Dark Angel 1. Inner Animal

Title: A Game of Pool

Author: Dark Roswellian Angel

Elizabeth McDowell

Disclaimer: I don't, and frankly I'm miserably depressed over it, so please don't ask again : (-

Copying/Downloading/Posting: Please let me know first, and let me know where my work will be posted as I would love to come visit it. Make sure that it is put under my name, as I would love to hear how others feel about it. Thanks ;)

Rating: M, just in case

Synopsis: It's just a game of pool, isn't it? Set during that could-be-yummy-if-the-L-word wasn't so involved "Borrowed Time" episode.

A/N: Still haven't dropped my other fics, but school and work and family issues put together SUCK. I had to get away from them for at least a little while. Hope you enjoy what I've come up with in the meantime. Also, I'm really trying to get back into The End of a Savior Complex, but some of the emotions are hard to get into. I'm kind of using this fic as prep-work, so please let me know what you think of this one, most especially the animalistic parts, so I know whether I'm ready to attempt more of that one or if I need to keep working on getting back up to speed. Thanks :)

* * *

She loved the way he moved. She couldn't help it. Usually it was when he was fighting that she couldn't seem to tear her eyes away from him, but right now it was while he demonstrated his prowess in a different way. There was something so primal, so powerful in the way he maneuvered around the table. And being an alpha female, she couldn't help but respond to it as he beat competitor after competitor. Without her wanting to, she could feel something deep within her move as she watched him swagger cockily after each game, listened to his smart alecky comments as he pointed out his superiority even more clearly, and thrilled to his charming smirk. She could feel herself practically purr as he took advantage of the need to move around the table to his next shot to turn around and stare into her eyes as though daring her to not be affected, to not be impressed. And damn if she wasn't. What she didn't quite get was why he focused so much on her- he should know better than to expect to get anything from her, and yet as he looked into her eyes she could feel that something deep within her stir again. She could feel the small smile escaping out onto her lips as she could almost feel an itch in her legs to go to him.

As he bent over to make his last shot, she could feel her tongue escape to make a turn around her full lips, as though his power were something edible. And when he didn't even look at the table while making his final powerful strike, as though demonstrating how far superior he was to every other male in the room, as though this little game didn't even begin to challenge him, and instead stared deep into her eyes, she couldn't contain her small moan, so quiet that no one but another transgenic would have been able to hear it, which suited him fine seeing as how he was one. When his eyes widened in response to her desire, taking on a decidedly predatory gleam, Max could feel her breath hitch. She was almost disappointed when his sure movement ended the game, effectively ending this strange sort of foreplay between them- almost. Because even though something in her hated the end of their silent game, she couldn't help the way her body responded to his winning yet again, as though she felt pride in his victory, as though it somehow reflected on her.

And then, she watched as he opened up the challenge to everyone around him, almost as though he didn't want whatever was shooting between them to end, almost as though he were actually trying to prove something to her. She raked her eyes up and down his form as no one was willing to meet his challenge, swallowing hard as she yet again saw the power in his posture, the desirability of his form affecting her far more than she was willing to admit, even to herself. She felt her eyes warm as she heard the male beside her state just how far superior the object of her unbidden desires was. And then he turned to her, as though she might want to enter into the game even further with him. Unwilling to come so close to temptation, and knowing that she wouldn't win, she demurred. However, instead of allowing him to see just how submissive he was making her feel, she forced herself to fake the criticism that was so habitual between them. She saw how it rolled right off his back, as though she'd actually been complimenting him, as though he were able to see right through her words to her underlying meaning and growing desire. Maybe he could.

Then, she watched as the man she was supposed to feel this desire for accepted the challenge, knowing that the outcome of this game would affect her relationship with both men, and hating how her instincts had been affecting her (after all, didn't she want to be a nice normal girl? And how was she supposed to be that if she was listening to her feline DNA respond to a prospective mate's demonstration of his innate strengths as he essentially fought off all other possible suitors?) Not willing to take the chance that her hormones would get the better of her at any point during the game and cause her to go to the man she expected to win, thereby publicly demonstrating her inner animal's preference, she pushed the man beside her out of his seat and sat down, wrapping her hands firmly across the bottom of the stool as though restraining herself. Still, she couldn't help the turn to her neck, more animal than human, or the way her eyes narrowed as she looked at the newest competitor as though he were the enemy challenging her desired mate. She forced a smile at him in an attempt to cover her instinctual dislike of his attempt to displace the man that was more her equal than any other man in the room, but she was aware that it was still there. Worse yet, she was pretty sure that Alec was aware of it, too, from the smirk that crept across his gorgeous face.


