lh.narcissusinchains-第87部分

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　Cherry　went　to　Igor　first。　She　was　a　wereleopard；　her　hearing　was　just　as　good　as　Nathaniel's；　but　she　went　through　all　the　motions；　then　turned　to　Claudia。　Claudia　tried　to　push　her　away　with　her　left　hand；　gun　still　in　it。
　〃Claudia；　let　Cherry　help　you；〃　I　said。
　〃Damn　it！〃
　Cherry　took　that　for　a　yes　and　started　inspecting　the　shoulder。　Claudia　didn't　fight　her　anymore；　and　I　was　glad。　Shock　can　make　you　do　and　say　funny　things。　I　didn't　really　want　to　arm　wrestle　the　wererat；　wounded　or　not。　Of　course；　Micah　was　here　and　he　could　probably　arm　wrestle　Claudia　and　win；　at　least　while　she　was　wounded。
　I　was　still　keeping　a　peripheral　sense　of　the　open　spaces；　but　as　the　time　dragged　on　quietly；　there　was　only　the　wind　in　the　trees；　the　noise　of　summer　locusts　thrumming　through　the　open　living　room　door　and　the　splintered　glass　of　the　back　door。　I　began　to　relax　by　inches。　That　tension　in　my　shoulders　that　I　always　get　during　a　fight　and　never　really　notice　until　the　adrenaline　lets　down；　let　me　know　that　I　thought　we　were　safe；　for　now。
　Then　I　heard　something　over　the　summer　silence　　sirens。　Police　sirens　wailing；　getting　closer。　I　didn't　have　any　near　neighbors。　You　heard　gunshots　in　Jefferson　County　pretty　regularly；　so　who　the　hell　reported　the　gunshots？
　Micah　turned　that　strangely　rounded　face　towards　me。　〃Are　they　ing　here？〃
　I　shrugged。　〃I　don't　know　for　sure；　but　it　seems　likely。〃
　We　both　glanced　down　at　the　bodies　on　the　floor；　then　looked　at　each　other。　〃We　don't　have　time　to　hide　the　bodies；〃　he　said。
　〃No；　we　don't；〃　I　said。　I　looked　at　everybody。　Merle　was　still　watching　the　kitchen　window；　the　borrowed　shotgun　in　his　big　hands。　Zane　had　crawled　out　from　under　the　table　to　play　nurse　for　Cherry；　handing　her　things　as　she　asked　for　them。　She　had　packed　Claudia's　arm。
　Cherry　looked　up　at　me。　〃She　could　partially　heal　herself　if　she　shapeshifted；　but　she'd　still　need　medical　attention。〃
　〃The　police　tend　to　shoot　shapeshifters　in　animal　form；〃　I　said。
　〃I'll　stay；〃　Claudia　said；　teeth　gritted　just　a　little。　〃The　more　wounded　we　have　on　our　side；　the　better　the　police　will　like　it。〃
　She　had　a　point。　I　looked　at　Micah。　The　sirens　were　very　near　now；　almost　in　front　of　the　house。
　〃You　better　go；　Micah。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃The　police　are　about　to　burst　in　here；　see　a　lot　of　bodies；　a　lot　of　blood。　Anything　in　animal　form　stands　a　good　chance　of　getting　shot。〃
　〃That's　not　a　problem；〃　he　said。　The　fur　began　to　recede；　like　water　pulling　back　from　the　shore。　As　human　skin　was　revealed；　his　bones　slid　out　of　sight　into　it；　like　hard　things　thrown　in　wax；　covered；　melted。　I'd　never　seen　anyone　change　so　casually；　so　easily。　It　was　almost　as　if　he　were　merely　changing　clothes；　except　for　the　clear　fluid　that　ran　down　his　body　like　a　liquid　sheet；　the　sound　of　bones　popping；　reforming；　even　the　sound　of　flesh　boiling　over　him。　Only　his　eyes　remained　the　same；　unchanging；　like　two　jewels　fixed　in　the　center　of　the　universe。　Then　he　was　suddenly　human　again；　body　covered　in　that　thick；　watery　fluid。　I'd　never　seen　so　much　of　the　liquid　before　from　only　one　change。　I　was　standing　in　a　pool　of　it　and　hadn't　noticed。
　He　slumped　suddenly；　trying　to　catch　himself　on　the　cabinet；　but　I　was　in　the　way　and　had　to　grab　him　around　the　waist　to　keep　him　from　falling　to　the　floor。　〃Rapid　change　es　with　a　price。〃
