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y servant。 That's it； isn't it？〃
He smiled softly。 〃Perhaps。〃 He sat on the bed on the other side of Richard。 〃I have not worked for over two hundred years to be Master of my own lands to give up my freedom to anyone； even you； ma petite。 You would not be a cruel master； but you would be an exacting one。〃
〃It's not pure master and servant。 I know that from Alejandro。 He couldn't control me； but I couldn't control him； either。〃
〃Did you try？〃 Jean…Claude asked。
That stopped me。 I had to think about it。 〃No。〃
〃You simply killed him；〃 Jean…Claude said。
He had a point。 〃Would I really be able to order you around？〃
〃I have never heard of another vampire choosing a necromancer of your power as human servant。〃
〃What about Dominic and Sabin？〃 I asked。
〃Dominic is no match for you； ma petite。〃
〃If I agreed to the first mark； would you do it or not？〃 I asked。
Richard tried to hug me to his chest； but I moved away。 I had to put both arms down to prop myself up； but I was sitting on my own。
Jean…Claude sighed； looking down at the floor。 〃If we truly joined； no one could stand against us。 That much power is very tempting。〃 He looked up suddenly； letting me see his eyes。 Emotions rolled across his face。 Excitement； fear； lust； and finally； just weariness。 〃We could be bound together for all eternity。 Bound together in a three…way struggle for power。 It is not a pleasant thought。〃
〃Jean…Claude told me that he would not be my master；〃 Richard said。 〃We would be partners。〃
〃And you believed him？〃 I said。
Richard nodded； looking terribly earnest。
I sighed。 〃Jesus； Richard； I can't leave you alone for a minute。〃
〃It is not a lie； ma petite。〃
〃Yeah； right。〃
〃If it's a lie；〃 Richard said； 〃I'll kill him。〃
I stared at him。 〃You don't mean that。〃
〃Yes； I do。〃 Something moved through his brown eyes； something low and dark and inhuman。
〃Once you decide to kill someone； it bees easier to kill others； doesn't it？〃 I said。
Richard didn't flinch or look away。 〃Yes； it does； but that's not it。 I won't be anyone's servant。 Not Jean…Claude's； not yours； not Marcus's； not Raina's。〃
〃Do you understand that once you're bound to him； that hurting him can hurt you？ Killing him can kill you？〃
〃I' d rather be dead than trapped。〃
I watched the absolute certainty in his eyes。 He meant it。 〃You'll kill Marcus tonight；〃 I said。
Richard looked at me； and an expression passed over his face that I'd never seen before； a fierceness that filled his eyes and sent his power shivering through the room。 〃If he doesn't back down； I'll kill him。〃
For the first time； I believed him。
34
There was a knock on the door。 Richard and Jean…Claude spoke at the same time。 〃Enter。〃 〃e in。〃 They stared at each other as the door opened。
Edward walked in。 His cool blue eyes took in the three of us at a glance。 〃What happened to you？〃
〃Long story；〃 I said。 〃It wasn't the assassin if that's what you're worried about。〃
〃I wasn't。 Your wolves are guarding my backup。 They wouldn't let me bring him in without somebody's approval。〃 He looked at Jean…Claude and Richard。 〃They weren't absolutely clear on whose permission I was supposed to get。〃 He didn't smile while he said it； but I knew him well enough to see the shadow of humor on his face。
〃This is my home；〃 Jean…Claude said。 〃It is my permission that is needed。〃
I slid to the edge of the bed and found I could sit up。 The movement put me between the two men。 Richard hovered close to help me if I fell onto my face。 Jean…Claude just sat there； not touching me； not offering to。 In many ways； he understood me better than Richard did； but then he'd known me longer。 I was sort of an acquired taste。
Jean…Claude stood up。 〃I will go escort your guest in。〃
〃I better go with you；〃 Edward said。 〃Harley doesn't know you； but he'll know what you are。〃
〃What's that supposed to mean？〃 I asked。
〃If a strange vampire walked up to you in this place and said follow me； would you do it？〃
I thought about that。 〃Probably not。〃
Edward smiled。 〃Neither would Harley。〃
Edward and Jean…Claude left to fetch Edward's friend。 I tried standing while they were gone； just to see if I could do it。 I always like to meet new people； especially new hired muscle； on my feet。
Richard tried to help me； and I pulled away。 I had to grab for the wall to keep from falling。
〃I was trying to help；〃 he said。
〃Don't try so hard。〃
〃What is the matter with you？〃
〃I don't like being helpless； Richard。〃
〃You aren't superwoman。〃
I glared at him。 〃I fainted； for God's sake。 I never faint。〃
〃You didn't faint；〃 he said。 〃Whatever it was threw you out of Damian。 I was still tied to you when it happened； Anita。 I felt it brush me。〃 He shook his head； hugging his arms to his chest。 〃You didn't faint。〃
I leaned my back against the wall。 〃It scared me； too。〃
〃Did it？〃 He came to stand in front of me。 〃You don't seem scared。〃
〃Are you scared about joining with Jean…Claude？〃
〃That bothers you more than me killing for the first time tonight； doesn't it？〃
〃Yeah。〃
The door opened before we could continue the conversation。 It was just as well。 We'd found something else we disagreed on。 Letting someone tie themselves to my mind； my soul； frightened me a lot more than killing someone。
The man that followed Edward didn't look that impressive。 He was slender； only a couple of inches taller than Edward。 He had curly brownish red hair receding in a soft circle to nearly the middle of his head。 He slouched even when he walked； and I couldn't tell if it was habit or some sort of spinal problem。 Brown T…shirt over black corduroy pants； and sneakers。 Everything looked like it had e from the Salvation Army。 He wore a patched leather aviator's jacket that might have been original World War II issue。 Under the jacket； I got a glimpse of guns。
He was wearing a double shoulder holster so that he had a 9 millimeter under both arms。 I'd seen holsters like it； but never knew anyone who actually wore one。 I thought they were mostly for show。 Very few people are equally good with both hands。 There was a crisscross of straps beneath the T…shirt that I didn't understand； but I knew it was for carrying something lethal。 He had a duffel bag in one hand； crammed full and big enough to carry a body in。 He wasn't even straining。 Stronger than he looked。
I met his eyes last。 They were pale and greyish green with lashes so gingery red they were almost invisible。 The look in the eyes was the emptiest I'd ever seen in another human being。 It was as if when he looked at me； he wasn't seeing me at all。 It wasn't like he was blind。 He saw something； but I wasn't sure what he saw。 Not me。 Not a woman。 Something else。 That one look was enough。 I knew that this man walked in a circle of his own creation。 Saw a version of reality that would send the rest of us screaming。 But he functioned； and he didn't scream。
〃This is Harley；〃 Edward said。 He introduced us all； as if it was an ordinary meeting。
I stared at Harley's pale eyes and realized that he scared me。 It had been a long time since another human being frightened me just by entering a room。
Richard offered