Author’s note: this starts at the point where Richard walks in on Anita and Jean-Claude
kissing, in Jean-Claude’s room, after she was almost downed by the lady assassin at Danse
Macabre.

Fangface or Furball

Chapter 1

“He still doesn’t know what kind of hose I’m wearing,” I said.

Richard smiled, some of the tension easing away.

“Too smooth for garters,” Jean-Claude said. “Panty hose, though they could be crotchless,
of that I am not sure.”

Richard snarled.

I glanced back at Jean-Claude. “Don’t help me.”

He smiled and nodded. He leaned back against one of the bedposts, fingers playing over
the bare skin of his chest. It was suggestive, and he meant it to be. Damn him.

A low bass growl brought my attention back to Richard. He stalked towards the bed like
each movement hurt. The tension sang through the building of power. Was I going to get to see
him change here and now? If he changed, there’d be a fight, and for the very first time I was
worried for Jean-Claude’s safety.

“Don’t do this, Richard, please.”

He was staring past me at Jean-Claude. I didn’t dare look back to see what mischief the
vampire was doing; I had my hands full with the werewolf in front of me.

Something flickered across his face. I was sure Jean-Claude had done something behind
my back. Richard made a sound that was more animal than human, and rushed for the bed. I
stood in his way and tried to grab him, but he dodged, and was past me in a flash.

He was suddenly there in front of Jean-Claude, trying to hit him. He was fighting like he
had claws, but his hands hadn’t shifted, yet.

“Richard! Stop!” I shouted, but he paid no attention. Jean-Claude was always a second
ahead of him, seeming amused. He didn’t fight back through, he only dodged.

I ran to Richard and grabbed his arm. I made the one mistake I never made with anyone
else. I didn’t think Richard would hurt me. With a growling snarl Richard tossed me towards the
wall. It seemed I had forever to crash into the wall, time moved so slow. “Anita!” I heard
Jean-Claude call, and I slammed into the wall. It was fleshy, and giving, not a wall at all.
Jean-Claude had put himself between the wall and I, and I was still seeing stars. Richard would
have killed me, if Jean-Claude hadn’t been so fast. I started to slide down, and Jean-Claude
wrapped his arms around my waist so I wouldn’t fall to the ground.

This seemed to infuriate Richard more. His hands shifted into claws. Every thing was gold
rimmed, and time moved so slow. I must have had a concussion.

Richard rushed towards us and slammed his claws in the wall, right where Jean-Claude’s
face had been. This happened twice more before Jean-Claude kicked Richard away, slamming
him into the bedpost, and rushed to the middle of the room. The rapier that had been on the wall
was in his hand.

When Richard rushed us again, the tip of the sword was at his breast, and Richard
paused. Jean-Claude simply held it there, letting Richard decide if he would impale himself or not.
“Control yourself, wolf,” Jean-Claude said.

Richard swallowed his beast, his eyes went back to coffee brown. “I could break that little
knife,” he said in a hostile tone.

“You are welcome to try, and I will slit you from naval to nose. You forget, mon lupe, that
I come from a day where a gentleman’s honor depended on his skill with the blade.”
Jean-Claude’s tone was cold as ice, his eyes burned blue fire with anger.

“Steel won’t kill me,” Richard retorted.

“Not a problem, for it is silver plated.”

Richard took another step back, saying the fight was over. Jean-Claude lowered the
rapier, resting the point on the carpet. He seemed incredibly at home with the sword. Had it been
his companion, a long time ago?

Richard got a real look at me. “Oh my god, Anita, I…” I didn’t think I looked that bad,
most of the damage was on my back.

“Yes, Richard, take a good look at your handy work. Let it sink in that you almost killed
the woman you supposedly love.” Jean-Claude’s voice cut like glass. I flinched, and he looked
down at me. I pushed away from him gently, standing alone. I was shaky, but I could do it.
Richard took it as encouragement, taking a step towards me. “Anita, I’m so sorry, I…”

I held up a hand. “No, don’t.” He didn’t listen, and tried to take me into his arms. I
stepped back. “Don’t touch me,” I said loudly, almost yelling.

