The Mary Sue Virus: Beyond Death

[ladydeathfaerie]

Title: The Mary Sue Virus: Beyond Death
Chapter Eighty One: The Calm Before the Storm
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.

Author's Notes: so much plot. we're drowning in it. all the damn plot. some of it not even planned!

The Mary Sue Virus: Beyond Death - Index Link

Lettie was nervous. Oh, she looked like she was calm and serene, but Isis could smell the nervousness on her. She supposed it was understandable. Lettie had only been with the pride for a few months and Isis had never asked to speak to her alone in all that time. Isis was certain Lettie believed she was going to be told to pack her bags and leave. It wasn't beyond the realms of possibility. Hadn't her own flesh and blood sent her away when they'd learned she was a lycanthrope?

Their server approached the table with a tray. Isis recognized their drinks on it, water for her and tea for Lettie, and the appetizer they'd decided on. The smell of fries heavily coated with melted cheese made her stomach rumble. Isis let the restaurant employee set their drinks down before them, settle the fries between the two of them, ask if they needed anything else, and move on before she gave Lettie her full attention. The girl studiously avoided looking at Isis.

She would have liked this to be less uncomfortable, but that wasn't to be. So there was no time like the present to get to the matter at hand. "Lettie, we need to talk."

"Please don't send me away, Isis! Whatever I did wrong, I'm sorry. I won't do it again. Just please don't send me away. I like it here. You guys are like family and... Please," Lettie burst out, tears sliding down her cheeks as she spoke. Isis sat back in her chair and stared a moment. She'd expected some kind of pleading from Lettie, but not begging with a side of tears.

Isis leaned forward again and reached across the table to settle her hand over one of the girl's. "Calm down, Lettie. Calm down. We're not here because I want you to leave. We're here because I want to talk about what happened with Haven."

She felt Lettie tense before going perfectly still. Isis frowned at that. Surely Lettie didn't think Isis blamed her for what happened that night? "I'm sorry, Isis. I didn't mean..." the girl began, rushing to get the words out and confirming that she thought she was to blame.

"You don't have to apologize, honey. That wasn't your fault. Nothing that happened that night was your fault. Don't blame yourself," Isis said gently. Her words and her tone, all quiet and understanding, saw Lettie falling silent. Tears clung to the girl's cheeks and her eyes were red from trying not to cry. But they were also full of stark, painful memories. Horror and fear and guilt. "What happened that night? That was Haven's fault. Mostly. Some of it was mine. But he's the one who decided to attack you in order to get to me. He made that choice, Lettie. You didn't make it for him."

Isis leaned back in her seat once more, allowing Lettie the opportunity to wipe the tears from her eyes. She took a sip of her drink to give the girl some time, brain ticking over how to handle all of this. It was obvious Lettie was traumatized. Not just by Haven and his actions, but by what had been done to her before she'd even come to St. Louis. Haven's attack had only added fuel to the fire. Isis wished she could kill him all over again for hurting Lettie like that. "I should apologize to you for what happened. Haven would never have touched you if not for me. I'm sorry, Lettie. I never thought he'd hurt you."

"I don't understand," Lettie sniffed. "Why is it your fault?"

"Haven had been promised run of the pride before Anita was killed. The old Rex and his Regina ran off and left the pride hanging. Haven was supposed to be Rex. But then Anita died and there was some weird metaphysical shit and I became the Regina. And my lioness picked Damian over Haven. He had a hard time stomaching that. So he tried to take the pride back. And me along with it."

Lettie's eyes were huge. "What happened?" For the moment, her guilt and trauma were forgotten and she was swept up in the story.

"He challenged Damian to a fight. He thought he'd be able to defeat Damian and take the pride back. And he thought if it didn't happen on his own, he'd have friends along to help it happen."

Lettie made a face. "He cheated? What an asshole!"

"Even so, he didn't win. Damian defeated him and kept control of the pride. Haven sat on his defeat, on his anger and his rage, for months. I don't know how he managed to slip back into town without being noticed. And I don't know how he showed up that night without anyone sensing his presence. I only know that I'm sorry that you had to deal with him and all his crazy."

Lettie stared at her, as if apologies were a foreign concept to her. Maybe they were. What little Isis knew of her family life before coming to St. Louis didn't involve many apologies and a whole crapton of blame. "You're not responsible for anything that Haven did to you. He was unstable and angry and looking for any way he could to get one up on me. As it happened, he chose you."

"Because I'm weak," Lettie conceded, the look on her face telling Isis that there was a line of people somewhere who needed their asses beaten. The girl was so down-trodden, it wasn't even funny.

"You might not be the most alpha of the pride. But that doesn't mean you're weak," Isis corrected. She hated that Lettie was being so hard on herself. "Maybe you're not the strongest lion, but that doesn't mean you still can't have power. There are all kinds of power, Lettie. Some you are born with."

"Like Aedan and Rhia?" the girl asked. There was no denying that Lettie thought the power Isis' friends had was cool. She was pretty sure Lettie secretly wished she had power like that.

"Yes. And Janika. All of them were born with the power they have. Then you have people like me, who sort of inherit their power."

"When you were changed. Its the same with the vampires, right? Some of them gain loads and loads of power, like Damian or Jean Claude, and some of them just get a little."

Isis smiled.and nodded. "Yes. That's exactly right."

"Some people try to take power," Lettie said, her voice soft and low and laden with first hand knowledge. Isis nodded.

"Yes. People like Haven. Who have some power, but they want more. So they take it from others who they feel are too weak to stop them. He did that to you, Lettie," Isis said, reaching out yet again to lay her hand on the girl's. "And maybe you don't have a lot of power. Not metaphysical power. But that doesn't mean you can't have some physical power."

Lettie frowned as she tried to puzzle out what Isis was saying to her.

"You know that Jean Claude has a gym in the lair?" Isis asked her quietly, wondering if that would give her a clue as to what was going on here. Lettie nodded her head.

"Yeah. I've seen you using it," she responded.

