I couldn't believe this.  I was afraid to go out of the room.  To make 
matters worse, it was our host that I was so terrified of.  What was wrong 
with him?  First the attack last night and then the close call there in the 
hall.

At least the stinky goop Ramses had put on my bite seemed to be even more 
repulsive to Jean-Claude than it was to me.  Had to remember to thank Ramses 
for that.  I didn't think I would have been able to resist Jean-Claude's 
advances for much longer if the stink hadn't stopped him.

Asher had told me about the ardeur, but having its full force flung at me was 
an overwhelming experience.  That Anita had been able to resist Jean-Claude 
as long as she had renewed my respect for her.  I hoped that something could 
be done to help her.

I finally found my cell phone and called Derik.  It was one of the better 
phones, and I didn't have any problem with the call going through, even 
though I was underground.  We talked for a while.  He let me know that 
everything was running smoothly there and that he missed me.  I told him that 
I missed him too and wished I could have stayed there with him in Florida.  I 
didn't go into very much detail about the situation here in St. Louis...both 
lycanthropes and vampires have very good hearing, and I didn't know if anyone 
was eavesdropping.  I told him just enough to assure him that Asher was 
indeed needed here at the time.  I told Derik that I loved him and would be 
careful before saying goodnight.

I had just hung up and was grabbing my wallet when there was a knock at the 
door.  "Who is it?" I called out.  I knew it wasn't Asher.  I was dreading 
that it might be Jean-Claude again.  "Damien," came the answer.  I let out a 
breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.  "Are you alone?" I asked before 
going to the door.  "Yes," he replied. "Jean-Claude told me to escort you to 
the lycanthrope clinic to pick up your people."  Actually, Jean-Claude had 
told *me* that Damien was to escort me wherever I wished.

I opened the door and stepped out.  "I'm ready, Damien.  Let's go."  He 
offered his arm.  I looked at it for a moment before taking it.  He smiled at 
my caution, then escorted me upstairs and out of the building to a waiting 
limo.  He gave the driver some instructions, then we were off.

The clinic was a good clip from the Circus.  I had trouble keeping my 
bearings.  The tinted windows made picking out landmarks difficult, and the 
ride was so smooth it was hard to tell when we made turns.  Neither the 
vampire nor I spoke during the ride.  He just sat there staring at me with 
his strange green eyes.  I spent the ride fighting the urge to fidget.

The limo pulled to a stop and still Damien sat staring at me.  It was 
starting to pass unnerving and go straight to just plain annoying.  I decided 
I was tired of it.  "WHAT?" I blurted at him testily.

"How can you reject him so?" he asked simply.  "Excuse me?" I was confused.  
What was he talking about?  "Jean-Claude, how can you reject him?"

Oh.  That.  "With great difficulty," I answered.  At least the statement got 
Damien to smile instead of keeping that perfect, immobile, emotionless, 
vampiric statement.  I never had cared for that look.

Since the limo didn't resume moving, I assumed we had arrived at the clinic 
instead of just being stopped at a light.  "Are we there?" I asked just to be 
sure.  The redheaded vampire nodded and got out, holding the door for me.  
Guess Anita hadn't broken him of that habit yet, not that *I* was 
complaining.  After a few years, a woman can *tell* when it's courtesy or 
when it's condescension, if she cares to pay attention.  No sense looking for 
insult where none is intended.

We entered the nondescript building and were met by a young blonde woman.  It 
took me a few moments to recognize her without her makeup.  She had been one 
of the weres in the "living room" last night.  "Cherry, what room are the 
bear and Miss Kimberly in?" Damien asked her.  "Oh, *him*...fourth door on 
the left," she directed us with a wry statement.  "Has Tim been causing 
trouble?" I asked.  Cherry gave a snort, "Just his incessant flirting.  He's 
fully recovered from Gretchen's attack, though.  PLEASE take him with you, 
before Zane gets too pissed off at him."  "I'll take care of it," I assured 
her.  "If he's good to go, then he's back on bodyguard duty."