His face fell. “I did not mean to hurt you. I’m so sorry.”

“You were just trying to kill Jean-Claude instead?” Richard frowned. “Look at the wall
over there.” I pointed at the smashed spots in the wall, claw marks in the wall paper. “If
Jean-Claude lost control like that every time he got incredible jealous of you, you would not be
alive. I would think you could extend him the same courtesy.”

“If you would just make your choice already, you wouldn’t have to worry about it. Once
we go off and get married, he’s probably going to kill both of us anyway.”

Jean-Claude scowled at Richard. He opened his mouth to reply, but I held up a hand. “Do
you really want me to make my choice right now?” My tone was flat, neutral.

“Yes, I do. I am tired of sharing, Anita.”

“You might not like it.”

He shrugged. “I think I have a better than 50/50 chance.”

I laughed, and it was harsh. “You are way less than 50/50 right now.” He looked shocked.
After that little display, this was a very bad time to force my choice.

“What are you saying, Anita?”

I stared at him, face blank, for a few seconds. I could see the horror and pain building in
his eyes. I glanced back at Jean-Claude. He couldn’t hide a small smile that graced his lips, but
he said nothing that could possibly anger me, or provoke Richard again. “I’m saying Jean-Claude
won.”

Richard’s jaw dropped. “What?”

“Dammit Richard, when we’re not almost in each other’s pants, we’re fighting. Either about
my body count, or your reluctance to kill Marcus.”

Richard held his eyes wide, so the tears wouldn’t flow. “If you’re breaking up with me,
then you can’t stay my lupa. What about Marcus? The fight is tomorrow.”

“I’ll go with you to the lupanar tomorrow.”

“Are you sure you can stand to be around me?” Richard’s tone was hurt.

“I don’t want you to get killed, Richard, and I don’t trust Raina to not pull something
behind your back while your fighting.”

“Why do you want me to fight Marcus now, if its not me you’re worried about?”

“Because I want Jason and Stephen and Sylvie and everyone else who Raina and Marcus
have fucked up to be finally safe. Either you kill Marcus, or I will. If you kill him, you get to be
king. If I kill him, you still get to be king, but less people will follow you.”

Richard nodded, and sighed. He walked to the door. “I’ll go home, Anita, but I never
thought you would choose him.” I blinked. I thought of a thousand scathing remarks, but I said
nothing. “Good bye, Anita.” As he walked out of the door, he walked out of my life.

I pressed my lips together, staring at the door. The tears burned at the back of my throat,
and the bruises burned at the back of my body. Jean-Claude touched my back. “Ma petite?”

I turned around to look at my now only suitor. It was kinda a relief to have finally picked
one of the boys. But still, a single tear ran down my cheek. Not just because I had lost Richard,
but because he would tear himself up, because he had lost me due to his beast. Oh well. I had to
go to the Lupanar tomorrow night, and then we’d be out of each other’s lives.

I wiped away the tear, and looked at it trembling on my finger. Jean-Claude took my hand
and licked the tear from my finger. “Ma petite, I realize I have won, but I will not play the fool to
think your heart has not been broken.”

I nodded, because he was right. He reached for me, and I let him pull me into his arms.
Snuggled into the bend of his neck, I whispered, “And it doesn’t bother you that I’m crying for
Richard in your arms?”

Jean-Claude laughed, it tingled, playing down my spine. He kissed the top of my head, still
chuckling. “Ah, but ma petite, you can not weep forever.”

I smiled. “You always know just what to say.” I pushed away gently, even that small touch
made Jean-Claude’s skin twitch with pain, even if his face denied it. I touched the skin his shirt
bared lightly. A large purple bruise had spread from low on his stomach to below his breast
bone. I could see just the bottom of another bruise that seemed to extend further up his chest,
probably where my head had cracked backwards.

