Primeval fic: Queen Takes Knight (2/3)
Apr. 26th, 2012 08:59 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
knitekatTitle: Queen Takes Knight Part 2
Author: knitekat
Word Count: ~3970 of 9725
Characters: Claudia Brown, Helen Cutter, Nick Cutter, Stephen Hart, James Lester, Connor Temple.
Rating: 18
Disclaimer: Primeval belongs to Impossible Pictures. Certainly not me. Writing for fun and will replace.
A/N: For the April Teamfest (Helen) and my muse has decided to set this in Series 1 – episodes 4 to 6. Thanks for Fred for the beta and paw-holding, cheers m'dear. All remaining mistakes are mine. Continues from Part 1 and continues in Part 3.
Helen grinned to herself when she saw Lester leaning against the bridge railing. Looking bored at being dragged out of his comfortable Whitehall office, although she had noticed the faint flash of interest in his eye when their gazes had met. She had already found out from Stephen that no-one knew of her last trip to this time. Either Lester had very loyal aides or... he had managed to escape by himself. Now that was a turn on. She really would have to arrange another meeting with the infuriating man. If nothing else, she was sure the angry sex they had would be worth him snarking at her.
Enough time dreaming about later, she needed to convince Lester she was telling the truth, and the best way was through Nick. “You have a serious creature incursion. A highly evolved ambush predator. Intelligent, adaptable and ruthless.”
“If there was a creature on the loose, we'd know about it.”
Claudia Brown, attracted to her husband, sounded so dismissive of Helen declaration.
Helen wasn't quite sure which was more galling, not that she was really bothered who Nick slept with. She had her eyes set on someone else entirely. “At least three people have disappeared in the last few days.”
“Missing.” It sounded as if Lester wasn't willing to give her an inch without proof. Excellent.
“Killed. The creature has a lair somewhere nearby. It's taken them for food.” Helen knew – hoped – that Lester would have to at least investigate her claims.
Nick, bless him, gave her an opening. “Now how do you know that?”
Helen allowed a slightly embarrassed look to flash across her face, as if she was admitting something under duress. “Because it nearly got me too.” That got some interest – and worry – from Nick, Stephen and, Helen was happy to see, Lester.
“What is it?” Stephen, he always had been the practical one.
Helen shook her head and continued to lay her bait. “It has no name.”
Bait that Nick took. “Then which era is it from?”
“It doesn't come from any era. At least, not one that can be identified yet.” Come on, Nick, think. Figure it out.
“I'm sorry, I don't understand.”
He did, he just didn't want to. “Yes you do, Nick. You knew it had to happen one day. You've known it ever since you first stepped into the past.”
Nick's eyes widen and Helen knew she had him. “The future? Are you saying we're being attacked by a creature from the future?”
Helen nodded, her voice pitched as if revealing a discovery to Nick and to Nick alone. “I've seen a lot of amazing creatures, but nothing like this one. It has human levels of intelligence, and an almost supernatural ability to stalk its prey. It could be right here now watching us and we'd never know.”
“If it's so clever, how did you see it?”
Claudia again. Was she feeling threatened by Helen's past with Nick or just doing her job? Either way, Helen still answered. It would only be by revealing almost everything that she'd convince Lester they needed to find the creatures and the future anomaly. “I discovered it in the Permian, just after a kill. It was feeding and its defences were down.”
“What does it look like?” Ever practical Nick.
“Like a great ape, but bigger, faster. And a lot more agile.”
“Hold on. What makes you so certain that it's not some lost species that's just disappeared from the evolutionary record?”
Nick would have to mention that and Helen knew she needed to convince him (and Lester) it wasn't. “No, Nick. It's not like any creature from the Permian, or any other prehistoric era. The only possible explanation is that it strayed through a future anomaly into the Permian era, and then on into ours.”
Lester sighed and drew Helen's attention to him. “You know, I'm really beginning to regret not staying in management consultancy. So now it's the future as well. And apparently we can't do a damn thing about it.”
Helen almost cheered. Good, Lester had brought she story – or at least, had decided he couldn't afford to ignore it out of hand.
“How did it get here?”
Damn Claudia, she would have to ask that question. The one Helen didn't want to answer. “I have no idea. It was only when I got back I found out it was on the loose. Obviously, my first thought was to do as much as I could to help.”
“How public spirited of you. Where can we contact you?”
Helen was actually relived that Lester didn't believe her motives – she would have been so disappointed if he had – even if he was willing to go along with her, at least, for now. But she still couldn't resist needling him, make him think she was still interested in Nick. “At my house. Of course.”
