Chapter 2

Logan tried to drive as steady as possible not wanting to wake the sleeping Cajun.

The kid finally left that house at 10 am this morning.  He’d spent 13 hours there.  He looked exhausted.  His face was quite pale and Logan could smell exhaustion and … pain on him.  Not the kind of pain that is inflicted by wounds, but like … a headache.

The kid had merely said “Hallo” and curled in the backseat, falling asleep almost instantly.  He looked so young and vulnerable right now.

Logan could also smell the other two on him.  The scent of sex was so strong, that it nearly gave him a hard-on, but the look of the tired kid tempered his lust.  All he needed to do right now was to drive him safely home and let him sleep it off.

When they finally reached their destination, Remy was still asleep.  Logan, not wanting to wake him, opened the door quietly and took the kid in his arms.  He decided to carry Remy to bed.

When he straightened, the kid stirred a little and Logan was afraid he would wake up.  He would have had problems if the kid asked why he was carrying his Boss like a child.

But the Cajun merely snuggled closer to Logan, as if seeking warmth, and buried his face in Logan’s shirt.

Slowly and with surprising care, he carried him into the house and then to his bedroom.  A large room with the biggest bed he had ever seen with dark blue satin sheets.

Gently he laid the kid down and took his shoes off and then unbuttoned the shirt, pulling it slowly from the Cajun’s shoulders.  He was obviously used to being undressed by a third person because, even asleep, he helped Logan.

There was a strange, burning feeling in his loins when he saw the faint bruises and teeth marks on the kid’s neck.  It must have been a hell of a night.  He knew, after what he saw, that the twins would use some toys, but it seemed that Remy wasn’t hurt, at least not physically.  There was still the question of Liam’s psychic abilities.

Logan personally hated telepaths with a passion, the way they fucked with minds.

When the kid was only in his briefs, Logan pulled the cover from under him and covered the pale body.  He tried not to notice just how well built the Cajun was, his long lithe body, with the muscles of a dancer.  Pale, graceful legs and the best ass he’d ever seen.  But he was his Boss and Logan knew he could never afford hiring him.  Way out of his league.

When he was prepared to leave, he heard the kid stir once again and then whisper softly.  He heard the words only because of his enhanced senses.

“Stay wid me?”

Logan knew it had nothing to do with sex, but his body reacted to that soft velvet voice nevertheless.  He shifted, wishing his hard-on would go away.  He turned to look at the still figure on the bed.  Exotic, red on black yes were open jus slightly, but he knew the kid was watching him.

He could smell the hesitation, the fear of being alone and he yielded.

Without a word, he kicked off his shoes, took his jacket off and sat on the bed.

“Move,” he said harshly, trying not to show his arousal.

Remy obediently moved to the other side of the bed and Logan laid down beside him with a grunt.

Logan expected an awkward moment when no one would know what to do, but nothing like that happened.  Before he had the time to think, the Cajun scooted closer and melted his whole body against Logan, once again burying his face in Logan’s shirt.

Then he felt chilled hands sneak around his waist and rest on his back.  There was a tension in Remy indicating that he wasn’t sure if Logan would allow him to be so close without having to “pay” for the closeness, but Logan only pulled the cold boy closer and closed his eyes, trying to look relaxed.  Soon the kid sighed and fell asleep again, practically glued to Logan’s chest.

* * *

 Liam leaned over the door leading to the main room.  Watching.  There beside the fireplace sat Seena.  Her long hair was loose, falling like a waterfall over her shoulders.  She was so delicately built.  He looked at the hand with long emerald nails and such impossibly fragile bones and couldn’t stop the ache in his chest.  Oh, God, how he loved her.  For many years he was obsessed with the need to find her, have her close gain.

Now, looking back over the years, he knew he had been cruel in his attempts to have her only to himself.  It ended up with her running away.  They’d both been children then.  He was almost sick with worry about her and, at the same time, angry at her and himself.

It had taken him seven years to find her and another three to convince her to meet him.  He knew she wasn’t in love with him, not like he was with her, but it didn’t matter.  All he wanted was to be close to her and be able to look at her hear her voice again.  Even if he weren’t allowed to touch her anymore, he would take anything she was willing to give him.

He was more than thrilled when she’d agreed to spend the week with him.  The night with Remy hadn’t been planned.  Seena was cold and rarely wanted somebody, but the Cajun was such a sexy thing that he had wanted to risk it.  Originally he planed to just give him to her, as a gift and maybe be allowed to watch.  Never did he dream of being allowed to be a part of it.  Although he didn’t really touch her during that night, he was more than happy.  A joyous feeling kept buzzing somewhere in he back of his mind but there was also the pain, the knowledge that she would never love him.

