lh.narcissusinchains-第74部分

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　His　whole　body　gave　one　great　shiver；　and　I　leaned　over　him；　my　free　hand　across　his　back；　smoothing　the　hair　away　so　I　could　reach　his　skin。　I　stroked　over　his　back；　and　found　all　the　little　bite　marks　I'd　left　in　his　skin。　I　hadn't　felt　bad　for　marking　him；　until　now。　Now　I　felt　like　I'd　used　him　like　everyone　else　had。
　I　curled　my　body　over　his；　hugging　him　into　my　lap；　holding　him　as　close　as　I　could。　〃I　am　sorry；　Nathaniel；　so　sorry。〃
　〃You　don't　have　anything　to　be　sorry　about；　Anita。　You've　never　hurt　me。〃
　〃Yes；　I　have。〃
　He　raised　up　enough　to　meet　my　eyes。　He　looked　so　young；　eyes　wide。　〃I　love　that　you've　marked　me；　don't　be　sorry　about　that。〃　He　gave　a　small　smile。　〃If　you　start　feeling　guilty　about　it；　you　won't　do　it　again；　and　I　want　you　to；　I　want　that　very　much。〃
　〃If　I　feed　on　you；　Nathaniel；　for　the　ardeur；　or　the　flesh；　or　whatever；　I'm　using　you。　I　don't　use　people。〃
　He　held　my　hand　so　tight　that　it　almost　hurt。　〃Don't　do　this　to　me。〃
　〃Do　what？〃
　〃Don't　punish　me　for　telling　you　about　how　Raina　hurt　me。〃
　〃I'm　not　punishing　you。〃
　〃I　tell　you　this　horrible　thing；　and　you　start　feeling　protective　of　me；　and　guilty。　I　know　you；　Anita；　you'll　let　your　head　get　in　the　way　of　what　we　both　need。〃
　〃And　what　exactly　is　that？〃　And　even　I　could　hear　the　impatience；　almost　anger；　in　my　voice。
　He　raised　up　farther；　bringing　his　face　close　to　mine；　because　I'd　sat　up；　distancing　myself　from　him。　〃You　need　to　feed　the　ardeur；　and　I　need　to　have　a　place　to　belong。〃
　〃You　are　wele　in　my　house　as　long　as　you　need　it；　Nathaniel。〃
　He　shook　his　head；　pushing　the　hair　back　impatiently；　letting　go　of　my　hand；　putting　his　hands　on　my　knees；　half…crawling　under　the　table　so　that　he　was　kneeling　between　my　legs；　though　only　his　hands　touched　the　tops　of　my　knees。　He　stared　up　at　me。　〃No；　you　tolerate　me。　I　do　some　housework；　errands；　but　I　don't　belong。　You　don't　go　through　your　day　thinking　about　me。　I'm　here；　but　I'm　not　part　of　your　life；　I　know　that。　If　I　am　your　pomme　de　sang；　then　I　will　be。　I'll　finally　belong　to　you　in　a　way　that　both　of　us　can　live　with。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃No；　Nathaniel；　no。〃
　He　grabbed　the　legs　of　the　chair　and　picked　the　entire　thing　up　with　me　on　it　from　a　kneeling　position　and　moved　it　backwards　with　a　bump；　so　he　could　fit　under　the　table　better。　He　hadn't　even　strained　when　he　did　it。　He　put　his　hands　on　the　chair　arms；　slid　his　lower　body　against　the　chair；　putting　my　knees　on　either　side　of　his　hips。
　〃And　who　else　are　you　going　to　feed　off　of　every　day？　Richard？　Jean…Claude？　Micah？〃
　〃The　ardeur　may　be　temporary；〃　I　said。
　He　put　a　hand　on　either　side　of　my　waist。　〃If　it's　temporary；　then　feed　on　me　until　it　goes　away。　If　it's　permanent　。。。　〃
　〃I　don't　want　to　feed　on　anyone。〃
　His　hands　slid　around　my　waist；　his　head　going　to　my　lap；　and　I　realized　he　was　crying。　〃Please；　don't　do　this；　Anita；　please　don't　do　this。〃
　I　stroked　his　hair；　his　face；　and　didn't　know　what　to　say。　What　was　I　going　to　do　if　the　ardeur　was　permanent？　Richard　didn't　let　anyone　feed　off　of　him　for　any　reason　　same　rule　I　had。　Jean…Claude　would　be　literally　dead　to　the　world　when　I　most　needed　to　feed。　Micah　was　still　a　question　mark。　But　in　some　ways；　feeding　off　of　Nathaniel　because　he　was　the　only　one　that　would　let　me；　was　almost　worse。
