〃As Ulfric to my Nimir…Ra； he has no authority over me。〃
〃Tonight is going to be dangerous enough； Anita。 You don't need to make Richard angry。〃
〃I don't want to make things worse。 God knows they're bad enough as they are。〃
〃You're angry with him for dumping you；〃 Rafael said。
I started to say no； then realized he might be right。 〃Maybe。〃
〃You want to hurt him。〃
I started to say no； then stopped and tried to think really think about how I felt。 I was angry and hurt that he could just cast me aside。 Okay； it hadn't been that simple； but still 。。。 〃Yeah； I'm hurt； and maybe a part of me wants to punish Richard for that； but it's not just him dumping me。 It's the mess he's made of the pack。 He's endangered people I care about； and he's doing his usual Boy Scout shit that doesn't even work well in the human world； let alone with a bunch of werewolves。 I'm tired； Rafael； I'm tired of it； and him。〃
〃It sounds like you might have dumped him if he hadn't beat you to it。〃
〃I came back to make it work。 To see if we could make some sense of it all。 But he has to give up that moral code of his that has never worked for him or anyone around him。〃
〃To give up his moral code is to give up being who he is。〃
I nodded。 〃I know。〃 And just saying that made me feel worse。 〃He can't change； and staying who he is is going to get him killed。〃
〃And maybe you and Jean…Claude with him；〃 Rafael said。
〃Does everyone know that part？〃
〃It's standard that if you kill a vampire's human servant； the vampire may not survive the death。 And if you kill a vampire； their human servants either die or go crazy。 Logic dictates that killing either of you endangers the other。〃
I still didn't like that everyone knew that to kill one of us might kill all of us。 Made it too damn easy for assassins。 〃What do you want me to say； Rafael？ That Richard and I have a fundamental difference of philosophy in nearly every important area？ There's more than one reason we didn't get married and live happily ever after。 That maybe he's going to have to choose between survival or his morals？ That I'm afraid he'd almost rather die than promise those morals？ Yeah； I'm afraid。 It's going to kill a little piece of him to see me with Micah。 I'd spare him if I could； but I didn't choose any of this。〃
〃You take no blame in this；〃 Rafael said。
I sighed。 〃If I hadn't left for six months maybe I could have talked him out of the democracy with his pack。 Maybe if I'd been here a lot of things would be different； but I wasn't here； and I can't change that。 All I can do is try fix what got broke。〃
〃You think you can fix this； all of it？〃 Rafael asked。
I shrugged。 〃Ask me again after I've met Jacob and seen how Richard deals as Ulfric with all of them。 I need a feel for the dynamics before I say if it's fixable。〃
〃How would you fix it？〃 Micah asked。
I glanced back at him。 〃If Jacob and a few others are the problem； then it's fixable。〃
〃Killing the ones who stand against Richard won't fix things； Anita；〃 Rafael said。 〃The experiment in democracy must end。 Richard must begin being harsher to those who would stand against him。 He must be frightening to them； or there will be another Jacob； and another after that。〃
I nodded。 〃You're preaching to the choir here； Rafael。〃
〃If you are not his girlfriend； or his lover； then I fear that your influence over Richard will be slight。〃
〃I'm not sure I had a lot of influence over him when we were dating。〃
〃If you cannot talk sense into him； then eventually Richard will die and someone else； probably Jacob； will take over the pack。 The first thing any good conqueror does is kill those closest and most loyal to the executed leader。〃
〃You think Jacob is that practical？〃 I asked。
〃Yes；〃 Rafael said。
〃What do you want me to do？〃
〃I want you to hide the fact that you and Micah are lovers。〃
I glanced behind me at Micah。 He shrugged； face peaceful。 〃I told you I wanted you on any terms that you wished； Anita。 What do I have to do to convince you I meant that？〃
I searched his face； tried to find something false in it； and couldn't。 Maybe he was that good a liar。 Maybe I was just being too suspicious。 〃When we were with the leopards； just the leopards； I was pletely fortable with you。 It felt right and 。。。 why doesn't it feel that way now？〃
〃You're having second thoughts；〃 Reece said。
〃No；〃 Rafael said。 He looked at Micah； and the two of them had major eye contact。
The staring contest went on so long that I had to interrupt。 〃One of you better start talking；〃 I said。
