lh.narcissusinchains-第26章

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　The　one　eyebrow　I　could　see　had　a　tiny　ring　piercing　it。　One　of　his　knees　pinned　my　lower　leg；　one　hand　lay　limply　on　my　bare　thigh。　I　think　it　was　his　leg　being　raised　and　a　turn　of　his　hips　that　saved　me　from　seeing　the　whole　show。　What　little　modesty　I　had　left　was　grateful。　Whatever　had　kept　me　fortable　was　beginning　to　wear　off。　Maybe　I　was　simply　waking　up。
　The　rest　of　his　front　was　pressed　so　close　to　me　I　couldn't　see　any　details。　The　line　of　his　back　and　buttocks　was　smooth；　flawless。　No　tan　lines。　Nude　sunbathing？　The　body　looked　young　　early　twenties　　if　that。　He　was　taller　than　me　　who　wasn't？　　but　not　by　much。　Five　seven；　maybe　less。　He　stirred；　the　hand　on　my　thigh　flexing　as　if　he　dreamed；　then　suddenly　I　knew　he　was　awake。　A　tension　ran　through　his　body　that　hadn't　been　there　seconds　before。　I　was　suddenly　wide　awake；　my　heart　thudding。　I　had　about　two　seconds　to　wonder　what　the　hell　you　say　to　someone　you've　never　met　when　you　wake　up　naked　in　bed　beside　him。　He　opened　the　eye　I　could　see　and　moved　his　face　enough　to　blink　two　solid　brown　eyes　at　me。
　He　gave　a　slow　lazy　smile；　still　half　asleep。　〃I've　never　seen　you　awake　before。〃
　I　said　the　only　thing　that　came　to　mind。　〃I　don't　remember　seeing　you　at　all　before。　Who　are　you？〃
　〃Caleb。　I'm　Caleb。〃
　I　nodded　and　started　to　sit　up。　I　was　getting　out　of　this　bed。　The　forting　warmth　was　still　there；　but　my　embarrassment　was　stronger。　I　just　wasn't　cool　enough　to　keep　talking　to　a　strange；　naked　man；　while　I　was　naked；　too。　Nope；　just　not　sophisticated　enough　for　this　one。
　The　arm　around　my　waist　tightened；　holding　me　against　the　second　man；　and　the　bed。　Caleb's　knee　on　my　leg　got　heavier；　sliding　farther　between　mine。　I　could　suddenly　feel　parts　of　his　body　that　I　couldn't　see。　I　think　I'd　have　rather　seen　the　whole　show　than　had　it　pressed　against　my　very　upper　thigh。　Alright；　groin；　just　not　the　right　part　to　make　me　start　hurting　him；　not　yet。　The　hand　that　had　been　lying　on　my　thigh　was　suddenly　gripping　it。　It　made　my　pulse　speed　up。　It　was　too　close　to　being　trapped。
　〃Everybody　be　calm；〃　I　said；　〃but　I　need　to　get　up　and　out　of　this　bed　now。〃
　The　body　behind　me　moved。　Even　though　I　wasn't　able　to　see　it；　I　knew　he　was　propped　on　one　elbow；　and　the　arm　around　my　waist　tightened。　I　was　suddenly　pressed　very　firmly　against　his　body；　and　I　knew　several　things。　One；　he　was　about　my　height；　because　he　spooned　perfectly　against　me；　two；　he　was　slender；　muscular；　and　very　happy　to　be　pressed　to　my　body。　Eeek！　I　turned　towards　him　like　I　was　looking　back　at　a　noise　in　the　dark　at　a　horror　movie　　slowly；　half…dreading。　His　face　rose　over　my　shoulder；　long　hair　spilling　to　one　side　of　his　face　in　a　thick　mass　that　was　so　sleep…tousled　I　couldn't　tell　if　it　was　waves　or　curls；　only　that　it　was　a　dark　rich　brown；　darker　than　the　first　man's；　almost　brunette。　His　face　was　too　triangular；　almost　too　delicate；　crossing　that　line　into　androgyny；　the　nose　perky；　a　little　less　than　perfect；　his　mouth　wide；　bottom　lip　thick　and　pouting。　It　was　a　sensual　face。　But　it　was　the　eyes　that　made　the　face；　or　ruined　it。　My　first　thought　was　that　his　eyes　were　yellow。　But　there　was　a　thick　ring　of　gray　green　around　the　pupil；　the　overall　effect　was　a　deep　golden　yellow…green　set　in　a　tanned　face。　They　weren't　human　eyes；　and　don't　ask　me　how　I　knew；　but　they　weren't　wolf　eyes　either。
　I　scrambled　out　from　between　them。　My　left　arm　protested　the　use；　but　it　didn't　hurt　enough　to　outweigh　my　embarrassment。　It　wasn't　a　graceful　exit；　but　at　least　I　was　standing　at　the　foot　of　the　bed　staring　down　at　the　two　men　instead　of　sandwiched　between　them。　Screw　graceful；　I　wanted　some　clothes。
　〃Don't　be　afraid；　Anita。　We　don't　mean　you　any　harm；〃　the　second　man　said。
　I　was　trying　to　keep　an　eye　on　them　and　still　search　the　dimly　lit　room　for　clothes。　I　didn't　see　any。　The　only　cloth　in　the　room　seemed　to　be　the　sheet；　and　they　were　lying　on　that。　I　had　a　horrible　urge　to　cover　myself；　but　two　hands　weren't　going　to　get　the　job　done；　and　standing　there　with　my　hands　cupped　over　my　groin　seemed　somehow　more　embarrassing　than　just　standing　there。　I　suddenly　didn't　know　what　to　do　with　my　hands。　My　left　arm　ached　in　a　line　from　my　shoulder　nearly　to　my　wrist；　a　tracery　of　pink；　flat　scars　down　my　flesh。　〃Who　are　you？〃　My　voice　came　out　a　little　breathy。
