Drops of Crimson: Searching

[ladydeathfaerie]

Title: Drops of Crimson: Searching

Chapter Three: Desires
Fandoms: a mash up of the Mutant Sues, the movie Sues, the Supervillainesses, and probably anyone else i can think of tossing in for good measure
Characters: various from the different universes
Rating: going with a pretty strong NC-17 here. seriously.
Warning: violence, sex, language, possibly other things. we'll know when we get there
Disclaimer: i do not own anyone from the Marvel universe. Dare is mine, but you don't want her. honestly. girl's a mess. oh, Mystery is mine, too. you don't want her, either. she's moody. also, Alex is mine. watch out for her wrench. Rose belongs to nanaeanaven. Haley and Miri belong to dazzledfirestar. i swear i'm not making any money from this. i just do what the sick voices inside my head tell me to. i write purely for my enjoyment. and possibly the comments. please don't sue, harass, or bother me. i have no money to pay you, but i do have a really nasty temper. and i know some good cuss words.

Author's Note: so, its like this. Drops of Crimson: Hunted was only supposed to be a one shot type thing. but i started writing and the bunnies kept twitching their noses and suddenly i was staring down the snout of a plot dragon. and... welp! here we are! is anyone really surprised by this? nobody? didn't think so. hopefully this won't be super long. you know. by my standards...

Summary: "I saw walls of flame that were so high, I couldn't see where they ended and the sky above began. And they stretched far away on both sides of me. I feel like I could run for days and not find where they end. There were voices. Soft and faint. It almost sounded like the flames were laughing at me. I couldn't make out what they were saying, no matter how hard I tried. And then there was the figure. I've never seen it in my dreams before tonight. And I don't know what it means. I don't know why it was there. I honestly don't know anything."

Drops of Crimson: The Index

Clint watched as Dare turned to face the owner of the new voice, watched as her face went from openly hostile to empty and closed off in the blink of an eye. Which let him know she was going to be difficult later. He'd found that throwing her off her game tended to leave her irritable for hours to come. Then again, he was sure she was still angry with him for trying to sneak out on her last night. She didn't forgive easily.

He reached out and took hold of her hand, tugging her close to his side. Surprisingly, she let him do it. He was aware of their guests turning to look at the newcomer, too, though their reactions were of less interest to him. "What are you doing in New York, Tony? I thought you were holed up with all the other brains, trying to solve this thing," Clint said, offering his teammate a smile.

"I was. But I decided I'm more worried about you and I'm not getting anywhere with any kind of solution beyond one involving weapons and violence. So I decided that coming back here was of more benefit than staying there," Stark said, giving a negligent shrug of one shoulder as his gaze skimmed over every person present. Clint noted that he only spent a brief amount of time on both Haley Stone and Johnny Storm. He gave them both a faint smile. The emotions behind it were genuine, though. Then his focus shifted and pinned Dare. Clint felt her bristle and watched as she absently rubbed a palm against her thigh. Not a good sign.

"I am not pheasant under glass, Stark. Quit looking at me like I'm some interesting tidbit to sink your teeth into. Because I'm not. I'm your worst nightmare," she told the man, her tone filled with displeasure.

"Just trying to see what makes you so special," Tony replied, unruffled by her attitude.

Dare offered a brief smile, then tugged her hand free of Clint's. The next second, she was wreathed in flames from her neck to her toes, hair floating around her face like some sort of nightmarish halo, and her stare was hard. "This is what makes me so special, Stark."

"Oh, I know all about your party tricks," Tony replied dismissively. "I was actually referring to your relationship with Clint." His gaze slid from her to Clint. The frown he gave Clint was filled with puzzlement. "And I am having absolutely no luck figuring you what you see in her, Clint. She's rough around the edges. She's got a temper. She's brusque. She's nothing like the other women you've gotten involved in. So what is it?"

"You don't need to see it, Tony," Clint replied, again reaching out to take Dare's hand in his. Clint was sure that she wanted to set Tony's ass on fire for his dismissive treatment, but he had a point. Dare was really nothing like the other women he'd had in his life. "Its enough that I see it and I want to spend time with her. Respect the fact or get right back on your plane and go back to where ever it was that you were hiding."

"Afraid I can't do that, Clint. It is extremely dismaying to know that you've let known villains have free reign of my mansion. I had to come back to make sure they weren't robbing me blind," Tony replied, his attention still focused on Dare.

"You haven't got anything I would want to steal, Stark. Your silver is second rate and I've seen better art on the streets," Mystery drawled, slipping past him to move deeper into the garage. Clint noted she positioned herself close to Dare. A silent show of support for the young woman. And a silent reminder that she'd fuck Tony up if he tried to do anything to Dare. "Besides, there's no fun in taking it when it isn't hidden away."

"I'm sorry. Have we met?" Tony asked, shifting his attention Mystery's way.

Mystery's eyes slid from him to Dare, then back again. The smirk she gave him was filled with perverse pleasure. "I'm your second worse nightmare," she told him. When Tony blinked at her, Mystery sighed and shook her head. "Honestly, does no one around here have a sense of humor? I don't know why I even bother." She paused and looked Tony up and down intently, in much the same way he'd looked Dare up and down. Then she sighed. "My name is Mystery. Which will likely cause confusion. Most people don't know it. No doubt, though, you'll recognize the name Flare?"

Tony's eyes went wide before shifting back to where Clint stood. "You didn't tell me you let Flare run around inside my mansion. As if the Emerald Rose isn't bad enough. You have Flare here, too?"

"You've heard of me. I'm touched," Mystery mocked, one hand coming up to rest on her heart.

"Mystery is here because I asked her to stay," Dare said, voice level and calm. Almost daring Tony to start shit with her over it. "You see, Stark, when Remy took Clint prisoner, I knew I'd do anything to get him back. No matter what it was. No matter if I had to kill people to accomplish it. I was going to get him back. So I scouted for his location. I tortured vampires to get the required information. And then I went out and found me some help in order to take him back. Seeing that you were off hiding somewhere, I took what I could find."

"And there it is," Tony said, a smile breaking across his face. Clint rolled his eyes and slid his arm around Dare to keep her in place. He was fairly certain she was going to go after Tony if he kept his shit up. "There's that something special. I like the loyalty. And I like that you don't have any qualms about doing what you have to. Not just what's right."

"Jesus Christ. Is he for real?" Dare asked, turning wide eyes Clint's way.

"Sorry, baby. This is what he's like all the time," Clint offered. Dare frowned and shook her head. But Clint felt some of the tension slide out of her. Some, but not all. She turned to face him fully. So that she was sure he saw her displeasure. Then she made a point of dismissing him and shifted her attention back to Clint.

"You have really fucking weird friends, old man," she told him, then made a face. "I need a shower. And food. And possibly a very large bottle of Jack Daniels."

