AB/BtVS: Nightmares in Waking Life 74/?
TITLE: Nightmares in Waking Life
AUTHOR: 38gnihsurc
RATING: en.sea.xvii, overall
PAIRINGS: All the pairings from the previous two stories---and some new ones, too
SPOILERS: Up until Micah for AB; the whole TV series for the Buffyverse; Alive at Last and Living Underground.
WARNINGS: A little bit of fur... bdsm... the usuals for Anita's crazy, crazy world.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own anyone---except for any original characters that I whip up to do my bidding ;)
NOTE: This story is a sequel to Living Underground.
Previous chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9-11, 12, 13, 14-5, 16-7, 18-9, 20-1, 22, 23, 24-5, 26-7, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32-3, 34-7, 38, 39-40, 41, 42, 43-44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51A, 51B, 52, 53, 54, 55-6, 57, 58A, 58B, 59, 60, 61, 62-63, 64, 65, 66-7, 68-9, 70, 71, 72, 73
PART SEVENTY-FOUR
Willow left Richard sleeping with Emily and some of the other wolves and went out into the corridor. She had been about to sigh but caught sight of a couple new residents and resisted the urge to expel any (emotion that could be construed as) frustration.
Things had started to change; more people were living there, but most lycanthropes were starting to group together, adopting the adage "safety in numbers" as a rule for personal safety.
Richard, Anita, Micah, their guards, and their dependents had moved in at Jean-Claude's insistence. He extended the invitation to other leaders, but so far no one else personally accepted the invitation. Some had petitioned for their seconds-in-command or the weakest amongst their numbers to move to the Circus if they wished to, and Jean-Claude allowed it, provided they paid some sort of rent---either currency or contra. Most offered the latter, which meant that any renovations were being handled by more than the usual work crews and that there was usually always good food in the kitchen area.
Everyone was still adjusting to those quick changes, and while there wasn't much tension yet, there was a nervous energy in the air that no one ignored.
Richard hadn't even been living at the Circus for a whole week and he was beginning to be bothered by the near-constant hum of activity underground; only a few days had passed since Richard discovered the note on his car, which security discovered hadn't been wired to explode.
Willow was doing her best to help him maintain his calm, but while she wasn't too worried about the new tenants, she was worried about the Harlequin. No one was any closer to figuring out if they had come to kill them or observe them and the lack of an answer was weighing on her mind.
She went to the main sitting room in hopes of finding Jean-Claude---in hopes of at least asking him what he thought about their situation---and she found some of the wereleopards, instead.
Among the group, Nathaniel was curled up with Zane, Gregory, and Cherry. Kennedy was sitting on the floor at Micah's feet. She looked angry---but at the same time, she seemed content, and Willow couldn't explain the contradiction of emotions. Micah looked relaxed; he even smiled at Willow when she greeted them all.
"Did Richard talk to the lawyer?" Micah asked.
Willow nodded. "After school today, yeah," she replied. "I was there with him when he made the call."
"What do you think?"
"He sounds like a great guy for the job, if he'll take us on," Willow told him. "There isn't a lot of precedent here, and the lawyer seemed to think that could work for us if it's handled right."
"It could also work against Richard, though, right?"
She nodded again. "Yeah. But, nothing's happened yet."
"Right."
She sighed. "Unfortunately, I don't think it's gonna stay that way."
Micah frowned. "I know. I hate to say it---because there were times when I thought his teaching job was the only thing holding him together---but... yeah. You're probably right."
"Thanks for setting us up with him, though," Willow said. "Asher's already volunteered to pay Richard's legal fees if and when it comes down to that, and if this guy's game to help us, it'll be good to have some groundwork laid out before the shit hits the fan."
Micah nodded. He reached out and took Willow's hand; he seemed to be blissfully unaware of the way Kennedy's features darkened, so Willow tried to ignore the change, too.
"How are you doing?" he asked.
Willow shrugged and looked away from him, towards the floor. "I don't know yet."
"Willow..."
She brought her eyes up so she could look into his face. He was frowning slightly; his feline eyes were focused on her, rounder and larger than usual as he studied her. She pressed her lips together and shook her head.
Micah didn't say or do anything except stand up in response.
He continued to project the calm aura he seemed to almost always use---the one that could help him do anything from talking down an emotional shapeshifter in public to helping Anita through the next upset in her life to processing any other surprise that life in St. Louis seemed to send their way.
She wanted to look away. She wasn't opposed to turning to Micah for help; she had done so a few times before. However, she was so afraid of falling apart and she wasn't sure she had that luxury since nothing terrible was directly happening to her.
Richard---and Asher, in a way---needed her to be strong. The Ulfric was upset and scared. The second round of blackmail was coming at a time when everyone was already feeling a little stressed.
It seemed like more time had gone by since the Harlequin had sent out a round of white masks than had really passed; sometimes Willow could pretend that they'd come and gone, and she knew some of the others who were aware of the situation were beginning to wonder if they had come and gone because there had been no other real sign of them.
Willow, however, couldn't always trick herself. From the snippets of information Giles was able to get to her and from anecdotes Byron and Requiem made when they'd been told of the situation, as well as information from Asher and Jean-Claude, she didn't think the Harlequin would melt back into the shadows without letting Jean-Claude know what they'd decided about their little band of fanged and furry.
If there was really a split in their ranks, it probably wouldn't help their situation much.
And, as Micah looked into her eyes, she felt her strong, emotional walls begin to yield to her thoughts and fears.
She exhaled slowly and shook her head. Micah took a tiny step towards her and took her other hand to hold as well.
"You don't usually resist comfort," he commented quietly.
"I've got to be strong for Richard right now," the redhead said in a similarly quiet voice. "He needs me. I know the swans need me to try to help their problem, too, and I feel bad I can't fix---"
"We've handled that," he interrupted. "We had a little game of furry telephone. It's handled."
Willow sighed and relaxed a little as she mentally lifted that weight off of her shoulders. "Thank you," she whispered.
Micah smiled a bit. "You're welcome. You did most of the heavy lifting by getting those two out of a dangerous situation. Narcissus promised to keep Phanes off the club floor and out of the rooms because of what you started to put in motion." He squeezed her hand. "You did good, Willow."
"Thank you," she repeated.
He guided her into a hug. "Whatever you need to help Richard, let me know," he murmured. "I'm here for you both as Nimir-Raj, and as a friend."
Willow sagged into his embrace. He nuzzled her neck and temple and tightened his hold on her. She played with the loose braid at the back of his neck and focused on relaxing through a few deep breaths. She felt Nathaniel and Cherry join them; even though she wasn't a wereleopard, it felt good to be held by them.
"We're all here for you," Nathaniel whispered.
"I'm so grateful I'm here and that I have friends like you guys," she murmured. "I'm scared for all of us, and I don't know how to be the strong one every second of the day---"
"You don't have to be so strong," Micah interrupted. "We used to tell Anita the same thing. She feels that if she can't be strong, she's weak, but she's not. You're not, either. Asking for help and support isn't a weakness."
"I know... I know. Intellectually, I know."
Micah pulled back enough to look into her eyes. "We're stronger together than we are alone. And we're together now. If you need to break down... tell us, and we'll hold and protect you."
"Asher's gone to work---"
"And he wouldn't see any problem with you seeking comfort from friends," the wereleopard king reminded her. "Sit with us. Let us help you... okay?"
She nodded and tightened her hold on Micah's body. He returned the embrace and purred quietly so the sound rumbled through them all. Willow closed her eyes and buried her face in Micah's shoulder. Nathaniel kissed Willow's back and shoulder before hugging his arms around her and Micah. Cherry rested her head on Willow's arm and stroked the witch's back in slow, long strokes with a calm hand. Willow stayed in their embrace. She took their comfort; she wished it could be Richard or Asher, but she knew Asher was needed to supervise the businesses and Richard needed her for his comfort, so she needed to find comfort from the friends that offered it.
