lh.narcissusinchains-第114部分

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but　I　wasn't　sure。　Had　he　raped　Cherry？　Had　he　touched　her？　I　tried　to　keep　the　thought　off　my　face；　because　with　the　thought　came　a　white；　hot　wash　of　anger。
　〃Oh；　you　don't　like　that　idea；　do　you？〃　He　tried　to　touch　my　hair；　and　I　stepped　away　from　him　out　of　the　alcove　so　I'd　have　room　to　maneuver。　Help　was　on　its　way；　but　a　glance　at　my　watch　showed　another　twenty　minutes　of　the　hour　still　left。　Maybe　the　troops　would　e　sooner；　maybe　they　wouldn't。　I　couldn't　afford　to　count　on　it。
　He　didn't　try　and　follow　me；　just　let　me　inch　away。　〃I　could　rape　you　in　front　of　Micah。　I　don't　think　either　of　you　would　like　that。　Though　truthfully　I　might　prefer　it　the　other　way　around。　Orlando　is　homophobic。　I　wonder　why　that　would　be？〃
　I　spoke　as　I　inched　down　the　curtain；　drawing　him　away　from　Cherry　and　Micah。　〃We　dislike　most　in　others　what　we　hate　most　in　ourselves；〃　I　said。
　〃Bravo；〃　Chimera　said。　〃Yes；　I　keep　a　lot　of　Orlando　safe　from　Orlando。〃
　〃That　must　be　hard；〃　I　said。
　〃What？〃　he　asked。
　〃Keeping　secrets　when　you　share　the　same　body。〃
　He　followed　me　slowly　around　the　edge　of　the　wall。　〃At　first　he　didn't　want　to　know　what　we　did；　but　lately　he's　bee　。。。　unhappy　with　us。　I　think　he'd　have　done　himself　harm　if　I　hadn't　stopped　him。〃　Chimera　motioned　towards　the　hanging　men。　〃He　woke　up　in　the　dark　in　the　middle　of　them。　He　screamed　like　a　girl。〃　Chimera　put　his　fingers　to　his　lips　and　said；　〃Oops；　excuse　me；　you　didn't　scream　at　all。　He　screamed　like　a　baby　until　I　came　and　rescued　him；　but　he　didn't　seem　all　that　grateful。　Like　he　blamed　me。〃　Chimera　looked　puzzled；　and　again　I　had　that　impression　that　he　was　listening　to　things　I　couldn't　hear。
　He　stared　at　me。　〃Do　you　hear　that？〃
　I　widened　my　eyes　at　him　and　shrugged。　〃What？〃
　He　looked　off　past　the　hanging　men；　and　I　looked　around　for　a　weapon。　All　this　damage　and　cutting　people　up；　there　had　to　be　a　blade　around　here　somewhere。　But　the　room　stretched　white　and　empty；　except　for　the　chained　men。　Weren't　there　supposed　to　be　pokers；　maces；　fucking　weapons？　What　kind　of　dungeon　was　this；　victims　but　no　instruments　of　torture？
　I　heard　it　then；　screams；　fighting。　The　battle　was　on。　Though　it　was　still　distant。　The　good　news　was　that　help　was　on　its　way；　the　bad　news　was　that　Chimera　knew　what　was　happening　and　I　was　alone　with　him。　Alright；　not　alone；　but　nobody　chained　to　the　stone　was　going　to　be　able　to　help　me。
　He　turned　a　face　so　full　of　rage　to　me　that　it　was　almost　bestial；　without　any　shifting　of　form。
　〃Why　did　you　take　all　the　alphas？〃　I　asked。　I　was　still　going　to　try　and　keep　him　talking；　it　was　all　I　had。
　〃So　I　could　rule　their　groups。〃　His　words　came　out　low　and　growling　through　clenched　teeth。
　〃Your　snakes　are　anacondas。　The　alpha　you　took　was　a　cobra。　You　can't　rule　over　a　type　of　snake　you're　not。〃
　〃Why　not？〃　he　asked；　and　he　started　to　stalk　towards　me；　still　in　human　form；　but　with　that　tense　grace　that　is　more　animal　than　human。
　I　didn't　have　a　good　answer　for　that　one。　〃Are　the　alphas　alive？〃
　He　shook　his　head。　〃I　hear　fighting；　Anita。　What　have　you　done？〃
　〃I　haven't　done　anything。〃
　〃You're　lying。　I　can　smell　it。〃
　Okay。　Maybe　truth　would　help。　〃The　sounds　you　hear　are　the　cavalry　riding　to　the　rescue。〃
　〃Who？〃　he　asked；　voice　almost　pure　growl。　He　was　still　stalking　towards　me；　and　I　was　still　backing　up。
