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y from me； and I didn't have to see his eyes to feel the pain。
I grabbed his hand and wrapped my fingers around those long； thin bones。 I felt muscles under my hands that had never been in Richard's hand before。 It took everything I had to hold that hand。 To touch him like that。 Everything。 The effort left me shaking and unable to meet his eyes。 I didn't trust what he'd see in them。
He touched my chin with his other hand and turned me slowly to face him。 He stared down at me。 〃I can taste your fear； and I like it。 Do you understand？ I like it。〃
I had to clear my throat to talk。 〃I noticed；〃 I said。
He had the grace to blush。 He bent slowly to kiss me。 I didn't try to stop him； but I didn't help； either。 I usually rose on tiptoe to meet him halfway。 I stood there； too scared to move； forcing his tall body to bend at the shoulders； to fold down towards me。 The long； thin…fingered hand that I was holding convulsed around me； the claws playing lightly on my bare forearm。
I tensed； and his power poured over me。 I held onto his hand while the muscles and bones slid back into place。 I held on with both hands while his hand re…formed under mine。 My skin shuddered with the spill of power。
His lips brushed mine； and I kissed him back； almost swaying。 I let go of his hand； my fingers brushed his bare chest； playing over his hardened nipples。 His hands slid around my waist； fingers kneading upward； over my ribs； along my spine。 He whispered into my mouth； 〃You're not wearing anything under this T…shirt。〃
〃I know；〃 I said。
His hands slid under the shirt； caressing my back； pressing our bodies together。 His naked body touched me； and even through my jeans； it made me shudder。 I wanted to feel his naked flesh against mine so badly； I could feel it like a hunger in my skin。 I slipped the T…shirt off； and he made a sound of surprise。
He stared down at my bare breasts； and he wasn't the only one excited。 He ran his hands over my breasts； and when I didn't stop him； he dropped to his knees in front of me。 He looked up at me； his brown eyes filled with a dark light。
I kissed him while he knelt in front of me； as if I'd eat him from the mouth down。 The feel of him against my naked flesh was almost too much。
He broke from the kiss and ran his mouth over my breasts。 It brought a surprised moan from my throat。
There was a knock at the door。 We froze。 A woman's voice that I didn't recognize said； 〃I didn't e all this way to listen to you make out； Richard。 I'd like to remind you that all of us have incredibly good hearing。〃
〃Not to mention sense of smell。〃 That was Jason。
〃Damn；〃 he said softly； head buried against me。
I leaned my head over him； burying my face in his hair。 〃I think I'll just climb out the window。〃
He hugged me around the waist and stood； passing his hands over my breasts one last time。 〃I can't tell you how long I've wanted to do that。〃
He reached for his jeans and underpants still lying on the bed。 I touched his arm； bringing his attention back to me。
〃I want you； Richard。 I love you。 I want you to believe that。〃
He stared at me； his face grew strange and solemn。 〃You haven't seen me change into a wolf yet。 You need to see that before we go any further。〃
The thought did not excite me； and I was glad I was the girl； so it didn't show。 〃You're right； though if you'd played your cards right； we might have had sex first。〃
〃It wouldn't be fair to you。〃
〃So you're saying even if we'd been alone you'd have stopped and shapeshifted。〃
He nodded。
〃Because it wouldn't be fair to sleep with me until I'd seen the whole package？〃
〃Exactly。〃
〃You are such a boy scout； Richard。〃
〃I think I just lost one of my merit badges；〃 he said。 The look on his face brought a rush of heat up my neck。
He grinned and slipped on his pants。 He wore briefs。 He pulled on his jeans and was careful zipping them up。 I watched him get dressed with a proprietary air。 An air of anticipation。
I picked the T…shirt up from the floor and pulled it back on。 Richard came up behind me； sliding his hands under the shirt； cupping a hand around each breast； kneading them。 I leaned back against him。 He was the one who stopped； hugging me around the waist； picking me an inch off the floor。 He turned me around and gave me a quick kiss。 〃When you make up your mind to do something； you really make up your mind； don't you？〃
〃Always；〃 I said。
He took in a deep breath through his nose and out through his mouth。 〃I'd try to make it a quick meeting； but 。 。 。〃
〃Edward should be here soon； so it doesn't matter。〃
He nodded； his face falling。 〃I almost forgot that someone was trying to kill you。〃 He cupped my face in his hands and kissed me； eyes searching my face。 〃Be careful。〃
I touched the bandage on his shoulder。 〃You； too。〃
He pulled a black T…shirt from a drawer and slipped it on。 He tucked it into his jeans； and I made myself stay away from him while he fumbled with his zipper。 〃Join us after you get dressed。〃
I nodded。 〃Sure。〃 He left； closing the door behind him。 I sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed。 Damn。 I didn't want to lose Richard。 I really didn't。 I wanted to sleep with him。 I wasn't sure how I felt about seeing him change into full animal form。 The hand thing had bothered me enough。 What if I couldn't take it？ What if it was too gross？ Dear God； I hoped not。 I hoped I was a better person than that。 A stronger person than that。
Richard was afraid that if he started to kill； he'd just keep killing。 It wasn't a pletely unreasonable fear。 I hugged myself tight。 The feel of his body against mine clung to my skin。 The feel of his mouth on me 。 。 。 I shivered； and it wasn't fear。 It was stupid to love Richard。 Having sex with him would make it worse。 He was going to be dead soon if he didn't kill Marcus。 Simple as that。 Jean…Claude would never have endangered himself like that。 Never。 You could always trust Jean…Claude to survive。 It was one of his talents。 I was almost sure it wasn't one of Richard's。 Last night should have proved to me beyond any doubt that I should dump him。 Or that he should dump me。 You could agree to disagree on politics； or even religion sometimes； but you either killed people or you didn't。 Homicide was not something you could be neutral on。
