Life from the Ashes Book 3 - SBS
Chapter 4
The Winter Palaceby Jo B.
purplefox@usfamily.net***
Foxfire Glenn Estate
Monday, February 7
1:00 a.m.**Mulder nervously climbed out of the taxicab in front of the mansion. He looked around the estate grounds. It hadn't changed at all since he'd been gone. He sighed contentedly, happy to finally be home after a year away from his family. As he entered the foyer he ran into Walter who was coming down the staircase. Mulder smiled happily up at the larger man who walked down the remaining steps stopping in front of him.
"So, you came back," the larger man said gruffly. He stood there with his hands on his hips scowling angrily.
The smile on Mulder's face faded. "Walter, I didn't want to leave you, but there was no other way. I'm sorry," he apologized.
He heard children's squeals and small feet running, as his two little daughters came racing through the foyer being chased closely by Alex. The toddlers stopped instantly upon seeing him with fear in their eyes, they quickly hid behind Walter's legs and peered out at Mulder.
Krycek looked angrily at him. "What are you doing here? Wasn't your new lover able to fulfill your needs?"
"Alex, I don't love Slava. I only agreed to stay with him a year for the cure. Please, try to understand," Mulder begged.
"You should have stayed in Russia, Mulder. We've learned to get along just fine without you in our lives," Krycek replied coldly.
Mulder looked between the two men and saw hate and resentment in their eyes; gone was the love and adoration that had always been there for him. He knelt on the floor. "Hope, Faith, daddy's home. Come to me," he coaxed, holding out his arms toward the two little girls who buried their faces against Walter's legs too afraid to go near him.
Skinner bent down and picked up Hope as Krycek retrieved Faith. They glared angrily at their ex-lover. "What did you expect, Mulder? You abandoned them! You left them unprotected! Now you have the fucking nerve to come back into their lives? Our lives? As if nothing had happened?" the older man growled.
"Walter, Alex, please. I didn't want to leave you! Can't you understand? I love you and our daughters so much it hurts," Mulder cried, tears running down his cheeks.
"Mulder, go back to Slava. You're not wanted in our lives any longer," Krycek said. They left the room, leaving Mulder standing dejectedly in the mansion's foyer.
Mulder awoke in a cold sweat with Faith's little body curled asleep in his arms. "God, oh god, it was only a dream," he moaned breathlessly. He kissed the top of Faith's head as he lay there trembling in the pitch-black bedroom, tears of guilt and desolation running down his cheeks. How was he ever going to be able to live with himself for abandoning his daughters? He was a lousy father; he wouldn't blame his daughters and lovers for hating him, and not wanting him back.
Mulder spent the rest of the night grieving for what he was about to give up. He didn't even know when sleep finally reclaimed him.
//What do you think he was dreaming about?// Krycek asked.
Skinner looked at Alex and sadly shook his head. //I don't know, Alex.// They spent the remaining night watching over their lover.
***
Fox Mulder fastened his tie; his hands shook as he tied the knot. He had only an hour left to be with his family before leaving them to go to the Hoover Building, then from there to Slava. He would not see his daughters or lovers again for at least a year, if ever. Mulder knew he couldn't trust Slava to keep his word to return him to his family after the agreed upon year was up, but he had no other choice.
Mulder felt a tug at his pants cuff; he looked down and smiled at his daughters who were playing on the floor at his feet. He took his suit coat off the hook where it was hanging and pulled it on before bending to pick up his children. "God, I don't want to leave you, munchkins, but it's for the best. Daddy Walter and Daddy Alex will be better able to protect and care for you than I am," he explained sadly, still trying to convince himself that he was doing the right thing.
//Fox, you know that's a load of crap!// Skinner growled next to his ear. He wanted to reach out and shake some sense into his foolish lover. Skinner followed them back into the bedroom watching as Mulder sat on the bed with the babies on his lap.
Krycek stood next to Skinner. //Damnit, Walter, I've never felt so helpless! There has to be some fucking way we can keep him from going to that heartless Cossack!// he swore, frowning sadly when he noticed Faith looking at him. //Sorry, cutie, daddy didn't mean to shout, it's just that Daddy Fox is going to do something really stupid.//
//Alex, she's too young to understand. Hopefully, our daughters won't remember any of this.//
Mulder hugged and kissed his daughters, he had cried himself to sleep last night at the thought of leaving them, and didn't think he had any tears left in him. He looked up sadly as Jeffrey Spender entered the bedroom.
"Hi, Mulder."
"Jeff."
The younger man strolled over to the bed and took Faith from Mulder. He was the only one in the household that the baby would allow to hold her other than her father. "How are my nieces this morning?" he cooed.
"They're fine. Jeff, thanks for watching them for me while I go in to the Hoover Building," Mulder murmured guiltily not meeting Spender's eyes.
"Mulder, are you sure it's safe for you to go into D.C.?" Spender questioned, knowing the real reason behind Mulder's trip into the city.
"Don't worry, I'll be okay. Major Murphy Walker is escorting me personally. Jeff, I want to spend some time upstairs with Walter and Alex before he gets here can you watch the babies for me?"
"Sure, Mulder." Spender took Hope from Mulder and easily balanced both babies on his hips. He paused in the doorway, looking back at Mulder who was opening the secret wall-safe. Spender wanted to tell Mulder to stay here, that he shouldn't trust Slava, but he was unable to get the words out, instead he only uttered two words. "Be careful."
Mulder met his eyes and knew instantly that Spender was aware of his intentions. "I will be. Jeff, thanks," he murmured softly. He pulled the lock box out of the wall-safe and retrieved his guns. Slipping one into his hip holster, he knelt, pulled up his pant cuff and fastened on the ankle holster, he had stopped wearing that gun once the babies started crawling. It felt strangely comforting having the added bit of protection.
He went over to the nightstand, picked up the framed photograph of his daughters from Christmas, and deposited it in his briefcase. Mulder was traveling light only taking the clothes on his back. He didn't even take a photograph of Walter and Alex, knowing that Slava would destroy it on sight. He had concealed the anti-pheromone drug in a secret compartment in his briefcase, hoping Slava wouldn't find it. Mulder was planning to appeal to Slava to have the anti-pheromone drug altered using his DNA as Doctor Harris had done with Walter and Alex. He was afraid of spending a full year with the man knowing his cycles would drive Slava into a sexual frenzy.
