MULDER THE VAMPIRE SLAYER
Round Three, Part Three

The sudden explosion of pain made Mulder pass out for a period of time. When he opened his eyes again, Alex's grim face greeted him.

"Shit…," Mulder stopped. He realized that he didn't know what to say.

"Get up," Krycek said quietly.

Slowly Mulder got up. His head throbbed painfully and his heart raced madly like wanting to burst out from his chest. He glanced sideways and gasped. Skinner was kneeling on the floor, his head pressed to the ground. He couldn't see his face with his large arms covering them. He was shaking. Hard.

Mulder saw his superior's naked legs, folded pitifully under his body, and shockingly saw the glistening thin film covering them. Sweat… and… and…

He choked.

The overwhelming feeling of … disgust made him stagger. His back connected to the wall, desperately looking for something to lean on. Disturbingly desperate, Mulder stared at Krycek. What the hell had happened?

"Alex…," he whispered.

There was an unfamiliar gleam in the dark green eyes. He looked unreadable and his face was completely devoid of any expression. "Come on," he said again in a quiet but, surprisingly, gentle tone. "We need to get out of here as fast as we can."

Mulder swallowed. His knees wobbled and his body swayed dangerously. "Skinner?"

"I'll take him. Take a deep breath, and you'll feel better." The vampire efficiently pulled him to his balance, then roughly lifted Skinner.

Mulder took a very deep breath and realized that it did feel better. He watched in dismay how Alex quickly and neatly zipping Skinner's pants back. He was even more dismayed to see Skinner's head hung down as if broken.

"Walt… Sir?" He took a step toward the two men.

Skinner recoiled. His head turned harshly, avoiding Mulder.

"Leave it, Fox," Alex said a bit hard. "He still has it in his system. It's no good to be near you unless he's out of Keiron's range. And I only temporarily paralyzed Keiron. He'll regain his power back soon."

Mulder felt his cheeks redden. He supposed that there was nothing else to say. He meekly followed Krycek out. When he brushed the back of his head, he felt a huge lump on it.

"You knocked me out, you bastard."

Krycek glanced at him and gave him his first smile. "I think you deserve it."

**********************

It was a relief that whatever strange state Skinner had been in a moment before disappeared by the time they were confined in a motel room just outside Virginia. However, following the return of conscience and balance, came the overwhelming feeling of embarrassment. Not only had the Watcher refused to look at Mulder, he also tried as hard as possible to keep a certain length of distance between the two. Expectedly, this had irritated Mulder.

"It wasn't as if either one of us initiated it," Mulder snapped involuntarily. "I mean… not in a technical sense… Alex had explained it. But… Hell, Sir. Will you stop that?"

Skinner sighed, "Look, Mulder, no offense… okay? It's just…"

He finally managed to see Mulder's eyes, and again, those sad, despairing eyes turned Mulder mute. Mulder swallowed sadly, "Maybe I can help you, you know?"

"Of what?" Skinner's eyes turned wary.

"I have a degree in psychology…"

Skinner's eyes widened. "Shit, Mulder."

Mulder sighed loudly. "I *did* help several rape victims. It might not be idealistic and all, but… Look, I know that you will try anything to ensure nobody else knew about this. I respect that. But you've been showing all kinds of rape victim symptoms. Denial. Inconsistencies. Anger." Mulder paused, then continued gently, "Self- hatred."

Skinner closed his eyes.

"You're doing okay," Mulder said. "I mean, you're still focused, as if this thing didn't disturb you that much… But I know, Skinner."

"What about you?" Skinner asked harshly. "Aren't you a victim yourself?"

Mulder flinched and quickly looked at Krycek, who stood quietly watching the two of them with a frozen face. "Alex and I did it consensually."

Skinner barked a perfect `ha´. "Not him. Me."

"Skinner. You. Didn't. Rape. Me."

"Sure as hell felt like it."

Mulder tried to step nearer and gave up when Skinner quickly drew back. "No," Mulder said firmly. "And I have no reason for lying. It's not traumatic at all to me. I had anonymous rough sex before…" Mulder was aware that Krycek's expression changed a little. "And I am *gay*. You, Sir. Might be not."

Skinner gritted his teeth. "You bet I'm not." He took a deep breath and defiantly looked at Mulder. "Very well. I'm okay that you're willing to help me."

