Part III
"Prastitye," he rumbled. "Sorry. Excuse me."
He backed out of the door, shutting it quietly. Krycek sat back onto Mulder's
thighs as he watched the big Russian leave. The shift was enough to allow
Mulder to pull his trapped arms out from under himself. He moved, trying to
twist out from under the rogue agent. Krycek was faster, wrapping both arms
around him and sliding a leg between Mulder's, effectively trapping him again.
Mulder lay rigid, deciding the best tactic to take. He felt Krycek's breath
warm on the side of his neck. He took in a deep breath as the soft mouth tasted
him and his senses came alive, warring among themselves in a skirmish of
embarrassment, indignation, and raw desire. For a fleeting instant, Mulder had
no idea why he protested. The muscular body covering him felt right. All his
loneliness and confusion welded together into a deep yearning. The urge to
thrust his hips upward and rub against the hard body, to be touched where he
was swollen and achy and needing burned in him. The need was so fierce that,
paradoxically, it served to jolt him to sharp awareness.
He couldn't allow this. This was an alien laying on top of him. An alien in
Krycek's body. An alien he knew nothing about. And what the hell had it done to
Krycek?
"Let me up," he groaned out through clenched teeth.
He pushed against the muscular chest, but his arms were pinned between them and
couldn't get leverage. He tried to kick, but with Alex's leg anchoring his, his
useless scissors-like motions were less combative than arousing. For both of
them. He could feel the flexing of Krycek's muscles as he held on, could feel
him, hard and throbbing insistently against him through the thin scrub pants.
"Let me up, damn it!"
Frustration put a bite in his tone that finally got through to the alien above
him. The alien pulled back, propping himself up on his arms to look down at
Mulder's flushed face. His not-quite human eyes gazed down in confusion. He
sensed Mulder wanted him, it was evident in the ragged chop of his breath and
the strain of his muscles beneath him. In the aching, swollen shaft that
pressed up against him. But now the beautiful multicolored eyes burned with
anger.
He tried to figure out what he had done to make Mulder angry. He stared at the
generous curves of Mulder's lips. Simply looking at him made Krycek's body
harden with a need so powerful he burned. A primitive instinct whispered at him
to take what he needed. He felt a sharp, fierce surge and a distant demand came
for him to back off, give Mulder room. Krycek was aware and starting to push at
the alien, trying for control. Anger had almost given him the strength to take
it. The alien quickly strengthened the mental walls blocking him.
He sighed as he released his grip on Mulder. He trusted his host's instincts if
not his goals, and he needed to calm both humans. Mulder immediately shoved the
younger man off violently. The alien yelped and twisted catlike to stay on the
bed. Mulder rolled off the bed and away. He crossed the room and grimaced at
his ruined pants before pulling them on.
"I'm sorry, Mulder. I got carried away," the alien offered hesitantly, an odd
twinge of disappointment going through him as he watched.
He didn't understand why both humans were so upset. He only wanted to explore
the feelings he sensed in his host. And to a lesser extent could sense in
Mulder. He swung his legs over the side of the bed to approach Mulder
cautiously.
"Let me please you, Mulder. I want to experience you."
Mulder turned. A scathing remark died in his throat when he saw the green cloud
swirling across Krycek's eyes. The inhuman eyes looked at him with a
compelling, softly pleading expression. The mystery in the almost-human eyes
beckoned to him irresistibly. His heart began to thud painfully in his chest as
ribbons of liquid heat unfurled deep in his belly. He stood frozen as Krycek's
body inched imperceptibly closer.
The alien tipped his head and leaned forward. Hesitantly, firm but gentle, his
lips touched Mulder's. They were warm, tasting him lightly at first, barely
sampling. He feather-kissed Mulder again, then again, held back from deepening
the touch by sheer enjoyment of these sensations.
To Mulder it was dreamlike, this glancing of Alex's mouth off his. The alien
gently rested his hand over Mulder's heart, feeling the rhythmic pulse of life.
He leaned back slightly to look into Mulder's face. Krycek's left hand, as soft
as a magnolia petal, started to stroke over Mulder's chest. His right thumb
gently rubbed over Mulder's nipple, teasing it to rigid attention. Mulder was
distantly aware of the contrast between the hands. The right hand was firm,
hardened by work, while the left was softer than the most genteel lady's.
Mulder's skin tingled under the hypnotic touch.
The alien's touch was gentle curiosity, as much about self-discovery as about
Mulder. But when, curiosity unsated, he leaned in for another kiss, Mulder
pulled his head back. The alien looked into hazel eyes that burned with a
desire that made them fascinatingly alive. But as he watched, memory and reason
doused the fire to turn them back to a shadowed brown. Mulder's face suddenly
appeared to be carved out of stone; his eyes dark holes. His breathing was
ragged as he fought for control.
"Where's Krycek?"
Taken by surprise, the alien quickly considered and discarded several replies.
"He's here," he admitted softly. "Just suppressed."
"Suppressed..." Mulder's own voice lowered as he considered the implications.
