lh.narcissusinchains-第124部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


lding。
　〃But　my　change　of　heart；　as　you　put　it；　came　later。　Wolf　lycanthropy　showed　up　in　my　bloodstream　within　forty…eight　hours　of　my　attack。　I　decided　I　would　take　out　as　many　monsters　as　I　could　and　let　them　take　me　out　before　the　first　full　moon。〃　He　stared　past　me；　eyes　distant　with　remembering。　〃I　took　the　most　dangerous　jobs　I　could　find；　until　I　ended　up　trying　to　kill　an　entire　tribe　of　weresnakes　in　the　depths　of　the　Amazon　basin。〃　He　looked　at　the　small　dark　man　still　at　his　side。　〃I　decided　that　dozens　of　any　animal　would　surely　kill　me；　and　if　not；　then　at　the　first　full　moon　I　would　be　in　an　area　devoid　of　any　human　except　the　people　I'd　e　to　kill。〃
　〃Logical；　I　guess；〃　I　said；　because　it　seemed　appropriate　to　say　something。
　His　gaze　flicked　to　me。　〃I　had　planned　my　death；　Ms。　Blake；　but　every　animal　I　tried　to　kill　just　wasn't　up　to　killing　me。　By　the　time　I　had　my　first　full　moon　I'd　been　infected　by　a　great　many　forms　of　predatory　lycanthropy。　And　on　that　first　moon；　I　changed　into　what　Abuta　and　his　people　are；　then　a　wolf；　then　a　bear；　then　a　leopard；　then　a　lion；　so　forth；　and　so　on。〃　He　was　looking　at　Abuta；　and　his　face　held　some　of　the　religious　fervor　that　the　smaller　man　seemed　to　emanate。　〃They　thought　I　was　a　god　because　I　could　take　so　many　forms。　They　worshipped　me；　and　they　sent　half　their　tribe　to　acpany　me　back　to　civilization。〃　He　laughed　then。　It　was　abrupt　and　unpleasant。　Something　about　that　laugh　raised　the　hairs　on　my　arms。
　〃You've　killed　all　but　three　of　them；　Anita。　I　may　call　you　Anita；　mightn't　I？〃
　I　nodded；　almost　afraid　to　speak；　because　emotions　were　chasing　across　King's　face；　emotions　that　didn't　match　his　calm　words；　as　if　he　were　feeling　things　that　he　wasn't　aware　of。　It　was　like　watching　a　badly　dubbed　film；　except　it　was　body　actions　that　were　out　of　step；　not　the　words。
　A　prickling　rush　of　energy　came　off　him　like　heat；　and　his　eyes　turned。　One　pale　greenish　leopard；　one　wolf　amber。　It　wasn't　just　the　colors　of　the　irises　that　didn't　match；　it　was　the　shape　of　the　pupils；　the　entire　set　of　each　eye　socket　was　slightly　different　from　the　other。　I　hadn't　noticed　the　bone　structure　shifting；　it　had　been　that　fast。
　A　smile　curled　his　lips。　The　entire　expression　of　face；　body；　everything　changed；　and　it　wasn't　shapeshifting；　it　was　as　if　another　person　just　settled　into　King's　skin。　Chimera's　voice　was　slightly　southern；　thick　and　round…voweled。　It　was　the　voice　I'd　heard　over　the　loudspeaker　when　they　tried　to　ambush　us　in　the　club。　〃Poor　Orlando；　he　just　can't　cope　anymore。　He　hates　what　he's　bee。〃
　I　think　I　stopped　breathing　for　a　few　heartbeats；　which　made　my　next　breath　harsh。　I'd　dealt　with　sociopaths；　pychopaths；　serial　killers；　crazies　of　all　ilk；　but　this　was　my　first　multiple　personality。
　Chimera　jerked　at　the　tight　tie；　tore　it　off；　unbuttoned　the　collar；　rotated　his　neck；　and　smiled。　〃There；　that's　much　better；　don't　you　agree？〃
　My　voice　came　out　breathy。　〃Always　good　to　be　fortable。〃
