lhamilton.thekillingdance-第23部分

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　The　black　straps　that　held　the　new　knife　down　along　my　spine　showed　a　little　at　the　shoulders；　but　more　across　the　back。　The　hilt　was　hidden　under　my　hair；　but　I　wouldn't　be　taking　the　jacket　off。
　〃Why　didn't　you　wear　this　last　night？〃　Richard　asked。
　〃The　pants　suit　seemed　more　appropriate。〃
　He　stared　at　me；　eyes　roving　over　my　body　more　than　my　face。　He　shook　his　head。　〃For　seeing　someone　you're　not　going　to　sleep　with；　that　is　a　very　sexy　outfit。〃
　I　had　never　planned　on　Richard　seeing　the　dress；　at　least　not　on　the　night　I　wore　it　for　Jean…Claude。　I　wasn't　sure　what　to　say；　but　I'd　try。　〃I　trust　myself　with　Jean…Claude　more　than　I　trust　myself　with　you；　so　he　gets　the　short　skirt　and　you　don't。〃　That　was　the　truth。
　〃You're　saying　I　don't　get　the　sexy　outfit　because　I'm　so　irresistible？〃
　〃Something　like　that。〃
　〃If　I　ran　my　hands　up　your　legs；　would　I　find　panty　hose　or　garters？〃　He　looked　so　solemn；　hurt。　With　everything　else　going　down；　I　shouldn't　have　had　to　worry　about　my　boyfriend's　hurt　feelings；　but　there　it　was。　Life　goes　on；　even　if　you're　ass　deep　in　alligators。
　〃Panty　hose；〃　I　said。
　〃Will　Jean…Claude　find　out　what　kind　of　hose　you're　wearing？〃
　〃He　could　ask；　like　you　did；〃　I　said。
　〃You　know　that's　not　what　I　meant；〃　he　said。
　I　sighed。　〃I　don't　know　how　to　make　this　easier　on　you；　Richard。　If　there's　anything　that　would　make　you　feel　more　secure　about　this；　ask。〃
　To　his　credit；　he　didn't　ask　me　not　to　go。　I　think　he　knew　he　wouldn't　like　the　answer。　〃e　here；〃　he　said　and　held　out　his　hand　to　me。
　I　walked　over　to　him　and　took　his　outstretched　hand。　He　sat　me　on　his　lap；　legs　sideways　like　you'd　sit　on　Santa。　He　encircled　me　with　one　arm；　then　laid　his　other　hand　on　my　thigh。　〃Promise　me　you　won't　sleep　with　him　tonight。〃
　〃With　assassins　ready　to　jump　out　of　the　woodwork；　I　think　that's　a　safe　bet；〃　I　said。
　〃Don't　joke；　Anita；　please。〃
　I　smoothed　my　hand　through　his　hair。　He　looked　so　serious；　so　hurt。　〃I've　said　no　for　a　very　long　time；　Richard。　Why　should　you　be　worried　about　tonight？〃
　〃The　dress；〃　he　said。
　〃I　admit　it's　short；　but　。　。　。〃
　He　smoothed　his　hand　up　my　thigh　until　it　vanished　under　the　skirt。　He　rested　his　hand　just　below　the　lace　of　the　teddy。　〃You're　wearing　lingerie；　for　Gods　sake；　you　never　wear　lingerie。〃
　I　would　have　explained　about　everything　matching；　but　somehow　I　didn't　think　that　would　be　forting。　〃Okay；　I　won't　sleep　with　him　tonight。　I　hadn't　planned　on　it　to　begin　with。〃
　〃Promise　me　you'll　e　back　and　sleep　with　me。〃　He　smiled　when　he　said　it。
　I　smiled　back　and　slid　off　his　lap。　〃You'd　have　to　shift　first。　I'd　have　to　see　your　beast。　Or　so　you　keep　telling　me。〃
　〃I　could　shift　when　you　get　back。〃
　〃Could　you　take　human　form　again　quickly　enough　to　do　us　any　good　tonight？〃
　He　smiled。　〃I'm　strong　enough　to　be　Ulfric；　Anita。　One　of　the　things　I　can　do　is　change　form　almost　at　will。　I　don't　pass　out　when　I　change　back　to　human　form　like　most　shapeshifters。〃
　〃Handy；〃　I　said。
　He　smiled。　〃e　back　tonight；　and　I'll　change　for　you。　Sylvie's　right。　I　have　to　accept　what　I　am。〃
　〃Part　of　that　is　trying　it　out　on　me；　huh？〃
　He　nodded。　〃I　think　so。〃
　Staring　into　his　solemn　eyes；　I　knew　that　if　he　changed　for　me　tonight　and　I　couldn't　deal　with　it；　it　would　destroy　something　inside　of　him。　I　hoped　I　was　up　to　it。　〃When　I　e　back　tonight；　I'll　watch　you　shift。〃
