knitekat | Primeval fic: Queen Takes Knight (3/3)

Title: Queen Takes Knight Part 3
Author: knitekat
Word Count: ~2450 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. Final part and continues from Part 2.

Helen stood in the forest and waited for the soldiers and Home Office personnel to prepare for the expedition through the anomaly. She was that close she could almost taste victory.

“Be careful with it It's our only hope of finding the future anomaly.” Helen smiled at Nick's next words, not meant for any ears but Stephen's. “If I don't make it back, push Lester through the worst anomaly you can find.”

“It's a given.”

Helen hid her smile, she couldn't help wondering if Stephen would carry out his promise and what Lester's reaction would be once she'd found him. She'd have to find him, life would be far too dull without Lester to fence with. Helen shook her head, dismissing the idea of preventing Nick's return just to see what Stephen would do. No, her plans would be easier to follow if she knew exactly who she was dealing with.

Her attention distracted by her thoughts, Helen didn't even notice Stephen walk away and Claudia joining Nick. They were chatting and Helen just had to interrupt them. “I think we should get going.” Just in case some idiot at Whitehall over rules Lester and forbids this mission.

Claudia suddenly reached out for Nick, an edge of panic in her voice. “Don't go. Stay. I think this is a mistake.” When Nick turned to face her, Claudia added, “I've got a really bad feeling about this.”

Helen looked interested. Oh, she might not really know Claudia, but that didn't sound like her at all. Nick of course dismissed Claudia's worry as he always had and walked towards the anomaly. Her eyebrow quirked again when Claudia ran up to Nick and kissed him. In front of everyone, although she had to bite back her smile at Claudia's comment to Lester's remark. And, Nick could hardly complain about her lover if he was with Claudia.

The other side of the anomaly was how she remembered it. Desolate, a few low trees and many more stones. Flocks of coelurosauravus soared through the air and a scattered herd of scutosaurus grazed the patchy vegetation.

Helen couldn't resist needling Nick. “That was a very touching farewell.”

“Hmm.” Nick asked before a slow smile appeared on his face. “Yep. Worked for me.”

Helen was curious about how serious he and Claudia were. “I suppose the object of the exercise was to punish me in some way?”

“Actually, it wasn't about you at all.”

Hmm, poor Stephen. It looked as if he had no chance with Nick, not any more, although, Helen had spotted someone else paying him attention.

They walked in silence for several minutes. Helen was perfectly content to do so, her eyes scanning the horizon as she plotting how to escape the attention of the soldiers. She hardly thought Lester would make it easy for her, he had probably given exact orders to their military escort to keep an eye on her at all times.

Helen smiled when the baby creature began to squeal. “We must be near the anomaly. This is it, Nick, we've found it. We've found the future!” Helen could hear the excitement in her own voice and knew Nick could too, but she couldn't bring herself to care. She'd done it, she'd found the future.

Nick glared at her but before he could speak the crackle of a radio made everyone start. The message that they might be a second predator, that it might have followed them through the anomaly making everyone tense and look around nervously, expecting an attack at any moment.

When it came, it was without warning. A grey blur appeared from no where and cannoned into a soldier, sending his crashing to the ground. Gunfire filled the air as the blur dodged and disappeared over a rise.

Nick called out. “It wants the baby. Everyone, back away from the cage. Let it go to it.”

The soldiers leader, a captain if she read his insignia correctly, nodded and gave the order. His men retreated and kept a watchful eye on the cage and their surroundings.

Helen edged further away from the group. She knew they were near to the anomaly and she wasn't about to give up now. She kept her head down as the soldiers took on the predator, sinking lower into the sand as a gorgonopsid arrived to investigate the commotion and the smell of blood in the air Helen cursed as it headed towards the single surviving baby creature and killed it. The fight between the two adult creatures was fierce and, although Helen knows she should be making her escape, she found herself mesmerised by them, until it is too late for her to even consider making an attempt to escape and look for the future anomaly. She moved out of hiding and joined the team as the soldiers fired over the head of the wounded gorgonopsid, driving it off, the remains of the adult predator in its jaws.

Nick moved towards the cage to check on the baby, although Helen doubted it had survived the jaws of the gorgonosid. She knew that without the baby, they had no way of easily finding the anomaly, that Nick would quit without even trying to locate it. “This is over. We're leaving.” He turned to face the captain, “Gather the gear and let's go home.”

Helen looked around as she waited for the soldiers to clear up, one supported by two of his fellows. “We don't have to go back, Nick. The future anomaly must be here somewhere, we can still find it.” She was curious whether he'd give up everything for the thrill of discovery.

“The future. Helen Cutter's last great frontier. No, if you want to stay here and look for it, it's fine. But you're going to have to do it on your own, because I'm leaving.”

Helen was disappointed in him, disappointed but not shocked. “What have you got to go back for? That girl? Please don't tell me you're in love with her.”

Nick just looked at her. “Maybe, you know. Maybe. You know, that's not really the point?”

It wasn't? Helen decided to satisfy her curiosity over his statement. “Then what is the point, Professor?”

“The point is, I know where I belong.”

Helen watched Nick walk off before following him, the captain bringing up the rear as he checked for any danger. So much for Nick travelling with her... but she was lonely and... well, she had other options.

***

Lester looked concerned as he scanned the group, relaxing slightly when his gaze met Helen's. “What happened? Did you find the anomaly?”

Nick shook his head. “The baby was killed.” He looked around at the ground gathered at the anomaly before turning his attention back to Lester. “It's too dangerous to risk the past. Whatever happens, nobody goes back through.”

Helen almost laughed. If he thought he could order her around. “Well, I'm sorry to break your new rule so soon, Nick, but, um, I'm not staying.” She took several steps away from Nick until she had a clear view of both Stephen and Lester.