It was a relief when Nick declined her offer to share a bed and instead took the spare room. It made sneaking out that much easier. Helen quickly made her way across London and let herself into Lester's flat again. She smiled as she imagined his reaction to finding her waiting for him. What she had not considered was him not seeming to be surprised to find her lounging on his settee. Not a good start to their meeting and Helen prowled over to him, grabbed him by his tie and yanked him towards her. Her aim was perfect and she held his head between her breasts. Not many men could resist those charms and Lester wasn't gay.
Helen moaned when Lester turned his head and licked one of her breasts as his hands groped her arse. Not that she was about to let Lester do all the running or distract her enough to capture her. Helen's hand slid down to Lester's groin and she gave him a firm squeeze. Once his little brain took over, Lester would be putty in her hands – well, she hoped his cock wouldn't be, or she wouldn't have much use for him.
“Bedroom, James?” Helen's voice was a low purr as she squeezed him.
Lester lifted her head and smiled at her. “Now, why would I want to do that?”
“James?” Helen smiled at the low, needy moan Lester gave when she stroked him. “I can make you feel so good.”
Lester snorted and pulled free of Helen's grip. “And convince me of the need to find this future anomaly?”
Helen smiled. “Can't I just want you?”
Lester snorted again. “I know you were lying, back there on the bridge.”
Helen sighed. If she wanted Lester's help in finding the future anomaly, let alone sex with the man, she would have to be honest with him. “Look, everything I said about the Permian was true. I discovered the creature and made my observations. But I got too fascinated, got too close. It sensed I was watching.”
Lester nodded. “So it went after you?”
“Yeah, I only just got away. Problem was, my escape route led me back here.”
Lester folded his arms and managed to look down his nose at her. “And it followed you. So it's your fault those people are dead.”
“I thought you said they were missing?” Helen sighed, arguing with Lester wouldn't get her what she wanted. “Look, I could have walked away. But I didn't. I stayed to help. I'm still human. I do care what happened.” She leaned in close and kissed him. “I do care what happens to you.”
Lester shook his head. “You mean you want to manipulate me into helping you. Just like you manipulated Cutter and Hart? No, if you wanted to, you could have just warned us about the creature, told Hart about it. No, you need us – me for something else.”
Helen narrowed her eyes. Damn, she had hoped Lester would be far too interested in sex at this point to worry about her plans. Not that she was about to give up on her plan, she hadn't given up once in her travels through time, she certainly wasn't about to let this annoying troubleshooter stand in her way now. His smug smirk was beginning to annoy her, but she hadn't lost yet. “Really, James. You wound me.”
Lester just looked at her with that superior and infuriating look on his face. Helen simply couldn't believe that anyone could look so in command when he was standing there with his half-hard cock hanging out of his trousers. Well, Helen wasn't about to give up quite so easily and she closed the gap between them once more. Her hand grasped his cock and stroked it to full hardness. She bit back a smile when he thrust into her grip. Really, men where so easily controlled once their libido took over. “Are you sure you aren't interested?”
“Oh, I might be persuaded.” Lester's voice was a low growl as he grabbed her hair and pressed their lips together. Helen allowed him to control the kiss, after all, it served her purpose. She let out her own moan when his free hand squirmed inside her trousers and pressed against her just so. “I believe you mentioned the bedroom?”
Helen moaned when Lester thrust into her. She dug her nails hard into his back, causing him to gasp and slam into her even harder. Just the way she liked it.
Afterwards, Helen lay sated in Lester's bed and smiled. She had been right, angry sex with Lester had been rather spectacular. She turned and shoved her tongue into his mouth before kissing her way down his neck. Helen paused, a devilish smile on her face before she bit hard. Marking him as he had marked her earlier. Let him explain that to his people.
Helen woke the next morning in her old bedroom and stretched, feeling her muscles ache with the delicious burn of energetic sex. She slipped from her bed and padded to the shower, not that she cared one bit if Nick smelt sex on her, but it might make him reluctant to help her.
It felt good to have a proper shower, to relax and luxuriate under the spray knowing there was no need to stay alert for danger. However, Helen knew she could not afford to take the time, not if she wanted to find the future anomaly before it closed, maybe forever. She quickly dried herself and dressed, wondering if Nick still cooked a delicious breakfast or not.
Sipping her coffee, Helen gave a satisfied smile as she listened to Nick's conversation with, she assumed from his smile, that Claudia woman. Soon they would start hunting the creature down and then, the future awaited. Not that Helen thought for one moment that Lester would just allow her to leave once they had dealt with the creature, but it was hardly likely that he'd dirty his own shoes on the other side of an anomaly and anyone who was certainly wasn't in her league.
“Ready?”
Nick's voice had Helen silently cursing her own inattention. This return to modern life was dulling her senses, the sooner she returned to exploring the better. Not that she was willing to give up all the trappings of modern life... including having sex in an actually comfortable bed.
