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〃Give me a gun and I'll wait until you're on top of me to pull the trigger。〃
He smiled and waved a finger in my face like you'd scold a child。 〃Uh； uh； uh。 No rough stuff。〃
I took a deep breath and let it out。 〃Can't blame a girl for trying。〃
Gabriel laughed； high and nervous。 〃No； can't blame you for trying。〃
We had lights； camera； all we needed was action。 Gabriel had wiped the blood off his chest and put the silver ring back into his flesh。 We were starting over for the camera。 They'd even cleaned the blood off my mouth and freshened the makeup。 It was the young woman； Heidi； the lycanthrope that did the makeup。 Her eyes were too wide。 Her hands shook when she touched me。
She whispered as she dabbed at my face。 〃Be careful when he kisses you。 He ate a girl's tongue out once。〃
〃Can you get me a gun？〃
She shivered； eyes rolling white and panicked。 She shook her head。 〃Raina'd kill me。〃
〃Not if she's dead。〃
Heidi shook her head over and over and backed off the bed。
Most of the rest of the crew walked out。 When the director realized they were going to lose too many people to run things； he offered bonuses。 Big bonuses； and a few people stayed。 The rest left。 They didn't do snuff films。 They wouldn't watch Gabriel kill me； but they wouldn't stop it； either。 Maybe one of them would call the police。 It was a nice thought； but I didn't pin any hopes on it。
Power rushed over me in a skin…prickling wave。 It tugged at something low and deep in my body。 The sensation was gone almost as soon as it came； but a smell lingered over my skin like I'd walked through somebody's ghost。 I smelled Richard's aftershave。 Richard was trying to tell me something； either on purpose or because he was being driven by fear。 Either way； time was running out。 I had to save them。 I had to。 There was no other choice。 Saving them meant bringing Gabriel in close enough to kill him。 Close to me。 A mixed blessing at best。
〃Get on with it；〃 I said。
〃You are terribly eager for someone who's about to die a truly horrible death；〃 Raina said。
I smiled。 I made the smile everything Gabriel wanted it to be； confident； dangerous； sexual。 〃I don't plan to die。〃
Gabriel's breath sighed outward。 〃Let's do it。〃
Raina shook her head and stepped back out of the shot。 〃Fuck her； Gabriel； make her cry out your name before you kill her。〃
〃My pleasure；〃 he whispered。 He stalked onto the floor of the fake bedroom。
I unsheathed a wrist knife and cut the rope that held me to the headboard。 My wrists were still bound。 I watched him while I turned the blade to cut between my hands。 He could have jumped me then； but he didn't。 He glided around the bed while I cut my hands loose。
He ended on his knees beside the bed； staring at me。 I backed away from him； knife in my right hand。 I was going to get off the damn bed。
Gabriel crawled up on the bed as I crawled off it。 He mimicked my movements but made them graceful and painfully slow。 He shimmered with contained energy。 He wasn't doing a damn thing but crawling across a bed； but the promise of violence and sex rode the air like lightning。
He was faster than me。 His reach was almost twice mine。 He was certainly stronger than I was。 The only thing I really had going for me was the fact that I planned on killing him as quickly as possible； and he planned on raping me first。 It meant I was willing to do things he wasn't。 At least at first。 If it wasn't over quickly； I was sunk。
I dropped to one knee and braced myself； with a blade in each hand。 He wanted to e in close。 He even wanted to be hurt； so no feinting； no trying each other's skill。 I'd make him e to me； and I'd cut him up。
Power curled inside my stomach。 It burst over me in a wave of sensations。 The smell of the summer woods was so strong it was choking。 For a second； I couldn't see the room。 I had a glimpse of somewhere else； chaotic bits and pieces like a jigsaw puzzle thrown across the ground。 I came away with three thoughts； fear； helplessness； and need。
My vision cleared to Gabriel frowning down at me。 〃What is wrong with you； Anita？ Did Cassandra hit you a little too hard？〃
I shook my head and took a shaky breath。 〃Are you all talk and no bite； Gabriel？〃
He smiled； a slow； lazy grin that showed his fangs。 He was suddenly there。 I slashed out without thinking； pure reaction； no thought。 He leaped away； and blood seeped down his stomach in a thin； crimson line。
He rubbed his fingers in the blood slowly； sensuously； then licked them with long； slow tongue movements。 Playing for the camera。 He crawled onto the bed and wrapped the white sheets around his body； rolling in them until he was tangled。 He leaned over backwards； exposing his neck。 Almost within reach of me。 〃e play； Anita。〃
It was tempting； and it was meant to be； but I knew better。 I'd seen Richard rip sheets earlier like they were paper。 〃I'm staying here； Gabriel。 You're going to have to e to me。〃
He rolled onto his stomach。 〃I thought I'd get to chase you。 This isn't any fun。〃
I smiled。 〃e closer； and it'll be a lot of fun。〃
He rose onto his knees。 The sheets were smeared with blood as he crawled out of them。 Gabriel was just suddenly there； too fast for me to see it。 He was by me and past me before I could react。
I fell back on my butt； trying desperately to keep him in sight。 But he stood there； just out of reach。 A second later； a sharp pain ran through my right arm。 I glanced； and found bleeding claw marks on my upper arm。
He raised one hand in front of his face； and claws sprang out from under his fingernails。 〃Meow；〃 he said。
I tried to swallow my beating heart and couldn't。 This meant that even if he didn't kill me； a month from now I might be sprouting fur。
It wasn't a scream that you could hear with your ears。 It wasn't a sound。 I had no words for it； but I felt Richard scream inside me。 His power poured over me； and down that long line I felt Jean…Claude。 Something tight and painful held him down。 I tried to get to my feet and stumbled。
〃What's wrong； Anita？ I didn't hurt you that badly。〃
I shook my head； and got to my feet。 He wasn't going to e to me。 Richard was growing desperate。 I reached outward with that flare of power and I could feel Dominic's spell。 He'd been shielding it somehow； but he couldn't hide from me。 The spell was growing。 The time of sacrifice was ing。 I didn't have time for Gabriel to play with me。 〃Stop playacting； Gabriel； or don't you want me？〃
His eyes narrowed。 〃You're up to something。〃
〃You bet。 Now； fuck me； Gabriel； if you've got the balls for it。〃
I put my back to the wall and hoped it would be enough； and knew it wouldn't be。 I threw a thread of power back to Richard； hoping he'd get the hint and not interrupt for the next few minutes。 If he distracted me at the wrong time； it would be all over。
Gabriel stalked in front of me； daring me to e out from the wall and get him。 I did what he thought I would do。 I tried for him and he just wasn't there。 It was like trying to cut air。
He slashed out with one hand and sliced the back of my left hand open。 I slashed at him with my right hand； trying to hold onto the left…hand knife。 He hit the hand again； not with cla