Mulder smiled. "I'm glad, Sir. By the time you think you're ready, I'll escort you in seeking a professional help, okay?"

Skinner nodded. "Let's get back to business."

The two men turned their heads simultaneously toward Krycek, silently informing that there was a temporary understanding between the two and willing to continue.

Krycek moved toward Mulder, invading his personal space and perched himself closely to the agent. To anyone's eyes, it looked as if he was draping himself over the man. Skinner studied him thoughtfully, knowing perfectly well that the vampire was claiming his territory. His disturbing bond with Keiron made him extremely wary about the Slayer's strange "relationship" with this vampire. He wondered what he should do about this. Mulder was an extraordinary Slayer whom only appeared once in a wide span of time. This kind of `conflict of interests' was the last thing they all needed.

"Let's start with Keiron." Mulder turned his head and watched Krycek's face. With a sinking feeling, Skinner saw the gentleness in his Slayer's eyes. He suddenly realized that Mulder's bond with Krycek might be tighter than he had guessed…. And different from him and Keiron.

"Why my Watcher?" Mulder quietly asked. "And why now?"

Ignoring Mulder's inquisitive eyes, Alex slowly took something out from his jacket's pocket. He threw it on the table.

A book.

Skinner gasped.

"Where did you get this, Skinner?" Krycek asked the Watcher. "This has been missing for so long."

Mulder watched the two men exchange meaningful glances and slowly leaned forward to take the book. "What is this?" he asked softly.

Skinner swallowed. "It has been a possession of Watcher David Grimm. When he passed away, he gave it to me for no reason at all."

"You're lucky that Keiron was too stupid to know the real value of this book, otherwise this would have gone straight into the hands of the Brotherhood," Alex chided gently.

Skinner's face reddened. "I was grateful myself."

Mulder already had the book opened, and he was dismayed to see unreadable scrawls and symbols on the old pages. "Is this some kind of a secret spell? Book of the Dead?" He glanced quickly to his vampire lover and smiled sheepishly. "Key to the Secret Treasure?"

"It's a Journal."

"A journal." Mulder nodded, expecting Krycek to continue. When none came he raised his eyebrows. "The devil's journal? A saint's journal? A prophet's?"

"No." Skinner gave him his first smile. "It's just an ordinary journal of a Druid priest."

Mulder stared at the book disappointingly. "Oh."

"A *really* old Druid priest," Skinner said. "In fact, it is much, much older than you can imagine. It's not some four centuries Druid priest."

"Who…?"

"I believe he was called Odin."

"Odin?" Mulder stared incredulously. "Oh you must be kidding me! Odin is just a myth! An ancient God who certainly didn't know to write, and never encountered papers."

"This is just a copy. Odin's real journal was of course written in some other kinds of media, whatever it was. His writings were copied several times across the millenia, in several ancient language. This one might be the only one left."

"What's so special about it?"

Skinner shrugged. "The Watcher's Council didn't know of its importance. We kept it out of sentimentality, and curiosity."

"Curiosity? Why?"

Skinner stared at Krycek. "Perhaps he can answer. After all, for the past hundreds of years, the only party interested in acquiring this Journal were all vampires."

Krycek's hand slowly rubbed on Mulder's back. "I'm afraid I haven't gotten enough information regarding its content. Neither managed to read it. However, I know its value. The Brotherhood have been eyeing this for a long time because, if I'm not mistaken, this one was actually written by a vampire."

"I suppose you know this because you used to be one of the Brotherhood," Mulder frowned.

"You can say that. I knew this because I used to be the one in charge of searching for this book. Not many vampires were aware of this. See Keiron for example. He didn't know that his Boss was actually obsessing over the book."

Skinner bit his lip. "Then it all comes down to the crazy beast heading the Brotherhood."

"Yes," Krycek nodded. "Spender."

Skinner stared at him, speechless, than finally mumbled, "Fuck."

Both he and Skinner were too wrapped up in their thoughts to notice the sudden paleness of Mulder's face.

"I don't trust you," Skinner said to Krycek.

The vampire smiled slightly. "Understandable. The only thing I can assure you is that I would never hurt your Slayer."

Skinner looked at him for a very long time. Krycek turned his head slowly and softly kissed Mulder's hair.

"That's only good enough for now." Skinner nodded. "A vampire in love with a slayer... Rather ironic, wouldn't you say?"