Helen smiled as she slipped past the soldier guarding the door to 'protect' her – oh, she knew the truth, Lester didn't trust her. If he had trusted her, she would have been bitterly disappointed in him. But if he thought a soldier was going to keep her meekly where she had been told to wait, he was... a soft scuffle had Helen freeze. She slowly turned around, every nerve alert and her hand closing around her knife and sliding it silently from its sheath. Before Helen could finish that action, a hand gripped her wrist painfully tight and a hard body pressed her against the building wall as lips ravaged her own until both she and her assailant were panting. “Missing me already?”
Lester made a dismissive noise. “Just checking up on my investment.”
“You still don't trust me?” Helen reached a hand up and curled it around the back of his neck, tugging him in for another kiss. “After everything...”
Lester pushed her away, an amused smile on his lips. “Please don't mistake me for either your husband or Hart.”
“Would I?” Helen queried as she groped him, hoping to distract the infuriating man from questioning her actions. Lester merely quirked an eyebrow at her until she sighed and inclined her head, conceding this point to him. “Fine. Now, do I get to return before your inattentive soldier notices I'm missing or are you going to lock me up again?”
Lester gave her a calculating smile. “Don't tempt me, Dr Cutter. For now, our goals are the same, in the future...”
Helen nodded, she understood that all too well and it suited her purposes to allow Lester to think he had won this encounter. For now. “I'd better get back.” She glanced over her shoulder as she crept back to the camel enclosure and smiled as Lester smoothed his mussed hair back into place. She paused for a moment and watched as he slunk from the park, like a ghost as he avoided his own people. It looked as if Lester was playing his own game... interesting, but something to ponder at a later date.
For now, Helen slipped into the enclosure and settled herself on the bench as if she had never been gone. Just in time as mere moments later Claudia entered talking to one of the soldiers. “We've really got to try to contain it. We can't afford to lose anybody...”
Now that was a fortuitous conversation to overhear. “If you want to find its lair, you're going to need dogs.”
Claudia didn't look pleased with being interrupted. “Excuse me?” She nodded to the soldier to leave, presumably to follow whatever orders Claudia had given him.
Helen watched as Claudia opened her mouth to speak before thinking better of whatever she had been about to say. Instead, she met Helen's eyes. “You saved my life. Thank you. Although, now I come to think of it. You did leave it rather late.”
Claudia had obviously been paying attention to Lester with that faint praise. No matter, it wasn't important, what was important was having Claudia feeling even the slightest bit indebted to her. “Well, you know. You were doing so well without me.” Helen shrugged. “It was only when Nick ran off I thought I should intervene.”
“He didn't run off. He went to get help. He did everything he could to protect me.”
Helen noticed with interest that Claudia went on the defensive and that made her curious. Whether the attraction went both ways... “He's attracted to you, isn't he?”
“I have no idea.”
Helen smiled at her, for someone who presumably thought she was intelligent, Claudia was trying to pretend she didn't know. “It's obvious you like him.”
“It's really none of your business.”
Helen almost laughed at the defensive tone in Claudia's voice. Not that she was interested in Nick any more, but really how could she resist responding. “He's my husband.”
“You left him. Remember?”
Helen was somewhat impressed by Claudia, not that she'd ever let her know that, of course. “You know, I can see why he's interested. You're his type, Claudia. Strong, independent, reasonably intelligent.”
Claudia glared at her for a moment before the professional in her took over. “Shall we stick to the point? So, what can you yell us about this creature?"
Helen knew Claudia had to wonder if she'd attempt to continue the conversation, to needle her over Nick, but Helen saw no reason to now she had achieve her aim. Claudia would be eager to start the search, if only to get Helen out of her life. “It's fast. Incredibly fast. And it can camouflage itself in almost any environment. To survive in the Permian, it's had to be highly adaptable, which is bad for us.” Helen paused and decided to add one more reason for Claudia to speed up the search. “Who knows, maybe that's how humanity meets its end, by becoming a food source for a more successful species.”
Claudia stared at her, almost as if wondering how Helen could so calmly discuss the end of humanity. She took a deep breath before nodding. “Right. Let's get started.”
Excellent
Claudia stopped on her way out of the enclosure. “But you can stay here.” When Helen opened her mouth to argue, Claudia rapidly added, “For now. Lester's orders.”
Helen glared after Claudia as she left. Oh, she had no doubt Lester could have given that order and why he would have... but it was just as possible it was one Claudia had decided on after Helen had annoyed her.
Helen resumed her seat on the bench and slowly peeled an apple. Something else she missed on her travels. She knew she wouldn't have long to wait before they would be back for her. Helen smiled when very soon, several gunshots sounded.
