lh.narcissusinchains-第85部分

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　〃I've　got　to　go；〃　I　said　to　Jean…Claude。
　〃Do　you　wish　me　to　speak　to　Richard？〃
　〃No；　I　think　you've　done　enough　damage　for　one　night。〃
　〃I　meant　only　to　help。〃
　〃Sure　you　did。〃
　〃Ma　petite。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Be　careful；　and　remember　what　I　have　said　about　the　ardeur。　There　is　no　shame　in　it。〃
　〃Even　you　don't　believe　that；〃　I　said。
　〃Ah；　you　have　found　me　out。　There　is　no　shame　in　feeding；　if　you　feed　immediately　on　a　person　of　your　own　choosing。　If　you　fight；　then　you　will　find　yourself　feeding　on　someone　not　of　your　choosing；　in　a　place　not　of　your　choosing。　I　do　not　think　you　would　enjoy　that；　ma　petite。〃
　He　was　right　about　that　anyway。　〃I'll　talk　to　you　tomorrow　after　you　get　up。　I　haven't　forgotten　Damian；　you　know。〃
　〃I　did　not　think　that　you　had；　ma　petite。　I　will　look　forward　to　your　call。〃
　I　hung　up　without　saying　good…bye；　mainly　because　I　was　angry；　and　scared。　Not　only　did　I　have　Richard　to　deal　with　tonight　and　Gregory　to　save；　but　tomorrow　morning　when　I　woke　up；　the　ardeur　would　be　there；　waiting。　There　was　a　chance　that　it　wouldn't　be；　that　the　one　day　was　the　only　time　I'd　have　it；　but　I　couldn't　count　on　that。　I　had　to　plan　for　the　worst…case　scenario。　Worst　case　was　I　would　wake　up　tomorrow　and　need　to　feed　just　like　I　had　this　morning。　The　big　question　was；　who　would　I　feed　on；　and　could　I　live　with　myself　after　I'd　done　it？
　
　35
　
　I　HATE　BEING　awake　at　three　in　the　morning。　It　is　the　godforsaken　heart　of　darkness　when　the　body　runs　slow；　and　the　brain　runs　slower；　and　all　you　want　to　do　is　sleep。　But　I　had　promises　to　keep；　and　miles　to　go　before　I　could　sleep。　Or　at　least　a　couple　of　miracles　to　perform　before　I　could　go　to　bed。
　Dr。　Lillian　had　unhooked　Gregory's　IV；　but　he　was　still　bundled　in　the　quilts。　He　sat　on　the　picnic　table　on　the　deck；　cradled　between　Zane　and　Cherry。　Dr。　Lillian　kept　touching　Gregory；　checking　his　pulse；　how　clammy　his　skin　was。　She　was　frowning　and　clearly　not　happy。　Nathaniel　stayed　by　them；　keeping　the　picnic　table　between　him　and　Richard。　Richard　hadn't　tried　to　hurt　him　again；　in　fact；　he'd　ignored　him　studiously。　The　other　cats　milled　around　near　the　sliding　glass　doors。　The　two　wererat　bodyguards；　Claudia　and　Igor；　were　standing　to　one　side　of　me　as　I　leaned　on　the　railing。　They　started　following　me　around　when　Richard　came　out　with　his　bandaged　arm　and　Jamil　and　Shang…Da　at　his　back。
　Richard's　power　crept　on　the　summer　darkness　like　close　thunder；　making　the　hot；　sticky　night　even　thicker　and　making　it　harder　to　breathe。　I　think　it　was　the　press　of　his　power；　the　edge　of　his　anger；　that　made　the　wererats　start　acting　like　bodyguards。　I'd　tried　telling　them　that　Richard　wouldn't　hurt　me；　but　Claudia　had　shrugged；　and　said；　〃Rafael　told　us　to　keep　you　safe；　and　that's　what　we're　going　to　do。〃
　〃Even　if　I　tell　you　that　there　is　no　threat？〃
　She　shrugged　again。　〃I'd　say；　you're　a　little　too　close　to　this　one　to　make　a　sound　judgment　call。〃
　I'd　glanced　at　Igor。　〃You　agree　with　her？〃
