lh.narcissusinchains-第28部分

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　〃It　doesn't　matter；　Richard。　I　can't　stand　by　and　watch　Gregory　die；　not　for　something　stupid　like　this。〃
　〃Will　you　try　to　save　one　of　your　cats　and　risk　losing　them　all？　Do　you　really　want　to　see　what　would　happen　if　they　tried　to　fight　their　way　out　of　the　lupanar；　through　the　pack？　I　wouldn't　want　to　see　it。〃
　〃This　is　。。。　damn　it；　Richard；　don't　put　me　in　a　corner；　you　won't　like　it。〃
　〃Is　that　a　threat？〃
　〃Richard　。。。　〃　I　had　to　stop　in　mid…sentence　and　count　slowly　under　my　breath。　But　counting　to　ten　wasn't　going　to　do　it；　maybe　a　bijillion。　〃Richard；〃　my　voice　came　out　calmer；　〃I　will　save　Gregory；　whatever　it　takes。　I　will　not　let　the　wolves　slaughter　my　leopards；　whatever　that　takes。　You　lost　your　temper　and　took　one　of　my　leopards。　You　made　your　pack　a　freaking　democracy；　where　you　don't　even　have　presidential　veto。　Are　you　really　going　to　pound　the　mistakes　by　starting　a　war　between　your　pack　and　my　pard？〃
　〃I　still　think　that　everyone　having　a　voice　is　a　good　idea。〃
　〃It's　a　great　idea；　but　it's　not　working；　is　it？〃　He　was　quiet　again。　〃Richard；　don't　do　this。〃
　〃It's　out　of　my　hands。　I'm　sorry；　Anita；　you　don't　know　how　sorry。〃
　〃Richard；　you　won't　really　let　them　execute　Gregory。　I　mean；　not　really。〃
　Silence　again。
　〃Richard；　talk　to　me。〃
　〃I'll　do　what　I　can；　but　I've　lost　the　vote　on　it。　I　can't　change　that。〃
　〃Can　you　really　stand　by　and　watch　him　die　for　something　he　didn't　do？〃
　〃How　do　you　know　he　didn't　infect　you　on　purpose？〃
　〃I　was　there。　He　fell　on　top　of　me　with　two　of　the　snake　things　riding　him。　It　was　an　accident。　He　kept　them　from　cutting　out　my　heart。　He　saved　my　life；　Richard；　and　this　is　damn　poor　payment。〃
　〃He　couldn't　have　turned　his　claws　aside　at　the　last　minute？〃　Richard　asked。
　〃No；　it　all　happened　too　fast。〃
　He　laughed；　but　it　was　bitter。　〃You've　been　around　us　so　long；　and　you　still　don't　understand　what　we　are。　I　could　turn　aside　in　less　than　a　blink　of　an　eye。　Gregory　isn't　slower　than　I　am。　As　a　leopard　he's　quicker；　more　agile。〃
　〃Are　you　saying　he　did　this　on　purpose？〃
　〃I'm　saying　that　he　had　a　fraction　of　a　second　to　decide　what　he'd　do；　and　he　decided　to　keep　you　as　their　Nimir…Ra。　He　made　the　choice　to　take　you　from　me。〃
　〃And　you're　going　to　make　him　pay　for　that。　Is　that　it？〃
　〃Yeah；　that's　it。〃
　〃With　his　life？〃
　He　sighed。　〃I　don't　want　him　dead；　Anita。　But　when　I　first　found　out　what　he'd　done；　I　wanted　to　kill　him　myself。　I　wanted　it　so　badly　I　didn't　trust　myself　around　him；　so　I　had　him　taken　somewhere　safe　until　I　could　cool　down。　But　Jacob　got　wind　of　it；　and　forced　a　vote。〃
　〃Who's　Jacob？〃
　〃My　new　Geri；　third　in　charge　behind　Sylvie。〃
　〃I've　never　heard　of　him　before。〃
　〃He's　new。〃
　〃Damn；　third　in　line；　and　he's　new。　He's　either　a　very　good　fighter；　or　a　very　vicious　one；　to　win　that　many　fights　in　less　than　half　a　year。〃
　〃He's　good；　and　he's　vicious。〃
　〃Is　he　ambitious？〃　I　asked。
　〃Why？〃
　〃If　Jacob　hadn't　forced　a　vote；　would　you　have　given　Gregory　back　to　me？
　He　remained　quiet　so　long；　that　I　finally　asked；　〃You　still　there？〃
　〃I'm　here。　Yes；　I　would　have　given　him　back　to　you。　I　can't　kill　him　for　what　he's　done。〃
　〃So　Jacob　set　in　motion　something　that's　stripped　you　of　a　powerful　ally　　me　　and　forced　you　to　declare　war　on　another　group　　the　wereleopards。　He's　been　a　busy　boy。〃
