lh.narcissusinchains-第102部分

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　His　hands　tightened　on　my　arms；　fingers　digging　into　my　skin　just　a　little。　〃I　know　how　you　feel；　ma　petite。　But　I　will　not　take　this　blame　gently。　I　am　the　Master　of　the　City；　my　vampires　live　through　me。　Unless　they　are　masters　themselves；　their　life　force　es　through　the　line　that　bred　them；　until　they　take　blood　oath　to　a　Master　of　the　City。　Then　that　master　makes　their　hearts　beat。　If　I　run　short　of　power；　then　some　will　simply　not　wake　in　the　night；　or　they　will　bee　revenants；　animals　to　be　destroyed　as　Damian　has　bee。'
　I　moved　under　him。　〃I　don't　。。。　〃
　〃Shhh；　ma　petite；　I　will　not　be　condemned　without　a　hearing；　not　this　time。　Perhaps　you　can　save　Damian；　but　he　is　over　a　thousand　years　old。　Even　though　not　a　master；　that　is　a　long　time；　long　enough　to　accumulate　power　enough　to　survive。　But　vampires　like　Willie　and　Hannah　who　are　not　masters　and　not　that　old；　they　would　fade　or　go　mad；　and　there　would　be　no　saving　them。〃　He　shook　me；　digging　into　my　arms；　raising　his　elbows　so　that　I　could　have　gone　for　a　weapon　if　I'd　wanted；　but　I　just　watched　him　and　listened。
　〃Is　that　what　you　want；　Anita？　Which　of　them　would　you　sacrifice　to　save　Gretchen？　Gretchen　whom　you　hate。　I　took　power　from　her　because　you　denied　it　to　me。〃
　〃Don't　blame　this　on　me；〃　I　said。
　He　moved　suddenly；　sitting　up　on　his　knees；　his　body　straddling　my　legs。　He　lifted　me　into　a　sitting　position；　fingers　brushing　against　my　arms。　〃The　system　of　master　and　servant　has　worked　well　for　thousands　of　years；　but　you　keep　fighting　it；　and　you　keep　forcing　me　to　do　things　I　do　not　wish　to　do。〃　He　raised　me　up　close　to　his　face；　and　I　watched　his　eyes　bleed　to　burning　blue　from　inches　away。　He　shook　me　more　violently　this　time；　almost　hard　enough　to　scare　me。
　〃If　I　could　have　fed　the　ardeur　as　it　was　meant　to　be　fed；　then　this　would　not　have　been　necessary。　If　I　could　have　fed　through　my　human　servant；　this　would　not　have　been　necessary。　If　I　could　have　fed　through　my　animal　to　call；　this　would　not　have　been　necessary。　But　you　and　Richard　bind　me　'round　with　rules；　you　cripple　me　with　your　morality；　and　you　force　me　to　do　such　as　I　swore　I　would　never　do。　I　have　been　in　the　box　and　been　food　for　my　master；　and　it　was　the　worst　thing　I　have　ever　endured。　And　now　because　you　and　he　had　your　moral　high　ground　to　keep　you　pure；　you　have　forced　me　to　be　more　practical　than　I　have　ever　wanted　to　be。〃
　He　released　me　so　suddenly　I　fell　back　against　the　floor；　slamming　an　elbow　into　the　stones。　He　stood　over　me；　as　angry　as　I'd　ever　seen　him；　and　I　had　no　anger　to　give　back。　I　finally　said；　〃I　didn't　know。〃
　〃That　is　being　a　poor　excuse；　ma　petite。〃　He　went　to　the　coffin　and　gazed　down　at　what　lay　inside。　〃I　gave　her　my　protection　once；　and　this　is　not　protection。〃　He　turned　and　glared　at　me。　〃I　do　what　I　must；　ma　petite；　but　I　take　no　pleasure　from　it；　and　I　tire　of　the　necessity　of　it。　If　you　would　but　meet　me　even　halfway；　we　could　avoid　so　much　pain。〃
　I　sat　up；　fighting　the　urge　to　rub　my　elbow。　〃Do　you　want　me　to　say　I'm　sorry？　I　am。　Do　you　want　permission　to　feed　off　of　me；　is　that　it？〃
　〃The　ardeur；　yes；〃　he　said。　〃But　in　truth；　if　you　are　in　the　mood　for　it；　simply　having　the　marks　open　and　married　gains　me　much。〃