So he watched.  Watched like it was his last chance.  Watched like he wanted to paint her image on his heart.

He saw her moving.  Slowly, with the grace that was their heritage, she got up and went to the stereo.

The black turtleneck sweater and black soft pants did nothing to hide her sensual body.  Her glacial emerald eyes seemed slightly unfocused, like every time he’d seen her looking into the future.

The music that filled the room sounded familiar, Liam associated it with some kind of movie when the words began.

“I thought you'd be out of my mind
And I'd finally found a way to
Learn to live without you”

Her long fingers stayed on the console while she closed her eyes once again and listened.

“I thought it was just a matter of time
'Til I had a hundred reasons
Not to think about you”

Liam watched her tilt her head back, silky hair swaying softly.

“But it's just not so
And after all this time
I still can't let go”

So very slowly, Seena stepped back from the stereo and swayed to the hypnotizing rhythm.

“I've still got your face
Painted on my heart
Scrawled upon my soul
Etched upon my memory baby
I've got your kiss
Still burning on my lips
The touch of your fingertips
This love so deep inside of me”

Liam felt something in his chest tighten while he watched her start dancing and listening to the lyrics.  He had the impression that the song should mean something for him, but he still couldn’t get a grip on it, not while her hips moved in such a slow, sexual manner.

“I was trying everything that I can
To get my heart to forget you
But it just can't seem to”

She raised her hands above her head, eyes closed, face so pale and beautiful it almost made him hurt to watch as she danced.  Her body swaying and twisting to the slow beat, lips slightly parted … she looked as if she wasn’t aware of the world around her.  Even him.

“I guess it's just no use
In every part of me
Is still a part of you”

Suddenly, she opened her eyes and looked right into his.  Without a word, without a sound from her … just the beat and her emerald gaze fixed on him, reaching so deep inside … deeper than anyone had been before.  Her message somewhere just on the edge of his mind, still too much of a blur for him to focus on it.

“I've still got your face
Painted on my heart
Painted on my heart
Painted on my heart”

Liam couldn’t stand to watch anymore, slowly he stepped closer to the dancing woman, their bodies so close, but never actually touching, moved in synch.  He saw her hair sway gently with every move she made, her scent overwhelming him.  And he remembered the one and only kiss they shared.  Both 15 years old, he prepared to take the role of a leader, already charismatic and strong.  She still unsure, afraid of her powers that threatened to drive her insane, always on the fringes of a society that feared her because of the things she saw and because of him doing everything in his power to alienate her.

A warm sunny day, a touch of wine, a lake, the smell of flowers and her herbal shampoo … teasing, laughing … and that shy kiss.  The one that SHE initiated. Chaste, innocent almost, but soon changing into something a lot more frightening and far more intense.

“Something in your eyes keeps haunting me
I'm trying to escape you
And I know there ain't no way to
To chase you from my mind”

Her usually cold eyes changed expression for just a brief moment, telling him something that he still couldn’t comprehend.  The smell of her skin so close, yet so far away … the heat of her body that he couldn’t touch … it all made it hard to think, to understand.
 

The song was nearing its end, the crescendo of sounds and the final words giving the impression of hope.  Something he wasn’t ready to believe, that maybe there was something in her that would melt into feelings for him someday.

Suddenly the spell was broken.  The music ended and the announcer started delivering the news.  Her eyes changed to ice again and her body lost that dreamy sweetness.  When she walked to the stereo again, her hips moved sensually, but in that controlled distant way of hers, the way that told the world that there was nothing that could shake her anymore.

The silence, when she turned the stereo off, was almost deafening.

“Seena …” was that his voice?  So hoarse and … broken?

“Remy LeBeau,” she interrupted him, “I liked him.”

Liam cocked his head waiting.  He understood she didn’t want to talk about what had happened just moments before, what she admitted while dancing to that song.

“He will have troubles because of … us.”

“What do you expect me to do?” he asked carefully.  Yes, the kid was an incredibly good fuck but nothing more to him.

“Help him.”

With that she left the room, not even sparing him a glance.  Once again Liam realized she wasn’t a girl anymore.  She was a very confidant and very cold woman, a woman that didn’t need him at all.

* * *

Logan watched the Cajun.  It became almost a ritual.  Wherever he needed to take the kid, he always watched him during the drive.

Logan knew they were returning to the strange couple.  He felt Remy’s arousal and unease at once.  Just like two nights before.

