lh.narcissusinchains-第144章

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the　wolves。　Something　had　gone　terribly　wrong　with　Bacchus　and　Zeke's　plan。　The　hyenas　and　the　halfmen　would　slaughter　our　pack。　All　of　them；　all　of　them　would　die。
　I　screamed　again；　and　Chimera　was　in　front　of　me；　one　hand　balled　in　my　shirt；　his　claws　ripping　shallow　wounds　in　my　upper　chest。　He　drew　the　other　hand　back；　and　time　seemed　to　slow。　I　had　all　the　time　in　the　world　to　decide　what　to　do；　and　yet；　I　had　no　time　left。　I　felt　Richard's　breath　rattling　in　his　chest；　felt　him　begin　to　die。　Micah's　body　gave　one　last　shudder；　then　he　went　very　still。
　I　screamed；　wordless；　reaching　for　something；　anything　to　save　them。　My　power　came；　my　power；　and　the　one　thing　I　could　do　to　save　us　all。　It　was　one　of　the　worst　things　I'd　ever　seen　done　and　I　didn't　hesitate。
　I　didn't　call　my　power　　there　was　no　time。　I　became　my　power。　It　flowed　up；　through　me；　instantly；　spilled　into　my　hands。　I　touched　one　hand　to　the　furred　arm　that　held　me；　then　blocked　his　other　arm　as　it　swept　down　towards　me　in　a　blur　of　motion。　Blocked　the　blow　and　swept　my　free　hand　up　over　Chimera's　arm；　so　that　both　my　hands　touched　his　arms。　The　moment　enough　of　me　touched　enough　of　him；　I　called　the　power　I'd　learned　in　New　Mexico。　When　I　raised　a　zombie　I　put　energy　into　the　corpse；　helped　what　lay　in　the　grave　to　be　solid　and　real。　This　was　the　reverse　of　that。　I　took　energy　out；　sucked　it　away；　made　the　lion　man　less　real；　less　alive。
　The　fur　flowed　under　my　hands　until　I　touched　human　skin。　It　was　Orlando　King's　body　that　collapsed　to　its　knees　in　front　of　me。　Orlando's　eyes　that　raised　horrified　gray　to　search　my　face；　to　beseech　me；　maybe。　But　he　never　asked　me　to　stop；　and　truthfully　I　wasn't　sure　I　knew　how　to　stop。
　He　started　to　scream　just　before　his　skin　began　to　run　with　fine　lines；　like　watching　decades　catch　up　with　him　in　one　fell　swoop。　I　fed　on　him；　fed　on　his　essence；　fed　on　what　he　was。　It　rushed　through　my　body；　thrilling　along　my　skin；　singing　through　my　bones；　cascading　in　a　rush　of　joy　through　every　fiber　of　my　being；　and　beyond。　I　felt　the　energy　flow　outward　to　Micah；　down　that　link　that　made　me　want　to　touch　him　every　time　we　were　close。　The　power　found　Richard　and　made　him　breathe。　It　spilled　outward　to　all　the　wolves；　and　they　were　no　longer　dependent　on　Richard's　broken　will；　they　had　mine；　and　I　wanted　to　live。　I　wanted　us　all　to　live。　We　would　live。　We　would　live；　and　our　enemies　would　die。　I　willed　it　so。　I　made　it　so。　I　used　Orlando　King's　life　to　fill　my　leopards；　my　wolves；　and　distantly；　my　vampires；　with　will。　Will　to　live；　to　fight；　to　survive。
　And　through　all　of　it；　Orlando　King　shrieked。　He　screamed　as　his　body　drained　away　into　my　hands。　His　skin　was　like　dirty　tissue　paper　on　skeleton　sticks　when　I　finally　let　him　go。　He　collapsed　on　his　side；　that　large　body　turned　to　something　light　as　air；　but　still　he　screamed。　One　ragged　horror　of　a　sound　after　another；　and　I　felt　no　pity。　I　felt　only　the　rush　of　power　like　a　flight　of　bird　wings　inside　my　head。
　Micah　was　beside　me　in　black；　furred　leopard　man　form。　The　center　of　his　body　was　whole；　healed；　only　partially　due　to　his　shifting。　A　huge　spotted　leopard　the　size　of　a　pony　stalked　around　us；　hissing　at　what　was　left　of　Orlando。　Cherry　was　whole　in　her　furred　coat；　not　even　bloody。
　I　must　have　stood　there　longer　than　I　knew；　draining　Orlando　King's　life　away。　Long　enough　for　them　to　tear　the　chains　off；　long　enough　for　them　to　shapeshift　and　heal。　The　hanging　men　were　changing　form；　too。　And　with　the　change；　they　broke　their　chains；　healed　most　of　the　damage　that　had　been　done　to　them；　and　dropped　to　the　ground　in　spotted　fur　and　claws。　They　sniffed　around　what　was　left　of　Orlando。　They　gave　strange　barking　sounds　as　the　thing　continued　to　scream。
　Micah's　voice　came　furry；　rough　with　his　new　shape。　〃Your　eyes　are　like　a　night…filled　sky　with　stars　in　it。〃
　I　didn't　need　to　see　a　mirror　to　know　what　he　meant。　My　eyes　were　black；　swimming　and　dark　with　the　distant　glow　of　stars　in　that　darkness。　Obsidian　Butterfly's　eyes　had　been　like　that；　and　my　eyes　had　mirrored　hers　after　she　touched　me　with　her　power。
