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〃We?〃 I asked。
〃Asher and myself。〃
〃So Asher knows how to do this;〃 I said。
〃Oui; but he is not Damian's master either。〃
〃No; but I am。 If Damian still has one; I'm it。 So you take care of Gretchen; you loan me Asher; and he tells me what to do for Damian。〃
〃After his little display in the other room; you would trust him?〃
〃I'd trust him with my life; and so would you。〃
〃But not our hearts;〃 Jean…Claude said。
〃Why did it bother him so much to see you with Micah?〃 I asked。 〃He's seen almost as bad with Richard; and me。〃
〃I believe that you as my human servant and Richard as my wolf to call were possessions; mine by right; and you were already in place when Asher arrived in St。 Louis。 Micah is not my animal to call。 He has no ties directly to me。 He is your Nimir…Raj; but nothing to me。〃
〃And?〃 I asked。
〃Asher was willing to share me with you and Richard because you were mine; but this Nimir…Raj is simply another man that has my favor when Asher does not。〃
〃Micah doesn't have your favor; exactly; yet。〃
Jean…Claude gave a small smile。 〃True; but Asher does not see it that way。〃
〃If it weren't for my 。。。 social qualms would you be doing Asher right now?〃
He laughed; an abrupt sound that didn't dance along my body; it just filled his face with glee。 The closest I'd ever seen to real laughter from him。 〃Social qualms ah; ma petite; that is precious。〃
I frowned at him。 〃Just answer the question。〃
The laughter faded; almost like a person; instead of that abrupt change he usually did。 〃Asher and I would likely have e to an understanding if it would not have cost me you; ma petite。〃
〃An understanding。 Now who's being coy?〃 I said。
He gave that Gallic shrug that meant everything and nothing。 〃You would not be fortable with brutal honesty; ma petite。〃
〃Fine; if I could have stomached it; would you have taken Asher back as your lover by now?〃
He thought about it; then finally; 〃I do not know; ma petite。〃
〃I know you love him。〃
〃Oui; but that does not mean we could be lovers again。 When he and I were happiest; it was with Julianna。 You might be able to stand us as lovers out of your sight; as long as we did not act like lovers in front of you。 I do not think you would like watching Asher and me hold hands in front of you。〃
Put that way; he was right。 〃What are you saying?〃
〃I am saying that Asher deserves better than a hidden relationship where we could never show public affection for fear of hurting you。 I would rather give him up pletely to someone else; male or female; than force him to play second or lower to you forever。〃
I opened my mouth to say that I liked Asher; even loved him in a way; but I didn't; because I didn't want to raise the possibility of a true ménage à trois。 What I'd seen with Micah and Jean…Claude had already bugged me a lot。 I just couldn't deal with two men and me。 Yeah; yeah; it was the Midwestern; middle…class value system; but it was the way I looked at the world。 I couldn't change that; could I? And if I could; did I want to?
I didn't know。 I just didn't know。 The fact that the thought didn't make me run screaming into the night bothered me; but not as much as I thought it should have。
54
JEAN…CLAUDE GAVE JASON the keys to the locks on the silver chains。 He'd spent the last hour explaining everyone's job。 Jason would be the appetizer; oh sorry; Gretchen's first feeding。 It couldn't be someone human because the first feeding after being in the box could be quite 。。。 traumatic。 Jean…Claude's choice of words; not mine。 So basically Jason got to be point man and take the first damage。 Then it was Jean…Claude's turn to donate blood。 The vamp's master gave a feeding and rebound the vamp to the blood oaths that connected them either to the Master of the City; their bloodline; their maker; or; in Jean…Claude's case; all three。 All three was better; the stronger the original connection; the greater chance the vampire had of healing the damage。
That last part made me worry for Damian。 I wasn't his maker; I wasn't his bloodline; or his Master of the City。 I wasn't sure exactly what I was to him。 To that question; Jean…Claude had said; 〃You are his master; ma petite。 Whatever that means for a necromancer; that is what you are to him。 If taking blood from you doesn't reconnect him; then Asher will try。 Failing that; they will fetch me from Gretchen。 Damian must rebind his ties to one of us; or he is lost。〃
〃Define lost;〃 I said。
〃The madness may be permanent。〃
〃Shit。〃
〃Oui。〃
But first Gretchen; so that I could see it done; understand the process better。
Jason unlocked the chains。 They fell off the coffin and clunked against the wood; a dull; harsh sound。 It made me jump。 Gretchen had tried to kill me when she only thought I was dating Jean…Claude。 She might rise from the coffin bent on killing me。 I'd been her advocate; demanding Jean…Claude let her out。 Now as Jason undid the locks on the lid itself; my chest was tight; and I had to fight to keep my hand away from my gun。 It would be stupid not to mention ironic if I had to kill her the moment she rose。 I could just hear Jean…Claude's dry; And this is an improvement; ma petite? I said a quick prayer that it wouldn't e to that。 I didn't want to kill her; I wanted to save her。 Wanting to do the last didn't mean I wouldn't do the first; but it did mean I would try to avoid it。
Jason raised the lid; slowly。 Not because it was heavy; but because; I think; he was scared; too。 The idea of being Gretchen's first meal had made him laugh; that anticipatory sound that is half grown…up male; and half little boy。 The sound that men reserve for things that bine sex and usually sports; cars; technology; or danger depends on your man。 I'm sure there are men out there that would give that purring; excited laugh at the thought of gardening; of poetry; but I haven't met them。 Might be an interesting change; though。
The lid went back in that halfway position that coffin lids do。 Nothing moved。 There was just Jason standing there in his cutoff jean shorts; bare back to the room。 Gretchen didn't e bounding out and eat anybody; and I let out a breath I hadn't known I was holding。
Jason stayed there; gazing down; unmoving; hands frozen on the lid。 He finally turned towards the rest of us; and there was a look on his face that I'd never seen。 It was a mixture of horror and pity。 His spring blue eyes were wide; and there was a glitter of tears; I thought。 Jason and Gretchen hadn't been close。 The reaction couldn't be personal。 What was in that coffin to put that look on Jason's face?
I was moving forward without realizing it。 〃Ma petite; do not go closer。〃
I looked at him。 〃What's the matter with her? Why does Jason look so 。。。 stricken?〃
Jason answered; 〃I've never seen anything like this。〃
I had to see now; I had to。 I kept walking towards the coffin。 Jean…Claude met me; blocked my path。 〃Please; ma petite; do not go closer。〃
〃I'm supposed to watch the process; right? I'm going to have to see what she looks like sooner or later; Jean…Claude。 Might as well be sooner。〃
He studied my face; as if he'd memorize it。 〃I did not anticipate that she would be