I left ma petite in her room, and retired to my coffin. I settled in for the day, but I would
rise soon, I only require three to four hours of sleep. Anita has helped me with this, through the
marks. I smiled contentedly, waiting for the sun to find me. She loves me. At long last, victory.
But now I had to deal with Amador. She should be safe here at the Circus, for a while. I sighed.
How can one kill a vampire that even the council fears? Ah, well Amador has never met a force
as mighty as ma petite. She shall prevail, she always does. Some times I help her, sometimes she
does it all on her own. Usually the latter. The daytime found me, I cringed as the pain passed
over me, then sleep.
 
 

Anita’s POV

I woke from a very sound sleep, six hours later. I glanced at the clock on the bed stand. It
was 10:00. Great. I had and 11:00 appointment with a client in the office. I brushed my teeth,
and got dressed. I had on dark blue jeans, and a black polo shirt. I ran a brush through my hair,
it was a mass of black curls. If I wanted to make the appointment, I had to leave now. No time
to go to my house. Oh well, today would be my casual day, and if Bert didn’t like it he could kiss
my ass.

My client walked out of the office. As soon as the door shut my professional smile wiped
off my face. I hate smiling when I don’t want to, it makes my cheeks hurt. Bert burst through the
door. “Ok, Anita, what’s up with the casual getup? You are at work.”

I smiled sweetly. “It was all I had to wear, so fuck off.”

Bert frowned. “I will fire you someday, Anita, just keep running your mouth.”

“Go ahead. More sleep for me. I’ll go freelance, I’m the only one who ever brings any
business to this godforsaken place anyways. I have a friend who can show me the finer points of
entrepreneuring.”

With a look of fury, Bert slammed the door. Childish bastard. But I think I would have
slammed the door too, if I were on the other end. However, I’m not on the other end, so
everyone better get the hell out of my way. I leaned back in my chair and propped my feet up on
my desk, putting the phone to my ear. I was poised to dial when Mary-Ann peeked her head in
my office. “Anita, Mr. Forester is here to see you.”

I smiled. “Send him in.” I hung up the phone, I had been about to call Edward anyway.
Edward walked in with his good ol’ boy Ted smile. “Hello, Anita.”

I resisted the temptation to say ‘howdy’. “Hey. Have a seat.”

Edward closed the door, and took a seat in one of the chairs across from my desk. He
propped his feet up on the other chair. “So…any vampire hunting lately?”

I shrugged. “Nah. I only have the most powerful vampire in the world after my tail.” In
more ways than one, I thought.

Edward widened his eyes. “We’re not talking about Jean-Claude, are we?”

“No, we are not.”

A wicked grin spread on Edward’s lips. “Do we get to kill it?”

I raised my eyebrows. “I’m more fixed on staying away from him for now.”

“You’re no fun, Anita.”

“This Bastard’s scary, Edward. Very powerful. Half demon.”

“How can it only be half demon?”

“I have no clue, neither does Jean-Claude.”

“So you’ve talked to fang face about this?”

I looked down, then back up to meet Edward’s cold blue eyes. “Yes.”

“I know, Anita. I followed you here from the Circus.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Congrats.”

“Did you sleep with him?”

I frowned at the open way he questioned me about it. But that was Edward. “No.”

“You say that in a ‘not yet’ tone.”

“Maybe.”

“Dammit, Anita. He’s one of the monsters.”

“But not as monstrous as most.”

“Its just lust, Anita.”

“No, its not. If it was I would have jumped his bones a long time ago, and been done with
him.”

“Anita—”

“Drop it, Edward, its none of your damn business!”

“Fine. So when are we hunting this vampire-demon?”

“We’re not. I wouldn’t even know how to go about it.”

“Name?”

“Amador.”

“I’ll see what I can find out.”

Edward stood. “Stay alive Anita. I take it you’re hiding out at the Circus?”

“For now.”

“Alright, I’ll contact you there, then.”

“Thanks Edward.”

“No problem, Anita.”

