Asher's Kiss
Part Three

 

PART THREE~

I had just stepped out of the shower when someone knocked hesitantly on the
bathroom door.

"Just a minute," I called and grabbed my robe, sliding into it before drying
myself off.

"Anita?"  It was Nathaniel.

I opened the door.  I could tell by the look on his face something was up.
"What is it?"

"A car just pulled in the driveway.  I don't recognize it."

For a split second, panic seized my heart.  Then I rationalized no
executioner in their right mind would blithely pull into my driveway and
expect to just waltz into my living room to blow my vampire to smithereens.
I took a deep breath to try to settle my nerves.  I grabbed a towel and
started wrapping it around my hair.

"Whoever it is, don't let them in until I get out there," I told him.  "I'll
just be a minute."  He nodded and turned to leave, but I grabbed his arm,
stopping him.  "Wait, where's Damian and Asher?"

"They're downstairs packing," Nathaniel replied.  "Oh, here."  He flipped
his hair off his shoulder with a sweep of his hand and held my Browning out
to me with the other.

"Ah, thanks," I said and stashed it in the deep pocket of my robe.  "Listen,
go tell them to stay there and to be very quiet.  Just in case, okay?"

Nathaniel nodded slowly.  I could tell he was upset.  I sighed and placed my
hand on his cheek reassuringly.  "Don't go down there looking like that,
you'll scare them," I tried to keep my tone light.

Leaning his head into my hand, Nathaniel closed his eyes.  "I can't help it.
  I'm worried about Damian.  I don't want anything to happen to him.  He and
Asher saved my life.  Damian almost died because of it."  He opened his eyes
and locked them on mine.  His expression was as solemn...and dangerous as I
had ever seen it.  "I want to help them, Anita.  I'll do anything you need
me to."  His eyes flicked to the bulge of my gun in my robe pocket.

"I know," I said.  He was getting quite good at shooting.  He practiced with
me often and could handle a gun quite well at this point.  I silently prayed
this wouldn't come to that.  Especially tonight.  "All right.  Go get the
Firestar and wait with them downstairs if it makes you feel better."

He almost looked relieved.  "It would."  With that he spun around and
disappeared down the hall in one lithe gliding motion.  Cats.

I retreated back into the bathroom, scrubbing at my hair with the towel.  I
belted the robe more securely, then decided to just get dressed.  It
wouldn't take me but a minute.  I was just throwing on jeans and a polo
shirt for the plane.  I removed the Browning from the pocket.

There was another knock on the door.  This time it was Cherry.  "Anita,
there's a woman by the name of Monica at the door for you.  She says she's a
friend of yours."

Monica?  Since when were we friends?  And what on earth did she want?  My
mood plummeted.  Having to fend her off was all I needed tonight.  "Cherry,
tell her I'll be right out."  I practically jumped into my jeans.  "But
don't let her in!"

I made it into my clothes and out of the bathroom in record time.  My hair
was still so wet it was plastered to my head, but I didn't care.  It was
only Monica.  I peered through the glass at her before opening the door a
crack.

"Hi, but this isn't a good time for me right now," I started in.

She looked confused.  "But I came to get you," she replied.

Now it was my turn to be confused.  "Get me?  What are you talking about?"

She looked slightly embarrassed and rolled her eyes.  "God, didn't he call
you and let you know I was coming?"  Trying to look stern, she crossed her
arms over her chest, her car keys gripped firmly in her perfectly manicured
hand.  Her fingers sparkled with jewels--diamonds mostly.  I noticed too her
tailored suit and the crocodile-skin Italian pumps on her feet.  Monica
didn't lack for anything these days.  Jean-Claude, good-as-his-word, saw to
that.

"Who, Monica?  For Christ's sake," I half-snarled.  I had much better things
to do than play twenty-questions with her.

Her good-humor faded.  She narrowed her eyes at me and took a deep breath.
"Jean-Claude was supposed to call you and tell you I was coming to get you.
He sent me to bring you and the vampires to him."

With a resigned sigh, I threw open the door and ushered her in.  The
wereleopards draped around my living room all fixed their eyes on her in
silent scrutiny.  "It's all right," I announced to calm them.  "Jean-Claude
sent her over."  The tension in the room eased just a tad.  I turned to
Zane, leaning towards him and lowered my voice.  "Go get Asher."  He nodded
once and was gone.  I focused my attention back on Monica, discreetly
reaching behind me to adjust the position of the Browning.  I had shoved it
in my waistband with such haste, it was poking into me.  "All right.  Since
Jean-Claude did not see fit to pick up the phone tonight, why don't you
enlighten me?"

Monica glanced around the room.  "He's got a plan," she began hesitantly.
"He's waiting for you in a very remote location.  He sent me to get you
because I know the way there and you don't."  She looked at me smugly.  "I
know what's going on.  I offered to help."

"He told you?" I demanded, instantly infuriated.  Why drag Monica--of all
people--into this mess?  I was going to wring Jean-Claude's gorgeous neck.
In all fairness, he couldn't possibly get angry with me now for telling
Asher.  But then who said Jean-Claude was fair?

Tensing, Monica's eyes shifted past me and focused down the hall.  I turned,
following the direction of her gaze.  Asher was walking towards us.

"Oh, it's all right, he knows too," I reassured her, with a little smugness
of my own.  "I told him."

Monica seemed to relax a little, but gave me a look of disapproval.  "I
see," she replied, quietly.  "I don't believe Jean-Claude will be very happy
about that however."

I pointed my finger in Monica's face.  "Right now, I don't give a flying
flip what Jean-Claude thinks about me telling Asher."

Asher walked up to us and stood beside me.  Taking a deep calming breath, I
glanced  over at him, then did a quick double-take.  He was dressed much
more casually tonight in an oxford gray dress shirt and black pants, but he
still looked very handsome.

"Comment ca va, Monica?  You're looking well," Asher greeted, politely.  Of
course he would know her.  Jean-Claude doted on her and her baby since the
vampire who was her husband was ceremonially sacrificed on her bedroom
floor.  He felt responsible somehow.  Jean-Claude didn't handle guilt very
well.

"Hello Asher," she replied evenly.  "How are you?  I was just explaining to
Anita that Jean-Claude is waiting for us.  I'll take you to him if you'll
all gather up some flashlights and a few blankets.  Then we'll be on our
way."

Asher turned to me with an inquiring expression.  I shrugged.

"Wait a minute," I said.  "Where are we going?  How remote is this place?"
Flashlights and blankets didn't make it sound very appealing.

Monica sighed.  "It's hard to describe," she stated.  "It's remote like 'out
in the country' remote."  She put her hands on her hips.  "Jean-Claude is
waiting...." she added as a reminder.

I held up my hands in resignation.  "Fine."  I turned to the leopards behind
us.  "Would you mind scrounging up some flashlights for us?"  I faced Monica
again as something just occurred to me.  "You left Jean-Claude out in the
middle of nowhere...alone?"

Monica looked over my shoulder at the wereleopards who were springing out of
their seats to find flashlights.  "And blankets!" she called after them
before focusing her attention back on me.  "It gets a little cold there at
night this time of year.  And no, Jean-Claude is not alone...his wolves are
with him.  But you know how he doesn't like to be kept waiting.  We should
probably get going."  She turned back towards the door then and jingled her
keys.

I sighed and looked up at Asher.  His face was perfectly blank, his eyes
were locked on Monica, but he put his hand on my back and leaned towards me.

"I'll go get Damian and Nathaniel," he said.

Monica turned around.  "No, he just wants you three.  No one else.  The less
people who know about this place, the better," she advised.

I shook my head.  "I'm not going anywhere without at least one of my
leopards."  If Micah were home I'd take him, but it looked as though
Nathaniel would have to do.

