In Fear of Three Little Words

Did you all think I'd shriveled up and died? Sooooooooooo sorry it's taken me so long to get this chapter up. I was on a business trip to Indy last weekend and got no time to write. I've been working on this chapter all week. It's been a tough one, but I hope worth it. And I'm intending to have another chapter up tomorrow...if nothing happens to divert my plans to totally ignore my filthy house and put off the need to grocery shop.

Enjoy!!!


Chapter 58


Spring blew in Cassie’s open car window, the fresh smell of blooming flowers and trees making her heart light. Yet ahead of her was a counseling session with her most challenging clients.

Kurt Wagner...the most unique young men she had ever met, in both looks and nature. She recalled the first time she had met him only a month ago and how she had been more than a little taken aback by his appearance in spite of Charles’ warning.

At first, Kurt’s appearance was startling...and yes, even frightening if one didn’t take the time to really look at him. Yet, instead of seeing a demon or monster, Cassie had cleared her mind of preconceived prejudices, opening the way to seeing Kurt’s preternatural beauty. Indeed, Kurt’s physical appearance was a cross between the biblical Devil’s own spawn and a child of Faerie. The ordinary everyday world in all its banality and religious indoctrination refused to see beyond the blue fur and prehensile tail, beyond the pointed ears and the golden eyes...to see what lay underneath.

And what dwelt underneath was wondrously normal. Intelligence and compassion, humor and wit was the real Kurt Wagner, as human as anyone Cassie had ever known. His desire to retrieve his life from the depths of tragedy touched a tender place within her and Cassie was determined to help Kurt find again that something vital he felt he’d lost.

She marveled at Kurt’s unwavering love for Logan. That such a love could come out of such a terrible ordeal. Yet deep inside lay an open wound that had just begun to heal when tragedy had struck again and had wounded Kurt’s young spirit further.

At the gate,sie sie announced herself and the gate opened, allowing her entrance to the well manicured grounds. Ahead of her the Institute stood a monument to Charles Xavier’s brilliance and his keen financial handling of a vast fortune only hinted at by the opulence of the mansion before her.

She parked her car at the entrance and turned to watched a group of students ranging out across the lawn playing a game of football in a manner she had never seen before. Ice and fire ruled the game and none of it seemed the least bit strange to these boys and girls, their talents as natural to them as shooting hoops or painting pictures were to others kids.

Cassie shook her head in amusement and headed up the steps. Before she could knock, the door opened.

“Good afternoon, Ms Martin,” Jean said, stepping aside and allowing Cassie to enter. “How are you today?”

“Very fine, Jean. But do call me Cassie,” Cassie said to the tall red headed girl. “You knew I was at the door?”

“Of course...Cassie,” the young woman said with a knowing smile. “I saw your car drive up.”

“Ah...of course,” Cassie replied returning the smile.

Heels clicking on the marble floor, Cassie followed her usual path to the parlor room that had become her temporary office while she counseled Kurt...and Logan. Charles had made her feel welcome here, allowing her about much of the Institute without chaperone, a compliment of the highest order.

Down the long hallway, she saw Logan, standing just outside the door, leaning against the wall in his usual closed stance...arms crossed tight against his chest.

Cassie had yet to come to terms with her thoughts and feelings about Logan...just Logan with no last name...or no first name...she didn’t know which. And neither did he, it seemed.

A fire burned inside this man, dynamite on the verge of exploding. Anger boiled beneath the surface, an incipient rage just contained by his own sheer force of will.

There was certainly an undeniable passion in Logan, that primal force as natural to him as breathing.

She had known men like that and seldom good came out of such a personality. And what kind of relationship was built on the founons ons of a violent act?

A surge of concern for Kurt bubbled up inside of her and Cassie shoved it back down. It wasn’t her place to judge Kurt’s and Logan’s relationship. Her only concern should be to help them salvage something out of the ordeal both had been put through.

And Cassie did see other attributes in Logan...lty lty and fairness, courage beyond compare, a strong sense of justice and a compassion that seemed to balance his less admirable qualities.

