Satin Bruises

Reilly stood alongside Jean-Claude, across from the leaders of all the were's. The leopards, lions, wolves, rats, tigers...all of them were there. Jean-Claude called the meeting at Reilly's request. She needed to know whose loyalty lied where so she would know where to start.

"As some of you may already know," Jean-Claude started. "I have hired Ms. Reilly Gallion and her sister to help...clean things up...if you would call it that."

He dramatically waved his had toward Reilly, indicating that it was her time to speak. Reilly rose, calm and confident.

"Good evening everyone," she began. "I'm not going to keep you long, I know you all have better things to do, trust me, so do I."

The were's looked around at each other, some smiling and some only shrugging. Reilly continued on. "I have done some research and I believe I have found the source of the unfortunate situation in the preternatural community here...Anita Blake."

Reilly was not surprised when the small crowd murmured in surprise. The majority of the group looked at her as if she had sprouted wings and grew, not only a second head, but a third and fourth. A select few just looked at her, as if they already knew where she was going with this.

"Now, I'm not saying that Anita is evil or anything along those lines. What I AM saying is that she...has a few lovers..."

"She's a tramp," a brunette man blurted. Reilly looked at the man, a little half smirk playing at her lips. Behind her, Jean-Claude sighed.

"Micah," he sighed. Reilly's smile widened. She had to commend her sister on her impeccable taste.

"Well, Micah, it's good to know that we are on the same page," Reilly said pleasantly. "I believe that, because of all the lovers she has, there may be some tension between said lovers, and their respective communities. We can't afford this because we need a united front if we want to keep this city in Jean-Claude's hands. Anita could inadvertently destroy all of his hard work."

"Why do we want the city in the hands of a vampire?" asked an aggressive, though petite brunette woman. Judging from her vibrating aura, Reilly guessed she was a wolf.

"Ms....?"

"Sylvie," the woman answered shortly, standing to challenge Reilly.

"Sylvie, I'm not proposing we set up some sort of tyranny over every preternatural citizen in St. Louis. However, in the face of such a pressing threat from the vampire council, it makes sense to me to have a vampire spokes-person and leader. The coalition for were cooperation that you have set up here is really an incredible effort. I would merely suggest extending it, pooling our resources together to make St. Louis a city safe from every threat. So, if I may, why not put the city in the hands of a vampire?" Silence greeted Reilly's little speech. It was a moment before the crowd got back onto the previous topic of Anita Blake.

"So what? What do we do? We can't exactly avoid her," a blonde man in the back said. Reilly remembered him...Jason the wolf.

"I'm not asking you to avoid her. Just quit fucking her."

"That shouldn't be too hard," Micah mumbled.

"At least not for you," Reilly retorted playfully. Micah smiled at her, good humored.

"No, she hasn't had sex with ANY of her lovers for about two weeks now. It used to be that I couldn't keep her off of me. Now she can't even look at me if I'm not fully clothed," Micah explained. A few of the other men in the room murmured in assent. The women, for the most part, just looked resentful.

"Well then, this shouldn't be too difficult should it?" Reilly asked, directing the question to everyone in the room. The women agreed hands down, the men simply murmured in response. Micah, on the other hand, slouched in his chair and shrugged.

"Micah, Anita's your Nimir-Ra. You seriously don not have a problem with this?" Jean-Claude asked.

"I don't. Plus, what can I do? You've hired this woman who, evidently, knows what she's doing and what she says...goes. Anita won't have sex with me...so it won't be hard not to have sex with her."

Reilly smiled at Jean-Claude, who simply smiled back and gracefully shrugged. Reilly turned to the crowd and dismissed the group, noticing that a young man with golden eyes stayed behind. Jean-Claude stayed seated until everyone left before standing and approaching this man.

"Brendin," Jean-Claude said calmly. "I believe we have an appointment. Reilly, you may go home now. Mr. Henderson and I need to be alone. I'll call you if I need anything."

Reilly nodded, noting the tension between the lion and the vampire, but chose not to make a fuss about it. She needed to get home anyway. Home was infinitely more interesting.

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Conner was tucked in bed, sleeping like a rock. Raleigh stood in the kitchen, listening to her iPod and washing the dishes that somehow stacked up. She sipped on her open beer, shaking her hips to the rhythm of Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit". Raleigh washed a few plates and bowls before she picked her beer up. Her hands were still wet, her bottle was wet from condensation and she couldn't get a good grip. The bottle slipped from her hand and fell towards the floor, but stopped just inches away...in mid-air.

