lh.narcissusinchains-第99部分

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ad　spilled　into　my　lap；　and　I　jumped。　Micah　raised　his　head；　slowly；　heavy。　He　propped　himself　up　on　one　arm　and　turned　unfocused　eyes　to　me。　His　pupils　were　enormous；　drowning　black　in　the　circle　of　his　green…yellow　eyes。　I　watched　his　pupils　spiral　downward　to　small　dots　so　that　the　color　almost　overwhelmed　them；　like　a　vampire's　eyes。　I　could　feel　him　staring　at　me；　the　weight　of　his　gaze　like　something　pushing　against　me。　He　leaned　in　towards　me；　slowly；　lips　half…parted。
　I　stayed　where　I　was；　frozen；　unsure　what　to　do。　It　wasn't　that　he　was　any　less　lovely　than　he　had　been。　It　was　just　。。。　oh；　hell；　I　didn't　know　what　to　do。　I　didn't　even　know　what　I　wanted　to　do。
　〃Didn't　you　need　to　get　Damian　out　of　his　coffin？〃　Asher's　voice　came　dry；　making　me　draw　back　from　Micah。
　Jean…Claude　snarled　at　him；　looking　more　inhuman　than　the　entire　time　he　was　feeding。
　Asher　stood　in　one　smooth　motion；　like　a　puppet　pulled　up　by　strings。　〃Fine；　but　if　you　are　going　to　have　sex；　then　I　don't　have　to　watch。〃
　I　stood；　Micah's　hands　sliding　down　my　body　as　I　moved　away　from　the　couch。　I　faced　Asher。　〃Look；　I　am　so　far　over　my　fort　zone　right　now　that　I　can't　think；　but　I'll　tell　you　one　thing。　I　am　not　going　to　salve　your　male　ego　while　the　little　voice　in　my　brain　is　still　screaming；　run　away；　run　away。　So；　put　the　attitude　on　ice；　Asher；　I　can't　deal　with　it　right　now。〃
　He　was　suddenly　vibrating　with　anger；　his　eyes　like　icy　blue　pools。　〃So　sorry　that　my　disfort　annoys　you。〃
　〃Fuck　you；　Asher。〃
　He　was　suddenly　moving　forward　in　a　blur　of　speed。　I　backed　up　so　fast　that　I　fell　against　the　couch。　Micah　caught　me；　or　I'd　have　fallen　to　the　floor。　I　had　time　to　draw　a　gun；　or　a　knife；　but　I　didn't　even　try。　Asher　wasn't　trying　to　hurt　my　body；　just　my　feelings。　He　bent　at　the　waist；　looming　over　me　and　Micah；　though　I　think　that　part　was　accidental。　He　put　a　hand　on　either　side　of　us　and　leaned　into　my　face；　so　close　that　I　had　to　pull　back　to　focus　on　those　chilling　blue　eyes。　〃Don't　offer　things　you're　not　willing　to　do；　ma　cherie；　because　that　is　annoying。〃
　He　stood　up　abruptly　and　stalked　from　the　room。
　Micah's　voice　was　soft。　〃What　was　all　that　about？〃　His　hands　were　still　on　my　arms；　half…holding　me；　protective。
　I　shook　my　head。　〃Ask　Jean…Claude。〃　I　pushed　to　my　feet。　〃I'm　going　to　go　get　Damian。〃
　〃I　will　acpany　you；　ma　petite。〃
　〃Fine。〃　I　started　walking。　I　could　feel　them　following　me；　feel　them　both　behind　me。　I　almost　turned　around　to　see　if　they　were　holding　hands；　but　if　they　were；　I　wasn't　ready　to　see　it。
　Bobby　Lee　trailed　behind　without　a　word。　Smart　man。
　
　53
　
　THE　ROOM　WAS　bare　stone　walls。　There　was　no　pretense　of　fort。　It　was　the　vampire's　version　of　prison；　and　it　looked　like　one。　There　were　half　a　dozen　coffins　sitting　on　bare；　raised　platforms　with　silver　chains　around　them；　waiting　to　be　raised　and　locked　in　place　with　crosses。　The　only　crosses　in　the　room　were　on　the　two　closed　coffins。　Two？　Two　chained　coffins。　Damian　was　in　one。　Who　the　hell　was　in　the　other？
　〃Which　one　is　your　boy？〃　Bobby　Lee　asked。
　I　shook　my　head。　〃Don't　know。〃
　〃I　thought　you　were　supposed　to　be　this　boy's　master。〃
　〃That's　the　theory。〃
　〃Then　shouldn't　you　be　able　to　tell　which　box　is　which？〃
