New Blood III: Triumph of Darkness

New Blood
Chapter 14: Coming to Terms

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Secret Hellfire Island – Caribbean

By the time the Hellfire jet reached Xavier’s secret island it was past midnight and everybody was ready to pass out. But they all held on a little bit longer as the jet landed in a clearing near back end of the island. The island itself was pretty small, about ten miles across at the most. It was surrounded by sandy beaches and palm trees, giving it the aura of a typical tropical island. In the center of the island was a large, opulent villa. It wasn’t the same size as Hellfire Manor was, but it was still pretty big and looked plenty spacious enough to house them all in the comfort and luxury they were used to.

When they landed on the island much of it was still dark. Xavier said this place was completely under the radar. It didn’t show up on any maps, it wasn’t in any public or private records, and it was completely secluded, maintained only by a small continent of psychically controlled servants. It was free of any and all government connections, making it the perfect place to lay low from the chaos brewing throughout the rest of the world.

Once inside the villa, many of the pawns followed Moria down to the lower levels where there was a fully stocked infirmary waiting for them along with some Hellfire doctors to help out. One by one they got checked out. Moria helped administer some healing agents to those who suffered wounds from Selene’s torture and she gave them some meds to ease the pain and help them sleep. For the women, she also performed a special operation to replace their birth control implants since Selene de-activated the other ones. She also made sure they contained some special hormones so they would not get pregnant as a result of their rape.

While it was a relief to get healed up and cleaned up after suffering so much under Selene’s torture, for many the effects still lingered. The women remained distant, but not one of them shed a tear or said a word of despair. The men were much the same, even those who were still sore with bruises or in pain. After Xavier’s little speech on the plane they refused to let Selene’s torture make them weak. The pain, humiliation, and violation they suffered was bad, but they were going to use it as a source of focus and not a source of anguish. They had to be strong.

By the time everyone had been checked out it was past two in the morning. The tired and exhausted pawns left the infirmary for the dormitories on the third floor. Rahne led them upstairs since she had been to this place before. But even after she and the others were gone, Xavier lingered with Moria. Even though nobody said much, he could sense in their thoughts the uncertainty and the anticipation. They all knew they were going to face Selene again and they all shared the same ominous feeling that the next time would be even harder.

“So what’s the prognosis, Moria? Will they be okay?” Charles asked her.

“Selene did quite a number on them, but they’re strong. You trained them to be that way,” answered Moria, “So physically and emotionally, they’ll be fine. They’ll be back enjoying orgies and sex rituals before you know it.”

“That’s good news I suppose. But in terms of morale I’m not so sure.”

“Yes, I picked up on that too. But a lot has happened over the past 24 hours. They seem a bit lost, Charles.”

“They’re just tired and anxious,” he assured her, “And I can’t say I blame them when there is still so much uncertainty over what lies ahead of us.”

“Neither can I, but I think we’re all a bet shaken from this mess. Even I had no idea it would get this bad.”

“But it did. And now they’re counting on me to guide them through this. But even I don’t know what to expect. You know as well as I do that Selene will not stop here. She’s going to press us further and she’s not going to let up.”

“Of course she isn’t. She’s Selene,” sighed Moria, “But they’re counting on you because you’re their king. You’re the one they’ve looked up to and respected. You’re the one who taught them how to wield power and seize upon what they desire. Now everything we’ve ever worked for is threatened by Selene. And we’re going to stop her because that’s what the Hellfire Club does to such threats, especially once that involve traitors.”

There was determination and anger in her tone. Moria had never liked Selene. One of the reasons she stayed in Europe for so long was because she didn’t like being around her. But Xavier was willing to work through her devious nature. And as she predicted it came back to haunt them all. Now the very foundation of the Inner Circle was threatened.

“I suppose you were right all along, my dear,” said Xavier distantly, “We should have taken Selene out long ago. If we had then it never would have come to this.”

Moria moved in closer to her lover and pulled him into a warm embrace.

“Try not to think about what we could have done. For all we know it could have backfired back then and we’d be worse off now. We may never know, but if I recall you were the one that once told me dwelling on the past is useless. Learning from it is what matters most.”

“Yes, I remember that little conversation,” said Xavier, his spirits raised somewhat by Moria’s warm presence, “It was shortly after I asked you to be my partner in the Inner Circle.”

“Aye, and we both learned from that experience. And we’ll learn from this one. We just have to use the power we’ve gained wisely. Selene may be an evil, sadistic bitch, but she’s careless and overconfident. We are the true Inner Circle now. And with the other pawns at our side, we can overcome this and become more powerful than ever.”

“You’re that confident we can stop Selene?” said Xavier with a grin.

“I’m more than confident. I’m certain,” she assured him.

She then kissed him passionately, showing to him just how certain she was. She had been weak once under the thumb of her ex-husband. But she had since grown stronger and vowed never to be weak again. She sensed many of the pawns shared her feelings and so did Xavier. Whether it was her ex-husband or his former step-father, they prided themselves on being strong. And no matter how much power Selene acquired, they would stand against her and take her down. It was the fate of all those who opposed them.

Dormitories – Scott and Jean

After completing their checkup, Scott helped Jean up to one of the dormitories. Having endured both torture and wielding the mystical power of the Phoenix, she was probably the most exhausted. She was so tired she didn’t even have the strength to give Emma a dirty look when she walked passed her on the way up. She didn’t even care when she chose to sleep in the dorm right next to hers. She just wanted to sleep. And after the ordeal she went through, she didn’t want to sleep alone.

“Scott…stay with me tonight,” she urged him.

“Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere,” he assured her.

She managed a smile as he helped her into bed. She was too tired to change into sleeping attire so she just stripped down to her underwear. Scott did the same and slipped under the sheets with her. When she felt his warm body next to hers she felt content for the first time in what seemed like an eternity. She smiled as he held her closely, kissing her forehead as they got comfortable together. If this were any other night they would have made love, but after enduring Selene’s torture chambers the mood wasn’t right. Most likely, nobody would be having any sex tonight. It was just too soon for a situation like this.

But as tired and exhausted as she was, Jean couldn’t fall asleep immediately. As she lay in bed with her lover, her mind continued to wander. She couldn’t stop thinking about all that power she wielded. All her life she had been having dreams of it and these past few years she had been training for it without even knowing what exactly ‘it’ was. But now she knew. That power in her dreams and that power she felt inside her was the power of the Phoenix. It was a power she felt had been connected to her all her life, but it was only now she fully realized it. And while she was still processing this profound revelation, something else dawned on her.

Now that she had this power, she was the only one who could take Selene head on in a battle of magic. She demonstrated when she lifted the paralysis spell off the others that she could overcome her. But she had the element of surprise on her side. Selene would no doubt be more prepared next time they faced one another. And she was certain there would be a next time. She just had to be sure she was prepared as well.

“Are you okay, Jean?” said Scott, who was resting his eyes, “You seem troubled.”

“Can’t sneak anything past you, can I?” she said with a smile.

