lh.narcissusinchains-第130章

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　〃Then　get　these　clothes　off　me。〃
　I　felt　rather　than　saw　the　two　of　them　exchange　glances。　〃How　do　you　want　me　to　do　it？〃　Nathaniel　asked。
　I　leaned　my　head　forward；　resting　against　the　top　of　Damian's　wet　hair。　His　skin　was　the　coldest　thing　in　the　tub。　I　was　so　hot　I　was　about　to　be　sick；　yet　Damian's　skin　was　still　cool　to　the　touch。　The　headache　overwhelmed　me　and　spilled　out　my　mouth。　I　did　my　best　to　crawl　out　on　the　edge　of　the　tub　before　I　vomited。　Damian　had　managed　to　miss　the　water　every　time　he　threw　up；　at　least　I　could　do　the　same。　But　he　clung　to　me；　and　only　Asher's　hand　on　my　arm　kept　me　high　enough　from　the　water　to　keep　it　clean。
　My　head　was　screaming；　the　pain　so　strong　that　it　impacted　my　vision　in　explosions　of　color。　Asher　got　me　a　cool　cloth　and　wiped　my　mouth。　He　laid　another　cool　cloth　across　my　forehead。　Then　Nathaniel　gripped　the　back　of　my　shirt　and　ripped。　He　tore　it　off　of　me　in　pieces。　Asher　draped　a　wet　towel　over　my　shoulders　that　was　so　cold　it　made　me　whisper；　〃Shit。〃
　Asher　and　Nathaniel　took　my　weight　and　Damian's　and　moved　us　back　to　the　far　edge　of　the　tub；　as　Gil　came　in　and　started　cleaning　up　the　mess。　Gil　had　cleaned　up　a　lot　of　messes　tonight；　and　he'd　never　bitched；　not　once。　He　did　a　double　take　at　the　pieces　of　my　shirt　floating　in　the　water；　but　never　mented　aloud。　He　made　a　good　flunkie。　Did　what　he　was　told　and　didn't　ask　questions。
　Nathaniel　tried　to　tear　my　jeans　off　the　way　he'd　done　the　shirt。　He　managed　to　rip　the　top；　but　Damian's　weight　kept　pushing　me　under　the　water；　and　he　couldn't　get　the　leverage　he　needed。　Asher　fastened　the　towel　as　securely　as　he　could　and　climbed　gingerly　into　the　water。　He　knelt　and　slid　his　arms　around　Damian　and　me　and　lifted；　standing；　holding　us　both　upright。　I　was　still　touching　bottom；　but　he　was　still　holding　both　our　weights；　because　my　legs　still　weren't　working　quite　right。　He　held　us　both　effortlessly。
　Nathaniel　put　a　hand　on　either　side　of　the　rip　he'd　made　in　my　jeans　and　pulled。　The　heavy　wet　cloth　came　apart　under　his　hands　with　a　sound　like　tearing　flesh；　but　heavier　　a　wet；　harsh　sound。　The　force　of　it　jerked　my　body；　and　only　Asher's　strength　kept　me　standing。
　I　felt　the　air　on　my　bare　skin　and　realized　that　in　ripping　away　the　jeans　he'd　taken　my　undies　with　them；　but　I　didn't　care。　The　air　on　my　skin　was　still　suffocatingly　hot。　I　couldn't　breathe。　The　last　thing　I　remember　thinking　was；　I'm　going　to　pass　out；　then　nothing。
　
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　I　WOKE　LYING　on　the　edge　of　the　tub　with　only　one　arm　in　the　water　with　Damian。　Cold　towels　covered　me　from　head　to　foot。　The　one　on　my　face　lifted；　and　I　saw　that　Nathaniel　was　in　the　water；　holding　Damian　upright。　I　blinked　up　through　a　strand　of　wet　hair　and　found　Asher　spreading　a　fresh　cold　towel　against　my　face。　He　left　enough　of　my　face　uncovered　so　I　could　look　at　him；　sideways。
　〃How　are　you　feeling？〃
　I　had　to　think　about　that。　〃Better。〃　He　replaced　the　towels　down　the　length　of　my　body；　and　I　realized　I　was　pletely　nude。　I　shivered　with　the　cold　cloth　and　didn't　care　about　anything　except　that　I　was　finally　cool。　〃How　long　was　I　out？〃
　〃Not　long；〃　Asher　said；　smoothing　the　towel　so　that　it　molded　to　my　legs。
　I　looked　at　Nathaniel；　kneeling　in　the　tub；　pinning　Damian　to　the　edge；　so　the　vampire　could　hold　on　to　me。　〃I've　never　seen　a　shapeshifter　pass　out　from　heat　exhaustion　before；〃　he　said。
　〃A　first　time　for　everything；〃　I　said。
　Damian　turned　his　head　slowly　to　look　at　me。　His　eyes　were　clear；　bright；　alive　again。　His　eyes　were　the　color　of　emeralds；　and　it　wasn't　caused　by　vampire　powers；　it　was　his　natural　eye　color；　as　if　his　mother　had　fooled　around　with　a　cat　to　get　him　here。　People　just　didn't　have　that　color　of　eyes。
　I　smiled　at　him。　〃You　look　better。〃
　〃I　fed。〃
　I　glanced　at　Nathaniel。　He　turned　his　head　so　I　could　see　the　neat　bite　marks　in　the　side　of　his　throat。
　〃I　think　I　can　support　myself；〃　Damian　said。
　Nathaniel　looked　a　question　at　Asher；　who　must　have　nodded；　because　Nathaniel　backed　off。　Damian　settled　against　me；　still　holding　my　arm　across　his　chest；　but　lightly　now。　One　hand　gently　on　my　wrist；　the　other　hand　stroked　my　arm。
