’re planning to stay permanently?*

*As long as it takes from her to finish the school.*

*Logan? May I ask what are your intentions towards her?*

*No. You may not. And cut the link. It’s giving me a headache. If I need you, I’ll use the cell.*

*…*

Logan looks kind of funny. Eyes glazed over; face blank. Wonder what he’s thinking so hard? Fuck. I have to get a hold of myself. I bet my nose is all runny. My cheeks will soon be puff. I’ll look like a freaking hamster. At least that creep stopped screaming. Which isn’t actually a good thing. I should probably tell Logan.
“Uh… Logan?” He doesn’t seem to hear me. I wave my hand in front of his eyes. He doesn’t even blink. What the fuck is going on? Maybe if I… No. I couldn’t slap him. Not after what he did. I would probably still be sitting on that monster’s chest, grabbing his ears if it wasn’t for Logan. Maybe just a little nudge with my elbow… There. Oh, he seems to wake up. Good.
“Logan? I think that friend of yours just woke up.”
“How do you know?”
“I can’t hear him inside my head anymore. Usually it means that they are conscious.” Brr… Where the hell is the guy Logan said that was going to pick us up?

“We have to get past him. My truck is back at the motel.” Thank God kid stopped crying. So, Vic woke up, huh? Fucker heals much faster than I.
“Scott couldn’t make it. We have to drive. But first we have to run. Now!” Christ! That was a fucking tree trunk! Missed us just barely.

“Run!” Vic is quite angry. I would be, too. I can hear him howling behind us. That’s one thing I have never understood. Why waste energy and oxygen to shouting? Shit! Kid stumbles.
“Come on! No time to drag ass now!” She gasps and I can only hope my grip doesn’t make any lasting damage to her wrist. Another whoosh. She’s already down, but Vic catches me with that tree and throws me off balance. Fuck, that hurts… I can’t see… Something is pressing on my back. And I fucking thought getting hit by that tree hurt… Have to turn over… Just a little nudge. I can do it. That better be Victor standing over me. He’s going to get gut full off adamantium…

It was Victor all right. I can still hear Rogue breathing. She’s scurrying around in the snow. What the fuck is she doing? What is that noise? And why am I so fucking cold? There’s a warm mattress under me, and yet I’m freezing.
“Kid?” No answer. Where is she? What is going on?
“Kid…” I try to sound commanding, but I can muster only a slight whimper. This is weird. What the fuck is the matter with me? There’s something wrong. I can’t move. I can’t see.
“Rogue!”

I think I’m going to be sick. Anytime soon. Victor is down. Probably permanently. Logan cut him in half from his waist. But not soon enough. Victor nearly tore his spine out. I could hear a sharp snap. He isn’t moving. But he’s bleeding. That’s a good sign, right? If he’s bleeding, his heart is still working. If his heart is still working he’s still alive. Right? I should go and check him. I don’t know if I can do that. I don’t know what to do if he’s dead. I don’t want him to be dead. I want him to be alive. I want to get to know him better. I want to move in with him. I want to see that school of his. I can’t do those things if he’s dead.
“Rogue!” He’s alive!

Eyesight is coming back. I can see a blurred figure. Pale, oval face. Brown something around it. Lots of green. Rogue.
“Kid… Take the keys. Bring the truck over here. I don’t think I can walk…” And don’t fucking tell me you can’t drive. I’m not going to crawl all the way back to the motel. She takes the keys and goes running. Good kid. Now, let’s see what’s bothering me… Crap. Back. Has to be. I can already move a little. It’s okay. She has to drive for a while, maybe couple of hours. Wonder how Victor is doing… Takes a while to recover from that. Fucker got what he deserved. Oh, I can hear the truck…
“Hey!” That was close. She nearly drove over me. Well. Looks like the exhaust pipe is nearly falling off. Might as well take couple days vacation and fix it after we get back to Xavier’s…

Thank God Logan’s in good enough shape to drive. I couldn’t reach the pedals and see over the hood at the same time. Good thing this isn’t one of those SUV’s. He was little angry when I dragged him from under the truck. But it’s better now. I apologized. After he had shouted a while, he just threw me in and we got going. After an hour we had to turn back. He had forgotten some papers back to the motel.

Scratch that couple days off. I need at least a week. Just truck, some booze, a good cigar and me.

I need to sleep. I really should pull over at the next motel. I really should. But I have this nasty feeling at the back of my neck. Like Victor was tickling me. I know it takes a while from even him to heal the damage I did, but I haven’t survived this long without a healthy dose of paranoia. Kid’s sleeping, head propped to my thigh. I’m tired, but she’s positively exhausted. Can’t blame her. But what the fuck did Vic want? He isn’t usually that persistent. Once I kick his ass, he has enough common sense to lay low for a while. God, I’m so fucking tired. I can’t even think straight.

Fuck this. Next motel. Room. Bed. Nice, soft bed. Something to eat. Feels like some critter is gnawing my stomach. Kid must be hungry, too. It has been nearly ten hours from the breakfast. Should probably call to Xavier. Or not. It can wait until morning. Right now food and sleep. Judging from the growling of her stomach in that specific order.

All right. Should wake her up. How somebody manages to look so darned cute while she’s drooling and snoring? And how the hell did she manage to get her hand in there? This is going to be awkward. No wonder it felt so nice and warm last couple of kilometers… Maybe if I just move a little… This is fucking priceless. She’s practically giving me a hand job. Christ. Let go already. That is starting to feel way too good. Not going to think about it anymore. Nope. I’m going to wake her before… Oh, God. If she doesn’t stop soon, I’ll be in trouble. What the fuck is she dreaming about? Is she even dreaming? I’m pretty sure opening a belt buckle is too complicated task for a sleepwalker. Or a sleepwanker in this case.

“Uh, kid?”
“Don’t. Don’t talk. Just let me do this.” Keep your mouth shut. Please. I have been planning to do this for the last five hours. If he starts talking I’m not sure if I can pull this through. I was so scared when he lay on the snow, not knowing if he was alive. I need to do this. Just as soon as I can open his fly…

“Stop. I don’t want you to do this.” There. Now I said it. I have stated my reluctance. If only rest of my body would agree with me, instead of her hands and mouth. I don’t even want to think about how she learned all those things she’s doing to me. I’m just going to lean back and enjoy the ride. This really wasn’t… My intention, but this feels absolutely too good. Her hand around my shaft, tongue sweeping long and slow licks all over me. Like she’s eating a fucking lollypop. I know I should be ashamed. I should make her stop, leave her with the next decent looking trucker and go my way, but… Ah…

“Rogue? You have to stop. I don’t want to make a mess…” He looks about ready to blow, head lolling against the window, eyes hooded and hands grasping hold from anything. I’m going to continue for a while. I know exactly when to finish.
“Please… Don’t stop.” Now, there’s my cue. I zip him back up to his pants and sit up, licking my lips. It doesn’t taste bad. Just different. Little salty.
“Oh, good God, kid… Do you have any idea what you just did?” What kind of a question is that? Does he think I’m stupid or what?
“I’m not absolutely sure. Either it was a Breathalyzer, or I just gave you a blowjob. And didn’t even finish it.”

I know I really should be worried. Worried about lots of things. I should be dragging her to the nearest social services office and dump her there. I still might do it. As soon as I can muster enough strength to stand up. Which won’t happen anytime soon. I might be able to crawl to our room if she books us one. My head is light and empty, but my crotch feels like somebody stuffed it with lead. Not completely unpleasant feeling.

“Go and get us a room,” I manage to stutter and shove my wallet to her. She may very well take it and leave me, but at the moment I don’t care. I try to remember how to breathe properly. It has been a while from the last time. Nearly a year. What? I have been busy. Sue me. A part from little expeditions Xavier sends me, I don’t have a life. Don’t have time for that. Either I’m on a mission, getting shot at and beaten to pulp, or I’m on a surveillance duty. I know. That’s not a valid excuse to harass a minor. There is no valid excuse for that kind of behavior. Should have asked her to book two rooms. Or I could sleep in here. I have slept here before. Seats are really not that hard once you crawl just to the right spot…

“… And don’t you even think about sleeping in here! You got nearly paralyzed this morning! You deserve a decent bed and good night sleep!” Yes ma’am.
“I didn’t do it so you could make up a convenient excuse for not sleeping with me!” Yes ma’am.
“You’ll freeze or something, and then there’s nobody for me to cuddle up with!” Yes ma’am… What?
“Am I some fucking Care Bear to you now?” Looks like I’m loosing my edge. I’m dangling her from the lapels of her cloak, holding her face-to-face with me, and what does she do? Kisses the tip of my nose.
“I like Baloo better. Care Bears are weird.” Is this some part of the Twilight Zone? Maybe some other dimension? Because I have no fucking clue what she’s talking about.
“It’s cold out here. Can we go inside?” She asks and nudges my knee with her foot.

I don’t understand how he can be so stubborn. It took a good part of an hour to persuade him to come in. Now he locked himself to bathroom, and won’t come out. What is he going to do? Sleep in a bathtub?
“Logan. Please. Come out. I promise I won’t touch you again. I can sleep on the couch.” This is ridiculous. We are both adults. Why can’t he behave accordingly? Oh… Is that what this is all about? Maybe we should clear some things up…
“What is your problem?”
“My problem? You’re way too fucking young to my bed!”
“I may be too young to do many things, but your bed isn’t one of those. I’m eighteen.” Door flies open, and I’m up against the wall. Logan’s hands tangling to my hair, mouth devouring mine, and something hard and hot grinding against my crotch.

Eighteen? Not much better, but at least I won’t end up in jail because of her. This is going to be so good. I have been living like a fucking monk. She won’t be able to walk straight after I’m through with her.
“Take this off…” She has absolutely too much clothes on. She pulls her cloak off. Still too much. I tug the hem of her shirt. I have a feeling I’m going to like what I see after we have gotten that pesky fabric out of the way…

Whoa! Aren’t we eager! In less than two minutes I’m completely naked. Which isn’t completely bad thing. Logan’s jean clad thigh holds me up against the wall, and friction to my lower parts… I’m starting to turn liquid. He’s sucking my nipples, and let me tell you, it’s better than imagination. Long, slow licks, sharp nips and his warm tongue… I’m nearly screaming already, and we haven’t even done anything yet!

I’m going to be bald soon if she doesn’t stop yanking my hair, but what the heck! Hair will grow back, and every yank means she’s going to moan some more, arch her back and push those perky breasts to my face. Her skin is little salty and sweaty from getting tossed around by Victor and sleeping, but there’s distinct taste and scent of vanilla and peppermint underneath. Somehow I think I’m going to love vanilla ice cream from now on. Maybe even little too much…

He stops and just stares at me with his gleaming eyes, fingers still rolling and pinching my nipples. I try to keep his gaze, but it’s hard to keep my eyes open. This feels just too good… He’s kissing me now. Just small, light pecks from my breasts up to my earlobe, and his other hand tangles back to my hair. Other starts slow descent lower, fingers trailing what feels like every inch of my skin. I’m usually very ticklish, but his touch doesn’t tickle. It burns. I move my hands to his shoulders. Bunched up muscles jump under my touch. I want him to take off his clothes, too. It’s not fair he can touch all he likes, but I can’t.

“Take this off…” She’s pulling my shirt. Good idea. I want to feel those hands on me. I’ll just lift her to bed first. Up against the wall looks fucking cool in the movies, and there’s nothing wrong with it when all you’re planning is a quickie, but I have something else in my mind.

Finally! The shirt is off, and I can see those gorgeous pecks and abs I was admiring our first night together. There’s not a mark on his tanned skin. Every muscle is lean and well defied. Coarse black hair covers his chest, and trails lower, disappearing under the waist of his jeans. I don’t have to imagine what’s under there. I have already seen it up, close and personal. Memory of it sends my insides nearly cramping from expectation. I have never been with a man before, but I certainly know what I want and need. Logan. Every girl should have her own Logan. Bodyguard, cook… Ohh… It’s quite impossible to think coherently, when he does that…

She tastes even better from down here. All wet and horny. I’m just going to taste a little, don’t want to… Hmm…?
“Rogue?”
“It’s Marie…” What?
“My real name’s Marie… Please, don’t stop!” She’s screaming already, wrapping her legs around my head. Nice. But there’s something I need to know.
“Have you done this before?” Say yes. Please? One simple word. Three letters. Starts with Y.
“No… Please, don’t stop. It feels so good…” Right. Don’t worry, darling. I won’t stop. I won’t stop even if you ask me to. Have to get her to relax. I don’t want to hurt her. I’m not the smallest possible choice to anybody. And I’m not even bragging. I know it from experience.

Holy shit! I think she broke my eardrums. Just a few licks and she blew apart. I’m just going to sit up and rub her tummy a little. She looks so beautiful. Shivering all over, skin pink and chest heaving. She’s so warm… Would you look at that? She has small freckles on her cheeks. She’s so pale I haven’t noticed them before.

“Could you just cuddle up with me for a while?” He must be going nuts already. He’s still hard, and leaking. I didn’t even know they did that. I would like to taste it.
“Just wait a sec. I’ll go and clean up a bit,” he chuckles. Clean up? Oh… His face.

Better. I don’t think she would have appreciated that cuddling so much when my face was all smeared up. Now I can just snuggle behind her and bury my face to her hair. Rub her breasts a bit with my palms. Rub her other parts with my other parts. Just a little nudge, tip in. She’s so hot it burns. And already clamping up.
“Just relax. I’m not going to…” Guess she got the wrong impression. She feels slick enough, but better take this real slow. Turn us over. Let her on top. Don’t want to suffocate her. I’m just going to rub her thighs now. Let her choose the pace. I’m pretty sure she’s ready.

This feels good. I’m sliding up and down his shaft, not taking it in, just rubbing against it. Logan seems to like it too. He stopped breathing, and his hands are squeezing my thighs harder.
“Take it easy, little one… We don’t have to hurry…” That’s so sweet, but I want him inside. I want him now. I’m not sure how to do this. He is big, and earlier just his finger felt huge…
“Could we… Could we turn over?”

She’s completely still. Her legs on my shoulders shiver a little. I’ll rub her with my fingers first. She’s too tense. Suddenly she slaps my hand away.
“Just do it already!” She squeezes with her legs and pulls me in, and fuck I must be hurting her but this feels so fucking good! Have to stop for a while… She’s so tight…

He just lies there, kissing me, and it starts to feel better. At first it hurt. I thought I was going to die, but now it doesn’t feel so bad anymore. I can feel him throbbing and pulsing. Stretching me. He’s all the way inside, whole body wrapped around me, warm and hard and soft and he looks so beautiful, really serious look on his face, but little smile tugging the corner of his mouth. There are tears on his eyes. Why?
“You are so fucking beautiful, Marie.”

I was right. She is walking kind of funny. But not for the reason I first intended. Crap.
“Are you alright?”
“Yeah… Just a little sore…” She blushes and wraps her cloak around her tighter. And looks about twelve-years-old. Stop it. Please. That is giving me the creeps. Nobody should look so young after what we did last night.
“It will get better…” I pull her to my side and we shuffle through snow to diner. We didn’t eat last night, and we both woke up so hungry that our pillows started to look quite edible. Scent that wafts from the kitchen makes me nearly drown to my own saliva, and Marie’s stomach growls. Marie. It’s a perfect name for her. My Marie. All that brown hair cascading over my chest when I woke up. She had fallen asleep on top of me. She looked so… So… She looked like mine. Like she belonged there. It felt like she had always been there. I really didn’t want to get up yet, but we have a long ride ahead of us. Nearly ten hours. Well, if I’m lucky, she falls asleep in the truck again…

Owie! I feel great! Emotionally, I mean. I’m sore all over. Like I wrestled with a bear. And my legs are awfully wobbly. I have bruises on my thighs and hips, and my nipples are so sensitive it drives me nuts. But there’s this warm, tingly feeling inside of me. Like Logan was still there. And that is an image I should avoid. I am still sore, so as much as my head would like the repeat performance right now, my body screams to stay the hell away from him at least couple of days. His arm around me feels good. Solid. No more Mr. Funny hair. It’s all Logan now. He’s smiling when we step in to the diner, and I’m about to ask what is it about, when he suddenly stops moving and smile fades away. He doesn’t even look at me, just shoves me behind his back.

