cp.reddice-第18部分

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　　〃No　one　calls　me　that　and　gets　away　with　it！〃
　　〃Really？　What　are　you　going　to　do？　Kill　me？〃
　　He　steps　forward　and　slaps　me　across　the　face　with　the　back　of　his　hand。　〃Bitch！　You　just　be　happy　I'm　not　that　kind　of　man。〃
　　I　put　a　hand　to　my　mouth。　〃Aren't　you　that　kind　of　man？〃　I　ask　softly。　〃I　see　your　heart；　Mr。　Money　Bags。　You　have　killed　before。　It's　good　we　meet　tonight；　out　here　in　the　desert。　If　you　lived；　you　would　probably　kill　again。〃
　　He　turns　to　leave。　〃Let's　get　out　of　here；　boys。〃
　　〃Wait；〃　I　say。　〃I　have　something　else　to　give　you。〃
　　He　glances　over　his　shoulder。　〃What？〃
　　I　take　another　step　forward。　〃I　have　to　tell　you　who　I　really　am。　You　did　ask；　remember？〃
　　Tex　is　in　a　hurry。　〃So；　who　are　you？　A　Hollywood　star？〃
　　〃Close。　I　am　famous；　in　certain　circles。　Why　just　a　few　days　ago　the　entire　LAPD　was　chasing　me　around　town。　You　read　about　it　in　the　papers？〃
　　A　wary　note　enters　his　voice。　Once　again；　his　men　glance　around；　this　time　looking　for　Arab　backups。　〃You're　not　connected　to　that　group　of　terrorists；　are　you？〃
　　〃There　were　no　terrorists。　That　was　just　the　cops　trying　to　cover　their　asses。　It　was　just　me　and　my　partner。　We　caused　all　the　ruckus。〃
　　He　snorts。　〃Right。　You　and　your　partner　wasted　twenty　cops。　You　must　be　a　terminator；　huh？〃
　　〃Close。　I'm　a　vampire。　I'm　five　thousand　years　old。〃
　　He　snickers。　〃You're　a　psycho；　and　you're　wasting　my　time。〃　He　turns　again。　〃Good　night。〃
　　I　grab　him　by　the　back　of　his　collar　and　yank　him　close；　pressing　his　cheek　next　to　mine。　He　is　so　startled…he　hardly　reacts。　But　his　men　are　better　trained。　Suddenly　I　have　three　revolvers　pointed　at　me。　Quickly；　I　shield　myself　with　Tex。　My　grip　on　him　tightens；　cutting　off　his　air。　He　gags　loudly。
　　〃I　am　in　a　generous　mood；〃　I　say　calmly　to　the　others。　〃I　will　give　you　men　a　chance　to　escape。　Ordinarily　I　would　not　even　consider　it。　But　since　my　cover　has　been　blown；　I　am　not　so　picky　about　destroying　every　shred　of　evidence。〃　I　pause　and　catch　　each　of　their　eyes；　no　doubt　sending　a　shiver　to　the　base　of　their　spines。　〃I　suggest　you　get　in　your　cars　and　get　out　of　here…out　of　Las　Vegas　pletely。　If　you　don't；　you　will　die。　It　is　that　simple。〃　I　throttle　Tex　and　he　moans　in　pain。　My　voice　takes　on　a　mocking　tone；　〃You　can　see　how　strong　I　am　for　a　honey　child。〃
　　〃Shoot　her；〃　Tex　gasps　as　I　allow　him　a　little　air。
　　〃That　is　a　bad　idea；〃　I　say。　〃To　shoot　me　they　have　to　shoot　you　first　because　you　are　standing　in　front　of　me。　Really；　Tex；　you　should　think　these　things　out　before　giving　such　orders。〃　I　glance　at　the　others。　〃If　you　don't　get　out　of　here；　I'll　have　you　for　dinner　as　well。　I　really　am　a　vampire　and；　for　me；　prime　ribs　e　in　all　shapes　and　forms。〃　With　one　hand；　I　lift　Tex　two　feet　off　the　ground。　〃Do　you　want　to　see　what　I　do　to　him？　I　guarantee　it　will　make　you　sick　to　your　stomach。〃
