lh.narcissusinchains-第141章

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　〃Orlando　King　knows　the　answer　to　your　question。〃
　〃I'm　asking　you；〃　Chimera　said。
　〃You　already　know　the　answer；〃　I　said。
　〃No；　no！　Orlando　knows　the　answer。　I　don't。　I　don't　understand。　Why　do　you　care　about　strangers？〃　The　other　man　screamed　again。
　〃Stop　it；　Chimera。〃
　〃Or　what？〃　he　asked。　〃What　will　you　do　if　I　don't　stop？　What　will　you　do　if　I　stand　here　in　the　dark　and　cut　pieces　off　this　man？　How　will　you　stop　me？〃
　The　man　was　shrieking；　〃No；　don't；　not　that；　nooo！〃　The　scream　fell　off；　which　meant　the　man　was　either　dead；　or　he'd　fainted。　I　hoped　he'd　fainted；　but　either　way　I　couldn't　do　much　about　it。
　〃Can　you　taste　the　fear；　Anita？　Roll　it　on　your　tongue　like　the　strong　spice　it　is。〃
　Right　then　my　mouth　was　so　dry　I　couldn't　have　tasted　a　damn　thing。　But　I　could　sense　their　fear；　smell　it　on　them。　All　of　them　were　afraid　now；　fresh　terror；　pouring　out　of　their　skin。　〃It's　easy　to　scare　people　in　the　dark；　Chimera。　Everybody's　afraid　of　the　dark。〃
　〃Even　you？〃
　I　avoided　the　question。　〃I　was　told　if　I　came　down　here　that　you'd　let　Cherry　and　Micah　go。〃
　〃I　did　tell　Zeke　that。〃
　And　in　that　moment　I　knew　he　had　no　intention　of　letting　them　go。　It　shouldn't　have　surprised　me；　but　it　did。　Had　I　really　expected　fair　dealings　from　him？　Maybe。　It　offended　some　part　of　me　to　know　that　he　wasn't　going　to　do　what　he'd　said。　It　meant　all　deals　were　off。　I'd　gone　from　having　something　to　bargain　with；　to　nothing。　Just　on　a　whim；　he　could　kill　Cherry　and　Micah　before　help　arrived。　My　pulse　was　speeding　up　again；　and　I　fought　to　keep　my　breathing　steady。　I　took　my　hand　out　of　the　cooling　pool　of　blood。　I　might　as　well　move。　He'd　locate　me　soon　through　my　voice。
　I　laid　my　hands　on　my　stomach　and　tried　to　think　of　what　I　could　do；　unarmed；　against　a　man　who　outweighed　me　by　more　than　a　hundred　pounds　and　was　strong　enough　to　break　through　brick　walls。　Nothing　useful　came　to　mind。　Maybe　violence　wasn't　the　way　to　stall。　What　did　that　leave？　Sex？　Sweet　reason？　Witty　repartee？　Dear　God；　a　little　help　here。
　〃You　don't　feel　the　need　to　talk；　do　you？〃　he　asked；　voice　calmer　than　it　had　been；　more　〃normal。〃
　〃Not　unless　I　have　something　to　say。〃
　〃That's　unusual　in　a　woman。　Most　of　them　can't　stand　the　thought　of　silence。　They　talk　and　talk　and　talk。〃　He　was　sounding　calmer。　In　fact；　he　sounded　like　we　should　have　been　sitting　across　a　table　in　some　nice　restaurant　on　a　blind　date。　Since　we　were　in　a　pitch…black　torture　room　with　blood　on　the　floor；　the　matter…of…fact　voice　was　more　frightening　than　the　ranting　had　been。　He　was　supposed　to　rant　and　rave；　but　calm　small　talk；　that　was　really　crazy。
　His　voice　got　calmer；　but　it　never　sounded　exactly　like　Orlando　King's。　It　was　as　if　there　was　another　voice　ing　out　of　him；　another　personality；　maybe。　I　didn't　know；　and　I　didn't　care。　If　it　kept　him　from　cutting　people　up；　then　yea。
　〃Would　you　like　to　see　your　leopard　now？〃　the　calm　voice　asked。
　〃Yes。〃
　The　lights　exploded　across　my　vision；　and　I　was　as　blind　with　the　brilliance　as　I　had　been　with　the　dark。　I　put　a　hand　over　my　eyes　to　shield　them；　then　slowly　lowered　it　as　my　spotty　vision　cleared。
　I　was　staring　up　at　a　pair　of　feet；　legs。　My　gaze　went　up　the　line　of　the　man's　body　to　find　fresh　claw　marks　on　his　buttocks　and　thighs。　Another　drop　of　blood　trailed　from　his　bare　foot　to　land　on　my　hand。　My　gaze　went　slowly　to　the　next　pair　of　legs；　and　the　next；　and　the　next　。。。　Dozens　of　men　hung　like　obscene　ornaments。　For　the　first　time　I　let　myself　wonder；　was　Micah　hanging　somewhere　in　the　forest　of　bodies？
　〃Do　you　want　to　stand　up　or　are　you　enjoying　the　view　from　there？〃　The　calm　voice　spoke　from　only　about　two　feet　away　from　me。　It　made　me　jump　badly。　I　rolled　my　head　back　to　see　Chimera　standing　two　hanging　men　away　from　me。
　〃I'll　stand；　if　you　don't　mind。〃
　〃Allow　me　to　help　you。〃　He　pushed　one　of　the　hanging　men　to　the　side　like　you'd　move　a　drape；　like　the　pale　blue　eyes　weren't　open；　staring；　like　the　man　didn't　shudder　as　Chimera　touched　him。