“Not that easily anyways,” he quipped, “So what is it? You know you can tell me.”

Jean snuggled closer, resting her head on his chest as she looked up at him with her tired eyes.

“I was just thinking about this new power I have…this Phoenix power that I was just barely able to wield long enough to get us out of Selene’s clutching. And I can’t help but wonder if I’ll be able to wield it again and wield it well enough to fight back against Selene. We all know how powerful she is and I’m the only one left who knows magic.”

“And you don’t think you’re up to the challenge?” said Scott.

“No, it’s not that. I believe I can fight her. I believe I can even beat her. I just don’t know if I’m ready yet,” she said anxiously, “Selene has had an immortal lifetime to master the mystic arts. I’ve been at it for five years and I’m only had a brief taste of my true potential. I’m worried that when that time comes I won’t be able to do what’s necessary to defeat her.”

Scott gently trailed his hand down her back and gave her a warm hug. She really was worried about this. And that was saying something because Jean had always been the most confident woman he knew. He had been there with her throughout her development, not just in the mystic arts but in every facet of being in the Inner Circle. He knew how strong and driven she was. But she was never one to get overconfident. And Scott had to remind her of that.

“Jean, do you remember that night when you cast your first spell with me?” he said, now staring deeply into her alluring green eyes.

“Of course,” she said, “I’ll never forget it.”

“Well I seem to remember you telling me something similar. You kept worrying that you didn’t have what it took to wield the kind of power of a true mystic. But you did and you excelled at it. Now you’re worrying about not having what it takes to wield this new power against someone like Selene. And you shouldn’t.”

“And why is that?” she asked curiously.

Scott then gently cupped her chin and pulled her closer so her face was mere inches from his.

“Because you have what it takes. You have that drive and spirit. You always have. You never would have been able to succeed in either one of those situation if you didn’t. That’s why I know you have what it takes to beat Selene when the time comes. You just have to remember everything that drove you to get this far. And use that to go even further.”

Jean smiled warmly at his words, feeling a sense of comfort and assurance that only Scott Summers could give her.

“And don’t forget, you won’t have to go it alone,” said Scott, “You’ll have me by your side along with Lord Xavier and all the others. We’re all in this together. Never forget that.”

“I won’t. But sometimes I have to be reminded,” she said with an affectionate gesture.

“I guess that’s where I come in.”

“That you do,” she said softly, “Now are you going to kiss me goodnight or what?”

Scott smiled and pulled her into another deep kiss. Then with renewed confidence, they slipped into a peaceful sleep together. There was still plenty of uncertainty about this brewing conflict between them and Selene. And like it or not, Jean was going to play a big part in it. But with the support of her lover and the rest of her fellow Hellfire pawns, she was confident she would be able to step up when the time came. They would all have to. Selene betrayed them all and used her power to hurt them. It was only fitting that Jean returned the favor.

Dormitories – Logan and Raven

Logan had never been one for sleep. He was used to staying up into the late hours of the night doing whatever he had to do at the time. His healing factor and his constant struggle with nightmares from Weapon X made sleep an inconvenience at best. But there were times even he needed rest and this was definitely one of them.

Even though his wounds had healed up and his body was unscarred, he was still plenty sore. Sabretooth really did a number on him. And every time his arch enemy caused him pain it seemed to fester a lot more. But it wasn’t just the beating he took or the torture he endured under Selene. It was also the unexpected revelation that Mystique, the woman he had gotten very close to in wake of the Jean/Scott/Emma incident, had been involved with him. He still got sick just thinking about it and to her credit, Mystique showed an equal level of disgust. But it still left him with question and a certain level of uncertainty over whether or not what he felt for her was serious.

He stayed with her after the checkup. Her stab wound was healing well, but it still hurt so Moria gave her some pain meds. It made her a little drowsy so she needed some help to get up to her room. Rogue offered to lend a hand, despite being tired herself, but Logan stayed close.

“You don’t have to help, Logan. Ah can take care of this mah self,” said Rogue as Mystique leaned on her while they made their way through the walls.

“It’s okay, Rogue,” said Mystique in a dazed tone, “Let him stay. I like his company.”

Rogue rolled her eyes and helped her mother the rest of the way into a nearby room. She long suspected her mother having a thing for Logan. It bothered her at first because she wasn’t too sure about him. But Jean vouched for him so that helped set her mind at ease. But she never thought anything would happen since Logan seemed so smitten with Jean. Now he seemed to have gotten over that and the possibility was there. But with the way they had been eying each other lately Rogue didn’t just think it was possible. She thought it was downright probable.

“Get some rest, mama,” she told her as she helped her get into bed.

“Hnn…with these meds that won’t be a problem,” groaned the shape shifter, “Are you going to be okay, Rogue?”

“Don’t worry about meh. Ah’ll manage,” Rogue assured her, “Selene’s a rough bitch, but you trained meh to be stronger than that. Just take it easy and dream about all the terrible things Ah’m gonna do to her when Ah get mah hands on her again.”

“That’s my girl,” said Mystique with a dazed smile.

Rogue smiled back. Even when she was in pain, Mystique played the role of a tough but encouraging mother. She picked up a lot from her over the years and it helped her become powerful in the Hellfire Club. She was going to need all the training and support she ever got from her if she was to oppose Selene as well as her own brother.

Before she left, Rogue gave Logan one last look.

“Take care, sugah. Don’t try anything funny ‘cause you know who you’ll have to answer to.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” said Logan with a wolfish grin, “Later Rogue.”

It was a bit ironic that Rogue was watching out for her mother’s love interests instead of the other way around. But in a place like the Hellfire Club, it wasn’t the strangest thing that could have happened. Once she was gone Logan turned to Mystique, who was too tired to get under the sheets. He slipped onto the bed with her and sat next to her with his back against the wall. He wasn’t ready to go to sleep yet so he found himself just staring down at her, contemplating everything that happened.

“Are you going to stay and tuck me in or something?” she said in a slurred tone.

“Do I look like the tuckin’ kind, darlin’?” he responded.

“Then why are you still here? You don’t have to stay with me tonight.”

“You’re right. I don’t have to. But I want to, okay? Just do me a favor and don’t ask why. I ain’t drunk enough to put it into words.”

Despite her dazed state, Mystique laughed at his remarks. Logan was never very good with words, but that was part of what she liked about him. She found herself looking up at him, his penetrating gaze never leaving her. It always seemed to have an affect on her. He also never gave her that look unless he had a reason and judging by the look on his face, she had a pretty good idea of what it was.

“So…are you not going to stop giving me that look until I tell you about me and Victor?” she said.

“If I have to I will. You know I ain’t all that good with patience,” he told her, “But if you still don’t wanna talk, that’s fine. Just don’t expect me to drop it.”

“I wouldn’t want you to,” she sighed, “But so long as I’m high on pain killers I might as well come clean.”