Unfuckingbelievable. I cut him in half, and now he’s sitting there, sipping coffee from a giant mug. This has got to be some sick and twisted dream. Victor can’t be sitting there.
“Get out. Get in the truck.” I shove keys to Marie and push her out none too gently. I can’t take my eyes off from Victor. As soon as I move or turn my head, he will bounce. I know it. I know how he operates. Can’t have Marie getting between us. She survived from two earlier encounters with Vic out of pure luck.

I do as Logan tells me to do. I run to truck, lock all doors and jab the keys to ignition. After a little hesitation I open the lock of the driver’s side door.

“Finally you woke up. I have been waiting for a while. Sit.” Victor pats a stool next to his.
“I’d rather stand. What the fuck do you want? Are you after those files?”
“I don’t know anything about files. I’m after the girl. The one you nailed last night. Boy, was she a screamer. Could hear her through the wall as clear as she would have been in the same room with me.” This is starting to make me sick.
“What does Eric want from her? She’s just a kid.” We have both kept our voices down, but that waitress is starting to get interested about us.

“Eric? Who said Eric had anything to do with this? He doesn’t even know where I am…” Oh, fuck. This isn’t happening. So far only thing that has kept this psycho in front of me at bay has been his employer. If he’s on AWOL now, there’s no telling what he will do.
“And funny how you said she’s just a kid. You sure don’t smell like it. She’s all over you…” That’s enough.
“Continue, and I’ll cut you up and let FedEx take care of your parts. Every single one to different state…”
“Fuck you, runt. I’m not interested about your bitch anymore. I came to warn you.” Right. Vicky-boy warning me?
“When I was getting my bearings in that snow bank, I saw familiar looking car driving past me, same direction as you. I think our friends have spotted you. I’d take the bitch and run back to Xavier as fast as you can. I think they got lost at some point in the night, but you probably have only hour or two before they catch you up.”
“Shit. Oh, fucking shit. You need help?”
“No. I’ll be fine. I don’t think they noticed me.” Oh, God. This is bad. This is real bad.
“Are you absolutely sure?” Because if he isn’t, I’m taking him with me. We may have some issues between us, but those fuckers won’t get their paws on either of us. Never again.

When Logan comes to me I scream. Not a good scream. Because this is not good. This is wrong. There’s something so wrong in the way he’s half dragging, half carrying Victor with him, all the while talking rapidly to the cell his holding with his other hand.
“… Yeah. He’s with me now… No, I don’t know how far…” I can hear part of the ongoing phone call when he yanks open the passenger’s side door, severing the lock in the process. He shoves Victor in, and that hairy monster lands on top of me. Door slams, and Logan is out, still talking, walking around the truck to the driver’s side, and Victor smiles at me leaning closer and draws in my scent.
“Nothing smells quite like freshly picked cherry…” He whispers. Door opens and Logan climbs in, stuffing the phone to his breast pocket.
“Want to keep your hands off from her?” He asks, fixing a hard stare to Victor. Victor leers at me, but pulls back a bit so that I can crawl away from him.

I don’t understand what’s going on. Logan and Victor talk and talk. Not much of it makes sense to me. But one thing snags my ear.
“We’re not going to that school?” I ask. Logan looks at me for the first time since he sat on his seat, nearly half an hour ago. His face is pale, and there are deep lines of worry around his eyes.
“No, little one. We’re not going to Xavier’s. Not now.” Then, as an afterthought, he pulls me against his side, wrapping his other arm around me.
“We are just going to a road trip.” I can feel tremors running through his body. He’s scared. I look at Victor. He’s smirking and winking at me, but underneath the surface he seems to be as horrified as Logan. I close my eyes and bury my face to Logan’s jacket. There are two very dangerous persons with me, and they are both scared out of their wits. I don’t even want to know why. I close my eyes and breathe in Logan’s scent. Leather of his jacket, tobacco, and underneath it all a hint of blood.

When I wake up, Logan’s gone. It’s cold. Both doors are open, and engine is still on. There’s blood on the seat next to my feet. Right where Victor sat earlier. What the hell is going on? I can hear voices from outside. Logan. Talking to somebody. He sounds really nervous. I hear a groan, and that distinctive voice that comes out when you throw up.
“…Better now? Think you can stand up?” Logan’s voice, and then another groan. I look out. Victor is on his hands and knees; Logan’s hovering over him like a mother hen. I can see from this distance something dark red on the snow in front of Victor. Blood. Logan grabs his shoulder and helps him up, urging the bigger man to lean on him, and they stagger together towards the truck. It’s kind of hard to believe that less than twenty four hours ago those two tried to kill each other.

I still don’t understand what is going on, and my confusion must radiate from me or something, because after we get back on road, Logan squeezes my hand.
“We’ll talk later, Marie. Everything will be okay. Just trust me.” He looks a bit better now. More calm and collected, and I believe him. As long as I’m with him, everything will be all right. Victor grabs my ankle, and I nearly scream again, but there’s no strength left in his fingers.
“Don’t you bother that pretty little head of yours… Logie there has all things figured out…” He gasps, lets go of my ankle and slumps against the door. He looks almost dead. Ashen face, small smears of blood on his lips and chin.

“There are some real nasty fuckers after us. I think it’s safe to stop for now, but we can only stay for couple of hours.” Dingy motel room. We lay on the bed. There are burger wrappers and half eaten portion of fries on the nightstand. Victor is on the other room, right next to us. He is little better now. Logan explained to me what was going on with him, and I kind of feel sorry for that hairy monster. As soon as he healed enough to stand up, he got after us. He still had some internal damage, and stress made his mutation go all wonky. He isn’t healing as fast as he usually does.

I don’t know how to tell her this. How to explain what I have done. How to explain how fucked up I am without loosing her in the process. But I have to make her understand what we are up against. Because at some point things will get messy, and she has to know what to do when that happens.

Logan is tired. I can see it from his eyes. He drove nearly twenty hours straight. We stopped only three times. Once to get food, and twice to let Victor out when he had to vomit. I sit on the bed, leaning my back to the headboard. Logan lies between my legs on his stomach, head on my lap. I comb his impossible hair with my fingers. In an other situation this could be arousing, but now I’m starting to feel terrified. Nasty fuckers? What kind of people does Logan consider nasty?

“I worked for them five years ago. That’s when I met Victor. He became my co-worker in a case. It didn’t go so well. That thing blew apart and got us both nearly killed. It rattled the positions of those above us, few got fired and few just disappeared completely. Now they are after us, and I don’t know why. They might want us back. They might want us dead. Both are poor options. Well stay on the run at least long enough for Victor to heal up. After that we’ll see what happens.” Vague enough? I hope she got the hang of it. I’m not going in to details. She doesn’t need to know all the things me and good old Vic did. Her fingers feel so good, nails scraping over my scalp slightly. She smells so good. I feel a little woozy. Like the bed was slowly turning and tilting to every possible direction. Maybe it is… But can’t fall asleep yet.
“What ever you do, if you end up alone with Vic, keep your skin on. I don’t trust the fucker.” Eyes are closing now. Have to stay awake for couple minutes more.
“Stay with me or Victor all the time. At least one of us must be within one-meter radius, wherever you are. Run when I tell you to. Duck when I tell you to. Stay down when I tell you to. Don’t ask questions… I’ll tell you everything you need to know when you need to know it. And wake me up after two hours. We have to get going before they catch us.”

No whispered “I love you”. But somehow the litany of rules he just laid to me, sounded like that. He’s sleeping now, face buried to my stomach, whole body lax and heavy on top of my legs. His weight feels good. Makes him real and tangible. Who ever those people after us are, what ever they are capable, I feel almost sorry for them. Vic was right. Logan has it figured out. He is going to keep running as long as he can. When he reaches the dead end… I wouldn’t want to be the one standing between him and open end of that particular alley.

Back in the car. It’s still dark outside. Victor is driving. Logan’s dozing off, leaning his back to the door, hands wrapped around me. Victor is stealing glances from the corner of his eye.
“Didn’t have the time to get on to business?” He suddenly asks. Eww… That is something I’m not comfortable discussing with him. Scratch that. I’m not comfortable discussing with him. Period. I shiver and he turns to look at me. Cold evaluating stare travels over my body, starting from toes, ending to my eyes. He leans closer and inhales. Knowing look flashes on his face. Then deep frown replaces it. Is that pity I see in those dark orbs?
“What?” I snap at him. He just smirks and turns his gaze back to the dark road ahead of us. Logan stirs behind me and stretches his back.

“Lets stop there.” Small service station cooped up together with even smaller diner in the middle of nowhere. Sun is rising. Time for breakfast. And more thorough travel plan.
“I’ll take care of the truck. You two go in and order us something to eat,” Logan says. I don’t want to go with Victor, but he leaves me no choice. He grabs my arm and pulls me after him.
“… Should take care of his bitch…” I can hear him mutter and try to yank my hand free from his grip. Vic drags me after him and shoves me in. It’s a struggle, but I manage to stay on my feet. Luckily there are no other customers, and nobody’s behind the counter to see our theatrical entry.

I expect Victor to order same style breakfast as Logan. He surprises me completely. No overly greasy meat products, no gallons of coffee. Oatmeal, some eggs and bread.
“What?” He asks when our food arrives and I stare at his plate in awe.
“Nothing…” I dug in my plate. Well, it’s actually Logan’s too. Huge basket filled with ribs, sausages, bacon, fried potatoes and onion rings. Logan walks in and slumps next to me, still yawning.

“You have been driving north like I asked you to?” Vic doesn’t answer. I know he hasn’t. He knows I know.
“Why?” Victor finishes his oatmeal in peace.
“They were after us. I could see the searchlights. Had to swerve a little to get rid of them again. I know you’re about dying to get to your precious cabin. But have you thought about what happens after that?” Hmm. Victor is a lot smarter than he looks like. I had already forgotten how smart he is.
“They follow you there, and after that there’s absolutely no place to run.” He’s fucking right. But there’s a slight problem.
“Xavier told me not to come home before I have gotten rid of those bastards. I don’t blame him. I don’t want all those kids in there to get involved with my shit, and that will happen if our friends decide to follow me home.”
“Xavier is an asshole.”
“I’m in it for the money, not because of the cause. What’s your excuse of putting up with Eric?” This is getting stupid and childish. We really should be making plans about how to get rid of our unwanted friends instead of bickering like this. I have a gut feeling we need those plans soon…

Victor is driving, and cursing like a sailor, snagging nervous glances from the rearview mirror every now and then. Truck is creaking and shuddering, and it sounds like it will fall a part at any minute now. I don’t care. I just wish we could go even faster, but pedal’s on the floor already. Thick cloud of black smoke rises behind the trees. Service station. It went up in flames.

“How’s the runt faring?” Victor asks. Logan’s not coping too well. One might say he’s not all here. Because he isn’t. We left considerable chunk of his left thigh and part of his windpipe behind us about ten minutes ago. He’s healing already, but still choking and gasping for air. There’s blood all over the dashboard, on the bench, dripping to the floor… I’m covered with it. I’m not sick yet, but I’m sure I will be soon.
“We can’t stop now… Have to get some distance between us…” Logan gurgles, spitting off the blood from his mouth. What the fuck is he talking about? Those… Those things that were after us were in the diner when it blew up. There’s no possible way they could come after us anymore. Right? Right?
“It’ll take a while from them to recover, but I don’t want to be anywhere near when it happens.” Victor is agreeing with Logan.
“We… Have to ditch this tr… truck. Now. They can tra… track this down,” Logan manages to stutter, then all he can do is to lay low and wait for his body to repair the damage he took.

Two hours later we arrive to a small town. Vic books us two rooms, and helps us in.
“I’ll go and get rid of the truck. I saw a good-looking camper parked out back. We’ll take that. That way we don’t have to stop. One can drive and others can sleep in the back.” I don’t even dare to think about how he’s going to persuade that camper van’s proud owner to hand over the keys. That thing looks monstrous. It’s one of those luxury liners, meant for long distance journeys. Probably complete apartment with kitchen and a shower. Not that I’m complaining. Victor hands me the key to our room and leaves, closing the door behind him. I turn my attention to Logan.

“Quite a mess I made… Could you help me to the bathroom? I’ll clean myself up a bit. Don’t want to smear blood all over this place. Too easy to track us down that way.” Thank God she isn’t asking any questions. I know I would be after what she saw back there. They are not exactly human, my ex-employers that is. And it shows. Even Vic is quite pretty boy compared to them. Talking about pretty boys, do I look horrible, or do I look horrible? Everything is already healed up, but I can imagine what this bloody mess looked like just couple hours ago. Have to give credit to Marie for not bolting. Even now she’s just stripping off our blood soaked clothes without batting an eye. And all of a sudden I’m so fucking horny.

Call it survival instinct or what ever you like, but when she kneels in front of me to help to get off my boots, all I can think of is her lips wrapping around my cock. I can practically feel it, and see it. Blood streaking our bodies, her lush lips around me, eyes locked to mine… And hello! I’m ready to go. Oh, God. I’m a freak. I need help. I’m so fucking hard it hurts.

“Get up.” Logan’s voice sounds a bit funny. Must be because of his throat got ripped open… Or not. Sight that greets me when I look up from his boots is breathtaking. He’s towering over me, cock hard and ready, feral gleam in his eyes. His chest is heaving, every muscle in his body coiled. I can see the tips of his claws between his knuckles. Seeing him like that makes all kinds of interesting feelings wash over me. He looks ready to fuck the living daylights out of me. I stand up slowly, and he licks his lips. His whole body trembles from tension.
“Get out.” Not the command I was expecting, but… I turn to leave, and suddenly he’s all over me, pushing me against the door, grinding his cock against my lower back.

I can’t let her leave. I have to have her. Now. Fuck. Fuck. This isn’t good. She’s going to get hurt. Should let her go now. I can do it. Just let go of her and back up a bit so she can open that fucking door. She smells so fucking good. Little sweat, vanilla, peppermint and copper. Copper from my blood. There’s a trail of it on her neck. Just a little lick… Her breasts are so soft against my palms. I shouldn’t pinch her nipples this hard, but they are just the right size. Fit perfectly to my mouth.
“Turn over.”

I do as he says and his lips latch on my nipples. He’s pressing me against the door, and his cock leaves wet, slimy blotches on my skin. This time he isn’t hesitant. His other hand tangles to my hair to keep me in place while his other hand delves between my legs, fingers parting my lower lips. One finger slips in and I have to grab his shoulders for balance. It felt okay for the first time, but now this is pure torture. That one finger isn’t enough. I need more. Soon enough he moves both of his hands to my buttocks and lifts me up.
“Wrap your legs around me.” His cock is bobbing at my entrance, all hot and slick.

I’m going to leave a mark on the crook of her neck, but I don’t fucking care. I’m in, and that’s all that matters right now. Her nails are digging to my back and she’s screaming, but I can tell it’s a good thing. I can taste her blood. I’m biting all too hard, but she’s getting wetter every minute, her insides grasping me more eager with every passing second. She’s about to come. I don’t care about that either. I’m not planning to finish anytime soon.

No time for cuddling afterwards. We are in the shower, when Logan’s ears perk up.
“Vic’s at the door.” He wraps a towel around his waist, and goes in to other room, closing the bathroom door behind him. Image of his muscular back, now slightly marred by my nails, still dripping wet from the shower burns to my retinas. And I’m ready to go again. March after him and take him right there, in the middle of that dingy room, right in front of Victor. I don’t think either of them would appreciate it that much, so I have to settle to my own fingers, and the memory of how his cock feels, sliding in and out of me, rock hard and throbbing.

