Fallen Angels
by Alicia McKenzie
DISCLAIMER: The characters belong to Marvel, and are used without permission for entertainment purposes only. Written in response to Morrioghan's 'What if Cable never existed?' challenge on Alternate Timelines, so it needs to be read in that context. Where would Dom be, if there'd been no Cable, no Wild Pack? ;)
Rated R for language, sexual content, violence, and disturbing scenes.
She disliked the hotel room. It was a little too--opulent? tacky? for her tastes, but appearances had to be maintained. Besides, it had a king-sized bed, a great view, four-star room service, and a tub big enough for five people. When you had a week before your next job and more money than you knew what to do with, the point of it all was to enjoy yourself, cut loose a little.And she'd been trying her best. The woman known as Domino stretched, wincing as sore muscles protested the movement. She was going to be bruised in interesting places, come morning. I think I'm getting a little too old for this, she thought, studying the man sprawled beside her through half-lidded, semi-contemptuous eyes. He was obscenely young, maybe twenty-two to her thirty-six, and far too attractive for his own good. One of these annoying latter-day Adonises that caught her eye every so often.
He was also snoring faintly, which was the only reason she was awake. She loathed it when they snored, but she supposed the boy did deserve his rest. I did do my best to wear him out, the poor child.
Looking away, she stared up at her reflection. A mirror over the bed--tacky, definitely tacky. But it had been ever so slightly titillating earlier, being able to watch his muscles ripple beneath his skin as he'd thrust into her. She supposed they'd made an attractive enough picture, the tanned golden color of his skin in sharp contrast to hers, her hair spread out across the white silk of the pillowcase like a black fan. There was something almost graceful about sex with the right partner, when you hit just the right rhythm and started to move as one.
But apart from the physical release, there'd been nothing else there, with him. When he'd collapsed atop her, sated, she'd met her own eyes in the mirror and seen nothing there. It had been amusing, in a way. The kid was a green rookie from a rival group, but he was a decent sort, and not bad in bed. It was just that she seemed to feel so little these days unless she worked at it, and she hadn't felt up to it, tonight. The only reason she'd taken him to bed in the first place was to uphold her reputation. Among the young bucks, there was a certain status that came with having fucked her. She didn't mind. At the very least it gave her a constant choice of candidates.
Domino snorted, very softly. Boys. Give them a good time and a little mothering, and you had a string tied around their grubby little hearts for the rest of their lives. She rarely offered an invitation twice; it just wasn't worth it. She didn't want to be entangled beyond a few nights with any of these children. Sometimes that bothered her, that she'd never found anyone that had engaged her enough to keep him around on a long-term basis, but it had always been that way, even when she'd been one of these over-eager baby mercs herself.
She'd kept herself very carefully aloof for the first several years, once she'd gotten into the 'life'. It had been instinct more than anything else, she supposed. It wasn't as if she'd had anyone to teach her what being a mercenary was all about, all the little subtle do's and don'ts. But somehow she'd known that she didn't dare have--appetites, if she wanted to earn a reputation as a professional, rather than some sort of modern-day camp follower. It was still very much a man's world, hers. It hadn't been until after she'd spent a few years creating a reputation for herself as a solid solo merc, and then a few more in a group, proving she could be a team player, that she'd given up the 'warrior nun' persona.
Her first group--she hadn't thought about them in a long time. All female, all highly skilled, but they'd broken up when their leader had been killed. She'd done a little more solo work, and then put together her own group.
And the rest was history, as they said. All that early struggle seemed like ancient history to her now, barely even a distant memory. These days, her name alone was enough to bring the jobs in, and one certainly couldn't complain when the paycheques regularly ran to seven figures.
It meant she could do whatever she wanted, more or less--that she could fuck whoever she wanted, and have them thank her for the privilege. Not at all like the combat pits in Madripoor. There, you were easy prey until you learned how to fight back. Then there were those who liked it when you fought--
Chilled by the cascade of bleak memories the thought provoked, Domino drew the silk sheets up around her, muttering a curse under her breath. After all these years, she should have been able to leave that behind. It was a weakness, and she couldn't afford that.
The snoring stopped beside her, and Domino put on a faint smile as the boy stirred. "You were snoring," she said in a low voice.
"Sorry," he muttered, and gave her a charming smile, pushing sun-streaked blond hair out of his eyes. "Didn't mean to fall asleep on you."
"It happens," she allowed, and raised an eyebrow as he propped himself up on an elbow and raked an appreciative gaze over her. "You sure woke up fast, kid," she said dryly.
"I wish you wouldn't call me kid." He reached out, tracing the line of her thigh through the silk. "You can't be THAT much older than me."
Okay, she hadn't liked the way he'd said that, at all. She shifted, grabbing him by the most convenient body part. It wasn't his ear. He turned an interesting color, a stifled groan escaping him, and she smiled, showing him all her teeth. "Be nice to the old lady," she all but purred. "Or you get to sleep on the floor." She released him slowly, letting her fingers linger for a moment or two, and relished the look in his eyes. "I could point out you're not old enough to cross the street on your own--"
His eyes flashed. "That a challenge?" he asked.