His gruff demeanor belied the core of a man who loved too deeply and fought the loving every inch of the way. And too often Logan blamed himself for events far outside his realm of control.

This session, the first for Kurt and Logan together, should prove interesting and possibly volatile depending on where the train of conversation ran. She had a few ideas of her own...if the train derailed.

Logan looked up as Cassie approached. His dark eyes glinted like obsidian, his rugged features wearing an uninterested expression.

“Hello, Logan,” she said, stopping before him.

“Cassie,” he replied in his usual low growl of a voice.

He wore jeans that fitted his muscled thighs like a second skin and a dark blue tee-shirt that showed off his muscular arms and chest. Yet, there was nothing about Logan that screamed for attention, nothing that demanded in a pretentious manner.

As Kurt so succinctly put it “Logan was Logan” as unique as Kurt in his own way.

She had yet to see these claws he supposedly had and she found herself looking at his hands and wondering just where he kept them and how long they were and if they were as deadly as they sounded.

She cleared her throat and forced her gaze up to his with a smile on her face. “Kurt is coming isn’t he?”

“Oh yeah. The elf wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

Sarcasm. Logan was a professional when it came to sarcasm.

“You’re not looking forward to our session?” she asked with mock seriousness, knowing he wasn’t looking forward at all.

“Right. Like I look forward to a case of poison ivy.”

Cassie laughed. “Your honesty is refreshingly delightful. You just don’t know how many people tee whe what they think I want to hear instead of how they really feel.”

“Don’t worry,” Logan said. “I’ll never disappoint you on that count. If I don’t want you to know something I’ll just tell you to butt out.”

“Good,” she replied. “And I’ll be just as brutally honest with you.”

“Touche`, sister.”

A popping sound followed by the smell of sulfur filled the hallway and out of the corner of her eye, Cassie saw Kurt appear in a puff of smoke and deftly drop to the floor, landing lightly on both feet.

Still wearing his holographic disguise, Kurt grinned sheepishly at them. “Sorry I’m late, Cassie. My school counselor wanted to speak to me before I left today.”

“It’s only a few minutes after four. I was running a little late myself.”

Kurt turned to Logan and the sheepish grin turned to a loving smile. “Hullo, Logan.”

Kurt pushed a button on his watch and his true self appeared. The longish dark hair was still there and the general shape of face and size, but the blue fur had a lustrous sheen to it and pointed ears now peaked out from between midnight blue strands of hair.

Cassie watched them move together, Logan drawing Kurt in close to him and a gentle kiss followed, one that made Cassie look away, not because of its passion, but because of a sincerity of love that deserved a moment of privacy.

“What’s with the counselor, elf?” Logan asked in obvious concern. “Somethin’ wrong?” He kept his hand on Kurt’s waist and Cassie thought it a good sign that Kurt so readily allowed this touch of familiarity.

Kurt tried to contain another grin. “Nothing at all wrong. She wanted to tell me that if I do well on my finals, I will graduate Magna Cum Laude. She’s talked the school board into disregarding my freshman year being home schooled. I can’t believe it!”

A look of awe and pride spread across Logan’s face and the hard dark eyes lit up and softened in a way that softened Cassie’s views towards the man.

“Sweetheart, that’s fantastic! I’m real proud of ya. Have ya told the Doc yet?”

Kurt looked demurely down, appearing pleased yet embarrassed by Logan’s praise. “No. I haven’t had the chance.”

“Well, he’s gonna be pleased as punch.”

“You think so?” Kurt asked, looking up with a hero worship that set off warning bells in Cassie’s mind.

“I know so. And so will your parents.”

“Oh man,” Kurt said, slapping his forehead. “I’ve got to call them. They will be so happy.”

“Congratulations,t. t. That’s quite an accomplishment,” Cassie injected.

Kurt turned to her, a smile still playing on his mouth. “Thank you. I’ve worked very hard.”

“I’m sure you have,” she offered encouragingly. “Umm, time for session?”

