Suddenly, the office door slammed open and Anita stalked in spitting nails. "Dolph! Have you heard the latest shit? The governor personally assigned St. Louis' new Executioner. She's some Malibu Barbie. Probably got her license being someone's niece or main squeeze. You should've seen the clothes she wore. I mean can you say, Slutty!"
Anita, inhaling as she prepared to continue, finally noticed Dolph's face. His eyes had grown large as he stared at Anita then looked toward Buffy. He swore he saw her eyes glow blue. It happened so fast, he guessed he must have imagined it. Standing up and pushing away from his desk, Dolph headed for the door, intent on leaving his office and the inevitable showdown as quickly as possible.
"Ladies, I'll leave you alone to talk. Take all the time you need."
Buffy waited for the easy-going detective to close the door, before she opened up on Anita with both barrels.
"We need to get a few things straight, Zombie Queen. I'm not here to step on your toes or take away your toys. I'm here to find the missing weres and vampires, remember them. Or, is the pissing contest you're so hell-bent on, more important? You don't know me and haven't even bothered to try. What gives you the right to say nasty things about me? If you ever talk like that about me again, I'll kick your ass."
"You and whose army, Blondie?"
"You need to come down off your high horse before you get a nosebleed, Queen Z."
It was the last straw for Anita. She saw red and reacted in pure Anita fashion - she attacked. Buffy simply grabbed the arm coming at her, pulled the other woman toward her and used Anita's own momentum against her. Anita threw every martial art move possible in the limited space, only to have them swatted away like she was nothing more than a troublesome gnat. In frustration, Anita reached for her gun. Buffy had held back against using her superior strength and speed. When the gun came into play, the rules changed and she attacked in a blur of speed. Anita found herself face down on the ground with her hands held behind her and her gun thrown into the trashcan across the room. Buffy sat down, holding Anita easily with one hand while she studied the woman beneath her.
"I don't like guns. What's your damage? You can't win an straight up fight, so you draw a gun! Lady, you've got serious control issues. I don't care who you're dating as long as you can do your job. Your personal life is just that personal. I came here expecting to find Anita Blake, the Executioner, not some jealous, gun happy brat who doesn't play well with others. News flash, baby, if you don't want people to think your becoming like the monsters quit acting like one."
"Get off me bitch," Anita growled, squirming to get free.
"You don't listen too well do you? Let me ask you something, do you even care about the missing people?"
"Yes," Anita finally admitted, stilling her movements.
Leaning down, Buffy whispered, "I'll let you in on a little secret. I can find them."
"How can you find them? We've done everything we can to find them. Nobody's talking. They're too scared or don't know anything," Anita scoffed.
"Are you going to work with me on this case or not? I can do it without you. It won't be as easy and it'll waste time the missing people don't have. Who knows how many will die because of it, but it's up to you. Before you answer, make sure you mean it. I want your blood oath on it, Anita, or I leave here and their deaths are on your head."
Anita's head jerked up as she turned, trying to look at Buffy. How does she know about blood oaths? How could she know the one rule, I'd never break? "Fine, I'll work with you. Let me up and I'll bind my words through blood on an oath."
Buffy got off Anita and held her hand to help the dark haired woman up from the floor. Anita ignored the offered hand. She slowly rose from the floor as she reassessed the small blonde. Buffy withheld the sigh eager to escape her lips. This was going to take a lot more work than she had originally thought. She left her hand outstretched and waited for Anita to make the next move. Anita pulled the knife sheathed at her wrist, nicked her finger and one from the hand Buffy held out toward her. She pressed their fingers together, mixing the two powerful bloodlines.
"I, Anita Blake, swear to aide Buffy Summers in finding those missing."
The air thickened as Anita's softly spoken words seemed to hang in the air. It was as if some unknown judge weighed them for sincerity. An electric shock jolted through their fingers as the air returned to normal with a soft pop.
