lhamilton.thekillingdance-第21节

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　Louie　gave　a　sad　smile。　〃What　Marcus　can't　control；　he　has　a　tendency　to　kill。〃
　〃You　mean　he'd　start　a　war？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Not　just　with　Richard　and　the　pack；　you　mean；　but　an　all…out　war　with　all　the　other　shapeshifters　in　town？〃
　Louie　nodded。　〃Except　the　wereleopards。　Gabriel　is　their　leader　and　he　sides　with　Raina。〃
　I　thought　about　it　for　a　second　or　two。　〃Sweet　Jesus；　it　would　be　a　bloodbath。〃
　〃And　there'd　be　no　way　of　containing　it；　Anita。　Some　of　it　would　spill　over　onto　the　normal　world。　There　are　still　three　states　in　this　country　that　will　pay　hundreds　of　dollars　in　bounty　for　a　dead　shapeshifter；　no　questions　asked。　A　war　like　this　could　make　the　practice　look　practical。〃
　〃Do　you　two　have　something　better　to　do？〃　Christine　asked。　I　was　beginning　not　to　like　her。　It　was　she　that　knocked　on　the　door　and　interrupted　Richard　and　me。　Frankly；　for　that　I　was　sort　of　grateful。　The　thought　of　everyone　hearing　us　go　further　would　have　been　too　embarrassing　for　words。
　Louie　moved　back　to　sit　on　the　floor　with　the　others。　I　stayed　leaning　against　the　wall；　sipping　my　coffee。
　〃Are　you　going　to　join　us？〃　she　asked。
　〃I'm　fine　where　I　am；〃　I　said。
　〃Too　good　to　sit　with　us？〃　a　man　in　his　late　thirties　with　dark　blue　eyes　asked。　He　was　about　five　foot　eight；　it　was　hard　to　tell　with　him　sitting　on　the　floor。　He　was　dressed　in　a　suit；　plete　with　tie；　as　if　he　was　on　his　way　to　work。　His　name　was　Neal。
　〃Not　good　enough；〃　I　said；　〃not　good　enough　by　half。〃
　〃What　the　hell's　that　supposed　to　mean？〃　he　asked。　〃I　don't　like　having　a　normal　here。〃
　〃Leave　it　alone；　Neal；〃　Richard　said。
　〃Why？　She's　laughing　at　us。〃
　Richard　glanced　back　at　me　from　his　corner　of　the　couch。　〃e　join　us；　Anita？〃
　Sylvie　was　sitting　beside　Richard；　not　too　close；　but　still；　there　was　not　enough　room　for　me。　Rafael　sat　on　the　end　of　the　couch；　spine　straight；　ankle　propped　on　one　knee。
　〃Couch　looks　full；〃　I　said。
　Richard　held　out　his　hand　to　me。　〃We'll　make　room。〃
　〃She　isn't　even　pack；〃　Sylvie　said。　〃I　won't　give　up　my　seat　to　her。　No　offense　to　you；　Anita；　you　don't　know　any　better。〃　Her　voice　was　matter…of…fact；　not　hostile；　but　the　look　she　gave　Richard　wasn't　exactly　friendly。
　〃No　offense　taken；〃　I　said。　I　wasn't　sure　I　wanted　to　sit　on　the　couch　surrounded　by　lycanthropes　anyway。　Even　supposedly　friendly　ones。　Everyone　in　the　room　was　stronger　and　faster　than　I　was；　just　a　fact。　The　only　leg　up　I　had　was　the　gun。　If　I　sat　right　beside　them；　I'd　never　get　it　out　in　time。
　〃I　want　my　girlfriend　to　sit　with　me；　Sylvie；　that's　all；〃　Richard　said。　〃It　isn't　meant　as　a　challenge　to　your　position　in　the　lukoi。〃　His　voice　sounded　patient　like　he　was　talking　to　a　child。
　〃What　did　you　say？〃　Sylvie　asked。　She　looked　shocked。
　〃We　are　the　lukoi。　Anita　knows　that。〃
　〃You　shared　our　words　with　her？〃　Neal　said；　outrage　thick　in　his　voice。
　I　wanted　to　say　that　it　was　just　words；　but　I　didn't。　Who　says　I'm　not　getting　smarter？
