AB/BtVS FF: Living Underground 50-1/?
TITLE: Living Underground
AUTHOR: 38gnihsurc
RATING: en.sea.xvii overall
PAIRING: Willow/Asher, slight Willow/Richard and Willow/Asher/Nathaniel... plus, regular Anita pairings
SPOILERS: For the two fandoms... up until Micah for AB; the two series for Buffyverse stuff.
WARNINGS: A little bit of BDSM.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own anyone, except the Master of the City of Lafayette and her entourage.
NOTES: This story is a sequel to "Alive at Last."
Previous Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4-6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20-1, 22-3, 24-5, 26-7, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36-7, 38, 39-40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46-49
PART FIFTY
The look on Asher's face had been worth all of the primping Nathaniel had insisted she endure for their date.
She had walked into the living room---where Asher had insisted upon waiting, for the full effect of seeing her dressed for their date---wearing a dark green dress that fell just below her knees. Its straps curved and exposed her neck and collarbone, hugging to the tops of her upper arms instead of her shoulders. She would wear a wrap to keep herself from getting a chill, but she wanted Asher to see the way she bared her neck and shoulders to him. Judging by the look in his pale blue eyes, she guessed he approved wholeheartedly. The shoes she wore were stilettos, with little straps around her ankles. She only wore jewelry that Asher had given her over their time together. And her hair had been curled into loose ringlets, then tousled, and then pinned off of her face.
"Ohh," he breathed.
Willow smiled. "You like?"
"Mais, oui," he replied, nodding. He approached her slowly, his gaze still raking over her body and face. Then, he cupped her face in both hands and kissed her lips lightly. "You are exquisite, mon colibri."
She blushed. It was hard not to react when he looked at her as if he wanted nothing more than to devour her. "I... thank you, Asher," she whispered. She stole another kiss and then leaned back a little so she could appraise him. He was dressed in a beautiful outfit; his pants were tucked into knee-high, leather boots, his blue shirt had a few of the formal frills he preferred, and his jacket was long and it draped over his body perfectly. His hair would fall over half of his face once they stepped out into the public eye but Willow was glad he wasn't hiding in front of her. His hair had its natural curls, a little tamer than they would prefer to be, but it glistened in the firelight from the lamps.
"I want to go back to our room," she admitted.
Asher chuckled. "Later," he promised.
&&&&
Everyone in the restaurant had watched them out of the corners of their eyes. It had been annoying; Asher had become a little self-conscious under their scrutinising glances. But, Willow hadn't been ashamed to be seen in public with Asher. If anything, she wanted them all to know how happy he made her. She normally shied from public displays of affection---unless they were surrounded by their friends and family---but she made an effort to be warmer, to be more affectionate with him.
Between bites of food, from a menu Asher had selected, she kissed him. After the main course, she took his hand in hers and held it upon the table. During dessert, she insisted that Asher feed her. The vampire had obliged with a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. He used his fingers to tease her lips. She made him moan and curse softly in French; he made her stomach flip and flop, and he caused her heart to skip beats at random.
Willow had thought that he enjoyed their antics until they got back into the limousine that would return them to the Circus of the Damned. Once they were settled in the seat, Willow tucked under Asher's arm, the vampire cleared his throat and said, "Mon colibri, you did not need to pretend so much."
She blinked and looked up at him. "Pretend?" she echoed.
"I enjoy your affection and I always will... mais, you do not need to prove anything to those people on my behalf."
She sighed. "Asher... maybe I did want to show them... but... it was only to show them how happy we are." She frowned when he didn't say anything. "We... you... I mean, we are happy, right? I mean, life hasn't been easy, but---"
Asher cut her off with a quick kiss. "I am quite happy," he assured her. "Do not feel, though, that you need to defend my honour. I am used to being scorned."
"You don't deserve it," she whispered as she looked into his eyes. "You're a good man. Vampire, yes. But still... good. Not in the white knight, puritanical sort of way... but... damn, I love you so much."
The vampire's eyes softened, turned even more blue if that was possible. "Your love is more than enough for me," he whispered in reply.
"I wanna go home," she murmured.
His lips twitched into a smile. "We are almost there," he reminded her before pressing a kiss to her forehead. He sighed happily. "That food was quite delicious. But... not nearly as delicious as you," he purred.
Willow blushed. "Sweet talker," she muttered.
Asher laughed.
&&&&
Richard had been sitting at his parents' table, staring down at his Scrabble tiles, when he felt the first stirrings of something warm and not entirely his own as it seeped through his body. He sucked in a sharp breath and reached for the beer his brother, Daniel, had been drinking.
"Hey!" he protested.
The Ulfric glared a little in his sibling's direction. "I'm thirsty," he said.
Daniel's eyes softened from annoyance to concern. "You look a bit flushed."
Charlotte---a mother who would never stop looking after her children, even one as powerful as Richard---reached out over the table and put her small hand against his forehead. A finger was missing; Richard was used to seeing her hand marred from torturous activities but even those thoughts didn't keep the warmth at bay. It threaded through him and teased his body.
"You have a fever," she commented. "Are you coming down with something?"
"No," he mumbled.
"Well, it's not the full moon," she pointed out. "Are you sure werewolves don't have diseases that others can't catch? I mean, there's bird flu---or do werewolves have a time of the month? Maybe you're in heat?"
"I'm not an animal, Mom, and I'm not a woman," Richard muttered. He grunted wordlessly and put a few tiles onto the board, earning him a triple word score in the process. "Your turn, little bro."
Daniel looked down at the word Richard had spelled. He fought against laughter and lost. "Maybe Mom's right," he said gesturing towards the tiles. "'Screw?'"
"Yes, like that small piece of metal you can buy in a hardware store," Richard replied.
When he saw the first image of Willow and Asher tumbling onto their bed, though, he wasn't sure if hardware had been what his subconscious was considering.
&&&&
Willow collapsed, breathing deeply. Asher propped himself onto his elbows and grinned, exposing his fangs and his scarred skin in the process.
"Tired?" he inquired.
She giggled quietly as he leaned in and licked over the bite mark on her neck. "Asher..." she whispered. "I really lost control," she added, trying to frown. She couldn't, though. The pleasure that they had experienced, as Asher's powers met hers and flooded their bodies, had been so wonderful that Willow knew they couldn't do that more than occasionally. "We should be more careful. What if the others---"
"Anita will be embarrassed," Asher interrupted. "Jean-Claude will enjoy it. Not because he desires you, necessarily, but because lust is food for him at times and you know how soft he grows when he knows I am with you... loved," he added, blushing a little. Willow's blood was powerful and if Asher wasn't careful, he could show emotions more easily in his face after feeding from her. "Richard... he will be jealous. Perhaps he will storm down here to claim you for his own."