　I　was　on　my　feet；　carefully　avoiding　the　body　nearest　me；　before　Chimera　could　push　aside　another　one　and　help　me　stand。　I　really　didn't　want　him　to　touch　me。
　Chimera's　eyes　had　bled　back　to　human　gray。　His　face　was　blank；　ordinary。　That　nearly　diabolical　smile　was　gone；　but　I　wasn't　looking　at　Orlando　King　either。　It　was　somebody　else。　The　question　was；　was　the　new　personality　going　to　be　more　helpful　or　more　dangerous？
　He　pushed　back　the　bodies　like　holding　open　a　door　so　I　could　walk　out。　I　let　him　do　it；　but　I　kept　my　attention　on　him；　as　if　I　expected　him　to　try　and　grab　me。　I　guess　I　did。　When　I　stepped　out　into　a　clear　space　a　breath　went　out　of　me　that　I　hadn't　even　known　I　was　holding。
　Chimera　stepped　beside　me；　and　I　moved　just　a　little　away　from　him。　Movement　caught　my　attention　but　it　was　only　the　hanging　men　swinging　slowly　from　where　Chimera　had　moved　them。　All　of　them　bore　marks　of　some　kind；　claws；　blades；　burns。　One　of　them　was　missing　his　legs　below　the　knees。　I　turned　back　to　the　man　in　front　of　me；　and　I　knew　I　looked　pale。　I　couldn't　help　that。　I　hadn't　screamed。　I　hadn't　panicked；　much。　I　couldn't　control　the　involuntary　stuff。　I　was　having　enough　trouble　with　the　voluntary。
　〃Where　are　my　leopards？〃　I　asked；　and　my　voice　sounded　almost　normal。　I　got　a　zillion　brownie　points　for　that。
　〃Your　leopard　is　here；〃　he　said　and　moved　to　a　heavy　white　curtain　that　took　up　almost　all　of　the　near　wall。　He　pulled　on　a　cord　and　the　curtain　parted。　Behind　it　was　an　alcove；　and　Cherry　was　chained　by　her　wrists　and　ankles　to　the　stone　wall。　A　leather　ball　gag　filled　her　mouth。　Her　pale　eyes　were　wide。　Tears　stained　the　dried　blood　on　her　face。　Her　face　looked　untouched；　but　the　blood　had　e　from　somewhere。
　〃She's　healed　everything　we　did　to　her；〃　Chimera　said。　Abuta　the　snake　appeared　at　Chimera's　side；　as　if　he'd　been　summoned。　The　bigger　man　stroked　the　snake　man's　head；　like　you'd　pet　a　dog　that　you　liked　a　lot。　〃Abuta　has　shown　quite　a　talent　for　this　sort　of　thing。〃
　I　swallowed　hard　and　tried　not　to　get　angry。　Anger　wouldn't　help　anyone。　Help　was　ing。　I　just　had　to　stall　until　it　got　here。　I　glanced　around　the　room。　There　were　men　chained　to　the　wall　all　the　way　around。　I　didn't　recognize　any　of　them。　There　was　a　certain　uniformity　to　them　　youngish；　or　at　least　not　old；　well　built；　some　slender；　some　muscular；　all　races；　all　physical　types；　all　attractive。　I　wondered　how　long　it　had　taken　Narcissus　to　find　this　many　good…looking　men？
　Micah　wasn't　along　the　wall。　The　room　in　the　Polaroid　had　looked　more　like　the　alcove　that　Cherry　was　in。　I　glanced　at　the　still　unopened　part　of　the　curtain。　Was　he　behind　there？
　I　had　moved　closer　to　Cherry　without　realizing　it；　because　she　made　a　small　movement　in　her　chains；　and　I　startled。　I　turned　back　to　find　her　looking　at　Chimera；　not　me。　He　hadn't　moved　as　far　as　I　could　see；　but　something　he'd　done　had　frightened　her；　and　I　finally　realized　what。　His　eyes　has　gone　animal　again；　and　that　eerie　smile　was　back。　It　was　Chimera　again；　and　call　it　a　hunch；　but　I　was　betting　he　did　most　of　the　pain　work　for　the　other　two　personalities。
　〃Unchain　her；〃　I　said；　like　I　was　positive　he'd　do　what　I　asked。　I　so　wasn't　sure。
　He　reached　out　a　hand　towards　her　face；　and　I　grabbed　his　wrist。　〃Unchain　her。〃
　He　smiled　that　unpleasant　smile　at　me。　〃I'd　hate　to　lose　one　of　the　only　women　we've　got　up　here。　Narcissus　may　go　both　ways；　but　he　keeps　the　women　out　of　his　pack。　Real　spotted　hyenas　are　matriarchal。　He's　afraid　if　he　brings　women　in　that　instinct　will　take　over　and　he'll　lose　his　pack；　because　he's　not　woman　enough　to　keep　it。〃
　〃I　always　enjoy　learning　new　zoological　facts；〃　I　said；　〃but　let's　unchain　Cherry　and　get　her　out　of　here。〃
　〃But　what　of　your　lover？　What　of　Micah？〃
　I　met　those　mismatched　animal　eyes　and　fought　to　keep　the　fear　out　of　my　face。　〃I　figured　you　were　saving　him　for　last；　a　sort　of　finale。〃　My　voice　had　gone　from　calm　to　jaded。　From　the　tone；　you'd　have　thought　that　it　didn't　matter　to　me　one　way　or　another；　but　I　couldn't　stop　my　pulse　from　jumping　in　my　neck。
　His　smile　deepened；　and　I　watched　a　human　expression　fill　those　animal