Dark Angel's Fire by Megaera Part XI Secrets and Lies Our present patient had developed a peculiar talent for avoiding a knowledge of any facts which would have helped him in deciding his conflict........ He had to be forced into remembering what he had forgotten and into finding out what he had overlooked. —Sigmund Freud—Notes upon a case of obsessional neurosis (The Rat Man) The aftermath of New York had been hard on his humans, Kulain reflected. A media frenzy was nothing new to him, but it was a matter of public record, substantiated by a frightened group of army officers, that Fox Mulder had been in the city when it all went to hell. And now that there was a substantial crater where the centre of the city used to be, the public image of a benevolent dictator that he had been cultivating had all gone to hell. Much like his relationship with Alex Krycek. At least he could be shielded at the moment from the glare of publicity. Sean didn't go out much, so Kulain and Mulder were the ones who had to field questions. Mulder had been at a loss, not knowing what to say. That Kulain killed who knows how many civilians just to save his lovers? Even though it was probably a kindness to the few tormented humans left alive in the city. So for the first and only time in his life so far, Fox Mulder had colluded with Kulain and his claims that a dangerous infection had been excised in the city. It was at least partially true. It had sounded so harmless at first. Join the lovely Sean for a few glasses of vodka, the drink he had been brought up with and could tolerate in huge quantities. Well, Mother Russia did impart certain skills in its nationals. Alex couldn't remember much about his hard drinking youth, but both Sean and Mulder seemed to think he was adept at this particular form of recreation. So he sat down in Sean's room and practically poured the fiery stuff down his throat. If ever there was a time when he needed to relax and take it easy, it was now. Being in the same building as the formidable, frightening Kulain did strange things to him. He would be sitting in one of the tower's public rooms when a stray sound or scent would abruptly remind him of exactly who governed his life, albeit in subtle fashion. His perfectly honed senses could hardly fail to miss the demonlord's presence. But he refused to stay in the same room as his terrible patron. Mulder and Sean both apparently cared for their dark lover, and eagerly went to him when he summoned them. The first time had been the worst. When Mulder had shown Alex exactly what he felt for Kulain by kissing him in front of Alex. Then, a few nights later, he had woken in the depths of the night, and found himself alone. He had crept almost silently out of his room, in search of his mate, and found Fox all too soon, in Kulain's bed and eagerly accepting the demon's cock inside him. The sight haunted Alex still, Fox in apparent ecstasy, legs wrapped around the demon as his lover slammed repeatedly into those lush depths. Mulder had been so far gone that he hadn't even noticed the stunned and silent watcher who stood in the doorway. But Kulain had seen him, and a smile had played about his lips as he possessed what Alex thought of as his. And worse, the demon had unmistakably invited Alex to join them. Alex shivered at the memory. He had fled blindly, tears streaming down his face, and had met Sean stumbling back to his room, carrying a half full bottle of something alcoholic. He didn't remember Sean at all from before his ordeal. But there was an innocence and sweetness about the younger man that made it apparent he was no threat. Sean drank, oddly enough, because he wasn't in Kulain's bed, and he claimed that he needed the demon with him to chase away the nightmares. The two of them had shared the remains of the bottle. And every time Fox went back to that other bed, Alex fled to Sean and the two of them drowned their sorrows. It was one human custom that he was glad to embrace. Tonight he had no idea where Mulder was, away in some city or other, but Alex knew a way to forget his troubles. He felt so lost most of the time, his only anchor in the reality of the human world was Mulder. His beloved Fox, who felt so right in his arms. It had been so much easier when he didn't have to think about human things, in New York. To live on his instincts, to feel the exhilaration of the hunt and the chase. Whether he was the hunter or hunted hadn't mattered. Just to feel so alive was what had mattered. Here, in Washington, surrounded by other people, with a confusion of behavioural rules to follow, he felt so bewildered. It was hard to think in the human fashion, sometimes his brain refused to translate their concepts accurately, and there were huge blank areas in his mind that taunted him by their very emptiness. He didn't really think of himself as human anymore. But did that make him the same as Kulain? The Demonlord had been excruciatingly careful to avoid him, after that first disastrous encounter. Sometimes, he walked into a room, and he knew from the scent of the place, that Kulain had just left. The demon had superb senses, and could probably hear or scent him quickly enough to avoid him. It didn't help much. Sometimes Alex got so confused. Mulder was careful not to talk about Kulain. But Alex would have preferred it. Why did Mulder love a demon? And despite himself, sometimes those dark eyes looked into his from the middle of his dreams. What he saw there made him wake, heart hammering, yearning for...... what.....? No! What he suspected of their previous relationship wasn't possible! He couldn't have let Kulain touch him. Not ever! It was too much for him to cope with. He had found an easy way to fog those blank areas in his mind, to forget that he had once been more. And the worst thing was that Mulder hadn't even noticed his struggles to stay sane. He was frantically busy trying to get permission to go into the other demon cities, determined to make sure the humans there were well treated and not subject to slavery. Of course. Alex understood. His mate was a gentle and compassionate creature, who would always try to help people. It was his nature. Sean had noticed how troubled he was, possibly because he wasn't much saner himself. Though the one solution he offered was probably destructive in the long term. Alex liked the young bodyguard, he was uncomplicated and kind. Maybe he could even have loved the human, if he hadn't had Fox. Alex knew instinctively that it was a bad idea to drink so much, so often. But he didn't know any other way to take away the pain. Lately, his dreams had been so confused........ He raised the bottle to his lips, not even bothering with a glass tonight, and swigged back a draught. One thing about his enhanced metabolism, it would burn off the stuff while he slept. No hangovers for demons if they drank vodka, though he would feel a little sluggish and his brain would take a while to switch on afterwards. The drink was perfect, pain free medicine then. And it got easier to take the next mouthful.... And finally you lost count...... Shit, the architecture in the Tower was so confusing. Alex shook his head, disorientated. It was weird, non human, and perhaps his brain still tried to interpret the organisation of the rooms in that familiar human way. There! Wasn't that Fox's room? Why couldn't he remember? Yeah, it must be the bottle and a half of alcohol he had consumed. He shook his head dizzily and giggled to himself. The overdose of vodka was having a most unusual effect on him, he felt falling over drunk, but his mind was still active, and at the moment, he felt as hot as hell. He clumsily peeled off his clothes, and pushed his way through the door. He caught sight of the sleeping figure, a mound covered by a thin silk sheet. He giggled again. He was going to wake Fox up, and give him a nice surprise. He tugged the end of the sheet up, and slithered underneath it. He found a foot almost immediately, and began to kiss it nibbling at the toes. The sleeper stirred. Alex grinned to himself, and swirled his tongue around the ankle bone, nipping slightly at the smooth skin. From the sudden tension in the body next to his, he knew he had finally got the sleeper to awaken. The other remained still, waiting to see what Alex was planning. He giggled softly, Fox was going to love this. He began to lick his way up his lover's leg in slow swirls that managed to cover most of the territory between him and his goal. Slowly, so slowly across the well muscled calf, hearing the other's breathing quicken. Taking the knee between his hands and kissing it. There was no part of this man that he didn't love. Then the warm thighs, which parted slightly as he crawled his way up the strong body. Here he spent far longer, blowing slightly in a soft exhalation across the smooth skin, hearing the other hiss at the torment of having his lover taunt him so. But his Fox was content to let Alex have his fun. Alex lowered his mouth to the tender skin on the inmost part of his lover's thigh, and began to suck on it, letting his teeth tease the sensitive spot, finally gently biting, marking his lover as his property, though not breaking the skin. His lover moaned softly. Alex smiled, and continued his slow progress upwards. He was having more fun than he had experienced for weeks. And reaching the other's groin, he was more than pleased by what he found waiting for him. "Son of a...... You're really pleased to see me!" Time to show that he was just as appreciative. He gripped the other's upraised shaft in his left hand, awed at its dimensions, then, unable to restrain himself any longer, he tasted his Fox. He relished his lover's tang, the evocative taste that brought to mind nights of passion and made him shiver with longing. Well, from the size of what Fox had for him at the moment, he would be more than pleased with tonight's encounter. Strange, he couldn't remember his Fox ever being so magnificently proportioned. Was his mind playing tricks on him, or perhaps the demon DNA inside them was capable of altering their bodies in more than one way? He found himself lapping eagerly at the pre-cum that seeped slickly from the cock he held. He couldn't seem to get enough of that glorious taste, as if he was satisfying some deep craving for the other that he never dreamed of. And it was, of course, totally natural to take in more of his mate into his mouth, to try and satisfy the urge that seemed to have uncoiled in his brain. Before he knew what he was doing, he was astride the other, still under the sheets, his head lowered as he deep throated his Fox hungrily, frantically. What was happening to him, where had this deep well of hunger come from? He was normally so gentle with his beloved Fox. So considerate of what his mate wanted. He couldn't stop. The need inside him was so great. As if sucking Mulder off was making him as hard as hell, and part of his brain was short circuited by the very act of tasting his mate. There was a hand then, steadying him, guiding him. Slowing him. Finally making him draw back, unsatisfied. He whimpered in protest, and the hand gently stroked his hair, soothing his lover. Alex rested his head against the strong belly, so very aware of the prominent erection that he held still in one hand, next to his face. Strong hands gently detaching his fingers with a sigh, then gripping his shoulders and pushing him onto his belly. The body positioned itself closer, and with a feeling of relief, Alex knew that he wouldn't be unsatisfied for very much longer. He giggled into the softness of the mattress. In all honesty, he doubted whether he could have stayed upright for very much longer anyway. The effects of the alcohol were beginning to catch up with him now, and it would be so good to relax and let the other take care of him. He was anticipating something special tonight, something that would make up for those nights away with Kulain. If his Fox gave it all away to the demon, he reasoned somewhat illogically, then no wonder Alex never got to see what a big boy he could be at other times. He dismissed a momentary sense of wrongness. Oh yeah. Alex was happy to lay back and let himself be taken care of with something that impressive! He wriggled himself into position, and felt the other shift position too, then a kiss on the nape of his neck made him sigh in happy anticipation. The kisses began to work their way down his spine, and before he knew it, the talented mouth was exploring him intimately, probing his most sensitive and secret places, wringing more than one moan from it's victim. Alex thought that Fox was really hot tonight! He had never done anything like that before, not that Alex could remember, and it was incredible! Making his lover sob and push upwards helplessly, screaming incoherently, reduced to begging at one point. And they hadn't got past the foreplay yet! "Please. Hurry! I can't take this any more." Alex decided it was time to be shameless about what he wanted. "Do it to me hard now!" A pleased sounding, throaty laugh was his lover's only response, but he felt the other positioning himself for an invasion of his body, and he eagerly spread his legs to facilitate matters. The alcohol had made his body fairly relaxed, so the other shouldn't have any difficulty in making an entrance. And when it came, it was as smooth and gliding a penetration as he could have wished. Both of them sighed, and for a few moments, his mate just rested inside him, enjoying his lover. Alex couldn't stay still for long though. The pressure of the other inside him, was an exquisite sensation, and before long, he found himself pushing closer, wanting more, desperate to ease the aching in his own cock, needing the other to pound into him and satisfy him. The other must have sensed his discomfort, for as soon as Alex tried to angle his hips to satisfy himself, that huge shaft was withdrawn, and before Alex could protest, it returned to fill him and he was lost. There was only that diamond hard shaft sliding repeatedly into him, sheathing itself with the regularity of a piston, reducing him rapidly to