Monica stared at me, clearly torn as to what to do.  I'm sure she could tell
by my expression and the tone of my voice I was dead serious.  "I can't fit
all these people in my car," she protested.

"We'll follow you in my car," I said.  "We're going to need room for all the
suitcases anyway.  We're going to have to go right to the airport after
this."

Monica swallowed and scrunched up her pretty face.  "About
that...Jean-Claude got your message.  There's a little problem with this
whole Tennessee thing.  That's why we're enacting Plan B, so to speak."
There must have been something suddenly menacing reflected in my eyes
because Monica took a small step away from me.

"What problem?" I growled, moving closer to her.  "Why didn't anyone tell me
there was a problem?"

Monica edged towards the door.  "I'm sure Jean-Claude will explain
everything when we get there."

I grabbed the lapels of Monica's expensive suit jacket and shoved her up
against the door.  "You seem to know a hell of a lot more about all this
than I do, for some reason!  I don't particularly like that.  So you had
better start explaining!"

I felt Asher's hands on my shoulders.  He drew me away from Monica.  I
leaned back against him, and he wrapped his arm around me.  I wasn't sure if
it was to comfort me or hold me back.

"Don't shoot the messenger, Anita," he murmured into my ear.

"Yeah really," Monica huffed, smoothing out her jacket with her hand.  "All
I know is that Jean-Claude's jet has been put under surveillance.  The
police have got people watching his clubs too.  And the Circus.  They think
they're being inconspicuous, but they all stick out like a sore thumb.  They
started showing up everywhere just after dusk."  She looked up at Asher.
"They want Damian off the streets.  They want him bad."

My heart sunk.  I closed my eyes and swore softly.  "Where are they getting
their information?" I asked no one in particular.  I looked up at Asher.

"Whomever betrayed Damian is obviously acquainted enough with Jean-Claude to
know the people he keeps close to him.  I wouldn't be surprised if the
authorities were made aware of the fact that Damian stays with you," Asher
surmised.

I swore again.  "They might be watching the house right this minute."

"That's why we need to get him out of here as soon as possible," Monica
added.  It was the first thing she had said tonight that didn't make me want
to slug her.  "That's why we need to take my car and as few people as
possible."

I nodded.  "Go get Damian...and Nathaniel," I told Asher.  "Monica and I
will load up the blankets and flashlights."  I called to the leopards,
gathering them back in the living room.  Once they were assembled before me,
I quickly filled them in.  "I need you to search around the house and in the
woods.  I need to know if anyone is out there.  If you find someone, bring
them back here.  I want to talk to them."  I sent them off then and turned
towards my bedroom.  Besides flashlights, I wanted guns.  And knives, and
extra ammo.  As much as I could carry.

********
As it turned out, the leopards didn't find anything.  While the going was
good, we readily piled into Monica's car and let her play chauffeur.

When Monica had said "remote" she wasn't kidding.  I didn't know where the
hell we were, but I kept thinking how much better a Jeep would be at
negotiating these dirt trails than her Lexus.  I think she must have hit
every rut, tree root, and sinkhole she could find.  By the time we stopped,
we were far from any civilization that I could see.  When Monica cut the
headlights, we were all pitched into thick, black darkness.

I was sitting in the backseat between Asher and Damian.  Nathaniel was in
the front with Monica.  For a brief moment, no one said anything.  We all
just sat there, wondering what to do next.  Monica got out of the car first.
  The rest of us followed.

"Flashlights people," she ordered, moving among us to pass them out.  I
looked around for some sign of Jean-Claude or the werewolves, but I couldn't
see anything but trees and rocks and grass.

"Where are we?" I asked Monica finally.  I unzipped my jacket.  Partly to
have easier access to my gun, and partly because my heart was pounding and I
was sweating despite the chill in the air.  As it was, the wind was brisk
and damp with rain.  The leaves on the trees rustled above our heads and
squished beneath our feet as we aimlessly walked around the car.

There was something about this place that spoke to me.  The voices of the
dead.  Ancient almost.  Forgotten.  My power moved over the grounds towards
the place where they lay.  It was cold, mildewed, and desolate.  I could
feel the weathered stones of grave markers and monuments; madonnas, angels,
and crosses all crumbling and broken with neglect.

Before Monica could answer my question, I answered it myself.  "There's a
cemetery here."

Monica's face suddenly appeared before me in a narrow beam of yellow light.
"It's beyond that line of trees over there," she said matter-of-factly,
turning her flashlight in the direction she had indicated.  "There's a
clearing on a hillside.  An old Catholic graveyard."  She paused and looked
around.  "Jean-Claude gave Robert and I this land for a wedding present.
The crypt belonged to Jean-Claude long before he became Master of the City.
I think he used to sleep here every once in awhile."

Or maybe he used it to hide from Nikolas every once in awhile, I thought to
myself.  His own secret hiding place.   I was slowly beginning to
understand.  An old, long-forgotten cemetery out in the middle of nowhere.
An ancient secluded crypt.  And now Jean-Claude was planning on hiding
Damian here.

Monica went back to the car and sat on the edge of the driver's side seat to
change her shoes.  Damian and Nathaniel were talking together at the
treeline.  I walked over to Asher.

Neither one of us had bothered turning on the flashlights we had been given.
  Vampires could see excellently in the dark and my own eyes were already
adjusting to the lack of light enough so I could distinguish things in front
of me.

Asher was gazing into the woods, his long golden hair waving around his
shoulders in the wind.  Standing where I was, I could only see his unscarred
left side.  He was breathtakingly handsome.  His skin was so pale it seemed
luminescent and that perfect Barrymore profile of his, cut into the night
sky like a silhouette in reverse.  He must have felt the weight of my stare
because he turned to face me.

"Jean-Claude never spoke of this place to me," he began.  "All this time he
has kept it truly secret."

I nodded.  "I didn't know he had his own crypt either.  But then if he gave
it to Monica and Robert, it's not really his anymore.  That's why he needed
to contact her."  I sighed heavily.  "It may be secret, and it may be safe,
but I don't want to have to leave Damian alone out here."

"Our time is almost up," Asher said solemnly.  "If Jean-Claude does not
reply to the edict by morning, they will come after Damian tomorrow while we
are all asleep.  We may be in more danger where we lie, than Damian will be
sleeping here, ma cherie."  He took a deep breath and gestured at the trees.
  "There are worse things than sleeping among rats and bones."

His words gave me chills that had nothing to do with the temperature.  I
wrapped my arms around myself and chewed my lower lip.  "I know," I said
flatly.  I couldn't think of anything else to say.

Monica tromped by us, flashlight glaring in our eyes momentarily before she
had the sense to lower it.  With a heavy sigh, I started following her.
Asher strode ahead of both of us to where Damian and Nathaniel were
standing.  He said something to them which made them fall in line after him.
  Monica quickened her pace to walk beside Asher.  I brought up the end,
glancing behind us occasionally, just to be sure.  Together, we all walked
silently into the woods.

********
The cemetery was just as I had imagined it.  Small and obscure with
headstones so weathered the names of the dead were practically unreadable.
Blackened statues of angels with severed limbs and chipped faces watched
over family plots.  Crooked crosses and oblisks marked tiny overgrown mounds
of rocky earth.

There was an emptiness to it all however.  The spirits of the dead buried
here had long since left.  But their bones remained.  I could feel them.  In
their individual graves, I could visualize who they were in my mind.  A
young boy was lying here.  An old woman there.  This one was just a baby.
This one was a man.

At the far end of the cemetery stood the crypt.  A huge stone monument of a
tomb, compared to the humble plots just beyond it.  It was white and
ghostly-looking against the thick black woods on the other side.

