lh.narcissusinchains-第96部分

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t　whoever　came　through　that　door。　If　he　was　actually　going　to　start　picking　up　guns　during　fights；　I　was　going　to　have　to　take　him　out　to　the　range　with　me　more。
　Of　course；　that　presupposed　we　would　all　live　to　do　anything　else。　The　silence　stretched；　until　the　wind　sighing　through　the　trees　outside　the　broken　glass　seemed　loud。
　A　voice　came　from　the　direction　of　the　deck。　〃It's　me；　it's　Micah。〃　The　voice　was　a　deep；　growling　bass。
　〃It　doesn't　sound　like　Micah；〃　I　called　back。
　〃It　sounds　like　me　when　I'm　not　in　human　form；〃　the　voice　said。
　I　said；　〃Merle？〃
　〃It's　Micah；〃　he　said。
　〃e　into　the　doorway；　slowly；〃　I　said。
　The　black　wereleopard　eased　through　the　broken　doorway；　claws　held　in　the　air。　The　dark　shape　seemed　to　fill　the　doorway。　In　leopardman　form　he　was　over　six　feet；　broader　through　the　shoulders；　bulkier　all　over；　as　if　he　had　muscles　in　this　shape　that　he　didn't　have　in　human　form。　His　fur　gleamed　like　ebony；　sunlight　caressed　his　side；　bringing　out　black…on…black　rosettes　like　sable　flowers　crushed　into　velvet。　Pale　skin　showed　through　at　his　chest；　stomach；　lower。　In　the　movies　the　wolfmen　are　sexless；　smooth　as　a　Barbie　doll。　In　real　life；　they　are　very　much　male。　Somehow　it　was　easier　to　see　him　naked　in　half…human　form　and　not　be　the　least　bit　embarrassed。　I　just　didn't　see　the　shapeshifters　as　sex　objects　once　the　fur　started　to　flow。
　〃Where's　the　guy　you　threw　out　the　door？〃　I　asked。
　〃He　got　away。〃
　〃I　don't　hear　anyone　in　the　living　room；〃　Merle　said。
　〃They　all　went　out　the　front　door；〃　Zane　said；　〃or　at　least　the　room　looks　clear。〃　He　and　Cherry　were　still　crouched　under　the　kitchen　table；　flat　to　the　ground。
　〃I'll　check　the　living　room；〃　Micah　said。
　〃These　bad　guys　have　silver　bullets。　I　wouldn't　be　so　cavalier　about　it；〃　I　said。
　He　nodded　and　his　head　was　mostly　leopard；　very　little　left　of　the　man　he　was；　except；　strangely；　those　chartreuse　eyes。　They　marked　him　as　alien；　other；　in　human　form；　but　as　that　furred　and　muscled　body　stalked　past　me；　those　same　eyes　marked　him　as　Micah。　The　color　was　richer。　Encircled　with　black　fur；　the　eyes　were　even　more　striking。　He　hesitated　in　the　doorway；　then　crept　through；　going　low；　making　as　small　a　target　of　himself　as　he　could。　It　was　rare　to　see　a　lycanthrope　that　took　advantage　of　cover。　Most　of　them　seemed　to　see　themselves　as　invulnerable；　which　was　usually　true；　but　not　today。　Igor　was　very　still　on　the　floor；　and　Claudia's　shoulder　looked　like　so　much　meat。　She　was　dumped　against　the　cabinets。　Her　left　hand　still　gripped　the　gun；　though　the　hand　was　motionless　on　the　floor；　as　if　she　had　no　use　of　the　arm。
　When　I　glanced　down；　the　gun　was　pointed　somewhere　in　the　direction　of　the　sliding　glass　doors。　The　hand　wavered　enough　that　I　was　nervous　crouching　over　her；　but　she　fought　that　shaking　limb　so　that　she　never　quite　promised　the　line　of　my　body。　The　right　side　of　her　body　was　soaked　with　blood；　and　her　eyes　were　having　trouble　focusing。　I　think　only　shear　stubbornness　was　keeping　her　conscious。
