lhamilton.thekillingdance-第70章

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　〃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　Richard's　broad　shoulders。　I　tried　to　push　myself　up；　and　Richard　had　to　help　me。　〃Explain；〃　I　said。
　〃I　will　not　be　able　to　taste　food　through　Richard；　as　I　could　through　you。　It　is　a　minor　side　effect；　but　in　truth　one　I　miss。　I　enjoyed　tasting　solid　food　again。〃
　〃What　else？〃
　〃Richard　is　an　alpha　werewolf。　He　is　an　equivalent　power　to　mine　in　some　ways。　He　will　have　more　control　over　my　entering　his　dreams；　his　thoughts。　He　would　be　able　to　keep　me　out；　as　it　were。〃
　〃And　I　couldn't；〃　I　said。
　He　looked　down　at　me。　〃Even　then；　before　you　had　explored　your　powers　of　necromancy；　you　were　harder　to　control　than　you　should　have　been。　Now；〃　he　shrugged；　〃now　I　am　not　sure　who　would　be　master　and　who　would　be　servant。〃
　I　sat　up　on　my　own。　I　was　feeling　just　a　tad　better。　〃That's　why　you　didn't　mark　me　while　you　had　the　chance　and　Richard　to　take　the　blame。　After　what　I　did　today；　you're　afraid　that　I'd　be　the　master　and　you'd　be　my　servant。　That's　it；　isn't　it？〃
　He　smiled　softly。　〃Perhaps。〃　He　sat　on　the　bed　on　the　other　side　of　Richard。　〃I　have　not　worked　for　over　two　hundred　years　to　be　Master　of　my　own　lands　to　give　up　my　freedom　to　anyone；　even　you；　ma　petite。　You　would　not　be　a　cruel　master；　but　you　would　be　an　exacting　one。〃
　〃It's　not　pure　master　and　servant。　I　know　that　from　Alejandro。　He　couldn't　control　me；　but　I　couldn't　control　him；　either。〃
　〃Did　you　try？〃　Jean…Claude　asked。
　That　stopped　me。　I　had　to　think　about　it。　〃No。〃
　〃You　simply　killed　him；〃　Jean…Claude　said。
　He　had　a　point。　〃Would　I　really　be　able　to　order　you　around？〃
　〃I　have　never　heard　of　another　vampire　choosing　a　necromancer　of　your　power　as　human　servant。〃
　〃What　about　Dominic　and　Sabin？〃　I　asked。
　〃Dominic　is　no　match　for　you；　ma　petite。〃
　〃If　I　agreed　to　the　first　mark；　would　you　do　it　or　not？〃　I　asked。
　Richard　tried　to　hug　me　to　his　chest；　but　I　moved　away。　I　had　to　put　both　arms　down　to　prop　myself　up；　but　I　was　sitting　on　my　own。
　Jean…Claude　sighed；　looking　down　at　the　floor。　〃If　we　truly　joined；　no　one　could　stand　against　us。　That　much　power　is　very　tempting。〃　He　looked　up　suddenly；　letting　me　see　his　eyes。　Emotions　rolled　across　his　face。　Excitement；　fear；　lust；　and　finally；　just　weariness。　〃We　could　be　bound　together　for　all　eternity。　Bound　together　in　a　three…way　struggle　for　power。　It　is　not　a　pleasant　thought。〃
　〃Jean…Claude　told　me　that　he　would　not　be　my　master；〃　Richard　said。　〃We　would　be　partners。〃
　〃And　you　believed　him？〃　I　said。
　Richard　nodded；　looking　terribly　earnest。
　I　sighed。　〃Jesus；　Richard；　I　can't　leave　you　alone　for　a　minute。〃
　〃It　is　not　a　lie；　ma　petite。〃
　〃Yeah；　right。〃
　〃If　it's　a　lie；〃　Richard　said；　〃I'll　kill　him。〃
　I　stared　at　him。　〃You　don't　mean　that。〃
　〃Yes；　I　do。〃　Something　moved　through　his　brown　eyes；　something　low　and　dark　and　inhuman。
　〃Once　you　decide　to　kill　someone；　it　bees　easier　to　kill　others；　doesn't　it？〃　I　said。
　Richard　didn't　flinch　or　look　away。　〃Yes；　it　does；　but　that's　not　it。　I　won't　be　anyone's　servant。　Not　Jean…Claude's；　not　yours；　not　Marcus's；　not　Raina's。〃
　〃Do　you　understand　that　once　you're　bound　to　him；　that　hurting　him　can　hurt　you？　Killing　him　can　kill　you？〃
　〃I'　d　rather　be　dead　than　trapped。〃
　I　watched　the　absolute　certainty　in　his　eyes。　He　meant　it。　〃You'll　kill　Marcus　tonight；〃　I　said。
　Richard　looked　at　me；　and　an　expression　passed　over　his　face　that　I'd　never　seen　before；　a　fierceness　that　filled　his　eyes　and　sent　his　power　shivering　through　the　room。　〃If　he　doesn't　back　down；　I'll　kill　him。〃
　For　the　first　time；　I　believed　him。
　
　
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　There　was　a　knock　on　the　door。　Richard　and　Jean…Claude　spoke　at　the　same　time。　〃Enter。〃　〃e　in。〃　They　stared　at　each　other　as　the　door　opened。
　Edward　walked　in。　His　cool　blue　eyes　took　in　the　three　of　us　at　a　glance。　〃What　happened　to　you？〃
　〃Long　story；〃　I　said。　〃It　wasn't　the　assassin　if　that's　what　you're　worried　about。〃
