lh.narcissusinchains-第15部分

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efore。　Unfortunately　we'd　had　to　kill　the　other　triumvirate　that　consisted　of　a　vamp；　a　werewolf；　and　a　necromancer。　They'd　been　trying　to　kill　us；　but　still；　they　might　have　been　able　to　answer　questions　that　no　one　else　could　have　answered。　Now　we　were　just　swinging　in　the　dark；　hoping　we　didn't　hurt　each　other。
　〃Look　at　you；　Jean…Claude；　between　them　like　a　candle　with　two　wicks。　You　will　burn　yourself　up；〃　Asher　said。
　〃That　is　my　concern。〃
　〃Yes；　and　what　I　do　is　mine。　You　ask；　'Why　him？'　'Why　now？'　First；　you　need　me。　Which　of　the　three　of　you　would　be　willing　to　do　this？〃　Asher　moved　around　Narcissus　as　if　he　weren't　there；　eyes　on　Jean…Claude；　on　us。　〃Oh；　I　know　that　you　could　have　topped　him。　You　can　do　it　when　you　want；　and　make　a　virtue　of　necessity；　but　he's　had　you　beneath　him；　and　nothing　less　will　satisfy　him　now。〃　He　stood　close　enough　that　the　energy　swirled　outward；　over　him　like　a　lip　of　hot　ocean　water。　His　breath　came　out　in　a　shuddering　sigh。　〃Mon　Dieu！〃　He　stepped　back　until　his　legs　touched　the　bed；　then　he　sat　down　on　the　black　sheets。　His　brown　leather　didn't　match　as　well　as　the　rest　of　us　had。
　〃Such　power；　Jean…Claude；　and　yet　none　of　you　wishes　to　pay　the　price　for　Richard's　temper　tantrum。　But　I　will　pay　that　price。〃
　〃You　know　my　rule；　Asher。　I　never　ask　of　others　what　I'm　not　willing　to　do　myself；〃　I　said。
　He　looked　at　me　curiously；　face　unreadable　behind　the　mask；　except　for　his　eyes。　〃Are　you　volunteering？〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃No。　But　you　don't　have　to　do　this。　We　will　find　another　way。〃
　〃And　what　if　I　want　to　do　it？〃　he　asked。
　I　looked　at　him　for　a　second；　then　shrugged。　〃I　don't　know　what　to　say　to　that。〃
　〃It　disturbs　you　that　I　might　want　to　do　this；　doesn't　it？〃　His　eyes　were　intense。
　〃Yes；〃　I　said。
　That　intense　gaze　moved　past　me　to　Jean…Claude。　〃It　bothers　him；　too。　He　wonders　if　I　am　ruined　and　all　that　is　left　for　me　is　pain。〃
　〃You　once　told　me　that　everything　worked。　That　you　were　scarred；　but　。。。　functional；〃　I　said。
　He　blinked　and　looked　at　me。　〃Did　I？　Well；　a　man　does　not　like　to　admit　such　things　to　a　pretty　woman。　Or　to　a　handsome　man。〃　He　looked　up　at　us；　but　the　only　person　he　was　really　looking　at　was　Jean…Claude。　〃I　will　pay　the　toll　for　our　handsome　Monsieur　Zeeman's　display　of　strength。　But　I　will　not　be　the　whipping　boy。　Not　this　time。〃
　Not　ever　again；　hung　heavy　in　the　air；　unsaid；　but　there　all　the　same。　Asher　had　had　two　hundred　years　of　being　at　the　mercy　of　the　people　who　had　given　Jean…Claude　the　memories　that　Richard　and　I　had　flashed　on。　Two　centuries　more　of　that　kind　of　care　and　torment。　When　Asher　had　first　e　to　us　he'd　been　cruel　occasionally。　I　thought　we'd　cured　him　of　it。　But　watching　the　look　in　his　eyes　now；　I　knew　we　hadn't。
　〃And　do　you　know　the　best　part　of　all？〃　Asher　asked。
　Jean…Claude　just　shook　his　head。
　〃It　will　cause　you　pain　to　think　of　me　with　Narcissus。　And　even　after　I　am　with　him；　he　will　still　not　answer　the　question　you　have　been　wanting；　so　desperately；　to　have　answered。〃
　Jean…Claude　stiffened；　hand　tightening　on　mine。　I　felt　him　slam　his　own　shields　into　place；　keeping　us　out　of　what　he　was　thinking；　feeling；　at　that　moment。　The　warm；　roiling　power　between　us　began　to　dissipate。　Jean…Claude　had　made　himself　part　of　our　circuit。　Now　he　was　shutting　us　down；　though　I　didn't　think　it　was　on　purpose。　He　just　couldn't　shield　himself　from　us　and　keep　the　flow　going。
