lh.narcissusinchains-第86部分

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his　side；　with　the　first　hint　of　crimson　trickling　across　the　floor。　I　saw　Zane　and　Cherry　under　the　table；　hugging　the　ground。　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　Merle　farther　back；　tucked　into　the　corner　of　the　cabinets；　probably　better　hidden　than　any　of　us。　What　do　you　do　in　a　gunfight　if　you　have　no　gun；　hide？　I　had　a　moment　of　meeting　Merle's　eyes；　before　I　turned　back　to　the　wreckage。
　A　man　stepped　through　the　broken　sliding　glass　door；　a　pump…action　shotgun　in　his　hands。　He　pumped　a　round　in　as　he　stepped　through　the　door。　I　shot　him　three　times　before　his　knees　collapsed　from　under　him。　He　should　have　had　the　round　pumped　in　before　he　stepped　through　the　door。
　Claudia　was　putting　bullets　into　the　inner　door。　I　don't　think　she　was　hitting　anything　now；　but　she　was　keeping　them　from　rushing　us。　Nothing　else　moved　in　the　broken　door；　but　I　stayed　crouched；　gun　aimed　two…handed　at　the　opening。
　Bullets　rained　down　from　the　inner　door；　and　Claudia　and　I　hugged　the　cabinets。　I　kept　an　eye　on　the　far　door；　but　I　couldn't　keep　aimed　and　take　cover　at　the　same　time。　Another　shotgun　blast　roared　through　the　room　from　the　little　window　above　the　sink。　It　took　a　big　bite　out　of　the　island　cabinets。　I　was　as　low　to　the　ground　as　I　could　get；　on　my　butt；　pressed　to　the　cabinets；　but　I　kept　the　Browning　on　the　sliding　glass　door。　The　shotgun　sent　another　blast　through　the　little　window；　and　the　shots　from　the　living　room　came　one　after　the　other；　not　aiming；　just　keeping　us　where　we　were。　I　kept　my　eyes　and　my　gun　on　the　far　door。　They　were　shooting　to　cover　something；　and　that　was　the　only　door　left。
　Three　of　them　came　through　the　sliding　door；　and　everything　slowed　down。　I　was　seeing　the　world　through　crystal；　everything　sharp　edged。　I　had　all　the　time　in　the　world　to　see　the　two　snakes　and　the　lion　man　Marco　e　through　in　a　blur　of　movement　that　was　so　fast　I　knew　that　none　of　them　was　human。　I　saw　the　shotguns；　long　and　black；　barrels　impossibly　long；　the　lion；　Marco；　had　a　9　mil　in　each　hand。　I　had　an　impression　of　blond　and　golden　fur；　before　my　first　bullet　took　him　in　the　side；　spun　him　around。　Claudia　fired　into　one　of　the　snakes；　dropped　him；　but　the　other　shotgun　roared；　and　I　felt　her　stagger　above　me。
　I　put　two　shots　into　the　man's　chest；　and　he　collapsed　on　the　kitchen　table；　shotgun　falling　soundlessly　to　the　floor。
　A　bullet　hit　right　next　to　me；　and　I　saw　Marco　aiming　from　a　prone　position。　I　brought　the　Browning　around　to　aim　at　him；　but　I　was　going　to　be　too　late。　I　watched　him　squeezing　off　the　shot　and　knew　he　had　me。　There　wasn't　time　to　be　scared；　just　a　calm　thought；　that　he　was　going　to　shoot　me；　and　I　couldn't　stop　him。　Then　a　black　blur　was　on　his　back；　jerking　him　backwards；　as　the　shot　skidded　along　the　floor　in　front　of　me。　A　wereleopard　in　man　form　threw　the　man　out　of　the　door　and　vanished　after　him。
　I　kept　my　eye　on　the　door；　but　nothing　moved。　Something　dripped　on　my　face；　warm；　almost　hot。　Claudia　slumped　down　the　cabinets；　to　sit；　legs　sprawled　out　in　front　of　her；　gun　still　gripped　in　her　hand；　but　loosely。　I　gave　myself　a　second　to　see　that　her　right　shoulder　and　arm　was　a　mass　of　red；　then　I　turned　back　to　the　sliding　glass　door。　I　hugged　the　cabinet　beside　her。　If　they　came　through　from　the　living　room；　then　I　could　get　some　of　them。　If　they　rushed　us　from　both　doors　at　once；　it　was　over。
