New Blood III: Triumph of Darkness

New Blood
Chapter 3: Leaving Behind and Moving Ahead

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Club Hellfire

It had been three days since the attack by the Hand and three days since Selene broke Psylocke. Since then, as those involved recovered, the former Hand assassin was quickly thrust into the ways of the Hellfire Club. Only she wasn’t a pawn. She was officially still a prisoner. Having opposed the Hellfire Club and having tried to kill the Black King, she was guilty of an unforgivable transgression. Because of that she had to pay her dues and that involved some pretty ‘labor intensive’ tasks.

Chief among her new roles was her new job as a sex worker. Her fit, toned body that had been sculpted by years of assassin training was a valuable asset. She already had an affinity for skin tight outfits so she would keep that role, only now she would be taking them off for men who paid her handsomely. She was to immediately begin work on the major night shifts at Club Hellfire where she would cater to all men, regardless of their tastes. With the other pawns, they had a certain level of freedom in their work. They could refuse service from a client, set their own terms for private sessions, and work out their shifts in whatever way they pleased. But Betsy wouldn’t have that luxury. She had to work whether she wanted to or not. It was the price she had to pay for opposing the Hellfire Club and she had a long ways to go in repaying it.

But it wasn’t just her body and subservience that the Inner Circle planned to use. Her assassin skills should also prove useful. When she wasn’t stripping or serving clients, she was also obligated to accompany the other pawns on missions. She was to use her skills to strike at the enemies of the Hellfire Club, whether it was through assassination or torture. She was supposed to be an unthinking, unquestioning minion who would carry out an order in the field no matter what. It was just like her days with the Hand, only the level of control was much stricter.

But despite being relegated to such work and having so few choices in the process, Betsy did not complain or speak out. After Selene got through with her she had become the quiet type. She didn’t spark up any conversations, make comments about anything, or really associate with anybody. Some of the young pawns who hadn’t been in the fight tried to talk to her, but she never said any more than she had to. It was as if she had accepted her fate as their prisoner and so long as she did as she was told, she would receive some level of comfort.

Tonight was her first shift at Club Hellfire. Emma and Jean had already fitted Betsy with a couple of revealing outfits, mostly purple lingerie and matching thongs, and she was being given a crash course in how to serve clients by the other girls working that night. Among them were Jubilee, Danielle, and Lorna. And they were glad to have someone like her on board who would cater to the clients they didn’t like dealing with.

“It gets busiest around ten. And during that time there are supposed to be three girls dancing at all times,” Jubilee explained, “When dancing, try and drag it out for a good ten to fifteen minutes depending on the song selection and your outfit.”

“And remember, you have to take everything off,” said Danielle, “These men paid to see everything and you’re going to show them everything.”

“Don’t worry. I know the drill there,” said Betsy.

“But when you’re not dancing you should be walking the clubs, looking for a client to serve,” Jubilee went on, “Most are pretty easy to entice and most will come to you. Once you have a client, or clients in some cases, take them back to one of the rooms we showed you and do what you have to do to satisfy them.”

“Sounds simple enough,” shrugged the purple haired mutant.

“But there are some caveats,” said Lorna strongly, “Remember, you’re officially a prisoner. Jubilee, Danielle, and I are pawns. We have certain privileges and freedoms. We can refuse service to a client if we do not like them. We can refuse to do certain acts in private if we don’t want to do them. And we can adjust our schedule if we want if we don’t feel in the mood so to speak. But you don’t have any of those rights.”

“So what does that mean? I just have to do everything they ask?” said Betsy, still not showing any hints of aversion.

“Exactly!” said Lorna, speaking with a touch of scorn in her tone, “If a man asks you to get on all fours, bark like a dog, and lick his ass you have to do it. If a man wants you to stick something inside you that’s two sizes too big, you have to do it. Once more, you have to do it for as long as shift as we tell you to. You don’t get to adjust your schedule. You don’t get to choose your clients.”

“And what if I can’t get in the mood?”

“Then go back stage. Emma has some drugs that will help. Or talk to Jean or Wanda. They’ll cast a spell that will put you in the mood. Either way, you have to do everything we ask of you. No questions. No complaints. That’s it. Understand?”

Betsy’s expression remained hallow. It wasn’t a fair deal to say the least. Lorna was basically telling her that she was a sex slave. But that didn’t bother her as much as it should have. She was used to being used. After what Selene did to her, there was nothing these people or these girls could do or say to her to crush her spirits. It had already been crushed. Mistress Selene had already conditioned her for what she was going to do. For now she was just going through the motions.

“I understand,” she said flatly.

“Good, then get on stage and start stripping. Your shift begins now,” said Lorna sternly.

Betsy obediently complied, but still flashed her a dirty look before slipping away. Just because she couldn’t talk back didn’t mean she had to be weak. She was still a tough assassin and wasn’t about to let these young pawns forget it.

But Lorna didn’t care how tough she was. Betsy was a prisoner who they had authority over. Having lived much of her life never being an authority over anything, it was a powerful role she immediately took to. She was already asserting herself as a superior to this woman and wasn’t going to let her forget it. Danielle and Jubilee found her sudden power trip a little strange.

“What?” said Lorna, noticing the looks they were giving her.

“Nothing, but don’t you think you’re being a little brash with her?” said Danielle, “She probably got that same speech from Emma and Jean.”

“So what? It’s worth reinforcing,” said Lorna.

“Is that the only reason?” said Jubilee suspiciously.

Lorna groaned, unable to hide her bitterness over this issue.

“Look, that bitch stabbed Pietro in the leg! Do you really expect me not to be a little bitter?”

“No, but I think she got plenty of punishment from Selene,” said Danielle.

“Maybe, but I don’t get over this sort of thing that easily,” said Lorna, “As far as I’m concerned, she still has to pay her dues. And I’m going to make sure she pays them. If you want to play it soft, be my guest. But Lord Xavier and Mistress Selene taught us to be tough on our enemies. And just because Psylocke works with us now doesn’t mean we have to cut her any slack.”