　He　held　his　hand　out　to　Jason；　and　for　one　of　only　a　few　times；　I　saw　Jason　hesitate　before　taking　Jean…Claude's　hand。　Jean…Claude　didn't　even　look　at　him；　as　if　his　obedience　was　simply　a　fact；　like　gravity。　〃If　she　were　stronger　it　would　be　a　more　dangerous　feeding；　but　she　is　very　weak；　so　it　will　not　be　so　very　bad。〃　The　words　were　forting；　but　he　never　looked　at　Jason　as　he　lowered　the　younger　man's　wrist　towards　what　lay　in　that　coffin。
　I　got　to　my　feet；　watching　Jason's　face。　He　was　pale；　eyes　wide；　breath　ing　too　short；　too　fast。　He　didn't　normally　have　a　problem　letting　vamps　feed　on　him；　but　I　understood。　What　lay　in　that　coffin　was　something　out　of　a　nightmare。　Most　of　the　time　if　you　saw　a　vamp　looking　like　something　made　of　dried　sticks；　it　was　well　and　truly　dead。
　Jason　pulled　on　his　arm；　keeping　himself　just　out　of　reach；　I　think。　Jean…Claude　turned　to　him；　but　there　was　no　anger。　He　kept　the　one　hand　on　Jason's　arm；　and　the　other　he　touched　to　his　face；　gently。　〃Would　you　have　me　take　your　mind；　before　she　strikes？〃
　Jason　nodded；　wordlessly。
　Jean…Claude　cradled　his　hand　against　Jason's　face。　They　stared　into　each　other's　eyes；　one　of　those　long；　lingering　stares；　like　lovers；　except　I　felt　the　moment　that　Jason　slipped　away。　I　felt　his　mind　release；　his　will　evaporate。　His　face　went　slack；　his　mouth　half…parted；　eyes　fluttering。　Jean…Claude　kept　his　hand　on　the　other　man's　face；　as　he　guided　the　wrist　into　the　coffin。
　Jason's　body　tensed；　and　I　knew　that　Gretchen　had　bitten　him。　But　his　eyes　stayed　closed；　his　face　pleasant。　I　found　myself　beside　the　coffin　without　meaning　to　be。　The　dried　stick　hands　raised　as　I　watched；　clutching　at　Jason's　arm　holding　him　against　the　mouth。　Jean…Claude　moved　his　hand　back；　as　the　thing　in　the　coffin　pressed　Jason's　wrist　to　its　mouth。　Blood　flowed　over　that　brown　skin；　soaked　the　white　satin　pillow；　and　still　that　lipless　mouth　fed。
　The　room　was　suddenly　too　warm；　almost　hot。　I　turned　away　and　found　Micah　watching　me。　I　couldn't　read　his　expression；　wasn't　sure　I　wanted　to。　I　looked　away　from　whatever　was　in　his　eyes。　I　didn't　want　to　meet　anyone's　eyes　right　now。　I'd　fought　so　long　and　so　hard　not　to　be　what　I　was。　Not　to　be　Jean…Claude's　human　servant；　not　to　be　Richard's　lupa；　not　to　be　anything　to　anyone。　Everyone　seemed　to　be　paying　the　price　for　that。　I　hated　having　other　people　pay　the　price　for　my　problems。　It　was　against　the　rules　somehow。
　Jean…Claude's　voice　drew　me　back　to　the　coffin。　〃Drink；　Gretchen；　drink　of　my　blood。　I　gave　you　life　once；　let　it　be　so　again。〃　Jason　was　sitting　slumped　beside　the　coffin；　cradling　his　bloody　wrist　with　a　beatific　expression　on　his　face。　The　dried　thing　was　sitting　up　with　Jean…Claude's　arm　behind　its　shoulders。　It　looked　。。。　better；　but　still　not　alive；　not　even　quite　real。　He　offered　the　pale　flesh　of　his　wrist　to　that　lipless　mouth；　still　red　with　Jason's　blood；　and　it　bit　down。　I　heard　Jean…Claude　sigh；　but　that　was　the　only　sign　that　it　might　hurt。
　〃Blood　to　blood；　flesh　to　flesh。〃　Jean…Claude　spoke　the　words；　and　with　each　word；　with　each　suck　of　blood；　I　felt　the　power　grow；　felt　it　curl　in　my　stomach；　shorten　my　breath。　Gretchen's　body　began　to　stretch　and　fill。　The　pieces　of　hair　thickened　and　began　to　flow　around　her。　The　dried　things　in　her　eye　sockets　filled　and　began　to　have　a　hint　of　blue　to　them。　When　Jean…Claude　moved　his　wrist　from　her　mouth；　they　were　full…pouting　lips。　She　had　blue　eyes　and　a　wealth　of　yellow　hair。　She　was　thin；　her　bones　showing　under　the　near　translucent　paleness　of　her　skin。　Her　eyes　were　filled　with　fire；　nothing　human。　Her　hands　were　still　painfully　thin；　her　body　fragile；　but　she　looked　almost　like　the　vampire　that　had　tried　to　kill　me　years　ago。