Logan suppressed a groan. Well, at least, he was attempting to suppress them now.

“Come on, Logan,” Kurt said, taking Logan’s arm and pulling his reluctant partner into the parlor. “I’ll protect you from big bad Cassie.”

Kurt flung back a grin and a wink at Cassie and she had to put a hand to her mouth to keep from bursting out in laughter.

So this was the Kurt that she had heard about. She hoped it wasn’t just a momentary return to his old self. She wanted desperately for this sweet and funny young man to regain his humor and easy nature.

Yet, Cassie knew there would be moments of backsliding, of depression and anxiety, of self doubt and fear. Kurt needed to face his enemy, face his fear, but she wasn’t sure he’d ever get that opportunity...or that he’d have the strength to take that opportunity if it came.

She followed them into the room and closed the door. They waited for her to take a seat and Cassie watched Kurt and Logan settle onto a love seat she had arranged on her last visit there, preparing for this session. She wanted to see how they’d sit, how close, how comfortably.

Kurt was obviously in a good mood, the news of his academic accomplishments occupying the forefront of his thoughts. He sat at eager attention, ready for whatever she flung at him. Kurt had taken well to these counseling sessions and Cassie was just as glad for counseling an unwilling client often felt as though she was pulling her own teeth with a pair of pliers.

Logan, on the other hand, fluctuated between difficult and candid. And he still didn’t consider these sessions therapy for himself. He attended solely for Kurt and that would have to be good enough for the moment, though Cassie thought Kurt was more likely to come out of this tragedy whole long before Logan ever would.

“Have you two talked at all about your separate sessions?” Cassie asked, just to get the conversation started. She watched Logan shift, trying to get comfortable and his arms crossed against his chest again, a sign he was about to close himself off from her if she wasn’t careful with her words.

Kurt glanced over to Logan, then back when Logan didn’t readily answer her question. “We’ve talked some,” Kurt said. “Haven’t we, Logan?” He elbowed Logan in the side.

Logan gave a grunt and loosened his stance a bit. “Yeah, sure. We’ve talked. I’ve talked to you more than anybody I can remember.”

Kurt smiled at that. “Logan isn’t a big talker,” he said to Cassie.

“I’m aware of that,” Cassie stated returning Kurt’s smile.

“Talkin’ don’t always solve problems,” Logan injected.

“Aren’t we off to a grand start,” Cassie commented dryly. “You’re right, Logan. Talking doesn’t solve all our problems. Action coupled with communication solves problems.”

“Exactly. And I think we’ve been doin’ that. Don’t you, elf?” Logan flung back at Kurt.

“Yes, we’ve done that,” Kurt agreed and slipped his arm through Logan’s.

Logan looked over at Kurt and that soft expression returned, the dark eyes melting and Cassie realized that Logan worshiped Kurt as much as Kurt worshiped Logan. Maybe her warning bells had gone off prematurely.

Yet, she couldn’t help but wonder about these two such different personalities, a difference in age, a difference in how each communicated and reacted. Kurt was a fixer, someone moikelikely to try to defuse a situation than create one willingly while Logan met most situations head on with head down, plowing through to get the job done.

Cassie imagined herself a little mouse, watching from a ledge high up. She’d love to see these two under normal circumstances, hear what they talked about, watch their physical interaction with each other and with others as a couple.

She waited, hoping one of them would set on a topic of discussion. Nothing. Logan was getting fidgety and Kurt was looking more uncomfortable by the moment.

“Has there been any word?” she finally asked. “About...Sabertooth?”

Kurt took a deep breath and let it out slowly, working to control a rise in his anxiety level. His body went tight, fingers balling to fists. After blinking several times, Kurt looked away.

Logan’s hand slid into Kurt’s and gave a little squeeze. “Yeah, I talked to the guy in charge of huntin’ Sabertooth down and he thinks they’ve caught his trail. We hope to hear somethin’ soon.”

“And then what will happen?” Cassie asked. “How is a man like that contained?”

