lh.narcissusinchains-第72章

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　Zane　said；　〃We　can　take　care　of　Anita。〃
　〃No　we　can't；〃　Nathaniel　said。
　I　stared　at　him。　He　touched　my　arm。　〃Take　the　help；　Anita；　please。〃
　〃We　can　protect　her；〃　Micah　said。
　Merle　echoed　him。
　〃And　if　you　have　to　choose　between　saving　Micah；　or　saving　Anita；　which　one　will　you　choose？〃　Rafael　asked。
　Merle　looked　away；　but　Noah　said；　〃Micah。〃
　〃Exactly。〃
　〃Won't　your　rats　feel　just　as　torn　between　you　and　Anita　as　my　leopards　would？〃　Micah　asked。
　〃No；　because　I'll　have　bodyguards。　My　rodere；　my　gang；　runs　high　to　enforcers　and　professional　soldiers。　Why　do　you　think　that　Raina　and　Marcus　agreed　to　the　treaty　when　Richard　brought　it　to　them？　They'd　never　have　allied　with　us　if　we　weren't　stronger　than　just　our　numbers。〃
　〃I　don't　。。。　〃
　He　actually　touched　my　mouth　with　his　finger。　〃No；　Anita。　When　this　is　over；　and　you　are　truly　Nimir…Ra；　then　you　will　need　to　advertise　for　enforcers　of　your　own。　Until　then；　I'll　share。〃
　I　moved　his　hand　away　from　my　mouth。　〃I　don't　think　this　is　necessary。〃
　〃I　do；〃　he　said。
　〃I　agree；〃　Cherry　said。
　Finally；　Micah　said；　〃Agreed。〃　Merle　and　Noah　both　gave　him　a　funny　look；　then　exchanged　glances　with　each　other。
　〃I　haven't　agreed　to　this；〃　I　said　。。。
　Nathaniel　leaned　into　me；　and　said；　〃If　you　don't　give　in　on　this　we'll　still　be　standing　here　an　hour　from　now。〃
　I　frowned　at　him。
　He　smiled　and　shrugged。
　I　turned　to　the　bodyguard　in　question。　She　just　looked　at　me；　face　impassive；　as　if　it　didn't　matter　to　her　one　way　or　another。　A　man　moved　up　beside　her。　He　was　about　two　inches　shorter　than　she　was；　broader　through　the　shoulders；　and　had　so　many　tattoos　that　for　a　second　I　thought　he　was　wearing　a　colorful　long…sleeved　shirt。　His　tank　top　was　small　and　strained　over　the　swell　of　his　chest。　Jeans　and　work　boots　pleted　his　outfit。　He　was　bald；　with　a　tattoo　of　a　dragon　curling　around　his　ears　and　the　back　of　his　skull。　Even　by　starlight　you　could　see　the　design　of　the　tat　was　oriental　and　well　done。
　〃How　do　you　guys　feel　about　putting　your　life　on　the　line　for　someone　you　just　met？〃
　〃You　saved　our　king's　life；〃　the　man　said。　〃We　owe　you　a　life。〃
　〃Even　if　it's　your　own；〃　I　said。
　〃Them's　the　breaks；〃　he　said。
　I　stared　up　at　the　woman。　〃You　agree　with　that？〃
　〃Like　Igor　says；　we　owe　you　one。〃
　It　always　made　me　unfortable　when　people　were　willing　to　put　my　safety　ahead　of　their　own。　I　just　wasn't　really　fy　with　the　concept　of　bodyguards；　but；　what　the　hell？　I　put　my　hand　out。　They　exchanged　glances　between　them；　then　shook　my　hand。　Igor　touched　me　like　he　was　afraid　I'd　break；　and　Claudia　tried　to　squeeze　hard　enough　to　make　me　cry　uncle。　I　didn't。　I　smiled　pleasantly　at　her；　because　I　knew　she　wouldn't　really　hurt　me。　She　just　wanted　to　see　if　I'd　squirm。　My　pleasant　smile　made　her　frown；　but　she　let　go　of　my　hand。　My　hand　actually　ached　just　a　little；　and　if　my　healing　powers　weren't　up　to　it；　I'd　be　bruised　in　the　morning。　Damn。
　Rafael　turned　to　some　of　his　rats；　giving　instructions；　leaving　me　alone　with　the　two　bodyguards。　〃Is　Igor　your　real　name？〃　I　asked。
　〃Nickname；〃　he　said。
　〃What's　your　real　name？〃
　He　smiled　and　shook　his　head。
　〃What　could　be　worse　than　Igor？〃　I　asked。
　His　smile　widened　to　a　grin。　〃Wouldn't　you　like　to　know？〃
　It　made　me　smile；　and　some　tightness　in　my　chest　eased。　You'd　almost　think　I　was　relieved　to　have　bodyguards　of　my　own。　Naw；　not　me。　I　didn't　need　no　stinking　bodyguards。　I　probably　wouldn't　need　them；　but　extra　muscle　is　like　extra　ammunition。　If　you　need　it；　it's　good　to　have　it；　if　you　don't　need　it；　then　it　can　always　go　back　in　the　box。
　Truth　was；　I　felt　more　protective　of　my　leopards　than　protected　by　them。　Sad；　but　true。　And　I　didn't　entirely　trust　Merle；　or　Noah；　or　even　Micah。　He　was　keeping　things　from　me；　and　I　didn't　like　that。　Some　women　are　just　never　satisfied。
