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German Countryside, Just Outside East Berlin, February 1952

The rusted old truck meandered its way down the old road, rumbling and groaning its protest as the man kept a sharp eye out for following vehicles. It was still quite dark, the sun several hours from rising, forcing the man to squint to see the road ahead of him.“Do we have any idea where to go?” The woman asked the man. The man shook his head, not looking away from the road. “There is an airport in Hamburg that will fly us to Paris. From there, we will travel to England, and back to the States by boat,” he replied. The woman clutched a rosary in her fingers tightly. “But will we be safe?” she pressed. “Will she be safe?”In the passenger seat, the woman turned to glance at the small child sitting in the bed of the truck, whom was clinging tightly to the wall to avoid being thrown out. She was wrapped snuggly in a warm coat, a hat and mittens, and a heavy canvas tarp lay across her lap in some semblance of an attempt to keep her warm in the brisk air. Her breath puffed out in clouds around her face, giving her an ethereal look.“Mama,” the child’s slight English lilt was raised to be heard over the engine. Here blinking bright green eyes were filled with curiosity and exhaustion at traveling so early. “I thought we were going to stay in West Berlin to help the people on the other side of the wall?”The woman smiled tightly at the child, trying to keep the fear out of her voice. “Papa has been called for to the countryside,” she told her, English accent soft as she soothed her child. “We are going with him to help him with services.”The girl cocked her head slightly. “But I thought we were here for mish-missy—” She frowned trying to pronounce the word.“Missionary work, Elise,” the man spoke up, a small smile twitching his lips around his American twang. “And we are, but it’s—it’s safer out of the city,” he explained. “There are rumors of people disappear—”“Samuel Graves, don’t scare our daughter!” the woman snapped, glancing fearfully at their daughter. The man turned to her sharply. “Helen, there is no point in trying to hide it from her,” he told her firmly. “She needs to be aware of what is happening. What would happen if the wrong people find her? Would you prefer we lie and keep her in the dark?” he asked her, eyes once more scanning the dark road.“She is just a little girl, Samuel,” Helen said softly. “Barely eight years old. She’s not ready to know of the evils that she may face in this world. I pray she will never have to.” She crossed herself as soon as the words passed her lips.Elise bit her lip, ginger hair flying in her face. “Is it because of me?” she asked softly. “I didn’t mean to do it . . . I promise, I don’t know how I did it!” Tears filled her eyes as she looked pleadingly at her mother.“Shh, my little angel, I know you didn’t,” Helen soothed her gently. “There is nothing to be afraid of. God has given you a gift, and your papa and I know this. And we love you very much.”Samuel heaved a sigh, hands tightening on the steering wheel. “But there are those that will claim you to be a child of the devil, a witch, and they will try to hurt you, or worse,” he told her gravely. “We are leaving Berlin to go back to America. We want to keep you safe.”The girl nodded her head, but tears fell from her eyes. “I’m sorry Papa,” she whispered. “I just wanted to feed the lady and her family. I didn’t know she’d scream at me.”Samuel turned back to give Elise a gentle smile. “It’s not your fault, Sweetling. It is never your fault for what God has given you.” He turned back towards the road, eyes constantly scanning. But you must never use your gift for evil. Promise me, Elise. Promise me.”“I promise, papa,” the girl parroted quickly, swiping at her cheeks. She felt her mother’s hand gently brush back her unruly hair and glanced up at her soft gaze. “I didn’t mean to scare anybody,” she whispered. “I didn’t see the car.”“I know, my little angel, I know.” Suddenly, Samuel gave a sharp cry, and slammed on the brakes. “Oh, god in heaven, protect my family,” he man breathed, silently crossing himself.Elise grunted in pain as she hit the back of the cab, wincing as she felt her mother pull a tarp over her head. “Stay down, be silent,” Helen hissed at her. “No matter what, know that we love you, and will always be with you,” she promised.The girl said nothing, frozen as fear unlike anything she’d ever felt coursed through her. She heard several pairs of boots approach the truck before someone barked out a rapid-fire language she didn’t know.“Please, we are missionaries, we are just—” she heard her papa start to say, before he cried out in pain.“Samuel!” her mama yelped before she too cried out in pain. “Stop, let go, please!” Elise heard the doors opening to the cab, and the sound of scuffling, as if something were being dragged across the ground.Elise took several sharp breaths, and squeezed her eyes shut tight as she heard another pair of boots stop by the side of the truck. Suddenly the tarp was ripped from over her head, and she let out a scream of fear.The silhouette of a man filled her vision, and Elise blinked her eyes in the dark, trying to make out his features. The man that held the tarp dropped it to the bed of the truck and gave her a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. The man reminded her of a big cat that she had seen at a zoo once, sharp angles and eyes that filled her with absolute fear, and she curled into herself, whimpering.“Well, well, well,” he spoke in a heavy accent. “It seems we have a little stowaway girl on our hands. Come on out, little one,” he crooned softly, holding out a hand for her to take. When she didn't move, he made a quick motion with his hand. “I will not hurt you. Come out.”Elise bit her lip, staring at his hand before she took it with her shaking fingers. The man’s smile grew wider, and he pulled her out of the truck and set her on the ground. Elise looked around with wide eyes, and spotted her parents, tears in her eyes. The lights of the truck illuminated the military truck parked across the road, and the two soldiers that held her parents hostage.Her father had a bloody spot on his head, his glasses broken, and lip gashed. He was on his knees, hands to the back of his head in surrender, eyes to the ground as he whispered prayers to himself. Her mother looked terrified, arms pinned behind her back by the big, scary looking soldier and head pulled back tight by her hair. She too, was on her knees, her dress ripped in places from struggling. “Elise,” she whispered. “It’ll be alright.”“Mama, Papa!” Elise sobbed, and made to run for them, but the man that pulled her out of the truck grabbed her shoulder gently, yet with enough strength to let her know that she wasn’t going anywhere. He gently took her face in his hand and turned her back to face him. His gloved fingers were warm, and she shivered at the contrast from the cold, frigid air. “Little One, what is your name?” he asked her. "How old are you?"She glanced up at him, green eyes bright with tears as they streamed down her cheeks. “El-Elise Marie Graves. I-I just turned eight,” she whispered. “Please, don’t hurt Mama and Papa!”The man gave a small chuckle, and Elise shivered. ‘His eyes are like a dead man's,’ she thought, swallowing tightly. “My name is Dr. Klaus Schmidt, little Elise,” the man said, crouching in front of her. “Perhaps you could help me?”Elise tilted her head slightly as she regarded the man. “Wh-what can I do?” she asked quietly. "What do you want?"Schmidt cocked a brow at her. “You tell me.” He took off his glasses and focused on wiping them with a cloth, nonchalant as he spoke. “I am looking for a girl who can do extraordinary things.” Elise blinked as he spoke, her brows furrowing. "What kind of things?" she asked carefully.“You see, there are rumors that a little girl can change one thing into another, just by looking at it. That she turned a simple stick she picked up off the ground into a loaf of bread and gave it to a poor woman and her children.” His grin widened as he watched the girl’s face pale slightly. "This girl terrified the woman, and she began to scream curses at her." Elise's chin began to quiver, scrunching her eyes closed as she remembered the incident from just a few days prior.“They say this same girl was hit by a fast-moving car while backing away from the woman, but was unharmed upon impact. In fact, the car itself seemed to have more damage done to it. Have you heard anything like that?” he asked her, placing his glasses back on his face and resting his elbows on his knees.Elise shook her head slowly, eyes wide. the intense feeling of being trapped like a bug in a glass jar suddenly filled her soul. “No,” she whispered in denial. "No, I don't know anyone who can do that." Schmidt gave a little laugh, eyes narrowing slightly. “Oh, but I think you do,” he said in a cheerful tone. “You see, there are rumors that you can do that.” He tapped her nose with the tip of his finger, and Elise jerked back a step, shaking her head. “No, no I can’t!” she said adamantly.Schmidt gave a sigh and shook his head before he stood up and reached into his pocket. He held out a candy bar to her, shaking it slightly. “Take it,” he whispered. Elise looked at the candy, and back to her parents, before she eyed it warily and gingerly took it. "Good girl, little one," Schmidt praised her, patting her head with a quick, sharp little tap. "That was not so bad, was it?"“What is this for?” she asked suspiciously, craning her neck to look at Schmidt. The man smirked at her. “Can you change it into money?” he asked her. Elise blinked at the man and swallowed. She glanced back at her parents before facing Schmidt, eyes filled with apprehension.“Will you let Mama and Papa go if I do?” she asked quietly. The man was silent for a moment, before he spoke. “I will release them if you can do what I ask,” he told her.“Elise, no, don’t do it!” Elise turned quickly at her papa’s voice and gave a startled gasp when the guard behind him slammed his fist into the back of his head. Her mother screamed and received a slap to the face. The guard barked something at her in German and threw her to the ground. Helen groaned in pain, and wrapped her arms around Samuel, both parents clinging to each other in fear. Elise made to run towards them once more, but froze when Schmidt tsked his tongue at her. "Elise," he said in a warning tone. "Do as I said."“Stop, please!” Elise begged, looking at Schmidt. He cocked a brow at her before nodding his head at the candy in the girl’s hand. “Change it, little one,” he ordered quietly. “And this will all be over.” Elise shivered once more, before she looked at the candy bar. She scrunched her eyes shut and thought hard before she opened them once more.The candy shimmered for a moment, before it changed into a piece of paper. She held it up to Schmidt, who took it and examined it. It had the same texture and weight as a real pound note. He gave a chuckle and clapped his gloved hands. “Wunderbar!” he exclaimed, dropping the note to the ground. “You have much potential in you, little one.”“Will you let them go now?” Elise asked, stepping back from the man. The man gave her a predatory grin. “But of course, I promised to release them, did I not? And so I shall.” With that, he nodded his head at the two soldiers, and two shots rang out in the darkness of the night.Elise gasped and whirled around in time to see the soldiers holster their pistols as the bodies of her parents slumped to the cold, frozen road. “No! Mama, Papa!” she screamed, running to them. Their fear-filled eyes stared blankly in horror as their bodies lay twisted at odd angles.She shook her papa’s shoulder. “Please, please wake up!” he lay still, and tears began to cloud her vision. With a cry of heartache, she buried her face into his shirt, smearing blood across her pale features. Her small frame shook with sobs, before she sat up slowly. “Y-you said you’d let them go if I did what you asked!” Elise glared at the two soldiers that stood before her in indifference.“I said I would release them,” Schmidt corrected, coming to stand behind her. He placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed tightly. “Death is the ultimate release from this world.”Elise shook his hand off and sobbed, clutching at her papa’s blood-soaked shirt. “You’re a monster! I hate you!” she wailed.“Perhaps,” Schmidt mused. She never noticed him pull out a syringe as he stalked towards her. “But soon, you will come to see me as your father of a sort . . . the one whom will help you to unlock your true potential.” Elise gasped as she felt a needle pierce the side of her neck, and her vision began to fade.“You will become so much more than a mere missionary’s daughter, little one,” she heard dimly, as if his voice were far away. “You will become a soldier for a new world order.” She heard Schmidt bark orders at the soldiers and felt herself lifted into someone’s arms before she lost consciousness.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Lab, Unknown Location

April 1954

‘Two years,’ I thought dully. It’s got to be at least two years since they brought me here. Two years since Mama and Papa were killed. I lay curled up in a ball upon the cot provided for me, trying to maintain some semblance of warmth in the drafty room I was provided with. The thin blanket they had left me with wasn’t much, and neither were the thin dresses Schmidt insisted I wear. ‘At least I have relatively warm shoes,’ I thought bitterly.The last round of “testing,” as they call it, was only a few hours ago. I knew this, because I was due for a tray of food, and another shot of sedatives not long after. I was never long without something in my system to keep me slightly off-kilter.God, how I wish they would just kill me, I thought. ‘Or just forget I was even here, let me starve to death, anything but this.’ They had become very careful about what I was permitted to do, or what was to be in my presence after the first few months. I had nearly succeeded in poisoning myself, one of the idiot doctors having left out the bottle of sedatives, but Schmidt was too quick.Pinning me down with one arm across my shoulders and the rest of him practically sprawled over me, he had shoved his fingers down my throat and made me gag until I purged it from my system. I could feel the sting of the rod I was beaten with for days afterward.Sluggishly, I thought back to the first bout of torture I had experienced once I came to the laboratory and grit my teeth. I had come to strapped to a table. My clothes had been removed, and I had been dressed only in a hospital gown.

“Ah, little one, you’re awake,” I had heard the familiar, sickening voice to my right. I strained my head to turn, feeling lethargic, and saw Schmidt over by a console of some sort, hands crossed behind his back. He cocked his head slightly. “Did you have a good sleep?” he asked me, as if it was a perfectly normal question to ask, given the circumstances.

I had glared at him and mustered what saliva I could into my dry mouth and spat in his direction. Obviously, it had fallen short, and he heaved a sigh, shaking his head at me slowly. “Go t’hell,” I cried hoarsely.

“Now now, little one, that was highly inappropriate,” he admonished, before he reached over and flipped a switch. Instantly, I became aware of two things. The first, I had things strapped all over my head, arms, legs, and chest. The second was that I had never felt such intense pain in my entire life.

My back arched as I let out a silent scream, unable to utter a sound. After what felt like an eternity, but had in truth only been seconds, Schmidt flipped the switch off. The intense pain receded, and my body collapsed back onto the table. I throbbed all over, and I panted for breath, tears leaking from the corners of my eyes.

“Electro-shock therapy,” he said as if answering a question that I couldn’t even utter at that moment. Glancing over at me, he picked up a leather strap, and slowly walked over to me, his shoes clicking as he crossed the linoleum floor. “I find that it works wonders for retrieving the results I desire,” he continued.

My eyes were wide, and I licked my lips, tasting blood. I realized I had bit my tongue a bit. I coughed as blood trickled back down my throat. Schmidt reached out with a hand and gently thumbed away the tears on my face. “Open your mouth, little one,” he said softly. “We don’t need you biting your little tongue off, now do we?”

Hesitantly, I opened my mouth, and he gently placed the leather between my teeth. Schmidt gave me an approving smile. “You are going to be tested, little one. It is imperative that we discover what you can do, know the extent of your abilities, and push you past your limits. If you continue to be unruly, you will be punished. Do you know what that means?”

I glared at him, biting down on the leather. I burned with rage, wanting nothing than to be able to get off the table and hurt the man that killed my parents and hurt me like nothing in my life before ever had. Schmidt gave me a slight smirk, as if he knew what I was thinking, and spun on his heel, heading for a door I hadn’t noticed before. Opening it, he motioned for someone to enter.

Five more men came through the door, dressed as doctors. One of them wheeled in a tray, and I caught a glimpse of some terrifying tools. I shuddered and tried to struggle under the straps. “Ah ah ah,” one of the doctors said, flipping the switch once more.

I screamed through the leather, biting down as the currents once more rushed through me. I squeezed my eyes tight and felt rage course through me as I struggled as much as I could. The switch shut off, and I heard Schmidt’s voice. “Do remember that I want her alive, doctor,” he said with a hint of warning. “It will do us no good to experiment with a corpse.” My blood ran cold at that monster’s words. One of the doctors picked up a scalpel, and advanced towards me, a nasty smirk on his face.

I pulled harder on the straps, trying so hard to get off the table. Suddenly, one of the straps on my arm broke loose, and I pulled my arm free. I heard shouting in another language, and two of the men rushed to pin my arm back down. I growled in anger, struggled against them.

To my disbelief, they were struggling just as hard, and having a sudden burst of clarity, shoved them back with my arm. With grunts of pain, they flew back, and crashed into the cart with the tools. Quickly, I yanked my other arm free, and began to struggle when the other three doctors rushed me. “Let go!” I screamed, spitting the leather into the face of one of them.

I shoved my arms out, then those doctors had gone flying as well, grunting in pain. I picked up a discarded scalpel, and imagined it was a hand grenade. Papa had shown me one from the war last year in a museum. He had told me how it works, so I would always know to be wary if I saw a strange-looking green egg. The doctors froze as they eyed me warily, some of them holding their hands out in a placating manner.

“Stay back,” I yelled, freeing myself from the table. I held it shakily in my hand, keeping the doctors in my sight. Suddenly, I felt another pinch in my neck, and a large hand covered mine over the grenade. I tried to fight the hand, but my grip slackened. He pulled the grenade from my hand easily and pocketed it. A hand gripped the back of my head and leaned me back far enough for me to see who sedated me.

“While that was a truly inspiring display of your abilities, little one,” Schmidt murmured in my ear. “I will not tolerate you abusing my staff.” I had felt my eyes sliding closed, and collapsed back onto the table, before total darkness took over.

The doctors didn’t take any chances after that, keeping me on sedatives unless I was taken for testing. During that time, only one doctor was present, and he always had a syringe on hand, just in case. After two years, I had grown to truly hate being awake, though sleep wasn’t much of a reprieve. My nightmares always centered on the murder of my parents, and Schmidt. His cold eyes haunted my day in and day out.He was right about pushing me past my limits. After extensive testing, I had come to know that I could do so much more than I thought. I was incredibly strong when pushed and could run for several hours before I began to tire. Once, a doctor had sliced open my arm, without pain sedatives, and discovered that while I felt every bit of the pain, I could tolerate it, gritting my teeth, and healed at a seemingly faster rate than a normal person would. It took only two hours for the cut to completely fade, not a single scar remaining.That doctor also discovered how quick I could be with a scalpel left too close to my hand. He limped for quite a long time after that, his leg having been the closest target to me. I shuddered as I thought about the shocks I had received in retaliation for that.As for changing one thing into another, I could apparently only do it for a brief period, unless my had physical contact with the item in question. I had been commanded to change an apple into a teacup, and it had worked, though only for a few hours. However, it was what else I could do with my ability that horrified me to no end.

Once, a few months previously, a doctor decided to test how my concentration came into play and so he began to shock me with a cattle prod repeatedly at random intervals. I remembered being so angry, and I finally lost my temper and turned on him. The metal bowl I was supposed to turn into a car, the hardest thing I had to do at that point, began to shake before it disintegrated into a pile of ash.

The doctor had become furious and shocked me once more. I had screamed in pain and rage and threw my hand out in his direction. I just wanted to stop him from hurting me. Instead, he gasped, entire body seizing up tight before he began to quiver. With a strangled shout of pain, I watched as his organs suddenly exploded out of his chest.

I had gasped in shock and horror as blood sprayed across my face, and the doctor’s body collapsed to the floor, twitching occasionally. I screamed, scrambling backwards before I slipped on the blood pooling around the corpse. I fell backwards, and slid backwards on my hands and rear, leaving streaks of red across the floor.

The other doctors burst into the room and ran to the body. One of them shouted something in their language, something I was able to understand bits of by then, and I backed into a corner, sobbing. “I-I didn’t mean it, I j-ju-just wan-wanted him to-to sto-op,” I tried to say, covering my face with my hands. I felt a hand upon my head, and slowly looked up to see Schmidt staring at the body, eyes wide and calculating.

“It seems you are much more powerful than we believed, little one,” he whispered to me. I tried to look away when he turned my head towards the body, but his grip tightened. “Look at it, Elise. It is beautiful, is it not?”

“No, no it’s not!” I shouted at him, jerking away from his hand. “You’re a sick man if you think that’s beautiful!” The doctors didn’t pay attention to us, busy trying to take care of the body.

Schmidt chuckled at me, shaking his head. “You are so much more than you realize. You have the power to destroy someone with just a thought. Remember this, little one.” He crouched down next to me and placed a soft kiss to my temple. Pulling back, he gave me one of his sick smiles and thumbed away the tears on my cheeks. I shuddered at the contact and shied away.

“With you at my side, the world will tremble beneath our might.” He patted me briefly on the head, before he quickly sedated me with a syringe I never saw in his other hand.

Coming back to the present, I heard the sound of boots as they crossed the hall, and I scrambled to my feet. I placed a hand on the wall for balance when my head spun, and I groaned softly, feeling the last of the sedative leaving my system. Fortunately, I was getting better at working through the sedatives. I think it had to do with my endurance, and healing faster than what I should be able to. It only took an hour for this one to finally dissipate. I still felt rather weak, though. Gingerly, I made my way over to the door, and listened through it.“We will continue your work while you are away, Herr Schmidt,” I heard one of the doctors say.“No, not Schmidt,” she heard the dreaded man say. “It’s Shaw now. Sebastian Shaw.” I frowned as I listened, ear pressed to the door.“Be sure to take good care of my little one. I will be coming back for her when I return. And doctor, I want her untouched . . . she is mine.” I frowned as he called me his “little one,” absolutely revolted every time I heard him utter the phrase. It didn’t make sense as he called me that.As of late, he was becoming touchier with me, gently brushing his hand over my arm, patting my head, or hugging me if I did something that he approved of, particularly when using my abilities. But the worst was him constantly kissing my cheek or temple. I didn’t understand it, nor what he meant by saying I was his, but I knew it wasn’t something I wanted to understand, or wanted to continue, for that matter.“Yes, Mr. Shaw,” I heard the reply, bringing me back to the moment, and I backed away from the door quickly when their footsteps stopped in front of my room. I curled back into a ball on my side on my cot and closed my eyes, pretending to still be asleep.I heard the door unlock and forced myself not to jump when it swung open. I knew it was Schmidt—'no, Shaw now,’ I thought—that stepped up to my cot, and gently brushed a strand of limp hair from my face.“I know you are awake, little one,” he said, chuckling lowly. I slowly blinked my eyes at him, pretending to still be sluggish from the drugs. “I will be leaving for a time. I will be searching for others like you, recruits, so to speak. Perhaps, if you behave, and continue with your testing without incident, I will allow you to travel with me the next time ‘round.”He crouched down next to the cot, lifting a lock of my hair and rubbing it between two fingers. “How does that sound, hmm? Leaving this dark place, seeing the open land once more?”I blinked slowly once more at him, as if I could barely comprehend what he was saying before I carefully nodded my head at him. In reality, my mind spun with possibilities. With Shaw gone, I could finally escape, I thought excitedly.I felt my heart clench with fear when he leaned down to press a kiss to my cheek. “Of course, you will be staying close to me, should that happen,” he continued. He trailed his lips up to my ear, and I squeezed my eyes closed, fighting nausea.“One day soon, little one, I shall cleanse this world of those unworthy, and rule those that are fit to be led,” he whispered, giving me a slight smirk. “You will be there beside me, little one. . . perhaps as something more to me.” He then placed his lips over mine in a quick peck and smirked at me.I couldn’t stop the shudder that ran through me at his words and actions and had to truly struggle to keep from gritting my teeth, a deep sense of dread filling me. When he brushed his hand down my back, I did squirm, not wanting that monster’s hands on me any longer than necessary . . . which was never.
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With one last pat to my arm, Shaw stood up, and left, making sure to lock the door behind him once more. I let out a shuddering breath and scrubbed at my eyes as tears threatened. “Never again,” I whispered furiously to myself. “I won’t cry because of that monster, I won’t!”Slowly, I counted in my head, giving myself time before I could try to escape. I knew that once Shaw left, it wouldn’t be long before the other doctors showed up to sedate me again. As I reached one thousand, I took a breath, trying to prepare myself for whatever may happen.I scampered off my cot as quietly as I could, and pressed my ear to the door, straining for any sound. When I didn’t hear anything, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before opening them once more. With determination, I placed my palms flat against the door and imagined exactly what I wanted to happen.At first, there was nothing. But slowly, the door began to disintegrate around my hands, as if someone had lit a piece of paper from the center, and the flame was inching its way towards the edges. I scrunched my eyes tight and moved my hands further apart towards the sides of the door, nearly begging my ability to work faster before someone noticed.Finally, there was a sizeable hole through the door, large enough for me to squeeze through with no issue. At the stab of pain that flashed through my head, I scrunched my eyes closed and placed a hand to my temple, groaning softly as it throbbed.I knew I was pushing myself too hard, I was still weak from the sedatives, but I grit my teeth, and opened my eyes, forcing myself to move. I glanced around, remembering from snippets of clarity through the sedatives which way the labs were. They definitely were not where I wanted to end up every again. Instead of heading to the right, I headed left down the corridor, silently listening for the sound of the doctors, or worse, Shaw.I hurried down the dimly lit corridor, glancing around occasionally as I passed open doors. Most were empty, and I shuddered as I noticed some of them looked like they had been used recently, if the bloodstains marking the floor were an indication. Not once did I see any windows, giving my no indication on where I was, or what time of day.I frowned as I walked, thinking to myself. ‘Are there really others like me out there?’ I wondered. ‘Shaw said he was collecting more recruits. Does he mean to find more people that share his ideas?’ That thought made me angry, and I clenched my fist.I spotted movement out the corner of my eye, and I gasped softly, ducking into an open room and carefully peering around the corner. I watched as two of the doctors wheeled a cart along the floor, the wheels squeaking loudly in the otherwise silent corridor. I bit my lip, my first thought that they were coming with a tray of food for me. ‘They’re gonna catch me!’ I thought in fear. ‘They’ll know I’m trying to escape and try to stop me!’However, I looked closer, and realized that the lump on the cart was far too big to be food. As they wheeled closer, I ducked behind the door, squeezing in between the open door and the wall it swung open towards, and peered through the crack in between.As they passed, I noticed whatever it was had a large sheet thrown over it, and dread snaked up and down my spine as I realized that it was a body. The sheet fluttered as they passed, but I couldn’t get a glimpse of the body.“Too bad this one didn’t last,” one said to the other as he pushed the cart. “With its ability to withstand a bullet, you’d think this freak would have stood a chance against poisoning.” He gave a derisive snort. “Why Herr Schmidt—I mean, Shaw—decided to start recruiting these freaks instead of killing them all is beyond me.”The other one laughed. “It was a bit amusing watching him choke on his own vomit before he died, though,” he added. “The way he clawed at his throat as he gasped for air?” he shook his head. “That was pretty damned funny.”Rage filled me at their words, and before I could really think on it, I stepped out from behind the door, and ran forward, shoving one doctor back as I screamed in anger. The doctor was taken by surprise and flew back, hitting the wall hard enough to split the wall. He crumpled into a heap on the floor and lay unmoving.The second doctor gave a startled yelp and reached for the cattle prod that swung at his hip. I ripped the sheet back from the corpse on the table, and inhaled sharply at the sight of the discolored, bloated corpse. I turned back towards the second doctor and narrowed my gaze. “Why don’t you choke on your own vomit?” I yelled.Just as he freed his weapon, his body seized, and he began to gag. His eyes bulged, and he dropped his cattle prod in an effort to claw at his throat. “Not so funny now, is it?” I said softly in broken German, taking a step towards him. I thought of his throat clearing, and the man collapsed to the ground, wheezing. “Are there more of him? More people here like me?” I demanded to know, pointing at the body on the cart.The doctor, gasping for breath, shook his head. “You are the only one left alive. The others didn’t survive the experiments,” he croaked out. I grit my teeth, tears leaking from my eyes. “Is this why Shaw was going for more recruits?” I asked, stepping closer. The man scrambled back, and I took a second of satisfaction that he was the one in terror, not me.“No, he wants more to help him lead this world,” he said quickly. “And what does he want with me?” I asked. Though I know what Shaw had said, I had hoped that maybe they knew something different.The man licked his lips, swallowing nervously. “He-he said that you were to carry his offspring, when you were able to bear children. Your abilities would produce powerful children in his image.”I reared back sharply, eyes wide. Mama had explained to me once how babies were made, when I had discovered a cat we once owned gave birth to kittens. “No,” I whispered, shaking my head vehemently. “No, that will NEVER happen!”As I had my panic, the doctor shot his hand out and grabbed his cattle prod and lunged for me. I screamed, slipping backwards to avoid being shocked, and shot my hand out towards him. He gave a sharp cry, before his heart burst out of his chest, spraying my dress with his blood.I panted where I lay on the floor, staring at the body before me, and took a shuddering breath. Slowly, I clambered back to my feet, picked up the cattle prod, and turned away from the violent sight before me. Quickly, I continued on my way, keeping a sharp eye out for others. I felt myself becoming numb, my thoughts swirling as I looked for a way out.“You! Stop right there!” I glanced over to my left where I saw another man, this one dressed as a guard, and I felt an overwhelming rage fill me. I took a running leap towards the man, jumping over his head. As I passed over him, I imagined the cattle prod in my hand was a blade, and by the time I landed behind him, it had changed into what I had thought of.The guard spun in alarm, and I drove the blade into his leg, grunting as I used my full strength. The blade went clean through his leg, to the hilt. The guard screamed in agony, gripping his leg as he fell to the floor. I ignored his wails of pain, forcing back the bile in my throat. “Where is the exit?” I asked him, grabbing the hilt when he refused to answer. I gave it a twist and winced slightly at the sound of his flesh squelching.The guard gave another scream and pointed with his hand in the direction he’d come from. “Thank you,” I whispered, and imagined his helmet popping his head like a balloon. I turned my head this time, and gasped as I heard it happen. I let go of the blade, and hurried on my way, brushing my hand along a wall as I imagined it bursting into flames.Smoke began to fill the hallway, and I ran as fast as my weak legs could carry me. My head continued to throb, but I forced myself to keep moving. I heard screams coming from all around me, and pictured the doors becoming solid walls, trapping everyone where they were. I turned another corner and spotted an entryway unlike the others I had seen. It was a double door, taller, broader, and made of metal. I coughed as I realized that the flames were growing behind me, and as I didn’t see any windows, there was nowhere else for the smoke to go.Terrified of what lay beyond, I hurried over to the door, and placed a hand on one of the doors, and imagined a small window forming for me to peer out.Peering out, I realized that it was dark out, but I could see trees in the distance. My heart leaped in my chest at the thought of freedom, and I envisioned a larger window for me to push open and escape through. I coughed once again, my eyes burning as the smoke grew thicker. Once there was a large enough gap, I pushed my way through, before sealing it back as the door once was before.I landed in a heap on the ground, pressing my face to the ground below me. I closed my eyes for a brief moment savoring the feeling of real dirt and gravel beneath me, before I sat up quickly. I heard shouts coming from my right and saw men that were supposed to be guarding entrance turn and point their guns at me.Cocking my head slowly, I pictured them turning to dust and watched as they began to disintegrate into nothingness. Taking a breath, a stood, and placed my hands once more on the door behind me. I imagined all the doors becoming nothing, just wall of solid metal, until I felt the heat from the inferno inside nearly blistering my skin.I began to walk away, shivering as the cold air finally seeped in, and looked towards the trees. ‘It’ll be harder to find me if I ran through the woods instead of down the road,’ I thought dimly. The shock of the situation was finally starting to hit, and I picked up my pace, gaining momentum until I was running, just running past the tree line, and deeper into the woods.I ran, and I ran, and I ran for what felt like hours. I clambered over fallen logs, past deer bedded down for the night, and used what strength I could muster to jump clear over a river I came across.I don’t know how long I ran before I began to tire, but the sun was beginning to shine in the distance, painting the trees in reds and oranges. I kept going, my breath coming out in pants and heart feeling as if it would burst from my chest.As the trees began to dissipate, I stumped over a stone, and crashed head over heel through a clearing. I grunted in pain and lay there sprawled upon the ground. As I wheezed, trying to catch my breath, I stared up at the sky as it began to lighten.I could hear the sounds of birds as they began to wake from their slumber and felt the breeze as it caressed my face and bare arms and legs. The cold didn’t bother me, I was too warm from running for so long. I took a deep breath, savoring the scents of the world that I hadn’t experienced in to long, and began to laugh.‘I’m free, I’m really free!’ I thought joyously. Slowly my laughter died off until I coughed, finally feeling the abuse I had put myself through in my escape to freedom. I thought of that poor corpse on the cart, and closed my eyes, feeling a tear slide down my cheek.Did he have family? Did he have anyone he cared about before he was taken? I wondered. I decided then that I would make a vow to look for others like me and try to help them if I could. I also swore that I would find Shaw before he could find me. I knew that it would be nearly impossible on my own, with absolutely no idea where to look but at that moment, I just couldn’t care. I would face him again when the time came, of that I was certain. I would find him, and I would kill him.I felt myself drifting towards sleep, something I knew I really needed, and let my thoughts taper off as exhaustion won out. My last thoughts were to figure out where I was once I woke, and to look for a safe passage to begin my hunt for the man that destroyed my life.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

When I woke next, I felt soft sheets beneath me, and a warm quilt over my body. I took a deep breath and let it out, stretching slowly. I groaned slightly as my muscles stretched and loosened and opened my eyes slowly. I peered around carefully, trying to gain my bearings. The evening sunlight streamed in through a window to my left, and I could see the forest I had crashed through in the distance. As I listened carefully, I could hear the lowing of a cow nearby, as well as several chickens, and what I thought to be a goat.Sitting up slightly, I reached up to scratch my head in confusion when I realized that I was clean and had fresh clothing on me. That horrible, thin dress I escaped in had been covered in bloodstains, mud, and who knows what else and had been torn beyond repair. I’m sure my shoes aren’t much better,’ I thought, glancing at them over in the corner. They were scuffed and muddy and looked as if a dog had gotten to them and used them as a chew toy. I sighed and lay my head back down on the soft pillow.The bed I lay on was small, but comfortable, with a quilt that looked like it had been repaired over the years. The room was simple, with a small dresser along the wall by the window, and a desk with a lamp by the head of the bed. On the other side of the bed was a simple yet sturdy chair, well-worn from ages.“Good morning,” I heard a soft voice say. I jumped slightly, gasping, and sat up quickly. I turned to the voice, ready to fight, and blinked in confusion. An old man stood in the doorway, a tray with what looked like a bowl of soup, bread, and a glass of water in between his gnarled hands. His homespun clothing was tight across a barreled chest, proving a lifetime of hard work, and his snow-white hair seemed like a cloud over his wrinkled face. His brown eyes were warm and wise.“You’d been asleep for nearly four days,” he continued. “I was worried you weren’t going to wake up.” He nodded his head to the tray. “I brought you something to eat, if you’re hungry?”I eyed him warily, but when the smell of the food reached me, my stomach growled, and I nodded my head slowly. The man gave a slight chuckle at hearing my stomach, and entered the room, setting the food on my lap before taking a seat in the chair, letting out a slight grunt as he settled. I didn’t hesitate before I grabbed the warm bread with my bare hands, ripping off a chunk and chewing it. I moaned in pleasure, not having tasted anything so good in ages.“Careful now, don’t want to get sick from eating too fast,” the man cautioned me. “My wife made the bread not long ago. The soup’s been simmering all day, so it should help you feel better.”I swallowed thickly and nodded my head to him. “Thank you,” I whispered. I finished the bread, though a bit more slowly, before I picked up the spoon beside the bowl and took a sip. He was right, I was beginning to feel much better. “Where am I?” I asked him. He had sat silently in the chair beside me, watching me eat. “How did I get here?”“Not far from Trier, maybe four miles. We’re not far from the French boarder. Found you laying in the clearing over yonder ‘bout four days ago,” he said, motioning with his hand out the window. He reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a pipe before he packed it with tobacco. “You mind if I...?” he asked as an afterthought, indicating the pipe. I shook my head, and he struck a match, puffing away.“Wen’ ou’ one mornin’ to haul in some lumber from the wood ‘n seen this lil’ girl layin’ there, cover’ in blood but not a scratch on ‘er.” He spoke around his pipe, his words a little garbled, but I could understand him well enough. He pulled his pipe from his mouth and gave me a piercing look. “Did something happen to you?” he asked. “Haven’t heard any reports of missing children, and no one’s come looking.”My eyes widened, and I dropped the spoon with a thud. “Please, please tell me you didn’t tell anyone I’m here!” I begged. The old man lifted his hands in a placating manner, pipe dangling from his fingers lazily. “Relax, child, my wife and I haven’t gone to the city in almost a week. No one is aware that you are here.”I frowned for a moment. “If you haven’t been to Trier in a week, and you said you found me four days ago, how do you know no one’s looking for me?” I asked, cocking my head at him in suspicion.The man chuckled at me, relighting his pipe. “We do have a radio, and a telephone, and we do get the paper, missy,” his stated smartly. “The wife’s friends with the biggest gossip in town. If someone was looking for a little girl, she’d have heard about it.”I nodded my head, seeing his point, before I finished my soup. When I was finished, he took my tray from me and set it on the table. “You never answered me, little one,” he reminded me, and I cringed, closing my eyes. “Oh, please don’t call me that,” I whispered. “The one who hurt me called me that all the time. I really don’t like it,” I explained.“Well, I can’t just call you ‘girl’ forever, now, can I?” he responded, and I cracked an eye at him, realizing that clever old man was coaxing me into talking about myself.Before I could speak, I heard a soft rap on the door, and an older woman entered. She was a plump, tiny thing, her hair just as white as the old man’s, and laugh lines creased her features. She came bustling over to the bed and took the tray from the table before she slapped the man lightly on the back of his head. I jumped, startled, but the woman paid me no mind. “Josef Steinberg, you put that pipe out this instant,” she barked. “You know better than to be smoking that darned thing in the house, especially around a guest.” She gestured to me, then turned with a smile. “Good evening, child,” she crooned, plopping down on the side of the bed. “Did you enjoy the soup?”I blinked once, and glanced at the man, who shook his head at his wife with a grin on his face before stowing the pipe back into his shirt pocket. “Ghita, you’re making the child nervous,” he said, reaching out and lightly patting her hand. I cleared my throat, unsure of the situation I found myself in. “Y-yes, Ma’am,” I said, nodding my head to Ghita. “The soup and the bread were delicious. And my name is Elise.”“Elise, what a pretty name,” Ghita replied, smiling widely. “You’ve got a slight accent, are you not from here?” she asked.I shook my head and glanced down at my fingers, twisting them in my lap. “My papa was American, and my mama was English. Papa was a Lutheran pastor and wanted to do missionary work when he heard how hard things were for those in Berlin. We came here from America to do missionary work in Berlin, but that was two years ago.” My voice began clear, but as I spoke of my parents, it became raspier with tears, and I scrubbed at my face furiously. “I . . .” I choked on my words, unsure what to tell this kind couple. I was terrified they would be like Shaw, and run me from their home, or try to kill me.Josef reached over and patted me on the back lightly. “It’s alright Elise, just tell us what you can.” I nodded my head and took a shuddering breath. “Shortly after I turned eight, I was wandering the streets of West Berlin while my papa was given permission to read final rights for an ill man on the other side of the fence, over on the East side of Berlin. I saw a woman with a little baby begging for food and picked up a stick off the ground.” I swallowed hard. “I was thinking to myself, that if this stick were a loaf of bread, maybe the woman wouldn’t be hungry.”I closed my eyes and felt Ghita take my hand gently in hers. “I watched, before my eyes, the stick become a loaf of bread. It smelled real, felt warm, like it had just come out of the oven, and I held it out to the woman. She screamed, and backed away from me, calling me a witch, a devil child of black magic, jus-just a lot of really, really awful things. She slapped the bread out of my hands, and I backed away from her as fast as I could, but I stepped in front of a car. It honked its horn at me, and I put my hands up in front of me and I closed my eyes, just praying that I wouldn’t die.”Josef gave a slight grunt of pity, and I swallowed before continuing. “I stopped the car from hitting me. It crumpled around my hands, as if it crashed into a wall. I panicked and ran back to our little apartment. I told mama what had happened, and when Papa came home, we left the city. We traveled for hours by truck, only stopping to let Papa sleep. Mama didn’t drive,” I explained, laughing a little. “It scared her to drive.” I gave a slight sigh, my smile falling. “We were trying to get out of East Germany to Hamburg, where we would take a plane to Paris, then back to America, but we were caught. A doctor was looking for me, heard about what I did, and h-he killed my-my . . .” I stopped, sobbing.“Oh, Elise,” Ghita exclaimed, gently folding her arms around me. I flinched, not expecting the soft embrace, before I clung to her, burying my face into her chest. I heard Josef transfer himself from the chair onto the bed behind me, and wrapped his arms around both me and Ghita, and gently rocked us, murmuring reassurances.It was quite some time before my sobs subsided to hiccups, but Ghita and Josef never once became irritated, or tried to shush me. The let me cry until my eyes ran dry. I took a shuddering breath, and Josef patted my back gingerly. “Can you tell us what happened after?” he asked quietly, not wanting to start me crying, I think. “This happened two years ago, yes? What happened during now and back then?”I nodded my head to the first part of his question, lifting my head from Ghita’s chest, and frowned at her wet shirt. “I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I swore to myself I would never cry again because of him, but it’s so painful!”Ghita shook her head. “I’ve had worse before, Elise, it’s perfectly alright. I take it you haven’t had a good hard cry in a long time?” I shook my head, looking into her kind face. “No, not really, Miss Ghita. The man that k-killed my parents, took me to some kind of laboratory, and did all kinds of things to me, and planned on doing more horrible things that I didn’t want done. He told me he was going on a trip of sorts to find others like me, and when he left, I escaped. I . . .” I swallowed hard, lowering my gaze. “I did awful things to get out and burned the building down as I left. Then I ran, and I kept running through the night until I crashed into the meadow. That’s the last thing I remember, before I woke up here.”Ghita took a sharp breath and looked at Josef. “That abandoned hospital fire,” she whispered. “It was on the radio a few days ago. They’d discovered mutilated bodies, no survivors. They could find no doors or exits into the building, as if it had been sealed before it was set ablaze.”“Those bastards deserved it!” Josef barked, banging his gnarled fist on his thigh. Ghita looked at him reproachful, but Josef shook his head at her. “Don’t try to say any different, wife of mine. You and I tried to help the Jews that came our way over the border, and we’ve seen too much suffering at the hands of others to turn a blind eye.”Ghita gave a sigh and bowed her head slightly. “I know, dear husband, I know. But there are good people in this world, both of you must remember that.” She gently brushed my snarled hair out of my face, and gave me a tender smile. “God has given you a gift, Elise. You must decide what to make of it.”My lip quivered as I heard Mama’s voice echo softly in my head, remembering her words to me that dark night, and I hugged Ghita tightly. “You-you don’t think I’m a monster?” I whispered, not daring to give into hope.“Of course not, darling!” Ghita exclaimed. “You have suffered more than most, at such a young age. You’re only what, ten?” I nodded my head. “Anyone who thinks you an abomination, or would try to hurt you, they are the ones that are wrong. The world is full of dark and horrible people, but there is still good mixed in.” She placed a soft kiss to my temple. “Remember that, Elise.”I nodded my head, and yawned sleepily, the long conversation having worn me out. “I think it’s time we leave you to rest,” Josef said, patting my back once more before he stood with a long grunt. “Ghita, dear, I believe we should also retire for the night.”I glanced out to the window, surprised to find it dark already. I had never noticed Josef turn on the lamp beside the bed. Ghita gave me one last peck on the head, and stood herself, gently tucking me in. “Please, may I stay? Just for a while,” I asked quickly.Ghita gave a startled laugh. “Of course! We won’t just kick you out of our home the moment you are better,” she told me, patting the bed next to my side. “You may stay with us as long as you like. We will keep you safe.”“It would be nice to have a child in the house again,” Josef mused. “Perhaps when you are more yourself, I will teach you how to hunt and trap.” My eyes lit up with hope. ‘I can stay! They won’t hurt me!’ I thought.“Oh, Josef, that is not something for little girls to learn,” Ghita admonished. Josef grunted. “Our son lives too far away for us to go and visit our grandchildren, and every child should know what to do if they cannot get supplies from a shop,” Josef sniffed.Ghita sighed, shaking her head. “Stubborn man,” she said softly, a fond smile on her face. “Fine then, but I will be teaching you schooling as well,” she pointed a finger at me. “I used to teach reading, writing and arithmetic before I retired from schooling,” she explained.I nodded my head quickly, yawning once more. “Yes, ma’am,” I said softly, my eyes drifting shut. Ghita gave a little chuckle. “Good night, sweet angel,” she said softly. I heard someone click off the lamp, and they both left, shuffling for the door before pulling it mostly closed. I felt at peace here, my body and mind relaxing for the first time in far too long.
***

Outskirts of Trier, Germany

August 1956

I wiped my brow and sat back on my heels, grinning at my handywork before glancing over at Josef. “Well, does it meet your approval Josef?” I asked cheekily. Josef barked a laugh, slapping a hand on his knee. “Alright, you little hellion, yes, it meets my approval,” he said once he caught his breath.Josef and Ghita had been true to their word, teaching me to read and write, and how to look after myself. I soaked in everything I could like a sponge, tearing through my lessons like a dog with a bone. Ghita was so excited to have such a fast-learning student, so eager for knowledge.Josef was thrilled to have someone to teach what he knew about survival. He and Ghita had so many stories to share, from what Ghita knew of schooling and homemaking, to Josef’s tales of the first world war, when he was a soldier. Over the past year and a half, things had been like a dream for me. The clothes they had offered me had once belonged to a daughter they had lost to a fever when she was about my age.They had tried to donate them, but it was painful for them, so they kept them in a drawer in the room I slept in. I never left the small farm Josef ran, too afraid of what might happen if I ventured into Trier but managed to help Ghita around the home while Josef ran his errands. Ghita had tried to get me to come to church with them whenever Sunday came around, but never pressed the issue when I declined.My time in captivity had taught me that there was no god, at least, not one that I could believe in to protect me. I was the one who got myself out, not some higher being that decided to let good, innocent people that worshipped him and followed his calling faithfully die so cruelly at the hands of monsters, as my parents had. Nor, I believed, would he have allowed such heartlessness to exist in the first place. No, I would never ask for his help again.It took several months for me to really relax fully, terrified of showing what I could really do, but Ghita nearly had an accident one day. She had come out to the barn with glasses of lemonade for Josef and me, whom was teaching me about tying rope as he hoisted a hay bale into the loft. The rope had snapped, and Ghita was standing underneath as she crossed the barn floor. I had run forward, shoving my hand out in front of me as I imagined the bale as nothing more than a giant white sheet, like the linens Ghita aired out just the other day. The sheet floated gently over top of Ghita, who gave a startled yelp. Josef ran forward and ran his hand over the sheet in amazement.I had backed away, terrified of what they might say or do, but Ghita simply pulled the sheet from over her head, and nodded her head gratefully. “You saved my life, Elise,” she panted from her fright, smiling broadly. “That was truly something extraordinary.” I began to cry, the relief coursing through me, And Josef wrapped his strong burly arms around me, tears running down his grizzled face.We spent the rest of the afternoon that day sitting upon the sheet drinking the lemonade as I spoke to them—cautiously at first—about everything that I could do, until sheet returned to its former glory as a bale of hay. I had given them a cheeky grin, and decided to prove that I did in fact have more strength than what I looked, and picked up the bale of hay before hurling it up onto the loft. Josef had begun to laugh, and started calling me “Little Hellion,” to which Ghita had slapped the back of his head lightly frowning lightly. I didn’t mind though, the name brought a slight warmth to me, and never failed to make me smile.When I had stepped on a nail a few weeks later, Ghita worried and fussed about possible infection, but Josef had pulled the nail out carefully, and as he cleaned the wound, both grew still and watched as it slowly faded away to nothing. I never once got an infection, and never had more than maybe a case of the sniffles. After that, they didn’t worry about the cuts and scrapes I incurred over the months, and even encouraged me to use my abilities, never to be ashamed of them.As happy as I was though, I couldn’t help the dark cloud that seemed to loom in the back of my mind. It whispered to me that this happiness would never last, that he was still out there, probably searching for me. That I should leave and begin my search for him.Sebastian Shaw. I saw his face in my nightmares, his sadistic smile all teeth and dark intentions. Josef and Ghita held me many a night when I had woken them up with my screams of terror, rocking me slowly and humming soft tunes to me until I faded back into a fitful sleep. They had increased when I began my womanly cycles, as Ghita had called them, the memory of what that monster wanted from me flashing fear through me every time they came again.“Where did your mind wander off to, Elise?” Josef asked me. “You’re miles away, head in the clouds. Come back.” I blinked, and shook my head, glancing up at him. “What do you mean, Josef?” I asked innocently.He gave a soft grunt, and lit his pipe, shaking out the match once it served its purpose. “You had the look of a soldier ready to do battle there for a moment.” He gave me a regarding look. “Something on your mind?”I shook my head and gave him a soft smile. “No, just thinking on things,” I replied, standing up. I glanced up at the sun, shielding my eyes. “Ghita will be calling us for supper soon,” I told him. “We should go wash up.”Josef watched me for a moment, before he gave a sharp nod and a slight grunt as he stood. He walked slowly back towards the house, with me trailing after him. My thoughts once again resumed their course, and I mechanically set about to washing my face and hands from the grime of the day.Supper was a simple affair, a roast, some boiled greens, and a few potatoes. I picked at my food, my appetite not really present at the moment. “Elise, you’ve barely touched your food,” Ghita admonished, wiping her mouth. “Is something wrong? Do you not like it?”I shook my head, smiling at her a little before setting my fork down. “No, the food is great, as always . . . I’m just not very hungry tonight,” I said softly.Josef, having finished his own plate, sat back, resting his hands over his stomach with a contented sigh. “You’ve been a bit off since this afternoon,” he noted. “What is it, Elise? You know you can always talk to us if there is something wrong.”“Is it something to do with your nightmares?” Ghita asked softly, placing a gentle hand over mine. I bit my lip, not looking at either of them, and nodded my head slowly. “It’s about him . . .” I said, not sure if I wanted to divulge everything. As much as I had come to care for them, I couldn’t tell the Steinberg’s everything. Not the torture, not Shaw’s plans for me, nor had I ever told them about my thirst for vengeance.‘No, I can’t tell them,’ I thought. ‘It’s better they never know.’ I gave a weak smile. “They just get worse every now and then. Sometimes I worry that he’ll find me and hurt you both to get to me.” A semblance of the truth, albeit not the whole truth.“You wouldn’t be thinking of running off to go after this man, would you?” Josef asked, a bushy eyebrow rising on his forehead. When I blinked in feigned confusion, Josef sighed and shared a look with Ghita. “We know that you’ve been planning on leaving, Elise. We didn’t reach our age by being foolish.”I ducked my head, blushing a bit at having been found out so quickly. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m so happy here,” I told them, peeking through my lashes. “But . . . this is something I feel very much like I have to do. He’s still out there, and I know I can stop him from doing something horrible to other people like me. If I don’t at least try, I’ll never feel complete. He took a part of me, and I know I’ll never get that back, but maybe I can be at peace knowing I tried.” I bit my lip, feeling a bit frustrated, not knowing how to explain just how I truly felt.I had come to care for Josef and Ghita very much, as if they were my own grandparents, but that gnawing sense of danger was clawing in my gut, and I just knew that if I stayed much longer, something terrible was going to come. Better I seek it out before it finds the Steinberg’s. I couldn’t bare it if something happened to this genuinely selfless couple.Josef sighed, and lit his pipe. I had noticed he tended to smoke when he was stressing over an issue, and glanced at Ghita, whom had her eyes closed as she clutched her hands together on the table. “I knew,” she whispered. “I knew the day would come when you would want to leave. I had prayed that you would stay with us a while longer, but I know now that is not the case, is it?” She opened her eyes to give me a piercing gaze, and I couldn’t help but to shake my head slowly in answer to her question. “No, Ghita,” I replied quietly. “This is something I have to do.”Josef cleared his throat, puffing away on his pipe, eyes far away. “Do you have any idea on where to begin your journey?” he finally asked, glancing at me. I bit my lip, and pushed myself from the table before I ran over to the room I slept in. I never called it mine, that sounded too permanent. I plopped down to my knees and reached under the bed for the maps and clippings I had scrounged for.Clutching them close, I hurried back to the table, where Ghita had cleared the food and plates out of the way. I lay them down at my seat and smoothed it all out. “I had been listening to the radio for anything suspicious,” I told them when they came closer to see what I had. “And reading as many of the papers as you could bring home, Josef. I think,” I started, pointing at the map. “He’s headed to Torino, Italy. I’m going to start there.”Josef sat back in his seat, drumming his fingers as he thought. I looked between him and Ghita, who shared a look with her husband. “Torino is quite a long ways away,” she murmured. “How do you plan on getting there, Elise?”I cleared my own throat, a little embarrassed. “I planned on using my abilities. I can make myself look older for a time, and I can make money, both legally and by . . . well . . .” I held up one of the newspaper clippings, and it shimmered until it became a twenty-pound note. “So, I wouldn’t be lacking in that case.”“I still don’t like it,” Ghita said, shaking her head. “I don’t like the thought of you running off to do lord knows what, trying to track down a man who has hurt you repeatedly.”“Ghita, I have to do this,” I said a little exasperated. “I know I’m only twelve, but how many twelve-year-old’s do you know of that can do what I can do?”“Ghita,” Josef said quietly when she opened her mouth to argue again. “Our little Hellion has made her mind up. We will do what we can to help her.” He stood and patted her back soothingly. “We both knew that the day would come when Elise was ready to go.”“But not so soon,” Ghita cried, burying her face in her hands. I bit my lip, my heart breaking at the thought of causing this lovely old woman heartache. I came around the table and wrapped my arms around her waist, hugging her gently. “I’ve been having horrible, horrible feelings of late,” I told her honestly. “I feel it in my soul, that if I don’t leave now, something awful is going to happen, something that I could have prevented . . . and I’m afraid you’ll die because of me,” I whispered the last part.Ghita gave a shuddering sigh, and returned the hug, rocking my gently side to side. “As much as I don’t like it, you’ve made up your mine? You’re absolutely sure this is what you need to do?” she lifted my chin to make sure she had my attention. “Yes, ma’am,” I replied softly. “Though I’m afraid, I have to do this.”Ghita searched my eyes carefully for a long moment. She must have seen what she needed to, because she heaved a heavy sigh, and nodded her head. “Alright then,” she said, turning to her husband. “What do you need for your journey?”I blinked, a little surprised, and Josef chuckled. “Elise, you didn’t think I’d let you walk all the way to Torino, did you? I will drive you to the train station in Strasbourg, France. The train will make a few stops along the way, but you will be able to reach your destination in a few days, barring incident.”“An-and you’re okay with this?” I asked skeptically. “Allowing a child barely into her teens running around Europe on some hare-brained scheme to find the man who—” I cut myself off, not wanting to voice it.“Heavens, no!” Ghita’s hands fluttered in front of her chest. “But we also know that if we tried to stop you, you would disappear in the middle of the night, and we would always wonder where you’d run off to.”I shrugged a little, a sheepish smile on my face. “You know me a little too well, I think,” I agreed, and we all gave a laugh, though it was strained. “When do we leave?” Josef asked me, and I tapped my chin, thinking. “It would be best to leave as soon as possible,” I decided, looking between them. “I don’t need much with me, some clothing, if that’s okay?” I asked Ghita.She gave me a soft smile. “They are yours,” she told me. “You don’t need to ask for them. And you will take more than clothing, young lady,” she shook her finger at me. “Clothing, some food, a canteen of water, matches and flints, warm boots just in case, and we do have some money stashed away—”Josef cut her off, laughing as my eyes widened. “Didn’t expect to need so much, did you?” I shook my head, slightly dazed, before I took a breath of determination. “But I’ll do what I need to,” I replied, clenching my fist on the table.We had spent the entirety of the night going over my plan of action. From the scattered conversations I remembered from my time in the old hospital, I came to the conclusion that Shaw had been a former Nazi. How he had managed to avoid being arrested and sent to prison for his crimes against humanity is beyond me, but I was going to take him down and see him rot in a cell for the rest of his miserable life.The next few days had passed in a blur, Ghita having kissed my face all over and hugging me tightly, unable to make herself let go the morning we agreed I would start my journey. I shed quite a few tears myself, wishing nothing more than to stay with this wonderful, sweet woman and her gruff yet caring husband. Ghita held a handkerchief to her cheek and waved us off as Josef and I took the truck to Strasbourg. Josef still had connections with a man named George Odekirk, a Romani gypsy that forged documents for Jews that were trying to escape in the early years before the war.I discovered, on a whim, that I could alter my face and appearance to look older. While I was still a bit on the shorter side, I looked like a beautiful woman in her twenties. So long as I concentrated, I could keep up he appearance. The first time I did it, Ghita had come into my room to let me know supper was ready, and she screamed in shock, startling me. After she realized it was me, she laughed, and encouraged me to practice as often as possible, as I never knew when it would come in handy.This Odekirk man made fake documents for me, taking my photograph as ‘older’ me. When I went on my journey, I would be known as Lucille Ann Steinberg. I smiled at the name, almost feeling like a part of a family once more. It would remind me always of the couple that took in a strange child with strange abilities.The train whistle blew distantly in my ears as Josef gently held my hands. “You be careful out there in the world, little Hellion,” he cautioned me, clearing his throat. I gave him a sharp nod, tears clogging my throat. “I will,” I whispered hoarsely. “And I’ll never forget the two of you, or how kind you’ve been to me.” I gave a slight chuckle. “There really are good people in the world,” I told him. “You both have shown me that.”Josef smiled at me, and pulled me into a tight hug, lifting me off my feet. I wrapped my arms around his neck and buried my face in his shoulder. I breathed in his scent one last time, committing the smell of pipe smoke, pine trees and homespun cotton to memory.Slowly, he lowered me back to my feet, and gently bopped my forehead with his finger. “We’ll think of you always, Elise.” He gave a rueful grin. “I mean, Lucille.”I smiled back. “I’ll still be Elise to you,” I whispered. I heard the conductor making the rounds, calling for the last of the boarders to get on the train. Giving Josef’s cheek one last peck, I stepped into the train, peering through the window and waving to him, knowing I may never return to that pocket of paradise I had found.Josef followed the train as it began is course, until he reached the end of the platform, waving his hat at me in farewell until he disappeared in the distance. I sat back in my seat, letting out a deep sigh before pulling out my map.‘First step of the journey,’ I thought to myself, the dark cloud in the back of my mind moving forward. ‘I’m coming for you, you bastard.’