He glanced around their bedroom one final time, walking over to the mantle to memorize all of their family photographs. Walter had a deep sentimental streak in him; he saved and cherished every aspect of their lives. Mulder picked up a frame that had Hope's footprints and handprints, along with her first baby picture in it. Walter had done the same with Faith's photo and prints. Mulder wiped at the tears running down his face, it was killing him to give this up. He replaced the frame on the mantle; picking up his briefcase and heavy overcoat he left the bedroom.
Mulder made his way up to their makeshift hospital room. He laid his briefcase and coat on a chair and walked over to Krycek's bed first, staring lovingly down at his lover's beautiful, serene face. He caressed the side of Alex's face feeling the roughness of stubble -- Tristan hadn't been in to shave them, yet. Keeping the promise he had made to Alex, he bent and tenderly kissed him on the lips. "Alex, I'm so sorry, but this is the last time I'll be able to uphold my promise. I know that you'll be extremely pissed at me when you wake up, but please try to understand I'm doing it out of my love for you and Walter. Don't worry about the munchkins, they're in good hands. Jeff and Scully will be looking after them until Slava's cure arrives." Mulder kissed him one final time before he turned and stepped up to Skinner's bed.
"Walter, I hope someday you'll be able to forgive me for what I'm about to do. I know how much this is going to hurt you." Mulder touched his own face where Walter had slapped him when he had believed that Mulder had been unfaithful. Now he was willingly going into the arms of another man, Mulder wouldn't blame Walter if he beat the crap out of him next time they were together. Mulder climbed into bed next to Skinner and wrapped his body around his lover's still frame. He bent down and kissed Skinner gently on the lips then rested his head on the larger man's chest, he laid there several minutes listening to the gentle beating of Walter's heart. "I love you, Walter. I'm so sorry." He slowly backed away and slid off the bed. Pulling on his overcoat he picked up his briefcase and left the room not looking back.
Skinner cringed visibly when Mulder had touched the side of his face, knowing his lover was recalling the time he had slapped him. He looked guiltily over at Alex. They were powerless to prevent their lover from leaving them.
//Fox, I love you. Alex and I will bring you back home once we're cured. No way are we going to let that bastard keep you from us,// Skinner growled as they followed Mulder downstairs into the foyer.
Spender was waiting there with the babies. "They wanted to say goodbye to you, Mulder."
Mulder took Hope from Spender, hugged, and kissed her one final time before passing her back and repeating the good byes with Faith. "Jeff, you'll have to watch this little munchkin closely, she likes to make a break for it the minute your back is turned." He smiled forlornly.
"Don't worry, Mulder. I'll watch them both closely, just come back to them . . . to us soon," Spender murmured sadly.
A car horn sounded from outside. "I better get going." Mulder leaned forward and kissed his daughters again, picking up his briefcase he headed out the door, and out of their lives.
***
FBI Hoover Building
Monday, February 7
11:00 a.m.Fox Mulder hung up the telephone. Everything was set. All that was left was for him to do was to send a farewell note to his family explaining his actions. He didn't want to have them worrying about him, and he didn't want to put Spender on the spot of having to explain why he didn't try to stop him.
Mulder took extra time on the email he was writing to Scully. He went into detail on what Hope and Faith liked and didn't like. He wrote down their bedtime schedules and their favorite toys. He mentioned that he left his old Oxford sweatshirt in Hope's crib because she sometimes slept better with it. Faith was no longer comforted by anything of his or Alex’s, so he explained to Scully that both Hope and Faith had been sleeping with him in the big bed. After rereading the email to make sure he included everything he could think of, he clicked on preferences and set the send options on the emails. They wouldn’t be delivered for three hours, which would give him ample time to get out of the country.
He picked up the folder with the medical data and lab analysis on the virus that he'd received from Slava. Although it didn't give the information needed for the cure, his contact over at the CDC said the data was far more advanced than the CDC's data was to date. He left a note on the folder that it was to be delivered to Dana Scully over at Foxfire Glenn Estate.
Now he only had to leave the Hoover Building unseen. Slava had arranged for a car to pick him up two blocks from here to take him to a private airstrip where Slava's personal jet was waiting. Mulder grabbed his briefcase and coat then headed for the back staircase. He made it down to the emergency fire exit unseen where he quickly disconnected the fire alarm and left.
As promised an inconspicuous sedan was waiting for him. "Master Fox, it is a pleasure to see you again," Fyodorov greeted, holding the back door open for the agent.
Mulder recognized the man instantly; he had met him at Slava's Halloween party. The man bore a remarkable resemblance to Frohike. "Mr. Fyodorov, isn't it?"
"Yes. You remembered me," the clairvoyant replied, surprised.
Mulder met the driver's eyes through the rearview mirror. He was surprised that it wasn't a n'thral driving. There was another man sitting in the passenger seat. "I had expected Slava to send his n'thral guards to pick me up."
"No. The Tsar would not trust them in your presence without him here. But don't worry you are safe, Foteev and Talikov are sorcerers," Fyodorov responded, referring to the two men in the front seat. He was sitting next to Mulder in the backseat as the car drove toward the airfield.
Mulder set his briefcase on the seat between them. "Slava trusts you and these other two men with me?"
"No. But he knows that we fear the consequences if we should touch you inappropriately."
"What are the consequences?" Mulder asked.
"A slow and agonizing death. Tsar Nikolai loves you, he would kill anyone that harms or touches you. You hold his heart in your hands, Master Fox, he would do anything to make you happy."
"I don't love him, Fyodorov. What would make me happy is a cure for my partners, and being returned to them," Mulder grumbled sadly.
"You can learn to love him, I know, I've seen the future," Fyodorov assured the young man.
"You're a clairvoyant?" Mulder glanced out the window as the sedan drove through the gate at the airfield.
"Yes, you seem surprised," the little man commented.