　Rafael　moved　off　through　his　people；　giving　them　soft…voiced　instructions。　Micah　moved　up　closer　to　me；　with　Merle　and　Noah　at　a　very　attentive　distance。　I　looked　at　Micah　and　suddenly　couldn't　be　this　close　and　not　touch　him。　I　reached　my　hand　out　to　him；　his　eyes　widened；　but　he　took　my　hand。　His　hand　slid　over　mine　in　a　play　of　pulsing　warmth　that　almost　took　my　breath　away。　I　watched　a　similar　reaction　play　on　his　face。　What　was　going　on？　I　drew　my　hand　out　of　his；　and　it　was　like　pulling　it　through　melted　taffy；　so　thick。
　I　looked　up　to　find　that；　except　for　Claudia　and　Igor；　we　were　surrounded　by　wereleopards；　his　and　mine。　The　moment　I　met　Nathaniel's　eyes　the　power　jolted　through　me。　I　turned　from　him　to　Cherry；　and　her　pale　eyes　widened　The　power　was　so　thick　it　was　like　trying　to　breath　something　liquid；　as　if　it　hurt　for　the　air　to　go　down。　The　power　leaped　between　me　and　Zane；　Vivian　and　Caleb；　who　was　next　in　the　circle。　Caleb；　who　I　didn't　particularly　like。　But　as　soon　as　I　searched　his　face；　the　power　leaped　between　us；　just　as　it　had　with　the　others。
　He　gasped；　hand　going　to　his　chest；　as　if　he'd　felt　it　like　a　blow　there。　His　voice　came　out　strangled。　〃What　are　you　doing？〃
　〃She　is　being　Nimir…Ra；〃　Micah　said。
　I　turned　back　to　him；　but　in　the　turning　crossed　Noah's　gaze　first。　The　power　stretched　between　me　and　this　stranger；　and　the　fear　showed　on　his　face。　I　was　strangely　calm；　it　felt　right；　good。　Gina　moved　closer　to　Merle；　and　that　drew　my　gaze。　The　power　swung　through　her；　from　her。　We　were　all　like　some　great　circuit　of　energy；　sharing；　flowing；　growing。　Tears　trailed　down　Gina's　face；　she　cried　softly；　clinging　to　Merle's　arm。　I　met　his　eyes　last；　as　if　I　was　supposed　to；　and　he　tried　to　turn　away；　but　it　wasn't　a　matter　of　locking　gazes；　it　was　a　matter　of　my　attention　going　to　him。　The　power；　my　power；　my　beast；　noticing　him。
　The　power　lashed　through　him；　because　he　fought　it。　He　tried　to　shield；　but　he　couldn't　shield　from　this。　It　wasn't　that　I　was　strong　enough　to　force　him。　I　didn't　try　to　push。　It　was　more　that　the　power　recognized　him；　and　something；　maybe　his　beast；　resonated　with　the　power。　He　turned　slowly　to　stare　at　me；　and　the　look　on　his　face　was　pained。　It　didn't　hurt；　it　felt　warm　and　good　and　frightening。
　The　power　grew；　wound　tight　and　tighter；　until　it　filled　the　air　around　us。
　Claudia　said；　〃What　the　hell　are　you　doing？〃
　〃Bonding；〃　Rafael　said；　and　he　drew　the　two　wererats　out　of　our　circle。　The　instant　they　were　gone；　the　circle　tightened；　and　it　was　like　the　pressure　of　a　storm；　my　ears　needed　to　pop；　as　if　the　pressure　of　the　air　had　changed。
　Micah　moved　to　stand　in　front　of　me。　The　others　formed　a　circle　around　us　as　if　someone　had　choreographed　it。　We　stared　at　each　other　and　then　reached　a　hand　towards　each　other。　It　was　hard　to　move　forward；　as　if　the　air　had　grown　solid　and　we　had　to　push　our　way　through。　Our　fingertips　touched；　and　our　hands　slid　together；　quickly；　easily；　like　a　fish　breaking　through　water　into　open　air。　We　spilled　around　each　other；　our　arms；　our　bodies　touching　pletely；　as　if　we　could　walk　into　the　other's　body　like　it　was　an　open　door。　His　mouth　hovered　over　mine；　and　the　power　was　there；　breathing；　pulsing；　hot　against　my　lips。　I　tried　to　be　afraid。　Tried　to　draw　back；　but　I　didn't　want　to。　It　was　as　if　a　part　of　me　that　I　hadn't　even　known　existed　was　in　charge；　and　no　amount　of　mon　sense　　or　doubts　　could　stop　it。
　It　wasn't　a　kiss；　it　was　a　melding。　The　power　poured　in　a　scalding　wave　from　his　mouth　to　mine；　from　my　mouth　to　his。　I　could　feel　the　others；　like　lines　of　heat　running　out　like　spokes　of　a　wheel；　and　Micah　and　I　were　the　hub　of　that　wheel。　The　power　ran　between　us　all；　back　and　forth；　liquid；　burning；　growing；　growing；　and　melting。　Melting　boundaries；　borders　that　kept　us　separate　as　people。　It　was　as　if　Micah's　body　and　mine　were　a　door　and　we　stepped　into　each　other；　closer　than　flesh　could　touch；　closer　than　hearts　could　beat；　and　I　felt　his　beast　and　mine　roll　through　us；　around　us；　as　if　the　two　great　animals　bound　us　together　like　a　rope　that　ran　through　our　flesh；　our　skin；　our　minds。　And　the　beasts　flared　outward；　traveled　down　those　lines　of　power　and　smashed　into　each　of　the　others。　I　felt　it　as　a　physical　blow；　felt　them　stagger　as　our　twinned　beasts　traveled　the　circle　and　ca