"Did I say something to upset you, Fred?" Buffy noticed the willowy brunette had suddenly gone quiet.
Fred shook her head to clear her thoughts. "No, it's just that," she took a deep breath, "five years ago, I got sucked into a portal and ended up in another dimension. Now, you think that I'm crazy, right? I'll just leave. It was nice meeting y'all." She got up to leave, but found Jason and Nathaniel standing behind her. They each put a hand on her shoulder to show their support.
"Please stay, Fred. We don't think that you're crazy. There are stranger things in this world than falling...through...a...portal." Buffy stopped when a strange feeling raced down her spine.
Jean-Claude held his breath, afraid that she was remembering her past. If she did, would he lose her to it? He held her tightly, as if by sheer willpower he could keep her by his side.
"Baby, what's wrong?" Buffy saw fear in his eyes. A memory niggled at the back of her mind but the her mate's well-being pushed it aside. Cupping his cheek in her small hands, he flashed her a smile, playfully showing his fangs.
Fred's next question startled them both. "How come you don't go all - Grrr?"
"What's Grrr?" Buffy asked intrigued by the question.
"You know bumpy, up here." Long slender fingers brushed her forehead. "Aren't all vampires alike?"
The Master of the City couldn't stop himself from laughing at the naive question. He wondered where she saw these other vampires. They could only be one thing, from one line. "Mon amie, where did you see these vampires? The ones that go Grrr." When he made the sound, it was all things sensual; Buffy couldn't stop her body's reaction. From the blaze of lust, that lit his eyes, she was positive that she didn't want to.
"Oh, uh, in Los Angeles. He rescued me from Pylea. It was strange though, Pylea made him look almost like a dragon, or what I think a dragon would look like."
"They aren't that great looking, just big lizards that smoke." Buffy's response made everyone look at her with their mouths open. "What? What'd I do?"
"You've seen a dragon, Buffy?" Nathaniel looked at her with huge awe-filled lilac eyes.
"Yeah, not sure where, but I can see it in my head." Her forehead crinkled as the memory tried to push forward. She shrugged it away. If I'm supposed to remember, I will. It won't change anything. My life is here with Jean-Claude and the pard.
Jean-Claude took the opportunity to change the subject back to the previous discussion. "The one you spoke of is from the Dragon's line. The Dragon is a member of the Council. His childer have no beast to call, no matter their age. They have a beast inside them and that's what makes them, as you so charmingly put it, lumpy."
Fred's head tilted to the side, trying to rationalize the information in her mind. "Is that the only difference? I mean, I thought they didn't have souls, but lots of people here say you do. Everyone that I met in LA seem to think that he's the only one." "
Buffy snorted at that. "Of course they have souls, whoever your friend is, he's wrong. I think people try to say vampires act a certain way because they don't have souls, but that's a crock. If they act or do anything, it's because they want to. No offense, but the other vamps probably weren't nice before they got turned. Look at all the humans who do awful things, it's not because they don't have soul. It's because they don't want to listen to it."
Fred thought about what Buffy said. Cordelia told her that Angel had a soul because he was cursed with one. It didn't make sense to her then, and it didn't now.
"The Dragon's line is the most brutal. Each line chooses a particular trait for their childer; his was the ability to do damage. Although many can become Masters, they rarely do; whether it's because they never attain the age necessary, or have no desire to do so. There's only one that I know became a true Master. His childer reeked havoc in Europe until a hundred years ago. The last I heard he along with the oldest of his line died. The Dragon retired from the Council around that time as well."
Before the subject could go any further, Anita walked into the office. "Jean-Claude, I need to talk to you and Buffy. It's important."
"Jason, why don't you and Nathaniel take Fred back out to the club and order dinner." Buffy motioned for them to leave.
"But, I haven't done any work yet," Fred protested. Her stomach had other ideas though and gave a loud rumble.
Everyone laughed. "Go on Fred, get something to eat. The boys can show you around, and you can start tomorrow night."