“She is quite a little vixen…” I can’t help it. Nervous giggle escapes from my lips, and ends to an embarrassing snort. Victor has a way with words. Whole room practically reeks of her arousal. Scent is wafting from under the bathroom door, and we can both hear her muffled gasps.
“What kind of a man you are. Leaving her like that. She wouldn’t need to do that if she had chosen me…” I’m starting to remember how easy camaraderie we had all those years ago. I have actually missed Victor.
“About that vehicle. Did you get it?” I ask and clear my throat. Victor seems to catch my drift, and his face turns serious.
“Yeah. Owner was quite reluctant to sell it at first, but we reached an agreement. He took my money and I let him live. Last time I saw him he was running towards the buss terminal.”
“Good. Let me grab some clothes. We have to get some food and other stuff before we leave…” Marie’s small cry echoes through the door.
“Get her a vibrator.”

Camper is fully stocked. There’s small bathroom, one bedroom, and spacious area for cooking and dining. I’m putting away our last groceries. Victor has gone to return our keys. Marie is fiddling at the front, trying to find some radio station that would air something other than just hockey. Good luck with that, darling. I can almost imagine it’s just the two of us, on a real vacation. She’s going to huff and whine about how there’s nothing good in the radio and why didn’t I bring those tapes that I promised, and how this journey is all ruined now because she can’t listen to her favorite music. Then I’m going to walk to her, take her on my arms and carry her to that bedroom of ours, because I’m about to show her she can enjoy this vacation without some whining excuse of a singer raping his way through every known classic in rock and pop altar. After we have spent very satisfying afternoon rocking our camper, we will go out to eat. I’m going to order some strawberries for dessert, and…

“Ready to go?” Victor asks, brushing past me, shoving the keys of this monster to my hand.
“Your turn to drive. I’m going to take a nap.”
“Not on that bed, you’re not. You’ll get the couch.” I don’t want to smell his scent on the sheets later. Victor groans and grumbles, but folds his massive frame on the couch behind the dining table.

“I could make us something to eat,” Marie proposes. I actually have to think about it for a moment. I really do like Vic, and I would trust him with my life. But I don’t trust him when Marie’s involved.
“Remember to keep your skin on. And don’t go too near to Vic. He’s sleeping on the couch.” She stands up and walks past me, then returns behind me and pats the top of my head.
“Yes, daddy…” Christ! That tone of voice should be illegal. It’s so indecent when combined with those words, and makes me think of all kinds of things I could do to her right now if we just ditched Victor to the side of the road. Maybe on that table, her legs hiked all the way up on my shoulders. Or against the wall. On the couch, from behind, my hands kneading her buttocks… Dear God. I have to get my mind out of the gutter before I forget that Victor is with us.

Victor is snoring. He’s sleeping on his back, his mouth hangs partially open, and I can see the tips of his canines. He isn’t actually so scary when he’s asleep. He looks like a big, lazy cat. I take in his tattered clothes and worn appearance. Wonder when he has last brushed his hair? Or cut it? Why doesn’t he take better care of his looks? I have a feeling that underneath all that fur and grit lurks quite a good-looking man. My gaze sweeps lower and stops to his stomach. His clawed hands rest there. Thick, black and sharp, slightly curving claws. No way to hide those. At least Logan can retract his and keep them hidden. It’s weird, actually. From what I know about their animalistic counterparts, a wolverine can’t retract it’s claws, but all cats can.

I have been so engrossed watching over Vic, that I haven’t noticed the camper has stopped. When Logan’s hands land on my shoulders I nearly scream. His hand clamps up to my mouth. His warm breath tickles my ear when he leans closer grinding his hips against my butt.
“I thought you were going to cook… Is there something that I should be worried about?” He whispers and licks my earlobe. I try to turn around, but his hand snakes around my waist and keeps me still against his hot body. His tongue sweeps over my pulse point and I have to bite his palm to stifle groan that threatens to escape. I’m mortified, but at the same time exited and more aroused than I remember ever being. Victor could wake up at any second now and see us. Logan’s other hand delves lower and rubs my crotch on top of my jeans, slow and firm strokes, making me squirm. Then he suddenly stops and retreats back to driver’s seat, snickering to himself. What the fuck was that?

Ah. Much better. Now that I know we are both hot and bothered, situation doesn’t bother me at all. I’m actually having a great time.

Suddenly camper stutters. Logan curses and I nearly trip over. I land on top of the table, hit my side and fall down. Something soft stops me before my head hits the floor. I open my eyes. Victor is leaning over me, his other hand behind my neck, other supporting me from my waist. Sudden image of some old movie poster, hero with pencil moustache bending busty heroine, eyes glazed over, all ready for that infamous kiss. There’s a weird look on his face. He’s leaning closer and inhales deeply. Small smile tugs the corners of his mouth, and there’s almost sad look in his eyes when he helps me to stand up, and pulls me close enough so that he can whisper to my ear. His words make my insides freeze
“Can’t have proud mama hurting herself…”

I hear it. There’s an SUV full of lycans in front of our camper, and behind me a mother. Mother of my child. And Victor chooses this moment to reveal his true nature. He exits through the back door, dragging Marie out with him. I can hear the scuffle. She’s screaming and kicking, grasping the camper, but it doesn’t help. I bolt after them, but it’s already late. Lycans pile out from their car. Victor walks to them with his prize and hands her over. He turns to look at me when they stuff her in the car.

“This was all they wanted. They agreed to let us go if…” Clawed hand erupting through his chest silences him. Lycan behind him sniggers and pulls out Victor’s heart through his back. Victor falls. Mutt stares at me, sickening grin on its fanged face. It licks the blood that is still oozing from the heart.
“This one was stupid. Are you stupid?” It asks. Guess I am. Stupid enough to unsheathe my claws. There are five of them, all fighters and healers. But they are not going to get away with her. They are not going to take away my life. Not as long as I’m standing.

I don’t know who is after me. It’s either Logan, or those monsters. I’m not planning to stop and see. I’m going to run as far as I can. If Logan survives, he will find me. He told me to run, and that’s what I’m going to do. I’m not going to think about Logan. I’m not going to think about what happened to Victor. Because if I do, I will start crying. And when that happens, I can’t run anymore.

Two of them went after Marie. Three stayed to play with me. Two I put down easily, but third one was a bit tricky. It kept dodging my attacks. Had to let it closer. I managed to cut its head of when it’s jaws sunk to my side. I caught the other chasing Marie and it didn’t even notice me before it was too late. I lopped its head off.

Fuck. No. This simply isn’t happening. This isn’t happening. Can’t be happening. There’s no huge lycan. There’s no Marie in front of it. That lycan isn’t… I’m going to be sick. But before that somebody’s going to get neutered…

I will most likely have nightmares about what happened for the rest of my life. I sit on the snow. There’s blood everywhere. Logan is chopping up huge, dog-like creature that tried to rape me. It doesn’t have legs or hands anymore, and still it tries to crawl with the stubs it has left, teeth bared, snarling and growling. It doesn’t even try to escape. It crawls toward Logan, trying to take a bite out of him. Finally it looks like Logan has gotten enough. He swipes open it’s stomach and cuts off its head. And then falls on top of that mess, face down. He doesn’t move. There’s blood. Lots of it. His hands are black and blue, swollen, and there’s blood coming out from the wounds his claws made. Every small gash and bruise is spreading and bleeding freely. He isn’t healing.

Everything hurts. I think I’m going to throw up. As soon as I get up, I’ll have to go and check Marie. I’m going to get up now. I can do it. Just… I can’t do it. Nope. Can’t move. Can’t lift a finger. What ever they did to me, it worked. Oh, God. Fucking unbelievable. I’m infected. That bite…
“Kid?” Way to go. Call her a kid. Have to think up something else. Can’t go running around, calling the mother of my child a kid. Not appropriate. Have to think up something else. Later. If there is such thing as later. It’ll have to do right now.
“Kid? Are you alright?” Please. Be all right. Why the fuck she doesn’t answer? Talk to me. Say something. Anything. Have to turn around. I can probably do it. Just roll over. This fucker under me is so slippery that it shouldn’t be hard. Oh, come on! Why the fuck this isn’t working!
“Marie!” Oh, that’s much better. She’s turning me around. Could you get that sticky stuff off from my eyes? What ever it is, it feels gross.

He’s barely alive. I don’t know what to do. He just lays there, eyes closed. He’s starting to turn black and blue all over. What the hell is going on? He isn’t going to die. He can’t die. I don’t want him to die. Maybe if I close my eyes this will all go away. I just lay my head on his chest. There. I can hear his heart. It’s weak, but it’s still there. Hands around him. He’s starting to turn cold, but maybe I can keep him warm. I’m just going to sleep for a while, and when I wake up, I wake up from our bed. Logan’s sleeping behind me, maybe snoring a little, and I can jab him with my elbow and blame him for waking me up.

“Let go…” Logan. He’s moving. He’s not dead. He’s warm and he’s moving and talking.
“Let go… Let me go…” He tries to turn around. I let go of him, and he crawls on his hands and knees. His palms leave bloody prints on the snow, but its old and dried blood. He’s stopped bleeding. He’s gathering the snow, rubbing his face with it, stuffing it under his clothes.

Hot. It’s so fucking hot. Have to get these clothes off. Now. I can’t make my fingers work. She seems to catch my drift and begins to peel off my jacket. I’m healing again, and it’s so hot. It’s working double-time. Shirt off. Jeans… Have to get all off, now!
“Take them off!” She’s trying to open my belt buckle, but it takes too long. I’m burning up here! Take it off already!

There must be something seriously wrong with the way I’m thinking. Seeing Logan, covered with sweat and blood, bare skin rippling and glistening, rolling around in snow makes me not worried about his health, but horny. I would like to strip off my clothes and join him, but somehow I think it’s not something he wants right now. Steam is coming off from him in thick clouds, and he’s panting, rubbing that ice-cold snow all over his skin and eating it.

Not cold enough. At this pace my brain will be soon fried. My legs are already cramping. Vic got bitten back then, and look what it did to him. He wasn’t nearly as psycho before. We didn’t have snow. We didn’t have even one lousy ice cube. I could only watch when he squirmed and keep him down when convulsions started.

He’s gathering snow, packing it everywhere. Between his legs, under his arms, to his neck.
“Help… I need more snow…” There’s a feverish gleam in his eyes. I start to pile snow on him. It’s melting as soon as it touches his skin, but it seems to be helping. He’s starting to shiver.

“This might take a while…” All wrapped up to a deliciously cold cocoon.
“What happened?” She looks worried, but there’s something else underneath. Lust. Looks like I’m not the only pervert in our little family.
“Double-heal… My own mutation and lycan infection… It fried Victor’s brain…” Now she looks really worried and places her palm to my forehead.
“You are alright?”
“I will be… I think…” I can’t be sure. Should have lied, but I can’t. I can’t lie to her.
“Baby… I’m going to be a father?” Shit. Wrong question. I love the idea, but she seems to be less thrilled. Well, she probably wasn’t planning to pop up a baby at eighteen.
“Can we not talk about it now? I need time to think… I’m not sure how I feel about it.” I nod. Suits me. Right now we have to figure out a way to contact Xavier. After twenty-four hours I’m not going to be all here. Have to get her somewhere safe before infection takes over me. I have no idea what it’ll do.

“My cell doesn’t have reception. Better get moving. I’m going to call Xavier and ask him to pick us up. With those mutts dead I don’t think rest of the pack can track us to Westchester.” Logan is collecting his clothes. He’s fully healed now, but he radiates heat like a furnace when he passes me. Melted snow slides slowly over his body, leaving wet trails on his skin. I reach my hand and follow one of those paths with my finger, from behind his knee to his Achilles tendon. He shivers and turns to look at me.

“Don’t.” And this time I really mean it. We don’t have time. Every second infection digs deeper. It’s in my blood. It’s already altering my brain patterns. I can see, hear, taste and smell even more clearly than before. Her finger on my calf? Pure sex. Could as easily be just food. And does she listen? No. She stands up wrapping her arms around me, rubbing against my body, marking me with her scent. We have no fucking time for this. Maybe just one kiss…

I’m a fucking moron. One kiss? Right. Before I noticed she was on her back on the snow, jeans gone, legs hiked up to my shoulders. I have no slightest idea how long we had been at it, but judging from her screaming, and nasty feeling in the pit of my stomach, quite some time. I stopped to check if she was okay, and she nearly ripped my head off. She had been about to come.

Turned out we lost two hours. Two fucking fantastic hours. I can still taste and feel her. I can smell my scent on her, and it does all kinds of good to my ego. She’s mine. They tried to take her away from me, but I stopped them. Nobody takes her away from me. Never. She’s practically purring as we stagger back to our camper. That mood passes quickly enough when we have to skirt past SUV and dismembered bodies. Hmm… Where the fuck is Vic? Last time I saw him, he laid face down on the road, gaping hole where his heart should have been. One of those mutts ate his heart. And now he’s missing…

“Logan! How nice to hear from you!” I cringe. Xavier. Always so polite.
“We have a problem. I need Scott to pick us up ASAP. Trace my cell.” And now to more important issues. I put away my cell. She’s already waiting for me. I can smell she’s still wet, and more than ready to continue from where we stopped earlier. She lays on our bed, completely naked. Legs spread, thighs smeared with our juices. I crawl there and start licking her clean. She squirms and whimpers. I grasp her hips and hold her steady. I don’t want to miss any spot. It takes at least couple of hours before Scott arrives. We have time. I’m going to do this nice and slow. This might be our last time together. First her left, then right thigh. Long and slow licks. She tastes so good. I want to rub her scent all over me. I need to memorize it. I need to memorize every single detail about her when I still can. When I’m still able to do it.

Oh… This feels just too good. Logan’s hands grasping my hips. His tongue traveling on my skin, leaving scorching path on its wake. He’s burning up, and so am I. I can’t even see clearly. I try to grasp his hair and pull him closer, but he growls softly and nips my inner thigh. A warning? Instead of him I grab a hold from the sheets. I have to. Otherwise I might explode or float away. His hot breath is getting closer to my curls. It’s so good it hurts.

Scent of her arousal grows the closer I get to her core. I part her lips with my fingers. She’s so beautiful. Little darker shade of pink, soft and inviting. I place a kiss there, and she gasps. Few more with a lick and she moans out loud. I’m burning so hot she feels almost cold, but when I slide one finger inside of her, I find warmth that matches mine. Her insides grasp my finger almost desperately when I start to lick and suck her pearl. I put my other hand to her stomach to keep her still.

I’m going to fall apart soon. I can’t even breathe properly. We have done this before, but never before has he been this thorough and gentle. Every little lick and nip twists my insides to a tighter knot.

I crawl little higher and rub my face to her stomach. Her skin is so soft. Scent of vanilla and peppermint so strong now I’m nearly suffocating. There’s a small birthmark just below her navel. Tiny discolored dot. I rub my nose on it. Small muscles inside of her are quivering from the strain. I look up. She’s arched her back, breasts high up in the air, head thrown back, thin sheen of perspiration covering her creamy skin. I’m going to remember what she looks like right now. I’m going to remember it for the rest of my life.

I want to touch him, but every time I try he growls. He crawls on top of me, nuzzling his face and his whole body against mine, and he’s crying. Not a sound comes out from his mouth, but silent tears are rolling down his cheeks.

Her nipples. Two rosy peaks. For our child when time comes. For me and her now. I lick the other, and give other a gentle nip. She rewards me with yet another gasp and a moan. I suck the other tight bud to my mouth and roll it with my tongue. She tastes different from here. Her skin is little salty, but her nipples are sweeter. I’m going to remember it.

Face to face with him. His eyes are soft and moist, his lips hard and hot when he devours my mouth with his own. I can taste us both in that kiss. He’s licking and nipping my lips, sliding his tongue in to my mouth, and now I can hear slight gasps, small hitches in his breath when he cries. I comb my fingers through his wild hair, and finally he lets me touch him.