Edward left. Look out, Amador, I’ve got death on my side.

Anita’s POV

I entered my house, listening for unfamiliar noises. I didn’t hear anything. Then I heard the
familiar ticking of my coffee machine, no wonder I hadn’t recognized the first listen. Drip, drip,
drip. I wasn’t making coffee. I hadn’t been here all day. I drew the browning, and crept towards
the kitchen. I peeked around the door. There was an unfamiliar man sitting on my counter, a
coffee mug in his hand. I scanned the room. I didn’t see anyone else.

I cleared the doorway, browning pointing at the man. I could feel the roil of power coming
off of him, shapeshifter definitely. He didn’t even look up, but I knew he had to have heard me.
He glanced at his watch. “Its about time you got home, I’ve been waiting here all day.”

I raised an eyebrow. He jumped down from the counter, and began to walk towards me.
“Stop right there.”

He stopped, shrugging. “Bullets don’t hurt me.”

“You wanna bite silver, keep walking, mister. Who are you?”

“My name’s Michael.” He had brown eyes, and brown hair, it was rather dull. But his eyes
sparkled with intelligence.

“And why are you in my house, drinking my coffee?”

“Because Amador sent me to get you.”

“Sorry, buddy, you’re not taking me anywhere.”

“Of course I’m not.” Something blunt crashed into my temple, sending me reeling. I didn’t
cover my back. Stupid, Anita. Stupid. Someone picked up my gun, taking it from my stunned
fingers. “I never do the dirty work.” I rolled my eyes up to look at a giant of a man. He must
have been about 7 feet tall. I gasped. He had very sharp teeth, and a dusting of course brown
hair over his body. Bear? Two bears, I thought, because my vision was swimming. I drew my
firestar from the belly band and shot three rounds into the giant’s chest. He looked surprised,
then fell backwards. I didn’t need to check for a pulse. Suddenly Michael was in front of me. He
should have remembered I had a gun in my hand, because I fired four more rounds. Two to his
head, and two in his chest. He collapsed backwards.

Before I got up I pushed out my senses, checking for any more baddies. I should have
done it before I even got out of the car. Fortunately, there was no one else. I sat up, my vision
swam. I then tried standing. I could do it, with the help of a chair. “Never touch the coffee
machine,” I said to Michael’s corpse. I let go of the chair. I could stand on my own power. I was
betting I had a concussion. I walked slowly to the phone, and called the police.
 
 

“Why were these guys after you, Anita?” Dolph asked.

“I have no clue, Dolph. I had that one at gunpoint,” I pointed at Michael, “Then furrface
over here bashed me on the head. I went down. I took them out.” I said as the paramedic
examined my bruise. It hurt like hell, and I hadn’t gotten a chance to look at it yet.

“Then once again, a clear cut case of self-defense. Are you sure you don’t know what they
wanted?”

I shook my head, lying. I couldn’t bring the police into this.

The police left, assuring me I wouldn’t see the inside of a court Good stuff. I looked out the
window, the sky was growing orange, I had an hour before sunset. I had to get to the Circus
soon, before Jean-Claude began ‘scouring the city’. I told Bert I wouldn’t be able to make my
zombie raising appointments. He was pissed and threatened to fire me again. I’ll let you fill in the
blanks for what I told him to do. It rhymes with duck scoff.

I packed my bags, and headed out. Bags included two parcels. One for clothes, and one
for toys. AKA: weapons. Mini uzi. Extra browning. Derringer. Shotgun. Spare knives. Ah, life is
good, but armed life is better.
 
 

It had just gotten dark for 10 minutes when I pulled into the parking lot at the Circus. I
walked to the door of the circus, senses alert. Wham! Once again I found myself sprawled on the
concrete, with someone sitting on me. As I drew a knife from my wrist sheath I recognized
Gretchen. Great, just what I need today. “I told you to stay away from Jean-Claude, Anita. I
warned you nicely once, but now you must pay.”