Before Danielle and Jubilee could comment any further, Lorna stormed off. She wasn’t having any more of this conversation. They both understood the idea of being tough with enemies and anybody who tried to kill the Black King definitely qualified as an enemy. But making her a sex slave wasn’t enough for Lorna. They assumed there were personal reasons involved, namely what she did to Pietro. But she was still pushing it.

“Yeesh, talk about bitter. She’s been hanging around Alex too much,” Jubilee commented.

“I’ll say. I wouldn’t want to be in Betsy’s shoes right now,” said Danielle, “It’s bad enough she’s our prisoner. But now she’s got an angry Lorna to deal with.”

“How far do you think she’ll take it?” asked Jubilee.

“In the Hellfire Club? You never know.”

Danielle and Jubilee were content to leave this issue as it was for now. They had their own shifts coming up and now that Betsy would be taking on the clients they didn’t like, they would have even more freedom to do as they pleased. It promised to be a good night for all of them, except Betsy.

While the girls walked off, Betsy got on stage and began doing as she was instructed. A new song started playing and she began sensually slipping out of her skimpy clothes to the hoots and hollers of rich, sexually charged men. Even as they tossed money at her and reached out to touch her, her expression didn’t change. She didn’t care that she was doing something like this, degrading herself in the face of horny men. She didn’t even care that these men were intent on doing things to her that even the Hand never did. This was her life now and she was going to have to accept it.

While she danced to a growing crowd, Warren and James Poundstar sat back in a VIP booth admiring the Hellfire Club’s newest face. James, who was still wearing an eye-patch for that stunt she pulled on him in the attack, didn’t look upon her nearly as fondly as their high paying clients. But Warren insisted on dragging him out here tonight. It was his twisted way of having him get over his bitterness. He wasn’t there when Psylocke attacked them so he didn’t have nearly as many ill-feelings towards her as he did. If anything, Warren admired her womanly features as much as the other men.

“Quite a nice addition you guys picked up,” Warren commented, “Almost worth enduring a surprise attack.”

“That’s easy for you to say. You weren’t there and you didn’t get stabbed in the eye!” said James harshly as he slammed back some drinks.

“Oh get over it,” scoffed Warren, “Your eye will be fine and you can do whatever you want to her now that she’s here. Just leave it at that and be happy it wasn’t as messy as it could have been.”

“That’s some advice coming from a man who built his reputation as being messy. Seriously, how many times have you tormented Worthington Industry rivals with tactics that are anything but clean?”

“Apples and oranges, my friend. Your work in the field is not the same as my work in the office. Different settings call for different tactics. And considering how well Mistress Selene worked Betsy over and how hard Lord Xavier is striking at the Hand, I’d say both our tactics are appropriate. To still be bitter about it is just childish.”

Warpath muttered a curse under his breath as he took another drink from a nearby stripper. Warren’s arrogance never ceased to amaze him. It’s probably what made him such a good businessman. He had no capacity for empathy or sympathy. As far as he was concerned, Betsy was just another opportunity for him and another beautiful woman to spend time with.

“If it makes you feel any better, just know that Betsy will be pulling her weight around here,” said Warren, not taking her eyes off her, “I spent the last two days personally preparing her for her duties here. I even organized a few tests in the arena to measure her skills. She’s quite the fighter.”

“No need to convince me there,” said James, pointing towards his eye-patch.

“But beyond that, she’s got a skilled mind. Lord Xavier says she will prove useful as a mid-level telepath. But in her current state of mind her abilities may be somewhat limited.”

“After what Selene did to her I can only imagine,” said James, laughing somewhat at how much she changed since her time in Selene’s torture chamber.

“And then there’s that body of hers,” said Warren, holding his glass high as he watched her slip out of her thong on stage to a crowd of loving admirers, “She’s definitely in good shape for an assassin. She’ll do well here. Mistress Selene has already designated me as her personal overseer.”

“How’d you wind up with that job?” scoffed Warpath.

“I volunteered,” grinned Warren, “Something about exotic women like her intrigues me. I’m very interested in getting to know her a little better. I’m also very interested to give her the proper ‘conditioning’ per se.”

“Whatever,” sighed the Apache warrior who went back to his drink, “Just don’t expect me to start liking her anytime soon.”

“Suite yourself, James. But one way or another, I intend to become very friendly with our new little assassin. I know she’s tough and a bit dazed after what Mistress Selene did to her. But I like that in a girl.”

James rolled his eyes and turned his attention to the other girls in the club. Warren had strange tastes to say the least. A girl comes in and tries to kill the Black King, they capture her and break her, and now she’s a mindless servant to the Hellfire Club. Yet somehow Warren finds something in her that intrigues him. It didn’t make any sense, but then again few things this man did made sense to begin with. He was arrogant, but he was also dark in many ways. He never got a good vibe from him, but as far as he was concerned he was an over-the-top playboy. If he wanted to waste his time with Betsy, that was his problem.

But to Warren, his interest in this girl hardly extended to just her skills and beauty. This was a girl who had a powerful set of skills and knew how to use them. She was able to get the drop on Lord Xavier and his associates and inflict some serious punishment. That definitely caught his fancy because he loved tough yet subservient women. It caught Mistress Selene’s fancy too because anybody who could pull of a surprise attack on a man like Charles Xavier was worthy of some respect. Now that she was broken down, she had the potential to be molded in a new way. Mistress Selene trusted him to do this molding. And he had plans that would not only bring out the darkness within her, but make her a valuable asset for when Mistress Selene moved ahead in her plans.

Hellfire Wardrobe

Thanks to the Hellfire Club’s advanced medical technology, Emma was successfully treated from the effects of the paralysis disk. Two days stuck in a bed was tough, but it gave her time to think and contemplate what she had set into motion with Scott. Even with the unpleasant after effects of the attack, she had never been more excited and focused. At last she had the opportunity she had been waiting for. Scott saved her life and it was only proper that she return the favor. But she planned to do much more than just reward him.

As soon as she was given a clean bill of health, Emma began making preparations. She started gathering all the materials she would need to make this happen. For Scott, she had to pull out all the stops. She wasn’t just going to seduce this man. She was going to capture his heart. By the time she was through with him, Jean Grey will be nothing but an afterthought.

