The Mary Sue Virus: Beyond Death

[ladydeathfaerie]

Title: The Mary Sue Virus: Beyond Death
Chapter Twenty: I'll Rest When I'm Dead
Fandom: Anita Blake universe
Rating: 18 and up
Warnings: graphic sex and violence, language, anything else i can toss in.
Disclaimer: the recognizable characters and places contained herein are the property of LKH. i'm merely borrowing for the sake of entertainment. no money is being made from this venture. the Sues are the sole property of their originators, Ginevra, Dazzledfirestar, Nanaea, SilverFoxChan and ladydeathfaerie. the concept and title of The Mary Sue Virus are used with permission from Dazzledfirestar. all beta work, plot bunny shooting and ass spanking is being done by Gin. 

The Mary Sue Virus: Beyond Death - Index Link 

She didn't know what she would have done if the limousine hadn't still been there. She'd barely noticed the man running away from the vampire, her gaze intent on the blood on her lover's chest. She'd seen it glistening in the beam of her flashlight. She hadn't wanted to believe someone had hurt him. How it had happened, she didn't know and she didn't care. The blood on her hand had convinced her the man had somehow managed to injure him. She'd grabbed hold of his arm and dragged him to the car. He hadn't wanted to go.

With the help of the driver, she'd gotten Asher into the back of the limo. She hadn't needed to bother giving a destination. The car had moved forward without her having said a word and she'd allowed herself to concentrate on the man beside her. She'd dressed hurriedly, jeans and t-shirt and her coat, before she'd joined him outside. Once they'd been seated in the back of the long car, she'd pulled her coat off and pushed it against his wound, hoping it would stop the bleeding. She'd been silent during the ride, had simply stared into those amazing eyes of his and silently prayed that this wasn't as bad as she thought it was.

Janika was frantic by the time the limo pulled up behind the Circus. She wasn't surprised to find people waiting for them. She could see the glossy black tresses of the Master of the City, light shining off his hair and catching in the folds of his white shirt. He was standing at the front of the group. She could see Aedan beside him, several of the other vampires in Jean Claude's kiss fanned out behind the two of them. The car had barely rolled to a stop when Jean Claude had the door opened. She hardly had a chance to move before the dark-headed vampire was issuing orders to the others around him. His pale hands were reaching for Asher.

"I don't know what happened," she told him, panic finally starting to set in. Now that there was someone else to deal with the situation, she could let go of the strict control she'd had on her emotions. "He said he heard someone outside the window. By the time I got there..."

"Come along, Janika." Requiem had a hand on her arm, gently drawing her from the car. She allowed him to escort her, leaned against him as the strength drained from her. She could see Jean Claude carrying Asher, who wasn't protesting the treatment. Aedan looked harried and drawn, as if she'd had a really long day. But she was barking orders to the other vampires who'd come out with the Master of the City and his human servant. "There is no need to worry. He is in excellent hands."

"Wicked, Truth," Aedan turned to the brothers. "Find Nathaniel and Gregory. Bring them to Jean Claude's room. And..." she halted and swung around, staring at the limp form in the other vampire's arms. Janika saw her face go paler than it was and her eyes flashed up to Jean Claude's. "Bring another one of the lycanthropes. I don't care who. I need power. Lots of it. Asher needs it."

The brothers nodded and hurried off ahead of the rest. Janika's head came up at the tone of Aedan's voice. There was a sharp quality to it, as if Aedan were sure she was battling the clock more than anything. It made Janika wonder at the claim that Asher needed power. She was bothered further by the look on the other woman's face. There was fear there, hidden amongst the folds of exhaustion. She needed to be with Asher.

Requiem wouldn't release her arm, no matter how hard she stared at him or how much she pleaded and begged. He kept a firm grasp on her arm as they stepped inside the Circus. She was glad he did when it came to moving down the steps. Without him, she'd have taken a tumble. Her mind wasn't on her surroundings at all. She barely made note of moving through the living area and the halls behind it. She wasn't really aware of anything until he brought her into the chambers that she knew belonged to Jean Claude.

The Master had already laid Asher on the high bed and stood nearby, his shirt bloodied. Aedan was kneeling on the mattress, next to Asher's still figure, peering carefully under the make-shift bandage without actually taking it away from the wound or relieving the pressure. "Christ, its bad. Janika, what happened?"

"He said there was someone outside the bedroom window. By the time I got dressed and joined him, he'd already been hurt," she managed, her voice shaking slightly. Aedan's voice was tight and controlled, empty. She was hiding her feelings.

"You didn't see what he was stabbed with, did you?"

"No, I... Aedan, is he going to die?" she whispered, fear creeping into her tone. Aedan lifted her head, turned to look at Janika. There was determination in her eyes.

"Not if I have anything to do with it," she replied. There was a promise in her voice that she didn't actually speak. She'd do whatever it took to keep him alive, even if it meant... Janika cut the thought short and found herself sagging against Requiem, relief washing through her. It did nothing to dislodge the fear, which grew steadily stronger. This time, for entirely different reasons.

"Ma poupette, I can feel your fear. What is it?" Jean Claude asked. There was nothing on his face, nothing in his voice that gave away what he was feeling. But Janika knew he was worried, that he was scared something horrible would happen to his... She blinked. What exactly was Asher to him? Friend? Lover? Something more? Was there a word for what he was?

"I need power, Jean Claude. He's fading. It makes me think the blade was silver. I think I can heal the wound, but I need power. Lots of it."

"Then you will take my power and use it to heal him," Jean Claude said immediately.

"Are you out of your fucking mind? With Belle and Padma here? You can't afford to be weak in any way," she snarled, working at the straps of her shoulder holster with one hand. Wordlessly, Jean Claude moved forward to help her remove it. It was dropped, forgotten, into a chair. "I'll use my power."

"You cannot do that, ma poupette. As you say, Belle and Padma cannot see me weak. You will take too long to heal from such a gift," Jean Claude replied calmly.

