Winter's Immortal (CWAC Book One)

Chapter 13: Corvinus

Selene sinks her fangs into a Hydra contact, Steve's eyes widen as he watches, Natasha is unfazed by it.

"Where did they take Sergeant Barnes?" Natasha asks the contact who struggles in Selene's grasp.

"I don't know" Selene closes her eyes and searches his memories through his blood, she opens her eyes and snaps his neck.

"Oh my God" Steve looks unbelieving at Natasha.

"He didn't know" Selene states dropping the body.

"How could you tell?" Steve snaps. "You just killed him"

"When I drank his blood....I retained his memories....he had none regarding Bucky...." she moves to Steve. "Look...you want him back...so do I....he is the first person to look at me and not see the monster that I am....for my own sanity I need him around....I would murder the world....to get him back" Steve looks at her, blood stained lips and chin, glowing blue eyes, blurry with tears. "I will find him" she tells him before walking away, Steve looks to Natasha.

"Perhaps Bucky was as good for her as she was for him...." Steve motions to the body.

"This is good?"

"Before...before Bucky was taken...." Steve sighs running a hand through his hair. "Do you know I'd never seen her happy, not truly happy, not until after she'd met Bucky, not seeing someone happy in over thirty years is a very very long time....and I think it'd been so much longer....if it was the other way around, if this was Bucky searching for Selene, would you question his methods?" Steve sighs and looks to where Selene is cleaning her face.

"No, I wouldn't....." he looks to Natasha. "I want him back too"

"I know you do" she takes his hand. "Trust that with Selene we will find him..."

"I do" Steve tells her.

"Where next?" Selene asks looking to them, Natasha squeezes Steve's hand.

"If you can't watch" she motions to the body. "Then let me and Selene handle it"

"No, I need to be a part of this, I need to feel like I am doing something" Natasha nods and the pair head to Selene who raises an eyebrow.

...................................

"Good, you are awake, Sergeant Barnes" Bucky struggles against the bonds on her wrists. His eyes wildly scanning around him, for a sign of where he is or who has taken him. He snaps his head to the side as someone grabs his human arm. "My name is Marius" Bucky glares at him. "We have a mutual friend, you and I.....well....not so much friend to me....Selene, she's become a problem for my species..."

"You're a lycan" Bucky states, Marius smirks.

"I am....and more" he raises a hand and taps his jacket, Bucky glances to him, Bucky sighs and rests his head back.

"You are with Hydra" he states, Marius smirks. "That's just great....."

"I am....and we've been searching for someone with a special trait. A direct descendant of Alexander Corvinus..." Bucky looks to him. "A Hungarian, a warlord...who came to power in the early seasons of the fifth century. Just in time to watch a plague ravage his village. He alone survived. Somehow, his body was able to change the disease......mould it to his benefit. He became the first true immortal. And years later, he fathered at least two children......who inherited this same trait. The sons of the Corvinus clan"

"William and Marcus" Marius nods impressed.

"One bitten by bat, one by wolf......one to walk the Ionely road of mortality as a human......Our species do have a common ancestor. A mutation of the original virus...directly linked to his bloodline"

"But they are dead...."

"Yes......they were already a werewolf and already a vampire anyway and......We needed a pure source......untainted. An exact duplicate of the original virus......which we learned......was hidden away in the genetic code of his human descendants......and passed along in its latent form......down through the ages..." Marius smirks. "...all the way to you....James Buchanan Barnes"

"What?"

"For years, we tried to combine their bloodlines. And for years we failed. It was useless. Even at the cellular level, our species seemed destined to destroy each other. That is, until we found you......" Marius grabs a vial from the side and holds it up for Bucky to see. "The Corvinus strain allows for a perfect union...A triple-celled platelet......which holds unspeakable power" Bucky looks wide eyed at him, Marius smirks. "And all it is going to take....is a bite"

"No" Bucky shakes his head tugging on the restraints.

.................................

"The suns about to come up" Selene complains and looks to Natasha and Steve. "I have to..."

"It's okay" Steve tells her. "We'll keep looking......once the sun sets...come find us" she smiles and nods to him.

"We will find him" she tells him, Steve smiles back.

"I know we will" Selene grabs her coat from the back of a chair and pulls it on before leaving, Natasha stands.

"I'll be right back" she tells Steve before following Selene. "Babushka" Selene looks back and stops to allow Natasha to catch up with her. "Tell me" Selene raises an eyebrow at Natasha who smirks. "You feel for Bucky, don't you?"

"No" Selene answers, Natasha chuckles.

"I would murder the world to get him back" Natasha repeats. "You don't say that for someone you care nothing for....." Selene looks away. "It's okay to want something, Selene....and Bucky's good for you"

"I can't" Selene tells her. "To watch....to watch someone grow old and die.....I can't do that any more....." Natasha looks to her sadly. "I will find him, and I will bring him back.....and then I will leave"

"Babushka" Selene looks away.

"It's for the best" Selene tugs her coat straight. "Good morning, Natal'ya" Selene walks away, Natasha watches her go softly before turning and going back to Steve.