"I don't belong to him," she reminded the vampire with a smile. "I'm my own person."
Asher smirked when he looked into her eyes. "You are my human servant---"
"Which means you belong to me as much as I belong to you," she cut in.
"Clever witch," he teased.
Willow grinned and leaned off of the pillows to kiss her blond-haired lover. He sighed unnecessarily and slid one pale hand into her coppery hair. The vampire tugged her closer; he used his other hand on her hip to roll her towards his body. She slid easily on top of the silken sheets.
Several soft knocks at the outer door broke them apart. Willow blushed and started reaching for the sheets, trying to tug them over her uncovered body, but Asher didn't cooperate with her. Instead, he called out for their uninvited guest to enter the main room of their suite. Willow heard the door open and even though the bedroom's door was partially closed, she was nervous.
A moment later, Nathaniel's quiet voice said, "Oh, I'm sorry. I'll just come back later."
"Nathaniel, wait," Willow insisted impulsively. She swatted Asher's hands away and grabbed her robe off of the foot of her bed. Asher took his robe reluctantly and put it on as Willow tied her robe's sash and hurried into the other room.
"I'm sorry," he repeated. "I didn't mean to interrupt---"
"You didn't," she assured him. She blushed and shrugged. "We... we were just... hanging out." Nathaniel didn't look very happy. If anything, he looked very sad. She stepped towards him and put her hand in his. "What's up?"
"Nothing."
Willow fought to roll her eyes. "Nathaniel, tell me what happened."
He sighed. "I had a fight with Anita. I... I didn't mean to... but..." he trailed off and frowned. "I... she... it's so unfair."
"Qu'est-ce qui est arrivé?"
Qu'est-ce qui est arrivé? = What's happened?
Nathaniel's gaze darted from Willow to Asher. He bit his lip as his brow furrowed. "She said I'd come running here," he mumbled. "I shouldn't... I should go."
"Mon esclave, stop right there," the vampire ordered.
Willow watched as Nathaniel immediately sagged with what appeared to be relief. His eyes widened and his brow relaxed. The witch watched her familiar drop deeper and deeper into his submissive headspace as he looked into the vampire's eyes.
"Asher, maybe you shouldn't... I mean, he's upset---"
Asher shook his head and walked across the room. He cupped Nathaniel's face in his hands. "You came because you know we will take care of you," he said quietly. When the wereleopard nodded, Asher smiled slightly. "Bien sûr," he whispered. "Shall we talk here or in our private room?"
Nathaniel swallowed hard. "I really don't want to talk about it," he whispered back.
"You think we'd ignore what's made you so upset?" Willow asked. She reached out and touched Nathaniel's hair, which was braided down his back. "Kitten," she murmured, "you'll feel better when you tell us what happened."
The wereleopard sucked in a sharp breath and then all sorts of words and phrases began to tumble from his lips in a hurried fashion. "She... she wants me to stop coming here. She thinks it's... disgusting. She thinks I'm in love with you guys and she said you guys love each other and that you shouldn't let me rui---well, nevermind. But, she accused me of cheating on her. I've never cheated! Not technically. Not according to how she sees it---but she said I could do this with you and now she's taking it all back! And I told her I'd go crazy or something. And Micah told Anita that it's not really fair and then she blew up at him and went to work and then Micah wouldn't even look at me and... and... it's all my fault. I know I'm not a freak but---"
Asher pressed his lips to Nathaniel's. The younger man's words became muffled before they stopped coming forth.
Willow hugged Nathaniel from behind.
"It's gonna work out," she promised.
"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I shouldn't have come... I just feel so awful and... ugh." He dropped his head to Asher's shoulder.
"You want us to take care of you," Willow said as she understood some of what Nathaniel must have been feeling.
"Please?"
Asher looked at Willow. The witch nodded. Her heart, which had been so swollen and happy a moment ago, broke at the sight and sound of a distressed Nathaniel. She kissed Nathaniel's clothed shoulder and promised him that they'd take care of him.
&&&&
Their word game hadn't gone very well. Richard had been interrupted by a phone call from Anita and distracted by strange feelings bubbling in his chest. He had been winning, but after hearing from the necromancer, he couldn't keep his mind from wandering towards the Circus of the Damned. She had told him that she was sick of Nathaniel running to Willow and Asher every time he wanted someone to hurt him. She was afraid of losing the wereleopard, but Richard knew she'd never admit it. She was also very uncomfortable with some of Nathaniel's needs. Richard was, too, but at least he knew that everyone had different desires. He didn't think there was anything wrong as long as it was consensual---and it was in the lycanthrope's case---but he kept his mouth shut.
It had been a long time since Anita had gone running to him with her problems. Normally, she chose Jean-Claude or Micah. But they had been Nathaniel's allies in that topic's first battle. He had been flattered, despite that fact, up until the point Anita brought Willow into the argument.
"She already has you and Asher!" Anita had protested. "And now she's taking Nathaniel! It's not... it's not normal! She's so accepting!"
But, Willow's accepting nature was one of the things Richard loved about the witch.
"She didn't steal us away," Richard had pointed out. "We're all still here. And Nathaniel still thinks of your house as his home. He's not going anywhere. But---" he had broken off and silently confessed that he couldn't believe he was standing up for the auburn-haired man "---he needs something you won't give him."
"Can't."
"Won't," Richard had said. He had waited until he was away from his mother's acute sense of hearing and on the back patio, and then he had added, "You have no problem hurting people when they don't enjoy it."
"I can't believe you just said that!"
Their conversation hadn't gone much better after that point.
&&&&
Richard had been listening to Anita yell at him when a burst of sensation flooded his body. He dropped to one knee, staggering under the headiness of the feelings, and a small noise must have escaped his lips because Anita asked him what was wrong as Charlotte Zeeman came bustling outside onto the deck.
"Richard?"
His name was in surround sound but he could barely hear it. All he could hear was was inside his head: someone crying, something slashing, and his Willow cooing in delicate tones of voice. And then a dam, somewhere inside of him---or, most likely, outside of him---broke and he tumbled into such a brew of complex emotions that he felt his body shaking slightly.
"Are you sick?" his mother asked.
