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A New Threat
chapter 3: Secret Meeting |
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| Everyday for the
last several days, Kurt spent the day in church. He dressed himself in
a long trench coat with a hood to hide his appearance. There, he prayed
and prayed and prayed. He walked the Stations of the Cross – the story
of the crucifixion of Christ - he prayed before each of the statues
saying special prayers to each – Christ, the Virgin Mary, and to the
assorted saints. He said an extra long prayer to St. Gabriel. A priest prepared to close the church for the night when he saw the hooded man still praying. He approached him slowly. "May I help you, sir?" the priest asked. Kurt was afraid to raise his head. He prepared for the usual response of fear for a mutant. "Son, is there something I can do?" "Nothing. I mean no harm. I want to pray for protection." "Protection?" "There is evil rising," Kurt said while raising his head. The priest took an unsteady step back. Kurt's appearance looked like a demon even though there wasn't an evil bone in his body. "I mean no harm." "Yes. Evil. What evil?" "Unsure. But, I have felt it for many days now – growing stronger every day. It is nearby, watching, waiting and growing stronger." It was then that a homeless man stumbled through the doors of the church and fell to the floor. Kurt and the priest ran to him and turned him over. They noted the wounds on his neck and arms – wounds like bites from an animal. The man looked up – his eyes wide with shock. "Devil... devil," the man said before dying. ******** Kurt returned to the school and reported what had happened to the Professor. "You think this is not the action of a mutant?" Charles inquired. "I fear it is much worse. An evil unlike any evil." "I do not wish to disrespect your beliefs, but can you tell me more of what you think this evil is?" "I do not know. I know it is horrible. I cannot explain how I know this." "I think you should talk with Jean about this." ******************** It was a gorgeous day despite the chill in the September air. Danielle prepared to leave for the day telling Logan she had to finish up a project for Jean and would be back later in the day. She carried her cell phone and made sure he knew he could call her at any time during the day if he needed to. She waited for Mr. Jackson at a restaurant in downtown New York City. It was a quiet little place and had a good reputation for good food and service. Her hands began to shake as one o'clock approached. "Danielle?" a distinct male voice flavored with an British accent queried from behind. "Hank?" she replied before standing to turn around. She looked to him and his identity quickly registered. "How are ya?" Hank asked as he hugged her. "Fine, fine! And you and your family?" "Great! Sara drew this picture for you. She wanted you to remember the night at the movie theater. Such a kid – she wasn't even there!" Danielle looked at the drawing – it was of her dad and people with questionable identities all standing in a room she could only assume was a movie theater. She smiled sweetly. "This is truly nice." They sat down and ordered from the lunch specials. Conversation quickly began - questions as to the agenda for the concert Danielle was putting together. "Ya know, I am dead serious about writing a script about that husband of yours. A guy with claws like that has got to have quite a story to tell." Danielle grew silent and started twisting her wedding band around her finger. "Hey, ya ok?" Hank asked while gently taking her hand. "I'm sorry. I am feelin' a little guilty `cause I lied to him that I was comin' to meet with you. I've never lied to Logan before," she said. ******************** Outside, Logan stood by the street sign. He had followed her and watched Danielle inside with Mr. Jackson and how she obviously was having a good time. His heart sank. The claws wanted to be unsheathed. His jealousy boiled like molten lava. When Hank took Danielle's hand, he wanted so badly to rush inside and take possession of her. Instead, he turned and hopped on his bike riding home. Danielle spun her head around hearing the motorcycle engine revving loudly. "Oh, that cannot be good," Hank muttered. "Jesus, why am I feelin' guilty? I knew he would piss and moan over this anyway. Sometimes, I can't get through that adamantium laced skull of his," Danielle barked. "How long you been married?" Hank asked. "Two years now. We have a daughter too," Danielle replied while taking out a picture of Jean Marie. "He's a lucky guy to have a woman like ya." "Yer sweet to say that," Danielle said. "Tell me more about him. His name's Logan, right?" "Yes. He's a mutant like me." "I figured that one out with that display of his in the movie theater." "Logan's got issues – trust me. But, he's a good man." Danielle began reciting Logan's history – the history