lh.narcissusinchains-第63部分

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　〃I　really　didn't　leave　you　for　all　these　months　just　because　I　was　afraid　of　how　close　we　all　were。　I　left　to　get　my　shit　together；　and　part　of　that　was　learning　how　to　control　the　munin。〃
　Raina　said；　〃Control　me？　You　wish。〃　She　hadn't　said　it　aloud；　only　in　my　head。　It　had　taken　me　a　long　time　to　realize　that　some　things　were　said　out　loud　and　some　things　weren't。　It　was　confusing；　but　you　got　used　to　it。
　I　said　aloud　what　I'd　seen　in　vision。　〃I　saw　Gregory　in　a　hole；　naked；　tied　up；　lying　on　a　bed　of　bones。　Where　is　it？〃
　Raina　showed　me　in　images。　It　was　like　a　fast…forward　picture　show；　but　the　images　came　with　emotions；　smashing　into　me；　one　after　the　other。　I　saw　a　metal　cap　that　screwed　down　with　a　tiny　airway　on　top　that　let　in　enough　light　for　you　to　see；　if　the　sun　was　high　enough。　There　was　a　rope　ladder　that　spilled　down　into　the　dark　and　was　taken　up　when　it　wasn't　needed。　I　was　Raina　kneeling　on　a　bed　of　bones；　a　human　skull　next　to　my　knee。　I　had　a　syringe　and　injected　its　contents　into　a　dark…haired　man　that　was　chained　like　I'd　seen　Gregory　chained；　ankles　to　wrists。　He　was　gagged　and　blindfolded。　When　the　needle　went　in；　he　whimpered　and　started　to　cry。　The　drugs　were　to　keep　him　from　changing。
　I　turned　him　over　on　his　side　and　saw　that　a　bone　fragment　had　cut　into　his　naked　groin。　I　bent　towards　the　smell　of　fresh　blood；　fresh　meat；　and　the　absolutely　intoxicating　stink　of　fear　that　came　off　the　man。　Not　man；　lukoi。　I　clawed　my　way　up　from　my　memory　before　Raina　pressed　our　lips　over　him。　I　shoved　it　away　from　me；　but　I　could　still　smell　the　fear；　the　drugs　sweated　out　on　his　skin；　the　smell　of　soap　from　where　Raina　had　cleaned　him　up；　daily；　before　the　abuse　began。　I　knew　his　name　had　been　Todd；　and　he'd　talked　to　a　reporter　about　the　lukoi；　helped　them　set　up　a　blind　with　a　camera　on　a　full　moon；　for　money。　Maybe　he　had　deserved　to　die；　but　not　like　that。　No　one　deserved　to　die　like　that。
　I　came　to　myself　lying　on　the　ground　in　front　of　the　throne；　tears　drying　on　my　face。　Jamil　and　Shang…Da　were　standing　between　me　and　the　crowd　that　had　moved　to　help　me。　Claudia　and　Igor　were　facing　off　with　them；　and　Rafael　had　Micah　by　the　arm；　trying　to　convince　him　not　to　fight　his　way　to　me。　Merle　and　Noah　were　moving　up　to　join　Claudia　and　Igor。　This　was　all　about　to　go　to　hell。
　I　propped　myself　up　on　my　arms；　and　that　small　movement　froze　everyone　in　place。　My　voice　came　out　hoarse；　but　mine。　〃I'm　okay。　I'm　okay。〃
　I'm　not　sure　they　believed　me；　but　the　tension　level　started　to　drop　almost　immediately。　Good；　I　had　enough　problems　tonight　without　a　free…for…all　breaking　out。
　I　looked　up　at　Richard；　and　all　I　could　feel　was　anger。　〃Is　that　how　you're　going　to　kill　Gregory；　just　leave　him　down　in　the　oubliette　until　he　rots？〃　My　voice　came　out　soft；　because　if　I　lost　control　of　it；　I　wasn't　sure　how　much　other　control　I'd　lose。　I　knew　Raina。　She　wasn't　gone。　She'd　want　her　〃reward〃　first。　She'd　done　her　job。　I　knew　where　Gregory　was。　I　even　knew　how　to　get　there。　She'd　earned　her　prize。　I　didn't　dare　lose　control　of　myself　with　her　waiting　like　a　shark　just　under　the　water。
　〃I　told　them　to　put　Gregory　some　place　far　away　from　me。　I　didn't　tell　them　to　put　him　there。〃