Mystique took a deep breath as she prepared to tell him what happened. It was not an easy story for her to tell. She never liked to dwell on it and it occurred during a completely different time in her life. It was before Xavier, before Rogue, and before Kurt. And it had a big effect on her to this day.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve dwelled on it. But it’s true. Sabretooth and I did have a brief but obvious relationship,” she said distantly, “It lasted no more than two weeks. It happened when I was still an up and coming mercenary in central Europe. We both got caught up in going after the same target. But this target had connections to the Hand so it wasn’t easy. He ended up saving me from a pretty nasty situation in an old castle. And as you might expect I showed him a little ‘gratitude.’”

“Ugh, how’d you not puke from that?” said Logan with a tough of anger.

“It was another life. I was a different person back then,” she sighed, “But for the next two weeks, we decided to work together. We figured if we couldn’t get to this target by ourselves we might as well help each other and be done with it. Along the way Sabretooth made no secret of his fondness for me. And I couldn’t help but be a little attracted to his brutish nature. We had our moments together. That and the adrenaline made it seem like something more. But then it all went downhill.”

“With Sabretooth it always does,” growled Logan, “So what happened?”

This part was the most difficult. But Mystique ignored her drowsiness and went on.

“We had just finished killing the target and ready to make our escape. We drew quite a bit of attention and had at least two dozen Hand assassins bearing down on us. At one point one of them threw a bomb that started a fire. Pretty soon that fire spread. So Creed and I tried to make our escape. Then he got caught up with a few heavily armed guard and I got caught up in some debris. I was trapped and kept yelling at him to help me, but all he cared about was tearing into anything that moved. Even after he had his way with the guards he just up and left. He probably thought I was dead anyhow and didn’t even bother.”

“That’s Creed for you,” grunted Logan, “He’ll screw you over like that.”

“Tell me about it,” grumbled Mystique, “I did eventually get out, but just barely. After that I left hoping never to see that man again. I figured now that the trill of the mission was over we were done with each other. But there was one little side-effect I didn’t anticipate.”

“What was that?”

Mystique’s expression became more solemn and bitter. She didn’t know how he was going to react to this, but there was no going back now. He deserved to know the truth.

“I was pregnant,” she told him.

Logan was utterly silent with shock. The look on his face truly said it all.

“I know. I had the same reaction,” she went on, “I didn’t know what I was going to do. At the time I was in no condition to have a kid. But for a while I still considered having it.”

“And did you?” asked Logan intently, shuttering at the notion of her having a kid with Sabretooth running around.

“No…I miscarried,” she said, “Nearly killed me in the process. So in a ways, Victor nearly left me for dead twice. It was shortly after that I got involved with Baron Wagner. You know the rest from there, but can you see now why it’s such a sore subject for me? Creed saved me, loved me, then tried to kill me once by leaving me behind and again by leaving me with his kid. Seeing him again wasn’t just infuriating, it was a painful reminder of a time in my life I’d rather forget.”

Logan was speechless. He hated Sabretooth before, but now that hatred was even stronger. That bastard treated Raven as a passing interest and was willing to just let her die without a second thought. He then had the gall to knock her up with his kid have her go through a miscarriage all alone. It made sense now why she was so bitter on this issue. It also made sense why Sabretooth was so focused on her. A part of him wanted to resent her for hooking up with his greatest enemy. But now that he heard the full story, he just resented Sabretooth even more.

“I’m sorry you had to find out about this,” she said distantly.

“Don’t be sorry, darlin’. It ain’t your fault Sabretooth’s a worthless, fucking piece of cat shit. It just gives me more reason to want to rip him to shreds.”

“I still messed up,” the shape shifter mused, “I never should have let my guard down around him. I wouldn’t blame you if you hated me for it.”

“Nah, you know I couldn’t hate you, Raven,” said Logan as he gently ran his hands through her red hair, “Yeah you messed up. We all do. We all gotta get kicked in the ass once in a while. The past 24 hours are proof of that.”

“Yeah, I think it’s safe to say we’ve had our share for the next dozen lifetimes or so,” she said, sighing as she felt Logan’s hand on her.

“But that’s all the more reason to keep fighting,” he said strongly, “And you’re a hell of a fighter, Raven. Ever since I started getting to know you that’s always what stood out about you. You’re not just strong and what not. You ain’t afraid to pick a fight and you ain’t afraid to get a few scars in the process. So why stop now?”

“Who said I was ever going to stop?” she said with a half-smile, “It’s just hard sometimes.”

“Yeah…I know, darlin’.”

Logan then slipped onto the bed and lay down next to her. He then slipped his arm around her, drawing him into his burly warmth. After a night like this they both needed something to hang onto. He and Raven were both loners in their own right, but they could relate to one another.

“So you still want to stay with me?” she asked him, sounding ready to pass out.

“Of course. Wouldn’t want to be anywhere else right now,” grinned Logan.

Mystique smiled back and rolled over so she could be close to his warmth. After what she just went through and the memories that came back to haunt her, she needed to be close to this man. Logan was the only one she felt as though she could truly be herself around. And for someone like her who spent her life deceiving people that meant a lot to her.

“Mmm…thank you,” she said, curling up close to him, “Thanks for everything, Logan. You have no idea how much it means to me.”

“That the drugs talkin’ or something?” he joked.

“No…it’s the truth,” she said intently, “And don’t you forget it.”

She reinforced her point by giving him a kiss on his burly cheek. Logan assumed that had to be from the drugs, but he didn’t mind at this point. He watched as the shape shifter nodded off, still smiling at her the whole time. The revelation about her and Sabretooth had been difficult to stomach, but it also reinforced just how tough this woman was. She understood what it meant to be a fighter. It was all the more reason to believe that maybe there was something special between them. And once this madness passed, it could finally blossom.

Dormitories – Kitty and Piotr

After her checkup Piotr escorted Kitty up to the dormitories. She was still a little sore and gimpy in some areas, but she was able to make it up the stairs and into a nearby bedroom. Piotr tried to help her along the way, but she shook it off for the most part. She wanted to tough this out. Piotr could tell. But she still stayed close to him, reminding him that she still wanted him close to her.

“Are you okay for tonight, Katya?” he asked as he entered the bedroom with her.

“I’m fine, Peter,” she said as she sat down on the bed in a fit of exhaustion, “Just have to sleep it off and let the meds do their thing, that’s all.”

Piotr smiled and nodded. But he continued to linger. He knew Kitty wanted to prove her strength, but he still wanted to be close to her.

“Do you want me to stay with you?” he asked her, “I know you said you wanted to get through this on your own, but…”

Piotr’s words trailed off, not sure how else to articulate his point. He felt a bit awkward at first. But Kitty kept smiling.

“It’s okay. You can stay if you want,” she said, “Just because I want to get through this on my own doesn’t mean I still don’t appreciate your company.”

Relieved, the Russian mutant joined her in the bed. They slipped out of their attire until they were only in their underwear. They then slipped under the sheets together where Kitty eagerly curled up to his imposing, muscular body. Piotr smiled at the feeling and affectionately draped his arms around her. Even for him, a man who was used to being invulnerable, he needed protection of a different kind. And he had always been able to get that from this girl. It was part of why she was so special to him. And after what they just endured it was even more meaningful.

