Cake (43 page)

A cold hand of fear clenched my stomach muscles. “What is he really doing, Claudius?”

“
The next time we see Marcus, there will be no covens. Anywhere.”

“
Is he banishing them?” I knew exactly what the answer was going to be even before Claudius opened his mouth.

“
No, he is killing them. Every single one, as is his right as Master of the Territory.”

Oh God. Marcus was out killing in the name of love. He was out murdering people in my name. I hugged my mug of blood close to my chest and breathed in the scent that is uniquely his. Marcus.

The limousine pulled up at the Joker’s Wilde store. Every light was on, and Frederick bounced out of the entrance to greet us as the car came to a stop.

Claudius opened the door and got out. I made a move to follow him, but Shade stretched and stretched until I was pinned under the full weight of her red panther form once again.

If Marcus ever tries to touch you without your consent, I will kill him.

She shivered, and her coat shifted to darkest black as she hopped out of the car and sat waiting for me.

I glanced over at the store. It looked like there was a party going on in there. I had thought it was going to be maybe ten people, tops. There were at least two dozen more people just standing outside the door because they couldn’t get in.

The things I’ll do for free silk bowling shirts, I thought wryly as I plastered on a fake smile and climbed out of the limo.

T
wenty

Fractured

Frederick came running up, one hand extended out towards me, the other wrapped around a black travel mug. I clutched my own mug tighter to my chest, taking his hand and squeezing it as hard as I could. His mouth shape changed from a warm smile to a surprised “Oh”.

“
Frederick, what the fuck is going on?” I hissed at him through my teeth, letting him know I wasn’t happy at the situation.

“
I’ll explain…after you let go of my hand,” he said, holding his bruised appendage in front of him and flexing his fingers, working the blood back into them once I let go.

“
Start talking, or I’m getting back in the limo,” I warned.

“
Most of this is Marcus’s doing,” he told me. “Ever since word of the attack got out and Marcus started cleaning up the territory because of it, well…everyone wants to see you. I swear, I personally only told a few people about the shoot, outside of the crew. All these people are here for you.”

“
News flash, Frederick,” I snapped. “I am not a model. I don’t know what I have to do. I’m here simply because I owe you, nothing else.”

“
It will be alright. The shoot is set up in the basement. Crew only,” Frederick said, trying to pacify me. “Shouldn’t that be red?” he asked, looking down at the cat by my side

That?

“
Be nice to her, she bites,” I warned. Frederick apologized, and I heard Shade laugh.

“
They are ready inside, Xavier,” Claudius said, walking over to me. “We just have to run the gauntlet. My dear Nightshade, could you come up with a vocal distraction?”

Shade complied, letting loose an ear-splitting cry. Humans shrieked and fell back with obvious fear on their faces, while vampires just froze in their tracks. Hellcats were known killers to them.

I grabbed at her tail. “I said, be nice.”

Just having some fun. It’s been a while for me.

I kept hold of her tail as we walked to the rear of the store, only too aware of all the eyes that were on us. This was Shade’s version of a distraction, bellowing and drawing attention to our presence? She must have sensed my question because she flipped her tail a little, trying to get it free from my grip. But I figured if I had a tight hold of it, she couldn’t use it to smack me around the head again. It was like getting hit with a baseball bat.

With the way cleared, we headed downstairs, two hulking, wrestler-type bodyguards preventing anyone from following behind us. And once we got near the basement, Shade yanked her tail out of my hand and jumped from the landing with a snarl, scaring the crap out of everyone setting up the shoot. I made to follow her, but Claudius grabbed my shoulder and prevented me from heading down any further.

“
Let Nightshade do her work.”

Everybody stood absolutely still as the great cat walked among them, her whiskers twitching, her nose sniffing. Finally she settled herself down by the snack tray.

It’s clear
.

I nodded. “Good. Let’s get this over with.”

It was sort of fun. I discovered that tight leather and hot lights combined weren’t all that great, but I could camp it up all I wanted. And I did so, until Shade started mocking.

Oh yeah, work it, baby. Give him the eye, make him feeeeeel it.

I couldn’t concentrate as she continued to tease me, and eventually I yelled at her. “Shut up!” The photographer, who had been giving me posing directions, stopped and stood up. “Sorry, I wasn’t talking to you,” I said, which didn’t go over well because I got that ‘he’s-so-beautiful-too-bad-there’s-nothing-upstairs’ look from him. Crap.

I glared at Shade as her feminine laughter rang in my ears. She in turn flicked her tail, drawing an imaginary number one in the air over her head, and then pointing towards me, she drew a circle for a zero.

Learn Silent Speak

“
Teach me then. Now,” I demanded.

You can do two things at once? Impressive.

“
Don’t patronize me.”

You’re scaring them. You have a temper, which is good. Now, shut up, and don’t talk to me until you can do so using Silent Speak.