That was how Jean-Claude found her half an hour later.
"Mon cher saule pleureur," he murmured. "What's wrong?"
She lifted her head and looked at the Master of the City. The wereleopards eased away from her as she continued to look into the vampire's eyes, as if they could feel her desire to be with him. She faltered and looked at Micah for a minute.
"Thank you," she whispered.
Micah smiled and nodded. When she looked at Cherry and Nathaniel, they smiled, too.
"I need to..."
"Go ahead," Nathaniel insisted.
She turned from them and went to Jean-Claude. His gentle gaze almost moved her to tears, but he was able to shepherd her out of the room before her eyes filled with excess moisture.
"How is your werewolf king?" he asked quietly.
"I... I... okay, for now," she whispered.
He nodded and ushered her into his suite and into his bedroom. "Ma petite is at work," he explained. He closed the door. "Come sit on the bed with me and let me try to reassure you."
"I'm afraid I'm not going to be enough for him," she admitted, blurting the words out before they made it to the bed. "Please don't tell him. I'm terrified I'm going to fail him and the pack and if he knows how I feel, he won't trust me as much as he does and he needs to trust me right now because he doesn't trust himself and---"
"Shhh, shhh," he whispered. Jean-Claude gathered her into his arms and settled them both on the large bed. He rested against a pile of pillows; she rested against him. He kissed the top of her head and rubbed her back. Micah had been helpful, as had Nathaniel and Cherry, but the amount of power Jean-Claude was allowing her to feel was much more than a warm hug. "You cannot fail Richard. He wants you at his side and that's where you've been since this mess started. He doesn't expect you not to have doubts---"
"He doesn't say it, but he does!" Willow exclaimed. She closed her eyes when their tears spilled onto her cheeks. "If I fail him, he'll never forgive me."
"Willow..."
"I've been the strong one," Willow said quietly. "I've had problems, sure, and I needed him to pull me out of a really dark place, but when it comes to the pack... when it comes to this blackmail stuff, I've been the strength in our partnership. He depends on me to hold it together. He can't know I'm terrified I'll let him down."
"He will not hear it from me," Jean-Claude assured her.
She nodded and sniffled into the vampire's frilly shirt. He rubbed her back and let his power touch her the way it was meant to, between a master vampire and one of his animals to call.
"I need to help Richard be strong," she whispered. "I can't stay glued to you or to Micah for support. That'll make him weak because he'll be crazy with jealousy."
Jean-Claude sighed. He squeezed one of her shoulders. "What can I do?" he asked.
"I don't know," she whispered.
"Do you want me to call Asher back?" he asked. "I haven't seen you so distressed in quite some time."
"I haven't felt this distressed in quite some time," she admitted.
Jean-Claude kissed the top of her head.
"Um... a while ago, before this stuff got worse... Richard suggested taking me to see Marianne, to learn how to be a better pack member by meeting with... Verne and his pack. I don't need that right now, but I think... maybe..."
"You think the time away would help Richard?" Jean-Claude asked.
"If this blows up, if he gets outed... it might," Willow said. "Do you know the Master of the City there?"
"I know of him," Jean-Claude replied. "He is a 'friend' of Augustine's," he added. "I may be able to forge some sort of agreement to allow the two of you into the territory, without the pomp and circumstance that should accompany my témoin's human servant. If the blackmailer keeps his or her end of the bargain, then I'll have enough time to do this properly."
Willow lifted her head and looked at him. "You'll help?"
"Of course," he told her. "Will this help you, too?"
"I... well, yeah?"
Jean-Claude sighed. "Ma chérie, what will help you right now?" he asked. "Do you want to be held? Do you want me to take you to your dungeon? What do you need me to do to help you in this moment?"
"Are you going to get into trouble for holding me?" she asked.
He shook his head. "Ma petite told me what she said to you on the full moon," he said quietly. He smoothed his fingers over her cheek and neck. "She's comfortable with the idea of you and I being friends. Isn't this what friends do?"
She nodded. She felt her lower lip tremble and before she could bite into it to try to stop it, Jean-Claude put his index finger down on the rosy flesh.
"Careful," he whispered. "Don't tempt me."
Willow blushed. He smiled and after a few minutes she smiled back at him. Jean-Claude leaned in and kissed the tracks her tears had made. Then, he hugged her close again. Willow wriggled until she could hold him, too, and she wrapped her arms around his torso.
"Thank you for being here for me," she mumbled. "Micah's a good friend, but... you're Master of the City and you call wolves. I feel better---"
"Because I am Asher's master, and yours, through him?"
She nodded. "You make me feel safe when you do that power thing, in a good way."
He kissed her shoulder. "I want to keep you safe, ma chérie," he murmured. "I want to keep all of us safe. Belle-Morte could not completely hide her fear when we spoke. Killing a Council member... it is not good. I've wondered if I could be the next target. The thought of dragging everyone down to death with me..."
"How come you're not falling apart?" Willow asked.
"I have been alive a lot longer than you," he reminded her.
"Am I weak because I need to break down?"
She looked at him as he contemplated his response to her question. She was afraid he'd say 'yes.' When he shook his head, she trembled. When he spoke, she ached for him.
"I wish I could share my fears with Anita and Asher," he admitted. "I wish I could show my own internal struggles, few as they are at this point in my life. Being Master of the City doesn't allow me those sorts of moments. I can't afford to be ruled by sentimental---"
"With me, you could," she interrupted. "I promise never to use it against you. I promise never to tell anyone---including Asher---unless you give me permission to. If you want to freak out or cry or shout or just tell me what you're scared of... I can keep your secret. You can trust me, you know?"
Jean-Claude's eyes widened. Ma chérie..." he whispered. "I do trust you."
"We could help each other," she pointed out.
"It's been so long since I've shared my deepest insecurities."
"Maybe it's time you did," she suggested.
He granted her access into his mind---far enough so she could see herself the way he saw her in that moment: tears streaming down her face, lips swollen, eyes wide and bloodshot, but looking scared and brave at the same time. She gasped as she felt his reaction to her; it wasn't the love that Asher and Richard felt for her but it was awfully close.
"No one's ever offered me such a gift," he whispered. "Anita loves me, but she needs me to be the stable strength in their triumvirate---or our pentumvirate, I suppose. Asher loves me, but he knows I am Master. Jason loves me, but he knows I am Master, too. Others respect me, seeking my support and protection, but they never offer this. I don't trust them enough for it, either. You know I am Master, but you love me... almost despite that. Your love isn't the love of an acolyte. It's been hard-won. It's had ups and downs in its forming. But, it's there, now."
Willow nodded before she was aware of doing so. "It used to be something I felt because of Asher. And I hated how you could call my wolf. But... I've made my peace. I see you differently than I did when we first met.
"I'm not disillusioned, but I see you as a man, more than as Master, sometimes, I think. I respect you as Master, too, but---"
"I know," he interrupted.
"It doesn't have to be tonight. I mean, in a week or two, if you decide---"
He cut her off again, but this time was by showing her a series of images and sharing with her a series of emotions. She closed down all her shielding, but that which was between her and Jean-Claude; she kept her bond to the Master of the City open and she allowed his thoughts into her mind.
"I'm afraid my quest for a secure stronghold will get us all killed, ma chérie," the black-haired vampire whispered.
He cupped her face in his hands. She put her hands over his and kept eye contact with him as he continued talking. "I'm afraid the Harlequin is after me and they'll kill me without giving us a black mask.
"If they do, I'll drag Anita and Richard and you and Asher down
with me. Damian and Nathaniel down with us. If I do that, it will be
the end of everyone. Some groups will remain whole, but for how long?"
"I understand," she whispered.