The alien stood straighter and lowered his hands. "He kept me locked away. I
wanted to get out for awhile. I wanted to experience things on my own. My only
source of information was what I could glean from his memories. I could access
some of his thoughts, but he blocked me from a lot."
"You were aware when he had you suppressed?"
The alien nodded with a taut jerk of his head. "I could see and hear, but it
was distant. Like seeing everything from a video monitor. No taste or touch."
He frowned, causing furrows on the fine brow. "Can you imagine never being able
to move your own body, your only view of the world from a TV screen?"
His chin lifted. "I want more. This is my body now too. I want to walk around.
I want to taste food and breathe the air and talk to people."
His hand raised carefully to Mulder's bare chest again. "I want to feel."
His gaze, his words, the raw urgency of his tone electrified Mulder. He felt a
tingling heat radiate to the secret center of him, which burned with a need he
refused to admit.
He swallowed heavily. "So you've taken over."
The alien smiled ruefully. "For awhile. I'm sure I won't keep it for very long,
he's still stronger than me in many ways." He shrugged his shoulders in mock
resignation then flashed a conspiratorial smile. "I plan on making the most of
the time I have."
The gentle fingers continued to touch Mulder timidly, experimentally stroking
as they made their way down to the waist of his pants. Mulder shuddered and
took a deep breath. "If he's still stronger than you, how did you get control?"
He managed to make his voice sound nearly normal.
"When you were hurt he had to let me have control so I could heal you." A
distracted murmur, the alien more interested in the intriguing study of Mulder
101.
Mulder stiffened, his hand coming up to trap Krycek's as it stroked down his
chest. "He let you take control?"
Cool grass-green eyes raised to his warily. "He had to. I couldn't heal you
otherwise."
Mulder took a step back. "Why?"
An elegant eyebrow arched in question. "Why what?"
"Why would he risk it to save me? Why did he have to?"
The alien grimaced and turned away. He crouched by the bags lying on the
carpet. "I'm really hungry. Healing takes a lot out of me. I hope Jaak
remembered food."
He started rummaging in the bags. "I want an answer,"
Mulder's sharp tone froze the other man. He paused still looking in the bag. He
took a deep breath before turning to Mulder with a deliberately casual
movement. "Mulder, I need to eat. Can we discuss this afterwards? Healing you
after what they did to me in the lab has just about depleted my energy stores."
Mulder was on him in one fluid movement. He reached out intending to haul the
irritating younger man to his feet. Krycek grabbed his arm and went over
backwards pulling Mulder with him. They landed with Mulder sprawled on top of
him, their faces only inches apart. This time it was Krycek who lay under
Mulder, his arms between them, hands pressed to Mulder's chest. Green eyes full
of shifting distant stars glittered up at the angry agent.
"Mulder, I want to have sex with you, not wrestle."
Mulder's face flushed. "Damn it, Krycek!"
"You know," Krycek's voice held a mild reproach. "Considering how fragile you
humans are, you're all awfully eager to get violent when you don't get your
way."
Despite the mild words, Mulder could sense barely controlled power coiled in
the taut body beneath him. A tightly restrained danger lurked deep in the dark
eyes. A hint of Krycek coming through the alien. Mulder felt a dark thrill
skittering down his spine.
"I want to know why." Mulder bit the words out in a voice that sounded like a
cross between a snarl and a growl as frustration burned through him. He had
heard vicious Doberman pincers make nicer sounds.
"You were dying. I had never healed anyone other than my host. I needed to be
in control to do it. And my host... he couldn't let you die, not when you were
helping him." His head moved in negation. "He couldn't live with that. He had
to risk giving me control."
Mulder felt his center of balance tilting. He knew that anything that vaguely
resembled "control over the situation" had completely evaporated. He pulled up
and away from Krycek's body. Liquid hazel eyes looked at Krycek with a tortured
dullness of disbelief and confusion.
"Why?" The tormented whisper caused a deep, unaccustomed pain in Krycek's
chest.
The alien wondered how such a simple word could invoke such a strong reaction
in him. He wanted to erase that doubt, he would rather have Mulder rage at him
than see him in pain. A terse comment sure to anger the agent came to the tip
of his tongue, but he bit it back. No, he owed this man the truth. Or as much
of it as he could give.
"My host has ...feelings for you. Strong feelings. I don't fully understand
them yet." His voice was softer than goose down. Caressing with tone alone.
"But I want to learn."
Mulder's eyes slid shut, his jaw clenching as he tried to assimilate this. He
remembered Krycek talking about the alien, how the scientists said that
eventually it would take control, erase its host. He had sensed the fear behind
the words, the desperation. That was one reason why he had agreed to help. And
Alex had given the alien control? To save him? But, after Tunguska, after all
the betrayals, how could he believe that Alex cared for him? Would risk worse
than death for him? It made no sense. Yet, he couldn't deny it. Obviously
Krycek had done just that.