“Peter?” her heard her say in a tired tone.

“Yes Katya?” said Piotr.

“Thank you,” she said in a soft yet sincere tone, “I really appreciate what you did earlier, helping me stay strong after everything Selene did to me. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to repay you for it.”

“It’s nothing, Katya. You are strong enough to get through it on your own accord. I have no doubt.”

“It’s not just that,” she said, rising up a bit so she could look him in the eye, “Everything you’ve done for me since I arrived has helped me become stronger. And I can never describe how much that means to me because for so long I was always this nameless weakling who nobody paid attention to. Before people could walk through me, they walked over me and I was always so angry about it. But I didn’t begin to really fight back until you came along.”

Piotr couldn’t help but blush a little under her powerful gaze. Even when she was sore and exhausted, she was so beautiful and alluring. It was yet another testament to her strength.

“I also wanted to say I’m sorry,” she added.

“Sorry for what?” he asked curiously.

Then in an unexpected gesture of affection she rose up and kissed him passionately on the lips. It wasn’t a peck or a friendly exchange. It was a real, honest kiss that carried with it a level of feeling he hadn’t felt with anyone before. He wasn’t sure what to make of it, but he found himself kissing back anyways. Then when she parted she looked up at him with those beautiful blue eyes of hers.

“I’m sorry I came so close to losing it without telling you,” she said softly, “I honestly thought we were going to die back there. I thought Selene was going to make good on her threats and torture us to death. And if she had, we would have died a terrible death without me ever having told you how I felt about you.”

Piotr’s heart rate jumped as he quickly surmised where this was going.

“I know we’ve shared our moments together. We’ve helped each other, we’ve worked with each other, and we’ve had sex with each other. But we’ve never openly said what we truly feel. And I don’t want to losing another opportunity to say it so here goes…I love you, Piotr Rasputin.”

Piort was silent at first. He mind froze, unable to form even the most basic of words. His heart kept pounding as his eyes remained locked on hers. Then with his arms still draped over her he replied in the only way he knew how.

“I love you too, Katya,” he said.

They knew it was coming. They knew the feelings had always been there. But for the first time they said it. And still, it struck them in a powerful way. Piotr never thought he could bring himself to love anyone other than his sister after years of being hardened in the Russian Mob and the Hellfire Club. Kitty didn’t think she could love either after having been an outcast all her life or after having taken on her new role as a pawn. They both came of age in a brutal world of violence, sex, and power. And yet, they still fell in love.

Now lost in a daze, Kitty and Piotr met in another soft kiss. This time it was deeper and more meaningful. It felt right. It was as if this was something they should have done long ago. There was more than just affection, lust, or comfort. Now a real, genuine love and it was a feeling like no other. Selene did a lot of damage, but there were some things that even she couldn’t corrupt. Kitty and Piotr gave each other strength as they fought through the torment. Now they had even more now that had shared this.

The Hellfire Club had hardened them over the years. They were not going to stray from this fight against Selene. But it had also opened them up to their passions. Whether it was anger, determination, or love Kitty and Piotr let it drive them to become who they were. Nobody knew what Selene had in store for them, but whatever it was at least they had something to look forward to after it was over.

Outside Beach – Remy and Ororo

While many of the pawns were sore and tired from their ordeal, Remy and Ororo remained restless. They had gotten a checkup like everybody else. They had their share of scrapes and wounds from the fight. Ororo had been grazed by a couple of bullets from the guards so those required some bandages and a dose of healing agents. Remy had his share of bruises, but it was nothing serious. He had taken much worse in the past and wasn’t going to have as many scars from it as he could have. And yet this fight left him and Ororo reeling in ways they never expected.

For years Ororo and Remy had just been thieves for the Hellfire Club. They didn’t get too closely involved with the daily affairs of the organization. They just carried out jobs for them that Xavier didn’t trust anyone else to do. But now they found themselves so deeply involved in the Hellfire Club it was hard to escape. They were so involved Selene saw it fit to send Sabretooth and an army of assassins to kill them. If they hadn’t made the decision to help Charles and Moria with their plan they probably would have succeeded. But in doing so they crossed a line from just being thieves for hire to being a part of something bigger. And after having fought so hard against Selene and her forces they knew there was no going back.

The two thieves found themselves contemplating their situation endlessly after leaving the infirmary. They were too restless to sleep so Ororo decided to go for a walk. Being surrounded by nature always seemed to clear her head. Remy tagged along with her, but not because nature helped clear his head or anything. He just liked being around Ororo during times like this. And they needed each other if they were to get through this.

Neither one of them said much as they walked along the beach, watching as small waves crashed upon the shore. The sky was pretty clear too so the stars and the moon were visible. It would have been a picturesque sight if it weren’t for the dire circumstances.

“So…” said Ororo, breaking the silence.

“So…” Remy repeated.

“What now?” said the African thief, “Did we ever plan what we would do after we got through this?”

“Remy must have missed that meeting. Even the best thieves can’t plan ahead for everything. Who knew that Selene woman would take it this far or that we would have to blow up the manor to get away? We knew were gonna have to improvise from the get go.”

“I know, but I never thought we it would have to go this far. Just look at everything that’s happened, Remy. The lives we once had are officially over.”

“Aw don’t say that, cherè. We still master thieves, ain’t we?” said Remy, slipping an arm around her waist.

“That’s not the point,” she said distantly, “Remember what I told you early on about working for the Hellfire Club? We have to keep our distance from its internal affairs so we don’t become targets from rivals or other thieves. That’s why we only stole for Xavier and nothing more. But we had to get involved in order to get through this.”

“Well we kinda had to,” shrugged Remy, “If we hadn’t Selene would have killed us.”

“I know and that’s the ultimate irony. The only way to protect ourselves was to throw our old lives away forever. And since Selene is still out there and the Hellfire Club is a mess there’s no going back. We involved in this now every bit as much as the pawns. And I’m still trying to wrap my head around it I guess.”

Remy fell silent as he took in her words. He tried to lighten the mood, but it just didn’t work in a situation like this. There really was no going back to their old lives. They were too deeply involved now. They couldn’t afford to be outsiders anymore. They knew it was coming and yet they still were surprised by it.

“So what’s that mean? We gonna become pawns too now?” said Remy.

“I don’t know. We kind of already were when we agreed to this,” said Ororo, “Maybe I’m just brooding, but I really liked how things were before. I was being paid a king’s ransom to do skills I’ve been good at doing my whole life. Don’t get me wrong, I have aspirations. I always figured I’d get more involved with the Hellfire Club eventually. I just didn’t expect it to happen like this.”

“Trust me, cherè. Nobody expected this. And we got real psychics workin’ with us so what’s that tell you?”

Ororo laughed somewhat at his comment. Remy was always good at lightening the mood, but her uncertainty persisted.

“I guess you’re right. It just seems so complicated.”

