lh.narcissusinchains-第89部分

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　〃Me　too；〃　I　said。
　She　looked　down　at　me；　thoughtful　now。　〃I'll　keep　the　gun　safe。　Is　there　anything　else　Igor　and　I　can　do　to　help？〃
　I　tried　to　think　of　something；　but　only　one　thing　came　to　mind。　〃If　the　leopards　can't　control　me；　make　sure　I　don't　hurt　anyone。〃
　〃How　bad　is　this　going　to　be？〃　she　asked。
　I　shrugged。　〃Normally；　I　wouldn't　be　this　worried；　but　last　time　I　called　her　she　didn't　get　her　bit　of　flesh；　or　sex。　Hitting　Richard　made　her　happy；　but　。。。　〃　I　tried　to　explain。　〃I　called　her　three　times　in　a　row　for　practice；　without　molesting　or　hurting　anyone。　My　teacher；　Marianne；　and　I　both　thought　it　was　a　sign　that　I　was　gaining　control　of　Raina。　Then　the　fourth　time　I　called　her；　it　was　worse　than　it　had　ever　been。　You　either　pay　as　you　go　with　Raina；　or　you　end　up　owing　her；　and　owing　es　with　interest；　and　the　interest　is　hell　to　pay。〃
　〃Should　you　give　me　the　knives；　too；　then？〃　Claudia　asked。
　She　had　a　point；　no　pun　intended。　I　took　the　wrist　sheaths　off；　folded　them　up；　and　handed　them　to　her。
　〃I　thought　you　could　control　this　shit。〃　Caleb　was　standing　just　a　little　behind　and　to　one　side　of　Claudia。　He　was　looking　up　at　the　tall　woman　as　if　wondering　what　she'd　do　if　he　tried　to　climb　her。　I　almost　wanted　him　to　try；　because　I　was　pretty　sure　what　would　happen；　and　even　more　sure　that　I'd　enjoy　watching　it。　Caleb　needed　a　good　lesson　from　someone。
　〃I　can。〃
　〃Then　why　all　the　precautions？〃
　I　could　have　told　him　about　the　time　in　Tennessee　when　Raina's　munin　nearly　started　a　riot　among　Verne's　pack　in　a　sort　of　game　of　rape　tag；　with　me　as　the　rapee；　but　I　didn't。　Instead；　I　said；　〃If　you're　not　going　to　be　helpful；　stand　over　to　the　side　and　shut　the　fuck　up。〃
　He　opened　his　mouth　as　if　to　protest；　but　Merle　said；　〃Caleb；　do　what　she　says。〃　His　voice　was　quiet；　a　deep　rumble　of　sound；　but　that　mild　tone　seemed　to　work　on　Caleb　like　a　charm。
　〃Sure；　Merle；　anything　you　say。〃　He　went　to　stand　over　to　one　side；　near　Dr。　Lillian　and　Igor。
　I　glanced　at　Merle。　〃Thanks；〃　I　said。
　He　just　bowed　his　head　at　me。
　Dr。　Lillian　said；　〃I　take　this　to　mean　that　you　want　me　to　wait　on　the　injection。〃
　I　nodded。　〃Yeah。〃
　She　turned　and　walked　back　through　the　sliding　glass　doors；　into　the　darkened　house。　Everyone　else　stayed　where　they　were；　looking　at　me。　Even　Caleb；　sulking　by　the　railing　with　his　arms　crossed；　was　still　watching　the　show。
　I　slipped　my　shirt　off　and　felt　rather　than　saw　all　my　people　react；　like　wind　through　a　wheat　field；　involuntary。　I　never　undressed　in　front　of　people　unless　I　absolutely　had　to。　The　black　bra　I　was　wearing　covered　more　than　most　swim　suits；　but　there's　something　about　letting　people　see　you　in　your　underwear　that　just　makes　all　us　good　little　girls　squirm。
　〃Black　lace；　I　like　it；〃　Caleb　said。
　I　started　to　say　something；　but　Merle　beat　me　to　it。　〃Shut　up；　Caleb；　and　don't　make　me　tell　you　again。〃
　Caleb　settled　back　against　the　rail；　arms　hugging　himself；　face　crinkled　into　a　sulk　that　made　him　look　even　younger　than　he　was。
　〃Go　on；〃　Merle　said；　〃he　won't　interrupt　again。〃
　I　looked　at　him。　It　was　bad　that　he　kept　interfering。　It　undermined　my　authority；　but　since　I　wasn't　entirely　sure　I　had　any　authority　over　Caleb；　it　was　okay；　I　guess。　But　it　bugged　me。　I　just　wasn't　sure　what　to　do　about　it。
　〃I　appreciate　the　help；　but　if　our　pards　really　do　merge；　then　Caleb　is　going　to　have　to　learn　to　respect　me；　not　you。〃
　〃You　don't　want　my　help？〃　He　made　it　a　question。
　〃Priority　tonight　is　Gregory；　but　Caleb　and　I　are　going　to　have　to　e　to　an　understanding。〃
　〃Are　you　going　to　shoot　him　too？〃
　I　tried　to　read　Merle's　face　and　failed。　A　sort　of　blank　hostility　was　all　that　showed。　〃You　think　I'll　have　to？〃
　Merle　gave　a　very　small　smile。　〃Maybe。〃
　It　made　me　smile；　a　little。　〃Great；　just　what　I　need；　another　discipline　problem　in　my　pard。〃
　His　smile　vanished　like　a　hand　had　wiped　it　away。　〃We're　not　your　cats；　Anita；　not　yet。〃
　I　shrugged。　〃Whatever　you　say。〃
　〃We　are　not　yours；〃　he　said。