“Fuck you, Gretchen,” I said, plunging the knife into her throat. She just laughed, as her
blood spilled over her and me. She slapped me, hard, casual, but it sent me reeling. My head
slammed into the pavement. Then darkness.

I woke up once to see Jean-Claude with a worried statement, then went back out into the
darkness.
 
 

Jean-Claude’s POV

I sensed ma petite enter the complex. She is so powerful, it is like a beacon in the dark. I
made my way up the stairs to meet her at the door, two other vampires flanking me. When I
opened the door, much to my horror, I found Gretchen on top of Anita, sprawled on the ground.
Gretchen had one of Anita’s silver knives protruding from her throat. Just as I opened the door
Gretchen slapped Anita, sending her head into contact with the ground. Using my preternatural
speed, I tore Gretchen off of Anita, throwing her down to the ground. “This is the last straw,
Gretchen, you are going into the box!”

“No, master, no, not the box.” She groveled before me. Of course, now she remembers
her position as an underling. I waved towards Gretchen, and my two vampires restrained her.
“Take her to the punishment room.” They nodded, and dragged the struggling Gretchen away.

I knelt beside ma petite. I took her pulse, it was faint, but still there. Her eyes fluttered
open, but then closed again. She was dying. I could sense it. I could not allow it to happen,
which meant one thing was left. And she might kill me for it. I took her into my arms, and carried
her down the stairs to my room. I passed Willie on the stairs.

“Is Anita ok?”

I sighed. “She will die, unless I give her the third mark.”

Willie’s mouth dropped open. He looked me in the eyes, for the first time, without fear.
“Do it, boss, none of us want to lose her.”

I nodded in agreement, and made the way to my room. I set her down on my bed. I licked
my lips, a nervous habit I have. She was covered in Gretchen’s blood, but some of it was hers as
well, coming from a wound on her forehead. Drawing a small golden knife from a drawer, I
exhaled a breath. Ma petite, do not hate me, I thought to myself as I sliced her wrist. Not too
deep, just enough to get blood. I lifted her wrist to my lips, and drank just enough, but not too
much. I wrapped her in my power, and gave her the third mark.

I sensed it, immediately her body filled with life, and began to heal itself. I examined her
face. There was the bruise from Gretchen, but it appeared she had sustained some other injury, I
could smell the old blood in the wound.

I washed Gretchen’s blood from her body as best as a warm washrag could. I then
changed her into a black silk negligee I had had made for her. I admired her nude body, but only
touched her as much as was necessary to change her clothes. It took much self control, but I
have not lived nearly 400 years to grope unconscious women. Bandaging ma petite’s wrist, I
looked down at her unconscious form. She looked like a china doll. Ma petite would survive this
ordeal, but the question was, would I?
 
 

I walked to the punishment room, Anita and Gretchen’s blood staining my white shirt.
Gretchen was there, hanging by her wrists from silver manacles in the stone wall. I sat on a coffin,
staring at Gretchen. “What did you think you would accomplish, Gretel?”

“My name is Gretchen, and it has been for over a century!”

“Your father named you Gretel, and such you will stay. Now, what did you think you
would accomplish? Should I thank you for giving me the key to give Anita the third level? To
bind her closer to me?”

“I have loved you, since the day I say you, Jean-Claude! I have waited for the day you
would turn to me, but it never came! I was not about to let some pipsqueak human steal you
from me.”

I chuckled. “But Gretel, you never had me. That is what you do not understand. You
NEVER had me. Anita steals nothing.”

“I love you.” Gretchen whimpered.

“I am sorry to hear that, Gretel. While I am making love to Anita tonight, I want you to
think of me, and know I will not think of you.” With a gesture of my arm, I reduced Gretel to
mere flesh and bones. Her stick like figure slipped out of the manacles. I placed her in a coffin,
and shut the lid, locking the cross in place, careful not to touch it. I did not truly know that Anita
and I would make love tonight, but I wanted the thought to prey on Gretel’s mind. I wanted her
to hurt for what she had done to ma petite. And I suppose that was the monster in me. Was it the
monster, or the darker part of human nature?
 
