Hunter's Moon
Musings
Rating: NC-17
Archive: Anywhere, just give credit where credit is due
Feedback: Yes, please! Send all comments to nightshade@catlover.com
Author’s Notes: This crossover diverges from the Angel storyline in season two. Lindsey MacDonald never left Wolfram and Hart. His hand was returned to him and he and Lilah Morgan are still co-running the Special Projects Division. Fred has joined the team and has adjusted to life back on Earth. Kate Lockely, by necessity, is still on the police force. I’m not sure where in the X-Files to place it, but sometime in either season 4 or 5.
Summary: Mulder and Scully receive a call that there are bodies turning up in Los Angeles, bodies of unidentifiable creatures, all killed by the same unknown person with the same weapon. Unknown to Mulder and Scully, the Syndicate sends Krycek to find out what he can about the mysterious creatures and their killer.
File 09: Musings
Riley Hunter’s dressing room
Production stage 12
1:10 pm
He broke her grip and grabbed her waist, pulling her towards him. He crushed her mouth with his as he kissed her, sliding his hands down the sides of her thighs, and up the back to rest on her ass, gripping it as hard as he could.
She pushed him off, slapping him. “What the hell do you think you’re doing, asshole?”
“I’ll be honest with you,” he said hoarsely. “I find you incredibly attractive. As coarse as you are, you fascinate me. I’d really, really like to see you naked.”
Riley laughed at him. “In your dreams.”
“Whatever I dream likely wouldn’t be much of a stretch,” he said, indicating her clothes. “Your current attire leaves little to the imagination. Besides, I’ve always preferred the real thing to the imagination.”
“You’re quite the sick little puppy,” she commented.”
“So I’ve been told,” he replied, walking up to her. He grabbed her ass again, fondling it.
“Don’t you people have rules about being on the job?”
“So?” Mulder asked as he nibbled on her neck. “I’m performing an interrogation related to the investigation of a murder.”
“Interrogation? Really now!”
He brought his head up, bringing his face right up close to hers. “I don’t really believe that you’ve told me all you know about the Hunter. I have ways of getting information that aren’t officially recognized b the F.B.I.” He pressed his body up against hers suggestively.
“Lorne did mention that I’m not fond of men, didn’t he?”
“I don’t see why we should let that get in the way. You don’t have to like me; you just have to tell me what I want to know. If you enjoy yourself while I’m getting it out of you, where’s the harm?”
Before she could give him any kind of answer, his fingers slid up under the hem of her shorts, caressing the smooth skin beneath it. He pulled the cloth up to get a better feel for her ass. It was tight and well muscled, a sign of a woman that worked out regularly. Riley tried to push him away, but her strength failed her. Panic over took her, giving Mulder the edge he needed to get his hands up to her top, deftly working his hands underneath, pushing it up to let her average sized breast bounce loose. Swiftly, he bent his head to suck one of the perky nipples into his mouth. It caught her completely off guard.
Her mind reeled. What was wrong with her? She was stronger than him, so why couldn’t she push him away? For that matter, why couldn’t she just simply tell him to stop? Guiltily, she knew that it was curiosity. That little part of her mind wanted to know just how far he’d try and go before he either stopped or something interrupted. Besides, she knew full well that she was far too occupied with trying to figure out what happened to her strength to really do much with her body.
Taking her lack of movement as encouragement, Mulder managed to get her top off. He took a step back and decided that he should just start carrying a camera around with him. No one would ever believe him if he told them what he was looking at. He stepped back towards Riley and picked her up, carrying her over to the far wall, slamming her up against it, crushing her mouth with his. At this point, the baser part of Riley’s mind kicked in. Without giving her intellect any say in the matter, her legs wrapped around Mulder’s waist as she kissed him back just as hungrily. It was when he moved to kiss her throat that she finally snapped out of it. Even in her dazed state, she refused to allow him to touch her throat. Lucky for Mulder, the piercing ring of a phone interrupted before she could break his hold on her.
Mulder cursed under his breath as he let her down so that she could answer the phone. While she did so, he looked around the room. There were several costumes hanging on a long rack, ranging in style from mini skirts and low cut, revealing tops to the leather she wore in the movie she was currently making, and up to elaborate and fancy multilayered gowns. A long, black leather trench coat hung from a hook on the back of the door. Her street clothes were folded neatly on a shelf beside the dressing table. He picked her top off the floor and handed it to her. She smiled appreciatively and continued talking. Her face grew more an more concerned as the conversation went on.
She hung up and looked at him. “Much as I’d like to see this interrogation method of yours Agent Mulder, you’re going to have to trust that I’ve told you all I know. I have to go now. My friend needs to talk to me about something important that she couldn’t mention on the phone.”
“We could always continue our…conversation later,” Mulder suggested. “And please. Call me Fox.”
“If you insist.” She went over and unlocked the door. “I should get dressed. I can’t exactly leave as I am.”
“You don’t need to be shy around me.”
“It’s not shyness, it’s fairness,” she explained. “If you get to see me with no clothes on, then it’s only fair if you reciprocate. I’m in a hurry, so don’t offer. As it is, you got to see me topless. You owe me.”