Helen trailed after the soldiers as they moved through the woods, calmly peeling and chewing on the apple. For all her apparent disinterest in her surroundings, every sense she possessed was at high alert.
Nick grumbled as he walked. “It was one step ahead of us all the time. It knew what we were going to do before we even did it.”
“I warned you it was smart.” Helen knew she was falling back into an old pattern of fighting with Nick, but she just couldn't resist.
Nick almost snapped back, “It would be more helpful if you could tell us how to catch it.”
“What we need is something that gives us an edge. Some weakness in its defences. Otherwise, it's just going to pick us off, one by one.”
Helen felt slightly surprised when Stephen leapt in so quickly to back Nick up. She supposed eight years was long enough for them to become firm friends... if not, but no, Nick was far too set in his ways and was interested in Claudia.
“Dogs. The dogs went crazy before it attacked. What'd make them go off like that?”
Helen mentally applauded the boy, at least someone thought. He'd be one to watch...
“It can't be smell. If there were a scent tail, they'd have followed it.”
Poor Stephen, still not the brightest but Helen had to admit, he was still easy on the eyes. Not as adventurous as Lester in bed, not as much of a challenge, but he was so attentive and willing to do anything for her.
“Hearing.”
Ah, so Nick did still use his brains... although Helen decided she had been too generous when he sent the boy – Connor, she believed – off by himself when there was that creature on the prowl. She almost sighed and waited for a few moments before mentioning that fact to Nick. His expression was priceless as he took off at a run, yelling for Ryan to follow him.
Helen walked beside Nick as they followed the soldiers. The dogs were pulling on their leads and seemed excited. She hoped that they'd find the creature here. This area was perfect for a lair. The oscilloscope Connor hugged to his chest began to bleep, indicating that they were on the right track. Helen paused as she heard something. Some sound that didn't belong... it sounded almost. A smile appeared on her face, if she was right they would be even better to find the future anomaly. Far easier to control, far safer for her. She followed the sound, knowing Stephen was right behind her, and discovered a box serving as a nest for the creature's young. Perfect.
“Cutter! You need to see this.” Stephen's voice reminded her that she was not alone.
Nick gasped. “My god. It's given birth.”
“Oh, cute.”
Stephen rolled his eyes, obviously not agreeing with Connor's comment. “There are three bodies back here.”
“She's storing them to feed her young.” That answered the niggling question of why there had been so many deaths in such a short time.
The rapid bleeping of the oscilloscope break the silence and everyone almost ducked when a thud sounded from the roof. Connor's yell that they had company was really unnecessary. The screams and gunfire echoed around the shed until Nick grabbed one of the young and ran.
Helen leaned against the wall in Lester's office and tried to convince the man that they needed the creature's young alive. “If you kill them now, you'll be making a big mistake.”
Lester almost sneered at her. “What do you suggest? A sympathetic foster family?”
Helen knew she would have to tread carefully, Lester wasn't an idiot. “A dangerous anomaly to the future is open in the Permian. Predators could come pouring through.”
“But why do we keep these creatures alive?”
Claudia would make that point, but Helen had an answer. “To pinpoint the exact location of the anomaly. All bats have extraordinary homing instincts. They know their own environment. They can lead us to it.”
“And what happens to them then?” Lester asked and Helen hoped that meant he was at least considering her idea.
“We kill them.” Nick sounded so sure it almost surprised Helen. He had changed in her years away.
“We kill them?” It appeared Lester was equally surprised by Nick's comment.
Nick nodded. “To let even one of them loose in the Permian era could be a potential catastrophe. They could wipe out whole species. They could change things in ways we can't even conceive.”
Helen found herself musing on Nick's comment, what she could learn with all of evolution to play with. At least, she pondered until Lester spoke.
“And afterwards, we keep a permanent guard at the future anomaly?”
Damn, that meant she'd have to find and go through it before Lester's people found it and stopped her access to it.
Nick nodded. “The threat's too serious to be ignored.”
Claudia raised an eyebrow. “Serious enough to warrant a permanent intrusion into the past?”
Nick turned to face Claudia, his voice serious. “With the correct restrictions, yes.”
Lester sighed. “I suppose just bombing somewhere is out of the question?”
Helen almost joined Nick in rolling her eyes, almost but not quite. She was confident that Lester would agree to the plan and that was all she needed. She almost held her breath as she waited for Lester to continue, preferably without the snarky comments.
“All right, we'll do it. I just hope you're right.”
Helen smiled at Lester when he walked away; at least, she did until she sensed someone watching her and switched her smile to Nick. Everything was going as she planned.
Lester paused and turned back towards them. “You'll only need one creature to sense the anomaly?” At Nick's nod, Lester added, his tone unarguable against. “Then kill all but one of them.”