"We need to head over to the Circus of the Damned. The missing vamps' coffins are there, right?"
Buffy headed for the door like nothing had happened, stopping when Anita didn't join her. She turned to see Anita looking at her curiously, like she was the newest exhibit at the zoo.
"I had some time to poke around before our meeting today," she said innocently.
Buffy followed Anita to the Circus of the Damned, wondering how Anita interacted with her 'men' when other women were around. They started to enter the macabre nightclub when Buffy stopped Anita.
"I know we didn't get off on the right foot. We want the same thing here; so, let's make the best of this. It might work better if you introduced me as a consultant. Someone RPIT brought in to help perform magic. I don't think they'll be too happy, having another executioner around."
Anita looked at Buffy with her open face and sparkling eyes, looking like a cheerleader, and knew no one would ever believe she was an executioner. Anita pulled on her necromancy as she tried to detect any preternatural power from Buffy. She felt like a null to her.
"I can't feel anything from you. They'll feel the missing magic; plus, weres can smell when someone lies. They might not like it, but it's probably better just to tell them the truth, even if they won't believe it."
Buffy smiled secretively. This was just the opening she was hoping for and Anita had walked into it with both feet. Knowing she had to broach the subject carefully, Buffy fell back on the tried and true. She went with her Valley girl persona mixed with some good old-fashioned Willow babble.
"Course not silly, I shield my powers. I could, you know, teach you, cuz you leak like everywhere. I'm surprised you can even sneak up on anyone to perform your duties. Didn't anyone ever tell you it leaves you open to any vamp who decides you're human servant material? You must attract lots of interest as 'the Executioner' and your necromancy. I'm surprised some ballsy vamp hasn't tried sending floaty eyes after you. Lucky for you, the vampire you're dating wants doesn't want you for your power. He's the Master of the City, and got oodles his own. At least, if you ever become his human servant, you know he would never do anything without your full cooperation. Oh, stop me already, sometimes I ramble. Ok, back to business, let me lower my shields a little and you'll see that I'm telling the truth."
Buffy closed her eyes to keep Anita from seeing them glow. Anita felt power rush over her in huge waves. She felt goose bumps pimple over her skin, as the hair stood on end.
"That's lowering it a little? What the hell does it feel like when you open them all the way, like a freaking bus just hit me?"
Anita stepped away from Buffy, hoping to put some distance between them. Buffy sent out small pulses of positive energy toward Anita, to calm the other woman.
"I know a temporary spell that protects your mind and shields your powers," Buffy said softly, watching Anita start to relax. "Just, until you can learn to put your own shields in place. Would you let me cast it on you?"
Anita didn't say anything for several long minutes. She looked deeply into Buffy's green eyes, knowing she had agreed to work with her but still unsure whether she trusted her. Finally, Anita nodded, wondering if she had just made a huge mistake.
"Close your eyes, breathe slowly and picture a strong wall around you mind," Buffy whispered, chanting a small protection prayer.
Anita felt warmth rush over her body, blanketing her with a sense of safety. Somewhat surprised, she smiled at Buffy, "Let's go push around some vamps."
While going through the hassle of checking in, Buffy looked around and noticed a short blonde dancer performing onstage. She couldn't tell the flavor of were from here, but guessed wolf. His boneless movements reminded her of Oz. Suddenly, a tall vampire with blood red hair and pale green eyes stood before them looking down at her.
He spoke to Anita, while never taking eyes off Buffy, "Jean-Claude wants to talk to you immediately, Anita." Damian stated in his calm, cool way before turning around to walk away, fully expecting them to follow him.
"Yum. Anita, he's pretty, is he yours?" Buffy purred, admiring Damian's tall graceful body.
"No, he's not; he belongs to Jean-Claude, the Master of the City. Ya know, he is kinda pretty. I guess I never noticed it before," Anita replied, taking her first real look at Damian.
Neither woman noticed the weres stop and sniff the air as they walked to the private door.
