lh.narcissusinchains-第129章

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elf。　I　had　a　bandage　over　my　left　breast　to　prove　that　I'd　donated　my　piece　of　flesh　and　blood　for　the　night。　Zane　and　Merle　were　on　their　way　to　the　lycanthrope　hospital；　with　Micah　and　Cherry　to　oversee　them。　Everyone　else　had　trooped　back　to　my　house；　and　everything　had　seemed　fine；　until　screams　from　the　bathroom　brought　me　running。
　Damian　had　been　beating　himself　against　the　floor；　convulsing　like　he'd　tear　himself　apart；　vomiting　blood　on　the　tile。　Asher　and　Nathaniel　had　been　fighting　to　hold　him　down；　to　keep　him　from　hurting　himself；　but　they　couldn't　hold　him。　I　knelt　to　help；　and　the　moment　I　touched　him；　he　quieted。　I'd　withdrawn　my　hand；　and　his　body　had　bucked　again；　hands　scrambling　at　the　slick　tile。　I'd　touched　his　shoulder；　and　he　calmed。　We'd　tried　letting　him　take　blood　from　Caleb；　but　the　moment　I　stopped　touching　him；　his　body　rejected　the　blood；　and　everything　else。　The　last　time　I'd　stopped　touching　him；　Damian　had　simply　gone　quiet；　and　I　had　felt　him　beginning　to　fade；　to　die。
　We'd　dragged　Damian　into　the　steaming　bath　water；　and　I'd　held　him。　He　had　recovered；　but　only　with　me　holding　him　while　my　clothes　stuck　to　my　body。
　〃What's　wrong　with　him？〃　I　asked。
　Asher　had　answered；　〃I've　only　seen　this　reaction　between　master　and　servant。〃
　〃I'm　Damian's　master；　so　what？　It　shouldn't　cause　this；　should　it？〃
　〃No；　ma　cherie；　not　merely　master；　but　master　vampire　and　human　servant。〃
　〃Damian　is　not　my　master；〃　I　said。
　〃Damian　is　no　one's　master；〃　Asher　said　quietly；　gazing　down　at　us　from　the　edge　of　the　tub。　He　was　sitting　in　a　pool　of　the　blood　that　had　poured　out　of　Damian。
　〃What　are　you　saying；　Asher？〃
　〃You　have　made　him　your　servant。〃
　〃He　can't　be　a　human　servant；　he's　a　vampire；〃　I　said。
　〃I　did　not　say　human　servant；　ma　cherie。〃
　〃Then　what　are　you　talking　about？〃
　〃A　。。。　vampire　servant　for　a　master　necromancer；　I　think。〃
　〃You　think？〃　I　made　it　a　question。
　〃We　are　dealing　with　things　of　legend；　ma　cherie；　things　that　should　not　be　possible。　I　am　having　to　。。。　guess　at　this。〃
　〃Guess？〃　I　said。
　He　sighed。　〃If　I　said　that　I　knew　for　certain　what　has　happened；　it　would　be　a　lie。　I　would　never　lie　to　you　on　purpose。〃
　I　had　protested；　demanded；　but　nothing　I　could　do　or　say　made　it　untrue。　I　had　a　vampire　servant；　and　that　was　impossible。　But　impossible　or　not；　Damian　lay　against　my　body；　clinging　to　me；　like　I　was　the　last　hope　he　had。
　Asher　glided　back　into　the　bathroom；　wearing　a　beach　towel　wrapped　around　him。　The　towel　was　big　enough　to　cover　him　from　armpits　to　mid…calf；　effectively　hiding　his　body。　Hiding　the　scars。　〃My　clothes　are　covered　in　blood。　I　hope　you　do　not　mind。〃
　I　hated　wearing　bloody　clothes　myself；　so；　〃Fine；　glad　you　found　a　towel　you　liked。〃
　He　glanced　down　at　the　colorful　towel。　〃I　do　not　fit　in　your　robe。〃
　I　was　sorry　Asher　felt　like　he　had　to　hide　himself　away；　but　I　had　other　things　to　worry　about。　〃I　think　if　I　don't　get　cooler　soon　I'm　either　going　to　throw　up　or　pass　out。〃
　He　knelt　by　the　tub；　smoothing　the　long　towel　under　his　knees　in　a　gesture　that　you　don't　see　much　in　men。　He　touched　my　face　lightly。　〃You　are　flushed。〃　He　touched　Damian。　〃His　skin　is　still　cooler　than　it　should　be。〃　He　frowned。　〃You　need　to　take　off　some　of　your　clothing；　especially　the　jeans；　I　would　think。〃
　Normally；　I　go　to　great　lengths　not　to　be　unclothed　in　front　of　all　the　boys；　but　tonight　I　was　willing　to　strip　down　a　little。　〃How　do　I　undress　and　still　hold　him？〃
　〃I　believe　that　one　of　us　could　hold　him　against　you　while　you　disrobed。〃
　〃You　really　think　that　he'll　go　into　convulsions　again？〃
　〃You　could　release　him；　and　we　could　find　out；〃　Asher　said；　voice　soft。
　I　shook　my　head。　〃I'm　tired　of　cleaning　up　blood。　Just　help　me　hold　him。〃
　Asher's　eyes　went　a　little　wide。　〃I　will　call　Nathaniel。〃
　The　heat　had　gone　to　my　head　in　a　pounding　headache。　〃Just　jump　in；　Asher；　I　promise　not　to　peek。〃
　He　curled　beside　the　tub；　tucking　every　piece　of　him　he　could　underneath　the　towel。　〃If　I　dropped　this　towel　to　the　floor；　would　you　really　not　look？〃
