lh.narcissusinchains-第17部分

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　Room　nine　was　nearly　at　the　end　of　the　long　hallway。　The　building　had　been　a　warehouse；　and　the　upstairs　had　simply　been　divided　into　long　hallways　with　huge　rooms　scattered　along　them。　Jamil　was　standing　to　one　side　of　the　door。　Faust　was　standing　in　front　of　it。　Not　smart。
　I　stood　to　the　other　side　of　the　door　and　said；　〃Faust；　the　werehyenas　had　to　take　guns　off　these　guys。〃
　The　vampire　raised　an　arched　eyebrow　at　me。
　〃They　may　not　have　found　all　the　guns；〃　I　said。
　He　still　looked　at　me。
　I　sighed。　Over　a　hundred　years　of　〃life；〃　power　enough　to　be　a　master　vamp；　and　he　was　still　an　amateur。　〃It　would　be　bad　to　be　standing　in　the　center　of　the　door　when　a　shotgun　blast　went　off　on　the　other　side。〃
　He　blinked；　and　a　little　of　that　humor　leaked　away；　showing　that　arrogance　that　most　vamps　acquire。　〃I　think　Narcissus　would　have　found　a　shotgun。〃
　I　leaned　my　shoulder　against　the　wall　and　smiled　at　him。　〃Do　you　know　what　a　cop…killer　is？〃
　He　raised　both　eyebrows　at　me。　〃A　person　who　kills　policemen。〃
　〃No；　it's　a　type　of　ammunition　designed　to　go　through　body　armor。　The　cops　have　no　defense　against　it。　You　can　carry　armor…piercing　bullets　in　handguns；　Faust。　I　used　the　shotgun　as　an　example；　but　it　could　be　so　many　things。　And　they　would　all　take　out　your　heart；　most　of　your　spine；　or　all　of　your　head；　depending　on　where　the　shooter　was　aiming。〃
　〃Get　out　of　the　fucking　doorway；〃　Meng　Die　said。
　He　turned　and　looked　at　her；　and　it　was　not　a　friendly　look。　〃You　are　not　my　master。〃
　〃Nor　you　mine；〃　she　said。
　〃Children；〃　I　said。　They　both　looked　at　me。　Great。　〃Faust　if　you're　not　going　to　be　helpful　then　go　back　downstairs。〃
　〃What　did　I　do？〃
　I　glanced　at　Meng　Die；　shrugged；　and　said；　〃Get　out　of　the　fucking　doorway。〃
　I　could　see　his　shoulders　tighten；　but　he　gave　a　graceful　bow　at　odds　with　the　burgundy　hair　and　leather。　〃As　Jean…Claude's　lady　wishes；　so　shall　it　be。〃　He　stepped　to　the　side　closest　to　me。　Sylvie　moved　up　close　to　me；　not　exactly　between　us；　but　close。　It　made　me　feel　better。　Bossing　around　vampires　was　always　chancy。　You　never　knew　when　they'd　try　to　boss　back。　I　really；　really　wanted　my　gun　back。
　〃What　now？〃　Jamil　asked。　He　was　watching　the　vampires　like　he　wasn't　any　happier　with　their　pany　than　I　was。　All　good　bodyguards　are　paranoid。　It　goes　with　the　job。
　〃I　guess　we　knock。〃　I　kept　my　body　well　to　the　side；　extended　just　enough　arm　to　get　the　job　done；　and　gave　three　solid　knocks。　If　they　shot　through　the　door；　they'd　probably　miss　me。　But　no　one　shot　through　the　door。　In　fact；　nothing　happened。　We　waited　for　a　few　moments；　but　patience　has　never　been　my　best　thing。　I　started　to　knock　again；　but　Jamil　stopped　me　and　said；　〃May　I？〃
　I　nodded。
　He　knocked　hard　and　loud　enough　to　shake　the　door。　It　was　a　solid　door。　If　the　door　didn't　open　this　time；　they　were　deliberately　ignoring　us。
　The　door　opened；　revealing　a　brown…haired　man　as　muscled　as　Ajax；　but　taller。　What　did　Narcissus　do；　recruit　from　all　the　weight…lifting　gyms　in　town？　He　frowned　at　us。　〃Yeah？〃
　〃I'm　Nimir…Ra　for　the　wereleopards。　I　think　you've　been　waiting　for　me。〃
　〃About　fucking　time；〃　he　said。　He　opened　the　door　wide；　pushing　it　flush　against　the　wall；　putting　his　back　to　it；　arms　crossed　across　his　chest。　His　arms　apparently　weren't　as　muscular　as　they　looked；　if　he　could　cross　his　arms　that　way。　But　he　did　demonstrate　that　there　was　no　one　hiding　behind　the　door。　Good　to　know。