　I　got　to　my　feet　slowly；　even　my　body　movements　controlled；　muscles　almost　stiff　with　adrenaline　and　the　need　to　lash　out。　〃But　you　left　him　there。　Who's　been　going　down　and　pumping　him　full　of　drugs　to　keep　him　from　turning？　You　don't　have　Raina　to　do　the　dirty　work　anymore。　Who　was　it？　WHO　WAS　IT！〃　I　screamed　it　into　his　face；　and　the　rage　was　all　she　needed。　She　poured　over　me；　and　the　last　control　I　might　have　had　drowned　because　I　wanted　to　hurt　Richard。　I　wanted　to　do　it。
　I　hit　him；　closed…fist；　turning　my　body　into　it；　twisting　my　hand　at　the　end；　putting　all　I　had　into　it。　I　did　what　they　taught　us　to　do　in　martial　arts　class　if　it　was　for　real。　I　aimed　not　at　Richard's　face；　but　at　a　point　two　inches　inside　his　face；　that　was　the　real　goal。
　I　was　back　in　a　protective　stance　before　Jamil　and　Shang…Da　had　time　to　react。　I　felt　them　move　towards　me　and　felt　others　move　forward；　too。　The　very　thing　I'd　been　trying　to　avoid；　and　I'd　set　it　off。　Raina　was　laughing　in　my　head；　laughing　at　us　all。
　
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　RICHARD　WAS　LEANING　over　the　arm　of　his　throne；　hair　covering　his　face；　when　Sylvie　grabbed　me。　I　didn't　fight　her。　Her　fingers　dug　into　my　arms；　and　I　knew　I'd　be　bruised　in　the　morning。　Or　maybe　not。　Maybe　I'd　heal　it。　Jacob　was　watching　it　all　astonished　and　pleased。
　I　glanced　back　and　found　the　bodyguards　fighting。　The　leopards　and　rats　were　spreading　out；　the　wolves　beginning　to　close　around　them。　I　opened　my　mouth　to　yell　something；　but　Richard's　voice　boomed　over　the　clearing。
　〃Enough！〃　That　one　word　froze　us　all；　and　we　turned　shocked　faces　to　him。　He　was　standing　in　front　of　his　throne；　blood　spattered　across　one　shoulder　and　on　his　upper　chest。　One　side　of　his　mouth　was　a　red　ruin。　I'd　never　been　able　to　do　that　kind　of　damage　before。
　He　spat　blood　and　said；　〃I'm　not　hurt。　Some　of　you　here　have　been　inside　the　oubliette。　You　know　what　it　was　when　Raina　still　lived。　Can　you　blame　the　Nimir…Ra　for　hating　me　for　putting　her　leopard　down　there？〃
　You　could　feel　the　tension　begin　to　ease　as　the　wolves　pulled　back。　Richard　had　to　order　Jamil　and　Shang…Da　to　back　off；　and　they　and　Claudia　and　Igor　pushed　at　each　other；　like　bullies　that　still　didn't　know　who　was　tougher。　I　hadn't　realized　that　Claudia　was　nearly　six　inches　taller　than　Jamil；　until　they　drew　away　from　each　other　and　he　had　to　stare　up　at　her　to　glare　into　her　eyes。
　Sylvie　whispered　in　my　ear；　〃Are　you　okay？〃
　I　looked　up　at　Richard。　He　was　still　bleeding。　〃Other　than　embarrassed；　yeah。〃
　She　let　me　go；　slowly；　as　if　not　sure　that　I　was　safe　to　let　loose。　She　hovered　right　next　to　me；　between　me　and　Richard；　until　he　motioned　her　back。
　He　stood　in　front　of　me；　and　we　stared　at　each　other。　Blood　still　dripped　from　his　mouth。　〃You　pack　a　hell　of　a　punch　now；〃　he　said。
　I　nodded。　〃If　you'd　been　human；　what　would　that　have　done　to　you？〃
　〃Broken　my　jaw；　or　maybe　my　neck。〃
　〃I　didn't　mean　it；〃　I　said。
　〃Your　Nimir…Raj　will　teach　you　how　to　judge　your　strength。　You　might　stop　going　to　your　martial　arts　classes　for　a　while；　until　you　understand　how　your　body　works　now。〃
　〃Good　advice；〃　I　said。
　He　put　his　hand　to　his　mouth；　and　it　came　away　bright　with　blood。　I　had　the　urge　to　take　his　hand　and　lick　the　blood　off　of　it。　I　wanted　to　climb　his　body　and　press　my　mouth　to　his　and　drink　him　down。　The　image　was　so　vivid　that　I　had　to　shut　my　eyes；　so　I　couldn't　see　him　standing　there　half…naked；　bloodied；　as　if　that　would　help　me　not　want　him。　It　didn't。　I　could　smell　his　skin；　the　scent　of　him；　and　the　fresh　blood；　like　icing　on　a　cake　that　I　couldn't　have。
