lh.narcissusinchains-第79章

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　I　was　back　in　a　protective　stance　before　Jamil　and　Shang…Da　had　time　to　react。　I　felt　them　move　towards　me　and　felt　others　move　forward；　too。　The　very　thing　I'd　been　trying　to　avoid；　and　I'd　set　it　off。　Raina　was　laughing　in　my　head；　laughing　at　us　all。
　
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　RICHARD　WAS　LEANING　over　the　arm　of　his　throne；　hair　covering　his　face；　when　Sylvie　grabbed　me。　I　didn't　fight　her。　Her　fingers　dug　into　my　arms；　and　I　knew　I'd　be　bruised　in　the　morning。　Or　maybe　not。　Maybe　I'd　heal　it。　Jacob　was　watching　it　all　astonished　and　pleased。
　I　glanced　back　and　found　the　bodyguards　fighting。　The　leopards　and　rats　were　spreading　out；　the　wolves　beginning　to　close　around　them。　I　opened　my　mouth　to　yell　something；　but　Richard's　voice　boomed　over　the　clearing。
　〃Enough！〃　That　one　word　froze　us　all；　and　we　turned　shocked　faces　to　him。　He　was　standing　in　front　of　his　throne；　blood　spattered　across　one　shoulder　and　on　his　upper　chest。　One　side　of　his　mouth　was　a　red　ruin。　I'd　never　been　able　to　do　that　kind　of　damage　before。
　He　spat　blood　and　said；　〃I'm　not　hurt。　Some　of　you　here　have　been　inside　the　oubliette。　You　know　what　it　was　when　Raina　still　lived。　Can　you　blame　the　Nimir…Ra　for　hating　me　for　putting　her　leopard　down　there？〃
　You　could　feel　the　tension　begin　to　ease　as　the　wolves　pulled　back。　Richard　had　to　order　Jamil　and　Shang…Da　to　back　off；　and　they　and　Claudia　and　Igor　pushed　at　each　other；　like　bullies　that　still　didn't　know　who　was　tougher。　I　hadn't　realized　that　Claudia　was　nearly　six　inches　taller　than　Jamil；　until　they　drew　away　from　each　other　and　he　had　to　stare　up　at　her　to　glare　into　her　eyes。
　Sylvie　whispered　in　my　ear；　〃Are　you　okay？〃
　I　looked　up　at　Richard。　He　was　still　bleeding。　〃Other　than　embarrassed；　yeah。〃
　She　let　me　go；　slowly；　as　if　not　sure　that　I　was　safe　to　let　loose。　She　hovered　right　next　to　me；　between　me　and　Richard；　until　he　motioned　her　back。
　He　stood　in　front　of　me；　and　we　stared　at　each　other。　Blood　still　dripped　from　his　mouth。　〃You　pack　a　hell　of　a　punch　now；〃　he　said。
　I　nodded。　〃If　you'd　been　human；　what　would　that　have　done　to　you？〃
　〃Broken　my　jaw；　or　maybe　my　neck。〃
　〃I　didn't　mean　it；〃　I　said。
　〃Your　Nimir…Raj　will　teach　you　how　to　judge　your　strength。　You　might　stop　going　to　your　martial　arts　classes　for　a　while；　until　you　understand　how　your　body　works　now。〃
　〃Good　advice；〃　I　said。
　He　put　his　hand　to　his　mouth；　and　it　came　away　bright　with　blood。　I　had　the　urge　to　take　his　hand　and　lick　the　blood　off　of　it。　I　wanted　to　climb　his　body　and　press　my　mouth　to　his　and　drink　him　down。　The　image　was　so　vivid　that　I　had　to　shut　my　eyes；　so　I　couldn't　see　him　standing　there　half…naked；　bloodied；　as　if　that　would　help　me　not　want　him。　It　didn't。　I　could　smell　his　skin；　the　scent　of　him；　and　the　fresh　blood；　like　icing　on　a　cake　that　I　couldn't　have。
　〃Go　get　your　leopard；　Anita。〃
　I　opened　my　eyes　and　looked　up　at　him。　〃The　oubliette　was　one　of　the　things　you　fought　against　under　Marcus。　You　said　it　was　inhuman。　I　don't　understand　how　you　could　use　it。〃
　〃He　was　in　there　for　nearly　a　day　before　I　asked　where　they'd　put　him。　That　was　my　fault。〃
　〃But　who's　idea　was　it　to　put　him　there？〃　I　asked。
　Richard　looked　at　Jacob。　The　look　said　it　all。
　I　walked　over　to　the　tall　man。　〃You　never　called　me；　Jacob。〃
　〃You　got　your　leopard　back；　so　what　does　it　matter？〃
　〃If　you　ever　touch　one　of　my　people　again；　I'll　kill　you。〃
　〃You　going　to　pit　your　kitty…cats　against　our　pack？〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃No；　Jacob；　this　is　personal；　between　me　and　you。　I　know　the　rules。　I　make　this　a　personal　challenge　between　you　and　me；　and　that　means　that　no　one　can　help　you。〃
　〃Or　you；〃　he　said。　He　stared　down　at　me　trying　to　use　his　height　to　intimidate　me。　It　didn't　work。　I　was　used　to　being　short。　I　gave　him　dead　eyes　until　the　smirk　on　his　face　faltered　and　he　took　one　step　back；　which　pissed　him　off。　But　he　didn't　retake　that　step。　Jacob　might　be　able　to　kill　Richard　in　a　fair　fight　for　dominance；　but　he'd　never　be　a　true　Ulfric。
