lhamilton.thekillingdance-第2部分

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nd　black　and　empty　as　a　cave。　His　voice　came　out　of　that　nothingness。　It　made　me　jump。
　〃Love；　Jean…Claude；　love　happened　to　me。　My　beloved　grew　a　conscience。　She　said　it　was　wrong　to　feed　upon　people。　We　were　once　people；　after　all。　For　love　of　her；　I　tried　to　drink　cold　blood。　I　tried　animal　blood。　But　it　was　not　enough　to　sustain　me。〃
　I　stared　into　that　darkness。　I　kept　pointing　the　gun；　but　I　was　beginning　to　feel　silly。　Sabin　didn't　seem　at　all　afraid　of　it；　which　was　unnerving。　Maybe　he　didn't　care。　That　was　also　unnerving。　〃She　talked　you　into　going　vegetarian。　Great；〃　I　said。　〃You　seem　powerful　enough。〃
　He　laughed；　and　with　the　laughter；　the　shadows　in　his　hood　faded　slowly；　like　a　curtain　lifting。　He　threw　it　back　in　one　quick　flourish。
　I　didn't　scream；　but　I　gasped　and　took　a　step　back。　I　couldn't　help　myself。　When　I　realized　I'd　done　it；　I　stopped　and　made　myself　take　back　that　step；　meet　his　eyes。　No　flinching。
　His　hair　was　thick　and　straight　and　golden；　falling　like　a　shining　curtain　to　his　shoulders。　But　his　skin　。　。　。　his　skin　had　rotted　away　on　half　his　face。　It　was　like　late…stage　leprosy；　but　worse。　The　flesh　was　puss…filled；　gangrenous；　and　should　have　stunk　to　high　heaven。　The　other　half　of　his　face　was　still　beautiful。　The　kind　of　face　that　medieval　painters　had　borrowed　for　cherubim；　a　golden　perfection。　One　crystalline　blue　eye　rolled　in　its　rotting　socket　as　if　in　danger　of　spilling　out　onto　his　cheek。　The　other　eye　was　secure　and　watched　my　face。
　〃You　can　put　up　the　gun；　ma　petite。　It　was　an　accident；　after　all；〃　Jean…Claude　said。
　I　lowered　the　Browning；　but　didn't　put　it　up。　It　took　more　effort　than　was　pretty　to　say　calmly；　〃This　happened　because　you　stopped　feeding　off　of　humans？〃
　〃We　believe　so；〃　Dumare　said。
　I　tore　my　gaze　away　from　Sabin's　ravaged　face　and　looked　back　at　Dominic。　〃You　think　I　can　help　cure　him　of　this？〃　I　couldn't　keep　the　disbelief　out　of　my　voice。
　〃I　heard　of　your　reputation　in　Europe。〃
　I　raised　my　eyebrows。
　〃No　modesty；　Ms。　Blake。　Among　those　of　us　who　notice　such　things；　you　are　gaining　a　certain　notoriety。〃
　Notoriety；　not　fame。　Hmmm。
　〃Put　the　gun　away；　ma　petite。　Sabin　has　done　all　the…what　is　your　word…grandstanding　he　will　do　tonight。　Haven't　you　Sabin？〃
　〃I　fear　so；　it　all　seems　to　go　so　badly　now。〃
　I　holstered　the　gun　and　shook　my　head。　〃I　honestly　don't　have　the　faintest　idea　how　to　help　you。〃
　〃If　you　knew　how；　would　you　help　me？〃　Sabin　asked。
　I　looked　at　him　and　nodded。　〃Yes。〃
　〃Even　though　I　am　a　vampire　and　you　are　a　vampire　executioner。〃
　〃Have　you　done　anything　in　this　country　that　you　need　killing　for？〃
　Sabin　laughed。　The　rotting　skin　stretched；　and　a　ligament　popped　with　a　wet　snap。　I　had　to　look　away。　〃Not　yet；　Ms。　Blake；　not　yet。〃　His　face　sobered　quickly；　the　humor　abruptly　faded。　〃You　school　your　face　to　show　nothing；　Jean…Claude；　but　I　read　the　horror　in　your　eyes。〃
　Jean…Claude's　skin　had　gone　back　to　its　usual　milky　perfection。　His　face　was　still　lovely；　perfect；　but　at　least　he'd　stopped　glowing。　His　midnight　blue　eyes　were　just　eyes　now。　He　was　still　beautiful；　but　it　was　a　nearly　human　beauty。　〃Is　it　not　worth　a　little　horror？〃　he　asked。
　Sabin　smiled；　and　I　wished　he　hadn't。　The　muscles　on　the　rotted　side　didn't　work；　and　his　mouth　hung　crooked。　I　glanced　away；　then　made　myself　look　back。　If　he　could　be　trapped　inside　that　face；　I　could　look　at　it。
　〃Then　you　will　help　me？〃
　〃I　would　aid　you　if　I　could；　but　it　is　Anita　you　have　e　to　ask。　She　must　give　her　own　answer。〃
　〃Well；　Ms。　Blake？〃
　〃I　don't　know　how　to　help　you；〃　I　repeated。
　〃Do　you　understand　how　dire　my　circumstances　are；　Ms。　Blake？　The　true　horror　of　it；　do　you　grasp　it？〃
　〃The　rot　probably　won't　kill　you；　but　it's　progressive；　I　take　it？〃
　〃Oh；　yes；　it's　progressive；　virulently　so。〃
　〃I　would　help　you　if　I　could；　Sabin；　but　what　can　I　do　that　Dumare　can't？　He's　a　necromancer；　maybe　as　powerful　as　I　am；　maybe　more。　Why　do　you　need　me？〃
