Disclaimer: Not mine

Sorry for the extra-long wait. If you haven't, go back and re-read the rest as I have edited and added to the chapters to smooth things out a bit.

Chapter 11

The two men appeared in the hotel suite to hear someone pounding on the door. Asher nodded at the door and walked over while Harry glanced around before heading into the bedroom. "Nathaniel?" he called softly. "It's okay, you're safe, I won't let anyone hurt you," he coaxed and ever so slowly the younger man crawled out from under the bed, lavender eyes wide and then Harry found himself with a lap full of wereleopard. He wrapped an arm around his waist while the other hand ran through long auburn hair.

"Please," he whimpered, trembling.

"Please what?" Harry asked gently.

"I don't want…to go with him," he shook, and Harry tightened his hold on him, rocking him gently.

"Who is he?" he whispered, kissing the top of his head, letting his magic curl around the young leopard, offering comfort.

"Z..Z…Zane….he…he gave me to them. Alpha died but he's trying," was the soft, broken answer and Harry felt the rage swell but he shoved it down, not wanting to scare Nathaniel.

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Asher could hear Harry comforting the young shifter in the bedroom, feeling a swell of pride at how gentle and caring Harry was, despite all he had been through. The door shuddered and he straightened, pushing his hair back just enough to hint at the scars. He opened the door to find a wereleopard on the other side. He was tall, almost too thin, with multiple body piercings. "May I help you Monsieur?" he almost smirked when the leopard realised what he was and paled slightly. He was trying to be tough, but he was no alpha.

"I'm here for Nathaniel," he stated.

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At hearing this Zane's voice, Nathaniel curled even closer, if that was possible. "Shh, it's okay," Harry whispered. He reached for Asher through the marks, wondering if they could truly communicate through them, he knew it should be possible, but they had very little practice with the Marks outside of sharing dreams.

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Asher didn't outwardly react as he felt Harry and got a glimpse of his room at the Circus, sending his agreement back to his wizard even as he stared down the young leopard before him. He heard a faint popping noise and knew Harry and the boy were gone.

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Nathaniel whimpered in terror at the sensation of Apparition, clinging to Harry almost too tightly as they appeared on the carpeted floor. Harry shifted his hold and then stood, easily lifting the younger male to carry him over to the bed. He loved the enhanced strength that had come with the Marks. Not even a minute later someone knocked on the door hesitantly. "Come in."

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Jason heard a soft pop and then inhaled, smelling Harry and….Nathaniel? He knocked on the door to the room Asher had been given, hadn't they left together?

"Come in."

And that was Harry's voice. He took a deep breath and opened the door to see Harry on the bed with another body, curled tightly against him. Jason would have recognised the scent and that incredible hair instantly, even if he hadn't smelt him outside. "Nathaniel? What happened?"

"You know him?" Harry asked quietly.

Jason nodded, wary. He liked Nathaniel, he had no issues with him or any of the Pard really. But Richard had given the order, none of the Pack could offer aide to the Pard.

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Harry saw something pass over Jason's face, like he wanted to help but couldn't. "I found him almost dead in an alley, let him heal. Someone was trying to break into the hotel room and Asher is there. I need to head back. Can you watch him?"

Jason licked his lips. "Yeah, okay." Jean-Claude had said to ensure Asher and Harry's needs were met, to do anything asked, within reason. Sylvie wouldn't like it but she also knew he couldn't go against Jean-Claude so he should be okay. He closed the door and went over to the bed, getting on and sitting beside Harry who gently passed Nathaniel over. Lavender eyes snapped open and Nathaniel went rigid in Jason's arms. For the first time he really looked at the leopard and realised he was young, younger than he'd been when he was infected, hell, he was still a kid! The things Gabriel had used him for… all the leopards for…it wasn't right. The pack turning on them wasn't right either.

"Ple…ase…" Nathaniel whimpered, and Harry reached out to cup his cheek, gently nudging his head up.

"What is it?" he asked softly. Harry had a feeling it was a good thing Nathaniel's alpha was dead or he might do something rash. The younger teen shifted closer to him, rubbing his face against Harry who gently ran his fingers through long auburn hair, trying to calm him down.

"Wolves hate us," he whispered, lavender eyes pleading.

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Jason winced and slowly reached out to touch Nathaniel's shoulder. He didn't know him well; Nathaniel was still the new guy at work, but he had looked out for him as much as he could, so did Stephen since he was Gregory's brother. "I don't hate you Nathaniel," he promised softly. He'd been lucky, Nathaniel had never been used in his punishments by Rania, others had but not the kid. "Gabriel and Rania used you, that isn't any of your fault. You're in the Circus, which means Jean-Claude is in control and I'm his pomme de sang before I'm a wolf when here."

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Nathaniel kept from tensing when a hand touched his shoulder, smelling wolf, but he listened to Jason's words. He liked the wolf; he wasn't much older than him and had helped him out in learning the club. He rubbed against the alpha again, seeking comfort. He may not be a leopard, but he was feline, and Nathaniel could smell the lion in his scent, if only faintly. He also smelt of vampire, the one that had come to the hotel with him and had stopped Zane entering. He was also powerful, he could feel it, just beneath his skin and it felt safe. He purred softly, rubbing his face against him, seeking comfort.

