lhamilton.thekillingdance-第31部分

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　I　stared　into　his　deep　blue　eyes　and　didn't　know。　I'd　known　him　for　years。　Dated　him　for　months。　But　he　was　still　a　mystery　to　me。　I　just　didn't　know　what　he　would　do。　I　wasn't　willing　to　push　that　button；　not　yet。
　〃What　are　you　thinking　about　so　seriously；　ma　petite？　Do　not　say　it　is　the　assassin。　I　would　not　believe　you。〃
　I　didn't　know　what　to　say；　so　I　just　shook　my　head。
　His　hand　slid　over　my　shoulders　until　I　was　resting　in　the　curve　of　his　arm。　The　feel　of　his　body　that　close　to　mine　made　my　stomach　flutter。　He　bent　forward　as　if　to　kiss　me；　and　I　stopped　him；　the　back　of　my　left　hand　against　his　chest。　Since　I　was　now　touching　bare　skin；　I　wasn't　sure　this　helped。
　〃You　behaved　yourself　the　entire　drive　up　here。　What　gives　now？〃　I　asked。
　〃I　am　trying　to　fort　you；　ma　petite。〃
　〃Yeah；　right；〃　I　said。
　He　wrapped　his　other　arm　around　my　waist；　turning　my　upper　body　against　him。　The　gun　was　still　in　my　hand；　but　it　began　to　seem　awkward。　I　wasn't　going　to　use　it　on　Jean…Claude；　and　the　assassin　wasn't　ing　through　the　locked　doors。　That　much　violence　in　a　crowd　this　large　with　cops　directing　traffic　seemed　a　little　bold　even　for　a　professional。
　I　slid　my　arm　across　his　back；　the　gun　still　in　my　hand。　〃If　you　kiss　me；　I'll　have　to　redo　my　lipstick。〃
　He　leaned　his　face　close　enough　to　kiss；　lips　so　close　to　mine　he　could　have　breathed　me　in。　He　whispered　just　above　my　mouth。　〃We　mustn't　have　that。〃　He　kissed　my　cheek；　running　his　lips　down　the　edge　of　my　jaw。
　I　touched　his　face　with　the　edge　of　the　gun；　moving　his　face　where　I　could　see　it。　His　eyes　had　gone　drowning　blue。　〃No　necking；〃　I　said。　I　meant　that。　I'd　only　volunteered　once　for　blood　donation　and　that　was　when　he　was　dying。　I　did　not　share　bodily　fluids　with　the　Master　of　the　City。
　He　rubbed　his　cheek　against　the　gun。　〃I　had　something　a　bit　lower　in　mind。〃
　He　ducked　his　head　to　my　collarbone；　licking　down　my　skin。　For　a　second　I　wondered　how　low　he　was　planning　on　going；　then　I　pushed　him　off　of　me。
　〃I　don't　think　so；〃　I　said；　half…laughing。
　〃Do　you　feel　better　now；　ma　petite？〃
　I　stared　at　him　for　a　heartbeat；　then　laughed。　I　did。　〃You　are　a　devious　son　of　a　bitch；　did　you　know　that？〃
　〃I've　been　told　that　before；〃　he　said；　smiling。
　The　police　had　pushed　the　crowd　back；　and　the　limo　moved　forward。　〃You　did　that　just　to　cheer　me　up。〃　I　sounded　almost　accusatory。
　He　widened　his　eyes。　〃Would　I　do　such　a　thing？〃
　I　stared　at　him　and　felt　the　smile　slide　from　my　face。　I　really　looked　at　him　for　a　moment；　not　just　as　the　world's　greatest　lust　object；　but　as　him；　Jean…Claude；　The　Master　of　the　City　was　worried　about　my　feelings。　I　shook　my　head。　Was　he　being　nicer；　or　was　I　just　fooling　myself？
　〃Why　so　solemn；　ma　petite？〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃The　usual；　trying　to　figure　out　how　sincere　you　are。〃
　His　smile　widened。　〃I　am　always　sincere；　ma　petite；　even　when　I　lie。〃
　〃Which　is　what　makes　you　so　good　at　it；〃　I　said。
　He　nodded　his　head　once；　almost　a　bow。　〃Exactly。〃
　He　glanced　ahead　of　us。　〃We　are　about　to　embark　on　a　sea　of　media；　ma　petite。　If　you　could　put　the　gun　up？　I　think　the　press　would　find　it　a　bit　much。〃
　〃Press？〃　I　said。　〃You　mean　local　media？〃
　〃Local；　yes。〃
　〃What　aren't　you　telling　me？〃
　〃When　the　door　opens；　take　my　arm　and　smile；　please；　ma　petite。〃
　I　frowned　at　him。　〃What　is　about　to　happen？〃
　〃You　are　about　to　be　introduced　to　the　world。〃
　〃Jean…Claude；　what　are　you　up　to？〃
　〃This　is　not　my　doing；　ma　petite。　I　do　not　like　the　limelight　quite　this　much。　The　vampire　council　has　chosen　me　to　be　their　representative　to　the　media。〃
　〃I　know　you　had　to　e　out　of　the　casket　to　the　local　vampires　after　you　won　your　last　challenge；　but　isn't　it　dangerous？　I　mean　you've　been　pretending　to　be　some　mysterious　master's　number…one　flunkie。　It's　kept　you　safe　from　outside　challengers。〃
　〃Most　masters　use　a　stalking　horse；　ma　petite。　It　cuts　down　on　challenges　and　human　assassins。〃
　〃I　know　all　that；　so　why　are　you　going　public？〃