incandescent, unstoppable pleasure. Thought was gone, terror was gone. And Alex found a far better way to take his mind off his troubles than vodka. Though admittedly, screaming so much made his throat just as raw as the fiery spirit did. Why had their lovemaking never been like this before? Perhaps it was because his Fox had never been so dominant with him before. He decided that he was going to let this all too addictive pleasure soothe his troubles away every night. Even to the extent of facing down Kulain if need be. Why should the demon get the best part of his Fox? But it was hard to think on more than an instinctive level, hard to do anything in fact, apart from lie back and take what was being so gloriously given to him. Until it finally became too much and he found himself exploding into the silken sheets beneath him, jerking uncontrollably as he spent himself. And with a cry, his lover came too. Alex felt the sudden hot flood surge inside him, triggering aftershocks that made him moan in pleasure. The other's seed sank into his warm depths. And for a moment, dizziness took him, and there was a flash like black fire across the inside of his eyelids. Memories seemed to flash inside his head, faster than he could process. Before he could even gasp, the strangeness, whatever it was, had gone. And with it, whatever strength he had left after his mammoth drinking bout and its aftermath. He sagged in exhaustion against his lover, and mumbled to his Fox to hold him tight. He felt strong arms enfold him, then let himself fall into a soundless deep sleep. Kulain regarded the sleeping form with amused exasperation. He had been more than a little surprised to find his bed invaded by the one human he had never expected to approach him. And Alex had such an enthusiastic way of accosting his body. Well he had wanted Alex so much, he wasn't going to refuse such an open invitation to take the beautiful body. Technically Kulain supposed that it was taking advantage of Alex's apparent drunkenness. But he didn't value ethics that highly. Turning a horny and very hot Alex Krycek away from his bed would have been the act of a fool. And besides, it was an opportunity to bond to Alex again after the other demon had taken him. To redress the balance a little, implant his genes within Alex again, hopefully ousting the foreign DNA that the interloper had inserted there. Kulain cradled the sleeping human protectively through the night. For now, at least, Alex could have the illusion of safety. Though in the morning, no doubt, there would be hell to pay. Ah well, maybe it would make Alex think carefully about his situation. It might, at least, make him act cautiously to limit the disturbing amounts he was drinking lately. And what was Kulain going to do about the similar problem Sean had? He felt so good. It seemed like he had been existing on the edge of pleasure for so very long, without really understanding what it was. Last night had taken his relationship with Fox Mulder to a new and stratospheric level. He sighed softly, and nestled closer to the body behind him, enjoying the weight of the arm that was carelessly thrown over him, holding him close to the other. Careful not to disturb the arm, he twined his fingers with his mate's. He found a renewed delight in the gesture, it seemed like he had never noticed how long and strong those fingers were, or how finely shaped the slightly pointed nails were. Something nagged at his mind, a memory about Mulder that wouldn't quite clarify itself. Well it would come back to him later. His short term memory wasn't quite as reliable as it used to be. Or it could be the effects of consuming so much vodka. He winced internally, when he remembered exactly how much. The hand round his waist began to trail downwards, and Alex was pleased to note that even after having his brains fucked out last night, he was still capable of a more than adequate response to its demanding caresses. In fact, this time he would leave nothing to chance, and he languorously rolled onto his stomach and raised his ass in delicious compliance. The invitation was accepted with alacrity, and he felt his partner's morning erection slide into him almost immediately. He bit at the back of his hand to stop himself screaming as his tightness was invaded anew. Yes! That was the spot. There! He felt so sensitive after last night, that it wasn't going to take much to make him come again. Then maybe he could persuade Mulder to stay in bed for a few more hours, and explore their new found rapture a few more times. He decided that one of the things he really ought to remember was exactly how abandoned he liked to act in bed. And surpass previous records . Yeah. That was it, a few more like that would suffice. He yelled encouragement and approval, and his partner's efforts redoubled. He could feel the tension gathering in his balls, feel the tightness in his lower abdomen, and flung his head back, gasping, sucking in more oxygen as his body worked itself towards orgasm. Movement caught the corner of his eye, even as his body began to arch in climax. Fox Mulder stood in the doorway, his mouth open in disbelief, staring at Alex and his lover. What....? Then he was coming, helpless to stop his reaction to the incredible fire of the other moving within him. He screamed incoherently, again and again. The inferno inside him was indescribably good. He felt his senses overload, dizziness overwhelm him, even as he felt the other cry out as he came to completion. "Alex! Oh my sweet Alex!" Kulain! It was Kulain who had slept with him! Because Mulder was away last night....... Mind as overwhelmed by the knowledge, as his body was by Kulain's touch, he fainted and carried the thought down with him into the oblivion that followed "No...... Oh no........" Memory was all too quick to return to Alex this time. Of what he had done, and who he had done it with. And there was no blaming the demon, for Alex had initiated their encounter. "Shhh it's alright. It's just me Alex." Mulder cradled Alex close, wiped away the tears that rolled down his lover's face. "Tell me it's not true. Tell me I didn't......." Alex begged hopelessly. "I'm sorry Alex. You did! And from what I saw, you had a pretty hot time last night!" Alex tried to curl up in a ball, protectively wrapping his arms around his torso in distress. Not him. Anyone but him! Mulder continued to stroke his head gently, soothing him, as Alex turned bewildered eyes to Fox. "He didn't hurt you, did he?" Mulder sighed with relief at the shake of the head he received. "I didn't think he would, he's not into pain like one demon I could mention. In fact, he prefers it when his lovers are enthusiastic" Alex just shivered. It was going to be a long day! Alex sat near Mulder, not really wanting to be alone, but unable to talk about his confusion with his lover. He had to get away. He needed to think. The turmoil he felt was all but overwhelming. What he had done. How it had felt. How very, impossibly good it had felt............. It was a trick. The demon felt nothing for him. He was a sweet and convenient piece of ass, ready to serve the demon's warped desires. No. He wasn't going to think about what the demon had whispered to him in those last moments. Demons were deceivers, everyone said so. There was no advantage in loving a human, no reason for a demon to ....... love? Demons were killers and rapists, hurting humans. Using them for pleasure. .......Oh, what pleasure........! They had no feelings close to humanity. They were cold and ruthless. He had seen so many killings and worse, in New York, the only standard he had to judge their behaviour with. He had never seen one, in all that time, touch a human with anything resembling tenderness. .....Alex, my sweet....... His head was beginning to ache with the quandary he found himself in. A dull throbbing that began at his temples and felt like a tight band across his skull. Maybe another drink would help........? He found himself on his feet and halfway across the room, before he had even reasoned out the impulse, reaching for the bottled oblivion. Mulder looked up from the report he was reading. The full lips pursed in disapproval, though Mulder didn't speak. Alex let his outstretched hand fall, and shivered slightly. Mulder dropped his file, and rose, approaching him. He moved behind Alex and wrapped his arms around him. "I know it's hard, love. But you found out last night that vodka wasn't the answer." Alex turned and returned the embrace, his tears flowing easily, soaking into the fabric of Mulder's shirt. "I'm not giving up on you!" Mulder sounded fierce. "Let's get away from here for a few days. It'll give you some space. My mom has been wanting me to visit for a while, now that she's got her new house fixed up. We can go together, see the family, spend some time together..... You always loved her cooking! Would you like that?" He felt Alex nod against his shoulder, and hugged his lover again. "I'll have to tell Kulain where we're going, but give me half an hour and we can be out of here!" He lifted Alex's head, and kissed away the tears, smoothing their tracks away gently with his long fingers. "Go put a few things in a bag for us, and I'll be with you soon." Word had reached Kulain from a secret contact in the Department of Defence, a man who had an eye to his own advantage. Elements in the government were trying to develop a weapon against him. And a way had been found to neutralise certain of the demon control viruses. Using alien DNA. But trying to annihilate demonkind was a foolish choice, considering the alien threat. Kulain knew that he would have to act in his defence. It was a major step, to neutralise that threat. To ensure the safety of his kind. But whatever conscience Kulain had was undisturbed. It was, after all, a factor in his plans from the very beginning. A short phone call later, and he had arranged a meeting with certain right wing elements in Washington, allies of the Smoker. He had ensured that he was kept fully informed on their potential for destruction, ostensibly in case they acted against him. And now when they were poised to strike his kind with their virus....... He would indulge in his favourite pastime, manipulating humans. Fox Mulder entered, soon afterwards. He wanted to take Alex away for a while, talk things through with him. Kulain smiled at the memory of that morning. The awakening he had received from his young lover. For a moment, it had almost been as good as before; the old Alex without fears or inhibitions. Though he couldn't tell Alex the things he had wanted to, the apology for what had gone before, the loving promises of trust. Perhaps it was better that the two of his most precious possessions went away for a while. That way, they would be out of the line of fire. Away from Washington when his plans came to a head, and the Smoker and his allies fell into Kulain's trap. And he took measures to assert control. Away from the inevitable backlash that he expected would follow his coup against the government. He gave his blessing to Mulder's plan and saw the relief on the young face. And the surprise when Kulain kissed Mulder's forehead and smiled at him in reassurance. Yes. Better that Fox Mulder was not in Washington when his lover took advantage of the Smoker's attempt at biological warfare.. Mulder's mother had exchanged her summer home in Martha's Vineyard for a secluded beach front property in Cape Cod, close to Provincetown. Far more private and secluded than her last residence. And most importantly, not subject to the glare of publicity that had spoiled the atmosphere of the last property. Since the house had been purchased anonymously, no- one knew of its connection to Mulder, and he was happy to keep it that way. The two of them completed the long drive from Washington just before midnight, having set off quite late in the morning from the city. Mulder had warned his mother to expect him, and she tiredly greeted him when he walked into the house. He didn't miss the quick but apprehensive glance behind him at his companion. And the slight softening of her face when she saw that it was not Kulain. Maybe this wasn't the best place in the world to be right now, but at least the new house wasn't filled with bad memories of his father and sister. Alex sagged tiredly, almost propping himself upright against the wall. His eyes were incongruously hidden by sunglasses, and Mulder saw his mother's quick frown at that. He quirked an eyebrow at her. "Where do you want us to stay?" She led the two men upstairs and indicated the first and second doors to the left. For a moment, there was silence. Mulder shook his head. "Mom.......... Alex and I are together. Please......." With a resigned sigh, she nodded. "The first room has a larger....... er......well....." Mulder grinned. "I think the word you're looking for is bed, Mom! And thanks!" "Better Alex than him, Fox!" Mulder forced himself to ignore the jibe, and pushed Alex in front of him, into the bedroom. He shut the door hastily, before his mother could make another remark. Alex stared round him with only minimal interest, his expression dull and lifeless. Mulder wasn't sure when the depression had hit his lover during the drive up here, but he found it painful to see the spiritless demeanour of his lover. Alex looked exhausted, both mentally and physically, by the day's events. Mulder pushed the unresisting man down onto the bed, hating Alex's passivity. Then he slowly undressed the younger man, and seeing Alex's lack of reaction, gave up the idea of having fun. Instead, he just wrapped his arms around his lover and drew him into a protective embrace. Within a very short time, Alex was asleep, looking strangely vulnerable in rest. Mulder had always thought he was the weak one in this partnership. But not that night. Mulder shook Alex awake at 6a.m. the next morning. He was glad to see more life in his lover, enough to mumble a curse at Mulder for the earliness of the hour. It had been fairly easy to bully Alex into a morning run. The two of them emerged into the cool freshness of the