lhamilton.thekillingdance-第22章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


y　from　me；　and　I　didn't　have　to　see　his　eyes　to　feel　the　pain。
　I　grabbed　his　hand　and　wrapped　my　fingers　around　those　long；　thin　bones。　I　felt　muscles　under　my　hands　that　had　never　been　in　Richard's　hand　before。　It　took　everything　I　had　to　hold　that　hand。　To　touch　him　like　that。　Everything。　The　effort　left　me　shaking　and　unable　to　meet　his　eyes。　I　didn't　trust　what　he'd　see　in　them。
　He　touched　my　chin　with　his　other　hand　and　turned　me　slowly　to　face　him。　He　stared　down　at　me。　〃I　can　taste　your　fear；　and　I　like　it。　Do　you　understand？　I　like　it。〃
　I　had　to　clear　my　throat　to　talk。　〃I　noticed；〃　I　said。
　He　had　the　grace　to　blush。　He　bent　slowly　to　kiss　me。　I　didn't　try　to　stop　him；　but　I　didn't　help；　either。　I　usually　rose　on　tiptoe　to　meet　him　halfway。　I　stood　there；　too　scared　to　move；　forcing　his　tall　body　to　bend　at　the　shoulders；　to　fold　down　towards　me。　The　long；　thin…fingered　hand　that　I　was　holding　convulsed　around　me；　the　claws　playing　lightly　on　my　bare　forearm。
　I　tensed；　and　his　power　poured　over　me。　I　held　onto　his　hand　while　the　muscles　and　bones　slid　back　into　place。　I　held　on　with　both　hands　while　his　hand　re…formed　under　mine。　My　skin　shuddered　with　the　spill　of　power。
　His　lips　brushed　mine；　and　I　kissed　him　back；　almost　swaying。　I　let　go　of　his　hand；　my　fingers　brushed　his　bare　chest；　playing　over　his　hardened　nipples。　His　hands　slid　around　my　waist；　fingers　kneading　upward；　over　my　ribs；　along　my　spine。　He　whispered　into　my　mouth；　〃You're　not　wearing　anything　under　this　T…shirt。〃
　〃I　know；〃　I　said。
　His　hands　slid　under　the　shirt；　caressing　my　back；　pressing　our　bodies　together。　His　naked　body　touched　me；　and　even　through　my　jeans；　it　made　me　shudder。　I　wanted　to　feel　his　naked　flesh　against　mine　so　badly；　I　could　feel　it　like　a　hunger　in　my　skin。　I　slipped　the　T…shirt　off；　and　he　made　a　sound　of　surprise。
　He　stared　down　at　my　bare　breasts；　and　he　wasn't　the　only　one　excited。　He　ran　his　hands　over　my　breasts；　and　when　I　didn't　stop　him；　he　dropped　to　his　knees　in　front　of　me。　He　looked　up　at　me；　his　brown　eyes　filled　with　a　dark　light。
　I　kissed　him　while　he　knelt　in　front　of　me；　as　if　I'd　eat　him　from　the　mouth　down。　The　feel　of　him　against　my　naked　flesh　was　almost　too　much。
　He　broke　from　the　kiss　and　ran　his　mouth　over　my　breasts。　It　brought　a　surprised　moan　from　my　throat。
　There　was　a　knock　at　the　door。　We　froze。　A　woman's　voice　that　I　didn't　recognize　said；　〃I　didn't　e　all　this　way　to　listen　to　you　make　out；　Richard。　I'd　like　to　remind　you　that　all　of　us　have　incredibly　good　hearing。〃
　〃Not　to　mention　sense　of　smell。〃　That　was　Jason。
　〃Damn；〃　he　said　softly；　head　buried　against　me。
　I　leaned　my　head　over　him；　burying　my　face　in　his　hair。　〃I　think　I'll　just　climb　out　the　window。〃
　He　hugged　me　around　the　waist　and　stood；　passing　his　hands　over　my　breasts　one　last　time。　〃I　can't　tell　you　how　long　I've　wanted　to　do　that。〃
　He　reached　for　his　jeans　and　underpants　still　lying　on　the　bed。　I　touched　his　arm；　bringing　his　attention　back　to　me。
　〃I　want　you；　Richard。　I　love　you。　I　want　you　to　believe　that。〃
　He　stared　at　me；　his　face　grew　strange　and　solemn。　〃You　haven't　seen　me　change　into　a　wolf　yet。　You　need　to　see　that　before　we　go　any　further。〃
　The　thought　did　not　excite　me；　and　I　was　glad　I　was　the　girl；　so　it　didn't　show。　〃You're　right；　though　if　you'd　played　your　cards　right；　we　might　have　had　sex　first。〃
　〃It　wouldn't　be　fair　to　you。〃
　〃So　you're　saying　even　if　we'd　been　alone　you'd　have　stopped　and　shapeshifted。〃
　He　nodded。
　〃Because　it　wouldn't　be　fair　to　sleep　with　me　until　I'd　seen　the　whole　package？〃
　〃Exactly。〃
　〃You　are　such　a　boy　scout；　Richard。〃
　〃I　think　I　just　lost　one　of　my　merit　badges；〃　he　said。　The　look　on　his　face　brought　a　rush　of　heat　up　my　neck。
　He　grinned　and　slipped　on　his　pants。　He　wore　briefs。　He　pulled　on　his　jeans　and　was　careful　zipping　them　up。　I　watched　him　get　dressed　with　a　proprietary　air。　An　air　of　anticipation。
