Heart Of Stone

Chapter 11

Lexis's POV:

Once the wolves are dealt with, I give Natasha the directions to my camp, which she reaches in about five or ten minutes. She finds me at the edge of my lake, back in my own bikini this time. "Are you alone?" I question.

"Yes," she confirms, telling the truth. "Thank you. For getting those wolves out the way."

"Not a problem," I reply. "So how did you find me?" "That bikini I loaned you has a tracking device," she shrugged. "You were tracking a washing line, then," I tell her, pointing behind me to where a line of rope tied between two trees contained her bikini, which I'd washed and hung up to dry.

"I was planning to return it at a more suitable hour, but since you are here you can take it with you," I say. She just stares at me for a minute, a skeptical look on her face. "Why would you risk the journey?" She asks after her little moment.

"Because it does not belong to me, so I cannot treat it as such," I reply. "That would be stealing. I cannot steal from you, especially since you helped to perhaps save my life. I stole enough from you already."

"Like what?" She questions. "Your time, your privacy, Bruce's freedom..." I offer. "His freedom?" Natasha seems interested now. "When I stopped him because he was... green... I took over his mind, in a way. He had no control. That is how I stopped him."

"What exactly are your powers?" Natasha demanded, taking a seat near the edge of the lake. "All of them."

Telepathy, mind reading, that is all I wish to discuss where the matter is concerned, I give her a pointed look. Do not test me, Natasha Romanoff, or I shall replay to you your darkest fears.

She instantly started thinking about things that made me shut myself away from her mind. "Metia dietans! I do not wish to be shown myself!" I say, closing my eyes and massaging my temples, my feet thankfully uncovering a ledge for me to stand on so I don't have to tread water.

"So, why is it that you came here?" I ask. "I wanted to tell you that Fury wants you on the team," Natasha warns me, though I can't tell if she meant it as such. "Oh, and that Steve's ready to wet himself because he's worried about you. He's the kind of guy who wants everyone safe and protected. He doesn't like that you're out here with wild animals."

"The animals protect me, if anything," I say. "They keep people at bay and they do not dare to harm nor oppose me. We get along quite well, in the end. We keep to ourselves and only bother one another when necessary. It is how we like it."

"Good," Natasha nodded. "As long as you're safe." "I am safer out here than out there," I shrug. "But while you are here it is not safe for either of us."

"Why neither of us?" She asks. "You have no idea what I am capable of," I sigh with a bored tone. "I could do whatever I like to you and while I am still in the water you cannot truly harm me."

"Did I mention I'm a trained assassin?" She gave me an equally bored look, but we both knew she was saying it in as joking a manner as she could muster when she wasn't completely comfortable around me. "Did I mention that I do not care for such information?" I shot back. "If this is all you have come for, please leave me in peace. I can arrange an escort if one would be necessary."

"Another animal, I presume?"

"That would be accurate, but they are just as reliable."

"Do you rely on the animals for everything?"

"This is a strange occurrence for me; to not remove someone from my home the instant they arrive. I am needing reinforcements to judge just how far I can allow you to go before you have overstayed your welcome."

"And how close am I to that?"

"Further than anybody has ever been before, but still close."

She looks at me for a moment, summing me up in silence, before changing the topic a little. "Are you any kind of threat to Earth?"

I actually laugh loudly at her question. Once I've calmed down, I answer. "I care not for anything on this world, only my solitude and freedom. I am content with my domain within this forest, however small. Why should I want to give up perfection only to witness the destruction of my paradise?"

"Fair enough," Natasha shrugged. "Well, you know where to find us if you ever need us... I'm guessing you do, anyway."

"Now that I have met you, I can simply enter your mind and ask for directions," I wave her off like a bug on my shoulder. "Do not worry, I only invade when necessary. Just follow the elk out."

Just then, I caused an elk to leap out of the trees. Natasha looked at it in surprise. "What power are you even using?" "It is called asking for a favour," I reply, not technically lying. "Now unless there's anything else, I must ask you to leave."

She wordlessly picked up her bikini and left, tossing me some kind of device. I caught it and looked at it curiously. "What is this?"

"Keep it with you at all times," she said simply. "If you need to talk to us and can't reach us with your mind, press the red button. Only use it for emergencies."

With that, she leads, following the elk. I watch her quickly fade into the darkness before sighing with relief, climbing out of the lake and wrapping a bearskin towel around myself. I'm quick to head inside, relishing in the warmth from the fireplace that was still lit.

Once I'd warmed up and dried off, I changed and went to bed, quickly asleep.