Raleigh gazed at the bottle, then jerked her head to the running water which had also stopped running. She looked at the clock above the sink...the second hand wasn't moving. She picked her bottle from the air and put it back on the counter. Then, she cut off the water, watching the remaining water slowly fall into the sink. Raleigh sighed and closed her eyes.

"Come in Aleksi," she whispered. Suddenly, she felt the fine hairs on her neck stand on end. A faint wind brushed her body and made Raleigh gasp, shivering.

"I've missed you Raleigh," a soft voice whispered. Raleigh turned slowly, coming face to face with Aleksi her first lover, her first heartache. He looked the same as he did when she last saw him. He smiled at her, fangs glinting in the florescent lights.

"What are you doing here?" Raleigh breathed. Aleksi stepped forward, immune to the slow of time, just as she was. He lovingly ran his fingers through her layered hair.

"I wanted to see you again. You can not say that you did not miss me...even a little."

"It wasn't me who decided to end things. As I recall, you couldn't wait for me to leave Savannah," she said, trying to ignore how fast her heart started to pound.

"I have done several foolish things in my long life, and I am beginning to realize now that encouraging you to leave me was the most foolish of all," he said, cupping the back of her head in a strong hand.

"Foolish, huh? That's it?" Raleigh asked, groping for a reason not to kiss him, getting increasingly lost in the heat coming off of his body.

"Though I think not all of the blame lies at my feet. Your witch sister was all too eager to leave when I found out about the boy. Why, it felt almost like she didn't trust me not to hurt him," Aleksi purred, caressing Raleigh's scalp.

"Don't be coy. You would have used Conner against us if you were given half a chance," Raleigh said, glaring into the vampire's face. His fingers gripped her hair, almost painfully.

"I will admit, I was surprised at how long you had managed to keep him secret. One would think I should have been more alive to the signs, but you never smelled like a child. It would appear that you being incapable of getting custody of the boy was more fortuitous than not," he smiled to himself, as though laughing at a good joke. Raleigh pulled free of him, finally angry.

"What do you want, Aleksi?" She demanded, crossing her arms to keep her hands from trembling.

"You," he said simply, looking almost hurt.

"You've had that, why are you here? In St. Louis?"

"I want you by my side. I want at least one of my Lieutenants back. Everything I told Jean-Claude was true, you were the most valuable pair of assets I ever owned. Invaluable in magical prowess, diplomacy, loyalty, and companionship," he said, taking a slow step toward Raleigh, "until the boy got in the way. Your sister has betrayed me, and you have also, by taking her side. I will admit, for once it isn't the politicking that has me here, it's you. I miss you, Raleigh. It has been agony to not see you everyday. Come home with me."

"Or what? You'll kill Reilly and Conner?" Raleigh growled, not liking the direction of this conversation.

"There will only be one death here," he answered, "your traitor sister and the boy are safe from me. In fact, they may become instrumental in my getting what I want."

"I thought it was weird you would be so generous when Jean-Claude called you up, asking about us. You needed an in. I'm confused though, Reilly probably wouldn't help you at this point. If you needed an introduction, there are easier ways," Raleigh considered.

"I have been offered a council seat, Raleigh. But there is a condition," he said. Raleigh, still confused pondered out loud.

"How could you be offered a seat? All seven are filled..." realization dawned.

"I'm taking Jean-Claude's," he said simply, as though remarking on the weather.

"How am I involved in this?" She asked, shocked to her core.

"While Reilly will be my unwitting inside source, you will be my leak. And I love you, is that so hard to believe of me?" He asked, too innocently.

"You bastard," Raleigh breathed.

"I'm not asking for an answer now, Raleigh, but think about what I've said. Also remember that I do have a score to settle with your little nephew. You should think about that while you decide darling," he leaned down, kissed her unresponsive lips, and then was suddenly gone. Now that she was alone, Raleigh felt fine shivering her way down to the floor. There was far too much going on in St. Louis. Where Aleksi had been standing was a bouquet of red roses. Raleigh's favorite.

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The murmur of voices around the corner alerted Reilly to the end of the meeting. Secretly a little disappointed that she hadn't been allowed in, she stood up to brush out the creases in her favorite black slacks. She was more than ready to go home, and get out of these heels, but as she started off down the hallway, a silk voice called her name. And judging from the tone, the voice was not pleased about something. Amused that she had been caught, like some guilty schoolgirl, Reilly turned to face her employer.

"Miss Gallion, I had requested that you head home," Jean-Claude stated, radiating displeasure.