"No, I should have figured, your double is a clairvoyant, too. Frohike told me the visions are mostly unreliable because there is never enough of the future shown to get an accurate reading, they are subject to interpretation," Mulder replied as the car parked next to a jet plane.
"I've found a way to channel my visions, which is a lot more reliable, but it still isn't perfect."
"Obviously not, if you actually think I could ever learn to love Slava," Mulder mumbled.
Fyodorov slid out of the car and followed Mulder toward the plane. Mulder hesitated at the bottom of the steps; he closed his eyes briefly and took a deep breath before walking up the steps to his new life.
***
Foxfire Glenn Estate
Monday, February 7
3:30 p.m."Hi, Gabriel," Scully said, stepping into the kitchen. She grabbed the teakettle off the stove and filled it with fresh water.
"Hello, Dana." Hunter was busy at the kitchen counter cleaning and seasoning five chickens.
Scully leaned against the counter and watched Hunter for a few minutes. "It's quiet around here. Where is everyone?" she asked.
"Upstairs in the game room racing the babies."
Scully raised a delicate eyebrow at that remark. "What do you mean racing the babies? It sounds like something that should be illegal."
"Hey, it was Rory's idea. He thought it would be good exercise for the munchkins, and the babies seem to like the attention. He set up a small track across the game room and the first baby that crosses the finish line wins. Kim is up there with her two girls why don't you go and join them?"
"I wish that I could, but I have to be heading home in an hour and I still have some tests to run down in the lab. Has Mulder come home from the Hoover Building yet?" Scully asked, pouring the hot water into her teacup.
"No. Sullivan, Austin, and Pipino are suppose to be driving him home at four o'clock," Hunter informed her.
"Shoot, I wanted to see how he was doing before I left," Scully sighed. She left kitchen and headed back down to the lab.
Upstairs in the game room Walter and Tony knelt down on the carpet calling to their daughters.
//C'mon, Hope,// Skinner coaxed, trying to appear happy for his daughter's benefit, although his heart was breaking over losing Fox. Hope smiled at her father and crawled quickly across the room toward him, with Gracie Mari close behind followed by Emi Mercy. Faith sat at the starting line refusing to move. Her lower lip puffed out sullenly, beginning to quiver. As she looked dejectedly up at Alex, she started to cry.
Krycek felt miserable, not only did he lose Fox today, but also his own daughter hated him. He couldn't bear to see her unhappy.
Spender walked over and scooped her up in his arms. "It's okay, cutie, you don't have to play. C'mon, Uncle Jeff will take you downstairs and get you something to eat." Faith buried her face in Spender's shirt; her crying slowly petered off as her uncle carried her downstairs to the kitchen.
The telephone rang just as Spender entered the kitchen. Hunter wiped his hands on a towel and answered it. "Hunter."
"Gabriel, its Sullivan. We have a major problem here . . . we can't find Mulder . . . he's not in the building," Sullivan informed him anxiously.
"Damn it, Jack, how could he be snatched from under the noses of the FBI without anyone noticing?" Hunter snarled, thinking the worse.
"I don't know, but we're checking the video tapes from the security cameras now to see if we can find out what happened."
"I'll be down there in an hour to help in the search," Hunter replied, hanging up the telephone.
"Mulder isn't in the country any longer," Spender replied quietly, hugging Faith against his chest.
"What? What the *hell* do you know about this? If you've done something to Fox…, I'll . . . " Hunter stopped yelling when Faith started shrieking fearfully.
"Ssh, cutie, it's going to be okay," Spender soothed, looking up at Hunter. "Gabriel, I haven't done anything to Mulder. I would never harm him. I think you should talk to Frohike. I wanted to stop Mulder from going to Slava, but he wouldn't let me," he assured the older man softly as he rocked the baby back and forth in his arms trying to calm her.
Scully came racing back into the kitchen with Takeda hot on her heals. "Gabriel, its Mulder! He's gone . . . he turned himself over to Nikolai Slava for a cure to SBS," she blurted out frantically as she passed the emails that she had printed off Takeda's laser printer to Hunter.
Hunter scanned the letters, glowering angrily he called Sullivan back. After he had explained the situation to the FBI agent he hung up the telephone and turned to Scully and Takeda. "I think we need to have a family meeting and explain the situation to everyone. Is Melvin around? Because he has a lot of explaining to do."
"Frohike is at The Lone Gunman headquarters, maybe we should wait until he gets back," Spender suggested nervously, he didn't want to face the brunt of the family's anger alone. He shifted Faith in his arms so she could drink grape juice from the covered baby cup as Hunter considered his comment.
"Okay, Melvin should be here at dinnertime; we'll fill everyone in after dinner," Hunter replied.
***
St. Petersburg
Monday, February 7
11:30 p.m.It was nighttime when Slava's private jet landed in St. Petersburg. The plane taxied over to a well-lit reception area, parking so its door was adjacent to the limousine sent to take Fox Mulder to the Winter Palace. The agent stared out the window in amazement at the sheer number of people waiting outside the gates to catch a glimpse of him.
After Slava's jet had left D.C. with Fox Mulder on board, word spread quickly throughout Russia of his pending arrival. The excitement of having an immortal married to their Tsar and the prospect of them producing baby girls together had energized the populace who had turned out in heavy numbers just to catch a glimpse of Mulder. They braved the ghoul-infested night for the opportunity to greet the man that would bring female children back to their country.
A large number of armed military personnel spanned out around the crowd to keep them at bay. Fyodorov and his two sorcerer escorts preceded Mulder off the plane, when Mulder appeared the crowd erupted in cheers.
Mulder was shocked; he had never experienced anything like it before. There were bands playing, men were screaming their love for him, and dancing and hugging each other in the freezing nighttime streets of St. Petersburg. He pulled his overcoat more protectively around him as he hurriedly made his way to the waiting limousine.
"I'm surprised that Slava would announce that I was coming here, let alone when I was arriving! Wasn't he at all concerned about my safety?" Mulder grumbled as he climbed into the limousine.
"The Tsar would never make such an announcement. It must have been spread through palace gossip. The Winter Palace has hundreds of employees working in it, and a rumor of this magnitude could be easily spread across Russia within mere hours," Fyodorov replied.