	2. Preening Response

Title: A Game of Pool

Author: Dark Roswellian Angel

Elizabeth McDowell

Disclaimer: I don't, and frankly I'm miserably depressed over it, so please don't ask again : (-

Copying/Downloading/Posting: Please let me know first, and let me know where my work will be posted as I would love to come visit it. Make sure that it is put under my name, as I would love to hear how others feel about it. Thanks ;)

Rating: M, just in case

Synopsis: It's just a game of pool, isn't it? Set during that could-be-yummy-if-the-L-word wasn't so involved "Borrowed Time" episode.

* * *

What was going on? He had been aware of the attraction pretty much from the beginning, as though he could smell it between them. At first, he hadn't been aware of whom it was emanating from, not willing to believe that it could possibly be her. He pretty much figured that she was the last one who would ever respond to him like this. But as he'd circled the room, lifting his gaze to every other girl in the vicinity, and instinctively dismissing her as not right for him, he had narrowed it down to her. As he won game after game, he became sure that it was her- this strange electricity could only be coming from her. As he watched her react to his latest victory, he almost felt like preening. He didn't understand why she was responding like she was, but he wasn't going to question it. This connection between them didn't open up very often, but when it did he had learned better than to fight against it. It was stronger than either of them, like it was a part of them, like something deep and primal was waking up in both of them.

He had long ago realized that she was the only one who could ever match him. Even while they'd been in Manticore, he'd known that. As he'd watched her fight, listened to her mouth off, felt her graceful power, realized that she was a true alpha female, he'd realized that they matched each other. At least until she'd destroyed their home and with it the established power structure that had placed him at the very top, leaving him reeling, unsure of his place in this new world, until he'd decided that he was tired of pretending to be less than he was, and went to take back his place at the top of the proverbial food chain, realizing only later that he wanted her by his side. But by then, she was back with her mundane, though better-than-most, Ordinary, and he was stuck watching her in her dissatisfaction, knowing that she'd have to find her own way to his side. In the meantime, he'd amused himself with several other females, most of whom reminded him of her, all of whom he could drop with a second's notice.

So he wasn't sure what was going on now- why she was responding, at least the feline part of her. He hoped it wasn't just heat, though if it was he would know how to deal with it. He hoped that she'd stop fighting it. And attempting to make her listen to her instincts, he began to fan her obvious desire, even knowing that it would also drive up his own desire for her, his own needs to have her closer to him, to be able to mark her as his, to claim her for good. He began to move more purposefully, to verbally batter his opponents more, to clearly mark himself as superior. He began to stare into her eyes, seeing her want increase as he did so. He could hear her breathing alter, almost hitch, see her pulse begin to race under his demanding gaze, and he could feel his body react as his desired mate began to put out her delicious scent of response. By the time he beat yet another opponent, he was so caught up in her mindbending aroma that he was finding it difficult to not leap over the table, catch her in his powerful arms, and take her in front of everyone. By the look in her eyes, he had the feeling that she wouldn't protest (too much- after all, she had an image to protect).

He quickly looked around trying to find his next challenger, unwilling to let this foreplay end so soon. Instinctively annoyed that there was another man so close to her, he challenged him, enjoying his response, allowing it to reduce his need to demonstrate superiority. Then, with a glint of amusement combining with his desire, he turned to his desired mate, challenging her to act against him, hoping that she would demonstrate her own submission to him. He was unprepared for how her response (a thinly veiled statement of his strength) affected him- if he was ready to take her before, his body was practically demanding it now. He responded with a slightly husky quality, enjoying their usual banter.

But he wanted just one more victory before laying his claim, just one more showing of dominance to make sure that she understood that he was the only one who could ever truly satisfy her. He looked around the room, and his eyes lit on the perfect opponent. Her _boyfriend_, the man who dared stand between them, who dared lay claim on what should have always been undisputedly his. With some threat in his normally completely charming smile, he turned to the man and offered the challenge, aware that if he accepted, this would erase any doubt as to who was worthy of her. He nearly crowed as the man accepted, already demonstrating some weakness in making his conditions.


