Disclaimer: All the character that you recognize belong to Laurell K Hamilton. Those that you don’t are the property of yours truly. So back off :oP Oh and if you don’t like the story don’t read it. The back button is up there ^^^^^^^
God my head hurt I thought. With quiet a bit of effort I pried my eyelids apart and a blinding light hit me it intensified my head ache. I groaned and blinked my eyes slowly. Where the hell was I, and why the hell did my head hurt? Finally my eyes cleared enough for me to see the ceiling it looked like standard industry issue, the kind used in retail stores, police buildings, and hospitals. Hospitals, just the word made me shiver, I’ve never liked them whenever you were in them things were never hugs and puppies. You got those when you got out of the hospital. At that thought I chuckled to myself.
I couldn’t take not knowing any longer I turned my head a little and could see the monitors. Shit! It seemed I was in the hospital. Now it was time to find out why. I groped the side of the bed looking for the controls that would help me sit up and call the nurse. After what seemed like hours I finally found it with a sigh of relief. I set myself up and then pushed the button for the nurse and was rewarded with silence. My brow wrinkled that couldn’t be a good sign. I tried it again and got the same response. Distantly I heard it. It sounded like a stampede coming in the direction of my room. I crossed myself and said a quick prayer that whoever warranted such a response wouldn’t be that bad off. As I sat waiting for the damn nurse I looked around the room, it was a typical hospital with the white walls and ceiling and a mounted TV in the far corner. I continued to look around the room and noticed that the rush had stopped. The person must be in the room next to mine since I seemed to be alone.
Gasps brought my attention to the door. I was shocked; they were here for me. Unable help myself I laughed. The hospital staff looked thoroughly confused. Uh-oh that was not a good sign at all. Calming down a bit I asked if my doctor was present they all nodded. Jesus my head was hurting again, please don’t let them be dumb struck. I asked if my doctor would please step forward, because I had some questions. Finally a good-looking woman about fortyish stepped forward she had white blonde hair and a warm smile on her face. Her smile made me smile too. Motioning to the rest of the staff, “What are all of you doing here,” I asked my voice rusty like I hadn’t used it in a while.
“Well we’re here because you called for a nurse,” she said in a voice that matched her smile, warm, was the only way to describe it.
“I called for a nurse not the whole damn floor staff,” I said somewhat irritably.
“Well sweetie we all came because you are not suppose to be awake,” she said in the same kind of voice.
“Why the hell shouldn’t I be awake,” fear beginning to thread its was into my voice.
“Because you were in a coma. That is quite unusual for a lycanthrope,” her voice reasonable.
Lycanthrope? What the hell is going on? There is no such thing I thought to myself. Apparently the inmates run the asylum. I made a face. The only place lycanthropy existed was in books, and this was no fucking book. The only books I read that would allow this was the Anita Blake series. The doctor just chuckled. Okay now it was time to find out what in the blue hell was really going on here. “Lycanthrope,” I asked.
“Apparently you were attacked by some kind of cat, because it didn’t show up until about a three days after you were admitted,” she stated in that damn reasonable voice. Before it had calmed my nerves, now it was just irritating.
“So how long have I been out,” I tried for my best reasonable tone and was rewarded was a flat sounding voice instead.
“About three weeks, you were left out in front of the hospital and no one saw a thing,” still in that infuriating reasonable tone.
“Okay,” I said slowly, “So where the hell am I.”
“In the isolation ward,” again with that damnable voice.
“More specific please,” I said impatiently.
“St. Louis, Missouri,” she said a little confused. Well it was nothing compared to the way that I felt. What the hell was I doing in St. Louis. Sure I had wanted to believe that Anita’s world existed but to be thrust into it? Wait a minute what if I’m in some kind of delusion. Oh shit, I thought with sudden distress. Seeing my distress the doctor said that maybe we should wait before continuing our discussion. I vetoed that on the spot. I wanted answers and I wanted them now.
“Okay did anything else show up with me,” I asked trying to figure out how deep a hole I was in.
“Yes there was a gym bag with some clothes and books and your purse was with it,” her voice concerned.
“Well can you at least tell me who the hell I am,” I asked annoyed. It was something I should have known but didn’t and before the doctor could answer I asked another question. “And why don’t I know what my name is shouldn’t I at least be able to remember that much?”
“Well the reason you don’t remember could be because there was massive trauma to your head, face, back and stomach. In answer to your first question the name on the ID was Aluna Marie Bastion.” She said in her best business voice.
“Luna,” I said without looking at her when she said my name.
“Excuse me,” the doctor said.