　〃Rafael　and　his　wererats；　probably　the　werewolves　by　now。〃
　〃There　are　hundreds　of　werehyenas　in　this　building。　Your　cavalry　cannot　get　through　them　in　time　to　save　you。〃
　I　shrugged；　afraid　to　tell　the　truth；　afraid　he'd　take　it　out　on　the　werehyenas'　lovers。　And　I　didn't　dare　try　to　lie；　he'd　smell　it。　So　I　just　kept　backing　up。　We　were　almost　to　the　door。　If　I　could　get　it　open；　maybe　he'd　chase　me。　Maybe　I　could　lead　him　into　an　ambush　of　my　own。
　Abuta　moved　in　front　of　the　door。　I'd　forgotten　him；　and　that　was　careless。　Not　fatal；　not　yet；　but　careless。
　I　pressed　my　back　to　the　wall　so　I　could　keep　an　eye　on　both　of　them。　Abuta　stayed　by　the　door；　the　message　clear　that　if　I　kept　away　from　the　door　he'd　keep　away　from　me。　Chimera；　on　the　other　hand；　kept　stalking　closer。　I　was　between　a　panwere　and　a　snake　　not　actually　a　rock　and　a　hard　place；　but　close。
　Chimera　flowed　into　his　other　form。　I've　seen　shapeshifters　change　for　years；　and　it　was　always　violent；　or　messy。　But　this；　this　was　almost　。。。　breathtaking。　Scales　flowed　over　him　as　if　they　were　water。　There　was　no　clear　fluid；　no　blood；　nothing　but　the　change；　as　if　he　stepped　from　one　form　into　another；　like　Clark　Kent　changes　into　Superman。　It　was　so　quick　it　was　almost　instantaneous。　He　didn't　even　miss　a　step。　His　clothes　folded　away　like　the　petals　of　a　flower　falling　to　the　earth；　and　he　stepped　out　in　the　snake　form　of　Coronus。　The　big　snake　man　stopped　moving。　He　froze　in　that　stillness　that　reptiles　love。　I　froze　when　he　did。　He　finally　turned　his　head　so　he　could　look　at　me　with　a　copper　eye。　It　must　have　played　hell　with　his　depth…perception　having　to　do　that。
　〃I　remember　you。　Chimera　told　us　to　kill　you。〃　He　looked　around　at　the　dark　room　and　said　slowly；　〃Where　are　we？〃
　Then　he　bent　over　as　if　in　pain；　and　the　next　form　was　human　but　not　Orlando's　body。　He　was　Boone　and　before　Boone's　eyes　had　lost　their　confused　look；　he　was　a　lion　man。　For　a　second　I　thought　it　would　be　Marco；　but　of　course　he　couldn't　be　both　Marco　and　Coronus；　not　even　Chimera　could　pull　that　one　off。
　He　was　golden；　tawny；　muscled；　masculine；　with　a　mane　around　his　half…human　face　that　was　almost　black。　The　claws　on　his　hands　were　like　black　daggers。
　〃This　form　is　truly　mine；〃　he　growled。　〃The　snake　and　the　bear　are　like　Orlando；　they　still　believe　in　themselves。　But　I　am　all　there　is；　and　there　is　nothing　but　Chimera。〃　He　reached　for　me；　and　I　bolted。　I　ran　towards　the　hanging　men；　because　I　knew　they'd　slow　him　down；　then　turned　at　the　last　second；　so　fast　I　fell　on　the　ground　and　skittered　away　on　hands　and　feet　like　a　monkey。　They　would　slow　him　down；　but　he'd　cut　them　up　to　get　at　me。　I　couldn't　let　that　happen。
　He　cornered　me　on　the　far　side　of　the　room　　farthest　away　from　the　door　and　Micah。　I　think　he　could　have　caught　me　sooner　but　he　wasn't　rushing。　I　don't　know　why。　The　sounds　of　fighting　were　closer；　but　not　close　enough。
　Chimera　came　at　me　like　grace　contained　in　violence；　a　mountain　of　tawny　muscle　and　fur　that　gleamed　in　the　lights。　He　opened　his　mouth　and　roared；　a　sound　I'd　never　heard　outside　of　a　zoo　before。　That　coughing　roar　made　me　stand　a　little　straighter。　Zeke　and　Bacchus　had　promised　to　e　get　us　out　of　here　before　the　rest　of　the　fighting　started。　They'd　failed；　or　lied；　but　I　wasn't　going　down　without　a　fight；　and　I　wasn't　going　down　screaming。　I　watched　him　e　towards　me；　like　a　slow…motion　nightmare；　beautiful　and　terrible；　like　some　kind　of　beastial　angel。
