lh.narcissusinchains-第107部分

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　I　eased　away；　started　to　crawl　backwards。　Jean…Claude's　gaze　followed　me；　but　he　made　no　move　to　touch　me。　There　was　something　about　the　way　he　stayed　on　all　fours　that　let　me　know　the　ardeur　was　still　riding　him。　But　if　I　could　keep　from　touching　him；　we'd　be　alright。　He　watched　me；　like　a　starving　man；　who　was　watching　his　first　meal　in　days　crawl　away。　But　he　played　fair；　he　stayed　where　he　was；　he　let　me　crawl　away。　He　knew　the　rules。　Micah　didn't。
　He　reached　for　me；　and　I　threw　myself　back　to　the　floor　in　a　blur　of　speed　that　I'd　never　had　before；　but　Micah　wasn't　human　either。　He　followed　me　in　a　movement　that　was　too　fast　for　my　eyes　to　follow；　so　that　he　was　above　me　before　my　mind　could　see　that　he'd　moved。　It　was　magical。
　He　was　frozen　just　above　me；　his　body　balanced　on　hands　and　feet；　almost　like　he　was　doing　a　push…up。　I　reached　out；　around　him；　trying　not　to　touch　him。　I　had　time　to　say；　〃No；　don't；〃　then　two　things　happened　at　once。　Micah　dropped　his　body　on　top　of　mine；　and　Jean…Claude　took　my　outreached　hand。　Maybe　he　thought　I　was　reaching　for　him；　I　don't　know。　But　the　moment　we　touched　the　heat　ran　over　us；　through　us；　and　there　was　nothing　but　the　need。
　
　50
　
　WE　KISSED；　AND　it　was　like　melting　from　the　mouth　down。　My　hands　slid　over　the　silk　of　Micah's　shirt；　and　it　wasn't　enough。　I　ripped　at　it；　tore　it　from　his　body　until　my　hands　spilled　over　the　solid　smoothness　of　his　chest；　his　skin　like　warm　satin　under　my　fingers。　Micah　was　suddenly　grinding　me　into　the　floor；　so　heavy。　I　opened　my　eyes　and　found　Jean…Claude　above　us；　over　Micah；　pressing　us　both　into　the　floor。　I　had　a　moment　of　meeting　his　eyes；　a　moment　to　see　the　rage　in　that　blind　blue　fire；　then　his　arms　were　around　Micah；　and　he　was　jerking　the　smaller　man　backwards。
　I　sat　up；　watching　them　roll　across　the　floor；　fighting。　Anger；　frustration；　and　just　sheer　tiredness　welled　up　inside　me　until　there　was　no　room　for　the　ardeur。　I　was　tired　of　fighting；　so　tired　of　it。
　I　smelled　blood　like　a　hot　spike　through　the　center　of　my　body；　the　smell　was　almost　sexual。　That　was　enough。　I　drew　the　Browning　and　sighted　around　the　room。　For　a　split　second；　I　had　the　two　of　them　at　the　end　of　the　barrel。　For　a　split　second　it　occurred　to　me。　Then　I　moved　the　gun　around　the　room；　registering　for　the　first　time　that　there　was　no　one　left　in　the　room　but　us。　Good　to　know　we　didn't　have　an　audience。　I　pointed　the　gun　at　the　overstuffed　white　couch　and　fired。　One　of　the　small　gold　and　silver　pillows　jumped　upward　with　the　impact。　The　noise　was　thunderous　in　the　stone　room；　as　if　the　heavy　drapes　caught　the　sound；　held　it　around　us。
　They　froze。　Micah's　hands　were　claws；　shredding　across　Jean…Claude's　back；　because　that　was　all　he　could　reach。　Jean…Claude's　face　was　buried　in　Micah's　neck；　his　body　wrapped　around　him；　so　that　everything　vital　was　hidden　while　he　tried　to　tear　Micah's　throat　out。
　I　sighted　on　them。　〃Stop　it；　stop　it；　both　of　you；　or　the　next　one　goes　in　one　of　you。　I　swear；　by　God；　that　I　will　shoot　you。〃
