FIC The Mate Part 2
May. 6th, 2005 10:14 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jessara40k_ljI haven't posted much Anita Blake stuff recently, as much for lack of comments as anything else, but...
Anita let Jean-Claude go in the bathroom first, she knew he would spend ages there, soaking in the bath for as long as he thought he could get away with, and she used the time to prepare the room. She'd specifically requested an inside room, one with no windows for anyone to climb through - although the hotel staff thought that was because her companion was a vampire. She'd also asked to have the bed against the wall opposite the door, so she'd be able to stay between it and her mate, protecting him. She stowed a gun beneath the pillow, loaded, but with the safety on, and fastened a special holster to the headboard to accommodate her Browning. Then she hid two of her knives beneath the mattress, and another two went on the bedside table. After that all Anita had to do was wait for Jean-Claude to come out, he was onto drying his hair, so it wasn't likely to take more than another half an hour.
When he came back into the bedroom Anita smiled happily at the sight of him in the outfit she had chosen for him. It consisted of a close fitting black silk jumpsuit, leaving nothing to the imagination, and half a dozen layers of diaphanous robes, again in silk, but much finer and in shades of blue to compliment his eyes. Rather than a zipper, or buttons it was held closed by lacing it up from the groin to the neck. Anita had wanted to give her mate something for her to strip from his body, rather than let him give her something to strip from hers. He still wore the necklace she had given him, proclaiming her ownership, and he kept his eyes cast down modestly, and his arms crossed in front of his midsection in a pose that had nothing of seduction in it.
Anita turned back a corner of the sheet and watched as Jean-Claude walked forward and climbed into bed. Once he was actually in bed she went through to take her turn in the bathroom - she brushed her teeth and took a quick shower with no effort to wash her hair. When she returned she found her mate had pulled the covers up to near his chin.
“I will enjoy undressing you to partake of the bounty of your body, you are beautiful, and your touch is something to be treasured.” For a second Jean-Claude's fingers tightened on the sheet he was holding to his body, and he seemed to mouth the word 'No', but then he appeared to relax and lay back, smiling an uncertain smile.
“I am here for your satisfaction my Lady, please take your pleasure of me.”
Something about that turn of phrase bothered her, but she ignored it and moved forward to join her lover in the bed, pulling the sheet back to expose him and exploring his body with her hands. As she stripped off the outermost of his robes Anita realised that Jean-Claude was not comfortable or happy about what she was doing, instead he was surrendering to what was morally, if not legally, rape. She knew it had happened to him before, but only intellectually, she hadn’t understood it in her heart, now she did, Anita saw that there was a stiffness and reluctance to Jean-Claude’s body she had never seen before. Jean-Claude had always had a high sex drive, as high as Anita’s without the ardeur pushing her, or perhaps a bit higher.
“Jean-Claude, did you try to refuse me earlier?”
“Y-yes. I am sorry, for a moment I forgot that it is my place to please you, my desires do not come into it.”
“You are wrong there. I don’t want you to sleep with me from duty. If you don’t want to have sex tell me, and I won’t force you.”
“You have the right to take me to your bed any time you wish it. I can serve your pleasure whether I have any interest in sex or not. I am perfectly willing to do so. It wouldn’t be rape, my Lady.”
“Yes it would. I know that you can’t say no to me, and that makes it rape. Do you know why you aren’t interested?”
“No, but I think it is because I am carrying your child. Damian said that sometimes when he was pregnant Regulus wouldn’t want to have sex at all.”
“Not that his wishes would have made any difference to Hugo, or would they?”
“No, as far as Hugo was concerned Regulus was nothing but property, something to use as he pleased, not a person who had an opinion about how he was treated. I met Hugo once or twice, and Regulus as well, I counted myself lucky that Belle Morte never agreed to lend me to him, now I have one more reason to be grateful for that fact.”
“Yes, I suppose you do at that. I won’t force you, I have other ways to take my pleasure, other people I can lie with if I need to. I refuse to rape you my lovely one.”
“Thank you my Lady.” Anita kissed Jean-Claude and pulled him into her arms, snuggling against his body, then let herself begin to sleep.
She was woken up later by the feel of Jean-Claude’s tongue between her legs, arousing her expertly.
“What are you doing?” Anita twined her hand in Jean-Claude’s hair to jerk his head up to meet her eyes.
“Forgive me, the ardeur...”
“You need to feed, I see. This does not upset you?”
“I love you. I am content to offer you pleasure, it does not hurt me, and it is hardly as if you are forcing me.” He shrugged casually and then made to go back to his work. Anita noticed then that Jean-Claude had already let the outer layers of robes fall from his body, so he was just wearing the jumpsuit.
“Didn’t you like the robes that went with that?”
“I did like them, they are beautiful, and probably fun to get out of, but they got in the way. Do you find me pleasing in them?”
“Yes, I’ve got another three sets on order actually, the jumpsuits are all in black, but one set of robes is red, one’s purple and the third’s black. It’s all in silk, so nightwear, or perhaps formalwear.”
“It might be better if you, or I, had some done in wool for the jumpsuit, and cotton, or linen for the robes if you wish that to be my attire on formal occasions.”
“I think I do, and go ahead.” Anita smiled as Jean-Claude took that as approval of his earlier actions and returned to them, when she thought about it she felt a stirring of desire and the ardeur flared, so she let him feed and fed herself at the same time.
~~~000~~~
Jean-Claude stood alone on a hill, looking out over the city. He’d pretended that it was his city, his territory, but if he was honest it never had been, instead it had been a gift from Anita’s hands. All the power and position he held was a gift from his master’s hands, or at least that was how it felt.
He knew it wasn’t accurate, but he’d been taught that a mate was nothing more than a piece of property, his power dependent on how many children he carried for his owner. Any other vampire he met would dismiss him as nothing more than Anita’s bedtoy, and broodmare. The vampire was so wrapped up in his brooding that he didn’t notice someone coming up behind him until he heard the start of a spell. He spun in place, but he didn’t get a chance to see whoever it was before the spell took effect and he collapsed to the ground unconscious.
When Jean-Claude woke up he was naked, chained to the ceiling of a stone room by his wrists, and his ankles had been chained to the floor far enough apart that his legs were spread so wide he was totally off balance. He heard spellcasting again and shivered at the thought of what would surely happen.
“Shut your eyes.” Jean-Claude hadn’t expected that command, he didn’t recognise the voice or the scent – his kidnapper had drenched himself in a dozen competing scents, enough to overpower his own scent, and there were spells, fairly simple ones to change a voice, not to mention even simpler human machines that did exactly the same thing.
He felt a short body, too hot to be anything but a lycanthrope, pressing up against him as his captor reached to fasten a blindfold around his eyes. Those hands wandered down his body, to first circle then pinch at his nipples, when he shivered at the initial touch. A soft whimper came from his lips. The unseen man took that as an invitation to explore further. The hands stroked down his ribs and rested for a moment on his hips before sliding over his groin. Jean-Claude felt an intense sense of relief when he realised his assailant couldn’t touch him there. He didn’t have any better luck exploring the vampire’s ass and Jean-Claude could almost taste his fury.
The vampire strained to hear what was happening while he was tied up and the man was moving about.
“This isn’t a claim, I can’t find a claim on your body, so how in hell is it that I can’t touch you?” The shapeshifter hit Jean-Claude across the face with what felt like a chain and pendant, from his words it had to be the necklace Anita had given him. The vampire heard the chain drop to the floor and knew that something bad was going to happen.
A fist slammed into his midsection and Jean-Claude couldn’t prevent himself vomiting as his fear came to the fore. His captor stepped back and cursed. Jean-Claude grabbed the chance to do something to protect his child, however little. He concentrated on heightening the lycanthrope’s distaste for the fact that Jean-Claude had just thrown up all over him in an effort to discourage him from repeating his actions.
It worked, in a way. His captor left him for a few moments, walking away and out of the room. But the lycanthrope swiftly returned, and though Jean-Claude tried he couldn’t recognise the animal from his scent. He really should have expected the whip, was all that he could think of when he first felt its bite across his back. All sadists seemed to be fascinated by the few scars on his back from his mortal life and they all liked to use whips on him as a result, sometimes as a warm-up, or a side-dish, but sometimes as the main course. His current tormentor concentrated on his back at first, but moved to cover most of his body, paying particular attention to the still tight abdomen. Jean-Claude managed to stifle his screams, but he was moaning enough to satisfy almost anyone, but when the whip caught his right nipple making it bleed he couldn’t stifle his scream. The shapeshifter paused, Jean-Claude sensed his sudden arousal and seized the tiny opportunity, he did everything he could to increase his kidnapper’s arousal and desire.
Jean-Claude hated using his body like that, but for his child...And it would let him feed through the ardeur when he couldn’t on blood – he wouldn’t lose the energy from the ardeur either. The shapeshifter began to play with Jean-Claude’s nipples, just touching at first, then nipping and biting and then tearing. He didn’t just use his mouth and fingers of course, but metal clamps and needles too.
When Jean-Claude was released from the chains holding him up he didn’t have the strength to do more than collapse to the floor, there wasn’t an unmarked inch of skin on his body. It hurt as the man jerked off onto him, but at least he’d been able to feed the ardeur, it would substitute for blood, at least for a little while.
By the time Jean-Claude could move the shapeshifter had left the room. He pushed the blindfold out of his eyes and looked around groping desperately for the necklace that marked him as Anita’s. This was the first time it had been off his neck since Anita had given it to him and he felt a touch of panic at the prospect of losing it. When he found the necklace it was lying in a pool of vomit, but he clutched it so hard the metal tag cut into his hand.
Jean-Claude’s head snapped up and towards the door when he heard someone approaching. He wrapped his necklace around his wrist and curled to protect his belly and his unborn child.
Jean-Claude felt gentle hands use a soft cloth to clean him up a little. He bit his lip and let the vampire, the mate, for he could sense the sort of power he’d only ever felt from the Earthmover and Regulus before, move him.
