〃Once I drop my shield； then what？〃
〃We touch；〃 he said。
I took a deep breath in and blew it out as if I were about to run a race。 Then I dropped my shields。 It wasn't like tearing down the stone walls； it was like absorbing them back into my psyche。 The tower was just suddenly not there； and Jean…Claude's power crashed over me。 It wasn't only that I felt the sexual attraction in full force； I could feel his heartbeat in my head。 I could taste his skin in my mouth。 I knew he'd fed tonight； though intellectually I'd known that when I heard his heart beating。 Now； I could feel that he was well fed and full of someone else's blood。
His hand moved towards me； and I flattened against the wall。 The hand kept moving； and I pulled away from it。 I moved away because more than anything in the world at that moment I wanted him to touch me。 I wanted to feel his hand against my bare skin。 I wanted to rip the vinyl from his body and watch him； pale and perfect above me。 The image was so clear that I closed my eyes against it； as if that would help。
I felt him in front of me； knew he was leaning close。 I ducked under his arm and was suddenly standing by the table； leaving him near the wall。 I kept backing up； and he kept watching me。 Someone touched me； and I screamed。
Asher was holding my arm； gazing up at me with those pale eyes of his。 I could feel him； too； feel the weight of his age； the heft of his power in my head。 That was my power； but I realized in shielding so strongly from Jean…Claude I'd also cut myself off from some of my own powers。 Shielding was a tricky thing。 I guess I still didn't have the hang of it。
Jean…Claude moved away from the wall； holding one slender hand out to me。 I backed up； Asher's hand sliding over my arm as I pulled away。 I was shaking my head back and forth； back and forth。
Jean…Claude walked slowly towards me。 His eyes had gone drowning blue； the pupil swallowed by his own power。 I knew with a sudden clarity that it wasn't his power or lust that had called his eyes； it was mine。 He could feel how my body tightened； moistened； as he moved towards me。 It wasn't him I didn't trust。 It was me。
I took one step backwards and fell on the small step leading down to the dance floor。 Someone caught me before I hit the floor； strong arms around my waist； pressing me against the bare skin of a very masculine chest。 I could feel that without looking。 I was held effortlessly； feet dangling； and I knew those arms； the feel of that chest； the smell of his skin this close。 I craned my head backwards and found myself staring at Richard。
5
I STOPPED BREATHING。 To be suddenly inches away from him after all this time was too much。 He leaned that painfully handsome face over mine； and the thick waves of his brown hair fell against my skin。 His mouth hovered over mine； and I think I would have said； no； or moved； but two things happened at once。 He tightened his one…armed hold around my waist； a movement that was almost painful。 Then his newly free hand gripped my chin； held my face。 The touch of his hands； the strength in them made me hesitate。 One moment I was staring into his deep brown eyes； the next； his face was too close and he was kissing me。
I don't know what I expected； a chaste kiss； I think。 It wasn't chaste。 He kissed me hard enough to bruise； hard enough to force my mouth open； then he crawled inside； and I could feel the muscles in his mouth； his jaw； his neck working as he held me； explored me； possessed me。 I should have been angry； pissed； but I wasn't。 If he hadn't held me immobile I'd have turned in his arms； pressed the front of my body against his。 But all I could do was taste his mouth； feel his lips； try to drink him down my throat； as if he were the finest of wines and I was dying of thirst。
He finally drew back from me； enough for me to see his face。 I stared breathlessly at him； as if my eyes were hungry for the sight of those perfect cheekbones； the dimple that softened an utterly masculine face。 There was nothing feminine about Richard。 He was the ultimate male in so many ways。 The electric lights caught strands of gold and copper； like metallic wire through the deep brown of his hair。
He lowered me slowly to the ground from his height of six one。 His shoulders were broad； chest deep； waist tight and narrow； stomach flat； with a fine line of dark hair running down the middle of it and vanishing into the black vinyl pants he was wearing。 More black vinyl！ I was sensing a theme here； but my gaze traveled down his body just the same。 Tracing the narrow hips； lingering where I shouldn't have been； noticing things I wished I hadn't； because we were in public； and I wasn't planning on seeing him naked tonight。 Knee…high leather boots pleted his outfit。 The only things he was wearing on his upper body were leather and metal…studded 〃bracelets〃 and a matching collar。