　〃He's　just　doing　what　he　thinks　is　right。〃
　〃Jesus；　Richard；　how　can　you　still　be　this　naive？〃
　〃You　think　he　wants　my　job？〃
　〃You　know　he　wants　your　job。　I　can　hear　it　in　your　voice。〃
　〃If　I'm　not　strong　enough　to　hold　the　pack；　then　it's　Jacob's　prerogative　to　challenge　me。　But　he's　got　to　defeat　Sylvie　first；　and　she's　as　good　as　he　is　　and　as　vicious。〃
　〃How　big　is　Jacob？〃
　〃My　size；　not　as　muscled。〃
　〃Sylvie　is　good；　but　she's　five　six；　and　slender；　and　a　woman。　And　as　much　as　I　hate　to　say　it；　that　makes　a　difference。　Pound　for　pound　you　guys　have　the　upper　body　strength　on　us。　If　the　skill　is　equal；　a　larger　person　will　beat　a　smaller　one。〃
　〃Don't　underestimate　Sylvie；〃　he　said。
　〃Don't　overestimate　her；　either。　She's　my　friend；　too；　and　I　don't　want　her　dead　just　because　you're　not　willing　to　take　care　of　business。〃
　〃What's　that　supposed　to　mean？〃
　〃It　means　until　he　defeats　Sylvie　and　bees　Freki；　your　second　in　mand；　you　can　kill　him　outside　of　a　challenge。　You　can　have　him　executed。〃
　〃And　if　Marcus　had　thought　that　about　me；　I'd　be　dead　now。〃
　〃And　Marcus　would　be　alive；　Richard。　You're　not　helping　your　case。〃
　〃We　aren't　animals；　Anita；　we're　people。　And　I　can't　just　kill　him　because　I　think　he's　after　my　job。〃
　〃You　don't　just　stand　down　as　Ulfric；　Richard；　you　fight　to　the　death　for　it。　I　know　theoretically　if　you　both　agree；　it　doesn't　have　to　be　death。　But　I've　been　asking　around；　and　no　werewolf　I've　talked　to　can　remember　a　fight　for　Ulfric　that　wasn't　to　the　death。　He's　not　after　your　job；　Richard；　he's　after　your　life。〃
　〃I　can't　control　what　Jacob　does；　only　what　I　do。〃
　I　was　beginning　to　remember　why　Richard　and　I　didn't　make　a　go　of　it　as　a　couple。　Oh；　there　had　been　a　lot　of　reasons。　I'd　seen　him　eat　Marcus；　and　that　had　made　me　run　away。　Then　we　got　back　together；　and　the　marks　were　overwhelming。　But　there　were　other　reasons。　Reasons　that　made　me　feel　tired　and　older　than　Richard；　even　though　he　was　actually　two　years　older　than　me。　〃You're　being　stupid；　Richard。〃
　〃It's　not　really　any　of　your　business；　Anita。　You're　not　my　lupa　anymore。〃
　〃If　you　die；　the　marks　may　drag　Jean…Claude　and　me　down　to　die　with　you；　so　that　sort　of　makes　it　my　business。〃
　〃And　you　don't　risk　your　life　every　time　you　go　hunting　vampires　or　preternatural　creatures　with　the　police？　You　almost　died　in　New　Mexico　less　than　a　month　ago。　You　risked　all　of　us。〃
　〃I　was　trying　to　save　people's　lives；　Richard。　You're　trying　to　remake　a　political　system。　Ideology　is　great　in　a　classroom　or　a　debate；　but　it's　flesh　and　blood　that　counts；　Richard。　It's　life　and　death　we're　talking　about　here；　not　some　outdated　ideal　you　have　in　your　head　about　what　a　better　world　you　can　make　for　the　pack。〃
　〃If　ideals　mean　nothing；　Anita；　then　we　are　just　animals。〃
　〃Richard；　if　Gregory　dies　for　this；　then　I　will　kill　Jacob；　and　anyone　else　who　gets　in　my　way。　I'll　destroy　your　lupanar　and　salt　the　ground；　so　help　me。　You　explain　to　Jacob；　and　anyone　else　that　needs　convincing；　that　if　they　fuck　with　me；　they　will　die。〃
　〃You　can't　fight　the　entire　pack；　Anita。　Not　and　win。〃
　〃If　you　think　the　only　thing　I　care　about　is　winning；　then　you　don't　know　me　at　all。　I　will　save　Gregory　because　I　said　I　would。〃
　〃If　you　fail　the　tests；　you　can't　save　him。〃
　〃What　sort　of　tests　are　we　talking　about？〃
　〃Ones　that　only　a　shapeshifter　could　pass。〃