As soon as they left, Anita turned to the lovers. She tried remain calm, but found it hard to hide her worry. Buffy crawled off Jean-Claude's lap to stand beside the dark-haired woman. Taking her hand, she gave it a soft squeeze. "Anita, tell us what's got you so worried."
"I'm worried about this plan. RPIT's panicked, thinking that there'll be an all out war. Plus, Richard's worried that Raina and Marcus are going to be even worse than they already are, since they think that you two are dead."
Jean-Claude stood in a smooth, graceful movement. He resembled a black panther as he slid across the room to step behind Buffy. He wrapped his hands around her waist as she leaned back into his waiting arms. "Anita, we have people in place, watching to keep casualties to a minimum. I'm afraid my wolf will have to decide his path soon. Violence is abhorrent to him, but it's a necessary evil."
"You know that he always thinks there's another way to handle things," Anita sighed. She didn't understand her mate's Boy Scout attitude, but she respected it and him.
"He'll have to make up his mind if he can live with others being hurt because he isn't willing to step up. Richard has to realize that he's a strong Alpha for a reason. A person can't run away from...their...destiny." The words rang in Buffy's head as her golden skin went deathly pale. She swayed on her feet while the room spun around and would have hit the floor if Jean-Claude hadn't caught her.
"Buffy, are you okay?"
Jean-Claude swept her up in his arms as his heart pounded with fear. "Open the door so that I can take her back to our room. Mon petit cadeau, talk to me. What is happening?" His normally smooth voice cracked with worry. He watched her eyes lose focus then shut.
Buffy's breathing sounded labored. Anita rushed to open the door then followed closely behind them. The pard ran from their stations throughout the Circus, with the pack members not far behind them. They felt a wave of confusion, despair and fear spread over the building. It clouded their senses, letting them know that something had happened to Buffy.
Jean-Claude lay the small, still body on the bed. His face set, frozen in fear. Is she to be taken from me in the same way she was given?
Cherry ran into the room, changing in mid-stride, and by the time, she got to the bed she was a leopard. Damian stood in the doorway; his normally stoic face showing concern for his friends and the woman who held his heart. Within minutes, the pard joined Cherry to stand guard around the bed. Jason crept forward to lie at Jean-Claude's feet. A new wolf with a rich brown pelt whined at the door begging for entrance. Jason too lost in his own concern to notice. Damian motioned for the little wolf to enter. It was Fred. She crawled forward until she stood between Jason and Nathaniel.
"Jean-Claude, do you want me to call Lillian?" Anita place a hand on his shoulder, lending her support and comfort.
He didn't turn to look at her but shook his head 'yes'. "Please, ma chère, ma amour, come back to me," he whispered, while he softly stroked Buffy's cheek.
Buffy opened her eyes to look around. She felt disoriented when she saw wispy clouds covering her feet. Shrugging a slender shoulder, she started walking in no particular direction. Her steps quickened when the clouds parted to show the outline of two people sitting not far away.
"Welcome," their voices intertwined as they spoke simultaneously. The 'man' wore Egyptian robes and a green crown. A black diaphanous gown wrapped lovingly around the 'woman' like wisps of moonlight .
"Who are you, and why am I here? Am I really here or is this a dream?"
"We needed to talk to you, warrior. You are under our care, but your mind is fighting to remember your past life. Do you wish to leave the one that you have made for yourself?" The man quietly asked.
"NO! Sorry, not to be rude, but I'm not leaving Jean or the pard. I'm happy where I'm at. I just keep feeling like I'm forgetting something important." Buffy unconsciously rubbed her temple.
"Everything will come to you when you need to know it. Is there anything that you ask of us?" The woman asked curious to see if the tiny warrior would be brave enough to question them.
Buffy's nose wrinkled causing her audience to smile. "You're them aren't you, Siris and Cate?" They regally nodded in answer. "What do my tattoos mean? Did you give me the green, glowy mojo?"
Hecate laughed out loud, causing her ghost dogs to perk up from the cloudbank. Buffy stepped back, but waited for her answers. "We marked you so others would know that we watch over you. The mojo, as you call it, is our gift to you. Your new life brings many changes, and we wanted to aid you as you continue on in your destiny."