"Well, starting now, you're going to use it, too," Isis informed her. Lettie stared, either unable to figure out what Isis was telling her or waiting to hear it from her own lips to be sure she had the right of it. "You're going to start training in self-defense. Hand to hand combat. So that another Haven can't take advantage of you because he thinks you're weak. You're a small woman. No one is going to expect you to know how to defend yourself with your fists. It will work to your advantage. That doesn't mean you'll be able to over-power everyone. But it will give you a fighting chance so that another asshole can't do to you what Haven did. I've talked to a few people about this and we've set up a series of classes open to everyone who wants to learn. They'll take place at the lair's gym. And you're going to go to those classes, Lettie. I don't want to see what happened to you that night happen again. Especially if I can't protect you from the person who attacks you."

That last was said so softly that Lettie was left momentarily speechless. All she did was stare at Isis, giving her a look that said she clearly didn't know what to do with that information. "I was afraid Haven would kill you, Lettie. And I was afraid he'd do so before I was able to save you. For a few moments, I was so scared that I didn't think I'd be able to help. I don't want to be in that position again. You're like family. I'll do whatever I can to protect my family."

Isis' admission prompted tear drops to roll down Lettie's cheeks. Big, fat things that slid down to hang on Lettie's jaw for a moment before simply dropping off into her lap. Isis wanted to go to her and hug her. She hadn't meant to make the girl cry. But it was the truth and she felt that Lettie needed to hear it from her. "I'm sorry," Lettie sniffled, voice watery. "I don't mean to bawl. But its been so long since someone has called me family. Since anyone has wanted to protect me. I don't know how to react."

"You react however you feel is best," Isis replied. She offered Lettie a soft smile and shook her head. "There's no wrong way to react when you find out someone cares. Especially when you live lives like ours. It hurts when people push you away because something happened to you that was beyond your control. Something that doesn't change who you are fundamentally. That really hurts and people don't understand that some part of you changed, but not the most important part of you. They just never get it."

"Your family did the same to you?" Lettie asked, eyes wide.

"After a fashion. They tried to keep me from becoming a lion. Got the vaccine for me. It didn't work. And after my first change... They stopped being my family that day. I haven't seen or talked to them since. And it was their callousness in the face of my differences that encouraged me to push myself into becoming the best at whatever I chose to do. They're the reason I went to law school. They're the reason I am the person I am. Because I took their obvious hatred of what I'd become and I used it to push me ever onward. I made a vow to myself that I was never going to be like them. Ever."

Conversation halted as the server returned with their meals. Lettie had ordered a burger that looked like messy eating. It came with a side of fries and some coleslaw. Isis watched, amused, as Lettie inhaled a trio of fries before the server had even gotten Isis' food set before her. She'd ordered a steak and fried potatoes. The meal came with a side salad and Isis started on that first.

"So you're going to train me in the gym?" Lettie asked around a mouthful of burger. Isis stared at her a moment, then smiled and shook her head.

"No. I'm not. You're going to have a real instructor. And you won't be the only one learning. There will be a whole group of people learning along side of you. A class, if you will. When I took the idea to Jean Claude, he liked it enough that he wants some of the others to learn how to defend themselves, too. As a friend is fond of saying, you can't always count on your powers to get you out of a mess. Sometimes, you need to have a back up. Knowing how to defend yourself is a good place to start."

"You think I can really defend myself from people like Haven?" Lettie asked softly. Despite the low volume, Isis heard the fear in the girl's voice.

"I think you can, if you put your mind to it," Isis told her. Then she frowned and gave the girl a good look. "Speaking of minds... It would probably do you good to find someone to talk to. About what happened. Things like what Haven did linger. You can seem fine and okay and then, all of a sudden, you're right back in that moment. So frightened that you don't know what to do and breathing is more difficult than it should be. Trauma is real and you need to deal with it."

"I'll be fine. Haven didn't really hurt me," Lettie replied. Isis put her fork down and stared across the table at the younger girl.

"Haven tried to kill you, Lettie. Something like that causes trauma. I've seen what happens when you repress those memories and think everything is okay. That trauma can make you reckless. It can get you killed. I don't want to see that happen to you. You're young and you're so full of promise. I want to see you reach your potential. Whatever that might be. But you can't do that if you don't deal with things now. Shit comes back and bites you in the ass when you least expect it," Isis told her gently.

"Are you going to order me?" Lettie asked. She sounded a little mulish, as if she was going to fight this the whole way.

Isis sighed and shook her head. "No. I'm not going to order you. I'm telling you as a friend. As someone who cares about you. As someone who doesn't want to see you doing things that will get you hurt or killed. Please. Find someone to talk to. There's nothing wrong with getting help. There's nothing wrong with therapy."

Lettie was silent, mulling the words over as she took and chewed a bite of her burger. Isis remained silent, her attention mostly devoted to her steak. The cook had managed to get it just right and it was a struggle not to just devour the whole thing in one go. Finally, the girl looked up from her plate and gave Isis an uncertain gaze.

"You really think I need therapy?" she asked softly.

"I think it will help," Isis replied with a faint smile. Lettie was silent a little more, then heaved a sigh that seemed to deflate her. She nodded her head, though the action was slow and hesitant.

"Okay. I'll do it. But will you help me?" The question came out soft. It made Lettie sound like a little girl. Isis felt a mix of emotions at that sound. Anger that her blood family had made her feel like this. Relief that she was willing to try. Sadness that she sounded so defeated. And an odd twinge of maternal pride that Lettie was asking for her help.

Isis once again reached across the table and laid her hand on Lettie's. "Of course I will, sweetheart. I'll do whatever I can."

~*~*~*~*~

"You're happy, aren't you?" The words brought Minette's search through a rack of blouses to a halt. A tiny trickle of apprehension slid through her. She did her best to stuff it down before lifting her gaze to stare at her mother over the top of the rack. There was deep concern in her mother's eyes. And a little bit of fear. "With your life, I mean. With the way things have gone."

Minette held on to her sigh and offered her mother a broad smile. "I'm happy where I am now, Mom."

Elaine fell silent a moment, attention returning to the blouses as she looked through them. Then she lifted her gaze again and Minette saw the confusion and the sadness in them. The fear that she'd somehow done Minette wrong. "But it wasn't always like that. Was it?"

