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Romantic Executions: Continued	By : PrettySin Category: Anita Blake > Het Views: 3499 -:- 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
- 35
- 36
- 37
Alright… this site is fucking up the spelling and grammar of this story every time I post. Rest assured that when I put the document in the ‘type box’ that it’s as perfect as I can get it. *Sigh* Hope you can understand what was meant.

Oh yeah… Property of Laurell K. Hamilton… not us. Bluh.
********************

Julie grinned, leaning casually against the fence and holding the ball out in front of her. Oh, she loved doing that... Big macho he-men come to beat poor little Jules, though she was by no means little. Standing at five nine, her long legs were bared to the watery sun by the short, loose fitting basketball shorts she wore. A loose t-shirt clung to her skin from her sweat, though her breathing was even and normal.

Reddish blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail, calm eyes regarding the irate male in front of her.

Randy glared at her, "Where'd a maiden named Juliet learn to shoot hoops anyway?"

She rolled her eyes, though the grin never left her features. "You're one to talk. I think you missed half the shots you made. You sound more like a Mercutio to me. Better with words than actions."

Randy stared at her for a moment, then laughed, offering her his hand. "Randy."

She shifted the ball, tucking it under one arm and taking his hand in a firm grip. "Jules. Julie. Call me Juliet and I'll kick your butt again."

"Fair enough." He leaned around her, grabbing his water. "Though I have to say I'm not really this bad. I'm guilt tripping."

She raised a brow, seemingly unaware of his closeness, "What? You kick a puppy on the way here?"

"Close enough." He swallowed some water, then pressed the bottle to his temple. "Best friend hit the lotto, his girlfriend sleeps with him and tells him she loves him and cynical me has to blow it by suggesting her motives might not be so pure." He blinked. Why the hell had he told her that?

"You sound like an ass." She took the ball in both hands, dribbling lazily out to the middle of the court.

"So it seems." Randy watched her, leaning against the fence where she had been.

She bounced the ball once, twice, before shooting, the basketball swishing without hitting the backboard. "You really do sound like a Mercutio. Cynical, way with words, horrible loser... Did you go to High school with me?"

"Which school?" Randy tilted his head at her.

"West Hall St. Louis Central." She jogged over to the ball, scooping it up and moving back to the middle of the court.

"Nope. You're just blessed by many others like me." Complete and utter assholes. Randy sighed, glancing at his duffle. He wanted to go home... but he'd fucked up enough there for a year.

"I'm thrilled for me, really." She shot again, and the ball bounced off the rim and onto the ground.

"Yeah."

Julie sighed, picking up the ball and moving back to her bag. "Look, I know you screwed up with your friend..." She unzipped her duffle, tucking the ball inside. "But you're not going to get anywhere with him if you're out here trading insults with me." Great Jules. Give out advice to someone you don't know. "So why don't you go home, do some major sucking up, and get on with your life?" She zipped up the bag, slung it over her shoulder, and made her way towards the gate. "See you around, Mercutio."

Randy tilted his head, jogging after her. "Hold up, Jules."

She turned at the gate, her eyes bored, though there was a spark of... interest in their depths. "What?"

"Best two out of three for Horse?"

A determined grin stole over her lips, "Only if you're ready to lose again."

"Maybe." He smirked.

She dropped her bag onto the cement again, unzipping it and pulling out the ball. "Loser buys coffee."

“Fine by me." He bowed. "Ladies first."

She did a mock curtsy, jogging out to the court again, dribbling the ball in front of her.

Randy followed her out, watching as she centered herself.

Julie made the shot, watching as the ball bounced off the backboard then through the hoop.

Randy jogged forward, grabbing the ball. "Alright... my turn." He positioned himself where she had been standing, easily sinking the ball through the hoop before retrieving it. He studied her for a moment, then moved to the side, sinking the ball through the hoop. "Your turn."

She caught the ball on a bounce, standing several steps behind him and to the side. "Thanks." She dribbled for a moment before shooting, the ball swishing through the hoop.

He inclined his head to her. "Your challenge."

And so the game went, lasting for nearly an hour and a half with no letter to either of them. Julie sighed, trying to unstick her shirt from her chest. "Dammit..." She muttered, setting the ball down and searching for her water. The day was hot for fall, and she'd been playing for nearly two hours already.