"I need power from somewhere. He won't make it without it. And I'm not about to let him die," Aedan insisted. Janika was confused. What the hell did she mean by power? Her mind wouldn't work, wouldn't summon up what Daz knew about the universe. Janika's will was too strong to allow her to seek the knowledge she needed to understand the conversation, her fear and confusion too overwhelming. Her feelings for Asher.

The notion stunned her. She'd had a niggling suspicion that she loved him. But she wasn't sure about it until now. She loved him and she was on the verge of losing him. If it would save him, she'd give up her life. She was ready to open her mouth and say as much, but she never got the chance.

"Take my power, Aedan," Minette's voice was soft with sleep. Janika turned to find that Minette and Micah stood near her, Nathaniel and Gregory behind them. The three men looked stunned and Minette looked intent.

"No, he needs more than you should give. I won't..."

"You don't have a choice, Aedan. If you're going to save him, its got to be now. And its got to be me. I'll heal faster than you will and I've got power to spare. Take it."

"Minette..."

"Do it, Aedan. Now. Before you have no reason to."

"Okay!" Aedan spat and closed her eyes. Janika knew nothing about the metaphysical world that the other two women lived in. She couldn't see or feel magic. Not like they could. And she couldn't see what was going on. Sudden frustration at being nothing more than a human washed through her. If she'd been something more, she could have done something for him. Instead, she was merely a mortal, with no special gifts or powers. If Asher died because she hadn't been able to do anything to save him, she'd never forgive herself.

As if sensing her agitation, Requiem's hand was a soft and gentle touch on her flesh, a sharp contrast to the violent emotions swirling through her. He stroked his fingers down her arm and drew her back into him, as if she were cold and needed heat. It was a kind of solace, a buffer against the distress that shook her to her core. She was suddenly very glad that he hadn't let go of her yet. He leaned down so that he could whisper in her ear. His words made her wonder for a moment if he could read her mind. "Watch and see, Janika. Aedan will heal Asher. Even now I can feel her powers at work."

So Janika watched.

The room held its collective breath and everything went still. The kind of still that one found in a cemetery in the middle of the night. The air around her grew thick and heavy. It felt like she was trying to breathe through soup and wet fur. Aedan's eyes were still closed, face caught in concentration. There didn't appear to be anything happening. She merely knelt over Asher, hands pressed against his chest and the wound there. But a close look at Minette showed her that there was, indeed, something going on. Minette's eyes were closed, her face taut with what looked like pain. She leaned almost heavily on Micah. He was leaning against her. Nathaniel and Gregory had moved forward until they stood right behind their Nimir-Ra and Nimir-Raj.

No one spoke or breathed. No one even moved. Janika thought, for a moment or two, that she felt something brush her cheeks. A warm wind, perhaps, that danced across her skin and left tingles in its wake. But it was gone as quickly as it came and the thickness in the air slipped away, leaving it easy for her to draw a full breath. When she looked around, she found that Minette and Micah were leaning heavily against each other, struggling to gulp air into their lungs. They looked utterly spent.

Aedan didn't look much better. Janika watched as she put a hand down on the mattress, head bowed over Asher's body. She wasn't panting for breath, but only just. She sat like that for several moments, then shifted her head to the side. A sigh lifted her shoulders, then they settled down and she slowly straightened her back. One hand reached slowly for the bloodied coat and she lifted it. "Wow," Aedan breathed.

Jean Claude shifted closer to her, reaching out to lay a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him and nodded, then looked back down to the bed. Janika's heart started beating again when Asher tried to move, his actions slow and sluggish. "Rest, my friend. You have been gravely injured."

"Janika?" Asher's voice was hoarse and low. He was still weak.

"She's here, Asher. She's safe. She brought you to us," Aedan told him, then turned to look across the room at Janika. She offered her a tired smile and motioned with a hand. "See? She's fine. Worried about you, but fine."

Asher's head turned on the pillows so that he could look at her. His face was so very pale and his hair lay limply against the bedding beneath him. But his eyes were strong and bright as he stared at her. She offered him a teary smile. Relief poured through her. He was still alive. Aedan had saved him. Somehow. She tried to shrug Requiem off, but he still held her firmly in his grasp.

"He needs to feed, Janika. He will be dangerous until he has done so. You can go to him when he is finished," the vampire told her softly. She sighed, but nodded. He was right, she realized. Asher would need to feed to replace the blood he'd lost and the chances that he might hurt her were strong. If he got hold of her, she didn't think that the others could do anything to save her.

"Okay," she whispered and relaxed against Requiem. He stroked a hand down one arm in a motion meant to soothe. Aedan climbed from the bed slowly. Jean Claude reached out to pull her against him and she leaned heavily against his chest for a few seconds before straightening. She glanced across the room.

"Wicked, Truth. Would you please escort Micah and Minette to their room? Make sure they go to sleep. And check on Jason. Be sure he's alright. Nathaniel and Gregory. Feed Asher. Make sure he doesn't take too much. When he's done, leave and allow Janika some time alone with him."

"You should seek your rest, ma poupette. You are exhausted," Jean Claude reached for her. She shrugged him off and took a step forward. She was already dragging her cell out of her pocket, heading for the door. "Aedan..."

"I need to make a call. There'll be time to sleep once the sun comes up." Aedan crossed the room on her way to the door. Wicked and Truth had already escorted Micah and Minette out. Nathaniel was climbing into bed with Asher while Gregory sat on the far edge. Janika slipped away from Requiem and intercepted Aedan before she could walk out the door.

"Aedan, I... You saved him. I can't ever thank you for that. There are no words," Janika whispered, staring up into the other woman's tired eyes.

"You don't have to, Janika. He'll be fine. Once he feeds and rests, he'll be back to normal," Aedan told her. Janika nodded, biting her lip while she bit back the tears that threatened. Wordlessly, she tossed her arms around the other woman and hugged her fiercely. Aedan seemed startled at first, but finally managed to lift her hands up to pat at Janika's back. The taller woman broke away, clearly embarrassed by the attention. Then she was out the door, the cell phone pressed to her ear. Janika frowned after her.

