The Killing Dance - Laurell K. Hamilton [33]
9
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IT WAS 4:40 in the morning when Richard carried the still unconscious Stephen into his bedroom. Blood had dried the back of Richard’s shirt to his skin. “Go to bed, Anita. I’ll take care of Stephen.”
“I need to look at your wounds,” I said.
“I’m all right.”
“Richard . . .”
He looked at me, half of his face covered in dried blood, his eyes almost wild. “No, Anita, I don’t want your help. I don’t need it.”
I took in a deep breath through my nose and let it out. “Okay, have it your way.”
I expected him to apologize for snapping at me, but he didn’t. He just walked into the other room and closed the door. I stood there in the living room for a minute, not sure what to do. I’d hurt his feelings, maybe even offended his sense of male honor. Fuck it. If he couldn’t take the truth, fuck him. People’s lives were at stake. I couldn’t give Richard comforting lies when it could get people killed.
I went into the guest room, locked the door, and went to bed. I put on an oversized T-shirt with a caricature of Arthur Conan Doyle on it. I’d packed something a little sexier. Yes, I admit it. I could have saved myself the trouble. The Firestar was lumpy under the pillow. The machine gun went under the bed within reach. I laid an extra clip beside it. Never thought I’d need that much firepower, but between assassination attempts and packs of werewolves, I was beginning to feel a little insecure.
When I shoved the silver knives half under the mattress so I could get to them if I had to, I realized just how insecure I was feeling. But I left the knives out. Better insecure and paranoid than dead.
I got my stuffed toy penguin, Sigmund, out of the suitcase and cuddled under the covers. I’d had some vague idea that spending the night at Richard’s house might be romantic. Shows how much I knew. We’d had three fights in one night, a record even for me. It probably wasn’t a good sign for the longevity of the relationship. That last thought made my chest tight, but what was I supposed to do? Go into the other room and apologize? Tell him he was right when he wasn’t? Tell him it was okay to get himself killed and take the rest of us down with him? It wasn’t okay. It wasn’t even close to okay. I hugged Sigmund until he was nearly squeezed in two. I refused to cry. Question: Why was I more worried about losing Richard than about the assassins? Answer: Killing didn’t bother me; losing Richard did. I fell asleep holding my penguin and wondering if Richard and I were still dating. Who would keep him alive if I wasn’t around?
Something woke me. I blinked up into the dark and reached under my pillow for the Firestar. When it was secure in my hand, I listened. A knock, someone was knocking at the locked bedroom door. Soft, hesitant. Was it Richard come to apologize? That would be too convenient.
I threw back the covers, spilling Sigmund to the floor. I put him back in the suitcase, lowering the lid without closing it, and padded barefoot to the door. I stood to one side of it, and said, “Who is it?”
“It’s Stephen.”
I let out a breath I hadn’t known I was holding. I crossed to the other side of the door, gun still ready, and unlocked the door. I opened it slowly, looking, listening, trying to make sure it was just Stephen.
He stood outside the door wearing a pair of Richard’s cutoff sweat pants. The shorts hung nearly to his ankles. A borrowed T-shirt covered his knees. His long yellow hair was tousled, like he’d been asleep.
“What’s wrong?” I lowered the gun to my side, and he watched me do it.
“Richard went out, and I’m afraid to be alone.” His eyes wouldn’t quite meet mine when he said the last, flinching like he was afraid of what he’d see on my face.
“What do you mean he went out? Where to?”
“The woods. He said he’d keep watch for assassins.