fic: Madame Paris 2/?
Title: Madame Paris 2/?
Author: writteninhaste
Rating: R
Pairing: Pairings referenced
Warnings: graphic violence, sexual content
Spoilers: references up to an including Narcissus In Chains
Summary: A new woman is in St. Louis. One who sought Jean-Claude out long ago, and now, has done so again. Ostensibly harmless, Anita is not so sure. What is the difference between human and humane? And what has she brought with her to St. Louis?
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any aspect of the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series. The series and all its associated materials are the property of Laurel K Hamilton and her associates. This piece was written purely for enjoyment. No money was made from the production of this literature and no copyright infringement was intended.
X-posted to: Pommedesang.com
Madame Paris
An hour later saw Jean-Claude and I sat on the sofa in his living room, with Asher sat opposite us on what appeared to be dining room chair and Jason curled up on the floor at our feet. I was tempted to ask him why he found the floor so comfortable tonight but I didn’t. Jean-Claude was speaking.
“Ana and I met many years ago, when I was the new-dead. She has a passion for learning and knowledge, which seemed to override all other things. Even common sense. We met one night in Paris - on the steps of the Notre-Dame Cathedral - she was young, with a hunger for knowledge even then, at a time when education amongst women was discouraged. She had sought me out - knowing me for what I was, and wanting to know more. She took great risks coming to me, at a time when I had not yet mastered my ardeur but still she came; wanting knowledge, seeking truth.”
Something in his voice made me look at him more closely, his pose was as nonchalant as ever but his face held a wistful quality that I had rarely seen before. Asher noticed it too.
“You seem to admire her mon ami.” Jason raised his head at this, staring at Jean-Claude intently. I understood the reaction. Earlier Jean-Claude had seemed torn between indifference and hostility towards the woman, now he spoke of her almost fondly.
Jean-Claude nodded, “Oui, you are correct mon-ami I do admire her, but it is a grudging respect born from her ability to keep herself alive more than anything else.”
Jean-Claude sighed and rose, his sheer black shirt pulled against his ribs as he moved, his black jeans hugging in all the right places. “When I saw her today it startled me. I had believed her to have died long ago. I had given her no thought since I left France. But it appears she has kept track of my movements even though I had lost track of hers.”
I raised an eyebrow, “She sounds like a stalker.” I said, I wasn’t really sure what I felt towards this women. She’d made me nervous with her ability to affect my emotions like that and I have a tendency to dislike things, which make me nervous. But for some reason I couldn’t bring myself to dislike her - not right off the bat anyway. Maybe it had something to do with the way she had made Asher laugh. I was brought out of my musings when Jean-Claude spoke again.
“Peut-Etre.” He looked at Asher and Jason in turn, “You seemed quite taken with her as well mon ami, as did you my wolf.”
Asher remained silent but Jason spoke, “She’s nice. Good looking too.” He looked up at me “We sat and talked for hours. It was almost like we were dating.” I thought that was a strange thing to say but didn’t comment on it.
Looking between the three men I voiced a question that had been growing in my mind, “If Jean-Claude didn’t invite her to the circus how did she get in?”
Jean-Claude looked meaningfully at Jason, “I think perhaps you should answer that my wolf.”
Jason swallowed, and winced slightly, “She was waiting outside the Circus when I got back.” He said, licking his lips as if he were nervous. I didn’t bother asking where he’d been. “I pulled up into the car park and there she was, just leaning against the side door as if she had every right to be there. She looked straight at me and said ‘Tell me little wolf cub, when will the Master rise?’”
I interrupted, “She knew you were a werewolf?” being able to spot a lycanthrope isn’t that uncommon - if you’re sensitive enough they give off a broiling energy which you can feel on the air - but I’d never heard of anyone being able to tell what flavour of lycanthropy someone had just by being near them.
Jason sighed, “Yeah. She knew a hell of a lot.” I waited for him to elaborate but he didn’t. Before I could ask, he was speaking again. “We stood outside just talking, until the sun set. Then Stephen came up on his way to guilty pleasures, and I asked him to tell Jean-Claude we had a guest. She gave her name and waited patiently until Stephen reappeared, but once he said we could go in she practically flew down those stairs. It was as if she knew exactly where to go. I’ve never seen a human move that fast.” He finished and sighed, “I can’t even remember the details of what he spoke about now. There was just something about her. I just wanted to keep talking to her - I didn’t want it to stop.”
Jean-Claude dropped back down onto the seat he had previously vacated. If he hadn’t done it so elegantly I would have said he flopped but I doubt Jean-Claude had ever flopped down anywhere in his entire life. He regarded Jason with a look of sympathy and understanding, “Yes I remember she did have that affect. At least when she was in your presence.”
I looked at Jean-Claude and the still silent Asher, “She’s not exactly human, is she?”
“I do not believe so ma petite.”
At this Asher laughed. It was a surprisingly harsh sound, and sounded wrong it the quiet room. “You do not believe so? Mon ami, it is quite clear she is no longer human, though like all of us here, she started life as such.”