“Regulus?” He was almost naked, wearing only a thin, almost transparent pair of pants and the nipple rings Hugo had used to mark him.
“I’ll help you get away – you belong to Anita and I can’t let Hugo do this again. But the best I can do is get you to a little park nearby. Is there anyone I can call to get you?” The spells had weakened Jean-Claude and he wouldn’t gain any strength until he fed on blood.
“Anita, her number’s 07685132217 or the RPIT if you can’t get her or remember the number. What do you mean do this again?”
“That’s why I belong to him. I was someone else’s mate, I belonged to Leo and Hugo kidnapped me while I was carrying our first child. He cut our son out of my body, and when that didn’t break our bond he dumped me for my master to find. The second time he kidnapped me I’d just conceived again – he beat me until I miscarried, and that broke my bond to Leo. Then Hugo forced a new bond on me, one with him.” While they were speaking Regulus guided Jean-Claude out of the building and then flew with him to the park he’d mentioned.
“I’ll call them now, I have to be back as soon as possible, and I’ll try to distract him.”
“How will he react?” Jean-Claude was still too weak to stand, but he was concerned about the man who’d saved him.
“If I tell him I was jealous he won’t be too angry.” With those words Regulus disappeared.
It wasn’t too much later that one of the female RPIT detectives arrived, he’d seen her when he was arrested for 'murdering' Anita, but he couldn’t remember her name. She was pretty, with short dark hair, and a triangular face with delicate bones, but not beautiful, not the way his master was. She cursed when she saw how hurt he was and wrapped a blanket around his shoulders, helping him up.
“Come with me, I’m supposed to take you back to headquarters, we’ve contacted Anita and she’s bringing some clothes for you but you’ll need to tell us what happened.”
“Not until I’ve had a chance to talk to Anita. I do not trust human law, I know better than that.”
“What does that mean?” The Detective was angry at his observation, Jean-Claude’s eyes opened a bit wider, but that was the only evidence he showed of his sudden fear.
“That human law does not treat monsters the same way it treats humans. Your Lieutenant Storr wanted to have me executed because I tried to help Anita after she almost died and got covered in blood carrying her to those who could help her. He tried to get my pomme de sang locked up because he drove Anita to a murder scene when she was too ill to drive herself and because he’s a werewolf. He tries to use the law as a weapon against people he doesn’t like.” Jean-Claude let the bitterness he felt coat his voice, better that then the fear he felt. It seemed like he was a lot more scared now that he knew he was a mate than he had been before. The Detective was guiding him back to her car and into the passenger seat next to her.
“Why are you strapping in?” She sounded surprised.
“Anita has me well trained; she doesn’t let anyone in a car with her unless they wear a seatbelt.” Jean-Claude sounded tired, he was safe, but he still wanted Anita to come and tell him what to do.
~~~000~~~
Jean-Claude hadn’t been seen since two hours after dusk, he had been supposed to feed three times more before Anita finished her night’s raisings at three, but he hadn’t and Anita was frantic with worry – and fury that no one had thought to tell her until she came to the Circus.
When her phone rang she could barely muster the civility to even answer, let alone moderate her response from the snapped “Yes?” that came from her lips.
“Anita, Count Dracula’s down here at RPIT headquarters. I think you better come and get him. You need to bring some clothes for him as well.” Anita felt overwhelmingly relieved to hear Zerbrowski’s voice and know that her mate was safe.
“What happened to him?”
“He won’t say anything until you get here. He doesn’t trust us, I can’t blame him after Dolph’s temper tantrums.”
“I’m on my way then, but we’ll need some time with him in private.”
“I can swing that. He’s in pretty bad shape, he really needs you.” Anita wasn’t surprised to learn that. Her mate had missed feeding three times, he would never have done that willingly. She’d thought that claiming him had made him safe. But apparently not.
Anita got Asher to come with her to collect her lover, driving there with a pile of clothes so he’d have some choice in what to wear. When they arrived Detective Arnet greeted them.
“You’re here to collect Jean-Claude? He’s in one of the interview rooms. I’ll take you there. I don’t suppose you’ve got that purple eyed cutie with you?” She looked around, trying to spot Nathaniel.
“No, he’s busy working. Just how bad is it?”
“Very. I was the one who picked him up, it was too dark to see how badly he was hurt, but once I brought him a blanket he insisted on keeping it wrapped around himself tightly. And there’s something that smells a bit like vomit in his hair.” As she spoke the detective led Anita and Asher to the room where their lover was waiting. When she opened the door it was to see Jean-Claude curled into the corner furthest from the door, almost totally covered by the blanket he was wearing and watching the door warily. He lowered his eyes and bowed his head slightly in submission when he recognised Anita, waiting for her reaction.
“Asher, leave the clothes on the table and go get some water so he can clean up a bit once he’s fed – that will heal most of his injuries.” Anita added the last part as an aside to Jessica while she walked over to kneel beside Jean-Claude, lifting his chin with her left hand so she could see his face. “Jean-Claude, once they’ve gone I want to see how badly you’ve been hurt, then you can feed from me.”
At that Jean-Claude’s eyes widened, and he shook his head. “I can’t.” It was barely more than a whisper, but Anita heard it, and from the look on his face so did Asher.
“Did I give you the impression you had a choice?” Anita made her voice cold and hard, she knew that Jean-Claude sometimes found things easier if she compelled him to do them, and since he’d learned that he was carrying Anita’s child it had taken a direct order to get him to feed from her, unless it was the ardeur.
“No, forgive me. I will do as you wish.” There was a shocked look on Detective Arnet’s face and she virtually fled from the room, leading Asher “to get some water”.
Jean-Claude shivered and stood, dropping the blanket, to reveal that his body was covered with lash marks, particularly his stomach, and his nipples were just two bloody wounds. Anita stood as well, walking around him to inspect the injuries.
“You’ll be able to use the ardeur to make up for some of the blood you lost, and some of the feedings you missed, right?”
“Yes.” Jean-Claude forced himself to stay still as Anita passed behind him, but he was still shaking ever so slightly.
“Here, feed.” Anita held out her wrist, and her mate sunk to his knees and drank from it. “You don’t have to have sex if you don’t want to.” She knew that with his pregnancy Jean-Claude’s sex drive had fallen to the point where it was almost nonexistent, and she had the feeling he’d just been sexually molested. With her claim on him he couldn’t have been touched sexually, but that didn’t prevent all forms of molestation, and she could smell semen on him. “I brought Asher along so if necessary we could have sex and you could feed on that, or we could even take the shortcut of using his bite.”
“Thank you master.” Jean-Claude had taken as much blood as he could manage, and looking to Anita for permission he pulled the blanket back around his body before going over to look through the clothes she’d brought for him.
“While you’re doing that tell me what happened.”
“I’m sorry master. I didn’t tell you everything. I’m still vulnerable to the spells that allow someone to control me, I will be until I give birth, sealing our bond. And Hugo is in town. He can justify not announcing his presence to either of us, that isn’t required of mates, or Sires unless there is an acknowledged Sire in the area, and until our first child is born and you present her you don’t have the social standing as a Sire. He used spells to control me, and he tried to make me miscarry by beating me. Apparently that’s how he made Regulus into his mate, he tried cutting Regulus’ first child from his body, but that didn’t break his bond with Leo, the Sire who got him pregnant the first time. But when he beat Regulus until he lost his child that did break the bond and he was able to force his own child and claim on Regulus. I only learned this from Regulus when he got me out.” Jean-Claude fell silent, and Anita knew that he heard Asher returning.
“We’ll discuss your deception later. Have you decided what you want to wear?” Jean-Claude looked at Anita and lifted a few things out of the pile that Asher had left waiting for him. First one of the black silk jumpsuits, then black wool pants, a dark blue silk shirt and black leather knee high boots. It was a bit more than he normally wore, Anita thought perhaps he was feeling insecure and wanted an extra layer of clothing between him and the world.
“Anita?” Asher knocked at the door waiting for an invitation to come in, and when he got one he carried in a bucket of warm water and some cloths while Detective Arnet brought in a couple of towels.
“Thanks. Could we have a bit more privacy please?”
“Sure.” And with that the Detective put the towels down and went back out. Jean-Claude knelt, letting the blanket drop to the floor, waiting for orders.
“We don’t have time to wash all that hair of yours and get it dry. That will have to wait until we get back to the Circus. Tell the police that you were kidnapped, but someone helped you get out. You can say whatever you want about how you were kidnapped, but you don’t want to press charges because it would make your vulnerabilities too public and there isn’t any proof. Perhaps say you couldn’t recognise him as well.”
“Yes Anita. I couldn’t recognise him actually, he made me keep my eyes closed or blindfolded me, and he had too many different perfumes on him for me to isolate his scent.”
“Can you feed on our sexual energy while you clean yourself up a bit?”
“That isn’t a problem. I managed to feed the ardeur a bit on Hugo as well. I...used that to distract him from trying to make me miscarry.” Jean-Claude sounded subdued, almost as if he expected to be punished for trying to protect his child. Anita paused as she was skinning out of her clothes to reassure him.
“Good. I’m sorry to have failed you so badly, but at least you managed to find a way to gather some energy, and to protect yourself at least a little.”
“You didn’t fail me, I deceived you, and I realise that you have to punish me for that.” Anita was shocked by the acceptance in her lover’s voice, but he was right in a way, he had deceived her – but it had never occurred to her to punish him for it. She didn’t have a chance to reply, Asher distracted her by burying his face in her groin. It was very quick, they were mainly focused on letting Jean-Claude feed the ardeur, although Anita fed too and once they’d finished they used the water left to clean themselves up. When they went through to speak with Zerbrowski Asher didn’t join them, going straight to the car instead to wait for them there.
“What are you ready to tell me? And how could a vampire get into that sort of mess anyway?”
