4
I stared at the half circle of guns, trying to keep an eye on everyone at once and failing, because there were too many of them. I kept my hands out from my body, fingers spread, universal sign for I'm harmless.I didn't want anyone thinking I was going for my own gun, that would be bad.
"He's a friend," I said, voice a little high, but otherwise calm.
"Whose friend?" Nicols asked.
"Mine," I said.
"Well, he ain't my friend," one of the uniforms said.
"He's not a threat," I said, pressing my body back enough that I could feel Asher in a long line against me.
He said something in French, everybody gripped their guns a little tighter. "English, Asher, English."
He took a deep shuddering breath. "It was not my intent to frighten anyone."
Not too long ago, the police were allowed to shoot a vampire on sight, just for being a vampire. It had only been five years since Addison V. Clark had made vamps "alive" again, at least to the law. They were citizens with rights now, and shooting them without just cause was murder. But it still happened now and then.
"If you shoot with me in the way, you can all kiss your badges good-bye."
"I don't have a badge to lose." It was Balfour, of course, being tough, but he had a big gun to go with his big talk.
I looked at him. "If you shoot, you better kill me, because you won't get a second chance."
"Nobody's shooting anybody," Nicols said, and I was close enough to hear him mutter, "damn it," under his breath.
He'd moved his gun to point at the bodyguards. "Put the guns down, now." The other policemen followed his lead, and suddenly the circle of guns was pointed away from me, and at Balfour and Rex. I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding, and sagged a little against Asher.
He knew better than to have surprised a bunch of humans, especially policemen, by flying into their midst. Nothing freaked people out like seeing vampires do things that were impossible. He'd also spoken in French, which meant he was scared enough, or angry enough, to have forgotten his English. Something was very wrong, but I couldn't question him, not yet. First, get out of the line of fire, then fix the rest.
We were standing so close together that his wavy golden hair brushed against my own black curls. He put his hands on my shoulders, and I could feel the tension. He was scared. What had happened?
The police had convinced the bodyguards to put their guns away. The uniforms divided up and walked the two interested parties back to their respective cars. It left Nicols, the judge, and the court reporter standing near us. At least the court reporter wasn't still typing.
Nicols turned to me, his gun pointed downward, tapping a little against the leg of his slacks. He frowned, eyes flicking to Asher, then to me. He knew enough not to risk staring the vampire in the eyes. They could bespell you with their eyes, if they wanted to. I was immune because I was the human servant of the Master Vampire of the City. Through Jean-Claude I was safe from most of what Asher could do. Not all, but most.
Nicols was obviously unhappy. "Okay, what was so damned urgent that he had to fly in here like that?"
Damn, he was too good a cop. Even though he'd probably dealt very little with vampires, he'd made the logic jump that only an emergency would make Asher appear as he had.
His eyes flicked up to Asher again, then down to my face. "It's a good way to get yourself shot, Mr. . . ."
"Asher," I answered for him.
"I didn't ask you, Ms. Blake. I asked him."
"I am Asher," he said in a voice that fell on the air like a caress. He was using vampire powers to make himself more acceptable. If Nicols figured out what he was doing, it would backfire. But it didn't.
"What's wrong, Mr. Asher?"
"Just Asher," and the voice glided across my skin so soothing. I had some immunity to the voice, but Nicols didn't.
He blinked, then frowned, puzzled. "Fine, Asher, what the hell is the rush?"
Asher's fingers tightened minutely on my shoulders, and I felt him take a breath. I had a second to hope that he wasn't going to try an Obi-Wan on Lieutenant Nicols. You know, these are not the droids you're looking for.Nicols was stronger willed than that.
"Musette has been gravely injured. I came to take Anita to her side."