lh.narcissusinchains-第41部分

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　I　nodded。　Asher's　thumb　continued　its　small　circle　on　my　hand；　and　it　made　things　low　in　my　body　tighten。　〃Sabin　started　to　rot　while　he　was　still　alive。〃　I　stared　into　Jean…Claude's　perfect　face。　〃Is　that　what　would　happen　to　you？〃
　He　sat　back　on　the　bed　in　his　black　robe。　Jason　had　moved　against　the　headboard　as　if　watching　a　show；　and　Nathaniel　still　lay　on　his　stomach　where　I'd　left　him；　watching　us　with　pale　eyes。　〃There　was　a　vampire　of　Belle's　lineage　who　renounced　the　lust。　He　took　only　animals；　as　well；　and　I　believe　would　have　rotted　as　Sabin　did；　but　he　did　not　have　the　time。　He　began　to　age　in　a　matter　of　days。　When　he　was　a　wizened　thing；　Belle　had　him　killed。〃
　〃But　you　haven't　aged；　what　have　you　been　doing？〃　It　wasn't　accusatory。　I　simply　wanted　to　know；　because　I　could　feel　Asher　on　the　end　of　my　hand　like　something　huge　and　。。。　like　something　I　couldn't　live　without。　I'd　wanted　Nathaniel；　I'd　wanted　Jason；　I'd　wanted　Micah；　but　not　like　this。　I　think　it　was　Jean…Claude's　feelings　that　made　this　so　much　more。
　〃It　is　possible　to　feed　from　a　distance　without　touching；〃　Jean…Claude　said。
　〃That's　why　a　strip　club　was　your　first　business。　You　were　feeding　off　the　lust。〃
　〃Oui；　ma　petite。〃
　〃Teach　me　to　feed　from　a　distance。〃　Even　as　I　said　distance　Asher　drew　my　hand　to　his　cheek　and　rubbed　against　it　like　a　cat。　I　had　to　close　my　eyes　for　a　second；　but　I　didn't　tell　him　to　stop。
　〃Feeding　from　a　distance　is　a　poor　substitute　for　a　true　feeding。〃
　I　opened　my　eyes　and　stared　at　him　across　the　room；　and　now　I　could　feel　him。　I　could　feel　his　need　　for　blood；　sex；　love；　and　the　touch　of　our　flesh　against　his。　He　wrapped　his　arms　around　his　body；　as　if　he　were　cold；　or　didn't　trust　himself　not　to　leave　the　bed　and　e　to　us。
　〃Teach　me　anyway；〃　I　said。
　〃I　cannot；　not　this　soon。　In　a　few　nights　I　will　instruct　you；　but　your　control　is　not　。。。　plete　enough　yet。〃
　I　started　to　say；　〃try　me；〃　but　Asher　drew　my　finger　into　his　mouth　in　one　long；　wet　line；　and　I　suddenly　couldn't　think。
　〃e　to　bed；　ma　petite；〃　Jean…Claude　said。　〃If　you　feed　here；　there　is　a　chance　you　may　be　sated　enough　that　you　will　not　press　our　so…stubborn　Richard。〃
　The　thought　was　enough　to　dim　the　desire　for　a　moment　or　two。　I　drew　my　hand　away　from　Asher；　and　he　didn't　protest。　The　sheer　horror　of　what　I'd　be　like　around　Richard　with　this　inside　me　helped　me　think。　Being　around　him　normally　made　me　want　sex；　but　now　。。。　〃My　God；　I'll　be　lucky　if　I　don't　just　strip　down　and　do　him　in　the　lupanar。〃　I　stared　at　Jean…Claude。　〃What　do　I　do？〃
　〃I　say　again；　ma　petite；　if　you　feed　now　off　of　such　rich　fare；　you　may　be　too　full　to　need　to　feed　again　so　soon。　It　is　all　I　can　offer　you　for　tonight。　You　could　simply　delay　the　meeting　for　a　few　nights。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃They'll　kill　Gregory。　I　have　to　get　him　out　tonight。〃
　〃Then　e　and　feed。〃
　〃Define　feed？〃
　〃Drink　their　lust；〃　he　said。
　I　looked　at　Jason　and　Nathaniel；　and　they　weren't　even　trying　for　neutral。　The　looks　on　their　faces　brought　heat　in　a　rush　up　my　face。　I　shook　my　head。
　〃You　do　not　have　to　have　intercourse　to　feed　from　them；　as　you　have　discovered。〃
　〃Aww；〃　Jason　said；　but　the　look　on　his　face　didn't　match　the　light　teasing　of　his　voice。　They　were　responding　to　my　need；　the　way　I'd　responded　for　so　long　to　Jean…Claude's；　drawn　like　a　moth　to　a　flame。　You　just　couldn't　help　wanting　to　touch　it；　even　when　you　knew　it　would　burn。