“There are a few vampires who are vulnerable to certain very simple spells. As a sort of compensation we can become very powerful very fast, and it is only for a short period every time we gain power that we are so vulnerable. I recently discovered that I am one of these vampires, and a lycanthrope called Hugo took advantage of this to capture me. At least I would assume it was Hugo, it was his...lover, Regulus who helped get me out. There would be no point pressing charges, I did not see him, nor could I recognise his scent, besides I do not wish to make my weak points too well known.”
“You aren’t planning anything illegal to get back at him yourself, are you?”
“Only if trying to get someone out of an abusive relationship is illegal.” Jean-Claude’s voice was quiet and bitter, and Anita found herself trying to control her surprise at the idea that it would be possible to take his mate from Hugo.
“Of course it isn’t. Are you saying this Hugo is abusing...Regulus?”
“Those vampires who are vulnerable to simple spells can also be enslaved by some more complex spells during the vulnerable period. I understand that’s what happened to Regulus. And there isn’t any evidence so you can’t do anything. I’m not sure what Jean-Claude thinks he can do but until he’s out of this vulnerable period I will not let him leave the Circus without a bodyguard.” Jean-Claude glanced at Anita from beneath lowered eyes at that statement, and it seemed to shock Zerbrowski.
“You talk as if you can control him?”
“She can. Some necromancers can control vampires, especially vampires stupid enough to give them a metaphysical link to work with.”
“That isn’t any of your concern. I’m sorry you had to get involved with this, but I want to get Jean-Claude back to the Circus as soon as possible.” Anita stood and her lover followed her example, walking out of the station with his arm about her waist.
~~~000~~~
Jean-Claude couldn’t stop trembling as his master drove him home. Asher held him gently, trying to comfort him, but he knew his master would have to punish him for not telling her everything about the effects of his pregnancy. And he knew that what had just happened to him was his own fault for trying to keep things from her.
“Come on Jean-Claude.” Anita guided him through the Circus to his bedroom, careful not to scare him and when they got there he sank to his knees on the rug, awaiting her judgement.
“No, get up. I rang and arranged for a bath to be waiting for us. You need to wash your hair, and you can feed again while we’re in there.”
“Yes Anita.” Jean-Claude obeyed his master, washing his hair – or rather letting her wash it for him, and taking as much of her blood as he could stand. He dressed in a fresh silk jumpsuit with black robes over it. This time when they went through to the bedroom Anita let him kneel at her feet when she took a seat.
“What didn’t you tell me? You said that when I claimed you it would make you safe from the spells that could control you.”
“No master, I said that once you’d claimed me I’d be safe from the spell that could make me bear another’s child, because no one can to touch me sexually without your explicit permission, nor can I bear anyone’s children except for yours. But the way I said it was misleading. I didn’t explain fully because I was afraid of how you’d react when you learned that every time I’m pregnant anyone with a scrap of magic who knows the right spells can control me.”
“I see. That’s one more reason to limit how often you’re pregnant then. Now, what did you mean when you suggested getting Regulus away from Hugo? That was what you were talking about?”
“I don’t really know much about it, but because Hugo wasn’t the one who first got Regulus pregnant you might be able to replace his bond with Regulus with your own. I do know that Inanna belonged to a sadistic sorcerer, and Severus forced a bond on her and got her with child before marrying and claiming her. It left the sorcerer with the same sort of immortality we vampires have, he doesn’t age, but he can be killed. Severus didn’t bother killing him and Inanna was just so grateful to belong to someone who didn’t hurt her as badly. It only worked because her first Sire, Anu, died in battle before he could claim her – she was going to tell him she was pregnant when he got back. How are you going to punish me Anita?”
“Punish you?”
“For deceiving you.” Jean-Claude was scared, but he’d learned that the longer his masters had to think about how to punish him the worse it was. Anita had always been kind to him, and he didn’t think she’d hurt him or humiliate him too badly, still if he showed willingness to submit she might not be as harsh. Jean-Claude would never have defied one of his earlier masters by deceiving them the way he had Anita, he’d gotten out of the habits of being owned, of surviving as property, he had to get back into them and fast.
“You expect me to punish you for not telling me everything?” Jean-Claude wasn’t certain whether to answer or not, it sounded almost like a rhetorical question, but if it wasn’t...He was spared from making the decision when she continued. “Well, it is one way of reducing the chances that you’ll do this again. Strip. It was childish of you to hide things from me because you were scared it would make me angry, and you expect me to decide what you can do and think I have the right to punish you if you disobey, so I’m going to punish you the way I would a child.” Jean-Claude glanced up at that, pausing as he obeyed her. “Don’t stop.” Anita stood and walked over to the bed, snagging a hairbrush on the way, and Jean-Claude, realising what she intended to do to him, knew that he’d been right about Anita, she wasn’t going to be too harsh.
“Let’s see. Ten for deceiving me about how safe claiming you would make you. Ten for putting yourself at risk by wandering about by yourself still vulnerable. And ten for not explaining how Inanna became Severus’. That makes thirty.” She pulled him over her lap as she spoke and used the back of the hairbrush to spank him. When Anita released him Jean-Claude slid back down to kneel in front of her, wincing slightly at how his ass felt. It was a minor pain, but what really hurt was the disappointment in him that Anita let him sense from her. “You’ll wake up healed the second night from now, if you don’t then come to me. Now, how do you think Hugo found out that you’re pregnant?”
“I think Belle Morte or Padma showed him the letter I sent to the council at your orders. They both want vengeance on us, and this would be an easy and safe way.”
“Yes, that would make sense. So you don’t think there’s a leak here?”
“The vampires who know for certain would not tell anyone, nor would Richard I think. Nathaniel would never betray you in any way, and I do not believe Jason would betray me either. But my feeding pattern has changed, and in a way that only a pregnant mate’s would, if anyone puts it together...” And he shrugged.
“I have to agree. Now about your bodyguards. You will not set foot outside the Circus unless you are accompanied by a designated bodyguard. They don’t have to stay beside you when you’re in your other businesses either, but other than that they will always be with you. Acceptable bodyguards are me, Asher, Damian, Richard, Jason and, if she is willing Gretchen.”
“Gretchen?” Jean-Claude let his dismay show, although he would comply if Anita made it an order he did not want the possessive vampire around him too much.
“Yes, I think she would do almost anything to protect you, and I think you need that.”
“But, she is not rational about me. She is still crazed from her time in the coffin, and she hates you because she believes you have taken me from her.”
“You were never hers to lose, and I suspect that the fact that you are my mate will go far towards making her forget her hatred of me. I think once she knows what I am she’ll accept it – although she might want to borrow you!”
“But you won’t let her.” It was a flat statement, Jean-Claude knew that his master would never abuse him like that, or share him with anyone but Asher.
“No I won’t. But we’re going to talk to her now.”
~~~000~~~
Anita stood and led Jean-Claude to Gretchen’s room and had him let her in. the vampire followed her half a step behind, head bowed submissively.
“Bitch!” Gretchen threw herself at Anita and her cross flared making Jean-Claude flinch back to hide behind her and Gretchen step back. “What have you done to him? What sort of spell did you cast to steal him like that?”
“Shut up!” Anita consciously tried to use the powers that were supposed to come with being a Sire and taking Jean-Claude as her mate, tried to control Gretchen the way she would a rogue zombie and with total success! Gretchen couldn’t help but stop speaking, raving rather. “Now sit down and listen to me. If you want to speak do so calmly.
“Do you remember before you angered Jean-Claude enough to lock you in a coffin for two years you asked what I was that the Master of the City should beg for my attention?”
“Yes! How could one human have so much control over him?”
“I’m a Sire, and he is my mate.” Anita pulled Jean-Claude out from behind her back, guiding him to sit beside Gretchen. “And he’s carrying my child at the moment.”
“Why are you telling me? Have you come to gloat? I know you won’t ever let me touch him now.” There was a strong undercurrent of bitterness in the vampire’s voice, although she was perfectly calm.
“No, I won’t. I claimed Jean-Claude using a contract, I gave him three clauses he could use to protect himself against the abuses he fears most. He’s been passed around like a toy for almost four hundred years and one of the clauses states that he only has sex with me and with Asher, no one else ever again.”
“Ever? Isn’t that a bit restrictive?”
“For a century anyway. I only want to be with Anita and Asher at the moment, so it is no hardship.” Jean-Claude spoke quietly, eyes cast down submissively – he didn’t really want to draw attention to himself, but he wanted to make it clear that the sexual restrictions had been his idea. He didn’t want one of his people trying to challenge his master because she thought he was being abused – although he wasn’t sure how much good reassuring Gretchen that he was being treated well would do.
“What does this have to do with me? Unless you want me out of the City and away from your mate?”
“No, the exact opposite. Jean-Claude’s vulnerable while he’s pregnant, but I can’t keep him with me all the time, and I’m leaving the City in his hands as much as possible. I wanted to know if you’d be willing to act as one of his bodyguards – I’m not letting him leave the Circus without one, although he may spend time alone in his other businesses. I want you because you’re near master level yourself, and I know you’ll protect him.”
“Yes. I will. I can’t believe you aren’t willing to stay with him and protect him yourself!” Gretchen pulled an unresisting Jean-Claude against her protectively, looking outraged at the casual way Anita left safeguarding her mate to others.
“I would, but he’s so submissive around me, I want to give him as much freedom as I can, he’s lost so much of it. There are four other acceptable bodyguards besides me - Asher, Damian, Richard and Jason. I want you to make a schedule of when each bodyguard takes care of him – and schedule at least two hours a night when someone else takes him.”
“Fine. I suppose you’re going to take him away now?” Gretchen sounded almost totally sane now, and very deferential to Anita.
“He needs to feed, but unless he wishes to share my bed the rest of the night is his own – provided he stays within the Circus.”
“Thank you Anita. I would prefer not to feed the ardeur by contact for a while at least.”
“Neither I nor Asher will touch you against your will, I promise you that.”
“Thank you master. I did know that, I do know you that well at least, but it feels better to hear it explicitly stated.”