 
 
 

Anita’s POV

I dreamed. I was barefoot, I kept stepping on sharp white things, and realized they were
bones. I tripped over a round white rock, and it was really a skull. It shouted, “Run!”

I did, and knew something was chasing me. The huge dark thing passed me, then stopped
in front of me, cutting me off. It stood up front of me on hind legs. The great bear flashed its teeth
with a grunt, wiggling its snout. It roared, and I was frozen, not able to move. It began to fall
forward on me, and I screamed, waking up. I was breathing too fast, I was going to
hyperventilate. “Shhh,” a gentle voice whispered behind me. “I am here, Jean-Claude is here,
nothing will harm you, ma petite, you are safe.” He stroked my hair, speaking soft French into my
ear. “Je suis ici, ma petite, je suis ici.” I realized I was gripping his hand hard enough to bruise a
human. I relaxed my grip, my breathing, my self. I laced my fingers in his and scooted as close to
him as I could get.

I didn’t want to close my eyes again, because I have a tendency to return to the dream I
had been having before. Despite of it, I slipped back to sleep. This time I was in a clearing, the
bear circled around me, closer every pass. It was toying with me, taking pleasure in my fear, my
terror.

I found my feet and ran. But like in all dreams it was hard to move my legs running. The
bear was gaining, I could hear it, feel it at my heels. Déjà vu. Suddenly a door appeared ahead. I
sprinted for it, as fast as I could. I was wearing a white nightgown, the skirt kept getting tangled
in my legs. I ran through the door into Jean-Claude’s arms, the bear still at my heels.
Jean-Claude slammed the door in the bear’s face, and the door disappeared, turning into solid
stone.

I got the feeling of rising, I looked out a window, the room was rising in the air, the bear
stalked tight circles below us. The room dimmed, the stone walls dissipated into black wallpaper
with gold fleur de lis. A roaring fire blazed on the wall in a stone fireplace. I looked down, I
wasn’t wearing the tattered white night gown anymore. A black negligee hit me five inches above
the knee. Spaghetti straps left my pale shoulders nearly bare. My gaze traveled to Jean-Claude.
His torso was bare, he wore only a pair of black silky pajama pants. He smiled down at me, his
eyes full of dark light again.

And I, for once, was thankful for it. I realized that Jean-Claude had saved me from the
bear, giving me a much more pleasant scenario with his power to invade my dreams. Normally I
would be angry, but not this time.

Jean-Claude caressed the side of my face, bringing my attention back up to him. “You are
safe, ma petite.”

I hugged him and laughed. “Only from the bear.”

He chuckled, and it rubbed along my skin, the softest of velvets. Jean-Claude pushed back
enough to kiss me lightly, almost a test trial, to see what I would do. My reaction surprised him,
but it surprised me even more. I stood on tip-toe to meet him, pressing at his mouth, steadying
myself with hands on his shoulders.

Jean-Claude made an inarticulate sound low in his throat, and wrapped his arms around my
back. He rolled us, like an alligator with its prey. Suddenly we were on the ground, fire shadows
danced across his face, we were in front of the fire place. The look in his eyes was dark, sex, for
lack of a better word, but it wasn’t just that. Some trick of the light left his face half in shadow,
and the dancing light of the fire made him so wildly beautiful at that moment, I wanted to keep it
forever. I ran my hands over the smooth skin of his chest, and he sighed. Jean-Claude kissed my
neck, and gently bit my shoulder, careful of the fangs. He caught my gaze, and I was trapped.
Not by power, but by the mesmerizing color, by the need I saw there. The need for me, to hold
me, to touch me, and to be touched, to be held, to be wanted.

I woke up again. I could feel Jean-Claude holding me from behind, spooning me, my head
was nestled under his chin. I felt safe. Indeed, it was an illusion, but I felt safe.