　Jean…Claude　raised　up；　blood　in　a　crimson　wash　across　his　mouth；　chin；　down　his　neck。　There　was　so　much　blood；　it　made　me　afraid　to　look　at　Micah's　neck。　Micah's　claws　stayed　in　Jean…Claude's　back。　I　could　see　the　tension　as　if　every　muscle　were　poised　to　drive　the　claws　farther　in。
　〃The　Nimir…Raj　holds　me　in　place；　ma　petite。　I　cannot　move。〃
　〃Micah；　let　him　up。〃
　Micah　didn't　move；　and　I　guess　I　couldn't　blame　him；　but　。。。　I　aimed　the　gun　at　his　head　because　that　was　the　only　clear　shot　I　had。　I　had　a　small　spurt　of　panic　that　I　might　have　to　pull　the　trigger；　then　a　calmness　welled　over　me；　and　I　stood　in　that　well　of　silence；　that　buzzing　white　noise　that　I　went　to　when　I　killed。　There　was　no　feeling　here；　there　was　almost　nothing　here。
　〃I　。。。　will　。。。　kill　you；　Micah。〃　My　voice　sounded　as　empty　as　I　felt。
　Micah　turned　his　head　slowly　to　look　at　me。　Blood　flowed　from　the　left　side　of　his　neck　down　his　shoulder；　his　chest。　He　was　drenched　in　his　own　blood。　I　could　see　more　of　it　welling　up；　sliding　down；　but　not　constant；　the　blood　pumped　out　with　his　pulse。　Shit。
　〃Let　him　up；　Micah；　he's　pierced　your　carotid。〃　I　lowered　the　gun　and　started　to　close　the　distance　between　them。
　Micah　looked　up　at　the　vampire；　still　poised　with　his　claws　in　Jean…Claude's　flesh。　〃If　I　die；　I　want　him　to　go　with　me。〃
　〃It　should　be　simple　enough　for　a　Nimir…Raj　of　your　power　to　heal　such　a　small　wound；〃　Jean…Claude　said；　still　pressed　around　the　other　man's　body；　intimate。
　Micah　withdrew　the　claws　from　Jean…Claude's　back。　Jean…Claude　moved　enough　to　prop　himself　up　on　his　hands。　I　saw　Micah　tense　a　second　before　his　arm　swung　in　that　unbelievable　speed；　so　fast；　so　fast。　Jean…Claude's　throat　hadn't　even　started　to　bleed　when　Micah's　hand　was　back　at　his　side。　Then　blood　spilled　in　a　fountain　from　Jean…Claude's　throat。
　〃Heal　that；〃　Micah　said。
　I　was　left　standing　there；　watching　them　both　bleed　to　death。　Mother　fucking　son　of　a　bitch。
　
　51
　
　JEAN…CLAUDE　HALF　FELL；　half　moved　off　of　Micah。　Blood　sprayed　in　a　red　rain　as　he　knelt　on　all　fours；　coughing；　as　if　he　were　trying　to　clear　his　throat。　It　made　the　blood　pump　faster。
　I　screamed；　at　first　wordless；　then　I　thought　of　something　better。　I　screamed；　〃Asher！〃
　Micah　was　already　rolling　in　black　fur；　bones　sliding　in　and　out；　muscles　rolling　in　glimpses　of　pinkish　flesh。　He'd　shapeshift　and　heal　himself；　but　Jean…Claude　couldn't　shapeshift。
　I　grabbed　Jean…Claude's　arm；　and　the　moment　I　touched　him　the　marks　flared　between　us。　I　was　choking　on　my　own　blood；　drowning　in　it。　Strong　hands　were　digging　into　my　arms；　fingers　like　cold　stone。　I　blinked　and　found　Jean…Claude's　face　glowing　like　carved　alabaster　with　white　light　inside　it。　His　skin　glowed　behind　the　coating　of　blood　on　his　lower　face；　like　rubies　spread　across　diamonds。　His　eyes　were　pools　of　molten　sapphire　flame；　if　fire　could　be　cold；　achingly　cold。　A　wind　sprang　from　his　body；　from　our　bodies；　and　it　was　the　cold　of　the　grave　that　danced　around　us；　fluttered　our　hair　around　our　faces。　We　reached　that　cold　power　out；　out；　to　find　Richard；　and　as　before　the　answer　came　against　our　skin。　Jason　was　kneeling　beside　us。　I　didn't　have　time　to　marvel　that　he　was　healed。　He　touched　us　and　the　mark　that　was　Richard　flared　through　his　body；　a　warmth　to　dance　with　our　coldness。　And　I　knew　Micah　was　kneeling　behind　me；　furred　and　clawed。　I　felt　him　at　my　back　the　way　I　felt　Jason；　as　if　he　were　tied　to　us。