Randy blinked at her. "Something wrong?"

She shrugged, picking up the ball and tossing it to him before moving towards her bag. "No... just need a different shirt." Preferably one that wasn't white...

"Ah." Randy tilted his head at her as he caught the ball, setting it on the cement as he tugged his own shirt off. "It's fu... hot out here..."

She opened her bag, pulling out her extra shirt. "No shit..." She pulled her shirt off, back facing him.

Randy stared at her tanned back and the sports bra bisecting it before he turned away. Huh.

Julie tugged on the other shirt, turning to face him again. Whoa... he was finely muscled, having clearly spent some time in a gym, and tanned. She blinked, forcing herself to look back at his face.

"Whose shot is it?" He asked as he grabbed the ball.

"I don't know." She grabbed her water bottle, opening it with quick movements.

He tilted his head at her. "You wanna call the game?"

"Sure." She took a drink from the bottle, shutting it again and offering it to him.

He smiled. "Thanks." He opened it, taking a sip... which he spluttered out as a sharp pain his back... like a bee sting. "Fuck!"

"What?" She frowned at him, eyes confused.

He turned, showing her his back. "Is the stinger still in?" Fuck... did he have his pills? Shit... shit... SHIT!

"Yeah... hold on." She rested a hand on his shoulder, pulling the stinger out with the other.

"Shit..." He pulled away from her. Under a minute... "Get in my bag... see... if my pills are there..."

"What's going on?" Her brow furrowed in confusion and... concern.

"Just find the God damn pills!" Already he could feel the area around the sting swell, his throat tightening.

She rolled her eyes, moving to his bag and opening it. "Yes sir..."

"Dump... dump it..."

She dumped it, sighing. "There aren't any pills in here."

"Nine..." Randy closed his eyes. Breath. Calm. "Nine-one-..." He swayed where he stood.

She turned to face him, her eyes widening slightly. "Oh fuck. You're allergic, aren't you?"

He nodded… or tried to. He raised a hand to his throat, trying to find a noose to loosen.... only there wasn't one. He couldn't breath... He couldn't breath!

She had her cell phone in her hand in a matter of seconds, dialing nine one one before she’d realized he’d fallen.

"You've reached 9-1-1, what's your emergency?"

Jules hardly recognized her voice as she described the situation. Did she seriously sound like that? Calm but... panicked? Fuck.

"Alright... an ambulance will be there in under a minute... How long ago was he stung?"

"I... it must have been a minute ago. Tops one." She moved, kneeling next to Randy. Shit, shit, shit!

"How is his pulse? Fast? Slow? Does he have one?"

She pressed her fingers to his neck, trying to keep her hand from shaking as his pulse beat once... twice under her fingertips. She breathed a sigh of relief, "It's slow, but it's there."

"Alright. Do you hear the sirens yet?"

Julie fell silent for a moment before the faint sound reached her ears, "Yes."

"Alright... how's he doing?"

"He... it doesn't look like he's changed any." She brushed his dark hair off his forehead, looking up as the ambulance reached the park.

"Alright... I'm going to let you go... I want you to tell them exactly what you've told me, alright?"

"Alright." She hung up the phone as the ambulance parked, a whirl of activity following.

Randy moaned, tossing his head as he started coming around.

Julie forced herself to be calm, following the ambulance as closely as was legal. Figures. Just meet the guy, and have him collapse. Not even a good kind of collapse! Her thoughts flashed to his widened gray eyes as he fell, his lips parted as he struggled to draw breath, dark, curly hair falling in his eyes. She nearly ran into the ambulance, forcing herself to decrease speed. Shit.

Randy moaned, tossing his head as he started coming around. He could hear the EMS people talking around him. There was... something on his face... mask... oxygen mask.

"Jules... called?"

"That nice woman with you? Yes. She called. You're on your way to the hospital. You'll be okay."

Randy swallowed. "Head... hurts..."

"That's to be expected. You took a nasty bump to the head when you fell, and that bee sting looked pretty nasty."

"Fu'in...thing..." Each breath was easier, and proof that they'd shot him up with the epinephrine as soon as they'd had the chance.

The rest of the trip was made in relative silence, only the sound of the sirens and quiet conversation breaking the quiet.