“Open your eyes.” I don’t want to talk, but I want to see her eyes when I sunk in to her. Those beautiful brown orbs. Her heat envelopes me, and her eyes keep me anchored to here. This is now. This is us. This is the moment I will remember.

I don’t know any of these people. And it looks like they have no intentions or will to get to know me. I thought it was supposed to be one man, Scott, who Logan asked to pick us up. Instead of that one man, there’s three man and two women. All eyeing Logan and me warily. Standing in front of a massive jet plane. Logan pulls me closer to his side, and I can more feel than hear small growl reverberating from him. He swallows it quickly, and plasters a fake smile to his face.

“Whole cavalry? I’m honored.” And surprised. Xavier must have picked up more than I thought during our short conversation. Beast, Nightcrawler, Cyclops, Jean and Storm. Whole team.
“How are you feeling?” Scott asks, stepping forward.
“I have been better. But I think I can hold it long enough.” Long enough. Until we get to mansion. I’m sure there’s a cell waiting, my name written on the door. There better be. I can hear whispers already. Small voice inside me. Blood and flesh. Rage. Call of the pack.
“Lets get going then,” Scott says and herds his pack back in the Blackbird. We follow. Marie’s grasping my arm so tight it would leave a mark if it weren’t my mutation. She reeks of hesitation and fear. No wonder. My “friends” aren’t exactly touchy feely right now. But I have to clear this up with them before they lock me up. She needs somebody she can trust in case I don’t make it.

I’m explaining to Xavier who she is. What she is to me. My words may not come out sounding right, but he is scanning my mind all the while we are speaking. Usually I would throw him out from my head, but this time he is quite welcome. He holds me down while Scott is shackling me. Hands tucked tightly against my chest, several layers of heavy metal chain around my torso and feet. I’m growling and cursing, and trying to force the right words from my lips. It gets little better when Scott finishes and retreats from the room, leaving me alone with the professor.

“I want you to take care of her. She’s mine.” Professor just nods and smiles. I have to make him understand. Have to make it clear she is worth more than this whole fucking world.
“She’s carrying. Cub is mine. She’s mine. They are mine.” And again he just smiles and nods. But I can see from his eyes he understands every word crystal clear. And that is a good thing, because all reason and higher brain functions take a vacation soon, and I’m not going to be here looking after her.
“I want Scott to take care of her… Not Jean or Ororo. Has to be Scott.” This is important. I need another alpha. Another that can take up responsibility of growing my offspring if I don’t make it. Suddenly Professor lifts his head.
“She’s outside. I’ll leave you two alone.”

Heavy chains are weighing him down, but he struggles to his feet. New kind of fire burns in his eyes. He leans closer, towering over me and growls, nuzzling his face to my hair.

“You have a place in here. Scott will look after you, and help you out.” Confusion veils her face. Time to tell the whole ugly truth.
“I have no idea if I’m going to make it. My bones… Metal on them is indestructible. If I transform, they won’t. They won’t adapt to my new form.” And once you transform, you’ll stay that way. There’s no going back. I can only pray my transformation affects only my mental capacities. That one can be reversed to some extent. They can make me a human being again if that happens. If my body transforms, I’ll turn to a shapeless sack of meat and guts, metal bones jutting out from funny places. I have already given to Professor instructions what to do if that happens.
“Can I stay with you?” She asks, and wraps her hands around me hesitantly. Fuck. I want to let her stay. I want her to stay. I don’t want to let her go. But it isn’t safe. I’m not safe. Whispers are turning louder already. Everything, this room, Marie, shackles around me won’t matter after a while. Won’t matter a thing.
“Go.”

“I’m not going to do it. If you let go now, she will be alone for the rest of her life. Your kid will grow up without a father. I don’t care what happens to them. Jean isn’t exactly thrilled about the idea of a concubine, or adopting your brat.” I don’t know how much of this registers to the mindless beast on the other side of the locked steel door, but I keep talking.
“She will be all alone. Xavier will throw them out, because she can’t handle your little accident on her own. She can’t raise it, what ever it will be. It needs you. And you won’t be here if you let go now.” Ugly, but has to be done. I have to give Logan good enough reason to fight. I just hope he won’t catch my lie. At the moment Marie is sleeping with Jean in our room. I finally managed to talk some sense in to her. She can’t spend all nights cooped up against Logan’s cell. It’s not healthy.
“I’m not taking care of your bitch. She’s your responsibility. But what the heck, I’ll go and get her. Toss her in there. You work things out with her.” That finally rouses him enough to form a coherent sentence.
“You’ll do that, and I make sure Xavier tosses you in here after her…” Heavy thud against the door makes it rattle on its hinges, and bloodcurdling howl echoes from behind it.

I have been sitting here for hours now, talking and shouting. My throat is sore. My mouth is dry as Sahara. But I can’t just very well leave him, can I. There’s a man in there somewhere. He’s a little lost now, but I really do hope we can get him back. I’m not the biggest fan of Logan around here. I actually hate him. Hate him for trying to get in to Jean’s pants. But that’s no reason to let him go. That’s no reason to abandon his wife and child. For a wife that frail child woman in our room is to him. Not maybe in the eyes of the law, but Logan has never been the most law abiding creature. So I sit here and talk. Try to make him answer with words instead of growls and murmurs. I can see him from the monitors. He’s pacing restlessly back and forth in front of his bunk. Still tightly chained up. His eyes are bloodshot, and he’s sweating. Every once in a while he stops long enough to crouch down when the weight of the chains gets too much, but too soon he continues. And I want to make him stop. I want to put him down. Shackle him to that narrow cot at the far end of his cell. It has been five days already, and he hasn’t slept at all. He eats the food we give to him, but he doesn’t have the slightest concept of how to use the toilet. He just crouches in the corner. But I think the worst is behind already. He hasn’t changed. From the outside he’s still a man. And professor is convinced he can repair any damage that infection causes to Logan’s mind. Who knows? Maybe this all will turn out for the best.

“This has gone far enough. He can’t fight it alone anymore. He’s too tired. We have to sedate him.” Xavier. He’s watching Logan through monitors. Sedate? With what? I have seen him getting shot with enough tranqs to sedate a herd of elephants, and he just kept going.
“Have you forgotten his mutation?” I ask, and Xavier frowns.
“No. I was planning to ask Rogue to help us. Her mutation might be quite useful in this matter. If she can control it as well as she claims.” I don’t know what to think about his plan. In my opinion it’s quite useless. Rogue told us about her mutation and how it works. She probably can put Logan down long enough to let Xavier in his head, but what it will do to her? She’ll be getting her head full of raving lunatic.
“Isn’t it just spreading the infection? It’s clear, that it has attacked his mind instead of his body.” Again Xavier frowns, and now he looks uneasy.
“I am aware of the risks. But she’s easier to contain than Logan. If we allow infection to run it’s full course, there’s a good possibility we can’t keep him down. After all, it doesn’t take much from him to cut through those chains and that door if he so chooses.” And for that I have nothing to say. I tied Logan up tightly. He would have to skewer himself to get free. Even then it would be hard. But Xavier is right in this one. She doesn’t have adamantium. Logan has.

“I can do it.” She looks so sure. I can see she’s scared, but determined.
“I held Victor down for nearly five minutes. I could have kept him longer. I can do this for him.” And what part of my little speech she did not understand?
“I don’t like this plan. Logan might get better, but you might get hurt. And I don’t think Logan would agree with Professor on this.”
“I know he wouldn’t agree. But this is something I can do for him. If something goes wrong, I’m sure he’ll figure out a way to get me back to my old self again.” She has more faith in Logan’s abilities than any of us. Makes me wonder what really happened between those two. What made them click. In a way their relationship reminds me what Jean and I once used to have. What it still should be. And I can’t help it. I’m jealous.
“Professor waits us downstairs. And remember, you can say no, if you don’t want to do this. I’m sure Professor can figure out some other way to…” She silences me by placing a quick kiss to my cheek.
“Thank you. Thank you for caring.”

It wasn’t what I expected. I wasn’t prepared to what happened. And that is something I regret for the rest of my life. At this moment there’s a young woman lying in the med lab, restrained and sedated. And for that the blame lands solely on me.

When they came to me, she was so sure of herself, so sure of her power. And I believed her. I had no reason to doubt. Had I known more of the psyche of a lycan, I probably would have figured out another way to bring Logan back to us from where he had retreated.

We observed from the monitors when she entered to his cell. At first Logan seemed to be surprised. Surprised enough not to attack her. She got close enough to touch him. Logan went down as expected. She held on, trying to give me more time. I was about to enter his mind, when she suddenly jerked and started to scream, hands still clasped tightly over his face. Scott entered the cell and pulled her away from Logan. She kept kicking and screaming until Jean arrived and sedated her.

Unexpected scene greeted me when I finally scanned Logan’s mind. I was standing in the middle of a small greasy diner. She was there, crouched over huge wolf, strangling it. Logan was nowhere in sight, but there was another animal, a wolverine with her, jaws locked tightly around hind paw of that wolf. Both wolverine and wolf seemed to be exhausted. Wolf flickered every now and then to another form. It looked like it tried to turn to a human.

When wolverine detected my presence it let go of the wolf and attacked me, forced me out. Now all we can do is wait, and hope for the best.

I don’t know what happened when I touched him. Suddenly I felt a pull, and next thing I knew I was back in that diner where we met Vic. Logan laid on the floor.
“Marie?” He reached with his hand. I took it, and suddenly horrible howl echoed from him. He started to turn in to a wolf. Window next to us shattered, and just as the wolf tried to bite me something brown, almost black separated us. A wolverine. It fought with the wolf, and got it pinned down, but it looked like it was fighting a loosing battle. Wolf was struggling to get free, and I could see wolverine wasn’t able to hold it much longer. So I did what I could to help it. To help Logan. I felt like I had to pull the wolf away from him somehow.

Now lycan is inside of me, screaming and howling. I’m inside of Logan. I’m not screaming or howling, but I probably will start soon if he doesn’t show up soon. After I pulled lycan away from him, diner disappeared. We are in the middle of an endless looking field. It’s cold out here. I don’t know what happened to Logan. I can’t see him anymore. Wolverine is here, but every time I try to pet it, it growls. It’s fur looks so soft. I would like to cuddle next to it, wrap it around me like a living fur coat, but I think it would have some serious issues about it. I think it can smell the lycan in me.

I have to admit Professor’s plan worked out. At least Logan is unconscious now. As a matter of fact, he seems to be in a coma. Rogue is not much better. I should have stopped this. I should have. I don’t have the slightest idea of what happened. Nor does Professor. His best guess is, that lycan somehow pulled Rogue in to Logan’s mind, and now she’s trapped. Trapped with two vicious animals.

I just woke up. I feel so fucking crowded. Too much going on inside me. Professor explained what happened. This is probably the closest I will ever get with Marie. She’s inside of me now. Me, myself and Marie. Fuck. That lycan is still in the mix, too. But instead of me it’s in Marie now. Who’s in me. I always thought Chuck was a wise man. Now I’m starting to wonder his sanity.

I can’t communicate with her, but every time I close my eyes I can see her. She’s tiny dot of light in the darkness, floating around. Not too many men have the privilege to get this close with their wives, but I would give up this honor just to see her opening her eyes again. Her body looks cold and dead. Fuckers tried to stop me when I took her to my room.

Chuck promised to figure out a way to extract her mind from mine and move it back to her own body again. He better make it fast. My mind isn’t a safe place. I can only hope she doesn’t stumble in to some nasty surprises. When those fuckers in the lab scrambled my brain, they booby-trapped the whole place. There’s no telling what will happen if she trips over something.

Jean came over. Tried to make me take Marie back to med lab. Asked if I knew what responsibility it was to treat a coma patient. Like I’m fucking afraid of shit, piss and occasional drool bubble. I know how to set up an IV. I know how to keep her clean. I know how to keep her muscles and joints working. I can smell any possible cause of discomfort faster than any of those machines Jean has. I know human body from inside out. Up until now I have used that knowledge to maim and kill. Time to use it for something important now.

“There. You’re all set up now. Sorry, couldn’t put coke in that IV, but I’ll get you some as soon as you wake up. I’ll go and talk with professor now. Won’t take long. I’ll be right back.” Shit. That needle looked huge when I pushed it in. I expected her to scream and bolt up. Of course she didn’t. She’s still in my head. Probably screaming her lungs out. Professor better have some good news. It has been nearly two weeks already. I don’t know how much longer her body can take this. I don’t know how long I can take this. At least the baby is fine. I have been listening to it at nights. It’s so small it doesn’t have a heartbeat yet, but I can still hear something. Don’t really know what it is, but I haven’t slept ages as good as now. My head on her stomach, her heart in the background, and that small voice from her womb my lullaby.

“Lycan is probably the very thing keeping her trapped. It already managed to establish working connection with your mind. She has to let it go if she wishes to return to her own body.” Isn’t that nice. Either way I’m going to loose her.
“Can’t you do something? Pull that mutt out from us both?” Professor shakes his head.
“It’s impossible. I have no that kind of power. I could leash it once it leaves her mind. That was my intention in the beginning, before she pulled it to herself.”
“Leash it? What do you mean?” That sounds already promising.
“Lycan would still be in you, but in the background. You would be in control instead of it.”
“How do we tell her to let go? I have tried to talk to her, but I can’t reach her.” And isn’t that frustrating. Of all the possible places she’s lost in my own fucking head, and I can’t track her down. Shows how messed up that place is.
“You have to lower your guards. Your subconscious threw me out, and I have been unable to get in ever since.” Oh.

“I have some good news. Prof figured out a way to get this whole fucking mess sorted out.” I’m just going to cuddle with her for a while. Comb her hair. Keep her close. Listen to our baby grow. I don’t trust Professor’s plan any more than I would have trusted the previous one. Too many ifs. If he manages to get past my defenses. If he finds Marie. If she agrees to let lycan go. If she can let it go. But it still is our best shot.

“How do you feel?”
“Like a fucking train wreck. Did it work?” I can feel something restless, pacing just out of reach somewhere behind me. Chains are digging in to my skin. Angry snarl and huff. Sudden lurch. Something tightening. I can’t fucking breathe!
“I got her out. Lycan is under wraps. It might take some time to get used to it, but give it couple of weeks.” Right. It’s not like our dear Professor has to endure this.
“Are you sure it’s contained?”
“Yes. I’m sure.” There’s no hesitation in his voice.
“What the fuck are you waiting, then? Let me out of here! I have to see her! I have to see her now!” These fucking chains are so heavy I can barely get on my knees. And I saw the tapes they took from me earlier when I was a little feral. Dear God. How the hell was I able to walk around with these back then?

Soft patting noises behind me. Claws scratching concrete. Tug and yank, and I’m back on the floor, throat constricting, every cell in my body screaming for oxygen. I can hear door opening. Scott. I want to claw his eyes out. Maybe take a bite out of him. That urge passes soon. I can smell Marie on him. My Marie. Her scent is all over Scott.
“Want to tell me what the fuck have you been doing with her?” I choke out while he opens the locks to my chains.
“Huh?” Scott looks puzzled.
“Marie… Why the fuck do you smell like her?” Tightness around my throat loosens a bit.
“We figured you might be somewhat… Unstable at first. I noticed earlier that her presence had a calming effect on you. We put Scott’s clothes next to her last night, to get her scent on them.” Professor explains as his wheelchair whirrs to my cell. Okay. I can live with that. No need to gut Scott. I can hear faint snickering in my head. Voice telling me to do it anyway.

