lh.narcissusinchains-第136章

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　〃What？〃　Bobby　Lee　asked。
　I　realized　I'd　said　the　last　aloud　and　shook　my　head；　letting　the　drape　fall　back　into　place。　I　got　to　my　feet。　〃Let　him　in；　let's　see　what　he's　got　to　say。〃
　Bobby　Lee　was　giving　me　a　funny　look。　〃You　can't　shoot　him　until　after　we　know　what's　happening。〃
　I　nodded。　〃I　know。〃
　He　touched　my　shoulder；　turned　me　to　look　at　him。　〃There　is　a　look　on　your　face；　girl；　that　is　as　bleak　as　a　winter's　dawn。　People　kill　other　people　while　they're　wearing　that　look。　I　don't　want　you　to　let　your　emotions　get　in　the　way　of　business。〃
　Something　that　was　almost　a　smile　touched　my　lips。　〃Don't　worry；　Bobby　Lee；　I　won't　let　anything　interfere　with　business。〃
　His　hand　dropped　away　slowly。　〃Girl；　the　look　in　your　eyes　now　scares　me。〃
　〃Then　don't　look；〃　I　said；　〃and　don't　call　me　'girl'。〃
　He　nodded。　〃Yes；　ma'am。〃
　〃Now　open　the　damn　door；　and　let's　get　this　done。〃
　He　didn't　argue　again。　He　just　went　for　the　door　and　let　the　big；　bad　wolf　inside。
　
　63
　
　WHEN　WE　OPENED　the　door；　Zeke　had　a　picture　of　Cherry　in　front　of　his　chest。　His　first　words　were；　〃Shoot　me　and　they　both　are　worse　than　dead。〃
　So　he　took　a　seat　on　my　white　couch；　still　breathing；　though　if　he　said　the　wrong　thing；　I　was　hoping　to　change　that。
　〃What　do　you　want？〃　I　asked。
　〃I　was　sent　to　fetch　you　for　my　master。〃
　〃Define　'fetch'；〃　I　said。　I　was　sitting　on　the　low　wood　coffee　table　in　front　of　him。　Bobby　Lee　was　standing　in　back　of　him　with　a　gun　pressed　to　his　spine。　At　that　range　with　silver　ammo　there　wasn't　an　alpha　in　the　world　that　would　survive；　or　at　least　none　that　I'd　met；　and　I'd　met　a　few。
　〃He　wants　you　to　be　his　mate。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃I　heard　that；　but　didn't　he　try；　twice；　to　have　you　guys　kill　me？〃
　Zeke　nodded。　〃Yes。〃
　〃And　he　suddenly　wants　me　to　be　his　honey　bun；〃
　Zeke　nodded　again。　The　gesture　looked　odd　in　the　wolfman　form；　kind　of　like　a　golden　retriever　that　was　nodding　sagely。
　〃Why　the　change　of　heart？〃　I　asked。　The　fact　that　I　was　asking　calm　questions　while　the　Polaroids　of　Cherry　and　Micah　sat　beside　me　on　the　coffee　table　was　a　testament　to　both　my　patience　and　my　lack　of　sanity。　If　I'd　really　been　sane　I　couldn't　have　been　calm；　but　I'd　hit　that　switch　in　my　head　that　let　me　think　when　awful　things　were　happening。　The　same　switch　that　let　me　kill　without　much　remorse。　Being　able　to　divorce　myself　from　my　emotions　kept　me　from　shooting　pieces　off　Zeke's　body　until　he　told　me　where　Micah　and　Cherry　were。　Besides；　there　was　always　the　very　real　possibility　that　we　could　do　it　later。　Talk　reasonably　first；　torture　only　if　you　had　to；　conservation　of　energy。
　〃Chimera　was　told　that　you　would　be　a　panwere　like　himself。〃
　I　raised　eyebrows　at　that。　〃Panwere；　what　the　hell　is　that？〃
　〃A　lycanthrope　that　can　take　more　than　one　form；〃　Zeke　said。
　〃Not　possible；〃　I　said。
　Bacchus　spoke　from　the　kitchen　doorway。　He'd　stayed　as　far　away　from　Zeke　as　he　could　and　remain　in　the　room。　〃Chimera　can　take　more　than　one　form；　I've　seen　it。〃
　I　looked　back　at　Zeke。　〃Okay；　fine；　he's　a　panwere。　Why　would　someone　tell　him　that　I　was　one；　too？〃
　〃Before　I　answer　that　question；　I　have　someone　waiting　in　a　nearby　car。　I　would　like　her　to　e　in　and　speak　with　you。〃
　〃Who？〃　For　a　wild　moment　I　thought　he　might　mean　Cherry；　but　he　didn't。
　〃Gina。〃
　〃Micah's　Gina？〃　I　asked。
　Zeke　nodded。
　I　looked　behind　him　at　Bobby　Lee。　〃Do　we　trust　him　to　go　back　out　and　e　back　in　without　reinforcements？〃
　Bobby　Lee　shook　his　head。
　I　shook　my　head；　too。　〃Sorry；　Zeke；　but　we　don't　trust　you。〃
　〃Send　Caleb　then。〃　He　looked　at　the　wereleopard；　who　had　been　very　quiet　throughout　everything。　Caleb　was　sitting　in　the　far　corner　of　the　room；　keeping　away　from　Zeke；　a　lot　like　Bacchus；　e　to　think　of　it。　But　then　Gil　was　huddled　in　a　different　corner。　I'd　assumed　I　was　surrounded　by　scaredy…cats；　hyenas；　and　foxes；　but　now　。。。
　〃How　did　you　know　his　name？〃　I　asked。
　〃I　know　a　lot　of　things　about　Caleb。〃
　〃Explain；〃　I　said。
