Satin Bruises

Reilly rolled over and groaned. Her body had appreciated the full night's rest. Naturally a morning person, working for Aleksi, and now Jean-Claude was killer on her biorhythyms. With a satisfied little stretch, she rolled over and nuzzled into the warm man beside her. Reilly's eyes flew open. Jason was lying on his stomach, a corner of the sheet tossed across his lower back. Reilly sat up, trying not to disturb him. The clock on her bedside table read six a.m. With as little sound as possible, she slipped out of bed, and grabbed her bathrobe.

She was in the kitchen clutching her coffee in the matter of a minute. Raleigh stumbled out of the back bedroom, hair tousled and eyes still glued shut. Reilly wasn't sure whether it was her own distress, or the smell of the coffee that had roused her sibling, but either way, she was incredibly grateful. Raleigh's coffee was already prepared and on the table. With an inarticulate grunt, Raleigh sat, and grabbed for the caffeine. Taking a huge swig, she turned to her twin.

"You are creating upset vibrations all over the house, what's up Rie?" Raleigh asked, forcing her bleary eyes open.

"I am so fucked," Reilly answered, agitated.

"I'll say, Micah and I thought Jason was murdering you. When's the last time you got laid? You shouldn't bottle that up you know, you break things. Like your headboard," Raleigh pondered.

"It was the lamp on my nightstand," Reilly corrected automatically, and then blushed. Raleigh grinned like Christmas had come early.

"So seriously, what happened that got you all worked up? I haven't felt you that angry since Dad took custody," Raleigh said.

"I quit my job, got in a fight with Jean-Claude, and slept with Jason," Reilly said, burying her face in her hands.

"That's not so bad," Raleigh said ponderously, "we'll need to get you another job, of course..."

"Leigh, you don't understand. I'm in love with him, I think," Reilly said, getting up to get herself some more coffee.

"Jason?"

"No!" Reilly turned, giving a scandalized look to her sister. "Jean-Claude!"

"Oh...alright. Why did you quit?"

"Jean-Claude accused me of sleeping with Asher," Reilly said simply, miserably.

"Oh yeah, and sleeping with Jason will show him," Raleigh said sarcastically. Reilly glared at her sister. Raleigh shrugged.

"You were the one who slept with Jason to get back at Jean-Claude, don't get mad at me. This is what you need to do, go to Jean-Claude and tell him you made a mistake."

"But Ral..." Raleigh held her hand up to silence her sister.

"He cares for you, I can tell, he'll take you back with open arms. As far as Jason goes, let him deal with it. If Jean-Claude asks, tell him that the big magic, including the emotional stress that HE put you through caused you to need an outlet, i.e Jason. Make it seem like almost exactly what it was, completely impersonal. Jean-Claude is a business vamp, he's reasonable."

Reilly sighed, comforted a little by her sister's cold and calculating mind. Raleigh sipped her coffee thoughtfully, then spoke again.

"Better yet, let me go talk to him. You need to relax after that big magic last night."

Reilly shrugged and waved her hand dismissively. Then it was her turn to speak. "You know, Jean-Claude wants you and Micah to end the affair."

"Too bad. I'm not going to end it. I'm the Nimir-Ra in five hours."

"Raleigh," Reilly said warningly.

"I don't care. I'll talk to Jean-Claude about that too. Let him try and do something," Raleigh said sassily. Reilly looked behind her sister as Micah emerged from the back room, fully clothed and with a bad case of bed head.

"Talk to Jean-Claude about what?" Micah yawned, pouring himself a cup of coffee. Reilly glanced at Raleigh, not wanting to step on any toes, but Raleigh clearly didn't care.

"Jean-Claude doesn't want us sleeping together any more," she said, handing him her cup for a refill. Micah grunted and filled the cup up, adding cream and sugar.

"Yeah, that's what I said," Raleigh huffed as she took her cup back and gulped deeply, delighted that Micah knew exactly how she liked her coffee.