　〃I　never　argue　with　a　lady；　especially　one　that　can　beat　me　at　arm　wrestling。〃
　Igor's　logic　was　hard　to　argue　with；　but　it　meant　that　I　had　acquired　two　tall；　muscular　shadows；　and　it　irritated　me。　But　neither　of　them　gave　a　damn　whether　I　was　happy　or　not。　They　were　following　Rafael's　orders；　and　my　wishes　didn't　count。
　So　Richard　and　his　bodyguards；　and　me；　with　mine；　stood　on　the　deck；　facing　Stephen；　who　had　stripped　off　in　preparation　for　the　change。　If　you　made　the　change　with　clothes　on；　you　ruined　them。　Shapeshifters　either　haunted　the　thrift　shops；　looking　for　old　clothes　to　wear　on　the　night　of　the　full　moon；　or　went　nude。
　We　all　stood　there　in　the　circle　of　Richard's　power。　The　energy　built　around　us　like　invisible　lightning　lashing　around　us。　The　power　literally　crackled；　raising　the　hair　on　our　arms；　raising　the　hair　on　our　heads；　like　the　hackles　on　a　dog。
　Jamil　said；　〃Richard　。。。　〃　But　one　glance　from　Richard　stopped　him　in　mid…sentence。　The　power　rose　another　notch；　squeezing　around　us　like　some　kind　of　giant　hand。
　〃What's　wrong；　Richard？　What's　with　the　power　display？〃　I　asked。
　He　turned　to　me；　and　the　anger　in　his　face　made　me　want　to　step　back；　but　I　didn't。　I　stood　my　ground；　but　it　took　effort。
　〃Do　you　want　to　save　your　cat？〃　he　asked；　voice　thick　with　the　emotion　that　showed　on　his　face；　that　crackled　in　his　power。
　My　voice　was　almost　a　whisper；　〃Yes。〃
　〃Then　watch；〃　he　said。
　He　spread　his　hands　in　front　of　Stephen；　keeping　them　about　eight　inches　away　from　the　smaller　man's　shoulders。　The　energy　squeezed　tight；　and　tighter　until　I　had　to　swallow　to　try　and　clear　my　ears；　as　if　there'd　been　a　pressure　change。　But　swallowing　didn't　help。　It　wasn't　that　kind　of　pressure。
　Richard's　hands　convulsed；　as　if　his　fingers　were　digging　into　something　invisible　just　in　front　of　Stephen。　He　staggered　towards　Richard；　one　step；　and　I　was　close　enough　to　hear　a　small　pained　sound　e　from　him。　Richard　balled　his　hands　into　fists；　and　something　shimmered　between　them　like　heat　caught　in　the　close　summer　darkness。　The　bones　in　my　face　ached　with　the　building　power。　The　air　was　almost　too　thick　to　breathe；　as　if　it　had　weight。
　Richard　made　one　abrupt　movement　with　his　hands　and　the　pressure　broke；　like　a　storm　finally　bursting　to　life。　For　a　second　or　two；　I　thought　the　heavy；　clear　liquid　that　burst　around　us　was　rain；　but　it　was　hot　like　blood；　and　it　didn't　fall　from　the　sky。　It　burst　from　Stephen's　body。　I'd　seen　dozens　of　shape…shifters　change；　but　nothing　like　this。　It　was　as　if　Stephen's　body　blew　apart　in　a　rain　of　hot；　thick　fluids　and　small　bits　of　flesh。　The　beast　usually　pulls　itself　from　the　human　body；　like　a　butterfly　from　a　chrysalis；　but　not　this　time。　Stephen's　body　folded　over　on　itself；　and　his　man…wolf　shape　was　just　suddenly　standing　there。　It　collapsed　to　its　knees；　panting；　shivering。
　I　was　left　standing；　not　even　breathing；　covered　in　the　rapidly　cooling　bits　and　pieces　of　Stephen's　body。　When　I　could　breathe　again；　I　gasped。　〃Jesus　Christ。〃
