lh.narcissusinchains-第12章

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　I　stared　at　his　hand　for　a　space　of　heartbeats；　then　took　it。　I　expected　him　to　pull　me　in　against　his　body；　but　he　didn't。　He　stopped　with　the　width　of　a　handspan　between　us。　I　looked　a　question　at　him；　and　he　touched　my　face；　gently；　tentatively；　fingers　hovering　on　either　side　of　my　face；　like　hesitant　butterflies；　as　if　he　were　afraid　to　touch　me。　He　lowered　his　face　towards　me；　as　his　fingertips　found　my　skin。　His　hands　slid　on　either　side　of　my　face；　cupping　it　like　something　delicate　and　breakable。
　I'd　never　felt　him　so　tentative　around　me；　so　unsure。　Even　as　his　lips　hovered　over　mine　I　wondered　if　he　was　doing　it　this　way　on　purpose　to　contrast　with　Richard's　forcefulness。　Then　his　lips　touched　mine；　and　I　stopped　thinking。　It　was　the　barest　of　brushes；　his　mouth　over　mine。　Then；　softly；　he　kissed　me。　I　kissed　him　back；　being　as　tentative　as　he；　my　hands　raising；　covering　his　hands　as　they　cradled　my　face。　He'd　thrown　that　surprisingly　long　black　hair　over　one　shoulder　so　that　the　right　side　of　his　face　was　bare　to　the　lights　and　the　hair　didn't　get　in　the　way　of　the　kiss。　I　ran　one　hand　down　the　side　of　his　jaw；　tracing　the　shape　of　his　face；　ever　so　gently；　as　we　kissed。　He　shuddered　under　that　light　brush　of　my　hand；　and　the　feel　of　him　trembling　under　my　hand　brought　a　soft　sound　from　low　in　my　throat。　Jean…Claude's　mouth　pressed　against　mine　hard　enough　that　I　could　feel　the　press　of　his　fangs　against　my　lip。　I　opened　my　mouth　and　let　him　inside　me；　ran　my　tongue　between　the　delicate　points。　I'd　learned　how　to　French　kiss　a　vampire；　but　it　was　a　hazardous　pleasure；　one　to　be　done　with　care；　and　I　was　out　of　practice。
　In　slipping　my　tongue　between　his　fangs；　I　nicked　myself。　It　was　a　quick；　sharp　pain；　and　Jean…Claude　made　a　soft　guttural　sound；　a　heartbeat　before　I　tasted　blood。
　His　hands　were　suddenly　at　my　back；　pulling　me　against　his　body。　The　kiss　never　stopped；　and　the　urgency　of　it　grew；　until　it　was　as　if　he　were　feeding　from　my　mouth；　trying　to　drink　me　down。
　I　might　have　pulled　away；　I　might　not　have；　but　the　moment　the　front　of　our　bodies　touched；　it　was　too　late。　There　was　no　going　back；　no　saying　no；　nothing　but　sensation。　I　felt　that　cool；　shimmering　wind　that　was　his　aura　touch　mine。　For　one　trembling　moment　we　were　pressed　together；　our　energy　breathing　against　each　other　like　the　sides　of　two　great　beasts。　Then　the　boundaries　that　held　our　auras　in　place　gave　way。　Think　of　it　as　if　you　were　making　love　and　suddenly　your　skin　slid　away；　spilling　you　against　your　partner；　into　your　partner；　giving　you　an　intimacy　that　was　never　imagined；　never　planned；　never　wanted。
　I　screamed；　and　he　echoed　me。　I　felt　us　begin　to　fall　to　the　floor；　but　Richard　caught　us；　cradled　us　against　his　body；　laid　us　gently　on　the　floor。　The　power　did　not　leap　across　to　him；　and　I　didn't　know　why。
　Jean…Claude's　body　was　on　top　of　mine；　pinning　me　to　the　floor；　his　groin　pressed　over　mine。　He　drove　his　hips　in　against　me；　forcing　my　legs　apart　around　the　slick　covering　of　his　legs。　I　wanted　him　inside　me；　wanted　him　to　ride　me　while　the　power　rode　us。
　He　struggled　up　on　his　arms；　leaning　up　and　away　from　me；　forcing　his　lower　body　tighter　against　mine。　And　the　power　built　in　a　skin…tingling　rush；　building；　building；　like　that　shining　edge　of　orgasm　when　you　can　feel　it　growing　large　and　overwhelming　but　can't　quite　reach　it。
　I　saw　Richard　leaning　over　me　like　a　dark　shadow　against　the　haze　of　the　lights。　I　think　I　tried　to　say；　no；　don't；　but　no　sound　came。　He　kissed　me；　and　the　power　flared；　but　still　he　wasn't　part　of　it。　He　kissed　my　cheek；　my　chin；　my　neck；　working　lower；　and　I　suddenly　knew　what　he　was　doing。　He　was　kissing　his　way　down　to　the　hole　over　my　heart　chakra；　my　energy　center。　Jean…Claude　had　already　covered　the　one　at　my　base；　my　groin。　Richard's　chest　stretched　above　me；　smooth；　firm；　so　temptingly　close；　and　I　raised　my　mouth　to　his　skin；　so　that　as　he　kissed　down　my　body　he　drew　his　naked　chest　across　my　tongue。　I　licked　a　wet　line　down　his　body。　He　buried　his　mouth　inside　the　halter　top　and　touched　over　my　heart；　and　my　mouth　found　his　heart　at　the　same　moment。
