lh.narcissusinchains-第134章

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　and　found　the　now…human　with　his　head　bisected。　His　brains　had　leaked　out　in　pieces。　I　was　suddenly　hot；　dizzy。　I　couldn't　remember　what　I'd　done　with　the　big　blade。　I　must　have　dropped　it；　but　I　didn't　remember　doing　it。　I　wedged　myself　into　a　corner；　the　Uzi　raised　to　the　ceiling；　my　body　held　on　three　sides　by　metal　and　the　seat　back。　It　was　as　close　to　being　held　as　I　could　manage。　I　closed　my　eyes；　so　I　couldn't　see　what　I'd　done。　But　the　smell　was　still　there：　fresh　blood；　butchered　meat；　and　that　outhouse　smell　that　let　you　know　someone's　bowels　had　let　loose。　I　started　to　choke；　and　the　Jeep　pulled　off　the　road。　That　made　me　look　up；　gave　me　something　else　to　concentrate　on。
　Nathaniel　was　pulling　onto　a　gravel　road　in　the　middle　of　nowhere。　There　were　trees；　a　floodplain；　green　grass；　and　beyond　that；　the　shine　of　the　river。　It　was　a　peaceful　spot。　He　drove　until　we　weren't　easily　visible　from　the　road；　then　stopped。
　〃What's　going　on？〃　I　asked。
　Bobby　Lee　answered；　〃I　think　if　we　drive　around　in　traffic　with　legs　sticking　out；　someone　will　notify　the　police。〃
　I　nodded。　It　was　a　good　point。　〃I　should　have　thought　of　it；〃　I　said。
　〃No；　you've　done　your　work　for　the　day。　Let　me　do　the　thinking　'til　your　head　clears。〃
　〃My　head's　clear；〃　I　said。
　He　climbed　out　of　the　car　and　spoke　through　one　of　the　broken　windows　as　he　moved　towards　the　legs。　〃I　know　pangs　of　conscience　when　I　see　them；　girl。〃
　〃Stop　calling　me　'girl'。〃
　He　grinned　at　me。　〃Yes；　ma'am。〃　He　grabbed　the　legs　and　shoved　the　body　through　the　glass。　It　landed　with　a　thick　sound　on　top　of　the　first　body。　A　sound　came　out　of　the　body　on　the　bottom。　It　might　have　just　been　air　escaping　　it　happened　sometimes　　but　then　again　。。。
　I　was　on　my　knees；　Uzi　pointed　at　the　bodies。　Bobby　Lee　said；　〃Don't　hit　the　gas　tank；　ma'am；　we　don't　want　to　blow　ourselves　up。〃　He　had　his　gun　back　out。
　I　shifted　my　angle　so　that　I'd　shoot　through　the　dark　head　that　lay　at　the　bottom　of　the　pile。　Did　two　bodies　constitute　a　pile？　Did　it　matter？　Something　brushed　my　hair　and　I　jerked　the　gun　up；　only　to　find　that　I'd　brushed　the　fingers　on　the　arm　hanging　from　the　ceiling。　It　was　ing　loose；　sliding　lower　on　its　own。　Great。
　I　pressed　the　barrel　of　the　Uzi　against　the　top　of　the　head。　〃If　you're　alive；　don't　move；　if　you're　dead；　don't　worry　about　it。〃
　Bobby　Lee　opened　the　back　of　the　Jeep；　his　gun　angled　down　for　a　shot　at　the　〃body。〃
　〃If　I　fire　into　the　top　of　his　head；　the　bullets　may　cut　your　legs　out　from　under　you。〃
　He　moved　off　to　one　side；　gun　steady。　〃My　deepest　apologies；　ma'am；　I　know　better　than　that。〃
　I　pressed　the　gun　barrel　more　securely　into　the　top　of　the　head　and　began　to　reach　slowly　towards　the　neck　that　was　just　visible　under　the　very　dead　top　body。
　〃I'm　alive。〃　The　voice　made　me　jump　and　nearly　made　me　squeeze　the　trigger。
　〃Shit；〃　I　said。
　〃Why　don't　you　finish　it？〃　the　man　asked。　His　voice　was　pain…filled；　but　not　thick。　I'd　missed　heart　and　lungs。　Careless　of　me。
　〃Because　that　wasn't　Narcissus's　voice　over　the　speaker　system；　and　Ulysses　said　they　had　your　lovers。　That　we　didn't　know　what　they'd　do　to　your　lovers　if　you　guys　failed　them。　Who　is　the　guy　over　the　speaker？　Who　is　'they'？　Where　the　fuck　is　Narcissus？　Why　would　the　werehyenas　let　anyone　take　them　over　like　this？〃
　〃You're　not　going　to　kill　me？〃　He　made　it　a　question。
　〃You　answer　our　questions；　and　I　give　you　my　word　that　we　won't　kill　you。〃
　〃May　I　move？〃
　〃If　you　can。〃
　He　moved　slowly；　painfully　onto　his　side。　His　hair　was　curly；　dark；　cut　very　short；　skin　pale。　He　turned　until　he　could　see　my　eyes；　and　the　effort　left　him　shaking；　his　lips　blue；　which　made　me　think　maybe　we　didn't　have　much　time　to　ask　our　questions；　that　maybe　we'd　already　killed　him；　just　not　fast　enough。
　His　eyes　were　a　strange　shade　of　gold。　〃I'm　Bacchus；〃　he　said　in　that　pain…filled　voice。
　〃Nice　to　meet　you。　I'm　Anita；　that's　Bobby　Lee；　now　start　talking。〃
　〃Ask　me　anything。〃
