Sings the Nightingale

BY: Kash

Disclaimer: First off, no I don't own the characters...well any of the characters appearing in LKH's wonderful Anita Blake books...I do however claim a few of them...just a few, namely Seri, Chrys and Reagan. I'd trade Laurell in a heart beat for Jason, Asher and Edward...but I don't see much chance of that...which is realy to bad...cause I could have lots and lots of fun with those three. But anyway, so I don't own them and I'm not making any money...not one red cent...so please don't sue me...it'd be a waste of your time and a nightmare for me...so please don't let that thought even enter you mind. Just sit back and enjoy the story.

Seri played idylly with the glass she held. It was still mostly full, for all that Jason had given it to her hours ago. They were all at a dead end, or so it seemed. The werewolves hadn't been able to follow Asher's scent out of the alley, so that meant he'd either been taken in a vehicle or that there had been magic involved. She personally was leaning towards magic...but presently she was keeping her mouth shut. She didn't seem to be able to add anything productive...so it was better to just keep quite and try to fade into the background.

She glanced across the room to where Jean-Claude sat motionless. He hadn't been able to follow Asher either. They had the bond of Master of the City and subject...but Jean-Claude could no more sense Asher then the werewolves could smell him. Anita had tried as well to use her necromancy...they had some bond as well, though what it was exactly Ms. Blake hadn't chosen to inform her. Whatever it was though, it hadn't worked either. She was begining to lose hope. She was afraid that the one who had him, was the one who had stalked her from France...if it was. She closed her eyes and tried not to think those thoughts.

Jean-Claude's eyes flickered to where Seri was slumped in her chair. Anita had moved to one as well, Jason had chosen to sprawl across the floor after coming back from trying to track Asher. Richard had phoned, as had Micah, but they hadn't turned up anything either. He rather doubted that Monsiuer Zeeman was all that worried. He hadn't sounded worried. Asher was a master vampire...and he could dissappear as he wished...or so Richard had argued. Perhaps Asher had just left for the evening and all would be well on the morrow, but it did not feel right, and the fact that neither he nor Anita could sense his friend was all the proof he needed. Asher's shields were good, but not that good.

They were all growing very weary. It had been three nights since anyone had seen him. They had already done everything they had been able to think of since that first night. Nothing so far had worked in the slightest. Even Monsuier Edward's contacts had proved useless. Now they all sat in the office of the circus, trying to think of some new manner in which to search.

Seri couldn't take the silence anymore...they'd all been silent for at least an hour now...since Edward had returned and said that no there wasn't any word about Asher from any of the 'people' he'd asked. She sat up and forward. "This is ridiculous, we can't just sit here and mope...we have to do something." She said suddenly, and very loudly in the stillness of the room.

Anita rubbed the bridge of her nose. "What would you suggest? We've tried everything...and then some." She slouched back down in her chair. She was tired. She had just gotten in from raising three zombies and if that weren't enough it seemed that Seri's 'friend' was in town...or that was how it looked to her and Edward. Dolph had called late last night and requested her assistance at a crime scene. She didn't even want to think about it. Edward had tagged along. Dolph hadn't been exactly pleased to see Ted Forrester again...but all the help he could find wasn't a bad thing. They'd found the body of a nine year old girl...she'd been so badly beaten there was no way that they'd get an easy ID. That wasn't so odd. What was odd was the ritual symbols that just kept oozing blood...they patterened the girls body and the blood just kept flowing and flowing...the girl was beyond dead...but the blood just continued.

It wasn't the worst thing Anita had ever seen, but it was a nine year old girl, with white blond hair still in pigtails, her bows were even still in place, not a hair out of order. She pushed the images away. She'd have nightmares for a while...but they'd fade, everything did eventually, and whoever had done it...well they'd find the sick bastard and make sure it never happened again.

Edward had said he was going to start looking into that right away. They'd find whoever it was. He seemed pretty certain that it was the same person who had followed Seri...that meant Seri had one mean enemy. She was turning out to be...quiet...not weak, just quiet. She did whatever was asked of her, but Anita doubted she'd ever be anything but submisive. Which was strange, cause usually subs didn't piss all that many people off. So far though she hadn't seen anything to indicate otherwise...except the first night. She'd had a bit more fire the first night.

Edward's eyes opened and flashed to Seri, then back to Anita. "I have an idea." He said casually, sitting up in his chair. He'd been thinking about it since last night and the first body, he was sure there would be more bodies, in every city there had been.

Jean-Claude leaned forward. "Do tell us." He said in silken tones. He'd been trying again to reach out to Asher, but still he could feel no trace of him anywhere.

Anita's eyes fixed on Edward. He was being more then helpful this trip, which was odd for Edward, usually he played some kind of mind game with her, but not this time. She wasn't sure what was going on exactly, but whatever it was she was sure she wasn't going to like it. If he told her after this was through that he was marrying Donna and he wanted her to be Best Man, she'd shoot him.

Edward smiled mysteriously, like he knew what she was thinking, and maybe he did. "We've tried sensing Asher...why not try sensing Fata?" He said with a little shrug. Anita frowned at him. "I'm not sure we can do that." She said slowly...turning to look at Jean-Claude, who looked like and epiphany had just struck him.

"Perhaps Monsuier Edward is correct. Seri shares the power of Fata, it should call to her." He said his eyes focused on the girl, she sat up suddenly at his statement. She did not look or feel old to him, right now. There were times when he could see the weight of her years in her eyes...now though there was only horrified confusion. She obviously did not like the idea of sharing power with the one who had cursed her.

The light dawned for Anita as well. "Damn, that might work...its magic...power. Fata made the curse...the curse is part of her power...its like a gris-gris...it should be drawn back to its maker." She grinned suddenly. Now they might be getting somewhere.

Seri paled...she could actually feel the blood slipping out of her face. She...she gave her head a little shake. She never wanted to have anything to do with Fata again...except maybe to kill her...if she could...and to think that they had a link...was that how she'd been following her. It made sense. It also made sense that she should be able to trace that link back. She looked up at Anita. "How do I do it?" She asked in very soft tones. For a chance to help Asher, and a chance to meet Fata again...she'd risk this...opening up a link between them. She'd seen enough magic to know that it had to be dangerous...especially to her...but she'd do it...to hell with the consequences...it was time to act.



INDEXor To Be Continued