Page 112 of Smolder (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter 29)

“Richard,” Jean-Claude said.

“You want me to let go of her?”

“Oui.”

“But...”

“Mon lupe, the night will fade, please do not make me ask twice.”

Richard looked from him to me. He widened his eyes and I knew the look meant was I okay with this. Not from our metaphysical connection, but because once upon a time I’d memorized most of his expressions, because we were in love and I’d thought he was the one.

I nodded.

He let go of my arm, and the energy just kept humming without him; interesting. I glanced over and realized that Angel and Jean-Claude were holding hands. “Did I miss you kissing each other?”

“Non, ma petite, the moment you touched our Devil the energy drew both Angel and me to pay attention to it.”

“Can you sense her golden tiger as you sensed lion earlier?” Jake asked.

“I can.”

“Let go and see what happens,” I said; Jean-Claude knew what I meant and simply dropped my hand. My energy stayed the same, but his didn’t. His legs buckled and Angel and Richard had to catch him to keep him standing. He reached his hand for me, and I took it. He stood and blinked at me.

“I do not understand,” he said.

“Anita has the fourth mark with Mephistopheles,” Jake said.

“Dev is a werelion and a weretiger, maybe you need both,” Nicky said.

“Come to me, my Devil, let us embrace.”

Dev kept one hand in mine but went to Jean-Claude. Angel moved so that Dev could wrap an arm around the vampire. Jean-Claude leaned his face toward him. “Richard, let go, please.”

Richard hesitated, but then stepped back so it was just the two of us with Dev. The energy did not fall. Jean-Claude asked the tall weretiger to kiss him. He leaned in and the moment of the kiss the power washed around us, playing in our hair. Dev was my gold tiger so it should have been my power, but it was Jean-Claude’s.

“Is it lion or tiger that calls to you, my king?” Jake asked.

Jean-Claude pulled back and said, “Gold, it is gold tiger.”

“I’ve given him the fourth mark, how is there any room for Jean-Claude?” I asked.

“You are not a vampire,” Jake said.

“It is as if Mephistopheles is waiting for me to finish... it,” Jean-Claude said, but not like he was sure.

“Nothing personal, but if we only have time to finish one fourth mark tonight, it’s me, us,” Richard said.

Dev looked at him and growled. I’d gotten used to hearing animal sounds coming out of human throats, but Dev was one of the least likely to fight for dominance. He was very much go along to get along, but I guess everyone has their line in the sand.

“There is a way to finish both marks before dawn,” Jake said.

Jean-Claude shook his head. “We cannot use theardeurto speed things up, Jake. I must be in control, and using theardeurwill strip me of that, along withma petiteand Richard.”

“The fourth mark doesn’t have to be sex,” Jake said.

“For Belle’s bloodline it must be.”

“But you are your own bloodline now, Jean-Claude, you do not have to do things as your old mistress taught you.”

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