Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, etc. LKH does.

 

Title: Who Am I Talking To?

Written by: Charlie

 

The message light on my answering machine was flashing exuberantly. It seemed to take great pleasure in keeping me from my much needed sleep, and the intermittent red dot looked very much like it was smirking at me. Paranoid? Who, me? Nah.

 

I scowled at it in the hopes that it would go away, but I had no such luck. In fact, if anything, it seemed to take a smug satisfaction from my irritation. Evil creature. I sighed and pressed play.

 

"Anita, it's Edward. I need you in Santa Fe. You're on the next flight out, so hurry up. I'll pick you up at the airport." and that was that. It didn't occur to me until I was already in the air, clutching at the armrests with a determined ferocity, that I could have just said no.

 

*****

Edward was waiting for me when I got off the plane. Well, maybe I should say 'Ted' was waiting for me. The Stetson, belt and 'come-hither' smile were a big clue as to which persona I was meeting today.Great. More fucking mind games. I was so not in the mood for this.

 

"Anita." he drawled at me, grinning all the while. I glared at him, but that just made him grin even wider. "A bit grouchy today, are we, Anita? Lack of sleep? Don't worry, I'll take you straight to bed." he waggled his eyebrows at me as I narrowed my eyes.

 

"Where's the new-age Barbie?" I asked, quickly changing the subject. He shrugged.

"Probably with her new husband."

"What?" I gaped at him.

"She decided she and the kids would be safer if we went our separate ways, and last month she married Becca's school teacher."

"I'm sorry Edward." I lied.

"I'm not. She was starting to bore me anyway. Actually, it's a pity she didn't marry some other school teacher we know. Donna and Richard would have been perfect for each other. They both set my teeth on edge."

 

I bit my cheeks to keep from laughing. "I'm done with Richard now anyway. Jean Claude too. It's just not working out. They keep trying to change me."

"Now that's the best news I've heard all day. Let's go celebrate."

 

I was so shocked I didn't even comment on that. Bully for me.

 

*****

 

Later that evening, after I had gotten five hours of uninterrupted sleep, and we sat on the sofa watching an old movie about some Pueblo Indian village, I realised that Edward still hadn't told me what he'd brought me to Santa Fe for.

 

"Edward?"

"Anita?" he deadpanned.

"It's explanation time."

"Not just yet."

"Edward, stop playing games. Quit it with the cryptic crap, and stop keeping things from me just for the fun of it."

"But Anita, darling, " he drawled, "You're so cute when you're grouchy!"

"Okay, 'Ted', you wanna play? We'll play."

 

Slowly, all the warmth drained from his eyes, until they became nothing but icy blue slits of emptiness. I almost shuddered.

 

"I'm not playing, Anita." Edward whispered, "I'm deadly serious."

"Fine." I scowled.

"You wanna take a bubble bath?" Ted grinned wickedly, and I blinked at the sudden change in his personality.

"Is Edward real?" I asked suddenly.

"Of course he is. I'm right here, aren't I?"

"Yes, but what about Ted? And any other personalities you have hiding under that shirt of yours?"

"Ted's just as real. He's in the memories of people all across America. And look, " he solemnly took his shirt off, revealing a well-muscled chest that momentarily distracted me from my purpose, "There's nobody else hiding here. Feel free to have a peek around." Ted encouraged slyly.

 

Involuntarily, I started reaching out towards his chest, but caught myself at the last minute, and stopped in embarrassment. But Edward grabbed my hand and slowly placed it across his abdomen. We both gasped. I realised that I had been longing for Edward for a long time. I just hadn't admitted it, not even to myself.

 

And then we were kissing. Damn, but that man knows how to kiss. It was way better than either Jean Claude or Richard. I moaned into his throat and wrapped my arms around his neck. He pulled me into his lap so I could feel his growing excitement. I was in heaven.

 

And then the phone rang.

 

Cursing, Edward pulled himself away from me and picked up the receiver. "What?" his tone was harsh. He didn't appreciate being interrupted. Damn it, neither did I! I hate phones. "We'll be right there." Edward was saying.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"There's been a murder, definitely preternatural. They want Ted to track and kill the shifter."

"Do you always talk about yourself in the third person?" I asked grumpily.

 

"I'm not Ted."

"Then who is?"

"Why, I am sugar." he drawled. I growled.

 "Sometimes I'm damn sure you have a multiple personality disorder."

"No. I know who the real me is." he was Edward again.

"Oh? And who would that be?"

"Edward." and he was suddenly even colder. His eyes were blank, masking his emotions. Those were his killing eyes.

"And who are you now?" I questioned cautiously.

"Death." he stated.