“You are most welcome. Oh, and you aren’t leaving the Circus at all tonight.” Anita walked out of the room after she gave her mate that piece of information, leaving him in Gretchen’s hands.
~~~000~~~
Jean-Claude couldn’t help feeling a twinge of guilt and apprehension when he considered the next appointment he had. He tried to justify not telling Anita about it on the grounds that Malcolm hadn’t referred to the fact that he was a mate, nor said anything about Anita, or his Sire joining them. But he knew that she would almost certainly be displeased that he’d kept it from her. Especially as he thought Malcolm suspected his condition.
The Master of the City shifted uncomfortably in his seat behind his desk. He’d specified Guilty Pleasures as their meeting place because his master found it distasteful, although she acknowledged his need for it and the lust it provided. She was less likely to simply drop in on him here, and in the past two weeks he’d made a habit of visiting for at least two hours every night. He’d even been accommodating and scheduled his arrival, or departure to coincide with Jason’s, so Jason would take him to, or from, Guilty Pleasures and one of his other assigned bodyguards, usually Gretchen, would take care of him on the other part of the journey. It gave him the illusion of a little more freedom, but he knew that his people had noticed the way he always travelled with an escort since he’d been kidnapped. And he thought that other vampires in the city had noticed as well. He knew that Malcolm had noticed the way Anita treated him when they went to an opera the younger vampire also attended. She hadn’t done anything too obvious, she’d been a little more tactile than usual, but nothing that couldn’t be just a human servant’s need to touch her 'master'. Jean-Claude suspected that his behaviour had been the giveaway – usually when he was on his dates with Anita he showed his emotions, to please her, this time he’d been too concerned about pleasing his master, and the possibility of seeing Hugo again to show anything but his court mask.
“Master, Malcolm’s here.” One of the waiters knocked on the door before giving him the message.
“Then show him in.” Jean-Claude took a deep breath to calm himself, reminding himself that at least this would anger his master enough that he’d learn the worst of what she’d do to him. It was a dismal consolation, but consolation it was. And he’d take whatever he could get in the way of consolation at the moment.
When Malcolm entered Jean-Claude nodded towards the couch to one side, walking out from behind his desk. “Do sit down.” He took a separate seat, not quite comfortable with being within touching distance of anyone Anita hadn’t cleared.
“What did you want to speak to me about?” He only asked the question when Malcolm had sat down on the couch.
“There is no other way to put this, and I apologise if I give offence, but...are you pregnant?” Malcolm seemed to be well aware of the insult that he’d be giving if he’d been wrong, but he wasn’t.
“Yes.” Jean-Claude admitted his position reluctantly, forcing himself to meet Malcolm’s eyes. “What gave it away?”
“When I saw you at the opera last week you kept on tilting your head to expose your neck to Anita – the father I assume. And you touched your stomach once or twice.”
“I hadn’t realised that.” Jean-Claude shut his eyes briefly, it didn’t matter if he seemed weak now, no one ever risked challenging a mate. “I’ll have to stop making public appearances pretty soon, and probably avoid going out except in disguise. You understand why I don’t want the humans to know?”
“Of course. But do you mind if I tell my flock that one of the vampires in the city is a mate and what that means?”
“I’ll ask Anita to call you and tell you her decision. I do not have the authority to make such a decision.”
“Is Anita going to start hiding out at the same time so you can pretend she’s the one who gave birth?”
“I do not know. It is hardly my place to question her, and with her jobs it isn’t entirely feasible. I’m not even certain I can camouflage my own absence from the social scene.”
“You tend to try and avoid the spotlight anyway, unless the council’s pressuring you to improve our public image. I think you’ll be able to pull it off, especially if you can get a few of your more beautiful followers to take up the slack so to speak. If you want to you and Anita could get married at my church. I’d be happy to use whatever vows you wanted, and it would be perfectly legal.”
“No, I doubt very much that my master will wish that. She decided to claim me in another way.” Jean-Claude fiddled with his necklace before standing. “If you do not mind Anita is expecting me at her house shortly.”
“I understand. If there is anything I can do to help you through this please contact me.”
“I will.” Jason came into the office only a few minutes after Malcolm left.
“Was that Malcolm?”
“Yes. I just hope Anita isn’t too angry that he knows, that I gave it away.”
“She won’t be. I think she’s trying to keep it a secret more for your sake than anything else. Anyway you’re due to feed again now aren’t you? Do you think you’ll have any trouble keeping it down?”
“No mère.” Jean-Claude smiled at Jason and sat on the couch waiting for the werewolf to join him. Once he’d fed he accompanied Jason to his car for a lift to Anita’s house.
~~~000~~~
Anita looked at her watch and cursed as she let herself into her house. She was running pretty late, and there wasn’t much time for a shower before Jean-Claude would be arriving. Still he wouldn’t be too upset if she greeted him fresh from the shower? Anita had to admit that he would. He’d become strangely shy since they’d exchanged vows, and although Jean-Claude had pleasured Anita with his hands and mouth he hadn’t been willing for her to return the favour, nor had they enjoyed full sex. When she thought about it he’d acted more like a slave trying to please his master, or a whore satisfying a client than a lover, an equal. For all that Anita thought as she stepped into the shower she was not greeting her mate covered with dried chicken blood. The scent might make him nauseous and she wasn’t risking that.
Anita rushed her shower and had time to dress in old jeans and a polo shirt before Jean-Claude arrived, although her hair was still wet when he rang the doorbell.
“My Lady Anita.” He bowed slightly from the waist, hair falling forwards to veil his face, glancing up at her from beneath lowered eyelids, and he held that posture until Anita invited him in.
“Jean-Claude, come on in. Thanks for bringing him here Jason, I can deliver him back to the Circus afterwards.”
“You’re welcome Anita. You okay with that Jean-Claude?”
Jean-Claude glanced up at that, a startled look in his deep blue eyes. “Of course. Why would I not be?” He immediately returned to keeping his eyes cast down submissively and moved to kneel beside the couch. He was only this submissive when he thought he’d done something he was going to be punished for. His first instinct was always to kneel at her feet, and probably always would be, Anita mused, but he usually looked at her – and his posture was never as extreme as it was now unless he thought he’d done something wrong. Just as he’d done when she brought him back to the Circus after Hugo kidnapped him he’d crossed his wrists behind his back, and bent forward to press his forehead to the floor.
“Get up Jean-Claude.” Anita knelt beside him to help him to his feet and pushed him down to sit on the couch. “Do you want these off?” She ran her fingers along the top edge of his knee high boots.
“Please master.” She’d made it clear to Jean-Claude from nearly the start of their relationship that she enjoyed undressing him so the vampire made no effort to remove them himself.
“Now, what do you think you did wrong?” Anita was careful to sit beside him and slide a comforting arm around his waist as she asked the question.
“Malcolm knows that I am your mate. He offered to let us get married in his church if you wanted it. He also wanted to tell his flock that there is a mate in the city, without mentioning which one it was. I said you’d ring him with your decision.” Jean-Claude couldn’t bring himself to meet Anita’s eyes, looking down to the floor. “I gave it away by offering my throat to you and touching my stomach during the opera last week.”
“Jean-Claude, the only reason I wanted to keep this secret was to spare you, so you would not have to explain to the humans just how a male vampire can get pregnant with a female necromancer’s child. It is your choice of who to tell and when. But if you think it necessary you can go into seclusion now, failing that at least try not to act in ways that show your submission to me in public. Would you like Malcolm’s church to know about you?”
“It would make them more likely to figure out what I am, but they’d also know that it is supposed to be kept secret so if they find out then they’d keep it quiet. I think it would be safer. Are you not going to punish me?”
“Not for that, you didn’t make any important promises in my name after all.”
“No master. Have I done something else wrong?”
“Not wrong exactly, but when we’ve had sex since we exchanged vows...” Anita trailed off, uncertain what else to say.
“If I have displeased you tell me how, and I will try to do better.”
“That’s just it. You act as if your pleasure means nothing, you don’t let me please you, sometimes you don’t even get aroused. I could understand it occasionally, if you just needed to feed the ardeur. But you don’t act like my lover; you act like my slave or my whore.”
“Why would my pleasure matter? I am your mate, I live for your pleasure.”
“Get up.” When Jean-Claude obeyed Anita took hold of his arm and pulled him with her to her bedroom. “I told you that neither I nor Asher will touch you against your will. You do not have to offer yourself to me sexually to keep my love and affection. If you do not want to have sex with me, if you will not enjoy it, then do not try to satisfy me. I have told you that there are other men who I can take pleasure from and feed the ardeur on. If you want you can even be in bed with us when we lie together and feed that way. Now take your pants off.” Anita reached for the hairbrush and Jean-Claude obeyed, she could taste his surprise that offering himself to her had displeased her, but he seemed to acknowledge it and he certainly accepted her right to punish him as she saw fit.
She pulled him across her knee and used the back of the hairbrush on his ass six times before letting him go.
“Do you understand why I did that?”
“Because I didn’t trust you and believe that you’d protect me unless I satisfied you sexually?” Jean-Claude had slid to kneel in front of Anita when she released him.
“Yes. And because you lay with me when you didn’t really want to. You’ll wake up healed the second night from now, just like you did last time. Now how do you feel?”
“Reassured of your affection. Ashamed of my foolish fears.” That hadn’t exactly been what Anita was expecting. “Would you mind holding me, just holding me? Since Julianna died I haven’t had anyone willing to just hold me without demanding sex.”
“Come then.” Anita held out her arms for her mate to climb into, lying back down on the bed with him, and petting his beautiful black hair, which was growing faster than it had before and had already reached his hips. Anita was coldly testing just how well her mate had learned the lesson she’d had to teach him. Holding Jean-Claude this way, and more, petting his hair, had led him to assume she desired sex in the past, and he had acted on this perception. This time he just lay in her grasp, snuggling closer to her and burying his face in the crook of her neck. They lay like that until only an hour remained before dawn, Jean-Claude feeding when he could stand to and then Anita took him back to the Circus, flying with him using one of the gifts she gained by claiming him as her mate.
