Buffy waived her hand to close the door, locking the barrier in place. She stepped forward until she stood under the light coming through the skylight. "Mother, can you hear me? Please. I need to talk to you. This is so hard," she cried out softly to the empty room.
Selene immediately appeared and wrapped her arms around Buffy. "Shush, child, I'm here. Everything will be fine. We are very proud of everything you have accomplished in such a short time. Athena finds your mind a joy to behold. Plans within plans, folding together, supporting one another toward the final end. Don't start doubting yourself when you've just started."
"Do you think it will all work out? Someone is going to get hurt, aren't they?" Buffy asked quietly. Her voice barely more than a hushed whisper.
"Yes, little one, someone invariable gets hurt in situations where the heart rules the head. The important thing to remember is that more than just these few individuals' hearts and lives are at stake here." Selene pressed a finger against Buffy's lips before she could protest. "I know you don't want any of them to be hurt, but you have to keep the bigger picture always foremost in your mind. You've done well in showing even us the error of our ways as well. We were wrong about the Wolf; he isn't strong enough to be Anita's mate. He doesn't accept who or what he is; his doubt endangers not only his pack but others as well," the moon goddess told her daughter.
Buffy nodded with a loud sigh, hearing her own conclusions voiced aloud. "He reminds me of Angel, never comfortable in his own skin. Always watching the world from the outside wishing he was a real boy. Anita needs her own Spike," Buffy said sadly. "I just don't see running over the St. Louis sign, yet."
"Maybe the Master of the City will surprise us, your vampire did. His love for you changed him. It will have to play out as the Fates intend it." Selene changed the subject to a much happier subject as she announced, "Apollo says he will gladly help the Vargamors advance their training. This will allow them to call benevolent spirits to heal those wounded by the previous leaders by the new moon. The call on the full moon can focus strictly on strength. You will need the singular focus. We have learned that Belle Morte, the Master of the Beasts and Morte d'Amour's surrogate are coming to force Jean-Claude to accept Mr. Oliver's seat on the Council. They plan on taking him, Anita and Richard back to Europe, while Yvette becomes the next Master of St. Louis."
"Over my dead body!" Buffy growled in anger. She extracted herself from Selene's tender embrace as she paced the room in barely controlled anger. "Great, I have less than a month to get everyone ready!" Her angry steps stopped as she turned to look at her mother. "I kicked the First Evil's ass in about that time, guess I can take on three power-hungry vamps. Course, I had lots of help from people I trusted, but potato patotoh." She shrugged her shoulder, knowing that she would figure out some way to deal with the newest hurdle. It was what she did after all. "If those three are here, does that mean the three remaining Council members will come out of retirement?" An evil thought had started to germinate in her mind.
"No, they have people in place to follow their orders and report back to them."
"So, if I popped over to Europe, for say a spot of violence...?" Buffy waggled her eyebrows in a perfect imitation of Spike.
Selene laughed at the way Buffy's mind worked. "I'm going to have to ask Athena if she ever had a child with Ares, when I return. With your cunning mind for strategy, but ever-present taste for violence you are sure to be descended from those two. She shook her head at the wicked smile the small blonde sent her way. "Your plan will work, but you must take care in its execution. Cloak each chamber from detection until this is over," she warned, silver eyes held emerald for several long minutes to ensure Buffy understood the importance of her words.
"I've been thinking about the childer and human servants, and even the ties linking those held through blood oaths. The scythe judged Traveler's people but it only affected his human servant. Have to admit in his case I was happy that he hadn't sowed his wild oats." Buffy shuddered at the thought of mini-Traverlers running about hijacking people's bodies, it creeped her out to say the least.
Getting back on track, she asked, "Before I execute the Council Members, can't I judge and separate them from their human servants and childer then sever the members of the kiss using the scythe? I could send the power down the ties, separating out those the scythe found innocent or salvageable, while the others suffer whatever fate their crimes decree. It would take care of those beyond saving in one fell swoop. Kinda like what Willow did when she activated the potentials - no fuss, no muss."
