lhamilton.thekillingdance-第11节

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　〃Raina　is　Marcus's　mate；　Richard。　She's　afraid　you're　going　to　kill　him。　This　is　a　trap。〃
　He　shook　his　head　stubbornly。　〃If　I　call　in　the　wolves　on　my　side　and　we　go　over　there　in　a　mass；　they'll　be　slaughtered。　If　I　go　over　there　alone；　I　may　be　able　to　talk　my　way　through　it。〃
　I　leaned　against　the　doorjamb　and　wanted　to　yell　at　him；　but　bit　it　back。　〃I'm　going　with　you；　Richard。〃
　〃You　have　enough　problems　of　your　own。〃
　〃Stephen　risked　his　life　to　save　mine　once。　I　owe　him。　If　you　want　to　play　politician；　fine；　but　I　want　Stephen　safe。〃
　〃Going　out　where　the　assassin　can　find　you　isn't　a　smart　idea；　Anita。〃
　〃We've　been　dating　for　months；　Richard。　If　a　professional　assassin　hits　town；　it　won't　take　him　long　to　find　me　here。〃
　He　glared　at　me；　jaw　tight　enough　that　I　could　see　the　small　muscle　on　the　side。　〃You'll　kill　someone　if　I　take　you。〃
　〃Only　if　they　need　killing。〃
　He　shook　his　head。　〃No　killing。〃
　〃Even　to　save　my　own　life？　Even　to　save　Stephen's？〃
　He　looked　away　from　me；　then　back；　anger　turning　his　dark　eyes　almost　black。　〃Of　course　you　can　defend　yourself。〃
　〃Then　I'm　ing。〃
　〃All　right；　for　Stephen's　sake。〃　He　didn't　like　saying　it。
　〃I'll　get　my　jacket。〃　I　got　the　mini…Uzi　out　of　the　suitcase。　It　was　amazingly　small。　I　could　have　shot　it　with　one　hand；　but　for　accuracy；　I　needed　two。　Though　accuracy　and　machine　guns　were　sort　of　mutually　exclusive。　You　pointed　it　a　little　lower　than　you　meant　to　hit　and　held　on。　Silver　ammo；　of　course。　I　slid　the　strap　over　my　right　shoulder。　It　had　a　little　clip　that　attached　to　my　belt　at　the　small　of　my　back。　The　clip　kept　the　Uzi　from　sliding　all　over　the　place；　but　left　enough　play　for　me　to　slide　the　gun　out　and　fire　it。　The　gun　rode　at　the　small　of　my　back；　which　was　irritating；　but　no　matter　what　I　told　Richard；　I　was　scared；　and　I　wanted　at　least　two　guns　with　me。　The　police　had　the　Browning。　I　didn't　have　a　holster　big　enough　for　the　sawed…off；　not　to　mention　it　was　illegal。　e　to　think　of　it；　wasn't　the　machine　gun？　I　had　a　permit　to　own　it；　but　they　didn't　hand　out　carry　permits　for　fully　automatic　weapons；　not　to　civilians；　anyway。　If　I　got　caught　with　it；　I　might　be　going　to　court　after　all。
　I　put　the　jacket　on　and　whirled　around。　The　jacket　was　bulky　enough　that　it　didn't　show。　Amazing。　The　Firestar　was　more　noticeable　in　its　front…draw　holster。
　My　pulse　was　beating　hard　enough　that　I　could　feel　it　thrumming　against　my　skin。　I　was　scared。　Richard　was　going　to　play　politics　with　a　bunch　of　werewolves。　Shapeshifters　didn't　play　politics　much；　they　just　killed　you。　But　I　owed　Stephen；　and　I　didn't　trust　Richard　to　save　him。　I'd　do　whatever　it　took　to　see　him　safe；　Richard　wouldn't。　Richard　would　hesitate。　It　would　almost　surely　get　him　killed　one　day。　Tonight；　for　the　first　time；　I　realized　it　might　get　me　killed。
