lhamilton.thekillingdance-第73部分

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　His　smile　widened；　a　brief　flash　of　teeth；　almost　a　snarl。　〃Yes。〃
　I　tried　to　pull　away；　but　his　hands　tightened。　〃You're　doing　it；〃　I　said。　My　heart　was　suddenly　thudding　in　my　throat。　I'd　thought　to　be　afraid　of　a　lot　of　things　tonight；　but　not　of　Richard。
　〃We're　supposed　to　share　power。　That's　what　I'm　doing。　But　it　has　to　be　my　power；　Anita。　The　pack　won't　be　impressed　with　zombies。〃
　I　swallowed　past　my　beating　heart　and　forced　myself　to　stand　very　still。　Made　myself　return　the　grip　of　his　hands。　I　hadn't　thought　what　it　would　mean。　I　wasn't　going　to　be　in　charge。　Not　my　power　but　his。　I　was　going　to　be　fuel　for　his　fire；　not　the　other　way　around。
　〃It's　Jean…Claude's　mark；〃　I　said。　〃That's　what's　doing　it。〃
　〃We　hoped　it　would　work　this　way；〃　Richard　said。
　And　I　knew　that　the　we　he　was　referring　to　didn't　include　me。　〃How　does　it　work？〃
　〃Like　this。〃　That　trembling　energy　broke　over　his　skin　like　a　rush　of　warmth。　It　plunged　through　his　hands　into　my　hand。　It　rode　like　a　wave　over　my　body；　and　everywhere　it　touched；　the　hair　and　skin　of　my　body　raised　and　shivered。
　〃Are　you　all　right？〃
　〃Sure；〃　but　my　voice　was　a　breathless　whisper。
　He　took　me　at　my　word。　Some　barrier　went　down；　and　Richard's　energy　crashed　into　me　like　a　fist。　I　remembered　falling；　and　the　feel　of　Richard's　arms　around　my　waist；　catching　me；　then　it　was　like　I　was　elsewhere。　I　was　everywhere。　I　was　over　there　in　the　trees；　staring　at　us　with　eyes　that　tried　to　turn　and　see　me；　but　I　wasn't　there。　It　was　like　the　wind　that　opened　inside　me　when　I　walked　a　cemetery；　except　it　wasn't　power　that　was　spreading　outward。　It　was　me。　I　flashed　through　a　dozen　eyes；　brushed　bodies；　some　furred；　some　still　skinned。　I　hurried　outward；　outward；　and　touched　Raina。　I　knew　it　was　her。　Her　power　lashed　out　like　a　shield；　casting　me　away　from　her；　but　not　before　I　felt　her　fear。
　Richard　called　me　back；　though　call　implies　a　voice。　I　slipped　back　inside　myself　in　a　rush　of　curling　golden　energy。　I　could　see　the　color　behind　my　eyes；　though　there　was　actually　nothing　to　see。　I　opened　my　eyes；　though　I　wasn't　a　hundred　percent　sure　that　they'd　been　closed。　That　golden　energy　was　still　there；　swirling　inside；　along　my　skin。　I　curled　my　hands　over　Richard's　shoulders　and　felt　an　answering　energy　in　him。
　I　didn't　have　to　ask　what　I　had　just　experienced。　I　knew。　It　was　what　it　meant；　at　least　for　someone　as　powerful　as　Richard；　to　be　alpha。　He　could　fling　his　essence　outward　and　touch　his　pack。　It　was　how　he　kept　the　werewolf　from　changing　form　two　days　ago。　It　was　how　he　could　share　blood。　Marcus　couldn't　do　it；　but　Raina　could。
　Jean…Claude's　power；　even　my　own　power；　never　felt　so　alive。　It　was　like　I　was　drawing　energy　from　the　trees；　the　wind；　like　being　plugged　into　a　vast　battery；　as　if　there　was　enough　magic　to　go　on　forever。　I　had　never　felt　anything　like　it。
　〃Can　you　run？〃　Richard　asked。
　The　question　meant　more　than　just　the　words；　and　I　knew　that。　〃Oh；　yeah。〃
　He　smiled；　and　it　was　joyous。　He　took　my　hand　and　flung　us　into　the　trees。　Even　if　he'd　been　human；　I　couldn't　have　kept　up　with　Richard　in　a　dead　run。　Tonight；　he　didn't　run　so　much　as　flowed　into　the　woods。　It　was　like　he　had　sonar　telling　him　where　every　branch；　every　tree　root；　every　fallen　trunk　would　be。　It　was　like　the　trees　moved　away　from　him　like　water；　or　maybe　moved　into　him　like　something　else　that　I　had　no　words　for。　He　pulled　me　with　him。　Not　just　with　his　hand；　but　with　his　energy。　It　was　like　he'd　entered　me　and　tied　us　together　somehow。　It　should　have　been　intrusive　and　frightening；　but　it　wasn't。
　We　spilled　into　the　great　clearing　and　Richard's　power　filled　it；　flowed　over　the　lycanthropes　like　a　fire　springing　from　one　dry　branch　to　another。　It　filled　them　and　made　them　turn　to　him。　Only　Marcus；　Raina；　Jamil；　Sebastian；　and　Cassandra　were　untouched。　Only　they　kept　him　out　by　force　of　will。　He　swept　everyone　else　before　him；　and　I　knew　that　part　of　what　let　him　do　that　was　me。　Distant　as　a　dream　or　a　half…remembered　nightmare；　was　Jean…Claude；　down　that　twisting　power　that　was　almost　buried　under　Richard's　shining　light。