　〃I　realize；　Ms。　Blake；　that　you　don't　have　something　specifically　for　Sabin's　problem；〃　Dumare　said。　〃As　far　as　I　can　discover；　he　is　the　only　vampire　to　ever　suffer　such　a　fate；　but　I　thought　if　we　came　to　another　necromancer　as　powerful　as　myself…〃　he　smiled　modestly　〃…or　nearly　as　powerful　as　myself；　perhaps　together　we　could　work　up　a　spell　to　help　him。〃
　〃A　spell？〃　I　glanced　at　Jean…Claude。
　He　gave　that　wonderful　Gallic　shrug　that　meant　everything　and　nothing。　〃I　know　little　of　necromancy；　ma　petite。　You　would　know　if　such　a　spell　were　possible　more　than　I。〃
　〃It　is　not　only　your　ability　as　a　necromancer　that　has　brought　us　to　you；〃　Dumare　said。　〃You　have　also　acted　as　a　focus　for　at　least　two　different　animators；　I　believe　that　is　the　American　word　for　what　you　do。〃
　I　nodded。　〃The　word's　right；　but　where　did　you　hear　I　could　act　as　a　focus？〃
　〃e；　Ms。　Blake；　the　ability　to　bine　another　animator's　powers　with　your　own　and　thus　magnify　both　powers　is　a　rare　talent。〃
　〃Can　you　act　as　a　focus？〃　I　asked。
　He　tried　to　look　humble　but　actually　looked　pleased　with　himself。　〃I　must　confess；　yes；　I　can　act　as　a　focus。　Think　of　what　the　two　of　us　could　acplish　together。〃
　〃We　could　raise　a　hell　of　a　lot　of　zombies；　but　that　won't　cure　Sabin。〃
　〃True　enough。〃　Dumare　leaned　forward　in　his　chair。　His　lean；　handsome　face　flushed；　eager；　a　true　convert　looking　for　disciples。
　I　wasn't　much　of　a　follower。
　〃I　would　offer　to　teach　you　true　necromancy；　not　this　voodoo　dabbling　that　you've　been　doing。〃
　Jean…Claude　made　a　soft　sound　halfway　between　a　laugh　and　a　cough。
　I　glared　at　Jean…Claude's　amused　face　but　said；　〃I'm　doing　just　fine　with　this　voodoo　dabbling。〃
　〃I　meant　no　insult；　Ms。　Blake。　You　will　need　a　teacher　of　some　sort　soon。　If　not　me；　then　you　must　find　someone　else。〃
　〃I　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about。〃
　〃Control；　Ms。　Blake。　Raw　power；　no　matter　how　impressive；　is　not　the　same　as　power　used　with　great　care　and　great　control。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃I'll　help　you　if　I　can；　Mr。　Dumare。　I'll　even　participate　in　a　spell　if　I　check　it　out　with　a　local　witch　I　know　first。〃
　〃Afraid　that　I　will　try　and　steal　your　power？〃
　I　smiled。　〃No；　short　of　killing　me；　the　best　you　or　anyone　else　can　do　is　borrow。〃
　〃You　are　wise　beyond　your　years；　Ms。　Blake。〃
　〃You　aren't　that　much　older　than　I　am；〃　I　said。　Something　crossed　over　his　face；　the　faintest　flicker；　and　I　knew。
　〃You're　his　human　servant；　aren't　you？〃
　Dominic　smiled；　spreading　his　hands。　〃Oui。〃
　I　sighed。　〃I　thought　you　said　you　weren't　trying　to　hide　anything　from　me。〃
　〃A　human　servant's　job　is　to　be　the　daytime　eyes　and　ears　of　his　master。　I　am　of　no　use　to　my　master　if　vampire　hunters　can　spot　me　for　what　I　am。〃
　〃I　spotted　you。〃
　〃But　in　another　situation；　without　Sabin　at　my　side；　would　you　have？〃
　I　thought　about　that　for　a　moment。　〃Maybe。〃　I　shook　my　head。　〃I　don't　know。〃
　〃Thank　you　for　your　honesty；　Ms。　Blake。〃
　Sabin　said；　〃I　am　sure　our　time　is　up。　Jean…Claude　said　you　had　a　pressing　engagement；　Ms。　Blake。　Much　more　important　than　my　little　problem。〃　There　was　a　little　bite　to　that　last。
　〃Ma　petite　has　a　date　with　her　other　beau。〃
　Sabin　stared　at　Jean…Claude。　〃So　you　are　truly　allowing　her　to　date　another。　I　thought　that　at　least　must　be　rumor。〃
　〃Very　little　of　what　you　hear　about　ma　petite　is　rumor。　Believe　all　you　hear。〃
　Sabin　chuckled；　coughing；　as　if　struggling　to　keep　the　laughter　from　spilling　out　his　ruined　mouth。　〃If　I　believed　everything　I　heard；　I　would　have　e　with　an　army。〃
　〃You　came　with　one　servant　because　I　allowed　you　only　one　servant；〃　JeanClaude　said。
　Sabin　smiled。　〃Too　true。　e　Dominic；　we　must　not　take　more　of　Ms。　Blake's　so　valuable　time。〃
　Dominic　stood　obediently；　towering　over　us　both。　Sabin　was　around　my　height。　Of　course；　I　wasn't　sure　if　his　legs　were　still　there。　He　might　have　been　taller　once。
　〃I　don't　like　you；　Sabin；　but　I　would　never　willingly　leave　another　being　in　the　shape　you're　in。　My　plans　tonight　are　important；　but　if　I　thought　we　could　cure　you　immediately；　I'd　change　them。〃
　The　vampire　looked　at　me。　His　blue；　blue　eyes　were　like　staring　down　into　clear　ocean　water。　There　was　no　pull　to　them。　Either　he　w