　The　room　was　white　　white　floor；　white　ceiling；　white　walls　　like　a　room　carved　of　hard　snow。　There　were　blades　on　the　walls　　knives；　swords；　daggers；　tiny　glittering　blades；　swords　the　length　of　a　tall　man。　The　bodyguard　by　the　door　said；　〃Wele　to　the　room　of　swords。〃　It　sounded　formal；　like　he　was　supposed　to　say　it。
　From　the　door　I　couldn't　see　anyone。　I　took　a　deep　breath；　let　it　out　slowly；　and　walked　inside。　Jamil　followed　a　step　behind　at　my　shoulder；　Faust　was　at　my　other　side。　Sylvie　and　Meng　Die　brought　up　the　rear。
　A　figure　stepped　into　the　middle　of　the　room。　At　first　glance　I　thought　it　was　a　man；　but　on　second　glance；　not　exactly。　He　was　man…sized；　almost　six　feet；　broad　shouldered；　muscular；　but　what　I'd　thought　was　a　golden　tan　was　golden　tan　fur；　very　thin　and　fine。　Covering　the　whole　body。　The　face　was　almost　human；　though　the　bone　structure　was　a　little　odd。　A　wide　face；　a　lipless　mouth　that　was　almost　a　round　muzzle。　The　eyes　were　a　dark　orange　gold　with　an　edge　of　blue　in　them；　as　if　they；　like　the　body；　were　only　partly　through　their　change。　It　was　as　if　his　body　had　frozen；　stopping　just　short　of　attaining　human　form。　I'd　never　seen　anything　like　it。　Pale　skin　showed　in　patches　on　his　bare　chest　and　stomach。　I　couldn't　tell　if　the　dark　gold　hair　and　edge　of　beard　that　encircled　his　face　was　actually　hair　or　what　was　left　of　a　mane。　The　longer　I　stared　at　him；　the　more　like　a　lion　he　looked；　until　I　couldn't　see　the　man　I'd　thought　I'd　seen　for　the　light　coating　of　beast　that　covered　him。
　He　gave　a　snarling　smile。　〃Do　you　like　what　you　see？〃
　〃I've　never　seen　anything　like　you；〃　I　said；　nice；　calm；　even　empty。
　He　didn't　like　that；　my　lack　of　reaction。　His　smile　vanished　and　became　only　a　snarl　of　very　sharp；　very　white　teeth。
　〃Wele；　Nimir…Ra；　I　am　Marco；　we　have　been　waiting　for　you。〃　He　made　a　sweeping　gesture　to　either　side　with　his　clawed　human　hands。　I　glanced　around　at　the　〃we〃。　They　were　small　to　medium…sized　men　with　short　black　hair　and　dark　skin。　Most　groups；　prides；　packs；　whatever；　were　mixed　ethnically。　But　there　was　a　sameness　to　these　dark　men；　almost　a　family　look　about　them。　Two　on　either　side　wore　hooded　cloaks；　with　the　hoods　thrown　back；　the　wide　cloaks　spread　like　curtains。　I　glimpsed　blond　hair　behind　the　blackness　to　the　left。　I　couldn't　see　Nathaniel's　hair　over　the　blackness　but　I　knew　he　had　to　be　on　the　right。
　There　was　blood　on　the　white　floor；　pooling　into　a　little　depression　in　the　concrete。　A　drain　was　in　the　middle　so　they　could　hose　the　floor　down　when　they　were　finished。　There　was　another　guard　in　the　far　corner　who　looked　very　unhappy　to　be　there。　Three　women　that　I　did　not　know　were　chained　to　the　wall　on　either　side　of　the　door。　Two　blonds　on　the　right　side；　a　brunette　on　the　left。　They　weren't　wereleopards；　or　at　least　none　that　were　mine。
　〃Let　me　see　my　people；〃　I　said。
　〃Will　you　not　greet　us　formally？〃　Marco　asked。
　〃You're　not　the　alpha　anything；　Marco。　You　get　your　head　lion　in　here　and　I'll　greet　him；　but　you；　I　don't　have　to　greet。〃
　Marco　gave　a　small　bow；　the　gaze　of　those　odd　tawny　eyes　never　leaving　my　face。　It　was　the　way　you　bow　in　martial　arts　when　you're　afraid　the　other　person　will　hit　you　if　you　glance　away。
　Jamil　had　moved　up　beside　me；　not　ahead　of　me；　but　close　enough　that　our　shoulders　brushed。　I　didn't　tell　him　to　move　back。　He'd　saved　my　life　once；　I'd　let　him　do　his　job。