　I　felt　every　movement。　It　was　like　the　world　was　suddenly　crystalline；　almost　like　the　effect　from　an　adrenaline　rush；　or　shock；　where　everything　seems　carved　and　hard…edged　and　terribly；　frightfully　clear。　It　was　like　being　dipped　in　reality；　as　if　anything　else　would　forever　be　a　dream。　It　was　almost　painful。
　Marcus　sat　in　a　chair　that　had　been　carved　from　rock　so　long　ago　the　edges　were　rounded　with　weather　and　hands　and　bodies。　I　knew　that　this　clearing　had　been　the　meeting　place　for　the　lukoi　for　a　very　long　time。
　Marcus　wore　a　brown　satin…lapeled　tux。　The　shirt　was　of　gold　cloth；　not　gold　lamé；　but　the　real　deal；　as　if　they'd　melted　down　jewelry　and　beaten　him　out　a　shirt。　Raina　curled　on　the　edge　of　the　stone　chair。　Her　long　auburn　hair　was　done　in　an　elaborate　swirl　of　soft　curls　on　top　of　her　head；　down　along　her　face。　A　gold　chain　cut　across　her　forehead　with　a　diamond　the　size　of　my　thumb　in　it。　More　diamonds　burned　like　white　fire　at　her　throat。　She　was　absolutely　naked　except　for　a　sprinkling　of　gold　body　glitter；　done　thick　enough　on　her　nipples　to　make　them　seem　metallic。　A　diamond　anklet　glittered　on　her　right　ankle。　Three　gold　chains　rode　low　on　her　hips；　and　that　was　it。
　And　I'd　plained　about　my　outfit。
　〃Wele；　Richard；　Anita；〃　Marcus　said。　〃Wele　to　our　happy　family。〃　His　voice　was　deep　and　thick。　It　flowed　with　its　own　edge　of　power；　but　it　wasn't　enough。　It　would　never　be　enough。　Richard　could　have　worn　his　jeans　and　T…shirt；　and　still　he　would　have　won　them　over。　There　are　things　beyond　clothing　that　make　a　king。
　〃Marcus；　Raina。〃　Richard　released　my　hand　slowly；　and　as　he　pulled　away；　the　tie　remained。　It　was　a　shadow　of　the　way　I'd　bound　Richard　and　Jean…Claude's　auras　to　me；　but　more。　He　took　a　few　steps　away　to　stand　a　little　in　front　of　me。　I　could　feel　him　like　a　large；　shimmering　thing。　His　energy　was　amazing。　The　closest　thing　I'd　ever　felt　was　the　power　of　a　Daoine　Sidhe；　a　fairie　of　the　highest　court。
　〃You　naughty　boy；〃　Raina　said。　〃You've　made　her　one　of　us。〃
　〃No；〃　Richard　said；　〃she　is　what　she　always　has　been：　herself。〃
　〃Then　how　can　you　ride　her　power？　How　can　she　ride　yours？〃　Raina　pushed　away　from　the　chair；　stalking　along　the　ground　in　front　of　it；　pacing　like　a　caged　animal。
　〃What　have　you　done；　Richard？〃　Marcus　asked。
　〃She　is　my　mate。〃
　〃Raina；　test　it；〃　Marcus　said。
　Raina　smiled；　most　unpleasant；　and　stalked　over　the　open　ground。　She　swayed；　transforming　walking　into　a　seductive　dance。　I　felt　her　power　tonight。　Her　sex　rode　the　air　like　the　threat　of　lightning；　prickling　along　the　skin；　drying　out　the　mouth。　I　felt　every　male　watch　her；　even　Richard。　I　didn't　resent　it。　Hell；　I　watched　her。　She　was　magnificent　in　her　sheer；　naked　lust。　It　was　like　sex　for　Raina　was　power；　literally。
　I　slipped　off　the　long；　black　coat　and　let　it　fall　to　the　ground。　There　was　a　collective　gasp　from　the　human　throats。　I　traced　my　hands　over　the　bare　skin　of　my　waist；　trailing　down　my　leather…clad　thighs。　I　laughed。　A　loud；　joyous　bark　of　noise。　It　was　Raina。　I　was　riding　her　power；　dancing　along　the　edge　of　her　energy。
　I　stalked　towards　her；　not　waiting；　but　meeting　her　in　the　middle　of　the　circle。　We　moved　around　each　other；　and　I　could　match　her　dance。　I　pulled　her　aura　of　sex　and　violence　into　me；　pulled　it　like　a　hand　reaching　inward　and　stealing　bits　of　her。　Fear　widened　her　eyes；　brought　her　breath　faster。
　She　knew　how　to　protect　herself　against　another　werewolf；　but　my　brand　of　power　was　just　different　enough　that　she　didn't　know　what　to　do　with　me。　I'd　never　done　anything　like　this　before；　didn't　understand　exactly　what　I　was　doing；　until　Raina　backed　off。　She　didn't　run　back　to　Marcus；　but　the　shine　was　gone。　She　slunk　back　with　her　tail　between　her　legs；　and　I　could　taste　her　inside　my　mind　like　I'd　licked　her　skin。
　I　turned　back　to　Richard　and　stalked　towards　him　in　the　high…heeled　boots。　I　felt　every　man　watching。　I　knew　it。　I　wrapped　it　around　me　and　threw　it　all　back　into　Richard。　He　stood　almost　frozen；　his　dark　eyes　filled　with　a　heat　that　was　part　sex；　p