lhamilton.thekillingdance-第74章

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　Richard。　He　stood　almost　frozen；　his　dark　eyes　filled　with　a　heat　that　was　part　sex；　part　energy；　part　something　else。　And　for　the　first　time；　I　understood　that　something　else。　I　heard　that　music；　felt　it　dance　inside　my　body。
　I　grabbed　the　leather　cloak　and　pulled　him　down　to　me。　We　kissed　and　it　burned；　as　if　more　than　flesh　was　mingling。　I　released　him　abruptly；　and　my　eyes　didn't　go　to　his　face　but　fell　lower。　Without　touching　him；　I　knew　he　was　hard　and　ready。　I　could　still　feel　the　pack；　distant；　but　touchable。　Jason's　great　wolf　head　brushed　my　thigh。　I　dug　my　fingers　into　that　thick　fur　and　knew　that　if　Richard　and　I　made　love；　the　pack　would　know　it。　Here　tonight；　they'd　be　along　for　the　ride。　It　wouldn't　just　be　sex。　It　would　be　magic。　And　it　didn't　seem　shameful　or　pagan　or　wrong。
　〃You　can't　let　them　do　this；〃　Raina　said。
　Marcus　pushed　himself　to　his　feet。　He　seemed　tired。　〃No；　I　don't　suppose　I　can。〃　He　looked　at　Raina；　naked；　beautiful；　fearful。　〃But　it　is　not　your　blood　that　will　be　spilled　tonight；　is　it；　my　love？〃　The　irony　was　thick　enough　to　walk　on；　and　for　the　first　time；　I　realized　that　Marcus　knew　what　Raina　was；　maybe　had　always　known。
　Raina　went　to　her　knees　in　front　of　him；　hands　clutching　at　his　legs。　She　rubbed　her　cheek　along　his　thigh；　one　hand　smoothing　perilously　close　to　his　groin。　Even　now；　it　was　what　she　knew　best。　Sex　and　pain。
　He　touched　her　hair　gently。　He　stared　down　at　her；　and　the　naked　tenderness　on　his　face　made　me　want　to　look　away。　It　was　a　terribly　intimate　look；　more　intimate　than　sex；　more　powerful。　The　fool　loved　her。
　If　he　hadn't　been　paying　to　kill　me；　I'd　have　felt　sorry　for　him。
　Marcus　stepped　away　from　Raina。　He　began　walking　across　the　clearing。　His　power　opened　like　a　door；　flowing　like　electric　water　across　the　wolves；　across　me。　He　undid　his　tie；　opened　the　first　few　buttons　of　his　shirt。　〃No　more　preliminaries；　Richard。　Let　us　do　this。〃
　〃I　know　you　tried　to　have　Anita　killed；〃　Richard　said。
　Marcus　stopped　in　midmotion。　His　small；　sure　fingers　hesitated。　Surprise　chased　across　his　face；　then　changed　into　a　smile。　〃You　have　surprised　me　twice　tonight；　Richard。　Let's　see　if　you　can　make　it　three。〃
　〃I　will　kill　you　tonight；　Marcus；　you　know　that。〃
　Marcus　shrugged　out　of　his　jacket。　〃You　can　try。〃
　Richard　nodded。　〃I'd　planned　on　giving　you　the　chance　to　just　leave。〃
　〃I　tried　to　have　your　mate　killed。　You　can't　leave　me　alive　now。〃　He　undid　the　cuffs　of　his　shirt。
　〃No；　I　can't。〃　Richard　undid　the　cloak's　tie；　letting　it　fall　to　the　floor。　He　pulled　his　shirt　out　of　his　pants　and　slid　it　over　his　head　in　one　quick　movement。　The　moonlight　made　shadows　on　the　muscles　of　his　arms　and　chest。　I　suddenly　didn't　want　him　to　do　it。　I　could　shoot　Marcus；　and　it　would　all　be　done。　Richard　would　never　forgive　me；　but　he'd　be　alive。　They　wouldn't　kill　each　other　with　power。　They'd　use　claws　and　teeth　for　the　killing。　All　Richard's　trembling；　eager　power　wouldn't　keep　him　from　getting　his　throat　ripped　out。
　
　
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　Richard　turned　to　me；　wearing　only　the　leather　pants　and　the　boots。　Marcus　had　asked　that　they　not　strip　down；　said　something　about　saving　an　old　man's　dignity。　Bullshit。　There　was　something　in　the　air　that　I　didn't　like；　as　if　Marcus　had　known　what　was　ing　and　he　was　ready。
　〃As　acknowledged　Ulfric；　Marcus　gets　to　choose　the　form　we　fight　in；〃　Richard　said。
　〃What　form　did　he　choose？〃
　Richard　raised　his　hand　in　front　of　my　face。　〃Touch　my　hand。〃
　He　made　it　sound　so　serious　for　such　a　small　request。　I　touched　the　back　of　his　hand　lightly。
　〃Grip　my　palm；　Anita。〃
　I　wrapped　my　fingers　around　the　lower　part　of　his　hand。　Before　I　could　look　to　his　face　or　ask　a　question；　I　felt　it。　Energy　welled　up　his　hand　like　oil　up　the　wick　of　a　lamp。　His　skin　flowed　under　my　hand。　I　felt　the　bones　lengthening。　I　felt　his　body　give　as　if　the　boundaries　that　confined　him　to　skin　and　bone　and　flesh　had　dissolved。　It　felt　almost　like　he　would　scatter　himself　outward　like　I'd　done　earlier；　but　it　wasn't　his　essence　that　was　reaching　outward。　It　was　his　body。