Mulder stared nervously out the window at the cheering crowd as the limousine as it drove past them. Fire blazed in steel trashcans keeping the enthusiastic crowd warm and safe. "Why are they so happy?" he asked.
Fyodorov sat up straight, his chest puffed out with pride at being seen sitting next to the beautiful immortal. "Master Fox, Russia has no immortals of her own, we have watched enviously as other countries have had female babies being born to them. Now with you here our people have hope for a brighter future."
"Fyodorov, I prefer to be called Mulder. The deal I made with Slava did not include my having children with him," he informed the little man.
"The official protocol book specifies that you are to be addressed as Master Fox. If you would like that changed you'll have to take it up with Tsar Nikolai, and the same goes for having children together, that is between you and the Tsar," Fyodorov stated as the limousine drove slowly around Palace Square.
"God," Mulder said breathlessly, staring at the massive cheering crowd that packed the square. The area was awash in light as fireworks shot up and explored over head adding to the noise.
"There is your new home, Master Fox." The little man pointed toward a large structure.
Mulder gaped at the immense three-story palace, which spanned several city blocks. He shuddered as they drove by dozens of tall steel spikes with the heads of humans and n'thrals adorning their tops.
"The Tsar rules our country with a firm but fair hand, he does not tolerate disobedience or traitors. The Russian people love the Tsar for it, he has restored order and law to this land. You will discover that Russia is one of the safest places on earth to live if you are a law abiding citizen," Fyodorov said.
"Does that mean that Slava has given up his slave trade and crime empire?" Mulder asked as the limousine pulled up in front of a red carpet that led to the arched entrance of the Winter Palace. Slava stood waiting at the top of the steps, behind him was Captain Mikhin his n'thral head of security.
"Master Fox, you'll have to ask him yourself," Fyodorov replied diplomatically.
Large n'thrals in fancy dress uniforms lined the both sides of the walkway leading up to the palace entrance, while the Russian military kept the crowd behind the roped off barrier on the other side of the street.
Mulder took a shaky breath as the car door was held open for him. Fyodorov took the briefcase from Mulder's hand, which was visibly shaking. The immortal smiled weakly at the little man then slowly climbed the steps toward Slava; his heart was pounding so loudly it drowned out the crowd, he felt like he was underwater and was finding it difficult to breath. The whole world seemed to zero in to only him and Slava as his eyes locked with the Tsar's hungry black pools, he watched as the larger man's tongue moistened his lips in anticipation. Mulder took the final step and stood passively before the handsome Cossack, he swallowed nervously and hoped he wouldn't pass out.
Slava stepped forward, pulled Mulder into his arms, and kissed him soundly in front of thousands of men who cheered their approval. Light bulbs flashed from cameras scattered throughout the square capturing the moment for posterity.
Mulder didn't know what he'd gotten himself into or how he'd ever get back to his lovers with all of Russia wanting him here. It had seemed so simple before he left, spending the agreed upon year with Slava then returning to Walter and Alex. Mulder chided himself; it was still worth it for the cure Slava offered. To have Walter and Alex healthy was all that mattered to him.
Slava broke the kiss, hugging the smaller man affectionately against his broad chest; he buried his face into the side of Mulder's throat breathing in his erotic spicy scent. "Moi Fox, finally you are here with me . . . I can't tell you how long I've been looking forward to this day."
Mulder knew he had to play this right from the beginning. He didn't want Slava to restrict his freedom by thinking he'd take the cure and flee. "Nikolai, I intend to uphold my end of our agreement -- I'm *yours* for a year in exchange for the cure for SBS," he replied, looking into the larger man's aroused face.
"And such a year it will be, moi krasivy Fox," Slava purred, leading him inside the opulent palace. Once inside he stopped and unbuttoned the agent's long, woolen coat and helped him out of it, passing it over to a servant waiting nearby.
The man bowed respectfully and rushed off with the coat.
Slava looked back at Fyodorov and his two sorcerers. "Fox, where are your daughters? I thought you were bringing them," he asked worriedly.
"No, I couldn't take Walter's and Alex's daughters away from them," Mulder replied.
"They are your daughters too, Fox," Slava said, recovering Mulder's briefcase from Fyodorov.
"Walter and Alex might accept losing me for a year, but they'd never tolerate losing their daughters, too."
Slava sighed, he would have to have his men rescue Fox's little girls if his scientists were not able to find a cure in time. "Fyodorov, Fox is tired so we are going to turn in for the evening, please advise the kitchen staff that we will be down for brunch at eleven o'clock."
"Yes, moi Tsar," the little man said bowing.
"Sla . . . Nikolai, I really would like to have the SBS drug sent to the U.S. before we turn in for the evening," Mulder said sweetly.
"Ssh, Fox, we will handle it tomorrow. Tonight is our first night together in over a year, I want to make love to you," Slava purred, taking Mulder's hands into his, he brought them to his lips and kissing his fingers.
Mulder bit back a sharp retort; it was the hardest thing he had ever done. He knew controlling his temper was not one of his strong points. With his lovers' lives hanging in the balance, it was all that he could do not to pull his gun on Slava and demand he get the fucking drug now. However, he had to play the part of a submissive, willing lover if he was going to be allowed free movement around the palace.
"Of course, Nikolai, tomorrow will be soon enough. It was selfish of me not to consider your needs first." Mulder looped an arm affectionately around the larger man's waist.
Slava felt his heart melting as he looked into Mulder's lovely, hazel eyes, and saw love within their depths. "You will be so happy here, Fox, I will give you the world! Anything that your heart desires all you have to do is ask." They walked arm in arm down the long corridors on the third floor of the palace until they came to a pair of large gilded doors with n'thrals standing guard before them. The guards snapped to attention and pulled the doors open for the two men.
"This is the royal apartment, it will be your home for the next year," Slava informed him. They stepped into an elegantly decorated foyer -- off to the right was an entertainment room, on the left was a wide hallway, and an elegant living room was straight ahead. "I had my workmen modernizing these quarters for us over the past six months."
Mulder looked at him in surprise. "For us? How did you know that I would be coming here?"