"That won't be necessary, Mrs. Lowery," Damien interrupted.  "Jean-Claude has 
already assigned a new escort for Miss Kimberly."  I didn't like the sound of 
that.  "Tim is *still* back on bodyguard duty, his Ursa gave him to Kimmy for 
punishment.  Being pink is part of it, protecting Kimmy is the rest of it," I 
informed him.  "Punishment? What did he do?" Damien asked.  I began ticking 
off points on my fingers, "Let's see...breaking the treaty between Asher and 
the Orlando bears, attacking me, scratching Kimmy during that attack and 
scaring everybody that he might have infected her, and destroying a large 
part of a shadow puppet production that Kimmy was conducting at the 
time...the last part is why she turned him pink...if it had been up to me, 
he'd just be maimed or dead right now instead of humiliated."

Damien seemed both puzzled and amused.  "Why did you bring him, if he's that 
much of a problem?"  I cocked an eyebrow at him.  "Surely you've heard the 
saying, keep your friends close but your enemies closer?" I quipped.  
"Although, after last night's performance, I may be reclassifying his status."

We'd reached the room.  I knocked in warning before openeing the door.  
Blocking my view of the room and the people I had come to retrieve was the 
loudly dressed vampire from last night...Willie, I think I'd heard him 
called.  He was dressed in a very expensive-looking purple suit with a pale 
green shirt and darker green silk tie...and white loafers.  What really 
caught my attention, though, was his headgear.  I *recognized* the hideously 
silly looking thing...Kimmy's modified beer/blood hat, complete with warmer 
plates under the drink holders.  "Nice hat," was all I could think to say.  
Willie grinned wide, flashing fangs.  "Isn't it just a hoot?" he laughed, 
obviously delighted with the tacky contraption.  Whatever.

"Are you the escort, Damien was telling me about?" I asked.  "Yeah, 
Jean-Claude said for me to see to it that she's taken care of and kept safe," 
he affirmed.  "You want to keep her safe, then keep her away from your 
master," I muttered.  

She had approached the door and heard me.  "But I came here just to *see* 
Jean-Claude," she protested.  "Kimmy, he's dangerous," I began.  "Well, DUH!  
I *know* that!" she interrupted.  "You don't understand, Kimmy...I mean 
*really* dangerous...more so than usual.  He attacked me last night," there, 
it was out.  "What are you talking about?  What do you mean he attacked you?" 
she went on the defensive.  I don't think she believed that Jean-Claude would 
do something like that.

This wasn't going to be pleasant, but I needed her to *understand* what I was 
trying to get across to her.  "I mean that he bit me without permission and 
damn near raped me at the same time," I stated emphatically.  Her statement 
told me that she still didn't want to believe it, and she was beginning to 
get mad at me for saying such things.

'Asher,' I pleaded mentally.  'Oui, ma rose d'acier,' he answered.  'Do you 
think *you* can convince Kimmy to keep her distance from Jean-Claude for a 
while?  I'm afraid he might hurt her,' I told him.  "I will talk with her 
when you arrive back at the Circus, cherie,' Asher sighed.  'His control over 
the ardeur is tenuous at best right now...It MUST be fed soon, but you are 
right, he would probably hurt or even kill her in his attempt to sate his 
lust.  I have just learned that he almost *drained* Jason this evening.'  

'So *that's* what he meant when he told me Jason was *indisposed*,' I 
thought.  'Mon Dieu!  He approached you again?!' Asher exclaimed.  'Are you 
all right, cherie?'  I assured him, 'I'm fine, mon cher.  He didn't care much 
for my *perfume* tonight.'  'But you wore no perfume this evening,' Asher 
puzzled.  'Ramses was in Kylie's room when I went over there,' I explained.  
'He fixed up some sort of smelly poultice for the bite.  The stuff IS pretty 
rancid smelling.'

'Yet again I find myself in the magi's debt,' Asher grumbled.  'I am grateful 
to him for your safety, but I wish you would try to avoid him as much as 
possible for the remainder of our visit.'  I couldn't resist teasing him just 
a little, 'Why Asher, are you *jealous*?'  'Oui.'  Well, *that* was direct.  
'I'll try to keep out of his path, mon cher,' I replied.  "I have to admit 
that it disturbs me that I find him so...distracting.  That's just not *like* 
me.'  I could sense Asher's relief at that statement.

