lhamilton.thekillingdance-第63章

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　than　it　does　to　raise。　If　we　just　call　it　up　wild　and　try　to　will　them　back　。　。　。〃　I　shook　my　head。
　〃You　could　extinguish　their　life　force；〃　Cassandra　said。
　I　looked　at　her。　〃What　did　you　say？〃
　〃You're　going　to　put　them　back　in　their　coffins　as　you　would　a　zombie；　but　with　a　zombie　you　will　it　to　be　dead　again；　correct？〃
　I　hadn't　really　thought　of　it　that　way；　but　she　was　right。
　〃If　you　will　the　vampires　back　in　their　coffins；　you're　in　effect　willing　them　dead　again　like　a　zombie；　right？〃
　〃Yeah。〃
　〃But　you　don't　want　them　permanently　dead。〃
　My　head　was　beginning　to　hurt。　〃No；　I　don't　want　them　permanently　dead。〃
　〃How　do　you　know　so　very　much　about　necromancy；　Cassandra？〃　Jean…Claude　asked。
　〃I　have　a　master's　degree　in　magical　theory。〃
　〃That　must　be　useful　on　a　resume；〃　I　said。
　〃Not　in　the　least；〃　she　said；　〃but　it　might　be　useful　now。〃
　〃Did　you　know　your　newest　pack　member　was　so　well…educated；　Richard？〃　Jean…Claude　asked。
　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃it's　one　of　the　reasons　I　gave　her　permission　to　move　here。〃
　〃Permission　to　move　here？〃　I　said。　〃Why　did　she　need　your　permission？〃
　〃A　werewolf　has　to　get　the　permission　of　the　local　pack　leader　before　they　can　enter　a　new　territory。　If　they　don't；　it's　considered　a　challenge　to　his　authority。〃
　〃Did　she　have　to　ask　your　permission　or　Marcus's？〃
　〃Both；〃　Cassandra　said。　〃Most　werewolves　won't　e　near　Saint　Louis　while　this　power　struggle　is　going　on。〃
　〃Why　did　you　e；　then；　my　wolf？〃　Jean…Claude　asked。
　〃I　liked　what　I　heard　about　Richard。　He's　trying　to　bring　the　pack　into　the　twentieth　century。〃
　〃Did　you　e　planning　to　be　his　lupa？〃　I　asked。　Yes；　a　little　twinge　of　jealousy　had　reared　its　ugly　head。
　Cassandra　smiled。　〃Maybe；　but　the　job's　filled。　I　came　here　to　avoid　fighting；　not　to　start　it。〃
　〃You　have　e　to　the　wrong　place；　I　fear；〃　Jean…Claude　said。
　She　shrugged。　〃If　I　waited　until　the　battle　was　over　and　it　was　safe；　I　wouldn't　be　worth　much；　would　I？〃
　〃You　came　to　fight　at　Monsieur　Zeeman's　side？〃
　〃I　came　because　I　agree　with　what　he's　trying　to　do。〃
　〃You　don't　approve　of　killing？〃　I　asked。
　〃Not　really。〃
　〃Why；　Richard；　you　have　found　a　kindred　spirit；〃　Jean…Claude　said；　smiling；　and　far　too　pleased。
　〃Cassandra　believes　in　the　sanctity　of　life；　a　lot　of　people　do；〃　Richard　said。　He　wouldn't　look　at　me。
　〃If　she's　a　better　match　for　you　than　I　am；　I　won't　stand　in　your　way。〃
　He　turned　to　me；　a　look　of　astonishment　on　his　face。　〃Anita　。　。　。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃I'm　in　love　with　you。〃
　〃You'd　get　over　it；〃　I　said。　My　chest　was　tight　with　the　offer；　but　I　meant　it。　Richard　and　I　had　a　basic　fundamental　difference　of　opinion。　It　wasn't　going　away。　One　of　us　was　going　to　have　to　promise；　and　it　wasn't　going　to　be　me。　I　couldn't　quite　meet　Richard's　eyes；　but　I　didn't　take　it　back。
　He　stepped　in　front　of　me；　and　all　I　could　see　was　his　bare　chest。　There　was　a　scratch　just　below　his　left　nipple；　blood　drying　on　his　skin　in　darkening　strings。　He　touched　my　chin；　raising　my　face　until　I　met　his　eyes。　He　studied　my　face　like　he'd　never　seen　it　before。
　〃I　would　never　get　over　losing　you；　Anita。　Never。〃
　〃Never's　a　long　time　to　tie　yourself　to　a　killer。〃
　〃You　don't　have　to　be　a　killer；〃　he　said。
　I　stepped　away　from　him。　〃If　you're　hanging　around　me　waiting　for　me　to　soften　up　and　bee　this　good　little　girl；　you　might　as　well　leave　now。〃
　He　grabbed　my　arms；　pulling　me　against　his　body。　〃I　want　you；　Anita；　all　of　you。〃　He　kissed　me；　arms　locked　behind　my　back；　raising　me　up　against　him。
　I　slid　my　hands　behind　his　back；　Firestar　still　in　one　hand。　I　pressed　my　body　against　his　hard　enough　to　know　he　was　happy　to　see　me。
　We　came　up　for　air；　and　I　pulled　back；　but　not　out　of　his　arms；　half…laughing。　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　Jean…Claude　standing　to　one　side。　The　look　on　his　face　wiped　the　smile　from　my　lips。　It　wasn't　jealousy。　It　was　hunger。　Desire。　Watching　us　together　had　excited　him。