　I　glanced　at　him；　gave　a　small　nod。　〃Point。〃　I　looked　back　at　the　door　but　it　was　still　empty；　just　us。　I　didn't　know　where　everyone　had　gone　to；　and　I　was　so　trying　not　to　speculate　on　what　might　have　distracted　Micah　and　Jean…Claude。
　I　tried　to　concentrate　on　who　was　in　the　coffins；　but　I　couldn't。　Once　upon　a　time　I　could　sense　Damian　even　before　he　woke　in　his　coffin；　but　I　got　nothing　from　either　coffin；　except　that　there　were　vampires　in　them。　I　went　to　the　closest　coffin。　The　wood　was　pale　and　smooth。　Not　the　most　expensive；　but　not　cheap　either；　heavy；　well　made。　I　passed　my　hands　across　the　smooth　wood；　fingers　caressing　the　coolness　of　the　chains。　Something　banged　against　the　lid　of　the　coffin。　I　jumped。
　Bobby　Lee　laughed。
　I　frowned　at　him；　then　turned　back　to　the　coffin；　but　I　wasn't　touching　it　anymore。　I　knew　it　wasn't　possible　with　a　blessed　cross　attached　to　the　lid；　but　I'd　had　this　sudden　image　of　an　arm　tearing　through　the　wood　and　grabbing　me。　Damian　was　supposed　to　be　homicidally　crazy。　Better　cautious　than　dead。
　I　put　my　hands　just　above　the　coffin；　not　quite　touching。　I　drew　my　necromancy；　like　drawing　a　breath；　and　breathed　it　out　through　my　body；　not　exactly　through　my　hands；　but　everywhere。　The　necromancy　was　part　of　what　I　was；　not　just　who　I　was。　I　started　to　push　my　power　into　the　coffin；　but　it　was　pulled　in；　like　water　pouring　into　a　hole。　The　water　falls　down　because　gravity　pulls　it　down；　and　there　is　no　stopping　it；　it's　natural；　automatic。　My　necromancy　spilled　into　that　coffin；　and　into　Damian。　I　felt　him　lying　in　the　dark；　his　body　pressed　against　the　thin　satin。　I　saw　his　eyes　stare　up　into　mine；　felt　something　flare　inside　him；　something　that　recognized　my　power；　but　I　couldn't　feel　him。　There　was　no　personality　there；　no　Damian。　I　knew　it　was　him；　but　there　was　no　thought　in　him；　nothing　but　that　tiny　spark　of　recognition；　and　barely　that。　I　tried　to　reconcile　the　thing　I　felt　to　what　I　knew　Damian　had　been；　and　it　was　like　he　had　bee　something　else。　I　said　a　quick　prayer；　and　I　didn't　even　feel　odd　praying　to　God　about　a　vampire。　I'd　had　to　give　up　my　narrow　ideas　of　God　a　long　time　ago；　or　give　up　church　and　everything　I　held　dear　about　my　religion。　The　deal　was；　if　God　was　okay　with　what　I　was　doing；　then　I　had　to　be；　too。
　〃Where　is　everybody？〃　I　asked　it　aloud；　so　Bobby　Lee　answered。
　〃I　don't　know；　but　if　you　e　with　me；　we'll　go　look。〃
　I　shook　my　head　staring　at　the　other　coffin。　Who　was　in　there　locked　in　the　dark？　I　had　to　know；　and　if　I　could；　I'd　get　them　out。　I　didn't　approve　of　torture；　and　being　locked　in　a　coffin　where　you　would　never　starve　to　death；　but　always　go　hungry；　never　die　of　thirst；　but　burn　with　the　need　for　liquid；　be　trapped　in　a　space　so　small　you　couldn't　even　turn　onto　your　side；　were　all　good　definitions　of　torture　in　my　book。　I　liked　most　of　Jean…Claude's　vamps；　and　I　wouldn't　leave　them　like　this；　not　if　I　could　persuade　him　that　they'd　been　punished　enough。　I　was　pretty　stubborn　about　things　like　that；　and　Jean…Claude　was　wanting　to　please　me　right　now；　I　could　probably　get　whoever　it　was　out。　I'd　do　my　best。　But　who　was　it？　Admittedly；　there　were　vampires　that　I'd　make　more　of　an　effort　to　save；　just　like　people。