He swallowed hard. First, he shook his head and assured his mother that he was fine. Anita's news had startled him, he lied, and he would be inside in a few minutes. It took some convincing; however, eventually Charlotte went back inside the house.
"What's going on?" Anita asked. Her voice was softer. "Your mother asked if you're sick? Richard---"
"Willow... sometimes has trouble shielding from me," he admitted. "I was just startled."
"Is she with him?"
Richard sighed and bit back the urge to swear. "Which one?"
"So he did go running there," Anita mumbled.
"So what if he did?" Richard demanded, growing frustrated. He was becoming jealous as well, and those feelings were even more difficult to restrain. "Anita, I'm sick of being angry all the time."
"You're gonna go over there and join in the orgy?"
"They're not having one!" Richard exclaimed.
The truth had shocked him a little---especially since it had come out of his own mouth. The sounds had almost reminded him of the sounds Raina and Gabriel used to create in their private studio, but they weren't as cold, as painful, as frightening. Nathaniel wouldn't have fled them, either, but Richard knew that Asher and Willow were much different masters to serve. And, as the feelings of deep concern filtered through his body, he also knew that it wasn't all about sexual pleasure. That sort of pleasure was there, underneath it all, but Richard was most aware of Nathaniel's guilt being washed away. Asher felt less sadly frustrated. Willow felt more confident. They were putting themselves together with every scene in their play.
Before Anita could hang up on him, he said, "Love's a strong weapon."
He didn't know who owned the statement. It didn't sound like his own voice or thoughts. Jean-Claude? he wondered silently as he looked around the lightly-forested area. He half-expected to see the black-haired vampire lurking nearby.
"Richard, I know," she said on a sigh, "but that's not love---"
"They love a part of him you can't," he interrupted. "And he always comes back to you. Micah loves you, but he does love Nathaniel, too, in his own way... that's why he defended him."
"You're championing the rights of someone you can't stand."
Richard sighed. "He's a part of your life. He's a part of Willow's life. He's not going anywhere."
"Why do I have to share you guys with her?" Anita mumbled, pouting.
The Ulfric sighed. "Did you get this petulant when you were just sharing everyone with Jean-Claude?"
"Petulant? Petulant?!"
Her voice was so shrill that Richard winced.
&&&&
"You're not ruining anything," Willow whispered. She hugged Nathaniel and only smiled when he pillowed his head on her chest. "I'm not angry you're here, and Asher isn't either."
"Richard doesn't like me much," Nathaniel mumbled.
Asher rubbed his cool, pale hands over the wereleopard's shoulders. The lash marks were nearly gone. "Are you going to worry what the Ulfric thinks of you?"
"Well, no, but he's important to you guys and Ani---" he stopped short and then sighed. "I don't belong here," he muttered.
"You belong here," Willow insisted quietly. She kissed the top of his head. "And you do have a home with Anita. She's just... getting used to everything."
"The slayer and her friends have gone... Allura has gone," Asher reminded Nathaniel, "and now, Anita can focus her displeasure on everything else in her life again." He sighed and indulged himself by kissing over one of the whip marks. The wereleopard shivered. "She simply needs some time to adjust to the changes in her life."
Nathaniel sighed loudly. "How long is that gonna take?"
"She still sees you as someone needing protection... someone who does not stand up for himself," Asher said quietly, ignoring his question. "You have grown up so much and she hasn't seen all of the changes. She still sees your mistress as a rival, instead of a partner."
The wereleopard shuddered when Asher licked over one of the welts. "I hold in so much because I'm scared she'll kick me out of the house. It's my first home in so long, Asher... so important... so I try to forget about all the things I need that I'm not getting."
"Do you talk to Micah about this?" Willow asked.
Nathaniel nodded. "Yeah, a lot... lately, anyway. He figured out most of what was making me sad." He sniffled quietly. "He's a good king."
"Sometimes you miss Gabriel, though," Asher said.
He frowned as he looked at Willow. She understood the frown. Through her connection with Raina, she understood something about the wereleopards' former leader. He had been a part of the dominance and submission community. He had been a little too into that lifestyle, and he didn't participate in it for the right reasons, but he still grasped what lay deep inside Nathaniel's heart and soul.
Nathaniel shivered. "Please don't tell them," he begged. He buried his face in Willow's breasts. The contact wasn't sexual. It was all about seeking comfort. "They'll think I'm sick or something," he added in a muffled voice.
"You hold in too much," Willow whispered. Her eyes were moist; she could feel tears filling them. Nathaniel's pain was becoming her pain.
He lifted his head. His lilac eyes were red from crying earlier, as he broke under Asher's care. "She can't handle it all," he whispered hoarsely. "Asher knows what I'm talking about."
The blond vampire nodded silently and he wrapped himself around Nathaniel. His hand lingered on Willow's stomach for a moment before curling into the other man's body.
A great gasp escaped the wereleopard. Then, he shuddered. Willow watched the action as it seemed to start in his toes and travel all the way to the top of his head. And then, he stilled and began to purr quietly.
Willow sniffled. She kissed the top of his head and closed her eyes. Briefly, she felt a stab of something hot and jealous in the back of her mind, but she ignored it because it didn't belong to anyone who was with her in the bedroom.
&&&&
PART FIFTY-ONE
Jean-Claude and Jason woke them up. Well, Jason woke up Willow as he slinked onto the bed. Asher had merely been dozing, and Jean-Claude's presence immediately made him more alert.
The vampires smiled at each other. Jean-Claude's eyes swept over the room and Willow blushed as he appraised her. She was glad---and surprised that she was glad---that Nathaniel was still covering her naked body because she wasn't entirely comfortable with how the Master of the City gazed over what parts of her he could see.
"Room for two more?" Jason asked with a sideways grin.
Willow smiled at her other familiar and, despite her embarrassment, she nodded.
Jason grinned even more and then he shrugged out of his clothes and flopped down on Willow's other side. He dragged the bedclothes up over their bodies as Jean-Claude started to shrug out of his robe.
"Il y a deux heures qui restent avant---"
Once he was covered by the sheets, Jean-Claude put a finger over Asher's lips, preventing him from asking why they were retiring for the day so much earlier than usual. "Business has been concluded for the night, and I felt like joining you," he murmured.
Before Willow could control herself, a question burst from her mind and was carried out into the open by her voice.
"Why?"
The black-haired vampire looked at her. "We could feel your emotions coming down the hall," he said with a casual shrug. "And we wished to share them with you."