Rafael inclined his head at Micah； as if to say； go ahead。 I turned to Micah。 〃Alright；〃 he said； and he seemed to be choosing his words carefully。 I was almost positive I wasn't going to like this conversation。 〃Every pard； every group of shifters that is healthy has a group mind。〃
〃You mean a group identity？〃 I asked。
〃Not exactly。 It's more 。。。 〃 He frowned。 〃It's more like a coven that's worked magic together for a while。 They begin to be parts of a whole when it es to working magic or healing。 Together they form more than they form separately。〃
〃Okay； but what's that have to do with why I felt more fortable when it's just us leopards？〃
〃If you feel differently when the leopards are around you； then we're forming a group mind。 It usually takes months to forge that kind of bond between shifters。 Maybe it's just a bond with your own leopards。 The change ing on could have set it in motion。〃
〃But you think it's more than that； don't you？〃
He nodded。 〃I think you're forming a group mind with my pard； that in effect； the decision to join our pards into one unit has already been made。〃
〃I haven't decided anything。〃
〃Haven't you？〃 he asked。 He looked so reasonable sitting there； hands clasped in front of him； leaning a little towards me。 So earnest。
〃Look； the sex was great。 But I'm not ready to pick out china patterns here； you do understand that？〃 There was a feeling very close to panic in the pit of my stomach。
〃Sometimes your beast picks for you；〃 Rafael said。
I looked at him。 〃What does that mean？〃
〃If you are already a part of a group mind with his pard； then your beast has chosen for you； Anita。 It's more intimate than being his lover； because it's not just him that you have a mitment to。〃
I gave him wide eyes。 〃Are you saying that I'm going to feel responsible for the safety and well…being of all his wereleopards as well as my own？〃
Rafael nodded。 〃Probably。〃
I looked back at Micah。 〃How about you？ You feel responsible for my people？〃
He sighed； and it was heavy； not happy at all。 〃I didn't expect to form a bond this quickly。 I've never seen it work this fast。〃
〃And？〃 I said。
His mouth moved； almost a smile。 〃And； if we've really formed a group mind； then yes； I'll feel responsible for your people。〃
〃You don't sound happy about that。〃
〃Nothing personal； but your cats are a mess。〃
〃Yours are so much healthier；〃 I said； 〃Gina looks like someone who's been kicked once too often。〃
Micah's eyes hardened； and he searched my face。 〃No one talked to you。 They wouldn't dare。〃
〃No one tattled； Micah； but I could see it on her； smell the defeat。 Someone's damn near broken her； and it's recent； or ongoing。 She got a bad boyfriend？〃
His face closed down。 He didn't like that I'd figured that out。 〃Something like that。〃 But his pulse had sped up； and I knew he was hiding something from me； something that scared him。
〃What aren't you telling me； Micah？〃
His gaze flicked past me to Rafael。 〃Will she be able to read my people more easily as time goes on？〃
〃And you hers；〃 Rafael said。
〃Her people are pretty easy to read now；〃 he said。
I was watching his face。 He was controlling his body； keeping the tension out of it； but I could taste the speed of his pulse； and the fear。 It wasn't just a small fear either。 The thought that I could read his people so pletely almost terrified him。
I laid my hand over his clasped ones； and he turned serious； guarded eyes to me。 〃Why does it scare you that I knew that Gina is being abused？〃
He tensed under my hand and pulled away； gently； but he definitely didn't want me to touch him。 〃Gina wouldn't like it if you knew。〃
〃As her Nimir…Raj； aren't you supposed to protect her from abusive assholes？〃
〃I've done my best for her；〃 he said； but it sounded defensive。
〃Kick the guy's ass and forbid her to see him again。 It's a simple problem； don't plicate it。 Or is she in love with him？〃
He shook his head； eyes down； his hands clutching so tight that the skin mottled。 His voice came out even； normal； but that terrible tension shook through his hands。 〃No； she's not in love with him。〃
〃Then what's the problem？〃
〃It's more plicated than you could ever imagine。〃 He looked up； and there was anger in his eyes now。
I started to reach out； to touch him； then let my hand fall back。 〃If we really are forming one pard。 If I really am her Nimir…Raj； then no one's allowed to hurt her。 No one hurts my people。〃
〃The wolves took your Gregory；〃 he said。 The anger was still in his eyes； trembling down his hands。
〃And we're going to get him back。〃
〃I know you've had a hard life。 I've heard some of the stor