lhamilton.thekillingdance-第24章

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　Louie　and　Stephen　were　curled　on　the　floor；　close　by。　I　was　among　friends。　Even　Jason；　grinning　up　at　me；　wouldn't　let　me　get　hurt。　Jason　was　Jean…Claude's　wolf　to　call；　as　was　Stephen。　I　think　if　they　let　me　get　killed；　they　might　not　survive　much　longer　than　I　did。
　〃Anita？〃　Richard　made　it　a　question。
　I　sighed　and　pushed　away　from　the　wall。　I　was　among　friends；　so　why　were　the　muscles　in　my　back　so　tight　it　hurt　to　move？　Paranoid？　Who　me？
　I　walked　around　the　couch；　coffee　mug　in　my　left　hand。　Sylvie　patted　the　couch；　smiling；　but　not　like　she　meant　it。
　I　sat　beside　Richard。　His　arm　slid　over　my　shoulders。　My　right　arm　was　pressed　against　his　side；　not　too　tightly。　He　knew　how　much　I　hated　having　my　gun　hand　impeded。
　Leaning　into　the　warmth　of　his　body；　I　relaxed。　The　tightness　in　my　shoulders　eased。　I　took　a　sip　of　coffee。　We　were　all　being　terribly　civilized。
　Richard　put　his　lips　against　my　face；　and　whispered；　〃Thank　you。〃
　Those　two　words　earned　him　a　lot　of　brownie　points。　He　knew　what　it　had　cost　me　to　sit　down　among　the　wolves；　rats；　and　cats。　Not　sitting　with　him　would　have　undermined　him　in　front　of　the　pack　and　the　other　leaders。　I　wasn't　here　to　make　the　situation　worse。
　〃Who　saved　you　last　night；　Stephen？〃　Sylvie　asked。　Her　voice　was　sweet；　face　pleasant。　I　didn't　trust　her　at　all。
　Every　eye　turned　to　Stephen。　He　tried　to　huddle　into　the　floor；　as　if　he　could　go　invisible；　but　it　didn't　work。　He　stared　at　Richard；　eyes　wide。
　〃Go　ahead；　Stephen；　tell　the　truth。　I　won't　be　mad。〃
　Stephen　swallowed。　〃Anita　saved　me。〃
　〃Richard　was　fighting　about　twenty　lycanthropes　at　the　time；〃　I　said。　〃He　told　me　to　get　Stephen；　so　I　did。〃
　Neal　sniffed　Stephen；　running　his　nose　just　above　the　other　man's　face　and　neck；　down　his　shoulder。　It　wasn't　a　human　gesture；　and　it　was　unnerving　in　the　well…dressed　man。　〃He　has　her　scent　on　his　skin。〃　Neal　glared　at　me。　〃He's　been　with　her。〃
　I　expected　an　outcry；　but　instead；　the　others　crowded　around　Stephen；　sniffing　his　skin；　touching　him；　and　bringing　their　fingers　close　to　their　own　faces。　Only　Sylvie；　Jason；　Rafael；　and　Louie　stayed　sitting。　One　by　one；　the　rest　turned　to　Richard　and　me。
　〃He's　right；〃　Christine　said。　〃Her　scent　clings　to　his　skin。　You　don't　get　that　much　scent　just　by　carrying　someone。〃
　Richard's　hand　tightened　on　my　shoulder。　I　glanced　at　his　face。　It　was　calm；　only　a　slight　tightness　around　the　eyes　betrayed　tension。　〃I　was　patrolling　the　woods　for　assassins；〃　Richard　said。　〃Stephen　didn't　want　to　be　alone。　I　sent　him　to　Anita。〃
　〃We　know　about　the　assassination　attempts；〃　Sylvie　said。
　I　widened　my　eyes。　〃You　do；　do　you？〃
　〃Richard　wants　us　to　help　protect　you。　If　we're　going　to　take　a　bullet　for　you；　we　need　to　know　why。〃
　I　met　her　eyes。　Her　pretty　face　was　harsh；　the　bones　in　her　cheeks　standing　out。
　〃I'm　not　asking　anyone　to　take　my　bullet；〃　I　said。　I　scooted　out　from　under　Richard's　arm；　which　put　me　closer　to　Sylvie；　not　an　improvement。
　Richard　didn't　fight　it。　He　drew　his　arm　back。　〃I　should　have　talked　to　you　before　I　told　them。〃
　〃Damn　straight；〃　I　said。
　Sylvie　leaned　her　arms　on　the　back　of　the　couch；　bringing　her　face　inches　from　mine。　〃Are　you　going　to　chastise　our　would…be　pack　leader；　human？〃
　〃You　say　human　like　it's　a　bad　thing；　Sylvie。　Jealous？〃
　She　drew　back　like　I'd　hit　her。　A　look　that　was　part　pain；　part　rage　passed　across　her　face。　〃Most　of　us　here　survived　an　attack；　human。　We　did　not　choose　this。〃　Her　voice　was　chokingly　harsh。
　I'd　expected　a　lot　of　things　from　her；　but　not　the　pain　of　a　survivor。　I　was　sorry　I'd　made　the　crack。　〃I'm　sorry。　I　didn't　mean　anything　personal　by　it。〃
　〃You　have　no　idea　how　personal　it　is。〃
　〃That's　enough；　Sylvie；〃　Richard　said。
　She　rose　on　her　knees　to　meet　Richard's　face　over　my　head。　〃Don't　you　even　have　the　balls　to　be　angry　that　she　slept　with　a　subordinate　male？〃
　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　I　said。　〃Stephen　and　I　did　not　have　sex。　We　literally　slept　together；　nothing　else。〃