He had known for a long time that Krycek found him desirable. There had been a
strong physical attraction between them from the beginning. He'd just been
waiting for things to settle down a little before acting on it. A physical
attraction was one thing, but the alien claimed there was more. That Krycek had
feelings for him. Strong feelings. How could a professional assassin have
feelings for him? How could he do the things he had done to Mulder if he had
'feelings' for him? It didn't make sense. It also made absolutely no sense that
he had feelings for the rogue agent. That he wanted to know him better. That
the idea of the alien taking over and replacing Alex caused his stomach to
tighten painfully.
The alien felt an inexplicable feeling of emptiness at the confusion and misery
on Mulder's face. He liked Mulder. What he had learned of the agent in his
host's mind had appealed to him. He had never intended to cause him pain. The
alien knew how to heal a human's body, but he still couldn't understand how
their minds worked. He floundered, trying to think of something to say to undo
the damage. Finding nothing, he decided a distraction was called for. He gently
pushed against Mulder's chest. "Let me up, Mulder."
Mulder slid off to the side. The alien stood and went to the bags again. They
still held nothing but clothing. No food. He looked back over his shoulder.
"Mulder, Jaak forgot the food. If I don't eat I'm going to get sick. We need to
find food."
"I saw a bar across the street," Mulder mumbled, distractedly. "It might have
something."
Krycek smiled happily. "Great! I need a shower. You get dressed and we'll go
over there."
He frowned as Mulder still sat there. He went to him and laid his hand on his
shoulder. "Mulder? We need to get something to eat. You need to put some
clothes on, okay?"
The patronizing tone brought Mulder around. His head snapped up ready to put
Krycek in his place. He stopped as he saw the concerned expression on the
elegant face. The expected sneer or amusement was nowhere in sight. He sighed
and nodded.
Krycek patted his shoulder. "You have to admit being around me isn't boring
Mulder." He put a teasing edge in his voice, hoping to relieve the jaw-biting
tension in the beautiful face.
His ploy worked. Mulder grimaced and nodded. The alien studied his eyes a
moment, searching. As he saw the confusion recede and the familiar impatience
return he broke out in a happy smile. Mulder watched, bemused, as Krycek spun
and bounded into the bathroom. As the door shut, Mulder pushed himself into a
standing position. He walked over to look into the bags by the door. He dumped
them onto the bed just as he heard the shower start, followed quickly by an
indignant yelp. It sounded like the alien had found the joys of a cold shower.
Mulder grinned and stripped out of his ruined pants. The bags held two pair of
jeans and a couple of Chambray shirts along with underwear. A quick check of
the tags proved that Jaak Danko had accurately guessed their sizes. He glanced
at the phone on the bedside table as he dressed in jeans and a shirt. He'd
better call Scully, let her know what was happening and that he was all right.
Although the last was debatable.
She answered on the third ring. Mulder felt tension easing at the sound of her
voice. "Hi, Scully."
"Mulder? Where are you? What happened at the apartment?"
"I'm not exactly sure, but it seems they found Krycek."
His casual tone didn't fool her. He could almost see her frown of concern. "Are
you okay Mulder?"
"Yeah," he sighed softly. "I'm okay Scully."
"Where is Krycek now?"
"In the shower." He stopped and listened for a moment. Was that singing from
the shower? He heard a noise in his ear. "I'm sorry, Scully. What?"
"Is anyone hurt? Do any of you need medical help?"
"No, no. We're fine. I just need a place to hide him for awhile." Yep, that was
definitely singing. He couldn't place the tune, but it was cheerful.
"Mulder, where are you? Do you want me to come there?"
Mulder spun back from staring at the bathroom door. The telephone cord twisted
in his hand. "Hm? No, no that's not necessary Scully. I'm not sure when I can
come in. Can you cover for me with Skinner?"
This time he could sense her uneasiness. "Of course, Mulder."
"I'm okay Scully. Really. We just need to get re-situated."
"Mulder..."
The corner of his mouth turned up slightly at her warm concern. "Yeah?"
"Be careful."
"I will."
He hung up, his face easing into a gentle smile as he felt the caring from his
friend and partner. Mulder turned just as Krycek came bouncing out of the
shower wrapped in a towel.
"I love showers!" he informed an amused Mulder happily. "They're just so... so freakin' sensual!"
"And so wet," Mulder muttered archly, seeing the water on the floor behind the
other man.
Krycek looked back over his shoulder, then flashed him an unrepentant grin.
Mulder watched as the possessed young man threw the towel off and pulled on the
new clothes with every indication of enjoying himself. Delighting in the feel
of the soft cloth against his skin. Dressed, Krycek stuffed his wallet in his
back pocket and headed for the door.
"Food."
Mulder shrugged and followed him out into a misty rain. Seeing the neon lights
of the bar across the street, Krycek broke into a trot. After a beat, Mulder
was right after him, splashing through rain puddles. The almost full parking
lot of the bar was well lit. They went through the door into noise and dim
light. Most of the bar was illuminated only by indirect lighting on the walls.
There was a pool of light over a small dance floor, enough to see by, not
enough to light the rest of the room. A local band provided music for the
handful of couples dancing. Giant screen televisions at either end of the room
cast their eerie light into the mix. The polished circular bar in the center of
the room was an island of light and activity. The crowd a noisy and boisterous
mix of college students and the working class.
