Broken Girl (Book I of Anita Blake Adoptive Mother Series)

Chapter XVI

~ Anita's Point of View ~

I was still in shock at what just went on between these strangers and Brittany and her personality. Who apparently was just a personality after all.

We were seated in a large area much like during the time we had before our battle that saved us from the Harlequin when they were the vampire police before their Mother had disbanded then for breaking her rules. Richard had joined us along with his bodyguards, Rafael and his bodyguards, Narcissus and his bodyguards as well as Kane who was surprising me because he was behaving but also surprisingly giving worried looks mostly towards Brittany but some to Kindle, Micah, Nathaniel, Damian, and Jason.

Neither of them had recovered fully. Vilsora said that it would take at least a day for them to recover, their bond was rearranging itself without doing damage to them especially in a way the could end both of their lives. And Jasika added saying that it has possibly awakened the gifts that Brittany and Kindle were born with. However, we wouldn't know what their birth gifts were until the gifts fully awakened in whatever amount of time that took.

Brittany actually sat in Asher's lap because of how weak she was still feeling, Asher even had to carry her because it, she wasn't able to gather her strength to walk on her own. Her face was also currently paler than usual.

Kindle looked slightly better but looked exhausted rather than ill. A lot like Vilsora did, the only difference being that Vilsora got white strands of hair in her black. With time Vilsora swore they would all be fine, and that this was nothing compared to what was coming as well as what was going on where they came from.

Currently we were deciding on who was going to go with Jasika, Vilsora, Brittany, and Kindle. By default it was already decided that Asher would go with Brittany, in fact he even insisted on it because he didn't want her going alone. We were sorting out the issues about going first.

"Your Vampire King?" Vilsora asked Jean-Claude her eyebrows raised.

"Yes. I have been since we were able to get rid of the old Council." Jean-Claude said.

"In that case I'm sure Ahriman has something to protect those left behind here from any enemies you have. After all what are allies for. Especially in situations like that." Vilsora said.

Jasika nodded, and said, "He said he would give whatever necessary to make this happen."

"What is he like? Since everything I heard is possibly false." Brittany asked and said looking at Jasika.

Jean-Claude, Richard, and I shared a look as well as Rafael, Micah, Nathaniel, Damian, and I, because we wondered the same thing. Brittany beat us too asking.

"He's a great ruler because he's strict when needed but also fair. Like a lot of rulers he has a harem, however, he's not abusive or overly controlling like a lot are especially when it comes to that. When it comes to family he is fiercely protective and even loving. However, since your mother was killed and you were taken he has not been the same...That crushed him to a certain extent." Jasika said.

Vilsora added, "For a long time he had become a tyrant and even became cruel at times after than night. Or so people said who were there and around since that time. Jasika's mother soothed so of that pain so he's no longer like that but every now and then he can be that way."

"Only when people break a serious law. Otherwise he's fine." Jasika quickly said.

Asher held Brittany to him gently and rubbed her back every now and then.

"Will I get to meet him when we go?" Brittany asked.

"Absolutely. Because he want to see you." Jasika said smiling at her. "He loves you more than you could ever know. More than ever I could know. Hell, when you disappeared he wouldn't stop searching for you and even collapsed from exhaustion. Which worried and even scared a lot of people."

Brittany just stared at her after she said that but nodded going quiet and almost tried to hide in Asher's arms her cheeks turning red before she hid her face. Jean-Claude and I saw before she could and couldn't help but smirk along with Asher.

It took us a few hours to decide who was going. We weren't going to completely finalize everything because we didn't know how St. Louis protected while we were gone yet. We had decided that Jean-Claude, Asher, Richard and his bodyguards, Jason, Micah, Nathaniel, Damian, Rafael and his bodyguards, Kane, and even Narcissus at least. Plus Doctor Lillian, Cherry, Zane, and my lover Pierette and surprisingly her Master who had been a harlequin once. We also said some were going to come as food both as blood for Jean-Claude and the other Vampires coming with us and food for the Ardeur for Jean-Claude and I.