He nodded but pressed on, seeming to have decided to take advantage of the moment. "And what if I cannot sever the bonds between us in time?" he asked. "That alone might kill us all---"
"Don't," she interrupted. She blinked back tears. "Jean-Claude, breaking the bond between us isn't the only way."
"If I am at the hands of the---"
"Please don't say that," she whispered. "Anita will bring you back only to kill you again."
Jean-Claude smiled a little as his eyes filled with pinkish tears. "I
know," he murmured.
"I'm going to toughen up," she insisted. "I will keep Richard strong---"
"Not tonight," Jean-Claude interrupted. "Tonight, we share our fears and hold each other close."
Willow nodded. She leaned forward and kissed the vampire's forehead; she didn't know what else to do to offer him comfort. He closed his eyes and accepted the touch. His tears streaked down his face, leaving faint, bloody lines on his porcelain-pale skin.
"Thank you for trusting me with this," she whispered. "It's nice to feel... not-alone."
"I should be thanking you," he whispered back. "Only you could give me such a gift, hmm?"
Willow kissed both of his cheeks and then adjusted her position so she could wrap her arms around his neck. He adjusted his position at the same time; a moment later, he hugged her again. She rested her head on his shoulder and he leaned his head against her forehead. He rubbed his hand over her arm. She rubbed her fingers against his neck and jaw.
They slowly built their shields up together, repairing their fragile emotional states step by step, and when their privacy was interrupted, they were almost back to where they both needed to be.
Jason came into the room, looking worn out and relieved to see them at the same time.
"Room for one more?" he asked quietly.
Jean-Claude's eyes swept over his pomme de sang briefly. Then, he nodded and opened one of his arms to the other man.
"Oui, bien sûr," he murmured.
When Jason got closer, Willow could see that his eyes were red-rimmed, as if he had been crying. She frowned and touched his arm, guiding him over her and next to Jean-Claude, who had eased onto his back to accommodate the werewolf. By the time they were finished moving, Jason was all but on top of the Master of the City and Willow was still tucked into the vampire's side.
"She will not be staying much longer, mon loup," the Master of the City said quietly. He leaned up and pressed his lips into Jason's tousled hair for a quick kiss. "Samuel has recently indicated that if tensions continue to rise, he will be calling the guard back to resume her role as one of his kiss' protectors."
"Yeah?" he asked.
"What about Sampson?" Willow asked.
Jean-Claude turned his head towards the witch. "He will be staying with us for the time being," the vampire replied. "He offered his assistance to us. I've already put him in touch with your Watcher, to discuss what was mentioned during our last phone conversation."
"You've been busy," Willow commented.
"I rise earlier than is expected," he reminded her. "I may be confined underground, but I am not helpless until the sun sets."
Willow's cheeks warmed. "Right," she quietly agreed. She looked up at him. "Can Sampson help Giles?"
"Merpeople are rare," the vampire said. "Sirens are even more rare, given that Samuel believes his wife and son are the only two alive. But, Sampson told me there are others with water-based powers and he has some connections he is willing to share with Mr. Giles for the sake of protecting whatever is in the ocean in that area."
Willow nodded. "Good. Uh, thanks for setting that up. I was going to---"
"I can ask Sampson to give you reports on what happens there," he interjected.
She nodded again. "That'd be great. Thanks."
Jean-Claude smiled and used the arm that was cradling her to guide her closer to his body; she snuggled into him and impulsively touched Jason's shoulder.
"What's wrong?"
He sighed. Then, he said: "Dawn came by. Perdita found out."
"Oh..."
"Perdy's... well, she's started getting..." Jason trailed off. He frowned and tried again. "She found out---probably from the other bodyguards---that I took Dawn out on a date. She's been trying to get me to stop feeding Jean-Claude, because she thinks it's cheating... and then, when she heard about---"
"She got crazier-jealous and confronted the two of you?" Willow asked when Jason stopped talking.
He nodded. "She tried to shove Dawn and I got in between them. Dawn ran off... by the time I could go look for her, I found out that Damian took her home. I tried going to see her, but... she wouldn't let me in."
Willow brushed her hand through his hair. "Oh, Jason," she murmured, frowning. "I'm sorry..."
"Me, too," he mumbled.
"She'll talk to you when she's calmer," the redhead said quietly. "She's upset... but if you want to try to fix it... I think she cares about you enough to at least listen to what you have to say."
Willow wasn't entirely sure that that was the truth. She hoped Dawn would let Jason explain, but she also knew that when it came to matters of the heart in the past, she didn't always react maturely. Willow knew things with Perdita were complicated---as were things with Dawn---so she hoped Jason would get a chance to explain everything, in a way that didn't make things worse.
"I hope you're right," the werewolf said quietly.
Willow squeezed his shoulder. "If she doesn't hear you out, I'll talk to her."
"Thanks," he whispered.
Jean-Claude kissed the top of Jason's head again before murmuring soothing words in French. Willow, so used to Asher doing that when he wished to calm or comfort her, closes her eyes and snuggled deeper into Jean-Claude's body.
When Asher arrived a couple of hours later, Willow started to explain what she was doing in Jean-Claude's bed, with him and Jason, but a warm sensation along their bond stopped her from talking. He eased out of his jacket and draped it over a chair; then, he smiled at the witch and approached the bed.
"I am not mad, mon colibri," he assured her. He sat down and carefully eased himself behind her body. "Mon corbeau explained what I should expect to find when I arrived, but it did not make me angry," he whispered. "Quite the contrary," he added. He kisses the back of her neck. "I enjoy seeing the two of you enjoying each other's company, remember?"
Willow blushed. "Yeah, but---"
"No buts," he interrupted. "Unless---"
Willow guessed he would refer to her backside and she chuckled. He stopped talking, laughed quietly, and then hugged her a bit more.
"How was work?" she asked.
"Relatively uneventful," he replied. "How was your evening?"
"Oh... okay. Hung out with Richard and Emily and some of the other pack members after school let out... then, saw some of the wereleopards... then hung out with Jean-Claude," she told him. "And Jason, when he got here."
"A quiet evening in, then?" he asked.
"More or less," she replied.
"Has Kennedy caused anymore problems?"
"Nope," Willow said with a little shake of her head. "She glared at me, but Micah seems to have her on a pretty short leash."
Asher nipped at the side of her neck. "The best kind," he purred.
Willow laughed. "I don't think it was your kind of leash," she murmured. She reached behind her awkwardly and touched his body. "I missed you," she admitted. "I was okay, but..."
"A human servant often feels better with her vampire," he whispered. He nipped at her earlobe before speaking again. "But I trust Jean-Claude tended to your needs in my absence...?"
Willow removed her hand from his hip and nudged him in the stomach with her elbow. "Get your mind out of the gutter, Goldilocks."
Asher chuckled. "I can't help it," he murmured. "It's in my nature."
He kissed her neck as he snuggled into her, pressing them both into Jean-Claude a bit more. The Master of City smiled and adjusted his hold on Willow and Jason to accommodate Asher's change in position.
"You two aren't lycanthropes," Willow mused aloud, "but you seem to enjoy cuddling almost as much."
"There are things we'd both rather do with such treasures in our arms," the black-haired vampire purred silkily. Asher chuckled as Jean-Claude added: "But, this is still rather pleasant."
"You can feed if you want, Jean-Claude," Jason whispered.
"Non, not tonight, when your heart is so heavy."
"But---"
Jean-Claude stroked his fingers over Jason's spine. He shivered and fell silent, his protests dying away.
"You could give yourself to me, without feeling any resentment towards me for meddling in your life?"
Jason nodded. "Sure," he replied. He lifted his head and rested his chin on the vampire's chest. "You're my master."
"Jason..."
He sighed. "Okay... sure. Part of me feels---well, all of me feels pretty awful, but I'm not giving up my job unless you order me out," he said, explaining his feelings. "And, even then, you'll have to have me dragged out of here. This is part of who I am. Perdita didn't get that. Dawn... well, I don't know. I want to be loved the way Willow and Anita are. Completely. I thought possession was part of it, but maybe I was wrong...
