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ind that many grown men my size。
The police hadn't let him shower； so his long hair had dried in messy clumps to his shoulders。 The drying liquid was beginning to flake off in patches。 His chartreuse eyes flicked towards me； but they stayed neutral。 Dolph came right behind him； looming over Micah the way he loomed over me。 Dolph's eyes weren't neutral； they were angry。 He'd been angry since he stepped through the door。 He'd separated us all into different rooms。 Nathaniel was being questioned by his friend from the police station； Detective Jessica Arnet。 They were in the guest room upstairs。 Detective Perry had questioned Caleb and was still questioning Zane。 Dolph had done Merle and Micah。 Zerbrowski hadn't so much questioned me as simply stood there and made sure I didn't talk to any of the others。 Call it a hunch； but I was betting Dolph planned on questioning me personally。
We did have five bodies on the ground； three of which even in death hadn't changed back to human form。 The three snake things had stayed snakey。 Shapeshifters always change back to their original form in death。 Always。 Which raised the question； if they weren't shapeshifters； what the hell were they？
〃Anita；〃 Dolph said。 One word； but I knew what he meant。 I got up and went for the bedroom。 Micah brushed his fingertips across my hand as I passed him。 Dolph's eyes tightened； and I knew he'd noticed。
He held the door for me； and I walked past him into my bedroom。 I resented them using my house； my bedroom； to question me； but it beat the hell out of going downtown。 So I kept my plaints to myself。 Dolph had every reason to take us all downtown。 We had dead bodies； and I wasn't even denying I had killed them。 Oh； I might have tried to deny it if I thought I could get away with it； but I couldn't； so I didn't。
He motioned me to the kitchen chair that had been moved into the bedroom。 He stayed standing； all six…feet…eight of him。 〃Tell me；〃 he said。
I told him exactly what had happened。 I told the truth； all of it。 Of course I didn't know enough to need to lie。 They'd carted Igor's body away； all those bright tattoos still vibrant； more alive than the rest of him。 We had one dead and one wounded。 It was my house。 It was obviously a case of self…defense。 The only difference from the other two times I'd had to kill people in my house was the number of bodies and that some of them were so not…human。 Other than that； I'd walked on much more questionable occasions。 So why was Dolph treating this one more seriously？ I didn't have a clue。
Dolph stared down at me。 He has a much better steely gaze than Zerbrowski； but I gave him calm； blank eyes。 I could look innocent this time； because I was。
〃And you don't know why they wanted to take you？〃
Actually； I had a thought on that one； but I didn't share it； couldn't。 They might have e hunting me because I nearly killed their leader。 One of the problems with withholding evidence from the police is that later you can't always explain yourself without confessing that you've withheld evidence。 This was one of those moments。 I hadn't told Dolph about the half…men half…snakes taking Nathaniel and the fight afterwards。 I could have told him now； but 。。。 but there were too many things that I'd have had to tell him； like that maybe I was going to be a wereleopard。 Dolph hated the monsters。 I wasn't ready to share that with him。
I gave him an innocent face and said； 〃Nope。〃
〃They wanted you pretty damn bad； Anita； to e in here with this kind of firepower。〃
I shrugged。 〃I guess so。〃
The anger filled his eyes； thinned his lips to a tight line。 〃You are lying to me。〃
I widened my eyes。 〃Would I do that？〃
He whirled and slammed his hand into the top of my dresser； hard enough that the mirror thudded against the wall。 The glass shivered； and for a second I thought it might shatter。 It didn't； but the door opened and Zerbrowski stuck his head in the door。 〃Everything alright in here？〃
Dolph glared at him； but Zerbrowski didn't flinch。 〃Maybe I should finish questioning Anita。〃
Dolph shook his head。 〃Get out； Zerbrowski。〃
Brave man that he was； he looked at me。 〃You okay with that； Anita？
I nodded； but Dolph was already yelling； 〃Get the fuck out！〃
Zerbrowski gave us both a last look and closed the door； saying； 〃Yell if you need anything。〃 The door closed； and in the sudden silence I could hear Dolph's breathing； heavy； labored。 I could smell the sweat on his skin； faint； not unpleasant； but a sure sign that he was in distress。 What was going on？
〃Dolph？〃 I made his name a question。
He spoke without turning around。 〃I am taking a lot of heat for you； Anita。〃
〃Not on this you're not；〃 I said。 〃Everybody that you took out of this house won't be human。 The laws may cover shapeshifters as human； but I know how it works。 What's one more dead monster？〃
He turned then； leaning his big body against the dresser； arms crossed。 〃I thought that shapeshifters changed back to human form when they died。〃
〃They do；〃 I said。
〃The snake things didn't。〃
〃No； they didn't。〃
We looked at each other。 〃You're saying they weren't shapeshifters？〃
〃No； I'm saying I don't know what the hell they are。 There are snake men in a lot of different mythologies。 Hindu； vaudun。 They could be something that was never human to begin with。〃
〃You mean like the naga you pulled out of the river two years ago？〃 he said。
〃The naga was truly immortal。 These things； whatever they are； couldn't stand up to silver bullets。〃
He closed his eyes for a second； and when he looked at me again； I saw how tired he was。 Not a physical tiredness； but a tiredness of the heart； as if he'd been carrying some emotional burden around a little too long。
〃What's wrong； Dolph？ What's got you so 。。。 riled up？〃
He gave a small smile。 〃Riled up。〃 He shook his head and pushed away from the dresser。 He sat on the edge of the bed； and I turned in the chair； so I was straddling the back of it and could see him better。
〃You asked what woman in my life was sleeping with the undead。〃
〃I shouldn't have said that。 I'm sorry。〃
He shook his head。 〃No； I was being a bastard。〃 His eyes were fierce again。 〃I don't understand how you can let that 。。。 thing touch you。〃 His revulsion was so strong that I could almost feel it against my skin。
〃We've had this discussion before。 You're not my father。〃
〃But I am Darrin's father。〃
I gave him wide eyes。 〃Your oldest； the lawyer？〃 I asked。
He nodded。
I watched his face； tried to catch a clue； afraid to say anything。 Afraid I'd misunderstood him。 〃What about Darrin？〃
〃He's engaged。〃
I watched the terrible seriousness of his face。 〃Why do I get the idea that congratulations aren't in order？〃
〃She's a vampire； Anita； a fucking vampire。〃
I blinked at him。 I didn't know what to say。
Those angry eyes glared at me。 〃Say something。〃
〃I don't know what you want me to say； Dolph。 Darrin's older than I am。 He's a big boy。 He has the right to be with whoever he wants to be with。〃
〃She's a corpse； Anita。 She is a walking corpse。〃
I nodded。 〃Yeah。〃
He stood； pacing the room in long angry strides。 〃She's dead； Anita； she's fucking dead； and you ca