lh.narcissusinchains-第48部分

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　I　gave　him　wide　eyes。
　〃If　you　fight　it；　ma　petite；　it　grows。　If　it　grows　large　enough；　then　you　may　indeed　turn　into　slut…girl。　If　you　give　in　and　feed　immediately；　then　you　will　have　sex　with　one　person；　not　several；　and　it　will　be　more　a　person　of　your　choosing。〃
　〃So　the　real　advice　is；　keep　the　men　I　prefer　within　easy　reach。〃
　〃I　would　make　Nathaniel；　or　someone　of　your　choosing；　your　constant　panion。〃
　I　swallowed　hard　and　searched　his　face；　but　it　was　pleasantly　blank　　his　expression　when　he　didn't　want　me　to　know　what　he　was　thinking。　His　eyes　had　bled　back　to　normal。
　Something　occurred　to　me。　〃I　haven't　seen　Damian　around。〃
　〃I　speak　of　sex；　and　you　think　of　Damian。〃　His　voice　was　still　pleasant　but　the　words　held　something　harsh。
　〃You　give　me　this　list　of　people　to　sleep　with；　and　not　to　sleep　with；　but　you　leave　him　off　either　list。　And　he　wasn't　at　the　club；　and　he　didn't　e　to　the　bedroom；　attracted　by　the　power　like　Asher。　Where　is　he？〃
　Jean…Claude　rubbed　his　hands　over　his　face。　〃I　was　going　to　tell　you；　then　you　decided　you　wanted　no　more　hard　truths　today。〃　He　lowered　his　hands　and　looked　at　me。
　〃He's　alive；　I'd　know　it　if　he　wasn't。〃
　〃Yes；　I　believe　you　would。　There　was　a　time　when　my　first　master　made　my　heart　beat。　Her　power　suffused　me；　made　me　live。　But　her　power　came　from　her　Master　of　the　City；　so　it　was　in　reality　his　power　that　filled　me。　Each　master　vampire　that　I　belonged　to　demanded　blood　oaths；　and　each　one　in　turn　made　my　blood　course；　my　heart　move。　Then　Belle；　herself；　the　head　of　my　line；　brought　me　in；　and　she　filled　me。　She　was　like　the　pounding　of　the　ocean；　and　all　others　before　her　were　but　rivers　seeking　to　drown　in　her　embrace。　Gradually；　I　filled　with　my　own　power。　But　even　now　it　is　her　lineage　that　makes　me　live。　The　power　that　made　her　is　what　keeps　me　alive。　Damian　is　descended　from　her　line；　not　from　Belle　herself；　but　from　one　of　her　children；　as　I　am。　I　am　Master　of　the　City　and　the　power　that　animates　me；　animates　Damian。　When　he　took　the　oaths　that　bound　him　to　me；　that　made　him　loyal　to　me；　it　became　my　power　that　filled　him；　my　power　that　made　his　heart　beat。　And　I　broke　the　tie　with　She　who　made　him。〃
　〃You　make　all　the　vampires　under　you　alive？〃　I　made　it　a　question。
　〃The　power　es　through　me；　yes；　but　only　if　they　are　of　my　line；　my　lineage。　If　they　are　descended　from　other　than　Belle's　children；　then　no；　the　blood　oaths　do　not　bind　as　tightly。〃
　〃What　about　Asher？　You　don't　make　his　heart　beat。〃
　He　nodded。　〃Very　good；　ma　petite。　No；　I　do　not。　A　Master　Vampire　is　a　vampire　that　has　bee　enough　of　a　power　that　they　fill　themselves　up。　It　is　one　of　the　things　that　being　a　master　means；　and　one　of　the　reasons　that　many　of　the　older　vampire　masters　still　kill　their　children　when　they　feel　that　tie　break。〃
　〃You're　volunteering　an　awful　lot　of　information；　and　don't　think　I'm　not　grateful；　it's　fascinating；　but　what　does　this　all　have　to　do　with　Damian？〃
　〃You　have　raised　Damian　from　his　coffin　once；　filling　him　with　your　necromancy　like　a　zombie。　You　have　saved　his　life　twice　with　your　necromancy。　You　have　forged　a　tie　between　him　and　you。〃
　Actually；　I　knew　that；　but　out　loud　I　said；　〃He　said　that　he　couldn't　tell　me　no　if　I　gave　him　a　direct　order。　That　he　wanted　to　serve　me。　It　scared　him。〃
　〃It　should　have。〃
