Midnight finally found us heading up to bed. The talk that Eddie wanted to have with me was cut short when Tangram grunted, pawing at the door to tell me he had to go to the bathroom. Glad for the reprieve, I hurried downstairs and out to the garden with him. Tangram didn't dawdle, but did his business and was more than eager to get back to the room to go to bed.

"Now we're going to talk," Eddie said, locking the door behind me as I came in.

I thought it was adorable the way Tangram scowled at Eddie when I curled up on the couch with him in my arms. He nuzzled my hand, hugging it with his paws as I yawned. "Go on," I said. I kissed the top of Tan's head, watching Eddie's face contort jealously.

"First, thank you for the warning about the wine."

"Sure. Job," I mumbled.

"I was serious what I told Vanessa. She was being rude to you, and it's annoying. A comment or two I could have let slide, but every word out of her mouth about you had to be negative. She only says stuff like that because she thinks it impresses me."

"Mmhm," I muttered, closing my eyes. I was trying to listen. The problem was that I was exhausted. His words faded as I fell asleep.

What seemed like a second later, the click of the door lock awoke me. I looked at the clock, noting that I had only been asleep for twenty minutes. Vanessa was back. Obviously she had seen me leave, but not return. As long as she didn't know I was here, I would make this worth the attack. Slipping Tangram back behind the couch, I quickly leapt off, hiding under the side table in cat form. Eddie's even breathing came from the bed. It was just like him to sleep through this.

The door cracked open and Vanessa's head popped in. She shone a flashlight at the couch, a smug look on her face when she found it empty. The idiot. Quickly she scanned the room for any obstacles before stepping in, turning her flashlight off. Unfortunately I hadn't tossed anything down that would obstruct her way.

Giving myself room, I allowed her to make it to the middle of the room. Starting my run in cat form, I leapt into the air at her, shifting back to human form. The sound of her breath being driven from her body as I tackled her to the floor, grinding my knee into her back, was satisfying. Regrettably, she managed to scream before hitting the carpet.

Suddenly the room was flooded with light as Eddie switched on all the lights. I blinked a couple of times as my eyes adjusted, but didn't lessen my grip on the struggling Vanessa. As Eddie took in the scene, I looked down at her. I had never wanted a biohazard suit as badly as I wanted one right then.

"What's going on?" he demanded, striding over to us. He pulled on a robe as he stopped in front of us.

"Edward! Get this bitch off of me, darling! She attacked me! I'm only here for our rendezvous," she said, anger tingeing the voice she was trying to keep sweet and innocent.

"Ha!" I laughed.

"Get off me, you pig! Darling, she's hurting me!"

"Why did you come back, Vanessa?" Eddie asked. I knew that tone of voice and the cool calm he adopted. Eddie was pissed. Far beyond pissed, actually. I had seen this mood before when I told him some of the stuff that Dr. Matthiessen had said and had done to me when we were in Arkham. This mood frightened me, and I was glad that it wasn't being aimed at me. This was a dangerous mood.

"For you! For us!" she pleaded, twisting her head to look up at him.

"Us?"

"Yes! Us! You feel it too, don't you? The passion that burns hotter each time you come? I came to give myself to you tonight!" She paused, trying again to struggle. "This is how you receive a lover?"

"I feel nothing between us, Vanessa," he said evenly. "Why would I feel anything between us?"

Before she could stop herself, she blurted out, "But the wine! I was told it would work!" She caught herself, only too late.

"What was in the wine? Who told you it would work?" he asked.

"Nothing! Nobody!" she spat. "Don't you like my body? You can have me whenever and however you wish, as many times as you wish! I will fill all your sexual fantasies!"

Can I throw up now? Please?

"No. Tell me what was in the wine."

"Why? My body is infinitely better than this child's!"

Eddie sneered as he cast a cold gaze down at her. "I'm not into plastic. Now tell me, Vanessa."

His comment made her wiggle furiously. I dug my knee into her lower back, and she stopped, panting. A shower. A very hot shower, with lots of bleach. That's what I was going to need after this.

"Very well. Hold her down until I come back, Query. Tangram, come with me."

I was surprised to see Tangram obey Eddie. The second the door closed, Vanessa let flow a stream of insults and what I could only imagine was very colorful French. I reached over and picked up one of Tangram's balls, shoving it into her mouth. Enraged, she struggled, angry grunts coming from her gag.

"Vanessa, if you continue to struggle like this, I'll be forced to knock you out," I growled, twisting her arms painfully. She had no idea what I was capable of. Graciously, I thanked my Triad training as her struggling stopped.

