lh.narcissusinchains-第8部分

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anted　him　to　hold　me。　It　wasn't　just　sex。　If　that　was　all　it　was；　I　could　have　been　rid　of　him　long　ago。　He　must　have　felt　it；　too；　because　his　hands　rested　lightly　on　my　bare　arms。　When　I　didn't　protest；　his　hands　caressed　my　skin；　and　that　small　movement　brought　my　breath　to　a　sigh。
　I　leaned　into　him；　wrapping　my　arms　around　his　waist；　pressing　the　lines　of　our　bodies　together。　I　rested　my　head　on　his　chest；　and　I　could　hear　his　heart　beating。　It　didn't　always　beat；　but　tonight　it　did。　We　held　each　other；　and　it　was　nearly　chaste；　just　a　renewal　of　the　fact　that　we　were　touching　again。　I'd　worked　on　the　metaphysical　stuff　so　I　could　do　this　and　not　lose　myself。　It　had　been　worth　the　effort。
　He　pulled　back　first；　enough　to　look　into　my　face。　〃We　can　marry　the　marks　here；　or　find　somewhere　more　private。〃　He　wasn't　whispering　as　much　as　before。　Apparently　he　didn't　care　now　if　others　knew　what　we　were　doing。
　〃I'm　not　clear　on　what　marrying　the　marks　means。〃
　〃I　thought　your　Marianne　had　explained　it　to　you。〃
　〃She　said　we'll　fit　together　like　puzzle　pieces　and　there'll　be　a　release　of　power　when　it　happens。　But　she　also　said　that　the　manner　in　which　it　is　done　is　individual　to　the　participants。〃
　〃You　sound　as　if　you　are　quoting。〃
　〃I　am。〃
　He　frowned；　and　even　that　small　movement　was　somehow　fascinating。　〃I　do　not　want　you　to　be　unpleasantly　surprised；　ma　petite。　I　am　striving　for　honesty；　since　you　value　it　so　highly。　I　have　never　done　this　with　anyone；　but　most　things　are　sexual　between　us；　whether　we　will　or　no；　so　it　is　likely　this　will　be；　too。〃
　〃I　can't　leave　the　leopards　here　long　enough　to　grab　a　hotel　room；　Jean…Claude。〃
　〃They　will　not　be　harmed。　Until　you　go　upstairs；　they　will　be　safe。〃
　I　shook　my　head　and　pulled　away　from　him。　〃I'm　sorry；　but　I　am　not　leaving　here　without　them。　If　you　want　to　do　this　afterwards；　that's　fine　with　me；　but　the　leopards　are　priority。　They're　waiting　for　me　to　rescue　them。　I　can't　go　off　and　have　what　amounts　to　metaphysical　sex　while　they're　afraid　and　bleeding　somewhere。〃
　〃No；　it　cannot　wait。　I　want　us　to　have　this　done　before　the　fight　begins。　I　do　not　like　that　your　gun　is　gone。〃
　〃Will　this　marriage　of　the　marks　give　me　more　。。。　abilities？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃And　you；　what　do　you　get　out　of　it？〃　I　was　standing　against　the　wall　now；　not　touching　him。
　〃My　own　defenses　will　be　strong　once　more；　and　I　will　gain　power；　as　well。　You　know　that。〃
　〃Are　there　any　surprises　connected　with　this　that　I　should　know　about？〃
　〃As　I　said；　I　have　never　done　this　with　anyone；　nor　have　I　seen　it　done。　It　will　be　as　much　a　surprise　to　me　as　to　you。〃
　I　stared　up　into　his　lovely　eyes　and　wished　I　believed　that。
　〃I　see　the　distrust　in　your　eyes；　ma　petite。　But　it　is　not　me　that　you　do　not　trust。　It　is　your　power。　Nothing　ever　goes　as　it　should　with　you；　ma　petite；　because　you　are　like　no　power　e　before　you。　You　are　wild　magic；　untamed。　You　throw　the　best　of　plans　to　the　wind。〃
　〃I've　been　learning　control；　Jean…Claude。〃
　〃I　hope　it　is　enough。〃
　〃You're　scaring　me。〃
　He　sighed。　〃And　that　was　the　last　thing　I　wished　to　do。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃Look；　Jean…Claude；　I　know　everyone　keeps　saying　my　people　are　fine；　but　I　want　to　see　for　myself；　so　let's　just　get　this　done。〃
　〃This　should　be　something　special　and　mystical；　ma　petite。〃
