Sorry for the lack of updates on this story. My FeralLoganMuse is just a wee bit temperamental. I'll try to get the rest of it up in a more timely fashion. (Yeah, right.) *crosses fingers* ;)
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Chapter Seven: All Bets are Off
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"Computer, terminate program and reengage safeties, command authorization Logan omega one." He watched as the iris of the door opened before him.
"Program terminated." The synthesized female voice came again. "Safety protocols reinitialized."
There. That ought ta keep this place from chewin' up and spittin' out the rest of these geeks. Heh.
Logan emerged from the Danger Room tattered and torn, but once again in control. The stark lines of the sterile hallway made him acutely aware of his own ragged appearance. His shirt was gone, long since torn to bloody ribbons. His jeans had faired a little better, a few tears but nothing too bad. At least they were dark and the blood spatters didn't show.
Shit. It's bettern' last time, though.
As long as he kept out of the students' sight everything should be ok. Last time, he'd stopped for some coffee on his way back to his room and had managed to scare the daylights out of a few of the younger students. One dark haired girl in particular had seen all the blood and had started to shake. Her eyes started to fill and her bottom lip trembled. He'd felt like even more of an asshole than usual. He hadn't meant to scare her. She was just a little kid for Christ's sake. Her reaction to him only reaffirmed his opinion of himself. He wasn't fit to be around decent people. Hell, he wasn't even fit to be around these freaks. He was a beast, a monster.
Animal.
Logan grunted softly. He might be an animal, but right now he was an animal that was feeling pretty fucking good. A slow predatory smile tugged at the corners of his sensual mouth. He was definitely in the mood to play a little - Logan style. He looked at the clock and his eyes glittered dangerously. 10:07 A.M.
Well, well, well. Ain't that convenient. Perhaps there was something to be said for internal clocks after all.
The teachers and students would be in class and Jean, well, Jean would be taking her morning break from her lab work. In fact, she was probably down in the staff kitchen making herself some tea at this exact moment. All alone in the kitchen. That thought tripped something dangerous inside him, rousing his more predatory instincts. That could either be very good or very bad depending upon if you were the hunter or the prey. There was a flash of canine as the hunter smiled in anticipation.
Logan chuckled darkly as he felt the predatory thrill even this simple chase ignited in him begin to rush hotly through his blood. See, that was the first rule of hunting. Know your prey and know it well. Logan knew Jean, knew her routine, knew her scent, and most especially he knew just how far he could push her. Her little stunt last night had given him a whole lot more room to play and she wasn't nearly close enough to the edge for his liking. Oh, no. She was far too comfortable. He intended to change that. He wanted to push her right to the edge. That was where he liked his prey.
A simple hunt and chase was always good, but it was too quick, too easy. He liked to push his prey to their limits because when cornered they were unpredictable and he liked the excitement, the thrill that brought him. They were always more dangerous when cornered and that was just the way he liked it. With their backs against a wall they were desperate, ferocious and that always made the hunt a hell of a lot more fun.
He moved silently through the halls towards his chosen prey. Rules one and two were basic. First, know your prey and second, expect the unexpected. Rule two was always more fun when the prey was cornered. It was amazing what they were capable of when there was no way out, save through him. His mouth twisted into a silent snarl of laughter. It was rule three that was his favorite, though. Make your kills swift and clean.
That was his favorite rule to break. He didn't like to make it swift. He liked to draw it out, to play with them a while, to inflict a little damage first. Make no mistake, he could bring death mercifully, coldly, swiftly if he so chose and there were times he did not have the luxury of drawing out the hunt... but today was not one of those days.
Which game we gonna be playin' today, Red?
Logan could feel the anticipation building inside him. His body tensed and blood pooled hot and heavy between his legs. A dangerous smile lit his harsh features as he relished the thought of the coming confrontation. He was going to enjoy this. A lot.
It wasn't a worthwhile challenge unless he could pit himself against someone with a real chance of winning. Like her. That was one of the best things about hunting this particular prey. Not only did he have the time to draw out the hunt and play with her on his terms, but she was a challenge. A real challenge. Beating a worthy opponent always made the victory that much sweeter and this was one battle of wills he intended to win.
A predatory gleam burned in his eyes. Despite all her cultured airs, Jean was incredibly dangerous. Her civility, her discipline, kept it check but it was there, seething darkly, powerfully, just behind her cool green eyes. What Logan really wanted was to rip away that cultured veneer and free that wild untamed part of her so he could pit himself against the real Jean. The one he knew existed just under the surface. The one who harbored a dark sleeping beast inside her.
'Dr. Grey' with her cool reservation was no match for him, but that wild uninhibited Jean was. He knew it instinctively. It was that Jean that called to him, that Jean that made his blood burn. It was that Jean he wanted to dominate, to possess. His body throbbed as desire raged at him. It was that Jean he wanted to see writhing under him.
Fuck.