morning. There was still a faint mist lingering across the ground and Mulder found himself relishing the tang of the salt air. The two men jogged effortlessly along the firmer sand of the beach, so fit and athletic with their enhanced bodies that by the time they had covered a few miles, they were barely breathing hard or breaking into a sweat. The sky was beginning to lighten dramatically now, and Mulder flung himself down on the slope of a nearby low dune and sat in silence, watching the sunrise. Alex sank down next to him and stared out to sea. He did seem less tense though, less troubled than he had been. They just sat quietly, close to each other, listening to the sound of the sea. the distant lonely cry of a seagull. Finally Alex spoke. "It's peaceful here." "Yeah! We used to come to the beach for a few weeks every Summer when I was a child. It was always a good place to come when you needed to think." Alex continued to stare at the lapping waves on the foreshore. "I'm sorry," he said finally. "It's not your fault Alex. She used you. She messed with your mind and body. She hurt you so much! It's going to be a long time before you get over it." "I don't think I'll ever lose the fear....." Alex whispered. "You don't know what it was like when I saw him. I couldn't stop shaking..... I just wanted to run away. I couldn't control it!" He stared in anguish at his mate. "I feel so lost....... I don't know who I am any more!" Alex's voice was rising as he spoke, and his last words were a heartfelt cry that shattered the silence of the place. The seabirds rose from their rest, crying, into the sky, Alex watched them, his face wet with tears. Mulder reached out and caught hold of Alex's fingers, gripping his hand tightly. "We love you, Alex! We'll always be there for you. It doesn't matter how long it takes." "He loves me?" A frightened voice. "Oh yeah! He loves both of us. I have no doubts about that. Do you really think I'd risk your safety? Ever?" The fingers tightened on his, clinging to him like a lifeline. The two of them watched the sun slowly rise over the horizon for a long time, silent and still, but not alone. After a while, Mulder slowly extended his arm around Alex's waist and the younger man leaned against him. And later still, rested his head against a supportive shoulder. For the moment, it was enough. Felix Werne, the leader of the right wing America Free League was as ruthless, in his own way, as Kulain. And would stop at nothing to achieve his goals, given incentive and opportunity. Allying himself with the Smoker had brought many benefits. An anonymous message promising certain information that would prove useful to him was therefore viewed as a promising opening to negotiations. The leader of the A.F.L. agreed to meet with his new informant in an abandoned warehouse on the shores of the Potomac. Werne brought two of his trusted lieutenants along for support, and both he and his men had concealed knives and handguns. The crew cut leader of over a hundred nazi-style "soldiers," Werne had not achieved notoriety and a fearsome reputation by being careless. He was ready to deal with trouble in any form. Which didn't make his extreme political views any less repugnant. The three men waited somewhat nervously for their contact. They didn't have to wait long. A short laugh greeted them from the deep shadow of a supportive roof pillar. A figure leaned against the wall, face hidden by the darkness. The A.F.L. men pulled their guns and aimed at the figure. A chuckle was the only response, then the figure slowly reached into a pocket and pulled out a computer disc, which was thrown their way, Werne picked it up. "Who are you? What is this?" He fingered the disc. "A copy of your F.B.I. file, and details of current surveillance on you." The mystery figure sounded amused. "You need to be more careful. Letting your group be infiltrated so easily." The figure spoke casually, having just condemned two undercover agents to death. Werne's eyes narrowed. "What do you want for this?" "I want the demons out of this country!" Anger sounded in the stranger's voice. "Why, even now, our weak minded President is preparing to sell out his country to the demons. They want to give up ten more cities to those creatures!" Werne's face went white with outrage, but caution still prevailed. "How do I know this is the truth?" he demanded. "In the next few weeks, the President will be having a big meeting with the demon leader Kulain. They'll have a press conference and announce the decision afterwards. It's just a matter of a few treaties being signed, then they'll present it as a fait accompli. You'll know it's about to happen when the President announces he's going to make a State of the Nation address. "Why tell me?" Werne said. "You have the reputation of a man who gets things done. I've heard that you plan to act against the demons. That certain men in Washington have given you the means. Men wiser than our small minded leader. Give me the information on when the war against the demons begins, and I can give your cause a significant financial boost." The figure slipped away, leaving a thoughtful human behind him. It was so very easy to pull that one's strings. But certain segments of humanity always did prefer to think the worst of their fellows. It was easy to sow discord among them. As if their foolish bigotries made the slightest difference to the way they would die under a sharp talon! He would have to test that out when the fool had served his purpose. Mulder and Alex jogged back to the house, bodies moving in unconscious harmony, as they ran in step with each other. By now, the first tourists were making an appearance on the freshly tide-swept beaches, and the two fit young men drew more than their fair share of admiring glances. Mulder wondered if his mother had realised just how popular this area was among a certain type of man. He grinned at Alex, who had noticed the attention, and for the first time, was rewarded with a slight curve of those lips and a noticeable relaxation. "I guess we look good together." Mulder said. The smile became open and it was as if a ray of sunlight had hit the beloved face. "Oh yeah!" Alex extended a hand, and the two of them continued the jog back to the house fingers entwined. They entered together, more than ready for a hearty breakfast. Then Mulder saw who was waiting for them! He must somehow signal to the stronger animal that he is no longer a threat......This is achieved by the performance of certain characteristic displays.......When he displays towards the attacker in this way, it stimulates a sexual response which damps down the mood of aggression. Desmond Morris—The Naked Ape Sean moaned in despair, and twisted his body in the large bed, trying to get comfortable. On previous nights, for far too long, his routine had been to drink vast amounts of alcohol, and slide slowly into oblivion. And if he dreamed, during those times, he remembered none of it. Tonight was different. Tonight was hell. And he had brought it on himself. As usual these days, he had started to drink at an early hour. Neat spirits now, no longer with the pretence of a few social drinks to relax him, to forget those few small worries he had. By early evening, he had consumed the best part of a bottle of Scotch. His increasing tolerance for the alcohol, and his metabolism ensured that he looked barely drunk. It took more these days to block out the voices in his head, the dreams.... the nightmares. And lately, a strange heat inside his head that seemed to be clawing at his skull from the inside, desperate to escape. Daytime was just a minor disturbance to get through, a time without the anaesthesia. Night time was the worst time. If Kulain wasn't there....... But today.......... Kulain had walked in while he was searching vainly for another bottle, needing it now. Before the night came..... The demon had stared hard at him, a little unnervingly. Green eyes had taken in his human's rumpled appearance, the empty bottle on the floor. Cat pupilled eyes had narrowed in annoyance, and Sean had seen the demon's nostrils flare, as superb senses smelled the odour of stale alcohol spilled on the human's clothes. "Enough, Sean!" But he had been too desperate for more to notice Kulain's anger. Then there was triumph as he found more bottles of what he sought. It was pretty easy these days to order whatever he wanted, to be delivered to the most prestigious address in Washington. He fumbled with the stopper, unconsciously extending one claw to pick at the soft plastic seal. Kulain's hand descended, crashing into the bottle, sending it flying to shatter against the nearest wall. Then he was being picked up and shaken like a rag doll, over and over again. He was finally dropped, as Kulain's anger ran its course, and lay sprawled at the demon's feet, in a pathetic, sobbing heap. "I didn't think you were a fool, Sean!" The words were snarled, then Kulain swore softly. Terrified blue eyes were transfixed by the claws that Kulain had automatically extended in his rage. Tears stained Sean's face, and the human huddled in on himself, shivering in bewilderment and fear. "Oh Sean. What am I going to do with you?" Kulain sighed in exasperation. He knelt beside the huddled man and drew him close, carefully stroking the tousled brown hair, finally gently rocking Sean in his arms until the man's terror faded. Sean's problem would not be solved by anger. He needed help and support to combat his alcoholism, and more importantly, its root cause. Kulain's genes had entered his body and wrought massive changes. But not in a controlled way. Not like Alex and Fox who had gently been initiated into their new abilities. Mulder hadn't known what the consequences of his action would be. In Sean, the genes caused psychic turmoil and mental anguish. And there was such potential there, if only he could learn control...... He lifted the unresisting man in his arms, far stronger than a human, and cradled him close. There was one way to help Sean. He carried the human down to the basement levels of the tower, and opened the secret entranceway to the underground facility there. Sean was too far gone by now to even notice his surroundings, as the stress of the evening caught up with him. And the human didn't even raise his head when he was lain on a bed in a room deep underground and left to sleep it off. SHE regarded her unexpected visitors with surprise, and raised an exquisitely pointed eyebrow at Sean. A small, giggling presence ran forward and was gravely swung round and thrown up into the air with consummate care. Kulain's small sister then returned to her play, greeting over. Most humans would have been surprised at Kulain's family regard. And Amara sighed, even as Kulain had with Sean. "I need a favour. Something difficult......." Kulain tried an appeal. His mother smiled, falsely sweet, and he knew it was going to cost him dear. "You can help him, he needs to control his mental abilities. He's being driven slowly mad. And I thought that, as you're training my sister, you could also....." "Train your human!" She glared at him. "If I must! But this time your payment will be obedience to me for half a human year! Is he worth that price?" Kulain turned to look at Sean, lying sprawled on the bed, his face grubby and tear stained. This was the human he hadn't even considered in his latest plans. The one he thought he didn't love. The pretty but useless human who occasionally decorated his bed. He nodded. "Only half a year? You're getting mild in your old age!" The response to that was almost worth the price! Fox Mulder and Alex Krycek had returned to his mother's Cape Cod home to find that there was an unexpected visitor waiting for them. Alex had known straight away that Mulder was both furious at and scared of this man. Which was odd, since he seemed to be a normal, rather elderly human who smelled rather unpleasantly of smoke. To Alex's enhanced senses, it was quite repulsive. But he didn't think that was why Fox reacted so negatively. There was something else....... Alex studied the man more closely. His face was unfamiliar, surely they had never met? The watery blue eyes swept over the two lovers and the mouth creased in contempt. And something else when he saw Alex. Surprise. "You look improved since our last meeting, Alex!" The old man sounded mocking. Alex tilted his head to one side, trying to remember. And for just a flash, he saw the wrinkled face creased in a cruel smile, as he looked down upon Alex, standing at the side of Tiamat...... He gasped. Mulder gently pressed his arm. "Go get changed and shower, Alex. I can handle this!" Alex frowned, the man couldn't be a threat to Fox at his age, but that one uncertain memory made Alex feel soiled and dirty. He glared at the smoker, and jogged up the stairs to do as he was bid. The Smoker stared at Mulder, and ignored the expression of disgust on the younger man's face. He had long experience of manipulating Fox Mulder, and knew exactly how to put him at a disadvantage. A suggestion of mockery at Mulder's relationship with Alex would anger the younger man, put him off guard. Interesting though, that Alex didn't want to beat the living daylights out of his old enemy. There had been nothing but puzzlement in the former assassin's expression when he had first seen his old enemy. After the recent events in Vegas, Alex should have been enraged at the sight of him. Then the rumours were true. The whisper of gossip that said Alex had been to visit the local hospital recently, in the company of Mulder and Dana Scully. And that he had been given a brain scan, the results of which indicated some sort of trauma. Oh yes, Spender had impeccable sources of information in the medical profession. Alex was another one of Fox Mulder's weaknesses. But the biggest advantage he had over the younger man was the capacity for betrayal of someone in Mulder's family. His dear mother. Teena Mulder walked over to her son and put a gently restraining hand on his arm. She gave Fox a pleading look, and shook her head at him. "Please Fox! Don't be angry. I asked