　〃Then　greet　me；　Nimir…Ra。〃　It　was　another　male　voice。　He　stepped　out　from　behind　the　cloaks　to　the　left。　As　he　stepped　out；　the　cloaks　dropped　and　I　could　see　Gregory　clearly。
　He　was　turned　towards　the　wall；　nude　except　for　his　pants　that　had　been　peeled　down　to　his　lower　thighs；　his　boots　still　on。　Chains　held　his　wrists　above　his　head；　his　legs　were　wide　apart。　His　curling　blond　hair　fell　just　below　his　shoulders。　His　body　was　slender　but　muscled；　butt　tight。　You　have　to　take　care　of　your　body　if　you're　going　to　strip　professionally。　There　was　no　mark　on　his　body　that　I　could　see；　but　blood　had　spattered　on　the　floor　in　front　of　him；　below　him；　pooling；　dark；　drying。　They　hadn't　cut　anything　on　his　back。　My　stomach　clenched　tight；　my　breath　squeezing　down　in　my　throat。
　〃Gregory；〃　I　said；　softly。
　〃He's　gagged；〃　said　the　man。　I　finally　dragged　my　gaze　away　from　Gregory；　and　the　sight　of　the　other　man；　the　alpha；　made　me　stare。
　He　wasn't　a　lion　man；　he　was　a　snake　man。　His　head　was　wider　than　my　shoulders；　covered　in　olive　green　scales　with　large　black　spots。　One　arm　was　bare；　and　it　looked　very　human　except　for　the　scales　and　the　hands　that　ended　in　twisted　claws　that　would　have　made　any　predator　proud。　He　turned　his　head　to　look　at　me　with　one　large　copper　gold　eye。　A　heavy　black　stripe　stretched　back　from　the　corner　of　his　eye　to　his　temple。　His　movements　were　vaguely　birdlike。　Other　black…cloaked　figures　stepped　away　from　the　walls；　dropping　hoods　to　show　themselves　scaled；　with　the　same　stripes　near　metallic　eyes　and　hands　with　curling　claws。
　My　people　fanned　out　around　me；　two　going　to　either　side。　〃Who　are　you？〃
　〃I　am　Coronus　of　the　Black　Water　Clan；　though　I　doubt　that　will　mean　anything　to　you。〃
　〃Marco　mentioned　you　were　new　in　town。　I'm　Anita　Blake；　Nimir…Ra　of　the　Blooddrinkers　Clan。　By　what　right　do　you　harm　my　people？〃　What　I　wanted　to　do　was　start　screaming；　but　there　are　rules。　I　couldn't　be　furry；　or　scaly；　but　I　could　follow　the　rules。
　Coronus　walked　to　the　wall　and　stood　next　to　the　brunette　chained　to　it。　She　made　small　panicked　sounds　as　he　reached　for　her。　Sylvie　moved　a　little　closer　to　him；　to　the　girl；　as　if　she　was　waiting　for　an　excuse。　Coronus　traced　a　finger　down　the　girl's　cheek；　the　barest　of　touches；　yet　she　closed　her　eyes　and　shivered。
　〃I　came　here　seeking　swanmanes；　and　I　found　three　of　them。　They　had　already　tied　up　the　male。　We　thought　it　was　their　leader；　their　swanking；　or　we　would　not　have　harmed　him。　By　the　time　we　found　we　had　the　wrong　animal；　it　was　late　in　the　game。〃
　I　glanced　at　the　cloaks　still　held　firmly　in　place；　the　impassive　faces　of　the　men　as　impossible　to　read　as　if　they'd　already　bee　snakes。　I　noticed　that　one　of　the　figures　had　breasts。　It　was　nearly　naked　where　they　showed　above　a　scoop　neck　T…shirt。　I　could　see　the　chains　reaching　for　the　ceiling　and　down　to　the　floor。　There　was　more　blood；　a　lot　more　blood；　on　that　side。
　〃Let　me　see　Nathaniel。〃
　〃Would　you　not　like　to　see　your　blond　leopard　up　close　and　personal　first？〃
　I　started　to　ask　why。　I　didn't　like　the　fact　that　he　seemed　reluctant　for　me　to　see　Nathaniel。　〃You　want　me　to　see　Gregory　first？〃
　The　man　seemed　to　think　about　it；　head　to　one　side。　The　movement　looked　animal…like；　yet　not　exactly　snakelike。　〃Up　close　and　personal；　yes；　yes；　I　do。〃
　I　didn't　like　the　way　he　kept　saying　pers