"Anyway, if you feed from me, sure, I'll be able to drown the sad feelings in something better and escape my screw-up. But, it'll also make me feel more like me. Because being your meal ticket is a huge part of me, and it'll remind me of that."
Jean-Claude smiled at the wolf. "Vraiment?"
"I wouldn't hold a grudge," he said to the vampire. "I don't resent you for making me your pomme de sang---I don't resent the job, now, either. It was my fault things got out of hand---not yours."
"But---"
"I let things with Perdita get carried away---and I could've tried harder to keep Dawn at arm's length, but I chose to pursue her," he interrupted. "I screwed up... but feeding you is something I'm usually good at---"
"Always good at," Jean-Claude assured him.
Jason's cheeks turned pink. "Oh... okay. Cool," he mumbled.
"My orders complicated your life," the black-haired vampire said quietly. "I trust you, which is why I gave you the task of getting closer to the mermaid. I hadn't known physical intimacy would be required, but I did know it was a possibility... I am responsible, in a way, for this mess. But, I asked this of you because I trust you."
"I know," Jason murmured as he snuggled his head back into Jean-Claude's body.
Willow thought that was a pretty good non-apology from the Master of the City, who obviously cared a great deal for the werewolf but she didn't say anything.
"Perhaps... in a little while, then," the vampire mused. He rubbed the back of Jason's neck. "Will that suit you?"
"Sure, Boss," the werewolf agreed.
Willow craned her neck to look at Asher; she guessed that if Jean-Claude was going to feed, he might want to, too, and even though he didn't need an invitation, she thought she'd offer one.
"You want---"
"I've already arranged for someone to join us in a little while," he interrupted her. He stroked her neck. "I don't want to mark that beautiful neck of yours right now."
"But, I don't mind..."
Asher smiled and leaned forward. After kissing the corner of her mouth, he said: "Not now, when tensions are running high."
Willow pouted. Asher brushed his fingers over her lips; then, he drew her back against his body.
"If someone targeted you because of a bite on your neck..."
She sighed. "Asher, that's a crummy reason."
"You won't change my mind," he assured her.
The witch huffed.
A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Jean-Claude and Jason moved away from the other pair, into more of a sitting position; they settled as one of the wererat guards opened the door.
"Micah and Kennedy are outside," the man said. "Micah said Asher invited him."
The two vampires shared a brief look and then the darker male assured the guard that was the plan. He moved out of the doorway and the two visitors stepped inside.
Willow turned onto her back and watched them. Micah was at ease, while Kennedy was not. He smiled; she scowled.
"What's up?" Willow asked.
"Kennedy agreed that offering to feed Asher would be a step towards making amends with you two," Micah replied.
"Really?" Willow asked. When he nodded, she looked at Kennedy. "Why?"
"He's important to you and he holds a place of honour and respect in the St. Louis kiss," the slayer said, almost as if she were parroting something Micah had told her.
Willow nodded. She was stressed about the blackmail situation, the Harlequin, and the new living conditions at the Circus weren't helping matters, so she didn't try to pick at the problems with Kennedy's attitude. Micah seemed to be staying in the room, which meant there would be three dominants there to help if events---or Kennedy---spun out of control.
Willow knew she was considered a dominant to the wolves, but she didn't think of herself as much of one that night. She was the tree Kennedy wanted to piss on, for reasons that she didn't quite understand, and in another metaphor Asher was her safe harbour. She knew it was wrong, but she had enough on her plate to worry about to add defending her honour by herself.
"Merci, Kennedy," Asher said, shaking Willow from her thoughts. "If you'd like to take a seat, I'll be with you in a moment."
Micah cleared his throat. Kennedy said: "Yes, sir."
She moved first, sitting where Anita had when Willow and Asher were invited to share Valentine's Day with the necromancer and the Master of the City. Micah followed her; he sat next to her and put his arm over her shoulders. She stiffened but eventually relaxed.
The wereleopard king rewarded her with a few words of praise and a nuzzle of his nose against her temple. Willow watched as the slayer closed her eyes, smiled a little, and flushed. She felt a bit surprised; Kennedy seemed to be warming up to the idea of pard life, no matter how slowly.
She opened her mouth to praise her former lover, but Asher stopped her with an almost-reprimand pushed past her light mental shielding.
His attitude softened and he brushed his fingers over her cheek.
"I won't have her think she's winning by having you at her side through this," he silently explained.
Willow rolled her eyes. "I'm not some prize to be won, Asher---by either of you."
"And yet, I've already won because you love me," he admitted. "This isn't a regular fight for your affections---it's as much about dominance as it is about love and I am concerned about what she will do if she thinks she's in your favour again, before she realises who is in charge."
Willow couldn't disagree with his logic, even though she wished she could. "Fine... fine. What's the plan, then?" she asked him.
"I will draw you a bath," he decided. "Perhaps Jason could join you, if you wouldn't mind, mon colibri?"
She nodded and sat up. After a quick kiss, she asked him out loud: "Join me after?"
"That's a safe bet," he responded. He drew her in close and kissed her again, not ending the embrace until she felt her pulse quicken. "Vas-y," he prompted, motioning towards the bathroom. "I'll see you soon."
Willow excused herself from the bedroom; Jason told her that he'd be in as soon as he could, but as much as she wanted company, she also wanted a little time alone. Baths were rarely a solo event---and to have one in Jean-Claude's tub, the size of which trumped the size of Asher's by at least enough space for two more people, made the bath-time feel like a milestone of some sort.
The redhead took her time, first scanning the shelf of body products, and then preparing the tub. She kept her hearing focused on the bedroom, but she couldn't hear much through the door.
Once the tub was full enough for her taste, she set some towels on the ledge, pulled her hair up into a messy bun, and undressed.
A cursory swipe of her finger through the water made her smile; it was at an ideal temperature for soaking.
She eased into the water, groaning quietly in pleasure until the heat enveloped her shoulders. She guessed she'd have to drain the tub a little in order to wash her hair, but she quickly decided that she wouldn't do that until she was done soaking up the relaxing heat.
Halfway through her soak, she leaned back into the curved wall of the tub. She closed her eyes and groaned again as she relaxed into the new position.
"Is everything okay?"
Jason's voice, muffled by the door, carried concern as well as the mixture of exhaustion and arousal it usually held after a feeding of any length of time.
Willow opened her eyes; she was still alone in the room. She called out: "I'm fine, Jason, just a little tenser than I thought."
"I could help with that."
She didn't sigh because she didn't was him to hear the sound---and because she wasn't entirely opposed to him helping with her muscle tension. His presence as her familiar and fellow packmember would help her relax even more.
"C'mon in," she said.
Jason opened the door and peeked inside. He was sporting a fresh bite mark on his wrist and a small smile on his face.
"Asher's just feeding now," he said as he came in and closed the door. "Jean-Claude said they'd probably be in to join us in ten or twenty minutes."
"How's it going?" Willow asked.
"She seems okay with it," he replied. He slithered out of his shorts and let them drop to the floor near her clothes. "I don't know," he added. "Maybe I shouldn't be the judge of---"
"I trust your assessment," Willow murmured. "You're good with people, and at reading them."
A frown darkened his face. Willow sighed and reached out for him.
"Dawn will come around," she assured him as their fingers tangled together. "She cares about you too much to just cut you off completely."
"I really hope you're right," he said quietly.
Willow nodded; she really hoped she was right, too.
"Get in," she instructed. "I'm not the only one needing some comfort."
Jason conceded her point with a few shakes of his head. He climbed into the tub, and they worked together to find a comfortable position. Willow felt an erection pressing into her hip but she adhered to shapeshifter policy and ignored it; as the minutes passed, she felt the awkwardness and tension giving way to blissful comfort.