Mulder and the alien stood in the entry for a moment as their eyes adjusted.
Mulder ran his hand through his thick hair, shaking off the dampness from the
light rain. The alien watched him silently and ran his hand over his own short
cut, slicking the water away. The alien followed Mulder through the crowd to
sit at a recently vacated table. Mulder grinned as he watched the alien
studying the crowd with wide, fascinated eyes.
"You can't tell me Krycek has no memories of being in bars," he teased the
younger man.
A quick shake of the sleek head. "It all looks so different like this," he said
softly.
A pretty waitress came to their table and flashed a megawatt smile. "Hi," she
chirped. "I'm Caroline. Here to sample the pleasures of dirty drinking?"
Krycek's brow tilted, looking at her uncomprehending..
Mulder's grin got bigger. "I don't think my friend is familiar with the term."
She turned a killer smile on Krycek. "You mean you've never had a Screaming
Orgasm or Sex on a Beach?"
He looked uncertainly to Mulder for rescue. Mulder was enjoying it too much to
help him. He rested his chin in his hand, an amused smile spread over his face.
His dark brows arched mischievously.
Caroline took pity on the confused younger man. "How about a beer and you can
watch the others and see what sounds good?"
"That would be great," Krycek smiled in relief at her. "Do you have anything to
eat here?"
"Sure. I'll get you a menu." She swayed away from them, easing her way through
the crowd.
Their attention was captured by a loud shout at the polished oak bar. There was
a woman bantering with the bartender. She informed the bar that she wanted a
Blow-job. The alien spun in his chair to watch. The woman picked up the shot
glass filled with Irish cream whiskey, Kahlua and whipped cream. She handed the
glass to the man at her side. Grinning, he placed the frothy drink between his
thighs. The woman sunk down to her knees in front of him. The crowd hooted as
she removed the glass from between his thighs using only her mouth. She tossed
her head back, draining the glass in one swallow. She stood, the glass still in
her mouth and replaced it on the bar without using her hands. The crowd erupted
in applause.
The alien turned to Mulder with a frown. Mulder's grin got bigger. "Isn't
Krycek giving you information about this stuff?"
A sharp shake of his head. "No," he looked introspective for a moment. "No,
he's not talking to me."
The alien didn't think it would be wise to tell him that Alex couldn't talk to
him. Not unless he loosened the blocks he kept around his host's mind. He knew
Alex would wear the blocks down gradually anyway, he had no desire to speed the
process up.
Mulder's reply was interrupted by the return of their waitress with their
drinks and menus. The promise of food pulled the alien's attention from the
bar. The waitress took their orders, grinning as the alien ordered one of
everything. He matched her grin. "Hey, I'm still growing."
Mulder just shook his head. Actually he'd put a pretty good dent in the limited
menu himself. He watched the alien swiveling around in his chair studying the
other patrons in fascination. Mulder leaned forward on the table.
"Krycek," he paused with a frown. "Do you have your own name?"
The alien swung back to him and took a deep drink from his beer bottle. "Hmm.
No. We aren't born with a name any more than you are." He shrugged. "Since I
was born in Russia. I think I should go with Alexei for a name."
"Krycek was born in Russia?"
"No. I was born in Moscow. The scientists there helped me grow."
Mulder's face tightened in anger. "At Alex's expense. Are you aware of what
they did to him?"
Alexei nodded, his eyes saddened. "Yes. I read it in his memories." He shook
his head. "I don't understand humans."
He stared down at his left hand resting on the table. Mulder studied him with a
critical squint. "Where is your loyalty, Alexei?"
"My loyalty is to myself and my host." There was an almost imperceptible note
of pleading, an aching sincerity, in his face as he looked into Mulder's eyes.
"And to you."
"Why to me?" Mulder leaned over the table. There was a silken thread of warning
in the low voice, an edge of distrust.
Alexei sighed in mild frustration. He leaned back slightly. "I told you. And,
my host's feelings aside, I like you. I like what I've seen of you in my host's
memories." He took a long pull on his drink. "Plus, my host seems to think that
you are the best hope we have in finding the information we need."
"What information are you after, Alexei?"
The alien looked up at what he now recognized as a dangerous tone from Mulder.
He set his glass on the table carefully. "I want to find out about my kind. The
more information I have the safer I can be." His gaze drifted away. "Maybe I
can join up with them. It could be awkward though, I don't even know their
language." Alexei shrugged. "But with Alex's skill with languages I should be
able to learn it."
Alexei started to pick up his glass, then shot out of his seat as if propelled
by an explosive charge. Mulder's hand flashed out and grabbed his arm. "What
are you doing?"
Alexei turned alarmed eyes at him. "That man at the bar said he was going to
slam a screaming virgin against a wall."
A grin slipped over Mulder's face. "It's a drink, remember?"
Color suffused Krycek's face and he sat down. "Sorry."
"Where did you get this moral streak anyway? I thought you got all your
information from Krycek."
Alexei frowned. "He has morals. They're just... situational. He takes no
pleasure in hurting people. He just does what is necessary to get the job done.
Even then, there are things he will not do."
