lhamilton.thekillingdance-第69章

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　I　was　alone　in　the　room　with　the　earth　still　twitching　like　a　horse　thick　with　flies。　When　the　last　ripple　had　died　away；　I　looked　out　of　the　blasted　wall　at　the　others。
　Jean…Claude　and　Richard　stood　at　the　opening　of　the　wall。　The　three　werewolves　clustered　around　them。　Even　Cassandra　had　knelt　on　the　ground　beside　the　wolf　that　was　Jason。　Dominic　stood　behind　them；　watching。　He　was　grinning　at　me　like　a　proud　papa。
　I　walked　towards　them；　my　legs　a　touch　rubbery；　and　I　stumbled；　splashing　blood　down　the　side　of　the　bowl。　Crimson　drops　fell　onto　the　swept　earth。
　The　wolf　was　suddenly　there；　licking　the　ground　clean。　I　ignored　it　and　kept　walking。　Vampires　next。　Everyone　moved　to　let　me　pass　as　if　they　were　afraid　to　touch　me。　Except　for　Dominic。　He　crowded　almost　too　close。
　I　felt　his　own　power　crackle　between　us；　shivering　over　my　skin；　down　the　ropes　of　power　that　bound　me　to　Richard　and　Jean…Claude。
　I　swallowed　and　said；　〃Back　up。〃
　〃My　apologies。〃　He　moved　back　until　I　couldn't　feel　him　quite　so　tightly。　〃Good　enough？〃
　I　nodded。
　The　three　vampires　waited　with　hungry　eyes。　I　sprinkled　them　with　the　cooling　blood。　They　twitched　when　the　blood　touched　them；　but　there　was　no　rush　of　power。　Nothing。　Shit。
　Dominic　frowned。　〃The　blood　is　still　warm。　It　should　work。〃
　Jean…Claude　moved　closer。　I　could　feel　it　without　turning　around。　I　could　feel　him　ing　down　the　line　of　power　between　us　like　a　fish　being　reeled　in。　〃But　it　is　not　working；〃　he　said。
　〃No；〃　I　said。
　〃They　are　lost　then。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　Willie　was　staring　at　the　bowl　of　blood。　The　look　was　feral；　pure　hunger。　I'd　thought　that　the　worst　thing　that　could　happen　would　be　for　Willie　to　simply　lie　down　in　his　coffin　and　be　truly　dead。　I　was　wrong。　Having　Willie　crawl　out　of　his　coffin　craving　nothing　but　blood；　knowing　nothing　but　hunger；　would　be　worse。　I　would　not　loose　him；　not　yet。
　〃Any　bright　ideas？〃　I　asked。
　〃Feed　them　the　blood　in　the　bowl；〃　Dominic　said；　〃but　hurry　before　it　grows　colder。〃
　I　didn't　argue；　there　was　no　time。　I　wiped　the　knife　on　my　jeans　and　sheathed　it。　I'd　have　to　clean　it　and　the　sheath　later；　but　I　needed　my　hands　free。　I　dipped　my　fingertips　into　the　blood。　It　was　still　warm；　but　barely。　The　eyes　were　still　brown　as　they　followed　my　hand；　but　it　wasn't　Willie　looking　out　of　them。　It　just　wasn't。
　I　lifted　the　gold　bowl　to　Willie's　mouth　and　said；　〃Willie；　drink。〃　His　throat　moved；　swallowing　furiously；　and　I　felt　that　click。　He　was　mine　again。　〃Stop；　Willie。〃
　He　stopped；　and　I　took　the　bowl　away　from　him。　He　didn't　grab　for　it。　He　didn't　move　at　all。　His　eyes　were　blank　and　empty　above　his　bloody　mouth。　〃Go　back　to　your　coffin；　Willie。　Rest　until　nightfall。　Back　to　your　coffin　to　rest。〃
　He　turned　and　walked　back　down　the　hallway。　I'd　have　to　trust　he　was　going　back　to　the　coffin。　I'd　check　later。　One　down；　two　to　go。　Liv　left　like　a　good　little　puppet。　The　blood　was　getting　pretty　low　by　the　time　I　raised　it　to　Damian's　lips。
　He　drank　at　it；　his　pale　throat　swallowing。　The　blood　passed　down　his　throat　and　something　brushed　me。　Something　that　wasn't　my　magic。　Something　else。　Damian's　chest　rose　in　a　great　breath　like　a　man　struggling　back　from　drowning。　And　that　something　thrust　me　backwards；　cast　out　my　power；　turned　it　back　on　me。　It　was　like　a　door　slammed；　but　it　was　more　than　that。　A　force　thrust　at　me；　hit　me；　and　the　world　swirled　around。　My　vision　was　eaten　away　in　greyness　and　white　spots。　I　heard　my　own　heartbeat　impossibly　loud。　The　thudding　chased　me　down　into　the　darkness；　then　even　that　was　lost。
　
　
　33
　
　I　woke；　staring　up　at　the　white　drapes　above　Jean…Claude's　bed。　There　was　a　damp　washcloth　folded　over　my　forehead　and　voices　arguing。　I　lay　there　for　a　few　seconds；　just　blinking。　I　couldn't　remember　how　I'd　gotten　here。　I　remembered　the　sensation　of　being　cast　out　of　Damian。　I'd　been　cast　out　like　an　intruder；　something　to　be　protected　against。　The　force　that　touched　me　hadn't　been　evil。　I'd　felt　evil　before；　and　that　wasn't　it。　But　it　certainly　hadn't　been　a　beneficent　force；　either。　More　neutral；　maybe。
