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〃I haven't given them my answer yet。 That'll delay them。 Once I say no； it'll take a little time to contact another hitter。 You should be safe tonight。 Enjoy your weekend off。〃
〃How did you know I had the weekend off？〃
〃Craig is a very talkative secretary。 Very helpful。〃
〃I'll have to speak to him about that；〃 I said。
〃You do that。〃
〃You're sure that there won't be a hitter in town tonight？〃
〃Nothing in life is sure； Anita； but I wouldn't like it if a client tried to hire me and then gave the job to someone else。〃
〃You lose many clients at your own hands？〃 I asked。
〃No ment；〃 he said。
〃So one last night of safety；〃 I said。
〃Probably； but be careful anyway。〃
〃Who put the hit out on me？〃
〃I don't know；〃 Edward said。
〃What do you mean； you don't know？ You have to know so you can get paid。〃
〃I go through intermediaries most of the time。 Keeps down the chance that the next client is a cop。〃
〃How do you find wayward clients if they piss you off？〃
〃I can find them； but it takes time。 Anita； if you've got a really good hitter on your tail； time is something you won't have。〃
〃Oh； that was forting。〃
〃It wasn't supposed to be forting；〃 he said； 〃Can you think of anyone who hates you so badly and has this kind of money？〃
I thought about that for a minute。 〃No。 Most of the people that would fit the bill are dead。〃
〃The only good enemy is a dead enemy；〃 Edward said。
〃Yeah。〃
〃I heard a rumor that you're dating the master of the city。 Is that true？〃
I hesitated。 I realized I was embarrassed to admit the truth to Edward。 〃Yeah； it's true。〃
〃I had to hear you say it。〃 I could almost hear him shake his head over the phone。 〃Damn； Anita； you know better than that。〃
〃I know；〃 I said。
〃Did you dump Richard？〃
〃No。〃
〃Which monster are you with tonight； bloodsucker or flesh…eater？〃
〃None of your damn business；〃 I said。
〃Fine。 Pick the monster of your choice tonight； Anita； have a good time。 Tomorrow we start trying to keep you alive。〃 He hung up。 If it had been anybody else； I'd have said he was angry about me dating a vampire。 Or maybe disappointed would be a better word。
I hung up the phone and sat there for a few minutes； letting it all sink in。 Someone was trying to kill me。 Nothing new there； but this someone was hiring expert help。 That was new。 I'd never had an assassin after my butt before。 I waited to feel fear wash over me； but it didn't。 Oh； in a vague sort of way； I was afraid； but not like I should have been。 It wasn't that I didn't believe it could happen。 I did believe。 It was more that so much else had happened in the last year that I couldn't get too excited yet。 If the assassin jumped out and started shooting； I'd deal with it。 Maybe later I'd even have an attack of nerves。 But I didn't get many attacks of nerves anymore。 Part of me was numbing out like a bat veteran。 There was just too much to take in； so you stop taking it in。 I almost wished I had been scared。 Fear will keep you alive； indifference won't。
Somewhere out there； by tomorrow； someone would have my name on a todo list。 Pick up dry cleaning； buy groceries； kill Anita Blake。
3
I stepped back into the living room and caught Richard's eye。 I was sort of ready to go home。 Somehow； knowing an assassin was out there； or would be soon； had put a damper on the evening。
〃What's wrong？〃 Richard asked。
〃Nothing；〃 I said。 I know； I know； I had to tell him； but how do you tell your sweetie that people are trying to kill you？ Not in a room full of people。 Maybe in the car。
〃Yes； there is。 You've got that tension between your eyebrows that means you're trying not to frown。〃
〃No； I'm not。〃
He smoothed his finger between my eyes。 〃Yes； you are。〃
I glared at him。 〃Am not。〃
He smiled。 〃Now you are frowning。〃 His face sobered。 〃What's wrong〃
I sighed。 I stepped closer to him； not for romance but for privacy。 Vampires had incredibly good hearing； and I didn't want Robert to know。 He'd tattle to Jean…Claude。 If I wanted Jean…Claude to know； I'd tell him myself。
〃It was Edward on the phone。〃
〃What does he want？〃 Richard was frowning now； too。
〃Someone tried to hire him to kill me。〃
A look of total astonishment blossomed on his face； and I was glad his back was to the room。 He closed his mouth； opened it； and finally said； 〃I would say you're kidding； but I know you're not。 Why would anyone want to kill you？〃
〃There are plenty of people who would like to see me dead； Richard。 But none of them have the kind of money that's being put out for the hit。〃
〃How can you be so calm about this？〃
