lhamilton.thekillingdance-第82章

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　My　heart　had　started　beating　again。　It　was　beating　so　hard　I　was　going　to　choke　on　it。　They'd　taken　the　Browning　and　Firestar；　holsters　and　all。　The　wrist　sheaths　were　gone。　I　tensed　my　back　and　could　still　feel　the　back　sheath。　When　I　put　my　head　back；　I　didn't　feel　the　knife's　handle。　I　guess　I　was　grateful　they　hadn't　stripped　me　to　get　the　sheath。　The　way　Gabriel　was　circling　the　bed；　I　was　betting　we'd　get　to　that。
　I　tried　to　talk；　couldn't；　swallowed；　and　tried　again。　〃What's　going　on？〃　My　voice　sounded　amazingly　calm。　Even　to　me。
　A　woman's　laugh；　high　and　rich；　filled　the　room。　But　of　course；　it　wasn't　a　room。　We　were　at　the　farm　where　they　made　dirty　movies。　The　room　I　was　tied　in　had　only　three　walls。　The　lights　hung　above　me　were　dead；　not　on　yet。
　Raina　stalked　into　sight　on　high；　spiked　heels　the　color　of　blood。　She　was　wearing　what　looked　like　a　red　leather　teddy　that　left　most　of　her　long　legs　and　hips　bare。　〃Hello；　Anita；　you're　looking　well。〃
　I　took　a　deep　breath　in　through　my　nose　and　let　it　out　slowly。　My　heart　slowed　a　bit。　Good。　〃You　should　talk　to　Richard　before　you　do　anything　drastic。　The　position　of　lupa　just　opened　up　today。〃
　She　cocked　her　head　to　one　side；　puzzled。　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃
　〃She　slept　with　Jean…Claude。〃　Cassandra　came　to　stand　on　the　edge　of　the　fake　room；　back　to　the　wall。　She　looked　like　she'd　always　looked。　If　she　felt　unfortable　having　betrayed　me　to　Raina；　it　didn't　show。　I　hated　her　a　lot　for　that。
　〃Aren't　you　going　to　sleep　with　both　of　them？〃　Raina　asked。
　〃Hadn't　planned　on　it；〃　I　said。　Every　time　I　opened　my　mouth　and　nobody　touched　me；　I　got　a　little　calmer。　If　Raina　had　done　this　to　get　me　out　of　the　way；　then　she　didn't　need　to　go　any　further。　If　it　was　revenge　for　Marcus；　I　was　in　deep　shit。
　Raina　sat　down　on　the　end　of　the　bed　near　my　feet。　I　tensed　when　she　did　it；　I　couldn't　help　myself。　She　noticed　and　laughed。　〃Oh；　you　are　going　to　be　a　lot　of　fun。〃
　〃You　can　be　alpha　female。　I　don't　want　the　job；〃　I　said。
　Raina　sighed；　running　her　hand　along　my　leg；　massaging　the　muscle　in　my　upper　thigh；　almost　absently　like　you'd　pet　a　dog。　〃Richard　doesn't　want　me；　Anita。　He　thinks　I'm　corrupt。　He　wants　you。〃　She　squeezed　my　thigh　until　I　thought　she　was　going　to　grow　claws　and　tear　out　the　muscle。　She　forced　a　small　sound　out　of　my　throat　before　she　stopped。
　〃What　do　you　want？〃
　〃Your　pain。〃　She　smiled　when　she　said　it。
　I　turned　my　head　to　Cassandra。　There　had　to　be　someone　sane　in　this　room。　〃Why　are　you　helping　them？〃
　〃I　am　Sabin's　wolf。〃
　My　eyes　narrowed。　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃
　Raina　crawled　up　on　the　bed；　lying　beside　me；　insinuating　her　body　against　mine；　one　finger　tracing　over　my　stomach。　It　was　an　idle　gesture；　as　if　she　wasn't　really　concentrating。　I　didn't　want　to　be　here　when　she　started　concentrating。
　〃Cassandra　was　a　plant　from　the　very　beginning；　weren't　you　dear？〃
　Cassandra　nodded；　ing　to　stand　beside　the　bed。　Her　hazel　eyes　were　calm；　too　calm。　Whatever　she　was　feeling　was　there　behind　that　pretty　face；　carefully　controlled。　The　trick　was；　was　there　anything　behind　that　face　that　could　help　me？
　〃Dominic；　Sabin；　and　I　are　a　triumvirate。　We　are　what　you　and　Richard　and　Jean…Claude　could　have　been。〃
　I　didn't　like　her　using　the　past　tense。　〃You're　the　woman　he　gave　up　fresh　blood　for？〃
　〃I　believe　in　the　sanctity　of　life。　I　thought　I　valued　that　above　all。　Watching　Sabin's　golden　beauty　rot　away　has　convinced　me　otherwise。　I　will　do　anything；　anything　to　help　him　recover。〃　Something　like　pain　crossed　her　eyes　and　she　looked　away。　When　she　looked　back；　her　face　was　forcibly　blank；　the　effort　trembling　down　her　hands。　She　noticed　and　hugged　her　hands　to　her　arms。　She　smiled；　but　it　wasn't　a　happy　smile。　〃I　have　to　make　it　up　to　him；　Anita。　I　am　sorry　that　you　and　yours　have　bee　entangled　in　our　problems。〃
　〃How　am　I　caught　up　in　it？〃
