As we cleared the hall where the offices were located, we came out under the faux-big top. The stands were packed, and watched as fanged trapeze artists flew fifty feet above the crowd. Exclamations of joy and fear emanated from the people below who thought that the members of the act were in true peril.
Jean-Claude walked out.
His eyes were on us as we made our way through the aisles of the arena but I knew that he was continuously influencing the reactions of the assembly. His power allowed him to let the audience truly feel what they were supposed to feel. It was a cool trick, but it passe too close to the realm of "crowd control" in a public setting. The police watched for taht kind of manipulation on a daily basis, especially from the master of St. Louis. Even the cops knew of the coalition we had formed as supes. Anita had been put on the 'do not trust fully' list by the government's handy men and the number of supernatural experts in the country had skyrocketed in the past six months. Jean, along with his people, believed that it was due to the power struggle within the vampiric community as a whole. Ever since he had become his own "fountain of blood" he was concidered the singular most powerful undead man in the country, and a serious threat.
I caught up with my Nimir-Ra and touched the back of her neck with my hand. It wasn't hurtful but I made it firm and she trembled at the feeling. I had found out a while ago that that pressure point was a trigger for total relaxation. She treated me more like an equal when I took control, so lately I had been doing just that; being more aggressive...
"Anita."
"Yes." She turned to look at me with dazed eyes. I hated to do this to her.
"Why can't the kid stay with us? It's fine with me and you know that Micah will be more than fine with the boy." Her face turned to one that I knew at this suggestion, one of ticked compliance. "Why do you want the boy to live with us Nathaniel?" "Honestly, I don't know, but I do."
She turned so that she faced me as a held her face in my hands.
I kissed her now that we were on the outskirts of the rows of people. Her lips felt soft against mine and I let her body melt into mine. A true Nimir-Ra can tell how her pard members feel via-contact with said person. Anita had become so were-like lately that I had been trying everything in my control not to encourage anymore change. This is an argument I wanted to win though for whatever reason.
I tried to let her 'feel' my curiosity toward this new child. I allowed my aura to mix with hers just for a moment.
Suddenly she jerked back.
"What the ******** was that?!" She shook her head as if to clear it and pushed me away weakly. Crap.
"Anita, I just wanted to try something with you. Micah wanted me to try as well; it's sort of a test we made up to see how much wereleopard you really were. It looks like you aren't as far away as we originally thought. Don't worry, I didn't touch your mind."
"Bull s**t, you were mind manipulating me and you know it."
"Honestly Anita, I was only testing a theory. I would never try to control you." I gazed at her chocolate brown eyes laced with rage and I felt the heat eminating from her anger. From feet away I could feel her tremble and it fascinated me. This was different from the triumvirate power we had created a long time ago. This was being pard linked and it was such a rush. Anita felt it too.
"Nathaniel, I can see myself through your eyes. Why can I see MYSELF through YOUR eyes?!" She was really shaking now as she backed up towards the flap exit from the arena. I followed her because I didn't know what she would do if left alone. I could feel her breathing become slowly shallow, and I reached across the line that connected us together. Once I reached the chakra that fell over her heart I pulled and realeased some of the tension there. The heart and lungs on a person are intricately joined and as soon as I calmed her heart I calmed her breathing. She slowed down her step and came to a halt as I approached her.
I had never seen her like this before. Anita just didn't get this frazzled, especially in public. Alone, maybe she would reveal a softer side but she was in front of people if they chose to look around at her. But everyone around us was staring point blank at the trapeze artists above them. I took her lapse in fear and used it to push her gently out of the flap and into the building ajoining the big top.
Once we were several yards past the carts and side shows of the Circus, and had descended the stairs to the underground rooms, I settled her into a vancant seat and turned to face her.
"What the hell did you just do to me Nathaniel?"
"I told you, I was just testing you to see how far along in the lycanthrope stages you were to becoming one of us. I didn't think it would even do anything. Anita you know what I'm feeling. Tell me if I'm lying to you." She looked into my violet eyes and concentrated on that new line I'd forged between the two of us. I felt a kind of probing feeling and a sense of relief as she realized that I was telling the truth.
"You're right. By God, you are actually telling me the truth. I'm sorry that I doubted you, it's just..." she shook her head for what seemed the thousandth time, "it's just such a shock and you know how on edge I am right now. Just, don't, do anything like that again without my permission first." I traced my fingers over her shoulders lightly, "Love, how many times have I heard you tell me to make choices on my own in the past months? As you make the steps closer to becoming a Nimir-Ra for real, I come closer to becoming a dominant. But I stepped too close to the line just then, and for that I apologize."
A silence fell between us for a few minutes as we just held each other; testing the new bond between our energies. I finally tried something I'd always wanted to do with Anita; I sent my thoughts to her.
Can I see the boy myself Anita? Let me help you make your final decision on the kid.
I don't know Nathaniel, I still don't really want to teach a new...
Anita hit me with another confused look. It took her a couple tries to get words out of her mouth. "Did...did you just...did I just talk to you through our minds?" She got up and started pacing.
She was so cute when she did that.
The only people that could talk to Anita as far as I knew were Jean-Claude and other vamps of high power. She just got pictures or images from the other weres that were close enough to her. I felt triumph at the fact that I was on that list of powerful people. I felt no longer cast in the dark when it came to between mind conversations.
"I heard that." Anita stopped pacing and thought back. This is totally and completely freaking me out. Nathaniel, you've never been this powerful before and it kind of concerns me.
Why? Because now I can't be your lap cat?
At this she took my hand and started leading me back to the offices on the first floor. Fine I'll show you the boy. He has no other place to go so he'll still be in the interview room.
I clutched her smaller hand in mine and listened to the music that was laid into the background of the trapeze show under the big top.
"You're suffocating me, so very hard to breathe...
My mask is growing heavy but I've forgotten who's beneath.
You're sick, sick as ever, secrets that you've denied.
Sins like skeletons are so very hard to hide..."
Well, that's morbid. Oh well, I was used to it by now. We were on our way.
there you have it!!! <3 you guys!!! ^.^ rofl
If you get killed the other body guards will make fun of me...
