lhamilton.thekillingdance-第23章

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　〃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。　〃Yes。〃
　〃So　you've　thrown　in　with　Richard　as　the　lesser　evil？〃　I　made　it　a　question。
　〃I've　thrown　in　with　Richard　because　he　is　a　man　of　his　word。　Marcus　has　no　honor。　His　bitch　Raina　has　seen　to　that。〃
　〃I　still　think　if　we　killed　Raina；　Marcus　might　be　willing　to　talk　with　us。〃　This　from　a　woman　who　I　thought　I'd　seen　before　but　couldn't　place。　She　sat　on　the　floor　sipping　coffee　from　a　mug。　She　had　short　blond　hair；　and　was　wearing　a　pink　nylon　jogging　suit；　jacket　open　over　a　pink　T…shirt。　It　was　a　jogging　suit　made　for　looking　at；　not　working　out　in；　and　I　remembered　her。　I'd　seen　her　at　the　Lunatic　Cafe；　Raina's　restaurant。　Her　name　was　Christine。　She　wasn't　a　wolf；　she　was　a　weretiger。　She　was　here　to　speak　on　behalf　of　the　independent　shapeshifters。　Those　who　didn't　have　enough　people　to　have　a　leader。　Not　every　kind　of　lycanthropy　was　equally　contagious。　You　could　get　cut　to　pieces　by　a　weretiger　and　not　get　it。　A　werewolf　could　barely　cut　you　and　you　got　furry。　Almost　none　of　the　cat…based　lycanthropy　was　as　contagious　as　wolf　and　rat。　No　one　knew　why。　It　was　just　the　way　it　worked。
　Richard　introduced　me　to　about　fifteen　others；　first　names　only。
　I　said　hi　and　leaned　against　the　wall　by　the　door。　The　couch　was　full；　and　so　was　the　floor。　Besides；　I　liked　being　out　of　reach　of　any　shapeshifter　I　didn't　know。　Just　a　precaution。
　〃Actually；　I've　met　Christine　before；〃　I　said。
　〃Yes；〃　Christine　said；　〃the　night　you　killed　Alfred。〃
　I　shrugged。　〃Yeah。〃
　〃Why　didn't　you　kill　Raina　last　night　when　you　had　the　chance？〃　she　said。
　Before　I　could　answer；　Richard　interrupted。　〃If　we　kill　Raina；〃　he　said；　〃Marcus　will　hunt　us　all　down。〃
　〃I　don't　think　he's　up　to　the　job；〃　Sylvie　said。
　Richard　shook　his　head。　〃No；　I　still　won't　give　up　on　Marcus。〃
　No　one　said　anything；　but　the　looks　on　their　faces　were　enough。　They　agreed　with　me。　Richard　was　going　to　get　himself　killed　and　hang　his　followers　out　to　dry。
　Louie　came　out　of　the　kitchen　carrying　two　mugs　of　coffee。　He　smiled　at　me。　Louie　was　Richard's　best　friend；　and　he'd　gone　on　a　lot　of　hiking　dates　with　us。　He　was　five　foot　six；　with　eyes　darker　than　my　own；　true　black；　not　just　darkest　brown。　His　baby…fine　black　hair　had　been　cut　recently。　He'd　worn　it　long　for　all　the　time　I'd　known　him；　not　a　fashion　statement　like　Richard；　he　just　never　got　around　to　getting　it　cut。　Now　it　was　short　enough　that　his　ears　showed；　and　he　looked　older；　more　like　a　professor　with　a　doctorate　in　biology。　He　was　a　wererat；　and　one　of　Rafael's　lieutenants。　He　handed　me　one　of　the　mugs。
　〃These　meetings　have　been　so　much　more　pleasant　since　Richard　bought　that　coffeemaker。　Thanks　to　you。〃
　I　took　a　big　breath　of　coffee；　and　felt　better　instantly。　Coffee　might　not　be　a　cure…all；　but　it　was　close。　〃I'm　not　sure　everyone　is　happy　to　see　me。〃
　〃They're　scared。　It　makes　them　a　little　hostile。〃
　Stephen　came　out　of　the　guest　room　dressed　in　clothes　that　fit　too　well　to　be　Richard's。　A　blue　dress　shirt；　tucked　into　faded　blue　jeans。　The　only　man　in　the　room　that　was　close　to　Richard's　size　was　Jason。　Jason　never　minded　sharing　his　clothes。
　〃Why　does　everyone　look　so　grim？〃　I　asked。
　Louie　leaned　against　the　wall；　sipping　coffee。　〃Jean…Claude　withdrew　his　support　of　Marcus　and　threw　in　with　Richard。　I　can't　believe　neither　of　them　mentioned　that。〃
　〃They　said　something　about　having　formed　a　bargain；　but　they　didn't　explain。〃　I　thought　about　what　he'd　just　told　me。　〃Marcus　must　be　pissed。〃
　The　smile　faded　from　his　face。　〃That　is　an　understatement。〃　He　looked　at　me。　〃You　don't　understand；　do　you？〃
　〃Understand　what？〃　I　asked。
　〃Without　Jean…Claude's　backing；　Marcus　doesn't　stand　a　chance　of　forcing　the　rest　of　the　shapeshifters　under　his　control。　His　dreams　of　empire　building　are　finished。〃
　〃If　he　doesn't　stand　a　chance；　why　is　everyone　so　worried？〃
　Louie　gave　a　sad　smile。　〃What　Marcus　can't　control；　he　has　a　tendency　to　kill。〃
