swung open before he could reach the brass handle.
Fritz was on the other side. "Master, I didn't know you were - "
The doggen froze as he saw Beth.
Yeah, you know who she is, Wrath thought. But let's be cool.
She was jumpy enough as it was.
"Fritz, I'd like you to meet Beth Randall." The butler kept staring. "You going to let us in?"
Fritz bent down low and bowed his head. "Of course, master. Ms. Randall, it is an honor to finally meet you in person."
Beth seemed taken aback, but managed a smile as the doggen straightened and moved from the doorway.
When she stuck her hand out, Fritz gasped and looked to Wrath for permission.
"Go ahead," Wrath muttered as he shut the front door. He never could understand the strict traditions of the doggens.
Fritz reached out reverently, clasping her palm in both of his and dropping his forehead to their joined hands. Words in the old language were spoken in a quiet rush.
Beth was clearly astonished. But then she had no way of knowing that by offering her hand to him, she had paid him the highest honor of his species. As the daughter of a princeps, she was a high-bred aristocrat in their world.
Fritz was going to be glowing for days.
"We'll be in my chamber," Wrath said when the contact was broken.
The doggen hesitated. "Master, Rhage is here. He had a... little accident."
Wrath cursed. "Where is he?"
"In the downstairs bathroom."
"Needle and thread?"
"In there with him."
"Who's Rhage?" Beth asked as they started down the hall.
Wrath paused by the drawing room. "You wait here."
But she followed when he walked on.
He turned around, pointing over her shoulder. "That wasn't a request."
"And I'm not waiting anywhere."
"Damn it, do as I say."
"No." The word was spoken without heat. She defied him with total calmness and strength of purpose.
As if he were no more an obstacle in her path than a throw rug.
"Jesus Christ. Fine, lose your dinner."
As he stalked down to the bathroom, he could smell the blood all the way out in the hall. This was a nasty one, and he really wished Beth weren't so hell-bent on seeing for herself.
He pushed the door open, and Rhage looked up. The vampire's arm was hanging over the sink. There was blood everywhere, a dark pool on the floor, a little pond on the counter.
"Rhage, man, what's up?"
"Sliced and diced. Lesser got me a good one, right through a vein, down to the bone. I'm leaking like a sieve."
In a blurry composite. Wrath caught the movement of Rhage's hand going down to his shoulder and up into the air. Down to his shoulder, up into the air.
"Did you get him?"
"Hell, yeah."
"Oh... my... God," Beth said. "Oh, dear God. Is he stitching - "
"Hey, who's the cutie?" Rhage said, pausing on the upstroke.
There was a strangled sound, and Wrath moved, blocking Beth's view with his bodv.
"Need help?" he asked, even though both he and his brother knew he had nothing to offer. He couldn't see well enough to close his own wounds, much less someone else's. The fact that he had to rely on his brothers or Fritz to tend to him was a weakness he despised.
"No, thanks." Rhage laughed. "I'm a good little sewer, as you know firsthand. Now who's your friend?"
"Beth Randall, this is Rhage. An associate of mine. Rhage, this is Beth, and she doesn't do movie stars, got it?"
"Loud and clear." Rhage leaned to one side, trying to see around Wrath. "Nice to meet you, Beth."
"Are you sure you don't want to go to a hospital?" she said weakly.
"Nah. This one's just messy. When you can use your large intestine as a belt loop, that's when you hit the pros."
A croaking sound came out of Beth's mouth.
"I'm going to take her downstairs," Wrath said.
"Oh, yes, please," she murmured. "I'd really like to go down... stairs."
He put his arm around her, and he knew how affected she was by the way she melted into his body. It felt so good to have her relying on him for strength.
Too good, actually.
"You cool?" Wrath said to his brother.
"Damn straight. I'm leaving as soon as this is done. Got three jars to collect."
"Nice tally."
"Would have been more if this little gift hadn't come by air mail. No wonder you like those stars so much." Rhage moved his hand around, as if he were tying a knot. "You should know Tohr and the twins are" - he grabbed a pair of scissors off the counter and snipped the thread