lh.narcissusinchains-第1部分

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ame　into　her　own。　She　survived　a　supernatural　onslaught　unlike　any　she　had　ever　faced　before　　and　she　did　it　without　the　two　men　in　her　life。　
　Now；　six　months　have　passed　since　Anita　has　seen　either　Jean…Claude　or　Richard。　Six　months　of　celibacy。　Six　months　of　indecision。　Six　months　of　danger。　For　her　body　carries　the　marks　of　both　vampire　and　werewolf；　and　until　the　triumvirate　is　consummated；　all　three　remain　vulnerable。　
　But　when　a　kidnapper　targets　innocents　that　Anita　has　sworn　to　protect；　she　needs　all　the　help　she　can　get。　In　an　earth…shattering　union；　Anita；　Jean…Claude；　and　Richard　merge　the　marks　　and　melt　into　one　another。　Suddenly；　Anita　can　harness　both　their　powers。　She　can　feel　their　hearts　。。。　hear　their　thoughts　。。。　know　their　hungers　。。。。　
　Nothing　can　save　Anita　from　a　twist　of　fate　that　draws　her　ever　closer　to　the　brink　of　humanity　　to　finally　surrender　to　the　bloodlust；　the　beast；　and　the　desire　transforming　her　body　and　consuming　her　soul。
　
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　JUNE　HAD　E　in　like　its　usual　hot；　sweaty　self；　but　a　freak　cold　front　had　moved　in　during　the　night　and　the　car　radio　had　been　full　of　the　record　low　temperatures。　It　was　only　in　the　low　sixties；　not　that　cold；　but　after　weeks　of　eighty…　and　ninety…plus；　it　felt　downright　frigid。　My　best　friend；　Ronnie　Sims；　and　I　were　sitting　in　my　Jeep　with　the　windows　down；　letting　the　unseasonably　cool　air　drift　in　on　us。　Ronnie　had　turned　thirty　tonight。　We　were　talking　about　how　she　felt　about　the　big　3…0　and　other　girl　talk。　Considering　that　she's　a　private　detective　and　I　raise　the　dead　for　a　living　it　was　pretty　ordinary　talk。　Sex；　guys；　turning　thirty；　vampires；　werewolves。　You　know；　the　usual。
　We　could　have　gone　inside　the　house；　but　there　is　something　about　the　intimacy　of　a　car　after　dark　that　makes　you　want　to　linger。　Or　maybe　it　was　the　sweet　smell　of　springlike　air　ing　through　the　windows　like　the　caress　of　some　half…remembered　lover。
　〃Okay；　so　he's　a　werewolf。　No　one's　perfect；〃　Ronnie　said。　〃Date　him；　sleep　with　him；　marry　him。　My　vote's　for　Richard。〃
　〃I　know　you　don't　like　Jean…Claude。〃
　〃Don't　like　him！〃　Her　hands　gripped　the　passenger…side　door　handle；　squeezing　it　until　I　could　see　the　tension　in　her　shoulders。　I　think　she　was　counting　to　ten。
　〃If　I　killed　as　easily　as　you　do；　I'd　have　killed　that　son　of　a　bitch　two　years　ago　and　your　life　would　be　a　lot　less　plicated　now。〃
　That　last　was　an　understatement。　But　。。。　〃I　don't　want　him　dead；　Ronnie。〃
　〃He's　a　vampire；　Anita。　He　is　dead。〃　She　turned　and　looked　at　me　in　the　dark。　Her　soft　gray　eyes　and　yellow　hair　had　turned　to　silver　and　near　white　in　the　cold　light　of　the　stars。　The　shadows　and　bright　reflected　light　left　her　face　in　bold　relief；　like　some　modern　painting。　But　the　look　on　her　face　was　almost　frightening。　There　was　a　fearful　determination　there。
　If　it　had　been　me　with　that　look　on　my　face；　I'd　have　warned　me　not　to　do　anything　stupid；　like　kill　Jean…Claude。　But　Ronnie　wasn't　a　shooter。　She'd　killed　twice；　both　times　to　save　my　life。　I　owed　her。　But　she　wasn't　a　person　who　could　hunt　someone　down　in　cold　blood　and　kill　him。　Not　even　a　vampire。　I　knew　this　about　her；　so　I　didn't　have　to　caution　her。　〃I　used　to　think　I　knew　what　dead　was　or　wasn't；　Ronnie。〃　I　shook　my　head。　〃The　line　isn't　so　clear…cut。〃
　〃He　seduced　you；〃　she　said。