　He　looked　grim　as　if　he　expected　that　I'd　run　screaming。　〃Kiss　me；　and　get　out　of　here；〃　he　said。
　I　kissed　him；　and　he　licked　his　lips。　〃Lipstick。〃　He　kissed　me　again。　〃But　underneath　I　can　still　taste　you。〃
　〃Hmmm；〃　I　said。　I　stared　down　at　him　and　almost　didn't　want　to　go。　Almost。　The　doorbell　rang；　and　I　jumped。　Richard　didn't；　as　if　he'd　heard　it　before　I　had。
　〃Be　careful。　I　wish　I　could　be　with　you。〃
　〃There'll　be　media　all　over　the　place；〃　I　said。　〃Wouldn't　do　to　get　your　picture　taken　with　a　bunch　of　monsters。　It　might　blow　your　cover。〃
　〃I'd　blow　my　cover　if　it　would　keep　you　safe。〃
　He　loved　teaching；　yet　I　believed　him。　He'd　e　out　of　the　closet　for　me。　〃Thanks；　but　Edward's　right。　I'd　be　so　worried　about　keeping　you　alive；　I　wouldn't　be　taking　good　care　of　myself。〃
　〃You　don't　worry　about　Jean…Claude？〃
　I　shrugged。　〃He　can　take　care　of　himself。　Besides；　he's　already　dead。〃
　Richard　shook　his　head。　〃You　don't　really　believe　that　anymore。〃
　〃No；　he's　dead；　Richard。　That　I　know。　Whatever　keeps　him　alive　is　a　form　of　necromancy；　different　than　my　own　powers；　but　still　magic。〃
　〃You　can　say　it；　but　in　your　heart　you　don't　believe　it。〃
　I　shrugged　again。　〃Maybe　not；　but　it's　still　the　truth。〃
　There　was　a　knock　on　the　door。　Richard　said；　〃Your　date's　here。〃
　〃I'm　ing。　Now　I　have　to　fix　my　lipstick　all　over　again。〃
　He　wiped　fingers　across　his　mouth；　ing　away　with　crimson　stains。　〃At　least　I'll　be　able　to　tell　if　you've　been　kissing　him。　This　stuff　will　show　up　like　blood　on　his　white　shirt。〃
　I　didn't　argue。　Jean…Claude　always　wore　black　and　white。　I'd　only　seen　him　in　one　shirt　that　wasn't　white。　It　had　been　black。　I　reapplied　the　lipstick　and　put　it　in　the　beaded　black　purse　on　the　dresser。　The　purse　was　too　small　even　for　the　Firestar。　I　did　have　a　Derringer；　but　except　at　close　quarters；　it　was　pretty　worthless。　With　an　assassin　I　might　not　want　to　get　that　close。　Edward　had　a　solution。　He'd　loaned　me　his　See…camps　。32　autoloader。　It　was　about　the　same　size　as　a　small　。25；　only　a　little　wider　than　my　own　hand；　and　I　had　a　small　hand。　It　was　a　very　nice　gun；　and　for　the　caliber　and　the　size；　I'd　never　seen　better。　I　wanted　one。　Edward　informed　me　that　he'd　had　to　wait　nearly　a　year　for　the　gun　to　e　in。　It　was　pretty　much　a　custom　order。　Otherwise；　he'd　have　made　it　a　gift。　Fine；　I'd　order　my　own…if　I　survived　the　night。　If　I　didn't；　well；　I　wouldn't　be　ordering　anything。
　I'd　managed　not　to　think　too　much　about　that。　I'd　concentrated　on　dressing；　putting　the　weapons　in　place；　Richard；　anything　but　that　I　was　putting　myself　out　as　bait　for　someone　good　enough　to　earn　500；000　dollars　a　pop。　I　was　having　to　trust　that　Edward　would　keep　me　alive。　Because　though　Edward　would　have　stopped　the　limo　and　fired　only　when　he　could　see　my　face；　most　hit　men　wouldn't。　Most　professionals　prefer　to　take　you　out　from　a　nice；　safe　distance。　A　highpowered　rifle　could　be　yards　or　even　miles　away。　Not　much　I；　or　even　Edward；　could　do　about　that。　I　knew　nothing　about　explosives。　I　was　going　to　have　to　depend　on　Edward　to　take　care　of　any　bombs。　I　was　putting　myself　in　Edward's　hands　tonight；　trusting　him　like　I'd　never　trusted　anyone　before。　Scary　thought；　that。
　I　checked　the　purse　again；　ID；　lipstick；　money；　gun。　I'd　have　normally　carried　a　small　travel　hairbrush；　but　there　wasn't　room。　I　could　live　with　messy　hair　for　one　night。
