Fatal Attractions [Charles Xavier | Book One]

Chapter 14: Love and Promises

        Maybe it wasn't the attraction, not to be confused with the lust that every human held inside of them. It was more than the need to be touched and caressed like a treasure—not for money, jewels, or dresses. It was a different sensation, to feel that sense of affection and kindness. Love. That's what Charles said to her, the two of them sharing those three words between them like prayers to each other spoken aloud and shared within.

        It was one thing to hold a physical connection with someone, but to form a mental bond like they had. . . Their connection had never felt so indefinitely infinite. As though time itself would have stopped for their lovemaking, the night lost to their love.

        It was more than the connection Kat felt to him when they met. It was the telepathic connection they made after Kat took in Charles's power for herself. It was the way they understood each other, the comfort taken with one another. The importance of each other; that and so much more.

        It was everything. Everything from the way Charles touched her to the way he said her name against her lips, against her bare skin. It was enough to forget the weight of the world that would fully rest on their shoulders when the sun would rise the next day. It was enough to forget about the pain they had both endured from the world. It was a reminder that love existed in such a seemingly corrupted world.

        And together, they loved perfectly.

        The record had stopped playing long ago, the fire in the fireplace down to only bring a dim light to the room. Kat felt no less warm as she laid with her head rested against Charles's chest, listening to his heartbeat while Charles ran his fingers through her hair, making her purr gently.

        "You're thinking too much, love."

          Kat huffed, her cat ears twitching. "I'm really not."

        "I mean about tomorrow. You're scared."

        "Of course I'm scared," Kat said almost incredulously. "Scared of what could happen when we get there. Because what hat if we can't stop this?  What if World War III is inevitable?"

        "The future is never truly set," Charles tried to reassure her, though that only made her sit up to look at his face.

        "Is it, Charles?" She asked defensively. "Anything could happen; you know that."

        "We will stop Shaw."

        "How? By killing him, like Erik plans to?"  Kat was staring almost hopelessly at Charles, trying to look for an answer in his eyes. "You and I both know that killing won't fix anything."

        "So it won't. And it's up to us to keep that from happening tomorrow."

        "I'm afraid of us failing. Afraid that we could lose someone tomorrow like we lost Darwin that night when Shaw showed up with his men."

        "That's not all you're afraid of," Charles said, shaking his head.

        Immediately, Kat's eyes brimmed with tears. "Don't make me say it."

        Charles already knew what was thinking. He took her hand in his and intertwined their fingers, pulling her close with his other. "You're not going to lose me, Christiana. And I won't lose you. I won't let it happen."

        "Charles, you don't know th—"

        "I won't let it happen." He held her close and squeezed her hand in his. "I promise."