　〃I　didn't　mean　to　do　it；　Jean…Claude。　I　didn't　even　know　it　was　possible。〃
　〃Legends　speak　of　necromancers　that　could　control　all　types　of　undead；　not　merely　zombies。　It　was　at　one　time　Council　policy　to　slay　all　necromancers　on　sight。〃
　〃Gee；　glad　the　policy　changed。〃
　〃Yes；〃　he　said。　〃But　you　severed　my　tie　with　Damian。　I　did　not　realize　it　at　first；　but　when　he　returned　from　Tennessee；　it　was　not　my　power　that　made　his　heart　beat；　it　was　yours。〃
　I　remembered　feeling　that　in　Tennessee；　feeling　the　tie　between　us。　〃It　wasn't　done　deliberately；〃　I　said。
　〃I　know　that；　but　you　left　me　with　a　problem　when　you　went　away　for　over　half　a　year。　Damian　is　over　a　thousand　years　old。　Though　not　a　Master　Vampire；　he　is　still　powerful。　He　no　longer　had　ties　to　any　vampire　hierarchy。　It　freed　him　of　all　blood　oaths；　of　all　mystically　bound　loyalties。　He　was　yours；　but　you　did　not　e　to　claim　him。〃
　〃You　should　have　told　me。〃
　〃And　what　would　you　have　done？　Taken　him　home　to　live　in　your　basement？　You　did　not　have　the　power　or　control　six　months　ago　to　deal　with　him。〃
　〃Now　I　do。　Is　that　what　you're　saying？〃
　〃You　cast　out　Belle　Morte。　One　of　the　most　powerful　of　the　Council。　If　you　can　do　that；　ma　petite；　then　you　can　handle　Damian。〃
　〃This　is　all　great；　but　where　is　Damian？〃
　〃I　could　no　longer　count　on　his　loyalty。　I　no　longer　controlled　him；　do　you　understand；　ma　petite？　I　had　a　vampire　that　was　more　than　twice　my　age；　and　could　not　control　him。　It　both　made　me　look　weak　in　others'　eyes　when　I　could　not　afford　to　appear　weak；　and　it　was　dangerous；　because　he　knew　when　you　healed　over　your　aura　and　shielded　so　tight。　It　wasn't　only　Richard　and　me　who　felt　the　loss　of　you。　You　cut　Damian　off；　and　he　went　a　little　。。。　mad。〃
　I　was　scared　now；　my　heart　beginning　to　climb　up　my　throat。　〃Where　is　Damian？〃
　〃First；　ma　petite；　understand　that　you　cannot　take　him　with　you　tonight　because　to　tend　him　will　be　a　full…time　job　for　the　first　few　hours。〃
　〃Just　tell　me；〃　I　said。
　〃I　had　to　lock　him　away；　ma　petite。''
　I　stared　at　him。　〃Lock　him　away；　how？〃
　He　just　looked　at　me；　and　it　was　eloquent。
　〃He's　been　locked　in　a　cross…wrapped　coffin　for　six　months？〃
　〃About　that；　yes。〃
　〃You　bastard。〃
　〃I　could　have　killed　him；　ma　petite；　that's　what　others　would　have　done。〃
　〃Why　didn't　you？〃
　〃Because　it　was　partially　my　fault　for　exposing　him　to　you。　Damian　was　mine　to　protect；　and　I　failed　him。〃
　〃He's　mine；　mine　to　protect；〃　I　said。
　〃Yet；　you　deserted　him。〃
　〃I　didn't　know。　You　should　have　told　me。〃
　〃And　six　months　ago　would　you　have　believed　me？　Or　would　you　have　thought　it　was　some　ploy　to　get　you　back　into　my　life？〃
　I　started　to　tell　him；　of　course　I'd　have　believed　him；　but　I　stopped　and　thought　about　it。　〃I　don't　know　if　I'd　have　believed　you　or　not。〃
　〃I　hoped　that　I　would　find　a　way　to　reestablish　my　dominance　over　him；　but　he　is　closed　to　me。〃
　I　swallowed　hard　and　looked　at　him。　〃If　he's　mine；　then　why　didn't　I　feel　him　when　my　shielding　broke　all　to　hell　in　New　Mexico？〃
　〃I　have　been　blocking　you　from　sensing　him；　and　it　has　not　been　easy。〃
　I　closed　my　eyes　and　counted　to　ten；　but　it　didn't　help。　I　was　so　angry　my　skin　felt　hot。　〃You　had　no　right　to　do　that。〃
　〃Without　the　marks　being　married；　I　think　Damian　would　have　seduced　you。　Because　you　would　have　been　drawn　to　him　as　you　are　drawn　to　Nathaniel　now；　or　perhaps　even　the　Nimir…Raj。〃
　〃I　would　not　have　fucked　Damian　without　the　ardeur　helping　me；　and　I　didn't　have　that　six　months　ago。〃
