lh.narcissusinchains-第111部分

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o　the　bad　guy's　lair　unarmed。　Zeke　would　be　carrying　my　weapons；　and　theoretically　he'd　give　them　back　to　me　if　I　needed　them；　theoretically。　But　theory　and　practice　aren't　always　the　same　thing。　Zeke　had　tried　to　kill　me　once；　now　I　was　supposed　to　trust　him　with　my　life。　It　seemed　a　bad　idea；　but　I　was　still　going　to　do　it。　With　enough　time　maybe　we　could　have　e　up　with　a　better　plan；　but　we　didn't　have　the　time。　Not　if　we　hoped　to　save　Cherry　and　Micah。
　It　seemed　like　I'd　spent　most　of　the　last　four　years　arriving　too　late。　Too　late　to　save　people；　too　late　to　keep　the　monsters　away。　I　was　cleanup　crew；　someone　that　came　after　the　bodies　were　scattered　around　and　mopped　up　the　mess。　I　killed　the　monsters；　but　only　after　they'd　done　terrible　things。　Even　now；　Chimera　had　already　butchered　and　tortured；　but　I　could　confess　to　myself；　if　to　no　one　else；　that　part　of　me　didn't　give　a　damn　about　the　others。　I　mean；　I　was　sorry　for　Gina's　pain　and　Bacchus's　lover；　and　Ajax　getting　chopped　up；　but　they　were　abstract　to　me。　Cherry　and　Micah　were　real。　How　very　quickly　Micah　had　bee　that　real　to　me　frightened　me；　but　if　I　didn't　look　too　closely　at　it；　I　could　keep　moving　forward；　could　keep　thinking　clearly；　could　keep　breathing　normally。　Thinking　too　much　tended　to　make　my　thoughts　jump　around；　my　breath　e　a　little　too　fast。
　The　main　part　of　the　club　had　been　dark　and　empty。　The　party；　as　they　say；　was　upstairs。　It　was　the　room　at　the　end　of　the　big　white　hallway　that　we'd　gone　down　to　rescue　Nathaniel　and　Gregory　days　ago。　Chimera　waited　outside　the　door　in　his　black　hood；　and　his　eye　slits　were　unzipped　so　I　could　see　pale　gray　eyes。　He　wore　a　rather　ordinary　looking　suit；　plete　with　tightly　knotted　tie　and　white　shirt　that　met　oddly　with　the　black　leather　of　the　hood。　He　had　his　hands　behind　him；　leaning　against　his　arms。　He　was　trying　for　casual　and　failing。　He　was　nervous；　and　I　didn't　need　any　lycanthrope　powers　to　notice。
　Gina　had　needed　help　from　two　of　the　werehyenas　to　make　the　steps。　Zeke　and　I　could　have　helped　her；　but　he　was　pretending　to　guard　me；　and　Gina　had　a　note　under　her　shawl　to　slip　the　hyenas。　The　note　was　from　Bacchus；　asking　one　of　them　to　let　him　in　the　secret　entrance。　Apparently　Chimera　had　never　asked　if　there　was　a　secret　entrance　to　the　club；　so　no　one　had　told　him。
　Chimera's　eyes　looked　past　me　to　her。　〃Gina　。。。　〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃Take　her　away；　get　her　some　medical　care。〃
　The　two　hyenas　didn't　argue；　just　turned　and　went　back　down　the　hallway。　The　snake　man　that　had　been　with　them　stayed　where　he　was；　his　black…and…green　striped　eyes　never　leaving　Chimera's　face。　I　would　have　said　he　stood　at　attention　like　a　good　soldier；　but　it　was　more　than　that。　There　was　something　on　his　face　that　went　beyond　that；　as　if　standing　there　waiting　for　Chimera's　orders　was　the　most　wonderful　thing　in　the　world。　That　look　of　patient　adoration　was　creepy　all　on　its　own；　and　I　knew　why　Bacchus　had　said　the　snakes　had　to　die。　Not　because　of　what　they'd　done　to　the　hyenas；　not　revenge；　but　because　people　who　worship　their　kings　as　gods　don't　participate　in　palace　revolts。
　〃I　wasn't　sure　you'd　e；　Ms。　Blake。〃
　The　voice　was　familiar；　but　I　couldn't　quite　place　from　where。　〃You　didn't　give　me　much　choice。〃
　〃And　for　that　I　am　sorry。〃
　〃Sorry　enough　to　let　me　take　my　leopards　and　go　home？〃
