jr.shapechangers-第6章
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The wolf began to change。
Cold； primitive fear crawled through her mind。 The form before her eyes altered； subtly blurring outline and color into a shapeless void。 And then Finn stood before her。
〃I said you would not win free of us；〃 he told her calmly。
〃Meijha； you must stay。〃
Alix shivered。 Finn was whole again； a man； with yellow eyes glinting in high good humor and heavy gold bands gleaming faintly against folded bare arms。
She gripped the tree。 〃You。。。〃
He spread his hands slowly； unaggressively。 〃Do you question what you have seen； meijha His smite was mocking。 〃Do not。 Your eyes have not deceived you。〃
Alix felt nausea roil her stomach and send bile into her throat。
She choked it back down。 〃You were a wolf。〃
〃Aye；〃 he agreed； unoffended by her horror。 〃The old gods gifted us with the ability to take fir…shape； once property bonded with an animal。 We can assume a like shape at will。〃 He sounded very serious； incongruous in him。 〃It is something we honor the gods for。〃
〃Shapechanger！〃
Finn's mouth twisted wryly。 〃Aye； that is the Homanan name for us； when they do not call us demons。 But we are not sorcerers； mei jha； we are not servants of the dark gods。 We leave that to the Ihtini。〃 He shrugged。 〃We are merely men。。。 with a god…gift in the blood。〃
Alix could not deal with it； with him。 She stared fixedly at him a moment； still stunned by the enormity of what she had seen。 Then she scraped herself around the tree and ran。
Underbrush tore at her gown and welted skin already prickling
with fright as she raced through the trees。 A limb slashed across
her face。 Alix ignored it all in her panicked flight； seeking only
to escape the man； the demon； who was everything Carillon had
said。
She could hear no pursuit over the noise of her own flight； but it served only to increase her fear。 A shapechanger would hardly make noise as he stalked his prey。
Alix stumbled over a tog and fell across it； stomach driven against her spine。 Breath left her in a whooping rush but she tried to lift herself frantically。 Pinpricks of light flashed before her eyes as she struggled to her feet； lungs sucking at air she could not find。
She was driven down again by a hard body from behind。
Alix lay half…stunned； still out of breath。 Her face burned from a bleeding welt on her cheek。 She lay pressed against the cool ground； sobbing； as she tried to regain her breath； and helpless in his arms。
Her body was lifted from the forest floor and turned over。 She lay very still as he set her on her back； unable to close her eyes as he knelt over her。 Faint light filtered through the trees。 His earring winked coldly。
〃Have I not already said escape is impossible？〃 he asked。 〃I am Cheysuli。〃
Her chest hurt； but air was beginning to creep into it again。
Alix swallowed painfully。 〃Please。。。 let me go。〃
〃I have said before how much trouble I have gone to get you； and to keep you。 At least let me have some repayment for it。〃
His fingers touched the cut on her face and she winced。 〃You did not need to run from me； mei jha。〃
She shivered。 This man bees a wolf at will。 She looked at his hands for signs of the wolf…mark。 Finn grinned at her with a man's teeth in a wolfish leer。
〃When I wear a man's shape； mei jha； I am all man。 Shall I prove it to you？〃
Alix stiffened as he leaned closer； hands spread across the ground on either side of her shoulders。 If she pushed upward it would be to place herself directly in his arms； and he knew it。
〃No！〃 she cried as he leaned closer。
His eyes； oddly feral； looked directly into hers。 〃I have watched you for some time； mei jha。 It was a simple raiding mission we came on days ago； to replenish our Keep。 But I found prey of a different sort。〃
She closed her eyes。 〃Please。。。〃
His knees were on either side of her thighs； holding her prisoner。 He bent over her until his lips were nearly touching her face。
〃Shaine's soldiers have slain nearly all of us； mei jha； and
they have not spared our women。 What is a proud race to do