"She smells like rain."
"No, forest."
"Sunshine."
"The moon's pull is strong."
"Who is she?"
"What is she?"
Jason, the blonde dancer, had finished his set. He left the backstage intent on finding out what, or rather who, had everyone in such an uproar. He rushed to Jean-Claude's bedroom, hoping to meet the mysterious woman.
Damian led them into a large bedroom, decorated in black and red satins. Jean-Claude lay sprawled across the bed dressed only in black silk lounging pants. His long curly black hair and dark blue eyes complimented his pale skin and slender 5'10" body. A cross-shaped scar marred his otherwise perfect chest. A large, muscular man, werewolf, she figured, with shoulder-length chestnut hair and warm chocolate brown eyes leaned against the wall. Jean-Claude stood when Anita entered the room, moving forward to kiss her cheek.
"Ah, ma petite, you look lovely. How are you tonight? Who is your pretty friend?"
"This is Buffy Summers; she's going to help us find the missing weres and vampires. Buffy, this is Jean-Claude, the Master of the City and Richard Zeeman, the Ulfric of the Thronnos-Rokke Clan, the local werewolf pack, and you've already met Damian."
Anita introduced everyone then waited to see the reactions to Buffy. The men stared at Buffy, taking in her long blonde hair, golden skin and large green eyes appreciatively. Richard couldn't get over the sense of safety he felt from her. He knew her small body held no beast. Yet, the strong pull of the moon from her pleased his wolf. Jean-Claude could read nothing from the beautiful woman in front of him, no matter how hard he tried. She felt human to him. He laughed silently, curiously wondering how she planned to helped Anita.
Anita took in their reactions with humor, knowing they too had underestimated Buffy, as she previously had. "Buffy's a witch and knows several spells that may help us," she announced, hiding her humor.
"Non, impossible, I feel nothing from her. Try again, ma petite," exclaimed Jean-Claude.
"Uh, Buffy's in the house. Here ya go, JC, try again. Maybe your super snooper's broke." Buffy allowed some of her power to leak into the room. Buffy couldn't bite back the giggle that escaped when everyone gasped. "Is it working, now? Maybe you need new batteries?" She smiled at him brightly and her green eyes twinkled.
"Mon Dieu! How can you hide such power, petite sorciere?"
"Hey fang-face who are you calling little?" Buffy huffed, glaring at the dark haired vampire.
Richard couldn't stop his laughter. Then, they heard a thud from the hallway.
"Come in Jason, there's no need to hide in the hallway like a bad puppy," Jean-Claude called out, his words playful though they held an undertone of steel.
The door opened and Buffy recognized the dancer from the club. He slowly entered the room, his head down as if he expected someone to hit him. With his blonde hair and sky blue eyes, Jason looked younger than twenty-five. As he reached Buffy, he inhaled her scent and stared mesmerized by her eyes. Buffy noticed the mischief dancing there, even though he was in trouble, reminding her of Xander. She sent him pulses of positive reassurance then had to bite back her laughter when his eyes widened in surprise. The smile he sent her lit his entire face. She couldn't stop herself from returning the smile. Lifting his head, Jason approached Jean-Claude ready to take his punishment. He could bear anything if Jean-Claude allowed him to remain near this amazing woman.
Richard watched the change in his pack mate. He understood his actions; they mirrored his own. Jean-Claude saw this play out with narrowed eyes. When he caught Buffy staring at him, he smiled, showing a little fang. Everyone else in the room tensed as Jean-Claude's eyes widened then narrowed. They knew he planned to enthrall her. Buffy's green eyes peered into his dark blue ones. Jean-Claude started calculating how much power the tiny blonde had, and whether he could tap into it. His eyes suddenly grew wider and his mouth opened slightly when he heard a voice, her voice, in his head.
