The House of the Rising Sun, Chapter Seventeen

[ladydeathfaerie]

Title: House of the Rising Sun
Fandoms: a cross over between Marvel's X-Men (to some degree) Universe and the Anita Blake Universe
Rating: no one under 18. there will be blood and gore, sex and violence. dirty language and whatever else i feel like tossing in here.
Warning: as i said, sex and violence and dirty words. said sex will include, but not be limited to, M/F, M/M, M/F/F, F/F, M/M/F and probably any other combination i can work out. weak stomach, not my fault. you have been warned.
Disclaimer: i do not own anyone from the Marvel universe. i do not own anyone from the Anita Blake universe. i don't even own Gin. i'm lucky to own myself. i swear i'm not making any money from this. i just do what the sick voices inside my head tell me to. i write purely for my enjoyment. and possibly the comments. please don't sue, harass or bother me. i have no money to pay you, but i do have a really nasty temper. and i know some good cuss words.

The House of the Rising Sun: The Index

They finished the meal in silence, only the occasional sound of silverware against china to suggest there was anyone alive and breathing in the room. Edward stole covert looks at the girl, trying to get a good read on her. He was usually better at that than he had been with Jo. The real her was too well hidden away behind her protective layers. It made him wonder just what the girl's life had been like before she'd gone to New Orleans.

When her plate was clear, Jo stood out of her chair and headed over to the dresser where her dress was folded up. Without a word, she pulled the shirt over her head and spent a few seconds folding it into a neat square. He focused his attention on finishing his meal, kept his eyes on his plate in order to give her a touch of privacy as she dressed. He didn't look at her again until she had her boots on.

They stared at one another for several long seconds, her face giving nothing of her feelings away. Then she glanced at the sunlight being held at bay by thick curtains covering the windows before breaking the silence. "So I suppose now you're going to take me back and throw me to the wolves?"

She managed to sound like she didn't care if that's what he did or not. She was good, he had to admit that.

"No. We're actually going to start your lessons. After we find you something more appropriate to wear to the range." A hint of life flooded her eyes at the mention of her lessons, prompting her to move for the door. Edward held onto a grin and pushed out of his chair. "Remember the deal. You do everything I say. When I say. No smart ass comments."

"I understand," she replied. She was more subdued today than she had been last night, but there was still an air of excitement around her. He felt her gaze on him as he collected the few things he'd need for their afternoon.

"You still have the knife?" he asked as he slid the room's key card into his pocket.

"In my boot."

"Good. I want to see how good you are with it. There may be a few things I can teach you there."

"Okay."

Edward picked up his keys and turned to face her. He was struck, seeing her standing by the door in the very adult dress she'd worn to the party and her leather jacket and high rise boots, that she was an odd mix of young and old. And, again, he had to wonder just what the hell he'd gotten himself into. "Let's go."

~*~*~*~*~

There was laughter and chatter all around their table. But none of it seemed to touch the three of them. They sat in silence, each of them apparently reluctant to break the fragile shell that had wrapped itself around them the minute they'd left the Circus. It was obvious that last night's events, all of them, had rattled each of the women at the table. And the restaurant around them was completely oblivious to the cloak of somberness that clung to them.

The waitress brought their ordered drinks with a smile that was only slightly strained at the edges. Kimberly had no doubt she was picking up on the tension that hovered around the table. The three of them murmured their thanks and watched as the woman wandered off to deal with a brighter, cheerier crowd a few tables over. Kimberly sighed and took a sip of her tea.

"We're a fun bunch," she said quietly. Amanda and Susan glanced at her, almost apologetically, then mirrored her actions and sipped their own drinks.

"I'm sorry. This was my idea and now its just..." Amanda shook her head. A close look at her face showed Kimberly the dark circles her makeup couldn't quite hide. Of the three of them, it appeared that she'd had the worst night.

"Don't apologize," Susan shook her head. "Last night was strange. From Jo's very public falling out with Remy at the party to whatever it was that happened later."

Kimberly nodded. The entire underground lair had been buzzing with rumors about exactly what had happened in the wee hours of the morning. No one knew quite what it was, but she'd heard a few mutters about psychic attacks. She'd pondered that theory. It had certainly felt right, but Kimberly didn't know that there was anyone capable of such an attack, save a handful of the older vampires. And many of them had learned not to cross Jean Claude and his kiss. Not only that, but they'd apparently attacked the entire population of the lair. Vampires, lycanthropes, and humans alike. Why would they do that? What would they have to gain by doing such a thing?

"I heard whispers about some kind of metaphysical attack?" Susan glanced from Amanda to Kimberly, her face screwed up in confusion.

"I overheard Wicked talking to Truth when they thought I couldn't hear them. Truth said that it was one hell of a powerful psychic attack, but they never mentioned who it was that launched that attack." Amanda fell silent a moment. It was plain to see she was living through whatever painful memories that attack had brought to the surface.

"Did you get any sleep last night?" Kimberly asked softly.

"Off and on," Amanda replied. As if to punctuate her statement, she stifled a yawn and had another sip of her drink. "It was more off than on. Last night was rough."

Kimberly couldn't imagine what kind of visions had plagued Amanda, but they must have been bad. There was a lack of sparkle in the woman's eyes, a sense of pained resignation stained her aura. Kimberly considered, for just a moment or two, asking about what had plagued the other woman last night. But she decided that it wasn't any of her business unless Amanda chose to make it her business and she let it go at that. Instead, she shifted her attention over to Susan for a quick once over. For the most part, Susan seemed to be mostly okay. Then again, it was possible she was better at hiding things than Amanda or even Kimberly.

"I wonder who Jean Claude's coming guests will be?" Susan asked. It was a blatant subject change. It worked. Both Kimberly and Amanda grabbed at it as if it was a rope that would pull them out of their own private pits of despair.

"I don't know. I imagine he's going to have you busy with clothes in short order, though." There was a touch of excitement in Amanda's tone, but it was only just there. Kimberly decided it was enough.

"If you make us clothing even more fantastic than we wore last night, you'll have outdone yourself," Kimberly insisted. Then she recalled her words of the night before and broke out in soft laughter. "Again. You always somehow manage to outdo yourself."

