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〃You cannot shoot anyone tonight unless I say so； how's that for clear？〃
〃We have our orders；〃 Bobby Lee said； 〃and they aren't from you。〃
〃Then you can go back to Rafael and tell him I refused your help。〃
Cris's eyes widened a touch。 Bobby Lee's expression never changed。 Those pretty blue eyes were as empty as glass； no one home。 〃Why are you so afraid of taking us inside？〃 he asked。
I sighed again and tried to put it into words they'd understand and I was willing to share。 I couldn't e up with anything； so I tried the truth。 〃I am about to introduce my Nimir…Raj to the Master of the City for the first time。〃
〃You fucking both of them？〃 Bobby Lee asked； and the phrase seemed wrong with that Scarlett O'Hara accent。
I started to protest； or bitch； but let it go。 〃Yeah； I am； and I'm a little worried about how the introduction's going to go。〃
〃You think the Master will try and kill your Nimir…Raj？〃 Cris asked。
〃No； but he may want to play with him； and a vampire's idea of fun and games can get a little odd。〃
Bobby Lee laughed。 〃Odd； she says； odd。〃 He laughed again； and it sounded warm and deep and rumbly。 The laughter filled his eyes； made them more real。 〃What she is trying to say； Cris； is that we are about to be entertained just like when the rats meet the hyenas。 A show of force with no danger； but maybe a little disfort。〃
〃Yeah； what he just said。〃
Cris nodded。 〃So tonight isn't real。〃
〃It's real；〃 I said； 〃but it's just not dangerous in any way you can protect me from。〃
〃We're supposed to protect you； period；〃 Cris said。
Bobby Lee clamped him on the shoulder。 〃We can't protect her from her own love life； Cris。 We're supposed to keep her body intact； not her heart。〃
〃Oh；〃 Cris said； and he looked suddenly much younger early twenties； at best。
Bobby Lee turned to me。 〃We'll hang back tonight； unless you're in real physical danger。〃
〃I'm glad we understand each other。〃
His eyes went empty again； the smile still curving his lips。 〃Oh； we don't understand each other at all； ma'am； I can almost guarantee that； but we'll do what we're told； until we decide not to。〃
I didn't exactly like the sound of that； but； looking into his empty blue eyes； I knew it was the best I was going to get。
48
THE STEPS LEADING down into the bowels of the Circus are wide enough for three small people to walk abreast； but the steps themselves are oddly spaced； as if whatever the steps were originally built for wasn't two…legged； or at least wasn't human sized。
We were following Ernie down the steps。 The first time I'd met him he'd had one of those long hair cuts with the sides shaved。 The sides had grown out； and he'd cut the rest； so he had a fairly standard short haircut； with a little more on top； so he could gel it into soft spikes； sort of executive punk。 The short hair also left his neck bare so you could see two fang marks on the right side。
He wasn't feeding Jean…Claude。 I don't think the Master of the City fed off humans anymore； not when he could have lycanthrope。 But there were other vampires under the Circus； and they had to eat； too。
Micah walked beside me。 Merle； Bobby Lee； and Cris had a disagreement about exactly where they were going to walk。 They finally settled on Cris walking with Ernie ahead of us and Merle and Bobby Lee walking just behind us。 Everyone else sort of trailed behind； including Caleb。 None of the bodyguards seemed to give a shit if the others lived or died。 I was pretty sure that the bodyguard thing was going to get on my nerves soon； like tonight。
The huge metal door at the end of the stairs was open； waiting。 It was usually kept locked for security purposes。 My stomach clenched so tight that it hurt。 I just didn't know how to handle this。 Did I kiss Jean…Claude hello？ Did I touch Micah in front of him？ Oh； hell。
〃Did you say something？〃 Micah asked。
〃Not on purpose；〃 I said。
He looked a question at me； and that did it。 I would behave like I always did。 I would do exactly what I'd do if the other one wasn't there。 To do anything else was going to have us all walking on pins and needles。 Besides； I'd been careful with Richard and Jean…Claude； and look where that ended up。 I didn't want the same mistakes again。 Maybe we could make new ones。
49
