lh.narcissusinchains-第105部分

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the　night　shift；　Ulysses；　whatever　Narcissus　wants　can　wait　until　later　in　the　day。〃
　〃The　word　went　out　yesterday　that　any　information　about　the　missing　lycanthropes　was　to　go　through　you。〃
　That　woke　me　up　a　little。　I　blinked　and　tried　to　be　more　awake　than　I　felt。　〃What　information？〃
　〃He　will　only　talk　directly　to　you。〃
　〃Then　put　him　on　the　phone；　I'm　all　ears。〃
　〃He　insists　that　you　e　down　to　his　club；　now。〃
　〃I　have　had　less　than　two　hours　of　sleep；　Ulysses。　I　am　not　dragging　my　ass　over　to　the　Illinois　side　of　the　river　at　the　crack　of　dawn。　If　he　has　information　that　can　help　us　save　shapeshifters'　lives；　just　give　it　to　me；　and　I'll　see　that　the　info　gets　to　where　it　needs　to　go。〃
　〃My　Oba　insists　that　if　you　do　not　e　down　to　the　club　now；　he　will　not　share　the　information　at　all。〃
　I　sat　up；　leaning　against　the　headboard；　closing　my　eyes。　〃Why　now？〃
　〃It　is　not　my　way　to　question　my　orders。〃
　〃Maybe　you　should　work　on　that；〃　I　said。
　There　was　silence　on　the　other　end　of　the　phone。　I　didn't　know　if　he　was　puzzled　and　didn't　get　my　ment；　or　if　it　had　struck　too　close　to　home。　He　finally　said　in　a　quiet　voice；　〃Right　now　the　lions'　Rex　is　alive。　That　may　not　be　the　case　in　a　few　hours。〃
　I　sat　up；　eyes　wide；　pletely　awake　at　last。　〃How　do　you　know　that？〃
　〃My　Oba　knows　many　things。〃
　〃Narcissus　would　really　let　the　lions'　Rex　die；　just　because　I　won't　e　down　to　the　club　at　the　ass　crack　of　dawn？〃
　〃My　master　is　very　insistent。〃
　〃Shit；〃　I　said　softly　and　with　feeling。　〃Tell　him　I'll　be　down；　but　tell　him　this；　too。　The　next　time　he's　in　trouble；　maybe　no　one　will　help　him　either。〃
　〃This　is　more　help　than　he　has　ever　been　to　any　other　animal　clan。〃
　There　was　something　in　Ulysses's　voice　now；　something。　He　was　lying。　I　could　hear　it　in　his　voice。　I　didn't　know　if　it　was　vampire　powers　or　werewolf　or　wereleopard；　and　I　didn't　care。　The　question　was；　why　lie　about　the　fact　that　the　werehyenas　had　helped　no　other　shapeshifter　group　more　than　this？　Why　was　that　worth　a　lie　at　all？
　〃Narcissus　helps　out　more　than　he　wants　people　to　know；　doesn't　he？〃　I　said。
　〃What　makes　you　say　that？〃　There　was　a　thread　of　fear；　almost　panic；　in　Ulysses's　voice。
　〃What　would　it　hurt　if　the　lycanthrope　munity　knew　that　the　werehyenas　were　helping　other　animals　out？〃　I　asked。
　His　breath　came　out　in　a　long　sigh。　〃Narcissus　would　never　want　anyone　to　think　that　about　the　werehyenas。　It　would　。。。　〃　he　hesitated；　〃be　bad　for　business。〃
　〃If　Narcissus　is　so　concerned　about　Joseph　the　lion；　then　why　not　give　me　the　info　over　the　phone？〃
　Ulysses　laughed；　abrupt；　amused。　〃Narcissus　has　never　given　anything　away　for　nothing。　There's　always　a　price　with　him。〃
　〃So　my　dragging　down　to　his　club　on　no　sleep　is　the　price？〃
　〃Something　like　that。〃
　〃Can　I　bring　my　people？〃
　〃My　master　would　love　to　see　any　of　your　people　you　care　to　bring。〃
　I　didn't　like　the　phrasing　on　that。　〃How　big　of　him。〃
　〃When　will　you　be　here？〃　Ulysses　asked。
　〃How　do　you　know　I'm　ing？〃
　〃Because　you　know　that　he's　enough　of　an　egotist　that　if　you　don't　e　now　he　may　not　share　the　information　at　all。　You　know　he'd　let　the　lions'　Rex　die　just　because　he's　not　the　same　animal　we　are；　and　you　not　ing　down　now　would　be　an　insult。〃
　〃This　clannish　shit　has　got　to　stop；　Ulysses。　We　need　to　start　helping　each　other　more。〃
　〃Not　my　place　to　change　the　system；　Anita。　I'm　just　trying　to　survive　in　it。〃
