lh.narcissusinchains-第63章

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　They　fell　into　step；　one　on　either　side　of　us；　and　I　could　feel　Cherry　beside　me。　I　could　feel　her　energy　like　a　vibrating　line　against　my　body。　I'd　never　sensed　her　this　strongly　before。　Just　another　nail　in　the　coffin　on　the　Nimir…Ra　question。　The　evidence　was　getting　thick　enough　that　if　I　hadn't　been　so　damn　good　at　self…delusion；　I'd　have　had　to　admit　it　by　now。　But　I'd　had　enough　for　one　day。　I　needed　a　pass　on　this　one　tonight。　So　I　ignored　it；　and　if　Cherry　felt　anything　different；　she　didn't　say。
　It　was　Zane　who　put　his　face　next　to　Nathaniel　and　sniffed　him　as　we　walked　〃You　smell　like　fresh　wounds。〃　He　touched　Nathaniel's　back　where　it　showed　above　the　tank　top。　I　knew　there　were　bite　marks　up　around　his　shoulders；　all　the　way　up　to　his　neck。　I　should　have　known　we　couldn't　。hide　it。　Hell；　even　with　clothes　covering　it；　they'd　have　smelled　it。
　〃What　have　you　been　doing？〃　Zane　asked。　〃Or　should　I　say　who？〃
　Nathaniel　didn't　even　glance　at　me。　He　was　going　to　leave　it　all　to　me　　what　was　said　and　what　wasn't。　Smart　of　him。　Or　maybe　he　just　didn't　know　what　to　say　either。　I　tried　to　think　of　a　lie　that　would　explain　it；　and　nothing　that　didn't　make　Nathaniel　sound　slutty　came　to　mind。　Either　he'd　had　sex　with　some　strange　woman；　or　。。。　or　what？　The　truth？　I　didn't　want　to　tell　the　truth　until　I　was　sure　how　I　felt　about　it。　Knowing　me；　that　could　take　at　least　a　couple　of　days。
　Cherry　and　Zane　circled　Nathaniel　in　ever…tightening　circles；　until　their　bodies　brushed　him　as　they　moved　around　him。　They　bumped　him　continuously；　like　a　shark　testing　to　see　if　you're　good　to　eat。
　〃e　on　guys；　we　don't　have　time　for　this。　We　need　to　get　to　the　lupanar　and　rescue　Gregory。〃
　Zane　dropped　to　his　knees　beside　Nathaniel；　running　his　hands　over　the　smaller　man's　body。　Zane's　hands　slid　under　Nathaniel's　tank　top。
　〃Zane；　get　up；〃　I　said。
　Cherry　stepped　very　close　to　Nathaniel；　looking　down　at　him；　putting　a　hand　under　his　chin　to　lift　his　face　to　her；　as　if　she　meant　to　kiss　him。　〃Who　was　it？〃
　〃That's　Nathaniel's　business；〃　I　said。　Nathaniel　glanced　at　me；　sort　of　sideways。　The　look　was　enough。　I　was　being　a　coward。　My　pulse　was　going　way　too　fast　in　my　neck；　like　I'd　tried　to　swallow　something　while　it　was　still　trying　to　get　away。
　〃If　it　were　Zane；　or　me；　yes；〃　Cherry　said。　〃But　while　you　were　in　the　hospital　these　last　few　days　we　decided　that　Nathaniel　has　to　run　all　girlfriends　past　the　pard　before　he　does　anything　intimate　with　them。〃
　〃As　Nimir…Ra；　don't　I　have　like　presidential　veto？〃
　Cherry　looked　at　me。　〃Of　course；　but　you　have　to　agree　with　checking　out　people　for　Nathaniel。　He　nearly　got　you　killed　again。〃
　I　did　agree；　but　just　not　that　night。　That　night；　of　all　nights；　I　wanted　everyone　to　mind　their　own　business。　No　one　cared　a　damn　who　slept　with　whom　　until　now。　It　figures。　I　make　my　first　indiscreet　move　with　one　of　them；　and　I　was　going　to　have　to　confess；　even　though　I　still　didn't　know　how　I　felt　about　it。　I　opened　my　mouth　to　say；　It　was　me；　but　I　stopped　when　I　saw　the　next　wereleopard　ing　down　the　street。　Of　all　of　them；　she　was　the　one　I　least　to　talk　in　front　of　about　intimate　matters。
　It　was　Elizabeth。　Her　walk　was　always　a　cross　between　a　strut　and　a　glide；　the　ultimate　hooker's　walk。　She　strode　from　between　the　cars　on　Caleb's　arm；　and　there　was　a　self…satisfied　smile　on　her　face　that　said　either　she　didn't　know　I　was　angry　with　her　or　she　was　confident　I　couldn't　do　anything　about　it。　She　was　taller　than　Caleb　by　nearly　five　inches。　Her　hair　fell　in　curls　to　her　waist；　a　brunette　so　dark　you　would　have　called　it　black　if　you　didn't　have　my　hair　to　pare　it　to。　She　was　pretty　in　a　pouting；　lush　sort　of　way；　like　some　sort　of　tropical　plant　with　thick；　fleshy　leaves　and　beautiful　but　deadly　blossoms。
　She　was　wearing　a　skirt　so　short　the　tops　of　her　black　hose　and　the　garters　that　held　them　up　showed。　Her　shoes　were　black　sandals　with　a　lower　heel　than　she　usually　wore。　After　all；　we　were　going　to　be　tramping　through　the　woods。　The　shirt　was　sheer　enough　that　even　by　starlight　you　could　see　she　wasn't　wearing　a　bra；　and　she；　like　me；　was　a　woman　who　needed　one。