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Paris, France

May 1958
I blew out smoke through my pursed lips, annoyance crossing my features as I gazed out across the balcony overlooking the city. The cigarillo dangled dangerously in my hand as I crossed my arms, my thoughts swirling as I took in the sunset view. For two years, I had been tracing Shaw’s steps, but he always seemed to slip away before I could reach him.I tracked him across Italy, and back into France, searching for anything that could bring me closer to taking him down. There were a few close calls, concerned policemen, or some disgusting men that thought I could provide some cheap entertainment—or for free, but they found out just how much strength I had when they tried to force me into an ally-way with them. I shuddered as I thought about their screams of pain as I snapped their arms and legs. After many tiring and depressing weeks, I had finally reached Paris‘Sheer force of will had kept me going this long,’ I thought to myself, flicking the butt of the cigarillo over the balcony’s ledge. ‘I’ve got this lead now, I can’t give up!’ Sighing to myself, I glanced at the clock on the wall, before I hurried over to the wardrobe that held my outfit for the night.I cringed at the thought of putting it on, but Gustav Thoreau was known for his perverted taste in ladies of the night, the younger the better. “Sick fucker,” I muttered to myself in English. I tried to keep up with my native tongue, trying to retain something of my American father and English mother. “He better have those connections he bragged about, or I’m shoving his over-priced bottles of wine up his pompous ass one at a time!”Thoreau was one of those Nazis that had turned over incriminating evidence against several of his fellow men in return for immunity and a name change to protect his identity. I had followed him carefully for weeks, learning what I could before I learned that he had sold weapons to Sebastian Shaw.I sat down at the vanity, carefully applying rouge to my lips and cheeks, before sweeping my burgundy hair up into a tight bun. I allowed some wisps to curl around my face and the back of my neck and applied some heavy grey eyeshadow and eyeliner to make my green eyes pop.Satisfied that I looked the part of a whore, I unbuttoned my shirt and bra and slid them off, along with my skirt and panties. I stepped over to the bed, and regarded the lingerie spread out before me before I started to dress.The black lace mock-corset hugged my figure nicely, accenting my budding curves. Careful rationing of food and constant movement had given me a bit of a graceful figure, though I was pretty sure my chest was going to become quite large by the time I reached full womanhood; I already had a difficult time finding proper-fitting brassieres as it was. My hips might fill out a bit more, my face grow perhaps a bit leaner as time went on. I knew that I turned heads, even at fourteen, and it made me cringe in disgust and self-loathing.‘Still,’ I sighed. ‘It does have its advantages.’ Slipping on the heels to make me taller and improve my posture, I practiced walking back and forth across the hotel room before deciding that I wasn’t going to trip over myself that night. Finally, I put on my dress, cringing at how bare I felt in it.It was a black, sequined thing, strapless and falling to mid-thigh. It would show my garter belt when I sat down, and I groaned at the thought of Thoreau pawing at my legs. The black gloves came up to mid-bicep, which made me a bit grateful with the cool evening fast-approaching. With one last look in the mirror, I adjusted the dress to come up a little further on my cleavage, grabbed my handbag, and walked out the door, keeping the room key close.I headed out into the night and hurried along the paved walkways. After a few blocks, I spotted my destination, and ran over to the street corner that Thoreau’s service-men preferred to pick up their boss’ nightly entertainment. Taking a breath, I began to saunter around the area, making sure to keep my gaze inviting and sultry.‘Gotta be worth it,’ I thought to myself, glancing at the few men wandering around whistling to the women and me as we waited for someone to come along with a good price. ‘Just get through this, and I can go back to my hotel room and wash this shit off my face . . . and have a bonfire out of these clothes.’After nearly an hour of pacing back and forth, I was ready to give up and go back when the familiar town-car pulled up. I sucked in a breath, steeling myself, before I headed over the flock of women that circled around the window. I stood back for a moment, watching as they were turned one by one before I caught the gaze of the henchman. His eyes raked up and down my form appreciatively, and I bit the corner of my lip to keep from giving him the finger.He crooked his fingers at me. “You there, red-head!” he called out in French. I cocked a brow and sauntered forward, grateful my heels didn’t break, and bent down low, resting my arms on the window sill. The man’s eyes were trained on the tops of my breasts, and I fluttered my lashes at him. “How can I be of service to you, sir?” I asked in a soft voice, my French a little rusty.“Mr. Thoreau is looking for some . . . company this evening,” the guard smirked. “He will pay you very well for your time.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a thick wad of bills, waving it in my face. I grinned at the man, and reached out to take it, but he pulled back at the last minute.“Uh-uh,” he intoned, winking. “You will get this once we reach his home. You will be there for as long as he says and do everything he commands you to do. Understand?” I nodded my head demurely to the man. “Of course, sir.”He smirked and motioned for me to enter the backseat of the car. Climbing in, I was grateful to note that it was just him and the driver. I glanced out the window, ignoring the lewd gazes of the two, focusing instead on keeping my breathing steady. ‘I can do this,’ I chanted mentally. ‘Just get in, get him alone, ask him what I need to know, and get the fuck out of this!’The drive was short, thankfully, and I accepted the hand proffered as I stepped out of the car. The henchman led me through the front door, and towards a stairwell. “You will go into the room at the end of the hall upstairs, and no others,” he warned. He held out the wad of cash, and I stuck it in my bag, giving him a nod.‘If anything, at least I have enough real cash to get my ass to safety,’ I thought, smirking to myself as I wandered up the stairs. At the top, I spotted the doors I was to enter, and took one last steadying breath before I made my way down the hall. Upon reaching the door, I knocked, and waited a moment before I heard the command to enter.Opening the door, I stepped through and closed it behind me, taking in the sight of the room before me. Thoreau and a few of his associates, about four in all, were seated amongst lounge chairs, all puffing away on cigars or drinking glasses of wine as they spoke amongst themselves. There were other scantily-clad prostitutes there, laughing and whispering who knows what into the ears of the men they lounged around.“Ah, the lady of the hour!” I turned my head to glance at Thoreau as he spoke, and internally cringed. He was a large, portly man, with beady little eyes and thick lips. He reminded me suddenly of a pig and bit the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing. “Good evening, gentlemen,” I purred, switching to a fake, broken English dialogue.The men shifted in their seats, all eyes roving over my form, and I wished very much to cover myself, feeling far too dirty with their gazes lingering on me. I caught the gaze of one man in particular and I felt myself blush as he stared at me. He seemed younger than the others by several years, tall, lean, with dark hair and shockingly blue-grey eyes, they seemed to look at me with something akin to pity. That surprised me; I figured he would be like the rest of these leering men.Thoreau motioned for me with his hand, and I broke my gaze with the young man and sauntered over to Thoreau. I couldn’t help the yelp of surprise when I was yanked onto his lap, and he chuckled, his hand curling around my thigh as it stroked my garter belt. “You are quite a lovely little thing, aren’t you?” he said, licking his lips.I gave a slight, demure smile, casting my gaze to the ground. “Oh, a shy one, eh?” he chuckled, sliding his other hand up to grope at my breast lightly. I forced myself to giggle and batted my eyelashes at him. “Perhaps we could go somewhere more . . . private,” I whispered, leaning in close enough to smell the perfumed wine on his breath. “And I can show you that I am by no means, ‘shy,’ as you say.”His eyes widened slightly, and he licked his lips once more before he cleared his throat. “Well, gentlemen,” he said, sliding me off his lap and grabbing my hand tightly in his. “I do hope you enjoy the entertainment provided this night. I myself shall be enjoying this lovely thing as she puts on a private show for me.” The men and the prostitutes all laughed raucously, cheering and saluting with their drinks. Except the young man. He inclined his head, glancing at me once more.Thoreau winked as I ducked my head, blushing in embarrassment, though I’m sure the sick fucker took it as eagerness, before he tugged my hand and led me away from the others. He placed a hand upon my ass as he guided me through another room and shut the door behind him. “Would you like a drink?” he offered, handing me a glass of red.I smiled at him, and took the wine, sipping gingerly. “Come, undress for me,” he purred, running his fingers down my arm. I set the wine and my handbag on an end table and walked backwards towards the center of the room. “Sit down on the bed,” I suggested. “You don’t want to miss the view, do you?” Thoreau chuckled, before he sat on the edge of the bed, spreading his thick thighs lewdly.I closed my eyes briefly, steeling myself before I unzipped the side of the dress, letting it pool to the floor. “Very nice,” Thoreau muttered, and I could feel his eyes trailing over my near-nakedness. I kept the gloves on, feeling my palms become clammy and my breath beginning to come out in soft pants. “Now the rest.”I let out a slow breath and opened my eyes to see that the pig had loosened his tie and took off his jacket, shirt unbuttoned and belt open. I swallowed back bile and reached up to unhook my mock-corset when the door opened up. “Wha-what are you doing in here?!” Thoreau barked, standing up.I whirled in surprise, letting my hands drop to cover my chest. The young man from before cast a brief glance at me before he turned to face Thoreau, stepping forward. “Get out,” he ordered me quietly. I blinked at the order, stepping back before covering my mouth in shock when Thoreau’s cufflinks suddenly flew off his arms and into the open palm of the stranger.Thoreau gasped, his face turning a sickly shade of white, before he began to crawl backwards onto his bed. “The boy who bent the gates,” he whispered, sharp fear in his beady eyes.“Where is he?” the man asked, stepping forward. He pulled a gun out of his back pocket and held it in front of him before he let go of it. My eyes widened as it levitated in front of him. “Wh-who?” Thoreau feigned. The man cocked a brow and unloaded the gun before holding up a bullet in his open palm. The bullet rose up, slowly rotating as if it had been fired already, and it shot out before him.Thoreau gave a squeak of terror as the bullet froze, pressing against his forehead. I sucked in a sharp breath, my heart hammering in my chest as I watched the impossible scene before me. “Klaus Schmidt,” the young man said coldly, eyes taking a steely color as he bared his teeth. “Where is he?”I blinked, stunned. “You-you mean Sebastian Shaw?” I blurted out without thinking. The man glanced at me, eyes narrowed. “What do you know about him?” he demanded, and I glared back at him, my anger flaring.“I’m looking for him, you asshat, and he supposedly knows where to find him!” I snapped, jabbing a finger in Thoreau’s direction. The fat man nearly wet himself in terror, before he began to blubber out in rapid French. “Please, I don’t know where he is! He took off months ago for Austria, I don’t know exactly where, don’t kill me, please!”The Asshat glared at me briefly before returning his attention to Thoreau, stepping forward. “And how many of my people begged for mercy, just as you are now, only for you to spit in their faces and laugh as they were dragged screaming to their deaths?” he demanded. I glanced at Thoreau and shook my head at him in mock pity. “Why is he going to Austria?” I asked, snapping my fingers to get his attention.Thoreau glanced at me and licked his lips, sweat beading his forehead. “Something about retrieving some gold,” he croaked out. I cocked my head, thinking. “You’re talking about Nazi gold, right?” He nodded his head quickly. The Asshat glanced sharply at me. “I told you once to get out,” he barked. I glared back at him, taking a step forward. “Fuck you, asshole! I need answers just as much as you—”I gasped in sharp pain when I felt a knife plunge into my side and staggered forward, pulling off the knife. I pressed my hand against the wound, groaning in pain. “Stupid whore!” The henchman that brought me here held the bloody knife, waving it at me. I threw out my hand towards him, and the knife disintegrated in his hand. Everyone froze as they watched it turn to dust, before the henchman pulled out a gun from his waistband. “Devil bitch!” he screamed, firing the gun.The bullet never reached me, instead, it curved around me before whizzing back through his head. He slumped to the floor, dead. “Oh, shit,” I breathed, turning to look at the man that interrupted me and Thoreau. His eyes were on my wound, watching blood seep through my fingers, as I stumbled, trying to stay on my feet, before he turned back to Thoreau. The pig whimpered, eyes wide with terror.Without another thought, the Asshat flung his hand forward, and the bullet that pressed against Thoreau’s head plunged through his skull, and he fell back against his pillows, blood seeping slowly from the hole in his head.Asshat turned back to me, advancing slowly. “How did you do that with the knife?” he asked, levitating another bullet and facing it in my direction. I glanced at it before I began to laugh slightly hysterically. “Coming from the man that can move metal?” I asked rhetorically.Suddenly I heard pounding on the door, muffled shouts echoing through the room. I stepped back, glancing around for an exit before I spotted the window. I grabbed my dress and handbag from the table, wincing in pain and struggled to slip it back on. “Through the window,” I panted, nodding in that direction. “You can get out that way, I think.”Asshat glanced at me, frowning before he grabbed my arm. “You’re coming with me,” he said sternly, waving his hand towards my side. The zipper flew up, and I gave a slight yelp when it pinched my skin. “Sorry,” he muttered, before he practically dragged me towards the window. Shoving it open, he leaned out and gave a slight grunt, before he began to help me out. “Only one story, shouldn’t hurt to much,” he said, before he gave me a shove.I didn’t have time to shriek before I landed in a heap in the bushes. He gave a grunt as he landed beside me, pulling me up by the arm. “Do you have a car?” he asked, glancing around for someplace to escape. I gave him an incredulous look. “Are you fucking kidding me? You didn’t come with a car?”“I’m making this up as I go along,” he muttered, frowning at me before he pointed. “There!” he spotted a car, but I groaned when I saw that there were three men surrounding it. “Hold on,” he muttered, wrapping an arm around my waist. I sucked in a breath as he pressed on the stab wound, and I stumbled along with him, clutching at his arm.As we came closer to the car, the three men unholstered their weapons. Asshat held out his hand and their guns flew away from them. I lunged forward out of his grasp and grabbed one of the men by the lapels of his jacket, and threw him into the garage wall, grunting with effort. He cracked the wall as he struck, crumpling to the ground.One of the men shouted in surprise as Asshat punched him, knocking him out. The third man reached out and swung at me, causing me to let out a scream of pain as he hit my stab wound. Without a thought, I flung my hand out, and my glove flew off my hand and became a length of rope, wrapping around the man’s throat. He choked and gurgled, clawing at the rope, but I pulled tight, groaning with effort until the man collapsed facedown onto the ground. I panted heavily, swaying, eyeing the bodies around us.I felt Asshat wrap an arm around my waist and legs, picking me up effortlessly before he deposited me into the passenger’s seat. He slid into the driver’s seat, and waved his hand, starting the car instantly. “You need a hospital,” he said, glancing at me as he peeled out of the driveway and into the darkened streets of Paris.I shook my head, taking a breath. “No, no hospital,” I let out, grimacing. “Just take me back to my hotel. I’ll be fine.”Asshat glanced at me out the corner of his eye, a slight look of disbelief crossing his features. “You are aware you’ve been stabbed, right?” he asked sarcastically.“Thank you, for your brilliant observation, Asshat,” I muttered, rolling my eyes. “But my morning, this wound will be mostly healed. . . I think,” I muttered the last part.“You think?” he scoffed a laugh. “I don’t know where you’re from, but normally, wounds like that don’t heal overnight.” He glanced down meaningfully where my hand clutched my side.“Mine do.” I glanced at him out the corner of my eye, blinking slowly as the situation began to seep in. He was silent for a moment, watching the road, before he spoke again. “What else can you do?” he asked finally. I sighed, closing my eyes before leaning my head back against the headrest. “Take me back to my hotel,” I shot back. “Then I’ll think about telling you.”“You do realize I could make you tell me?” he asked skeptically. “Where is your hotel?”I snorted briefly, opening my eyes to look at him. The streetlights illuminated his face as we passed under them. “Nobody can make me do anything I don’t want to do . . . not anymore.” He glanced back at me, our gazes holding, before I broke first. “Take a left here,” I said quietly. “It’s near the end of the street, top floor.”We didn’t speak for the rest of the drive, for which I wasn’t sure if I was grateful or not. So far, Asshat has been rude, abrasive, and a general dick, but at the same time, he helped me get out, killed the man that tried to kill me, and was returning me to my hotel room. When we arrived, he spoke quietly to the manager at the front desk as I waited near the elevators, clutching my side. I watched their interaction before the manager nodded his head frantically, picking up the phone and calling someone. Asshat wrapped an arm around my waist, helping me to the elevator.“What did you say to him?” I whispered to him, pointing to the numbered floor I needed to the serviceman in the elevator. He nodded, and pulled the lever, and we began our ascension. “I told him that we needed towels and fresh bandages. You’d had a little too much wine, and accidently cut yourself while we were out enjoying the night air,” he replied quietly.I glared at him, blushing darkly as he chuckled at my discomfort. “Asshat,” I muttered. “Stop calling me that,” he replied, narrowing his eyes at me. Childishly, I stuck my tongue out at him just as we arrived at my floor. He adjusted his hold on me and helped me walk to my room. He held out his hand, and I fumbled with my bag for the key, giving a triumphant noise when I found it. Rolling his eyes, Asshat took it and unlocked the door, flipping on the light switch.He helped me over to the edge of the bed, and I winced in pain as he gently lowered me onto it. “Easy, now,” he murmured. “Can you take off your dress?”My eyes widened, and I slapped his face on instinct. “You perverted fucker!” Asshat glared at me, clenching his jaw as it reddened. “I can’t help clean that stab wound through your dress,” he said, rolling his eyes. Someone knocked on the door, and he straightened to go answer it. “Besides, I’ve seen you in less!” he called over his shoulder.I growled in my throat, embarrassed, before I started yanking my dress off, biting my lip as it pulled on the drying blood caking it to my wound. When it finally came off, I shakily grabbed the edge of the duvet, pulling it over my shoulders. I left a gap wide enough to get to the wound, but at least I didn’t feel exposed.Asshat returned with towels, bandages, and a bowl of antiseptic. He cocked a brow at me, and I returned the look. “Do you know what you’re doing?” I asked skeptically. He gave me a light shrug, setting everything on the chest at the end of the bed. “It’s not that hard to do,” he said, kneeling to look at the wound.I winced as he inspected the wound, prodding gently. “You were right,” he said after a moment. “I won’t have to stitch you closed. But I’m still going to clean it and wrap it up.”I nodded my head and bit my lip to keep from whimpering in pain as he worked, tears stinging my eyes. It was only minutes, but they were the longest of my life before he finished. I let out a breath when he finally sat back and glanced at him. “Thanks, Asshat,” I whispered, and he rolled his eyes at me once more.“My name is Erik,” he said. “Erik Lehnsherr.” I nodded my head slowly, letting out a sigh. “Elise Graves,” I replied, holding out my hand. Erik regarded it for a moment, before he grasped it in his own hand and shook it. His palm was warm, and practically engulfed my own small fingers. My hand tingled when he released it.“Why are you after Schmidt? Or, what was it you called him? Sebastian Shaw?” he asked, leaning back on his heels and shoving his hands in his pockets. I sighed, leaning back onto the bed carefully. “Can we discuss this in the morning?” I asked, rolling my head to the side to look at him. “It’s not a pretty tale to tell, and it’s not something that I think I can get into tonight.”Erik clenched his jaw for a moment, before he nodded his head. “Alright, in the morning, we will talk.” He turned to leave, and I spoke up before I could stop myself. “You can sleep on the sofa, if you want,” I said quietly.Erik paused, and turned to look at me. I shrugged. “It’s late, you’re just as exhausted as I am, and in no condition to drive to wherever you’re staying at. We can have our unpleasant conversation over breakfast, and you can do whatever you plan to do afterwards when it’s daylight.”Erik nodded his head slowly, before he clicked off the switch and headed for the sofa. The moonlight and streetlamps illuminated the room enough for me to see him take off his shoes and tie, and I handed him a blanket and pillow from the bed. He took them, and made himself comfortable, facing me. I lay on my uninjured side, watching him watch me. “How old are you, Elise?” he asked quietly.“Fourteen,” I replied. “You?” Erik gave a slight smirk. “Twelve years older than you.” I nodded my head, feeling my eyes close. “Thank you, Erik,” I whispered, feeling myself drifting off. “For saving me and patching me up.”I was nearly asleep, before I heard his whispered reply. “You’re welcome, Elise.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

I bolted upright out of my sleep, gasping in terror from the nightmare I was trapped in moments ago, before I clutched at my side when it gave a painful twinge. I took a shuddering breath and wiped a hand down my face, feeling sweat upon my brow before I checked the wound, furrowing my brow in confusion.‘How did I—oh, that’s right,’ I thought as the memories of the night prior flashed through my mind. I glanced out the window towards the balcony and realized that daylight was just starting to peek.“You alright?” I heard a sleepy voice call out, and I glanced over at the man that commandeered the sofa for the night. He rested his elbows on his knees, wiping the sleep from his eyes with a groan. I cleared my throat a bit, and stood up, wrapping the sheet around myself.“Y-yeah,” I said, wishing my voice didn’t sound shaky. “Just . . . really . . . bad memories,” I whispered the last part, dragging a hand through my hair. I winced as I pulled pins out with the motion, and realized I probably looked like a disaster, not having washed off any of the make-up the night prior. My face felt caked and grimy from sweating with the make-up on.Erik glanced up at me and cocked a brow before he grabbed a robe and held it out to me. “Here,” he said gruffly, looking to the side and scratching his chin. “This might help,” he muttered, shaking it lightly. I gingerly took it from him with a nod and dropped the sheet. Erik glanced at me for a second before he turned around swiftly, causing me to snicker a bit. “You’ve seen me in this last night,” I reminded him, tugging it on before heading for the dresser with my clothes. “What’s so different this morning?”Erik scratched the back of his head and turned around, narrowing his eyes at me as his cheeks stained red. “You make that sound rather inappropriate,” he muttered. I rolled my eyes, finding the clothes I was searching for. “Says the man that reminded me of what I was wearing before he patched me up.” I made a triumphant noise and held out a tee and some slacks. “Here, these might be better than wearing the same clothes twice in a row,” I offered.Erik cocked a brow at me, and carefully took the clothes from me. “And you have men’s clothing laying around in your hotel room because . . .?” I rolled my eyes at him again, before I grabbed my own clothing and heading for the bathroom. “I bought them because I never knew if I needed to sneak in somewhere disguised as a man. Better be prepared than not.” I paused by the door, and turned to look at him, hand on the doorknob. “Give me twenty minutes to wake up and get prepared for the day before you start shooting your questions at me.”Erik gave me a slow nod, glancing around the room. “The hotel offers room service, if you’d order us some breakfast?” I suggested. “Phone’s by the bed.” With that, I closed the door behind me, and pulled off the wrapping on my side and stripped off the lingerie I wore before I inspected the wound. I gave a rueful smirk when I saw that it had nearly healed completely, save for a faint bruising to indicate I was ever hurt at all.Glancing in the mirror, I shuddered at my appearance before I turned on the taps for the shower. I didn’t bother waiting for the temperature to adjust before I entered the shower and grabbed a clean rag to scrub my face clean. Once the water ran clear down the drain, I scrubbed my rat’s nest of a hair before moving onto the rest of my body, hissing slightly as my sore muscles pulled and stretched.Once I felt clean again, I shut off the water and dried off, wrapping my long hair in a towel before I hurriedly dressed. My button-up shirt and slacks were a bit loose on my frame, but I shrugged. Couldn’t help that I was still a bit underweight. Opening the door, I glanced around, and spotted Erik sitting once more upon the sofa, foot resting on his opposite knee as he drummed his fingers in his lap.“Shower’s free,” I said, jerking my thumb at the bathroom. Erik trailed his eyes over me quickly, giving a soft grunt of acknowledgement before he stood, clothing in hand. “The manager seemed a bit scandalized that ‘Mademoiselle Steinberg’ had a gentleman friend calling for breakfast,” he informed me, emphasizing my fake name. I shot him a smarmy grin. “He can suck it up. I’m paying him for service, not his damned judgement.”Erik’s lip twitched in amusement. “Be that as is may, it should be arriving within the hour.” With that, he headed into the bathroom, shutting the door. I rotated my jaw, cocking my head as I stared at the door. I really had no idea what to make of this stranger. We slept in the same room, appeared to be after the same man for whatever reasons, and both had incredible abilities. ‘What do I do?’ I wondered to myself.Shaking my head, I grabbed my handbag for my pack of cigarillos, and headed for the balcony, taking a seat at the little table overlooking the city. The city was just waking up, and I could hear the newsies calling out to the early risers as they made their way to their various destinations. I closed my eyes briefly, just enjoying the sounds of normal, everyday routine. I felt a brief stab of envy, and opened my eyes, scowling for a moment before I lit the cigarillo and inhaled deeply.“You really shouldn’t be smoking those, you know.” I turned to glance at Erik and blew smoke in his direction, eyes scanning his form. His hair was still damp, and the shirt was a bit tight around his biceps, but the slacks seemed to fit alright. “Are you my father, brother, husband or lover?” I asked him, taking another drag.Erik blinked, and furrowed his brows. “Neither, but—" I cut him off. “Don’t tell me what to do, then.” I offered one out to him, and he cocked a brow before accepting it. He took the lighter I proffered to him and lit it before taking a drag. “When did you start smoking?” he asked, taking the seat across from me. I shrugged, glancing back out over the balcony. “When I arrived here in France, last . . . September,” I said, thinking back. “Helps if I’m feeling really stressed.”Erik nodded, inhaling deeply before he blew out the smoke. “Still bad for you.” I gave him a smirk. “Yet here we are, complete strangers in a hotel room, sharing a bad habit.” I extinguished my cigarillo and stood just as someone knocked on the door. “That must be breakfast,” I noted, then closed my eyes and breathed deeply, concentrating.I felt my face tingle for a moment before I opened my eyes again, and giggled when I saw Erik’s shocked expression, cigarillo forgotten in his hand. “You’ll catch flies with your mouth open like that,” I told him, winking before I sashayed over to the door. I opened it, pasting a bright smile on my face. “Ah, thank you so much for the prompt service,” I gushed, ushering the maid.The maid smiled, nodding her head as she wheeled in the cart. “Will there be anything else, Mademoiselle Steinberg?” she asked in broken English. I shook my head before handing her a large note for her work. “You may send someone to collect the dishes in two hours,” I informed her, and she nodded her head, wide eyes staring at the money in her hands. “Oui, I shall,” she said, thanking me profusely before she left.I closed the door, and shook my head at her chatter, letting my features dissolve back into my natural looks, and turned around. I yelped in surprise when I discovered Erik was right behind me, arms crossed. “How did you do that?” he demanded, stepping closer. I swallowed, feeling nervous, and backed up against the door, eyes wide.Erik must have realized he was intimidating me, and he stepped back, arms to his side. “How did you do that?” he asked again, in a softer tone. I let out a breath, trying to force back my brief fear and grabbed one of the trays before heading back to the balcony. “I discovered I could do that before I started looking for Shaw,” I said quietly, picking at my food. Erik joined me with his own food, taking a bite and chewing carefully. “So, Elise,” he said after a moment. “How . . . I mean, why are you . . .” he sighed, dropping his fork and scrubbing a hand over his face.I gently set my fork down and looked at him. “You want my life story. Why I’m on my own, hunting a monster.” I said it as a statement, knowing that what he wanted to know. Erik eyed me and nodded his head. “I suppose that would be a start,” he agreed. I sighed, pushing my plate back, having lost my appetite. “Long version, or short?” I asked, and Erik thought for a moment. “Short might be best, I think,” he said finally.I took a breath and turned to watch the city below us. “Shaw murdered my parents in ‘52,” I whispered. “He heard rumors of a kid that could change things temporarily into something else and stopped a car from running her over. He found me, had them shot point blank, and tortured me for two years before I escaped. Came across a nice old couple in Trier, Germany that took me in for a while, but I left to find Shaw and . . . I don’t know yet, but I’m leaning more towards killing him.”I gave him the brief version, not wanting to bare everything to a complete stranger, even if he was like me. “I’m sorry for what has happened to you,” Erik said softly. I felt him reach out and gently take my hand, and I flinched in surprise before I slowly relaxed, glancing at him. I noted moisture in his eyes, then spotted the tattoo on his outstretched arm and grew concerned. “What did he do to you?” I asked quietly.Erik took a shuddering breath. “He murdered my mother at Auschwitz, 1944,” he said lowly. “He saw me bend the gates separating me from her, before I was knocked unconscious by a soldier. He ordered me to move a coin across his desk, and when I couldn’t do it, he killed her. I was tortured as he tried to see the full extent of my power until Auschwitz was liberated.”I swallowed hard, my own eyes watering. I felt the acute kinship in his pain and suffering and squeezed his hand lightly. “I’m so sorry,” I whispered. He gave a rueful chuckle. “What a pair we are,” he muttered shaking his head before he released my hand.I felt my palm tingle once more when he let go and gave a brief snort. “Two strangers whose lives have been torn apart by the same man, plotting his demise.” I shook my head, looking at him, matching smirk on my own face. “Sounds like a really bad paperback novel housewives buy to give their lives a sense of fulfillment.”Erik chuckled, and saluted me with his glass of water before taking a swallow. “So,” I said, glancing at my fingernails and picking at them. “Where do we go from here? I men, we’ve both got the same goal, and we both know the next step is somewhere in Austria—”“Vienna,” Erik interrupted. “If there was anyplace to find Nazi gold, it would be there.” I nodded my head, thinking. “It’ll take a couple of weeks to get there, even by train,” I said, plotting the route through my head. “The fastest way would be through East Germany, but there’s no way I’m going that route.” Erik nodded his head, understanding why.“The safest way would probably be through Switzerland,” Erik replied, cocking a brow. “You do have funds to travel, correct?” I rolled my eyes. “Yes, dummy, I do. That idiot that stabbed me handed me a wad of cash before I even made it upstairs at Thoreau’s. besides, I can always create money out of basically anything . . . for a limited amount of time,” I added. “But we’d be long gone by the time they realized there was no actual cash.”“Which brings me to my next question,” Erik stated, leaning his elbows on the table and fixing me with a hard look. “Why did you traipse around Paris dressed like a high-priced hooker? Do you realize how dangerous that is? What could have happened?” As he spoke, the silverware rattled and began to bend, and I sat back in my chair. Not out of fear, but because I was getting angry as well.“Nothing happened, nothing will ever happen, because that was a one-time account,” I snapped, grabbing my orange juice and draining it. “Thoreau liked young prostitutes, and there was no way that he was going to answer anything some little street urchin asked him!”“So, you were going to, what? Have sex with him before you questioned him?” He glared at me, and I glared right back. “Absolutely not! I was about to make his own bedding tie him down before you entered! Believe it or not, I don’t have sex with people to get what I need!”Erik ground his jaw, eyes narrowed, before he slowly nodded his head. The silverware ceased all movement when he sat back. “If we are to travel together, you will not do anything like that again.” I narrowed my eyes at him, crossing my arms. “Never planned on it,” I returned bitingly. “It was disgusting and made me feel like scum on the bottom of a boot. But I know what I can do, and what I can handle. I have yet to be in a situation I couldn’t get out of since I started hunting Shaw.”“Good.” Erik nodded his head once. “If we ever run into a situation where we need to question someone, we will find less . . . risqué methods. You’re still a child, for god’s sake, you shouldn’t even be doing this whole thing at all!” He slammed his hand on the table to emphasize his words.I slammed my own hands on the table, leaning forward. Rage ripped through me. “Don’t,” I growled. “Don’t you dare try to pull that shit! I ceased being a child when I woke up strapped to a table in a lab and realized there was no god. Only monsters. I’m doing this because I know that I can stop Shaw from hurting someone else the same way he did to me . . . to us . . . to your people.” I stood from the table, clenching my fists. “I want that sick fucker to pay for his crimes, no matter what it takes.”Erik and I stared each other down for what seemed like ages, before he gave a slow smirk. “I think you and I are going to work splendidly together,” he said, and I blinked, confused at his reaction. “What?” I asked stupidly.Erik stood from the table and motioned for me to follow him. “I wanted to be sure you were serious about this, and not following some silly fantasy,” he said, rummaging around under the bed before he pulled out my satchel. I watched him, slightly dazed as he began to pack my meager items away. “You’ve got the drive, and the dedication, the rage. Now, you need the skill of someone that’s hunted him for years.” He finished packing and handed me my satchel.I glanced at it before I took it and burst into giggles. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re a bit of a bitter bastard?” I asked, trying to contain myself. Erik rolled his eyes, shaking his head. “I’m a creation of Shaw’s demonic nature,” he said darkly, heading for the door. “And he’s going to suffer as much as possible when we find him. Come,” he called. “We need to retrieve some things from my motel room before we start on the next leg of this journey.”I followed behind Erik, pondering his words. “So, we’re partners now, right?” I asked him, holding out my hand. “We’ll watch each other’s backs? Keep each other safe while we hunt this bastard down and send him to hell?” I felt a sliver of hope rise in my chest, perhaps that we may actually get somewhere by working together. He’s right, I do need his help, and he could use mine. He glanced at me, and smirked briefly, before he shook my hand, his warm palm grasping mine tightly.“Partners.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

I stepped up beside Erik as he scanned the train station, and let out a sigh, glancing at him. The people bustled around us, making their way to the platforms or speaking with loved ones before they boarded the train. “So, what’s the plan, then?” I asked, speaking in English. Erik blinked, as if he remembered he wasn’t alone, and I cocked a brow.“Can you create a pair of tickets?” he asked softly, handing me two scraps of paper. I furrowed my brow, before I shrugged. “Should be easy enough,” I whispered back. I closed my fist over the papers, and closed my eyes, concentrating. I could feel the papers shift in my palm, until I opened my eyes and uncurled my fist.Erik grabbed the tickets, rolling them over in his fingers before giving an impressed sound. “Simply extraordinary,” he murmured. I felt a blush heat my cheeks, and ducked my head, clearing my throat. “It wasn’t that hard,” I said, shrugging. I felt Erik gently grab my chin and forced my gaze to meet his. I had to crane my neck to look at him, only coming up to mid-chest. “Has no one ever told you that what you can do is something special?” he asked me. His blue-grey eyes seemed to bore into mine, and I couldn’t look away.“Yeah,” I replied, swallowing hard. “But it’s . . . still a little hard to remember. I keep seeing the things I’ve done, and . . .” I trailed off, shaking my head. Erik released my chin, and he hovered his hand over my shoulder for a moment before he awkwardly patted it. “You are an amazing and talented individual,” he stated, scratching the back of his neck. “You shouldn’t be ashamed of it, of who you are.”I gave a snort, shooting him a sly smirk. “A hellion?” I quipped, picking up my suitcase and heading for the train. I could hear Erik chuckle from behind me and heard his steps as he hurried to my side. “Stay close,” he said, scanning the crowd once more. “Wouldn’t do for us to get separated now.” I nodded, and handed my ticket to the ticket master, shooting him a smile.“Traveling for pleasure?” he asked in French, giving me an appreciative once-over. I stiffened slightly, and felt Erik wrap an arm over my shoulder. “My sister and I are on our way to visit relatives,” he said in a slightly frosty tone, holding out his own ticket. The ticket master must’ve seen something in Erik’s expression, because he took his ticket and punched both, before he waved us through.We entered the train, and I could feel Erik’s hand as it slid to my back, helping me find a seat. My back tingled from the touch, and I bit my lip, turning my head so he couldn’t see. “You didn’t have to do that,” I said quietly, taking the window seat. “But thank you.”Erik stowed our suitcases before he took the seat next to me. “He was practically undressing you with his eyes,” he growled, crossing his arms and glaring at the back of the seat ahead of him. I rolled my eyes and turned to him, frowning. “Erik, I’m used to it. I’m a pretty face, not something I can help. Besides,” I smirked, nudging him. “I’ve handled myself this long before you and I decided to join forces.”He glanced at me, cocking a brow. “And how did you manage to . . . ‘handle,’ these situations in the past, hmm?” he asked. I gave him a sweet smile and crooked my finger for him to lean closer, so I could whisper in his ear. “Usually . . . I’d punch them in their balls,” I whispered. Erik jerked in sympathetic pain, wincing, and I leaned back in my seat, laughing. “If that didn’t work, they’d end up with broken hands.”Erik gave a snort, but I saw his lips twitch in amusement. “We’ll add vicious to your list of qualities,” he told me, settling into his seat. I smirked, before I turned my gaze out the window, watching as the scenery began to roll by. We were both silent for a while, lost in our own thoughts. I didn’t mind the silence, as it gave me a chance to analyze my strange reactions to the situation . . . well, to Erik, in general.I was almost never comfortable around anyone these days, and the last people I had physical contact that I actually wanted was from Josef and Ghita. ‘Oh, I miss them so much,’ I thought to myself. I wondered how they were, what they were doing right then. A part of me longed to go see them, just give up this whole thing.With the Steinberg’s, I was safe, cherished, and never had to worry about hiding what I was, or what I could do. I gave a soft sigh, shaking my head. ‘If I’d stayed, I would’ve resented them after a time,’ I reminded myself. ‘I wouldn’t be able to shake that feeling of danger, and I couldn’t do that to them anyways. They’ve done enough just opening their arms for me.’ No, returning wouldn’t help me at all. I needed to do this. I wanted to ensure that they’d never have to suffer because of someone like Shaw. They were good people. It’s for the good people left in this world that I started hunting the bastard in the first place.“So, I’ve been thinking,” Erik said suddenly, and I jumped, startled from my musings. I turned to him, cocking a brow. “What is it?” I asked, ready to take my mind off my thoughts, even for just a moment. “Your abilities . . .” he trailed off, glancing around to make sure no one was eavesdropping on our conversation. “I think you’re doing something more than just changing an object. I think,” he leaned in, whispering. “I think you are altering reality, of a sort.”I sat back, my eyes blown wide with shock. “I-I’m what now?!” I whispered furiously, glancing around. Erik furrowed his brows slightly. “Have you never really given it thought before now?” he asked incredulously. I shook my head, chewing my lip hard. “No, usually I try not to think too hard on what I can do, unless I absolutely need to,” I said slowly. “Truthfully, what I can do scares the shit out of me. Altering reality . . . I-I suppose it makes sense.”Erik shook his head. “Honestly, you really should read some science novels,” he muttered. I glared at him half-heartedly. “Sorry, haven’t really had the luxury of roaming libraries lately,” I snapped at him, huffing and crossing my arms. Erik sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I wasn’t trying to piss you off,” he said, looking at me. I gave him the side-eye. “Okay then, science boy,” I said a little haughtily. “So, if I can alter reality, what exactly do you do? Besides bend spoons in half?”Erik rolled his eyes at me, his eyes turning flinty. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a coin and held it out for me to see. I leaned closer, and shuddered, recognizing the Nazi symbol etched upon it. Before my eyes, it levitated a few inches over his palm, spinning slowly in place. “Anything with traces of metal I can bend to my will,” he said quietly. “Iron, copper, silver . . . anything.” The coin dropped back onto his palm, and he quickly fisted it, squeezing tightly.I swallowed lightly, my eyes meeting Erik’s. “Is that the coin?” My voice was barely above a whisper, but Erik was close enough to hear that he nodded his head slowly, eyes watching my expression. “I’ve dreamed of burying this damned thing into his skull,” he spoke lowly, teeth clenched. “I use my rage to fuel my powers. I have ever since my mother . . .” his voice trailed off, and he swallowed thickly. He made to put the coin back into his pocket, but I reached out without a thought, closing my own smaller fingers over his.“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I didn’t mean to dredge up painful memories.” I gave his fist a light squeeze. “I’ll help you find Shaw if it’s the last thing we do.” Erik nodded once, before he glanced at our joined hands. I jolted slightly, and removed my hand quickly, folding it on my lap and glanced out the window. Erik returned the coin to his pocket, and we spent the remainder of the train ride in silence, only speaking when we had to.
***
As day faded into night, I felt my eyes grow heavy, and it was getting harder to stifle my yawns. Every time I felt my head start drooping, I would jerk myself awake, trying not to fall asleep. We’d traveled for days by train, and I was feeling cranky and irritable. Erik fared little better, having slept when he was supposed to. I, on the other hand, refused to allow myself to sleep more than an hour here or there.We’d finally made it to Austria. Landeck, Austria, to be precise. It would take several more weeks before we would even breach the outskirts of the capital clear on the other side of the country. Unfortunately, we ran into a snag with the train station. Apparently, there was a major storm that blew large trees and debris all over the track, so it would take several days until it was all clear and the trains could begin to move again.This led to the predicament of trying to find hotel rooms. The manager tried to explain to Erik that due to the influx of patrons because of the stalled trains, there was really only one room available for us that they could spare. I could see the muscle in Erik’s jaw ticking, so I decided to step in before things escalated further. “Thank you, we will take it,” I said in German, giving the manager a smile. It was an unspoken agreement between us that we only spoke English to each other in private, to ensure there was less risk for evesdroppers.The manager nodded his head quickly and handed me the key to our room as Erik signed our names in the ledger. I bit my lip to keep from laughing at the look on the manager’s face when he saw that Erik wrote in his name, and the name I used as I traveled. ‘Take your judgement and stick it where the sun doesn’t shine,’ I thought to myself, maintaining a pleasant smile on my face as we grabbed our suitcases and headed for our room.“You didn’t need to step in, Elise,” Erik muttered in English, unlocking the door and dropping his case at the foot of the bed. Neither of us felt the need to speak any other language when it was just us. I rolled my eyes and dropped my case as well, kicking off my shoes and flopping down on the side of the large bed. “Bullshit,” I quipped. He turned to cock a brow at me.“I could see the service bell start to warp,” I pointed out. “Unless you’d rather everyone know we’re not what they consider normal and get thrown in jail, then by all means, continue your hissy-fit.” I turned to look at him. “Not everything has to be sorted with violence Erik.”Erik growled, and headed for the minibar that came with our room, pulling out a glass and pouring himself some sort of amber liquid. ‘Scotch, from the smell of it,’ I thought, wrinkling my nose at the strong stench. I sighed, ignoring him and rolled off the bed before popping open my suitcase and rummaging through it. Grabbing a clean nightgown, I strode towards the bathroom to wash off the grime from the last few days of travel.After some time, I emerged, and noticed that Erik had already had a second glass, judging from the amount missing from the bottle. He had also pulled out sleepwear and downed his glass in one smooth motion before he brushed past me. I sighed once more at his brusque manner and shook my head as he closed the bathroom door a little harder than necessary, before I crawled under the covers, keeping as close to the edge of the bed as possible. Reaching over, I turned off the light and kept my back to Erik’s side, trying to make myself comfortable. Slowly, I drifted off into sleep, hoping that tonight would be a peaceful night of rest.

I struggled against the straps that held my arms and legs spread, trying my damnedest to free myself. I could feel the sluggishness seeping through my body, the sedatives preventing me from just snapping the bonds. “There is no use in struggling Elise,” I heard him purr to my left. I turned my head slowly, icy fear making my blood run freezing cold through my veins as I came face to face with Shaw.

He grinned maliciously and reached out to stroke his fingers lightly over my nightgown that covered my otherwise exposed body. I jerked in revulsion, and my struggling renewed. “Don’t, don’t you dare touch me you bastard!” I forced out in rage, but my words were slurred. He chuckled, and suddenly his hands tore the fabric of my nightgown into pieces. I gasped in shock, tears sliding down my face. He pawed roughly at my body, and I cringed, trying to buck his hands off my chest and lower regions.
“Did you really think you could escape me, Little One?” he crooned softly, gently wiping a tear from my face. “You are mine . . . and I will have you.” His hands went to his buckle, and I began to scream, trying to stop what I knew was coming. “No, don’t do this, stop!”
“Elise . . . Elise please, stop screaming! Elise, wake up!”

My eyes popped open, and I gasped for air, trying to orient myself. I realized something pinned my arms to the bed, and I began to struggle, whimpering. “Elise, it’s alright, you’re safe,” I heard someone reassure me, and I slowly began to cease fighting. Once I stopped moving, Erik released me, and slowly reached up to brush a tear off my cheek. I could see his concerned gaze in the dim moonlight, and I was unable to stop a sob from escaping.“Shh, shh, it’s alright,” he said, sitting up from where he was propped on his side. I flung myself into his chest, wrapping my arms around his middle, and cried. I needed to feel something real, something solid at that moment. I just needed to reassure myself that I was really dreaming and not living my nightmare, that Shaw hadn’t found me, didn’t try to rape and breed me like some fuck toy against my will.Erik grunted in surprise before his wrapped his own arms around me, gently holding me to him. His chest was warm and soaked from my tears, but not once did he try to pry me off of him. Erik just held me, reassuring me with quiet words that it was alright, I was safe. Once my sobs subsided, he gently rubbed a hand up and down my spine. “Nightmare?” he questioned quietly, and I nodded my head against his chest, eyes closed.“Every night,” I whispered softly, my voice hoarse. “I’m afraid to close my eyes at night. I dream of . . . just, really awful things.” I swallowed hard, taking a shuddering breath. “It’s why I don’t sleep as often as I should.” Erik let out a deep sigh and brushed some of my long hair out of my face. “Lie back,” he murmured, urging me back onto the bed.I did so hesitantly, eyeing him warily. He lay on his side and began to run his hand through my hair. Softly, he began to sing, and I slowly closed my eyes, listening to his surprisingly soothing voice. “Odpocznij, moje dziecko, Dzień się skończył. Słońce zaświeci Gdy przyjdzie poranek. Ale teraz jest ciemno I świat jest spokojny. Więc daj odpocząć oczom swym i zaśnij, Więc daj odpocząć oczom swym i zaśnij. Więc daj odpocząć oczom swym i zaśnij.”As he finished his lullaby, I cracked my eyes to look at him. “What was that song?” I asked quietly. Erik’s lips quirked slightly. “It’s a lullaby my mother used to sing to me whenever I had nightmares, when I was a little boy.” I nodded my head, and turned towards him, burrowing into his side. Erik froze, and hesitantly placed his arm over my middle, holding me loosely. “Thank you, Erik,” I whispered, drifting off. I never heard his reply, but I swore I felt a light brush of his lips on my forehead as sleep claimed me once more. That time, I dreamed of singing Erik’s lullaby to a little girl in my arms, smiling down at her as she slept peacefully, while Erik wrapped his arms around us from behind, chin resting on my shoulder as he gazed at us with adoration.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Vienna, Austria

September 1958

Summer stretched and began to fade when we finally reached Vienna. To say things were different between Erik and I was a bit of an understatement. Not so much in a bad way, but definitely different. We talked about little things now, more comfortable with each other as our friendship and partnership grew. We never seemed to stray far from each other for very long, unless Erik went to a pub to ask locals questions about suspicious activities; if there was a chance that a former Nazi was in the area, we wanted to know about it.Erik forbid me from joining him on the excursions, and I didn’t blame him, even if it chafed a bit that I was left behind to pour over the maps alone. To be honest, I was more irritated with being stuck in a hotel room while he went out. Sometimes he would come back smelling of alcohol, but other than coming across as slightly moodier—or cheerful depending on what he consumed—he never once turned violent, as I’ve seen some men become when they’ve imbibed too much.It seemed to be an unspoken agreement between us that we share a hotel room with one bed. Nothing untoward ever happened, but it did seem to help us sleep at night. During my night terrors, he would wrap his arms around me, and sing his lullaby, until I could stop my shaking and tears. I always seemed to sleep better when he did, and over time, I was able to actually sleep more than a few hours at a time without waking us both up with my screams.Whenever he had a bad spell, he woke in a cold sweat, the metal of the room rattling as he tried to control himself. I, myself, would gently rub his back, and just talk about some of the kinder acts I’d witnessed on those days that I explored the various cities we stayed in: a young family teaching their son to fly a kite, a businessman presenting a pair of shoes to a homeless man that had bare feet, a chef offering a stray dog scraps of meat out the back door of a restaurant.It was the kindness in those acts, the sense of peace I felt watching all those moments that I shared with Erik, until his breathing evened out, and he eventually fell back into slumber. We never really talked about my nightmares in depth, nor his own. ‘Perhaps one day we’ll talk about what we relive during the night,’ I thought as I strolled through the streets, my eyes taking in the sights.I shivered as a light wind blew, and pulled my jacket a little tighter around me, cursing my decision to wear a dress and stockings instead of slacks. Erik had gone out to a pub once again, and wasn’t due back until after sundown, giving me plenty of time to explore our surroundings. He’d gotten a lead about a man who supposedly knew where to find Nazi gold and had a log of everyone he did business with involving the illegal precious metal.If Erik could get into contact with him, we could get this log and see if Shaw had made any purchases, and where it was shipped off to. It wasn’t much, but it was a step closer. I glanced up and smiled when I saw a little girl of about four running towards me, a flower crown in her hand. She pointed at my head insistently, speaking garbled German, and I gave a slight laugh, kneeling down in front of her upon realizing what she wanted. She placed the crown upon my hair, and I smiled at her, nodding my head in thanks. I reached into my pocket, and pulled out a silver piece, pressing it into her hand.She shook her head with a slight frown, trying to return it, but I closed her hand and gently pushed it back to her with a wink. The little girl smiled at me, and chattered away in rapidly before she rushed off, waving at me as she scurried back to her parents. I stood and waved goodbye to her, nodding to the mother as they left.I sighed, feeling a little nostalgic. ‘I remember when I was her age,’ I thought wistfully. ‘Mama taught me to weave flower crowns, and I made my cousin wear one for the entire day.’ The thought made me chuckle, and I shook my head carefully, keeping the crown from falling off before I continued on my walk.I sighed, and spotted a nice-looking building, where people were entering and leaving. My guess was a restaurant, and I headed over, feeling my stomach gnawing itself into pieces. While Erik and I didn’t have to worry about money or food, as I could simply alter an object into whatever we needed, it would be nice to not have to focus my abilities for food.I came closer, and I could smell the alcohol from a man that stumbled a little too close. He grinned at me, touching his fingers to his hat in a slight nod of respect. I gave him a curt nod, realizing that this was a pub. Shrugging, I glanced around, making sure no one was paying attention to me before I altered my face to look older.I entered the pub, glancing around before I headed towards the bar, perching myself upon a seat. The bartender hurried over, lifting a brow in question. “Do you speak English?” I questioned, preferring to seem as a foreigner on holiday in order to blend in. The man nodded. “What can I get for you?” he asked with a smile.I smiled in return, shrugging a little. “Whatever is on tap,” I replied, deciding to let loose for a bit. ‘You only live once,’ I reasoned. ‘Besides, what Erik doesn’t know won’t hurt him.’ The bartender returned with the drink, a stout pint, and I thanked him before I placed some money upon the bar for him. He scooped it up into his palm and deposited it into his till.I took my pint and headed for an empty booth in the back of the pub, stepping carefully around the people milling about dancing and mingling with each other. Fortunately, I made it without sloshing my drink, and I sat down, surveying everyone before I took a tentative sip. It was a little harsher than what I expected but shrugged before drinking some more.Nearly an hour had passed, and I had nearly drunk the entirety of my pint, feeling a pretty good, if a bit tipsy. I hummed along to the music that was playing from the jukebox in the far corner, watching the people dance. I took a drag from my cigarette before I downed the rest of my drink.Suddenly, my peripheral was filled with a flash of movement, and I turned to see who it was, my vision blurry, before I realized it was Erik standing there, brow cocked. I swallowed my ale, and blinked at him, flashing him a bright smile. “Well, hello, Erik,” I said cheerily. “Lucille,” he returned, and I blinked, suddenly realizing that there was someone else with him. “I thought you were going to stay in the hotel?” he inquired. He reached over and fingered the flower crown on my head, and smirked. “Where did you get this?”I blinked, blushing a bit. “Well,” I drawled. “You were gone such a long time, that I decided to go sightseeing. A sweet little girl gave it to me. Besides,” I pouted prettily. “You did promise to show me the sights before we needed to return home.” I snuffed out my cigarette and gave him a pleading look. “I was looking forward to seeing the new Wiener Stadt Halle, now that it’s been officially opened.”A muscle in Erik’s jaw spasmed, but his companion didn’t notice. He chuckled appreciatively. “And who might this lovely lady be?” he asked Erik. Erik plastered a charming smile on his face, and sat down next to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. “This is my soon-to-be wife, Lucille Steinberg,” he introduced. His other hand came to rest on my knee, squeezing in warning. I plastered on a fake smile of my own and held out my hand in greeting. “A pleasure to meet you, Mister . . .?” I trailed off, unsure what to call the new man. He reminded me of a weasel, pointed chin, narrow cheeks, and sharp little eyes.“Johnathan Von Burren, Miss Steinberg,” he purred, taking my fingers and turning my wrist to place a peck to the back of my hand. I forced out a slight giggle. “Such a gentleman,” I demurred, turning to give Erik a smile when his grip on my knee tightened a bit painfully. I kicked him under the table, and he bit the inside of his cheek to suppress a grunt. ‘Ha-ha, Asshat,’ I thought, giving him a sweet smile. “I apologize for being so late, my dear,” Erik told me, grinning at me . . . well, more like a baring of teeth, now that I knew him long enough to know his expressions.“We were discussing business, I’m afraid,” Von Burren broke in with a slightly apologetic smile. I nodded my head in understanding. “Well, as you still have business to discuss, I presume, I should head back to the hotel.” Von Burren waved his hand at us, chuckling. “It would be unseemly for a beautiful lady such as yourself to wander the streets alone,” he said. He turned to Erik. “Mr. Lehnsherr, we should continue this business of ours in a private setting. Perhaps tomorrow night, you and your lovely fiancée would like to meet in my home for dinner?”Erik gave him a smile and nodded his head. “That sounds like a wonderful idea, what do you think my dear?” he asked me, squeezing my knee once more. I forced a smile to my face and nodded in agreement. “Of course, darling,” I purred, giggling. Honestly, my emotions wavered between finding this whole situation humorous and being pissed off at Erik’s manhandling.Von Burren smiled, and clapped his hands once. “Splendid! Then we shall meet again at this address, say, eight o’clock?” He reached into his suit jacket, and pulled out a card, holding it out to Erik. Erik took it and slipped it into his coat, standing up to shake Von Burren’s hand. I stood as well and nodded to the man before Erik ushered us out of our seats.“We shall see you tomorrow, Mister Von Burren.” With that, Erik placed a hand upon my lower back, and guided me out of the pub. I blinked at the stark contrast of light, my head spinning from the pint of ale I drank earlier. I stumbled, and Erik gripped my arm in his hand, keeping me upright as we walked back to the hotel. The sun was setting, and it was getting chillier in the late summer air.I glanced at Erik, frowning a bit. “Erik, I’m—” He shook his head firmly. “Not here,” he said through clenched teeth, and I swallowed, nodding. We were silent the rest of the walk, not speaking before we made it back to the room. By that time, I could feel my face altering back to its natural form, and I turned to Erik when he released me. I pulled the flower crown off my head and set it on the dresser . . . well, tried to. My aim was off in my inebriated state, so it fell to the floor. I turned to Erik, cocking a brow. “What?” I asked in confusion when I noticed his pissed off expression.He immediately began his tirade, crossing his arms across his chest. “What the fuck were you thinking?!” he snarled, eyes flinty steel in his anger. I blinked, before I blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “That I wanted a drink?” I felt my lips twitch with sudden humor, and bit my lip, trying not to laugh. I couldn’t help the snort that escaped though.Erik opened his mouth once more to yell, but he stopped himself, his eyes narrowed. “Are you drunk?” he asked incredulously. I shook my head quickly, but stopped, wobbling. I flung my arms out to keep my balance until the world righted itself. I raised a hand and held my fingers close together. “Maybe,” I drew out, giggling. “Alright, yes, a lot drunk, thank you for asking. That was some really good ale.”Erik sighed, shaking his head. “Do you know how dangerous that was?” he questioned. “You’re also underage. What if someone realized you’re just a child?” I glared at him, poking his chest hard with my pointer finger. “I am not a child,” I growled, emphasizing each word with a stab to his chest. “I’m nearly fifteen, and besides!” I crossed my arms, lifting my chin to Erik’s slightly amused face. “Von Burren invited us to meet him for dinner tomorrow, so there!” I stuck my tongue out at him, proud I proved that I was useful.“Do you even know why that is important?” Erik asked me skeptically, grabbing my hand to keep me from poking him again. I shrugged. “He’s the bad guy with the. . . with the bad goldy-stuff we’re lookin’ for, right?” My words were a little slurred, and I blinked, trying to keep Erik in focus. Erik rolled his eyes, before he scooped me up into his arms as if I weighed nothing . . . which compared to him, I suppose was true.I yelped as the world spun and swallowed to keep my stomach from upheaving. Erik strode towards the washroom and stood me back on my feet in the shower. “You need to shower and sleep this off,” he ordered. I blinked, then shrugged at him, taking off my jacket and throwing it at his face. I laughed when it landed on his head, and carefully pulled my dress off my body and dropped it to the floor.Erik pulled my jacket off his face, and his eyes widened when he saw me standing in my underwear. “Damnit Elise!” he whipped around, scrubbing a palm over his face. “Don’t you have any shame?” I snorted a laugh, pulling off the rest of my garments and throwing them out of the shower. “Not really, no, I’m too drunk to really give a shit right now,” I snickered before I grabbed his shoulder for balance to take off my stockings and heels. Once those clattered to the floor, I let go of Erik, and pulled the curtain closed. “I can’t really feel anything right now.” Erik growled in frustration, and I heard something hit the wall with a dull thud, likely his forehead.I stared at the dials for the water, frowning in confusion. “Um . . . Erik?” I called. I heard him groan in frustration from the other side of the curtain. “What now?” he asked. “How do I work the rain maker thingy?” it was silent for a moment before Erik began to laugh, long and loud. “It’s not funny,” I snapped, pouting. “Yes, it is,” he disagreed, chuckling. His hand snuck through the curtain, and he turned on the water.I shrieked as I was blasted with cold water before it warmed up, which caused Erik to laugh harder. Despite my annoyance with him at that moment, I couldn’t help but giggle with him. “You have a really nice laugh,” I told him a little carefree. “You should laugh more often.” I hummed a little. “Yep, let’s right that down,” I decided. “Erik needs to laugh more often.”Erik didn’t reply, and I shrugged, carefully scrubbing myself clean before I stepped back from the spray. “How do I turn it off again?” I asked, my vision still blurry. Erik sighed, and reached in to turn off the water. Once the water stopped flowing, I sighed a little, and squeezed the water from my hair with the towel he proffered. He held a second towel just inside the curtain, dangling it a bit. “Wrap yourself in this,” he instructed, and I carefully wrapped it around myself as best I could, wobbling slightly. “Okay, I’m covered . . . I think,” I muttered.The curtain pulled back quickly, revealing Erik’s confused face. “What do you mean you thin . . . Elise, you’re supposed to wrap your entire body, not just your waist!” he snapped, closing his eyes quickly. His cheeks and neck turned a bright shade of red, and I lost it. I started laughing at his blush and reached out to poke his chest. “You’re pretty funny, you know that?” I slurred. Erik shook his head and carefully reached out, finding the edge of my towel and yanking it over my chest. Once he was sure he had me sufficiently covered, he opened his eyes and scooped me back into his arms, carrying me to our bed. He sat me down at the edge and pointed his finger at me. “Stay,” he ordered sternly, and I smirked, leaning forward to lick his finger. “Don’t point at me,” I replied, laughing when he rolled his eyes.He grabbed my suitcase and pulled out a clean nightgown before he tried to wrestle me into it. I struggled against him, pushing back. “I can dress myself,” I slurred, irritated at him. Erik gave a snort. “Yes, you can, when you’re sober,” he quipped, shoving my arms through the sleeves. He pulled the other towel from around my hair, and smoothed out the wet curls as best he could before he gave up. “Stand up,” he said, and I complied, clutching his shoulders. I stumbled when he pulled the towel out from underneath my nightgown, and pressed my body against him, trying to maintain balance.“Oopsie,” I chuckled, finding the whole thing hilarious. Erik jerked against me when I pressed closer, trying to keep my knees steady. I felt something big and hard pressing against my belly and frowned. “Erik, did you bring a gun with you? Why are you poking me with it?” I asked, looking up at his blurry face. I ran a hand down his chest, trying to find it.I made it to the top of his trousers before Erik gave a strangled groan and grabbed my shoulders before he pushed me back onto the bed. I flopped down, the world spinning. “Go to sleep, Elise,” Erik ordered, turning swiftly towards the bathroom. I frowned, watching as he hurried inside and slammed the door shut behind him.I shrugged, rolling onto my side. “You are so weird,” I muttered, closing my eyes. I tried to sleep, but after a few moments of silence, I could hear grunting coming from the bathroom. I frowned, opening my eyes and rolling to face the bathroom, concerned. I thought about getting up to see if Erik was alright, but when I sat up the world spun so I flopped back down onto the bed, and closed my eyes, moaning in slight dizziness.After a while, Erik returned from the bathroom, dressed in clean pajamas, hair slightly damp. He said nothing as he crawled into the bed next to me, maintaining distance. His expression seemed guilty for some reason, but I shrugged, feeling too exhausted to question anything. “G’night, Erik,” I said softly, rolling over and resting my head against his side. Erik stiffened slightly before he hesitantly wrapped an arm around my shoulder. “Good night, Elise,” he whispered as I drifted off.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