　I　lifted　his　face　from　my　lap；　a　hand　on　either　side。　Tears　glittered　on　his　cheeks　in　the　faint　light。　I　kissed　his　forehead；　kissed　his　closed　eyes；　the　way　you　would　a　child's。
　〃Did　I　get　here　just　in　time；　or　am　I　interrupting？〃　It　was　Richard　standing　in　the　doorway。　Perfect　fucking　timing；　as　always。
　
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　I　FROZE　WITH　Nathaniel's　face　cradled　in　my　hands；　him　kneeling　between　my　legs　with　the　table　hiding　most　of　him；　having　just　risen　from　kissing　him；　and　knew　how　it　looked。　I　wasn't　sure　I　could　explain　it　to　Richard's　satisfaction。　To　my　knowledge　Richard　didn't　know　about　the　ardeur　yet；　and　right　then　I　didn't　want　to　tell　him。
　I　laid　another　gentle　kiss　on　Nathaniel's　forehead　and　leaned　back。　I　wasn't　going　to　act　like　I'd　done　something　wrong　when　I　hadn't。　Nathaniel　took　his　cue　from　me；　laying　his　head　back　in　my　lap；　which　I　realized　meant　he　was　invisible　from　the　doorway；　the　table　hiding　what　he　was　doing。
　Richard　strode　into　the　kitchen　like　an　angry　wind；　his　power　biting　along　my　skin。　He　came　to　stand　where　he　could　see　that　Nathaniel　had　his　cheek　against　my　thigh；　gazing　up　at　the　larger　man；　as　he　towered　over　both　of　us。
　Jamil　and　Shang…Da　were　hanging　back　by　the　doorway。　They　were　good　bodyguards；　but　some　things　bodyguards　can't　keep　you　safe　from。
　I　felt　my　face　go　neutral；　empty；　vaguely　pleasant。　〃I　was　forting　one　of　my　leopards；　something　wrong　with　that？〃
　〃He　looks　very　fortable；〃　Richard　said；　voice　mild　enough；　but　his　power　was　hot；　like　opening　the　door　to　an　oven。
　I　licked　my　lips。　I　was　going　to　have　to　explain　the　ardeur；　sooner　or　later；　and　since　I　wanted　him　to　help　us　save　Gregory；　tonight　was　probably　the　right　time。　〃Nathaniel　and　I　were　discussing　some　side　effects　of　marrying　the　vampire　marks。〃
　〃You　mean　the　ardeur；〃　he　said。
　I　was　surprised　and　let　it　show。　〃Who　told　you？〃
　〃Jean…Claude　thought　I　should　know。　He　encouraged　me　to　e　over　and　be　here　for　you　in　the　morning。〃
　〃And　you　said？〃　I　kept　my　voice　as　neutral　as　I　could；　but　not　as　neutral　as　I　wanted　it　to　be。
　〃I　don't　let　him；　or　Asher；　or　any　of　them；　feed　off　of　me；　blood　or　anything　else。　I　don't　see　why　I　should　change　that　rule　just　because　it's　you　and　it's　sex　instead　of　blood。〃
　〃Did　he　explain　that　if　I　don't　feed　off　of　you；　or　him；　I　still　have　to　feed　off　of　someone？〃
　〃There's　always　your　Nimir…Raj。〃　The　contempt　in　his　voice　was　thick　enough　to　walk　on。
　〃Micah's　been　called　away　on　pard　business。〃
　〃You　really　think　he　won't　be　back　before　morning　so　you　can　fuck　him？　I　do。〃
　I　stared　up　at　him；　still　sitting　in　the　face　of　his　burning　power　and　the　sheer　physical　presence　of　him。　Richard　was　one　of　those　big　men　who　never　seemed　big　unless　he　was　angry。　He　seemed　big　now；　and　I　wasn't　impressed。
　I　started　petting　Nathaniel's　hair；　and　he　snuggled　in　against　my　legs；　letting　the　tension　ease　out　of　his　body。　〃You　dumped　me；　remember？〃
　〃And　did　you　fuck　him　for　the　first　time　before　or　after　you　found　out　I'd　dumped　you？〃
　I　had　to　think　about　that　for　a　second　or　two。　〃After；〃　I　said。
　〃You　mourned　my　loss　for；　what；　half　a　second？〃
　I　felt　heat　crawl　up　my　face。　I　was　out　of　moral　high　ground；　and　explaining　that　it　was　the　ardeur　just　wasn't　good　enough　for　Richard。
　〃It　took　all　three　of　us　to　get　into　this　mess；　don't　make　it　worse。〃
　〃Don't　you　mean　four　of　us；　or　is　it　five　now？〃
