lh.narcissusinchains-第3部分

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　〃Yess。〃
　〃What　are　they　doing　to　you？〃
　He　screamed　into　the　phone；　and　the　sound　raised　the　hairs　on　my　neck　and　danced　down　my　arms　in　goosebumps。　The　sound　stopped　abruptly。　〃Gregory；　Gregory！〃　I　was　yelling　against　the　techno…beat　of　the　music；　but　no　one　was　answering。
　Marco　came　back　on　the　line。　〃They　are　all　alive；　if　not　quite　well。　The　one　they　call　Nathaniel　is　a　lovely　young　man；　all　that　long　auburn　hair　and　the　most　extraordinary　violet　eyes。　So　pretty；　it　would　be　a　shame　to　spoil　all　that　beauty。　Of　course；　this　one　is　lovely　too；　blond；　blue…eyed。　Someone　told　me　that　they　both　work　as　strippers？　Is　that　true？〃
　I　wasn't　numb　anymore；　I　was　scared；　and　angry；　and　I　still　had　not　a　clue　to　why　this　was　happening。　My　voice　came　out　almost　even；　almost　calm。　〃Yeah；　it's　true。　You're　new　in　town；　Marco；　so　you　don't　know　me。　But　trust　me；　you　don't　want　to　do　this。〃
　〃Perhaps　not；　but　my　alpha　does。〃
　Ah；　shapeshifter　politics。　I　hated　shapeshifter　politics。　〃Why？　The　wereleopards　are　no　threat　to　anyone。〃
　〃Ours　is　not　to　reason　why；　ours　is　but　to　do　and　die。〃
　A　literate　kidnapper；　refreshing。　〃What　do　you　want；　Marco？〃
　〃My　alpha　wants　you　to　e　down　and　rescue　your　cats；　if　you　can。〃
　〃What　club　are　you　at？〃
　〃Narcissus　in　Chains。〃　And　he　hung　up。
　
　2。
　〃DAMN　IT！〃
　〃What's　happened？〃　Ronnie　asked。　I'd　almost　forgotten　her。　She　didn't　belong　in　this　part　of　my　life；　but　there　she　was；　leaning　against　the　kitchen　cabinets；　searching　my　face；　looking　worried。
　〃I'll　take　care　of　it。〃
　She　gripped　my　arm。　〃You　gave　me　this　speech　about　wanting　your　friends　back；　about　not　wanting　to　push　us　all　away。　Did　you　mean　it；　or　was　it　just　talk？〃
　I　took　a　deep　breath　and　let　it　out。　I　told　her　what　the　other　side　of　the　conversation　had　been。
　〃And　you　don't　have　any　clue　what　this　is　about？〃　she　asked。
　〃No；　I　don't。〃
　〃That's　odd。　Usually　stuff　like　this　builds　up；　it　doesn't　just　drop　out　of　the　blue。〃
　I　nodded。　〃I　know。〃
　〃Star　69　will　ring　back　whatever　number　just　called　you。〃
　〃What　good　will　that　do？〃
　〃It　will　let　you　know　if　they're　really　at　this　club；　or　whether　it's　just　a　trap　for　you。〃
　〃Not　just　another　pretty　face；　are　you？〃　I　said。
　She　smiled。　〃I'm　a　trained　detective。　We　know　about　these　things。〃　The　humor　didn't　quite　reach　her　eyes；　but　she　was　trying。
　I　dialed；　and　the　phone　rang　for　what　seemed　forever；　then　another　male　voice　answered；　〃Yeah。〃
　〃Is　this　Narcissus　in　Chains？〃
　〃Yeah；　who's　this？〃
　〃I　need　to　speak　with　Gregory？〃
　〃Don't　know　any　Gregory；〃　he　said。
　〃Who　is　this？〃　I　asked。
　〃This　is　a　freaking　pay　phone；　lady。　I　just　picked　up。〃　Then　he　hung　up；　too。　It　seemed　to　be　my　night　for　it。
　〃They　called　from　a　pay　phone　at　the　club；〃　I　said。
　〃Well；　at　least　you　know　where　they　are；〃　Ronnie　said。
　〃Do　you　know　where　the　club　is？〃　I　asked。
　Ronnie　shook　her　head。　〃Not　my　kind　of　scene。〃
　〃Mine　either。〃　In　fact　the　only　card…carrying　dominance　and　submission　players　that　I　knew　personally　were　all　at　the　club　waiting　to　be　saved。