him to come, he's a very old friend of the family, and I needed his help." Mulder stared at his mother, barely able to take in what she was saying. How could anyone want that man in their house? The one responsible for so much pain over the years. Who may even have engineered his father's death, and had tried to separate him from Alex more than once. Mulder closed his eyes for a moment and tried to get a hold of his temper. "Your mother is concerned about you, Fox. And she doesn't even know everything about your unconventional lifestyle. For instance, have you told her that you currently have three lovers? Or that you undergo interesting transformations sometimes. The videos I've seen of those were quite a revelation." Spender was plainly enjoying himself, and his mother was making sounds of distress. Mulder reached out and drew her close. "You don't want to listen to him, Mom. Look at him! He's enjoying this, hurting you...... I don't know what went on in the past but you don't have to rely on him for help any more. I have a lot of friends in Washington. And Kulain will help....... Whatever it is..... Please don't cry." Teena clutched at him, sobbing. "Oh Fox, You don't know how upset I've been over this. You can't imagine..... I'd do anything to solve my problem. Anything!" "What problem?" Mulder glared at the Smoker, who merely smirked. "We don't need him!" Teena reached up to touch his cheek in an affectionate gesture. "You, Fox! You're the problem!" Something cool scraped Mulder's cheek. He blinked in puzzlement and raised his hand to the tiny scratch. A single droplet of blood stained his fingers. Perplexed, he looked at his mother, who was smiling. An odd heaviness seemed to centre itself in his body, and he felt his knees fold under him. The next thing he knew, he was lying on the rug, his head filled with an incomprehensible fog. The Smoker smiled, and his mother briefly knelt beside him. "It's going to be alright Fox. Trust me! You'll see. It's for your own good!" The Smoker embraced Teena, his long time friend and more. "We believe we can deprogram him in about six weeks. I'll send you news as often as possible. Don't worry. All you have to do is get rid of Alex Krycek as quietly as possible. I have some ideas on that. It shouldn't be too difficult, he's a wreck of a man, with virtually no reasoning skills left. He'll believe whatever you tell him! " Mulder moaned in protest, tried to move, to cry out, anything. Not Alex! Please! Instead, he felt himself slip deeper towards oblivion. He barely felt a couple of goons carry him towards a waiting van. Spender looked amused. "Without the late, unlamented Tiamat, we wouldn't have learned half as much about demonkind, Fox. You can thank her for the new drugs we have, and some other interesting little devices that you're going to know intimately in the next few weeks!" Whatever the drug was, it was highly effective, for Mulder was, by then, unconscious. Alex emerged refreshed and alert from his shower. His mate had been right of course, the physical activity had made him feel much better. Alex changed into a thin t-shirt and jeans. Mulder would enjoy the way he looked, he always joked that Alex had been poured into the tight denim, and found an excuse to pull Alex close and fondle his ass. That was one of the things he loved about Fox, the affectionate relationship they had, and the way his lover demonstrated it. He wondered if Fox was finished talking to the evil smelling old man, he couldn't hear any sounds of an argument, and Fox was the sort of man who would stand his ground if he was feeling threatened. There was silence from below. Something about the quality of that silence set his nerves on edge. He felt an uneasiness he couldn't quite explain, and automatically shifted so that he could better study his surroundings. He knew Fox had told him not to, but he couldn't help it. There was a sense of wrongness that his less civilised instincts told him was a threat to him and his mate. And yet his senses could detect nothing except a lingering trace of smoke. The bearer of that scent was long gone. There were other odd things. He couldn't hear or smell Fox anywhere, and there was just a trace of an acrid scent that he didn't quite recognise. And yet........ Memory sparking....... an office, a woman smiling at him....... reaching out his hand to her, then..... The scent was associated with something bad that had happened to him, though what, he wasn't sure. He went downstairs and prowled through the rooms, looking for traces of his mate. Mulder's jacket was casually slung over a chair. He breathed in the scent of it deeply. It did nothing to ease his disquiet. Then Teena Mulder came in. His nostrils flared at the sudden acrid scent of her too strong, too sweet perfume as it swamped his senses, and automatically shifted back so that he felt more comfortable. She didn't notice the brief flare of green in his eyes. He briefly thought that she smelled like a piece of carrion. She wouldn't have understood the amusement he felt, and it was soon overwhelmed by his concern for Fox. Well he would have to ask her! "Where's Fox? I thought we were going to have breakfast." Alex kept his voice casual, trying to hide his worry. She smiled in a motherly fashion, and patted his arm. "You poor dear. I know your memory is bad. Don't you remember? Fox left. He told you he wanted to be on his own for a while...... He never was very good at saying what he felt, but I think this business with your head injury has upset him more than he told you." "What?" Alex said slowly. Surely he would have remembered Fox leaving. His memory was bad, but could it be that deplorable? Bewildered now, he stared at Teena, who wore a motherly expression, and reached out to pat his arm in consolation. "He needs some time to think, that's all. Reassess his life, he said. I think. He'll be away a while, with his friend. Well can you really blame him dear, you aren't exactly a stimulating companion any more, are you? He can't exactly hold a meaningful conversation with someone who can't string two sentences together, now can he?" Alex flinched, a look of distress showing on his face. His sense of wrongness was swamped by the malicious lies Mulder's mother told. Teena shook her head doubtfully. "Perhaps it would be better if you leave now Alex. I really don't want a person like you staying here any more. Well, it just doesn't look right. The neighbours would talk. I'm sure you can find the sort of company you need in town." Her smile became malicious. " I understand that intelligent conversation isn't a requirement in some of those establishments......" Almost purely gold eyes flared bright with anger. Alex found himself shifted and claws extended with no clear memory of the transition. With a snarl, he stepped forward, and had the satisfaction of seeing Teena screech and recoil in disbelief. For a brief instant, he was tempted to strike her down, rend and tear uncontrollably...... But it was only for a split second. Then his instincts were under control. But not his tormenting emotions. No. He didn't really mean her harm. But why would Fox leave him? Why? Unless he really was a burden, and she was telling the truth. What reason would Fox's mother have to lie? His thoughts trapped in a maelstrom of doubt and confusion, he fled from the house, unconsciously tracing the route he had taken hours earlier, towards the beach. He was alone. Fox had gone and he had no-one else that he trusted. The reality of it was overwhelming He wept. Much later, Alex stared out to sea, forlorn and desolate. Fox had gone and he had never been so scared in his life. He was beginning to realise how much knowledge he had lost over the past few months. Because he wasn't functional in human society any more. He had fled from Mulder's family home after the scene with Teena Mulder. There was an aching confusion in him, and he didn't know what to do any more. He had barely been able to restrain himself from lashing out at her with demon claws, as hatred and despair filled him at her cruel words. And had taken the only way out. He had fled, down to the beach, away from humanity and its persecution. Once, he would have been able to answer with words, but now they wouldn't come....... A tear slowly trickled down his face as he remembered walking down the same stretch of beach with Fox. Why did you leave me alone here? Where are you Fox? Come back to me, please..... He knew something was wrong. There had been an atmosphere in that house that he couldn't explain. He only knew that it felt more dangerous than the time they had been fugitives in New York. He had wanted to leave when he had seen the Smoking Man, but Fox had an insatiable curiosity...... There was something about the stranger that was hauntingly familiar. Some part of that contemptuous smile that had triggered recognition in him. And a single brief flash of memory, more of an image, the man with Tiamat, laughing......... He jerked his head up at the sudden wail of sirens, and stared in astonishment at the three police cars that were heading towards him, along the beach road. He couldn't suppress a surge of primitive terror. Instinct took over, and he felt himself shift again. He spun round and began to run, far faster than any human could have, away from them, along the beach. Teena must have called them, when she had seen what he become. Not trusting her son's judgement, she had committed one last betrayal. The instinct to kill her had probably been the correct one. He snarled as the emotions within him boiled over. The cars were keeping pace with him as they ran parallel to the beach. He sensed movement ahead of him, and realised that there was a fourth car in front of him, and that he was racing into a trap. With another snarl he swerved, intending to run past it. A human appeared from the car, pointing a shotgun at him, yelling something human that his brain refused to process, something about stopping and surrendering. There was a threat to him. His demon self processed that adequately, and he moved faster than they could have anticipated, coming in low, lashing out with a clawed hand, taking out the human and leaving him groaning and bleeding on the sand. Then he was past the obstacle, and running again. He had reached the edge of town, and before him was the pier. There was a mass of humanity before him, and his mind baulked at their closeness. His instincts instead made him flee up the steps of the pier, and along it, towards the sea. He was subliminally aware of his pursuers, more of them now, following him as he fled. He barely registered the screams of frightened people on the pier, as he passed them, claws bloody. Then he was at the end of the pier, cornered, with no place else to go. Kulain frowned as the phone made its irritating human signal for attention. It was something he had gotten used to over the years of dealing with mortals, but occasionally, he wanted to tear the thing out of the wall and fling its ringing hell against the wall. Fortunately, today was not such a day, though Mulder's absence caused a keen pang. He answered and frowned at the unexpectedness of the call. It had been a long time since he had heard from his erstwhile colleague Kowalski. But the former cop had never been as frightened by him as some humans he could think of. And when Kowalski had heard of an unusual situation developing in a certain, familiar Cape Cod town, he knew of one person whose opinion he would value....... What the hell was Mulder playing at? He thanked the human, and almost immediately, made preparations to go to the place in question. And as the fire of the Otherworld surrounded him, he could only wonder at this new development. "He's holed up at the end of the pier. We can't get a clear shot at him without risking more men!" The local law enforcement officers were clearly not willing to risk a close encounter with a demon. The local police captain turned to the man who had just arrived and taken charge of the situation. "You know who you look like.....?" Kulain smiled briefly, and drew off his sunglasses, that hid his non- human eyes. The captain gasped, and took two or three steps backwards in fear. It wasn't every day that he came face to face with a real demon, and today he had seen two! "You wanted an expert, didn't you? One who could quietly deal with your problem without angering the demon authorities......" The cops were suddenly all too eager to leave this problem to Kulain. He gave the instruction to clear the pier, and when there were no more humans nearby, he made his way stealthily to the end of the pier. Alex sat on a seat there, apparently casual, as if this was an everyday occurrence. Kulain wasn't fooled. He was breathing too rapidly and his shifted talons were just visible from the position of concealment Kulain had adopted. Kulain studied his beautiful Alex for a while, content to observe him, giving Alex a chance to calm himself. But finally, some sense of his presence must have conveyed itself to the younger man, because Alex whirled, talons ready, and glared in hatred at the interloper. Kulain stepped into the open, revealing himself to Alex. He saw the gold eyes widen, and a sudden terror replace the aggression. But shifted, Alex snarled, and lunged at him unexpectedly, in desperate defence. He didn't want to hurt Alex. Nothing in the world could make him use his own talons on his beloved. But something was gravely wrong here. Where was Fox? And why was Alex so scared that he would resort to this to escape pursuit? Kulain had to know! So he spun away from the attack, blindingly fast, and then Alex was past him, running towards the cops who waited at the shore end of the pier. If Alex reached them, he would be blasted by at least a dozen shotguns, and as many service revolvers. Kulain lunged, with all his strength and speed, and as Alex moved away from him, the demon slammed into him from behind, knocking Alex to the wooden deck. The younger man yelled, as panic took over, and struggled hopelessly to escape. Kulain pulled Alex's arms behind him, then used the demon cuffs he carried to restrain the younger man. Alex began screaming hysterically. ......the demon had tied him........ the demon was going to rape/hurt/kill....... the demon was too strong.... too evil... too close........ Kulain swore, as Alex's efforts to escape redoubled, and he kicked and bit at his lover in a terrified frenzy. Kulain hadn't wanted to do it this way, but the call of Alex's demon instincts was proving too strong for him to control at the moment. He had to get the younger man away from here, back to the Tower, away from prying eyes, before he got himself killed. There was no recognition in the golden eyes, none at all. Not that Alex had much trust for him anyway, but he could still be open to reason when he was in his right mind. Reluctantly, Kulain made the choice. There was a way to control Alex's behaviour on an instinctive level, though not one he would have chosen normally. On a biological level, Alex was bonded to Kulain as a demon pack leader, an alpha male. And in pack behaviour, other males always yielded to the strongest. He had triggered a similar, though not so intense response in Sean and Fox when he had first seduced them. Now to let Alex discover it. He wrestled with the younger man, until Alex was face down beneath him. The implications of that posture didn't escape him. "Stop it Alex! Be still!" The body beneath his continued to twist and struggle. Kulain caught hold of the other's shoulders and shook Alex. In asserting his dominance, he knew he would run the risk of awakening his own predatory instincts. He felt his body begin to alter as he called up unfamiliar pheromones. He held Alex tightly, letting his changed scent drift into the other's range of perception. Alex stiffened slightly, shook his head as if to clear it. "No......" Alex whispered, struggled briefly again. "Don't fight it little one. You have to yield to me...." Alex moaned, tried to lift his head, but the instinct was becoming too strong. Biological systems that had been long programmed into his system by Kulain were beginning to activate. Keyed only to one being in creation. There was no longer any thought of escape, or any human conscious reasoning. Only the relentless urge to do what he was made to do. Kulain smiled and let go of Alex, deciding that it was probably prudent to move away from him. Kulain watched as Alex went still, then moved slightly again, this time adopting the posture of submission as he surrendered himself to his pack leader. Head and shoulders low to the ground, ass in the air, ready for whatever his pack leader wanted. The cuffed hands behind his back didn't help him. Kulain felt a red mist seem to float in his vision. The urge to take, to force his will on Alex was becoming overwhelming. His kind were creatures who followed their instincts closely, and it was hard, so hard to stay in control. So many powerful instincts were being triggered by Alex's responses. Alex made a tiny little whimper in the back of his throat, and edged his legs further apart. Before he could stop himself, Kulain was on top of his lover, pushing him down, biting at the back of Alex's neck to mark him as Kulain's personal property, rubbing himself against the compliant body, overlaying it with his scent. He could no more have stopped himself, than if he had been a wild animal in the plains of Africa. But somehow, once that part of the ritual was over, some awareness returned. Kulain was able to gather his shaken thoughts together. He pulled away from Alex again, and was almost undone once again by Alex's small whimper of protest. He realised that Alex had a rock hard erection between his legs, and that the younger man's body was probably crying out for release. As was his. Demon pheromones had that effect on humankind, but the reaction could be a two edged sword. He reached down and pulled Alex up. The younger man swayed unsteadily, barely able to stay on his feet. Kulain looked into the glazed eyes and decided that perhaps an arm around Alex would be necessary for support. His normally sharp mind was itself fogged by the urges he felt still. He led Alex down the pier, the younger man swaying unsteadily, barely able to walk, and leaning into him. Kulain reasoned that the contact between them was wholly, deliciously necessary, and kept as close as possible to Alex. Damn, but he needed to hurry the formalities, get away from the cops, take Alex somewhere quiet.... Yes! Alex needed to recover..... That would be good Somewhere quiet, where they wouldn't be disturbed for a long time..... A soft, comfortable bed like the one in Alex's tower room...... They weren't detained long. The cops were far too wary of Kulain to even comment about his slightly less than conventional interrogation techniques. Kissing Alex with a frightening intensity, that almost made the cops feel sorry for Kulain's prisoner. Except that the prisoner was all too eagerly joining in, despite his restraints, with body movements against Kulain that definitely weren't in the training manual. Sweeping Alex up in his arms, Kulain had finally made his escape, and had taken both of them straight to Alex's quarters. His lover's soft moans, and the compliant body close to his were impossible to ignore. Claws had effortlessly stripped Alex of his clothing and removed the cuffs. Alex wasn't going to escape anywhere in that condition. Alex had been cast onto the bed, moaning incoherently, unable to keep his body still. The sight of his prize writhing before him, lost in the maze of his traitorous instincts had sent a wave of arousal through Kulain. He wanted to stop, to gently soothe away Alex's turmoil. But he couldn't. His own urges were all but overwhelming. Alex groaned, slid one hand across his naked chest to pull at his own nipples, making small sighs and drawing his knees up beneath him so that he was once again offering himself. Still driven by the relentless urge to submit himself to pack discipline, Alex's body had been designed to accept and even enjoy this. Kulain didn't even feel himself shift, though he had a vague recollection later, of seeing his demon fleshed hands on his lover's creamy white flesh. Clawed fingers pulling the body closer, hearing Alex panting, mouth open as he sucked in lungfuls of air to aid the chemical reactions in his blood. Fingers coursed over Alex's body, making him whimper with passion, then working their way inside. Not entirely gentle, not when he needed this so much. When they both needed this. It had been so long since he could indulge himself this way with a partner. His fingers found the centre of pleasure inside Alex, and a cry of pleasure was wrung from his lover. At that sign of readiness, Kulain sheathed himself inside his lover, and began thrusting urgently, desperately needing to quench the fire that raged inside him. He rode Alex with a strength and ferocity not common in his lovemaking. And from his lover's response, it was equally stimulating to Alex. The younger man's body was pushing back against his, and he was moaning incoherently. Not that either of them was thinking at that moment. Kulain angled his thrusts to bring his partner gratification, an instinct of sorts, born of long familiarity with this man's body. A long fingered hand made its way to Alex's erection and began pumping it vigorously. A pace and power destined to make Alex come in minutes. Kulain's skill didn't desert him. The younger man's body spasmed around him, and Kulain felt his palm fill with Alex's semen. Kulain cried out in his passion, and came, flooding Alex with his seed. The demon raised his hand and licked it clean, savouring the flavour of his lover. Completing the ritual by tasting the fruit of his efforts. The instinct receded then. The danger that his loss of control had brought. He could easily have hurt the younger man in his carelessness, and only luck had prevented it. He didn't want to think about how close he had come to cutting Alex when he had ripped the clothes off the writhing man. Kulain felt physically and mentally drained by the day's events. He pulled Alex closer to him, and lay spooned behind his lover, who was by now sinking into an exhausted sleep. Again, the proper reaction for a pack member who had just been disciplined. To stay lying down after an orgasm given by the pack leader, so that the newly introduced DNA in his body would have time to implant itself in the genes. Instead of leaking out of an upright body....... There would be hell to pay tomorrow. Again! Kulain was roused out of his rest by sobbing from the man in his arms. It came as no surprise to find that it was early morning, and that they had both slept so deeply that neither had moved. Alex was awake and staring down at the green tinged arm that was wrapped round his waist, and tears had begun to soak the pillow beneath his head. He was too scared to move, which was probably just as well. Kulain heard Alex give another small sob. "Hush my sweet. Don't be afraid. I won't harm you." Kulain gently stroked the warm shoulder, tightening his other arm automatically in reassurance. Silence. "We both got carried away last night, I think. I'm sorry. I didn't intend to lose control like that. Did I hurt you?" "No...." A tiny whisper. "We have to talk, Alex. You were so confused last night that you didn't know what you were doing. I had to catch you, bring you here. Where's Fox? Why wasn't he there to help you?" Kulain was concerned. There was a small pause, then another whisper. "Gone!" "I don't understand Alex. He wouldn't just leave you like that. Alone. He knows how hard it is for you......" Kulain gently drew Alex closer to him, so he could look into the tear stained face. For once there was no revulsion there, only a deep, desperate loneliness and bewilderment. "His mother...... she said he had left...... with the man who smoked. Then she said terrible things. I ran, and she called the police......." Kulain's eyes darkened in rage. "So...... they play their games once more. Do you want him back Alex?" "Yes! How can you ask that!" Alex's passionate outburst cut through his depression. "I had to know how strongly you felt about him. If we work together, we can get him back my love. But you're going to have to get over your fear of me........" Gold eyes rimmed with green stared at the demon who was both lover and fearful monster. Kulain could see the younger man gathering his courage. A brief nod then. He smiled and kissed his lover's forehead. Alex managed to bear the affection with a brave face, though Kulain sensed him tremble slightly. It was a first step in the right direction, though he doubted if Alex would be comfortable in his company for a while. Alex slithered out of his grasp and headed for the shower. A pity he wouldn't welcome company at the moment. Kulain reluctantly dragged his eyes away from the hard muscles moving beneath silken skin across Alex's firm ass. As Alex moved away from him, he set his mind on the problem at hand. Why had Spender taken his Fox, and where would they go? Mulder could guess now what despair Alex had felt when he was captured and had no prospect of rescue. They had all too eagerly shown him the newscast. His lover running from the police, wild eyed and inhuman, and the men following him who carried an arsenal of weapons. The reporter had given the impression that the fugitive demon would be shot on sight. That a creature like that could be found in a residential suburb, and could put lives in danger! A demon who had chosen to ignore his races' promise to stay in the demon zones! No mercy would be shown. The one close up had shown a brief glimpse of Alex's panicked face. Mulder knew his lover well enough to see the absolute terror in the golden eyes, the bewildered, uncomprehending misery. He had screamed and begged his unseen captors to let him go, to help Alex. He would have offered them anything. But there was only silence. The wall mounted t.v. was switched off soon, so that he didn't see Kulain arrive to rescue his prodigal lover. Mulder was left alone in a plain but clean cell, utterly isolated and alone. A camera watched his every move, and the odd collar round his neck prevented him from using his unique abilities to escape. He was going to get out of there, find Alex and damn anyone who tried to stop him. Sooner or later....... Deep in the darkest part of the following night, a storm began to gather over Washington. At first humid and hot, then as the storm began to break, lightning streaked in spectacular forked displays across the sky. It was quite a spectacle, and the rolling thunder was like a continuous drum roll overhead. Kulain lay back on his bed, enjoying the sight which greeted him through the wall to wall window which made up one side of the room. He loved the elemental forces that he could perceive on the edge of his senses. It would have been easy, but too indulgent, to link his mind to the storm and become part of it, to feel the elements crashing around him. A small sound caught his attention, even through the noise of the storm. Alex cowered at the entrance to the room, eyes wide and frightened, scared of his demon lover, but unable to bear solitude on a night like this. Kulain remained still, patient, waiting to see what Alex would do. The younger man inched closer, hesitant, and finally stood a few feet away from the bed. Since their spectacular reunion the previous day, Alex had stayed away, unable to bear the conflict inside him when he was close to the demon. Kulain turned his head, showing Alex that he was aware of his nocturnal visitor. He smiled gently, and edged to one side a little, to make room for Alex. Half afraid, the younger man joined him on the bed, and when no moves were made to alarm him, Alex closed the distance between them. He rested his head on Kulain's shoulder and gave a tiny sigh. And when Kulain's arm went round him, he didn't flee, but accepted his lover's reassurance. After that he wasn't afraid any more. Alex cast a nervous glance at his powerful lover and shivered apprehensively. He wasn't quite sure how it had happened, but somehow, he had ended up sleeping with the big demon. And