　His　question　stopped　me。　I　opened　my　mouth；　closed　it；　and　tried　to　think　through　the　heat；　the　headache；　the　growing　nausea；　and　finally　just　said　the　truth。　〃I　wouldn't　mean　to　look；　but　no；　you're　right。　If　you're　naked　I'm　going　to　look。　I　don't　think　I　could　stop　myself。〃
　〃Like　a　car　accident；　you　cannot　turn　away；〃　he　said。
　I　looked　up　then　and　found　he'd　turned　away；　hiding　his　face　with　that　fall　of　golden　hair。　Damn　it；　I　didn't　have　time　to　hold　everybody's　hand。　〃Asher；　please；　I　didn't　mean　that。〃
　He　wouldn't　look　at　me。　I　extracted　one　arm　from　Damian；　who　moved　around　the　remaining　arm　like　a　child　settling　in　his　sleep　around　his　favorite　Teddy　bear。　I　grabbed　Asher's　arm　through　the　towel。　〃Yes；　I'd　look　just　for　sheer　curiosity's　sake；　how　could　I　help　it？　You've　teased　and　taunted　about　how　bad　your　injuries　are。　You've　set　it　up　so　that　I'll　have　to　look；　have　to　see。〃
　He　was　looking　at　me　now；　those　pale　eyes；　empty；　hidden　from　me。
　I　dug　my　fingers　into　his　arm；　trying　to　grip　him　through　the　towel；　and　finding　mostly　cloth。　〃But　if　you　don't　know　by　now　that　I　just　want　to　see　you　nude；　then　you　haven't　been　paying　attention。〃
　His　face　told　me　nothing；　that　blank　politeness　that　both　he　and　Jean…Claude　could　pull　off　when　they　wanted　to。　〃Now　help　me　get　some　of　these　clothes　off　before　I　melt。〃
　He　gave　a　low　chuckling　laugh　that　danced　over　my　skin　and　brought　my　pulse　to　my　throat。　I　was　too　hot　to　have　goosebumps。　〃You　offering　to　disrobe　without　any　magic　to　push　you；　I　believe　that　is　a　first。〃
　I　had　to　laugh；　because　he　was　right。　But　the　laugh　forced　me　to　close　my　eyes；　because　it　felt　like　the　pulsing　of　the　headache　was　going　to　shove　my　eyeballs　out　of　their　sockets。　I　let　go　of　his　arm　and　pressed　my　hand　to　my　forehead　to　try　and　keep　my　head　from　falling　into　pieces。　〃Please；　Asher；　I　am　going　to　be　sick。〃
　I　heard　the　water　splashing；　felt　it　push　against　me　as　someone　climbed　into　the　tub。　I　opened　my　eyes　slowly；　trying　to　hold　the　headache　inside　and　found　Nathaniel　kneeling　in　the　water。　His　hair　was　still　bound　in　a　loose　braid　that　trailed　behind　him；　curling　through　the　water　like　something　separate　and　alive。　The　swirling　braid　brought　my　gaze　low　on　his　body；　and　I　had　a　peripheral　sense　that　Nathaniel　wasn't　getting　any　clothes　wet　whatsoever；　but　I　didn't　care。　The　headache　had　reached　a　point　where　I　was　afraid　I　was　going　to　start　throwing　up　if　I　didn't　get　cooler。
　He　answered　my　question　without　me　asking　it。　〃Asher　wants　Damian　to　try　to　take　blood　again；　see　if　it　will　stay　down。〃
　Asher　was　still　perched　on　the　edge　of　the　tub　wrapped　in　the　towel。　〃Damian　must　be　able　to　keep　down　blood；　or　he　will　perish。　I　believe　that　if　you　stay　in　constant　contact　with　him　that　he　will　be　able　to　keep　a　feeding　down。〃
　〃If　I　have　to　stay　in　constant　contact　then　I　have　to　get　cooler　first。〃
　〃Nathaniel　will　help　you；〃　he　said。
　I　glanced　up　at　Asher；　and　even　in　the　dim　glow　of　a　night　light；　it　hurt　my　head。　〃Fine。〃
　Damian　made　small　protesting　movements　as　Nathaniel　tried　to　take　some　of　his　weight　off　of　me。　We　finally　leaned　him　up　against　the　edge　of　the　tub　with　Asher　supporting　some　of　his　weight；　but　letting　him　keep　my　arm　pressed　to　his　chest。　Nathaniel　undid　my　belt　and　helped　me　slip　the　shoulder　holster　off　one　arm；　but　I　needed　the　other　arm　free　to　slip　it　out　of　the　other　strap。　Damian　fought　us；　slowly；　stubbornly；　as　if　he　were　sleepwalking。　But　he　was　a　vampire；　he　could　have　torn　his　way　through　the　wall　of　my　bathroom　with　his　bare　hands。　If　he　didn't　want　to　let　go　of　my　arm；　we　couldn't　make　him；　not　unless　we　were　willing　to　break　his　fingers　one　at　a　time；　and　we　weren't　willing　to　do　that。
　〃What　do　we　do？〃　Nathaniel　asked。
　〃I　have　to　get　out　of　this　heat；〃　I　said。　〃Can　we　like　run　cold　water　in　the　tub；　or　something？〃
　〃No；〃　Asher　said；　〃we　must　keep　him　as　warm　as　possible；　until　after　he　has　retained　some　of　the　blood。　We　don't　dare　allow　him　to　be　chilled。〃
　〃Then　get　these　clothes　off　me。〃
　I　felt　rather　than　saw　the　two　of　them　exchange　glances。　〃How　do　yo