lh.narcissusinchains-第4部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　I'd　e　up　against　a　nasty　creature；　a　would…be　god；　a　new　category；　even　for　me。　It　had　been　powerful　enough　to　strip　all　my　careful　work　away；　leaving　me　raw　and　open　again。　Only　the　intervention　of　a　local　witch　had　saved　me　from　being　eaten　from　the　aura　down。　I　didn't　have　six　more　months　of　celibacy；　meditation；　and　patience　in　me。　The　holes　were　there；　and　the　only　way　to　fill　them　was　with　Jean…Claude　and　Richard。　That's　what　Marianne　said；　and　I　trusted　her　in　a　way　that　I　trusted　few　others。
　Jean…Claude's　voice　hit　me　over　the　phone　like　a　velvet　slap。　My　breath　caught　in　my　throat；　and　I　could　do　nothing　but　feel　the　flow　of　his　voice；　the　presence　of　him；　like　something　alive；　flowing　over　my　skin。　His　voice　has　always　been　one　of　Jean…Claude's　best　things；　but　this　was　ridiculous。　This　was　over　the　phone。　How　could　I　possibly　see　him　in　person　and　maintain　my　shields；　let　alone　my　posure？
　〃I　know　you　are　there；　ma　petite。　Did　you　call　merely　to　hear　the　sound　of　my　voice？〃
　That　was　closer　to　the　truth　than　was　fortable。　〃No；　no。〃　I　still　couldn't　gather　my　thoughts。　I　was　like　an　athlete　who　had　let　her　training　go。　I　just　couldn't　lift　the　same　amount　of　weight；　and　there　was　weight　to　wading　through　Jean…Claude's　power。
　When　I　still　didn't　say　anything；　he　spoke　again。　〃Ma　petite；　to　what　do　I　owe　this　honor？　Why　have　you　deigned　to　call　me？〃　His　voice　was　bland；　but　there　was　a　hint　of　something　in　it。　Reproach　perhaps。
　I　guess　I　had　it　ing。　I　rallied　the　troops　and　tried　to　sound　like　an　intelligent　human　being；　not　always　one　of　my　best　things。　〃It's　been　six　months　。。。　〃
　〃I　am　aware　of　that；　ma　petite。〃
　He　was　being　condescending。　I　hated　that。　It　made　me　a　little　angry。　The　anger　helped　clear　my　head　a　little。　〃If　you'll　stop　interrupting；　I'll　tell　you　why　I　called。〃
　〃My　heart　is　all　aflutter　with　anticipation。〃
　I　wanted　to　hang　up。　He　was　being　an　asshole；　and　part　of　me　thought　I　might　deserve　the　treatment；　which　made　me　even　angrier。　I'm　always　angriest　when　I　think　I'm　in　the　wrong。　I'd　been　a　coward　for　months；　and　I　was　still　a　coward。　I　was　afraid　to　be　close　to　him；　afraid　of　what　I'd　do。　Damn　it；　Anita；　get　ahold　of　yourself。　〃Sarcasm　is　my　department；〃　I　said。
　〃And　what　is　my　department？〃
　〃I'm　about　to　ask　you　for　a　favor；〃　I　said。
　〃Really？〃　He　said　it　as　if　he　might　not　grant　it。
　〃Please；　Jean…Claude；　I'm　asking　for　help。　I　don't　do　that　often。〃
　〃That　is　certainly　true。　What　would　you　have　of　me；　ma　petite？　You　know　that　you　have　but　to　ask；　and　it　will　be　yours。　No　matter　how　angry　I　may　be　with　you。〃
　I　let　that　ment　go；　because　I　didn't　know　what　to　do　about　it。　〃Do　you　know　a　club　called　Narcissus　in　Chains？〃
　He　was　quiet　for　a　second　or　two。　〃Oui。〃
　〃Can　you　give　me　directions　and　meet　me　there？〃
　〃Do　you　know　what　sort　of　a　club　this　place　is？〃
　〃Yeah。〃
　〃Are　you　sure？〃
　〃It's　a　bondage　club；　I　know。〃
　〃Unless　the　last　six　months　has　changed　you　greatly；　ma　petite；　that　is　not　one　of　your　preferences。〃
　〃Not　mine；　no。〃
　〃Your　wereleopards　are　misbehaving　again？〃
　〃Something　like　that。〃　I　told　him　what　had　happened。
　〃I　do　not　know　this　Marco。〃
　〃I　didn't　figure　you　did。〃
　〃But　you　did　think　that　I　knew　where　the　club　was？〃
　〃I　was　hoping。〃
　〃I　will　meet　you　there　with　some　of　my　people。　Or　will　you　allow　only　me　to　ride　to　your　rescue？〃　He　sounded　amused　now；　which　was　better　than　angry；　I　guess。
