lhamilton.thekillingdance-第3部分

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　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　was　behaving　himself　or；　like　most　vampires；　he　couldn't　roll　me　with　his　eyes　anymore。
　〃Thank　you；　Ms。　Blake。　I　believe　you　are　sincere。〃　He　extended　a　gloved　hand　from　the　voluminous　cloak。
　I　hesitated；　then　took　it。　His　hand　squished　ever　so　slightly；　and　it　took　a　lot　not　to　jerk　back。　I　forced　myself　to　shake　his　hand；　to　smile；　to　let　go；　and　not　to　rub　my　hand　on　my　skirt。
　Dominic　shook　my　hand　as　well。　His　was　cool　and　dry。　〃Thank　you　for　your　time；　Ms。　Blake。　I　will　contact　you　tomorrow　and　we　will　discuss　things。〃
　〃I'll　be　expecting　your　call；　Mr。　Dumare。〃
　〃Call　me；　Dominic；　please。〃
　I　nodded。　〃Dominic。　We　can　discuss　it；　but　I　hate　to　take　your　money　when　I'm　not　sure　that　I　can　help　you。〃
　〃May　I　call　you　Anita？〃　he　asked。
　I　hesitated　and　shrugged。　〃Why　not。〃
　〃Don't　worry　about　money；〃　Sabin　said；　〃I　have　plenty　of　that　for　all　the　good　it　has　done　me。〃
　〃How　is　the　woman　you　love　taking　the　change　in　your　appearance？〃　JeanClaude　asked。
　Sabin　looked　at　him。　It　was　not　a　friendly　look。　〃She　finds　it　repulsive；　as　do　I。　She　feels　immense　guilt。　She　has　not　left　me；　nor　is　she　with　me。〃
　〃You'd　lived　for　close　to　seven　hundred　years；〃　I　said。　〃Why　screw　things　up　for　a　woman？〃
　Sabin　turned　to　me；　a　line　of　ooze　creeping　down　his　face　like　a　black　tear。　〃Are　you　asking　me　if　it　was　worth　it；　Ms。　Blake？〃
　I　swallowed　and　shook　my　head。　〃It's　none　of　my　business。　I'm　sorry　I　asked。〃
　He　drew　the　hood　over　his　face。　He　turned　back　to　me；　black；　a　cup　of　shadows　where　his　face　should　have　been。　〃She　was　going　to　leave　me；　Ms。　Blake。　I　thought　that　I　would　sacrifice　anything　to　keep　her　by　my　side；　in　my　bed。　I　was　wrong。〃　He　turned　that　blackness　to　Jean…Claude。　〃We　will　see　you　tomorrow　night；　Jean…Claude。〃
　〃I　look　forward　to　it。〃
　Neither　vampire　offered　to　shake　hands。　Sabin　glided　for　the　door；　the　robe　trailing　behind　him；　empty。　I　wondered　how　much　of　his　lower　body　was　left　and　decided　I　didn't　want　to　know。
　Dominic　shook　my　hand　again。　〃Thank　you；　Anita。　You　have　given　us　hope。〃　He　held　my　hand　and　stared　into　my　face　as　if　he　could　read　something　there。　〃And　do　think　about　my　offer　to　teach　you。　There　are　very　few　of　us　who　are　true　necromancers。〃
　I　took　back　my　hand。　〃I'll　think　about　it。　Now　I　really　do　have　to　go。〃
　He　smiled；　held　the　door　for　Sabin；　and　out　they　went。　Jean…Claude　and　I　stood　a　moment　in　silence。　I　broke　it　first。　〃Can　you　trust　them？〃
　Jean…Claude　sat　on　the　edge　of　my　desk；　smiling。　〃Of　course　not。〃
　〃Then　why　did　you　agree　to　let　them　e？〃
　〃The　council　has　declared　that　no　master　vampires　in　the　United　States　may　quarrel　until　that　nasty　law　that　is　floating　around　Washington　is　dead。　One　undead　war；　and　the　anti…vampire　lobby　would　push　through　the　law　and　make　us　illegal　again。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃I　don't　think　Brewster's　Law　has　a　snowball's　chance。　Vampires　are　legal　in　the　United　States。　Whether　I　agree　with　it　or　not；　I　don't　think　that's　going　to　change。〃
　〃How　can　you　be　so　sure？〃
　〃It's　sort　of　hard　to　say　a　group　of　beings　is　alive　and　has　rights；　then　change　your　mind　and　say　killing　them　on　sight　is　okay　again。　The　ACLU　would　have　a　field　day。〃
　He　smiled。　〃Perhaps。　Regardless；　the　council　has　forced　a　truce　on　all　of　us　until　the　law　is　decided　one　way　or　another。〃
　〃So　you　can　let　Sabin　in　your　territory；　because　if　he　misbehaves；　the　council　will　hunt　him　down　and　kill　him。〃
　Jean…Claude　nodded。
　〃But　you'd　still　be　dead；〃　I　said。
　He　spread　his　hands；　graceful；　empty。　〃Nothing's　perfect。〃
　I　laughed。　〃I　guess　not。〃
　〃Now；　aren't　you　going　to　be　late　for　your　date　with　Monsieur　Zeeman？〃
　〃You're　being　awfully　civilized　about　this；〃　I　said。
　〃Tomorrow　night　you　will　be　with　me；　ma　petite。　I　would　be　a　poor　。　。　。　sport　to　begrudge　Richard　his　night。〃
　〃You're　usually　a　poor　sport。〃
　〃Now；　ma　petite；　that　is　hardly　fair。　Richard　is　not　dead；　is　he？〃