"No," Minette admitted. "But that wasn't your fault. You didn't know what kind of monster he was. You are not responsible for anything that he did to me. He's the one who was responsible for those things. He's the one who should take the blame. Not you. Not Daddy. Just him."

"But we encouraged your relationship with him," Elaine countered. "We welcomed him into the family with open arms."

"Because he lied to you. He manipulated you. The same way he lied to and manipulated everyone else. That's what he was good at. That's what he liked to do. He liked to make people dance to his tune. It made him feel powerful and special." Minette shook her head and gave her mother a smile that was filled with self-recrimination. "I wish I could say that I saw him for what he was from the very beginning. But I was just as fooled by his act as you were. It wasn't until he'd accomplished his goals that I understood who and what he was. By then, it was too late for me. At least, that's what I thought. Then I went to college and I met Aedan and she proved to me that its never too late to find happiness."

"She seems like such a serious young woman," Elaine commented softly. "Not like you at all."

"She is. For the most part. Not as much now as she used to be. The events that shaped her life were not kind. But she found a way past them." Minette shrugged as she thought back to their days in college. She'd always known that she'd saved Aedan as much as Aedan had saved her. But until now, she hadn't realized just how much saving she'd done. "She has a fun side. A laughing, joking, childish, silly side. She always has. But she rarely lets it out. A lot of bad things have happened to her."

"Like having her life threatened," Elaine replied.

Minette nodded. "Yes. Like that. But we're not here to talk about Aedan. You want to ask me about my love life."

Her mother had the grace to blush at being caught. "You've caught me," she said, not an ounce of apology in her voice. It brought a smile to Minette's face. "But can you blame me? The last time I saw you, you were engaged to Bruce. Then you disappeared and I didn't know what to think. When you finally showed back up, you had two young men at your side and you claimed them both as your sweeties. A mother has a right to be curious."

"There are actually three sweeties," Minette told her, not an ounce of shame in her voice. She watched her mother's eyes go wide at that. Minette's grin grew. "Yes, Mom. Three men."

"If there are three, why did you only bring two with when you came home a couple weeks ago?"

"Because he was sleeping," Minette replied. She waited a moment, let her mother sit on that bit of information for a few seconds. Then she continued on. "He's a vampire. He was more or less dead to the world when we were having lemonade and cookies on your couch."

Elaine blinked at that, obviously not expecting such a confession. "You're dating a vampire?"

"Along with a wereleopard and a werewolf, yes," Minette said. She somehow managed not to let herself be embarrassed by sharing such information with her mother.

"And you're happy with all of them? They're okay with the arrangement? There aren't any problems?" Elaine sounded like she was having a hard time processing what she'd learned.

"We're all very happy. Each of them gives me something different. Jason is laughter and fun. He likes to pretend he's a free spirit. Most of the time, he is. But he also enjoys being with someone. For the time being, we don't plan on being exclusive or serious. He isn't ready for that commitment yet. And I'm okay with that," Minette said, tugging a hanger off the rack.

She studied the blouse a little bit, trying to decide if it was something she'd wear or not. Ultimately, she slipped it back in its place and moved on to the next one. "Micah isn't possessive or cruel. He listens and he encourages and he knows that I will always be next to him when the sun rises. He's steady and gentle and incredibly understanding."

She took a few moments to look at three more blouses before moving on to the last member of her lovers. "Requiem is old. And powerful. He's the third to St. Louis' Master of the City. He's old fashioned and poetic. He treats me like I'm a queen. He's always tender and loving. He never raises his voice. He enjoys being with me for the sake of being with me. Not for anything it can do for him."

Her mother gave her a sharp look at that. "Are you saying that the others are?"

"No, Mom. No. That isn't what I'm saying," Minette replied, a sigh in her voice. "Micah and Jason would never take advantage of me or anything. What I'm saying is that vampires are all about power. They look for power the way archaeologists look for lost civilizations. Requiem doesn't want me for any reason other than he likes spending time with me. He isn't trying to gain power from me or anything like that."

"Is he as handsome and dreamy as that Jean Claude?" her mother asked, a wistful look on her face. Minette felt a blush stain her cheeks when she realized her mother had a crush on the Master of the City. Before she could answer, her mother pressed on. "If you had to date a vampire, why not that one? Talk about a hottie!"

"Because he's dating Aedan," Minette replied, doing her best to keep the embarrassment from her voice. The last thing she wanted or needed to know was that her mom had the hots for Jean Claude. Elaine blinked at that, then let a frown cross her face.

"Lucky girl," she muttered to herself. Minette heard her anyway, and she struggled to keep the grin off her face.

"As to the last of your questions, there aren't any problems between me and all three of my sweeties. Because we take the time to talk things out. It isn't always easy to schedule time in for everyone. But we do the best we can. Sometimes. I double date with Micah and Jason so that they all get their allotted time. Sometimes, I spend the night by myself because I need a break from them. And they need one from me. We're still feeling our way along, though. Every situation is different."

Her mother used the time it took them to move from one rack of clothes to the next to mull all of it over. When they were once more shifting through hangers of clothing, she pressed on. "But is this what you want? What about a family? What about children?"

"I'd love to adopt, but none of us are in that place yet," Minette responded.

"You don't want to have children?" Elaine asked. She sounded confused and possibly a little hurt.

"It isn't that I don't want to have children, Mom," Minette said softly, doing her best to break the news as gently as possible. "Its that I can't. The lycanthropy doesn't allow me to have children. Having to change every month makes it hard to keep a pregnancy. The tigers have been trying some things to see if they can keep their women pregnant. But it isn't a guarantee. Until I could be sure it was a guarantee, I can't let myself think about it. I don't want to hope for no reason."

Elaine stared at her a few moments, then reached out and tugged Minette into her embrace. "I'm sorry, honey. I had no idea."

Her mother's sympathy forced her to blink back a few tears."Its okay, Mom. I'm okay with it. Besides, the relationship with all of them is still kind of young and I don't want to rush anyone into anything. We've got time to decide if we want to adopt or try to have a child. For now, we're all just enjoying each other's company and getting used to being a group."