Jean-Claude wasn't at the crypt, but it was bustling with activity
nonetheless.  Several of his werewolves were going in and out, carrying
lanterns and blankets, trying to make the place a little more hospitable, I
suppose.  Others were clearing away the thorny thickets that had grown
around the crumbling stairs hampering everyone's efforts.  It was hard to
tell who was who, but I immediately recognized Stephan and Jason.  They were
in the process of carrying a coffin inside.  Just to the left of them was
Jamil.  Jamil?...and oh shit, there was Richard.

I stopped in my tracks so abruptly, Nathaniel actually ran into me.  His
hands grasped my upper arms to steady us.  Then he drew me back against him.

"What's wrong?" he asked, over my shoulder.

I gestured limply in front of me.  "What is he doing here?"  I shot Monica
an accusing look.  Bitch could of told me.  She shook her head and held up
her hands as if to say she had nothing to do with it.  Obviously Jean-Claude
had told Richard as well as Monica.  Now Richard knew I had outright lied to
him about why I had wanted to go to Tennessee.  That bothered me more than
anything.

"Oh," Nathaniel replied all-knowingly.  He squeezed my arms.  Richard had
never been very nice to Nathaniel and I had to wonder if Nathaniel was
trying to encourage me or himself.  I reached up and took his hand in mine.

"Well, shit.  We might as well just get this out of the way," I muttered.
Where the hell was Jean-Claude?

"Asher and I will be right beside you," Damian offered.

I sighed.  "He has the right to be angry with me, okay?  Don't go jumping
the gun, so to speak, if he is," I ordered the vampires.  They both gave me
cool looks in reply.  I stalked forward determinedly.

Looking quite virile and oh so gorgeous, Richard was leaning against the
crypt's entrance with his arms crossed over his broad chest, one leg bent,
resting his foot on a broken piece of stone.  He looked over at me as I
approached, and frowned.

I frowned back.  "He called you?" Implying Jean-Claude.  I really was going
to throttle him now.

"I called him," Richard responded.

"But he told you everything?"

"Not everything," Richard clarified and straightened to his full imposing
height.  "Not at first anyway.  But almost right after hearing from you out
of the blue, Jean-Claude started calling the wolves to him.  I wanted to
know why, so I paid him a little visit."  He paused to push his bangs out of
his eyes that the wind kept whipping across his face.  "I knew you were
lying, Anita, the minute you started talking about taking a nice little last
minute trip with your entourage.  You go traveling with them, and I know
something's come up.  But as usual you just shut me out and don't even give
me the chance to really help you when you need me to.  Did you honestly
think I would let you go to Tennessee to escape if I was the one who had set
this execution up?"

For a moment I didn't really know what to say to that.  I wasn't going to
apologize for doing what Jean-Claude had originally told me to do.

"Look.  I wasn't supposed to tell anyone," I retorted evenly.  "This wasn't
done just to get Damian killed.  Jean-Claude thinks the ulterior motive was
to hurt the two of us.  This was done by someone who isn't very happy about
my relationship with him.  I couldn't tell you.  You might have been a prime
suspect.  I mean, who better than our reluctant triumvirate third?"  Damn,
that didn't come out right.  "But I know you wouldn't do such a thing," I
added quickly.  I think it was too late.  Richard was looking at me like he
wanted to violently shake some sense into me.

Asher drew up beside me to address Richard.  "We are all suspects, mon ami,"
he said quietly.  "It only makes sense that the one who went to the police
is someone close to Jean-Claude."

Richard's eyes narrowed.  "I'd say that puts you at the very top of the
list, Asher," he half-growled.  "I should have been out of the running at
the start.  I don't give a damn anymore about who...or what...Anita 'does'
in her spare time."

I squeezed Nathaniel's hand tightly to help rein in my fury before I stepped
closer to Richard.  Damian beat me to him however, moving in front of me,
cutting me off.

"You do, otherwise you wouldn't be so angry with her," he said, his rich,
dulcet voice calm, but slightly menacing.

"Think whatever you like, Damian," Richard shot back.  "But I did not do
this!"

Damian looked startled.  "I'm not accusing you of anything but caring about
Anita," he replied softly.  "You're not angry because she lied to you.
You're angry because what she did hurt you."

"I'm angry with her because she should know me better," Richard replied and
glanced over at me.  Our eyes locked and his expression softened
considerably.  "I may not be your lover anymore, but I'm not your enemy
either.  Or Jean-Claude's.  I still care about the two of you.  And anything
that hurts you, Anita, affects me too...in more ways than one."

I placed my hand on Damian's arm, and stepped around him, closer to Richard.

"You're right, you're absolutely right," I agreed.  "I should have just told
you.  I never believed in my heart you could do such a thing.  I want you to
know that.  I just couldn't tell you.  I'm already going to be in trouble
for telling Asher, but I just needed someone on my side."

Richard's eyes darkened.  He looked up at Asher, then back to me.  "You're
the one who told him?"

"Well, yes," I admitted.  A thick lump was forming all of a sudden in the
middle of my throat.  "I know without a doubt Asher loves me.  He wouldn't
do anything like this to hurt me.  I told him about the edict because I
wanted his help."

Taken aback, Richard put his hands on his hips.  "Without a doubt," he
repeated mockingly.  "Even when we were engaged you were never that sure
about my love for you, Anita.  What makes him so special?"  He gestured at
Asher.

Asher stood motionless, watching Richard carefully, but I could feel the
tension building in his power.  I edged in between them and took a deep
breath.  Richard looked down at me as I spoke.

"Asher kissed me...and that's how I knew he loved me," I informed Richard.
I realized how trite that sounded, but I was being honest.  I struggled on,
trying to explain a sensation that could only be experienced.  "There's
something about his kiss.  It's incredible...and I'm not saying that just
because he's a good kisser.  He enhances it with emotion that manifests in
his kiss."  I stopped talking because Richard wasn't looking at me anymore,
he was glaring at Asher.

Asher was giving Richard one of those mildly-amused, complacent smiles that
was so similiar to the one Jean-Claude teased Richard with, it was almost
eerie.

I cleared my throat which got their attention off each other and back on me.
  "At any rate, Richard," I continued, "you made it clear to me time and
time again that you don't care to be associated with me outside of the
lukoi.  I asked for the only help from you I thought you would be willing to
give me."  I paused to give him a long hard look.  "I'm not sure why you are
here now, after you found out I had lied to you, but I'm glad you still
wanted to help."

Richard shook his head forcefully.  "Obviously you still don't understand
what I'm about do you?  But don't feel bad, Anita.  I don't understand you
either."  He glanced up at Asher again, a flicker of disapproval in his
eyes.  "I guess I never will."  With that he abruptly shouldered past me and
disappeared into the trees.  Jamil trotted after him.  I wondered if he was
leaving or just going somewhere to cool off and come to terms with things.

I heard Nathaniel sigh heavily as if in relief.  I looked around him, past
the vampires.  Seems we had an audience.  Monica and the rest of the wolves
had stopped what they were doing to watch the latest development in my soap
opera life.  I rolled my eyes.

"I'm going to find Jean-Claude," I announced dismissively, looking around
the cemetery helplessly.  I just wanted to get away really.  Jason took pity
on me and gestured south towards a gently sloping hillside.

"He's on that ridge," Jason said quietly.  "You can tell him we're
finished."

I nodded absently and turned around in the direction Jason had indicated.
Jean-Claude's presence beckoned to me like a siren's song.  I started up the
hill without looking back.

********
Now there's a sight you don't see everyday.  The great sex machine himself,
standing on a hilltop, stars glittering all around him like diamonds, with a
sleeping baby draped over his shoulder.

