Last Minute Invasions

BY: Luna

Disclaimer: Laurell K. Hamilton and the Berkley Publishing Group do not authorize this author. All characters that you recognize belong to Laurell K. Hamilton except for the ones created by the people in this group. This is solely for entertainment purposes.
Rating: R just to be on the safe side.

Well I was running late which under normal circumstances would never happen. But I had to soothe Shang-Da's hurt feelings when I told him we couldn't go as a couple. Don't get me wrong, I would love to have gone as a couple however we didn't know what the people in our lives were going to say on the matter and I for one didn't want to catch hell from Anita. If the pack had thrown a fit when Anita might have become a leopard then what were they going to do if they found out that one of their Ulfric's enforcers was dating one of Anita's leopard.

I had kissed that hurt look out of his eyes, which had led to other things. By the time I got my second shower of the day and got back to the Circus I was about an hour behind schedule. I checked my cell phone and Anita was pissed that I hadn't shown up and that she'd had to leave without me. Micah, was just as upset, said that we were going to have to discuss where I'd been and why I hadn't been with Anita. Shit! Could it get any worse? Never mind don't answer that!

Since it seemed that Anita was either already at the wedding or on her way to it. Just as Shang-Da was getting ready to pull away I had to flag his car down and tell him to wait. He smiled at me and asked, "Are you sure you didn't call me back so that you could have your way with me the rest of the night?" I'll admit that idea was tempting but I was so not going to miss this event. If my Nimir-Ra and Nimir-Raj were upset that I hadn't gone with Anita then how would it look if I missed this whole thing all together, not to mention that Richard might be a tad upset if one of his enforcers didn't show up. Sadly I had to tell him that I needed a ride to the lupanar and that we couldn't spend the evening fooling around.

I ran back to where the costumes had been last night, and thankfully still were today. I was going to wear a blood red dress. It was an empire waist gown that showed major amounts of cleavage and had a wide silk ribbon that went under the bust and tied in back. There were slits in the gown that went to mid thigh although with the full skirt you didn't notice them too readily. Well I guess I shouldn't say that Shang-Da managed to find them. I had to push him out of where I was dressing or we were never going to make that damned wedding.

Next were the shoes. They were a ballerina type with long ribbons that wrapped around my calves. And finally was the red velvet hooded cape. I'd had it specially made so that all the weapons that I carried could be carried in the cape. I really liked this cape!

Now we walked back out to the cars. See my cover story was that I had just slept in late and because I was soo tired I had unplugged the phone in my apartment and turned off my cell phone. Then I would hit them with since I've never been to the lupanar by myself before I'd had to get a ride. Hey it had worked before why wouldn't it work again.

Telling Shang-Da to give me a few minutes while I got some things out of my truck. I went over and got armed. I was a bodyguard first and foremost. That meant whether my honey liked it or not I was going to be bringing weapons to the lupanar. Honestly I wished that I could have left them in my truck but seeing as how the last time I had done that Anita and I had ended up running for our lives I was leaving nothing to chance this time.

I was going to be as friendly tonight as they would let me. Simply put that meant that I was taking every weapon in my truck. I hadn't put them on in front of Shang-Da because he would have felt it was his duty to talk me out of them and that was soo not going to happen. I slipped the knives in the garters that held my thigh highs up and both guns went in the cape. I even had a long blade down my back like Anita's. I'd spent too much time with her not to see the necessity of carrying such a weapon.

The ride to the lupanar was a comfortable one. There was a hard rock station playing softly in the background. The music combined with the sound of the car moving over the highway was quickly lulling me to sleep. Every time I felt myself start to drift off I would shift in my seat, well as much as my seatbelt would allow.

After about thirty minutes Shang-Da was pulling off the highway and making his way down the rutted dirt road that led to his pack's lupanar. Parking behind a long row of cars that lined the road we sat there in silence. Finally Shang-Da turned and looked at me with such sadness that it just made my heart ache. Without thought I leaned over and kissed his lips.

I stepped out of his car and the magic that rode the air was strong. It called to that part of me that was my beast. I wasn't perfect at controlling it but I'd made some damn good progress if I did say so myself. I watched as Shang-Da got out the car. He looked like something out of the Phantom of the Opera. Hell he even had a mask that covered half of his face. Just looking at him stole the air from my lungs.

