lh.narcissusinchains-第27部分

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ress　of　him；　hard　and　firm　against　my　body；　that　made　me　shudder　against　him；　it　was　the　need　in　his　body。　I　felt　his　hunger　quiver　through　his　flesh；　as　if　I　could　read　parts　of　him　that　were　too　primitive　for　words；　needs　that　had　nothing　to　do　with　language；　and　everything　to　do　with　naked　flesh。
　He　closed　his　eyes；　and　a　soft　moan　escaped　him。
　〃What　I　offer　isn't　illusion；　Nimir…Raj；　it's　real。〃
　He　shook　his　head。　〃Sex　isn't　enough。〃
　〃I'm　not　offering　sex；　not　now；〃　Even　as　I　said　it；　I　pressed　my　body　against　his。　His　entire　body　shuddered　against　me；　and　a　sound　very　like　a　whimper　crawled　out　of　his　throat。
　〃I'm　offering　a　taste　of　power；　Nimir…Raj；　a　small　taste　of　all　I　can　offer　you。〃　In　my　head　I　knew　it　was　a　lie；　but　in　my　heart　I　knew　it　was　true。　I　could　offer　him　power　and　flesh；　the　two　things　he　wanted；　needed；　above　all　else。　It　was　perfect　bait；　and　it　was　wrong。　I　started　to　back　down；　to　try　and　cram　the　power　down；　but　Jean…Claude　fought　me。　He　thrust　his　power　into　me　like　an　echo　of　his　body；　riding　me。　It　was　too　late　for　me　to　feed　as　humans　feed　and　give　him　back　his　strength。　He'd　avoided　me　for　nights；　because　I　was　weak。　I　had　grown　strong　again；　and　he　had　grown　weak；　and　we　had　enemies　in　town。　We　could　not　afford　weakness。　All　this；　I　knew　in　a　heartbeat；　his　mind　to　mine。　And　it　was　that　seed　of　doubt　　could　we　afford　to　be　weak？　　that　made　me　unable　to　shut　him　out。
　〃What　do　you　want　in　return？〃　Micah　asked　it　in　a　whisper　that　held　an　edge　of　desperation；　as　if　we　both　knew　that　whatever　I　asked；　he　would　do　it。
　〃I　want　to　drink　the　warm　rush　of　your　body；　to　have　you　fill　my　mouth　with　that　hot　liquid　that　beats　just　below　here；〃　and　I　rubbed　my　lips　across　his　neck。　The　scent　of　blood　so　near　the　surface　made　my　stomach　twist；　but　we　were　close；　so　close；　mustn't　rush　it；　mustn't　scare　him。　We　were　like　fishermen。　We　had　our　net；　all　we　needed　was　for　the　fish　to　stop　fighting　us　and　lay　still。
　My　lips　hovered　over　his　neck　as　he　spoke。　〃Show　me　you　have　enough　power　to　make　it　worth　my　while；　and　I'll　give　you　any　body　fluid　you　want。〃
　I　swept　his　hair　to　one　side；　and　it　slid　back。　I　balled　my　hand　into　a　fist　of　his　curls　to　keep　it　out　of　the　way；　and　even　that　movement　brought　a　sound　from　his　throat。　I　bared　the　long　smooth　line　of　his　neck。　He　moved　his　head　to　one　side　as　if　he　knew　what　I　wanted　now。　I　could　see　the　big　pulse　in　his　neck；　beating　against　his　skin　like　something　small　and　separate　from　him；　something　alive　that　I　had　to　make　free。
　I　licked　my　tongue　across　that　throbbing　skin。　I　meant　to　be　gentle；　I　meant　many　things；　but　his　skin　was　slick　and　flawless　against　my　mouth；　the　smell　of　him　intoxicated　me　like　the　sweetest　perfume。　His　pulse　throbbed　against　my　mouth；　and　I　sank　my　teeth　around　that　frantic　movement。　I　ate　at　his　skin；　dug　my　teeth　into　the　flesh　underneath；　and　into　his　power；　his　beast。
