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estion who Nathaniel sleeps with； because he doesn't have good judgment。 None of you have the right to question me。〃
Caleb moved in one of those too…fast…to…see motions and shoved his face into my groin； hard enough that it almost hurt。 I pulled the Browning without thinking about it and had it pressed against his skull before I realized it。 Faster than normal even for me。
Caleb raised his head back so that his forehead was pressed against the end of the gun。 He stared up at me。 〃You don't smell like dick。 Don't tell me you had at least three men with you in a bed and nobody got to fuck you。〃
〃Caleb； I'm really beginning not to like you。〃
He grinned。 〃But you won't shoot me； because that would make Micah mad。〃
〃You're right； I shouldn't have pulled the gun。 I'm just not used to being able to draw a gun before I have time to think about it。〃
〃I've never seen you move that fast；〃 Zane said。
I shrugged。 〃Benefits of the change； I guess。〃 I put the Browning back。 I wasn't going to shoot him for just being obnoxious。
Caleb rested his cheek against my thigh； and I let him。 My struggling would just amuse him； and he was behaving himself； relatively speaking。
Vivian touched my arm。 〃Are you really going to be one of us？〃
〃We'll know in about two weeks；〃 I said。
〃I am sorry；〃 she said。
I smiled at her。 〃Thanks。〃
〃You didn't top Nathaniel；〃 Elizabeth said。 〃You're too squeamish to use teeth on him like that。〃
I looked at her； and I let the darkness fill my eyes that was my own version of a beast。 The look that said just how far down the well I'd fallen。 〃I'm not as squeamish as I used to be； Elizabeth。 You might want to remember that。〃
〃No；〃 she said； 〃no； you're protecting him。 He's been teacher's pet since day one。 You're just afraid of what Micah will do。 Afraid of what a real Nimir…Raj will do to him now that he's disobeyed a direct order。〃 She stalked over to us。 〃And you should be afraid； Anita； you should be very afraid； because Micah's strong； strong the way Gabriel was strong。 He doesn't flinch。〃
〃I've heard enough about Gabriel to wonder if that's a pliment。〃 Micah came out of the woods with a tall man beside him。 Before Micah； I'd never slept with a man that I'd just met。 I'd never slept with anyone that didn't make my heart beat faster； my skin react to the sight of him。 As Micah glided from the trees； he was graceful and handsome； but I wasn't in love with him； and my body didn't react like I was。 I was both relieved and a little ashamed of that。
He was wearing shorts that had been cut off and allowed to go ragged at the hem。 A white tank top seemed to glow in the dark； making his tan look even darker。 A wide leather belt encircled his slender waist。 He'd tied his hair back in a ponytail； but it was so curly that it didn't give the illusion of short hair； you knew even from the front that there was a lot more hair behind him。 He seemed more delicate in clothes than he had without them。 Maybe I just hadn't been paying attention to how small boned he was。 There was something graceful in the way he was made； fine bones； smooth skin； very 。。。 refined； especially for a man。 Jean…Claude was prettier； but he was too tall to ever be called delicate。 Micah was delicate。 The only thing that saved him from looking fragile was the play of muscles in his arms； the way he walked； like the world was his and everywhere he moved he was the center of the universe。 It wasn't so much confidence as surety。 So much potential in such a small package。 He reminded me of somebody。
The man trailing behind Micah was dark plected； with very short； close cut hair； and there was something about his skin tone； even by starlight； that didn't look tan。 He was handsome in a young； almost preppy sort of way； but muscled and very alert。 That explained why Merle hadn't been glued to Micah's side。 We'd had a change of guard。 Micah introduced him as Noah。
I'd dreaded seeing Micah again wondered what I'd say； how I'd feel。 I wasn't nearly as unfortable as I'd thought I'd be。 Maybe I'd have been more so if I hadn't been trying to defend Nathaniel's honor。 Maybe because I didn't give any sign of what we'd done； Micah didn't either。 Or maybe he was as confused as I was about it。 Or maybe that's how casual sex works。 I just didn't know。
〃What is everyone so tense about？〃 Micah asked。
〃Show him； Nathaniel。〃
Nathaniel never questioned； just stepped out from behind me and showed his back to the two men。
The bodyguard gave a sharp whistle。 Micah's eyes widened； and he looked over Nathaniel's shoulder at me。
〃You did this？〃
I nodded。
〃She didn't；〃 Elizabeth said。
Caleb had risen as far as he could on his knees and was sniffing my stomach； his face pointed towards other things； but he was careful not to touch them。 I don't think he would have sniffed my groin in front of Micah。 Elizabeth was right on one thing。 The leopards just weren't as afraid of me as they were of Micah。
〃She smells of blood； too；〃 Caleb said。
〃Get away from me；〃 I said。
He smirked； but he crawled away。
〃Are you saying she has a wound on her like what he has on his back？〃 Elizabeth asked。
Caleb nodded as he crawled。
〃Then she's lying。 Whoever did his back； did her； too。〃
I sighed。 〃Am I really going to have to prove this？〃
〃I would take your word；〃 Micah said； 〃but apparently your pard won't。〃
〃It's just that we've wanted you to take one of us like this for so long；〃 Cherry said。 〃And now 。。。 I think we'd have believed sex but not this。 It just doesn't look like your work； and Elizabeth's right about one thing。 Nathaniel is your favorite； and you do protect him。〃
Great； no one believed me。 〃Fine； just fine；〃 I said。 I started sliding out of the shoulder holster to let it flop at my back。 Pulling my shirt out of my jeans wasn't a problem； even taking it off and laying it beside Nathaniel's shirt on the car hood wasn't a problem。 I was wearing a very nice black bra。 It was meant to be seen。 Jean…Claude had been a very bad influence on my wardrobe。 The problem was taking off the bra。 I really didn't want to do that。
I undid the back； but held the front in place。 〃What happens when you see the bite mark？〃
〃If you show me a bite mark on your breast that doesn't have fang marks in it； I'll believe it was Nathaniel；〃 Micah said。
Everyone had crowded close。 I never liked being the center of attention； not for this kind of thing。 〃Give me a little breathing space guys。〃
They moved back a fraction of a step； and I thought； screw it。 Everyone here； except Elizabeth and maybe the new bodyguard； had seen me naked。 Oh； hell。 I slipped the bra off and laid it on the hood with my shirt。 I made absolutely no eye contact。
A hand came into view； and I grabbed the wrist。 It was Caleb。 〃Nathaniel gets to take a bite； and I can't even touch it。〃
〃No； you can't；〃 I said。
Micah didn't e any closer。 〃Why did you mark him？〃
I met his eyes； expecting to see accusation； or disdain； or something negative。 But his face was very still。 〃I needed to sink my teeth into something。 I needed 。。。 〃 I shook my head and looked away。 〃It wasn't sex I wanted。 I wanted to feed。〃
〃No。〃 Elizabeth came crowding cl