"He's already given me a list of specific garments he wants done by the time this new group arrives. All I can say is there are members of his kiss who will knock the socks off anyone who lays eyes on them." Susan shook her head and reached for her drink. "That man has much better taste in clothes than most designers I know. I still marvel at the idea that he wanted me to come work for him."

"You're very good at what you do," Amanda assured her. Susan offered a shy smile in return for the praise and shook her head.

"There are those who are better. I'm just lucky that I share his vision. Whatever it happens to take at any given moment." Susan made a motion with her hand before going on. "I don't know where he gets his fashion sense, but he's a genius. He really is. He sends me sketches of some of the clothing he wants me to do. Not a finished product, of course. But a general idea for me to work from. And they're all fantastic. Seriously. He should have gone into design. He's a natural."

"I know some people who would say he should be a model," Kimberly grinned. Even with Anita at his side, the vampire was constantly being ogled and stared at by men and women alike. Everyone seemed to hope that he'd notice them, that he'd see them and find them more beautiful than Anita and that he'd toss her aside for someone new. If only they really knew him. If only they knew the full extent of his relationship with her.

"I think Anita might have problems with that," Susan returned.

"She has problems with a lot of things," Amanda remarked. It was easy to hear the thread of distaste in her words. Kimberly wasn't sure if she'd let that show intentionally or not. And, naturally, everyone's thoughts turned to the events of the evening before. "What do you think they'll do to Jo for leaving as she did?"

"I really don't know," Kimberly sighed. "But something will have to be done. An example will have to be made. I don't envy her her position at all."

"I don't think anyone understands what kind of hell this has been for her." Amanda almost whispered the words, as if she wasn't sure she wanted anyone else to hear them. To hear the fact that they were speaking about Amanda as much as they were speaking about Jo. Kimberly filed that tidbit away for later. Obviously, whatever had left the redhead so distraught last night had something to do with vampires in her history.

"Its hard for people who don't experience trauma to understand what it can do to a person. I don't think Jo even really understands what its done to her. She doesn't seem to want to acknowledge that she's been traumatized. Which only makes it worse for her."

"Which makes it worse for everyone else because we have to suffer the brunt of everyone's anger," Susan added. "What's sad is she seemed so at ease with Asher when I fitted her dress for last night. I was sure he would be able to help her relax and fit in with the rest of the kiss."

Kimberly sighed, ready to say something about that. But the waitress showed up with their food, so she held on to her thoughts for a bit longer. Plates were distributed around the table. Susan had gotten a burger with the works on it and a side of thick, steak cut fries. Amanda had gone with some spicy chicken sandwich and steamed vegetables. Kimberly had chosen a refreshing chicken salad. They each thanked the waitress and nibbled a few bites before she went ahead and said what she was thinking.

"Susan, we don't know what Belladonna's kiss did to her. And they did something. She wouldn't be so terrified of vampires if they hadn't. But she won't talk about it, so we don't know how to help her. Of course it impacts everyone else. Unfortunately, we can't do anything but be there to offer her our silent support and hope she comes to trust us enough that she'll open up to us."

Amanda frowned as she nibbled a piece of broccoli. "I've heard Wicked and Truth talking about Belladonna and her kiss. She apparently got the arduer, but she perverted it. She doesn't feed of lust or sex. She feeds off fear. And so does the rest of her kiss. They're sick and twisted. There's no telling what they would do to a couple of humans they were holding captive."

Susan stared them, her gaze shifting back and forth between Kimberly and Amanda, as she tried to fully grasp what they were suggesting. A frown twisted her lips down and she sat back from her plate just a bit. "She feeds on fear?"

"She does," Amanda confirmed.

"Why is she still undead?"

"Because no one has been able to prove anything. Not until now. Because Gin and Jo are the first humans to survive her and her kiss. Anita was going to destroy the lair. But getting the Remy and the girls away from New Orleans took precendence. Word was some other hunter was going to do it."

Susan mulled that bit of information over. Then she frowned and glared off into the distance. "I hope whoever it was set her ass on fire and burnt her to ash. Its the least she deserves."

"Speaking of Remy..." Amanda cut in, just a hint of something in her voice. "Talk about yummy. If I wasn't with Wicked and he didn't have Gin and Jo, I might consider chasing after that tall drink of Cajun."

Kimberly shared a knowing grin with them. "There is something delightfully wicked and sinful about him, isn't there?"

"He's very easy on the eyes," Susan agreed. The three of them stared for a moment, then broke into laughter. Easy on the eyes was the biggest understatement in the world. Remy LeBeau was a masterpiece made flesh and blood and his being turned into a vampire had only made him that much more beautiful. "Jean Claude has the all the prettiest faces in his kiss."

Kimberly grinned at that. "Its a blessing. And its a curse. But its a curse I'm willing to bear."

"Not everyone is willing to bear that curse." This from Amanda. She sounded more confused than upset or anything else. Kimberly knew who the everyone she spoke of was. And she had to admit, Amanda was right. There were far too many handsome faces in Jean Claude's kiss and Jo's head wasn't turned by any of them. Not even the master himself seemed capable of breaking through her defenses.

"We have to find a way to make her understand that she's among friends," Susan said softly.

"That won't be easy," Amanda told them, then waved her fork around with one hand. "She's so guarded that I don't think even Remy and Gin know what goes on in her head. I have to wonder why she's so keen on learning how to throw knives. I want to believe she's doing so because she likes spending time with me and its a way to bond. I just can't help but think that she's got ulterior motives."

"Then we have to work that much harder at making her see that she's safe here," Kimberly said, voice laden with her decision.

"We?" Amanda asked, lifting a brow in Kimberly's direction.

"We. We're mortals. We have something in common with her. We'll use that to our advantage." Kimberly glanced at Susan. "What do you think? Any ideas?"

Susan paused mid-chew, eyes rolling toward the ceiling as she gave consideration to Kimberly's question. Finally, she sighed and started chewing her bite of food again. "I don't have anything definitive. Jo hasn't shown any interest in anything beyond Asher and having Amanda teach her how to throw knives. I've heard a few whispers here and there. Word is if she isn't with Asher or Amanda, she doesn't go near anyone else. Which means she has a lot of free time to herself."

