Лорел Гамильтон - Rafael

Micah nodded. “It is an amazing amount of power that you offer through the rodere, but you have gained and offered even more power together since Anita added rat to her beasts.”

“It has exceeded expectations,” Rafael said.

Since I hadn’t realized there were any expectations to exceed, I kept my mouth shut and let Micah do the talking for us. He was a better diplomat than I would ever be. “We will solve the puzzle that Narcissus has set us, and then you will be Anita’s rat to call.”

“But will you solve it in time for me to win the duels that are coming as the rodere begins to rebel at the power we are building?” Rafael asked.

“I am sorry that it is Hector that you are fighting tonight, Rafael. I know what he means to you,” Micah said.

“Have you met Hector?” I asked, turning to look at Micah.

He nodded and reached out to touch me, not in the way that Nathaniel had, but like I was his comfort object; it let me know that he was worried about the fight, too. Shit, how good was this challenger? “Rafael wanted my opinion of some of the up-and-coming wererats. I agreed that Hector was one of the most promising for a future leader, but I’m not convinced that he will ever grow into being a worthy successor to Rafael and what we have built with the Coalition.”

“You did not like Hector as much as I did,” Rafael said.

“No, I liked Luca better.”

“Hector is the better fighter,” Rafael said.

“But Luca is the better thinker,” Micah said. He hugged me a little tighter and reached around to touch Nathaniel and then pulled away from us to go to Rafael.

“If I may speak freely,” Benito asked.

Rafael nodded and said, “Of course.”

“Nestor was the best fighter we saw.”

Rafael and Micah both nodded. Claudia scowled almost as hard as she had earlier in the weight room. She didn’t like Nestor at all. “He fights like a beast,” she said.

“But he wins,” Rafael said.

“Only if it is a death match,” Claudia said. “If it is only to blood, we have seen him lose.”

“His temper can get the best of him,” Rafael admitted.

“If he controls his emotions, I would not want to face him,” Benito said.

I looked at him, because I knew that other than Rafael himself, Benito was one of their best fighters. “I think Luca and Hector are more dangerous,” Claudia said, “because they have more control.”

“Maybe, but I’d rather face them across the pit than Nestor.”

“What do you say, Micah?” Rafael asked.

“I believe I could kill Nestor if I did it within the first few seconds of the fight, because he would see a small man who is not rodere, but if I did not make the kill quickly enough and Nestor could hold his temper, I agree with Benito.”

“And the others?” Rafael asked.

“Hector is a good fighter, he’s controlled and skilled, but if a fight goes on too long, he loses concentration and makes mistakes. Either kill him quickly or stay out of reach until he grows impatient.”

Rafael nodded. “Good advice.”

“It’s why you wanted me to see all the young warriors that might threaten your leadership. I am surprised that Hector challenged you first. I expected Nestor to be the first.”

“I agree,” Rafael said.

It was my turn to walk toward the group. Nathaniel kept my hand loose in his and followed me, but he wouldn’t have asked the question I did. “So why is it Hector tonight and not Nestor?”

“Because he challenged me first.”

“Yeah, but why? Why him first?”

“Nestor is arrogant and truly homophobic. He hates and fears Jean-Claude just from seeing him in interviews and pictures online,” Micah said.

“Sounds like a case of the lady protesting too much,” I said.

“What do you mean?” Benito asked.

“That maybe he hates Jean-Claude, because he’s attracted to him.”

“Oh Jesus, do not say that where Nestor can hear you,” Benito said, and he actually went a little pale.

Claudia was grinning. “I think Anita’s right.”

Benito turned to her. “Nestor can’t fight Anita, but you, he could challenge you for his honor. Por favor , Claudia, do not tempt fate; the only thing Nestor hates more than pretty gay men is any woman who can fight.”

“Oh, definitely closet gay,” I said.

“Maybe even from himself,” Nathaniel said. I looked at him, expecting to see him teasing with the rest of us, but his face was all serious. I might have asked why, but Rafael spoke up.

Rafael smiled and shook his head. “As amusing as it would be to see you accuse Nestor of hating women because he secretly likes men, Anita, por favor , please, as Benito says, do not tempt fate.”

“Wait, are you saying that Nestor will be here tonight along with Hector?” I asked.

“No, but even if I defeat Hector tonight, Nestor will challenge me later.”

“Luca will wait for a few years, but I agree that Nestor won’t have the patience,” Micah said.

“I am worried that Hector has challenged me now because his own leader, Victor, has put him up to it.”

“What does Victor gain from Hector being king?” I asked.

“He would put Hector as king over the St. Louis clan, and then he would let the other clans fight among themselves until we were all small kingdoms again. Hector would be king, but he would do as Victor bid him.”

“Hector is his sacrificial lamb, he’s not a smart enough fighter to win tonight,” Micah said.

“Perhaps,” Rafael said.

Micah grabbed the other man’s shoulder and spun him to look at him. “The only thing that can defeat you tonight is you, Rafael. I do not know why you think Hector is such great leadership material, because I don’t see it.”

“You told me as much.”

“Luca will be the better leader someday.”

“But he is not the better fighter,” Rafael said.

“Luca is still learning how to fight, but nothing will make Hector a better thinker.”

“Hector is not stupid,” Rafael said, and he was more upset than I thought he should be over a stranger.

“I never said he was.”

“Why do you defend Hector so much?” I asked.

There was another flash of looks between everyone, and this time it included Micah. “What aren’t you telling us?” Nathaniel asked.

Rafael looked at me and there was such pain in his eyes. “You know the human mates that are allowed among us.”

“Yeah, it’s the way you’re getting me in to watch tonight.”

“Wait, what?” Nathaniel asked.

“When did you invite Anita to watch the fight tonight?” Micah asked.

“In the showers, and that can wait. I want to know why Hector is so special to you, Rafael. Why is he so special that you’re almost ready to let him kill you, just so you don’t have to kill him?”

“You know all those crazy exes I spoke of?”

“Yeah.”

“Hector’s mother was one of them.”

“So, Hector is . . .” I didn’t want to finish the sentence; it was too Greek myth, or maybe Greek tragedy?

“My son,” Rafael finished for me.

8

“YOU DON’T KNOW that for certain,” Benito said, while the rest of us just stared at Rafael.

“Suelita says he is mine, why would she shame her husband if it isn’t true?”

“When did she tell you?” Micah asked.

“She called me after Hector made his challenge.”

“Suelita fears for her only son’s life,” Claudia said. “She’d do anything to save Hector, even lie about you being his father.”

“I do not think she lied,” Rafael said.

“What did she want you to do?” I asked.

Rafael looked at me, but it was like he wasn’t hearing me. He knew I was talking, but he wasn’t following. “What did Suelita want you to do as his father?” I asked.