The door opened and Eddie came back with Tangram trotting behind. Without a word, he crouched next to Vanessa. Grabbing a handful of her hair, he lifted her head high enough to see the dangling muslin drawstring bag in his hand. When he dropped it in front of her, a small puff of white escaped. Vanessa's eyes went wide and she drew ragged breaths in through her nose.

"Now, we can do this the hard way, or the easy way, Vanessa," he said letting go of her hair and removing the gag. "Tell me where this came from and what it is. I'll consider letting Query go easy on you." Eddie nodded to me. "Let her sit up some, Q. Maybe she can't see this well enough."

Slowly she sat up, her legs folding underneath her. I kept a tight grip on her hands in case she decided to lash out. Dejectedly, she stared at the bag.

"Talk, Vanessa. I know you tried to give this to me in the wine tonight."

"Didn't you drink it? I saw you drink it. It should work! I was promised it would work!"

"I never let a drop get past my lips," he said. "If you won't tell me, I suppose I could get some water..."

"It isn't poison. I wouldn't poison the man I love."

"I didn't think you would poison me. Let me guess. This is a love potion, isn't it?"

The shocked gasp that came from her, and her puzzlement was genuine. "How did you know?"

"Wow. You really are dumb, aren't you?" I muttered. A single, cold look from Eddie quieted me. Why was he mad at me for that comment? It was true, and not nearly as vicious as the insults she had thrown at me earlier.

"Why would you make someone love you against his will? I thought it was clear to you that I wasn't interested. Every time I have turned you down."

"I thought you were playing with me. I got tired of waiting. I love you!"

"What do you love about me?" he asked.

"You are rich, famous, and good looking. What isn't there to love?"

"Mmhm. Query, why do you love me?"

"Huh?" Why was he dragging me into this, suddenly?

"Answer the question."

"Because you're smart, funny, you have a great personality, you're a great conversationalist, and just as stubborn as I am," I said.

"Do you care about the money and fame?"

"You know I don't, Eddie. You know I'm in this for the challenge." I realized what he was doing as I said that.

"What do you think about that, Vanessa?"

"An employee may love an employer for reasons like that. She is stupid not to care about the money and fame, however. I could best her as a guard!"

I pulled her head back, grinning at her. "Was that a challenge? If it was, I accept."

"Stupid girl. I do not need to fight you to prove I am better than you. It is obvious I'm already superior to you!" she said sounding nervous.

"That will be enough, Vanessa! Let's get back to this powder. You were going to give this to me. What would it have done? Why did you wait until I had gone to bed?"

"Upon waking and seeing me, you would have fallen in love with me. We would then make love instantly, for hours!"

"Ew..." I began, cutting myself off before Eddie could glare at me again.

"Why do you have so much of this?"

"It must be repeated once a week for three months. Then the person cannot go back. They are always in love with the one who put them under the spell."

"Mind control then. That's what you're talking about," Eddie said in disgust. "You obviously came prepared, certain that it would work." He stood, crossing his arms. "Did it ever occur to you that Query is more than my bodyguard? Query is my girlfriend, and I love her. I will never love someone as shallow and vapid as you, Vanessa."

Her head drooped at that.

"What should I do with her?"

"Get her out of my sight. Do whatever you want with her."

"You can't! Henry will never forgive you! He will never do business with you again!" she protested as I dragged her to her feet.

"Oh?" Eddie went and opened the door. "Is that true, Henry?"

The old man walked into the room, dressed in slippers and a housecoat. In his hand he held one of the comm-units that Eddie had made for him and me. Intense displeasure was Henry's expression of choice as he looked over the now silent, but horrified Vanessa.

"On the contrary, it is you, Vanessa, whom I will not be doing business with ever again. Do you think I did not know what you were doing every meal to Edward? That you had tried this once before the other night, this sneaking into his room?! I don't run a pleasure house, but you certainly think I do! No, Vanessa, if that is the career you wish, there are plenty of them in Paris for you to find work at. You are the one leaving. Query may do as she pleases. In the morning, I will act as if I know nothing of these dealings."

"But Henry!" she began.

"I apologize for this. Query, if you wish for her to keep the challenge, I will make her. I will tell you, however, that she has no fighting skills."

"Then it wouldn't be a fair fight. I won't tarnish my honor in fighting someone with no skills." I turned to Eddie and motioned for my backpack. As I slung it over my head, I said, "Don't wait up!"

The door closed behind as Eddie and Henry talked. I paused only long enough to tie Vanessa's hands behind her before roughly shoving her ahead of me and down the hall.

"What are you going to do to me?" she squeaked.

"I haven't decided yet. Now be quiet and walk. If you're good, it won't be so bad," I lied. She believed my lie. I walked, a spring in my step as I knew exactly what I wanted to do to her.
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