I woke with a groan, the sunlight streaming through the window stabbing my eyes, and I burrowed my face back into the pillows, wishing my stomach wouldn’t jump around so much.I heard chuckling, and turned my head enough to squint at Erik, who was dressed for the day. “Do you plan on lounging in bed all day?” he asked with a smirk. I grumbled and gave him a rude gesture with my hand in reply. Suddenly, the blankets were pulled back, and I gasped in shock at the temperature change. “Ugh, my head feels like I’ve been struck by a horse,” I complained, sitting up and scrubbing my eyes.“Well, that’s what you get for downing an entire pint of ale,” Erik retorted, no sympathy to be had. I took a deep breath, and gently rolled my head back and forth, clearing the effects of the alcohol as much as I could. “Could I have some water, please?” I asked, my throat parched.Erik must have been feeling merciful, because in the next moment, he held out a glass of blessedly cold water, and I took a tentative sip. “What time is it?” I asked, glancing at Erik. He glanced at the watch on his wrist, shrugging. “Half past one in the afternoon.” I blinked, shocked. “What?!” I squeaked, confused. “Why did you let me sleep so late?”I set the water on the nightstand and scrambled out of bed. “We’re supposed to be searching for that man with the log of who buys Nazi gold,” I spoke quickly, rummaging through my suitcase. Erik knelt down, and grabbed my hands, stilling my searching. I looked up at him, and noted his brows were furrowed. “What?” I asked, confused.“Do you not remember anything from last night?” he asked me. I bit my lip, searching my pounding brain, but shrugged, blinking. “No, just drinking that ale and you walking me back to the room. Why? What happened?”Erik snorted, rolled his eyes at me. “You got drunk, couldn’t figure out how to turn on the shower, and tried to . . .” he trailed off, and shook his head. “You were quite out of it, really.” I cocked a brow, wondering what he was about to say, but he let go of my hands as if scalded and stood quickly. “I’ve made arrangements to rent a vehicle for tonight,” he said, running a hand through his short, dark locks. “We’ve been invited to dinner with Johnathan Van Burren, the man that has the log of those that have dealings with Nazi gold.” He shot me a smirk. “Apparently, he found you quite charming in your tipsy state, which may work in our favor.”I blinked, stopping my search for clothing for the moment as his words sank in. “Oh,” I said after a moment, unsure how else to respond. “Wait, is he the weasel looking man from the pub?” I asked.Erik threw his head back and laughed, clutching his side. “Yes, that is an apt description of Von Burren,” he said once he recovered enough to speak. “And yes, he is the man from last night. We are to be at his home by eight o’clock tonight for dinner. I’m assuming there will be others at this dinner party of his.” I swallowed, biting my lip. “Formal wear?” I asked and groaned at his nod in reply. “Great,” I muttered, throwing my hands in the air. “I own nothing formal . . . I hate dressing up,” I muttered, pouting.“What happened to that dress you wore when we met?” Erik asked, crossing his arms. “I burned it,” I said bluntly. He blinked, both eyebrows travelling to his hairline. “You . . . burned your dress? Why?” I shrugged, avoiding his gaze. “Dressing myself up like some kind of doll makes me feel like everyone’s itching to snatch me up and eat me alive.” I crossed my arms, shuddering. “I feel vulnerable, weak.”I didn’t notice Erik took hold of my arms until he was standing me up and lifting my chin to look at him. “You are a beautiful young lady,” he told me, eyes boring into mine. “Wear it like armor. You are untouchable, and so much stronger than you know.” I felt a tear trail down my cheek, and he gently brushed it away. “You’ve survived so much, at such a young age. You’ve surpassed impossible odds, most would have given up by now, yet you still are trying to finish this quest, despite the circumstances against you.”I swallowed lightly, and I nodded mutely, realizing that he was right, and I told him such. “Thank you,” I whispered, a humorless smirk gracing my lips as I scrubbed my eyes. “I’m sorry, I’m just being silly,” I muttered, shaking my head. Erik frowned, and gave me a light shake. “There is nothing silly about you,” he said. “Remember, you’re a hellion. You can do anything you wish to, and no one can make you feel less than what you truly are . . . magnificent.”I smiled at his words, feeling a warmth seep through my body at his adamant words. “Of course, Erik.” Without a thought, I stood on my toes and kissed his cheek before stepping back. “I should put on some proper clothing and dress to go out,” I said, grabbing a heavier cotton dress. “If I could walk by a shop with dresses on display, I might be able to recreate my clothing into something proper for tonight. I’ll do the same for your suit as well,” I offered, giving him a quick smile before scurrying around him.Erik seemed slightly dazed, eyes following me as I moved to the bathroom, and I cocked a brow. “What is it?” I asked him. “Erik?” he shook his head at his name, attention back in focus. “Nothing. We’ll discuss a plan as you ‘window shop’ for tonight.”I chuckled at his pun before shutting the door to the bathroom, quickly changing for the afternoon.
**************************************************
“Are you ready yet?” I heard Erik’s exasperated voice. “We’re going to be late.” I rolled my eyes before I finished applying some to my lips, giving myself a final glance in the mirror, satisfied with my appearance. “Alright, impatient ass,” I called, opening the door and strutting out.“Finally, now let’s—” his voice cut out quickly, and his eyes widened as he took in my form. I twisted my fingers together nervously, wishing I could bite my lips but feared smearing the lip paint. “Well, what do you think?” I asked.The dress I chose to alter my regular dress into was a long, shimmering copper piece, off the shoulder. The top half of my bodice was black with glittering sequined patterns, as well as the material that flared out at the hips. I chose to wear my long ginger hair up in a quaint half-upsweep, emphasizing my long neck, which adorned a simple diamond broach, smooth and cold against my flesh. The earrings were matching dangles, which swung gently whenever I turned my head.The heels were simple and black, but they helped make me taller than what I was normally, bringing me up to about Erik’s chin. I’d altered my face as well as my dress, so I looked to be roughly mid-twenties, as I was last night when I met Van Burren.Erik swallowed, eyes trailing over the dress and back up to my face, before he seemed to remember himself. “Yes, you look . . .” he cleared his throat. “Quite lovely tonight,” he finished. I couldn’t stop the blush that reached my cheeks, and ducked my head, smiling when I felt my heart warm at his words. “I kind of wish I thought to do this the first time we met,” I said, laughing a little. “Would have saved me a pretty penny.”Erik nodded distractedly before he shook his head, as if clearing his thoughts. He fiddled with the cuffs of his jacket that matched my dress for a moment. “We should hurry,” he said, motioning for me to head out the door. I grabbed the small clutch that I actually paid for, and walked out, Erik trailing after me.The ride there was mostly silent, Erik lost in his own thoughts. I myself was nervous about dinner and forced out a breath a little unsteadily. Erik glanced at me, and he took my hand in his, squeezing lightly. “Hey,” he said, shooting me a quick smile. “We’re going to be alright. We greet Van Burren, sit down to dinner, chat, and get him alone so we can question him.”Erik had been the one that wanted to just pin him to the wall and demand the logs, but I had convinced him that it would be better to play the loving couple enjoying their host’s company before we unleashed hell on him. I was worried there would be casualties at the dinner party if we went Erik’s route, and I really didn’t want to get stabbed again.I squeezed his hand back and shot him a smile. “Just nervous,” I said, and took another steadying breath. “We can do this.” Erik released my hand, patting it gently before he turned into the driveway leading up to a massive house. A valet was waiting for us, and Erik tucked my arm into the crook of his elbow as he guided me up the steps of the home of Johnathan Van Burren.The party seemed overtly extravagant, and there was quite a number of people there that seemed far too high-class for my taste. ‘Van Burren certainly has no problems flashing his money around,’ I thought disgustedly, while I kept a polite smile on my face.He had greeted us warmly, placing a kiss upon the back of my hand and shaking Erik’s before he introduced us to some of the people he rubbed elbows with. Our cover story was set: he was playing a wealthy heir to a private shipping firm, and I was his doting fiancée, a socialite from America that’s finished private school in Paris.Dinner went off without a hitch, Van Burren insisting we sit by his side. I mostly kept quiet, listening to the conversations as they flowed around us. ‘Erik is certainly quite the incredible liar,’ I realized, fascinated at his ability to weave tales as if he really was one of these people.Afterwards was a different story. Von Burren clapped his hands once for music, and couples began to pair off to dance. I blinked, a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach as I realized that I didn’t actually know how to dance. A gentleman had offered his hand for a turn around the room, and I stalled, unsure how to answer. As if by some divine nature heard my evasive attempts at escaping the waltz, Erik appeared at my side. Erik must’ve sensed my nervousness, because he took my hand gently and kissed my knuckles.“Von Burren has offered us a tour of his home, my dear,” he said smoothly, tucking my hand in his elbow once more. The gentleman nodded his head at the clear dismissal and left to seek out a different partner. “Thanks,” I whispered, squeezing the crook of his elbow gently. He glanced at me, his lip twitching as he gave me a wink. “As if I would leave you completely at the mercy of these people,” he murmured back, leaning over to whisper in my ear.I bit back a snort, and quickly pasted a smile over my face as Von Burren strode over. I swore I could feel his eyes boring through my dress, and suppressed a shudder, just wanting to get through this and away from the weasel. “The gardens are quite beautiful this time of year,” he boasted, sending me a smile as he offered his arm to me.I smiled at Von Burren, and transferred my grip over to him, keeping pace while Erik walked two paces behind, his hands clasped behind his back. “You have quite a lovely home, Mister Von Burren,” I gushed to him, and he chuckled. “Please, call me Johnathan,” he stated, patting my hand. “I understand you and Mister Lehnsherr have not been engaged long?” he inquired.I gave a slight giggle, blushing and lowering my gaze to my feet as we passed the French doors and into the garden. “Yes, Erik proposed at the beginning of the summer,” I lied, spinning the tale quickly. “It was so romantic, a candlelit dinner overlooking the Eiffel Tower, red wine . . .” I trailed off and sighed as if I were some airheaded ninny.Von Burren laughed, his hand coming to rest upon the one in his elbow. “It sounds like a wonderful night,” he agreed, glancing at Erik. “Have you any plans for your upcoming wedding, Lehnsherr?” he asked. Erik gave a slight smirk but shook his head. “I would love to give my Lucille the world, but . . .” he sighed, shaking his head a bit. “It appears my father is not the caring figure he would portray. He has made incredible demands upon me as far as finances go.”I bit my lip and glanced down, pouting. “Erik’s father doesn’t exactly favor my family’s recent rise in status,” I explained. I glanced at Erik, hoping he would help me carry on this charade. He stepped up and placed his arm around my shoulder, causing Von Burren to release my hand from his grip. “According to rumors, Lucille’s father made his fortune during the rise of Hitler’s power, long before my fiancée was born . . . though supposedly he had flipped over to the Allied side in exchange for immunity and legalization as an American immigrant.”Von Burren blinked in surprise, raising a brow. “Oh?” he questioned. “And . . . you believe these rumors?” I shared a look with Erik before I popped open my clutch, Carefully, I held it out to him. I had slipped a small pebble into my purse earlier and altered it to look like real Nazi gold. Erik had shown me a picture of what it looked like earlier that afternoon, so it would be as real as possible. “This was in my father’s study,” I told him softly. “I was hoping that perhaps if I had found the right person, I could exchange it for something that was legal tender.”I watched Von Burren’s face as it flashed with shock, then greed before smoothing over into a blank mask. “Perhaps we could discuss this further in my study, once the party is over?” he negotiated, glancing at Erik. Erik nodded once and shook Von Burren’s hand. “We shall await your answer, then,” he agreed. I flashed Von Burren a smile, and linked arms with Erik as we returned to the party.“Well, this is certainly easier than I thought it would be,” I whispered to Erik, smiling politely as we passed various guests. “Agreed, though I hate to say it, we will begin to look suspicious if we don’t at least dance a turn around the room,” he whispered in my ear, and I whipped my head around to stare at him, wide-eyed.“Erik, I-I don’t know how—” he cut me off with a chuckle. “Just stand on my feet, and I will do the rest,” he whispered, taking position as a new waltz began. “You’re incredibly light, it won’t be noticeable.” At the look I shot him, he shot me a charming smile. “I won’t let you fall.”I took a breath and let I out slowly, resting one hand on his shoulder and holding his hand with the other. Carefully, I stood on his feet, and true to his word, not once did he stumble, or misstep as he spun us around the room. Slowly, I began to relax, and enjoyed the waltz. “Perhaps next time, I should actually learn,” I murmured, and Erik laughed. It was a joyful sound, and I realized that I wanted to hear it again. It lit up his face, making him seem years younger, pain-free, and I couldn’t help but laugh with him.When the waltz ended, we all clapped, and I subtly stepped down from Erik’s toes. “You sure I didn’t break them?” I asked him, smiling as he bowed over my hand and gave it a light kiss. My palm warmed in his embrace, and I blushed lightly. “All toes accounted for,” he winked. I gave as much of a ladylike snort as possible.Fortunately, the party wound down after another hour. I had declined a few invitations to dance, but I did encourage Erik to dance with a few of the ladies. The look he shot me every time he passed me promised retribution, but I would just smile and give him a little wave with every turn.As guests were beginning to leave, Von Burren found me standing near a potted plant, and he placed a hand on my lower back. I stiffened slightly but gave him a polite nod. “Mister Von Burren,” I greeted. He gave me a light pat as he nodded to some of the guests as they made their way to their vehicles. “IF you and Mister Lehnsherr would follow the hallway to the last door on the left, I shall join both of you shortly,” he murmured. I nodded, and he headed over to speak with one of the guests by the door, jovial once more.I caught Erik’s eye, and made a subtle motion with my head in the direction we needed to be. He gave a minute nod in return, and we headed for the study. We didn’t have long to wait, as Von Burren stepped in and locked the door behind him. “Forgive me,” he stated, setting the key on the end table next to the door. “I’d prefer we not be interrupted for this meeting. I’m sure you can understand?”Erik nodded, and once Von Burren was seated, we both sat across from him. “Now, what exactly can I do for you?” he asked Erik, cocking his head in query. Erik crossed one led over the other and rested his folded hands over his knee, the picture of nonchalance. “We believe you might have a record of those that deal in Nazi gold,” he stated bluntly, a charming smile on his face.Von Burren paled, mouth falling open in shock. “A-and what make you think that I would have such a thing?” he played dumb. Erik turned to glance at me, eyebrow cocked, and I sighed, rolling my eyes. I let the alteration I made to my face drop, revealing my true, fourteen-year-old face, and winked at Von Burren’s dumfounded expression. He sat back in a panic, scrambling to get away, but I snapped my fingers.Instantly, the arms of his chair began to warp and wrap themselves around his forearms, pinning him in place. He cried out in alarm, but His tie wrapped itself around his mouth, cutting off his shout. “Now, Mister Von Burren,” Erik said, standing slowly and coming around the desk to lean closer to our captive. I stepped around and brushed Von Burren’s hair back gently, smirking. “Where is this log you keep?”Von Burren’s eyes darted between us, sweat beading on his forehead. “I will remove the gag,” I said with false kindness. “But if you attempt to call for help, I will make your brain explode inside your skull, with just a touch.” I honestly hoped it wouldn’t come to that, I loathed killing unless necessary, but he didn’t know that.Von Burren whimpered, and nodded his head frantically. Suddenly, the smell of urine filled the air, and I glanced down in disgust. “oh, honestly, you’ve committed all kinds of atrocities, and you’re pissing yourself over a little girl?” I asked rhetorically, lightly slapping his head. Von Burren yelped like I burned him, and Erik tsked at my words. “Do remember, you are quite terrifying when you choose to be,” he told me, and I shrugged, undoing Von Burren’s gag. “The log?” Erik repeated himself, tone cold.“In-in the safe,” Von Burren stammered. “Behi-hind the painting! Please, don’t kill me,” he begged. “I was just following orders!” Erik’s eyes turned flinty, and he reached out to punch Von Burren’s face, causing the man to cry out in pain. I flinched at the sound of bone crunching and had to actually turn my head when blood began to pour out of Von Burren’s nose.Erik shot me a glance. “You freely told me before that you’ve killed people in much more gruesome manners than what can be imagined by most, yet a little blood makes you flinch?” he asked, mildly surprised. I rolled my eyes and headed over to the painting Von Burren spoke of, tearing off the wall. “I don’t take pleasure in it,” I replied tonelessly.The safe was a simple combination, and I turned to Erik, gesturing for him. “This is your specialty,” I said, smirking a little. Erik huffed a slight laugh, and raised a hand to the safe, concentrating. The handle rattled, before the whole door flew free, landing in a crumpled heap on the floor. I reached in and pulled out stacks of money, a few gold pieces, and a giant stack of papers. I flipped through it quickly, cocking a brow. “It’s all here,” I said to Erik, excitement coloring my voice. “Names, dates, locations . . . though the locations may not be the most reliable places, it’s a step closer!”Erik smirked at my words. “Anything on Shaw?” I flipped through it and growled in frustration. “Nothing, no Shaw, no Schmidt, he’s not in this!” I snapped it closed and glared at Von Burren. “Any of those names ring a bell?” I demanded to know.Von Burren licked his lips and spat out blood. “Yes, but he was using another party to make his purchases,” he said shakily, eyeing Erik before he glanced back at me. “Marco Giovanni,” he said. “He made purchases on his behalf, transactions, meeting arrangements with banking, he-he’s the one who would know where to find him!” I flipped through the log once more and found the name. “Seems legitimate,” I told him. “I’ve got a location . . . Seems like the Italian is hiding in Stockholm, Sweden.” I glanced at Erik. “It might be worth looking into.”Erik gave a curt nod, before he patted Von Burren’s shoulder. “If you tell anyone about this meeting . . . or try to warn anyone . . .” He leaned in closer, and gave him a sinister grin, all teeth and cold eyes. “We will return for you . . . and you won’t enjoy it.”Von Burren whimpered, and fainted in his seat, head flopping to the side. I shook my head in disgust. “What a slimy little weasel,” I muttered. Erik shrugged, and straightened up. “We should leave,” he said, motioning for me to follow. I scooped everything up, and grabbed my clutch, altering it into a briefcase before dumping everything into it. Erik grabbed it and hurried out the door, with me hot on his heels. “We’ll return to the hotel and collect our things,” Erik continued, taking one of my hands and as we made our way through the house. “It would be best if we left Vienna tonight, just in case any police are sent after us.”I bit my lip as I slid into the passenger’s seat of the car. “You think he’ll be that dumb?” I asked. Erik shrugged, and pulled out of the driveway. “Doubtful, but better safe than sorry,” he replied, eyes on the road. The drive back was silent, and during that time, the alterations wore off, leaving me in a simple white dress and shoes, while Erik’s clothing resumed their former state of blue jeans and sweater.We arrived at the hotel, and made quick work retrieving our clothing and maps, making sure nothing was left behind. Erik made a simple lie about a family emergency forcing us to cancel the rest of our stay with the front desk, and we were soon back on the road, leaving the city of Vienna behind us.The drive was mostly silent, Erik keeping his eyes glued to the road as I thought about the day’s events. I gave a soft smile and glanced at Erik. “You know,” I said softly. “As glad as I am that we’ve gotten this far . . . I had more fun tonight than what I thought I would.” Erik glanced at me, and I could see his lip twitch. “Tonight, was pretty eventful,” he stated, and I rolled my eyes, laughing. “Just admit you had fun, instead of being a stuffy grouch,” I teased.Erik huffed, but his little smirk grew. “Alright, yes . . . I did have fun.” I clapped, proud of myself for getting him to admit it. “But you will have to learn to dance, should we need to infiltrate another party,” he pointed out, and I pouted. “Really?” I whined, leaning back in my seat. Erik chuckled. “Get over it,” he said. “You pointed out that you should learn.”“Will we actually have time?” I wondered. “We need to start by finding a way to Stockholm, then figure out how to get to Giovanni.” I huffed, annoyed. “So many people to go through . . . why can’t the bastard screw up and make it easy to find him?” I whined a little.Erik’s hands tightened on the wheel. “We’ll find him, Elise,” he promised. “And when we do, it’ll be over before we know it.” I nodded my head, steeling my resolve as I watched the darkened scenery pass us by. “First things first, though,” I said. “Get into Stockholm.” Erik glanced at me, cocking a brow. “Have you ever been on a plane?” he asked, smirking. I shuddered at his smirk. "From America to Germany, but I was quite young, and I recall clutching Mama's hand the whole flight. Why?"
"How else do you think we'll get there?" I gave a groan, as Erik gave an unsympathetic chuckle. "Somehow, I doubt I'll enjoy this," I muttered.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Stockholm, Sweden

February 17th, 1959

I wandered the streets aimlessly, taking in the sights with a wistful smile. ‘Happy Birthday to me,’ I thought somewhat bitterly. After a few weeks of travelling by car, then train, we flew over to Malmo, Sweden, before we ambled our way through the countryside to the capital. I was right, I hated flying. Erik thought it was quite amusing, until I gripped his hand nearly to the point of breaking it.The rest of the flight, he held my hand and brushed his thumb soothingly over the back of it, speaking a little of his childhood before Auschwitz. This helped calm me down, and before I knew it, we had touched down in Malmo. Erik didn’t let go of my hand until we needed to get into the cab that took us to a hotel for the night, but I didn’t mind. I still felt butterflies in my stomach as I thought of it, before I shook my head, pulling my jacket tighter around me in the frigid air.The colder climes were a bit harsher than I expected, but fortunately, I didn’t catch sick. Erik, however, managed to come down with a mild bout of pneumonia. ‘I told him he needed a warmer jacket than a damned leather one,’ I sighed, shaking my head at the memory. It had slowed our traveling by a month, much to his irritation. Still, he didn’t put up much of a fight when I finally forced him to see a doctor, whom ordered Erik to bedrest for several weeks until he was fit for travel.I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy playing nurse during that time. The only reason Erik was allowed out of bed was to use the washroom or to bathe, and even then, I sat on the other-side of the door or the curtain to ensure he didn’t slip or hurt himself. He seemed pretty annoyed at having to hang onto me as his legs tried to collapse underneath him, but I told him to stuff his protests up his ass, and he shut up about it.Once he was much better, and able to actually stand without falling over at the first stiff breeze, we continued on our journey. We’d been in Stockholm for two months now, with no sign of Marco Giovanni. The man seemed to be a ghost, preferring to work in the shadows like some little puppeteer. Hopefully, we’d be able to find something on him, or at least someone who knows him and where to find him. Erik and I decided to explore different parts of the city separately, hoping that maybe one of us would turn something up.I’d spent the entire morning and most of the afternoon looking, and was growing frustrated before I decided to head to the meeting place Erik and I agreed upon. I gave a slight grunt of surprise when I bumped into someone, and quickly uttered an apology, embarrassed. “I’m so sorry, I wasn’t paying . . .” I trailed off as I glanced at the tall boy I ran into and blinked. “At-attention,” I whispered the rest, feeling a blush heat my cheeks.The boy gave a chuckle and shook his head. “It’s quite alright,” he replied, holding up his hands in a placating manner. “I was in a rush as well. Bill Olin,” he greeted, sticking out a hand. He was an attractive boy, with short, sandy-brown hair, slight dimple in his cheek when he smiled, a bit of scruff on his chin, and warm brown eyes. I took his hand and smiled. “Elise,” I answered, giving him my real name.“Elise? A pretty name for a pretty girl,” Bill said, giving me a slight wink. I felt my cheeks heat further and couldn’t help the giggle that escaped at the compliment. Normally, such things would make me feel uncomfortable, so I was unsure just why I felt like a silly little girl. “You’re English, right?” he inquired, his accent heavy. I gave a slight shrug. “American-English,” I replied. “I’m here on holiday.” He gave a slight nod. “I see.”“Well, Bill, I am sorry for bumping into you,” I told him, releasing his hand. “It’s quite alright. I’m on my way to meet some friends of mine at the theater . . . would you like to join us?” he offered tentatively. “Unless you’ve got plans . . .”I smiled at him, making up my mind. “I’d love to,” I told him sincerely. He grinned widely and offered me his arm. “Shall we, my lady?” he said charmingly, and I laughed, taking his arm and following him down the street. I felt butterflies in my stomach and thought briefly on what I should be doing. ‘It’s been months of fruitless searching, it’s my birthday, and I want to have some fun,’ I decided. ‘One afternoon to celebrate. I’ll meet up with Erik later to continue the search later.’
***
I laughed as Bill finished telling his joke, and leaned against him, Bill’s arm slung around my waist as we strolled down the street. The film was entertaining, even though I didn’t understand most of what was being said. Bill and his friends were quite welcoming, and it felt nice to be around someone my own age. Bill was a bit older, about sixteen, from what I understood. His friends were the same ages and made me feel welcome among them when we met.They didn’t speak English, but Bill translated for me, so we seemed to get along otherwise. The topic of my birthday had come up, and Bill insisted on paying for my ticket to the film, claiming it a present. Afterward, we’d walked the streets, Bill and his friends pointing out famous buildings and landmarks as we passed them. I didn’t tell them that I’d been in town for a while now, but let them show off their home, just wanting to feel normal for a bit.I held my hand over my eyes as I glanced at the darkening sky and groaned. “I’m going to have to head back soon,” I said regretfully, shooting the group an apologetic smile. Bill frowned good naturedly and shrugged. “Perhaps we could persuade you to join us for dinner?” he offered. “We were planning on stopping by a little diner nearby, they’ve got the best pastries in Sweden. They can make a cupcake for you to really celebrate your birthday.”I smiled at the thought, but shook my head, knowing that I couldn’t keep Erik waiting any longer. “As wonderful as that sounds, I’ve got someone waiting for me,” I told him. Bill waved his friends off, speaking in Swedish. They laughed playfully and waved at me before they headed down the sidewalk, calling out goodbyes. I waved to them, giving a slight smile, before I pulled my jacket a little tighter around me.“I had a really good time,” I told Bill, looking up at him. He gave me a soft smile and stepped closer. “I did as well,” he said, voice low. “Happy Birthday, Elise,” he whispered, hugging me. I stiffened slightly before I smiled and returned the hug. I leaned back, but Bill tightened his hold slightly, eyes watching my face as he leaned closer.“Where the hell have you been?!” Erik’s voice rang out through the street. Bill and I sprang apart as if scalded by hot water, and I whirled around to see Erik’s form as he stalked towards us. I realized just then that we had made it to the meeting spot, and I was several hours late. Erik’s hands were clenched at his sides, and I could see the muscle in his jaw tick the closer he came. His eyes were flinty, and I felt my stomach drop in dread. ‘Oh, great,’ I thought to myself a bit irritably. ‘I’m in trouble now.’“Erik,” I greeted cheerfully. “This is Bill Olin. He and his friends were nice enough to give me a tour of Stockholm,” I explained. Bill gave a little half-hearted wave, his nervous smile falling as Erik cast his murderous gaze at him. Erik gave him a once-over, narrowing his eyes. “How nice of him,” he sniffed a little disdainfully, and I frowned, punching his arm lightly. “Erik,” I warned. “Stop it.” I shot Bill an apologetic smile, mouthing the word ‘sorry.’“I’ve, uh, I’ve got to go,” Bill stammered, backing up. “I’ll see you later, perhaps, Elise?” he asked me, and I smiled at him, opening my mouth to answer before Erik cut me off. “Doubtfully,” he replied coldly. “Run along now, boy.” Bill turned and fled down the street, not looking back. I scoffed in disbelief and disappointment, turning to Erik with a frown. “What the fuck was that?” I said angrily, crossing my arms. Erik stepped closer, and I glared up at him. I’d had another growth spurt, and my head barely came to his Adam’s apple.“What the fuck was that?” he countered, jabbing a finger angrily in the direction Bill ran. “You were supposed to be looking for someone, and instead you spend your time wandering the streets with some hooligan?” I frowned in annoyance, huffing a breath. “Bill is not some hooligan,” I snapped. “He’s a friend, and he and his friends were just being nice.”“Oh, sure, he seemed rather nice before I interrupted,” Erik muttered under his breath, and I shot him a look. “And what is that supposed to mean?” I questioned, cocking a brow. “Did . . . did you seriously not see how he was looking at you?” Erik asked dumbfounded.I gave a slight shrug. “He was probably going to kiss me, so what?” I said nonchalantly, turning on my heel and walking away from him. “You were going to let him kiss you? A complete and total stranger that you’ve just met?! Anything could have happened to you, Elise, and you’re acting like a spoiled brat about it!” Erik’s voice was starting to rise, and I sucked in a breath at his words, narrowing my eyes at him.“You can yell at me in private,” I muttered lowly, realizing we were starting to cause a scene as people slowed down and watched us. I couldn’t resist sending him another jab, though. “But . . . yes, I probably would have given him my first kiss, if you hadn’t interrupted like some jealous asshat!” I walked faster when he froze in place, shock on his face. When he called me, I ignored him and walked faster, tears starting to blur my vision.I nearly made it back to our hotel room when I heard Erik storming up behind me. I took the key out of my pocket shakily and unlocked the door quickly, trying to shut the door before Erik reached me. His hand caught the door and I sped forward towards the bathroom, flinching when I heard the door to the room slam shut behind him.“We’re not done with this conversation, Elise,” he growled, and I whirled around to face him, anger contorting my features. “Erik! Not now,” I snapped, feeling tears trail down my cheeks in anger and humiliation. Erik stopped short, brows furrowed. He opened his mouth to argue once more, and I let out a growl of frustration, reaching up with one hand to grab my scalp in irritation and holding the other up to stop any words that he was about to speak.“I’ve stopped celebrating my birthday since I was eight,” I growled slowly. “And Bill and his friends were kind enough to try to make the best of it for me, give me some good memories instead of painful ones . . . So, I apologize that I decided to take an afternoon for myself. You’ve come along and ruined the one time I wanted to be normal because of your antics! So, thank you for that, I truly appreciate that.”“I . . . didn’t realize it was your birthday,” he said softly, his eyes taking on a pitying shade, and I rolled my eyes, feeling my anger flare once more. “I don’t really have a good reason to enjoy this time of year,” I said flatly. “Why would I want to enjoy it when my parents were killed three days later?” With that, I stormed into the bathroom and slammed the door shut, locking it firmly behind me and sank to the floor. I pulled my knees up to my chest, and rested my forehead on them, hugging my legs close and closing my eyes as I tried to even out my rapid heartrate and stop my tears. ‘You’re a stupid asshat,” I thought bitterly. ‘And I’m an oversensitive bitch. . . Happy fucking birthday to me.’
***
I stayed in the bathroom for what felt like hours, too angry and embarrassed with myself for my emotional outburst. It was the first time Erik and I had really argued since we started this partnership, and I wasn’t sure how to face him. I sighed, shaking my head. ‘Might as well bite the bullet,’ I thought dully. ‘If anything, I’ll pretend nothing happened. Just ignore this day like usual.’ I stood, biting back a groan from sitting in the same position for hours on end.I unlocked the door as quietly as I could, wiping the tear stains from my face as best as I could. I frowned when I saw the lights were off, before I caught sight of flickering candles out the corner of my eye. I blinked in surprise, and saw a table set for two, Erik seated in front of a plate of food. “I thought you might be hungry,” he said softly, gesturing to the table.I stepped forward carefully, unsure what to make of the situation. “Sit, please,” he said, standing to pull out the other chair for me. I sat gingerly, and he pushed in the chair before retaking his seat. “The food is still warm,” he told me, taking a bite from his plate. “Please, eat. It’s quite good.” I took a bite, chewing slowly. He was right, it was still warm, and quite good.“Thank you,” I said softly after we’d eaten in silence. Erik’s lips twitched slightly, and he sighed. “I owe you an apology,” he started. “I acted harshly out of concern for you, and I acted like a . . .” he trailed off, unable to convey himself for a moment, and I gave a slight smirk. “Like an Asshat?” I offered, and he snorted, nodding his head. “Yes, like an Asshat.”I sighed, glancing down at my lap where my hands were clenched. “I’m sorry too,” I whispered. “I acted like a brat, and—” Erik cut me off. “No, you don’t need to apologize, Elise,” he said gently. “You should have a day for yourself, especially your birthday.” I looked up through my lashes when he stood from the table and watched him head over to the small radio in the corner of the room.He fiddled with the dials for a moment, before a soft ballad came through the speakers. He returned to the table, and stopped in front of me, offering a hand. “I did promise to teach you to dance,” he told me, giving me a slight wink. I blinked at his hand, before I took it, allowing him to lead me from my chair to the middle of the room.Carefully, he held me close for a waltz, guiding me through the steps. He never once commented if I stepped on his toes, just helped me readjust my stance as we swayed around the room. I felt goosebumps as he held me close, the butterflies returning to my stomach as I gazed up at him, smiling genuinely at him. When the waltz ended, I gave a startled yelp when Erik dipped me low to the ground, and he chuckled, eyes seemingly dancing with mirth.When we straightened, I hugged him tightly on impulse, taking a deep breath and letting it out with a sigh. Erik’s arms wrapped around me to return the hug, and we stayed like that for a moment, my head on his shoulder. I felt one of Erik’s hands reach up and gently take my chin, tilting my face up to him.I blinked, staring up into his blue-grey eyes that always fascinated me, and gave him a slight smile. “thank you,” I whispered. Erik gave me a gentle, genuine smile, eyes searching my face. After a moment, he slowly leaned his face closer, and tentatively lowered his lips to mine. I closed my eyes, unable to meet his gaze. Gently, Erik’s mouth brushed over mine, before once, twice, before applying more pressure.It seemed as if time stopped, centering on this one moment between the two of us. But eventually, time came back into play, and Erik lifted his head. I opened my eyes to watch him, and lifted my fingers to my lips, smiling faintly. The butterflies had returned full force when Erik returned the smile, giving me a gentle squeeze. “Happy Birthday, Elise.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Outskirts of Stockholm, Sweden

Late July 1959

I panted for breath as I dragged Erik along with me, his arm slung over my good shoulder while the rest of his body hung limply. “C’mon, don’t you die on me,” I groaned, the shrapnel lodged in the front of my right shoulder and my swollen ankle doing nothing but hindering my movements. Erik moaned in pain, but he clung to me, his head lolling on his shoulder as he fought to keep his eyes open. I flung a hand out and the door to the shack swung open quietly, the candles lighting themselves to reveal the dingy kitchen we’d cleaned beforehand in case of an emergency.“Stay awake! Erik, you’ve got to stay awake!” I ordered, finally reaching the sturdy table. “Up you get,” I grunted, heaving him onto the table with difficulty. Erik gave a sharp cry as he unceremoniously flopped onto the table, and he squinted at me, blood flowing from his temple. “Your bedside manners are terrible,” he croaked hoarsely, lips twitching with mild amusement.I rolled my eyes and quickly scoured the cupboards for anything to help stop the bleeding. I gave a triumphant shout when I found what I needed, before I glared at Erik when he huffed a slight laugh. “You can complain about my not-so-gentle care when you’re healed,” I snapped, limping back to him. My fingers shook as I grabbed disinfectant and a clean rag before I dabbed at his head gently. Erik’s eyes closed, and his body fell limp. I froze before I placed a hand on his pulse, fearing the worst. After a moment, I found the faint beat I was hoping for.‘There, but faint,’ I thought quickly, giving a sigh of relief. I worked quickly, ignoring the way the blood seemed to seep through the rag and dampen my fingers, before I quickly opened his shirt to assess further damage. I took a sharp breath when I saw the masses of bruises that littered his torso, and gently ran my hands over him, checking to see if there was internal bleeding. So far, nothing seemed life-threatening, and I moved on in my inspection. I carefully stripped him of his clothing save for his underwear and checked to make sure there was nothing else broken. I blushed as I did so, keeping my gaze averted away from his nether regions before I cleared my throat and grabbed a sheet to cover him. Fortune seemed to smile on us, because other than a broken rib, the cut on his head and some deep tissue bruising across his body, Erik would be okay. I headed over to the closet and grabbed a pillow before sliding it gently under his head.I shook my head and winced as my head ached, and I headed over to the cracked mirror to see how badly I was hurt. I sucked in a breath and gave a pained groan when I realized that my face looked like it had been bounced of a cement walkway repeatedly. Swollen eye, busted lip, cuts and scrapes scattered across my forehead and cheeks, and my nose had been broken, but thankfully it snapped back in place shortly after it happened, leaving behind deep coloring where the bruising set in. My leg was heavily bruised, and my ankle was swollen, but thankfully not broken. ‘We’re alive, at least,’ I thought, and I swallowed hard, thanking our lucky stars that it wasn’t worse.I carefully stripped out of my ripped clothing and tossed them to the floor; nothing was salvageable anyways. Erik had taken the brunt of everything, but I still carried some damage from the evening. Grabbing a rag with a shaking hand, I stuffed it into my mouth before I took a deep breath and dug my fingers into my shoulder. I screamed into the rag, tears leaking from my eyes as I found the sliver of wood that was causing me such pain.I sucked in a quick breath through my nose, and carefully extracted it before I threw it onto the counter. I spat out the rag and gripped the counter tightly, panting for breath. I could feel my skin slowly knitting itself back together, and I shuddered at the feeling. Shakily, I grabbed another sheet and wrapped it around myself before I stumbled over to a chair. Scooting it slowly, I moved it over to Erik’s prone form, and sank heavily into it, heaving a sigh.I cast my gaze over Erik once more, before I crossed my arms and leaned against the table, resting my forehead on my forearms. Slowly, I slid a hand out and sought Erik’s, squeezing his fingers gently with mine. ‘What a cluster-fuck this turned into,’ I thought, my lip curling in disgust as my thoughts swirled with the events that took place just hours prior that landed us in this mess.
***
Stockholm, Sweden

Earlier that morning

“So, let me get this straight. . .” I glanced up at Erik from the invitation in my hands. “We’ve gotten an invitation to meet with Giovanni, whom after months of staying out of our radar, decided we were worthy of his attention? Do I have that right?”“That’s right,” Erik replied, sitting back in his chair. I shook my head and dropped the missive next to the remains of my breakfast, pushing back my chair and standing. “Doesn’t make any sense,” I muttered, pacing back and forth. I bit my thumbnail as I thought, scowling. “We’ve been careful about our searching, our inquiries, and nothing, for so long. But then, this,” I jerked my head at the paper. “This just shows up this morning at the front desk for us out of nowhere!” I gave a frustrated sigh before I yelped when Erik grabbed my arm and sat me back on my seat.I shot him a mild glare, before cocking a brow at his slightly guilty expression. “Okay . . . what did you do?” I asked point blank. Erik’s hand retreated quickly, and he held up his hands. “I . . . may have announced us as potential buyers for illegal relics,” he said sheepishly. “Namely, Nazi Gold.”“Damnit Erik!” I threw my hands up before I slapped them back down on the tops of my thighs, leaning towards him in anger. “Do you realize how dangerous that is?” He opened his mouth to speak, but I overrode what he might’ve said. “The police could be barging in here any minute to arrest us as Nazi sympathizers, or we could be walking into a trap! What were you thinking?!”“Will you please calm down!” Erik barked, and I blinked in surprise at his sharp tone. Erik’s expression softened a fraction, and his tone was much more polite as he continued. “While you were making inquiries at the Nordiska Museet for anything that might be illegal or pertain to Giovanni, I was making acquaintances with friends that made mentions of someone who buys and sells Nazi Gold.” He took a breath, and let it out, rubbing his forehead in agitation. “It seems they took the bait, and this is the result.”I scowled lightly, but most of my anger and nerves dissipated. “I still think this is a bad idea,” I muttered. Erik narrowed his eyes, and leaned forward, the silverware rattling lightly in his anger. “You agreed to work together to find Shaw, and we need Giovanni in order to find him. Are you backing out now? Or are you angry that I did this without you?”I scoffed at Erik, and crossed my arms, fingers curling into fists. “Not at all,” I replied hotly. “You know I am just as committed to finding Shaw as you are, and yes, maybe I am a little angry that you did this and didn’t tell me.” I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose as I fought to keep my cool. “Erik, we need to be prepared for whatever might happen. Why would a man that’s basically been a ghost this whole time suddenly want to meet us after you’d practically painted a target over our heads in less than three days?”Erik sighed and sat back, the silverware ceasing their movements. “Perhaps you’re right and this is a trap,” he agreed after a moment, and I quirked at brow at his admission. He held up a finger at my look. “But I still think we should go. They don’t know what we can do, and if we can corner him, he can point us in the next direction we need to take.” He held out his hand to me, standing. “Are you with me on this?” he asked.I stared at his hand and back to his eyes for a long moment, before I sighed and took it. “I’m with you,” I muttered, my lips twitching. Erik smirked, and yanked me out of my seat. I yelped as I went flying into Erik’s arms, and he gave a short bark of laughter, hugging me to him. “We’ll be fine,” he whispered, rubbing his hands over my back soothingly. “We’ll get in, get out, and head to the cottage outside of the city before they can catch us.”I leaned my head against Erik’s shoulder, saying nothing as I returned the hug and nodded, my face on fire. Ever since he gave me my first kiss, Erik seemed more protective over me, and rarely let me out of sight for long unless we split up to search for Giovanni. I hadn’t seen Bill or his friends since that disastrous outing, and I turned down a few offers to spend the day with other boys or girls my own age on a few occasions.Only rarely did I ever indulge in my whims and go out—without Erik—just for pleasure. It always made Erik worried, and he never seemed to be thrilled with my choice to try to enjoy myself alone, but we had a long, hard talk about it. I was still fifteen, and while I, too, wished to find Giovanni and by extension Shaw, I needed to have these days where I could be a teenager. He agreed after a while, but it gave him some time to be an adult without me hanging onto him.Those days, he would return to the hotel room smelling of perfume and alcohol. I knew without him explaining—something he never did regardless—that he had spent his free time with a hooker . . . or more, I never asked. It shouldn’t have annoyed me as much as it did, and yet . . . I couldn’t stop feeling a smidgen of jealousy every time he came back with the scent of another woman on him.I realized that he was a man with needs, and most likely saw me as a kid sister at best, but I found myself having daydreams—fantasies, really—of Erik and I kissing, or holding each other as I’d seen lovers hold each other. Sometimes, I would have dreams at night that came across as rather explicit in nature and was quite fortunate that Erik and I had taken to sleeping in separate beds at night. Occasionally, Erik’s trips to see his ‘lady friends’ lasted well into the night, and every once in a while, I let my imagination wander, wondering if Erik would ever want to actually be with me in that sense.Erik released me from his embrace, and I quickly stepped back, taking a breath and nodding my head once. “Alright, when does he expect us to be there?” I asked him, choosing to focus on our upcoming excursion. Erik seemed to mull over some sort of plan in his head as he spoke. “Shortly before sundown, so perhaps we should be prepared to arrive around half past six?” he asked me, and I nodded, agreeing. “We’ll stick close together, hopefully he’ll be easy to get alone. If not . . .” he trailed off and shrugged.“Prepare to unleash hell upon his home?” I finished for him, quirking a slight smile. Erik gave me a slight nod in return and placed a hand on my shoulder. “I know you don’t enjoy killing, but you have to understand that if it comes to our lives or theirs, our lives come first and foremost. Understand?” he asked, squeezing my shoulder in a reassuring manner.I lowered my gaze, and nodded slowly, feeling a lump in my throat at the thought of having more blood on my hands. “I’ll. . . I’ll do what I need to when it comes to our survival,” I affirmed, looking back at Erik. His gaze softened, and he leaned in to kiss my forehead gently. “It’ll be fine,” he assured me before releasing my shoulder. “I’m going to see about buying a cheap car for tonight; we’ll need it for when we leave the city. Would you see about packing our belongings together?”I nodded my head, scurrying over to the bed and pulling out our suitcases from underneath. “We’ll be ready to go when you return,” I called over my shoulder, and heard the door shut behind him. I paused in my movements, the shirt I was folding in my hands hanging limply in my grasp. I closed my eyes and let out a deep sigh, before I resumed my work quickly and efficiently. ‘Don’t think about death,’ I coached myself. ‘It’s a necessary evil and will get us closer to Shaw. Hell, I may not have to kill anyone at all.’The next few hours were spent stocking up on emergency supplies and dropping them off at the run-down cottage we’d found when we’d first arrived in Stockholm. Well, cottage was a polite term for the rundown shack. It was outside the city, and only had a kitchen, and one bedroom. There was an outhouse out back, but neither Erik nor I had desired to see if it was functioning. It had been abandoned, and no one was close enough nearby to inquire about us trespassing, so we decided that if it ever came to it, we would use it for an emergency holding until we could get back to the main continent.Finally, it was time to meet Giovanni. I clutched my fingers together in my lap as Erik pulled up near the warehouse before he killed the engine. I could feel his gaze on me and felt him take my hands in one of his. It amused me to no end how tiny I was compared to him, and I glanced up at him, giving a nervous smile.“Just relax, Elise,” he whispered, giving my hands a gentle squeeze. “It’ll be over shortly, and we can continue on with our search.” I let out the breath I didn’t realize I was holding and nodded my head sharply. “Let’s get this over with,” I said quietly. “Before I panic and disintegrate the car.” Erik chuckled, and released my hands before he got out of the car. Ever the gentleman, he came around and opened my door for me and helped me out.I’d chosen to wear some trousers for this meeting, wanting to move quickly without having to worry about a flowing skirt that would hinder my movements. Taking my arm in his elbow, Erik led me quickly to the warehouse, and nodded a greeting to the guards posted outside. “We have a meeting with Giovanni,” he announced, reaching into his jacket and pulling out the missive.One of the stoic-faced guards took it with a slight frown and read it over before he nodded his head to his companion. The second guard nodded in return and opened the door for us. Erik strode forward, and I clung to his arm, glancing around at the inside of the building. I noticed several other guards stationed around the bare room, all with guns resting in their arms as they watched us enter. I frowned when I realized that it was empty save for a large oak desk in the center of the warehouse underneath flickering florescent lights. There were two chairs in front of the desk, as if he had been expecting more than Erik, which made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end in caution.Giovanni was seated behind it and he stood to greet us. “Ah, Monsignor Lehnsherr,” he greeted in heavily accented English. “How wonderful to meet you face to face.” He glanced at me with inquisitive eyes as we stood in front of the desk. “And who is this lovely young thing?” he asked, raking his eyes up and down my frame.I bit the inside of my cheek as I smiled politely at him. “Lucille Steinberg, Monsignor Giovanni,” I greeted, holding out my hand politely. He took it with a charming smile and kissed the back of my hand. He was an attractive man, I’d give him that. He was tall, and rather thin, with classical features of a born and bred Italian aristocrat. His dark eyes seemed to take in anything and everything, and I felt a shiver run through me as they trailed over me once more.“You are quite a beautiful lady,” he purred, releasing my hand before he gestured to the two chairs. “Though I am sure you hear this quite often.” I smiled coyly and ducked my head, forcing out a soft giggle. “Though never from someone of such high esteem,” I replied, glancing up at him.He smirked at me for a moment before he turned his attention back to Erik. “I am told that you are a collector of an illicit nature, correct?” he asked him, and Erik nodded his head once, keeping his posture nonchalant. “Indeed . . . and I was informed that perhaps you might have something I am looking for?”Giovanni smiled slowly, and chuckled. It was quiet at first, before it became louder and louder. The nerves I felt in my gut began to roil nearly uncontrollably, and I saw the guards out the corner of my eye tense up, their fingers resting on the trigger of their guns.“Oh, you are quite good, if inexperienced,” Giovanni wheezed out after a moment, wiping away an imaginary tear. “The police really should have sent someone with more experience . . . and bringing in a woman at that!” He shook his head in mock dismay.Erik frowned, sitting straight in his seat. “Police?” he inquired, a confused smile on his face. “We have nothing to do with the police.” Giovanni tutted, shaking a finger at us as if we were naughty children. “Ah, but I know you are not a real buyer. If you are not a policeman, then you are one of their little rats sniffing around where they shouldn’t be. And I despise rats, horrendously so.”He held up a hand, and I stood quickly, realizing that this was, indeed, a trap, though not one that we imagined. In his hand was a bomb, and it was armed. I yelped in surprise when I felt rough hands force me back against my chair and heard Erik grunt as he was struck in the side of the head, slumping forward in a daze.“We’re not police, I swear!” I cried out pleadingly, and screamed in pain when I felt a fist crash into my face, my nose breaking on impact. “It matters not,” Giovanni said as if he were without a care in the world. “I’m not a fool, and I will not tolerate having people nosing their way around my operations.” I felt my face get struck repeatedly, feeling a ring cut my cheek, and I grit my teeth in anger.“No, wait!” I cried, struggling in my chair. I saw Giovanni hold up his free hand in an impatient manner, and the guards held back from beating Erik and I for a moment. “You’re right, we are not who we said we were,” I croaked out, licking my lips clear of blood. I glanced at Erik, and he gave me a subtle nod.Turning back to Giovanni, I continued speaking. “We are looking for Sebastian Shaw . . . you may know him as Klaus Schmidt. Rumor has it that you might know where to find him . . . or have the funds to do so.”Giovanni scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Never heard of either name,” he dismissed, and I felt rage boil through me. “You lie,” I whispered lowly, and Giovanni froze, turning back to face me. Erik gave a chuckle. “Now you’ve pissed her off,” he commented. Giovanni turned to glance at Erik and laughed derisively. “Oh? And what is the little slut going to do?” he inquired snidely.I narrowed my eyes, and flung my arms outward, sending the two guards that held me flying in different directions. They crashed into the opposite walls with sickening crunches, and I kicked my chair back quickly before I turned a quick eye to the guards that held Erik.Their bodies seized up before their intestines ruptured from their bellies, their eyes and ears leaking blood as they slumped to the floor. Erik quickly threw out his hands, and the guns flew from the guards’ hands, cocking and pointing at their owners. The guards shouted in shock and fear, freezing in place to avoid being shot.It all happened in seconds, Giovanni unable to react, hand frozen on the bomb as his face paled. “Who . . . what the fuck are you?!” he yelped, scrambling backwards as fast as he could. I kicked the desk over with ease and grabbed my chair and flung it forward. It shot forward to become a steel bear trap, clamping around Giovanni’s leg. The man shrieked in pain, collapsing to the ground. “Demons from your worst nightmares,” Erik growled out.“Now . . .” I continued sweetly. “Where is Klaus Schmidt?” Giovanni whimpered in fear, clutching his leg with his hands, the bomb having dropped to the floor with a loud clatter. “I-I don’t know where he has gone!” he cried out, sweat beading his forehead. I huffed out a disbelieving laugh. “Do you actually have any useful information?” I mocked, shaking my head.“Wait!” he held up a hand, panting for breath. “Andreas . . . Andreas Barkley! He would know where to find Shaw!” I glanced at Erik out the corner of my eye, and he shrugged. “Where do we find this Barkley character?” Erik asked, lifting a brow.Giovanni gulped, his voice shaky. “He-he is my partner . . . he has everything at his estate in Rome. The gold, the knowledge, all of it! I’m just a front man, I swear!” I rolled my eyes at his sniveling. “Think we should check it out?” I asked Erik. “As tiresome as it is getting, what choice do we have?” he replied.I turned from the pathetic man on the floor before me and walked towards Erik. “Let’s go then,” I said quietly. “The sooner we get moving, the better.” Erik glanced at me and nodded, following me to the door. He glanced back once before his eyes widened in alarm. “Look out!” he yelled, shoving me towards the door.I spun as I fell, grunting in pain as I slammed into the ground, and heard the blast before I felt the heat. The warehouse shook, the frame groaning as the bomb’s explosion caused the structure to begin to collapse. I gasped in pain as I felt something dig deeply into my shoulder, and flung out a hand over my body, creating a dome of air around me just in time to avoid being crushed by falling debris. “Erik!” I coughed, sitting up carefully.I saw him lying limply on the ground and stood quickly. I gave a yelp of pain when my leg and ankle barely held my weight up, and knew the blast did some damage. I wiped blood off my mouth with the back of my hand, and limped over to Erik, collapsing next to him. “Erik, please don’t be dead!” I begged, shaking his shoulder.He groaned and opened his eyes, squinting at me, pain etched in his face. “Maybe we should have killed him first before we started to leave,” he coughed. I huffed at him, and we carefully helped each other to stand. Erik leaned against me heavily, and we hurried out of the burning warehouse as fast as our injured forms could move.Erik clutched his side, groaning, and I helped him lean against the side of the car, fumbling in his pocket for the keys. “I’ll drive,” I told him pointedly at his look. He rolled his eyes but didn’t say anything as he carefully climbed into the passenger’s side. “Don’t crash, I’d like to survive the night,” he joked, and I shot him a glare as I climbed in, starting the car and peeling out of the lot quickly.“You’re lucky you’re hurt,” I retorted. “Otherwise, I’d punch you.” Erik huffed out a slight chuckle, before he coughed. He doubled up in pain, and I glanced at him, worrying at my torn lip. “We’re almost there,” I said after nearly an hour of driving. “We’ll get you patched up really quick, don’t worry.”Erik huffed a breath at me. “You shouldn’t have to worry about me,” he groused, gripping his knees to keep from grabbing his injured side. “I’m the older one, and—”“And we can have this macho-bullshit discussion later, after I know you’re not going to die on me!” I snapped, parking and shutting off the car when we’d finally arrived. My body throbbed all over, but I chose to ignore everything in favor of getting Erik inside. He was closest to the blast, and I felt icy fear clawing at my gut at the thought of his demise.I limped over to his side of the car and helped him out. At this point, Erik started to nod off, and I grunted with effort to support his weight. “C’mon Erik, don’t die on me,” I groaned, turning to glance at him. I paused when I didn’t get a reply, and sucked in a breath, realizing he’d stopped breathing.I slowly collapsed under his weight and lowered him as gently as possible to the ground, shaking his shoulder. “Erik? Erik! Erik answer me, damnit! Erik!” I felt tears streaming down my cheeks as I shook his form, his flesh turning cold in the night air. “Please, don’t die!”
***
“Elise?” I felt Erik stroking my hair, and I groaned, feeling myself waking up. I yawned deeply and peeked up to see Erik running his hand through my hair. “You were crying in your sleep,” he whispered, cracking a small smile. I sat up, stretching as I did so, and gave a satisfied sigh as I felt my back pop from being hunched over for so long. I felt the sheet start slipping, and caught it quickly, clutching it to my chest.“How are you feeling?” I asked hoarsely. Erik groaned. “I’d feel better if I were in a soft bed instead of on a hard table,” he muttered, and I huffed out a laugh, shaking my head. “C’mon, I’ll help you to bed,” I whispered, carefully taking his arm and looping it over my good shoulder. Most of my wounds had healed, but Erik didn’t heal nearly as fast as I could, meaning he’d be hurting for quite some time.Erik clenched his jaw in pain, face pale, but otherwise didn’t give any indication that he was hurting. Stiffly, we moved into the bedroom, and I helped him onto the bed. It was small, barely big enough for the both of us, and I turned to leave, intending to go back to the kitchen to sleep, when I felt him grab my hand gently. “Stay?” He asked softly.I gazed at him, taking in his injured form in the pale moonlight before I nodded slowly. I climbed onto the other side of the bed, and gingerly wrapped my arm around him, laying on my side. “I thought you were going to die on me,” I whispered, gently tracing nonsensical patterns over his bruised chest. Erik heaved a deep sigh, or as deep as he could with a broken rib, and reached up to grip my hand, stilling its movements.“It’ll take much more than a bomb to take me out of this life,” he joked. “I was worried about the same for you, you know,” he said after a moment, squeezing my hand. “I was worried . . . I was afraid that you’d be torn apart by the blast, that I’d watch you fade away right in front of me . . . I don’t think I could bare it if anything happened to you and I couldn’t save you,” he confessed. “You mean too much to me, Elise. Far too much.”I let out a deep sigh, the knowledge that Erik cared so much about me warming my heart in places I didn’t know I could feel. “I feel the same way Erik,” I whispered, leaning my head against the uninjured part of his chest. “But we survived . . . just like you said. We protected each other. We’ll always look after each other, won’t we?” I asked, turning my head to glance at him.Erik’s gaze held mine, and he gave a soft, fond smile. “Always, Elise,” he whispered, brushing a gentle kiss against my forehead. I smiled at him, and resumed my patterns with my hand, watching as he drifted back into slumber. When I was sure he was asleep, I pressed a gentle kiss to his chest before pulling the blanket over the both of us, settling in for a long, restless sleep, alone with my thoughts.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

