Cerulean Sins - Chapters 10-13

[masterofstlouis]

Jean-Claude can't seem to bring himself to sit up straight. He's slumped in his chair, hands folded over his stomach, and so very still. That pleading look from Asher as he'd taken Musette's hand, watching as Musette hurt Asher, drawing his second's blood -- his Asher's blood -- had been enough to rip open wounds he'd rather had remained blissfully ignorant of. But now they were gaping inside him, and the knowledge that it had been Anita to set Asher up for it... that Anita had set Asher up for far worse than just being publicly stabbed...

He is both defeated and furious.

He is also tired. Simply tired. Each step forward for him left him three steps behind by the time Anita was through.

Comments

[anita_blake]

That was answer enough, really.

"I'd rather you not lie to me, Jean-Claude."

[masterofstlouis]

He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly as he judges the best way to respond.

"One of Belle's gifts is to sense sexual appetite in others. Bartolomé may look like a child, but he does not think like one, nor did he when he was truly the age he appears. And he was of the time where the sons of nobility were allowed almost any indiscretion with women not of noble blood. He could use his innocent childish face to lure women into... compromising positions, and then either abuse them or blackmail them by claiming they were the aggressor."

Jean-Claude sees the confusion in Anita's face and digresses into a minor history lesson for her benefit. "The term 'child molestation' did not exist then, though of course the act still did. However, with children married off as early as ten, those with such tastes could sate themselves within the safety of the marriage bed. At least, until their spouses became too old, at which point they would begin looking outside the home, or inside if their own children had reached the proper age by then."

[anita_blake]

Anita's stomach twists, and she closes her eyes.

"I didn't need to know the last bit. Jean-Claude, that's... that's just disgusting."

[masterofstlouis]

"Oui," he agrees, "but still true." Then, returning to the topic, he continues, "When Bartolomé was human, he was heir to a great fortune, which Belle wanted to control. But she is no lover of children, so Musette was assigned the task, as she will do anything her mistress bids. He was not meant to be brought to us as a boy, but he was thrown from his horse and his skull was crushed. He was dying, and as his next brother was only five -- far too young -- Belle bid Musette to take him."

[anita_blake]

Anita is quiet for a few moment, digesting the unpleasant truth of Bartolomé. It doesn't matter that the boy had already possessed a sexual appetite at that age, it was just wrong to all Anita holds as her personal truths to have sex with a child.

"How did he feel when he woke up, knowing he'd be a child forever?" she asks.

[masterofstlouis]

Jean-Claude sighs. "He was... unhappy. It is forbidden to bring over children, and for good reason. Valentina, for instance, was not one of Musette's. Belle discovered that one of her Masters was a -- ce qui est le mot -- pedophile, and had been bringing over children as permanent... companions."

[anita_blake]

It takes a lot of deep breathing for Anita to fight back the nausea.

"Jesus Christ," Anita whispers.

[masterofstlouis]

"It was forbidden, as I said," Jean-Claude hastens to add. "And when Belle discovered it, she slew him, will full permission and agreement by the council. Most of the children he had brought over had to be destroyed as well. Vampires trapped in children's bodies and repeatedly abused, some for decades. Their minds could not survive it intact." He shakes his head sadly. Vampires had few moral limitations, this was true, but preserving the sanctity of children had long been considered inviolate.

[anita_blake]

"Then..." Anita glances to the door. "How did Valentina survive it? Why is she still walking around?"

[masterofstlouis]

"She was his newest," he explains. "Still a child, and yet to be touched, so her mind was spared. Belle, for reasons of her own, took the girl in and found people to care for her -- human nannies and human playmates, for years. She did her best for Valentina, perhaps blaming herself for not realizing the monster Sebastian had become."

Jean-Claude lays back in the chair, arm raised across his eyes. "Of course, vampires being vampires, it could not be such for long. Valentina tried to turn some of her playmates so she would not be alone. The nanny discovered her, and Valentina slit her throat. That was the end of human nannies and playmates, needless to say."

[anita_blake]

"So, out with the human nanny and in with the vampire nanny."

Anita feels the urge to just laugh, but she's half-afraid if she does, she'll start to cry.

[masterofstlouis]

He nods. "She does not need one as a real child would, of course. But she will forever appear eight years old, and even with our changed legal status, she cannot hail a taxicab alone, nor stay in a hotel without some well-meaning patron calling to report an abandoned child."

[anita_blake]

She rests her head against his knee.

"She must hate it... hate her existence."

[masterofstlouis]

An elegant half-shrug.

"I do not know. I do not speak to her."

[anita_blake]

Anita lifts her head and looks up at Jean-Claude, thinking she recognizes the feeling inside him.

"You're afraid of her."

[masterofstlouis]

"Non," he says with a quick head shake. "Not afraid, but certainly unnerved. What few child vampires do survive for as long as Valentina has are... twisted. I prefer to avoid them as much as possible."

[anita_blake]

"Well... how did she wind up with Musette?"

[masterofstlouis]

He leans back into the chair again, closing his eyes. This is not a comfortable avenue of discussion for him, but he indulges Anita with the answers. "Because she was turned before her body was capable of physical pleasure, she has since found other ways to indulge such urges. As such, she became Musette's very eager -- and very accomplished -- protege."

[anita_blake]

Anita stares at Jean-Claude for a little while before she breathes, "Did she torture you?"

[masterofstlouis]

He nods without opening his eyes. "I told you once that Belle only saved Asher's life in exchange for a century of servitude from me. For quite some time of that, she wished to punish me for leaving, so she turned me over to Musette and Valentina."

[anita_blake]

Sorrow fills Anita.

For both Jean-Claude and Asher.

"Was it worth it?" she asks, wondering just how deep his love for Asher goes.

[masterofstlouis]

He opens one eye, just a touch, looking across the space at her.

"Are you asking me if I regret my arrangement with Belle Morte? Non, ma petite, I do not regret it. No matter what has passed between us before, to have our Asher here with us now, I would have endured greater."

[anita_blake]

Anita doesn't know how to feel about that, and she's not sure she needs to feel anything about it. She's known Jean-Claude loves Asher, and she knows Asher still loves Jean-Claude.

But it makes the knowledge that Musette or Belle could harm Asher again -- take him from them -- hurt even more.

"Valentina isn't getting a submissive from us," she says abruptly, firmly. "And I don't understand your need as their host to offer them sex partners. Humans don't expect their host to provide them with sex, and I don't see why we should for the vampires."

[masterofstlouis]

"Any other of the council's bloodlines would not expect such consideration, either. However, as Belle's line is built upon sex, it is assumed that we all carry a touch of her succubus inside us. And so it has become custom to make the offer to any of her line when they visit."

[anita_blake]

They both knew that was a fallacy that none of Belle's line had bothered to dissuade the vampire community of. It makes Anita smile, just barely, and then her mind kicks into gear.

"So, Willie and Hannah are safe because they run the two clubs. We've already set the terms that business will not be interrupted by the visit."