lh.narcissusinchains-第16部分

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e　of；　that　all　the　old　masters　were　capable　of；　and　I　realized　why。　He　couldn't　sink　into　that　black　stillness　of　death　with　the　lingering　touch　of　the　〃life〃　we'd　pumped　through　him。
　Narcissus　used　the　tip　of　his　tongue　to　taste　the　blood　on　his　mouth。　〃I　am　an　acplished　liar；　but　I　always　give　fair　trade。〃　He　was　suddenly　more　serious　than　he　had　been；　as　if　the　flippant　tease　was　just　a　mask　and　underneath　was　a　more　solemn；　thinking　person。　When　he　looked　up；　there　was　a　person　in　his　eyes　that　I　knew　was　dangerous。　The　flirt　was　real；　too；　but　it　was　partially　camouflage　to　make　everyone　underestimate　him。　Looking　into　his　eyes；　I　knew　that　to　underestimate　him　would　be　a　very　bad　thing。
　He　turned　those　newly　serious　eyes　to　Asher。　〃For　this；　I　will　owe　you　a　favor；　but　only　one　favor；　not　three。〃
　Asher　reached　up　and　undid　his　hair；　letting　the　heavy　sparkling　waves　fall　around　his　face。　He　stared　down　at　the　smaller　man；　and　I　couldn't　see　the　look　he　gave；　but　whatever　it　was；　it　made　Narcissus　look　like　a　drowning　man。　〃I　am　only　worth　one　favor？〃　Asher　said。　〃I　think　not。〃
　Narcissus　had　to　swallow　twice　before　he　could　speak。　〃Perhaps　more。〃　He　turned　and　looked　at　us；　and　his　eyes　were　still　raw；　real。　〃Go；　save　your　wereleopards；　whoever　they　belong　to。　But　know　this；　the　ones　inside　are　new　to　our　munity。　They　do　not　know　our　rules；　and　their　own　rules　seem　harsh　by　parison。〃
　〃You　warn　us；　Narcissus；　thank　you；〃　Jean…Claude　said。
　〃I　think　that　this　one　would　not　like　it　if　you　were　hurt；　no　matter　how　angry　he　is　with　you；　Jean…Claude。　I　am　about　to　let　him　bind　me　to　this　bed；　or　the　wall；　and　do　to　me　whatever　he　wishes。〃
　〃Whatever　I　wish？〃　Asher　asked。
　Narcissus's　gaze　flicked　back　to　him。　〃No；　not　whatever；　but　until　I　use　the　safety　word；　yes。〃　There　was　something　almost　childlike　in　the　way　he　said　the　last；　as　if　he　were　already　thinking　of　what　was　to　e；　and　not　really　concentrating　on　us。
　〃Safety　word？〃　I　asked。
　Narcissus　gazed　at　me。　〃If　the　pain　grows　too　much；　or　if　something　is　proposed　that　the　slave　does　not　want　to　do；　you　use　the　word　agreed　upon。　Once　the　word　is　spoken　the　master　must　stop。〃
　〃But　you'll　be　tied　up；　you　won't　be　able　to　make　him　stop。〃
　Narcissus's　eyes　were　drowning；　drowning　in　things　that　I　didn't　understand；　and　didn't　want　to。　〃It　is　both　the　trust　and　the　element　of　uncertainty　that　makes　the　event；　Anita。〃
　〃You　trust　that　he'll　stop　when　you　say　stop；　but　you　like　the　thought　that　he　might　not　stop；　that　he　might　just　keep　going；〃　Richard　said。
　It　made　me　stare　at　him；　but　I　caught　Narcissus's　nod。
　〃Am　I　the　only　one　in　this　room　that　doesn't　understand　how　this　game　is　played？〃
　〃Remember；　Anita；〃　Richard　said；　〃I　was　a　virgin　until　Raina　got　me。　She　was　my　first　lover；　and　her　tastes　ran　。。。　to　the　exotic。〃
　Narcissus　laughed　then。　〃A　virgin　in　Raina's　hands；　what　a　frightening　image。　Even　I　wouldn't　let　her　top　me；　because　you　could　see　it　in　her　eyes。〃
　〃See　what？〃　I　asked。
　〃That　she　had　no　stopping　point。〃
　Having　almost　been　a　star　in　one　of　her　little　bedroom　dramas；　saved　only　by　the　fact　that　I'd　killed　her　first；　I　had　to　agree。
　〃Raina　liked　it　better　if　you　didn't　want　to　do　it；〃　Richard　said。　〃She　was　a　sexual　sadist；　not　a　dominant。　It　took　me　a　long　time　to　realize　how　big　a　difference　there　is　between　the　two。〃