A hand touched my back； and I jumped and whirled around； turning so I could face them both； because I knew who was behind me。 Jean…Claude stood there； eyes having bled back to normal。
I finally found my voice。 〃You called him。〃
〃We had an arrangement that whoever you called first would contact the other。〃
〃You should have told me；〃 I said。
Jean…Claude put his hands on his hips。 〃I am not taking the blame for this。 He wished to be a surprise； against my wishes。〃
I looked at Richard。 〃Is that true？〃
Richard nodded。 〃Yes。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because if I'd played fair I still wouldn't have gotten a kiss。 I couldn't stand the thought of seeing you tonight and not touching you。〃
It wasn't so much his words as the look in his eyes； the heat in his face； that made me blush。
〃I have played you fair tonight； ma petite； and yet I am punished； rather than rewarded。〃 Jean…Claude held out his hand to me。 〃Shall we begin with a kiss？〃
I was suddenly aware that we were standing on the dance floor near the metal framework and the waiting 〃actors。〃 We had the audience's attention； and I didn't want that。 I realized something I hadn't with the stone shield in place。 Almost everyone in the room was a shapeshifter。 I could feel their energy like the brush of warm electric fur； and they could feel ours。
I nodded。 I suddenly wanted the privacy that Jean…Claude had offered earlier。 But staring from Jean…Claude to Richard； I realized I didn't trust myself alone with them。 If we had a room to ourselves I couldn't guarantee that the sex would be merely metaphysical。 Admitting that even to myself was embarrassing。 As unfortable as it was to do what we had to do in public； it was still better than in private。 Here I knew I'd say stop； anywhere else I just wasn't sure。 I wasn't thinking about the wereleopards。 I was thinking about how large and bare my skin felt。 Shit。
〃A kiss； why not？〃
〃We can get a room；〃 Richard said； voice low。
I shook my head。 〃No； no rooms。〃
He reached out as if to touch me； and one look was enough to make his hand drop。 〃You don't trust us。〃
〃Or me；〃 I said； softly。
Jean…Claude held out his hand to me。 〃e； ma petite； we delay their show。〃
I stared at his hand for a space of heartbeats； then took it。 I expected him to pull me in against his body； but he didn't。 He stopped with the width of a handspan between us。 I looked a question at him； and he touched my face； gently； tentatively； fingers hovering on either side of my face； like hesitant butterflies； as if he were afraid to touch me。 He lowered his face towards me； as his fingertips found my skin。 His hands slid on either side of my face； cupping it like something delicate and breakable。
I'd never felt him so tentative around me； so unsure。 Even as his lips hovered over mine I wondered if he was doing it this way on purpose to contrast with Richard's forcefulness。 Then his lips touched mine； and I stopped thinking。 It was the barest of brushes； his mouth over mine。 Then； softly； he kissed me。 I kissed him back； being as tentative as he； my hands raising； covering his hands as they cradled my face。 He'd thrown that surprisingly long black hair over one shoulder so that the right side of his face was bare to the lights and the hair didn't get in the way of the kiss。 I ran one hand down the side of his jaw； tracing the shape of his face； ever so gently； as we kissed。 He shuddered under that light brush of my hand； and the feel of him trembling under my hand brought a soft sound from low in my throat。 Jean…Claude's mouth pressed against mine hard enough that I could feel the press of his fangs against my lip。 I opened my mouth and let him inside me； ran my tongue between the delicate points。 I'd learned how to French kiss a vampire； but it was a hazardous pleasure； one to be done with care； and I was out of practice。
In slipping my tongue between his fangs； I nicked myself。 It was a quick； sharp pain； and Jean…Claude made a soft guttural sound； a heartbeat before I tasted blood。
His hands were suddenly at my back； pulling me against his body。 The kiss never stopped； and the urgency of it grew； until it was as if he were feeding from my mouth； trying to drink me down。
I might have pulled away； I might not have； but the moment the front of our bodies touched； it was too late。 There was no going back； no say