Buffy tilted her head as she tried to see all the angles. She didn't relish the idea that had become judge, jury and executioner for the preternatural world. But, if this was her new lot in life then she would rather wield that power the least amount of times as possible. It was a lot of power to wield and she had already seen where having too much power could lead. Buffy remembered Willow's dark times. She also recalled her own over the top General Patton prelude with the potentials. She had no desire to fall back into that trap again.
"You can't do that child. The members arriving here will know the minute you sever those ties. Such a great shifting in power will alert them something has happened. Shielding the council members as you pass judgment is risk enough for one undertaking. My little one, the Fates don't expect you to accomplish everything at once," Selene cautioned, fearing for Buffy's safety.
Selene watched Buffy's expression become mulish as she hesitantly let go of this dangerous idea. She held her own council as her daughter once again began to pace. The moon goddess couldn't stop the smile from forming on her lips when Buffy started mumbling under her breath. She continued to observe this strange behavior as the young woman who held her daughter's spirit, but had won her own place in her life, mumbled and shook her head.
Buffy turned back to Selene with the light of victory once again in her eye. She smiled at her mother and said, "We know I have to lock down the each council members' chamber, right?" Selene simply nodded unsure where Buffy was going. "What if I locked down the entire place? I judge the council members immediately as planned, getting them out of the way, because frankly they just piss me off." Selene's stare turned stern and motherly, making Buffy feel like a naughty child caught cursing in front of her mother, which was basically true. "Sorry, but it's true. The remaining judgments wouldn't have to be complete until the time was right, sorta, like a time bomb. I could activate it whenever we're through putting the smack down on the members here."
Suddenly Zeus, Athena, Aphrodite, Artemis, Apollo and Hephaestus appeared in a rainbow of sparkling lights. Buffy squealed running to jump into Zeus' arms. He grabbed her and spun her around in a very fatherly reaction. Buffy's musical laughter filled the room. Everyone looked on amazed; they couldn't believe Zeus' reaction to Buffy. Selene smiled, knowing he had fallen in love with this little girl, as much as she had. She was everything their daughter, Zierra, should have been, but there was some extra spark that was uniquely Buffy. Selene watched Buffy rush around to hug everyone with Hephaestus being last. She quickly grabbed the nearest chair for him and insisted that he sit. Selene realized Buffy's heart was what made her so special. Once she loved you, she loved you completely. Maybe, she's 'Dite's daughter.
Buffy looked around happy to see everyone. She knew them all from Zierra's memories, but they felt like her family. "Hey ya Pops, how's it hanging?" She grinned at Zeus and everybody laughed. "I guess you heard my plan for the three big kahunas? What do you think?"
Athena stepped forward to speak for the group. "It's a good plan. Your timing will need to be precise down to the minute."
Buffy nodded, thinking over what the goddess of wisdom and war had said. She knew Athena disliked fighting without a purpose and preferred using wisdom. With that in mind, Buffy asked her, "What if I went to the Council at the exact time the other council members are traveling here. I could finish up over there before their plane even touches down here, right?" Her nose scrunched up as she tried to calculate international time in her head, which brought on a rather large migraine. She never said she was Willow smart. But, she remembered from when her Dad went on business trips when times were still good at home, he called at night because it was morning where he was overseas.
"Of course, that's a very good idea, Buffy." Zeus smiled at her, hugging her again. He wished he could whisk her away to Olympus and keep her safe. She was so tiny, barely even reaching above his waist. What if the Fates were wrong and she wasn't immortal. What if something went wrong, and the council caught her, or even worse still, turned her? He came back to himself when he heard Buffy asking his other daughter a question.
"Dite are you sending me dreams about Damian and Asher?!? I gotta say, I never needed any help to get off track when there are gorgeous men involved." Buffy glared at 'her aunt' with her hands on her hips.