　He　picked　her　up　in　his　arms；　her　body　didn't　fill　out　the　clothes　that　hung　from　her　frame。　〃Breath　to　breath；〃　he　said　and　leaned　in　towards　her。　They　kissed；　and　I　felt　the　power　pass　between　them。　I　knew　that　that　kiss　could　have　drained　her　life　away　again；　but　it　didn't。　When　he　raised　back　from　her；　her　face　was　full　and　rounded；　human　looking。　It　was　like　Prince　Charming　waking　Sleeping　Beauty；　except　that　this　beauty's　eyes　found　me；　and　the　hatred　in　them　was　a　burning　thing。
　I　sighed。　Some　people　never　learn。　I　met　that　hateful　gaze　and　said；　〃Gretchen；　I　promise　you　two　things；　you'll　never　have　to　go　back　in　that　box；　and　if　you　try　to　hurt　me　or　mine　again；　I'll　kill　you。　And　that　would　be　a　damn　shame　since　I'm　the　one　who　persuaded　Jean…Claude　to　let　you　out　in　the　first　place。〃
　She　just　looked　at　me　the　way　that　tigers　behind　bars　watch　the　visitors；　biding　their　time。　Jean…Claude　hugged　her　to　him。　〃If　you　try　and　harm　my　human　servant　again；　I　will　see　you　destroyed；　Gretal。〃　Gretal　had　been　her　original　name；　so　I'd　been　told。
　〃I　hear　you；　Jean…Claude。〃　Her　voice　sounded　rough；　as　if　the　time　in　the　coffin　had　damaged　it。
　〃e；　Jason；　we　need　to　warm　this　one。〃　Jason　got　to　his　feet　like　an　obedient　puppy；　still　bleeding；　still　happy。
　Jean…Claude　paused　in　the　doorway　looking；　not　at　me；　but　at　Asher。　〃I　must　take　this　one　to　the　bath；　or　all　the　work　will　be　undone。　But　Damian　is　a　revenant　now。〃
　Asher　raised　a　hand；　which　had　been　hidden　along　his　body。　He　had　a　gun；　a　10…millimeter　Browning；　the　big　brother　of　my　own　gun。　〃I　will　do　what　needs　doing。〃
　〃We　are　not　going　to　kill　Damian；〃　I　said。
　Jean…Claude　looked　at　me；　then　at　Micah；　and　Nathaniel；　and　Gil；　and　the　other　wereleopards；　and　even　the　bodyguards。　His　gaze　seemed　to　take　everyone　in；　then　he　looked　at　me　again。　〃I　ask　again；　ma　petite；　who　will　you　sacrifice　for　your　high　ideals？〃
　〃You　think　he　can't　be　saved；　don't　you？〃
　〃I　know　that　once　the　madness　takes　a　vampire；　even　the　master　who　bore　him　cannot　always　bring　him　back　to　his　senses。〃
　〃Is　there　anything　I　can　do　that　might　bring　him　back　to　himself？〃
　〃Let　him　feed；　try　to　see　he　does　not　kill　that　which　he　eats；　and　hope　when　he　tastes　your　blood；　he　regains　his　senses。　If　your　blood　does　not　sate　him；　then　Asher　will　try　to　feed　him。　If　that　fails　。。。　〃　He　gave　that　shrug　that　meant　everything　and　nothing；　even　holding　Gretchen　it　looked　graceful。
　〃I　don't　want　him　to　die　because　of　me。〃
　〃If　he　dies；　ma　petite；　it　will　be　because　he　tried　to　kill　someone　in　this　room。〃　With　that　he　walked　out；　Jason　trailing　behind。
　I　think；　perhaps；　I'd　used　up　Jean…Claude's　patience　with　me；　or　maybe　seeing　what　he'd　done　to　Gretchen　had　bothered　him　that　much。　Whatever　the　cause；　he　left　me　in　the　room　with　everyone　looking　to　me　as　to　how　to　proceed。　And　I　didn't　have　a　clue。　Who　was　I　willing　to　put　next　to　the　coffin？　Who　was　I　willing　to　risk？
　
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　THE　ANSWER；　OF　course；　was　no　one；　but　we　finally　decided　who　got　to　be　the　first　victim。　I　was　pretty　useless　for　the　discussion；　because　I　would　have　put　myself　first　in　line。　Never　ask　of　anyone　what　you're　not　willing　to　do　yourself。　But　Asher　pointed　out　that　I　couldn't　be　the　first　feed　if　I　had