the memory of their lovemaking was something he was sure he would never forget. He had never been so thoroughly satisfied even with Mulder. Perhaps it was the edge of danger that sex with Kulain brought. But at least Alex wasn't alone. There was someone to hold him when he felt lonely. And his body's needs were well taken care of. Fox had disappeared off the face of the Earth, and none of Kulain's contacts could find him. And the link Kulain had with his lover seemed to be severed. As if something was shielding Fox from prying eyes. It had been nearly a week since Fox had disappeared, and there was a nervous atmosphere among the government officials who met with Kulain. As if there was a storm coming. Alex sensed danger, but he couldn't put words to his intuition. He had tried to explain to Kulain and his protector had given a brief approving smile. "I feel it too, Alex. And I have my suspicions about certain government departments. Trust me for now!" And so it was that Alex found himself accompanying his lover down the stairs into the depths of the Tower. And to his astonishment, he was led into a part of an underground complex that he had never suspected was there. The two of them entered a huge, richly decorated circular chamber, and sat at a grand round table. After a few minutes, others entered the chamber, and took their places around the table. They numbered twelve, plus Kulain and himself. One woman smiled at him, silvery hair glinting in the light. Another had a feline grace that was almost hypnotic. The others were of all physical types. A dark skinned woman with disturbingly pointed teeth, A copper haired beauty, a cold blue eyed man who was more than he seemed and a cloaked woman who he would swear had more than two arms, and moved in a disturbingly serpentine way. One terrible being was a dark, writhing shadow that made him feel sick, just looking at it. He couldn't deny what his senses were whispering to him. They were all demons. Their eyes..... "You brought that with you" The blue eyed man snapped at Kulain. Alex's protector smiled coolly. "What if I did! He dies too if the humans carry out their plan!" The serpent woman hissed something in a barely comprehensible tone. After a moment, Alex realised that she was offering to take care of the problem, and he shrank against Kulain in terror. "I've always found Alex useful," the silver haired woman said softly. She smiled gently at him. All the demons turned respectfully to face her. "Welcome to the Ruling Council of demonkind, Alex." Kulain wrapped an arm around his lover and Alex leaned against Kulain gratefully. The silver haired woman continued. "They plan to release a virus against us. Without a sample, we have no defence at this time, but we can synthesise a cure within a day. Priority must be given to this. Kulain thinks that he knows who is responsible, we will give him three days to seek out the virus." She gave a bitter smile. "If you use this to seek more power for yourself, my son, you will be exiled. You have given your word to me. Obey my wishes!" The other demons all hissed agreement. Alex shuddered. Kulain rose to his feet and smiled mockingly at his peers. "As you wish!" He led Alex away from the chamber, and back to their Tower quarters. Alex was silent all the way there. Then finally, he plucked up the courage to question his lover. "Who are they? Fox never said anything about them." "The Council. An ancient tradition among our kind. The thirteen most powerful demons. We generally fight against each other, or make alliances in our battles. But when there is a threat to us all, we act together. We make formidable enemies. Whoever chooses to challenge us will find that out!" He hugged Alex. " I've called in the most powerful allies on Earth. So you see, whichever group has Fox, they're in for a very nasty surprise!" How he was going to pay for that help was another matter. Mulder stared sullenly at the double barrelled shotgun that was pointed at his chest through the bars in the door. Slowly he advanced towards the door. He was instructed to put both arms through the bars by the man, a camouflage wearing blonde man, and a second crew-cut man cuffed his hands together so that he was trapped by the bars. Only then did the shotgun waver from its aim. Mulder forced himself to glare at his captors, though he felt inwardly terrified. He didn't like to be at the mercy of anyone these days. Too many bad experiences. The blonde smirked, and grabbed Mulder's chin, staring at him in contempt. Mulder wrenched away, and in the moment while he was thus distracted, a hypodermic was jabbed into his arm and the plunger depressed. A clear brown liquid was pumped into his arm. He gasped, and pulled his arm away, too late. "Just a little vaccination against a useful virus we've developed, Mr. Mulder. Nothing to worry about!" The second man smiled in satisfaction. "It seems that your guardian angels have decreed that you should survive when we kill the rest of the demons. And as the implications of that sank in, and Fox Mulder realised exactly what the Smoker was planning, he began to scream his denial, tugging at the bars in a vain effort to dislodge them, desperate to escape. Because they were planning to loose a plague on demonkind, and he would lose the only things that he cared about any more. Kulain, Alex, if he still lived, and yes, even Sean! There is a valuable element within us that must be feared and treated with respect; we must exercise extreme care in dealing with it, lest it be the cause of countless evils. Michel Foucault—The History of Sexuality Sean stared straight ahead, trying desperately to hold his concentration. Learning how to control that wayward part of his mind was surprisingly easy, once he had accepted the reality of his situation. That he wasn't going to get out of the underground facility until he actually learned some discipline. That much had been made clear to him at the start of his enforced stay. Amara was a tough teacher too. No drinking. Oh he had tried a couple of times. Then she had showed him a way to block the darkness out of his mind, and he found that he didn't need its oblivion any more. And there was always the humiliation of that smirking kid, who could far surpass him in any mental exercise. He sighed, and forced his wavering mind back on task. Slowly does it........ reach out........ touch.........BURN!!! The piece of wood he had been concentrating on abruptly burst into hot white flames. He grinned in satisfaction as it was reduced to a pile of ash. Then the kid gave a snort of amusement, and pointed a small finger at the ash. It swirled around in a tiny whirlwind, and light seemed to sparkle for a moment through the dust as it coalesced. She had made a small cube of wood again, with a molecular control he knew he would never be able to equal. Not in a million years. He was beginning to understand their species more now. Exactly what Kulain was capable of, and how much power he could draw on. They could manipulate atoms and molecules so easily, and draw on the energy they released. And from what he had seen of some demons, they used that skill on themselves just as much. In fact they were obsessed with genetics. Amara had been watching, and nodded in approval at both of her pupils. The human was proving to be surprisingly apt at learning to use his mind skills. Though there was still an occasional bad dream. She believed that Sean was sensitive enough to pick up clues from the minds around him, and had trained him to shield himself strongly. When it became an instinct, he would be ready to leave this place. All three of them abruptly paused in their thoughts, and turned to the doorway, as an unmistakable presence entered. Sean's face lit up, and he ran forward and flung his arms around Kulain's neck, in a welcoming hug. His face had been seized between two large hands, and he had been thoroughly kissed. And afterwards, as he had leaned his head against Kulain's shoulder , never wanting to let go, he had heard the most welcoming words in the world. "I need his help. I need him to come with me now!" Amara had shaken her head doubtfully. "He's not ready yet......" Kulain had looked down at his wayward human, at the blue eyes pleading mutely with him. Sean would be more than useful in the coming conflicts. Then he had smiled affectionately. "He'll do." And so, Sean had found himself following Kulain out of that place, a little apprehensive, but keen to please his big lover. Mulder glared at his captors. So far, he had made their lives as difficult as possible. Even with a damned collar round his neck, he had behaved so aggressively towards them that none of them would enter his cell without training guns on him. As a consequence, his food and water rations had been cut for the last three days, and he was feeling light headed and lethargic. He was still strong, but it was increasingly hard to fight back, despite his demon strength. His eyes blazed in hatred as the latest visitor entered his cell. Spender, the Smoker himself. Mulder's sensitive nostrils wrinkled at the lingering odour of smoke. "I hear you're giving my men a hard time, Agent Mulder! I'm very disappointed that you couldn't be more co-operative. It would be easier on everyone, in the long run." "Like hell I will!" Mulder snarled. "I'll never do anything for you. Except kill you!" He lunged forward, stretching out his hands to try and put the squeeze on the son of a bitches throat. Slow. Far too slow. The two crew cut guards were suddenly blocking the way, and a blow with the barrel of an Uzi made Mulder fall to the floor, gasping and clutching at the bloody gash on his forehead. The Smoker nudged his prisoner with a toe, and smiled coldly at the impotent glare he received. "You'll be surprised how co-operative you become over the next few weeks, Fox. You'll see! In fact, you won't remember what you ever saw in Kulain and his friends......" Mulder shook his head, and moaned softly at the dull throbbing that began there. The three left the cell, and when he heard the clang of the door, he leaned his head back against the floor and closed his eyes. How long before they struck against the people he loved? And how could he get revenge against them if his lovers died. Preferably something spectacular and suicidal...... Lost in thought, he didn't hear the conversation outside his cell, which was probably just as well. Spender drew a long breath on his latest cigarette and thoughtfully gazed in the direction of Mulder's cell. One of the CIA's most infamous doctors joined him, for he had requisitioned the best people for this particular enterprise. The brainwashing of Fox Mulder would begin, and certain other experiments would also take place. And when they had solved the mysteries of what exactly made some humans attractive to demons, then they would be ready to release their virus. Even when the demons died, the legacy of their DNA would live on. The doctor smiled at his new boss. "He's behaving exactly as we predicted. Hostile, paranoid and very aggressive. We've managed to observe enough of his behaviour to create a baseline to work from. We'll give him forty eight hours of sensory deprivation now, to further break down his resistance, then we'll be ready to start behaviour modification techniques." "You really think you can be effective?" The Smoker was doubtful. The doctor's smile deepened. "Oh, yes! The harder they fight, the faster they ultimately succumb. We always manage to break them in the end!" He sounded quite cheerful. "And when we've broken him, he'll give you whatever information you need to overcome Kulain voluntarily!" The Smoker reflected with satisfaction that the rewards from his alien allies for removing such a potential threat as the demons would surely outweigh the risks. For Kulain's kin were certainly too powerful to ignore. Especially since the little demonstration of their destructive power at New York. And as an added benefit, Mulder would provide them with the genetic material they needed for study purposes. Alex studied Sean from beneath long lashed green eyes, and wondered for the millionth time why Kulain needed the other man's help so badly. But he had to admit that with those devastating blue eyes and the ready smile, the youngest of Kulain's mates made an attractive sight. Alex hadn't quite realised, during his own time of troubles, quite how good looking the Englishman was. Perhaps it was the effect of the alcohol that had previously dulled his senses, but he couldn't believe that he had never noticed Sean in a sexual way before. There was something about the younger man's fresh scent that seemed to draw his thoughts, unbidden, to images of writhing bodies and tangled limbs. He growled softly, deep in his throat. He felt the predator stir within him. Mulder had never spoken of their precise relationship, but he had seemed close to the bodyguard. Alex couldn't help but wonder...... Had the three of them.......? Alex hadn't intended to watch when Kulain had first returned with Sean. But the two were beautiful together, two dark haired forms closing for a passionate kiss.... Kulain didn't bother to hide his attraction to Sean, touching and caressing him in front of Alex. To see the green eyed demon acting so sensually, licking and gently biting the soft skin of Sean's neck, working his way down...... Openly sucking on his other mate's small, erect nipples. Dropping to his knees before Sean and ripping open the thin shirt he wore, plunging his tongue into the human's belly button, then inching his way down. Grasping firm buttocks and pulling the other's body closer to his demanding mouth. It was when Kulain started to open Sean's pants and started going down on him that they started to head towards the bedroom, not entirely without interruptions........ The last sight Alex had was of Kulain reducing Sean to whimpers, the younger man so hungry for the demon's touch that he became instantly compliant to whatever Kulain wanted. It was one of the most erotic things Alex could remember seeing. The two had reluctantly, he sensed, taken their lovemaking out of his sight. Eventually. Leaving Alex so hot and aching that he had been forced to find his own lonely release. He felt his longing for Fox even more keenly. The search for his lover had been going on for what seemed like weeks, but was in reality, only a few days. Demonkind were united in their desire to find some trace of the Smoking man's hideout, his militia associates and Fox, so Alex knew the country was being scoured by those twelve demons he had seen at the meeting. It would inevitably take time. Time that they didn't have. Time for the virus to be positioned and released against them.......... Alex didn't want to die. He needed to feel the surge of life within his body. Perhaps Kulain would have time for him later.....? So he waited in lonely isolation. And tried to ignore Sean's moans that his too sharp senses could detect once again from Kulain's bed. And the heady aroma of sex that his senses also perceived. One thing about Kulain, once was never enough for him! Mulder didn't know how long he had been in this white hell. He had been placed in a padded cell, his body wrapped in a straitjacket, still damnably collared. The small room was totally silent, leached of all colour and texture, utterly without windows or obvious doors. A tiny camera in one corner relayed pictures of the cell's occupant to his captors. Mulder had screamed and raged at them for hours, struggling desperately with his restraints, unable to free himself. Finally, reluctantly, he had sank into an exhausted stupor, and had tried to sleep. It was too cold in the small cell. Though he tried, he kept waking up, shivering, needing to move to keep himself warm. Of course he shouted threats at them. Uselessly. He was never able to see his captors. It seemed to go on forever. In reality, it was two days. Sometimes, he would shout just to hear the sound of his own voice. It was so damn quiet he thought he was going to go mad with boredom. And gradually, as hunger and thirst began to take their toll, he grew weaker and less aggressive, just trying to endure the silent, peaceful torment of the place. He would never know how long the sensory deprivation went on. Oh yes, he recognised the technique. Standard CIA brainwashing technique, he'd heard. Combined with sleep deprivation and physical hunger. Soon, when they judged him sufficiently weakened by the procedure, they would begin stage two..... It was becoming harder and harder to think coherently. It started gradually, so softly that he didn't at first, notice it. A low humming that resonated in his bones, at the edge of perception, at a pitch designed to irritate human hearing almost to pain. He shook his head, trying to clear it. Tried to press one ear against the wall or floor to block out the sound. Uselessly. If Mulder had been able to use his hands, he would have clawed at the floor or even his own body, trying to distract himself from that sound. For a while, he tried slamming his body against the too well padded walls. He was too weak to do that for long. After a while he began screaming. Some time later, the screams had become whimpers. Then there was silence. The hum went on, a throbbing mechanical sound, on and on and on and on and on..... And afterwards, in the silence that followed, when the voice softly began whispering things to him, he listened. Sean felt good. Last night had been one of the more spectacular night of his life. He couldn't believe how many times Kulain had shown his appreciation of his lover's fit body. Enough to make Sean feel pleasantly sore this morning. And just a little in awe of his demon lover. Sean hadn't been in control at all last night, and he had loved every second of it. And now, he found himself ravenously hungry, ready to tear up and eat a cow with his bare hands, if he didn't get some protein in his belly right now! Hot and rare, flash-burned steak for breakfast? ........er........ Dinner......! Well maybe they had stayed a long time in bed. He grinned at the memory. He didn't exactly remember the coming of dawn, he had been too busy..... Alex was lounging in the kitchen, drinking a cup of fresh coffee, and looking far from the frightened man Sean remembered from his last few nights in the Tower, before Amara had taken him under her protection. It had only been a short time, but there was an air of the predator once more about Alex. A new determination to find Mulder, now that he wasn't distracted by foolish fears of Kulain. Sean contemplated his lover as he prepared his meal. Sean guessed that Kulain had worked his own particular charms on the green eyed man, and Kulain at his most determined wasn't easy to resist. Not that you wanted to fight off those strong arms or that incredible......... "Were we lovers before I was hurt? I'm sorry. I don't remember...." His thoughts were shattered by the softly spoken question that Alex posed. All the more shocking for Sean because of its unexpectedness. Alex tilted his head to one side, unconsciously erotic, an expression of curiosity on his face. And something else Sean recognised only too well, because he felt it so often himself. Loneliness. The surge of it inside him. The wash of heat and longing and pain that he had forgotten about for a short time last night. The feeling he got when he watched Alex curled up with Fox, watching the t.v. or holding hands. The madness that made him raise his eyes to those so green orbs and grin at Alex. "Oh yes!" he lied. Alex smiled shyly, and slowly Sean raised his fork, offering Alex food. And by unspoken agreement, something else as well. The green eyes flashed, and Alex slowly leaned forward, his lips closing around the choice morsel he was offered. Drawing his mouth slowly along the utensil with deliberate sensuality. Sean found himself transfixed by the small smear of slick moisture left on Alex's lower lip. Before he could stop himself, he leaned forward and licked it off. Then Alex's mouth was parting beneath his own, and they were kissing. Sean felt Alex's hands reach up to pull him closer. He found that he was, surprisingly after last night, ready to respond to Alex's advances. And a tiny trickle of need inside Sean became a raging hunger. For Alex it was the culmination of a night and day of imagining Sean's limbs parting in welcome, strong limbs entwined around him. The firmness of the smooth chest beneath his fingers. The lingering trace of Kulain's presence against the younger man's skin. Warmth of body against willing body. Wanting to feel the touch of another soul. Sean would never remember the transition between sitting at the kitchen table, and lying on his back on the floor, a green eyed predator between his wide spread legs, hungrily ripping at his clothes, biting and clawing and kissing indiscriminately. Alex needed this as much as Sean did. Needed something more human to hold on to. Something Kulain couldn't give. The two of them frantically pulling off the last of their clothes. Alex grinned wickedly, in that moment seeming more supernatural creature than vulnerable human. Sean no longer knew or cared which one Alex Krycek was. This fire between them was all that mattered. For Alex it was a release from all the tensions that held him prisoner. The worries about Fox, the fears and demon haunted dreams, the sense of loss he felt whenever he tried to remember his past. He needed this wildness. The free sensuality that had been a part of him for so long, that had been his strength since New York. His lips descended in an aggressive kiss, claiming the mouth of the man that lay sprawled beneath him, rubbing like a cat against that undeniably attractive body. Then irresistibly, his hand seized Sean's already upraised cock, clamping down strongly and wringing a yell of warning from his younger lover. Alex didn't want to be gentle tonight. There was something else he wanted instead. A white hot fire sliding inside him, wiping away all doubt and fear. He pressed two fingers against Sean's kiss reddened mouth and forced him to suck on them. Sean looked glad to oblige. Alex was in control, and the younger man was happy for the situation to continue. Alex licked Sean's nipples, and teasingly nipped at them, making his partner yelp. He was almost certain that he could taste where Kulain had been before him. Deciding that he wanted Sean to participate more, he grabbed at the other man's hands and pressed them against his own chest. "Touch me!" he groaned. Sean ran his fingers slowly across the other's torso, tracing the powerful muscles that marked Alex as a predatory creature rather than a sedentary human. The powerful shoulders, the strong pectorals. He tried to draw Alex down on top of him, wanting them to rub against each other, but Alex was having none of it. Instead he grasped his prominent erection in his hand and began sliding his hand across it, teasing Sean, pumping himself in one strong fist. Sean was momentarily transfixed by the jerking movements that the reddened head of Alex's penis made, the small pearly droplets that gathered there. He whimpered and tried to raise his hips, to make his own erection come into contact with the body that sat astride him. Powerful thighs clamped down on him, holding him in place effortlessly. Sean moaned and twisted his head from side to side as the heat inside him could find no outlet. He needed to come, and the sight of Alex Krycek at that moment was more than he could bear. The traces of humanity Alex possessed were at the moment submerged by that sensual creature that Kulain had created. Alex the predator grinned again, and his other, slickened hand rubbed Sean's cock teasingly, making the younger man buck again, hopelessly. Then Sean saw what Alex was doing, what he intended. He closed his eyes to block out the sight. If he had to watch Alex preparing himself, he was going to come in an instant. For Alex was sliding those wet fingers slowly in and out of himself, moaning slightly, as he widened himself in readiness. Each time his slickened fingers worked their way inside him, Alex would give out a little whimper as his digits brushed the erogenous zones inside him. Then he would part his fingers a little to widen his tight opening, and moan softly. It wasn't just that, it was also the way that his head was flung back in delectation, and his eyes were closed. And the way he was biting his lower lip slightly as he stimulated himself. Sean had never seen anything so beautiful. No wonder Kulain and Fox were so enamoured of this man. Sean felt a pang of guilt and for a moment, only the smallest fraction of a second, admittedly, he was about to call a halt to the proceedings. Then his thoughts disintegrated as Alex positioned himself, and lowered himself on his lover's erection. Green eyes opened wide as it slid inside him, and the two of them stared at each other. For Sean it was like looking at a wild animal he had captured, so wild and free..... Sean had little experience of this. Of taking another man. It always seemed that his lovers were eager to take him, to slide inside him and generate incredible sensations. But this was even better. He liked it from the first moment that Alex drew him in. Alex began to move. Not really trying to make Sean come, though it was almost more than the younger man could bear, trying to stay in control. No. Alex was a voluptuous creature, moving in his own rhythms, acting for his own pleasure. Slow sliding movements, a little twist of the hips, thighs still clamping around Sean. The younger man reached to touch Alex's cock, wanting to hold onto him, but a snarl of warning made him subside. No humanity there now. Sean could only lay back, let Alex do what he wanted. Not such a bad idea, if he could only manage to hold on. The sensations were incredible. And watching Alex as he moved was guaranteed to raise the temperature a few degrees. The older man was starting to lose control, his body movements becoming jerky and uncoordinated. Then Alex's body was arching backwards and he screamed wildly. His come sprayed out in uncontrollable spurts across Sean's belly and chest. Powerful internal muscles clamped down on the younger man's own erection and then Sean was screaming Alex's name as he jetted into the other's body. Momentarily, Alex sagged against Sean, his body bathed with perspiration, his eyes dull with fatigue. Then a cloud seemed to pass across the handsome face, and he pulled away, a sudden guilt and confusion in his eyes. As if he could sense something was amiss, and as if he had betrayed Fox by forgetting his lover's plight for even that short time. Without looking back at the sprawled figure of Sean on the floor or speaking, Alex rose with boneless grace, and headed for the shower. Sean closed his eyes, not moving for the moment. He was beginning to realise what exactly he had just done. He had taken advantage of Alex's weakness, and betrayed his friend. Now what? Well, cleaning himself would be a start. He opened his eyes again, and stared in shock at Kulain, who was leaning against the wall watching him. The demon had silently entered the room, and with his arms folded, appeared oddly like a human parent looking at a wayward offspring. Kulain knew of course. His superb senses would have told him the moment the two of them had begun to have sex. He would hear it and smell it, and for all Sean knew, taste it in the air. The demon was frowning, and he opened his mouth to speak. "Don't say anything!" Sean said, perhaps more sharply than he had intended. "I know how much trouble I'm in!" The demon considered for a moment, then shrugged. It was after all, Sean's life. "He's just so beautiful........" Sean whispered. Kulain mused that at least Alex was being kept occupied now, as he had predicted. If anything were to happen to Fox, he would have a source of support. For Kulain knew from the latest reports that those who hunted for Fox had no success. Baring a miracle, the future looked bleak. Fox Mulder sat facing his captor, placid and unmoving. The eminent doctor who had perfected this particular method of brainwashing was very pleased with his subject's progress. He had been watching Mulder for