lhamilton.thekillingdance-第54章

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amn　him。
　A　low；　bass　growl　brought　my　attention　back　to　Richard。　He　stalked　towards　the　bed　as　if　each　movement　hurt。　The　tension　sang　through　the　building　power。　Was　I　going　to　get　to　see　him　change　here　and　now？　If　he　changed；　there'd　be　a　fight；　and　for　the　very　first　time；　I　was　worried　for　Jean…Claude's　safety；　as　well　as　Richard's。
　〃Don't　do　this；　Richard；　please。〃
　He　was　staring　past　me　at　Jean…Claude。　I　didn't　dare　look　behind　to　see　what　mischief　the　vampire　was　doing；　I　had　my　hands　full　with　the　werewolf　in　front　of　me。
　Something　flickered　across　his　face。　I　was　sure　Jean…Claude　had　done　something　behind　my　back。　Richard　made　a　sound　more　animal　than　human　and　rushed　for　the　bed。　I　didn't　move　out　of　the　way。　I　stood　my　ground；　and　when　he　was　even　with　me；　moving　past　me；　I　threw　my　body　into　him　and　threw　him　in　a　nearly　perfect　shoulder　roll。　His　momentum　did　the　rest。　Maybe　if　I'd　let　go　of　his　arm；　we　could　have　avoided　the　rest；　but　I　made　the　classic　mistake。　I　didn't　think　Richard　would　really　hurt　me。
　He　grabbed　the　arm　that　was　holding　him　and　flung　me　across　the　room。　He　was　flat　on　his　back　and　didn't　have　much　leverage；　and　that　was　all　that　saved　me。　I　was　airborne　for　just　a　second　and　rolled　along　the　carpet　when　I　hit。　The　world　was　still　spinning　when　my　hand　went　for　the　knife。　I　couldn't　hear　anything　but　the　blood　rushing　in　my　own　head；　but　I　knew；　I　knew　he　was　ing。
　He　touched　my　arm；　rolled　me　over；　and　I　laid　the　silver　blade　against　his　neck。　He　froze；　bent　over；　trying；　I　think；　to　help　me　stand。　Richard　and　I　stared　at　each　other　from　inches　away。　The　anger　was　gone　from　his　face。　His　eyes　were　normal；　as　lovely　as　ever；　but　I　kept　the　knife　against　the　smooth　skin　of　his　neck；　dimpling　it　so　he　knew　I　meant　business。
　He　swallowed　carefully。　〃I　didn't　mean　to　hurt　you；　Anita。　I　am　so　sorry。〃
　〃Back　off；〃　I　said。
　〃Are　you　hurt？〃
　〃Back　off；　Richard。　Now！〃
　〃Let　me　help　you。〃　He　bent　closer；　and　I　pressed　the　blade　in　hard　enough　to　draw　a　trickle　of　blood。
　〃Let　go　of　me；　Richard。〃
　He　let　go　and　moved　slowly　away。　He　looked　puzzled　and　hurt。　He　touched　the　blood　at　his　neck　as　if　he　didn't　know　what　it　was。
　When　he　was　out　of　reach；　I　let　myself　sag　against　the　carpet。　Nothing　was　broken；　of　that　I　was　sure；　and　I　wasn't　bleeding。　If　he'd　thrown　me　into　a　wall　with　that　much　force；　it　would　have　been　a　different　story。　I'd　been　dating　him　for　seven　months；　nearly　slept　with　him　more　than　once；　and　in　all　that　time；　I　hadn't　fully　appreciated　what　I　was　playing　with。
　〃Ma　petite；　are　you　all　right？〃　Jean…Claude　was　standing　at　the　foot　of　the　bed。　He　was　watching　Richard　closely　as　he　moved　towards　me。
　〃I'm　all　right；　I'm　all　right。〃　I　glared　up　at　him。　〃What　did　you　do　behind　my　back　to　piss　him　off？〃
　Jean…Claude　looked　embarrassed。　〃I　did　tease　Monsieur　Zeeman。　Perhaps　I　even　wanted　a　fight。　Jealousy　is　a　foolish　emotion。　How　was　I　to　know　you　would　not　move　out　of　the　way　of　a　charging　werewolf？〃
　〃I　don't　back　up；　not　for　anyone。〃　I　almost　laughed。　〃Though　next　time；　maybe　I'll　make　an　exception。〃
　〃I　didn't　mean　to　hurt　you；〃　Richard　said。　〃But　seeing　you　together　like　that　。　。　。　Knowing　you're　with　him　isn't　the　same　thing　as　having　it　rubbed　in　my　face。〃　His　anger　had　vanished　the　moment　he'd　hurt　me。　Horror　at　what　he'd　done；　fear　for　my　safety；　sanity　returning　in　a　rush。
　〃We　were　only　kissing；　Richard；　nothing　else；　no　matter　what　he　wants　you　to　believe。〃
　〃I　was　suddenly　so　jealous。　I'm　sorry。〃
　〃I　know　it　was　an　accident；　Richard。　I'm　just　glad　there　wasn't　a　wall　closer。〃
　〃I　could　have　hurt　you　badly。〃　He　took　a　step　towards　me；　hands　reaching；　and　stopped　himself。　〃And　you　want　me　to　let　the　beast　loose　enough　to　kill。　Don't　you　understand　how　hard　I　fight　to　control　it？〃
　〃I　understand　better　than　I　did　a　few　minutes　ago；〃　I　said。
　〃Your　bags　are　in　the　hallway。　I'll　bring　them　in；　then　I'll　go。〃　This　was　the　look　I'd　been　dreading。　This　crushed；　puppy　dog　look。　The　anger　had　been　easier　to　deal　with；　if　more　dangerous。