Randy sighed as they began to check his vitals as he sat on the table in the hospital, the damn oxygen mask finally off. Fuck his throat was sore... as was his head. And the damn sting itself...

Jules made it into the room several minutes later, looking harried and annoyed. "I hate hospitals."

Randy rolled his eyes. "Ditto."

She slumped into the chair next to his bed, "I don't know how many times I've been asked if one, we're married, two, are we dating, and three, are we related." She rubbed her eyes. "How's the sting?"

"Stung."

"Dammit, Mercutio, just fucking tell me how you are."

"I'm fine. They're gonna poke and prod me a bit more, bitch at me for not having my pills, and send me home." Randy licked his lips, noticing they were dry. "Thanks."

"For what?" Jules looked down at him, sighing, "I didn't call fast enough... I shouldn't have wasted time."

"You called. You couldn't have before."

She shook her head, fixing her gaze on the bed sheets.

"Jules?" He frowned. "What's wrong?"

"You could've died and it would've been my fault."

"No it wouldn't have. I didn't have my pills. That's my problem." Randy sighed. "Can you do me a favor? Or rather, another?"

"Yeah." Jules blinked, meeting his gaze. "What is it?"

"Drive me back to my place, or call my brother?"

"I'll drive you." She brushed a loose hair out of her face. He had a brother? She swallowed, unsure if she could face any of his relations at the moment.

"Thanks." He licked his lips again. "Damn... I'm thirsty..."

"No problem. I'll see if I can get you some water." She glanced around for a nurse, standing.

"Thanks." Randy sighed, pressing a hand to his head.

Jules escaped the room, coming back in several minutes later with a glass of water. "Here."

"Goddess." He took it, sipping slowly.

"Goddess is good, Jules works better." She sat in the chair again, her legs crossing at the ankles.

He winked at her. "And if I want to worship the one who saved my life?"

"Then I'll go see if I can set up a shrine for the nurse." Her lips twitched slightly.

"I'm talking about you."

"I know."

"Good."

"Don't think you should be. If I'd called sooner-"

"Stop it. You didn't know. You called when you could."

She glared at him, "Stop making this hard for me. Beating myself up is much easier without you making sense."

He smiled slightly. "Deal with it. You saved my life. If you hadn't called, I'd be dead."

She sighed, "If I hadn't wasted time, then you would've been out of here by now."

"No. The Doc's on his coffee break." He shook his head. "You can make it up to me."

"How am I supposed to do that?"

"Come with me to dinner."

Her brow furrowed, "Are you asking me out?"

"Yes."

Jules blinked. "Alright."

He smiled. "Good."

She smiled slightly back, "We still need to finish that game of Horse... eventually."

"Thought we called it off." The Doctor reentered.

"Visiting hours are over."

Jules sighed, standing. "I'll be out in the waiting room, Mercutio." She leaned down, impulsively kissing his cheek before leaving the room.

"Yeah. This visit over yet?"

****************

Jules jerked awake, glancing down at her watch. She groaned softly, the sounds of the waiting room finally reaching her ears. It'd been nearly twelve hours. Twelve. The chair she'd claimed was hard and straight backed, not made for sleeping in. There had been no word of Randy's status, and she hadn't been allowed to see him. What was so bad that he'd had to be there from one in the afternoon to midnight with no word? She rested her head against the wall behind her seat. When he got out, she was investing in a beekeeper’s suit.

Randy cursed at the breeze he felt behind him as he snuck down towards the waiting room. Stupid fucking hospital gowns.

Jules' eyes were shut when he saw her, clearly asleep.

"Jules!" He whispered. Wow. It was deserted... she was the only one there...

Her eyes cracked open, and she peered up at him from her awkward angle. "Mercutio? What the hell are you doin' out here?" She yawned, straightening in her chair.

"Come here!" He motioned her to him, still in the hall.

She pushed herself from the chair, stretching in an attempt to ease the cramps from her position. "Fine..."

He grabbed her, dragging her into a mop closet. "I'm sorry."

She braced herself against the small enclosures wall, "Why?" She yawned again, covering her mouth with a hand.

"It's 1 a.m.... and the fuckers wouldn't let me out to tell you I can't leave until morning. Assholes lied."

"When don't they?" She pulled her hair free of its ponytail, redoing it in the dark.

