lh.narcissusinchains-第116部分

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oth　and　didn't　care　about　anything　except　that　I　was　finally　cool。　〃How　long　was　I　out？〃
　〃Not　long；〃　Asher　said；　smoothing　the　towel　so　that　it　molded　to　my　legs。
　I　looked　at　Nathaniel；　kneeling　in　the　tub；　pinning　Damian　to　the　edge；　so　the　vampire　could　hold　on　to　me。　〃I've　never　seen　a　shapeshifter　pass　out　from　heat　exhaustion　before；〃　he　said。
　〃A　first　time　for　everything；〃　I　said。
　Damian　turned　his　head　slowly　to　look　at　me。　His　eyes　were　clear；　bright；　alive　again。　His　eyes　were　the　color　of　emeralds；　and　it　wasn't　caused　by　vampire　powers；　it　was　his　natural　eye　color；　as　if　his　mother　had　fooled　around　with　a　cat　to　get　him　here。　People　just　didn't　have　that　color　of　eyes。
　I　smiled　at　him。　〃You　look　better。〃
　〃I　fed。〃
　I　glanced　at　Nathaniel。　He　turned　his　head　so　I　could　see　the　neat　bite　marks　in　the　side　of　his　throat。
　〃I　think　I　can　support　myself；〃　Damian　said。
　Nathaniel　looked　a　question　at　Asher；　who　must　have　nodded；　because　Nathaniel　backed　off。　Damian　settled　against　me；　still　holding　my　arm　across　his　chest；　but　lightly　now。　One　hand　gently　on　my　wrist；　the　other　hand　stroked　my　arm。
　〃I　hear　you're　my　master。〃
　I　looked　into　those　calm　eyes。　〃You　don't　seem　upset。〃
　He　rubbed　his　chin　and　cheek　against　my　arm。　It　was　catlike；　and　intimate；　a　lover's　gesture。　I　studied　his　face；　tried　to　read　past　those　peaceful　emerald　eyes。　Then　I　realized　I　didn't　have　to　read　his　face。　The　barest　thought　and　I　knew　that　the　peacefulness　in　his　eyes　went　all　the　way　through。　He　was　filled　with　a　great　calmness；　a　sense　of　rightness。　Calm　and　peace　had　never　been　my　reaction　to　Jean…Claude　binding　me　closer　to　him。
　I　could　feel　what　Damian　was　feeling；　knew　his　heart　almost　better　than　my　own；　but　I　didn't　understand　him。　In　that　moment　staring　into　those　beautiful；　peaceful　eyes；　I　simply　had　no　clue。　I　would　have　run　for　the　hills；　fought；　screamed；　hated。　I　would　not　have　gone　quietly　into　any　kind　of　servitude；　no　matter　how　potentially　beneficent　the　ruler。　Truthfully；　I　wasn't　a　hundred　percent　sure　I　was　a　beneficent　ruler。　I　mean　I　was　easy　to　get　along　with　as　long　as　everything　went　my　way；　but　cross　me；　and　I　wasn't　easy。　I　was　close　to　being　the　hardest　person　I　knew；　and　I　know　some　hard　people。　I　was　trying　to　be　softer　lately；　but　trying　to　be　softer　and　actually　being　softer；　aren't　the　same。　I　looked　into　Damian's　eyes　and　knew　that　if　it　were　me；　tied　to　me　as　master；　I'd　be　scared。
　Damian　turned　in　the　water；　kneeling　at　the　tub　edge。　He　leaned　in　and　laid　a　gentle　kiss　on　my　forehead。　〃You　saved　me；　again。〃
　He　was　right；　but　as　his　lips　touched　my　skin；　I　wondered　how　long　he'd　be　grateful　and　when　he'd　finally　realize　how　screwed　we　both　were。
　
