Louie leaned against the wall, sipping coffee. "Jean-Claude withdrew his support of Marcus and threw in with Richard. I can't believe neither of them mentioned that."
"They said something about having formed a bargain, but they didn't explain." I thought about what he'd just told me. "Marcus must be pissed."
The smile faded from his face. "That is an understatement." He looked at me. "You don't understand, do you?"
"Understand what?" I asked.
"Without Jean-Claude's backing, Marcus doesn't stand a chance of forcing the rest of the shapeshifters under his control. His dreams of empire building are finished."
"If he doesn't stand a chance, why is everyone so worried?"
Louie gave a sad smile. "What Marcus can't control, he has a tendency to kill."
"You mean he'd start a war?"
"Yes."
"Not just with Richard and the pack, you mean, but an all-out war with all the other shapeshifters in town?"
Louie nodded. "Except the wereleopards. Gabriel is their leader and he sides with Raina."
I thought about it for a second or two. "Sweet Jesus, it would be a bloodbath."
"And there'd be no way of containing it, Anita. Some of it would spill over onto the normal world. There are still three states in this country that will pay hundreds of dollars in bounty for a dead shapeshifter, no questions asked. A war like this could make the practice look practical."
"Do you two have something better to do?" Christine asked. I was beginning not to like her. It was she that knocked on the door and interrupted Richard and me. Frankly, for that I was sort of grateful. The thought of everyone hearing us go further would have been too embarrassing for words.
Louie moved back to sit on the floor with the others. I stayed leaning against the wall, sipping my coffee.
"Are you going to join us?" she asked.
"I'm fine where I am," I said.
"Too good to sit with us?" a man in his late thirties with dark blue eyes asked. He was about five foot eight; it was hard to tell with him sitting on the floor. He was dressed in a suit, complete with tie, as if he was on his way to work. His name was Neal.
"Not good enough," I said, "not good enough by half."
"What the hell's that supposed to mean?" he asked. "I don't like having a normal here."
"Leave it alone, Neal," Richard said.
"Why? She's laughing at us."
Richard glanced back at me from his corner of the couch. "Come join us, Anita?"
Sylvie was sitting beside Richard, not too close, but still, there was not enough room for me. Rafael sat on the end of the couch, spine straight, ankle propped on one knee.
"Couch looks full," I said.
Richard held out his hand to me. "We'll make room."
"She isn't even pack," Sylvie said. "I won't give up my seat to her. No offense to you, Anita, you don't know any better." Her voice was matter-of-fact, not hostile, but the look she gave Richard wasn't exactly friendly.
"No offense taken," I said. I wasn't sure I wanted to sit on the couch surrounded by lycanthropes anyway. Even supposedly friendly ones. Everyone in the room was stronger and faster than I was, just a fact. The only leg up I had was the gun. If I sat right beside them, I'd never get it out in time.
"I want my girlfriend to sit with me, Sylvie, that's all," Richard said. "It isn't meant as a challenge to your position in the lukoi." His voice sounded patient like he was talking to a child.
"What did you say?" Sylvie asked. She looked shocked.