"Keep saying I have to stay for observation." He sighed. "Can you please call my brother, James?"

"I don't have his number." She fought back a yawn, blinking at him.

He smiled. "It's programmed into my cell. That was in my bag."

"'Kay... I have it in my car."

He sighed. "Be careful if you're gonna drive home, alright?"

"I can stay if you want me to." She tried to find his gaze through the dark.

"Jules..." He reached, touching her shoulder. "I just don't want you to fall asleep behind the wheel."

She reached up, covering his hand with hers. "I said I'd take you home, and I will. Just... later."

He smiled slightly. "I know. But you shouldn't have to stay in those nasty ass chairs."

"I'll live." She offered him a small, tired smile in return.

"Hmm..." Randy bit his lip. "Follow me."

Jules blinked against the half-light as he opened the door, following him out into the hall. "Where are we going?"

"My room."

Her eyes widened as they found his smooth, perfect bum. "Oh..." She swallowed, trying hard to force her gaze back up.

"What?" He turned.

She jerked her gaze to his face. "Nothing."

He quirked a brow, then smirked as he realized where she'd been looking. "Come on."

"Right." She followed him to his room, relieved that she'd managed not to blush.

He waved a hand at the bed. "If you don't mind sharing... Promise not to let my hands wander."

"I'm more worried about mine..." She grumbled, moving to the bed.

He raised his eyebrow again. "Oh?"

She rolled her eyes, "Yes. Just... yes."

He smiled. "I'm cool with that."

She smiled back, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Okay."

"Let me lay down first... might be easier, alright?"

"Alright... how's your back anyway?"

"Pretty good." He laid down, not paying much attention to the wound.

She laid down next to him, looking up at the ceiling. "Good."

He smiled, closing his eyes. "Night..."

"Night." She let her eyes shut, a soft sigh escaping her.

Hours later, Randy woke up with A: A soft, warm female snuggled on top of him, and B: A nurse screaming in shock. Seemed his hospital gown had moved in the night and he'd woken up with his usual morning erection. Great.

Jules blinked open her eyes with a soft groan, then squeezed them shut again. "D'mmit..." She shifted, pressing her face into his neck. Her eyes snapped open, however, when she felt him press into her leg.

Randy swallowed, looking at the nurse. "Morning."

The nurse fled the room, most likely fetching a doctor.

Jules' rolled off of him, nearly falling off the edge of the small bed. "Hi."

"Hey." He stretched, shifting his hospital gown back down so that he was covered.

"Please tell me that's normal and isn't my fault." Please, please let that dream have not been real! Yet...

"Well... it's normal... but then again, you're a good looking woman... and you were all snuggled up to me... added to it a bit..." He shrugged. "Not a huge deal."

"Okay." She could feel herself start to blush and studiously looked at anything but him.

"Something wrong, Jules?"

"Um... no."

"Ah." He sat up, sighing as the Doc came in.

Jules sighed an hour later. They'd been bitched at for being in the same bed together, Randy had been bitched at for not having his meds, and she'd been bitched at for "intruding on a patient’s rest", when the said patient had invited her in. It had taken half an hour to convince the doctors that Randy was able to leave, no, they had not done anything that night, and that the bed was still as sterile as possible. The last half hour was spent getting Randy out, and the parking lot had never looked so appealing before.

"Thanks." He said as she unlocked her little red Kia.

"No problem." She unlocked the rest of the doors, sliding into the front seat.

He climbed in, shrugging. "Not really."

She shot him a look, buckling up. "It isn't, Mercutio."

"I caused you plenty of problems." He looked out the window. "So... what do you do?"

"I work at a bar." She sighed, "Can you buckle up please?"

"Oh... yeah. Sorry." He buckled up. "Don't know where my head is."

"Neither do I." She backed out of the parking space, tempted to bite her lip, which was something she hadn't done in years. "So... what do you do?"

"I work for the state as an LPN." Randy continued to look out the window.

"Oh." Well... she suddenly felt kind of low. "Do you enjoy it?"

He shrugged. "It's... fine. I'm going for my RN soon." He shrugged. "Not good enough to be a doctor. This is what I could get."

"I thought you said you hated hospitals." She glanced at him as she merged with traffic.

"Let me clarify... I hate being the patient."

Her lips quirked, "Can't blame you."