Bears. I had never dreamed about bears before. Then I remembered the shapeshifters in
my house that I had killed. One of them might have been a bear. Hell, the both of them might
have been bears.

Then I remembered Gretchen, and my head hitting the hard pavement. Where was she?
Jean-Claude must have found us. I reached up to feel the side of my face. It wasn’t even sore. I
had no headache, not throbbing head pains. But there was a white swathe of bandages on my left
wrist. I didn’t remember hurting it. I turned around to face Jean-Claude. He was in the black silk
pj bottoms of the dream, his chest pale and smooth. I realized I was in the negligee as well.
“What happened to my bruises, Jean-Claude?” I asked, fearing I already knew the answer.

“You know,” he said quietly, not meeting my eyes.

“Sat it.”

Jean-Claude sighed. “The third mark.”

I sighed as well. “Why, Jean-Claude?”

“You were dying. I could not allow that to happen, not when I could stop it. Please, Anita,
do not hate me.” He met my eyes, allowing me to see the pain, and fear.

“I don’t hate you, Jean-Claude.” I paused. “You’re positive I was dying?”

“Oui, ma petite. I could feel it in my arms, and through the marks.” He reached out, tucking
a lock of hair behind my ear. I should have been angry. I should have been pissed. I should have
ranted, and raved about humanity lost. But I wasn’t, and I didn’t.

“Where’s Gretchen?”

Jean-Claude sneered. “She has been taken care of.”

“You killed her?”

“Non.”

I let it go. As long as she couldn’t get to me, I didn’t care where she was. I could only take
one vamp after me at a time. “Is Amador’s creature to call bears?”

Jean-Claude nodded. “Why, ma petite?”

“Do you realize what you did?” Jean-Claude raised an eyebrow, not following. “You
interfered in a dream Amador had sent me. He was trying to terrorize me.”

“Oui. What happened before you came here, Anita? I noticed other injuries besides those
Gretchen had inflicted.” I told him about the two werebears that had come to my house.
Jean-Claude sighed. “Then we must be on our guard even in the daylight, ma petite.”

I nodded. I knew that. “You’re preaching to the choir, babe.” He raised an eyebrow with
amusement, but let it go. I glanced down at the negligee. “I can see we match,” I said, sarcasm
thick in my voice.

Jean-Claude shrugged. “Do you like it, ma petite?”

It was my turn to shrug. “Not exactly what I would have chosen, but it works.”

Jean-Claude ran a teasing finger up my thigh. It progressed a few inches under the skirt
before I stopped him, placing my hand on his. He smiled, a sensual curve of lips. With hands
around my waist he pulled me to him. I let him hold me. I had been doing that a lot lately. His
normally cool flesh was warm, he had fed. I thought about the marks. One more, and I was a full
human servant. Shit. As if Jean-Claude could read my thoughts, he asked, “You are sure you are
not angry with me?”

I snuggled into the bend of his neck. “Lets just say I wont shoot you…fatally.”

Jean-Claude chuckled. Suddenly the door opened, Jason waltzed in. “Hope I’m not
interrupting anything, but Death is on the phone.” He held up a cordless phone in his hand. I held
my hand out for the phone. Jason handed it over without comment, but I knew I would get it
later.
 
 

Jean-Claude’s POV

Anita snuggled into the bend of my neck. A soft smile curled on my lips, she so rarely
shows she has a tender side. And one would not normally guess she does, until moments like this.
But I have been a student of womanly nature for 400 years. I know they all have a soft spot
somewhere, it is just a matter of finding it with some of them. I inhaled a breath, taking in her
sweet scent. But I could still smell Gretchen’s blood faintly, she would need a bath to completely
rid herself of that foul substance. Perhaps we could arrange that.

Jason opened the door. Before I had time to reprimand him for barging in, he quickly
justified his transgression. “Hope I’m not interrupting anything, but Death is on the phone.”

Anita rolled away from me and held out her hand for the phone. Jason delivered the
device, and left the room, wisely. Resting my head on my hand, I listened to Anita’s conversation
with Monsieur Edward.