	3. Control

Title: A Game of Pool

Author: Dark Roswellian Angel

Elizabeth McDowell

Disclaimer: I don't, and frankly I'm miserably depressed over it, so please don't ask again : (-

Copying/Downloading/Posting: Please let me know first, and let me know where my work will be posted as I would love to come visit it. Make sure that it is put under my name, as I would love to hear how others feel about it. Thanks ;)

Rating: M, just in case

Synopsis: It's just a game of pool, isn't it? Set during that could-be-yummy-if-the-L-word wasn't so involved "Borrowed Time" episode.

* * *

He was unprepared for how well the other man played. Irritation blazed through him when he looked over and saw the look on her face. This was _his_ game. _He_ was the one who would be winning her. All he needed was for the man to miss one shot, and then he'd clean up, officially demonstrating that he was at the top of the ladder. Anger added to the irritation as he watched the inferior man knock down yet another shot, realizing that her eyes were all for the competition at this point. Wanting to bring her attention back to him, he bent down next to the winning man. At least at this vantage point, he knew she was watching him as well. In addition, he was able to put a little bit more pressure on the other guy, gloating when the tension broke him and he missed a shot.

Now it was his time to shine. When he heard, "He's gonna run it," he could feel the words stroking his ego. It was all he could do to keep himself from cracking his fingers and puffing out his chest, keeping it restrained to his smirk instead.

* * *

She couldn't believe that a simple game of pool was affecting her like this. She could swear it felt more like her inner kitty was out in the wild, watching all the pretty males fighting each other to earn her. She both loved it and hated it. For one, she wanted to be a normal female, and responding like this was hardly normal (at least that's what she thought). But lately she had begun wondering just how much longer she could ignore all the different underlying parts of her- how much longer could she pretend to be the good little human girl that Logan saw when he looked at her? And what would it mean when those other parts got tired of being ignored and raised their proud heads, refusing to be kept down any longer. She cared about Logan, had chosen him over everyone else, and he was a good man. He helped her become a better person. But that's all he was- a man. In her opinion it didn't make her better or worse than him, just different, that she was so much more than just a human. She knew instinctively that he couldn't understand- it wasn't his fault, but he hadn't been raised like she had been, he wasn't made like her, he didn't see things or hear things or understand things like she instinctively could. And when she was with Alec, all of those underlying pieces and parts of her that she tried to ignore so that she could be happy with Logan kept responding to him.

Like right now. Right now when to the rest of the world all he was doing was playing some pool but they both knew that wasn't it. They both knew that, just like when he was doing just about anything else (fighting beside her, protecting her, verbally sparring with her, touching her, affecting her) he was proving just how right for her he was, whether intentionally or not. But right now was intentional. Very intentional. Right now he was fighting with the man she had chosen to take her as his. Right now he was slipping his hand over the fence she'd made and drawing her to him right past her chosen partner. Right now he was making her his.

And it scared the crap out of her. She wasn't ready for this. She wasn't ready to move on to something permanent, heck the long-term whatever it was that she had with Logan was more than she felt like she could handle. No matter how sweet and good and kind he was, even Logan scared her. And the idea of finding her mate, the man who matched her inside and out through and through, who could understand her because he was like her when she still wasn't sure that she could accept herself, the idea of forever when in her experience everything she ever truly cared about disappeared or was taken from her- it terrified her. It was reason enough for her to hide from him, like she had been doing, behind her boyfriend. It was reason enough for her to criticize him, to force herself to look down on him, to find anything that approached a shortcoming and to blow it all out of proportion- just so that she wouldn't have to face what she had found in him. So, she could hardly be blamed for ignoring her basic desires and hoping that Logan would win this outward battle of wills, even though when it appeared he might just do that very thing, it actually almost upset her.

By the time he missed a shot, she was so thoroughly confused that it irritated her- on the one hand she wanted things to stay the way they were, safe, unchallenging, avoiding what her creators had intended for her to become, as close to normal as she'd ever gotten. On the other hand, she wanted to let herself loose, to feel everything that she knew Alec could make her feel, to open herself up to him and grow and become everything that she knew she could with him beside her. And for the life of her, she wasn't sure which set of desires she wanted to win.