　I　stepped　up　close　to　him；　close　enough　that　a　good　insult　would　have　made　us　touch。　〃There's　something　weak　in　you　Jacob。　I　can　smell　it；　and　so　can　they。　You　may　challenge　Richard　and　win；　but　the　pack　will　never　accept　you　as　Ulfric。　You　winning　will　tear　them　apart　　it'll　be　a　civil　war。〃
　Something　flashed　through　his　eyes。
　〃That　doesn't　scare　you。　You　don't　care；〃　I　said。
　He　stepped　back　from　me；　averting　his　eyes；　his　face。　〃You　heard　the　Ulfric。　Go　fetch　your　cat　before　we　change　our　minds。〃
　〃You　couldn't　change　your　mind　with　a　hundred　watt　bulb　and　a　team　of　helpers。〃
　He　frowned　at　me　then。　Sometimes　my　humor　is　a　little　esoteric；　or　maybe　it's　just　not　funny。　Jacob　didn't　find　it　funny。
　〃Go　with　her；　Sylvie；　make　sure　she　gets　everything　she　needs　to　get　him　out　of　there　and　back　to　the　cars　safely；〃　Richard　said。
　〃Are　you　sure　you　want　me　to　go？〃　she　asked。
　〃We'll　stay　with　him；〃　Jamil　said。　None　of　them　tried　to　hide　the　fact　that　they　were　looking　at　Jacob　while　they　said　it。　Not　only　didn't　they　not　trust　him；　but　they　didn't　care　that　he　knew　that　they　didn't　trust　him。　How　had　things　downgraded　to　that？　What　had　been　happening　in　the　pack　that　no　one　had　told　me　about　yet？　Plenty；　from　the　looks　on　everyone's　faces。
　〃She　can't　go　home　until　after　the　ceremony　to　break　her　ties　with　the　pack〃　Jacob　said。
　〃She　will　go　home　when　I　say　she　goes　home；〃　Richard　said；　voice　low　and　full　of　that　deep　tone　he　got　just　before　his　voice　crawled　to　something　growling　and　inhuman。
　〃The　candidates　have　all　e　prepared　tonight；　Ulfric；　dressed　to　please　you。〃
　〃Then　they　can　dress　to　please　me　another　night。〃
　〃You　disappoint　。。。　〃
　〃You　are　about　to　overstep　yourself；　Jacob。〃　There　must　have　been　something　in　the　way　he　said　it；　because　Jacob　finally　shut　up　and　gave　a　small　bow。　But　he　managed　to　make　the　movement　mocking；　and　even　from　a　distance　you　could　tell　he　didn't　mean　it。　But　he　lowered　his　eyes　with　his　head；　as　he　bent　at　the　waist。　It's　a　mistake　to　take　your　eyes　off　your　opponent。
　I　asked；　〃Am　I　still　lupa　until　the　ceremony？〃
　〃I　suppose；〃　Richard　said。
　〃Yes；〃　Sylvie　said。　And　they　looked　at　each　other。
　〃Good。〃　I　kicked　Jacob　in　the　face；　though　not　as　hard　as　I'd　hit　Richard。　You　didn't　have　to　kick　as　hard　to　do　the　same　kind　of　damage。
　I　watched　who　in　the　pack　made　movements　towards　us　and　who　didn't。　I　didn't　see　what　everybody　did；　but　I　saw　enough。　Nobody　near　the　throne　made　a　single　move　to　stop　me；　or　help　him。
　Jacob　staggered　to　his　feet。　His　nose　had　burst　like　a　piece　of　overripe　fruit。　Blood　poured　from　his　face；　over　his　hands；　like　crimson　water。　He　yelled　at　me；　voice　thick　with　the　blood　running　down　his　throat。　〃You　broke　my　nose！〃
　I　was　in　a　defensive　stance；　the　one　I'd　learned　in　kenpo；　just　in　case；　but　he　didn't　try　to　hit　me　back。　I　think　he　knew　that　there　were　too　many　people　close　at　hand　aching　for　an　excuse　to　hurt　him。　Jacob　was　weak；　but　he　was　smarter　than　he　looked；　and　not　quite　as　arrogant。
　〃I　am　lupa　of　the　Thronnos　Rokke　Clan。　Maybe　just　for　tonight；　but　I　am　lupa　here。　And　he　is　Ulfric；　and　you　will　by　God　show　some　respect！〃
　〃You　have　no　right　to　question　the　Geri　of　this　clan。　I've　earned　my　place。　You　just　fucked　the　Ulfric。〃
　I　laughed；　and　it　startled　him；　made　him　unsure。　〃I　know　pack　law；　Jacob。　It　doesn't　matter　how　I　got　the　job。　All　that　matters　is　that　I　am　lupa；　and　that　means　that　except　for　the　Ulfric；　my　word　is　law。〃
　His　eyes　looked　uncertain；　and　the　first　faint　trace　of　fear　showed；　like　a　bitter　scent　on　the　wind。　〃You　are　about　to　be　dethroned　as　lupa。　Your　word　means　nothing　here。〃
　〃I　am　Ulfric　here；　Jacob；　not　you；　and　I　say　whose　word　means　something　and　whose　does　not。　Until　we　have　the　ceremony　breaking　her　ties　with　our　pack；　Anita　is　still　lupa；　and　I　will　support　what　she　says。〃
　〃And　I；〃　Sylvie　said。
　〃And　I；〃　Jamil　said。
　Shang…Da　said；　〃I　support　my　Ulfric　in　all　things。〃
　〃Then　let's　have　a　little　irony；〃　I　said。　〃Since　it　was　Jacob's　idea　to　put　Gregory　down　in　the　oubliette；　let　him　take　Gregory's　place。〃
　Jacob　started　to　protest；　hands　still　trying　to　stop　the　blood　flow　from