　Suddenly；　the　ardeur　rose　inside　me　like　a　warm　wave；　spilling　along　my　skin；　drawing　a　gasp　from　my　throat。　The　last　time　it　had　risen　because　of　Richard's　nearness。　This　time　。。。　maybe　it　was　just　time　to　feed　again。　The　moment　I　thought　feed　I　knew　Jean…Claude　had　awakened；　and　with　his　rising；　down　in　the　depths　of　the　Circus；　the　ardeur　had　risen　inside　me。
　Chimera　stopped　where　he　was；　shaking　his　great　maned　head。　〃What　is　that？〃　he　growled。
　My　voice　came　breathy。　〃The　ardeur。〃
　〃The　what？〃
　〃The　ardeur；　the　fire；　the　need；〃　I　said。　With　each　word　the　ardeur　grew　like　a　weight；　and　that　weight　brushed　against　my　beast。　It　spilled　upward　from　that　tight　curled　place　inside　me；　and　the　two　separate　heats　rose　up　inside；　spilling　along　my　body；　drawing　me　forward　towards　Chimera。　I　wasn't　afraid　of　him　anymore；　because　I　could　smell　his　fear。　You　never　had　to　be　afraid　of　anything　that　was　afraid　of　you。　Part　of　me　knew　that　wasn't　true；　that　a　scared　man　with　a　gun　is　more　likely　to　shoot　you　than　a　brave　one；　but　the　parts　of　me　that　were　able　to　think　were　sliding　away；　leaving　behind　only　instinct。　What　was　left　liked　the　smell　of　fear。　It　reminded　me　of　food　and　sex。
　Chimera　backed　away；　and　we　began　a　slow　walk　back　the　way　we'd　e；　this　time　with　me　advancing　slowly　on　him。　I　stalked　him　as　he'd　stalked　me；　and　part　of　me　noticed　that　I　was　placing　my　feet　one　atop　the　other；　almost　stepping　in　my　own　footsteps；　like　a　cat。　The　walk　was　oddly　graceful；　swaying　my　hips。　My　spine　was　very　straight；　shoulders　back；　arms　almost　motionless　at　my　sides；　but　there　was　a　tension　running　through　my　upper　body；　an　anticipation　of　action；　of　violence。　Always　before　the　ardeur　had　overridden　the　beast's　hunger；　but　as　I　stalked　Chimera；　watched　that　huge　muscular　form　back　away　from　me；　it　was　meat　I　was　thinking　of。　Teeth　and　claws；　flesh　to　rend；　to　bite；　to　tear。　I　could　almost　taste　his　blood　　hot；　almost　scalding　in　my　mouth；　down　my　throat。　It　wasn't　just　my　beast's　hunger；　but　Jean…Claude's　blood　thirst　and　Richard's　craving　for　flesh。　It　was　all　that　and　the　ardeur　running　through　all　of　it；　so　that　one　hunger　fed　into　the　next　in　an　endless　chain；　a　snake　eating　its　own　tail；　an　Ouroboros　of　desires。
　Chimera　stopped　running；　pressing　himself　up　against　the　white　curtain。　We　were　almost　back　to　Cherry　and　Micah。　There　was　solid　wall　behind　Chimera；　behind　the　curtain。　〃What　are　you？〃　he　asked　in　a　voice　that　was　strangled；　full　of　the　fear　that　rose　off　of　him　in　waves。　He　scented　the　air；　nostrils　flaring。　〃You　don't　even　smell　the　same。〃
　〃What　do　I　smell　like？〃　I　touched　his　chest　with　just　my　fingertips；　not　sure　what　he'd　do。　But　he　didn't　pull　away。　I　pressed　my　palm　over　his　heart　and　felt　that　thick；　heavy　beat　rise　against　my　hand；　as　if　I　could　have　caressed　it；　like　running　your　hand　over　the　head　of　a　drum。　I　knew　in　that　moment　what　he　wanted　most　of　all。　He　wanted　to　die。　Whoever　was　at　the　core；　whatever　was　left　of　who　Orlando　King　had　been；　he　wanted　to　end　it。　He'd　been　trying　to　kill　himself　since　the　moment　he　learned　he　was　going　to　be　a　werewolf。　He'd　never　changed　his　mind。　He　just　couldn't　bring　himself　to　mit　suicide；　not　directly　anyway。
　I　leaned　in　close　to　him；　pressing　our　bodies　together；　lightly；　both　hands　on　his　chest。　〃I'll　help　you；〃　I　whispered。
　〃Help　me；　how？〃　But　his　voice　was　fearful