　He　stepped　closer　to　me；　and　I　backed　up；　bumping　into　Zeke。　Chimera　stepped　in　very　close；　almost　touching　and　sniffed　just　above　the　skin　of　my　face。　This　close　his　power　rode　over　me　like　thousands　of　ants　biting　along　my　skin。
　〃You　smell　of　fear；　Anita。　I　didn't　think　a　little　eye　shift　would　spook　you。〃
　I　licked　my　lips；　staring　into　those　mismatched　eyes　from　inches　away。　〃The　eyes　don't　bother　me。〃
　〃Then　what　does？〃　he　asked；　still　hovering　over　me。
　I　licked　my　lips　again　and　didn't　know　what　to　say。　Or　rather；　couldn't　think　of　a　safe　thing　to　say。　I　thought　of　several　smart　alec　remarks；　but　you　should　humor　crazy　people　when　you're　at　their　mercy；　it's　a　rule。　Of　course；　I　also　had　a　rule　never　to　put　myself　at　the　mercy　of　sadistic　serial　killers　suffering　from　multiple　personality　disorder。　I　hoped　we　all　lived　to　regret　my　breaking　that　rule。　Truly　insane　people　are　often　unpredictable　and　hard　to　negotiate　with。
　〃I'm　waiting　for　an　answer；〃　he　said　in　a　sing…song　voice。
　I　just　couldn't　think　of　a　good　lie；　so　I　tried　mild　truth。　〃The　fact　that　I　was　talking　to　Orlando　King　and　now　I'm　not；　but　it's　the　same　body　talking　at　me。〃
　He　laughed　and　stepped　back。　Then　he　went　very　still；　as　if　he　were　listening　to　things　I　couldn't　hear。　Was　it　the　rescue；　this　soon？　It　couldn't　be。　He　looked　down　at　me；　smiling　that　unpleasant　smile　and　ran　his　hands　down　his　own　body。　〃I　make　better　use　of　the　body　than　Orlando　does。〃
　Okeydokey；　things　were　not　improving。　I　looked　up　at　Zeke　and　tried　to　tell　him　with　my　eyes　that　he　should　have　told　me　that　Chimera　was　this　crazy。
　Chimera　grabbed　my　wrist；　jerked　me　close。　I'd　been　so　busy　trying　to　get　eye　contact　with　Zeke　that　I　hadn't　even　seen　it　ing。　〃I　was　always　inside　Orlando。　I　was　that　part　of　him　that　allowed　him　to　slaughter　other　human　beings　and　feel　nothing　but　hatred。　He　rarely　took　a　shifter　in　animal　form。　It　was　safer　in　human　form；　and　Orlando　was　a　very　big　believer　in　safety；　at　least　for　himself。〃　He　drew　me　against　his　body　using　my　wrist　like　a　handle。　He　wasn't　hurting　me；　but　the　strength　in　his　grip　was　like　a　promise；　a　threat。　He　could　have　crushed　my　wrist　and　we　both　knew　it。
　〃King　had　a　reputation　for　getting　the　job　done；〃　I　said。
　〃The　job　was　to　kill　other　people；　women　as　well　as　men。　Then　he'd　cut　off　their　heads；　burn　the　bodies；　make　sure　they　weren't　ing　back。　I　was　the　part　of　him　that　enjoyed　the　work；　and　when　he　became　what　he　hated　most　in　the　world；　I　protected　him　from　himself。〃
　〃How？〃　I　asked；　softly。
　〃By　doing　the　things　he　was　too　weak　to　do　himself；　but　still　wanted　done。〃
　〃Like　what？〃　I　asked。　Rescue　was　ing；　it　was　just　a　matter　of　stalling　until　help　arrived。　It　had　been　the　original　plan；　and　the　fact　that　Chimera　was　Orlando　King　and　crazier　than　a　June　beetle　on　crack　didn't　really　change　the　plan。　Just　keep　him　talking。　All　men　love　to　talk　about　themselves；　even　the　ones　who　are　pletely　buggers。　Being　insane　doesn't　change　that；　or　at　least　it　never　had　before。　It　was　just　the　multiple　personality　stuff　that　was　freaking　me　out。　If　I　treated　Chimera　like　any　other　homicidal　maniac；　we'd　be　fine。　At　least　that's　what　I　kept　telling　myself。　My　pulse　stayed　too　fast；　my　chest　stayed　tight；　the　fear　stayed　high；　I　don't　think　I　believed　myself。