"We're family," Jason said after kissing the side of Willow's flushed face. "Remember?"
"Family doesn't---" she stopped short. Her family wasn't a traditional family. She knew that, and she felt guilty for denying her friends as she flushed more and nodded. "Yeah," she whispered.
"Ma petite is arguing with Richard now," Jean-Claude told Nathaniel as he reached out and stroked the wereleopard's shoulder blade. "Your Nimir-Raj called. He is worried about you."
Nathaniel blinked rapidly, repeatedly. Willow felt his body tightening; instinctively, she reached the nape of his neck and squeezed until he sagged against her again, reacting to the pressure.
"Do not feel guilty," Jean-Claude murmured.
"Can't help it," Nathaniel said on a sigh. "If I wasn't so much of a freak---"
"That word doesn't get used in this room," Willow interrupted. Nathaniel had relaxed, he had finally started to feel a little better about the situation, and then everything they had worked on seemed to have started to crumble. She wanted to keep his spirit intact. She cupped his face in her hands. "You are not a freak, Nathaniel!"
His eyes widened. "Okay... okay," he whispered.
He settled down again. His breath tickled the tops of her breasts but Willow was more comfortable with him hiding her body from view. Jason pouted. "How come he gets the comfy spot?"
Willow glared at him. Jason's face broke into another bright grin.
"Just kidding," he said quietly, still smiling.
"Ah, mon loup," Jean-Claude said on a chuckle, "someday you will learn what to say and what not to say when you have company in your bed."
"Especially when that company can send you flying out of the room with a flick of her hand," Willow mumbled.
Asher smiled, his blue eyes sparkling in the dim lamp light. "What is it they say? You can pick your nose, but you cannot pick your family?" he teased.
Willow took one look at her lover and she burst out into a fit of giggles. Nathaniel and Jason looked at each other before looking at her. They were smiling. Asher was still chuckling, although he looked a little embarrassed. Jean-Claude was grinning. Willow rarely saw him grin so widely that his fangs were exposed and that expression upon his face made her laughter fade away.
"There is a poet lurking somewhere inside of you, mon chardonneret," Jean-Claude murmured as he kissed the other vampire.
"I believe it is too much time with young people and their... quaint expressions," he replied between kisses.
"I do not care," Jean-Claude whispered. "You've been opening up so much lately," he added just as quietly. He turned his head and then turned his dark blue gaze upon Willow. "Do not let us ever scare you from this place, ma chérie."
Willow smiled. "I don't scare easily." She smirked and then added, "But, we might need a bigger bed if anyone else decides to join us."
Jean-Claude chuckled. "There is a bigger bed down the hall," he reminded her, referring to his own room.
"That would mean we'd have to get up," Nathaniel whispered, sounding sleepy again. "Don't wanna."
"Three of us can carry you quite easily."
"Try two," Jason mumbled after yawning. "I'm exhausted."
The Master of the City smiled and chuckled again. Then, he curled up next to Asher. The topic of moving seemed to be discarded. Willow smiled; she watched and listened as they conversed in quiet French. Their voices lulled her back to sleep, Nathaniel back to purring, and Jason into a more peaceful, restful state.
&&&&
Willow woke up when the purring had increased in intensity. She blinked blearily at her surroundings and didn't understand where she was. The stone walls were covered by rich fabrics. There was candles lit, instead of the lamps used in her rooms. A cold body was at her side---when she had fallen asleep, she was surrounded by warmth.
"Don't panic," Jason whispered.
The witch lifted her head to look for Jason. He had been practically on top of her when she closed her eyes but he had sounded further away when he spoke to her.
When she moved, she noticed she was dressed in pajamas. She flushed and then slowly sat up. Nathaniel made a quiet noise of protest, but he stilled when someone else growled softly.
Micah was on Nathaniel's other side. Willow frowned. She felt her brow furrow. She looked around the room and saw that she was in Jean-Claude's bed. Her first thought was that Anita was going to murder her with her bare hands; her second thought was that she might just shoot her quickly if she walked in on them, anger and jealousy overtaking the necromancer.
Nathaniel had been pressed against Willow's body. Asher was on her other side, almost underneath her; he was still, dead to the world. Jason was lying between the vampires, but his body was extended towards the witch.
The wereleopard king turned his cat eyes onto Willow. "When I showed up, Jean-Claude decided to move." He motioned to the pajamas. "Asher thought you'd rather be dressed, so we took Jason and Nathaniel down the hall while he put those on."
Willow flushed. "Oh," she whispered. She reached out and touched Nathaniel's forehead. "How is he?"
"A little better," Micah whispered in reply. "But Anita really needs to talk with him."
The witch nodded. She didn't ask any more questions. Anita's relationships weren't really her business.
"Why'd you decide to---"
"Nathaniel's part of my pard," Micah said firmly. "I'm glad he has you guys to turn to, but he is a part of my pard."
"I'm glad you're here for him," Willow whispered.
The Nimir-Raj looked into Willow's eyes for a long moment without blinking. Then, he nodded once and settled back against Nathaniel's body.
"What time is it?" she asked.
"Eight," Jason mumbled around a yawn.
"So, we can sleep some more, then."
"Please," Jason and Micah said at almost the same time. They shared a quiet chuckle afterwards.
Willow smiled and turned back into the comfortable position, wedged between Asher and Nathaniel, with Jason's hand over her arm. The werewolf smiled at her in the dimly lit room and then he closed his eyes.
"What?" Willow asked in a low whisper.
"I'm glad you're here," he whispered.
"Here, or... like, in St. Louis?"
"Here," Jason replied. "Usually it's only lycanthropes that understand how good it feels to cuddle or sleep together. But... you get it."
"I'm carrying lycanthropy," she reminded him.
He opened his eyes again. "I know. But, you're not... you know... not really. I mean, you're my Lupa. But, you don't shift. Still, you like this stuff."
Willow blushed. "I think I always liked cuddling... but I'm not always comfortable doing it with different people all the time."
"But, you're still here," he said.
She kissed his hand. She didn't know what else to say. She had never been opposed to contact with someone she loved and trusted. But, since being in St. Louis, at the Circus of the Damned, she had become used to sharing touch with many people at once. She had learned that so much pleasure could come from platonic love. Her ideas about what was normal had changed so much in the time St. Louis had become her home.
Part of her worried about what Anita would say if she saw them all together, sleeping in Jean-Claude's bed with two dead-to-the-world vampires. But, the rest of her was being soothed by the scent of the pack and the sound of pard's purring.