　〃Bring　who　you　need。〃
　〃You　trust　my　judgment？〃
　〃In　this；　yeah。〃
　〃But　not　in　all　things；〃　he　said　softly。
　〃I　don't　trust　anyone　in　all　things；　Jean…Claude。〃
　He　sighed。　〃So　young　to　be　so　。。。　jaded。〃
　〃I'm　cynical；　not　jaded。〃
　〃And　the　difference　is　what；　ma　petite？〃
　〃You're　jaded。〃
　He　laughed　then；　the　sound　caressing　me　like　the　brush　of　a　hand。　It　made　things　low　in　my　body　clench。　〃Ah；〃　he　said；　〃that　explains　all　the　differences。〃
　〃Just　give　me　directions；　please。〃　I　added　the　〃please〃　to　speed　things　along。
　〃They　will　not　harm　your　wereleopards　too　greatly；　I　think。　The　club　is　run　by　shapeshifters；　and　they　will　smell　too　much　blood　and　take　matters　into　their　own　hands。　It　is　one　of　the　reasons　Narcissus　in　Chains　is　no…man's…land；　a　neutral　place　for　the　fringe　of　our　groups。　Your　leopards　were　right；　it　is　usually　a　very　safe　place。〃
　〃Well；　Gregory　wasn't　screaming　because　he　felt　safe。〃
　〃Perhaps　not；　but　I　know　the　owner。　Narcissus　would　be　very　angry　if　someone　became　overzealous　in　his　club。〃
　〃Narcissus；　I　don't　know　the　name。　Well；　I　know　the　Greek　mythology　stuff；　but　I　don't　recognize　it　as　local。〃
　〃I　would　not　expect　you　to。　He　does　not　often　leave　his　club。　But　I　will　call　him；　and　he　will　patrol　your　cats　for　you。　He　will　not　rescue　them；　but　he　will　make　sure　no　further　damage　is　done。〃
　〃You　trust　Narcissus　to　do　this？〃
　〃Oui。〃
　Jean…Claude　had　his　faults；　but　if　he　trusted　someone；　he　was　usually　right。　〃Okay。　And　thank　you。〃
　〃You　are　most　wele。〃　He　drew　a　breath；　then　said　quietly；　〃Would　you　have　called　if　you　had　not　needed　my　help？　Would　you　ever　have　called？〃
　I'd　been　dreading　this　question　from　either　Jean…Claude　or　Richard。　But　I　finally　had　an　answer　〃I'll　answer　your　question　as　best　I　can；　but　call　it　a　hunch；　it　may　be　a　long　conversation。　I　need　to　know　my　people　are　safe　before　we　start　dissecting　our　relationship。〃
　〃Relationship？　Is　that　what　we　have？〃　His　voice　was　very　dry。
　〃Jean…Claude。〃
　〃No；　no；　ma　petite；　I　will　call　Narcissus　now　and　save　your　cats　but　only　if　you　promise　that　when　I　call　back　we　will　finish　this　conversation。〃
　〃Promise。〃
　〃Your　word；〃　he　said。
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Very　well；　ma　petite；　until　we　speak　again。〃　He　hung　up。
　I　hung　up　the　phone　and　stood　there。　Was　it　cowardly　to　want　to　call　someone　else；　anyone　else；　so　the　phone　would　be　busy　and　we　wouldn't　have　to　have　our　little　talk？　Yeah；　it　was　cowardly；　but　tempting。　I　hated　talking　about　my　personal　life；　especially　to　the　people　most　intimately　involved　in　it。　I　had　just　about　enough　time　to　change　out　of　the　skirt　outfit　when　the　phone　rang。　I　jumped　and　answered　it　with　my　pulse　in　my　throat。　I　was　really　dreading　this　conversation。
　〃Hello；〃　I　said。
　〃Narcissus　will　see　to　your　cats'　safety。　Now；　where　were　we？〃　He　was　silent　for　a　heartbeat。　〃Oh；　yes；　would　you　ever　have　called　if　you　had　not　needed　my　help？〃
　〃The　woman　I'm　studying　with　。。。　〃
　〃Marianne；〃　he　said。
　〃Yes；　Marianne。　Anyway；　she　says　that　I　can't　keep　blocking　the　holes　in　my　aura。　That　the　only　way　to　be　safe　from　preternatural　creepy…crawlies　is　to　fill　the　holes　with　what　they　were　meant　to　hold。〃
　Silence　on　the　other　end　of　the　phone。　Silence　for　so　long　that　I　said；　〃Jean…Claude；　you　still　there？〃
　〃I　am　here。〃
　〃You　don't　sound　happy　about　this。〃
