anita_blake | (no subject)

(no subject)

Anita gets into the Jeep, eyes on Animator's, Inc., and she lets out a long breath. The conversations with Damian and Demeter have been swirling around in her head for a couple of days now, and she knows they're both right. She pulls her cellphone out of her jacket and dials Richard's number. It's well past six in the evening, and she crosses her fingers that Richard didn't have a date tonight as the phone rings.

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"With them, it's more like kicking a sick puppy," she sighs. "I'll... try to wait next time."

"They aren't as sick or broken as they once were, Anita." Just because he usually doesn't say anything on or about the leopards doesn't mean he hasn't watched them when they've all been together. She's done a pretty good job of fixing most of them. "And good."

"You think Nathaniel is better than when they landed in my lap?" she asks. "If he is, I think it's Asher's doing, not mine. Not... well, not all of it."

She thinks it's more a joint effort, really, Asher picking up where Anita had refused to go.

"I know he's better than when you took over the Pard, Anita." He doesn't pay enough attention to know who was responsible or not, just that he's noticed that Nathaniel has been more independent recently.

Anita smiles at him.

"It's so strange how none of the shifters really spend any time with the others. Even with the Coalition, you're all separate."

Richard shrugs a shoulder, hands sliding up her legs a little. "Some of the customs are different between animals, which doesn't always help. Some are good friends despite difference of animal though." Jason had good friendships with Nathaniel and Liz.

Anita's thighs part a little as his hands inch higher.

"Our little group in Milliways seems to be very tight despite species differences."

Richard's hands will stop when they reach her waist.

"They also have the time outside of all the shit that hits the fan around here to be friends." Milliways seemed great for that.

Anita laughs softly, leaning down some, closer to his face.

"The shit does hit the fan often, doesn't it?"

"Way too often," Richard answers with a smile.

He shifts a little closer and leans up just enough to catch her mouth with his. "We should find a way to make sure that doesn't happen as often."

"After our little display for Musette, I somehow doubt that's going to happen any time soon," she murmurs, kissing him a little deeper.

One hand raises to cup the back of her neck, nipping her lower lip. "You never know," he murmurs.

A part of him is wondering if anyone has told Jean-Claude or Anita what Jason and Moon have told him. About the council coming. He's also not sure if now would be a good idea to spread that information or not. The weight of being unsure to tell her or not slides a little down the marks.

Anita pulls back, giving him a confused look.

"What aren't you telling me?" she asks. "Hazard of the marks being open, I know you're hiding something from me. What?"

He sits back with a sigh, hand trailing from her neck down her arm. "Not hiding, just not sure if you've heard."

His hand squeezes hers when it reaches that far. "I've been told the council is coming. Jason's time, so we've got a little time, but he's only what a couple months ahead of us?"

Anita stares at him, and she swears her heart stops for a moment.

"They're coming? Jason's time?"

This was not good.

"You mean... they're sending another proxy, right?"

Richard shakes his head, expression serious.

"No. They are. No proxies."

There's a pause before, "Jason said all of them."

Now Anita knows her heart stops.

She looks away from Richard. It's quite obvious that, no, she hadn't been told.

"How soon?" she asks, voice husky.

"Not sure. Jason hasn't been through it yet, it's his and Liz's future." He wasn't given a time on this.

His hand squeezes hers, "Anita?" He wants to know what she's thinking without actually poking through the marks.

Anita turns her attention to him and lets out a long breath.

"This isn't going to be pretty... or safe."

"No, it's not." He sounds unhappily sure of that.

"Dealing with the proxy wasn't pretty or safe. And we aren't dealing with one this time." The power Belle wielded with her proxy in town and her in Europe had been surprising. And this was the council members themselves. In the flesh. His face doesn't show it, but the marks give away just not much he really doesn't like the idea of it.

Anita holds Richard's gaze.

"If they're coming, then we have to be a united front."

It was even more reason for her to sort things out with Asher and Nathaniel.

"I know."

There's an echo of Moon's words on ties keeping people sane that plays at the edge of the marks as the memory shifts through Richard's mind. Her frightened had a lasting impression on him.

"I don't like the them coming part, but I know." It's the one of the reasons he's been working a little more on his issues and working on being alright with who he is and who he's tied to.

Anita laces the fingers of her hand with his.

"If we could beat Belle Morte in Musette's body... we can beat Belle Morte herself."

He's not entirely sure of that. And it wasn't just Belle Morte, but the entire council. He doesn't argue with her though.

Richard raises their laced hands to lay a kiss to the back of her hand. "And with me not wallowing in misery, we'll be stronger. Right?"

Anita smiles.

"We'll be stronger when I apologize to Asher and Nathaniel and we all start preparing."