Aphrodite smiled at Buffy while Zeus glared at the Goddess of Love. "Buffy, darling, all work and no play makes for a cranky Guardian. You should open your heart to one of them or perhaps both. The more the merrier. Each of them brings something different to the table or should I say bedroom." Her musical laughter filled the air. "You're an immortal, they can help you adjust to that; Damian is 1000 and Asher is what 400-500 years old? Neither are Masters and from what I've seen have no real desire for the position. You don't have to worry about political intrigue intruding on your relationship the way Anita does with her vampire. If you went after any of the weres, you'd eventually have to watch them die, plus politics again, until you resolve the 'animal to call' situation. Everyone looked at her 'What?' I'm not just another pretty face you know," she huffed at the shocked expressions staring back at her.
"You remind me of Anya when you talk like that," Buffy admitted somewhat wistfully. "I'll think about it, but you're right they're very different from each other. I'm just glad they're nothing like Angel or Spike. I won't feel tempted to compare them to my past. It gives me a chance to accept them as they are and see where it takes us."
Apollo stepped forward having heard enough of his newest niece's possible love interests. "I will aid you with the Vargamors, just call on me." He bowed his golden head then sent Buffy a breathtaking smile before disappearing in a flash of gold.
"We must go, as well, daughter. We have been here too long. Call on us and we will come. We all love you." Selene kissed her brow. "None more than me," she whispered watching the others disappear as they called out their well wishes. Selene reluctantly left her child in the tender care of Hephaestus.
"Hey, Hephy, what's up?"
"Just a gift, Goldy. This will make it easier to freeze the Lover of Death's surrogate; then you can set her on fire." He placed a simple moonstone ring in her hand. The moonstone held carvings of Apollo and Selene facing outward, representing the opposing forces of fire and ice. "The scythe will work of course. This is just in case you get into a bind or don't want to use it against one of her childer."
Buffy slid the ring onto her finger then extended her hand to admire the artistry. "It's beautiful just like you, Hephy. You know you make the best prezzies. If you weren't so in love with Dite, I'd steal you." She kissed him full on the mouth.
He blushed bashfully; then suddenly they heard Aphrodite's voice. "Come home dear, the bed is cold without you."
"I know duty calls, thanks again. Go on have fun," she laughed as she watched him disappear.
The next night in Buffy's backyard, the small brook gurgled quietly but no other sound permeated the night. It was as if the entire area had somehow stepped outside the world that surrounded it. No one else existed except the people currently held within this haven outside time and space Buffy had created, even the crickets dared not chirp here.
Asher lay on the ground within a salt circle; his body lay naked on the cool grass with only a white linen cloth covering his loins. Four men stood outside the circle, each marked the four directions and signified something or someone of importance in Asher's life. Jean-Claude of course stood at his heads marking the north position. Damian mirrored his position at Asher's feet representing the south. Gregory and Nathaniel stood across from each other on his left and right, respectively taking up the east and west positions. Each man stood bare-chested and barefoot with white cloths wrapped around their hips in the Grecian manner. They had spent several hours preparing for the coming ceremony, sharing a sauna where special herbs had floated in the water they had poured over the heated rocks. Buffy instructed them to breathe the infused steam deeply into their lungs. The weres teased the vampires, asking them whether they needed any instructions on how to inflate their lungs. Buffy provided scented oils to rub into their skins as the finishing touch in their pre-ceremony preparations. They stood as still as Greek statues with their skin gleaming under the moonlight. Braziers burned in a circle behind them and the scent of sage, sandalwood, lavender, cloves and some other unknown scents wafted through the air, filling their senses.
Buffy suddenly appeared at the top of the garden path. Her skin gleamed with oil and the moonlight seemed to radiate around her, following her as she moved. A long silver loincloth skimmed her lower hips, caressing her legs as she walked. Silver markings covered her torso, stopping at the large jewel in her belly button. They reflected the moonlight, giving her an even more other worldly appearance. Her firm full breasts remained bare, with the nipples painted silver to match the other markings. The same markings in smaller detail slashed across her cheekbones, while a silver crescent moon dangled from her forehead. She appeared the very manifestation of an ancient moon goddess come to Earth as she glided across the grass to stand before Jean-Claude.
