lh.narcissusinchains-第9章

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ou　understand？〃
　Narcissus's　eyes　widened　just　a　touch。　〃Then　what　was　he　doing　here　without　a　top　of　his　own？〃
　〃I　sent　him　out　with　one　that　was　supposed　to　watch　over　him　tonight。　But　Gregory　said　that　Elizabeth　deserted　Nathaniel　early　in　the　evening。〃
　〃Is　she　one　of　your　leopards；　too？〃
　I　nodded。
　〃She's　defying　you。〃
　〃I　know。　The　fact　that　Nathaniel　suffers　for　it　doesn't　seem　to　bother　her。〃
　He　studied　my　face。　〃I　don't　see　anger　in　you　about　this。〃
　〃If　I　was　angry　at　everything　Elizabeth　did　to　piss　me　off；　I'd　never　be　anything　else。〃　Truthfully；　I　was　just　tired。　Tired　of　having　to　rescue　the　pack　from　one　emergency　after　another。　Tired　of　Elizabeth　being　up　in　my　face　and　not　taking　care　of　the　others；　even　though　she　was　supposedly　dominant　to　them。　I'd　avoided　punishing　her；　because　I　couldn't　beat　her　up；　which　was　what　she　needed。　The　only　thing　I　could　do　was　shoot　her。　I'd　been　trying　to　avoid　that；　but　she　just　may　have　pushed　me　far　enough　that　I　was　out　of　options。　I'd　see　what　actual　damage　had　been　done。　If　anyone　died　because　of　her；　then　she　would　follow。　I　hated　the　fact　that　I　didn't　care　whether　I　killed　her。　I'd　known　her　off　and　on　for　over　a　year。　I　should　have　cared；　but　I　didn't。　I　didn't　like　her；　and　she'd　been　asking　for　it　for　as　long　as　I'd　known　her。　My　life　would　be　simpler　if　she　were　dead。　But　there　had　to　be　a　better　reason　to　kill　someone　than　that。　Didn't　there？
　〃Some　advice；〃　Narcissus　said。　〃All　dominance　challenges；　especially　from　your　own　people；　must　be　handled　quickly；　or　the　problem　will　spread。〃
　〃Thanks。　Actually；　I　knew　that。〃
　〃Still　she　defies　you。〃
　〃I've　been　trying　to　avoid　killing　her。〃
　We　looked　at　each　other　very　quietly；　and　he　gave　a　small　nod。　〃Your　gun；　please。〃
　I　sighed　and　raised　the　front　of　my　shirt；　though　the　material　was　stiff　enough　that　I　had　to　roll　it　back　to　expose　the　butt　of　the　gun。　I　lifted　the　gun　out　and　checked　the　safety　out　of　habit；　though　I　knew　it　was　on。
　Narcissus　took　the　gun。　The　two　bodyguards　had　moved；　blocking　the　crowd's　view　of　us。　I　doubted　most　people　knew　what　we'd　just　done。　Narcissus　smiled　as　I　rolled　my　shirt　back　into　place　over　the　now…empty　holster。　〃Truthfully；　if　I　didn't　know　who　you　were　and　what　your　reputation　was；　I　wouldn't　have　smelled　the　gun；　because　I　wouldn't　have　been　trying　to。　Your　outfit　doesn't　look　like　it　could　hide　a　gun　this　big。〃
　〃Paranoia　is　the　mother　of　invention；〃　I　said。
　He　gave　a　small　bow　of　his　head。　〃Now　enter　and　enjoy　the　delights；　and　the　terrors；　of　my　world。〃　With　that　rather　cryptic　phrase；　he　and　his　bodyguards　moved　through　the　crowd；　taking　my　gun　with　them。
　Jean…Claude　trailed　his　fingers　down　my　arm；　and　that　one　small　movement　turned　me　towards　him；　my　skin　shivering。　Tonight　was　plicated　enough　without　this　level　of　sexual　tension。
　〃Your　cats　are　well　until　you　enter　the　upper　room。　I　suggest　we　do　the　mark　now；　first。〃
　〃Why？〃　I　asked；　my　pulse　suddenly　in　my　throat。
　〃Let　us　go　to　our　table；　and　I　will　explain。〃　He　moved　off　through　the　crowd；　without　touching　me　further。　I　followed　and　couldn't　stop　myself　from　watching　the　way　the　vinyl　fit　him　from　behind。　I　loved　watching　him　walk；　whether　he　was　ing　or　going　　a　double　threat。
　The　tables　were　small；　and　there　weren't　many　of　them　crowded　against　the　walls。　But　they'd　cleared　the　dance　floor　so　they　could　set　up　for　some　sort　of　show　or　demonstration。　Men　and　women　dressed　in　leather　were　setting　up　a　framework　of　metal　with　lots　of　leather　straps。　I　was　reeeally　hoping　to　be　elsewhere　before　the　show　started。