　Who　did　I　know　that　might　know　where　the　club　was；　and　something　about　its　reputation？　I　couldn't　trust　what　the　wereleopards　had　told　me　about　it　being　a　safe　place。　Obviously；　they'd　been　wrong。
　One　name　sprang　to　mind。　The　only　one　I　knew　to　call　that　might　know　where　Narcissus　in　Chains　was；　and　what　kind　of　trouble　I'd　be　in　if　I　went　inside。　Jean…Claude。　Since　I　was　dealing　with　shapeshifter　politics　it　might　have　made　sense　to　call　Richard；　with　him　being　a　werewolf　and　all。　But　the　shapeshifters　were　a　very　clannish　lot。　One　type　of　animal　rarely　crossed　boundaries　to　help　another。　Frustrating；　but　true。　The　exception　was　the　treaty　between　the　werewolves　and　the　wererats；　but　everyone　else　was　left　to　fend；　and　squabble；　and　bleed；　among　themselves。　Oh；　if　some　small　group　got　out　of　hand　and　attracted　too　much　unwanted　police　attention；　the　wolves　and　rats　would　discipline　them；　but　short　of　that；　no　one　seemed　to　want　to　interfere　with　each　other。　That　was　one　of　the　reasons　I　was　still　stuck　baby…sitting　the　wereleopards。
　Also；　Richard　didn't　know　any　more　about　the　D　and　S　subculture　than　I　did；　maybe　less。　If　you're　wanting　to　ask　questions　about　the　sexual　fringe；　Jean…Claude　is　definitely　your　guy。　He　may　not　participate；　but　he　seems　to　know　who's　doing　what；　and　to　whom；　and　where。　Or　I　hoped　he　did。　If　it　had　just　been　my　life　at　stake；　I　probably　wouldn't　have　called　either　of　the　boys；　but　if　I　got　killed　doing　this；　that　left　no　one　to　rescue　Nathaniel　and　the　rest。　Unacceptable。
　Ronnie　had　kicked　off　her　high　heels。　〃I　didn't　bring　my　gun；　but　I'm　sure　you　have　a　spare。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃You're　not　going。〃
　Anger　makes　her　gray　eyes　the　color　of　storm　clouds。　〃The　hell　I'm　not。〃
　〃Ronnie；　these　are　shapeshifters；　and　you're　human。〃
　〃So　are　you；〃　she　said。
　〃Because　of　Jean…Claude's　vampire　marks；　I'm　a　little　more　than　that。　I　can　take　damage　that　would　kill　you。〃
　〃You　can't　go　in　there　alone；〃　she　said。　Her　arms　were　crossed　under　her　breasts；　her　face　set　in　angry；　stubborn　lines。
　〃I　don't　plan　on　going　in　alone。〃
　〃It's　because　I'm　not　a　shooter；　isn't　it？〃
　〃You　don't　kill　easily；　Ronnie；　no　shame　in　that；　but　I　can't　take　you　into　a　gang　of　shapeshifters　unless　I　know　that　you'll　shoot　to　kill　if　you　have　to。〃　I　gripped　her　upper　arms。　She　stayed　stiff　and　angry　under　my　touch。　〃It　would　kill　a　piece　of　me　to　lose　you；　Ronnie。　It　would　kill　a　bigger　piece　to　know　that　you　died　because　of　some　shit　of　mine。　You　can't　hesitate　with　these　people。　You　can't　treat　them　like　they're　human。　If　you　do；　you　die。〃
　She　was　shaking　her　head。　〃Call　the　police。〃
　I　stepped　away　from　her。　〃No。〃
　〃Damn　it；　Anita；　damn　it！〃
　〃Ronnie；　there　are　rules；　and　one　of　those　rules　is　you　don't　take　pack　or　pard　business　to　the　police。〃　The　main　reason　for　that　rule　was　that　the　police　tended　to　frown　on　fights　for　dominance　that　ended　with　dead　bodies　on　the　ground；　but　no　need　to　tell　Ronnie　that。
　〃It's　a　stupid　rule；〃　she　said。
　〃Maybe；　but　it's　still　the　way　business　is　done　with　the　shifters；　no　matter　what　flavor　they　are。〃