　I　felt　my　beast　rise　through　my　body；　like　some　great　shape　rising　from　the　ocean　depths；　a　leviathan　that　grew　and　grew；　swelling　up　inside　me　until　my　skin　couldn't　hold　it；　then　it　touched　his　beast；　and　it　stopped；　hovering　in　black　water；　hovering　in　my　body　like　some　huge　thing。　The　two　powers　floated　in　that　dark　water；　brushing　huge；　sleek　sides　down　the　length　of　their　bodies；　our　bodies。　It　was　a　sensation　like　velvet　rubbing　inside　me；　except　this　velvet　had　muscles；　flesh；　and　was　hard　even　where　it　was　soft。　The　imagery　that　kept　flowing　through　my　mind　was　of　some　great　cat　rubbing　itself　inside　me；　rolling　through　me；　but　bigger　than　that。　I'd　seen　Richard's　beast　move　through　his　eyes　like　some　great　shape　half…seen　in　water；　and　it　felt　that　large；　that　overwhelming。　I　drank　Micah's　power　down　but　not　just　through　my　mouth　and　down　my　throat。　Everywhere　I　touched　him；　I　fed。　I　could　feel　his　heart　beating　against　my　naked　breasts。　I　could　feel　the　blood　rushing　through　his　body；　feel　every　inch　of　him　pressed　against　me。　Feel　his　need；　his　desire；　and　I　ate　at　him。　I　fed　at　his　neck　as　if　his　pulse　were　the　center　of　some　filled　cake；　as　if　once　I　gnawed　away　the　flesh　I　would　have　something　unutterably　sweet。　I　drew　blood；　and　with　the　first　touch　of　sweet　metallic　flavor　in　my　mouth；　all　pretense；　all　prettiness　was　wiped　away；　drowned　in　the　scent　of　fresh　blood；　the　taste　of　torn　flesh；　the　feel　of　meat　and　blood　in　my　mouth。　The　feel　of　his　hands　pressing　my　body　against　his；　my　legs　wrapped　around　his　waist；　riding　him。　I　was　aware　like　some　distant　call　that　he　wasn't　inside　me；　that　he　was　still　pressed　between　our　bodies；　so　hard；　so　ready　that　he　quivered　against　my　stomach。　His　breath　came　fast　and　faster。　Someone　was　making　small　animal　noises；　and　it　was　me。
　Micah's　fingernails　dug　into　my　body；　an　instant　before　he　poured　over　me　in　a　scalding　wave；　noises　too　primitive　for　words；　and　not　loud　enough　for　screams　ing　from　his　mouth。
　I　felt　Jean…Claude　down　that　long　metaphysical　cord　that　bonded　us　together。　I　felt　him　grow　quiet　and　well　fed；　sated。　I　drew　my　mouth　away　from　Micah's　torn　throat；　putting　my　cheek　against　his　bare　shoulder；　my　legs　and　arms　still　wrapped　around　him。　His　arms　still　holding　me　tight。　I　was　covered　in　fluid；　my　breasts　thick　with　it。　It　ran　down　my　body　in　heavy　liquid　lines；　curling　over　my　stomach；　tracing　down　to　my　thighs。
　He　knelt　there　supporting　both　our　weights；　while　our　breathing　quieted；　and　the　massive　pulse　of　our　bodies　subsided　into　silence。　And　in　that　silence　there　was　nothing　but　the　feel　of　his　flesh；　the　raw　scent　of　sex；　and　in　the　distance；　the　satisfaction　of　the　vampire。
　
　10
　
　THE　SHOWER　WAS　one　of　those　group　ones；　like　you'd　find　in　a　health　club。　But　I　was　the　only　one　in　it。　I'd　cleaned　off；　scrubbed　myself　thoroughly；　but　I　felt　like　Lady　MacBeth　screaming　〃out；　out；　damned　spot！〃　Like　I'd　never　really　be　clean　again。　I　sat　on　the　tiles　under　the　hot；　beating　water；　hugging　my　knees。　I　hadn't　planned　on　crying；　but　I　was。　Slow　tears　that　felt　cool　pared　to　the　water　pounding　my　body。　I　wasn't　sure　why　I　was　crying。　My　mind　was　blank。　Usually　when　I　try　to　be　blank；　I　can't；　but　just　then；　there　was　nothing　but　the　water；　the　heat；　the　smooth　tiles；　and　the　little　voice　in　my　head　that　kept　running　round　and　round　like　a　hamster　on　a　wheel。　I　couldn't　hear　what　the　voice　was　saying　　I　think　I　didn't　want　to。　All　I　knew　was　that　it　was　screaming。
