lhamilton.thekillingdance-第57章

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　Tonight　Richard　would　fight　Marcus。　He　could　be　dead　by　tomorrow。　The　thought　made　my　chest　tight。　There　was　a　pressure　behind　my　eyes　that　had　more　to　do　with　tears　than　anything　else。　I　could　live　with　Richard　off　somewhere。　It　would　hurt　if　he　wasn't　with　me；　but　I'd　survive。　I　might　not　survive　his　death。　I　loved　Richard。　I　really　loved　him。　I　didn't　want　to　give　him　up。　Not　for　anything。
　Jean…Claude　was　being　a　perfect　gentleman；　but　I　didn't　trust　it。　How　could　I？　He　always　had　a　dozen　different　reasons　for　everything　he　did。　What　was　the　plan？　The　quicker　I　dressed；　the　quicker　I'd　find　out。
　I'd　pretty　much　just　grabbed　stuff　out　of　the　suitcase。　You　can　mix　and　match　almost　all　the　clothing　I　own。　Dark　blue　jeans；　navy　blue　polo　shirt；　white　jogging　socks。　I　hadn't　dressed　to　impress　anyone。　Now　that　I　was　a　little　more　awake；　I　wished　I'd　chosen　something　a　little　less　practical。　Love　makes　you　worry　about　stuff　like　that。
　I　opened　the　door。　Richard　stood　by　the　bed。　The　sight　of　him　stopped　me　in　my　tracks。　His　hair　was　brushed　until　it　fell　like　a　frothy　mass　around　his　shoulders。　He　was　wearing　nothing　but　a　pair　of　silky　undershorts；　royal　purple。　They　were　slit　high　on　each　side；　giving　glimpses　of　his　thighs　as　he　turned　towards　me。
　When　I　could　close　my　mouth　and　talk；　I　said；　〃Why　are　you　dressed　like　that？〃
　Jean…Claude　leaned　one　shoulder　against　the　wall。　He　was　wearing　a　black　ankle…length　robe　edged　with　black　fur。　His　hair　mingled　with　the　fur　collar　until　it　was　hard　to　tell　where　one　blackness　ended　and　the　other　began。　His　pale　neck　and　a　triangle　of　his　chest　showed　almost　perfectly　white　against　the　fur。
　〃You　look　like　you've　just　stepped　out　of　two　different　porno　movies。　Cassandra　said　something　about　a　plan。　What's　the　plan？〃
　Richard　glanced　at　Jean…Claude。　They　exchanged　a　look　between　them　that　said　better　than　words　that　they'd　been　plotting　behind　my　back。
　Richard　sat　on　the　edge　of　the　bed。　The　shorts　clung　a　little　too　close　for　fort　and　I　had　to　look　away；　so　I　looked　at　Jean…Claude。　Not　forting；　but　at　least　most　of　him　was　covered。
　〃Do　you　remember　some　months　ago；　before　Christmas；　when　we　accidently　set　off　some　sort　of　magical　energy　in　your　apartment？〃　Jean…Claude　asked。
　〃I　remember；〃　I　said。
　〃Monsieur　Zeeman　and　I　believe　that　the　three　of　us　could　share　power；　bee　a　triumvirate。〃
　I　looked　from　one　to　the　other。　〃Explain。〃
　〃There　is　a　link　between　myself　and　wolves。　There　is　a　link　between　you；　my　little　necromancer；　and　the　dead。　Lust　and　love　have　always　held　a　magical　energy。　I　can　show　you　individual　spells　that　can　use　the　link　between　vampire　and　their　animal；　between　necromancer　and　vampire。　We　should　not　be　surprised　that　there　is　power　between　us。〃
　〃Make　your　point；〃　I　said。
　Jean…Claude　smiled。　〃I　believe　we　could　call　up　enough　power　to　back　down　a　certain　Ulfric。　I　know　Marcus。　He　will　not　fight　if　he　believes　he　has　no　hope　of　winning。〃
　〃Jean…Claude's　right；〃　Richard　said。　〃If　I　can　shine　with　enough　power；　Marcus　will　back　down。〃
　〃How　do　you　know　we　can　even　call　this　whatever…it…is　up　again？〃　I　asked。
　〃I　have　done　some　research；〃　Jean…Claude　said。　〃There　are　two　cases　of　master　vampires　who　could　call　animals；　who　then　made　one　of　those　animals　in　were…form　a　sort　of　human　servant。〃
　〃So？〃
　〃It　means　that　there　is　a　chance　of　my　being　able　to　bind　you　both。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃No　way；　no　vampire　marks。　Been　there；　done　that；　didn't　like　it。〃
　〃There　were　no　marks　on　either　of　you　in　December；〃　Jean…Claude　said。　〃I　think　it　will　work　without　any　now。〃
　〃Why　are　the　two　of　you　dressed　like　that？〃
　Richard　looked　embarrassed。　〃It　was　all　I　brought。　I　thought　we　were　going　to　be　sharing　the　bed　last　night。〃
　I　motioned　at　the　shorts。　〃Those　would　not　have　helped　us　stay　chaste；　Richard。〃
　Heat　crept　up　his　face。　〃I　know；　sorry。〃
　〃Tell　me　there　is　no　lingerie　in　your　suitcase；　ma　petite。〃
