lh.narcissusinchains-第92章

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　be　sooner。〃
　He　studied　my　face；　as　if　he'd　memorize　it。　〃I　did　not　anticipate　that　she　would　be　so　。。。　〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃You　will　not　be　happy　with　me　after　you　see　her。〃
　〃You　don't　know　what　she　looks　like　either；〃　I　said。
　〃No；　but　Jason's　reaction　tells　me　many　things　I　do　not　wish　to　know。〃
　〃What's　that　supposed　to　mean？〃
　He　just　stepped　aside。　〃Gaze　upon　her；　ma　petite；　and　when　you　have　forgiven　me；　e　back　to　me。〃
　Forgiven　him？　I　did　not　like　the　phrasing。　I'd　been　scared　of　Gretchen　pouncing　out　and　trying　to　kill　me；　now　I　was　more　frightened　of　looking　at　her；　of　what　horror　awaited　me　inside　that　coffin。　My　pulse　was　trying　to　climb　out　my　throat；　and　I　couldn't　breathe　past　it。　Jason's　face；　Jean…Claude's　sorrow；　and　the　utter　stillness　from　the　coffin　had　left　me　so　scared　my　mouth　was　dry。
　Jason　moved　to　one　side；　turning　away　from　the　coffin；　leaning　his　butt　against　it；　arms　hugging　his　sides。　He　looked　pale　and　ill。　I　wondered　if　he'd　changed　his　mind　about　letting　Gretchen　touch　him。
　I　stood　just　far　enough　back　that　I　couldn't　see　into　the　coffin。　I　didn't　want　to　see　something　so　horrible　that　it　made　Jason　pale。　I　didn't　want　to　see　it；　but　I　had　to。
　I　stepped　up　to　the　coffin；　like　stepping　up　to　the　plate；　knowing　that　the　ball　ing　at　you　is　going　a　hundred…plus　miles　an　hour　and　you　have　no　chance　to　swing。　My　eyes　couldn't　make　sense　of　what　I　saw　at　first。　My　mind　simply　refused　to　understand。　It's　a　safety　feature　that　we　all　have。　If　something　is　too　horrendous；　sometimes　our　brain　just　says；　nope；　not　going　to　see　this；　not　going　to　record　this；　nope；　it　would　break　us。　But　if　you　stare　long　enough；　the　mind　says；　well　damn；　we're　not　turning　away；　and　finally；　finally；　you'll　see　it；　and　once　you　see　it；　you'll　never　be　able　to　unsee　it。
　It　lay　against　white　satin　so　that　the　dry；　brown　color　was　very　stark；　painfully　outlined。　It　looked　like　a　wizened　mummy；　one　of　those　bodies　they　find　every　once　in　a　while　in　the　desert；　where　the　dryness　makes　natural　mummies。　The　brown　skin　had　molded　to　the　bones；　there　was　no　muscle　under　it；　just　bones　and　skin。　The　mouth　was　open　wide；　as　if　the　jaw　hinge　had　broken。　The　fangs　were　dry；　but　white　like　a　skull。　The　entire　head　had　dried　down　to　just　the　skull　covered　by　a　light　coating　of　brown　skin。　Patches　of　bright　blond　hair　clung　to　that　skull；　and　the　bright　color　made　it　worse；　more　obscene　somehow。　The　eyes　opened。　I　jumped；　but　the　eyes　that　stared　back　at　me　were　filled　with　something　brown　and　dried；　like　big　raisins。　They　blinked　once；　slowly；　and　a　sound　like　wind　sighing　came　out　of　the　mouth。
　I　fell　back　from　the　coffin；　fell　to　my　knees。　Jason　grabbed　my　arm；　drew　me　to　my　feet。　I　shook　his　hand　off　and　went　for　Jean…Claude。　He　stood　there；　face　patient；　empty。　I　hit　him　without　ever　breaking　stride。　Maybe　he　expected　me　to　stop；　take　a　stance；　but　I　hit　him　in　the　face；　closed　fist；　like　it　was　a　continuation　of　the　movement　of　my　body。　I　twisted　my　fist　　my　whole　body　　into　it；　and　he　was　suddenly　on　the　floor；　looking　up　at　me；　with　blood　on　his　face。
　
　55
　
　〃YOU　BASTARD；　YOU　fed　off　her　energy　while　she　was　in　there。〃　I　had　to　stalk　away　from　him　to　keep　from　kicking　him。　Some　things　you　did　not　do；　some　lines　you　did　not　cross。
　He　touched　the　back　of　his　hand　to　his　mouth。　〃What　if　I　had　nothing　to　do　with　it？〃