　〃Don't　go。〃
　They　both　looked　at　me。
　〃Jean…Claude　staged　this。〃　I　held　a　hand　up　before　he　could　protest。　〃Oh；　I　know　you　enjoyed　yourself；　but　you　still　wanted　Richard　to　see　us　together。　You　wanted　to　pick　a　fight。　You　wanted　to　show　me　he　was　as　much　a　monster　as　you　are。　You　succeeded　on　all　counts　beautifully。　Now；　get　out。〃
　〃You　are　throwing　me　out　of　my　own　bedroom？〃　He　looked　amused。
　〃Yeah。〃　I　stood　up　and　was　only　a　little　wobbly　on　the　high　heels。
　Jean…Claude　sighed。　〃I　am　to　be　relegated　forever　to　my　coffin　then；　to　never　know　the　joy　of　your　pany　for　my　slumber。〃
　〃You　don't　go　to　sleep；　Jean…Claude。　You　die。　Maybe　I　lust　after　your　warm；　breathing　body；　but　I'm　not　up　to　the　full　package　yet。〃
　He　smiled。　〃Very　well；　ma　petite。　I　will　leave　you　and　Monsieur　Zeeman　to　discuss　the　last　few　minutes。　I　would　ask　one　thing。〃
　〃And　that　is？〃　I　asked。
　〃That　you　not　make　love　in　my　bed　when　I　cannot　join　you。〃
　I　sighed。　〃It　would　be　pretty　tacky　to　make　love　with　Richard　in　your　bed。　I　think　you're　safe　on　that　one。〃
　Jean…Claude　glanced　at　Richard。　His　eyes　seemed　to　take　in　every　inch　of　him；　lingering　on　the　open　wound　at　his　neck；　though　maybe　that　was　just　my　imagination。　〃If　anyone　could　withstand　the　temptation；　it　is　you；　ma　petite。〃　Jean…Claude　looked　at　me；　his　face　unreadable。　〃I　am　sorry　you　were　nearly　hurt。　I　did　not　mean　for　that　to　happen。〃
　〃You　always　have　good　intentions；〃　I　said。
　He　sighed；　then　smiled。　He　glanced　at　Richard。　〃Perhaps　I　am　not　the　better　monster；　after　all。〃
　〃Get　out；〃　I　said。
　He　left；　still　smiling。　He　closed　the　door　behind　him；　and　I　was　left　with　his　power　dancing　over　my　skin；　the　feel　of　his　lips　and　hands　on　my　body。　It　was　only　a　kiss。　Foreplay。　But　even　the　rush　of　adrenaline；　of　nearly　being　thrown　into　a　wall；　couldn't　chase　away　the　aftereffects。
　Richard　stood　staring　at　me；　as　if　he　could　sense　the　power　somehow。　〃I'll　go　get　the　bags；〃　he　said。　He　could　have　said　so　many　things；　but　that　was　safest。
　He　went　to　get　the　bags；　and　I　sat　down　on　the　bed。　Richard　could　have　killed　me。　Jean…Claude　would　never　have　lost　control　like　that。　I　wanted　Richard　to　embrace　his　beast；　but　maybe；　just　maybe；　I　didn't　understand　what　that　meant。
　
　
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　I　sat　on　the　edge　of　the　bed；　waiting　for　Richard　to　e　back　into　the　room。　My　skin　was　jumping　from　Jean…Claude's　parting　gift。　Only　a　kiss；　and　Richard　had　nearly　torn　into　Jean…Claude　and　me。　What　would　Richard　have　done　if　he'd　caught　us　doing　something　truly　lascivious？　It　was　better　not　to　find　out。
　Richard　set　my　suitcase　and　both　bags　inside　the　door。　He　went　out　and　came　back　with　his　small　overnight　bag。
　He　stood　there；　just　inside　the　door；　staring　at　me。　I　stared　back。　Blood　still　trickled　down　his　throat　from　where　I'd　cut　him。　Neither　of　us　seemed　to　know　what　to　say。　The　silence　grew　until　it　was　so　thick　it　began　to　have　weight。
　〃I'm　sorry　I　hurt　you；〃　he　said。　〃I've　never　lost　control　like　that　before。〃　He　took　a　step　into　the　room。　〃But　seeing　you　with　him　。　。　。〃　He　held　out　his　hands；　then　let　them　fall　to　his　sides；　helplessly。
　〃It　was　only　a　kiss；　Richard。　That's　all。〃
　〃It's　never　only　a　kiss　with　Jean…Claude。〃
　I　couldn't　argue　that。
　〃I　wanted　to　kill　him；〃　Richard　said。
　〃I　noticed。〃
　〃You're　sure　you're　all　right？〃
　〃How's　your　neck？〃　I　asked。
　He　touched　the　wound　and　came　away　with　fresh　blood。　〃Silver　blade；　it　won't　heal　immediately。〃　He　came　to　stand　in　front　of　me；　looking　down；　so　close　that　the　legs　of　his　jeans　nearly　brushed　my　knees。　It　was　almost　too　close。　The　lingering　brush　of　Jean…Claude's　power　made　my　skin　ache。　Richard's　nearness　made　it　worse。
　If　I　stood　up；　our　bodies　would　touch；　he　was　that　close。　I　stayed　sitting；　trying　to　swallow　the　last　bits　of　Jean…Claude's　kiss。　I　wasn't　sure　what　would　happen　if　I　touched　Richard　now。　It　felt　almost　like　whatever　Jean…Claude　had　done　reacted　to　Richard's　body。　Or　maybe　it　was　me。　Maybe　I　was　being　that　needy。　Maybe　my　body　was　tired　of　saying　no。
　〃Would　you　really　have　killed　me？〃　Richard　asked。　〃Could　you　have　plunged　that　blade　home？〃