At the moment, she was in the Hellfire wardrobe going through her vast collection of sexy attire. Having been at the Hellfire Club for many years, she acquired a vast arsenal of sexy clothes that she had her own area, dwarfing what any of the other women had. For this, she needed the best she had so she broke out every piece of expensive, sexy lingerie she had and began trying them on. Monet was with her, having been roped into helping her since many of the other girls were busy working or helping out on missions against the Hand. And surprisingly, Monet was supportive of Emma’s endeavor. She almost seemed intrigued.

“What do you think? Will this little number make him faint on the spot or just make his pants explode?” said Emma confidently as she showed off her latest outfit.

“That depends,” said Monet as she watched Emma admire herself in the mirror, “Are you trying to reach his heart or his libido?”

“Is it so wrong to want to reach both?” she said coyly.

“No, but I would strive for a little more balance.”

Monet was probably right. Looking at herself now, she could seduce his libido but not his heart. She had on only a very revealing micro-thong that she had custom made in Milan. The sides were as thin as strings and were so revealing the only real coverage it had was over her private areas. She turned around to look at her butt, which was more or less exposed. She had some nice matching stockings to go with it, but it still seemed like something more appropriate for stripping and not seducing a lover.

“Not everything has to be so revealing, Emma,” said Monet, “You just need to find something that’s seductive, but not distracting.”

“Oh I’m definitely going to need to distract him,” said Emma as she slipped out of the stockings and thong, “I need to make sure Scott will be so enticed by me he won’t be able to think of anything else.”

“And just why would you want that?” said Monet with a suspicious tone.

“You’re a genius. You figure it out.”

Monet grinned. Emma claimed she was just repaying Scott for saving her life. But she couldn’t keep herself from dropping hints that she was out for something a little more. It was almost humorous because Monet never figured Emma as the loving type. But she held back her laugher as Emma tried on another set of lingerie.

“Fine, be like that. But I must say, Emma, you’re going an awfully long way just to repay this man,” she commented.

“He saved my life. He deserves more than just a meaningless romp…much more,” said Emma distantly as she admired her figure in the mirror.

“And you think you’re entitled to give it to him?”

“Why not? Scott and I have a certain closeness that extends beyond the bedroom. He’s one of the few men who aren’t intimidated by my beauty or my personality. There are times I bug him and there are times he pushes my buttons as well. But we do it in a good way.”

“That makes no logical sense,” scoffed Monet.

“Oh stop thinking so logically for once in your life!” grinned Emma as she posed in front of the mirror in another style of thong and stockings, “You may see me as cold and unfeeling like everyone else here, but believe it or not I do have a capacity for affection. It may not be the normal kind you see in cheesy movies or couples in the park, but it’s every bit as meaningful.”

Then Emma’s tone shifted. That snide, overconfident look on her face changed to something more serious and deeper. It was a look Monet never saw before. Even though she hadn’t been with the Hellfire Club long, she knew it was significant when this woman got emotional.

“It isn’t enough to just be infatuated with someone. Infatuation is just a state of mind. At its core it is utterly meaningless in the long run. To really have a bond with someone, you need to be able to push him to be a better man and he has to push you to be a better woman. It’s pointless to just go through the motions of courtship and lovemaking when there’s no substance behind it.”

“And you think you and Scott have substance?” Monet surmised.

Emma’s serious expression faded and she smiled wryly.

“We have something. It just needs to be fleshed out in the right way.”

“Fleshed out…right,” snickered Monet.

“And they say I have a dirty mind,” laughed Emma as she stripped out of her outfit and tried on another.

“Sorry, but your choice of words is a little unorthodox to say the least,” said Monet, “It leads me to assume that your history with these matters has been unorthodox as well.”

“Assume whatever you want, Monet. You’ll still be wrong,” said Emma as she slipped on a new pair of stockings, “What do you think of these?”

“Too short and doesn’t go well with the thong,” Monet answered quickly, “But tell me why I would be wrong? I am a psychic too, you know? I do pick up on things. And whenever you mention Scott I get these feelings from you that are…mixed, for a lack of a better word.”

“Your telepathy is antiquated at best,” scoffed Emma, “You just couldn’t make sense of what you were sensing.”

“Maybe, but that doesn’t mean that it’s wrong. Perhaps I’m just not sensing the whole story because there’s something you’re hiding.”

“Even if that was true, there’s no way I would ever share my personal secrets just because you’re too weak to probe my mind for them.”

Monet scorned the snide blonde. But Emma didn’t bat an eye at her. She came across plenty of harsh personalities in her life, but this woman was among the elite. She was driven to say the least, but she was also unyielding to any sort of scrutiny. Nothing was going to convince her to rethink why she was doing this. Nothing was going to convince her it would turn out any other way than the way she wanted. That kind of conceit was remarkable, but it didn’t bother Emma in the slightest.

“I don’t care about your scrutiny, Monet. I know what I’m doing and I’ve already set everything up,” said Emma as she turned her attention back to the mirror, “I reserved a very special suite at a very special hotel downtown. Scott and I will have it to ourselves for the entire night. And I intend to use every minute to not only repay him, but to connect with him in a way more meaningful than he could ever connect with someone.”

“That sounds uncharacteristically kind of you, Emma,” said Monet, “Don’t you think Jean Grey will have something to say about that?”

“Oh please, that woman is just a nuisance. She’s been holding him back for years. He deserves a more meaningful connection with someone who understands him.”

“And yet he clearly loves her,” said Monet, “I’ve seen them together.”

“What you see is a farce,” said Emma firmly, “Their relationship has been a joke since day one. They’re only together because they think they’re supposed to be together. They arrived at the same time so it’s only logical they would start going through the motions. But I’m going to show him the truth. I’m going to show him what real love is. And he will see the light. I’ll make sure of it.”

There was a touch of sinister intent in her tone. It was almost as if she wasn’t going to be denied. That kind of determination would have made most people cringe, but Monet just smiled. As harsh a personality as this woman had, she liked her grit. She was willing to do anything to get what she wanted. This situation was especially pertinent because there was an emotional element to it. She still hid it, but she clearly had a thing for Scott Summers.