"With all due respect, sir, I would be a very poor body guard if I allowed you to be killed on my shift simply because I wanted to go home early," Reilly said calmly, face friendly. If she was being completely honest with herself though, she wasn't sure why she was still here, sitting on the cold floor. Jean-Claude didn't answer. Honestly, Reilly wasn't even sure he had heard her, he hadn't reacted in the slightest. His entire body was still, in that permanent way that only the old dead had. He looked for all the world like he could stand in that hallway, looking at Reilly for eternity. Totally unchanged. Finally he spoke.

"I am not sure what exactly it is about you, Miss Gallion, but I find myself unable to stay angry with you. It is an impressive gift," he mused, the look in his eyes alien and unreadable. Without even being sure how to answer him, Reilly opened her mouth, sure something intelligent would eventually come out if she tired hard enough. The effort was totally wasted, however, when Jean-Claude pulled her to him, and laid a delicate kiss on her.

There was nothing supernatural about this kiss. It was just a warm, gentle contact. One of Jean-Claude's hands cupped Reilly's face like it was something precious, and his palm felt like bushed silk against her skin. Off balance already, Reilly was not prepared for the sheer force of what a simple brush of lips could do. He demanded nothing in his kiss, he just wanted to taste her, feel her under his hands and along his body, but every cell in her began to smolder at his touch.

Without warning, a desperate ache shot through her, and suddenly this kiss was the only thing that mattered. With a sigh, Reilly pressed harder into the kiss, leaning against Jean-Claude, and wrapping her arms around him, pressing his back. He moaned quietly, putting a hand in the small of her back, supporting her weight, pulling her toward him. The kiss deepened slowly, his mouth exploring hers with the utmost care. She could feel her breathing quicken, but he stayed frustratingly patient, and maddeningly gentle.

Reilly let out a tortured little noise, and breaking the rhythm of his mouth, drew the line of his perfect bottom lip into her teeth. She nipped him, and a feral sound rolled out of Jean-Claude's throat. His arms tensed around her, and his mouth ate at hers, copper taste of his blood and hers mingling with the press of fangs and lips and tongue. The whole world pounded with Reilly's heartbeat, and she was so lost that the vibrate of her cellphone against her hip didn't register. Jean-Claude broke the kiss, pulling away so completely that Reilly thought for a moment she would lose her balance. Befuddled, she grabbed the furiously ringing phone, and fumbled it open.

"H-hello?" She said, flustered. She cleared her throat, and forced her breathing to be something approaching normal.

"Mama?" Conner's voice asked, sounding teary. Instantly on the alert, Reilly straightened, looking for her keys.

"Honey? What's the matter? Where's Raleigh? Are you ok?" Reilly shot off, clumsily digging through her bag for her damned car keys.

"Aunt Raleigh's crying, can you come home?" He asked, sounding pitiful.

"I'm on my way, hold on," Reilly said, snagging the offending keys. She disconnected the phone, shoving it into her bag. She turned back to Jean-Claude, red faced and suddenly unable to look him in the eyes. He regarded her steadily, arms folded casually across his midriff.

"Aunt Raleigh?" He asked, deep blue eyes glowing. One dark eyebrow cocked, giving him the look of an interrogating angel. Reilly's heart, just pounding, felt like it gave out.

"Just a silly nickname," Reilly invented, feeling breathless for a different reason now, "neighborhood kid. We babysit, you know. Raleigh just loves kids. He's not ours." She babbled, palms sweating.

"Indeed," Jean-Claude said mildly, holding a hand open to indicate the door nearby. "Don't let me keep you then, 'mama.' The situation sounds quite dire." Reilly felt like she had been turned to stone.

"Jean-Claude," she began, this time warning, she could feel her fight response kick in.

"Reilly, the boy has nothing to fear from me. However, I believe you have much to tell me tomorrow. It appears I will have to find a secret significant enough to compare with this," he mused.

"I-a secret?" Reilly asked, confused now.

"Well, it would hardly do for our relationship to be entirely one-sided now, wouldn't it Lieutenant? If I will be trusting you above all others, it seems only fair you say the same for me," Jean-Claude challenged her, teasingly. The irony that this was the exact opposite of Aleksi's reaction was not lost on either of them.

"You already knew," she stated, wonderingly. Jean-Claude smiled darkly.

"You work for me now," he said simply, as if that explained everything. Without saying another word, he turned and walked back down the hall. Reilly took off the other way, heels clicking against the stone floor. She was so distracted, that she reached home without remembering even getting into her car. She pounded up the tacky carpet on the stairs, throwing open the door to Raleigh and Conner sitting subdued on the sofa.