TBC...
AUTHOR: 38gnihsurc
RATING: en.sea.xvii, overall
PAIRINGS: All the pairings from the previous two stories---and some new ones, too
SPOILERS: Up until Micah for AB; the whole TV series for the Buffyverse; Alive at Last and Living Underground.
WARNINGS: A little bit of fur... bdsm... the usuals for Anita's crazy, crazy world.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own anyone---except for any original characters that I whip up to do my bidding ;)
NOTE: This story is a sequel to Living Underground.
Previous chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9-11, 12, 13, 14-5, 16-7, 18-9, 20-1, 22, 23, 24-5, 26-7, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32-3, 34-7, 38, 39-40, 41, 42, 43-44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51A, 51B, 52, 53, 54, 55-6, 57, 58A, 58B, 59, 60, 61, 62-63, 64, 65, 66-7, 68-9, 70, 71, 72, 73
PART SEVENTY-FOUR
Willow left Richard sleeping with Emily and some of the other wolves and went out into the corridor. She had been about to sigh but caught sight of a couple new residents and resisted the urge to expel any (emotion that could be construed as) frustration.
Things had started to change; more people were living there, but most lycanthropes were starting to group together, adopting the adage "safety in numbers" as a rule for personal safety.
Richard, Anita, Micah, their guards, and their dependents had moved in at Jean-Claude's insistence. He extended the invitation to other leaders, but so far no one else personally accepted the invitation. Some had petitioned for their seconds-in-command or the weakest amongst their numbers to move to the Circus if they wished to, and Jean-Claude allowed it, provided they paid some sort of rent---either currency or contra. Most offered the latter, which meant that any renovations were being handled by more than the usual work crews and that there was usually always good food in the kitchen area.
Everyone was still adjusting to those quick changes, and while there wasn't much tension yet, there was a nervous energy in the air that no one ignored.
Richard hadn't even been living at the Circus for a whole week and he was beginning to be bothered by the near-constant hum of activity underground; only a few days had passed since Richard discovered the note on his car, which security discovered hadn't been wired to explode.
Willow was doing her best to help him maintain his calm, but while she wasn't too worried about the new tenants, she was worried about the Harlequin. No one was any closer to figuring out if they had come to kill them or observe them and the lack of an answer was weighing on her mind.
She went to the main sitting room in hopes of finding Jean-Claude---in hopes of at least asking him what he thought about their situation---and she found some of the wereleopards, instead.
Among the group, Nathaniel was curled up with Zane, Gregory, and Cherry. Kennedy was sitting on the floor at Micah's feet. She looked angry---but at the same time, she seemed content, and Willow couldn't explain the contradiction of emotions. Micah looked relaxed; he even smiled at Willow when she greeted them all.
"Did Richard talk to the lawyer?" Micah asked.
Willow nodded. "After school today, yeah," she replied. "I was there with him when he made the call."
"What do you think?"
"He sounds like a great guy for the job, if he'll take us on," Willow told him. "There isn't a lot of precedent here, and the lawyer seemed to think that could work for us if it's handled right."
"It could also work against Richard, though, right?"
She nodded again. "Yeah. But, nothing's happened yet."
"Right."
She sighed. "Unfortunately, I don't think it's gonna stay that way."
Micah frowned. "I know. I hate to say it---because there were times when I thought his teaching job was the only thing holding him together---but... yeah. You're probably right."
"Thanks for setting us up with him, though," Willow said. "Asher's already volunteered to pay Richard's legal fees if and when it comes down to that, and if this guy's game to help us, it'll be good to have some groundwork laid out before the shit hits the fan."
Micah nodded. He reached out and took Willow's hand; he seemed to be blissfully unaware of the way Kennedy's features darkened, so Willow tried to ignore the change, too.
"How are you doing?" he asked.
Willow shrugged and looked away from him, towards the floor. "I don't know yet."
"Willow..."
She brought her eyes up so she could look into his face. He was frowning slightly; his feline eyes were focused on her, rounder and larger than usual as he studied her. She pressed her lips together and shook her head.
Micah didn't say or do anything except stand up in response.
He continued to project the calm aura he seemed to almost always use---the one that could help him do anything from talking down an emotional shapeshifter in public to helping Anita through the next upset in her life to processing any other surprise that life in St. Louis seemed to send their way.
She wanted to look away. She wasn't opposed to turning to Micah for help; she had done so a few times before. However, she was so afraid of falling apart and she wasn't sure she had that luxury since nothing terrible was directly happening to her.
Richard---and Asher, in a way---needed her to be strong. The Ulfric was upset and scared. The second round of blackmail was coming at a time when everyone was already feeling a little stressed.
It seemed like more time had gone by since the Harlequin had sent out a round of white masks than had really passed; sometimes Willow could pretend that they'd come and gone, and she knew some of the others who were aware of the situation were beginning to wonder if they had come and gone because there had been no other real sign of them.
Willow, however, couldn't always trick herself. From the snippets of information Giles was able to get to her and from anecdotes Byron and Requiem made when they'd been told of the situation, as well as information from Asher and Jean-Claude, she didn't think the Harlequin would melt back into the shadows without letting Jean-Claude know what they'd decided about their little band of fanged and furry.
If there was really a split in their ranks, it probably wouldn't help their situation much.
And, as Micah looked into her eyes, she felt her strong, emotional walls begin to yield to her thoughts and fears.
She exhaled slowly and shook her head. Micah took a tiny step towards her and took her other hand to hold as well.
"You don't usually resist comfort," he commented quietly.
"I've got to be strong for Richard right now," the redhead said in a similarly quiet voice. "He needs me. I know the swans need me to try to help their problem, too, and I feel bad I can't fix---"
"We've handled that," he interrupted. "We had a little game of furry telephone. It's handled."
Willow sighed and relaxed a little as she mentally lifted that weight off of her shoulders. "Thank you," she whispered.
Micah smiled a bit. "You're welcome. You did most of the heavy lifting by getting those two out of a dangerous situation. Narcissus promised to keep Phanes off the club floor and out of the rooms because of what you started to put in motion." He squeezed her hand. "You did good, Willow."
"Thank you," she repeated.
He guided her into a hug. "Whatever you need to help Richard, let me know," he murmured. "I'm here for you both as Nimir-Raj, and as a friend."
Willow sagged into his embrace. He nuzzled her neck and temple and tightened his hold on her. She played with the loose braid at the back of his neck and focused on relaxing through a few deep breaths. She felt Nathaniel and Cherry join them; even though she wasn't a wereleopard, it felt good to be held by them.
"We're all here for you," Nathaniel whispered.
"I'm so grateful I'm here and that I have friends like you guys," she murmured. "I'm scared for all of us, and I don't know how to be the strong one every second of the day---"
"You don't have to be so strong," Micah interrupted. "We used to tell Anita the same thing. She feels that if she can't be strong, she's weak, but she's not. You're not, either. Asking for help and support isn't a weakness."
"I know... I know. Intellectually, I know."
Micah pulled back enough to look into her eyes. "We're stronger together than we are alone. And we're together now. If you need to break down... tell us, and we'll hold and protect you."
"Asher's gone to work---"
"And he wouldn't see any problem with you seeking comfort from friends," the wereleopard king reminded her. "Sit with us. Let us help you... okay?"
She nodded and tightened her hold on Micah's body. He returned the embrace and purred quietly so the sound rumbled through them all. Willow closed her eyes and buried her face in Micah's shoulder. Nathaniel kissed Willow's back and shoulder before hugging his arms around her and Micah. Cherry rested her head on Willow's arm and stroked the witch's back in slow, long strokes with a calm hand. Willow stayed in their embrace. She took their comfort; she wished it could be Richard or Asher, but she knew Asher was needed to supervise the businesses and Richard needed her for his comfort, so she needed to find comfort from the friends that offered it.