"Fyodorov saw you here in a vision, he really is a remarkable clairvoyant." Slava guided his lover down the long hallway. Mulder glanced into the rooms on both side of the hall as they passed -- all the rooms were decorated as children's bedrooms.
Slava stopped and noticed Mulder looking into one of their future daughter's bedrooms. He wanted to save the existence of their daughters as a surprise for him on the day of their birth. "The bedrooms are for our future daughters, Fox. I want to have a large family with you."
"I'm only going to be here a year, and I do not intend to have children with you," Mulder stated firmly.
"A lot can happen within a year, Fox." Slava caressed down his body his hand coming to rest over Mulder's flat stomach, the agent jumped away from him. Slava smiled innocently, as he shifted Mulder's briefcase to his other hand and pushed open the doors at the end of the hallway to enter their bedroom.
Mulder swallowed nervously as he entered the room; it felt like walking into a different world. The room resembled something out of a science fiction novel sleek and futuristic. It didn't fit in with the elegant, Old World décor in the rest of the palace.
Slava walked over to a small table and placed Mulder's briefcase on it, picking up a remote control he went back over to Mulder's side and handed it to him, pointing out each button and what it controlled. "This is for the lights, television, fireplace, music, bar, massage table, restraints..."
"Restraints?" Mulder squeaked.
Slava pushed the button and a metal frame descended from ceiling, two sturdy rods on each side of the rectangle frame supported it. Inside the frame at each corner were leather wrist and ankle cuffs, and a leather harness that fastened around the waist and straps strung crosswise to hold a body immobile. Mulder noted that the frame was designed to support at least a six-foot body spread eagle above the ground.
When the frame was four feet above the ground, Slava swung the frame on its center pivots so it was vertical then lowered it the rest of the way to the floor. "I had it designed especially for you. Your wrists go into these cuffs, notice the fur lining, they're for your comfort. Once you're strapped in I fasten these straps over your body front and back, then when you're in the horizontal position it will be like floating on air," he said, swinging the frame back to its horizontal position.
"I really am not into B&D or S&M," Mulder announced backing away toward the door.
"Fox, have you ever tried bondage and domination games?" Slava questioned, pressing the buttoning and making the frame rise back up into the ceiling.
"No. And I have no desire to try them," Mulder hastened, disgust clearly showing on his face.
"Nonsense, Fox, you won't know if you'll like it until you give it a try. We'll play together later in the week." Slava went back over to Mulder's briefcase and opened it. He pulled out a framed photograph of Hope and Faith and studied it contently with the knowledge that his and Fox's genes would also produce many beautiful daughters together in the coming decades.
Slava carried the photograph over to a small counter that jutted out of the wall next to the bed, he placed it on the polished surface and faced it toward the bed. "Now, you'll be able to see your beautiful daughters every morning when you wake up."
The handsome Cossack smiled over at Mulder who was standing frozen by the doorway. He walked over to him and tenderly took his hand, leading Mulder across the room. "Come, Fox, I want to bathe and prepare your body for our love making."
"I'm tired, couldn't we just go to bed now?" the agent whined.
Slava gave him a tolerant smile. "Fox, I guarantee that you will feel invigorated when we're through."
The bathroom walls and floor were limestone and a fifteen-foot by ten-foot recessed tub took up half of the room. It resembled a pool more than a bathtub, it had a ledge inside for sitting, and the center was at least four feet deep. Slava started filling the tub while Mulder wandered around the room.
Mulder shivered when he got a good look at the shower, it was in a separate room off the main bath. The room was nine-feet by nine-feet, with a retractable showerhead hanging down from the center of the ceiling. What made him nervous, though, were the four coiled hoses that were attached to the wall, each one with an aluminum nozzle. Mulder recognized their intended function immediately; Alex had purchased a similar flared plug nozzle designed for giving enemas on one of his trips to California.
Mulder stepped into the room for a closer look. The floor in the shower was smooth stainless steel with one-inch, two-inch, and three-inch circular holes scattered randomly across its surface, but far enough apart to make walking on the surface comfortable. Beneath the steel grating was a six-inch circular drain in the center of a concrete floor. Along the wall an inch above and below the grating were water jets, Mulder knew the purpose of the jets was to wash any waste products off the surface and flush it down the drain.
"Efficient looking isn't it?" Slava purred into his ear, making the agent jump. "Each of the hoses are attached to separate tanks, each tank contains a different fluid. Have you ever had a coffee enema before, Fox?"
"Ah, no, only barium." Mulder trembled as Slava led him out of the shower and started to undress him.
"Mm, then you're in for a treat. I have a new age healer that prepares the various enema solutions for me; he is really an expert at his craft. He prepares bath and massage oils for me, too." Slava opened a chute next to the door and tossed each article of clothing down it, including Mulder's guns, badge, wallet, and finally his shoes, socks, and boxers. Then Slava proceeded to strip off his own clothes until he was equally as naked as his lover was.
"Come, moi love, I'll clean you out first then we'll share a bath," the larger man murmured pulling Mulder into the shower.
"Look, Nick, I'm not really big on enemas. What do you say we skip it, and go share that bath." Mulder rubbed up against the larger man and stroked Slava's immense cock causing it to swell even thicker under his fingertips in an attempt to dissuade the Cossack from giving him an enema.
"Fox, my name is Nikolai, don't bastardize it with your American abbreviation!" Slava pulled him forcefully into his arms and kissed him soundly, rubbing his hard groin against Mulder's belly. His knee insinuated itself between Mulder's legs spreading them apart as he deepened the kiss. Slava's hand sought out and found the bowl of lubricant that was on a ledge over the enema hoses, he dunked his fingers inside coating them. He then brought his hand down between Mulder's buttocks to his puckered opening; he eased an oiled finger inside, stretching him gently.
Mulder gasped into Slava's mouth and tried to pull away, knowing what the larger man had planned. He was no match for the large Cossack who tightened the hold on his body.
When Slava felt the ring of muscles relax around his finger; he pulled it out and dunked his fingers back into the oil then proceeded to lubricate one of the nozzles. He pulled the hose away from the wall, using one hand to spread Mulder's ass checks apart he positioned the nozzle against the agent's anus and pushed it slowly in until all six inches of nozzle were held firmly inside.
