lhamilton.thekillingdance-第13章

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　〃Fenrir；　challenger。〃
　〃The　giant　wolf　that　kills　Odin　at　Ragnarok。〃
　〃I'm　impressed；　not　many　people　would　know　that。〃
　〃Two　semesters　of　parative　religion；〃　I　said。　〃Can　a　woman　be　Ulfric？〃
　〃Yes；　but　it's　rare。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃They'd　have　to　win　a　knock…down　drag…out　physical　battle。　All　the　power　in　the　world　won't　stop　someone　from　pounding　your　face　into　the　ground。〃
　I　would　have　liked　to　argue；　but　I　didn't。　He　was　right。　Not　because　I　was　female。　Small　men　get　their　asses　kicked；　too。　Size　matters　if　both　people　are　equally　well　trained。
　〃Why　don't　the　female　alphas　have　to　duke　it　out　to　win　the　top　spot？〃
　〃Because　the　Ulfric　and　his　lupa　are　a　mating　pair；　Anita。　He　doesn't　want　to　get　stuck　with　a　woman　he　can't　stand。〃
　I　looked　at　him。　〃Wait　a　minute。　You're　next　in　line　to　lead　the　pack。　If　you　succeed　Marcus；　do　you　have　to　sleep　with　your　lupa？〃
　〃Technically；　yes。〃
　〃Technically？〃　I　said。
　〃I　won't　choose　one。　I　won't　sleep　with　someone　just　so　the　pack　can　feel　secure。〃
　〃Glad　to　hear　it；〃　I　said；　〃but　does　that　jeopardize　your　standing　in　the　pack？〃
　He　took　a　deep　breath；　and　I　heard　it　sigh　outward。　〃I　have　a　lot　of　support　among　the　pack；　but　some　of　them　are　bothered　by　my　morals。　They　think　I　should　pick　a　mate。〃
　〃And　you　won't；　because　。　。　。　of　me？〃
　He　glanced　at　me。　〃That's　a　big　part　of　it。　It　wouldn't　be　only　one　time；　Anita。　An　alpha　couple　binds　for　life。　It's　like　a　marriage。　They　usually　marry　each　other　in　real　life；　not　just　in　the　pack。〃
　〃I　can　see　why　the　pack　leader　gets　to　pick　his　mate。〃
　〃I've　picked　my　mate；〃　Richard　said。
　〃But　I'm　not　a　werewolf。〃
　〃No；　but　the　pack　considers　you　a　dominant。〃
　〃Only　because　I　killed　a　few　of　them；〃　I　said。
　〃Well；　that　does　tend　to　impress　them。〃　He　slowed　down。　There　was　a　line　of　pine　trees　along　the　left…hand　side　of　the　road；　too　regular　and　too　thick　to　be　natural。　He　turned　down　a　gravel　driveway　in　the　middle　of　them。
　The　driveway　curved　downhill；　and　at　the　bottom　of　a　shallow　valley　was　a　farmhouse。　Hills　thick　with　trees　poured　out　around　the　house。　If　there　had　ever　been　fields；　the　forest　had　reclaimed　them。
　The　driveway　opened　into　a　small　gravel　lot　that　was　crowded　with　cars；　at　least　a　dozen　of　them。　Richard　jerked　the　car　into　park　and　was　out　the　door　before　I　could　unbuckle　my　seat　belt。　I　had　to　run　to　catch　up　and　was　at　his　back　just　as　he　flung　open　the　barn　door。　There　was　a　thick　wall　of　cloth　hanging　inside　the　door；　not　a　curtain　but　more　a　barrier。　Richard　pulled　it　aside；　and　light　flooded　out　around　us。　He　stalked　into　that　light；　and　I　trailed　after　him。
　There　were　lights　everywhere；　hanging　from　the　rafters　like　large；　ugly　fruit。　About　twenty　people　stood　around　the　open　interior　of　the　barn。　Two　cameras　were　trained　on　a　set；　made　up　of　two　walls　and　a　king…size　bed。　Two　cameramen　were　sort　of　draped　on　the　cameras；　waiting。　A　long　table　thick　with　take…out　bags　and　cold　pizza　was　set　near　the　entrance。　Over　a　dozen　people　were　clustered　around　the　food。　They　glanced　at　us　as　we　entered。　A　handful　of　humans　looked　hurriedly　away　and　began　inching　back。　The　lycanthropes　stared；　their　eyes　almost　motionless；　intent。　I　suddenly　knew　what　it　must　feel　like　to　be　a　gazelle　near　a　lion　pack。
　At　least　two…thirds　of　the　people　in　the　barn　were　shape…shifters。　Probably；　they　weren't　all　werewolves。　I　couldn't　tell　what　animal　they　might　be　by　looking；　but　I　knew　they　were　all　shapeshifters。　Their　energy　burned　through　the　air　like　a　hint　of　lightning。　Even　with　the　Uzi；　if　things　went　wrong；　I　was　in　trouble。　I　was　suddenly　angry　with　Richard。　We　shouldn't　have　e　alone　like　this。　It　was　too　careless　for　words。
　A　woman　stepped　out　of　the　group。　She　had　what　looked　like　an　industrial…strength　makeup　kit　on　her　shoulder。　Her　dark　hair　was　shaved　close　to　her　head；　leaving　a　very　pretty　face　open　and　clean；　without　a　drop　of　makeup　on　it。
