lh.narcissusinchains-第50部分

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his　question。　〃I　know　why　I　don't　think　today　was　actual　sex；　but　why　don't　you？〃
　He　smiled　and　did　look　away。　He　answered　looking　down　at　the　floorboard。　〃What　we　did　the　first　time　with　you　marking　my　back；　that　was　closer　to　real　sex　for　me。〃
　〃So　it　was　the　dominance/submission　thing？〃
　〃No；〃　he　said；　still　looking　down。　〃If　we'd　really　needed　the　condoms；　then　it　would　have　been　sex。〃
　〃You　mean　intercourse；〃　I　said。
　He　nodded；　still　not　looking　at　me。
　〃That's　how　I　feel　too。　Jean…Claude　said　I　was　fooling　myself。〃
　Nathaniel　flashed　me　a　small　smile；　then　went　back　to　staring　at　nothing。　〃He　told　me　I　was　being　very　American；　very　male；　and　very　young。〃
　〃You　are　American；　male；　and　twenty；〃　I　said。　〃What　else　are　you　supposed　to　be？〃
　He　looked　at　me　for　a　moment；　then　looked　away　again。　He　was　definitely　unfortable　now。
　〃What　else　did　Jean…Claude　say？〃　I　asked。
　〃You'll　be　mad。〃
　〃Just　tell　me；　Nathaniel。〃
　He　shrugged；　the　thin　straps　of　the　tank　top　showing　most　of　his　shoulders　as　he　did　it。　〃He's　hoping　you'll　choose　me　as　your　pomme　de　sang。　He　said　he　mentioned　it　to　you。〃
　〃He　mentioned　it。〃
　〃Can　I　undo　the　seat　belt？〃　he　asked。
　〃Be　my　guest。〃
　He　let　the　belt　slide　to　one　side　and　turned　so　he　was　facing　me；　one　leg　drawn　up　into　the　seat；　his　braid　curled　over　one　shoulder。　〃Jean…Claude　said　that　the　more　you　fight　the　ardeur　the　stronger　it　grows；　but　if　you　feed　when　it　first　arises；　then　it's　not　such　a　big　deal。〃
　〃He　told　me；〃　I　said。
　〃He's　afraid　you'll　try　and　tough　it　out　tomorrow　without　him。　He's　afraid　you'll　fight　it　all　day；　then　only　give　in　when　you　have　to。〃
　〃Sounds　like　a　plan　to　me；〃　I　said。
　Nathaniel　shook　his　head。　〃Don't　be　tough　on　this　one；　Anita；　don't　fight。　I'm　afraid　of　what　will　happen　if　you　do。〃
　〃What；　I'm　supposed　to　roll　over　tomorrow　morning　and　fall　into　your　arms？〃　I　couldn't　keep　the　sarcasm　out　of　my　voice；　though　it　brought　a　hurt　look　to　his　face；　and　made　me　want　to　apologize。　〃It's　nothing　personal；　Nathaniel。　It's　not　you；　it's　having　to　do　it　that　I　don't　like。〃
　〃I　know　that。〃　He　lowered　his　face；　not　meeting　my　eyes　again。　〃Just　promise　me　that　when　the　hunger　rises　tomorrow　that　you'll　turn　to　me；　or　to　someone；　early　and　not　try　to　be　so　。。。　tough。〃
　〃What　were　you　really　going　to　say　on　the　end　of　that　sentence？〃
　He　smiled。　〃Stubborn。〃
　I　had　to　smile。　〃I　don't　think　I　can　just　roll　over　the　first　time　the　ardeur　hits　me。　I　just　can't　give　in　that　quickly；　Nathaniel。　Do　you　understand　that？〃
　〃You　have　to　prove　you're　tougher　than　it　is；〃　he　said。
　〃No；　I　have　to　be　who　I　am；　and　who　I　am　doesn't　just　give　in　to　anyone；　or　anything。〃
　He　grinned　at　me。　〃That's　an　understatement。〃
　〃You're　making　fun　of　me；〃　I　said。
　〃A　little；〃　he　said。
　〃You　saw　what　I　did　to　Jason's　neck；　Nathaniel。　What　if　I　hurt　you？　I　mean　really　hurt　you？〃
　〃Jason　will　heal；　Anita；　and　he　wasn't　plaining　when　Asher　took　him　away。〃　Nathaniel　grinned　and　looked　away　as　if　he　were　trying　not　to　laugh。
　〃What？〃
　He　shook　his　head。　〃You'll　get　mad；　and　he　didn't　mean　it　that　way。〃
　〃What　did　he　say；　Nathaniel？〃
　〃Ask　him　yourself。　He　always　seems　to　be　able　to　say　outrageous　things　to　you　and　you　think　it's　cute。　When　I　say　them；　you　just　get　mad。〃
　〃What　if　I　ordered　you　to　tell　me？〃