Sorry, to disappoint but it's so not going to happen. Do you want to continue this private convo or shall we let everyone else come to the party? Cuz, even though you're a major hottie, you look better with your mouth closed.
Jean-Claude's mouth snapped shut with a click of his fangs. The others watched with baited breath that quickly turned to shock when he threw back his head and laughed, sending sexy chills down everyone's spine.
"Ah, ma petite sorciere, you're a delightful puzzle, which I cannot wait to solve. Ma petite, your new friend is full of surprises. Many I'm not even sure you know," Jean-Claude purred.
"Enough with the party tricks, Jean-Claude. We came to solve this case. Are you in or out?" Anita growled, reaching for her gun until Buffy quirked an eyebrow at her. Her hand dropped back to her side in silent frustration. This by-play had peaked the others interest. It added another facet to the already growing puzzle named Buffy Summers.
Richard stepped closer to Buffy and quietly asked. "Why can I feel the moon's pull from you?"
"I'm a daughter of Luna," Buffy answered, knowing they'd assume she meant her magic. She stepped away from him in case she needed room to move.
"What's with you guys going crazy over new face?" Anita glared at the men.
"Ma petite, are you jealous? There's no need. I would happily return the marks any time you wish."
"You will not mark her again," Richard growled. His eyes turned amber as his beast stirred.
"Boys are you through washing down the walls with testosterone, or are one of you going to pee a circle around her?" Buffy asked in a bored voice. Anita glared at her, Jean-Claude laughed and Richard blushed.
"So, ma sorciere, how will you help us in finding our missing people?"
"A soul spell should do the trick." They looked at her like she was speaking in another language. "I'll use the missing vampires' coffins as a link to find their souls."
Anita started cursing and kicking the furniture. "Damn it, why didn't Tammy suggest this? How come some unknown witch comes here and tells us what was right in front of us?"
"Oh, that's easy, Anita. Probably because no one else knows how to perform soul magic, anymore. Its old and hasn't been performed in years," Buffy explained, thinking more like centuries, but no need to tell them that.
"It's true then, vampires really do have souls? You seem so sure. People have argued this for centuries. Why are you convinced they have souls?" Anita demanded, hoping for a definitive answer to one of her biggest concerns.
"I can feel them. Some souls are stronger than others; but yes, everyone has one, even vampires. The moon's call pulls their souls back to the ether at sunrise where her beams tether them to their bodies until they wake again at sunset. My teacher taught me about the moon's place in each were's life and how she whispers to their beast." Buffy suddenly walked over to Damian and stared into his pale green eyes. "Your soul is very strong."
"How is that possible? He isn't a Master and never will be, no matter his great age," Jean-Claude exclaimed, with underlying hints of curiosity and jealousy in his voice.
"Age has nothing to do with it. It's determined by inner strength, on what each person chooses regardless of circumstances. The strongest vampires in the world can have the weakest souls, just look at your Council. Their souls are almost nonexistent. Enough lessons, grasshopper, where do you keep your good little vamps tucked in for the day?"
Richard's head jerked up; he felt like he had watched a fast-paced tennis match, which Buffy had won 60-Love. Jean-Claude nodded toward Damian and Jason.
Damian bowed gracefully before the tiny blonde. "Please, follow me."
Jason jumped up, practically racing for the door.
Buffy giggled at his antics, and said, "Down puppy, we don't want to have an accident on the carpet. I bet JC swings a mean newspaper."
Jason grinned at her, liking the way she teased him. He instinctively knew she would protect him. He promised himself right then, regardless what he had to do he would keep her safe.
Damian led Buffy deep under the Circus into the dungeons. Can she feel my soul? Maybe I will have a chance to talk with her, once she cast her spell. He had seen Jean-Claude's interest in Buffy's power. Glancing over at her talking to Jason, Damian admitted he wanted her too, but not for power. He watched the light shine on her golden hair, and his heart clenched. He noticed the muscles play beneath her skin as she became quieter the closer they got to the coffins. Jean-Claude hadn't lied when he said this woman had many facets, many layers. Damian just hoped he would get to unveil them.