　〃I've　never　seen　anyone　change　back　that　quickly；〃　Cherry　said。
　〃And　he　won't　fall　into　a　a…sleep　either；〃　Merle　said。　〃Give　him　a　few　minutes　and　he'll　be　fine；　messy；　but　fine。〃　There　was　admiration　in　the　big　man's　voice；　and　something　else　　almost　jealousy。
　The　sirens　wailed　to　a　stop　outside　the　house；　then　silence。　〃Everybody　put　the　guns　down。　Don't　want　to　get　shot　by　accident；〃　I　said。
　Nathaniel　did　as　I　asked；　instantly。　I　had　to　press　Micah　closer　into　my　body；　one…handed；　so　I　could　put　my　own　gun　back　on　the　cabinet。　Micah's　body　shuddered　against　me。　I　looked　at　him；　about　to　ask　if　he　was　alright；　but　the　look　in　his　eyes　stopped　me。　It　wasn't　pain　I　saw　in　his　eyes。　I　slid　my　other　hand　around　his　waist　so　that　I　held　him　more　securely　against　me。　His　skin　was　slick　under　my　hands。　He　managed　to　put　a　hand　on　the　cabinet　behind　us。　I　stared　into　his　eyes　from　inches　away；　and　there　were　worlds　to　drown　in；　in　those　eyes；　needs　and　hopes；　everything。
　A　man's　voice　yelled；　〃Police！〃
　I　yelled　back；　〃Don't　shoot；　the　bad　guys　are　gone。　We've　got　wounded。〃　I　moved　Micah　so　he　could　prop　himself　against　the　cabinet；　then　put　my　hands　on　my　head　and　moved　carefully　into　the　doorway。　I　had　to　step　over　the　bodies　in　the　kitchen　door　to　e　into　the　line　of　sight　of　the　two　officers　crouched　in　the　doorway。　If　I'd　been　a　large　imposing　man；　they　might　still　have　fired　　not　on　purpose　exactly；　but　you　don't　see　three　bodies　in　a　doorway　in　Jefferson　County；　Missouri；　every　day。　But　I　was　small；　female；　and　looked　fairly　benign；　unarmed。　But　I　kept　talking　as　I　moved　anyway。　Things　like；　〃They　attacked　us。　We've　got　wounded。　We　need　an　ambulance。　Thank　God　you　guys　came　when　you　did。　The　sirens　scared　them　away。〃　I　kept　babbling　until　I　was　sure　that　they　weren't　going　to　shoot　me；　then　the　really　hard　part　started。　How　do　you　explain　five　bodies　in　your　kitchen；　some　of　which　even　in　death　didn't　look　very　human？　Beats　the　hell　out　of　me。
　
　41
　
　TWO　HOURS　LATER　I　was　sitting　on　my　couch；　talking　to　Zerbrowski。　He　looked；　as　he　usually　did；　like　he'd　dressed　in　a　hurry；　in　the　dark；　so　that　nothing　quite　matched；　and　he'd　grabbed　the　tie　with　the　stain　on　it；　instead　of　the　one　that　he　probably　meant　to　wear。　His　wife；　Katie；　was　a　neat；　orderly　sort　of　person；　and　I'd　never　figured　out　why　she　allowed　Zerbrowski　to　leave　the　house　dressed　like　a　walking　disaster。　Of　course；　maybe　it　wasn't　a　matter　of　allowing　him　to　do　anything；　maybe　it　was　just　one　of　those　battles　you　just　gave　up　on　after　a　few　years。
　Caleb　sat　on　the　far　end　of　the　couch　huddled　in　a　blanket　we'd　gotten　off　the　bed。　The　paramedics　that　had　taken　Claudia　away　had　said　he　was　in　shock。　I　was　betting　that　this　was　the　first　time　he'd　been　on　the　wrong　end　of　a　shotgun。　Only　the　top　of　his　curls　and　a　thin　slit　of　brown　eyes　showed　above　the　blanket。　He　looked　about　ten　years　old；　huddled　like　that。　I　would　have　offered　fort　but　Zerbrowski　wouldn't　let　me　talk　to　him　or　anyone　else。　Merle　stood　against　the　wall　at　the　end　of　the　couch；　watching　everything　with　unreadable　eyes。　The　cops　kept　giving　him　little　eye　flicks　as　they　moved　around　the　room。　He　made　most　of　them　unfortable　for　the　same　reason　he　made　me　unfortable；　he　wore　the　potential　for　violence　like　an　expensive　cologne。