Author: knitekat
Word Count: ~3970 of 9725
Characters: Claudia Brown, Helen Cutter, Nick Cutter, Stephen Hart, James Lester, Connor Temple.
Rating: 18
Disclaimer: Primeval belongs to Impossible Pictures. Certainly not me. Writing for fun and will replace.
A/N: For the April Teamfest (Helen) and my muse has decided to set this in Series 1 – episodes 4 to 6. Thanks for Fred for the beta and paw-holding, cheers m'dear. All remaining mistakes are mine. Continues from Part 1 and continues in Part 3.
Helen grinned to herself when she saw Lester leaning against the bridge railing. Looking bored at being dragged out of his comfortable Whitehall office, although she had noticed the faint flash of interest in his eye when their gazes had met. She had already found out from Stephen that no-one knew of her last trip to this time. Either Lester had very loyal aides or... he had managed to escape by himself. Now that was a turn on. She really would have to arrange another meeting with the infuriating man. If nothing else, she was sure the angry sex they had would be worth him snarking at her.
Enough time dreaming about later, she needed to convince Lester she was telling the truth, and the best way was through Nick. “You have a serious creature incursion. A highly evolved ambush predator. Intelligent, adaptable and ruthless.”
“If there was a creature on the loose, we'd know about it.”
Claudia Brown, attracted to her husband, sounded so dismissive of Helen declaration.
Helen wasn't quite sure which was more galling, not that she was really bothered who Nick slept with. She had her eyes set on someone else entirely. “At least three people have disappeared in the last few days.”
“Missing.” It sounded as if Lester wasn't willing to give her an inch without proof. Excellent.
“Killed. The creature has a lair somewhere nearby. It's taken them for food.” Helen knew – hoped – that Lester would have to at least investigate her claims.
Nick, bless him, gave her an opening. “Now how do you know that?”
Helen allowed a slightly embarrassed look to flash across her face, as if she was admitting something under duress. “Because it nearly got me too.” That got some interest – and worry – from Nick, Stephen and, Helen was happy to see, Lester.
“What is it?” Stephen, he always had been the practical one.
Helen shook her head and continued to lay her bait. “It has no name.”
Bait that Nick took. “Then which era is it from?”
“It doesn't come from any era. At least, not one that can be identified yet.” Come on, Nick, think. Figure it out.
“I'm sorry, I don't understand.”
He did, he just didn't want to. “Yes you do, Nick. You knew it had to happen one day. You've known it ever since you first stepped into the past.”
Nick's eyes widen and Helen knew she had him. “The future? Are you saying we're being attacked by a creature from the future?”
Helen nodded, her voice pitched as if revealing a discovery to Nick and to Nick alone. “I've seen a lot of amazing creatures, but nothing like this one. It has human levels of intelligence, and an almost supernatural ability to stalk its prey. It could be right here now watching us and we'd never know.”
“If it's so clever, how did you see it?”
Claudia again. Was she feeling threatened by Helen's past with Nick or just doing her job? Either way, Helen still answered. It would only be by revealing almost everything that she'd convince Lester they needed to find the creatures and the future anomaly. “I discovered it in the Permian, just after a kill. It was feeding and its defences were down.”
“What does it look like?” Ever practical Nick.
“Like a great ape, but bigger, faster. And a lot more agile.”
“Hold on. What makes you so certain that it's not some lost species that's just disappeared from the evolutionary record?”
Nick would have to mention that and Helen knew she needed to convince him (and Lester) it wasn't. “No, Nick. It's not like any creature from the Permian, or any other prehistoric era. The only possible explanation is that it strayed through a future anomaly into the Permian era, and then on into ours.”
Lester sighed and drew Helen's attention to him. “You know, I'm really beginning to regret not staying in management consultancy. So now it's the future as well. And apparently we can't do a damn thing about it.”
Helen almost cheered. Good, Lester had brought she story – or at least, had decided he couldn't afford to ignore it out of hand.
“How did it get here?”
Damn Claudia, she would have to ask that question. The one Helen didn't want to answer. “I have no idea. It was only when I got back I found out it was on the loose. Obviously, my first thought was to do as much as I could to help.”
“How public spirited of you. Where can we contact you?”
Helen was actually relived that Lester didn't believe her motives – she would have been so disappointed if he had – even if he was willing to go along with her, at least, for now. But she still couldn't resist needling him, make him think she was still interested in Nick. “At my house. Of course.”