“It seems you really planned this out,” said Monet, folding her arms assertively.

“Everything but what to wear,” she said as she slipped out of her outfit and searched for something else, “Now are you going to keep with this meaningless argument or are you going to help me choose?”

“I accept that you are beyond scrutiny in this matter. If you want to pursue this man, then by all means. Just be prepared if it doesn’t go your way.”

“Oh it will,” said Emma confidently, “I know it will.”

Monet’s grin widened. This little affair just kept getting better and better.

“In that case, there’s nothing more for me to say,” she shrugged, “But if you really want my fashion advice, I say stick with the first thong you tried on, ditch the stockings, and go with a simple matching camisole. But then again what do I know? I just have a genius level IQ.”

Having given her advice, Monet walked out and left Emma to her elaborate plans. She was through trying to get through that charming personality of hers. She wasn’t going to bother trying to make sense of why she wanted to seduce Scott so much. There were just some things beyond even her understanding. But personality or not, Emma was playing a dangerous game. She was so certain she didn’t seem to have any concern for rejection. And in her experience, when someone like her got rejected they didn’t take it very well. It could make for an opportunity that Mistress Selene would surely be interested in.

The blonde telepath rolled her eyes as Monet left and kept sifting through her vast wardrobe. That woman may be smart, but she was an enigma. Ever since she arrived her personality had been in flux. Most of the time she carried with her this dark demeanor. She suspected she must have spent a little too much extra time with Selene. But that was her problem. All she cared about now was making this plan of hers work.

‘Hmm…maybe the thong would go well with a camisole. Scott’s seen me in any number of provocative attire. If I really want to reach him, perhaps I should just keep it simple...simple yet still sexy.’

Emma continued with her rigorous pursuit for the perfect seduction piece. But unknown to her, the conversation with Monet hadn’t gone unheard. Standing just outside the wardrobe, Jean Grey had been listening in. She had just been passing by, looking to get a new outfit for Psylocke to try out in her first shift. She passed by just in time to hear Emma lay out her plan for ‘repaying’ Scott and belittle her relationship with Scott. Naturally, she grew very concerned.

She knew Emma had a unique friendship with Scott. Over the past four years, they became fairly close. He was probably the only one Emma really reached out to. She also slept with him more than any other man. It bothered her at first, but she and Scott worked past it. And she never suspected Emma wanted anything more in Scott than a good lover. Then again, Emma Frost was always a hard woman to read. She couldn’t pick up on her thoughts like she could with others. But after hearing this she got a bad feeling that maybe there was something more to her affection for Scott than just bedroom antics.

Emma was clearly planning something. She never spoke highly of her relationship with Scott to begin with and now it looked as though she was taking it to a new extreme. She couldn’t let that happen. She couldn’t just let her steal the man she loved for her own selfish gain. She had to do something about it. She was tempted to just barge in and start beating the truth out of this woman, but knowing Emma that wouldn’t do any good. She had only one other option. She had to talk to Scott.

X-Industrial – Rooftop

Jean had been pacing restlessly on the rooftop for what felt like two hours. But every time she checked her watch she was amazed to see that it had barely been a half hour. She was restless, anxious, and downright on edge. And for her that was saying something. She could balance life as a stripper, an aspiring mystic, an influential Hellfire operative and manager, and a powerful psychic and yet when something like this came along she was hysterical. Once again an issue with her relationship with Scott was affecting her. And she had to confront before it got any worse.

She was beginning to see why everybody warned her against getting romantically involved with anybody over the years. She liked to think she and Scott had done a good job of managing it through the many challenges they faced. They worked through having multiple sex partners, they worked through the brutal environment of the Hellfire Club, and they worked through Logan coming into the picture. Some of those issues still weren’t resolved, but they were still managing. They still loved each other and had a special bond. That had never changed. But this was a new challenge with Emma Frost had the potential to be truly difficult.

Jean’s pacing finally ceased when she heard the distinct sounds of the Hellfire Club’s helicopter descending from above. She watched anxiously as it landed on the rooftop. She sensed Scott was inside with Piotr, Logan, and Rogue. They were just getting back from a mission against the Hand, who Lord Xavier had begun striking against in wake of the attack. But it wasn’t the mission that concerned her. As soon as Scott stepped out she ran up to greet him.

“Jean? What are you doing here? Is something wrong?” he asked instinctively as he stepped onto the rooftop.

“No, nothing’s wrong. I just wanted to talk to you about something,” she said over the sound of the helicopter rotors.

“Can it wait? I need to report to Lord Xavier on the mission.”

“No Scott, it can’t wait,” she said seriously.

She had that look in her eye that left no room for argument. Scott knew it well and it was the kind of look that he couldn’t escape, even with all his relentless Hellfire training. With the helicopter engine now silent Logan, Rogue, and Piotr stepped out. They were equally surprised to see Jean, but she seemed intent on talking to Scott.

“Everything okay?” Logan inquired.

“Everything’s fine, Logan,” said Scott strongly, “Go give Lord Xavier the report.”

“You sure about that?” he questioned.

“Go Logan. I’ll catch up.”

Logan shot him a sharp glare, but Scott ignored it. His focus was entirely on Jean. He had a pretty good idea what this was about. He could see it in Jeannie’s eyes. This was bound to come up sooner or later. It looked as though it was going to be sooner. He was tempted to stay, but Piotr and Rogue pulled him away.

“Let’s go, Logan. This sounds like a private matter,” said Piotr.

“Yeah, ya don’t wanna be around for that,” said Rogue.

Logan didn’t say a word and followed them back into the building, leaving Scott and Jean alone to discuss this issue. Jean waited for them to be out of hearing distance. This wasn’t something she wanted the others in on. They got enough scrutiny already. But even after they had left, Jean didn’t say anything. She just turned away and started pacing again, not sure how to begin a conversation like this. That only made Scott worry even more.

“What’s this about Jean? Is something wrong?” he asked.