　〃You　mean　he'd　start　a　war？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Not　just　with　Richard　and　the　pack；　you　mean；　but　an　all…out　war　with　all　the　other　shapeshifters　in　town？〃
　Louie　nodded。　〃Except　the　wereleopards。　Gabriel　is　their　leader　and　he　sides　with　Raina。〃
　I　thought　about　it　for　a　second　or　two。　〃Sweet　Jesus；　it　would　be　a　bloodbath。〃
　〃And　there'd　be　no　way　of　containing　it；　Anita。　Some　of　it　would　spill　over　onto　the　normal　world。　There　are　still　three　states　in　this　country　that　will　pay　hundreds　of　dollars　in　bounty　for　a　dead　shapeshifter；　no　questions　asked。　A　war　like　this　could　make　the　practice　look　practical。〃
　〃Do　you　two　have　something　better　to　do？〃　Christine　asked。　I　was　beginning　not　to　like　her。　It　was　she　that　knocked　on　the　door　and　interrupted　Richard　and　me。　Frankly；　for　that　I　was　sort　of　grateful。　The　thought　of　everyone　hearing　us　go　further　would　have　been　too　embarrassing　for　words。
　Louie　moved　back　to　sit　on　the　floor　with　the　others。　I　stayed　leaning　against　the　wall；　sipping　my　coffee。
　〃Are　you　going　to　join　us？〃　she　asked。
　〃I'm　fine　where　I　am；〃　I　said。
　〃Too　good　to　sit　with　us？〃　a　man　in　his　late　thirties　with　dark　blue　eyes　asked。　He　was　about　five　foot　eight；　it　was　hard　to　tell　with　him　sitting　on　the　floor。　He　was　dressed　in　a　suit；　plete　with　tie；　as　if　he　was　on　his　way　to　work。　His　name　was　Neal。
　〃Not　good　enough；〃　I　said；　〃not　good　enough　by　half。〃
　〃What　the　hell's　that　supposed　to　mean？〃　he　asked。　〃I　don't　like　having　a　normal　here。〃
　〃Leave　it　alone；　Neal；〃　Richard　said。
　〃Why？　She's　laughing　at　us。〃
　Richard　glanced　back　at　me　from　his　corner　of　the　couch。　〃e　join　us；　Anita？〃
　Sylvie　was　sitting　beside　Richard；　not　too　close；　but　still；　there　was　not　enough　room　for　me。　Rafael　sat　on　the　end　of　the　couch；　spine　straight；　ankle　propped　on　one　knee。
　〃Couch　looks　full；〃　I　said。
　Richard　held　out　his　hand　to　me。　〃We'll　make　room。〃
　〃She　isn't　even　pack；〃　Sylvie　said。　〃I　won't　give　up　my　seat　to　her。　No　offense　to　you；　Anita；　you　don't　know　any　better。〃　Her　voice　was　matter…of…fact；　not　hostile；　but　the　look　she　gave　Richard　wasn't　exactly　friendly。
　〃No　offense　taken；〃　I　said。　I　wasn't　sure　I　wanted　to　sit　on　the　couch　surrounded　by　lycanthropes　anyway。　Even　supposedly　friendly　ones。　Everyone　in　the　room　was　stronger　and　faster　than　I　was；　just　a　fact。　The　only　leg　up　I　had　was　the　gun。　If　I　sat　right　beside　them；　I'd　never　get　it　out　in　time。
　〃I　want　my　girlfriend　to　sit　with　me；　Sylvie；　that's　all；〃　Richard　said。　〃It　isn't　meant　as　a　challenge　to　your　position　in　the　lukoi。〃　His　voice　sounded　patient　like　he　was　talking　to　a　child。
　〃What　did　you　say？〃　Sylvie　asked。　She　looked　shocked。
　〃We　are　the　lukoi。　Anita　knows　that。〃
　〃You　shared　our　words　with　her？〃　Neal　said；　outrage　thick　in　his　voice。
　I　wanted　to　say　that　it　was　just　words；　but　I　didn't。　Who　says　I'm　not　getting　smarter？
　〃There　was　a　time　when　sharing　our　secrets　with　normals　could　get　you　a　death　sentence；〃　Sylvie　said。
　〃Even　Marcus　doesn't　allow　that　anymore。〃
　〃How　much　of　our　secrets　do　you　know；　human？〃
　I　shrugged。　〃A　few　words；　that's　all。〃
　Sylvie　stared　at　me。　〃You　want　your　human　girlfriend　to　cuddle　up　next　to　you；　is　that　it；　Richard？〃
　〃Yes；〃　he　said。　There　was　no　trace　of　anger　in　his　voice。
　Personally；　I　didn't　like　the　way　she'd　said　〃human。〃
　Sylvie　knelt　on　the　couch；　staring　at　me。　〃e　human；　sit　with　us。〃
　I　stared　at　her。　〃Why　the　change　of　heart？〃
　〃Not　everything　has　to　do　with　the　pack　hierarchy。　That's　what　Richard　is　always　telling　us。　Sit　by　your　lover。　I'll　scoot　over。〃　She　did；　curling　up　on　the　couch；　near　Rafael。
　The　Rat　King　glanced　at　me。　He　raised　an　eyebrow；　almost　a　shrug。　I　didn't　trust　Sylvie；　but　I　trusted　Rafael；　and　I　trusted　Richard；　at　least　here；　today。　I　realized　that　I　would　have　trusted　Rafael　last　night。　He　wouldn't　have　the　moral　qualms　that　Richard　had。　Poor　Richard　was　like　a　lone　voice　crying　in　the　wilderness。　God　help　me；　I　agreed　with　the　pagans。
　Louie　and　Stephen　were　curled　on　the　floor；　close　by。　I　was　among　friends。　Even　Jason；　grinning　up　at　me；　wouldn't　let　m