　He　almost　smiled；　but　shook　his　head。　〃Micah　is　not　your　leopard；　he's　mine；　Ms。　Blake。〃
　Again；　the　voice　rang　familiar；　but　I　couldn't　place　it。　I　shrugged。　〃You　got　me　down　here　with　the　understanding　that　both　Cherry　and　Micah　would　be　set　free；　unhurt。　Sounds　like　they're　both　mine。〃
　He　shook　his　head　again。　〃To　give　up　Micah　I　would　have　to　give　up　all　my　leopards；　and　I　am　not　willing　to　do　that。〃
　〃Then　you　lied　to　get　me　down　here。〃
　〃No；　Ms。　Blake。〃　He　took　his　hands　out　from　behind　his　back。　He　wore　black　leather　gloves。　〃Join　your　pard　to　ours；　strengthen　us。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃I　came　down　here　to　free　my　people；　not　to　join　your　club。〃
　He　looked　at　Zeke。　〃Didn't　you　explain　to　her　what　I　wanted？〃
　Zeke　shifted　beside　me。　〃You　told　me　that　if　she　came　down　here　unarmed　you　would　free　Micah　and　the　other　wereleopard。　That　is　all　you　told　me。〃
　Chimera　frowned；　even　through　the　hood　I　could　see　it。　He　rubbed　at　his　face　behind　the　leather　as　if　something　hurt。　〃I　know　I　told　you　that　I　wanted　her　to　join　us。〃
　〃You　have　said　many　things　over　the　last　few　weeks；〃　Zeke　said；　voice　very　careful。
　〃How　long　have　you　been　the　leopard's　Nimir…Ra？〃　he　asked。　The　voice　was　normal；　ordinary；　though　his　hands　kept　rubbing　at　his　face。
　〃About　a　year。〃
　〃Then　you　must　see　as　I　do　that　there　needs　to　be　a　joining　together　of　all　the　different　forms。　The　only　thing　that　has　allowed　us　to　move　in　to　every　city　and　take　over　the　smaller　groups　is　the　fact　that　the　larger　groups　won't　help　them。　They're　like　city　neighbors　who　only　call　the　police　if　it's　their　own　apartment　being　robbed。　They　let　anyone　who　isn't　like　them　go　to　hell。〃
　〃I　agree　that　the　lycanthrope　munity　could　use　a　little　togetherness；　but　I'm　not　sure　torture　and　blackmail　is　the　way　to　get　it　done。〃
　He　clamped　his　hands　over　his　eyes；　back　bowing；　as　if　he　were　in　pain。　The　snake　man　touched　him　with　small　dark　hands。　Chimera　shuddered；　then　raised　up；　the　snake　man　still　touching　him；　forting　him；　I　think。
　Chimera　looked　at　me；　eyes　very　direct。　He　grasped　the　leather　hood　and　pulled　it　over　his　head。　His　dark　hair　stood　on　end；　sweaty；　needing　to　be　bed。　The　touch　of　gray　at　the　temples　wasn't　distinguished　anymore。　It　looked　more　like　mad…scientist　hair；　as　if　he'd　done　something　awful　and　it　had　changed　colors　over　night。　I　could　see　the　scars　at　the　side　of　his　neck　now。　Orlando　King；　alias　Chimera；　looked　down　at　me。
　I　just　gaped　at　him。　I　was　too　surprised　for　anything　else。
　〃I　see　that　you　didn't　recognize　me；　Ms。　Blake。〃
　I　shook　my　head；　and　tried　twice　before　I　could　say；　〃I　didn't　expect　to　see　you　here。〃　That　sounded　lame　even　to　me；　but　what　I　meant　was　Orlando　King；　bounty　hunter　extraordinaire；　should　not　have　been　the　leader　of　a　group　of　rogue　shapeshifters。　It　wasn't　doable　somehow。
　〃That's　why　you　knew　about　all　the　shapeshifters　in　town；　because　they　came　to　you　for　help。〃
　He　nodded。　〃I　have　been　known；　since　my　accident；　to　hunt　down　rogue　lycanthropes　and　not　inform　the　authorities。　A　few　bad　apples　don't　have　to　spoil　the　entire　barrel。〃
　I　looked　at　him　and　tried　to　think。　〃People　thought　your　near…death　experience　had　mellowed　you；　but　you　contracted　lycanthropy；　that's　why　you　stopped　being　a　bounty　hunter。〃
　〃It　seemed　wrong　to　hunt　other　unfortunates；〃　he　said。　〃People　who　had　less　to　do　with　the　accident　that　made　them　what　they　were　than　I　did。　At　least　I　was　hunting　the　werewolf　that　almost　killed　me。　I　was　trying　to　hurt　it。　Most　people　who　survive　an　attack　are　just　innocents。〃