　〃What　if？〃　I　came　to　stand　over　him。　〃What　if？　Are　you　really　going　to　try　and　tell　me　that　you　didn't　feed　off　of　her？〃　I　pointed　back　towards　the　coffin　and　must　have　glanced　back；　because　the　next　thing　I　knew　he　had　my　legs；　and　I　was　suddenly　falling　towards　the　ground。　I　slapped　the　hard　stones　with　my　arms　like　I'd　been　taught　in　Judo。　That　took　some　of　the　impact；　kept　my　head　from　hitting　the　stone　floor；　but　it　took　concentration。　By　the　time　my　body　hit　the　ground；　Jean…Claude　was　on　top　of　me；　pinning　my　arms　to　the　floor　with　his　forearms；　the　rest　of　his　body　trapping　the　rest　of　mine。
　〃Get　off　of　me。〃
　〃Non；　ma　petite；　not　until　you　hear　me　out。〃
　I　tried　to　raise　my　arms；　not　because　I　thought　I　could　outmuscle　him；　but　because　I　had　to　try。　I've　never　been　able　not　to　struggle　even　when　I　know　it's　a　lost　cause。
　I　was　able　to　raise　my　arms　a　little　　not　enough　to　get　away；　but　enough　to　make　him　bear　down；　enough　to　widen　his　eyes；　enough　to　make　him　tense。　Good　to　know　the　marks　were　helping　me　gain　useful　things　like　strength　and　not　just　crap。
　Blood　was　a　bright　surprise　against　that　pale　skin。　The　blood　dripped　from　an　open　cut　on　his　mouth。　〃How　do　you　know　that　this　is　not　what　all　vampires　would　be　reduced　to　after　years？〃
　I　glared　up　at　him　because　I　couldn't　do　much　else。　〃Liar。〃
　〃How　are　you　so　certain？〃　He　pressed　himself　harder　against　me　for　emphasis　I　think　because　he　wasn't　happy　to　be　there；　his　body　was　all　about　anger　not　sex。　〃How　do　you　know；　Anita？〃
　He'd　used　my　real　name。　〃I'm　a　necromancer；　remember？〃
　His　face　clearly　said　he　didn't　believe　the　answer　was　that　simple；　and　he　was　right。　I　was　remembering　my　visit　to　New　Mexico　and　what　I'd　learned　there。　A　monster　rising　above　the　bar　in　a　club　in　Albuquerque。　It　rose　above　the　bar　in　a　thin　line　of　pale　flesh；　like　the　rising　of　a　crescent　moon；　then　a　face　came　into　view。　It　was　a　woman's　face　with　one　eye　gone　stiff　and　dry　like　some　kind　of　mummy。　Face　after　face　rose　brown　and　withered；　like　a　string　of　monstrous　beads　strung　together　with　pieces　of　body；　arms；　legs；　and　thick　black　thread　like　gigantic　stitches　holding　it　all　together；　holding　the　magic　inside。　It　rose　up　and　up　until　it　towered　against　the　ceiling；　curving　like　a　giant　snake　to　stare　down　at　me。　I　estimated　forty　heads；　more；　before　I　lost　count；　or　lost　the　heart　to　count　anymore。
　There　had　been　another　club　in　that　town；　and　it　had　been　worse　in　some　ways；　because　the　torture　was　part　of　the　entertainment　。。。　Lines　had　appeared　on　the　man's　skin。　The　muscles　under　his　skin　began　to　shrink；　as　though　he　had　a　wasting　disease；　but　what　should　have　taken　months　was　happening　in　seconds。　No　matter　how　willing　the　sacrifice；　it　can　still　hurt。　The　man　started　screaming　as　fast　as　he　could　draw　breath。　His　lungs　were　working　better　than　the　first　man's；　and　he　drew　breath　so　fast；　it　was　like　one　continuous　shriek。　His　skin　darkened　as　it　drew　in　and　in；　like　something　was　sucking　him　dry。　It　was　like　watching　a　balloon　shrivel。　Except　there　was　muscle；　and　when　the　muscle　vanished；　there　was　bone；　and　finally　there　was　nothing　but　dried　skin　over　bones。　And　still　he　screamed。
　The　last　insult；　or　gift；　or　horror；　had　been　the　Master　of　the　City　of　Albuquerque's　power。　Her　power　had　beat　against　me　like　frantic　wings；　birds　crying　that　they've　been　shut　out　in　the　dark　and　they　want　inside　to　the　light　and　the　warmth。　How　could　I　leave　them　crying　in　the　dark；　when　all　I　had　to　do　was　open　and　they　would　be　safe？　I'd　fought　it；　but　in　the　end　the　wings　erupted　into　a　torrent　of　birds。　My　body　seemed　to　open；　though　I　knew　it　didn't。　And　the　winged　things　　only　half…glimpsed　　spilled　into　that　opening。　The　power　flowed　into　me；　through　me；　and　out　again。　I　was　part　of　some　great　circuit；　and　I　felt　the　connection　with　every　vampire　she'd　touched。　It　was　as　if　I　flowed　through　them；　and　they　through　me；　like　water　ing　together　to　form　something　larger。　Then　I　was　floating　in　the　soothing　dark；　and　there　were　stars；　distant　and　glittering。
