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He raised both eyebrows at me。 〃A person who kills policemen。〃
〃No； it's a type of ammunition designed to go through body armor。 The cops have no defense against it。 You can carry armor…piercing bullets in handguns； Faust。 I used the shotgun as an example； but it could be so many things。 And they would all take out your heart； most of your spine； or all of your head； depending on where the shooter was aiming。〃
〃Get out of the fucking doorway；〃 Meng Die said。
He turned and looked at her； and it was not a friendly look。 〃You are not my master。〃
〃Nor you mine；〃 she said。
〃Children；〃 I said。 They both looked at me。 Great。 〃Faust if you're not going to be helpful then go back downstairs。〃
〃What did I do？〃
I glanced at Meng Die； shrugged； and said； 〃Get out of the fucking doorway。〃
I could see his shoulders tighten； but he gave a graceful bow at odds with the burgundy hair and leather。 〃As Jean…Claude's lady wishes； so shall it be。〃 He stepped to the side closest to me。 Sylvie moved up close to me； not exactly between us； but close。 It made me feel better。 Bossing around vampires was always chancy。 You never knew when they'd try to boss back。 I really； really wanted my gun back。
〃What now？〃 Jamil asked。 He was watching the vampires like he wasn't any happier with their pany than I was。 All good bodyguards are paranoid。 It goes with the job。
〃I guess we knock。〃 I kept my body well to the side； extended just enough arm to get the job done； and gave three solid knocks。 If they shot through the door； they'd probably miss me。 But no one shot through the door。 In fact； nothing happened。 We waited for a few moments； but patience has never been my best thing。 I started to knock again； but Jamil stopped me and said； 〃May I？〃
I nodded。
He knocked hard and loud enough to shake the door。 It was a solid door。 If the door didn't open this time； they were deliberately ignoring us。
The door opened； revealing a brown…haired man as muscled as Ajax； but taller。 What did Narcissus do； recruit from all the weight…lifting gyms in town？ He frowned at us。 〃Yeah？〃
〃I'm Nimir…Ra for the wereleopards。 I think you've been waiting for me。〃
〃About fucking time；〃 he said。 He opened the door wide； pushing it flush against the wall； putting his back to it； arms crossed across his chest。 His arms apparently weren't as muscular as they looked； if he could cross his arms that way。 But he did demonstrate that there was no one hiding behind the door。 Good to know。
The room was white white floor； white ceiling； white walls like a room carved of hard snow。 There were blades on the walls knives； swords； daggers； tiny glittering blades； swords the length of a tall man。 The bodyguard by the door said； 〃Wele to the room of swords。〃 It sounded formal； like he was supposed to say it。
From the door I couldn't see anyone。 I took a deep breath； let it out slowly； and walked inside。 Jamil followed a step behind at my shoulder； Faust was at my other side。 Sylvie and Meng Die brought up the rear。
A figure stepped into the middle of the room。 At first glance I thought it was a man； but on second glance； not exactly。 He was man…sized； almost six feet； broad shouldered； muscular； but what I'd thought was a golden tan was golden tan fur； very thin and fine。 Covering the whole body。 The face was almost human； though the bone structure was a little odd。 A wide face； a lipless mouth that was almost a round muzzle。 The eyes were a dark orange gold with an edge of blue in them； as if they； like the body； were only partly through their change。 It was as if his body had frozen； stopping just short of attaining human form。 I'd never seen anything like it。 Pale skin showed in patches on his bare chest and stomach。 I couldn't tell if the dark gold hair and edge of beard that encircled his face was actually hair or what was left of a mane。 The longer I stared at him； the more like a lion he looked； until I couldn't see the man I'd thought I'd seen for the light coating of beast that covered him。
He gave a snarling smile。 〃Do you like what you see？〃
〃I've never seen anything like you；〃 I said； nice； calm； even empty。
He didn't like that； my lack of reaction。 His smile vanished and became only a snarl of very sharp； very white teeth。
〃Wele； Nimir…Ra； I am Marco； we have been waiting for you。〃 He made a sweeping gesture to either side with his clawed human hands。 I glanced around at the 〃we〃。 They were small to medium…sized men with short black hair and dark skin。 Most groups； prides； packs； whatever； were mixed ethnically。 But there was a sameness to these dark men； almost a family look about them。 Two on either side wore hooded cloaks； with the hoods thrown back； the wide cloaks spread like curtains。 I glimpsed blond hair behind the blackness to the left。 I couldn't see Nathaniel's hair over the blackness but I knew he had to be on the right。
There was blood on the white floor； pooling into a little depression in the concrete。 A drain was in the middle so they could hose the floor down when they were finished。 There was another guard in the far corner who looked very unhappy to be there。 Three women that I did not know were chained to the wall on either side of the door。 Two blonds on the right side； a brunette on the left。 They weren't wereleopards； or at least none that were mine。
〃Let me see my people；〃 I said。
〃Will you not greet us formally？〃 Marco asked。
〃You're not the alpha anything； Marco。 You get your head lion in here and I'll greet him； but you； I don't have to greet。〃
Marco gave a small bow； the gaze of those odd tawny eyes never leaving my face。 It was the way you bow in martial arts when you're afraid the other person will hit you if you glance away。
Jamil had moved up beside me； not ahead of me； but close enough that our shoulders brushed。 I didn't tell him to move back。 He'd saved my life once； I'd let him do his job。
〃Then greet me； Nimir…Ra。〃 It was another male voice。 He stepped out from behind the cloaks to the left。 As he stepped out； the cloaks dropped and I could see Gregory clearly。
He was turned towards the wall； nude except for his pants that had been peeled down to his lower thighs； his boots still on。 Chains held his wrists above his head； his legs were wide apart。 His curling blond hair fell just below his shoulders。 His body was slender but muscled； butt tight。 You have to take care of your body if you're going to strip professionally。 There was no mark on his body that I could see； but blood had spattered on the floor in front of him； below him； pooling； dark； drying。 They hadn't cut anything on his back。 My stomach clenched tight； my breath squeezing down in my throat。
〃Gregory；〃 I said； softly。
〃He's gagged；〃 said the man。 I finally dragged my gaze away from Gregory； and the sight of the other man； the alpha； made me stare。
He wasn't a lion man； he was a snake man。 His head was wider than my shoulders； covered in olive green scales with large black spots。 One arm was bare； and it looked very human except for the scales and the hands that ended in twisted claws that would have made any predator proud。 He turned his head to look at me with one large copper gold eye。 A h