lhamilton.thekillingdance-第64章

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　I　nodded。　〃Why　the　extra…wide；　extra…high　interiors？〃
　〃Would　you　want　to　spend　eternity　on　your　back；　ma　petite？〃　He　smiled　and　came　to　stand　beside　me；　leaning　his　butt　against　the　open　coffin；　arms　crossed　over　his　chest。　〃There　are　so　many　other　more　fortable　positions。〃
　I　felt　heat　rise　up　my　face。
　Richard　joined　us。　〃Are　you　two　going　to　exchange　witty　repartee　or　are　we　going　to　do　this？〃　He　leaned　on　the　closed　end　of　the　coffin；　forearms　resting　on　it。　There　was　a　bloody　scratch　on　his　right　upper　arm。　He　seemed　at　home。　Jason；　still　furry　and　big　enough　to　ride；　padded　over　the　stone　floor；　nails　clicking。　The　wolf's　head　was　high　enough　that　it　licked　Richard's　bloody　arm　while　still　on　all　fours。　There　were　moments　when　I　felt　Richard　was　too　normal　to　fit　into　my　life。　This　wasn't　one　of　them。
　〃Yeah；　we're　going　to　do　it；〃　I　said。
　Richard　stood；　running　his　fingers　through　his　thick　hair；　getting　it　out　of　his　face；　and　showing　his　chest　off　to　good　advantage。　For　the　first　time；　I　wondered　if　he'd　done　it　on　purpose。　I　searched　his　face　for　that　edge　of　teasing　that　Jean…Claude　had；　that　knowledge　that　even　that　simple　movement　touched　me。　There　was　nothing。　Richard's　face　was　guileless；　handsome；　empty　of　ulterior　motives。
　I　exchanged　glances　with　Jean…Claude。　He　shrugged。　〃If　you　do　not　understand　him；　do　not　look　to　me。　I　am　not　in　love　with　him。〃
　Richard　looked　puzzled。　〃Did　I　miss　something？〃　He　stroked　under　the　wolf's　throat；　pressing　the　head　against　his　chest。　The　wolf　made　a　high　whimpering　sound　of　pleasure。　Glad　to　be　back　in　the　pack　leader's　good　graces；　I　guess。
　I　shook　my　head。　〃Not　really。〃
　〃Why　are　we　here？〃　Stephen　asked。　He　was　as　close　to　the　door　as　he　could　get　and　not　be　outside　the　room。　His　shoulders　were　hunched。　He　was　scared；　but　of　what？
　Cassandra　stood　near　Stephen；　inside　the　room；　closer　to　us。　Her　face　was　bland；　unreadable　except　for　a　certain　wariness　around　the　eyes。　They　both　wore　jeans　with　oversized　shirts。　Stephen's　was　a　man's　pale　blue　dress　shirt。　Cassandra　had　an　oversized　T…shirt　a　dull　pine　green　with　a　wolf's　head　done　large　with　huge；　yellow　eyes。
　〃What's　wrong；　Stephen？〃　Richard　asked。
　Stephen　blinked　and　shook　his　head。
　〃We　all　heard　Anita　tell　Jean…Claude　she'd　need　more　blood；　fresh　blood；〃　Cassandra　said。　She　looked　at　me　while　she　finished　the　thought。　〃I　think　Stephen's　worried　where　the　fresh　blood's　ing　from。〃
　〃I'm　not　into　human　sacrifice；〃　I　said。
　〃Some　people　don't　consider　a　lycanthrope　human；〃　Cassandra　said。
　〃I　do；〃　I　said。
　She　looked　at　me；　judging　my　words。　Some　lycanthropes　could　tell　if　you　were　lying。　I　was　betting　she　was　one　of　them。　〃Then　where　are　you　going　to　get　the　blood？〃
　It　was　a　good　question。　I　wasn't　sure　I　had　a　good　answer。　〃I　don't　know；　but　it　won't　take　a　death。〃
　〃Are　you　sure？〃　she　asked。
　I　shrugged。　〃If　it　takes　a　death　to　put　them　back；　they're　dead。　I'm　not　going　to　kill　anybody　else　to　bring　them　back。〃　I　looked　at　the　three　waiting　vampires　after　I　said　it。　Liv；　Willie；　and　surprisingly；　Damian。　Raising　the　vampires　was　impressive　enough；　raising　one　as　powerful　as　Damian　was　downright　scary。　He　wasn't　a　master　varnpire；　never　would　be；　but　he'd　have　frightened　me　in　a　fair　fight。　Now　he　stood　dressed　only　in　the　green　lycra　pants　and　the　pirate　sash。　His　upper　body　gleamed　like　muscled　marble　under　the　glow　of　the　lights。　His　green　eyes　stared　at　me　with　a　patient　waiting　that　only　the　truly　dead　can　manage。
　〃You　are　shivering；　ma　petite。〃
　〃We　raise　the　power　again；　then　we　need　blood。〃　I　looked　at　Jean…Claude　and　Richard。　〃If　Richard　has　to　fight　Marcus　tonight；　I'm　not　sure　he　should　be　the　one　who　supplies　this　round　of　blood。〃
　Jean…Claude　cocked　his　head　to　one　side。　I　expected　him　to　say　something　irritating；　but　he　didn't。　Maybe　even　a　very　old　dog　could　learn　new　tricks。
　〃He　is　not　sinking　fangs　into　you；〃　Richard　said。　Anger　made　his　brown　eyes　dark　and　sparkling；　he　was　lovely　when　he　was　angry。　That　aura　of　energy　flared　around　him；　close　enough　to　creep　down　my　bare　skin。