That was how Jean-Claude found her half an hour later.
"Mon cher saule pleureur," he murmured. "What's wrong?"
She lifted her head and looked at the Master of the City. The wereleopards eased away from her as she continued to look into the vampire's eyes, as if they could feel her desire to be with him. She faltered and looked at Micah for a minute.
"Thank you," she whispered.
Micah smiled and nodded. When she looked at Cherry and Nathaniel, they smiled, too.
"I need to..."
"Go ahead," Nathaniel insisted.
She turned from them and went to Jean-Claude. His gentle gaze almost moved her to tears, but he was able to shepherd her out of the room before her eyes filled with excess moisture.
"How is your werewolf king?" he asked quietly.
"I... I... okay, for now," she whispered.
He nodded and ushered her into his suite and into his bedroom. "Ma petite is at work," he explained. He closed the door. "Come sit on the bed with me and let me try to reassure you."
"I'm afraid I'm not going to be enough for him," she admitted, blurting the words out before they made it to the bed. "Please don't tell him. I'm terrified I'm going to fail him and the pack and if he knows how I feel, he won't trust me as much as he does and he needs to trust me right now because he doesn't trust himself and---"
"Shhh, shhh," he whispered. Jean-Claude gathered her into his arms and settled them both on the large bed. He rested against a pile of pillows; she rested against him. He kissed the top of her head and rubbed her back. Micah had been helpful, as had Nathaniel and Cherry, but the amount of power Jean-Claude was allowing her to feel was much more than a warm hug. "You cannot fail Richard. He wants you at his side and that's where you've been since this mess started. He doesn't expect you not to have doubts---"
"He doesn't say it, but he does!" Willow exclaimed. She closed her eyes when their tears spilled onto her cheeks. "If I fail him, he'll never forgive me."
"Willow..."
"I've been the strong one," Willow said quietly. "I've had problems, sure, and I needed him to pull me out of a really dark place, but when it comes to the pack... when it comes to this blackmail stuff, I've been the strength in our partnership. He depends on me to hold it together. He can't know I'm terrified I'll let him down."
"He will not hear it from me," Jean-Claude assured her.
She nodded and sniffled into the vampire's frilly shirt. He rubbed her back and let his power touch her the way it was meant to, between a master vampire and one of his animals to call.
"I need to help Richard be strong," she whispered. "I can't stay glued to you or to Micah for support. That'll make him weak because he'll be crazy with jealousy."
Jean-Claude sighed. He squeezed one of her shoulders. "What can I do?" he asked.
"I don't know," she whispered.
"Do you want me to call Asher back?" he asked. "I haven't seen you so distressed in quite some time."
"I haven't felt this distressed in quite some time," she admitted.
Jean-Claude kissed the top of her head.
"Um... a while ago, before this stuff got worse... Richard suggested taking me to see Marianne, to learn how to be a better pack member by meeting with... Verne and his pack. I don't need that right now, but I think... maybe..."
"You think the time away would help Richard?" Jean-Claude asked.
"If this blows up, if he gets outed... it might," Willow said. "Do you know the Master of the City there?"
"I know of him," Jean-Claude replied. "He is a 'friend' of Augustine's," he added. "I may be able to forge some sort of agreement to allow the two of you into the territory, without the pomp and circumstance that should accompany my témoin's human servant. If the blackmailer keeps his or her end of the bargain, then I'll have enough time to do this properly."
Willow lifted her head and looked at him. "You'll help?"
"Of course," he told her. "Will this help you, too?"
"I... well, yeah?"
Jean-Claude sighed. "Ma chérie, what will help you right now?" he asked. "Do you want to be held? Do you want me to take you to your dungeon? What do you need me to do to help you in this moment?"
"Are you going to get into trouble for holding me?" she asked.
He shook his head. "Ma petite told me what she said to you on the full moon," he said quietly. He smoothed his fingers over her cheek and neck. "She's comfortable with the idea of you and I being friends. Isn't this what friends do?"
She nodded. She felt her lower lip tremble and before she could bite into it to try to stop it, Jean-Claude put his index finger down on the rosy flesh.
"Careful," he whispered. "Don't tempt me."
Willow blushed. He smiled and after a few minutes she smiled back at him. Jean-Claude leaned in and kissed the tracks her tears had made. Then, he hugged her close again. Willow wriggled until she could hold him, too, and she wrapped her arms around his torso.
"Thank you for being here for me," she mumbled. "Micah's a good friend, but... you're Master of the City and you call wolves. I feel better---"
"Because I am Asher's master, and yours, through him?"
She nodded. "You make me feel safe when you do that power thing, in a good way."
He kissed her shoulder. "I want to keep you safe, ma chérie," he murmured. "I want to keep all of us safe. Belle-Morte could not completely hide her fear when we spoke. Killing a Council member... it is not good. I've wondered if I could be the next target. The thought of dragging everyone down to death with me..."
"How come you're not falling apart?" Willow asked.
"I have been alive a lot longer than you," he reminded her.
"Am I weak because I need to break down?"
She looked at him as he contemplated his response to her question. She was afraid he'd say 'yes.' When he shook his head, she trembled. When he spoke, she ached for him.
"I wish I could share my fears with Anita and Asher," he admitted. "I wish I could show my own internal struggles, few as they are at this point in my life. Being Master of the City doesn't allow me those sorts of moments. I can't afford to be ruled by sentimental---"
"With me, you could," she interrupted. "I promise never to use it against you. I promise never to tell anyone---including Asher---unless you give me permission to. If you want to freak out or cry or shout or just tell me what you're scared of... I can keep your secret. You can trust me, you know?"
Jean-Claude's eyes widened. Ma chérie..." he whispered. "I do trust you."
"We could help each other," she pointed out.
"It's been so long since I've shared my deepest insecurities."
"Maybe it's time you did," she suggested.
He granted her access into his mind---far enough so she could see herself the way he saw her in that moment: tears streaming down her face, lips swollen, eyes wide and bloodshot, but looking scared and brave at the same time. She gasped as she felt his reaction to her; it wasn't the love that Asher and Richard felt for her but it was awfully close.
"No one's ever offered me such a gift," he whispered. "Anita loves me, but she needs me to be the stable strength in their triumvirate---or our pentumvirate, I suppose. Asher loves me, but he knows I am Master. Jason loves me, but he knows I am Master, too. Others respect me, seeking my support and protection, but they never offer this. I don't trust them enough for it, either. You know I am Master, but you love me... almost despite that. Your love isn't the love of an acolyte. It's been hard-won. It's had ups and downs in its forming. But, it's there, now."
Willow nodded before she was aware of doing so. "It used to be something I felt because of Asher. And I hated how you could call my wolf. But... I've made my peace. I see you differently than I did when we first met.
"I'm not disillusioned, but I see you as a man, more than as Master, sometimes, I think. I respect you as Master, too, but---"
"I know," he interrupted.
"It doesn't have to be tonight. I mean, in a week or two, if you decide---"
He cut her off again, but this time was by showing her a series of images and sharing with her a series of emotions. She closed down all her shielding, but that which was between her and Jean-Claude; she kept her bond to the Master of the City open and she allowed his thoughts into her mind.
"I'm afraid my quest for a secure stronghold will get us all killed, ma chérie," the black-haired vampire whispered.
He cupped her face in his hands. She put her hands over his and kept eye contact with him as he continued talking. "I'm afraid the Harlequin is after me and they'll kill me without giving us a black mask.
"If they do, I'll drag Anita and Richard and you and Asher down
with me. Damian and Nathaniel down with us. If I do that, it will be
the end of everyone. Some groups will remain whole, but for how long?"
"I understand," she whispered.
He nodded but pressed on, seeming to have decided to take advantage of the moment. "And what if I cannot sever the bonds between us in time?" he asked. "That alone might kill us all---"
"Don't," she interrupted. She blinked back tears. "Jean-Claude, breaking the bond between us isn't the only way."
