lhamilton.thekillingdance-第15章

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r　I　will　cut　you　in　half。〃
　Raina　laughed；　a　low；　joyous　sound。　〃You　are　so　dangerous。　So　exciting。　Don't　you　think　so；　Gabriel？〃
　Gabriel　came　to　stand　beside　her。　Both　of　them　looking　down　at　me　was　too　much；　so　I　used　the　wall　to　brace　myself　and　stood。　I　could　stand。　Great。　I　was　beginning　to　think　I　could　even　walk。　Better。
　〃Back　up；〃　I　said。
　Gabriel　stepped　around　her；　bringing　him　almost　close　enough　to　have　reached　out　and　touched　me。　〃She's　perfect　for　anyone　who's　into　pain　and　has　a　death　wish。〃　He　reached　out；　as　if　to　run　his　fingers　down　my　cheek。　I　pointed　the　machine　gun　at　his　waist；　because　it　would　kick　upward。　Aim　too　high　and　you　can　actually　miss。
　〃The　last　time　you　pushed　me；　Gabriel；　all　I　had　on　me　was　a　knife。　You　survived　having　me　gut　you；　but　even　you　can't　heal　from　a　submachine　gun　burst。　At　this　range；　I'll　cut　you　in　half。〃
　〃Would　you　really　kill　me　just　for　trying　to　touch　you？〃　He　seemed　amused；　his　strange　grey　eyes　almost　fever　bright　as　they　peered　out　of　the　tangle　of　his　hair。
　〃After　what　I　just　saw；　you　bet。〃　I　stood　away　from　the　wall。　〃Back　up　or　we'll　find　out　how　much　damage　you　can　take。〃
　They　backed　up。　I　was　almost　disappointed。　The　Uzi　with　silver　ammo　would　do　exactly　what　I'd　said　it　would　do。　I　could　cut　them　down；　kill　them；　no　muss；　no　fuss；　just　a　hell　of　a　mess。　I　wanted　them　dead。　I　looked　at　them　for　a　heartbeat　and　thought　about　it；　thought　about　pulling　the　trigger　and　saving　us　all　a　lot　of　trouble。
　Raina　backed　up；　pulling　Gabriel　with　her。　She　stared　at　me　as　she　moved；　back　towards　the　wall　where　the　pony…sized　wolf　was　staggering　to　its　feet。　Raina　looked　at　me　and　I　saw　the　knowledge　on　her　face　of　how　close　she'd　e。　I　think　until　that　moment　she　hadn't　realized　I　could　kill　her　and　not　lose　sleep。　Hell；　leaving　her　alive　would　cost　me　more　sleep。
　A　roaring　scream　came　from　the　other　room。　Howling　vibrated　through　the　barn。　There　was　a　moment　of　breathless　silence；　then　growls；　shrieks。　The　floor　shuddered　with　the　impact　of　distant　bodies。　Richard　was　fighting　without　me。
　Raina　smiled　at　me。　〃Richard　needs　you；　Anita。　Go　to　him。　We'll　take　care　of　Stephen。〃
　〃No　thanks。〃
　〃Richard　could　be　dying　while　you　waste　time。〃
　Fear　flowed　over　me　in　a　cool　wash。　She　was　right。　They'd　lured　him　here　to　die。　I　shook　my　head。　〃Richard　told　me　to　get　Stephen；　and　that's　what　I'm　going　to　do。〃
　〃I　didn't　think　you　took　orders　that　well；〃　she　said。
　〃I　take　the　ones　I　like。〃
　Stephen　had　curled　onto　his　side；　pulling　the　robe　over　his　body。　His　brother　sat　beside　him；　smoothing　his　hair　and　murmuring；　〃It's　all　right；　Stephen。　You're　not　hurt。〃
　〃You　sliced　him　up；　you　son　of　a　bitch。〃
　He　spread　Stephen's　robe；　exposing　his　chest。　Stephen　tried　weakly　to　close　his　robe。　His　brother　slapped　his　hands　lightly。　He　wiped　his　hands　across　the　bloody　chest。　The　skin　was　perfect。　The　cut　had　healed　already；　which　meant　that　all　the　blood　was　Stephen's。
　〃Get　off　of　him；　right　now；　or　I　will　blow　you　away。〃
　He　eased　back　from　him；　eyes　wide。　He　believed　me。　That　was　good；　because　it　was　true。
　〃e　on；　Stephen。　We've　got　to　go。〃
　He　raised　his　head　and　looked　at　me；　tears　sliding　down　his　cheeks。　〃I　can't　stand。〃　He　tried　to　crawl　to　me；　but　collapsed　on　the　floor。
　〃What　did　you　give　him？〃　I　asked。
　〃Something　to　relax　him；〃　Raina　said。
　〃You　bitch。〃
　She　smiled。　〃Exactly。〃
　〃Go　over　and　stand　by　them；〃　I　said　to　the　brother。
　The　man　turned　a　face　to　me　so　like　Stephen's　it　was　startling。　〃I　wouldn't　let　them　hurt　him。　He'd　enjoy　it　if　he'd　just　let　himself　go。〃
　〃He　is　hurt；　you　son　of　a　bitch！　Now　get　over　there；　right　now；　or　I'Il　kill　you。　Do　you　understand　me？　I　will　kill　you　and　be　happy　about　it。〃
　He　got　to　his　feet　and　went　to　stand　beside　Gabriel。　〃I　made　sure　no　one　hurt　him；〃　he　said　softly。
　The　walls　shuddered。　There　was　a　sound　of　splintering　wood。　Someone　had　been　thrown　through　the　wall　of　the　room　next　to　us。　I　had　to　get　us　out　of　there。