"No Jack Daniels," Mystery said, voice firm. "You are a very mean drunk and you've been on edge way too much lately. Mixing you and alcohol right now would be a bad idea. But I can handle the food part for you. Go shower. I'll make breakfast." Mystery said and started for the door. Then she stopped and paused, as if suddenly remembering there were other people present. "Anyone else eating?"

"If you're cooking, Mystery, I'm hungry," Clint replied. The woman's lips twitched up in a faint smirk.

"For you, stud? Anytime," she grinned, then let her gaze slide around the rest of the room. "Anyone else? Tell me now or you will be left out."

"Make for everyone, Mystery," Clint said. "The kitchen is at your disposal."

She let her attention slide back to him, and the expression in her eyes warmed. "Sweet talker. You know just how to work me." She shot him a grin and a wink, then reached out to take hold of Dare's arm. "Come along, darling. You can shower while I prepare a hearty meal for you. I swear, you're skin and bones."

"I eat just fine," Dare grumbled even as she allowed Mystery to drag her from the room. He was amused by the back and forth between the two women because Mystery acted more like Dare's mother than her friend. And Dare... She let it happen without much of an argument. And then silence reigned as Clint's guests waited until Mystery and Dare had disappeared before conversation picked up again.

"Those two are disturbingly alike," Tony said, shaking his head. The statement threw Clint off, because he hadn't really thought about it before, but the observation wasn't that far off. Then he was drawn from his thoughts when Tony clapped his hands and glanced around. "So. What's the plan? Where are we hunting tonight?"

"About that," Clint began, drawing Tony's gaze back to him.

Tony stared at moment, then frowned as realization dawned on him. "We're not hunting?"

"We're not hunting," Clint confirmed. "At least, I'm not hunting. And that's the word of law from Dare."

Tony goggled at him. "You're letting her make decisions for you? She's a kid next to you, Barton. And you're the experienced hunter. You're the one who should be telling her to stay inside while you go hunt."

"Because she's a woman and he's a man, you mean. That sounds like macho bullshit to me, Stark. I dare you to try it with Dare. See where it gets you," Haley commented, arms crossed over her chest. The look she wore suggested he should try it with her, too.

"It'll get him a pair of red hot underpants," Johnny said. Even his voice sounded a little grim.

"You're assuming I'm wearing any underpants, Storm," Tony told the man before turning his attention back to Clint. It was on the tip of his tongue to tell Clint to ignore Dare's edict. Clint could see it in the man's expression. He figured it would be best to cut him off at the pass before he could get started.

"Don't even think about suggesting it, Tony. I'm under house arrest and if Dare isn't here to stop me, then Mystery and Rose are. You do not want any of them pissed at you. Trust me."

"Yes, Stark. Trust him. You do not want any one of us pissed off at you." Tony actually turned at the sound of Rose's voice. Clint saw the signs that tension had sprung up upon her arrival, though most people wouldn't see them. Most people didn't know the real Tony Stark the way he did. "Clint is on house arrest because Dare is worried that Remy will use his influence over Clint and call him to his side. Whether you believe it or not, she is afraid of what will happen if that occurs. She went through hell just getting him back the first time. I shudder to think what a second time would do to her."

"Since when did you bother caring about other people? I thought the Emerald Rose was all about plants and the environment," Tony replied, sounding casual. He was anything but. And Clint was tempted to step into the middle of it before things could get out of hand. But Rose looked terribly laid back and not at all worried about Stark. Which meant she had some seeds on her person somewhere. And, to be honest, there was a perverse part of Clint that wanted to see what would happen if she used some of them on Tony.

"You don't know anything about me, Stark, if you think that's who I am. Of course I care about the environment. Of course I care about plants. We, as a species, cannot survive without plants and the earth. The environment is important to our very continuation. But I do happen to be human. And I am capable of caring about other humans." Rose let her eyes slowly drift to Tony's feet, then just as slowly lift back up to his face. The look on her face was telling. As were her next words. "When they deserve it."

Rose's dismissal of his character saw Tony offering her a smirk. Clint could tell she'd gotten him riled up and if they didn't do something quick, it would become a battle of wits. Rose was smart, but Clint didn't know if she could hold up against Tony's razor sharp wit, and tongue, when he got going.

"Children," he said, just a note of displeasure in his voice. Both Rose and Tony turned to look at him. Clint sighed and shook his head. This was turning into a cluster fuck of an evening. He'd hoped to have the chance to talk to Dare, apologize for last night and try to make her understand where he was coming from. Those plans had been shot out of the water with Haley's arrival. And Tony's return had sent them rocketing into the atmosphere. "Rose is right, Tony. I hear LeBeau call to me every night once the sun sets. Its a battle some days to just not give in and go to him. I can't hunt the vampires if I can't trust myself not to turn myself over to them. Dare's right to tell me I shouldn't leave the mansion."

"How bad is it?" Most of the exterior Stark was gone, leaving behind the man no one saw in public. Clint saw worry and fear in his face.

"Its bad, Tony. Like I told you when we talked the other day, I almost gave him everything he wanted," Clint said softly. "If I'd given Dare up to him, I shudder to think of what would have happened. Because I can tell you from experience that he's still in full possession of his mutant powers. Turning Dare into a vampire with her fire power? The city would be in ashes before the next sunrise."

"Why does he want her?" Haley asked, the question obviously meant for Clint.

"I don't know. He didn't say. The only thing he told me was he wants her. And he made it pretty damn clear that he was going to have her. He even suggested she'd be happy to see him." Clint frowned and shook his head. "The way he talked about her doesn't jive with the Dare I know. It makes me wonder if I've missed something."

"What do you mean?" Haley asked. He could hear the curiosity in her voice, telling him that he could very possibly gain himself some information on his current partner if he played his cards right.

"LeBeau said she'd fall in line with his plans for her because she's weak. That she needs someone strong to take care of her. Like she's some kind of delicate porcelain doll or something," Clint replied. He could still recall just how confused that had left him when he'd heard it. "That is not the Dare I know. My Dare is strong and certain. She takes what she wants and she doesn't apologize for anything. She's made it abundantly clear to me that she will roast LeBeau alive when she finds him in return for what he did to me."

Haley blinked at him. "That... doesn't sound like the Dare I know. To be honest, what Remy said to you was pretty spot on."

"Are you sure?" Clint shared a glance with Tony, who was no doubt planning on filing any information he got away until he could add it to his files. For some reason, Clint didn't like the idea of Tony putting this kind of stuff in his file on Dare.

"I was at the school when the Professor and Storm returned with her. I never had access to the school files. That was always Roxxy. So I don't have the full story. What I do know is that they arrived with a scared young woman who put on defiance like jeans. Something bad happened in her past that only a few people knew about. Morgan was one of them," Haley said softly. Clint could tell she was lost in memory. Likely of better times, before the world had officially gone to hell. It made him wonder what those times had been like. For both of them.

