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"You son of a bitch."
The door opened again, and it was Richard. "You bastard, how could you give me to him?"
"She doesn't seem very grateful to us, Richard."
"You said you'd rather die than be a lycanthrope."
"I'd rather die than be a vampire."
"He didn't bite you. You're not going to be a vampire."
"I'll be his slave for eternity; great choice."
"It's only the third mark, Anita. You aren't his servant yet."
"That's not the point." I stared at him. "Don't you understand? I'd rather you let me die than have done this."
"It is hardly a fate worse than death," Jean-Claude said.
"You were bleeding from your nose and eyes. You were bleeding to death in my arms." Richard took a few steps towards the bed, then stopped. "I couldn't just let you die." His hands reached outward in a helpless gesture.
I stood up in the silky gown and stared at them both. "Maybe Richard didn't know any better, but you knew how I felt, Jean-Claude. You don't have any excuses."
"Perhaps I could not stand to watch you die, either. Have you thought of that?"
I shook my head. "What does the third mark mean? What extra powers does it give you over me?"
"I can whisper in your mind outside of dreams now. And you have gained power as well, ma petite. You are very hard to kill now. Poison won't work at all."
I kept shaking my head. "I don't want to hear it. I won't forgive you for this, Jean-Claude."
"I did not think you would," he said. He seemed wistful.
"I need clothes and a ride home. I've got to work tonight."
"Anita, you've almost died twice today. How can you..."
"Can it, Richard. I need to go to work tonight. I need something that's mine and not his. You invasive bastard."
"Find her some clothes and take her home, Richard. She needs time to adjust to this new change."
I stared at Jean-Claude still huddled on the corner of the bed. He looked adorable, and if I'd had a gun, I'd have shot him on the spot. Fear was a hard, cold lump in my gut. He meant to make me his servant, whether I liked it or not. I could scream and protest, and he'd ignore it.
"Come near me again, Jean-Claude, for any reason, and I'll kill you."
"Three marks bind us now. It would harm you, too."
I laughed, and it was bitter. "Do you really think I give a damn?"
He stared at me, face calm, unreadable, lovely. "No." He turned his back on us both and said, "Take her home, Richard. Though I do not envy you the ride there." He glanced back with a smile. "She can be quite vocal when she's angry."
I wanted to spit at him, but that wouldn't have been enough. I couldn't kill him, not right then and there, so I let it go. Grace under pressure. I followed Richard out the door and didn't look back. I didn't want to see his perfect profile in the vanity mirror.
Vampires weren't supposed to have reflections, or souls. He had one. Did he have the other? Did it matter? No, I decided, it didn't matter at all. I was going to give Jean-Claude to Oliver. I was going to give the city to Mr. Oliver. I was going to set the Master of the City up for assassination. One more mark and I'd be his forever. No way. I'd see him dead first, even if it meant I died with him. No one forced me into anything, not even eternity.