***
It was a relief when Nick declined her offer to share a bed and instead took the spare room. It made sneaking out that much easier. Helen quickly made her way across London and let herself into Lester's flat again. She smiled as she imagined his reaction to finding her waiting for him. What she had not considered was him not seeming to be surprised to find her lounging on his settee. Not a good start to their meeting and Helen prowled over to him, grabbed him by his tie and yanked him towards her. Her aim was perfect and she held his head between her breasts. Not many men could resist those charms and Lester wasn't gay.
Helen moaned when Lester turned his head and licked one of her breasts as his hands groped her arse. Not that she was about to let Lester do all the running or distract her enough to capture her. Helen's hand slid down to Lester's groin and she gave him a firm squeeze. Once his little brain took over, Lester would be putty in her hands – well, she hoped his cock wouldn't be, or she wouldn't have much use for him.
“Bedroom, James?” Helen's voice was a low purr as she squeezed him.
Lester lifted her head and smiled at her. “Now, why would I want to do that?”
“James?” Helen smiled at the low, needy moan Lester gave when she stroked him. “I can make you feel so good.”
Lester snorted and pulled free of Helen's grip. “And convince me of the need to find this future anomaly?”
Helen smiled. “Can't I just want you?”
Lester snorted again. “I know you were lying, back there on the bridge.”
Helen sighed. If she wanted Lester's help in finding the future anomaly, let alone sex with the man, she would have to be honest with him. “Look, everything I said about the Permian was true. I discovered the creature and made my observations. But I got too fascinated, got too close. It sensed I was watching.”
Lester nodded. “So it went after you?”
“Yeah, I only just got away. Problem was, my escape route led me back here.”
Lester folded his arms and managed to look down his nose at her. “And it followed you. So it's your fault those people are dead.”
“I thought you said they were missing?” Helen sighed, arguing with Lester wouldn't get her what she wanted. “Look, I could have walked away. But I didn't. I stayed to help. I'm still human. I do care what happened.” She leaned in close and kissed him. “I do care what happens to you.”
Lester shook his head. “You mean you want to manipulate me into helping you. Just like you manipulated Cutter and Hart? No, if you wanted to, you could have just warned us about the creature, told Hart about it. No, you need us – me for something else.”
Helen narrowed her eyes. Damn, she had hoped Lester would be far too interested in sex at this point to worry about her plans. Not that she was about to give up on her plan, she hadn't given up once in her travels through time, she certainly wasn't about to let this annoying troubleshooter stand in her way now. His smug smirk was beginning to annoy her, but she hadn't lost yet. “Really, James. You wound me.”
Lester just looked at her with that superior and infuriating look on his face. Helen simply couldn't believe that anyone could look so in command when he was standing there with his half-hard cock hanging out of his trousers. Well, Helen wasn't about to give up quite so easily and she closed the gap between them once more. Her hand grasped his cock and stroked it to full hardness. She bit back a smile when he thrust into her grip. Really, men where so easily controlled once their libido took over. “Are you sure you aren't interested?”
“Oh, I might be persuaded.” Lester's voice was a low growl as he grabbed her hair and pressed their lips together. Helen allowed him to control the kiss, after all, it served her purpose. She let out her own moan when his free hand squirmed inside her trousers and pressed against her just so. “I believe you mentioned the bedroom?”
***
Helen moaned when Lester thrust into her. She dug her nails hard into his back, causing him to gasp and slam into her even harder. Just the way she liked it.
Afterwards, Helen lay sated in Lester's bed and smiled. She had been right, angry sex with Lester had been rather spectacular. She turned and shoved her tongue into his mouth before kissing her way down his neck. Helen paused, a devilish smile on her face before she bit hard. Marking him as he had marked her earlier. Let him explain that to his people.
***
Helen woke the next morning in her old bedroom and stretched, feeling her muscles ache with the delicious burn of energetic sex. She slipped from her bed and padded to the shower, not that she cared one bit if Nick smelt sex on her, but it might make him reluctant to help her.
It felt good to have a proper shower, to relax and luxuriate under the spray knowing there was no need to stay alert for danger. However, Helen knew she could not afford to take the time, not if she wanted to find the future anomaly before it closed, maybe forever. She quickly dried herself and dressed, wondering if Nick still cooked a delicious breakfast or not.
Sipping her coffee, Helen gave a satisfied smile as she listened to Nick's conversation with, she assumed from his smile, that Claudia woman. Soon they would start hunting the creature down and then, the future awaited. Not that Helen thought for one moment that Lester would just allow her to leave once they had dealt with the creature, but it was hardly likely that he'd dirty his own shoes on the other side of an anomaly and anyone who was certainly wasn't in her league.
“Ready?”
Nick's voice had Helen silently cursing her own inattention. This return to modern life was dulling her senses, the sooner she returned to exploring the better. Not that she was willing to give up all the trappings of modern life... including having sex in an actually comfortable bed.