"When she started dating Remy... It was weird. Everyone thought she was a stone cold lesbian. The only person she was ever associated with before that was Morgan. We all knew they were a couple without really knowing it. And then Dare went out with Remy one night. They didn't come back until the next morning. And while he was all smiles and charm and larger than life Remy LeBeau, Dare looked small and scared and meek next to him. There was speculation he kind of forced her into a relationship. Then again, there was speculation that Logan did the same." Haley paused and shook her head. "Any confidence Dare had was earned in her training with Logan. If she was forced to kill him to protect herself, I have no doubt that doing so left her scarred. Which would only make things worse, because its my understanding that bad things happened to her before she arrived at the school."

"That definitely does not sound like the Dare I know," Clint remarked. Haley looked at him, obviously confused.

"He's right. That is not the Dare I've been dealing with for the past couple weeks," Rose added. All eyes turned to her, as if seeking some kind of explanation. "When Dare came to us and asked us to help her take Clint back, there was desperation in her voice. Of course there was. She has feelings for him, after all. But the desperation was minor, secondary to her determination. She was fixed so intently on taking him back that there was no dissuading her from the notion. We couldn't even convince her that maybe she was already too late. She was sure he was alive and she was going to take him back."

Haley frowned and even Storm looked confused. "This has to be some kind of joke. When I talked about putting a team together and I mentioned that I thought Dare would be a good fit for it, there was a lot of discussion had about her mental capabilities of handling the difficulties of being an X-Man. There were worries that she wouldn't be able to cope with the stress," Haley told them.

"She handles stress just fine. In fact, she seems to thrive in stressful situations," Rose told them. Clint nodded in agreement.

"She's at her most vibrant when she's out hunting," Clint added. Everyone gave him much the same look. It was a look that suggested he'd lost his head. "I can't explain it. And there's no other word for it. She's ... vibrant. Like she comes alive or something."

"I don't know the Dare you're talking about," Haley admitted. There was a touch of something sad in her voice. As if she regretted not knowing this Dare.

"You could get to know this Dare, Haley," Johnny suggested. The redhead turned to look at him, eyes wide with curiosity. He offered her a smile and made a motion to Clint with one hand. "Obviously he can't hunt with her. It poses too much of a risk. And if the news is anything to go by, she isn't going to wait for him to be able to hunt before going out and looking for Remy again. Maybe you should hunt with her. We can both go. No doubt she can use the extra fire power."

There was no missing the joke in Johnny's words. But the suggestion had merit. Clint worried about her being out there on her own. He was certain that Dare would run into trouble. And he was afraid of what would happen if she did actually meet up with Remy LeBeau again. "That's a good idea, Johnny," Clint told them. It wouldn't hurt for her to get to know her friend again. And it wouldn't bother him in the slightest if there was someone out there to watch Dare's back. "I know I'd feel better if she had someone looking out for her."

"I can always go with her, Clint. It wouldn't hurt to have two teams out there hunting," Tony suggested lightly, as if feeling his way through the suggestion. Clint shot the man a look that said he saw right through that line of bullshit. No doubt if Tony went hunting with Dare, he'd goad her into trying to set him on fire.

"Maybe that should be her decision," Rose said. Her tone of voice said she was thinking the same thing as Clint. She turned her attention back to Tony. "And you can ask her about that after we eat. She's generally much more amenable once she puts food in her stomach. Let's go see if Mystery needs any help. Clint can go see if Dare's done showering."

~*~*~*~*~

"This is your fault, Stark," Haley Stone said, not bothering to hide her displeasure. He cast a quick glance out of the corner of his eye to find that she was glaring at him, mouth set in a thin line and eyes hard. Her arms were crossed over her chest. Her posture screamed anger and aggression, suggesting he was only moments away from needing his suit for protection. Of course, based on the looks on everyone else's faces, Stone might have to get in line. Tony turned back to the television where a muted report about the latest blaze filled the screen.

"How was I to know she'd slip out and go hunting on her own?" Tony asked. It wasn't like he was a mind reader or anything. And it wasn't his fault Clint had brought someone so young and temperamental home with him.

"It doesn't matter," Clint said quietly. "What matters is she's out there. Alone. Challenging LeBeau to meet her face to face. And we're here. Unable to do anything. We just have to trust that she can get out of any mess she might get into. And that she'll come back safe and sound."

"I can go look for her if you want," Storm offered. Tony saw Clint shake his head.

"Something tells me you won't find her. She's almost better at hunting than I am. And I'm damned good at it." Clint sighed, a long sound filled with worry. "The best thing we can do is wait for her here. She won't be found if she doesn't want to be. And she's still working through a lot of rage. You never know what she'll do if you surprise her."

"You're going to leave her out there?" Haley asked, her voice filled with disbelief. Clint turned to look at her.

"Do you think I like that she's out there without back up? Do you think I like that she's putting her life on the line for me? I honestly don't deserve that kind of loyalty from her. I never should have gotten her involved in this damn mess in the first place." Clint's voice was filled with blame and self-loathing. Tony watched as he raised a hand and raked it through his hair, leaving the length of it in tousled disarray. "Let her calm down. She'll be back. And she'll apologize for going off like that."

"Barton," Haley began, but Clint shot her a look that silenced what ever she might have said.

"I'm going to go work on some arrows. Maybe something normal will make me feel useful again," the archer said before turning to stalk from the room. Haley watched him go, mouth gaping as she searched for something to say. She even took a few steps after him, as if she was going to chase him down and give him a piece of her mind. It was Mystery that stopped her, lightly putting a hand on her arm.

"Let him go. He's got some things to work through, too. He doesn't like being hamstringed like this." When Haley turned a glare on her, Mystery offered faint smile that was meant to be soothing. "I know she's your friend. And I know you want to take him to task for his part in all of this. But she was already in the middle of it before Clint found her. LeBeau put her in the middle by sending the Wolverine after her. The very moment she used her powers to torch him, she turned into a hunter. But she isn't hunting vampires like Clint is. She's hunting LeBeau. Clint taking her in only gave her a better opportunity to hunt him down. LeBeau taking Clint and fucking him up the way he did... That just gave her more reason to see him dead."

"You're saying this whole mess is a personal vendetta for Dare?" Haley asked. Her tone made it clear she had a hard time believing it.

"I'm saying it was personal when she had to kill Logan. It became a vendetta when Remy took Clint and tortured him so effectively with sex and blood. She wants him dead for what he made her do. For what he took from her and what he tried to take from her. She'll stop at nothing to see it done," the woman explained quietly.

"And you know all of this how? Don't tell me villainy gives you deep insight into the minds of the heroes," Tony commented, still smarting over the fact that there were villains living in his mansion. Mystery shot a look Tony's way, then let her lips curl up in a sultry smile that was somehow filled with dark intent.