Nick sounded irritated as he turned to face her. “Well, what did you come back for?”

Helen smiled, she could have a little fun before she left with someone who would love to explore the past – and future – with her. As well as a little... payback... for Nick rejecting her offer to travel and see sights no human had ever seen, and he called himself a scientist. “Oh, just a little, um, unfinished business.” She spared a glance at Lester before turning her attention to Stephen, after all, that revelation would be far more effective. That and she really couldn't picture Lester traipsing along with her in the past. She noticed Nick look between her and Stephen, Stephen shaking his head and the almost amused look in Lester's eye. Oh the bastard knew exactly what she was about to do and wasn't going to lift a finger to stop her. “You see, Nick, it was just one of those things. I was lonely, and you didn't seem to care about me. And Stephen was so sweet and attentive.”

Stephen fell for it, proving her words far more effectively than Helen ever could have hoped to. “Shut up, Helen.”

Helen couldn't resist twisting the knife a little, both to hurt Nick for his rejection and to drive Stephen into her arms. “Oh, you mean you never told him? Oh dear.” She put her hand over her mouth, mostly to cover her grin as she noticed Lester nod his head in admiration of her actions.

After a heartbeat, Lester spoke up, obviously needing to interject his own comment on the proceedings. “What an extremely awkward moment.”

Helen couldn't agree more. “You see, I don't want to be on my own any more.” Although she was looking at Stephen, part of her attention was on Lester, wanting to see his reaction. The others were reacting beautifully. Stephen would be so isolated and have no where to turn but her. “You once said you'd do anything for me if I gave you the chance. Well, here it is. Come with me.”

“Don't do this.”

Helen almost laughed, it was a bit late to make that plea. “Falling for one of your students is never a good idea, but...” She turned to look at Nick, with Lester in the corner of her vision. “Sometimes there things just happen, you know.”

Nick looked furious, tearing his gaze from her to glare at Stephen. Exactly as Helen had known he would. Nick's tone was accusative as he demanded, “How could you keep that from me for so many years?”

Stephen approached Nick, his arms reaching out for forgiveness Helen knew would not come. At least, not yet and maybe never. “There was no point in saying anything. It was a long time ago. In the past.”

Helen couldn't resist poking the wound. “The past has a habit of coming back these days, doesn't it.” She knew it had worked when Nick stalked off to stand by the trees, leaving Stephen isolate and alone in front of all the team. “Well? Are you coming?”

Stephen walked over to Helen and she had to bite back a smile of victory. Nick looked almost in tears and everyone else was trying to be invisible. “You know what I'd forgotten, Helen? Sometimes, you can be a real bitch.”

Helen couldn't help but be impressed when he turned from her and walked away to stand behind Lester, almost as if using the man as a shield from her. Helen caught both the amusement and warning in Lester's eye and nodded. She knew better than to reveal her relationship with Lester, unlike Stephen, he would be able to deny it with a mere quirk of an eyebrow. Helen also doubted he'd even consider leaving his nice safe office for the dangers and excitement of the past. She might be alone for now, but she wasn't about to give up her search for the future, not yet. She turned and walked back through the anomaly. She would be back, and well, then they would see what happened.

***

Helen savoured the warm spray, washing the dirt of her travels from her skin. She winced slightly as soap stung a cut before groaning as warm lips kissed down her neck. Hands swept suds over her skin before dipping intimately inside her.

Helen turned in Lester's grip, pressing a kiss against him before taking Lester's bottom lip between her teeth and biting. Smiling as Lester swore and slammed her against the tiled wall. Helen wrapped her arms around Lester's neck as he picked her up and pressed home in one unstoppable movement.

Groans and moans filled the steam-filled shower as two bodies moved as one, nails digging in and leaving little bloody trails across skin. Short, sharp thrusts slapping against Helen's clit sent her over the edge and she clenched around Lester, milking him as he shuddered to completion.

***

Helen savoured the soft silken sheets against her skin and the feel of a warm body against her back. She turned around and smiled at Lester, just-fucked was a good look for him. It made him look human.

Lester tilted his head. “Since you're back, do I assume you're plan didn't quite succeed?”

Helen shrugged. “I'm sure there will be other anomalies to the future. Just think what I...” She turned and straddled Lester, kissing him. “What we could learn.”

Lester thrust against her authomatically. “And why should I trust you? After all, you outed Stephen quite dramatically.”

Helen ran her hands over Lester's chest. “Aww, did I upset Nick? I thought he was with Ms Brown?”

Lester shook his head. “I agree with Stephen, sometimes you can be a real bitch.”

Helen grinned at Lester's groan as she slid onto him, slowly riding him. “I'm sure we could come to a mutually beneficial arrangement.”

“That would be a secret arrangement, I assume.” Lester gripped her hips. “Nick would never work with you.”

“And I wouldn't want to.” Helen clenched around him. “But if I scratch your back, you could scratch mine...” She smiled at him as she increased her speed, rolling her hips as she took them both to a shattering orgasm.

Afterwards, lying in the bliss of complete satisfaction, Lester nuzzled against Helen's shoulder. “I believe mutual cooperation would be prudent.” He glanced at his alarm as it sounded. “I expect you'll be gone when I get back. Do keep in touch.”

Helen watched with satisfaction as Lester dressed for the day. She might not have located the future anomaly, but she was sure Lester would prove useful to her. She'd even let him think he was calling the shots.

It was only when Helen was leaving that she felt a pang of regret. She had the nasty suspicion that her plan had backfired.

Oh, she had Lester where she wanted him, she was certain of that, but had she endangered herself as the same time?

Helen shrugged the thought off. She'd won this round of the game. That was what mattered. It remained to be seen whether the knight would be able to hold his own against the queen when they next met.