Jean-Claude traced his fingertips up my arm. “And do I get to touch your bruises, ma
petite?”

I raised an eyebrow. “They’re on my back, Jean-Claude.”

“Oui, je sais,” he whispered, stepping in close. His hands traveled from my waist up my
sides, then up and down my back in teasing lines. I was very sore, but his light touch didn’t hurt.
Oh no, it didn’t hurt at all. He licked my lower lip, a prelude taste before claiming my mouth for
his own. He explored me, leaving no corner of my mouth uncovered, laying claim to the mouth
that was now his, and only his. I pressed my body full front to his, forgetting about the bruises.
Jean-Claude slightly moaned in my mouth, but pulled me closer with hands on my hips. He finally
drew away, leaving us both gasping. He kissed me lightly on the neck, and whispered against my
skin, “I will reluctantly take my leave of you, for this evening. The sun will rise in minutes.” He
kissed me lightly, and was gone like a dark dream. My dark dream.

Chapter 2

I awoke alone in Jean-Claude’s bed. It was a bit too early for any of the vampires to be
up. I disentangled myself from the black and white silk sheets and walked into the bathroom. My
hair was a mass of dark curls, I looked deathly pale under the bright light. I glanced around the
bathroom. There was no shower. Dammit. I felt grubby as hell, and I was going to have to take a
bath. Double dammit.

The water drained out as I toweled off. I smeared hair goop in my hair, and let it go. I
walked out of the bathroom to get some clothes, wearing only the towel, when I halted in my
tracks. Jean-Claude was up, lounging on the foot of the bed, wearing a pair of black pajama
pants, but no shirt. “You’re up early,” was the only thing I could think to say.

Jean-Claude smiled seductively and twisted around to sit on the foot of the bed. “Perhaps,
ma petite. Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah. Silk sheets are great.”

Jean-Claude chuckled. “They can be. Especially in certain situations…”

“Really? Like what?” I played into the ploy purposefully.

“Ah, I will show you, if you like.” He reached out and tugged at the bottom of my towel. I
could either go to him, or loose the towel. I had a good feeling I would be doing both before the
day was over. He drew me into the circle of his arms, and held me close for a moment, before
planting a gentle kiss on my neck. He kissed a hot line down my neck to my chest, flicking his
tongue out on the top of my breast, where the towel began. Jean-Claude stood, pressing the line
of his body to mine, and claimed my mouth with a passionate kiss.

Suddenly I was in the center of the bed, tossed like I was only a feather. I didn’t mind.
Jean-Claude crawled towards me, moving like there were muscles in his body no one else had.
He looked graceful, and dangerous at the same time. He knelt before me, and picked me up by
the backs of my thighs, pulling me to him with a wicked grin. His eyes sparkled with mischief, but
were dark at the same time with a desire about to be satisfied. He had been trying to seduce me
for as long as I could remember, and I had finally given in. I closed my eyes, suddenly very
aware of my groin pressed against his bare stomach.

Jean-Claude sat back and bent his knees so I sat almost in a cradle between his legs and
his torso. He ran his hands up my thighs, pushing up the towel even further. I could feel him hard
and ready below me, only his pants were in the way. “Jean-Claude,” I whispered.

“Oui?”

“If we make love now, Richard will smell it.”

Jean-Claude sighed mournfully. “Oui, I understand. It would not be wise to anger the
emotional Ulfric the night of the full moon.”

“Besides, Edward will be here soon with backup. I would not want to be walked in on by
him.”

Jean-Claude licked my earlobe, making me take in a hissing breath. “Tonight we will be
alone.”

Chapter 3

I knocked loudly on the door to the Circus. I felt hurt, sick, beaten down, and I just felt
like crying. I really did not feel like letting a dumb door get in my way. I was about to shoot the
lock off when Jean-Claude opened the door. “Good evening, ma petite.”

I nodded in hello, and walked in. He shut the door behind me. Jean-Claude touched my
back, then looked at the white viscous substance on it. His eyes widened. “How did you get this
close to a shape-shifting werewolf?”

