lh.narcissusinchains-第73章

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rcle　and　caressed　their　beasts　in　turn。　And　our　beasts　came　home　in　a　rush　of　heat；　like　standing　in　the　middle　of　a　bonfire；　but　it　was　also　a　glorious　rush；　a　joyousness　like　nothing　I'd　ever　felt。　I　caught；　with　that　rush　of　power；　glimpses　into　all　the　others。
　I　saw　Gina　tied　to　a　bed　and　a　man　above　her　like　a　shadow；　something　evil　that　the　power　could　not　see　clearly；　Merle　covered　in　wounds　and　blood；　huddled　against　a　wall；　weeping；　Caleb　standing　alone；　covered　in　blood；　his　eyes　haunted；　Noah　running　down　a　hallway　with　screams　chasing　him；　making　him　run　faster；　Cherry　lying　in　a　huge　heap　of　warm　bodies；　beside　Zane　and　Nathaniel　and　me；　Zane's　memory　was　of　sitting　at　my　kitchen　table　eating；　laughing　with　Nathaniel；　Vivian　lying　in　Stephen's　arms　in　their　bed；　Nathaniel's　memory　was　of　me　marking　his　back；　but　the　sense　of　peace　I　got　from　him　with　the　memory　was　stronger　than　the　sense　of　sex；　as　if　some　great　burden　had　lifted　from　him；　and　I　saw　Gregory　bound　wrist…to…ankle　behind　his　back；　gagged；　blindfolded；　terrified。　He　lay　naked　on　a　bed　of　bones。　I　knew　this　was　not　a　memory；　this　was　what　was　happening　to　Gregory　right　this　minute。　And　I　could　see　it；　feel　his　terror；　and　I　still　didn't　know　where　he　was。
　The　power　burst　over　us　all　in　a　wave　of　skin…rushing；　nerve…caressing　contentment；　as　if　we'd　all　walked　into　a　strange　room　and　suddenly　realized　that　everything　in　it　was　familiar；　every　corner　of　the　room　was　a　key　to　our　hearts；　and　the　word　that　washed　over　me；　was　home。
　Micah　drew　back　first；　shaking。　I　was　crying；　and　didn't　remember　when　it　had　started。　I　heard　other　people　crying　in　the　dark；　and　I　looked　beyond　us　and　found　that　it　wasn't　just　our　people。　Some　of　the　wererats　were　crying；　faces　turned　towards　us　with　something　like　awe　　or　fear　　in　their　eyes。
　Something　made　me　look　past　all　of　them　to　the　wood's　edge。　Richard　stood　shirtless；　dressed　in　nothing　but　jeans　and　whatever　shoes　he　was　wearing。　The　sight　of　him　there　painted　with　starlight　and　shadows　made　me　catch　my　breath；　not　because　he　was　beautiful；　or　because　I　wanted　him　　that　always　went　without　saying　with　Richard　　but　because　he　was　suddenly；　for　the　first　time；　wild。　It　wasn't　his　anger　that　made　the　difference。　I　saw　him　at　the　edge　of　the　woods；　the　way　you'd　e　unexpectedly　upon　a　wild　animal；　like　glimpsing　deer　in　the　twilight；　or　that　flash　as　something　large　and　furred　raced　in　front　of　your　headlights；　and　you　knew　it　wasn't　a　dog　and　it　was　too　big　to　be　a　fox。　Richard　stood　there；　and　when　our　eyes　met；　it　sent　a　jolt　through　me　from　the　top　of　my　head　to　the　soles　of　my　feet；　and　into　the　ground　beyond。　Whatever　else　Richard　had　been　doing　to　screw　up　his　pack's　structure；　one　thing　he'd　done　right；　he'd　embraced　his　beast。　You　could　see　it　on　him　like　a　coat　that　he'd　finally　grown　into；　something　that　fit　him；　tailor…made。
　Marcus；　the　old　Ulfric；　had　always　insisted　on　dressing　up；　so　at　a　glance　you'd　know　he　was　king。　Richard　stood　there　with　no　clothes　to　distinguish　him；　yet　you　knew　he　was　king。　Power　makes　you　a　monarch；　and　all　the　fancy　robes　in　the　world　won't　do　the　job　without　it。
　We　stared　at　each　other　across　the　clearing。　Underneath　that　new　veneer　of　fortable　power；　the　look　on　his　face　made　my　chest　so　tight　it　hurt。　If　I　could　have　thought　of　anything　to　say　that　would　have　made　things　less　painful；　I'd　have　said　it；　but　I　couldn't　think　of　any　words　that　would　help。
　Jamil　and　Shang…Da　came　up　on　either　side　of　him；　and　there　was　a　look　of　anger　on　Shang…Da's　face。　Anger　at　me；　I　think。　Jamil　looked　at　Richard；　as　if　he　wished　there　was　some　way　for　him　to　guard　Richard　from　this；　as　well　as　from　bullets　and　claws。　But　with　some　things；　even　a　really　good　bodyguard　can't　take　the　hit　for　you。　This　was　one　of　those　things。
