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All That I Am	By : kitten7315 Category: Anita Blake > Het Views: 5396 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the Anita Blake series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 19
- 20
- 21
**A/N: My many thanks to a wonderful beta Marzbar. Sorry so long in between chapters. Hope you like this one, I should have another one up this weekend.

CHAPTER 20

Jean-Claude held his hand out to me, wanting me to come closer. I smiled at my love and walked over to him grabbing his outstretched hand and he tugged me unto his lap.

Jean-Claude kissed my neck inhaling Asher’s scent on me, “Are you sated?” his husky whisper danced across my neck as he bent down to kiss my pulse.

Traveler’s and Aita’s voices became louder and after a few moments, Aita began to cry. I turned a puzzled look toward them, Traveler looked as if he wanted to console her, but knew she did not have physical body to hold.

“I must be with you when you call Vel forth!” Aita said turning to me.

“Who is Vel and why would I raise him from the dead?” I asked her with confusion marring my face.

“But you said she was going to call him forth!” Aita said turning back to Traveler in panic. “I left him in your care! You promised to protect him because you loved him.” Aita said with venom in her voice.

“I know I failed you in this Aita.” Traveler had a look of guilt and sadness, not common to grace old vampires. “600 years ago he was killed by someone unknown to me. I have searched for his killer, but did not have any clues on who killed him. Until Anita, I had not found an animator powerful and willing enough to raise him. Only he has the answers I waited 600 years for. By the goddess Aita, I did not mean to fail him!”

Traveler got up and began pacing the room trying to dispel some of the emotion that was running high in him, “We had a fight. He refused to come with me to Paris. In my anger, I left him behind, I got news of his death shortly after I arrived…” Traveler shook his head slowly at loss for further words.

Aita seem to sigh then smiled weakly at him, “Vel always was stubborn. I know you did your best.” Aita’s hand floated near Traveler’s face as if to caress his check.

Aita turned towards me, “Please let me know when you call Vel forth. I also would like to be present,” she said to me before vanishing with the look of sadness heavy in her eyes.

Oh great! Just what we needed, a mourning ghost.

Traveler turned to us, “I need to take my leave of you briefly,” getting up and leaving the room with a heavy weight sitting on his shoulders.

“I think it will be best if we forget what we have witnessed in this display. We do not want to alienate one of the only members of the council we seem to have on our side.” Jean-Claude said lost in his own thoughts.

“We both know how he feels by failing to protect someone we care for,” I told him softly.

Jean-Claude wrapped his arms around me and held me close. “Oui ma petite, that we do.”

We sat silently, each lost in our own thoughts when Aita reappeared.

“Are you well Aita?” Jean-Claude asked softly of our apparition.

“Yes. It was just a shock to learn of Vel’s death. I guess it finally dawned on me how much everything has changed since my time. A great deal of time has passed. While you were gone, I did research on what has happened since I was last on the mortal realm. So many new things, horseless chariots, boxes that have thousands of pictures and sounds..but the one thing that has not changed was human nature. They are still killing each other and those that are different from them. Afraid of anything that is stronger than them physically, mentally, and magically. And they call us the monsters.” Aita said with disgust, “What they all fail to realize is that you all started human, but some of our destinies were either written at birth for the magic users, brought over as vampires, or given the gift of shape shifting. Transformations do nothing more than enhance the human that they were before.” Aita had a far off look in her eyes, “ I have been observing the inhabitants of this city. The vampires and most of the lycanthropes hold both of you in high regard. I hope you both realize that you have a wide base of support from the lycanthrope community.”

“Yeah, we formed a council to talk to each other and help when trouble come to town,” I told Aita briefly explaining the events with Chimera that led to this.

”It used to be as such in my town,” Aita stated, “The kiss of vampires that were there had a very close relationship with all the shape shifters. The lycanthropes formed a group that would meet once a moon cycle before the full moon. Each leader of each type of lycanthrope would attend. They knew that they could never all come under one rule, but they could keep each other informed of any dangers to their territory. They guarded the vampires during the daylight hours against any hunters. In turn, the vampires looked after them and any family they might have. They all looked after the non-predatory lycanthropes because they were the most or then the first targeted by outsiders. Do you have places of sanctuary for them to go?”

“We have my place and I guess the Circus but not one designated place as of yet.”

“You might want to do something sooner, especially with what we heard about Alexander and his people. More than likely he will try for those closest to you as bargaining tokens.”

“I have my eyes on some property not far from here. A fairly large dwelling that sits on several hundred wooded acres. I have been wanting you to go look at it with me ma petite, but we have not had the right moment.” Jean-Claude stated looking down at me with a glimmer of hope passing through his eyes. “I wanted something for us and our charges, someplace to make new memories - good memories.”

“How soon can you arrange something? I would like to go with you,” I told Jean-Claude looking up at his beautiful face. I made up my mind a couple of days ago to stop running and do what it takes to make a home for those under my protection. It just felt good to know that I did not have to do this alone; Jean-Claude would always be here to help and support me.

”I will make the arrangements then,” Jean-Claude said with a gentle smile upon his lips then kissed me on my forehead.

I felt Nathaniel and Jason coming toward us, “Come on in guys,” I called out before they could knock.

“Gregory and Stephen called, their father showed up at the club. They are really scared so they are hiding out in the back and wanted to know if you would come get them. I offered but they said they only wanted you Anita. Who can blame them?” Jason said as he swaggered through he door giving me a wink at his last statement.