　Caleb　was　wearing　a　pair　of　bell…bottom　jeans；　no　shoes；　no　shirt。　The　jeans　were　cut　low　enough　to　show　off　his　belly…button　ring。　I　was　too　young　to　remember　wearing　bell…bottoms　personally；　but　I　did　remember　my　older　cousins　peting　to　see　who　could　get　the　widest　bell。　Even　as　a　child　I'd　thought　the　pants　were　ugly。　Time　had　not　changed　my　opinion。
　Caleb　looked　pretty　satisfied　himself。　I　was　betting　they'd　had　sex　together；　but　it　wasn't　any　of　my　business　who　they　fucked。　Honest　it　wasn't。
　〃I'm　glad　you've　had　a　good　night；　Elizabeth。〃
　She　squeezed　Caleb's　arm。　〃Oh；　it's　been　a　very；　very　good　night。〃
　〃I'm　glad；　because　it's　about　to　get　very；　very　bad；〃　I　said。
　She　fake…pouted　at　me。　〃Oh；　did　our　little　Nimir…Ra　get　her　feelings　hurt　because　I　wouldn't　e　and　sleep　naked　beside　her？〃
　I　had　to　laugh。
　〃What's　so　funny？〃　she　asked。　Caleb　started　moving　away　from　her；　pulling　free。
　〃Why　is　it　that　you　don't　think　I'll　kill　you；　Elizabeth？〃
　〃For　what？〃　she　asked。
　〃Oh；　maybe　for　deserting　Nathaniel　at　the　club　and　letting　the　bad　guys　get　him；　which　led　to　me　nearly　getting　killed；　and　maybe　being　Nimir…Ra　for　real。〃
　〃I'm　tired　of　baby…sitting　him；〃　she　said。　〃He　used　to　be　a　lot　of　fun；　but　not　anymore。　He's　got　standards　now。〃
　〃Meaning　that　he　won't　fuck　you　anymore；〃　I　said。
　The　first　touch　of　real　anger　slid　across　her　face。　〃We　used　to　have　some　real　good　times；　Nathaniel　and　me。〃
　〃Not　good　enough；　apparently；〃　I　said。
　She　strode　up　to　stand　beside　Cherry；　which　put　her　very　close　to　me。　She　wasn't　afraid　of　me；　and　I　knew　why　　or　thought　I　did。　She'd　been　insulting；　arrogant；　and　a　downright　pain　in　the　ass　since　I　took　over　the　pard　and　I　hadn't　hurt　her。　I'd　let　it　all　slide；　because；　as　she　was　so　happy　to　point　out；　I　could　shoot　her；　but　I　couldn't　really　punish　her。　Punish　to　a　shapeshifter　means　either　beat　the　shit　out　of　them　or　do　some　mystical　crap　that　scares　the　shit　out　of　them。　She　was　right。　I　couldn't　do　the　shapeshifter　stuff。　It　had　taken　me　a　while　to　realize　why　I　let　Elizabeth　slide　so　much。　I'd　killed　her　sweetie；　the　man　she　loved。　It　made　me　feel　bad。　Gabriel　had　earned　death；　but　she　had　loved　him；　and　I　sympathized。　But　she'd　used　up　the　last　of　my　sympathy　when　I　saw　Nathaniel　hanging　from　those　chains　with　the　swords　grown　into　his　flesh。　The　rules　had　changed；　and　Elizabeth　didn't　know　it。　Yet。
　The　other　wereleopards　glided　out　of　the　trees；　trailed　down　the　road。　Merle's　hair　gleamed　white　in　the　darkness；　his　beard　and　mustache　silvered。　He　was　wearing　straight…legged　jeans　and　cowboy　boots　with　silver…tipped　toes。　An　open　leather　jacket　did　more　to　frame　his　chest　than　cover　it。　He　had　a　woman　with　him。
　She　was　tall　　six　feet　or　maybe　a　little　over。　She　was　wearing　jogging　shoes；　jeans；　and　a　baggy　T…shirt　that　hung　to　mid…thigh。　The　baggy　T…shirt　couldn't　hide　the　fact　that　she　was　leggy　and　well　built。　Her　hair　was　almost　black；　straight；　thick；　cut　just　above　her　shoulders。　She　wore　no　makeup；　and　the　bones　of　her　face　made　her　look　sculpted　　almost　harsh。　Her　eyes　were　pale；　her　lips；　thin。　She　had　one　of　those　faces　that　would　have　been　beautiful　with　a　little　makeup；　but　was　still　striking。　It　was　a　face　you　wouldn't　forget　or　grow　tired　of。　Merle　was　holding　her　hand；　but　not　like　they　were　a　couple；　more　like　a　father　holds　a　daughter's　hand　　a　forting　gesture。
　She　vibrated　with　that　otherworldly　energy　that　all　the　leopards　had　to　some　degree。　But　this　one　made　my　skin　dance　from　yards　away。　When　they　got　close　enough　for　me　to　see　that　her　eyes　were　pale；　I　could　also　see　that　she　was　afraid。　Her　eyes　had　that　wincing　look　of　a　person　who's　been　abused　once　too　often。
　Merle　introduced　her；　〃This　is　Gina。〃
　〃Hi；　Gina；〃　I　said。
　She　looked　at　me；　and　the　fear　in　her　eyes　was　replaced　by　disdain。　〃She's　a　little　short　for　a　Nimir…Ra。〃
　〃Micah　and　I　are　the　same　height；〃　I　said。
　She　shrugged。　〃Like　I　said。〃　But　her　bravado　didn't　ring　true。　It　was　more　like　someone　whistling　in　the　dark。　But　I　let　it　go。