He looked at her. "I was in a lot as a kid."

She stopped the car at the stop light, glancing at him, "Why?"

He shrugged. "Got sick a lot..." nearly died.... If James hadn't... fuck.

Jules frowned slightly at the haunted tone in his voice, going straight with the rest of the traffic as the light turned green. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You're not God." Randy shifted in his seat, stretching out his legs. "You're going to turn left up here."

"Alright." She fell silent, concentrating more on driving then anything else, though her mind strayed more often to the man in the seat next to her than she would have liked to admit.

He studied her for a bit, then looked out the window, speaking only to give her directions to his home for the rest of the ride.

She pulled into the parking lot several minutes later, letting the car idle.

He bit his lip, looking at her. James AND Alex were home. "Care to come in?"

She shut off the car with slow movements, feeling almost reluctant. "Sure."

He smiled. "Cool. It's not much... well, James pays most of it... but three... well... we all used to be single... Ally isn't anymore."

"Ally?" She arched a brow, unbuckling her seatbelt.

"Alex. Our new resident millionaire." He unbuckled, climbing out of the small car.

"Ah." She climbed out of the car, "Your bag's in the trunk."

Randy paused. "Hey, Jules?"

Jules blinked, looking up at him, "Yeah?"

"Thanks."

She smiled, reaching down into the car and popping the trunk. "You're welcome."

He smiled, pushing up the lid on the trunk before grabbing his black bag. "Hmm... no dead bodies... that's good...."

She laughed softly, "I cleared out the dead bodies yesterday." She locked the car as he shut the trunk, closing her door.

"Oh.... date with the evil girl... who saved my life..." He teased, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "It's this way."

She shook her head, smiling. "Okay..." She sighed, looking down at herself. Her shorts had no pockets... as did her shirt. "Do you have any pockets? I really don't want to carry my keys everywhere."

"Yeah." He held out his hand for them.

She dropped them in his hand, "Thanks."

"Not a problem." Randy stuffed them in his pocket, starting towards the apartment.

She followed him, looking around her with interest. He lived here? It looked to be three times bigger than her apartment building... If you could call her building a building.

Randy opened the apartment door, glancing around. "Guys?"

"Randy! Where the hell have you been?" James paused, halfway out of the kitchen. "Oh."

Randy rolled his eyes. "Come on in, Jules."

Alex's bedroom door opened slightly, and his head poked out. "Randy? What the fuck is going on?"

Jules raised her brows behind Randy's back. Well... that had to be Alex, the one Randy had made a complete ass of himself with, and the other... That had to be James. He looked just like Randy did, albeit, more worried. She followed Randy into the apartment, and Alex stepped out of his bedroom.

"Guys, this is Jules... She....sorta saved my life yesterday..."

James frowned. "Sort of? Randall, explain."

Randy winced. God, James acted like she was his mother.... "I got stung... didn't have my pills."

"Why didn't you have your pills?" Alex's brow furrowed, and he blinked up at Randy.

Jules shifted her weight to a more comfortable position. The entire situation would have been funny if she knew anything of Randy's brother or friend. Alex was forced to look up at her, as well as his two companions. It was amusing, but not enough to make her feel more comfortable.

"Because, Dad... I forgot them." Randy sighed. "Could you at least say hi to her?"

James frowned, looking at her. "Sorry. Rand just scared us...." He offered his hand. "I'm James."

She took it, giving him a brief shake. "Jules."

Alex stepped forward, offering her a hand. "Alex. Is Jules short for something?"

Jules smiled wryly, "Yes."

Randy smirked slightly as James quirked a brow. "And it's short for..."

Her nose wrinkled in distaste. "Juliet."

Alex's lips quirked as he and Jules shook. "Ah."

James nodded slowly. "Don't suppose Randy told you he's obsessed with all things Shakespeare?"

Jules quirked a brow at him, "No... he didn't." Bad Mercutio...

Randy rolled his eyes. "It's not a huge deal. James is just pissy cause I'm better than him at something."

Alex fought back a smirk, "Randy the Nerd. Oh yeah, I'd be jealous too."

Jules shook her head, "I think you are jealous... It's pretty clear you're short. You lacking something else too?"

Alex glared up at her, and she grinned mockingly back.

"I don't know... he makes them scream..." Randy bit his lip. What had happened with her?