　The　power　didn't　just　build；　it　exploded。　It　was　like　lying　at　ground　zero　of　a　nuclear　explosion；　the　shock　waves　shooting　out；　out；　out　into　the　room；　while　we　melted　together　in　the　center。　For　one　shining　moment　I　felt　both　of　them　inside　me；　through　me；　as　if　they　were　wind；　pure　power；　pouring　through　me；　through　us。　Richard's　electric　warmth　buzzed　over　us；　Jean…Claude's　cool　power　poured　over　and　through　like　a　chill　wind；　and　I　was　something　large　and　growing；　holding　the　warmth　of　the　living　and　the　cold　of　the　dead。　I　was　both　and　neither。　We　were　all　and　none。
　I　don't　know　if　I　passed　out　or　if　I　just　lost　time　for　some　metaphysical　reason。　All　I　remembered　was　that　I　was　suddenly　lying　on　the　floor　with　Richard　collapsed　beside　me；　pinning　one　of　my　arms；　his　body　curled　around　my　chest　and　head；　his　legs　touching　down　the　other　side　of　my　body。　Jean…Claude　was　collapsed　on　top　of　me；　his　body　pressing　the　length　of　mine；　with　his　head　to　one　side　resting　on　Richard's　leg。　They　both　had　their　eyes　closed；　their　breath　ing　in　ragged　pants；　just　like　mine。
　It　took　me　two　tries　to　say　a　breathless；　〃Get　off　me。〃
　Jean…Claude　rolled　to　one　side　without　ever　opening　his　eyes。　The　fall　of　his　body　forced　Richard's　legs　to　move　a　little　farther　out；　so　that　Jean…Claude　and　I　both　lay　in　the　semicircle　of　Richard's　body。
　The　room　was　so　quiet　I　thought　we　were　the　only　ones　left　in　it。　As　if　all　the　others　had　fled　in　terror　of　what　we'd　done。　Then　the　room　thundered　in　applause　and　howling　and　other　animal　noises　that　I　didn't　have　words　for。　The　noise　was　deafening；　beating　against　my　body　in　waves　as　if　I　had　nerves　in　places　where　I'd　never　had　nerves　before。
　Asher　was　suddenly　standing　over　us。　He　knelt　beside　me；　touching　the　pulse　in　my　neck。　〃Blink　if　you　can　hear　me；　Anita。〃
　I　blinked。
　〃Can　you　speak？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　He　nodded　and　touched　Jean…Claude　next；　stroking　a　hand　down　his　cheek。　Jean…Claude　opened　his　eyes　at　the　touch。　He　gave　a　smile　that　seemed　to　mean　more　to　Asher　than　to　me；　because　it　made　Asher　laugh。　The　laugh　was　a　very　masculine　one；　as　if　they'd　shared　some　dirty　joke　that　I　didn't　understand。　Asher　crawled　around　me　until　he　was　kneeling　by　Richard's　head。　He　lifted　a　handful　of　thick　hair　so　he　could　see　Richard's　face　clearly。　Richard　blinked　at　him；　but　didn't　seem　to　be　focusing。
　Asher　bent　low　over　Richard；　and　I　heard　him　say；　〃Can　you　hear　me；　mon　ami？〃
　Richard　swallowed；　coughed；　and　said；　〃Yes。〃
　〃Bon；　bon。〃
　It　took　me　two　tries　but　I　had　a　smart…aleck　ment；　and　I　was　going　to　make　it。　〃Now；　everyone　who　can　stand；　raise　their　hands。〃　None　of　us　moved。　I　felt　distant；　floating；　my　body　too　heavy　to　move。　Or　maybe　my　mind　was　too　overwhelmed　to　make　it　move。
　〃Have　no　fears；　ma　cherie；　we　will　attend　you。〃　Asher　stood；　and　it　was　as　if　it　were　a　signal。　Figures　moved　out　of　the　crowd。　I　recognized　three　of　them。　Jamil's　waist　length　cornrows　looked　right　at　home　with　his　black　leather　outfit。　He　was　Richard's　lead　enforcer；　or　Sk？ll。　Shang…Da　didn't　look　fortable　in　black　leather；　but　the　six…foot…plus　Chinese　never　looked　fortable　outside　of　nice　dress　clothes　with　polished　wing　tips。　Shang…Da　was　the　other　enforcer　for　the　pack；　the　Hati。　Sylvie　knelt　beside　me；　looking　splendid　in　vinyl；　her　short　brown　hair　touched　with　burgundy　highlights。　Though　it　looked　good；　I　knew　she　was　conservative　enough　that　it　was　probably　a　temporary　color。　She　sold　insurance　when　she　wasn't　being　Richard's　second　in　mand；　his　Freki；　and　insurance　salespeople　didn't　have　hair　the　color　of　a　good　red　wine。
　She　smiled　at　me；　wearing　more　makeup　than　I'd　ever　seen　her　in。　It　looked　great；　but　it　didn't　really　look　like　Sylvie。　For　the　first　time　I　thought　how　pretty　she　was；　and　that　she　was　almost　as　delicate…looking　as　me。
　〃I　owed　you　a　rescue；〃　she　said。　Once　upon　a　time　a　bunch　of　nasty　vampires　had　e　to　town　to　teach　Jean…Claude；　Richard；　and　me　a　lesson。　They'd　taken　prisoners　along　the　way。　Sylvie　had　been　one　of　them。　I'd　gotten　her　out；　and　I'd　kept　my　promis