Buffy noticed Damian's covert glances. He was different from any man, any vampire, she had ever known. The tall, sleekly muscular body exuded quiet strength as if he made no unnecessary motions. His blood red hair flowed shiny and straight down his back, his face angular with high cheekbones created an alluring picture. She had seen and even dated beautiful men before, but it was Damian's eyes that caught her attention the most. Their unique pale green color reminded her of a cat. She couldn't deny the instant attraction she felt for him. Jean-Claude was the epitome of a walking sex dream, true, but Damian was long, slow, leisurely sex on a rainy weekend. This close to him, Buffy felt his soul call to her and knew she would have to step carefully to keep from getting involved with him. Her love life just had to wait. She had enough to do with the seemingly impossible tasks from the Powers, without adding to it.
I'll have to be careful around him until Anita decides between bachelor 'a' or bachelor 'b'. Jean-Claude would immediately assume he had inherited control over me through Damian if we become involved right now. It could push Anita to decide out of jealousy, rather than her heart. Damn it, her choices are important to the future. If she doesn't learn to control her constant anger and jealousy and it corrupts her soul, I'll have to bind her necromancy. I don't want to do that. The war with the Council's going to be challenging, but compared to Anita it seems like a walk in the park. .
Anita smiled at Richard as she walked over and kissed him passionately. "Hello, I was hoping to see you today, though I didn't expect it to be here. But, I'll take what I can get."
"Jean-Claude said you were coming here when I talked to him. I decided to come so you'd only have to explain it once. Maybe, we could have dinner later," Richard answered, returning her kiss.
He wrapped his arms around her small body holding her close to him. Anita turned in his arms to send Jean-Claude a smug smile, letting him know she was happy in her Richard cocoon. Jean-Claude frowned at her unsure what he had done to deserve this rather blatant display, which excluded him. He decided to add his own special brand of romance. He tried to slip into Anita's mind only to find it locked away inside a steel vault.
"Ma petite, what have you done to yourself? Why can I not read your thoughts?" Power slipped into his voice as he asked, "Do I not also deserve a kiss hello? Have you not miss, ma petite?"
Anita felt his voice wash over her as shivers raced down her spine. It caused Richard's entire body to stiffen at her reaction. His deep growl vibrated against her back.
"You don't deserve a kiss, and I didn't do anything. It's a simple spell to keep people from getting into my head. If you could, you'd see me there waving at you," she hissed while Jean-Claude smiled at her, "with one finger." The smile melted from the handsome vampire's face as he went still. His midnight blue eyes darkened until they appeared black. "Stay the hell out of my head! Open your mouth and talk if you have something to say."
Jean-Claude started pacing the bedroom. "Who is this woman, this 'Buffy Summers'? And a sorciere, no less! I've never heard of her and with such power, I would have! She comes to my city, knowing magic none has performed in many years! She can look me in the eye like I'm a...," he growled, stopping his pacing as he searched for the appropriate term.
"No-account piss ant," Anita supplied with a grin
"Enough!" Jean-Claude roared.
In the basement, Buffy looked at Damian then Jason. "If I allow you to stay, will you tell Jean-Claude everything you see?"
"I don't understand," he replied.
"I told him the spell I was performing was old. I just didn't tell him how I planned to perform it and I need to know if you'll tell him what you see. No one thinks the weres are the main target or even expects that they're still alive. They're focused on getting the vampires back because their loss will cause the most problems politically. Leave if you plan to run back to Jean-Claude with what happens down here. My purpose is to return the missing people, as many as I possibly can. And, the weres are just as important as the vampires."
"You think you can find them?" Jason asked, excitedly.
"Yes, I know I can. I'll want your oath you won't tell anyone what you see."
"What oath?" Damian watched Buffy's face suspicious about her need for secrecy.