I began to cover my eyes with my hands, but stopped because they were covered with the
gunk. I held my hands out in front of me like they were something un-pure. “It was Richard. After
he killed Marcus, he…” I sighed, “He collapsed and shifted on me.” I sat down on the stairs,
hugging myself. “It was terrible. I could feel…” I shuddered with the thought of it. “I could feel
his bones, ligaments, everything breaking and reforming. Right above me. Oh my God, it was
terrifying.” I had started to shake. A tear ran down my cheek. Jean-Claude sat down beside me.
He scooped me up, placing me on his lap. I began to push away. “No, you’ll get it all over you.”

Jean-Claude held me tighter. “It’s alright, ma petite. It is just a shirt.” He brushed a curl
away from my face. “You need to be held, let me comfort you.” That was all it took to make the
tears start flowing. I buried my face in the bend of Jean-Claude’s neck and cried, heaving sobs.
When there were no more tears and the shaking subsided I realized Jean-Claude was rocking me
gently, whispering French softly in my hair. He knew I didn’t understand it, but it was soothing all
the same.

I walked out of the bathroom. I was clean, and that is always a step forward. I wore a
black lacy nightgown that I knew Jean-Claude would like. It had a wide neck, and hit me at
about 5 inches above the knee.

Jean-Claude laid on the bed, his back against the headboard. His chest was bare, he wore
only the black jeans. He smiled at the nightgown. “Ma petite, I never thought I would see you in
something like this of your own choosing.”

I shrugged. “Do you like it?”

“Oui, ma petite. Tu es belle.”

 I smiled. “Thanks.”

“Do you feel better now, ma petite?”

I answered with a sigh. “Much better, thank you.”

I stood at the foot of the bed, gazing at Jean-Claude. His bruises from our collision in the
wall were completely healed, but I still had mine. They weren’t that bad, Jean-Claude really got
the worse end of the deal. But hey, he could heal it faster.

On all fours, Jean-Claude crawled towards me. His movements were slow, deliberate,
seductive. My breath caught in my throat as he knelt before me. He brushed lips against mine
softly. He ran finger tips up my arm, lightly, raising gooseflesh, tightening my nipples and other
places. He entwined our fingers together as he ran lips down my jawline to my neck. He rolled
the pulse on his tongue, and took in a deep breath. “The sweet smell of your skin is intoxicating,”
he whispered into my ear.

I smiled, and kissed him. Jean-Claude began to run his hand up my thigh. He traved the
lace at the bottom of my gown, making the skirt brush against my legs. I traced his collar bone
with my fingertips, resting my hands on his shoulders.

Jean-Claude watched my face as he ran his hands higher up my thigh to trace the bottoms
of my panties. He snapped the straps on my hips, tearing a gasp from my throat. He chuckled,
and picked me up by the backs of my thighs. I yipped in surprise, that almost remotely girl sound.

He pulled me to him, and fell backwards so I straddled him. With a smile that was wide
enough to flash the tips of his fangs, he scooted backwards. I crawled with him, so we were in
the center of the bed. I leaned down to him, bending on one elbow. The sleeve of my nightgown
slipped down over my shoulder, exposing that and a lot of cleavage. Jean-Claude reached up
and traced the line of the collar, making me shudder. He sat up and bent his legs so I sat in a
cradle of his body. It was a position he seemed to like. He brushed his palms over my nipples,
making them hard and visible through the thin cloth.

“I have wanted you like this for so long, Anita.” Jean-Claude smiled and made a pout face,
pursing his lips. “But you never cooperated.”

I laughed. “Live for the present and the future, Jean-Claude, not the past.”

“Oui, ma petite, I agree. In fact, I am greatly anticipating the next few hours of this night
with tremendous joy.”