　〃I'm　Micah　Callahan。〃　His　voice　was　calm；　ordinary；　as　he　lay　on　his　side　pletely　naked。　No　one　does　fortable　nudity　like　a　shapeshifter。　His　shoulders　were　narrow；　everything　about　him　slender；　almost　feminine。　But　muscles　showed　under　his　skin　even　at　rest；　lean　muscle；　not　bulk。　You　knew　at　a　glance　he　was　strong；　but　if　he　were　wearing　clothes；　you　might　not　see　it。　There　were　other　things　you　wouldn't　see　if　he　had　his　clothes　on。　And　although　the　rest　of　him　was　slender；　small；　graceful　in　a　way　that　women　are　graceful；　parts　of　him　were　definitely　not　small；　not　slender。　It　seemed　incongruous　with　the　rest　of　him。　As　if　mother　nature　had　tried　to　make　up　for　the　feminine　appearance　by　overpensating　in　other　areas。　Noticing　just　how　overpensated　he　was　brought　heat　in　a　rush　up　my　face；　and　I　glanced　away；　tried　to　both　keep　an　eye　on　them　in　case　they　got　off　the　bed　and　not　look　at　them　at　the　same　time。　It's　hard　to　look　and　not　to　look；　but　I　managed。
　〃This　is　Caleb；〃　he　said。
　Caleb　rolled　onto　his　back　and　stretched　like　a　big　cat；　making　sure　that；　if　I　hadn't　noticed　already；　he　was　naked；　too。　I　had　noticed。　What　looked　like　a　tiny　silver　dumbbell　pierced　his　belly　button。　That　I　hadn't　seen。　〃We　already　introduced　ourselves；〃　Caleb　said；　that　one　innocent　sentence　sounding　anything　but　innocent。　Something　in　the　tone　he　used；　an　inflection；　while　he　rolled　around　on　his　back　and　waved　himself　at　me；　made　the　words　obscene。　I　was　willing　to　bet　I　wasn't　going　to　like　Caleb。
　〃Great；　nice　to　meet　you　both。〃　I　still　couldn't　figure　out　what　to　do　with　my　hands。　〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃
　〃Sleeping　with　you；〃　Caleb　said。
　The　blush　that　had　been　almost　gone　flamed　back　to　life。　He　laughed。　Micah　didn't。　Point　for　him。
　In　fact；　Micah　sat　up；　bending　a　knee　to　cover　himself；　which　earned　him　even　more　points。　Caleb　stayed　on　his　back；　flaunting　himself。　〃There's　a　robe　in　the　corner　there；〃　Micah　said。
　I　glanced　back　where　he　was　looking；　and　sure　enough　there　was　a　robe。　It　was　my　robe；　a　deep；　rich　burgundy；　with　satin　edgings；　very　masculine；　like　a　long　Victorian　smoking　jacket。　When　I　lifted　it　up；　there　was　a　weight　in　one　deep　pocket。　I　had　to　fight　the　urge　to　turn　my　back　to　slip　the　robe　on。　They'd　already　seen　the　whole　show。　It　wasn't　like　I　could　express　my　modesty　now。　When　I　had　the　robe　belted　in　place；　I　slipped　my　hands　into　the　pockets　and　my　right　hand　closed　around　my　derringer。　Or　at　least　I　assumed　it　was　mine；　it　was　my　robe。　The　only　person　I　knew　who'd　think　to　leave　a　gun　for　me　was　Edward；　and　he；　as　far　as　I　knew；　was　out　of　state。　But　someone　had　thought　of　it；　and　I　was　very　glad。　I　had　clothes　and　a　weapon；　life　was　good。
　〃Hi；　Micah　Callahan；　nice　to　meet　you。　But　the　name　doesn't　tell　me　who　you　are。〃
　〃I　am　Nimir…Raj　for　the　Maneater　Clan；〃　Micah　said。
　I　blinked　at　him；　trying　to　digest　that　little　tidbit。　I　wasn't　embarrassed　anymore。　Surprised；　working　on　angry；　maybe。　〃I　am　Nimir…Ra　of　the　Blooddrinkers　Clan；　and　I　don't　remember　inviting　you　into　my　territory；　Mr。　Callahan。〃
　〃You　didn't。〃
　〃Then　what　the　hell　are　you　doing　here　without　my　permission？〃　The　first　edge　of　anger　threaded　through　my　voice；　and　I　was　happy　to　hear　it。　Being　angry　made　everything　else　easier　to　handle；　even　talking　to　two　naked　strangers。
　〃Elizabeth　invited　me；〃　he　said。
　The　anger　rushed　through　me　like　a　warm　wind；　and　it　touched　that　edge　of　beast　that　I'd　thought　was　Richard's。　I'd　learned　at　the　club　however　many　nights　ago　it　was　that　it　was　a　permanent　resident　inside　me　now。　Richard's　beast；　or　mine；　it　flared　through　my　body　and　raised　above　my　skin　like　a　sheen　of　invisible　sweat。　The　men　reacted　to　the　power。　Caleb　sat　up；　his　gaze　suddenly　intent　on　me；　no　teasing　now。　Micah　sniffed　at　the　air；　nostril's　flaring；　his　tongue　running　around　the　edge　of　his　l