Incubus Dreams - October 27th

[anita_blake]

As Anita wakes up, she makes several realizations.

She is on the floor.

She is on the floor of her kitchen.

She is on the floor of her kitchen, naked.

Slowly, she looks around and sees Nathaniel on the floor at her side, his cheek resting on her thigh. Memory comes back to her, of the hungers, of the ardeur, of the fucking and feeding and memories. Anita eyes dart around, looking for Damian, because Damian was with them, and they land on his form, bathed in sunlight.

Like his pale skin had been dipped in honey, and Anita has the distant thought of how beautiful the vampire looked with his blood-red hair, warm skin, and relaxed features. But the most overwhelming thought was that Damian was bathed in sunlight! She scrambles over to him, grabbing Damian by the ankles, and pulls him out of the sunlight, but then he's awake, screaming, struggling, and Anita panics.

Comments

[masterofstlouis]

"Of course," Jean-Claude assures Damian. "You will always have our protection. You may come to the Circus tonight and we will discuss everything. There will be changes, of course, for everyone, but you and I will speak, my friend. I will do what I can to answer your questions."

Jean-Claude also reflects that it's not as if he himself has many answers to give, but he will do his best as Master of the City.

[mr-smarty-vamp.livejournal.com]

That is all Damian expects. The effort is, in some ways, more important than the information itself. He knows they have set a precedent. Not all things will be known immediately.

Still, the answer is taken to heart. He is protected. He will remain protected with them. This power base will not fail him. With that knowledge, he calms the frantic part of him that has been keeping the others on edge. Letting out a slow breath, he wraps himself in calm before speaking again.

"Thank you. Barring another metaphysical event, I will remain calm until we speak. If you have questions for me, you may ask them now." He somehow doubts that Jean-Claude was simply checking up on him. The Master of the City rarely takes actions without multiple reasons, or so he has learned since coming to St. Louis.

[masterofstlouis]

What was it like to see the sun again? he wants to ask, but locks the question down behind the tightest shields he can manage so that even he questions if he'd thought it at all.

"We can discuss things more tonight. For now, rest and recover your strength. Goodbye, Damian. Please hand the phone back to Anita."

[mr-smarty-vamp.livejournal.com]

"As you wish," he responds in parting before handing the phone back to Anita. The woman has a strange look on her face, and he watches her closely.

[anita_blake]

Anita puts the phone back to her ear.

"I speak German," she says to Jean-Claude. "If we're all connected, trying to hide behind other languages is a pretty moot point, don't you think?"

[masterofstlouis]

"Perhaps," he answers smoothly. "I merely felt Damian would be more comfortable discussing his concerns if he did not believe he would be overheard."

[anita_blake]

"Next time, pick another language."

Anita sighs, rubbing her eyes.

"We're all tired. I have a raising tonight. I desperately need sleep before I even join in the fun and games of trying to sort this mess out."

[masterofstlouis]

"Then rest and recover, ma petite. I have told Damian to come to the Circus tonight. I would like to extend the same invitation to you, Richard, and Nathaniel. With all of us together, 'sorting this mess out' may be easier."

[anita_blake]

Anita nods.

"We'll be there. Richard and Nathaniel can come with Damian. I'll be by as soon as I'm done with my appointment." She sighs. "You should probably ask Asher to be there, too--"

Nathaniel shakes his head. "If Asher's going to find out, Anita, it will be from me, alone, and without an audience," he insists.

Anita sighs, because, God, men! "Fine. Don't tell Asher, Jean-Claude, but we'll all be there tonight at some point, all right?"

[masterofstlouis]

"As you wish, ma petite. I will await you all this evening."

Then, almost as an afterthought, he adds, "Do you also speak Italian, ma petite?"

[anita_blake]

"No," she answers distractedly. "Why?"

[masterofstlouis]

"Merely curious," he says with a private smile. "Sleep well, ma petite. Je t'aime."

Jean-Claude hangs up the phone and sighs heavily, tiredly. It is still too early to call for Jason, and the club won't open for hours yet. His evening meal will simply have to wait. In the meantime, Jean-Claude returns to his bed, stretching out beside Asher again to conserve what energy he has until he is able to feed and start the night properly.

[anita_blake]

Anita stares at the phone for a minute.

"I guess I need to somehow find the time to learn fucking Italian." She hands up the handset and turns to everyone. "We all ready for the slumber party?" Anita asks, exhaustion weighing her down.

