Page 63 of Rafael (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter 28)

Lillian came back from the depths of the lockers with a white T-shirt in her hands. “You are not allowed to challenge anyone but Rafael tonight, Hector, you know the rules.”

“Just as no one else can fight me before I kill Rafael.”

“You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means,” I said. I kept my face blank, wondering if he’d get the movie reference.

He scowled at me. “That made no sense.”

“I should have known you weren’t aPrincess Bridefan.”

“What are you talking about?”

“We think Rafael will kill you tonight,” Pierette said.

“I do not have to talk to you, cat.”

“Fine,” I said, “we all think that Rafael is going to kick your ass tonight. Is that better? Did your little prejudiced feelings get hurt because the big, bad wereleopard talked to you?” Yes, I did the baby-talk voice to go with the teasing.

It was his turn for his fists to curl at his sides. “I will be king tonight, Anita, and then everything that is Rafael’s will be mine, including his lovers.”

I shook my head. “I don’t belong to Rafael and you know it.”

“You belong to your vampire master, Jean-Claude, we all know that, but here you are in our holy of holies. You should not be here, Anita Blake.”

“Tony agreed with you,” I said.

Hector blinked at me, frowning a little, and then his eyes narrowed. “Are you threatening me?”

“Would I do that?”

“She’s not threatening you; go change in the back, Anita,” Lillian said, thrusting the T-shirt at me.

“We wear the blood of our enemies with pride here,” Hector said.

“Have you ever been covered in someone’s blood and had to walk around all night still fighting while it dries on your body?”

“Of course,” he said.

“Liar, our fights are fast and over with. They never last all night,” Claudia said.

“You’re so hot when you’re being a pain in my ass, Claudia. I used to want to fuck you because you were hot, now I just want to shut you the fuck up.”

“With your dick?” I asked.

Lillian said, “Go change.” She even gave me a little push in the direction she wanted me to go, which was away from Hector.

“What did you say?” he asked.

“Nothing, she’s going to go change now, aren’t you, Anita?” Lillian said.

I’d have argued with most people, but she’d just sewn me up and healed me too many times to count; that gained her something. I actually tried to leave to go change, but I caught movement out of the corner of my eye, and I was just out of reach of Hector’s hand. He hadn’t even swung at me, just tried to grab me. Insult to injury, he’d treated me like a potential victim and not a potential opponent.

“No human could have seen that.”

“You’re the one who keeps calling me human, Hector. I’m not claiming to be something I’m not.”

“I will be king, Anita, and if you do not want to be part of the spoils of my victory, leave before the fight begins.”

“Rafael wants me at his side, so that’s where I’ll be.”

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