"As long as you're happy. That's all I care about," Elaine returned.

Minette pulled back so she could give her mother a smile. "I am happy. Very happy. This is the happiest I've been in years."

"Then I'm happy for you." Elaine paused to look at the rack of clothes a moment. She shook her head and smiled. "We've been here an hour and you haven't picked out anything. Maybe we should try another shop. Or maybe we should just skip the shopping and go straight to lunch. I seem to recall you were always up for lunch. We can hit that new buffet that just opened up."

Minette chuckled. "Are you sure you want to take me to an all you can eat place? A lycanthrope's metabolism is pretty crazy. I could eat the entire buffet and still probably be hungry," Minette explained to her mother.

"Well, you're just going to have to be good and behave yourself," Elaine said, a hint of a grin teasing the corners of her mouth. It was something she'd told Minette time and again when Minette had been a young child and had been unable to sit still. The warmth and familiarity in it made Minette laugh. Memory flooded through her, bringing with it a rush of longing for what might have been had she never met Bruce. Minette shoved the longing aside. There was no point in torturing herself with things that would never happen. Besides, she was content with her lot in life. She had amazing friends, hot boyfriends, and a place in the world that she was comfortable with. Wondering about things that might have been wouldn't do any good.

"I'll do my best," she promised her mother. Elaine smiled at that and turned for the door. Minette fell into step beside her, letting her mother lead her out onto the sidewalk and toward her car. She needed to remember to thank Micah for pushing her into reconnecting with her parents. There'd been a hole in her life where they belonged and she'd honestly thought she'd lost them forever before calling them to see if they wanted to see or speak to her again. "Thanks for this day, Mom. I was really afraid I'd lost this with you."

Elaine looked at Minette over the roof of the car, her eyes soft despite the serious expression on her face. "You could never lose us, Minerva. Your father and I love you. I am so sorry about Bruce. Had we known, we would have tried to help. But that doesn't matter anymore. What matters is that we're together again. A family. No one will be able to take that away from us. Nothing they do will take that away from us. You always have a place with us. Just remember that."

There was a huge smile on Minette's face as she climbed into her mother's car. "Right. So. An all you can eat place," she said, brain already switching over to food. "Let's get moving. I think I can eat."

~*~*~*~*~

"Its temporary," Beata insisted as she held the door open for Janika. Janika let her eyes slide around the lush, modern apartment and wondered why her mother sounded like she was afraid Janika would think badly of her. "Asher was kind enough to let this place for me. Just until I can find a job and earn some money. Then I'll get my own home."

"Mama, Asher wouldn't have done this if he hadn't wanted to. And this place is fabulous!" she said, taking time to drink in every last detail. The door to the flat opened into the living area, gifting Janika with the sight of thick steel colored carpeting and sleekly designed furniture of dark wood and cream colored upholstery. There was a long, low couch sandwiched between a pair of square end tables. Each one had a lamp settled on its surface, the base gleaming brass while the shades were white cloth that would cast bright light around the room when night fell. A coffee table that matched the end tables sat before the couch and offered a low barrier between the sofa and a pair of chairs. Thick throw pillows decorated the couch and both chairs, their color just a few shades darker than the carpeting on the floor. Another end table and its gleaming brass lamp took up space between the chairs.

The walls of the living room were painted a few shades darker than the cream used on the furniture. Tasteful paintings broke up the vast expanse of cream, all of them landscapes in bright colors that were so well rendered that it was almost like looking out a window. There was a flat screen television on the wall between a pair of windows hidden behind thick curtains that matched the carpeting. To her left was an archway that led to the dining room. Through it, Janika could see a glass and wrought iron table resting under a chandelier heavily hung with cut crystal that would cast glittering shards of light around the room when it was on. The chairs pushed in around the table were crafted of the same iron, with pale mint seat cushions. Janika could see that the walls there were only a touch darker than the chairs. She suspected that the dining room opened up on the unseen wall into the kitchen.

On the other side of the living room was another hallway that she was sure led to the bathroom and the bedrooms. A book case was half filled with books, open spaces used to showcase small statues and all kinds of knick knacks.

"He's already done so much for me," Beata replied. "He had his people seek me out and bring me here so that I could reunite with you. This... " Here, her mother paused and motioned around the apartment with both hands. "This is too much."

Janika smiled at her mother. "I'll let you argue that with him. That isn't why I'm here."

Beata eyeballed her a moment before giving her a smile and motioning toward the furniture. "Come in and sit, then. Tell me why you've come to visit your lonely mother."

Janika snorted at the comment. Her mother was absolutely not lonely. In fact, this was the first chance she'd had to see her mother since the unbinding ceremony. Since then, Beata had been back to Hungary to deal with the home she'd shared with Janika's father and to pack up her things. Upon her return to the country, she'd met with a few members of the Fae community living in the United States. It had been barely a week since her mother had unbound her magic, but so much had happened that it felt like a lifetime ago. It was time to do some catching up.

She crossed to the cluster of furniture and settled on the couch. Her mother looked at her a moment before turning for the archway to the dining room. Janika considered telling her that refreshments weren't necessary, but she knew it wouldn't stop her mother. So she just let her go, listening to her as she did whatever it was she'd planned on doing while in the kitchen. Not more than five minutes later, her mother returned to the living room. She came carrying a tray that was laden with a plate of cookies and a pair of tall glass tumblers filled with iced water. A wedge of lemon rode the rim of each glass.

Beata set the tray down on the coffee table before taking a seat next to Janika. She turned and looked at her daughter. "Now, then. why have you come to visit your lonely mother."

"I came to see how you're settling in. How you like it here in America. And to let you know that I've avenged Papa, János, and Jósef. I've dealt with their murderer and I've reclaimed the family's sword."

Beata stared at her, eyes wide as she worked at digesting everything Janika had said. "You have the sword?"

"Yes, Mama. The vampires responsible for murdering our family were part of a group trying to murder a friend of mine. They took her cousin hostage in order to lure her into their trap. She took me with her and it was there that I encountered the vampire who slaughtered our menfolk," Janika told her quietly.