Jean…Claude didn't mind killing people。 Once upon a time； I'd thought that made him monstrous。 Now I agreed with him。 Will the real monster please stand up？
11
l'd finally gotten dressed； red polo shirt； black jeans； black Nikes； the Firestar 9mm in its inner…pants holster。 The gun was very visible against the red shirt； but hey； why try to hide it？ Besides； I could feel the roil of power just outside the door。 Shapeshifters； not all of them happy。 Strong emotions make it harder to hide their power。 Richard was one of the best at hiding it that I'd ever met。 He'd fooled me for a while； made me think he was human。 No one else had ever been able to do that。
I looked at myself in the mirror and realized that it wasn't facing a room full of lycanthropes that bothered me； it was facing a room full of people who knew that Richard and I had been making out。 I preferred danger to embarrassment any day。 I was used to danger。
The bathroom was just off the living room； so when I opened the door； they were all there； clustered on or around the couch。 They glanced at me as I stepped out； and I nodded。 〃Hello。〃
Rafael said； 〃Hello； Anita。〃 He was the Rat King； the wererats equivalent of pack leader。 He was tall； dark； and handsome with strong Mexican features that made his face seem stern。 Only his lips hinted that perhaps there were more smiles than frowns in him。 He was wearing a short…sleeved dress shirt that left the brand on his arm bare。 The brand was in the shape of a crown； and was the mark of kingship。 There was no equivalent mark among the wolves。 Being a lycanthrope meant different things； depending on the animal； different cultures as well as forms。
〃I didn't know the wererats would be interested in the packs' internal squabbles；〃 I said。
〃Marcus is trying to unify all shapeshifters under one leader。〃
〃Let me guess；〃 I said； 〃he gets to be leader。〃
Rafael gave a small smile。 〃Yes。〃
〃So you've thrown in with Richard as the lesser evil？〃 I made it a question。
〃I've thrown in with Richard because he is a man of his word。 Marcus has no honor。 His bitch Raina has seen to that。〃
〃I still think if we killed Raina； Marcus might be willing to talk with us。〃 This from a woman who I thought I'd seen before but couldn't place。 She sat on the floor sipping coffee from a mug。 She had short blond hair； and was wearing a pink nylon jogging suit； jacket open over a pink T…shirt。 It was a jogging suit made for looking at； not working out in； and I remembered her。 I'd seen her at the Lunatic Cafe； Raina's restaurant。 Her name was Christine。 She wasn't a wolf； she was a weretiger。 She was here to speak on behalf of the independent shapeshifters。 Those who didn't have enough people to have a leader。 Not every kind of lycanthropy was equally contagious。 You could get cut to pieces by a weretiger and not get it。 A werewolf could barely cut you and you got furry。 Almost none of the cat…based lycanthropy was as contagious as wolf and rat。 No one knew why。 It was just the way it worked。
Richard introduced me to about fifteen others； first names only。
I said hi and leaned against the wall by the door。 The couch was full； and so was the floor。 Besides； I liked being out of reach of any shapeshifter I didn't know。 Just a precaution。
〃Actually； I've met Christine before；〃 I said。
〃Yes；〃 Christine said； 〃the night you killed Alfred。〃
I shrugged。 〃Yeah。〃
〃Why didn't you kill Raina last night when you had the chance？〃 she said。
Before I could answer； Richard interrupted。 〃If we kill Raina；〃 he said； 〃Marcus will hunt us all down。〃
〃I don't think he's up to the job；〃 Sylvie said。
Richard shook his head。 〃No； I still won't give up on Marcus。〃
No one said anything； but the looks on their faces were enough。 They agreed with me。 Richard was going to get himself killed and hang his followers out to dry。
Louie came out of the kitchen carrying two mugs of coffee。 He smiled at me。 Louie was Richard's best friend； and he'd gone on a lot of hiking dates with us。 He was five foot six； with eyes darker than my own； true black； not just darkest brown。 His baby…fine black hair had been cut recently。 He'd worn it long for all the time I'd known him； not a fashion statement like Richard； he just never got around to getting it cut。 Now it was short enough that his ears showed； and he looked older； more like a professor with a doctorate in biology。 He was a wererat； and one of Rafael's lieutenants。 He handed me one of the mugs。
〃These meetings have been so much more pleasant since Richard bought that coffeemaker。 Thanks to you。〃
I took a big breath of coffee； and felt better instantly。 Coffee might not be a cure…all； but it was close。 〃I'm not sure everyone is happy to see me。〃
〃They're scared。 It makes them a little hostile。〃
Stephen came out of the guest room dressed in clothes that fit too well to be Richard's。 A blue dress shirt； tucked into faded blue jeans。 The only man in the room that was close to Richard's size was Jason。 Jason never minded sharing his clothes。
〃Why does everyone look so grim？〃 I asked。
Louie leaned against the wall； sipping coffee。 〃Jean…Claude withdrew his support of Marcus and threw in with Richard。 I can't believe neither of them mentioned that。〃
〃They said something about having formed a bargain； but they didn't explain。〃 I thought about what he'd just told me。 〃Marcus must be pissed。〃
The smile faded from his face。 〃That is an understatement。〃 He looked at me。 〃You don't understand； do you？〃
〃Understand what？〃 I asked。
〃Without Jean…Claude's backing； Marcus doesn't stand a chance of forcing the rest of the shapeshifters under his control。 His dreams of empire building are finished。〃
〃If he doesn't stand a chance； why is everyone so worried？〃
Louie gave a sad smile。 〃What Marcus can't control； he has a tendency to kill。〃
〃You mean he'd start a war？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Not just with Richard and the pack； you mean； but an all…out war with a