I stopped momentarily, a short distance from him, just to marvel at him.  He
was wearing a long black angora sweater coat over one of his typically
frothy lace shirts, and had pulled one side of it over the baby to keep it
warm.  The child's face was pressed into Jean-Claude's neck; drooling
blissfully on the master vampire's downy black tresses, little legs dangling
limply in slumber.  Jean-Claude held Monica's baby tightly against him and
was rocking back and forth slowly with the comfort and easy rhythm of any
seasoned father.

He heard me coming however and turned to face me, pressing his index finger
to his lips to keep me from speaking too loud.  I beamed up at him and
quickened my pace to reach his side.

At first, we both stood motionless, gazing into each other's eyes
lingeringly.  Then I leaned towards him and he arched his neck to meet me.
Our mouths locked together in a soft, sultry kiss that made my toes curl.

He drew away from me first and rewarded me with a breathtakingly sexy smile.
  He licked his lips savoringly and groaned.

"And what have I done to merit such sparkle in your eyes, ma petite?" he
murmured, his gorgeous voice stroking my insides like a caressing hand.

I reached out and trailed my fingers down his angora-clad arm.  "Maybe it
has something to do with your little friend there," I whispered back.
"You're the only one I know who can look so virtuously adorable and so
sensually provocative at the same time."

Jean-Claude raised an eyebrow.  "A time-honored talent, ma petite."  His
expression sobered somewhat and he gestured over the ridge in the direction
I had just come from.  "Have the wolves finished with the preparations?"

I nodded.  "Yes.  Jason told me to let you know."  It was colder up on the
hilltop than below in the cemetery.  I huddled closer to Jean-Claude's fuzzy
sweater and tried hard not to be jealous of the baby in his arms.  "So, tell
me about Plan B."

At that, Jean-Claude huffed.  "Plan C or D would be more accurate," he
stated with a slight frown.  "We are running out of options.  This was all I
could think of with such little time left."

I swallowed uneasily.  "Yeah, I heard about the surveillance."  I closed my
eyes and shook my head.  "They must have a description of Damian if they're
on the lookout for him.  Someone must have told them you would try to get
him away somehow.  Who would know you'd risk so much to save him?  It has to
be someone who knows the influence I have over you.  Someone who knows
Damian is important to me."

"And someone who was aware of what Damian had done," Jean-Claude continued.
"But I am no closer to finding out who this person could be than I was a day
ago."  He sighed wistfully.

"We need to know," I said, anger edging my voice.  "It could even be someone
with us tonight.  All our caution could go right down the drain."

Jean-Claude shook his head carefully, ever aware of the dozing child he
held.  "No, I have eliminated all of the wolves.  Most either did not know
about Damian, or have no motive to want him killed or us apart.  Including
Richard."  He paused then, gauging my reaction, but I didn't give him any so
he continued.  "I have also ruled out many of the vampires who were with
Asher and I that night.  They would have no motive.  This list dwindles, but
not fast enough."

I looked away from him then, and licked my lips apprehensively.  "What about
Asher?"

A truly tortured expression suddenly marred his perfect features.  "I cannot
say."

I took a deep breath.  "It wasn't Asher, Jean-Claude.  I know it wasn't."

He looked at me suspiciously and he must have tensed or done something
subconsciously because the baby suddenly stirred.  His attention was
momentarily distracted as he reassured the child.  It gave me a brief
reprieve and I summoned up my courage to tell him what I had done.

"I told him," I blurted out.  "I needed to tell him.  I wanted his insight.
I wanted someone on my side."

Anger flashed in Jean-Claude's eyes.  "As opposed to me?" he countered, his
voice dropping an octave or so.  "I am on your side, Anita.  Everything I'm
risking this night to placate you, should tell you that much.  Yet you go
behind my back and possibly undermine it all."  I knew the only reason he
wasn't yelling was because of the baby.  He sighed deeply and turned his
face away from me momentarily as if struggling with his composure.  When he
faced me again, his expression was blank, but his eyes still glittered with
anger.

"It was wrong not to tell him," I argued.  "I know you believe he has the
perfect motive and means, but you're just plain wrong.  Asher loves us.  He
would not hurt us."  Having to whisper didn't put the kind of emphasis on
what I was saying as I would have liked but the alternative was a screaming
toddler and neither one of us wanted that.

Jean-Claude closed his eyes and mumbled something under his breath that
could have been a prayer for patience if vampires prayed.  Then he gazed at
me unblinkingly for the longest time, and shook his head.

"I tell you not to do something, ma petite, and that practically guarantees
you will," he began evenly.  He carefully shifted the baby to his other
shoulder and rubbed its back soothingly.

I guess I couldn't argue with that.  I admit it, I was getting jealous of
the baby.  I wanted Jean-Claude to hold me and comfort me like that.  I was
the one in emotional turmoil  here.  I bowed my head, but immediately felt
Jean-Claude's fingers under my chin, raising my eyes to meet his.  The lace
spilling over his hand from the sleeve of his shirt tickled my skin.  I took
his hand away, but held it in both of mine and kissed his knuckles.

He seemed calm again.  His temper perfectly in control.  "If only I could
aspire to your conviction," he went on.  "I'm curious as to why you
stubbornly continue to proclaim his innocence when the evidence is piled up
against him.  Surely, working with the police as you do, you must realize,
for Asher, it does not look good."

"You know, Asher could have hurt Damian a long time ago to get back at me,
if he wanted to," I informed.  "He didn't have to wait until now.  He could
have turned Damian over to the police that night he found him wandering the
streets covered in blood.  You would have been given an edict then.  Without
me to intercede for him, you would have killed Damian.  And I would have
never forgiven you for it.  If you remember, locking him in a coffin was bad
enough.  It took me a long time to forgive you for that."  I squeezed
Jean-Claude's hand entreatingly.  "I know Asher loves me and I know he loves
you even more.  He wouldn't betray us.  I swear to you, he wouldn't."

Jean-Claude gave me a knowing look all of a sudden.  "He's kissed you,
hasn't he?"

The question caught me a little off guard, but I nodded.  "You know what his
kiss is like.  You know it lays his heart wide open for all the world to
see.  Or at least the person he's kissing.  How long has it been since he
kissed you?"

Pulling his hand away from me, Jean-Claude lowered his eyes.  He started
pacing slowly in a small circle.  I wasn't sure if it was because he was
agitated or if he just wanted to keep moving for the baby.  "Yes, I know
what his kiss is like, ma petite," he confessed finally, looking wistful and
regretful at the same time.  "So I believe you when you say you felt loved
when he kissed you.  That explains why you trust him implicitly and perhaps,
why you took him into your bed this evening.  At first, I thought it was
only to feed your ardeur.  Now I know it was something more profound than
that."

I felt my throat tighten.  I wanted desperately to know what he was feeling
right now and stretched out with my power to brush his own, but he was
shielding me, keeping me at bay.  When all else fails, come right out and
ask.

I stepped up to him, forcing him to stop pacing.  His face was mere inches
from mine, but he wouldn't meet my eyes.  I sighed heavily.

"Are you all right with that?"

Jean-Claude slowly raised his eyes to mine, his face a carefully controlled
mask still.  He opened his mouth to reply, but the baby chose that exact
moment to wake and start fussing.  What Jean-Claude ended up saying wasn't
what he was originally going to say, I was sure of it.

"Sssh, hush little one."  His hand delicately stroked the baby's cheek.  To
me he simply said, "We should get back," and shifted the child again in his
arms, pressing a soft kiss on its forehead.  At least it stopped fussing.

I crossed my hands over my chest, ready to start demanding my own time, but
Jean-Claude had already turned and started gliding down the hillside.  What
else could I do?  I followed him.

********
The activity below had come to a complete stop.  Everyone was standing
around or sitting irreverently on headstones.  They stood up, however, as
Jean-Claude passed by, like courtiers in the presence of a king.