　I　looked　at　his　face；　but　he　was　safe　behind　his　shields；　I　couldn't　read　him。　He　and　Jean…Claude　had　more　practice　at　shielding　than　I　did。　But；　frankly；　I　didn't　want　to　know　what　was　behind　the　lost　look　on　Richard's　face。　I　realized　with　a　start　that　I　had　Jean…Claude's　memories　but　not　Richard's。　It　had　never　occurred　to　me　to　ask　why　that　was。　But　later；　later。　Right　now　I　wanted　to　be　out　of　this　room。　〃I　want　out　of　here。〃
　Jean…Claude　pulled　gently　away　from　both　of　us　to　stand　on　his　own。　〃Yes；　the　night　is　running　out；　and　we　have　much　to　do。〃
　I　didn't　look　at　him；　or　Richard。　I'd　pretty　much　promised　that　if　dawn　stayed　at　bay　we'd　have　sex　tonight。　But　somehow　staring　at　Asher's　naked　back；　with　Narcissus　gazing　up　at　him　with　a　look　somewhere　between　adoration　and　terror；　I　just　wasn't　in　the　mood　anymore。
　
　7
　
　THE　UPPER　HALLWAY　stretched　white　and　empty。　There　was　a　silver　wallpaper　border　high　up　on　the　wall；　more　silver　ran　in　thin　lines　down　the　walls；　an　opulent　yet　tasteful　display。　It　looked　like　the　hallway　of　some　upscale　hotel。　I　didn't　know　if　it　was　camouflage　or　if　Narcissus　just　liked　it　that　way。　After　downstairs'　black　techno…punk　and　Narcissus's　own　Marquis　de　Sade　bedroom；　it　was　almost　startling；　as　if　we'd　stepped　from　some　dark　nightmare　into　a　quieter；　more　peaceful　dream。
　We　were　the　ones　who　looked　out　of　place。　All　of　us　in　black；　too　much　skin　showing。　Jamil　paced　up　the　stairs　on　point；　his　muscular　upper　body　showing　in　tantalizing　glimpses　through　a　series　of　black　leather　straps。　The　pants　fit　his　narrow　hips　like　a　second　skin；　and　I'd　learned　long　ago　from　watching　Jean…Claude　undress　that　you　didn't　get　that　smooth　line　if　there　was　underwear　between　the　skin　and　the　pants。　He　turned；　his　waist…length　corn…rows　flaring　out　around　him。　He　was　a　contrast　in　darkness；　the　black　of　the　leather；　the　dark；　dark　brown　of　his　skin。　He　moved　like　a　shadow　in　that　white　hallway。
　Faust　went　next。　He　was　the　new　male　vampire　I'd　met　downstairs。　In　the　better　light；　his　hair　was　obviously　tinted　burgundy；　like　a　shade　of　red　gone　wrong；　but　somehow　it　suited　him。　His　leather　pants　were　covered　in　more　zippers　than　seemed　necessary　to　get　them　on　and　off；　and　his　black　shirt　had　a　zipper　up　the　front。　It　reminded　me　of　Asher's　shirt；　except　for　the　color。　I　tried　not　to　think　too　much　about　what　Asher　might　be　doing　right　this　moment。　I　still　didn't　know　if　Asher　was　pimping　himself　out　for　us　or　whether　he　truly　wanted　to　be　with　Narcissus。　I　was　more　fortable　with　the　idea　of　self…sacrifice。
　I　brought　up　the　middle　with　the　two　women　behind　me。　Sylvie　still　didn't　look　like　herself　to　me。　The　black　skirt　was　so　short　that　whoever　was　in　back　of　her　couldn't　help　but　get　a　flash　of　whatever　was　under　the　skirt。　The　hose　climbed　her　legs　all　the　way　up；　making　them　look　long　and　shapely；　though　she　was　only　three　inches　taller　than　me。　She　was　also　wearing　three…inch　black　spikes；　which　may　have　added　to　the　illusion　of　long　legs。　Her　leather　top　showed　a　very　discreet　line　of　flesh　from　neck　to　waist　where　a　belt　cinched　in　her　tiny　waist。　Her　breasts　seemed　to　stay　magically　on　either　side　of　the　line　of　skin；　as　if　they　were　held　in　place　by　something　more　than　a　bra。
　She　smiled　up　at　me；　but　her　eyes　had　already　bled　to　that　pale　wolfish　color。　They　didn't　match　the　careful　makeup　and　the　short；　curly　brown　hair。