"Shit Edward. Quit it with the multiple personalities. You're freaking me out!"

 

He laughed, and he was Edward again. Out of all his personalities, I have to say that I like Edward the best. I sure as hell didn't mind kissing him.

 

*****

 

We climbed into Edward's car, and I got the surprise of my life when he turned the engine on and the speakers blared into life. Bon Jovi was playing. I almost laughed.

"Well Edward, I figured you for a more of a heavy metal kind of guy."

"But sweetie-pie, nobody compares to Bon Jovi don't you know?" Ted drawled.

"What's with the car anyway? It's not very 'Ted'." I let the sweetie-pie comment drop - for now. See, I can be pleasant occasionally.

 

"No, but it's sure better for tracking killers. Those damn Ford trucks that Ted favours are such big targets. Honestly, they're practically useless in a chase."

"I see. And is it Edward or Ted that likes Bon Jovi?"

"Why it's Edward, of course." he grinned, "Ted prefers country music."

"And what about Death?"

"Death doesn't like music. Noise is just a distraction when you're killing someone."

 

I rolled my eyes and decided that it would be safer if I just changed the subject. "Where are we going?" I asked as we drove over a bridge in the middle of nowhere.

"Crime scene." he answered.

"Who was killed?"

"Name of Jessica Greenway. Nineteen years old."

"Shit."

"Yeah."

 

We finally arrived at the crime scene at about midnight. The cliff was very high up, and the landscape was dotted with bushes. But hey, who am I to complain? At least the darkness partially hid the blood. A few policemen were gathered outside of the tape.

 

Very carefully, we examined the scene. The girl was lying face down in a pool of blood, and her back was almost completely clawed apart. Entrails were spewing out of the opening. It had not been an easy death. I forced myself to take shallow breaths through my mouth, and tried to keep my dinner down.

 

"It's definitely lycanthrope, Edward." I said. He ignored me. "Edward? No human could have caused this much damage. Look at those marks on her back. They're obviously claw marks." He still didn't answer. "Shit Edward. I might as well be talking to the man on the moon, for all the response I'm getting out of you."

"Listen." he hissed. So I did.

 

At first I didn't hear anything, but then out of the darkness came a faint rustling sound. The killer was coming back. I drew my Beretta from its holster, noticing that Edward had already drawn his gun. Quietly, I aimed it at the bushes and sighted down the barrel.

 

I was shocked to see Richard stepping out of the darkness, holding a young woman against him so that I couldn't shoot without hurting her. The policemen drew their guns too. I felt myself grow calm, and went to my killing place. The place where I feel nothing.

 

"Richard." I said calmly, "What's going on here?"

"Hello Anita." he snarled, "Edward."

"What are you doing in Santa Fe?" I asked.

"I followed you."

"Why?"

"Because I knew you were coming to see him!"

"You have a problem with Anita seeing me?" Edward butted in, obviously planning something.

"You know I do." he snarled again. Something bad had happened to him, sent him over the edge. The Richard before me wasn't the Richard I knew. I prepared myself to kill him and had a momentary flash of regret, but quickly quenched it. What does it say about me, that I can kill so easily? I don't know. Maybe I'm becoming more like Edward every day. But at least I'm a survivor.

 

"Richard, " I began, "Let the girl go."

"No."

"Richard, what's happened to you?"

"What's happened to me? I killed someone Anita. I killed someone. And you wanna know what else? I enjoyed it! I enjoyed the feel of her blood running through my fingers, and the taste of her flesh on my tongue. But most of all, " he growled, "I enjoyed the way she begged for mercy, right up until the end. It was glorious, Anita. All these years, I never knew what I was missing!"

 

By now the girl in Richard's arms was whimpering loudly, tears streaming down her cheeks. She looked young, only about seventeen. Her hair was long and blonde, but was matted with something that looked suspiciously like blood, and her brown eyes were big and frightened. She was terrified, and with good reason. Richard was crazy!

 

"Hey, dog-breath!" Ted shouted, still grinning. Richard looked at him sharply, not understanding the change in his personality. I smiled.

"Don't call me that." Richard looked insulted.

"Or else what?" Edward said, and Richard became even more confused.

 

"I'll kill you." the werewolf snarled.

"No. You'll try to kill me." Death corrected him. I risked a glance at Edward. Yep. His eyes had gone blank again. Trust me to fall for a schizoid!

"What are you?" Richard asked him.

"Why, I'm just a little old bounty hunter." Ted drawled.

"Are you crazy?"

 

Edward just laughed. He was enjoying this. He'd wanted to kill Richard for a long time, and he was finally getting the chance. "No more games, " Death said, "Let the girl go, and fight like a real man."