"Please, don't." Mulder wiggled frantically against Slava's chest as he felt the narrow end of the nozzle enter him. As it was forced deeper inside him, it widened stretching him further, it then became smaller where his opening closed around the rubber seal holding it inside.
"Ssh, love," Slava soothed, not loosening his steel grip on the smaller man's lithe body. His finger flipped the valve open and he watched the dial beside the hose measuring the amount of fluid he was pumping into his lover's bowels.
Mulder groaned and rested his head on Slava's shoulder as the cool liquid flooded into him. He felt his intestines and colon being filled and stretched uncomfortably, but Slava continued to fill him until he thought he would explode.
The larger man finally closed the valve. "We'll need to keep the fluid in for at least ten minutes. Fox, you can hold onto me if the cramping becomes too intense," Slava soothed, rubbing Mulder's back. His other hand stroked over Mulder's belly feeling the hard bulge from the amount of liquid he had pumped into him.
Mulder moaned, shifting his feet apart as the cramping began, and he heard a low rumbling coming from his belly as the liquid sloshed around his colon. He turned his head resting it on Slava's shoulder, catching a glimpse of himself in the full-length mirror on the wall outside the shower. He looked almost comical with the hose jutting out of his ass like a tail on some animal. He quickly turned his face away from his reflection, he broke out into a cold sweat. God, what had he gotten himself into? He tried to focus his mind on happy memories, without any success. His fingers dug into Slava's back as a severe cramp nearly doubled him over, it felt like he was being ripped apart inside.
"Ssh, Fox, it's going to be okay, just six more minutes to go."
"It's only been four minutes?" Mulder groaned; it felt like he'd been standing here for an hour already. Shit, he had a full year to put up with this abuse! He was going to go insane.
Slava chuckled. "Fox, you're not going to go insane . . . I promise that you'll get use to it, and even enjoy it after awhile. The last thing I ever want to do is cause you pain."
Mulder startled, under his duress he had forgotten to protect his thoughts from being read. He could not allow that to happen again. "Nikolai, believe me I will never come to like having a hose forced up my ass and a gallon of liquid pumped into me," Mulder hissed, through tightly clenched teeth.
"Fox, silly boy, it wasn't a gallon," Slava replied lightly, kissing the side of Mulder's face.
"God, has it been ten minutes yet!" Mulder groaned as his bowels cramped and rumbled painfully, he had to hold tighter to Slava to keep from sliding to the floor.
"Just about." Slava gently rubbed Mulder's back, turning him around so his ass faced the center of the room toward the drain. He then eased the nozzle out, pulling it away just as the younger man's bowels erupted spewing out their contents.
Mulder felt totally humiliated, he hung his head in embarrassment. The few enemas that he had given himself were done in private without either of his lovers present. Alex and Walter had requested several times to be allowed to give him one, but he was too embarrassed to allow them to.
Slava turned on the jets and the water sprayed over their legs and feet. The waste was washed off the metal surface and down to the surface below their feet, the jets from below soon washed all the waste down the drain. Slava pulled down the retractable showerhead and washed his lover's ass and legs.
"Fox, you have nothing to be embarrassed about. You are the most beautiful and sensuous man I have ever seen. Tomorrow I'll shave your body and you'll feel much better. Come, lover, our bath awaits."
Mulder glared angrily at him, but allowed Slava to lead him toward the bathtub. "I suppose it will do me no good to ask you not to shave my body?"
"Fox, you know how I feel about body hair, but I am happy that you have kept your groin smoothly shaved."
The bathtub was filled to six inches below the rim. The water had shut off automatically when the level had reached the overflow valve. Slava picked up a bottle of fragrant bath oil and poured its contents into the steaming water.
Mulder wondered how his family was handling his disappearance, as he stepped down into the bathtub. He wondered if Slava would allow him to contact them as he sat gingerly down on the ledge sinking into the hot water.
Slava sat across from him the water was up to his nipples. "Fox, you can call your family anytime you feel like it. I would never deny you contact with them, your happiness is important to me. All that I want is for you to uphold your end of our agreement."
"If you want to make me happy, please stay out of my thoughts," Mulder grumbled. He couldn't believe he'd allowed the shields guarding his thoughts to slip twice in less than fifteen minutes.
"Why? Fox, we have no secrets between us," Slava replied, sliding over to sit beside him.
"We all have thoughts that we would like to keep private. Even you, Nikolai, must have secrets that you don't want me to know," Mulder reasoned quietly.
Slava frowned. Did Fox know about his deception? He hoped that his scientists would find a cure for SBS before Fox found out that he had been lied to. For some reason, it was important to him to have Fox's respect. Slava would keep his lover here against his will if he had to, but he didn't want to do that. He wanted Fox to stay here of his own freewill, he was sure that after their agreed upon year was up that Fox would return his love. Moreover, Fox would never be able to leave his seven daughters.
"Yes, you're right, moi love, there are certain things about me that I wouldn't want you to know. So, I will try to refrain from invading your thoughts." Slava leaned forward and kissed Mulder affectionately on the cheek, grasping his lover's hand he leaned back in the steamy water and relaxed contentedly.
Mulder sighed and sunk lower into the water, he had won two concessions from the Cossack, maybe he should try for three. "Nikolai, I need you to do something for me," he asked hesitantly.
"Anything, krasivy," Slava purred, running a soapy hand over Mulder's chest.
"I have a physical condition that you're probably aware of," Mulder replied cautiously, hoping the larger man was aware of the recent news involving immortals because he really didn't want to go into detail explaining his condition.
Slava rested a hand over Mulder's bellybutton. "That you're able to become pregnant?"
"Ah, yes. You mentioned that you didn't want to hurt me, I thought, you should be aware of a side-effect of my . . . condition. If I don't take an anti-pheromone drug that is keyed to my lovers' DNA they will go into a sexual frenzy the nearer I get to my cycle."
"Fox, you're afraid that I will lose control and injure you?"
"I know you will."
"Very well, Fox, I will have my agents in D.C. retrieve the process for making this anti-pheromone drug from your doctor. Then my scientist can replicate the drug using my DNA. Moi love, I meant it when I said that I didn't want to hurt you." He pulled the agent onto his lap and leaned back into the hot water content just to hold his lover again.