　〃Only　because　you　know　that　if　you　kill　him；　I'll　kill　you。〃　I　held　a　hand　up　before　he　could　say　it。　〃I'd　try　to　kill　you；　and　you'd　try　to　kill　me；　etc。〃　This　was　an　old　argument。
　〃So；　Richard　lives；　you　date　us　both；　and　I　am　being　patient。　More　patient　than　I　have　ever　been　with　anyone。〃
　I　studied　his　face。　He　was　one　of　those　men　who　was　beautiful　rather　than　handsome；　but　the　face　was　masculine；　you　wouldn't　mistake　him　for　female；　even　with　the　long　hair。　In　fact；　there　was　something　terribly　masculine　about　JeanClaude；　no　matter　how　much　lace　he　wore。
　He　could　be　mine：　lock；　stock；　and　fangs。　I　just　wasn't　sure　I　wanted　him。　〃I've　got　to　go；〃　I　said。
　He　pushed　away　from　my　desk。　He　was　suddenly　standing　close　enough　to　touch。　〃Then　go；　ma　petite。〃
　I　could　feel　his　body　inches　from　mine　like　a　shimmering　energy。　I　had　to　swallow　before　I　could　speak。　〃It's　my　office。　You　have　to　leave。〃
　He　touched　my　arms　lightly；　a　brush　of　fingertips。　〃Enjoy　your　evening；　ma　petite。〃　His　fingers　wrapped　around　my　arms；　just　below　the　shoulders。　He　didn't　lean　over　me　or　draw　me　that　last　inch　closer。　He　simply　held　my　arms；　and　stared　down　at　me。
　I　met　his　dark；　dark　blue　eyes。　There　had　been　a　time　not　so　long　ago　that　I　couldn't　have　met　his　gaze　without　falling　into　it　and　being　lost。　Now　I　could　meet　his　eyes；　but　in　some　ways；　I　was　just　as　lost。　I　raised　up　on　tiptoe；　putting　my　face　close　to　his。
　〃I　should　have　killed　you　a　long　time　ago。〃
　〃You　have　had　your　chances；　ma　petite。　You　keep　saving　me。〃
　〃My　mistake；〃　I　said。
　He　laughed；　and　the　sound　slid　down　my　body　like　fur　against　naked　skin。　I　shuddered　in　his　arms。
　〃Stop　that；〃　I　said。
　He　kissed　me　lightly；　a　brush　of　lips；　so　I　couldn't　feel　the　fangs。　〃You　would　miss　me　if　I　were　gone；　ma　petite。　Admit　it。〃
　I　drew　away　from　him。　His　hands　slid　down　my　arms；　over　my　hands；　until　I　drew　my　fingertips　across　his　hands。　〃I've　got　to　go。〃
　〃So　you　said。〃
　〃Just　get　out；　Jean…Claude；　no　more　games。〃
　His　face　sobered　instantly　as　if　a　hand　had　wiped　it　clean。　〃No　more　games；　ma　petite。　Go　to　your　other　lover。〃　It　was　his　turn　to　raise　a　hand　and　say；　〃I　know　you　are　not　truly　lovers。　I　know　you　are　resisting　both　of　us。　Brave；　ma　petite。〃　A　flash　of　something；　maybe　anger；　crossed　his　face　and　was　gone　like　a　ripple　lost　in　dark　water。
　〃Tomorrow　night　you　will　be　with　me　and　it　will　be　Richard's　turn　to　sit　at　home　and　wonder。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃Even　for　you　I　would　not　have　done　what　Sabin　has　done。　Even　for　your　love；　there　are　things　I　would　not　do。〃　He　stared　at　me　suddenly　fierce；　anger　flaring　through　his　eyes；　his　face。　〃But　what　I　do　is　enough。〃
　〃Don't　go　all　self…righteous　on　me；〃　I　said。　〃If　you　hadn't　interfered；　Richard　and　I　would　be　engaged；　maybe　more；　by　now。〃
　〃And　what？　You　would　be　living　behind　a　white　picket　fence　with　two　point　whatever　children。　I　think　you　lie　to　yourself　more　than　to　me；　Anita。〃
　It　was　always　a　bad　sign　when　he　used　my　real　name。　〃What's　that　supposed　to　mean？〃
　〃It　means；　ma　petite；　that　you　are　as　likely　to　thrive　in　domestic　bliss　as　I　am。〃　With　that；　he　glided　to　the　door　and　left。　He　closed　the　door　quietly　but　firmly　behind　him。
　Domestic　bliss？　Who　me？　My　life　was　a　cross　between　a　preternatural　soap　opera　and　an　action　adventure　movie。　Sort　of　As　the　Casket　Turns　meets　Rambo。　White　picket　fences　didn't　fit。　Jean…Claude　was　right　about　that。
　I　had　the　entire　weekend　off。　It　was　the　first　time　in　months。　I'd　been　looking　forward　to　this　evening　all　week。　But　truthfully；　it　wasn't　Jean…Claude's　nearly　perfect　face　that　was　haunting　me。　I　kept　flashing　on　Sabin's　face。　Eternal　life；　eternal　pain；　eternal　ugliness。　Nice　afterlife。
　
　
　2
　
　There　were　three　kinds　of　people　at　Catherine's　dinner　party：　the　living；　the　dead；　and　the　occasionally　furry。　Out　of　the　eight　of　us；　six　were　human；　and　I　wasn't　sure　about　two　of　those；　myself　included。
　I　wore　black　pants；　a　black　velvet　jacket　with　white　satin　lapels；　and　an　oversized　white　vest　that　doubled　for　a　shirt。　The　Browning　9mm　actually　matched　the　outfit；　but　I　kept　it　hidden。　This　was　the　first　party