Monica came forward to claim her baby and Jean-Claude continued on to the
entrance of the crypt, not bothering to acknowledge anybody.  Richard and
Jamil were back and looked as if they were planning on staying for awhile.
There was camping gear at their feet beside the stone steps leading down
into the ground.  They must have gone to unload some unseen vehicle
somewhere.

I trailed after Jean-Claude.  He stopped at the top of the steps and turned
to face Damian, conspicuously ignoring Asher, who was standing in the exact
same spot I had left him.  Nathaniel promptly took up his place by my side.
Stephan and Jason were leaning against the side of the crypt where Richard
had been earlier.

"Come, mon ami," Jean-Claude told Damian, holding his hand out towards him
in invitation.  Damian stepped forward and took it.  Jean-Claude drew him
down the steps into the blackness of the hollow tomb.

I turned to Nathaniel and ordered him to stay put for the time being, then
snatched up one of the lanterns and took a deep steadying breath.  Pitch
black holes in the ground and me didn't get along very well, but I was
determined to see the inside of the crypt myself.  Out of the corner of my
eye, I noticed Richard shaking his head in disbelief.  He knew of this
particular phobia of mine and obviously thought I was just being stubborn
about it again.

Asher noticed my discomfort too, but he stepped forward.  He descended the
steps and held out his hand to me in much the same way Jean-Claude had done
with Damian.  "I'll go with you," he told me.

I offered him a grateful, somewhat tremulous smile and seized his hand.  He
stood gazing at me fondly for a moment just outside the entrance before I
felt a gentle pull on my arm and watched him disappear into the blackness in
front of me.  I held up the lantern and scooted closer to him as we made our
way down a short narrow passage that smelled musty and stale.

I could hear the squeak of rats and the scuttling of their feet, but I
didn't see any, which was fine with me.  Asher and I emerged into a wider
passage, lined with recesses on each side.  A burial chamber of sorts.
Collapsed skeletons filled each hole, covered in moss, bits of vegetation,
and tiny chunks of rock.  Some long decayed pieces of clothing clung wetly
to some of the bones, flashing color in this otherwise very black and gray
world.  I caught glimpses of jewelry, things like wedding bands and
blackened rosaries with the crosses conspicuously missing, entwined in
mildewed skeletal hands.

Surprisingly, the further we went into the crypt, the brighter it became.
We filed through another short narrow passage and this time emerged into
another chamber, which had been gutted.  There were no bodies lining these
walls, and the only coffin in the chamber was standing open and empty on a
stone platform.  It looked as if the floor had been swept off, the
spiderwebs knocked down, and the walls cleaned--as well as a hole in the
ground could be cleaned at least.  Lanterns were placed in every corner and
the shadows of Damian and Jean-Claude loomed and flickered on the damp
glistening walls.

I could hear them speaking to each other softly, but I couldn't make out
just what they were saying until Asher and I were practically on top of
them, then they stopped talking and turned to face us.  I glanced around
again.

"I guess this won't be so bad," I addressed Damian.

He offered me an easy smile with a shake of his head.  "No.  I've been kept
in much worse places than this."  That gave me chills and I was glad he
didn't elaborate.  Instead, he looked back at Jean-Claude.  "Seems I'm
indebted to you once more, Jean-Claude."

"Thank Anita," Asher suddenly said.  "Jean-Claude would have simply killed
you if not for her."

Shit.  I looked up at Asher, my eyes widening, and dug my nails into his
hand in warning.  He didn't seem to notice.  He was too busy glaring at
Jean-Claude.  Jean-Claude merely smiled and shook his head.

"In this instance, yes," he replied.  "But Anita knows I have put myself in
harm's way for Damian before without her prompting me to do so."

I knew he was speaking of the ransom he had paid to Damian's former master
and what that involved I could only imagine.

Asher moved a little closer to Jean-Claude.  "Putting yourself in harm's
way?  Is that how you developed your masochistic proclivities?"

I swore under my breath and stepped in between the two master vampires,
holding up my hands.

"We are so not doing this right now," I hissed.  "Stop it, both of you."

Asher and Jean-Claude continued staring at each other however.  Their
combined powers were flaring along with their tempers, and the magic
swirling about the tiny chamber was suffocating.

Jean-Claude was so close to me I could feel his breath on my skin.  I didn't
dare touch him.  I didn't want him tapping into my power to lash out at
Asher if that's what this was boiling down to.  In fact I sidled away from
them both and stood beside Damian.

"I tolerate pain during sex," Jean-Claude responded, his voice low and
menacing.  "I don't enjoy it."

Asher quipped off something to Jean-Claude in French that made Jean-Claude's
hackles rise even more.  He hissed something back at Asher in French.
Obviously, neither one of them wanted me to know what this particular
argument was about.  My French was sad and I only recognized a word here or
a phrase there.  From what I could gather, however, Asher was berating
Jean-Claude for trying to pit me against him, and Jean-Claude said something
about Asher seducing me.  Then the argument really got heated.  I made out a
'how dare you?', 'friends', 'stealing', and something along the lines of 'go
to hell.'

"Enough!" I screamed.  My head was reeling.

I pushed Asher away from Jean-Claude.  "Stop being so hateful!" I shrieked.
"You're only pissed off at him because you're hurt by the fact he suspects
you of betraying us and now apparently he's accused you of seducing me.
Just let him know you are hurt!  Why must you always turn your pain into
hate?"

Before Asher could reply, I turned on Jean-Claude.  "And you, stop accusing
him of everything!  He loves you, damn it!  That's why he's so hurt.  That's
why he's angry.  He loves you."  I was taking my cues from the encounter
with Richard I had had earlier.  "Asher loves me too.  He didn't betray us.
And he didn't seduce me.  I just wanted to have sex for myself for a change
and not for the ardeur....I wanted to have sex with Asher."

Jean-Claude lowered his eyes and turned his face away from me.  He placed
his hand over his heart as if he was making sure it was still beating.  "In
a way, I am pleased to learn you welcomed him into your bed, but then, in a
small way, it makes me very jealous and possessive."  He raised his eyes and
blinked slowly at me in an owlish kind of way.  "I'm so very insecure when
it comes to you, ma petite.  But I know the more I tighten my grip on you,
the faster you slip away.  Then I fear if I let you free to do whatever you
please, I will lose you while I'm not looking."

I sighed.  I knew Jean-Claude's insecurity stemmed from the fact I was the
only woman in the past three-hundred or so years who didn't find him
perpetually irresistible.  Of course, when he said things like this to me,
even I wasn't immune.  I stepped forward and cradled his face in my hands
and gazed deeply into his eyes.

"Do you remember what I said back at the Circus the other night, just before
I kissed you?  I told you to never doubt me.  And I meant it.  Do I have to
kiss you again?"

Jean-Claude's eyes brightened a little.  "That would be nice," he murmured.

I leaned forward, then stopped myself.  An idea came to me so brilliant and
unexpected, that it was like one of those little cartoon light bulbs turning
on in my head.  I stepped back, much to Jean-Claude's dismay, and grabbed
Asher's arm.  I hauled him in front of Jean-Claude and gave him a slight
shove forward.

"You kiss him."

Asher and Jean-Claude both gaped at me, clearly stunned.

"Go on," I urged Asher.  "He needs to be convinced that you love him--that
you wouldn't hurt him.  It's the only way."  I quickly dismissed any
protests with a wave of my hand.    "I'll have plenty of time to convince
him later.  You need to convince him now."

Asher turned to face Jean-Claude.  For a long while, they simply stared into
each other's eyes.  Then Asher tentatively raised his hand, and placed it
against Jean-Claude's cheek.  Jean-Claude peered up at him, his dark eyes
wide with apprehension.  He seemed to melt a little when Asher touched him,
and leaned forward slightly, encouragingly.  Asher plunged his hand into
Jean-Claude's hair and tilted his face upwards, his other hand lighting upon
Jean-Claude's neck.