　I　must　have　looked　as　blank　as　I　felt。　〃I　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about。〃
　He　grabbed　the　table　and　shoved　it　backwards　with　a　scream　of　wood　on　wood。　Nathaniel　stayed　curled　around　my　legs　and　just　looked　up　at　him。　I'd　never　gotten　my　gun　back　from　the　wererats。　I　had　gotten　my　knives　back；　but　I　wasn't　really　willing　to　cut　Richard　up；　not　yet；　not　for　this。　I　couldn't　arm　wrestle　Richard；　not　and　win；　so　really　my　only　option　was　to　sit；　look　perfectly　calm；　and　tell　him　by　my　facial　expression　what　a　fucking　asshole　he　was　being。
　He　shoved　the　table　again；　making　the　wood　scream；　then　he　knelt　beside　Nathaniel　and　pushed　his　long　hair　back。　He　bared　his　back　and　stared　at　the　bite　marks。
　〃Is　that　all？〃　he　asked；　voice　fierce；　his　power　so　high　it　was　like　treading　in　boiling　water；　up　to　my　chin；　and　still　rising。
　〃No；〃　I　said。
　Richard　gripped　the　back　of　Nathaniel's　shorts　and　pulled；　the　movement　so　violent　that　Nathaniel's　entire　body　moved　with　it。　I　heard　the　button　from　the　top　of　the　shorts　bounce　along　the　floor。　Richard　jerked　down　the　shorts　and　stared　at　the　bite　marks；　where　they　trailed　ever　lower。
　Richard　leaned　over　Nathaniel；　not　quite　touching；　but　he　was　like　some　huge　presence；　and　I　felt　Nathaniel　cower　against　me。
　Richard　hissed　into　his　ear；　〃Did　she　suck　you　off？　She's　good　at　that。〃
　〃That's　enough；　Richard。〃
　Nathaniel　answered；　〃No。〃
　〃You're　so　scared　of　me　I　can't　tell　if　you're　lying　or　not。〃　He　grabbed　a　handful　of　Nathaniel's　hair　and　pulled　him　backwards；　peeling　him　away　from　me。　I　had　one　of　the　wrist　sheath　knives　in　my　hand　and　didn't　remember　drawing　it。　The　point　was　pressed　against　the　long　line　of　Richard's　throat；　and　even　I　was　breathless　at　the　speed　of　it。　It　must　have　been　a　blur　of　movement。　It　wasn't　human　speed。
　Everything　froze。
　Shang…Da　and　Jamil　moved　into　the　room。　I　pressed　the　point　deeper　against　Richard's　neck。　〃Don't　interfere；　boys。〃
　They　stopped　moving。　I　met　Richard's　gaze　and　found　his　eyes　had　gone　wolf　amber。　〃Let　go　of　him；　Richard。〃　My　voice　was　low；　but　it　seemed　to　fill　the　room。
　〃You　wouldn't　kill　me　for　this。〃　His　voice　was　low；　careful；　too。
　〃Kill；　no；　but　bleed？　Oh；　yes。〃
　〃You　need　me　to　help　you　save　Gregory。〃
　I　could　feel　his　pulse　beating　against　the　tip　of　my　knife。　〃I　won't　let　you　hurt　Nathaniel　to　save　Gregory。〃
　His　grip　actually　tightened　on　Nathaniel's　hair；　and　I　pressed　the　point　in　enough　to　draw　the　first　crimson　drop。　〃Would　you　be　this　upset　if　it　wasn't　Nathaniel？〃　he　said。
　〃This　is　the　only　warning　I　will　ever　give　you；　Richard。　Never　touch　one　of　my　people　again。〃
　〃Or　what？　You'll　kill　me？　I　don't　think　you'll　do　it。〃
　I　realized　in　that　moment　that　if　I　wasn't　willing　to　kill　him；　I　had　no　threat。　And　I　really　wasn't　willing　to　kill　him；　not　over　this；　not　yet。
　I　drew　the　blade　back　from　his　neck　and　watched　him　relax；　the　tension　easing　away　from　him；　his　hand　still　in　Nathaniel's　hair。　I　moved　without　thinking；　and　I　was　fast　enough　that　the　knife　cut　across　his　forearm　before　he　could　react。　He　jerked　away；　came　to　his　feet；　and　took　a　step　back；　holding　his　bleeding　arm。　The　cut　was　deeper　than　I'd　meant　for　it　to　be；　because　I'd　rushed　it。　Blood　dripped　from　between　his　fingers。　Jamil　and　Shang…Da　moved　into　the　room。
　I　stood　and　drew　Nathaniel　with　me；　as　he　pulled　up　his　shorts　to　cover　himself。　I　put　the　French　doors　at　our　backs。　〃You　are　never　to　lay　a　hand　in　anger　on　my　leopards；　Richard；　y