　I　picked　the　T…shirt　up　from　the　floor　and　pulled　it　back　on。　Richard　came　up　behind　me；　sliding　his　hands　under　the　shirt；　cupping　a　hand　around　each　breast；　kneading　them。　I　leaned　back　against　him。　He　was　the　one　who　stopped；　hugging　me　around　the　waist；　picking　me　an　inch　off　the　floor。　He　turned　me　around　and　gave　me　a　quick　kiss。　〃When　you　make　up　your　mind　to　do　something；　you　really　make　up　your　mind；　don't　you？〃
　〃Always；〃　I　said。
　He　took　in　a　deep　breath　through　his　nose　and　out　through　his　mouth。　〃I'd　try　to　make　it　a　quick　meeting；　but　。　。　。〃
　〃Edward　should　be　here　soon；　so　it　doesn't　matter。〃
　He　nodded；　his　face　falling。　〃I　almost　forgot　that　someone　was　trying　to　kill　you。〃　He　cupped　my　face　in　his　hands　and　kissed　me；　eyes　searching　my　face。　〃Be　careful。〃
　I　touched　the　bandage　on　his　shoulder。　〃You；　too。〃
　He　pulled　a　black　T…shirt　from　a　drawer　and　slipped　it　on。　He　tucked　it　into　his　jeans；　and　I　made　myself　stay　away　from　him　while　he　fumbled　with　his　zipper。　〃Join　us　after　you　get　dressed。〃
　I　nodded。　〃Sure。〃　He　left；　closing　the　door　behind　him。　I　sighed　and　sat　down　on　the　edge　of　the　bed。　Damn。　I　didn't　want　to　lose　Richard。　I　really　didn't。　I　wanted　to　sleep　with　him。　I　wasn't　sure　how　I　felt　about　seeing　him　change　into　full　animal　form。　The　hand　thing　had　bothered　me　enough。　What　if　I　couldn't　take　it？　What　if　it　was　too　gross？　Dear　God；　I　hoped　not。　I　hoped　I　was　a　better　person　than　that。　A　stronger　person　than　that。
　Richard　was　afraid　that　if　he　started　to　kill；　he'd　just　keep　killing。　It　wasn't　a　pletely　unreasonable　fear。　I　hugged　myself　tight。　The　feel　of　his　body　against　mine　clung　to　my　skin。　The　feel　of　his　mouth　on　me　。　。　。　I　shivered；　and　it　wasn't　fear。　It　was　stupid　to　love　Richard。　Having　sex　with　him　would　make　it　worse。　He　was　going　to　be　dead　soon　if　he　didn't　kill　Marcus。　Simple　as　that。　Jean…Claude　would　never　have　endangered　himself　like　that。　Never。　You　could　always　trust　Jean…Claude　to　survive。　It　was　one　of　his　talents。　I　was　almost　sure　it　wasn't　one　of　Richard's。　Last　night　should　have　proved　to　me　beyond　any　doubt　that　I　should　dump　him。　Or　that　he　should　dump　me。　You　could　agree　to　disagree　on　politics；　or　even　religion　sometimes；　but　you　either　killed　people　or　you　didn't。　Homicide　was　not　something　you　could　be　neutral　on。
　Jean…Claude　didn't　mind　killing　people。　Once　upon　a　time；　I'd　thought　that　made　him　monstrous。　Now　I　agreed　with　him。　Will　the　real　monster　please　stand　up？
　
　
　11
　
　l'd　finally　gotten　dressed；　red　polo　shirt；　black　jeans；　black　Nikes；　the　Firestar　9mm　in　its　inner…pants　holster。　The　gun　was　very　visible　against　the　red　shirt；　but　hey；　why　try　to　hide　it？　Besides；　I　could　feel　the　roil　of　power　just　outside　the　door。　Shapeshifters；　not　all　of　them　happy。　Strong　emotions　make　it　harder　to　hide　their　power。　Richard　was　one　of　the　best　at　hiding　it　that　I'd　ever　met。　He'd　fooled　me　for　a　while；　made　me　think　he　was　human。　No　one　else　had　ever　been　able　to　do　that。
　I　looked　at　myself　in　the　mirror　and　realized　that　it　wasn't　facing　a　room　full　of　lycanthropes　that　bothered　me；　it　was　facing　a　room　full　of　people　who　knew　that　Richard　and　I　had　been　making　out。　I　preferred　danger　to　embarrassment　any　day。　I　was　used　to　danger。
　The　bathroom　was　just　off　the　living　room；　so　when　I　opened　the　door；　they　were　all　there；　clustered　on　or　around　the　couch。　They　glanced　at　me　as　I　stepped　out；　and　I　nodded。　〃Hello。〃
　Rafael　said；　〃Hello；　Anita。〃　He　was　the　Rat　King；　the　wererats　equivalent　of　pack　leader。　He　was　tall；　dark；　and　handsome　with　strong　Mexican　features　that　made　his　face　seem　stern。　Only　his　lips　hinted　that　perhaps　there　were　more　smiles　than　frowns　in　him。　He　was　wearing　a　short…sleeved　dress　shirt　that　left　the　brand　on　his　arm　bare。　The　brand　was　in　the　shape　of　a　crown；　and　was　the　mark　of　kingship。　There　was　no　equivalent　mark　among　the　wolves。　Being　a　lycanthrope　meant　different　things；　depending　on　the　animal；　different　cultures　as　well　as　forms。
　〃I　didn't　know　the　wererats　would　be　interested　in　the　packs'　internal　squabbles；〃　I　said。
　〃Marcus　is　trying　to　unify　all　shapeshifters　under　one　leader。〃
　〃Let　me　guess；〃　I　said；　〃he　gets　to　be　leader。〃
　Rafael　gave　a　small　smile。　〃