Mulder tried to smile, but his mind was already turning into chaos. He felt warm with Krycek's strange declaration of affection toward him, and comfortable with the impasse between the vampire and his Watcher. But it sadly felt fleeting compared to the rush of confusion, fear, and sudden understanding.

"Spender," he whispered.

//"Maybe he was looking for an heir…"//

He was the vampire with the cold, grey eyes. He was the one who watched him with a strange affection and longing.

//"…maybe the heir was his one and only true bride…"//.

It meant… *him*?

He shivered.

"Fox?" Krycek's arms enveloped him. "Are you okay?"

Mulder blinked and realized that Skinner and Krycek were watching him with a hint of worry. He felt the soft kisses on his hair and felt himself melting. He squinted his eyes playfully to Krycek. "Nah. Just tired a little."

"Go to sleep," Krycek urged him. He glanced toward Skinner. "You too. Take that bedroom."

Skinner nodded. There was never any doubt in his mind that Krycek would be sleeping with Mulder. He leaned forward, reaching for Odin's journal, when suddenly Mulder jumped. "No!"

Skinner stopped.

"I--," Mulder quickly swallowed. "Let me see this for the night, okay?"

Skinner glanced toward Krycek. "As long as you won't give it to him."

Krycek laughed, "I already had it, you fool. I have no need for it."

"Just one night, Mulder. I must deliver this to the Watcher's Council in the morning."

Mulder nodded.

************************

It felt incredible, sleeping inside a pair of strong arms again. And this one felt… Gentle. More gentle than anyone he had ever been. Mulder sadly realized that he wished he could have some kind of a relationship with Krycek.

//If only he were just a simple human being//, he sadly thought. //I might have fallen in love with him already…//

His breath caught, not liking this train of thought in the least, and quickly put his mind to other pressing matters.

"What should we do about Skinner?" he asked Krycek. "Can you cut his bond with Keiron?"

It took some time for Krycek to answer. "I'm afraid I can't."

Mulder sighed. "He was too vulnerable. If Keiron gets a hold on him again… he might endanger himself. Probably all of us as well."

He felt Krycek kiss his shoulder. "Alex?" he asked impatiently. "What do you think?"

"What I think is probably not good for you to know."

Understanding dawned on him. It made Mulder tremble with sudden anxiety. "Don't tell me that you want to get rid of Skinner."

"It's a good strategy. He will be a liability for us."

Mulder gritted his teeth and extricate himself from Krycek's clutch. None too gently. He quickly sat up.

"Let me get this straight with you," he said to Krycek. "Don't touch Skinner. You got that? He's *my* limit. Once you cross that limit, we're back to ground zero, which is me, Slayer, you, vampire, okay?"

Krycek watched him calmly.

"Despite the fact that I'm… *fond* of you, I still have my own rules and my own ways. Not even you can take advantage from our… our… togetherness. I'll find Keiron myself and dust him! That'll end his hold over Skinner once and for all!"

Krycek pulled him easily, and before Mulder could protest, the vampire kissed him passionately and all thoughts fled from the Slayer's mind.

It was hours later when both men stopped making love.

"You're a damn manipulator," Mulder said grudgingly.

"And you're a damn teaser." Krycek kissed him impulsively. "I've watched you. For a long time. It annoyed me that you really turned me on. I'm not supposed to interact with you, but you just…"

"About Skinner…"

"Fox? Can we just not talk about it?"

Mulder restrained himself, and smiled gently. "I can't help trying to be straight with you. It's because I don't like to think that I can't trust you."

"Neither am I," Krycek grinned. "Does it mean I can be your one and only German Shepherd?"

Mulder swallowed. He wondered whether the vampire was actually proposing to him. It sounded like one, despite the lightness of it.

"We'll see," he whispered. "After I know you better... and you put some proper closure with that Keiron."

Krycek laughed. "You *are* jealous."

"Am not."

Krycek couldn't stop grinning. It was the same stupid grin he wore the first time he asked Mulder to let him stay with him; loose, relaxed, honest, warm. He was truly beautiful with his ethereal paleness, and smooth, porcelain-like skin. A classic face that managed to defy time. How lucky he was to be immortalized in his prime beauty.

He'd be beautiful forever.

"Did you enchant me? Bound me against my will?" Mulder asked. "Like what Keiron did to Skinner?"

Krycek's eyes were still gentle and soft, but they clouded a little. "What do you think?"