　Meng　Die　brought　up　the　rear。　Where　her　pale　flesh　showed　around　the　vinyl　cat　suit；　colorless　body　glitter　sparkled。　There　was　a　touch　of　glitter　at　the　corner　of　each　up…tilted　eye；　plementing　pale　eyeshadow　and　dramatic　eyeliner。　She　was　smaller　than　me；　more　delicate　of　bone；　smaller　of　breast；　more　slender　of　waist；　like　a　dainty　bird。　But　the　look　she　gave　me　was　more　vulture　than　canary。　She　didn't　like　me；　and　I　didn't　know　why。　But　Jean…Claude　had　assured　me　she'd　do　the　job。　Jean…Claude　had　a　lot　of　faults；　but　if　he　trusted　Meng　Die　to　keep　me　safe；　then　she'd　do　it。　He　was　never　careless　with　me；　not　in　that　way。
　Faust　just　seemed　to　be　amused　as　hell　about　it　all。　Everything　made　him　smile；　pleasantly。　Most　vampires　went　for　arrogance　to　mask　how　they　felt。　He　seemed　to　use　mild　amusement。　Of　course；　maybe　Faust　was　just　a　happy　guy；　and　I　was　being　too　cynical。
　Why　weren't　Jean…Claude　and　Richard　with　me？　Because　the　wereleopards　were　mine。　If　I　took　other　dominants　with　me；　it　would　be　seen　as　weakness。　I　was　planning　to　interview　other　alphas　to　take　over　the　wereleopards；　but　until　I　found　someone　to　do　that；　I　was　all　they　had。　If　people　began　thinking　I　was　weak；　the　leopards　would　be　marked　as　anyone's　meat。　It　wouldn't　just　be　out…of…town　shapeshifters　that　were　trying　to　take　them　away　from　me；　it　would　be　every　shapeshifter　in　town。　It　was　funny　how　many　shifters　could　be　assholes　unless　you　were　strong　enough　to　stop　them。
　I　had　to　save　the　leopards；　not　Richard；　not　Jean…Claude；　me。　But　I　had　to　stay　alive　to　do　that；　so　I　did　take　backup。　I'm　stubborn；　not　stupid。　Though　I　know　a　few　people　who　might　argue　that。
　Each　white　door　had　a　silver　number　on　its　surface。　Again　like　a　very　discreet　hotel。　We　were　looking　for　room　nine。　There　was　absolutely　no　sound　from　behind　the　doors。　The　only　noises　I　heard　were　the　distant　thud　of　the　music　downstairs　and　the　faint　whisper　of　leather　and　vinyl　　our　body　movements。　I'd　never　been　so　aware　of　how　loud　small　noises　could　be。　Maybe　it　was　the　eerie　silence　of　the　hallway；　or　maybe　I'd　gained　something　new　from　the　marriage　of　the　marks。　Better　hearing　wouldn't　be　a　bad　thing；　would　it？　So　many　of　the　〃gifts〃　from　the　vampire　marks　tended　to　be　double…edged　swords；　at　best。
　I　shook　off　the　gloomy　thoughts　and　walked　with　my　foursome　of　bodyguards　down　the　carpeted　hallway。　I　was　trusting　them　to　give　their　lives　for　mine。　That's　what　a　bodyguard　does。　Jamil　had　taken　two　shotgun　blasts　for　me　last　summer。　It　hadn't　been　silver　shot；　so　he'd　healed；　but　he　hadn't　known　that　when　he　put　himself　between　the　gun　barrel　and　me。　Sylvie　owed　me　one；　and　a　woman　her　size　doesn't　get　to　be　second　in　the　pack　hierarchy　without　being　one　tough　werewolf。　I　didn't　really　trust　the　vampires　to　give　up　their　undead　lives　for　me。　It's　been　my　experience　that　the　longer　something　semi…immortal　lives；　the　more　tightly　it　hugs　its　existence。　So　I　counted　on　the　wolves；　and　knew　I　could　work　around　the　vampires。　It　didn't　matter　that　Jean…Claude　trusted　them。　It　mattered　that　I　didn't。　I'd　have　preferred　to　just　bring　along　more　werewolves；　except　if　I　showed　up　with　nothing　but　wolves　at　my　back；　it　would　be　like　saying　that　I　couldn't　do　this　without　Richard's　pack。　Not　true。　Or　not　pletely　true。　We'd　see　how　deep　the　shit　was　once　we　opened　the　door。
　Room　nine　was　nearly　at　the　end　of　the　long　hallway。　The　building　had　been　a　warehouse；　and　the　upstairs　had　simply