Mulder opened his mouth to reply just as the waitress returned. She smiled at
the two men warmly as she set the food on their table.
The alien looked at her curiously. "Is there really a drink called 'slam a
screaming virgin against the wall'?"
Her face lit in amusement and she nodded. "There is. 'Up Against the Wall' is
any drink topped with Galliano. And any drink becomes 'screaming' when vodka is
added."
"Okay." He turned his attention to the food, dismissing her from his mind.
Mulder smiled an apology to the waitress. "He hasn't eaten for awhile."
She found it impossible not to return the disarming smile. "Let me know if you
need anything." The look in her eyes made the last part all encompassing.
She took Krycek's empty beer bottle and sat a second down. Mulder thanked her
and watched in mild interest as she moved through the room again. Mulder turned
back around to see Krycek with his arms partially around his plate and leaning
over it as he shoveled the food into his mouth. Mulder got the impression of a
wolf guarding its food as it gorged.
"Apparently Krycek hasn't instructed you in manners. Are you even chewing
that?"
The alien stopped and raised his eyes to look at Mulder. His face was smeared
with barbecue sauce from the chicken wings. He took in Mulder's expression and
sat back from the table warily. Mulder saw the green cloud pass over Krycek's
eyes as the alien tried to analyze what he'd done wrong. A blink, and the eyes
looked human again.
Alexei took a drink and wiped his face with a napkin. "I'm sorry." He cocked
his head slightly. "I've never felt this 'hunger' before. I know my host has
gone hungry many times, but I never felt it before myself." His face took on a
serious expression, his voice stern. "I don't like it."
Mulder bit his bottom lip, fighting to keep a smile off his face. He couldn't
quite manage a serious tone. "Just go easy on the animal feeding frenzy. No
one's going to steal your food."
Alexei's eyes narrowed. "I have distinct memories of food being stolen many
times." He looked at Mulder accusingly. "Sometimes by you."
"I never stole food from you!"
"Yes, you did. Sometimes you'd just not let Alex eat, sometimes he had to leave
food unfinished, and sometimes," the green eyes glimmered. "You snitched off
his plate."
"That never happened," Mulder said indignantly.
The dark eyes stayed focused on him. Mulder couldn't hold the wounded
expression. A grin overtook his features. "Okay, once or twice."
Alexei nodded and turned back to his plate, picking up a fork.
Mulder suddenly stiffened. "Shit, is that Skinner?"
His stare over Krycek's shoulder caused the alien to spin in his seat. Mulder
snatched three chicken wings off Alexei's plate. When the younger man turned
back around, confused, Mulder shrugged. "My mistake. The room's dark."
He bit into a chicken wing and smiled benignly. Alexei looked down at his
plate, then slowly raised his eyes back up to meet Mulder's. Mulder continued
to eat, his eyes dancing with mischief. Alexei inched his plate closer to
himself.
The room echoed with raucous laughter and friendly shouting. They finished
eating with Mulder holding in his amusement as Alexei ate warily, watching him
the whole time. The young man wasn't crouched over his food anymore but he
tensed every time Mulder made a sudden move. Mulder felt obligated to make
those moves periodically just to keep the alien on his toes.
Caroline, the waitress, kept checking on the two men. Mulder frowned as she
returned with Alexei's newest drink. She sat the large glass of fruit flavored
liquor in front of Krycek. Smiling, she produced a lighter and lit the top of
the drink. Alexei's whole face glowed in delight and fascination as he stared
at the flaming concoction in front of him. Mulder shook his head. He placed a
small plate over the top of the glass, extinguishing it.
"You'd better go easy on those," he warned. "I don't remember Krycek being much
of a drinker and that's your fourth mixed drink. I don't even want to think
about the amount of alcohol you've ingested."
The alien leaned back, sipping his drink contentedly. "I'm thirsty. And these
drinks have interesting tastes."
"They also have an interesting effect on human physiology. I don't want to have
to carry you out of here."
"Hmm. I've detected some changes in body chemistry, but nothing I can't
neutralize."
He tipped his head back and took a long swallow of his new drink. Mulder
followed the path of the liquid, watching the muscles of the elegant throat
constrict to carry it down. The rhythmic movement channeled both the liquid and
his gaze lower, down a path of smooth skin, past one empty buttonhole to one
not so, where he was forced to let the liquid continue alone.
A malicious smile spread over Mulder's face. "If you neutralize the alcohol
you'll miss the most interesting part about drinking."
Alexei put down his glass and looked over at him doubtfully. "My host thinks
that getting drunk is foolish and dangerous."
Mulder's grin got wider. "You're missing the point of drinking. You don't drink
till you can't function. Just enough to relax, let your inhibitions out a
little." He took a sip of his own beer. "The idea is you do it with friends and
they don't let you get into trouble."
Alexei studied him silently a moment. Mulder kept his face neutral. "Okaaay,"
Alexei drawled out. "You will not let me get into trouble?"
"Of course not," Mulder's face was serious. "I don't want any trouble either,
remember?"