October 1959

How does one know when they are in love? Is it the sweaty palms that form when he smiles? The fluttering of your heart as he kisses your temple or brushes a gentle hand down your back? Is it the queasiness in your stomach when he tries to overwork himself and you are forced to see him suffer the pain later?Is it the thought of trying to use the shower and reminding yourself to save hot water so he would have it when he woke up? Or wanting to ensure he felt safe at night as he brooded over memories, the low murmurs of pleading for his mother’s life keeping you awake as you rub his back or chest, whispering quiet reassurances that he was safe, that you’d never let anyone hurt him again?Is it curling into his embrace when you wake from your own night terrors, listening to his soothing voice resonate through the fog of fear? Is it hearing brushing soft kisses to your temple, the feeling of his hands brushing ever so softly through your hair, humming a lullaby in your ear until you can drift back into slumber, knowing you’re safe with him by your side?Is it trying to imagine yourself without him in your life, and feeling an intense pain of sorrow pierce your heart? Does the thought of him laying with another woman nearly drive you to the point of tears of jealousy? Does bile rise in your throat if he returns smelling of another, yet knowing that he can never love you as you wished he would?Does your heart ache with wanting to please him, the desire to just tell him how you feel? Do you ever blush crimson if he accidently brushes you in passing? When he wraps an arm around your shoulders or your waist and pull you close to brush a kiss to your temple as he stares flinty daggers at the men as they eyeball you, making you feel like a piece of meat in front of a starving dog before he arrived?Do you ever dream of a happy home with him, your pasts long forgotten? Somewhere in a wooded place, a warm bed waiting for you both at the end of the day? Do you ever imagine waiting to greet him with a loving smile, a deep kiss to show him just how much you’ve missed him while he’d been gone, working to ensure you’d keep the roof over your head and warm food in your belly?Have you ever woken with tears of wonderment on your cheeks? Visions of small children in his image or of yours, running to greet their father as he swings them up into their arms? Have you ever heard the faint echoes of their excited chatter as they regale him with tales of their day? Of joyous laughter as he holds them close, just breathing in their scents with a peaceful smile gracing his features?Did it ever hit you out of nowhere, as if lightning struck you and the earth moved beneath your feet, your body running hot and cold, and your heart near to bursting with fear and joy all at once? Have you ever been terrified of what you were feeling, yet elated beyond belief to put a name on this intense range of emotions that coursed through you as you gazed at him in wonder?If this is what love is like . . . I was doomed from the moment I realized just how irrevocably in love I was with Erik. After the explosive evening in Stockholm, something shifted for Erik and me. We seemed closer, yet there was a strange tension between us, something that I couldn’t quite name. It wasn’t bad, just . . . different, and I wasn’t sure how to broach it with Erik.I knew that I felt strongly for Erik for quite some time, and yet was so afraid to identify it as what it really was for months and months. As Erik healed, we stayed low, out in that little run-down cottage for nearly a week until he felt strong enough—actually, he grew quite impatient with the bedrest and insisted quite strongly on continuing our journey, regardless of his health—and we packed up our meager belongings into the back of the car and headed for the border of Sweden.I put my foot down on flying, much to Erik’s slight annoyance and greater amusement, and gave in to traveling back to the main continent by boat from Malmo to Denmark. It took longer, of course, but I felt much more comfortable, and enjoyed the scent of the sea air as we sailed out into the open water.Travelling back through Europe was a bit difficult, as Erik’s rib slowed him down. I know it made him feel like he was less than a man to have to rely on my help so much, so I eased back on scurrying to his side every time he hunched lightly in pain, or grunted sharply, face contorting in pain when he breathed too deeply.It took us nearly two months just to get through Denmark and into France. Soon, however, his injuries healed, and we were able to travel as we had before, stopping here and there as we needed. We’d fallen back into our old routine a bit, with Erik and I travelling various cities together or separately, and it was becoming less of an occurrence for Erik to return to our motel rooms stinking of another woman’s perfume, though it still happened occasionally.I would chew the inside of my cheek to keep the emotions churning in my gut to myself and say nothing at all as he strode to the bathroom to scrub off the offending scents, and I would roll over to face the window, pretending to sleep until I heard him enter the room once more and crawl into his bed. Erik and I decided that as I was older and not so much a child anymore, it was inappropriate to share the same bed unless we had no other choice. Sometimes we shared a bed anyways, particularly if nightmares were interrupting our slumber.Sometimes as I lay awake at night, I would hear Erik whisper my name in his sleep, just a breathy sigh as he tossed and turned. I would turn towards him and watch as he tried to find a comfortable spot, wishing to curl up next to him and soothe away his worries, even if just for a few hours.I had realized that my feelings for Erik, this desire to be with him always, and protect him from the evils in this world whenever possible had shifted into love when Erik turned the car we’d . . . acquired through questionable means turned down a dirt road, away from the main route we were taking to Italy.My eyes fluttered open when I felt Erik gently shake my shoulder, and I sat up straight from where I’d been in a light doze, watching the scenery rush by as a woman crooned a German love ballad through the radio. We’d decided it would probably be safest to travel along the borders of the countries as we passed through, easier to make a quick getaway instead of through a major city.“Erik?” I questioned slowly, turning towards him. “Where are we now?” I glanced at the map in my lap, furrowing my brow as I scanned where we might be. “We’re headed the wrong way for the train station.”Erik glanced at me, lips twitching. “Do you remember when we spoke of possibly passing through Germany a few weeks back?” he asked me, and I frowned lightly, nodding my head. “Of course, but we agreed it wouldn’t really be feasible, as it’s just too far out of the way just to get into Italy. We were going to pass through Switzerland instead.”‘Well, I decided we were going to stop somewhere for the night, possibly for the next few days,” he said, turning down another road. “The weather is supposed to be rather nasty, and I’d rather not have an accident on the road.” I nodded my head slowly, taking in the scenery.Something in my subconscious was perking up as landmarks became a bit familiar, my eyes widened, mouth falling open in disbelief. “Erik, w-what . . . I mean, h-how did you—” I cut myself off as the familiar farm came into view, and Erik grinned at me, parking the car as he pulled up to the farmhouse.“I managed to get ahold of them, explained who I was, who you were to me, and told them that we were coming to visit them for a short time.” He reached over and gently closed my mouth with a chuckle. “After everything you’ve done to keep my stupid self from death, never once complaining about our traveling or plans or the danger we’ve faced so far, I thought that perhaps we could use a few days reprieve.”The front door swung open, and a familiar woman came bustling out, tears of joy streaking down her face. I scrambled for the door handle, practically flying out of the car and into the woman’s arms, a sob escaping my lips as I held her tight. “Oh, Ghita!” I buried my face in her shoulder, unable to express just how much I’ve missed this dear woman.“Elise, we’ve missed you, so, so much,” Ghita cried, pulling back just enough to grab my face and smother it with kisses. I laughed lightly in embarrassment, but allowed her to do so, my heart near bursting with affection for the woman. She’d grown much older, a few more prominent signs of her age, but still the same to me. Everything looked as if I’d just left it yesterday, save for the brightly colored autumn leaves still clinging to the trees.“You must be Erik,” I heard Josef greet, and turned my head to see my favorite farmer shake Erik’s hand with a firm grip. “I want to thank you for looking after our little Hellion,” he continued, a slight twinkle in his eye as he winked at me. “We’ve been so worried over her, but we understand that what you’re both doing could be dangerous to us.”“It’s understandable to worry over someone you love,” Erik answered, smiling politely. “Elise often spoke highly of you both, it seemed only right that we at least come and see you, even if only for a short time.” Ghita released me and allowed me to hug Josef, breathing in his scent. I felt more tears sting my eyes as I welcomed back the familiar pipe tobacco and pine trees scents I’d always associated with this old man.“It’s good to see you again, Elise,” Josef murmured in my ear, rocking me gently in his embrace, and I hugged him tighter, kissing his grizzled cheek. “Oh, I’ve missed you both so much,” I whispered, glancing up at Erik. He gave me a soft smile, winking before he grunted in surprise when Ghita wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace.“Thank you so much for bringing her here to visit,” she gushed. “It eases this old woman’s heart to know she’s got such a handsome man looking after her!” Josef let me go as he burst out laughing at Erik’s expression, and I felt my face flush with embarrassment. “Ghita,” I whined, cradling my face in my hand. “Oh, hush,” Ghita admonished, releasing Erik from her hug only to poke at his stomach. “You two are far too skinny for my liking,” she said.“Oh, for heaven’s sake, woman, they’ve been all over the continent,” Josef said exasperatedly. “Of course, they’re going to be skinny.” Ghita huffed and tugged on Erik’s arm. “Come along, you two need a hot meal after all that traveling.” Erik cast a slightly panicked look in my direction as he followed Ghita obediently, and I only shook my head, quite amused at the turn of events. Erik rolled his eyes at me at my lack of assistance, before he turned back to listen to Ghita’s chatter, answering her questions as she fired them off.“You’re in love with him, aren’t you?” I heard Josef say quietly, and I blinked, turning to face him. Josef grinned knowingly, lighting his pipe. “don’t look at me like that . . . that’s the same look I gave Ghita when I first realized she was the one for me.” He eyed me for a moment, before he patted my shoulder in a grandfatherly manner. “He loves you to, you know. When he called us, I was quite upset that you were traveling with a strange man without supervision, but after I’d talked with him, I knew that he cared about you, even if he never actually said the words.”I felt my breath catch in my throat, afraid to believe what Josef was saying. “While I’m a bit concerned with the age gap, I don’t have much room to talk. Ghita and I were the same age as you two when we first met.” He puffed on his pipe for a moment before he cleared his throat. “Though I will have to ask that you don’t share a room under our roof, as you’re not a married couple.”“Josef!” I blushed furiously as he laughed and shook my head in mock annoyance. “We’re not—I mean, it’s not like that, we’re just—” Josef held up his hands in surrender, trying to placate me. “Oh, I know you two are not intimate,” he reassured. “But I could not resist the opportunity to tease you so.”I nudged his shoulder gently, laughing. “You’re a terrible old man,” I joked, winking. Josef nodded his head slowly. “But I care about you, regardless.” He tamped out his pipe and stowed it in his pocket before he wrapped his arm around my shoulders, leading me back to the house. “Come, let’s rescue your friend before Ghita forces him to eat until his stomach bursts. We’ve made up two rooms for the both of you, and we’ll unload your things later, after you’ve had a chance to rest.”As we entered the house, my thoughts swirled with Josef’s observations. ‘Am I in love with Erik?’ I wondered to myself. ‘Could he really love me?’ As we entered the kitchen, I watched Erik as he sipped from the tea cup that Ghita had offered him, smiling as she regaled him with tales from when I stayed with them years ago. He must have seen me from the corner of his eye, because he turned and shot me a warm smile.I smiled in return, and took a seat beside him, occasionally interjecting on just how much of a mischievous little shit I was at times. Over the course of the afternoon and through supper, we spoke of what had transpired over the years that separated us, though I chose to leave out certain events, or glossed over them entirely, including just how exactly Erik and I met. We’d agreed, without words spoken, that this sweet couple didn’t need to know just what kind of shenanigans I’d pulled to get where I was.Later that night, Erik and I were walking the grounds of the farm as I pointed out various places of note to him, my arm looped through his. We slowly made our way to the meadow that Josef found me in, and we stood in the moonlight, taking in the sights and sound of peaceful nature, breath puffing out in front of us in wispy clouds.“Erik,” I said after a comfortable moment of silence. “Hm?” he asked, glancing down at me, cocking a brow. I took a breath and let it out slowly. “I . . . I wanted to thank you for this, for all of this,” I said, gesturing around with my free hand. “I never expected to come back here one day, to see the Steinberg’s again. So . . .” I turned to face him fully, smiling up into his blue-grey eyes. “Thank you. I can never say it enough, but . . . thank you,” I whispered.Erik smiled softly, lifting a hand to gently brush a few strands of my ginger locks out of my hair. “You never have to thank me for this, Elise,” he said softly, cupping my cheek. I placed a hand over his, leaning into it gently. “But why, though? I’m not complaining by any means, but why do this for me?”Erik’s eyes seemed to darken with some emotion I couldn’t identify, his thumb brushing the corner of my lip softly. “Do I need a reason to do anything for you?” he whispered. “I told you once before . . . I care about you, deeply. I knew how much you missed them and wanted to meet the people that took you in, gave you a haven until you were ready to fly away on your own.”His gaze drifted down to my lips, and I licked them subconsciously before he slowly lowered his head to mine. I felt my eyes drift close when he brushed his lips against mine, and I gasped softly when I felt his tongue swipe gently across them. He took the opportunity to deepen the kiss, coaxing my tongue to join his teasingly.I gasped as I felt a warm, tingling sensation throb lowly in the pit of my stomach, before it traveled lower, and Erik groaned, wrapping an arm around my waist as he pulled me closer. I wrapped my arms around his neck, standing on tiptoe to deepen the kiss, moaning as he swept his tongue against mine once again. We parted long enough to breathe, eyes searching each other’s before our lips crashed against each other’s once more, more passionate than before.This was the first time—other than on the cheek or temple—that we’d actually kissed one another since my birthday, and never like this. I felt my toes curl in pleasure, and pressed as close as possible to Erik, seeking contact with him where I could. His hand gently ran down my back, holding me to him tightly as he practically devoured my mouth, bending me backward over his arm as he deepened the kiss further.I gasped once more as I felt something press against my stomach, and gently rubbed against it, unsure for a moment. Erik groaned, and pressed closer, grinding himself into me as he clutched me to him, the hand on my cheek reaching up to tangle in my hair. I moaned once more, brushing a hand through Erik’s locks, and he broke the kiss, panting for breath. We stayed that way for a moment, breathing heavily between us, eyes trained on each other as we tried to control ourselves.“If we continue this, I cannot promise that I will be able to control myself from fucking you into the ground like a wild animal,” he growled lowly, licking his lips. He took my hand and placed it upon his bulge, and my hand reflexively squeezed lightly. I could feel heat radiating from him, and felt it pulse lightly in my grip. Erik closed his eyes at the sensation, a low moan emanating from his throat, and I felt heat spiral through me once more. “Every time I’ve sought out some whore to satisfy this desire, they’ve all looked like you. I can’t seem to stop myself from seeking out someone who shares your features, Elise . . . but they weren’t you.”He opened his eyes to look at me, giving my lips a quick peck before he removed my hand from him. “I’ve dreamed, for so long, of having you, claiming you as mine. I want nothing more than to strip you bare and kiss and suck every inch of your skin until you’re writhing in pleasure, begging for more.”I gasped at his words, mouth falling open and my cheeks heating at his admission. His eyes were dark, and I realized that he wanted nothing more than to do just that. I could feel dampness in my panties, and realized that I wanted that very much, even if I knew that it wasn’t a wise idea. The idea of actually having sex still terrified me, flashes of Shaw’s perverted desire crashing through my mind like a residual sickness.“However, we shouldn’t . . .” He closed his eyes, pressing his forehead to mine. “We shouldn’t continue this, not now,” he whispered, and I blinked up at him, slightly dazed. “Why not?” I asked breathlessly. Erik groaned, chuckling lightly. “For many reasons,” he replied softly. “For one, and the biggest reason . . . You are fifteen, and Josef would skin me alive.” I frowned slightly, forgetting my age for a moment. With how much I’d been through, I felt so much older, but I knew Erik was right. I was still quite young, even if I wasn’t quite sure what exactly Erik meant by that. ‘Do you have to be a certain age to have sex?’ I wondered.“For two,” he continued, holding me close. “You deserve so much more than a quick, wild tumble in a meadow in the cold night air.” He leaned down to kiss me once more, much more gently than he had moments before, sweeter. I moaned lightly, unable to stop myself from rubbing myself against that prominent bulge. Erik groaned once more and stepped back, holding my sides with his hands as he put some distance between us.But I didn’t feel that same fear with Erik, not once. He made me feel safe, cherished, as if I was worthy of being loved. I thought briefly of him taking me gently, holding me close to him as he whispered sweet words in my ear rose unbidden, and I shivered at the thought before I nodded my head slowly. “I . . . I understand,” I whispered, trying to control my racing thoughts. I placed a hand on my chest, feeling my heart beating rapidly underneath my skin, and we took a moment to compose ourselves.Without speaking, we both agreed that perhaps it was time to retire for the night. We linked hands together, wanting to maintain some semblance of physical contact, and we traversed back to the house, the moonlight guiding out path. As the farmhouse came into view, Erik stopped me for a moment. “Make no mistake, Elise,” he whispered in my ear. “I want you, desperately, but . . . I’m not going to rush into this with you. Not yet.” He brushed a gentle kiss to my temple, and I couldn’t help the small giggle that erupted at the motion.Erik smiled as he pulled back, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear. “One day, but not tonight. This is something we must both be ready for, and while your body may be ready,” he gave my side a light squeeze, and I let out a soft squeak at the ticklish sensation. “Your heart and mind need to be there as well. I would make love to you, gently, the way you deserve to be made love to . . . but not now. Do you understand what I mean?” he asked me, searching my green eyes.I swallowed, nodding my head. “I understand, Erik,” I said softly, lowering my gaze. “Thank you.” Erik hugged me to him, and I returned it, holding him close as I buried my face in his shoulder, breathing in his scent. “We should head inside before Josef loads that shotgun he mentioned,” Erik said after a moment, and we broke apart with a quiet laugh, holding hands as we returned to the dwelling of the couple that saved my life.It was in that moment, as I was readying myself for bed that night, that I knew with absolutely certainty I was so far down the well that there was no escaping, even if I wanted to. I was in love with Erik, and I knew he was in love with me.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Roma, Italy

January 1960

“Erik,” I called in a sing-song voice, trying to get his attention for the third time. “Hmmm . . .” he said distractedly, standing at the table. He leaned over and moved papers across the surface, organizing all of our maps, names, places, everything we’d collected tracking down Shaw. I frowned in mild frustration, before I smirked, an evil thought crossing my mind.I took a slight leap and latched onto him from behind, wrapping my arms around his shoulders and legs around his waist. ‘Thankfully I wore pants today,’ I thought, fighting back a laugh. Erik grunted sharply in surprise, nearly falling forward before he caught himself with his hands flat on the table. Erik slowly turned his face towards mine, cocking a brow. I rested my chin on his shoulder and batted my lashes innocently. His expression told me just how amused he was about being used as a jungle gym.“What are you doing?” he asked lowly, eyes dipping down to my lips as he stood straight. My light frame didn’t seem to bother him in the slightest. I gave him a sweet smile before I darted my head forward and stole a quick kiss, giving a slight laugh when he growled lightly, nipping my lip. “When’s your birthday?” I asked quickly. Erik blinked in surprise, and gave a slight shrug, causing me to cling tighter to him.“Sometime this month,” he said casually, his expression pondering. “The thirtieth, to be specific.” I stared at him, horrified, and he tilted his head, confusion flitting his face. “What?”“Erik . . . that’s today!” I cried, hands gesturing wildly. Erik’s hands flew back to catch my body, one resting on my thigh and the other catching my back before I could fall off him. “Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked, reaching around and poking his chest in mock anger. Erik shrugged, scratching the back of his head. “Well, I-I just forgot about it,” he said sheepishly. “And I don’t really enjoy celebrating it.”I rolled my eyes at him, disbelieving at this situation. “Erik, your birthday only comes once a year,” I told him. “It’s sort of a big deal to most of the world to celebrate the day of your birth. Even you made sure I had a relatively nice birthday last year and this year, and just like you, I don’t enjoy that time of year at all.” I gave a huff, shaking my head as I thought of a plan quickly.“Well, that settles it.” I slipped off Erik’s back, causing him to let go before I took his hand, and led him to the door. “Elise, what are you doing?” he asked, half-laughing as he followed me. I wasn’t using my full strength, so I knew he was just humoring me when he tried to tug his hand away. I glanced at him before stopping, giving a shit-eating grin. “We’re going out. You are going to have a nice birthday dinner with some of the best alcohol we can find, and whatever else you might want to do.”Erik smirked and freed his hand before he wrapped his arms around me quickly and pulled me back against him. “I can think of several things I’d like to do,” he whispered him my ear, nuzzling along my neck. I sucked in a breath as I felt heat flash through me, and I bit my lip to contain the moan of arousal that wanted to escape.“L-let’s get dinner first before you even try your flirtatious charm on me,” I admonished with a breathy voice, though I turned in his arms to wrap my own around his neck. Erik smirked, eyes dark, as he backed me up against the door. Once I was pinned, he swooped down and captured my lips with his, nipping my lip once more before he coaxed my mouth open with his tongue.My eyes drifted shut as our tongues dueled, and I moaned into the kiss. He slowly trailed a hand down my waist, tracing my curves until he reached my thigh. Erik gently guided my leg up to wrap around his waist, and I gasped as he ground closer, feeling the hard outline of his cock pressed against me. A thought occurred to me, and I hesitantly sucked on his tongue, just to see what his reaction would be. It was immediate; Erik gasped into the kiss, the hand on my thigh squeezing tight—but not enough to bruise—and pressed close, thrusting his hips hard into mine. I arched into him with a gasp, and he did it again, grinding into my core.I moaned deeply into Erik’s mouth, pleasure spiraling through me, and I raked my hand through his hair, scouring his scalp with my nails lightly. He shuddered hard, breaking away from my mouth to press kisses along my throat. I gave a slight whimper, before I forced my brain to function. “Erik . . .” I panted. “Please!” I don’t know what I was begging for, only that Erik was the one who could give it to me.“We should stop this,” Erik tore his mouth from me, pulling away from my throat. He closed his eyes and swallowed tightly. “You are very distracting . . . and I don’t want to do something you’re not ready for.” He opened his eyes and brushed his thumb over my lip, trying to regain some semblance of control.I placed a feather-light kiss to the pad of his thumb, and I watched as his eyes darkened further, his gaze searing into mine. “I want this,” I whispered, and I realized how true it was. Everything felt right in that moment, and I knew that I loved this man more than anything in the world. I wanted this with Erik, no matter what happened, or didn’t. I just wanted him.Erik shuddered, sucking in a sharp breath. He was silent for a moment, before he nodded slowly, brushing a light kiss to my lips. My own lips chased after his when he leaned back enough to speak. “Do you trust me?” he asked me after a moment. I nodded without hesitation, unable to form coherent words. Erik chuckled, and gently squeezed my thigh, bucking into me softly. I gasped at the contact, unable to tear my eyes away from him.“I need your words, love,” he whispered, brushing his lips against mine in a soft caress. “Y-yes,” I whispered, forcing my brain to function. “I trust you with my life, Erik.” I felt Erik freeze for a moment, before he closed his eyes, groaning. “You have no idea what you do to me, Elise,” he whispered, crushing his lips to mine in another bruising kiss.I smirked into the kiss and nipped his bottom lip when he pulled away. “I think I have an idea,” I whispered, unable to contain a light giggle. Erik smirked at me, before he slowly lifted the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head.My eyes widened as I saw the expanse of his chest and swallowed hard. I’ve seen him before without his shirt, but even if I was this close before, it was at night, and usually I was cuddled up to him during a night terror, his own or mine.“It’s alright,” Erik murmured, gently cupping my cheek. I shook my head from my slight stupor and reached out to slowly trail a hand over his chest, silently cursing my hand as it shook. He wasn’t overly muscular, but rather trim and sleek, wiry and lithe like a jungle cat, and I shivered when my hand finally came into contact with his hot flesh. I traced across his hard pecs, raked my nails gently over his nipple. I watched with fascination as they pebbled, relished his sharp intake of breath before I trailed my fingers over the thin smattering of chest hair. I pressed a light kiss to his chest, unable to help myself, and I glanced up to Erik’s face, noting how he had closed his eyes and clenched his jaw.I continued my exploration, following the thin trail of hair lower until I brushed the top of his jeans. Erik groaned, leaning his forehead against mine for beat before he pulled my other leg up to wrap around his waist. I yelped in surprise, clinging to Erik as he carried me over to his bed, capturing my lips with his once more. I moaned into the kiss, tunneling my hands through his hair and wrapping my legs tighter around his waist.Erik lay me back against the bed, following me with his body, lips never leaving mine. He broke the kiss first, both of us panting for breath. “I will not have sex with you,” Erik stated lowly, and I felt my face pinch with slight hurt, before Erik soothed away the frown lines with a quick brush of his lips over my brow, giving me a slight smirk. “I will teach you other methods of pleasure, but I will not take you . . . not tonight.”
Slowly, gently, Erik trailed his lips over my face, down my neck, to my collarbone, and lower. I gasped in pleasure as he stopped to lick a strip back up the side of my neck. He worried the bruise with his teeth for a moment before he leaned back to watch my face, eyes searching mine. “May I remove your shirt?” he inquired. He must’ve seen trepidation on my face, because he brushed his lips with mine, deepening it for a moment. “We’ll only go as far as you wish to,” he whispered against my mouth.I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, nodding my head as I kept my gaze on his, blushing. Slowly, Erik pushed my shirt up to my rib-cage before he gently trailed kisses along my skin. I closed my eyes at the sensation, licking my suddenly dry lips. Everything seemed heightened, every nerve ending set ablaze, but I didn’t want it to stop.I squeaked, and my eyes flew open when Erik suddenly nipped my ribs gently, and I narrowed my eyes at him. He chuckled before soothing the bite with his tongue. “Eyes on me,” he whispered against my skin, pressing kisses and laving his tongue across the expanse of my flesh.
I bit my lip, unable to contain the moan that escaped. Slowly, he kissed his way back up to my throat, sucking another bruise on the other side of my neck. I felt myself shudder, and my lashes lowered, but didn’t fall close. “Erik,” I whispered, running my fingers through his short hair. I could feel his smile against my neck.“Tell me Elise . . . have you ever pleasured yourself?” His tone was low, seductive, and I couldn’t help but shake my head. “I-I didn’t know that was something that people did,” I whispered, feeling my face light up at the conversation. I was certain my face, chest and neck were darker than my hair.Erik leaned up on his arms, casing me in between them so he could stare down into my eyes. I felt helpless to look away and reached up with a trembling hand to stroke his face. Erik pressed a kiss to my palm, leaning his face into it as he watched me, eyes dark with an emotion I couldn’t name, but was quickly becoming familiar with. “Would you like me to teach you about seeking pleasure?” he whispered.I chewed my lip, nodding my head. Erik smirked, nipping my fingers, and I gasped, eyes wide. “Use your words, Elise,” he said huskily. “I need you to say what you want before I continue your lesson.”I swallowed lightly, my throat dry, before I spoke, voice just as low. “Yes . . . I-I want you to teach me.” I carded my fingers through his hair once more, pulling his mouth to mine as I leaned up to him. Our tongues dueled for a moment, before Erik broke the kiss, and leaned his forehead against mine.“We’ll keep your clothing on; I can’t promise I’ll be able to stop myself if we remove any more between us,” Erik suggested, whispering the words as he placed a quick peck to the tip of my nose. I nodded, unable to look away, and Erik trailed quick, featherlight kisses down my throat, my collarbone, and brushed his nose gently along the tops of my breasts. I gasped at the sensation, feeling the heat of his breath through my shirt and brassier. Erik chuckled, and placed a kiss in the valley between my breasts. “So sensitive, and we’re not even skin to skin,” he murmured. “We’ll explore this at a later time. For now, I want you to tell me what you know about sex.”

I swallowed once more, feeling my face flame at his words, before I blinked at his request. “W-well,” I stammered. “I understand the basics, I mean . . . I know what a penis is! And where you’re supposed to stick it!” Erik burst out laughing, resting his head on my stomach in an attempt to muffle himself. I couldn’t help it and laughed with him as he tickled my skin.“Oh, Elise,” he said, leaning up and shaking his head as he regained composure. “You’ve got much to learn.” I pouted a bit, and he nipped my stomach, causing me to arch up into him. “There is much more to sex than simply sticking it in.” He leaned up and ran his left hand from my throat down to my breasts, cupping the right one and squeezing gently.I moaned loudly, my eyes widening as I felt my nipples harden at his ministrations. Erik smiled down at me, a soft look in his eye. “The human body is an incredibly sensual thing. With skill, and practice—” he squeezed again, and my eyes fluttered briefly from the sensation, but I forced myself to keep my gaze on his. “You can achieve new heights of pleasure that you’ve never known before.” His smile sharpened, and I realized he was quite aroused, and glanced down to the front of his trousers. That prominent bulge was so close, I could feel the heat of him through our clothing.“For now, I want to teach you how to achieve release through a simple method.” I furrowed my brows, leaning up on my elbow a moment. “How?” I asked, wondering what else Erik would teach me. ‘What did I get myself into?’ I wondered briefly but found that I was far too excited to worry for long.Erik brushed his thumb over my nipple, and I moaned once more, my head lolling back at the sensation. “Come here,” he whispered, and I gave a slight squeak in surprise as I felt Erik roll us, and suddenly found myself straddling his clothed cock, Erik’s hands resting on my waist and my hands upon his chest to keep me from crashing into him. I raised up onto my knees, feeling slightly panicked for a moment, but Erik ran his hands up my sides gently, as if soothing a skittish colt. “Shh, relax,” he murmured.

I took a deep breath, and let it out, before I nodded to Erik, allowing him to lower me back down onto him. I gasped as I felt the hard outline of his cock press against me through our pants, and couldn’t stop myself from rocking against him, a soft moan escaping my lips. Erik groaned, head flopping back against the pillows and eyes squeezing shut. He looked so damned beautiful in that moment, I leaned down to kiss him, pressing my chest into his as I slid my hands to land beside his head.The kiss was soft, sensuous, and I rocked against him once more, moaning at the spark of pleasure that crashed through me. Erik’s hands slid from my waist to my ass, squeezing as he guided me into a slow, steady rhythm against him. After a moment to get the hang of it, I began to grind against him, causing him to stutter out a groan, and rock his hips up into mine.
I moaned, pressing a kiss to Erik’s throat. I peppered kisses along his skin, before I latched my mouth onto the side of his throat and sucked gently. I heard a sharp intake of breath, and Erik gripped my ass harder, bucking against me in a slow grind.I moaned, feeling as if a coil were winding low in my belly, and rocked my hips harder against him, seeking, searching for something. “Erik,” I moaned, and Erik reached a hand up to tangle into my hair, guiding my mouth back to his I reached a free hand to slide around to the back of his head, deepening the kiss.“Oh, Erik, fuck!” I broke the kiss and sat up, resting my hands upon Erik’s chest. I felt my breath catching as the coil wind tighter and tighter, my moans becoming sharper and higher-pitched. Erik groaned, bucking his hips strongly into mine. “that’s it, Elise,” he whispered, voice gruff as he panted for air. “Just let go, feel it . . . cum for me, right now!” He bucked his hips up into mine once more, and I couldn’t stop the sharp cry that escaped as that coil snapped.I felt an intense rush of pleasure course through my veins, and bucked wildly in Erik’s grip, my eyes scrunching tight crashing my lips into Erik’s. Erik gave a muffled shout against my mouth, back arching as he drove his hips once, twice, three more times into mine, pulling me down to grind on him. I could feel dampness in my panties, and a sticky wetness on Erik’s.
“Wha . . . what was that?” I panted, arms shaking as I tried to hold myself up. My whole body felt like rubber, and Erik chuckled before he rolled us over, so we were lying facing each other on our sides, both of us trying to breath. “That was dry-humping,” he replied, pressing a kiss to my temple, brushing my slightly damp hair out of my face. “And what you’ve just experienced is called an orgasm, or Cumming, as some women call it.”I hummed in contentment, sliding my hands over Erik’s chest. “Well, that was definitely amazing.” I leaned over and kissed Erik slowly, and he reciprocated, trailing his lips over my face before meeting min once more. “Did I pass my lesson?” I asked cheekily, unable to keep the grin from my face.“With flying colors,” Erik laughed lightly, holding me close for a moment. He gave a sigh, and I could feel his body relax against mine, one hand tracing a lazy pattern on my back as he held me close. I rested my head on his shoulder for a moment, before I frowned and sat up. “Hey, you distracted me!” I poked him in the ribs, and he grunted, before he cocked a brow, sitting up as well.“We’re supposed to go out for your birthday dinner, remember? Not fooling around.” Erik smirked, eyes taking a mischievous shine. “You certainly weren’t complaining moments ago,” he said smugly. “I seem to recall you—” I cut him off my pinching his rib, and he gave a short bark of laughter. “Oh, shut up,” I muttered, blushing brightly.“Hey, there is nothing to be ashamed of,” Erik said softly, turning my face up to his. “It is a completely natural thing for you to feel pleasure in such acts.” He wrapped an arm around me, holding me close as he pressed his lips to my hair. I smiled softly, and leaned into him. “Alright . . . but we’re still going out for your birthday, so we should shower and change into something that’s not sticky from . . .” I waved my hand between us. “What we just did.”Erik huffed a slight laugh, shaking his head. “We’ll have to have more lessons to break you of your shyness,” he said, shooting me a smirk before he climbed off the bed. “You go shower first,” he told me, helping me from the bed. Fortunately, my legs were stable beneath me, and I nodded “Pick something nice for me?” I asked, and he gave a slight shrug in response. I stood on tiptoe, and kissed his cheek, smiling softly as he wrapped an arm around my waist to steady me.“Happy birthday, Erik,” I whispered. Erik smirked, and slapped his hand lightly against my ass, causing me to squeak in surprise. “Now who’s distracting whom?” he asked cheekily, releasing me. “We’ll go to that little diner down the street when you’re finished. I’ll hang your dress outside the door for you.” I blushed, feeling a slight thrill when he spanked me and nodded my head, scurrying over to the bathroom before we got up to any more shenanigans, Erik’s soft chuckle filling the room as I shut the door.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Roma, Italy

July 1960

“So, there’s good news, and bad news,” I said as soon as I opened the door to the flat Erik and I were sharing. Erik glanced up from the paper he was reading and folded it up before placing it back on the table. “Does it have anything to do with Barkley?” he asked, rubbing the back of his neck and wincing lightly.I frowned, before I crossed the floor and stood behind him, kneading his neck and shoulders gently. Erik groaned in appreciation, and I smirked, unable to help myself from leaning over and pecking his lips. I could feel him smile against my mouth as he reached a hand up to hold me still, kissing me slowly.We broke apart after a moment, and I continued massaging his neck, working my way up to his scalp and running my nails through his hair. “In answer to your question,” I said, blowing out a breath. “I overheard some men talking about Barkley and may have followed them back to Barkley’s home.,” I said sheepishly, and I felt Erik stiffen underneath my ministrations.“Before you get upset,” I said quickly, holding up my hands when he turned to face me, face stony. “I didn’t get spotted, and I didn’t get too close.” When Erik nodded his head slowly, I grimaced, not liking what I had learned. “What else is there? What did the men say Elise?” Erik asked, and I cringed, wrinkling my nose in distaste.“Remember when we first met?” I asked softly. “How I snuck in as a prostitute to get to Thoreau? I overheard Barkley telling two of the men posted by the front gates that he wanted young, pretty girls for the evening.”“Absolutely not.” Erik never raised his voice, speaking barely above a whisper, but I knew he was extremely pissed off. I sighed, and came around to face him, sitting down in the opposite chair. “Erik, this is our best shot of getting to Barkley,” I said, trying to keep my temper in check. “If we don’t do this, who knows when we’ll be able to get to him again. He wants girls to celebrate his birthday before he leaves the damn country. After tonight, he’s gone, and who knows if we’ll get this chance again!”“You do remember you were stabbed the last time you pulled a stunt like this, right?” Erik asked pointedly, and I rolled my eyes. “And you threatened me with your magnetism abilities and pushed me out a window in the same span of time as me getting stabbed,” I reminded him, crossing my arms. “Look, it’s not like I want to do this alone, you know.” I sighed, shaking my head.“There’s got to be a way to get us both in there,” Erik muttered. “It’s not like I can throw on a dress and have it believable. . .” I tapped my chin as I listened to him musings, before my eyes widened, and I turned to face Erik, a slow smirk forming. “What if there was?”Erik stared at me for a moment, before he started shaking his head. “Oh, no, I don’t think so!” I laughed, unable to help myself. “C’mon, I don’t like dresses either, but we’ll be able to pull this off. Neither one of us will be going in by ourselves, and Barkley won’t know the difference . . . I think.”“You think?” Erik repeated, before his brow furrowed. “You wear dresses all the time, why would you wear them if you don’t like them?” he asked, and I shrugged. “It’s what’s expected of the fairer sex,” I said loftily, standing from my seat and pacing as I ticked off my fingers. “Be pretty, be feminine, play dumb, and jump when a man snaps their fingers.”Erik studied me for a moment, and I felt myself flush under his blue-green gaze. “What?” I asked. “Have I ever made you feel that way?” he inquired, pulling me onto his lap. I settled against him easily and shook my head, unable to meet his gaze for a moment. “No,” I said slowly. “But I know how the world thinks, and that’s what most of the world’s thoughts of women are like. I know you don’t care if I wear either trousers or dresses, which is a blessing, believe me.” I gave a soft snort. “Hell, I’d prance around in nothing but my underwear on hot days like this if I had my say in it! Much more comfortable.”Erik groaned, closing his eyes as he shifted in his seat, and I snickered. “We’re trying to discuss sneaking into Barkley’s, try to keep your mind on the task at hand,” I reminded him, and he shot me a glare, squeezing me gently. “Careful what you say, Elise,” he said lowly, and I shivered pleasantly. “Or I may spank you for your mouth.”Truth be told, I wouldn’t mind exploring another aspect of our . . . activities, but I was too nervous to try anything else other than slow grinding and cuddling. Erik never pushed for more, for which I was grateful, though I knew how much he’d like to take if further. I swear, the man had the restraint of a saint . . . sometimes.“Alright . . . do we even know if you can alter my features to more feminine characteristics . . . and do we know if it’s permanent?” Erik asked, and I nodded my head. “Yes to the first, no to the second. Well,” I amended. “If I can alter myself to look older or younger, I don’t see why I can’t change your appearance . . . as for the permanence, it’ll wear off after a few hours. Everything does eventually.”Erik sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, and I fought a smirk, knowing he was seconds from agreeing to this. “Fine,” he let out a breath, and fixed a flinty glare at me when I clapped my hands cheerfully. I bit my lip and cleared my throat, fighting a grin. “We’ll do this. But neither one of us will separate from the other if at all possible, and you will listen when I tell you to do something. Should things start going south, we get out of there, no matter what, understand?”I nodded my head eagerly. “Got it . . . business as usual: get in, get our man, and get the fuck out before we get caught.” I reached into my pocket and grabbed a cigarette from my pack, offering some to Erik, who took it, shooting me a look but wisely keeping his mouth shut. I’d cut back tremendously because I knew Erik didn’t like me smoking, but I still lit one up when I was feeling stressed, especially the closer we got to whoever we were searching for.“Okay then,” I said, taking a drag as I eyed Erik. “We’ve got a few hours to kill, so we might as well get you in touch with your feminine side. First things first . . .” I smirked at the look of trepidation on Erik’s face. “Can you walk in heels?”
***
“This is so fucking ridiculous,” Erik muttered for the fourth time this evening, voice a few octave’s higher, more feminine. He reached a hand up to adjust the thin, double-straps of his party dress, tugging the hem up a little higher. I swatted at his hands, and he shot me a glare when I pulled the top back down to where I had it before. “Oh, hush, Erika,” I teased in a whisper, batting my eyes. “We look great, and the point of this is to be eye-catching, which worked.”After making Erik walk back and forth across the flat for hours to get a knack for wearing heels, we took a shot break to eat something light, and to change our appearances . . . well, mostly Erik’s. After making him shower and wash with my shampoo and conditioners and applying vanilla-scented lotion, I altered his body to be like mine, but as he was taller, he was a bit slimmer as far as curves went. His hair grew from close to his scalp to shoulder-length and glossy, which I twisted up into a simple French twist.I had carefully applied blush and mascara to make Erik’s features pop and draw the eye, and I altered his slacks and tee-shirt into the dress that matched mine—black leather mini-dress—along with black lingerie. If looks could kill, I’m sure I would have burst into flame. I had snickered and gave him a little finger-wave before I ducked into the bathroom to ready myself. I had recently cut my long ginger locks to barely the tops of my breasts, just to make my thick hair more manageable.I had dressed myself and Erik in matching outfits and makeup, hoping that we’d be more appealing as a set, and I was correct. Erik and I wandered down to where we’d found a few hookers fished around for clients for the evening, and it didn’t take long before we were approached by one of the men employed by our target.I spoke for Erik and me, quickly hashing out that we were both willing to share the pay that came from spending the evening with their boss. Erik and I were ushered into the vehicle, and the short drive to the impressive home was rather short, though it seemed long with the silence that stretched.“Relax,” I whispered to Erik, shooting a flirtatious wink at one of the men as they escorted. “And try to smile. I don’t like this anymore than you do, but if they get suspicious, we’re fucked!” Erik forced himself to smile, though to me it seemed more like a pained grimace, and I fought back a laugh that threatened to bubble out.“Ladies, welcome!” I heard a lightly-accented voice from above, and I froze, recognizing the nasally voice. I closed my eyes, mouth going dry as my mind instantly flashing back to that hospital, of being strapped down, tortured, tested, and listening to the doctors speak amongst themselves. I could almost feel the electricity coursing through my body, hear the sadistic chuckle as he controlled the flow of voltages.Though my mind was screaming in horror and fear, I swallowed hard, forcing back bile as I opened my eyes and turned to face Barkley at the top of the stairs, pasting a fake, dazzling smile on my face. “You must be the birthday boy,” I purred, wrapping an arm around Erik’s slim, feminine waist as I pulled him closer. I felt Erik stiffen for a moment, before he wrapped his own arm around me, a fake giggle emerging.Barkley’s eyes glittered, and he trailed his eyes over us, clearly appreciating the view. He jerked his head, indicating with his chin to follow him, and I felt Erik tug my body gently when my legs refused to work. I took a deep breath, schooling my features, and willed my legs to move, trailing behind Erik.‘Fuck fuck fuck it shouldn’t be him, why is it him it shouldn’t be him that shitfaced sonofabitch should be dead, I killed everyone in that lab how in the FUCK did that damned twat-waffle make it out, how, how, HOW?!’ My mind was racing, barely able to separate into individual trails of thoughts, and I was thankful that Barkley had his back turned, assuming we’d follow him like obedient dogs. Erik glanced back at me, and I knew he could see that there was something incredibly wrong, but I shook my head, determined to see through this.“This way, ladies,” Barkley drawled, opening the door at the end of the hallway and ushering us in. Erik glanced once more at me, and I gave a seductive smile, and nodded my head. As I past our target, he leaned in and gave a deep, obnoxious sniff of my neck, and I barely reigned in a shudder, my skin breaking out in goose pimples. Barkley closed the door, giving us a leer that I’m sure was meant to be charming, but struck me as absolutely disgusting.I felt his eyes trail over the both of us and bit the inside of my cheek at the revulsion and fear that rose up. “Why don’t you—” he pointed at Erik, who patted his eyes in an attempt to appear sexy, and I gave a faint snort. “—pour some refreshments for us.” Erik nodded his head and walked to the small bar stocked with expensive alcohols.The next several moments that passed remains a blur to me, and I’ve never truly remembered what happened. I remember feeling a sharp sting in my neck, and gasping in shock, before my knees crumpled. I heard Erik give a shout, before I heard the doors burst open and heard the sounds of struggling. I tried to force myself to move, but my limbs seemed as lead, and I felt my eyes slide closed . . . and then nothing.
***
“Wake up, you freakish bitch!” I gasped and sputtered as ice-cold water doused me, forcibly brought around. I blinked water out of my face, feeling a bit sluggish, and lifted my head to try and bring everything into focus. The first thing I noticed what that I was immobile and freezing.I was bound by my wrists and feet and lay on my side in some sort of basement, judging from the chill. I turned my head slowly, and saw Erik bound to a chair, the alteration I made to him thankfully still holding. ‘Thank fuck for small favors,’ I thought dully. I could see Erik gritting his teeth and struggling, and I shook my head as much as I could, not wanting him to get hurt.I heard the click of heels come closer, and I trailed my eyes up slowly as Barkley stopped in front of me, sadistic smirk on his face. “Did you really think I wouldn’t recognize you, little monster?” he chuckled, before he slammed his foot into my stomach.I grunted in pain, curling in on myself. I coughed, feeling hot blood paint my lips, and dimly heard Erik struggling harder, shouting curses as Barkley clucked his tongue. “So sorry, perhaps I shouldn’t have done that,” he said in a mocking tone.I yelped when he grabbed my bound wrists and yanked me to my feet, swaying unsteadily as my head lolled, unable to keep it upright with the quick movements. “Herr Schmidt will be pleased with me to know that I’ve found his wayward little one . . . and old enough for his plans.” I froze, my face a mask of horror as his words sunk in. His hand trailed up to my breast, squeezing hard, and I winced, unable to fight back a whimper.“Don’t worry, bitch . . . I haven’t informed him of this acquisition yet.” Barkley chuckled, and I wrinkled my nose at his rancid breath. Barkley glanced over at Erik and shot him a smirk. “Didn’t you tell your pretty companion?” he inquired, cocking a brow.Erik struggled harder, glaring daggers at Barkley. “Tell me what?” he said lowly, though his voice came out in a feminine hiss. Barkley, well, barked out a laugh. “Klaus Schmidt has every intention of creating his own little breed of superfreaks, using this little slut's cunt right here as a baby factory.” He shook my bound hands, and I struggled to stay upright, my head spinning from the sedatives. It’d been so long since I’ve had it in my system, I could barely fight against it.Erik froze, his eyes widening in disgust and horror. I closed my eyes in shame, feeling a tear roll down my cheek. “I’ll be rewarded handsomely for finding his runaway prized sow, but first . . .” I opened my eyes to see the monster lick his lips, eyes trailing down my body. His hand tightened once more on my breast and gave a sharp twist, and I shrieked in pain before he released it.“He won’t be too angry that you’ve had someone’s cock up that tight little cunt . . . who’s to say who you’ve spread those delectable thighs for?” I sucked in a sharp breath in horror, and began to struggle, which caused him to laugh before he began to walk backwards towards the back of the room, behind Erik where he couldn’t see what was happening.“No, no stop!” I tried to struggle, fight back, anything, but I was still trying to fight the sedative as well as fight Barkley, and with my limbs tied together, there wasn’t much I could do. “Shut up, you silly little whore!” he raised his fist and backhanded me, letting go as I crashed to the ground. I felt the air rush out of my lungs on impact and tried to scramble forward on my elbow and knees.“Elise!” I heard Erik shout, and heard him struggling harder. “Don’t you fucking touch her, you goddamned pig!” Barkley laughed maliciously, and I whimpered, feeling my face swelling from the blow. “You’ll get your turn, don’t worry,” he assured Erik as I heard him fall to his knees and fumble for his buckle. “Right after I’ve ripped this tight little virgin cunt raw and bloody.”“Fuck you, get away from me!” I screamed, trying to inch forward away from Barkley. “Yes, keep struggling, you’ve no idea how hard you make me, seeing you so helpless,” Barkley moaned, grabbing my bound feet and pulling me back against him. I yelped, trying to get away as tears blurred my vision. “I won’t come inside you, god forbid my seed should mix with a freak, but it won’t hurt to feel you squeezing my cock like a fist.”Suddenly, I heard the sound of ripping fabric, and gasped as Barkley yanked my panties off, my skin stinging where it pinched. I squeezed my eyes shut, gasping for air as I waited for the inevitable. I heard something clatter to the ground and opened my eyes and turned my head sharply to see a gun fall out of the holster strapped to Barkley’s belt.“Erik, gun!” I screamed, and Barkley laughed, grabbing a fistful of my hair. “Who the fuck is Erik, and what’s he gonna do? Magic that gun to unload into me?” He slammed my head against the concrete floor, and stars blinded my sight before I fell limp.“That’s exactly what’s going to happen,” I heard Erik growl just before a blast burst through the air, my ears ringing. I suddenly felt blood splatter across my naked legs and back before Barkley’s full weight slump against me, and moaned in pain, black spots filling my vision.“Elise? Elise! Elise, answer me baby, please! Elise!” I could hear Erik’s voice, and took a deep breath, trying to stay awake. “’Rick,” I slurred out. “Hollld sshtill . . .” I focused my eyes as much as possible at the ropes that bound him to the chair and imagined them becoming nothing more than cobwebs. ‘Please, please work,’ I thought, and closed my eyes in relief when I succeeded.I could hear Erik knock over the chair as he scrambled over to me, heard and felt him drop down next to me as he shoved Barkley’s body off of mine. I sucked in a breath, able to breath, and felt Erik’s hands gently turn me over to make quick work of my bonds, and I felt more tears leak from my eyes.“I-I’m so sorry,” I whimpered, unable to stop the sob from escaping. “I . . . I should’ve told you, I-I didn’t want you to hate me, please don’t hate me!” I couldn’t stop babbling, sobs breaking through my words, and Erik pressed a kiss to my lips. I felt them become firmer, more masculine, and I knew the alteration I made over him was wearing off.“No, no, sweetheart, no, don’t apologize,” he whispered, wrapping his arms around me once I was free. I opened my eyes as he held me close, my face pressed against his chest. “That’s something you had every right to keep to yourself . . . I’m the one who’s sorry,” he said hoarsely, rocking me gently. “I’m so sorry, for what that bastard tried to do to you as a child, for what this sick fucker was about to do . . .” He held me tighter, and I felt his jaw clench as he rested his cheek on the top of my head.“Erik,” I whispered, eyes focusing on Barkley’s body. “We need to get the hell out of here. Please.” I felt Erik nod, and he wrapped an arm under my legs and lifted me gently into my arms as if I weighed nothing, holding me close.“Can you use your abilities?” he asked me, carefully walking up the creaking steps of the basement, and I swallowed hard, nodding my head. “I think so,” I said, voice shaky. “What do you want me to do?”“Torch this place,” he growled, the gun floating in place in front of us. The door unlocked and swung open thanks to Erik’s power, and I reached a shaky arm out to brush against the walls as we passed them quickly, the halls quickly bursting into flame behind us.I heard shouts of alarm as guards started appearing out of what seemed thin air, but they were quickly dispatched by their own weapons turning on them. I closed my eyes, unable to deal with anymore carnage, and buried my face into Erik’s chest, whimpering.Erik pressed a soothing kiss to the top of my head, keeping his focus split between soothing me and getting us out alive. “We’re almost to the car,” Erik whispered to me, and I could hear the roar of the house as it lit up like a bonfire, the flames roaring red-hot at our backs. Erik quickly ran to the vehicle, and I opened my eyes as Erik raised a hand and used his magnetism to unlock and open the car. He slid me inside carefully, and I leaned my head against the seat, my gaze automatically drawn to the fire as it fully engulfed the building.“What now?” I asked dully as Erik got in, started the car, and drove off quickly into the night. I could feel his gaze on me but kept staring at the dark road in front of us. I heard him speak after a moment. “For now, we go collect our things, and keep driving. I don’t know where, but we’ll figure it out as we go.”I nodded my head, and felt Erik reach over and take my clenched hand in his. I startled for a moment, before I relaxed and turned my palm upwards to entangle my fingers with his. “Thank you,” I whispered, unable to say anything else. My head was throbbing, my body ached everywhere, and my mind was buzzing with what had just happened, but in that instant, I felt that I was going to be safe.“You’re welcome, Elise,” Erik said quietly, giving my hand a gentle squeeze.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Outskirts of Nice, France

Late October 1960

I tossed and turned on the bed in frustration, unable to find any rest. I opened my eyes to the darkened room, and glanced over at Erik’s bed, which lay empty. I huffed out an irritated growl, and threw the covers back, finally giving up on sleep. ‘Fuck why is it so damned hot in here?’ I wondered to myself as I stood and ripped off my nightgown. I was left in my undergarments, but I couldn’t make myself care, wiping a trickle of sweat from my forehead as it trailed down my face.I hurried over to the window and shoved it open, wincing slightly when it gave a violent slam as it crashed against the side of the little summer cottage we’d rented at a cheap price, given the off season. Thankfully, nothing broke, and I stood in the breeze, gripping the windowsill as I breathed in the sea air drifting in on the night. The town was currently experiencing a heat-wave, despite the time of year, and the nights weren’t much cooler than the days.I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath to try and calm my swirling thoughts. Unfortunately, my mind strayed back to that night at Barkley’s manor, and I shivered, but the cool breeze didn’t affect me. I’d had a few nights where I’d woken both Erik and me from my screams of terror, unable to stop myself from reliving those awful moments. Sometimes, my nightmares bled into my other terrors, and Shaw’s face was the one I saw, pinning me down and trying to force himself onto me.Erik was always quick to wake me, holding me close as he murmured reassurances in my ear, gently stroking any available skin, trying to bring me back to myself as I quivered in fear. More often than not, I soaked his chest with my tears during the night, but he never once mentioned any grievance, just holding me tighter as he helped me battle the demons of my dreams.“Erik . . .” I whispered, letting out a sigh as I shook my head. As caring and patient as he had been during the nights, he didn’t actually touch me in any fashion remotely close to erotic; in fact, during the day, he seemed a bit aloof. Oh, he still hugged me close, and kissed my temple, smiled and laughed, though they seemed dim and a bit forced . . . I was beginning to feel like a fragile vase that might crack with the slightest touch.Currently, the source of my hormonal frustration was out late, who knew where. ‘Likely searching for a lead on Shaw, like I should be doing with him,’ I thought bitterly. As of late, Erik began to hunt our prey alone, and while I could understand why he was leaving me behind, it pissed me off to no end.“I’m not a weakling, I’m capable of helping track Shaw,” I said aloud, but there was no answer, only the sea crashing against the shore in the distance. I grit my teeth in irritation, stalking back to my bed and flopping down, blowing out a breath as I stared up at the ceiling of the dark room. I glanced over at the clock on the wall, and frowned at the time, little past two in the morning.I closed my eyes as I thought of Erik once more, wishing he’d at least kiss me the way he used to. I let out a little sigh, gently tracing my lips with my fingers. I brought my other hand up to softly stroke the skin around my collarbone, feeling goosebumps raise against my flesh as I imagined it was Erik’s fingers brushing against me.Bringing my hands lower, I gasped as I brushed my fingers against my nipples, feeling the sensitive flesh pebble and tighten underneath the silken cups of my brassier. I pinched them lightly, moaning as the slight sting sent an ache through my core, bit my lip as twisting them sent a gush of wetness erupted.While I toyed with my breast with my right hand, I carefully trailed my left down my chest, past my stomach, feeling my body clench and tighten as I ran my hand lower. I worried my bottom lip with my teeth as I traced the edge of my cotton panties, and shivered as the night breeze caressed my flesh, cooling the wet patch on my underwear.Slowly, I edged my fingers beneath them, feeling them brush against my curls as they dipped lower. I couldn’t help the moan that escaped, a rather loud one, and my faced flamed at the thought of someone possibly hearing me. ‘Impossible,’ I thought to myself as I barely brushed my clit, as Erik called it.

I gave a whimper as jolts of electricity shot through me, centering around that little nub. I moaned loudly as I repeated the action, embarrassment receding. ‘There’s no cottages close enough for people to hear me, and Erik’s—'“Elise are you alright?” Erik spoke as he came through the door, and I gave a startled scream, ripping my hand from my panties and clutching them to my chest as I sat upright. “Damnit Erik, don’t you ever knock?!” I shrieked, flushing crimson in embarrassment. ‘Fuck just kill me now,’ I thought, mortified.Erik froze where he stood, one hand on the doorknob as he took in the sight of me in the moonlight. “I-I heard you crying out, I thought you were having a nightmare,” he said, voice wavering slightly as he realized what I was doing just seconds ago. “Were . . . were you . . .” he trailed off, blue-green eyes tracing my body. I groaned in embarrassment, covering my face with my hands. “No, I was not!” the lie was muffled, and unconvincing.I heard Erik’s chuckle, and curled in on myself, wishing the bed would open up and swallow me up and save me from this humiliating moment. I didn’t realize Erik had crossed the room until I felt the bed dip, and his hands gently pulled mine from my face.Erik took one of his fingers and carefully tipped my face up to his, those beautiful eyes of his glittering in the dark. “There is nothing to be ashamed about,” he whispered, lips twitching in a smirk. “Though I am curious as to know why you were touching yourself, hm?”“You never touch me anymore,” I blurted out without thinking, and my eyes grew wide. “I-I mean . . .” I swallowed as his brow furrowed in confusion. “Y-you don’t . . .” I scoffed at myself, suddenly feeling childish. “You treat me different, ever since, well, that night.” I trailed off my words lamely and shook my head. “Just, just forget—”“Elise . . .” Erik gave a sigh, and his hand slid from my chin to my cheek, cupping it softly. “I didn’t want you to feel . . .” I knew he was trying to choose his words carefully, and my temper flared slightly. “Erik,” I said, narrowing my eyes. “I’m not something broken, or damaged, but you sort of made me feel like that lately, and it’s-it’s really . . .” I sighed, scrubbing a hand down my face and dislodging his hand. “I feel less than we were before . . . as if I’m losing you and you don’t . . . want me anymore.” I whispered the last bit, feeling a bit ashamed at the emotions I felt, but unable to shake it.“Oh, Elise, not at all!” I looked up at Erik’s stricken voice and watched as his expression morphed into one of hurt and sorrow. “That’s not it, I’ve just—I’m sorry . . .” I blinked when he suddenly wrapped his arms around my nearly naked form, pulling me into his clothed lap and cradling me against his chest. “I’m so sorry,” he murmured against my temple, and I shivered at the contact. “I never meant to make you feel that way,” he continued. “I only wanted to keep you comfortable, to not have you relive those moments if we try to expand the sexual side of our relationship.”I turned my face up to his and cupped his slightly whiskered cheek in my palm. He leaned into it, his eyes never leaving mine. “While it’s true I suffer nightmares, when don’t I have them?” I pointed out softly. “I know you, Erik. I trust you, and I . . .” I swallowed, deciding, ‘fuck it!’—and threw caution to the wind. “I love you, Erik.” I licked my suddenly dry lips and pressed on. “For quite some time, now. I love you, so much. More than I can ever put into words, or actions. I know you won’t hurt me, an—”I was cut off when Erik’s lips crashed into mine, his hold on me nearly crushing me to his chest. I moaned into the kiss and shivered when I felt his tongue snake against my lips, seeking entry. I tentatively wrapped my arms around his shoulders, shifting in his lap enough to straddle him, never breaking the kiss.Erik broke first, tearing his mouth from mine as his chest heaved for breath. “I love you too,” he panted, peppering kisses everywhere he could. His hands ran down the length of my body, before one rested on my upper back, the other gripping my hip, fingers soothing my suddenly heated flesh. “God, Elise, I’ve loved you for so long now. I just-I just couldn’t put it into words.” I shivered, but not from the chilly breeze that swept through the room.Erik’s mouth reconnected itself to mine, and I ran one hand through is hair, tugging the short strands gently. He growled against my lips, and his tongue swept into my mouth, and I returned an answering moan, sucking his tongue as I knew he liked.

