New Blood II: Growing Ranks

New Blood
Chapter 15: Embracing and Rejecting

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Tijuana, Mexico

Logan and Mystique arrived in Tijuana just in time for the weekend nightlife to settle in. They landed just outside the city before sunset and already they could see waves of tourists pouring in, packing clubs, and checking into hotel rooms. Finding anybody in this mess was going to be a challenge. Finding a clone who had all of Logan’s senses and skills was going to be next to impossible. But they did have something on their side and that was leads. Thanks in large part to Sage’s creative computer hacking, they had a few mixed reports about a mutant girl in Tijuana who showed some strikingly familiar qualities.

In order to keep a low profile, Logan and Mystique posed as tourists. Logan had on his trademark cowboy hat and cowboy boots and Mystique shifted into an attractive young woman in a black miniskirt, high end shoes, and fancy makeup. At first Logan though such a provocative look would be a problem, but when he saw what some of the other women were wearing on the streets his fears were laid to rest. As far as the casual onlooker knew, they were just another pair of tourists.

Their search started in the infamous Tijuana red light district. This was an area not far from the club scene where prostitutes and brothels were everywhere. It was a place where every kind of sex act, legal or illegal, was on sale for a price. There were girls walking the streets who looked like they were barely out of middle school, girls who looked like they had been brought in from other parts of the world, and girls who were clearly transvestites. It was a far cry from the high end sex workers that the Hellfire Club employed, but according to Sage’s reports this was where X-23 was most likely located. And that didn’t sit well with Logan for a second.

“Damn, of all the places a clone could be runnin’ around, why did it have to be here?” he groaned as he scanned the seedy streets for scents.

“What’s wrong with Tijuana? You would rather it be running around in some remote stretch of unmapped forest?” quipped Mystique.

“Given the choice, I’d go with the forest,” muttered Logan, “This is not the kind of place I hoped I would have to look. But the records Sage hacked said there were police reports of a couple of guys reporting that they were attacked by some girl with metal claws. And there are only so many ways a girl can have mental claws.”

“Well at least it narrows it down,” said Mystique, “We know it’s a girl.”

“That ain’t a lot of comfort in a place like this, Raven.”

“Hey, you’re talking to someone who had a daughter work as a stripper for two years. I think I know what I’m talking about here.”

Logan shook his head and continued scanning the streets. If this clone of his was a girl and she was selling her body for sex to get by, then this would be even harder. There was no telling what kind of state she would be in. She could be either really traumatized or really bitter. Either way, it would be pretty hard to reason with her.

Mystique didn’t see it quite that negatively though. In her mind, a girl with Logan’s personality working as a prostitute would stand out pretty well. And if she did what she did well, then maybe the Hellfire Club could offer her something more. Logan sure didn’t like the idea and she couldn’t blame him. When she learned about some of the things Rogue had been doing when she worked as a stripper she got a little sick to her stomach. But over time she came to accept it. She understood that was what she had to do to prove herself and Rogue didn’t seem to mind it. But Rogue had the benefit of strong conditioning from a young age. This X-23 might not be so lucky.

“So where do we start?” sighed Logan, “This place stinks so much I don’t know if I could even begin to pick up a scent.”

“Let’s ask around a bit,” suggested Mystique, “If she’s put some men in the hospital she may have a reputation around here…just as I’m sure you did wherever you went.”

“You tryin’ to be coy with me at a time like this?”

“Why not? You’re too tense, Logan. In a place like this, if you don’t keep your cool nobody will help you. I figured a man like you would know that.”

“What are you implying?” he said smugly.

“If you have to ask then what’s the point of me answering?”

Logan rolled his eyes and took out some of the reports Sage printed out for him. There were only four of them, but they all said the same thing. They reported groups of men who came in complaining that a young teenage prostitute attacked them with claws. None of the men were seriously wounded, although one did have a major laceration on a very private area, but they were all pretty pissed. There was no indication that the police followed up on the incidents. Around here it was usually the girls who came in to report an assault so tracking down a girl who might actually be able to defend herself wasn’t too big a priority. And if she had any level of his skill, she would probably be able to avoid it anyways.

As he and Mystique walked along through the seedy streets, a number of women and even a few strangely dressed men looked at him. But he ignored their gazes. He wasn’t out for a good time tonight. If he wanted that he could go back to Hellfire Manor. But among all these strange and exotic displays, it would be a challenge finding one figure like him among the crowd.

At a certain street corner, Logan stopped and unfolded one of the reports.

“Alright, so if this piss poor paperwork is right, this is the corner where the last two incidents were reported,” said Logan.

“That leaves quite a bit of ground to cover,” said Mystique as she surveyed the area, “Can you pick up her scent?”

Logan sniffed the air, but quickly cringed. One of the drawbacks to having super-powered senses was that the unpleasant scents, sounds, and what not were a whole lot worse.

“Blegh! On streets like these? Not a chance,” he muttered.

“Then I guess we’ll just have to ask,” she shrugged.

“Ask? Who the hell do we ask?”

Without explaining any further, Mystique walked down the sidewalk to the first prostitute she could find. It turned out to be a somewhat strange looking transvestite wearing undersized pumps, a very short skirt, and a halter top with a hole in it.

“Excuse me, I was hoping you could help me find someone who works around here,” she asked.

Upon seeing her, the transvestite grinned and did his best pose.

“Honey, you don’t need to look any further. I’ve got everything you need right here.”

“Not interested,” she said strongly, “You see, my friend and I have a thing for younger ladies and I heard there was a hot little number working around here. Maybe you’ve seen her. She’s probably got black hair, dark eyes, and a bit of a temper?”

The transvestite looked at her strangely and then back at Logan. He immediately went from trying to get a client to trying to get out of this. Whoever these two were, they must have had a death wish.

“I think I know who you’re talking about and let me save you the trouble. Believe you me, the girl you’re looking for isn’t the friendly type. You don’t want her.”

“Let us be the judge of that,” said Mystique impatiently, “Do you know where she is or not.”

“Oh she works this area. She does most of her business just outside the El Caballo Loco hotel just up the block. But I would get away while you still can. I’ve seen one man too many come out from her looking roughed up. Even the biggest, strongest, meanest sons of bitches don’t seem to hold up against her. It’s surprising too because she sure isn’t the biggest gal in the world, but she’s got something going on and I’m not any hurry to find out.”

Mystique held back a chuckle. It sounded like this X-23 had already made a name for herself. She was very much like Logan in that respect in that wherever she went, she left her mark. This transvestite may be a little over the top, but at least he showed they were in the right area.

“Tell you what, you and your man come with me and I’ll do things even that little demon seed can’t do,” she said, putting back on a seductive leer.

“Thanks, but we’ll take our chances,” said Mystique, “You wouldn’t happen to know the name she goes by would you?”

“Sorry honey, but you’re on your own there. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some merchandise to sell.”

Mystique rolled her eyes and watched as the bawdy transvestite went back to work. Now that they had a location they could narrow their search. But information from a transvestite dressed like that didn’t seem like the most credible source for information. But it was better than nothing.

“You just had to ask someone, didn’t you?” said Logan.

“What? Don’t tell me you have something against transvestites,” said Mystique coyly.

“That’s not the point.”

“We got another lead, didn’t we? El Caballo Loco. Are we going to check it out or not?”

Logan muttered a curse under his breath and followed her down the block. Mystique was a lot more direct than he was. Being a shape shifter and a former mercenary sort of demanded that. At least that transvestite didn’t get too cute with them. The last thing he needed was an incident in a place like this.

After about a block and a half they arrived at a small, six story hotel. It looked pretty old. The windows were dirty, some of the bricks were chipped away, and the windows were dirty. Half the neon lights were shorted out as well, but even for a run down place like this it looked pretty busy. They could already see a couple of prostitutes hanging out at the front entrance with some clients. None of them caught their attention. But then again they didn’t even know what they were looking for.

