Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Colletion_ Books 6-10 - Laurell K. Hamilton [263]
The last time I’d seen Jamil he’d been trying to kill Richard. “What are you doing here?” Even to me it didn’t sound friendly.
He smiled, a quick baring of teeth. “I’m Richard’s enforcer.”
“So?”
“They allowed us each one backup, plus the wereleopards,” Richard said. He spoke without looking at me, staring at the front of the Circus rising into the bright sunlight.
“I’m short one wereleopard and a backup,” I said.
He did look at me then. His face was as closed and guarded as I’d seen it. “I thought Jean-Claude had told you, and you’d just decided against any backup.”
“I’d take backup into hell, Richard. You know that.”
“Don’t blame me if your boyfriend forgot to mention it.”
“He probably thought you’d mention it.”
He just looked at me with his angry eyes.
“Is there anything else you forgot to tell me?”
“He just said to tell you, don’t kill anyone.”
“He mention anyone in particular not to kill?” I asked.
Richard frowned then. “As a matter of fact, he did.” He said the next in a bad French accent. “‘Tell ma petite not to kill Fernando no matter what the provocation.’”
It brought a tight smile to my face. “Fine.”
Jamil was staring at me. “The look on your face, babe. That is the most evil little smile I’ve ever seen. What did this Fernando do to you?”
“To me personally, nothing.”
“He raped your Geri, your second in command,” Zane said.
Both of the werewolves stared at him, a sudden flash of hostility that made Zane step back. He moved a little behind me, which didn’t quite work since he was nearly a foot taller. Hard to cower behind someone who’s shorter than you are.
“He raped Sylvie?” Richard asked.
I nodded.
“He has to be punished,” Richard said.
I shook my head. “I told Sylvie I’d kill him. That we’d kill them all.”
“All?” Richard made it a question.
“All,” I said.
He looked away then, not meeting my eyes. He asked without turning around, “How many?”
“Two that she’s told me about. There may be more, but if there is, she’s not ready to talk about it yet.”
“You’re sure there was more than just this Fernando?” Richard looked at me, eyes hopeful, almost like he wanted me to tell him it wasn’t really as bad as it seemed.
“It was gang rape, Richard. They took great pride in telling me that.”
“Who was the second one?” he asked.
He asked. I answered. “Liv.”
He blinked at me. “She’s a woman.”
“I’m aware of that.”
He just stared at me. “How?”
I raised eyebrows at him. “You really want me to get that technical?”
Richard shook his head. He looked ill. Jamil didn’t. He met my eyes without flinching, his face thinned into tight angry lines. “If they can take one of our highest wolves and use her like that, then the pack’s threat means nothing.”
“That, too,” I said. “But I’m not going to kill someone just to keep the pack’s rep in good repair.”
“Then why?” Jamil said.
I thought about that for a second. “Because I gave my word I’d do it. They dug their grave when they touched her. All I’m doing is filling in the dirt.”
“Why?” Jamil said. “You hated Sylvie.” It seemed important to him that I answer, as if the question meant more than it should have, at least to him.
“They didn’t break her. All that they did to her, and they couldn’t break her. She could have stopped the torture by giving up the pack. She didn’t give them up.” I tried to put it all into words. “That kind of loyalty and strength deserves the same in return.”
“What do you know about loyalty?” Richard asked.
“That’s it,” I said. I turned to him and poked a finger in his chest. “We can have one knock-down-glorious fight after we save Gregory and Vivian. They gang-raped Sylvie. Do you really think they’re doing less to two shapeshifters that they thought had no alpha to protect them?” I was spitting every word into his face, voice squeezed tight and low, because if I let go, I’d be screaming. “We are going to get them out and take them some place safe. When we do all that, then you can