Remy was silent for a moment as they stopped along the beach to admire the moon. He looked over at his long-time partner and friend and saw an array of emotions. He knew Ororo well. He probably knew her better than anybody. But she was still a mystery at times. She still didn’t talk much about her past or why she was so distant at times. She never liked to get too involved, even though she clearly had feelings for him. But he never called her out on it because his situation as similar. He kept a lot of people at arm’s length throughout his life, but he let himself get close to Ororo. He trusted her enough to watch his back on the job. Maybe now it was time to trust her a little further. They may not get another chance.

“That’s just it, cherè. Things is never as simple as we want them to be. Believe me, I know. But it ain’t necessarily a bad thing.”

“What do you mean?” asked Ororo curiously.

Remy took a deep breath as he prepared to tell a story he hoped he would never have to tell again.

“Back in the day when Remy was in the Thieve’s Guild, we had simple rules. We look out for each other and we get the job done. Ever since Remy was a boy my perè, Jean Luc, drilled that into my head as if it were a prayer. And we all followed it to the letter. Throughout my teen years I never even thought about it. But pretty soon those simple rules weren’t enough.”

Ororo looked at the Cajun more intently. She knew it had to be serious if Remy was going into details about his past. He rarely even hinted at it. So whatever point he had to make, it had to be serious.

“It started with the long standing war between the Thieves and the Assassins. We got word that they was usin’ magic or some other mystic mojo to expand their power. Naturally, the Thieves responded. We started stealin’ mystic relics ourselves and usin’ em to guard our turf. But it just kept on growing and growing. Watchin’ each others’ backs just wasn’t enough anymore. Sometimes keepin’ with those rules meant needless losses that weakened the Guild from top to bottom. It got to a point it was so bad both sides tried to negotiate a truce. And that’s where it got real complicated for Remy.”

“How so?” asked Ororo intently.

Remy hesitated to go on because he had a feeling she wasn’t going to like this. But she deserved to know.

“In sort of a twisted peace gesture, my perè agreed with the head of the Assassins that I would marry one of their top agents, Belladonna.”

“You marry?” said Ororo with a half grin.

“Yeah, I know. Hard to believe, non?” he sighed, “But yeah, it was all set up. I was gonna marry a woman I barely knew to help my fellow thieves. But as you’ve probably figured out, Remy didn’t go through with it. And it wasn’t because of cold feet.”

“What was it then?”

Remy’s expression grew distant as he let out a deep sigh.

“It was because I found out that what I was doing was only going to make things worse. I overheard a conversation Belledonna was havin’ with one of the higher ups. Right in the middle of the reception, they was gonna spring a trap that would take out pretty much the entire top half of the Thieves Guild. So if I walked down that aisle, it would have been over.”

Ororo took a moment to digest that. Now she understood why he was so averse to opening up at times. Being put in a position like that was hard enough. But that wasn’t the end of the story.

“So Remy did what he had to do. I ran away and didn’t look back. Of course, it really messed things up between the guilds. The fightin’ resumed and it’s probably still goin’ on. And Remy couldn’t show his face to either side because to them I was a coward and a traitor. But that don’t bother me a bit. Yeah, it really complicated things. But it was better than the alternative.”

His expression sank again. Ororo placed an arm on his shoulder and moved in closer, lending her comfort to her long-time friend.

“I’m sorry you had to go through that,” she said.

“Don’t be sorry, cherè. It was tough, but thankfully you and Xavier came along and gave Remy another chance. I know Remy was real stubborn about it at first, but even when everything you care about has fallen apart it’s still hard to say goodbye. I know that don’t make no sense, but that’s how Remy feels.”

Ororo was silent for a moment. She looked away, her eyes drifting back towards the stars and then back to Remy. She thought she knew this man well, but now she had an insight that put him in a whole new light. He made a sacrifice to honor the code of the Thieves Guild that left him exiled and alone. It broke him out of the world he knew, leaving him lost and uncertain not unlike they were now. But it eventually led to something else and that really resonated with Ororo.

She then moved in closer to him, slipping both arms around his neck and caressing his unshaven face. At first Remy wasn’t sure what she was doing, but then he saw a strange look of empathy in her eyes. It wasn’t a look he expected from her, but he could see it clearly.

“Actually, it makes perfect sense to me,” she told him, “You’re not the only one who had to leave something behind you cherished.”

“You don’t say?” said Remy curiously, “You ever been through something like that?”

“I have,” she said, her expression shifting, “Years ago when I was still a pickpocket in Africa, I met this man who I thought might be the one for me. His name was T’Challa and he was a prince of this small, isolated kingdom called Wakanda.”

“A prince?” said Remy, “So you could have been a real queen?”

“I could have. But I didn’t,” she said distantly, “What happened was his royal handlers found out I was a thief and they didn’t were already wary of outsiders so having a thief in their midst didn’t sit well. But it didn’t bother T’Challa. He thought he could work them over so long as I promised to stop. But it wasn’t that easy.”

Ororo sighed as the memories came rushing back. For a while it looked as though she might move away from the world of thievery, but she was too entrenched at that point.

“You know as well as I do, Remy, that it’s hard to just stop being a thief when it’s such a big part of your life. It was all I knew and it was how I survived. I can’t tell you how many arguments we had over it. He didn’t understand because he grew up never having to steal anything to survive. When it began to look as though it wasn’t going to work between us, some Wakandan agents came in to take me out. The way they saw it a thief that knew of their kingdom’s existence was too dangerous a threat.”

“Remy guessed they failed,” he said with a half grin.

“Let’s just say they underestimated the resolve of a mutant thief,” she said, “After that I confronted T’Challa. He claimed he had no knowledge of the agents. And I believed him. But the incident proved to that we could never be together. He just didn’t understand. He tried to get me to stay, but it was too late. I was a target now so I had to run away. Chances are there are still some people in Wakanda who want me dead. It was shortly after that I moved to New York and began working for Xavier. But still…it was hard leaving everything behind.”

It was the first time Ororo told someone about this. She never even told Xavier. It was a dark time in her life where she got caught up in something she didn’t have control over. It was a lot like what she was caught up in now. Things had been simpler and easier before, but now they were complicated. But it was reassuring in many ways to finally open up to someone who could really understand. She and Remy seemed to have the same mishaps and heartaches in life, but at least now they had someone to relate to.

The two thieves stood lost in the moment. Remy didn’t make a comment or quip like he usually did. Ororo didn’t go on either. There was nothing else to say. She just stood there in his arms while he held her close, gazing into her eyes. For the first time in a lifetime Remy and Ororo had opened up to someone. It was liberating and refreshing. And it brought them closer in a way they never expected.

“So…” said Remy, breaking the silence.

“So…isn’t this how this conversation started?” she said with a half-grin.

“Oui, just thought a little consistency would help,” said Remy, “I know we ain’t always been too open to each other or anybody for that matter, but for what it’s worth I understand.”

“Yes…me too,” she said as she caressed his face.

Remy smiled back as he trailed his hands up her back, throwing in a little lustful affection as he so often did.