　〃You　want　to　know　how　I　helped　Orlando？〃　he　asked。
　I　nodded　〃Yeah。〃
　〃You　really　want　to　know　what　I've　done　for　him？〃
　I　nodded　again；　but　I　was　beginning　not　to　like　the　way　he　kept　phrasing　things。
　He　smiled；　and　just　the　smile　promised　painful；　unpleasant　things。　〃You　know　what　they　say。　Talk　is　cheap。　Let　me　show　you；　Anita；　let　me　show　you　what　I've　done。〃　With　that　he　reached　behind　him　to　the　doorknob；　turned　it；　and　pulled　me　into　the　room　beyond。
　
　65
　
　THE　ROOM　WAS　black；　utterly　black；　like　being　flung　into　blindness；　nothingness；　like　a　cave。　Chimera　released　my　arm。　It　was　like　being　cut　adrift；　lost　in　the　blackness。　I　stumbled　in　the　darkness。　I　reached　out　blindly　to　catch　myself　and　touched　something。　I　grabbed　at　it；　trying　to　hold　on　to　something；　anything。　Then　the　flesh　gave　under　my　hand；　and　I　realized　it　was　human　and　not　where　it　should　have　been。　It　was　too　high　up　to　be　someone's　calf。　I　jerked　back；　and　something　else　brushed　my　back。　I　let　out　a　little　squeal；　hands　out；　stumbling　in　the　dark；　and　smacked　into　something　else　that　swung　as　I　hit　it。　I　realized　whatever　it　was；　was　hanging　from　the　ceiling。　I　moved　away　from　it　and　ran　face　first　into　the　next　surprise。　The　solid　smack　of　flesh　on　flesh　let　me　know　it　was　a　body。　The　scream　let　me　know　it　was　still　alive。　I'd　hit　hard　enough　that　the　man　swung　into　me　again；　and　I　tried　to　back　away　and　bumped　into　another　one。　That　one　didn't　make　any　noise。　I　kept　my　hands　out　in　front　of　me　and　fought　to　get　free　of　them；　but　my　hand　kept　touching　bodies　and　body　parts　　hips；　thighs；　groins；　buttocks。　I　moved　faster；　trying　to　force　my　way　out　of　the　forest　of　hanging　bodies；　but　moving　fast　made　them　start　to　swing　and　crash　into　me。　Screams　came　out　of　the　dark；　as　if　I'd　started　them　all　bumping　into　each　other。　Men　screaming　in　the　dark；　by　the　sound　of　the　voices　I　knew　there　were　no　women。　One　body　hit　me　hard　enough　that　I　fell；　and　dangling　feet　brushed　against　me。　I　tried　to　crawl　away　from　them；　but　they　were　everywhere；　touching　me；　brushing　me；　some　struggling　against　my　back。　I　lay　down　on　the　floor　trying　to　get　away；　to　get　clear；　swatting　at　them　with　my　hands；　frantic　not　to　be　touched。　I　crawled　on　my　back；　using　my　feet　and　hands　to　try　and　get　under　them；　but　their　heights　were　all　different；　and　I　couldn't　get　free　of　them。
　I　felt　a　scream　building　in　my　gut　and　knew　if　I　screamed　once　I'd　just　keep　on。　My　hand　landed　in　a　pool　of　something　warm　and　liquid；　and　it　stopped　me。　Even　in　the　dark　I　knew　what　blood　felt　like。　This　was　probably　the　point　where　most　people　would　have　definitely　started　screaming；　but　somehow　the　feel　of　the　blood　calmed　me。　I　knew　about　blood　and　letting　it　out　of　a　man　until　he　died。　I　pressed　my　hand　into　that　still…warm　pool　and　it　steadied　me。
　I　lay　back　on　the　floor　with　my　hand　in　blood　and　my　head　resting　in　God　knows　what　an