"I will see to it that she finds her bed," Jean Claude offered Janika a smile. The room had emptied out rather quickly and it looked as if he were leaving, too. He strode to her side and took a hand in his own. "She will be fine after a good sleep. And so will Asher. Requiem will stay until the feeding is complete. Then you will be allowed time with him. Thank you for saving him, Janika."

Jean Claude left without another word and Janika thought that his short speech felt stiff and abrupt. Either he was unwilling to express the truth depth of his emotions or he was unable. Perhaps he was too worried about Asher and Aedan to be properly vocal. Whatever the reason, Jean Claude left her feeling that he hadn't said half of what he'd wanted to. She was left staring at the door as he disappeared, closing it behind him. Requiem's hand on her shoulder brought her back to herself.

Asher was feeding, his face buried in Nathaniel's neck. The young leopard straddled the vampire's lap, their bodies pressed flush against one another. Gregory sat behind the blonde, holding him up so that feeding was easier for him. There was a look on Nathaniel's face that suggested there was some pain involved. She suspected that he didn't care, that he liked it anyway.

Almost as soon as he'd begun feeding from Nathaniel, he was finished. She watched as he cast the young man in his lap aside like a rag doll, already turning for Gregory. The face he wore was one she'd never seen before. There was nothing even remotely human in it, only a wild hunger that she'd never thought lived within him. Asher had always been gentle and kind with her, always a gentleman. The mask he wore now held no civility in it, nothing to suggest that he'd ever been human. She should have been frightened to see him this way. She wasn't.

She was fascinated. It had to be a survival mechanism, some kind of genetic vampire DNA coding that kicked in when their life was in danger. And his had been in danger. He'd almost died. She'd known the minute they'd gotten into the car. The knife or whatever had missed the heart, but it had been close. She could recall everything her father had ever taught her about vampire hunting. He'd always said that they were more dangerous when injured than they were any other time. Now she understood what he'd meant and she believed it. Between the thirst for life and the strength, an injured vampire could be deadly.

The sucking sounds died away, leaving the room in silence. Janika watched as Nathaniel lifted his head from the bed with a sleepy look on his face. He studied Asher for a few moments, then turned his attention to Gregory. Lastly, his lavender eyes found the spot where she and Requiem stood. He offered them a smile before slithering off the bed. With slow, careful steps, Nathaniel rounded the end of the bed and collected Gregory. The two of them leaned against one another as, without a word, they crept from the room.

"All will be well now," Requiem informed her. He sketched a bow to her, then followed out of the room after Nathaniel and Gregory. The door closed silently behind him and she found herself alone with Asher.

He was sitting up in the bed now, still paler than normal. And he was staring at her, eyes wide with something she couldn't quite name. "I was so scared," she told him, her voice a hoarse whisper. Scared didn't begin to cover it. She'd suddenly been faced with the idea of a life without him. And that had left her more than scared. That had left her empty. "All I could think of is what would happen if I lost you."

"You were worried?" he asked softly. Janika nodded. "You were worried for me?"

"Of course I was worried for you," she replied. "I don't want to lose you."

"You were not repulsed by what you have seen?" She blinked at the question. Repulsed? By him? How could he think such a thing? She crossed the floor and climbed up onto the mattress so she could sit beside him.

"Why would I be repulsed?"

The question seemed to baffle him for a few moments and all he did was stare at her. After several long minutes, he made a weak gesture with one hand as he searched for the right words. "You did not think me a monster for what occurred?"

"I've seen monsters, Asher. In my line of work, I've seen all kinds. I've seen the victims of monsters who were so unidentifiable that it took x-rays of their teeth to find a name. I've seen the kind of sick and depraved things one human can do to another without thought or remorse. You didn't hurt either of them. You didn't savage them. You kept yourself alive. You came back to me," Janika's voice was soft with the last of her sentence. She lifted a hand and gently cupped his cheek with it. "The only thing that matters to me is that you're alive."

"Because you were there when I needed you," he offered her a slight smile.

"Because Aedan could save you," Janika shifted her position, moving so that she could sit beside him and lay her head on his shoulder. "If she hadn't been here..."

"Aedan saved me," he whispered, his words suggesting that he didn't recall much of what had happened. She wrapped her arms around him and held him close, afraid that he'd disappear if she let him go. It had been close. So close.

"Yes. Aedan saved you. She healed you. She said that she thought the wound was made by silver. She said it was bad. And she needed power to heal you," Janika explained. He studied her before dragging her close for a hug.

"Then I owe both of you my life," he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"You and I both owe her," Janika shuddered. She didn't want to think about what would have happened if Aedan hadn't done whatever it was she'd done. She pressed closer to Asher, careful not to hug him too tightly in case he wasn't back to normal yet. One of his arms tightened on her.

"We can thank her tomorrow. Dawn comes soon. I would rather spend the rest of the night holding you close so that I may bask in your presence. And I would like to watch you sleep, my sweet one," he told her, shifting them slowly and carefully until he was partially reclined, her head resting on his shoulder.

"I don't want to go to sleep. I'm afraid I'll wake up and you'll be gone. That this has all been a dream," she whispered quietly.

"I will always be here for you, Janika. I am going no where," Asher promised with another kiss to the top of her head. "It has been a long night and you need your rest. There will be time tomorrow for more kisses. I swear it."

"I'm going to hold you to that," she bit back a yawn and nestled closer to him. He was a warm, solid presence beside her. That alone was enough to send her rushing headlong into slumber, her last thoughts of the love she felt for him.

