Blood Noir - Laurell K. Hamilton [48]
“It wasn’t like that,” I said, but felt myself beginning to blush anyway.
“I’m telling you how it seemed to them.”
“Jean-Claude never mentioned that he was having a problem with the other masters because of it.”
“And if he had, it wouldn’t have made any difference. You are who you are, he accepts that.” Jason sat on the edge of the bed closest to me. “He loves you, Anita. Hell, in his own way, he loves us both, but he cannot let this story stand, Anita. He cannot be perceived as so weak that he can’t even control his woman, and his food.”
“But it’s not true, Jason. We haven’t run off together. We aren’t getting married.”
“But it’s a really good rumor, Anita. Everyone loves a good rumor, even master vampires.”
“Has Jean-Claude been having trouble with rumors like this before?” I asked. I got up and moved to the middle of the room toward the door. I was pretty sure Jason wasn’t done with his revelations, and being closer to the door made me feel better. I always feel better when I know where the exit is.
“Anita, some of it isn’t rumors, it’s fact.”
“What do you mean?”
“He does let you sleep with men other than him, while he isn’t allowed the same privilege with other women.”
I stared at him. “So if I let Jean-Claude sleep around, his reputation would be better among the other masters?”
“Maybe.”
I shook my head. “If you have a point, you’d best be getting to it.”
“If you and Jean-Claude were simply not monogamous, then the other vampires could understand it. You have no idea the world-class talent Jean-Claude has turned down lately.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“The other masters keep trying to send him gifts.”
“What kind of gifts?”
“You know what kind.”
“I haven’t noticed a bevy of strange women at the Circus lately.”
“They start with pictures on the computer or home movies. They’ve decided that if he could see them in action and pick the ones he likes best, he might take some of them into his group.”
“He never mentioned any of this to me.”
“Why should he? He knows you would never share him with another woman. He waits a polite amount of time, then turns them down.”
“Does he watch the…stuff?”
“Sometimes, enough so he can answer questions when they call and ask him how he liked what she did in this or that scene.”
“Scene?”
“Vampire porn is a growing business, Anita.”
I shivered. “I wasn’t aware of that.”
“Auggie’s been branching out into it, as a legitimate business.”
“Legitimate.” I made it sound like I felt.
“Legal, then.” Jason seemed tired.
I had a thought, and I let it go all the way through. “Does Jean-Claude want to sleep with other women?”
“He’s never mentioned it to me,” Jason said.
“Then why are you mentioning it to me?”
“Because this story is going to need some punishment.”
“What, the lies about us?”
Jason nodded.
“What do you mean, punishment?”
“Jean-Claude is going to have to be seen as regaining control of you and me, Anita.”
“That’s insane. We aren’t out of control.”
“Aren’t we? You’re here alone with me. We are lovers. You’re meeting my family. Most people will consider all that pretty serious.”
“Are you saying that Jean-Claude will have to appear to punish us for something we haven’t done?”
Jason nodded, and he was way too serious about it.
“That’s crazy. Jean-Claude won’t punish us for something we haven’t done.”
“No, he won’t,” Jason said, voice soft.
I came to stand in front of him, arms crossed over my chest, then had to shift my arms. Standing like that works so much better without breasts. “Then what the hell are you talking about?”
“I’m saying that we need to come up with punishments for him to use on us.”
I shook my head. “You are making no sense at all.”
“I’m making a lot of sense. You have no idea how badly your behavior at the party affected your master’s standing among the rest of the vampires.”
“I didn’t mean for—”
“You didn’t mean to have sex with Asher?”
“No, I mean, yes.” I sat down on the bed beside him. “I don’t know what I mean. Neither Asher nor