　She　moved　uncertainly　towards　us　as　if　afraid　she'd　get　bitten。　The　air　vibrated　around　her；　a　tiny　shimmer；　as　though　reality　was　just　a　little　less　firm　than　it　should　be　around　her。　Lycanthrope。　I　wasn't　sure　what　flavor；　but　that　really　didn't　matter。　Whatever　the　flavor；　they　were　dangerous。
　〃Richard；〃　she　said。　She　stepped　away　from　the　watching　crowd；　small　hands　running　up　and　down　the　strap　of　her　bag。　〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃
　〃You　know　why　I'm　here；　Heidi；〃　he　said。　〃Where's　Stephen？〃
　〃They　aren't　going　to　hurt　him；〃　she　said。　〃I　mean；　his　brother's　here。　His　own　brother　wouldn't　let　him　get　hurt；　would　he？〃
　〃Sounds　like　you're　trying　to　convince　yourself；　not　us；〃　I　said。
　Her　eyes　flicked　to　me。　〃You　must　be　Anita　Blake。〃　She　glanced　behind　at　the　watchers　at　her　back。　〃Please；　Richard；　just　go。〃　The　aura　of　energy　around　her　was　vibrating　harder；　almost　a　visible　shimmer　in　the　air。　It　prickled　along　my　skin　like　ants。
　Richard　reached　out　towards　her。
　Heidi　flinched　but　stood　her　ground。
　Richard　smoothed　his　hand　just　above　her　face；　not　quite　touching　her　skin。　As　he　moved　his　hand；　the　energy　around　her　quieted；　like　water　calming。　〃It's　all　right；　Heidi。　I　know　the　situation　Marcus　has　put　you　in。　You　want　to　join　another　pack；　but　he　has　to　give　permission。　To　get　his　permission；　you　do　what　he　says；　or　you're　trapped。　Whatever　happens；　I　won't　hold　it　against　you。〃
　The　anxiety　seeped　away。　Her　otherworldly　energy　quieted　until　it　was　barely　there　at　all。　She　might　have　passed　for　human。
　〃Very　impressive。〃　A　man　stepped　forward。　He　was　at　least　six　foot　four；　maybe　an　inch　taller；　his　head　bald　as　an　egg；　only　his　eyebrows　showing　dark　above　pale　eyes。　His　black　T…shirt　strained　over　the　muscles　in　his　arms　and　chest；　as　if　the　shirt　was　the　skin　of　an　insect　about　to　split　and　let　loose　the　monster。　Energy　boiled　off　him　like　summer　heat。　He　moved　with　the　confident　strut　of　a　bully；　and　the　power　crawling　over　my　skin　said　he　might　be　able　to　back　it　up。
　〃He's　new；〃　I　said。
　〃This　is　Sebastian；〃　Richard　said。　〃He　joined　us　after　Alfred　died。〃
　〃He's　Marcus's　new　enforcer；〃　Heidi　whispered。　She　stepped　back；　halfway　between　the　two　men；　her　back　to　the　curtain　we'd　entered　through。
　〃I　challenge　you；　Richard。　I　want　to　be　Freki。〃
　Just　like　that；　the　trap　was　sprung。
　〃We　are　both　alpha；　Sebastian。　We　don't　have　to　do　anything　to　prove　that。〃
　〃I　want　to　be　Freki；　and　I　need　to　beat　you　to　do　it。〃
　〃I'm　Fenrir　now；　Sebastian。　You　can　be　Marcus's　Freki　without　fighting　me。〃
　〃Marcus　says　no；　says　I　have　to　go　through　you。〃
　Richard　took　a　step　forward。
　〃Don't　fight　him；〃　I　said。
　〃I　have　to　answer　challenge。〃
　I　stared　at　Sebastian。　Richard　is　not　a　small　man；　but　he　looked　small　beside　Sebastian。　Richard　wouldn't　back　down　to　save　himself。　But　for　someone　else　。　。　。　〃And　if　you　get　killed；　where　does　that　leave　me？〃　I　asked。
　He　looked　at　me　then；　really　looked　at　me。　He　turned　back　to　Sebastian。　〃I　want　safe　passage　for　Anita。〃
　Sebastian　grinned　and　shook　his　head。　〃She's　dominant。　No　safe　passage。　She　takes　her　chances　like　the　rest　of　us。〃
　〃She　can't　accept　challenge；　she's　human。〃
　〃When　you're　dead；　we'll　make　her　one　of　us；〃　Sebastian　said。
　〃Raina　has　forbidden　us　to　make　Anita　lukoi；〃　Heidi　said。
　The　glare　that　Sebastian　gave　her　made　her　cringe　against　the　curtain　door。　Her　eyes　were　round　with　fear。
　〃Is　that　true？〃　Richard　asked。
　〃It's　true；〃　Sebastian　growled。　〃We　can　kill　her；　but　we　can't　make　her　pack。〃　He　grinned；　a　brief　flash　of　teeth。　〃So　we'll　just　kill　her。〃
　I　drew　the　Firestar；　using　Richard's　body　to　shield　the　movement　from　the　lycanthropes。　We　were　in　trouble。　Even　with　the　Uzi；　I　couldn't　kill　them　all。　If　Richard　would　kill　Sebastian；　we　might　salvage　the　situation；　but　he'd　try　not　to　kill　him。　The　other　shapeshifters　watched　us　with　patient；　eager　eyes。　This　had　been　the　plan　all　along。　There　had　to　be　a　way　out。
　I　had　an　idea。　〃Are　all　Marcus's　enforcers　assholes？〃
　Sebastian　turned　to　me。　〃Was　that　an　insult？〃
　〃If　you　have　to　ask；　then　indeedy…do；　it　was。〃
　〃Anita；〃　Richard　said；　low　and　careful；　〃what　are　you　doing？〃
　〃Defending　myself；〃　I　said。
　His　eyes　widened；　but　he　didn't　take　his　glance　f