Alexei flashed a brilliant smile at him. "Very good. Then I will not neutralize
the alcohol." He held his glass to Mulder in a toast. "To friends."
The gentle light softened the clear-cut lines of Krycek's profile and played
tricks on the wide green eyes, making them appear love-blessed as he stared
into Mulder's eyes.
Mulder's own face relaxed. He swallowed dryly. His voice easing into warmth.
"To friends." Mulder touched his glass to Krycek's. Alexei tipped his glass up
and drained it. Mulder's eyes widened. "Umm, I don't think you need to get
drunk in the next five minutes. Do you have any idea what was in that?"
"Why waste time?" Alexei waved Caroline over for another drink.
The waitress was reluctant at first to serve them any more. But Alexei assured
her that they would only be walking across the street to their motel room
afterwards, not driving. Her conscience appeased, she kept the drinks coming.
Mulder bided his time as Alexei tried out two different mixed drinks.
As the young man started showing the effects of the alcohol, Mulder tried to
take advantage of his lowered guard to ask questions about Krycek's activities.
Alexei would have none of it. He wanted to ask about things he had seen in
Krycek's mind and couldn't understand. Mulder found himself giving the eager
alien a crash course on the psychology of humans.
Human physiology finally forced Alexei to go to the restroom. As he headed less
than steadily back to the table he stopped abruptly. A woman was standing by
their table talking to Mulder. The young woman wore a tight black satin dress
that left little to the imagination. Mulder was smiling and seemed to be
enjoying talking to her.
Alexei's jaw tightened as a strange sensation he couldn't name raced through
him. Anger? Yes, that had to be it. He took an instant dislike to the pretty
young woman in her tiny black dress. She wrapped both her hands around one of
Mulder's. She began tugging at him, trying to get him to go to the dance floor
with her. Mulder said something, smiling warmly. She threw her head back and
pealed with laughter.
A fury went through Alexei so powerful it made his muscles taut and humming
with need. The need to... he stopped himself, denying the violent urge. He
knew the difficulty for humans to heal unaided. He did not want to cause a
human severe damage. He forced several deep breathes. Krycek's face
automatically turned coolly indifferent as he stared at the woman. He tried not
to think of the innovative and painful things he could do to her and leave no
incriminating evidence.
"Hi." A soft female voice spoke from a few inches away.
Alexei turned in surprise to find himself looking into a pair of direct, Nordic
blue eyes. His anger abated somewhat under the warm glow of the smile the owner
of those eyes was bestowing on him. He took in her clean, light appearance
automatically and offered her a quick distracted smile. "Hi."
"I've been watching you."
His head snapped around to her, his attention totally captured. He immediately
regretted the motion as the room swam. He forced his eyes to focus on her.
"Yeah?"
She gave a nod. "Yeah." She bit her lower lip and smiled up at him. "I'm
Kayla."
He met the smile and the hand she offered. "Alexei." A soft, husky whisper so
soft she had to read his lips to pick it up.
Her eyes lingered on his lips. He had a beautiful mouth, and thoughts of how
she wanted to feel that mouth on her set off a riot in her brain. She indicated
the bar with a move of her head. "You interested in the house drinks?"
He nodded enthusiastically and his smile turned up a notch. Kayla was
enchanted. She had noticed him when he first came in. His features were so
perfect, so symmetrical, that any more delicacy would have made him too
beautiful for a man. Up close she saw thin lines about his mouth and eyes,
muting his youth with strength and character. A little old for her, but she
couldn't remember a man ever appealing to her as much as this man did.
"I was wondering if you'd like a body shot with me."
He cocked his head and the smile he flashed sent warm honey through her veins.
Oh, yeah... he was definitely a league above the local guys. Taking his hand,
Kayla led him over to the bar. Her mouth twitched with amusement as he looked
at the bar with fascination, studying the shiny brass tap faucets and the wide
array of colorful bottles along the back wall, his eyes never still. Watching
the people around the bar.
The bartender was serving a couple down the bar. He leaned over and replaced an
small, tinted bottle under the bar in front of Krycek before turning back to
mix the ordered drinks. Alexei's eyes widened in shock as he saw the dark swirl
of green liquid in the bottle placed under the bar. His stomach tightened as
his body reminded him how long it had been since he'd had a drink of the
nutrient fluid his alien essence needed.
Kayla frowned as he pulled his hand from hers. The frown turned momentarily
confused as he leaned over the bar. He stretched his tall body, his feet
leaving the floor as he tried to see and reach the desired bottle so temptingly
close. Neglecting to take his intoxicated state into account, he over balanced
and began sliding head first over the bar. Kayla gave a squeal and grabbed at
his belt loop. Her 105 pound body was not up to stopping his inevitable slide
to the floor on the far side of the bar. Kayla looked at him from her position
laying across the bar, giggling uncontrollably. Alexei reached over and
retrieved the alluring bottle of green fluid. His face lit in triumph as he
stood, holding it into the light.
"Hey!" The bartender had turned and strode toward him frowning.
Alexei placed a hand on the bartop and leapt to the other side. The graceful
move was spoiled as he stumbled on impact. He kept his grip on the bottle.