Erik’s response was immediate, bucking up into me, and I gasped, the feeling of is clothed erection against me with only my panties in the way sending little sparks of fire flowing through my veins. I felt Erik’s hold on me tighten, and slowly, he shifted us until I felt the cool sheets against my back. I broke the kiss with a loud moan when Erik’s hand slid up my back, tickling gently.His fingers played with the clasp of my bra, his eyes searching mine. “May I?” he whispered, and I licked my lips once more, nodding my consent, sitting up slightly. With deft fingers, Erik unclipped my bra, and slowly drew the straps down my arms until my chest was completely in view. When my nipples tightened in the night air, I felt exposed for a brief moment, and turned my face to the side, cheeks flaming.I felt Erik catch my chin, and tilt m face back to his. “Beautiful,” I murmured, voice thick with desire. He kissed me once more, slow and sensual, and I relaxed into the sensation, barely aware when the bra came off completely until I felt his hand dip down to gently trace a nipple.I gasped at the sensation and felt Erik smirk against my neck. He nipped the sensitive skin there, causing me to shiver and moan, hands slowly coming to rest on his back and in his hair. Erik licked and sucked his way down my neck, up to my face and pausing on my lips, then back down the other side and lower to trace his tongue across my collarbone.All the while, his one hand continued stroking and plucking one nipple, and the other came to join its twin, matching rhythm immediately. “Erik,” I breathed his name, barely able to keep my eyes open as I arched into his touch. “Please . . .”Erik chuckled, and one hand left my breasts, causing me to whimper at the loss, only to give a cry of surprised pleasure when his lips surrounded my nipple, and sucked gently. My hands tightened their hold on Erik, unsure whether to push him away or pull him closer. Erik made the decision for me and snaked his free hand underneath my back, pulling me closer to his mouth, worrying my nipple with his teeth gently.

I panted for breath as he sucked and laved my breast, only to suddenly switch to the other, the breeze from the open window cooling the moisture around my nipple and causing it to harden and tingle pleasantly. When Erik rocked his cock against my core, I moaned, feeling that coil begin to tighten. I writhed against Erik’s hard frame, suddenly impatient that there were so many layers between us.I tugged at the back of his shirt, giving a slight whimper at a particularly hard suck. “Erik,” I gasped. “Too . . . too many clothes. Take them off, please?” Erik smirked around my nipple, and let go with a loud, lewd pop. “I’ve decided that perhaps it’s time I teach you something else in your sexual education,” he murmured against my skin, sitting up onto his knees and hurriedly unbuttoning his shirt.I leaned up on one elbow, watching in fascination at every new inch of skin that was revealed to me. I would never tire of that sight, and I licked my lips when a sudden, devious thought struck me. I sat up quickly, and before Erik could stop me, latched my mouth onto his right nipple, sucking gently and laving it with my tongue and teeth, just as he did to me.Erik sucked in a sharp breath, a grunt escaping him as he slid a hand into my hair, is other frozen on the last few buttons. I couldn’t help but grin against his skin, and brought my other hand up, raking my nails gently over his left nipple. The groan that left him shuddering was worth it, but he pulled my chin up, forcing me to leave him.I gave a slight pout, having enjoyed making him squirm, and he gave a short laugh, nipping my bottom lip. “Minx,” he whispered against my lips before shrugging off his shirt. “Hellion,” I quipped back, winking. “And you love it.”Erik gently pushed me back onto the mattress, pressing a quick kiss to my lips with a smile. “Absolutely, love.” He stood up and undid his belt and the top button of his pants, offering himself some relief from the pressure on his cock, and I licked my lips unconsciously as he dropped to his knees.I gave a yelp of surprise when he grabbed my legs and repositioned me to the side of the bed, my legs hanging on either side of his shoulders. Slowly, his eyes on mine, he slid his hands up my knees, thumbs rubbing soothing circles into my skin. “There are many ways to receive and give pleasure,” he said softly. “One of the most common is oral.” As he spoke, his hands reached the edge of my panties, fingers tracing gently underneath the hem.I blinked, thinking over his words before I realized what that entailed. “y-you mean, you w-want to . . . to . . .” Erik smirked, kissing the inside of my thigh before giving it a light nip, causing me to shudder in response. “I assure you, you will thoroughly enjoy yourself,” he whispered, kissing and licking his way up my thighs until he reached my soaking core.I blushed crimson, covering my face with one hand. “B-but that’s so-so—” I waved my hand at him, feeling a little overwhelmed. “Dirty?” Erik suggested, a leer taking over his face as he brushed his mouth over my clothed mound. “That’s the idea,” he whispered, placing a kiss directly over my wet slit, and my hips jerked uncontrollably.I bit my lip, feeling a spike of arousal rush through me straight to my core, and I nodded my head slowly, giving consent. “Alright,” I whispered, face flaming but unable to look away. His hands crept up to take hold of the tops of my underwear, and he slowly tugged them down, with me lifting my hips to help him, until they slid down my legs.Kissing my thighs once more, Erik leaned in and licked a long, slow stripe from the bottom of my slit up to the top, and I arched into him with a sharp moan, the sensation completely new and so, so enjoyable. I felt Erik smirk against my folds, and he did it again, tongue pressing firmer as one hand split my lips open to him. “God, you taste so much better than I ever imagined,” he moaned, nipping at my folds gently. His words set fire to my blood, and I whimpered, unable to contain myself.I felt utterly exposed, but I loved it, tilting back onto the bed with a whimper. When Erik’s tongue stroked against my clit, I cried out, one hand gripping the sheets and the other coming up to play with my breast, the dual sensation nearly too much. My hips began to tilt into Erik’s mouth, and he chuckled, the vibrations sending lightning through my core. “Oh, my god, Erik!” I cried out, feeling that familiar coil begin to tighten.

One hand pressed against the top of my hips, and he lifted his mouth enough to whisper against me. “Cum for me, Elise,” he commanded. “Cum on my mouth, I want to taste it!” His hands tightened on me, holding me steady as he latched his mouth around my clit and sucked, hard. “Fuck, Erik!” I screamed out as I climaxed, grinding my hips into Erik’s mouth as I rode out my orgasm. Erik didn’t relent until I was shaking, sweat beading my brow. He gave my clit one last kitten lick before he lifted his head, chin resting on the top of my mound.I lifted my own head, panting as I stared at him wide-eyed. I watched, fascinated as he licked his lips, as if to capture my essence that soaked his whiskered cheeks and chin. “Th-that was . . .” I was unable to form a coherent thought, and Erik smirked, and sent me a cheeky wink. “There’s one more thing I want to teach you tonight,” he whispered, sliding one hand up to tease my entrance. I tensed slightly, but nodded my head quickly, not wanting this pleasure to end.“Fingering is an incredibly wonderful experience for a woman, almost as good as oral, as long as one knows what to seek.” As he spoke, his middle finger slowly, carefully, slipped inside of me, and I sucked in a breath at the intrusion. It didn’t hurt, but it felt strange, and I rocked my hips experimentally, eyes widening as it sent a small bolt of pleasure deep within me.Erik continued to stroke his finger inside me, before he added another. I winced slightly at the twinge that went through me as my body began to stretch, but his soothing kisses to my thighs and hips eased the intrusion. Carefully, his fingers began to thrust, and I moaned at the new sensation.Suddenly, his fingers twisted and curled upwards to press onto something soft and spongy inside me, and my hips bucked against his hand. A cry left me, my mouth hanging open as Erik did it again, a smirk on his lips. “That feel good?” he murmured, lowering his head to lick at my clit once more.I moaned, unable to form words, and my hands raked through his hair, unable to stay still. I ground my hips against him, his hand moving faster as he pumped his fingers inside me. Carefully, he worked a third finger inside me, and I could feel myself clenching around his fingers, pleasure spiraling through me once more.

“Erik, I-I’m going to— “I broke off with a whimper as his hand sped up once more, thrusting into me at a rapid pace as his mouth continued to suck and lave my clit. With a loud cry, I threw my head back, vision blurry.“Mm . . .” Erik moaned against me, and I shivered, hips bucking harshly against him. “You are so gorgeous when you come apart for me,” he panted, kissing my thigh as his free hand rubbed soothing circles into my thigh before his hand fell from me. Slowly, he pulled his fingers from me, and I groaned, lifting myself up onto my elbows weakly. I’m sure I looked a sight, mouth open and panting, body flushed and sprawled open for Erik’s view. My gaze traveled over Erik’s tightened jaw and flushed face, biting my lip and moaning as I realized he was palming himself through his slacks.I licked my lips, eyes on that prominent bulge. “May-may I . . . touch you, like you did me?” I asked, my gaze meeting his. His pupils were blown wide, and he grunted, swallowing hard. “If you’re sure,” he whispered hoarsely, and I nodded my head eagerly, sitting up carefully.I felt my body twitch and spasm with the movement, and I bit my lip, carefully switching places with Erik until I knelt in front of him. I reached up carefully and unzipped his pants slowly. My brows lifted in surprise when he suddenly sprung free, and glanced at Erik, snorting. “What, no underwear?”Erik shrugged in response, lifting his hips to tug his pants off until he was as naked as I was. “Why not?” he returned, and I couldn’t help but laugh before turning back to face his cock. I blinked, my laughter dying. “Um . . .” I cleared my throat, glancing up at my lover. “Erik . . . how in the holy fuck is that supposed to fit?” I asked incredulously, and Erik threw back his head and laughed, body shaking and cock swaying with the movement.I frowned briefly, still a bit concerned. His cock was huge, thick and long. The veins and ridges were prominent, and I had a brief flash of fear of that thing tearing me in half. Erik laughed harder, and I blushed, realizing I’d spoken out loud. “Well, it’s true,” I muttered, glaring at him slightly.“It’s alright,” Erik managed to say after a moment, reaching a hand down to stroke my cheek gently. “One way to ensure that I’ll fit is to make sure you’re fully aroused, and stretched and ready, as I’d just demonstrated for you.” Erik lifted his hand to wiggle his fingers at me, smirking, and I nipped at his fingers playfully, cheeky grin matching his.“Alright . . . how do I . . .” I trailed off, reaching up to gently trace a vein with one finger, from the base to the tip and back down. He felt like velvet covered steel, smooth except for those veins that stood out and throbbed in time with his heartbeat. and Erik gasped, hips jerking upward. I snatched my hand back, afraid I’d hurt him, but Erik shook his head, smiling. “No, no that was good,” he breathed out, and I slowly reached for him once more, tracing my fingers up and down his length.Carefully, I wrapped a hand around him, running my closed fist up and down his cock. “Like this?” I whispered, glancing up at Erik’s face. I couldn’t help but bit my lip in awe at his expression of utter bliss. His head was thrown back, mouth agape as he began to thrust his hips into my grip. “Just like that,” he whispered hoarsely, reaching down to grip my hand around him tighter and guiding my movements.I watched in fascination as that spongey head disappeared and reappeared as my hand moved quickly over it and back down. A thick stream of something clear leaked from the tip, and without a thought, I lowered my head and licked the tip, blinking at the taste. Slightly salty, a little musky, but not unpleasant.Erik’s hips jerked up, a guttural moan escaping his open lips. “Oh, Elise,” he panted, his hand tightening over mine as the other tangled into my hair. He leaned over as much as he could to reach my lips, taking me in a passionate kiss.I moaned against his mouth, realizing I could taste myself, and he could probably taste himself, but finding that I didn’t care. My stroking never ceased, and I tightened my hand experimentally as I reached the top of his shaft, twisting gently. Erik broke the kiss with a groan, pumping into my hand. “I’m going to cum if you keep that up,” he warned, his hands leaving me and gripping the sheets.I smirked up at him, repeating the motion. “Isn’t that the idea?” I teased, licking at his head once again. My free hand traced up his thigh, feeling the muscles spasm until u cupped his balls gently in my hand, squeezing and rolling them experimentally. It must've been to much, because Erik threw his head back, hips becoming jerky as he thrust harder into my grip. “Oh, Elise, that’s it, just like that . . . Fuck!” he grunted, and I watched in fascination as his cock suddenly erupted a sticky, white substance that shot out and landed on my hand and his stomach.

Erik groaned, gripping my hand after a moment of steady jerking, and I reluctantly let go when he’d finished coming. Erik lay back, eyes closed and panting, and I traced his form with my eyes, the white standing out sharply against his skin.I leaned forward and licked up a patch of that substance, the slightly bitter yet salty taste causing me to blink. Erik jerked, grunting. I felt his hand tangle into my hair, and he carefully pulled me up onto the bed with him. He kissed me slowly, gently, and wrapped my arms around him, moaning into his mouth.Reluctantly, we broke apart, and Erik pecked my cheek. “Stay here,” he whispered, getting up and heading for the bathroom, butt-naked. I blushed but was unable to look away. ‘Damn, that man has an exquisite ass,’ I thought suddenly, and the thought made me bite my lip to keep from laughing. Erik returned with a damp rag just after I managed to calm myself, and I blushed as he gently wiped up the mess in between my legs before he wiped his cum off of his body and my hand.He dropped the cloth over the hamper in the corner, and crawled up onto the bed, pulling the covers up with him. I didn’t realize that I was becoming chilled until Erik snaked an arm around me and pulled me to him. I automatically curled into his embrace, chest to chest as I lay my head on his shoulder.“That was amazing,” I whispered after a moment, tracing a finger over his collarbone, my eyes drooping. Erik hummed in agreement, tightening his hold on me as he pressed a kiss to my forehead. “Definitely more than I thought it would be,” I continued.“I’m glad,” Erik’s voice was low and soothing, sending shivers down my spine. “Imagine what it will be like when I’m inside you, joined completely. It will be complete ecstasy.” I gave a soft sigh of agreement. I could feel his soft smile against my temple, and his whole body as more relaxed than it had been in ages. I was feeling pretty boneless myself, and snuggled closer, pressing a kiss to Erik’s throat. “I love you, Erik,” I whispered.Erik’s hold tightened, his lips pressed once more to my temple. “I love you. So much more than you could ever possibly imagine, Elise.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Paris, France
January 1961

“Erik?” I asked softly, running my fingers through his shortened hair. He gave a soft inquiring hum, and tightened his arms around me, nuzzling my collarbone lazily. We were both nearly nude, only our undergarments between us, and thick, heavy blankets covering us in warmth. This had become the norm as we spent the vast majority of the last few days abed in our hotel room.There was a nasty blizzard that raged through the city over the last half of the week, shortly after the new year, which ground all traffic of every kind to a screeching halt. By the time the howling winds and freezing cold had finally dissipated enough to see farther than the end of one’s nose, nearly four feet of snow had fallen, covering the city of Paris in a wintry glitz. That had been three days ago, and people were still scraping away the roads and sidewalks clean enough for travel. That meant that Erik and I were stuck in the hotel at least for another day, not that either of us complained.We’d spent the rest of October into December in Nice, before we decided to head to the City of Lights. We’d gone over the logs that we’d plucked from Von Burren back in Vienna and decided to try scouring around for a Mr. Leif Daughtry. Supposedly, He was a major supplier of ammunition and weaponry of the military grade. His last permanent residence was in Berlin, on the Eastern side of the Wall. Neither one of us was looking forward to going, but there was no other choice. We’d planned on leaving as soon as possible, but with the weather being what it was, we were stuck in Paris for the time being.I gave a contented sigh as I ran my fingers through Erik’s hair once more, curling into his body. ‘The man’s a damned furnace,’ I thought, lips twitching. “Have you ever given any thought to the future?” When he lifted his head to give me a questioning glance, I clarified my words. “I mean, after we’ve taken down Shaw, or Schmidt, or whatever the fuck he calls himself.” I bit my lip, unable to look away from his blue-grey eyes. I gently traced my fingers over Erik’s face, mesmerized by the stubble gracing his cheeks and lips.“I’ve . . . I’ve never really thought about it,” Erik confessed, nipping at my fingers playfully. I huffed out a soft laugh, matching his grin as he leaned in to kiss my lips gently. “Perhaps I’ll travel for a bit, maybe find a small homestead and settle there. What about you?” he asked me, trailing his lips across my neck and shoulders. I sighed, closing my eyes and relaxing into his embrace. “Well,” I said slowly, thinking about what I wanted. “I think I’d like to go back to America, for a little while, at least.”“Oh?” Erik lifted his head, leaning on one elbow as he traced his fingers over my abdomen. I opened my eyes to face him, tucking my hands underneath my chin. “I’ve got an aunt and uncle in America, and two cousins that I hadn’t seen since I was little.” Erik smiled softly. “I didn’t know you still have family,” he said, and I shrugged. “I hadn’t seen them since I was . . . I think I was about five years old. My mother and her brother had a falling out. She was from an old upper-crust English family.“They still retained the accent from my grandmother, who met and married my grandfather, a man that made his fortune in America. He was also an English Immigrant from another wealthy family. Mama always volunteered at local churches and helped scavenge for scrap metal during the war, and she met and fell in love with my father, who was a Lutheran. Mama’s family was Protestant and were pretty pissed about that.” I laughed a little derisively. “Not that I think it mattered much, as I don’t really believe in a god, but my uncle wasn’t happy with her choice of husband and had no qualms in saying as much.”“And your aunt? Your cousins?” Erik asked, frowning slightly. I shrugged, reaching out to trace Erik’s collarbone. “My aunt was a socialite and was hardly ever home. But my cousins—oh, they were such wonderful people to be around. They were older than me by several years, but they always made sure to keep me in good company whenever uncle wished for mama and papa to visit. My parents gave up living a life of luxury when they saw the suffering that others less fortunate went through. When Papa became a pastor, they were given a small, yet comfortable home in the parish he worked for long before I was born, so it was always . . .strange, I guess, to see their home compared to what I knew in my early years.”I gave a slight laugh as I remembered little flashes of my young childhood. “I can’t honestly remember their names, but I always followed Birdie around.” I gave a wistful smile. “She was so pretty, and she always seemed a bit aloof, though she didn’t seem to mind playing with me. One day I made her, and her brother wear flower crowns for an entire day, even though Chewy didn’t want to. He must’ve known I wanted him to play with us, because he always stopped whatever he was doing, or made sure to include us in his reading. He was a genius, I swear.” I gave a sigh, shaking my head.“I don’t know if they ever found out about my parents’ murders, or if I’m even alive. A part of me is scared to see them again, after so long, but there’s a little piece of my heart that wants to see them again.” Erik wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close to his chest, brushing his lips over my temple. “One day, when this is all over, I will take you back to America, and we’ll find your cousins.” He cleared his throat, before he continued. “And perhaps you’ll introduce yourself to them as Elise Lehnsherr.”I had closed my eyes as I snuggled into his embrace, only for them to pop open as he spoke. I sat up, the blanket falling around my waist as I gaped at Erik in astonishment. He gave me a soft smile and sat up as well. “Are-are you—” I squeaked out, my voice shaky.Erik gave a chuckle and reached over to the bedside table before pulling open the drawer. He rummaged around for a moment, before he held out a thin, gold band with tiny diamonds embedded within, the precious gems winking in the pale sunlight that filtered through the windows. “I love you, more than anything else in this world,” he said quietly, cupping my jaw with his free hand and tracing my cheek with his thumb gently. “You bring out a lightness in me that I had long thought was burned out. I feel at peace when I hold you in my arms, joy when we kiss. I want nothing more than to grow old with you, to see your cousins in America, and to find a home to fill with love and children. And I promise to swear utter devotion to you, for the rest of our lives.” He took a deep breath and held the ring out to me. “Will you marry me?” he asked softly, holding it before me.I sucked in a breath, feeling tears gather in my eyes before I nodded, looking into Erik’s slightly nervous gaze. “Y-yes, Erik, a thousand times, yes!” I whispered, barely able to say the words. Erik’s face split into the happiest grin I’ve ever seen him give, and he carefully slid the ring onto my trembling finger. His hands clasped my face gently between them, and he lowered his head to mine in what has got to be the most beautiful kiss I’ve ever received in my memory.

A long while later, panting for breath after he’d given me another mind-blowing orgasm, I shifted to face him, pressing a kiss to his collarbone. “We should tell Ghita and Josef,” I whispered, and Erik hummed in response, his own release cooling on his stomach as he hugged me closer to him. “As soon as the streets are clear enough to drive,” he muttered, trailing his hand across my hip. “We’ll head to Trier and tell them our intentions.” He chuckled, kissing my temple.“Hopefully, Josef won’t feel the need to gut me for asking you to marry me without consulting him first.” I gasped, sitting up as I stared at him wide-eyed. “Imagine what he’d do when he realizes what we’ve been doing?” I blurted out. We watched each other for a moment, before Erik burst out laughing, pulling me back down onto the bed with him. “I’m a dead man,” he chuckled, shaking his head.
***
Trier, Germany

July 27th, 1961

It was a beautiful, sunny day, and the wedding was a quick, small affair. Erik and I held each other close as we danced to a simple melody, foreheads pressed to one another’s as the world faded around us. I couldn’t keep the grin off my face if I tried, not that I ever intended to. “I love you,” I whispered, pressing a kiss to Erik’s smiling mouth. “I love you more,” he returned, giving me a cheeky wink.I gave a slight gasp and burst out with laughter as Erik twirled me around before dipping me low, mischievous twinkle in his eye. He chuckled as he brought us back into an upright position, before he pressed a loving kiss to my lips. “How does it feel to be Mrs. Lehnsherr?” he whispered against my mouth.My lips curled into a grin as I gazed up at my husband. “Like a dream,” I whispered. “But I know that I won’t wake from this, and it’s better than I ever could have imagined.” I could dimly hear people clapping in applause, and Erik guided me back to our table, hand upon my lower back. I brushed one of the wayward blue flowers back into the crown I wore braided into my hair, thinking on how we’d come to be in that moment.We’d gone to see Ghita and Josef back in February, and they were practically over the moon when we’d announced our plans to marry. They insisted on us marrying right there on their property, in the meadow Josef found me in. Erik and I agreed—Erik believed it to be a wonderful way to come full circle; I was unable to do anything but nod, tears threatening to choke me at the touching thought.We’d decided on a simple ceremony, one that combined a few customs from Erik’s Jewish heritage, and a few from my own. Neither Erik nor I were inclined to having a massive religious ceremony, given our thoughts about God, so it was a bit difficult to find someone that was willing to perform a simple officiation for us.Ghita offered—well, more like insisted—that she help with wedding preparations and details, including helping me sew my wedding dress. The Steinberg’s’ had wanted us to stay with them until the wedding, but Erik and I had declined, wishing to have a private space where we could discuss business (or to hide from wedding planning, not that we’d ever tell the well-meaning couple).

We’d rented a small home at the edge of the city of Trier, near the docks, where Erik found some steady work at one of the factories. We’d spoken about it at length and decided that it would be better to earn actual money while we were there, not wanting to raise suspicions and oust ourselves out to the community. As far as everyone knew, I was the great granddaughter of Ghita and Josef, and Erik a beau I had met while away at a boarding school.We were leaving for Hamburg as our honeymoon, to settle down and start a family up there . . . at least, that was the official story that we’d given Erik’s coworkers and the few friends we’d made there in Trier. We still planned on getting into East Berlin to search for Daughtry, but no one but Ghita and Josef knew that.Erik brought my hand up to kiss my knuckles, bringing me our of my reverie, and I gave him a warm smile. He returned the smile, and leaned over, kissing my softly. “it’s time to leave, love,” he whispered, and I blushed lightly, nodding my head. The sun was going down, and we were to spend one last night in the little house we’d rented before we left in the morning.We’d given last goodbyes to the few guests we’d invited and were hugged and kissed tightly by Ghita and Josef. They knew where we were really headed in the morning, and both whispered for us to be safe, with Josef shaking Erik’s hand a final time. “Take care of our Elise,” he spoke, clearing his throat to hide his happy tears.“I will,” Erik promised, laying a warm hand over my lower back as I kissed Josef’s grizzled cheek. “I love you both,” I whispered to Josef and Ghita, wiping my own eyes gently. With one last wave at the cheering people, Erik assisted me into the car before he got in himself and began to drive away. Erik reached over and took my hand, holding it in his tightly. “I love you, Mrs. Lehnsherr,” Erik said softly, glancing at me in the dimming light.I smiled, and kissed his hand, rubbing my cheek against it lovingly. “And I you, Mr. Lehnsherr,” I whispered, placing one last kiss on his knuckles. The rest of the drive was silent, but not unpleasantly so. I could feel a charge in the air, a sort of tension between us, but it didn’t feel like a bad thing. My lower belly quivered at what would happen when we arrived at the house, but I steeled my nerves, trusting Erik more than anything.Erik insisted on carrying me up the walk, causing me to yelp in surprise when he pulled me up into his arms, holding me securely against his chest. He chuckled, kissing me soundly. Our tongues dueled for a moment, and I could feel a heat simmering in my veins. Erik groaned against my mouth, tearing his lips from mine as he carefully opened the door, and stepped over the threshold.Slowly, he lowered me to the floor, my body sliding against his, eyes never leaving each other’s. Erik took my hand, walking backwards as he slowly led me to our bedroom. I licked my lips, my breathing coming a bit faster as I took in the darkened room. Erik released my hand to reach into his pocket. With a flicker, a lighter came to life, and it raised up in between us, illuminating Erik’s smirking face.“Close your eyes,” he whispered, and I complied, a faint smile upon my lips. I knew he was using his magnetism to do something with the lighter, because I could hear him taking off his suit jacket. I felt and heard him move to stand behind me, and took a deep breath, enjoying the scent of his cologne as he passed. “Open your eyes Elise,” Erik whispered, hearing his voice right next to my ear. As a small act of tradition, I spent the night previously at the Steinberg’s home, so I was unsure what to expect. Slowly, I opened my eyes, and gasped at the beautiful sight before me.

Erik had taken candles and placed them strategically around the room, so that they gave a soft, warm glow all around us. “Erik, it-it’s beautiful,” I breathed, eyes watering slightly. Erik turned me in his arms, and cupped my face with his hands, thumbing away my tears as they spilled. “No tears this night,” he whispered, kissing each eyelid. “These are happy tears,” I whispered, giving a watery laugh. Erik smiled, kissing the tip of my nose. His hands slid lower, to the tops of my shoulders. “May I help you out of your wedding dress, wife?” he asked softly, and I swallowed lightly, nodding my head.I reached up to remove the flower crown from my head, my hair tumbling down in burgundy curls and waves. I turned around slowly, and slid my hair off to one shoulder, revealing the buttons down my back. I felt Erik’s lips connect with my neck, and I closed my eyes, the sensation causing me to give a soft moan. I felt my husband’s fingers slowly undo each button, and I held the dress up against my chest, swallowing lightly. Once all the buttons were undone, I turned to face Erik, opening my eyes when he gently took my chin and tilted my face up to his. He brushed a gentle kiss against my lips, and I allowed the dress to slide down my arms, baring myself before him.I had bought the white lingerie a few weeks ago and judging from the darkened look in my new husband’s eyes, he approved. He took in my scantily-clad form and reached up a hand to trace along the edge of my lace bra. “Is this for me?” he asked, a slight smirk to his lips. I smiled, blushing red, and nodded. “I-I was hoping you’d like it,” I whispered.Erik licked his lips before he pulled me close to him. “I definitely like it,” he hissed out lowly, just before crushing my lips with his. I moaned into his mouth, parting my lips for his tongue when he sought entry. The kiss was slow, sensuous, and had my nerve endings tingling and toes curling against the hardwood floor.

We broke the kiss slowly, barely able to keep our mouths apart as I reached up to undo the buttons of Erik’s shirt. We’ve undressed each other before now, but tonight, our wedding night, seemed so much more intimate, and we took our time. As I worked on his shirt, Erik undid the cuffs before his hands slid around to my back, unclipping the bra with practiced ease.He reached up and gently brushed the straps off my shoulders, easing it off my arms until it fell onto the floor, his shirt following suit. My fingers trembled as they brushed against his belt buckle, and Erik caught them with his own, bringing them up to his mouth. “It’s alright Elise,” he whispered. “We’ll take this slow. Here . . .” he lifted me up into his arms, and I gave a slight laugh of surprise as he carried me over to the bed, mindful of the candles as he went.He lay me on the bed slowly, pressing gentle kisses across my face before he stood up and toed off his shoes and socks. He knelt down and took one foot at a time, removing my heels and carefully rolling off my stockings. I gave a slight gasp as he kissed the instep of each foot, working his way up my legs. “Have I mentioned, wife of mine, how much I love to see you in stockings and heels?” he murmured against my skin. I moaned as he licked a stripe against my thigh before switching to the other. “I’ll, ah, have-have to remember that,” I managed to pant out.Erik gave a faint chuckle before he sucked a light bruise at the apex of my thigh, and I gave a small yelp of pleasure, running my fingers through his hair. I could feel him smirk against my skin, and he gave me a gentle nip before he curled his fingers around the waistband of my underwear. He locked eyes with me as he tugged them down slowly, allowing me enough room to shift my hips up until they dropped to the floor.It didn’t take long for him to press gentle kisses along my slit, and I moaned, my head falling back against the pillows. Using one hand, he spread my folds, and laved his tongue across my center. “Mmm,” Erik moaned, lifting his head, and I opened my eyes to watch him, the black of his pupils beginning to overtake his blue-grey irises. “You taste divine,” he whispered, placing a kiss to the top of my mound before he trailed his tongue to slide back down to my entrance, tracing lightly.I gave a startled yelp as he stiffened his tongue, thrusting gently. The strange intrusion wasn’t unpleasant, and I rocked my hips forward against him experimentally. Erik gripped my hips gently, bringing me closer to his mouth. I groaned at the feeling, and I couldn’t help myself as I cried out when his lips latched onto my clit, suckling gently.“I love you, Elise,” he whispered against me, hot breath blowing against my slick folds. I shivered, raking a hand through his hair lovingly. “I love you, Erik,” I moaned, voice breaking as he rolled that little pearl gently between his teeth, worrying at it as his tongue stroked up and down over it. I could feel that coil tightening, and moaned, shifting my hips against Erik’s mouth. “Erik . . . Erik, I’m—oh, please, don’t stop!” I whimpered, fisting the sheets in my hands as my back arched uncontrollably.

“That’s it baby, cum against my tongue, I want to taste you,” he moaned against me, fingers digging into my hips as he continued to assault my clit with tongue. When he slipped a finger inside me and curled upwards against that spot, I gasped, stiffening before I screamed out my release. Erik rode out my orgasm, never ceasing his movements until I pressed a hand against his scalp, dragging my nails through his hair lightly. “Erik, Erik, too much,” I panted, and he finally relented, placing a gentle kiss to my clit before he leaned back.I shakily leaned up on my arms, panting for breath as I took in my husband’s form. He was breathing hard, eyes dark with desire and chin glistening with my release. He licked his lips slowly before he sucked the finger that had just been inside me into his mouth, moaning at the taste. I shivered at the action and licked my own lips.Erik stood up from the floor and began to undo his belt. I sat up completely and scooted back against the pillows and pushed the covers down with my feet, our eyes never leaving the other’s. When he stood fully nude before me, I swallowed lightly, my mouth dry before I held out a trembling hand to him.Erik took my hand and kissed the back of it gently, slowly lowering himself onto the bed with me. He knelt between my parted legs and kissed me gently. It started slow, soft, before it shifted into something more passionate, intimate. I gave a slight whimper as I felt one hand reach up to gently trace a nipple, the bud tightening and throbbing. Arousal began to course through my body, and I ran my nails gently down his back as Erik began to trail kisses across my skin.He licked and sucked at a spot on my neck that had me shivering, and I couldn’t help myself as I lightly scoured his shoulders with my nails. Erik groaned, and pressed is cock against my belly. I could feel it hard and throbbing against me, and I bit my lip to contain a smirk as I slowly ran a hand down his chest, across his abdomen, and lower to curl my fingers around his length, stroking slowly.Erik moaned before he covered one of my breasts with his mouth, sucking and laving. I groaned aloud, arching into his mouth as he teased and tormented the bud into a stiff peak, one hand coming up to caress the other as his free hand trailed down to my stomach, lower, gently stroking my curls.I could feel myself becoming wetter, and I moaned, gripping his shaft a little tighter as he delved his fingers through my slit, stroking my clit with expertise. When he carefully nudged one finger inside me, I whimpered, my hips unable to stop from arching into his hand. “Erik,” I whispered, closing my eyes as he added another. He released my nipple from his mouth before he switched to the other breast, adding a second finger to join the first and pumping slowly.

I could feel my orgasm beginning to build by the time he added a third finger, and I gripped his shoulder and tightly with one hand, my other hand on his cock faltering. “Erik, please,” I panted. “I . . . I want you inside me when I cum.”Erik groaned around my nipple, causing m to gasp and arch into him once more. He lifted his head to crush his mouth to mine, our tongues tangling for dominance. Erik one, of course, but I gave into the impish side of me, sucking gently. Erik tore his mouth from mine, resting his forehead against mine as we both panted for breath. I removed my hand from him, bringing it up to rest against his shoulder as he gently lowered me back against the bed.Slowly, he removed his fingers from me, and brought them up to suck on them gently, moaning as he tasted my essence left behind. The sight sent another bolt of heat through me, and I felt myself clench around nothing. Erik lowered himself gently over top of me, and I spread my legs wider to accommodate him.He kissed me gently once, twice, as his hand grabbed ahold of his cock and maneuvered himself into position. “It may hurt a moment, but it will pass, I swear it,” he whispered, lips against mine. I nodded my head, and released a shaky breath, gripping his shoulders as he began to press into me.I could feel him splitting me open, and gasped as he pushed himself in deeper. He murmured reassurances in me ear, forehead resting on my shoulder. I whimpered, feeling my body give way to accept his length, biting my lip to keep from crying out. “Erik,” I whispered, voice quivering. Erik immediately ceased moving, freezing in place as he trailed gentle kisses across my face. “Shh, it’s alright, just a little more,” he said softly, kissing my temple.I glanced down and sucked in a breath as I realized he still had at least a third of the way to go. I licked my lips, watching in fascination as he pulled his hips back, until he was completely out, and gently entered me again, thrusting forward slowly. I gasped at the sensation as he moved deeper. It hurt, but as he rocked his hips back, I felt a distinct, pleasurable drag, and I moaned, unable to help myself. Erik covered my mouth with his, capturing my whimper as he finally, finally slid all the way in, hips resting against mine.

I wasn’t aware that I was crying until he thumbed away the tears on my cheeks, and he kissed each eyelid gently. “Are you alright?” he whispered, lifting he body enough to rest on his elbow as he watched my reactions. He was panting, eyes dark with lust, and I felt a shiver of pleasure as I realized it was taking all of his incredible self-control to not begin to rut into me like an animal. I nodded my head, releasing the breath I didn’t realize I held.I could feel him pressing against something inside me, and I realized with a small sense of alarm that he was pressing against my cervix, nudging it gently. “Y-yeah, I’m fine,” I managed, shifting my hips gently. Erik groaned, closing his eyes briefly. “I feel . . . full, and a bit stretched . . .” I bit my lip when Erik snorted out a laugh, my own lips twitching in amusement.I lifted my hips as much as I could, moaning as I felt a shiver of pleasure throb deep inside. “Erik . . . please,” I whispered, and he kissed me once more, pulling his hips back slightly and thrusting forward. I moaned once more, louder as he did it again, starting an easy rhythm. Erik groaned, rotating his hips as he thrust deep inside me. He lifted my legs to wrap around his waist, shifting the angle at which he thrust into me and caused me to see stars.I gasped, clutching at my husband’s shoulders and arching into him, my hips beginning to rise to meet his. There was hardly any pain left, and I felt the pleasure beginning to peak once more. Erik grunted with each stroke, his pace beginning to pick up. “God, you feel so tight,” he whispered harshly, kissing my neck and shoulders, littering my collarbone with little love bites. “So hot and wet, mmm . . .” he angled his hips slightly, and I let out a loud cry, panting.I felt Erik smirk against my neck as he did it again, and I dug my nails into his back, groaning. “Erik, ri-right there,” I stammered, unable to stop the sounds escaping me. I bit my lip, but Erik gently thumbed it loose, tracing it gently before he kissed me hard. “I want to hear all those delicious sounds, love,” he moaned, tempo increasing. “don’t hide from me . . . never hide from me.”

I arched my back, feeling that coil begin to tighten. “Erik, I’m-I’m close,” I panted, feeling my eyes beginning to drift shut. When I felt Erik’s fingers thrum against my clit harshly, I yelped, hips spasming into his touch. My eyes flew open, meeting Erik’s eyes. His pupils were blown wide, his mouth parted as he grunted his pleasure. “Eyes on me,” he whispered. “I want to see your eyes when you come around my cock.”I groaned at his words, feeling myself tighten around him further, and he groaned, rhythm faltering slightly before he began to pound into me. I slid a hand down, wanting to feel him, and paused as I brushed over my stomach, eyes wide. I felt him sliding into me underneath my skin, the feeling striking me as incredibly erotic.“Erik, I-I can feel you,” I whispered, leaning up to suck and bite at his neck. Erik gasped as I sucked particularly hard at the junction of his shoulder and neck, thrusting hard into me. His cock nudged against my cervix, and I gasped at the mix of pleasure and pain that coursed through me. I was hypersensitive, the sounds of his hips slapping into mine echoing loudly in the room, every nerve-ending on fire, but oh, if felt so good.I felt the beginning traces of my orgasm, my hands sliding up to grip at Erik’s back, holding him close. “Please, Erik, I’m going to cum,” I panted, whimpering I tightened my legs around his waist, trying to gain some kind of leverage. One hand came to take mine in his our fingers tangling, rings clacking together as Erik’s other hand gripped my hip tightly, holding me in place as he continued to push me towards my release.

“Erik, cum with me,” I whispered in his ear. “I want to feel you cum inside me.” His answering groan as he crashed his mouth onto mine was what flung me over that edge, and I wailed my release against his lips, hips meeting Erik’s as he rolled his hips into me, grinding against my clit to prolong my pleasure.My vision dimmed, and I was vaguely aware that Erik’s hips stuttered in movement, before he gave a sharp cry, his hips grinding into mine before stilling. I could feel him throbbing and pulsing inside me as he came, his seed a warmth that coated my womb. We panted against each other’s mouths, clinging tightly to one another as we came down from our highs.I felt Erik’s fingers brush the hair back from my sweaty forehead, and I opened my eyes to see his concerned gaze tracing over my form. “Are you alright?” he whispered. “I wasn’t too rough?” I shook my head, moaning as I felt him slowly slide from my body, involuntarily clenching around him. Erik moaned, jaw clenching as he pulled away, pressing gentle kisses to temple, my cheeks, and finally to my lips.I slowly lowered my legs from around Erik, feeling a pleasant soreness settle in my muscles, and I closed my eyes. I sighed, a soft smile crossing my features as Erik traced a gentle hand down my body before he pressed a kiss to my temple. “I’ll be right back,” he whispered, and I nodded my head, opening my eyes to watch him stride to the bathroom.I could feel the sweat we’d exerted from our coupling beginning to cool on my skin, and I shivered lightly. He returned after a moment, pausing to blow out candles as he went, until it was just the one candle left burning next to our bed on the nightstand. Carefully, he began to wipe up our combined fluids between my legs, and I blushed crimson, amazed at just how much there was.Tossing the cloth to the hamper, Erik crawled back onto the bed before he pulled the covers over the top of us, cradling me close. “You’re sure you’re alright?” he asked once more brushing an errant lock of hair behind my ear. “I didn’t hurt you?” I smiled gently, and pressed a kiss to his lips, curling into his embrace. “Only what couldn’t be helped,” I whispered, pressing another kiss to his throat. “That was . . . incredible,” I breathed. “I didn’t know that it could feel like this.”Erik chuckled, pressing another kiss to my temple as he gathered me closer. “I love you, wife of mine,” he whispered. I felt a grin split my face and rested my head on his chest. I flicked my eyes in the direction of the candle and watched as it extinguished itself. “And I love you, husband of mine. Forever and always.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

East Berlin, Germany

January 1962

I glanced up when the front door to the small house we were allotted opened, and I gripped the knife I was using to prepare our dinner with as a precaution. We couldn’t be too careful since coming here. When I heard the door close and Erik came around the corner into the kitchen, he cocked a brow, and I visibly relaxed, giving him a sheepish smile.“Sorry,” I shrugged, turning back to the potatoes I was cubing. “I’m making stew for supper,” I told him. “All that’s left is to finish cutting these and to set it to simmer.” I heard Erik shrug off his coat and drape it around the chair and gave a soft smile when I felt his arms slip around my waist to hug me back into his chest. I turned my head slightly to meet his lips in a soft kiss, giving a soft sigh.“How did it go?” I whispered against his lips, my smile growing as I felt him press himself against my lower back. “It went much better than anticipated,” Erik murmured, lowering his head to nuzzle against my cheek. “I should be able to get us a meeting with Daughtry soon . . . now we just need to plan our escape route, and we should be set.”I nodded my head, then sighed as Erik began to press kisses along my neck, brushing my hair out of his way with his chin. When he latched onto that sensitive place just below my ear and sucked, I moaned, eyes falling closed. “Erik, I need to finish cutting these up, so I can start making your supper,” I reminded him, biting my lip at how breathy I sounded already. Erik hummed against my neck, and I let out a little surprise shriek when—without warning—he shoved his icy fingers up my blouse and squeezed my sides, tickling mercilessly.“Erik, stop it!” I shrieked, unable to stop my laughter as the knife clattered to the counter. I could hear Erik bark out a laugh as I squirmed, trying to escape, but not putting much effort into doing so. “You’re freezing,” I admonished, panting for breath when he finally removed his hands from under my shirt. I turned in his arms and linked my hands behind his head to give him a playful nip to his chin. “You should get into the shower,” I whispered. “You’ll catch your death otherwise . . . again,” reminding him of those first few weeks in Sweden.Erik smirked, and hefted me over his shoulder easily. I gave a slight huff as my breath escaped my lungs, and I clung to his shoulders, scrambling to get down. “Erik, stop playing around and go shower.” I sucked in a breath when he swatted me on the ass, heading for the bathroom with me draped over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.“I plan to get in the shower,” he answered, and I could hear the smirk in his voice as he spoke. “But I would like my wife to help . . . keep me warm.” His tone shifted, grew husky, and I bit my lip, unable to help the little whimper that escaped. That whimper became a moan when his hand landed on my ass once more, and I felt Erik’s shoulder shake with aroused mirth. “Wh-what about dinner?” I asked, moaning as he squeezed one cheek a bit roughly—not that I minded. “Later,” he replied. “We can have a late supper . . . much, much later.”He didn’t release me until we’d reached the bathroom and he had turned on the spray. He started to slide me down his chest, but I wrapped my legs around his waist, clutching his shoulders tightly to keep my balance. Erik’s hands came to rest on my rear, and he kissed me passionately, our teeth clacking together with the force of our lust.I felt his hands knead me ass through my trousers, and I couldn’t help but rock my hips into his growing cock, moaning into his mouth. My husband tore his mouth from mine and began to pepper kisses along my jawline. “We should both get in to conserve on water,” he murmured, and I swallowed, unwinding my legs from his waist and standing upright once more.We practically tore our clothing off in our haste, and I was unable to stop a giggle from escaping as Erik nearly tripped trying to kick off his pants. He cocked a brow at me, and I darted into the shower before he could retaliate. I sighed as the hot water hit me, the tension I’ve been carrying in my body since coming to the east side of the newly constructed wall relaxing enough for me to enjoy the moment.Erik entered the shower with me, pulling the curtain closed as I quickly scrubbed my hair clean. Erik watched me, eyes growing dark as I slowly trailed the flannel over my body, the soap rinsing away under the spray. When I finished, I stepped back, pressing against the wall as he stepped under the spray, eyes closing as the hot water trailed down his naked form in cascading waterfalls. I leaned up to press a kiss to his throat, licking a stripe along his Adam’s apple. Erik smiled faintly, pulling me into his arms as he held me close as he dominated my mouth with his. He was still a bit chilly, but the water was doing wonders to help him return to a normal body temperature.When Erik’s hands began to travel over my own naked skin, I broke the kiss, giving him a soft wink. “Turn around,” I whispered to him. “And kneel a bit so I can wash your hair and back.” Erik gave a slightly annoyed grunt at being denied what he wanted but did as I asked. I carefully lathered his hair, making sure to run my nails along his scalp just the way he enjoyed, and from the sot moans he let out every so often, I was doing it perfectly.I grabbed a washrag and lathered it with soap, gently running it across his back and shoulders in slow, circular motions. “Stand up for me, please,” I whispered, leaning over to press a kiss to his cheek. Erik complied, and I knelt down to scrub away at his legs and lower body. When I’d finished, he turned as I stood once more to scrub at his chest. As I did so, Erik leaned down to capture my lips with his own, our tongues meeting in a slow, sensual dance.

After a moment, Erik stepped back under the spray to rinse off, and I gave him a slow grin. Erik’s hands slowed, and he eyed me with a cocked brow. “And just what is that Cheshire grin for?” he asked, slightly warily. “It seems I’ve missed a spot,” I whispered, reaching out with a hand to trail a finger along his length. It throbbed at the attention, and Erik hissed out a breath.Before he could stop me, I sank down to my knees and pressed a kiss to the silky-smooth head, one hand coming around to pump his length. Erik’s hands shot out to tangle in my wet hair, and he helped guide me gently to take him into my mouth. The first time I’d done this was a bit daunting, and Erik was leery of me trying, due to his size. But I’d been adamant on him receiving the same pleasure he’d given me over and over. Needless to say, he didn’t last long; he had pulled me off of him and came over his stomach and my breasts. I was a little disappointed that I couldn’t taste him, but that dissipated when he reciprocated tenfold once he’d caught his breath.I sucked and swirled the head of his cock with my tongue, before I began to take him further into my mouth. Erik’s hands tightened in my hair, and groan of approval leaving his lips. I took a deep breath through my nose, before I lowered my head along his length until he brushed the back of my throat. I took a deep breath and remembered to relax my throat as much as possible before I followed through with my plan. When I swallowed around him, he let out a shout as I took him all the way down to the root.

As I pulled my head back until only the tip remained against my lips, I repeated the motion slowly, swirling my tongue around his length and hollowing my cheeks. I glanced up at him, eyes watering at having my throat stretched the way it was. Erik’s mouth was open in a daze, breath coming out in sharp pants as he watched me carefully. One hand came to trail along my cheek gently, the other keeping him upright as he braced himself against the shower stall. I winked up at him and smiled around his cock as much as I could, sucking hard as I bobbed my head up and down his length.When I trailed a hand up to cup his sac, squeezing lightly, he growled low in his throat, pulling me off his cock gently yet quickly as he could. I whined, feeling spittle trailing down my chin when he slipped out of my mouth. My whine cut off into a moan when he lifted me into his arms and attacked my mouth with his. I don’t think he cared that I just had his cock down my throat at the moment, as he ground against my core.I groaned, wrapping my arms around his shoulders as I rubbed against him like a cat in heat. I didn’t notice him shut the water off, but next thing I knew, Erik was drying us off quickly, the chill of the room slightly dissipated from the warm steam. Once we were sufficiently dry so that we wouldn’t be sleeping on a wet bed, Erik lifted me into his arms once more, one arm wrapped under my legs and the other supporting my back as I wrapped my arms around his neck.He laid me down gently on the bed, the covers already pulled back for easy access. Our lips met passionately, hands trailing over the other’s skin, desperate for any and all contact. Erik trailed kisses along my neck, sucking a bruise gently. I gasped, arching into him. “Elise . . . do you trust me?” Erik whispered, lifting his head to meet my eyes.“With my life,” I responded immediately, frowning a little. I leaned up onto my elbow to brush a hand over his cheek. “Why would you even ask that? You already know that.” Erik gave a slightly sheepish grin and gave me a quick peck on the lips. “I ask, because there is something I would like to try . . . something I know you will be nervous about.”I furrowed my brows in mild confusion . . . at least, until I felt Erik’s hand trail lightly down my back until he cupped one cheek, giving it a gentle squeeze. When it clicked what he was asking for, I stiffened, eyes wide as I gazed up at him. “Wait . . . people do that?!” I asked incredulously.Erik gave a snort of laughter, burying his face into my breasts. It tickled immensely, and I squirmed underneath him, trying not to give into that laughter that threatened to bubble up. “Yes, people do have anal sex,” he explained. “If done incorrectly, it can be quite painful for the recipient.” At the wary expression I knew must’ve been plain as day, Erik leaned forward to kiss me gently, reassuringly. “And if done correctly, you will experience pleasures you’ve never known you could reach.”The hand on my ass massaged gently as he searched my face. “Would you like to try it?” he asked me softly. “If you’re not ready, we don’t have to,” he said quickly. I mulled it over in my head silently, one hand lightly trailing over Erik’s back. On the one hand, it sounded so dirty and it could hurt . . . on the other, Erik’s never hurt me during sex, unless we’d gotten a bit rough—not that I minded a bit of rough fucking—and I’ve enjoyed everything Erik and I had done so far.“Alright,” I whispered, nodding my head. At Erik’s smile, I licked my lips, and kissed his forehead. “What do we need to do?” I asked softly. Erik began to trail kisses along my collarbone, before his hand released my rear-end and lightly slapped my hip. “It’ll be more comfortable for you to turn over onto your belly,” he whispered.I nodded my head, and he sat back onto his knees as I turned around onto all fours. He grabbed the pillows at the head of the bed and slid them underneath my hips, and I lowered myself down onto them. I felt Erik lean over and begin to trail kisses along my upper back, lower, sucking little love-bites along my spine. I closed my eyes at the pleasurable sensation, goosebumps breaking out along my skin.I heard the bedside table drawer open, and I cracked my eyes open enough to see him grab a bottle of lotion, a wrapped condom, and a small, cylindrical object. I leaned up onto my elbows slightly, cocking a brow. “What is that?” I asked, pointing at the thing in Erik’s hand, and he held it up for me to see. “This is going to help you relax,” Erik said, a mischievous light in his blue-grey eyes.He patted my hip for me to lean up, and I did so, blushing when he placed the object right there at my slit. I lay back down over it, shivering when I realized it was cold, and metal. “So, what will it d—ohholyshitErik!” I shrieked in surprise when it suddenly vibrated along the length of my slit. Erik chuckled darkly, gripping my hips tightly when I bucked against that thing tormenting me in such a wicked way, holding me in place so I could feel what he was causing.“Relax,” he whispered, and the vibrations slowed down to just a tickle. Not overly much, but enough that I moaned, my hips gyrating against the cylinder as my eyes slipped closed. “Focus on the pleasure, let your body relax under my care,” my husband murmured against my ear, his breath sending shivers along my spine. My hands stretched forward, clutching at the bedding as I tried to gain some sort of stability.Erik crawled up behind me, parting my thighs gently with his own. The movement caused the cylinder to settle more securely against my clit, and I couldn’t help the whimper that escaped, my ass thrusting back into the air. Erik’s palms slid over my sensitive skin slowly, massaging and squeezing gently.“The most important thing to remember about anal sex is to make sure you are prepared,” Erik told me, one finger coming down to trail along my back entrance in a feather-light glide. “You can’t just ‘stick it in,’ as you’ve once so eloquently said,” he chuckled, and I gave a slight moan, feeling my thighs grow slick from the vibrations and his touch.“As you are well aware,” I could hear his smug tone, the asshat, “I will need to stretch you first, like I do with that beautiful little pussy of yours.” My cheeks flamed at his dirty talk, and I shivered. ‘Damn me for telling him I love it when he talks like that,’ I thought to myself. I tensed slightly when I heard Erik open the bottle, and I felt the cylinder’s vibrations kick up ever-so-slightly.When I felt Erik’s, wet fingers glide back down to that tight entrance, I let out a slow breath, concentrating on the gentle ministrations as he teased me there. Slowly, I felt one finger breach me, and I held my breath, feeling him dip in and out for a few moments before sliding in to the first knuckle.“You alright?” Erik asked me softly, and I nodded my head, growing used to the intrusion. Slowly, Erik continue to ease his finger in and out of me, and between the cylinder and his finger, I was starting to feel pretty good. I moaned, rocking my hips back into Erik’s hand, and he leaned over to nip at the back of my shoulder. I could feel his smile as he peppered my back with his lips, and before I knew it, he slipped another finger alongside the other. I stiffened slightly as I stretched open around him, but I moaned when the cylinder began to vibrate firmly against my clit.I panted for breath as the burning stretch began to fade, the pleasure beginning to mount. I felt Erik scissor his fingers, thrusting them into my ass gently, and I bit my lip, trying to suppress my moans. “Let me hear you,” Erik whispered against my shoulder, sucking a bruise, and my mouth fell open, eyes popping open.

I rocked back into Erik’s hand, the cylinder creating little pulsing motions against my clit, and I whimpered loudly, hands fisting in the sheets. “Erik, I’m gonna cum if you keep this up,” I panted, and I felt Erik smirk before he leaned back onto his heels. I felt the cold sensation of the lubricant as he poured some over my stretched entrance, and when he slipped a third finger inside, I fell apart, my orgasm happening suddenly.I threw my head back with a loud cry, hips stuttering between Erik’s fingers buried in my ass and that cursed cylinder as it hummed and pulsed against my soaked slit. Erik chuckled, reaching around with his free hand to pull my face up to his as he leaned forward to kiss me, our tongues tangling together as my orgasm continued to ripple through me.Finally, after what seemed an eternity, that cylinder stopped vibrating, and I slumped forward, my breathing choppy. I felt Erik run a hand over my sweaty back soothingly, and I clenched around his fingers and that cylinder nestled against my clit, moaning. He allowed me to come down from my high, and my breathing finally evened out, my body not so sensitive against his touch.“Do you think you can handle more?” Erik asked me gently, his free hand continuing to gently trail up and down my spine. I swallowed and leaned up onto my elbows, glancing back at him with a stern look. “Erik, if you don’t get inside me soon, I will not have sex with you again until the snow melts for the year,” I told him, arms slightly shaky.Erik huffed out a laugh, and leaned down to kiss me once more, slowly removing his fingers from me. I bit my lip at the sensation, unable to help rocking back as they left me. I watched as Erik rolled on the condom, making sure it was secure before he placed his hands on my hip, guiding me into position.I turned my head forward, closing my eyes as I felt Erik start that cylinder’s vibrations against me once more, and I moaned deeply. When I felt the head of Erik’s cock breach my back entrance, I tensed slightly, but his hand soothed over my back, helping me relax under his ministration.Ever so slowly, he slid into me, and I could feel his hands flex on my hips in a tight grip, trying to restrain himself from slamming into me on the first get-go. When he finally pressed his hips against my ass, I let out the breath I didn’t realize I held, feeling strangely full and stretched. “Are you alright?” Erik asked, voice strained, and I turned my head to look at him as much as possible.
His jaw was clenched, teeth bared as he gripped my hips tightly. I could see sweat beading his forehead, and I bit my lip, rocking back into him minutely. Erik sucked in a breath, and experimentally thrust into me, a slow, torturous movement. I closed my eyes and moaned, the sensation unlike anything I’ve ever felt before . . . and considering how often Erik and I fucked, made love, had sex, whatever you want to call it, that said a lot.Erik grunted and moaned, hands spasming as he thrust into me, his pace increasing. “You are so fucking tight around me,” he whispered harshly. “Feeling you clench around me, best damned feeling in the world.” I unconsciously clenched around him as he spoke, moaning as I met him thrust for thrust, the beginnings of my orgasm starting to coil low in my belly once more.

That cylinder continued to vibrate against me, and I rocked my hips back to meet Erik’s cock, mouth falling open in pleasure. “Please,” I whispered. “Erik, please . . . don’t hold back.” That must’ve been what Erik was waiting for, because he adjusted his stance, hands gripping my hips as he began a steady rhythm. I felt swamped with pleasure, not sure what to focus on, and I bit my lip, whimpering. I felt Erik lean forward to brush a kiss along me temple. “Just let go, Elise,” he whispered, and I shivered. “Just feel it all . . . don’t think, just feel.” Erik suddenly slid two fingers into my pussy, curling them in a come-hither motion against that soft, spongey part inside me. When he bit down on my shoulder lightly, the sensation was just too much.With that, I suddenly came, wailing as I tightened around both his cock and fingers, rocking between the two. Erik sucked in a harsh breath, cursing low in polish as he thrust into me repeatedly, movements stuttering until he pulled me back against his hips, stilling. Unable to keep myself up on my shaky arms, I flopped forward unceremoniously, giving a slight whimper when the cylinder became a bit too much.