~*~*~*~*~

Jean Claude watched Aedan pace back and forth in front of the desk, hands crossed over her chest. A frown slid across his face. She was exhausted. It was easy to see in her eyes and on her face, in the stiff way she held herself. She had been since she'd returned from her meeting with Edward. And it was more than merely physical. It was easy to see that her mental state wasn't much better. It was as if she was teetering on the edge of some yawning precipice and he was afraid that she'd fall over. The idea of something happening to her left him with a confused set of emotions that he wasn't sure he was ready to look at just yet.

When she'd gone off with Edward, he'd wanted to send someone with to look after her. He still wasn't sure what her relationship with the man was and that lack of knowledge left him unsettled. When London had returned to tell him he'd just missed the two of them, there had been a moment where every thought that had passed through his head was frightening. It had taken every ounce of will, gained and perfected over a very long life, to keep his thoughts from running away from him. Despite her youth and her innocence, he had to trust that Aedan would be able to take care of herself. She was no good to him as a human servant if she couldn't.

It hadn't pleased him to find out the phone call she'd had to make after healing Asher had been to Edward. He'd said nothing, merely listened to the conversation as she stalked the stone halls. Her anger had been tangible, a real thing that twisted inside of her and he'd wondered at it. Had she inherited it from Anita? Or was this her own anger? If so, what had happened to her in her short life that had made her so angry and determined? He'd kept his thoughts and comments to himself even as he'd followed her to one of the rooms occupied by the leopards. Merle had been awake when she'd knocked and she'd quietly explained what she'd needed. The older man had nodded and followed her until they'd stood outside the back door of the Circus. Jean Claude had waited with them silently.

When Edward had arrived, it had been easy to see that he hadn't wanted to take Merle with him. And the three of them had been given a glimpse of an Aedan he hadn't thought existed. She'd backed Edward up to his car and held him there with her blazing anger. Her weapons had been left in the chair but she hadn't cared. She'd advanced on him and held him with her force of will while she'd told him in no uncertain terms that he was going to do this for her and he was going to do it her way. There'd been a moment when Jean Claude had thought he'd have to intervene, but then Edward had given Aedan a curious smile and agreed. And now, they waited for the two men to return. With information.

"You should rest, ma poupette. You are pushing yourself too hard. It will not be good if you..." he began, voice gentle. She whirled around and leveled a gaze at him that struck him odd. There was a kind of hatred in her eyes that shouldn't have been in someone so young. It was the kind of stare he'd found in the faces of people who'd lived through great tragedy and had clung to their hatred for survival. Who could she hate so deeply to have such a look?

"I'm not pushing at all," she replied, surprising him with a lack of heat to her words. He thought she would have lined them with the same feelings that simmered in her eyes. Instead, her voice simply sounded tired and worn. Old. "I want the son-of-a-bitch that hurt Asher. This is the best way to find him."

"Are you so sure of this?" he stood from behind the desk and moved around to her. He put his hands on her shoulders to halt her pacing and she looked up at him.

"You know Edward is the best. And you know that the regular police won't act on it the way they should," she frowned at that, her expression changing for a few seconds before it cleared and she pushed on. "The attacker was human. If he wasn't... Merle can get scents. Edward can find clues. I'm going to have the son-of-a-bitch stopped, one way or the other."

"Why are you so intent on such a thing, ma poupette? Why does it matter?"

"Because I care about Asher," she whispered. He almost smiled at the way she avoided looking at him. He suspected making such confessions were new to her. What little he knew about her suggested she'd been close to few people and was uncertain about such things.

"Asher is lucky to have such a good friend," he replied. She nodded, her shoulders shaking, and he wondered if she was on the verge of tears. The notion that she would cry was novel. He had seen anger and sarcasm from her, but nothing so gentle as tears. Slowly, with great care, he pulled her into his chest and slid his arms around her. It was a testament to the level of her exhaustion that she allowed it without fighting. She came to him without complaint, slipped her arms around his waist and pressed her cheek into his chest.

Jean Claude didn't question the reasons behind her actions. He simply held her, hands stroking her back, drifting through the silken length of her hair as he worked at soothing whatever it was that troubled her. She took the solace he offered without word or struggle or resistance. She was warm against him, still smelled of the alcohol she'd indulged in. Of the blood of a dead lycanthrope that had left her shaken and scared. Beneath that, she smelled of something soft and feminine, a contrast with her personality and demeanor. It was the first time he'd been able to hold her in such a manner and he was loathe to let the opportunity pass.

But she eventually stiffened and pulled away, moving for the door. He returned to his seat behind the desk. Obviously, she had sensed that Edward and Merle were coming. Perhaps because London had been left to await their return and was escorting them to the office in the upper levels of the Circus that Jean Claude had chosen for this meeting. He wasn't comfortable having Edward in the lower levels. Not now. He didn't know how much trust he could grant the man with Anita gone.

A nod from him sent London away, leaving him alone with the man vampires called Death. Edward's face was blank, nothing in his eyes to give away his thoughts. He seemed relaxed and at ease, but looks could be deceiving. Merle, on the other hand, looked and felt very on edge. The energy that poured from him was thick on the air and even Aedan seemed bothered by it. She shifted across the room so that she was as far from him as she could get without leaving. The move put her close to Jean Claude, behind him and to his left. He knew without turning to look that she was leaning against the wall.

He wasn't sure if it was to look as if she were menacing or if she was too tired to stand without aid.

"What'd you find?" she demanded brusquely. He could hear the need to sleep in her voice. Chances were good that the other men could, too. He hadn't been happy to find she'd scheduled this meeting when she was so desperately in need of rest. But he suspected that she wouldn't stop until she had what she needed. And she wouldn't quit until the person responsible for injuring Asher was punished.

He waited patiently for an answer. There was no way he was going to let her discover the answers to her questions without being in attendance. Asher was his oldest friend, the only thing he had left that could be considered family. He didn't trust Edward to not try pushing her around. And he didn't trust Aedan to keep her cool.

