lh.narcissusinchains-第25部分

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blank。　Usually　when　I　try　to　be　blank；　I　can't；　but　just　then；　there　was　nothing　but　the　water；　the　heat；　the　smooth　tiles；　and　the　little　voice　in　my　head　that　kept　running　round　and　round　like　a　hamster　on　a　wheel。　I　couldn't　hear　what　the　voice　was　saying　　I　think　I　didn't　want　to。　All　I　knew　was　that　it　was　screaming。
　A　noise　behind　me　made　me　turn。　It　was　Cherry；　still　naked。　None　of　the　leopards　ever　dressed　unless　I　made　them。　I　turned　my　head　away　from　her。　I　didn't　want　her　to　see　me　cry。　I　was　her　Nimir…Ra；　her　rock。　Rocks　did　not　cry。
　I　knew　she　was　standing　over　me；　could　feel　it；　even　before　the　water's　rhythm　changed。　She　knelt　over　me；　the　water　sluicing　around　her；　leaving　me　shivering　in　the　sudden　touch　of　the　cool；　waterless　air。　I　kept　my　face　turned　away　from　her。　She　touched　my　water…soaked　hair。　When　I　didn't　protest　she　hugged　me；　arms　going　slowly　around　me；　as　if　she　expected　me　to　plain。
　I　stayed　stiff　in　her　arms；　with　her　body　wrapped　around　me。　She　just　held　me；　head　pressed　to　the　top　of　mine；　her　body　sheltering　me　from　the　water；　leaving　me　colder；　even　as　her　body　stretched　like　heat　against　my　wet　skin。　I　leaned　into　her　by　painful　inches　until　finally　I　let　her　hold　me。　I　cried；　and　Cherry　held　me。
　The　crying　never　grew；　or　got　loud。　It　remained　slow　tears　while　Cherry　held　me；　and　I　let　her。　Finally；　there　were　no　more　tears；　just　the　sound　of　the　water；　the　heat；　the　feel　of　Cherry's　body　around　mine。　There　was　fort　in　the　touch　of　flesh　that　went　beyond　sex。　I　pulled　away；　and　she　drew　back。　I　stood　and　turned　the　water　off。　The　silence　was　sudden　and　plete。　I　could　feel　the　press　of　the　night　outside。　Even　without　a　window；　I　knew　it　was　the　wee　hours　of　morning　　maybe　two；　or　even　three。　It　would　be　dawn　in　a　few　short　hours。　I　needed　to　know　why　Jean…Claude　was　in　jail。　Everything　else　could　wait。　We　had　enemies　in　town；　and　I　needed　to　know　who　they　were；　what　they　wanted。　After　that　I'd　think　about　what　had　just　happened；　but　not　yet；　not　yet。　Avoidance　is　one　of　my　best　things。
　Cherry　handed　me　a　towel　and　kept　one　for　herself。　I　wound　the　towel　around　my　hair　and　retrieved　a　second　towel　for　my　body。　We　dried　off　in　silence；　no　eye　contact。　It　wasn't　shower　protocol；　girls　aren't　as　hung　up　about　that　as　guys。　I　just　didn't　want　to　talk　about　what　had　happened。　Not　yet。
　I　wrapped　the　oversized　towel　securely　around　my　body；　and　asked；　〃Why　is　Jean…Claude　in　jail？〃
　〃For　murdering　you；〃　she　said。
　I　stared　at　her　for　a　few　seconds；　and　when　I　could　talk；　I　said；　〃Pass　that　by　me　again。　Slowly。〃
　〃Someone　got　pictures　of　Jean…Claude　carrying　you　out　of　the　club。　You　were　covered　in　blood；　Anita。　He　was　covered　in　your　blood。〃　She　shrugged；　drying　off　a　spot　she'd　missed　on　one　long　leg。
　〃But　I'm　alive；〃　I　said。　It　sounded　almost　silly　saying　it。
　〃And　how　would　you　explain　that　in　less　than　a　week　you　were　healed　of　wounds　that　should　have　killed　you？〃　She　straightened；　slinging　the　towel　over　one　shoulder；　not　bothering　to　cover　even　an　inch　of　her　body。
　〃I　don't　want　him　in　jail　for　something　he　didn't　do；〃　I　said。
　〃If　you　go　tonight；　the　police　will　want　to　know　how　you　healed　yourself。　What　are　you　going　to　tell　them？〃　Her　eyes　were　very　direct。　So　direct　it　made　me　want　to　squirm。
　〃You're　treating　me　like　a　lycanthrope　who　hasn't　e　out　of　the　closet　yet。　I'm　not　a　shapeshifter；　Cherry。〃