　〃You　may　have　your　vampire　back　tomorrow　night。　I　will　help　you　nurse　him　back　to　health。〃
　〃I'm　ing　back　tonight　to　get　him。〃
　〃Talk　to　Asher；　ma　petite。　Ask　him　what　it　will　take　to　nurse　a　vampire　back　from　six　months　in　the　coffin。　Damian　is　not　a　master；　he　has　had　no　ability　to　feed　or　gain　energy。　He　will　e　out　of　the　coffin　a　starved；　crazed　thing。　There　will　be　very　little　left　of　him；　at　first。〃　He　was　so　calm　while　he　said　it。
　I　didn't　know　what　to　say。　I　wanted　to　hit　him；　but　it　wouldn't　change　anything。　I　wasn't　even　sure　it　would　make　me　feel　better。　〃I　want　him　out　tonight；　when　I　get　back　from　the　lupanar。〃
　〃You　will　not　be　able　to　tend　both　your　injured　wereleopard　and　Damian　tonight。　Ask　Asher；　and　he　will　tell　you　how　much　work　goes　into　such　as　this。　One　more　night　will　not　make　a　difference　to　Damian；　and　tonight　you　are　trying　to　prevent　war　between　the　leopards　and　the　wolves。　More　than　that；　you　are　trying　to　make　a　strong　enough　show　of　force　to　convince　Richard's　enemies　that　he　is　too　well…allied　to　be　killed。　You　must　concentrate　on　these　things　tonight；　ma　petite。〃
　〃I　don't　believe　you；〃　I　said。
　He　shrugged。　〃Believe　what　you　like；　but　it　will　take　hours　of　care　to　make　Damian　sane　again。　It　will　take　days　of　care；　and　blood；　and　warmth；　to　bring　him　back　to　himself。〃
　〃How　could　you　know　that　and　still　do　this　to　him？〃　My　voice　didn't　even　sound　angry；　just　tired。
　〃I　learned　the　lessons　of　the　cross…wrapped　coffin　personally；　ma　petite。　I　have　not　done　to　Damian　anything　that　has　not　been　done　to　me。〃
　〃You　were　in　it　for　a　few　days　until　I　killed　the　old　Master　of　the　City。〃
　He　shook　his　head。　〃When　I　returned　to　the　Council　with　Asher　and　bargained　with　them；　the　price　for　them　saving　his　life　was　my　freedom。　I　spent　two　years　inside　a　coffin；　unable　to　feed；　unable　to　sit　up；　unable　。。。　〃　He　was　hugging　his　arms；　holding　himself。　〃I　know　that　what　I　have　done　to　Damian　is　a　terrible　thing；　but　my　only　alternative　was　to　kill　him。　Would　you　have　preferred　that？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Yet；　I　see　the　accusation　in　your　eyes。　I　am　a　monster　because　of　what　I　have　done　to　him。　But　you　would　feel　me　more　a　monster　if　I　had　killed　him。　Or　perhaps　you　would　have　preferred　that　I　let　him　go　into　the　city　streets　and　slaughter　people。〃
　〃Damian　would　never　do　that。〃
　〃He　went　mad；　ma　petite。　He　became　an　alien。　Do　you　remember　the　couple　that　was　slaughtered　about　six　months　ago？〃
　〃I　saw　several　slaughtered　couples　over　the　last　year。　You'll　need　to　be　more　specific。〃
　He　was　angry　now；　too。　Great；　we　could　be　angry　together。　〃They　were　in　a　car；　at　a　stoplight。　The　front　of　the　car　was　dented　as　if　they　had　hit　a　body；　but　no　body　was　found。〃
　〃Yeah；　I　remember　that　one。　They　had　their　throats　torn　out。　The　woman　had　tried　to　defend　herself。　She　had　wounds　on　her　arms　where　something　had　clawed　at　her。〃
　〃Asher　found　Damian　wandering　a　few　blocks　from　the　car。　He　was　covered　in　blood。　He　fought　Asher；　and　it　took　over　half　a　dozen　of　us　to　bind　him　and　bring　him　home。　Was　I　supposed　to　let　him　wander　the　streets　after　that？〃
　〃You　should　have　called　me；〃　I　said。
　〃And　what？　You　would　have　executed　him？　If　insanity　is　a　viable　plea　in　your　court　system；　then　he　cannot　be　held　accountable。　But　your　court　system　does　not　give　us　the　same　privileges　it　gives　humans。　We　cannot　plead　insanity