"That's the word that shouted in my head. What's my destiny? I don't have a beast like the others, but I'm stronger than they are. Is that why I want to protect them?"
The man sat aside a golden ankh before staring into Buffy's eyes. "We each play a role in matters of the dead and their fates. In your past, you died, but someone decided to take matters into their own hands and tried to resurrect you. We intervened and sent you where you were truly needed. If you had returned to your former life, you would have been very unhappy. The return would have left you changed and those changes wouldn't be accepted by others. Your powers are those that your death and rebirth have earned for you, no more, no less."
"Osiris, you are confusing her with your cryptic words. We don't have much time. Child, you are where you need to be. The power you have to heal is just an extension of your need to protect others, and your own advanced healing. If you meditate to clear your mind, you can learn to call the power to you when it's needed. Ask your mate to teach you. It is the same power he uses to call his animal. Let him know that he has found favor in our eyes and we knew that you would be right for each other. The wolf also needed your help to find its mate and save the pack. Last, but not least, you found the cats that needed you to protect them. All these things are just another part of who you are, who you were meant to be. Since your death prevented you from becoming the warrior you were meant to be, we took this opportunity to put you in a place where you were needed, but also where you would be accepted for who you are, as you are."
Buffy absorbed the information, sighing with relief when understanding hit her. "So, you helped me so that I could help them. I can live with that. One last question though, does your mark mean that you own me? Cuz, I gotta say, not liking that thought too much."
The two gods of death and healing looked at each other, then smiled. They turned back to Buffy. "No, we don't own you. You have free will to decide the course of your fate. We will provide our protection to you in your time of need, just call on us. Your mate is worried, child, it is time to go back. Is this what you choose?"
Buffy nodded as a huge smile graced her lips. "Thank you; please send me back to my mate."
Jean-Claude watched over Buffy's still body, feeling utterly helpless. The only way to know that she still lived was by the shallow breaths she took every so often. Jean-Claude held his unneeded breath until she took the next one.
Buffy's eyes fluttered open, causing everyone to sigh in relief. She raised a hand to caress her mate's cheek in reassurance. "I'm okay, mon amour; I promise that I won't ever leave you."
Pale red tears fell from Jean-Claude's eyes. He gathered Buffy into his arms, crying into her neck. She held him close, running a hand through his long, dark hair. "It's going to be all right. They just wanted to talk to me and find out if I wanted to stay here." Before Buffy could finish the room erupted in noise as the Weres growled and whined intermittently. "Hush, guys, I told them that I was exactly where I wanted to be." Jean-Claude hugged her even tighter. It was a good thing that Buffy could take it, or he would have broken her back.
"Buffy, I'm glad that you're okay." Anita spoke up, trying to help calm the situation.
The tiny blonde smiled at the Executioner. She closed her eyes then opened them and Anita swore they glowed green around the outer edges. When Anita looked closer, Buffy eyes were once again the normal sparkling green. Buffy sat up in the bed, pulling Jean-Claude down to lie beside her. She understood his need for reassurance that she wouldn't leave him. Since she had no intention of that ever happening, Buffy knew that she just had to convince her mate to believe it. She smiled at the pard and pack members that stood in various shapes around the bed. Buffy pulled Jean-Claude's face down to her so that she could whisper in his ear. He answered her softly and she nodded in understanding.
Buffy closed her eyes once more taking deep calming breaths. She pictured a quiet, peaceful garden where flowers bloomed everywhere she looked. Buffy saw a faint green glow around her hands, as if the green, surrounding reached out to embrace her. Her eyes snapped open, blazing an iridescent green. Buffy's hands came up forming a shallow cup. Jean-Claude watched in wonder as her hands filled with a green mist that matched her eyes. She flung her hands out throwing the mist into the room. Everyone stiffened when it hit them, including Anita. The tension, fear and concern melted away. A group sigh resounded in the room. Nathaniel and Jason crept up on the bed to lie beside Buffy's feet. Gregory and Stephen came next. The others joined in until all that could be seen was Buffy's blonde head leaning against Jean-Claude's chest.
