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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。 It made the blood pump faster。
I screamed； at first wordless； then I thought of something better。 I screamed； 〃Asher！〃
Micah was already rolling in black fur； bones sliding in and out； muscles rolling in glimpses of pinkish flesh。 He'd shapeshift and heal himself； but Jean…Claude couldn't shapeshift。
I grabbed Jean…Claude's arm； and the moment I touched him the marks flared between us。 I was choking on my own blood； drowning in it。 Strong hands were digging into my arms； fingers like cold stone。 I blinked and found Jean…Claude's face glowing like carved alabaster with white light inside it。 His skin glowed behind the coating of blood on his lower face； like rubies spread across diamonds。 His eyes were pools of molten sapphire flame； if fire could be cold； achingly cold。 A wind sprang from his body； from our bodies； and it was the cold of the grave that danced around us； fluttered our hair around our faces。 We reached that cold power out； out； to find Richard； and as before the answer came against our skin。 Jason was kneeling beside us。 I didn't have time to marvel that he was healed。 He touched us and the mark that was Richard flared through his body； a warmth to dance with our coldness。 And I knew Micah was kneeling behind me； furred and clawed。 I felt him at my back the way I felt Jason； as if he were tied to us。
Micah fell back； screaming； 〃Nooo！〃 The tie was cut and for a second I swayed； as if part of my support was gone； then Nathaniel was there； and the world was solid again。
We knelt； bound by flesh； magic； and blood。 I watched the flesh in Jean…Claude's throat reknit； reform； remake； reshape itself until the flesh was perfect and white； surrounded by a coating of wet blood。 He'd healed so fast that the blood hadn't had time to dry。
I smelled roses； not the faint perfume of potpourri； but thick； melt…on…your…tongue； old…fashioned garden roses； as if I were drowning in the cloying sweetness of them。 It was like being dipped in honey that you knew had poison in it。
Honey； honey brown eyes。 I remembered the pale honey brown of Belle Morte's eyes。 〃Do you smell the roses？〃 I asked。
Jean…Claude turned drowning blue eyes to me。 〃Roses？ I smell nothing but the scent of your perfume； and skin。〃 He scented the air； 〃And blood。〃
Nathaniel and Jason were lost in the wonder of the power rush； but no one smelled roses but me。 Once upon a time I'd smelled perfume when a certain Master Vampire had been using her magic。 My friend and fellow animator； Larry Kirkland； had smelled the perfume； too； but no one else around us had been able to scent it。
I looked into Jean…Claude's eyes； not with my sight； but with my magic； and found something； something that wasn't him。 It was subtle。 What she'd done with me earlier had been like a sledgehammer between the eyes； this was a stiletto in the dark。
I found the thread of her power coiled in him； and the moment my magic； my necromancy； hit it； the power uncoiled； opened； and it was like a window thrown wide。 I saw her sitting in her room by fire and candlelight； as if electricity hadn't been invented。 She was dressed in a white lace dressing gown； all that black hair falling around her； and a bowl of pink roses next to her pale hand。 She turned those huge pale brown eyes to me； and I saw the surprise on her face； the shock。 She saw me kneeling with the men； as I saw her before her dressing table with her roses。
I cut her off； cast her out of Jean…Claude； as I'd cast her out of me earlier。 It was easier； because she hadn't tried to possess him； only to tamper with him； to be that dark voice in his ear that pushed him a little over the edge。
Jean…Claude slumped suddenly； as if dizzy。 He raised eyes to me that were as normal as they ever got； his usual midnight blue。 There was fear on his face； no hiding it。 〃I thought I saw Belle； sitting before her mirror。〃
I nodded。 〃You did。〃
He looked at me； and I think that only all our hands on him kept him from falling to the floor。 〃She weakened my control of the ardeur。〃
〃And your control of your temper；〃 I said。
〃What has happened？〃 Asher asked。
I looked up to find that everyone was back in the room。 〃Any of this blood yours； ma'am？〃 Bobby Lee asked。
I shook my head。 〃Not a scratch on me。〃
〃Then I guess we won't get blacklisted from the bodyguard union for leaving you alone with a shapeshifter and a vampire； so they could fight over you。〃 He was shaking his head。 〃The next time you ask us to leave you alone because it's your love life； we aren't going to listen to you。〃
I shook my head； again。 〃We'll talk about it later。〃
〃No； ma'am；〃 he said； 〃we won't。〃
I let the argument go。 There was always time to fight later。 Besides； he was too close to right。 If I'd gotten between them at the wrong moment； who knew what accident might have happened？
Jean…Claude spoke softly； voice urgent； to Asher。 They were speaking French and I still didn't know enough to catch more than a word here and there。 I heard Belle； clearly； several times。
In English Asher said； 〃Do you remember Marcel？〃
〃Oui。 He went mad one night and slew his entire household。〃
〃Including his human servant；〃 Asher said； 〃which is what killed him。〃
The two vampires stared at each other。 〃No one ever understood what had caused it；〃 Jean…Claude said。
〃So fortuitous；〃 Asher said； 〃only two nights before he would have fought Belle for her Council seat。〃
Jean…Claude took Asher's offered hand and let him help him to his feet。 Asher had to steady Jean…Claude with a hand on his elbow。 〃So fortuitous that many tried to prove she had poisoned him； or some such；〃 Asher said。
Jean…Claude nodded； passing a hand over his face； as if he were still dizzy。 I felt nothing； as if my necromancy protected me from whatever Belle had done to him。 〃The Council themselves tried to prove her at fault and failed；〃 Jean…Claude said。
〃Did they hire a witch to look into the magic angle？〃 I asked。 I stood on my own； just fine。 Nathaniel and Jason got to their feet； again with no ill…effects； except for Jason's stupid grin； which he often wore after a power rush
The vampires looked at me。 〃Non；〃 Asher said； 〃no one thought of it。〃
〃Why the hell not？〃
〃Because； ma petite； she should not be able to do what she did to a Master of the City； even one of her own bloodline。 That she could do this to a Master of the City that was not her bloodline would be unthinkable。〃
〃Impossible；〃 Asher added。
〃I think it's like real possible；〃 I said。 〃I caught her in the act。〃
〃Who's Belle？〃 Micah asked in his growling leopard voice。
I turned to him； slowly； and something must have shown on my face； because Merle moved in front of him； and suddenly the two wererats were alert； starting to move up beside me。 I don't know what I was about to say； probably something really angry； because Micah beat me to it。
〃He pierced my jugular vein； Anita。 I'm allowed to defend myself when someone tries to eat my throat out。〃
〃Remember I'm his human servant。 He dies； so might I。〃
H