"And you killed him?"

"Yes, Mama. He's dead. After I cut his head from his shoulders, I burned his corpse. Just the way Papa taught me. I only wish I'd known about it sooner. I would have avenged their spirits before this," she told her mother, tone heavy with everything she felt.

"I did not expect you to avenge your father. Or your brothers, Janika. You chose a path for yourself that branched off from the one your father wanted you to follow. I think he would have been proud of you, had he known you were still helping people who had been touched by evil," Beata said, voice firm with her belief. "He was always proud of you, little one. He would never admit how much it hurt him that you'd chosen something outside of the family. But I think, with time, he came to understand that you didn't choose lightly. That it was a hard decision for you to make. And he would be proud to see who you have become."

Janika felt tears prick her eyes. She was annoyed by them and did her best to keep them from falling. She shouldn't feel that she'd lost something with her father's death. He'd made it clear to her that there was no place for her in the family if she wasn't going to follow in the traditions of the Odon line that had been passed down for centuries. He'd made it clear that he'd wanted nothing to do with her. He'd never once tried to contact her and tell her different. She should be upset with him for that. She should be upset that he had never understood her position. She shouldn't be assaulted with regret that he hadn't gotten to see the person she'd grown into. And she shouldn't want to cry because her mother believed he would be proud of her.

And yet, the feelings were there. The loss and the sadness. Never again would she see that gentle smile that he'd once only had for her. Never again would she hear the deep rumble of his voice as he instructed her on how to hold the sword. As he instructed her on how to use it for the most devastation possible. She realized that she missed his voice. And his laughter. And the weight of his hand on her shoulder when he taught her something important. Of the feel of his arms around her when he hugged her and offered her the rough comfort that was indicative of who he was as a person.

Suddenly she was sobbing, and she was wrapped tightly in her mother's embrace. Beata whispered to her in Hungarian, the words filtering through Janika's grief slowly so that she understood her mother was offering words of comfort and love. She clung to her mother and let the years of loneliness and inadequacy and loss pour out in her tears. It took five minutes to cry her heart out. Another ten to sob and hiccup. And then another five to dry the last of the stray tears that slipped unchecked from her eyes. By the time she was finished, she was slumped against her mother and utterly drained.

Beata finally pulled back and looked Janika in the eye. "Better now, little one?" she asked softly.

"A little," Janika nodded. "I don't think it will ever truly be better. I'll always wonder if Papa and I could have reconciled, if he would have forgiven me for breaking his heart. But some of the weight is gone."

"Healing takes time, daughter. You've been carrying that wound around, open and bleeding and raw, for years. It will not close over night," Beata told her gently. She settled a hand against Janika's chest, where her heart beat against her rib cage. "Just know that your father loved you deeply and he will always be here when you need him. He'll never leave you."

"I lost so much because I let my pride come between us," she whispered.

Beata snorted. "Pride. Your father's pride was bigger than his ego. And that means it was huge. The rift between you two was not all your doing. Don't let grief turn to guilt, daughter."

Janika stared at her mother a moment, trying to figure out if she'd always been some kind of Sage. Her words were filled with wisdom. Janika gathered them close and took them to heart. It would be stupid of her to ignore them.

Beata rose from her seat and headed toward the dining room again. "You need a good, home cooked meal to take the pain from your heart, daughter. I'll make your favorite. We'll eat a good dinner, then you'll tell me all about your young man and whether or not his intentions toward you are good. While you're at it, you will tell me if the intentions of your young lady are good or not. I am still your mother, after all. I will not allow these people to play with your heart and your emotions. If they mean you ill, then we'll have a chat."

"Mama!" Janika exclaimed, a blush rising to her cheeks. It was one thing for her mother to want to ensure that Asher had no intentions of hurting her. But Janika hadn't mentioned the budding relationship with Aedan to Beata. Janika wasn't sure that her mother knew that she was having sexual relations with the other woman and, by extension, that other woman's boyfriend.

Beata gave her a look. "I'm an old woman. I'm not dead. I see how you looked at Asher when we had dinner. You wear the same look when you talk about your friend. I know the signs. All I wish is for your happiness, daughter. If Asher and your friend bring you that happiness, then I'm happy for you. If they don't..." her mother trailed off, leaving the fact that there was supposed to be a threat tacked on to the end of the sentence hanging in the air.

"You are not an old woman, Mama. And they do make me happy. That isn't to say that we don't have our share of problems. But we try to be adults and work through them. I don't like it when things get bottled up and ignored. They tend to come back to bite you in the ass later," Janika explained to her mother.

"Such a smart girl," Beata replied with a nod of her head. "You get that from my side."

Janika couldn't help the laughter that her mother's words brought to life. She rose from the couch, still chuckling, and crossed the room to join her mother. "Why don't you teach me how to make my favorite? That way, if I ever give you grandchildren, I can pass that knowledge on to them. And the family's history."

"You would subject another generation to the hunting of vampires?" Beata asked, a frown pulling her mouth down at the corners.

Janika shook her head. "That part of the family's legacy would be entirely up to them. Assuming I ever have a child of my own. Or I adopt one. I know blood was important to the family, but that is such an old-fashioned view. Family is what you make it, after all," Janika replied.

Beata simply stared at her daughter for a few short moments before giving her own head shake. "How did I have such an intelligent daughter?"

"I had you as a mother," Janika replied.

Beata broke into a broad smile, then laughed. "Yes. You did. So very intelligent." She made a motion toward the kitchen with her head. "Come along then, daughter. It is time you learned how to make töltött káposzta. And maybe, for dessert, we'll have some dobos torta."

Janika's eyes got wide. "You made dobos torta?" she asked, trying to keep the hope out of her voice.

"I might have. Because I know it is my daughter's favorite," Beata replied, turning to head into the kitchen.

Janika followed after her. "You're the best mom ever!"

"Yes, little one. I am."

~*~*~*~*~

There were too many pastel colors for Rhia's liking. Not that she had anything against pastels. But she was very much more into earth tones. Jewel greens and rich browns. Colors that aligned with her magic. Unfortunately, there weren't many companies manufacturing baby items that came in shades of magic. She put aside the cute little baby doll dress and turned her attention to Constance, who was watching her with a knowing expression. "Its all so very bright and divided, isn't it?"

