lhamilton.thekillingdance-第19部分

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　〃Wait　until　you　see　what　I'm　wearing　to　tonight's　gala　opening　of　JeanClaude's　dance　club。〃
　〃I　may　not　be　able　to　make　it；〃　I　said。
　He　raised　his　eyebrows。　〃You　spend　one　night　under　Richard's　roof；　and　you　break　a　date　with　Jean…Claude。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃I　don't　think　that's　a　good　idea。〃
　〃Look；　neither　of　them　own　me；　okay〃
　Jason　backed　up；　hands　held　up　in　mock　surrender。　〃Hey；　don't　shoot　the　messenger。　You　know　it　will　piss　Jean…Claude　off；　and　you　know　he'll　think　you　slept　with　Richard。〃
　〃I　didn't。〃
　He　glanced　at　the　closed　door。　〃I　know　that；　and　I　am　shocked；　Anita；　at　your　choice　of　bed　partners。〃
　〃When　you　tell　Jean…Claude　that　I　slept　with　Stephen；　you　make　absolutely　sure　he　knows　we　just　shared　the　bed　and　nothing　else。　If　Jean…Claude　gives　Stephen　a　hard　time　because　of　your　word　games；　I'll　be　angry。　You　don't　want　me　angry；　Jason。〃
　He　looked　at　me　for　a　heartbeat　or　two。　Something　slid　behind　his　eyes；　his　beast　stirring　to　life；　just　a　touch。　Jason　had　a　small　streak　of　what　Gabriel　had　a　big　streak　of。　A　fascination　with　danger；　pain；　and　simply　being　an　all　round　pain　in　the　ass。　Jason　was　tolerable；　not　a　bad　guy；　all　in　all；　Gabriel　was　perverted；　but　it　was　still　the　same　personality　flaw　done　small。　After　what　I'd　seen　last　night；　I　wondered　what　Jason　would　have　thought　of　the　entertainment。　I　was　almost　sure　he'd　have　disapproved；　but　not　a　hundred　percent　sure；　which　told　you　something　about　Jason。
　〃Did　you　really　draw　a　machine　gun　on　Raina　and　Gabriel　last　night？〃
　〃Yeah；　I　did。〃
　A　woman　stepped　out　of　Richard's　bedroom　with　an　armful　of　towels。　She　was　about　five　foot　six；　with　short　brown　hair　so　curly　it　had　to　be　natural。　She　wore　navy　slacks　and　a　short…sleeved　sweater。　Open…toed　sandals　pleted　the　outfit。　She　looked　me　up　and　down；　sort　of　disapproving　or　maybe　disappointed。　〃You　must　be　Anita　Blake。〃
　〃And　you　are？〃
　〃Sylvie　Barker。〃　She　offered　a　hand　and　I　took　it。　The　moment　I　touched　her　skin；　I　knew　what　she　was。　〃Are　you　with　the　pack？〃　I　asked。
　She　took　her　hand　back　and　blinked　at　me。　〃How　could　you　tell？〃
　〃If　you're　trying　to　pass　for　human；　don't　touch　someone　who　knows　what　they're　looking　for。　Your　power　prickles　down　my　skin。〃
　〃I　won't　waste　time　trying　to　pass　then。〃　Her　power　flooded　over　me；　pouring　like　a　blast　of　heat　when　you　open　an　oven　door。
　〃Impressive；〃　I　said；　glad　my　voice　was　steady。
　She　gave　a　small　smile。　〃That's　quite　a　pliment；　ing　from　you。　Now；　I've　got　to　get　these　towels　to　the　kitchen。〃
　〃What's　happening？〃　I　asked。
　Sylvie　and　Jason　exchanged　glances。　She　shook　her　head。　〃You　knew　Richard　was　hurt？〃　She　made　it　a　question。
　My　stomach　clenched　tight。　〃He　said　he'd　be　all　right。〃
　〃He　will　be；〃　she　said。
　I　felt　my　skin　go　pale。　〃Where　is　he？〃
　〃Kitchen；〃　Jason　said。
　I　didn't　run；　it　wasn't　that　far；　but　I　wanted　to。　Richard　sat　at　the　kitchen　table；　shirtless；　his　back　to　me。　His　back　was　a　mass　of　fresh　claw　marks。　There　was　a　bite　mark　in　his　left　shoulder　where　a　piece　of　flesh　was　missing。
　Dr。　Lillian　was　blotting　blood　off　his　back　with　a　kitchen　towel。　She　was　a　small　woman　in　her　mid…fifties　with　salt…and…pepper　hair　cut　in　a　short；　no…nonsense　style。　She'd　treated　my　own　wounds　twice　before；　once　when　she　was　furry　and　looked　like　a　giant　man…rat。
　〃If　you　had　called　for　medical　attention　last　night；　I　wouldn't　be　having　to　do　this；　Richard。　I　do　not　enjoy　causing　my　patients　pain。〃
　〃Marcus　was　on　call　last　night；〃　Richard　said。　〃Under　the　circumstances；　I　thought　it　best　to　go　without。〃
　〃You　could　have　let　someone　clean　and　bandage　the　wounds。〃
　〃Yes；　Richard；　you　could　have　let　me　help　you；〃　I　said。
　He　glanced　back　over　his　shoulder；　his　hair　spilling　around　his　face。　There　was　a　bandage　on　his　forehead。　〃I'd　had　enough　help　for　one　night。〃
　〃Why？　Because　I'm　a　woman；　or　because　you　know　I'm　right？〃
　Lillian　took　a　small　silver　knife　to　the　lower　half　of　a　claw　mark。　She　sliced　the　blade　down　the　wound；　reopening　it。　Richard　took　in　a　deep　breath　and　let　it　out。