of Logan as she had been told and their history together – the experimentation, augmentations, tortures, and William Stryker. "Christ, I had no idea this mutant-normal person feud was so bad. Most folks Down Under get along. We're all different." "Well, it's something we mutants still live in fear of – normal people hating us when we mean no harm. We can't help having been born the way we are. When it comes to trying to be accepted, it seems we take a step forward and then two steps back." Danielle again became quiet. Hank sensed her agitation and took her hand again. "Hey, here's a guy's point of view – having a woman like you is sure to drive a guy wild with jealousy. Just be patient – we all need a good slap upside the head every now and again. Here, just to show him I got good intentions," Hank said while sliding a small wrapped box her way. She opened it and inside were two engraved dog tags – Wolverine N Panther was inscribed on each one. "I noticed the tag you were wearing the night at the theater. I took a guess from your email name that you were Panther and well, even word of Wolverine reached Australia." "The Liberty Island incident," she said with a smile. Hank nodded yes. "I better get going. It's gonna be a battle at home." "He'll get over it, if he's smart. It would be totally stupid of him to let a woman like you go." With that, they parted ways leaving the next step to the fundraiser planning in Danielle's hands. *********************** Danielle arrived back at the school and headed down to the med lab. Jean greeted her and Danielle roared about Logan's behavior. "I just don't get it? Why, Jean? Why doesn't he trust me?" "Logan's always had trust issues. I'm sorry. As much as I want to get into his head, his animal nature throws a curve ball into any way I try to rationalize it out." "Grrrr!" Danielle growled and flung herself down at the computer terminal. An hour later, Logan was walking down the hallway when Marie, who was babysitting Jean Marie and Patrick, stopped him. "Logan, I would steer clear of Danielle right now." "Why?" "Because she's flaming mad at something you did. She arrived home like a raging whirlwind and it was a good thing you were out in the garage." Logan knew he did it now – he didn't trust her and she was pissed off. He ventured down to the med lab, slowly and cautiously entered when the door slid open and he noticed Danielle was banging away on the computer keyboard as Jean stood behind some experiment in her lab coat and staring angrily at him. The door slid closed behind him – no escape now. He walked around the med lab nonchalantly picking up and item here and there to look at and trying to steal glimpses of Danielle as she ignored him. Logan played with test tubes, dropping one and wincing as it crashed to the floor splintering into a dozen shards of glass. Danielle looked up at him with narrowed eyes. He walked over towards Jean and pulled a latex exam glove from the box and proceeded to put it on. "Hum... condoms for fingers," he muttered. Jean couldn't help but giggle softly. Logan was trying desperately to get Danielle's attention and instead got more vicious glares. He pranced silently towards her taking another latex glove and blowing it up like a balloon – tying the end closed. "Turkey, anyone?" he asked as he put the glove balloon on top of the computer. Jean really had to restrain herself. Logan's feeble attempt at humor was only getting him into more trouble. Logan walked around behind Danielle and leaned over her – his towering form overshadowing her. He leaned closer still, knowing full well he was taking a chance in her releasing her full fury on him at any moment – he sensed her claws waiting to shred him. She felt him nosing behind her ear and the soft sound of his affection-seeking growl reverberating in his throat. Danielle continued to ignore him. He knew it was time to back off – Danielle was beyond pissed off. Walking towards the door, he turned to Jean. "I'm in the doghouse." With that, he stepped out and the door closed. "Oh, Danielle. Give him a chance. He tried so hard and you know how hard it is for Logan to say he's sorry." Danielle growled. "I know what – Scott and I had dinner plans, but something came up and we won't be going. Why don't you and Logan go together?" Danielle thought about it and then agreed. *************** They sat in near silence for the entire time they waited for their meal to arrive. Dinner was finally served and the silence continued. Danielle slid her foot out of her shoe and let her toe run up Logan's leg. This drew a cocked eyebrow from Logan. "Want me to explain?" "No," he replied. "Tough. This bullshit attitude of yours is exactly why I didn't tell you," she said sitting up straight in her chair and staring him in the eye. He returned his attention to his meal – more because he felt like a dog that was about to be beaten with a rolled newspaper. Her