We may not be telling everyone verbally that we were a couple but looking at our costumes it sure looked like we were. I watched as he turned and started walking towards me and I was feeling a little giddy. He leaned down and kissed my forehead and then took my hand in his lacing his fingers between mine. We walked towards the lupanar. Just before we got to the clearing we dropped hands and headed in different directions.

I went to stand at the back where I noticed Noah and Maggie, Micah and Merle, and quite a few others from my pard. I greeted my Nimir- Raj and noticed his scowl. I nodded politely at Merle but I was still giving him the evil eye. I wondered how Merle had gotten out of wearing a costume. As if reading my thoughts he leaned over to me to whisper, "Ya wanna know what my costume is?" When I nodded he said, "I'm here as a biker, Hell's Angel type." I was incredulous. That was his everyday wear. I tried to be mad but couldn't so I gave up and chuckled softly. Micah glared at us, we looked at each other than back at him and shrugged. He sighed and turned back around.

I finally looked around it seemed we were a tad late to the wedding. The bridesmaids were already at the front and Kash was making her way down the isle on the arm of Jean-Claude. She kind of tripped but Jean-Claude never let her fall. After that I noticed that he levitated them both down the isle so as to prevent any other mishaps along the way.

There was a fine mist that gave the lunapar a nice romantic feel. Kash looked simply stunning her dress. The other attendants looked absolutely amazing. Anita I noticed seemed to be looking for any and all threats. Not to mention the fact that she looked damned uncomfortable in the dress. It made me laugh. She looked good in the dress and she didn't even seem to realize it.

I was feeling tired and I knew that I hadn't gotten much sleep last night but I shouldn't be this tired. I leaned up against the tree nearest me and shut my eyes. I just need a lil catnap was my last thought before I fell asleep.

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Opening my eyes again there was a moment when I couldn't remember what I was doing or where I was. Looking around in the distance there was an outline of a house. Oh that's right I was on my way to visit my grandmother. The absence of the sun told me that I needed to hurry. There were wild wolves that roamed this area. Besides my grandmother would worry if I took too long.

Picking up my basket off the ground it was a nice firm weight against my arm. It contained the sweets my mother had made for Gran. Starting towards her house the sound of a howling wolf quickened my pace.

Keeping my eyes open for any sign of movement I was completely taken aback when a man stepped out of the line of trees directly in front of me. He was handsome of that there was no doubt. His shoulder length brown hair was a mass of unruly waves around his face. His chocolate brown eyes radiated friendliness that I immediately found disturbing. His smile was nothing short of enticing. It was the kind of smile that said he knew what I was thinking and it caused me to blush uncontrollably.

Taking a quick step back he took one forward. Summoning my voice I finally said. "Stop!" He didn't seem inclined to listen to me however as he kept taking steps forward as I took them backwards. I was stopped abruptly as my back hit a tree. He took a final step forward and placed his hand on the tree just above my shoulder.

He leaned into me as he spoke. "What's a girl like you doing out here all by your lonesome?"

Somewhat hesitantly I answered. "I'm on my way to my Gran's house. Momma made her a basket of sweets that I am supposed to give to her." I was breathing hard, this guy was seriously creeping me out. My eyes scanned the surrounding trees but it seemed nothing else was out there.

I watched as the guy tilted his head as if listening to something that only he could hear. Then he turned back to me his eyes a golden yellow, which was a change from the brown they'd been only a moment before. When he spoke again his voice was deeper more like a growl than an actual voice at all. "How far is your Gran's house from here? It would be a shame for anything to happen to you, especially if you had to go very far."

I didn't want to tell him but I was afraid not to. " It's not very far just over that next rise."

My answer seemed satisfy him as he walked away from me. As he entered the trees I heard another howl coming from my right. Turning to look in that direction, I didn't see anything, but that didn't mean I was alone. My previous visitor could attest to that.

Looking back in the direction the stranger had gone I saw only a ginger colored wolf. It was staring at me as if I was on the menu. Before I could do anything it loped off in the direction of Gran's.