〃Would it solve anything if I had hysterics？〃
He shook his head。 〃It's not that。〃 He seemed to think for a second。 〃It's that you're not outraged that someone's trying to kill you。 You just accept it； almost like it's normal。 It isn't normal。〃
〃Assassins aren't normal； even for me； Richard；〃 I said。
〃Just vampires； zombies； and werewolves；〃 he said。
I smiled。 〃Yeah。〃
He hugged me tightly and whispered； 〃Loving you can be very scary sometimes。〃
I wrapped my arms around his waist； leaning my face against his chest。 I closed my eyes； and for just a moment I breathed in the smell of him。 It was more than his aftershave； it was the smell of his skin； his warmth。 Him。 For just a moment； I sank against him and let it all go。 I let his arms be my shelter。 I knew that a well…placed bullet would destroy it all； but for a few seconds； I felt safe。 Illusion is sometimes all that keeps us sane。
I pushed away from him with a sigh。 〃Let's give our regrets to Catherine and get out of here。〃
He touched my cheek gently； looking into my eyes。 〃We can stay if you want。〃
I nestled my cheek against his hand and shook my head。 〃If the shit hits the fan tomorrow； I don't want to spend tonight at a party。 I'd rather go back to my apartment and cuddle。〃
He flashed me that smile that warmed me down to my toes。 〃Sounds like a plan to me。〃
I smiled back because I couldn't not smile back。 〃I'll go tell Catherine。〃
〃I'll get the coats；〃 he said。
We did our various tasks and left early。 Catherine gave me a very knowing smile。 I wished she was right。 Leaving early to jump Richard's bones beat the heck out of the truth。 Monica watched us leave。 I knew that she and Robert would report back to Jean…Claude。 Fine。 He knew I was dating Richard。 I hadn't lied to anybody。 Monica was a lawyer at Catherine's firm…frightening thought all on its own…so she had a legitimate reason to be invited。 Jean…Claude hadn't arranged it； but I didn't like being spied on； no matter how it came about。
The walk to the car was nerve…racking。 Every shadow was suddenly a potential hiding place。 Every noise a footstep。 I didn't draw my gun； but my hand ached to do it。 〃Dammit；〃 I said； softly。 The numbness was wearing off。 I wasn't sure it was an improvement。
〃What is it？〃 Richard asked。 He was suddenly scanning the darkness； not looking at me while he talked。 His nostrils flared just a little； and I realized he was scenting the wind。
〃Just jumpy。 I don't see anyone out here； but I'm suddenly looking too damn hard。〃
〃I don't smell anyone close to us； but they could be downwind。 The only gun I smell is yours。〃
〃You can smell my gun？〃
He nodded。 〃You've cleaned it recently。 I can smell the oil。〃
I smiled and shook my head。 〃You are so blasted normal； sometimes I forget you turn furry once a month。〃
〃Knowing how good you are at spotting lycanthropes； that's quite a pliment。〃 He smiled。 〃Do you think assassins would fall from the trees if I held your hand right now？〃
I smiled。 〃I think we're safe for the moment。〃
He curved his fingers around my hand； and a tingle went up my arm like he'd touched a nerve。 He rubbed his thumb in small circles on the back of my hand and took a deep breath。 〃It's almost nice to know that this assassin business has unnerved you； too。 I don't want you afraid； but sometimes it's hard to be your guy when I think you may be braver than I am。 That sounds like macho crap； doesn't it？〃
I stared up at him。 〃There's a lot of macho crap out there； Richard。 At least you know it's crap。〃
〃Can this male chauvinist wolf kiss you？〃
〃Always。〃
He leaned his face downward； and I rose on tiptoe to meet his mouth with mine； my free hand against his chest for balance。 We could kiss without me going on tiptoe； but Richard tended to get a crick in his neck。
It was a quicker kiss than normal because I had this itching in the middle of my back； right between the shoulder blades。 I knew it was my imagination； but I felt too exposed out in the open。
Richard sensed it and pulled away。 He went around to the driver's side of his car and opened his door； leaning across to unlock mine。 He didn't open the door for me。 He knew better than that。 I could open my own bloody door。
Richard's car was an old Mustang； sixty something； a Mach One。 I knew all this because he had told me。 It was orange with a black racing stripe。 The bucket seats were black leather； but the front seat was small enough that we could hold hands when he wasn't using the gear shift。
Richard pulled out onto 270 South。 Friday night traffic spilled around us in a bright sparkle of