"If you're up to it," Domino replied, highly amused by the banter.
"You really can be a bitch," he said, his eyes smouldering now.
She loved it. The hostility. She supposed that was twisted, but part of her ate this up like candy. He was angry at her for challenging his masculinity, and he thought he was in control here. It would be so much fun to show him otherwise. "Oh, don't tell me you like them sweet and demure, kid," she scoffed as his hand tightened on the sheet that was all that separated them. "You don't strike me as the type."
"You've got no idea what type I am," he growled, his southern accent more noticeable all of a sudden.
"You're a baby merc with a reasonable amount between your ears and enough between your legs to make up for any deficiencies upstairs," she said, her mouth quirking despite herself. "It's enough, at your age."
For a minute, his expression was almost murderous. Then, he started to laugh. He let go of the sheet and sagged back to the bed, sniggering. "I guess I deserved that."
Domino was intrigued by the reaction. There was a little more to this kid than met the eye. "Cut me some slack," she said, letting the closest to a real smile she could manage curve her lips as she leaned over him. "Here I was, lying here with nothing to do while you were playing sleeping beauty--"
He reached up, winding her hair around his hand and using that grip to draw her downwards for a kiss. "Well, I guess I've got a lot of making up to do, ma'am--" he murmured as he broke the kiss and then, expertly, flipped them so that he was on top.
Domino sighed, and then reflected that for someone in their line of work, even considering his youth, he had surprisingly few scars. She commented on this as he nibbled at her ear, and heard him chuckle.
"If I told you I was invulnerable, would you believe me?" he asked, with a cute little 'I have a secret' grin as he looked down at her.
She snorted. "I'd believe that you believe it. It's not that uncommon a delusion among b--young men your age."
"But I'm not like most young men my age," he said, that grin only growing.
Domino closed her eyes as he pushed into her, oh so slowly. "Let me guess," she managed, shuddering slightly.
Oh--yes. Just like that.
"You're--a knight in shining armor in disguise--you're just pretending to--"
oh, SHIT, yes--
"--be a m-mercenary while you're carrying on your holy crusade--"
"Used to be," he gritted out, his voice full of the effort it was taking to stay in control. "Now I'm--just another fallen angel--"
Interesting image, Domino reflected, as coherent thought started to get a little difficult. The world was narrowing rapidly to the bed and the two of them, and she moaned, rapidly forgetting that this didn't mean anything, forgetting everything--
This was turning into a very good night.
***
"Where are you going?" Domino asked sleepily as he slid out of bed.
"Shower," he tossed back over his shoulder and padded across the room. Domino found the drowsiness retreating with remarkable speed when faced with the view. She grinned, contemplating the idea of asking him if he wanted company, and then discarded it. Maybe she'd see if he wanted to try out that tub, later--
Later. She leaned back against the pillows, suddenly pensive. Who knew if there would be a later? They'd met in the local mercs hangout--she'd picked him out of a crowd, for fuck's sake. For all she knew, he was getting showered because he had to grab his gear and head off for a job. He'd said something about his group when they'd still been at the bar, but the music had been too loud, and she hadn't quite caught it.
Shit. Domino sighed and ran her fingers through her tangled hair. She couldn't believe where her thoughts were going. So much for a quick uncomplicated fuck.
But she had to admit the thought was tempting. She'd learned over the years to spot the good ones, and he'd set off that little internal alarm of hers right away. The fact that he was intelligent, to boot, was just icing on the cake. He was young, but if he did have the right stuff, like she thought, she could really make something of him. A little careful nurturing on her part, a little more experience on his--
And damn, but he was easy on the eyes. Domino gave a disgusted snort and fought the urge to pull the sheets over her head. What the hell was the matter with her? She didn't have time to hold this kid's hand, just because she'd taken some sort of perverse liking to him.
I'm lonely, she thought with a disconsolate clarity. I'm lonely, and he's attractive in all the ways that push my buttons. That's all. Sometimes she did wish for--more than she had.
The emptiness could get a little much.
It wasn't as if she believed in happily ever after, but she sometimes dreamed about having someone she could depend on. A real partner--a friend. People like that were in short supply. The members of her group weren't bad, but she kept it superficial with them, knowing that she could bury any of them at any time.
It had grown into a habit. And the rest of the world--well, what had the rest of the world even shown her to suggest that the people in it could be trusted? Trust. Bah. The only safety you had was what you won for yourself.
Domino sighed and stretched carefully before she sat up. Time to call an end to this, she supposed, reaching out for her robe. She'd wait until after breakfast, then make some plausible excuse and say her goodbyes--
The door crashed open and she jumped, reaching instinctively for the gun under the pillow as three armed men burst into the bedroom and leveled weapons at her.
"Morning, Dom," the tall, handsome black man in the center said with a faint smile.