"I know this, Stark, because Dare and I talk. I consider her a friend. I don't like that she's out there anymore than anyone else in this room does. I'm just smart enough to know that I can't help her fix what's wrong. She has to fix it herself. And she won't figure that out if we keep treating her like a fragile doll. Even Clint, with his sex and blood addled brain, knows this." Mystery popped her fists on her hips and gave them all a considering look. "If you want to keep an eye on her without driving her up the wall, just give her a subcutaneous implant. You can always find her and she doesn't need to know about it. You can do it when she's sleeping. And Rose can ensure that she doesn't wake."

"That's..." Tony began, only to stop when words failed him.

"Evil?" Mystery asked.

"No. Its ingenious," Tony told her. Mystery gave him a shark's smile, then inclined her head and turned for the door.

"I do believe that sexy ass archer needs to vent some steam. I'll go see if I can help with that," she said to no one in particular, then strolled lazily from the room without a backward glance.

"Would a subcutaneous implant work with Dare? Wouldn't her flames short circuit it or something?" Haley asked.

Tony shook his head slowly, already considering the suggestion seriously. "No. The flames are on the outside. Under her skin, the chip would be safe enough. I think it would work. I probably have something in my lab that would do nicely. Do you have something to keep her asleep while we implant the chip?" Tony directed the last at Rose.

Her expression darkened and she crossed her arms over her chest, plainly put out that he'd dared ask her. "Of course I do. I happen to be an excellent herbalist. Dare would never know what hit her. I can't believe you would ask me something like that."

"You're more eco-terrorist than herbalist," Tony remarked.

"Of course," Rose retorted. "Because I can't be anything else but a terrorist. You're an egotistical bastard, Stark, and you can go to hell. Dare can't find and destroy Remy soon enough." She didn't bother saying that she'd be glad when that happened because it would mean she could leave. Tony was with her on that end. He wanted her and her explosive friend gone and soon. He didn't feel comfortable with villains hanging around Avengers' headquarters. "Haley. Johnny. It was lovely to meet you. If you'll excuse me, I have some plants to tend to."

Rose was out of the room before anyone could say anything else.

"I'm going to go look for that chip," Tony told Johnny and Haley, already on his way to the door. His brain was running off without him, and he needed to catch it before it did things he wouldn't be happy with. "Feel free to make yourselves at home. Its good to see you both."

Tony was out the door before they could respond.

He followed the scent of roses that lingered on the air. It was underscored by the scent of vanilla and the rich green steamy, exotic jungles. He wasn't sure how or why he got those scents from whatever perfume Rose was wearing, but those particular scents led him to the woman. He had a brief image of the old cartoons, where the main character was tempted to follow some enticing aroma by a hand at the end of the river of scent that took hold of their chin and pulled them along. He kind of felt like that with Rose's scent, even though he had no reason to want to follow her. What he wanted was for her and her friend to leave the mansion. He wanted the mansion villain free.

He wanted to press her up against the wall and kiss her senseless.

That thought broadsided him, made him stop dead in his tracks and try to figure out where the hell it had come from. She was attractive enough, with a head of dark, lush hair and dark eyes that he was sure could see right into his soul. She was of moderate height, with a lithe, curvy frame that his body told him would wrap perfectly around his own. In fact, his body was already imagining what that would feel like without asking his permission. Tony was on the verge of turning and going the other direction because he really had no clue why he'd followed Rose. But she turned then and leveled a look on him. A look that said she was not happy.

"Why are you following me?" she asked, voice laden with distrust.

"I was just asking myself that very same question," Tony muttered. Rose's eyes narrowed on him and he watched as her hands shifted toward the pockets in her jeans. He wasn't sure what that meant, but instinct told him it wasn't anything good. He shook the notion off and gave her a frank look. "How long do you and Mystery plan to hang out at the mansion?"

"As long as Dare needs us," Rose returned. She rested her hands on her hips, fingertips just above the opening of her pockets. Definitely something going on there. Something he didn't want to find out about.

"As long as she needs you? Are you her mother or something now?"

Rose smirked at him. "No. I'm not her mother. But I am an adult who cares about what happens to her. Which is something she obviously needs." Tony didn't like the implication that Clint didn't care about the girl or what might happen to her. As far as he could tell, they were in this mess precisely because Clint cared about the girl. Rose stared at him a moment, then sighed and her body language changed. She looked more relaxed. "Look. I know you aren't exactly thrilled to have known villains staying in your mansion. I get that. But given the things that are going on out there... Mystery and I? We aren't your enemies. Not anymore, Stark. The world has changed and now its mortals against undead. We both fall into the same category. Which means I'm on your side now. Whether you like it or not."

"I would think that now would be the perfect time for you and your friends to do your villain things. Because there are so few heroes to stop you," Tony pointed out logically. Rose shot him a look that told him she thought he was as dense as a brick.

"I'm only a villain because you don't agree with how I use my powers. The same goes for Mystery. Sure, she's got some kleptomania issues, but she only acts the way she does because you heroes have relegated her to the villain box. She plays it up. We all do," Rose told him, her tone slow and patient. As if she was explaining things to a small, unintelligent child. "In case you hadn't noticed, we are using our powers to aid you in your fight against the undead. I'm constantly working on my craft, creating and refining potions and salves and a hundred other things that can help fight back the plague so that it doesn't consume us all. Mystery can explode vampires. Keira, our friend, is a cryokinetic. Do you know what the two of them could do if you convinced them to help you hunt down the undead?

Tony heard her words. But only as faint buzz in his ears. Because he was enrapt by the passion that flashed in her eyes, that animated her movements as she spoke. She truly believed what she was saying, making him wonder if she was right. If she was only considered a villain because the heroes had slotted her into such a box.

By God, she was beautiful when she was filled with passion. The urge to press her against the wall and kiss her silly roared back to life inside of him and, before he could even consider what he was doing, he closed the distance between them.

Rose stopped speaking mid-sentence in order to stare at him, trying to figure out what the hell was going on. And then Tony had her pressed to the flat surface of the wall, her body crushed against his. His mouth was on hers, hot and hungry and needy. And she was... kissing him back? He puzzled over that for a moment, then pushed it aside and went with the flow. He curled his hands around her hips while her fingers speared into his hair and her mouth opened wider for him. Jesus Christ, she even tasted of roses and that underlying touch of vanilla. She was intelligent and beautiful and intoxicating.

And she was his.

That thought jarred him, saw him pulling back to stare down at her face. Rose was watching him with wide eyes, lips swollen from his kisses. Her mouth pouted at him, as if begging him for more. Tony stepped away from her slowly, carefully. Cleared his throat. Watched as her temper came back with a vengeance and her expression darkened. Then she stalked off, leaving him standing there with a tent in his trousers and confusion running rampant through his mind.

What the hell had just happened?

~*~*~*~*~

"You wanted to see us, sir?"

"Come in, Agent Quinn. Agent Grant," Fury said, not taking his eyes away from the screen he stood before. He felt more than saw the two of them come and, soon enough, they were standing off to the side. He could tell without looking that they were staring at the screen, learning all they could from the images flashing across it.