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　ASHER　TOOK　DAMIAN　down　to　the　basement　for　the　day；　settling　them　both　in　just　before　dawn。　Micah　had　called；　saying　that　both　Merle　and　Zane　would　survive。　Cherry　was　going　to　stay　there　with　Zane；　and　he　had　to　go　check　on　the　rest　of　his　wereleopards。　I　invited　him　to　bring　his　leopards　over　to　my　house；　and　he　said　he'd　ask。　We　didn't　say　〃I　love　you〃　at　the　end　of　the　conversation；　which　was　unnerving。　I　wasn't　used　to　sleeping　with　someone　that　I　didn't　love　or　didn't　say　I　love　you　to。　But　I　was　too　tired　to　think　that　hard；　so　I　pushed　it　down　where　all　the　other　things　I　don't　want　to　think　about　live。　The　place　is　getting　damned　crowded。　Nathaniel　helped　me　dress　in　the　coolest　jammies　I　had　　a　silky　spaghetti　strap　nightshirt　that　would　have　been　too　revealing　if　I　hadn't　been　so　damn　short。　Then　Nathaniel　cuddled　in　beside　me　in　a　pair　of　jogging　shorts。　Gil　slept　in　the　guest　room。　The　two　wererat　bodyguards　divided　the　night　up　between　the　couch　and　sleeping　on　the　floor　in　front　of　the　door　of　my　bedroom；　which　meant　if　I　had　to　go　to　the　bathroom　after　we　bedded　down　I'd　have　to　step　over　them。　Bobby　Lee　said；　〃It'll　wake　us　up；　make　sure　you　don't　go　wandering　around　alone。〃
　I　couldn't　persuade　Bobby　Lee　or　Cris　that　I　didn't　need　that　much　watching；　but　truthfully　I　was　too　tired　to　do　much　arguing。　So　we　all　settled　down　for　a　long　summer's　nap。　Nathaniel　had　closed　the　heavy　curtains　so　that　the　room　lay　in　a　heavy　gray　twilight。
　I　settled　down　in　the　air…conditioned　hush　of　the　bedroom　with　Nathaniel　curled　up　against　my　side　and　fell　almost　immediately　into　a　deep；　dreamless　sleep。　When　the　bedside　phone　shrilled；　I　knew　what　it　was；　but　it　took　me　several　seconds　to　wake　up　enough　to　move。　Nathaniel　had　actually　reached　across　me　and　answered；　〃Blake　residence；〃　before　I　opened　my　eyes。
　He　was　quiet；　face　very　serious；　then　he　cupped　his　hand　over　the　receiver　and　said；　〃It's　Ulysses；　Narcissus's　bodyguard。　He　wants　to　speak　with　you。〃
　I　took　the　phone；　still　lying　flat　on　my　back。　〃This　is　Anita；　what　do　you　want？〃
　〃My　Oba　wishes　to　meet　with　you。〃
　I　moved　my　head　enough　to　see　the　clock　and　groaned。　I'd　barely　had　two　hours　of　sleep。　I　could　manage　an　hour　nap　and　feel　okay；　or　go　without　sleep；　but　somewhere　between　two　and　three　hours　just　felt　worse。　〃I　work　the　night　shift；　Ulysses；　whatever　Narcissus　wants　can　wait　until　later　in　the　day。〃
　〃The　word　went　out　yesterday　that　any　information　about　the　missing　lycanthropes　was　to　go　through　you。〃
　That　woke　me　up　a　little。　I　blinked　and　tried　to　be　more　awake　than　I　felt。　〃What　information？〃
　〃He　will　only　talk　directly　to　you。〃
　〃Then　put　him　on　the　phone；　I'm　all　ears。〃
　〃He　insists　that　you　e　down　to　his　club；　now。〃
　〃I　have　had　less　than　two　hours　of　sleep；　Ulysses。　I　am　not　dragging　my　ass　over　to　the　Illinois　side　of　the　river　at　the　crack　of　dawn。　If　he　has　information　that　can　help　us　save　shapeshifters'　lives；　just　give　it　to　me；　and　I'll　see　that　the　info　gets　to　where　it　needs　to　go。〃
　〃My　Oba　insists　that　if　you　do　not　e　down　to　the　club　now；　he　will　not　share　the　information　at　all。〃
　I　sat　up；　leaning　against　the　headboard；　closing　my　eyes。　〃Why　now？〃
　〃It　is　not　my　way　to　question　my　orders。〃
　〃Maybe　you　should　work　on　that；〃　I　said。