some time and was pleased to note a lack of restless or fidgeting movements from the younger man. A good sign, since it meant that his subject's brain was not actively thinking for itself. The aim was, after all, to create a blank slate, for them to write new instructions on. Mulder was of course drugged, with some of the new chemicals that Spender had sworn were effective against the demon tainted. There was one last stage of the process to complete, and here Spender's scientists had been very helpful, with their extensive virtual reality labs. A video had been created that would test exactly how much progress Mulder had made. And it would finally break whatever spirit was left in Mulder. He smiled and switched it on. Mulder stared passively at the screen as the pictures began. The doctor was watching his reactions closely, and didn't fail to miss the tiny widening of the eyes as Alex Krycek's face appeared on the screen. So Mulder still felt something. That would change! The image on the screen panned out, giving a wider shot. Alex was being led away from the pier by two police officers. As the camera recorded the scene, he broke away from their custody and began to flee away from them. He stumbled and fell to his knees. And as he rose, the combined forces of the police officers on the scene opened fire on him. Alex Krycek's bullet riddled body fell to the decking, and blood began to pool around him as his life ebbed away. The doctor watched Mulder's reactions avidly. Mulder's face had blanched as Alex was shot, and a tear ran unheeded down the side of his face. He shook his head in denial. The doctor frowned. Apparently, a further treatment would be necessary if Mulder still could feel pain at the sight. He signalled to his militia guards. Fox would be subjected to another twelve hours of the sound treatment, then....... The camera on the video footage moved in for a close up of Alex's face, a masterpiece of image manipulation. Alex's face was almost peaceful in death, if you ignored the prominently displayed bullet hole in the young man's forehead, and the wide open eyes staring hopelessly ahead...... The doctor heard Mulder make a choked noise and turned to look at him. It was hard to think. It had been hard to think for so long. Thinking brought with it the memory of pain and an unendurable loss. He did what they told him for it was easier than having to reason for himself. A voice in his mind kept whispering at him to hold on, everything was going to be alright. They would find him. But other voices were clamouring to be heard, filled with the words of his captors. He felt stirrings of hate within him, but he was unable to respond to the feelings, his body felt so slow and weak, these days, filled with their drugs. They brought him before the architect of his troubles and sat him down in front of a screen, and showed him hell. With the first scenes from the video, all of his pain came back. The memories they had tried to wash away were still there. Alex! Staring into the camera lens like the lost soul he was lately, beautiful eyes filled with anguish. And then the torment. Alex fleeing in terror. Alex falling, trying like a wild beast to escape them. And then the final terrible scenes when he saw his love shot down. The last movement Alex made was a vain reaching out of his hand as if to clutch at Mulder, through the camera lens. The doctor looked angry that Mulder could still remember and respond to the sight of his lover, though Mulder barely heard his orders about more treatment. His eyes were transfixed by the pictures on the screen, even as they began to lead him away. Did they think he would ever forget the other half of his soul? The camera zeroed in on the dead face of his love. Something broke inside his mind with an almost audible crack. Some hidden dam behind which lurked all of the things about his demon self he had tried to deny. He no longer had a reason to hold the darkness in so he welcomed it with open arms. Its power flooded into his mind like a wave of black fire, and a part of him that was still human began to understand what Kulain was, what he had become. He didn't feel the collar he wore snap in two as it was overloaded by the power in his mind. He didn't hear himself cry out as his body changed, becoming other, becoming demon again. All he knew or felt was the sweet feel of the doctor's neck as it snapped beneath his hands. And as he followed the body to the floor and began to use his claws to teach the dead man a lesson, he didn't see the terror on the guards' faces. Several shots were directed at him, and he wasn't aware of their bullets, except as a minor irritation against his skin. The bullets had merely bounced off tough demon skin. The darkness inside him demanded to be fed with blood. Sean jerked his head up as the blast of power swept past him. He saw Kulain flinch visibly, and suddenly the demon's eyes were filled with a darkness born of rage and a need for revenge against the ones who had taken away what was his, and threatened his kind. Sean heard himself whimper in fear. But the demon merely turned his glowing gaze towards Sean and spoke. "Get some clothes on, be ready quickly. And get Alex!" Sean nodded. He knew who he had sensed. Fox. But how had the other man been able to generate such a raw burst of psychic energy? And why had he felt such a darkness in that mental touch? He would have to figure it out later. Right now, he had to prepare himself. Already he could sense the minds of many powerful demons gathering around Kulain, and he knew that there would soon be a reckoning with the humans who sought to destroy demonkind. He shivered instinctively, though he would not be on the receiving end of their wrath. Alex emerged from his shower, looking startled, when Sean burst in on him. It just took one word to make the young man drop everything and dive for his clothes, unheeding of his body's delightfully wet condition. "Fox!!!" The gate fire cast its shimmering glow across half a hundred snarling, terrible faces. Alex didn't even notice his curious colleagues. He had only one thing on his mind, rescuing his lover. Sean was close by his side, though he seemed nervous of their demon kin. Alex didn't care. If they would help him get back his Fox, he would have sold himself to all of them in turn. Kulain led them, his eyes glowing eerily in the dark. Their priority was the virus that their enemies had created, and Alex understood that. They would all die if it was released. But he knew what he wanted more than life itself, and nothing was going to stand in his way. He was unconscious of the way his own eyes glowed a luminous green, or the way his talons curled and uncurled, longing for the plunge into soft enemy flesh. Then the fire swept over them, and they were elsewhere in a heartbeat. A scientific base of some sort, high in the mountains, with a large contingent of right wing militia guards. Who opened fire indiscriminately in their terror, as the demons bore down upon them. Sean followed close behind Alex, who was lashing out savagely at any human who got in his way, moving so very fast that it was hard to keep up with him. The desperate man plunged into the nearest building, and began running through a series of apparently endless corridors, looking for Mulder. Several times he decimated the opposition, with far faster than human reflexes, and once Sean killed a guard before he could plunge a knife into Alex's back. And finally, they came to what appeared to be the holding area for prisoners. There were signs that a struggle had already taken place there. Bullet holes peppered the walls, and blood smeared the floor. Alex froze, looking round him in a lost sort of way, and gazed in wretched entreaty at Sean. "Help me find him!" he said desperately. Room by room, the two of them began to search the place. It didn't take as long as Sean expected. He could feel a stirring in his mind as they got closer to the place where Mulder was, a roiling king of shadow inside his mind, the sign of a mind stressed to its limits. Then they came to a half open office door, behind which could be heard strange noises. Sean stepped inside first. He gasped, and had to jam his hand in his mouth to stop himself from crying out. Mulder was sitting on the floor, next to a mangled body that looked like it had been shredded almost beyond recognition by claws. Mulder's claws. The older man was muttering to himself and shaking his head, and he was soaked liberally by blood which had obviously come from the corpse. His hands were covered in it, and his face and body heavily splattered. Obviously, there had been enough life left in the body when he had attacked it for the blood to come spraying out in a fan across his upper body. He lifted his head when he heard them, and cried out in disbelief when he saw Alex. "You're dead! I saw you die....." His head dropped pathetically and he began to cry, great wracking sobs that shook his whole body. And regardless of the blood, Alex sank down next to his love and gathered Mulder into his arms and rocked him back and forth. "I'm here. I'm here" Repeating it over and over again like a litany to soothe the sobbing man, no longer demon, as he clutched at Alex, disbelieving. Mulder remembered little of the return journey to the tower, or of the hordes of demons that milled around the site, searching for something. There was only the incredibly good feeling of Alex's arms around him, the murmuring of his voice, and the gentle stroking of his hair. He had a vague recollection of Sean talking to Kulain and the look of concern on their faces. But it didn't matter. Alex was what mattered. "Not dead..... NOT dead..... Not dead....." He kept repeating it to himself so he wouldn't lose himself in the darkness again. And he knew Alex wouldn't let him fall. He revived briefly when Alex undressed him and he was being pushed under a hot, welcome shower, the caked blood and filth being gently cleaned from his hands and body. Then he was carefully dried and led to the bedroom. Then he was drawn down onto the bed and wrapped in strong arms. The tears came briefly again. A voice whispered reassurance. "You're safe my love.... Sleep!" A kiss brushed against his forehead. He did. It had been a week since the raid on the militia headquarters and Sean was only just coming to terms with what had happened. The deaths, the destruction of the virus, and the political capital Kulain was making out of the right wing plots. He and Alex had killed more than once. He didn't regret his actions, though he had a strong sense of justice, but Fox..... Normality was almost more than Mulder could cope with. When he had come out of his shock, he was still in his right mind, only just. But the way he had killed the doctor plainly ate away at his conscience. He had ripped apart another human being with his bare hands, and savoured it, gloried in it even. He looked haunted, but he was slowly coming to terms with his dark side. What other choice did he have? Alex had been his strength throughout, fiercely protective, even to the point of shouting at Kulain, a point which had left Mulder gaping incredulously at his younger lover. Yes, a lot had changed since Mulder's incarceration. Like this morning for instance..... Mulder had been curled up intimately next to Alex on a comfortable couch when Sean walked in on them. It must have been a good day for Mulder because Alex was smiling and light hearted. He had grinned flirtatiously, and had beckoned to Sean to join the two of them. Fox had looked startled. "Why not?" Alex had said innocently, "he's our lover, isn't he?" Sean had made himself scarce before the inevitable explosion. He shamelessly hid in Kulain's room, surprising the sleepy demon. He hissed at Kulain to keep him silent, but the curious demon had risen and strolled over to him. Sean found himself grinning hugely at Kulain when he heard Mulder yelling his name furiously, shouting threats and promising retribution. It sounded as though Fox Mulder was well on the way back to fitness and normality. Kulain tilted Sean's head upwards so the young man had to look into his eyes. Kulain shook his head with a sigh, though a trace of laughter showed perhaps, as a glint in his eyes. "Why did I have to choose three humans?" he said in amusement. "I'll know not to be so greedy next time........" The British scientist frowned as he surveyed the collection of DNA samples that the Smoker had brought to him. It was only luck that the old man had been away from his main facility when disaster had struck. And now this was all he had left. The American government was displeased with him in the extreme, so he had chosen to visit his foreign allies for a while. A pity it had been necessary to leave the dear Teena Mulder to her son's tender mercies. It was her idea to have Fox brainwashed in the first place. The British scientist was now in possession of the only samples he had left. DNA of all the humans who had been infected by Kulain. All others had been destroyed. They would now be studied extensively, in the world's best laboratories, to try and unlock their secrets. And if possible, duplicate them. He could still make this into a victory. Megaera@Megaera.demon.co.uk Part XII—Mind Games

1999 Feedback to Megaera@Megaera.demon.co.uk FEEDBACK is life RATING NC-17 SLASH CONTENT WARNING m/m sex, violence CATEGORY M/K/Other, SPOILERS Desmond Morris has a lot to answer for........ SUMMARY Alex tries to claw his way back to sanity. DISCLAIMER All X Files Characters belong to Chris Carter and Fox, I've just borrowed them for a while. I am not making any profit out of this, it's just for entertainment. The character of Kulain is mine but you can use him if you like, Mr. Carter COMMENTS This story is set in an Alternate Universe where demons can interact more freely with humans and can shapeshift. If you don't like my laws of physics, go find your own. THANKS to Czara as always for the beta reading and the encouragement, and Rowanne for the home on Terma. The drunk scene is for her. back to top

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