　〃Richard；　Richard　。。。　〃　I　wanted　to　scream　and　rant　at　him；　but　I　was　suddenly　more　tired　than　angry；　more　discouraged　than　enraged。　〃Mark　me　on　this；　Richard；　if　I　fail　to　save　Gregory；　then　I　will　remake　heaven　into　hell　to　avenge　him。　You　explain　that　to　Jacob；　make　sure　he　understands。〃
　〃Tell　him　yourself。〃　There　was　silence　and　the　sound　of　movement。　Then　a　man's　voice　came　on；　a　voice　that　I'd　never　heard　before。　The　voice　was　pleasant；　young；　but　not　too　young。
　〃Hello；　I'm　Jacob；　I've　heard　a　lot　about　you。〃　His　voice　made　it　plain　that　he　hadn't　liked　what　he'd　heard。
　〃Look；　Jacob；　we　don't　know　each　other；　but　I　cannot　allow　you　to　kill　Gregory　for　something　he　didn't　do。〃
　〃The　only　way　you　can　stop　us　is　by　winning　him　back。〃
　〃Richard　explained　that　I'd　have　to　pass　a　test　to　get　Gregory　back。　He　also　said　if　I　failed　that　you'd　execute　Gregory。〃
　〃It's　pack　law。〃
　〃Jacob；　you　don't　want　to　make　me　your　enemy。〃
　〃You　are　Nimir…Ra　of　a　small　leopard　pard。　We　are　the　Thronnos　Rokke　Clan。　We　are　the　lukoi；　and　you　are　nothing　to　us。〃
　〃Yeah；　I'm　ing　tomorrow　night　as　Nimir…Ra　of　the　Blooddrinker's　Pard。　But　I'm　Anita　Blake。　Ask　the　vampires　and　other　shapeshifters　around　town　about　me。　See　what　they　say。　You　don't　want　to　fuck　with　me；　Jacob；　you　really　don't。〃
　〃I've　already　asked　around。　I　know　your　reputation。〃
　〃Then　why　are　you　pushing　this？〃
　〃That's　my　business；〃　he　said。
　〃Fine；　you　want　to　do　this；　we　can　do　this。　If　you　cause　Gregory's　death　through　voting　or　werewolf　politics；　I　will　bury　you。〃
　〃If　you　can；〃　he　said。　〃You're　a　brand…new　shapeshifter。　You　won't　even　change　form　until　the　full　moon；　and　that's　weeks　away。　You　are　no　match　for　me。〃
　〃You　say　that　like　I'm　going　to　offer　to　fight　you　one…on…one。　I'm　not。　If　Gregory　dies；　you　die。　Simple　as　that。〃
　〃If　you　shoot　me；　it　won't　reinstate　you　into　the　pack。　If　you　could　possibly　win　one…on…one　against　me；　then　maybe　they'd　vote　you　back　to　lupa。　But　if　you　just　shoot　me；　you'll　never　be　lupa　again。〃
　〃I'm　going　to　say　this　nice　and　slow；　Jacob；　so　we　understand　each　other。　I　don't　give　a　shit　about　being　lupa。　I　care　about　my　friends；　and　the　people　I've　promised　to　protect。　Gregory　is　one　of　those　people。　If　he　dies；　you　die。〃
　〃I'm　not　going　to　kill　him；　Anita。　I　just　made　sure　there　was　a　vote　about　it。〃
　〃Do　you　like　John　Wayne　movies；　Jacob？〃
　He　was　quiet　for　a　heartbeat。　〃I　guess；　I　mean；　what　does　that　have　to　do　with　anything？〃
　〃Your　fault；　my　fault；　nobody's　fault；　if　Gregory　dies；　you　die。〃
　〃Am　I　supposed　to　get　the　movie　reference？〃　he　asked。　He　sounded　angry　now。
　〃I　guess　not；　but　the　point　is　this。　I　will　blame　you　personally　if　anything　happens　to　Gregory；　for　any　reason。　If　he　es　to　harm；　so　will　you。　If　he　bleeds；　so　do　you。　If　he　dies　。。。　〃
　〃I　get　the　idea。　But　I　don't　have　a　deciding　vote　on　this　issue。　I'm　just　one　vote。〃
　〃Then　you　better　think　of　something；　Jacob。　Because　I　give　you　my　word　that　I　mean　everything　I　say。〃
　〃I　heard　that　about　you。〃　He　was　quiet；　and　we　stood　on　either　end　of　the　phone　in　silence；　until　he　said；　〃What　about　Richard？〃
　〃What　about　him？〃
　〃If　something　happens　to　him　what　will　you　do？〃
　〃If　I　tell　you　that　I'll　kill　you　if　you　kill　him；　that　undercuts　his　authority　as　Ulfric。　But　I'll　say　this　much；　if　you　defeat　him；　then　it　better　be　a　fair　fight　in　a　challenge　circle。　If　you　cheat　in　any　way；　no　matter　how　small；　I'll　kill　you。〃　I　wanted　so　badly　to　just　give