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Jason blinked as he heard the noise, seeing Nathaniel rub against Harry. He glanced at the Human Servant's face, wondering how he would take it, had he had much exposure to shifters? Asher was an old friend of Jean-Claude's, more than friend judging by the painting his Master had but he knew he couldn't judge him by Jean-Claude. Though, Harry was only nineteen, a modern human, even if he had known Asher since he was a kid. He knew a lot of vampires saw shifters as nothing more than pets and food. He watched as Harry gently stroked Nathaniel's hair, soothing him.

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"I'm not leaving you Nathaniel; I'm going to see how Asher's doing with this Zane and then we'll be back. Okay?" Harry kept up the soothing petting and felt Nathaniel relax again. "Jason will stay with you and there's a whole lot of people between here and the entrance, no one is getting in here." He glanced at Jason who nodded, and Harry passed Nathaniel back to him, watching as Jason shifted so that they were curled together on the bed, Jason with his back to the door. Harry smiled and then vanished.

He reappeared in the hotel room to find Asher leaning against the couch, arms crossed over his chest as the current leader of the leopards stood nervously against the wall, trying to act tough but failing in the presence of a Master vampire. "Zane, I presume?" Harry said, moving to stand with Asher.

He snarled but Harry wasn't impressed by the flash of kitty fangs, obviously he spent too long in leopard form.

"You were not able to protect the Pard when the Master of Beasts called them," Asher spoke up. "You are no alpha."

Hands balled into fists he actually took a step towards them, body vibrating in anger.

Harry reached for his animagus form; he didn't let his form change but he knew it was enough to make his scent smell more of the lion.

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Asher kept his face blank only through centuries of practice as Harry's scent changed, he could smell big cat…lion. Harry was not a shifter though, so how? And then he remembered his stories about his father and godfather and felt a flash of pride at Harry's skill. He had said the animagus transformation was one of the most difficult spells to master. He reached out to him through the Marks, feeling the lions mind and instincts, giving him a far greater insight into big cats than he'd ever had. Lions were pride animals and that was something Harry didn't have, perhaps that was why he appeared to have bonded to the young leopard so quickly? "Ms Blake protected several members of the Pard from the Master of Beasts, but she could not save them all."

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Anita walked beside Jean-Claude back towards his bedroom, Richard had left a few minutes ago and she wasn't sure if that was a relief or if she was disappointed. No matter what, she still loved him and likely always would. Jean-Claude paused outside a closed door down the hall from his own. "Jean-Claude?"

"This is the room I gave Asher, ma petite."

"Are they back?" she asked, she couldn't feel a vampire within though.

"Non," he knocked on the door and then opened it and she followed him inside to see Jason on the bed, curled around a stranger.

"Jason?" she called and the figure he was holding stiffened.

"It's okay Nathaniel," Jason whispered before turning to look at them. "Harry brought him here, asked me to stay with him till he gets back."

"Is he alright?" Anita asked, walking forward and then she felt the energy of more than one shifter.

Jean-Claude approached and glanced at Anita. "Nathaniel, he is a recent hire at Guilty Pleasure's, a wereleopard."

"Harry said he found Nathaniel almost dead in an alley," Jason offered quietly, gently rubbing Nathaniel's back.

Anita looked down just as lavender eyes opened, she had never seen an eye colour like it before. He met her eyes for a second before dropping his gaze, hiding behind a curtain of auburn hair. She glanced at Jean-Claude before kneeling down to be at Nathaniel's level. "Who hurt you?" she asked as gently as she could.

He flinched back into Jason who held him gently. "it's okay Nathaniel, Anita works with the cops. They can find and arrest the people who hurt you."

"Didn't see them," he whispered. "Grabbed me from behind."

"Do you know where?" Anita asked, maybe a camera picked up on it or there was a witness or something. He just shrugged and Anita sighed. She would have to wait and ask Harry when they returned.

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Harry blinked as Zane crawled to him, clinging to his ankles and crying. He looked up at Asher who chuckled in amusement.

"It seems you have inherited a Pard, petit sorcier," he smirked, and Harry sighed.

"Get up Zane," Harry ordered firmly but not harshly, and the leopard obeyed, keeping his eyes lowered. "No more pimping out the leopards, understand?" that got a nod. "I want you to bring them all here at 2pm tomorrow so I can meet them."

"Yes alpha."

"Good, now go home and get some sleep, once you make sure the others aren't in danger."

Zane nodded and left the room and Harry slumped down on the couch, Asher sitting beside him.

"Congratulations on completing the animagus transformation."

"Thanks. Want to see?"

"Of course," Asher smiled as Harry scrambled up and then he was staring at a black maned lion. "Incredible," he reached out and Harry padded closer, letting him bury his hands in warm fur. He blurred and then Asher's hands were in black hair.

"I left Jason watching Nathaniel in your room, we should go back."

"Of course." He stood and took Harry's hand, seconds later the room was empty.

TBC…