　She　dropped　her　gaze　then；　wouldn't　meet　my　eyes。　It　reminded　me　of　the　looks　they'd　all　given　each　other　in　the　room　where　I　woke　up。　I　touched　her　chin；　having　to　reach　up　to　do　it。　〃What　aren't　you　guys　telling　me？〃
　A　man's　voice　came　from　outside　the　showers。　〃Can　I　please　e　in　and　clean　off？〃　It　was　Micah。　I'd　planned　on　running　for　the　hills　the　next　time　I　saw　him；　but　there　was　something　in　Cherry's　eyes　that　kept　me　frozen。　She　was　scared。　And　there　was　something　else；　something　I　couldn't　quite　read。
　I　yelled　back；　〃Just　a　minute！〃　Then　I　continued；　〃Cherry；　tell　me。　Whatever　it　is；　just　tell　me。〃
　She　shook　her　head。　She　was　afraid；　but　of　what？　〃Are　you　afraid　of　me？〃　I　couldn't　keep　the　surprise　out　of　my　voice。
　She　nodded；　looking　down　again；　avoiding　my　gaze。
　〃I　would　never　hurt　you；　any　of　you。〃
　〃For　this　you　might；〃　she　whispered。
　I　grabbed　her　arm。　〃Cherry；　damn　it；　talk　to　me。〃
　She　opened　her　mouth；　closed　it；　and　turned　towards　the　door　a　second　before　Micah　Callahan　walked　through；　as　if　she'd　heard　him　before　I　had。　He　was　still　naked。　I　expected　to　be　embarrassed；　but　I　wasn't。　I　was　beginning　to　have　the　proverbial　bad　feeling　about　whatever　it　was　that　Cherry　didn't　want　to　tell　me。
　Micah　had　bed　his　hair。　It　was　definitely　curls；　not　waves。　The　curls　were　tight；　but　not　small。　The　color　was　that　shade　of　dark；　dark　brown　　almost　black　　that　es　to　people　who　start　out　white　blond　as　children；　then　darken。　The　curls　fell　to　just　below　his　shoulders；　and；　following　the　line　of　hair；　my　eyes　found　his　chest。　I　quickly　moved　them　up　so　I　could　concentrate　on　his　face。　Eye　contact。　That　was　the　ticket。　I　was　getting　back　to　the　embarrassment。
　〃I　told　you　we'd　be　out　in　a　minute。〃　My　voice　sounded　grumpy；　and　I　was　glad。　The　fact　that　I　was　sort　of　clutching　the　towel　to　my　body　was　purely　coincidental。
　〃I　heard　you；〃　he　said。　His　face；　voice；　were　neutral。　Not　as　neutral　as　a　vampire's　can　bee。　They　are　the　champs　of　blank　expression。　But　Micah　was　trying。
　〃Then　wait　outside　until　we're　finished；〃　I　said。
　〃Cherry　is　afraid　of　you；〃　he　said。
　I　frowned　at　him；　then　at　her。　〃Why；　for　God's　sake？〃
　Cherry　looked　at　him；　and　he　gave　a　small　nod。　She　moved　away　from　me　towards　the　door。　She　didn't　leave　the　room；　but　she　got　as　far　away　from　me　as　she　could。
　〃What　in　hell　is　going　on？〃　I　asked。
　Micah　was　standing　about　four　feet　away；　close；　but　not　too　close。　I　could　see　his　eyes　better　now；　and　they　were　so　not　human。　I　knew　at　a　glance　that　they　didn't　belong　in　his　face。　〃She's　afraid　you'll　kill　the　messenger；〃　he　said；　voice　soft。
　〃Look；　all　this　tap　dancing　is　getting　old。　Just　tell　me。〃
　He　nodded；　winced　as　if　it　hurt。　〃The　doctors　seem　to　think　that　you've　been　infected　with　lycanthropy。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃Serpentine　lycanthropy　isn't　really　lycanthropy。　It's　not　a　disease　that　I　can　catch。　You　either　are　cursed　by　a　witch　into　snake　form；　or　it's　inherited　like　a　swanmane。〃　That　made　me　think　of　the　three　women　I'd　last　seen　chained　to　a　wall　in　the　room　of　swords。　〃By　the　way；　what　happened　to　the　swanmanes　in　the　club？〃
　Micah　frowned。　〃I　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about。〃
　Without　warning；　Nathaniel　entered　the　shower。　I　was　beginning　to　feel　positively　overdressed　in　my　towel。　〃We　rescued　them。〃
　〃The　snake　leader　changed　his　mind　after　I　got　hurt？〃
　〃He　changed　it　after　Sylvie　and　Jamil　nearly　killed　him。〃
