lh.narcissusinchains-第33章
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re wereleopard and not werewolf。〃
I looked past him at the others。 〃Is that true？〃
They all nodded。 〃I'm so sorry； Anita；〃 Cherry said。
I shook my head； trying to concentrate and not succeeding。 〃Alright； fine； fine。 Richard can't make me lupa。 I never wanted to be lupa； just his girlfriend。 Fuck the wolves。 But what have they done with Gregory？〃
〃Richard went ape…shit when he found out what Gregory had done；〃 Zane said。 〃He thought Gregory had done it on purpose； because we were all afraid to lose you as our Nimir…Ra。〃
〃He accused Gregory of doing it on purpose？〃 I asked。
Zane nodded。 〃Oh； yeah； then they took him。〃
〃They； who？〃
〃Tamil； Sylvie； others。〃 He wouldn't meet my eyes。
〃Didn't anyone try and argue with him about this？〃
〃Sylvie tried to tell him it wasn't right； that you wouldn't like it。 He hit her； told her never to argue with him again； that he was Ulfric； not her。〃
〃Shit。〃
〃Do not blame your leopards for not fighting the wolves；〃 Micah said。 〃They are sorely outnumbered。〃
〃They'd get their asses kicked； I know that。 Besides； it's my job to deal with Richard； not theirs。〃
〃Because you are their Nimir…Ra；〃 he said。
〃Because I am his girlfriend； sort of。〃
〃Of course；〃 he said。
I waved a hand at him。 〃Look； I can't deal with all of this right now； so I'm just going to concentrate on the important stuff； I mean the immediately important stuff。 Where is Gregory； and how do I get him back？〃
Micah smiled。 〃Very practical。〃
I looked at him and felt my eyes go cold。 〃You have no idea how practical I can be。〃
His eyes did change； but it wasn't fear in them； it was more interest； like my reaction intrigued him。 〃The situation is plex because you are the lupa that was injured。 In effect； you must persuade yourself that Gregory meant no harm。〃
〃That's too easy；〃 I said。 〃I know he meant no harm。 So why do I get the feeling that I can't just call Richard up and say； 'Hey； I'm ing to get Gregory'？〃
〃Because you must convince not just Richard； but the entire pack； that you have the right to Gregory。〃
〃What do you mean 'right to Gregory'？ He's my leopard。 He's mine； not theirs。〃
Micah smiled； lowering long lashes over his eyes； as if he didn't want me to read his expression at that moment。 〃The Ulfric declared Gregory rogue for； in effect； killing their lupa。〃
〃I'm alive； what 。。。 ？〃
Micah held up a finger； and I let him finish。 〃You are dead to the pack as their lupa。 In effect； being a leopard makes you dead to them。 You may share Richard's bed again； but you will never be their lupa again。 They voted on it； and Richard has destroyed his own power structure to the point where he can't force a vote on them。〃
〃You're saying that he is Ulfric but he doesn't really rule them；〃 I said。
Micah seemed to think about that for a second； or two； then started to nod； stopped in mid…motion。 〃Yes； in fact； very well put。〃
〃Thanks。〃 A thought came to me； and I gripped his arm。 〃They aren't going to kill Gregory； are they？〃 Something passed over his face that tightened my grip on his arm。 〃They haven't killed him？〃
〃No；〃 Micah said。
I let go of his arm and leaned back against the wall。 〃What are they doing to him； or what are they planning to do to him？〃
〃The penalty for killing the lupa is death in any pack。 But the circumstances are strange enough that I think you will be allowed a chance to win him back。〃
〃Win him back； how？〃 I asked。
〃For that； you'll need to ask the Ulfric。〃
〃I'll do that。〃 I looked past him。 〃Someone get my cell phone out of my Jeep。〃 Nathaniel went for the door without another word。
〃What are you going to do？〃 Micah asked。
〃I'm going to make sure that Gregory isn't being hurt。 If he's okay for tonight； I'll go get Jean…Claude out of jail。 If Gregory is in danger； then I get him out first。〃
〃Priorities；〃 he said； softly。
〃Damn straight。〃
He smiled again。 〃I am very impressed。 You've had several shocks in a very short space of time； yet you are clearheaded； and moving forward to solve the problems one at a time。〃
〃I can only solve one problem at a time；〃 I said。