　Asher　stood。　〃I　will　leave　you　alone。　But　with　permission；　I　would　feed　on　Nathaniel　as　my　pomme　de　sang　for　the　day。〃
　〃No；〃　I　said。
　His　eyes　widened　just　a　touch；　face　going　neutral；　eyes　empty　and　cool　as　a　spring　sky。　I　felt　him　draw　away　from　me。　〃As　you　wish。〃　He　turned　for　the　door。
　I　grabbed　his　hand；　slid　my　fingers　between　his。　〃e　to　bed；　Asher。〃
　I'd　thought　his　face　was　as　blank　and　careful　as　it　could　get。　I　was　wrong。　His　voice　held　nothing　when　he　asked；　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃I　can't　give　you　back　what　you　had。　I　can't　even　give　you　。。。　〃　I　stopped　and　tried　again。　〃But　I　can　let　you　feed　together　again。〃
　〃How？〃
　〃If　Nathaniel　says　it's　okay；　you　can　take　blood　from　him；　and　Jean…Claude　will　take　blood　from　Jason。　You　can　feed　together。〃
　〃Do　you　know　how　intimate　a　thing　it　is　to　feed　together　on　your　pomme　de　sang？　A　pomme　de　sang　is　not　a　casual　feeding；　it　is　intimate；　to　be　shared　only　with　intimate　panions。〃
　I　entwined　my　fingers　around　his　hand。　〃I　know。〃　I　took　a　step　towards　the　bed；　drawing　him　with　me。　〃Let　us　feed　on　your　lust；　Asher；　as　in　days　of　old。〃
　Asher　stared　past　me　at　Jean…Claude。　〃The　last　time　two　fed　from　my　desire；　it　was　Belle　and　you。〃
　〃I　remember；〃　Jean…Claude　said　softly。
　He　held　his　hand　out　to　Asher　from　across　the　room；　and　I　was　reminded　of　him　reaching　for　Asher　all　those　centuries　ago。　〃Let　it　be　again　as　it　was　before；　but　better　this　time。　Anita　loves　you　as　you　are　now；　not　as　some　ideal　thing　like　a　butterfly　on　a　pin　to　be　tossed　aside　if　a　wing　falls　away。　e　to　us；　Asher；　e　to　us　both。〃
　Asher　smiled；　then　took　a　step　to　be　beside　me。　He　offered　me　his　arm　in　a　very　old…fashioned　gesture。　I　wanted　to　take　his　arm；　to　have　an　excuse　to　rub　my　body　against　his　as　we　walked；　and　that　was　why　I　asked；　〃How　about　the　use　of　your　robe；　as　well　as　your　hand？〃
　He　gave　a　low　and　perfect　bow；　so　low　that　his　hair　almost　swept　the　floor。　〃That　you　had　to　prompt　me　to　offer　you　my　robe　proves　I　am　not　a　gentleman。〃　He　slipped　it　off　as　he　stood；　and　held　it　for　me　like　a　coat。　Asher　is　six　feet；　so　the　sleeves　hung　over　my　hands　and　the　hem　pooled　around　my　feet。　I　pushed　the　sleeves　up　and　got　the　sash　tied；　but　the　only　thing　to　do　for　the　length　was　just　to　bundle　it　in　one　hand　like　you　would　an　overly　long　dress。　But　it　covered　almost　every　inch　of　me；　and　I　felt　better　for　it。　The　sweet　scent　of　Asher's　cologne　clung　to　the　robe；　and　that　soft；　masculine　scent　made　me　turn　back　to　him。　Made　my　eyes　seek　him　out。　Seeing　Asher　with　no　shirt　on　didn't　make　me　feel　better。　I　had　the　urge　to　caress　his　bare　skin；　to　lick　the　scars。　I　never　remembered　being　this　orally　fixated　before；　and　wondered　if　it　was　the　beast　talking　or　the　vampire。　But　to　ask　the　question　would　be　to　admit　the　desire；　and　I　didn't　want　to　know　that　badly。
　I　laid　my　hand　in　Asher's；　partially　because　he　was　holding　his　hand　out　to　me；　and　partially　because　even　that　small　touch　was　satisfying。　I　wanted　to　touch　him；　wanted　to　wrap　myself　around　him　and　answer　that　question　that　Jean…Claude　was　so　desperate　to　answer。　Was　all　this　beauty　and　heat　ruined？　Was　Asher　unable　to　function　as　a　man　now？　I　closed　my　eyes　as　he　led　me　forward；　because　the　visuals　were　just　too　strong。　Through　Jean…Claude　I　knew　exactly　what　Asher　had　looked　like　nude；　before　the　scars。　I　held　memories　of　his　body　bathed　in　firelight　as　he　lay　rampant　on　a　rug　in　a　room　in　a　country　that　I　had　never　seen。　I　knew　the　play　of　moonlight　on　his　back　as　I　touched　him。