Kayla was laughing so hard she couldn't breathe now.
"Let's have it, buddy." The bartender held out his hand for the bottle.
"I wan' thisss," Alexei slurred.
"You want a drink, you ask. Give me the bottle."
Alexei scowled darkly. "I wan' thiss."
"Look, buddy, that isn't a drink. It's just an ingredient I add to make
drinks."
"Not 'buddy'. An' I wan' it."
The florid face was getting darker. "Look..."
Kayla wrapped her hands around Alexei's arm and slid them to the hand gripping
the bottle. She turned her blue eyes pleadingly to the bartender. "Henry, just
let him try it. Give him a shot glass to try."
Henry gave a grudging nod and slammed a shot glass to the bar top. Kayla
tugged, and Alexei reluctantly let her take the bottle from him. She flashed
him a brilliant smile and poured some of the syrupy liquid into the shot glass.
Alexei frowned at it as she sat the bottle down. "See, Alexei," she started.
"You don't..."
He tipped his head back and swallowed the liquid in a smooth move. Kayla leaned
back, her eyes opened in surprise. A pause, then his face twisted into a
grimace of distaste. She had a sudden mental image of a child given a
tablespoon of castor oil.
"Ugh!" Alexei shoved the bottle across the bar to the smug bartender. "Sorry,"
Alexei dropped his gaze, frowning in disgust.
Laughing too hard to talk, Kayla leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his
waist. He looked down bemused at the young woman with her face pressed to his
chest. Her full throated laugh came up to him inspiring a smile to touch his
own mouth. She lifted her face and tears glimmered in the blue eyes shining up
into his.
Mulder had realized that Krycek had been in the restroom far too long. He
decided the curious alien had either-A: gotten himself in trouble with someone
for 'examining' them at the urinal, B: fallen down dead drunk, or C: wandered
off looking for new experiences. Mulder excused himself from the young co-ed
still trying to entice him. He started through the crowd toward the rest room.
A commotion at the bar caught his attention but he couldn't see what brought it
on. He idly wondered what imaginatively named drink had caught their fancy.
Kayla had managed to get the bartender to come back to them. She was a regular,
he liked her, even if he did have to question her choice of companions. She
smiled at him winningly. "Two body shots, Henry."
There was suggestive hooting and cheering from the small group at the bar.
Alexei looked at her uncertainly. She winked. His face split in a smile of
eager curiosity.
Not finding Krycek in the restroom, Mulder was searching for him. A roar at the
bar drew his attention. He recognized Krycek standing by a young woman up
against the bar and cursed softly. What the hell did Krycek think he was doing?
Standing in the light surrounded by strangers. Standing way too close to that
young woman.
Henry called her name and Kayla took the piece of lime the bartender handed
her. With an evil grin, she lifted Krycek's shirt front and wiped the lime on
his stomach. He stood still, watching her in amazement.
Mulder started shoving his way through the crowd. He ignored the half hearted
complaints of college boys who changed their mind after seeing the dangerous
look on his face.
Egged on by the group at the bar, Kayla spread salt on the patch of Krycek's
skin she had limed and then put the piece of fruit between his lips. Her grin
grew at his confused expression. She knelt down and proceeded to lick his salty
skin slowly, like a cat. Still crouched, she reached up and grabbed a shot
glass of tequila from the bar. She swallowed the shot and stood. Leaning
forward, she removed the piece of fruit from his mouth with hers. His eyes were
wide as she sucked on the tart fruit. The group voiced their approval. She
reached up and pulled his head down. He stared into her deep blue eyes as she
removed the lime, freeing her mouth. She forced his lips open with her
thrusting tongue and took his mouth hungrily. Alexei froze at the assault, then
leaned into it. This was the deepening he'd wanted from Mulder but been denied.
This thrusting and sweeping, lips opened wide, breath mixing in heated gasps.
He was lost in learning the sensations. Then it was gone as she leaned back,
grinning at him in triumph as she picked up a second lime from the bar top.
Mulder's eyes blazed, betraying the dark anger that surged in him and singed
the corners of his control as he forced his way to the bar. He made it just as
Kayla pulled the neckline of her dress downward invitingly for Alexei to lime
the tops of her breasts. Mulder grabbed Krycek's arm and spun him around and
away from her.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Mulder hissed between his teeth.
Alexei leaned back, startled at the anger Mulder radiated. "We were just..."
he stammered.
Mulder kept his grip on Krycek's arm and jerked his head toward the door.
"Let's go."
"Hey!" Kayla had gotten over her surprise and now reacted angrily. She stepped
around Krycek and put herself between the two men. "What's your problem buddy?
We were having a good time. Get lost!"
Mulder ignored her and pulled Alexei off to the side, out of the lights. "What
are you thinking?" he kept his voice in a low hiss. "You don't touch other
people like that!"
"But I didn't..." Alexei stared into the dark anger on Mulder's face, more
confused than ever.
"You know how dangerous your blood is," Mulder's fingers were biting into
Krycek's arm hard enough to leave bruises. "You don't touch anyone but me. Got
it?"