　〃I　wasn't。　Your　wolves　are　guarding　my　backup。　They　wouldn't　let　me　bring　him　in　without　somebody's　approval。〃　He　looked　at　Jean…Claude　and　Richard。　〃They　weren't　absolutely　clear　on　whose　permission　I　was　supposed　to　get。〃　He　didn't　smile　while　he　said　it；　but　I　knew　him　well　enough　to　see　the　shadow　of　humor　on　his　face。
　〃This　is　my　home；〃　Jean…Claude　said。　〃It　is　my　permission　that　is　needed。〃
　I　slid　to　the　edge　of　the　bed　and　found　I　could　sit　up。　The　movement　put　me　between　the　two　men。　Richard　hovered　close　to　help　me　if　I　fell　onto　my　face。　Jean…Claude　just　sat　there；　not　touching　me；　not　offering　to。　In　many　ways；　he　understood　me　better　than　Richard　did；　but　then　he'd　known　me　longer。　I　was　sort　of　an　acquired　taste。
　Jean…Claude　stood　up。　〃I　will　go　escort　your　guest　in。〃
　〃I　better　go　with　you；〃　Edward　said。　〃Harley　doesn't　know　you；　but　he'll　know　what　you　are。〃
　〃What's　that　supposed　to　mean？〃　I　asked。
　〃If　a　strange　vampire　walked　up　to　you　in　this　place　and　said　follow　me；　would　you　do　it？〃
　I　thought　about　that。　〃Probably　not。〃
　Edward　smiled。　〃Neither　would　Harley。〃
　Edward　and　Jean…Claude　left　to　fetch　Edward's　friend。　I　tried　standing　while　they　were　gone；　just　to　see　if　I　could　do　it。　I　always　like　to　meet　new　people；　especially　new　hired　muscle；　on　my　feet。
　Richard　tried　to　help　me；　and　I　pulled　away。　I　had　to　grab　for　the　wall　to　keep　from　falling。
　〃I　was　trying　to　help；〃　he　said。
　〃Don't　try　so　hard。〃
　〃What　is　the　matter　with　you？〃
　〃I　don't　like　being　helpless；　Richard。〃
　〃You　aren't　superwoman。〃
　I　glared　at　him。　〃I　fainted；　for　God's　sake。　I　never　faint。〃
　〃You　didn't　faint；〃　he　said。　〃Whatever　it　was　threw　you　out　of　Damian。　I　was　still　tied　to　you　when　it　happened；　Anita。　I　felt　it　brush　me。〃　He　shook　his　head；　hugging　his　arms　to　his　chest。　〃You　didn't　faint。〃
　I　leaned　my　back　against　the　wall。　〃It　scared　me；　too。〃
　〃Did　it？〃　He　came　to　stand　in　front　of　me。　〃You　don't　seem　scared。〃
　〃Are　you　scared　about　joining　with　Jean…Claude？〃
　〃That　bothers　you　more　than　me　killing　for　the　first　time　tonight；　doesn't　it？〃
　〃Yeah。〃
　The　door　opened　before　we　could　continue　the　conversation。　It　was　just　as　well。　We'd　found　something　else　we　disagreed　on。　Letting　someone　tie　themselves　to　my　mind；　my　soul；　frightened　me　a　lot　more　than　killing　someone。
　The　man　that　followed　Edward　didn't　look　that　impressive。　He　was　slender；　only　a　couple　of　inches　taller　than　Edward。　He　had　curly　brownish　red　hair　receding　in　a　soft　circle　to　nearly　the　middle　of　his　head。　He　slouched　even　when　he　walked；　and　I　couldn't　tell　if　it　was　habit　or　some　sort　of　spinal　problem。　Brown　T…shirt　over　black　corduroy　pants；　and　sneakers。　Everything　looked　like　it　had　e　from　the　Salvation　Army。　He　wore　a　patched　leather　aviator's　jacket　that　might　have　been　original　World　War　II　issue。　Under　the　jacket；　I　got　a　glimpse　of　guns。
　He　was　wearing　a　double　shoulder　holster　so　that　he　had　a　9　millimeter　under　both　arms。　I'd　seen　holsters　like　it；　but　never　knew　anyone　who　actually　wore　one。　I　thought　they　were　mostly　for　show。　Very　few　people　are　equally　good　with　both　hands。　There　was　a　crisscross　of　straps　beneath　the　T…shirt　that　I　didn't　understand；　but　I　knew　it　was　for　carrying　something　lethal。　He　had　a　duffel　bag　in　one　hand；　crammed　full　and　big　enough　to　carry　a　body　in。　He　wasn't　even　straining。　Stronger　than　he　looked。
　I　met　his　eyes　last。　They　were　pale　and　greyish　green　with　lashes　so　gingery　red　they　were　almost　invisible。　The　look　in　the　eyes　was　the　emptiest　I'd　ever　seen　in　another　human　being。　It　was　as　if　when　he　looked　at　me；　he　wasn't　seeing　me　at　all。　It　wasn't　like　he　was　blind。　He　saw　something；　but　I　wasn't　sure　what　he　saw。　Not　me。　Not　a　woman。　Something　else。　That　one　look　was　enough。　I　knew　that　this　man　walked　in　a　circle　of　his　own　creation。　Saw　a　version　of　reality　that　would　send　the　rest　of　us　screaming。　But　he　functioned；　and　he　didn't　scream。
　〃This　is　Harley；〃　Edward　said。　He　introduced　us　all；　as　if　it　was　an　ordinary　meeting。
　I　stared　at　Harley's　pale　eyes　and　realized　that　he　scared　me。　It　had　been　a　lon