The blonde assassin sank into a chair, assuming a relaxed and unassuming pose. His cold blue eyes were fixed on the woman behind Jean Claude. He seemed to be considering his words. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out a shining mass of metal. "This was in the grass, along with a good deal of blood." The lump hit the desk with a dull thud.

"Fuck. Its a miracle he didn't die," Aedan whispered before stepping forward. She stared at the mass a minute or two, then looked up at Edward. "What else did you see?"

"Shoe prints in the soft soil outside the bedroom window. There were more leading off into the trees behind the apartment complex," Edward shrugged. "It doesn't look like he went inside. The door is locked securely. I'd be willing to bet there are finger prints on the window and around it. It looked like he waited by the window for a while. Those prints are deep at the toes and shallow at the heels."

"He was balancing this weight on the balls of his feet," she frowned. "Crouched down. But why?"

"The window is cracked open just a little bit. And the blind is up enough to let the air in," Edward told them.

"He was looking in," Jean Claude looked at Aedan and watched her frown deepen.

"The room smelled of sex," Merle added. The words tumbled heavily into the silence of the office and hung in the air. The implication that went with them was just as heavy and hard to ignore. Asher's attacker had been waiting in the darkness. Listening. And watching.

"What else?" Aedan shifted her gaze back to the weapon on the desk.

"Blood. Urine. Ejaculate," the leopard told her quietly.

"Shit," she turned to pace to the wall. Silence fell again as the three men watched her. She leaned into the wall, hands flat against its surface while she rested her bowed head on the smooth expanse. She didn't move for a long time, simply drew air in and let it out in what sounded like a breathing exercise. It had the feel of old routine to it, so he didn't know if she was doing it on purpose of it she'd fallen back on an old habit.

"Aedan?" Edward's voice cut the stillness, shattering the quiet in an almost gentle manner. It seemed to bring her back to herself. She stood away from the wall, fingers curling into her hands to form fists. When she turned, there was nothing on her face.

"Janika is not to be told. I don't want her freaking out. Not yet. Not until we know more."

"This is a matter for the police, Aedan," Jean Claude told her. "You should let them investigate this."

She gave him a look that could have killed. And there was something on her face that he couldn't quite read. He frowned. "The cops..." she stumbled and shook her head. "No. I don't need the cops. I'm a Federal Marshal. I have jurisdiction and..."

"You should take a good look at that knife, Aedan," Edward cut across her speech. She looked up at him and the two stared at one another for several tense seconds. Something passed between them. Jean Claude was sure of it. Finally, she nodded and leaned over the desk. It wasn't surprising when Edward handed her a pair of latex gloves. The man was prepared for anything. Aedan took them without question, snapping them on with speed and precision. Then she carefully lifted the weapon from the desk.

The blade was, he felt, made of silver. Just as she'd said it was. It was unblemished but for the dried blood on it. It was the hand grip that looked as if it had been pounded out of shape with a sledge hammer. That part had been cast of steel, with brass inlay that appeared wrapped around the grip. The hand guard was a straight cross piece. There was something about the weapon that bothered him but he couldn't name what it was.

"This is a cross," Aedan whispered. She held the weapon up, hand wrapped around the blade just under the hand guard. In that position, Jean Claude could see that it would form a perfect cross if the hand grip hadn't been destroyed so thoroughly. "Shit. Silver. Cross-shaped. This..."

"Aedan, there's more. Look at the blade closely," Edward told her, his tone lower and more intimate than Jean Claude perhaps thought it should be. A teacher to his pupil, with a healthy dose of pleasure. She shifted the blade, wrapping one hand around the warped hilt so that she had an unobstructed view of the blade's length.

He watched her squint, drawing the blade closer to her face. He knew the moment she saw what ever it was Edward wanted her to see. Her face drained of color and she let go a soft gasp. Her fingers tightened on the grip and her gaze flicked past the blade to where the blonde sat. The look on his face was grim as their eyes met. "This changes the nature of the game," she whispered.

"I thought perhaps you should see that. What you do with it now is up to you," Edward shrugged, his eyes as cold as they had been when he'd stepped into the office.

"Shit. This is..." she trailed off and just stared at him.

"What is it, Aedan?" Jean Claude asked. The use of her name must have caught her attention because she drew her eyes from Edward and turned to look at him with wide eyes. He motioned with one pale hand to the weapon she held in her hands. "What is it?"

"The crime scene I was at tonight," she began.

"The one with the dead lycanthrope," he supplied.

She nodded and swallowed hard. "There was something unusual with the way she was killed. There was... a symbol carved into her back. It was crude and elementary, as if the killer had done it quickly. The same symbol is on this knife."

She stepped closer to him, held the knife out so he could look at it without having to touch it. He focused on the blade of the weapon, just below the hand guard. Etched into the silver, he saw a heart with a cross thrust through it. Lines that he thought were meant to be rays of light shot out around it. He nodded and looked up at her. "What does this mean?"

"If this is the same symbol that was on the body, then we've got ourselves a supernatural hate group going around and thinning the pack," she sighed and carefully set the warped knife down on the desk top. "And this means that the lycanthropes aren't the only targets. Let your people know that they have to be careful, Jean Claude."

"Of course, ma poupette. But what kind of person should they be watching for?" he asked. Edward's eyes narrowed at the use of an endearment, but Aedan didn't notice. She was staring at the blade once more.

"The guy who was holding that was indigent," Merle gestured with one hand at the blade on the desk. All eyes looked to him. He sat back in his seat and nodded his head. "The air was rank with the smell of dirt and body odor. Whoever stabbed Asher was homeless. I'd know him if I smelled him again, but I don't know if tracking him is a plausible idea."

"You said you smelled ejaculate?" Jean Claude leaned back in his chair. Merle nodded.

"By the window."

"So we have a homeless man who was outside Janika's bedroom, which you said smelled of sex. His ejaculate is at the scene. He stabbed Asher. Outside Janika's bedroom window. After the two of them had sex. Is it not possible that the man was stalking Janika?" Jean Claude asked quietly.