“All the more reason to continue this later,” he said, sounding very pleased about that idea. “I’m staying at the Crown Palace Hotel. Or would you rather do this at your place? If it would make you more comfortable, that is.”
Riley sighed impatiently. “Could you just get going, please? This is really urgent.”
He nodded. “I get the point. I’ll see you later then,” he said as he left, being careful not to open the door anymore than was absolutely necessary.
She sighed and grabbed her bra, wishing as she put it on that she had time to hit the showers. She was all sweaty from practice and her skin crawled a little where Mulder –Fox– had touched her. It was worrying that her strength had just evaporated. His touch hadn’t been nearly as insistent as Krycek’s had been and yet she couldn’t get rid of him. What was going on?
She made a metal note to get a hold of someone who would know and finished getting dressed. Her shorts were replaced by tight fitting blue jeans and a wheat-colored t-shirt replaced the white top. She put her shoes on and headed off to meet her friend.
Production Stage 12
Just outside the gate
1:15 pm
Krycek sat in his car, grinning like a maniac as he watched Mulder’s rental pull out and head off. He started the engine and took off in the opposite direction. His unnamed source had been right. Mulder thought the Hunter was a woman. Interesting. As misguided as it was, the information might prove valuable to those at Wolfram and Hart, possibly enough to warrant a reward.
Idling at a stop light, he fingered the prosthetic with his good hand. Before going to Riley’s apartment, he’d viewed the possibility of a replacement with interest, but in light of recent events, it had become an obsession. He was going to show Riley that he was just a good as anyone else. As soon as he got a new arm, he was going to go to her place and finish what he started whether she was interested or not. It would be more fun if she was, though.
His smile widened as he accelerated through the intersection. If she wasn’t willing, well, there were drugs that would help with that.
Luigi’s Restaurant
1:42 pm
Scully looked up as Mulder walked and sat down in the chair opposite from her, apologizing for his lateness. He looked like he’d been through the ringer. His face was flushed and he was breathing heavily. His clothes were in disarray and his hair was a mess. Wolfram and Hart Krycek walked into Lilah’s office. She looked up and smiled broadly, flipping a hidden switch under her desk to keep her activities temporarily hidden from the security cameras. Krycek was no threat to her. He wanted that new arm pretty badly, so she doubted that he’d do anything to jeopardize his chances there. Linwood went back to Lilah’s office with her. Krycek looked up at them, a bored expression on his face. “Well?” Java Dive Riley pulled a chair out from the table and set down, slinging her jacket over the back of the one beside her. “Sorry I’m late,” she apologized. “The traffic is abysmal at this time of day.”
“Are you feeling ok, Mulder?”
“You look like hell,” she observed. “What happened to you?”
“Got chased by a large, vicious cat,” he explained. “I had to make a run for it.”
“Did you learn anything?”
Did I ever… he said to himself. Out loud, he said, “Yes, but not what I wanted to.”
“Spill it, Mulder.”
He recounted the day’s events. The first two women on the list were so horrified at the thought of being under investigation from the F.B.I that they’d cooperated fully. They didn’t know anything useful. Riley, on the other hand…
“Is this the same Riley from Caritas and from the charity ball?” Scully asked, intrigued.
“Yes, and she’s just as hot today as she was both of those times.” Something in Mulder’s expression bothered Scully, but she didn’t say anything. “It seems that she and Lorne are both familiar with this Hunter. I got a name that may or may not be the Hunter’s real first name: Alexis.”
“That’s more than we knew before, at any rate,” Scully admitted. “It’s still not much to go on.”
“I got the feeling that she knew more than she was saying though, so I invited her to come to the hotel if she felt like talking some more. If she doesn’t, I know where she works and could easily find her home.”
“Why didn’t you press her for more?”
Oh, but I did…Press and squeeze, as well. Biting likely would have followed if it hadn’t been for that damned phone! “We were interrupted. Her phone rang. One of her friends needed to talk to her quite badly. About what, she didn’t say, but she looked upset about it.” Way to go, Fox. Lying to your partner. She’ll take that easier than the truth, though.
“I see. Well, you still have that other lead to look into. Maybe that one’s actually the Hunter.”
“Her name isn’t Alexis, it’s Tanya, but we can’t really be sure that the Hunter would tell Riley her real name, so it’s possible. How did your work go?”
“Well, I told you about the lack of registry. I went to the Hyperion to ask about the bodies. Turns out that the different species decompose differently. This makes a time of death nearly impossible to determine, especially with the rapidly decomposing ones.”
“Huh. That’s useful to know, in any case.” A waiter walked up and took their orders. “I don’t know about you, Scully, but I’m starving!” It took almost all of my energy to hold Riley up against that wall. She’s not heavy, but it was awkward. I’ve never done it before, but I liked it.
“I’m not so hungry right now, but I will be when my meal gets here,” she replied, smiling.
Same time
She got up and met him halfway to her desk. “Back for more?” she whispered huskily in his ear.
“I have information, but it’ll cost you.”