　〃I　know　that；〃　I　said；　voice　soft；　because　knowing　Chimera　was　Orlando　King　didn't　help　solve　the　mystery　for　me；　it　deepened　it。　I　was　more　confused　than　when　I　walked　in　the　damn　building。
　〃But　my　change　of　heart；　as　you　put　it；　came　later。　Wolf　lycanthropy　showed　up　in　my　bloodstream　within　forty…eight　hours　of　my　attack。　I　decided　I　would　take　out　as　many　monsters　as　I　could　and　let　them　take　me　out　before　the　first　full　moon。〃　He　stared　past　me；　eyes　distant　with　remembering。　〃I　took　the　most　dangerous　jobs　I　could　find；　until　I　ended　up　trying　to　kill　an　entire　tribe　of　weresnakes　in　the　depths　of　the　Amazon　basin。〃　He　looked　at　the　small　dark　man　still　at　his　side。　〃I　decided　that　dozens　of　any　animal　would　surely　kill　me；　and　if　not；　then　at　the　first　full　moon　I　would　be　in　an　area　devoid　of　any　human　except　the　people　I'd　e　to　kill。〃
　〃Logical；　I　guess；〃　I　said；　because　it　seemed　appropriate　to　say　something。
　His　gaze　flicked　to　me。　〃I　had　planned　my　death；　Ms。　Blake；　but　every　animal　I　tried　to　kill　just　wasn't　up　to　killing　me。　By　the　time　I　had　my　first　full　moon　I'd　been　infected　by　a　great　many　forms　of　predatory　lycanthropy。　And　on　that　first　moon；　I　changed　into　what　Abuta　and　his　people　are；　then　a　wolf；　then　a　bear；　then　a　leopard；　then　a　lion；　so　forth；　and　so　on。〃　He　was　looking　at　Abuta；　and　his　face　held　some　of　the　religious　fervor　that　the　smaller　man　seemed　to　emanate。　〃They　thought　I　was　a　god　because　I　could　take　so　many　forms。　They　worshipped　me；　and　they　sent　half　their　tribe　to　acpany　me　back　to　civilization。〃　He　laughed　then。　It　was　abrupt　and　unpleasant。　Something　about　that　laugh　raised　the　hairs　on　my　arms。
　〃You've　killed　all　but　three　of　them；　Anita。　I　may　call　you　Anita；　mightn't　I？〃
　I　nodded；　almost　afraid　to　speak；　because　emotions　were　chasing　across　King's　face；　emotions　that　didn't　match　his　calm　words；　as　if　he　were　feeling　things　that　he　wasn't　aware　of。　It　was　like　watching　a　badly　dubbed　film；　except　it　was　body　actions　that　were　out　of　step；　not　the　words。
　A　prickling　rush　of　energy　came　off　him　like　heat；　and　his　eyes　turned。　One　pale　greenish　leopard；　one　wolf　amber。　It　wasn't　just　the　colors　of　the　irises　that　didn't　match；　it　was　the　shape　of　the　pupils；　the　entire　set　of　each　eye　socket　was　slightly　different　from　the　other。　I　hadn't　noticed　the　bone　structure　shifting；　it　had　been　that　fast。
　A　smile　curled　his　lips。　The　entire　expression　of　face；　body；　everything　changed；　and　it　wasn't　shapeshifting；　it　was　as　if　another　person　just　settled　into　King's　skin。　Chimera's　voice　was　slightly　southern；　thick　and　round…voweled。　It　was　the　voice　I'd　heard　over　the　loudspeaker　when　they　tried　to　ambush　us　in　the　club。　〃Poor　Orlando；　he　just　can't　cope　anymore。　He　hates　what　he's　bee。〃
　I　think　I　stopped　breathing　for　a　few　heartbeats；　which　made　my　next　breath　harsh。　I'd　dealt　with　sociopaths；　pychopaths；　serial　killers；　crazies　of　all　ilk；　but　this　was　my　first　multiple　personality。
　Chimera　jerked　at　the　tight　tie；　tore　it　off；　unbuttoned　the　collar；　rotated　his　neck；　and　smiled。　〃There；　that's　much　better；　don't　you　agree？〃
　My　voice　came　out　breathy。　〃Always　good　to　be　fortable。〃
　He　stepped　closer　to　me；　and　I　backed　up；　bumping　into　Zeke。　Chimera　stepped　in　very　close；　almost　touching　and　sniffed　just　above　the　skin　of