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my flesh。 Then other hands were pulling us all apart。 I had a glimpse of Jamil's face； saw his lips move； but there was no sound。 Then blackness swirled over my vision and ate everything but a dim； dim spot of light。 Then even that vanished； and there was nothing but the dark。
8
I DREAMED I was running； being chased through the woods at night。 I could hear them ing closer； closer； and I knew that what chased me wasn't human。 Then I fell to the ground and I was running on four feet。 I chased the pale thing that fled before me。 The soft thing that had no claws； no teeth； and smelled wonderfully of fear。 It fell； and its scream was shrill； it hurt my ears； and excited me。 My fangs sank into flesh and did not stop until they tore meat。 Blood poured scalding hot down my throat； and the dream faded。
I was in Narcissus's bedroom on the black bed。 Jean…Claude was tied； standing between the posts at the end of the bed。 His chest was bare； covered in claw marks； blood running down his skin。 I crawled across the bed towards him； and I wasn't afraid； because all I could smell was the sweet copper scent of blood。 He stared at me with eyes gone solid； drowning blue。 〃Kiss me； ma petite。〃
I rose on my knees； my mouth hovering over his lips。 He moved towards me； but I stayed out of reach of those kissable lips。 I moved my mouth lower； until it was just above his chest and the fresh wounds that decorated his skin。 〃Yes； ma petite； yes；〃 he sighed。
I pressed my mouth to his chest and drank。 I woke； eyes staring； heart thudding。 It was Richard above me。 He still had the leather collar on。 I tried to raise my arms； to hold him； but my left arm was taped to a board。 There was an I。V。 in my arm。 I looked at the darkened room and knew I wasn't in a hospital。 I raised my right arm to touch his face； but it was heavy； too heavy to lift。 Darkness spilled over my eyes like warm water rushing in； as my fingertips brushed his skin。
I heard his voice。 〃Rest； Anita； rest。〃 I think he kissed me； gentry； then there was nothing。
I was wading in water to my waist； clear； icy water。 I knew I had to get out of the water or I'd die； the cold would steal me away。 I could see the shore； dead trees； and snow。 I ran for those distant trees； struggling in the icy water。 Then my feet went out from under me； and I fell into a deep hole。 The water closed over my face； and the shock of the cold hit me like a giant fist。 I couldn't move； couldn't breathe。 The light faded through the clear； shining water。 I began to drift down； down into the cold dark water。 I should have been scared； I wasn't。 I was so tired； so tired。
Pale hands reached for me； ing from the light。 The sleeve of the white shirt billowed around his arm； and I moved my hand towards him。 Jean…Claude's hand wrapped around mine； and he pulled me towards the light。
I was back in the dark room； but my skin was wet； and I was cold； so cold。 Jean…Claude was cradling me in his lap。 He was still wearing the vinyl outfit。 Then I remembered the fight。 I'd been hurt。 Jean…Claude leaned over and kissed my forehead； laying his face against mine。 His skin was as cold as I felt like ice pressed against me。 The shivering was worse； my body danced in small involuntary movements。
〃Cold；〃 I said。
〃I know； ma petite； we are both cold。〃
I frowned at him； because I didn't understand。 He was looking at someone else in the room。 〃I have brought her back； but I cannot give her the warmth she needs to survive。〃
I managed to turn my head enough to look around the room。 Richard was standing there with Jamil and Shang…Da and Gregory。 Richard came to the bed； his hand touched my face。 It was hot against my skin。 It was too much； and I tried to move away from his hand。
〃Anita； can you hear me？〃
My teeth were chattering so hard； I could hardly get it out； but finally I said； 〃Yes。〃
〃You've got a high fever； a very high fever。 They put you in a shallow ice bath to bring it down。 But your body reacted like a shapeshifter's。 The low temperature while so much damage was healing almost killed you。〃
I frowned at him and finally managed to say； 〃Don't understand。〃 The involuntary jerks were getting stronger； strong enough that it hurt the wounds。 I was waking up enough to feel how very hurt I was。 Things hurt that I didn't remember getting injured。 My muscles ached。
〃You need the high temperature to heal； just like we do。〃
I didn't understand who the 〃we〃 was。 〃Who 。。。 〃 and a spasm shook my body； tore a scream from my mouth。 My body fell into convulsions and pain smashed through me。 If I could have breathed； I'd have screamed more。 My vision began to disappear in large gray patches。
〃Get the doctor！〃 Richard's voice。
〃You know what must be done； mon ami。〃
〃If this works； then I've lost her。〃
My vision cleared for a few seconds。 Richard was stripping out of the tight pants。 It was the last thing I saw before the gray swept up over my eyes and sucked me down。
9
I THOUGHT I dreamed； but I wasn't sure。 There were faces in the dark； some of them I knew； some of them I didn't。 Cherry with her short blond hair； her face free of makeup； making her look years younger than either of us were。 Gregory touching my face。 Jamil resting beside me； curled like a dark dream。 I drifted in and out； from face to face； body to body； because I could feel their bodies pressed against mine。 Naked skin against naked skin。 It wasn't sexual； or not overtly so。 I woke； if I woke； enough to know it was Richard's arms wrapped around me； my body fitting like a spoon against his； his thick hair spilled across my eyes。 I slept； knowing I was safe。
I woke slowly； in a cocoon of body heat and that prickling rush of lycanthrope energy。 I tried to roll over and found the press of flesh kept me pinned on my side。 I opened my eyes。 The room was dark； with a small light near the wall like a child's night…light。 My night vision was good enough to be able to see color by it。 A man I didn't know was curled against the front of my body。 His face was pressed into my shoulder just above my breasts； his breath hot against my skin。 Normally； it would have been my cue to panic and run for the hills； but I just didn't feel like panicking。 I felt warm and safe； and more 。。。 right than I'd felt in a long time； as if I were wearing a favorite pair of flannel jammies； wrapped in my favorite quilt。 It was that kind of fort； that kind of peacefulness。 Even the sight of the arm around my waist from behind didn't disturb me。 Maybe Dr。 Lillian had slipped me some medicine that made everything feel okay。 All I know was that I didn't want to move。 It was like when you first wake in the morning and there's nowhere you have to be； nothing you have to do； and you can float in that half…awake； half…asleep； warm…nest…of…blankets feeling。
The arm around my waist was muscled； definitely masculine； but small； not just the hand； but the whole arm。 The skin was tanned and looked darker than it should have against the paleness of my skin。 I relaxed against the warm bulk of the body； where it lay spooned against mine。 The fact that I was okay sleeping in a three…way naked sandwich； with me in the middle； told me beyond a doubt that I was on some kind of drug。 I'd woken up wearing a lot more clothes； and been a whole lot more embarrassed。
I assumed they were both werewolves。 It was a big pack； and I didn't know everyone on sight。 I was bathed in their energy； as if hot invisible water flowed around the three of us。 I remembered being hurt； the claws digging under my sternum。 My gaze traveled down my own body and found a ragged circle of pinkish scar tissue where the snake had dug for my heart。 There was a dull ache； but the scar was already pink and shiny； flat to my skin。 How long had I been out？
I kept waiting for the panic to wash over me； the embarrassment。 When it didn't； I looked at the first man； truly looking at him this time。 He had rich brown curls cut short in the back； but long on top； so the curls tickled my skin as he made a small movement in his sleep。 He was tanned so darkly that his skin almost matched his hair。 The one eyebrow I could see had a tiny ring piercing it。 One of his knees pinned my lower leg； one