　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　I　asked。
　〃Lycanthropes　heal；　but　sometimes　without　medical　attention；　we　can　scar。　Most　of　the　wounds　will　heal；　but　a　few　of　them　are　deep　enough　that　he　really　needs　some　stitching　before　the　skin　starts　to　close；　so　I'm　having　to　reopen　some　of　the　wounds　and　add　a　few　stitches。〃
　Sylvie　handed　Dr。　Lillian　the　towels。
　〃Thank　you；　Sylvie。〃
　〃What　are　you　two　lovebirds　fighting　about？〃　Sylvie　asked。
　〃Let　Richard　tell　you；　if　he　wants　to。〃
　〃Anita　agrees　with　you；〃　Richard　said。　〃She　thinks　I　should　start　killing　people。〃
　I　walked　over　to　where　he　could　see　me　without　straining。　I　leaned　against　the　cabinet　island　and　tried　to　watch　his　face　rather　than　Lillian's　slicing　knife。　〃I　don't　want　you　to　start　killing　people　indiscriminately；　Richard。　Just　back　your　threat　up。　Kill　one　person　and　the　rest　will　back　down。〃
　He　glared　up　at　me；　outraged。　〃You　mean　make　an　example　of　one　of　them？〃
　Put　that　way；　it　sounded　sort　of　cold…blooded；　but　truth　was　truth。　〃Yeah；　that's　what　I　mean。〃
　〃Oh；　I　like　her；〃　Sylvie　said。
　〃I　knew　you　would；〃　Jason　said。　They　exchanged　a　glance　that　I　didn't　quite　get；　but　it　seemed　to　amuse　the　hell　out　of　them。
　〃Am　I　missing　a　joke　here？〃
　They　both　shook　their　heads。
　I　let　it　go。　Richard　and　I　were　still　fighting；　and　I　was　beginning　to　think　this　fight　had　no　end。　He　winced　as　the　doctor　sliced　open　another　wound。　She　was　only　adding　a　stitch　here　and　there；　but　it　was　still　more　than　I'd　have　wanted　in　my　flesh。　I　didn't　like　stitches。
　〃No　painkillers？〃　I　asked。
　〃Anesthesia　doesn't　work　well　on　us。　We　metabolize　it　too　quickly；〃　Lillian　said。　She　wiped　the　silver　knife　on　one　of　the　clean　towels　and　said；　〃One　of　the　claw　marks　drops　below　your　jeans。　Take　them　off　so　I　can　see。〃
　I　glanced　at　Sylvie。　She　smiled　at　me。　〃Don't　mind　me。　I　like　girls。〃
　〃That's　what　you　two　were　laughing　about；〃　I　said　to　Jason。
　He　nodded；　smiling　happily。
　I　shook　my　head。
　〃The　others　will　be　here　soon　for　the　meeting。　I　don't　want　my　ass　hanging　out　as　everyone　es　in　the　door。〃　Richard　stood　up。　〃Let's　finish　up　in　the　bedroom。〃　There　were　a　ring　of　puncture　wounds　just　below　his　collarbone。　I　remembered　the　man…wolf　lifting　with　its　claws　last　night。
　〃You　could　have　been　killed；〃　I　said。
　He　glanced　at　me。　〃But　I　wasn't。　Isn't　that　what　you　always　say？〃
　I　hated　having　my　own　words　fed　back　to　me。　〃You　could　have　killed　Sebastian　or　Jamil　and　the　rest　wouldn't　have　jumped　you。〃
　〃You've　already　decided　who　I　should　kill。〃　His　voice　was　thick　with　anger。
　〃Yeah；〃　I　said。
　〃She's　actually　making　pretty　good　choices；〃　Sylvie　said。
　Richard　turned　his　dark；　dark　eyes　to　her。　〃You　stay　out　of　this。〃
　〃If　it　was　just　a　lovers'　quarrel；　Richard；　I　would；〃　she　said。　She　went　to　stand　in　front　of　him。　〃But　Anita's　not　saying　anything　that　I　haven't　said。　That　most　of　us　haven't　begged　you　to　do。　For　a　few　months；　I　was　willing　to　try　it　your　way。　I　hoped　you　were　right；　but　it　isn't　working；　Richard。　Either　you're　alpha　male　or　you're　not。〃
　〃Is　that　a　challenge？〃　he　asked。　His　voice　had　grown　very　quiet。　Power　flowed　through　the　room　like　a　warm　wind。
　Sylvie　backed　up　a　step。　〃You　know　it's　not。〃
　〃Do　I？〃　he　said。　The　power　in　the　room　built；　growing　like　a　flash　of　electricity。　The　hairs　on　my　arms　stood　to　attention。
　Sylvie　stopped　backing　up；　hands　in　fists　at　her　sides。　〃If　I　thought　I　could　defeat　Marcus；　I'd　do　it。　If　I　could　protect　us　all；　I　would。　But　I　can't　do　it；　Richard。　You're　our　only　chance。〃
　Richard　loomed　over　her。　It　wasn't　just　physical　size。　His　power　flowed　over　her；　filled　the　room；　until　it　was　almost　chokingly　close。
　〃I　won't　kill　just　because　you　think　I　should；　Sylvie。　No　one　is　going　to　force　me　into　it。　No　one。〃
　He　turned　his　gaze　on　me；　and　it　took　a　lot　to　meet　his　eyes。　There　was　a　force　to　them；　a　burning　weight。　It　wasn't　a　vampire's　drowning　power；　but　it　was　something。　My　skin　shivered　with　his　power；　his　energy；　and　I　didn't　turn　away。
　I　stared　at　the　wounds　just　below　his　neck　and　knew　I'd　e　close　to　losing　him。　That　was　unacceptable。
　I　walked　c