foot ran up his leg again until it was in his crotch. That caught his most undivided attention and not because she was looking for affection. Logan set down his fork and grabbed her foot gently massaging it. He was both angry and delighted that they were finally talking. "I'm sorry. I'm just so scared of losin' ya," Logan said softly. "Yer not, darlin'. I don't know why you are so threatened," she replied. "Not for anything, but after discussion of the fundraiser finished, all we did was talk about you." "Really?" he said blankly, trying to remain Mr. Tough Macho guy when inside he was heaving the biggest sigh of relief. Logan smiled. They finished dinner and went outside. The restaurant had an outdoor patio and Logan needed a couple quick drags from his cigar. He leaned on the patio wall looking out into the lit yard and thinking to himself that Cyke had good taste in restaurants after all. His attention returned to Danielle as she leaned close to him putting her arm around his waist. Logan took one last long drag on his cigar and then snuffed it out placing the remainder into his pocket for later. He grabbed Danielle and pulled her close and aggressively kissing her. "I love ya," he snarled between kisses. He took her hand and strongly pulled her towards the parking lot. They were walking as fast as possible and once they found the motorcycle, he turned to her again and again kissed her strongly. His nostrils filled with the strong scent of her arousal and she leaned against him feeling his body respond through his jeans. Logan set Danielle on the motorcycle and hopped on in front of her. He revved the engine and peeled out of the parking lot leaving rubber on pavement. Danielle hung on for dear life as Logan drove as fast as possible until he brought the bike to a screaming halt. He jumped off the bike and pulled her close claiming her lips with a strong kiss. She listened to his excited breathing, felt his body harden and the scent of his maleness quickly intoxicated her with a desire to be with him. He dragged Danielle into the woods - that particular spot they frequented many times when they wanted to be alone - to share being feral, to make love out in the woods under the light of the moon and hidden by the dense forest. As Logan made love to her from behind, his hands gripped her hips, and she arched her back into his chest while holding on to her favorite tree. His thrusts were strong and deep and the closer to release he became he began saying, "yer mine, yer mine," over and over again. He bit into her shoulder and she hissed feeling his teeth on her. His body moved with determination - a goal to make her his - to mark her as his woman. Their bodies glistened in the dappled moonlight and the scent of sex filled the air around them. He was striking that special spot inside Danielle that had her screaming his name and her legs nearly buckling under her. Then, he sank his fingertips into her, lifted his head and he loudly and almost painfully groaned with release. Their bodies shuddered with pleasure. She felt the warmth of his seed filling her and felt tonight was the night he would sire another child. When they finished, her body ached from the exertion - and more so than ever before. He held her close still verbalizing his claim on her. They lay on the ground together and she ran her fingers through his sweat soaked hair trying to calm him. She sensed his possessiveness and stayed still as he continued to inhale her scent that mingled with his own. He sniffed the sweetness of her sweat and the scent of him on her skin. When he finally settled down, they dressed and returned to the school. After they were on their way home, the spot Logan and Danielle had made love at was being investigated. A beastly creature had sensed a female in heat but was too late to intercept. ********************************* Danielle entered the med lab and flipped on the computer. "You are positively glowing. You smoothed things over with Logan, didn't you?" Jean asked coyly. "We did," Danielle replied. "Oh? Do tell," Jean begged. "Well, I've always been aware of his possessiveness and how he is very aggressive - ya know - sexually. But, last night - girl, I can't begin to tell ya," Danielle said. Jean sat down in her chair by her desk and propped her chin in her hands obviously awaiting Danielle's story. "Go on. Give up the dirt," Jean said. "He was - how can I say this - overly aggressive and absolutely incredible. I'm still bruised and sore," Danielle said. "Yeah, and..." Jean trailed off probing for more information. "Well, he kept sayin' 'yer mine' over and over," Danielle responded. "He loves you so much – he's completely determined to protect and guard what is his," Jean said. "I know. The bruises on my body prove it. God, imagine if I didn't have the healing factor," Danielle said with a giggle. |
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