“You could say that,” she said as she looked out over the rooftop, “I overheard a conversation between Monet and Emma earlier. Emma said something about ‘repaying’ you for saving her back in Japan.”

Scott shifted awkwardly.

“Yeah, I was going to tell you about that. It’s no big deal really. Emma just wants to thank me.”

“And she’s doing that by spending the night with you in a private hotel suite across the city doing any number of wild sex acts?” said Jean apprehensively.

“Well…yeah,” shrugged Scott, “I assumed she wanted something a little more meaningful than the usual thank-you sex. We’ve done it before. It’s no different than what you do with Logan.”

“Please don’t try and throw Logan into this,” said Jean sternly, “This isn’t just about you and Emma having sex. That I’m used to. It’s just this whole setup she’s putting together. A private room, an entire night together, and lingerie so revealing its illegal in some states…it seems pretty elaborate for a simple thank you.”

“I saved her life. She considers that a pretty big deal,” Scott shrugged, “Why does that bother you so much?”

“Are you sure that’s all she’s doing?” said Jean suspiciously, “Because from what I heard, Emma has bigger plans.”

“Well she did say she had some other surprise for me. But I don’t see why that’s a big deal.”

It was at that point the tension within Jean became too much.

“Well it is! It is a big deal, okay?! How can you be so casual about this?! This is Emma fucking Frost! She’s a lying, cheating, manipulative bitch! Do you really think she just wants to thank you?! Damn it, Scott, you’re so cautious about everything else! Why aren’t you the same with her?!”

Scott was taken aback. He didn’t expect Jean to just explode like that. She was talking as though Emma was out to get her or something. It didn’t make sense. Sure Emma and Jean weren’t the best of friends. There were times they were practically rivals and his friendship with Emma never helped. But he thought they worked this out years ago when they first got together. Why was this coming up now?

Scott watched as Jean paced over towards the edge of the roof and leaned on the rail. She was still very tense and visibly worked up. He gave her some space for a moment, but as the silence grew awkward he walked up next to her and gently put a hand on her shoulder. She didn’t pull away, but she still felt tense. This wasn’t supposed to be that big a deal. Emma just wanted to repay him for saving her life. But it clearly meant more to Jean.

“Jean…”

“Don’t start, Scott. I know I just made a total fool of myself,” she said sheepishly.

“We’re all entitled to some sort of breakdown every now and then,” he said with a half smile, “But come on Jean, I love you. Why is this bothering you so much all of the sudden? I thought we were beyond the whole issue with me and Emma being friends.”

“Funny, didn’t I say that about me and Logan?” Jean quipped.

“I thought you wanted to keep that out of this conversation,” Scott reminded her.

“Sorry, but I think it is relevant. You once told me you suspected Logan of having deeper feelings for me. And you said you worried that those feelings may be strong enough for him to try something extreme one day.”

“And I still have those concerns,” said Scott, “But he hasn’t tried anything and he hasn’t torn us apart. We’re still in love, aren’t we?”

“Yes, but now I get the feeling Emma may have those feelings towards you,” said Jean, finally turning towards him with a concerned look in her eye.

Scott shifted awkwardly again. That was a bit of a shocker. He knew Emma was not the most affectionate person in the world. She was friendly with him and Lord Xavier, but pretty cold around everybody else. In all the time he spent with her he did catch her flirting with him at times. But he dismissed it as part of her sensual personality. Jean seemed to think otherwise.

“We’re friends, Jean. Just because she opens up to me and no one else doesn’t mean she has those kinds of feelings for me. Trust me, I would have seen the signs. I saw them in Logan, didn’t I?”

“Emma’s different,” she said distantly, “Emma’s much better at hiding her feelings around people. I don’t know if even Lord Xavier can sense what makes that woman tick, but when I heard her talking to Monet I just got this bad feeling, you know? Maybe I’m being paranoid, but I can’t help what I sensed!”

She was getting worked up again. This time Scott moved in closer, slipping his arm around her waist and hugged her a little. This helped calm her down, but she continued to worry.

“What if she does have feelings for you? What if this whole thanking you for saving her life is just an excuse to get you alone and get you to fall for her?”

“I don’t think she would plan something like that and even if she did, you know I won’t fall for her,” said Scott strongly, “Emma’s a good friend and all, but I’m in love with you, Jean. Nothing is going to change that. Not even a million nights with Emma could change that.”

“You say that and I believe you, but the vibe I get when I’m around her just feels…wrong. Emma isn’t the most stable person in the world. What if she tries something extreme? Something even Logan would never do?”

Scott then took her hand and held it firmly.

“It’ll be okay, Jean. I won’t let it get that far. I promise.”

“But this is Emma we’re talking about,” Jean emphasized, “How can you be sure?”

“Because there’s nothing extreme enough she or anybody else can do that would stop me from loving you,” he said, squeezing her hands tighter, “You once said the same thing when I mentioned Logan. And I trusted you to keep that promise. Now I’m asking you to trust me with the same thing.”

It was ironic in many ways. Not long ago she and Scott were in this same predicament, only it was her and Logan that was the issue and not him and Emma. That caused a great deal of tension between them, but they were able to work through it. It wasn’t completely resolved, but the worst was behind them. Scott accepted that she would not let Logan’s feelings for her affect their relationship. Now it was her turn. But this was going to be harder.

Emma Frost was not like Logan. As much as Logan pined for her, there were certain lines he never crossed. He never tried to kill Scott to get with her and he never tried to manipulate her into loving him back. He would criticize, belittle, and scorn her relationship with Scott at every turn. But he would never directly attack it. And over these past nine months he pulled back a little, as if he was growing to accept the fact that she would never feel the same way about him.

But Emma may not be so accommodating. She never was much for limits, especially when it came to getting what she wanted. But regardless of her cunning, Scott seemed dead serious. He really wasn’t going to let her come between them. She took comfort in that, but she was still worried.

“I do trust you, Scott,” she said with a sigh, “Our relationship has endured stripping, sex rituals, and missions involving coldblooded murder. And I don’t think I could have held it together through any of it if you hadn’t been by my side.”

