lh.narcissusinchains-第113章

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ce　and　neck。　He　was　introduced　as　Boone；　and　the　moment　he　turned　small　dark　eyes　to　me；　I　knew　he　was　something　that　would　eat　me　if　it　could。　Not　wolf；　not　cat；　but　something　with　teeth。
　His　voice　was　a　rumbling　bass；　so　low　it　almost　hurt　to　hear　it。　〃Ms。　Blake。〃
　I　nodded。　〃Mr。　Boone。〃
　He　shook　his　head；　the　dark　beard　rubbing　back　and　forth　over　his　white　shirt。　〃Just　Boone；　no　mister。〃
　〃Boone；〃　I　said。
　Nathaniel；　Zane；　and　Cherry　were　bringing　in　kitchen　chairs　so　the　last　four　people　could　sit　down。　Two　women；　two　men；　were　left。　One　man　was　slender　with　golden　red　hair；　and　strangely　up…tilted　green　eyes。　He　sat　on　the　floor　huddled　against　the　side　of　the　couch　as　if　he　were　hiding。
　〃That's　Gilbert；〃　Donovan　said。
　〃Gil；〃　he　said；　voice　almost　too　soft　to　hear。
　The　woman　was　tall；　nearly　six　feet；　broad…shouldered；　strong…looking。　Her　hair　was　brown；　streaked　with　gray；　pulled　back　from　her　face　in　a　loose　ponytail。　Her　face　was　bare　of　makeup。　She　offered　me　a　hand；　and　gave　me　one　of　the　best　handshakes　I've　ever　had　from　another　woman。　Her　brown　eyes　were　deep　with　worry；　as　she　said；　〃I'm　Janet　Talbot。　It's　good　of　you　to　see　us　all　on　such　short　notice。〃
　〃I　didn't　e　here　to　make　small　talk。〃　This　from　a　woman　who　was　standing　on　the　far　side　of　the　room；　near　the　big　picture　window。　She　was　looking　out　through　the　closed　sheers；　hands　gripping　her　elbows；　nervous　tension　singing　along　her　straight　spine；　as　she　turned　to　face　the　room。　I　could　see　where　Ethan　and　Olivia　had　gotten　the　dark　skin　and　their　exotic　look。　Nilisha　MacNair　was　about　my　size　but　even　more　delicately　put　together；　so　that　she　seemed　smaller。　A　man　might　think　words　like　birdlike；　kittenish；　until　he　looked　in　her　eyes。　Once　you　looked　into　those　dark；　dark　eyes；　you　knew　better。　The　eyes　gave　the　lie　to　the　packaging。　She　was　hell　on　wheels　and　used　to　getting　her　own　way。
　A　man　stood　near　her；　but　not　too　near。　He　was　as　tall；　as　blond；　as　pale；　as　she　was　small；　black…haired；　and　dark。　He　was　also　muscled　in　a　way　that　nature　does　not　do。　His　shoulders　were　broad；　waist　narrow；　hands　large　enough　to　palm　her　entire　head；　yet　he　was　clearly　afraid　of　her。　Oh；　it　was　bodyguard　deferential；　but　there　was　real　fear　there；　too。
　Merle　was　leaning　casually　near　the　big　blond　man。　I　didn't　know　where　Caleb　was；　and　didn't　care。
　〃I　am　the　Kadra；　and　the　Kashyapa；　who　is　dead；　is　my　husband。〃　Nilisha　MacNair　let　out　a　sudden　breath　that　shook；　then　she　regained　control　like　a　mountain　squeezing　downward。　〃Was　my　husband。〃
　〃Father　is　not　dead；〃　Olivia　said。　〃I　won't　let　you　make　him　dead　by　giving　up。〃
　Her　brother；　Ethan；　touched　her　arm；　as　if　trying　to　soothe　her　or　tell　her　to　shut　up。　She　ignored　him。
　But　the　damage　was　done；　the　fight　was　on。　〃How　dare　you？　How　dare　you　say　that　I　would　make　him　dead？　I　am　merely　facing　the　truth。〃
　Olivia　stood　up；　shaking　off　her　brother's　hand。　〃You　just　can't　stand　the　fact　that　he　was　with　another　woman　when　it　happened。〃
　The　fight　went　downhill　from　there。　Apparently　Henry　MacNair；　patriarch　of　the　clan；　had　been　leaving　his　mistress　and　fellow　werecobra's　house；　when　someone　had　taken　him。　No　body　was　found；　but　a　lot　of　blood　was　left　behind。　There　had　been　signs　of　a　struggle；　a　car　on　its　side；　a　good…sized　tree　torn　up。　When　wereanimals　struggle；　they　struggle。
　I　actually　learned　quite　a　bit　from　the　fight；　but　when　it　was　reduced　to　the　two　women　screaming　at　each　other　from　less　than　a　foot　away；　some　of　it　not　even　in　English；　I'd　had　enough。
　I　looked　across　the　room　at　Donovan。　He　had　brought　them　to　my　house；　after　all。　He　shrugged。　Basically；　he　didn't　know　what　to　do　either。
　I　had　visions　of　dumping　water　over　their　heads；　but　decided　that　it　might　just　work　better　to　leave　the　room。　I　motioned　the　others　into　the　kitchen；　and　they　all　trooped　out。　It　was　as　the　last　of　them　were　leaving　the　room　that　the　shouting　began　to　die　down。　Then　Nilisha's　voice。　〃Where　are　you　all　going？〃
　Janet　Talbot　spoke　for　all　of　us。　〃Someplace　quieter。〃