I opened my mouth to protest that I was still human, but closed it again. I really wasn’t so sure anymore.
Jean-Claude bristled at Asher’s tone, prompting me to a place a hand on his forearm. When he spoke it was with measured control, “And what else have you garnered from your meeting mon ami?”
I held up my hand to forestall Asher’s response. We’d been at this ever since Analise had left, and I felt as though I knew even less than when I’d first walked into the Circus.
“Alright Jean-Claude enough dancing around, who is she? How do you know her? And most importantly what does she want?”
Jean-Claude sighed sharply, a quick expulsion of breath from his nostrils. He withdrew his arm from my hand and seemed to fold in on himself for a moment before straightening again. He rose in a blur of motion and crossed to the fire place on the other side of the room. Three pairs of eyes followed him.
Jean-Claude became very still. When he finally spoke his voice was void of emotion. “What she wants here, I do not know ma petite she refused to give me a straight answer. As to how I know her I believe I have answered that already, but as to who she is, that I can tell you.
“When I met Ana she was twenty-one years old. She looked much as she does now, she had sought me out because she wished to know more about vampires. She believed I was the only one who could answer her questions. When we met she refused to give me her name so I called her Madame Paris. It was months before she told me her name and even then, it was in a note, the last I heard from her in all these years. All I know is that she had ceased to be entirely human before she left Paris. I believe, in fact that it was this loss, which caused her to leave. In exchange for knowledge she had given part of herself, but she still retained more humanity than I had when I made a similar exchange” He turned, his eyes finding mine, and he smiled sadly. “For one month we met each night on the steps of the Cathedral, she poised by the church door, ready to flee inside should the need arise, and I stood before the steps facing away, talking to the night about being a vampire, whilst she listened. I honestly had not given her a moment’s thought, ma petite since I learnt her name. It was all I wanted from her. An exchange of knowledge, Anita, was all we shared.”
A heavy silence followed his words. I still didn’t feel as though my questions has been answered but it was a start. I had a feeling that if I wanted real answers I would have to go the source. But that would have to wait; it was nearly dawn. I looked away from Jean-Claude before looking up again, “I still think there’s something you’re not telling me,” I looked at Asher, “And I want to talk to you too but it will have to wait until tonight. It’s nearly dawn, and I’m tired and to be honest I’m confused. Right now, all I want to do is sleep. But before that Jean-Claude,” I moved to meet him and kissed him chastely on the lips, “I want to know where she can be reached.”
Jean-Claude blinked at me slowly and kissed me on the lips.
Chapter 3
Author: writteninhaste
Rating: R
Pairing: Pairings referenced
Warnings: graphic violence, sexual content
Spoilers: references up to an including Narcissus In Chains
Summary: A new woman is in St. Louis. One who sought Jean-Claude out long ago, and now, has done so again. Ostensibly harmless, Anita is not so sure. What is the difference between human and humane? And what has she brought with her to St. Louis?
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any aspect of the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series. The series and all its associated materials are the property of Laurel K Hamilton and her associates. This piece was written purely for enjoyment. No money was made from the production of this literature and no copyright infringement was intended.
X-posted to: Pommedesang.com
Madame Paris
An hour later saw Jean-Claude and I sat on the sofa in his living room, with Asher sat opposite us on what appeared to be dining room chair and Jason curled up on the floor at our feet. I was tempted to ask him why he found the floor so comfortable tonight but I didn’t. Jean-Claude was speaking.
“Ana and I met many years ago, when I was the new-dead. She has a passion for learning and knowledge, which seemed to override all other things. Even common sense. We met one night in Paris - on the steps of the Notre-Dame Cathedral - she was young, with a hunger for knowledge even then, at a time when education amongst women was discouraged. She had sought me out - knowing me for what I was, and wanting to know more. She took great risks coming to me, at a time when I had not yet mastered my ardeur but still she came; wanting knowledge, seeking truth.”
Something in his voice made me look at him more closely, his pose was as nonchalant as ever but his face held a wistful quality that I had rarely seen before. Asher noticed it too.
“You seem to admire her mon ami.” Jason raised his head at this, staring at Jean-Claude intently. I understood the reaction. Earlier Jean-Claude had seemed torn between indifference and hostility towards the woman, now he spoke of her almost fondly.
Jean-Claude nodded, “Oui, you are correct mon-ami I do admire her, but it is a grudging respect born from her ability to keep herself alive more than anything else.”
Jean-Claude sighed and rose, his sheer black shirt pulled against his ribs as he moved, his black jeans hugging in all the right places. “When I saw her today it startled me. I had believed her to have died long ago. I had given her no thought since I left France. But it appears she has kept track of my movements even though I had lost track of hers.”
I raised an eyebrow, “She sounds like a stalker.” I said, I wasn’t really sure what I felt towards this women. She’d made me nervous with her ability to affect my emotions like that and I have a tendency to dislike things, which make me nervous. But for some reason I couldn’t bring myself to dislike her - not right off the bat anyway. Maybe it had something to do with the way she had made Asher laugh. I was brought out of my musings when Jean-Claude spoke again.