Ever so slowly, Asher lowered his face closer to Jean-Claude's.  Jean-Claude
closed his eyes and parted his full lips enticingly.  Asher captured his
mouth with an almost brutal intensity, and Jean-Claude gasped and tensed at
first.  Asher bent him back slightly and Jean-Claude grasped Asher's upper
arms to steady himself.  Then a passion ignited between them that seemed to
spread heat throughout the cold, musty chamber.  Their kiss became a searing
of flesh, so erotic, so powerful, and full of uninhibited emotions.

Watching them together like that, I felt the slightest tinge of guilt.  If I
wasn't such a puritan at heart, I could deal with the idea of Jean-Claude
and Asher being lovers.  But I knew deep down inside I would never be able
to accept it.  Partly because, I was as worried about losing Jean-Claude to
another lover as much as he was worried about losing me.  I had to admit
though, what I was witnessing now didn't make me as squeamish as I had
always thought it would.  There was nothing perverse about their kiss.  In
fact, it was rather beautiful, in a very sexually aggressive way.

It got to the point where I didn't think they'd ever stop, and tactfully
cleared my throat.  I spared a glance at Damian and he gave me an amused
smile.

Asher released Jean-Claude finally, and I noticed Jean-Claude was breathing
rather deeply.

"Mon Dieu, Asher," he whispered.  "That was better than I remembered."
Jean-Claude leaned forward again, and stole another kiss before they parted
completely.  Asher smiled, and slowly stroked the front of Jean-Claude's
sweater with the back of his hand.

"You're so beautiful," he murmured.  "I've missed you so much."  He lowered
his head then and took a deep breath.  "I'm very pleased to be with you
again, mon ami.  I hope I have convinced you."

Jean-Claude laughed lightly, that deliciously sensuous laugh.  "Oui," he
said simply and as if on mutual cue, he and Asher stepped forward and
hugged.  Very brotherly this time.

Smiling, pleased that my idea had worked even better than I thought, I
turned my attention back on Damian.  "Now that that's settled, the only
other thing I could hope for is that you and I won't have to stay here
long."  All eyes were on me now.  I heard Jean-Claude exhale sharply through
his teeth and felt Asher tense behind me.

"Ma petite, there is no reason for you to stay here with Damian,"
Jean-Claude quickly explained.  "I'm leaving Stephan behind, as well as
Richard and Jamil.  They will tend to his every need, I can assure you."

I shook my head.  "No.  I'm staying with him."  There.  End of discussion.

Asher tried to appeal to my sense of reason.  He turned me around to face
him.  "But you will need to leave to keep your appointments with the courts
if you hope to follow through with the stay of execution you filed.
Otherwise, how will you know its status?"

I gnawed my lip.  Shit, I really didn't want to discuss this in front of
Damian, but suddenly had no choice.  "You don't understand.  I put a rush on
it, but it could take weeks, maybe months."  If it ever goes through at all,
I thought to myself despondently.  "I've already put in a leave of absence
at work.  I'll send Nathaniel back and he and Micah can keep me abreast of
things as they develop.  They can come get me if I'm needed."  Asher looked
unconvinced.  I frowned and tried again.  "If they're watching Jean-Claude,
they will be watching me as well.  I can't keep coming and going from here.
I'll lead them right to him."

Damian stepped up to me and pulled me towards him.  "Anita, you can't stay
here," he said softly, his beautiful emerald-green eyes locking onto mine.
He grasped my hands and squeezed them.  "You need to go home.  You can help
me more there, than staying and holding my hand here."  He raised my hands
to his lips and kissed my fingers.  "I'll be fine.  Honest.  Go home.  Let
me do that much for you."

I frowned deeply.  He was right.  I could do more for him in the city than
out here.  I hated the idea of leaving him here, but I had to and he knew
it.  I leaned into him and drew him against me in a fierce hug.  Our lips
met and we kissed hungrily, lingeringly.  He wrapped his arms tightly around
my shoulders, pressing our bodies close.  I devoured him with every last one
of my senses, tasting his mouth, inhaling his scent, and touching his cool
skin.  I buried my fingers deep into his silky hair, never wanting to let
him go.

When we finally parted, I nodded slowly, reluctantly.  "All right," I
murmured, my eyes burning.  I think from the smoke from the lanterns.  "I'll
go.  But I'm leaving Nathaniel, all right?  He'll want to stay.  I'm sure of
it."

Damian's eyes flickered to Jean-Claude.  The master vampire wisely nodded
his consent.

Turning, I pointed a finger at Jean-Claude.  "I don't care what you have to
do to find who's responsible for this, but do it, and do it fast."

Jean-Claude's eyes widened slightly in surprise.  "Are you giving me
permission to resort to...extremes, if need be?"

I knew what he was implying and since it was the same thing I had implied, I
nodded forcefully.  "Yes."

Jean-Claude looked up at Asher.  "I may need your assistance tonight then,
mon ami," he told him quietly.

Asher nodded, but not before glancing at me.  "Very well.  I'll go with
you."

I turned away from them all, but Jean-Claude reached out and stopped me,
grabbing my arm.  "I will need to reply to the edict before morning.  I will
tell them to send in the executioner.  With Damian hidden, it may buy us
some valuable time."

I lowered my eyes.  Damn.  If only I knew who was assigned to it.  I would
have to find out.  I straightened somewhat and nodded resolutely.  We all
had things to do.  It was time to leave.

"Let's go then," I suggested, and hurried out of the empty chamber into the
narrow passage, without looking back.  I felt sick passing through the musty
burial chamber this time.  God, I needed some air.

*******
In a house full of people, you still know when someone is missing.  You feel
their absence as strongly as their presence.  It's like there's suddenly a
hole, where there wasn't one before.  As long as people come and go as
usual, everything's fine.  But if someone is gone outside the daily routine,
you feel it.

Normally, at this time of day, Damian would be in the basement, literally
dead to the world.  I wouldn't be able to see him or touch him or talk to
him, but I would know he was there.  Now he wasn't.

I was feeling Damian's absence like a ball and chain.  It dragged me down,
made me feel mopey and listless.  I had so much to do and didn't want to do
anything.  I tried to get some things done, but it got to the point I
couldn't stand it in the house anymore.

I wanted to be with Damian.  Or at least at the Circus with the other
vampires.  I wanted to sit and wait, armed and ready for the unseen threat
about to descend on them.  I was better at that than making phone calls.
Being put on hold, having to listen to elevator music, and then having to
conduct a polite, but useless conversation with a faceless, apathetic
human-being just wasn't this girl's schtick.  Finally, in complete
exasperation, I drove to Animators Inc.

Being at work was a little better.  I made more phone calls from my office.
I tried to find out what was happening with the request for the stay of
execution, tried to get my appointment with the issuing judge bumped up, and
tried to no avail, to find out when the hunt would commence and who the
executioner was.  With no new information forthcoming, my mood quickly
turned from sad to sour.

By noon, I'd had enough of bureaucrats, red tape, and Musak.  I was going to
arm myself to the teeth and go down to the Riverfront to the Circus of the
Damned.  Micah and his leopards were there.  Jean-Claude's wolves were
there.  All watching and waiting for a possible showdown that could rival
the O.K. Corral in the annals of history.

It dawned on me then, as it hadn't before, that Jean-Claude had been right.
He was risking an awful lot to save one vampire.  And in turn, I was risking
him, Asher, Micah, and Richard, and everyone rallying to our defense out of
allegiance or just plain loyalty.