"She has her card reading. My understanding is she's very good at it. And the crowd seems to love it. Her tent is never empty of patrons when she's there," Kimberly said, then paused to consider what they knew. "Maybe we should go to Gin?"

"You think she can help us?" Amanda asked. There was a touch of wonder in her voice, though it was hard to catch since it was buried under a good deal of disbelief. It was plain to Kimberly that Amanda didn't think Gin would be helpful at all.

"You can't blame her for not being there. Jean Claude split them up, after all."

"And you saw what that decision brought about. Whatever his reasoning for doing so, its fucked up and stupid. He shouldn't have taken them away from her. Anyone who looks at her can see she needs them. Almost like some kind of drug."

"I think the word you're looking for here, Amanda, is crutch. Not drug." A glance at Susan's face showed she was uneasy with the comparison.

"No. I mean drug. She's addicted to them. I haven't seen anything like it before. I don't know if its something they did to her or if its because of what Belladonna did to her. But she needs them as if she was addicted to them. Don't be surprised if something bad happens because Jean Claude split them up." Amanda sounded like she knew what she was talking about. Which had Kimberly wondering, again, just what kind of things had happened in her past to bring her to where she was in her life.

Kimberly pushed those thoughts away and tried to steer the conversation back to a more pleastant topic. "Whatever it is, we need to find a way to prove to her that we're her friends. And that nothing bad will happen to her while she's a part of Jean Claude's kiss."

"Good luck with that," Amanda remarked, suggesting she absolutely did not believe such a thing could be accomplished.

"Maybe he should just make her tell him why she's so antagonistic," Susan said. Her comment saw both Kimberly and Amanda giving her a look. She blinked at them both, clearly not grasping why her statement was kind of bad.

"That's part of the problem, Susan. She doesn't trust him because the vampires in the kiss where she came from made her do things she didn't want to do. Suggesting he use his vampiric abilities on her would only make the situation worse." Amanda put a touch of disgust in her voice.

Susan shot them both a glare. "I didn't mean that he should force her that way. I only meant that maybe he should sit her down and talk to her until she tells him what he needs to know. You guys honestly think I'm advocating his use of vampire powers on her? You think I don't know what a trauma survivor looks like? I thought you guys knew me better than that."

Kimberly blushed. Amanda managed to look embarrassed. But the suggestion had Kimberly's brain turning over. "You know. She might not tell Jean Claude what they did to her. But that doesn't mean she wouldn't tell Asher if he asked. She seems quite taken with him."

"You thinking of suggesting it to him?" Amanda asked, her gaze lifting from her plate to land on Kimberly's face.

"Thinking of it, yes. Sure that I'm going to do it? Not really. I don't want to ruin what ever fragile bond they have between them. Still, he'd be the most logical choice to get that information from her. And she might let her guard down enough to actually spill the beans."

"You don't think Remy knows what happened?" Susan questioned.

"If he did, I don't think they'd need Jean Claude's protection. There's something not quite right about him. I just can't put my finger on it," Amanda replied without hesitation. Her fork moved through the air with her words, letting Kimberly know that she was thinking about something from her past. Again, Kimberly found herself terribly curious.

"Speaking of weird, what do you think of the announcement he made about visiting vampires? What's that all about?"

It was a blatant change of subject. The unease that had followed them from the Circus to the restaurant was thickening with all the talk of Jo and her reluctance to tell them what had happened with Belladonna's kiss, leaving Kimberly suppressing the urge to shiver. A change of subject would be very welcome.

"It was very mysterious. I mean, you'd think that Jean Claude would have told us something more than he did." Kimberly said pointedly.

"Man of mystery, that one," Amanda reminded them. "Always a man of mystery. We'll just have to wait and see what's going on there."

"Whatever is going on, it should prove very entertaining. You know what his parties are like," Kimberly smiled.

"Oi! I don't even want to think about how sore my hands will be come the night of the party!" Susan laughed. And with that laugh, the tension eased a bit and Kimberly felt like she could breathe again. Maybe, just maybe, things would be okay. Wouldn't they? After all, something good had to happen.

There'd been more than enough drama last night.

~*~*~*~*~

Edward stared across the table at his companion, mind ticking over everything he'd learned about Jo and her skills in the past few hours. Either she was a very quick study or the girl was pretty much a natural. He was leaning toward the latter.

Their first stop was a local department store to pick up a pair of jeans, a long sleeved shirt, and a bra for her to wear to the range. Their second was a guy he knew who would have a firearm that she could begin her training with. Then they'd headed to a range where he could teach her how to shoot off the books. He'd begun her first lesson with the ins and outs of gun ownership. She'd watched attentively while he'd shown her each step, and repeated his motions almost perfectly when it had been time for her to show him how well she'd paid attention. They'd ended the lesson with her firing the weapon. Her stance had been good and her aim had been better. Not a bullseye, but she'd hit the target pretty consistently.

When they'd finished shooting, he'd taken her to another part of the range where she could show him what she knew about throwing knives. He'd seen right away that she had talent. It was obvious that whoever had been teaching her had shown her the basics and he'd noted that there was a hint of a flourish to her throws. He'd almost called her on it, but then he'd remembered that there was a knife throwing act that performed under the Circus' big top. That explained a lot. He'd let the flourish go and instead concentrated on giving her a few pointers that would make it possible for her to use a knife as a defensive measure. Something to keep her alive long enough to deliver a killing blow. As with the lessons around the gun, she'd been attentive to all he'd said and shown her. It had been kind of unnerving to see the smartassed, overtly sexual side of her fold away to become the serious, intent young woman who had listened to every single thing he'd said.

After the lessons had concluded, they'd gone back to his hotel so she could shower the smells of guns and knives from her skin, along with the sweat she'd worked up. Then he'd told her he was taking her to a sit down place for a meal so she could relax before she had to face off with her biggest fears again. She'd elected to wear the dress she'd been wearing when she'd left the Circus the night before, explaining to him that they'd know something was up if she turned up in clothes that no one had ever seen her wear before. So she sat in her leather jacket and that very adult dress and she acted like she was obvlious to the stares being sent her way. The girl was the most confusing person he'd ever met in his life.