Mulder sighed, relaxing against Slava's chest, another worry had been resolved, and not for the life of him could he figure out the handsome Cossack.
***
Foxfire Glenn Estate
Monday, February 7
8:30 p.m.It was still evening back in the U.S. when Frohike nervously stepped into the family room. The whole family was present as were Dana Scully and her husband, Doctor Jonathan Carter. The family, including Scully, were lost in their own thoughts and looked up imploringly at Frohike as he entered the room.
"Melvin, what happened to Mulder? Why did he leave us?" Schatz asked sorrowfully, breaking the silence. Mulder was his best friend and confidante, he told the agent everything. Schatz couldn't believe he was gone.
They all knew that Mulder had gone to Slava, but the reason behind him abandoning his lovers and daughters was still unclear to some of them. Moreover, why Frohike and Spender didn't try to stop Mulder from going had them all baffled and angry.
"Slava offered Mulder a cure for SBS if he agreed to live with him. Mulder sacrificed himself for his lovers' health, and the wellbeing of everyone in this household. He didn't want to leave us, but he had no choice," Frohike said.
"Melvin, you had a choice! You could have stopped him from going to Slava!" Hunter growled.
"No! I couldn't do that! Don't you understand that if Mulder didn't go to Slava it would have changed the future? A future where we are all happy and healthy," Frohike assured.
"What about Fox? Is he happy in this future of yours?" Hunter questioned bitterly.
"I know that he'll be back with Walter and Alex at some point, but then he'll return to Slava again. I can't see enough of the future to know for sure what's going on or how long Mulder is with Slava each time," Frohike sighed, sinking down on the sofa next to his lover. "Gabriel, what's important is that everyone in this household is saved by his actions. Slava will send a cure for SBS now."
Scully looked disdainfully at the little man. "Damn it, Frohike, Nikolai Slava is a sadist! The man deals in human flesh, he's going to seriously hurt Mulder!"
"Scully, you don't know that for sure, we need the cure that Slava offers," Frohike argued.
"Frohike, have you even considered that Slava might not have a cure? Maybe Shin and I develop the cure. We are making great progress, hopefully we'll find a cure without Slava's help," Scully snapped.
//If Slava doesn't have a cure, I'm going to wring that little troll's neck,// Krycek growled.
//Alex, Melvin's heart was in the right place. He really believed all the evidence that he had pointed to Slava being responsible for our recovery and for all we know he could be right,// Skinner sighed. //After we're cured, we'll bring Fox back home, until then there is nothing we can do but watch and wait.//
//Walter, this is driving me insane! I can't take much more of this! And what did Frohike mean that Mulder goes back to Slava again?// Krycek exclaimed.
//Melvin had a vision that showed Fox on the floor reading to several beautiful little girls and Slava was there. Alex, this isn't easy on me either. We just have to make do and find ways to pass the time,// Skinner replied.
//If only we could be in Russia with Fox!// Krycek snarled. They had discovered that they could not get any further than five hundred yards from their bodies. When they had tried, they hit an invisible barrier preventing them from going any further.
//I'm sort of glad we aren't. I couldn't bare to see Slava touching him. Alex, it's better that we're here with our daughters.//
//Well, at least the mouse still loves you. I can't take the accusatory looks Faith keeps giving me.// Krycek looked over at his daughter who was curled up sleeping on Spender's lap.
//She'll get over it, Alex,// Skinner assured and went back to listening in on their friends' conversation.
Duffy, who had been standing quietly in the corner holding Hope, spoke for the first time. "I think you're all underestimating Mulder, he is a smart and resourceful man, he knows what he's doing."
"Duffy, you don't know Mulder like I do, he often leaps into the fire without thinking about the consequences first. I had to save his butt from getting burned on a number of occasions when he rushed off foolishly on his own," Scully replied, hotly.
"With all due respect, Dana. Mulder doesn't strike me as a fool. His willingness to put friends and lovers before his own welfare is a sign of an honorable and brave man," Duffy grumbled.
"I'm sorry, I didn't phrase that right. I didn't mean to imply that Mulder was a fool because he isn't, but he is reckless with his own safety and wellbeing," Scully replied firmly.
"I haven't known Mulder long enough to comment on his being reckless with his own life. I do believe this family does tend to underestimated him," Duffy replied gruffly.
Gabriel Hunter sighed. "Can we please stop the squabbling, Fox is gone and we have to figure out a way to get him back. Does anyone here speak Russian or have any knowledge of the country? Rory, what about you? Do you have any contacts over there?"
"Sorry, Gabriel, I've never been to Russia. We could contact Walter's relatives, they might be able to help. Anton Danko used to work for the FSB, he may still have contacts over there," MacIver offered.
"That's a good idea, Rory," Hunter replied. "Does anyone else have any suggestions?"
Duffy looked thoughtful. "I can't see our government allowing Nikolai Slava to keep Mulder without trying to get him back by force if necessary."
"I'm sure our government will lodge a severe protest with the Russian government. Let's face it, though, with a majority of our sorcerers incapacitated by SBS there is nothing we can do militarily to get him back without losing a lot of men in the process," Hunter replied.
"So we're on are own then," Blaise sighed tiredly. "Maybe we should wait and see if Slava really does have a cure."
"The chances of that man actually having a cure are zero to none," Scully grumbled. "And even if he had one, he'd never turn it over to us, let alone the U.S. government."
"I'll contact Anton in the morning. Until then why don't we sleep on it, maybe things will look brighter in the morning," Hunter said, standing he headed out of the room.
The Scotsman stood up. "Things will look brighter after a pint of ale. Kazuo, can I bring you back one?" MacIver asked, heading for the butler's pantry.
"Sure, Rory."
"Hey, old man, bring me one, too," Takeda shouted.
"Sorry, love, not in your condition. Doctor Carter has made it perfectly clear to me that you should not be drinking," MacIver shouted from the other room.
Takeda glared at the young, black doctor, who was holding his wife's hand.
Doctor Carter smiled back at him. "Hey, it was your idea to have a baby, Shin, you do want it to be perfect, now, don't you?"