“There’s just one more thing, cherè…”

“Of course, what is it Remy?” said Ororo.

“When you left T’Challa for good did that mean you didn’t wanna love again? Would you still be open to giving it another shot?”

Ororo smiled as she affectionately gazed into Remy’s mysterious red on black eyes. It was a question she knew was bound to come up. But after everything they just revealed to one another, it was one she didn’t hesitate to answer.

“Oh I’m still open to giving love another chance,” she told him, “I just…wanted to wait for the right moment.”

“What’s wrong with now?”

“Do you always have to be this impatient?” she teased.

“That ain’t an answer. Seriously, Stormy…why not now?”

Ororo thought about it for a moment. She and Remy had always been close. They developed their own unique bond in the years they had been working together. They always resisted getting to close even though many times they did act like they were an item. But things had changed. Everything was changing. The circumstances of their lives were different now and there was no telling where it would lead them. Perhaps now was as good a time as any to take a chance like this. They may not get another.

“You’re right, Remy,” she said softly, “Now works just fine.”

Remy and Ororo then came together in a deep kiss. Under the stars on a beach on an island secluded from the world, it seemed as good a place as any to take this step. They had come a long way as partners and lovers. With so much changing between them, the Hellfire Club, and everything in between nothing was certain. But through it all they found something they could hang onto and that was each other. Neither of them knew what to expect, but whatever may come they would face it together.

As they kissed and embraced, their gestures grew more heated. Hands began to roam with Remy slipping his hands onto her butt while Ororo hungrily raked her hands over his chest. Restlessness and anxiety had given way to passion and soon the feeling was burning inside them. The other pawns may not have been in the mood for such acts, but Remy and Ororo were the exception.

“Mmm…make love to me, Remy,” moaned Ororo through the kissing.

“You mean out here or inside?” he said with a wry grin.

“I meant out here on the beach. Can you think of a more perfect place to make love at a time like this?”

Remy didn’t bother giving it any thought. He just smiled and pulled her into another kiss, letting the passion take over. In their embrace they helped remove their clothes. Ororo pulled Remy’s shirt off over his head and he did the same for her, exposing her mocha colored breasts. Once free he gripped them firmly in both hands and began rubbing them, evoking a soft moan from the African beauty. As the arousal between them built up, their legs refused to carry them and they pulled each other down to the soft sands beneath them. There Ororo got on top of him and continued to kiss him passionately while he affectionately rubbed her breasts, evoking more passionate moans.

After some nice thorough kissing, Ororo began trailing her lips down Remy’s neck and over his chest. She slowly worked her way down past his core, highlighting every area along the way. As she did this she undid his pants and gave them a nice tug to get them off along with his shoes. Upon tossing them aside she flashed her lover a seductive grin and tenderly grasped his growing member. Remy let out a deep moan as he felt her gestures. They had done this before, but this time it felt more passionate and meaningful. He sat up, resting on the back of his hands while Ororo playfully stroked his member and gave it a soft lick. Then she tenderly devoured it whole, slowly and sensually licking up his entire length.

“Ohhhhhh cherè…” he moaned blissfully.

Remy watched as her head bobbed up and down his length, sucking and slurping his member until it was hard and ridged. Once fully aroused she rose up and slipped out of her pants. Remy helped her get them off, grabbing the sides and pulling them off so he could toss them aside along with his clothes. Now fully naked herself, Remy saw her wet arousal between her legs. She wanted him every bit as badly as he wanted her. So they continued to follow their passions.

Remy pulled her back into his embrace. And as Ororo embraced him back she hooked her legs over his hips so she was sitting upright in his lap, her wet folds hovering just over his erect member. Remy remained upright as well, holding onto her hips as he kissed her passionately. For a while they just enjoyed the feeling of one another’s naked bodies. Ororo let her flesh grind up against his, building more arousal and further stirring their passions. This wasn’t just a meaningless romp. They had plenty of those in the past, but this was different. This would be a very special experience.

After kissing and making out for a while, Ororo slowly lowered herself onto Remy’s dick. She let out deep moan as his length penetrated her wet folds. She clung to Remy harder as she took in the feeling, gazing lovingly into his alluring eyes as their bodies melded in an act of passion. Then while clinging to each other, Ororo began moving her in a back-and-forth rhythm and Remy guided her along with his powerful grip. More bliss followed. They had heard from others like Scott and Jean that there was a big difference between having sex and making love. They never understood that, but now they did.

“Uh-uh-uh-Remy-uh-ohhhhhh Remy!” gasped Ororo.

“Uh-uh-cherè-uh-uh-cherè!” grunted Remy through the motions.

Together their bodies rocked in a heated, blissful rhythm. It wasn’t as vigorous or lustful as it was with other partners. But it was still much more intense. Remy and Ororo continued to kiss and feel up one another as they moved to the pace of their lovemaking. Ororo’s tight pussy slid up and down Remy’s erect cock, working it thoroughly inside her. They kissed and embraced every step of the way, drawing out the feeling until they each reached their climax together. Ororo got hers first, closing her eyes and throwing her head back as she let out a cry of ecstasy. And as her inner muscles throbbed around Remy’s member, he got his as well. The feeling was more intense and intimate than usual. They clung to each other as it coursed through them, filling them with pleasure and bliss.

“Ororo…mon amour,” said Remy breathlessly.

“Mmm…don’t stop, Remy,” she told him, “Make love to me again.”

Smiling at her words, Remy pulled her into another kiss and the lovemaking continued. He laid her down on the sandy beach, caressing her womanly curves and tenderly tracing along her naked skin. Ororo held onto his shoulders and wrapped her legs around his torso, keeping him firmly in her warmth. The Cajun then dug his feet into the sand and drove his member back into her. With a firm grip on her hips, he worked his manly body up and down hers as he rhythmically thrust into her with the same care and vigor as before. They dragged it out again until she had another orgasm. But they didn’t stop there.

They continued rolling around on the beach, making love in a variety of position. Ororo pinned Remy on his back and straddled his hips, riding him long and hard until he got a climax of his own. Then he got back on top of her and kissed down her womanly curves until he buried his face in her wet pussy. He licked and kissed her wet folds, making her moan out into the night so loud she caused a few sharp gusts of wind. Then she rose up again so she was on her knees and turned away so he could bend her over a bit and enter her again. From there their naked bodies bounced to the rhythm, Ororo bouncing up and down his length while Remy delivered nice thorough thrusts into her. He also reached around and caressed her breasts while he kissed down her neck, evoking more deep moans from her. They did it in this position until they each built up one final peak together. But before they reached it they switched positions one last time.

With the waves now beginning to ride up under them Ororo turned around and literally jumped her lover, throwing her arms and legs around him and prompting him to catch her. He did so dutifully, holding onto her butt and lowering her back onto his erect member where they resumed the pace of their lovemaking. They could feel the bliss beginning to wash over them. It was the most intense feeling yet and they held on tight as they felt it draw near.

“UH-UH-UH-REMY-UH-OH I’M CUMMING-UH-OH I’M GOING TO CUM!”