　　〃God；〃　one　of　the　men　whispers　and　turns　to　flee。　He　doesn't　bother　with　the　car。　He　just　runs　into　the　desert；　anywhere　to　get　away　from　me。　Another　fellow　edges　toward　the　periphery。　But　the　remaining　man…　the　guy　who　grabbed　me　in　the　casino；　the　same　one　who　frisked　me…snaps　at　him。
　　〃She's　not　a　vampire；〃　he　says。　〃She's　just　some　kind　of　freak。〃
　　〃That's　it；〃　I　agree。　〃I　take　steroids。〃　I　glance　at　the　guy　who　wants　to　leave。　〃Get　out　of　here　while　you　still　can。　You　will　see　neither　of　these　men　alive　again。　Believe　me；　you'll　hear　their　screams　echoing　over　the　desert。〃
　　My　tone　is　persuasive。　The　guy　leaves；　chasing　after　the　first　one。　Now　there　are　just　the　three　of　us。　How　cozy。　In　reality；　I　was　not　looking　forward　to　having　to　dodge　the　bullets　fired　by　three　separate　men。　I　allow　Tex　a　little　more　air；　let　him　say　his　last　words。　His　tune　has　not　changed。
　　〃Shoot　her；〃　he　croaks　at　his　partner。
　　〃You　could　try　it　and　see　what　happens；〃　I　remark。
　　The　hired　hand　is　unsure。　His　gun　wavers　in　the　air。　〃I　can't　get　a　clear　shot。〃
　　Tex　tries　to　turn　toward　me。　〃We　can　make　a　deal。　I　have　money。〃
　　I　shake　my　head。　〃Too　late。　I　don't　want　your　money。　I　just　want　your　blood。〃
　　Tex　sees　I　am　serious。　My　eyes　and　voice　appear　devilishly　wicked　when　I　am　in　the　mood；　and　I'm　starving　right　now。　Tex　turns　deathly　pale；　matching　the　color　of　the　moonlight　that　pours　down　on　us。
　　〃You　can't　kill　me！〃　he　cries。
　　I　laugh。　〃Yes。　It　will　be　very　easy　to　kill　you。　Do　you　want　me　to　demonstrate？〃
　　He　trembles。　〃No！〃
　　〃I　will　give　you　a　demonstration　anyway。〃　I　call　over　to　Tex's　partner；　who　has　begun　to　perspire　heavily。　〃What　is　your　name？〃
　　〃Go　to　hell；〃　he　swears；　trying　to　circle　around　us；　to　get　off　a　lucky　shot。
　　〃That　cannot　be　your　name；〃　I　say。　〃〃Your　mother　would　never　have　called　you　that。　It　doesn't　matter。　You　are　going　to　be　nobody　in　a　minute。　But　before　I　kill　you；　is　there　anything　you　want　to　say？〃
　　He　pauses；　angry。　〃Say　to　who？〃
　　I　shrug。　〃I　don't　know。　God；　maybe。　Do　you　believe　in　God？〃
　　I　exasperate　him。　〃You　are　one　weird　bitch。〃
　　I　nod　solemnly。　〃I　am　weird。〃　The　full　power　of　my　gaze　locks　into　his　eyes。　With　me　boring　into　him；　he　is　unable　to　look　away。　All　he　sees；　I　know；　is　my　fathomless　pupils；　swelling　in　size　like　black　holes。　I　speak　very　slowly；　softly。　〃Now　my　dear　man；　you　are　going　to　take　your　gun　and　put　it　in　your　mouth。〃
　　The　man　freezes　for　a　moment。
　　Then；　as　if　in　a　dream；　he　opens　his　mouth　and　puts　the　gun　between　his　lips。