　I　saw　movement　in　the　far　corner　and　found　Merle　on　his　feet　with　a　shotgun　in　one　hand　and　a　snake　in　the　other。　He'd　pulled　him　through　the　window。　It　was　another　pump；　and　he　pumped　a　round　in　the　chamber　with　one　hand；　tearing　his　fingers　through　the　throat　of　the　snake　with　the　other。
　I　saw　his　mouth　move　more　than　heard　him　and　knew　the　lack　of　sound　wasn't　just　shock；　it　was　too　much　gunfire　in　a　small　room。　I　thought　he　said；　〃I've　got　this　door。〃　I　eased　around　Claudia　and　tried　to　cover　the　living　room；　having　to　trust　that　Merle　really　could　handle　the　other　door。　Claudia's　eyes　rolled　as　I　moved　around　her。　Her　mouth　moved；　but　I　couldn't　hear　her。　She　began　to　reach　her　left　hand　towards　her　motionless　right；　as　if　the　right　hand　couldn't　move。　I　kept　an　eye　on　the　door；　but　felt　her　painfully　slow　movements　as　she　transferred　the　gun　to　her　left　hand。　Since　I　was　pressed　just　above　her　body；　I　hoped　that　she　practiced　left…handed。　I'd　hate　to　get　shot　by　accident；　when　I　was　so　much　more　likely　to　get　shot　on　purpose。
　Nothing　happened　for　what　seemed　like　forever；　the　silence　was　utterly　still。　My　hearing　came　back　in　stages。　I　heard　Caleb　muttering　over　and　over　again；　〃Mother　fucking　son　of　a　bitch；　mother　fucking　son　of　a　bitch。〃　He　was　curled　against　the　far　cabinets　behind　me；　making　as　small　a　target　of　himself　as　he　could。　Nathaniel　actually　had　Igor's　dropped　handgun　and　was　pointing　it　at　the　sliding　glass　door。　I'd　taught　Nathaniel　the　basics　of　guns。　I　had　too　many　around　for　him　not　to　know　something　about　them；　but　watching　him　lean　against　the　island　cabinets　above　Igor's　body；　the　gun　held　two…handed；　his　left　arm　steadied　against　the　cabinet　edge；　I　knew　he'd　shoot　whoever　came　through　that　door。　If　he　was　actually　going　to　start　picking　up　guns　during　fights；　I　was　going　to　have　to　take　him　out　to　the　range　with　me　more。
　Of　course；　that　presupposed　we　would　all　live　to　do　anything　else。　The　silence　stretched；　until　the　wind　sighing　through　the　trees　outside　the　broken　glass　seemed　loud。
　A　voice　came　from　the　direction　of　the　deck。　〃It's　me；　it's　Micah。〃　The　voice　was　a　deep；　growling　bass。
　〃It　doesn't　sound　like　Micah；〃　I　called　back。
　〃It　sounds　like　me　when　I'm　not　in　human　form；〃　the　voice　said。
　I　said；　〃Merle？〃
　〃It's　Micah；〃　he　said。
　〃e　into　the　doorway；　slowly；〃　I　said。
　The　black　wereleopard　eased　through　the　broken　doorway；　claws　held　in　the　air。　The　dark　shape　seemed　to　fill　the　doorway。　In　leopardman　form　he　was　over　six　feet；　broader　through　the　shoulders；　bulkier　all　over；　as　if　he　had　muscles　in　this　shape　that　he　didn't　have　in　human　form。　His　fur　gleamed　like　ebony；　sunlight　caressed　his　side；　bringing　out　black…on…black　rosettes　like　sable　flowers　crushed　into　velvet。　Pale　skin　showed　through　at　his　chest；　stomach；　lower。　In　the　movies　the　wolfmen　are　sexless；　smooth　as　a　Barbie　doll。　In　real　life；　they　are　very　much　male。　Somehow　it　was　easier　to　see　him　naked　in　half…human　form　and　not　be　the　least　bit　embarrassed。　I　just　didn't　see　the　shapeshifters　as　sex　objects　once　the　fur　started　to　flow。
　〃Where's　the　guy　you　threw　out　the　door？〃　I　asked。
　〃He　got　away。〃
　〃I　don't　hear　anyone　in　the　living　room；〃　Merle　said。
　〃They　all　went　out　the　front　door；〃　Zane　said；　〃or　at　least　the　room　looks　clear。〃　He　and　Cherry　were　still　crouched　under　the　kitchen　table；　flat　to　the　ground。
　〃I'll　check　the　living　room；〃　Micah　said。