"I was not crying," were Raleigh's first irritated words. Relieved, tired, and conflicted, Reilly laughed hysterically for several minutes, standing unsteadily in the doorway. Finally, she entered the house, noticing the bouquet of roses sitting on the coffee table, a black ribbon tied around the crystal vase. Reilly looked at Raleigh's frazzled expression and picked up Conner.

"C'mon my darlin'," she cooed. "Let's put you back in bed. Thank you for keeping Nahni company."

"Mama, why is Nahni crying over flowers? Does she not like them?" Conner whispered as Reilly tucked him in. Reilly smiled softly.

"No honey, it's not that. She's crying because she likes them so much, but the person who gave them to her hurt her feelings a long time ago...she doesn't know what to do with them. That's why she's crying. She doesn't want to get rid of them but looking at them makes her think of the person."

Conner's little eyebrows furrowed in thought. "Is it the same person who gave her the fancy egg?"

"You are so smart," Reilly replied, impressed that her son could make that connection.

"Maybe he's trying to say he's sorry..."

Reilly paused. "How do you know it's a he?"

"'Cause that's what boys do. They buy girls presents to say they're sorry."

Conner yawned and snuggled down into the blankets, asleep. Reilly kissed him gently and went back into the living room. Raleigh was sitting on the couch, tying up her running shoes. She was in her jogging pants and a tank top.

"What are you doing?" Reilly asked.

"I have to run," Raleigh whispered. She looked up at her sister before standing. "Reilly, I fucked up. I shouldn't have invited him in. I should've just let him stay where he was at."

Reilly stared at Raleigh, who was on the verge of a breakdown. "I would rather you stay here."

"I can't!" Raleigh snapped softly. "Reilly, you don't know how painful that was! Part of me wanted to throw myself at his feet and tell him how sorry I was for leaving while the other part of me wanted to smoke him in the face. He loves me, he's just a jackass."

"He shouldn't be making you choose."

"Yeah, I am aware of this," Raleigh sighed as she walked out the front door. Reilly just stood in the living room, staring at the perfect, deep red roses. She knew what Aleksi wanted of her sister. She also knew that part of Raleigh wanted to give him everything he asked.

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Raleigh jogged all the way to the Circus, which turned out to be six miles by her calculation. Drenched in sweat and aching, she sat outside the door to catch her breath. She had to tell Jean-Claude what Aleksi planned to do, even though he probably already knew. Finally, she stood up and knocked on the door. It swung open and there was Bubbles standing on the other side.

"Ms. Gallion? You don't have an appointment," he said, confused. Raleigh faked a smile.

"It's kind of a spur of the moment thing," she explained. "Is Jean-Claude in?"

Bubbles told her that Jean-Claude was, in fact, in his office. Raleigh thanked him and began to head back to the office, but the bouncer stopped her.

"You can't go back there," he said.

"I work for him and trust me, you want me to meet with him," Raleigh replied quickly, glancing at his hand on her arm. He paused, torn between Jean-Claude's orders, and her obvious agitation. Finally, he slowly let go of her arm.

"Just tell him that you kicked the crap out of me, ok?" He pleaded, nodding her down the stairs. She headed off, bouncing down the oddly spaced stairs. He watched her go, one part of him admiring her perfect ass, the other terrified of everything she represented.

Raleigh found herself outside of Jean-Claude's office, suddenly discomposed. She raised a hand to knock, unsure of how to break this kind of news. Before she brought her hand down, Jean-Claude's voice seeped through the wood.

"Come in, Miss Gallion," he said, a bone deep weariness coloring his tone. She entered the office, surprised to see not only Micah, but also an unknown gentlemen in the office with Jean-Claude. Micah lounged in one of the leather chairs before the desk, and Jean-Claude was seated calmly behind the massive wood. Only the tall new man was standing, and Raleigh didn't need to ask why. Jean-Claude's face was set in the bland mask that was all Raleigh ever saw, Micah looked irritated, but the standing man was absolutely furious. He was vibrating with rage, and as Raleigh watched, his eyes swam from chocolate brown to an icy gold.

"You," he snarled, hands balling into fists. "You have a lot of nerve to show your face here after what you did." His perfectly tanned skin was taught along his straining arms. His face, masculine perfect, dimpled chin and all, was contorted into something approaching hatred. Raleigh felt her eyebrows climb into her hairline.

"Richard," Jean-Claude said quietly, "that isn't her."