 

Richard howled, flinging the girl aside and launching himself at Edward. He moved too fast for me to shoot him. Shit.

 

I spared a glance for the girl. She was crouched on the ground, drawing protective symbols into the dirt around her. So, she was a witch. Good for her.

 

Richard had knocked the gun out of Edward's hands, but not before he'd been shot in the shoulder. It looked painful. Good. He deserved it after the way he'd killed Jessica Greenway. Edward casually kicked the lycanthrope just above his kneecap, effectively dislocating his knee. I heard the crunch of bone, and took great satisfaction in Richard's obvious pain.

 

Edward and Richard were stood apart now, circling each other, and I took advantage of their distance. Without hesitating, I shot Richard in the head three times. I used silver bullets too, and even a werewolf doesn't get up from that.

 

I took a deep breath and suddenly felt a sharp pain in my chest. Shit. In the heat of the moment I'd forgotten about the triumvirate. I quickly put my mental shields up, in the hopes that they would protect me from Richard's death. They worked for a while, but I could feel them weakening and I knew that I was going to die.

 

But then Edward took hold of my hand, and I could feel his strength adding to mine, making my shields even more powerful. Minutes passed as I resisted the constant barrage, and then it stopped as suddenly as it had started. I grinned and squeezed Edward's hand, realizing that the worst was over.

 

Shit. That was actually kind of ironic. Death saved my life! I laughed and hugged Edward fiercely. He cuddled me back.

 

"Well, well, well. Isn't this a sweet sight." a voice came from the shadows. Both Edward and I drew our back-up guns.

"There's no need for that. I'm not here to kill you. Not tonight, anyway."

"Van Cleef." Edward said.

"The one and only."

"What do you want?" he kept his gun drawn.

"Just checking up on you. You know I like to keep an eye on all of my students."

"Yeah, and pigs fly."

 

Van Cleef laughed. "I'll see you around Edward." and he faded back into the darkness.

 

"What was all that about?" I asked as we holstered our guns and walked back to the car.

"I don't know. But it doesn't matter, because whatever it is, I'm ready for it.". I smiled at him and he smiled back. The young witch came running after us.

"Are you alright?" I checked.

"Yes, thanks to you two." she replied.

 

*****

 

The sun was already up when we got back to Edward's house, but we both fell straight into bed. I don't know about Edward, but I felt like I hadn't slept in a month. When I awoke, around noon, I immediately went  in search of a bath tub. I found one, along with some bubble bath that Donna must have left behind. Oh joy! Maybe that would get rid of some of the blood stains.

 

Sighing happily, I sunk into the tub full of bubbles, and reveled in the soothing heat of the water. I closed my eyes and leaned back against the tub.

 

"Is this a private party, or can anyone join?"

 

I opened my eyes hastily, and saw that Edward was stood just inside the doorway. Shit. He must have picked the lock. "Hi, sweetie-pie." Ted drawled.

"I swear down, if you call me that one more time you'll regret it."

"Sure thing, honeybunch! Care for some company?" He waggled his eyebrows at me wickedly.

"Not in your lifetime, TEDDY BEAR!" I scowled. Edward laughed.

 

"Anita, " he began, "I might have said this before, but you're so cute when you're grouchy!" He walked over to the edge of the tub and ruffled my hair. I glared at him.

 

Still smiling, he bent down and kissed me, and I completely forgot about being miffed at him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and tried to pull him closer as I moaned into his mouth. I guess I don't know my own strength, because I ended up pulling him into the tub with me. He looked at me in surprise, and then gave me that 'come-hither' grin of his, bubbles dripping from his clothes. "So, "  I said, "Is this Ted or Edward I'm sharing a bath with?"

"Edward." he replied immediately, "It's always Edward with you."

 

I smiled at him and pulled him to me again, ripping his shirt off his shoulders. "Well then, Edward. You're wearing far too many clothes."

 

We didn't leave the bathroom for a very long time.

 

*****

 

That evening as we lay in bed together, my head snuggled into his bare shoulder and my leg flung possessively over his, I traced my fingers across his chest and smiled. I hadn't been this happy since my mother died. "Edward?"

"Yes?"

"You never did tell me why you brought me to Santa Fe."

"I was lonely." he replied.

"Really?" I was shocked.

"Really."

 

We lay in silence for a few moments, reveling in our new-found intimacy. "Anita?" Edward said.

"Hmm?" I mumbled lazily, still touching him. He hissed as my knuckle grazed his nipple.

"I love you." he whispered. I stopped moving. Slowly, I looked up into his blue eyes and saw the raw emotions dancing in them. "I love you too." I smiled and kissed him.

 

And all was right with the world. 

 

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