when it sees its own demise？ We must get more of us on the
women we have； and take others where we can； even if they be
unwilling。*'
Her mind flinched from his words； denying them even as she heard the ring of truth in his voice。 The Mujhar's purge had begun twenty…five years before。 She had grown up knowing the Cheysuli must die； for all she believed the Mujhar's actions unfair in the wake of what her father had said。 But now she was faced with a shapechanger who spoke of force； and she was more than willing to forsake her principles to win free of him。
Her fingers on his arm were no more than a feather touch； instinctively seductive。 She saw sudden wariness in his eyes and the intensity in his body poised over her。
〃Must you make the tales of your savagery and bestial appetites true？〃 she whispered。 〃Must you so readily prove to me you are no better than the demon…spawn others name you？〃
Finn scowled at her。 〃Soft words will not gainsay me； mei jha。〃
Her fingers tightened。 〃Please。。。 let me go free。〃
He smelled of leather and gold and demand。 〃Mei jha；〃 he said roughly； 〃I cannot。。。〃
She opened her mouth to cry out as he pressed a knee between her thighs。 But before she could make a sound the familiar tone she associated with Storr came quietly into their minds。
Lir； you should not。
It drove Finn from Alix。 He shoved her harshly against the ground as she hitched up on one arm； cursing violently beneath his breath； and she winced against the force of his hand against her shoulder。 He knelt by her； stiff with tension； and she saw he looked at the wolf。
Storr waited in a thick copse of trees； staring unwaveringly at Finn。 Alix could only bless the wolfs timely appearance and intervention； for all she could not prehend it。 Slowly she eased herself onto one elbow。
〃Storr！〃 Finn hissed。
She is not for you。
Finn turned on her； furious。 〃Who are you？〃
She kept her voice steady with effort… 〃I have said。〃
He settled one hand around her vulnerable throat。 It rested without pressure； promising only； but she felt the violence in his body。
〃You have said nothing！ Who are you？〃
〃I am a croft…girl！ My father is Torrin and my mother was Leyda。 He was arms…master to Shaine the Mujhar before he turned to the land。〃 She glared at him。 〃I am his daughter。 Nothing more。〃
Finn's eyes narrowed。 〃Anns…master to the Mujhar。 When？〃
Alix took a weary breath。 〃I am seventeen。 He left the Mujhar's service a year before I was born； and took a valley girl to wife… But I cannot say how long he served Shaine。 He does not speak of those days。〃
〃Does he not？〃 Finn said musingly； taking his hand from her throat。 He sat back on his haunches and frowned thoughtfully； pushing heavy black hair from his face。
Alix； feeling safe for the moment； sat upright and straightened her twisted gown。 The welt on her face stung； as did the scratches and bruises on her legs； but she touched none of them。 She would not give him the satisfaction。
Finn stared at her impassively。 〃Do you know the story of the
qu'mahlinT'
〃There are two of them。〃 She covered her legs decorously。
He grinned。 〃Aye。 And I heard you speak of one to the princeling； even when he would dissuade you of it。 Which do you believe？〃
His change in attitude made her wary； but also relieved。 No longer did she fear he would pounce on her like a mountain cat taking a rabbit。 With renewed confidence she told him。
〃Shaine's daughter broke the betrothal made between Homana
and Solinde。 It would have allied the lands after centuries of
warfare； but she would have none of Bellam's son； EUic。 She went instead with a Cheysuli。〃
〃Hale；〃 Finn agreed。 〃Shaine's sworn liege man。〃
Alix shrugged。 〃I cannot say。 I only overheard my father speaking of it once； to my mother； when he thought I could not hear。〃
〃It is true； meijha；〃 he said seriously… 〃Hale took Lindir with him into the forests of Homana； but only because she asked him to； and only because she wanted no marriage with Ellic of Solinde。〃
She scowled at him； strangely confident in the face of his new self。 〃What was this to do with me？〃
〃Nothing；〃 he t