One chocolate brown wolf remained on the floor. It looked at the pile of warm bodies then gave a soft whine of longing. "Come on, Fred. You're part of the family, now!" Fred bounded onto the bed. Jason grabbed her by the scruff of the neck, pulling her between him and Nathaniel. She settled down after placing her snout within reach of Buffy's hand.
Anita blinked several times, trying to figure out what just happened. She finally asked the question on everyone's mind. "What the hell happened to you, and what the hell did you just do to us?"
Buffy couldn't stop herself from giggling. Anita was the only person that she knew who would be pissed off because someone made her feel better. She clasped Jean-Claude's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze while her other one scratched Fred's snout, causing the young werewolf to emit a happy whine.
"Had a little brain melt. Old memories kept trying to creep back in and were freakin me out. So, I ended up doing a little cloud dancing with Siris and Cate. They told me about the green hoo doo, the tattoos, then gave me a choice whether I wanted to go back to wherever I come from or stay here." Buffy felt Jean-Claude's heart thud to a stop. She turned to pull his head down until their lips met in a heated kiss. After giving him a brilliant smile, she let all the love she felt for him show in her eyes. His heart jumped then started its slow steady beat once more.
Anita's eyes widened then she exclaimed in a shocked voice. "Siris and Cate, you mean to tell me when you were out cold that you talked to Osiris and Hecate?"
"Yep, they told me that they kinda adopted me, since someone screwed with some major mojo. I kinda died and someone brought me back. Pretty much pissed off the twins from the land down under." Jean-Claude gave an uncontrolled bark of laughter at the way Buffy talked about the two powerful deities. A finally arched brow shot up as she gave him a challenging look that promised retribution when they were alone. He couldn't stop the shudder of anticipation that coursed through his body.
Fred shifted back to her normal form intrigued by Buffy's words. She couldn't stop her curious mind from asking questions. "They told you that you died? Aren't you upset? I mean, I know that I'd be, plus who'd resurrect someone after they died. That's just mean." Her eyes grew sad filled with thoughts of her parents.
Anita stiffened at the conversation between the two women. She started to protest, but the hard look in Buffy's eyes stopped her. Anita hadn't heard the sadness behind Fred's words or seen the tears in her eyes. "I don't know, Fred. I'm sure they thought that they were doing the right thing. In a way, I have to thank them because it brought me here where I found my other half. Siris and Cate knew that not only was I needed here but that I needed to be here. They told me that I'm protector. I don't like to see people hurt, and that's what the green glow's all about - taking away others pain. See, it was a blessing in disguise. Did you know that's what Anita does? She helps people talk to someone who's dead so that they can heal and go on with their lives."
Fred blushed, then paled when she realized who Anita was - the Executioner. She remembered Raina complaining about this woman, saying that she liked to shoot first and ask questions later. Anita watched the girl tremble when she recognized her name. Buffy pulled Fred into her arms while she gave Anita a hard stare. She knew the dark haired woman didn't like to show her emotions but this wasn't about her. It was about Fred and helping her learn to stand up for herself without becoming hard and bitter.
"Don't worry about it, Fred. Most people don't understand what I do." She couldn't keep the bitterness from her voice. The old pain from her family's inability to accept her still hurt.
Buffy watched the emotions wash over Anita. She saw them deep in the other woman's dark eyes. She wondered why everyone thought that Anita was such a hard case and that she didn't have any emotions. They were there for the entire world to see, they just had to look for them. It was going to be interesting to watch these two women grow and change in the days to come. They each had what the other needed.
Raina paced the Lunatic Café's office while waves of anticipation surrounded her. Gabriel sat on a couch watching the tall beauty with equal degrees of loathing and lust. He loved to fuck her, but hated that he needed her to continue in their lucrative porno business. The Lupa and Nimir-Raj couldn't wait to get their hands on their wayward pack and pard members. They both agreed that at least one person had to die in order to bring the rest back in line. Raina wanted it to be a pard member, while Gabriel argued that their numbers were already too small.