　〃Go　get　your　leopard；　Anita。〃
　I　opened　my　eyes　and　looked　up　at　him。　〃The　oubliette　was　one　of　the　things　you　fought　against　under　Marcus。　You　said　it　was　inhuman。　I　don't　understand　how　you　could　use　it。〃
　〃He　was　in　there　for　nearly　a　day　before　I　asked　where　they'd　put　him。　That　was　my　fault。〃
　〃But　who's　idea　was　it　to　put　him　there？〃　I　asked。
　Richard　looked　at　Jacob。　The　look　said　it　all。
　I　walked　over　to　the　tall　man。　〃You　never　called　me；　Jacob。〃
　〃You　got　your　leopard　back；　so　what　does　it　matter？〃
　〃If　you　ever　touch　one　of　my　people　again；　I'll　kill　you。〃
　〃You　going　to　pit　your　kitty…cats　against　our　pack？〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃No；　Jacob；　this　is　personal；　between　me　and　you。　I　know　the　rules。　I　make　this　a　personal　challenge　between　you　and　me；　and　that　means　that　no　one　can　help　you。〃
　〃Or　you；〃　he　said。　He　stared　down　at　me　trying　to　use　his　height　to　intimidate　me。　It　didn't　work。　I　was　used　to　being　short。　I　gave　him　dead　eyes　until　the　smirk　on　his　face　faltered　and　he　took　one　step　back；　which　pissed　him　off。　But　he　didn't　retake　that　step。　Jacob　might　be　able　to　kill　Richard　in　a　fair　fight　for　dominance；　but　he'd　never　be　a　true　Ulfric。
　I　stepped　up　close　to　him；　close　enough　that　a　good　insult　would　have　made　us　touch。　〃There's　something　weak　in　you　Jacob。　I　can　smell　it；　and　so　can　they。　You　may　challenge　Richard　and　win；　but　the　pack　will　never　accept　you　as　Ulfric。　You　winning　will　tear　them　apart　　it'll　be　a　civil　war。〃
　Something　flashed　through　his　eyes。
　〃That　doesn't　scare　you。　You　don't　care；〃　I　said。
　He　stepped　back　from　me；　averting　his　eyes；　his　face。　〃You　heard　the　Ulfric。　Go　fetch　your　cat　before　we　change　our　minds。〃
　〃You　couldn't　change　your　mind　with　a　hundred　watt　bulb　and　a　team　of　helpers。〃
　He　frowned　at　me　then。　Sometimes　my　humor　is　a　little　esoteric；　or　maybe　it's　just　not　funny。　Jacob　didn't　find　it　funny。
　〃Go　with　her；　Sylvie；　make　sure　she　gets　everything　she　needs　to　get　him　out　of　there　and　back　to　the　cars　safely；〃　Richard　said。
　〃Are　you　sure　you　want　me　to　go？〃　she　asked。
　〃We'll　stay　with　him；〃　Jamil　said。　None　of　them　tried　to　hide　the　fact　that　they　were　looking　at　Jacob　while　they　said　it。　Not　only　didn't　they　not　trust　him；　but　they　didn't　care　that　he　knew　that　they　didn't　trust　him。　How　had　things　downgraded　to　that？　What　had　been　happening　in　the　pack　that　no　one　had　told　me　about　yet？　Plenty；　from　the　looks　on　everyone's　faces。
　〃She　can't　go　home　until　after　the　ceremony　to　break　her　ties　with　the　pack〃　Jacob　said。
　〃She　will　go　home　when　I　say　she　goes　home；〃　Richard　said；　voice　low　and　full　of　that　deep　tone　he　got　just　before　his　voice　crawled　to　something　growling　and　inhuman。
　〃The　candidates　have　all　e　prepared　tonight；　Ulfric；　dressed　to　please　you。〃
　〃Then　they　can　dress　to　please　me　another　night。〃
　〃You　disappoint　。。。　〃
　〃You　are　about　to　overstep　yourself；　Jacob。〃　There　must　have　been　something　in　the　way　he　said　it；　because　Jacob　finally　shut　up　and　gave　a　small　bow。　But　he　managed　to　make　the　movement　mocking；　and　even　from　a　distance　you　could　tell　he　didn't　mean　it。　But　he　lowered　his　eyes　with　his　head；　as　he　bent　at　the　waist。　It's　a　mistake　to　take　your　eyes　off　your　opponent。
　I　asked；　〃Am　I　still　lupa　until　the　ceremony？〃
　〃I　suppose；〃　Richard　said。
　〃Yes；〃　Sylvie　said。　And　they　looked　at　each　other。
　〃Good。〃　I　kicked　Jacob　in　the　fac