homeless_pard | When the Council comes calling

Who: Khem, JC, Asher, Nat, Req, any?
When: Two months after her shop has been open.
What: Well, the Council. And everyone gets to be a badass.

Khemrys chuckled, sealing the last of the small jars she was working on with wax and intricately knotted, colored strings. "My last gifting to the lady did not go well," she pointed out. Not well at all given the sour looks and the fact the woman practically danced when Khemrys had moved to the apartment. Khemrys was still at the Circus, often, to cook and for the dance nights that they al enjoyed but...

...well, the space hopefully had the woman forgetting about her?

"Oui," Jean Claude admitted, running fingers along plants. They'd come to look over the property and the books, a pleasant outing, honestly, to check in on their newest holding. And on Khemrys. He was a little uneasy having her away from the Circus honestly, something neither he nor Asher could pinpoint so here they were on an excuse. "But this she will not know is from you. I ask you to make something on my behalf as a gift."

She moved smoothly from sealing the bruise balm to the next chore of blending a headache powder as she considered that, "I am uncertain if that will work, high lord. My stitching is...distinctive at this point?"

"She has a point, I have to keep my nice clothes at the Circus now," Nathanial pointed out, lounging under the sun lamps. It was his evening off and he'd been intending to trade bread recipes with Khem but then the vamps had wandered in!

"We were afraid that might be the case," Asher admitted, looking up from the sale ledger. "And I suggested a leatherworker instead..."

"Aye, I've no deft hand with leather," Khemrys admitted. "No matter it may act as fabric at times, the thickness throws me?" No matter what they might intend for Anita?

"Ah," Jean Claude looked disappointed but not entirely surprised at least? She was grateful not to fail him in something he truly hoped for!

"May I at least offer some su-" she blinked, freezing a moment, herbs actually trickling from between her fingers. What was that? A feeling, nothing more, but one that slid along her spine like ice, then the front door chimed, someone throwing themselves inside with a pained gasp. She dropped the herbs entire to run for the shop entry, seeing a young rat on the floor, writhing. "Lords, MY KIT!"

The two vamps blinked, uncertain as to where such might be but Nathaniel rolled to his feet and grabbed a bag, tossing it, "what happened?"

"...he told me to run...get here..." the young man gasped, fighting a shift. It nearly took him, but he managed to pull his leg inside the shop and his body eased immediately, some boon or blessing by crossing under Gunnora's symbol no doubt. "Rafael said to get safe, but I didn't get far enough...here's safe..."

"Here is safe," Khemrys confirmed, feeling along the boy's limb's for injury. No blood, no tearing...

"From what?" Jean Claude's voice rolled dangerously, making the boy wince and curl on himself.

"The Circus. They took the Circus, they were calling us..."

"...oh shit," Nathaniel blinked.

"You will stay here," Khemrys noted grimly to the boy. "Upstairs, there is stew. Do not leave until I return." That said she was standing to grab a heavy apron with pockets and a proper backpack to stuff things in.

"You will not be going," Jean Claude noted.

"They will need a healer, high lord. And you may need blood," she noted in the calm voice of a battlefield medic. "We do not seem to have time to argue."

No, no time at all if the Circus was in danger. That was a home. Not her only home now, but certainly Jean Claude and Asher's, and it was NOT to be taken.

They'd see what the may when they arrived hmmm?

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Padma laughed at that. "I think not, Requiem." His eyes shifted to just behind Requiem where the door to the Circus was opening. Half a dozen wererats came through, guns at the ready before Requiem could even turn.

Whether the intent was to wound or kill, he wouldn't be finding out. Asher suddenly crashed into him from above, knocking them both to the ground as gunfire erupted around them. There was a grunt of pain and then Asher was on his feet practically shoving Requiem ahead of him with an inhuman snarl. "Run!"

Damn it he should have jammed the gate. Hindsight was apparently full of bloody rats. He was tensing to turn when Asher hit him, sending them both tumbling. Hell, he barely kept his sword through the screaming pain of wounds enduring a tumble, but then yes UP AND RUNNING!

"Where are we meeting Jean Claude?!" RUN WHERE?!

They could hear the rats scrambling to follow, and in their injured state it might not be as difficult for the rats to catch them.

"KHEMRYS!" Asher hissed. Requiem would well know the way, and he could focus on keeping them both upright and minding the rats who followed behind them.

The fact Asher wasn't doing well either wasn't lost on Requiem, he growled, pulling his other sword from it's sheathe again and passing it, "she is NOT a fighter." No. Just...no. Heavens no.

But if it was where Jean Claude was...

Still, Asher was and he took the sword easily from Requiem. "Just go! They await us!"

If the rats came too close, they would at least be armed, but Asher had no illusions as to how their swords would fare against modern guns.