“Just call me Luna everyone else does,” I stated in an unemotional voice. Now where the hell did that come from I thought. How the hell did I know what everyone called me? Until she told me my name I didn’t even know what it was. I frowned my headache was back with a vengeance. I sighed, it seems that I followed the white rabbit down the hole to wonderland. Now the only question was how deep did the hole go?
“Well when can I expect to be released,” I asked somewhat tiredly. I wanted out of here fast.
“What,” the doctor asked clearly surprised that I would want to leave.
“When. Can. I. Get. Out.” I said each word slowly like she was a backward child.
“Well I really don’t think that such a good idea, the full moon is only about a week away and you have no idea how bad the first change can be on someone such as yourself,” her tone clearly indicating whom she thought the backward child was.
“Fuck that, I am not staying here any longer than absolutely necessary,” I stated vehemently.
“In order for me to release you I would need you to sign a release stating that you are aware of what you are giving up and that you will in no way hold the hospital responsible for any actions that you commit after you leave here,” her business tone was back. “Also we need to run some more tests to make sure that you don’t have any lingering effects from the attack, and the police are going to want to speak with you.”
“Fine bring the papers, run your damn tests and get the police so I can get the hell out of here,” I was fast losing my patience talking with this doctor. I’m a 26-year-old adult she couldn’t treat me this way. Hold the phone, I remembered how old I was. I smiled at that thought. Maybe if I didn’t force it I would remember it all eventually. It was an encouraging thought.
The doctor stood went to the door where the whole staff was still assembled. She gave some directions and they scattered like flies. She turned and looked at me with a look that was both pained and annoyed. Funny I seemed to get that look a lot.
Without saying another word she left the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts. Why couldn’t I remember anything why did I think this wasn’t the real world? I had a lot of questions but too few answers. Finally I decided to watch TV at least it would occupy my mind and I wouldn’t be forced to deal with facts that were just too far fetched for me.
A few minutes later a nurse came in with a tray of food that could have been last weeks garbage but I found I was incredibly hungry and ate it all anyway. The nurse came back and asked if I would like anything else, I asked her for some water. She brought the water and another nurse this one had a bunch of vials and a cup. Oh crap, it looked like they needed blood and urine. They took the blood without a problem from me but the urine I was going to need a little help with. I told them that I felt like I hadn’t peed in ages they just laughed and said it was probably the catheter. With help of both of them and my high tolerance for pain the damn thing was finally removed and due to some help from one of the nurses present I was able to provide the specimen that they needed.
About an hour later the doctor came back with all the necessary forms that needed to be filled out before I left the hospital. I was informed that the police were on their way and would be here soon. I asked the doctor for my gym bag and my purse. She gave them to me without comment. Her face was set she disapproved of me leaving that was fine she wasn’t my mother. I asked her if I would be able to shower. She said that I probably could but if I needed help to push the button for the nurse’s station. Again I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and picked up my gym bag and surprisingly enough I didn’t need as much help from the doctor. She said that was a good sign it meant that I was healing properly. When we got to the bathroom she showed me the emergency call button and took her leave.
I looked at the shower and saw it had one of those fold down seats in it, and of course there was the handrail as well. I closed the door to the bathroom and rummaged around in my bag and took out a pair of jeans a white t-shirt that said ‘as a matter of the world does revolve around me’. I chuckled a little at the shirt. Next were the bra and panties both a white satin and lace configuration. Finally in one of the outside pockets I found the toiletries. Turning on the water as hot as I could stand it I got in letting it remove any filth that the hospital staff may have missed. I washed my hair brushed my teeth and even shaved my legs and pits feeling 100% better I got out of the shower. Dried myself off as best I could with the thin towels and got dressed and when I rummaged around in my purse I found a woman’s black Armitron sports watch, I put it on I always felt a little lost without my watch. There we go again I thought to myself, just how the hell do I know what I normally feel, I couldn’t remember shit. Angrily I left the bathroom and went to sit on the freshly made bed while I waited for the police to arrive. With brush in hand I happened to glance up at the TV there on the screen in front of me was a news broadcast with Anita Blake the vampire executioner helping the police solve some crime or other. My heart just stopped. That couldn’t be right, if she was real then so was everything else. Oh Jesus please let me not be crazy I prayed. With difficulty I pried my eyes away from the TV to brush my hair. I was putting the finishing touches on my braid when in walked a black man well dressed from the look of him, it must be Detective Clive Perry.
