lhamilton.thekillingdance-第25章

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　Sylvie　flexed　the　arm　around　my　neck。　I　had　a　glimpse　of　a　long…clawed　hand。　〃Only　Raina　is　higher　in　the　pack　than　I　am；　Jason。〃
　Richard　faced　the　werewolves。　He　brought　his　hands　upward；　making　a　soothing　gesture　like　he'd　done　at　the　movie　set。　The　prickling　energy　in　the　room　went　down　a　notch。　He　was　forcing　their　power　back。
　〃All　it　takes　is　a　scratch；　Richard；〃　Sylvie　said。　〃You'll　never　reach　us　in　time。〃
　〃I　forbid　this；〃　Richard　growled。　〃No　one　is　to　be　infected　against　their　will。　Especially　Anita。〃
　〃Why？〃　Sylvie　said。　〃Because　if　she　wasn't　human；　you　wouldn't　want　her？　Not　taking　the　pack　to　your　bed　is　just　another　way　of　denying　what　you　are；　Richard。〃
　Something　passed　over　his　face　behind　the　anger　and　the　power：　uncertainty。
　I　knew　in　that　moment　she　was　right。
　Sylvie　whispered　in　my　ear；　her　breath　warm　on　my　face。　〃See　his　face。〃
　〃Yeah；〃　I　said。
　〃He　accuses　you　of　not　being　able　to　sleep　with　him　because　you　think　he's　a　monster；　but　if　I　make　you　one　of　us；　he　won't　want　you。　He　thinks　of　all　of　us　as　monsters；　but　not　good　old　Richard。　He's　better　than　the　rest　of　us。〃
　〃I　will　hurt　you；　Sylvie。　I'll　bleed　you；　do　you　understand；〃　Richard　said。
　〃But　you　won't　kill　me；　will　you？〃　she　said。　Her　arm　flexed；　long　claws　tickled　down　my　face。
　I　put　my　hands　on　her　arm；　trying　to　hold　it　away　from　me；　and　not　succeeding。　〃I'll　kill　you；〃　I　said。
　She　went　very　still　against　my　body。　〃For　changing　you　into　one　of　us？　For　losing　you　Richard's　love　when　he　sees　you　monstrous　and　furry？〃
　I　spoke　very　low；　very　carefully。　〃You　hate　what　you　are；　Sylvie。〃
　Her　arm　convulsed　tight　enough　that　I　couldn't　breathe　for　a　second。　〃I　don't　hate　what　I　am。　I　accept　what　I　am。〃　Her　arm　loosened。
　I　took　a　shaky　breath　and　tried　again。　〃I　saw　the　look　on　your　face　when　I　accused　you　of　being　jealous。　You　are　jealous　of　me　being　human；　Sylvie。　You　know　you　are。〃
　She　held　her　other　hand　up　in　front　of　my　face；　letting　me　get　a　good　look　at　the　long；　thin　claws。　The　hand　at　my　throat　bed　claws　through　my　hair。
　〃You　know　that　Raina　has　forbidden　us　to　make　you　lukoi。　She's　afraid　if　you　joined　us；　you'd　be　a　better　bitch　than　she　is。〃
　〃How　flattering；〃　I　whispered。　I　looked　at　Richard　through　the　backs　of　the　werewolves。　His　eyes　had　gone　amber　and　alien。　Even　now；　I　knew；　he　wouldn't　kill　Sylvie。　Even　if　she　bled　me；　infected　me；　he　wouldn't　kill　her。　It　was　there　in　the　pain　on　his　face。　The　confusion　replacing　the　fear。
　Maybe　Sylvie　saw　it。　Maybe　she'd　made　her　point。　Whatever；　she　uncurled　herself　from　my　body　and　stood　carefully　on　the　other　side　of　me。
　I　scuttled　away　on　all　fours　as　fast　as　I　could　go。　It　wasn't　pretty；　it　wasn't　slick；　but　it　was　effective。
　I　crawled　until　I　came　to　the　far　wall。　I　stayed　sitting　against　it；　as　far　away　from　everything　in　the　room　as　I　could　get。
　The　other　werewolves　had　faded　away。　Sylvie　and　Richard　stood　facing　each　other。　Sylvie's　eyes　had　gone　a　strange　liquid　grey；　wolf　eyes。
　Richard　flung　his　power　outward。　It　ate　along　my　skin；　tore　a　gasp　from　my　throat。
　Sylvie　stood　in　that　flood　of　power　and　didn't　flinch。　〃The　power　is　impressive；　Richard；　but　it　means　nothing　as　long　as　Marcus　lives。〃
　He　backhanded　her；　in　a　blur　of　motion　that　was　too　fast　to　follow。　Sylvie　careened　into　the　wall　and　slid　to　the　floor；　stunned。
　〃I　am　pack　leader；〃　Richard's　voice　roared；　and　he　raised　clawed　hands　to　the　sky。　He　fell　to　his　knees；　and　I　didn't　go　to　help。　I　stayed　huddled　against　the　wall；　wishing　I'd　packed　an　extra　gun。
　Richard　crouched　on　the　floor；　rocking　gently。　He　curled　on　his　knees　into　a　ball；　and　I　felt　him　swallow　the　power　back。　I　felt　it　drain　away。　He　stayed　crouched　on　the　floor；　hugging　himself　for　a　long　time　after　the　power　vanished　from　the　room；　head　down；　his　hair　hiding　his　face。
　Sylvie　got　to　her　knees　and　crawled　towards　him。　She　crouched　beside　him；　smoothing　his　hair　back　on　one　side。　〃We　would　follow　you　anywhere　if　you　would　kill　for　us。　She　will　kill　for　us。　If　your　mate；　your　lupa；　will　kill　for　us；　it　might　be　enough。〃