~~~000~~~
Anita let Jean-Claude go in the bathroom first, she knew he would spend ages there, soaking in the bath for as long as he thought he could get away with, and she used the time to prepare the room. She'd specifically requested an inside room, one with no windows for anyone to climb through - although the hotel staff thought that was because her companion was a vampire. She'd also asked to have the bed against the wall opposite the door, so she'd be able to stay between it and her mate, protecting him. She stowed a gun beneath the pillow, loaded, but with the safety on, and fastened a special holster to the headboard to accommodate her Browning. Then she hid two of her knives beneath the mattress, and another two went on the bedside table. After that all Anita had to do was wait for Jean-Claude to come out, he was onto drying his hair, so it wasn't likely to take more than another half an hour.
When he came back into the bedroom Anita smiled happily at the sight of him in the outfit she had chosen for him. It consisted of a close fitting black silk jumpsuit, leaving nothing to the imagination, and half a dozen layers of diaphanous robes, again in silk, but much finer and in shades of blue to compliment his eyes. Rather than a zipper, or buttons it was held closed by lacing it up from the groin to the neck. Anita had wanted to give her mate something for her to strip from his body, rather than let him give her something to strip from hers. He still wore the necklace she had given him, proclaiming her ownership, and he kept his eyes cast down modestly, and his arms crossed in front of his midsection in a pose that had nothing of seduction in it.
Anita turned back a corner of the sheet and watched as Jean-Claude walked forward and climbed into bed. Once he was actually in bed she went through to take her turn in the bathroom - she brushed her teeth and took a quick shower with no effort to wash her hair. When she returned she found her mate had pulled the covers up to near his chin.
“I will enjoy undressing you to partake of the bounty of your body, you are beautiful, and your touch is something to be treasured.” For a second Jean-Claude's fingers tightened on the sheet he was holding to his body, and he seemed to mouth the word 'No', but then he appeared to relax and lay back, smiling an uncertain smile.
“I am here for your satisfaction my Lady, please take your pleasure of me.”
Something about that turn of phrase bothered her, but she ignored it and moved forward to join her lover in the bed, pulling the sheet back to expose him and exploring his body with her hands. As she stripped off the outermost of his robes Anita realised that Jean-Claude was not comfortable or happy about what she was doing, instead he was surrendering to what was morally, if not legally, rape. She knew it had happened to him before, but only intellectually, she hadn’t understood it in her heart, now she did, Anita saw that there was a stiffness and reluctance to Jean-Claude’s body she had never seen before. Jean-Claude had always had a high sex drive, as high as Anita’s without the ardeur pushing her, or perhaps a bit higher.
“Jean-Claude, did you try to refuse me earlier?”
“Y-yes. I am sorry, for a moment I forgot that it is my place to please you, my desires do not come into it.”
“You are wrong there. I don’t want you to sleep with me from duty. If you don’t want to have sex tell me, and I won’t force you.”
“You have the right to take me to your bed any time you wish it. I can serve your pleasure whether I have any interest in sex or not. I am perfectly willing to do so. It wouldn’t be rape, my Lady.”
“Yes it would. I know that you can’t say no to me, and that makes it rape. Do you know why you aren’t interested?”
“No, but I think it is because I am carrying your child. Damian said that sometimes when he was pregnant Regulus wouldn’t want to have sex at all.”
“Not that his wishes would have made any difference to Hugo, or would they?”
“No, as far as Hugo was concerned Regulus was nothing but property, something to use as he pleased, not a person who had an opinion about how he was treated. I met Hugo once or twice, and Regulus as well, I counted myself lucky that Belle Morte never agreed to lend me to him, now I have one more reason to be grateful for that fact.”
“Yes, I suppose you do at that. I won’t force you, I have other ways to take my pleasure, other people I can lie with if I need to. I refuse to rape you my lovely one.”
“Thank you my Lady.” Anita kissed Jean-Claude and pulled him into her arms, snuggling against his body, then let herself begin to sleep.
She was woken up later by the feel of Jean-Claude’s tongue between her legs, arousing her expertly.
“What are you doing?” Anita twined her hand in Jean-Claude’s hair to jerk his head up to meet her eyes.
“Forgive me, the ardeur...”
“You need to feed, I see. This does not upset you?”
“I love you. I am content to offer you pleasure, it does not hurt me, and it is hardly as if you are forcing me.” He shrugged casually and then made to go back to his work. Anita noticed then that Jean-Claude had already let the outer layers of robes fall from his body, so he was just wearing the jumpsuit.
“Didn’t you like the robes that went with that?”
“I did like them, they are beautiful, and probably fun to get out of, but they got in the way. Do you find me pleasing in them?”
“Yes, I’ve got another three sets on order actually, the jumpsuits are all in black, but one set of robes is red, one’s purple and the third’s black. It’s all in silk, so nightwear, or perhaps formalwear.”
“It might be better if you, or I, had some done in wool for the jumpsuit, and cotton, or linen for the robes if you wish that to be my attire on formal occasions.”
“I think I do, and go ahead.” Anita smiled as Jean-Claude took that as approval of his earlier actions and returned to them, when she thought about it she felt a stirring of desire and the ardeur flared, so she let him feed and fed herself at the same time.
Jean-Claude stood alone on a hill, looking out over the city. He’d pretended that it was his city, his territory, but if he was honest it never had been, instead it had been a gift from Anita’s hands. All the power and position he held was a gift from his master’s hands, or at least that was how it felt.
He knew it wasn’t accurate, but he’d been taught that a mate was nothing more than a piece of property, his power dependent on how many children he carried for his owner. Any other vampire he met would dismiss him as nothing more than Anita’s bedtoy, and broodmare. The vampire was so wrapped up in his brooding that he didn’t notice someone coming up behind him until he heard the start of a spell. He spun in place, but he didn’t get a chance to see whoever it was before the spell took effect and he collapsed to the ground unconscious.
When Jean-Claude woke up he was naked, chained to the ceiling of a stone room by his wrists, and his ankles had been chained to the floor far enough apart that his legs were spread so wide he was totally off balance. He heard spellcasting again and shivered at the thought of what would surely happen.
“Shut your eyes.” Jean-Claude hadn’t expected that command, he didn’t recognise the voice or the scent – his kidnapper had drenched himself in a dozen competing scents, enough to overpower his own scent, and there were spells, fairly simple ones to change a voice, not to mention even simpler human machines that did exactly the same thing.
He felt a short body, too hot to be anything but a lycanthrope, pressing up against him as his captor reached to fasten a blindfold around his eyes. Those hands wandered down his body, to first circle then pinch at his nipples, when he shivered at the initial touch. A soft whimper came from his lips. The unseen man took that as an invitation to explore further. The hands stroked down his ribs and rested for a moment on his hips before sliding over his groin. Jean-Claude felt an intense sense of relief when he realised his assailant couldn’t touch him there. He didn’t have any better luck exploring the vampire’s ass and Jean-Claude could almost taste his fury.
The vampire strained to hear what was happening while he was tied up and the man was moving about.
“This isn’t a claim, I can’t find a claim on your body, so how in hell is it that I can’t touch you?” The shapeshifter hit Jean-Claude across the face with what felt like a chain and pendant, from his words it had to be the necklace Anita had given him. The vampire heard the chain drop to the floor and knew that something bad was going to happen.
A fist slammed into his midsection and Jean-Claude couldn’t prevent himself vomiting as his fear came to the fore. His captor stepped back and cursed. Jean-Claude grabbed the chance to do something to protect his child, however little. He concentrated on heightening the lycanthrope’s distaste for the fact that Jean-Claude had just thrown up all over him in an effort to discourage him from repeating his actions.
It worked, in a way. His captor left him for a few moments, walking away and out of the room. But the lycanthrope swiftly returned, and though Jean-Claude tried he couldn’t recognise the animal from his scent. He really should have expected the whip, was all that he could think of when he first felt its bite across his back. All sadists seemed to be fascinated by the few scars on his back from his mortal life and they all liked to use whips on him as a result, sometimes as a warm-up, or a side-dish, but sometimes as the main course. His current tormentor concentrated on his back at first, but moved to cover most of his body, paying particular attention to the still tight abdomen. Jean-Claude managed to stifle his screams, but he was moaning enough to satisfy almost anyone, but when the whip caught his right nipple making it bleed he couldn’t stifle his scream. The shapeshifter paused, Jean-Claude sensed his sudden arousal and seized the tiny opportunity, he did everything he could to increase his kidnapper’s arousal and desire.
Jean-Claude hated using his body like that, but for his child...And it would let him feed through the ardeur when he couldn’t on blood – he wouldn’t lose the energy from the ardeur either. The shapeshifter began to play with Jean-Claude’s nipples, just touching at first, then nipping and biting and then tearing. He didn’t just use his mouth and fingers of course, but metal clamps and needles too.
When Jean-Claude was released from the chains holding him up he didn’t have the strength to do more than collapse to the floor, there wasn’t an unmarked inch of skin on his body. It hurt as the man jerked off onto him, but at least he’d been able to feed the ardeur, it would substitute for blood, at least for a little while.
By the time Jean-Claude could move the shapeshifter had left the room. He pushed the blindfold out of his eyes and looked around groping desperately for the necklace that marked him as Anita’s. This was the first time it had been off his neck since Anita had given it to him and he felt a touch of panic at the prospect of losing it. When he found the necklace it was lying in a pool of vomit, but he clutched it so hard the metal tag cut into his hand.
Jean-Claude’s head snapped up and towards the door when he heard someone approaching. He wrapped his necklace around his wrist and curled to protect his belly and his unborn child.
Jean-Claude felt gentle hands use a soft cloth to clean him up a little. He bit his lip and let the vampire, the mate, for he could sense the sort of power he’d only ever felt from the Earthmover and Regulus before, move him.