　He　sounded　sad。　〃I　don't　mean　to　yell　at　the　messenger；　Ulysses；　I'm　just　tired　of　the　system。〃
　He　laughed　again；　but　not　like　he　was　happy。　〃You're　tired　of　the　system。　Jesus；　you　have　no　idea。　When　can　I　tell　him　to　expect　you？〃
　〃An　hour。　Less；　if　I　can　manage　it。　I　want　Joseph　alive　to　see　his　baby。〃
　〃His　mate　will　probably　lose　it　like　all　the　others。〃
　〃I　thought　you　hyenas　didn't　talk　to　the　lions　or　anyone　else。　How　do　you　know　about　Joseph's　baby　woes？〃
　〃Narcissus　keeps　track　of　things　like　that。〃
　〃Why　would　he　care？〃
　〃He　wants　a　baby。〃
　That　made　me　raise　my　eyebrows。　〃I've　never　pictured　Narcissus　as　the　paternal　type。〃
　〃Try　maternal。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃We'll　be　waiting　for　you；　Anita。　Don't　keep　him　waiting。　He　doesn't　like　to　be　kept　waiting。〃　I　heard　sorrow　in　his　voice；　sorrow　bordering　on　grief。　I　almost　asked　what　was　wrong；　but　he'd　already　hung　up。　What　had　Narcissus　done　to　him　to　put　that　tone　in　his　voice？　Did　I　really　want　to　know？　Probably　not。　Not　unless　there　was　something　I　could　do　about　it；　and　there　wasn't。　If　I　started　a　war　with　every　harsh　lycanthrope　master　in　town；　I'd　have　to　kill　them　all；　or　almost。　The　only　one　who　wasn't　harsh　was　Richard；　and　that　was　going　to　get　him　killed。　I　plained　about　Narcissus　being　too　harsh　and　Richard　being　too　soft。　I　guess　I　was　just　never　satisfied。
　I　hung　up　the　phone　and　told　Nathaniel　what　was　happening　while　I　picked　out　clothes。　Nathaniel　threw　a　tank　top　over　the　jogging　shorts　he'd　slept　in；　added　jogging　shoes；　no　socks。　He　knew　better　than　to　try　and　dress；　because　he'd　insist　on　unbraiding　his　hair　and　bing　it　out；　which　would　take　all　the　time　the　rest　of　us　would　need　to　get　dressed。　I　was　wrong。　Nathaniel　wasn't　even　close　to　done　with　his　hair　when　the　rest　of　us　were　dressed　and　ready　to　go。　Bobby　Lee　and　Cris　just　threw　on　their　shirts　and　shoes；　ran　fingers　through　their　short　hair；　put　the　holsters　back　on；　and　they　were　ready　to　go。　Gil　came　down　in　jeans；　jogging　shoes；　and　an　untucked　men's　dress　shirt。　The　shirt　looked　new；　but　he　didn't　keep　us　waiting。　Caleb　came　down　in　jeans　and　nothing　else。　I　didn't　bother　to　tell　him　to　throw　a　shirt　on；　or　shoes。　Somehow　I　didn't　think　that　Narcissus　would　deny　us　service　because　Caleb　was　under…dressed。
　I　actually　took　the　longest　getting　dressed：　black　jeans；　red　polo　shirt；　black　Nikes；　every　blade　I　had；　including　the　new　back　sheath　I'd　had　made　for　the　largest　knife　that　ran　along　my　spine。　The　first　sheath　had　gotten　cut　to　pieces　by　emergency　room　personnel；　while　they　were　trying　to　save　my　life。　I　also　brought　my　two　handguns；　though　I　wasn't　sure　that　any　of　us　would　be　allowed　to　bring　guns　into　the　club。　But　just　in　case　I　brought　them；　and　I　warned　Cris　and　Bobby　Lee　about　the　no…guns　rule。　They　flashed　their　own　set　of　wicked…looking　blades　　about　three　apiece　　and　we　were　ready　to　go。
　I　thought　about　calling　Christine　the　weretiger；　but　figured　since　it　wasn't　quite　seven　that　I'd　let　somebody　sleep　in　today。　Besides；　I　didn't　know　shit　yet。　When　I　knew　something　worth　sharing；　I'd　share。
　I　was　halfway　to　the　club　when　I　realized　that　the　ardeur　hadn't　set　in。　It　was　morning。　I　was　awake。　There　wasn't　a　stir　from　the　ardeur。　Hope　flared　through　me　in　a　warm；　fuzzy　wash。　Maybe　the　ardeur　was　going　to　be　temporary。　Dear　God；　I　hoped　so。　I　said　a　brief　prayer　of　thanks　and　kept　monitoring　myself　for　the　first　hints　of　unbridled　lust。