Rhia nodded, feeling bad for her thoughts. "Too much emphasis on boy and girl. Not enough emphasis on tiny human being who has no concept yet of who they are."

Constance smiled at her. "Not everything is pink and blue."

"Yes, because sunshine yellow and mint green is so much better," Rhia retorted. Why were babies dressed in pastels? What had those tiny bundles of humanity ever done to the clothing designing powers that be to deserve being put into such things. Not that Rhia planned on dressing her baby like Robert Smith or Gene Simmons. But something other than boy, girl, gender neutral boy, and gender neutral girl would be nice. And white absolutely didn't count.

"I'm sure, if we can't find anything for that baby that you won't be having for months yet, we can always find someone willing to make custom baby vampire chic for him or her," Constance replied. She was laughing at Rhia's pickiness. And Rhia should be bothered by that laughter. But she wasn't. Because Constance was right. Rhia was being absolutely difficult about it all.

"I shudder to think what Jean Claude would consider acceptable for a baby. I've seen some of the things he's tried to dress people in. S and M is not what I'd choose for my infant to wear," Rhia replied. A cough from behind her reminded her that they were not alone. Despite the fact that Aedan had done a damn fine job of destroying their enemies, there was still the insistence of body guards. Constance had Sylvie trailing after her, while Rafael had offered up one of his rats for Rhia's shadow. She'd tried to argue against it, saying she was nobody and definitely not a target. But she'd been reminded by Sylvie that she was as much a member of the pack as Constance and it was Richard who made the decisions about who was and wasn't important. She'd been forced to accept it, but that didn't mean she had to like it.

Constance's smile grew at the comment. "I imagine that he has a practical side. Any time you've had to deal with his clothing tastes, it was because he was trying to make a powerful statement."

"Oh, yes. I'm sure. Having my boobs on view for one and all was a very powerful statement, indeed," Rhia snarked. To be honest, she'd enjoyed what she'd worn for that party. Even if it had left little to the imagination. She'd spied more than one attendee giving her the once over. There was a type of power in drawing a person's gaze like that. Maybe the vampire knew what he was about after all.

"Your nipples were covered. And your boobs looked wonderful in your faerie gown," Constance remarked, drifting from the rack of tiny dresses to the table of tiny shirts. "Stop being difficult for the sake of being difficult. Enjoy the day. It won't be long before the pregnancy will make it difficult for you to enjoy anything."

If Rhia was being honest, that was already happening. The nausea was getting worse. Morning sickness, her ass. She got nauseated at any hour of the day. And just about anything set it off. Even more annoying was that she had to be careful about moving. If she turned too fast or whatever, she got dizzy. She'd found that one out the hard way. Nathaniel hadn't wanted to let her out of his sight for the past week since that particular incident. She'd had to persuade him to let her go out and spend some time with Constance. She loved him to death, but his hovering was enough to make her want to kill things.

"Have you had your first session with that therapist I suggested?" Constance asked, breaking across her thoughts.

"Yes. Just last night. It was... good," she said after a moment.

"You don't sound sure," Constance gave her a look.

"No. It was good. I just didn't know what to expect and I'm still baffled that Doctor Tilson was able to fit me in so quickly. I didn't expect to have an appointment for a few months, honestly," Rhia explained.

"Ah. Beth and I are friends. We did some schooling together. I called her and asked her to see if she could squeeze you in. I explained to her what happened and how it wasn't just you that people were worried about. She was happy to work you in." Constance gave her a look that suggested she wasn't sure she'd done the right thing. "I was trying to help. I hope I didn't step on toes."

"Oh, no. No. Doctor Tilson is a very good listener. And she's dealt with quite a few rape victims. So she knew what to ask and when to ask it," Rhia said. It felt so odd to lump herself in with other rape victims. Technically, Cassadore hadn't done anything to her. She'd even mentioned it to Doctor Tilson. The woman had promptly told her that she was still a rape victim because Cassadore had taken her ability to consent or protect herself away from her. Even if he hadn't tried anything sexual, there was still a type of assault involved that was very similar to sexual assault.

"Beth is very good at her job because she understands what its like to be a victim. She was in the middle of getting her degree when a person she thought was a friend slipped something into her drink. She doesn't really know everything that happened, exactly, but she knows she woke up naked in that person's bed and things did not feel right. So she knows what it is you're feeling and going through. She specializes in abuse victims and trauma brought on by abuse," Constance explained. She was silent a little bit, either because she was considering what had happened to her friend or because she was letting Rhia take it all in.

The silence hung between them for several long minutes as they moved on from the shirts to a display of baby supplies. There were bottles and pacifiers and tiny mitts and so many other things. Rhia looked at the different types of bottles offered and wondered why there were so many choices. She honestly felt it was too early for her to start looking at these kinds of things. And, if she was being honest, she wanted to have Nathaniel with her when she did, because she valued his opinion. Not that it hurt to look. It was just that she hadn't even had her first appointment with any medical personnel yet.

She and Nathaniel had decided that they would have both an ob/gyn and a midwife. She was fortunately enough to have found a member of the first group who was willing to work with a member of the second group. They just hadn't been able to lock down a time to all meet up together. Rhia wasn't at all bothered by that. She was still trying to soak in the fact that she was pregnant.

"I'm going to be obnoxious and ask you that forbidden question that all pregnant people get asked," Constance said, breaking Rhia from her thoughts. She found that Constance was steering her toward the back of the shop, where the furniture was on display. Much as she knew it was too early, her eyes were drawn to a crib of wood in honeyed tones. She could practically hear it calling to her across the distance. "What do you want to have? A boy or a girl?"

Rhia laughed. "This is where I'm supposed to respond with some line about how it doesn't matter, so long as the child is healthy. Right?" Rhia threw a smile at her and finished covering the distance between herself and that one crib. The wood was a mellow, honey gold color that just sang out for her attention. Each rail was rounded and tooled. The headboard and the footboard had been carved with whimsical designs. Her hand touched the rail and a jolt of familiarity flooded into her palm to run up her arm. "Well, too bad. Because I am totally going to answer with one of each. I want one of each. And I need this crib."