"You know Darious is old," he said, breaking the silence that had fallen when their food had arrived. She glanced up at him and shrugged almost negligently, then went back to the steak she'd ordered.

"Age doesn't always equal power. I mean, sure. He's got some power behind him. But I can tell that Remy's stronger than he is. And the dickhead is off the charts next to Darious. So is Asher." She paused and considered that, missing the look on his face when she'd said a man who'd been a vampire for five years was stronger than Darious, who had been undead for several centuries. He'd heard it before, but to have someone else confirm it threw him. He knew vampires didn't normally work that way. So there was obviously something very odd about her young master. Maybe he needed to ask Anita about it. "Come to think of it, Remy's stronger than Belladonna. Maybe that's why she was so careful with him. She'd have known that, wouldn't she? That Remy was stronger than her?"

"She should have," Edward nodded. He was sure she knew. That would explain why she hadn't let him feed with any regularity. Lack of blood would have kept him weak, unable to defeat her in a test of strength and power. The more he heard about Belladonna and her kiss, the more he wanted to be the one to pull the trigger himself. He was beginning to appreciate just how much Jean Claude really was the lesser of the two evils. "But that isn't my point. Darious is my point. He's old. He's had time to learn some tricks. He'll be hard to kill."

The look she shot him would have killed him if it had been a weapon. "I'm a persistent bitch."

"Some people would say that you have a death wish," he countered. Her glare intensified, the fork she held carefully set down on the edge of the plate. Likely so she wouldn't throw it at him. After watching her with the knife today, it was highly probable she'd hit him.

"Do you have anything else to add to that, Doctor Freud? Or are you done trying to figure out what makes me tick?" She sat back and crossed her arms. He could tell that her display wasn't because of her temper. It was fear. Time was slipping away. Soon, she'd be back under the Circus and she'd have to face up to what she'd done. And while Jean Claude might not be as horrible as some masters, he could be terrible to those who displeased him. "Whether or not I can take Darious is my business. Yours is teaching me how to do it. You want to play shrink to me, we'll have to renegotiate our deal. You're not my brother. You're not my father. You're a guy who has skills that..."

She trailed off abruptly and turned to look over her shoulder. Tension snapped to life in her shoulders in the blink of an eye. Even as he stared at her, she seemed to shrink in on herself. When she faced him again, her face was pale and her eyes were large. Her voice came in a whisper. "They're awake."

He still heard the fear.

"We're not going back until the sun has fully set. So finish your dinner." He didn't offer her any false hope. There was no telling what either Jean Claude or Remy would do to her. Anita had said that the master vampire was pissed. Jo had pretty much said the same thing about her own master just last night. Chances were good they'd find some way to punish her. She shot him a look before giving a single nod, then she went back to the steak on the plate before her.

As their meal continued, now in silence, Edward watched covertly as the girl began to fold in on herself. Over the course of the past few hours, he'd watched the real Jo climb out of the protective layers she'd settled over herself, until he'd found himself dealing with an intelligent, capable, thoughtful young woman. It had been subtle and gradual, but he'd been left having a hard time reconciling the two versions of her that he'd met.

It took only minutes to destroy what had taken all afternoon to undo. By the time she put her fork down, the last bite of her baked potato consumed, he was once more face to face with the brash, reckless young woman who had come charging out of the Circus last night. How long had she been using snark and sex to protect herself? And did the people who claimed to love her know that this other version of her even existed? Edward mulled that over as he signaled for the check. As he put down the proper amount of cash to cover their meal and the tip. As he escorted her to the car.

It was full dark. She moved with slow steps. He half expected her to turn and beg him, to plead that he not take her back. To her credit, she didn't go that route. She waited silently as he unlocked the door, then climbed into the car and snapped the seatbelt into place. Her gaze stayed forward when he climbed into the driver's seat, her face expressionless. She looked like she was getting ready to go to her death. He bit back a curse and turned the engine over. Maybe, in a way, she was.

~*~*~*~*~

He felt her coming, felt the tension that he knew was hers even without being able to taste it fully. He knew by the silence that came with it, everything behind that steely wall that kept her deepest thoughts hidden away. Oh, there was noise on the surface. Meaningly white noise of the mind. The curtain she kept drawn over the wall so that no one would think to delve deeper and try to see what else made her tick. He'd tried on a few occasions. Succeeded a time or two. Long ago, before he'd become what he was now. He'd never talked to her about the things he'd found hidden away behind that near impenetrable barrier. And he hadn't gotten past it again after she and Gin had found him again. Of course, he hadn't tried very hard. There were some horrors he thought he didn't want to know.

Maybe he should make an effort...

A quick glance around the room let him know that everyone was aware she'd arrived. The mood had shifted, ever so subtly, the closer she'd gotten. The unrest that surrounded many members of the kiss had gotten thicker and deeper, as if she was the sole reason for that feeling. He knew it to be a lie. She was a convenient scape goat because it had been her anger that'd trigged the chain reaction. Her anger that had seen Gin having an episode and losing control. Remy was pretty sure that the rest of the kiss knew by now that Gin had been responsible for what had happened in the wee hours of the morning. It was highly likely they were out for blood. Gin's blood. Jo's blood. They didn't care, so long as they had someone's blood.

His gaze shifted to where Gin stood, far enough away from him that he couldn't lay a hand on her. She was as tense as the rest of the people present, though her reasons to be were far different than the others. His mind went back to the conversation he'd had with Jean Claude earlier. He didn't like the choices that had been laid out before him. Either he dealt with his wayward companions or Jean Claude would. And whatever manner he chose would not be pretty.

For a moment, just the briefest measure of time, he considered telling Jo to run and never look back, to get away from the madness that was life with the preternatural. He knew she was convinced that she didn't belong with him or Gin, that she didn't belong with Jean Claude's kiss. And he considered, if only for a single beat of her heart, telling her to run away from it all.