　Raina　slid　her　arm　over　my　stomach；　putting　her　face　very　near　mine。　〃Dominic　has　a　spell　to　cure　Sabin　of　the　rotting　disease。　A　transfer　of　magical　essence；　you　might　say。　All　he　needed　was　exactly　the　right　donor。〃　She　leaned　in　so　close　that　only　my　turning　my　head　kept　our　lips　from　touching。　She　whispered　against　my　skin；　breath　warm；　〃A　perfect　donor。　A　vampire　who　shares　Sabin's　powers　exactly；　a　perfect　match；　and　a　servant；　either　alpha　werewolf；　or　necromancer；　bound　to　that　same　vampire。〃
　I　turned　and　looked　at　her。　I　couldn't　help　it。　She　kissed　me；　pressing　her　mouth　against　mine；　trying　to　force　her　tongue　inside。　I　bit　her　lip　hard　enough　that　I　tasted　blood。
　She　jerked　back　with　a　startled　scream。　She　put　her　hand　to　her　mouth　and　stared　down　at　me。　〃That　is　going　to　cost　you　dearly。〃
　I　spit　her　blood　at　her。　It　spattered　along　my　chin。　It　was　a　stupid　thing　to　have　done。　Making　her　angrier　was　not　helpful；　but　watching　the　blood　drip　down　her　lovely　face　had　almost　been　worth　it。
　〃Gabriel；　entertain　Ms。　Blake。〃
　That　got　my　attention。　Gabriel　slid　onto　the　bed；　folding　himself　against　me　as　Raina　had　done　on　the　other　side。　He　was　taller；　six　feet；　so　he　didn't　fit　quite　as　well；　but　what　he　lacked　in　matching　size　he　made　up　for　in　technique。　He　straddled　my　body　and　leaned　over　me　in　a　sort　of　push…up；　bringing　his　mouth　close　and　closer。　He　licked　my　bloody　chin；　one　quick　flick　of　his　tongue。　I　jerked　my　head　away。
　He　grabbed　my　chin　with　one　hand；　forcing　me　to　look　at　him。　He　held　my　chin　like　a　vise；　fingers　digging　in　when　I　struggled。　The　strength　in　his　fingers　was　enough　to　crush　my　jaw　if　he　squeezed。　He　licked　the　blood　off　my　chin　and　lips　in　slow；　lingering　licks。
　I　screamed；　then　mentally　cursed　myself。　This　was　what　they　wanted。　Panic　would　not　help。　Panic　would　not　help。　I　kept　repeating　it　over　and　over　until　I　stopped　pulling　at　the　ropes。　I　would　not　lose　it；　not　yet；　not　yet。
　Cassandra　crawled　up　on　the　bed。　I　could　only　see　her　white　dress　out　of　the　corner　of　my　eye。　Gabriel　still　held　me　immobile。
　〃Let　go　of　her　face　so　she　can　look　at　me。〃
　Gabriel　glanced　at　her　and　hissed。
　A　low；　rolling　growl　trickled　out　from　behind　her　lips。　〃I'm　in　the　mood　for　a　fight　tonight；　kitty；　don't　make　it　easy　for　me。〃
　〃Aren't　you　expected　at　the　ceremony？〃　Raina　said。　〃Doesn't　Dominic　need　you　there　for　it　to　work？〃
　Cassandra　reared　back；　and　the　voice　that　came　was　low　and　fell　from　her　human　lips　with　effort。　〃I　will　speak　with　Anita　before　I　go；　or　I　will　not　go。〃
　Raina　came　to　stand　on　the　other　side　of　the　bed。　〃You'll　never　find　another　master　vampire　who　matches　your　master　as　perfectly　as　Jean…Claude。　Never。　You'd　jeopardize　his　one　chance　at　a　cure？〃
　〃I　will　do　as　I　wish　on　this　one　thing；　Raina；　for　I　am　alpha。　When　Richard　is　gone；　I　will　lead　the　pack。　Do　not　forget　that。〃
　〃That　wasn't　our　bargain。〃
　〃Our　bargain　was　that　you　would　kill　the　Executioner　before　we　arrived　in　town。　You　failed。〃
　〃Marcus　hired　the　best。　Who　knew　she　would　be　so　hard　to　kill？〃
　〃I　did；　the　first　time　I　met　her。　You　are　always　underestimating　other　women；　Raina；　it　is　one　of　your　weaknesses。〃　Cassandra　leaned　towards　Raina。　〃You　tried　to　kill　Richard　before　Dominic　could　use　him　in　the　spell。〃
　〃He　was　going　to　kill　Marcus。〃
　Cassandra　shook　her　head。　〃You　panicked；　Raina。　You　and　Marcus。　Now　Marcus　is　dead；　and　you　can't　hold　the　pack。　Too　many　of　them　hate　you。　And　many　of　them　love　Richard；　or　at　least　admire　him。〃
　I　wanted　to　ask　where　Jean…Claude　and　Richard　were；　but　I　was　afraid　I　knew。　A　ceremony；　sacrifice；　but　they　needed　Cassandra　to　make　it　work。　I　didn't　want　her　to　rush　off。
　〃You　were　Dominic's　alibi；〃　I　said。　〃Not　that　I'm　plaining；　but　why　am　I　still　alive？〃
　Cassandra　looked　down　at　me。　〃Gabriel　and　Raina　want　you　on　film。　If　you　would　give　me　your　word　that　you　would　seek　no　revenge　against　any　of　us　for　the　deaths　of　your　two　men；　then　I　would　fight　to　see　you　go　free。〃
　I　started　to　open　my　mouth　and　promise。
　She　waved　a　finger　in　front　of　my　mouth。　〃No　lies；　Anita；　not　between　us。〃
　〃Too　late　for　that；〃　I　said。
　Cassandra　nodded。　〃True；　and　that　grieves　me。　Under　other　circumstances；　we　might　have　been　friends。〃
　〃Yeah。〃　Of　course；　that　made　it　hurt　all　the