Chapter 196: Arc Seven. Chapter One Hundred Ninety-Three. The Brotherhood

Selene lay in the afterglow of the most wondrous sex she had ever had. She would keep that from Peter though but as his powers touched hers it lit a spark within her and purified whatever taint Apocalypse had left within her. As she leant over and gave him a quick peck on the cheek she stretched and moved from the bed, grabbing her blouse and skirt, hastily pulling them on and making herself decent.

It felt good to be free. The ever-present darkness in her thoughts, not just of murder but of her own suicide was gone. She felt like it was a new world and as she thought, it was. Breakfast would be the first thing, Peter had earned it, as well as her help in taking down Shaw, but plans had to be made. They were both several hundred years old, and while Genosha was her island, New York and The Hellfire Club were Shaws. She sent out texts, confirming not just Peter's story but her own suspicions, and as she scrolled through the replies she was not happy.

He had managed to set up detention centres for mutants around America without her knowledge, and if the memories of what he had been doing were true, then this was not something she was going to take lightly. Several members of the Brotherhood owed Shaw a debt, and she would have to call on every favour she could to make sure this went smoothly.

Lifting the phone on her desk, she dialled the front office and arranged for a meeting to be held at 10. It was early enough that, and as she looked over at the sleeping form of Peter she bit her lip, she wanted him again. The power he radiated was one of the sweetest, but she shook her head. Even she was not immune to his charms it seemed, but as he lay exhausted, he was definitely not immune to hers. Her ability to drain the energy from a person had been tested, and even as she struggled to reign it in. he had paid the price. The fact that he was only sleeping was a testament to just how powerful he actually was.

He had been both a blessing and a burden. To know that someone with the physique to withstand her abilities and the lifespan to make a fitting companion was a good thing, but his life and hers were too incompatible. He was surrounding himself with family, and it was the one thing she could never give him. Any life force, from her or taken was absorbed, and she had no control over it. A child was something that could never survive within her.

Selene was sure that, given time, she could persuade his little family to allow her to indulge, once every decade she could top up the energy he had donated and she could free herself of one burden. As she sat and watched him sleep she sighed, but first Shaw.

Her anger at his betrayal of everything burned within her. He had always spouted extremist mutant supremacy, but now to be experimenting on his own kind just proved that he was a monster, and even if it was Apocalypse and not Shaw it didn't matter. He would have to be put down and dealt with, once and for all.

There was a small matter to attend to first.

As she ran a hand over his leg, he stirred. “We need to get ready for breakfast,” and he nodded, and clothing slipped over him.

“I need to get ready though,” and Peter slid off the bed and headed into the kitchen part of her apartment while she finished getting ready.

As he stared at the instant coffee jar he swore at himself. They laughed and joked about it, but he heard Gwen talk about how Tony and Pepper barely spoke, Felicia mentioned Matt and Elektra broke up, and now he was acting the same. When she had asked him to love her, he let her feel just how he felt about the others, but not her. The sex was meaningless beyond pleasure, and he knew if he didn’t stop being so reckless he could lose them all. This would be the last time he was so frivolous, First Ororo and now Selene. The girls deserved better from him.

He glanced at the clock as Selene took longer than expected to get prepared and as they rushed he figured that even the leader of an island had to be punctual.

They were barely on time, Selene's normally pristine appearance hastily thrown back together and her blouse and skirt still bore the wrinkles of the previous evening's activities. As they approached the meeting Erik raised an eyebrow.

“I apologize for our tardiness, but Peter and I had much to discuss. First on the agenda,” and as she walked to her chair at the table she stopped, placed both hands on Toads shoulders and with a crack, snapped his neck, letting him slump to the table.

“A spy,” and as she continued and sat down. “I had known for some time but as we were happy to allow Shaw to continue with his plans I had no reason to interfere. However, Peter has informed me that Shaw has been experimenting on mutants. I want to put an end to that, and if everyone agrees, we shall be calling on Charles as well.”

Erik tutted. “Charles won't interfere. As long as it's mutant against mutant he won’t do anything. He only targeted Venom as he knew you were a human.” and Peter shrugged,

“Really? That’s a bit, uh, dumb,” and Erik coughed.

“Charles and I both agreed that mutants need protecting and that every mutant life was sacred. Many years ago he persuaded me that even killing Shaw was against our ideals. We were not judge, jury and executioner.” and as Peter slowly turned to look at the cooling body of Toad he raised an eyebrow. “I did not kill him, nor do I agree with his death. Selene, we agreed years ago, we protect, not police. Why?” and Selene looked at him and frowned,

“Peter, can you explain?” and he nodded,

“Laura, the young mutant that started all this.” and Erik scowled,

“Ah yes, the young miss wolverine, the one I currently hear you are in a relationship with. A bit young don’t you think?” and Peter laughed

“She’s older than me. But not relevant. She was taken, experimented on and then used as a drug lab, to make MGH. All the people we found there, maybe, were mutants. And Shaw owns the place. Shaw makes MGH, so yeah, think Charles will help?” and Erik leaned forwards, a dark expression on his face.

“And you can prove this?” he said and the gloves on his hands squeaked as he clenched his fist.