'Dr. Grey' might be the perfect match for Scott, but it was the hidden Jean, the real Jean, that was the perfect match for him - for the animal inside him. It was that Jean he responded to, that Jean that made him want to challenge Scott for the right to claim her. It was that primal uninhibited part of her that had the power to make him feel.
Logan growled low in his throat. It pissed him off that she had any power over him at all. But she was a challenge to him for just that reason. That wildness, that power he sensed in her was a double-edged sword. He grudgingly admitted to himself that yes, she had the power to cut deeply, but he wouldn't be nearly as interested in her if she didn't have that unique ability. The more difficult the challenge, the more risk to himself, the sweeter the victory became and he intended to savor every bit of both the battle and her surrender.
His nostrils flared. He was close enough to scent her now. Today she smelled like 'JustJean'. He knew she would. A smug smile played at his mouth. She knew better than to push him like that again. He'd made damn sure of that last night. It was a small victory, but a victory nonetheless. A purely masculine satisfaction burned through him. Fuck, he loved to win.
He glanced down at himself and inhaled deeply. He smelled of sweat and blood and arousal. The proper 'Dr. Grey' might be offended, but he knew how much the primal part of his nature appealed to the real Jean - the one she kept hidden even from herself. It was that Jean he wanted to tempt and he wasn't above using his body to do it. Hell, no. He'd never played by the rules and he wasn't about to start now. His eyes glittered with feral promise as he paused in the doorway and took in the immensely satisfying view of Jean alone in the kitchen.
I'm gonna fuckin' enjoy this.
Jean busied herself in the small kitchen, heating water and getting out some biscotti. Of course, she could have just used the small microwave in her office down in the lab, but that simply smacked of cowardice and she didn't want Logan to know he'd gotten to her. Her conscience niggled at her, forcing her to admit she also had a better chance of running into him up here than down in her lab. Hiding wasn't a part of their game and Jean always played by the rules. She put the biscotti on a small plate and wondered how last night was going to change their little game. If he thought he had her running scared, he had another thing coming.
He watched as she set the mug of steaming water down on the counter and sighed in frustration when she realized someone had put the tea away in the wrong place yet again. She could have used her 'gift' but he knew how she hated to rely on it in such a way. She stood on her toes and reached into the overhead cabinet for the tea.
Yeah, I just wonder how that got way the hell up there, Red.
As she reached up, her skirt pulled tight across her supple curves and his body throbbed in response. He took a moment to enjoy the sight before soundlessly crossing the distance between them and pressing the firm solid length of his body up against her. He felt the slow burn of satisfaction as she gave a small start and a soft gasp escaped her lips before she could bite it back.
"Let me just get that for ya, darlin'." His voice was husky and he chuckled as she shivered when his warm breath tickled the back of her neck. She grit her teeth in response and it made the tendon in her neck stand out. He watched it with rapt fascination, barely managing to restrain the urge to bite it, to mark her.
Using his larger heavier body to pin her hips between his and the counter, he reached up to grab the tea. That action fitted his body flush up against hers, making her fully aware of the erection pressed intimately against her. There was no mistaking her sharp intake of air or the sweet scent of her body as it readied itself for him with a wet rush of arousal.
Fuck, she smells good. He breathed in deeply, wanting more of her honeyed scent. I betcha taste as sweet as ya smell.
Logan smiled knowingly against her neck and whispered wickedly against her flushed skin. "You can't hide it from me, Jeannie. I know whatcha want." He paused and rubbed his rough stubble against the tender skin of her neck, eliciting another involuntary shiver from her. "I can smell it on ya." He ignored her indignant gasp; very aware she hadn't even tried once to move away from him.
Time ta push a little darlin', 'cause we've been here already an' you're just a little too comfortable. A little too far from the edge. I want more an' after last night I ain't stoppin' until ya admit you do too. It was time to play dirty.
He molded her body to his and put his mouth by her ear. "I know ya wanna know what it's like to let it free, darlin'." He paused, watching intently as she closed her eyes, trying to hide from the truth of his rough whispers. His next words made that all but impossible. "It feels good." His voice seemed to shudder with the forbidden pleasure of that act. "Real fuckin' good."
His voice dropped and he ground his hips against her slowly. "You can't let it out with him... but you can with me." He opened his mouth on her neck and flicked his tongue over her flesh before he put his lips against her ear. "Ummm. So sweet." His hotly whispered words turned into a low growl that rumbled deep in his chest. He heard her erratic heart beat pick up and her rigid body wavered slightly, pressing back against him for a brief moment, as the base sound vibrated against her back. Her scent was driving him wild and even though he knew he shouldn't, he just couldn't keep from pushing her just a little bit farther.
He nudged her feet apart with his boot and moved between them, putting one large hand possessively on her hip. He pulled her back into him and held her there, growling more forcefully now as he moved her hips with his; giving her a taste of the rhythm their bodies would have together. He tangled one hand in her hair and was just about to put his mouth on her neck when he felt the brush of her mind in his. The fact that she was willing to break her rule and use her 'gift' so obviously, was more than telling.