She watched Logan’s face grow hard, jaw rigid and those dark eyes flash fire, smoldering with the desire for vengeance.

“There’s ways to handle scum like Sabertooth,” Logan snarled. “Plenty of ways. A few permanent ways if I get my chance at him.”

“Logan, please, ” Kurt said.

Logan turned to Kurt, eyes still hard. He released Kurt’s hand and pushed back, making space between them. “Let’s clear somethin’ up right now. Did you tell Cassie that you didn’t want me to go after Sabertooth to protect me from gettin’ hurt or killed?”

A stunned expression crossed Kurt’s face. He turned the look on Cassie. “Did you tell him I said that?”

Both of them were staring at her now and Cassie felt a pang of guilt. She hoped this didn’t turn into an argument...one that she’d be responsible for starting.

“Well, not exactly,” she stammered, not sounding at all professional. “I just asked Logan if he thought that might be a reason why you didn’t want him away from you for long.”

“What’dya tryin’ to do, lady, start a fight between me and the elf?” Logan demanded. He shoved up to his feet and towered over her. “You don’t think I’m any good for him, do you? You think I’m bad news and Kurt’d be better off if I got the hell out of his life, don’t you?”

“Logan,” Kurt said, reaching up and tugging on Logan’s arm. “Stop it. Sit down. Cassie doesn’t think that. And what matters is that I don’t think that.”

Logan gazed down on Kurt and Cassie saw doubt in Logan’s eyes...and fear. Logan had his own doubts or he wouldn’t have pounced on that conclusion so readily.

“I wasn’t trying to start a fight between you two,” Cassie stated, smoothing her hair back. “I’m here to help you both explore your feelings and the actions your feelings invoke. I was simply asking a question of you to get you to think on how Kurt might see things. And Kurt has expressed his concern about you.” Cassie stood up and did her best to meet Logan eye to eye though she had to look up to do so. “Don’t you see, Logan. Kurt is as protective of you as you are of him. There’s nothing terrible about that. It’s an expression of love.”

Logan stared down into her eyes then slowly sat, gaze turning inward. Kurt ran a hand over Logan’s arm in a soothing fashion and Logan calmed down and turned his attention back to the session.

“So you weren’t tryin’ to start a fight,” Logan stated. “Great. But that don’t answer the question.” He turned to Kurt again and reached out, running the back of his hand across Kurt’s cheek. “Are you afraid of me goin’ after Sabertooth?” Kurt glanced away, but Logan drew his gaze back with a firm touch. “Answer me, elf.”

Kurt’s expression turned anguished. “Yes,” he said in a whisper. “When I think of you finding him and that you’d fight him...he will try to kill you...and you will try to kill him.”

“Do you think I can’t win?” Logan asked, sounding a little hurt.

“I...I don’t know. I...I don’t want to find out. I don’t want anything to happen to you. I couldn’t stand it.”

A smile crossed Logan’s face, one that Cassie had not seen before. “Now who’s bein’ over protective? You can’t have it just one way, sweetheart. You can’t tell me to back off then try to keep me from doin’ what I think is right...even if it’s dangerous.”

“I can’t help it. I love you.”

“Yeah, I know. I love you too. So okay. This is gonna be an issue with us. You...me back and forth with the over protective crap.”

Kurt gave a shrug and managed a meager smile. “I suppose so. But that’s not the only reason I’ve not wanted you to be gone for long. I’ve needed you here...with me. I don’t think I could get through the days without you.”

“You’ll have to learn, sweetheart. You’ve got to learn to stand on your own again. To be strong on your own.”

“I will,” Kurt said, taking hold of Logan’s arm. “Just not...yet. Please.”

“Hey, you don’t fight fair,” Logan said with easy humor. He turned to Cassie. “See what I gotta put up with. How’s a guy suppose to defend his position against those eyes and that voice?”

“I see your dilemma,” Cassie said in an agreeable tone.

Kurt grinned at them, sharp white teeth betraying his otherwise innocent expression. Then the grin faded away, a memory perhaps filtering back into Kurt’s good mood.

