Part 27: Rock and A Hard Place

                                    

                                          
Toxic was less than a block away when he reached a dead end, a row of slum buildings so tightly pressed together that the car would simply not fit through. Groaning in annoyance, he shut the Lamborghini down. 
He grabbed his handheld off the dash and easily squeezed through the miniscule alleyway. 
                          
It was dark, he couldn't see very well. Reaching into his inner jacket pocket he pushed a small button down; releasing a tiny electromagnetic pulse that ran through the entirety of his bright green long coat, causing the microscopic pores of the fabric to open, and allowing the glowing lime radiation to seep through, turning his jacket into an almost average piece of attire. This allowed him to glow freely, and see ahead of himself as he made his way deeper into the slum. 
                          
Take that reversible sweaters. 
Hearing a commotion up ahead, he quickly powered his jacket back on to mask his presence. A flash of fabric reflected ahead in the light. It was a cape, but it was silver, not the gold one he was looking for. Silently and stealthily he crept closer, using only one un-gloved hand to light the way. 
                          
"So, miss high and mighty is asking me for something?" A foreign baritone voice chuckled. 
Toxic ducked into the nearest alleyway. He recognized that voice. It was one he had heard on TV many times.
The superhero who called himself Dauntless. The one his hero had frequently complained about.
                          
"A pompous English douchebag." 
Were her exact words. 
He had his hand around the neck of someone. 
A strange possessiveness took hold of the American bad guy when he realized the person Dauntless had his hands on was Galaxy Girl.
                          
"Yes...Now let me go!" She replied, voice unusually unsteady. 
The Englishman's dingy green eyes clouded over in a way that was quite unsettling. He didn't let go, instead, his hand on her stomach moved to her hip, and he pressed himself against her.
She was trapped between him and the wall. A rock and a hard place.
                          
"If you want me to do something for you, you're going to have to do something for me. I think I know just the thing…" Dauntless mumbled into her neck, drooling all over it. 
                          
Instinctively reading his voice, the contents of his lust fueled intentions caused the young, self-proclaimed emotionless bad guy to be over-filled with an indescribable rage. At that moment he finally understood the phrase: "So angry my blood boiled.", because he could practically feel his blood sizzling away inside of him. 
                          
Toxic had never experienced much emotion firsthand, being the hyper intelligent creature that he viewed himself to be. But now, he could feel every inch of his surprisingly human body engulfed in many, powerful emotions. 
                          
He froze, unable to think straight, or even move one inch.
The redheaded hero's hand that had been on her neck now slowly started sliding down. 
                          
"No, Dauntless stop!" Galaxy Girl cried out in alarm, trying to wriggle out from under him, but despite her efforts, he had her pinned. What's wrong with her? Why doesn't she just push him off? 
Toxic felt his hands ball into tightly clenched fists at his sides.
                          
Her struggle caused some of the bricks around them to come loose and smash against the pavement. 
She was never used to hands on her. Even before the whole dancing gig with Toxic. People in general, besides her parents, just didn't touch her.  Sure; in battles or training she'd been kicked and punched, but this was different, this was wrong. 
"Dauntless, GET OFF OF ME!" 
Galaxy cried out; a single tear rolling down her cheek. 
                          
Toxic had never seen his pride filled arch rival cry before. The sight of those tear stained eyes sent him into a rage fueled frenzy. She'd never cried before, but then again she has never been in this situation before. Usually, she'd probably just kick his ass; she'd done it before many times on the training mats. But tonight wasn't like any other night; her brain was still reeling from her not quite finished panic attack. 
                          
That's when he did it; he brought his drooly, alcohol-stenched mouth over hers in a drunken kiss. Her first kiss. Forced on her by someone she passionately disliked. Now she didn't just dislike him; she hated him. Toxic completely lost it. At that point he didn't care that the super strong, impervious uber-male would probably just throw him into the earth's core the second he stepped in. 
                          
He didn't even think about that. 
Seeing Galaxy Girl violated like that released something foreign inside him, something primal.
                          
Galaxy was just about to bite into his lip, determined to rip it off when suddenly Dauntless gasped in pain, and pulling back from her, his body went stiff as a board. A glowing green hand was clamped firmly on his shoulder, a soft long fingered one she'd recognize anywhere. It was Toxic. 
                          
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Hello flowers! 
                          
Bonus chapter today! Yay! And another one coming right up tomorrow. 
Im trying to get more traffic to this story, as it was my first ever written, and I have a huge favor to ask that would help me out tremendously. 
As always, if you would kindly give this latest chapter your star (vote), but also if you could find it in your absolutely golden hearts to go back through the previous chapters and just keep tapping that vote star as you do. 
A burst of votes will help the placing of this book into new readers recommended reads, and bring more people here to join us. 
Thank you guys so much, and I can't wait to hear what you thought. 
                          
Much love,
                          
_QueenOfGeeks