Aedan swore under her breath. For a moment, he could sense that same intense anger upon her that had been there earlier. And then, as quickly as it had come, it was gone. She subsided back against the wall and avoided looking at any of them. Her exhaustion called to him. It was time to end the meeting and get her into bed. Before she fell over. Too much had happened and she was slipping into an odd version of shock. One moment, she was almost numb and the next saw her anger surging. He wondered if everything that had happened since Anita's death was too much for her.

"Janika will need protection," Edward said what no one else dared.

"Who? And how? I don't think the police are going to take it seriously unless someone makes a personal threat on her. Or she gets attacked. And the vampires can't watch her all day. That leaves the lycanthropes and they're in just as much danger a she seems to be." Aedan stepped away from the wall and wobbled a moment, then started pacing.

"Tomorrow is soon enough to decide something like that, ma poupette. For tonight, you should rest. It has been a long day and you are tired."

"Quit telling me what to fucking do," she snapped, not looking at him. Edward surprised him by taking hold of her arm and halting her in her tracks. He lifted himself from his chair to stare down at her.

"Jean Claude is right, Aedan. You aren't doing yourself any good right now. And tomorrow is soon enough to start working on this. Go get some sleep," he instructed, his voice light. No one could miss the order in it.

"I don't have time to sleep anymore. Between this shit and the demon and my regular job," she gave a mirthless laugh and shook her head. "I can sleep when I'm dead."

"Which won't be too far from now if you keep this up," Edward replied, the order creeping forward into his tone. She looked up at him and shook her head. For a minute or two, they stared at one another and the expression on the blonde's face tightened. "Don't kill yourself over this, Aedan. You won't be able to help anyone if you aren't at your best. Your body and mind require rest in order to function. And you're already pushing it."

"I'm fine," she insisted.

"Fine. You can barely stand. Go to bed or I'll tranquilize you," Edward threatened. Jean Claude watched the odd exchange with interest. He'd never thought to see Edward look... concerned about someone else.

"I told you. I'll sleep when I'm dead," she shot back.

"Should I be the one to shoot you?" he asked her. The question was delivered quietly, with no inflection in it. Just cold curiosity. Aedan blinked up at him. It seemed to have gained her attention. "Go get some sleep, Aedan. None of this is going to go away over night. And you can't fight all the evil in the world by yourself. Rest. Tomorrow is soon enough."

She looked as if she would argue more. But she didn't. She simply moved back to the wall and leaned up against it, an air of resignation hanging about her shoulders. Jean Claude cast a glance at Edward to let him know that he appreciated the help. The blonde gave a slight nod of his head. It looked as if the meeting were at the end. Jean Claude stood and looked at them both. "Thank you for your assistance," he told them, motioning to the knife with one hand.

"I think this will be best served if its given to the police anonymously," Edward pointed at the knife with one hand. It was then that Jean Claude realized he'd been wearing leather gloves over the course of the entire meeting. Always the professional. "Along with a note about what kind of importance it holds."

"Make sure its delivered to Dolph, then," Aedan said by way of agreement. It sounded as if she were nearly asleep on her feet. Edward's gaze flicked to her briefly, then back to where Jean Claude sat. The message was clear. For whatever reason, the man known as Death was concerned about Aedan and was silently asking the vampire before him to ensure that she rested. The dark head shifted slightly to let him know that he would do whatever was needed to get her to sleep. Satisfied, Edward stood and picked up the mangled knife. It disappeared in to the depths of his coat.

He exited without another word.

Merle glanced at Aedan, shook his head and then looked at the Master of the City. Their eyes met for a moment or two, then Merle followed Edward from the room. Jean Claude stood and turned to Aedan. For a moment, he thought she was sleeping. Her head was propped back against the wall, her eyes closed. However, they opened when he stepped close to her. She blinked at him a few times, then pushed away from the support of the wall and looked around. He offered her his arm. "Come. I will escort you downstairs. We can perhaps sit and talk about this new development in your case."

She eyed him warily for a couple of seconds, then nodded and took his arm. He escorted her from the room, pleased to see that the hallways behind the main attractions at the Circus were empty. Given Aedan's state of mind and desperate need for sleep, encountering anyone else right now was likely a bad thing. The further they walked, the more she leaned against him. By the time they'd reached the steps, he was afraid he'd be forced to carry her down to prevent her falling on them. But she rallied herself and found a last bit of strength. His arm still slid around her shoulders so that he could keep her close to him.

London awaited them in the living area, a glass in his hand. It didn't require much effort on Jean Claude's behalf to convince her to sit. She dropped down onto the cushions of the couch with a sigh, wordlessly taking the glass from the vampire when he offered it to her. Once she had hold of the tumbler, he then slipped away silently and left the two of them alone. As close as the dawn was, no one would disturb them. Jean Claude wouldn't even need to remind them to stay away.

Aedan took a sip of the drink and looked up at him. It took her a few blinks to focus and he realized that she was what mortals termed 'dead on her feet.' How she'd managed to last this long was beyond him. "Rum and coke? How'd you know?"

He chuckled at the question. She took another drink and sighed. "It does not matter how I know. Now, you must tell me why this evening has upset you so much."

"There's just so much shit happening at once," she yawned wide, eyes squeezing closed as she did so. When she was done, she shook her head and took another sip off the drink. "And I'm in the middle of it, whether I want to be or not. Because all of it somehow involves everyone I care about."

"Everyone you care about?" he questioned. He knew she was tired if she was making such statements. She nodded and sipped again, sloshing the drink around in the heavy tumbler. "I thought you only cared for Minette."

"Minette's my oldest friend and the closest thing I have to a family," she stared at him. "She was my only friend for a long time. Then I came here. And now I have you. And the leopards and..." she stopped and blinked, as if suddenly realizing what she was saying. She sent a quick glance to her glass, then shrugged slightly and took another fortifying drink. "I belong here. I fit in here. Its my job to make sure that everyone I care about stays safe."