　I　looked　around　the　club。　〃Then　we　need　a　different　setting。〃
　〃I　agree；　but　the　setting　was　your　choosing；　not　mine。〃
　〃But　you're　the　one　insisting　on　it　having　to　be　right　now　before　all　the　fireworks　start。〃
　〃True。〃　He　sighed　and　held　out　his　hand　to　me。　〃e；　let　us　at　least　go　to　our　table。〃
　I　actually　thought　about　refusing　his　hand。　Funny　how　quickly　I　could　go　from　wanting　to　jump　his　bones　to　wanting　to　be　rid　of　him。　Of　course；　it　wasn't　exactly　him；　but　more　the　plications　that　came　with　him。　The　mystical　stuff　between　us　was　never　simple。　He　said　that　was　my　fault；　and　maybe　it　was。　Jean…Claude　was　a　pretty　standard　Master　Vampire；　and　Richard；　a　pretty　standard　Ulfric。　They　were　both　wonderfully　powerful；　but　there　was　nothing　too　terribly　extraordinary　in　their　powers。　Well；　there　was　one　thing　about　Jean…Claude。　He　could　gain　power　by　feeding　off　sexual　energy。　In　another　century　he'd　have　been　called　an　incubus。　It's　rare　even　for　a　Master　Vamp　to　have　a　secondary　way　to　gain　power　outside　of　blood。　So　it　was　impressive；　sort　of。　The　only　other　masters　I'd　met　who　could　feed　off　of　something　other　than　blood　had　fed　on　terror。　And　of　the　two；　I　preferred　lust。　At　least　no　one　had　to　bleed　for　it。　Usually。　But　I　was　the　wild　card；　the　one　whose　powers　seemed　to　fit　nothing　but　legends　of　necromancers　long　dead。　Legends　so　old　that　no　one　believed　they　could　be　true；　until　I　came　along。　Sad；　but　true。
　The　table　had　cleared　out　while　we　were　whispering。　Now　just　Jason　and　one　other　man　were　there。　The　man　was　dressed　in　brown　leather；　from　what　I　could　see　of　his　pants　to　the　zipped…front；　sleeveless　shirt　he　was　wearing。　He　was　also　wearing　one　of　those　hoods　that　left　your　mouth；　part　of　your　nose；　and　your　eyes　bare；　but　covered　the　rest　of　your　face。　Frankly；　I　found　the　hoods　creepy；　but　hey；　it　wasn't　my　bread　that　was　being　buttered。　As　long　as　he　didn't　try　anything　with　me；　we　were　cool。　It　wasn't　until　he　looked　up　into　my　face　that　I　recognized　those　pale；　pale　blue　eyes　　the　startling　ice　blue　eyes　of　a　Siberian　Husky。　No　human　I'd　ever　met　had　eyes　like　that。
　〃Asher；〃　I　said。
　He　smiled　then；　and　I　recognized　the　curve　of　his　lips。　I　knew　why　he'd　worn　the　hood。　It　wasn't　sexual　preference；　or　at　least　I　didn't　think　so。　It　was　to　hide　the　scars。　Once；　about　two　hundred　years　ago；　some　well…meaning　church　officials　had　tried　to　burn　the　devil　out　of　Asher。　They'd　done　it　with　holy　water。　Holy　water　is　like　acid　on　vampire　flesh。　He'd　once　been；　in　his　own　way；　as　breathtaking　as　Jean…Claude。　Now　half　his　face　was　a　melted　ruin；　half　his　chest；　most　of　the　one　thigh　I'd　seen。　What　I'd　seen　of　the　rest　of　him　was　perfect；　as　perfect　as　the　day　he　died。　And　the　parts　I　hadn't　seen；　I　wasn't　sure　I　wanted　to　know　about。　Through　Jean…Claude's　marks　I　had　memories　of　Asher　before。　I　knew　what　his　body　looked　like　in　smooth　perfection　　every　inch　of　it。　Asher　and　his　human　servant；　Julianna；　had　been　part　of　a　ménage　à　trois　with　Jean…Claude　for　about　twenty　years。　She'd　been　burned　as　a　witch；　and　Jean…Claude　had　only　been　able　to　save　Asher　after　the　damage　had　been　done。
　The　events　were　over　two　hundred　years　old；　yet　they　both　still　mourned　Julianna；　and　each　other。　Asher　was　now　Jean…Claude's　second　in　mand；　but　they　were　not　lovers。　And　they　were　uneasy　friends；　because　there　was　still　too　much　left　unspoken　between　them。　Asher　still　blamed　Jean…Claude　for　failing　them；　and　Jean…Claude　had　a　hard　time　arguing　with　that；　because　deep　down　he　still　blamed　himself；　too。