"You have an excellent eye. And excellent taste." The voice came from behind them. Rhia glanced over her shoulder to see the young woman, who had been manning the register when they came in, had come over to join them. "Its made of teak and each piece of this crib was hand carved. That's why the color is so mellow and warm. There's also a matching dresser, changing table, and rocker," she said, one hand motioning toward the mentioned pieces. Rhia let her gaze slide over the rest of the furniture before bringing her attention back to the crib.

She ran her hand over it again and, for just a moment, got the sensation that she was seeing duplicate. It was gone before it caused any trouble, but it saw her letting her gaze slide to her right. Where a second crib of the same amazing design stood.

"The set is expensive, though. Anything made of teak is expensive. So please keep that in mind before committing to this crib," the girl told her.

"Of course," Rhia nodded, doing her best to bite back her smile. She was pretty sure she knew a person or two, if she asked nicely, who would be willing to gift her with the furniture. And they wouldn't even bat an eyelash at the expenditure. She caught the look Constance was sending her and forced herself to look like she wasn't planning anything. But she would have the set. There was so much energy in it that she swore it had been made for her.

"If you're interested, I can show you ladies some of the other cribs. I'm sure we can find something just as lovely as the teak set," the girl offered, turning toward a squared off set painted white. "Are you both expecting? When are you due? Do you know if you're having a boy or a girl?"

"We're both expecting," Constance said, pulling Rhia along after her. "I'm about halfway through my pregnancy. Rhiannon just found out she's pregnant and doesn't have a date yet. Neither one of us knows if it will be a boy or a girl."

Maybe Constance didn't know. But Rhia knew. Oh, yes. She absolutely knew.

~*~*~*~*~

The big top arena under the Circus was mostly empty, no shows scheduled to start for a few hours or more. A small section of the seating area was filled with people. Those who dwelled within the walls of the Circus and those who were tied to members of the kiss but did not live there. As they usually did, they had divided themselves up into groups. This time, though, the lines between the groups were less sharp. Nearly undefined. He took it as a sign that his people were coming together. Becoming a close knit family.

Micah and Minette had taken one end of the front bench, most of the members of the pard spread out behind them. Micah sat on the end of the row, with Minette next to him. Jason sat on her other side, marking his loyalty to her. It also put him beside Richard because the wolves filled the next part of the seats. Shang-Da and Jamil sat directly behind him, alert and intent on protecting their king even though there was little need for such measures in the heart of the Circus.

Constance was at Richard's side, looking very soft and feminine. There was just the slightest hint of a baby bump to be seen and her hands rested over it protectively. Someone had placed a thick cushion on the bench for her, and she sat upon it gratefully. Doctor Lillian was beside her niece, settled on her own thick cushion with a soft smile upon her lips. For the first time in months, she looked content and at peace. It was a good look for the woman and not one she wore often. Rafael came next, a small grouping of the rats behind him. Bobby Lee and Claudia were at the front of the group.

Asher and Janika were next on the bench, Beata seated beside her daughter proudly. Both mother and daughter carried an aura of magic around them that was almost a physical thing. Asher had summoned Narcissus, who took up position behind Asher with a pair of hyenas. The three of them were in black leather bondage chic and none of them looked pleased to be included in the festivities. He knew for a fact that Asher didn't care one way or the other if they wanted to be there.

The section ended there, stopped by the stairs that led up to the back of the seats and the walkways that would take patrons to the doors. The next section started with Isis and Damian. The pride occupied the seats behind them, lounging indolently in a manner that mimicked the actions of their feline counterparts. Isis was leaning against Damian, cheek rubbing absently against his arm. The action put a soft smile of joy on the vampire's face. His hands were curled around one of hers possessively.

Oddly, this was he found Rhiannon and Nathaniel, settled beside Isis and Damian and away from the pard. The two were generally inseparable, but it had gotten worse since it had been discovered that she was pregnant. Nathaniel refused to leave her side, his protective nature increasing intensely after she'd nearly been assaulted. His arm was wrapped around her back, hand resting against her hip. For her part, Rhiannon was glowing. Both with her pregnancy and the inheritance of her powers. The power that came with her position as Oracle was still distracting when he spoke with her.

Rounding out the group was a small gathering of vampires. London and Requiem sat at the front, while the rest who had decided to join them for this little get together spread out behind them. Not within the group but still present in the arena were Wicked and Truth, who had thus far refused to leave his side for longer than a few moments at a time. Having been bested by Vittorio still smarted and they were determined to prove themselves once again. It didn't matter to them that he'd told them repeatedly there was nothing to prove.

Stepping forward, he decided it was time to get the show on the road.

"My friends. Welcome. Thank you all for joining me on such short notice," Jean Claude spoke up, voice filling the area and bringing all attention his way. "I know some of you have other matters to tend to, so I will get right to the purpose of this meeting."

Here he paused, and considered his words carefully. The kiss was aware of the events that had happened just a week past, but only in the context that someone had made an attempt on his life. He had decided to leave it at that until he could explain everything to everyone all at once. Tonight was the night. "As you all know, there was an event last week that could have been disastrous for all involved."

There was a snort from somewhere in the crowd. That was followed by soft murmurs as those not in the know speculated as to what that event might have been. He decided to ignore it and continued on with his tale. "The people responsible for Anita's death attempted to kill me. They came very close."

His words, delivered so quietly and without flourish, brought the room to silence in an instant. Wide eyes stared at him, occasionally straying to the faces surrounding them as if to find out if anyone else was aware of this. He allowed everyone several moments to consider what he'd told them before pressing on once again. "It was a collaborative effort between many parties. Vampires, lycanthropes, and humans were involved in the attempt. It started months ago, perhaps even years ago, when someone decided that ma petite was far too powerful to let live. And so they plotted to kill her. I am sure every one of you remembers that night only a few months past when she was killed on the road."