"Another fire, sir?" Grant asked, a touch of concern coloring her words.

"Another one," Fury nodded. "Hill and I were just discussing what this could possibly mean. Because the building was yet another known vampire lair. Someone is specifically targeting the vampires. But to what end?"

"That's where you two come in," Hill said from behind them. Fury knew she'd been sitting at his desk, using his computer terminal for some research.

"A mission?" Quinn asked, turning to eye Hill for a second.

"A mission. But not anything you're used to," Hill replied. The screen before him divided into two, half of it taken up by the news report on the fire. The other half was suddenly filled with a slightly grainy photo of a figure standing before the location of one of the previous fires. Before it had been set. "We think this is our firebug."

"Not much to go by. A shadowy figure with their back to the camera," Grant said, studying the image closely.

Fury heard Hill click a button and the image became a video. There was no sound to be heard. And the person never turned to face the camera. Just stood and stared at the building. In a few moments, they caught sight of the first few flames flickering through a window. And a few moments after that, the image went to static and there was nothing more to see. "Rewind it frame by frame, please," Quinn said. Hill clicked another button and the video began playing back in reverse at a snail's pace. It got to just before the first flames appeared before Quinn spoke again. "There. Pause it there."

The image stilled and Quinn inched closer to the screen. Fury could see her squinting at it for a few moments, then her finger rose up and touched the screen. "I think its a woman. I can see hair floating around the head. Here."

Nick leaned in and squinted at the screen. So did Grant. He was fairly certain Hill was doing the same with the image on the monitor. Sure enough, Nick could see hair floating up off the figure's shoulders, making a halo around the head. "There are plenty of men with long hair," Hill reminded her.

"There are. Just call it a hunch. There's something in the silhouette," Quinn said. She pulled back and frowned, then turned and looked at Nick. One hand motioned toward the computer that Hill was sitting at. "If I may, sir?"

"You think you know something, Quinn?" he asked her.

She gave a short, almost not there nod. "I think so. Something I read in the files I was organizing on my days with nothing better to do."

"By my guest. Hill?" Nick turned to look at Maria.

"Of course, sir," Hill said, rising to her feet and stepping away. He watched Quinn take the chair Hill had just vacated. Her fingers tapped away at the keyboard and her eyes remained locked to the screen before her.

"Shortly after the incident with Jordan, sir, I was down in the file room. Organizing files as you'd requested," she began, not looking away from the computer. Nick hid a smile. Ordered, was more like it. He'd had to punish her for the Jordan incident, no matter the fact that he'd deserved it. "I was entering them into the system for easier location at a later date, if needed, and I found some files tucked away in a corner that looked as if they hadn't been touched in some time. So I went through those and added them in, as well."

A long list of digital files flashed on the screen, showing him how extensive her work had been on that task. After opening several files, Quinn stopped on one that was denoted only by the letter 'X'. Inside was a whole grouping of files that Fury hadn't seen in ages. Each of the files was labeled with a name. There were quite a few of them that Nick recognized with a single glance. Quinn scrolled through the list until she hit the names that started with 'S'. The one she clicked on didn't ring any bells with Nick.

The file opened to show the room the picture of a girl. It had been taken from some distance, and more than likely without the girl's knowledge. Her hair was black, with ribbons of blue and purple threaded into it. Her clothing was black, too. She was clad in a pair of ripped up jeans, a t-shirt emblazoned with the faded logo of some rock band, a well worn leather jacket, and a pair of scuffed boots. All of that black made a pale face look even paler, and she wore an expression of intense displeasure as she spoke with a shorter girl standing beside her. The shorter girl's hands were filled with bags, suggesting the image had been taken at a mall.

"Alasdare Scott," Quinn said, then began tapping away at the keys.

"A mutant?" Hill asked, moving to stand beside Nick. She studied the image intently.

"Not just a mutant. A member of the famed Purple team," Quinn told them. A second image flashed onto the screen, this one of six women all in uniforms that bore the mark of the X-Men on them. The girl was standing beside the shorter one from the first image, as well as a second girl who was an exact copy of the first. "Their powerhouse. She goes by Dare. She's an honest to God pyrokinetic."

"St. John Allerdyce is a pyrokinetic," Nick remarked.

"Begging your pardon, sir, but Pyro can only manipulate flames. Dare Scott is the real thing. She doesn't need a source like Pyro. She is the source," Quinn said. The tone of her voice implied she was about to vibrate out of her seat with excitement.

"But she's an X-Man. They don't kill people," Grant pointed out.

"She's an X-Man, yes. But she hasn't always been. And our file on her actually predates her involvement with the X-Men," Quinn replied, tapping away at keys again. More images flashed onto the screen. They were from large, unsolved fires and showed charred corpses in among the ruin of burnt buildings. "We know for certain that she was at the scene of this fire here. A warehouse in the city. The bodies of rival gang members were found inside once the investigators could get inside. Witnesses gave reports of seeing Miss Scott stumbling from the building when it was fully engulfed. Not a scratch on her. First responders on the scene say the same exact thing. She was taken into custody by the authorities."

"Taken into custody but never charged?" Nick questioned. "Why do I feel like Xavier was involved in those charges never happening?"

"Hospital staff reported the girl being visited by a man in a wheel chair, a tall woman with white hair and dark skin, and a young girl." Quinn said absently, fingers flying over the keyboard. More images covered the screen. More corpses scattered amongst the charred remains of a building. "These are from an unsolved fire that happened several years before the other one. Some small, rent by the hour motel. Police never could figure out who set the fire. Nor could they figure out how. The arson investigators never found evidence of an accelerator. Several bodies were found in the motel, but there were no witnesses."

"You think this is Miss Scott's doing?"

"Her family lived in that town at the time of the fire. The school where she was registered as a student showed that she never returned to class again. One of the bodies in the fire was a boy she went to school with."

"She killed him?" Grant asked, voice filled with disbelief.

"I think its entirely possible," Quinn replied.

"I thought all of the X-Men fell in the first attack." This from Hill, who was studying the images carefully.

"Purple team was there. Minus one member. They'd just gotten back from a mission in Canada when the vampires hit the school. Dare Scott stayed behind to help the authorities with a wildfire," Quinn told him, pulling up yet another file. This one was from the Canadian government and it detailed the fire she'd mentioned. Dare Scott's name was mentioned several times.

"If this is her doing, why is she setting these fires?" Grant questioned. It was a valid question.

"I can't answer that. But I don't think she's doing it just to kill vampires. It feels almost personal. Because its never more than a vampire lair. Chances are good that any bodies found inside are those of blood whores. And she might be doing them a favor by ending their lives."

Nick stared at the image a moment before turning to Quinn. "Did those files mention anything about how much power she has?"