　Ah。　〃So　they're　okay；〃　I　said。
　He　nodded；　but　his　face　stayed　serious；　his　eyes　gentle；　like　someone　who's　about　to　tell　you　really　bad　news。
　〃Don't　you　start；　too。　I　cannot　catch　serpentine　shit。　It　doesn't　work　that　way。〃
　〃Gregory　isn't　into　serpentine　shit；〃　he　said；　the　voice　as　gentle　as　his　eyes。
　I　blinked　at　him。　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃
　Nathaniel　started　to　e　farther　into　the　room；　but　Cherry　caught　his　arm；　kept　him　near　the　door　for　a　quick　getaway　　I　think。　Zane　appeared　in　the　doorway　behind　them。　He　was　still　the　six…feet；　pale；　overly　thin；　but　muscular　guy　I'd　met　when　he　was　trashing　a　hospital　emergency　room。　But　he'd　dyed　his　hair　to　an　iridescent　pale　green；　cut　short；　spiked。　The　fact　that　he　was　fully　dressed　actually　looked　odd　to　me。　Of　course；　it　was　Zane's　version　of　street　clothes　that　ran　to　leather；　no　shirt；　and　vests。
　I　looked　at　the　three　of　them　in　the　doorway。　They　were　so　solemn。　I　remembered　Gregory　falling　into　me　during　the　fight。　His　claws　piercing　me。　〃I've　been　cut　up　a　lot　worse　by　a　wereleopard；　and　I　didn't　catch　it；〃　I　said。
　〃Dr。　Lillian　thinks　it　may　be　because　the　wound　was　a　deep　piercing　wound；　instead　of　a　surface　cut；〃　Cherry　said；　in　a　voice　that　was　almost　shaky。　She　was　scared；　scared　of　how　I'd　take　the　news；　or　scared　of　something　else；　but　what？
　〃I　am　not　going　to　be　Nimir…Ra　for　real；　guys。　I　can't　catch　lycanthropy。　If　I　could　。。。　I've　already　been　cut　up　enough　。。。　I'd　have　turned　furry　already。〃
　The　three　of　them　just　looked　at　me　with　wide　eyes。　I　turned　from　them　to　Micah。　His　face　was　still　neutral；　careful；　but　there　was　a　shadow　in　his　eyes　of　。。。　pity。　Pity？　I　did　not　do　pity；　not　as　the　object　of　it；　anyway。
　〃You're　serious；〃　I　said。
　〃You're　exhibiting　all　the　secondary　symptoms；〃　he　said。　〃Rapid　healing　to　the　point　that　your　muscles　cramp。　A　temperature　hot　enough　to　boil　the　brain　of　a　human。　Yet　when　they　lowered　your　temperature　you　nearly　died。　You　needed　to　bake　in　the　warmth；　the　heat　of　your　pard　to　heal。　That's　how　we　healed　you。　It　wouldn't　have　worked　if　you　weren't　one　of　us。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃I　don't　believe　you。〃
　〃That's　okay；〃　he　said；　〃you've　got　two　weeks　until　the　full　moon。　You　won't　change　for　the　first　time　until　then。　You've　got　time。〃
　〃Time　for　what？〃　I　asked。
　〃Time　to　mourn；〃　he　said。
　I　turned　away　from　the　passion　in　his　eyes；　the　pity。　Shit。　I　still　didn't　believe　it。　〃How　about　a　blood　test？　That　should　prove　it　one　way　or　the　other。〃
　Cherry　answered；　〃Wolf　lycanthropy　shows　up　in　the　bloodstream　anywhere　from　twenty…four　to　forty…eight　hours；　sometimes　seventy…two。　Leopard　lycanthropy；　most　of　the　big　cat　lycanthropies；　take　anywhere　from　seventy…two　hours　to　over　eight　days　to　show　up　in　the　bloodstream。　A　blood　test　won't　prove　anything　yet。〃
　I　stared　at　them；　trying　to　wrap　my　mind　around　it；　and　it　just　wouldn't　wrap。　I　shook　my　head。　〃I　can't　deal　with　this　right　now。〃
　〃You're　going　to　have　to　deal　with　it；〃　Micah　said。
　I　shook　my　head。　〃Tonight；　I　have　to　get　Jean…Claude　out　of　jail。　I　have　to　show　the　police　he　didn't　murder　me。〃
　〃Your　pard　told　me　that　you　wouldn't　want　to　be　outted。　That　you　wouldn't　want　your　police　friends　to　know。〃
　〃I　am　not　a　wereleopard；〃　I　said。　It　sounded　stubborn　even　to　me。
　Micah　smiled；　gently；　and　that　pissed　me　off。　〃Don't　look　at　me　like　that。〃
　〃Like　what？〃　he