AUTHOR: 38gnihsurc
RATING: en.sea.xvii overall
PAIRING: Willow/Asher, slight Willow/Richard and Willow/Asher/Nathaniel... plus, regular Anita pairings
SPOILERS: For the two fandoms... up until Micah for AB; the two series for Buffyverse stuff.
WARNINGS: A little bit of BDSM.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own anyone, except the Master of the City of Lafayette and her entourage.
NOTES: This story is a sequel to "Alive at Last."
Previous Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4-6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20-1, 22-3, 24-5, 26-7, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36-7, 38, 39-40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46-49
PART FIFTY
The look on Asher's face had been worth all of the primping Nathaniel had insisted she endure for their date.
She had walked into the living room---where Asher had insisted upon waiting, for the full effect of seeing her dressed for their date---wearing a dark green dress that fell just below her knees. Its straps curved and exposed her neck and collarbone, hugging to the tops of her upper arms instead of her shoulders. She would wear a wrap to keep herself from getting a chill, but she wanted Asher to see the way she bared her neck and shoulders to him. Judging by the look in his pale blue eyes, she guessed he approved wholeheartedly. The shoes she wore were stilettos, with little straps around her ankles. She only wore jewelry that Asher had given her over their time together. And her hair had been curled into loose ringlets, then tousled, and then pinned off of her face.
"Ohh," he breathed.
Willow smiled. "You like?"
"Mais, oui," he replied, nodding. He approached her slowly, his gaze still raking over her body and face. Then, he cupped her face in both hands and kissed her lips lightly. "You are exquisite, mon colibri."
She blushed. It was hard not to react when he looked at her as if he wanted nothing more than to devour her. "I... thank you, Asher," she whispered. She stole another kiss and then leaned back a little so she could appraise him. He was dressed in a beautiful outfit; his pants were tucked into knee-high, leather boots, his blue shirt had a few of the formal frills he preferred, and his jacket was long and it draped over his body perfectly. His hair would fall over half of his face once they stepped out into the public eye but Willow was glad he wasn't hiding in front of her. His hair had its natural curls, a little tamer than they would prefer to be, but it glistened in the firelight from the lamps.
"I want to go back to our room," she admitted.
Asher chuckled. "Later," he promised.
&&&&
Everyone in the restaurant had watched them out of the corners of their eyes. It had been annoying; Asher had become a little self-conscious under their scrutinising glances. But, Willow hadn't been ashamed to be seen in public with Asher. If anything, she wanted them all to know how happy he made her. She normally shied from public displays of affection---unless they were surrounded by their friends and family---but she made an effort to be warmer, to be more affectionate with him.
Between bites of food, from a menu Asher had selected, she kissed him. After the main course, she took his hand in hers and held it upon the table. During dessert, she insisted that Asher feed her. The vampire had obliged with a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. He used his fingers to tease her lips. She made him moan and curse softly in French; he made her stomach flip and flop, and he caused her heart to skip beats at random.
Willow had thought that he enjoyed their antics until they got back into the limousine that would return them to the Circus of the Damned. Once they were settled in the seat, Willow tucked under Asher's arm, the vampire cleared his throat and said, "Mon colibri, you did not need to pretend so much."
She blinked and looked up at him. "Pretend?" she echoed.
"I enjoy your affection and I always will... mais, you do not need to prove anything to those people on my behalf."
She sighed. "Asher... maybe I did want to show them... but... it was only to show them how happy we are." She frowned when he didn't say anything. "We... you... I mean, we are happy, right? I mean, life hasn't been easy, but---"
Asher cut her off with a quick kiss. "I am quite happy," he assured her. "Do not feel, though, that you need to defend my honour. I am used to being scorned."
"You don't deserve it," she whispered as she looked into his eyes. "You're a good man. Vampire, yes. But still... good. Not in the white knight, puritanical sort of way... but... damn, I love you so much."
The vampire's eyes softened, turned even more blue if that was possible. "Your love is more than enough for me," he whispered in reply.
"I wanna go home," she murmured.
His lips twitched into a smile. "We are almost there," he reminded her before pressing a kiss to her forehead. He sighed happily. "That food was quite delicious. But... not nearly as delicious as you," he purred.
Willow blushed. "Sweet talker," she muttered.
Asher laughed.
&&&&
Richard had been sitting at his parents' table, staring down at his Scrabble tiles, when he felt the first stirrings of something warm and not entirely his own as it seeped through his body. He sucked in a sharp breath and reached for the beer his brother, Daniel, had been drinking.
"Hey!" he protested.
The Ulfric glared a little in his sibling's direction. "I'm thirsty," he said.
Daniel's eyes softened from annoyance to concern. "You look a bit flushed."
Charlotte---a mother who would never stop looking after her children, even one as powerful as Richard---reached out over the table and put her small hand against his forehead. A finger was missing; Richard was used to seeing her hand marred from torturous activities but even those thoughts didn't keep the warmth at bay. It threaded through him and teased his body.
"You have a fever," she commented. "Are you coming down with something?"
"No," he mumbled.
"Well, it's not the full moon," she pointed out. "Are you sure werewolves don't have diseases that others can't catch? I mean, there's bird flu---or do werewolves have a time of the month? Maybe you're in heat?"
"I'm not an animal, Mom, and I'm not a woman," Richard muttered. He grunted wordlessly and put a few tiles onto the board, earning him a triple word score in the process. "Your turn, little bro."
Daniel looked down at the word Richard had spelled. He fought against laughter and lost. "Maybe Mom's right," he said gesturing towards the tiles. "'Screw?'"
"Yes, like that small piece of metal you can buy in a hardware store," Richard replied.
When he saw the first image of Willow and Asher tumbling onto their bed, though, he wasn't sure if hardware had been what his subconscious was considering.
&&&&
Willow collapsed, breathing deeply. Asher propped himself onto his elbows and grinned, exposing his fangs and his scarred skin in the process.
"Tired?" he inquired.
She giggled quietly as he leaned in and licked over the bite mark on her neck. "Asher..." she whispered. "I really lost control," she added, trying to frown. She couldn't, though. The pleasure that they had experienced, as Asher's powers met hers and flooded their bodies, had been so wonderful that Willow knew they couldn't do that more than occasionally. "We should be more careful. What if the others---"
"Anita will be embarrassed," Asher interrupted. "Jean-Claude will enjoy it. Not because he desires you, necessarily, but because lust is food for him at times and you know how soft he grows when he knows I am with you... loved," he added, blushing a little. Willow's blood was powerful and if Asher wasn't careful, he could show emotions more easily in his face after feeding from her. "Richard... he will be jealous. Perhaps he will storm down here to claim you for his own."