So enchanted with her appearance he hadn't noticed that she carried an urn in her hands, until she stood next to him and asked, "Jean-Claude, you're here to aid in Asher's healing. You'll be his North and keep him grounded. Do you accept this chore of your own freewill?"
"I accept"
"Gregory, you will be his east to ensure his heart stays true. Do you accept this chore of your own freewill?"
"I accept"
"Damian, you will be his south to keep his feet firmly planted on the ground; do you accept this chore of your own freewill?"
"I accept"
"Nathaniel, you'll be his west to see that his hands do not falter. Do you accept this chore of you own freewill?"
"I accept"
"No matter what happens do not step into the circle for any reason." Buffy turned to each man, capturing his eyes as she spoke. "If you do, he'll die." She had to ensure they understood the seriousness of the spell's boundaries.
"Mon Dieu, what do you mean he will die? You are suppose to heal him not hurt him! Has he not suffered enough?"
"Healing is a painful process, as that which caused its need, Jean-Claude. You'd know that if you ever had to endure it, whether it's of the body, mind or spirit. Now, do you still accept? Asher knows everything that will happen. I never do magic for someone without permission; to do otherwise goes against everything I believe in!" Buffy glared at him and his obstinate viewpoint. Jean-Claude wanted what he wanted never looking into the repercussions of his desires and how it affected others.
Looking properly chastised, Jean-Claude quietly nodded his head in acceptance. Buffy stepped into the circle, putting her hand in the urn as she withdrew it she spun in a circle. She became a blur of silver and gold. The braziers flared higher and the circle began to glow silver, and gave off a low hum.
"Mother, I bring before you a moon child whose soul and body have been scarred. Please Mother, aide your daughter in healing him. I've looked into his heart and soul and judged him worthy. If you judge us both so, then let me be your tool, guide my hand."
Moonlight burst forth, almost blindingly so, and the men had to close their eyes to allow themselves a chance to adjust to the flare of light. A gentle breeze blew through Buffy's hair, while the air outside the circle remained still and calm. She knelt beside Asher, revealing toned legs and part of her backside. The men couldn't take their eyes off her, with the flames from the brazier's playing over her skin combined with the silvered markings and clothing, Buffy was the very embodiment of fire and ice.
Asher stared into her eyes as she kneeled at his right calf. She dipped her hand into the urn, pulled out a cloth and dripped warm scented water over the scars, he moaned as she wiped it away. No scars remained behind the trail of the cloth's path. Damian let out a small gasp, before he resumed his stoic silence. Buffy continued to wipe away the scars until she reached his lap. She looked deeply into his eyes as she removed the cloth that covered him. Jean-Claude cursed under his breath, finally knowing the extent of his old friend's damaged flesh, as she continued working. Asher started to scream. As she continued to move over his hip, Jean-Claude's nails cut into his palms, causing blood to drip freely down his hand. He started to step forward, stopping when Buffy's head came up to stare at him with those fathomless green eyes. Jean-Claude resumed his position, his head lowering in defeat and guilt. Buffy resumed her ministrations. She had reached Asher's stomach, when he started to move. Buffy admired his fortitude, knowing the healing had only increased in pain with each touch of the cloth.
The screams started to come louder as she approached his chest, causing Asher's body to thrash in earnest, no longer able to endure the intense pain. Buffy knew Asher had other scars that went far deeper than those that marred his body. His heart had deep lacerations too. She pressed the cloth against the smooth portion of skin covering the physical manifestation of a person's emotional center. His golden head arched up from his pained haze to look at her questioningly, until he remembered her words; understanding hit him with pain worse than that inflicted by the holy water. He thrashed harder praying to die, to join his beloved Julianna, anything for this torment to stop. Then suddenly it did, his eyes widened; he looked into Buffy's softly glowing eyes. She quietly continued her journey across the rest of his scars, until she reached his face. She gently brushed his hair away. Startlingly him, she bent down to kiss his forehead. He looked at her waiting, as she began at his jaw working her way up his face. His screams resumed, hot and fierce, until she reached his temple. Then, the memories hit, everything he had lived through: being shunned by Belle, Jean-Claude denying him, being discarded because he was no longer beautiful, all of it. He gave an Earth-shattering scream, blood tears poured from his eyes. Buffy wiped them away, kissed his eyelids and gently pulled him to her chest. She rocked and comforted him like a child, smoothing back his hair. Buffy stood and pulled him to his feet, and rewrapped the cloth around his hips.