***
Helen smiled as she slipped past the soldier guarding the door to 'protect' her – oh, she knew the truth, Lester didn't trust her. If he had trusted her, she would have been bitterly disappointed in him. But if he thought a soldier was going to keep her meekly where she had been told to wait, he was... a soft scuffle had Helen freeze. She slowly turned around, every nerve alert and her hand closing around her knife and sliding it silently from its sheath. Before Helen could finish that action, a hand gripped her wrist painfully tight and a hard body pressed her against the building wall as lips ravaged her own until both she and her assailant were panting. “Missing me already?”
Lester made a dismissive noise. “Just checking up on my investment.”
“You still don't trust me?” Helen reached a hand up and curled it around the back of his neck, tugging him in for another kiss. “After everything...”
Lester pushed her away, an amused smile on his lips. “Please don't mistake me for either your husband or Hart.”
“Would I?” Helen queried as she groped him, hoping to distract the infuriating man from questioning her actions. Lester merely quirked an eyebrow at her until she sighed and inclined her head, conceding this point to him. “Fine. Now, do I get to return before your inattentive soldier notices I'm missing or are you going to lock me up again?”
Lester gave her a calculating smile. “Don't tempt me, Dr Cutter. For now, our goals are the same, in the future...”
Helen nodded, she understood that all too well and it suited her purposes to allow Lester to think he had won this encounter. For now. “I'd better get back.” She glanced over her shoulder as she crept back to the camel enclosure and smiled as Lester smoothed his mussed hair back into place. She paused for a moment and watched as he slunk from the park, like a ghost as he avoided his own people. It looked as if Lester was playing his own game... interesting, but something to ponder at a later date.
For now, Helen slipped into the enclosure and settled herself on the bench as if she had never been gone. Just in time as mere moments later Claudia entered talking to one of the soldiers. “We've really got to try to contain it. We can't afford to lose anybody...”
Now that was a fortuitous conversation to overhear. “If you want to find its lair, you're going to need dogs.”
Claudia didn't look pleased with being interrupted. “Excuse me?” She nodded to the soldier to leave, presumably to follow whatever orders Claudia had given him.
Helen watched as Claudia opened her mouth to speak before thinking better of whatever she had been about to say. Instead, she met Helen's eyes. “You saved my life. Thank you. Although, now I come to think of it. You did leave it rather late.”
Claudia had obviously been paying attention to Lester with that faint praise. No matter, it wasn't important, what was important was having Claudia feeling even the slightest bit indebted to her. “Well, you know. You were doing so well without me.” Helen shrugged. “It was only when Nick ran off I thought I should intervene.”
“He didn't run off. He went to get help. He did everything he could to protect me.”
Helen noticed with interest that Claudia went on the defensive and that made her curious. Whether the attraction went both ways... “He's attracted to you, isn't he?”
“I have no idea.”
Helen smiled at her, for someone who presumably thought she was intelligent, Claudia was trying to pretend she didn't know. “It's obvious you like him.”
“It's really none of your business.”
Helen almost laughed at the defensive tone in Claudia's voice. Not that she was interested in Nick any more, but really how could she resist responding. “He's my husband.”
“You left him. Remember?”
Helen was somewhat impressed by Claudia, not that she'd ever let her know that, of course. “You know, I can see why he's interested. You're his type, Claudia. Strong, independent, reasonably intelligent.”
Claudia glared at her for a moment before the professional in her took over. “Shall we stick to the point? So, what can you yell us about this creature?"
Helen knew Claudia had to wonder if she'd attempt to continue the conversation, to needle her over Nick, but Helen saw no reason to now she had achieve her aim. Claudia would be eager to start the search, if only to get Helen out of her life. “It's fast. Incredibly fast. And it can camouflage itself in almost any environment. To survive in the Permian, it's had to be highly adaptable, which is bad for us.” Helen paused and decided to add one more reason for Claudia to speed up the search. “Who knows, maybe that's how humanity meets its end, by becoming a food source for a more successful species.”
Claudia stared at her, almost as if wondering how Helen could so calmly discuss the end of humanity. She took a deep breath before nodding. “Right. Let's get started.”
Excellent
Claudia stopped on her way out of the enclosure. “But you can stay here.” When Helen opened her mouth to argue, Claudia rapidly added, “For now. Lester's orders.”
Helen glared after Claudia as she left. Oh, she had no doubt Lester could have given that order and why he would have... but it was just as possible it was one Claudia had decided on after Helen had annoyed her.
Helen resumed her seat on the bench and slowly peeled an apple. Something else she missed on her travels. She knew she wouldn't have long to wait before they would be back for her. Helen smiled when very soon, several gunshots sounded.