　Neal　plunged　his　face　into　Stephen's　crotch　and　sniffed。　It　wasn't　a　human　gesture。　Stephen　let　him　do　it；　and　that　wasn't　very　human；　either。
　Jason　leaned　in；　sniffing　my　leg。
　I　put　my　coffee　cup　on　my　knee；　in　front　of　his　face。　〃Don't　even　think　it；〃　I　said。
　Jason　grinned　up　at　me。　〃Can't　blame　a　guy　for　trying。〃
　〃I　can；〃　Richard　said　softly。
　Jason　smiled　at　him　and　scooted　back。
　Neal　raised　his　face　and　shook　his　head。　〃They　didn't　have　sex。〃
　〃He　said　she'd　protect　me；〃　Stephen　said。　The　silence　grew　so　thick　you　could　have　walked　on　it。
　〃Is　that　what　you　said？〃　Sylvie　asked。　She　was　staring　at　Richard　like　he'd　done　something　very　bad。
　Richard　took　a　deep　enough　breath　that　his　shoulders　shuddered。　〃Yes；　that's　what　I　said。〃
　〃Stephen；〃　Sylvie　said；　〃Did　you　believe　she'd　protect　you？　If　Raina　had　e　through　the　door；　would　you　have　trusted　Anita　to　save　you？〃
　Stephen　looked　at　the　floor；　then　up；　his　eyes　darted　to　Richard；　then　to　me。　His　eyes　finally　stopped；　staring　at　me。　〃She　had　me　sleep　near　the　wall　so　she'd　be　in　front　in　case　anything　came　through　the　door。〃
　And　I'd　thought　I'd　been　subtle。
　〃What　would　you　have　done　if　Raina　had　e？〃　Sylvie　asked。
　Everyone　was　watching　me；　except　Richard。　Their　eyes　were　very　intent；　and　I　knew　the　question　meant　more　than　it　should　have。　〃I'd　have　killed　her。〃
　〃Not　just　shot　her　or　wounded　her？〃　Christine　asked。
　I　shook　my　head。　〃She　got　her　free　pass　last　night。　If　she　es　after　Stephen　again；　I'll　kill　her。〃
　〃You　mean　that；　don't　you？〃　Sylvie　said。
　〃Every　word；〃　I　said。
　There　was　a　hum　of　energy　in　the　room；　almost　as　if　they　were　all　sharing　some　telepathic　message。　I　don't　think　they　were；　but　something　was　happening。　The　energy　level　in　the　room　was　rising；　and　I　didn't　like　it。　I　sat　the　coffee　mug　on　the　floor。　I　wanted　both　my　hands　free。
　Sylvie　grabbed　me　around　the　waist　and　rolled　us　off　the　couch。　We　were　on　the　floor　with　her　riding　my　back　before　I　could　react。　I　went　for　the　gun；　and　her　hand　was　there　first。　She　jerked　the　gun　out　of　its　holster　and　tossed　it　away。　She　wasn't　fast；　she　was　miraculous；　and　I　was　in　deeper　shit　than　I　could　get　out　of。
　The　bend　of　her　arm　was　tucked　under　my　chin　like　in　a　strangle　hold；　positioned　just　right　so　she　could　black　me　out　without　killing　me。　Her　legs　locked　around　my　waist；　as　close　as　she　could　get　and　not　climb　down　my　shirt。
　A　half　dozen　werewolves　flowed　between　her　and　Richard。　He　was　standing；　hands　in　fists　at　his　side。　His　power　poured　through　the　room；　deeper　and　higher；　until　it　was　like　being　buried　alive　in　some　kind　of　static　charge。
　〃Don't；〃　I　whispered。　I　wasn't　talking　to　Richard。
　I　felt　something　open　inside　Sylvie；　a　trembling；　vibrating　energy　flowed　from　her　skin　across　my　body。　It　was　almost　hot；　like　opening　the　door　to　an　oven。　Where　her　skin　touched　me；　I　shivered。　It　was　painful；　like　small　electric　shocks。
　〃What　are　you　doing；　Sylvie？〃　Richard　asked。　His　voice　had　gone　low　and　growling　deep；　it　didn't　sound　human。　I　expected　his　eyes　to　be　amber；　but　they　were　the　same　solid　brown　as　always。　Human　eyes；　but　the　look　in　them　was　not。　The　beast　stared　out　of　Richard's　eyes。　I　knew　in　that　moment　that　he　was　truly　dangerous。　I　also　knew　that　all　that　impressive　power　wouldn't　save　me　if　Sylvie　wanted　to　rip　my　head　off。
　My　pulse　thudded　against　her　arm　like　a　trapped　butterfly。　I　forced　my　voice　calm。　〃What's　going　on？〃
　〃I'm　going　to　make　you　his　mate。〃
　〃You're　not　contagious　in　human　form；〃　I　said。
　〃Really？〃　she　said。　The　arm　around　my　throat　grew　warm；　pulsing　like　a　beating　heart。　I　felt　the　muscles　slide　under　her　skin。
　〃Richard。〃　My　voice　sounded　high　and　wispy。　Fear　will　do　that　to　you。
　Rafael　and　Louie　were　on　their　feet　now。　The　werewolves　that　had　joined　Sylvie　in　this　little　protest　fanned　out　to　cover　the　rats；　too。
　I　couldn't　see　Stephen。　He　was　somewhere　behind　us；　crouched　on　the　floor；　last　I　saw。
　Jason　crouched　at　Richard's　feet；　facing　the　other　werewolves。　But　at　least　ten　of　them　just　sat　there；　watching；　not　taking　sides。　〃You've　been　holding　out　on　us；〃　Jason　said。
　Sylvie　flexed　the　arm　around　my　neck。　I　had　a　glimpse　of　a