"What the hell." Neither man had seen Kayla coming up next to them. She was not
willing to give up without a fight.
They turned now to see her looking at them in disgust. "Now I see," anger made
her voice carry clearly to the bar. "You two are fuck buddies!" She turned to
Alexei. "You just playing with me, or were you just trying to make lover-boy
here jealous?"
There was a scrape of chair legs on the floor as three of the local college
football players overheard and decided to act. The three college men were not
known for their tolerance of others and Kayla had said the magic words to
incite them.
"Goddamn faggots!" Hands landed on Mulder and Alexei's shoulders, spinning them
around.
Mulder saw the big lineman rearing back to hit Krycek and tried to jump between
them. "No!"
The other two men grabbed him and pulled him back.
"Wait..." Alexei tried to take a step back.
The lineman was faster, Alexei didn't even see the hand that hit him and sent
him flying backwards. He landed on a table, which promptly collapsed under him.
Alexei laid in the wreckage, gasping for breath and trying to regain some sense
of reality. He fought to regain his vision, which was swimming with crazy
blurred shadows. He squeezed his eyes together in three or four short flinching
movements and his vision slowly cleared. Alexei saw Mulder fighting with two
men in football jerseys. The lineman that first hit him stood right in front of
him, his face lit with an unholy anticipation.
Oh, shit! We're dead. Help!!
Alexei frantically removed all mental blocks from around his host's mind as the
big man grabbed the front of his shirt. Alex Krycek exploded forward like a
wolf from a cage. Alexei was vaguely aware of a snarl of rage erupting from his
throat as his host tore into his attacker. He sent a very brief plea for his
host to not kill. Alexei felt himself shoved violently into the background as
his host took control. He could feel the sudden loss as he was shut out from
all motor control and lost the sense of touch. He gathered himself and set to
work trying to neutralize the effects of the large amount of alcohol he had
imbibed.
How in the world did I cause this?
The fight was brief. The college men had no training, just brute strength. As
the last of their opponents fell, the FBI men ran for the front door. Halfway
across the parking lot they saw their waitress, Caroline, waving down a passing
patrol car in front of their motel.
Mulder looked over at Krycek accusingly. "You had to be rude to her."
Mulder scanned their surroundings. He pointed Krycek toward a travel trailer at
a gas station pump a hundred yards away. The two men ran through the darkness
to it. The owner was on the far side of the trailer gassing up his pickup. They
got to the near side without being seen. Mulder tried and opened the door
silently.
"What are you doing?" Krycek hissed at him.
"Since you told Caroline where we were staying, the police will be checking the
motel out. I think you broke that one guy's jaw. We need to get out of the
area."
"In a travel trailer?"
"You see any other options?" Krycek grimaced and shook his head. He touched his
sore lower lip, frowning at the drop of blood on his fingers.
At least it's still red. Just barely.
"Besides, no one rides in trailers. It's not safe." Mulder continued. "So of
course we're going to."
There was a flash of very white teeth as Mulder smiled and went through the
door. Krycek was right behind him. He shut and locked the door behind himself.
"Stay below the windows," Mulder whispered over his shoulder.
He turned around too fast to see the sarcastic look Alex threw him. The inside
of the trailer was bigger than Krycek had expected. It was almost roomy. The
front end held a kitchen and sitting area, complete with sink, stove, and
refrigerator. A cozy eating area adjoined the kitchen. Down the middle
stretched a long bench-like couch, with built-in cabinets above and below. On
the other side was a built-in television and more cabinets. The door to the
bathroom was right across from the couch. In the back, a set of full-size bunk
beds spread across the entire width. A pleasant, homemade quilt covered the
bottom bunk. Flowery white curtains were open at each window.
"I don't like it Mulder," Krycek whispered. "What if the owners decide to come
in before leaving?"
"We have to hope that doesn't happen. But just in case-" he opened a door to a
bathroom barely large enough for one full-size adult—"we're going to get out
of sight."
Krycek peeked into the small space. "No way, Mulder." He started backing up.
"Listen, we have to," Mulder frowned. "There's too many windows. They could
look in and see us."
"Close the curtains." Alex mumbled.
He looked chagrined at the look Mulder threw him. He turned his face from the
penetrating hazel gaze. Mulder studied Krycek a moment.
"It's just until we get moving. Then we can get out."
Krycek shook his head, still not looking up. "I'll take my chances."
"That would be great. The owners catch us in here, I have to explain why I'm
using a civilian's travel trailer as a get away vehicle from a drunken brawl
accompanied by a known felon who also happens to be a Russian spy."
"All right, Mulder!" Krycek gave a long suffering sigh and scooted back to the
small bathroom.
He froze as he looked in again. Mulder saw the younger man pale and swallow
heavily. Just as Mulder thought he was going to bolt again. Krycek stood and
went into the bathroom. Mulder squeezed in behind him. He closed the door,
plunging them into complete darkness just as they heard approaching voices.
Victim of the Game
by CKing
Jaak Danko stood frozen in the doorway, seeing Alex Krycek crouched on top of
a naked Fox Mulder. He carefully sat his bags on the floor.