　I　leaned　down　and　gave　Asher　a　quick　kiss　on　the　leather　cheek。　〃What　did　you　do　with　all　your　long　hair？　Please　tell　me　you　haven't　cut　it。〃
　He　raised　my　hand　to　his　mouth　and　laid　a　gentle　kiss　on　it。　〃It　is　braided；　and　longer　than　ever。〃
　〃I　can　hardly　wait　to　see　it；〃　I　said。　〃Thanks　for　ing。〃
　〃I　would　move　all　of　hell　to　reach　your　side；　you　know　that。〃
　〃You　French　guys　do　talk　pretty；〃　I　said。　He　laughed　softly。
　Jason　interrupted。　〃I　think　the　show　is　about　to　start。〃　I　turned　and　watched　a　woman　being　led　towards　the　framework　that　had　been　erected。　She　was　wearing　a　robe；　and　I　really　didn't　want　to　see　what　was　under　it。
　〃Whatever　we're　going　to　do；　let's　do　it　and　go　get　the　leopards。〃
　〃You　don't　want　to　see　the　show？〃　Jason　asked。　His　eyes　were　all　innocent；　but　his　smile　was　teasing。
　I　just　frowned　at　him。　But　his　eyes　looked　behind　me；　and　I　knew　someone　Jason　didn't　like　was　ing　towards　us。　I　turned　to　find　Ajax　standing　there。　He　ignored　me　and　spoke　to　Jean…Claude。　〃You　have　fifteen　minutes；　then　the　show　starts。〃
　Jean…Claude　nodded。　〃Tell　Narcissus　I　appreciate　the　notice。〃
　Ajax　gave　a　small　head　bow；　much　like　his　master　had　done　before；　then　walked　off　through　the　tables。
　〃What　was　all　that　about？〃　I　asked。
　〃It　would　be　considered　rude　to　do　something　magical　during　someone　else's　performance。　I　told　Narcissus　that　we　would　be　calling　some　。。。　power。〃
　I　must　have　looked　as　suspicious　as　I　felt。　〃You　are　beginning　to　piss　me　off　with　this　cloak…and…dagger　magic　act。〃
　〃You　are　a　necromancer；　and　I　am　the　Master　Vampire　of　this　city。　Do　you　really　believe　that　we　can　merge　our　powers　and　not　have　every　undead　in　this　room；　and　more；　notice　it？　I　do　not　know　if　the　shapeshifters　will　be　able　to　feel　it；　but　it　is　likely；　since　we　are　also　both　bound　to　a　werewolf。　Everything　nonhuman　in　this　club　will　feel　something。　I　don't　know　how　much；　or　exactly　what；　but　something；　ma　petite。　Narcissus　would　have　taken　it　as　a　grave　insult　if　we　had　interrupted　this　performance　without　warning　him。〃
　〃I　don't　mean　to　rush　you；〃　Asher　said；　〃but　you　will　use　up　your　time　in　talking　if　you　are　not　quick　about　it。〃
　Jean…Claude　looked　at　him；　and　the　look　was　not　entirely　friendly。　What　was　happening　between　them　that　Jean…Claude　would　give　such　a　look　to　Asher？
　Jean…Claude　held　his　hand　out　to　me。　I　hesitated　a　second；　then　slid　my　hand　into　his　and　he　led　me　to　the　wall　near　the　table。　〃Now　what？〃　I　asked。
　〃Now　you　must　drop　your　shields；　ma　petite；　that　so…strong　barrier　you　have　erected　between　me　and　your　aura。〃
　I　just　stared　at　him。　〃I　don't　want　to　do　that。〃
　〃I　would　not　ask　if　it　were　not　necessary；　ma　petite。　But　even　if　I　were　able　to　do　it；　neither　of　us　would　enjoy　me　breaking　down　your　shielding。　We　cannot　merge　our　auras　if　my　aura　cannot　touch　yours。〃
　I　was　suddenly　scared。　Really　seriously　scared。　I　didn't　know　what　would　happen　if　I　dropped　the　shields　with　him　right　there。　In　times　of　crisis　our　auras　flared　together　forming　a　unique　whole。　I　didn't　want　to　do　this。　I　am　a　control　freak；　and　everything　about　Jean…Claude　ate　at　the　part　of　me　that　most　needed　control。
　〃I'm　not　sure　I　can　do　this。〃
　He　sighed。　〃It　is　your　choice。　I　will　not　force　it；　but　I　fear　the　consequences；　ma　petite。　I　do　fear　them。〃
　Marianne　had　given　me　the　lecture；　and　it