　〃These　bad　guys　have　silver　bullets。　I　wouldn't　be　so　cavalier　about　it；〃　I　said。
　He　nodded　and　his　head　was　mostly　leopard；　very　little　left　of　the　man　he　was；　except；　strangely；　those　chartreuse　eyes。　They　marked　him　as　alien；　other；　in　human　form；　but　as　that　furred　and　muscled　body　stalked　past　me；　those　same　eyes　marked　him　as　Micah。　The　color　was　richer。　Encircled　with　black　fur；　the　eyes　were　even　more　striking。　He　hesitated　in　the　doorway；　then　crept　through；　going　low；　making　as　small　a　target　of　himself　as　he　could。　It　was　rare　to　see　a　lycanthrope　that　took　advantage　of　cover。　Most　of　them　seemed　to　see　themselves　as　invulnerable；　which　was　usually　true；　but　not　today。　Igor　was　very　still　on　the　floor；　and　Claudia's　shoulder　looked　like　so　much　meat。　She　was　dumped　against　the　cabinets。　Her　left　hand　still　gripped　the　gun；　though　the　hand　was　motionless　on　the　floor；　as　if　she　had　no　use　of　the　arm。
　When　I　glanced　down；　the　gun　was　pointed　somewhere　in　the　direction　of　the　sliding　glass　doors。　The　hand　wavered　enough　that　I　was　nervous　crouching　over　her；　but　she　fought　that　shaking　limb　so　that　she　never　quite　promised　the　line　of　my　body。　The　right　side　of　her　body　was　soaked　with　blood；　and　her　eyes　were　having　trouble　focusing。　I　think　only　shear　stubbornness　was　keeping　her　conscious。
　My　gaze　flicked　to　Igor's　still　form　and　the　bodies　piled　in　the　doorways。　If　Igor　was　breathing；　I　couldn't　see　it。　〃Check　his　pulse；　Nathaniel。〃
　Nathaniel　glanced　down　at　the　man；　gave　me　a　second　of　eye　contact；　then　turned　back　to　staring　at　the　broken　sliding　door。　〃I'd　hear　his　heart　if　it　was　still　beating。　Hear　the　blood　in　his　body　if　it　was　still　moving。　It's　not。〃　He　said　all　that　with　his　head　turned　away　from　me。　It　made　it　somehow　worse；　more　unnerving。
　Micah　appeared　in　the　far　doorway。　〃There's　no　one　left　alive　in　here。〃　He　stepped　over　the　pile　of　bodies　in　the　door；　and　even　that　movement　was　gliding；　his　balance　forward　on　the　feet；　which　were　somewhere　between　human　and　leopard。　Was　I　really　going　to　be　a　leopard　when　the　moon　came　full　this　month？　Was　this　dark；　graceful　shape；　this　muscular　shadow；　what　I　had　inside　of　me？
　I　pushed　the　question　away；　we　had　other　more　pressing　problems；　like　the　wounded。　I'd　concentrate　on　the　emergencies　and　try　to　let　everything　else　go。　It　was　one　of　my　specialties。　I　put　my　fingers　against　Claudia's　neck；　trying　to　check　her　pulse。　She　shrugged　her　shoulders；　moving　just　enough　so　I　couldn't　check　it。　〃I'm　fine；〃　she　said；　voice　harsh。　〃I'm　fine。〃
　That　was　so　obviously　not　true；　I　didn't　even　argue。　Until　I　checked　the　house　personally；　I　wouldn't　believe　we　had　the　all…clear；　but　my　industrial　size　first…aid　kit　was　in　the　pantry；　and　I　knew　the　immediate　area　was　safe。　〃Cherry　crawl　out　from　under　the　table　on　this　side　and　get　the　first…aid　kit。〃　I　stood　up　and　moved　around　the　cabinets　so　I'd　be　able　to　see　both　the　living　room　and　the　sliding　glass　door；　not　to　mention　the　bay　window　over　the　breakfast　nook。
　Cherry　glanced　once　at　Zane；　then　crawled　out　from　among　the　chair　legs。　She　stayed　low　until　she　got　to　the　pantry　closet。　She　had　to　make　Caleb　move；　scooting　at　him；　gently；　with　her　feet。　He　finally　unwound　from　his　tight　fetal　position　and　crawled　about　a　foot　away　so　Cherry　could　get　the　kit。
　Cherry　went　to　Igor　first。　She　was　a　wereleopard；　her　hearing　was　just　as　good　as　Nathaniel's；　but　she　went　through　all　the　motio