CHALLENGE PART 14
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***AUTHOR”S NOTE : LIBERTIES TAKEN WITH PAST LKH STORY LINE.***

###WARNING : GRAPHIC VIOLENCE###

I spent the afternoon telling Edward everything I could remember about the run-ins with my attacker. I still hadn’t regained my memory so I was no help on what he looked like or exactly what had happened that night, but he assured me that he had a general description from other victims. He said the taunting was normal, he had been doing it to his other victims as well and that if history repeated itself we were due for anther run-in.

I finally paused for a moment and looked at Edward. “How are you involved with this anyway?” I asked him.

“The family of one of his victims hired me to hunt him down. Unlike you she’s not happy with her situation and neither are they. They feel they need justice.” He paused for a moment. “I’m justice.” A sly smile played over his lips but quickly faded.

“So, do you have a plan?” I asked him hopefully.

“Yes.”

……

The plan involved me playing the role of bait. Once again at Danse Macabre I sat entwined with Nathaniel on the same couch as the other night. We were alone this time, which didn’t bother us at all. While we waited for the guy to make his next move I busied myself obliging Nathaniel’s request for me to put his bruises back. He had complained that the one “draw back” to be Were was that we healed a lot faster so he didn’t get to enjoy his bruises for as long a time as a human would. I was pleased to reminded him that it also meant that he would get to be hurt more often if he wanted to wear the products of my affection around longer. He had smiled shyly at that and laid back in anticipation.

The wait wasn’t too long, after about forty-five minutes of appeasing Nathaniel a note arrived. I picked it up off of the tray the waiter had extended. I motioned for him to stay before I opened the note. HERE KITTY KITTY was all it said. I feigned pleasure at receiving the note because I knew he was here watching me. I got a pen from the waiter and wrote my own message on the back: “Thank You”. Strange thing was I actually meant it. It wasn’t something I had planned for in my life, or at least I was pretty sure I hadn’t, but I was glad it had happened. I liked my life. I liked where it was going, aside from this psycho wereleopard that was stalking me. So far I had enjoyed all the time I had spent with what I had come to refer to as “my” part of the pard. Anita had said it would take some time for all of them to accept me, but for now Nathaniel, Zane, and Cherry had all pledged their loyalty to me.

I sent the waiter away with instructions to make sure the note got back to the guy who wrote it. A short time later a different waiter came back with another note. YOU’RE WELCOME. Again, feeling like I was in grade school, I wrote a note on the back: “I want to meet with you, my master”. I almost gagged writing it but managed not to show my feelings. Once more I sent the waiter to return my message. I waited apprehensively for his next move. Nathaniel tried to ease my mind by nuzzling my neck, but unfortunately I was too nervous to enjoy it. He finally gave up and tickled me, which made me squirm violently and burst out laughing. This was the way he found us.

“Ah, such a good rapport you have with them,” a deep male voice purred. It wasn’t a good purr, it didn’t slide down my skin the way Nathaniel or Zane’s voices did. His voice clawed its way down my arms. I resisted the urge to look at my arms to check for claw marks. The man had short dark hair and a sensual face. He wasn’t beautiful by any means but he wasn’t ugly either.

Nathaniel tensed and gasped beside me. “Gabriel,” he whispered.

The man smiled deviantly showing pointed upper and lower canines and gave a slight bow. “I prefer Michael.”

“Oh God,” Nathaniel said. It was barely audible. The energy coming form him had changed and I could smell his fear. It was so strong it bordered on terror. I placed myself in front of him the best I could from the position we were sitting and extended my hand to “Michael”.

“A pleasure to meet you,” I said as sweetly as I could.

He took my hand and kissed the back of it running his tongue across my skin, reminiscent of the first night I met Nathaniel. I didn’t like it this time but held my temper. “I’m sure the pleasure will be mutual.”

I bit back a snide comment and managed to say, “One can only hope.”

He sat down next to me and slid his arm around my shoulders. Nathaniel scrambled to back himself into the corner of the couch. Only my hand on his leg kept him from jumping up and running away. Michael leaned in close and whispered in my ear, “How do you like your pain?”

I shivered in revulsion but luckily he took it the wrong way and moved even closer. I turned my head into his, our lips almost touching. “Let’s get out of here.”

“Most certainly,” he replied standing up and pulling me with him. Nathaniel remained huddled on the couch. Michael leaned down to him. “Aren’t you going to join us? We’re sure to have a painfully good time.” He grabbed Nathaniel’s hand and jerked him off the couch. “Now we’re a happy little trio.” He paused and looked at both of us, “Shall we?” and then he pulled us towards the front of the club.

We passed Jason and Zane on the way out. Jason’s mouth was hanging wide-open, eyes wide in disbelief. Zane looked like he had seen a ghost. Michael led us out of the club and to what I assumed was his car. I wasn’t worried. The boys had seen us leave so I knew they wouldn’t be too far behind. Edward seem to know and see all so I was fairly certain he was on his way too with Anita. It was all part of the plan. Where we would end up was not part of the plan. I was to let him take me wherever he wanted so as not to give any indication that we were plotting.