　〃I　never　said　there　wasn't。〃　Ronnie　had　talked　me　into　an　outfit　just　in　case　I　gave　in　to　Richard。　She　was　willing　for　me　to　bed　him　before　the　wedding　if　it　would　knock　Jean…Claude　out　of　the　running。
　〃Who'd　you　buy　it　for？〃　Richard　asked　quietly。
　〃You；　but　don't　distract　me。　Why　the　nice　jammies？〃
　〃Richard　and　I　have　made　an　attempt　or　two　on　our　own　to　call　the　power。　It　does　not　work　with　only　the　two　of　us。　His　dislike　of　me　has　rendered　it　useless。〃
　〃Is　this　true；　Richard？〃
　He　nodded。　〃Jean…Claude　says　we　need　our　third；　we　need　you。〃
　〃What's　with　the　clothes？〃
　〃Lust　and　anger　were　what　drew　the　power　the　first　time；　ma　petite。　We　have　our　anger。　We　are　missing　our　lust。〃
　〃Wait　just　a　damn　minute。〃　I　stared　from　one　to　the　other　of　them。　〃Are　you　saying　we　bee　a　ménage　à　trois？〃
　〃No；〃　Richard　said。　He　stood　up。　He　walked　towards　me　in　his　little　shorts；　flashing　the　room。　〃No　sex；　I　promise　you　that。　Even　for　this；　I　wouldn't　have　agreed　to　sharing　you　with　him。〃
　I　ran　my　fingertips　down　the　silk　of　his　shorts；　lightly；　almost　like　I　was　afraid。　〃Then　why　the　costumes？〃
　〃We're　running　out　of　time；　Anita。　If　this　is　going　to　work；　it's　got　to　work　fast。〃　He　gripped　my　arms；　his　hands　warm　on　my　skin。　〃You　said　you'd　help　me　with　a　plan。　This　is　the　plan。〃
　I　drew　away　from　him　slowly　and　turned　to　Jean…Claude。　〃And　what　do　you　get　out　of　it？〃
　〃Your　happiness。　No　wolf　will　challenge　Richard　if　we　are　a　true　triumvirate。〃
　〃My　happiness；　right。〃　I　studied　his　calm；　lovely　face；　and　had　an　idea。　〃You　tasted　Jason；　didn't　you？　You　tasted　the　power　that　he　sucked　off　of　Richard；　didn't　you？　Didn't　you；　you　son　of　a　bitch？〃　I　walked　towards　him　as　I　talked；　fighting　an　urge　to　hit　him　when　I　got　there。
　〃What　of　it；　ma　petite？〃
　I　stood　right　in　front　of　him；　throwing　the　words　into　his　face。　〃What　do　you　gain　from　all　this？　And　don't　give　me　crap　about　my　happiness。　I've　known　you　too　long。〃
　His　face　was　at　its　mildest；　its　most　disarming。　〃I　would　gain　enough　power　that　no　master　vampire；　short　of　the　council　itself；　would　dare　challenge　me。〃
　〃I　knew　it。　I　knew　it。　You　don't　do　anything　without　a　dozen　ulterior　motives。〃
　〃I　benefit　in　exactly　the　same　way　Monsier　Zeeman　benefits。　We　would　both　secure　our　power　bases。〃
　〃Fine；　what　do　I　get　out　of　it？〃
　〃Why；　Monsieur　Zeeman's　safety。〃
　〃Anita；〃　Richard　said　softly。　He　touched　my　shoulder。
　I　whirled　to　face　him。　My　angry　words　died　at　the　look　on　his　face。　So　serious；　so　solemn。
　He　gripped　my　shoulders；　one　hand　cupping　the　side　of　my　face。　〃You　don't　have　to　do　this　if　you　don't　want　to。〃
　〃Do　you　understand　what　he's　suggesting；　Richard？　We　would　never　be　free　of　him。〃　I　touched　his　hand　where　he　held　my　face。　〃Don't　tie　us　to　him　like　this；　Richard。　Once　he　gets　a　piece　of　you；　he　never　lets　go。〃
　〃If　you　really　believed　he　was　evil；　you　would　have　killed　him　a　long　time　ago　and　been　free　of　him。〃
　If　I　didn't　do　this；　and　Richard　died　tonight；　would　I　be　able　to　live　with　it？　I　leaned　into　him；　pressing　my　face　against　his　chest；　breathing　in　his　scent。　No。　If　he　died　and　I　could　have　saved　him；　I'd　never　be　rid　of　the　guilt。
　Jean…Claude　came　to　stand　near　us。　〃It　may　have　been　one　of　those　freakish　accidents　that　cannot　be　duplicated　under　controlled　conditions；　ma　petite。　Magic　is　often　like　that。〃
　I　turned　my　face　and　looked　at　him；　cheek　still　pressed　to　Richard's　bare　chest；　his　arms　wrapped　around　my　back。　〃No　vampire　marks　on　either　of　us；　right？〃
　〃I　promise。　The　only　thing　I　would　ask　is　that　none　of　us　back　away。　We　need　a　true　idea　of　how　much　power　we　can　call。　If　it　is　not　much；　then　it　is　moot；　but　if　it　is　as　I　believe；　then　it　will　solve　a　great　many　problems。〃
　〃You　manipulative　bastard。〃
　〃Is　that　a　yes？〃　he　asked。
　〃Yes；〃　I　said。
　Richard　hugged　me。　I　let　his　arms　hold　me；　fort　me；　but　it　was　Jean…Claude's　eyes　I　met。　There　was　a　look　on　his　face　that　was　hard　to　describe。　The　devil　must　look　like　that　after　you've　signed　on　the　dotted　line　and　given　away　your　soul。　Pleased；　eager；　and　a　little　hungry。
　
　
　25
　
　〃You　and　Monsieur　Zeeman　have　a　nice　visit。　I　will　take　my　turn　in　the　bathroom；　then　join　you。〃
　Just　hearing　him　say　it　out　loud　made　me