“Any scents yet?” asked Mystique.

“Yeah…STD’s, booze, and drugs,” said Logan, “There’s plenty of hookers here.”

“Think one of them could be X-23?”

“I sure as hell hope not,” he groaned.

“Only one way to find out,” said the shape shifter.

Then to Logan’s surprise, Mystique shifted her form again. This time she morphed into the shape of a young, attractive, woman with short black hair, a tight mini-skirt, matching heels, fishnet stockings, and a crop top that showed off her mid-drift. She also added in some splotchy makeup, slightly dirtied skin, and an overall messy disposition. It made her look like just another prostitute working these dirty streets. It didn’t take long for Logan to pick up on what she was doing.

“You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me,” said Logan.

“Oh come on, like you haven’t picked up a hooker before?” she said, “You’ve already banged half of Hellfire’s sex workers, haven’t you?”

“That’s different. I have standards, ya know?” he said.

“Oh very funny,” said Mystique.

The shape shifter responded by cleaning herself up a bit, making it so she looked a little less trashy and more exotic. She couldn’t afford to be too pretty though, otherwise they would stick out in a place like this. But once she made the adjustments she was ready.

“Now are you going to keep complaining or are we going to check this out?” said Mystique.

“You’re the hooker here, Raven. Lead the way,” said Logan wryly.

Mystique shot him a bemused look. He was being a bit too coy for a situation like this. The mission was to find X-23 and he was nit-picking over her disguise. She swore sometimes she didn’t understand this man. He was so focused on the mission, yet he found time to be a dirty old man. It was annoying, but she wasn’t in the mood to argue with him. At least Rogue and Kurt weren’t here. If they saw her using a disguise like this she would never hear the end of it.

Going with the plan, Mystique latched onto Logan’s arm as if she were a prostitute escorting him into the hotel. They didn’t draw any suspicious glances although a few girls did offer to double up, which was tempting but Logan turned them down. Once inside they slipped past the front desk where the manager was giving out room keys to girls and their clients. They didn’t plan on getting a room so they wouldn’t need one. They just had to get upstairs and see if they could get a scent. The elevator was down so they slipped into the nearest stairwell. There Mystique shifted back into her normal blue-skinned form.

“That was easy,” she said, “Now where do we start looking?”

“Top floor,” said Logan without hesitation.

“Why the top floor?”

“Because that’s where I would set up shop,” he answered, “Makes it easier to throw people out the window and make sure they die when they hit the ground.”

It sounded logical enough and Mystique followed him up the stairs to the top floor. Like much of the buildings in the area, the stairwell wasn’t very well kempt or well lit. There were a lot of blind spots and plenty of good places to hide. It was good in terms of strategy, especially for someone with stealth and hunting skills like Logan. He could only assume this girl (which he was now sure of) had his same mindset. But as he reached the top floor he felt a sense of dread come over him. He almost forgot that this was his clone and by all accounts she was a teenage girl. What was he going to say to her? What could he say to her? And moreover, what could he do for her?

Once out of the stairwell and into the hallway, Logan slowed down and carefully sniffed the air. Since they were indoors and there was some air conditioning to this place, the air was cleaner and he could pick up on more scents. There were still traces of drugs, sex, and alcohol, but they weren’t as mixed as they were outside. This floor had plenty of activity. He could hear some moans echoing from a few of the rooms. None of them sounded familiar and he couldn’t pick up any scents, but he had a strong sense that she was near.

“Smell anything, Logan?” said Mystique, who carefully followed.

“Not yet, but she’s here,” he said strongly, “I can feel it.”

They proceeded carefully, passing down the narrow halls in search of any trace for this X-23. They weren’t sure what she looked like. None of the files Sage hacked for them had a picture. They didn’t have much of a description either other than her having dark hair and a skin tone similar to Logan’s. They could only hope that once they saw her they would be able to recognize her. If she was a clone she couldn’t look too different. But that didn’t make it sit any easier with Logan.

They made a turn down the west wing of hotel. It was the last row of rooms before hitting another stairwell. But after only a few steps down the hall, Logan smelled something.

“Wait…I think I’ve got something,” he said, immediately going into his hunting mode.

“What is it? Do you smell her?” asked Mystique.

“Depends on your definition,” he answered cryptically, “I smell…me. It’s not quite the same, but trust me I know my own scent. She’s here. I know she is!”

Logan leaned over and sniffed the floor and along the walls, following the distinct trail down the hall. Mystique followed close behind, keeping a close eye on their surroundings as all good mercenaries do. She noticed this part of the hall was a lot quieter than the other one. There was probably a good reason for that. If what that transvestite told them was true, then this girl must make quite an impact. With that in mind she was extra careful, drawing one of her guns just in case she tried to attack them.

Logan eventually tracked the scent to a specific door, room 616. He put his ear to the door to see if he could hear anything. But there wasn’t a sound to be heard. He just knew this was the source of the scent. With that in mind he stood silently in front of the door, uncertain of how to proceed. Usually he would never hesitate to bust into a room and face a target, but this wasn’t just anybody he was dropping in on. This was his clone.

“Is she in there?” said Mystique in a barely audible tone.

“Quiet!” he replied, “She’s in there. At least her scent is.”

“Well what are you waiting for?” said the shape shifter impatiently.

It was now or never. Logan had come this far from the nice opulence of Hellfire Manor to one of the seediest areas of Tijuana Mexico. He might as well see it through. Taking a deep breath, he drew his claws and carefully picked the lock. It was partially rusted anyways so it was easy to open. Once unlocked, he kicked the door open and burst into the room. But to his surprise, he saw nothing.

“The hell?” he grunted.

The room had clearly been slept in. In fact, the room had probably been used for sex. The stench of semen and sweat lingered in the air and from the scent of it all, it was pretty recent. But there was no sign of the girl or the guy who had been in here with her. Mystique gripped her gun firmly while Logan aggressively smelled the air.

“Maybe she’s in another room?” she suggested.

“No, she’s here. She just…”

“RRRRRAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

But before he could finish, he was cut off by a blood-curtailing growl that resembled that of an enraged animal. Logan and Mystique promptly turned around to see that a lone figure had been wedged in the nook between the ceiling and the door. That figure was a scantily dressed teenage girl with black hair, tanned skin, and an enraged look in her eyes that Logan knew all too well. And from her hands and feet there were deadly metal claws protruding ominously. It confirmed what the scent hinted at. This was X-23, his clone.

“YOU!” she roared as she descended from the ceiling.

Acting on instinct, Mystique sprang into action.

“I’ve got her!” she said, raising her gun.

“Raven, wait!” exclaimed Logan, but it was too late.

Before Mystique could get a shot off, X-23 sliced the gun into several pieces, causing the round inside to explode and burn the shape shifters hand significantly. She fell back in pain and then X-23 went in for the kill. She managed to avoid her, but she caught a good piece of her shoulder and before she could recompose herself, the young girl delivered a firm roundhouse kick to her face, breaking a few facial bones and sending Mystique tumbling to the floor in a heap of pain. But she didn’t go in for the kill. As soon as the shape shifter was down, she turned her sights on Logan and when she saw him the look in her eyes was one of pure rage.

“It’s you! I know it’s you!” she roared angrily.

“Kid, wait!”

But Logan’s plea fell on deaf ears as she unleashed her wrath on him. She pushed him back towards the bed, tearing up the sheets and a nearby table as she aggressively slashed at him. She backed him into a wall and tried to stab him right in the face, but he managed to duck and slip away while she yanked her claw out. She continued her attack, jumping into the air and attempting to hit him with the claws in her foot. But now that he had a few seconds to react, he went on the defensive and managed to block her attacks. Even for someone her size, she was pretty strong. She got in a few scratches, but no really lethal blows. Every move was swift and efficient, definitely the product of extensive training. And every time she made a move she let out a grunt of anger mixed with pain. It was as if she wasn’t just attacking him. She was attacking the one thing that made her life so painful.