“UH-UH-OH ME TOO CHERÈ-UH-UH-OHHHHHHHHH!”

Just as a wave passed under them, Ororo and Remy climaxed together. Ororo arched her back and tightened her legs and thighs as her pussy clamped down on her lover’s. Remy closed his eyes and grunted as he sprayed his load inside her womanly depths, feeling her insides tighten and soak up every last drop.

Together, they embraced the ecstasy, gazing lovingly into each others’ eyes as relished this moment. They had been friends and partners for years, always wondering if they should take that next step but never going through with it. Remy Lebeau and Ororo Munroe didn’t open up easily. History showed them that it always led to heartaches. But they took another chance. There wasn’t just love between them, but understanding. And this time it felt right.

“I love you, Remy,” said Ororo softly.

“I love you too, Storm.”

Under the stars on the sandy, picturesque beach the two thieves met in one last kiss. It was a fitting way to end such a night. There was no telling what this growing conflict with the Hellfire Club would bring, but they were confident they had the strength to endure it together.

Kingdom of Nova Roma – Imperial Palace

Nestled in the thick jungles of South America was a kingdom hidden from the rest of the world. It was a kingdom unique in that it was the last remnants of the great Roman Empire. Many centuries ago, a group of Roman citizens fled their homeland to avoid a barbarian invasion. They set sail across into the ocean in hopes of finding a land far from the conflict. They got blown off course and eventually found themselves in the jungles of the Amazon. It was there they set up a new Rome, one that would be immune from the conflicts of old and be secure from any barbarians. And it endured in secret, protected by an array of mystical defenses.

But the secret was well-known by Selene. It had to be because she was the one who started it all. Before there had been a Hellfire Club, she was just a powerful sorceress with aspirations of greater power. When she heard about the fleeing Romans, she saw her chance. Using her magic, she was able to tame the unforgiving jungle and create a perfect replica of a Roman city. The citizens were grateful at first and completely willing to make her their queen. But they soon learned the high price they would pay for such foolishness.

Selene’s rule over them was cruel and tyrannical. While the citizens were safe from outsiders and barbarians, there was no defense against their queen’s ruthlessness. She routinely slaughtered and tortured those who displeased her. Even those that didn’t, she showed a blatant disregard for civility or compassion. Eventually, the citizens turned on her and with the help of other mystics, were able to exile her for many centuries. But about ten years ago, she returned and seized power once more. She killed and tortured the royal family, had all the rival mystic slaughtered, and proclaimed herself immortal queen once more. And the once peaceful and prosperous kingdom reverted back to its old ways of tyranny and brutality.

But to everyone’s surprise, Selene did not reign over her kingdom directly. Once she seized power, she stepped back and let a group of mind controlled Hellfire officials run the day to day operations. They carried out her acts of cruelty, making it clear to the citizens she was still in charge. But before she left she proclaimed that she was preparing Nova Roma for her ultimate ascension. She wouldn’t say what that entailed, but she promised she would return when the time was right. And that time was now.

“Wow…so this is Nova Roma,” said Monet as she gazed out the window of the Hellfire jet as it landed.

“Indeed,” answered Selene as she emerged from the cockpit, “This is Nova Roma, the last vestige of the Roman Empire. It is a kingdom I helped create centuries ago. And it will be the sight where the final phase of my plans will take place.”

“Not bad,” said Roberto, “It’s not too far from home for me.”

“Hell, it’s my kind of place!” grinned Sabretooth, “Surrounded by jungle and full of good hunting ground!”

“Of course you would like it,” said Tabitha, rolling her eyes, “If I knew we were heading to a secret tropical city I would have brought my sunscreen.”

“This isn’t a vacation, Tabitha. We’re here on business,” said Warren.

“I know. I know,” she sighed, “What kind of business are we talking about anyways?”

“You’ll see,” said Selene with an ominous grin, “But I assure you it’ll be something for the ages.”

Selene’s minions couldn’t help but smile at her words. Mistress Selene was not one for exaggeration. When she said this would be for the ages she meant it. And they had every intention of following her to the very end.

“What about Xavier? Does he know about this place?” asked Warren.

“Oh he knows,” said Selene bitterly, “He’s one of the few outsiders that does.”

“How did that happen?” asked Roberto, “Does that mean he and the others could drop in on us?”

“I highly doubt it,” scoffed Selene, “This whole area is protected by a powerful magic veil. There isn’t a system in the world that can penetrate it from the outside. He might as well stumble in the dark.”

“That doesn’t mean he won’t find a way,” said Sinister, who had been flying the plane, “Charles is nothing if not resourceful.”

“Have some confidence in our Mistress, Sinister,” said Alex sternly as he cuddled with Lorna, “These are not issues you need to concern yourself with.”

“I’ll be the judge of that, boy,” said Sinister with a scorn, “If this so called ‘kingdom’ is supposed to be a vestige of Ancient Rome then you better have a way to get power and resources here so I can complete my experiment.”

“I’ve already taken care of that, Sinister,” assured Selene, “I ordered my guard to set up a laboratory in the imperial palace. You’ll have everything you need to finish your work.”

“I better. I’ve come too far to be thwarted by meaningless logistics!”

“Oh believe me, I understand completely,” said the Black Queen with a dark grin, “But don’t worry. I haven’t forgotten our arrangement. I will continue to do my part so long as you do yours.”

Sinister was inclined to scoff at such a notion, but he had too much work to do to bicker with Selene at the moment. With Hank gone he would have to do much of it on his own now and that would take time. And the longer he remained caught up in Selene’s affairs the more dangerous it seemed. Whatever she was planning he wasn’t about to let it interfere with his agenda. Even if she screwed him over, he was prepared to respond.

“You there…” said Selene, pointing to Alex, Roberto, and Monet, “Help my elite guard unload the equipment from the cargo bay. Use Lorna, Laura, and Magneto for the heavy lifting and if they step out of line, let me know. Make sure they remember who’s in charge.”

“Oh don’t worry about that. I’ll remind them,” growled Sabretooth with a grin as he eyed Laura.

“What about the rest of us?” asked Warren.

“You’ll be assisting me on setting up some of the materials I had shipped from the manor,” she said as she led them off the plane, “Before I can implement the final phase of my plan, I must make sure everything is in place. My power must be optimal for when the time comes.”

Selene’s minions obediently nodded as they followed her outside, where they were all struck by the humid tropical heat. There was already a team of elite guards in Roman style armor waiting to greet them. They all had a similar style to Selene’s special guard back at the manor in that their clothing was similar and they had the distinct black masks. Once outside Alex, Roberto, and Monet led Magneto, Laura, and Lorna to the rear of the plane where they were unloading it. They were still under mind-control so they were silent and obedient. They were a little sluggish at times, especially Magneto and Laura, but a few light reminders from Sabretooth kept them in line.

