lh.narcissusinchains-第98部分

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　The　wolf　shook　himself；　and　I　realized　that　his　fur　was　dry。　There　was　more　of　that　clear　goop　all　over　the　deck；　but　very　little　of　it　had　clung　to　the　wolf　itself。　Yet　another　metaphysical　mystery：　How　do　werewolves　stay　dry　when　shapeshifting　is　such　a　mess？
　I　turned　without　a　word；　drawing　Richard　with　me。　I　went　to　Gregory；　still　sitting　on　the　picnic　table；　only　Cherry　and　Dr。　Lillian　with　him　now。　Zane　had　e　to　see　what　the　matter　was　when　Richard　and　I　started　writhing　on　the　deck。
　Gregory　looked　at　me；　blue　eyes　silvered　in　the　moonlight。　I　smiled　and　touched　his　cheek；　cupped　the　side　of　his　face　against　my　hand。　I　reached　for　his　beast；　not　with　my　hand；　but　with　that　shadowy　thing　that　swirled　through　Richard　and　me。　I　sent　it　shivering　across　Gregory's　skin；　and　he　sat　up；　letting　the　quilt　fall　away　from　his　bare　upper　body。　Cherry　moved　away　just　enough　so　they　wouldn't　touch；　as　if　she　was　afraid　to　touch　him　now。
　I　tried　to　coax　his　beast；　to　call　it　with　sweet　caresses　and　gentle　persuasion；　but　it　remained　stubbornly　just　under　the　surface；　trapped　by　the　drugs　that　still　made　Gregory's　body　a　prison　and　the　shock　that　had　further　dampened　everything　I　needed　to　call。　But　I　knew　that　it　didn't　have　to　be　gentle。　I　might　not　have　been　along　for　the　ride　when　Richard　brought　Stephen's　beast；　but　I'd　seen　it；　and　I　knew　enough　of　power　to　guess　what　he'd　done。
　〃I'll　try　not　to　hurt　you；〃　I　said；　but　I　thrust　my　power　into　Gregory。　I　felt　it　hit　his　chest　and　sink　into　him　like　a　large　flesh…and…fur　blade。
　Gregory　gasped；　back　arching；　just　a　little。
　I　found　his　beast　like　a　curled　cat；　asleep；　sluggish；　and　I　grabbed　it　in　my　hand；　sank　claws　in　it　and　pulled　it　screaming　into　the　air。　I　ripped　his　beast　out　of　him；　and　Gregory　shifted；　as　Stephen　had　shifted　in　an　explosion　of　blood；　flesh；　and　fluid。　I　was　covered　in　it；　so　thick　I　had　to　scoop　it　out　of　my　eyes　to　see。　To　see　that　yellow　and　black　spotted　man…leopard　lying　hunched　on　the　table。　I　watched　Stephen　e　to　sniff　along　his　brother's　shivering　body。
　〃Gregory；　Gregory；　can　you　hear　me？〃　I　asked；　and　my　voice　was　softer　than　I　meant　it　to　be。
　Gregory　blinked　leopard　eyes　at　me；　but　a　growling　voice　came　out　of　that　furred　throat。　〃I　can　hear　you。〃
　Stephen　threw　his　head　back　and　bayed。　Jamil　echoed　him；　and　the　leopards'　screams　of　triumph　filled　the　night。
　
　36
　
　DAWN　WAS　SLIDING　through　the　trees　in　a　wash　of　white；　white　light　that　left　the　trees　looking　like　black　paper　cutouts　against　the　shining　sky　when　I　pulled　the　curtains　and　filled　the　bedroom　with　twilight　dimness。　I'd　put　very　heavy　curtains　in　the　room　when　Jean…Claude　had　been　a　frequent　visitor。　The　bedside　lamp　seemed　dim　after　the　glow　of　sunrise。　Nathaniel　sat　on　the　edge　of　the　bed　by　the　lamp。　He　was　wearing　the　bottoms　of　silk　pajama　shorts。　They　were　a　pale　lavender　silk　that　echoed　his　eyes　and　looked　too　delicate　a　color　for　men's　sleepwear。　I　always　suspected　the　shorts　were　originally　designed　for　a　woman；　but　shorts　were　shorts。
　The　lamplight　caught　red　highlights　in　his　auburn　hair；　where　it　gleamed　down　the　side　of　his　body　like　something　warm　and　alive；　almost　separate。　Strangely；　in　wereleopard　form；　he　was　a　black　panther；　so　that　auburn　hair　vanished　once　he　left　human　form。
　Nathaniel　was　the　only　one　of　the　wereleopards　still　in　human　form。　So　he　was　the　only　one　that　got　to　share　my　bed。　If　they　were　kitty…cats；　they　had　to　sleep　elsewhere；　but　in　human　form　we　tried　to　be　a　big　pile　of　puppies。　Somehow　it　was　less　fy　with　only　Nathaniel　than　it　would　have　been　with　more　of　them。　Maybe　it　was　the　fact　that　his　right　nipple　still　had　a　circle　of　my　teeth　marks。
　〃Shouldn't　the　bite　marks　have　healed　by　now？〃　I　asked。
　〃I　don't　heal　as　quickly　as　some；〃　he　said　softly。　〃And　marks　made　by　another　shapeshifter；　or　even　a　vampire；　heal　more　slowly。〃
　〃Why　is　that？〃
　He　shrugged。　〃Why　does　silver　kill　us；　and　steel　not？〃