“I knew I’d find you!” she grunted as one of her slashes was deflected, “Sooner or later I’d find you! And now that you’re here I’ll make you pay! I’ll make you pay for everything!”

“Ack!” grunted Logan as she hacked a chunk of his thigh off, “Kid! Snap out of it! I’m not here to fight you!”

“I don’t care!” she yelled, her claws tearing a good chunk of the wall off, “It’s all because if you! Everything! All the pain I feel! It’s because of YOU!”

This girl wasn’t thinking or acting rationally. She was going purely on rage. Logan had experienced it before. It was hard to snap out of at times. It was further proof that this girl really was his clone. He had to get her to calm down. But with that look in her eye that was going to be a hell of a challenge.

“Kid…I know what you’re going through,” he said as he deflected more attacks, “I know what it’s like to feel used…to feel betrayed…to be so angry at the world you wanna tear into anything that moves!”

“You don’t know shit! You could never know!” she yelled.

She tried to plunge her claws into his heart, but he deflected her attack, grabbed her arms, and turned them around so that they were held firmly behind her back. Now she was temporarily restrained. He knew it wouldn’t last, but he had to get through to her.

“You gotta calm down! Look, you think I asked to be cloned? You think I wanted this to happen to you?! I didn’t have any part of it!”

“I don’t care! You’re going to pay!” she grunted.

Then in an impressive show of acrobatics, she dipped down slightly with Logan still holding her hands and then kicked upwards with her right leg that still had a claw extending out. Logan didn’t have time to dodge this one. It hit him right in the face, nearly gouging his eye out and severely cutting his face.

“Augh!” he howled, grabbing his face and falling to the floor.

Now free, Laura clenched her fists and prepared for her final attack. She long dreamed of this moment. It was the moment where she would finally get revenge on the last person responsible for so much pain. She prepared to sever his spine. Nothing was going to stop her now.

“Now…you die!” she proclaimed.

Then just as she was about to attack, she felt a sharp sting in her thigh.

“Augh! What the…” she grunted as she looked down next to her.

“Sorry kid. But it’s time for a time out,” said Mystique.

The shape shifter, despite having a bloody wound on her arm and a bruised face, had collected herself enough to get up and sneak over to her while she was focused on Logan. Looking down at her thigh, she noticed she had injected her with some sort of high tech syringe. Having been raised in a lab she knew how to recognize them. And whatever it was she injected her with, it took effect very fast. She suddenly felt very drowsy and every one of her limbs went numb and limp.

“Hnn…” she groaned as she fell to the floor.

Once X-23 was sedated, Mystique helped Logan back up. He was still clenching his face, which had a very bad wound on it. She cringed somewhat at the sight, but thanks to his healing factor it was already healing up easily. But he was still in a lot of pain.

“Are you alright?” she asked him.

He looked up at her with his bloodied face as if to give the obvious answer.

“I’ll be fine,” he groaned, “What the hell did you do to her?”

“I figured you weren’t one for planning, so I came prepared,” she said, “I borrowed a dose of Sinister’s special sedative from Hank. He didn’t say how long it would last. He just said it would keep someone with a strong healing factor at bay for a bit.”

If Logan wasn’t in so much pain he might have actually laughed. Mystique was a resourceful woman. She knew how to plan ahead. Those kinds of tactics weren’t usually his thing. He always favored a more ‘hands on’ approach. But given their current situation he was willing to make an exception.

After taking a few deep breaths, giving his face some time to heal, he turned his attention to X-23, who was now leaning limply against the foot of the bed. She was still conscious, but in a dazed state. She still had that angry look in her eye, but she was docile now. It was in this state he finally had an opportunity to take in her disposition. It wasn’t a pretty sight. If what she was wearing was any indication it confirmed what he and Mystique already suspected. She was a teenage prostitute. She was wearing a very skimpy mini-skirt with matching black boots and a special crop top that brought out her breasts, even though they were still developing. Her hair was messy and it looked like she hadn’t slept much. He could also smell the stench of semen emanating from between her legs. It indicated that she had just finished ‘serving’ a client not long ago. The thought made him ill, but all points considered he shouldn’t have been surprised.

Once he collected himself he scooted up next to her. He could tell she still wanted to attack, but he didn’t move. He spent the entire flight here wondering what he was going to say to this girl and now here she was. He couldn’t think of anything then so he would just have to do what he did best and follow his instinct. Because like it or not this girl was a part of him.

“Kid, I need you to listen to me,” he said, still reeling with pain from her earlier blows.

“Don’t call me kid!” she grunted, still unable to move.

“Well I sure as hell ain’t gonna call you X-23. That’s the name of a weapon. Not a teenage girl. Come on, is there some other name you go by?”

The former living weapon tensed. She hated this man so much. But here he was trying to talk to her. She wasn’t sure what to say to him. She spent all those years seeking him out for no other reason than just to attack the last vestige of her past, but he wasn’t going to fight back. That much was clear to her now. There was so much about this man that confused her. And without thinking she just answered.

“Laura…” she said.

“Laura huh?” said Logan, grinning somewhat since it sounded similar to his name, “Nice name. So uh…Laura, I know you just chopped my face up and all, but we need to talk. I know you’re angry and it ain’t easy listening when you’re angry. But just hear me out okay? I came this far for you, haven’t I?”

He sounded sincere, but it would take more than that to get through all the anger Laura was feeling.

“What can you say that will make it any better?” she said in a low tone, “I’m a monster…a living weapon. They trained me to kill. They took away my humanity. And the one person who tried to teach me to be human…my mother, Sarah Kinney…I killed her. I killed her with my own hands without knowing.”

That came as a shock. Logan read that Sarah had been the top scientist at Hydra, but it never said she was the surrogate. She must have been more motherly to her than she was supposed to. That he couldn’t understand, but there was plenty else he could empathize with.

“Yeah, it hurts. Trust me, I know how much it hurts. But takin’ your anger out on me ain’t gonna make it go away. I’m not the one who put you through that mess. I’m just the unlucky son of a bitch whose blood they stole to make you. Believe me, if you left any one of those pricks alive I would have hunted them down and butchered them every bit as bad as I’m sure you did.”

Laura wasn’t sure how to respond to that, but upon hearing the gruff tone in his voice she settled a bit. Her anger lessened and she even managed to turn her head so she could look this man in the eye. His face was still bleeding and he looked pretty out of it, but he was still there for her. She didn’t claim to know much about emotions and didn’t know what to feel at the moment. All she knew was it wasn’t like anything she felt before.

“Why are you here?” she asked him.

“Blame her,” he said, pointing to Mystique, “She’s the one that suggested I come looking for you.”

“Yeah, you’re welcome,” she said, still holding her bruised face.

“But beyond that, I’ve been readin’ up on you lately,” he continued, “You see, I recently joined this new group that really helped answer some questions. They helped me uncover secrets about my past I never had the slightest idea about, you being one of them. I read up on everything they did to you and trust me, I’ve been there. I’ve been poked, prodded, dissected, you name it. I’ve felt it too. I know how bad it is.”

Laura didn’t want to believe him at first, but looking him in the eye she knew what he was saying was true. That look was the same look she often had when she looked at herself in the mirror and saw the anger and bitterness of the past. For him, it was just as strong if not stronger. It left her feeling very conflicted and at a loss for what to do.

“Why couldn’t you just leave me alone?” she asked desperately.

“I don’t know,” groaned Logan, “Maybe because you’re my freakin’ clone and I ain’t got anybody else out there in this fucked up world. I mean think about it…you were made from my blood. I’m probably the closest thing to family you’ve got.”