James shrugged. "Hey, it cost me $500 to get you to switch places with me for that class..."

Alex shook his head, lips quirking. Jules wondered idly why he couldn't stay mad, "I've got to go... I need to walk Jesse and go see Michele."

Jules glanced around the apartment. It was large, larger than hers. The walls were painted a friendly looking blue, couches creating a half circle around the TV, which was against the wall. Two doors occupied one wall, the other an archway that presumably led into the kitchen, and across from that a single door stood.

Randy bit the inside of his cheek. "I'll be right back, Jules. Can we talk, Alex?"

James frowned. Alex? Randy never called Alex... Alex.

Alex nodded slowly, "Yeah..."

Jules fought to keep her hands still as Alex and Randy moved towards the door Alex had come from. She offered a smile to James. "So..."

"So... thanks for taking care of Randy.... he does some stupid things sometimes..." He leaned against the counter, looking her over.

"It's as much my fault as it was his." She clasped her hands behind her back, unable to shrug off the shy feeling that had overtaken her.

"It's your fault he was too stupid take his pills?" James raised his eyebrows at her.

She shrugged, "It's my fault he got stung."

"How?"

"I started it. He wouldn't have gotten stung if he hadn't taken off his shirt, which I started." She blinked, then shook her head. "This isn't making sense."

"Bee stings can happen through clothing... though I'm not going to ask why you were taking my brother's clothing off."

"I didn't take it off! He did." She felt herself blush, nearly cursing.

"Ah." James shook his head, straightening. "Would you like something to drink?"

"Sure..." Jules sighed. Oh yeah. This was going real well...

********

"So... it's not completely ruined...?" Randy swallowed. Fuck.

Alex pushed a hand through his hair. "Not completely."

"I'm sorry."

"You should be."

Randy nodded, looking down.

Alex sighed, "Look... Michele and I will get through this. If we don't... then it wasn't supposed to work out, alright?"

Randy's head jerked up. "It’s not, Alex. I had to fuck up your relationship with my stupid cynicism...."

Alex rolled his eyes, "Shut up and get over it."

Randy stared at him, then nodded. "Fine."

Alex moved to the dresser, opening a drawer and pulling out a fresh t-shirt. "Are you going to fuck up with this one too? She seems nicer than the others."

"Jules? I hope not." Randy shrugged. "Just met her yesterday though..."

Alex shrugged back, tugging off his shirt to replace it with the other. "So? Everyone starts somewhere."

"Yeah. I'm going to go rescue her from James." Randy turned.

"Think she needs rescuing? Poor, fair Juliet..." Alex chuckled, opening another drawer and pulling out a clean pair of socks.

"Careful... I think she's a bit violent about that."

Alex braced himself as he took off a sock. "She looked about ready to squish me when I asked..."

Randy smiled. "She could too... short guy..." The dark haired man laughed, then fled the room while he had the chance.

Alex's socks bounced off the closing door.

***********

Asher knocked on Jean-Claude's office door, struggling not to roll his eyes. As is, the council had called, explaining they were stopping in NY City for a bit before heading out to St. Louis. "I know you are in there, Mon Ami. Open the door."

"Non."

"Jean-Claude... do not act like an idiot... or rather, more of one than you already have. Open. The. Door."

There was silence for several seconds before a sigh was heard from within, and the door opened, revealing a clearly annoyed Jean-Claude. "What is it that you want, Mon Ami?"

"We need to discuss the council."

Jean-Claude sighed again, "Oui..." He stepped back from the door. "Come in."

"What are your plans? Are you going to hide in your office forever?" Asher lifted a cool brow. "You look like hell."

Jean-Claude turned cold eyes on the other vampire. "Merci, Mon Ami. That is just the uplifting comment that was needed, truly."

"You are welcome."

The Master of the City seated himself behind his desk, "If given the chance, oui, I would not leave my office. However, it seems the chance is not to be given, unless you would like to leave...?"

Asher leveled him with a look. "Honestly... you are acting more mopey than I did when Julianna passed."

"Do I not have a reason to, Mon Ami?"

"No. You don't. This is your grave that you have dug. You can crawl out or let yourself be buried."

"Where have you hidden the shovel?"

"In a moment you shall not need to ask for I will beat you upside the head with it." Asher's eyes flashed.