　I　tripped　on　the　hem　of　the　robe；　and　he　had　to　catch　me　to　keep　me　from　falling。　I　was　suddenly　pressed　against　his　chest　with　the　feel　of　his　arms　solid　against　my　back。　My　face　was　suddenly　uptilted；　as　if　I　were　waiting　for　a　kiss；　and　there　was　one　of　those　moments　when　you　bee　aware　of　each　other　　painfully　and　suddenly　aware　of　the　possibilities　of　the　next　few　seconds。　He　picked　me　up　in　his　arms；　carrying　me　easily；　smoothly　forward。　I'd　have　told　him　to　put　me　down；　but　my　heart　had　filled　my　throat；　and　I　couldn't　speak　around　it。
　
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　ASHER　STRODE　TO　the　bed　and　laid　me　on　it；　leaning　over　Nathaniel's　nude　body　to　do　so。　I　lay　on　my　back　and　felt　movement　from　every　direction。　Jean…Claude　crawled　up　beside　me；　and　Jason　moved　down　beside　him　from　the　head　of　the　bed。　Nathaniel　rolled　over　until　we　were　lying　beside　each　other　with　him　on　his　side。　His　eyes　told　me　nothing；　except　he　would　not　say　no；　but　I　asked　anyway。
　〃Do　you　want　Asher　to　feed　from　you？〃
　〃Oh；　yes；〃　Nathaniel　said；　and　there　was　something　in　his　voice　that　I　rarely　heard　　surety。　In　this　moment　he　knew　what　he　wanted。　There　was　no　doubt　in　him；　and　the　strength　of　his　desire　made　him　。。。　stronger。
　Asher　slid　in　against　Nathaniel's　back；　so　that　their　bodies　spooned　together。　I　turned　in　time　to　see　Jean…Claude　mirror　the　movement　with　Jason。　Jason　reached　out；　touched　my　arm；　and　it　was　like　a　door　had　been　burst　open。　I　thought　I'd　felt　desire　before　this；　but　it　had　been　a　dim　echo。　It　roared　over　me　like　something　huge　and　burning；　except　this　fire　did　not　burn；　it　fed　me　energy；　as　if　I　were　not　the　wood　on　which　it　fed；　but　I　was　the　flame。　I　was　the　thing　that　fed　and　grew　and　consumed。
　I　found　Jason's　mouth　and　kissed　him；　kissed　him　with　lips　and　tongue　and　teeth；　biting　at　his　lips；　pulling　him　into　my　mouth。　And　his　body　was　suddenly　pressed　against　mine；　his　arms　pinning　me　to　him；　and　Nathaniel　slid　in　behind　my　back。　I　was　pinned　between　them；　and　I　didn't　care。
　My　leg　slid　over　Jason's　hip；　my　leg　touching　Jean…Claude　on　the　other　side　of　him。　Jason　was　suddenly　pressed　between　my　legs；　with　only　the　silk　of　his　shorts　between　us。　It　should　have　been　enough　to　stop　me；　but　it　wasn't。　I　needed　him。　Nathaniel　raised　my　hair；　bit　gently　at　the　back　of　my　neck；　and　a　sound　drew　from　my　throat。　The　two　of　them　fell　on　me；　hands；　mouths；　bodies；　like　they　were　fire　to　my　wood；　but　this　wood　drew　them　in；　drank　them；　almost。　Jason　pushed　against　me；　and　the　shorts　were　baggy　enough；　the　silk　thin　enough　that　he　entered　me。　The　barest　of　touches；　but　it　was　enough　to　bring　me　up　for　air；　to　make　me　draw　back　from　him。
　He　drew　back　enough　to　whisper；　〃Sorry。〃
　My　voice　sounded　as　breathless　as　his　when　I　said；　〃I'm　not　on　birth　control。〃
　Everyone　froze。　Jean…Claude　peered　over　Jason's　shoulder。　〃What　did　you　say；　ma　petite？〃
　〃I　stopped　taking　the　pill　six　months　ago。　I've　only　been　on　it　for　two　weeks。　No　guarantee　for　another　two　to　four　weeks。〃
　〃You　made　love　to　the　Nimir…Raj。〃
　〃He's　been　fixed。〃
　Asher　said；　〃She　did　what？〃
　Jean…Claude　looked　across　the　bed　at　him。　〃Her　hunger　woke　for　the　first　time　with　the　new　Nimir…Raj。　You　have　not　met　him。〃
　〃You　have；〃　Asher　said。
　〃Oui。〃
　Jason　was　looking　at　m