He didn't. He knew she wouldn't go. And he knew that it wasn't as simple as all that. For better or for worse, she was stuck in St. Louis. Stuck as part of Jean Claude's kiss. Stuck with her fear and her personal horror. A horror she faced daily in the hopes that she could be with the two people who meant the most in the world to her. Gin was right. He owed her an apology. He really didn't know what she was going through or how hard it all must be for her.

He was still having a hard time coming to terms with her interlude with Asher, though. He simply couldn't reconcile the woman who cowered away from every vampire that crossed her path with the one who had inched so intimately closer to one of them. It didn't make sense to him even though he was sure there was some reason for it. But getting her to open up was next to impossible. Even before, when he'd been human, she'd rarely let him see that much of her thoughts and feelings. She was good at hiding things away, hiding emotions away. Not that he didn't believe she loved him. She did. Her words, and the emotions behind them, were genuine. She just didn't share everything.

That hurt. It wasn't exactly a lack of trust. He knew she did it to protect herself. Even Gin was guilty of hiding some things from him. Probably from them both. He supposed he couldn't blame them on that account. He wasn't innocent, either. They all had secrets they kept from one another. But it hurt that they felt they had to keep secrets from him.

And it hurt to think that Jo had found some kind of solace, some kind of intimacy, with someone else. Someone other than himself and Gin. He'd been so shocked and surprised to see her almost relax in Asher's presence. And then the hurt had hit him, like a ton of bricks, when he'd realized that she'd done so because she liked being in Asher's presence. That she'd willingly bared her body and her throat to him. He'd lashed out to try and make her hurt the same way he had. He needed to apologize for that, too.

Remy shifted his attention back to where Gin stood, let himself slip into her thoughts and the muddied waters of her emotions. The tension was tempered with fear. For herself. For her friend. For all of them. He wondered if he actually deserved that after the way he'd behaved last night. There was worry, too. She didn't know what was going to happen and that scared her. He reached for her, used that connection that they shared to touch her with ephemeral fingers.

She reacted, even though she was trying to keep it from him. He felt her body respond to that touch, felt some of the tension melt under his metaphysical touch. The loss of tension only made the fear stand out more. "It gon' be alright, Gin. Dere no need to be scared."

Speaking to her in his mind came far easier than he'd thought. It was something Jean Claude had mentioned to him earlier, something that came with his master vampire status and the mark he'd laid on Gin and Jo. If it bothered Gin, she didn't show it. But she responded to him anyway, almost as if it was something she'd been doing every day of her life since birth. "They want to punish Jo. They want to punish me. I'm pretty sure I can take it. But I don't think she can." There was a quaver in her mental voice, letting him know that she was working hard at not letting her fear show. It brought a small rush of guilt. The tension and the fear... Those were his fault.

Maybe he could make it easier? At least for one of them. "Maybe we find a way to protect her?"

She was so close now. No doubt everyone knew that it wouldn't be long before Jo made her appearance. The sun had fully set some time ago, and Edward had said he'd return Jo after full sunset. Remy didn't know if the man was doing what he could to protect her or if there was another reason entirely. Whatever the reason, he couldn't worry about that now. He had to worry about what would happen to Jo. And Gin.

Gin's apprehension was strong and sharp, tempered with the tiniest bit of hope. "How can we do that? You know how she is. She's going to get pissed and she'll open her mouth. Say something that will earn her a beating. How do we protect her from that?"

Oh, he knew that fact well enough. He'd been thinking about it since he'd risen. But Jean Claude had given him other things to think of and he felt he might have a solution. It would depend on whether or not Gin went for it. And whether or not Jo understood what it meant. "De vampires, dey gon' want to see you punished for what you did. More than dey want to see Jo punished for leaving. We gon' give dem a show."

Gin's gaze flicked his way. Briefly. Long enough for him to see the measuring look in them. Then she was staring straight ahead again. "How? What kind of show?"

He wasn't sure she'd like what he had in mind. He had to sell it to her, though. Had to make her understand how important it was that she go along with him. "You gon' let me punish you for what you do last night. You gon' let me do it in front of everybody. So dey know."

She frowned. He could see it out of the corner of his eye. "Punish me, how? And just how will that spare Jo?"

He took a breath he didn't need and prepared to explain it to her. He wasn't entirely sure that what he had in mind would protect Jo. He was relying a lot on faith in Jean Claude that he wouldn't terrorize Jo too much. Remy understood that one of them would have to punish her. And he got the feeling that Jean Claude was willing to do so in order to spare Remy the girl's fear and hate. He'd never put it into words, but he had to thank the other man for that. He'd already done more than enough to push Jo away. He didn't want to do any more if he didn't have to.

"Somet'ing to draw blood. Somet'ing to draw attention. Somet'ing to prove I'm de master and I don' allow you to misbehave." He added the last with just a touch of humor to it. It did what it was meant to do, brought forth a soft chuff of laughter as she processed his statement. While neither one of the girls would ever willfully misbehave, Gin and Remy both knew that there was sometimes a different definition to misbehave where Jo was concerned.

Gin fell silent, slipped into thought. He could feel it, feel the wheels turning, and gave her space to do so. He knew that she knew what he was asking, that she understood what this would mean. He was fully prepared to allow her as much time as she needed, provided she made a decision before Jo joined them and the show started.

Not for the first time, Remy felt regret bubble up in his chest. The same regret that he'd felt when he'd realized that Gin and Jo had been looking for him. When he'd realized that Belladonna was using them against him. Against themselves. It was the same regret he'd felt when he'd woken as a vampire for the first time, alone in a stone chamber with Belladonna and Darious. It was the same regret that had tried to choke him every night for the past five years. It was bad enough that he'd allowed himself to be drawn into this hellish nightmare. The fact that he'd allowed Gin and Jo to be pulled into it, as well... That ate at him, tried to wear him down. Tried to drive him mad.

Remy let his mind drift back to Jo and her progress. She was almost to the Circus, so close that her tension gnawed at his consciousness. Her fear was stronger now, tighter and more compact. He hated that she'd learned how to do that, how to draw her emotions in close to herself in order to make herself appear unaffected. To make people think she hadn't a care in the world. She was wound so tight that he knew she'd be physically ill come the rising of the sun. That worried him, because he was sure there was nothing he'd be able to do to help comfort her.