She stepped back to the center of the circle and bowed. "Thank you Mother. Your moonchild returns to you whole and healed once more. May his soul guide him and may you watch over him in the days to come."
The moonlight faded away, returning the circle to normal. Buffy grabbed Asher's hand, pulling him toward Jean-Claude, who also had tears of blood trailing down his face. She quietly slipped away motioning for the others to join her. The weres moved to get closer to her with Damian following behind quietly studying Buffy with awe and wonder.
Damian thought about everything he had seen Buffy do. He found he couldn't get her out of his thoughts. Anita was a warrior that he had admired. Buffy too, was a warrior, but she was also much more, and it was that 'more' that drew him to her.
She turned around to smile at them as she moved up the stairs. "You guys can shower and change down there," indicating the guest bedrooms, "then just make yourselves at home. Be back in a sec."
With a love-struck sigh, Nathaniel quietly asked, "You think she'd let me wash her back?" His eyes followed the gentle sway of Buffy's hips.
Damian growled possessively without realizing it. Nathaniel jumped and ran down the hallway, with Gregory close behind. He felt greatly aroused at the thought of Buffy soaping her golden skin to wash away the silver paint. Doing something that surprised even himself, Damian quickly followed her to her bedroom. He grabbed her, pulling her into his embrace as he kissed her passionately. Buffy didn't respond at first. Then, her arms snaked upward to wrap around his neck as her fingers tangled into his blood red hair and she gave herself over to the moment. Damian devoured her mouth. He dueled with her tongue, pricking her tongue on his fang then suckling the blood from her mouth like a baby.
Buffy knew she felt an undeniable attraction to Damian. It didn't mean she planned to hop into bed with him, or that she was even ready for that, not yet anyway. Plus, he may change his mind about wanting to have anything to do with her once he knew about everything, especially once he found out exactly who she was and why she was here. When he pricked her tongue, and began tasting her blood, she could have smacked herself for getting distracted. She knew what Slayer blood did for vamps, who knew the effect Guardian blood might have?!
Damian was in pre-orgasmic paradise, her blood was nirvana. He knew now she wasn't human, but he didn't care. She gently ended the kiss and moved away from him. He slowly opened his eyes. The lids felt heavy as his body still thrummed with lust while he panted for breathe he didn't need.
"I'm sorry. Not about the kiss, but that it got out of control. I just don't know you well enough for more. Please forgive me, if I led you on," Buffy stammered out in a jumble of words. She couldn't help but remember the way she had treated Spike after she had returned from Heaven. She didn't want to repeat the mistakes she made in her former life, well not those she could help anyway.
"No Little Goddess, there is nothing for you to apologize for. I started this, not you. You are much more than we all thought you were, and I would like to get to know all that you are, the real you, as they say," Damian said as his eyes drank in her beauty.
Buffy's head rose with a jerk at those words, an echo from her past whispering softly in her ear. With a smile of hope she said, "I think I might like that. But, tonight is about Asher's healing. I'm tired and just want to sleep for several days. So, I think I'll just say goodnight." Not so subtly walking him to the door, she added, "If you and Jean-Claude want to stay over, I have extra coffins in the basements. Needed to prepare in case Asher wanted to have a sleep over, never know right." She waved her hand closing her bedroom door in his mildly amused face.