　The　far　door　opened　and　the　wolves　poured　in。　Shang…Da　and　Jamil　were　holding　Richard　between　them。　He　was　still　in　human　form；　still　refusing　to　shift　and　help　the　power　heal　him。
　The　wolves；　some　in　human　form；　some　not；　came　to　touch　me；　lick　me；　abase　themselves　before　me。　They　growled　and　snapped　at　the　dried　thing　that　still　screamed　on　the　floor。
　Jamil　and　Shang…Da　helped　Richard　around　the　room　until　he　stood　facing　me　and　Micah。　It　was　only　when　he　was　that　close　that　I　realized　his　eyes　were　black　with　the　play　of　cold　stars　in　them；　too。　I　wondered　if　Jean…Claude's　eyes　looked　the　same；　and　a　thought　let　me　know　that　it　was　so。　Jean…Claude　was　basking　in　the　rush　of　power。　Richard　stared　at　me　like　I'd　run　over　his　mother。　The　pain　on　his　face　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　healing　wounds。　I'd　taken　just　a　little　bit　more　of　his　humanity；　or　so　he　felt。
　He　gazed　down　at　the　screaming　thing　on　the　floor　with　those　black　star…filled　eyes　and　said；　〃How　could　you　do　it？〃
　〃I　did　what　I　had　to　do；〃　I　said。
　He　was　shaking　his　head。　〃I　didn't　want　to　live　this　badly。〃
　〃I　did；〃　Micah　said。
　The　two　men　looked　at　each　other；　yellow…green　eyes　to　black。　Something　seemed　to　pass　between　them；　then　Richard　looked　back　at　me。　〃Is　he　dying？〃
　〃Not　exactly。〃
　He　closed　his　eyes；　and　I　got　a　glimpse　inside　him　before　he　threw　up　his　shields。　It　wasn't　the　horror　that　made　him　blanch；　it　was　the　fact　that　the　power　rush　had　felt　better　than　almost　anything　else　he'd　ever　experienced。　Then　the　shields　tightened；　but　his　eyes　stayed　a　swimming　blackness。
　〃Get　me　out　of　here；〃　he　said。
　〃Change　shape；　Richard；　heal　yourself；〃　I　said。
　He　just　shook　his　head。　〃No。〃
　〃Damn　it；　Richard。〃
　He　just　said；　〃No；〃　then　Jamil　and　Shang…Da　helped　him　towards　the　door。　I　watched　him　go　but　didn't　try　and　call　him　back。　I　did　my　best　to　ignore　him　as　I　knelt　by　the　skeletal　thing　that　I'd　made　out　of　Orlando　King。　I　knew　how　to　give　him　back　his　energy；　and　that　too　would　have　been　a　rush　in　it's　own　way；　but　Orlando　wanted　to　die；　and　Chimera　was　too　dangerous　to　be　kept　alive。　I　did　what　Orlando　wanted；　and　I　passed　judgment　on　Chimera。　I　called　my　magic　one　more　time　and　spilled　it　into　that　struggling；　screaming　thing；　and　I　released　the　soul。　It　fluttered　past　me　like　an　invisible　bird；　and　the　body　gave　that　long　harsh　breath　that　is　often　the　very　last　sound。　Orlando　King　died　unrecognizable；　unless　you　had　dental　records。
　Micah　helped　me　to　my　feet。　He　was　back　in　human　form。　Before　I'd　seen　Chimera；　I　would　have　said　that　Micah's　change　was　smoother　than　anyone's　I'd　ever　seen。　He　pulled　me　into　the　circle　of　his　arms；　and　I　pressed　my　face　against　the　bare　skin　of　his　neck；　caught　the　scent　of　his　skin；　and　the　ardeur　welled　up　inside　me；　as　if　it　had　been　waiting。　Goosebumps　ran　up　his　bare　arms；　and　he　gave　a　nervous　laugh。　〃I　don't　know　if　I'm　up　to　it。　I've　had　a　hard　day。〃
　I　wrapped　my　arms　around　his　back；　pressed　my　face　against　his　chest；　to　hear　the　beating　of　his　heart　strong　and　steady。　And　for　no　reason　that　I　could　figure　out；　I　started　to　cry；　and　the　ardeur　flowed　away　on　a　wash　of　tears；　and　hands。　Hands　not　just　Micah's；　but　hands　of　wolves；　hyenas；　and　the　leopards　that　had　disobeyed　me　and　e　for　the　fight。　And　finally　Zeke　and　the　halfmen　who　had　joined　him。　They　all　touched　me；　marked　me　with　their　scent；　their　tears；　their　laughter。　We　laughed　and　cried；　howled　and　roared；　made　every　noise　you　could　make。　Richard　missed　a　hell　of　a　victory　party。
　
　Epilogue
　
　RICHARD　DID　MAKE　me　his　B？lverk。　But　I　was　no　longer　his　girlfriend。　I'm　not　even　sure　I'm　upset　about　that。　He's　free　to　find　another　lupa；　though　I'm　not　sure　the　pack　will　agree　with　him；　they　seem　to　like　me　just　fine。　As　B？lverk　of　the　Thronnos　Rokke　Clan；　my　first　order　of　business　was　to　execute　Jacob。　Paris　is　still　alive　at　Richard's　insistence。　I　think　it's　a　mistake；　but　he　is　Ulfric。　Oh；　well。
　I　did　not　turn　furry　with　the　full　moon。　Apparently；　Jean…Claude　was　right　about　the　leopards　being　my　animal　to　call；　just　as　D