That word, family, hit her hard. For once the anger waned and a new sense of sorrow came over her. She wasn’t used to feeling these emotions, but ever since she left Hydra she had been feeling a lot of them all at once. They hurt in many ways, but this time it was different. She wasn’t sure what to make of it and just kept listening to Logan talk.

“Look, I didn’t exactly come here with a plan,” he told her, “I just wanted to find you. And now that I have, I guess it’s kind of up in the air what happens next. I could either leave and never see you again. Or maybe we could…I don’t know, try to help each other.”

“How could you help me? And why would you want to?”

“Because I’m the only one who can, damn it!” said Logan, getting frustrated with this, “I told you, I don’t know what I’m doing. But a few months ago I was just like you, running from everybody, and fighting anybody who got in my way. And since you’re young I’ll save you the trouble and tell you it’s a bad way to live. It doesn’t lead you anywhere. All it does is fill you with more anger and more rage. It almost got me killed, but then someone came along and gave me a chance to do more with my life. And I can safely say it’s been a hell of a lot better ever since.”

Laura was starting to get some feeling in her arms again. She even made a fist. But even though she could move now, Logan didn’t move. Mystique looked over with more concern. Chances were she had more of that sedative in reserve. But Logan waved her down. He knew what he was doing. At least he hoped he did.

“Just look at your life, Laura,” said Logan strongly, “Is this what you want to keep doing? Fucking random guys for money while there are probably at least a million other assholes out there like Weapon X who got their eye on you?”

“What more can I do?” she replied, “I can take care of myself.”

“No you can’t. If you could you wouldn’t be staying in a hotel as shitty as this.”

Mystique held back a laugh when she heard that one, but neither Logan nor Laura cracked a smile. Then what happened next surprised all of them. Logan casually slipped his arm around her and hugged her close to him. At first Mystique thought she was going to gut him on the sport. Her arms were moving and the sedative was clearly wearing off because of her healing factor. But even though she could, she didn’t. She just let him hold her.

“There’s only so much for you in a place like this,” said Logan, “Come with me. Let me introduce you to the people who helped me. I’ll bet they can help you too. They can make it so no one else like Weapon X will ever come after you. And if they try, they’ll see to it that they suffer in the worst possible way. They’ll even let you take part in it.”

Laura was at a loss for words. One side of her still wanted to tear into this man, but the other wanted to just continue sitting there in his comforting arms. It was a unique feeling. The only other time she felt something like this was in those last grizzly moments when her mother embraced her one last time before she died. It was a nice feeling. It brought out emotions in her she didn’t understand. But they were comforting. And even though the pain was still there, it was less.

Looking at him and then down at her hands, which were still bloodied and dirtied she knew he was right. This was no life. She couldn’t keep going on like this. Selling her body for sex wasn’t getting her anywhere. Even if the sex made her feel good, it was only a small remedy for a much greater pain. Her mother always wanted more for her. Maybe this was her one chance to become something other than a failed weapons project. She looked back up at Logan, fighting with herself to make a decision. She must have stared for nearly ten full seconds. Then finally, she withdrew her claws and buried her face in his shoulder and started weeping.

Her sudden show of emotion caught Logan off guard, but he didn’t pull away. He just kept holding her closely so she could let it out. Mystique finally put away the syringe and smiled. It was a scene that was very strange in many ways, but it reminded her so much of the moments when she held Kurt and Rogue in times of pain. Maybe there was hope for this girl after all.

After letting her vent for a while, Logan looked down at her and smiled.

“So how about it? Will you come with me and give it a shot?” asked Logan.

“Yes…I’ll come with you,” she answered, “Are you sure they’ll be willing to help me?”

“Let me worry about that,” he assured her, “But trust me, I think you’ll fit in just fine with our crowd.”

Sinister’s Lab

Rahne Sinclair woke up in a groggy, disoriented daze. Every one of her limbs felt heavy and weak. Her vision was blurred and her breathing was labored. All she could see above her were a couple of bright fluorescent lights and a dark figure hovering over her. She tried getting up, but she was just too out of it. But as her vision cleared she made out the figure hovering over her. It was her mother, Moria.

“Mom?” she said in a weak tone.

“Hello, lass. Rise and shine,” said Moria, smiling down at her adopted daughter.

Rahne smiled back as it all came back to her. She remembered agreeing to a procedure for her powers. Hank McCoy, Sinister’s assistant, had been the one to convince her to go through with it. He told her it was the only way to get control of herself. She agreed and the last thing she remembered was lying down on a bed and getting some anesthesia. She figured the process was over now. At least it ought to be given how tired she was. She felt like she had just gone three days without rest of any kind. But grogginess aside, she did feel better. That gnawing animal side was no longer fighting her.

“Did it work?” she asked.

Moria’s expression shifted and then Hank emerged, looking equally glad to see that she was awake.

“Indeed it did,” answered Hank, “It worked as well as we could have hoped. Your powers should be under control now.”

“But…what about my appearance?” asked Rahne in a worried tone.

“As I said earlier, some of those changes were permanent. But fear not. The procedure was able to remedy much of the undesired affects. I think you’ll find your new look quite preferable.”

Hank then held up a mirror so she could see her face. And what Rahne saw wasn’t necessarily what she was hoping for. But Hank was right. It was much better than it was when she came in.

“Oh my…” she gasped.

Fighting through her fatigue, she rose up slightly and took the mirror from Hank. She rubbed her eyes, helping it to clear and took in the full view of what she saw. Her face was back to its usual shape. It looked just like she did before her transformation. The shape and contours were the same. Even her short, shoulder length, red hair was the same. But there was one difference though. Even though her face was back, it was still covered in a thin layer of her canine fur. It wasn’t as thick or shaggy as before, but it was still there. And when she reached up to touch it she noticed something else. The rest of her body was the same way.

Pulling back the covers, Rahne took in her full appearance. To her relief, her feminine figure was back. Her tail was gone, her hands and feet looked normal again, and her shapely womanly curves were back. But like her face, her body was covered in a thin layer of auburn fur. It was short and fine, not unlike that of that other boy, Kurt Wagner. Only hers had a distinctive canine look and feel to it. It was smooth to the touch and it glimmered in the fluorescent lighting. Even though every other part of her looked and felt human, the fur was there and it looked permanent. But even though a part of her was disappointed, another part of her was excited.

Moria, sensing her daughter’s confusion, leaned over her with a concerned look.

“This was as far as the procedure could go,” she told her, “Any further and you could have lost your powers forever. I’m sorry if it’s not your old look, but…”

“It’s okay, mom,” said Rahne as she admired her new features, “It could be worse. And besides, I kind of like it.”

That caught Moria a bit by surprise. But Hank couldn’t help but grin. It was just as he hoped. His earlier words of encouragement seemed to have gotten through to her. She didn’t look confused or anxious about her appearance anymore. In fact, the more she looked at herself the more into it she seemed. It was as if this was how she was supposed to look and she was only realizing it just now.

After composing herself a bit more, Rahne slipped out from the bed returned to her feet. She was still a little woozy, but she was able to keep her balance. She noticed she was naked, but she didn’t mind. She just wanted to stand up and take in her new form in its entirety. Next to the bed was a full bodied mirror, which was usually used by the women to check the results of their plastic surgery. But Hank kept it up because he had a feeling Rahne would want to see this.

“Not bad,” she said, “At least it didn’t ruin my breast enhancements.”

Moria smiled. It was good to see her daughter getting her sense of humor back.

“What about your powers? Can ye still use them?”

“Let me check…”

Rahne shifted briefly into her full wolf form. Then she shifted into her half-human, half-wolf form. It all went smoothly without the same stress as before. It was so effortless it she barely noticed it. Usually when she shifted it was like tensing a muscle to shift from form to form. But now it happened so easily. She didn’t know if that was because of the procedure Hank did or if because she was embracing it. Whatever the case, she liked it.