"The oath would bind you not to reveal the ceremony and what you learn about me. You can tell them what we discover, just no specifics," she stated, crossing her arms.
"It won't matter they can force us to tell them whatever they wish to know," Jason said sadly. He felt this strange pull to support this woman with whatever she needed.
"The oath binds you to your own words. If you try to break it, there are consequences. Anybody asking for more will smell only the truth from you."
"Why don't you just wipe our minds, if having us here will make it work better?" Damian asked in confusion.
"There are rules to magic, for every forced use of magic there are consequences. They come back to the offender on a magnitude three times harsher than if getting permission from the focus object. That's dark magic and I DO NOT engage in that. I've been on the frontlines of it and it ain't pretty."
"I'm willing to take your oath," Damian said.
Jason looked Buffy deeply in the eyes and nodded his head. Buffy breathed in deeply motioning for Jason to stand on her right and Damian on her left. She smoothly retrieved an anthem from her boot.
"Put out your left hands."
Buffy cut small star shaped symbols into each of their palms. "Clasp hands." As they held hands, the two men couldn't take their eyes off the golden haired witch. She cut the same symbols into her own palms and put one on each of their hearts. Leaning her head back to stare into their eyes, her eyes started to glow bright, royal blue as she chanted.
"Hear me Hecate, goddess of magic. As we three call on you to bind this oath, may any who break it bear your anger. What's done in this room in your name let none speak of again. This, your moon daughter asks of you."
The symbols on their hands glowed and a gentle wind blew, sending warmth through their bodies. It ended as quickly as it began. Buffy bowed her head, eyes closed and breathed deeply. They released their hands, Jason glanced at his hand and there wasn't a mark on it.
"I must warn you. If you willingly break the oath, Hecate will decide your fate, not me. She's very inventive. It wouldn't surprise me if she turned you into a bat or a poodle." Buffy giggled as Damian became even paler and Jason swallowed loudly.
"Now, on with the mojo. Jason you're first up to bat. I need you to sit in front of me, hands on knees palms up. Call to your beast but don't change, think of your missing pack members. You're connected, you're family, each connected deep within, waiting to come in times of great need. Smell the forest, the moon, the power, the pack, feel them around you." Buffy mirrored Jason's pose and placed her hands over his. "Your wolf longs for those missing, it needs to feel their fur, smell them, taste them."
Her voice was hypnotic, smooth as honey. Her eyes glowed brighter and brighter, the royal blue incandescent in its intensity. A golden glow shimmered around her body, outlining in the dimly lit dungeon. Jason's eyes turned amber with his wolf. She pushed power into Jason gently then followed it as she looked for the missing pack members.
Damian watched in awe, he felt the power in the air; something underlying the power seemed familiar to him. Something inside Damian quietly awoke recognizing a need to conquer. She looked like a golden Amazon; damn Jean-Claude, he wanted this woman. Buffy started to remove her hand from Jason's and the glow faded away. He whimpered at the loss of contact and moved to her immediately curling around her. She soothed him, gently brushing hair away from his face.
"Most are alive but some won't last much longer. I couldn't see any coffins. They must have them somewhere else"
Tears ran down her cheeks, which startled Jason. He couldn't imagine someone crying for strangers, especially weres and vampires. He laid his head on her lap, curling closer around her and breathing in her scent. How can someone so tiny have such a large heart?
Buffy closed her eyes to gain back her control. She knew she had to put everything else out of her mind. She hugged Jason patting him gently before moving him aside. Looking up at Damian, she raised her hand to him and he helped her to her feet.
"Are you ready for this? I must warn you, it will put you in closer touch with your soul." Buffy asked earnestly, almost hoping he would refuse. She could easily track one vampire but needed a connection to find the others.
Damian recognized the hesitancy, "What do I need to do?"
"This is a little trickier. We need to move the coffins as close together as possible before we lie on them."