I blushed, and he laughed. I traveled down my skin in a pleasurable wave. I traced the
laugh lines on his face lightly, and ran my hands through his soft curls. The smile faded, replaced
with an statement of pure desire. He closed his eyes, leaning the side of his face against my palm,
holding my hand to him. He kissed my hand, and ran lips up my arm, leaving a trail of wetness
from his tongue.

Jean-Claude pushed my nightgown up my torso, and I lifted my arms up for him. He
slipped the gown off over my head and tossed it across the room.

“I might need that,” I said jokingly. Jean-Claude cupped my breasts in his hands, making
me close my eyes, letting out a small sigh. He kissed me, a quick brush of lips. “Not if I have
anything to do with it,” Jean-Claude answered with a naughty smile. He ran his fingertips lightly
down my sides, teasing lines that made me shudder.

Jean-Claude set me down on the bed. I stared up at him. Suddenly his pants were gone.
He took them off too fast for my human eyes to see. Jean-Claude hooked his fingers in the straps
of my panties, slowly drawing them down my hips, and then tossed them away along with a
wicked smile. He leaned down in a sort of pushup, and kissed me deeply. We took turns probing
each other’s mouths, exploring. Jean-Claude drew away and kissed my neck, running his tongue
down the center of my body to my stomach. Then he moved up with light kisses, and took one of
my breasts in his mouth, rolling the nipple on his tongue. I cried out as he left me with a short nip
that didn’t break the skin, and moved to the other.

His fingers slid between my legs, and probed to match the movement of his mouth on my
breast, slow and lingering. He moved to my mouth and did the same. One of his fingers slipped
inside of me, and I cried out in his mouth.

I sat up and forced him on his back, straddling him again. I kissed his chest, and ran my
tongue over his cross burn scar. I nibbled at his neck. “That is a reversed sensation,” he
whispered, his eyes closed.

With a slight thrust of his hips he plunged inside of me. I gasped as a thrill of pleasure
seemed to thrust impossibly deep within me, in the places where his voice could touch. He slowly
drew out of me, preparing to thrust again. “I want you above me,” I whispered shakily.

Suddenly I was looking up at him, his midnight blue eyes burning with a fire that had
nothing to do with vampire powers. “I am surprised, ma petite,” he whispered.

“Why?” I whispered back, not capable of a real voice from the sensations overwhelming
my body.

Jean-Claude drew himself out so only the tip remained inside of me. “Think about it, and
tell me when you have the answer,” he said, a second before he plunged fully inside of me. My
back bowed with pleasure.

He moved slowly at first, but then faster. Emotions played over his face, some were so
intense I had no words for them. Tenderness, triumph, desire, a need so complete I wanted to
apologize for denying him. He slowed his movement, his hips thrusting against me in irregular
movements. The strain of slowing showed in his muscles, he trembled with the effort not to meld
out bodies into one. Then he sped up once again. His pelvis found that spot inside of me that will
bring me every time. I moved my hips to meet his. We both were straining to hold our climax
back, wanting it to last longer.

“Anita.” I opened my eyes, not realizing I had closed them. “Look into my eyes. Let it be
between us what it always could have been.” I did, and he couldn’t roll me.

“I can’t,” I whispered. He spasmed inside of me, and it was hard to think.

“Open to me, Anita, open your shields. Let me inside your mind, as you let me inside your
body. Love me, Anita.”

“I do love you,” I whispered. I couldn’t fight it any longer, and the orgasm crashed into me
in a blinding rush, making me toss every shield I ever had to the wind. I fell into the blue fire of his
eyes. Jean-Claude bowed his back, and I opened my eyes in time to see his face go slack in his
moment of total abandon, I felt his release inside of me.

Jean-Claude collapsed on top of me and to the side so he wouldn’t smother me with his
chest. He slid out of me and I curled around his body, letting him hold me. I could still feel the
aftereffects of his eyes, the burning blue engulfing me. I stroked Jean-Claude’s hair, he closed his
eyes, a smile played over his lips. I snuggled into the bend of his neck. “Je t’aime, ma petite.”

“I love you too, Jean-Claude.”