“Works like a charm!” smiled Rahne, “I think you’ve done it, Dr. McCoy! I can’t remember the last time I felt this good!”

“Think nothing of it, my dear,” said Hank, “I know it’s not everything you wanted. But I hope you come to embrace this new figure. I, for one, find it quite enchanting.”

“Aww, you’re a sweet one,” she smiled.

She gave him a hug and an affectionate peck on the cheek. It caught Hank off guard, but he didn’t mind. He even embraced her back a bit. But as much as he wanted to just feel her new, feral body in all its nude glory he had to restrain himself. Moria gave him a strong look every step of the way. She was glad her daughter was okay, but that didn’t mean she was going to give him permission to get too friendly with her. He was still Sinister’s lackey in her mind.

“Guess we’ll still have to make some changes, lass,” said Moria.

“Aye,” said Rahne as she looked at herself in the mirror again, “For one, I’m going to be needing some new clothes. I don’t think my new look goes with anything else I’ve got.”

“We’ll take care of that when we get back to Paris. We’ll make a day of it. I promise ye,” said Moria.

“Actually…I was sort of hoping we could stick around here for a while,” said Rahne.

Moria’s expression shifted. She had a feeling this would come up sooner or later. Rahne had always talked about getting more involved in the Inner Circle. There was only so much they could do at their Paris branch, but there was a reason for that. And it was a reason she was too young to understand. But she was getting to a point where she wanted to do more.

“Rahne, you’re better now. You’re in control. There’s no reason for us to stay here any longer,” she reasoned.

“I know. But I’m afraid if I go back to Europe I may fall into old habits again,” said Rahne seriously, “Ye said it yourself. I brought this on myself because I was feeding the animal inside me and while trying to hold it back. I think I need to learn to embrace it this time.”

“You can learn to do that back in Paris,” said Moria, placing both hands on her daughter’s shoulders.

“No I can’t and ye know it,” said Rahne, “Mom, I love ye. But you don’t deal with these powers. You can’t teach me how to embrace them because ye just don’t understand.”

“I know,” muttered Moria, that issue always having been a point of contention, “But that doesn’t mean I can’t teach ye. I know people who can help. Just give it some time.”

“If this experience has taught me anything, mom, it’s that time is one luxury even the Hellfire Club can’t afford. In Europe everything that caused this is still there. Around here, it’s different. There are people who understand and they can help me. And there are opportunities here that I just don’t have back in Paris.”

“Rahne, don’t be making this an excuse to get in closer to the Inner Circle,” said Moria with a touch of motherly scorn, “I’ve told ye repeatedly. You’re not ready.”

“I know. And it’s not an excuse!” she argued back, “I just think I might be better off staying here for a while. We both would. You’re the one who always wants to spend more time with Xavier.”

Moria scorned her choice of words, but she had that look in her eye that was always hard to get around. This wasn’t just her wanting to do something just to do it. She really thought she could do more staying here. She looked over at Hank, who hadn’t stopped smiling since they started talking. She gave him a suspicious look. Somehow he knew he had a hand in this. He must have gotten to her since his powers weren’t that different from hers. She figured it was better him than Sinister, but the fact he had been influenced by Sinister didn’t sit well.

Never-the-less, she had to do what was best for Rahne. She was right about having more opportunities here. And there was some appear about spending more time with Charles. But if they did this, she had to keep a very close eye on Hank and Sinister.

“Ye just had to give me that puppy dog look, didn’t ye?” sighed Moria.

“I can’t help it. I am an expert at it,” said Rahne, always proud of how she could work her mother over.

“Given you’re abilities, I’m not surprised,” said Hank, “So does this make it official? Will Rahne be indulging us with her presence for the near future?”

“For now,” said Moria as she turned towards Hank, “But remember, McCoy, she’s my daughter. I don’t want her getting any ‘sinister’ influences, understand?”

“Oh mom, be polite will ye? The man did just fix my powers,” said Rahne.

“It’s quite alright, my dear. I understand,” said Hank, still smiling despite Moria’s scorn, “And I assure you, I’ll do my part. I understand full well that I have a role here and I have no intention of deviating from it.”

“See that it stays that way,” said Moria sternly.

Her eyes were cold and her voice was forceful. She may not have had mutant powers, but Moria was every bit the Hellfire woman as the rest of the Inner Circle. She was not afraid to make threats and she always made good on them. Hank understood this, but he was not dissuaded. He looked forward to having someone around the manor who was more like him. For once he may actually have someone he can relate to. Rahne may be a young woman, but she was a young woman who he had already left an indelible mark on. And if she stuck around, there was a chance he could leave plenty more.

“Come on, Rahne, let’s go get ye some new clothes,” said Moria.

“Sure thing, mom,” said Rahne who grabbed a nearby blanket and wrapped it around her body to conceal herself, “Thanks again, Hank. I look forward to ye helping me.”

“As do I, Rahne…as do I.”

She smiled back at him one last time before she followed her mother out of the lab. Hank was a strange man and a bit off in some ways, but he was helping her and that was all that mattered right now. Rahne Sinclair had spent much of her short life holding back what she was becoming and it nearly cost her dearly. Now she had a chance to embrace another side of herself and Hank could be the one to show her the way. She knew her mother didn’t quite approve. That look on her face was always so telling. But if she was to ascend the Hellfire Club and be a better bounty hunter, she had to learn as much as possible. She had a feeling she would need it in the future.

Ritual Room

After being cleared by Hank, Rahne rode with her mother back to Hellfire Manor. There she gathered a set of clothes for herself to hold her over until they could go out and do a little shopping. For now, she kept it simple, wearing only a pair of bra and panties over her fur covered body. She tried putting on more, but she was more comfortable with less for now. Besides, it was a little warm and having fur did make wearing extra clothes unnecessary. It was different, but she liked how it looked. She kind of felt like that woman, Tigra, from the Avengers,, who most agreed was pretty attractive and she barely wore more than underwear. Maybe she could use that.

It was a major adjustment. Rahne was still getting used to her new look, but she promised herself she was going to try and embrace this new aspect of herself. She spent so much of her life just trying to control her powers she never really embraced them outside bounty hunting. Now that she was here she had to sort of re-learn how to handle herself. It was strange, but this new look for her felt right. She just had to see where it took her.

For now, she needed to unwind a bit. She had been through a lot and a little stress relief was sorely needed. Most of the time, she did it by one of her two favorite ways. One was go out for a night on the town and the other was to indulge in sex. And since she couldn’t go out in her current state, that left only one other option. She had visited the New York Manor many times before and she had her share of romps with the men of the Inner Circle. She always enjoyed getting intimate with Pietro, who really knew how to work it hard and that Warpath guy was always a lot of fun with those muscles of his. Scott was also an option since he seemed to have a thing for redheads anyways. She didn’t know how they would react to her new form, but she didn’t worry about that for now. She needed sex and she needed it now.

“I wonder whose got some free time tonight?” she wondered aloud.

She ventured down one of the halls towards the lounge, hoping to find someone willing to give her some quality time. But halfway down the hall her keen senses picked up a familiar scent. She stopped for a moment so she could take it in. She quickly recognized it. It was the distinct musk of sex. Most people couldn’t smell it like she could. But she knew that smell very well and it brought a sultry smile to her face. It was strong too. She got a little hot just taking it in. With newfound excitement, she followed the scent down the hall towards the east end. At the end of the hall was one of the numerous ritual rooms. And even though the doors were closed, she could hear multiple moans from multiple figures.

‘This must be my lucky night. God I’m so hot! Maybe this new form brought out more than just my natural form.’

It was an interesting thought to consider. But she had no time to dwell on it. If the power of the scent was any indication, there was an orgy going on and it was just getting warmed up. And before it got too chaotic, she wanted to join in.

