Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Colletion_ Books 6-10 - Laurell K. Hamilton [1012]
“Should you give me the knives, too, then?” Claudia asked.
She had a point, no pun intended. I took the wrist sheaths off, folded them up, and handed them to her.
“I thought you could control this shit.” Caleb was standing just a little behind and to one side of Claudia. He was looking up at the tall woman as if wondering what she’d do if he tried to climb her. I almost wanted him to try, because I was pretty sure what would happen, and even more sure that I’d enjoy watching it. Caleb needed a good lesson from someone.
“I can.”
“Then why all the precautions?”
I could have told him about the time in Tennessee when Raina’s munin nearly started a riot among Verne’s pack in a sort of game of rape tag, with me as the rapee, but I didn’t. Instead, I said, “If you’re not going to be helpful, stand over to the side and shut the fuck up.”
He opened his mouth as if to protest, but Merle said, “Caleb, do what she says.” His voice was quiet, a deep rumble of sound, but that mild tone seemed to work on Caleb like a charm.
“Sure, Merle, anything you say.” He went to stand over to one side, near Dr. Lillian and Igor.
I glanced at Merle. “Thanks,” I said.
He just bowed his head at me.
Dr. Lillian said, “I take this to mean that you want me to wait on the injection.”
I nodded. “Yeah.”
She turned and walked back through the sliding glass doors, into the darkened house. Everyone else stayed where they were, looking at me. Even Caleb, sulking by the railing with his arms crossed, was still watching the show.
I slipped my shirt off and felt rather than saw all my people react, like wind through a wheat field, involuntary. I never undressed in front of people unless I absolutely had to. The black bra I was wearing covered more than most swim suits, but there’s something about letting people see you in your underwear that just makes all us good little girls squirm.
“Black lace, I like it,” Caleb said.
I started to say something, but Merle beat me to it. “Shut up, Caleb, and don’t make me tell you again.”
Caleb settled back against the rail, arms hugging himself, face crinkled into a sulk that made him look even younger than he was.
“Go on,” Merle said, “he won’t interrupt again.”
I looked at him. It was bad that he kept interfering. It undermined my authority, but since I wasn’t entirely sure I had any authority over Caleb, it was okay, I guess. But it bugged me. I just wasn’t sure what to do about it.
“I appreciate the help, but if our pards really do merge, then Caleb is going to have to learn to respect me, not you.”
“You don’t want my help?” He made it a question.
“Priority tonight is Gregory, but Caleb and I are going to have to come to an understanding.”
“Are you going to shoot him too?”
I tried to read Merle’s face and failed. A sort of blank hostility was all that showed. “You think I’ll have to?”
Merle gave a very small smile. “Maybe.”
It made me smile, a little. “Great, just what I need, another discipline problem in my pard.”
His smile vanished like a hand had wiped it away. “We’re not your cats, Anita, not yet.”
I shrugged. “Whatever you say.”
“We are not yours,” he said.
I watched his face and saw something cross it in the moonlight. Maybe if I’d had better light I could have deciphered it. “Why does the thought of me being in charge bother you so much?”
He shook his head. “It’s not you being in charge that bothers me.”
“Then what is it?”
He shook his head again. “What bothers me is you trying to be in charge and failing—failing really, really badly.”
“I do my best, Merle, that’s all I can do.”
He nodded.