"If I am at the hands of the---"
"Please don't say that," she whispered. "Anita will bring you back only to kill you again."
Jean-Claude smiled a little as his eyes filled with pinkish tears. "I
know," he murmured.
"I'm going to toughen up," she insisted. "I will keep Richard strong---"
"Not tonight," Jean-Claude interrupted. "Tonight, we share our fears and hold each other close."
Willow nodded. She leaned forward and kissed the vampire's forehead; she didn't know what else to do to offer him comfort. He closed his eyes and accepted the touch. His tears streaked down his face, leaving faint, bloody lines on his porcelain-pale skin.
"Thank you for trusting me with this," she whispered. "It's nice to feel... not-alone."
"I should be thanking you," he whispered back. "Only you could give me such a gift, hmm?"
Willow kissed both of his cheeks and then adjusted her position so she could wrap her arms around his neck. He adjusted his position at the same time; a moment later, he hugged her again. She rested her head on his shoulder and he leaned his head against her forehead. He rubbed his hand over her arm. She rubbed her fingers against his neck and jaw.
They slowly built their shields up together, repairing their fragile emotional states step by step, and when their privacy was interrupted, they were almost back to where they both needed to be.
Jason came into the room, looking worn out and relieved to see them at the same time.
"Room for one more?" he asked quietly.
Jean-Claude's eyes swept over his pomme de sang briefly. Then, he nodded and opened one of his arms to the other man.
"Oui, bien sûr," he murmured.
When Jason got closer, Willow could see that his eyes were red-rimmed, as if he had been crying. She frowned and touched his arm, guiding him over her and next to Jean-Claude, who had eased onto his back to accommodate the werewolf. By the time they were finished moving, Jason was all but on top of the Master of the City and Willow was still tucked into the vampire's side.
"She will not be staying much longer, mon loup," the Master of the City said quietly. He leaned up and pressed his lips into Jason's tousled hair for a quick kiss. "Samuel has recently indicated that if tensions continue to rise, he will be calling the guard back to resume her role as one of his kiss' protectors."
"Yeah?" he asked.
"What about Sampson?" Willow asked.
Jean-Claude turned his head towards the witch. "He will be staying with us for the time being," the vampire replied. "He offered his assistance to us. I've already put him in touch with your Watcher, to discuss what was mentioned during our last phone conversation."
"You've been busy," Willow commented.
"I rise earlier than is expected," he reminded her. "I may be confined underground, but I am not helpless until the sun sets."
Willow's cheeks warmed. "Right," she quietly agreed. She looked up at him. "Can Sampson help Giles?"
"Merpeople are rare," the vampire said. "Sirens are even more rare, given that Samuel believes his wife and son are the only two alive. But, Sampson told me there are others with water-based powers and he has some connections he is willing to share with Mr. Giles for the sake of protecting whatever is in the ocean in that area."
Willow nodded. "Good. Uh, thanks for setting that up. I was going to---"
"I can ask Sampson to give you reports on what happens there," he interjected.
She nodded again. "That'd be great. Thanks."
Jean-Claude smiled and used the arm that was cradling her to guide her closer to his body; she snuggled into him and impulsively touched Jason's shoulder.
"What's wrong?"
He sighed. Then, he said: "Dawn came by. Perdita found out."
"Oh..."
"Perdy's... well, she's started getting..." Jason trailed off. He frowned and tried again. "She found out---probably from the other bodyguards---that I took Dawn out on a date. She's been trying to get me to stop feeding Jean-Claude, because she thinks it's cheating... and then, when she heard about---"
"She got crazier-jealous and confronted the two of you?" Willow asked when Jason stopped talking.
He nodded. "She tried to shove Dawn and I got in between them. Dawn ran off... by the time I could go look for her, I found out that Damian took her home. I tried going to see her, but... she wouldn't let me in."
Willow brushed her hand through his hair. "Oh, Jason," she murmured, frowning. "I'm sorry..."
"Me, too," he mumbled.
"She'll talk to you when she's calmer," the redhead said quietly. "She's upset... but if you want to try to fix it... I think she cares about you enough to at least listen to what you have to say."
Willow wasn't entirely sure that that was the truth. She hoped Dawn would let Jason explain, but she also knew that when it came to matters of the heart in the past, she didn't always react maturely. Willow knew things with Perdita were complicated---as were things with Dawn---so she hoped Jason would get a chance to explain everything, in a way that didn't make things worse.
"I hope you're right," the werewolf said quietly.
Willow squeezed his shoulder. "If she doesn't hear you out, I'll talk to her."
"Thanks," he whispered.
Jean-Claude kissed the top of Jason's head again before murmuring soothing words in French. Willow, so used to Asher doing that when he wished to calm or comfort her, closes her eyes and snuggled deeper into Jean-Claude's body.
When Asher arrived a couple of hours later, Willow started to explain what she was doing in Jean-Claude's bed, with him and Jason, but a warm sensation along their bond stopped her from talking. He eased out of his jacket and draped it over a chair; then, he smiled at the witch and approached the bed.
"I am not mad, mon colibri," he assured her. He sat down and carefully eased himself behind her body. "Mon corbeau explained what I should expect to find when I arrived, but it did not make me angry," he whispered. "Quite the contrary," he added. He kisses the back of her neck. "I enjoy seeing the two of you enjoying each other's company, remember?"
Willow blushed. "Yeah, but---"
"No buts," he interrupted. "Unless---"
Willow guessed he would refer to her backside and she chuckled. He stopped talking, laughed quietly, and then hugged her a bit more.
"How was work?" she asked.
"Relatively uneventful," he replied. "How was your evening?"
"Oh... okay. Hung out with Richard and Emily and some of the other pack members after school let out... then, saw some of the wereleopards... then hung out with Jean-Claude," she told him. "And Jason, when he got here."
"A quiet evening in, then?" he asked.
"More or less," she replied.
"Has Kennedy caused anymore problems?"
"Nope," Willow said with a little shake of her head. "She glared at me, but Micah seems to have her on a pretty short leash."
Asher nipped at the side of her neck. "The best kind," he purred.
Willow laughed. "I don't think it was your kind of leash," she murmured. She reached behind her awkwardly and touched his body. "I missed you," she admitted. "I was okay, but..."
"A human servant often feels better with her vampire," he whispered. He nipped at her earlobe before speaking again. "But I trust Jean-Claude tended to your needs in my absence...?"
Willow removed her hand from his hip and nudged him in the stomach with her elbow. "Get your mind out of the gutter, Goldilocks."
Asher chuckled. "I can't help it," he murmured. "It's in my nature."
He kissed her neck as he snuggled into her, pressing them both into Jean-Claude a bit more. The Master of City smiled and adjusted his hold on Willow and Jason to accommodate Asher's change in position.
"You two aren't lycanthropes," Willow mused aloud, "but you seem to enjoy cuddling almost as much."
"There are things we'd both rather do with such treasures in our arms," the black-haired vampire purred silkily. Asher chuckled as Jean-Claude added: "But, this is still rather pleasant."
"You can feed if you want, Jean-Claude," Jason whispered.
"Non, not tonight, when your heart is so heavy."
"But---"
Jean-Claude stroked his fingers over Jason's spine. He shivered and fell silent, his protests dying away.
"You could give yourself to me, without feeling any resentment towards me for meddling in your life?"
Jason nodded. "Sure," he replied. He lifted his head and rested his chin on the vampire's chest. "You're my master."
"Jason..."
He sighed. "Okay... sure. Part of me feels---well, all of me feels pretty awful, but I'm not giving up my job unless you order me out," he said, explaining his feelings. "And, even then, you'll have to have me dragged out of here. This is part of who I am. Perdita didn't get that. Dawn... well, I don't know. I want to be loved the way Willow and Anita are. Completely. I thought possession was part of it, but maybe I was wrong...