Erik gave a long-winded sigh, and the cylinder stopped its motions. Slowly, Erik pulled himself from my back entrance, and I moaned, feeling myself clenching around nothing. My eyes began to slide closed, nothing able to stay in focus for very long anyways. I heard Erik chuckle as he disposed of the soiled condom and felt him get up from the bed to head back to the bathroom.After a moment, I felt him carefully pat me clean, taking special care around my abused parts. I shifted against him, moaning as he turned me to lay on my back, and I cracked my eyes open to peer up at him. “I cannot think of a single, coherent thought,” I mumbled, and Erik chuckled, leaning forward to capture my lips with his in a loving embrace.“Are you alright?” he whispered, throwing the cloth in the direction of the clothes basket. I heard it hit the floor instead but couldn’t bring myself to care. “Yeah, ‘m fine,” I slurred, and I could feel a dopey smile form. “Bit sore, but I kind of figured I would be.” I pressed a kiss to his sweaty collarbone and lifted my head enough for him to slide a clean pillow underneath my head.“You do know my pillowcase is ruined,” Erik whispered, smirking at me as he held up the soaked cloth. I huffed a slight laugh. “And who’s fault is that?” I retorted, feeling my eyes beginning to slip closed in post-coital bliss. Erik chuckled, and pressed a kiss to my temple. “Sleep, wife-of mine,” he whispered against my skin. “I’ll see to supper. I’ll wake you when it’s ready.” I nodded my head, already drifting off to sleep. The last coherent thought I had was to remind Erik not to burn our supper again.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

East Berlin, Germany

April 1962

“So, remind me again how we’re going to do this?” I asked Erik as I tightened the straps of my boots. They were already as tight as needed, but I wanted something to do with my hands to cover my nerves. Erik glanced at me from shrugging on his leather jacket, brow cocked. “Nervous?” he asked the obvious question, and I straightened up, shrugging a bit sheepishly. “Yeah, I guess so,” I whispered, blowing out a breath slowly.Erik’s boots thumped against the creaking floor of the kitchen as he stepped up to wrap his arms around me, holding me close in a soothing embrace. I immediately returned the embrace, burying my nose into his collarbone and breathing in his scent. I could feel myself relax minutely as he stroked a hand over my back in a slow caress. “It’ll be simple,” he murmured softly, kissing the top of my head. “Similar to our meeting with what’s-his-name, back in Sweden?”I huffed out a slight breath, and turned my head to look up at him, smirking lightly. “Giovanni . . . and that twat tried to blow us up, remember?” I poked his chest for emphasis, and Erik gave a slight grunt, shrugging. “Not happening this time,” he reassured me, one hand sliding down to squeeze my ass. I gave a squeak, jumping a bit at the sudden movement, and glared at my husband when he grinned, sharp, toothy smile not doing a damned thing to display innocence.“Cheeky fucker,” I muttered with a slight smirk, shaking my head as I stepped out of his arms. My lips twitched, however, and Erik’s method worked. I was marginally better, not-so overwhelmed about what was to take place in the next few hours. I took a deep breath to bring myself back into focus and forced my green gaze to meet my husband’s. “Okay . . . ready,” I said, determination steeling my spine. Erik searched my face briefly, his blue-grey eyes tracing over my features carefully. He must’ve seen what he was looking for, because he nodded his head once, a short movement, and he led the way out the door of our temporary home one last time.Erik—after months of trying with failure each time—was finally granted an opportunity to meet with Daughtry in his office to speak with him about possibly taking ammunition, weapons, and illegal gold over the boarder and into the hands of a private collector . . . a rather wealthy English aristocrat whom so happened to be a major, anonymous benefactor for the British Museum. Erik has been posing as the middle man, playing the part of representative for “Mister English;” I was to play as Erik’s assistant, someone to pass the money over and sign the necessary documents to guarantee the “legality” of the whole exchange . . . not that there would be any actual transactions that night.Daughtry was quite paranoid at best, which meant we needed to be cautious. We were to arrive promptly at seven o’clock that evening, no weapons, cash only. Erik and I had gone over possible plans, anything that might happen. Absolutely no separating from each other, no matter what.I blinked when Erik suddenly shut off the car, and I realized we’d reached our destination. I closed my eyes and steeled myself before I took the proffered hand and climbed out. Erik squeezed my hand gently, giving me a reassuring wink. I returned his gesture with a tremulous smile.The two men waiting for our arrival motioned for us to follow them, and I clasped my hands in front of me in a move to keep them from shaking. I could hear Erik’s hand tighten on the handle of the briefcase holding the outrageous amount of money Daughtry demanded for one bar of gold. My eyes stayed trained on the back of one of the men’s heads, but I was able to keep a good peripheral going, noting windows and doors for possible exits.Not a word was spoken as we were led into a private office, Daughtry already seated. He looked like a king surveying his domain, and I fought the urge to roll my eyes at the arrogance clear on his whiskered face. “Lehnsherr,” Daughtry greeted, motioning with a hand for him to sit at the only chair available.Erik handed me the briefcase, which I held in front of my waist as I took position next to my husband as he seated himself comfortably. “I hope you had a pleasant trip to my estate,” Daughtry continued, dismissing my presence entirely. I steeled my spine, torn between the unspoken insult at him ignoring me, and grateful that I didn’t have to speak with him.“I did, thank you,” Erik replied politely. Daughtry inclined his head once and glanced over at one of his guards stationed at the door, motioning with a hand towards a rather obstinate looking portrait lining the eastern wall. I followed the man with my eyes as he carefully removed the heavy canvas, placing it on the floor to reveal a custom-made safe encased within the wall.“I believe we had a deal?” Daughtry prompted, and Erik nodded his head curtly. “My dear,” he purred, and I stepped forward, placing the briefcase gently onto the top of the oak desk Daughtry seated himself at. As I was unclasping the latches, the guard by the safe unlocked it, and retrieved one solid-gold bar, the Nazi symbol etched into it gleaming in the lamplight.Popping open the case to reveal the shredded papers I altered to look like money, I turned it to face Daughtry, and stepped back, clasping my hands behind my back. “I’m sure you’ll find that it’s all there,” I spoke for the first time, and Daughtry’s eyes flickered over my features, trailing over my form in an assessing manner. “And who are you?” he finally asked, dark eyes seemingly lingering on my chest.I cleared my throat, trying to slow my hammering heart. “Lucille Steinberg,” I replied curtly. “I work for Herr Lehnsherr.” Daughtry made a noncommittal sound in the back of his throat, eyes trailing my figure once more before he turned to address my husband. “Would you be willing to part with your assistant for the night?” he asked bluntly.I was unable to contain my shock, my face contorting in surprise as I stepped back to my husband, trying not to panic. “I don’t think so,” Erik said softly, hand coming to rest on my lower back in a soothing manner. “I am quite fond of her, and do not wish to be apart for any longer than necessary,” he continued, locking eyes with Daughtry.Daughtry gave a shrug, and the guard placed the gold brick down in front of Erik on the desk. He leaned forward and took it between his fingers, as if to feel the weight. I knew he was really checking to see if it was a pure metal, or mixed, and fought to keep a smirk from my face.After a moment, Erik nodded, holding the bar in front of him. ‘Good,’ I thought to myself. ‘We can get the hell out of here now.’ “An interesting part of history,” Erik said in a low tone, and I glanced down at him, noting the far-away look of pain that seemed to radiate in his stormy eyes. ‘Well . . . shit,’ I cursed mentally.“Excuse me?” Daughtry asked, cocking his head slightly in confusion. “I did not catch what you said.” Erik glanced up at him, face stoic. “Did you know the people this gold was stolen from?” my husband asked louder, straightening in his seat. I gripped Erik’s shoulder in warning, but it was too late.“They were beaten, tortured, their clothing and jewels ripped from their bodies before they were forced to live as animals in fenced-in enclosures. They were my people . . . and I have never forgotten the fear, the pain, that we suffered at the hands of people like you.” His words had started out in an almost jovial tone, but as he spoke of what had happened to them, his voice took on a sharper, deadly tone.Daughtry’s face slowly crumpled into an expression of disgust, as if he’d been offered shit upon a dinner platter for him. He snapped his fingers, and the two guards stepped forward, intent on harming us. I snapped my own fingers, and suddenly, the sounds of gurgling reached my ears. I flickered my gaze in the direction of the one that handed us the gold, watching dispassionately as he began to choke on his own tongue, gun toppling to the ground as he clawed at his throat.Daughtry leapt to his feet in panic, chair crashing as he knocked it over. “What is this witchcraft?” he barked in fear, stumbling backward as my gaze landed on him. Erik stood from his chair with the ease of a man that had nothing weighing him down, and he pocketed the gold, straightening his cuffs as he did so. The sound of choking died off slowly, and I grit my teeth at the cold shudder that rolled down my spine, knowing I had more blood upon my hands.“Do you have any last words before I exact vengeance for the lives you destroyed for his gold?” Erik asked him casually, dark smirk upon his lips. Daughtry sucked in a breath, and though I could see him tremble slightly with fear, he straightened himself, cold gaze falling upon the both of us.Erik raised a gun from his pocket, levitating it at eye level with Daughtry, the hammer cocking back. I closed my eyes, not wanting to see light fade from his eyes, when I heard the most horrific thing I possibly could at that moment.“Papa? Wha’ ya doin’?” My eyes snapped open and I whirled around to see a little girl clutching a doll to her chest, hair damp and already dressed for bedtime. I could see the two men in my peripheral freeze, clearly no one expecting this development as it unfolded.No one spoke for a moment, the small, cherubic face of the little girl blinking wide brown eyes up at her father as he cleared his throat. “I’m just having a business discussion with this . . . couple here,” he said, straining to keep his voice calm. “Wha’ happen’ dem?” the little girl asked, pointing at the bodies lying on the floor.“They . . . they fell asleep,” Daughtry said, gaze fixed upon his daughter. “Leila, it is far past your bedtime. You need to return to your room, right now,” he ordered, his voice stern as he glanced at Erik and I. our gazes darted between each other and the babe standing in the door.“Wiw you read me stowy, papa?” she asked, large eyes imploring her father as she rocked back and forth on her heels, doll swinging back and forth in her tiny fist. I glanced at Erik, eyes wide in shock and panic. There was no way I wanted this child to see us kill Daughtry. ‘Fuck, this wasn’t supposed to happen; we can’t let his kid watch him die, she shouldn’t have to see this,’ I thought frantically, and made a split-second decision. Slowly, I placed a hand on Erik’s arm, and shook my head minutely.Erik stared at me for a moment, eyes searching mine. I could see the rage, the pain in his eyes at being so close to receiving some semblance of revenge, and I swallowed, glancing at Daughtry as he stood stock-still behind his desk, his eyes darting between us and his oblivious child in the doorway.“Be the better man here, Erik . . . please,” I whispered, gesturing at Leila as she fiddled with her doll. “Don’t let her see such violence. We can’t do that to her; she’s just a babe, far too young for something like this . . . please.” Erik was silent, before he swallowed hard, nodding his head minutely. He glanced at Daughtry, the gun returning to the holster tucked away under his jacket through his magnetism.Leila blinked up at me, pointing at the necklace I wore. “Dat pwetty,” she said, smiling. I blinked at her, before I gave her a sweet smile, and knelt down eye-level with her. “Thank you,” I told her. “Would you like to have it?” at her excited gasp, I smiled, and eyeballed Daughtry as I carefully removed the jewelry from around my neck and looped it over the little girl’s smaller frame. “Dank you,” she chirped happily.“Know that we will leave you and your family in peace . . . this time,” Erik warned in a pleasant tone, completely belying his words. I watched Daughtry swallow hard, clenching his jaw as he glanced down at his little girl, who played with her new necklace, the conversation completely going over her head. I stood up from my kneeling position, and patted Leila gently on the head.“You will not raise any alarm,” I warned him sweetly. “Should you have anyone try and follow us, or call the police, we will come for you.” Not that I had any intention of harming that adorable little girl, Daughtry didn’t know that. let out a slow breath, the only sign of his elevated fear, and nodded his head minutely. “It was a pleasure doing business with you, Herr Lehnsherr,” he said slowly, his voice wavering slightly. “Miss Steinberg. Have a good evening.”Erik and I gave him curt nods, moving slightly out of the way so Leila could run to her father. She giggled, not understanding the situation happening around her as Daughtry swung her up into his arms, cradling her protectively to his chest as he eyed us warily. “Bye-bye wady,” she called to me, waving an arm cheerfully. I gave her a warm smile and gave her a little nod before I gave Daughtry a firm look.Without another word, Erik and I hurried from the office, keeping a brisk pace but unwilling to run and alert any of Daughtry’s staff that there was anything wrong. As soon as we were in the car, Erik pulled away, making sure to drive at an even pace until we closed in on the border. As we waited our turn to meet with the check-in’s, I altered our appearances, having chosen to make us appear as an older couple.When the guard tapped on the window, I bit my tongue, wincing as I felt blood welling up in my mouth at the unexpected jolt. Erik rolled down the window and handed over our fake ID’s without a word. According to our paperwork, we were a doctor and his wife returning to our side of the border after visiting with a patient.The guard silently scanned our papers, glancing up at us occasionally. ‘C’mon, just take the bait, don’t try to stop us,’ I silently chanted in my head. After what seemed an eternity, the guard nodded and returned our paperwork. “I hope you had a pleasant stay,” the guard murmured, and Erik inclined his head once in acknowledgement.The rest of the drive through West Berlin was silent. I glanced over at Erik’s hands gripping the steering wheel in a death-vice, and I tentatively held my palm face up, crooking my fingers when he glanced at my hand. After a heartbeat, he took my hand in his, giving it a light squeeze that belied his ticking jaw.It took us another three hours to get out of West Berlin; fortunately, the guards weren’t as picky about what we were doing so late at night, and we were eventually granted permission to leave. As the city became a distant blur in the night sky, I finally spoke, the alterations to our bodies dropping to our natural forms.“Thank you, Erik,” I whispered quietly, lifting our joined hands and kissing his knuckles. “I know that this night didn’t turn out as we’d planned—”“We shouldn’t have left him alive,” Erik muttered, eyes scanning the rear-view mirror for following vehicles. I frowned, turning in my seat to face my husband. “And you were willing to kill him in front of his daughter?” I asked, my voice taking a slightly hard edge to it. “You’d become no better than Daughtry? Or Giovanni, Barkley? Like—” I cut myself off, not wanting to go so low as to compare him to Shaw. “You’d make a little girl watch her father bleed out in front of her?” I asked in a softer voice.“That’s not what I—” Erik started, but I scoffed. “Erik, that’s exactly what it sounded like. She was just a baby; she doesn’t deserve to have her innocence destroyed in such a manner.”“And what of our innocence?” Erik barked, glaring at me. “What about what we’ve seen, what we’ve had done to us? What we’ve lost?” I pinched the bridge of my nose, praying to a forsaken god for strength. “Erik, what we have both experienced should not be inflicted on others . . . not the innocent. We are better than that. We know what pain is, how suffering and loss can devastate a soul . . . would you really do that to a child, knowing that you could have prevented it from happening in the first place?”Erik was silent for a moment, and I sat back in my seat one more, watching the road pass as we drove along. I’d just closed my eyes to try and catch a little sleep on our journey when Erik’s voice startled me back into consciousness. “You are right,” he said softly, glancing at me from the corner of his eye.I cocked a brow slowly, sitting up. “About what?” I prompted him, not willing to make it easy for him. Erik let out a deep breath through his nose, jaw ticking slightly as he worked passed his anger. “You’re right . . . we shouldn’t hurt the innocent. They still have a chance at a better future.”I gave a slight smile, the corners of my lips twitching upwards as I took Erik’s hand once more, running my lips over the knuckles in a soothing manner. “We get to Shaw, we can make sure that no one will suffer at his hands as we have done,” I whispered, and I felt Erik’s fingers tighten on mine briefly.After a moment of silence, Erik turned his head towards mine, quizzical bemusement crossing his features. “When did you become the wise one?” he asked teasingly. I smirked, cocking a brow at him in a mock-haughty manner. “I’m a woman, we’re all smarter than men . . . we just let you think you rule the world,” I sniffed.Erik barked out a laugh, and I was unable to stop myself from joining him, clutching my side as a small stitch formed. When we’d finally caught our breath, I carefully pulled out the road map of Europe, and a torch, clicking the light on so I could see what I was looking at. “Where to, darling?” I asked Erik, glancing at him.Erik gave me a slight grin, that determination I’d grown used to seeing shining in his eyes once more. “Geneva,” he answered. “Switzerland. There is a man that has underhanded dealings with black-market gold . . . James Faulkner. He will know where to find Shaw.”I huffed out a slight breath. “he better,” I muttered, eyes roving over the map. “Otherwise, I’m shoving that gold brick up his butt.” Erik snorted out a laugh, shaking his head. “My dear, vicious, little wife,” he chuckled. “That would be my job.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Geneva, Switzerland

Early August 1962

I sighed as I removed the towel from my hair, leaving it a damp, tangled mess before hanging it on the back of the door to dry. ‘Today’s the day,’ I thought to myself, wrapping the simple robe I’d grabbed earlier around my body. I opened the door, intending to head over to the dresser with my brush and clothing, when I caught sight of my husband’s form upon the bed of our hotel room.I could tell he was lost in thought, his eyes glittering with rage as he stared at the map we’d pinned to the wall just days earlier. Movement caught the corner of my eye, and I crossed my arms over my chest as I watched him move that damned coin between his fingers, barely thinking about his abilities as it weaved in between the digits with ease.I flinched slightly in startled surprise as the coin suddenly shot out and impaled itself into the forehead of the sketch of Shaw I’d drawn from Erik and I’s memory. Pursing my lips as fear and rage flickered in my mind, I slowly strode over to the drawing, and ripped it off the map, crumpling it in the palm of my hand before I thought of it bursting into flames. I could feel the heat from the flame as the paper curled and withered, but none of it hurt.“We’re close,” I heard Erik’s voice rasp out, and I glanced up at him, brushing the ashes from my hand before I moved over to my side of the bed. Carefully, I moved the various bobs and bits onto the little end table next to the bed and crawled onto it, tucking myself against Erik’s side as he lifted his arm to wrap it around me.I draped my arm over his waist, my head coming to rest on his chest. “You’re tense,” I whispered, kissing the bit of exposed skin at the hollow of his throat. “Everything will go according to plan this time. We will question Faulkner on Shaw—or Schmidt, I’m assuming that’s what Faulkner will know him by—and be out of Geneva before nightfall.” As I spoke, I gently nuzzled my husband’s skin, placing light kisses and gentle nips across his throat and that bit of flesh upon his chest exposed to the morning air.I could feel Erik’s muscles twitch lightly as my lips brushed over his skin, his slight sigh as his hand came to creep up to the back of my neck causing me to smile against the side of his neck. When I began to suck a harsh bruise where his shoulder met his throat, he growled low in his throat. “You’re trying to distract me.” His voice was low, seductive, and I couldn’t suppress a shudder as I shifted to straddle his lap, my hands coming to massage his scalp gently. “Is it working?” I asked impishly, my smirk growing as his eyes glittered with the tell-tale signs of lust.His hands came to grip my ass through the robe, kneading gently. “I cannot promise to be gentle,” he whispered, giving me an out if needed. ‘As if,’ I mentally scoffed, slamming my lips into Erik’s. he responded immediately, pulling me close until my breasts were crushed against his chest, and I moaned as his tongue invaded my mouth, taking over completely.When we broke apart, the both of us were panting harshly, my hands clenching onto his scalp and shoulder. “Who said I wanted gentle?” I gasped, licking my lips slowly. I watched as Erik’s pupils dilated, nearly eclipsing his beautiful blue-grey eyes as he watched my mouth.He crashed his lips against mine once again, and I parted for him eagerly, moaning as he quickly dominated the kiss. Our hands roved over each other’s bodies, tugging and yanking until we were both rid of our robes. Erik made to roll us over, but I pressed a hand to his chest, steadying him. “Let me ride you,” I purred. “It’s been a while, and I know how much you enjoy watching me bounce on your cock.”Erik’s gave a shuddering gasp as I rocked against him, coating his cock with my slick. I gave a smirk, leaning in to suck his bottom lip into my mouth and bite down gently. His hands flexed on my hips, gently but insistently guiding me right where he wanted me. He reached with one hand to test my readiness, and I moaned at the feeling, my clit twitching as he gently brushed it with a flick of his finger. “I’m ready, I promise,” I whispered, and he swallowed hard, crushing my lips with his as he helped me steady myself. Once he was lined up where I wanted, I sank down slowly, moaning at the slow stretch, my hands gripping onto his shoulders in an attempt to ground myself.“Damn,” Erik panted, clenching his teeth when he finally bottomed out. He appeared to be trying to hold back, and I gave a slow smirk before I slowly lifted myself. “I told you . . .” I whispered, brushing my lips against his. “. . . I don’t want gentle.” With that, I dropped back down, crying out at the sensations of him filling me so perfectly, so suddenly.Erik gave a shout, gripping my hips tight enough to bruise, and we quickly moved into a fast, hard pace. I rocked my hips against my husband’s, gyrating in time to his quick, sharp thrusts. I moaned, one hand resting on his chest, my head thrown back as the intense pleasure pushed me higher and higher towards that pinnacle.“Mmm . . . Erik,” I moaned, giving a short cry as he angled his hips just right. “Right there,” I panted, my thighs beginning to burn in exertion. Erik grunted, a long, low guttural sound, snapping his hips up to meet mine. “This what you wanted, baby?” he growled, one hand sliding around to squeeze an ass-cheek tightly. “Want me to fuck you hard? Hmm, watching you bounce on my cock, your sweet tits swaying in tandem?” He leaned up and wrapped his lips around a nipple, sucking and biting. The hand he held on my hip slid up to squeeze my other breast, kneading roughly.I cried out, feeling that coil tighten further and further. “Oh, Erik, pl-please!” I reached one hand down to my clit, tapping it quickly. “Cum with me, I want to feel you cum with me, please, Erik, please!” Erik moaned around my nipple, releasing it with a lewd pop. “That’s it, sweetheart, clench around my cock, so close!”With a keening moan, I threw my head back, my orgasm ripping through me with a sharp intensity. Erik’s hand on my hip gripped tighter, and his hips snapped up into mine in jerky strokes, his groan of pleasure buried against the side of my neck as he held me close. I closed my eyes, lost in the sensation of him filling me with his seed once more.Finally, we began to calm our breathing, gently rocking against one another until he finally softened. I gave a soft sigh of contentment as he slipped out of me and moved with him as he slid me off his lap, rolling onto his side to hold me close. “Are you distracted?” I asked cheekily, opening my eyes to shoot him a smirk.Erik chuckled, his breathing slightly choppy. “Thoroughly,” he replied, placing gentle kisses along my brow and cheeks. “But, unfortunately, we still have to get up and retake a shower before we get through this meeting.” He gave me a slight smirk, cocking a brow. “Although . . . the thought of you walking around with my seed dripping down your legs does sound rather appealing to that primal part of my being.”I scoffed and slapped at his chest, cheeks flushing red as he barked out a laugh. “Shut up, you would want that,” I muttered, shaking my head in mild amusement. “C’mon, let’s get clean, and get this over with.”
***
“Possession of this gold is illegal,” Faulkner sniffed, glancing up at us with a shrewd expression. “I should inform the police.” The shining gold brick we retrieved from Daughtry lay between the three of us, our reflections gleaming back at us. I’d had it stashed away with my clothing, not wanting to accidently trigger my husband into an episode of melancholic rage.Erik sat calmly, practically oozing with charm. “Let’s not play this game,” he said, in flawless French. I bit back a smirk, crossing my legs and fixing Faulkner with a polite look of nonchalance. I reached over with a hand and let it rest upon Erik’s knee, keeping him grounded.“Where did you get it?” Faulkner inquired, glancing between the two of us with mild disdain. ‘Get over it, you pompous prick,’ I thought to myself. ‘I can practically see you salivating for this piece of metal.’“A friend,” I answered, giving him a sweet smile when he shot a withering look at me. “He recommended your bank most highly.”“I see,” he answered after a moment, before he turned to Erik, practically dismissing me. I forced myself not to roll my eyes at his arrogant attitude. “Do you know our terms?”“Yes,” Erik answered, before he glanced at the photo nearest him. He picked it up, inspecting it carefully. “And you should know ours.” We both smirked at Faulkner briefly as Erik replaced the photo. “This gold is what remains of my people.”I straightened in my seat, gripping Erik’s hand for a moment as I continued. “Melted from their possessions . . . torn from their teeth.”I watched as Faulkner became visibly uncomfortable as the conversation continued, shifting nervously in his chair. “This is blood money,” Erik said pleasantly, as if they were discussing the weather. “And you’re going to help us find the bastards responsible for it.”He glanced down as Faulkner suddenly reached for underneath the desk, I presumed for the panic button, but he seemed to freeze. I bit back a smirk as Erik tsked at him, wagging his finger as if Faulkner were a naughty child. When his wrist shot back at his face, I realized Erik had taken control of the bank manager’s watch and allowed it to smack the man in the forehead.Faulkner grunted in mild pain and surprise, and I rose from my seat, quickly coming around to stand behind his chair. “You shouldn’t have reached for that alarm,” I purred in his ear, my hands coming up to grip his shoulders to hold him in place.I could feel him wince as I applied pressure, and he actually gave a choked whimper when the arms of his chair suddenly wrapped around his arms as if they were snakes, holding him steady. I let out a soft sigh, my gaze on my husband as he came around to sit on the edge of the desk. “I want Schmidt,” he demanded, smacking Faulkner’s chest. “Klaus Schmidt. Where is he?”Faulkner swallowed, shaking his head as he began to perspire. “Our clients don’t provide addresses, we’re not—” Cutting him off, I scoffed, before I focused on his tie, altering it to become a noose, which began to tighten around his throat. “Not that kind of Bank?” I asked sarcastically, running my hand across is brow in a mock-soothing manner. “Don’t worry, you will be.”Slowly, Erik lifted his left hand and held his thumb and index finger a scant space apart, eyes locked on the man’s mouth. I could feel Faulkner’s head jerking slightly as he began to groan in pain. When his mouth suddenly jerked open of its own accord, I understood what happened. “Metal fillings, eh?” Erik sneered. “Not gold. Worried someone might steal them?”“Argentina!” Faulkner gasped, eyes wide and rolling around his head in pain and lack of air. I frowned slightly, allowing the noose to loosen enough for him to speak. “Schmidt is in Argentina!” I narrowed my eyes and tapped the side of his head. “Where in Argentina?” I questioned.The man gave a slight shriek as Erik focused on the bit of metal in the man’s mouth. “V-Villa Gesel! Please!” Faulkner begged. I gave a slight smirk, my heartbeat speeding up now that we knew where to go. I glanced up at Erik and frowned slightly at the look of hatred in his eyes. “Erik,” I called softly. When he didn’t answer and Faulkner’s pained cries began to increase, I grew worried. “Erik!”Erik glanced at me briefly before the filling suddenly flew from the bank manager’s mouth and in between Erik’s fingers. Erik inspected it nonchalantly, as if it were an interesting specimen he’d found lying around. Faulkner whimpered as he glanced at the filling, and I allowed the arms of his chair to reshape to their original form.I stepped back a he grabbed his jaw, terror evident in his every breath and movement. “Thank you,” I said cheerfully, giving him a slight wink before I grabbed the gold and our briefcase. Erik dropped the filling to the ground before he took the briefcase from me, depositing the gold within and linking an arm with mine. “I would love to kill you, here and now,” Erik said conversationally, and I frowned slightly. “But my wife has asked that I not shed any blood today.”At Faulkner’s slight sigh of relief, I shook my head. “But that doesn’t mean that he won’t later,” I told him, as Erik steered us towards the door. “So, mark my words . . . if you warn anyone, we’re coming . . .”Erik paused long enough to cast one last glance at Faulkner. “I will find you.”
***
Jerez de la Frontera airport, Spain

Early September 1962

I breathed in the mixed smells of the terminal, trying to steady the slight wave of nausea quivering in my belly. I opened my eyes when I felt Erik’s hand on my lower back, just barely skimming. After this long, I was quite familiar with his touch, and I recognized his movements as concern over my well-being. “Are you sure you’re alright?” his voice murmured in my ear, and I gave a faint shiver of delight as his lips brushed against my temple. “You’ve never gotten sick in all this time we’ve been together,” he continued, his other hand coming to tip my chin up in his direction.I opened my eyes to see his own so close to mine, and I blinked in slight surprise before I gave Erik a reassuring smile. “I’m absolutely sure,” I told him, quickly pecking his lips. “While I prefer being on a ship over a plane any day—”“It’s much faster traveling by plane,” Erik muttered, and he gave a slight yelp when I pinched his rib through is thin shirt, my eyes narrowed in slight annoyance at him. “I’d rather be closer to the water with a chance to escape disaster on a life-boat than inside a giant tin can thousands of miles in the air,” I sniffed. “As I was saying . . . I realize that we don’t have any more time to waste. You know how much it scares me to be on one of those things. My stomach might just be a physical reaction to the stress of the flight, that’s all,” I said firmly.Erik’s eyes softened slightly, and his thumb brushed against my jaw lightly, the hand at my back holding me closer to his taller frame. “I’m sorry,” he said soothingly. “I know how much flying terrifies you. Just remember . . .” he leaned in closer to whisper in my ear, and I shivered once more. I felt his lips curl into a smile as he spoke, well aware of what he was doing to me, the smug bastard. “I will not allow the plane to crash with us inside it. I promise you this.”I smiled as he began to press gentle kisses to my ear and temple, aware that we were being stared at by passersby, but unable to make myself care. Erik lifted his head enough to give me a small grin. “Think you can do this?” he asked.I gave him a nod, my own lips creeping up in a smile. “As long as I’ve got you by my side, I know I can do this,” I affirmed. “Though I will have to use the ladies’ room before we board.”Erik gave a slight frown as he released me, bending down to pick up our suitcases from where they sat at our feet. “They have lavatories on the plane, why not use one of those?” I slowly cocked a brow, the lack of amusement hopefully clear as day to him. “Erik, there’s going to be dozens of people aboard the plane. It’s going to be a long flight to Argentina, and every single person on the flight is going to need to use them at some point. I’d rather take care of things now instead of having to wait in line and breathe in the scent of someone else’s shit and piss in a tiny box with no way to get fresh air.”Erik snorted, trying to maintain his composure as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “I love you, dearest,” he chuckled after a moment. “Alright, I will wait for you by that wall,” he indicated the windows that allowed us to see out onto the tarmac. With a nod, I turned and headed off towards the signs that indicated where to find the restrooms.After taking care of business quickly, I stood in front of the sinks scrubbing my hands clean when the door opened. I glanced up briefly to see a rather pretty woman step inside. Her brown hair curled stylishly just past her shoulders, her outfit a rather crisp attire, as if she were traveling for business. She held herself with the confidence of a woman who knew how to handle herself in all situations, and her large, brown eyes locked with mine. The hair on the back of my neck raised slightly, but I gave her a slight smile in curtesy, focusing on keeping my movements as nonchalant as possible.Everything inside me screamed that this woman could be quite dangerous to me, but I didn’t want to cause an incident in such a public building. “Miss Steinberg?” the woman inquired, her voice carrying a strong, British lilt to it. I blinked, furrowing my brows in confusion. “I’m sorry?” I asked, cocking my head as if I misheard. My heart began to beat faster, but I finished drying my hands and faced the woman.She gave a slight smile, as if indulging me. “I’m Agent Carter, I work for an agency that specializes in unique individuals. Might I ask you a few questions?” I blinked, unsure what to do for a moment. “I’m sorry, I really have no idea what you’re on about,” I replied, shaking my head. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to be late for my flight back to London.” ‘No way am I about to give my real destination to this person,’ I thought.“What a coincidence,” Carter said, pulling out an official looking badge. “I’m headed that way myself. Perhaps we could chat on our way?” She motioned towards the door, but I hesitated, unwilling to go anywhere with this strange woman.Carter sighed and held her hands up peacefully. “I swear to you, I do not wish to harm you. I just want to talk.” She cleared her throat, eying me carefully. “My agency and I have been hearing rumors about a young woman of incredible talents . . . someone who’s been spotted near some rather high-profile deaths in recent years.”My eyes widened, and I took a defensive stance. Carter was quick to speak. “I’m not here to arrest you, or to hurt you.” She raised her hands in a placating manner. “I just want to speak with you about these incidents. Surely you can see how we’ve become suspicious about all this.”My mind raced, terror trying to claw its way out of my chest, but I took a deep breath, and gave a slow nod. “Alright . . . I really will be late for my flight to London. Let’s speak on the plane, but if you try anything funny . . .” I trailed off, letting the threat hang in the air.Carter gave a sharp nod, lowering her hands. “This way, please,” she said, indicating for me to follow her once more. I carefully moved closer and trailed behind the woman as she stepped purposely from the bathroom. She held the door for me and walked side-by-side with me towards the London terminal.‘Fuck, what now?’ I wondered, glancing around for anything that could help me escape. I wasn’t about to unleash my abilities in such a crowded place, and no way was I going to lead this woman to Erik. She didn’t seem to know about him, thankfully. Suddenly, I overheard a commotion to my right, and turned, startled to see a scuffle break out amongst a few of the pedestrians.“I know you took it! Thief!” I overheard a man shouting, swinging his fists at another that was holding himself defensively. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he denied, shaking his head as he backed away from the man. “You must’ve dropped your wallet elsewhere in the terminal!”The first man gave a shout of rage, and tackled the man, knocking him right into agent Carter. Carter grumbled and tripped over her feet, trying to avoid the men as they fought. “Gentlemen, control yourselves,” she barked, turning her back to me as she addressed the two of them. ‘Ha! Thank you, random thievery,’ I thought, quickly slipping away unnoticed.As I wandered away as fast as possible, someone latched onto my arm and yanked me towards them. I gave a startled yelp, prepared to swing my fist when it was caught by my husband. “How is it you manage to find trouble in the restrooms?” Erik asked rhetorically, herding us towards our correct flight.I gave a sigh of relief, taking my suitcase from him and linking my arm through his. “You know me,” I joked, shaking my head. “Trouble is my middle name.”Erik rolled his eyes, shaking his head. “I used the coins in that man’s wallet to pull it out of his pocket and slip it under the other man’s seat,” he explained. “I saw you leaving with that woman. Who was she?”I glanced around as we boarded the plane, before I gave a slow shrug. “Agent Carter. She knew about me, but not of you. She said she wanted to talk, but there was no way I was going to tell her anything if I could avoid it.” I gave a slight laugh. “Well, she should have a rather boring flight to London.”Erik chuckled, stowing away our things. “Think she’ll be a nuisance for us?” he sat down and took my hand in his, kissing the knuckles when I clenched it within my own shaking fingers. I shook my head, frowning thoughtfully. “I don’t think so . . .” I said, replaying the whole exchange between us. “While she has the aura of a woman we don’t want to mess with, I don’t think she wanted to hurt me. I think she genuinely wanted to speak with me.”Erik gave a slight huff, settling into his seat. “Hopefully, that will be the last we see of her,” he muttered, and I nodded slowly, laying my head on Erik’s shoulder as the plane began its ascent into the sky. “Maybe,” I whispered, a niggling feeling in the back of my mind that she would find us again one day. What puzzled me, however, was that I don't think she had any intention of causing my harm. 'Guess we'll never know,' I thought to myself, closing my eyes as I focused on Erik's heartbeat in my ear.
***

Villa Gesel, Argentina

Late September 1962
“Erik, you need to relax,” I stated firmly, huffing out a breath as he paced the floor of our rented cottage. “We’ve got the names of the ‘German pigs,’ the villagers mentioned, and we know where they are going to be.”“I know, I know, at the pub near the water on the other side of the village,” Erik finished. “I just don’t understand why we don’t just go to their homes now and—”“Erik!” I said sharply, causing him to snap his head around to look at me. “You need to be patient. We’ve got a plan, now we need to both stick to it.” I sighed, my shoulders slumping slightly before I stood from my seat on the end of the bed and walked over to him, running my hands soothingly over his shoulders. “You need to relax,” I whispered. “We’ve got this . . . they won’t go anywhere. Just be patient. It’s still early yet, and there are too many people wandering around the villa right now. You know we will be better off doing this later, in the afternoon, like we agreed; it’ll give us a chance to be well-rested and fully prepared to face them.”I leaned up and laced my hands behind his head, and he slowly raised his hands to trail them up my sides, tracing my arms lightly. I squirmed lightly, and Erik’s lips twitched ever-so softly. “Can you do this for me, darling?” I asked softly, my eyes searching his. Erik let out a sigh through his nose, eyes falling closed as he nodded his head. “We’re this close to Shaw,” he murmured. “This close to finding the bastard and gutting him.”“I know, Erik, I know.” I swallowed hard, fighting back the images of the latest nightmare that plagued me last night. The closer we got to Shaw, it seemed the more my mind wished to torment me in the night, the determination to face Shaw and making him pay for what he did to us both warring with the fear of finally seeing him again.“But,” I continued, “we need to be smart about this. We’ll stick to the plan. Okay?” When he nodded, I gave a slow smile, and leaned up to kiss Erik’s lips gently with my own. Slowly, I trailed kisses along his cheeks and jaw, working my way down his throat before latching onto his Adam’s apple and sucking lightly. His answering moan made me smirk into his skin, and I clenched my thighs together, suddenly wanting nothing more than to have him in my mouth.Without a word, I unlaced my hands from round his neck, and raked my nails over his chest lightly, flicking his nipples as I went. When he gave a slight grunt of surprise, I giggled, watching as his eyes snapped open to watch me, eyes turning a stormy color. “What are you up to, sweetheart?” he whispered hoarsely, and I gave him a wink, my lips curling into a mischievous smirk as I slid as gracefully as I could to my knees. My hands raked slowly down his abdomen, curling around his belt as I tugged it loose. Erik’s hands came to rest on my own, stilling my movements. “Elise, you don’t need to—” he started, but I interrupted him. “I want to. Please,” I whispered, licking my lips.I watched as he took a shuddering breath, fingers clenching over my fingers lightly before he slid them into my hair, nodding his head slowly. “If this is what you want, who am I to stop you?” he finally relented, lips twitching with amusement and lust. I couldn’t help the grin that spread across my face, nor the thrill of arousal that shot through me. Carefully, I unbuckled his belt an undid the buttons of his fly, my eyes never leaving his. When he finally sprang free, I ran one finger lightly on the underside of his shaft, appreciating the shuddering breath he took. I pushed his trousers down his thighs, and he widened his stance slightly, fingers gently massaging my scalp. Finally, I trailed my gaze over that beautiful cock in front of me, marveling once more that all of this—all of him—was mine.Lowering my head, I slowly laved his length with my tongue, letting out a slight hum at his taste. Erik’s fingers tightened minutely in my hair, the deep growl he let out sending a bolt of heat down my spine. As I began to lave attention to the head, sucking lightly and swirling my tongue around it, one hand crept up to cup the heavy weight of his s in my hand, massaging gently.After I was sure that Erik was getting impatient an thoroughly worked up, I took a deep breath and carefully slid my mouth down his length, swallowing when the tip reached the back of my throat. “Oh, god, baby,” he let out in a rush, and I glanced up to see his head thrown back, eyes closed, and lips parted in utter bliss. “Your mouth is pure heaven.” My free hand came to rest on his thigh, and I could feel it tremble with restraint to keep from thrusting into my mouth. The thought of him using my throat in such a way caused my center to clench in longing, and I couldn’t help the moan that escaped as I pulled back, sucking and laving my tongue along the underside of his cock as I did so.When only the tip rested on my tongue, I sucked and swirled once more, the hand holding his balls sliding up to just barely wrap around his length in a loose grip and pumping in a steady rhythm. When my hand met my mouth, I gave a slight twist, and was rewarded with a gasp, Erik unable to keep his hips still as he thrust forward once. “Mmm . . . you keep that up and I won’t last long, sweetheart,” Erik panted, voice strained with effort to keep a semblance of control. Releasing him from my mouth with a pop, I gave him a smirk, winking up at him. My hand never ceased its movement; I actually sped up, enjoying what I was doing to him. “And that’s a bad thing?” I purred, releasing him only to take him back into my mouth down to the root, swallowing around his length.With a sharp cry, Erik tightened his hands in my hair once more, gently thrusting back and forth. “You want to swallow my cock?” he panted, trying to be gentle in his movements, and I moaned around him as I pulled back to suck in a quick breath, peering up at him. “I want you to cum in my mouth,” I panted, voice slightly hoarse at the abuse I was willingly giving my throat yet feeling wildly aroused at what I was doing to him, how debauched he was under my ministrations, thrilled that I was the one that caused this.Erik let out a groan and nodded his head. “You better get that beautiful, hot mouth back here then,” he whispered, his eyes blown nearly black with lust. Letting out a slight moan, I took one last deep breath and proceeded to slowly take him back in my mouth, my hands resting on his thighs as e reminder that he needed to be careful. When I buried my nose in the soft curls at the base of his cock, Erik grunted, thrusting slowly into my mouth.“I’m going to cum down that lovely throat of yours,” he warned, tightening his hands in my hair once more. All I could do was reach up and cup his balls and squeeze lightly, letting out a hum around his cock. That was all it took, and Erik gave a loud growl, hips thrusting ever so lightly as he began to spill himself inside my mouth.I swallowed all I could, greedily sucking on him until he shuddered, gently pulling my head back and off his softening cock. I could feel a trickle of his seed at the corner of my lips, and I smiled up at him, taking my thumb and wiping off the mess before sucking it off, locking eyes with my husband as I did so. I gave him a saucy wink and couldn’t stop the giggle that erupted as he threw his head back in mock exasperation.He made to pull me up and kiss me, but I leaned back, shaking my head lightly. He frowned, and I let my gaze soften a bit. “We don’t have much time left,” I whispered, nodding my head at the clock on the wall. “Besides . . .” I trailed off, running a finger down his chest lightly. “You can make it up to me later on tonight.” I pecked his cheek and quickly escaped his arms, brushing against him as I headed for the door.I gave a startled yelp when I felt Erik’s hand crack smartly across one cheek of my derriere. ‘He just spanked me,’ I thought disbelievingly. It didn’t hurt all that much, but I’d be damned if I’d at admit that I felt my core clench at the sting. I turned around in shock, mouth agape as he chuckled. “You are going to get it much later,” he promised with a growl, using two fingers to raise my jaw back up to meet my top lip.“Let’s go, my dear. We’ve got some interrogating to do.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The sound of the door to the tavern closing seemed to echo like a gunshot as Erik ushered me inside before him. I gave him a sweet smile as I helped him remove his jacket and hat to hang on the coat rack. Erik leaned down to buff my cheek in a quick fashion, and I giggled a little as the slight stubble from his cheeks brushed mine.“Afternoon, gentlemen,” Erik greeted to the two men sitting at a table. They watched us in silence as Erik guided me towards the bar, one hand on my lower back as we walked. “Hot out there,” Erik continued, wiping a drop of sweat from his forehead. The two men nodded in agreement as we walked passed them. “Si, it’s supposed to continue like this tomorrow,” one of the men said. I glanced around, not a trace of acting to be found as I took in the quaint, cozy bar. “You have a beautiful tavern,” I greeted the barman with a smile.The barman glanced up, trailing his eyes over us in a quick manner. I knew he enjoyed taking in the sight of my tight bodice, and I fought the urge to cross my arms over my chest, feeling slightly vulnerable. “Thank you, Senorita,” he said with a charming smile, and I raised my left hand to brush back a wayward curl from my face. “Ah, Senora, my apologies.” He turned to address Erik as he sat down. “What can I get for you both this afternoon?”“Two beers, please,” Erik ordered for us, and I ran my nails through his hair gently, helping him to stay grounded in the moment. I noticed Erik’s gaze drift towards the right, and I turned my head to see a photograph hanging on the wall. I felt my insides grow cold at the black and white image of Schmidt and the two men behind us. The hair on the back of my neck stood up, and Erik took my hand as it stilled in his hair an brought it around to his mouth, kissing the knuckles in reassurance.I gave him a little half-smile in return, nodding my head that I was alright. I heard the barman place our drinks down in front of us, and I took mine carefully, appreciating the crafted brew before Erik and I toasted to each other. “I know it is quite late, but happy anniversary, my dear,” Erik whispered to me. I smiled softly in return, leaning in to press my lips to his in a sweet, yet chaste kiss. “Better late than never,” I told him, taking a sip of the beer in my hand. “Happy late anniversary, darling.” Erik gave me a slight wink, and I couldn’t help the blush that rose to my cheeks as he took a swig of his own drink. “Ah, German Beer,” Erik said appreciatively.“Of course,” the barman nodded to us. “The best beer,” I threw in with a slight wink, drinking a bit more. As much as I appreciated the fine brew, and wished to drain it in one go, I knew that it would be best to nurse it instead. I turned my head to glance at the larger of the two Germans as he spoke. “Yes, it’s Bitburger. You like it?” he asked us, giving a hearty chuckle.Erik’s eyes darkened slightly as he gave a slight huff in response. “The best,” he repeated my words softly, slight smirk in place. He turned to face them, an spoke in their native tongue as I listened, swirling the beer in my glass carefully. “What brings you to Argentina?”“The climate. I’m a pig farmer,” the larger man replied, and the three men shared a laugh. “What about yourselves?” he asked, directing the question to me. I turned fully to face him, giving a slight giggle. “My husband and I are celebrating our anniversary. A little late, but that couldn’t be helped,” I said, shrugging a little. I turned to the other man, including him in our conversation. “And you, sir? Are you also a farmer?” The second man, a rather thin, rat-looking being, shook his head, smirking slightly. “Tailor. Since I was a boy. My father made the finest suits in Dusseldorf.”Erik stood and made his way over to the two men at their table, and I trailed behind him, smiling politely as he spoke. “My parents were from Dusseldorf,” he said in mild amusement, sitting down next to the larger man.“What was their name?” Tailor asked my husband, giving me a once-over, his smirk growing. I cocked a brow at him, unimpressed and placed a hand on the back of Erik’s seat, staying behind him. “They didn’t have a name,” Erik said with a large smile, his eyes cold. He raised his glass and tapped it with the other two in a toast as he continued to speak. “It was taken from them . . . by pig farmers . . . and tailors,” he nodded to each man, lifting his glass to drink.I smirked at the two men, raised my glass in a mock salute, and drained it quickly, watching them as I did so. Tailor and Pig Farmer followed suit, glancing at each other warily. Once we’d finished our drinks, we placed our glasses back on the tabletop, and Erik slowly turned over his arm to show those damned numbers that I knew haunted his dreams. 214782.In a flash, Pig Farmer raised a knife he’d hidden on himself and raised it to strike Erik. My husband, however, was far faster, and stronger. He caught Pig Farmer’s arm and yanked the blade out of his fat fist, glancing down at the inscription.“Blood and Honor,” he growled out in German. “Which would you care to shed first?” Pig Farmer leaned closer, sneering in Erik’s face. “We were under orders.”I scoffed, shaking my head. “Only weak and pathetic swine resort to that answer,” I snapped, glaring at the two former Nazis. “Blood first, then.”As soon as the words left my mouth, Erik plunged the dagger into the man’s hand. He shrieked, a nearly inhuman sound of pain escaping his gaping mouth, and I cringed, suddenly unable to look at the sight before me. ‘Get over it,’ I thought harshly to myself. ‘These men were responsible for countless deaths; they deserve to die!’I suddenly heard the Barman I’d all but forgotten speaking rapidly, cocking his gun as he did so. As Tailor stood from his seat in shock, I turned to face the bartender slowly, tilting my head slightly as I moved. “You should return to your post,” I said gently, that small, niggling voice in the back of my head whispering to spare him. “This need not concern you.”His gaze narrowed, breaths coming out in short, sharp pants. “Shut up, puta,” he growled over the whimpers of Pig Farmer. “Put it down!” I snapped, anger rising up quickly. I suddenly heard Tailor shouting. “C’mon, shoot them!”I took a step forward, and suddenly heard a loud pop before searing pain ricocheted through my shoulder. I sucked in a sharp breath, shock coursing through my system as I stumbled back, my hand flying to my shoulder. “No,” I said quickly, throwing back a hand at my husband when I felt him stir in his seat; I could practically feel his anger radiating from him in waves.“You should have listened to me,” I snarled at the barman, focusing on his wide-blown eyes. “This is your own fault,” I whispered. Suddenly, he dropped his gun, hands scrabbling for his face as his eyes began to liquify and run down his face in a white, runny mess. His terrified, agonized screams filled my ears as I zeroed in on him. With a sneer, I raised my hand towards him, my fingers curving like claws as I focused on him. Suddenly, he seized, his entire body going rigid.Behind me, I was aware of the squelch of wet flesh as the dagger flew past my peripheral and towards Tailor, lodging itself into his throat before the decorative metal returned to Erik’s hand as suddenly as it had gone. Seconds later, I heard the dull thud of the former Nazi’s body crash to the floor as the Pig Farmer screamed once more, higher pitched in his pain.I refused to turn around, my focus on the barman. He groaned, a twisted, disgusting sound that sent shivers down my spine, eye-sockets now empty save for the fluid running down his grizzled cheeks. I stepped closer, raising my hand higher as I felt anger rising in me further. “You shouldn’t have tried to be a hero for monsters,” I growled, straightening my fingers. On their own accord, the barman’s feet shuffled himself back to his bar, the man grunting and groaning in effort to escape whatever hold I had on him.Slowly, he turned around and placed his hands upon the bar. Without a second thought I clenched my outstretched hand into a fist, before swinging it downward. In an instant, his head began to smash into the countertop repeatedly, his cries of pain and the sick sounds of wet, shattered flesh and bone filling the air until he’d finally, blessedly, stopped screaming.I could hear Pig Farmer behind me whimpering in pain, the smell of shit ripe alongside the stench of blood and alcohol. Slowly, I uncurled my fist, and the barman’s body fell to the floor in a bloody, crumpled heap. Ignoring the carnage before me, I turned around on my heel, and stared at Pig Farmer, unblinking.“Who-What are you?” he asked in horror, tears of terror in his small eyes. Erik watched me calmly for a moment, but I saw the glint of fear before he picked up his drink and finished it off, choosing to address the Nazi when I refused to answer.“Let’s just say we’re Frankenstein’s Monster,” he growled. “And his Bride.” He stood slowly from his seat and made his way over to the picture of Shaw and the two Nazis. I stayed stock still, never taking my gaze off of the other man. The smell of shit was nearly overwhelming the scent of blood that filled the room, but I ignored it, my gaze locked onto my prey.“We are looking for our creator,” Erik continued from behind us. “Where is he?” I finally spoke sharply, feeling my shoulder itch as it tried to heal round the bullet lodged deep into my skin. “Mi-Miami,” Pig Farmer stuttered, eyes shifting between my husband and I. “The Caspartina is docking in Miami, Florida for the foreseeable future. Please, please, don’t kill me,” he begged.I could hear the gun cock from behind me, and slowly headed for the door as Erik fired upon the man. The blood pounded in my ears as I stepped outside, and I just made it a few steps before I collapsed to my knees vomiting. Vaguely, I could hear Erik exit the building, his long legs making it over to me in swift strides. “Elise . . .” he whispered, his hands gently brushing back my long hair. I held up a hand quickly, forcing Erik to stop speaking as I continued to vomit, eyes tearing with the force of the expulsion.Finally, I leaned back on my heels, wiping my mouth shakily. “May I remove the bullet from your shoulder?” Erik asked gently, rubbing my back in soft, soothing circles. I arched into his touch lightly, closing my eyes as I did so. “Yeah, please,” I whispered hoarsely. I gave a sharp gasp as I felt the bullet suddenly fly out of my shoulder, the pain sending new pulses of agony through my body. “Fuckin’ hell!” I practically howled, my hand flying up to cover the wound as fresh blood began to seep through.“Sorry,” Erik whispered, leaning down to kiss my temple. “Are you alright to move?” he asked me, one hand resting on my uninjured shoulder. I nodded my head after a moment and stood with him carefully as he wrapped an arm around my back, supporting my weight. As we walked a fair distance away, I turned to glance at the building we’d just committed horrific murders within. I shuddered, the thought truly hitting me at what we were doing. ‘Murderer . . . I’d just murdered a man trying to protect his patrons . . . I truly am a monster.’ I thought grimly.“If someone alerts Shaw about this, he’ll pull another runner,” I pointed out in a monotone voice. Without a second thought, I flicked a finger at the pub, watching patiently. At first, there was nothing but silence. I heard Erik open his mouth to speak, but it was drowned out by the sound of creaking wood and moaning metal. Before our very eyes, the building itself seemed to collapse from the ground up, as if the earth were swallowing it whole.The ground beneath us shook with force as the rubble slowly sank beneath itself, bits of glass and splinters of wood flying about until all that remained was a twisted pile of what used to be a magnificent looking drinking establishment. Neither Erik nor I spoke as we walked away. We didn’t speak as we retrieved our belongings from our room, nor as we boarded the boat destined to take us to Miami; All we had to do was flash the wad of cash I’d created out of a handful of grass to persuade the Captain to allow us to board, no questions asked. We didn’t speak as he looked over my wound, ensuring that it healed fully, leaving no trace of a scar.It wasn’t until we’d settled into our cabin for the night that I finally cracked. “Erik . . .” I whispered, turning to face him from my side of the bed. I’d already dressed for the night, waiting for Erik to slip out of his clothing was nothing new in our nightly routine. He paused, pants halfway down his legs as he glanced at me. It might’ve been a comical sight if I didn’t feel so . . . so horrible with myself.“Do—” my voice cracked, and I cleared it, trying to come up with what I wanted to ask. “Are you afraid of me?” I cringed as Erik’s eyes narrowed, biting my lip in worry. Erik finished stripping down to his undergarments and slipped under the covers before he turned onto his side to face me. “No, Elise,” he said quietly. “I’m not afraid of you. What happened back there . . .” he paused for a moment, and I could see his inner struggle to speak. I felt a niggle of humor rise up, our inability to communicate to each other striking me as funny in the least appropriate moment. “You were protecting yourself. That man shot you,” he growled, eyes glinting with fury on my behalf. “He had every intention of killing you. You had every right to do what you did . . . Elise, what exactly did you do?” he asked, the curiosity taking place of his rage.I cleared my throat, my mind wandering back to the barman. “I-I don’t really know,” I answered honestly. “I . . . I remember Ghita had spoken about ancient cultures that believed they could control another person’s entire being. Not just slavery, but to manipulate every little thing they did with magic.” I rolled over onto my back, focusing on the creaking beams overhead of us, the rocking of the ship lulling me into a false sense of safety upon the ocean waves. “I just . . . thought of taking him over, make him suffer for hurting me. I wanted to bash his brains against the countertop, I was so damned angry, and I—” my throat felt tight, tears threatening to choke me as I closed my eyes tight. I felt the tears trail down my cheek and was aware of the bed shifting as Erik wrapped his arms around me, holding me tightly to his chest. “Hey, hey,” he whispered, running a hand softly through my hair. “Elise don’t be so hard on yourself. He deserved what happened, just as those two pigs got what they had coming to them.”“Erik, I killed someone in cold blood!” My voice had taken a higher pitch to it even as I clung to him. “He thought he was protecting them, and I forced him to kill himself in such a brutal and twisted way, how are you not shying away from me in disgust?!”“Elise, that man had every intention of hurting you,” he repeated firmly. “You did what you had to, used your gifts in an extraordinary way, something I’d never seen you do before. You destroyed evidence of what happened in a spectacular fashion, all while in a rage.”“Exactly, Erik! I was angry! I’ve done something that horrible to someone before and it didn’t feel good. I . . .” I let out a deep sigh, lightly tracing a finger over Erik’s chest. “I-I felt like the monster he made me to be.” It came out a whisper, but it sounded as if I were shouting it for the world to hear in my ears.Erik said nothing for a moment, just held me close as he rubbed soothing patterns in my back. “Klaus Schmidt, Sebastian Shaw, whatever the hell he calls himself, is the true monster here,” he finally said. “You are not a monster. You are not a monster,” he said more firmly, tilting my head to look up at him. “You are a beautiful, unique, and wonderous woman, that has survived so much pain and grief, who still continues to fight, and grow, and through sheer will alone set off on a dangerous path just to stop the true monster that destroyed what could have been a beautiful life with your family.”He pressed a gentle kiss upon my lips, and I returned the gesture, feeling the knot in my chest untangle a little bit at his words. “And I will forever be proud to call you my wife. I will never be afraid of you, even if your powers are a bit scary at times.” He gave me a slight smirk at that, and I huffed out a little laugh, shaking my head.We both shifted down the bed a bit, and Erik turned out the light, engulfing us in darkness. I snuggled deeper into his embrace, resting my head on his chest as I listened to his heartbeat. “Will you sing for me?” I whispered. “I always sleep a bit better, just falling asleep while you sing.”I felt Erik press a kiss to the top of my head before he began to softly croon, that old lullaby filling me with a soft sense of comfort in the quiet cabin. All through the night, Erik held me, sang to me, and yet, I didn’t get any sleep. Nor would I get any true rest in the following days of our journey.
***
Miami, Florida, USA