　〃There　was　a　time　when　sharing　our　secrets　with　normals　could　get　you　a　death　sentence；〃　Sylvie　said。
　〃Even　Marcus　doesn't　allow　that　anymore。〃
　〃How　much　of　our　secrets　do　you　know；　human？〃
　I　shrugged。　〃A　few　words；　that's　all。〃
　Sylvie　stared　at　me。　〃You　want　your　human　girlfriend　to　cuddle　up　next　to　you；　is　that　it；　Richard？〃
　〃Yes；〃　he　said。　There　was　no　trace　of　anger　in　his　voice。
　Personally；　I　didn't　like　the　way　she'd　said　〃human。〃
　Sylvie　knelt　on　the　couch；　staring　at　me。　〃e　human；　sit　with　us。〃
　I　stared　at　her。　〃Why　the　change　of　heart？〃
　〃Not　everything　has　to　do　with　the　pack　hierarchy。　That's　what　Richard　is　always　telling　us。　Sit　by　your　lover。　I'll　scoot　over。〃　She　did；　curling　up　on　the　couch；　near　Rafael。
　The　Rat　King　glanced　at　me。　He　raised　an　eyebrow；　almost　a　shrug。　I　didn't　trust　Sylvie；　but　I　trusted　Rafael；　and　I　trusted　Richard；　at　least　here；　today。　I　realized　that　I　would　have　trusted　Rafael　last　night。　He　wouldn't　have　the　moral　qualms　that　Richard　had。　Poor　Richard　was　like　a　lone　voice　crying　in　the　wilderness。　God　help　me；　I　agreed　with　the　pagans。
　Louie　and　Stephen　were　curled　on　the　floor；　close　by。　I　was　among　friends。　Even　Jason；　grinning　up　at　me；　wouldn't　let　me　get　hurt。　Jason　was　Jean…Claude's　wolf　to　call；　as　was　Stephen。　I　think　if　they　let　me　get　killed；　they　might　not　survive　much　longer　than　I　did。
　〃Anita？〃　Richard　made　it　a　question。
　I　sighed　and　pushed　away　from　the　wall。　I　was　among　friends；　so　why　were　the　muscles　in　my　back　so　tight　it　hurt　to　move？　Paranoid？　Who　me？
　I　walked　around　the　couch；　coffee　mug　in　my　left　hand。　Sylvie　patted　the　couch；　smiling；　but　not　like　she　meant　it。
　I　sat　beside　Richard。　His　arm　slid　over　my　shoulders。　My　right　arm　was　pressed　against　his　side；　not　too　tightly。　He　knew　how　much　I　hated　having　my　gun　hand　impeded。
　Leaning　into　the　warmth　of　his　body；　I　relaxed。　The　tightness　in　my　shoulders　eased。　I　took　a　sip　of　coffee。　We　were　all　being　terribly　civilized。
　Richard　put　his　lips　against　my　face；　and　whispered；　〃Thank　you。〃
　Those　two　words　earned　him　a　lot　of　brownie　points。　He　knew　what　it　had　cost　me　to　sit　down　among　the　wolves；　rats；　and　cats。　Not　sitting　with　him　would　have　undermined　him　in　front　of　the　pack　and　the　other　leaders。　I　wasn't　here　to　make　the　situation　worse。
　〃Who　saved　you　last　night；　Stephen？〃　Sylvie　asked。　Her　voice　was　sweet；　face　pleasant。　I　didn't　trust　her　at　all。
　Every　eye　turned　to　Stephen。　He　tried　to　huddle　into　the　floor；　as　if　he　could　go　invisible；　but　it　didn't　work。　He　stared　at　Richard；　eyes　wide。
　〃Go　ahead；　Stephen；　tell　the　truth。　I　won't　be　mad。〃
　Stephen　swallowed。　〃Anita　saved　me。〃
　〃Richard　was　fighting　about　twenty　lycanthropes　at　the　time；〃　I　said。　〃He　told　me　to　get　Stephen；　so　I　did。〃
　Neal　sniffed　Stephen；　running　his　nose　just　above　the　other　man's　face　and　neck；　down　his　shoulder。　It　wasn't　a　human　gesture；　and　it　was　unnerving　in　the　well…dressed　man。　〃He　has　her　scent　on　his　skin。〃　Neal　glared　at　me。　〃He's　been　with　her。〃
