Page 46 of Rafael (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter 28)

“Logically I know you are right, but I would like to look at him so strong and promising and think he might be mine.”

“And now you have to kill him,” I said.

“There is a faint chance that neither of us has to die tonight. I did offer, but it is doubtful that they will accept defeat that does not end in death, because that means if he wins, then I’m still king.”

“He’s probably not going to agree to that,” I said.

“No.”

“Then fight to win, because I’ll be there tonight and if you lose, he’ll try to take me.”

“Take you where?”

“Rafael, if the vampire could take over the wererats and kill me, Jean-Claude’s power base would be destroyed.”

“I did not think. You cannot come tonight.” He grabbed my upper arms and his fear for me was real.

“If she is there, then so am I,” Jean-Claude said.

“It’s a way to have his power there without the other vampire understanding that me being a necromancer makes me a much better conduit for vampiric powers than most human servants.”

He stared down at me, face almost pained, then hugged me close to him as he turned to look at Jean-Claude. “I told Anita she should seduce Hector if I die. I did not think that she might be the next target.”

“Even if he wins and slays you, he cannot just go into the crowd and start killing people,” Benito said.

“If he does, then he will not be our king for long,” Claudia added.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“If a challenger kills a king, but we hate him, then we kill him then and there while he’s still wounded,” Claudia explained.

“Wow, you guys really are harsh,” Nathaniel said.

“We have the most complete culture of all the animal groups in St. Louis, and one way we stayed strong and whole when others were torn apart by the power of the werewolves’ and the wereleopards’ old leaders was by being so ruthless that no one wanted to push us past a certain point.”

I hugged him one-armed around his waist. “Then I’m not in as much danger as I thought, which is good, but I’d rather have you alive than help kill Hector after you’re dead.”

“Good to know,” he said, looking down at me with almost a smile.

“Now kiss me like you meant it, and then I’ll see you at the fight later.”

That did make him smile. He leaned over and I went up to meet his kiss. He kissed me with his hands strong and searching on my body, so I returned the favor and his mouth was suddenly so eager at mine that it took my breath away. I forgot where we were and what was happening and it was just him in my arms, just us kissing and exploring each other’s bodies. It was only when he pulled my shirt out of my belt even with the gun holster that I broke the kiss laughing, a little nervous and breathless and happy.

He was breathless and laughing, too. “For such a kiss, I will fight harder.”

“Good, because I’m still hoping to talk you into that three-way.”

That made him laugh even more, and he left with laughter still lightening his features. Benito gave me a nod just before he closed the door behind them both.

The rest of us were quiet for a moment, and then Jean-Claude said, “Ma petite, that was well done. He left with fighting spirit.”

I turned and looked at him. “I have too many of your memories now. I’ve seen a thousand women and a few men undermine you or someone else with a pissy attitude on the eve before the big duel or battle. Hell, Richard used to do it to me all the time. I won’t do that to somebody else.”

“Where is the Ulfric? Shouldn’t he have been here during some of this?” Claudia asked.

“He’s out of state on a big extended family vacation,” I said. “And the dominants of the werelions are all off on a leadership-building camping trip.”

“I asked them to check out the new company that’s specializing in supernatural executive retreats,” Micah said.

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