Free The Anathema by Zachary Rawlins Page A

isn’t exactly like that…”
    Katya leaned forward, but he wasn’t sure if she looked concerned or amused at his expense.
    “Are you gay, Alex?”
    “What?” Alex said, flustered, shaking his head emphatically. “No! I mean, not that I have problem with gay people, but no. Ah, crap. Is there any way I can just apologize and we can start over?”
    “Sure,” Katya said, sitting back and shrugging. “Go for it.”
    “Okay, then,” Alex said, nodding uncertainly. “I’m, uh, sorry for being rude. I was mostly yelling at Anastasia. She likes to interfere in my life, and I wasn’t at all prepared for her to spring the whole ‘bodyguard’ thing on me, and the last time she got involved in things…”
    “She saved your life, right?” Katya asked, inspecting the muted burgundy paint on her nails. “That’s what I heard.”
    “That’s, well, yes. You could look at it that way, I suppose,” Alex allowed, helplessly.
    “I see why you’ve got a problem with her,” Katya said flatly.
    “Are you messing with me?” Alex sighed. “I can’t even tell anymore.”
    “No,” Katya said, and then laughed shortly. “Well, maybe a little bit. You didn’t do much to win me over when we met, and you do have a bit of a reputation for being a wimp.”
    “Yeah, I’m sorry about… hey, wait a minute. I have a reputation for what?”
    “Well, you were clutching your arm and moaning a minute ago.”
    “No, you have it all wrong! I have this chronic injury – I hurt my arm a few months ago, and for some reason, it never seems to get all the way better.”
    “What’s wrong with it?” Katya asked, inclining her head to indicate the forearm he was still holding, despite the fact that it was chemically numbed.
    “Actually, a werewolf bit me a while ago, and it hasn’t been right since.”
    “Ah. Remind me to stay at arm’s length during full moons.”
    Alex’s jaw dropped.
    “Really? But, it’s been a while and nothing like that…”
    Katya laughed again.
    “No, not really, Alex. Humans can’t become Weir. In fact, Weir aren’t even humans – they are wolves who do a good imitation of a person. You don’t pay much attention in class, do you?”
    “Not really.”
    “It shows.”
    The silence stretched out while Katya sat, pointedly not looking at him, until Alex gave up.
    “I’m really sorry about what I said,” Alex said, shaking his head. “I’ve had a difficult night, and I wasn’t at my best at that particular moment.”
    “Don’t get all gloomy,” Katya scolded, unfolding her arms and slouching back as far as the unyielding material of the chair would allow. “I’m not actually upset with you. I wasn’t too happy when I heard the news from Anastasia earlier today.  I was hoping for something a little more prestigious when she had me brought over from Mr. Cole’s class. No offense, but looking after you isn’t exactly what I had in mind.”
    “I meant to ask… so, your parents gave you to Anastasia?” Alex asked, unable to repress his curiosity any longer. “Is that some sort of punishment?”
    “Are you kidding me?” Katya asked, eyeballing Alex as if he were mad, possibly dangerous. “My original cartel is tiny, Alex, and my parents had seven kids, just to be sure. Most of the other cartel members did the same. How many positions do you think there are to inherit? I don’t think that the Kiev Oblast has ever had more than thirty members…”
    “Why did they all have so many kids?”
    “You haven’t noticed yet? Man,” Katya said, whistling. “You really are dense. Being an Operator isn’t exactly hereditary. The trait is passed down from parent to child maybe once in three times, so every family here has some completely normal members. That’s where all the day-to-day personnel come from, the maintenance staff and the lawyers and the bookkeepers and what not.”
    “Oh,” Alex admitted, fascinated and ashamed to admit that he had never thought about it.
    “You