　Micah　fell　back；　screaming；　〃Nooo！〃　The　tie　was　cut　and　for　a　second　I　swayed；　as　if　part　of　my　support　was　gone；　then　Nathaniel　was　there；　and　the　world　was　solid　again。
　We　knelt；　bound　by　flesh；　magic；　and　blood。　I　watched　the　flesh　in　Jean…Claude's　throat　reknit；　reform；　remake；　reshape　itself　until　the　flesh　was　perfect　and　white；　surrounded　by　a　coating　of　wet　blood。　He'd　healed　so　fast　that　the　blood　hadn't　had　time　to　dry。
　I　smelled　roses；　not　the　faint　perfume　of　potpourri；　but　thick；　melt…on…your…tongue；　old…fashioned　garden　roses；　as　if　I　were　drowning　in　the　cloying　sweetness　of　them。　It　was　like　being　dipped　in　honey　that　you　knew　had　poison　in　it。
　Honey；　honey　brown　eyes。　I　remembered　the　pale　honey　brown　of　Belle　Morte's　eyes。　〃Do　you　smell　the　roses？〃　I　asked。
　Jean…Claude　turned　drowning　blue　eyes　to　me。　〃Roses？　I　smell　nothing　but　the　scent　of　your　perfume；　and　skin。〃　He　scented　the　air；　〃And　blood。〃
　Nathaniel　and　Jason　were　lost　in　the　wonder　of　the　power　rush；　but　no　one　smelled　roses　but　me。　Once　upon　a　time　I'd　smelled　perfume　when　a　certain　Master　Vampire　had　been　using　her　magic。　My　friend　and　fellow　animator；　Larry　Kirkland；　had　smelled　the　perfume；　too；　but　no　one　else　around　us　had　been　able　to　scent　it。
　I　looked　into　Jean…Claude's　eyes；　not　with　my　sight；　but　with　my　magic；　and　found　something；　something　that　wasn't　him。　It　was　subtle。　What　she'd　done　with　me　earlier　had　been　like　a　sledgehammer　between　the　eyes；　this　was　a　stiletto　in　the　dark。
　I　found　the　thread　of　her　power　coiled　in　him；　and　the　moment　my　magic；　my　necromancy；　hit　it；　the　power　uncoiled；　opened；　and　it　was　like　a　window　thrown　wide。　I　saw　her　sitting　in　her　room　by　fire　and　candlelight；　as　if　electricity　hadn't　been　invented。　She　was　dressed　in　a　white　lace　dressing　gown；　all　that　black　hair　falling　around　her；　and　a　bowl　of　pink　roses　next　to　her　pale　hand。　She　turned　those　huge　pale　brown　eyes　to　me；　and　I　saw　the　surprise　on　her　face；　the　shock。　She　saw　me　kneeling　with　the　men；　as　I　saw　her　before　her　dressing　table　with　her　roses。
　I　cut　her　off；　cast　her　out　of　Jean…Claude；　as　I'd　cast　her　out　of　me　earlier。　It　was　easier；　because　she　hadn't　tried　to　possess　him；　only　to　tamper　with　him；　to　be　that　dark　voice　in　his　ear　that　pushed　him　a　little　over　the　edge。
　Jean…Claude　slumped　suddenly；　as　if　dizzy。　He　raised　eyes　to　me　that　were　as　normal　as　they　ever　got；　his　usual　midnight　blue。　There　was　fear　on　his　face；　no　hiding　it。　〃I　thought　I　saw　Belle；　sitting　before　her　mirror。〃
　I　nodded。　〃You　did。〃
　He　looked　at　me；　and　I　think　that　only　all　our　hands　on　him　kept　him　from　falling　to　the　floor。　〃She　weakened　my　control　of　the　ardeur。〃
　〃And　your　control　of　your　te