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race； that it almost hurt to watch。 It made my pulse race； my breath hard to take made my body run moist。 Oh； shit； oh； shit； oh； shit。
〃Jean…Claude； no；〃 but my voice was a whisper。
His mouth hovered over mine； then his face turned for a second to Micah。 I watched the two of them gaze at each other from inches away and felt the power pulsing in the air between。 Jean…Claude moved so slowly to close the distance between them that it was like watching slow motion。 Micah sat there； waiting。 He didn't move in to him； but he didn't move away either。 I thought at first they'd kissed； then some trick of the light let me see a thin line of space between their mouths。 Not touching； not yet。 I watched their lips so tremblingly close； and part of me wanted them to touch； but Jean…Claude held his place； held his place until Micah closed his eyes； as if he couldn't stand to meet those glowing orbs； like looking away from the sun； too brilliant to bear。
And still Jean…Claude did not close that small distance。 It was the distance of a breath； the flick of a tongue and still he held himself almost touching； almost there； but not quite。 The tension grew； grew； grew； until I wanted to scream。 I didn't realize that I'd moved in towards them； until they both turned at once and looked at me from inches away。 My eyes flicked from one to the other。 Eyes like blue fire； eyes like yellow…green clouds。 Micah's eyes grew more green as I watched； until they were pale； pale green； like spring leaves。 He focused on me。 I couldn't explain it； but I knew that this was the look he hunted with； that sharp focus； the pupil nearly lost in the color of his eyes。
I realized that I'd pushed the ardeur back。 I was attracted to both； but I could think again； feel something besides the burn。 You practice one kind of metaphysical control； and I guess it gives you an edge on all of them。 The relief made me feel weak； as if I could have curled on the floor and slept。 We weren't going to fall on each other like ravening lust…monsters。 Yippee。
I eased away； started to crawl backwards。 Jean…Claude's gaze followed me； but he made no move to touch me。 There was something about the way he stayed on all fours that let me know the ardeur was still riding him。 But if I could keep from touching him； we'd be alright。 He watched me； like a starving man； who was watching his first meal in days crawl away。 But he played fair； he stayed where he was； he let me crawl away。 He knew the rules。 Micah didn't。
He reached for me； and I threw myself back to the floor in a blur of speed that I'd never had before； but Micah wasn't human either。 He followed me in a movement that was too fast for my eyes to follow； so that he was above me before my mind could see that he'd moved。 It was magical。
He was frozen just above me； his body balanced on hands and feet； almost like he was doing a push…up。 I reached out； around him； trying not to touch him。 I had time to say； 〃No； don't；〃 then two things happened at once。 Micah dropped his body on top of mine； and Jean…Claude took my outreached hand。 Maybe he thought I was reaching for him； I don't know。 But the moment we touched the heat ran over us； through us； and there was nothing but the need。
50
WE KISSED； AND it was like melting from the mouth down。 My hands slid over the silk of Micah's shirt； and it wasn't enough。 I ripped at it； tore it from his body until my hands spilled over the solid smoothness of his chest； his skin like warm satin under my fingers。 Micah was suddenly grinding me into the floor； so heavy。 I opened my eyes and found Jean…Claude above us； over Micah； pressing us both into the floor。 I had a moment of meeting his eyes； a moment to see the rage in that blind blue fire； then his arms were around Micah； and he was jerking the smaller man backwards。
I sat up； watching them roll across the floor； fighting。 Anger； frustration； and just sheer tiredness welled up inside me until there was no room for the ardeur。 I was tired of fighting； so tired of it。
I smelled blood like a hot spike through the center of my body； the smell was almost sexual。 That was enough。 I drew the Browning and sighted around the room。 For a split second； I had the two of them at the end of the barrel。 For a split second it occurred to me。 Then I moved the gun around the room； registering for the first time that there was no one left in the room but us。 Good to know we didn't have an audience。 I pointed the gun at the overstuffed white couch and fired。 One of the small gold and silver pillows jumped upward with the impact。 The noise was thunderous in the stone room； as if the heavy drapes caught the sound； held it around us。
They froze。 Micah's hands were claws； shredding across Jean…Claude's back； because that was all he could reach。 Jean…Claude's face was buried in Micah's neck； his body wrapped around him； so that everything vital was hidden while he tried to tear Micah's throat out。
I sighted on them。 〃Stop it； stop it； both of you； or the next one goes in one of you。 I swear； by God； that I will shoot you。〃
Jean…Claude raised up； blood in a crimson wash across his mouth； chin； down his neck。 There was so much blood； it made me afraid to look at Micah's neck。 Micah's claws stayed in Jean…Claude's back。 I could see the tension as if every muscle were poised to drive the claws farther in。
〃The Nimir…Raj holds me in place； ma petite。 I cannot move。〃
〃Micah； let him up。〃
Micah didn't move； and I guess I couldn't blame him； but 。。。 I aimed the gun at his head because that was the only clear shot I had。 I had a small spurt of panic that I might have to pull the trigger； then a calmness welled over me； and I stood in that well of silence； that buzzing white noise that I went to when I killed。 There was no feeling here； there was almost nothing here。
〃I 。。。 will 。。。 kill you； Micah。〃 My voice sounded as empty as I felt。
Micah turned his head slowly to look at me。 Blood flowed from the left side of his neck down his shoulder； his chest。 He was drenched in his own blood。 I could see more of it welling up； sliding down； but not constant； the blood pumped out with his pulse。 Shit。
〃Let him up； Micah； he's pierced your carotid。〃 I lowered the gun and started to close the distance between them。
Micah looked up at the vampire； still poised with his claws in Jean…Claude's flesh。 〃If I die； I want him to go with me。〃
〃It should be simple enough for a Nimir…Raj of your power to heal such a small wound；〃 Jean…Claude said； still pressed around the other man's body； intimate。
Micah withdrew the claws from Jean…Claude's back。 Jean…Claude moved enough to prop himself up on his hands。 I saw Micah tense a second before his arm swung in that unbelievable speed； so fast； so fast。 Jean…Claude's throat hadn't even started to bleed when Micah's hand was back at his side。 Then blood spilled in a fountain from Jean…Claude's throat。
〃Heal that；〃 Micah said。
I was left standing there； watching them both bleed to death。 Mother fucking son of a bitch。
51
JEAN…CLAUDE HALF FELL； half moved off of Micah。 Blood sprayed in a red rain as he knelt on all fours； coughing； as if he were trying to clear his throat