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r I will cut you in half。〃
Raina laughed； a low； joyous sound。 〃You are so dangerous。 So exciting。 Don't you think so； Gabriel？〃
Gabriel came to stand beside her。 Both of them looking down at me was too much； so I used the wall to brace myself and stood。 I could stand。 Great。 I was beginning to think I could even walk。 Better。
〃Back up；〃 I said。
Gabriel stepped around her； bringing him almost close enough to have reached out and touched me。 〃She's perfect for anyone who's into pain and has a death wish。〃 He reached out； as if to run his fingers down my cheek。 I pointed the machine gun at his waist； because it would kick upward。 Aim too high and you can actually miss。
〃The last time you pushed me； Gabriel； all I had on me was a knife。 You survived having me gut you； but even you can't heal from a submachine gun burst。 At this range； I'll cut you in half。〃
〃Would you really kill me just for trying to touch you？〃 He seemed amused； his strange grey eyes almost fever bright as they peered out of the tangle of his hair。
〃After what I just saw； you bet。〃 I stood away from the wall。 〃Back up or we'll find out how much damage you can take。〃
They backed up。 I was almost disappointed。 The Uzi with silver ammo would do exactly what I'd said it would do。 I could cut them down； kill them； no muss； no fuss； just a hell of a mess。 I wanted them dead。 I looked at them for a heartbeat and thought about it； thought about pulling the trigger and saving us all a lot of trouble。
Raina backed up； pulling Gabriel with her。 She stared at me as she moved； back towards the wall where the pony…sized wolf was staggering to its feet。 Raina looked at me and I saw the knowledge on her face of how close she'd e。 I think until that moment she hadn't realized I could kill her and not lose sleep。 Hell； leaving her alive would cost me more sleep。
A roaring scream came from the other room。 Howling vibrated through the barn。 There was a moment of breathless silence； then growls； shrieks。 The floor shuddered with the impact of distant bodies。 Richard was fighting without me。
Raina smiled at me。 〃Richard needs you； Anita。 Go to him。 We'll take care of Stephen。〃
〃No thanks。〃
〃Richard could be dying while you waste time。〃
Fear flowed over me in a cool wash。 She was right。 They'd lured him here to die。 I shook my head。 〃Richard told me to get Stephen； and that's what I'm going to do。〃
〃I didn't think you took orders that well；〃 she said。
〃I take the ones I like。〃
Stephen had curled onto his side； pulling the robe over his body。 His brother sat beside him； smoothing his hair and murmuring； 〃It's all right； Stephen。 You're not hurt。〃
〃You sliced him up； you son of a bitch。〃
He spread Stephen's robe； exposing his chest。 Stephen tried weakly to close his robe。 His brother slapped his hands lightly。 He wiped his hands across the bloody chest。 The skin was perfect。 The cut had healed already； which meant that all the blood was Stephen's。
〃Get off of him； right now； or I will blow you away。〃
He eased back from him； eyes wide。 He believed me。 That was good； because it was true。
〃e on； Stephen。 We've got to go。〃
He raised his head and looked at me； tears sliding down his cheeks。 〃I can't stand。〃 He tried to crawl to me； but collapsed on the floor。
〃What did you give him？〃 I asked。
〃Something to relax him；〃 Raina said。
〃You bitch。〃
She smiled。 〃Exactly。〃
〃Go over and stand by them；〃 I said to the brother。
The man turned a face to me so like Stephen's it was startling。 〃I wouldn't let them hurt him。 He'd enjoy it if he'd just let himself go。〃
〃He is hurt； you son of a bitch！ Now get over there； right now； or I'Il kill you。 Do you understand me？ I will kill you and be happy about it。〃
He got to his feet and went to stand beside Gabriel。 〃I made sure no one hurt him；〃 he said softly。
The walls shuddered。 There was a sound of splintering wood。 Someone had been thrown through the wall of the room next to us。 I had to get us out of there。
I had to get to Richard。 But if I was careless； I'd never make it。 Richard wasn't the only one in danger of getting his throat ripped out。
With this many lycanthropes in a room so small； they were too close。 They could jump me if I went to help Stephen stand； but with a machine gun in my hand； I was betting most of them would be dead before they reached me。 It was a forting thought。
I spotted the Firestar in the far corner。 I picked it up and holstered it without having to look。 Practice； practice； practice。 I kept the machine gun out。 It just made me feel better。
I knelt by Stephen without taking my eyes off the others。 It was hard not to at least glance down； but I was too damn close to them。 The wolf had been unbelievably fast； and I didn't think Raina would save me a second time。 I was lucky she didn't want me wounded。 I got my arm around Stephen's waist； and he managed to throw his arms around my neck。 I stood； and he was almost dead weight； but we both managed to stand； and with my help； Stephen kept his feet。 I was glad he was about my size。 Bigger would have been harder。 His robe flapped open； and he took one arm from around my shoulders and tried to tie it closed； but he couldn't do it。 He started to take his other arm off my shoulders。
〃Leave it； Stephen； please。 We've got to go now。〃
〃I don't want people to see me。〃 He stared at me from inches away； his face vague and unfocused from the drugs； but a single tear trailed from the corner of one cornflower blue eye。 〃Please；〃 he said。
Shit。 I braced him around the waist； and said； 〃Go ahead。〃 I stared at Raina while he tied his robe； clumsy and slow from the drug she'd slipped him。 He was making a low whimpering sound deep in his chest by the time he got it closed。
〃In some ways you are as sentimental as Richard；〃 she said。 〃But you could kill us； all of us； even Stephen's brother； and feel nothing。〃
I met her honey brown eyes and said； 〃I'd feel something。〃
〃What？〃 she asked。
〃Safer；〃 I said。
I backed us towards the open door and had to glance behind to make sure nothing was ing up at me。 When I looked back at them； Gabriel had moved forward； but Raina had a hand on his arm； stopping him。 She was looking at me like she'd never really seen me before。 Like I'd surprised her。 I guess it was mutual。 I'd known she was twisted； but not in my wildest dreams would I have accused her of raping one of her own people。
Stephen and I stepped out into the hall； and I took a deep breath； feeling something in my chest loosen。 The sounds of fighting crashed over us。 I wanted to run towards the fight。 Richard was alive； or they wouldn't have still been fighting。 There was time。 There had to be。
I called to Raina； 〃Don't show your face out here until after we're gone； Raina。 or I'll shoot it off。〃 There was no answer from the room。 I had to get to Richard。
Stephen stumbled and nearly took us both down。 He hung from my shoulders； his arms pressing into my neck； then he got his feet under him。 〃You with me。 Stephen？〃
〃I'm all right。 Just get me out of here。〃 His voice sounded weak； thready； like he was losing consciousness。 I could not carry him and shoot； or at least I didn't