Now back to the problem at hand.  "Kimmy, I'm not trying to hurt you or make 
you mad," I told her.  "But Jean-Claude is *really* having a control problem 
right now.  Asher just told me that he nearly *killed* Jason during tonight's 
feeding."  I finally saw doubt and a little bit of fear creep into her eyes.  
"He hurt Jason?" she asked in a small voice.  "That's what Asher told me.  I 
don't think it was on purpose, but you don't heal like a lycanthrope, Kimmy," 
I said.  "You might not survive if he were to lose control with you...I 
almost didn't."

Kimmy looked to be on the verge of tears and her lip was trembling.  "But I 
came her with you just to see him," she whined.  "I know," I said softly.  
"Asher's there with him right now, we'll talk to him when we get back to the 
Circus and see if he thinks it's safe or not, okay?"  She nodded.

My stomach picked that moment to remind me that I hadn't eaten anything 
yet...caffeine will only go so far.  I swayed a little and my vision blurred. 
Damien reached out with blinding speed and steadied me.  "Are you all 
right?" he asked.  Once the wave of hunger and vertigo passed, I nodded.  "I 
just need to eat something," I said.

I noticed that both he and Willie had on their "dead" faces.  "I'm sorry if 
some of the things I've said about your master have offended you...that 
wasn't my intent.  But I spoke the truth, and I am afraid of him right now, 
both for my people and for myself.  You understand that their safety comes 
before duties of a guest to her host," I told them.  "Life" flowed back into 
them as they accepted my apology, and a tension I hadn't realized was there 
eased up a bit.

My stomach grumbled again.  "You guys hungry?" I asked Kimmy and Tim.  They 
both were.  I asked where would be good place to eat.  Willie said, "We've 
got a pretty good selection on the menu at The Laughing Corpse.  I was just 
telling them about the place before you got here."  "Can we go there?  
*Please*?" Kimmy asked excitedly.  Made me wonder just *what* Willie had said 
about the club.  The only thing I knew was that it was a comedy club.  "Okay, 
why not," I shrugged.  I just wanted to get something to EAT, I didn't really 
care *where*.

We all headed back for the limo.  On the way out we passed Cherry and another 
were that I guessed must be Zane.  His hair was green and spiked and he was 
dressed in what could only be described as biker/goth/punk.  Tim was leering 
at Cherry.  "Are you taking *him* with you?" Zane growled.  "Yes," I 
answered.  "Say goodbye to the nice lady, Tim, and stop staring at her 
chest."  "Goodbye to the nice lady, Tim, and stop staring at her tits," he 
grinned.  "I am amazed that your mother ever let you go out in public," I 
muttered.  "You must *really* want a good look at the Arch."  He sobered at 
the implied threat.  We managed to make it out to the car and got everybody 
in without further incident.

Once in the car, Tim made a face.  "Gaah!  What the hell have you been 
rolling in?  I thought the stink was from something there at the clinic, but 
it's *you*!" he exclaimed.  I glared at him.  I had been trying to *forget* 
the smell of the poultice.  "The bite wound got infected," I said.  "This 
stuff's supposed to help it heal."  "I thought human servant's couldn't *get* 
infections," Kimmy stated.  "What's wrong that you're not healing right?"

I had been wondering about that myself.  I finally thought I had an answer.  
"Several months before I met Asher, I'd had some thyroid problems," I 
explained.  "I had to have radioactive iodine treatment for it, effectively 
destroying the thyroid's functions.  I have to take synthroid now to regulate 
my system.  I'm thinking that I may need the dosage adjusted.  The condition 
may have compromised my immune system."  It was as good an explanation as any.

Before long, the limo came to a stop in front of The Laughing Corpse.  Damien 
got out first, holding the door for the rest of us.  Willie came out last.  
The two vampires escorted us into the club and to a private table near the 
stage.

Once we were seated, Willie called a waiter over to get us drinks and give us 
menus.  Then he excused himself to check in at the office and see to some 
business, leaving us under Damien's watchful eye.  I think he was a bit 
surprised that none of us ordered anything alcoholic.  Tim knew he was still 
on bodyguard duty, Kimmy just didn't care much for alcohol, and I wasn't 
about to ingest anything that would dull my reflexes while we were in 
Jean-Claude's territory.

