Beauty and the Beast

Jason didn't know why he said it, although it had seemed like an interesting idea at the time. "You know, I think Claudia can take you."

Richard, minding his own business while looking over the gross operating figures that Jean-Claude had given him, looked up from the ledger and went, "Huh?"

"I think Claudia can take you in a fair fight," Jason repeated from the black leather couch where he was lounging while waiting for Jean-Claude to return.

"She can not,"Richard growled softly at such nonsense.

"Without magic, she can," Jason said and folded his arms across his chest.

Richard gave him a half confused grin similar to the one that had made Harrison Ford famous. "Nah, she's a girl," he said and shook his head, his pony tail swishing as he did.

"I don't know," Jason kept it up. "She's stood up to you a couple of times."

"With a weapon in her hands,"Richard reminded him. "A silver bullet will stop me."

Jason made himself even more comfortable on the couch while Richard returned to the ledger. Unable to keep his smile at bay, Jason wondered what it would take to get Richard and Claudia into a wrestling match. And would he get to see it?

The gods of mischief must have been with him tonight, because Jean-Claude entered the office with Anita, Nathaniel and Asher trailing him. Asher gave him a friendly smile as he passed. Jason nodded and then glanced back over his head at the body guard standing in the doorway. Claudia! Beautiful, TALL Claudia. Claudia with the pony tail and the body! She was one serious body builder, and it was nice! Yes, Claudia with all that long leg.

While Jean-Claude and Richard discussed business, Jason peered up at the woman and said, "Richard thinks he can take you in a wrestling match." Nathaniel sat at the end of the couch and grinned at Jason. He was up to no good.

Claudia gazed down at him with an amused smile on her face. The only man even remotely associated with Anita Blake who was not dwarfed by her was Richard. "Always trying to start something?" she asked the werewolf.

Asher, catching a piece of the conversation, asked, " What is our Jason trying to start?"

"I told Claudia that Richard said he could beat her in a wrestling match. I said Claudia could take him."

Richard looked up, horrified that Jason was still going on about him wrestling Claudia. "You have to forgive him," he apologized to her while scowling at the other wolf.

"No problem, Ulfric," Claudia answered. "I can only imagine why Jason wants to see me beat you."

Roughly five faces grimaced at that remark, while the sixth looked trapped between disbelief and well...disbelief. Richard looked up and in a guarded voice asked, "Beat me?"

Jason sat up quickly. "Only in a fair fight, Richard. Of course, your powers are greater than Claudia's. With magic no one can beat you."

"That I will concede," Claudia agreed, her own pride refusing to be humbled.

Richard sat up straight now. "You think you can beat me in a wrestling match?"

Claudia didn't flinch. "Certainly, Ulfric. I may be a 'girl' but I have trained extensively." She motioned at him with her hand. "You are better built than Anita's other men..."

"Hey!" Jason and Nathaniel echoed.

"Do either of you think you can take me?" Claudia asked them. Seeing the exaggerated fear in their eyes, she said, "I didn't think so."

Asher, seeing an opportunity to humble the haughty wolf, sighed and said, "Richard would never do this. If he lost it would be humiliating to be beaten by...as you say...a 'girl'."

Anita wasn't sure about this, but at the same time, it did sound like fun. "Only if no one gets hurt," she spoke up. "I'd sort of like to see this, but only in fun."

"Most certainly," Jean-Claude concurred. "I would like to see if Claudia can manage you when you have your 'moods'."

"My moods?" Richard growled softly. "Like the one I'm getting now?"

"Oui, like that one," Jean-Claude teased.

"Well, god forbid I have a mood," Richard said and stood up. "When do you want to do this?"

"We're not doing anything now," Jason spoke up.

Jean-Claude smiled at Jason. "I suppose we can take a few minutes to see who is the better were."

Claudia was game. "Are we wagering anything. I mean if I win, what do I get?"

"Dinner at my place," Richard answered before someone came up with something really dumb. "If I win you cook dinner for me."

Claudia smiled. "OK."


The center ring at the Circus of the Damned was perfect this time of the evening. Richard in jeans, running shoes and a red tank top faced Claudia who was similarly dressed, although the tank top was blue and she had a sports bra under it. It was decided the tank tops could be shed.

No closed fist punches were allowed, only open hands and then only on solid parts of the body. No blows to the face or nose. Richard got down on his hands and knees first with Claudia leaning over his back, one hand on his arm, the other around his waist. It was basic college wrestling. He was to get out of it and then pen her. Claudia proved quicker than he thought. He got out of it, but he wasn't able to pen her.

The second time, Claudia moved her hand under his body looking for a better place to hold. His skin was so hot it almost burned her fingers. She found a slight indention at his mindline and dug her fingers in there. This time when Richard came up, she moved her hands up and got him in a head lock. He couldn't break free, but he was so powerful he arched his back, got his feet under him and started pushing backwards.

Claudia was being pushed backwards. He was going to wind up on top of her, his back to her breast, and the effort he was putting into it had everyone mesmerized. Claudia suddenly released him with a twist and sprang away. On his belly, Richard did a simple push up and glanced back over his shoulder at her. There was heat in his dark eyes, excitement. Richard was enjoying himself.

Now that he was getting into it, he was seeing this as a male conquoring a weaker female. It was primal; he knew he was going to win. All he had to do was out last her.
Claudia crouched before him, her hands out, her fingers ready. He crouched before her, his arms reaching towards her, his hands ready. Almost playfully he pawed at her, teased her, but the heat in his eyes said he wasn't playing. There was sex in Richard's eyes.

Oh Ulfric, Claudia thought, perhaps this is not the fight I need to win. Perhaps there's a better one in the near future. "How good a cook are you?" she asked curiously.

"How good are you?" Richard growled and grabbed her around the waist. How he wound up behind her, she never figured out, but the next thing she knew, he had her in the air and was bringing her back to the sawdust. He took all of the drop in his body, but Claudia was still caught by surprise on her back. Richard pinned her shoulders. Claudia tried to get her feet in his gut, but he came down on her side, pinning her with his body.

With him half on her, controlling her hands, she asked, "How's this Saturday at seven?"

"I'll bring some wine," he offered and released her.