　My　gaze　flicked　to　Igor's　still　form　and　the　bodies　piled　in　the　doorways。　If　Igor　was　breathing；　I　couldn't　see　it。　〃Check　his　pulse；　Nathaniel。〃
　Nathaniel　glanced　down　at　the　man；　gave　me　a　second　of　eye　contact；　then　turned　back　to　staring　at　the　broken　sliding　door。　〃I'd　hear　his　heart　if　it　was　still　beating。　Hear　the　blood　in　his　body　if　it　was　still　moving。　It's　not。〃　He　said　all　that　with　his　head　turned　away　from　me。　It　made　it　somehow　worse；　more　unnerving。
　Micah　appeared　in　the　far　doorway。　〃There's　no　one　left　alive　in　here。〃　He　stepped　over　the　pile　of　bodies　in　the　door；　and　even　that　movement　was　gliding；　his　balance　forward　on　the　feet；　which　were　somewhere　between　human　and　leopard。　Was　I　really　going　to　be　a　leopard　when　the　moon　came　full　this　month？　Was　this　dark；　graceful　shape；　this　muscular　shadow；　what　I　had　inside　of　me？
　I　pushed　the　question　away；　we　had　other　more　pressing　problems；　like　the　wounded。　I'd　concentrate　on　the　emergencies　and　try　to　let　everything　else　go。　It　was　one　of　my　specialties。　I　put　my　fingers　against　Claudia's　neck；　trying　to　check　her　pulse。　She　shrugged　her　shoulders；　moving　just　enough　so　I　couldn't　check　it。　〃I'm　fine；〃　she　said；　voice　harsh。　〃I'm　fine。〃
　That　was　so　obviously　not　true；　I　didn't　even　argue。　Until　I　checked　the　house　personally；　I　wouldn't　believe　we　had　the　all…clear；　but　my　industrial　size　first…aid　kit　was　in　the　pantry；　and　I　knew　the　immediate　area　was　safe。　〃Cherry　crawl　out　from　under　the　table　on　this　side　and　get　the　first…aid　kit。〃　I　stood　up　and　moved　around　the　cabinets　so　I'd　be　able　to　see　both　the　living　room　and　the　sliding　glass　door；　not　to　mention　the　bay　window　over　the　breakfast　nook。
　Cherry　glanced　once　at　Zane；　then　crawled　out　from　among　the　chair　legs。　She　stayed　low　until　she　got　to　the　pantry　closet。　She　had　to　make　Caleb　move；　scooting　at　him；　gently；　with　her　feet。　He　finally　unwound　from　his　tight　fetal　position　and　crawled　about　a　foot　away　so　Cherry　could　get　the　kit。
　Cherry　went　to　Igor　first。　She　was　a　wereleopard；　her　hearing　was　just　as　good　as　Nathaniel's；　but　she　went　through　all　the　motions；　then　turned　to　Claudia。　Claudia　tried　to　push　her　away　with　her　left　hand；　gun　still　in　it。
　〃Claudia；　let　Cherry　help　you；〃　I　said。
　〃Damn　it！〃
　Cherry　took　that　for　a　yes　and　started　inspecting　the　shoulder。　Claudia　didn't　fight　her　anymore；　and　I　was　glad。　Shock　can　make　you　do　and　say　funny　things。　I　didn't　really　want　to　arm　wrestle　the　wererat；　wounded　or　not。　Of　course；　Micah　was　here　and　he　could　probably　arm　wrestle　Claudia　and　win；　at　least　while　she　was　wounded。
　I　was　still　keeping　a　peripheral　sense　of　the　open　spaces；　but　as　the　time　dragged　on　quietly；　there　was　only　the　wind　in　the　trees；　the　noise　of　summer　locusts　thrumming　through　the　open　living　room　door　and　the　splintered　glass　of　the　back　door。　I　began　to　relax　by　inches。　That　tension　in　my　shoulders　that　I　always　get　during　a　fight　and　never　really　notice　until　the　adrenaline　lets　down；　let　me　know　that　I　thought　we　were　safe；　for　now。