"I don't belong to him," she reminded the vampire with a smile. "I'm my own person."
Asher smirked when he looked into her eyes. "You are my human servant---"
"Which means you belong to me as much as I belong to you," she cut in.
"Clever witch," he teased.
Willow grinned and leaned off of the pillows to kiss her blond-haired lover. He sighed unnecessarily and slid one pale hand into her coppery hair. The vampire tugged her closer; he used his other hand on her hip to roll her towards his body. She slid easily on top of the silken sheets.
Several soft knocks at the outer door broke them apart. Willow blushed and started reaching for the sheets, trying to tug them over her uncovered body, but Asher didn't cooperate with her. Instead, he called out for their uninvited guest to enter the main room of their suite. Willow heard the door open and even though the bedroom's door was partially closed, she was nervous.
A moment later, Nathaniel's quiet voice said, "Oh, I'm sorry. I'll just come back later."
"Nathaniel, wait," Willow insisted impulsively. She swatted Asher's hands away and grabbed her robe off of the foot of her bed. Asher took his robe reluctantly and put it on as Willow tied her robe's sash and hurried into the other room.
"I'm sorry," he repeated. "I didn't mean to interrupt---"
"You didn't," she assured him. She blushed and shrugged. "We... we were just... hanging out." Nathaniel didn't look very happy. If anything, he looked very sad. She stepped towards him and put her hand in his. "What's up?"
"Nothing."
Willow fought to roll her eyes. "Nathaniel, tell me what happened."
He sighed. "I had a fight with Anita. I... I didn't mean to... but..." he trailed off and frowned. "I... she... it's so unfair."
"Qu'est-ce qui est arrivé?"
Qu'est-ce qui est arrivé? = What's happened?
Nathaniel's gaze darted from Willow to Asher. He bit his lip as his brow furrowed. "She said I'd come running here," he mumbled. "I shouldn't... I should go."
"Mon esclave, stop right there," the vampire ordered.
Willow watched as Nathaniel immediately sagged with what appeared to be relief. His eyes widened and his brow relaxed. The witch watched her familiar drop deeper and deeper into his submissive headspace as he looked into the vampire's eyes.
"Asher, maybe you shouldn't... I mean, he's upset---"
Asher shook his head and walked across the room. He cupped Nathaniel's face in his hands. "You came because you know we will take care of you," he said quietly. When the wereleopard nodded, Asher smiled slightly. "Bien sûr," he whispered. "Shall we talk here or in our private room?"
Nathaniel swallowed hard. "I really don't want to talk about it," he whispered back.
"You think we'd ignore what's made you so upset?" Willow asked. She reached out and touched Nathaniel's hair, which was braided down his back. "Kitten," she murmured, "you'll feel better when you tell us what happened."
The wereleopard sucked in a sharp breath and then all sorts of words and phrases began to tumble from his lips in a hurried fashion. "She... she wants me to stop coming here. She thinks it's... disgusting. She thinks I'm in love with you guys and she said you guys love each other and that you shouldn't let me rui---well, nevermind. But, she accused me of cheating on her. I've never cheated! Not technically. Not according to how she sees it---but she said I could do this with you and now she's taking it all back! And I told her I'd go crazy or something. And Micah told Anita that it's not really fair and then she blew up at him and went to work and then Micah wouldn't even look at me and... and... it's all my fault. I know I'm not a freak but---"
Asher pressed his lips to Nathaniel's. The younger man's words became muffled before they stopped coming forth.
Willow hugged Nathaniel from behind.
"It's gonna work out," she promised.
"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I shouldn't have come... I just feel so awful and... ugh." He dropped his head to Asher's shoulder.
"You want us to take care of you," Willow said as she understood some of what Nathaniel must have been feeling.
"Please?"
Asher looked at Willow. The witch nodded. Her heart, which had been so swollen and happy a moment ago, broke at the sight and sound of a distressed Nathaniel. She kissed Nathaniel's clothed shoulder and promised him that they'd take care of him.
&&&&
Their word game hadn't gone very well. Richard had been interrupted by a phone call from Anita and distracted by strange feelings bubbling in his chest. He had been winning, but after hearing from the necromancer, he couldn't keep his mind from wandering towards the Circus of the Damned. She had told him that she was sick of Nathaniel running to Willow and Asher every time he wanted someone to hurt him. She was afraid of losing the wereleopard, but Richard knew she'd never admit it. She was also very uncomfortable with some of Nathaniel's needs. Richard was, too, but at least he knew that everyone had different desires. He didn't think there was anything wrong as long as it was consensual---and it was in the lycanthrope's case---but he kept his mouth shut.
It had been a long time since Anita had gone running to him with her problems. Normally, she chose Jean-Claude or Micah. But they had been Nathaniel's allies in that topic's first battle. He had been flattered, despite that fact, up until the point Anita brought Willow into the argument.
"She already has you and Asher!" Anita had protested. "And now she's taking Nathaniel! It's not... it's not normal! She's so accepting!"
But, Willow's accepting nature was one of the things Richard loved about the witch.
"She didn't steal us away," Richard had pointed out. "We're all still here. And Nathaniel still thinks of your house as his home. He's not going anywhere. But---" he had broken off and silently confessed that he couldn't believe he was standing up for the auburn-haired man "---he needs something you won't give him."
"Can't."
"Won't," Richard had said. He had waited until he was away from his mother's acute sense of hearing and on the back patio, and then he had added, "You have no problem hurting people when they don't enjoy it."
"I can't believe you just said that!"
Their conversation hadn't gone much better after that point.
&&&&
Richard had been listening to Anita yell at him when a burst of sensation flooded his body. He dropped to one knee, staggering under the headiness of the feelings, and a small noise must have escaped his lips because Anita asked him what was wrong as Charlotte Zeeman came bustling outside onto the deck.
"Richard?"
His name was in surround sound but he could barely hear it. All he could hear was was inside his head: someone crying, something slashing, and his Willow cooing in delicate tones of voice. And then a dam, somewhere inside of him---or, most likely, outside of him---broke and he tumbled into such a brew of complex emotions that he felt his body shaking slightly.
"Are you sick?" his mother asked.
