Marriage is Murder

Jim listened and nodded as Brian finished " yes they are I have my family that I fight for too " he said " in a away I'm fighting to keep them safe as well as Khaat and the kids" he said and sipped on his coffee. He listened to Robert and nodded keeping silent as Robert continued to talk he could not say anything to add to it but he knew all that Robert had said he could not argue with as he'd thought the same thing in his life time. " I remember I went through something smiler when my youngest was taken, its how I met Robert, I'd been beaten badly in a wizard fight and was about to get up again when I heard his voice telling me to stay down and that he had it , he got her back and well rest is history as they say" he said softly as he moved to the table.

"Thats just what friends do, Jim," Robert said. He heard the consiege deliver the morning paper outside the door. He got up and went to the door and got the newspaper. "Where the devil is Michael this morning? Its not like him to oversleep." He slipped into the other room and came back a moment later. "He left a note. Apparently he went out an hour ago. He expects to be back, well,..." He checked his watch. "Any time now';"

Robert opened the newspaper and was preparing to read it, when Brian's eyes fell on a large ad on the back page. He snatched it out of Robert's hands and began to read it. "Robert..." he said, "Translate this. Is itwhat I think it is?"

"I don't know," Robert said, snatching it back. "Someone...took it from me." He glared pointedly at Brian. He read the ad. "It is a formal ball. They're offering a huge prize. It appears it is being sponsored by a new artist. The artist's theme is Dark Passion."

"But it shows a painting of his. Its...death...blood...."

"Lots of blood, thats for sure," Robert agreed. "They want local women to do a sort of a fashion contest...The artist is looking for a woman who embodies the artist's views in her outfit. The prize is for the artist to pain the woman's portrait and for a weekend cruise on some yacht called the Dark Passion. Why does this attract your attention?"

"There is no way that anyone with such a bloodlust as James Blood could possibly stay away from any event like this that makes such a statement."

"And your point is? I presume he may very well go. He may well go and take a harem of sorts."

"Yes," Brian said, with a calculating smile. "And what would happen if Khaat would go?"

"Oh, hell," Robert laughed, not taking it seriously. "James has such a bloodlust for Khaat that he would ditch all the women he took with him and try to connect with her."

"And what's the chance those female pack oriented werewolf women would stand for that?" Brian said. Robert stopped in thought and then looked at Jim.

"The boy makes sense," Robert said. "Crazy as it sounds, it makes sense. Werewolf women are pack oriented. They can become insanely jealous. They'd go after each other and then after him."

"Don't you think that between Gelding and his own crazy women that it might create enough issues for him that he might be very busy for awhile?"

"Well, it might buy you some time. There is one catch, as I see it," Robert said. "It depends on whether your wife is willing to act as bait and offer herself up as a glamorous woman in this fashion exhibit enough to set James's women back on himm.. And it definitely depends on whether we could surround her with enough bodyguards to keep her safe in a platoon of werewolves. If we do that, I'd definitely want Jack to go with you, but the guards would have to blend in, in order to not make the muggles suspicious. Are you willing to risk her?"

"I don't know if I risk her that much if our guards are there to protect her," Brian said. "I'm just saying, it might reduce his operating a bit more for awhile."

"Jim? What do you think? Werewolf women can be exceptionally catty and overly posessive. It might be a very interesting evening out." Robert said.

Jim nodded as Robert spoke he knew that was exactly it and smiled. " yea they do , been with you for ..ow many years now" he said he heard the door and saw Robert cross to it " don't know was up with me playing chess last night maybe hes sleeping in , though he never usual does sleep in" he said and glanced at the bedroom door "want me to knock for him?" he asked but watched as Brian took the newspaper and read it then spoke to Robert about a show in the paper. " you think?" he said sipping on a cup of hot coffee.

"But its ultimately down to Khaat and if she trusts us enough to play bait " he said and looked at Brian and Robert . " I think if it ended James's terror of her she would go for it and I think Jack would be a good Idea better to have one were on our side and close at hand for Khaat's sake" He sat back now thinking where was Michael he was usually up long before He rose.

"Khaat would do it if there was even a chance that it might shut James up for awhile," Robert said. "You know, she isn't going to want anything to do with the cruise or that portrait."

"Oh, no, I know that," Brian said. "Let her give it to the runner up if she wins."

"We're wizards. We can make sure she wins," Robert laughed. "Wizards have been throwing contests one way or another since the dawn of time. That's not even an issue worth talking about. My thought is that we need to be sure she has her eyesight back before we even let her enter the contest. And, yes, if we do this, we need to be absolutely certain that she has plenty of bodyguards. He isn't going to act in front of muggles, I don't think. But he will strike at the very first instant she has alone and he'll openly look to manipulate that into happening."

"I was suggesting that we give it to him," Brian said.

"I know. But if we do that, we need to be prepared to wage a war for her very life."

"And I will," Brian said, his tone determined. "I won't lose. Not that one."

Jim sat listening to them both he agreed and yet disagreed he didn't like having Khaat in a vulnerable position but to end it with James they had no choice. " as much as I don't like this plan , I have to say I like it too " he said and looked at Robert " we'd have to be right on top of him to stop him hurting her again." he blew on his coffee and watched them " That's good Brian use that anger against James, so any sigh of Michael yet?" he asked not really that worried he knew he'd be out some place and would return soon.