Grinning with intent, she opened the doors to the ritual room. Once inside she was bombarded with the thick scents of sex and lust. Her presence was barely noticed as she stepped inside and took in the scene. It was a classic Hellfire orgy, complete with candles, incense, and glowing mystic emblems to enhance the experiments. All over the room members of the Inner Circle were going at it. They were all naked and covered in sweat as their bodies moved in a heated fury.

Tabitha was on top of Pietro while he bounced her up and down, her large breasts bouncing with her as she cried out blissfully. Bobby was with Lorna, lying on his side with her and holding her leg up as he thrust into her from behind. Jubilee was with Sam, riding his hard cock as he leaned back on his arms while she fondled her breasts. Rogue was going at it with James, her legs hitched over his shoulders while he held her firmly by the butt, bouncing her up and down his member while he was propped on his knees. Kitty was with Roberto, lying on her back with her legs arched over his shoulders while he hammered into her. And in the center of the room was Emma, who was being double teamed by Piotr and Warren. She was on her hands and knees with Warren behind her, slamming into her pussy while she was hungrily sucking Piotr’s dick, slurping up and down his shaft and using her breasts to squeeze the base.

All the sights, sounds, and smells really got her going. She had been in her share of orgies in the past, but they never got her this worked up. She already felt moist between her legs and her breathing became labored. She was going into heat like an animal in the wild. She always figured she had a somewhat primal sex drive, but it never consumed her like this. It was more then just desire. It was almost like a raging hunger.

“Uh-uh-uh-ah-ah-ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

Kitty, Emma, and Lorna each cried out as they climaxed in near unison. Their partners climaxed soon afterwards, grunting hard as they filled their hot womanly depths with their cum. But they were still consumed with lust. Sex rituals always had a way of pushing them beyond their normal limits. But as they took a short breather, they noticed Rahne’s presence. And many of the men took notice of her new form.

“Uh…hi Rahne, I didn’t know you were visiting,” said Piotr, still catching his breath after blowing his load on Emma’s tits.

“It wasn’t exactly planned, but so long as I’m here why don’t I join in?” she said with a wolfish grin.

“Well by all means, but what’s with the wolf form?” asked Emma as she wiped the cum off her lips, “I thought you never did it with your powers active.”

“It’s a long story,” Rahne answered, “But for now, this is my true form. And I’m looking to give it a test drive. Any of you strapping young lads care to help me?”

The Scottish mutant slipped out of her bra and panties, revealing her nude form. Many of the men were intrigued. Some like Piotr and Warpath had slept with her before and they knew what she was like. She had somewhat rough tastes so they could only imagine what she was like in this form. But at the same time it was different. She still had all her womanly curves, including her surgically enhanced breasts. But her skin was covered in short, wolf fur. It was different, but in an exotic way. And the women who slept with Kurt always said it was an interesting experience. Maybe the same applied to Rahne.

“I’ll have a go!” grinned Roberto, getting up from Kitty.

“Yes, I will too,” said Piotr.

“What about me?” complained Bobby, “I wanna try too!”

“It’s okay, boys. I think I can handle the lot of you,” grinned Rahne, “You just better be sure you can handle me.”

There was a distinct predatory tone to her voice. It was even more pronounced than usual. It was a little intimidating, but the men were too aroused to care. They gathered around Rahne near the center of the room where Emma was being double teamed. She, Kitty, and Lorna gathered around while James, Rogue, Sam, and Jubilee continued going at it. Warren also joined them. Even though they were each still very much aroused, they could afford to take a breather and see where this went. They never saw Rahne do it in this form before. It might be interesting.

“This should be interesting,” said Kitty.

“If she’s anything like Kurt, it better be,” said Lorna.

“Oh it will. Believe me, it will,” grinned Emma, sensing Rahne’s state of mine.

Rahne didn’t waste time. Roberto was the first one over there so she jumped him first, literally pouncing on him like a predator attacking its favorite prey and devouring his lips with hers. She growled hungrily as she ran her hands over his naked body. Roberto was a bit surprised at first, but he kind of liked how her unique, furry form felt against his skin. It was different and exotic. He traced his hands up her curves to get a feel for it. Pitor and Bobby joined in, feeling around her breasts and face. It was very warm and plush, like a fine fur coat. And the more they touched her, the more aroused she got.

“Mmm…feels good,” said Roberto as he felt around her hips.

“God I’m so hot!” she gasped.

“Easy Rahne, this isn’t the jungle,” laughed Bobby.

“I beg to differ,” she grinned.

While the men were still exploring her new form, she leaned back and positioned herself over Roberto’s erect cock. She then dug her slightly sharper nails into his hips and plunged down onto him, his ridged length filling her insides. As soon as she felt it she let out a deep growl that didn’t sound human. Her body arched and her expression was seething with lust. Roberto winced a bit with the way her nails dug into him, but the tight feeling around his member more than washed over it. He wasn’t sure but in this form she felt a little tighter. It was really hot and he was soon moaning blissfully as she started riding him.

The feral growling sounds continued as she quickly worked up the pace, riding Roberto hard at a pace worthy of nature films. Her wild, euphoric moans echoed through the chamber. It even seemed to react with the magic they had used and the symbols on the wall pulsated different colors. As she rode him, she drew Piotr and Bobby in closer and began aggressively stroking their dicks. She began alternating between sucking one and stroking the other. This got them going as well. They were a little surprised by how hungrily she went at it, but they soon got into it and were enjoying the feeling.

“Ahhhhh damn, Rahne! Slow down a bit!” grunted Bobby as she really sucked him hard.

“Uh-uh-uh-are you kidding me?! Augh-uh-oh fuck it’s amazing-uh-uh-oh your pussy is so hot and tight Rahne!” grunted Roberto as she rode him harder.

“Uh-uh-raugh-ah-ah-ohhhhhhhhhhh fuck!” howled Rahne as she grasped Piotr and Bobby’s dick firmly.

She kept riding him, savoring every blissful feeling. Emma, Kitty, Lorna, and Warren were impressed. Rahne had always been pretty rough, but this was something else. Watching it was pretty hot. At one point Warren began feeling up Lorna and Kitty and they began responding. But they kept their eyes on Rahne and the boys. As hard as she was riding Roberto, she craved more.

“Uh-uh-ohhhhhhhh fuck! Fuck me more! I want more!” she howled.

“But um…” began Bobby.

“Just stick it in my ass! I can take it! Just do it!”

“Best to as she asks, Bobby,” said Piotr, “I don’t think she’s taking no for an answer.”

She let go of Bobby’s dick so he could get into position behind her. Since her tone left no room for argument, he did as she asked. In this state she was really sexually charged and he wasn’t going to tempt an angry animal.

Rahne stopped riding Roborto briefly and leaned over, allowing her breasts to press up against his chest. Bobby stroked his member a bit to get himself ready as he knelt down and guided his dick towards her ass. It was a little different with her full bodied fur, but he found her opening and thrust it inside her. Usually he would go easier on girls when he did anal, but Rahne didn’t seem to mind. As soon as she felt him in her, she let out another howl and began rocking her body back and forth, working his and Roberto’s dick around her insides.

“Yeeeeessssssss!” she howled, “That’s what I want! Come on boys, show me what you got! Don’t hold back!”

“Yes ma’am!” grinned Roberto, who was liking this.

Coordinating their efforts, Roberto and Bobby hammered into Rahne. Their erect cocks pounded into her pussy and ass, their sweaty skin smacking and grinding against her furry flesh. It felt different, but in a good way. That exotic feeling got them to fuck her harder, building up a nice heated pace that really rocked the young woman in a sexual rhythm and made her howl in ecstasy. As they were fucking her, she gave Piotr some attention as well. Now knelt over her, she grasped his cock in both hands and hungrily sucked him off. Soon she was being fucked all three ways and loving it. She urged the men to go harder and faster and they did, pushing themselves to new heights and letting her wild, feral spirit engulf them.