"You cannot protect us all by yourself, ma poupette. You must have help. And you cannot do so when you are so worn down. You should rest," he said gently. She frowned at him, but said nothing else. There was no negative shake of her head. Jean Claude thought perhaps he had her attention. So he asked her a question he knew he wouldn't get an answer to if she weren't as tired as she was. His voice was quiet and gentle when he spoke. "Does this desire to protect those you care about extend to myself?"

"Of course it does," she told him, her frown growing. She made a gesture with the hand that held the glass, sloshing the contents up over the rim. She didn't notice the damp spread of cold liquid across her arm, legs and torso. He carefully pried the drink from her hand and set it on the table before the couch. "You have such pretty eyes."

Humor twitched his lips up. "I am pleased you think so."

"I'm gonna kiss you," she announced and shifted her position so that she sat diagonally on the couch. He reached for her, slipping a hand behind her neck to help guide her forward. She leaned toward him, eyes already closed, lips puckered for the kiss.

Her head dropped against his chest a moment before her limp form tumbled into him.

Jean Claude muttered a curse in French under his breath. Just when she'd finally decided to admit some kind of attraction to him, when she'd willingly deigned to touch him, she'd fallen asleep on him. Someone had a twisted sense of humor.

Rising from the couch, he carefully lifted her into his arms and cradled her against him. Silently, he made his way to the room she'd been given. It took little work to rid her of her clothing and slip her beneath the blankets on the bed. He stared at her, knowing that he should seek his rest and let her be. But he couldn't. Not quite yet. There was time before he had to leave her. For now, he felt an urge to simply sit with her. Settling on the bed beside her, he curled up and wrapped himself around her. Those same emotions he didn't want to sift through washed through him as he held her close.

She would come around slowly and he had time. For tonight, he could hold her and pretend she'd told him she wanted him here. She'd already said she cared. It was a start.

~*~*~*~*~

Minette was still drowsy when she and Micah entered the dining area to find that Jason was already there, along with Gideon and Thomas Carswell. The table was set with fresh fruits, eggs, bacon and sausage, toast, cereal and milk, juice, coffee, bagels, muffins and other assorted goods. So far, no one else had joined them. But she didn't expect either Nathaniel or Gregory to show up. She and Micah had checked on them before seeking out breakfast, to make sure they were okay. They were sleeping and she thought maybe they'd stay that way for a while longer.

Jason looked up and smiled at her. It wasn't his normal, wolfish smile. It was something more, something deeper and real. And it was for her. She gave him a smile in return, moving to sit beside him. Micah sat down with her and they glanced at their guests. Gideon grinned at her. "How are you feeling this morning, Jason?" she asked him.

"I'm fine. Got a good night's sleep," he told her, reaching out to pick up his glass of juice. She nodded, glad to hear it. When Aedan had tapped her for power last night, somehow she'd managed to tap Micah and Jason as well. The best she and Micah had been able to figure, Minette had acted as a kind of focus. Instead of pulling power from just her, the necromancer had pulled it from the three of them. It had been, she thought, a good thing. She and Micah had felt a little tired after Aedan had finished, but they hadn't lost consciousness. After leaving the room, they'd made sure to check on Jason before going back to sleep.

"Good," she nodded and began filling her plate with breakfast. She wanted to apologize to him again, but she didn't think that she should do so in front of the daylight dwelling members of the council. There was no telling just how much they knew about what had happened last night and she didn't want to give them any information they could carry back to their master that he didn't need to know. Jason seemed to understand what she was thinking because he offered her his grin and dived back into his meal.

An uncomfortable silence settled over them as Minette picked at her breakfast. She could feel the tiger staring at her. More than that, she could feel the bristling of energy from both men beside her. They were jealous of the man's attention to her. It was mildly surprising because neither of them were jealous of one another. Just as she'd been exploring her relationship with Micah, she'd been doing the same thing with Jason. And Requiem. True to his word, the vampire hadn't shown any jealousy toward any of the other men in her life. Just as neither of them had shown jealousy, either. It was a strange arrangement and she wasn't sure how it managed to work.

"So Thomas and I have been puzzling over something since we arrived," Gideon said, breaking the quiet around them. Minette looked up to find Gideon regarding her intently. Even Padma's human servant was studying her with mild curiosity. "How is it that you and your friend ended up carrying Jean Claude's marks? I mean, they were given to Anita and the Ulfric. And now, you've got them. How did she do it?"

"We don't know," Minette shrugged. She saw no reason not to discuss this. It wasn't like they hadn't heard most of it before. Padma and Belle had asked the same thing the night they'd arrived at the Circus. "She was dying and she passed them on to us. Chances are good it was through a spell."

"But why would she do such a thing?" Carswell asked, sounding ever so slightly confused. "Were you allowed a choice?"

"Yes, we were. Even though she was dying, Anita asked our permission before she handed her gifts over," Minette told him. She could tell that the idea was positively confounding to the man. A small bit of information reminded her that he'd been forced into his position, that he hadn't been allowed a choice in the matter.

"She passed on her powers because she didn't want anything to happen to the rest of us," Jason answered the first question after chewing down a strip of bacon. "Anita loved all of us in one way or another. She wanted to save us all. That's the way she was. So she did what she had to in order to accomplish just that. She saved everyone here by giving her powers up to Aedan and Minette."

"As confusing as its been, as difficult as its been to adjust and adapt, I'm honored that she thought I was worthy of her power and her trust," Minette informed them.

"And what of your friend? How does she feel about it?" Carswell questioned, latching on to the topic with the ferocity of a hunter cornering his prey.

"I can't speak for Aedan. Her opinions are her own. But I know she takes it as seriously as she takes anything else she does. Aedan's very intense. She has been the entire time I've known her. Its like she thinks she has something to prove. If I had to hazard a guess, I think that she honors Anita's memory by doing as she was asked to do."

"That does not mean she..." Carswell began, only to have Jason interrupt him.