　A　noise　behind　me　made　me　turn。　It　was　Cherry；　still　naked。　None　of　the　leopards　ever　dressed　unless　I　made　them。　I　turned　my　head　away　from　her。　I　didn't　want　her　to　see　me　cry。　I　was　her　Nimir…Ra；　her　rock。　Rocks　did　not　cry。
　I　knew　she　was　standing　over　me；　could　feel　it；　even　before　the　water's　rhythm　changed。　She　knelt　over　me；　the　water　sluicing　around　her；　leaving　me　shivering　in　the　sudden　touch　of　the　cool；　waterless　air。　I　kept　my　face　turned　away　from　her。　She　touched　my　water…soaked　hair。　When　I　didn't　protest　she　hugged　me；　arms　going　slowly　around　me；　as　if　she　expected　me　to　plain。
　I　stayed　stiff　in　her　arms；　with　her　body　wrapped　around　me。　She　just　held　me；　head　pressed　to　the　top　of　mine；　her　body　sheltering　me　from　the　water；　leaving　me　colder；　even　as　her　body　stretched　like　heat　against　my　wet　skin。　I　leaned　into　her　by　painful　inches　until　finally　I　let　her　hold　me。　I　cried；　and　Cherry　held　me。
　The　crying　never　grew；　or　got　loud。　It　remained　slow　tears　while　Cherry　held　me；　and　I　let　her。　Finally；　there　were　no　more　tears；　just　the　sound　of　the　water；　the　heat；　the　feel　of　Cherry's　body　around　mine。　There　was　fort　in　the　touch　of　flesh　that　went　beyond　sex。　I　pulled　away；　and　she　drew　back。　I　stood　and　turned　the　water　off。　The　silence　was　sudden　and　plete。　I　could　feel　the　press　of　the　night　outside。　Even　without　a　window；　I　knew　it　was　the　wee　hours　of　morning　　maybe　two；　or　even　three。　It　would　be　dawn　in　a　few　short　hours。　I　needed　to　know　why　Jean…Claude　was　in　jail。　Everything　else　could　wait。　We　had　enemies　in　town；　and　I　needed　to　know　who　they　were；　what　they　wanted。　After　that　I'd　think　about　what　had　just　happened；　but　not　yet；　not　yet。　Avoidance　is　one　of　my　best　things。
　Cherry　handed　me　a　towel　and　kept　one　for　herself。　I　wound　the　towel　around　my　hair　and　retrieved　a　second　towel　for　my　body。　We　dried　off　in　silence；　no　eye　contact。　It　wasn't　shower　protocol；　girls　aren't　as　hung　up　about　that　as　guys。　I　just　didn't　want　to　talk　about　what　had　happened。　Not　yet。
　I　wrapped　the　oversized　towel　securely　around　my　body；　and　asked；　〃Why　is　Jean…Claude　in　jail？〃
　〃For　murdering　you；〃　she　said。
　I　stared　at　her　for　a　few　seconds；　and　when　I　could　talk；　I　said；　〃Pass　that　by　me　again。　Slowly。〃
　〃Someone　got　pictures　of　Jean…Claude　carrying　you　out　of　the　club。　You　were　covered　in　blood；　Anita。　He　was　covered　in　your　blood。〃　She　shrugged；　drying　off　a　spot　she'd　missed　on　one　long　leg。
　〃But　I'm　alive；〃　I　said。　It　sounded　almost　silly　saying　it。
　〃And　how　would　you　explain　that　in　less　than　a　week　you　were　healed　of　wounds　that　should　have　killed　you？〃　She　straightened；　slinging　the　towel　over　one　shoulder；　not　bothering　to　cover　even　an　inch　of　her　body。
　〃I　don't　want　him　in　jail　for　something　he　didn't　do；〃　I　said。
　〃If　you　go　tonight；