　I　started　asking。　Bacchus　started　answering。　He　didn't　die。　By　the　time　we　crossed　the　bridge　into　Missouri；　his　lips　were　pink　and　healthy　and　the　dazed　look　had　left　his　eyes。　I　was　really　going　to　have　to　start　packing　better　ammo。
　
　61
　
　BACCHUS　ACTUALLY　DIDN'T　know　all　that　much。　Narcissus　had　introduced　his　new　gentleman　fair；　Chimera；　and　they'd　seemed　to　be　having　a　wonderful　time　together。　If　not　true　love；　then　the　rough　trade　they　both　wanted。　Then　Narcissus　had　gone　into　one　of　the　rooms　and　not　e　back　out。　For　twenty…four　hours　the　werehyenas　had　thought　it　was　just　sex；　but　after　that；　they　stopped　believing　Chimera's　assurances　that　Narcissus　was　alright。　Ajax　had　managed　to　get　inside；　and　that's　when　it　went　bad。
　〃Ajax　told　us　Narcissus　was　being　tortured；　really　tortured。〃
　〃Why　didn't　you　rescue　him？〃　I　asked。
　〃Chimera　came　with　his　own　bodyguards。　They　took　。。。　〃　Bacchus　had　to　stop　and　fight　to　take　a　deep　breath；　as　if　something　inside　him　was　hurting。　〃You　don't　know　what　they've　done　to　our　people。　You　don't　know　what　they've　threatened　to　do　to　them　if　we　fail　them。〃
　〃Tell　us；　then　we'll　know；〃　I　said。
　〃Have　you　met　Ajax？〃　he　asked。
　I　nodded。
　〃They　cut　his　arms　and　legs　off　and　burned　the　ends　of　the　wounds　so　he　couldn't　heal　the　damage。　Chimera　said　they'd　put　him　in　a　metal　box　and　just　get　him　out　on　special　occasions。〃　Bacchus　choked；　and　I　wasn't　sure　if　it　was　from　injuries　or　horror。
　Bobby　Lee　said；　〃He's　upset　enough　that　I　can't　tell　if　he's　lying　or　not；　but　I　think　he's　telling　the　truth。〃　His　voice　was　a　little　hoarse；　as　if　he　were　seeing　the　images　in　his　head　that　I　was　trying　very　hard　not　to　imagine。　I'd　gotten　better　lately　at　simply　refusing　to　let　my　imagination　run　away　with　me。　Maybe　it　had　something　to　do　with　being　a　sociopath；　if　so；　let's　hear　it　for　dementia。　I　sat　there　in　the　Jeep；　my　mind　carefully　blank；　no　visuals。　Bobby　Lee　looked　ill。
　〃How　many　bodyguards　does　this　Chimera　have？〃　I　asked。
　〃About　twenty…five；　before　you　started　killing　them。〃
　〃I　thought　there　were　like　five　hundred　of　you　guys。　How　could　twenty…five　men　keep　you　down？〃
　Bacchus　looked　at　me　with　stricken　eyes。　〃If　someone　had　your　Ulfric；　Richard；　and　was　cutting　pieces　off　of　him；　crippling　him；　wouldn't　you　do　anything　to　save　him？〃
　I　stayed　quiet　and　thought　about　that　one。　I　gave　the　only　truthful　answer　that　I　could。　〃I　don't　know。　It　would　depend　on　what　'anything'　covered。　I　see　your　point；　but　why　didn't　you　just　rush　them？〃
　Bacchus　propped　himself　up　against　the　side　of　the　Jeep。　Nathaniel　took　a　corner　a　little　fast；　and　Bacchus　tried　to　grab　something　so　he　wouldn't　slide。　I　gave　him　my　hand；　caught　him；　and　he　looked　both　grateful　and　uncertain。　He　kept　hold　of　my　hand　and　gave　really　good　eye　contact。　〃We　didn't　have　an　alpha。　Ajax　and　Ulysses　were　the　next　in　mand；　and　once　they　started　cutting　up　Ajax；　Ulysses　told　us　to　do　what　they　said。〃　He　squeezed　my　hand；　not　too　tight。　〃The　rest　of　us　aren't　leaders；　Anita。　Our　alphas　were　all　telling　us　to　cooperate　with　Chimera。　We're　followers；　that's　it；　that's　all。　We　need　an　alpha　with　a　plan。〃
　My　eyes　widened。　〃What　are　you　saying；　Bacchus？〃
　He　drew　me　close　to　him　with　our　clasped　hands。　〃There　are　still　almost　one　hundred　and　fifty　ablebodied　hyenas。　God　knows　what　they'll　do　to　the　prisoners　now　that　we've　failed　them。〃
　〃Why　do　they　want　Ms。　Blake？〃　Bobby　Lee　asked。
　〃Chimera　wants　Anita　for　his　mate。〃
　That　raised　my　eyebrows。　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃
　〃He's　got　a　real　hard…on　where　you're　concerned。　I　don't　know　why。〃
　I　tried　to　draw　my　hand　out　of　Bacchus's　grip；　but　he　kept　me　close。　〃He's　tried　to　kill　me　at　least　twice。　That　doesn't　sound　so　friendly。〃
　〃He　wanted　you　dead；　now　he　doesn't；　I　don't　know　why。　Chimera's　crazy；　he　doesn't　need　a　reason　to　change　his　mind。〃　He　gazed　up　at　me；　still　holding　my　hand。　〃Please　help　us。〃
　〃Can　you　guarantee　that　the　other　hyenas　will　follow　Ms。　Blake？〃　Bobby　Lee　asked。
　Bacchus　looked　down；　his　grip　loosened；　then　it　tightened；　and　he　looked　up　again。　〃I　know　that　if　we'd　had　any　alphas　that　would　have　stood　up　for　us　all；　we'd　have　taken　these　guys　out　by　now。　But　Ulysses　love