"No," I said.
Raina pushed away from the wall and stalked around us, just out of reach, but circling like a shark. "Irving's punishment could begin now." Her voice was low and puffing around the edges.
"I didn't know wolves purred," I said.
She laughed. "Wolves do a lot of things, as I'm sure you're aware."
"I don't know what you mean."
"Oh, come now, woman to woman." She leaned one shoulder against the wall, arms crossed, face friendly. I was betting she could bite my finger off and smile just like that the entire time.
She bent close as if we were sharing secrets. "Richard is as good as he looks, isn't he?"
I stared into her amused eyes. "I don't kiss and tell."
"I'll tell you my juicy tidbit, if you'll tell me yours."
"Raina, enough." Marcus had moved forward to the edge of the stage. He didn't look happy.
She gave him a lazy smile. She was baiting him more than me, and enjoying it very much.
"Irving must leave, and Alfred must search you for weapons. There is no negotiating those two points."
"I'll make you a deal," I said. "Irving leaves now, but he goes home. No punishment."
Marcus shook his head. "I have decreed he will be punished. My word is law."
"Who died and made you king?"
"Simon," Raina said.
I blinked at her.
"He fought and killed Simon. That's who died and made him pack leader."
Ask a silly question... "You want my help, Irving goes free and untouched. No punishment."
"Don't do this, Anita," Irving said. "You'll just make things worse."
Raina stayed leaning beside me. Just a little girl talk. "He's right, you know. Right now he's mine to play with, but if you make Marcus really angry he'll give him to Alfred. I'll torture his mind and body. Alfred will break him."
"Irving goes free, no punishment. I stay and let Alfred search me for weapons. Otherwise we walk."
"Not we, Ms. Blake. You are free to go, but Irving is mine. He will stay, and with or without you he will be taught his lesson."
"What did he do wrong?" I asked.
"That is our business, not yours."
"I'm not going to help you do shit."
"Then go," he leaped gracefully off the stage, walking towards us as he spoke, "but Irving stays. You are only among us for this one night. He must live with us, Ms. Blake. He cannot afford your bravado."
The last sentence brought him just a little behind Alfred. Close up there were fine lines around his eyes and mouth, a slackness to the skin of his neck and jaws. I added ten years to his age. Fifties.
"I can't leave Irving here, knowing what you'll do to him."
"Oh, you have no idea what we'll do to him," Raina said. "We heal so well." She pushed away from the wall and walked to Irving. She paced round him in a tight circle, shoulder, hip, brushing against him, here and there as she moved. "Even the weakest of us can take so very much damage."