He swallowed hard. First, he shook his head and assured his mother that he was fine. Anita's news had startled him, he lied, and he would be inside in a few minutes. It took some convincing; however, eventually Charlotte went back inside the house.
"What's going on?" Anita asked. Her voice was softer. "Your mother asked if you're sick? Richard---"
"Willow... sometimes has trouble shielding from me," he admitted. "I was just startled."
"Is she with him?"
Richard sighed and bit back the urge to swear. "Which one?"
"So he did go running there," Anita mumbled.
"So what if he did?" Richard demanded, growing frustrated. He was becoming jealous as well, and those feelings were even more difficult to restrain. "Anita, I'm sick of being angry all the time."
"You're gonna go over there and join in the orgy?"
"They're not having one!" Richard exclaimed.
The truth had shocked him a little---especially since it had come out of his own mouth. The sounds had almost reminded him of the sounds Raina and Gabriel used to create in their private studio, but they weren't as cold, as painful, as frightening. Nathaniel wouldn't have fled them, either, but Richard knew that Asher and Willow were much different masters to serve. And, as the feelings of deep concern filtered through his body, he also knew that it wasn't all about sexual pleasure. That sort of pleasure was there, underneath it all, but Richard was most aware of Nathaniel's guilt being washed away. Asher felt less sadly frustrated. Willow felt more confident. They were putting themselves together with every scene in their play.
Before Anita could hang up on him, he said, "Love's a strong weapon."
He didn't know who owned the statement. It didn't sound like his own voice or thoughts. Jean-Claude? he wondered silently as he looked around the lightly-forested area. He half-expected to see the black-haired vampire lurking nearby.
"Richard, I know," she said on a sigh, "but that's not love---"
"They love a part of him you can't," he interrupted. "And he always comes back to you. Micah loves you, but he does love Nathaniel, too, in his own way... that's why he defended him."
"You're championing the rights of someone you can't stand."
Richard sighed. "He's a part of your life. He's a part of Willow's life. He's not going anywhere."
"Why do I have to share you guys with her?" Anita mumbled, pouting.
The Ulfric sighed. "Did you get this petulant when you were just sharing everyone with Jean-Claude?"
"Petulant? Petulant?!"
Her voice was so shrill that Richard winced.
&&&&
"You're not ruining anything," Willow whispered. She hugged Nathaniel and only smiled when he pillowed his head on her chest. "I'm not angry you're here, and Asher isn't either."
"Richard doesn't like me much," Nathaniel mumbled.
Asher rubbed his cool, pale hands over the wereleopard's shoulders. The lash marks were nearly gone. "Are you going to worry what the Ulfric thinks of you?"
"Well, no, but he's important to you guys and Ani---" he stopped short and then sighed. "I don't belong here," he muttered.
"You belong here," Willow insisted quietly. She kissed the top of his head. "And you do have a home with Anita. She's just... getting used to everything."
"The slayer and her friends have gone... Allura has gone," Asher reminded Nathaniel, "and now, Anita can focus her displeasure on everything else in her life again." He sighed and indulged himself by kissing over one of the whip marks. The wereleopard shivered. "She simply needs some time to adjust to the changes in her life."
Nathaniel sighed loudly. "How long is that gonna take?"
"She still sees you as someone needing protection... someone who does not stand up for himself," Asher said quietly, ignoring his question. "You have grown up so much and she hasn't seen all of the changes. She still sees your mistress as a rival, instead of a partner."
The wereleopard shuddered when Asher licked over one of the welts. "I hold in so much because I'm scared she'll kick me out of the house. It's my first home in so long, Asher... so important... so I try to forget about all the things I need that I'm not getting."
"Do you talk to Micah about this?" Willow asked.
Nathaniel nodded. "Yeah, a lot... lately, anyway. He figured out most of what was making me sad." He sniffled quietly. "He's a good king."
"Sometimes you miss Gabriel, though," Asher said.
He frowned as he looked at Willow. She understood the frown. Through her connection with Raina, she understood something about the wereleopards' former leader. He had been a part of the dominance and submission community. He had been a little too into that lifestyle, and he didn't participate in it for the right reasons, but he still grasped what lay deep inside Nathaniel's heart and soul.
Nathaniel shivered. "Please don't tell them," he begged. He buried his face in Willow's breasts. The contact wasn't sexual. It was all about seeking comfort. "They'll think I'm sick or something," he added in a muffled voice.
"You hold in too much," Willow whispered. Her eyes were moist; she could feel tears filling them. Nathaniel's pain was becoming her pain.
He lifted his head. His lilac eyes were red from crying earlier, as he broke under Asher's care. "She can't handle it all," he whispered hoarsely. "Asher knows what I'm talking about."
The blond vampire nodded silently and he wrapped himself around Nathaniel. His hand lingered on Willow's stomach for a moment before curling into the other man's body.
A great gasp escaped the wereleopard. Then, he shuddered. Willow watched the action as it seemed to start in his toes and travel all the way to the top of his head. And then, he stilled and began to purr quietly.
Willow sniffled. She kissed the top of his head and closed her eyes. Briefly, she felt a stab of something hot and jealous in the back of her mind, but she ignored it because it didn't belong to anyone who was with her in the bedroom.
&&&&
PART FIFTY-ONE
Jean-Claude and Jason woke them up. Well, Jason woke up Willow as he slinked onto the bed. Asher had merely been dozing, and Jean-Claude's presence immediately made him more alert.
The vampires smiled at each other. Jean-Claude's eyes swept over the room and Willow blushed as he appraised her. She was glad---and surprised that she was glad---that Nathaniel was still covering her naked body because she wasn't entirely comfortable with how the Master of the City gazed over what parts of her he could see.
"Room for two more?" Jason asked with a sideways grin.
Willow smiled at her other familiar and, despite her embarrassment, she nodded.
Jason grinned even more and then he shrugged out of his clothes and flopped down on Willow's other side. He dragged the bedclothes up over their bodies as Jean-Claude started to shrug out of his robe.
"Il y a deux heures qui restent avant---"
Once he was covered by the sheets, Jean-Claude put a finger over Asher's lips, preventing him from asking why they were retiring for the day so much earlier than usual. "Business has been concluded for the night, and I felt like joining you," he murmured.
Before Willow could control herself, a question burst from her mind and was carried out into the open by her voice.
"Why?"
The black-haired vampire looked at her. "We could feel your emotions coming down the hall," he said with a casual shrug. "And we wished to share them with you."
"We're family," Jason said after kissing the side of Willow's flushed face. "Remember?"