“You put it on a leash, but forgot the muzzle.” Professor looks guilty.
“Yes. I had to leave some leverage for it. It’s you who’s holding the leash. Should you forgot it… We don’t want a repeat performance of Were-Wolvie, as some students so fondly call this episode.”
“I need some clothes.” Can’t go running around naked. After all, she’s still in my room. In my bed. Wide-awake. And most likely too weak and withered to endure my enthusiasm. Shit.
“Scott? Could you go and see if she’s alright?” And now they are both looking me like I suddenly grew a second head. Both pair of eyes fixed to mine.
“Look lower.” Scott is the first one to catch my meaning, as his gaze travels over my body, stopping at my crotch.
“Oh…”
“Yeah. I don’t think she’s quite ready yet.” And now Chuck surprises me completely. He actually leans a little closer, deep frown on his face.
“Maybe it could be possible after very thorough physical therapy. Though you did get her pregnant, but I’m unable to comprehend how that monster is compatible with that little nymph…”

I haven’t seen Logan in two days, and I have to say I feel kind of neglected. Scott told me everything he did when I was unconscious. How he spent all his time taking care of me. Don’t get me wrong, I think it was much more anybody could expect. I’m still little woozy and wobbly, but I can already walk on my own, and that is probably because of Logan’s dedication. He spent literally hours massaging and moving me, keeping up my motoric functions. But I have been awake for two whole days, and I haven’t seen a glimpse from him! Scott, Professor, everybody keeps telling me he’s here, and that everything is all right, but I find it quite hard to believe. What if he decided this all was too much too soon? And everybody is just trying to hide the fact that he actually high-tailed out of here as soon as he got rid of me in his head? Am I being paranoid?

I miss him. And I kind of miss being inside of him. In a way those weeks were most horrifying, and in turn most interesting experience in my life so far. There was lycan, wolverine and I. After it got over the fact that I smelt like a mortal enemy that wolverine was actually quite comforting companion. It let me sleep next to it when I got cold. It guided me. Gave me a grand tour in Logan’s mind. It seemed to know it’s way round there. In a way it felt like Logan was with me the whole time. And now he isn’t. He’s vanished to thin air. And I don’t know what to think about it.

I’m hallucinating. That is the only explanation. Logan isn’t really here, sitting next to me on this bed. This is just some very realistic dream. As soon as I wake up, he’s gone again. Because he left over a week ago. He really isn’t sitting there with just grey sweatpants on, skin glistening from sweat. No. He’s hundreds of miles from here, in some dingy bar, wearing his faded jeans, beating up people and picking up random women. He really isn’t devouring me with his eyes, because he isn’t here.
“I know you need time to recover, but I can’t wait any longer. I need you.” It isn’t a dream?
“Is it really you?” I’m almost afraid to ask. He leans closer and brushes a soft kiss to my forehead.
“I know I should give you some more time. I don’t want to hurt you. I tried to stay away, but I could smell your scent when I was on my way to the kitchen, and I just had to see you.”

She looks so tired and confused. I can see from her face she has lost weight, and that’s not a good sign. I pull off the quilt covering her. I have to see her. I have to touch her. It has been too long. Too many cold nights alone. Lycan growls and yanks the chain. Now I’m prepared and yank back. I can hear satisfying whimper when it stumbles. That whine goes straight to the pit of my stomach, fueling the fire already burning there. It’s quite a rush to be in full control over my body once again.

His eyes flash briefly golden, and he shivers slightly. His other hand peels away the blanket covering me. I can see his throat muscles working when his eyes scan over me. It really is him. I can smell tobacco, leather and slight hint of hot metal. His hot breath tickles my ear when he leans even closer. His tongue sweeps slow lick over my jugular, and he inhales deeply.

Her scent is slightly different now. Must be all those hormones working. It’s even more alluring now than it was before. I can more feel than hear lycan clawing its way back up. I’m getting ready for the inevitable tug-of-war, when I hear an angry snarl. Something vicious and untamed leaps from the shadows, jaws’ locking tightly around lycan’s throat, and it goes down again.

He’s solid and warm under my palms. I slide my hands over his chest, to his sides. I can feel his heart pounding against his ribcage, strong and steady. I feel like crying. I feel like laughing. I feel.

“Can I?” She’s wearing some sort of long nightgown. I hate to see her all covered up, and I’m tugging it off from her before she has time to answer, but she isn’t refusing. She’s helping me to get rid of that hideous scrap of fabric. When it’s out of the way, I can see the perfection. Soft glow on her skin, breasts getting already little fuller, her body little more curvy. I’m almost afraid to touch her. I want to lick and suck, to taste every inch of her, to get to know her again. I want to map out her body with my fingers, to learn every detail and nuance again.

I crawl on top of him and nuzzle my face against his chest. It feels so good after being alone so long. His hands tangle to my hair and he pulls me closer to his face. For a moment he just looks me in the eyes, then takes my lips to a kiss. It makes my insides quiver and melt. His lips are so soft, and yet hard and demanding at the same time. He tastes of pure lust. I can feel his cock throbbing between our bodies, still encased to grey fabric of his pants. He has absolutely too many clothes on. I break our kiss long enough to take them off from him. His gaze darkens when I kneel in front of him to get the pants off from around his legs. We are almost mimicking our stance from that motel few weeks ago. Now there’s no Victor to stop us.
“Get up.” His voice is hoarse. Golden gleam in his eyes, and he’s trembling all over.

I might be enjoying this little too much. I strengthen the hold from the leash. Lycan is whispering now. Whispering about pack. About females. About my mate on her hands and knees in front of me. How good it will be once I let go. I close those whispers away from my mind. She’s standing in front of me, between my knees. Breasts just few inches from me. I lean my face between them, rub them with my palms, and she lets out familiar sounding gasp. When I look up, her head is thrown backwards and her hands grasp my head, pulling me even closer. I turn my head and suck in her other nipple, and she moans. I can feel the warm flare go up and down her whole body. Finally it settles to the juncture of her thighs. I know what I will find from there, but I’m not going to hurry. Right now I’m going to enjoy every little twitch and moan I can rouse from her, and the idea of how it makes the lycan squirm. Squirm like I have been squirming for this whole time that I have spent apart with her.

He’s licking and sucking my breasts, and it feels heavenly. They have felt so tight and hot, but his touch is soothing, taking off the edge, and turning that feeling from nuisance to pleasure. Every caress feels like a gentle stroke to my core, and I’m pretty sure I will be soon standing in a giant puddle. I can already feel first hint of moisture between my thighs. I know he can smell it, as I can smell his need for me. His other hand delves between my thighs, rubbing and spreading me gently. That dark, golden gaze returns to his face again when he brings that hand to his lips, and licks every digit clean, eyes fixed to my own.

I lean to bed on my back and pull her on top of me. Her soft skin rubbing against mine, hands grasping support from my shoulders, hot and wet crevice sliding over my flesh, it’s almost too much. I grasp a hold from the sheets. I don’t want to bruise her. Lycan is howling now, renewing the struggle. My feral companion can’t hold it back much longer. Suddenly Marie’s blunt teeth scrape over my neck, latching just above my collarbone. Sharp enough to leave a mark. At the same time she lifts her hips and impales herself to me. I belong to her. Not to some hairy mutt, lurking in the shadows of my mind. Just for her. She yanks my leash, and I’m ready to roll over and play dead.

When I wake up. Logan’s gone. Pillow next to mine I still warm. He must have just left. I feel like million bucks. Things he did to me last night… I’m pretty sure over half of them were flat out illegal, and rest just impossible. On the bed, on the floor next to it, in a bathroom against the wall. That was the last time. He already had promised he would leave me alone, but we had to clean up a bit before we could go to sleep. I hate the idea of waking all sticky and yucky. I was under the shower when his hands came around me and he picked me up, pushing me against the wall. Somehow he managed to jostle his hands under my knees. I was against cold tiles on my hands and knees. Every orifice stretched up. I expected him to plunge in me. He didn’t disappoint me. He fucked me for a while, then stopped and pulled out. I could feel his cock poking my anus, all slick and wet from my juices. It was much slower than earlier times. He really took his time, making sure it felt good for me too. Probably whole mansion heard how good it felt.

I can breathe properly first time in days. It’s still there, howling and snarling, rattling the chains, but I don’t have to think about it. When it gets too much, all I have to do is just to remember Marie. The way she marked me. Of course there’s no physical evidence, it healed over immediately after she let go, but what she did had strong mental impact. It’s like there’s a cage surrounding that lycan now.
“You finally got your rocks off then.” Huh? Scott crouches next to me, eyeing the damage his precious scenario has taken.
“You didn’t wreck whole DR like you have done every fucking night after she woke up.” No. Not the whole room. But I bet he will have a fit when he sees what I did to his look-alike. I just had to do it. I want to feel bad about it, but it’s kind of hard when even the lycan is applauding and congratulating me for a job well done.
“Logan? Is there something I should know? About your sexual preferences?”
“Why do you ask?” He points and I lift my head to see what he means. I wonder which is more disturbing. That giant pole I impaled his limp body to keep it upright, or that huge dildo rammed through his skull?

“Consider that a payback. Don’t even think I haven’t smelt how you feel about Marie.” Busted. Crap.
“Look… I have no intentions…” I start but he lifts his hand, interrupting me.
“I know that. You’re so wrapped up with Jean you don’t even have the time to act upon your impulses. That part is reserved to me. But consider yourself warned. There will be no further warnings.” Muscles on his left forearm twitch, and I half expect razor sharp metal tear it’s way out. Instead he offers his hand to me.
“Help me up. I think I sprained something when I fell from the roof.” I pull him up. His right shoulder sags, but before my eyes it knits back to it’s rightful place. I can hear small crackling when tendons pull the bone back to the socket. He grimaces and his breath hitches slightly. But there’s no pain in his eyes when he grunts and rolls his neck. And suddenly I’m standing far too close to him.

I had some issues before, but after that lycan get in to me, it feels like it has enhanced the old ones, and brought a bunch of completely new ones in to mix. Right now it’s stretching the boundaries of its prison, leaning closer to my conscious mind. Body hot and poised. Signal is clear. Scott is another alpha. A challenger. And he is interested about Marie.

I back off slowly from him. His breathing is labored, and he’s clenching and unclenching his fists, eyes locked to mine. I can’t turn my gaze. If I do it, he will bounce. I don’t know which one is more sickening. Pale hunger shining through, or golden tint mixing rapidly with hazel in his eyes.
“Don’t fucking move…” He growls. Forces his gaze to the floor.
“Stop moving, Scott. Now.” I can’t make my body to obey. Sight of him, half naked, every muscle coiled, just a hint of his claws stretching the skin between his knuckles makes me turn around and run towards the door. Furious growl echoes from behind me, and I can see without looking Logan bolting after me, claws extended, feral gleam in his eyes. He crashes against me and we stumble against the door. His weight forces the air out of my lungs. Surprisingly warm metal grazes my throat slightly, and I can feel small trickle of blood escaping when it parts the skin.
“I told you not to move…” His breath comes out warm puffs, making the small hairs on my skin prickle. In a perverse way this reminds me of lover’s caress, but there’s nothing loving with the way he suddenly grasps my bicep and yanks me around. Claws go back in, and his fist pushes against the underside of my jaw, forcing my head upwards, baring my throat to his scrutiny. Pupils like pinpricks, nearly drowning to gold. His gaze flickers between the cut he made, and the door behind me. He shivers. Next thing I know he’s throwing me out.
“Lock me in!”

Christ. I wanted to fuck him. I wanted to fuck Scott. And I’m not completely sure from who that urge came. From lycan, or from… Me? I’m no fit for human company yet. Not by a long shot. What kind of a fucking animal I am? I can hear lycan sniggering. Good tug from the leash sends it crashing against the bars. It yelps. Couple teeth broken. It licks the blood flowing from a cut lip and grabs it’s genitalia, giving it a good rub. Fucking sex and blood. That’s all it understands. It needs company of its kind, someone to teach the way of the pack.

Logan’s been acting weird this whole day. Ever since he came back from his session in danger Room he has been distant. He’s with me, but not all there. I tried to ask what was bothering him, but he just shrugged his shoulders and told me it was nothing. He’s a terrible liar. He’s twitchy and edgy, scanning our surroundings constantly, and it looks like he’s avoiding other people. When we are out walking, he chooses secluded paths at the far end of the garden, rather than more crowded ones around basketball- and tennis courts. We don’t go to eat to dining hall. Instead he steers me to kitchen. I don’t really mind, but this is plain weird. I know him. He isn’t the party animal chatting mundane things with random people, but he isn’t usually this anti-social, either. I don’t know what to think about his behavior.

“I know something’s wrong. Why can’t you talk to me about it?” Sun is setting. We are sitting in the garden on a soft grass. Logan’s holding my hand and fiddling with my fingers. He doesn’t look at me.
“Talk to me.”
“I can’t. I don’t want… I’m so fucked up. I don’t want to loose you. I don’t want to loose this what we have. Can I just hold you?” He’s already curling around me, head tucked tightly against my stomach, hands around my waist. His legs support my back. All wrapped up to a Logan belt. Brief image of wolverine, curling its furred body around my shivering form, clawed paws resting protectively on my lower abdomen. But Logan isn’t trying to protect. He’s hiding. What is so ugly he has to hide it from me? Loose me? What the hell is going on? I’m really starting to get worried.
“Logan? Could you please tell me what has happened?” My voice is quivering, and that makes his head snap up.
“You better understand that there’s no way out. I’m not going to let you go.” He looks so angry and scared, and he’s scaring me. The way his fingers dug in my back. Careful way he sets his words. Not a threat to casual observer, but I have been inside of him. I can read between the lines. There really is no way out. Not even if I wanted to.

“You’re going to finish your school in here. After that we leave. Just the three of us. On the road.” His hand is drawing lazy circles to my stomach. I’m starting to get a little bigger. Not much. Not enough that other people take notice. This has gone surprisingly well. I haven’t felt nausea; I don’t have cravings. I don’t feel bloated. I just feel me. Completely me. Like there’s not even anybody home. But I know baby is in there. I can tell from the way Logan rubs his face against me and smiles.
“I can hear two hearts. Yours and baby’s.” And there’s another thing we haven’t discussed. A baby. I wasn’t exactly planning to get pregnant. Don’t get me wrong, I know about flowers, bees, condoms and pills. But those are all secondary thoughts. I gave myself to him more than willingly. One might say I took him with force for the first time. I wasn’t really concerned about protection back then. After that first time it became something mundane. Something to push out of the way when things got interesting. I had felt him inside of me, and I wasn’t going to give up that feeling for anything. I have no regrets, but I think he might feel I blame him for this situation somehow. We really have to talk this through. It’s going to be hard. I’m not used to talk about my feelings with anybody. Hasn’t been a hindrance up until now.
“If you’re not going to talk, I want you to listen what I have to say.” Because this is something I will say only once. Because it’s too personal to be shared with anybody. Even with him. It’s me. Who I am. He turns his face from my stomach, facing me, dead serious.

“I took advantage of you. I needed somebody, anybody, to share my life with. When things turned out the way they did, it was an added bonus. I love you. I’m getting more comfortable with the idea of having your child. I don’t need constant pampering or protection. I have no intentions to let you go, no matter what happens. You won’t get rid of me even if you wanted to. You belong to me, as much as I belong to you. This may make me an ugly, horrible person, but this is whom I am. I’m completely satisfied to the situation at hand, and I will tell you if something bothers me.” There. The whole truth. I needed him. I fell in love with him. I have no life apart from him. And I don’t care about it. This is enough for me.

Oh, fuck. This isn’t happening. She’s not taking the blame. Not on this one. I should have been the responsible one. I should have told no. I should have taken her to the next town instead of dragging her to that motel. She took an advantage? Christ! Doesn’t she see what is going on? I’m using her. I’m using her mind and body. Instead of clinging to me she should try to get away. I know I won’t allow that to happen, but she shouldn’t just quietly swallow everything I dish out. She’s a fucking person! Another human being! Not some fucking toy for me to play with! She’s getting more comfortable about the idea of motherhood? She shouldn’t have to! Only thing she should have to be getting comfortable is the idea of a boyfriend, preferably her own age, with clean-cut face and a sports car. Not going to happen as long as I’m alive, but that isn’t the fucking point! I’m fucked up, and now I have fucked up her, too.