“I wish....” Kurt shook his head and turned away.

“You wish what, Kurt?” Cassie asked.

Kurt said nothing and the look that crossed his face spoke of pain and frustration and fear.

“Come on, elf,” Logan said, sliding a hand across Kurt’s hair. “Last I heard, we’re here to talk.”

Kurt shuddered and his eyes reflected the anguish in his soul. “I wish the others wouldn’t go looking for Sabertooth. I...I’m afraid for them. He threatened them. You know that, Logan. You heard him threaten Kitty and Rogue and Jean and Scott. I...could not live with myself if he hurt one of them...like he hurt me.”

“That’s not gonna happen.oganogan’s voice sounded confident, strong and sure. “We won’t let that happen.”

“But this wasn’t suppose to happen...to me,” Kurt replied, his eyes closing.

Such pain registered in Logan’s gaze...such anguish of spirit. Cassie’s heart went out to this man...a man she had so many doubts about. Yet, she didn’t doubt his love for Kurt or his concern for the other students of the Institute.

“I know, sweetheart,” Logan said, drawing Kurt close. “I’m so sorry. I’d make this all go away if I could. I’d...give my life to make this all go away.”

“Don’t say that...please don’t say that, Logan,” Kurt said, drawing back and piercing Logan with that golden gaze.

“Don’t say the truth?” Logan countered.

“It hurts too much to hear you say such things,” Kurt said, his eyes squeezing closed again as if that would block out Logan’s meaning.

“If you had a chance to go back and change the past, would you do it, Logan?” Cassie asked. “Do you think you and Kurt would have gotten together...become a couple if you two hadn’t been kidnapped and forced into intimacy by this Trask person?”

Logan shot a hard look Cassie’s way and for a moment she thought he’d blow up at her, but he just stared a few long moments, gaging her meaning and intent.

Don’t underestimate him. Logan’s rough ways belied a fierce intelligence and an uncanny instinct.

“Yeah, I’d go back and make sure Kurt didn’t get hurt. That none of these kids got hurt by Trask. I’d have done anything in my power to keep Trask from layin’ a finger on the elf. I’d have done anything in my power to keep me from layin’ a finger on him either...even if that meant we wouldn’t be together today.”

Ah, a true revelation...a painful revelation, one that neither had faced before.

“So you don’t think you two would have become romantic without the impositions forced on you?”

Again he stared at her, avoiding Kurt’s gaze. Finally, Logan shook his head. “It wouldn’t have happened.”

Cassie nodded and turned her attention to Kurt. He sat very still, hands in his lap and his head bent. His blue black hair obscured his face and the pointed ears showed prominently at this angle.

“I’m sorry, elf,” Logan said, rubbing Kurt’s back. “But ya know, it wouldn’t have happened any other way.”

Kurt just nodded.

“Kurt?” Cassie said.

He looked up then and a quiet dignity seemed to surround Kurt, a confidence and certainty of conviction.

“Do you want me to answer that question too, Cassie? About changing the past?”

Cassie tilted her head in mild confusion. “Of course, but surely....”

“Surely what?” Kurt said. “Surely I would change the past...choose to never suffer torture and rape?”

“Kurt----” Logan began.

“No, Logan,” Kurt injected, effectively cutting Logan off. “Cassie asked the question and I have the right to answer as well as you.”

“I’d like to hear your answer,” Cassie said.

“All right.” Kurt shifted and sat up straighter, no longer touching Logan. “If changing the past meant that Logan and I would not be together, then I would not change it.”

“You can’t mean that, elf,” Logan said.

Kurt turned a defiant gaze on Logan. “Yes, I can mean that. I’d go through it all again, Trask’s tortures and the beatings and even the rape. I’d suffer whatever I had to suffer to be with you. You’re right we would never have fallen in love with each other under normal circumstances. So it took abnormal circumstances to make it happen. So maybe this was fate. Maybe it was meant to be and I can live with that...even if you can’t.”

