lh.narcissusinchains-第118部分

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　〃You　cannot　shoot　anyone　tonight　unless　I　say　so；　how's　that　for　clear？〃
　〃We　have　our　orders；〃　Bobby　Lee　said；　〃and　they　aren't　from　you。〃
　〃Then　you　can　go　back　to　Rafael　and　tell　him　I　refused　your　help。〃
　Cris's　eyes　widened　a　touch。　Bobby　Lee's　expression　never　changed。　Those　pretty　blue　eyes　were　as　empty　as　glass；　no　one　home。　〃Why　are　you　so　afraid　of　taking　us　inside？〃　he　asked。
　I　sighed　again　and　tried　to　put　it　into　words　they'd　understand　and　I　was　willing　to　share。　I　couldn't　e　up　with　anything；　so　I　tried　the　truth。　〃I　am　about　to　introduce　my　Nimir…Raj　to　the　Master　of　the　City　for　the　first　time。〃
　〃You　fucking　both　of　them？〃　Bobby　Lee　asked；　and　the　phrase　seemed　wrong　with　that　Scarlett　O'Hara　accent。
　I　started　to　protest；　or　bitch；　but　let　it　go。　〃Yeah；　I　am；　and　I'm　a　little　worried　about　how　the　introduction's　going　to　go。〃
　〃You　think　the　Master　will　try　and　kill　your　Nimir…Raj？〃　Cris　asked。
　〃No；　but　he　may　want　to　play　with　him；　and　a　vampire's　idea　of　fun　and　games　can　get　a　little　odd。〃
　Bobby　Lee　laughed。　〃Odd；　she　says；　odd。〃　He　laughed　again；　and　it　sounded　warm　and　deep　and　rumbly。　The　laughter　filled　his　eyes；　made　them　more　real。　〃What　she　is　trying　to　say；　Cris；　is　that　we　are　about　to　be　entertained　just　like　when　the　rats　meet　the　hyenas。　A　show　of　force　with　no　danger；　but　maybe　a　little　disfort。〃
　〃Yeah；　what　he　just　said。〃
　Cris　nodded。　〃So　tonight　isn't　real。〃
　〃It's　real；〃　I　said；　〃but　it's　just　not　dangerous　in　any　way　you　can　protect　me　from。〃
　〃We're　supposed　to　protect　you；　period；〃　Cris　said。
　Bobby　Lee　clamped　him　on　the　shoulder。　〃We　can't　protect　her　from　her　own　love　life；　Cris。　We're　supposed　to　keep　her　body　intact；　not　her　heart。〃
　〃Oh；〃　Cris　said；　and　he　looked　suddenly　much　younger　　early　twenties；　at　best。
　Bobby　Lee　turned　to　me。　〃We'll　hang　back　tonight；　unless　you're　in　real　physical　danger。〃
　〃I'm　glad　we　understand　each　other。〃
　His　eyes　went　empty　again；　the　smile　still　curving　his　lips。　〃Oh；　we　don't　understand　each　other　at　all；　ma'am；　I　can　almost　guarantee　that；　but　we'll　do　what　we're　told；　until　we　decide　not　to。〃
　I　didn't　exactly　like　the　sound　of　that；　but；　looking　into　his　empty　blue　eyes；　I　knew　it　was　the　best　I　was　going　to　get。
　
　48
　
　THE　STEPS　LEADING　down　into　the　bowels　of　the　Circus　are　wide　enough　for　three　small　people　to　walk　abreast；　but　the　steps　themselves　are　oddly　spaced；　as　if　whatever　the　steps　were　originally　built　for　wasn't　two…legged；　or　at　least　wasn't　human　sized。
　We　were　following　Ernie　down　the　steps。　The　first　time　I'd　met　him　he'd　had　one　of　those　long　hair　cuts　with　the　sides　shaved。　The　sides　had　grown　out；　and　he'd　cut　the　rest；　so　he　had　a　fairly　standard　short　haircut；　with　a　little　more　on　top；　so　he　could　gel　it　into　soft　spikes；　sort　of　executive　punk。　The　short　hair　also　left　his　neck　bare　so　you　could　see　two　fang　marks　on　the　right　side。
　He　wasn't　feeding　Jean…Claude。　I　don't　think　the　Master　of　the　City　fed　off　humans　anymore；　not　when　he　could　have　lycanthrope。　But　there　were　other　vampires　under　the　Circus；　and　they　had　to　eat；　too。
　Micah　walked　beside　me。　Merle；　Bobby　Lee；　and　Cris　had　a　disagreement　about　exactly　where　they　were　going　to　walk。　They　finally　settled　on　Cris　walking　with　Ernie　ahead　of　us　and　Merle　and　Bobby　Lee　walking　just　behind　us。　Everyone　else　sort　of　trailed　behind；　including　Caleb。　None　of　the　bodyguards　seemed　to　give　a　shit　if　the　others　lived　or　died。　I　was　pretty　sure　that　the　bodyguard　thing　was　going　to　get　on　my　nerves　soon；　like　tonight。
　The　huge　metal　door　at　the　end　of　the　stairs　was　open；　waiting。　It　was　usually　kept　locked　for　security　purposes。　My　stomach　clenched　so　tight　that　it　hurt。　I　just　didn't　know　how　to　handle　this。　Did　I　kiss　Jean…Claude　hello？　Did　I　touch　Micah　in　front　of　him？　Oh；　hell。
　〃Did　you　say　something？〃　Micah　asked。
　〃Not　on　purpose；〃　I　said。
