lh.narcissusinchains-第44部分

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d　the　panicked　thunder　of　our　pulses　beating　against　each　other's　bodies。
　Jean…Claude　and　Asher　pulled　back　from　Nathaniel　and　Jason　just　as　they'd　bitten　them　　together；　in　a　synchronization　as　perfect　now　as　it　had　been　two　centuries　ago。　Belle　Morte　filled　my　mind　with　images　　images　of　the　two　of　them　making　love　to　her　before　Asher　was　scarred；　when　they　were　her　perfectly　matched　pair。　I　had　a　confused　image　of　them　making　love　to　her　at　the　same　time。　The　feel　of　them　pushing　inside　her；　as　perfectly　aware　then　as　now　of　where　each　other's　bodies　were；　and　of　exactly　what　they　would　do。　She　missed　them；　and　it　was　partially　my　love　of　Asher；　my　seeing　him　as　beautiful；　that　made　her　regret。　The　sharing　wasn't　only　one　way；　she　was　getting　my　feelings；　too。　But　I　was　myself　again。　The　desire　had　been　well　fed；　sated；　so　now　I　could　do　what　I　did　best。
　I　called　my　magic；　pulled　it　around　me　like　a　breath　of　cool　wind　against　my　sweat…soaked　skin。　Nathaniel　and　Jason　pulled　back　from　me；　eyes　still　unfocused。
　Jean…Claude　and　Asher　raised　up　above　each　of　the　smaller　men；　their　eyes　as　out　of　focus　as　the　lycanthropes'；　but　Jean…Claude　said；　〃Ma　petite；　what　。。。　〃
　I　reached　for　him。　〃Take　my　hand。〃
　〃Ma　petite　。。。　〃
　〃Now！〃
　Belle's　power　cut　through　me　like　a　whip　in　a　practiced　hand。　She'd　been　using　it　to　tickle　my　skin；　now　she　meant　it　to　hurt。　I　writhed　on　the　bed；　only　Jason's　and　Nathaniel's　weight　keeping　me　from　flailing。　My　vision　was　being　consumed　by　brown　flames。
　A　hand　in　mine；　cool　flesh；　and　the　moment　Jean…Claude　touched　me　I　could　see　again。　I　was　his　human　servant；　he　was　my　master；　we　were　part　of　a　triumvirate　of　power。　If　Richard　had　been　here　we　could　have　chased　her　back　to　the　hell　she　crawled　out　of。　I　sent　the　call　in　my　head；　screaming　psychically　for　Richard；　but　the　answer　came　against　my　skin。　Jason　stared　at　me；　confused。　He　said；　〃Anita　。。。　〃　I　felt　Richard's　power　in　Jason；　the　link　of　their　pack。　The　power　of　the　triumvirate　leaped　between　Jean…Claude's　hand；　my　hand；　and　Jason's　body。　It　would　work；　it　had　to　work；　because　I　could　feel　Belle　Morte　rising　inside　me　again；　and　I　wasn't　sure　I　had　it　in　me　to　chase　her　back。
　I　drew　my　necromancy　like　a　great　dark　cloud；　a　storm　ready　to　break；　filling　the　room　with　the　tingling　brush　of　magic。　Nathaniel　drew　back；　whispered；　〃Nimir…Ra。〃
　The　power　pressed　like　lightning　in　a　bottle；　but　the　bottle　was　my　body；　and　there　was　no　release　without　one　more　thing　。。。　blood。　The　last　time　we'd　done　overt　triumvirate　magic　I'd　asked　the　boys　to　give　me　blood；　watched　as　Jean…Claude　had　sunk　fangs　into　Richard　for　the　first　time；　but　not　today。　Today　I　needed　the　blood；　I　wanted　the　blood。　I　would　not　share。
　I　used　my　free　hand　to　lower　Jason's　face　towards　me；　but　I　didn't　kiss　him。　My　mouth　moved　down　the　side　of　his　cheek；　and　I　whispered；　〃I　need　blood；　Jason。　Say　yes。〃