“Edward?”

“Anita.”

“What did you find out?”

“I found out that you are really going to want to kill this vampire half-breed. I’ve traced
him, from New York, Richmond, Miami, Atlanta New Orleans, Houston, Memphis, and now
he’s here in St. Louis. He’s been killing people, mostly young girls, barely out of their teens. The
cops have found them dead in big fancy hotel rooms. They look like they’ve been sucked dry.
Not of blood, but of muscle, of…life.” Sounds like Amador.

“How do you know it’s him?”

“Goldie eyes, right?”

“Yeah.”

“You didn’t tell me that, Anita. We’ve got our guy.”

Anita nodded. “Ok, so he has to die. The question is, how the hell are we going to kill
him?”

I covered my eyes in frustration. They did not realize who we were dealing with.
Essentially, the most powerful vampire on this earth. Since the Earthmover’s death, Amador has
walked all over the council.

“I’m thinking we set bait. He wants you, Anita.”

Widening my eyes, I shook my head, not pleased with the idea of using ma petite as bait.
Anita paused, thinking about this proposal. “Ok, we set the bait, then what?”

“Then I come in. I have a new toy I have just been dying to try.” I rolled my eyes at
Edward’s euphemism for weapons.

“No flame throwers in my house, Edward.”

“Hey, a flame thrower wouldn’t be a NEW toy, now would it?”

“Then what the hell are you talking about.”

“Bullets with holy water inside. When the bullet enters the holy water leaks out, burning the
vamp like acid.” I mentally cringed. Mon Dieu, what cruel things death invents!

Anita sat, dumfounded. Then a slow smile spread on her lips. “Sounds terrible. I like it.”

“Good. I heard about the two were bears.”

“How?” Anita impatiently interrupted.

“I have my ways. Be at your house tomorrow night. We’ll bait the bastard in.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Anita agreed, but I could taste her fear, her heart pounding in her
chest.

Changing the subject, Edward said, “It’s disturbing to have to call the Circus of the
Damned to reach you, Anita.”

Anita sighed, exasperated, like this was an argument she often had with Death. I ran my
fingertips up her thigh slowly in a teasing line, knowing it would annoy and please Anita. “Just
drop it, Edward. You’re not my father.” Anita swatted at my hand, distracted. I smiled slightly.

“Someone has to be, you never talk to him,” was Edward’s quick reply. I took Anita’s
other hand, kissing her fingers. She gasped as I slipped one of them between my lips, gently
nibbling.

“That’s between my family and I, Edward. You know they don’t accept me.” I pressed my
lips to the palm of her hand, trailing them up her under arm.

“But the vampire does.”

Yes, he—” I nibbled at her neck, leaning over her, our bodies pressed in one line.
“Jean-Claude, would you quit it?!”

I chuckled, and felt her shiver beneath me. “Do not fear, Monsieur de Mort, I shall take
good care of Anita until she is in your hands tomorrow night.” I pressed the ‘talk’ button on the
phone, turning it off.

Anita glared up at me. “Jean-Claude, you are such a—”

“Pain in the ass?” I finished her sentence for her.

“Yes.”

I kissed her lightly on the cheek, working my way down her jaw line. “I do not want you to
pose as bait, Anita.” I whispered into her ear.

“Too bad, Jean-Claude,” she answered.

“But all he has to do is touch you, and you will be his.” Nibbling at ma petite’s neck, I
teased her pulse with my tongue. I could almost taste the scalding life giving liquid, beating just
below the surface of her milky pale skin.

“I don’t believe that, Jean-Claude.”

I moved to look into her eyes, I knew to her human senses my speed looked like magic.
“Then I will prove it to you, Anita.”

Before she could protest I pressed my mouth onto hers, exploring her mouth with my
tongue. I let the arduer rise within me, and then pour out from my body to hers. I slipped a knee
between her legs, making her moan within my mouth. It would not be the first time this night.
 

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