For Love and Death

Ch.1

Disclaimer: I do not own the Anita Blake series. I am only making a story to it. The characters are still the same, I made my own character to it.

A sunny, Sunday afternoon. High heels clicked softly against the dark grey sidewalk. Long slender pale legs and a knee high, black skirt that attached to a blood red tank top. Long black hair with multiple streaks flowed over the shoulders of the woman. The woman's face held deep hazel eyes that gleamed in the sun set's light. A smile was placed on her beautiful face. Her smile was one of the brightest. It can lighten up any man's day anytime. There were times where she'd be seen in only dark clothes. But don't get me wrong, there are occasions where she'd wear flamboyant colors. Today just wasn't that day. Shinrae Jones always had other plans when it came to wearing what, where. Now that she'd become someone most men would love to date, she always worried about how she looked. Pretty makeup, fancy hair, and elegant clothes are all she needed. Even though she was 325 years old, she still held onto a 18 year olds looks. That's the age when she died.

She'd become a monster after being attacked by both a vampire and a were leopard. Not many people noticed at all. Only her friends and people she trusted knew what she truly was. When she was a human no one knew she was there. She was invisible and her feelings were always the same. Hurt, confused, and alone. That's what she was. Becoming a monster finally got her to be noticed. Fancy that. She came into St. Louis about 8 years ago when she met a vampire executioner. They became friends and thought of eachother as family. Apparently Shinrae's problems weren't as complicated as Anita's. Anita was both Lupa for the were wolves and Nimir-Ra of the were leopards. Anita got tired of being both and decided to become Lupa full time with Richard. She gave the title of Nimir-Ra to Shinrae, even though that's against the rules of becoming a pack leader, but Anita enforced the rule. Shinrae never felt so happy in her life. It's so great to have friends.

"Shinrae wait up!!" A voice called out from behind her. She turned around to see a man running up to her. Out of breath and looked to be in need of a drink. The man had on a green, silk dress shirt equipped with black pants and dark colored shoes. His ankle length, auburn hair flew in the breeze as he ran. He had a smile implanted on his face. His smile looked cat-like. So did his features. Pretty strange if he was a human. Good thing he wasn't or things would be pretty weird. Shinrae smiled at him and when his lavender eyes met her hazel, the man's smile grew larger.

"Nathaniel I thought I told you I was only going to get some ice cream." Shinrae said as she waited for him to catch up. She didn't need to scream it to him since he could hear it just fine. Once Nathaniel caught up to her, she offered her hand to him. He took her hand lovingly. Were leopards can give comfort by touching. It's a normal habit. Shinrae never minded. He gleamed down at her from being 5'6 and her being 5'5. Being that height didn't help, but as long as she wasn't that short she never cared.

"But I don't want my Nimir-Ra to be traveling the streets alone. Anita would kill me if something happened to you. You know how close the two of you gotten." Nathaniel said and Shinrae just shook her head with a smile.

"But it wouldn't be your fault. It's my own stupid fault if I die. Not yours. I told her I'd try not to get into too much trouble." Nathaniel laughed and gripped Shinrae's hand lightly, but put on a serious face fast when he thought about it.

"Shinrae, Anita would still kill me if you died and I was there when it happened. If you die then my head would be served on a silver platter." Shinrae laughed.

"Nathaniel, Nathaniel, Nathaniel. That's just silly. She would never kill you. And besides I'm not afraid of death, nor will I ever be. Being a were leopard and partially vampire has its advantages. I still don't understand how I can be part vampire and not burn in the sun…" Shinrae started leading Nathaniel down the sidewalk like a mother would direct a child through a busy crowd. Nathaniel always seemed childish to her, though she would never say that out loud. That would hurt his feelings and besides all that. He just turned 19. That's a pretty old age. Well…325 is pretty old too…She sighed, but thought of something. Could she die again?? Or would she live even longer?? Oh God she would shoot herself if that happened… She's old enough and feeling that way too…Nathaniel looked at her suspiciously and Shinrae just shook her head. Coming back to reality again here. She smiled at him again and walked briskly with Nathaniel.

"Why don't you have a boyfriend or a lover, Shinrae? I always wondered that for a while…" Shinrae laughed again. Shinrae? A boyfriend? Wow now theres a thought…Why didn't she have a boyfriend? She made a small noise as if she was thinking and Nathaniel stared at her. Shinrae stopped walking, but she was still holding Nathaniel's hand so he had to either stop too or drag her. Dragging her wouldn't be a good idea so he stopped.

"Never thought about having one I guess. None of them seem worthy enough." Nathaniel pouted at her and Shinrae looked at him. Opps… "Nathaniel I didn't mean you weren't worthy. I'm not attracted to you in that way. I'm supposed to be your Nimir-Ra. That's my job. Having a boyfriend would just complicate things for me. Atleast… That's what I think anyways." Nathaniel looked to feel alittle better then he got a sly little smirk on his face.

"What about Jason? I saw you looking at him when he was on stage that one night. You never looked at another man like that. I'll admit he's cute and everything. Why not go for him? Ever thought about it?" He nudged Shinrae playfully and Shinrae blushed a bright red.

"Oh come on Nathaniel! That's impossible. He likes Anita. He would never go for me…I'm not that pretty or attractive like all the other girls he's been with…And besides we hardly know eachother. What's so interesting about me anyways? Nothing. So I don't think so Nathaniel." Nathaniel gave her a coy smile. He's thinking of something bad. Something that would put a blush on Shinrae's face instantly… Oh no…Here it comes…Hide your face Shinrae…

"You have a lot of interesting things about you. And besides. I saw the way he looked at you that one night when you sang Lady Marmalade. He asked me who you were and it seemed like his jaw weighed about 100 lbs. when you took off the leather jacket to flaunt off that torn up leather half-shirt. I'm glad I picked out your outfit that night or I would have never seen Jason look like that."

Shinrae blushed more and even darker than before. She did have a small crush on the blond haired, baby blue eyed man. Jason was one of the first people she ever really liked. Well…Actually…The only…Sad isn't it? Asher was beautiful to her, but Jason was much, much more. He was in her dreams a couple times before. The first time she saw that man strip on stage she was blown over. Never ever has she seen a man as sexy as Jason. Of course she had seen Nathaniel strip on stage, but she doesn't feel that way about him as she feels towards Jason. Why would Jason want her anyways? Shinrae shook her head and stared at Nathaniel seriously.

"Lets just go get some ice cream…We'll deal with the subject of boyfriends later." Nathaniel nodded, but still looked smug. How dare he…Sly little devil that he is… They both continued to walk down the sidewalk. This time in silence. Boys…Will they ever learn to not question a woman about their love lives?