lh.narcissusinchains-第67章

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　We　were　riding　in　the　back　of　the　limo；　with　one　of　his　wererats　driving。　Merle　and　Zane　were　in　the　front　with　the　driver。　Merle；　because　he'd　objected　to　us　all　being　split　up　among　people　he　didn't　know；　and　Zane；　because　I　just　didn't　pletely　trust　Merle　yet。　Though　I　had　no　illusions　about　which　of　them　would　win　the　fight；　if　it　came　to　that。　Richard　had　a　werewolf　or　two　that　I　would　have　bet　on　against　Merle；　but　there　was　something　downright　scary　about　Micah's　head　bodyguard；　a　〃something〃　that　all　of　my　leopards　lacked。　Not　ruthlessness；　more　an　ultimate　practicality。　You　just　knew　Merle　would　do　whatever　needed　to　be　done；　no　hesitation；　no　sympathy；　just　business。　When　that's　pretty　much　how　you　operate　yourself；　you　begin　to　recognize　it　in　other　people；　and　you　watch　them　closely。
　All　the　leaders　got　to　ride　in　the　back　of　the　limo；　which　smacked　of　elitism　to　me；　but　it　did　allow　us　all　to　talk　together；　and　no　one　else　seemed　to　have　a　problem　with　it。　I　wasn't　sure　why　it　bugged　me；　but　it　did。
　Rafael　was　tall；　dark；　handsome；　and　strongly　Mexican。　He　spoke　with　no　trace　of　an　accent；　or　rather　he　sounded　like　he　was　from　Missouri。　He　sat　facing　us。　Yes；　us。　Micah　and　I　sat　across　from　him。　We　were　not　holding　hands。　We　were　not　casting　longing　glances　at　each　other。　In　fact；　strangely　once　I　was　away　from　the　other　leopards；　I　was　unfortable　around　him。　Maybe　it　was　my　usual　disfort　that　always　set　in　after　intimacy。　But　I　wasn't　sure；　it　felt　different。　Or　maybe　it　was　the　closer　we　got　to　seeing　Richard；　the　more　I　wondered　what　the　hell　I　was　doing。　Was　I　really　going　to　tell　Richard　that　I'd　taken　a　lover；　another　shapeshifter？　We'd　broken　up　before　and　gotten　back　together；　but　if　Richard　thought　I'd　taken　a　permanent　lover　besides　Jean…Claude；　it　was　over。　I　didn't　want　it　to　be　over；　though　part　of　me　wasn't　at　all　sure　that　dating　Richard　was　healthy　for　either　of　us。　We　weren't　really　good　for　each　other。　Love　is　like　that　sometimes。
　I　pushed　away　serious　thoughts　and　looked　at　the　last　member　of　our　little　party。　Donovan　Reece　was　the　new　swan　king　in　town。　He　was　about　six　feet　tall；　though　it　was　hard　to　tell　exactly　while　he　was　sitting　down。　His　skin　was　that　flawless　milk　and　cream　plexion　that　the　beauty　aids　promise　when　tan　is　out　for　a　year　or　two；　but　Donovan's　was　the　real　deal。　He　was　whiter　than　I　was；　as　white　as　Jean…Claude；　but　there　was　a　slight　pink　flush　to　Donovan's　cheeks；　like　perfectly　applied　blush。　You　could　almost　see　the　blood　flowing　under　his　skin；　as　if　it　were　nearly　translucent。　He　not　only　looked　alive；　but　very　alive；　as　if　he'd　be　hot　to　the　touch。
　His　eyes　were　a　pale　blue…gray　that　shifted　with　his　moods　like　a　summer　sky　that　couldn't　make　up　its　mind　whether　it　wanted　to　be　peaceful　with　fluffy　white　clouds　or　rain　all　over　your　head。　He　was　handsome　in　a　clean…cut；　preppy　sort　of　way；　as　if　he　should　have　been　on　a　college　campus　somewhere　pledging　to　a　frat　and　chugging　beers。　Instead　he　was　going　with　us　into　a　gathering　of　werewolves　where　he　would　be　the　only　nonpredator　there。　That　didn't　sound　like　a　good　idea　to　me。
　〃You　saved　my　swanmanes；　Ms。　Blake。　You　nearly　got　yourself　killed　doing　it。　I　couldn't　risk　the　girls　ing；　they　are　not　。。。　〃　He　looked　down　at　his　folded　hands；　then　raised　those　changeable　eyes　to　me。　〃They　are　like　your　Nathaniel　　victims。〃
　〃Nathaniel　is　driving　my　Jeep　with　the　rest　of　my　people　in　it；〃　I　said。
　Reece　nodded。　〃Yes；　but　the　shape　of　his　beast　is　a　predator。　My　girls　are　not。　If　they　lost　control　and　changed　during　the　meeting；　they　would　be　meat。〃
　〃I　agree　with　you；　Mr。　Reece；　but　doesn't　the　same　logic　apply　to　you？〃
　〃I　am　a　swan　king；　Ms。　Blake；　I　will　not　change　shape　unless　I　will　it　so。〃
　Will　it　so。　I'd　never　heard　anyone　put　it　quite　that　way。　Donovan　Reece　had　a　bad　case　of　arrogance。　I　wasn't　going　to　talk　him　out　of　this。　Rafael　had　been　trying　to　before　I　arrived。　Micah　never　offered。　He'd　been　very　good　about　letting　me　do　all　the　talking。　I　liked　that　in　a　man。