We drove out into the country, the same road I had come into town on. He finally pulled the car into a small hidden driveway and turned the engine off. We got out of the car and stood in the light of the waning moon. Another car zoomed by. Here’s hoping that was the Calvary. Michael walked out into the small clearing and swept his arms wide turning in a circle. “Ah the scene of the crime,” he fairly laughed out, then stopped and looked directly at me. “Right over there is where it happened.” He pointed back up the road. “I was out here moon bathing, minding my own business when low and behold a car pulled over and out you stepped to stretch your legs on your long journey. You really were a fearless thing. After a little game of tag…” He giggled to himself. “I’m sorry you lost that game.” I was fairly certain he was referring to the scratch on my arm. “You tripped and hit your head. When you woke up and didn’t start screaming I figured you had hit your head a little harder than I had first though, but no matter, you were alive to play another day.”

I heard a whimper behind me. I turned to find Nathaniel curled into a ball and rocking back and forth. He was staring at the ground in front of him and mumbling. I leaned down the try to hear him. “dead…dead… dead… dead” was all he was saying over and over again. It all wasn’t making very much sense.

Strong arms wrapped around me from behind trapping my arms at my sides. He whispered into my ear “Now I think it’s time for that game. Cat and Mouse sounds like fun, yes? But I get to be the mouse first. Mmm the mouse is the lucky one. Getting all that exquisite pain of having his little tummy ripped open. Would you do that for me? Would you be the cat and chase the bad mouse? Will you hurt me and rip my little tummy open? You’ve been so good about hurting Nathaniel. Isn’t it my turn?”

“Yes,” I purred.

“GABRIEL!” Zane’s voice shouted. Michael looked up. I felt his body tense behind me. “Let go of her Gabriel.” Zane demanded as he walked towards us followed closely by Jason. They stopped a short distance away

“Who’s Gabriel?” I questioned.

“Yeeesss, who is Gabriel? My name is Michael,” he said with a hint of laughter.

“He is Gabriel” Zane began explaining. “And Gabriel was our Nimir Raj until Anita killed him. Or rather thought she killed him. She’s not going to be happy when she finds out he’s still alive. Elizabeth had said she arranged for the disposal of the body. Seems that was all a ruse. Now let go of her,” he again demanded.

“Tsk tsk kitty. Since when are you dominate enough to make such demands of me?”

“Since you died, that’s when. This changes nothing Gabriel.”

“Oh I believe it changes a great many things. With the help of my little fledgling Alpha here I will regain my rightful position from that human bitch you have been calling your leader. Then I have some unfinished business with Anita Blake.” He practically spat the name out.

I had an idea. “My sweet alpha please let me go. I’m not going to run away. You’re beginning to hurt me.” I tried to sound as female as I could. It worked. He slowly released his hold on me. I turned in his arms and introduced my knee to his groin. It wasn’t much considering the damage we could take but it was a good start. He doubled over and I took the opportunity to run further into the clearing away from everyone else. “Zane, get Nathaniel,” I shouted and readied myself for Gabriel’s attack.

He stalked around me and I moved to keep my eyes on him. “How bout that game Gabriel? Cat and Mouse? I can give you the pain you want.”

“It’s all beyond a game now sweetheart. It’s all honor and glory. They were ready to give you something that is rightfully mine and I want it back.” He stopped then and addressed our small audience of three. “Two alphas fight for you tonight.” He paused and laughed to himself. “There’s a lot more to that little speech but I’ve never been one for tradition, so let’s go my pretty.” I watched as his fingers lengthened into claws. I hadn’t had the opportunity to try that particular trick yet. I figured it was as good a time as any. I focused my thoughts and pictured my hands partially shifting. I watched as my thoughts became reality and Gabriel and I were armed equally.

He lunged and me and I tried to dodge but he caught me on the shoulder and down we went tumbling several feet before we stopped. He backhanded me across the face causing me to see stars. I just keep telling myself to stay aware and kill this son of a bitch. His scratches were all low: across my side, down my back. I kept aiming for his chest and face. He backhanded me again and then wrapped his hands around my neck and squeezed. I gasped for breath and his grip tightened. I could feel myself loosing consciousness. Through the dark cloud in my head I heard Jason yell. “Gabriel’s the one that used to pimp Nathaniel out. He’s the reason he’s so weak and submissive.”

That was all I needed to hear. I pushed the blackness away. It wasn’t just for me anymore. This bastard had hurt my Nathaniel and probably others as well. I would do this for them, for the pain and suffering he had inflicted upon them. I began scratching him as hard as I could with my claws. I finally tore through all of his arm muscles and his grip on my neck faded. I swiped at his face, and as he jerked his head out of read I altered my swing and slashed hard across his throat, his blood spraying hot across my face. I slashed again and again at his neck getting deeper with each blow. He finally fell to the ground and looked up at me. I straddled him and with all my strength I brought my doubled fists down on his breastbone. There was a sharp crack as his rib cage broke. Grabbing a hold of a protruding rib I pulled, making a hole for myself. I reached into his chest and grabbed a hold of his still beating heart. “Is this the way the mouse would feel Gabriel?” I queried. He moaned and I swear it sounded like he was enjoying himself. “Well guess what. The cat always wins.” I clenched my hand and felt my claws pierce his heart. I jerked my hand back out and Gabriel let out his last breath and died.

My beast was urging me to bite into the piece of Gabriel’s heart I was holding. Instead I threw it to the ground. “You’re not worth it.” I turned form Gabriel’s limp and most certainly dead body to find Anita and Edward standing with the others. “You could’ve helped any time,” I said to them wiping the blood from my face.

“No, this was something you needed to do on your own,” Anita said. “Now no one will question you. You are truly the rightful leader now. You killed Gabriel not me.” She sounded almost regretful.

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PART 15

INDEX