〃Most people let themselves be distracted。〃
〃I'm not most people。〃
He gave that small smile again； shielding his eyes with his long lashes。 〃I've noticed。〃
Something about the way he said it made me suddenly aware that he was nude and I was wearing nothing but a towel。 It was time to get on my feet and get dressed。 I stood； pushing away his offer of help。 〃I'm fine； Micah； thanks anyway。〃 I looked past him at Cherry and Zane still standing in the doorway。 〃Do I have any clothes here？〃
Cherry nodded。 〃Nathaniel brought your stuff from home。 I'll go get it。〃 She moved through the door。
〃Weapons； too；〃 I called after her。
She poked her head back around the doorway。 〃I know。〃 That left just Zane standing in the doorway。 〃Do you have a job for me？〃
〃Not right now。〃
He flashed me a smile wide enough to show that he had dainty fangs upper and lower kitty…cat fangs。 Zane had spent a little too much time in animal form to e all the way back。 〃I'll go help Cherry then。〃 He paused at the doorway。 〃I'm really glad you didn't die。〃
〃Me too。〃
He grinned and left。
That left me alone with Micah。 I looked into his yellow…green eyes and knew that they were also a sign that he'd spent too much time in animal form。 We hadn't kissed； so I didn't know if he had dainty fangs like Zane。 I hoped not； and wasn't sure why I cared。
〃Do you mind if I start cleaning up？〃 he asked。
I shook my head。 〃Help yourself。 I'm going to go look for my clothes。〃 But Nathaniel came around the door with my cell phone。
I looked at the slim black phone。 I'd only had it a few months。 I'd tried not to buy one。 If you had a cell phone and a beeper you were never truly free of the office。 Of course； I was on vacation。 Though； so far； it hadn't been all that relaxing。
I popped the phone open and dialed Richard's number from memory。 There was no answer； just his machine。 I left a message； then knew what I was going to do。 I had to know what was happening with Gregory。 I thought about Richard； the feel of his arms； the scent of his neck； the brush of his hair； and that prickling rush of energy rolled over my skin。 I reached down the mark that bound me to Richard and found him standing on a podium。 He was arguing with someone； but I couldn't see who。 I never got as clear a visual through Richard as I did through Jean…Claude。 Richard turned as if he could see me standing behind him； then he thrust me out； throwing up a shield so solid I couldn't feel him on the other side。
Nathaniel was holding my arm； steadying me。 〃Are you alright？〃
I nodded。 Being thrust out like that was always disorienting。 Richard knew that。 Fuck。 〃I'm okay。〃 I pulled away from Nathaniel and had to call information for the number for The Lunatic Cafe。 Richard was in the meeting room in the back of the restaurant。 Raina had owned the restaurant； and according to pack law； it could have belonged to me； if I hadn't used a gun to kill her。 It had to be mano…a…mano； hand…to…hand； or claws； or at least a knife before all that was hers would be mine。 Possessions anyway。 You can't get anyone's power by killing them。 It just doesn't work that way。 And anyway； who would want it to？ Guns were considered cheating； so I didn't inherit all of Raina's stuff。
Richard picked up on the second ring； as if he'd been expecting the call。 〃Richard； it's Anita。〃
〃I know。〃 His voice was angry； closed； and tight。
〃We need to talk。〃
〃I'm in the middle of something here； Anita。〃
Fine； if he wanted to play it brusque and hostile； I'd play。 〃Where's Gregory？〃
〃I can't tell you that。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because； you might try and rescue him； and you're not lupa anymore。 The pack would defend itself； and I don't want you shooting holes in my wolves。〃
〃You leave my leopards alone； and I'll leave your wolves alone。〃
〃Anita； it's not that simple。〃
〃I got the explanation； Richard。 You freaked when you found out Gregory may have infected me with leopard juice。 You had your enforcers grab him； and you've charged him with killing your lupa。 Which is just stupid； I'm not dead。〃
〃Do you know wh