Still, simple game or not, she couldn't help the little thrill that shot through her as she saw him begin to clean the table, strength and grace in every move, cockiness in his every glance. _All male_ she smirked. And the knowledge that he was opening himself up, that he was using all his knowledge and abilities to put forth an impressive game, had her biting her bottom lip in appreciation. She knew there was no way that the older man could win, and part of her celebrated that fact. She began to recognize that she wanted this man- she wanted Alec to claim her. She watched him brush up against Logan as though he weren't even there, as though he didn't matter enough for him to keep track of his location, and felt a smirk cross her face. She appreciated his humor, his lack of deference to the best that the all-human world had to offer. She watched his skilled hands play along the length of the cue and had never wanted to be made of wood so much in her life. Just the thought of what those hands could do to her had her breathing hard. If he could bring a piece of wood to life, make it sing, just imagine what he could do to her. She licked her lips as though trying to taste him through the air as she closed her eyes for just a second and imagined what heights, and depths, those hands could bring her to. When she opened them again, he was staring at her, the stick forgotten, desire blazing across his face for just an instant, too fast for his opponent to notice, igniting in her an identical flame. She grabbed Sketchy's shoulder to help steady herself, not noticing as she unclamped her grip from the stool beneath her. She was surprised no one else noticed just how much heat was going between them. She was surprised the table hadn't caught on fire yet. She was surprised by just how much she wanted him.

As he bent down again, opposite from her, his eyes became dangerous. She could see his inner being coming out- coming to play, coming to claim her. His eyes became darker, the inner iris expanding until there was hardly any hazel left. And suddenly she knew- this was for real. Any gentle game was gone. This was for her. This was for keeps. If he won, then she would be his. He would own her. And even though a part of her loved the thought, a much larger, much stronger part of her balked. She was an alpha and no one would ever own her. She was her own person, and she chose who she would be with, who she would mate with. Even after mating, she would still be her own person. She would decide how to live her life. She would decide what to do where and when and how. Yes, she was willing to admit that this man before her was her equal, that one day she would probably choose to act on all the feelings and emotions and desires he inspired in her, but that would be on her terms. Not like this. Even though she enjoyed watching him take down all the pretenders, the only one that was going to win her by the end of the night was her. Even though that meant that he had to lose.

So as he bent down, she quickly thought of how to use their abilities against him. She looked toward his neck, his ear, and blew, the air heading straight towards him.

As her invisible caress hit him, tickling his neck, nipping at his earlobe, and wrapping flirtatiously around him, he stopped. Did she have any idea how she was affecting him? He felt his desire for her increase as he felt the soft cushion slide up and down his skin. He took just a second to look over at her and realized that she knew exactly what she was doing- the question was why. He shook his head- he needed to focus and she was making that difficult.

As he moved, she realized that he was trying to ignore her. Slight aggravation grabbed at her- there was no way he was going to be ignoring her. He was hers at least as much as she was his. If she was meant to be with him, then the same could be said of him. And suddenly, she wanted to claim him. She could feel as her pheremones increased exponentially, and taking advantage of them, she blew down at herself at just the right angle to make them hasten their delivery to him. She watched him shiver, but still he made the shot.

* * *

He smelled her from across the room. Her desire, her want, her need, and it was rapidly becoming his own. He had a hard time seeing straight, but thankfully he had already lined up the shot before she'd made herself even more known. As he heard the ball go down, he stood up crowing with pleasure. Still, to give himself just a second to get back under control, he made a show of carefully picking out his next shot, acting as though he wasn't able to hit any of the balls from any area of the table and have them go down, all the while watching her reaction to him. He couldn't get why she was doing this. She was throwing him off his game- _why?_ What could she possibly have to gain by letting the ordinary win? He leaned over to wipe one of his last 2 remaining balls off the table only to feel the ordinary attempt to intimidate him by leaning over him. _Nice try, but you're not going to get anywhere by copying one of my moves_, he thought to himself. And then he felt her move towards him.

* * *

Realizing that there was no way her boyfriend could win, Max knew that she had to do something. She could hear the men egging each other on, and knew that Logan's attempt was useless. There was no way he could affect Alec's abilities, but maybe she could. At just the right second, she took a step forward, focusing completely on him, hoping that he would feel her movement.

* * *

He did, and it was just enough to throw his aim off. As he watched the ball bounce back at him, he looked over to her. He couldn't tell what was in her eyes as she looked back. He tried to fight back the upset, trying to satisfy himself by asking his friend who he was supporting, though both transgenics in the room knew that he was actually bitterly asking her. He tried to keep from glowering as he watched the older man finish the game, completely aware of the fact that if it hadn't been for her interference this game would have had a very different ending. And a much deeper impact in his personal life. He looked over at her and tried to tell if she was happy or not with how things had turned out. As he left the room for a minute, just to rein in control of himself, he was surprised that he couldn't tell.

* * *

She was even more surprised that she couldn't tell either.


End file.