While the others began working with Sinister to unload the plane Warren, Betsy, and Tabitha followed Mistress Selene to an area near the front of the plane where another smaller opening revealed a last-minute yet vital addition to her plan. She didn’t anticipate having to do this, but with Xavier’s sudden return she had to improvise.

Out from the opening stepped Kurt and Wanda. And standing between them was a blindfolded and disoriented Illyana Rasputin. She was restrained by metal shackles on her hands and chains on her ankles. Kurt and Wanda held onto her arms from each side, moving her down the steps and up to their mistress. She was still pale and sickly, but she still had the strength to resist and make capturing her all the more difficult.

“Errrrr let me go! Get this blindfold off me now! Who are you people?!” she exclaimed as she struggled.

“Shut up already!” groaned Wanda, “Sorry, Mistress Selene. This little bitch is a bigger handful than we expected.”

“I’m sure it’s nothing you couldn’t handle,” said Selene as she looked down at the young girl as she kept struggling to break out of Kurt and Wanda’s grip.

“Of course not, but I had to suppress more than just her mutant teleportation powers. She has an intense field of mystical energy around her. I tried to contain it, but even with my hexing powers it was difficult.”

“But it is still contained, right?” said the Black Queen.

“For now,” said Wanda, “But I don’t know how long my spell will hold up.”

“What spell?! What are you doing to me?! Why can’t I teleport?!” exclaimed Illyana as she kept struggling.

Selene looked over the young Russian for a moment. She held out her hand to get a feel for the kind of mystical energy surrounding her. What she felt was greater than she anticipated. Her hand started glowing bright yellow, indicating some very potent potential. Even in her immortal lifetime such energy was rare. Magic, being both art and science, adhered to some unorthodox but ridged rules. And one of those rules was that every once in a while someone was imbued with a powerful connection to mystical forces.

This girl, Illyana Rasputin, was one of them. Selene had been keeping track of her for over a year now. She noticed that every time Piotr went to visit her he had some sort of mystical residue lingering. It didn’t come from him so she suspected it rubbed off on him while he was around a particularly potent source. She traced that source back to Illyana and from then on she kept an eye on her. She suspected this mystical connection was related to her mutant powers. She had Sinister do a secret analysis that revealed among other things, when she teleported she would briefly shift into a different dimension before re-emerging back in this one. It was similar to Kurt’s powers, only the dimensions Illyana was shifting into were very different in that they were potent sources of mystical energy. It was that connection to those dimensions that intrigued Selene.

The Black Queen grabbed the blind fold and ripped it off so Illyana could see where she was. When she looked into the eyes of the young teenage girl she saw a sickly, anxious, yet defiant spirit. She assumed that was some of her brother’s traits rubbing off on her and while she was intimidated, she did not show her fear.

“So you’re Illyana Raspuin,” said the Black Queen, “I must say I expected a bit more from someone with you’re ‘unique’ traits.”

“You must be Selene,” she said in her heavily accented tone, “My brother told me about you.”

“Did he now?” Selene grinned.

“He told me you’re a cruel, sadistic, bitch who will do anything to get what you want.”

“Ha! That sounds about right.”

“He also told me you smell like a dead goat covered in mud. And now that I’m here I can see that he was right. Only I don’t want to insult the dead goat.”

Selene’s expression cringed with anger. This girl had a lot of gall to make such remarks. Even her brother wasn’t that foolish. She watched as Wanda gave her a light shock with her hex bolts.

“Watch you’re tongue you little snot! You’re speaking to the Black Queen! You WILL be respectful or I will make you suffer!”

“Do not threaten me! I have no respect for any of you!” said Illyana defiantly.

Wanda was about to strike her again, but Selene stopped her before she could.

“No Wanda. As much as I resent such disrespect, I need her unharmed.”

“But…” Wanda began.

“That is not a request, my pupil!” said Selene sternly, “You are not to lay another hand on her until I say so! Is that clear?”

Wanda shot Illyana a hard scorn, but as much as she hated leaving such deeds unpunished she had to obey her mistress.

“Yes, Mistress Selene,” she said respectfully.

“Good, now take her to my throne room and keep her bound,” Selene ordered, “If she continues to be harass you, gag her. Just make sure her powers stay contained. They will be playing a big part in the events to come.”

Wanda nodded and obeyed her Mistress. She grabbed Illyana by the shoulder and started guiding her into the imperial palace. She continued to struggle, but Kurt and Wanda kept a strong hold on her. They weren’t sure why this girl was such a major part of Mistress Selene’s plans, but they did not question it.

“Take it easy, little one,” said Kurt in a flat tone, “It’ll all be over before you know it.”

But Illyana remained defiant.

“My brother will find me and stop you. Just you wait. He’ll come and then you’ll all be sorry.”

“Kurt, get the ball gag. I’ve had enough of this little insect’s mouth!” grunted Wanda.

Kurt did as his love requested and took out a gag that they used earlier when they abducted her. He then forced it into her mouth so she could not say another word. She continued to struggle, but there was no escape now. She was a part of Selene’s plans and like everyone else, she would serve her purpose. What that purpose was, however, was known only to Selene.

As the Black Queen watched Kurt and Wanda drag Illyana off she turned her attention over towards the balcony over the landing port. There she could see over the large ridge where her vast palace stood upon and look out over her kingdom. She could see nearly all of it from here. It was much bigger than she remembered when she started it. In the years she had been exiled it had nearly doubled in size. In its current state it contained as many people as Rome itself had back in its peak. If anybody else were standing in her position they would have thought they were looking out into the heart Ancient Rome itself. But just below the surface, she could see the fruits of her handiwork.

Before her return, Nova Roma was a peaceful, thriving kingdom. Mystics protected the city’s sanctity while citizens and artisans worked to build great monuments of art and culture. They even kept up with science, using agents on the outside to bring in technology so that every citizen could live in comfort similar to that of prominent Roman merchants. Because of this prosperity, the Nova Roman state and the royal family that held it together was beloved and adored. But to Selene, this ideal setting for Nova Roma was a coarse perversion of the kingdom she once ruled.

Once she got back into power she quickly re-established the old way of doing things. She killed off the old order and established and absolute rule. Then with her new elite guard, she taxed the wealth away from her citizens and used it along with Hellfire resources to expand the imperial palace to a level of opulence that would have made Nero himself jealous. The rest of her citizens were reduced to dire poverty. They all lived on the very brink, constantly starving and completely at the mercy of her ruthless guards. None dared to resist her. Fear and terror kept them in line. And because of that she could do with her kingdom as she pleased. But it still wasn’t enough.

Nova Roma was just the beginning. To have this kind of power and control over a mere kingdom was hardly fitting for someone of her power. Soon the entire world would be like the submissive citizens of Nova Roma. They would tremble in terror before her absolute power and she would decide the fates of all. And she wouldn’t just be wielding the power of a queen. She would be wielding the power of a true goddess.

‘It’s so close. I can feel it! Soon the power will be mine! And the whole world will be consumed by the fires of hell!’

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Up next: Selene and Sinister clash while Xavier and the pawns stumble onto a clue from an unexpected source.