　I　had　to　get　to　Richard。　But　if　I　was　careless；　I'd　never　make　it。　Richard　wasn't　the　only　one　in　danger　of　getting　his　throat　ripped　out。
　With　this　many　lycanthropes　in　a　room　so　small；　they　were　too　close。　They　could　jump　me　if　I　went　to　help　Stephen　stand；　but　with　a　machine　gun　in　my　hand；　I　was　betting　most　of　them　would　be　dead　before　they　reached　me。　It　was　a　forting　thought。
　I　spotted　the　Firestar　in　the　far　corner。　I　picked　it　up　and　holstered　it　without　having　to　look。　Practice；　practice；　practice。　I　kept　the　machine　gun　out。　It　just　made　me　feel　better。
　I　knelt　by　Stephen　without　taking　my　eyes　off　the　others。　It　was　hard　not　to　at　least　glance　down；　but　I　was　too　damn　close　to　them。　The　wolf　had　been　unbelievably　fast；　and　I　didn't　think　Raina　would　save　me　a　second　time。　I　was　lucky　she　didn't　want　me　wounded。　I　got　my　arm　around　Stephen's　waist；　and　he　managed　to　throw　his　arms　around　my　neck。　I　stood；　and　he　was　almost　dead　weight；　but　we　both　managed　to　stand；　and　with　my　help；　Stephen　kept　his　feet。　I　was　glad　he　was　about　my　size。　Bigger　would　have　been　harder。　His　robe　flapped　open；　and　he　took　one　arm　from　around　my　shoulders　and　tried　to　tie　it　closed；　but　he　couldn't　do　it。　He　started　to　take　his　other　arm　off　my　shoulders。
　〃Leave　it；　Stephen；　please。　We've　got　to　go　now。〃
　〃I　don't　want　people　to　see　me。〃　He　stared　at　me　from　inches　away；　his　face　vague　and　unfocused　from　the　drugs；　but　a　single　tear　trailed　from　the　corner　of　one　cornflower　blue　eye。　〃Please；〃　he　said。
　Shit。　I　braced　him　around　the　waist；　and　said；　〃Go　ahead。〃　I　stared　at　Raina　while　he　tied　his　robe；　clumsy　and　slow　from　the　drug　she'd　slipped　him。　He　was　making　a　low　whimpering　sound　deep　in　his　chest　by　the　time　he　got　it　closed。
　〃In　some　ways　you　are　as　sentimental　as　Richard；〃　she　said。　〃But　you　could　kill　us；　all　of　us；　even　Stephen's　brother；　and　feel　nothing。〃
　I　met　her　honey　brown　eyes　and　said；　〃I'd　feel　something。〃
　〃What？〃　she　asked。
　〃Safer；〃　I　said。
　I　backed　us　towards　the　open　door　and　had　to　glance　behind　to　make　sure　nothing　was　ing　up　at　me。　When　I　looked　back　at　them；　Gabriel　had　moved　forward；　but　Raina　had　a　hand　on　his　arm；　stopping　him。　She　was　looking　at　me　like　she'd　never　really　seen　me　before。　Like　I'd　surprised　her。　I　guess　it　was　mutual。　I'd　known　she　was　twisted；　but　not　in　my　wildest　dreams　would　I　have　accused　her　of　raping　one　of　her　own　people。
　Stephen　and　I　stepped　out　into　the　hall；　and　I　took　a　deep　breath；　feeling　something　in　my　chest　loosen。　The　sounds　of　fighting　crashed　over　us。　I　wanted　to　run　towards　the　fight。　Richard　was　alive；　or　they　wouldn't　have　still　been　fighting。　There　was　time。　There　had　to　be。
　I　called　to　Raina；　〃Don't　show　your　face　out　here　until　after　we're　gone；　Raina。　or　I'll　shoot　it　off。〃　There　was　no　answer　from　the　room。　I　had　to　get　to　Richard。
　Stephen　stumbled　and　nearly　took　us　both　down。　He　hung　from　my　shoulders；　his　arms　pressing　into　my　neck；　then　he　got　his　feet　under　him。　〃You　with　me。　Stephen？〃
　〃I'm　all　right。　Just　get　me　out　of　here。〃　His　voice　sounded　weak；　thready；　like　he　was　losing　consciousness。　I　could　not　carry　him　and　shoot；　or　at　least　I　didn't　want　to　try。　I　got　a　firmer　grip　on　his　waist　and　said；　〃Stay　with　me；　Stephen；　and　I'll　get　you　out。〃
　He　nodded；　long　hair　spilling　around　his　face。　〃Okay。〃　The　one　word　was　almost　too　soft　to　hear　above　the　fighting。
　I　stepped　out　into　the　main　room；　and　it　was　chaos。　I　couldn't　see　Richard。　There　was　just　a　mass　of　bodies；　arms；　legs；　a　clawed　form　rose　above　the　rest；　a　man…wolf　close　to　seven　feet　tall。　He　reached　down　and　drew　Richard　out　of　the　mess；　claws　digging　into　his　body。　Richard　shoved　a　hand　that　was　too　long　to　be　human；　and　not　furry　enough　to　be　wolf；　under　the　werewolf's　throat。　The　creature　gagged；　spitting　blood。
　A　wolf　almost　as　long　as　Richard　was　tall　leapt　upon　his　back。　Richard　staggered；　but　didn't　fall。　The　mouth　sank　teeth　into　his　shoulder。　Furred　claws　and　human　hands　grabbed　at　him　from　every　side。　Fuck　it。　I　fired　the　machine　gun　into　the　wooden　floor。　It　would　have　looked　more　impressive　if　I'd　fired　into　the　overhead　lights；　but　bullets　e　down　at　the　same　speed　th