Assuming that she lived through the night. With her mouth and attitude, it was very possible she'd get herself killed.

That thought did not comfort him. He reached for her, intent on using their link to touch her and soothe her. But her shields were so tight and thick that getting through was difficult. He wasn't even sure she was aware he was there because he felt no response from her. That worried him.

"I'll do it." Gin's voice in his head interrupted his thoughts about the other member of their group. He turned his attention back to Gin and felt a new thread of fear running through her. It was easy to smooth away that fear.

"Don' worry, petit. I don' hurt you too bad," he promised her. The buzz of energy around him made him hope he hadn't just made an empty promise.

"Don't make promises you can't keep. I'll heal. She won't." He wasn't so sure about that. Any of it. To be honest, there were a lot of things he wasn't sure about anymore. But that wasn't something she needed to know. Both of the girls depended upon him to keep them safe.

"What you got in mind?" Better to keep her talking than to stop and think about what was possibly to come. For both of them.

Gin hesitated a moment before answering him, as if she wasn't sure of what she was going to say. "They want to see blood, right? Mine or Jo's, it doesn't matter. They're all just hungry for blood. I say we give to to them. Think a whipping will satisfy them?"

Remy's first reaction was to tell her no. He wasn't going to beat her until she bled. But he tamped down on the instinct and gave her question the consideration it deserved. Jean Claude had told him earlier that he needed to make an example of one of them. That his kiss was hungry for blood. At one time, he'd have thought that was meant to be metaphorically. Now, given the time he'd spent around vampires, he knew it was a very real statement and not just a play on words.

He sighed. He really didn't want to do this. What he wanted to do was grab the girls and go. Run as far from St. Louis and New Orleans as he could get. He knew it would never happen. Not when he knew Belladonna could easily track them down. Not when he'd sworn a blood oath to Jean Claude. He'd been many things in his life, but he'd never really been a liar. And he wasn't about to start being one now. "Fine. But we gon' do dis t'ing, we gon' do it de right way. You wait until it get to de point when we got no choice. You understand?"

She gave a mirthless laugh. "I understand."

Remy pulled back then, left Gin to get her own thoughts together. A quick check told him that Jo was directly above them, that she was reluctant. Biding her time. Gathering her courage. He didn't think he blamed her for that one bit. The tension on the air around him was too thick. Too heavy. Frightening.

He let his senses expand and felt around the gathered throng. There was anger from nearly every one of the vampires. And a touch of fear. Not enough that anyone would notice if they were looking, but he could feel it just the same. Buried and hidden, but not completely out of sight. The lycanthropes were an equal mix, some more angry while others were more afraid. He knew that Nathaniel wasn't present because he had been hit hard and was still recovering from whatever hell he'd gone through. There was some indignation on his behalf among a few of the other leopards.

The mortals that were present were, for the most part, clueless about what was going on. There was a jumble of emotions from them. Some apprehension. A lot of confusion. Residual fear from the night before. A touch of anger. He suspected that was Amanda, who had apparently become good friends with Jo. He wasn't sure why they were being included on the evening's events, but he actually felt sorry for them.

And then there was Anita. The woman was vibrating with her anger. It was so strong, he was tempted to call it rage. That might have been the best way to describe what he felt coming from her. He'd learned in those first few moments when he'd met her under The House of the Rising Sun that she was fiercely protective and that her sense of right and wrong was etched deeply into her very being. She was taking the events of last night as a personal attack and she would see someone punished for those attacks. She didn't care who it was. And she didn't care why it had happened. A trickle of nervousness ran through him. He'd heard of the Executioner long before he'd met her. He knew her reputation well. And what she was willing to do to those who harmed the people she loved and protected frightened him.

He considered, once again, telling Jo to run and to never look back. Then he felt Jo move above him. Which meant every one else felt her move above him. And the entire room went dead still with blood thirsty anticipation.

~*~*~*~*~

She stared at the Circus dispassionately, hand resting on the car door's handle. She was kind of surprised that no one had come flying out of the back door yet. She'd half expected it. Even up here, outside and above the surface, she could feel some of the unease and tension from the lair located underneath them. The rage and the fear. She could also feel the wash of vampiric power, so strong and steady that it was like a thick weight upon her even so far above it. A small kernel of fear had settled in her belly, was trying to become something more. Like maybe screaming hysteria. She stomped down on it hard and rallied her courage. Best get it over with now, before things got any worse.

Turning, she found Edward watching her silently. Time to put on a brave face. "Thanks for everything. I don't know when I'll be able to slip out again. No doubt someone will be sniffing at my heels twenty four seven now. Maybe in a couple weeks..."

"Here." He held out one hand and a small white rectangle. She took it and glanced down. There was nothing on it but a phone number. "Next time you decide to sneak out, call me before you do. I'll meet you up here."

She nodded and tucked it into an inside jacket pocket. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" He seemed genuinely confused by her apology.

"For being me."

That brought a faint chuckle up his throat. "That is nothing to apologize for, Jo." He turned his hand to kill the engine, then slid the key from the ignition and tucked it into his pocket. He was out the door before she could ask him any questions. He was waiting for her when she got out of the vehicle. "Come on. I'll walk you down."

If she didn't know any better, she'd swear he was worried about what would happen when she finally came face to face with everyone. Ridiculous. The man didn't care about her at all. Well, he'd obviously cared last night. But that might have been for reasons she hadn't yet considered. What she knew of Edward was that he didn't show emotion and he didn't show fear. Probably he was just walking her down so that he could be rid of her. Jo couldn't say that she blamed him. She merely nodded and started for the lone door. Edward fell into step behind her, a silent presence that actually helped calm her nerves. How the hell had that happened?

The door swung open before she reached it, revealing an unfamiliar face. The man was big and muscled and he looked very intimidating. He was also a vampire. He smiled at her when he saw her, flashing fang so that he looked even more frightening than before. Jo's steps faltered and she might have stopped moving altogether if not for Edward's frame behind her. He put a hand on her arm and gently urged her forward. The smile on the vampire's face died when he saw the cold look in Edward's eyes. Easy to intimidate and scare someone who'd been scared beyond measure by completely evil vampires. Not so easy to do when you were looking your own death in the face.