　He　seemed　to　think　about　it　for　a　second；　then　flashed　me　another　smile。　It　was　a　good　smile；　young；　relaxed；　real。　When　I'd　first　met　Nathaniel　he'd　forgotten　how　to　smile　like　that。　〃No；　no　I　wouldn't。〃
　〃Some　submissive　you　are；〃　I　said。
　The　smile　widened　to　a　grin。　〃You　didn't　like　me　submissive。　It　made　you　unfortable。〃
　〃So　you're　changing　to　please　me？〃
　The　smile　faded；　but　not　like　he　wasn't　happy；　more　like　his　expression　had　shifted　from　humor　to　thoughtful。　〃At　first；　but　lately　some　of　it's　to　please　me；　too。〃
　That　made　me　smile。　〃That's　the　best　news　I've　had　all　night。〃
　〃I'm　glad；〃　he　said。
　I　undid　my　own　seat　belt。　〃Let's　get　out　of　this　car　before　we　melt。〃　I　opened　the　door　and　knew　he'd　do　the　same。　We　closed　the　doors；　and　I　hit　the　button　on　my　key　chain　that　locked　the　Jeep。　It　made　the　little　beeping　sound；　and　I　walked　around　the　cars　to　the　road；　where　the　walking　was　smoother。　Nathaniel　and　I　started　walking　down　the　line　of　cars　towards　my　house。　His　braid　fell　along　his　spine　like　a　long；　thick　tail；　moving　as　he　walked。
　Cherry　and　Zane　came　out　from　between　the　cars　just　ahead　of　us。　〃We　thought　you'd　gotten　lost；〃　she　said；　smiling。
　〃You　guys　let　everyone　into　the　house？〃　I　asked。
　Her　smile　faded。　〃Yes；　I　hope　that　was　okay。〃
　I　smiled。　〃It's　okay；　Cherry；　really。　If　I'd　been　thinking；　I'd　have　arranged　for　someone　to　let　them　in。〃
　She　relaxed　visibly　and　dropped　to　her　knees　in　front　of　me。　I　offered　her　my　left　hand。　I　was　keeping　my　right　hand　free　in　case　I　had　to　draw　my　gun。　Not　likely；　but　you　never　know。　Cherry　gripped　my　hand　in　both　of　hers　and　rubbed　her　face　against　it　like　a　cat　marking　its　scent。　The　other　formal　greeting　involved　licking；　but　I'd　finally　convinced　all　of　my　cats　that　face　rubbing　was　about　all　I　was　fy　with。
　Zane　went　to　his　knees　beside　Cherry　but　didn't　try　to　grab　my　right　hand。　He　waited　until　she　was　done　with　my　left。　I'd　also　broken　them　of　being　grabby　with　my　gun　hand。　He　rubbed　his　face　on　my　hand；　and　there　was　the　faintest　roughness　alongside　his　jaw；　as　if　he'd　missed　a　spot　when　he　shaved。
　Cherry　rubbed　herself　against　my　legs　while　Zane　greeted　me。　It　was　like　being　body…rubbed　by　a　really　big　cat　that　just　happened；　at　the　moment；　to　be　in　human　form。　The　first　few　times　it　had　happened；　I'd　freaked。　But　it　just　didn't　strike　me　as　that　strange　anymore。　I　wasn't　sure　if　that　was　good　or　sort　of　sad。
　When　the　greeting　was　over；　Zane　said；　〃We've　got　the　extra　key；　so　we　took　care　of　the　pany。〃　They　were　both　standing　now；　like　good　little　people　　alright；　good　tall　people；　whatever。
　〃Good；　though　I　had　no　idea　we'd　have　this　big　a　crowd。〃
　They　fell　into　step；　one　on　either　side　of　us；　and　I　could　feel　Cherry　beside　me。　I　could　feel　her　energy　like　a　vibrating　line　against　my　body。　I'd　never　sensed　her　this　strongly　before。　Just　another　nail　in　the　coffin　on　the　Nimir…Ra　question。　The　evidence　was　getting　thick　enough　that　if　I　hadn't　been　so　damn　good　at　self…delusion；　I'd　have　had　to　admit　it　by　now。　But　I'd　had　enough　for　one　day。　I　needed　a　pass　on　this　one　tonight。　So　I　ignored　it；　and　if　Cherry　felt　anything　different；　she　didn't　say。
　It　was　Zane　who　put　his　face　next　to　Nathaniel　and　sniffed　him　as　we　walked　〃You　smell　like　fresh　wounds。〃　He　touched　Nathaniel's　back　where　it　showed　above　the　tank　top。　I　knew　there　were　bite　marks　up　around　his　shoulders；　all　the　way　up　to　his　neck。　I　should　have　known　we　couldn't　。hide　it。　Hell；　even　with　clothes　covering　it；　they'd　have　smelled　it。
