lhamilton.thekillingdance-第14部分

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　〃Defending　myself；〃　I　said。
　His　eyes　widened；　but　he　didn't　take　his　glance　from　the　big　werewolf。　Richard　understood。　There　was　no　time　to　argue　about　it。　Sebastian　took　a　step　forward；　big　hands　balled　into　fists。　He　tried　to　step　around　Richard　to　get　to　me。　Richard　moved　in　front　of　him。　He　put　out　his　hand；　palm　outward　like　he　had　with　Heidi；　and　that　roiling　energy　damped　down；　spilling　out　like　water　from　a　broken　cup。　I'd　never　seen　anything　like　it。　Calming　Heidi　was　one　thing。　Forcing　a　lycanthrope　to　swallow　such　power　was　something　else。
　Sebastian　took　a　step　back；　almost　a　stagger。　〃You　bastard。〃
　〃You　are　not　strong　enough　to　challenge　me；　Sebastian。　Don't　ever　forget　that；〃　Richard　said。　His　voice　was　still　calm；　with　the　barest　hint　of　anger　underneath。　It　was　a　reasonable　voice；　a　voice　for　negotiating。
　I　stood　behind　Richard　with　the　Firestar　held　at　my　side；　as　unobtrusive　as　I　could　make　it。　The　fight　was　off；　and　my　little　show　of　bravado　hadn't　been　needed。　I'd　underestimated　Richard's　power。　I'd　apologize　later。
　〃Now；　where　is　Stephen？〃　Richard　asked。
　A　slender　black　man　stalked　towards　us；　moving　like　a　dancer　in　a　shimmering　wash　of　his　own　energy。　His　hair　was　braided　in　shoulder…length　cornrows　with　colored　beads　worked　into　them。　His　features　were　small　and　neat；　his　skin　a　rich　solid　brown。　〃You　may　be　able　to　control　us　one　at　a　time；　Richard；　but　not　all　at　once。〃
　〃You　were　kicked　out　of　your　last　pack　for　being　a　troublemaker；　Jamil；〃　Richard　said。　〃Don't　make　the　same　mistake　twice。〃
　〃I　won't。　Marcus　will　win　this　fight　because　you　are　a　fucking　bleeding　heart。　You　still　don't　get　it；　Richard。　We　aren't　the　Young　Republicans。〃　Jamil　stopped　about　eight　feet　back。　〃We　are　a　pack　of　werewolves；　and　we　aren't　human。　Unless　you　accept　that；　you　are　going　to　die。〃
　Sebastian　stepped　back　to　stand　beside　Jamil。　The　rest　of　the　lycanthropes　moved　up　behind　the　two　men。　Their　bined　energy　flowed　outward；　filling　the　room　like　warm　water　with　piranha　in　it。　The　power　bit　along　my　skin　like　tiny　electric　shocks。　It　rose　in　my　throat　until　it　was　hard　to　breathe；　and　the　hair　on　my　head　stood　at　attention。
　〃Will　you　be　pissed　if　I　kill　some　of　them？〃　I　asked。　My　voice　sounded　squeezed　and　harsh。　I　moved　closer　to　Richard；　but　had　to　step　back。　His　power　poured　over　me　like　something　alive。　It　was　impressive；　but　there　were　twenty　lycanthropes　on　the　other　side；　and　it　wasn't　that　impressive。
　A　scream　shattered　the　silence；　and　I　jumped。
　〃Anita；〃　Richard　said。
　〃Yeah。〃
　〃Go　get　Stephen。〃
　〃That　was　him　screaming？〃　I　asked。
　〃Go　get　him。〃
　I　looked　at　the　mass　of　lycanthropes　and　said；　〃You　can　handle　this？〃
　〃I　can　hold　them。〃
　〃You　can't　hold　us　all；〃　Jamil　said。
　〃Yes；〃　Richard　said；　〃I　can。〃
　The　scream　sounded　again；　higher；　more　urgent。　The　sound　came　from　deeper　in　the　barn　where　it　had　been　divided　into　rooms。　There　was　a　makeshift　hallway。　I　started　towards　it；　then　hesitated。　〃Will　you　be　pissed　if　I　kill　people？〃
　〃Do　what　you　have　to　do；〃　he　said。　His　voice　had　grown　low；　with　an　edge　of　growl　to　it。
　〃If　she　kills　Raina　with　a　gun；　she　still　won't　be　your　lupa；〃　Jamil　said。
　I　glanced　at　Richard's　back。　I　hadn't　known　I　was　being　considered　for　the　job。
　〃Go；　Anita；　now。〃　His　voice　was　dying　down　to　a　growl。　He　didn't　have　to　add；　hurry。　I　knew　that　part。　He　might　be　able　to　stall；　but　he　couldn't　fight　them　all。
　Heidi　walked　towards　me；　behind　Richard's　back。　He　didn't　turn　any　attention　to　her；　as　if　he　didn't　consider　her　a　danger　at　all。　She　wasn't　powerful；　but　you　didn't　have　to　be　powerful　or　even　strong　to　stab　someone　in　the　back；　claw　or　knife；　what　did　it　matter？　I　pointed　the　gun　at　her。　She　passed　within　inches　of　Richard　and　he　did　nothing。　My　gun　was　the　only　thing　guarding　his　back。　Even　now；　he　trusted　Heidi。　Right　this　minute；　he　shouldn't　have　trusted　anyone　but　me。　〃Gabriel's　with　Raina；〃　she　said。　She　said　his　name　like　she　was　afraid　of　him。