“Peut-Etre.” He looked at Asher and Jason in turn, “You seemed quite taken with her as well mon ami, as did you my wolf.”
Asher remained silent but Jason spoke, “She’s nice. Good looking too.” He looked up at me “We sat and talked for hours. It was almost like we were dating.” I thought that was a strange thing to say but didn’t comment on it.
Looking between the three men I voiced a question that had been growing in my mind, “If Jean-Claude didn’t invite her to the circus how did she get in?”
Jean-Claude looked meaningfully at Jason, “I think perhaps you should answer that my wolf.”
Jason swallowed, and winced slightly, “She was waiting outside the Circus when I got back.” He said, licking his lips as if he were nervous. I didn’t bother asking where he’d been. “I pulled up into the car park and there she was, just leaning against the side door as if she had every right to be there. She looked straight at me and said ‘Tell me little wolf cub, when will the Master rise?’”
I interrupted, “She knew you were a werewolf?” being able to spot a lycanthrope isn’t that uncommon - if you’re sensitive enough they give off a broiling energy which you can feel on the air - but I’d never heard of anyone being able to tell what flavour of lycanthropy someone had just by being near them.
Jason sighed, “Yeah. She knew a hell of a lot.” I waited for him to elaborate but he didn’t. Before I could ask, he was speaking again. “We stood outside just talking, until the sun set. Then Stephen came up on his way to guilty pleasures, and I asked him to tell Jean-Claude we had a guest. She gave her name and waited patiently until Stephen reappeared, but once he said we could go in she practically flew down those stairs. It was as if she knew exactly where to go. I’ve never seen a human move that fast.” He finished and sighed, “I can’t even remember the details of what he spoke about now. There was just something about her. I just wanted to keep talking to her - I didn’t want it to stop.”
Jean-Claude dropped back down onto the seat he had previously vacated. If he hadn’t done it so elegantly I would have said he flopped but I doubt Jean-Claude had ever flopped down anywhere in his entire life. He regarded Jason with a look of sympathy and understanding, “Yes I remember she did have that affect. At least when she was in your presence.”
I looked at Jean-Claude and the still silent Asher, “She’s not exactly human, is she?”
“I do not believe so ma petite.”
At this Asher laughed. It was a surprisingly harsh sound, and sounded wrong it the quiet room. “You do not believe so? Mon ami, it is quite clear she is no longer human, though like all of us here, she started life as such.”
I opened my mouth to protest that I was still human, but closed it again. I really wasn’t so sure anymore.
Jean-Claude bristled at Asher’s tone, prompting me to a place a hand on his forearm. When he spoke it was with measured control, “And what else have you garnered from your meeting mon ami?”
I held up my hand to forestall Asher’s response. We’d been at this ever since Analise had left, and I felt as though I knew even less than when I’d first walked into the Circus.
“Alright Jean-Claude enough dancing around, who is she? How do you know her? And most importantly what does she want?”
Jean-Claude sighed sharply, a quick expulsion of breath from his nostrils. He withdrew his arm from my hand and seemed to fold in on himself for a moment before straightening again. He rose in a blur of motion and crossed to the fire place on the other side of the room. Three pairs of eyes followed him.
Jean-Claude became very still. When he finally spoke his voice was void of emotion. “What she wants here, I do not know ma petite she refused to give me a straight answer. As to how I know her I believe I have answered that already, but as to who she is, that I can tell you.
“When I met Ana she was twenty-one years old. She looked much as she does now, she had sought me out because she wished to know more about vampires. She believed I was the only one who could answer her questions. When we met she refused to give me her name so I called her Madame Paris. It was months before she told me her name and even then, it was in a note, the last I heard from her in all these years. All I know is that she had ceased to be entirely human before she left Paris. I believe, in fact that it was this loss, which caused her to leave. In exchange for knowledge she had given part of herself, but she still retained more humanity than I had when I made a similar exchange” He turned, his eyes finding mine, and he smiled sadly. “For one month we met each night on the steps of the Cathedral, she poised by the church door, ready to flee inside should the need arise, and I stood before the steps facing away, talking to the night about being a vampire, whilst she listened. I honestly had not given her a moment’s thought, ma petite since I learnt her name. It was all I wanted from her. An exchange of knowledge, Anita, was all we shared.”
A heavy silence followed his words. I still didn’t feel as though my questions has been answered but it was a start. I had a feeling that if I wanted real answers I would have to go the source. But that would have to wait; it was nearly dawn. I looked away from Jean-Claude before looking up again, “I still think there’s something you’re not telling me,” I looked at Asher, “And I want to talk to you too but it will have to wait until tonight. It’s nearly dawn, and I’m tired and to be honest I’m confused. Right now, all I want to do is sleep. But before that Jean-Claude,” I moved to meet him and kissed him chastely on the lips, “I want to know where she can be reached.”
Jean-Claude blinked at me slowly and kissed me on the lips.
Chapter 3