“Me neither,” said Scott, “And that’s why I’m not leaving your side anytime soon. I promise you if Emma does try something, I’ll get through it.”

“I don’t know. I just…the thought of giving her a whole night work you over still makes me so…”

But Scott didn’t let her finish. He just held her closer and looked her in the eye, making sure she sensed in him how determined he was to earn her trust.

“It’s just one night, Jean. That’s all,” he told her, “And when it’s over I promise you nothing will be different. I’ll even make it up to you this Saturday on our special night.”

“But…”

“No buts, Jean. I’m not asking you to approve of this. I’m not even asking you to work it out with Emma. I’m just asking you to trust me.”

It was a simple request, but one that seemed so daunting given the circumstances. She wished she could just brush it off and trust him. But she just couldn’t do it. It wasn’t that easy. Now she knew how he must have felt when she was with Logan. It was not a pleasant feeling. And just being near him, knowing that he was going to do this one way or another, was hard.

She unexpectedly pulled away from him, leaving Scott somewhat at a loss. But she didn’t storm off or yell at him. She just looked back at him with those alluring green eyes, the same concerns still dominating in her gaze.

“I do trust you, Scott. I just need you to know how I feel about this. And I know I can’t tell you what to do here anymore than you could when I started getting close to Logan. So I’m not going to try. I’m just going to have to endure.”

“So you’re not even going to try and understand?” said Scott, taken aback.

“I understand, Scott,” she told him honestly, “That’s exactly why I need space.”

Scott was speechless. A minute ago she was yelling at him. Now she was just walking away from this saying she was going to tough it out. That wasn’t how he wanted this to go. It never bothered her before when he and Emma spent time together. Whatever conversation she overheard with her must have been something. But that didn’t matter to him.

“So what? Are you just going to avoid me until it’s over?” he asked her.

Jean was silent for a moment. Then she looked away.

“I still love you, Scott. Don’t think for a second I don’t,” she said, “But I’m going to do whatever I have to for us to get through this. When everything is said and done, let me know so we can move on.”

“Jean come on, this doesn’t have to be that big a deal!” said Scott, getting frustrated.

“I’m sorry, Scott. But it is a big deal. And as soon as you understand that, let me know. I’ll be waiting.”

Jean then left him, making sure he couldn’t run after her. She used her telekinesis to take to the sky and fly over the city back towards Hellfire Manor. It left Scott in a difficult and confused state. When Emma offered to ‘thank’ him for saving her life, he had no idea it would lead to something like this. He hoped he and Jean were beyond these issues involving having other lovers. But this wasn’t just about other lovers to her. This was about something deeper that he didn’t understand. The idea of things being distant between them until this was over didn’t sit well. But he wasn’t about to let this issue tear them apart. He made a promise to Jean and he intended to keep it, even if Emma did try something. He just wished he didn’t have to.

Looking out over the vast cityscape, Scott Summers let out a deep sigh. Relationships were complicated, especially in the Hellfire Club. He often wondered what it would be like if they were a normal couple outside this place. Would it be simpler? Would it be any less complicated? But it was useless to contemplate. These things weren’t easy. Nothing worth having ever was. If he was to get through this with Jean he would have to do like her and endure. He just hoped she was wrong about Emma or that may make things far more complicated.

Logan’s Quarters

After the debriefing with Lord Xavier, Logan secluded himself in his quarters for some much needed alone time. He hadn’t paid much attention. Piotr and Rogue did most of the talking. He just filled in the blanks, which was not unusual for him. But his mind was preoccupied.

He couldn’t stop thinking about Jean and that look on her face when she confronted Scott after they got back. He didn’t bother sticking around to eavesdrop on the conversation. He had a pretty good idea what it was about. He hadn’t forgotten that little exchange he saw between Scott and Emma in the infirmary three days ago. He also hadn’t forgotten that look Emma gave him. It was only a matter of time before Jean got wind of it and she was obviously anxious about it. And she had every reason to be. He knew what Emma was planning and like it or not, he was caught up in this.

He was still stuck on his feelings for Jean. These past nine months, it had gotten easier. But they hadn’t gone away. He still felt strongly for her. He just wasn’t as sure about it as he used to be. Raven had really been a key factor for that. She made him question what he thought he felt and she may have even given him new feelings for her. But he had enough problems working on his feelings for one woman. Now it wasn’t just a matter of dealing with them. He was caught up in a situation that could really hurt her.

He still vividly remembered Emma’s offer that fateful day. She offered to help him get Jean if he helped her get Scott. He resisted that offer for the last nine months despite her constant pestering. Not it appeared his time was up. If he didn’t decide now Emma would go on without him. And whatever happened as a result would be on his shoulders.

“You’ve been avoiding me, Logan,” said a familiar snide voice.

Logan growled at the sound of that voice as he got up from his bed and looked to see Emma standing in his doorway, wearing her distinct revealing white Hellfire uniform, looking as snide as ever.

“What do you want, Frost?”

“Oh come now, you know why I’m here. And you know why you can’t avoid me forever,” she grinned vainly, “I expected you to overhear my little conversation with Scott. But I’m a bit surprised you haven’t said a word about it since, not even to Jean.”

“Jeannie already knows,” he muttered.

“I’m sure she does,” she said dryly, “But this isn’t about her. This is about you. I’ve given you a good deal of time to consider my offer. You’ve spent the last nine months watching her in that pitiful joke she calls a relationship. I have been patient and bided my time. But I can’t wait any longer. I will make my move with or without you.”

“And what does that involve?” scoffed Logan, “You just going to seduce him and fuck his brains out until he forgets he loves Jean and says he loves you?”

“Hardly, but you’re on the right track,” she grinned, “Let’s just say when I get through with him, he’ll reconsider his choice of relationships. And Jean Grey will be in quite a vulnerable position.”

“And you expect me to be there to keep her from going off on you?”

“Oh please, I can handle that woman. I don’t give a damn how upset she gets. She’s had her time with Scott. But if you would be willing to help me I could make it easier on all of us.”

“And just how do you plan on doing that?” said Logan.