　I　looked　away　from　her　angry　face　and　stared　at　the　foil…wrapped　swan　in　my　lap。　Deirdorfs　and　Hart；　where　we'd　had　dinner；　got　creative　with　their　doggy　bags：　foil…wrapped　animals。　I　couldn't　argue　with　Ronnie；　and　I　was　getting　tired　of　trying。
　Finally；　I　said；　〃Every　lover　seduces　you；　Ronnie；　that's　the　way　it　works。〃
　She　slammed　her　hands　so　hard　onto　the　dashboard　it　startled　me　and　must　have　hurt　her。　〃Damn　it；　Anita；　it's　not　the　same。〃
　I　was　starting　to　get　angry；　and　I　didn't　want　to　be　angry；　not　with　Ronnie。　I　had　taken　her　out　to　dinner　to　make　her　feel　better；　not　to　fight。　Louis　Fane；　her　steady　boyfriend；　was　out　of　town　at　a　conference；　and　she　was　bummed　about　that；　and　about　turning　thirty。　So　I'd　tried　to　make　her　feel　better；　and　she　seemed　determined　to　make　me　feel　worse。
　〃Look；　I　haven't　seen　either　Jean…Claude　or　Richard　for　six　months。　I'm　not　dating　either　of　them；　so　we　can　skip　the　lecture　on　vampire　ethics。〃
　〃Now　that's　an　oxymoron；〃　she　said。
　〃What　is？〃　I　asked。
　〃Vampire　ethics；〃　she　said。
　I　frowned　at　her。　〃That's　not　fair；　Ronnie。〃
　〃You　are　a　vampire　executioner；　Anita。　You　are　the　one　who　taught　me　that　they　aren't　just　people　with　fangs。　They　are　monsters。〃
　I'd　had　enough。　I　opened　the　car　door　and　slid　to　the　edge　of　the　seat。　Ronnie　grabbed　my　shoulder。　〃Anita；　I'm　sorry。　I'm　sorry。　Please　don't　be　mad。〃
　I　didn't　turn　around。　I　sat　there　with　my　feet　hanging　out　the　door；　the　cool　air　creeping　into　the　closer　warmth　of　the　car。
　〃Then　drop　it；　Ronnie。　I　mean　drop　it。〃
　She　leaned　over　and　gave　me　a　quick　hug　from　behind。　〃I'm　sorry。　It's　none　of　my　business　who　you　sleep　with。〃
　I　leaned　into　the　hug　for　a　moment。　〃That's　right；　it's　not。〃　Then　I　pulled　away　and　got　out　of　the　car。　My　high　heels　crunched　on　the　gravel　of　my　driveway。　Ronnie　had　wanted　us　to　dress　up；　so　we　had。　It　was　her　birthday。　It　wasn't　until　after　dinner　that　I'd　realized　her　diabolical　scheme。　She'd　had　me　wear　heels　and　a　nice　little　black　skirt　outfit。　The　top　was　actually；　gasp；　a　well…fitted　halter　top。　Or　would　that　be　backless　evening　wear？　However　pricey　it　was；　it　was　still　a　very　short　skirt　and　a　halter　top。　Ronnie　had　helped　me　pick　the　outfit　out　about　a　week　ago。　I　should　have　known　her　innocent　〃oh；　let's　just　both　dress　up〃　was　a　ruse。　There　had　been　other　dresses　that　covered　more　skin　and　had　longer　hemlines；　but　none　that　camouflaged　the　belly…band　holster　that　cut　across　my　lower　waist。　I'd　actually　taken　the　holster　along　with　us　on　the　shopping　trip；　just　to　be　sure。　Ronnie　thought　I　was　being　paranoid；　but　I　don't　go　anywhere　after　dark　unarmed。　Period。
　The　skirt　was　just　roomy　enough　and　black　enough　to　hide　the　fact　that　I　wore　the　belly　band　and　a　Firestar　9mm。　The　top　was　heavy　enough　material；　what　there　was　of　it；　that　you　really　couldn't　see　the　handle　of　the　gun　under　the　cloth。　All　I　had　to　do　was　lift　the　bottom　of　the　top　and　the　gun　was　right　there；　ready　to　be　drawn。　It　was　the　most　user…friendly　dressy　outfit　I'd　ever　owned。　Made　me　wish　they　made　it　in　a　different　color　so　I　could　have　two　of　them。