“Regulus?” He was almost naked, wearing only a thin, almost transparent pair of pants and the nipple rings Hugo had used to mark him.
“I’ll help you get away – you belong to Anita and I can’t let Hugo do this again. But the best I can do is get you to a little park nearby. Is there anyone I can call to get you?” The spells had weakened Jean-Claude and he wouldn’t gain any strength until he fed on blood.
“Anita, her number’s 07685132217 or the RPIT if you can’t get her or remember the number. What do you mean do this again?”
“That’s why I belong to him. I was someone else’s mate, I belonged to Leo and Hugo kidnapped me while I was carrying our first child. He cut our son out of my body, and when that didn’t break our bond he dumped me for my master to find. The second time he kidnapped me I’d just conceived again – he beat me until I miscarried, and that broke my bond to Leo. Then Hugo forced a new bond on me, one with him.” While they were speaking Regulus guided Jean-Claude out of the building and then flew with him to the park he’d mentioned.
“I’ll call them now, I have to be back as soon as possible, and I’ll try to distract him.”
“How will he react?” Jean-Claude was still too weak to stand, but he was concerned about the man who’d saved him.
“If I tell him I was jealous he won’t be too angry.” With those words Regulus disappeared.
It wasn’t too much later that one of the female RPIT detectives arrived, he’d seen her when he was arrested for 'murdering' Anita, but he couldn’t remember her name. She was pretty, with short dark hair, and a triangular face with delicate bones, but not beautiful, not the way his master was. She cursed when she saw how hurt he was and wrapped a blanket around his shoulders, helping him up.
“Come with me, I’m supposed to take you back to headquarters, we’ve contacted Anita and she’s bringing some clothes for you but you’ll need to tell us what happened.”
“Not until I’ve had a chance to talk to Anita. I do not trust human law, I know better than that.”
“What does that mean?” The Detective was angry at his observation, Jean-Claude’s eyes opened a bit wider, but that was the only evidence he showed of his sudden fear.
“That human law does not treat monsters the same way it treats humans. Your Lieutenant Storr wanted to have me executed because I tried to help Anita after she almost died and got covered in blood carrying her to those who could help her. He tried to get my pomme de sang locked up because he drove Anita to a murder scene when she was too ill to drive herself and because he’s a werewolf. He tries to use the law as a weapon against people he doesn’t like.” Jean-Claude let the bitterness he felt coat his voice, better that then the fear he felt. It seemed like he was a lot more scared now that he knew he was a mate than he had been before. The Detective was guiding him back to her car and into the passenger seat next to her.
“Why are you strapping in?” She sounded surprised.
“Anita has me well trained; she doesn’t let anyone in a car with her unless they wear a seatbelt.” Jean-Claude sounded tired, he was safe, but he still wanted Anita to come and tell him what to do.
Jean-Claude hadn’t been seen since two hours after dusk, he had been supposed to feed three times more before Anita finished her night’s raisings at three, but he hadn’t and Anita was frantic with worry – and fury that no one had thought to tell her until she came to the Circus.
When her phone rang she could barely muster the civility to even answer, let alone moderate her response from the snapped “Yes?” that came from her lips.
“Anita, Count Dracula’s down here at RPIT headquarters. I think you better come and get him. You need to bring some clothes for him as well.” Anita felt overwhelmingly relieved to hear Zerbrowski’s voice and know that her mate was safe.
“What happened to him?”
“He won’t say anything until you get here. He doesn’t trust us, I can’t blame him after Dolph’s temper tantrums.”
“I’m on my way then, but we’ll need some time with him in private.”
“I can swing that. He’s in pretty bad shape, he really needs you.” Anita wasn’t surprised to learn that. Her mate had missed feeding three times, he would never have done that willingly. She’d thought that claiming him had made him safe. But apparently not.
Anita got Asher to come with her to collect her lover, driving there with a pile of clothes so he’d have some choice in what to wear. When they arrived Detective Arnet greeted them.
“You’re here to collect Jean-Claude? He’s in one of the interview rooms. I’ll take you there. I don’t suppose you’ve got that purple eyed cutie with you?” She looked around, trying to spot Nathaniel.
“No, he’s busy working. Just how bad is it?”
“Very. I was the one who picked him up, it was too dark to see how badly he was hurt, but once I brought him a blanket he insisted on keeping it wrapped around himself tightly. And there’s something that smells a bit like vomit in his hair.” As she spoke the detective led Anita and Asher to the room where their lover was waiting. When she opened the door it was to see Jean-Claude curled into the corner furthest from the door, almost totally covered by the blanket he was wearing and watching the door warily. He lowered his eyes and bowed his head slightly in submission when he recognised Anita, waiting for her reaction.
“Asher, leave the clothes on the table and go get some water so he can clean up a bit once he’s fed – that will heal most of his injuries.” Anita added the last part as an aside to Jessica while she walked over to kneel beside Jean-Claude, lifting his chin with her left hand so she could see his face. “Jean-Claude, once they’ve gone I want to see how badly you’ve been hurt, then you can feed from me.”
At that Jean-Claude’s eyes widened, and he shook his head. “I can’t.” It was barely more than a whisper, but Anita heard it, and from the look on his face so did Asher.
“Did I give you the impression you had a choice?” Anita made her voice cold and hard, she knew that Jean-Claude sometimes found things easier if she compelled him to do them, and since he’d learned that he was carrying Anita’s child it had taken a direct order to get him to feed from her, unless it was the ardeur.
“No, forgive me. I will do as you wish.” There was a shocked look on Detective Arnet’s face and she virtually fled from the room, leading Asher “to get some water”.
Jean-Claude shivered and stood, dropping the blanket, to reveal that his body was covered with lash marks, particularly his stomach, and his nipples were just two bloody wounds. Anita stood as well, walking around him to inspect the injuries.
“You’ll be able to use the ardeur to make up for some of the blood you lost, and some of the feedings you missed, right?”
“Yes.” Jean-Claude forced himself to stay still as Anita passed behind him, but he was still shaking ever so slightly.
“Here, feed.” Anita held out her wrist, and her mate sunk to his knees and drank from it. “You don’t have to have sex if you don’t want to.” She knew that with his pregnancy Jean-Claude’s sex drive had fallen to the point where it was almost nonexistent, and she had the feeling he’d just been sexually molested. With her claim on him he couldn’t have been touched sexually, but that didn’t prevent all forms of molestation, and she could smell semen on him. “I brought Asher along so if necessary we could have sex and you could feed on that, or we could even take the shortcut of using his bite.”
“Thank you master.” Jean-Claude had taken as much blood as he could manage, and looking to Anita for permission he pulled the blanket back around his body before going over to look through the clothes she’d brought for him.
“While you’re doing that tell me what happened.”
“I’m sorry master. I didn’t tell you everything. I’m still vulnerable to the spells that allow someone to control me, I will be until I give birth, sealing our bond. And Hugo is in town. He can justify not announcing his presence to either of us, that isn’t required of mates, or Sires unless there is an acknowledged Sire in the area, and until our first child is born and you present her you don’t have the social standing as a Sire. He used spells to control me, and he tried to make me miscarry by beating me. Apparently that’s how he made Regulus into his mate, he tried cutting Regulus’ first child from his body, but that didn’t break his bond with Leo, the Sire who got him pregnant the first time. But when he beat Regulus until he lost his child that did break the bond and he was able to force his own child and claim on Regulus. I only learned this from Regulus when he got me out.” Jean-Claude fell silent, and Anita knew that he heard Asher returning.
“We’ll discuss your deception later. Have you decided what you want to wear?” Jean-Claude looked at Anita and lifted a few things out of the pile that Asher had left waiting for him. First one of the black silk jumpsuits, then black wool pants, a dark blue silk shirt and black leather knee high boots. It was a bit more than he normally wore, Anita thought perhaps he was feeling insecure and wanted an extra layer of clothing between him and the world.
“Anita?” Asher knocked at the door waiting for an invitation to come in, and when he got one he carried in a bucket of warm water and some cloths while Detective Arnet brought in a couple of towels.
“Thanks. Could we have a bit more privacy please?”
“Sure.” And with that the Detective put the towels down and went back out. Jean-Claude knelt, letting the blanket drop to the floor, waiting for orders.
“We don’t have time to wash all that hair of yours and get it dry. That will have to wait until we get back to the Circus. Tell the police that you were kidnapped, but someone helped you get out. You can say whatever you want about how you were kidnapped, but you don’t want to press charges because it would make your vulnerabilities too public and there isn’t any proof. Perhaps say you couldn’t recognise him as well.”
“Yes Anita. I couldn’t recognise him actually, he made me keep my eyes closed or blindfolded me, and he had too many different perfumes on him for me to isolate his scent.”
“Can you feed on our sexual energy while you clean yourself up a bit?”
“That isn’t a problem. I managed to feed the ardeur a bit on Hugo as well. I...used that to distract him from trying to make me miscarry.” Jean-Claude sounded subdued, almost as if he expected to be punished for trying to protect his child. Anita paused as she was skinning out of her clothes to reassure him.
“Good. I’m sorry to have failed you so badly, but at least you managed to find a way to gather some energy, and to protect yourself at least a little.”
“You didn’t fail me, I deceived you, and I realise that you have to punish me for that.” Anita was shocked by the acceptance in her lover’s voice, but he was right in a way, he had deceived her – but it had never occurred to her to punish him for it. She didn’t have a chance to reply, Asher distracted her by burying his face in her groin. It was very quick, they were mainly focused on letting Jean-Claude feed the ardeur, although Anita fed too and once they’d finished they used the water left to clean themselves up. When they went through to speak with Zerbrowski Asher didn’t join them, going straight to the car instead to wait for them there.
“What are you ready to tell me? And how could a vampire get into that sort of mess anyway?”
