lh.narcissusinchains-第96章
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〃What's wrong； Richard？ What's with the power display？〃 I asked。
He turned to me； and the anger in his face made me want to step back； but I didn't。 I stood my ground； but it took effort。
〃Do you want to save your cat？〃 he asked； voice thick with the emotion that showed on his face； that crackled in his power。
My voice was almost a whisper； 〃Yes。〃
〃Then watch；〃 he said。
He spread his hands in front of Stephen； keeping them about eight inches away from the smaller man's shoulders。 The energy squeezed tight； and tighter until I had to swallow to try and clear my ears； as if there'd been a pressure change。 But swallowing didn't help。 It wasn't that kind of pressure。
Richard's hands convulsed； as if his fingers were digging into something invisible just in front of Stephen。 He staggered towards Richard； one step； and I was close enough to hear a small pained sound e from him。 Richard balled his hands into fists； and something shimmered between them like heat caught in the close summer darkness。 The bones in my face ached with the building power。 The air was almost too thick to breathe； as if it had weight。
Richard made one abrupt movement with his hands and the pressure broke； like a storm finally bursting to life。 For a second or two； I thought the heavy； clear liquid that burst around us was rain； but it was hot like blood； and it didn't fall from the sky。 It burst from Stephen's body。 I'd seen dozens of shape…shifters change； but nothing like this。 It was as if Stephen's body blew apart in a rain of hot； thick fluids and small bits of flesh。 The beast usually pulls itself from the human body； like a butterfly from a chrysalis； but not this time。 Stephen's body folded over on itself； and his man…wolf shape was just suddenly standing there。 It collapsed to its knees； panting； shivering。
I was left standing； not even breathing； covered in the rapidly cooling bits and pieces of Stephen's body。 When I could breathe again； I gasped。 〃Jesus Christ。〃
Stephen's fur was the color of dark； golden honey。 He crouched； shivering at Richard's feet。 Again； the change may hurt while the person is going through it； but once it's over； they usually stand up and start moving around。 Stephen seemed disoriented； almost like he was in pain。 What the hell was happening？
He crawled the last few steps to Richard； laying his long； teeth…filled snout against his wolf king's jogging shoes。 He was almost in a fetal position； great； muscular arms wrapped around golden fur； lying at his Ulfric's feet。 It was extreme submissive behavior； and I didn't know why。 Stephen hadn't done anything wrong。
I looked up at Richard。 His white shirt was plastered to his body with the thick fluids。 He turned his face to look at me； and the faint light of stars glistened in the wetness on his face。 A thick piece of something slid down his cheek as he glared at me。 The look on his face was defiant； as if he expected me to be angry with him。
I raised a shaking hand and wiped the worst of the gunk off of my face； flinging it onto the deck where it hit with a wet splat。 I looked at the bodyguards。 They too were spattered with the thick stuff； but not nearly as messy as Richard and I。 They hadn't been standing as close。 They all stared at Richard； stared at him with a mixture of horror and anger and astonishment on their faces； which let me know that something was very； very wrong。
I had to try twice before I could speak； and even then my voice was breathy。 〃I've seen a lot of shapeshifters change into their beasts； but I've never seen anything like that。 Was it different because you called Stephen's beast instead of him doing it on his own？〃
〃No；〃 Richard said。
I waited for more； but that was all he said； and it looked like all he intended to say。 But no just didn't cover it。 I looked at the others。 〃Okay； someone tell me what just happened here。〃
Jamil started to speak； then stopped and looked at Richard。 〃With my Ulfric's permission。〃 The words were polite； but the tone was angry； almost defiant。
Richard looked at him。 I couldn't see his face； but whatever look he gave Jamil； it was something that made the other man flinch。 Jamil dropped to one knee in the spreading pool of thick liquid。 He bowed his head。 〃I mean no offense； Ulfric。〃
〃That's a lie；〃 Richard said； and his voice was lower than normal； just a tone or two above a growl。
Jamil darted a glance upward； then bowed his head again。 〃I don't know what you want me to say； Ulfric。 Tell me； and I will say it。〃
Richard turned back to me； leaving Jamil kneeling。 〃I didn't just call Stephen's beast； I tore it from his body。〃
I glanced down at Stephen； who was still crouched at Richard's feet。 〃Why？〃 I asked。
〃It's usually punishment to do it this way。〃
〃What did Stephen do？〃
〃Nothing。〃 Richard's voice was harsh； almost as harsh as the look on his face。
〃Then why punish him？〃
〃Because I could。〃 His chin lifted when he said it； and that arrogance was back。
〃What the hell is wrong with you； Richard？〃
He laughed； and the sound was so inappropriate that it made me jump。 He laughed； but it was too loud； too harsh。 〃Didn't this teach you how to call Gregory's beast？〃
〃I didn't learn a damn thing except that you're in a foul mood and taking it out on other people。〃
〃You want to know what's wrong？ You really want to know？〃
〃Yeah； I do。〃
〃Get out of the way； Stephen；〃 he said； and Stephen didn't even ask why； he just crawled out from between us。
We were left staring at each other； not quite two feet apart。 What he'd done to Stephen seemed to have taken the edge off his power； but it was still there like some great slumbering thing pressing against the surface。
〃Open the marks； Anita； feel what I'm feeling。〃
〃I opened the marks already。 I figured I had to； to learn how to do this。〃
〃So it's just my shielding？〃 He made it a question。
I nodded。 〃I can feel your rage； Richard； I just don't know why。〃
〃Just my shields between us and 。。。 〃 He shook his head； almost smiling； then he dropped his shields。 It hit me like a physical force； drove me back a step。 Anger so raw it filled my throat with bile； a self…loathing so deep that it drew tears down my cheeks in two hot lines。 I stood there for a minute feeling Richard's pain； and it was suffocating。
I stared up at him； the tears still wet on my cheeks。 〃Richard； oh my God。〃
〃Don't feel sorry for me； don't you dare feel pity for me！〃 He grabbed my arms when he said it； and the moment we touched； our beasts poured up from inside us and spread across our skins in a hot dance of power。 His beast crashed through me； invisible； metaphysical claws ripping through my body。 It was as if Richard's beast was trying to eat his way through my body。 I screamed； and thrust my beast into his； and I felt claws ripping into meat。 There was nothing to see with the eye； but I could feel it； feel fur and muscle and meat under claws and teeth。 I screamed not just from the pain； but from the sensations of cutting Richard up。 He hurt me； and I wanted to hurt him back。 There was no more reasoning； no more thinking； just reacting。
Our beasts tore through each other； rolling； clawing； tearing。 We collapsed on the deck； screaming。 Dimly I could still feel Richard's hands locked on my arms as if he couldn't let go。
There was movement all around us。 People hovering； but no one interfered； no one touched us。 When we fell； they scattered； as if afraid to touch us。 Voices shouting above our screams； 〃What's wrong？ What's happening？ Anita； Anita！ Richard； control it！〃
His beast was suddenly like a weight inside me； but it didn't hurt。 The two energies lay quiet； leaning against each other； not mingling； just leaning。 I could almost feel the solid push of his beast against something inside of me that had bones and fur； and wasn't me。 I couldn't hear anything but the thundering of the blood in my own head。 I felt Richard's weight on top of me； before I looked down to find him collapsed over me。 His head rested on my chest。 I could feel the pulse of the blood in his body； his heart racing against the skin of my stomach。 I was covered in the cool slime from Stephen's body。 One； I was lying in a pool of it； two；