THERE WERE SILVER drapes just inside the door。 That was new。 Ernie parted the drapes and led us into Jean…Claude's living room。 Once upon a time it had been black and white drapes； and a smaller area； but now it was white； silver； and gold。 White drapes； silk and sheer； hung like a hallway that led into something that looked like a huge fairytale tent。 The stone walls and ceiling that I knew were there were hidden by yards and yards of gold and silver cloth。 It was like standing in the middle of a jewel box。 The coffee table had been painted gold and white and made to look antique； or maybe it was the real deal。 A crystal bowl sat in the center of the table with a spill of white carnations and baby's breath。
A huge white couch sat against the far drapes； so covered in silver and gold pillows that some of the pillows had fallen to the white carpeted floor。 Two overstuffed chairs were in opposite corners； one gold； one silver； with white pillows on each。
The fireplace looked real； but I knew it wasn't because it had been added later； but it was everything a fireplace should have been； except it was painted white。 There was even a new marble mantel that was white with veins of silver and gold； ordered to match。
The only thing that hadn't changed was the portrait above the fireplace。 The first thing you saw was Julianna； sitting； dressed in silver and white； half…laughing； brown hair done in careful ringlets。 Asher stood behind her in gold and white； his face still perfect； his gold hair in ringlets longer than hers； his mustache and Van Dyke beard a blond so dark it was almost brown。 Jean…Claude sat behind Julianna； the only one of the three not smiling； solemn； dressed in black and silver。 He'd designed the room around the painting silver and gold and white。
〃Wow。〃 Caleb said it for us all。
I'd seen Jean…Claude's sense of style before； but every once in a while he'd amaze even me。 Then I felt him ing towards us。 I felt him ing and that wasn't a good thing。 I'd expected anger； jealousy； but what was moving towards me was simply lust； need。 He could shield better than this。 Was this my punishment； to be drowned in his lust？ If so； he'd misjudged me； because it was just going to piss me off。
He pushed through white and silver drapes； and for a moment I couldn't see where his clothes began and the cloth ended。 He was wearing a silver frock coat with white edging； white buttons。 His shirt was a spill of white froth； the pants； what I could see of them； were white； but the white leather boots covered almost all of his long legs。 The leather looked soft； pettable； held in place with small silver buckles going from just above his ankles to his very upper thigh。
I stared because I couldn't do anything else。 Even if he hadn't been projecting sex inside my head； he'd have made me think of it。 His hair fell in loose curls nearly to his waist； a black glory on all that silver and white。
Bobby Lee said； 〃Well； aren't you just pretty as a picture。〃
Jean…Claude didn't even look at him。 He looked at me； and I was walking towards him across the so…soft carpet without a thought； except that I had to touch him。
He closed his eyes； held out his hand。 〃No； ma petite； do not e closer。〃
I hesitated for a second； then started walking again。 I could already smell his cologne； sweet； spicy。 I wanted to run my hands through his hair； wrap the scent of him on my hands。
He stumbled back； half…tripping in the drapes。 There was something like panic on his face。 〃Ma petite； I thought I could shield you from the ardeur； but I cannot。〃
That did stop me。 I had to frown at him。 I couldn't seem to think。 That kept me where I was； almost close enough to touch him； but not quite。 〃What's happening； Jean…Claude？〃
〃I have fed this night； but I have not fed the ardeur。〃
〃That's what I'm feeling；〃 I said； 〃the ardeur。〃
〃Oui； I am shielding as hard as I can； yet you are picking up on it。 That has never happened before。〃
〃Is it because I've got my own ardeur？〃
〃That is all that has changed； so yes； I believe so。〃
〃You're not going to be in any shape to help with Damian； are you？〃
He sighed and looked down。 〃I need to feed all my hungers； ma petite。 I have not had this much difficulty with the ardeur in centuries。 Something about sharing it with you has affected me。 I did not know until I felt you enter the building that it had changed。〃
〃You mean your control is better farther away from me？〃
He nodded。
〃What the hell is this 'ardoo…whatever'？〃 Bobby Lee asked。
I glanced back at him。 〃When we want to share； I'll let you know。〃
Bobby Lee raised his eyebrows at that； then made a small pushing motion。 〃You're the boss； ma'am 。。。 for now。〃
I let that slide and turned back to Jean…Claude。 〃What do we do？〃
Nathaniel offered a suggestion。 〃Feed him。〃
I looked back at him； and the look must have been enough； because he put his hands out empty； and went to