They simply had to reach Khemrys's apartment before then.

Going, yes, a part of him rebelled at running away from the Council, but that was long laid instinct and training more than anything.

And addiction.

He knew it.

The rats seemed to be enjoying the chase, and that made him angry as hell too. He honestly was starting to hate tonight. Left here, straight, straight...Khem's shop wasn't too far honestly.

"Pay them no mind, Padma has them," Asher snarled. A few rats slowed to fire off a few shots their direction, and Asher cursed loudly, pushing Requiem faster.

"There! Nathaniel has the door!"

Padma watched them flee with amusement and gestured for the rats to follow. ::Disable them if need be, but return them alive::
That done, he turned and bowed to Belle. "The way should be clear."

* * * * *

Jason could feel their approach before they arrived: waves of both fear and lust mingling in the air, making it hard to breathe between the two. Everyone in the room began to react, hearts beating just that much faster, their eyes darting wildly around for the source.

The four figures entering the room made everyone cringe back. Belle he knew, and Padma. The other two...he didn't know, but the power that pulsed from them both made him want to claw through the walls to escape.

Belle paused, surveying the group. "Is this all? Have all the rooms been searched?" The disappointment was evident in her voice.

The pale man gave her a disdainful smile. "This lot won't last long."

Belle gave him a sharp look. "They will last if we feed with care. Once Jean Claude is dealt with you can hunt to your heart's desire."

There was a scream of rage and the sound of a struggle in the hall. Anita was dragged into the room by no less than five wereleopards and she wasn't making it easy for them. She was naked, so apparently in her desperation to find someone willing to feed the ardeur she had left her weapons out of reach. A naked, miserable looking man followed behind, and Jason recognized him as one of the younger wolves in the Pack. She had been desperate if she went off-list...

Belle's expression lit up with delight. "Anita. Already this trip has been worthwhile." She gestured to the wereleopards fighting to bring her in. "Bring her to me. I will have this one."

The pale man frowned. "And why should you have her? You are not the greatest among us."

Belle waved him away. "She is best suited to my needs, Arthur. I'm sure you can find another to suit your own."

Padma smiled darkly. "I, too, have reason to want that one. Shall we make a game of it?" He scanned over the group and Jason felt his eyes land on him. "You. I remember you. Come."

Jason's mouth went dry. He thought about trying to bolt, but he could feel the sudden pull of Padma's power and his feet were dragging him forward. Padma's smile widened. "Jean Claude's pomme de sang. You were Yvette's pet last we were here, were you not?"

Jason went pale and his eyes flicked nervously to Anita. The pale man called Arthur went very still, studying him intently. "You were one of the ones responsible for my Yvette's death?"

My. Yvette. Jason's breath caught in a panicked lump in his throat. Morte D'Amour? Was this him? He tried to back away, but Padma was holding him fast to the spot.

Moroven and Arthur both perked at his reaction, and they began to look on him as if a curtain had been pulled away to reveal their greatest desire.

Padma gave a flourish, and the other council members were watching with amusement. "He certainly had his part to play. As did Anita." He turned vicious eyes to Anita, anger biting through each word. "Perhaps we let you choose, as you did with me and my son. You may take on full responsibility for Yvette's death, and you may entertain Arthur. Or let Jean Claude's young pomme go with him, and you can entertain Belle as it suits her."

Anita swore, thrashing weakly in the wereleopards' arms. "I'm not playing your stupid little games, Padma!"

Padma closed his eyes briefly and two of the rats found themselves stepping forward, guns drawn and aimed at Jason and Anita's heads. "Or we could just kill you both now. I doubt Jean Claude would fare well losing a member of his triumvirate."

Jason's eyes were too wide as he looked desperately to Anita. She was glaring at Padma, but he could see that she knew she had no choice and was trying to decide. She turned her head and he caught her gaze, his voice creaking out a desperate, "Anita, please...".

And her expression darkened. He felt icy fear plunge down his spine as she stiffened and turned, stepping resolutely towards Belle.

No...nononononono....
"Anita!" he yelled, his voice going shrill. "Please don't. Anita, please!"

Anita took her place beside Belle and averted her gaze from him. He would have collapsed to the floor if Padma's power hadn't been holding him in place.

There was amused laughter and applause from the council members, and Padma bowed smartly. "A game well played. I am appeased. And Arthur, I trust you are satisfied?"

Arthur moved closer, grasping Jason's chin and jerking him closer. He briefly scented the fear-spiked air around him and gave a contented sigh. "Quite," he rasped huskily. He bowed to Padma. "Would you see him delivered to the room I have chosen, dear Padma? Moroven and I will be along shortly." He paused to beam at Moroven. "If you've a mind to share, dear one."

Her smile was a thing of nightmares.

When the Council comes calling

Re: Meanwhile, inside the Circus

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