按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Since I had no choice； I did what he suggested。 I lay staring up at the dark； distant ceiling with its rows of lights。 They'd turned off most of them； so that the club was nearly dark。 Like the soft gloom that es when you close the drapes during the day。
I felt Jason lay down on the other side of me； head resting on my thigh。 Not long ago I'd have made him move； but I'd spent my time away learning how to be fortable being close with the wereleopards。 It had made me more tolerant of everyone； apparently。 〃Why are you tired？〃
He rolled his head up to look at me without raising it from my leg； one hand curving over my calf as if to keep his balance。 〃You spill sex and magic through the whole club and you ask why I'm tired？ You are such a tease。〃
I frowned at him。 〃One more ment like that and you'll have to move。〃
He snuggled his head on my hose。 〃I can see that your underwear matches。〃
〃Get off of me； Jason。〃
He slid to the floor without being told twice。 He could never leave well enough alone； our Jason。 He always had to get the last joke； the last ment； that one bit too many。 I worried that someday with someone else that little quirk might get him hurt； or worse。
Richard propped himself up on one elbow； moving slowly as if he wasn't sure everything was working。 〃I don't know if that felt better than anything else we've ever done； or worse。〃
〃It feels like a bination of a hangover and mild flu to me；〃 I said。
〃And yet it feels good；〃 Jean…Claude said。
I finally got upright and found that they both had a hand at my back to support me； as if their movements had been simultaneous。
I actually leaned in against their hands； rather than telling them to move。 One； I was still shaky； two； I just didn't find the physical contact unpleasant。 All these months of trying to forge the wereleopards into a cohesive； friendly unit； and it was me that had learned to be cohesive and friendly。 Me that had learned that not every helping hand is a threat to my independence。 Me that had learned that not every offer of physical closeness is a trap or a lie。
Richard sat up first； slowly； keeping his hand on my back。 Then Jean…Claude sat up； keeping his hand very still against me。 I felt them exchange glances。 This was the moment that I usually pulled away。 We'd have some fantastic sex； metaphysical or otherwise； and that was my cue to close down； hide。 We were in public； all the more reason to do it。
I didn't pull away。 Richard's arm slid cautiously up my back； over my shoulders。 Jean…Claude's arm moved lower around my waist。 They both pulled me into the curve of their bodies as if they were some huge； warm vinyl…covered chair with a pulse。
Some say that in that moment during sex when you both have an orgasm your auras drop； you blend your energies； yourselves together。 You share so much more than just your body during sex； it's one of the reasons you should be careful who you do it with。 Just sitting there on the floor with them was like that。 I could feel their energies moving through me； like a low…level current； a distant hum。 In time I was pretty sure it would bee white noise something you can ignore； like psychic shielding when you no longer have to concentrate on it。 But now it was like we would always walk； move； through that dreamy afterglow where you were still connected； still not quite back in your own skin。 I didn't push them away； because I didn't want to。 Pushing them away would have been redundant。 We didn't need to touch to breach the barriers anymore。 And that should have scared me more than anything else； but it didn't。
Narcissus walked out into the middle of the floor and a soft light fell upon him； growing ever so gradually brighter。 〃Well； my friends； we have had a treat tonight； have we not？〃
More applause； screams； and animal noises filled the dimness。 Narcissus held up his hands until the crowd fell quiet。 〃I think we have had our climax for the night。〃 A smattering of laughter at that。 〃We will save our show until tomorrow； for to do less would be to dishonor what we have been offered here tonight。〃
The woman； who was still standing to the back of the dance floor in her robe； said； 〃I can't pete with that。〃
Narcissus blew her a kiss。 〃It is not a petition； sweet Miranda； it is that we all have our gifts。 Some are merely more rare than others。〃 He turned and stared at us as he said the last。 His eyes were pale and oddly colored； and it took me a second or two to realize that Narcissus's eyes had bled to his beast。 Hyena eyes； I guess； though truthfully； I didn't know what hyena eyes looked like。 I just knew they weren't human eyes。
He knelt beside us； smoothing his dress down in an automatic and strangely odd gesture that I'd never seen a man make before。 Of course； he was also the first man I'd ever seen in a dress。 There was probably a cause and effect。
Narcissus lowered his voice。 〃I would love to speak with you in private about this。〃
〃Of course；〃 Jean…Claude said； 〃but first we have other business。〃
Narcissus leaned in close； lowering his voice until it was necessary to lean forward to hear him。 〃As I have two of my guards waiting with her leopards so no harm will e； there is time to talk。 Or should I say； your leopards； for surely now； what belongs to one； belongs to all。〃 He had leaned so far over that his cheek nearly touched Jean…Claude on one side and my face on the other。
〃No；〃 I said； 〃the leopards are mine。〃
〃Really；〃 Narcissus said。 He turned his face that fraction of an inch and brushed his lips against mine。 It might have been an accident； but I doubted it。 〃You don't share everything； then？〃
I moved my face just far enough away so we weren't touching。 〃No。〃
〃So good to know；〃 he whispered。 He leaned forward and pressed his mouth to Jean…Claude's lips。 I was startled； frozen for a second wondering exactly what to do。
Jean…Claude knew exactly what to do。 He put one finger in the man's chest and pushed； not with muscle； but with power。 The power of the marks； the power that we had all just moments before solidified。 Jean…Claude drew on it as if he'd done it a thousand times before； effortlessly； gracefully； mandingly。
Narcissus was pushed back from him by a rush of invisible power that I could feel tugging on my body。 And I knew that most of the people in the room could feel it； as well。 Narcissus stayed crouched on the floor； staring at Jean…Claude； staring at all of us。 The look on his face was angry； but there was more hunger in it than rage； a hunger denied。
〃We need to talk in private；〃 Narcissus insisted。
Jean…Claude nodded。 〃That would be best； I think。〃
There was a weight of things left unsaid in that short exchange。 I felt Richard's puzzlement mirror my own； before I turned my head to glance back at him。 The movement put our faces close enough so that we could almost have kissed。 I could tell just by the expression in his eyes that he didn't know what was going on。 And he seemed to know that I could tell； because he didn't bother to shrug or make any outward acknowledgment。 It wasn't telepathy； though to an outsider it might look that way。 It was more extreme empathy； as if I could read every nuance on his face； the