　He'd　been　holding　himself　off　of　me　with　his　arms；　but　he　whispered；　〃Yes；〃　and　collapsed　his　upper　body　across　my　breasts；　his　hand　sliding　along　my　stomach　as　if　he　meant　to　do　other　things。　I　could　smell　the　blood　just　below　the　surface　of　his　neck；　could　taste　his　pulse　like　candy　on　my　tongue；　and　I　bit　him。　I　wasn't　a　vampire。　There　were　no　mind　tricks　to　make　it　pleasant。　We　weren't　having　sex　anymore；　there　was　no　distraction；　only　my　teeth　tearing　his　flesh；　his　blood　pouring　into　my　mouth；　and　the　moment　the　blood　poured　over　me　the　necromancy　flared　and　I　pushed　it　into　that　honeyed　touch。　She　laughed　at　me；　at　us；　then　the　laughter　stopped；　because　she　felt　the　push　of　my　power。　I　was　a　necromancer；　and　she　was　just　another　kind　of　vampire。　My　magic　didn't　differentiate　between　her　and　any　other　corpse。　I　shoved　her　out；　cast　her　back；　locked　her　outside　us。　I'd　been　training　in　witchcraft　this　year；　so　I　bound　her　from　us；　bound　her　from　harming　us　in　any　way；　bound　her　from　contacting　us　through　her　power。　My　last　thought　to　her　was；　If　you　want　to　find　out　what　the　fuck　is　going　on；　pick　up　a　phone。　Then　she　was　gone。
　
　19
　
　I　WAS　NAKED　again。　It　seemed　to　be　a　theme　that　night。　The　five　of　us　lay　in　a　heap；　breathing　hard；　bodies　tingling；　with　that　rush　that　magic　will　leave　behind　sometimes　　where　you　feel　both　tired　and　exhilarated　at　the　same　time　　sort　of　like　sex。　Asher　and　Nathaniel　lay　on　the　bed　just　out　of　my　reach。　My　mouth；　chin；　and　neck　were　covered　in　Jason's　blood。　He　lay　with　his　head　on　my　chest；　his　head　turned　so　I　could　see　the　neck　wound。　I'd　marked　Nathaniel　and　Micah；　but　there　was　a　piece　of　meat　missing　from　Jason's　neck。　It　wasn't　a　big　piece；　but　it　was　a　missing　piece　of　flesh；　nonetheless。
　I　swallowed　hard；　taking　deep；　even　breaths。　I　would　not　throw　up。　I　would　not　throw　up。　I　would　not　throw　up。　I　was　going　to　throw　up。　I　pushed　everyone　off　the　bed　and　ran　for　the　bathroom。　I　threw　up；　and　the　flesh　　about　the　size　of　a　fifty…cent　piece　　came　up　just　like　it　had　gone　down　　whole。　There　was　something　about　seeing　it；　about　having　my　worst　fears　confirmed　that　brought　nausea　in　a　burning　wave。　I　threw　up　until　I　thought　my　head　would　explode　and　I　was　dry　heaving。
　There　was　a　knock　on　the　door。　〃Ma　petite；　may　I　e　in？〃　He　hadn't　asked　if　I　was　alright。　Smart　vampire。　I　didn't　answer　him；　just　stayed　kneeling　with　my　head　against　the　cool　bathtub　edge；　wondering　if　I　was　going　to　throw　up　again　or　my　head　would　fall　off　first。　My　head　hurt　worse　than　my　stomach。
　I　heard　the　door　open。　〃Ma　petite？〃
　〃I'm　here；〃　I　said；　my　voice　sounding　thick；　as　if　I'd　been　crying。　I　kept　my　head　down。　I　didn't　want　to　see　him；　or　anyone。
　I　saw　the　edge　of　the　black　robe；　then　more　of　it　as　he　knelt　down　in　front　of　me。　〃Is　there　anything　I　can　get　you？〃
　A　dozen　answers　flew　through　my　mind；　most　of　them　sarcastic；　but　I　settled　for；　〃Some　aspirin　and　a　toothbrush。〃
　〃You　could　ask　me　to　cut　my　heart　out　at　this　moment；　and　I　might　do　it。　Instead　you　ask　for　aspirin　and　a　toothbrush。〃　He　leaned　in　and　laid　the　gentlest　of　kisses　on　the　top　of　my　head。　〃I　will　get　what　you　ask。〃　He　stood；　and　again　I　heard　a　drawer　opening　and　closing。
　I　looked　up　and　watched　him　move　efficiently　around　the　bathroom；　setting　out　a　bottle　of　aspirin　and　a　toothbrush　and　a　choice　of　toothpastes。　It　was　absurdly　domestic；　and　the　black…furred　robe　didn't　fit　the　part。　Jean…Claude　looked　like　someone　who　should　have　servants；　and　he　did。　But　mostly　around　me　he'd　always　done　for　himself；　and　for　me。　When　I　wasn't　around　he　probably　had　fifty　dancing　girls　waiting　on　him　hand　and　foot。　But　with　me；　it　was　often　just　him。
　He　brought　me　the　aspirin　and　a　glass　of　water。　I　took　them；　and　there　was　a　moment　when　I　wasn't　sure　my　stomach　would　keep　them　down；　but　it　passed。　Jean…Claude　helped　me　stand；　and　I　let　him。　It　wasn't　just　that　my　legs　were　shaky　　though　they　were　　it　was　more　like　all　of　me　was　shaky；　uncertain。