　〃I　hear　you're　my　master。〃
　I　looked　into　those　calm　eyes。　〃You　don't　seem　upset。〃
　He　rubbed　his　chin　and　cheek　against　my　arm。　It　was　catlike；　and　intimate；　a　lover's　gesture。　I　studied　his　face；　tried　to　read　past　those　peaceful　emerald　eyes。　Then　I　realized　I　didn't　have　to　read　his　face。　The　barest　thought　and　I　knew　that　the　peacefulness　in　his　eyes　went　all　the　way　through。　He　was　filled　with　a　great　calmness；　a　sense　of　rightness。　Calm　and　peace　had　never　been　my　reaction　to　Jean…Claude　binding　me　closer　to　him。
　I　could　feel　what　Damian　was　feeling；　knew　his　heart　almost　better　than　my　own；　but　I　didn't　understand　him。　In　that　moment　staring　into　those　beautiful；　peaceful　eyes；　I　simply　had　no　clue。　I　would　have　run　for　the　hills；　fought；　screamed；　hated。　I　would　not　have　gone　quietly　into　any　kind　of　servitude；　no　matter　how　potentially　beneficent　the　ruler。　Truthfully；　I　wasn't　a　hundred　percent　sure　I　was　a　beneficent　ruler。　I　mean　I　was　easy　to　get　along　with　as　long　as　everything　went　my　way；　but　cross　me；　and　I　wasn't　easy。　I　was　close　to　being　the　hardest　person　I　knew；　and　I　know　some　hard　people。　I　was　trying　to　be　softer　lately；　but　trying　to　be　softer　and　actually　being　softer；　aren't　the　same。　I　looked　into　Damian's　eyes　and　knew　that　if　it　were　me；　tied　to　me　as　master；　I'd　be　scared。
　Damian　turned　in　the　water；　kneeling　at　the　tub　edge。　He　leaned　in　and　laid　a　gentle　kiss　on　my　forehead。　〃You　saved　me；　again。〃
　He　was　right；　but　as　his　lips　touched　my　skin；　I　wondered　how　long　he'd　be　grateful　and　when　he'd　finally　realize　how　screwed　we　both　were。
　
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　ASHER　TOOK　DAMIAN　down　to　the　basement　for　the　day；　settling　them　both　in　just　before　dawn。　Micah　had　called；　saying　that　both　Merle　and　Zane　would　survive。　Cherry　was　going　to　stay　there　with　Zane；　and　he　had　to　go　check　on　the　rest　of　his　wereleopards。　I　invited　him　to　bring　his　leopards　over　to　my　house；　and　he　said　he'd　ask。　We　didn't　say　〃I　love　you〃　at　the　end　of　the　conversation；　which　was　unnerving。　I　wasn't　used　to　sleeping　with　someone　that　I　didn't　love　or　didn't　say　I　love　you　to。　But　I　was　too　tired　to　think　that　hard；　so　I　pushed　it　down　where　all　the　other　things　I　don't　want　to　think　about　live。　The　place　is　getting　damned　crowded。　Nathaniel　helped　me　dress　in　the　coolest　jammies　I　had　　a　silky　spaghetti　strap　nightshirt　that　would　have　been　too　revealing　if　I　hadn't　been　so　damn　short。　Then　Nathaniel　cuddled　in　beside　me　in　a　pair　of　jogging　shorts。　Gil　slept　in　the　guest　room。　The　two　wererat　bodyguards　divided　the　night　up　between　the　couch　and　sleeping　on　the　floor　in　front　of　the　door　of　my　bedroom；　which　meant　if　I　had　to　go　to　the　bathroom　after　we　bedded　down　I'd　have　to　step　over　them。　Bobby　Lee　said；　〃It'll　wake　us　up；　make　sure　you　don't　go　wandering　around　alone。〃
　I　couldn't　persuade　Bobby　Lee　or　Cris　that　I　didn't　need　that　much　watching；　but　truthfully　I　was　too　tired　to　do　much　arguing。　So　we　all　settled　down　for　a　long　summer's　nap。　Nathaniel　had　closed　the　heavy　curtains　so　that　the　room　lay　in　a　heavy　gray　twilight。
　I　settled　down　in　the　air…conditioned　hush　of　the　bedroom　with　Nathaniel　curled　up　against　my　side　and　fell　almost　immediately　into　a　deep；　dreamless　sleep。　When　the　bedside　phone　shrilled；　I　knew　what　it　was；　but　it　took　me　several　seconds　to　wake　up　enough　to　move。　Nathaniel　had　actually　reached　across　me　and　answered；　〃Blake　residence；〃　before　I　opened　my　eyes。
　He　was　quiet；　face　very　serious；　then　he　cupped　his　hand　over　the　receiver　and　said；　〃It's　Ulysses；　Narcissus's　bodyguard。　He　wants　to　speak　with　you。〃
　I　took　the　phone；　still　lying　flat　on　my　back。　〃This　is　Anita；　what　do　you　want？〃
　〃My　Oba　wishes　to　meet　with　you。〃
　I　moved　my　head　enough　to　see　the　clock　and　groaned。　I'd　barely　had　two　hours　of　sleep。　I　could　manage　an　hour　nap　and　feel　okay；　or　go　without　sleep；　but　somewhere　between　two　and　three　hours　just　felt　worse。　〃I　work　the　night　shift；　Ulysses；　whatever　Narcissus　wants　can　wait　until　later　in　the　day。〃
　〃The　wo