　Richard　raised　his　head　up　with　a　shudder。　〃No　one　is　to　be　infected　against　their　will；　that　is　my　word；　and　my　order。〃　He　raised　back　on　his　knees。
　Sylvie　stayed　crouched　down；　face　near　the　floor；　a　sign　of　abasement。　〃But　you　will　not　kill　to　enforce　it。〃
　〃I　will　kill　to　protect　Anita；〃　Rafael　said。
　Everyone　looked　at　him。
　He　met　their　eyes　and　didn't　back　down。　〃If　anyone　touches　her　against　her　will；　I　and　mine　will　hunt　them　down。〃
　〃Rafael；〃　Richard　said；　〃don't　do　this。〃
　He　stared　at　Richard。　〃You　bring　a　human　among　us；　but　you　do　not　protect　her。　Someone　has　to。〃
　I　wanted　to　say　I　could　protect　myself；　but　it　wasn't　true。　I　was　good；　but　I　was　just　human。　It　wasn't　enough。
　〃I　can't　let　you　do　my　dirty　work　for　me；〃　he　said。
　〃I　am　your　friend；　Richard；〃　Rafael　said。　〃I　do　not　mind。〃
　Sylvie　hugged　the　ground　at　Richard's　feet。　〃Will　you　let　the　Rat　King　kill　your　pack？　Is　he　our　leader　now？〃
　He　stared　down　at　her；　and　something　happened　to　his　face；　not　otherworldly；　or　wolf；　but　a　hardness；　almost　a　sadness　passed　over　him。　I　watched　it；　and　I　didn't　like　it。　If　I'd　had　my　gun；　I　might　have　shot　Sylvie　for　making　that　look　pass　over　his　face。　〃I　will　kill　anyone　who　breaks　my　word。　I　have　spoken；　and　it　is　law。〃
　Sylvie　abased　herself　even　lower；　and　the　other　wolves　came　crowding　around；　crawling　on　the　floor；　abasing　themselves　in　front　of　him。　Some　of　them　licked　his　hands；　touched　his　body。　They　moved　around　him　until　he　was　nearly　hidden　from　sight。
　Richard　stood　up；　walking　through　them；　their　hands　clinging　to　his　legs。　He　bent　down　and　picked　up　the　Firestar　from　the　floor　and　walked　over　to　me。　He　looked　normal　enough；　all　the　wolfish　changes　hidden　away。　He　handed　me　the　gun；　butt　first。　〃Are　you　all　right？〃
　I　cradled　the　gun　in　both　hands。　〃Sure。〃
　〃I　value　your　humanity；　Anita。　Sylvie's　right。　How　can　I　ask　you　to　embrace　my　beast；　when　I　can't　do　it　myself？〃　The　pain　on　his　face　was　heartrending。　〃I　will　kill　to　keep　you　safe。　Does　that　make　you　happy？〃
　I　stared　up　at　him。　〃No；〃　I　said。　〃I　thought　it　would；　but　no。〃　I　felt　like　Rafael；　I'd　kill　for　him。　I'd　kill　to　keep　the　pain　out　of　his　eyes。
　I　holstered　the　gun　and　raised　my　right　hand　to　him。　His　eyes　widened。　He　understood　the　gesture。　He　took　my　hand　and　raised　me　to　my　feet。　He　drew　me　with　him　towards　the　waiting　wolves。
　I　hung　back；　pulling　on　his　hand。
　〃I　said　I'd　kill　for　you；　Anita。〃　His　voice　was　soft　and　harsh　at　the　same　time。　〃Don't　you　believe　I'd　do　it？〃
　His　eyes　were　utterly　sad。　It　was　like　something　inside　of　him　that　he'd　kept　alive　all　these　years　was　dead　now。　I　believed　the　look　in　his　eyes。　He　would　kill　to　protect　me；　and　the　decision　had　cost　him　dearly。
　The　werewolves　closed　around　us。　I　would　have　said　they　crawled　around　us；　but　that　didn't　cover　what　they　were　doing。　Crawling　wasn't　graceful；　or　sensuous；　but　this　was。　They　moved　like　they　had　muscles　in　places　that　people　didn't。　They　circled　us　and　rolled　their　eyes　up　at　us。　When　I　met　those　eyes；　they　looked　away；　all　except　Sylvie。　She　met　my　gaze　and　held　it。　It　was　a　challenge；　but　I　wasn't　sure　what　I　was　supposed　to　do　about　it。
　A　hand　touched　me；　and　I　jerked　away　from　it。　Only　Richard's　hand　on　mine　kept　me　from　going　for　my　gun。　He　held　both　my　hands　in　his　and　drew　me　to　him；　our　bodies　not　quite　touching。　He　met　my　eyes　and　held　them。　He　wasn't　afraid。　I　tried　to　relax；　but　it　wasn't　working。
　〃This　is　my　lupa。　Know　her　scent；　know　her　skin。　She　has　shed　our　blood；　and　shed　her　blood　for　us。　She　stands　as　protector　for　those　weaker　than　herself。　She　will　kill　for　us；　if　we　ask。　She　is　your　alpha。〃
　Sylvie　and　Neal　stood　up。　They　both　moved　out　of　the　circle。　They　stood；　staring　at　me；　at　Richard。　The　others　crouched　on　the　floor；　watching。
　〃She　is　not　dominant　to　me；〃　Sylvie　said。
　〃She　is　not　even　one　of　us；〃　Neal　said；　〃I　won't　bow　to　her。　I　could　break　her　in　half　with　one　hand。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃She　isn't　my　alpha。〃
　〃What's　happening；　Richard？〃　I　asked。
　〃I　tried　to　bring　you　into　the　pack；　make　you　one　of　us　without　c