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ce and neck。 He was introduced as Boone； and the moment he turned small dark eyes to me； I knew he was something that would eat me if it could。 Not wolf； not cat； but something with teeth。
His voice was a rumbling bass； so low it almost hurt to hear it。 〃Ms。 Blake。〃
I nodded。 〃Mr。 Boone。〃
He shook his head； the dark beard rubbing back and forth over his white shirt。 〃Just Boone； no mister。〃
〃Boone；〃 I said。
Nathaniel； Zane； and Cherry were bringing in kitchen chairs so the last four people could sit down。 Two women； two men； were left。 One man was slender with golden red hair； and strangely up…tilted green eyes。 He sat on the floor huddled against the side of the couch as if he were hiding。
〃That's Gilbert；〃 Donovan said。
〃Gil；〃 he said； voice almost too soft to hear。
The woman was tall； nearly six feet； broad…shouldered； strong…looking。 Her hair was brown； streaked with gray； pulled back from her face in a loose ponytail。 Her face was bare of makeup。 She offered me a hand； and gave me one of the best handshakes I've ever had from another woman。 Her brown eyes were deep with worry； as she said； 〃I'm Janet Talbot。 It's good of you to see us all on such short notice。〃
〃I didn't e here to make small talk。〃 This from a woman who was standing on the far side of the room； near the big picture window。 She was looking out through the closed sheers； hands gripping her elbows； nervous tension singing along her straight spine； as she turned to face the room。 I could see where Ethan and Olivia had gotten the dark skin and their exotic look。 Nilisha MacNair was about my size but even more delicately put together； so that she seemed smaller。 A man might think words like birdlike； kittenish； until he looked in her eyes。 Once you looked into those dark； dark eyes； you knew better。 The eyes gave the lie to the packaging。 She was hell on wheels and used to getting her own way。
A man stood near her； but not too near。 He was as tall； as blond； as pale； as she was small； black…haired； and dark。 He was also muscled in a way that nature does not do。 His shoulders were broad； waist narrow； hands large enough to palm her entire head； yet he was clearly afraid of her。 Oh； it was bodyguard deferential； but there was real fear there； too。
Merle was leaning casually near the big blond man。 I didn't know where Caleb was； and didn't care。
〃I am the Kadra； and the Kashyapa； who is dead； is my husband。〃 Nilisha MacNair let out a sudden breath that shook； then she regained control like a mountain squeezing downward。 〃Was my husband。〃
〃Father is not dead；〃 Olivia said。 〃I won't let you make him dead by giving up。〃
Her brother； Ethan； touched her arm； as if trying to soothe her or tell her to shut up。 She ignored him。
But the damage was done； the fight was on。 〃How dare you？ How dare you say that I would make him dead？ I am merely facing the truth。〃
Olivia stood up； shaking off her brother's hand。 〃You just can't stand the fact that he was with another woman when it happened。〃
The fight went downhill from there。 Apparently Henry MacNair； patriarch of the clan； had been leaving his mistress and fellow werecobra's house； when someone had taken him。 No body was found； but a lot of blood was left behind。 There had been signs of a struggle； a car on its side； a good…sized tree torn up。 When wereanimals struggle； they struggle。
I actually learned quite a bit from the fight； but when it was reduced to the two women screaming at each other from less than a foot away； some of it not even in English； I'd had enough。
I looked across the room at Donovan。 He had brought them to my house； after all。 He shrugged。 Basically； he didn't know what to do either。
I had visions of dumping water over their heads； but decided that it might just work better to leave the room。 I motioned the others into the kitchen； and they all trooped out。 It was as the last of them were leaving the room that the shouting began to die down。 Then Nilisha's voice。 〃Where are you all going？〃
Janet Talbot spoke for all of us。 〃Someplace quieter。〃
I couldn't see the women's faces； but I could almost smell the embarrassment on the air。 Not wereanimal ability； just a good guess。
〃Please；〃 Olivia said； 〃please； I do apologize。 Please e back。〃
Everyone started trickling back into the room。 Nilisha actually took a chair with the blond bodyguard behind her。 〃We are all very worried about my husband。〃
〃Worried about him； Mama？〃 Olivia said。
The woman nodded； smiled。 〃Yes； worried。〃
〃He's not dead；〃 the girl said。
〃If you can have hope； so can I。〃
They smiled at each other like bright mirrors； so alike in that one moment。 Ethan looked relieved； but he didn't smile。
〃Alright； besides Henry MacNair； who else is missing？〃
〃My son； Andy；〃 Janet Talbot said。 She handed me a snapshot of a young man with her brown hair； cut short； but his features were softer than hers。 He was handsome； bordering on pretty。 〃He looks like his father。〃 She said it； as if strangers had remarked on the lack of resemblance before。 I wouldn't have said a damn thing。
〃Our Ursa；〃 Boone said； 〃I didn't think to bring a picture。〃
〃Ursa； bear； your queen？〃 I made it a question。
He nodded that massive； bearded head； and I wondered how I'd missed it。 〃She went out to pick up a few things at the store and never came back。 No signs of a struggle； just gone。〃
I looked at Gil of the green eyes。 〃Who'd you misplace？〃
He shook his head。 〃No one； I'm just scared。〃
I looked at Christine。 〃How 'bout you？〃
〃I'm here as a representative for the weres that only have one or two members。 Those of us who have chosen St。 Louis because there were no others like us。 I'm the only weretiger in town； so I haven't lost anybody； but we've lost one werelion。〃
〃I don't suppose the missing lion is named Marco？〃
Christine shook her head。 〃No； Joseph； why？〃
Donovan answered； 〃The lion man was named Marco。〃
〃Oh〃 she said。
〃And；〃 Donovan added； 〃Joseph isn't able to change that close to human。 No one I know of can change that close to human and hold it without changing。〃
Christine continued as if I hadn't spoken。 Focused； Christine was always focused。 〃Joseph's mate is pregnant。 Amber would be here but she's under plete bed rest until the baby is born。〃
〃Until she loses it； you mean；〃 Cherry said。
I glanced at her。 〃You say that like she's lost some before。〃
〃This is her third try；〃 Cherry said。
〃I'm sorry to hear that。 Losing her 。。。 mate must not be helping her stress levels。〃
〃That is an understatement；〃 Christine said。
〃She's a fool to keep trying；〃 Cherry said。 〃We can't carry a baby to term； and that's that。〃
I looked at her again。 〃Pass that by me again； slowly。〃
〃The change is too violent； it causes miscarriage。〃 Cherry said it matter of factly； then I watched her understand what she'd just said； and she whispered； 〃Anita； I didn't 。。。 you shouldn't have had to find out this way。 I'm sorry。〃
I shrugged； then shook my head。 〃But the MacNairs have two children。 I'm looking at them。 Janet has a son。〃
〃My type of shapeshifting is inherited；〃 Janet said。 〃It's not tied to the moon。 I avoided shapeshifting until after Andy