“That I can’t tell you,” she said with a mischievous grin, “All you need to know is that you’ll have the opportunity to be the one to catch her when she falls. And with my help, I can ensure that she gets the necessary ‘push’ to end up in your arms and no one else’s. It all comes down to a simple question. Do you or do you not want to be with Jean?”

Logan rose up and stared into her cold, calculating gaze. She was dangling in front of him something he so desperately wanted and one way or another it was going to affect him and the woman he loved. It was so tempting to just take a chance. But every time he looked into this woman’s eyes his instincts pulled him back.

He remained silent, much to Emma’s chagrin. She thought he would eventually come around after seeing Jean and Scott together long enough. But he was a stubborn, foolish man. His assistance would make this much easier, but she didn’t need him to do what she had to do. She had already put part of her plan into action. With or without him, she was going to do this.

“Figures,” she sighed, “You never hesitate to gut some random enemy to death but when I ask you as simple question about your hearts desire, you just stand there in silence. It’s pathetic really.”

“Look whose talking. You’re about to try and force your way into Summers’s heart, thinkin’ you can make him love you more than Jean.”

“You’re saying I can’t?”

“I’m saying that’s also pretty damn pathetic. Because either way, you’ll end up hurting him. And someone once told me if you really love somebody, you do everything you can not to hurt them.”

Emma looked at Logan deadpanned and scoffed. Whoever told him that was an even greater fool than him.

“That’s just stupid.”

“You would know, blondie.”

“You did not just turn this matter into a blonde joke,” she said sternly.

“What do you expect me to do?!” Logan exclaimed, “You think spending the last nine months pining for Jeannie is going to make me so desperate that I’m willing to watch her get hurt just to be with her?!”

“Actually…yes,” said Emma snidely.

Logan’s face contorted in anger. He clenched his fists, his claws itching to come out and mess up that picturesque face of hers. But this woman wasn’t worth it. Attacking her wasn’t going to stop her. Nothing was going to stop this woman. He came across some pretty sadistic people in his life, but this woman ranked in a class all her own.

It was then his decision became clear to him. Even if what she was offering was something he desperately wanted, he could not go through with this. Mystique was right. It was a mistake to help this woman. She was a bitter, snide woman who had no sense of judgment. As far as he was concerned she was almost as bad as Selene. If she really was going to go through with this, tormenting and manipulating somebody into loving her, then he wanted no part of it. He could never do that to someone he loved.

“Get out,” he said, his tone seething with anger.

“Are you sure?” said Emma, undaunted, “If I leave, consider my offer expired.”

“If you don’t leave consider yourself expired!” Logan roared, “I said get out!”

He drew both his claws to emphasize his point. It took Emma by surprise and kept her from making another snide comment. But she was not deterred. She got the message. If he didn’t want her help in getting Jean’s affections, so be it. All that mattered to her was getting Scott away from Jean and into her arms. He was all that mattered now. As far as she was concerned, Jean was just collateral damage. If Logan didn’t want to help pick up the pieces, that was his problem.

“Suit yourself,” she told him, “Just remember you had your chance.”

Logan watched as she casually walked off, not intimidated or deterred by his show of anger. Even after she was gone he just stood in the middle of his room fuming. That woman had some gall. Summers should have let that Hand assassin kill her on the spot. He was glad he wasn’t helping her. But at the same time he was conflicted. He may very well have just lost his only real chance to be with Jean Grey. But even if Emma could somehow keep her end of the bargain, would it be worth seeing her so hurt? He wouldn’t get a chance to find out now.

His anger eventually subsided and he withdrew his claws. He had no idea what Emma Frost was going to pull now that he rejected her offer. Now he wouldn’t be prepared if this plan of hers worked and left Jean hurt. And even if he was there for her, there was nothing he could do to push her into loving him. But that all depended on whether or not Emma’s little ploy would succeed or not. That may depend on just how much Scott loved Jean and how good his willpower was. He didn’t know or care for Summers enough to contemplate that. There were too many possibilities to consider.

Logan was truly at a loss. He had no idea how he was going to deal with this. He needed a drink. Maybe Raven was in the mood for a little time at the bar. He needed someone to help him vent. It was her advice that got him to this point. Maybe she had some advice to help him through it.

Selene’s Chamber

“Yes…I see…good, then everything went according to plan…no, the Hand doesn’t know I ordered the assassination of Kirigi. That attack on Xavier was just blind retaliation…no, Xavier doesn’t suspect a thing…don’t worry, he won’t…trust me, I know how to handle him…I understand. No need to drag this out any further. I got what I wanted from the Hand and so did you…don’t push it. Goodbye, Elektra.”

Selene hung up her phone and set it aside as she paced about in her chamber in a rare upbeat mood. She had good reason to feel accomplished. She just pulled off an act of deception worthy of Hellfire lore. The Hand was in chaos and the Hellfire Club was moving in on their once sacred territory. They thought Xavier ordered the murder of their leader so they tried to kill him in response. They failed of course, but that only prompted Xavier to hit them harder. It was just as Selene hoped, but what they didn’t know is this little war was orchestrated in secret by her.

The Hand was a smart and well-equipped organization. They knew attacking the Hellfire Club was foolhardy at best. But that’s where Selene came in. She made a deal with a disgruntled assassin who, like Psylocke, was brought into the organization against her will. Her name was Elektra with her help, Monet and a few of her elite guards snuck into the Hand and assassinate their leader, Kirigi. After that, irrational outrage took over. The Hand took the assassination of their leader as the gravest of insults and foolishly attempted to retaliate by sending an assassination squad to hit Xavier. It would have been nice if they succeeded, but Selene knew better than that. Charles would not be defeated by a mere sneak attack. And because of their failure, they now had the full force of the Hellfire Club bearing down on them.

It worked out perfectly. A rival organization was being weakened, Charles and Moria were distracted from her plans, and they got a new submissive recruit out of it. But these were all just bonuses. The true reason behind her scheme against the Hand ran much deeper than just inciting random chaos. It was all part of her plan and so far it was going flawlessly.