As they were really getting into it, Rogue and James finished their romp, letting out content moans as they reached their climaxes. Soon they were drawn into the show and moved in closer to sit with the others sot hey could watch. Jubilee and Sam joined in as well after they got reached their own respective peak. It was quite a sight and an interesting twist on what was just a normal sex ritual. A few were even turned on by it. Kitty and Lorna were doubling up on Warren with Kitty sucking his cock while he fondled Lorna’s pussy. But the main show was Rahne. She was making her presence known.

“Dang, and Ah thought Logan was an animal in bed,” commented Rogue.

“Guess you can’t have substitutes,” shrugged Sam, laughing somewhat at how the men were struggling to keep up with her.

“She can’t help it. She’s in heat,” said James.

“How do you know that?” asked Pietro.

“Can you think of a better explanation?”

They all watched as Rahne was fucked nice and hard. They couldn’t tell how close she was to climaxing because her howling was hard to make out. Emma even sensed she climaxed in the middle of it all, but didn’t stop even for a second to savor it. She just kept going at it, pushing the men closer to their peak. James was probably right about her being in heat. Soon even three men doing her all at once couldn’t keep up as they neared their climax.

“Uh-uh-uh-Rahne-uh-I-I-I can’t hold it anymore-uh-I gotta cum!” grunted Roberto.

“Uh-uh-me too-uh-uh-ohhhh fuck!” grunted Bobby.

“Then do it!” she grunted as she rocked her body harder, “Fill me up! I want it all!”

The men gripped her feral body firmly as they made the final push. They had to go a lot harder with her since she was so fervent. But finally, she pushed them over the edge. Bobby climaxed first, gripping her well-shaped ass and filling her bowls with a load of his cum. Roberto climaxed soon afterwards, thrusting up hard as his released his load inside her tight depths. As he savored the blissful feelings, he felt her inner muscles throb around his member. He couldn’t tell if she was climaxing or not, but she probably was based on how loud she was growling.

As she felt their cum line her insides, Rahne sucked harder and faster on Piotr’s dick. She wanted to feel him too and she sensed he was close. Her hunger was so great even doing two men at once wasn’t enough. She rose up slightly off Roberto so she could more thoroughly suck the Russian mutant off as well as let some of the fluids spill out of her. After a few more hard motions, Piotr let out a sharp grunt and released his load. She moaned in contentment as she swallowed about half of his load and let the other half spray on her face and tits. She smiled and purred in an erotic display, feeling so sexually charged after going at it with such feral vigor.

Rahne had always enjoyed rough sex, but it was never like this. This time it felt so primal, as if a part of her basic instincts had been suppressed until just now. She heard what James said about her going into heat and it made sense. If she was going to embrace her animal side she was going to have to embrace certain traits that came with being an animal. The men sure didn’t seem to mind. They looked pretty worn out, even though they were still kept active by the magic from the ritual. But they looked satisfied.

“Damn Rahne! You’re really something!” proclaimed Roberto.

“Yeah…talk about rough tastes,” said Bobby, who was still catching his breath.

“Aww, thanks guys. You’re sweet,” she said with a sultry grin, “And just so you know, I’ll be sticking around for a while. So you may see a lot more of me.”

“Oh boy, that’ll be fun,” said Pietro.

“Hey, we girls have to deal with Logan. It’s only fair you have to deal with Rahne,” said Emma snidely.

“Very funny, Emma,” said Piotr with a bemused grin.

As if Hellfire Manor didn’t have enough sex crazed members, now they had a real animal. The men had a daunting challenge ahead of them, but at least it was a challenge they could enjoy.

Rahne smiled at the impression she made. They all seemed quite intrigued with her new form and her new appreciation for primal sex. But even though she had just had multiple orgasms while fucking three guys at once, she was still hungry for more. Warren, Kitty, and Lorna were already going at it and there was still plenty of sex to be had.

“Glad to hear you’re all so enthusiastic about me staying here, but enough welcoming! This is a sex ritual last I checked. Let’s keep it going!”

“Ah like how you think, sugah!” grinned Rogue.

“Speak for yourself,” said James.

The orgy continued and Rahne led the charge. First she pounced on Pietro, who was caught off guard at first, but as soon as he had her on her back he settled into it. His speedy metabolism and hyperactive libido were perfect for her animal tastes. He also seemed to enjoy the fur, but not as much as Bobby, Roberto, and Piotr. But in their state of mind there wasn’t much to think about as they went at it long and hard, sharing in the bliss with the others. Once Rahne was done with Pietro she gave James Poundstar a ride. His big, strong, muscular body really sent her into a frenzy and she jumped him in a way similar to what Rogue did with him earlier. Only they remained in a seated, upright position so she could really grind her hips against his hard while he thrust into her depths. And because of his durability, she could scratch and claw him all she wanted. James still found it a little uncomfortable at times, but the hot feeling of her furry flesh and her tight inner muscles was more than enough to make up for it. After she got a few climaxes with him, she had Warren and Sam double team her. She got on her hands and knees and let Warren fuck her from behind while she sucked Sam off. She had to be a little easier with Sam at first since he had already had his share of round with the others, but soon enough she had him into the animal spirit as well.

As she went to down on the boys, the others enjoyed themselves as well. They even found themselves getting into Rahne’s state of mind as they lost themselves in a daze of lust. After going at it with Rahne, Pietro got with Emma and shared the spirit with her. Bobby did the same with Kitty while Piotr handled Lorna as well. Rogue took on Sam after Rahne worked him over, allowing him to go at it a little easier with her, letting him just get on top of her and fuck her at his own pace. Jubilee doubled up with Warren while he lingered with Rahne a bit longer. The magic from the ritual guided them all through, filling them with more desire and lust. They continued to switch it up, going from partner to partner and enjoying themselves in the spirit of Hellfire.

When it was all over, everybody needed a moment to rest on the floor and indulge in the afterglow. The only one who didn’t was Rahne, who even after so much sex had enough energy to get up and walk out. A smile never left her face as she watched the others recover from such a memorable ritual. They all seemed to appreciate her spirit. It was still going to take some getting used to, but as she put her bra and panties back on the young mutant was confident she could manage it.

But now she would have other problems to deal with…namely how to wash excess cum out of her fur.

Xavier’s Office

Moria MacTaggart had dealt with a lot in her life. From her bastard of a husband, to losing her first child, to joining the Hellfire Club with Charles, she endured a lot. This recent episode with Rahne was particularly difficult, but it seemed the worst was past them. Rahne had control of her powers again and she had most of her old appearance back. She would have to do some adjusting though. Now that she couldn’t make herself appear completely human she would have to change how she did her bounty hunting as well as how she carried herself. It was going to take time, but she seemed content with her new look. It was just going to be a while before she could get used to it.

As always, Charles was there to support her. After helping Rahne get situated, he invited her up to his office for a glass of wine and some quiet time to let everything sink in. Naturally, he had been concerned about Rahne. While Moria was the one who raised her, he always did sort of look to her as a daughter and was glad to hear she was doing better. He was also glad to hear that they decided to stay a while longer. With everything that went on in the Hellfire Club they didn’t always have time to fly across an ocean to see each other. Now it would be much easier on them and with times being as complicated as they were, it might be wise in the long run.

“So Rahne is doing better, I see,” said Charles as he sat next to Moria.

“Aye, she’s coming around,” said Moria, who gulped down the last of her wine, “But I’m still worried. You know I kept her in Europe for a reason.”

“Yes, Europe is along way from Selene and Sinister,” sighed Charles, “But you’ve spent a great deal teaching Rahne to be her own person. I am confident she’ll be able to take care of herself.”

“That’s not what worries me. She seems to have connected with Hank McCoy and while he’s no Sinister or Selene, he is a little…off.”

“Yes, well all the time he’s spent with Sinister will do that. But rest assured, I’ll keep an eye on him. If I sense for one minute that he is using Rahne, I will liquefy that brilliant brain of his until there is nothing left.”