　We　arrived　at　Narcissus　in　Chains　with　me　grumpy；　but　not　the　least　bit　lustful。　It　was　a　good　day。
　
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　I　WAS　ABLE　to　park　right　in　front　of　Narcissus　in　Chains。　Not　only　was　there　no　line　at　8：00　A。M。；　there　were　no　other　people　in　front　of　the　club。　The　wide　sidewalk　stretched　empty；　almost　golden；　in　the　early　morning　light。　If　I'd　had　time　for　coffee；　I　might　even　have　said　it　was　pretty；　but　I　hadn't　had　time　for　coffee；　so　the　sunlight　was　just　bright。　I　had　finally　broken　down　and　bought　sunglasses　a　few　weeks　ago。　I　huddled　behind　them；　wishing　I　was　still　in　bed。　I　was　so　tired；　I　felt　fuzzy…headed。　I'm　usually　pretty　good　at　going　without　sleep。　The　only　thing　I　could　blame　the　fuzziness　on　was　the　heat　exhaustion　from　the　night　before。　Maybe　I　needed　more　than　three　hours　to　recover　from　it。　It　made　me　wonder　how　bad　off　I'd　have　been　if　I　hadn't　had　all　my　preternatural　powers。　A　person　can　die　of　heatstroke。
　Nathaniel　was　at　my　side；　Bobby　Lee　and　Cris；　a　step　behind　and　to　either　side。　Gil　and　Caleb　brought　up　the　rear。　The　door　opened　before　we　could　knock。　Ulysses　ushered　us　into　the　darkened　club。　He　was　still　wearing　his　leather　and　metal　harness。　The　smell　of　it　made　me　wonder　if　it　was　the　exact　same　outfit　he'd　been　wearing；　was　it　five　or　six　days　ago？　The　tall；　dark；　and　handsome　man　that　I'd　met　looked　hollow…eyed。　His　strong　hands　gripped　his　elbows；　hugging　his　body。　When　he　moved　a　hand　to　motion　us　inside；　it　shook。　What　the　hell　had　been　going　on？
　Half　a　dozen　other　muscular　men　of　varying　races　and　heights　stood　in　the　shadows　waiting　for　Ulysses　to　tell　them　what　to　do。　The　tension　in　the　room　was　so　thick　you　could　have　choked　on　it。
　Cris　made　a　hissing　sound　at　my　back；　and　I　couldn't　blame　him。　I　decided　then　and　there　that　unless　we　got　some　really　good　explanations；　we　were　keeping　the　guns。　There　was　an　air　of　desperation　about　all　the　werehyenas；　as　if　something　really　bad　had　happened。
　The　door　was　shut　behind　us；　but　we　were　close　to　it；　and　no　one　was　between　us　and　it。　I　wanted　to　save　the　lion　Joseph；　but　not　enough　to　risk　myself　and　my　people。　If　it　was　a　choice；　I　knew　who　I'd　choose。　Cold；　maybe；　but　I'd　never　met　Joseph　the　werelion。　He　wasn't　real　to　me　yet；　and　everyone　with　me　was。
　Ulysses　must　have　seen；　or　smelled；　something　on　us；　because　he　explained。　〃Our　master　has　seen　fit　to　punish　us。〃
　〃What　for？〃　I　asked。
　He　shook　his　head。　〃That　is　personal。〃
　〃Fine；　let's　talk　to　Narcissus；　and　you　guys　can　get　back　to　punishing　yourselves。〃
　〃We　are　not　punishing　ourselves；〃　Ulysses　said。
　I　shrugged。　〃Look；　I　don't　believe　in　letting　anyone　push　me　around　to　this　degree；　but　it's　not　my　deal；　it's　yours。　So　let's　share　information　and　let　us　get　out　of　here。〃
　Something　crossed　Ulysses's　face；　some　emotion　that　I　couldn't　read。　〃No　guns　in　the　club；　that's　the　rule。〃
　〃I　think　we'll　keep　our　guns；〃　Bobby　Lee　said。
　I　glanced　at　him；　and　the　look　was　enough。　He　shut　up　but　smiled　at　me。　〃Actually；　I　agree　with　him。　We're　not　giving　up　our　guns　today。〃
　Ulysses　shook　his　head。　〃I　can't　fail　my　master　in　this；　Anita。　You　have　no　idea　what　he'll　do　to　us　if　we　let　you　inside　with　guns。〃
　I　glanced　at　the　men　standing　around　in　the　shadowed　room。　Fear　rolled　off　of　them　in　waves；　their　bodies　were　tight　with　tension。　I'd　never　seen　so