　There　was　silence　on　the　other　end　of　the　phone。　I　didn't　know　if　he　was　puzzled　and　didn't　get　my　ment；　or　if　it　had　struck　too　close　to　home。　He　finally　said　in　a　quiet　voice；　〃Right　now　the　lions'　Rex　is　alive。　That　may　not　be　the　case　in　a　few　hours。〃
　I　sat　up；　eyes　wide；　pletely　awake　at　last。　〃How　do　you　know　that？〃
　〃My　Oba　knows　many　things。〃
　〃Narcissus　would　really　let　the　lions'　Rex　die；　just　because　I　won't　e　down　to　the　club　at　the　ass　crack　of　dawn？〃
　〃My　master　is　very　insistent。〃
　〃Shit；〃　I　said　softly　and　with　feeling。　〃Tell　him　I'll　be　down；　but　tell　him　this；　too。　The　next　time　he's　in　trouble；　maybe　no　one　will　help　him　either。〃
　〃This　is　more　help　than　he　has　ever　been　to　any　other　animal　clan。〃
　There　was　something　in　Ulysses's　voice　now；　something。　He　was　lying。　I　could　hear　it　in　his　voice。　I　didn't　know　if　it　was　vampire　powers　or　werewolf　or　wereleopard；　and　I　didn't　care。　The　question　was；　why　lie　about　the　fact　that　the　werehyenas　had　helped　no　other　shapeshifter　group　more　than　this？　Why　was　that　worth　a　lie　at　all？
　〃Narcissus　helps　out　more　than　he　wants　people　to　know；　doesn't　he？〃　I　said。
　〃What　makes　you　say　that？〃　There　was　a　thread　of　fear；　almost　panic；　in　Ulysses's　voice。
　〃What　would　it　hurt　if　the　lycanthrope　munity　knew　that　the　werehyenas　were　helping　other　animals　out？〃　I　asked。
　His　breath　came　out　in　a　long　sigh。　〃Narcissus　would　never　want　anyone　to　think　that　about　the　werehyenas。　It　would　。。。　〃　he　hesitated；　〃be　bad　for　business。〃
　〃If　Narcissus　is　so　concerned　about　Joseph　the　lion；　then　why　not　give　me　the　info　over　the　phone？〃
　Ulysses　laughed；　abrupt；　amused。　〃Narcissus　has　never　given　anything　away　for　nothing。　There's　always　a　price　with　him。〃
　〃So　my　dragging　down　to　his　club　on　no　sleep　is　the　price？〃
　〃Something　like　that。〃
　〃Can　I　bring　my　people？〃
　〃My　master　would　love　to　see　any　of　your　people　you　care　to　bring。〃
　I　didn't　like　the　phrasing　on　that。　〃How　big　of　him。〃
　〃When　will　you　be　here？〃　Ulysses　asked。
　〃How　do　you　know　I'm　ing？〃
　〃Because　you　know　that　he's　enough　of　an　egotist　that　if　you　don't　e　now　he　may　not　share　the　information　at　all。　You　know　he'd　let　the　lions'　Rex　die　just　because　he's　not　the　same　animal　we　are；　and　you　not　ing　down　now　would　be　an　insult。〃
　〃This　clannish　shit　has　got　to　stop；　Ulysses。　We　need　to　start　helping　each　other　more。〃
　〃Not　my　place　to　change　the　system；　Anita。　I'm　just　trying　to　survive　in　it。〃
　He　sounded　sad。　〃I　don't　mean　to　yell　at　the　messenger；　Ulysses；　I'm　just　tired　of　the　system。〃
　He　laughed　again；　but　not　like　he　was　happy。　〃You're　tired　of　the　system。　Jesus；　you　have　no　idea。　When　can　I　tell　him　to　expect　you？〃
　〃An　hour。　Less；　if　I　can　manage　it。　I　want　Joseph　alive　to　see　his　baby。〃
　〃His　mate　will　probably　lose　it　like　all　the　others。〃
　〃I　thought　you　hyenas　didn't　talk　to　the　lions　or　anyone　else。　How　do　you　know　about　Joseph's　baby　woes？〃
　〃Narcissus　keeps　track　of　things　like　that。〃
　〃Why　would　he　care？〃
　〃He　wants　a　baby。〃
　That　made　me　raise　my　eyebrows。　〃I've　never　pictured　Narcissus　as　the　paternal　type。〃
　〃Try　maternal。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃We'll　be　waiting　for　you；　An