　Zerbrowski　pushed　his　glasses　more　firmly　on　his　nose；　shoved　his　hands　in　his　pants　pockets；　and　looked　down　at　me。　He　was　standing；　I　was　sitting；　the　looking　down　part　was　easy。　〃So　let　me　get　this　straight；　these　guys　just　burst　in　here；　and　you　don't　have　the　first　idea　why。〃
　〃That's　right；〃　I　said。
　He　stared　at　me。　I　stared　back。　If　he　thought　I　was　going　to　break　under　the　pressure　of　his　steely　gaze；　he　was　wrong。　It　helped　that　I　really　didn't　have　the　faintest　idea　what　was　going　on。　I　sat。　He　stood。　We　stared　at　each　other。　Caleb　shuddered　on　his　end　of　the　couch。　Merle　watched　all　the　people　scurrying　back　and　forth。
　There　were　a　lot　of　people。　They　moved　around　the　house　behind　Zerbrowski；　going　in　and　out　of　the　kitchen；　like　huge；　ambitious　ants。　There's　always　too　many　people　at　a　crime　scene；　not　gawkers　either。　You　always　have　too　many　cops　around；　way　more　than　you　need。　But　you　never　know　which　pair　of　eyes　or　hands　will　find　that　vital　clue。　Frankly；　I　thought　more　evidence　was　probably　lost　with　all　the　traffic　than　found　with　the　extra　help；　but　that　was　me。　I'm　just　not　the　social　type。
　We　stood　in　our　own　little　well　of　silence。　The　bedroom　door　opened　behind　us。　I　glanced　back　to　see　Micah　e　out　of　the　room。　He　was　wearing　a　pair　of　my　sweatpants。　Since　they　were　men's　sweats　anyway　and　we　were　the　same　height；　they　fit　perfectly。　I'd　never　had　a　boyfriend　that　I　could　trade　clothes　with　before。　You　just　didn't　find　that　many　grown　men　my　size。
　The　police　hadn't　let　him　shower；　so　his　long　hair　had　dried　in　messy　clumps　to　his　shoulders。　The　drying　liquid　was　beginning　to　flake　off　in　patches。　His　chartreuse　eyes　flicked　towards　me；　but　they　stayed　neutral。　Dolph　came　right　behind　him；　looming　over　Micah　the　way　he　loomed　over　me。　Dolph's　eyes　weren't　neutral；　they　were　angry。　He'd　been　angry　since　he　stepped　through　the　door。　He'd　separated　us　all　into　different　rooms。　Nathaniel　was　being　questioned　by　his　friend　from　the　police　station；　Detective　Jessica　Arnet。　They　were　in　the　guest　room　upstairs。　Detective　Perry　had　questioned　Caleb　and　was　still　questioning　Zane。　Dolph　had　done　Merle　and　Micah。　Zerbrowski　hadn't　so　much　questioned　me　as　simply　stood　there　and　made　sure　I　didn't　talk　to　any　of　the　others。　Call　it　a　hunch；　but　I　was　betting　Dolph　planned　on　questioning　me　personally。
　We　did　have　five　bodies　on　the　ground；　three　of　which　even　in　death　hadn't　changed　back　to　human　form。　The　three　snake　things　had　stayed　snakey。　Shapeshifters　always　change　back　to　their　original　form　in　death。　Always。　Which　raised　the　question；　if　they　weren't　shapeshifters；　what　the　hell　were　they？
　〃Anita；〃　Dolph　said。　One　word；　but　I　knew　what　he　meant。　I　got　up　and　went　for　the　bedroom。　Micah　brushed　his　fingertips　across　my　hand　as　I　passed　him。　Dolph's　eyes　tightened；　and　I　knew　he'd　noticed。
　He　held　the　door　for　me；　and　I　walked　past　him　into　my　bedroom。　I　resented　them　using　my　house；　my　bedroom；　to　question　me；　but　it　beat　the　hell　out　of　going　downtown。　So　I　kept　my　plaints　to　myself。　Dolph　had　every　reason　to　take　us　all　downtown。　We　had　dead　bodies；　and　I　wasn't　even　denying　I　had　killed　them。　Oh；　I　might　have　tried　to　deny　it　if　I　thought　I　could　get　away　with　it；　but　I　couldn't；　so　I　didn't。
　He　motioned　me　to　the　kitchen　chair　that　had　been　moved　into　the　bedroom。　He　stayed　standing；　all　six…feet…eight　of　him。　〃Tell　me；〃　he　said。
　I　told　him　exactly　what　had　happened。　I　told　the　truth；　all　of　it。　Of　course　I　didn't　know　enough　to　need　to　lie。　They'd　carted　Igor's　body　away；　a