"Oh, believe me, I'm not planning on leaving her alone. Ever," Brian said. "If he ever comes near her again, I will kill him."

"Michael must have been callled out on a mission or he wouldn't have left her. Not ever," Robert said. "He is far too devoted to her to ever leave her. If he's been called out, my guess he is saving someone else's life. If too much more time passes, I'll get Kate or Khaat on trying to find him."

"She'll need a dress if she does this," Brian siad, still thinking.

"When has she ever had a problem finding a dress?"

"No, I mean a sexy dress."

"So did I," Robert said.

Jim nodded he agree with Robert about Michael and looked at Brian. " He'll be back and maybe one of the boutiques around the hotel could cater for one." he said softly he knew it meant putting her in danger yet again " I agree we should wait until her sight back. " he said looking from one man to the other as he sat drinking his coffee he was just concerned that things could go wrong for them and they would harm or even lose Khaat to James. But he also knew having Jack there meant they had a chance James would not get close to her.

Robert perked up at a barely audible sound from the room next door. "You're late, Michael," Robert called.

"No," Michael said, "I'm not. Go ahead with breakfast without me." Robert paused a moment, frowned slightly and got up.

"Excuse me one moment," Robert said, going next door. He wasn't gone more than about 60 seconds when Brian saw the medical bag being accio'd into the room.

"That can't be good," Brian said. "I've never seen Michael need that." He went to the doorway and saw Robert had Michael sitting at the breakfast bar, on a barstool, and Robert had torn open Michael's shirt at his right shoulder where it was a mass of blood. "What happened?" Brian asked.

"Odd things, muggle bullets are. They can still make fairly effective holes in wizards," Michael said.

"What?" Brian frowned.

"It was for a good cause," Michael said.

"Hold still," Robert sighed, using his wand to draw out a fairly significantly sized slug out of Michael's shoulder. "What the hell were you doing, anyway?"

"Alette sent for me. I didn't know she was working again. She got herself trapped and got caught. I had to go get her out," Michael said. "I thought she retired."

"Clearly not," Robert said. "So I presume you got her out? Is she alright?"

"She's out, and she's fine," Michael winced. "By all means, don't consider a pain spell," he said sarcastically.

"I hadn't gotten there yet," Robert said. "You're welcome to do this yourself if you like."

"I didnt bring any plasters," Michael said.

"Right," Robert rolled his eyes. He set spells in place to heal the tissues damaged by the bullet and then sealed the outside wound. He dressed it just to be cautious. "Let me guess. She know's you're pissed off."

"Why would I be pissed off? She lied to me, got caught, dragged me into it, got me caught, and let me take a bullet for both of us while I was obliviating two muggle police officers. All in all, it went just swimmingly, I think."

"No more trips to the beach then, I take it."

"Not today," Michael scowled.

"Well, that's just as well. Khaat is going to offer herself up as bait for James, and she needs a sexy formal. You lot can take her shopping since you're alright."

"What?" Michael glared hard at Robert. "Have you taken leave of your senses?"

"I have. Go do it. This afternoon," Robert said, finally setting a pain spell in place.

"No."

"No?"

"Not until and unless you explain it and it makes sense," Michael said. Robert motioned them all back over to the other room to keep an eye on things.

Jim watched Robert excuse himself as he heard the sound of aperating from the other room , seeing the medical bag some moments later he walked with Brain to the door he stood and listened to Michael " yea they usually do " he said to Micheal's assessment of muggle bullets. He sighed and shook his head as the scene unfolded in front of him. He saw the look on Michael's face as Robert told him of the plan with Khaat. Then he moved through to the living area and sat down next to the fire his coffee having gone cold now he reheated it while he waited for Robert to explain to Michael.

Michael followed Robert and Brian and Jim back into Khaat and Brian's living area. Robert poured Michael a cup of tea and rewarmed Brian's coffee. He took a few minutes and explained the plan to Michael. Michael looked at him as if he was out of his mind. Michael was not willing to offer Khaat up.

"It sounds like a good plan," Khaat said sleepily from the bedroom doorway, wrapped tightly in her robe over her nightgown. "You should change your shirt, Michael."

"I will, when I shower. When your father starts to make some sense...." he stopped and looked at her. Their eyes met. "You can see."

"Took you long enough," she said. He went over to her and hugged her and gave her a kiss.

"Its nice to have you back," he said.

"Nice to feel like I'm back,"

"Well done," her father said. "That rest did you some good. Coffee?"

"Please," she said.

"Khaat," Brian said. "You need to know it was my idea."

"But its a really good plan. He won't be able to stay away from this. You're right. We just need to be sure that the muggles arent involved in this. We dont' need that difficulty. I'll have to lure him away from them."

"We'll have to lure him away. Not you alone."

"A figure of speech. I presume you will all be there."

"Yes," Brian said. "And I'll bring in Jack and some backup."

"I get to pick my own dress?"

"Certainly," her father said.

"It needs to be definitely sexy. This artist's work is all about blood and death and sex," Michael said.

"Do I necessarily need to look trashy?"

"No, but in this case it would help," Michael said honestly.

"Whatever it takes to end this," she said.