He let her in his mind just enough for her to see what he wanted. He projected a graphic mental image, knowing she would be able to see it in her mind's eye, just as he did. Within the confines of her mind she saw him slide a hand up her satiny thigh and push her skirt up as he slowly bent her over the counter and unzipped his jeans.
Logan smiled dangerously. That was what the man in him wanted. What the animal wanted was far less civilized. He released her hips and placed both hands on the counter, waiting for her to realize she was now moving in tandem with him simply because she wanted to, not because he was making her.
He knew the instant she became aware of it and he stepped back with a smug little smile. Breathing hard, she whirled around to face him and for an instant the look in her eyes was so fierce he thought she'd given in to the wildness, but the primal gleam was gone so quickly he couldn't be sure he'd actually seen it. Perhaps it had only been wishful thinking on his part. She glared at him but said nothing because there was no denying her hips had been moving of their own volition.
Logan only smirked knowingly and raised a single eyebrow in that infuriatingly bemused way of his. He stepped away and poured himself a steaming cup of strong black coffee, strolling over to the small table with the casual nonchalance born of pure masculine satisfaction. He sat down and took a drink of the bitter liquid, watching as Red composed herself.
He was surprised when she picked up her mug and sauntered over to the table a moment later. She practically oozed sex, from the subtle sway of her hips and the heat in her eyes to the seductive smile gracing her lush red mouth. He knew a smile of invitation when he saw one, and Red was definitely giving him 'fuck me' eyes. Damn, this was easier than he thought it was going to be. He was almost disappointed, but he sure as hell wasn't going to tell her no. Not after what she'd put him through last night. Fuck that.
She came to stand behind him and set her mug down on the table, leaning into his broad back under the pretense of reaching for the sugar that was sitting in the middle of the table next to the salt and pepper. The soft curve of her breasts pressed enticingly into his powerful back and her silky hair tickled his neck as she leaned into him a bit more. When she spoke her voice was pure honey and his body throbbed painfully in response. "You're not the only one who likes it sweet." Her breath was a warm caress against his cheek and the soft press of her breasts was a delicious contrast to the nails digging sharply into his bare shoulder. Fuck propriety. He wanted to end this game and take her here and now.
He went to claim that tempting mouth in a brutal kiss, but when he tried to move he found he could not. His eyes flew to hers and for a moment they stared at each other intensely. He'd seriously underestimated her reaction to his erotic little power play. If there was one thing he couldn't stand, it was being trapped and she fucking knew it. When she didn't release him after a few moments he realized that he'd pushed her too far.
He met her gaze unwaveringly. He wouldn't ask her to release him. That would give her far too much power. He waited impatiently, feeling his unease grow, as the trapped feeling got worse with each interminable minute he was unable to move. She drew out the waiting until the unnatural stillness was agony for him, but still he said nothing. It would be a cold day in Hell before he asked her for one goddamn thing. Finally she seemed to realize this. With a subtle shake of her head, she crouched beside him without breaking his furious stare. Jean could feel the black rage rolling off him in waves.
Good. You're not the only one that can play dirty. You had your fun. Now it's my turn.
She wet her lips and ran her finger down his neck lightly while her other hand settled on his inner thigh, an agonizing heartbeat away from his erection. "You know, it's really such a pity." She purred, pausing to drag her nails down his chest for emphasis. "I could take off every stitch of clothing and lay back wet and ready for you, Logan." Something fierce burned darkly behind her cool green eyes. "And you know what? You wouldn't be able to do a damn thing until I let you."
A warning growl formed deeply in his throat and she cut the sound off effortlessly. "What? You think you're the only one that can break the rules?" She raised an eyebrow at him and smiled wickedly. "Well think again, Logan." She leaned in close and pressed her mouth to his flesh, touching her tongue to his neck in exactly the same way he had done to her earlier. Even she couldn't hold back the shudder than ran through his powerful body. She pressed her lips to his ear. "Push me like that again and you'll find out just how dangerous I can be."
Jean rose gracefully and left the kitchen without a backwards glance. At the end of the hall she released her hold on him and smiled with satisfaction at his growl of rage followed by the sound of the kitchen table overturning. Her silvery laughter floated down the hall to his sensitive ears, taunting him.
You're gonna fuckin' pay for that, darlin.'
{I heard that.}
{Good. Consider it fair warnin'.} Logan could feel her lingering amusement in his mind along with her words. There was no way he was going to stand for that. Not after the shit she'd just pulled. A nasty smile turned up the corner of his lips. He knew just which buttons to press and he had no qualms about doing it. {Don't get too cocky, Red, or maybe next time I'll just keep on touchin' you till you scream my name before I stop an' let ya remember you despise my touch so goddamn much.}
An arrogant smile touched his mouth briefly. Her silence was all the answer he needed.