Unchained Instinct ( Complete)

Chapter 87

Warmth flooded through Logan as if he were sitting on a volcano on the brink of exploding. The room receded, darkening into obscurity. The sounds of chatter and murmurs rose to a crescendo then faded into a dampened drone.

Then the throbbing began, low in his body, desire, want...a need so demanding, he had no interest in fighting the feeling.

“Are you all right, Logan?”

A soft sensual hand stroked the skin of his hand and Logan looked up to see the exotic beauty, Monique, leaning into him. Her aroma was passion flowers and citrus, good enough to devour.

Logan reached out and pulled her closer, burying his face in her hair.

“God, ya smell good.” He lick her neck and a burst of flavor like nectar exploded on his tongue. “And taste so good.”

A throaty laugh purred in his ear. “I want you, Logan.”

Fire rolled through Logan’s groin with those murmured words. Yet, his head ached and something important niggled at the back of his brain...something he should remember. Yet this woman, dark hair and flashing eyes drew him in. All else disappeared with the longing for her, the desire pushing towards a need so demanding he might take her right here.

She turned her face and their lips locked onto each others as if drawn by powerful magnets.

“Hey,” a humored male voice interrupted. “You might want to get a room for that. We weren’t expecting a floor show tonight.”

Monique pulled back and with a dark eyed wink, she tugged Logan from his stool. “We were just going to do that...weren’t we, Logan?”

“Yeah...a room. God, yer so gorgeous,” Logan heard himself say, his voice gravel and full of sexual need. “God, I wanna eat you up.” He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her again, but she pulled him along out towards the lobby.

*****************

Kurt laid out his treasures on the check out counter, digging in his wallet for money.

Kitty would love the pretty hand carved dogwood blossom necklace and Jean, he hoped, would enjoy the small watercolor print of mountains at sunset. Rogue proved more difficult, her tastes much different than his other female friends. But he’d find her something before they headed back home.

Looking up, Kurt caught a glimpse of Logan coming out of the bar, a dark haired beauty of a woman hanging on his arm, and heading for the lobby doors out.

Logan wore an intense expression...one that Kurt knew so well that his heart lurched when he saw the expression directed at this woman...a woman Kurt had never seen before in his life.

All thought of what he was doing disappeared and he rushed out of the gift shop, ignoring the clerks calls, to intercept Logan.

“Logan!” Kurt sprinted forward standing to block the exit.

Logan scarcely looked up, all the man’s interest on the woman beside him. But the woman gave Kurt a confused, amused look.

“Excuse us, young man,” she said.

Kurt ignored her. “Logan, where are you going? Who is this woman?”

Logan’s gaze didn’t leave the woman’s face. “Monique,” he said in his deepest, most sensuous tone. “Monique.”

Logan started to push forward passed Kurt, but Kurt grabbed Logan’s arm. “Where are you going with her?! What is the matter with you?!”

Kurt heard his tone rising with confusion and panic, hysteria threatening to rise, lacing his laboring heart with a cold grip of fear.

Logan’s gaze focused on him for a second, softening momentarily as if trying to remember who Kurt was and knowing he should already know. But then Monique’s hand slid along Logan’s cheek and chin, redirecting his gaze to her.

“Weren’t we going to my room, Logan?” She pressed her lips to Logan’s and the kiss grew deep and passionate right before Kurt’s eyes, leaving him speechless. Monique turned her face and smiled at Kurt. “Now, please leave us alone, child. I don’t know who you are, but you are making a scene.”

She glanced around the lobby and Kurt’s gaze involuntarily followed, a flush of embarrassment washing over him with all the people staring at them. Logan and Monique pushed by him, leaving Kurt staring after.

“No!” Kurt shoved through the doors, nearly knocking over a couple coming in.

Monique lead Logan down a cobbled walkway, away from the main lodge to a grouping of cottages scattered among a pine grove. Kurt raced after them, his thoughts scattered, pain rising inside of him like an atomic bomb about to explode.

“Logan! If you do this, it’s over between us. I can’t keep doing this! I can’t keep living like this!! Please, Logan!! Please don’t throw away everything we’ve fought for.”

But the couple just kept walking...then the woman stopped them under the soft light of a lamp. She turned to meet Kurt’s pained gaze, a soft triumphant smile pulling up the corner of her mouth. Then she turned and leaned into Logan, pressing her body to his and Logan pulled her in, hands roaming over her back and buttocks, grinding his groin into her. And they kissed again, deep and passionate like a long slender blade plunging through Kurt’s heart.