　I　expected　an　outcry；　but　instead；　the　others　crowded　around　Stephen；　sniffing　his　skin；　touching　him；　and　bringing　their　fingers　close　to　their　own　faces。　Only　Sylvie；　Jason；　Rafael；　and　Louie　stayed　sitting。　One　by　one；　the　rest　turned　to　Richard　and　me。
　〃He's　right；〃　Christine　said。　〃Her　scent　clings　to　his　skin。　You　don't　get　that　much　scent　just　by　carrying　someone。〃
　Richard's　hand　tightened　on　my　shoulder。　I　glanced　at　his　face。　It　was　calm；　only　a　slight　tightness　around　the　eyes　betrayed　tension。　〃I　was　patrolling　the　woods　for　assassins；〃　Richard　said。　〃Stephen　didn't　want　to　be　alone。　I　sent　him　to　Anita。〃
　〃We　know　about　the　assassination　attempts；〃　Sylvie　said。
　I　widened　my　eyes。　〃You　do；　do　you？〃
　〃Richard　wants　us　to　help　protect　you。　If　we're　going　to　take　a　bullet　for　you；　we　need　to　know　why。〃
　I　met　her　eyes。　Her　pretty　face　was　harsh；　the　bones　in　her　cheeks　standing　out。
　〃I'm　not　asking　anyone　to　take　my　bullet；〃　I　said。　I　scooted　out　from　under　Richard's　arm；　which　put　me　closer　to　Sylvie；　not　an　improvement。
　Richard　didn't　fight　it。　He　drew　his　arm　back。　〃I　should　have　talked　to　you　before　I　told　them。〃
　〃Damn　straight；〃　I　said。
　Sylvie　leaned　her　arms　on　the　back　of　the　couch；　bringing　her　face　inches　from　mine。　〃Are　you　going　to　chastise　our　would…be　pack　leader；　human？〃
　〃You　say　human　like　it's　a　bad　thing；　Sylvie。　Jealous？〃
　She　drew　back　like　I'd　hit　her。　A　look　that　was　part　pain；　part　rage　passed　across　her　face。　〃Most　of　us　here　survived　an　attack；　human。　We　did　not　choose　this。〃　Her　voice　was　chokingly　harsh。
　I'd　expected　a　lot　of　things　from　her；　but　not　the　pain　of　a　survivor。　I　was　sorry　I'd　made　the　crack。　〃I'm　sorry。　I　didn't　mean　anything　personal　by　it。〃
　〃You　have　no　idea　how　personal　it　is。〃
　〃That's　enough；　Sylvie；〃　Richard　said。
　She　rose　on　her　knees　to　meet　Richard's　face　over　my　head。　〃Don't　you　even　have　the　balls　to　be　angry　that　she　slept　with　a　subordinate　male？〃
　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　I　said。　〃Stephen　and　I　did　not　have　sex。　We　literally　slept　together；　nothing　else。〃
　Neal　plunged　his　face　into　Stephen's　crotch　and　sniffed。　It　wasn't　a　human　gesture。　Stephen　let　him　do　it；　and　that　wasn't　very　human；　either。
　Jason　leaned　in；　sniffing　my　leg。
　I　put　my　coffee　cup　on　my　knee；　in　front　of　his　face。　〃Don't　even　think　it；〃　I　said。
　Jason　grinned　up　at　me。　〃Can't　blame　a　guy　for　trying。〃
　〃I　can；〃　Richard　said　softly。
　Jason　smiled　at　him　and　scooted　back。
　Neal　raised　his　face　and　shook　his　head。　〃They　didn't　have　sex。〃
　〃He　said　she'd　protect　me；〃　Stephen　said。　The　silence　grew　so　thick　you　could　have　walked　on　it。
　〃Is　that　what　you　said？〃　Sylvie　asked。　She　was　staring　at　Richard　like　he'd　done　something　very　bad。
　Richard　took　a　deep　enough　breath　that　his　shoulders　shuddered。　〃Yes；　that's　what　I　said。〃
　〃Stephen；〃　Sylvie　said；　〃Did　you　believe　she'd　protect　you？　If　Raina　had　e　through　the　door；　would　you　have　trusted　Anita　to　save　you？〃
　Stephen　looked　at　the　floor；　then　up；　his　eyes　darted　to　Richard；　then　to　me。　His　eyes　finally　stopped；　staring　at　me。　〃She　had　me　sleep　near　the　wall　so　she'd　be　in　front　in　case　anything　came　through　the　door。〃
　And　I'd　thought　I'd　been