"Yeah, I suppose."
Scully stood and retrieved Hope from Duffy. "Jonathan, are you sure that you're all right with me staying here?"
"Yes, Dana, you did promised Mulder that you'd help look after his daughters if anything happened to him," he replied gently. "Scott and I will come out tomorrow to see how you're doing." He kissed her softly, then said goodnight to the others and left.
Scully cuddled the baby in her arms, kissing Hope's forehead. "Jeff, can you help me put them to bed?"
"Sure, Dana. I'd better anyway, Faith isn't allowing anyone to hold her but me," he said, following Scully out of the room.
The other men all departed for their own rooms. Duffy wandered around the mansion making sure it was secure for the night. He shut off all of the lights as he made his way downstairs to his room.
***
St. Petersburg
Tuesday, February 8
4:00 a.m.Slava savored every inch of Mulder's body, which laid exhaustedly underneath him. He couldn't get enough of him as he slowly sucked on the younger man's nipple until it was a taut, hard pebble. Mulder's back arched off the bed as he moaned with arousal, his body again betraying him.
Mulder never felt so spent, he was sore all over, and Slava was again teasing his painfully abused nipples for the umpteenth time this evening. He shifted slightly, trying to get off the wet spot under his ass. Mulder couldn't take another fucking from the larger man; his anus was on fire from the relentless pounding it had taken. He had never been filled so fully by another man's come, even Walter and Alex together didn't fill him this much. It seemed that Slava had been saving himself for months. "Nikolai, please, no more . . . hurts. Please, let me sleep . . . need sleep," he begged pitifully.
Slava pressed his bulging organ against his lover's hip. "Mm, Fox, moi krasivy little Fox, just once more then I'll let you sleep," he purred, reaching down he caressed Mulder's ass lovingly.
Mulder cringed in pain. "No, not there," he yelped then reluctantly placed Slava's hand over his navel. "Here if you must."
Slava beamed down at him and captured his lover's kiss-swollen lips in another deep possessive kiss. He broke the kiss and moved up Mulder's body placing the tip of his cock against the younger man's navel. Slava had wanted to have sex through this new orifice since Fox's birthday, but he didn't want to do it without his young lover's permission -- such was his love for him.
He slammed quickly in and screamed as the agent's internal muscles tightly clenched and squeezed his cock. Never had he experienced such intense pleasure, the fluids from Fox's body caused his organ to harden even more. Slava couldn't remember being happier in his whole life. *Mine.* Fox was finally his and no one was ever going to take him away from him.
Mulder again found himself in the land of crystals and flowers. King Xowolfe smiled happily when he saw his beloved. It had been weeks since his beautiful mate's last visit. "Fox, you have returned to me," he said, flying down to the young man's side.
"Xowolfe, I'm beginning to think this is more than just a mere hallucination," Mulder replied, looking into the beautiful Seraphim's bright emerald green eyes.
Both Mulder and Xowolfe jumped at the gruff angry voice behind them. "This isn't a hallucination, Fox," Slava snarled, pulling Mulder protectively into his arms.
King Xowolfe's eyes flashed with anger and he went into a rage seeing the strange man who was touching his beloved. "How dare you! Take your filthy hands off my life mate!" he snapped and tried to attack the human, but his hands passed right through the sorcerer.
"You're wrong, Fox is mine! I will never allow you to lay a finger on him," Slava growled. He pushed out with his mind, throwing the being into the nearby pond. Slava was about to strike out again when both he and Fox were pulled back into their bodies.
Both men lay shaking and quivering. After they had calmed down from their subsequent orgasms, Mulder trembled against Slava's chest. "God, that was real . . . I thought it was some weird dream."
"Don't worry, Fox, I'll never allow that creature to touch you," Slava soothed, kissing the top of Mulder's head then hugging the trembling body in his arms tighter.
Mulder's heart was racing a mile a minute; his mind was whirling with the implications of his new discovery. "Nikolai, I always believed that the gray aliens released the virus on our planet, I think I was wrong."
"Fox, you think that creature was behind killing all of the females on this planet?"
"Yeah, I do." Mulder relaxed into the comfort and protection of the larger man's warm embrace. "Every time that I was transported to that world Xowolfe would refer to me as his life mate. I think that I would have belonged to him, had their invasion had gone as planned," he replied tiredly, hardly able to keep his eyes open any longer.
"Well, their invasion failed and you're my lover now. We'll have to figure out a way to prevent you from coming into contact with this creature again." Slava looked down lovingly at the young man cuddled in his arms. Mulder had fallen asleep.
***
Deep Space
Planet Empyrean
King Xowolfe stood slowly. He was furious. He was also dripping wet -- no one had ever laid a hand on him before. He angrily trudged out of the shallow pond, wanting revenge against that insolent human for both his bruised dignity and for touching his property. How had that human been able to touch him? His hand only passed straight through that being's body.
Several Minotaur soldiers came rushing over to his side as he stepped out of the pond. They had the heads of a bulls coupled with human-like, massive, muscular bodies. They had witnessed their king being thrown into the pond by some unseen force.
"My lord, what happened?" the soldier asked.
"Get me General Xobonoa at once!" the king shouted.
"Yes, my lord," the soldier bowed then hurried off to find the king's general.
Several minutes passed before the Seraphim general came rushing to the king's side, followed closely by the Minotaur.
"My King, what is wrong?" Xobonoa asked.
"General Xobonoa, how is our campaign against Earth going?" Xowolfe snapped.
"My King, the Earth's defenses have been reinforced since our last failed attack. They are using this new race of sorcerers to shore up their defenses, consequently the Earth is virtually impregnable now," the general told him nervously.
"Xobonoa, it is vital that I get my life mate off that planet! I expect you to focus your full attention on accomplishing that feat!"
"My King, I need more information about your life mate. Where on the Earth can he be found?" the general asked. Only the king had seen the immortal that he claimed to be his mate.
"We still have servants upon the earth, acquire my mate's location from them. My mate goes by the name Fox Mulder. Don't fail me, Xobonoa."
"Never, my King." The seraphim bowed low then rushed off to attend to his king's orders.
***