　Jean…Claude　took　me　to　one　side　before　we　got　to　the　table　that　Jason　and　three　plete　strangers　were　gathered　around。　He　stepped　in　so　close　to　me　that　a　hard　thought　would　have　made　our　bodies　touch。　I　pressed　myself　against　the　wall　and　tried　not　to　breathe。　He　put　his　mouth　against　my　ear　and　spoke　so　low　what　came　out　was　merely　the　soft　sound　of　his　breath　against　my　skin。　〃We　will　all　be　safer　when　the　marks　are　married；　but　there　are　other　。。。　benefits　to　it。　I　have　many　lesser　vampires　that　I　have　brought　into　my　territory　in　the　last　few　months；　ma　petite。　Without　you　at　my　side；　I　dared　not　bring　in　greater　powers；　for　fear　that　I　could　not　hold　them。　Once　the　marks　are　married　between　us；　you　will　be　able　to　sense　those　vampires　that　are　mine。　The　exception；　as　always；　is　a　Master　Vampire。　They　can　hide　their　allegiances　better　than　the　rest。　The　marriage　of　marks　will　also　let　my　people　know　who　you　are；　and　what　will　happen　to　them　if　they　overstep　their　bounds　with　you。〃
　I　spoke；　lips　barely　moving；　lower　than　he　had　spoken；　because　he　could　still　hear　me。　〃You've　had　to　be　very　careful；　haven't　you？〃
　He　rested　his　cheek　against　my　face　for　a　moment。　〃It　has　been　a　delicate　dance　to　choreograph。〃
　I　had　gone　into　this　evening　with　my　metaphysical　shield　tight　in　place。　Marianne　had　taught　me　that　with　my　aura　ruptured；　the　other　shielding　was　of　paramount　importance。　I　shielded　with　stone　tonight；　perfect；　seamless　stone。　Nothing　could　get　in；　or　out；　without　my　permission。　Except　Narcissus's　power　had　already　danced　inside　my　shields。　I　was　afraid　that　touching　Jean…Claude　would　be　enough　to　shatter　the　stone；　but　it　wasn't。　I　wasn't　even　aware　of　the　shielding；　unless　I　really　concentrated。　It　could　stay　in　place　even　when　I　slept。　Only　when　you　were　attacked　did　you　have　to　concentrate；　if　you　were　good　at　shielding。　I'd　spent　a　week　at　the　beginning　of　the　month　in　Tennessee　with　Marianne；　working　on　nothing　but　this。　I　wasn't　great　at　it；　but　I　wasn't　bad　either。
　My　shields　were　in　place。　My　emotions　were　drowning　in　Jean…Claude；　but　my　psyche　wasn't；　which　meant　that　Marianne　was　right。　I　could　hold　the　dead　outside　my　shield　easier　than　the　living。　This　gave　me　the　courage　to　do　a　little　more。　I　leaned　my　face　against　Jean…Claude's；　and　nothing　happened。　Oh；　the　feel　of　his　skin　against　mine　sent　a　thrill　through　my　body；　but　my　shields　never　wavered。　I　felt　some　tension　that　I　hadn't　even　known　was　there　ease　out　of　me。　I　wanted　him　to　hold　me。　It　wasn't　just　sex。　If　that　was　all　it　was；　I　could　have　been　rid　of　him　long　ago。　He　must　have　felt　it；　too；　because　his　hands　rested　lightly　on　my　bare　arms。　When　I　didn't　protest；　his　hands　caressed　my　skin；　and　that　small　movement　brought　my　breath　to　a　sigh。
　I　leaned　into　him；　wrapping　my　arms　around　his　waist；　pressing　the　lines　of　our　bodies　together。　I　rested　my　head　on　his　chest；　and　I　could　hear　his　heart　beating。　It　didn't　always　beat；　but　tonight　it　did。　We　held　each　other；　and　it　was　nearly　chaste；　just　a　renewal　of　the　fact　that　we　were　touching　again。　I'd　worked　on　the　metaphysical　stuff　so　I　could　do　this　and　not　lose　myself。　It　had　been　worth　the　effort。
　He　pulled　back　first；　enough　to　look　into　my　face。　〃We　can　marry　the　marks　here；　or　find　somewhere　more　private。〃　He　wasn't　whispering　as　much　as　before。　Apparently　he　didn't　care　now　if　others　knew　what　we　were　doing。
　〃I'm　not　clear　on　what　marrying　the　marks　means。〃
　〃I　thought　your　Marianne　had　explained　it　to　you。〃
　〃She　said　we'll　fit　together　like　puzzle　pieces　and　there'll　be　a　release　of　power　when　it　happens。　But　she　also　said　that　the　manner　in　which　it　is　done　is　individual　to　the　participants。〃
　〃You　sound　as　if　you　are　quoting。〃
　〃I　am。〃
　He　frowned；　and　even　that　small　movement　was　somehow　fascinating。　〃I　do　not　want　you　to　be　unpleasantly　surprised；　ma　petite。　I　am　striving　for　honesty；　since　you　value　it　so　highly。　I　have　never　done　this　with　anyone；　but　most　things　are　sexual　between　us；　whether　we　will　or　no；　so　it　is　likely　this　will　be；　too。〃
　〃I　can't　leave　the　leopards　here　long　enough　to　grab　a　hotel　room；　Jean…Claude。〃
　〃They　will　not　be　harmed。　Until　you　go　upstairs；　they　will　be　safe。〃
　I　shook　my　head　and　pulled　away　from　him。　〃I'm　sorry；　but　I　am　not　leaving　here　without　them。　If　you　want　to　do　this　afterwards；　that's　fine　with　me；　but　the　leopards　are　priority。　They're　waiting　for　me　to　rescue　them。　I　can't　go　off　and　have　what　amounts　to　metaphysical　sex　while　they're　afraid　and　bleeding　somewhere。〃
　〃No；　it　cannot　wait。　I　want　us　to　have　this　done　before　the　fight　b