He allowed another pause here, so that everyone could do just that. The atmosphere grew somber almost instantly as memories rose and attempted to eat them down. "When she finally died, they were satisfied that they had done their jobs. But what they did not account for was Anita's abilities to defy the odds at every turn. She had heard rumors of an assassination attempt and had planned accordingly. Minette and Aedan were with her on the road that night and she passed her powers on to them. And so her legacy continued."

He paused and let his gaze skim over every face present. Their attention on him was complete, each one waiting to find out when and how this old story would go in a new direction. "The council, upon hearing that Anita had died and I had replaced my human servant so quickly, sent representatives to St. Louis to determine that all was well. Belle Morte and Padma were more than satisfied that things were as undisturbed as they could be. They returned to the council and I thought that the end of it. But it was not to be."

He should have realized that it wouldn't be as easy as that. The council was not known for giving up. He should have known that there were more trials to come. He'd been foolish and lax. "The party?" Richard asked, intent gaze locked to where he stood.

"Yes. The council decided that they needed more proof that my power base was stable. Vampires around the world were whispering of Anita's death and the council did not like the waves her death created. And so they demanded a public event for vampire kind to attend and be witness to Aedan's abilities. It was likely meant as a way to unmask her as a fraud. At the very least, the council wanted to use it to embarrass her. After all, she had just done the same to Padma and he no doubt stirred up trouble where he could." He was sure they'd had some plan in place to destroy Aedan's credibility. "Unfortunately, they were unable to do that. When the attempt was made on Minette's life. Aedan's loss of temper made it impossible for them to declare her a fraud. It also brought her to the attention of the people who killed Anita. That is how Aedan ended up marked for death."

He could still clearly recall the fear he'd felt the night of the first attack. It hadn't gotten better with each subsequent attack, despite the fact that Aedan had fended them off with relatively little harm done. "There were attacks. None of them were successful. That lack of success prompted her attackers to try a different kind of attack. They somehow managed to kidnap Edward and demanded she come to them alone. She went."

"She wasn't alone," Janika reminded him. He nodded and gave her a smile.

"And for that, Janika, I am eternally grateful. But Aedan leaving St. Louis to go after Edward gave them the ability to attack her here at home. The mastermind behind Anita's murder and Aedan's attempted murders came here. And took me prisoner with the intent to kill me. It was reasoned that if I died, Aedan would die with me. But he did not count on Aedan's ingenuity. Or the fact that she retained Anita's memories. She turned the very power he feared on him and used it to destroy him."

The room was filled with speculation as those not in the know considered who might be responsible. As they chattered back and forth about who and how and why. "Why didn't you tell us, Jean Claude?" Rafael asked, face clearly showing what he thought of the whole deal.

"Because Aedan wanted to be sure that every last person involved in the plot was dead. She has been busy the past week, digging up as much information as she was able in order to determine whether or not all members of the cabal had been dealt with. Just today, she confirmed that she is confident they are all dead."

"Who killed Anita?" Micah asked. There was little on his face to tell Jean Claude what he was thinking or feeling, but there was a note in his voice that said the man was reliving the pain and guilt.

"Vittorio," Jean Claude told him. Very few of the lycanthropes were stirred by the name. But the vampires present... They whispered and murmured amongst themselves with that piece of information.

"Vittorio is two thousand years old," Damian said in hushed awe.

"Was. As I said, Aedan destroyed him."

"But... How?" Damian's awe turned to confusion.

"She made him her bitch," Asher said, a faint twist pulling up the corner of his lips. "I believe that is how the young people are saying it these days."

"That's exactly how the young people say it," Janika replied with a smile.

"Aedan used her powers to force him to obey her. And then she pulled the very life energy from him," Jean Claude explained. He decided to leave off the fact that she'd done the same to many other vampires over the course of that evening. Nor did he mention that she'd survived an encounter with Itzpapalotl in order to strengthen that ability. Some things were better left alone. "Some of your people came to my aid that night, asked to help by Asher. I bade them keep the events a secret until a later time. Thank you to those of you who came to help. Your friendship and loyalty are heart warming. I am lucky to call you friends."

"So why today?" Jason questioned, curiosity getting the better of him. It was a sentiment that everyone shared, if the murmurs and head nodding were anything to go by. Jean Claude allowed them their moment of chatter, waiting until they'd all settled before speaking again.

"Since Anita's death and Aedan's arrival in my life, things have been hectic. It has been an adjustment for everyone within the kiss. Because of the magnitude of everything that had just happened to her, I felt it best to let Aedan settle into her new position without the constant worry of the outside world following her every move. Now, with Anita's murder solved and her murderers dealt with, I feel it is time to announce to the world that Aedan is my human servant. My life long companion. My equal."

"Does this mean you're throwing another one of your parties?" The question came from Richard, and the tone of his voice matched the looks Jean Claude was receiving from everyone else. Of course, given how the last party he'd thrown had ended, he felt the looks were justified.

"I am," he confirmed. "There will be the obligatory vampires attending the event. And there will be lycanthropes. And humans, as well. Some of them will simply be humans tied to our kiss in some way. But some will be civic leaders. Business people. The press. I will expect everyone to be on their best behavior."

"Then I wouldn't invite Aedan," Minette said, her tone only half-joking. Jean Claude smiled at her words.

"This was partially her idea," he replied. "We have discussed it at length and she feels it is time. She feels she is ready to step into this next chapter of our lives together. Plans are moving at pace. We have secured a venue for the event and are in the process of developing a menu for those in attendance who eat food. Invitations will be going out in the next day or so. I wanted all of you to be the first to know. And to know that you will all be invited. You will not be required to attend if you do not wish. I only ask that you send representatives to the party in your stead."

Everyone present knew that the last was for Richard's benefit, that he was still unwilling to give his status to the world. He inclined his head in thanks for the consideration. "What's the dress code for this party?"

"It will be a gala event. A tuxedo and tie event. I expect everyone dressed accordingly."

"You're sure Aedan's on board with this? A gala event means she's going to have to wear a dress that doesn't allow for a weapon," Isis reminded him with a grin.

"I am sure," Jean Claude nodded. "I expect everyone to dress accordingly. It will be a gala event to end all gala events."