I opened the marks while scanning the menu.  'Asher, we're at The Laughing 
Corpse fixing to order dinner,' I called him, showing him what I was looking 
at.  'See anything on here that you might enjoy?'  I offered to "share" the 
meal with him.  I wanted to thank him for staying with me through the day.  
'I am sorry, cherie.  I would love to enjoy your meal with you, but I cannot 
afford the distraction.  I am taking Jean-Claude to Guilty Pleasures to 
attempt to sate his ardeur somewhat,' came the reply.  'I only hope it will 
be enough.  It has been a long time since he has had to feed from a distance, 
and such a feeding is not nearly as potent.'  'Good luck, mon cher.  I hope 
it helps,' I sympathized then shut down the connection.

When the waiter returned, we ordered our meals and took in the show while we 
waited on our food.  There's something just not right about a vampire 
ventriloquist.  He was done up like super-nerd and his dummy was a miniature 
Bela Lugosi in full Drac get-up.  He was a lousy ventriloquist, too.  He 
must've been using a mild form of mass-hypnosis on the audience, because they 
seemed to love the act.  Kimmy and I were whispering and giggling at how bad 
the act was...it was so horrible it was funny.  The vamp on stage had to have 
heard us, every now and then he would glance at our table trying to capture 
us with his eyes.  Kimmy and Tim were careful to avoid his gaze, but I got 
irritated and met him stare for stare.  He wasn't anywhere near being a 
master, so there was no danger of his bespelling me.  He flinched first and 
finished his act soon afterwards.  The audience was never even aware anything 
other than the act had occurred.

Our food arrived and we devoted our attention to that.  Tim and I both 
polished off our meals and managed to put away a huge dessert each.  Kimmy, 
as usual, only ate about a third of her entree.  She did have a dessert, 
though.  The waiter brought her a carry tray to take her leftovers back with 
us.  Damien told us that both the guest rooms that Jean-Claude had allocated 
for her use and Tim's were furnished with kitchenettes.  At least I wouldn't 
have to bother Ms. Everett the next time I was hungry.  With any luck, 
Kimmy's room would have an espresso machine and a variety of flavored syrups. 
She really made a good latte.

We sat through about three more acts after dessert.  I enjoyed heckling one 
werewolf comic.  He played off my smartass remarks as if they'd been written 
into his bit.  We even managed to make Damien laugh.  I had started to wonder 
if he *had* a sense of humor, he'd been so solemn for most of the evening.

Willie finally returned, but took the stage instead of joining us at the 
table.  I wondered what was up.  I didn't have to wait long.

"We hope you've enjoyed your evening, ladies and gentlemen," he announced.  
"And now if I could have a couple of volunteers from the audience to help us 
with the closing number...."  Hands shot up all over the dining 
room...including Kimmy's.  "What're you doing?" I asked.  "Volunteering," she 
grinned.  I was about to tell her you should NEVER volunteer to be part of a 
vampire's entertainment, when Willie pointed to our table.  "Thank you 
ladies, please join us on stage," he called out.  Kimmy grabbed my hand and 
started tugging me along with her.  "I'm gonna *get* you for this," I 
muttered.  She just giggled.

We made it up on stage.  "Again, thank you for volunteering, ladies," Willie 
said then pointed the microphone at us.  "Would you please tell the audience 
your names?"  "I'm Kimmy and this is Tammy," she chirped.  I gave her a 
downright feral grin...didn't even faze her.  "Ladies and gentlemen, let's 
have a round of applause for tonight's backup singers, Kimmy and Tammy," 
Willie cajoled the audience.  They obliged with a good two or three minutes 
of clapping, hooting and whistles.

Once they quieted down, background music started up.  I recognized the tune 
as The Monster Mash.  Note to self: Drown Kimmy in the bath when we get back. 
Willie actually did a pretty good Boris impression, and it *was* a fun song. 
By the end of the performance, I had decided to hold off on killing Kimmy 
for dragging me up there.  We stood through another round of applause, then 
left the stage and returned to our table.