The vamp stepped back and away from the door as Jo came through, Edward positioned himself so that he was between her and the vampire. When they were both inside the little alcove area, he closed the door behind them and maneuvered around to open the one leading down the stairs. "Master's waiting for you." Those words spoken in that man's deep voice saw her considering going right back out the door. Because what he hadn't said was that the master was pissed and she was in so much trouble.

Bravado, reckless and deep, came to her rescue. She shot a look at him, tossed him a wide grin. "Time to lay off the 'roids there, Terminator. Your neck is starting to disappear." There was a wisp of amusement on the air, gone before she could really fully register it, then Edward was nudging her toward the stairs.

When they were about halfway down, Edward broke the silence. He was absolutely serious and anything he felt was walled away behind his scary, cold, empty face. "You can get away with that kind of shit with the help. Don't try it with Jean Claude. He's going to have to make an example of you. Don't give him any reason to make it worse than it already might be."

"Your concern is touching. I'll keep that in mind." It was a flippant answer, no doubt what he'd been expecting and not at all what he'd wanted to hear. But she wasn't about to tell him she was ready to piss herself at the thought of facing the fucker's anger. Nor was she going to tell him that she hadn't planned on any sassy, snarky come backs. She planned on taking whatever he dished out. Before he could say any more, she hurried down the last few steps. The sooner she got this over with, the better for everyone involved.

The big door at the bottom of the stairs opened as easily for her as it had the night before. The tension she'd felt in the parking lot was about one hundred times worse here. It slapped her in the face so hard she almost fell over. If not for Edward's hand on her elbow, she'd have gone face first to the floor. Surely all of the unease she felt wasn't because she'd slipped her leash and run off like a bad puppy.

When she had herself under control again, shields clamped down so tight that she knew she'd have a headache before the hour was up, she flashed her silent companion a grateful smile and then headed for the filmy, gauzy walls that created a charming lie. Edward let go of her elbow, but he was just a step behind her as she headed toward certain doom.

The gauzy film curtains pulled back to reveal the room was awash with people, each one a buzzing cacophany of unhinged emotion. Every last bit of it slammed into her. Her head throbbed with the onslaught and left her blind. Gradually, bit by bit, the whispered conversations that had been floating around her withered away into nothing, leaving her in the silent ocean of boiling feeling. Jesus Christ, she was going to be sick if this kept up.

"Edward." That from the head blood sucker. He didn't sound upset. Nor did he sound pleased. He was going all neutral, which didn't tell Jo anything. She tried feeling for him but came up against shields that were hard as steel and thick as a castle wall. One hand blindly groped behind her until it caught hold of Edward's jacket and she gripped it tight. Used him as an anchor. Took solace in the quiet, unencumbered spot that was his emotions. "I thank you for returning Jocelyn to us, but I fail to see why are here."

His calm was doing what she'd hoped it would, edging the overwhelming sensation of their emotions and her panic aside so that she could actually see again. Vision was returning in stages. She could see the blur of faces around her, picked Jean Claude out of the crowd by the feel of his presence as well as by the halo of blurry black edging the white blob that was his face. If she concentrated hard enough, she could see the blurs that were Remy and Gin. And the golden blur that was Asher. If she concentrated any harder, she was going to throw up all over herself. Everyone else was going to have to wait until she could actually see again.

Edward didn't touch her, but she could feel the hint of pleasure that curled around him. Oh, that probably didn't bode well. What the hell did he have up his sleeve? Was she going to be in trouble for that, too? "I'm here to ensure that nothing untoward happens to my client."

The words dropped like lead into the room. Jo was glad she was still on emotional overload because it kept her from wanting to goggle at him or laugh out loud or do any other number of things that would have told everyone that he was telling a very big lie.

A wave of expectation filled the room, less painful than the tension. The pain in her head eased up even further, bringing faces into focus. She could see Asher standing behind and to Jean Claude's left. Anita stood on Jean Claude's right. Remy stood a few feet to her right, and Gin was several more feet from him. Jason was standing with her, despite the distance Gin had put between them. She let her gaze scan the rest of the faces present, making note that there was a fairly even mix of vampires and lycanthropes. She also caught sight of Amanda, Susan, and Kimberly. She couldn't imagine why Jean Claude had invited them to the party. This was going to be so much fun.

"Client? What did she hire you for?" Anita asked, gaze flicking between Edward and Jo with confusion. The woman's whole demeanor was filled with suspicion. Apparently she wasn't sure he was telling the truth.

"You know I can't tell you that, Anita," Edward replied. The lack of anything in his voice was both chilling and impressive. Jo kept her gaze straight ahead and her expression pleasantly empty to avoid giving away his lie. It was a lie, wasn't it? Because, really, it wasn't like she'd actually hired him to teach her how to shoot. At least, she didn't think she had. "I can tell you that it won't interfere with anything or anyone here at the Circus."

"Well, that's comforting," the woman retorted sarcastically. Jean Claude held up a hand to bring her to silence, his gaze locked on Jo. She returned it, stared almost defiantly, and ignored the way Remy and Gin's eyes pinned her. They might not know what she'd hire someone like Edward for, but she was fairly sure that they'd know what methods of payment were available to her. That was not a discussion she wanted to have. Ever.

Her attention shifted completely to Jean Claude as he started toward her. It took everything in her to stand tall and look indifferent. Not that it mattered, because everyone in the room who wasn't human would know that she was scared shitless by him. She watched him come, kept her arms loose at her sides when he stopped before her. It was hell trying to keep herself from crossing her arms. Not even Edward could keep her from having a freak out. "What do I do with you, Jocelyn? You left the Circus without someone at your side. Edward told Anita you could have been killed."

She made a show of rolling her eyes at him. "I had it handled."

He smirked at that, glanced toward Edward a moment before turning his attention back to her. "You realize that I must make an example of your disobedience." It wasn't a question.

"What do you want me to do? Cower in fear? Beg your forgiveness? There's nothing you can do to me that is worse than what Belladonna and her sicko blood suckers did to me." She kept it civil, didn't let the sarcasm or anger out.