　Images　then；　and　they　had　force　to　them　like　things　slamming　into　my　body。　I　saw　the　Master　of　the　City　standing　on　the　top　of　a　pyramid　temple　surrounded　by　trees；　jungle。　I　could　smell　the　rich　greenness　of　it　and　hear　the　night　call　of　a　monkey；　the　scream　of　a　jaguar。　Her　human　servant　knelt　and　fed　from　the　bloody　wound　on　her　chest。　He　became　her　servant；　and　he　gained　power；　many　powers。　And　one　of　them　was　this　　how　to　take　the　life　force　of　something；　someone；　and　feed　upon　it；　without　killing　it。　And　I　understood　how　he'd　taken　the　man's　essence；　during　that　terrible　entertainment。　More　than　that；　I　understood　how　it　was　done；　and　how　it　was　undone。　I　knew　how　to　unmake　the　creature　in　the　bar；　though　what　had　been　done；　being　sewn　together　into　a　Frankenstein　nightmare；　might　mean　that　to　bring　them　back　to　flesh　would　kill　them。　I　didn't　need　the　necromancer　who　had　trapped　them　to　undo　the　spell；　I　could　do　it　myself。
　The　memories　were　so　vivid；　it　was　like　reliving　them。　I　came　back　to　the　present　almost　with　a　jolt；　staring　up　into　Jean…Claude's　eyes；　still　trapped　under　his　body；　still　in　the　punishment　room　thousands　of　miles　away　from　Obsidian　Butterfly　and　her　small　army。　But　it　was　the　look　on　Jean…Claude's　face　that　caught　my　breath　in　my　throat。
　His　eyes　were　wide；　and　I　knew　in　that　moment　that　he'd　seen　my　memories；　that　he'd　shared　them　the　way　I　sometimes　shared　his。　Fuck。
　His　voice　had　a　shakiness　to　it　that　I　rarely　heard。　〃Ma　petite；　you　were　a　busy　girl　while　you　were　away　from　us。〃
　〃You　saw　what　I　saw；　and　you　know　how　I　feel　about　what　you　did　to　Gretchen。〃
　His　hands　tightened　on　my　arms；　fingers　digging　into　my　skin　just　a　little。　〃I　know　how　you　feel；　ma　petite。　But　I　will　not　take　this　blame　gently。　I　am　the　Master　of　the　City；　my　vampires　live　through　me。　Unless　they　are　masters　themselves；　their　life　force　es　through　the　line　that　bred　them；　until　they　take　blood　oath　to　a　Master　of　the　City。　Then　that　master　makes　their　hearts　beat。　If　I　run　short　of　power；　then　some　will　simply　not　wake　in　the　night；　or　they　will　bee　revenants；　animals　to　be　destroyed　as　Damian　has　bee。'
　I　moved　under　him。　〃I　don't　。。。　〃
　〃Shhh；　ma　petite；　I　will　not　be　condemned　without　a　hearing；　not　this　time。　Perhaps　you　can　save　Damian；　but　he　is　over　a　thousand　years　old。　Even　though　not　a　master；　that　is　a　long　time；　long　enough　to　accumulate　power　enough　to　survive。　But　vampires　like　Willie　and　Hannah　who　are　not　masters　and　not　that　old；　they　would　fade　or　go　mad；　and　there　would　be　no　saving　them。〃　He　shook　me；　digging　into　my　arms；　raising　his　elbows　so　that　I　could　have　gone　for　a　weapon　if　I'd　wanted；　but　I　just　watched　him　and　listened。
　〃Is　that　what　you　want；　Anita？　Which　of　them　would　you　sacrifice　to　save　Gretchen？　Gretchen　whom　you　hate。　I　took　power　from　her　because　you　denied　it　to　me。〃
　〃Don't　blame　this　on　me；〃　I　said。
　He　moved　suddenly；　sitting　up　on　his　knees；　his　body　straddling　my　legs。　He　lifted　me　into　a　sitting　position；　fingers　brushing　against　my　arms。　〃The　system　of　master　and　servant　has　worked　well　for　thousands　of　years；　but　you　keep　fighting　it；　and　you　keep　forcing　me　to　do　things　I　do　not　wish　to　do。〃　He　raised　me　up　close　to　his　face；　and　I　watched　his　eyes　bleed　to　burning　blue　from　inches　away。　He　shook　me　more　violently　this　time；　almost　hard　enough　to　scare　me。
　〃If　I　could　have　fed　the　ardeur　as　it　was　meant　to　be　fed；　then　this　would　not　have　been　necessary。　If　I　could　have　fed　through　my　human　servant；　this　would　not　have　been　necessary。　If　I　could　have　fed　through　my　animal　to　call；　this　would　not　have　been　necessary。　But　you　and　Richard　bind　me　'round　with　rules；　you　cripple　me　with　your　morality；　and　you　force　me　to　do　such　as　I　swore　I　would　never　do。　I　have　been　in　the　box　and　been　food　fo