Silence hung over the room and Cassie watched the two men stare at each, gazes locked not in a battle of wills, but a battle to understand each other’s point of view...what each would sacrifice for the other.

“Nobody ever cared that much about me,” Logan finalaid aid in a tone filled with awe and reverence. “Nobody ever loved me like that...that you’d go through somethin’ so terrible for me.” Logan reached out, caressing Kurt’s face with a gentle touch. Kurt nuzzled against the open palm and Cassie had to look away, that intimate expression of tenderness reminding her of the simple kiss that had held such love and sincerity. “I don’t deserve you, elf.”

Cassie let her gaze slide back to the couple, her instincts to observe people too strong.

Kurt smiled sweetly. “Would you please stop saying that? You’re not going to get away from me, Logan. I’m just what you deserve.”

Logan smiled back, but the melancholy in that smile touched a resonating chord inside of Cassie.

Maybe she was wrong about Logan. Maybe she had judged him too readily. He loved deeply and he hurt deeply and tried with all his strength of will to pretend neither was so.

Sniffing and clearing his throat, Logan turned back to her, his arm sliding around Kurt’s shoulders. Kurt leaned into the embrace and looked up at her.

“Well,” Cassie said. “We’ve cleared the air on a few issues.”

“We’ve aired a few issues,” Logan said with a hint of sarcasm . “We’ll see later how cleared the air is.”

“Personally, I don’t think I’m up to airing anything else just now,” Kurt injected.

Cassie nodded. She wasn’t sure she was up to anymore airing herself. “That’s fine, Kurt. It’s totally understandable considering.”

“Then we’re done here?” Logan asked.

Suppressing a smile, Cassie said, “I guess we are. Shall we talk again on Friday?”

Logan and Kurt glanced at each other. “Not Friday,” Logan said. “It’s a holiday weekend and me and Kurt are headin’ out on a little getaway.”

“Ah, I forgot. Good Friday. Well then how about Monday?”

“Good enough.” Logan turned to Kurt. “Why don’t ya go get suited up and we’ll run a trainin’ session before dinner?”

“Okay,” Kurt said agreeably. “Five minutes in the Danger Room?”

“Um, make it fifteen.”

Kurt gave Logan a suspicious look, one eyebrow rising. “Fifteen then. But I’ll expect you to tell me what you’re going to talk to Cassie about without me.”

“You can expect all ya want, elf. Don’t mean I’m gonna tell ya.”

Kurt leaned over and gave Logan a quick kiss then disappeared in a puff of acrid smoke.

“Do you ever get used to him doing that?” Cassie asked.

“Disappearin’ ya mean? Yeah, I guess. It’s the appearin’ that’s hard to get used to. There’s times I’d like to throttle him for startlin’ me.”

Cassie gave a little chuckle and Logan actually grinned at her.

“So, what is it you want to talk about without Kurt?” she asked.

Logan looked away then back again. “Like I said, we’re takin’ a little trip to the coast. The kid needs a break from the books and the trainin’ and...well, everything.”

“I think that’s a wonderful idea. It will be good for you too.”

“Yeah, me too.” He hesitated, obviously unsure how to broach his subject. He cleared his throat again and met her gaze. “We haven’t been...intimate again since that first time a few weeks ago. Maybe there’s nothin’ to worry about. He’s been busy with studyin’ for finals and gettin’ ready foaduaaduation. I haven’t tried to push him at all. But now we’re gonna be alone with none of that in the picture.”

Cassie nodded. “Are you afraid he’ll think you have expectations? That he’ll feel obligated to have sex?”

“I don’t want him to feel that way,” Logan said in a burst of frustration. He ran his hands through his hair and sat back. “How can I help him? What am I suppose to do...or not do?” He let out a huff of a breath. “I’m not good at this intimate shit.”

“I think you’re quite good, Logan. I think you’re doing a marvelous job of helping Kurt through this ordeal.”

He sat forward and looked her straight on. “You really think so or you just tryin’ to make me feel good about myself?”