　I　started　to　shiver　and　couldn't　stop。　Jean…Claude　held　me　against　his　robe　in　the　circle　of　his　arms。　My　breast　hurt　where　it　rubbed　against　the　cloth。　I　pulled　back　enough　to　look　down　at　my　body。　There　was　a　perfect　imprint　of　Nathaniel's　teeth　encircling　my　breast　around　the　areola。　He'd　only　drawn　blood　in　a　few　places；　but　the　rest　was　a　deep　red…purple。　It　was　going　to　be　a　hell　of　a　bruise　if　my　body　didn't　heal　it　first。
　Jean…Claude　traced　his　finger　across　the　upper　part　of　the　bite　mark；　and　I　winced。　〃Why　is　it　things　like　this　never　hurt　while　you're　doing　them？〃
　〃The　question　is　its　own　answer；　ma　petite。〃
　Strangely；　I　understood　what　he　meant。　〃It's　almost　a　mirror　of　what　I　did　to　his　chest。〃
　〃Nathaniel　is　being　cautious；　I　think。〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃He　did　nothing　to　you　that　you　had　not　done　to　him　first。〃
　〃I　thought　they　were　both　carried　away　with　the　ardeur　and　Belle　Morte。〃
　〃The　first　time　you　feel　the　call　of　her　power　it　is　heady　stuff。　But　the　fact　Jason　did　something　that　he　knew　you　would　not　allow；　and　Nathaniel　didn't；　may　mean　that　Nathaniel　has　more　control　of　himself　than　Jason　does。〃
　〃I　would　have　thought　it　was　the　other　way　around。〃
　〃I　know；〃　he　said；　and　the　way　he　said　it　made　me　look　at　him。
　〃What's　that　supposed　to　mean？〃
　〃It　means；　ma　petite；　that　you　may　know　Nathaniel's　heart's　desire；　but　I　do　not　think　you　truly　know　him。〃
　〃He　doesn't　know　himself；〃　I　said。
　〃In　part　that　is　true；　but　I　think　he　will　surprise　you。〃
　〃Are　you　hiding　something　from　me？〃
　〃About　Nathaniel；　no。〃
　I　sighed。　〃You　know　on　another　day　I'd　make　you　tell　me　what　that　cryptic　remark　meant；　but　damn　it；　I　want　a　little　fort　from　someone　right　now；　and　I　guess　you're　it。〃
　His　eyebrows　raised。　〃When　you　ask　in　so　flattering　a　manner；　how　can　I　refuse？〃
　〃No　games；　please；　Jean…Claude；　please；　just　hold　me。〃
　He　drew　me　back　into　the　circle　of　his　arms；　and　I　moved　so　that　the　bite　mark　wasn't　hurting；　or　rather　wasn't　hurting　more　than　it　already　did。　It　had　turned　into　a　throbbing　pain；　sharp　when　touched。　It　did　hurt；　but　a　part　of　me　found　that　satisfying。　It　was　a　confirmation　of　what　we'd　done；　a　painful　souvenir　of　something　that　had　been　amazing。　If　my　morals　hadn't　gotten　in　the　way；　I　could　have　just　marveled　at　the　whole　thing。
　〃Why　am　I　pleased　that　Nathaniel　marked　me？〃　I　asked　it　in　a　small　voice；　because　I　wasn't　a　hundred　percent　sure　Jean…Claude　shouldn't　have　been　jealous　about　it。
　He　stroked　my　hair；　as　his　other　arm　held　me　close。　〃I　can　think　of　many　reasons。〃　His　voice　vibrated　through　his　chest　against　my　ear；　mingling　with　the　sound　of　his　heartbeat。
　〃One　that　makes　sense　to　me　would　be　enough；〃　I　said。
　〃Ah；　one　that　makes　sense　to　you；　now　that　is　a　different　question。〃
　I　squeezed　my　arms　around　his　waist。　〃No　games；　remember；　just　tell　me。〃
　〃It　could　be　that　you　are　truly　being　his　Nimir…Ra。〃　His　arm　tightened　around　me。　〃I　do　feel　something　different　in　you；　ma　petite；　some　wildness　that　was　not　there　before。　It　does　not　feel　like　Richard's　beast　feels；　but　it　is　a　difference。　It　may　simply　be　that　as　Nathaniel's　Nimir…Ra　you　want　closer　contact　with　him。〃
　It　made　sense。　It　was　hard　to　argue　with　the　logic　of　it；　but　I　wanted　to。　〃What　could　be　the　other　reasons？〃
　〃Belle　Morte　treated　you　a