“Only through Laura’s memories. But,” and he looked over at Selene who was looking guilty,

“Shaw and I both own Essex Corporation, and I can confirm most of what Peter had said. As soon as I knew I sent out feelers into the business and yes, Essex has re-education centres. They are supposed to be for helping more destructive mutants train their powers, and yes, the expenditure and acquisition of these places do not match what is in the records. I have seen the memories, these are not the delusions of a young troubled mutant. I believe him, and, what does it cost us not to. Shaw is a dangerous man. The Hellfire Club preaches mutant superiority. By taking a stand against him, we are simply rejecting his ideals, and if Laura and other young mutants are saved, then we have done the right thing.”

Erik rubbed his hand over his face, “I know Charles will be impressed with your speech Selene, but I am not. I swore that I would not kill again, not after Sokovia and I intend to keep that promise.” and Selene nodded.

“I am not asking you to Erik, I know you have your reasons.”

“I will however be asking Pietro and Wanda, as well as any of the other inhabitants of the island. Nobody will be forced to face Shaw if they do not want to but they will be given the choice to fight for their, our, brethren.” and Erik shook his head,

“Their lives are in your hands, what makes you think that Shaw won’t simply have you all killed?” Erik leant back,

“Uh, I have my own spy. Emma Frost wants Shaw dead, and is going to help.” and Selene laughed,

“Emma?” and Peter nodded,

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“You?” and he grinned but shook his head, “was that her price?” And he laughed. 

“No. It was her reward for helping with Hydra.”

“And you think she is trustworthy? Emma Frost is known to us, and her dealings are not always pleasant for those involved.” but Peter shrugged,

“I might not be as good as you at using my powers, but she seemed sincere. Wanting to break out of whatever Shaw is doing, and as genuinely disgusted by him as you are.”

“So, then what exactly is the plan, as so far all we have done is spoil a perfectly good breakfast,” Erik asked.

Two unknown, to Peter at least, mutants had come in and lifted Toads body. Covering him in a sheet and taking him out of the room.

“We’ll eat at one of the restaurants. Peter has a meeting set up that gives us a location and a time. As Shaw is looking to draw both Peter and his associates into the Hellfire Club, then we can have as many people there without Shaw noticing as possible.” Selene explained but Erik shook his head,

“Then you’ve already failed. Shaw only opens the club for mutants, He doesn’t want to meet Peter, he wants to kill him and take his place. I would know, he invited me years ago.”

Selene laughed, “even after?” and Erik leant back and nodded,

“He doesn’t care about conflict, Selene. He only wants power.”

“Emma said he wants that, he doesn’t care I’m not a mutant, as well, if Emma was convincing, as far as he knows we are.”

“Well then, breakfast?” Erik asked, rising and making his way to the door.

Peter moved over to Selene and whispered in her ear, “So what’s the deal with Erik and Shaw?” and Selends scowled,

“While gossip is not my place. Shaw killed his mother, at a nazi concentration camp,” and as Peter stopped and looked over at Erik, busy talking with a young woman on their way to eat, he found a new level of respect for the man. While he wasn’t a homicidal maniac, he doubted anyone or anything could stop him from taking revenge if anyone hurt his mom.

As they made their way over to the small restaurant, a hulking huge man came out and smiled,

“Selene, how are you today?” Peter had to strain to look at the man, if he was less than 8 feet tall Peter would have been surprised, and the muscles on the man looked more like people than actual limbs. He bent down and picked up Selene, sticking her on his shoulder like a child and she laughed and ran her hand over the top of his head.

“Peter, please, be kind. This is Charles’s half brother, Cain, and he is one of our best chefs.” as Peter reached out a hand to greet the man he simply laughed and grabbed Peter in a hand that was thicker than Peter’s waist and put him on his other shoulder.

“A friend of Selene’s is a friend of mine,” and the ground seemed to shake as he laughed.

Sorry Peter, Cain is a bit different. His muscular growth and near invulnerable flesh left little oxygen and blood for his brain. Until we started to treat him, he was mistreated and often classed as simple, but it is just his biology, he means no harm, I promise.

It’s fine Selene.

“Hey big guy, so what’s for breakfast, you know, I could eat a horse.” and he patted Cain on the shoulder,

“Horse? no not horse. One of the girls can talk to animals, she gets upset when we eat meat but not eggs. So lots of eggs, omelettes today.” and as he lifted Peter and Selene back to the ground, he walked into the hugely modified restaurant.

In the centre of the room was a massive grill, oven and burner setup, all carefully crafted for someone Cain’s size. As the giant began to crack eggs into a bowl he mixed them with chopped shallots, herbs, and other ingredients, carefully pouring them out onto the hotplate.

“Angel, make toast, get butter,” and Peter saw a young African woman nod and head into a pantry, bringing out a large loaf and carefully cutting slices from it. As she turned to grab a better knife, it blurred and was laid out on the griddle.

“Hey P, that’s my job,” and Peter saw that Pietro had arrived, He kissed the woman on the cheek and then  zipped over to the table,

“So, still not gonna admit it huh?” and Peter raised an eyebrow at him, and then looked over at his father. “Oh hey dad,” he said before zipping away again,

“Do I need to have words with you, young man?” and Peter shrugged.

“Even if you did, it’s her life, not yours.” and as a spoon on the table rattled, Selene put a finger on it,

“Peter is the perfect gentleman, and if she chooses him, you will have no choice but to accept it.” and Erik snorted,

“I think I would rather eat the fork. You are a rogue, and unsuitable for my daughter.” and Peter laughed, leaning forwards,

“Why’d you think she likes me?” and as Erik’s face fell, Selene burst out laughing, and Peter leant back and smiled at him.

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