It would only make sense for the executioner to go to the Circus first.
That was where the majority of the city's vampires slept.  Visions of
shotguns and flamethrowers skidded across my mind.  I knew from experience
the vampires wouldn't be able to defend themselves at this time of day.  It
would be up to the leopards and the wolves to save them.  Then if the
shapeshifters crossed the executioner, he or she could call in backup.  The
police were armed with silver bullets now.  Silver bullets could kill a
shapeshifter.  This one execution could quickly become a slaughter, if it
hadn't already.

Realization hit me like a freight train.  There was only one sure way to
stop it all.  I'd have to give them Damian.  And fast.

My hand was shaking as I reached for the phone.  I lifted the receiver and
hesitated.  I couldn't do this.  I just couldn't.

"Are you all right, Anita?  You look a little green."

Drifting in from the open door of my office, Larry's unexpected voice
startled me.  I jumped visibly, dropping the phone back on its cradle, and
looked up.  I knew my eyes were watering and my throat was so tight I could
barely speak.  Waving him off in dismissal, I tried to smile reassuringly,
but failed miserably.

His congenial expression morphed into one of deep concern.  He slipped into
my office, closing the door behind him, and approached my desk.

"What's wrong?"  He came up beside me, looking a little unsure.  He didn't
know how to comfort me, but I could tell he wanted to.  He was a nice guy.
"Do you want to talk about it?"

I shook my head.  "Please, Larry, I really just want to be left alone right
now," I tried to tell him as painlessly as I could.

"Oh, okay."  He started backing away.  "I was hoping you'd come in today so
I could tell you my big news, but now I don't have any.  I just got word, my
hunt got called off."  He was feeling a little more comfortable now and his
boyish enthusiasm was coming through.  "I was going to invite you along
even, if you promised to let me do the actual execution.  It was assigned to
me, ME of all people, but I'll admit it, for a real vampire hunt, I would
have liked you along."

I stared up at him incredulously.  Slowly, his words sunk into my mind.  It
took me two tries before I could find my voice.  "You were assigned a
vampire execution?"

He smiled.  "Yeah, my first hunt.  I don't really know why it was assigned
to me and not you, but maybe the courts figured you weren't into that sort
of thing anymore...considering."  He paused and sighed heavily.  "But as I
said, it was canceled.  Apparently the Master of the City turned over a
vampire's heart this morning, just before dawn with a written apology for
the rogue's offenses and all."  He had a distant, thoughtful look in his
eyes.  "Figures, huh?  I was this close.  This close."  He held up his hand
and measured an inch or two with his fingers.

So Larry had been assigned Damian's execution.  As shocking as that was, I
was even more stunned hearing about the surrendered heart.  "Wait a minute,"
I breathed, holding up my hands.  "Jean-Claude conceded?"  The thought that
he would go behind my back and kill Damian after all was just too much to
swallow.  He wouldn't do that to me.  He wouldn't.  But then who's heart had
he surrendered?  Who had he killed?

"Yeah," Larry confirmed.  "It surprised me.  I didn't think he'd do it,
knowing Jean-Claude the way I do.  But he swore in his statement that he was
unaware of the murders the vampire had committed, and had he known, he would
have turned the vamp over immediately."

Jean-Claude had outright lied, but I was never so grateful for the skillful
ease with which he perjured himself as I was right now.

Larry continued dejectedly.  "The courts are happy.  The city is safe again.
  I feel gypped, but I guess all's well that ends well."

I got to my feet.  I was suddenly angry at Larry, but I wasn't sure why.
Maybe because I saw too much of myself in him.  Was I ever that excited
about hunting down a vampire?  Did I ever have such little regard for who
and what they were before I blasted holes through their ancient hearts?  The
answer was yes.  I killed them because they were the monsters, and I never
gave it a second thought.

"You know, Larry, suddenly I don't feel very good," I announced.  "I'm going
to go home and lie down."

"Yeah, you don't look so good, if you don't mind my saying," Larry
confirmed.  "You're not supposed to be here anyway, are you?"

"No.  I'm on a leave of absence."  I didn't say good-bye.  I didn't bother
gathering any papers or files.  I just grabbed my car keys and left.

********
I didn't go home.  I went to the Circus of the Damned to find Micah.  I
wondered if he even knew what had happened.

There were still quite a few lycanthropes roaming the grounds when I got
there, but no more than usual.  It appeared as if the majority of them had
left.  There wasn't any police either.  I breathed a long, deep sigh of
relief.  Jean-Claude must have called off the extra security.  Micah was
probably at home.

As it was, I made it all the way to the extra-wide stairs leading
underground before I came across anyone.  And that was Jason.

He had just come through the large wooden door and was closing it behind
him.  He turned, slightly startled to see me at first, but then he smiled.

"Anita, I was just coming to find you," he said, turning up the collar of
his leather jacket against the chill in the air.  "I left messages at your
house.  I've been trying to reach you all morning but the line was busy and
then when I did get through, Zane told me you had left to go to your
office."

"Who was it?  Who did he kill?" I asked outright.

Jason snorted inelegantly.  "What, no 'oh hi Jason, my, you look fabulous
today'?"

I frowned and put my hands on my hips.  "Just tell me, all right?  I'm in no
mood to spar with you this afternoon.  I've got way more important things on
my mind at the moment and if you don't fucking tell me what I want to know,
I swear I will tell Jean-Claude to beat you within every fucking molecule of
your life, do you understand me?"

Jason laughed, but I could tell from the expression on his face he almost
believed I would do it.  "All right, just...calm down, Anita.  I'll tell you
everything I know."  He paused and glanced at the door.  "Would you like to
go inside first and make yourself comfortable, at least?"

I took a steadying breath and forced a smile.  "Yes, that would be peachy."

"Peachy keen," Jason replied and turned to open the door.  He held it for
me, which earned him a glare, but I couldn't maintain it, and smiled at him
for real.

"I'm sorry, really," I confessed.  "I've been in a stellar mood lately.  I
don't mean to take everything out on you."

"That time of the month?" he asked with mock sympathy.

I smacked him in the arm.  "No, you male-chauvinist piglet!"  I pointed a
finger of warning under his nose.  "Jean-Claude will do anything I ask him
to, remember that."

Jason nodded and fought a smile.  "I will."

We walked all the way down to Jean-Claude's opulent living-room before
saying anything else.  I threw myself onto the sofa and Jason took the chair
across the coffee table from me.

"Who was it?" I repeated.  No more playing around.

Jason licked his lips before answering.  "Gretchen."

All the blood drained out of my head, and I think my heart skipped a beat.
Gretchen.  Of course.  Why didn't we suspect her from the start?  Then,
maybe Jean-Claude had.  Maybe he just didn't want to tell me until he knew
for sure who had betrayed us.  He must have believed I would have ripped her
heart out myself if he'd told me he suspected her as much as Asher.

"Did she confess?" I mumbled thickly.

Jason nodded.  He was completely solemn now.  "Yes.  It wasn't very pretty,
but it was effective."

My stomach flip-flopped.  Apparently, Jean-Claude and Asher had tortured her
last night.  I had told Jean-Claude to use whatever means necessary to find
out who had sicced the police on Damian.  I knew what I was telling him at
the time, but being suddenly confronted with the reality of it was
nauseating.  I wanted to ask Jason how many other vampires Jean-Claude had
tortured last night before he got to Gretchen, but I couldn't bring myself
to it.  I put my hand over my stomach to keep it from lurching.  I felt
completely numb and drained of emotion.

"Then...it was her heart he turned over to the police?"

Jason nodded again.  He was looking at me with a concerned expression.
"It's over, Anita," he pronounced quietly.  "Damian is safe."

That bit of knowledge helped ease my conscience somewhat.  "Damian," I said
out loud and suddenly had the urge to go to him.  I wanted to be with him
when he woke.  I wanted to tell him exactly what Jason had told me.  It's
over.