"Xavier's files were incomplete. There was never anything added about how powerful he thought she might be. But there were notations from a few of the others at the school that suggested she could level a city block on her own if she tried," Quinn told him. The woman stared at his face a moment before her attention slid to where Grant stood. He didn't have to look to know they were having a conversation with their eyes. When Quinn returned her attention to him, she had carefully blanked all expression from her face. "You want us to find her."

"Yes," Fury nodded.

"You want to use her to end the vampire plague," Grant added.

"Yes."

The two women shared another look, then Quinn nodded and stood. "Yes, sir. We'll get right on it."

Nick watched his agents go and tried to push away the sense of dread that pressed down on his shoulders. Now was not the time to give in. Maybe later, when the world wasn't falling apart.

~*~*~*~*~

She woke with a start, sweat trickling annoyingly down the back of her neck and between her breasts. The images of the fire still lingered at the back of her brain and she swore the stench of ash and smoke clung to her nose. Heaving a sigh, she threw the covers back and climbed from the bed to find herself a glass of water. Her throat was parched from her nightmare.

She wasn't surprised to find that the lights in the other room were on when she stepped out of the hallway. The small house was neat and orderly, everything in its proper place. But it was definitely lived in. The furniture sagged with age and use. Colors were slightly muted. The rugs that hugged the wooden floors were worn in place, held together by careful stitches made with loving hands. A pair of table lamps were burning brightly, illuminating the figure settled into an ancient leather recliner.

A face lined and weathered with age looked up at her, deep brown eyes searching her face for answers to the questions he hadn't asked yet. One gnarled hand motioned toward the couch on his left, indicating that she should sit and talk with him. She did so, staring at him expectantly. "Tell me what haunts your dreams, Granddaughter," he said quietly, eyes resting heavily on her face.

She sighed and took a moment to collect her thoughts. "Images of fire, Grandfather," she finally told him. Not that he was really her grandfather. At least, she didn't think he was. But he'd instructed her to call him Grandfather when she'd first met him. And he'd called her Granddaughter. Likely because she couldn't recall just what her name was and none of the names they'd considered felt right. "My dreams of late have been filled with fire. I keep seeing things burning." Even thinking of what she'd seen made her shudder.

Grandfather nodded, considering what she'd told him. He was silent as he did so. She remained silent, too, aware that he wouldn't speak until he had something to say. A cup of tea was settled on the table before her, still steaming from the brewing process. Grandfather had apparently known she would be up and had made the tea in preparation. She reached out to curl her hands around it, lifting it more for the comfort the warmth of the brew offered than to have a drink. That didn't stop her from sipping at it, though, as she awaited Grandfather's response. "These dreams. Do they tell you anything else? Or are they just of fire?"

She considered, tilting her head slightly to the side as she did so. With a frown, she realized that the dreams had been filled with fire and a shadowed figure that she somehow felt she should recognize. It didn't matter that the figure's features were blurred and hidden from her sight. There was something about the figure that felt familiar. A pull of charisma that silently whispered to her in a honeyed voice. Finally, she lifted her gaze to Grandfather's face. "Just fire. I mean, there's a figure there, but whoever it is is shadowed. I can't tell who it is."

Again Grandfather nodded and lapsed back into silence. Back in the beginning, when she'd first met Grandfather, this kind of thing had bothered her. She couldn't be certain why, but it had. As the days had passed, she'd grown more accustomed to Grandfather's way of doing things, so there was less irritation in his long pauses. But sometimes, just sometimes, she felt so anxious that she wanted to pace. To get up and move and work off the pent up energy. It was times like that when she had the most difficulty waiting. Times like now, when she was keyed up and wanted nothing more than to slip into the woods and let nature soothe her troubled spirits.

She fought the urge, though. Instead, she sat on the soft couch and held her tea and waited for Grandfather to speak. His words were always laced with wisdom and she knew that he would be able to help. "Do you know this person?"

"I... don't know?" she responded. She really hated it when Grandfather asked her that kind of question because he knew she didn't know them. Or, rather, he knew that if she did know them, she couldn't remember it. But she was well aware that he didn't ask such questions at random. So she gave consideration over to the question and replayed what she could recall of the dream in her mind. There had been little to it, image wise. But there had been that sense of familiarity. "I think so? The figure felt familiar, even though I can't tell you if it was a man or a woman or someone in between."

Grandfather nodded his head and lapsed into silence again. She occupied herself by sipping her tea. It was cooling, most of the steam and heat gone. It allowed her to take note that it wasn't one of her normally favored flavors. Instead, it had a slightly bitter taste to it. And it was making her stomach feel off. Not quite nauseous, but somewhere in the vicinity. She said nothing about it, simply returned it to the table before her and gave her attention to Grandfather. "Tell me more of this dream, Granddaughter."

"There's little to tell. I saw walls of flame that were so high, I couldn't see where they ended and the sky above began. And they stretched far away on both sides of me. I feel like I could run for days and not find where they end. There were voices. Soft and faint. It almost sounded like the flames were laughing at me. I couldn't make out what they were saying, no matter how hard I tried. And then there was the figure. I've never seen it in my dreams before tonight. And I don't know what it means. I don't know why it was there. I honestly don't know anything."

Grandfather nodded his head sagely before nodding it toward the hallway. "Go seek your bed, Granddaughter. There will be no more dreams tonight. I will consider what the things you've seen might mean. We'll talk more about it in the morning."

"Thank you, Grandfather," she said, rising from the couch. She was starting to feel tired again. She crossed to Grandfather's chair and leaned down to press a kiss to his temple. The old man smiled and once more motioned to the hallway. She left him to his thoughts and retraced her steps to the room he had given her.

She sighed as she climbed into the bed, the mattress soft and thick beneath her. The pillows were full and cushioned her head when she laid it upon them. It was a small room, barely enough room for the bed, a nightstand with a lamp upon it, a dresser, and a set of shelves that held an assortment of items she had no names for. But it was warm and safe and dry and it always welcomed her at the end of a long day. It was her place of solace and solitude, things she sorely needed when her thoughts whirled away from her and tried to drown her with images that seemed familiar and yet alien.

An owl called out into the night just beyond the glass pane of her window. Somewhere in the distance, a wolf answered with mournful howl that left longing residing in her heart. Again she was filled with the desire to give herself over to nature. She tamped it down, instead turning her thoughts toward the dreams.

They had to mean something. She'd been having them with more frequency as the days passed. Always they were filled with flames. Sometimes, she thought she saw a face in the flames. But she could never be sure. And when she woke, her consciousness ate away at the image until it was little more than a faded memory.

Of course there were dreams she didn't tell Grandfather about. Dreams that didn't feel quite so... heavy with meaning. These dreams were of laughing faces. They felt familiar, and she felt terrible that she didn't know them. They spoke to her sometimes, but there was no sound to their words and she could never quite make out what they said to her. But some voice deep inside said she knew them, that they knew her. That they were part of the life she couldn't remember. She never told Grandfather about them because she got the feeling that they would hurt him. And she didn't want to hurt him. He'd been so kind to her since the day he'd found her.