　The　doorbell　rang　again。　I　didn't　jump　this　time。　I　was　in　that　far　away　place　where　I　didn't　get　nerves；　though　the　Browning　was　pointed　at　the　door。　Did　that　count　as　nerves？
　I　went　to　the　door；　and　Bobby　Lee　stayed　with　his　gun　pressed　to　Zeke's　back。　〃Y'all　better　hope　that　that　is　someone　friendly；〃　Bobby　Lee　drawled。
　Zeke's　wide　nose　flared；　scenting　the　wind。　〃It's　Gina。〃
　Call　me　paranoid；　but　I　didn't　trust　him。　I　peeked　out　the　window。　This　time　there　were　no　nasty　surprises；　just　Gina　standing　on　the　small　porch；　a　thick　gray　shawl　hugged　around　her　upper　body。　It　was　nearly　ninety　outside；　what　the　hell　was　the　shawl　for？　I　let　out　a　deep　breath。　The　shawl　was　thick　enough　to　hide　all　sorts　of　unpleasant　surprises。　Damn。
　〃What's　she　got　under　the　shawl？〃　I　asked　Zeke。
　〃You　might　say　a　message　from　Chimera。〃
　I　glanced　back　at　him。　〃Talk　like　that　isn't　going　to　get　the　door　opened。〃
　Zeke　moved　his　shoulders；　and　Bobby　Lee　must　have　pressed　the　gun　barrel　deeper　into　his　back；　because　he　stopped　moving　abruptly。　〃She's　been　tortured。　Chimera　sent　her　with　me　to　show　what　will　happen　to　your　leopard　if　you　don't　e　with　me。〃
　〃Why　the　shawl？〃　I　asked　again。
　Zeke　closed　his　eyes；　as　if　he　wanted　to　look　away　but　was　afraid　Bobby　Lee　would　take　it　wrong。　〃It's　to　cover　her；　Anita；　just　to　cover　up　her　nakedness。〃　He　sounded　weary；　not　just　tired；　but　weary。　〃Please；　let　her　inside；　she's　in　a　great　deal　of　pain。〃
　〃He　smells　like　he's　telling　the　truth；〃　Bobby　Lee　said。
　I　sighed。　That　was　probably　as　good　an　assurance　as　we　were　going　to　get。　I　opened　the　door；　gun　at　the　ready；　staying　out　of　the　sight　of　anyone　who　might　be　watching　from　the　yard。　Because　I　was　hiding　behind　the　door；　I　didn't　see　Gina　until　she　was　well　into　the　room。　I　closed　the　door　behind　her；　and　she　jumped；　then　gasped；　as　if　the　sudden　movement　had　hurt　her　badly。　When　she　looked　at　me；　it　was　all　I　could　do　to　keep　from　gasping。　I　thought　at　first　she　had　two　black　eyes；　then　realized　it　was　just　hollows　under　her　eyes　so　deep　they　looked　like　bruises。　Her　skin　was　so　pale　with　an　undertone　of　gray；　and　I　understood　for　the　first　time　what　they　meant　by　ashen。　She　was　ashen；　as　if　her　body　was　covered　by　something　thinner；　more　delicate；　than　skin。　Her　tall　body　was　hunched　in　on　itself；　as　if　standing　upright　would　hurt。　Her　lips　were　nearly　bloodless；　but　it　was　her　eyes　that　hurt　me　the　most。　They　were　filled　with　horror　as　if　she　were　still　seeing　whatever　had　been　done　to　her；　as　if　she　might　always　see　that　awful　thing　over　and　over　again。
　She　spoke　in　a　voice　that　was　hollow；　hopeless。　〃I　got　worried。〃
　I　didn't　need　to　see　what　was　under　the　shawl　to　believe　that　she'd　been　tortured。　I　didn't　need　to　see　anything　but　her　face。
　〃Can　she　sit　down　before　she　falls　down？〃　Zeke　asked。
　I　nodded　a　little　too　rapidly；　realizing　that　I　had　been　staring。　〃Please；　sit　down。〃
　Gina　looked　at　Bobby　Lee；　standing　behind　Zeke。　〃Have　you　told　them？〃
　〃I　wanted　you　here　to　back　up　my　story；〃　Zeke　said。
　She　nodded　once；　then　moved　to　sit　beside　him　on　the　couch。　She　sat　close　to　him；　almost　touching。　If　he'd　had　anything　to　do　with　what　had　happened　to　her；　I　don't　think　she'd　have　been　so　cozy。
　In　fact　she　was　so　cozy　that　I　was　almost　certain　she　knew　Zeke。　Knew　him　not　just　for　Chimera's　fun　and　games；　but　knew　him　before。　How　did　one　of　Micah's　cats　end　up　friendly　with　Chimera's　top　goon？
　I　asked。　〃You　two　seem　to　know　each　other。〃　Alright；　maybe　that　wasn't　a　question；　but　it　would　do。
　They　exchanged　a　look；　then　Zeke　turned　to　me。　I　wished　that　he　was　in　human　form。　Even　after　years　of　dealing　with　lycanthropes；　I　still　had　trouble　reading　their　expressions　when　they　were　in　animal　form。　The　fact　that　his　eyes　were　human　helped　some；　but　you　never　realize　how　much　of　the　expression　isn't　really　the　eyes　but　the　facial　movements　around　the　eyes；　until　you　don't　have　them　as　clues。
　〃Let　me　start　by　saying　that　Chimera　wants　you　alive　and　well　and　in　his　care　in　less　than　two　hours　or　he　will　start　doing　permanent　damage　to　Micah　and　your　leopard。〃
　I　felt　my　eyes　go　a　little　dead。　〃We　have　a　deadline　then；〃　I　said。　〃Talk　fast