"A very comforting thought." Jean-Claude leaned back in his chair, eyeing his second in command. "The Council will be under the same restraints we have always applied. You need not worry."

"Oh? I was thinking more of a blood oath. You have that authority now. You can demand a blood oath as a sourde sang that should they touch one of your people without you permission, they die."

"Oui, but would Belle Morte agree?"

"You are sourde sang. You can insist upon it, else she cannot enter the territory."

Jean-Claude nodded slowly, his mind not completely focused on the discussion. “The blood oath will be put in place."

Asher sighed. "Would you like to talk?"

"Talk?" Jean-Claude quirked a brow, "About what?"

"What is bothering you?"

"She has already left, has she not?"

"Left?" Asher frowned.

"Oui. She has left me, left the club... Merde, Mon Ami! She has left the territory because of my stupidity. The marks ache with it." Jean-Claude rested his elbows on the desktop, dropping his head into his hands.

"Left the... the territory?"

"Oui..."

"But..." Asher frowned. "Jesse is still here, non?"

"Oui." Jean-Claude sighed, "He is moping more than you claim I am. When I return home, he glares at me as if to say that it is my fault. Mon Ami, I am more than inclined to agree with him."

Asher shook his head. "I do not know what to tell you... perhaps if you talked to her..."

"Talk to her?" Jean-Claude snorted, looking up at the other vampire. "She has left, Asher! If not left to escape the inevitable talk, it was to escape me, non?"

"Are you so sure?"

"What else would force her into flight?"

"Times like this... it is nice to be near family... or perhaps... perhaps she felt she was crowding Death and Andromeda? That might make her leave..." Asher's brow furrowed.

Jean-Claude stood from the desk, moving around it with graceful steps. "Perhaps, but Andromeda would never let on that Ma Joli was crowding her. Nor would Death, not willingly, at the very least. It is also unlikely she would leave the Beast if not for avoiding me."

"I think you should try talking to her. I do not understand why you have done what you have done, Mon Ami... but you are bound together for eternity... and that is a long time to be apart, non?"

"Do you think she would speak with me?" There was a hint of hope that Jean-Claude refused to recognize.

Asher nodded slowly. "Yes. But consider your words carefully."

"And brace myself against hers, non?"

"Can you honestly say that you do not deserve some of them? You hurt her."

"We are both hurt, Mon Ami. There is no escaping the hurt now that she has left."

The blond vampire sighed. "Mon Ami... put yourself in her shoes... what would you do?"

"Search for a stake and perhaps an axe."

Asher's lips quirked. "And yet she saved you from Mon Loup's wrath..."

"Oui, and that is a source of endless surprise for me." A very faint smile tugged at Jean-Claude's mouth.

"Perhaps you did not know her so well..."

Jean-Claude chuckled bitterly. "Perhaps? Non. There is no perhaps, Mon Ami. You were correct. I should have waited until I knew her true mind on the marks. Until I knew her. I knew what she presented to me, nothing more. It was foolish of me, and I would not blame her if she refused to come into contact with me again."

"In truth... she loved you. Is that not what matters?"

"I would like to believe she loved me, but after what I have done? Could she love such a one as moi?"

Asher glowered. "You are a self pitying fool. Can you not feel it? She would not stop loving so easily."

"Mon Ami, I am finding it hard to feel anything save the pain of the separation." Jean-Claude shook his head, meeting the other vampire’s glaring eyes with his own saddened ones.

Asher sighed. "Call her, Jean-Claude. Talk with her..."

"She will not accept me back, Asher."

"Why?"

"Mon Dieu, is it not obvious?" Jean-Claude sighed, "I have hurt her in a way that is very nearly unforgivable. It would be a miracle if she would accept friendship from me!"

"And you will not know unless you try!" Asher stood, throwing his hands in the air. "I cannot watch you throw this away, Jean-Claude! She still lives! You have a chance!"

"She will live forever, Asher! Why not give her time to move on? To forget? Why not let her heal before intruding upon her life again?"

Asher hissed, his eyes flashing. "I cannot deal with you right now!" He whirled, heading to the door.

Jean-Claude moved slowly, sitting in one of the guest chairs. "I cannot deal with me right now." He murmured.
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Romantic Executions: Continued