Mulder didn't answer.

***************************

Despite the fact that Krycek was technically no longer a `normal´ vampire, the thin line of night and dawn was still his most vulnerable time. He couldn't fully fight the heavy pressure of drowsiness, life wanting to slip away, a nature for most vampires. Therefore, he always fell asleep. It only took one or two hours at the most, before he woke up again, regaining his balance, but it was enough for Mulder.

He sat quietly in the motel's study, facing the window, and opened the journal.

He studied the drawings, marching like a neat achievement of a three year-old learning to draw properly for the first time. Marvelling at the rawness of them, and the impossibility to understand.

"What are you saying, Odin?" he murmured. "Describing the birth of Europe?"

To Mulder, it seemed plausible. The symbols had resembled some of nature's things. Mountains. Water. Birds. Sun.

"Why does Spender obsess over this?" Mulder bit his lip. "A recipe? Magic spells? If such a thing was true, wouldn't the Watchers at least know what it was?"

He didn't think Spender was old enough to be somebody living in a same era with this Druid priest, and the idea of him able to read it was rather bizarre as well. For some reason, Mulder was sure that Spender didn't fit the profile of a scholar.

Then, what?

He turned pages over pages, and became more frustrated. Even only from taking a thorough skim, he somehow knew that the journal didn't hide something extraordinary.

He flipped the book around, and turned the last page. He stopped his movement.

"What's this?"

Drawings. But… He looked closer.

It wasn't Odin's, or whoever wrote this journal. He recognized the blotted blueness of ink, knowing that this drawings were obviously much more recent. Even he could see that this one was doing a different art. The lines were much more delicate, seemingly disarrayed but actually being placed carefully and thoughtfully.

Mulder pulled his head, and a strange gleam appeared on his eyes. He put the book in a standing position, pushed a glass behind it and the motel's pen stand in front of it. Then he took several steps backward.

And looked.

Those lines… grew.

"Oh, God," Mulder whispered. Was it his eyes? Was it the light?

The lines were amazingly subtle, but they were dense, full, crowded. Hundreds? No… thousands of fine, subtle lines… and, oh, how they crossed, blended, twisting the bold into the thin, making ribbons, arcs, like glyphs came to life, like the language the body spoke to itself.

What kind of a drawing was this? It was so… *artless* but at the same time so pure in reflecting the intrinsic, seemingly larger than life images.

"What kind of a mind lies behind eyes that can see like this?" Mulder murmured. "Who… who made them?"

And, oh, how disappointed he was when he showed it to Skinner and Krycek later on.

"Abstract?" Skinner shrugged. "Looks like a madman drawing. No end, no beginning, no concept."

Krycek was polite enough not to deflate Mulder's high spirit. "Do you think that this drawing might be the one that attract Spender?"

Mulder sighed. "I can't explain these ancient writings, and judging from Skinner's story that linguists also couldn't find any methods in reading this, I'm *sure* that Spender can't either. So, forget about Odin's romantic odyssey."

Skinner looked amused. "You're so sure, Mulder."

Mulder stared at both men exasperatedly. "Can't you see it?"

"See what, Mulder?"

"These! Look! I saw them from different angles, and… and… Can't you see how these glyphs look like eyes? They seem to be moving and staring into all directions!"

Krycek stepped near him and said seriously, "No, Fox. I'm afraid I can't see them the way you see."

Mulder fell silent.

"You're trained in seeing madmen's drawings, aren't you?" Skinner quietly asked.

"Yes."

"Then what did you see, Mulder?"

The dancing glyphs? The strange gradual change in density that made the streams of lines looked like a moving waterfall when you tilted them in the right angle? The swirling circles that looked like lenses scooping on deep inside, revealing the chaos buried beneath the vulnerable dots, ready to explode?

"This isn't a madman's work," Mulder whispered. "Nor an artist."

Skinner raised his eyebrows. "Then what?"

"This… this person was a… *seer*."

The sudden silence felt overwhelming. Both Krycek and Skinner froze on their own places, and strangely hesitated to make a move and disturb the eerie scene.

Mulder turned toward Krycek. "It's not the drawing," he said. "It's the person who made it."

He nervously wiped his face. "I've met Spender," he continued, ignoring the startled looks on his friends. "I just knew that these were the ones important for him."

Krycek gritted his jaw, "Maybe this wasn't drawn by a human."

*************

Beth's next!