Tears escaped, pouring down Kurt’s face. He watched them turn then and stroll away with no concern for him. As if he didn’t exist at all.

**************

Kurt stood staring, until the couple faded into the abyss of darkness, fog starting to shroud the grounds. He couldn’t move...couldn’t find the strength or will, thoughts going numb with too much pain — too much humiliation and horror finally catching up with him. He wanted to sink into the ground and let the tree roots wrap around him and make him one with the earth.

Someone was shaking him, words of concern laced with impatience shattering the quiet of the night. For a long moment, Kurt ignored the shaking and at the rising sound of the agitated voice.

“Kurt Wagner! You listen to me, bro. Snap out of it right now!”

A shudder ran through Kurt and he knew the voice. Rogue with her southern drawl and sharp tongue.

What was she doing here...wherever here was?

Humiliation washed over him and the last thing he wanted to do was tell Rogue that Logan had finally succumbed to the animal side. Loyalty was gone. Devotion had died. The rule of the jungle had finally devoured what was left of his and Logan’s love.

Everything he’d endured had been for nothing. The pain of the previous night, the darkness that had tried to take hold of his soul had no purpose other than to taint him forever.

“Where’s Logan, Kurt,” Rogue said, shaking him again.

Kurt shook his head without opening his eyes.

A sharp crack of pain seared Kurt’s cheek. He grimaced, but refused to look Rogue in the eye.

“Listen to me, Kurt,” Rogue said in a frantic tone, her grip on his shoulders digging in with fiery pain.. “Mystique is here. She’s got a drug and she intends to use it on Logan.”

“Chere,” Gambit’s voice cut in with gentle intensity. “Can’t ya see? She’s already done it...and Kurt don’t know the lady was Mystique.”

“Oh gawd,” Rogue whispered. “Kurt, what did she do? What did Logan do?”

Did he hear them right? Mystique? Was Monique really Mystique in disguise?

“What?” Kurt whispered back, eyes finally opening.

Rogue’s angry features came into focus. “Her. TheWitch. The fucking Bitch. She’s here, Kurt and she’s bound and determined to take Logan away from you. Ya gonna let her?”

“Mein Gott. Why won’t she let us be?”

“Cause she one sick lady, mon ami,” Gambit said in a world weary tone. “Now let’s go stop whatever she intend.”

Kurt searched the depth of his being for outrage...searched for anger and hatred. But all he felt was exhaustion to the marrow of his bones. And a sickness of heart and mind that gripped him like an iron vice.

“Yes,” he offered. “Then I am going home. With or without Logan.”

“Kurt....” Rogue began then faltered.

Kurt put up a hand. “Let’s do what has to be done.”

“What’dya want done with Her?” Rogue asked, her tone more gentle though Kurt sensed the rage boiling beneath her words.

“Do whatever you want, Rogue. I am tired of hoping she can be redeemed. She can’t be.”

“‘Bout time ya caught on, bro,” Rogue muttered. “Which way?”

Kurt pointed down the path Mystique and Logan took and let Rogue take the lead. Dread of what they’d find when they found Mystique and Logan weighted down Kurt’s heart. It ached in his chest and threatened to tear its way out of him.

A firm hand settled on his shoulder, squeezing gently. Kurt looked up to see Gambit smiling down at him. Not the shit eating grin the man often wore, but something sincere and empathetic exuded from Remy LeBeau. Gambit offered a wink and a nod then loped ahead to catch up with Rogue.

****************

“Ya know where ya goin’, chere?” Remy asked as he came a breast of Rogue.

She glanced behind her to see Kurt trailing behind. Her heart went out to her adoptive brother. He didn’t deserve this. He hadn’t deserved anything that’d happened to him in the last year. Yet the crap just kept comin’.

“I know. The room number’s seared in my brain from havin’ ta touch that low life, Pietro.”

“Ah. That make sense.” Remy was quiet for a moment then said, “so, what are ya goin’ ta do with her?”

A grim grin spread across Rogue’s face. “I’m just gonna give her a hand, that’s all. Just one bare hand.”

She looked up at Remy and saw the same sort of smile playing on his handsome face.

Kurt settled in on her left and Rogue glanced aside to see Kurt’s expression stoic, but more like himself.

“Ya, okay?” she asked without easing her stride.

“No,” Kurt replied, then grinned at her without humor. “But I’ll deal with that later. I just had a long wallow in self pity and thought I’d better clean myself up and help the man I love out of the clutches of my evil sadistic mother.”

“That’s my bro. Momma needs some reignin’ in and her children are goin’ ta do the reignin’.”