She chose to celebrate by pouring a glass of her favorite whine. But just as she was about to begin drinking she heard a knock on her door.

“You may enter,” said Selene as she casually sipped her wine.

The door opened and Monet walked in. Selene raised her glass to her loyal follower. Monet took strongly to her conditioning. Gone was the obsessive compulsive workaholic who was never satisfied with her accomplishments. In her place was a woman who sought her perfection in another way and she was helping her in every possible way to get it.

“I have what you asked for,” she said, “It arrived today via private courier.”

“Excellent!” said Selene proudly, “I assume there were no troubles?”

“None at all, Mistress Selene. I was able to steal it from Kirigi’s desk in the heart of the Hand’s headquarters. They were so caught up in his assassination they failed to keep track of their artifacts.”

“Typical Hand arrogance,” said the Black Queen with a mock sigh, “Let me see it.”

Monet nodded and reached into her pocket to take out the artifact that was behind this whole affair with the hand. It was a brilliant, ruby-like gem about the size of her fist. It wasn’t cut or decorated like a piece of jewelry. It was more like a polished rock. It had a strange dark glow to it and a distinct, blood red hue. When she handed it to Selene, her eyes flashed with intensity. Monet was no expert on magic, but even she could feel the strange aura of power emanating from this relic.

“The last blood stone,” she mused as she gazed into her glossy reflection in the stone, “Forged in the very pits of Hell itself, they say whoever holds this stone holds the keys to Hell’s gates.”

“So what was the Hand using it for? Why weren’t they opening Hell’s gates themselves?” asked Monet.

“Ha! Those fools may know magic, but they can’t even begin to understand such power! They probably just used it for something childish like bringing people back from the dead or casting spells that allowed them to control their minions.”

“So what are we going to use it for?” Monet asked intently.

The Black Queen just laughed as she clutched the stone in her fist.

“That, my young pupil, is a conversation for another day. Don’t concern yourself with the details. Just know that this stone has properties that will prove useful for what I have planned.”

“I…I understand, Mistress Selene,” said Monet, remaining submissive to her master.

Monet watched as Selene stashed the stone away in her private safe. She seemed particularly excited about this strange relic. To her, it was a sign that they were drawing ever closer to executing this master plan of hers. She still wouldn’t let them in on the details, but the more she learned the more intent she was at seeing it through. Ever since she tasted darkness, she wanted to see how far she could take it. Like everything else in her life, she wanted to see this new side of herself perfected and she could only do that through Selene. That is why she had to help her.

She continued to linger even after Selene locked her private safe with the stone inside. Aside from making this very important delivery, she wanted to bring up the issue concerning Emma she recently learned about. Being the overachiever she was, she always looked for ways to set herself apart.

“That’s one step closer to my ultimate goal,” grinned Selene, “I believe we’re done, Monet.”

“Thank you, Mistress Selene. But while I am here there is another matter I hoped to discuss with you.”

“Is it pressing? I have little time for trivial matters.”

“I understand, but this may have some bearing on your plans so I feel it is only proper to inform you of it.”

Selene looked at her with a hint of intrigue. Monet was a bit of a suck-up at times, but she took her role seriously.

“Go on,” said the Black Queen.

“It involves Emma Frost,” she said, “She’s been caught up in something recently.”

“Emma Frost?” scoffed Selene, “Why could possibly be going on with that snide bitch that’s of any interest to my plans?”

“I assure you it is a serious matter, my mistress,” said Monet quickly, “I humbly request that you indulge me for a moment and you’ll see what I mean.”

“You better,” said the Black Queen sternly, “In my experience, Emma Frost has always been a waste of time.”

“I don’t doubt that. But consider the following…you didn’t tempt Kurt in the same way you tempted me or the others, did you? You did something different if I recall.”

“Yes, I used his feelings for Wanda to get him to serve me. Big deal. I do that sort of thing in my sleep,” said Selene, rolling her eyes.

“Well if I may be so bold to ask, is it possible to do something similar, but from the other way around?”

Selene looked at her strangely.

“What are you getting at, Monet?”

“Say instead of having someone fall in love with someone else, is it possible to use heartbreak to bend people to your will? Could such a vulnerability be exploited?”

Now Selene was intrigued. Maybe this was worth listening to after all.

“It’s possible, but a lot more complicated,” she answered, “It depends on the circumstances.”

“Say the circumstances involve trying to win the affections of a man who has his heart set on another woman. And say that woman fails to sway him and is left broken and bitter. Would that qualify?”

“I would say so. What exactly does this have to do with Emma Frost anyways?”

Monet grinned ominously, a gesture she picked up from Selene herself. It was just the kind of opportunity she had been waiting for. This would surely prove to her mistress that she was the perfect champion of darkness.

“It appears she has recently gotten herself caught up in a love triangle between her, Scott, and Jean. She has this unyielding desire to make Scott the object of her affection. As strange as that may sound for her, I just witnessed first hand how determined she is. And I believe she is about to make herself very vulnerable because of it.”

“Is she now?” said Selene, who was grinning as well, “How vulnerable?”

“Vulnerable enough to exploit. You did say you needed more psychic muscle to carry out your plans. And Emma’s skill is well above mine and Psylocke’s. I know she’s a bitch and all, but if given the right incentive she might be able to help us.”

Selene was officially surprised. Monet St. Croix had come a long way in the last nine months. She had gone from a grade grubbing perfectionist to a darkness loving perfectionist. She took to her plan the same way she took to all of her life challenges, pursuing them with perfection in mind. She was a classic overachiever and it was obvious she was trying to set herself apart with this little ploy.

She didn’t necessarily need Emma’s assistance, but it sure would help. But more than the power she brought to the table, she was intrigued by the notion of her being caught up in a love affair with a man she couldn’t have. She never would have expected such from Emma, especially given her history. And if that history was any indication, then she was in for quite a debacle. Perhaps there was something she could exploit from it. If nothing else, it would be nice to finally bring her down as the bitch she was.

“Okay Monet, you have my attention. Tell me more…”

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

Up next: Emma Frost makes her move while Logan deals with the aftermath of his decision.