“I don’t want you to settle. You got yourself a shitty deal when you hooked up with me, but that doesn’t mean you should just take everything I do or say. Scream. Shout. Cry. Kick me. Do something. I will never let you go. I can’t do it. But you don’t have to approve. You have the right to disagree with me. Had it from the beginning.” I don’t deserve her. I should just go and leave her. Even Scott would be better option. Even with Jean still in the picture. And I can’t fucking let her go!
“I will state my objections when I have something to object.” And I can smell she’s telling the truth. Lycan in me rolls over whimpering. We are both whipped. She combs her fingers through my hair, and that simple touch sends shivers all over me. It burns and a sting like tearing open a wound, but it’s a good burn, drawing wolverine closer to the surface, soothing its tangled fur. My clash with Scott left it lying in the corner, nearly beaten by the lycan, but her touch wakes it up again.

Now that we got that out of the way, it’s time to press on to that other subject. The one that started this whole conversation. I’m on the row now. I will drag out what ever that is that is bothering him. Because it sounds like it’s big enough issue to have an impact to my life too. I want to know why he’s planning to leave as soon as it is humanely possible.
“Can you tell me now what’s going on?”
“I’d rather not talk about it, but might as well tell you.” I can hear from his voice he’s challenging me. Challenging me to try to leave.
“I was in danger Room when Scott came over. Things got bit out of hand. I tried to rape him.” Oh. He looks straight in to my eyes.

Come on. Say something. Your precious hubby told you just he was going to rape somebody this morning. At least scream. Do anything. Try to leave. Go. Run. Fucking run! Go to professor and make him lock me up for good. I’m not safe. I’m not sane. Even lycan can vouch for that!

This is fucking priceless. I thought we talked this through with Logan when I released him from DR. Apparently scaring the shit out of me wasn’t enough. He just had to go after Marie too. She’s sitting on our couch, face laden with worry and guilt. Thank God Jean isn’t home. I don’t know how I could even begin to explain to her about what happened this morning.

“Are you absolutely sure you’re alright?” Well, what can I say, honey? Your beast of a man fucked me senseless after accusing me of lusting after you. All right? Well of course I’m all right!
“I am fine. We talked it through. It was quite apparent Logan wasn’t in command when it happened.”
“It didn’t come out like that when he told me about it.”
“I’m sure it didn’t. He’s a sucker for punishment. He needs it. Needs the pain to keep going. I thought he had gotten over it already, but looks like the cure he found was only temporarily.” And I really didn’t mean to say all that with such accusatory tone. It really isn’t her fault that she’s screwing the resident nut job.
“He was wound up long before you encountered that lycan. It only brought all the old shit back to surface. He will get over it, sooner or later.” The sooner the better. I don’t think this girl in front of me can take much more of his shit.
“My advice to you is, that you forget this whole incident. It happened, and got dealt with immediately.” No need to tell her exactly how it got dealt with. No need to go in to details.

“Lets just get this over with.” I wasn’t sure what made me step back in. What made me confront the beast. Curiosity, perhaps?
“Scott, get the fuck away from me!” Logan barked, hands clutching wrecked car, part of the scenario, almost desperately.
“No. You’re falling a part. You need to get that thing inside of you under wraps again. We can’t lock you away for good. Think about Marie. Think about what it would do to her. To know you’re alive, but contained to a windowless cell.”
“Do you have any idea what I’m going to do if you don’t leave now?”
“I have seen my fare share of Animal Planet. You force me in to submission. One way or the other.” Logan’s whole body was glistening from sweat. That strange golden gaze lurked just under the surface.
“I don’t want to hurt you. You’re not on top of my Christmas card list, but that’s no reason to beat you up.”
“Beat me up? Is that what you’re really going to do?”
“No. Want to back out?” Final warning. I was tempted to say yes. Instead of yes I heard my own voice croak loud and clear no.

“Have you done this before?” Logan’s fingers inside of me, rubbing and stretching. At first it felt less pleasant, but soon I was pushing against his hand, to get more out of this invasion.
“No… God…” I wasn’t sure what Logan was doing, but every little poke and push sent small jolts of energy straight to my crotch. Hood of the car was cold and scratchy under my cheek, Logan’s other hand pressing me down unrelenting.
“Jerk off.”
“What?” I wasn’t sure I had heard right.
“Jerk off. We don’t have any kind of lube, and I’m not sure as hell going to leave and get it.” With Logan’s long fingers rubbing my prostate it didn’t take long before I came, back arching and buttocks clenching. It felt so different compared to all those times with Jean. Aftershock produced another generous dollop of cum when Logan suddenly pulled his fingers out from me.
“Try to get as much inside as you can.” Under normal circumstances I would have been mortified. Here I was, bent over in front of another man, smearing my anus with my own come, but now it only excited me. And when Logan took my still slick hand and guided it to his throbbing shaft, it felt only natural to grab it and give it few gentle strokes.

Act itself was less pleasant. Logan was about as careful and delicate as a rhino in a porcelain shop. Quick intrusion, few swift strokes, hard grip from my shoulders, and bite mark to my left shoulder blade.
“Better now?” We asked in unison when Logan was pulling out from me. We both nodded. We shared a shower; Logan apologized for the biting. Then he left, in search of Marie, and I had a nagging feeling that apology had been less than halfhearted. Logan had meant to mark me. He had apologized out of politeness.

How the hell did you tell something like that to a woman who was carrying a child to that other man? There really is no way to share that kind of experience with her, so she just has to take my word that everything is okay now. Because it really is.

Logan’s gone. Well, not really gone, but he had to leave for couple of days. He lost some important papers when we were running from Victor and lycans, and Xavier really needed those papers. Logan usually works alone, but this time Professor sent Scott with him. I’m glad for that. I know they are not the best possible buddies, but at least I know Logan won’t be all alone if something happens. Not like me. For some reason everybody keeps avoiding me. Like I had the leper or something. Only one still talking to me is the Professor, and his time is limited. He’s juggling between running the school and observing Logan and Scott’s progress. No one to talk to. Except for the baby, but talking to a two month fetus feels kind of ridiculous.

So, there I was, slowly going nuts, when Professor called me to his office.
“I was wondering if you could help me out a bit?” Was he kidding?
“Of course! What can I do?”
“There’s an old filing cabinet downstairs. It’s filled to the brim with papers and dossiers. I need you to go through it, and organize it.” That sounded heavenly. All cooped up in a small storage compartment, hidden away from all those quiet, staring people. Because they really stared openly.

If I had known what I would find, I would have refused.

I finished the job faster than I expected. All I had to do was to file away scattered papers to alphabetical order. They looked like housekeeping records. Old bills from suppliers, receipts from purchases and so on. There I sat, thinking this was actually nice. To do something useful instead of being one-woman freak show for the rest of the freaks living in here. There were more cabinets, and I decided to take a quick peek. They would be locked if there were something really important, right? Xavier wouldn’t have let me come here all-alone if there was some top-secret stuff in those cabinets, right?

Other cabinets were neatly organized, and I was little disappointed. Then I noticed one file, much thicker than the rest of the files. It looked like somebody had rifled through it in awful hurry, and then just tossed it back, without really caring where it landed. I pulled it out to stuff back some papers that were nearly falling out from it. There was writing on top of it. Big, black letters. One word. Wolverine.

Curiosity killed the cat. It didn’t kill me, but I almost wish it did.

I know what’s inside of Logan. And I’m not talking about his mind. I have seen him get hurt bad enough to see the metal coating his bones. I found some vague memories about how it got there, when I got lost in his mind, but this was different. Old x-rays, black and white photographs, and paper after paper medical records about him. About what they did to him.

… Subject responds to outside stimuli…

… Rapid deterioration of mental capacities…

… heart failure. Subject was successfully resuscitated…

… abnormal behavior…

… First test runs show 89% kill ratio…

… not qualified to breeding program due to claw implants…

… malfunction. Subject resists…

… memory wipe successful, subject more docile…

… Weapon on-line. 100% kill ratio…

When I closed my eyes I could see it all, like I was there. Logan strapped inside of some kind of tank that was filled with greenish liquid. He wasn’t struggling anymore. He had already drowned. They were cutting in to his ribcage, spreading it open and pulling organs out of the way.

I barely made it to the bathroom before I threw up my breakfast.

I collected all papers back to a neat pile and pushed it back between two other files. They were both labeled alike. Wolverine. I went back to Xavier, told him I had finished the job, and retreated back to our room.

Jean came over. I wasn’t in good enough shape to go downstairs to dinner with her, so she brought some food to me. I really didn’t have an appetite, but she made me eat.
“What would Logan think of us if we let you starve?” I didn’t much appreciate her attitude, or the tone of her voice. She made it sound like I was something less than human. Logan’s property. Something he left behind for them to look after until he returned. I kept my mouth shut and ate. It was an effort, but once I realized it was as much for the baby as it was for me, food became almost edible.
“When have you had your last medical exam?” She suddenly asked when I was finishing my meal. Piece of bread nearly lodged to my throat. Medical examination?

“I would be more than happy to do you one tomorrow. Just a quick check to see everything is alright,” she jabbered on, collecting my plate and utensils to a tray. Cold sweat broke on my skin. Flashes of surgical knives and small drills floated to my field of vision. She didn’t seem to notice my discomfort.
“How about you come to med lab tomorrow? At ten o’clock? Just pelvic examination and few blood tests. And I could give you some brochures about what to eat and drink during pregnancy. I have some exercise instructions…” All the while she talked I kept seeing Logan, knives parting skin and muscle. I could hear him scream.

Needless to say I was absolutely terrified when Jean left. Logan wouldn’t be back until tomorrow night. I wouldn’t, I couldn’t face Jean alone. Not in med lab, when his memories kept surfacing. I didn’t need any examinations. I had the best possible health monitor attached to my side nearly twenty-four hours a day. Little psychotic, prone to malfunctions, but his every sense was honed to notice even the smallest signs of disturbance.

I can’t sleep. Scott’s snoring quite satisfied on a seat next to mine. I can’t feel wolverine. It’s gone again. Even the fucking lycan seems to have fallen to a sleep. I’m the only one awake. First time in weeks completely alone. Just me. I know I should enjoy this moment, but I can’t. I miss her. I miss Marie. I left her this morning, and I know I will see her again tomorrow evening, but that isn’t comforting knowledge. That’s torture. I have gotten so used to fall asleep next to her that I can’t sleep without the sound of her heart. I tried to take precautions. I took her scarf with me when we left. Scent of vanilla and peppermint on it made me only horny. I stuffed it back to my pocket quickly before it woke up lycan. I don’t like this feeling. I don’t like being alone. In that we are more alike than she comprehends.

I wasn’t looking for the love of a lifetime when I made that deal with her. She was a warm body. Something comfortable to cuddle with. Like favorite pair of pajamas, or something. I had just spent week in the middle of snow and dark forest, scaring for my life, that assholes guarding the compound I was observing would notice me. I think I was entitled to a little comfort.

I just hope I didn’t fuck up everything. I wasn’t exactly sane when we last spoke. She didn’t seem to mind even if I acted little possessive, but, Christ! “I won’t let you go?” What kind of a person lets something like that out from his mouth? Or fucks somebody for dominance? Well, Scott didn’t seem to mind, but I can only hope it stays that way.

*Logan?*

*Shut up, Chuck. You’ll wake up the kids.*

*Funny. Very funny. I wanted to inform you about Marie.*

*What about her? Has something happened?*

*I’m sure it’s nothing, but she hasn’t been her usual self. Jean told me she nearly panicked when she suggested medical exam to see if her pregnancy was going, as it should.*

*Tell Jean to keep her hands away from Marie. I would know if there was something wrong.*

*Is that healthy attitude?*

*I don’t know what she picked up when she was in my head, but judging from her reaction to Jean’s idea it was something ugly. I’ll talk with her when we get back. Can we stop now? Before my passengers wake up? I kind of like being alone in my head.*

*…*

*Oh… Logan?*

*Yes, Chuck?*

*I may have found a way to bond lycan with the Wolverine. It might help with your…*

*Mental problems. Yes, Chuck. I wasn’t aware you were part of that merry club, too. Bond wolverine and lycan? Are you insane?*

*?*

*It’s not the Wolverine. It’s wolverine. It’s me. My subconscious. It’s everything that makes me.*

*I understand your concern, but I have done procedure similar to this before. It’s surprisingly simple. Trust me.*

*Well, it’s Scott who ends up shish kebab if you botch this up…*

*…*

*…*

*You still there, Xavier?*

*I have hard time locating wolverine…*

*Duh! What the fuck did you expect? I’m crapping my pants here! You really thought I would be that easy to track down when I’m scared?*

*Logan, please. Try to act like an adult. This is serious.*

*I am serious. I’m afraid what will happen if this doesn’t go as you expect. What will happen to her?*

*She will be taken care of. And the baby. You have my word for it.*

It’s funny how much I trust that old geezer. Under normal circumstances I wouldn’t let anybody poke my brain. There’s big enough mess already. But I let Xavier do it. I still don’t know how exactly he did it, but he managed to fuse lycan in to me. Instead of being separate entity trapped inside of me it’s now permanent part of my psyche. Only time will tell was it a wise decision. At least I can’t hear it anymore. No more voices popping up in inappropriate moments. No more uncontrollable bursts of anger. Just a nagging feeling that something isn’t quite right yet…

“Would somebody explain to me what the fuck is going on in here?” I just came back. Marie is not here. She’s gone. My room was empty. At first I thought she was at the boathouse, we have been making plans to turn it to our home. She wasn’t there. I searched through this whole fucking palace, and there’s no trace of her. She’s gone. Like she never existed. And now everybody in Xavier’s study stares at me. Xavier with knowing look on his face. Jean, Scott and Ororo confused.
“What do you mean?” Scott asks. I don’t care about him. Xavier knows something. I walk up to him.
“Where is she?” Before he has time to answer, Jean pipes in.
“Whom are you talking about?”
“You know it, Jean. Where’s Marie?” I don’t turn my gaze from Professor, but I can sense confusion and curiosity level rising behind me.
“Who?” Ororo asks. I turn around.
“Don’t fucking play games with me! Marie! Rogue! My fucking wife, for Christ sakes!” I’m facing people with blank look on their faces. They have no clue what I’m talking about.
“You have no wife, Logan.”

Holy Christ! What a wake-up call. At first I thought there was something wrong with the Blackbird, but soon I realized it was Logan. He was literally screaming his lungs out on a seat next to mine. He was still sleeping. I know what happens when you wake him up from a nightmare, but what ever it was he was dreaming about, was something so horrible that I had to do something. I moved behind his seat and kicked it hard enough to drop him to the floor. No claws this time. He woke up sobbing and choking, and now I have my arms full of trembling Logan. He’s so terrified he’s unable to form coherent sentence, but one name keeps popping up constantly. Marie. And I’m starting to have a bad feeling about this.

What ever Logan has, call it instinct, gut feeling, sixth sense… Names are many, but it hasn’t been wrong too many times. In fact, I can’t remember a time he had been wrong about something when his gut is telling something’s wrong. And now it’s telling him Marie’s gone. All those tiny nerve endings screaming to him to get the hell out of here and after her. He’s pacing outside, wringing his hands, smoking… Yes. Smoking. No cigar. Pack of cigarettes. I have no idea where he found those, but he has been out there ten minutes, and I can see at least ten stubs on the snow around him. And Jean isn’t picking up the phone. I cut the line and try Hank’s number. It isn’t working. Only a recording answers to Xavier’s personal line. What the hell is going on? I try the general line to the mansion. No answer. At least somebody should answer to it. Anybody. Finally, after couple of minutes, recorded voice appears to the line, and tells me I have reached Xavier’s School For The Gifted Youngsters. Nobody’s available right now. If I would be so kind and leave a message. We will contact you as soon as possible.