　His　voice　came　out　calm；　his　usual　bored；　yet　cultured；　tone；　〃How　can　you　be　so　sure　that　he　will　not　talk？〃
　〃I　can　be　sure　of　what　I　do。　And　I　will　not　give　him　the　answer　you　want。〃
　〃What　answer？〃　I　asked。　〃What　are　you　guys　talking　about？〃
　The　two　vampires　looked　at　each　other。　〃Ask　Jean…Claude；〃　Asher　said。
　I　looked　at　Jean…Claude；　but　he　was　staring　at　Asher。　In　a　way；　the　rest　of　us　were　superfluous；　an　audience　for　a　show　that　didn't　need　one。
　〃You're　being　petty；　Asher；〃　Richard　said。
　The　vampire's　gaze　moved　to　the　man　on　my　other　side；　and　the　anger　in　those　eyes　made　the　blue　spill　across　the　pupils　in　a　frosted　gleam。　He　looked　blind。　〃Have　I　not　earned　the　right　to　be　petty；　Richard？〃
　Richard　shook　his　head。　〃Just　tell　him　the　truth。〃
　〃There　are　three　people　in　his　power　that　I　would　strip　for；　that　I　would　allow　to　touch　me；　and　answer　that　so　important　question。〃　He　stood　in　one　graceful　movement；　like　a　liquid　puppet　on　strings。　He　stepped　close　enough　for　the　power　to　spill　around　him；　bringing　his　breath　shuddering　from　his　lips。　The　power　recognized　him；　flared　stronger；　as　if　he　could　act　as　our　third；　if　we　weren't　careful。　Did　the　power　just　need　a　vampire；　and　not　specifically　Jean…Claude？　Richard　shut　down　his　side　of　the　power；　clanging　a　shield　in　place　that　made　me　think　of　metal；　strong　and　solid；　unpromising。
　Asher　caressed　the　air　just　above　Richard's　arm　and　had　to　step　away；　rubbing　his　hands　on　his　arms。　〃The　power　fades。〃　He　shook　himself　like　a　dog　ing　out　of　water。　〃If　you　would　say　yes；　his　torment　could　end。〃
　I　frowned　at　them　both；　not　sure　I　was　following　the　conversation；　not　sure　I　wanted　to。
　Asher　turned　those　pale；　drowning　eyes　to　me。　〃Or；　our　fair　Anita。〃　He　was　already　shaking　his　head。　〃But　no；　I　know　better　than　to　ask。　I　have　enjoyed　shocking　our　so　heterosexual　Richard　by　my　overtures。　But　Anita　is　not　so　easily　teased。〃　He　came　to　stand　in　front　of　Jean…Claude。　〃And；　of　course；　if　he　wanted　the　answer　badly　enough　he　could　do　it　himself。〃
　Jean…Claude's　face　was　at　its　most　arrogant。　Its　most　hidden。　〃You　know　why　I　do　not。〃
　Asher　moved　back　to　stand　in　front　of　me。　〃He　refuses　my　bed；　because　he　fears　that　you　would　。。。　what　is　the　American　word　。。。　dump　him；　if　you　knew　he　were　sleeping　with　a　man。　Would　you？〃
　I　had　to　swallow　before　I　could　answer。　〃Yeah。〃
　Asher　smiled；　but　not　like　he　was　happy；　more　like　it　had　been　a　predictable　answer。　〃Then　I　will　pleasure　myself　here　with　Narcissus；　and　Jean…Claude　will　still　not　know　if　I　stay　because　I　have　bee　a　lover　of　such　things；　or　because　this　type　of　love　is　all　that　is　left　for　me。〃
　〃I　haven't　agreed　to　this；〃　Narcissus　said。　〃Before　I　take　second　　no　fourth　choice　　let　me　see　what　I'm　buying。〃
　Asher　stood；　turning　so　that　his　left　side　was　towards　the　werehyena。　He　unzipped　the　mask　and　lifted　it　over　his　head。　We　were　standing　enough　to　one　side　so　that　I　could　see　that　perfect　profile。　His　golden　hair　　and　I　mean　golden　　was　braided　along　the　back　of　his　head　so　that　nothing　interfered　with　the　view。　I　was　used　to　looking　at　Asher　through　a　film　of　hair。　Without　it；　the　lines　of　his　face　were　like　sculpture；　something　so　smooth　and　lovely　that　you　wanted　to　touch　it；　trace　the　movement　of　it　with　your　hands；　layer　it　with　kisses。　Even　after　the　little　show　he'd　put　on；　he　was　still　beautiful。　Nothing　seemed　to　change　that　when　I　looked　at　Asher。