I practically jumped to my feet and looked around for the phone.
Jean-Claude was forever rearranging things and redecorating, and it seemed
as though the room changed every time I saw it.  Today, the phone was on a
black lacquered Shaker-style table against the wall.  I strode over to it
and grabbed the phone book from the drawer underneath.  Monica.  I had to
call Monica.

********
Monica came right to the Circus to pick me up, but this time, I followed her
out to the  cemetery in my own car.  We drove out to the crypt, taking the
same rutted roads we had last night, but for some reason the trip seemed
considerably longer.  Once we had arrived, she drove off again with a
friendly, cheerful wave.  She still thought she was my friend.  I guess now,
in a way, she was.

The cemetery didn't seem quite as foreboding and desolate as it had late
last night.  In the waning daylight it reminded me of a lost child wandering
the streets.  Dirty, neglected, and sad, but at the same time innocent and
longing for love.

As I drew closer to the crypt, I noticed there were sleeping bags rolled up
and stashed at the entrance.  A lantern was sitting on the bottom step,
waiting for someone to re-light it and use it to negotiate the stairs once
nightfall came.  Not long now.

I used it now to light my way through the crypt to the back chamber where
Damian was.  I stepped through the entrance and found Jamil, Richard,
Stephan, and Nathaniel all sitting on the floor around the coffin, looking
up at me as if they were expecting me.  I set the lantern down with a sigh.

"Some watchwolves you are," I teased.  "I made it all the way back here
without being challenged once."

"We smelled you," Jamil informed me, with just a touch of hostility in his
voice.

Richard, Stephan, and Nathaniel got up however.  Richard walked up to me and
I could see the questions in his eyes.

"It's over," I announced.  "The hunt's been called off.  Damian is safe."  I
smiled, but I felt like sobbing suddenly.  I think it showed because Richard
took me in his arms and held me tight.

Now I was sobbing.  Crying my eyes out and I wasn't even sure why.  Relief,
definitely.  Happiness, oh sure.  Disgust, nausea, remorse, you bet.

Richard didn't ask anymore.  He just held me and stroked my hair until I was
all cried out.  It felt so good being in his arms again, I didn't pull away,
even when I had recovered my composure.  But then, the awkwardness set in
and as if by mutual consent, we parted and stepped away from each other.

I tried explaining everything to them that I had just learned earlier.  Just
the facts with as little embellishment as I possibly could.  Then I told
Richard, Stephan, and Jamil to go home and get a good night's rest.  I
thanked them politely for their contributions to my cause and left it at
that.  They promptly departed.  Only Stephan said good-bye.

Nathaniel was looking at me hopefully.  I reached out to him.  He came to me
and embraced me, kissing my forehead.  Together, we settled down on the
damp, stone floor to wait.

********
I wasn't really sure when the sun had set, being deep inside the crypt, but
something stirred around me, telling me it was time.  A power was
accumlating in the chamber that felt oddly familiar to me.  It was very
similar to the power I used for raising the dead--for animating the corpses.
  But this was stronger, more concentrated.  It's focus was the corpse
inside the coffin.  Damian was about to rise.

I got to my feet, pulling Nathaniel up with me, and we stood facing the
coffin expectantly.

The power in the chamber was being sucked into the coffin like a vacuum
cleaner sucks in dust.  I could almost feel it moving past me, flowing into
the body of the vampire.  Then suddenly, it was gone.  The chamber seemed
eerily still.  Then the coffin opened.  Damian pulled himself up and out of
it with a dancer's natural grace and turned to look at Nathaniel and I with
wide, green eyes.

"Anita, what are you doing back here?" he asked, his voice just this side of
petulant.

It pissed me off that he wasn't happier to see me, but I was so overcome
with the need to hold him, I let it slide, and threw myself bodily into his
arms.  He caught me, and I kissed him mightily and hugged him so tightly, if
he were human, I think I would have cracked his ribs.

He was so startled at first, he tried to resist my advances, but then the
tension in his body easied, and I heard him moan softly into my mouth.  I
took pity on him finally and pried myself off of him.

"It's over!" I exclaimed, holding him at arms length to watch his
expression.

He stared back at me.  "Over?  What do you mean?"

"She means, as far as the courts are concerned, you're dead," Nathaniel put
in.

Damian glanced over at him, then back at me with an endearingly perplexed
expression.

"I'm sorry, I don't understand."

I tried to explain.  I told him about Gretchen, Larry, Jean-Claude, Jason,
and Gretchen's heart.  I told him he'd never be hunted again.  It was truly
over.

Now that he understood, he was nearly overcome with relief and uninhibited
joy.  He seized me by the waist and swung me around a few times before
lowering me against him and easing me down the length of his body.  He held
me close and gazed into my eyes, then leaned forward and kissed me.  This
kiss was just as fervent as our last, but a tad more sensual, a lot more
provocative.

"I see you have already received the news," Asher's voice greeted from the
entrance to the chamber.

Damian and I parted and turned as one to look at him.  I smiled at him and
pulled free from Damian's grasp.

"Didn't I tell you not to go around sneaking up on people?"  I tried to
smooth out my disheveled clothes and shot a mischievous look at Damian.  "If
you'd have walked in a few minutes later, you probably would have gotten an
eyeful."

"No doubt," Asher huffed.  He tried to look reproachful, but a smile tugged
at the corners of his mouth.

I went to him and hugged him.  "Thank you..." I murmured into his chest.
"Thank you so much."

He held me away from him and peered down at me curiously.  "For what, ma
cherie?"

I bit my lip and lowered my eyes.  "For loving me....For loving Jean-Claude
too."  I slowly raised my eyes to meet his.  Asher's eyes were such a
startlingly pale blue.  Looking into them now nearly took my breath away.
"Your love made all the difference.  Your hate is so strong, it can be
terrifying at times.  But your love...is the most compelling and effective
power you possess.  Don't ever be afraid to use it, Asher.  Love can move
mountains, you know.  Or so I've been told."

A faint shadow of sadness dimmed Asher's brilliant eyes.  He reached up and
brushed my face with his fingertips.  "Love can move mountains maybe, but
love isn't enough to change a woman's heart."

Now it was my turn to be confused.  "My heart?"

"About Jean-Claude...and me."  He looked away suddenly and took a deep
breath.  "I do love him, Anita.  Even when I hated him, a small part of me
still harbored that love.  Kissing him again last night...was ethereal, but
painful.  I want him so badly.  But I know I can't have him."

To hear him proclaim his love that way, wrenched the steadfast heart he
spoke of. For one brief moment, I considered it.  Then I shook my head.
"I...can't, Asher.  I can't give him to you," I whispered.  "I know it's
petty, and selfish, and totally unfair to you both, but that's the way it
is."

Asher sighed heavily and took me in his arms.  "I understand.  I truly do."
He tightened his embrace and rocked me soothingly.  "I wasn't asking you to
give up Jean-Claude.  I was only taking your advice and letting you know how
I feel.  It's something new to me and perhaps I didn't do it very well."  He
leaned down and pressed a soft kiss on my brow.  "You have given me more
than I ever hoped for, Anita.  You have given me your acceptance and your
friendship.  You gave me your body.  You gave me your love."

I looked up.  "I do love you, Asher," I told him sincerely.  "Don't ever
forget that.  Don't ever doubt it."

Asher smiled slightly.  "If I should, what will you do about it?"

Now I smiled, grateful for his lightened mood.  I reached up and traced his
lower lip with my index finger.  "Then I guess, I'll just have to kiss you."

Asher bent towards me.  "That would be nice," he whispered, borrowing
Jean-Claude's hopeful phrase from the night before.

I stretched up on my toes, wrapping my arms around his neck, and pulled him
down closer.  Then I kissed him.

A tell-tale kiss that happened once a long time ago, under an oil street
lamp on a broken cobblestone road.

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