　〃You　can't　donate　twice　this　close　together；　with　Marcus　waiting　for　you；〃　I　said。
　Richard　grabbed　me　by　the　upper　arms。　〃You　don't　understand；　Anita。　Feeding　is　like　sex　to　him。〃
　Again；　I　half…expected　Jean…Claude　to　chime　in；　but　he　didn't。　I　had　to　say　it。　Damn。　〃It　won't　be　the　first　time　he's　done　it；　Richard。〃
　Richard's　fingers　dug　into　my　arms。　〃I　know　that。　I　saw　the　fang　marks　on　your　wrist。　But　remember；　you　weren't　under　any　mind　control　that　time。〃
　〃I　remember；〃　I　said。　〃It　hurt　like　hell。〃
　Richard　drew　me　to　him　with　his　hands　still　holding　only　my　upper　arms；　drew　me　to　tiptoe　as　if　he'd　drag　me　to　his　face。　〃Without　mind　control；　it's　like　rape；　not　the　real　thing。　It'll　be　real　this　time。〃
　〃You're　hurting　me；　Richard。〃　My　voice　was　calm；　steady；　but　the　look　on　his　face　scared　me。　The　intensity　in　his　hands；　his　face；　his　body；　was　unnerving。
　He　eased　down；　but　didn't　take　his　hands　away。　〃Take　blood　from　Jason　or　Cassandra。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃That　might　work　or　it　might　not。　If　the　blood　es　from　one　of　us；　I　know　it'll　work。　Besides；　should　you　be　offering　up　other　people's　blood　without　asking　them　first？〃
　Doubt　slid　behind　his　eyes；　and　he　let　me　go。　His　long　hair　fell　forward；　hiding　his　face。　〃You　say　you've　chosen　me。　That　you're　in　love　with　me。　That　you　don't　want　to　have　sex　with　him。　Now；　you　tell　me　you　want　him　to　feed　off　of　you。　That's　as　bad　as　sex。〃　He　stalked　the　room；　pacing　around　the　waiting　vampires；　swinging　back　in　an　agitated　stride　that　filled　the　room　with　a　warm；　creeping　power。
　〃I　didn't　say　I　wanted　to　feed　him；〃　I　said。
　He　stopped　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　staring　at　me。　〃But　you　do；　don't　you？〃
　〃No；〃　I　said；　and　it　was　true。　〃I've　never　been　interested　in　that。〃
　〃She　speaks　the　truth；〃　Jean…Claude　said　at　last。
　〃You　stay　out　of　this；〃　Richard　said；　pointing　a　finger　at　him。
　Jean…Claude　gave　a　small　bow　and　fell　silent。　He　was　behaving　himself　far　too　well。　Made　me　nervous。　Of　course；　Richard　was　having　enough　of　a　fit　for　both　of　them。
　〃Then　let　me　feed　him　again。〃
　〃Isn't　it　sexual　for　you；　too？〃　I　asked。
　Richard　shook　his　head。　〃It　was　you　I　was　looking　at；　Anita；　not　him。　A　little　pain　is　fine。〃
　It　was　my　turn　to　shake　my　head。　〃Are　you　truly　saying　that　letting　him　sink　fangs　into　my　body　would　bother　you　as　much　as　sinking　。　。　。〃　I　let　the　thought　die　unspoken。　〃I　see　donating　blood　as　the　lesser　evil；　Richard。　Don't　you？〃
　〃Yes；〃　he　hissed。　His　power　was　filling　the　room　like　warm；　electric　water。　I　could　almost　reach　out　and　grab　it。
　〃Then　what　are　you　bitching　about？〃　I　said。　〃We　wouldn't　have　done　it　the　first　time；　but　you　wanted　me　to　do　it。　You　wanted　us　to　do　it。〃　I　stalked　towards　him；　finally　angry　myself。　〃You　don't　want　to　kill　Marcus；　fine；　but　this　is　the　price。　You　want　enough　power　to　cow　the　rest　of　the　pack　without　losing　your　humanity；　great；　but　that　kind　of　power　isn't　free。〃　I　stood　in　front　of　him；　so　close　that　his　power　danced　over　my　skin　like　fine　needles；　like　sex　that　rode　that　edge　between　pleasure　and　pain。
　〃It's　too　late　to　back　out　now。　We　are　not　going　to　strand　Willie　and　the　others　because　you're　getting　cold　feet。〃　I　took　that　last　step；　putting　our　bodies　so　close　together　that　a　deep　breath　would　have　made　them　touch。　I　lowered　my　voice　to　a　whisper；　though　I　knew　everything　in　the　room　would　still　hear　me。　〃It　isn't　the　blood　that　bothers　you。　What　bothers　you　is　that　you　enjoyed　it。〃　I　lowered　my　voice　until　it　was　almost　a　movement　of　lips　with　only　a　breath　of　sound。　〃Jean…Claude　isn't　just　seducing　me；　he's　seducing　us。〃
　Richard　stared　down　at　me；　and　the　look　in　his　true　brown　eyes　was　lost；　hopeless。　A　little　boy　who's　discovered　the　monster　under　the　bed　is　actually　real；　and　it's　screwing　Mommy。
　Jean…Claude's　power　eased　through　the　room；　mingling　with　Richard's　electric　warmth　like　a　cool　wind　from　the　grave。　We　both　turned　and　looked　at　the　vampire。　He　was　smiling　ever　so　slightly。　He　undid　his　robe　and　let　it　fall　to　the　floor。　He　glided　towards　us；　wearing　nothing　but　his　silk　pajamas　and　a　knowing　smile。