"You made it personal last night with Raina, Anita. You have no idea how dangerous she is. I wanted you to have everyone's protection in case something happened to me."
I looked up at him. "You will kill Marcus if he jumps you, right? No more being squeamish." I touched his arm. I studied his face. "Answer me, Richard."
He nodded, finally. "I won't let him kill me."
"You will kill him; promise me."
His jaw tightened, the muscle thrumming. "I promise."
"Well, hallelujah," Sylvie said. She stared at me. "I withdraw my challenge. You aren't dominant to me, but you can be his alpha female. You're a good influence on him." She stepped back into the circle, but didn't kneel. "Come on Neal," she said, "let it go."
He shook his head. "No, she isn't one of us. She can't be. I won't acknowledge her as alpha."
"All you have to do is prove to Neal that you're serious," Sylvie said. "You just have to make him hurt a little."
"Since he could probably survive a direct hit with a mack truck, how am I supposed to hurt him?"
She shrugged.
"I didn't think anyone would challenge you. I'm sorry," Richard said.
"You expect people to be nice, Richard. It's one of your best qualities and greatest weaknesses," I said.
"Refuse the challenge, Anita."
"If I refuse, then what?"
"It's over. You won't be a member of the pack, but I can order them to protect you from Raina. It's almost as good."
"I told you, I don't want anyone being ordered to take a bullet for me. Besides, no way am I volunteering to go one on one with a lycanthrope. I'll keep my gun, thanks anyway."
The doorbell rang. It was probably Edward. Damn. I looked at the little group, and even though they were in human form, he'd know what they were. He was better at smelling monsters than I was, at least live ones. "If you guys can tone it down a bit, I'll get the door."
"Edward?" Richard made it a question.
"Probably," I said.
He stared around at the group. "Everybody up off the floor. He's another normal."
They got to their feet, slowly, almost reluctantly. They seemed almost intoxicated, as if the power in the room had done more for them than for me.
I went for the door. I was halfway to it when Richard yelled, "No!"
I dropped to the ground, rolling, and felt the air whistling over me where Neal had swung. If he'd been any good at fighting, he'd have nailed me. The missed swing put him off balance, and I foot-swept him to the floor, but he got to his feet again before I could stand, like there were springs in his spine. It was impressive as hell.
"Stop it, Neal," Sylvie said.
"She didn't refuse the challenge. It's my right."
I scuttled backwards, still on the ground, not sure what to do. The closed drapes of the picture window were at my back if I stood up. I wasn't sure standing up was my best bet. "Give me the rules, quick," I said.
"First blood," Sylvie said. "Human form only."
"If he shapeshifts, you can shoot him," Richard said.
"Agreed," Sylvie said, others murmured their agreement.
Peachy. Neal leaped for me, leaving the ground completely, hands outstretched. I came up on one knee, grabbed his jacket, and rolled on my back, letting his amazing momentum carry us both. I shoved both feet into his stomach and pushed with everything I had. He flew over me in a near perfect arc. He'd set himself up for a textbook tomoe-nage throw.
He smashed through the window, taking the curtain with him. I rolled to my feet and stared at the gaping window. Broken shards of glass sprinkled onto the carpet and the yard beyond. Neal struggled out of the curtain, blood running down his face where the glass had cut him.
Edward was on the ground in a combat stance, gun out. He pointed it at Neal, as he struggled free of the curtain.
"Don't shoot him," I said. "I think the fight's over."
Neal stood, kicking free of the clinging curtain. "I'll kill you."
I drew the Firestar and pointed it at him. "I don't think so."
Richard stepped up beside me. "She drew first blood, Neal. The fight is over, unless you want to fight me, too."
"And me," Sylvie said. She stepped up on the other side of Richard. The rest of the pack stepped up behind us. Stephen crouched at my feet.
"She is pack now," Sylvie said. "You fight one of us, and you fight all of us."
Edward raised his eyebrows at me. "What is going on, Anita?"
"I think I've been adopted," I said.
Neal glared at me.
"Do it, Neal," Sylvie said.
Neal knelt in the glass and the curtain. The cuts were already beginning to heal on his face. Glass wasn't silver or the claws of another monster, so he healed almost magically.
"You are dominant. You are alpha." The words were dragged from his throat. "If this window hadn't been here, you couldn't have bloodied me."
"Why do you think I moved in front of it, Neal?" I asked.
His eyes squinted. "You planned this?"
I nodded and raised my gun skyward. "I'm not just another pretty face."
Richard took my left hand, squeezing it gently. "That's the God's honest truth."
I put up the Firestar.
Edward shook his head, smiling, but didn't put his gun up. He did stop pointing it at anyone. "You are the only person I know who leads a more interesting life than I do."
Jason patted me on the back. "Tomorrow night we'll take you out chasing deer."
"I thought you'd chase cars," I said.
He grinned. "What fun is that? Cars don't bleed."
I smiled, and then stopped. His eyes were as innocent as spring skies, as joyous, and staring into them, I wasn't sure if he was kidding me or not. I almost asked, but didn't. I wasn't sure I wanted to know.
12
Edward was five foot eight, with blond hair cut very short and close to his head. He was blue-eyed and the epitome of WASP breeding. He was also the most dangerous man I'd ever met, living or dead.
He was amused as hell by the gathering of lycanthropes. The group broke up soon after his arrival, mainly because all the business had been taken care of. The meeting had mainly been a last-ditch effort to convince Richard to compromise his morals and kill someone. Barring that, for him to pick a lupa who would kill for him. We'd sort of killed two birds with one stone, pun intended. But I was very aware that I'd gotten lucky with Neal. If he'd had a background in any martial art, if he'd known anything about fighting, I'd have been toast.
Richard had boarded up the broken window and had a call in to a glass repair shop that was willing, for an exorbitant fee, to come out and repair the damage immediately. I'd offered to pay for the damages since I made them.
Edward, Richard, and I sat around the kitchen table. Edward and I sipped coffee. Richard drank tea. One of his few serious faults was a total dislike of coffee. Hard to trust a man who won't drink coffee.
"What have you found out?" I asked.
Edward sipped his coffee and shook his head. "Not much. The contract has been picked up."
"Even with the time limit?" I asked.
He nodded.
"When is the twenty-four hours up?" I asked.
"Let's say two o'clock. I got the offer about one o'clock last night, but we'd add an hour to be safe."
"To be safe," Richard said. I think it was sarcasm.
"What's wrong with you?" I asked.
"Am I the only one in this room who's worried?"
"Panicking won't help, Richard."
He stood up, emptying his mug in the sink and rinsing it automatically. He turned, leaning his butt against the cabinets, arms crossed over his chest. "You need a clear head to plan?"
I nodded. "Yeah."
He stared at us. I watched him thinking about something serious. He finally said, "I don't understand how the two of you can be calm. I'm shocked that someone has put a contract out on Anita. Neither of you is shocked."
I looked at Edward, and he looked back at me. We had one of those moments of perfect understanding, and I knew I couldn't explain it to Richard. I wasn't even sure I could explain it to myself. "I've stayed alive this long because I don't react the way most people react."
"You've stayed alive because you're willing to do things other people aren't."