I leaned my back against the wall, cradling the receiver. I was rocking ever so slightly. It reminded me of Jason in the hallway. I made myself stand very still. I wanted to forget. I wanted to be able to accept Richard. But I couldn't.
"Ma petite, are you all right?"
"Fine, I'm fine."
Jean-Claude let that go. He really was getting smarter, at least about me. "I do not wish to cause you distress."
"I've done what I can for Richard on my end." I told Jean-Claude what I'd told the werewolves.
"You surprise me, ma petite. I thought you wanted nothing more to do with the lukoi."
"I don't want Richard to die because I broke his heart."
"You would feel responsible if he died now, is that it?"
"Yeah."
He took a deep breath and let it sigh over the phone. It made me shiver, for no particular reason. "How badly do you wish to help the wereleopards?"
"What kind of question is that?"
"An important one," he said. "What are you willing to risk for them? What would you endure for them?"
"You have something specific in mind, don't you?"
"Padma might give up Vivian in exchange for you. Gregory's freedom could be won if we gave them Jason."
"I notice you're not trading yourself in," I said.
"Padma would not want me, ma petite. He is neither a lover of men nor of other vampires in particular. He prefers his companions warm and female."
"Why Jason then?"
"A werewolf for a wereleopard might be an acceptable trade to him."
"Not to me. We are not trading one hostage for another, and I am certainly not giving myself to that monster."
"You see, ma petite, you will not endure that. You will not risk Jason to save Gregory. I ask again, what will you risk for them?"
"I'll risk my life, but only if I've got a good chance of getting out alive. No sex, absolutely not. No trading one hostage for another. Nobody else gets skinned alive or raped. How's that for parameters?"
"Padma and Fernando will be disappointed, but the others might agree. I will do the best I can within the limits you have given me."
"No rape, no maiming, no actual intercourse, no hostages, does that really tie your hands that much?"
"When we have survived all this, ma petite, and the council has gone home, I will tell you stories of my time at court. I have seen spectacles that even in the telling would give you nightmares."
"Nice to know you think we're going to survive."
"I am hopeful, yes."
"But not certain," I said.
"Nothing is certain, ma petite, not even death."
He had me there. My beeper went off. It pulled a gasp from my throat. Nervous, who me?
"Are you all right, ma petite?"