　I　couldn't　see　the　women's　faces；　but　I　could　almost　smell　the　embarrassment　on　the　air。　Not　wereanimal　ability；　just　a　good　guess。
　〃Please；〃　Olivia　said；　〃please；　I　do　apologize。　Please　e　back。〃
　Everyone　started　trickling　back　into　the　room。　Nilisha　actually　took　a　chair　with　the　blond　bodyguard　behind　her。　〃We　are　all　very　worried　about　my　husband。〃
　〃Worried　about　him；　Mama？〃　Olivia　said。
　The　woman　nodded；　smiled。　〃Yes；　worried。〃
　〃He's　not　dead；〃　the　girl　said。
　〃If　you　can　have　hope；　so　can　I。〃
　They　smiled　at　each　other　like　bright　mirrors；　so　alike　in　that　one　moment。　Ethan　looked　relieved；　but　he　didn't　smile。
　〃Alright；　besides　Henry　MacNair；　who　else　is　missing？〃
　〃My　son；　Andy；〃　Janet　Talbot　said。　She　handed　me　a　snapshot　of　a　young　man　with　her　brown　hair；　cut　short；　but　his　features　were　softer　than　hers。　He　was　handsome；　bordering　on　pretty。　〃He　looks　like　his　father。〃　She　said　it；　as　if　strangers　had　remarked　on　the　lack　of　resemblance　before。　I　wouldn't　have　said　a　damn　thing。
　〃Our　Ursa；〃　Boone　said；　〃I　didn't　think　to　bring　a　picture。〃
　〃Ursa；　bear；　your　queen？〃　I　made　it　a　question。
　He　nodded　that　massive；　bearded　head；　and　I　wondered　how　I'd　missed　it。　〃She　went　out　to　pick　up　a　few　things　at　the　store　and　never　came　back。　No　signs　of　a　struggle；　just　gone。〃
　I　looked　at　Gil　of　the　green　eyes。　〃Who'd　you　misplace？〃
　He　shook　his　head。　〃No　one；　I'm　just　scared。〃
　I　looked　at　Christine。　〃How　'bout　you？〃
　〃I'm　here　as　a　representative　for　the　weres　that　only　have　one　or　two　members。　Those　of　us　who　have　chosen　St。　Louis　because　there　were　no　others　like　us。　I'm　the　only　weretiger　in　town；　so　I　haven't　lost　anybody；　but　we've　lost　one　werelion。〃
　〃I　don't　suppose　the　missing　lion　is　named　Marco？〃
　Christine　shook　her　head。　〃No；　Joseph；　why？〃
　Donovan　answered；　〃The　lion　man　was　named　Marco。〃
　〃Oh〃　she　said。
　〃And；〃　Donovan　added；　〃Joseph　isn't　able　to　change　that　close　to　human。　No　one　I　know　of　can　change　that　close　to　human　and　hold　it　without　changing。〃
　Christine　continued　as　if　I　hadn't　spoken。　Focused；　Christine　was　always　focused。　〃Joseph's　mate　is　pregnant。　Amber　would　be　here　but　she's　under　plete　bed　rest　until　the　baby　is　born。〃
　〃Until　she　loses　it；　you　mean；〃　Cherry　said。
　I　glanced　at　her。　〃You　say　that　like　she's　lost　some　before。〃
　〃This　is　her　third　try；〃　Cherry　said。
　〃I'm　sorry　to　hear　that。　Losing　her　。。。　mate　must　not　be　helping　her　stress　levels。〃
　〃That　is　an　understatement；〃　Christine　said。
　〃She's　a　fool　to　keep　trying；〃　Cherry　said。　〃We　can't　carry　a　baby　to　term；　and　that's　that。〃
　I　looked　at　her　again。　〃Pass　that　by　me　again；　slowly。〃
　〃The　change　is　too　violent；　it　causes　miscarriage。〃　Cherry　said　it　matter　of　factly；　then　I　watched　her　understand　what　she'd　just　said；　and　she　whispered；　〃Anita；　I　didn't　。。。　you　shouldn't　have　had　to　find　out　this　way。　I'm　sorry。〃
　I　shrugged；　then　shook　my　head。　〃But　the　MacNairs　have　two　children。　I'm　looking　at　them。　Janet　has　a　son。〃
　〃My　type　of　shapeshifting　is　inherited；〃　Janet　said。　〃It's　not　tied　to　the　moon。　I　avoided　shapeshifting　until　after　Andy　was　born。〃
　I　looked　at　Nilisha。　〃I　am　a　werecobra。　I　can　choose　to　try　and　carry　a　baby　like　a　mammal　or　like　a　snake。〃
　〃You　laid　eggs？〃　I　made　that　one　a　big　question。
　She　nodded。　〃I　couldn't　have　carried　them　in　my　body。　The　change　is　too　hard。　But　I　had　other　options。〃
　The　unspoken；　but　you　don't；　hung　on　the　air。　It　was　too　hard　to　think　about。　It　wasn't　like　I'd　ever　considered　having　children。　I　mean；　get　real；　with　my　life？　Out　loud；　I　said；　〃One　problem　at　a　time。　So　who　disappeared　first？〃
　Henry　MacNair　was　the　first　victim；　and　had　had　the　most　struggle。　Then；　the　werelion；　Joseph；　Andy　Talbot；　weredog；　as　it　turned　out；　and　last　the　Ursa　of　the　bears；　Rebecca　Morton。
　The　last　time　we'd　had　this　many　wereanimals　missing；　it　had　been　the　old　swan　king　who　was　delivering　them　over　to　be　hunted　by　illegal　thrill　seekers。
　I　looked　at　Donovan　Reece。　He　either　read　my　mind　or　anticipated　it。　〃Interesting　coincidence　that　I　e　into　town　about　the　same　time　everyone　goes　missing；　isn't