LITMIR.BIZ

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flexing his muscles and breathing deeply. “Ivar,” he said. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

      Ivar strolled forward. “I came to talk business, Durant,” he said, “but not with that around.”

      Allegra brushed against Griffin, air hissing between her teeth. Griffin forcibly restrained her with one arm, holding Gemma close with the other.

      “I’m afraid I don’t understand you, Ivar,” he said. “Perhaps it would be more convenient if we meet at another time and place.”

      Ivar laughed. The wolves stopped their pacing and faced Griffin, lips pulled back from ivory fangs. “Since when did you start consorting with leeches, Durant? You think that’s better than us?”

      “You want me to show you, dog?” Allie purred. A cloud of hostile scent rose from her body. It struck Griffin full force, and even Ivar blinked.

      “Easy,” Griffin whispered. He met Ivar’s gaze. “It’s none of your business what company I keep,” he said.

      “Oh, yeah?” Ivar snapped his fingers, and the wolves sat on their haunches, ready to lunge at the slightest provocation. “It is our business if what you do endangers the rest of us.”

      Griffin gently turned Gemma and passed her, coat and all, into Allegra’s arms. “Keep her safe,” he said. “No matter what you have to do.”

      “You’re going to fight?”

      “I may not have a choice.”

      Allegra nodded, though her eyes blazed with fury. She backed away, half carrying Gemma with her. The wolves leaped up and circled behind the women, giving Griffin a wide berth.

      “You should know how little Garret approves of your attitude,” Ivar said.

      Griffin stalked toward Ivar, black anger churning in his belly. “Sloan isn’t here.”

      “He takes my advice, and you’d better take mine. You’re like a man walking down the middle of Broadway on a Saturday night, thinking he’ll never get hit. It’s a very dangerous way to live, brother.”

      “If you want to discuss my life, that’s fine with me. But let Gemma go. This doesn’t concern her.”

      “Oh, but it does.” Ivar glanced toward the wolves, who continued to pace around Allegra and Gemma. “It has everything to do with her.”

      “If it’s a fight you want, Ivar, I’ll be happy to give it to you.”

      “And bring the whole pack down on your head? I think you’d rather listen to what I have to say.” Ivar withdrew a silver case from his pocket and selected a cigarette. “You’ve been out looking for Gemma all night, haven’t you? She slipped her leash and got all the way to Fifty-second Street before you even knew she was gone.” He put the cigarette in his mouth and produced a lighter. “Some of us picked up her scent and followed her to Lulu’s.We sawhowyour sisterwalked right into the place as if she had nothing to hide.” He sucked on the cigarette. “Very bad form, Durant.”

      Griffin clenched his fists, sickened by the thought that the pack had found Gemma before he did. “Gemma didn’t do any harm.”

      “But she could have.” Ivar blew a curl of smoke toward Griffin, smacking his lips. “All she had to do was reveal her strength or speed or one of our other useful talents, and someone might begin to ask questions. The kinds of questions we don’t like.”

      Despite Ivar’s bluster, the threat he represented was very real. Griffin fought to subdue his rage. “It won’t happen again,” he said.

      “On your word of honor?” Ivar chuckled. “Maybe that’s not good enough anymore. If you can’t control your own kin, maybe it’s time someone else did it for you.”

      Gemma fought Allegra’s hold. “I can speak for myself,” she said, facing Ivar with naive courage. “It’s my fault, not Griffin’s.”

      Ivar looked her up and down with an open leer. “You want to save your brother a lot of trouble? Come with us right now. We’ll take good care of you.”

      Griffin snarled. “Get back, Gemma.”

      “But, Grif—”

      “Back.” He bared his teeth at Ivar. “You think you can take her, you slinking jackal?”

      “I’ll take her, all right. And she’ll beg for more.”

      For an instant Griffin stood poised between man and beast, the man begging him to remember all his fears for Gemma, his solemn vows to civilization and peace. But the beast was aroused and would not be denied. He removed his tie, kicked off his shoes, shed his shirt and trousers and tossed them aside.

      “Go ahead,” he taunted. “I’m waiting, bellyscraper.”

      Ivar’s eyes narrowed in fury. He lifted a hand. “Tibor. Caleb.”

      The wolves answered to their names, closing in on Allegra and Gemma. Griffin Changed, spun around and raced toward them. The larger of the two pack members faced him with tail high and ears flat, ready to spring. Griffin charged. He caught Caleb’s thick mane in his jaws and twisted hard, forcing his opponent to the pavement. With sheer strength he held Caleb down, enduring the furious scrape of nails that sliced through his fur. Fangs snapped within inches of his face. He didn’t flinch, staring into Caleb’s yellow eyes until the loup-garou’s struggles slowed and finally ceased. Caleb whined and licked Griffin’s chin, going limp in Griffin’s grip.

      He released Caleb and turned to face the smaller beast, preparing himself for another fight. Tibor turned his head from side to side, tucked his tail between his legs and stretched his mouth in a grimace of submission. Griffin quickly Changed again and hurried to join Allegra and Gemma.

      “Are you all right?” he asked.

      “Why shouldn’t we be?” Allegra said. “You did all the fighting.” She looked him over, keen interest in her eyes, and Griffin was suddenly very much aware of his nudity. Far worse, however, was his shame at what he had been forced to do. He left Allegra with Gemma and returned to Ivar, who had thrown his cigarette into the street and looked seconds away from Changing himself.

      “Very impressive,” he said. “You’ve made your point, Durant, but don’t think you did yourself any favors.Your deal with the pack can be canceled anytime. The minute your lone wolf act becomes a threat to us, it’s over.”

      “And the minute that happens,” Griffin said, “the moment anything happens to Gemma or me, the generous remittance the pack receives from my estate will dry up forever.”

      The toe of Ivar’s highly polished shoe struck the discarded cigarette, sending it rolling across the street. “I came here to warn you, Durant. Next time you won’t get off quite so easy.” He turned on his heel, striding away until his silhouette was swallowed up in darkness. The wolves loped after him, their bodies low to the ground.

      Griffin closed his eyes and felt the tension drain out of his muscles. He’d bluffed his way through this time, but things could easily have gone the other way. He could have killed in defense of the ones he loved.

      The ones he loved. He shivered at the slip, gathered his wits and looked for his clothes.

      Allegra already had them in her arms, an ambiguous smile curving her lips. “Very impressive,” she said, her gaze lingering a little too long on the area below his waist. “I’ve never seen one of your kind Change before.”

      The wolf was still very close to the surface. Griffin snatched his trousers away before his body could betray him.

      “You really don’t like fighting, do you?” she asked quietly.

      His fingers fumbled at the buttons. “No.”

      “You didn’t do anything wrong.”

      He ignored her and pulled

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