He shook his head in wonder as he headed downstairs to shower. Who kept extra coffins "just in case"? Damian had just ascended the stairs when Jean-Claude and Asher finally entered the house. They looked exhausted, but somehow lighter. Asher walked straighter, taller with his hair swept over his shoulders away from his now perfect face.
"Buffy went to bed, Jean-Claude. She said there were extra coffins in the basement in the event Asher wanted to have sleepovers," Damian explained with a grin.
The other two vampires looked at each other then started laughing.
"Ma petite sorciere is quite unique, is she not," Asher said as his lips slipped into an easy smile. It was an unusual sight, which Jean-Claude hoped to see often.
Damian stiffened and his face lost some of his previous amusement at the possessive way Asher spoke about Buffy. Jean-Claude raised an eyebrow at this brief display of emotion from the usually stoic vampire, but was too happy at this night's outcome to ask about it.
"We will stay, it is too close to dawn."
Dragging herself from the bed bright and early the next morning, Buffy let Cherry, Robert, Dr. Lillian and Anita into the house.
Nathaniel and Gregory bounded down the stairs in tiny satin shorts to greet their Nimir-Ra and pard mate. "Anita you should have seen it. Buffy healed Asher's scars it was way cool," Gregory said, bouncing around in barely contained excitement. Anita raised an eyebrow at Buffy's casual shrug.
"Okay boys, we have to get to work. You can visit with Cherry and Anita later." She shooed the boys into the kitchen to eat breakfast. Her eyes followed them longingly, wishing for some coffee. "Everybody come with me into the backyard. We need to start working on helping you to see, align and realign your auras when needed." Buffy started walking toward the back of the house, continuing her explanation as she led the small group outside. "This is important because if you are out of alignment your shields become weak which leaves you open to psychic, metaphysical and magical attack. And it could cause you to channel non-benevolent spirits to your groups." She stopped once she arrived at the same open clearing she had used for Asher's healing ceremony. Buffy turned toward them and motioned for everyone to sit down as she did the same. "Here's the quick and simple rundown for you, keep your aura healthy; shields in place; read the auras of those of your respective pack, pard and rodere then with the help of the munin help them heal. Now, because everyone can do some healing, the tricky part is only to call on benevolent spirits. You have to be selective, or else you'll pull in those members who harbor ill intent toward those you intend to help. They're not going to help heal abused members, and will do more harm than good. With the right spirits help, you can heal the whole person - body, heart and mind. You all need to understand that once you take someone into your respective groups their pain becomes yours to cure. Please, understand this won't cause them to forget what has happened or be all la ti da. But, you'll, oh how can I make you understand, help them accept that they didn't do anything wrong. That they're no less in their were family's eyes, not weak, and have now become once again whole. Does that make sense?" Buffy looked at the others in frustration, hoping they could understand the concept.
"I think we understand, Buffy." Dr. Lillian sent her an understanding smile.
Buffy had felt an immediate kinship with the older woman. She gratefully returned the smile. "All right then let's get started. I'm gonna teach you to look inward, and see your own auras." Buffy's voice floated across the yard as she walked her students through their beginning paces.
Several days later, after many long hours of Vargamor training, Anita returned with Richard after their dinner date. Cherry answered the door dressed in a black miniskirt split up both sides. She wore a sheer midnight blue shirt with nothing underneath.
"Who's at the door, Cherry? Is everyone ready to go? I just have to put my earrings on," Buffy called, coming down the stairs.
Richard's eyes got large as he audibly swallowed and began moving from foot to foot. Anita, please do not look down. He quickly tried to adjust his suddenly too tight pants.
Anita turned to see what he was staring at. Buffy wore a very short gold dress that dipped low between her breasts exposing each half almost to the nipple. It exposed the silver moon tattoo on her left breast. The golden dress shimmered as she moved, and under certain light blended into her skin, giving the impression she was nude. She wore her hair up with several long curls escaping down her back. Buffy turned to answer someone behind her, revealing bare skin to the base of her spine. The gold threads, which barely kept the front decent, descended downward into a spider web that married the tiny wisp of material together. The intricate webbing formed into a delicate, shimmering star pattern, and matched the intricate gold armbands adorning her upper arms.