[puppyeyedulfric.livejournal.com]

"Or learn to poke at the marks enough to find the translation in his head," Richard supplies from where he's seated on the edge of a mattress watching her. Everything as far as blankets and pillows are set and at some point he'd lost the towel, though his bad hand is settled in his lap to conveniently hide himself from view.

His good hand is held out to Anita, "And slumber parties involve games, so I hear. I'm just ready to sleep."

[mr-smarty-vamp.livejournal.com]

"If what happened in the last few hours counts as those games, I agree with Richard. No parties, just sleep." Though, for him, it isn't exactly sleep.

He gathers an exhausted Nathaniel in his arms, nuzzling the leopard's throat while they approach the bed.

[nathaniel_kitten]

Nathaniel crawls into the bed, immediately burrowing under the covers. He rather likes the idea of sleeping between Damian and Micah.

"I vote for sleep too," he murmurs. "I'm too tired for any other games."

[anita_blake]

"Sleep it is, then."

Anita crawls into the bed, too, leaving room between herself and Nathaniel for Micah.

"I know Gregory is watching the house while we sleep, since I need to order another new door, but Micah, could you please throw the lock on the bedroom door before climbing in here?"

She's sure, once the door is locked and everyone is in bed, she'll fall right asleep.

[chartreuse_eyed]

"Of course," he says, watching the others climb in together. It brings a little smile to his mouth, as he locks the door and pads over. Normally he'd sleep in skin and nothing else, but he leaves shorts on tonight.

"Do you want something to wear, Richard, or are you good?"

[puppyeyedulfric.livejournal.com]

Richard settles under the covers, tired but happy with the feel of Anita next to him. His shakes his head, making it a little more than half-way through the motion before wincing this time.

"I'm good, but thanks." He is a shifter. And he's fine as he us unless someone is going to complain.

[anita_blake]

"We're all fine, we're all tired."

Anita holds out her hand.

"Come to bed, Micah."

She wants to feel him behind her. She needs to.

[mr-smarty-vamp.livejournal.com]

With everyone else on the bed, Damian wonders if he is somehow out of place. One vampire among shifters and a necromancer. The thought leads him to another however, one that brings a small smile to his face. He is not outside any longer. Anita is his mistress. He is bound metaphysically to Nathaniel and Richard, and Micah is Nimir-Raj to Anita's Nimir-Ra. They are all bound to one another.

That in mind, he takes his place behind Nathaniel, pulling the covers up over them both before snuggling the wereleopard. The daylight frightens him, but he is safer here with those he is connected to than he would be anywhere else. It's a comfort that helps him relax enough to let his shields down, ready for Anita's power to send him back to the darkness until sundown.

[nathaniel_kitten]

Nathaniel cuddles back against Damian, his large, lavender eyes on his Nimir-Raj, waiting. This is safety. The only thing that would make it more perfect would be to have Asher and Jean-Claude there.

Okay, including Jean-Claude in that thought is strange for Nathaniel, but he's too tired to dissect it. He blinks twice, his eyes on Micah, before they shut and he simply passes right out, heavy in Damian's arms.

[chartreuse_eyed]

Micah watches Nathaniel's eyes close, and slides into bed between him and Anita, kissing his Nimir-Ra's shoulder as he settles down on his back, one arm over her, the other over Nathaniel. Sometimes the metaphysical hijinks of this world are more than enough for him.

But if it eventually makes his Pard--his family--happier, he'll deal with the oddity.

[anita_blake]

With Micah at her back, and Richard holding her to him chest-to-chest (and she finds it interesting there isn't even a hint of recoil in Richard when his hand touches Micah's on her waist), Anita simply relaxes. She's exhausted, pushed to her very limits by the day's events, and so she sinks into the deep dark of sleep. The quiet lull of four other minds in hers is oddly reassuring, even if strange, and within moments, Anita's breathing deepens, matching Richard's and Micah's, as everyone succumbs to sleep.

[mr-smarty-vamp.livejournal.com]

Damian is the only one left awake, and he watches as the other four find their repose. It is comforting, to see them all resting after the panic the morning had brought. He knows he has caused damage, but it will heal in time.

He has gained much in the last few hours, and he forces himself to focus on those positive thoughts, refusing to let fear in.

He watches over the group for many long minutes, and when Anita's power swells after a bit of recouperation, he gives into its call and allows his own spirit to let go, knowing he will be called back when the sun sets.

Then the healing will continue and, hopefully, answers will be found.