　He　looked　a　question　at　me；　and　that　did　it。　I　would　behave　like　I　always　did。　I　would　do　exactly　what　I'd　do　if　the　other　one　wasn't　there。　To　do　anything　else　was　going　to　have　us　all　walking　on　pins　and　needles。　Besides；　I'd　been　careful　with　Richard　and　Jean…Claude；　and　look　where　that　ended　up。　I　didn't　want　the　same　mistakes　again。　Maybe　we　could　make　new　ones。
　
　49
　
　THERE　WERE　SILVER　drapes　just　inside　the　door。　That　was　new。　Ernie　parted　the　drapes　and　led　us　into　Jean…Claude's　living　room。　Once　upon　a　time　it　had　been　black　and　white　drapes；　and　a　smaller　area；　but　now　it　was　white；　silver；　and　gold。　White　drapes；　silk　and　sheer；　hung　like　a　hallway　that　led　into　something　that　looked　like　a　huge　fairytale　tent。　The　stone　walls　and　ceiling　that　I　knew　were　there　were　hidden　by　yards　and　yards　of　gold　and　silver　cloth。　It　was　like　standing　in　the　middle　of　a　jewel　box。　The　coffee　table　had　been　painted　gold　and　white　and　made　to　look　antique；　or　maybe　it　was　the　real　deal。　A　crystal　bowl　sat　in　the　center　of　the　table　with　a　spill　of　white　carnations　and　baby's　breath。
　A　huge　white　couch　sat　against　the　far　drapes；　so　covered　in　silver　and　gold　pillows　that　some　of　the　pillows　had　fallen　to　the　white　carpeted　floor。　Two　overstuffed　chairs　were　in　opposite　corners；　one　gold；　one　silver；　with　white　pillows　on　each。
　The　fireplace　looked　real；　but　I　knew　it　wasn't　because　it　had　been　added　later；　but　it　was　everything　a　fireplace　should　have　been；　except　it　was　painted　white。　There　was　even　a　new　marble　mantel　that　was　white　with　veins　of　silver　and　gold；　ordered　to　match。
　The　only　thing　that　hadn't　changed　was　the　portrait　above　the　fireplace。　The　first　thing　you　saw　was　Julianna；　sitting；　dressed　in　silver　and　white；　half…laughing；　brown　hair　done　in　careful　ringlets。　Asher　stood　behind　her　in　gold　and　white；　his　face　still　perfect；　his　gold　hair　in　ringlets　longer　than　hers；　his　mustache　and　Van　Dyke　beard　a　blond　so　dark　it　was　almost　brown。　Jean…Claude　sat　behind　Julianna；　the　only　one　of　the　three　not　smiling；　solemn；　dressed　in　black　and　silver。　He'd　designed　the　room　around　the　painting　　silver　and　gold　and　white。
　〃Wow。〃　Caleb　said　it　for　us　all。
　I'd　seen　Jean…Claude's　sense　of　style　before；　but　every　once　in　a　while　he'd　amaze　even　me。　Then　I　felt　him　ing　towards　us。　I　felt　him　ing　and　that　wasn't　a　good　thing。　I'd　expected　anger；　jealousy；　but　what　was　moving　towards　me　was　simply　lust；　need。　He　could　shield　better　than　this。　Was　this　my　punishment；　to　be　drowned　in　his　lust？　If　so；　he'd　misjudged　me；　because　it　was　just　going　to　piss　me　off。
　He　pushed　through　white　and　silver　drapes；　and　for　a　moment　I　couldn't　see　where　his　clothes　began　and　the　cloth　ended。　He　was　wearing　a　silver　frock　coat　with　white　edging；　white　buttons。　His　shirt　was　a　spill　of　white　froth；　the　pants；　what　I　could　see　of　them；　were　white；　but　the　white　leather　boots　covered　almost　all　of　his　long　legs。　The　leather　looked　soft；　pettable；　held　in　place　with　small　silver　buckles　going　from　just　above　his　ankles　to　his　very　upper　thigh。
　I　stared　because　I　couldn't　do　anything　else。　Even　if　he　hadn't　been　projecting　sex　inside　my　head；　he'd　have　made　me　think　of　it。　His　hair　fell　in　loose　curls　nearly　to　his　waist；　a　black　glory　on　all　that　silver　and　white。
　Bobby　Lee　said；　〃Well；　aren't　you　just　pretty　as　a　picture。〃
　Jean…Claude　didn't　even　look　at　him。　He　looked　at　me；　and　I　was　walking　towards　him　across　the　so…soft　carpet　without　a　thought；　except　that　I　had　to　touch　him。
　He　closed　his　eyes；　held　out　his　hand。　〃No；　ma　petite；　do　not　e　closer。〃
　I　hesitated　for　a　second；　then　started　walking　again。　I　could　already　smell　his　cologne；　sweet；　spicy。　I　wanted　to　run　my　hands　through　his　hair；　wrap　the　scent　of　him　on　my　hands。
　He　stumbled　back；　half…tripping　in　the　drapes。　There　was　something　like　panic　on　his　face。　〃Ma　petite；　I　thought　I　could　shield　you　from　the　ardeur；　but　I　cannot。〃
　That　did　stop　me。　I　had　to　frown　at　him。　I　couldn't　seem　to　think。　That　kept　me　where　I　was；　almost　close　enough　to　touch　him；　but　not　quite。　〃What's　happening；　Jean…Claude？〃
　〃I　have　fed　this　night；　but　I　have　not　fed　the　ardeur。〃
　〃That's　what　I'm　feeling；〃　I　said；　〃the　ardeur。〃
　〃Oui；　I　am　shielding　as　hard　as　I　can；　yet　you　are　picking