She didn't really recall that day very well. She remembered tall grass and overwhelming fear. Grandfather had filled in the rest after she'd had some sleep and a hearty meal. He'd seen something fall to earth in a flurry of wings and feathers. And when he'd reached the spot in the field where the object had fallen, he'd instead found her. She'd been battered and in shock. And, most of all, she'd been without her memories. Grandfather had helped her to his truck and he'd taken her home with him.

That had been so long ago.

She didn't like keeping secrets from Grandfather. He'd taken her in when she'd had no one. When she'd had no idea who she was or where she'd come from or why she was even there. He'd taken care of her, given her food and clothes and shelter. And he'd never asked for anything more than her companionship in return. She didn't think it was fair to keep secrets from him. But she wasn't sure she was ready to share these secrets with him. Not just yet. Because she didn't know what they meant. And until she did, they were little more than pleading whispers of faint memories.

Sighing, she rolled onto her side and curled up, the covers tucked under her chin. Sleep was creeping over her, stealing away thought. She had no doubt that Grandfather had put something in the tea to help her sleep. She should be mad at him. She didn't like not being in control. She wasn't mad, though. Because she knew he'd done it out of concern. He'd done it because he cared. She couldn't really hold that against him.

He'd promised her no more dreams for the night. She was about to find out if he was capable of keeping his word.

~*~*~*~*~

"What troubles you, my dear one?" she asked, sliding her arm around his waist from behind. He felt the press of her lush breasts against his back moments before the softness of her lips kissed a path across his skin. Her hands drifted lower, seeking out his cock in order to tease it. "You've been so moody of late."

He gestured at the window with one hand, at the city that spread out beyond it. In the distance, he could see the red glow of her flames as they ate at her latest target. "Dat. Dat a message for me. She want me to pay up."

"You can't know that, lover," she whispered, one hand lazily stroking the length of his shaft.

"I know. I know Dare better than anyone. Dis her way of telling me she gon' kill me for what I do to Barton," Remy responded, watching the red glow flicker against the darkness of the night.

"You sound worried, lover," she said, her hand stopping its ministrations.

"Maybe a little bit. Dis... De fires. It don't seem like somet'ing Dare do. She don' do vendettas. She more likely to kick you in de nuts as soon as you piss her off."

"Are you rethinking adding her to our little group?" She slipped around to face him, drawing his attention away from the flames. The fire department had been called in some time ago and had yet to extinguish her fire. Something told him she'd stayed close to the fire so that she could continue to feed her rage into it. Her hands reached up to cup his face, forcing him to look her in the eyes. "Lover?"

"Maybe we let her go," he admitted. He hated to do it. He'd had his sights set on her for a while now. Ever since he'd learned she'd come to New York City and started hunting his kind. A glimpse of her through a wall of flames had planted the seed. In his brain and in his groin. He would have taken her that night, if not for the fact that Barton had been glued to her side the entire time. And because it wouldn't have taken much effort on her part to see him turned into a pile of ash. Now, he was sure that taking her would be asking for trouble he didn't need.

"You're going to give up your dream of having her back in your arms? Where she belongs?" she asked him, lips pouting at him in sultry invitation.

"You don' know her like I do. She not gon' come to me so willingly now. Not after what I did," Remy told her. He'd known it was a risk when he'd taken Barton in the first place. But he'd thought that the Avenger would cave almost immediately and he wouldn't have had to do anything to the man. He hadn't expected Barton to hold up against everything Remy'd put him through. And he hadn't expected Dare to develop feelings for the man. Not when he'd discovered she'd burned Logan alive. No doubt that was something she wanted Remy's head for, too.

It had been a calculated risk, taking Barton in the hopes of convincing him to talk. Remy'd been certain the threat of being made a blood whore would have been incentive enough. And, if not, he'd felt that threatening Barton with sexual torture would do the trick. But it hadn't. And the man had sat through every last bit of manipulation and sex that Remy'd thrown at him. He'd stubbornly kept his secrets. And Dare had remained out of reach.

Of course she'd found out where he'd holed up with the archer. She was a smart one, his Dare. Clever in ways that tests couldn't prove. Of course she'd thought to torture his own servants. Fire had been a good incentive. Several of them had begged for death by the time she'd finished with them and he'd found that he had no choice but to grant those wishes. But it had still shattered something inside of him to have to end the lives of his children.

Just as it had shattered something inside of him to discover Barton gone, faint traces of Dare's scent still lingering on the air. She hadn't come alone. He'd found the scents of green, growing things mingled with her ashy, smoky one. And the cold that tainted the air before a snowfall had been there, too. As well as one that reeked of power. Whoever she'd brought with to help her had taken out his daytime guards as if they hadn't been the best at what they did. And they'd stolen away with Barton in their possession.

She'd left him a calling card. She'd seared letters into the walls of the home he'd used. Smoke and ash had clogged the air, and her message had been clear as day. She'd promised she would find him. And kill him. And Remy, being the gambler he was, had accepted her challenge. Had left his own message for her. That was when the fires had started.

He'd tried to call Barton to his side. The link was strong. He'd nearly completed the process that would have bound Barton to him permanently. But something blocked him at every turn. And the more he tried to call the man to him, the more resistance he met. He couldn't figure out what was keeping his would-be servant from him. But it didn't matter. Because he'd never finish turning Clint into a blood and cock hungry whore if Dare didn't come to him. She'd never give Barton up. And she'd never stop hunting for Remy.

"Perhaps we need to find a different way to persuade her," the purring voice cut across his thoughts, drawing him back to the here and now. He found that the red glow had dimmed some, meaning that the fire department had been able to get a handle on the fire. Which told him that Dare had left the scene. And the people he'd sent down there would once more come back empty handed. He didn't know how she did it. He'd dispatched people to every fire. They'd all gotten the same instructions. Find Dare. Render her unconscious. Bring her to him.

They always returned empty handed.

"Like what? You think she gon' meet me for drinks and a movie now?" he asked, tone grim with his failures.

"No, my darling. Nothing like that. We must use more subtle methods. Methods that will not turn curious eyes our way. Methods that will see her unguarded and approachable."

Her words saw Remy turning toward her, eyes narrowed on her. "You powers not de answer here, petit."

"I'm not talking about those powers, lover. I have something else in mind. And I think you'll enjoy it. You'll be able to steal her out from under her big, burly archer's nose. Won't that be fun?" she asked him, her hand once more reaching for his cock. He was annoyed and wanted to tell her to stop. But then her fingers were curling around his length and her hot breath was fanning over the head and he lost the ability to think, much less be annoyed. He couldn't quite stop the soft sound that left his throat at the front of a shuddering breath. And then he was choking on those sounds because her lips were wrapped around the head of his cock and she was drawing the entire length into her mouth.