　〃Very　nice；〃　Narcissus　said；　〃very；　very　nice；　but　I　have　many　beautiful　men　at　my　beck　and　call。　Perhaps　not　as　beautiful；　but　still　。。。　〃
　Asher　turned　to　face　the　man。　Whatever　Narcissus　was　about　to　say　died　in　his　throat。　The　right　side　of　Asher's　face　looked　like　melted　candle　wax。　The　scars　didn't　start　until　well　away　from　the　midline　of　his　face。　It　was　as　if　his　torturers　all　those　centuries　ago　had　wanted　him　to　have　enough　left　to　remember　the　perfection　he'd　once　been。　His　eyes　were　still　golden…lashed；　his　nose　perfect；　his　mouth　full　and　kissable；　but　the　rest　。。。　The　rest　was　scarred。　Not　ruined；　not　spoiled；　but　scarred。
　I　remembered　Asher's　smooth　perfection；　the　feel　of　that　perfect　body　rubbing　against　mine。　Not　my　memories。　I　had　never　seen　Asher　nude。　I　had　never　touched　him　that　way。　But　Jean…Claude　had　about　two　hundred　years　ago。　It　made　it　impossible　for　me　to　look　at　Asher　with　unprejudiced　eyes；　because　I　remembered　being　in　love　with　him；　in　fact；　was　still　a　little　in　love　with　him。　Which　meant　that　Jean…Claude　was　still　a　little　in　love　with　him。　My　personal　life　just　can't　get　more　plicated。
　Narcissus　drew　a　shuddering　breath　and　said　in　a　voice　gone　hoarse；　eyes　wide；　〃Oh；　my。〃
　Asher　threw　the　hood　on　the　bed　and　began　to　unzip　the　front　of　the　leather　shirt；　very　slowly。　I'd　seen　his　chest　before　and　knew　that　it　was　much　worse　than　his　face。　The　right　side　of　his　chest　was　carved　with　deep　runnels；　the　skin　hard　to　the　touch。　The　left　side；　like　his　face；　still　had　that　angelic　beauty　that　had　attracted　the　vampires　to　him　long　ago。
　When　the　zipper　was　halfway　down　his　body；　baring　his　chest　and　upper　stomach；　Narcissus　had　to　sit　down　on　the　bed　as　if　his　legs　wouldn't　hold　him。
　〃I　think；　Narcissus；〃　Jean…Claude　said；　〃that　after　tonight　you　will　owe　us　a　favor。〃　His　voice　was　empty　when　he　said　it；　devoid　of　anything。　It　was　the　voice　he　used　when　he　was　at　his　most　careful；　or　his　most　pained。
　Asher　asked　in　a　careful　voice　that　didn't　quite　match　the　striptease　he　was　doing；　〃What　level　of　pain　does　Narcissus　enjoy　straight　　how　do　you　say　　out　of　the　box？〃
　〃Rough；〃　Jean…Claude　said。　〃He　can　control　his　desire　and　not　step　outside　the　bounds　of　his　submissive；　but　if　he　is　to　be　topped；　then　rough；　very　rough。　You　do　not　need　a　warming　up　period　for　this　one。〃　Jean…Claude's　voice　was　still　empty。
　Asher　looked　down　at　Narcissus。　〃Is　that　true？　Do　you　like　to　start　out　with　a　。。。　bang？〃　That　last　word　was　slow；　seductive。　One　word；　and　it　held　worlds　of　promise　within　it。
　Narcissus　nodded　slowly。　〃You　can　start　with　blood；　if　you've　the　balls　for　it。〃
　〃Most　people　have　to　work　up　to　that　for　it　to　be　pleasurable；〃　Asher　said。
　〃I　don't；〃　Narcissus　said。
　Asher　finished　unzipping　and　lowered　the　shirt　off　his　arms；　held　it　in　his　hands　for　a　moment；　then　struck　out　with　a　movement　so　quick　it　was　only　an　after…image　blur。　He　slapped　Narcissus　across　the　face　with　the　heavy　zipper　once；　twice；　three　times；　until　blood　showed　at　the　corner　of　his　mouth　and　his　eyes　looked　unfocused。
　I　was　so　startled　by　all　of　it　that　I　think　I　forgot　to　breathe。　All　I　could　do　was　stare。　Jean…Claude　had　gone　very　still　between　Richard　and　me。　It　wasn't　the　utter　stillness　that　he　was　capable　of；　that　all　the　old　masters　were　capable　of；　and　I　realized　why。　He　couldn't　sink　into　that　black