　No　way　should　we　walk　into　one　of　Raina's　little　shows　without　more　people。　No　way。　Jean…Claude　would　never　have　tolerated　Raina　and　Marcus's　games。　They'd　be　dead　by　now；　and　we'd　all　be　safe。　I　would　have　trusted　Jean…Claude　at　my　back　tonight。　He　wouldn't　flinch。　Of　course；　he'd　have　brought　his　own　little　army　of　vampires　and　made　it　a　true　battle。　The　shit　could　hit　the　fan　tonight　and　be　over　before　morning。　Richard's　way；　we'd　rescue　Stephen；　survive；　escape；　and　Raina　would　still　be　alive。　Nothing　would　be　settled。　It　may　have　been　civilized；　but　it　was　a　bad　way　to　stay　alive。
　Richard　was　waiting　by　the　front　door；　keys　in　hand；　impatient。　Couldn't　blame　him。
　〃Stephen　didn't　say　where　he　was。　Do　you　know　where　they　make　the　films？〃
　〃Yeah。〃
　I　looked　a　question　at　him。　〃Raina　took　me　to　watch　the　filming　a　few　times。　She　thought　I'd　overe　my　shyness　and　join　in。〃
　〃You　didn't。〃　It　wasn't　a　question。
　〃Of　course　not。　Let's　go　get　Stephen。〃　He　held　the　door　for　me；　and　just　this　once　I　didn't　tell　him　not　to。
　
　
　7
　
　I　expected　Richard　to　drive　into　the　city；　to　some　disreputable　warehouse　in　a　seedy　section　of　town。　Instead；　he　drove　further　into　Jefferson　County。　We　drove　down　Old　Highway　21　between　soft；　rolling　hills；　silvered　in　the　moonlight。　It　was　early　May；　and　the　trees　were　already　thick　with　leaves。
　Woods　hugged　the　sides　of　the　road。　An　occasional　house　would　break　out　of　the　trees；　but　for　the　most　part；　we　were　alone　in　the　dark；　as　if　the　road　stretched　out　forever　and　no　other　human　had　ever　set　foot　on　it。
　〃What's　the　plan？〃　I　asked。
　Richard　glanced　at　me；　then　back　to　the　road。　〃Plan？〃
　〃Yeah；　a　plan。　If　Raina's　there；　she　won't　be　alone；　and　she　won't　like　you　taking　Stephen。〃
　〃Raina's　the　alpha　female；　the　lupa。　I'm　not　allowed　to　fight　her。〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃An　alpha　male　bees　Ulfric；　wolf　king；　by　killing　the　old　leader；　but　the　winner　chooses　the　lupa。〃
　〃So　Raina　didn't　have　to　fight　for　her　place？〃
　〃She　didn't　have　to　fight　to　be　lupa；　but　she　did　have　to　fight　to　be　the　most　dominant　female　in　the　pack。〃
　〃You　once　told　me　that　the　pack　considers　me　a　dominant。　What's　the　difference　between　being　a　dominant　and　being　an　alpha　female？　I　mean；　can　I　be　an　alpha？〃
　〃Alpha　is　the　equivalent　to　being　a　master　vampire；　sort　of；〃　he　said。
　〃So　what　is　a　dominant？〃
　〃Anyone　not　pack；　not　lukoi；　that's　earned　our　respect。　Jean…Claude　is　a　dominant。　He　can't　be　more　unless　he　bees　pack。〃
　〃So　you're　alpha；　but　you're　not　pack　leader。〃
　〃We　have　about　half　a　dozen　alphas；　male　and　female。　I　was　Marcus's　second　in　mand；　his　Freki。〃
　〃Freki　is　the　name　of　one　of　Odin's　wolves。　Why　would　second　wolf　be　named　after　something　out　of　mythology？〃
　〃The　pack　is　very　old；　Anita。　Among　ourselves；　we　are　the　lukoi。　There　can　be　two　seconds；　Freki　and　Geri。〃
　〃Why　the　history　lesson　and　the　new　vocabulary？〃
　〃To　outsiders；　we　keep　it　simple。　But　I　want　you　to　know　who　and　what　we　are。〃
　〃Lukoi　is　Greek；　right？〃
　He　smiled。　〃But　do　you　know　where　it's　from？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃King　Lykaon　of　Arcadia　was　a　werewolf。　He　didn't　try　and　hide　it。　We　call　ourselves　the　lukoi　in　his　memory。〃
　〃If　you're　not　Freki　anymore；　what　are　you？〃
　〃Fenrir；　challenger。〃
　〃The　giant　wolf　that　kills　Odin　at　Ragnarok。〃