　I　went　to　stand　beside　the　other　coffin　and　pushed　my　magic　into　it。　I　had　to　push　this　time；　it　wasn't　like　Damian。　Whatever　was　in　this　box　didn't　wele　me　in。　It　wasn't　anyone　I　had　a　connection　with。　I　felt　something；　and　I　knew　it　was　a　kind　of　undead；　but　it　didn't　feel　like　a　vampire。　It　felt　emptier　than　that。　It　was　fully　dark　outside；　there　should　have　been　movement；　life；　of　a　sort；　but　there　was　nothing。　I　pushed　farther　into　the　thing；　and　found　the　faintest　answering　pulse。　It　was　as　if　whatever　was　in　there　was　a　lot　more　dead　than　alive；　yet　not　truly　dead。
　A　sound　turned　me　towards　the　door。　Jean…Claude　glided　into　the　room；　his　robe　tied　tight　now；　like　a　signal　that　he　was　ready　to　get　down　to　business　He　was　alone。
　〃Where's　Micah？〃　I　asked。
　〃Jason　has　taken　him　to　get　some　clothing。　They　should　be　able　to　find　something　that　will　fit　him。〃
　〃Who　is　in　this　coffin？〃　I'd　almost　said；　what；　but　I　was　betting　it　was　a　vampire；　just　not　like　one　I'd　ever　sensed　before。
　His　face　was　already　careful；　neutral。　〃I　would　think；　ma　petite；　that　you　have　enough　to　be　concerned　over　with　Damian？〃
　〃You　know　and　I　know　that　I　am　not　moving　until　I　know　who's　in　here。〃
　He　sighed。　〃Yes；　I　know。〃　He　actually　looked　down　at　the　floor；　as　if　he　were　tired；　and　because　his　face　showed　nothing；　the　gesture　looked　half…finished；　like　bad　acting。　But　I　knew　that　for　him　to　be　working　so　hard　at　keeping　anything　off　his　face；　only　to　let　his　body　betray　him　meant　he　was　very　unhappy。　Which　meant　that　I　was　really　not　going　to　like　the　answer。
　〃Who；　Jean…Claude？〃
　〃Gretchen；〃　he　said；　finally　meeting　my　eyes。　His　face　told　me　nothing；　the　one　word　empty。
　Once　upon　a　time　Gretchen　had　tried　to　kill　me　because　she　wanted　Jean…Claude　for　herself。　〃When　did　she　get　back　in　town？〃
　〃Back？〃　He　gave　it　that　little　lilt　that　made　it　a　question。
　〃Don't　be　coy；　Jean…Claude。　She　came　back　to　town　still　out　for　my　blood；　and　you　put　her　in　here；　so　when？〃
　His　face　became　like　a　sculpture；　except　with　less　movement　in　it。　He　was　hiding　as　much　of　himself　as　he　could；　and　the　shields　were　like　armor。　〃I　say　again；　ma　petite；　she　had　gone　nowhere。〃
　〃What's　that　supposed　to　mean？〃
　He　looked　at　me　with　that　perfect　face；　so　unreadable。　〃It　means　that　from　the　moment　you　watched　me　put　her　in　the　coffin　in　my　office　at　Guilty　Pleasures；　she　has　always　been　here。〃
　I　blinked；　frowned；　opened　my　mouth；　closed　it；　tried　again；　failed。　I　must　have　looked　like　a　landed　fish；　because　I　couldn't　think　of　a　damn　thing　to　say。　He　just　stood　there；　not　helping。
　I　found　my　voice；　and　it　was　breathy。　〃You're　saying　that　Gretchen　has　been　in　a　coffin　for　two；　no　three　years？〃
　He　just　looked　at　me。　He'd　stopped　breathing。　There　was　no　sense　of　movement　to　him　at　all；　as　if；　if　I　looked　away　I'd　never　find　him　again；　he'd　be　invisible。
　〃Answer　me；　damn　it！　Has　she　been　in　a　coffin　for　three　years？〃
　He　gave　the　smallest　of　nods。
　〃Jesus；　Jesus。〃　I　paced　the　room；　because　if　I　didn't　do　something　physical；　I　was　going　to　hit　him　or　start　screaming。　I　finally　ended　up　standing　in　front　of　him；　hands　in　fists　at　my　sides。　〃You　bastard。〃　My　voice　was　a　hoarse　whisper；　squeezed　out　of　my　throat　because　to　do　anything　else　would　have　had　me　ranting　at　him。
　〃She　tried　to　kill　my　human　servant；　who　I　also　loved。　Most　masters　would　have　simply　killed　her。〃
　〃That　would　have　been　better　than　this；〃　I　said；　voice　still　a　hissing　whisper。
　〃I　doubt　Gretchen　would　agree。〃
　〃Let's　open　the　coffin　and　see；〃　I　said。
　He　shook　his　head。　〃Not　tonight；　ma　petite。　I　knew　you　would　feel　this　way；　and　we　can　try　and　release　her；　though　I　have　poor　hope　for　it。〃
　〃What's　that　supposed　to　mean？〃
　〃