　〃The　council　believes　that　skulking　in　the　shadows　gives　ammunition　to　our　detractors。　Those　of　us　who　would　make　good　media　fodder　have　been　ordered　into　the　light；　as　it　were。〃
　I　stared　at　him。　〃How　into　the　light？〃
　〃Put　the　gun　away；　ma　petite。　The　doorman　will　open　the　door　and　there　will　be　cameras。〃　I　glared　at　him；　but　I　slid　the　Seecamp　into　my　purse。
　〃What　have　you　gotten　me　into；　Jean…Claude？〃
　〃Smile；　ma　petite；　or　at　least　do　not　frown。〃　The　door　opened　before　I　could　say　anything　else。　A　man　in　a　tux　held　the　door。　The　flash　of　lightbulbs　was　blinding；　and　I　knew　it　had　to　bother　his　eyes　more　than　mine。　He　was　smiling　as　he　held　a　hand　back　for　me。　If　he　could　stare　that　much　light　in　the　face　without　blinking；　I　could　be　gracious。　We　could　always　fight　later。
　I　stepped　out　of　the　limo　and　was　glad　I　was　holding　his　hand。　Flashbulbs　were　everywhere　like　tiny　suns　blasting　off。　The　crowd　surged　forward；　microphones　shoved　at　us　like　knives。　If　he　hadn't　been　holding　my　hand　tight；　I'd　have　crawled　back　into　the　limo。　I　moved　closer　to　him；　just　to　be　able　to　keep　my　feet。　Where　the　hell　was　crowd　control？
　A　microphone　nearly　touched　my　face。　A　woman's　voice　yelled　from　far　too　close；　〃Is　he　good　in　bed？　Or　would　that　be　coffin？〃
　〃What？〃　I　said。
　〃Is　he　good　in　bed？〃　There　was　a　moment　of　near　silence；　while　everyone　waited　for　my　answer。　Before　I　could　open　my　mouth　and　say　something　scathing；　Jean…Claude　moved　in；　graceful　as　always。
　〃We　do　not　kiss　and　tell；　do　we；　ma　petite？〃　His　French　accent　was　the　thickest　I'd　ever　heard　it。
　〃Ma　petite…is　that　your　pet　name　for　her？〃　a　man's　voice。
　〃Oui；〃　he　said。
　I　looked　up　at　him；　and　he　leaned　down　as　if　to　kiss　my　cheek。　He　whispered；　〃Glare　at　me　later；　ma　petite。　There　are　cameras　everywhere。〃
　I　wanted　to　say　that　I　didn't　give　a　damn；　but　I　did。　I　mean；　I　think　I　did。　I　felt　like　a　rabbit　caught　in　headlights。　If　the　assassin　had　jumped　out　with　a　gun　at　that　moment；　I'd　have　stood　there　and　let　him　shoot　me。　That　thought；　more　than　anything　else；　brought　me　back　to　myself；　helped　me　to　think　again。　I　started　trying　to　see　past　the　lights；　the　microphones；　a　few　tape　recorders；　and　video　cameras。　I　caught　at　least　two　major　network　emblems　on　the　cameras。　Shit。
　Jean…Claude　was　fielding　questions　like　a　pro；　smiling；　gracious；　the　perfect　vampire　cover　boy。　I　smiled　and　leaned　into　him；　standing　on　tiptoe；　putting　my　lips　so　close　to　his　ear　that　I　could　have　licked　it；　but　I　was　hoping　the　microphones　wouldn't　pick　up　what　I　was　saying。　I　was　sure　it　looked　coy　and　girlish　as　hell；　but　hey；　nothing　was　perfect。　I　whispered；　〃Get　me　out　of　here　now；　or　I　pull　the　gun　and　clear　a　path　for　myself。〃
　He　laughed；　and　it　flowed　down　my　skin　like　fur；　warm；　and　ticklish；　and　vaguely　obscene。　The　reporters　ooohed　and　aahed。　I　wondered　if　Jean…Claude's　laugh　worked　off　a　recorder；　or　on　video。　That　was　a　frightening　thought。
　〃Oh；　ma　petite；　you　naughty　girl。〃
　I　whispered；　〃Don't　ever　call　me　that　again。〃
　〃My　apologies。〃　He　smiled；　waved；　and　began　escorting　me　through　the　press　of　reporters。　Two　vampire　doormen　had　e　out　to　help　clear　our　path。　They　were　both　large　and　muscular；　and　neither　of　them　had　been　dead　long。　They　looked　rosy…cheeked　and　almost　alive。　They'd　fed　on　someone　tonight。　But　then；　so　had　Jean…Claude。　It　was　getting　harder　and　harder　for　me　to　throw　stones　at　the　monsters。
　The　door　opened；　and　we　slipped　inside。　The　silence　was　wonderful。　I　turned　on　him。　〃How　dare　you　drag　me　into　that　kind　of　media　coverage。〃
　〃It　does　not　endanger　you；　ma　petite。〃
　〃Had　it　occurred　to　you　that　if　I　chose　Richard　over　you；　that　I　might　not　want　everybody　in　the　world　to　know　I　was　dating　a　vampire？〃
　He　gave　a　slight　smile。　〃Good　enough　to　date；　but　not　good　enough　to　go　public　with？〃
　〃We've　gone　to　everything　from　the　symphony　to　the　ballet　together。　I'm　not　ashamed　of　you。〃
　〃Really？〃　The　smile　was　gone；　replaced　by　something　else；　not　anger　exactly；　but　close。　〃Then　why　are　you　angry；　ma　petite？〃
　I　opened　my　mouth；　then　closed　it。　Truth　was　that　I　would　rather　not　have　gone　quite　this　public；　because　I　guess　I　didn't　really　believe　I　could