　〃Can　you　fight？〃　I　asked。
　〃I　will　not　be　a　burden；　Ms。　Blake；　don't　worry。〃
　I　was　worried；　because　I　could　smell　the　blood　just　under　his　skin。　I　could　almost　see　it　flowing　under　his　flesh。　He　smelled　like　meat　and　blood；　and　heat。　He　smelled　like　food。　I'd　been　around　shapeshifters　that　were　prey　animals；　but　I'd　never　realized　you　could　tell　by　smell　what　wasn't　a　predator。　I　knew　by　the　gentle　scent　of　him　that　Reece's　beast　was　something　soft　and　easily　killed。　Something　that　would　struggle　but　not　hurt　me。　I　had　to　swallow　hard；　trying　to　slow　my　pulse；　but　it　would　not　slow。　I　wanted　to　drop　on　my　knees　in　front　of　him　and　sniff　his　skin；　rub　my　face　against　his　bare　arms　until　the　short　sleeves　of　his　button…up　shirt　stopped　me。　A　white　undershirt　peeked　out　the　top　of　the　blue　and　white　striped　shirt。　I　wanted　to　rip　the　shirt　open；　send　the　buttons　popping　through　the　air；　take　a　knife　from　my　wrist　sheath　and　slit　the　undershirt；　bare　his　naked　chest　and　stomach。　But　it　wasn't　the　ardeur；　it　wasn't　sex　I　was　thinking　about。　I　wanted　to　see　his　stomach　bare；　to　feel　the　soft　tissue　under　my　mouth；　my　teeth；　to　bite　into　。。。
　I　covered　my　eyes　with　my　hands；　and　shook　my　head。　What　was　wrong　with　me？
　Micah　touched　my　arm；　gently。　〃Anita；　what's　wrong？〃
　I　lowered　my　hands　and　looked　at　him。　〃He　smells　like　food。〃
　Micah　nodded。　〃Yes。〃
　I　shook　my　head　again。　〃You　don't　understand　what　I'm　thinking。　It's　。。。　frightening。〃　I　couldn't　say　it　out　loud。　I　wanted　to　feed　on　him；　or　at　least　sink　my　teeth　into　his　flesh。　I　think　I　could　keep　from　actually　feeding；　but　the　urge　to　mark　that　flawless　skin　was　so　strong　that　I　almost　didn't　trust　myself。
　〃When　you　told　me　why　you　marked　Nathaniel　I　knew　it　was　the　hunger。〃　Micah　said　the　last　word　like　it　should　have　been　in　capital　letters。　〃It　usually　takes　a　few　days；　or　weeks；　before　your　first　full　moon；　to　have　the　hunger　bee　a　problem。　It's　okay　to　have　thoughts；　images　in　your　head　about　feeding。　It's　normal。〃
　〃Normal。〃　I　laughed；　but　it　was　a　harsh　sound。　〃What　I'm　thinking　isn't　even　close　to　normal。〃　Again　I　couldn't　bring　myself　to　say　it　out　loud。
　〃What　do　you　want　to　do　to　Reece？〃　Rafael　asked。
　I　looked　across　the　seat　at　him。　I　opened　my　mouth　to　say；　then　glanced　at　Reece　and　stopped。　〃No；　it's　like　telling　a　sexual　fantasy　in　front　of　the　stranger　you　just　had　the　fantasy　about。　It　feels　that　intimate。〃
　〃It　is　that　intimate；〃　Rafael　said。
　I　looked　back　at　him；　and　his　dark　eyes　held　my　gaze。　〃If　you　tell　Mr。　Reece　what　you're　wanting　to　do　to　him；　then　maybe　he'll　fly　home。〃
　〃A　rat　is　a　prey　animal；　too；〃　Reece　said。
　〃Everything　that　is　smaller　is　a　prey　animal；〃　Rafael　said；　〃but　rats　are　omnivorous。　They　eat　anything　that　crosses　their　path；　including　humans；　if　they　can't　get　away。　A　wererat　is　not　a　small　thing；　Mr。　Reece；　we　are　large　enough　to　be　the　predators　that　our　namesakes　cannot　be。〃
　Reece　was　scowling　at　us　all　now。　He　shook　his　head　angrily　and　leaned　forward　and　shoved　his　wrist　into　my　face。　〃Get　a　good　whiff；　all　of　you　seem　to　like　it。〃
　〃I　wouldn't　do　that；　if　I　were　you；〃　Rafael　said。
　〃Listen　to　him；　Reece；〃　Micah　said。
　I　didn't　say　anything　because　the　scent　of　his　flesh　so　close　was　intoxicating。　It　was　like　the　most　exotic　perfume　spread　across　silk　sheets；　with　an　undertone　of　fresh　baked　bread　and　some　sweet　jelly　spread　over　flesh。　I　had　no　word　for　it；　but　it　smelled　better　than　anything　I'd　ever　smelled　in　my　life。
　I　was　holding　his　wrist；　pressing　the　thin　skin　against　my　lips；　before　I　realized　what　I　was　doing。　The　skin　was　so　tender；　and　I　could　smell　the　blood　under　that　paper…thin　layer　of　skin。　I　wanted　to　do　more　than　smell　it。　I　wanted　to　taste　it；　to　feel　his　flesh　give　under　my　teeth；　to　have　the　blood　gush　warm　in　my　mouth；　to　。。。　I　jerked　away　from　him　and　crawled　across　Micah；　across　the　seat　to　huddle　in　the　far　corner　as　far　away　from　the　swan　king　as　I　could　get　and　not　jump　out　the　door。
　There　must　have　been　something　on　my　face；　in　my　eyes　that　scared　him　because　his　eyes　widened；　his　full　mouth　opened　slightly。　〃My　God；　your　control　really　is　that　bad。〃