　〃I'm　impressed；　not　many　people　would　know　that。〃
　〃Two　semesters　of　parative　religion；〃　I　said。　〃Can　a　woman　be　Ulfric？〃
　〃Yes；　but　it's　rare。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃They'd　have　to　win　a　knock…down　drag…out　physical　battle。　All　the　power　in　the　world　won't　stop　someone　from　pounding　your　face　into　the　ground。〃
　I　would　have　liked　to　argue；　but　I　didn't。　He　was　right。　Not　because　I　was　female。　Small　men　get　their　asses　kicked；　too。　Size　matters　if　both　people　are　equally　well　trained。
　〃Why　don't　the　female　alphas　have　to　duke　it　out　to　win　the　top　spot？〃
　〃Because　the　Ulfric　and　his　lupa　are　a　mating　pair；　Anita。　He　doesn't　want　to　get　stuck　with　a　woman　he　can't　stand。〃
　I　looked　at　him。　〃Wait　a　minute。　You're　next　in　line　to　lead　the　pack。　If　you　succeed　Marcus；　do　you　have　to　sleep　with　your　lupa？〃
　〃Technically；　yes。〃
　〃Technically？〃　I　said。
　〃I　won't　choose　one。　I　won't　sleep　with　someone　just　so　the　pack　can　feel　secure。〃
　〃Glad　to　hear　it；〃　I　said；　〃but　does　that　jeopardize　your　standing　in　the　pack？〃
　He　took　a　deep　breath；　and　I　heard　it　sigh　outward。　〃I　have　a　lot　of　support　among　the　pack；　but　some　of　them　are　bothered　by　my　morals。　They　think　I　should　pick　a　mate。〃
　〃And　you　won't；　because　。　。　。　of　me？〃
　He　glanced　at　me。　〃That's　a　big　part　of　it。　It　wouldn't　be　only　one　time；　Anita。　An　alpha　couple　binds　for　life。　It's　like　a　marriage。　They　usually　marry　each　other　in　real　life；　not　just　in　the　pack。〃
　〃I　can　see　why　the　pack　leader　gets　to　pick　his　mate。〃
　〃I've　picked　my　mate；〃　Richard　said。
　〃But　I'm　not　a　werewolf。〃
　〃No；　but　the　pack　considers　you　a　dominant。〃
　〃Only　because　I　killed　a　few　of　them；〃　I　said。
　〃Well；　that　does　tend　to　impress　them。〃　He　slowed　down。　There　was　a　line　of　pine　trees　along　the　left…hand　side　of　the　road；　too　regular　and　too　thick　to　be　natural。　He　turned　down　a　gravel　driveway　in　the　middle　of　them。
　The　driveway　curved　downhill；　and　at　the　bottom　of　a　shallow　valley　was　a　farmhouse。　Hills　thick　with　trees　poured　out　around　the　house。　If　there　had　ever　been　fields；　the　forest　had　reclaimed　them。
　The　driveway　opened　into　a　small　gravel　lot　that　was　crowded　with　cars；　at　least　a　dozen　of　them。　Richard　jerked　the　car　into　park　and　was　out　the　door　before　I　could　unbuckle　my　seat　belt。　I　had　to　run　to　catch　up　and　was　at　his　back　just　as　he　flung　open　the　barn　door。　There　was　a　thick　wall　of　cloth　hanging　inside　the　door；　not　a　curtain　but　more　a　barrier。　Richard　pulled　it　aside；　and　light　flooded　out　around　us。　He　stalked　into　that　light；　and　I　trailed　after　him。
　There　were　lights　everywhere；　hanging　from　the　rafters　like　large；　ugly　fruit。　About　twenty　people　stood　around　the　open　interior　of　the　barn。　Two　cameras　were　trained　on　a　set；　made　up　of　two　walls　and　a　king…size　bed。　Two　cameramen　were　sort　of　draped　on　the　cameras；　waiting。　A　long　table　thick　with　take…out　bags　and　cold　pizza　was　set　near　the　entrance。　Over　a　dozen　people　were　clustered　around　the　food。　They　glanced　at　us　as　we　entered。　A　handful　of　humans　looked　hurriedly　away　and　began　inching　back。　The　lycan