“There are a few vampires who are vulnerable to certain very simple spells. As a sort of compensation we can become very powerful very fast, and it is only for a short period every time we gain power that we are so vulnerable. I recently discovered that I am one of these vampires, and a lycanthrope called Hugo took advantage of this to capture me. At least I would assume it was Hugo, it was his...lover, Regulus who helped get me out. There would be no point pressing charges, I did not see him, nor could I recognise his scent, besides I do not wish to make my weak points too well known.”
“You aren’t planning anything illegal to get back at him yourself, are you?”
“Only if trying to get someone out of an abusive relationship is illegal.” Jean-Claude’s voice was quiet and bitter, and Anita found herself trying to control her surprise at the idea that it would be possible to take his mate from Hugo.
“Of course it isn’t. Are you saying this Hugo is abusing...Regulus?”
“Those vampires who are vulnerable to simple spells can also be enslaved by some more complex spells during the vulnerable period. I understand that’s what happened to Regulus. And there isn’t any evidence so you can’t do anything. I’m not sure what Jean-Claude thinks he can do but until he’s out of this vulnerable period I will not let him leave the Circus without a bodyguard.” Jean-Claude glanced at Anita from beneath lowered eyes at that statement, and it seemed to shock Zerbrowski.
“You talk as if you can control him?”
“She can. Some necromancers can control vampires, especially vampires stupid enough to give them a metaphysical link to work with.”
“That isn’t any of your concern. I’m sorry you had to get involved with this, but I want to get Jean-Claude back to the Circus as soon as possible.” Anita stood and her lover followed her example, walking out of the station with his arm about her waist.
Jean-Claude couldn’t stop trembling as his master drove him home. Asher held him gently, trying to comfort him, but he knew his master would have to punish him for not telling her everything about the effects of his pregnancy. And he knew that what had just happened to him was his own fault for trying to keep things from her.
“Come on Jean-Claude.” Anita guided him through the Circus to his bedroom, careful not to scare him and when they got there he sank to his knees on the rug, awaiting her judgement.
“No, get up. I rang and arranged for a bath to be waiting for us. You need to wash your hair, and you can feed again while we’re in there.”
“Yes Anita.” Jean-Claude obeyed his master, washing his hair – or rather letting her wash it for him, and taking as much of her blood as he could stand. He dressed in a fresh silk jumpsuit with black robes over it. This time when they went through to the bedroom Anita let him kneel at her feet when she took a seat.
“What didn’t you tell me? You said that when I claimed you it would make you safe from the spells that could control you.”
“No master, I said that once you’d claimed me I’d be safe from the spell that could make me bear another’s child, because no one can to touch me sexually without your explicit permission, nor can I bear anyone’s children except for yours. But the way I said it was misleading. I didn’t explain fully because I was afraid of how you’d react when you learned that every time I’m pregnant anyone with a scrap of magic who knows the right spells can control me.”
“I see. That’s one more reason to limit how often you’re pregnant then. Now, what did you mean when you suggested getting Regulus away from Hugo? That was what you were talking about?”
“I don’t really know much about it, but because Hugo wasn’t the one who first got Regulus pregnant you might be able to replace his bond with Regulus with your own. I do know that Inanna belonged to a sadistic sorcerer, and Severus forced a bond on her and got her with child before marrying and claiming her. It left the sorcerer with the same sort of immortality we vampires have, he doesn’t age, but he can be killed. Severus didn’t bother killing him and Inanna was just so grateful to belong to someone who didn’t hurt her as badly. It only worked because her first Sire, Anu, died in battle before he could claim her – she was going to tell him she was pregnant when he got back. How are you going to punish me Anita?”
“Punish you?”
“For deceiving you.” Jean-Claude was scared, but he’d learned that the longer his masters had to think about how to punish him the worse it was. Anita had always been kind to him, and he didn’t think she’d hurt him or humiliate him too badly, still if he showed willingness to submit she might not be as harsh. Jean-Claude would never have defied one of his earlier masters by deceiving them the way he had Anita, he’d gotten out of the habits of being owned, of surviving as property, he had to get back into them and fast.
“You expect me to punish you for not telling me everything?” Jean-Claude wasn’t certain whether to answer or not, it sounded almost like a rhetorical question, but if it wasn’t...He was spared from making the decision when she continued. “Well, it is one way of reducing the chances that you’ll do this again. Strip. It was childish of you to hide things from me because you were scared it would make me angry, and you expect me to decide what you can do and think I have the right to punish you if you disobey, so I’m going to punish you the way I would a child.” Jean-Claude glanced up at that, pausing as he obeyed her. “Don’t stop.” Anita stood and walked over to the bed, snagging a hairbrush on the way, and Jean-Claude, realising what she intended to do to him, knew that he’d been right about Anita, she wasn’t going to be too harsh.
“Let’s see. Ten for deceiving me about how safe claiming you would make you. Ten for putting yourself at risk by wandering about by yourself still vulnerable. And ten for not explaining how Inanna became Severus’. That makes thirty.” She pulled him over her lap as she spoke and used the back of the hairbrush to spank him. When Anita released him Jean-Claude slid back down to kneel in front of her, wincing slightly at how his ass felt. It was a minor pain, but what really hurt was the disappointment in him that Anita let him sense from her. “You’ll wake up healed the second night from now, if you don’t then come to me. Now, how do you think Hugo found out that you’re pregnant?”
“I think Belle Morte or Padma showed him the letter I sent to the council at your orders. They both want vengeance on us, and this would be an easy and safe way.”
“Yes, that would make sense. So you don’t think there’s a leak here?”
“The vampires who know for certain would not tell anyone, nor would Richard I think. Nathaniel would never betray you in any way, and I do not believe Jason would betray me either. But my feeding pattern has changed, and in a way that only a pregnant mate’s would, if anyone puts it together...” And he shrugged.
“I have to agree. Now about your bodyguards. You will not set foot outside the Circus unless you are accompanied by a designated bodyguard. They don’t have to stay beside you when you’re in your other businesses either, but other than that they will always be with you. Acceptable bodyguards are me, Asher, Damian, Richard, Jason and, if she is willing Gretchen.”
“Gretchen?” Jean-Claude let his dismay show, although he would comply if Anita made it an order he did not want the possessive vampire around him too much.
“Yes, I think she would do almost anything to protect you, and I think you need that.”
“But, she is not rational about me. She is still crazed from her time in the coffin, and she hates you because she believes you have taken me from her.”
“You were never hers to lose, and I suspect that the fact that you are my mate will go far towards making her forget her hatred of me. I think once she knows what I am she’ll accept it – although she might want to borrow you!”
“But you won’t let her.” It was a flat statement, Jean-Claude knew that his master would never abuse him like that, or share him with anyone but Asher.
“No I won’t. But we’re going to talk to her now.”
Anita stood and led Jean-Claude to Gretchen’s room and had him let her in. the vampire followed her half a step behind, head bowed submissively.
“Bitch!” Gretchen threw herself at Anita and her cross flared making Jean-Claude flinch back to hide behind her and Gretchen step back. “What have you done to him? What sort of spell did you cast to steal him like that?”
“Shut up!” Anita consciously tried to use the powers that were supposed to come with being a Sire and taking Jean-Claude as her mate, tried to control Gretchen the way she would a rogue zombie and with total success! Gretchen couldn’t help but stop speaking, raving rather. “Now sit down and listen to me. If you want to speak do so calmly.
“Do you remember before you angered Jean-Claude enough to lock you in a coffin for two years you asked what I was that the Master of the City should beg for my attention?”
“Yes! How could one human have so much control over him?”
“I’m a Sire, and he is my mate.” Anita pulled Jean-Claude out from behind her back, guiding him to sit beside Gretchen. “And he’s carrying my child at the moment.”
“Why are you telling me? Have you come to gloat? I know you won’t ever let me touch him now.” There was a strong undercurrent of bitterness in the vampire’s voice, although she was perfectly calm.
“No, I won’t. I claimed Jean-Claude using a contract, I gave him three clauses he could use to protect himself against the abuses he fears most. He’s been passed around like a toy for almost four hundred years and one of the clauses states that he only has sex with me and with Asher, no one else ever again.”
“Ever? Isn’t that a bit restrictive?”
“For a century anyway. I only want to be with Anita and Asher at the moment, so it is no hardship.” Jean-Claude spoke quietly, eyes cast down submissively – he didn’t really want to draw attention to himself, but he wanted to make it clear that the sexual restrictions had been his idea. He didn’t want one of his people trying to challenge his master because she thought he was being abused – although he wasn’t sure how much good reassuring Gretchen that he was being treated well would do.
“What does this have to do with me? Unless you want me out of the City and away from your mate?”
“No, the exact opposite. Jean-Claude’s vulnerable while he’s pregnant, but I can’t keep him with me all the time, and I’m leaving the City in his hands as much as possible. I wanted to know if you’d be willing to act as one of his bodyguards – I’m not letting him leave the Circus without one, although he may spend time alone in his other businesses. I want you because you’re near master level yourself, and I know you’ll protect him.”
“Yes. I will. I can’t believe you aren’t willing to stay with him and protect him yourself!” Gretchen pulled an unresisting Jean-Claude against her protectively, looking outraged at the casual way Anita left safeguarding her mate to others.
“I would, but he’s so submissive around me, I want to give him as much freedom as I can, he’s lost so much of it. There are four other acceptable bodyguards besides me - Asher, Damian, Richard and Jason. I want you to make a schedule of when each bodyguard takes care of him – and schedule at least two hours a night when someone else takes him.”
“Fine. I suppose you’re going to take him away now?” Gretchen sounded almost totally sane now, and very deferential to Anita.
“He needs to feed, but unless he wishes to share my bed the rest of the night is his own – provided he stays within the Circus.”
“Thank you Anita. I would prefer not to feed the ardeur by contact for a while at least.”
“Neither I nor Asher will touch you against your will, I promise you that.”
“Thank you master. I did know that, I do know you that well at least, but it feels better to hear it explicitly stated.”
“You are most welcome. Oh, and you aren’t leaving the Circus at all tonight.” Anita walked out of the room after she gave her mate that piece of information, leaving him in Gretchen’s hands.