　Stephen's　fur　was　the　color　of　dark；　golden　honey。　He　crouched；　shivering　at　Richard's　feet。　Again；　the　change　may　hurt　while　the　person　is　going　through　it；　but　once　it's　over；　they　usually　stand　up　and　start　moving　around。　Stephen　seemed　disoriented；　almost　like　he　was　in　pain。　What　the　hell　was　happening？
　He　crawled　the　last　few　steps　to　Richard；　laying　his　long；　teeth…filled　snout　against　his　wolf　king's　jogging　shoes。　He　was　almost　in　a　fetal　position；　great；　muscular　arms　wrapped　around　golden　fur；　lying　at　his　Ulfric's　feet。　It　was　extreme　submissive　behavior；　and　I　didn't　know　why。　Stephen　hadn't　done　anything　wrong。
　I　looked　up　at　Richard。　His　white　shirt　was　plastered　to　his　body　with　the　thick　fluids。　He　turned　his　face　to　look　at　me；　and　the　faint　light　of　stars　glistened　in　the　wetness　on　his　face。　A　thick　piece　of　something　slid　down　his　cheek　as　he　glared　at　me。　The　look　on　his　face　was　defiant；　as　if　he　expected　me　to　be　angry　with　him。
　I　raised　a　shaking　hand　and　wiped　the　worst　of　the　gunk　off　of　my　face；　flinging　it　onto　the　deck　where　it　hit　with　a　wet　splat。　I　looked　at　the　bodyguards。　They　too　were　spattered　with　the　thick　stuff；　but　not　nearly　as　messy　as　Richard　and　I。　They　hadn't　been　standing　as　close。　They　all　stared　at　Richard；　stared　at　him　with　a　mixture　of　horror　and　anger　and　astonishment　on　their　faces；　which　let　me　know　that　something　was　very；　very　wrong。
　I　had　to　try　twice　before　I　could　speak；　and　even　then　my　voice　was　breathy。　〃I've　seen　a　lot　of　shapeshifters　change　into　their　beasts；　but　I've　never　seen　anything　like　that。　Was　it　different　because　you　called　Stephen's　beast　instead　of　him　doing　it　on　his　own？〃
　〃No；〃　Richard　said。
　I　waited　for　more；　but　that　was　all　he　said；　and　it　looked　like　all　he　intended　to　say。　But　no　just　didn't　cover　it。　I　looked　at　the　others。　〃Okay；　someone　tell　me　what　just　happened　here。〃
　Jamil　started　to　speak；　then　stopped　and　looked　at　Richard。　〃With　my　Ulfric's　permission。〃　The　words　were　polite；　but　the　tone　was　angry；　almost　defiant。
　Richard　looked　at　him。　I　couldn't　see　his　face；　but　whatever　look　he　gave　Jamil；　it　was　something　that　made　the　other　man　flinch。　Jamil　dropped　to　one　knee　in　the　spreading　pool　of　thick　liquid。　He　bowed　his　head。　〃I　mean　no　offense；　Ulfric。〃
　〃That's　a　lie；〃　Richard　said；　and　his　voice　was　lower　than　normal；　just　a　tone　or　two　above　a　growl。
　Jamil　darted　a　glance　upward；　then　bowed　his　head　again。　〃I　don't　know　what　you　want　me　to　say；　Ulfric。　Tell　me；　and　I　will　say　it。〃
　Richard　turned　back　to　me；　leaving　Jamil　kneeling。　〃I　didn't　just　call　Stephen's　beast；　I　tore　it　from　his　body。〃
　I　glanced　down　at　Stephen；　who　was　still　crouched　at　Richard's　feet。　〃Why？〃　I　asked。
　〃It's　usually　punishment　to　do　it　this　way。〃
　〃What　did　Stephen　do？〃
　〃Nothing。〃　Richard's　voice　was　harsh；　almost　as　harsh　as　the　look　on　his　face。
　〃Then　why　punish　him？〃
　〃Because　I　could。〃　His　chin　lifted　when　he　said　it；　and　that　arrogance　was　back。
　〃What　the　hell　is　wrong　with　you；　Richard？〃
　He　laughed；　and　the　sound　was　so　inappropriate　that　it　made　me　jump。　He　laughed；　but　it　was　too　loud；　too　harsh。　〃Didn't　this　teach　you　how　to