Remy's eyes slid shut, head tipping back so that his face was turned up to the ceiling. She never failed to make him feel like there was no other man in the world for her. Her mouth was hungry and eager on his flesh, and her hands played a symphony where ever they touched him. He groaned when she swirled her tongue around his head, then groaned again when she pulled back so slowly that his cock slipped from between her lips with a faint pop. When he looked down at her, her eyes were practically glowing. "You'd like that, wouldn't you? Taking her back from the man who took her from you?"

"Yes," he hissed, teeth grit, as her mouth swallowed him down again. His hips snapped forward reflexively, burying his cock to the base in her warm mouth and throat. She smiled around him. Swallowed. Purred so that it vibrated up the length of his cock and right back to the base of his spine. It took supreme effort not to fist his fingers in her hair and fuck her face. It was no less than she deserved for playing him the way she was.

"Do you trust me, lover?" she asked, once more pulling back so that his dick slipped out of her mouth. Her hand squeezed his length, sending sensations racing along his nerves.

"Yes," he answered.

"Then trust me in this. My plan will succeed. It will bring her to your side willingly. And then you'll have your heart's desire."

Remy wanted to tell her that it wasn't willingly if they manipulated Dare into doing it. But the words stuck in his throat when she swallowed him down yet again. This time, she made a point of actually swallowing around him. Her throat muscles squeezed his head, drawing a hissing breath from him. She gave a chuckle that vibrated all the way through him. The sensations were more than enough to see him pulling from her mouth so he could pull her to her feet. She laughed when he turned her roughly, shoving her up against the window so that she was pressed to the glass. He took hold of his dick, fisted it a second or two, then shoved it deep inside of her body. She cried out, found the leverage required to thrust back against him. She was hot and tight and wet around him and he could pretend, for a moment or two, that she was someone else. Someone he cared deeply about.

"Yes, my lover," she got out around a gasp. "Fill me up. With your delicious cock. With your lust. With your anger and your hatred. Fill me with everything. In return, I'll give you every little thing your heart desires most."

What his heart desired most. Right now, that was Dare. He wanted Dare at his side, devoted to him. With Dare's heart tied to his, her power at his disposal, he could shake off the chains of bondage that held him back and take over the world. That was his heart's desire. Dare, bound to him and marked as his own. Willing to give him her love and her talent and the world.

Oh, and Barton, too. He desired Barton. Returned to him and his transformation completed. Because he desired to crush the man under his heel for daring to stand in his way.

Comments

[nanaeanaven]

(I had a moment of indecision on which icon to use for this chapter.)

I ... am at a loss for words at the moment.

Suffice it to say that I enjoyed every bit of this chapter. From Tony - jesus fuck - I should have realized that was Tony. I knew he was coming. Just didn't dawn on me that it might be someone new on the scene. Where was I? Oh, yes. From Tony arriving and him going "there it is" when he figured out the spark in Dare that attracted Clint. To Mystery being all motherly one moment and, well, Mystery the next. LOL And then Rose and Tony meeting. And - holy hell woman - I didn't not expect physical sparks quite so fast, but I love where you went with that whole encounter. Seriously. Loved the whole exchange between those two. Can't wait to see what happens next.

Then there was the bit with Hill and Fury and Quinn and who is that other person? Grant - Daz's other Sue? I'm a bit lost there, but no worries. I don't envy them their task. Not one bit.

And ... I probably shouldn't say her name. Don't want to spoil anyone. But you know who I mean. That whole scene was so, so solid. Just -- yeah. *squees a tiny bit*

Then the end with Remy. Mmmm, yum! Of course, now I'm trying to figure out who this other mystery woman is and what her plan is. That's gonna drive me nuts for a while. *sigh*

Well done, sweetie! *smooches*

[ladydeathfaerie]

i know. decisions. i could absolutely use Mystery here. but i'll likely stick with Dare. so no worries.

at a loss for words? is that a good thing or a bad thing?

yes. it was absolutely Tony at the end of the last chapter. and i don't know why, but he gave me such trouble in the first part of this chapter. not so much later. but that first bit... yeah. he was a pain. and Mystery. i think she sees a lot of herself in Dare. so she's mentoring. in pure Mystery fashion. i wasn't expecting physical sparks from those two yet (possibly at all) but Tony was all "Yeah. I want some of that." what do you do?

Alex is my Sue from that universe. and, yes, Miri (Grant) is Daz's Sue. yeah. no. Nick did not give them a fun job at all.

i think i'm proudest of that scene i really love how it came out. and i love how it flowed so freely. and there are faint stirrings around Grandfather, so stay tuned.

had to include some yummy Remy action. you'll find out who the mystery woman is later. promise. i won't leave you in the dark permanently.

glad you enjoyed, bb! and glad you got to sit down and read. .:smoochies:.

[nanaeanaven]

i wasn't expecting physical sparks from those two yet (possibly at all) but Tony was all "Yeah. I want some of that." what do you do?

Tony can be such a horn dog. And - let's face it - he doesn't always use the head with a brain in it when it comes to women.

You should totally be proud, bb.

[cathryne]

Wow!

Took me a bit to read (stupid lack of concentration mentalness! grrrr) but holy crap...SO good !! :)

I should've figured that would've been Tony to show up - so like him to 'check on the mansion.' (Right. Not Clint. Just the mansion. ;-) ) And duuuude...someone has a thang for Rose? :-) I really love that idea. Like, a LOT. :-)

And hello Alex, Nick, and Miri!!!!!!!!!! Woot! :-) They're interactions with Dare and company should be great! I can't wait! (Gads, this makes me want to read again about all of your Muses meeting up in the bar. LOL)

The Grandfather/granddaughter bit intrigues the hell out of me. Whoever can they be???

Remy...oh man...I should hate him?? Maybe?? And yet...aw hell naw! I find him more than a little...um...delectable. (That's wrong, right? ;-) )

I think I'll try to figure out my moral compass while I wait for the next chapter...tres bien, mi hermana!

xxoooo

[ladydeathfaerie]

there was no need to rush the read, hon. the chapter isn't going anywhere.

yes. you absolutely should have figured that it was Tony. i mean, it was literally right there in the last chapter. and make no mistake. he's absolutely there to check up on Clint. and Clint knows it. but there's a part of him that is seriously affronted by the idea of villains being in his mansion. so he's going to roll with that one. like i told Nan, Tony wanting Rose was a sudden thing. damn the man.

Alex, Miri, and Nick... that should be so much fun. and i keep thinking i should work on another fic for the House of Sues. maybe one day.

you'll find out who Granddaughter is later. possibly Grandfather. we'll have to see how that all plays out, though.

no. there is no hating Remy. not in any universe. he's just too goddamn yummy for our own good.

moral compass? what's a moral compass? seriously, though. glad you enjoyed, bb. and glad you managed to get through it.