We were left looking at each other again. "You can't trust him, Anita, you know that."
"You're the one who let him give you the first mark voluntarily. What I did, Richard, I did to save your lives, both of you. If you really thought he was so damn untrustworthy, why'd you bind us to him?"
Richard looked away then, and spoke very softly, "I didn't think I'd lose you."
"Go wait in the hall, Richard."
"Why?"
"I've got to finish getting dressed."
His gaze slid to my legs, very white against the blackness of the dress and the heels. "Hose," he said, softly.
"A new holster, actually," I said. "The hose got trashed last night. Now, please get out."
He did. He didn't even make a last cutting remark. It was an improvement. When he closed the door behind him, I sat down on the bed. I did not want to do this. Going back in for the leopards was a bad idea. Going in with Richard as backup was worse. But we'd do it. I couldn't tell him to stay home. Besides, I needed the backup. No matter how emotionally painful it was to be around him, he was one of the most powerful shapeshifters I'd ever met. If he hadn't been crippled by a conscience the size of Rhode Island, he'd have been dangerous. Of course, Marcus would probably have said Richard was plenty dangerous just as he was. And he'd be right.
27
Richard drove his 4 X 4 to the Circus. I sat beside him, but in some ways I might as well not have been there at all. He never looked at me, let alone spoke. But the tension in his body was enough. He knew I was there.
Cherry and Zane rode in the back seat. It had surprised me when Cherry slid into the car. Her eyes flashed white, eyelids fluttering like a nervous tic. She looked like she was going to faint. Zane was his usual self; smiling, eyes secret. His usual self? That was almost funny. I'd known him less than twenty-four hours. I didn't know what the hell was "usual" for him.
Cherry had sunk down on the seat, hugging herself. She was slowly curling into a little ball. I'd known her less time than I'd known Zane, but this wasn't normal for anybody.
I turned as far as the seat belt would allow and said, "What's wrong, Cherry?"
Her eyes rolled to me, then closed, tight. She shook her head and huddled further into herself. There was a fresh bruise forming on her cheek. She might have had it when I first saw her. I just wasn't sure.
"Zane, what's wrong with her?"
"She's scared," he said. His voice was neutral, but there was something in his face that was angry.
"I told her this was strictly voluntary. She doesn't have to come."
"Tell that to Mr. Macho," he said. He was staring at the back of Richard's head.
I turned in the seat until I was staring at his profile. He wouldn't look at me. "What's going on, Richard?"
"She's coming," he said, voice very quiet.
"Why?"
"Because I said so."
"Bullshit."
He glanced at me then. He tried for it to be a cool look, but it was angry. "You're my lupa, but I am still Ulfric. My word is still law."
"Fuck that. You are not dragging her into this because you're mad at me."
The muscle in his jaw clenched tight enough for me to see it. "They both deserted their people. Now they are both going to make it right." His voice was still quiet, low, and careful, like if he wasn't very careful he'd lose control. He spoke like people talk when they want to yell.
"Look at her, Richard. She'll be worse than useless. She'll just be one more victim we have to keep safe."
He shook his head. "You don't leave one of your own behind, not for any reason. It's the law."
"Pack law, but she's not pack."