　I　drew　back　from　Richard　and　found　blood　on　my　hands。　It　was　hard　to　tell　on　the　navy　blue　shirt　but　there　were　wet　spots　where　I'd　pressed　myself　against　the　bloody　scratches。　Some　of　the　wounds　were　deep　enough　that　they　were　still　seeping　blood。
　Richard　was　looking　at　Jean…Claude；　too；　now。　I　stepped　away　from　Richard；　holding　up　the　bloody　hand。　I　walked　towards　the　vampire；　and　his　eyes　stayed　on　the　fresh　blood；　not　on　me。　I　stopped　less　than　a　foot　from　him；　my　hand　held　out　in　front　of　his　face。
　〃Which　would　you　rather　have　right　now；　sex　or　blood？〃
　His　eyes　flicked　to　my　face；　back　to　my　hand；　then　to　my　face。　I　watched　the　effort　it　took　for　him　to　keep　eye　contact。　〃Ask　Richard　which　he　would　rather　have　just　after　he　changes　into　a　wolf；　sex　or　fresh　meat？〃
　I　glanced　back　at　Richard。　〃What's　your　choice？〃
　〃Just　after　the　change；　meat。〃　He　said　it　like　I　should　have　known　the　answer。
　I　turned　back　to　the　vampire。　I　slid　the　Firestar　into　the　front　of　my　pants；　and　moved　the　bloody　hand　towards　his　lips。
　Jean…Claude　grabbed　my　wrist。　〃Do　not　tease　me；　ma　petite。　My　control　is　not　boundless。〃　A　tremor　ran　through　his　arm　and　down　his　hand。　He　looked　away；　eyes　closed。
　I　touched　his　face　with　my　right　hand；　turning　him　back　to　face　me。　〃Who　says　I'm　teasing？〃　I　said　softly。　〃Take　us　to　the　coffin　room。〃
　Jean…Claude　searched　my　face。　〃What　do　you　offer　me；　ma　petite？〃
　〃Blood；〃　I　said。
　〃And　sex？〃　he　asked。
　〃Which　would　you　rather　have；　right　this　minute？〃　I　stared　at　him；　willing　the　truth　in　his　face。
　He　gave　a　shaky　laugh。　〃Blood。〃
　I　smiled；　and　pulled　my　wrist　away。　〃Remember；　it　was　your　choice。〃
　A　look　passed　over　his　face　that　was　a　mixture　of　surprise　and　irony。　〃Touché；　ma　petite；　but　I　am　beginning　to　have　hopes　that　this　will　not　be　the　last　time　I　am　given　the　choice。〃　There　was　a　heat　to　his　voice；　his　eyes；　just　standing　this　close　to　his　body；　that　made　me　shiver。
　I　glanced　back　at　Richard。　He　was　watching　us。　I　expected　to　see　jealousy　or　anger；　but　all　I　could　read　in　his　eyes　was　need。　Lust。　I　was　pretty　sure　that　Richard's　choice　right　this　minute　would　be　sex；　but　the　thought　of　a　little　blood　thrown　in　didn't　seem　to　worry　him。　In　fact；　it　seemed　to　excite　him。　I　was　beginning　to　wonder　if　the　werewolf　and　vampire　shared　similar　tastes　in　foreplay。　The　thought　should　have　scared　me；　but　it　didn't。　That　was　a　very；　very　bad　sign。
　
　
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　The　last　time　I'd　been　in　the　coffin　room　under　Circus　of　the　Damned；　I'd　e　to　slay　the　current　Master　of　the　City。　I'd　e　to　slay　every　vampire　in　the　place。　My；　how　things　had　changed。
　Track　lighting　in　solid　white　fixtures　clung　to　the　walls；　casting　soft　halos　of　light　on　each　of　seven　coffins。　Three　of　the　coffins　were　empty；　their　lids　propped　open。　All　of　the　coffins　were　modern；　new；　roomy。　They　were　all　a　rich　varnished　oak；　stained　nearly　black。　Silver　handles　graced　the　wood。　The　satin　linings　of　the　open　coffins　were　different　colors；　white；　blue；　red。　The　coffin　with　the　red　interior　held　a　sword　in　a　specially　made　side　sheath：　a　freaking　two…handed　sword　as　long　as　I　was　tall。　A　pair　of　the　ugliest　fuzzy　dice　I'd　ever　seen　were　suspended　from　the　white　satin　coffin。　It　had　to　be　Willie's。　The　blue　satin　held　a　small　extra　pillow。　Standing　over　the　coffin；　the　smell　of　herbs　rose　musty；　vaguely　sweet。　I　touched　the　small　pillow　and　found　it　filled　with　dried　herbs。　〃Herbs　for　sweet　dreams；〃　I　said　to　no　one　in　particular。
　〃Is　there　some　purpose　to　you　handling　their　personal　belongings；　ma　petite？〃
　I　looked　at　him。　〃What　keepsakes　do　you　have　in　your　coffin？〃
　He　just　smiled。
　〃Why　all　the　same　coffins？〃
　〃If　you　came　in　here　to　kill　us；　where　would　you　start？〃
　I　looked　around　at　the　identical　coffins。　〃I　don't　know。　If　someone　es　in；　they　can't　tell　who's　the　oldest　or　who's　the　Master　of　the　City。　It　covers　your　ass　but　endangers　the　rest。〃
　〃If　someone　es　to　kill　us；　ma　petite；　it　is　to　everyone's　benefit　if　the　oldest　are　not　killed　first。　There　is　always　a　chance　that　one　of　the　older　ones　could　awaken　in　time　to　save　the　rest。〃
　I　nodded。　〃Why　the　extra…wide；　extra…high　interiors？〃
　〃Would　you　want　to　spend　eternity　on　your　back；　ma　petite？〃　He　smiled　and