　The　voices　were　Jean…Claude　and　Richard。　The　argument　was　about　me。　Big　surprise。
　〃How　can　you　let　her　die　when　you　could　save　her？〃　Richard　asked。
　〃I　do　not　believe　she　is　dying；　but　even　if　she　was；　without　her　permission；　I　will　never　again　invade　her　mind。〃
　〃Even　if　she　was　dying？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Jean…Claude　said。
　〃I　don't　understand　that。〃
　〃You　don't　have　to　understand　it；　Richard。　Anita　would　agree　with　me。〃
　I　brushed　the　rag　from　my　head。　I　wanted　to　sit　up；　but　it　seemed　too　much　effort。
　Richard　sat　down　on　the　bed；　taking　my　hand。　I　wasn't　sure　I　wanted　him　to；　but　I　was　still　too　weak　to　stop　him。
　Jean…Claude　stood　behind　him；　watching　me。　His　face　was　blank　and　perfect；　a　mask。
　〃How　do　you　feel？〃　Richard　asked。
　I　had　to　swallow　before　I　could　speak。　〃Not　sure。〃
　Dominic　walked　into　view。　He　had；　wisely；　stayed　out　of　the　argument。　Besides；　he　was　already　a　vampire's　human　servant。　What　was　he　going　to　say？　That　the　mark　was　evil；　or　that　it　was　no　big　deal。　Lies　either　way。
　〃I　am　very　glad　to　see　you　awake。〃
　〃It　thrust　me　out；〃　I　said。
　He　nodded。　〃Indeed。〃
　〃What　thrust　her　out？〃　Richard　asked。
　Dominic　looked　at　me。
　I　shrugged。
　〃When　the　power　that　animates　the　vampire　returned　and　found　Anita　still　inside　the　body；　the　power　cast　her　out。〃
　Richard　frowned。　〃Why？〃
　〃I　shouldn't　have　been　there。〃
　〃Did　the　soul　return　as　you　touched　it？〃　Jean…Claude　asked。
　〃I've　felt　the　brush　of　a　soul　before；　that　wasn't　it。〃
　Jean…Claude　looked　at　me。
　I　looked　back。
　He　was　the　one　who　looked　away　first。
　Richard　touched　my　hair　where　it　had　gotten　wet　from　the　rag。　〃I　don't　care　if　it　was　a　soul　or　the　bogeyman。　I　thought　I'd　lost　you。〃
　〃I　always　seem　to　survive；　Richard；　no　matter　who　else　dies。〃
　He　frowned　at　that。
　I　let　him。　〃Is　Damian　all　right？〃　I　asked。
　〃He　seems　to　be；〃　Jean…Claude　said。
　〃What　were　you　two　arguing　about？〃
　〃Dominic；　could　you　leave　us　now？〃　Jean…Claude　asked。
　Dominic　smiled。　〃Gladly。　I　am　eager　to　speak　with　Sabin。　Tomorrow；　you　and　Richard　can　raise　him；　and　you；　Anita〃…he　touched　my　face　lightly…〃can　heal　him。〃
　I　didn't　like　him　touching　me；　but　there　was　almost　a　reverence　in　his　face。　It　made　it　hard　to　yell　at　him。
　〃I'll　do　my　best；〃　I　said。
　〃In　all　things；　I　think。〃　With　that；　he　bid　us　a　good　day　and　left。
　When　the　door　closed　behind　him；　I　repeated　my　question。　〃What　were　you　two　arguing　about？〃
　Richard　glanced　behind　at　Jean…Claude；　then　back　to　me。　〃You　stopped　breathing　for　a　few　seconds。　No　heartbeat；　either。　I　thought　you　were　dying。〃
　I　looked　at　Jean…Claude。　〃Tell　me。〃
　〃Richard　wanted　me　to　give　you　the　first　mark　again。　I　refused。〃
　〃Smart　vampire；〃　I　said。
　He　shrugged。　〃You　have　made　yourself　very　clear；　ma　petite。　I　will　not　be　accused　of　forcing　myself　upon　you　again。　Not　in　any　sense。〃
　〃Did　someone　do　CPR？〃
　〃You　started　breathing　on　your　own；〃　Richard　said。　He　squeezed　my　hand。　〃You　scared　me。〃
　I　drew　my　hand　out　of　his。　〃So　you　offered　me　to　him　as　his　human　servant。〃
　〃I　thought　we'd　agreed　to　be　a　triad　of　power。　Maybe　I　don't　understand　what　that　means。〃
　I　wanted　to　sit　up　but　still　wasn't　sure　I　could　do　it；　so　I　had　to　be　content　with　frowning　up　at　him。　〃I'll　share　power　with　you　both；　but　I　won't　let　Jean…Claude　mark　me。　If　he　ever　forces　himself　on　me　again；　I'll　kill　him。〃
　Jean…Claude　nodded。　〃You　will　try；　ma　petite。　It　is　a　dance　I　do　not　wish　to　begin。〃
　〃I'm　going　to　let　him　mark　me　before　I　leave　for　the　pack　tonight；〃　Richard　said。
　I　stared　up　at　him。　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃
　〃Jean…Claude　can't　e　tonight。　He　isn't　a　member　of　the　pack。　If　we're　joined；　I　can　still　call　the　power。〃
　I　struggled　to　sit　up；　and　if　Richard　hadn't　caught　me；　I'd　have　fallen。　I　lay　cradled　in　his　arms；　digging　fingers　into　his　arms；　trying　to　make　him　listen　to　me。　〃You　don't　want　to　be　his　servant　for　all　eternity；　Richard。〃
　〃The　joining　of　master　and　animal　is　not　the　same　as　between　master　and　servant；　ma　petite。　It　is　not　quite　as　intimate。〃
　I　couldn't　see　the　vampire　over　Richa