He introduced himself as such and all I could do was stare. I knew it was impolite but I couldn’t seem to make myself stop. And then without thinking I blurted out, “How is your son Detective Perry?” He looked taken aback. I slapped a hand over my mouth and wide eyed stared at him. He asked me if I could wait a few minutes more until the rest of group could arrive. I just nodded what else could I do I had just knocked him for a loop. Turning off the television I could hear people talking in the hallway. I stayed seated on the bed but turned to face the door. I was totally unprepared for what walked through the door next. It was Anita, *the* Anita Blake, I freaked it’s the only way to describe it. Watching her walk toward me was torture the closer she got the heavier the air felt she was upset about something. That much was clear and her upset combined with my distress set into motion things that I couldn’t understand. I held up a hand as if to ward her off and saw her stumble. I felt rather than saw an answering power one that seemed to talk to me, it was soothing, calming me down. I don’t know how she did it I just know that she did.
She stood about a foot away and asked me my name and date of birth I gave them to her. Then Detective Perry walked in again, and they began to question me about my attack. I told them that I couldn’t remember much and that the doctor talked like I had amnesia whether or not it was permanent was in question. They turned to leave and I couldn’t bear to see Anita walk away from me. I felt like I had been rejected, but that was silly. Why would I feel like I was being abandoned, she had no ties to me at least none that I knew of anyway. Anita seemed to notice my distress and said that she would be back in a little bit to talk with me some more. I just nodded what else could I do, I had nowhere to go and knew no one in this city. Oh great I thought now I’m throwing a pity party. I pulled my knees up to my chest and laid my forehead on them.
True to her word in about five minutes I felt rather than saw Anita come back in my room. She was moving towards me slowly, like I was a dangerous animal. At that thought I gave a self-depreciating laugh. “Aluna,” she said softly.
“Luna,” I said just as quietly.
“Luna,” she began again, “do you know what happened to you,” her voice still soft. I just shook my head I was near tears. I didn’t know anyone in this city, had very little money on me, and no visible means of transportation. I was so alone that I didn’t know what to do. “Do you have any place to go,” she asked me her voice still soft. Again I shook my head. “Do you know anyone here,” she continued. I gave her the same response as before, and then the tears began to fall. There weren’t the usual sounds of someone who cried just the noisy in take of air on my part. She put her hand on the top of my head and started petting. I think she finally understood what my problem was. She told me to get my stuff that she was going to take me to meet some people.
I looked at her and finally spoke in a tear filled voice, “I don’t wanna go to a half-way house.” She looked shocked, I couldn’t say I blamed her it was how I felt when I woke up here. She told me that she promised that she wasn’t going to take me to a halfway house. Something told me instinctively that she would keep her word. Satisfied I picked up my purse and put it on. It was a backpack type purse. Hefted the gym bag onto my shoulder and waited for her to lead the way. We had to stop at the nurse’s station to drop off my paperwork. After waiting for my receipts we left. We got in her jeep and I immediately buckled my seatbelt, not to appease her but because that was habit. There I go again I thought miserably.
We drove for about twenty minutes or so. She slowed down in front of the Circus of the Damned. The tacky vampire clown was thankfully out. But it was only a few minutes before sunset and soon it would be open for business. Anita pulled around to the back and parked in the employee parking lot. There weren’t many others maybe three other cars besides hers. We got out of the jeep. I asked her if I would need my gym bag she just shook her head. I nodded, locked and closed the door. Walked around to the front of the jeep once again waiting for her. Anita led the way to the entrance and pulled out the keys and unlocked the door. We were soon walking down the long flight of stairs that led to the secret lair of the Master of the City.
At the bottom of the stairs she knocked at the iron bound door I probably could have opened it myself but the way I was feeling I didn’t want to push my luck and end up looking like a fool. A blonde that could only have been Jason opened it, he was wearing a pair of black leather pants that looked painted on. He seemed to notice that I was looking at him and his gaze turned to me. Then he turned on the charm and turned me off. He stood there like he was posing for Playgirl. I just snorted at his antics, being good looking didn’t get you very far with me. You had to have brains as well as beauty to even catch my attention for more than 3 seconds.
Anita apparently had run out of patients with him. “Knock it off Jason and just let us in I want to introduce her to Jean-Claude,” she said in a voice that warred between annoyed and amused. But something must have changed in my demeanor because she reached back and rubbed her hand up and down my arm saying, “It’s okay he won’t bite, at least not this time,” she said soothingly. As if she was uncomfortable with what she was doing she dropped her hand. I just nodded and followed her through the door. The ‘living room’was done in black and white like I had expected it had two white over stuffed couches with a pair of matching chairs also done in the over stuffed style, there were also multicolored pillows thrown on the furniture to match the Persian rug on the floor.
