Rafael (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #28) - Laurell K. Hamilton Page 0,50
next target.”
“Even if he wins and slays you, he cannot just go into the crowd and start killing people,” Benito said.
“If he does, then he will not be our king for long,” Claudia added.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“If a challenger kills a king, but we hate him, then we kill him then and there while he’s still wounded,” Claudia explained.
“Wow, you guys really are harsh,” Nathaniel said.
“We have the most complete culture of all the animal groups in St. Louis, and one way we stayed strong and whole when others were torn apart by the power of the werewolves’ and the wereleopards’ old leaders was by being so ruthless that no one wanted to push us past a certain point.”
I hugged him one-armed around his waist. “Then I’m not in as much danger as I thought, which is good, but I’d rather have you alive than help kill Hector after you’re dead.”
“Good to know,” he said, looking down at me with almost a smile.
“Now kiss me like you meant it, and then I’ll see you at the fight later.”
That did make him smile. He leaned over and I went up to meet his kiss. He kissed me with his hands strong and searching on my body, so I returned the favor and his mouth was suddenly so eager at mine that it took my breath away. I forgot where we were and what was happening and it was just him in my arms, just us kissing and exploring each other’s bodies. It was only when he pulled my shirt out of my belt even with the gun holster that I broke the kiss laughing, a little nervous and breathless and happy.
He was breathless and laughing, too. “For such a kiss, I will fight harder.”
“Good, because I’m still hoping to talk you into that three-way.”
That made him laugh even more, and he left with laughter still lightening his features. Benito gave me a nod just before he closed the door behind them both.
The rest of us were quiet for a moment, and then Jean-Claude said, “Ma petite, that was well done. He left with fighting spirit.”
I turned and looked at him. “I have too many of your memories now. I’ve seen a thousand women and a few men undermine you or someone else with a pissy attitude on the eve before the big duel or battle. Hell, Richard used to do it to me all the time. I won’t do that to somebody else.”
“Where is the Ulfric? Shouldn’t he have been here during some of this?” Claudia asked.
“He’s out of state on a big extended family vacation,” I said. “And the dominants of the werelions are all off on a leadership-building camping trip.”
“I asked them to check out the new company that’s specializing in supernatural executive retreats,” Micah said.
“Nicky and Mephistopheles are going to go apeshit when they find out all this happened and they missed it,” Nathaniel said.
“Magda won’t be too happy either,” I added.
“Why don’t the lions have more of a whole culture like Rafael was saying? They weren’t taken over by Raina and Marcus, or someone like Chimera,” Nathaniel said.
“The old Rex wasn’t strong enough to run them like regular prides run,” Micah said.
I added, “He’d have been killed and taken over years ago if there’d been more werelions in this country.”
“Werelions tend to kill each other on sight if they aren’t part of the same pride,” Micah said.
“Only because they’re afraid that’s exactly what the new group has planned,” Claudia said.
“But the Coalition has given them another way to contact each other and explain that someone got a new job and needs to move to a new city, a new pride territory,” Micah said.
“You’ve made a lot of really good changes, Micah.”
“Thank you, Claudia, I do my best.”
“Now, you and I need to change for tonight and pick out your weapons,” Claudia said, and she was looking at me.
“We also need to help Pierette dress and arm herself,” I said.
“Yes.” And then Claudia suddenly grinned in a way I almost never saw.
“What?” I asked, smiling just from the look on her face.
“If we all live through tonight, it may be the best girls’ night out I’ve ever had.”
I laughed and said, “After tonight, let’s plan a girls’ night out that’s a little less death-defying.”
“Deal,” she said, and offered me a fist bump.
I touched her bigger fist, and we went off to find Pierette and tell her what she’d been voluntold for.