“I know ye will,” smiled Moria, giving him an affectionate gesture, “But still, with Sinister acting a bit strangely lately I can’t help but worry. I have a bad feeling he or Selene may be planning something.”

“They always are,” said Charles, “But that is why we must be vigilant.”

“I know. But that’s going to be harder with Rahne to worry about.”

“We’ll find a way.”

Xavier set his wine glass aside and slipped his arm around her waist. He let her casually lean into him, allowing his warmth to sooth her anxious demeanor. There was a lot going through her mind. He could sense how concerned she was for Rahne and how her presence would affect the ongoing situation with Sinister. Moria wasn’t soft on much, but Rahne was special. After having lost her first child she was determined to keep her safe. He had personally seen her torture those who dared hurt her, namely her biological father. And she would not hesitate to do it again. But Rahne wasn’t the only issue at hand.

Now that they were here, they could better consolidate their efforts to uncover whatever plots Sinister and Selene were planning. The thefts Sinister were ordering was escalating. They still didn’t know what exactly he was doing and for now he appeared to be a step ahead of them. But that is why they had to think ahead.

“Regardless of the situation, Moria…I’m glad you’re here,” said Charles in an affectionate tone.

“I’m glad too, Charles. I just wish it were under different circumstances.”

“As do it, but one thing Hellfire always does and does well is turn every misfortune into an opportunity. And I think we have a chance to do that.”

“Oh? How do ye figure?” asked Moria curiously.

“Well first, we must make a few calls to ensure our European operations are sound. You still have that young boy, Jamie Madrox over there, do you not? I’m sure he and Forge can keep it together over there.”

“I already called them an hour ago,” grinned Moria, “We’ll work out the details later.”

“Ah, I should have known,” said the Black King in good humor, “But I was also thinking that you take a more proactive role with the younger pawns. You seem to have done a good job teaching them the few times you were here. I’d like that to continue.”

“I certainly wouldn’t mind, Charles, but what else could I teach them? They’re already maturing quite well on their own last I checked.”

“True, but I sense a few may be a bit more…vulnerable than others. I’m sure you’ve noticed it too, namely in Tabitha, Roberto, and Alex.”

“Aye, you think Selene has noticed it as well?”

“Without a doubt,” said Xavier strongly, “With that in mind, perhaps you could reach out to them.”

“What makes ye think I can get through to them?”

“Because they’ll listen to you. To them, I’m just the Black King. They’ll hear me out, but they may not listen. And you’ll be able to relate to them better. You always were good with wayward youths.”

Moria smiled, the obvious reference being Rahne. And she did have a soft spot for the young. Losing her unborn child to her ex-husband had a way of affecting her as such. But the idea of nurturing other young minds in the ways of the Hellfire Club had its appeal. She always did enjoy turning naïve young mutants into ruthless, tough, Hellfire royalty. If she was here she would have more chances to do so.

“That sounds like something I can do, so long as I can still find time for Rahne,” she said.

“Of course,” said Charles, “But there is one other matter I’ve been discussing with Selene. And I think it would be best if you got involved as well.”

“And what might that be?”

Xavier reached into his pocket and pulled out a couple of folded up pieces of paper. He then unfolded them and let Moria look over them. They looked like reports from Sage on specific mutants. There were three of them and they were all fairly young. She also noticed they all had X-Industrial identification numbers so that could only mean they were already employees. They were a little on the young side, but they each had their share of potential in terms of powers.

“Monet St. Croix, Julian Keller, and Danielle Moonstar,” Moria read, “Some of these sound familiar.”

“Julian Keller should. His parents are wealthy business associates of mine,” said Charles, “He’s a bit of a hell-spawn though. He has great power, but he’s a tad hot-headed and managed to get himself kicked out of private school.”

“And so his parents sent him here to work for us,” surmised Moria, “I assume that’s not working out too well either?”

“He just lacks the right guidance, that’s all,” said Charles, “The same goes for Xi’an and Danielle. They were recently recruited, but have been having trouble developing their powers.”

“Is that all?” said Moria, sensing there was more.

“Unfortunately no,” he sighed, “They also don’t seem to be relating well to others. Unlike many of our other mutant employees, they all seem to lack guidance. Their young and distant. They don’t seem to take too much satisfaction in the current work they do. That’s why I’m hoping to bring them into the Inner Circle. Perhaps we can give them the motivation they need.”

“Ah, I see what you’re getting at,” grinned Moria, “But do you think it’s wise to bring in more recruits at a time when Sinister and Selene are clearly up to something?”

“I believe we must continue to be proactive,” said Xavier strongly, “While more allies is always preferable, we must make it seem as though we’re too busy to bother with their plans. If we slow down too much they will get suspicious and who knows what may happen then.”

It was sound reasoning, as was always the case with Charles. It seemed fitting as well since Rahne was coming in that they would try and bring others as well. Now that she was here she could afford to do more to help out with the Inner Circle. This could be a good way for her to do that. And if she could connect with these young mutants, they could have potent allies against Sinister and Selene should they make their move. It was never a question of if they were going to betray them, but when. Moria always warned Charles about it, yet he insisted on keeping them as allies. Now it was getting harder to ignore.

“As always, you know I’ll do my part, Charles,” she said, handing him back the papers, “But even so, I have a bad feeling about what’s going on. Sinister is going to make a move very soon. And so is Selene. I know he is.”

“I do not doubt that, my dear,” he said, pulling her into another hug, “But that’s all the more reason for you to be here with me. I’ll need your help now more than ever.”

“I still say you’re playing a dangerous game, Charles,” said Moria strongly, “Letting them just go about their dirty business is inviting more trouble.”

“I know. But to go against them now would threaten everything we’ve worked for. It’s too risky. We’ll make our move when the time is right. Like well-played game of chess, we must ensure we are in the right position before we can strike.”

“And when we do, are you sure we’ll be able to take them down?” said Moria, now gazing into the eyes of the Black King with a mix of yearning and anxiety.

“I’m certain,” he said strongly, “And when we do, you and I will be the sole rulers of the Hellfire Club. Just imagine it, Moria…you and me, the king and queen of the most powerful organization in the world. Isn’t that worth pursuing with the utmost care?”

Moria smiled. It was an appealing thought, her and Charles as king and queen. Right now, Selene and Sinister were doing their own thing. They were going to try and oppose them. That was a given. But if and when they were subdued, that would leave the Hellfire Club free for them to reign over.

“I’ll trust ye on that one, Charles. Just promise me you’ll be careful,” she said, as she affectionately trailed her hand down his face.

“I’ll be careful. I promise,” he told her.

“You better. Because ye know what will happen to ye if ye don’t,” she said with a naughty grin.

“Oh believe me, I want to avoid that. Perhaps there is some other way I can convince you?”

“Oh I can think of a few,” grinned Moria.

Setting the papers and wine aside, Xavier and Moria came together in a deep, passionate kiss. There were many issues they had to deal with. But for now they set them aside and relished their desires together. Their hands began to hungrily roam as their tongues danced together in a passionate daze. Xavier used his telepathy to link her mind with his so they could feel each other on a much more intimate level. Once that connection was made, their passions really got going. They stripped each other of their clothes and began making love on the couch in a headed daze. Grunts and moans of ecstasy filled the room as their bodies moved together. They let their passions guide them every step of the way, the promise of a grand future together driving them to cherish the bond they had and how it would give them strength in the challenges to come.

It was only a matter of time before they would have to confront Sinister and Selene. They had to be careful because there was no telling what they may try down the line. But both Moria and Charles were confident they could overcome them. And when that day came they would have all the power and wealth they could ever desire. The thought of ruling with such power together was all the motivation they needed to keep working together. It was only a matter of time before it all came together.

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Up next: Three new recruits emerge and Laura takes to her new surroundings.