Being spooked more than I could say I hurried towards my Gran's house as fast as my legs would carry me and my burden. I seriously considered dropping the basket and running for the safety of Gran's cottage. But mother had worked so hard to make the sweets for Gran that I didn't feel right even thinking about leaving them behind.

The rest of the trip to the cottage seemed to take forever. I kept looking over my shoulder wondering if I had imagined that encounter with that stranger. After what seemed like an eternity I saw Gran's cottage. It was the most welcome sight I had seen all day.

The cottage was just as I remembered it. The windows were lit with a welcoming glow. The curtains were drawn but the light still shown through. The roof was sagging a bit but nothing that couldn't wait till spring to be repaired. Gran was well loved, not just by her family, but also by everyone. She was the local midwife and never hesitated to leave the safety of her home at night to attend a sick child.

Knocking on the door was a kind of torturous relief. There was a tense moment before I heard Gran's voice. "C'mon in dear."

Hesitantly I opened the door. The scene before me had me rubbing my eyes. The cottage was as messy as I'd ever seen it. I set the basket on the stool by the bed. She was already dressed in her favorite flannel nightgown complete with the matching nightcap. That wasn't right Gran never went to bed early. Then I noticed something strange. Gran's eyes were larger than I remembered. "Gran what big eyes you have!"

Gran's voice sounded a bit rough like maybe she had a cold. However she smiled reassuringly at me. "The better to see you with my dear."

Taking a step forward. Stopping when I noticed Gran's ears. While there was nothing wrong with the shape of them, they were however larger than when I had last seen them. "Gran, what big ears you have!"

Gran stared at me a moment then she spoke. Her voice still rough although now she seemed a little impatient. "The better you hear you with my dear."

Gran beckoned me to her beside. I walked slowly hesitantly, if she was sick I didn't want to catch it. Sitting cautiously on the side of the bed I looked up at Gran and she smiled at me. It wasn't her smile at all! It looked wrong somehow. Then my brain clicked; the mouth was wrong. "Gran, what big a big mouth you have!"

Then Gran did the strangest thing. She reached up and pulled her nightcap off and it wasn't Gran at all it was that stranger from the clearing. His voice was husky as he spoke. "The better to kiss you with." His lips closed over mine. That didn't seem to be enough for him. One of his hands cupped the back of my head and the other pulled me tight against the line of his body.

The sensations I was experiencing were new and not unpleasant. I sighed into his mouth. His tongue snaked between my lips and I sucked it greedily. His hands found their way into the slits in my dress caressing my thighs. My eyelids fluttered and finally closed.

Our world shuddered violently as if in the middle of some kind of seizure. The room tilted crazily and I could feel the room sliding away. I gripped the stranger tightly as we seemed to slide out of the room.

My eyes shot open and the first thing that greeted my eyes was a very arrogant looking Richard. Then with a start I realized that his hands were up my dress. I quickly rolled off of him. Kneeling over him I slapped his face hard enough to jerk his head back. I then proceeded to give him a piece of my mind. I used phrases that would have made a sailor blush in embarrassment.

There was a discreet cough to my left, which instantly drew my attention. I looked in that direction and met Crystal's eyes. It suddenly dawned on me that we weren't at the Lupanar anymore. "Okay! What the hell is going on here?" My voice was angry and I couldn't help it. I was having a hard time coming to grips with the fact that we were no longer where we should have been.

Crystal filled us in as quickly as possible. She told us all about the dreamscapes that we were all involved in. Then she said something about Cimries making a deal with her to free them. There was a catch, I hated to tell her, but there was always a catch. She had until sunrise to free them all. Then she said over her shoulder as she started down the hallway. "You can stay here or you can come with me but whatever you do you need to be quick about it."

I looked at Richard a moment and said. "If you don't mind Crystal I think I'll tag along with you. The company leaves something to be desired."

Richard roared with laughter at that. Then gave an exaggerated leer. "You didn't seem to mind the company a moment ago."

I glared at him. Crossing my arms over my chest. "You know what your problem is Richard. You're not mad that Anita has so many men in her life. You're mad because you don't have the same amount of women that want to be in your life."

Now it was Richard's turn to glare. My last thought as Crystal disappeared through the next picture was, misery sure does love company.

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