Logan went back to the morning after the first meeting with the twins.  Remy had slept until late in the afternoon, glued to him as if he was his salvation.   Logan suspected that this whole prostitute business was wearing on him and Remy didn’t really want to do this, but something forced him.  Or somebody.  The man before him had warned him that every once and awhile Remy should be taken to a large mansion where Logan would not be able to protect him.  He would be forced to stay outside.  His friend told him that Remy never looked good leaving the place, he often exited with bruises and other wounds.

When Remy finally woke up, he did something that surprised Logan.  He woke up as soon as the kid moved, but pretended not to.  He sensed that Remy was looking at him.  He lay motionlessly beside him and watched his face.  It surprised Logan.  He knew he wasn’t handsome in any way.  His life was too hard and cruel.  And it was all on his face.  The wariness, the pain, the age … he knew he wanted the kid, but never expected the Cajun to answer his feelings.

Lying there he felt the kid’s hand just a hairsbreadth from his face.  Tracing his face, but never actually touching him.  There was something sad in the movement, the kid seemed so lost and young and frightened that his heart ached in sympathy.

Then he felt the Cajun lean close and his lips softly touched his own.  Gently, so as not to surprise Remy, he answered the kiss, coaxing him to deepen it.  However, there was nothing sexual in it, just gratefulness, affection … and something sweet at the edge of his mind.

Slowly, before he was aroused by the kiss, Logan backed off from it, gently stroking the kid’s cheek with his knuckles letting him know it wasn’t a rejection.

“Thank you, Cher,” the kids whispered, watching Logan with a soft expression in his alien eyes.

“No problem.  Will you tell me what happened?  You were in pain when you left the house.  Was it something they did?”

Remy watched him closely for a moment, as if wondering if it was right to trust him, then sighed and laid back.

“De man, Liam.  He be illusionist. He … made Remy loose all his inhibitions, made him fly high, really high … but dere be a price.”

“What?”

“A headache, like a hangover.  Jus’ had to sleep it off.  Nothing serious.”

“Strange …” Logan remembered the weird tingling on the edge of his mind, “does everyone react like this?

“Non.  Jus’ Remy.”

Logan knew the kid was hiding something.

“Why?  Why does it affect you in such a way?”

Remy closed his eyes and sighed.  He let his empathy loose a little, just to feel the affection and concern coming off Logan.  He knew he shouldn’t have but it was so good to feel cared about, even if only for a moment.  No one ever cared for him.

“Remy is an empath, Cher. De two powers … dey don’t like each other.”

Logan didn’t comment.  He remembered the sweet, gentle touch when they kissed.  For the very first time in his life, he had nothing against a psi that messed with his head.  He knew Remy wouldn’t intentionally hurt him.  It just wasn’t in him.  He was such a gentle and caring creature …

“Why do you do this?” Logan blurted out before he had the time to think.  Yeah, great way to go!  Idiot!  He admonished himself.

Remy didn’t even pretend he didn’t know what Logan was talking about.

“Remy has … debts to pay.”

That was all.  In one swift movement he got out of the bed and disappeared into the bathroom, leaving Logan behind.

Now they were approaching the little house again and Logan wished he could just turn the car around and take the kid away from all that trash.  He knew he was feeling much stronger about the Cajun, but refused to think about it.

The limo stopped and Logan saw Seena coming out of the house, Liam close behind her.  The twins made a stunning impression, beautiful, predatory and graceful.

Logan looked once more at Remy, dressed in a black Armani suit and caught his red on black eyes staring right back at him, so many words, so many questions in those eyes.  Wishes that would never come true … all caught in that short moment.  And then it was over.

Remy put his shades back on and Logan got out of the car to open the door.
Watching as Seena greeted the Cajun with a soft, yet very sexual kiss, he wondered how long he would be able to stand it.  How long till his jealousy would kick in and make him do something stupid?

When Liam approached he could smell the kid’s unease increase, he obviously felt ill at ease in their company, but Logan couldn’t do anything.  It wasn’t his choice to make.

Suddenly, he caught Seena looking at him.  Stony, glacial emerald eyes looking deeply into his soul, he actually felt an icy shiver run down his spine.  She looked at him as if she KNEW everything about him.

“Remy,” she called softly.

“Oui?”

“Don’t worry, Liam will not interfere in your mind again.”

Both Remy AND Liam looked surprised.  She merely looked at her brother as if challenging him to refuse her.  There was a long moment when Remy thought there would be a fight, but Liam only gritted his teeth and nodded.  There was nothing in the world he wouldn’t do for her.
 

TBC