She stopped pacing, and the evil smile on her lips told Gabriel that she had a deliciously wicked idea. "I know the perfect way to put everyone back in their places. They won't ever try to disobey us again. We'll even get to pay back that bitch, Anita. Plus, I'll get to play with my honey wolf once more. Now, who can we get to take over as the Master of the City? I haven't heard anyone whispering about who Jean-Claude's successor will be, have you?"
Gabriel got up from the couch. The idea of getting payback on another stuck up bitch had him hard and ready. He pulled Raina up against him letting her feel his erection pressed into her stomach. She growled softly, lunging for his neck. Sharp canines tore into the tender flesh causing him to purr with pleasure at the pain. Claws tore clothes from overheated bodies. He pushed her back onto the desk before bending down to brutally bite into her breasts. She sliced her claws down his back when he slammed into her. They coupled viciously, and when they finished they had the bites and claws marks to prove it. Now, breathing heavily, they started to lick the blood from each other's skin.
Raina jumped when she heard clapping from the doorway. She saw Marcus standing there. Ignoring her nude state, not to mention that she just had sex with someone other than her mate, she sauntered forward. Her hips swayed from side-to-side in a motion worthy of Delilah. "Marcus, you're just in time to hear all the lovely plans we've made. You're going to escort me to the opening of Danse Macabre, aren't you, darling?"
The Ulfric of the Thronnos Rokke clan laughed at his Lupa. Marcus loved the fact that he could walk in both worlds. His successful plastic surgery practice filled his days, while Raina and the pack filled his nights. No one other than the preternatural creatures knew about his Were status, not to mention that he was the Ulfric. Any public pack business, Raina handled while he stayed in the background happily pulling the strings. Now that Jean-Claude was dead, he only needed to find a Master Vampire who could take his place. He would make sure that this time; he kept the reins of power.
Buffy stepped into a green leather dress whose top was little more than precisely placed straps. Each strap criss crossed over her torso, buckling to a piece of leather that ran down each side until it met the tight skirt. Her back remained bare down to the base of her spine, where and intricate buckle held the material in place across her backside and hips. The skirt stopped mid-thigh with two slits, which allowed her to walk freely. The deep forest green color made her eyes darken to a sparkling emerald. Three-inch stiletto that matched the dress with buckles across her feet and straps wrapped around slender ankles.
She pulled her hair into a soft, sexy partial up do. Long blonde curls fell down her back, looking ready to fall any minute. It gave her the appearance of a woman ready for her lover to loosen those curls and run his hands through her hair. Flawless makeup graced her cheeks causing her eyes to go smokey and seductive. Buffy turned when she heard a whistle coming from the door. Jason leaned against the doorframe, taking in the sight of Buffy dressed to kill. In that moment, he wished that she wasn't mated to Jean-Claude, but at least he could look his fill.
"Do you like, puppy?" She teased, turning to model her outfit. Buffy's eyes sparkled with humor when Jason swallowed dramatically.
"I don't think there's a man, or woman, for that matter, who wouldn't jump you if you'd let them." Jason put his hands up, whining like a puppy begging for a treat.
She burst out laughing. "Do I need to get a rolled up newspaper in case you start humping my leg?"
"That was mean." He pouted grinning. "Jean-Claude's ready if you are."
She grabbed a matching purse then took his arm. "Let's go piss off a bunch of people, Jas. Can't wait to see Rainman's and Gaby's faces when they see us alive and well. Maybe, I'll get lucky and they'll start a fight."
"Only you would think that'd be good luck."
They walked outside where Jean-Claude casually leaned against a sleek black limo. He was a wet dream in black leather pants and a blue silk shirt with his trademark knee-high boots. The lovers admired each other before falling into a heated kiss. Buffy pulled away to look into midnight blue eyes shining with love. Each knew tonight was the first step in stopping their enemies once and for all. They also knew that they had to be prepared for anything to happen in the days to come.