The stage lights went down and the house lights came up.  Diners began 
drifting out of the club.  Willie rejoined us.  "Jean-Claude called a few 
minutes before the ending number," he said.  "He asked that you return to the 
Circus after the show."  It wasn't anywhere near as late as I had hoped it 
would be.  I had wanted to *avoid* our host tonight if at all possible, but 
it didn't look as if that would be happening.  

We were escorted back to the limo.  Willie held the door while Kimmy and Tim 
got in.  I was about to follow them, when Damien grabbed my arm and held me 
back.  Willie got into the car and closed the door.  The limo pulled away 
from the curb.  "Kimmy!  No!" I hollered, reaching towards the departing 
vehicle.  Damien dragged me back into the shadows, clamping a hand over my 
mouth.  When I started to struggle he snarled and flew up with me, hovering 
near the rooftop.  He must've thought that the fear of being dropped would 
subdue me....Boy was *he* in for a surprise.  I bit down hard on the hand 
over my mouth.  He hissed in shock and loosened his grip enough that I was 
able to wriggle free.  "No!" he called out in fear, thinking I was falling.

The realization that I was flying under my own power stunned him long enough 
for me to get a bit of a head start.  I went in the general direction I had 
seen the limo go.  In the near distance I could make out the sign for Circus 
of the Damned.  I made the mistake of heading straight for it.  I should have 
flown erratically.  Damien was faster than I thought.  In seconds, he had 
caught me, his arms like steel bands pinning mine to my sides.  I struggled 
wildly, but couldn't break free.

"Damien, don't do this!" I pled desperately.  "You don't want to end up back 
in a box!  Try to control yourself, please!"  "I'm sorry, Mrs. Lowery," he 
replied in a most reasonable voice, not feral at all, as I'd feared.  "But I 
*must* do this to stay *out* of the box."  So Jean-Claude was behind this.  
Damien's hand found my throat.  My body tensed in panic as I fought to remain 
very still.  He could rip my throat out in the blink of an eye, and there 
wasn't a damn thing I could do to stop it.  There wouldn't even be enough 
time to call Asher to my aid.

Gently, Damien scraped the dried poultice off my neck.  Then he produced a 
wet wipe from somewhere and cleaned the healing bite wound.  It didn't hurt, 
so apparently the goop had worked, and I was healing properly now.  The scar 
tissue must've kept most of it's original shape, though.  Damien cursed 
softly, "Damn!  He really is losing control.  I've never seen Jean-Claude be 
this vicious unless he intended to kill."

"Damien, please let me go," I begged.  "Kimmy wouldn't survive something like 
that.  I've got to get to her before he takes her."  "You're right, he could 
seriously hurt her," he agreed as he released me from his grip.  "I'm sorry 
for attacking you, but Jean-Claude had ordered me to remove that smelly gunk 
before allowing you to return to the Circus."  I needed to buy myself a cross 
to wear...and if things didn't improve soon, I'd wear it on a *choker*!

We flew back to the Circus as quickly as possible.  As it was, we were almost 
too late.  Tim sat on the floor in a stupor, held by Willie's gaze.  I 
couldn't be mad at Willie though.  He would never be strong enough to resist 
his master.  Jean-Claude stood smiling, one hand extended to Kimmy.  She was 
smiling blissfully, walking towards him.

I stepped between them, my skin crawling from the effects of the ardeur.  
"Kimmy NO!  Don't!" I yelled, physically trying to hold her back.  She only 
struggled to reach past me to him.  A desperate pleading was in her eyes, she 
wanted to touch him so badly.  "I am glad you decided to join us, ma fleur," 
Jean-Claude's voice wrapped around me like a silken web.  My body started to 
respond to his presence and power.  I fought it with all my will.  "Stay away 
from us Jean-Claude,' I warned.  "I will *not* let you hurt her."  He rapidly 
closed the distance between us.  "I do not wish to hurt either of you, 
cherie," he purred.  "Rather, I would bring you great pleasure."  That last 
word was filled with endless possibilities by his voice.  My body quickened 
in response despite my will.  Then he reached out and lightly traced a finger 
across my cheek and down my throat to the collar bone.

I felt my master flying towards us even as my voice screeched out in panic, 
"ASHER!"  And then I was lost to the ardeur, and Kimmy with me.