Early October 1962

“Erik, have you seen my hairclip?” I called from the bathroom, brushing my hair back from my face. I glanced at my reflection, unable to stop the grimace from forming. ‘I look like absolute shit,’ I mentally declared. I was far paler than normal, my skin taking on a near waxy complexion, while my hair seemed to have lost a bit of shine. My eyes, normally a vibrant green, were dull, and bloodshot from lack of sleep. I could see the bones sticking out from my clavicle, and I knew I’d lost more weight than what was healthy.The trip up to Miami was relatively uneventful—aside from night terrors—and with surprisingly good weather, we’d made good time, sailing into the Florida Keys before taking a smaller fishing boat to the docks near the city itself. From there, we’d booked a cheap motel room and plotted the next few steps carefully. We’d decided that night would be the best night to board the Caspartina and catch Shaw unaware.“Tonight,” I muttered to myself with a sharp nod. “We’ll kill this bastard tonight and be done with it all.” I looked up when I heard Erik speaking to me from the other room. “It’s over here on the nightstand,” he called. With one last look at my reflection, I hurried out to the front room and immediately zoned in on the smell of warm food. Erik stood next to the table on the far side of the room, covered dishes on a cart next to him.“What’s this?” I asked curiously, cocking my head slightly. Erik gave a slight shrug, a half-smile crossing his features. “I thought that perhaps a filling meal before we head out would do us wonders,” he replied, holding out a hand for me to take.I took it gently, allowing Erik to guide me to a seat before he pushed it in for me. “I know you haven’t been sleeping well, my dear,” Erik began before he levitated the dishes to the small table. I glanced down at my lap, clenching the napkin in my fingers. “The closer we get to this, the more night terrors you have,” he continued, carefully placing food on my plate, then his.I instantly thought back to one of our last nights on the boat, when I’d woken up screaming in terror. It took me a moment to reorient myself and notice that my husband wasn’t in bed with me, only to realize Erik was pinned to the ceiling, unable to breathe as the blankets transformed before my eyes into a massive snake, squeezing the life out of him. I still shiver with fear every time I think about how close I’d come to killing my own husband in my sleep. “Erik, I’m so sorry—”Erik cut me off by reaching across the table to place a hand over my mouth. “Elise, I don’t hold you responsible for that, at all,” he said firmly. “You were in the middle of a night terror, and your mind was trying to fight off the demons in your dreams.” He removed his hand, and indicated I eat. I watched him for a moment, searching his features for any sign that he was lying. When I couldn’t find what I was looking for, I slowly picked up my fork and took a bite. I moaned in surprise, realizing just how hungry I was.Dinner was a rather quiet affair after that initial moment, and we finished with small comments about our dishes, sharing what we liked or disliked about the meal. Finally, Erik produced a bottle of wine, and I raised an eyebrow. “You know I do enjoy alcohol,” I stated, watching him pour a glass for each of us. “But shouldn’t we have clear heads before we head out?”Erik gave a wave of his hand of nonchalance. “It’s just a glass, and it will do your nerves some good,” he said reasonably. I shrugged, taking the proffered glass and took a sip, grimacing slightly at the nearly sickly-sweet taste. “Elise,” Erik started, and I glanced up at him, taking a deeper draught from the glass. “I’m worried about tonight. Specifically, about you. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”I frowned, sitting back in my chair. “Is this about me not sleeping?” I asked a little sharply. “Erik, I was afraid to hurt you. Hell, I did hurt you, nearly killed you because I’m seeing that bastard’s face every single time I close my eyes. We are this close—” I held my thumb and index finger slightly apart, forcing myself not to notice them shaking. “—This close to finishing this. I’ll be alright for this. Honestly,” I insisted at his skeptical look.“Elise, I only want to protect you. You know that, don’t you?” I frowned, taking another swallow as my mouth felt dry. I glanced at the glass in my hand, having emptied it, before I noticed that he’d not touched his wine at all. “Erik . . . what’d you do?” I said slowly, confusion taking over as my words began to slur slightly.Erik sighed before he stood, walking over to my chair. I turned to focus on him, my movements becoming slow and sluggish. “Wha-“ I started to say, swaying in my chair. Erik caught me before I could fall, scooping me up as if I weighed no more than a sack of potatoes. His face was blurry, despite being so close to mine. I could, however, make out the guilt-ridden expression he wore. “I’m sorry, my dear, but I can’t risk you coming with me,” he stated, carrying me to the bed before he lay me down gently. I snarled at him, trying to swing my fists in his general direction. He caught them easily, and gently held them down by my sides in an effort to keep me still. In my weakened state, there was no way I could match his strength, at all. “You’re exhausted, and I don’t want something happening to you facing that fucker.” Erik released my arms, but I didn’t move, too tired and sluggish to even try. Through blurry eyes, I could see Erik run a hand through his hair, agitated. “I’m sorry, my dear,” he repeated softly, brushing back a lock of hair from my face. This is for your own good.” Unable to keep my eyes open any longer, I felt myself drifting off into that darkness that seemed so inviting. “You’re too damned important to me to lose you,” was the whisper I felt against my temple before nothingness took over.
***
Slowly, awareness began to course through my system, and I groaned as my body refused to cooperate as I wanted it to. ‘That sonofabitch!’ I thought in rage, gritting my teeth as I forced my eyes to open into slits. Glancing around at the darkened room, I saw a sliver of moonlight across the clock upon the wall. Nearly two in the morning. I’d been out for several hours.“Muth’fuggin’—” I attempted to spew, but my words came out slurred, as if I were a lush after the pubs and bars closed for the night. I wiggled my fingers and toes as much as possible, slowly regaining movement in my limbs. I sat up shakily, ignoring how sluggish I felt, how my brain wanted to remain mush, and lumbered to my feet, swaying slightly. I kept a hand pressed to the wall, trying to regain my balance as I relearned how to walk. Eventually, I managed to stumble to the bathroom, and slapped my hand against the wall, blindly feeling for the light switch.When it flipped on, I groaned and blinked as the harsh fluorescent lights illuminated the small bathroom. Nausea welled up as the room spun, and I grit my teeth and held my breath, silently begging that I didn’t throw up.I clung to the door for what seemed like forever, but I’m sure was only moments, until the need to throw up finally abated. I let out a slight sigh of relief before I made it over to the sink, leaning heavily upon it as I reached for the knob for cold water. As it ran, I splashed some on my face, the shock causing me to gasp as the sedative Erik slipped into the wine wore off.Once I was functional, I turned it off, and reached for a towel. As I patted my face dry, I heard the door unlock, and froze, fear turning my veins into ice . . . right up until I heard that rat bastard’s voice. “My dear, are you awake?” he called loudly. I realized then that Erik usually only called me ‘dear,’ when he was trying to placate me. ‘Hah, fat chance,’ I thought bitterly. I gripped the towel tightly in my hands, the fabric shredding easily as I twisted it in an effort to calm myself.I spun on my heel, and stalked from the bathroom, listening as Erik muttered something out loud before the front door closed. When the bathroom door swung open back into the hotel room, I immediately zeroed in on my husband as he was packing up our things quickly, shoving them into suitcases without folding anything. He froze mid-movement, eyes taking in my expression, which I’m sure was pure rage. ‘Why the hell is he soaking wet?’ I briefly wondered.Slowly, he raised his hands in a move of self-defense. “My dear, I know you have every right to be angry with me, and I’m sor—” I morphed the towel in my hand into that of a glass bottle, and threw it at his head, cutting off his words as he ducked to avoid the shrapnel when it shattered on the wall behind him.“You cock-sucking, twat-waffled, son of a-motherfucking-ass-hatted cunt!” I shrieked, grabbing anything I could and blindly throwing it in his direction, my ire growing each time I heard it shatter against everything that wasn’t Erik’s head. “You drugged me! Left me behind while you went to chase after him! What gives you the fucking right to do that to me?!”I stomped around the room, trying to dodge Erik’s attempts at catching me as I continued to berate him. “I have been a part of this whole fucking thing since the beginning! I’ve been tracking him down before I ever met you, in fact! And you thought it was a good idea to slip sedatives into my drink and take off after that fucker without me?! If I had a dick, this is where I’d tell you to suck it!”During my tirade, Erik finally managed to get close enough to grab me by the arms stopping me from wildly swinging at him. I growled, slapping my small fists against his chest. In my semi-drugged state, I knew I didn’t have the strength to do much damage. “I know,” Erik murmured, his calming voice pissing me off further. He hugged me to his chest, his arms like steel bands as he trapped my hands between us.“I know, what I did was wrong. I don’t deny that,” he whispered against my hair, and I involuntarily shuddered as his breath tickled my ear. “But I did what I felt was right. Your nightmares have had you on edge for weeks, knowing we were getting closer to him. I was afraid . . .” he trailed off and I stilled my hands, leaning my head against his chest. I closed my eyes as I listened to his words. “You were . . . afraid?” I asked, slightly skeptical.Erik’s arms tightened around me once more as he nuzzled my neck, breathing in my scent. “So, so very afraid,” he said hoarsely. “I had a dream, last night, that we had gone to face Shaw together, but he had fired a gun at you . . . and I couldn’t—” he cleared his throat as I heard the sob threatening to choke him. “I couldn’t stop it in time. I saw you dying in my arms, unable to protect you. I couldn’t save you. That’s why I left you here. I knew that you would try to follow me anyway, and I was not going to watch you die.”I could feel my anger begin to dissipate, only to give a choked sob. “What if you had died?” I whispered, fisting my hands into the fabric of his damp shirt. I opened my eyes and tilted my chin up to look at him, tears clouding my vision. “If something happened to you, I wouldn’t have known. Or what if Shaw hadn’t been there, and he had come for me while I was out cold?”I could see from the glint in Erik’s eyes that he hadn’t really thought his idea through, and I sighed, shaking my head. “Do not ever drug me again . . . or I will make sure you become Erika on a permanent basis. Am I understood?” I asked slowly, and Erik nodded, swallowing lightly. “Yes, dear,” he muttered in a slightly meek tone.Somewhat mollified with his answer, I allowed myself to hug him closely, just thankful that he came back to me in one piece. I frowned when I felt the moisture from his shirt continue to soak my own clothing. “Erik, darling,” I spoke, leaning back to look at him. “Why are you soaked to the bone? You’ll catch your death!”Erik grimaced. “Things . . . didn’t go according to plan,” he muttered, releasing me to scratch the back of his neck. I narrowed my eyes at him and placed my hands on my hip. “What happened?” I questioned, knowing that I was not going to like his answer.Erik cleared his throat, fighting to meet my eyes as he opened his mouth when a knock sounded at the door. I whirled around when the knob turned, and the door creaked open slowly. Erik’s hands shot out to grip my arms, disabling me from a defensive posture. “Dear, there’s something you should—”“I’m assuming since I can’t hear the sound of breaking glass that you’re done fighting?” a smooth British voice called out, interrupting my husband. “Your husband mentioned he had left you behind, and that you’d be angry, but I have to say that you’re quite a little firecracker when you’re riled, and with quite a colorful vocabulary at that.”The man stepped into the room, glancing around for any potential violence before he focused his bright blue eyes upon us. “Ah, you’ve made up. Splendid!” He flashed a charming smile as he strode forward, charm and utter confidence in his swagger. “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Lehnsherr, Erik didn’t mention much about you, other than your mutation. And-and that you’re married to him, of course. Elise, yes? You can alter reality for a time?” He took my hand and shook it quickly as I nodded my head dumbly, eyes wide in absolute shock. Erik’s hold on my arms loosened, possibly believing that I wasn’t going to go off on this stranger that I used to know.I took in his features quickly, not quite believing what was right in front of me as real. He was older, hair a bit longer, but the same reddish-brown shade that I remembered in a distant part of my memory, the expressive blue eyes, lips upturned in that indulgent smirk that I knew as a child. He wasn’t much taller than I, perhaps a head, maybe a little less. “Oh, please! Forgive me,” he spoke quickly, giving a quick chuckle as he brushed his hair back in a slightly nervous gesture.“Where are my manners? My name is Charles Xavier. I’m a mutant, like you two. I’m a telepath; I-I can read minds, not-not that I will without your permission, mind you, but I seem to have a bit of trouble with yours, possibly because of the nature of your mutation?” It came out as a question, but he didn’t give me time to answer before he continued speaking. “It truly is an honor to meet more people like myself, honestly, I cannot express how excited I am.”I sucked in a breath, blinking back tears of surprise. “Ch-Chewy?” I breathed, voice trembling. Erik jumped from behind me, startled, while Charles froze, mouth parting in disbelief. “What did you just say?” he asked, voice slightly high. I took a small step forward, the room wavering at the edges of my vision. “It-it’s me . . . Elise Marie Graves . . . please remember, I’m—”“Good Lord, my sweet, baby cousin Lee-Lee,” Charles choked out, a shocked laugh escaping him. His eyes seemed to brighten with tears as he reached a trembling hand out to gently caress my cheek, as if unsure I was real. “I-Is it really you? I . . . I thought you were dead, we all thought you were gone!” I could dimly hear Erik calling my name, concern evident in his voice. When I tried turning to face him, his voice rose sharply, hands reaching for me.I tried to answer, I really did, but the room suddenly tilted and swirled, my vision fading out to black. I was barely aware of two sets of arms catching me, lowering me gently to the ground before I could crack my skull open, and then . . . darkness.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

I could hear the muffled sound of voices as I slowly became aware of my surroundings. “Mm . . . Erik?” I mumbled, cracking my eyes into tiny slits. The light was rather bright, and stung my sensitive eyes, and I squeezed them shut once more, unable to suppress a whimper of pain as my head throbbed.“Oh, thank heavens you’re awake,” I heard someone breathe a sigh of relief, and I frowned, realizing that wasn’t my husband’s voice. I opened my eyes once more, blinking away the fuzziness until I could focus on the person in front of me . . . or, rather, above me. I realized I was lying on something soft and concluded that I’d been moved to the bed.Charles’ face appeared rather close to mine as he checked over my prone form, brows furrowed in worry. “It seems you fainted from shock,” he said, leaning back as I made to sit up. “Where’s Erik?” I asked, clearing my throat in embarrassment. ‘I fainted?’ I wondered. ‘What the hell?’“I’m right here,” Erik announced as he strode back into the room, wringing a wet cloth in his hand and he made quick time to my other side, sitting on the bed and helped me sit up the rest of the way. “How are you feeling, Elise?” he asked softly, brushing back some hair from my forehead and laying the cloth gently against my heated skin.“Embarrassed as hell, confused, angry, and fuzzy from the sedatives,” I blurted out, and I watched with no small amount of satisfaction as Erik winced at the reminder of just how upset I was earlier. “I suppose I’m more shocked than anything else,” I continued, glancing between Erik and the cousin I had looked up to as a small child.Charles cleared his throat, and spoke quickly, running a hand through his wavy hair. “I suppose I can understand how you feel, I mean, if I were in your shoes, I’d be just as stunned as you are.” We gazed at each other before I let out a short, surprised bark of laughter, and he did snicker a bit after a pause. He bit his lip and released it in an unconscious manner, and the nervous gesture brought on such a powerful wave of nostalgia, that I couldn’t breathe for a moment. My heart constricted tightly in my chest, and a sob broke loose in the middle of my laughter.I practically flung myself into Charles’ arms, and the man flinched briefly at the sudden contact before he wrapped his arms around me tightly, holding me close. I could feel him breathe in the scent of my hair, felt his body shudder as he tried to fend off his own tears.“I thought you were gone, Lee-Lee,” Charles whispered. “Your poor parents’ remains were found on the side of the road, and they shipped them back to the states. No one thought that you’d ever be found alive.”I sniffled, and felt Erik’s hand rest gently on my back, a silent reminder that he was there for me, and I felt my heart unclench just a tiny bit more. “I’m sorry, Chewy,” I whispered, struggling not to choke on my tears. “I’m so, so sorry. There was just s-so much go-oing on, and I was scared t-to try an-and—”“Shh, it’s alright, Elise,” Erik murmured, trying to soothe me. Charles leaned back, wiping gently at his eyes before he cupped my face in his hands. “Elise, I’m not angry at you, not in the slightest,” he reassured me. “Am I shocked? Yes. I’ve . . .” he scrambled briefly for the words he was trying to convey. “I never dreamed I’d ever see you again, not in this lifetime. I’m so, so happy that you’re alive, and happy. And married?” he glanced at Erik briefly, his eyes narrowing.I followed his gaze, glancing between my husband and cousin. “Charles, Erik and I have been married for a year,” I reminded him gently. We love each other, and neither of us wouldn’t have agreed to nuptials if we didn’t both agree that this is what we wanted.” I patted his hand gently, and he released my face. “We are very happy with each other.”“Yes, I did see glimpses of your relationship,” Charles said dryly, and I watched Erik’s cheeks redden slightly as he coughed, scratching the back of his neck. My own face was flaming, and I rolled my eyes. “I made my choices, Chewy,” I reminded him a little firmly. “This is what I wanted, with Erik.”Charles nodded his head after a moment, glancing between my husband and I before he finally smiled a little. “Alright, I suppose I shall learn to live with this,” he said with a slight wink in my direction. I rolled my eyes, shaking my head, before I groaned and rubbed my temples.“Elise, I really do think that there is something wrong,” Erik spoke up, gently rubbing the back of my head. “I know you don’t like it, but we really should get you to a doctor.”“Actually, I might know someone that can help,” Charles said quickly as I opened my mouth to protest. “As I was telling Erik earlier, I’m working with a division of the CIA that is researching people like us, mutants. They just might have a doctor on hand that can look you over.”I pursed my lips, considering my options, before sharing a glance with Erik. “What do you think?” I asked. I wanted nothing more than to hold onto Charles and never let go, not after finding him after all these years. And yet, there was that scared part of me, that inner child that was afraid to hope for anything more than pain and fear against me.Erik rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. “What else can we do?” he said after mulling it over. “There is obviously something wrong; you’ve never been sick the entire time I’ve known you, and yet, you’ve been vomiting, losing sleep, losing weight that you’ve really nothing there to lose to begin with . . .” he trailed off, his eyes glinting with a sheen of worry. “I want to know that you’re going to be alright,” he said gently.I rolled my eyes, unable to stop the sigh that escaped. “I still believe it’s all stressed induced, but if it will clear your minds, I’ll see a doctor,” I finally agreed.Erik seemed relieved and leaned in to give me a kiss before I held up a hand. “I am still mad at you, mister,” I reminded him, and he nodded his head sheepishly. “Right,” he cleared his throat.“Well,” Charles said with a grin. “That settles it, then.” He stood and clapped his hands. “c’mon then, there’s people I want to introduce you to . . . and in this case, one I want to reintroduce.” Erik and Charles helped me to my feet, much to my protest, and they carried out our two suitcases, one with each man.Following Charles, I linked my fingers with Erik’s free hand as we made our way to two, black cars that were parked a ways away. One of the cars opened, and a tall blond stepped out, hands on her hips. ‘Wow, she looks annoyed,’ I thought briefly, sharing a glance with Erik.“Took you long enough, Charles,” she said playfully. She turned to face me and Erik. “Erik, is this your wife?” she asked, smiling brightly at me. I glanced between her and Erik, raising an eyebrow. “We met earlier, after Charles pulled me out of the harbor.”“I narrowed my eyes at him, feeling irritation flare once more. “You really need to explain what exactly happened later, Erik.” Erik cleared his throat and nodded his head briefly. “Yes, dear,” he replied softly, clearly choosing not to argue with me.“Raven,” Charles started, grin threatening to split his face. “This is Elise Lehnsherr, Erik’s wife. We used to know her as Elise Graves.” I watched Raven’s eyes widen briefly at the name, and she turned to Charles, mouth parting. “Elise?” she whispered softly, shock coloring her words. “You mean, that’s our—”I suddenly gasped, recognition hitting me like a dumbbell. “Birdie!” I cried, launching myself into her arms. “Oh, I almost didn’t recognize you, it’s me, Lee-Lee!”Raven stumbled briefly before she wrapped me in a tight hug, bursting into tears. We held each other for a long moment, just trying to take in everything all at once as we talked over each other, asking questions.I heard someone cleared their throat to get our attention. “Mrs. Lehnsherr, Raven?” I heard a feminine voice call out. “As much as I can appreciate a family reunion, we really do need to get going.” Raven and I released each other, and I wiped my cheeks, unaware I had begun to cry again, and noticed a petite brunette woman and a larger, taller man beside her. “I’m Agent McTaggart, CIA,” the woman greeted, shooting me a kind smile. “Have you been briefed on the situation?”I frowned, shaking my head. “A little, but I sort of . . . um . . .” I trailed off, glancing back at Erik. He stepped up beside me, wrapping an arm around my waist for reassurance. “My wife has been ill for some time,” he supplied. “A few weeks now. She had a fainting spell shortly after we arrived. We need to get her to a doctor.”“I’ve got one at my facility,” the man with McTaggart said, smiling brightly. “We can brief you on the way, if that’s alright with you?” I nodded my head once. “That will be fine, thank you, mister . . .?”“Platt, Agent Platt,” the man replied with a quick wave. “Well then, let’s get going.”
***
I yawned as I felt Erik gently shake my shoulder. “We’re here,” he murmured softly. I sat up straight and cracked open my eyes, blinking in the morning sunlight as it streamed in through the windows. “Where are we?” I asked, stepping out into the brisk morning air.Agent Platt got out of his own car, Charles and Raven following suit. Erik and Agent McTaggart—Moira, as I learned in the night—exited the vehicle I’d just left.Agent Platt must have heard me, because he shot me a sunny smile. “Welcome to my facility,” he said, pride evident in his voice. We all trailed after him as he headed inside. “My mission has been to investigate the application of paranormal powers in military defense.”“Or offense,” I heard Erik mutter to Charles, and I gently slapped his chest. “Erik,” I admonished quietly. Erik shrugged, adjusting his sunglasses as he allowed me to slide my arm into his. I lost the battle carrying my suitcase, having it snatched from my grasp by Charles with a wink.“This guy Shaw, Schmidt, whatever you wanna call him? He’s working with the Russians,” Platt continued, thankfully unaware of what my husband said. “We may need your help to stop him.”“Marvelous,” Charles said, giving a slight sigh. “So, we are to be the CIA’s new ‘Mutant Division,” yes?”“Something like that,” Platt replied, quickly leading us through the building. I tried to remember what corridors we took, seeming to turn in every direction before I gave up, fighting off a dizzy spell. After a while, we’d reached a hangar bay, and I couldn’t help but let out a shudder when I saw all the strange, flying apparatus’. ‘Planes . . . just wonderful,’ I thought sarcastically.“It’s a supersonic,” I heard someone say, and I jumped slightly, startled. I glanced over to see a young man, perhaps around Raven’s age, with thick glasses and a labcoat. He seemed a little shy, and immediately reminded me of a pup. He gave us a slightly nervous smile. “Most advanced plane ever built “You should see it in real life, it’s incredible.”“Hank,” Platt greeted, gesturing to us. “These are the special new recruits I was telling you about. This is Hank McCoy,” he pointed to the be-speckled man. “one of our most talented young researchers.”Charles was striding over before Platt even finished speaking, sticking out a hand in greeting. “How wonderful, another mutant, already here! Why didn’t you say?” he asked, turning to face Platt.I glanced between the Hank and the Agent, Hank suddenly looking extremely uncomfortable. ‘Uh-oh,’ I thought, pursing my lips in sympathy.“Say what?” Platt asked in confusion, and Charles’ face fell. “Because you don’t know . . .” he turned to Hank, remorse evident in his expression. “I am so, so terribly, sorry.”Hank tried to wave it off with a slight, self-deprecating smile. “Hank?” Platt asked, stepping closer, his face a mixture of shock and wonder evident. “W-well, you didn’t ask, so I didn’t tell,” Hank said softly.Erik gave a soft snort from beside me, and I turned towards him, eyebrow cocked. “It’s not like we were walking ‘round with a sign, Erik,” I whispered softly. “Who knows how many people like us are hiding in plain sight?”“So, your mutation is, what? You’re super smart?” Raven asked, stepping closer. Hank glanced at her, and I could practically see his mind frizzle at the sight of my beautiful cousin actually talking to him. I bit back a smile, feeling as if I were intruding on some sort of special moment between the two.“I’ll say,” Charles spoke up, “Hank here graduated at Harvard at the age of fifteen!” Hank gave a slight shrug, eyes focused on Raven. “I-I wish that was all it was,” Hank muttered.I finally spoke up. “You’re among friends now, Hank,” I called, leaning against Erik’s shoulder. “You can show off if there’s something else you’ve got.”That seemed to bolster him a little, because he immediately began to fumble around with his shoes and socks. Erik finally seemed to take a bit of interest, because he led me closer to see what was going on. I frowned when I heard Charles begin to laugh and couldn’t help letting out a startled gasp when Hank suddenly did a back flip.‘He’s gonna hurt himself!’ I thought rapidly, before his . . . feet? Yes, his feet latched onto the side of the plane, and he hung upside down like a primate, glasses barely hanging onto his face as he shot us a grin. I blinked, my mouth parting in surprise. ‘He’s got . . . hands, for feet?’ I wondered, shaking my head briefly. “Now that’s not something you see every day,” I said, and I felt Erik wrap an arm around my waist.“No kidding,” Erik murmured, and we watched Raven step closer, delight practically radiating from her. I saw her mouth open to speak, before I was hit by a wave of vertigo. “Oh, not this,” I moaned, scrabbling to hang on to Erik’s arm. “Elise? Are you alright?” Erik asked, holding onto so I didn’t fall. I shook my head, already feeling that familiar urge creeping up. “Trash bin!” I managed to gasp, trying to keep from vomiting.“Oh, here!” I heard McTaggart say, and a small waste basket was shoved under my face. I barely managed to grab it before I expelled everything I had in my stomach, which wasn’t much to begin with. I could here everyone murmuring in alarm and sympathy, and my face flamed with embarrassment. ‘Yeah, just what I wanted,’ I thought bitterly. ‘People watching me puke. Lovely.’Erik carefully held my hair out of my face, one hand cradling the back of my neck gently. “It’s alright, it’s alright,” he whispered soothingly. “Just let it out.”Finally, the heaving stopped, and I felt someone gingerly take the soiled bin away. I wiped my mouth with the cloth that was proffered in front of me, and I glanced up to see Raven’s sympathetic face. “Are you alright?” she asked gently, her expressive eyes practically glowing with concern. She set the basket down, careful not to let it tip, and stepped back when I nodded.“No, she’s not,” Erik said a little stiffly, shooting me a look. “She’s been ill for a few weeks now, and we need to see a doctor.” I watched Hank stepped closer, his shoes back on his feet. “Well, I can look you over, if-if you’d like,” he offered. “Run a few blood tests, make sure it’s nothing viral.”I frowned, worried that perhaps that somehow, I’d contracted something dangerous. “But it should be impossible,” I said shakily. “I mean, part of my mutation . . . I’ve never been sick a day in my life!”McTaggart frowned, glancing at Platt. “What exactly is your mutation, if you don’t mind my asking?”I cleared my throat a little, taking the paper cup of water that Charles offered me with thanks. “I . . . I can alter reality, for a time. I’m also capable of incredible strength, endurance, and I heal pretty damned quick.”I glanced around at everyone’s varying expressions of shock, and wonder, and suddenly felt an overwhelming rush of relief warm me when it hit me. ‘These people, they are like me. They don’t think I’m a monster!’Charles smiled wide and clapped his hands loudly. “That’s incredible, Elise!” Charles cheered, and I felt Erik’s hand curling around the base of my neck comfortingly. I smiled up at him, and I could see the pride in his eyes as he returned the look, soft smirk playing on his lips.“Well, I’m sure that we’ll be able to find out what’s going on soon,” Hank said after a moment, fidgeting with his glasses. “That we will, Lee-Lee," Charles promised, a sympathetic smile in place. "I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about.” He reached out and patted his hand over my stomach lightly, and froze, eyes widening in shock.“What is it?” Raven asked, frowning at him. I could feel worry begin to seep through, and gripped Erik’s hand. “Charles?” I asked. “Are you alright?”“Oh,” Charles breathed, disbelief and wonder coloring his tone. “I know exactly what’s wrong.”“What is it?” Erik asked demanded quickly, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. “What’s wrong with my wife?”Charles suddenly grinned brightly, removing his hand from my stomach and shaking Erik’s hand. “Congratulations,” he said giddily. “You’re expecting!”I felt the color drain from my face. “W-what?” I whispered shock coursing through me. Charles gave a short laugh of joy. “I didn’t even think about it, but I can feel vague impressions of emotions, right there.” He gestured to my stomach. “It’s hard to distinguish, most likely due to your mutation, but it’s there. You, Elise, Erik, are going to be a Mummy and Daddy!”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“What is it?” Erik asked demanded quickly, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. “What’s wrong with my wife?”

Charles suddenly grinned brightly, removing his hand from my stomach and shaking Erik’s hand. “Congratulations,” he said giddily. “You’re expecting!”

I felt the color drain from my face. “W-what?” I whispered shock coursing through me. Charles gave a short laugh of joy. “I didn’t even think about it, but I can feel vague impressions of emotions, right there.” He gestured to my stomach. “It’s hard to distinguish, most likely due to your mutation, but it’s there. You, Elise, Erik, are going to be a Mummy and Daddy!”

“A-are you sure?” I whispered, licking my suddenly dry lips. Charles—that over-eager, intelligent idiot cousin of mine—nodded enthusiastically. “Absolutely! You’re still fairly early yet, I’d say perhaps two months, maybe three.” He beamed proudly, glancing between Erik and I before his smile faltered. “This is good news, yes?” I glanced at Erik, noting the shock and disbelief that warred with his features. ‘Fuck no; this can’t be real can it?’ I thought to myself, several emotions swirling inside me. ‘Are we ready for this? Do we even want this?’ I swallowed hard, struggling with an answer that I didn’t even really know. Neither of us had spoken of having children other than as a passing fancy; I wasn’t even sure that Erik really wanted to raise children. Having never really been around human babies, I knew practically nothing about being a mother; just the thought terrified me.Raven—bless that intelligent, beautiful cousin of mine—stepped forward, clearing her throat. “Charles,” she whispered harshly. “I think we should give them some space.” Charles frowned, glancing back at her in confusion before it must’ve dawned on him. “I’ve just ballsed it all up, didn’t I?” he asked rhetorically. ‘Yeah, no shit, genius!’ I thought hysterically, trying to calm myself before there was an accident that I couldn’t control. “Why don’t we just, um, we’ll be over-over there.” He began herding the others away from us, giving us some much-needed space.I felt Erik take my hand and lead us to a far corner of the hangar, out of earshot of the others. When we stopped walking, I swung around to face Erik, wringing my hands nervously. I opened my mouth, unable to stop the tidal wave of words that spilled forth. “Erik, I’m so, so sorry, I didn’t realize we’d end up like this, it’s my fault, I should have done something to prevent this, I understand if you’re angry about this, or don’t want this baby—”“Elise, calm down this instant,” Erik interrupted firmly, catching my hands in his own to keep me still. I glanced down at our hands and bit my lip, tears forming at the emotional overload. “This is not your fault,” he whispered, reaching up to stroke my cheek gently and tilt my chin up to look at him. “Technically, we are both the ones to blame. We rarely use rubbers, and neither of us thought of the consequences of our carelessness. Is it troubling?” He gave a short nod. “Without a doubt. This isn’t really the time to have a child; we’re not prepared to raise a baby. Am I upset? Absolutely; this is a shock, but it is not entirely unpleasant.” He swallowed hard, before he spoke again. “I will not lie, Elise. . . I am shit-scared of what this means for us now.”He gently thumbed away a tear that trailed down my cheek and rested his forehead against my own. “But none of that matters now. What is most important for you to know, is that I love you.” He leaned down and kissed me softly, lingering close. “While I am not thrilled to have a child in the middle of our plans to get Shaw, I will not—by any means—disregard the baby because of inconvenient timing.” He released my hands slowly and let one hand hover over my stomach in hesitation. “I . . . do want this baby, Elise,” he said in a soft tone. “I want this, with you. The thought of you growing ‘round with my child fills me with equal parts joy and fear. Joy, because this child is someone we created together, and fear, because Shaw is still out there, and I will go to the ends of the earth to kill him before he can harm either you or the babe.” I felt the same twinge of fear, and I swallowed hard. Erik’s hand on my stomach, a soothing weight and warmth, rubbed back and forth over gently. “We just . . . need to readjust our plans accordingly,” he continued.I felt a surge of relief wash over me, and wrapped my arms around Erik’s neck, stifling a sob. Erik’s arms wrapped around me securely, holding me close. “Shh, you’ll be alright, please, don’t cry,” he whispered in me ear. “I-I’m sorry,” I mumbled against his skin. “I thought you’d be so angry and blame me for this. I’m scared, Erik, so fucking scared. I don’t know the first thing about babies, there’s so many what if’s, I don’t know how to handle this, or—”“Elise, take a deep breath slowly, hold it, and let it out, slowly,” Erik murmured, pulling back for a moment. I complied and felt myself calm slightly. “I know you’re scared. We both are, but you mustn’t panic now. Besides—” he gave me a slight smile, and while I could see that he was scared of this situation we both found ourselves in, I knew that he was pleased at the thought of his seed growing within me. “We’ve got time before our child enters this world. You will be a good mother, and I will protect you both until my last breath.”I gave a tentative smile. “Hopefully, it won’t come to that,” I whispered, tapping Erik’s chest, right over his heart. I gave a slight sigh, still feeling terrified, but I pushed it aside to deal with at a later time. “We should go join the others, I murmured, glancing over towards the group that was pretending not to be interested in our conversation. Erik gave a slight nod, and took my hand in his, kissing the skin over my knuckles.Charles cleared his throat once we approached the group. “I’m so sorry to spring that upon you both, truly, sometimes I get so caught up I end up putting my foot through it,” he stammered, grimacing in embarrassment. I rolled my eyes and shook off his apologies. “It’s over with now, don’t fret about it,” I assured him. “At least we now have an explanation for what’s been causing the symptoms I’ve been having.”Hank raised his hand tentatively. “Ch-Charles mentioned something about your illness, and it got me thinking,” he started, glancing between Erik and I nervously. “Have your, um . . . abilities, I guess, been stronger, or harder to control?”I furrowed my brows, looking at Erik in concern. “I . . . guess they have been a it unpredictable lately, and more dangerous at times, yes.” I looked back at Hank, feeling a bit fearful as to where this might be headed. “Do you think it has something to do with the baby?”“It’s quite possible that your hormones are fluctuating because of the baby,” Hank said, fiddling with his glasses for a moment. “I mean, increased hormones in a non-mutant, pregnant woman can spike rapidly and cause elevated mood-swings and temporary loss of control. It’s likely that these fluctuations are causing your mutations to jump rapidly, like a roller coaster. It could also explain the exhaustion, weight-loss, and fainting spells you’ve been experiencing.”“So, is there anything that can help my wife?” Erik asked, his tone indicating slight annoyance. I laid a hand on his arm gently, cocking a brow. Hank thought for a moment, before he gave a slight shrug. “Well, I could always administer a low-dose sedative—”“Absolutely not!” Everyone flinched at my outburst, and I felt my cheeks flame. “I-I really don’t want to be sedated, period. Just . . . no.” Hank cleared his throat. “S-sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you,” he mumbled apologetically. Erik wrapped an arm around my shoulders, hugging me to him comfortingly. ““Sounds like you need some rest,” Raven intervened, shooting Hank a little wink that I caught as she gave me a smile. “And a good meal. Agent McTaggart, Agent Platt?” she glanced over at them. “Is there somewhere that Elise and Erik can get some rest, and food?”“Of course,” Platt said immediately. “There’s rooms for you to sleep in, and I can have the kitchens send you all something to eat. In fact, why don’t you all take some time to rest and recuperate for a bit, and we can continue our discussions later this evening? Hank, why don’t you show them where they can stay?” he asked, and Hank nodded his head quickly.I glanced at Erik, and he inclined his head in agreement. “Try to get some rest, Mrs. Lehnsherr,” McTaggart suggested gently, sending me a warm smile. “And congratulations.” She headed off to another part of the facility with Agent Platt, already deep in some kind of discussion.Charles stepped up and gave us a tentative smile. “Elise, Erik,” he started, glancing between us both. “Please, if there’s anything you need, anything at all, just let me know. I’d be happy to offer assistance in whatever way you need, just ask.”Erik eyed him for a moment, before he nodded slowly. “Thank you,” He replied, neither accepting nor declining the offer. “For now, however, I think it’s best we get Elise somewhere she can rest peacefully.”“Of course,” Charles said immediately. “We’ll talk more later on, yeah? We’ve got so much to catch up on.” he gave me a quick hug, startling me for a moment before I wrapped my arms around him, feeling gratitude and love for my older cousin surface once more. “It’s a plan,” I agreed, shooting him a quick smile as he trotted off after the two agents.Turning to Hank and Raven, I let out a slight sigh. “Alright, let’s find these rooms so my overprotective husband doesn’t burst a vein,” I joked, kissing Erik’s cheek when he gave a low growl. “Hank, ready when you are.” I gave him a little wink and stifled a smirk when he blushed before he bounded ahead of us, eager to be the tour guide as he pointed out various projects and rooms as he led us to our rooms, Raven on his heels, a wide smile gracing her features. ‘Damn, he really is a puppy,’ I thought, and gave a small snort I tried to cover up.“And what, pray tell, is so amusing to you?” Erik murmured in my ear quietly, and I grinned up at him. “Oh, nothing,” I replied in a whisper. “Just thinking that Hank reminds me of an eager puppy, and that he and Raven seem to have a bit of a starstruck look to them.”Erik snorted, shaking his head. “Please tell me we weren’t like that,” he joked lightly. I rolled my eyes. “Erik, you pushed me out of a window, and I repeatedly called you an Asshat throughout the night,” I reminded him. “The beginning of our relationship is definitely not your average romance.”Erik shot me a small smile, wrapping his arm around my waist as we walked. “As if you and I are ever going to be considered average,” he muttered. I gave a slight chuckle, agreeing with him. I stifled a yawn and placed a hand over the flat skin where our child slumbered. “I still can’t believe we’re going to be parents,” I whispered, hardly able to comprehend it.“Here you are,” Hank announced, gesturing to a door we’d stopped in front of. “I can have the kitchens send you guys something to eat after you’ve had some time to rest.” He gave Erik and I a tentative smile. “Welcome to the facility, and congratulations. If you’re still feeling under the weather, I can get you something to fight off the nausea and dizziness, if-if you need it.”“Thank you, Hank,” I said with genuine gratitude. “I appreciate the offer; We’ll see how I’m feeling later on, and I will get back with you on that.”Hank gave me a nod, and turned to Raven, whom hurried forward to hug me tightly. I returned the gesture, feeling comforted in the older woman’s arms. “I’m happy for you, regardless of the timing,” she whispered in my ear. “Let me know if you ever need anything, even if it’s just another woman to bitch about Erik with.”I burst out laughing, Raven’s own mirth joining my own. “Of course,” I nodded, sending Erik a wink. He cocked a brow, glancing between the two of us women. “I feel very much as if you are conspiring against me,” he commented.Raven gave a slight snort. “And that’s what we want all men to think,” she retorted, tossing a lock of hair over her shoulder. I shook my head, unable to stop the yawn that broke through my smile. “You get some rest, we’ll catch up later on when you’re feeling better. Congratulations, and know that I expect to be the favorite Auntie.” With that, she gave us both one final smile, before she headed off with Hank, chattering away about their mutations.Stepping inside the door, I sat down on the bed, testing its firmness for a moment. “Will you join me?” I asked Erik, a little tentative. Instead of answering, Erik strode across the room and knelt in front of me, between my legs. His gaze was trained on my stomach, and he glanced up at my eyes for permission, fingers playing with the hem of my shirt. Biting my lip, I nodded my head slowly, watching as he gently lifted my shirt to reveal my bare skin.At first, neither of us moved, frozen in the moment, before Erik’s head lowered to plant a soft, featherlight kiss over my stomach. I closed my eyes, feeling tears form at the sweet gesture, and I lifted a hand to trail my fingers through his hair softly. Carefully, Erik leaned me back until I lay on the bed, and I shifted until we both lay on the mattress. Erik continued to trail light kisses over my stomach, one hand coming to hold my waist gently.“A baby,” he whispered, voice thick with emotion. I watched him as he brushed a tear from the corner of his eye, before he placed one last kiss over where the baby lay and shifted until he cradled me close. “Do you think it’s a boy?” he whispered.I shrugged half-heartedly, unsure. “Boy, girl, it makes no difference to me,” I whispered. “But . . . I think I’d like a little girl. Anya sounds like a good name.”“And if we have a son? What will we call him?” Erik wondered, lips quirking slightly. “How about junior?” I asked cheekily. Erik rolled his eyes, and I gave a slight snort. “We have time to think of names yet; we’ve a long way to go before we meet our baby. For now—” I yawned, unable to stifle it. “Let us worry about things one day at a time.”Erik brushed a soft kiss against my brow. “Try to get some sleep,” he whispered, and I shut my eyes, burrowing into his side. “I’ll stay here with you.” He began to hum the lullaby he always sang, and I felt myself finally drifting off for some much-needed sleep.
***
I held Elise close as she slept peacefully for the first time in days, unaware of my inner turmoil, my emotions warring with themselves. I envied her for a brief moment, before I tamped it down. “A baby,” I whispered to myself. Saying it out loud seemed to make it all the more real, and I closed my eyes at the onslaught of fear that coursed through my veins.

I never thought I’d ever be a father, never thought I’d live that long, to be honest with myself. For so long, my hatred and rage at the injustices I’d suffered, all the hardships I’d endured, had fueled me, driving me closer to my goal. I’d always believed that I’d kill Shaw, perhaps perish in the process, but that thought never bothered me; if I lost my life slaying the one that destroyed my life, so be it.

But then I met her.

From the first moment I saw her, I wanted to shroud her in a protective armor, never let anything harm her. She was too young to be this angry, this full of rage, and yet, I couldn’t help but admire her spirit and courage. As time went on, and I got to see her for who she really is, I found myself cracking and breaking free of the torment, the burdens I carried since I was a boy.

What I told Elise is the truth: she is the light to my darkness, the holy torch burning for me to find my way back from the edge of oblivion. I wanted to spend my remaining days on this earth with her by my side, treating her as the stunning, amazing woman she proved to be. She understood my pain like no other, and didn’t pity me for it, never tried to force me to forget. She helped me find peace at night, giving me her heart without hesitation, and I offered her my heart in return.

I knew this child was going to complicate matters with Shaw. It damned near destroyed me as she immediately blamed herself for getting pregnant, a thought that angered me greatly. I tightened my hold on my wife, brushing a gentle kiss across her brow when she murmured in her sleep.

My beautiful, powerful wife. My own little angel. I let out a long sigh and settled more comfortably against the mattress. No matter how dangerous it is to have a baby, I couldn’t help that primal part of myself rearing its head and crowing for joy, knowing that I’d created this new life with the woman I loved like no other. I already felt the tendrils of love begin to form for our unborn baby, and knew that regardless of circumstances, as I would grow used to the idea of fatherhood, that I would love this child as much as his or her mother.
Perhaps later, after we’ve rested, we will find more information about Shaw that will help us in our search. As happy for Elise as I was that she’d finally found her lost family, I felt a small quiver of worry flash through me that perhaps they will try to stop us from our goal. I made a silent vow, that no matter what, I would do everything in my power to protect my wife and child from the world, and end Shaw, if it was the last thing I ever did in this life. ‘Yes,’ I thought to myself, allowing myself some time to close my eyes and rest after the previous night’s events. ‘I will rip apart the world, if it means keeping them safe.’

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“Erik?” I called softly, clutching his arm as we walked. “Are you sure we should be doing this?”He glanced down at me, cocking a brow. “You’re not second-guessing yourself, are you?” I shook my head vehemently. “Not at all,” I said quickly. “But maybe we could use their help. They’ve got nearly as much information about Shaw as we do, if not more.”“Which is why we’re going to look for those files,” he replied, reaching up to stroke a lock of hair out of my face reassuringly. “We were this close to him, Elise, this close!” he held his thumb and forefinger close together for emphasis. “If we do this now, we won’t be tied up in some government regulations that will slow us down.”I frowned for a moment, thinking hard. I’d just found my long-lost cousins, and they were looking for Shaw as well. However, they were involved in this Mutant program that seemed a little too optimistic for my taste; they were also held down by laws and guidelines that could pin them in place for several weeks, if not longer. “The longer we wait,” I said slowly, the words sounding robotic to my ears, “The farther Shaw gets, and the colder the trail grows.” I let out a slow breath, steeling my spine. Looking up into my husband’s eyes, I gave a firm nod. “Alright, let’s go.”Erik gave me a slight smile and took my free hand to kiss my knuckles reassuringly before he continued forward, one arm cocked as I held it, and the other shoved into his pocket. As we continued hurrying to our destination, I slowed down, catching faint voices from nearby. “Hold on . . .” I murmured, cocking my head a little.When Erik looked at me in askance, I frowned a little. “That sounds like Birdie and that boy, Hank, I think?” I said in answer, and without a word, Erik led me towards their voices. We slowed as we neared them, listening to their conversation.“Hank, this serum that you’re making, it doesn’t affect abilities, right? Just . . . appearance, normalizes it?” I overheard Raven say. I frowned, sharing a look with Erik. ‘What the hell is she talking about?’ I wondered. I missed Hank’s reply, but heard my cousin speak once more. “Do you think it could work on me?”“I-I could look into it, I guess,” I heard Hank mumble slightly. “It’s the least I could to for asking you down here with such a weird request.” I heard Raven laugh, and I blushed, suddenly wondering if we were interrupting some sort of impromptu date.“Well, I have to admit, when guys ask me out, they’re usually not after my blood,” Raven chuckled. I bit my lip to keep from snorting out a laugh, and glanced at Erik, who seemed equal parts amused, yet slightly irritated. “Why would she wish to change herself?” he whispered quietly. “She’s got an amazing talent, why give it up?”I gave a half-hearted shrug, not sure how to answer. On the ride to the facility the night prior, Erik explained everything that happened at the harbor, including meeting my cousins, and learning of their abilities. “Well,” I whispered. “I sort of see why. Growing up, hiding who you really are?” I gave a mirthless grin. “You and I know what it’s like, but she’s had to hide her appearance her entire life.”“—any genes hold the key to changing their appearance, it’s yours,” Hank’s voice sounded excitedly. I heard Raven huff a slight laugh. “Hank, you weren’t being forward, that’s kinda what I meant.”Erik rolled his eyes as Hank stuttered an apology, completely missing my cousin’s not-so-subtle clues. I lightly poked Erik’s rib, trying to hide my own amusement. “Alright, this is too painful to listen to anymore,” Erik muttered, shaking his head. “Oh, Erik, don’t—” I tried to stop him.“Kinky!” he exclaimed, cocking a brow in amusement as he ignored my protests. He glanced up at my cousin, who rocked back on her heels quickly. Hank’s face turned an impressive shade of red, and I shook my head, sighing. “I’m so sorry, we didn’t mean to eavesdrop, I apologized to the two. “We were just . . . taking a walk, and we heard voices.”Erik shrugged, not bothering to be embarrassed. “By the way,” Erik said, his tone deadly serious. “If I looked like you . . .” he glanced between Raven and Erik. “I wouldn’t change a thing.” Erik began to lead me away, and I glanced back at my cousin and the young doctor, frowning slightly. They looked a bit unsettled, and while I could understand what Erik was getting at, it unnerved me a bit. “If they had that chance though, shouldn’t that be Raven’s decision?” I wondered.Erik’s eyes hardened as we hurried along. “You said it yourself once before, Elise,” his voice was low so as not to draw attention. “These are gifts. They shouldn’t be taken lightly.”I let out a deep sigh, pressing a hand lightly to my stomach. This child—a baby, we’re having a baby! —would I give them that choice? Could I force them to become something that they didn’t want? ‘If they are born with abilities, would they want to lose them?’ I wondered. ‘To have that chance to be a normal human being?’I shook my head to clear my thoughts as we reached the office Erik was looking for, and he waved his hand, the door unlocking with ease; I’d worry about what this child would want when they were older and here, in my arms. Letting out a breath, I stepped through the office, and flicked on the light, blinking as my eyes adjusted to the lighting.“What are we looking for?” I whispered, running a finger over the labels on the drawers of one filing cabinet. Erik started flicking through one of the drawers, glancing at the numbers. “Look for anything that starts with an ‘S,’ then search for Shaw or Schmidt,” he whispered. “This drawer is the ‘G’ files, so perhaps, they’re over there?” he gestured over towards a far drawer.I gave a mini-salute, and started scouring for the file, one ear trained on the door in case we were interrupted. Minutes ticked by, and my frustration was beginning to grow. When I came up with nothing, I huffed out a breath, dropping the file I held in my hands. “If it was in this drawer, it’s not anymore.” I rubbed a hand over my temple, growling in irritation. “Anything?”“Got it!” Erik whispered lowly, clutching that damned folder tightly in his hands. I let out a relieved breath, and I felt Erik’s free hand wrap around my shoulders to bring me into his side. “We’re nearly there, my dear wife,” he whispered, lips brushing against my ear. I shivered a little and watched as he dropped the folder into the briefcase, closing it with a firm snap.“Should we go back for our things?” I whispered, hurrying along with my husband as we strode towards the door leading to the outside world. Erik glanced down at me, shaking his head. “They’re just objects,” he murmured. “We can always find a way to get more.”I bit my lip as we passed through the glass entrance, nodding my head as I wondered briefly about my cousins. ‘I didn’t get to say goodbye,’ I thought belatedly. ‘I hope they can forgive—'“From what I know of you, I’m surprised you managed to stay this long,” Charles voice rang out in the night. I jumped, startled, as Erik stopped in place, turning slowly to face him. I knew my expression looked guilty, because Charles’ eyes held disappointment when they landed on me. “I was hoping that you would at least try to stay for a while longer,” he said.“What do you know about me?” Erik asked lowly, hands tightening on the briefcase and my hand. I squeezed back reassuringly as Charles’ lips tightened. “Everything.”“Then you know to stay out of my head,” Erik growled. We turned to walk away, and I bit my lip. “I’m sorry, Erik, I’ve seen what Shaw did to you. Elise.” I paused in my step. “I cannot imagine what you suffered before you met Erik, but I’ve seen everything you’ve gone through together.”I closed my eyes, fighting the onslaught of fragmented memories from my years in captivity, watching my parents bleed out onto that cold, lonely road in Germany. “I’ve felt your agony, Erik. I can help you. I want to help you,” he corrected. “Both of you.”I opened my eyes, feeling tears begin to form. Erik turned back to face Charles. “I don’t need your help,” he said softly. “We’ve taken care of each other all this time.”My cousin scoffed a short breath. “Don’t kid yourself. While I’m sure you and Elise saved each other countless times before, you needed my help last night.” He glanced back at me, and I stiffened, feeling as if I were about to be scolded by a parent. “But it’s not just me you’re walking away from. Here, you’ve got a chance to be a part of something much bigger than yourselves.” He looked up at Erik, giving a soft sigh. “I won’t stop you leaving. I could,” he pointed out. “But I won’t.”With one last glance between Erik and I, Charles slowly turned around, and headed back for the building. “Shaw’s got friends . . . you could do with some.” I bit my lip, chewing it thoughtfully as Erik and I shared a glance. After a moment of silence, I finally spoke. “Y’know, Chewy’s got a point,” I said tentatively. “If Shaw’s got these other mutants like you said, just the two of us may not be enough. And now that there’s a baby in the mix—” my breath hitched, and the tears I was fighting began to trickle slowly.Erik dropped the briefcase and engulfed me in his arms, brushing his lips over mine. “You want to stay.” It wasn’t a question, but a statement. “I’m scared,” I replied on a whisper. “I don’t want to lose you, or this baby. And if they try to go after Shaw alone, they may . . .” I trailed off, not wanting to think about it.We were silent for a moment, Erik rocking me slowly in his arms, my own entwined around his shoulders. “These . . . cousins of yours,” he said after a moment. “Perhaps we could give them a chance. At least, see were this leads,” he amended. I leaned back to study his blue-grey eyes and nodded my head slowly. “If it doesn’t pan out, we can always find another way,” I whispered.Erik gave a slow sigh and nodded his head once. “Alright, we’ll try it their way . . . for now.”
***
“—help us find other mutants for our division,” I heard Agent Platt say as I rounded the corner of his office doorway. Erik and I strode through the door, and I glanced out the window to see what appeared to be a giant golf-ball sitting on the lawn, glistening in the morning light.“And what if they don’t want to be found by you?” Erik asked, linking an arm with mine. I smiled up at him, brushing a lock of hair behind my ear. It seemed as if Erik couldn’t keep his hands off me since discovering our bundle of joy: his hands constantly had to be touching me, or he had to hold me; I had woken up that morning with my overly-grown husband clinging to me in his sleep, wrapped around me as if he were shielding me in his sleep.“Erik! Lee-Lee,” Charles exclaimed, and neither of us could hide out grins. “You decided to stay; I’m glad.” I felt my heart swell slightly with emotion; I still couldn’t get over the fact that I still had family, and they were like me and my husband.“If there is a new species is being discovered,” Erik said, glancing between Charles and Agent Platt. “It should be by its own kind. Charles, Elise and I find the mutants . . . no suits.” Platt frowned, and I cocked a brow, daring him to protest.“First of all,” he started, pointing out the window. “That’s my machine out there. Second of all, and much more importantly, this is Charles’ decision. Charles is fine with the CIA being involved; isn’t that right?”I rolled my eyes slightly. “Forgive me of any disrespect, Sir, but if there are others out there with dangerous levels of mutations, say, like me—” I waved my hand and made his pens tap-dance across his desk, causing him to jump back with a strangled yelp. Charles, on the other hand, seemed to be delighted to see my abilities at play. The pens twirled once more before they morphed into a medium-sized steel trap, the edges sharp and deadly.“If they are out there, and they realize that there’s a government agency looking for them, they’ll bolt,” I stated, crossing my arms the steel trap reformed into the pens, completely harmless, though Platt and Charles eyed them suspiciously. “Or worse, Agent Platt. It’d be better, as Erik said, if their own kind reached out to them.”I looked between Erik and Charles, and both seemed to have reached some sort of agreement. Charles took a deep breath, before turning to face the agent. “No, I’m sorry, but I agree with Erik and Elise on this,” he said firmly. I gave a slight smile, and Erik wrapped an arm around my waist, keeping me close. “We’ll find them alone.”Platt glanced between all of us. “What if I say, ‘no?’” he asked shrewdly. Charles cocked a brow, and I gave a soft snort. “Then good luck using your instillation without me.”Platt tapped his fingers against the desk for a moment, before he broke eye contact with my cousin. “Alright then,” he sighed, leaning back in his chair. “We’ll try this your way. But—” he held up a finger. “I want them brought here. They’ll stay here in the facility, where we can learn from them, and they can use their abilities safely. Fair enough?”Erik and I shared a glance, before he tilted his head. While I wasn’t fond of the order, I tamped down my need to bristle at the thought of possible experiments when I caught Chewy’s eye. They were soft, understanding, and I slowly nodded my head. “Deal,” I finally said. After a slight pause, I pointed out the window. “So, why do you have a giant statue of a golf ball on the lawn?” I asked Platt.Platt seemed slightly offended. “That’s not a golf ball,” he mumbled, shaking his head with a sigh. Charles threw back his head and laughed. “Why don’t the three of us find Hank and Raven, and he can tell us what it can do?” he suggested, rising from his seat. “Agent Platt, we’ll let you know when we’re ready to start our outreach.”Platt nodded his head. “Looking forward to it,” he called after us. I linked my arms with Erik once more and looped my free arm into Charles’. He seemed slightly startled for a moment, before he beamed at us both. “I really am glad you both decided to stay,” he told us, but seemed to direct it towards my husband.“well, perhaps you are right,” Erik said with a sigh, glancing forward. “We could use some . . . assistance, now that Shaw’s got numbers on his side.” I let out a slight huff, pursing my lips. “And to think,” I said. “In all this time, I’ve never met another person like me, aside from you—” I gave Erik a slight smile. “—And the only other mutant I’ve ever met was dead. All the others had been . . .” I trailed off when Charles stopped in his tracks, pulling me and Erik with him.His eyes were wide with disbelief, horror evident in his tone. “D-dead?” he croaked. “How—I mean, Elise, when did this happen?” I closed my eyes, a shudder running through my system. “It . . . happened a long time ago, Chewy,” I whispered. “And, it-it’s painful to try and talk about.” I looked up at him and cut off his protest. “I promise, one day, I will tell you everything, or if I can’t tell you, at least find a way for you to see what happened. Alright?”Charles chewed his lip for a second, before nodding once. “If that’s what you wish,” he agreed, running a hand through his hair. Erik clapped a gentle hand on my shoulder, squeezing lightly in a semblance of comfort, and I reached up to pat his hand in gratitude.“Well, let’s find the other two,” I said with forced cheer. Erik stifled a smirk. “They may be awkwardly fumbling through their second date,” he muttered under his breath. I shot him a short glare, rolling my eyes. “Oh, be nice,” I grumbled, while Charles snickered, trying to hide it under a cough.Once we’d rounded up Hank and Raven, we made our way to the giant golf ball. Taking the stairs, I took in the strangeness of it all. I trailed in after Raven and listened to Hank’s stammered welcoming. “I call it ‘Cerebro,’ “he chuckled.I gave a soft snort. “Isn’t that Spanish for ‘Brain?’ “ I asked rhetorically. He gave a short laugh. “Yeah. Okay, so the electrodes all connect to the transmitter on the roof.” He gestured towards Charles, who leaned over the railing to inspect the strange helmet with wires handing down from the ceiling. “When you find a mutant, your brain waves will send a signal for relay, and then the coordinates to their location are printed out here.” As Hank spoke, he moved around quickly, and I had to smother a grin at his excitement.“You designed this?” Raven asked in amazement, and at Hank’s nod, even I was hard-pressed to hide my admiration. “You really are a super-genius,” I commented, patting his arm gently. The blush on his face made it worthwhile. I shot Raven a short wink, who tried to smother a quiet giggle.“What an adorable lab-rat you make,” I heard my husband say, and I glanced back to see what as going on. Charles finished adjusting the helmet, and stood at rest, his hands coming to the small of his back. “Don’t call me that, Erik,” my cousin muttered.“I’ve been a lab rat. I know one when I see one.” I bit my lip, agreeing with the statement, but choosing to keep my comment to myself. I quickly strode over to Erik’s side, listening as Hank made a few last-minute adjustments. Are you sure we can’t shave your head?” he asked Charles.“The words were barely out of Hank’ mouth before Charles cut that line of thought short. “Don’t touch my hair.” I gave a soft snort. “A little vain about your locks?” I asked jokingly. Charles cocked a brow, smirking. “Yes, yes he is,” Raven replied for him, grinning.I shook my head in amusement a Hank finished turning on the machine. Slowly, the lights dimmed within the machine, and I watched Charles’ face closely. “How are you—” I started to ask when he gasped, gripping the handrails. “Chewy?” I asked, alarmed. His face contorted in pain for a moment, before he broke out into a wide smile.I could hear the machine in the background scratching out coordinates, and Hank’s celebratory laugh. “It’s working!” he yelled. Erik let out a slight chuckle; I could tell that even he was impressed, watching my cousin in astonishment, and I could hear Raven bouncing in place with joy.Charles locked eyes with me for a moment, lips spread wide in a smile. “Elise,” he breathed. “Lee-Lee, I-I can hear your thoughts,” he breathed. I froze in place, stunned. “But . . . how?” I squeaked, and I felt Erik wrap his arms around me in a gentle hold. “I thought you couldn’t read my mind because of my mutation?”“Wait,” Raven interjected, pointing between Chewy and I. “Cerebro is enhancing Charles ability, maybe it’s strong enough to slip through whatever shield’s you’ve got?”“It’s quite likely,” Hank spoke up, rapidly translating the coordinates as fast as they were appearing. “I mean, that was the whole point of this thing is to enhance mental capabilities.” I looked up at Charles and closed my eyes. ‘Hey, Chewy,’ I thought, biting my lip softly. ‘Can you really hear my thoughts right now?’“Yes,” Charles breathed, letting out a laugh. “I can hear you, Elise.” I gave into the laughter that bubbled up from my chest, feeling joy that I hadn’t relished in with my cousins since I was a small child. Suddenly, I had visions of everything that happened since that fateful day my mutations manifested, and I gasped, pain shooting through my head.“Oh, God!” Charles bit out, eyes scrunching shut in pain. I scrabbled for the handrails, feeling weak at the knees. “What’s happened? What did you do to her?!” Erik barked, trying to help steady me. I scrunched my eyes shut, whimpering as bolts of pain racked my brain. “Turn it off!” I heard Raven shout frantically. “Hank, Turn it off!”Dimly, I was aware of the the machine slowly dying off, and the only sound to be heard was Charles and I panting for breath. “What the fuck was that?” Erik snarled, cupping my face in his hands. “Elise, baby, are you alright?” he asked quickly, searching my face for any signs of distress.I took a shuddering breath, placing my hands over Erik’s. “’M okay,” I whispered, my speech slightly slurred. Fortunately, the pain receded just as quickly as it had arrived. “It-it was an accident,” I continued. “Charles and I were talking with our minds, and . . .” I trailed off, not quite sure what happened.“I saw your memories,” Charles groaned, pulling off the helmet with Hank’s help. Raven wrapped an arm around his waist to keep him steady. “You-you were remembering happy times when you were little and used to visit us. Your memories, the bad ones, the-they started to overwhelm me, and I fear I may have injured you trying to withdraw from your mind,” he whispered, shaking his head. He looked up at me, tears forming. “Lee-Lee . . .” he trailed off, and I closed my eyes, shaking my head. “The things they did to you, everything you’ve ever suffered . . .”“It’s not your fault,” I croaked out. “It’s not.” I glanced at Erik’s tense form and shook my head, firming my tone. “Shaw is the one who did what he did; no one else is to be blamed for it. Besides . . .” I swallowed the lump trying to form in my throat. “I survived, and I don’t plan on letting Shaw get away with everything he’s ever done to me, or you Erik, or to anyone else.”Charles looked at me for a long moment, and Raven and Hank glanced between the two of us. With a slow nod, Charles came around the handrails an pulled me into a deep, soothing hug. “I promise, never to allow that to ever happen to you again,” he whispered, fighting tears. “We weren’t there then, but we’re here now. I give you my word.”I nodded, sniffling a little. “Don’t blame yourself, please,” I whispered. “It happened, and while I’ll never forgive, nor forget, we can’t change the past.” I felt Charles nod, and he reluctantly let me go. I stepped back into Erik’s arms, feeling him wrap them securely round me as he placed a soothing kiss to my temple. I patted his hands reassuringly and gave a forced smile. “Hank?” I asked softly. “Do you have those coordinates?”I could tell he and Raven were dying to ask questions, but I was glad when they decided against doing so. He cleared his throat, glancing nervously between Charles and I, before he nodded. “Y-yeah, of course,” he said quickly. He grabbed the first sheet. “Here’s the ones in the closest proximity on this top page,” he explained. “The farther away they are, the farther they are down the pages.” I flipped through them, sensing Erik glance over my shoulder. “Well,” He mused, glancing over at Charles. “Think you’re up for a little recruiting?” he asked.Charles gave a short nod, drying his eyes. “Of course,” he said, his voice steadier than I would have believed. “We’ve got some mutants to find.”I turned to Hank and Raven. “You two joining us?” I asked. Raven shook her head. “I’ll stay here with Hank, help him with his research,” she explained, and I had to force back a smile. ‘Research my ass,’ I thought. ‘or rather, Hank’s.’ I nodded quickly, turning around to face Erik to hide the smile that did break loose with that thought. “Then I’ll go ask Agent Platt about borrowing a car,” I told him with a smile. I headed for the exit as Erik called after me.“Are you actually going to ask, or do you plan on terrorizing the man?” I turned back with a slight wink. “Erik darling, I would never terrorize our allies . . . much.” With that, I skipped down the steps an out onto the lawn, feeling excitement well up. “Progress!” I whispered to myself.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Washington, D.C.