　　〃Chuck！〃　Tex　screams。　〃Don't　listen　to　her！　She's　trying　to　hypnotize　you！〃
　　〃Now　I　want　you　to　grasp　the　trigger；〃　I　continue　in　my　penetrating　voice。　〃I　want　you　to　place　a　certain　amount　of　pressure　on　the　trigger。　Not　enough　to　fire　the　bullet；　mind　you；　but　almost　enough。　There；　that　is　perfect；　you　have　done　well。　You　are　half　an　inch　from　death。〃　I　pause　and　turn　down　the　power　of　my　eyes。　My　voice　returns　to　normal。　〃How　does　it　feel？〃
　　The　man　blinks　and　then　notices　the　barrel　in　his　mouth。　He　almost　has　a　heart　attack。　He　is　so　scared；　he　actually　drops　the　gun。　〃Jesus　Christ！〃　he　cries。
　　〃See；〃　I　say。　〃You　must　believe　in　God。　And　because　I　do　as　well；　and　I　can　only　drink　the　blood　of　one　of　you　at　a　time；　I　think　I　will　let　you　go　as　well。　Quick；　join　your　partners　out　in　the　desert；　before　I　change　my　mind。〃
　　The　man　nods。　〃No　problem。〃　He　dashes　away。
　　〃Chuck！〃　Tex　screams。　〃e　back　here！〃
　　〃He　is　not　ing　back；〃　I　tell　Tex　seriously。　〃You　cannot　buy　that　kind　of　loyalty。　You　certainly　cannot　buy　me。　You　can't　even　buy　my　dinner。〃　I　pause。　〃You　must　understand　by　now　that　you　are　dinner。〃
　　He　weeps　like　a　child。　〃Please！　I　don't　want　to　die。〃
　　I　pull　him　closer；　whisper　my　favorite　line。
　　〃Then　you　should　never　have　been　born；〃　I　say。
　　I　enjoy　my　meal
　　When　I　am　finished　draining　the　Texan　and　have　buried　him　far　from　his　car；　I　go　for　a　walk　in　the　desert。　My　thirst　is　satisfied　but　my　mind　is　restless。　Andy　will　be　off　work　in　a　few　hours。　I　should　be　planning　how　I　will　convince　him　to　help　me；　yet　I　cannot　concentrate。　I　keep　thinking　I'm　missing　something　important。　I　contemplate　the　last　few　days　and　somehow　I　know　something　is　missing…a　piece　of　the　puzzle。　This　piece　exists　just　beyond　the　edge　of　my　vision。　What　it　is；　I　cannot　grasp。
　　Arturo's　ghost　haunts　me。　The　world　never　knew　what　it　had　lost　in　him。　What　greater　sorrow　could　there　be？　I　ask　myself　how　he　would　have　been　remembered　if　there　had　been　no　Inquisition。　If　there　had　been　no　Sita　and　no　magical　blood　to　poison　his　dreams。　Perhaps　his　name　would　have　been　uttered　in　the　same　breath　as　that　of　Leonardo　da　Vinci；　of　Einstein。　It　tortures　me　to　think　of　the　lost　possibilities：　Arturo　the　alchemist…the　founder　of　a　secret　science。
　　〃What　did　you　do　to　Ralphe？〃　I　whisper　aloud。　〃Why　did　you　do　it？　Why　did　you　refuse　to　talk　to　me　when　we　were　in　jail？〃
　　But　his　ghost　has　questions　of　its　own。
　　Why　were　you　so　quick　to　kill　Ralphe？
　　〃I　had　to；〃　I　tell　the　night。
　　Why　did　you　betray　me；　Sita？
　　〃I　had　to；〃　I　say　again。　〃You　were　out　of　control。〃
　　But　I　never　accused　you；　Sita。　And　you　were　the　real　witch。
　　I　sigh。　〃I　know；　Arturo。　And　I　was　not　a　good　witch。