　I　watched　his　face　and　saw　something　cross　it　in　the　moonlight。　Maybe　if　I'd　had　better　light　I　could　have　deciphered　it。　〃Why　does　the　thought　of　me　being　in　charge　bother　you　so　much？〃
　He　shook　his　head。　〃It's　not　you　being　in　charge　that　bothers　me。〃
　〃Then　what　is　it？〃
　He　shook　his　head　again。　〃What　bothers　me　is　you　trying　to　be　in　charge　and　failing　　failing　really；　really　badly。〃
　〃I　do　my　best；　Merle；　that's　all　I　can　do。〃
　He　nodded。　〃I　believe　you；　but　I've　seen　a　lot　of　people　try　their　best　and　still　not　make　it。〃
　I　shrugged　and　let　it　go。　〃Be　pessimistic　on　your　own　time；　Merle；　we　need　a　little　hope　here；　not　negativity。〃
　〃I'll　just　shut　up　then；〃　he　said；　which　implied　that　if　he　couldn't　be　negative　he　had　nothing　to　say。　Fine　by　me。
　I　turned　back　to　Gregory　and　his　wide；　frightened　eyes。　I　touched　his　face　gently；　trying　to　ease　some　of　that　fear；　but　he　flinched　ever　so　slightly　when　I　touched　him。　You　get　enough　abuse　in　your　life；　and　you　begin　to　think　that　every　offered　hand　is　a　blow　waiting　to　strike。
　〃It'll　be　alright；　Gregory；〃　I　said。　Since　he　couldn't　hear　me；　I　must　have　been　saying　it　to　reassure　myself。　It　didn't　seem　to　do　a　damn　thing　for　Gregory。
　I　tried　to　see　Gregory　as　a　lust　object；　and　I　failed。　I　ran　my　hands　over　the　smooth　skin　of　his　back；　I　grabbed　a　handful　of　those　yellow　curls；　looked　into　those　lovely　eyes；　but　all　I　could　feel　was　pity。　All　I　could　feel　was　protective　towards　him　and　how　much　I　wanted　to　keep　him　safe。　He　was　totally　nude；　sitting　in　front　of　me；　and　he　was　lovely。　There　was　nothing　wrong　with　the　way　he　looked；　except　that　I　didn't　see　Gregory　in　that　way。　Trust　me　to　find　a　way　to　make　virtue　a　problem。
　I　turned　to　Stephen；　who　was　still　kneeling　beside　us。　〃I'm　sorry；　he's　beautiful；　but　I　want　to　hold　him；　keep　him　safe；　not　have　sex　with　him；　and　protective　instincts　are　not　going　to　get　Raina　to　e　out。〃
　Cherry　said；　〃You　simply　called　Raina　at　the　lupanar。　Why　is　this　different？〃
　I　looked　up　at　her；　standing　nude　and　fortable　against　the　deck　railing。　Zane　was　next　to　her；　clothed；　and　just　as　fortable。
　〃I　can　call　Raina；　but　I　can't　guarantee　she'll　help　me　heal　Gregory。　The　healing　usually　es　with　lust；　not　without。〃
　〃Call　her；〃　Stephen　said。　〃Once　she's　here　maybe　the　rest　will　e。〃
　〃You　mean　call　her　munin；　then　get　her　in　the　mood；　not　me。〃
　He　looked　very　solemn；　but　he　nodded。
　〃You　know　what　her　idea　of　sex　is；　Stephen。〃
　He　nodded　again。　〃Trust　me；〃　he　said。
　Strangely；　I　did。　He　wasn't　dominant；　in　fact　was　very　often　a　victim；　but　Stephen　did　what　he　said　he'd　do；　at　almost　any　cost。　There　was　a　desperate　stubbornness　in　him；　no　matter　how　often　you　knocked　him　down。
　〃I'll　call　the　munin。〃
　〃And　I'll　make　sure　that　Raina　sees　Gregory　the　way　she　needs　to　see　him。〃
　We　looked　at　each　other　and　had　one　of　those　moments　of　near　perfect　understanding。　Stephen　would　do　anything　to　save　his　brother；　and　I　would　almost　anything　to　help　him　do　that。
　
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　I　SAT　BACK　on　my　heels　in　front　of　Gregory；　and　I　opened　myself　to　the　munin；　dropped　that　barrier　that　kept　Raina　out；　and　she　spilled　up　through　me　like　warm　water　filling　a　pipe；　up；　up；　riding　on　a　wave　of　eagerness　that　she　hadn't　had　at　the　lupanar。　A　thrill　of　fear　went　through　me。　I　knew　it　was　a　bad　sign；　but　I　didn't　fight　her。　I　let　her　e；　let　her　fill　me　up；　let　her　laugh　bubble　from　my　throat。
　When　she　looked　at　Gregory；　she　had　no　trouble　seeing　him　as　a　sexual　object；　but　then　Raina　saw　almost　everyone　as　a　sexual　object；　so　no　big　surprise。
　I　touched　his　face；　caressed　the　line　of　his　jaw。　Gregory's　eyes　widened。　I　realized　in　that　moment　that　he　might　not　know　what　the　hell　we　were　doing；　or　what　had　changed。　I　could　call　Raina　and　think　rationally。　I'd　fought　long　and　hard　to　be　able　to　do　that。　I　could　be　distant　while　my　hand　glided　down　Gregory's　bare　chest。　I　could　stop　my　hand　　our　hand　　at　his　slender　waist；　and　Raina　couldn't　force　me　lower。　She　snarled　in　my　head；　giving　me　a　visual　of　her　in　wolf　shape；　snapping　at　me。　But　it　was　just　a　visual；　like　a　dream；　it　couldn't　hurt　me；　or　anyone。
　Raina　spoke　in　my