Jez let out her breath. "That's right."
Claire stood there for another second, then straightened her shoulders and turned away. But just as suddenly she turned back, looking tense and almost explosive. "There's something I have to say to you."
Jez glanced down the tracks. No train. "Okay."
"It's-it's... that I'm sorry. I'm sorry I bugged you and tried to get Mom mad at you and everything. I was just-I was jealous because they let you get away with anything, and..." She shook her head fiercely and then went on, shrugging grimly as if she hated to admit it. "And, yeah, because you're so gorgeous and confident and everything. It made me feel bad and I wanted to hurt you. So. Anyway. There. I'm sorry."
She started to walk away, wobbling a little.
"Claire."
Claire paused, then turned around.
Jez spoke a little hesitantly around the obstruction in her throat. "It's okay. And thank you."
"Yeah." Claire grinned and gave a little shrug. "See ya later." She turned around and started walking again.
See ya, Jez thought. She felt suddenly tired and strangely emotional. There was too much inside hen sadness and relief and worry and a new feeling for Claire. She crossed her arms and looked around the station, trying to relax, taking deep, even breaths.
And saw two werewolves coming straight for Claire.
Chapter 15
Jez recognized them immediately-not the individuals, but the type. They were 'wolves, and they were thugs. Somebody's hired muscle.
She didn't have her stick, but she didn't need it. She could feel a dangerous smile come to her lips; part anticipation and part sheer fury. Suddenly she wasn't tired, wasn't sore, wasn't anything but perfectly in tune with her body and dying to use it as a weapon.
She launched herself like a streak of red lightning, passing Claire easily and knocking the human girl flat before landing in front of the 'wolves. A guy and a girl. They snapped to attention in front of her, each dropping into a fighting stance.
Behind her, she could hear Claire say, "Ow."
"Good morning and welcome to the Bay Area,"
Jez told the 'wolves; then she snap-kicked the girl in the face.
The girl flew backward. She wasn't out of commission, but it had wrecked the joint attack they had been about to make. The guy knew this, but he was a wolf, so instead of waiting for his partner to recover, he growled and threw himself at Jez.
Oh, Goddess, this is too easy. As he drove a punch at her face, Jez turned sideways and let his fist whistle past her. Then she threw her left arm "* around his left hip, holding him in what was almost an embrace. A deadly one, though. At the same instant she slammed her left hand up to his chin, striking with enough force to stun him.
He staggered in her arms, snarling. Bristly hairs erupted on his face.
"Sweet dreams, Fido," Jez said. She hooked her left leg around his right just below the knee and brought him crashing to the platform. His head hit the concrete and he went limp.
Somewhere behind Jez, a sort of thin shrieking had begun. Claire. Jez ignored it, and ignored the two or three people scrambling for the stairs- avoiding the down escalator because it was right beside Jez. She was focused on the female werewolf, who was back on her feet.
"Do yourself a favor and don't even try anything," she said, grinning. "You're way outclassed."
The girl, who had reddish-brown hair and a feral expression, didn't answer. She simply showed her teeth and lunged for Jez.
With both hands reaching for Jez's face. You'd think they would learn, Jez. thought. Especially after what just happened.
Even as she was thinking it, her body was making the right moves. She grabbed the girl's leading arm with both hands, then twisted, pulling her off balance. She took the girl down with a pull drop, flipping her to the platform. As soon as the girl was flat Jez locked the arm she still held and began to apply leverage against the elbow joint.
"Don't move or I'll break your elbow," she said pleasantly. The girl was writhing in pain, spitting and struggling and hurting herself worse.
Absently, Jez noticed that Claire had stopped shrieking. She glanced up to make sure her cousin was all right and saw that Claire was on her feet, staring openmouthed. Jez gave her a reassuring nod.
Then she looked back at the female 'wolf. Now that the fight was over she had the leisure to wonder what was going on. There were plenty of people who might want to kill her, but she couldn't think of any reason for them to target Claire. And they had been targeting her; Jez was sure of that.
This was no random thing. This was two 'wolves attacking a human right in public, in front of witnesses, as if they didn't care who saw them. This was something planned, something important.
She gave the girl's arm a little twist, and the girl snarled wildly, glaring at Jez with reddish eyes full of animal fury and hatred.
"Okay, you know what I want," Jez said. 'I need answers, and I don't have much time. What are you doing here? Who sent you? And why do you want her?" She jerked her head toward Claire.
The girl just glared harder. Jez applied more pressure.
"Look, I can make time for this if I need to. I can do this all day. After I break this elbow I'll do the other one. And then I'll break your ribs, and then your kneecaps-"
"Filthy halfbreed scum," the werewolf snarled.
Jez's heart gave an odd lurch.
She tried to quiet it Well, now, that was interesting. Somebody obviously knew her secret. And since they'd been going for Claire, they knew Claire was connected with her....
They knew about her family.
Jez saw white light. She threw sudden pressure against the 'wolfs elbow joint. The girl screamed, a sound more of anger than of pain.