"Anyway, if you feed from me, sure, I'll be able to drown the sad feelings in something better and escape my screw-up. But, it'll also make me feel more like me. Because being your meal ticket is a huge part of me, and it'll remind me of that."
Jean-Claude smiled at the wolf. "Vraiment?"
"I wouldn't hold a grudge," he said to the vampire. "I don't resent you for making me your pomme de sang---I don't resent the job, now, either. It was my fault things got out of hand---not yours."
"But---"
"I let things with Perdita get carried away---and I could've tried harder to keep Dawn at arm's length, but I chose to pursue her," he interrupted. "I screwed up... but feeding you is something I'm usually good at---"
"Always good at," Jean-Claude assured him.
Jason's cheeks turned pink. "Oh... okay. Cool," he mumbled.
"My orders complicated your life," the black-haired vampire said quietly. "I trust you, which is why I gave you the task of getting closer to the mermaid. I hadn't known physical intimacy would be required, but I did know it was a possibility... I am responsible, in a way, for this mess. But, I asked this of you because I trust you."
"I know," Jason murmured as he snuggled his head back into Jean-Claude's body.
Willow thought that was a pretty good non-apology from the Master of the City, who obviously cared a great deal for the werewolf but she didn't say anything.
"Perhaps... in a little while, then," the vampire mused. He rubbed the back of Jason's neck. "Will that suit you?"
"Sure, Boss," the werewolf agreed.
Willow craned her neck to look at Asher; she guessed that if Jean-Claude was going to feed, he might want to, too, and even though he didn't need an invitation, she thought she'd offer one.
"You want---"
"I've already arranged for someone to join us in a little while," he interrupted her. He stroked her neck. "I don't want to mark that beautiful neck of yours right now."
"But, I don't mind..."
Asher smiled and leaned forward. After kissing the corner of her mouth, he said: "Not now, when tensions are running high."
Willow pouted. Asher brushed his fingers over her lips; then, he drew her back against his body.
"If someone targeted you because of a bite on your neck..."
She sighed. "Asher, that's a crummy reason."
"You won't change my mind," he assured her.
The witch huffed.
A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Jean-Claude and Jason moved away from the other pair, into more of a sitting position; they settled as one of the wererat guards opened the door.
"Micah and Kennedy are outside," the man said. "Micah said Asher invited him."
The two vampires shared a brief look and then the darker male assured the guard that was the plan. He moved out of the doorway and the two visitors stepped inside.
Willow turned onto her back and watched them. Micah was at ease, while Kennedy was not. He smiled; she scowled.
"What's up?" Willow asked.
"Kennedy agreed that offering to feed Asher would be a step towards making amends with you two," Micah replied.
"Really?" Willow asked. When he nodded, she looked at Kennedy. "Why?"
"He's important to you and he holds a place of honour and respect in the St. Louis kiss," the slayer said, almost as if she were parroting something Micah had told her.
Willow nodded. She was stressed about the blackmail situation, the Harlequin, and the new living conditions at the Circus weren't helping matters, so she didn't try to pick at the problems with Kennedy's attitude. Micah seemed to be staying in the room, which meant there would be three dominants there to help if events---or Kennedy---spun out of control.
Willow knew she was considered a dominant to the wolves, but she didn't think of herself as much of one that night. She was the tree Kennedy wanted to piss on, for reasons that she didn't quite understand, and in another metaphor Asher was her safe harbour. She knew it was wrong, but she had enough on her plate to worry about to add defending her honour by herself.
"Merci, Kennedy," Asher said, shaking Willow from her thoughts. "If you'd like to take a seat, I'll be with you in a moment."
Micah cleared his throat. Kennedy said: "Yes, sir."
She moved first, sitting where Anita had when Willow and Asher were invited to share Valentine's Day with the necromancer and the Master of the City. Micah followed her; he sat next to her and put his arm over her shoulders. She stiffened but eventually relaxed.
The wereleopard king rewarded her with a few words of praise and a nuzzle of his nose against her temple. Willow watched as the slayer closed her eyes, smiled a little, and flushed. She felt a bit surprised; Kennedy seemed to be warming up to the idea of pard life, no matter how slowly.
She opened her mouth to praise her former lover, but Asher stopped her with an almost-reprimand pushed past her light mental shielding.
His attitude softened and he brushed his fingers over her cheek.
"I won't have her think she's winning by having you at her side through this," he silently explained.
Willow rolled her eyes. "I'm not some prize to be won, Asher---by either of you."
"And yet, I've already won because you love me," he admitted. "This isn't a regular fight for your affections---it's as much about dominance as it is about love and I am concerned about what she will do if she thinks she's in your favour again, before she realises who is in charge."
Willow couldn't disagree with his logic, even though she wished she could. "Fine... fine. What's the plan, then?" she asked him.
"I will draw you a bath," he decided. "Perhaps Jason could join you, if you wouldn't mind, mon colibri?"
She nodded and sat up. After a quick kiss, she asked him out loud: "Join me after?"
"That's a safe bet," he responded. He drew her in close and kissed her again, not ending the embrace until she felt her pulse quicken. "Vas-y," he prompted, motioning towards the bathroom. "I'll see you soon."
Willow excused herself from the bedroom; Jason told her that he'd be in as soon as he could, but as much as she wanted company, she also wanted a little time alone. Baths were rarely a solo event---and to have one in Jean-Claude's tub, the size of which trumped the size of Asher's by at least enough space for two more people, made the bath-time feel like a milestone of some sort.
The redhead took her time, first scanning the shelf of body products, and then preparing the tub. She kept her hearing focused on the bedroom, but she couldn't hear much through the door.
Once the tub was full enough for her taste, she set some towels on the ledge, pulled her hair up into a messy bun, and undressed.
A cursory swipe of her finger through the water made her smile; it was at an ideal temperature for soaking.
She eased into the water, groaning quietly in pleasure until the heat enveloped her shoulders. She guessed she'd have to drain the tub a little in order to wash her hair, but she quickly decided that she wouldn't do that until she was done soaking up the relaxing heat.
Halfway through her soak, she leaned back into the curved wall of the tub. She closed her eyes and groaned again as she relaxed into the new position.
"Is everything okay?"
Jason's voice, muffled by the door, carried concern as well as the mixture of exhaustion and arousal it usually held after a feeding of any length of time.
Willow opened her eyes; she was still alone in the room. She called out: "I'm fine, Jason, just a little tenser than I thought."
"I could help with that."
She didn't sigh because she didn't was him to hear the sound---and because she wasn't entirely opposed to him helping with her muscle tension. His presence as her familiar and fellow packmember would help her relax even more.
"C'mon in," she said.
Jason opened the door and peeked inside. He was sporting a fresh bite mark on his wrist and a small smile on his face.
"Asher's just feeding now," he said as he came in and closed the door. "Jean-Claude said they'd probably be in to join us in ten or twenty minutes."
"How's it going?" Willow asked.
"She seems okay with it," he replied. He slithered out of his shorts and let them drop to the floor near her clothes. "I don't know," he added. "Maybe I shouldn't be the judge of---"
"I trust your assessment," Willow murmured. "You're good with people, and at reading them."
A frown darkened his face. Willow sighed and reached out for him.
"Dawn will come around," she assured him as their fingers tangled together. "She cares about you too much to just cut you off completely."
"I really hope you're right," he said quietly.
Willow nodded; she really hoped she was right, too.
"Get in," she instructed. "I'm not the only one needing some comfort."
Jason conceded her point with a few shakes of his head. He climbed into the tub, and they worked together to find a comfortable position. Willow felt an erection pressing into her hip but she adhered to shapeshifter policy and ignored it; as the minutes passed, she felt the awkwardness and tension giving way to blissful comfort.
TBC...