　She　sat　down　at　the　small　two…seater　breakfast　table；　on　its　little　raised　platform。　〃Who's　going　to　be　your　backup　then？　Richard　doesn't　kill　any　easier　than　I　do。〃
　That　was　half　true；　but　I　let　it　slide。　〃No；　I　want　someone　at　my　back　tonight　who　will　do　what　needs　doing；　no　flinching。〃
　Her　eyes　were　dark；　dark　with　anger。　〃Jean…Claude。〃　She　made　his　name　a　curse。
　I　nodded。
　〃Are　you　sure　he　didn't　plan　this　to　get　you　back　into　his　life；　excuse　me；　death？〃
　〃He　knows　me　too　well　to　screw　with　my　people。　He　knows　what　I'd　do　if　he　hurt　them。〃
　Puzzlement　flowed　through　the　anger；　softening　her　eyes；　her　face。　〃I　hate　him；　but　I　know　you　love　him。　Could　you　really　kill　him？　Could　you　really　stare　down　the　barrel　of　a　gun　and　pull　the　trigger　on　him？〃
　I　just　looked　at　her；　and　I　knew　without　a　mirror　that　my　eyes　had　grown　distant；　cold。　It's　hard　for　brown　eyes　to　be　cold；　but　I'd　been　managing　it　lately。
　Something　very　like　fear　slid　behind　her　eyes。　I　don't　know　if　she　was　afraid　for　me；　or　of　me。　I　preferred　the　first　to　the　last。　〃You　could　do　it。　Jesus；　Anita。　You've　known　Jean…Claude　longer　than　I've　known　Louie。　I　could　never　hurt　Louie；　no　matter　what　he　did。〃
　I　shrugged。　〃It　would　destroy　me　to　do　it；　I　think。　It's　not　like　I'd　live　happily　ever　after；　if　I　survived　at　all。　There's　a　very　real　chance　that　the　vampire　marks　would　drag　me　down　to　the　grave　with　him。〃
　〃Another　good　reason　not　to　kill　him；〃　she　said。
　〃If　he's　behind　the　scream　that　Gregory　gave　over　the　phone；　then　he'll　need　better　reasons　to　keep　breathing　than　love；　or　lust；　or　my　possible　death。〃
　〃I　don't　understand　that；　Anita。　I　don't　understand　that　at　all。〃
　〃I　know；〃　I　said。　And　I　thought　to　myself　it　was　one　of　the　reasons　Ronnie　and　I　hadn't　been　seeing　as　much　of　each　other　as　we　once　had。　I　got　tired　of　explaining　myself　to　her。　No；　of　justifying　myself　to　her。
　You're　my　friend；　my　best　friend；　I　thought。　But　I　don't　understand　you　anymore。
　〃Ronnie；　I　can't　arm　wrestle　shapeshifters　and　vampires。　I　will　lose　a　fair　fight。　The　only　way　I　survive；　the　only　way　my　leopards　survive；　is　because　the　other　shifters　fear　me。　They　fear　my　threat。　I'm　only　as　good　as　my　threat；　Ronnie。〃
　〃So　you'll　go　down　there　and　kill　them。〃
　〃I　didn't　say　that。〃
　〃But　you　will。〃
　〃I'll　try　to　avoid　it；〃　I　said。
　She　tucked　her　knees　up；　wrapping　her　arms　around　those　long　legs。　She'd　managed　to　get　a　tiny　prick　in　one　of　the　hose；　the　hole　was　shiny　with　clear　nail　polish。　She'd　carried　the　polish　in　her　purse　for　just　such　emergencies。　I'd　carried　a　gun　and　hadn't　even　taken　a　purse。
　〃If　you　get　arrested；　call；　and　I'll　bail　you　out。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃If　I　get　caught　wasting　three　or　more　people　in　a　public　area；　there　won't　be　any　bail　tonight。　The　police　probably　won't　even　finish　questioning　me　until　long　past　dawn。〃
　〃How　can　you　be　so　calm　about　this？〃　she　asked。
　I　was　beginning　to　remember　why　Ronnie　and　I　had　started　drifting　apart。　I'd　had　almost　the　exact　conversation　with　Richard