We don’t have the files yet, but when Scott walks to me, I can see from his face that we are not going to try to retrieve them now.
“I tried to every number I found from the book. Even some student’s personal cells. Nobody answered. Nobody. All I got was few answering machines, but that was it. I couldn’t even reach Hank. His phone was disconnected.”
“What the fuck are we waiting for? Lets go!” I grab his arm and drag him to the Blackbird with me. He struggles a bit, but settles down to his seat.
“Lets think about this situation first. What can cause something like this?” I fucking hate him. How the hell he can be so calm and level headed in a situation like this?
“Has to be something big. Lines are working, but looks like there’s nobody to answer the phone.”
“Could we stop this fucking jabbering and go have a look?” I have to learn how to fly this piece of crap someday. Scott is taking awfully long powering this up. Muttering to himself all the while.
“Hey! Don’t you and Jean have that nifty connection thing? Couldn’t you use that to find out what is going on?” I suddenly remember. Scott grimaces slightly and shakes his head.
“She cut it little over a year ago. She was having some issues, and she wasn’t comfortable letting me know about them…” My turn to grimace. I happen to know what those issues were.
“We talked about re-establishing it, but never had the time to do it.”

“Can’t you make this rust bucket go any faster?” Our ETA according to Blackbird’s computer will be fifteen minutes. That’s fifteen fucking long minutes.
“Well, maybe you could go out and give this a little push! Maybe that would help!” Lame. Fucking lame, but we’re both laughing. Scott is fiddling with the scanners. Monitor lands from the roof. I can see the mansion. Blackbird is connected to surveillance cameras all around the gardens. At least from outside everything looks peaceful. Big part of the mansion is dark, but there are lights on some windows. Everything looks so fucking normal. And in the same time so fucking wrong. I just can’t put my finger on it. It’s itching right behind my eyes, but won’t come out. Then Scott notices it.
“Here! See? That door is never open!” On the roof. Thick steel door, leading to attic. I have seen locks and bolts that hold it down. They’re huge. Now it’s open, ripped off from its hinges.

Where the fuck are you, Mr. Funny hair when I need you? I don’t have a clue where I am or what’s happened. I’m locked up to a small room. Here’s narrow cot for me to lie down, small bathroom with a toilet seat and a sink. Table and one rickety looking chair. Walls feel sturdy under my palms. Made out of bricks. Door is thick, but wooden. Handle won’t turn. There are no windows, so I’m guessing this is somewhere underground. Last thing I remember is that I went little over board after Jean left my room. I dragged a heavy dresser in front of the door so that nobody could get in, arranged me a small corner from the closet and curled there. I guess some behavioral patterns rubbed on me when I spent my time with wolverine… Next thing I know, I wake up here.

We found everybody, asleep, but otherwise feeling fine. Everybody except Marie. She was gone, and distinctive scent of lycan was imprinted all over my room. Our room. I could still smell faint scent of vanilla and peppermint coming from the closet. There was a pile of blankets and a pillow on the floor.

I don’t know which one is more disturbing. The way Logan is clutching a soft, blue blanket against his chest, or the cold, hard stare in his eyes, when we go through security tapings in the control room. I can hear soft rumble coming out of him when lycan creeps on the screen, followed by a pale-blue skinned mutant. When lycan stops in front of the door of his room, that rumble turns to an audible growl and he bares his teeth when it enters, kicking the door in. When it exits, carrying Marie’s limp body, that growl ends to confused whimper.
“What the fuck do they want from her?” Proverbial light bulb blinks behind Logan’s eyes and he grabs my shoulder.
“The baby. Vic and I scattered their ranks pretty bad back then. It took them years to recover from it. They want revenge. Vic has already paid for what we did. Now it’s my turn…”

“Their money was a s good as anybody else’s. I did some hits for them. Then they wanted me to take down one of the pack leaders. He had gotten arrogant and careless. Threatened to blow their cover. They felt that I couldn’t handle the situation by myself, so they brought in Victor.” Up until now only Professor has heard this story. It’s time to pull Scott in. I’m going to need his help.
“We worked together months, pretending to be bodyguards for our target. We were just waiting for the right moment. It had to look like an accident. They couldn’t just order a hit on one of their own. They have other means to deal with that kind of issues. But they had deemed our target unfit to the pack, and in their opinion he no longer deserved same kind of respect as he had before.”
“The longer we spent time with him, the more I started to doubt. Info I had gotten from him was wrong, or I wasn’t reading his behavior right. He was supposed to be sloppy, deranged, old mutt, getting his rocks off from maiming and eating on plain sight. I never even once witnessed that side of him. We made a plan with Victor. Instead of our intended target we would strike to those who sent us on that mission. Quick, efficient sweep through their ranks, and then disappear for forever.”

Logan grimaces and rubs the blanket against his cheek.
“Yeah. Just get in and get out. It didn’t work. We got in. We did what we were going to do. I got out. They caught Victor. I had to go back in. It was touch and go weather we were going to make it. Thank God everybody was so confused and messed up that they didn’t have the time to keep an eye on me. I got Victor out and we escaped. Spent nearly a year on the road and made sure they lost our tracks.” Now he curls around the blanket, burying his face to it completely.
“Should have fucking stayed there and let them take their revenge from my hide… This wouldn’t be happening…”

This would be easier to handle if I knew what is going on. My best guess is this has got something to do with Logan’s ex-employers. Lycans. Isn’t that a comforting thought? I would much rather face Jean and her quick check-up every day instead of those grizzly monsters. Hell, even Victor would be a welcome companion at this moment.

“They didn’t even leave a message about where to find them.” Xavier ponders the situation. He really isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed.
“They thought they didn’t have to. Every lycan can sense the location of the pack in any given situation. They don’t know what you did to the one in my mind. It’s so fucking lost in there it’s quite a miracle if it can find it’s own hairy ass!” Shouldn’t really shout like this. I could have said no when Xavier proposed the bonding. Little late for regrets now…
“Can’t you let it out again?” Scott asks. Right. I could. I know I could. But there’s this itsy bitsy problem.
“Yeah. Which one of you would put me out of my misery after that? If I let it out now, it’ll try to transform me. And adamantium isn’t the most pliable material.” But Scott has a point. There’s something… Just needs a little more planning. And maybe some help from an old friend of ours…
“Chuck? Call to Eric.”

I must say I’m not completely comfortable with Logan’s plan. I know he is going to do it, with or without my consent, so I let him arrange meeting with Eric in here. Better Logan’s home turf than his. I have a feeling Eric is going to be more than willing to do what Logan asks. He’s greedy enough. After all, the price Logan’s willing to pay for his services is quite considerable. But I don’t think Logan has thought all the implications of it. Of what it will eventually mean. How big advantage his sacrifice will give to Eric.

Fuck. I’m so fucking scared. I can’t sit still. Feels like walls are closing in on me. I can’t breathe. My hands are trembling. It’s not every day I ask something like this. But I really don’t have a choice. Scott came by and tried to talk me out of this. I almost did it. I was so fucking close to go ask Xavier to call to Eric and cancel our meeting. Jean came by. Told me she had everything ready. Ten huge syringes, filled with pale blue liquid. Each one enough to knock out small herd of elephants. I can only hope that’s enough. Might as well start pushing it in.

Eric is sitting with us in the dining hall, and we have almost polite conversation going on, when Logan walks in. Well, I’m not completely sure if the way he’s moving can be described as walking. Jean told me about the cocktail she mixed for him, and it looks like it’s working. His eyes are dull and glazed over. Every move he makes is stilled and hesitant. Upon seeing Eric he however straightens his stance a bit, and instead of bluish hue from Jean’s medicine golden tint starts seeping in his eyes.
“Eric…” His greeting is slightly slurred, and for short moment it looks like he’s going to keel over, but he finds his balance again and drags his body to us, slumping to a chair next to mine, propping his elbows against the surface of the table and leaning his jaw to his knuckles.

“My dear boy! What on earth have you done to yourself?” Words are worried, but spoken with quite an amused tone.
“Fuck you, Bucket head… Do we have a deal or not?” My stomach is churning, and it’s hard to keep my head steady. I’m going to throw up soon. Nine syringes, totaling nearly one liter. One liter of most efficient numbing and paralyzing reagents known to mankind. Last syringe I left untouched. That’s reserved for Eric.

“We have a deal. I have my own grudges with lycans. After all, they took Victor from me, and good men are so hard to find these days…” Something in that sentence sounds so fucking hilarious, that I can’t control sudden burst of giggles. Giggles. Christ. Next thing I know I’m writhing and squirming on the floor. Chairs and tables scattered from around me to every possible direction. Eric is facing me, both palms hovering over my ribcage. I can’t move. Something inside of me is tearing apart. Breaking. It hurts. It fucking hurts… He’s stripping my bones bare. Every shard of metal he extracts cuts through flesh and tendons, severing veins and arteries, punching through organs. I’m already screaming, and worst is yet to come. We have to do this again soon.
I manage to squint open my eyes, and last vision before I pass out follows me to the darkness. Look on Eric’s face. Fucker is enjoying this far too much.

“That’s quite enough, Eric. Get over with it already.” Eric is taking far too long with his task. I happen to know he could be done with it in mere seconds. He has been kneeling next to Logan several minutes now. Logan is bleeding profusely from deep burrows on his chest. Erick glances at me, sighs and pulls out the last traces of adamantium from his body. Metal that has been covering Logan’s bones for at least twenty years now is floating above his chest. Huge, shimmering ball of silvery liquid.
“I thought it would be best to take it out from one place instead of tearing open every inch from him.” I know that’s not the real reason for Eric’s stalling, or at least it isn’t the only reason, but I let it slide. We have more important task ahead of us now. We have to get Logan to wake up. Wake up and bring lycan to the front of his mind. I’m not sure if he’s able to do it in his current condition. I’m not sure how safe it is to go and have a look. But I have to.

*Logan?*

*…*

*Logan?*

*…?…*

*Are you all right?*

*… Hurts…*

*Are you able to continue?*

*…Yeah… Get out… Now!*

Eric winks at me when I pull out the last syringe from my pocket.
“Do we still have a deal?” I croak. Something warm and salty dribbles to my chin. I can only hope I’m not drooling. Eric wipes it off and his fingers come off red. Blood.
“We have a deal. But I don’t have all day. It’s hard to keep it liquid. Hurry.” Fuck. Should have thought about this more. My whole body feels so fucking heavy and cold. Shouldn’t it be the other way around? I roll on my hands and knees. Start stripping off my clothes. No reason to destroy them completely. Blood will wash off, but this is my favorite pair of jeans, and they won’t probably fit to my new form too good. There are hands helping me. Scott and Jean. Jean takes the syringe from me and jabs it to my thigh.
“You’ll need it.”

Transformation is relatively quick and painless. After it Eric takes his precious time bonding the adamantium back to my bones. It burns. But it doesn’t hurt as much as extraction did.
“I put it inside of your bone cells. They won’t break, but you should be able to transform freely after this. No need to dabble with it anymore.”
“What about our deal?” It’s hard to talk, and I have world-class lisp going on, but Eric understands my question.
“I have a feeling life is much more interesting when you have that metal in you. How else I’m going to control you, when we come face to face?” Eric stands up, tired old man, and walks out. Fuck. Last thing I needed. In debt for him.

Just four hours ago we collected Logan’s bloodied and shredded body from the dining room floor. Now he’s fully healed. I have been watching over him, just in case should something go wrong. Thank God all the students are still sleeping. They have used to some pretty weird sights, but what happened to Logan was plain disgusting.

Looking at the huge beast laying sprawled on Logan’s bed, huge jaws gaping and revealing gleaming metal teeth it’s hard to believe Logan’s in there somewhere. He looks nothing like I would have imagined lycan to look like. His whole body is covered with dark-brown, longish hair, except for his throat. There he has weird looking white pattern, like a collar. He has never been a small man, but now he looks like he has spent last couple months in a gym. His whole body is disproportioned. Long legs with huge thigh muscles and double-jointed knees. Upper body wide, arms thick as small tree trunks. Both paws, on his legs and hands, end up to a dangerous looking metal claws. I can’t help wondering if he still has retractable claws as well. Long lean jaws of a wolf have replaced his old facial structure. My inspection ends to his eyes. Two golden pools stare at me. Shiver runs down my spine.

“Scott…” I still don’t understand how he manages to speak without shredding his tongue against his teeth. They look sharp as a razor, jutting partly out from his mouth when he closes it.
“How are you feeling?” Stupid question, but he doesn’t seem to mind. He brings his front paws… Hands. They’re hands. He brings them in front of his face, twisting them, staring in awe.
“This must be how Hank feels all the time… I never realized…” He pats his face with his gnarled palms. His ears, pointy and attached high on his head twitch. He rubs his chest, then scratches behind his ear, and I half expect him to crouch down and do it with his hind paw like a dog. Of course he doesn’t, but mental image is enough to bring a smile to my face.

“Am I as ugly as I feel?”
“Well, you’re more fuzzy than normally…” He groans and sits up. Swings his legs to the floor, and just stares at them for a while. Then stands up and walk little unsteadily to bathroom. I can hear him emptying his bladder, then silent growl.
“I need a shower. I fucking reek…” Disgusting sounds of bone breaking, pained gasps, and soft thud.
“It fucking worked…” He doesn’t sound like a crossbreed between razor and a lion anymore, and when he reaches for the towel hanging next to bathroom door, he’s human again. There are still remnants of golden in his eyes, but they will probably disappear soon.

For once things are going like they should be. Magneto will have slight upper hand next time we meet, but that’s something to think about when that situation arises. Thanks to him I’m able to track down the pack. And when I get my paws on those fuckers that took Marie… I can feel them somewhere out there. They’re pulling me like a magnet. Call of the pack.

“Scott? Go and warm up the Blackbird. We’ll leave as soon as I’m finished in here!” I can hear him standing up. He hovers near half open bathroom door.
“Are you sure you’re up to it already?” I choke snort that threatens to emerge.
“I have been waiting for this moment ever since they made me run with Vic. Now it’s their turn to run.” Arrogant? Maybe. But that’s the truth. I can practically taste their blood. Slight metallic tang of it when it rolls over my tongue. Feel the warm, pulsing hearts under my palms. Hear their screams. And I’m so fucking hard just from thinking about the carnage that it hurts. When I hear Scott leaving, I take a firm grip from my shaft. Imagine her face in front of me. Her hands on my flesh. It’s not quite the same as the real thing, but it’ll have to do for now. Until she’s back here with me.

Nobody takes what’s mine, and lives to tell about it.

Now I know for sure where I am. Lycan just walked in, left a covered tray on the table and left. I was so surprised I didn’t even scream. After all, I have seen one up close and personal. The one in Logan’s mind. Scent wafting from the tray is absolutely delicious, but I haven’t dared to touch it yet. I have no way of telling, if the food on it is poisoned. I haven’t figured out why would they poison me, but better safe than sorry… It’s not only me I have the luxury to be worried about. I have bad feeling that I’m not the one they’re after. I’m just a vessel. Vessel for traitor’s offspring.

Whole fucking merry crew sits in the jet when I walk in. Jean, Hank, Ororo and Scott. Or should I say Jean, Beast, storm and Cyclops? And what does that make me? Wolf-Man?
“Out. Everybody out.” Not as convincing when I dribble drool to my front while speaking, but I mean it.
“What do you mean? We’re a team. Of course we come and help you…” Ororo starts, but Hank silences her. He looks at me and nods.
“We’ll go. But take this…” He straps small transmitter to my left wrist.
“Just press it if you need any help.” Then he herds Jean and Ororo out.
“You’re going to drop me off and fly back here. There’s absolutely nothing you can do if one of those mutts decides to take a bite out of you.”
“Logan, wipe your chin. That starts to look disgusting.”