　〃Do　you　know　what　you　are　saying；　Anita？〃　It　was　always　a　bad　sign　when　he　used　my　real　name。
　〃I　think　so。〃
　〃I　want　this　very　clear　between　us；　ma　petite。　I　do　not　want　you　ing　back　to　me　later；　crying　that　you　did　not　understand　how　tightly　this　would　bind　us。　If　you　allow　Richard　and　me　to　truly　fill　the　marks　upon　your　。。。　body；　we　will　share　our　auras。　Our　energy。　Our　magic。〃
　〃We're　already　doing　that；　Jean…Claude。〃
　〃In　part；　ma　petite；　but　those　are　side　effects　of　the　marks。　This　will　be　a　willing；　knowledgeable　joining。　Once　done；　I　do　not　think　it　can　be　undone　without　great　damage　to　all　of　us。〃
　It　was　my　turn　to　sigh。　〃How　many　vampire　challenges　to　your　authority　have　there　been　while　I've　been　off　meditating？〃
　〃A　few；〃　he　said；　voice　cautious。
　〃More　than　a　few　I'd　bet；　because　they　sensed　that　your　defenses　are　not　plete。　You　had　trouble　backing　them　down　without　killing　them；　didn't　you？〃
　〃Let　us　say　that　I　am　glad　that　there　were　no　serious　challengers　over　the　last　year。〃
　〃You'd　have　lost　without　Richard　and　me　to　back　you　up；　and　you　couldn't　shield　yourself　without　us　there　to　touch。　That　worked　when　I　was　in　town　with　you。　Touching；　being　with　each　other　helped　us　plug　in　to　each　other's　power。　It　offset　the　problem。〃
　〃Oui；〃　he　said；　softly。
　〃I　didn't　know；　Jean…Claude。　I'm　not　sure　it　would　have　made　a　difference；　but　I　didn't　know。　God；　Richard　must　be　desperate　　he　doesn't　kill　like　we　do。　His　bluff　is　all　that　keeps　the　werewolves　from　tearing　each　other　apart；　and　with　two　gaping　holes　in　his　most　intimate　defenses　。。。　〃　I　let　my　voice　trail　off；　but　I　still　remembered　the　cold　horror　I'd　felt　when　I　realized　how　much　I'd　endangered　all　of　us。
　〃Richard　has　had　difficulties；　ma　petite。　But　we　each　have　only　one　chink　in　our　armor；　the　one　that　only　you　can　heal。　He　was　driven　to　merge　his　energies　with　mine。　As　you　say；　his　bluff　is　very　important　to　him。〃
　〃I　didn't　know；　and　I'm　sorry　for　that。　All　I've　been　thinking　about　was　how　scared　I　was　of　being　overwhelmed　by　the　two　of　you。　Marianne　told　me　the　truth　when　she　thought　I　was　ready　to　hear　it。〃
　〃And　are　you　done　being　frightened　of　us；　ma　petite？〃　His　voice　was　careful　when　he　asked；　as　if　he　were　carrying　a　very　full　cup　of　very　hot　liquid　up　a　long　and　narrow　staircase。
　I　shook　my　head；　realized　he　couldn't　see　it；　and　said；　〃I'm　not　brave。　I'm　pretty　much　terrified。　Terrified　that　if　I　do　this；　there　is　no　going　back；　that　maybe　I'm　fooling　myself　about　a　choice。　Maybe　there　is　no　choice　and　hasn't　been　for　a　long　time。　But　however　we　end　up　arranging　the　bedrooms；　I　can't　let　us　all　go　around　with　gaping　metaphysical　wounds。　Too　many　things　will　sense　the　weakness　and　exploit　it。〃
　〃Like　the　creature　you　met　in　New　Mexico；〃　he　said；　voice　still　as　cautious　as　I'd　ever　heard　it。
　〃Yeah；〃　I　said。
　〃Are　you　saying　that　tonight　you　will　agree　to　letting　us　merge　the　marks；　that　we　will　at　last　close　these；　as　you　so　colorfully　put　it；　wounds？〃
　〃If　it　doesn't　endanger　my　leopards；　yeah。　We　need　to　do　it　as　soon　as　possible。　I'd　hate　to　make　the　big　decision　and　then　have　one　of　us　get　killed　before　we　could　batten　down　the　hatches。〃
　I　heard　him　sigh；　as　if　some　great　tension　had　left　him。　〃You　do　not　know　how　long　I　have　waited　for　you　to　understand　all　this。〃
　〃You　could　have　told　me。〃
　〃You　would　not　have　believed　me。　You　would　have　thought　it　was　another　trick　to　bind　you　closer　t