　Ronnie's　plan　had　been　to　go　to　a　club　on　her　birthday。　A　dance　club。　Eek。　I　never　went　to　clubs。　I　did　not　dance。　But　I　went　in　with　her。　Yes；　she　got　me　out　on　the　floor；　mainly　because　her　dancing　alone　was　attracting　too　much　unwanted　male　attention。　At　least　with　both　of　us　dancing　together　the　would…be　Casanovas　stayed　at　a　distance。　Though　saying　I　danced　was　inaccurate。　I　stood　there　and　sort　of　swayed。　Ronnie　danced。　She　danced　like　it　was　her　last　night　on　Earth　and　she　had　to　put　every　muscle　to　good　use。　It　was　spectacular；　and　a　little　frightening。　There　was　something　almost　desperate　to　it；　as　if　Ronnie　felt　the　cold　hand　of　time　creeping　up　faster　and　faster。　Or　maybe　that　was　just　me　projecting　my　own　insecurities。　I'd　turned　twenty…six　early　in　the　year；　and；　frankly；　at　the　rate　I　was　going；　I　probably　wouldn't　have　to　worry　about　hitting　thirty。　Death　cures　all　ills。　Well；　most　of　them。
　There　had　been　one　man　who　had　attached　himself　to　me　instead　of　Ronnie。　I　didn't　understand　why。　She　was　a　tall　leggy　blond；　dancing　like　she　was　having　sex　with　the　music。　But　he　offered　me　drinks。　I　don't　drink。　He　tried　to　slow　dance。　I　refused。　I　finally　had　to　be　rude。　Ronnie　told　me　to　dance　with　him；　at　least　he　was　human。　I　told　her　that　birthday　guilt　only　went　so　far；　and　she'd　used　hers　up。
　The　last　thing　on　God's　green　earth　that　I　needed　was　another　man　in　my　life。　I　didn't　have　a　clue　what　to　do　with　the　two　I　had　already。　The　fact　that　they　were；　respectively；　a　Master　Vampire　and　an　Ulfric；　werewolf　king；　was　only　part　of　the　problem。　That　fact　alone　should　let　you　know　just　how　deep　a　hole　I　was　digging。　Or　would　that　be；　already　have　dug？　Yeah；　already　dug。　I　was　about　halfway　to　China　and　still　throwing　dirt　up　in　the　air。
　I'd　been　celibate　for　six　months。　So；　as　far　as　I　knew；　had　they。　Everyone　was　waiting　for　me　to　make　up　my　mind。　Waiting　for　me　to　choose；　or　decide；　something；　anything。
　I'd　been　a　rock　for　half　a　year；　because　I'd　stayed　away　from　them。　I　hadn't　seen　them；　in　the　flesh　anyway。　I　had　returned　no　phone　calls。　I　had　run　for　the　hills　at　the　first　hint　of　cologne。　Why　such　drastic　measures？　Frankly；　because　almost　every　time　I　saw　them；　I　fell　off　the　chastity　wagon。　They　both　had　my　libido；　but　I　was　trying　to　decide　who　had　my　heart。　I　still　didn't　know。　The　only　thing　I　had　decided　was　that　it　was　time　to　stop　hiding。　I　had　to　see　them　and　figure　out　what　we　were　all　going　to　do。　I'd　decided　two　weeks　ago　that　I　needed　to　see　them。　It　was　the　day　that　I　refilled　my　birth…control　pill　prescription；　and　started　taking　it　again。　The　very　last　thing　I　needed　was　a　surprise　pregnancy。　That　the　first　thing　I　thought　of　when　I　thought　of　Richard　and　Jean…Claude　was　to　go　back　on　birth　control　tells　you　something　about　the　effect　they　had　on　me。
　You　needed　to　be　on　the　pill　for　at　least　a　month　to　be　safe；　or　as　safe　as　you　ever　got。　Four　more　weeks；　five　to　be　sure；　then　I'd　call。　Maybe。
　I　heard　Ronnie's　heels　running　on　the　gravel。　〃Anita；　Anita；　wait；　don't　be　angry。〃
　The　thing　was；　I　wasn't　angry　with　her。　I　was　angry　with　me。　Angry　that　after　all　these　months　I　still　couldn't　decide　between　the　two　men。　I　stopped　walking　and　waited　for　her；　huddled　in　my　little　black　skirt　outfit；　the　little　foil　swan　in　my　hands。　The　night　had　turned　cool　enough　to　make　me　wish　I'd　worn　a　jacket。　When　Ronnie　caught　up　with　me　I　started　walking　again。
　〃I'm　not　mad；　Ronnie；　just　tired。　Tired　of　you；　my　family；　Dolph；　Zerbrowski；　everyone　being　so　damned　judgmental。〃　My　heels　hit　the　sidewalk　with　sharp　clacks。　Jean…Claude　had　once　said　he　could　tell　if　I　was　angry　just　by　the　sound　of　my　heels　on　the　floor。　〃Watch　your　step。　You're　wearing　higher　heels　than　I　am。〃　Ronnie　was　five　feet　eight；　which　meant　with　heels　she