　〃Point　taken；〃　I　said。　I　ran　my　hand　through　my　still…damp　hair。　I'd　showered　and　was　actually　wearing　pajamas；　not　an　oversized　T…shirt；　which　was　my　usual　sleep　attire。　Though　pajamas　may　have　been　too　big　a　word　for　the　emerald　green　camisole　and　matching　short…shorts。　There　was　a　floor…length　robe　in　the　same　vibrant　green；　so　everything　was　covered；　but　Nathaniel　knew　I　hadn't　dressed　up　for　him。　Or　at　least　I　hoped　he　did。
　He　watched　me　pacing　the　room　with　careful　eyes。　We　had　crossed　a　line；　he　and　I；　and　the　mark　on　his　chest　just　kept　reminding　me　of　it。　I　didn't　think　that　Richard　would　tolerate　Nathaniel　and　me　sharing　the　bed　alone；　not　that　I　really　expected　the　three　of　us　to　bunk　together；　either。　Oh；　hell；　I　didn't　know　what　I　expected。　I　had　expected　Richard　to　e　to　me　after　his　shower。　But　he　was　a　no…show；　and　it　was　dawn；　and　I　was　tired。
　There　was　a　firm　knock　on　the　door。　I　said；　〃e　in；〃　with　my　heart　beating　a　little　too　fast。　Merle　opened　the　door；　and　I　hoped　my　disappointment　didn't　show　on　my　face。　His　own　face　registered　nothing；　so　I　couldn't　judge　what　he　saw　on　mine。
　〃The　Ulfric　is　in　the　kitchen。〃　He　did　look　unfortable　then。　〃He　is　crying。〃
　I　felt　my　eyes　widen。　〃Excuse　me？〃
　Merle　looked　down；　then　up；　almost　defiant。　〃He　has　ordered　his　bodyguard　out　of　the　room；　and　he　is　crying。　I　do　not　know　why。〃
　I　sighed。　Although　I　was　tired；　I　was　excited　at　the　thought　of　Richard　being　in　the　house；　of　him　ing　to　me；　maybe。　Instead　of　sex　we　were　going　to　have　another　session　of　hand…holding；　and　shoulder…crying。　Damn　it。
　I　felt　my　shoulders　slump　and　forced　myself　to　stand　upright　again。　I　didn't　have　to　ask　why　Merle　had　told　me。　Who　else　would　Richard　take　fort　from？　I　wasn't　even　a　hundred　percent　sure　he'd　take　fort　from　me。
　I　went　for　the　door。　Merle　held　it　open　for　me；　and　I　walked　under　his　arm　without　having　to　duck。　〃Thanks　for　telling　me；　Merle；〃　I　muttered　as　I　went　out　into　the　darkened　living　room。
　Shang…Da　was　leaning　against　the　wall　by　the　open　doorway　that　led　into　the　kitchen。　He　looked　as　unfortable　as　I'd　ever　seen　him。　He　wouldn't　meet　my　eyes。　What　was　going　on？
　Caleb　was　settled　on　the　couch　with　a　blanket　and　an　extra　pillow。　He　was　sitting　up；　the　blanket　bunched　in　his　lap。　He　was　nude　from　the　waist　up　and　probably　nude　from　the　waist　down　if　no　one　had　made　him　wear　jammies。　I　hoped　someone　had　remembered　to　put　a　sheet　on　the　couch。　He　watched　me　walk　across　the　room；　and　even　in　the　dim　light　from　the　kitchen　I　didn't　like　the　way　his　eyes　followed　me。
　〃Nice　robe；〃　he　said。
　I　ignored　him　and　went　for　the　doorway。　Richard　sat　at　the　kitchen　table；　opened　all　the　curtains　so　that　the　room　was　filled　with　the　soft　light　of　dawn。　His　shoulder…length　hair　had　been　blow…dried　to　a　soft；　fluffy　mass。　I　could　never　blow…dry　my　hair　without　it　turning　to　something　thick　and　awful…looking。　The　early　morning　light　made　his　hair　look　more　golden　than　normal；　less　brown。　He　looked　up；　and　I　realized　the　gold　glow　was　a　halo　effect　of　the　rising　sun。　It　painted　a　nimbus　of　shining　gold　around　him；　leaving　his　hair　light　brown　around　his　face；　making　the　skin　at　the　center　of　his　body　look　even　darker　than　it　was；　almost　like　it　was　in　shadow。
　I　had　a　moment　to　see　the　shine　of　tears　on　his　shadowed　face；　then　he　lowered　his　head　and　twisted　in　his　chair　so　I　couldn't　see。　The　movement　placed　more　of　his　body　in　the　burning　golden　light；　but　the　illusion　of　halos　and　shadow　was　gone。
　I　walked　to　the　table；　stood　close　enough　to　touch　his　bare　shoulder；　not　sure　if　I　should。　〃Richard；　what's　wrong？〃
　He　shook　his　head；　still　not　looking　at　me。
　I　reached　out；　touched　the　smoothness　of　his　shoulder　gently。　He　didn't　tell　me　to　go　away；　and　he　didn't　pull　away。　Okay。　I　touched　the　tears　on　the　cheek　closest　to　me；　smoothed　them　away　with　my　hand。　It　reminded　me　of　forting　Nathaniel　earlier。
　I　touched　Richard's　chin；　turned　his　face　to　me；　and　dried　the　tears　on　his　other　cheek　with　the　sleeve　of　my　robe。　〃Talk　to　me；　Richard；　please。〃
　He　smiled。　Maybe　it　was　the　〃please。〃　I　didn't　use　that　word　often。　〃I've　never　seen　this　before。〃　He　touched　the　sleeve　very　gently。
　I　wasn't　going　to　be　distracted；　not　even　by　him