　Gabriel　wasn't　even　a　member　of　the　pack。　He　was　a　were…leopard。　He　was　one　of　Raina's　favorite　actors；　though。　He'd　appeared　in　her　porno　flicks　and　even　one　snuff　film。　I　almost　asked　her　who　she　feared　most；　Raina　or　Gabriel。　But　it　didn't　matter。　I　was　about　to　confront　them　both。
　〃Thanks；〃　I　said　to　Heidi。
　She　nodded。
　I　went　for　the　hallway　and　the　sound　of　screams。
　
　
　8
　
　I　entered　the　hallway　and　followed　the　sounds　of　voices　to　the　second　door　on　the　left。　I　heard　at　least　two　different　male　voices；　soft；　murmuring。　I　couldn't　make　out　the　words。　The　screams　changed　to　yelling。　〃Stop；　please；　stop。　No！〃　It　was　a　man；　too。　Unless　they　were　torturing　more　than　one　person　tonight；　it　had　to　be　Stephen。
　I　took　a　deep　breath；　let　it　out；　and　reached　for　the　door　with　my　left　hand；　gun　in　my　right。　I　wished　I　knew　the　layout　of　the　room。　Stephen　yelled；　〃Please；　don't！〃
　Enough。　I　opened　the　door；　shoving　it　against　the　wall　so　I'd　know　there　was　no　one　behind　it。　I　meant　to　sweep　the　room；　but　what　I　saw　on　the　floor　stopped　me　cold；　like　some　kind　of　flash…frozen　nightmare。　Stephen　lay　on　his　back；　a　white　robe　open；　revealing　his　nude　body。　Blood　trailed　down　his　chest　in　thin　scarlet　ribbons；　though　there　were　no　apparent　wounds。　Gabriel　held　Stephen's　arms；　pinned　underneath　his　body；　behind　his　back　as　if　they　might　already　be　tied。　Stephen's　waist…length　yellow　hair　spilled　over　Gabriel's　leather…clad　lap。　Gabriel　was　naked　from　the　waist　up；　a　silver　ring　through　his　right　nipple。　His　curly　black　hair　had　spilled　over　his　eyes；　and　when　he　looked　up　at　me；　he　looked　blind。
　A　second　man　knelt　on　the　far　side　of　Stephen。　Curling　blond　hair　fell　to　his　waist。　He　wore　an　identical　white　robe；　fastened。　When　he　looked　at　the　door；　his　slender；　nearly　pretty　face　was　a　mirror　of　Stephen's。　Had　to　be　his　brother。　He　was　holding　a　steel　knife。　He　was　in　midslice　when　I　came　through　the　door。　Fresh　blood　welled　from　Stephen's　skin。
　Stephen　screamed。
　There　was　a　naked　woman　curled　over　Stephen's　body。　She　straddled　his　lower　body；　pinning　his　legs。　Her　long　auburn　hair　fell　like　a　curtain；　hiding　the　last　indignity　from　sight。　Raina　raised　her　head　from　Stephen's　groin。　Her　full　lips　parted　in　a　smile。　She'd　worked　him　to　erection。　Even　with　his　protests；　his　body　had　gone　on　without　him。
　It　took　a　heartbeat　to　see　it　all；　a　sort　of　slow…motion　shorthand。　I　sensed　movement　to　my　right　and　tried　to　turn；　but　it　was　too　late。　Something　furred　and　only　half…human　slammed　into　me。　I　hit　the　far　wall　hard　enough　to　make　it　shudder。　The　Firestar　went　spinning；　and　I　fell；　stunned；　to　the　floor。　A　wolf　the　size　of　a　pony　loomed　over　me。　It　opened　jaws　big　enough　to　crush　my　face；　and　growled；　a　sound　low　and　deep　enough　to　stop　my　heart。
　I　could　move　again；　but　that　face　was　an　inch　from　my　cheek；　I　could　feel　its　breath　on　my　face。　A　line　of　saliva　fell　from　its　mouth　to　glide　down　the　edge　of　my　mouth。　It　lowered　its　muzzle　that　last　inch；　lips　drawn　back　like　it　was　going　to　take　a　nibble。　The　Uzi　was　pinned　between　my　back　and　the　wall。　I　went　for　one　of　the　knives；　and　knew　I'd　never　make　it。
　Human　arms　curved　around　the　wolf；　tore　it　back；　away　from　me。　Raina　stood　holding　the　struggling　wolf　like　it　was　no　effort。　Her　beautiful　naked　body　rippled　with　muscles　that　didn't　show　until　they　were　used。　〃Draw　no　blood　from　her；　I　told　you　that。〃　She　tossed　the　wolf　into　the　other　wall。　The　wall　cracked　and　buckled。　The　wolf　lay　still；　eyes　rolled　back　into　its　skull。
　It　gave　me　the　time　I　needed。　I　pulled　the　Uzi　around　on　its　strap。　When　Raina　turned　back　to　me；　I　was　pointing　it　at　her。
　She　stood　over　me；　naked；　perfect；　slender　where　she　was　supposed　to　be　slender；　curved　where　she　was　supposed　to　be　curved。　But　since　I'd　seen　her　sculpt　her　body　at　will；　I　wasn't　that　impressed。　When　you　could　manipulate　your　body　like　she　could；　who　needed　plastic　surgery？
　〃I　could　have　let　her　kill　you；　Anita。　You　don't　seem　very　grateful。〃
　I　sat　on　the　floor；　propped　against　the　wall；　not　pletely　trusting　that　I　could　stand　yet。　But　the　Uzi　was　pointed　nice　and　steady。　〃Thanks　a　lot；〃　I　said；　〃Now；　back　up；　slowly；　or　I　will　cut　you　in