　Then　I　heard　something　over　the　summer　silence　　sirens。　Police　sirens　wailing；　getting　closer。　I　didn't　have　any　near　neighbors。　You　heard　gunshots　in　Jefferson　County　pretty　regularly；　so　who　the　hell　reported　the　gunshots？
　Micah　turned　that　strangely　rounded　face　towards　me。　〃Are　they　ing　here？〃
　I　shrugged。　〃I　don't　know　for　sure；　but　it　seems　likely。〃
　We　both　glanced　down　at　the　bodies　on　the　floor；　then　looked　at　each　other。　〃We　don't　have　time　to　hide　the　bodies；〃　he　said。
　〃No；　we　don't；〃　I　said。　I　looked　at　everybody。　Merle　was　still　watching　the　kitchen　window；　the　borrowed　shotgun　in　his　big　hands。　Zane　had　crawled　out　from　under　the　table　to　play　nurse　for　Cherry；　handing　her　things　as　she　asked　for　them。　She　had　packed　Claudia's　arm。
　Cherry　looked　up　at　me。　〃She　could　partially　heal　herself　if　she　shapeshifted；　but　she'd　still　need　medical　attention。〃
　〃The　police　tend　to　shoot　shapeshifters　in　animal　form；〃　I　said。
　〃I'll　stay；〃　Claudia　said；　teeth　gritted　just　a　little。　〃The　more　wounded　we　have　on　our　side；　the　better　the　police　will　like　it。〃
　She　had　a　point。　I　looked　at　Micah。　The　sirens　were　very　near　now；　almost　in　front　of　the　house。
　〃You　better　go；　Micah。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃The　police　are　about　to　burst　in　here；　see　a　lot　of　bodies；　a　lot　of　blood。　Anything　in　animal　form　stands　a　good　chance　of　getting　shot。〃
　〃That's　not　a　problem；〃　he　said。　The　fur　began　to　recede；　like　water　pulling　back　from　the　shore。　As　human　skin　was　revealed；　his　bones　slid　out　of　sight　into　it；　like　hard　things　thrown　in　wax；　covered；　melted。　I'd　never　seen　anyone　change　so　casually；　so　easily。　It　was　almost　as　if　he　were　merely　changing　clothes；　except　for　the　clear　fluid　that　ran　down　his　body　like　a　liquid　sheet；　the　sound　of　bones　popping；　reforming；　even　the　sound　of　flesh　boiling　over　him。　Only　his　eyes　remained　the　same；　unchanging；　like　two　jewels　fixed　in　the　center　of　the　universe。　Then　he　was　suddenly　human　again；　body　covered　in　that　thick；　watery　fluid。　I'd　never　seen　so　much　of　the　liquid　before　from　only　one　change。　I　was　standing　in　a　pool　of　it　and　hadn't　noticed。
　He　slumped　suddenly；　trying　to　catch　himself　on　the　cabinet；　but　I　was　in　the　way　and　had　to　grab　him　around　the　waist　to　keep　him　from　falling　to　the　floor。　〃Rapid　change　es　with　a　price。〃
　〃I've　never　seen　anyone　change　back　that　quickly；〃　Cherry　said。
　〃And　he　won't　fall　into　a　a…sleep　either；〃　Merle　said。　〃Give　him　a　few　minutes　and　he'll　be　fine；　messy；　but　fine。〃　There　was　admiration　in　the　big　man's　voice；　and　something　else　　almost　jealousy。
　The　sirens　wailed　to　a　stop　outside　the　house；　then　silence。　〃Everybody　put　the　guns　down。　Don't　want　to　get　shot　by　accident；〃　I　said。
　Nathaniel　did　as　I　asked；　instantly。　I　had　to　press　Micah　closer　into　my　body；　one…handed；　so　I　could　put　my　own　gun　back　on　the　cabinet。　Micah's　body　shuddered　against　me。　I　looked　at　him；　about　to　ask　if　he　was　alright；　but　the　look　in　his　eyes　stopped　me。　It　wasn't　pain　I　saw　in　his　eyes。　I　slid　my　other　hand　around　his　waist　so　that　I　held　him　more　securely　against　me。　His　skin　was　slick　under　my　hands。　He　manag