I rolled my eyes at him and sighed. Jean-Claude gave me a quick squeeze and let me up from his lap. “I think it might be best if I accompany you ma petite.” Jean-Claude said rising behind me. “Let Asher know we are going to retrieve Stephen and Gregory,” he said to Jason while following me out the door.

We left the Circus behind and headed to Guilty Pleasures, “All will be well,” Jean-Claude reassured me, ”They are surrounded by our people, they will watch over them until we arrive.”

“I know. I just wish I could take their pain away and give them the strength they will need,” I told him with a heavy sigh. I pulled up at Jean-Claude’s strip club, turning off the jeep, then doing a quick weapons check.

“You are giving them that with a safe place to call home and someone that actually cares what becomes of them, someone who is willing to die to protect them,” Jean-Claude said gently touching my cheek before exiting the jeep with a fluid grace.

I sat there for a brief second to send up a silent prayer that this was the case.

As I entered Guilty Pleasures behind Jean-Claude, I felt as though I was suffocating from the lust that hung in the air. It was thick, hot and heavy, enveloping me in its glove. I halted in my steps ignoring the holy item check out girl doing her usual annoying speech. My body began to heat and tremble slightly, my breath quickened with each second I stood there.

The air of lust surrounded me quickly, as if drawn to me in a tidal wave. I felt immobilized and called out to Jean-Claude through the marks in desperation. He was by me in an instant, looking down at me with concern. I felt him gently ease inside of me and gasp.

“You have to draw it into yourself, you must have inadvertently shielded against it. Just feed it so it does not begin to consume you. You have not had to really feed the ardeur in a long time. You gained better control through me with the fourth mark, but went too long without feeding it well. It is starving, that is why it hit you hard. Just absorb it into yourself until it is satisfied so you can gain your control back,” he whispered into my mind holding me gently.

I closed my eyes and opened myself up and felt the ardeur rise up and greedily suck the hot lust down. My body stopped trembling when I felt full and sated.

“I actually felt the lust in the air. It was strong and heavy.”

“Oui, now it will be easier to feed the ardeur from a distance. I will show you how when we get time.”

I gathered myself together and went through the doors. Guilty Pleasures was alive with desire floating through the air like cigarette smoke. Women and even a few men watched with rapt attention at the dancer on the stage.

I could tell he was a werewolf immediately; he moved with an unnaturally fluid grace that promised fulfillment of any sexual desire that you might fantasize about. His eyes never broke contact with any of the women near the stage vying for his attention. He was making them feel as though each one of them were alone with him and his dance of seduction was for them.

Each beat of the pulsating music added to the illusion he was weaving for them as he moved each part of his body to the choreography of his dance. I stood briefly mesmerized, watching the dancer’s seduction – glad that the ardeur was satisfied now - I did not need to be running up on stage tackling the dancer. I made my way to the backstage area weaving through the drunk, horny patrons.

Jean-Claude had already spoken to security to see if their father was still around, he joined me as I was making my way backstage. “He is gone ma petite, he left not too long ago. I sent someone out to make sure he is not lurking about outside.”

“Thanks Jean-Claude, now lets get them so we can go home,” Jean-Claude smiled when I said that.

“Home is where you and my family are,” I told him, smiling gently up at him. Jean-Claude just nodded and squeezed my hand in response.

Entering the backstage dressing area littered with scantily clad dancers rushing around, I located Stephen and Gregory sitting quietly in a corner leaning on each other for support. They looked up at our entrance, getting up and launching themselves toward us in relief.

“Thank you for coming Anita,” Gregory said reaching out with a shaky hand touching my arm in reassurance. Stephen mirrored his actions, relief evident in his eyes.

“Let’s get you guys home, we can talk about this later,” knowing they wanted to get out of here as soon as possible.

Wrapped up in my relief about the twin weres being ok, I failed to notice that Jean-Claude had left my side until he walked back toward us and gently stroked their heads while whispering soothing words in French. Stephen and Gregory purred as they leaned into Jean-Claude’s soothing touches.

“It is clear,” Jean-Claude said looking over at me, “I would like to make one stop before we return to the Circus.”

“Sure, where do we need to go?” I asked as we made our way of the club.

“The property I spoke of, I made arrangements with the agent to meet us out there tonight. I just wanted to make sure you were willing to make the detour,” Jean-Claude had an indescribable look in his eyes when he spoke of this place.

I shrugged my shoulders, nodded and looked toward my two charges, “You guys up for a detour? Or do you want us to drop you off at the Circus first?”

“We’ll be fine as long as we are with you Anita,” Gregory answered with a trusting look and a small smile.

That look brought out two emotions in me, first that they trusted me enough with their lives to keep them safe and second, fear that I might fail them.

Speaking gently to my mind, “We will not fail them,” Jean-Claude was aware what I was feeling, “Learn to rely on some of us to help you. They have become my leopards as well. I feel them almost as strongly as you do. We will do this together, lean on me sometimes ma petite. I will gladly help you carry this responsibility.”

My heart constricted with every word, I have always done this alone. I have gotten so used to relying on myself only, trusting no one completely to watch my back and just be there to help me in a fight. Hell, even just having someone survive the fight without dying would be nice.

We piled into the car and made our way to the house Jean-Claude talked about. I ended up pulling into a private drive not far from the city that had open, towering, heavy, ornate gates with a guard shack the size of a small apartment to the left front of them and a keypad station.

I moved the jeep up the wide, winding drive, after about five minutes I finally caught sight of the house, or should I say mansion. Damn, I could store an arsenal here! I think I might have silver bullets dancing in my head. Life is good.
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All That I Am