Jean Claude watched her intently a moment, then pulled back and spoke louder so that everyone assembled could hear him. "Your guards will be punished for their lapse in duty. Did you consider that before you walked out the door?" That question got him a lift of one shoulder. She wasn't going to say a word about that in front of everyone. No one should have to suffer because she'd slipped out from under their noses. It wasn't their fault. She'd go to him later and ask him to be merciful. Maybe. As if he'd tracked her thoughts, he pinned his gaze on her once again. "Just how did you get past your guards? All of my vampires? All of the lycanthropes? How did you leave without alerting anyone?"

That earned him a smile. "Sorry, buddy. Can't tell you. Trade secrets, you know."

If her answer upset him, he didn't show it. He stared at her hard, maybe in an effort to make her squirm and spill the beans. Like that would happen. Wasn't he going to be disappointed? "Enough, Jean Claude. We can deal with Jocelyn's misbehavior later. We have more pressing issues to deal with."

Jo glanced past the vampire to watch Asher's gaze shift to where Gin stood with Jason. A thrill of fear spiked through her friend, strong and sharp. Jason reached out and put a hand on her arm. A shaft of pain speared through Jo's head like a knife, making her stagger back into Edward. He put a hand on her arm to steady her and keep her from landing on the floor on her ass. She turned a smile that was more grimace his way, then shifted her attention back to Gin. The other woman was staring at her as if she'd never seen her before.

A tidal wave of memory and emotion crashed over Jo's head, pulling her down into a swirling mix of images that didn't make any sense at first. Bright red like crimson. Tendrils of anguish. Satisfaction and fear. Sorrow and pleasure. Pale skin. Soft words and tender touches. Shadows. Kindness. Make it stop.

It came as a blur at first, but the images and emotions soon started to resolve themselves. She felt the depths of Gin's meltdown as she'd confronted Jean Claude, felt how sad she'd been. How afraid. Then there was pain, searing flashes that made her fingers ache. Bloody stains on some generic surface. Strong arms and a quiet voice, soothing touches. Calloused fingers trailing over supple flesh. Moans and groans and a feeling of fulfillment. Simple, sweet pleasure. Safety.

Jo came back to herself, Edward's fingers tight on her elbow. Her eyes were still locked with Gin's and she saw the same shock and surprise mirrored in their green depths that she knew lived on her own face. What had Gin seen? Had Gin seen her with Edward? Had Remy seen any of it?

Her thoughts were pushed aside as Jean Claude's voice worked its way into her brain. She'd missed much of what he was saying but a quick look around showed that people's gazes were sliding between the master vampire and Gin. Chances were good he was explaining what had happened the night before. "... and because of this, we had to spend far too much time soothing the worries and fears of many of our people."

"It was an attack, Jean Claude. It should be treated as such. Let me kill her." Jo couldn't immediately see the owner of the voice. But two groups of people parted like the Red Sea before Moses and she was afforded a view of the speaker. Meng Die stood on the other side of the room, face a blank mask that did nothing to hide the rage simmering under her skin.

A low murmur started up among the gathered, voices whispering back and forth as they considered what Jean Claude might do. "She don' mean it," Remy's voice cut across the gossip. Jo turned to find that he'd moved closer to Jean Claude. "She don' even realize she doin' it until later."

"That is not an excuse!" Meng Die closed the distance between herself and her master. "Allow me to kill her so that no one else is made to suffer from such a psychological attack again."

That explained a lot of what had happened last night. Gin's abilities had touched everyone and everyone had freaked out. Now Meng Die wanted her dead. Well, wasn't the bitch going to be disappointed that it wouldn't be happening. Not while Jo was around.

"You touch her and I'll cut your fucking head off," Jo said. Quietly. With a world of promise behind her words. It brought everyone's attention her way. Meng Die was smiling, a scary looking expression that told Jo exactly what the vampire thought of her threat.

"You? You're a harmless mortal. You would not even come close to touching me before I ripped your throat out." The woman was confident. It only saw Jo's lips peeling back in a smile that actually made the vampire's smile wilt at the edges.

"I put a stake in Belladonna's back and injured the bitch. I put a silver cross in her second's throat. I can do worse to you. I've got a few tricks up my sleeves." Jo might have paced forward to meet the vampire head on, but Remy stepped between the two of them.

"Don' go picking fights, cher," he said quietly.

"That's who I am, Remy. You've known that for a while now." She gave him a look, then turned to face Jean Claude. He was watching the exchange with a faint hint of interest in his eyes. No doubt he was already trying to figure out if Jo really could take Meng Die. "If you're going to punish anyone for what happened last night, you're going to punish me. Gin wouldn't have lost control like that if I hadn't been picking fights with everyone before I stormed off. She was worried about me."

"I see," Jean Claude replied. It was hard to tell, but she thought he was amused by her show of spine. Maybe, in another life, she would like someone like him. In this one, though? He was shit out of luck in this one. "And what shall I do to punish you? What can I do to you that would make you understand that you are here at my mercy? What can I do to show you that I will not be played for a fool?"

"You think there's anything you can do to me that hasn't already been done? Short of killing me or turning me, I think you're shit out of luck. Belladonna's kiss took away my freedom. You took away my reason for living." The meaning behind her words was plain to hear.

"But I gave you Asher." His tone of voice made it sound like he was pointing out the obvious to a very small child. Arrogant asshole.

She fought the urge to grind her teeth. That was still a very sore subject with her. "No. You didn't. You gave me a babysitter. You gave him a job. He gave me some small part of himself. All on his own."

"Shall I take him away from you, too?"

The words should have left her feeling afraid. They didn't. All she felt was tired. "You know what? You do what you gotta do. Take them all away again. Shove me in a coffin and leave me to rot. Lock me in shackles. Bite me. Fucking break my neck and dump my corpse in the river. I don't even fucking care anymore."

The room fell silent as she stared the master vampire down. Jean Claude was watching her, face blank despite the fact that she knew his brain was turning over what she'd said. He was going to use this moment to his advantage, whatever that advantage might be. If he wanted rid of her, so be it. She was so done with all of this shit.