“Elise.”I gave a slight scoff, rolling my eyes at Erik’s attempts to soothe me. “I know, I know,” I muttered, blowing out a breath and looking over at my husband. “You both need to be in there. You are an incredibly handsome man and will catch attention. You—” I pointed at Charles, who was fighting a blush as he fidgeted with his collar. “You are the only one who can sense who’s a mutant.” I narrowed my eyes at Erik, who held up his hands in a placating manner. “Doesn’t mean I have to like the fact that my husband is going to be in a building full of scantily-clad women.”“I promise you, Lee-Lee, we’ll be in there in as short of an amount of time as we can possibly manage,” Charles said reassuringly. “We’re looking for one woman, and I’m certain we’ll convince her to join our cause.”I closed my eyes, realizing I was being a bit over-sensitive of the situation, and uncrossed my arms. I straightened up from where I was leaning against the car and nodded my head. “I know,” I repeated myself. “I’m being a bit bitchy, aren’t I?” I asked rhetorically.Erik quirked a brow, before he shook his head slowly. “I refuse to answer that trick question,” he replied diplomatically, and I gave a soft snort, my lips quirking a little. “Alright, I understand what you need to do. I’ll wait nearby, keep myself occupied until you return.”Charles seemed a bit relieved at that, nodding quickly. “I’ll, I’ll go wait by the entrance,” he jerked his thumb towards the building of a rather obstinate-looking building, gaudy, neon lights flashing the words “The Pussycat’s Playhouse” over and over. I nodded to him, and looked up at Erik, who searched my eyes carefully. “Are you going to be alright?” he asked me quietly, stepping close to press a gentle hand to my stomach.“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” I replied just as softly, resting a hand over his. “Me and the little bean will be alright for an hour.” I took a fortifying breath. “I know this is important. You go recruit; I’ll stay out of trouble.” At that, Erik chuckled, brushing a light kiss over my lips reassuringly. “You? Stay out of trouble?” with a bit of reluctance, Erik stepped away, and started towards the gentleman’s club.I smirked, suddenly feeling devious and a bit territorial. “Erik?” I called, striding over towards him quickly. I caught him by surprise when I grabbed his tie and yanked his head toward mine, crashing our lips together in a heated dance. His muffled yelp of surprise was lost as I took advantage of his open mouth and our tongues tangled together. After a second, he gave a soft sigh, and he wrapped his arms around me. I moaned deeply and ran my hand down his chest to firmly grip the beginnings of his erection.Erik grunted, tearing his lips from mine as he shot me a mild glare. “And what was the point of this?” he whispered; voice unsteady as he crowded close to keep what we were doing less obvious to the passersby as they slipped around us. I smirked, patting his chest with my other hand lightly.“Just a little reminder of what waits for you when you get back,” I whispered, giving a sultry wink before I spun out of his arms and headed down the sidewalk, snickering when I heard his answering groan. “You’re devious, Elise!” he called after me.“And you love me for it!” I replied, smile spreading as I took in the changing leaves that still clung to the trees. I decided to make a short circuit around the block, just to give the men enough time to find our first possible recruit. After a short while, I spotted a park nearby, and gave a soft snort. ‘A strip joint on the other side of a city block from a children’s park,’ I thought a little humorlessly. “Welcome to America,” I whispered to myself.“Mommy? Mom, where are you?!” I heard a loud voice crying, and my thoughts were broken, my instincts immediately zeroing in on the small, blonde child standing at the entrance of the park, tears streaking his face as he looked around him frantically. My heart clenched in sympathy, and before I could even think about it, I scurried over. “Excuse me, honey, are you lost?” I asked soothingly, slowing my steps so I didn’t startle him.He turned his large, expressive brown eyes up at me, tears still falling. “I-I can’t find my mom,” he sniffled, wiping his runny nose on his sleeve. I crouched down to his level, glad I decided to wear loose pants. “Well, what’s her name, and what does she look like?” I asked kindly.He looked at me funny, as if I asked him why his hair was blonde. “It’s just ‘Mom,’ that’s her name,” he replied seriously, and I bit back a little chuckle. “She’s got long, curly hair that’s b-brown, and she’s got a blue jacket on an-and a white purse, and she was just there by-by the bench, and when I came down the slide, she wasn’t-wasn’t there anymore, so looked all ov-over for her, and I can’t find her an-anywhere!” his voice got a bit shriller as he spoke, his panic beginning to set in and causing him to stutter.“Shh, shh, it’s alright,” I soothed, reaching out to brush a bit of his hair off his forehead. “We’ll find your mom, don’t worry.” I gave him a soft smile. “I’m Elise, what’s your name?” The little boy seemed to calm down a little, and he sniffled once, more, stepping a little closer at the soft touch. “P-Peter,” he stuttered a little, and my smile grew.“Peter, would you like me to stay with you while we wait for your mom?” I asked him, and he nodded his head quickly. “I’ll stay right here by you, and we’ll keep an eye out for her, how does that sound?” One again, Peter nodded his head, brown eyes wide and a little less tear-filled. “C-can I hold your hand?” he asked shyly. “I’m a-scared without my mom.”I nodded my head, and stood up straight, holding out my hand for him to latch onto. I turned to face the park, looking around from out starting point. “Let’s see . . .” I said aloud. “She’s wearing a blue jacket, and she’s got a white purse?” Peter nodded his head, clutching my hand tightly, looking around. “Uh-huh,” he affirmed, and I nodded, looking carefully for his mother.It wasn’t much longer when I heard a frantic voice calling out. “Peter? Peter, where are you?! Peter!” the little boy and I both turned towards the sound as it came closer, and peter gasped, waving his free hand in the air. “That’s my mom!” he told me excitedly, grinning up at me as if I’d given him the key to the candy store. I smiled down at him before I turned towards the searching woman. “Ma’am, he’s over here!” I called loudly, and she whirled round. I could see her sob with relief, and she came racing towards us.“Go on, now,” I coaxed him gently, and Peter didn’t need to be told twice before he barreled towards his mother, arms outstretched for her to catch him. I watched as Peter’s mother frantically kissed all over his face, holding him close as she lifted him into her arms.I could feel tears begin to form at the emotional reunion, and I cleared my throat, stepping forward to a slight smile. The woman looked up at me, gratitude evident in her eyes. “Oh, thank you, thank you so much,” she breathed, holding Peter close as he snuggled into her, arms wrapped around her neck. “I turned away to speak with another parent and turned back around to keep an eye on Peter, and he was suddenly gone! Oh, Petey-pie, I’m so, so sorry!” she buried her face into his neck, holding him close and rocking him slightly.I held up a hand reassuringly. “It’s alright, ma’am,” I said gently. “Luckily for Peter, he was very smart, and came right to the park entrance to wait for you. And—” I gave him a slight wink. “He was very brave, too.”Peter smiled shyly, playing with a lock of his mother’s hair. “Thank-you, Miss Elise,” he said quietly, and I gave him a warm smile. “You’re most certainly welcome, Peter,” I replied, giving his mother a little nod. “I’m just glad I happened by when I did, and could make sure you both were reunited, Mrs . . .” I trailed off, unsure of what to her address her as.“Maximoff, Miss Maximoff,” she said quickly, sticking out her hand quickly to shake mine. I returned the firm grip, smiling once more. “Well, I’d best be off on my way, or I’ll be late meeting with my husband,” I said after a moment, giving them both a nod. “You take care now, and try to be a bit more careful, Peter,” I told him, and he nodded his head quickly. “Bye, Miss Elise!” he called, waving his hand.I shared a quick smile with Miss Maximoff, and continued back on my way, glancing at my watch and grimacing as I realized I’d been gone longer than anticipated. Quickening my pace, I hurried back the way I’d come from, and soon rounded the corner of the block.“Oops,” I muttered to myself when I’d spotted my husband looking this way and that with slight panic in his eyes. The closer to him, the more I could make out relief and anger flood his gaze. “Where the hell were you?” he hissed quietly, gripping my arm gently when I’d stopped next to him. “I was worried when I didn’t see you in the car!”I shrugged a little helplessly. “I’d planned on walking the block, but I stopped by a park to help a little boy,” I said quickly. “He’d gotten separated from his mother, and I stayed with him long enough to ensure his mother found him.” Erik let out a slow breath, his shoulders sagging with relief. “I was worried about you,” he whispered, holding me close and kissing my temple. I closed my eyes, a small smile spreading my lips when Erik’s hand brushed gently over my stomach where our little bean resided.“Is he alright?” I heard Charles ask, concerned. I looked over Erik’s shoulder, and nodded, my grin growing. “Yeah, he’s okay now,” I replied. “He was scared, but Peter’s back with his mom now.” I glanced at the woman I hadn’t noticed at first standing by my cousin’s shoulder, who shifted slightly from foot-to-foot with nerves. She gave me a slight smile, trying to appear unfazed. The hands clutching tightly to the edges of the jacket that hid much of her form, however, gave her away.Erik wrapped his arm around my waist, turning us to face them both. “Elise, this is the first recruit,” he started, gesturing towards the newcomer. “Angel, this is my wife, Elise Lehnsherr. Elise, this is Ange Salvadore.” His lips brushed my ear as he whispered to me. “She’s got wings, dear. Like a dragonfly’s wings.” He seemed pretty awed by the fact, and even I had to admit that her ability sounded pretty amazing.I nodded my head slowly, regarding the woman carefully. Her clear, dark brown gaze met mine coolly, traveling over my form as mine did hers. Her smooth, chocolate skin caught my eye immediately, along with her shiny, dark locks. I had never met many people of African descent while in Europe, but my first, immediate thought was that she was incredibly beautiful.Angel smirked at the same time Erik snorted and Charles let out a little laugh. “You’re pretty easy on the eyes, too, Red,” she winked, and I blushed, realizing I’d spoken my thoughts out loud. “Er, sorry,” I muttered, shaking my head. “I apparently lack a filter at the moment, forgive me.”Angel gave a slight shrug. “Meh, I’m used to hearing it all,” she waved a hand nonchalantly, but I caught a hint of bitterness in her tone. Something in me shifted, and I felt a bit of pity for her, though I had the feeling that if I’d shown her any, she might have bristled, so I refrained from speaking further.Charles clapped his hands once. “Right, well, now that we have our first recruit,” he said giddily, “Why don’t we return to Langley?” With that, he opened the passenger door of the car, gesturing for Angel to get in. “So, what’s in Langley?” She asked as she climbed in.Erik opened the back door for me, and quickly slid in behind me as Charles took over the driver’s seat and started the car. “The Mutant Division,” he replied a little flatly, squeezing my hand gently. “And after that?” I asked as we started down the road.“On the way, we need to make one more stop,” Charles said. “There’s a drifter not too far from us. His name is Sean Cassidy.”“Sean Cassidy,” I murmured. “So, what do we do?” Charles glanced at me in the mirror. “We will do nothing. This, Elise, will be your turn to recruit.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

I watched with mild amusement as the tall, gangly ginger tried his best to play the smooth, mysterious stranger with the pretty blond as they stood in front of the glass aquarium housing hundreds of tiny, colorful fish from exotic waters. Tilting my head slightly, I murmured low, so that only my husband and cousin would hear. “So, this poor boy attempting to woo the girl is our recruit?”Charles gave a short chuckle, barely heard, before he nodded. “Yes, that would be the next mutant we’re looking for,” he replied softly. As the girl turned away from Sean, Erik gave a soft snort. “That boy doesn’t know the first thing about seduction,” he muttered, and I bit my lip to keep from cackling with laughter.The sound died in my throat however, when I noticed what appeared to be shockwaves bouncing through the water, scattering the fish as they tried to avoid it in their fear. My skepticism faded as my eyebrow lifted. “Okay, so maybe he does have a unique talent,” I murmured. Charles clapped a gentle hand on my shoulder as we watched the girl glance back with confusion and mild fear at the now seemingly barren aquarium before she quickly scurried away.The boy gave a slight sigh, before turning back to the coral reefs before him, hands in his pockets and shoulders slumping slightly, dejection clear in his form. I felt a twinge of pity for him, before I glanced at my husband. He gave me a subtle nod, which I returned before I squeezed his hand gently. Turning to Charles, I patted his hand on my shoulder. “We’ll meet you at the little diner across from the aquarium,” I told him. “Why don’t you make sure Angel has something to eat?”I turned my head slightly to watch Angel behind us out the corner of my eye, scuffing one shoe across the floor with feigned nonchalance, though her eyes wandered over the beautiful building with slight awe and wonder. She seemed like one tough cookie, no doubt about that, but I had a sinking feeling that, like I and so many others, she had it rough growing up. Maybe she did not have support for her as I did with the Steinberg’s and Erik, and my heart opened a little for her. I had a feeling that perhaps this was also the case with Sean.“That sounds like an excellent idea,” Charles said brightly, flashing a smile. “Shall we order something for you while we wait?” I nodded, looking up at Erik. “But . . . no wine, please?” As much as I might enjoy a good vintage, it was not just me poisoning my liver that I had to think about now. There was a little piece of Erik and I growing inside of me now, and I wasn’t taking any chances by drinking or smoking, as much as I will miss it. Erik nodded once before brushing a light kiss to my forehead. “Of course,” he murmured, and I felt his hand brush gently over my abdomen.With one final nod to the men, I took a fortifying breath and started over towards the boy by the glass, vaguely hearing Charles and Erik’s voices fading with Angel’s slightly enthusiastic cadence drifting after them. Stepping up to Sean’s side, I gave a slight smirk. “That was a neat trick,” I told him, letting the impressed tone leak through. It wasn’t a lie; though I didn’t know what to expect, it was certainly interesting to see the little shockwaves, or whatever they were.I turned to glance up at Sean as he turned towards me, eyes wide as he stumbled over his words briefly. “I-I mean, what t-trick?” I gave a slight snicker, deciding to take a little pity on the boy. “Oh, just the way you managed to make those fish disappear . . . and that girl.” I cocked my head to the side. “What did you say to make her leave?”Sean let out a little squeak. “You s-saw that?” I gave a gentle smile, nodding my head. “Yeah, I did.” Just as he looked like he was going to panic, I gave him a little wink. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.” Sean visibly relaxed, his shoulders slumping as the fight-or-flight response left his body. “Thanks,” he muttered, scratching his head with a nervous gesture.” I shrugged, glancing into the giant fishbowl as the occupants slowly began to peek out of their hiding places, unsure if it was safe to emerge once more.“You know,” I said slowly. “I get the feeling that girl from earlier turned down your offer for a meal?” Sean gave a slight snort, shoving his hands once more into his pockets before scuffing the floor, glancing down at his dirty shoes. “Yep,” he said, letting the “p” pop at the end. He glanced slyly at me. “So . . .” he tried to regain a bit of his confidence and act as if I didn’t startle the hell out of him, the poor boy. “Since you don’t seem to mind talking with me, how about we go grab a bite?” he suggested, and I had to laugh.Watching his face fall, I put up a hand. “Sean, while I appreciate the enthusiasm, I’m married, but I would indeed like it if you joined my husband and I for lunch.” Sean’s face paled, and he stumbled back a bit in shock, which made me realize my error. ‘Oops,’ I thought faintly.“O-okay, first, how do you know my name?” he demanded, voice lightly squeaky with fear. “secondly, you’re married?!” I let out a little sigh, trying to think of a way to salvage this opportunity. “What if I were to prove to you that what you did with the fish isn’t all that strange to someone like me?” I asked gently.Sean paused in his backpedaling, suspicion evident in his features. “How?” he asked after a moment. I gave a slight smile, though in the back of my head I silently prayed that I wouldn’t get out of control. “Let’s just say, I’m a little like you.” I raised my hand slowly, and with my other hand held out a nickel. “Take this nickel, feel it, make sure that it’s real, and place it on my palm,” I instructed.Pursing his lips, Sean slowly reached out and took the coin, examining it with a scrutinizing gaze before dropping it in my palm. “Now, watch this,” I whispered, glancing around to make sure we were alone. Satisfied for the moment, I concentrated, watching as the nickel began to squirm and reshape, its form growing larger and larger until it had transformed into exactly what I imagined: a beautiful, brightly colored fish, much like the ones Sean had scared off only moments before. It squirmed and wriggled in my palm, lips gasping for air.“Oh. My. God,” Sean breathed, eyes nearly bulging out of his pale, freckled face as he watched the whole thing. With a smirk, I let the fish transform again, into a long, sharply glinting knife, the handle blacker than night. “I have the ability to alter reality,” I whispered. “My husband and cousin also have abilities.” I focused once more, and the knife quickly became a bright orange, the tangy scent filling the air as I threw it up and caught it again. Sean gave a slight laugh, watching with amazement lighting his face.His delight reminded me of a puppy, finally able to play and hoping to be loved after a miserable beginning. “They would really like to meet you, and I hope you’ll agree to it.” I let the orange transform one final time into its original state of being, the nickel once more just an aged piece of currency.“You are not alone here, Sean,” I said softly, holding out the nickel. He took it gingerly, and glanced at me as if I’d shown him the gate of heaven, tears in his eyes. “Now, the question is . . . would you like water, or soda to go with your lunch?” I asked jokingly.Sean began to snicker , and discreetly wiped his eyes. “I . . . Jesus, that was amazing,” he said, clearing his throat and giving a real smile for the first time. “I thought that I was a freak, that-that I was alone.” His smile faded, eyes once more misty. “That’s what my parents made me believe.” He shook his head. “That’s why I ran away,” he said in a whisper, glancing once more at his shoes. “My dad tried to beat it out of me, whatever ‘this’ is, while my mom tried to get me to pray it away.”Pity instantly made my arms wrap around his shoulders, patting his back gently. He stiffened slightly, before awkwardly returning the hug. “You never have to be afraid again,” I whispered, tears filling my vision. I pulled away, wiping at my eyes before I gave him a slight smile. “My cousin is the one who knew who you were, Sean Cassidy.” I held out my hand towards him to shake. “My name is Elise Lehnsherr, and I would like to speak to you about joining the Mutant Division of the CIA. We are all like you, Sean, with abilities far beyond what many would call normal. I’d really like it if you took this opportunity to see that you’re not alone.”Sean looked at my hand for a moment, before he grinned and shook it, giving a short nod. “The CIA, huh?” he mused, then gave a shrug. “Alright, let’s go meet these guys . . . though I would like something to eat first, how ‘bout it?”I laughed, nodding my head. “We’ll meet up with my crew at that diner across from the aquarium. What do you like to eat?” I asked, guiding him towards the exit.***
“So . . .” Erik lifted a brow at Sean, expression torn between amusement and disgust at the sight of the boy wolfing down a burger and his second helping of fries. In between bites, he took a gulp of the soda Charles ordered for him, my cousin watching on fondly. Angel, on the other hand, ate with more finesse, glancing between all of us. “You can do . . . what, exactly?”Sean swallowed thickly, licking his fingers before grabbing a napkin. “I can . . . well, I can scream pretty loudly,” he muttered, ducking his head with a blush. Angel gave a soft snort. “Doesn’t seem all too impressive?” she questioned, tilting her head. Charles gave a genial laugh, clapping his hands lightly. “Not true, Sean can reach supersonic levels of volume, isn’t that right?”Sean blinked, and nodded his head briefly. “Yeah, I guess so,” he said quietly. I frowned slightly, the confidence he had before fading a bit. “hey,” I said softly, giving him a smile of support. “That’s actually pretty amazing. You should take pride in yourself; you can do something no one else can.”He gave me a slight smile, and I noted his shoulders straightening once more. “Okay, so . . .” he glanced between Erik, Charles, Angel and myself. “What exactly are we going to be doing?” he asked, and I turned to Charles. This was his little project that we got involved in, and I didn’t want to tell him how dangerous it could get.“Well, we’d like to have you and Angel both join us at the facility, where you can be safe, and not have to hide yourselves or your abilities,” Charles said quickly. “You can practice your abilities, safe away from prying eyes, and be amongst those that also have abilities. No one will look at you as a freak, nor will you have to try to find a way to survive off the streets.”Angel and Sean both glanced down at their plates, and I could practically feel them contemplating their life up until that moment. Erik spoke up next, leaning forward so that he had both of their attention. “You will never have to be afraid again,” he murmured. “Never have to hide who you are, nor be beaten down again for what you can do.”I linked my fingers with Erik, and gave them a soft smile. “It’s worth a shot, isn’t it?” I asked them both. “What do you have to lose? This is an opportunity to be who you were meant to be, and not what others say you should be. If this isn’t something you want to give a try, you can always walk away, go back to your previous lives.” Angel and Sean glanced at each other, and I finished the spiel. “But now that you know you are not alone, do you really want to give up this chance to meet others like us? To change your lives for the better?”Charles clasped my free hand under the table, giving it a gentle squeeze of support and encouragement. After a moment, Angel and Sean seemed to have come to an agreement, and they both turned towards us with determined glints in their eyes. “I’m in,” Angel said confidently. “I take my clothes off for a living. I deal with scumbags on a day to day basis. So, how much harder can this be?” she asked with a shrug, and I gave her a bright smile of encouragement, tilting my head, though I didn’t let the pity for her show.“Me too,” Sean said with surety. “I mean, I’m tired of sleeping on park benches and hiding from the cops because I’m a runaway kid.” With one last, sharp nod of his head, he took a large bite of his burger, cheeks bulging. “Shho, War’ w’ gooin’ a’gin?” he spoke around his food, accidentally spraying bits of burger, lettuce, and bun over Angel’s jacket, who glared at him for the unwanted, pre-chewed food. Swallowing hard, he gave her a sheepish grin. “Sorry, Angel,” he muttered. She just rolled her eyes and wiped off her jacket with a napkin. “Don’t talk with your mouth full, it’s gross,” she said primly.Wrinkling his nose in disgust and ignoring Charles and I as we stifled our laughs, Erik signaled for the check and answered for us. “We’ll be headed for Langley, the moment we’re all finished here.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“So, what’s the plan then?” Raven asked the following morning, linking arms with me and shooting me a grin. I returned the smile, fighting back a mild bout of nausea as we walked out of the airport. We’d decided to cut down on time and fly to our net recruits, much to my chagrin.
While I’d managed to keep my stomach where it was supposed to be for the most part yesterday, my fear of flying seemed to have been picked up by the baby, and nothing wanted to settle. Raven noticed, and immediately looked concerned. “If you’re up for anything, that is.”I waved my free hand at her worry, rolling my eyes. “I’ll be fine,” I muttered, shooting a slight look at Erik as he made to hover over me. He raised his hands and shook his head, indicating that he was not going to fight me on anything. “Charles and Erik are going to try to recruit two more individuals, while you and I are going for one today.”“Remind me again why you want the one that’s rotting in prison, again?” Erik couldn’t help my mutter, and Charles gave a slight laugh, clapping a hand on his shoulder. “Because Elise has managed to convince us that—based on the report we’ve drawn up from the military police—that he’s more likely to listen to those he perceives as ‘weaker’ than him, no offense, ladies,” he said quickly, wincing as Raven pinched his cheek hard.“Jerk,” she muttered, rolling her eyes as I stifled a laugh. “According to his file, he prefers to be locked up, away from others. Reportedly fights against bullies in the ranks, but things got out of hand, and several individuals ended up hurt pretty badly this last trip.” I frowned in sympathy. “This Alex Summers is looking at solitary confinement for the rest of his life, if not worse, unless we can get him to join us.”“And you’re sure you don’t want us to come with you?” Erik reaffirmed, and I gave a sharp nod. “Positive,” I said, pulling loose from Raven’s arm and standing on tiptoe to gently kiss Erik’ cheek, smiling softly. “Raven and I will be perfectly fine, and you, my large, scary-looking German husband, are more likely to make him view you as a possible threat.”Erik cocked a brow, frowning as Charles and Raven snickered behind us. “I’m not scary,” he groused, and I gave a short laugh, lacing my hands behind his back. “Erik, darling, you have the most menacing aura of us all, without even trying,” I teased.Erik huffed, and rolled his eyes, but encased my in his arms to kiss the top of my head gently. “Alright, fine then. Charles and I will try to find the big fellow he saw with his helmet, and hopefully we can get that taxi driver as well.”I nodded, reluctantly pulling away from my husband. “So, should we happen to get all the recruits, what shall we do for accommodations?” I asked, re-linking my arm with Raven’s. “Will we all fit into a taxi?”“We’ll work it out, don’t worry,” Charles piped up, giving me a smile. “If anything, I’m sure—” he cut himself off mid-sentence, eyes narrowing as he gaze snapped over my shoulder to focus behind me. The hair stood on the back of my neck, and I clutched tighter to Raven’s arm, jolting when I heard her hiss in pain. “Sorry,” I whispered. “Charles? What is it?”“There’s a woman following us, more specifically, you,” he murmured, and Erik immediately edged closer, flanking my side as Charles moved closer to Raven, both urging us into a brisk pace. My heart leapt into my throat, before a thought flashed through my mind. “Chewy, what does she look like? What does she want?” I asked softly, fighting the urge to look behind.“She’s got styled, chocolate brown hair, dark brown eyes, crisp business attire. She really, really wants to talk to you about-about what you did in Europe,” he stumbled over his words briefly, eyes flashing with sympathetic pain briefly. I stopped short, causing everyone to jerk to a halt with me. I gave a deep sigh, realizing who it was. ‘How the fuck did she find me?’ I wondered, glancing at the others, my teeth worrying my bottom lip. “Elise?” Raven asked, concerned. “Are you alright? Shouldn’t we do something?”Making a split-second decision, I shook my head. “No,” I said rather firmly. “I think it would be best if I spoke with her, but not alone,” I said quickly, feeling Erik’s arm wrap around my shoulders. “I don’t know who she’s working for, but I don’t think she really means any harm. She’s just. . . extremely tenacious.”“Well, you’re correct about that, Miss Steinburg,” a wry, crisp British voice replied behind me. “As much as I might appreciate a good chase, and that was quite impressive how you managed to evade me back in Spain, but I would be even more appreciative if you stopped running from me.”Erik gave a low growl, and I broke free from his hold, placing a gentle hand on his arm. “It’s alright,” I murmured, glancing at Agent Carter. “We’ll find out what she wants, then get back to what we are here for.” Turning to address the woman, I stood straighter, fighting the urge to vomit. “Agent Carter,” I addressed her, and she nodded her head once. “I would like to properly introduce myself. I am Elise Lehnsherr, nee Graves, and this is my husband, Erik. My associates—” I gestured to my cousins, who eyes her with mild suspicion. “Charles Xavier, and Raven Darkholme. Perhaps there is somewhere we could talk, without eavesdroppers?” I suggested, realizing we were drawing attention in the crowded terminal.Agent Carter seemed to ponder this for a moment, but seemed to reach a decision, and she nodded her head once. “There is a quiet restaurant not far from here where my colleagues and I quite frequently deal with matters after hours. We will be in a public area but allowed the privacy to speak freely. Will that suffice?” she asked us, glancing between the four of us before resting her gaze on me.I turned to Charles, who nonchalantly rubbed his fingers against his temples, eyeing here silently before he spoke up. “She’s telling the truth,” He affirmed, nodding his head. “Perhaps then we can clear this all up and get back to business. Agent Carter?” he held out a hand. “What you’re about to learn, is going to sound incredible and hard to believe, but I’d like for you to keep an open mind about what we discuss.”Agent Carter hesitated for the briefest moment before she shook his hand, then gestured for us to follow her out of the terminal. I shared a glance with my companions once more and let out a slow breath before steeling my spine. “What do we tell her?” I whispered, and Raven tightened her hand on my hand briefly before giving me a reassuring smile. “Whatever you feel is best,” she answered honestly. I held her gaze for a moment, before I gave a deep sigh. “What you learn, about me, about Erik and me both, will be difficult and painful,” I whispered, and I felt more than saw Erik and Charles step closer to me in comfort. “But I want you to remember that all my actions were a means of survival, and are what brought me, us, to this point.”Raven’s eyes filled with concern, but nodded her head slowly, letting out a deep breath. “You’re family, no matter what,” she reaffirmed, and I felt my eyes water briefly before tamping them back. “Whatever you need to say, I won’t think differently of you, I promise.”I gave her a relieved smile, before I gagged, unable to stop myself. “Shi—Erik!” I yelped in warning, before he was pulling me over to the closest waste bin outside the terminal. “Shh, it’s alright, we’ve got you,” he murmured, and I knew Raven and Charles were trying to block me from view of the gawking passersby. I felt my cheeks burn and eyes water from a mixture of embarrassment and the force of expunging everything from my stomach.With a groan, I opened my eyes to see a clean handkerchief proffered to me, and I glanced up to see Agent Carter with a surprisingly sympathetic look in her eye. “I’ve suffered my fair share of morning sickness,” she whispered at my unasked question. “Some saltines and ginger tea will help a great deal.”I took the proffered cloth and wiped my mouth gently, giving her a nod of acknowledgement. “Thank you,” I said, a little raspy. I could feel everyone’s’ eyes on me and shook my head briefly. “Let’s go, I’m getting tired of being a spectacle.”Agent Carter nodded once more, this time guiding us at a bit quicker pace.
***
“So,” Agent Carter said, leaning back in her seat, a look of disbelief and intrigue distorting her brow. “Your real name is Elise Marie Lehnsherr, nee Graves. And you, all of you—” she looked at the four of us from her side of the table, each with a solemn—well, Charles was smirking—expression as we watched her take in what Charles had said. “You are. . . mutants.”“Yep,” Raven said, popping the “P” at the end. She crossed her arms and leaned on the table, scootching her coffee cup forward so she didn’t spill. “And we’re not alone. There’s more of us, all over the world, and we’re trying to stop—”“Klaus Schmidt, yes,” Agent Carter interrupted, rubbing a hand over her temple. Erik stiffened next to me, and I laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Yes, yes, that would certainly explain some of the intelligence we’ve received,” She muttered, shaking her head. “And who exactly is it that you work with?” Charles asked, cocking his head slightly. “We’ve told you that we are working with the CIA, but you—while definitely a military woman—are not affiliated with the American government.”Agent Carter did smile at that, nodding her head once. “I am one of the heads of an organization called the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division. We seek out possible threats to the world’s well-being, and international security.”I blinked, furrowing my brow. “That’s quite a mouthful,” I murmured, before I caught onto that last part of her statement. “And you believe I am one of those threats.”Erik growled low in his throat, the silverware rattling slightly before I gave him a sharp look. Agent Carter glanced at the vibrating metal, but otherwise didn’t flinch. “You must admit, when several people end up dead, with very powerful connections across Europe, it certainly doesn’t look very good.” I took a deep sip of the ginger tea that Agent Carter ordered for me; she was right, it helped soothe my stomach greatly. Finally, I sighed and placed my tea back onto its plate, biting the inside of my cheek before closing my eyes, gripping Erik’s hand tightly.“When I was a child, my abilities manifested themselves, with several witnesses, in Berlin. Klaus Schmidt—” I cleared my throat briefly before I continued. “—He murdered my parents, and kidnapped me, experimenting on my abilities. Tortured me, really,” I clarified, and fought to ignore Raven’s gasp. I felt Erik’s thumb brush soothingly over our interlocked hands, an anchor for me, and I forced myself to continue. “He had plans to use me to. . . to breed a new generation of powerful mutants, like him and I, his own personal army.“I managed to escape when he left the facility I was housed in, and I-I killed everyone inside. I was found and taken in by a kind couple in Trier for a brief time, before I left them in an attempt to find Schmidt, or Shaw, as he had begun to call himself. Erik and I met when we’d both gone for the same target and ended up joining forces.”I opened my eyes and gave him a soft, loving smile when he raised my hands to place a gentle kiss to my knuckles. “We fell in love, got married, and tracked down those that might’ve known where to find Shaw. And now, here we are.”Agent Carter was silent through my explanation a sympathetic gleam entering her eyes. “I am sorry, for what you’ve gone through,” she said softly, glancing between Erik and I. “But where do you two enter the picture?” she gestured to Raven and Charles, and I saw Raven wipe her eyes gently out of the corner of my eye.“We are Elise’s cousins,” Charles stated, leaning over to place a hand on my shoulder. “We were recruited by the CIA to stop Shaw, whatever his plans are with the Russians. I met Erik while en route to arrest him, and things went a little. . .” he trailed off, chuckling. “A little off-kilter. Now, we are recruiting other mutants like ourselves to try and stop him.”“I see,” Agent Carter replied, leaning back in her seat. “You must admit, this is, quite the story you’ve told, it’s a little hard to believe.” She glanced at Raven, quirking a brow. “And you? You are involved in this as well?”Raven shot her a slight look, before her face morphed into the features of the Agent before us. It was nearly comical, to see Agent Carter’s face with Raven’s locks. “I assure you,” Raven stated, her voice flawlessly taking on Agent Carter’s. “I am more than capable of handling myself.” Her face returned to her normal looks and winked at her.Carter’s face paled slightly, and her eyes widened in near disbelief and wonder, before she composed herself, clearing her throat. “W-well, that’s certainly. . .” she trailed off, shaking her head. “And Shaw, he’s got recruits of his own?” she changed the subject slightly, and I stifled a laugh.“Yes,” Erik finally spoke up. “There’s at least three of them. A red, demonic looking Russian that is called Azazael, another that can create whirlwinds, a woman that can read minds like Charles here—” he tilted his head to my cousin, who smiled genially at Carter’s sharp gaze. “And she can turn her skin into a diamond hard shield. Then, there is Shaw himself.”Carter swallowed hard, a look of contemplation crossing her features. She was silent as she took it all in, and I leaned forward to catch her attention. “Be aware, that what we are doing is incredibly dangerous, but we are doing this in defense of the greater world at large. Everything that Erik and I have done to this point has been to stop this madman, and we have the cooperation of the US government at our backs. We aren’t out for world domination, or extreme acts of terrorism, but rather to end it before it begins.”That must have been what Agent Carter wanted to hear because she gave a sharp nod. “Right. What do you need to do this?” she asked, and Charles gave a laugh, as if he’d been expecting this. “So, we can count on assistance from your agency, then?”Agent Carter gave a smirk. “I do in fact know Agent Platt rather well. He was once one of our junior officers before he chose to work with the government. I will allow this to continue and will support you as you need.”“Allow?” Erik questioned softly, leaning forward. I turned to look at him as his eyes narrowed. “We do not need permission to continue this. We will find Shaw, and he will pay for everything he’s done, regardless of your interference or not.”Carter stared back, not bothered in the slightest. “Noted,” she said. “However, we can step in where the bureaucracy would be hindered and can assist with making your mission easier.” Erik pursed his lips but nodded his head slowly. “We may need your assistance in the future,” he admitted, sharing a glance with Charles, who nodded his head.“Actually,” Raven interjected for the first time in a while. “We need someone that’s in a military prison, in solitary confinement. Is there any way that you could make that possible?” Raven shrugged her shoulders. “What? Take the proffered hand when it’s there.”I let out a slight laugh, nodding my head. “Charles and Erik are going to speak with two other possible recruits, but Raven and I need to see a Mister Alex Summers, and as quickly as possible.”Agent Carter nodded her head slowly. “I will draw up the necessary documents to get you in and this Summers out of prison, clear of all charges.” I smiled gratefully and reached my hand out to shake her hand. “Thank you, Agent Carter,” I said sincerely, and she returned my smile, shaking my hand firmly. “Please, Mrs. Lehnsherr, if there is anything else you need, do not hesitate to reach out. Any of you,” she reaffirmed with the rest of my group, and handed me a card. “This is the direct number to my office here in D.C. do not hesitate to use it. I shall have the documents ready and waiting at the prison for you upon your arrival.”She stood up then and gave us a nod. “You have an ally with us, do not doubt that,” she said, then bid us a good afternoon. Charles cleared his throat and clapped his hands together briefly. “Right, that was certainly an unexpected help, yet not unwelcome. Hopefully we won't but we may need her help further down the road.”Erik gave a brief chuckle, and I looked at him in askance. “You were right,” he said, gesturing to where Agent Carter once sat before us. “That was certainly not the last time we were going to see her.”I couldn’t stop the laughter that erupted, shaking my head. When I caught my breath, I caught Raven’s eye, and nodded my head to her. “Well, let’s get this over with,” I said after a moment. I knew she was dying to talk to me about what I’d revealed at the table but was at least polite enough to wait until we were alone. “We’ll meet you at our designated spot?” I asked Charles and Erik, the four of us standing and headed for the door.Erik kissed my temple, wrapping his arms around me briefly. “We’ll be there,” he returned, giving me a smile. “Be safe.”“Always.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“So.”“So,” I repeated, walking down the halls slightly behind the officer leading us to the warden’s office.“I . . . take it there was more to your story than what you said?” Raven asked softly, and I glanced over at her, her eyes trained on the back of our guide’s head. I clutched my papers a little tighter, but stopped short of ripping Alex’s freedom papers. Thanks to Agent Carter, we had the necessary paperwork that would ensure that he was to be released free of all charges and counts of criminal activity against him, with the option of reenlisting into US military services after a brief probationary period, so long as he meets the obligations required of the CIA and his appointed handlers: Raven and I.I sighed deeply and refocused on the approaching door. “Yeah . . .” I murmured quietly. “There’s . . . a lot more to it, but that is the gist of it. I’ll tell you, one day, but . . .” I swallowed hard, pausing as the officer knocked on the door and spoke briefly with the warden on the other side, just out of sight. “It’s difficult, and something I need time to prepare to unload.”“I understand,” Raven said softly, reaching over and patting my shoulder gently. I looked at her, and she gave me the barest smile. “When you’re ready, I’ll be there to listen.” I gave her a grateful nod, before turning my attention to the man that came through the door. He was tall with smooth skin, and balding dark hair and glasses. He seemed like a genial man, and he stuck out a hand for me to shake. “Ladies,” he addressed. “I understand you’re with the government?”I shook his hand firmly and nodded once before introducing myself and Raven. “That’s correct, sir. I’m Agent Lehnsherr, and this is my colleague, Agent Darkholme. We’ve been sent to collect Alex Summers from your care, and deliver him into our services until further notice.” I handed him the paperwork, and he looked it over, ensuring that everything was correct.He gave a deep sigh, before reaching into his pocket and signing his consent, keeping the copy he needed for his official records. “Follow me, please,” he grumbled, and motioned for the guard to follow behind. The officer transferred his firearm into position, and I quirked a brow. “Is there a problem?” I asked the warden, following him quickly.“Well,” he started, leading us through multiple check points and unlocking them as we went. “You must understand, Summers is quite a handful. I don’t trust him out in society,” he said bluntly. Raven frowned. “Unfortunately, that is no longer your call to make,” she said stiffly. “Our superiors have given us direct orders—”“I get it,” the warden waved off, shaking his head. He finally stopped in front of a holding cell and began to unlock it. “But what the hell does the government with a guy like Alex Summers? I hope you’re not planning on putting him with others?”“That’s classified,” I said quickly, straightening my spine. The Warden raised his eyebrows and shook his head slightly. “Got it, but he’s the first person I’ve ever met that actually prefers solitary confinement.” Once the lock unlatched, he slid the heavy door open, and I caught a glimpse of our recruit. He looked up sharply from where he hunched over the edge of the bed, his body pale from time away from the sun.He was blond, and wiry, with muscles developed from years of fighting, I could see that immediately. His face hardened, lips pressing flat as he glanced over Raven and I. Raven stepped forward, speaking as she did so. “Alex Summers? I’m here to give you your transfer papers. We’ll be taking you—”“Get. Out.” It was spoken quietly, but with anger and slight fear lacing his words. “Whatever it is, I’m not interested. It-it’s safer if I’m in here. Just . . . go.”I pursed my lips, sharing a glance with Raven before addressing the warden. “Warden, would you please give us a few moments alone with Mr. Summers? My colleague and I need to discuss matters with him, and it would be best if we did so without an audience.”“I cannot do that,” he said quickly, shaking his head. “That man—” he stabbed a finger in Alex’s direction for emphasis. “He’s incredibly dangerous. You know he put half his platoon at bootcamp in the hospital? On his own! There’s no way—”“Warden!” I said sharply, causing him to jump slightly, startled. “I have read his files, and Darkholme and I have been briefed on how dangerous he can be. We understand the risks, and are perfectly capable of handling ourselves; we would not have been sent here if we couldn’t take care of this. Now . . .” I gestured for him to step aside. “You will stay out here with your guard, lock the door behind us, and do not open it until I knock again. Is that clear?”The warden blinked, face turning red with anger or embarrassment, I didn’t know which, nor did I care. “Yes, ma’am,” he finally said, and I gave him a sharp nod before stepping inside with Raven. Alex watched the entire exchange, eyes darting back and forth in mild amusement, lips twitching. Once the door was slammed firmly behind us and locked, I let out a breath as Raven started to laugh.“Where the hell did that come from?” she giggled, smirking. I shrugged, clenching and unclenching my fingers for a semblance of calm. “Well, he doesn’t need to hear this conversation, and he shouldn’t have spoken about you like that,” I said, directing the last part of my sentence towards the man in question. He gave a snort. “I know how dangerous I am,” he muttered, shaking his head.“Alex,” I said softly. “I garuntee that I am quite a bit more dangerous than you, regardless of how you have hurt others before. Raven and I are here to help you get a second chance at life, and we really, really could use your help.”“Forget it!” Alex snapped, jumping to his feet and pacing the short length of his cell. “I fucked up, I got angry, and I hurt people. A lot of people. You don’t need me, and I don’t want to be around others.” He stopped his striding, shoulders slumping, and dragged a hand through his short blond locks. “Look, I’m sorry, but whatever it is you think I can do—”“You’re a mutant, and you’re not alone,” Raven interrupted bluntly, causing me to huff out a short breath and roll my eyes. “Smooth, Raven,” I muttered, and she shot me a look. “He wasn’t listening to you. Sometimes, blunt is the way to go.”“I-I’m what?” Alex asked, eyes wide with slight fear. “What the hell are you talking about?!” Raven raised her hands in a placating manner. “You can do something incredibly unique, something no human should be able to do. So can I, and so can Elise—” she motioned to me, and I nodded my head with a smile. “We are what we are calling mutants. If you promise to sit down and listen to us, we could show you what we can do?”Alex was silent for a moment, glancing over the two of us for an uncomfortable amount of time before he fell back onto his bed, crossing his arms. “What the hell,” he muttered. “What have I got to lose?”Raven stepped closer, slowly approaching Alex, before her physical form morphed to match his, clothing and all. “What the hell?!” Alex yelped, scrambling backwards. Raven gave a slight laugh, morphing back into her blond bombshell look. “I can shapeshift. Elise can warp reality for a time, among other things.”I nodded my head, and approached slowly. “We have no intention of causing you any harm, Alex,” I said gently, and Alex watched warily, eyes darting between me and my cousin. “We work with an exclusive group of other, powered mutants, capable of extraordinary feats. We can help you control your ability, so that you don’t hurt others on accident, ever again.”Alex relaxed slightly, and shook his head. “Okay, so I’m not the only freak in this room,” he muttered, and Raven cleared her throat. “Mutant and proud,” she snarked, and I stifled a smile. “My cousin is a shapeshifter, I warp reality, my husband can control metal, and my other cousin can read minds. In fact, that how we knew where to find you; he found your unique signature, and knew that you needed us as much as we need you.”“You see,” Raven continued, gently sitting on the edge of the bed, her tone calm but serious. “There is someone out there, a very dangerous man, with other mutants at his disposal, bent on causing havoc. We know he’s working with the Russians, but what he’s planning, we’re not sure.”I swallowed. “What we do know, is that if we don’t stop him, people are going to get hurt. Thousands, millions, will likely die, if we don’t try to stop him.”Alex listened silently through it all, chewing his thumbnail in thought. “So, this guys worse than Hitler, is what you’re saying? And he’s gonna hurt innocent people in a mad grab for power?”“Yes,” I breathed out, closing my eyes briefly. “I know from personal experience, as does my husband, just what this bastard is capable of. We have every intention of stopping him, no matter what. But,” I said, opening my eyes and giving Alex a sharp look. “We cannot do this alone. Shaw, this madman, has powerful friends, and will stop at nothing to get what he wants. If there’s even a chance of defeating him, we need all the help we can get . . . including you.”Raven reached out and placed a gentle hand on Alex’s shoulder. He flinched, but didn’t move away, looking between the two of us. “You are not alone anymore, Alex,” she said softly. “There are others like you, and we promise, we’ll help you find some sort of balance with your abilities, to come to terms with the fact that you are a powerful person. If you come with us, you’ll never have to worry about being afraid of who you are, ever again.”Alex was silent, taking in everything we had said, everything he saw, and we let him, giving him time to collect his thoughts. Finally, he let out a breath. “If this guy’s as bad as you say, then what do we do?” he asked.Raven and I both smiled, and I nodded for her to continue. “Well, you start by coming with us, and meeting the others. We’ll go back to the facility where the others are gathering, and go from there.” We all stood up, and I walked over to the door, knocking sharply. “And where is this facility?” Alex asked, sauntering through the door once it was open as if he hadn’t a care in the world.“Langley, Virginia,” I announced. “We’ve got a bit of a walk first, however, to meet with our other colleagues before continuing the next leg of our assignment.”The Warden, who was eying Alex warily quickly spoke up. “We can offer you a vehicle to take you to Langley, it’d be no—” Raven cut him off with a look. “Thank you, but we have other accommodations, and your services are no longer required. Please see to it that all of Summer’s personal belongings are collected and waiting for us to retrieve.”The warden seemed to shrink under her gaze, and cleared his throat. “Of course,” he muttered. “We’ll have everything ready by the time you reach the front gate.” Raven and I shared a smirk as the warden and the guard turned away, leading the three of us towards the exit. Alex gave a soft snort. “Never seen that hard-ass look so thoroughly put in his place,” he snickered quietly.I couldn’t contain the grin that threatened to break free. “Believe me, I’ve had plenty of practice with my husband. High-handed men are no issue.” Raven did snicker at that, barely containing herself when the Warden glanced back at us with a slight look of suspicion.Alex raised his eyebrows, and gave him a cheeky nod, before the warden scoffed and turned back around. “I’m starting to feel like you’re the one we should be wary of.”“Oh, Alex,” Raven whispered, linking arms with me as we walked. “You have no idea.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“I still can’t believe you did that!” Raven exclaimed as we arrived back at Langley, exiting the car that Agent Carter gave her to drive. “You are definitely spunkier than you let on,” she added with a grin, nudging my arm teasingly. Erik, Charles, and a new man exited the taxi ahead of us, still deep in their conversation. Charles had told us his name was Armando Muñoz, a tall, skinny Black man that decided to come to Langley.“I was thinking more along the lines of ‘crazy-scary,’ if anything,” Alex added, giving me the side-eye, but his lips were quirked in amusement. I blushed a deep scarlet, if the heat from my cheeks were an indication. “Oh, hush,” I said primly, turning my nose up. “Blame it on the hormones. I don’t even know what came over me, I was just- just angry, and couldn’t help it!” Even to my ears, my excuses sounded weak, and while I could find the humor in the situation in hindsight, it was still hard to believe that I was in one piece. “Just be glad that Agent Carter was able to cool everyone’s tempers, or I’m pretty sure that guy would’ve been minced meat by the time you were done,” Raven continued with a laugh. I rolled my eyes with a groan, trying to pretend the incident from hours ago hadn’t happened.
***
Earlier that day . . .

Raven and I chatted with Alex quietly as we walked down the block to the meeting point, explaining a little more in detail just what we were doing, and what we planned to do, which at that point . . . we didn’t have a lot to go on, other than tracking down new friends and finding Shaw. Glancing up, I saw Erik and Charles headed our way as they exited a pub-style establishment, grim looks on their faces. “What happened?” I asked in concern, noting the deep scowl that etched itself into Erik’s mouth. He tried to smooth his features into one of a calm demeanor, but I could tell from how tense his shoulders were that he was quite irritated.“Well . . .” Charles trailed off, glancing at Raven and Alex, giving him a brief friendly smile, if strained. “That didn’t exactly go according to plan.” He held out his hand to Alex, shaking his own with enthusiasm. “It’s nice to meet you, Mister Summers, I’m Charles Xavier, this is—”“Charles.” I narrowed my eyes at him when he winced, briefly chuckling. “What. Happened?” I asked slowly, looking between my husband and cousin sternly. “Did you two do something stupid?”“Define ‘stupid,’” Erik muttered, wrapping a gentle arm around my waist that belied his irritation. “We walked up to the prospective recruit, introduced ourselves, and Charles and I were promptly told to, “Go Fuck Yourselves,” I believe is what he said?” he cocked a brow, looking at Charles, who’s mouth puckered slightly. “Y-yes, he did,” he finally sighed, shaking his head. “Not exactly friendly, that one.”Raven gave a slight snort of disbelief. “He did not?” she asked incredulously, trying to contain her laughter. Even Alex seemed to find it amusing, a smirk reaching his face. “Yep,” Charles confirmed. “Quite rude, honestly, but I guess we can’t do anything about that one.”“Excuse me?” I growled, fists slowly curling tight. “Which one was this?” Erik glanced down at me, slightly wary. “Elise, dear, just let it go,” he started to say, at the same time Charles opened his mouth. “Big bloke, dark hair and eyes, tanned, wearing a black button-up shirt and puffing a cigar, why?”Raven slapped the back of Charles’ head and tried to grab my arm. “Elise, whatever it is you’re thinking, don’t do it,” she tried to plead. “Uh, Elise, trust me, sometimes it’s better to just walk away,” Alex piped up, glancing around at us warily.“I don’t bloody think so!” I snapped, seeing red. I honestly was not sure what had come over me, but the next thing I remembered was shaking off everyone’s arms and their words, and stomping down the sidewalk, my family left sputtering and scurrying to catch up. “Elise, what are you doing?” Erik called. “It’s fine, there’s nothing to—”“Nope!” I didn’t even give him a chance to finish his sentence before I strode into the bar, the door swinging open violently and shuddering. I could feel eyes swiveling towards my pissed off frame as I stood there, glancing around, mouth twisted in a nasty scowl. I immediately homed in on my target, his back towards me as he knocked back a shot, cigar burning away in the ashtray to his right. Without thinking, I grabbed a pitcher of foul-smelling beer from a nearby table, and promptly hurled it at the man’s back, thoroughly dowsing him with the cheap drink.All conversation immediately ceased, and I could hear Raven’s audible gasp as she and the rest of our group arrived just in time to see my handiwork. The man at the bar was still for a moment, before he reached over and very calmly stubbed out his cigar. I could hear him breathe in deeply, then exhale slowly, trying to keep calm, before he turned in his seat.His eyes met mine, flat, and dangerous, and I had a moment to briefly wonder what kind of predator I had just soaked with alcohol. “The fuck’s yer problem, lady?” he said gruffly, narrowed gaze trailing over my form. “Someone piss in yer Corn Flakes?”I growled at him before stomping over and sucker-punching him in the jaw. “Fuck you!” I snapped. The man’s head swung back, and I was fairly certain I heard his jaw crack from the force. “Elise, that’s enough!” I heard Erik bark, before two pairs of hands were yanking me away from my intended target. “No, he’s a dickwad! I’m going to shove that barstool up his ass!” I snapped, trying to kick the man in front of me.The man sat there for a moment, working his jaw slowly, and letting out a deep growl, nostrils flaring. “You should keep yer bitch on a leash,” he snarled, turning his head back towards me. “I’ll show you bitch!” I shrieked, flailing a foot at his crotch. He had blocked it, but barely, grunting as I connected with his leg. He took another deep breath, before his eyes widened slightly as he glanced between me, Erik, and Alex, whom was the other one trying to pull me back. “It’s not worth it, Elise, trust me,” Alex whispered, trying to shield me by stepping in front of me. “Let it go.”“Look, lady, whatever yer problem is, it sure as shit ain’t got nothin’ to do with me,” the man stated, standing slowly from his seat. He easily towered over me, on par with my husband’s height, and leaned in. “I don’t even know you, nor do I want to know you. Now, I suggest you go home, before you get into serious trouble.” I opened my mouth to curse at him before I heard another voice.“My deepest apologies, sir,” Agent Carter’s voice came from immediately behind me, and I whipped around to see her standing there, a stern expression on her face as she surveyed the chaos in front of her. “It seems my friend is having a slight episode and has mistaken you for someone else.” I opened my mouth again, but her glare made me suddenly aware of my actions, and I felt my cheeks flush unwillingly. “We’ll be leaving now,” she continued, glancing back at the man. She held out a twenty-dollar bill. “Something to pay for dry-cleaning.”The man snorted, reaching into his wallet, and throwing money on the bar. “Keep it,” he said gruffly, striding past, glancing at me as he did so. “Congrats on the baby.” Stomping out the door—Raven and Charles quickly scrambled out of the way—he strode over to a motorcycle, kicking it off the curb with a roar before he peeled away. “Alright everyone, return to your drinks,” Agent Carter barked, and suddenly everyone was extremely interested in anything but us. “Right, let’s go,” she pointed at me, motioning for Erik and Alex to lead us away.Once we had left the building, Agent Carter whirled around on me, her hands on her hips. “What was that?” I swallowed lightly, gripping Erik’s hand in mine. “I-I honestly don’t know,” I whispered, tears beginning to clog my throat. “One moment I was fine, and the next, I was ready to tear his head off, and now I just want to crawl into a hole and never come out!”Erik wrapped an arm around me, rubbing my back gently. “Take a deep breath, Elise,” he murmured, and I complied, trying to steady my fluctuating emotions. “Ah, I see,” Agent Carter said quietly. “You’re experiencing mood swings.”“What now?” Raven asked, glancing between the British woman and me. “Mood swings? What is that mean?” Charles gave a soft snort, clapping his hand over his mouth. “I’m sorry,” he quickly said. “It-it’s just a little funny,” he tried to excuse. Agent Carter cleared her throat. “During pregnancy, it’s fairly common for women to experience wild emotions, feeling fine one moment, to angry or weepy the next. I think you have just started to experience it first-hand.”I slapped a hand over my face with a groan, before shooting the group a glare, everyone trying to smother a giggle or smirk. “Please tell me this is not going to be a permanent thing?” I asked, and grimaced at the agent’s knowing smile. “Unfortunately, this is just the beginning. It’s quite lucky that man knew you are pregnant, or I have no doubt you would be presently beating the tar out of him.”I frowned for a moment, before shaking my head. “I have no idea how he knew I’m pregnant, but I do feel a little bad about punching him.” Raven and Charles snorted their laughter, unable to help themselves. “That wasn’t funny,” Erik grumbled, glaring at them both. “She could have been hurt.”“Oh, please, I would’ve been fine,” I answered haughtily, and Alex cocked a brow; he possibly saw me as a potential threat. I decided not to let the thought bother me, opting instead to focus on the next item at hand. “Alright, so now that we don’t have that particular recruit; what about the other one?”Charles cleared his throat and nodded his head to Erik. “Well, our next candidate is not that far from here. If he is willing to listen, we will tell him everything he needs to know on the way to Langley.”“What about us?” Raven frowned. “We won’t all fit in a taxi, and I don’t think Elise will fly again.” I paled at the thought and shook my head quickly. “No, thank you,” I whispered, feeling slightly nauseous.“Actually, that’s why I’m here,” Agent Carter said with a slight smile. “I was aware that this might be a problem, so I took the liberty of ensuring you had an extra vehicle for your return to Langley. It has a full tank of petrol, and Agent Platt has agreed to return it to my headquarters later on.”I blinked in surprise, eyes tearing up at the gesture before I scrubbed a hand over my eyes. “Thank you, Agent Carter,” I said, trying to keep my eyes dry. She smiled slightly at me, before handing me a tissue. “I think at this point, you can call me Peggy.” With a final nod, she pointed out the sleek, black car. “Keys are in the visor. And remember,” she called out, heading down the sidewalk. “Don’t hesitate to call if you ever need anything.” With that, she was gone.“Well, now that we’ve got that settled,” Charles said suddenly, and I jumped slightly, forgetting that he was there. “Why don’t Erik and I find Armando Muñoz, our next recruit, and you three head back to Langley?”“Dibs on the wheel!” Raven cried, running for the car. Alex shook his head in exasperation, before he took the backseat for himself. I turned to Erik, who cocked a brow at me. “Are you feeling better?” he asked, brushing a gentle hand on my belly. I nodded, before standing on my toes to give him a slight peck on the lips. “For now,” I muttered, still reeling with the bouncing emotions. “I’ll see you soon, alright?” Slight worry gnawed at me, but I quickly shook it off. It had been a while since Erik and I had spent any lengthy amount of time apart, and I knew it was just me feeling a little clingy. “Be careful; we’ll meet you and our new friend back at the Mutant Division.”With a nod and a final, lingering kiss, Erik let me go, nodding to Charles. “Make sure you all stop to eat something,” Charles added, giving me a quick smile. “Especially you; you need to keep up with the baby.” I rolled my eyes briefly, but nodded my head, knowing he just wanted to make sure I was safe. “Same to you,” I replied, and headed for the car. As Raven pulled away from the curb, she glanced at me with a shit-eating grin. “I am so not letting you live this down,” she said cheekily, and I groaned, Alex’s bark of laughter filling the car as we drove.