The picture above the faux fireplace captured my attention. I walked directly to it and was studying it, Asher was whole and looked very much like an angel come down from heaven, the eyes held a wealth of knowledge that human eyes were never meant to hold. He looked content though, as if all was right with the world. I knew that shortly after this picture had been painted that he had lost his beloved Julianna. Next I turned my attention to Jean-Claude he was every bit as stunning his sapphire eyes seemed to hold power even through the painting. His mouth captured my attention it seemed to be begging to be kissed. I laughed at myself for such thoughts.
I turned back to the room Anita was nowhere to be found, however Jason was lounging on one of the white over stuffed couches. I walked over to the one he was on and knocked his feet off the end and took off my purse and set it on the floor next to the couch. I sat down Jason just raised an eyebrow at my behavior, then promptly put his feet on me. His look saying I wouldn’t let his feet stay where they were. I laughed out right then, a joyous burst of sound. I raised my own eyebrow at him and asked playfully, “Am I the footstool now?”
“Yes,” he said, “You could be my bed later if you like,” he stated wiggling his eyebrows at me.
“Yep could be, why don’t you hold your breath until that happens,” I said laughing. He joined me in my laughter.
I yawned I was feeling incredibly tired and for no reason. I scrunched down on the couch trying in vain to get comfortable so I could just take a little catnap. Jason seemed to noticed my discomfort and scooted over a little so that I could lay down next to him. I moved next to him I rested my head on his arm and felt his other arm wrap around my waist. I was asleep before I thought to stop it.
The next thing I knew Jason was shaking me awake. “What,” I growled; did I mention that I don’t wake up well at all? Jason chuckled and leaned in. “You kiss me and you can kiss your furry ass good-bye,” I said still trying to wake up. At that he laughed at my behavior. I realized there was no way I was going to be allowed to go back to sleep. Sighing I sat up and rubbed my eyes and ran a hand over my hair and realized that my braid was falling out. I stretched to help me wake up as well as get the blood flowing again.
Anita was standing there in black jeans, black polo shirt and the typical black Nikes and it looks like black socks. Had she been wearing that before, I tried to remember and thought, “Oh to hell with it.” Next to her was Jean-Claude he was absolutely gorgeous. He was wearing black leather pants so tight you knew he wasn’t wearing any thing underneath them. He was wearing a frilly white shirt with laces up the front left undone, it looked like a pirate’s castoff. His hair was a wavy mass that just passed the line of his shoulders. Finally I looked at his face his lips were full and sensual, I looked into his eyes before I thought about it and was surprised by just how blue they really are, and then I remembered not to stare into his eyes and quickly dropped my gaze.
My reaction didn’t go unnoticed, he laughed, and it was a touchable sound. It was like silk sliding across bare skin. I gasped I couldn’t help it. Angry at my reaction to it, and him, “Don’t do that again,” my voice low with a threat of violence to it. He laughed again, and it was just a laugh nothing to it. That was fine with me as long as he didn’t think I was going to become a midnight snack.
He said in a voice thick with amusement, “You remind me of someone else I know.” I was betting he was talking about Anita, but hey I’d been wrong before so this wouldn’t be the first time. “Did you require something food, drink, anything,” he asked in his cultured accent.
I tried to get my tired brain to function my headache was coming back. “Pepsi and a cigarette, and after those I may actually be coherent enough to function properly,” I said still yawning. Jason got up off the couch and disappeared without a word. Here’s to hoping he went in search of my Pepsi and a cigarette. I highly doubted it because when I mentioned the cigarette Anita made a noise of disgust. Oh well she didn’t know what she was missing I thought to myself. My top priorities once I was dressed, and even then it was optional, get caffeine and nicotine, either order didn’t matter to me as long as both those things happened fairly shortly after I woke up.
Jean-Claude cleared his throat. Slowly I turned to look at him, not at his eyes mind you, but just his mouth. “I am Jean-Claude Master of the City for St. Louis, and you are,” he said in a formal tone.
“My full name or what you can call me,” I asked not trying to be a pain but because I didn’t know how much I wanted to tell him just yet. He sighed like I was making the difficult on purpose. I shot a glance at Anita she seemed to be amused with the way I was dealing with Jean-Claude. Master of the City or not it just wasn’t in my job description to kiss anyone’s ass. Even as good-looking as the ass might be.
“Your full name please,” he said exasperatedly.
“Why,” I asked. Now I was doing it to piss him off.
It seemed to be working, because he said, “Because I have asked and you will answer.” The voice tricks were back I flinched as each word seemed to hit me. Now he had done it I hadn’t had my caffeine or my nicotine and now he wants to cow me into submission. I think not.