　〃What　have　you　been　doing？〃　Zane　asked。　〃Or　should　I　say　who？〃
　Nathaniel　didn't　even　glance　at　me。　He　was　going　to　leave　it　all　to　me　　what　was　said　and　what　wasn't。　Smart　of　him。　Or　maybe　he　just　didn't　know　what　to　say　either。　I　tried　to　think　of　a　lie　that　would　explain　it；　and　nothing　that　didn't　make　Nathaniel　sound　slutty　came　to　mind。　Either　he'd　had　sex　with　some　strange　woman；　or　。。。　or　what？　The　truth？　I　didn't　want　to　tell　the　truth　until　I　was　sure　how　I　felt　about　it。　Knowing　me；　that　could　take　at　least　a　couple　of　days。
　Cherry　and　Zane　circled　Nathaniel　in　ever…tightening　circles；　until　their　bodies　brushed　him　as　they　moved　around　him。　They　bumped　him　continuously；　like　a　shark　testing　to　see　if　you're　good　to　eat。
　〃e　on　guys；　we　don't　have　time　for　this。　We　need　to　get　to　the　lupanar　and　rescue　Gregory。〃
　Zane　dropped　to　his　knees　beside　Nathaniel；　running　his　hands　over　the　smaller　man's　body。　Zane's　hands　slid　under　Nathaniel's　tank　top。
　〃Zane；　get　up；〃　I　said。
　Cherry　stepped　very　close　to　Nathaniel；　looking　down　at　him；　putting　a　hand　under　his　chin　to　lift　his　face　to　her；　as　if　she　meant　to　kiss　him。　〃Who　was　it？〃
　〃That's　Nathaniel's　business；〃　I　said。　Nathaniel　glanced　at　me；　sort　of　sideways。　The　look　was　enough。　I　was　being　a　coward。　My　pulse　was　going　way　too　fast　in　my　neck；　like　I'd　tried　to　swallow　something　while　it　was　still　trying　to　get　away。
　〃If　it　were　Zane；　or　me；　yes；〃　Cherry　said。　〃But　while　you　were　in　the　hospital　these　last　few　days　we　decided　that　Nathaniel　has　to　run　all　girlfriends　past　the　pard　before　he　does　anything　intimate　with　them。〃
　〃As　Nimir…Ra；　don't　I　have　like　presidential　veto？〃
　Cherry　looked　at　me。　〃Of　course；　but　you　have　to　agree　with　checking　out　people　for　Nathaniel。　He　nearly　got　you　killed　again。〃
　I　did　agree；　but　just　not　that　night。　That　night；　of　all　nights；　I　wanted　everyone　to　mind　their　own　business。　No　one　cared　a　damn　who　slept　with　whom　　until　now。　It　figures。　I　make　my　first　indiscreet　move　with　one　of　them；　and　I　was　going　to　have　to　confess；　even　though　I　still　didn't　know　how　I　felt　about　it。　I　opened　my　mouth　to　say；　It　was　me；　but　I　stopped　when　I　saw　the　next　wereleopard　ing　down　the　street。　Of　all　of　them；　she　was　the　one　I　least　to　talk　in　front　of　about　intimate　matters。
　It　was　Elizabeth。　Her　walk　was　always　a　cross　between　a　strut　and　a　glide；　the　ultimate　hooker's　walk。　She　strode　from　between　the　cars　on　Caleb's　arm；　and　there　was　a　self…satisfied　smile　on　her　face　that　said　either　she　didn't　know　I　was　angry　with　her　or　she　was　confident　I　couldn't　do　anything　about　it。　She　was　taller　than　Caleb　by　nearly　five　inches。　Her　hair　fell　in　curls　to　her　waist；　a　brunette　so　dark　you　would　have　called　it　black　if　you　didn't　have　my　hair　to　pare　it　to。　She　was　pretty　in　a　pouting；　lush　sort　of　way；　like　some　sort　of　tropical　plant　with　thick；　fleshy　leaves　and　beautiful　but　deadly　blossoms。
　She　was　wearing　a　skirt　so　short　the　tops　of　her　black　hose　and　the　garters　that　held　them　up　showed。　Her　shoes　were　black　sandals　with　a　lower　heel　than　she　usually　wore。　After　all；　we　were　going　to　be　tramping　through　the　woods。　The　shirt　was　sheer　enough　that　even　by　starlight　you　could　see　she　wasn't　wearing　a　bra；　and　she；　like　me；　was　a　woman　who　needed　one。
　Caleb　was　wearing　a　pair　of　bell…bottom　jeans；　no　shoes；　no　shir