Jean-Claude couldn’t help feeling a twinge of guilt and apprehension when he considered the next appointment he had. He tried to justify not telling Anita about it on the grounds that Malcolm hadn’t referred to the fact that he was a mate, nor said anything about Anita, or his Sire joining them. But he knew that she would almost certainly be displeased that he’d kept it from her. Especially as he thought Malcolm suspected his condition.
The Master of the City shifted uncomfortably in his seat behind his desk. He’d specified Guilty Pleasures as their meeting place because his master found it distasteful, although she acknowledged his need for it and the lust it provided. She was less likely to simply drop in on him here, and in the past two weeks he’d made a habit of visiting for at least two hours every night. He’d even been accommodating and scheduled his arrival, or departure to coincide with Jason’s, so Jason would take him to, or from, Guilty Pleasures and one of his other assigned bodyguards, usually Gretchen, would take care of him on the other part of the journey. It gave him the illusion of a little more freedom, but he knew that his people had noticed the way he always travelled with an escort since he’d been kidnapped. And he thought that other vampires in the city had noticed as well. He knew that Malcolm had noticed the way Anita treated him when they went to an opera the younger vampire also attended. She hadn’t done anything too obvious, she’d been a little more tactile than usual, but nothing that couldn’t be just a human servant’s need to touch her 'master'. Jean-Claude suspected that his behaviour had been the giveaway – usually when he was on his dates with Anita he showed his emotions, to please her, this time he’d been too concerned about pleasing his master, and the possibility of seeing Hugo again to show anything but his court mask.
“Master, Malcolm’s here.” One of the waiters knocked on the door before giving him the message.
“Then show him in.” Jean-Claude took a deep breath to calm himself, reminding himself that at least this would anger his master enough that he’d learn the worst of what she’d do to him. It was a dismal consolation, but consolation it was. And he’d take whatever he could get in the way of consolation at the moment.
When Malcolm entered Jean-Claude nodded towards the couch to one side, walking out from behind his desk. “Do sit down.” He took a separate seat, not quite comfortable with being within touching distance of anyone Anita hadn’t cleared.
“What did you want to speak to me about?” He only asked the question when Malcolm had sat down on the couch.
“There is no other way to put this, and I apologise if I give offence, but...are you pregnant?” Malcolm seemed to be well aware of the insult that he’d be giving if he’d been wrong, but he wasn’t.
“Yes.” Jean-Claude admitted his position reluctantly, forcing himself to meet Malcolm’s eyes. “What gave it away?”
“When I saw you at the opera last week you kept on tilting your head to expose your neck to Anita – the father I assume. And you touched your stomach once or twice.”
“I hadn’t realised that.” Jean-Claude shut his eyes briefly, it didn’t matter if he seemed weak now, no one ever risked challenging a mate. “I’ll have to stop making public appearances pretty soon, and probably avoid going out except in disguise. You understand why I don’t want the humans to know?”
“Of course. But do you mind if I tell my flock that one of the vampires in the city is a mate and what that means?”
“I’ll ask Anita to call you and tell you her decision. I do not have the authority to make such a decision.”
“Is Anita going to start hiding out at the same time so you can pretend she’s the one who gave birth?”
“I do not know. It is hardly my place to question her, and with her jobs it isn’t entirely feasible. I’m not even certain I can camouflage my own absence from the social scene.”
“You tend to try and avoid the spotlight anyway, unless the council’s pressuring you to improve our public image. I think you’ll be able to pull it off, especially if you can get a few of your more beautiful followers to take up the slack so to speak. If you want to you and Anita could get married at my church. I’d be happy to use whatever vows you wanted, and it would be perfectly legal.”
“No, I doubt very much that my master will wish that. She decided to claim me in another way.” Jean-Claude fiddled with his necklace before standing. “If you do not mind Anita is expecting me at her house shortly.”
“I understand. If there is anything I can do to help you through this please contact me.”
“I will.” Jason came into the office only a few minutes after Malcolm left.
“Was that Malcolm?”
“Yes. I just hope Anita isn’t too angry that he knows, that I gave it away.”
“She won’t be. I think she’s trying to keep it a secret more for your sake than anything else. Anyway you’re due to feed again now aren’t you? Do you think you’ll have any trouble keeping it down?”
“No mère.” Jean-Claude smiled at Jason and sat on the couch waiting for the werewolf to join him. Once he’d fed he accompanied Jason to his car for a lift to Anita’s house.
Anita looked at her watch and cursed as she let herself into her house. She was running pretty late, and there wasn’t much time for a shower before Jean-Claude would be arriving. Still he wouldn’t be too upset if she greeted him fresh from the shower? Anita had to admit that he would. He’d become strangely shy since they’d exchanged vows, and although Jean-Claude had pleasured Anita with his hands and mouth he hadn’t been willing for her to return the favour, nor had they enjoyed full sex. When she thought about it he’d acted more like a slave trying to please his master, or a whore satisfying a client than a lover, an equal. For all that Anita thought as she stepped into the shower she was not greeting her mate covered with dried chicken blood. The scent might make him nauseous and she wasn’t risking that.
Anita rushed her shower and had time to dress in old jeans and a polo shirt before Jean-Claude arrived, although her hair was still wet when he rang the doorbell.
“My Lady Anita.” He bowed slightly from the waist, hair falling forwards to veil his face, glancing up at her from beneath lowered eyelids, and he held that posture until Anita invited him in.
“Jean-Claude, come on in. Thanks for bringing him here Jason, I can deliver him back to the Circus afterwards.”
“You’re welcome Anita. You okay with that Jean-Claude?”
Jean-Claude glanced up at that, a startled look in his deep blue eyes. “Of course. Why would I not be?” He immediately returned to keeping his eyes cast down submissively and moved to kneel beside the couch. He was only this submissive when he thought he’d done something he was going to be punished for. His first instinct was always to kneel at her feet, and probably always would be, Anita mused, but he usually looked at her – and his posture was never as extreme as it was now unless he thought he’d done something wrong. Just as he’d done when she brought him back to the Circus after Hugo kidnapped him he’d crossed his wrists behind his back, and bent forward to press his forehead to the floor.
“Get up Jean-Claude.” Anita knelt beside him to help him to his feet and pushed him down to sit on the couch. “Do you want these off?” She ran her fingers along the top edge of his knee high boots.
“Please master.” She’d made it clear to Jean-Claude from nearly the start of their relationship that she enjoyed undressing him so the vampire made no effort to remove them himself.
“Now, what do you think you did wrong?” Anita was careful to sit beside him and slide a comforting arm around his waist as she asked the question.
“Malcolm knows that I am your mate. He offered to let us get married in his church if you wanted it. He also wanted to tell his flock that there is a mate in the city, without mentioning which one it was. I said you’d ring him with your decision.” Jean-Claude couldn’t bring himself to meet Anita’s eyes, looking down to the floor. “I gave it away by offering my throat to you and touching my stomach during the opera last week.”
“Jean-Claude, the only reason I wanted to keep this secret was to spare you, so you would not have to explain to the humans just how a male vampire can get pregnant with a female necromancer’s child. It is your choice of who to tell and when. But if you think it necessary you can go into seclusion now, failing that at least try not to act in ways that show your submission to me in public. Would you like Malcolm’s church to know about you?”
“It would make them more likely to figure out what I am, but they’d also know that it is supposed to be kept secret so if they find out then they’d keep it quiet. I think it would be safer. Are you not going to punish me?”
“Not for that, you didn’t make any important promises in my name after all.”
“No master. Have I done something else wrong?”
“Not wrong exactly, but when we’ve had sex since we exchanged vows...” Anita trailed off, uncertain what else to say.
“If I have displeased you tell me how, and I will try to do better.”
“That’s just it. You act as if your pleasure means nothing, you don’t let me please you, sometimes you don’t even get aroused. I could understand it occasionally, if you just needed to feed the ardeur. But you don’t act like my lover; you act like my slave or my whore.”
“Why would my pleasure matter? I am your mate, I live for your pleasure.”
“Get up.” When Jean-Claude obeyed Anita took hold of his arm and pulled him with her to her bedroom. “I told you that neither I nor Asher will touch you against your will. You do not have to offer yourself to me sexually to keep my love and affection. If you do not want to have sex with me, if you will not enjoy it, then do not try to satisfy me. I have told you that there are other men who I can take pleasure from and feed the ardeur on. If you want you can even be in bed with us when we lie together and feed that way. Now take your pants off.” Anita reached for the hairbrush and Jean-Claude obeyed, she could taste his surprise that offering himself to her had displeased her, but he seemed to acknowledge it and he certainly accepted her right to punish him as she saw fit.
She pulled him across her knee and used the back of the hairbrush on his ass six times before letting him go.
“Do you understand why I did that?”
“Because I didn’t trust you and believe that you’d protect me unless I satisfied you sexually?” Jean-Claude had slid to kneel in front of Anita when she released him.
“Yes. And because you lay with me when you didn’t really want to. You’ll wake up healed the second night from now, just like you did last time. Now how do you feel?”
“Reassured of your affection. Ashamed of my foolish fears.” That hadn’t exactly been what Anita was expecting. “Would you mind holding me, just holding me? Since Julianna died I haven’t had anyone willing to just hold me without demanding sex.”
“Come then.” Anita held out her arms for her mate to climb into, lying back down on the bed with him, and petting his beautiful black hair, which was growing faster than it had before and had already reached his hips. Anita was coldly testing just how well her mate had learned the lesson she’d had to teach him. Holding Jean-Claude this way, and more, petting his hair, had led him to assume she desired sex in the past, and he had acted on this perception. This time he just lay in her grasp, snuggling closer to her and burying his face in the crook of her neck. They lay like that until only an hour remained before dawn, Jean-Claude feeding when he could stand to and then Anita took him back to the Circus, flying with him using one of the gifts she gained by claiming him as her mate.