"Family doesn't---" she stopped short. Her family wasn't a traditional family. She knew that, and she felt guilty for denying her friends as she flushed more and nodded. "Yeah," she whispered.
"Ma petite is arguing with Richard now," Jean-Claude told Nathaniel as he reached out and stroked the wereleopard's shoulder blade. "Your Nimir-Raj called. He is worried about you."
Nathaniel blinked rapidly, repeatedly. Willow felt his body tightening; instinctively, she reached the nape of his neck and squeezed until he sagged against her again, reacting to the pressure.
"Do not feel guilty," Jean-Claude murmured.
"Can't help it," Nathaniel said on a sigh. "If I wasn't so much of a freak---"
"That word doesn't get used in this room," Willow interrupted. Nathaniel had relaxed, he had finally started to feel a little better about the situation, and then everything they had worked on seemed to have started to crumble. She wanted to keep his spirit intact. She cupped his face in her hands. "You are not a freak, Nathaniel!"
His eyes widened. "Okay... okay," he whispered.
He settled down again. His breath tickled the tops of her breasts but Willow was more comfortable with him hiding her body from view. Jason pouted. "How come he gets the comfy spot?"
Willow glared at him. Jason's face broke into another bright grin.
"Just kidding," he said quietly, still smiling.
"Ah, mon loup," Jean-Claude said on a chuckle, "someday you will learn what to say and what not to say when you have company in your bed."
"Especially when that company can send you flying out of the room with a flick of her hand," Willow mumbled.
Asher smiled, his blue eyes sparkling in the dim lamp light. "What is it they say? You can pick your nose, but you cannot pick your family?" he teased.
Willow took one look at her lover and she burst out into a fit of giggles. Nathaniel and Jason looked at each other before looking at her. They were smiling. Asher was still chuckling, although he looked a little embarrassed. Jean-Claude was grinning. Willow rarely saw him grin so widely that his fangs were exposed and that expression upon his face made her laughter fade away.
"There is a poet lurking somewhere inside of you, mon chardonneret," Jean-Claude murmured as he kissed the other vampire.
"I believe it is too much time with young people and their... quaint expressions," he replied between kisses.
"I do not care," Jean-Claude whispered. "You've been opening up so much lately," he added just as quietly. He turned his head and then turned his dark blue gaze upon Willow. "Do not let us ever scare you from this place, ma chérie."
Willow smiled. "I don't scare easily." She smirked and then added, "But, we might need a bigger bed if anyone else decides to join us."
Jean-Claude chuckled. "There is a bigger bed down the hall," he reminded her, referring to his own room.
"That would mean we'd have to get up," Nathaniel whispered, sounding sleepy again. "Don't wanna."
"Three of us can carry you quite easily."
"Try two," Jason mumbled after yawning. "I'm exhausted."
The Master of the City smiled and chuckled again. Then, he curled up next to Asher. The topic of moving seemed to be discarded. Willow smiled; she watched and listened as they conversed in quiet French. Their voices lulled her back to sleep, Nathaniel back to purring, and Jason into a more peaceful, restful state.
&&&&
Willow woke up when the purring had increased in intensity. She blinked blearily at her surroundings and didn't understand where she was. The stone walls were covered by rich fabrics. There was candles lit, instead of the lamps used in her rooms. A cold body was at her side---when she had fallen asleep, she was surrounded by warmth.
"Don't panic," Jason whispered.
The witch lifted her head to look for Jason. He had been practically on top of her when she closed her eyes but he had sounded further away when he spoke to her.
When she moved, she noticed she was dressed in pajamas. She flushed and then slowly sat up. Nathaniel made a quiet noise of protest, but he stilled when someone else growled softly.
Micah was on Nathaniel's other side. Willow frowned. She felt her brow furrow. She looked around the room and saw that she was in Jean-Claude's bed. Her first thought was that Anita was going to murder her with her bare hands; her second thought was that she might just shoot her quickly if she walked in on them, anger and jealousy overtaking the necromancer.
Nathaniel had been pressed against Willow's body. Asher was on her other side, almost underneath her; he was still, dead to the world. Jason was lying between the vampires, but his body was extended towards the witch.
The wereleopard king turned his cat eyes onto Willow. "When I showed up, Jean-Claude decided to move." He motioned to the pajamas. "Asher thought you'd rather be dressed, so we took Jason and Nathaniel down the hall while he put those on."
Willow flushed. "Oh," she whispered. She reached out and touched Nathaniel's forehead. "How is he?"
"A little better," Micah whispered in reply. "But Anita really needs to talk with him."
The witch nodded. She didn't ask any more questions. Anita's relationships weren't really her business.
"Why'd you decide to---"
"Nathaniel's part of my pard," Micah said firmly. "I'm glad he has you guys to turn to, but he is a part of my pard."
"I'm glad you're here for him," Willow whispered.
The Nimir-Raj looked into Willow's eyes for a long moment without blinking. Then, he nodded once and settled back against Nathaniel's body.
"What time is it?" she asked.
"Eight," Jason mumbled around a yawn.
"So, we can sleep some more, then."
"Please," Jason and Micah said at almost the same time. They shared a quiet chuckle afterwards.
Willow smiled and turned back into the comfortable position, wedged between Asher and Nathaniel, with Jason's hand over her arm. The werewolf smiled at her in the dimly lit room and then he closed his eyes.
"What?" Willow asked in a low whisper.
"I'm glad you're here," he whispered.
"Here, or... like, in St. Louis?"
"Here," Jason replied. "Usually it's only lycanthropes that understand how good it feels to cuddle or sleep together. But... you get it."
"I'm carrying lycanthropy," she reminded him.
He opened his eyes again. "I know. But, you're not... you know... not really. I mean, you're my Lupa. But, you don't shift. Still, you like this stuff."
Willow blushed. "I think I always liked cuddling... but I'm not always comfortable doing it with different people all the time."
"But, you're still here," he said.
She kissed his hand. She didn't know what else to say. She had never been opposed to contact with someone she loved and trusted. But, since being in St. Louis, at the Circus of the Damned, she had become used to sharing touch with many people at once. She had learned that so much pleasure could come from platonic love. Her ideas about what was normal had changed so much in the time St. Louis had become her home.
Part of her worried about what Anita would say if she saw them all together, sleeping in Jean-Claude's bed with two dead-to-the-world vampires. But, the rest of her was being soothed by the scent of the pack and the sound of pard's purring.