"I haven't known Aedan long, but I do know one thing about her that anyone who's spent time in her company can tell you," he said, pointing with his fork for emphasis. "She doesn't really talk about her feelings much. But you know when she cares about you. Even if she doesn't say so. And she takes her responsibilities seriously. So she'll never tell anyone how she feels about Anita's gifts to her. She'll use them the way she was meant to. Or she won't use them at all."

"Aedan's a private person," Minette confirmed, having known her longer. The two men stared at her, obviously trying to process what they were learning. She could understand how it might seem odd to them. They really hadn't had much of a choice in their positions. Padma wasn't the kind of individual who offered someone the chance to decide for himself. "You could ask her about this and she'd give an answer that wouldn't tell you anything you wanted to know. She's always been that way."

"How is it she came to call you friend?" Thomas asked. The question seemed to be filled with genuine interest.

"We met our first day of college. She was my room mate. She knew what I was without me having to tell her. And she accepted it far easier than I thought she would. In fact, she seemed to prefer my company to that of the other students."

"The normal ones?" Gideon asked. Minette nodded. She still didn't understand it herself.

"Yes. She didn't go to parties on campus, didn't associate with too many of the other students. She either didn't like them or didn't trust them. I didn't go, either. But that was because I was shy and I was afraid that people would find out."

Gideon made a noise that seemed to indicate he understood. "You were afraid of how they'd treat you or what they'd do."

"Yes. Aedan didn't judge or anything. She was there for me from day one. No matter what it was I needed. I'd never had that," Minette admitted. It wasn't something she usually talked about, but if it would explain who she and her best friend were to these men, she'd tell them everything. "The alpha of my former pard forced me..."

Micah took her hand and squeezed it. She couldn't seem to force the words out. The memories, though several years old, were as fresh and strong as if it had all happened yesterday. "The alpha of Minette's old pard turned her without her permission." he told them for her. There were a few moments of silence while each man absorbed what they'd been told. Jason's hand clasped her free one and squeezed, letting her know it was okay. She flashed him a grateful smile.

"After realizing that I'd found someone I could trust with my secrets, I told Aedan everything. She didn't turn from me, she didn't cast judgement. In fact, she didn't say anything for a full five minutes. And then she looked me straight in the eye and promised me that she'd kill him for me. Because that's who she is. That's who she's always been."

"She's been as good a friend to the pard as she has been to Minette," Micah added quietly. Minette gave him a look that suggested he should perhaps tell her that. The smile he gave her was full of all kinds of promise.

"So... What you said last night," Gideon grinned at her, changing the subject. She looked back and waited for him to continue though she was sure she knew what he was going to ask. Before the question could be put forth, Janika strolled in. She was wearing a fresh shirt that wasn't covered in blood, suggesting that either she'd raided someone's wardrobe or Jean Claude had seen to her clothing needs before he'd retired. There was no telling just what kinds of things the man was hiding in his lair. She gave everyone a wide smile and moved to settle on the other side of Jason.

"Good morning, Janika," Minette greeted her.

"Good morning," she agreed, letting her gaze flick around the table. "Where's Aedan? I wanted to thank her again."

"She's sleeping," Jason supplied before forking another mouthful of egg. "Jean Claude finally got her to go to sleep around dawn this morning. Orders are that no one is supposed to disturb her until he gets up. I guess she put up one hell of a fight about going to bed."

"Oh," Janika frowned a moment, then nodded and started helping herself to breakfast. "I'll thank her later, then."

"As I was saying," Gideon started when he was sure no one was going to interrupt him again. Minette focused her attention to him. "About what you said last night. Did you mean it?"

"Which part?" she asked, playing coy. She knew full well what he was talking about. She just wanted to see him squirm while he put it into words. His grin widened with her game and he made a broad gesture with one hand.

"The part where you said you'd be willing to play house with me. Did you mean it?" he questioned, the tone of his voice dropping into a huskier register. She had to stifle the shiver it brought to the surface. All at once, every one of her instincts was tuned to him. That didn't seem to be a good sign. She wondered just what it meant to her. She had a sneaking suspicion she knew what was going on and, if that's what it was... Gideon's question looked even more attractive.

"Won't your master be upset with you if we were to do that?" The question was an honest one. She really did want to know. The last thing she needed was another run in with Padma. She'd almost wished Aedan had gotten to shoot him last night. Gideon studied her for a second or two and finally leaned back in his chair in disbelief.

"You're concerned that he'll punish me," he finally said. Minette nodded at him. It wasn't her intention to get any one in trouble because of her. She'd only been half-teasing last night when she'd made the comment. "Maybe the punishment would be worth it. It doesn't matter, though. He knows you won't let him touch you. You made that abundantly clear. And then you mentioned me. Did you mean it?"

Minette gave his question consideration, letting her gaze wander to Micah and then Jason. Neither one of them wore an expression that showed anything but she could feel their displeasure with the notion. It rolled off them in waves, just as their jealousy had earlier. She was going to have to chat with both of them before she could give him an affirmative answer. "I'd have to discuss it with a few people first. I didn't not mean it, but I can't just say yes without taking other individuals into consideration. Would it be okay to think it over and get word to you later today?"

"Depends. We won't be here much longer. Belle and Padma have pretty much discovered everything they need to know about the situation here. We'll probably be leaving in the next couple of nights," Gideon informed her.

"You'll have my answer before the sun sets. Is that acceptable?" she asked with a smile.

"More than acceptable," Gideon agreed with a knowing grin. Then he went back to his breakfast. Minette watched him for another minute or two, then looked at Micah and Jason, her gaze flicking back and forth between the two of them. Neither one was smiling. Damn, this was going to take some fancy talking on her behalf.

Hmmmm. Maybe she should offer them sexual favors. Nah. That wouldn't work. They already knew they had all the sexual favors they wanted. Damn.

Too bad she didn't have anything else to bribe them with.