Lisping wolf in front of me grins and wipes the drool off with the back of his hand.
“Sorry. I can’t help it.”
“Sit down. And don’t pee on the seat. It’s real leather.”
“Fuck you, Scooter…”

It was a large mansion just outside of the city. Much like Xavier’s school. We flew once over it, and I asked Scott to drop me off few kilometers from it.
“I could take you to the roof…”
“And alert the whole fucking pack? Are you nuts?” Well, I was going to alert the pack. I was going to walk in through the front doors, but before that I had to eat. And about that I wasn’t going to tell him. I don’t think he would have appreciated my new diet that much. Fuck. I don’t appreciate it. But I don’t have much choice in the matter.

I found a fresh trail immediately. It was only a field mouse, but it was better than nothing. I would find more on my way to the lair. Night was alive around me. Filled with scents and sounds. I found few more mice, and then I hit the jackpot. A deer. Young one. Not far ahead of me.

I ate half of the carcass, and left rest for others waiting in the shadows. Now that it was taken care of, other kind of hunger rose in me. Not for food. Lust. Lust for blood. And there just happened to be lair full of pathetic fur balls with what I could quench my hunger. But first things first. I had to find Marie and take her out.

Finding her wasn’t a big problem. I could see closed door to the cellar on the north wall of the building. Two lycans guarding it. Two big lycans. Either they kept their cubs in there, or my cub and its mother were down there. Either way, I was going to enjoy when I got down there…

Other guard went down immediately. I crushed its skull between my paws. Other wasn’t as easy. It tried to put up a fight. Had to rip out its throat before it alerted the whole fucking mansion. Blood was warm and tasted even better than that deer earlier. I snapped its neck. Both would be out of commission at least a week. I wasn’t planning to let them live. First I was going to get Marie away from here, then come back, kill them all and torch the place. After that? No need to worry anymore.

Magneto really did a number on me. In a good way. My nails are nearly as sharp as my claws were. I’m not sure if I still have those, he had to take extra metal to my teeth and nails from somewhere… I ripped off the lock and opened the double-doors in front of me. Steep steps to darkness. Scent of dirt and moisture. Hint of vanilla and peppermint underneath.

Why is this so fucking easy? I stand at the end of a long corridor. There’s a door in front of me. Marie is on the other side of it. I can’t detect any other presence in that room. She’s alone. Why the fuck this is so easy? I better not touch that door yet. I need to calm down. I need to think. Why would they leave her relatively unguarded to a place that I can easily reach? Wolverine in me is screaming warnings; lycan spurs me to go on. I can’t listen either of them. Decision must be unanimous. All thoughts of unanimous decision disappear when I hear door opening and Marie screaming. So, there’s another entrance to that room.

Door opens again. I expect they come to see if I have eaten. Instead of lycan grinning Victor stands in the doorway.
“Scream for me…” I’m more than happy to oblige when he lunges at me, clawed hands groping my breasts through my nightgown. Suddenly a lycan bursts through another door. Victor backs off from me and his grin widens. Lycan doesn’t waste time. It charges at Victor and they fall on the floor, tumbling twirl of gnashing teeth and claws. Victor manages to kick lycan away. It crashes against the table, and bounces back with a furious snarl, shredding Victor’s face with one careless swipe of its paw.
“I always knew it would end like this…” Victor gasps. Lycan jerks and howls. Victor’s hand bursts through its back, pushing bloodied mess of innards and muscle out from its path.

Fuck… His hand is groping something inside of me, awful close to my heart. Have to get off from him…

Lycan seems to recover some, and leaps to its feet. There’s a gaping hole on its stomach, but it’s healing rapidly. And now would be a good time for me to run. When they are still too occupied with each other. I have a bad feeling, that this is one of those situations where the winner gets to keep the girl, and I have no intentions to let either of those beasts grope me anymore. Just as I’m sneaking past them towards the door that seems to lead outside I hear familiar sound.

“Well, well. You still have those…” Victor snickers when claws ooze out from my hands. I can hear Marie gasp behind me. I can’t turn to look. I have to take care of Victor right now, before it’s too late. Only way he can still be alive is that he has taken lycan inside of him. I have to kill him before he transforms because Victor is bigger than me. I know that beast in him will be huge. And most likely able to mop up the floors with me.

Logan. Black and brown beast in front of me is Logan. I recognize the sound of his claws. I would recognize it anywhere. He throws his head back and howls. Something is happening to Victor. He looks like he’s melting. Thick stubs of grey fur push their way out through his skin, and he’s howling too. He’s transforming.

Fuck. Time to finish him. I chop his head off. Turn to look at her. She stands there and just stares at me, eyes wide as saucers. She lifts one trembling hand and points behind me. I turn to look. Lycan is tearing its way out from Victor’s decapitated body. And there’s not a scratch on it. Time to go. I grab Marie’s hand and pull her after me. I have to get her away from here. Now. Lycan that had been residing in good old Vic. I know it. It’s the leader of the whole pack. Mean fucker. Crooked as a corkscrew.

We run for what feels like hours, but in truth must be only few minutes. Logan stops and tilts his head, listening. Satisfied nod, and then he crouches next to me, pulling me to a fuzzy embrace. His jaw is resting on my shoulder. He’s shivering, but I can feel it isn’t fear. His erection is poking my knees.
“Take this,” he growls and wraps a locator around my wrist, pressing the button on it.
“Scott and others will pick you up in half an hour.”
“What about you? You’re coming with us, aren’t you?” He shakes his head.
“I have to go and finish this. But I’ll be home in the morning. I promise.” Heat in his golden gaze makes my knees tremble.
“You better keep that promise…” I don’t know what to do. Kissing him would be little too much like kissing a dog. I rub his ears, and low rumble escapes from his chest. He licks my cheek, and disappears to darkness.

When I wake up, there’s no Logan next to me. Jean snores on a chair next to my bed. Scott has vacated a couch little further. What the fuck are they doing in here? I clear my throat and Scott’s head snaps up. It takes a moment from him to realize where he is.
“Hi. What’s going on?”
“Jean wanted to keep an eye on you.”
“And you wanted to keep an eye on her?” I asked jokingly.
“Where’s Logan?”

Shit. There it came. Question we had both feared, trying to find a suitable answer at the evening when we sat wide-awake. Where was Logan? How the hell do I break this to her gently?

Hank and Ororo returned to the lair two hours after I picked her up from there. Whole place was in ruins, going up in flames. There was no sign of Logan anywhere. Professor can’t find a trace of him, not even with Cerebro. We can only assume, that if he is still alive, he will eventually turn up here.

And now entirely too many hours has gone by. I don’t like this. Jean doesn’t like this. And I’m sure as hell that girl sitting on that bed won’t be exactly thrilled about it.

Why is Scott staring at me like that? Why they are both here? Has something happened? Where is Logan? He told me he would be back by morning. He should be here already. Maybe he’s in med lab? Yeah. That has to be it. He got hurt and they didn’t want to worry me, so they took him to the med lab. But why the hell Jean is here if that is the case? Are they taking turns with Hank? Why isn’t Scott talking?
“Where is he?”

“We don’t know. Hank and Ororo went to look for him. Mansion was on fire, but they couldn’t find him.” Her face goes blank. Then determined line appears between her eyes. Small hands turn to white knuckled fists.
“He can’t die. He’s alive somewhere out there. He is alive. I’m going to look for him. He may be hurt or…” She starts to stutter and stops speaking. We both know that there isn’t a reason big enough for Logan to stay away from her. He would be here right now, probably banging her to the mattress if he were in good enough condition to drag his hairy butt home.

“Give it some time. It’s only ten o’clock. Wait for few hours more. Scott will take you to the mansion and help you look if Logan hasn’t come home before that,” Jean says. Marie’s outburst has woken her up. She stretches and yawns.
“It isn’t unusual from him to linger in his little trips. He may just have gotten distracted. Don’t worry about him. He is, after all, quite durable.” Her lazy tone and even lazier attitude seem to calm Marie a bit.
“Are you sure?” She asks, fists loosening a bit. Jean smiles and nods, then stands up.
“Come on, Scott. I need a shower, and I’m sure Marie could use some privacy, too. I brought you some scented candles, and there’s a big bottle of vanilla scented bath gel waiting. I’m sure that warm bath will do wonders for you,” She says to Marie and me.

She manages to keep up the façade long enough, but when I close the door to our room, she collapses. It’s a controlled collapse, but nevertheless I haven’t seen her as worried ever.
“What the hell are we going to do? What can we do or say if he’s dead? I know we should have stayed in that jet. We should have gone there with him!” I wrap my hands around her. There’s a lump in my throat, size of a small bolder. It’s hard to talk past it.
“He threw you out for a good reason. He didn’t want you to get hurt. From what I heard from Marie, you couldn’t have helped him even if you went in with him. Those creatures… Lycans…”
“Bullshit, Scott! We could have helped! We should have helped! We didn’t, and now he’s dead! There’s a girl in that room who’s going to have his baby, and that baby will have no father because we were too afraid to help him!”
“Jean! He threw you out from the plane! Be happy it was still in the hangar! He would have thrown you out in mid-flight if you stayed, because he knew we weren’t able to help him! He didn’t want us to get hurt!”

I can hear them shouting. They are both so fucking sure that Logan is gone. He can’t be. Fuck that bath. Fuck those candles. I’m going to take him home.

Sneaking out is easy. Getting in to the garage proves to be little harder, but Logan once showed me how to pick that lock. His motorcycle stands in the corner. I have never driven it. I have never driven a motorcycle. Well, there’s always first time for everything. I just have to hope that I don’t fall down. That machine is huge. If it falls, there’s no way I can turn it back on its wheels again.

Oh, God… There’s so much dust and smoke I can hardly breathe… If I could just turn back, I could probably squeeze myself out of here… I’m so fucking tired… My body weighs a ton… That fucker tore me up pretty bad. It’s so hot in here. This place is like a fucking oven… same room I found Marie earlier. I thought I could get out through here, but staircase to surface is collapsed. Can’t go through mansion either. Too hot in there. I’ll just lay here. Floor is actually cool. Feels good… If only I could stop coughing… With next one I will probably spat my lungs out… Bet that would hurt… Why can I still smell it? I left that body somewhere to the attic? I must be hallucinating… Wouldn’t be the first time.

No. Not a hallucination. Fucker wasn’t dead yet. I have killed it at least ten times, and every fucking time it bounces back up again. It’s dragging me back to mansion. Firm grip from the loose hide around my neck. I can’t make my body move.
“You’re going down with the rest of the pack…” It growls, lifting me up with one arm, dangling me in front of its snout like I was an insolent puppy, in need of a good spanking. Maybe I am. I have thrown every trick in my book against it, and it’s still standing. I can’t even crawl on my own. I’m not sure if it recognizes me, or does it really think I’m one from the pack. I lift my hand and try to hit it. I manage one sloppy pat on its snout, and low rumble, amused laughter echoes from its chest.

“You always were more persistent than Victor.”
“Had to be… He had muscle… I had brain…” Again it laughs.
“Had. In past tense. You really thought you could take me down?”
“I know I can do it… Given enough time…” And this delicious opportunity. I raise my hand again and push claws out. Middle one sinks through lycan’s eye socket, and two others straight through its skull. It crumbles and we fall, bloodied heap of shredded flesh and broken bones. Fuck. I’m so God damned stupid. It fell straight on top of me, and it’s too heavy. Corpse pins me to the floor. Good eye just inches from mine looks for a moment like it’s trying to wink at me. Last pun. I can’t get out. Flames are spreading. Won’t take long now. Fuck. She’s going to gut me. I told her I’d be back by morning.

“Where the fuck do you think you’re going?” Hoarse voice, scent of charred flesh. I turn to look and blink. I have to lean on to the bike behind me. Otherwise my legs might just give up.
“I asked you a question. Where the fuck are you going?” Logan. Naked as a day he was born. Covered in blood and ashes from head to toe, swaying slightly, supporting his weight against the doorframe.
“I… I was going to… I was coming to get you…”
“Well… Here I am. Come and get me…” He doesn’t need to repeat it.

God… I thought I wouldn’t see her again. I can’t get her close enough. I pull her to my arms and plaster myself against her curvy body. Even through her clothes I can feel her heart pulsing. I slide on my knees and pull her against my chest, heart against heart, and it feel so good I can hardly breathe. She’s soft and warm. She’s mine. And right now I really would like to cuddle with her in some dark corner, just hide from the rest of the world. I lay my head on her shoulder and nuzzle her throat. I can hear strange sound, and it takes a while to register, that I’m crying.
“Come on… Lets get you in to bed.” She tries to stand up, but I can’t let her go. Not now. Not ever.

We manage to get in to our room without bumping to anybody on our way. I lock the door behind us. He starts stripping me. He practically tears all my clothes to pieces and flings me in to bed. Then he crawls on top of me, head between my breasts and falls to a sleep. I pull blanket over us and follow his example.

I wake up. Logan’s carrying me. He kicks open the bathroom door.
“Huh?” I croak. He places me gently to the toilet seat and turns the shower on, fiddling for a moment until it’s on right temperature.
“I’m a mess. You’re not much better…” He murmurs and I glance down. Blood and grit has brushed off from him and dried to my skin.
“Come on…” He beckons me, takes my hands and we step under the shower. His muscles are still trembling under the strain, but he picks up a bar of soap and hands it to me.
“Do me.” I start to lather the soap to his skin. He leans his back against the wall, closes his eyes and lets out a contended sigh.

He’s covered in black and pink, soapy froth from head to toe, and he has nearly fallen back to sleep under my hands. I turn on the shower again and rinse him. He turns it off again and takes the soap.
“Your turn.” He doesn’t really have to. I could do this on my own. He should go back to bed and rest. I tell him that, and he shakes his head.
“Shut up. I want to do this.” Who am I to argue when gorgeous, sleepy and grumpy man wants to get his hands all over me?

He stands behind me and pulls me flush against his hard body, gliding the soap over my stomach and breasts. He’s teasing me. And it’s working. I’m starting to get wet, and it’s not all water. I can more feel than hear him inhaling. He chuckles low under his breath, discards the soap bar and starts to spread the lather with his hands, making me really squirm under his touch. I can feel his erection poking my buttocks and lower back. Every small contact makes him gasp. I grind our soapy lower bodies together and he moans, brings his hands to my breasts and squeezes them gently.

I really wasn’t planning this. This was supposed to be just shower. Just to clean off all the accumulated grit and grime before snuggling back to bed with her. Then suddenly I could smell her arousal. I have never been able to say no to her. Well, truth to be told, I have said no many times, and as many times she has managed to turn my head. I’m not complaining. Her slick skin against mine feels heavenly, soothing burning and itching feeling that still lingered from the fire. But we have to finish this in bed. Crap. Right now I would really like to take her hard against the wall, but I can already imagine what the end result of that would be. Less flattering. I can hardly stand, let alone keep her weight up.

He turns the shower on, and takes the showerhead from its holder, caressing me with water. Logan’s version of the Chinese water torture. Quick bursts to my both breasts, then long and slow path from up there between my thighs. He leans backwards and parts my legs with his thigh from behind. I can see water cascading over my folds. I have to turn my gaze away and grab his arm before I turn to liquid. This feels too good.

“Logan…” I swear, that man is a latent telepath. He turns off the shower, wraps a large, fluffy towel around me and pushes me back to bedroom in front of him. Together we strip soiled linens from the bed, but that’s enough time wasted. He pushes me on the bed, on my back, and yanks the towel away. He nudges my legs a part, crawls between them, on top of me. One slow thrust and he’s in me. More slow thrusts. His hard cock rubbing my passage, sending delicious jolts of pleasure all over my body. His mouth claims mine and swallows my gasps and moans. I wrap my arms and legs around him and he rolls us over, turning me on top of him. He pushes me upwards, and there’s a wicked smile on his face when he grabs my breasts with his hands.
“You wanted a ride…”