“Well just because you asked doesn’t mean I’m going to answer you. And let’s get one thing straight I will not back down because you think I’m some little peon not worthy of your time.” I was fuming and met his gaze openly, I was pissed it’s the only explanation I could come up with for what happened next. It left me open, exposed.
His eyes became a solid sapphire blue, deep enough to drown in. Realizing too late what was I had done I did the only thing I could think of I curled my hands into balls and kept squeezing them until I could feel the blood running from the cuts my nails had made. Finally the pain registered in my brain and I was able to break the eye contact, but it was like he let me go.
He had made his point; he was more powerful than I was. I was down and not out, and that was his mistake. What ever had been holding myself together before just seemed to disappear, and all that was left in its wake was a blinding rage. An inner voice was telling me to claw his throat out to humiliate him like he had me. I growled, actually growled, damn it. Suddenly it felt as if my body was on fire and I was the wood. I screamed high, shrill, and pain filled. Now I was fighting, I would not do this. I couldn’t do this, tears were streaming down my face as I tried to maintain my human form. Before I had thought this was just some crazy dream and I would wake up eventually. The pain was intense it felt like my body was trying to come apart. Into that madness came a calming presence that made the beast retreat to the dark region assigned by my brain. Feeling weak as a newborn kitten I laid there taking grateful gulps of air.
The rational part of my brain told me I had done it now. If Anita was going to help she wasn’t now. I started crying again. Jesus, Luna that was incredibly stupid of you, you have thrown the only opportunity you had right out the window. Then seeing how ridiculous I must look I stopped crying, and it was like turning off the tap. The tears were flowing down my face one minute and gone the next. I dried my face on my arm and sat up hugging my knees to my chest and just stared straight ahead. My breathing a little ragged but the room was strangely silent, I was sorely tempted to look to see if I had been left alone here, but didn’t give in.
Anita said in a tired voice, “I guess we have our answer, she’s a leopard.” I looked sharply at Anita, my anger beginning to flare again. This had been a setup. Sensing what was happening she stated in a flat voice, “We had to know what kind of cat you were, if I hadn’t been able to help calm you down you would have been either a tiger or lion.”
She didn’t say any more and I didn’t feel like talking so I just sat there. Jason bless his heart came back carrying a couple of Pepsis and a pack of cigarettes. I couldn’t help it I smiled like a fool. He stopped a few feet away from us sensing the tension in the air. I made an annoyed sound. I wanted my Pepsis and my cigarettes, and I figured I had earned both. At that Jason came the last few feet to me and handed me the Pepsis and the cigarettes and a book of matches.
I popped the top on one and down it in about a minute, I sighed and wiped my mouth on the back of my arm. Then packing the cigarettes and flipping a ‘lucky’ pulled one and lit it. Blowing the smoke out, I was feeling much improved. Ah life couldn’t get better, I had my cigarette and had just had one of my Pepsis. A small smile playing on my face I looked around the room. Jason looked shocked whether it was because of the speed I had downed the Pepsi or something else was hard to tell. Anita was easier to read she looked tired bored and annoyed, not a good combination either she hadn’t gotten enough sleep or something else was bothering her. Jean-Claude had a bored amused expression on his face though I doubted that was how he truly felt.
By way of apology I said, “My name is Aluna Marie Bastion.” And went back to smoking my cigarette. Seeing as only silence met my announcement I continued on, “But everyone just calls me Luna.” Jean-Claude just sighed. Finishing my cigarette I dropped it into the empty Pepsi can and swirled it around to make sure it was out. I yawned again; I was tired and still didn’t feel like I had a reason to be.
Into the silence Anita spoke, “Luna we need to get going, I’m going to take you to my house where you can meet some of the pard.” I nodded and picked up the unopened Pepsi and the pack of cigarettes, then my purse. I opened my purse and dropped the pack in and matches and closed the purse and put it on. Standing I motioned for Anita to lead the way. We started for the door.
As we got to the door Jean-Claude said, “Ma petite we have much to discuss this night, why not let the little leopard play while you and I have our discussion.” I bristled at the little comment, sure I was only five foot five inches tall but do people have to make cracks about what you don’t have.
Sensing another confrontation or maybe she was just as tired as I was, she told him in a no nonsense voice, “I’m aware that you and have things that have to be discussed, however let me take Luna to the house introduce her and I can come back later before you have to go to bed.” It sounded like it was an old argument, one that they both knew would never get them anywhere. Anita had made up her mind and nothing short of a catastrophe was going to make her change it. She turned to the door ready to leave, I turned to Jason from the door and thanked him for the stuff, and he just smiled at me. We left.