There was a discreet cough. “That was the end of the roll anyways,” the photographer stated, handing his camera to his assistant and backing away from the stage. Great, just great, I thought.

What else are you planning on doing for the rest of the night? Anything as interesting as this is?

She had a point. If I went home now, I would just be bored. I gestured to Frederick. “Any other stuff you want me to try on?”

“
Really?” he asked, coming up to me. “I’m more than happy with what you’ve done.”

“
I’m actually sort of enjoying it. And someone…” I cast an accusing look down at the Hellcat, “…told me recently that I should step that up a bit. Show me what you got, and I’ll tell you if I’ll wear it. But I’ll let you know right now, if it’s Marcus’s fuck-me-now clothes, I’m not putting it on.”

Frederick seemed a little affronted at my words. “I assure you, I do not sell fuck-me-now clothes. It could be just the way you’re wearing them. Here,” he said, thrusting something at me. “I had your mug warmed up.”

Claudius came over and looked at the clothes that Frederick quickly picked out for me. I had to admit the man had taste. But then Claudius began to layer things together, and I was amazed when the clothes started appealing to my eyes in a sensual manner.

I took a sip from my mug. “Marcus said you used to be a libertine. I believe him now.”

“
That was when I was much, much younger,” Claudius replied, his fingers brushing softly over the fabric of a shirt. “I overindulged on wine, blood, women and song, and every other vice that could possibly be named. It gets old after a while.”

“
Define ‘a while’.”

“
About one hundred and fifty something years,” he said, matter-of-factly, holding up a skimpy top. “This will look good on you, as we’re working towards a slutty appearance at the end of the shoot.”

“
What the hell makes you think I want to get photographed looking like a slut?” I challenged. “And if you say it’s because I
am
a slut, I’m going to kick your shin…hard.”

Laugher rippled across my mind, and I turned to stare at Shade as she sat idly tapped her long tail on the floor. I opened my mouth.

Silent Speak, or nothing at all, my Lord Emperor. It’s all about will. Just think of the person, or cat, and speak in your mind as you would with your body. You can shift your vision. Silent Speak is easier than doing that.

I focused on her like I did when I’d tried to find the Blood marks in my room and got that damn little blood vessel popping in my forehead. She laughed again and lay back down.

Come on, slut.

Ignoring her, I took a big swig of my blood and wondered why it seemed thicker? The re-warming process, I guessed.

Grabbing a suit, I went to get changed, and as soon as I came out of the dressing room, I was attacked by the hairdresser, who brushed my hair so hard, I thought he was trying to snap my head off my neck. I reached up to feel my hair once, to try and discover what sort of style he was creating, but I got my knuckles rapped with the brush. I did manage a quick feel when he turned aside for a moment, and whatever Mr. Hairdresser had done left my hair almost glass smooth and clipped tightly at my neck. I liked it.

Once he was finished, Claudius and Frederick descended to give their views, and at almost the same time they said, “Too dignified.” The Hellcat’s opinion was slightly more colorful.

Shut up.

Shade’s eyes widened upon hearing me use Silent Speak in retaliation to her comment.

I like you, Sex. You are a delightful surprise.

Don’t call me Sex.

Don’t call me Shade.

But I like Shade.

I like Sex.

…
slut…

Shade gave a loud snort and drummed her tail despondently on the floor. Ha! I had irked her. I hid my victorious smile behind the mug of blood as I took another sip of the drink, which was actually hitting the spot rather well after being out of it for the past three days.

I had just drained it when I felt my belt getting whipped off. What the hell!
“What are you guys doing?” I squeaked.
Claudius was taking off my tie, while Frederick began un-buttoning my shirt down to my navel.

“
You look better when you are dressed naughtily,” Claudius said as he ran the tie through the vacated belt loops. Then, taking a hank of hair from the side of my head, he pulled it out of the clip and let it hang loose in front of my face. “There, much better. Now you definitely look like you have been naughty.”

“
Are you saying that I can’t look dignified?” I cocked an eyebrow at Claudius, but it was Frederick who shook his head and answered me.

“
This is about selling clothes, Xavier. Dignified might work in a different type of store, but I need to sell sex.”

Naughty sex

Stop it, Shade.

“
And I need you to sell it for me,” Frederick continued. “Xavier, everyone wants you. Women, men, gays, bisexuals, transvestites, closet gays, almost out of the closet gays, Doms and Bottoms…you name it, they all want Y.O.U.”

“
Okay, stop,” I pleaded. “Because you’re really starting to creep me out with this obsession you say is going on with me.”

Sharp hand-clapping brought our attention back to the cameraman, who was gesturing me towards an overstuffed leather chair “We are burning the midnight oil, people. Let’s get set.” I sat down and got to play sex kitten.