　He　held　up　his　other　hand；　and　I　took　it。　I　locked　my　fingers　in　his　and　felt　his　bones　grow　across　my　skin；　watched　claws　form　as　his　flesh　flowed　like　clay。　Distant　as　a　scream；　I　knew　I　should　have　been　scared　or　sickened。　The　power　flowed　down　his　shifting　hands　to　my　hands；　flowing　between　us　like　cool　fire。
　He　stopped　when　his　hands　were　human　claws　with　talons　that　could　have　ripped　me　apart。　The　power　didn't　stop　abruptly；　it　wasn't　like　turning　off　a　switch。　It　was　like　turning　off　a　faucet；　slowing　the　flow　down　to　a　trickle；　a　drop；　then　nothing。
　I　was　on　my　knees　and　hadn't　remembered　getting　there。　Richard　knelt　in　front　of　me；　hands　still　clasped　in　mine。　It　took　me　two　tries　to　be　able　to　talk。　〃How　can　you　stop　like　that？〃
　He　drew　his　newly　formed　hands　carefully　out　of　my　hands。　I　shivered　as　the　tips　of　his　claws　trailed　over　my　skin。
　〃Controlling　the　change　is　what　separates　the　sheep　from　the　wolves；〃　he　said。
　It　took　me　a　second　to　realize　he'd　made　a　joke。　He　leaned　into　me　and　whispered；　〃If　I　lose　control　in　the　fight；　or　if　I'm　losing；　I'll　shift　pletely。　I　want　you　to　e　touch　me；　if　I　ask　you。〃
　〃Why？〃
　His　breath　was　warm　against　my　cheek。　He　wrapped　his　arms　around　me；　held　me　in　the　circle　of　his　body；　claws　playing　along　the　leather　straps　of　the　outfit。　〃I　want　you　to　feel　the　rush　of　power。　I　want　you　to　know　what　it　can　be　like　between　us。〃　His　arms　tightened。　〃If　I'm　losing；　you　can　ride　the　power　and　use　it　to　get　my　wolves　out　of　here。　The　others　will　kill　anyone　they　think　is　disloyal。〃
　I　pushed　away　enough　to　see　his　face。　〃How　can　I　use　the　power　to　do　that？〃
　〃You'll　know。〃　He　kissed　my　forehead　ever　so　gently。　〃Save　them；　Anita。　Promise　me。〃
　〃I　promise。〃
　He　stood；　my　hands　slipping　over　his　body　as　he　got　to　his　feet。　I　caught　one　of　his　hands。　My　hand　slid　down　the　long；　curved　claw。　It　was　as　hard　and　solid　and　unreal　as　it　looked。　I'd　felt　his　body　shift；　and　yet；　staring　up　at　Richard's　handsome　face　and　those　monstrous　hands；　it　was　jarring。　Still；　I　held　on。　I　didn't　want　to　let　him　go。
　〃Careful　of　the　claws；　Anita。　I'm　not　in　human　form　anymore。〃
　He　meant　that　a　scratch　might　make　me　furry；　might　not。　Hard　to　tell。　But　it　was　enough　to　make　me　let　go。　No　matter　how　good　Richard　felt；　I　wasn't　ready　to　throw　humanity　pletely　behind　me。
　Richard　stared　down　at　me；　and　there　was　a　world　in　his　eyes　of　things　unsaid；　things　undone。　I　opened　my　mouth；　closed　it。　〃Do　you　have　this　much　control　over　every　body　part？〃
　He　smiled。　〃Yes。〃
　I　was　so　scared　I　couldn't　speak。　I'd　made　my　last　joke。　The　only　thing　left　was　truth。　I　raised　up；　putting　my　hands　on　his　legs　for　support　and　kissed　the　back　of　his　hand。　The　skin　was　still　as　soft；　still　smelled　and　tasted　like　Richard；　the　bones　underneath　felt　like　someone　else。
　〃Don't　get　killed。〃
　He　smiled。　There　was　a　sadness　in　his　eyes　that　was　bottomless。　Even　if　he　won　this　fight；　it　would　cost　him　dearly。　Murder；　that's　how　he　would　see　it。　No　matter　how　justified。　Moral　high　ground　is　dandy；　but　it'll　get　you　killed。
　Raina　kissed　Marcus　good…bye；　pressing　her　body　so　tightly　against　him；　it　was　like　she　was　trying　to　walk　through　him；　part　him　like　a　curtain　and　slip　inside。
　She　pushed　him　away　with　a　rich；　throaty　laugh。　It　was　the　kind　of　laughter　that　made　you　turn　your　head　in　bars。　A　joyous；　slightly　wicked　sound。　Raina　stared　across　the　clearing　at　me；　the　laughter　still　sparkling　in　her　eyes；　on　her　face。　One　look　was　enough。　She　was　going　to　kill　me　if　she　could。
　Since　I　was　pretty　much　thinking　the　same　thing　about　her；　I　gave　her　a　little　nod　and　a　salute。　We'd　see　who　was　dead　e　morning。　It　might　be　me；　but　somewhere　on　the　lists　of　the　dead　would　be　Raina。　That　I　could　almost　promise。
　Marcus　raised　his　clawed　hands　over　his　head。　He　turned　in　a　slow　circle。
　〃Two　alphas　fight　for　you　here　tonight。　One　of　us　will　leave　this　circle　alive。　One　of　us　will　feed　you　tonight。　Drink　of　our　blood；　eat　of　our　flesh。　We　are　pack。　We　are　lukoi。　We　are　one。〃
　Jason　threw　his　head　back　and　howled；　so　close　to　me　that　I　jumped。　Fur