Buffy turned back laughing as she stepped into the foyer. Asher, Damian, Nathaniel, Gregory and Jean-Claude followed behind her like dutifully children. Though, children they certainly weren't. Anita thought they looked like something from the latest fashion magazine or perhaps romance novel better suited the colorful shades dancing before her eyes; all shades of silver, white, gold, blacks, reds and blues. Each man wore leather pants paired with varying shades of silk or velvet shirts.
"Anita, we tried to call you like fifty times. Don't you ever pick up? We're going to Dance Macabre to let loose a little. Want to go?" Buffy asked excitedly, happy at the idea of relaxing with drinks and dancing.
Anita turned to Richard to see what he thought. He wasn't happy at the idea of sharing Anita with Jean-Claude for the remainder of the evening. However, Anita, wasn't happy to see Jean-Claude here, and ignored her date's discomfort and nodded her head in affirmation.
"Cool. JC has the stretch; let's motor." Buffy glided out the door, leaving the others staring after her.
Upon their arrival, Buffy grabbed Nathaniel, pulling him toward the dance floor the minute they stepped into the club. Heads turned as she made her way through the crowded club. The loud techno beat of the music had Buffy moving the moment she stepped onto the dance floor. She let her body take control as Nathaniel jumped in with both paws. Cherry and Gregory soon joined them. The couples swapped around until Buffy and Cherry ended up dancing together, and the crowd went crazy. The two blondes, one tiny, one tall, both gorgeous, each played off the other just having fun. It was the most sensual act anyone had seen in a longtime.
Watching the way Buffy moved amazed them. The play of her muscles under her skin was hypnotizing. They knew she was not a were, but with such fluid grace, she could easily pass as one. Damian and Asher couldn't take their eyes off her. When a slower beat came on, they looked at each other in complete understanding as the moved onto the floor.
Anita looked at Jean-Claude confused. "Where are they going?"
"I am not sure, ma petite, but I think they go to woo the maiden."
She laughed at the idea. "Well it's about damned time that I wasn't the only one on the push me pull me ride."
Hurt danced across Richard's face at her words. He simply couldn't understand why she could have feelings for a corpse, let alone consider them as relationship material. Why doesn't she just choose? I thought she wanted kids, a home, a normal life? What does she want? This is slowly killing me piece by piece. Shaking off his dark thoughts, he decided to try to make the most of the rest of the night.
"Do you want to dance? Our date isn't over," he asked, sending her a boyish smile.
Anita glanced from him to Jean-Claude and back again. She didn't know what to do, but good manners forced her to say. "We can't just leave Jean-Claude here alone."
With an angry growl, he shouted, "Fine! I'm out of here."
It was the last straw for Richard. He stomped away with rage fairly coming off him in waves. People jumped aside to clear his path. Anita watched him leave, wondering if she had ruined everything.
Jean-Claude saw the hurt, confusion and said to her, "Ma petite, you're going to have to choose, soon. Richard can not tolerate your indecision much longer; he is not that type of man."
"It's so hard." Anita finally admitted, feeling the tormenting ambivalence, "I want you both."
"I would share you rather than lose you, ma petite. But, wolves, they mate for life. Richard can not share you; it is inconceivable to him, to his wolf. I think even should he not have the wolf inside him, he could never accept the concept."
Anita thought about what Buffy had told her the other day. She realized no matter how much she loved Richard she wasn't the right woman for him. Maybe her best choice was to pick neither and work on herself. Merging with another pard would strengthen them, since there weren't any alphas. If they had a Vargamor then bingo our pard is better than yours, can't play from weakness. Now, came the tougher question. Could she tell them that she wanted to simply choose herself? Could she even offer them the possibility of someday? This entire situation gave her a headache. Surprising even herself, she thought maybe Buffy had the right idea.
"Let's dance."