"Why, Eisenhower," she drawled, her blood turning to ice in her veins as her fingers searched in vain for the familiar shape of the gun. All she could feel was silk. The gun was gone. How could the gun be gone? She hadn't left it in her suitcase, had she? She couldn't have--she ALWAYS put it under her pillow-- "If you'd have called ahead, I would have had room service send up some coffee."
"Thought I'd surprise you." Eisenhower Hammer's eyes were rock-steady, just like the weapon he had pointed at her. "Take your hands out where I can see them. Now."
She did, willpower alone letting her keep her expression and her voice clear and cold. "So what the hell do you want?" she asked, sizing up the two men with him. Two of the more experienced members of his group, and men she'd never gotten along with. Just like she didn't get along with Hammer himself. The poor sad bastard had never been able to deal with the fact that she and her group constantly won out whenever they were competing with him and his for a job. It wasn't just a typical rivalry, either; for Hammer, it had turned personal years ago and gone downhill from there. All because their groups had wound up fighting on opposite sides in a particularly nasty little bush war in Brazil, and his had walked away half the size it had been going in.
And because she was a woman, of course. Couldn't discount that.
"You're supposed to be so smart, bitch," one of the other men growled. "Why don't you guess?"
The third was staring at her, a slow smile on his face. Domino stood, ignoring the fact that she was naked, and smiled right back at him. "You want a piece of me, you sad sack of shit?" she said pleasantly. "Come get me."
"Gregor, stay right where you are," Hammer said, his gun never wavering. There was only a hint of disapproval in his voice.
"Wasn't going anywhere, boss," Gregor said, his smile just as steady as Hammer's gun. "But you sure we can't hold off for a few minutes? Seems like an awful waste."
"Positive," Hammer said with a flicker of a dry smile. "Personally, I want to walk out of here with all my parts attached."
"You pitiful fuck," Domino said calmly. "Three of you, and you're afraid to come near me." She shouldn't be this calm, not considering that the topic of discusson was whether or not they wanted to stop and rape her before they killed her, but losing it wasn't going to do any good. The only chance she had was to get one of them within range--
The bathroom door opened, and Domino's heart lurched in an odd way as the kid stepped out and blinked at the scene in front of him. "Hammer, leave him out of this!" she snapped as Hammer's eyes flickered to him for a moment. "He's got nothing to do with--"
The kid had her gun. The words froze on her lips, and Domino stared at him for a long, long moment, the truth penetrating all too completely.
"You bastard," she whispered. He wasn't meeting her eyes.
"Aw, come on, Dom," Hammer said, almost jovially. "He's a good kid, this one. Cut him some slack." His eyes were still hard, implacable. She saw the ending to this little drama in them, and knew he wouldn't permit there to be any last twist in the plot.
He was in control.
"He's very loyal," Hammer went on. "I gave him a chance to put his skills to work and feed his family after his last--gig went belly-up. He's been good about showing his gratitude, haven't you, kid?"
Domino swallowed, turning back to the kid once more. "Hope you had a good time last night," she said very quietly.
"I'm sure he did," Hammer answered for him. "Whatever else that can be said about you, Dom, everyone knows you've always been a good lay."
"Not everyone," she murmured, looking back at Hammer with a thin smile. "That the problem, asshole? You feeling left out?" One last gambit, just for old time's sake.
He wasn't having any of it, of course. "I wouldn't touch you with a ten-foot pole, woman."
Domino closed her eyes for a moment. "Likewise," she murmured, and then opened them again. "See you in hell, boy," she said, meeting the kid's blue eyes as he looked up at her, his face tense with something that wasn't in the same galaxy as satisfaction.
She heard the shot, even with the silencer. It flung her backwards, and she managed not to make a sound as she hit the floor. Blood bubbled up at the back of her throat, and she couldn't get a breath. Her lungs weren't working.
Her vision dimming, she saw Hammer stand over her.
He said something, and then emptied the rest of his clip into her.
***
"Ding, dong, the bitch is dead," Hammer said happily, holstering the gun. Domino's body stopped twitching, and Hammer looked away, grinning at his teammates. "Let's go. Those nice folks in the Russian government should be calling us back once they find out her group's too busy dealing with a change in management. And then, boys, we are set."
"Still think we could have held off killing her for a while," Gregor said almost regretfully.
"Greg, I'll buy you a nice girl tonight, okay? I do need you all in one piece for this job, and the black widow there would have left you in several, if you were lucky." Hammer's gaze fell on the kid, and his grin only widened. "Good job, kid. Get dressed and let's go."
The young man strode over to get his clothes, lingering for a moment over the body of the woman who'd so recently been in his arms.
"Come ON, Guthrie."
Sam Guthrie pulled the sheet off the bed and used it to cover Domino's body. He got dressed, very carefully not thinking about what the Professor or his friends in the New Mutants would have thought about what he'd done tonight.
That wasn't his world anymore. All those ideals, all those dreams, had died with them. He'd survived--he didn't know how, but he'd survived, and he had to go on. This new world was uglier, and he did what he had to do to survive.
He wondered how long it would take before he stopped seeing her eyes. Those amazing violet eyes.
He hoped he never did.
fin
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