　The　thought　made　me　check　my　hair　in　the　mirror　and　run　a　brush　through　it　one　last　time。　I　had　to　admit　that　it　looked　great。　It　was　one　of　my　best　features。　Even　Ronnie　couldn't　improve　on　it。　It　was　all　natural　curl。　Even　tonight　I'd　shoved　hair　goop　in　it　after　my　shower　and　let　it　dry　naturally。　I'd　had　a　woman　get　angry　with　me　once　in　California　because　I　wouldn't　tell　her　where　I'd　gotten　my　hair　permed。　She　wouldn't　believe　it　was　natural。
　I　slipped　the　purse　over　my　shoulders　so　the　thin　strap　went　across　my　chest。　It　blended　with　the　dress　well　enough　that　it　looked　almost　as　good　with　it　as　without。　But　the　purse　rode　at　my　ribs；　just　a　little　lower　than　my　shoulder　holster。　I　tried　drawing　the　gun　a　couple　of　times；　and　it　wasn't　too　bad。　Not　as　good　as　a　holster；　but　what　was？　I　slipped　the　jacket　on　and　checked　myself　in　the　mirror　for　the　umpteenth　time。　Neither　the　knives　nor　the　gun　showed。　Great。　I　slipped　my　cross　on　last。　I　made　sure　the　cross　was　inside　the　dress；　then　put　a　small　piece　of　masking　tape　over　it。　This　way　I　kept　my　cross；　but　it　didn't　spill　out　of　my　clothes　and　glow　at　Jean…Claude。　I　picked　up　the　brush　again　and　put　it　down　without　using　it。
　I　was　stalling。　It　wasn't　just　the　assassin　I　was　afraid　of。　I　was　dreading　the　moment　Richard　and　Jean…Claude　met　tonight。　I　wasn't　sure　how　they　were　going　to　react；　and　I　wasn't　up　to　an　emotional　confrontation。　I　rarely　was。
　I　took　a　deep　breath　and　went　for　the　door。　Richard　followed　me。　It　was　his　house。　I　couldn't　ask　him　to　hide　in　the　bedroom。
　Jean…Claude　stood　by　the　television；　peering　at　the　shelves　of　videos；　as　if　studying　the　titles。　He　was　tall　and　slender；　though　not　as　tall　as　Richard。　He　wore　black　pants　and　a　short　black　jacket；　cut　just　at　the　waist　like　my　own。　He　had　on　high；　leather　boots　that　covered　nearly　his　entire　leg；　the　soft　leather　tops　were　held　in　place　by　black　straps　with　small　silver　buckles。　His　black　hair　spilled　over　his　shoulders；　inches　longer　than　when　I　first　met　him。
　He　turned　at　last；　as　if　he　hadn't　known　we　were　standing　there。　I　made　a　small　involuntary　gasp　as　he　faced　me。　His　shirt　was　red；　a　pure；　clear　crimson　that　blazed　inside　his　open　jacket。　The　collar　was　high；　held　in　place　by　three　antique　jet　beads。　The　shirt　gaped　open　below　the　collar；　showing　a　large　oval　of　his　chest。　The　cross…shaped　burn　scar　on　his　chest　showed　in　the　circle　of　red　cloth　as　if　it　were　framed　for　viewing。　The　circle　of　bare　skin　ended　just　above　the　black　pants；　where　the　shirt　was　safely　tucked　away。
　The　shirt　looked　splendiferous　against　his　pale　skin；　the　black　wavy　hair；　his　midnight　blue　eyes。　I　closed　my　gaping　mouth；　and　said；　〃Spiffy；　very　spiffy。〃
　He　smiled。　〃Ah；　ma　petite；　always　the　perfect　thing　to　say。〃　He　glided　across　the　carpet　in　his　nifty　boots；　and　I　found　myself　wanting　him　to　take　the　jacket　off。　I　wanted　to　see　his　hair　spill　over　that　shirt；　black　over　red。　I　knew　it　would　look　wonderful。
　Richard　came　up　behind　me。　He　didn't　touch　me；　but　I　could　feel　him　standing　there。　A　warm；　unhappy　presence　at　my　back。　I　couldn't　blame　him。　Jean…Claude　looked　like　an　advertisement　for　Wet　Dreams　〃R〃　Us。　I　couldn't　blame　anyone　for　being　jealous。
　Jean…Claude　stood　in　front　of　me；　close　enough　that　I　could　have　reached　out　and　touched　him。　I　stood　between　the　two　of　them；　and　the　symbolism　wasn't　lost　on　any　of　us。
　〃Where's　Edward？〃　I　managed　to　ask。　My　voice　sounded　almo