　Richard's　voice　came　deep；　loud；　clear；　untouched　by　the　look　on　his　face。　〃Wele　rat　king　of　the　Dark　Crown　Clan。　Wele　Nimir…Ra　and　Nimir…Raj　of　the　Blooddrinkers　Clan。　Wele　to　the　lands　of　the　Thronnos　Rokke　Clan。　The　leopards　have　shown　us　this　night　what　it　truly　means　to　be　a　clan；　be　they　pard；　lukoi；　or　rodere。　They　show　us　what　we　all　strive　for　　a　true　melding　of　all　our　parts　into　a　whole。〃　Bitterness　crept　in　at　the　last；　but　on　the　whole；　it　was　a　lovely　speech；　and　more　heartfelt　than　pleasant。
　〃Now　join　us　at　our　lupanar；　and　we　will　see　if　you　can　win　back　your　lost　cat。〃　There　was　anger　in　his　voice；　and　I　wondered　if　Gregory　was　about　to　pay　the　price　for　Richard's　anger　with　me。
　Richard　turned　and　melted　into　the　trees　with　Shang…Da　at　his　side。　Jamil　spared　a　glance　back　at　me；　then　followed。
　Micah　leaned　close　and　whispered；　〃I　owe　you　several　apologies。　I'm　sorry　your　Ulfric　had　to　see　us　this　way。〃
　〃Me；　too；〃　I　said。
　〃I　said　your　cats　were　a　mess；　and　I　was　wrong。　You　have　made　a　home　for　your　cats；　and　mine　have　nowhere　to　hide。〃
　〃What　is　wrong　with　all　of　you？〃　It　wasn't　perhaps　the　most　diplomatic　question；　but　it　covered　things。
　〃That　is　a　very　long　story。〃
　Merle　leaned　over　us。　He　spoke　so　low　that　I　almost　couldn't　hear　him。　〃Be　very　careful　for　all　our　sakes。〃
　They　had　some　very　serious　eye　contact。　I　said；　〃What　is　going　on？〃
　Micah　raised　my　hand　and　laid　a　brief　kiss　on　the　knuckles。　〃Let's　save　your　Gregory。　That　has　to　be　priority　tonight；　right？〃
　He　smiled　and　tried　to　charm　his　way　out　of　the　stare　I　was　giving　him。　I　stared　at　him　until　the　smile　faded　from　his　face　and　he　dropped　my　hand。　〃Yeah；　saving　Gregory　is　priority　for　tonight；　but　I　want　to　know　what's　going　on。〃
　〃One　problem　at　a　time；〃　Micah　said。
　I　was　getting　the　very　distinct　feeling　that　if　they　all　could　have　lied　to　me　forever；　they　would　have。　It　wasn't　lying；　as　much　as　hiding　things　from　me。　Things　that　had　to　do　with　blood　and　pain；　and　no　matter　how　powerful　they　all　were；　Micah's　pard　wasn't　a　family；　wasn't　whole。　Strangely；　as　messed　up　as　me　and　my　leopards　were；　we　were　a　family。　More　so　than　Richard　and　his　wolves；　even。　Richard　was　so　busy　fighting　his　moral　battles　and　his　power　structure　problems　that　there　wasn't　time　for　mending　other　things。
　〃Give　me　the　Reader's　Digest　condensed　version；　Micah；〃　I　said。
　〃Gregory　is　waiting　for　you　to　rescue　him。〃
　〃So　give　me　a　couple　of　sentences；　but　make　it　the　truth；　Micah。〃
　〃Micah；〃　Merle　said　softly；　but　with　force　to　his　voice。　It　was　a　warning。
　I　looked　at　the　big　man。　〃What　are　you　guys　hiding；　Merle？〃
　Micah　touched　my　arm；　brought　my　attention　back　to　his　face。　〃I　told　you　that　once　we　were　taken　over　by　a　very　bad　man；　who　still　wants　us。　I'm　searching　for　someplace　strong　enough　to　keep　us　safe。〃
　〃Are　you　saying　this　guy　will　e　looking　for　you　here　in　St。　Louis？〃
　〃Yes；〃　he　said。
　〃Most　alphas　can　take　a　hint；〃　I　said。
　Micah　shook　his　head。　〃This　one　won't。　He　will　never　give　us　up。〃　He　gripped　my　arm。　〃If　you　take　us　on；　you'll　have　to　deal　with　him　eventually。〃
　〃Is　he　bulletproof？〃　I　asked。
　The　question　seemed　to　confuse　him；　because　he　frowned。　〃No；　I　mean；　no；　I　guess　not。〃
　I　shrugged。　〃Not　a　problem　then。〃
　He　looked　at　me。　〃What　do　you　mean？　That　you'll　just　kill　him？〃
　It　was　my　turn　to　look　at　him。　〃Is　there　any　reason　I　shouldn't？〃
　He　almost　smiled；　stopped；　then　frowned　again。　〃Just　kill　him；　just　like　that。〃　It　was　almost　as　if　he　were　thinking　it　over；　as　if　it　had　never　occurred　to　him。
　Merle　said；　〃He's　a　hard　man　to　kill。〃
　〃Unless　he's　faster　than　a　silver　bullet；　Merle；　nobody's　that　hard　to　kill。〃
　Rafael　came　slowly　through　the　leopards；　Claudia　and　Igor　trailing　him。　〃We've　all　been　thinking　of　your　leopards　as　lesser　than　us。　What　I　just　saw　makes　me　envious。〃
　〃I　know　how　the　wolves　work；〃　I　said。　〃And　I　know　that　they　don't　have　a　sense　of　home。　First　Raina　and　Marcus　made　them　afraid　of　each　other；　now　Richard's　morals　have　him　struggling　to　be　safe。　But　you　and　yours　seem　pretty　secure。　How　different　is　what　I've　done　with　my　leopards　from　what　everyone　else　is　doing？〃
　〃I've　benefited　from　your　loyalty；　your　sheer　stubbornness。　What　I　didn't　realize　until　tonight　is　that　you　didn't　save　me　just　because　I　was　your　friend；　or　just　because　it　was　the　right　thing　to　do。　You　did