Cassie sat forward as well and reached out to Logan, placing a cautious hand on his wrist. “I really think so. I know you like to think of yourself as hard and tough and impossible to crack. But Kurt’s gotten inside your heart and I can see the love and care you have for him. Kurt knows it too and he’s responding accordingly.”

“But Kurt tries real hard to make me happy. I don’t want him thinkin’ he’s gotta...do it...to make me happy.”

“You’ll just have to watch for signs from him. He’s still confused and the memories of the assaults are still at the forefront of his mind. He’s going to be full of contradictions. He may desire intimacy one moment then not be able to tolerate the thought the next.”

Logan let out a harsh breath and sat back again. “I don’t want to do the wrong thing.”

“I know you don’t. And Kurt knows too.”

Cassie watched Logan for a moment while he was deep in thought, his gaze focused inward. His strength and virility, his dominating personality filled the room even when he was quiet. And the thought came to Cassie that Logan was the dominant in his and Kurt’s sexual relationship. All she had to do was watch them together for this one session to see the dynamics of their interactions with one another. And although Kurt certainly stood his ground on his convictions, she could see him allowing Logan control sexually, if for no other reason than he was young and inexperienced.

“I’m going to ask an intimate question, Logan and if you don’t want to answer just say so.”

Logan’s attention snapped instantly back to Cassie with a wary gaze. “Go for it.”

“Have you ever let Kurt be the dominant in your sexual relationship?”

He stared at her with an unreadable expression. “Lady, you really know how to cut to the meat of a subject, don’t you?”

“I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t.”

Logan didn’t readily answer, but his face registered his contemplation of the question. Finally, he stood and reached out to her a hand. Cassie took the offered hand and stood, unsure of this gesture.

“Thanks for the help,” he said. “I haven’t said it before, but I think you’re doin’ Kurt a lotta good and I appreciate that.”

Cassie found herself unreasonably pleased by Logan’s complement. She doubted he dished out such favorable comments readily. “Well, thank you, but you haven’t answered my question.”

With a snort of a laugh, Logan said, “you knew the answer before you asked.”

“I suppose I did, but it’s not good for me to make assumptions about people.”

“Yeah, people. They’re full of surprises. Just when you think you’ve got them figured out, they go and turn everything upside down on ya.”

Logan started to pull away, but Cassie held on and Logan turned back to her with a questioning expression.

“Could I ask of you one more thing?”

Logan glanced over at the clock on the mantle. “Can’t keep the elf waitin’ long. So what is it?”

Cassie offered him a sheepish grin. “Would you show me your claws?”

Logan let out a low growl, but Cassie sensed it was as fake as the scowl on his face. “What’d I look like, sister, a side show?”

“Please,” she said with saccharin sweetness.

He took a breath and let it out as if she was asking too much of him. But underneath, she thought Logan pleased that she asked. He pulled his hand away from hers and took a few steps back.

Cassie watched with keen interest and why she felt such excitement she didn’t know.

Logan put his hands up and long, knife sharp claws slid out of the backs of his hands. They gleamed in the light and Cassie felt her breath catch and a gasp escape her.

“My god,” she whispered. “That’s amazing.” She looked up with a question on her l

“Don’t ask,” Logan said, cutting her off before she could. “We don’t have time and I don’t feel like goin’ into it right now.”

Cassie returned her gaze to the claws and the deadliness of their gleaming sharp edges sent a thrill down her spine.

“Have you...?” she began without looking up.

“Killed anybody?” Logan said, completing her question. “What’d you think?”

He was baiting her now, trying to get her to judge him again. She raised her gaze to his and shook her head. “I don’t know,” she said breathlessly.

Logan offered her a grim smile. “Then let’s leave it at that.”

Without warning the claws slid back into Logan’s hands, no sign of their existence apparent. He
gave her a nod and headed for the door. Cassie watched his retreating back, her gaze sliding down to his ass, covered in those tight jeans.

Cassilowelowed herself an appreciative smile and knew exactly why Kurt found this man so very sexy.