She traced a finger down the side of his neck. “What’s your price?”
“For this, the previous information I gave you, and your unwelcome intrusion into my room this morning, I want a new arm.”
“My, my. Aren’t we demanding? Don’t tell me you didn’t enjoy that.”
“Actually, no, I didn’t. You were just convenient. Oh, and don’t pretend that you didn’t want it either. You’re the one who came into my room and threw herself at me.”
Lilah tossed her head sending her long brown hair flying. “I never said that. You did exactly what I wanted you to, though I will admit it didn’t go as I’d planned. I’m not going to complain about the results.”
Krycek looked down at her impatiently. “Do we have a deal or do I take what I know elsewhere? There are a lot of people looking for the Hunter, you know.”
She sighed and stepped back. “Let me go clear it with my superiors.”
Lilah left him alone in the office while she went to go talk with Linwood, biting back a string of curses as she did so. He really must be stuck on her, she mused, waiting for Linwood to let her into his office. I wonder what this information of his is?
“We agree to your terms. Information first, then your arm.”
Krycek shook his head. “No. Arm first or no deal. I don’t trust you people.”
“Why should we trust you?”
“What choice do you have? I know what you don’t. You need me. On the other hand, I don’t really need that arm to keep living. Your call.”
The two lawyers exchanged a look. “Fine. You’ll get your arm and then you tell us everything that you know.”
“Deal.”
1:45 pm
Fred shook her head, smiling. “Don’t worry about it. I was almost late, too. I ordered you your usual. They’re still making it.”
“Thanks, Fred.”
“No problem.”
“So what’s the crisis?”
Fred leaned forward. “It’s those F.B.I agents. One of them, Scully, was at the hotel today asking about demon decomposition.”
“One showed up at work today,” Riley said, shuddering.
“Really? Mulder, right?”
“Yeah, that’s him.” Riley sat quietly for a minute. “What is it about me? Why do all men feel the intense need to put their hands all over me?”
Fred gave her an odd look. “He didn’t…did he?”
“Admittedly, I don’t get a lot of men telling me that they want to see me naked. Most just want a fuck and that’s all.” She snorted. “As if they’ll get it.”
“What happened?”
“I don’t know.” Her earlier feeling of panic came back. “I froze. My strength vanished. If he hadn’t gone for my throat, he would have gotten away with it, too. He’s still breathing only because of your well-timed phone call.”
“That’s a relief.”
“Get this, though. He had the nerve to suggest that I come to his hotel room later so that we can finish our ‘conversation’.”
Fred giggled. “If only he knew.”
“He’s not going to. No one is. Ever!”
The savagery in Riley’s voice sobered Fred up instantly. “This is really getting uncomfortable. I can tell that the others want me to say something, but I can’t. I promised, but…well, you know. I’ve had to tell repeatedly that you’re not another Slayer. I don’t know what to do. The guys are doing everything they can to find the Hunter, even going through old prophecies and myths.”
“They want her that badly, huh?” The waiter came with their drinks. They paid him and continued. “They’re looking in the wrong places.”
“Wesley thinks that one of the prophecies he’s trying to translate has something to do with her, something about a Hunter’s Moon. He doesn’t have a lot of it translated yet.”
Riley mulled it over as she took a sip of the creamy orange drink. “Let me know if he finds something useful in it. Any idea where it came from?”
“It’s some old, musty demon prophecy. I can’t remember which demon, though.”
“Just as long it’s not vampires or apocalypse demons.”
“I don’t think so.”
“Good. It looks like I have some work to do. Thanks for the tip off, Fred. I appreciate it. I know how hard it is to keep the silence, but we’re sworn, remember? We don’t have a choice.”
Fred shrugged, resigned to it. Her eyes brightened suddenly and she leaned in again. “So what was that party like?”
“Boring, like they always are. You remember that Krycek fellow? He was there, chatting with Lindsey.”
Fred frowned. “What could those two possibly have in common?”
“They’re both soulless, evil scum bags with missing limbs.”
“He’s missing one?”
“His left arm, to be exact.” Riley then told her what had happened at the party and afterwards, everything up to when she locked her door that night, shutting Krycek out.
Fred flinched. “Are you feeling ok, Riles? Before all of this started going down, you never would have let him into your apartment, never mind let him touch you.”
Riley rested her elbows on the table, cupping her face with her hands. “I don’t know, Fred. Things have been weird for a few days now.”
“How so?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know how to describe it. Lorne wasn’t able to help out much at all, either. I’m not sure if I should be reassured or terrified by that.”
“I’d be afraid,” Fred told her bluntly. “He’s never really failed to help before.”
Riley sighed and shook her head. “There is someone who would know; I just haven’t been able to get a hold of her yet.”
“Well, I hope it turns out to be nothing. You can’t really afford to be any less than at your best.”
“There’s no need to remind me,” Riley said, finishing off her drink. “Sorry to cut this short, but I really should try and contact her again. Let me know if you need to talk to me again. If your friend digs up more on this prophecy, let me know, too.”
Fred nodded. “Anything I can do to help.”