Reilly was surprised that they weren't more worried. Jean-Claude could potentially tear them apart and they were talking like nothing was happening. Raleigh walked into the kitchen and put her mug in the sink, then she hugged her sister.

"Now you need to go back to sleep. Curl up with Jason or something," Raleigh whispered. "If you need anything, call me." Reilly groaned at that, forgoing getting in bed to take a shower instead. Dressed and ready for the day, Reilly returned to the kitchen to find everyone up and moving.

"So, I think that since Micah is moving in with us, and hopefully Conner, that I should go house hunting today," Reilly declared, grabbing her washed mug out of the sink, and filling it again. Raleigh and Micah looked at each other and then back to her.

"I don't know if we have time to get all of your things before the meeting..." Raleigh began.

"Just get ready, I'll get Micah's stuff. I'll coerce Jason into helping too," Reilly said cheerfully. Micah and Raleigh both looked relieved. Jason didn't seem to even notice she'd said his name. Not a morning wolf.

"Alright," Raleigh agreed, getting up to go take a shower, she shot a lusty look over her shoulder, and Micah followed. Reilly shook her head, and swatted her sister's butt as she walked by.

"Tramp," Reilly laughed.

"Jealous!" Raleigh called down the hall. Jason blinked at Reilly.

"You're dressed?" He asked her, squinting. Definitely not a morning wolf.
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Raleigh and Micah pulled up to the Circus in Raleigh's car, leaving the Tundra for Reilly and Jason. Raleigh's body ached happily from the activities of the morning and Micah had a large hickey on the back of his neck. Micah wrapped his arm around her waist, escorting her into the building. Reise stood on the other side of the door.

"Mr. Callahan, Ms. Gallion," he said cheerily.

"Good morning, Reise," Micah replied. "Is everyone here?"

"Yes sir."

"Reise, do you ever sleep?" Raleigh asked curiously. The bouncer reached for the shelf behind him, grabbing a can that Raleigh recognized immediately...Monster. Instantly, her mouth started watering and she was jonesing for an energy drink.

"No need," Reise smiled.

"Lucky you," Raleigh growled, then when Reise offered her a can. "It messes with my powers. I get excited and somehow Jim Morrison comes back. Long story."

Micah and Reise exchanged amused looks and Micah continued down the stairs to the underbelly of the Circus, keeping Raleigh close to his side. They went down a few levels before Micah stopped abruptly in front of a door. Micah grabbed the handle, winked at Raleigh, then pushed the door open. He entered first, pulling Raleigh along with him.

"Good morning everyone," Micah said, half authority figure, half excited kid. Raleigh smiled as a few eyes lingered on her intently.

"So, we won't be here long," Micah announced. "Though I'm fairly sure some of you know why we called this meeting."

"Is it true Anita kicked you out?" one leopard asked. Micah took a seat at the head of the table, beckoning Raleigh to sit in his lap.

"Yes, Zane, she did."

"Why?" another leopard asked.

"Because of this lovely lady," Micah responded. "Meet Raleigh Gallion. She is our new Nimir-Ra."

Everyone around the table exchanged many different looks. Some looked intrigued, others indifferent, but only one leopard at the table objected.

"Why her?" a female asked, anger tinting her sensuous voice. "What's so special about her? AND since when is it your decision alone?"

"Since I am the Nimir-Raj and the former Nimir-Ra has forfeit her chair. Do you have a problem, Cherry?"

"Damn right I do," Cherry growled.

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On the other side of town, Jason and Reilly were carrying Micah's things out of Anita's apartment with some help from Nathaniel. All the while, Anita was throwing a classic bitch fit.

"Tell your sister she's a god damned whore!" she screamed.

"Really? She told me that you would say that. She also told me to tell you that you have no room to talk," Reilly retorted, tossing another gym bag full of clothes into the truck.

"I have a fucking reason for that! She doesn't!"

"Yeah, sure, keep telling yourself that!"

While the women were screaming at each other, Jason and Nathaniel were having a conversation of their own.

