Page 43 of Rafael (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter 28)

“We do not beg the vampires for anything,” Rafael growled at her.

“If the vampire is there tonight and can call rats, then you being my beast half without me there with you isn’t going to be as strong as if I were a real vampire,” I reminded him.

“With you by my side, how much stronger would it be?”

“A lot,” Nathaniel and I said in unison.

“Let her bring one extra person with her,” Claudia said.

“It will undermine her claim as queen.”

“Not as much as her not being there at all,” Benito said.

Rafael looked at the two wererats. “You, too, Benito?”

“I don’t understand all the metaphysics, my king, but I know that changing her into one of us and losing the closeness I feel between her and the leopards is poor repayment for her risking her life for us tonight.”

“She risks her life to save all that Jean-Claude and Micah have built,” Rafael said.

“My king,” Benito said, and just that, but Rafael’s face softened out of that arrogant handsomeness that he hid behind sometimes, usually when he knew he wasn’t going to win an argument.

“I give you my word, Jean-Claude, Micah, Nathaniel, Anita, that I will not do anything tonight to call your rat above the others. I was drunk the way you can be when a power first manifests itself, but I am a king and I am better than that. I will not betray the trust you have in me.”

“How do I trust you with my gut still aching from what you did?” I asked.

“I have given you my word, Anita. In all the years we’ve known each other, have I ever broken my vow?”

I stared at him and finally said, “No, you haven’t.”

“Your word is good,” Micah said.

Nathaniel said, “Your word is good, but I felt your power and your force of will. I knew you were king, but I didn’t understand what that meant, until now.”

“All kings are powerful, or we would not be kings of our animal groups,” Rafael said.

Nathaniel shook his head, hard enough for his hair to fly around his face. “I don’t mean that. I mean I could literally feel your will, your willpower pressing on me when we were... inside Anita just now. Your strength of purpose is frightening, Rafael.”

“Is that a complaint or a compliment?” he asked.

“Neither, both.”

“I must go and change for the fight, and prepare myself mentally, so if you have a point, make it.” There wasa touch of irritation, almost anger, which was unusual for him. Shit, I hoped he didn’t get any of my anger issues.

“Let Anita have one person with her like Micah did.”

“Claudia will stay with her.”

“Someone not rat.”

“I gave you my word.”

“I’m not worried about your honor; I’m worried about the energy of that many wererats in that close a proximity to Anita just after she’s made you her rat to call.”

“No one mentioned that was a problem before,” Rafael said.

“I hadn’t felt her rat be stronger than I’ve ever felt it inside her. Now I have.”

“What do you mean?” Micah asked.

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