***
Helen trailed after the soldiers as they moved through the woods, calmly peeling and chewing on the apple. For all her apparent disinterest in her surroundings, every sense she possessed was at high alert.
Nick grumbled as he walked. “It was one step ahead of us all the time. It knew what we were going to do before we even did it.”
“I warned you it was smart.” Helen knew she was falling back into an old pattern of fighting with Nick, but she just couldn't resist.
Nick almost snapped back, “It would be more helpful if you could tell us how to catch it.”
“What we need is something that gives us an edge. Some weakness in its defences. Otherwise, it's just going to pick us off, one by one.”
Helen felt slightly surprised when Stephen leapt in so quickly to back Nick up. She supposed eight years was long enough for them to become firm friends... if not, but no, Nick was far too set in his ways and was interested in Claudia.
“Dogs. The dogs went crazy before it attacked. What'd make them go off like that?”
Helen mentally applauded the boy, at least someone thought. He'd be one to watch...
“It can't be smell. If there were a scent tail, they'd have followed it.”
Poor Stephen, still not the brightest but Helen had to admit, he was still easy on the eyes. Not as adventurous as Lester in bed, not as much of a challenge, but he was so attentive and willing to do anything for her.
“Hearing.”
Ah, so Nick did still use his brains... although Helen decided she had been too generous when he sent the boy – Connor, she believed – off by himself when there was that creature on the prowl. She almost sighed and waited for a few moments before mentioning that fact to Nick. His expression was priceless as he took off at a run, yelling for Ryan to follow him.
***
Helen walked beside Nick as they followed the soldiers. The dogs were pulling on their leads and seemed excited. She hoped that they'd find the creature here. This area was perfect for a lair. The oscilloscope Connor hugged to his chest began to bleep, indicating that they were on the right track. Helen paused as she heard something. Some sound that didn't belong... it sounded almost. A smile appeared on her face, if she was right they would be even better to find the future anomaly. Far easier to control, far safer for her. She followed the sound, knowing Stephen was right behind her, and discovered a box serving as a nest for the creature's young. Perfect.
“Cutter! You need to see this.” Stephen's voice reminded her that she was not alone.
Nick gasped. “My god. It's given birth.”
“Oh, cute.”
Stephen rolled his eyes, obviously not agreeing with Connor's comment. “There are three bodies back here.”
“She's storing them to feed her young.” That answered the niggling question of why there had been so many deaths in such a short time.
The rapid bleeping of the oscilloscope break the silence and everyone almost ducked when a thud sounded from the roof. Connor's yell that they had company was really unnecessary. The screams and gunfire echoed around the shed until Nick grabbed one of the young and ran.
***
Helen leaned against the wall in Lester's office and tried to convince the man that they needed the creature's young alive. “If you kill them now, you'll be making a big mistake.”
Lester almost sneered at her. “What do you suggest? A sympathetic foster family?”
Helen knew she would have to tread carefully, Lester wasn't an idiot. “A dangerous anomaly to the future is open in the Permian. Predators could come pouring through.”
“But why do we keep these creatures alive?”
Claudia would make that point, but Helen had an answer. “To pinpoint the exact location of the anomaly. All bats have extraordinary homing instincts. They know their own environment. They can lead us to it.”
“And what happens to them then?” Lester asked and Helen hoped that meant he was at least considering her idea.
“We kill them.” Nick sounded so sure it almost surprised Helen. He had changed in her years away.
“We kill them?” It appeared Lester was equally surprised by Nick's comment.
Nick nodded. “To let even one of them loose in the Permian era could be a potential catastrophe. They could wipe out whole species. They could change things in ways we can't even conceive.”
Helen found herself musing on Nick's comment, what she could learn with all of evolution to play with. At least, she pondered until Lester spoke.
“And afterwards, we keep a permanent guard at the future anomaly?”
Damn, that meant she'd have to find and go through it before Lester's people found it and stopped her access to it.
Nick nodded. “The threat's too serious to be ignored.”
Claudia raised an eyebrow. “Serious enough to warrant a permanent intrusion into the past?”
Nick turned to face Claudia, his voice serious. “With the correct restrictions, yes.”
Lester sighed. “I suppose just bombing somewhere is out of the question?”
Helen almost joined Nick in rolling her eyes, almost but not quite. She was confident that Lester would agree to the plan and that was all she needed. She almost held her breath as she waited for Lester to continue, preferably without the snarky comments.
“All right, we'll do it. I just hope you're right.”
Helen smiled at Lester when he walked away; at least, she did until she sensed someone watching her and switched her smile to Nick. Everything was going as she planned.
Lester paused and turned back towards them. “You'll only need one creature to sense the anomaly?” At Nick's nod, Lester added, his tone unarguable against. “Then kill all but one of them.”