"Why aren't you at the meeting?" Jason asked quietly.

"Because I don't particularly care," Nathaniel mumbled. "Honestly, I think that Raleigh would be better suited for it. I don't know her personally, but from what Jean-Claude says, she knows what she's doing."

A lamp hummed passed Jason's head. He ducked as it smashed against the side of the truck, leaving a dent. When Jason lifted his head again, Anita was glaring at him.

"And you! You little backstabbing bastard!"

"What the fuck did I do?!" Jason snapped.

"You're helping them!"

Jason looked at Nathaniel and rolled his eyes. Reilly got into the truck and started the engine. Nathaniel walked passed Anita and into the apartment. Jason climbed into the truck just as Reilly was pulling out of the parking space.

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Raleigh climbed out of Micah's lap, staring down Cherry, who was going on about how she wasn't even a leopard and was new in town, what gives her the right to be the Nimir-Ra? Raleigh sensed something wasn't right with Cherry, somehow her sister's spell wasn't working. Micah opened his mouth to explain why Raleigh was going to be the Nimir-Ra, but Raleigh interrupted him.

"Cherry," she said calmly. "What is the real reason you don't want me to be the Nimir-Ra?"

"I just fucking told you, you're not qualified."

"Mm hmm," Raleigh replied as she reached into her purse and pulled out her lipstick, a mirror, and a cigarette. The group watched her, Micah looked thrown off.

"You smoke?" he asked.

"Socially," Raleigh replied sarcastically. Micah got the hint, the cigarette had something to do with a plan. Cherry eyed her suspiciously. Raleigh hopped onto the table and walked to the woman, then sat in front of her. She opened the mirror and began to reapply her lipstick, then she lit the cigarette, blowing the smoke into the air.

"Cherry, I have a feeling that you're lying to us," Raleigh said softly, the pard hanging on her every word. "I have a feeling that you have exchanged words with a certain man. You know who I'm talking about...don't you?"

Cherry sneered at her. "Fuck you. I'm not a liar."

"Well then, you won't mind if I try a little experiment?" Raleigh asked, holding up her lipstick, taunting the leopard. Cherry's eyes flashed in defiance, she shrugged.

"Fine," she snapped. Raleigh smiled innocently.

"Fabulous!" she said gleefully, putting the cigarette in the corner of her mouth. She leaned forward, lacing her hand behind Cherry's neck to pull her towards her. While mumbling an incantation, barely audible to even the weres surrounding her, she drew a symbol with the "Satin Bruises" lipstick on Cherry's forehead. She sat back a little, examining the deep purple symbol, and gave a satisfied nod before blowing another smoke cloud. This time, the cloud went right into Cherry's face. The symbol glowed indigo.

"Alright Cherry," Raleigh said encouragingly. "Now, what's the real reason you don't want me to be Nimir-Ra?"

"I already fuckin...shit!!!" Cherry lurched forward, clutching her forehead in pain and trying to wipe the symbol off.

"You're lying Cherry," Raleigh said, standing up and taking another drag from her cigarette. "I don't like liars. Now answer me!"

The symbol burned brighter as Cherry bit back painful screams. The pard turned to Micah, who sat patiently. Raleigh sat down again and looked into Cherry's eyes.

"Tell the truth and the pain will stop," she whispered.

"Alright, alright fine," Cherry gasped. "I want the seat."

The symbol began to dim, the burning subsided. Raleigh turned her head to the rest of the pard, then to Micah. Micah didn't seem surprised at Cherry's answer. Neither did anyone else.

"And what else?" Raleigh asked.

"I did talk to a man, some vampire. He said that if I made sure that you didn't get the position, he would ensure that I would be Nimir-Ra."

"What was the name of this vampire?" Micah asked. Cherry didn't speak.

"Cherry, answer him."

"Aleksi," Cherry sighed.

"Just what I thought," Raleigh muttered, finishing her cigarette. "Cherry, let's take a step outside."