lhamilton.thekillingdance-第36部分

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　〃Now　I　believe　she'll　take　a　bullet　for　me；〃　I　said。　If　the　choices　were　sleeping　with　Sabin　or　getting　shot；　I'd　take　the　bullet。　From　the　look　on　Liv's　face；　she　agreed。
　Jean…Claude　left　to　make　his　entrance。
　Cassandra　met　my　eyes。　She　wasn't　just　pale；　she　was　green。　She　jerked　her　gaze　from　mine　as　if　afraid　of　what　I'd　see。　〃I　am　sorry；　Anita。〃　She　went　for　the　door　she'd　first　entered　through。　She　seemed　embarrassed。　Guess　I　couldn't　blame　her。
　Cassandra　had　failed　the　bodyguard　test。　She　was　a　powerful　lycanthrope；　but　Sabin　had　totally　unnerved　her。　She'd　have　probably　been　just　fine　if　the　vampire　had　tried　violence；　but　he'd　just　stood　there　and　rotted　at　her。　What　do　you　do　when　the　monsters　start　being　piteous？
　The　doors　opened；　and　the　crowd　flowed　in　like　a　tidal　wave；　spilling　in　a　wash　of　thunderous　noise。　I　slipped　the　gun　back　into　the　purse　but　didn't　shut　it。
　Liv　was　at　my　elbow。　〃Your　table　is　over　here。〃　I　went　with　her　because　I　didn't　want　to　be　alone　in　the　jostling　crowd。　Besides；　she　was　suddenly　taking　my　safety　very　seriously。　Couldn't　blame　her。　Sabin's　diseased　body　was　a　wonderful　threat。
　I'd　have　felt　better　if　I　hadn't　believed　Jean…Claude　would　do　it。　But　I　knew　better。　He'd　give　Liv　to　Sabin。　He　really　would。　There　was　a　look　in　the　vampire's　eyes　that　said　she　knew　it；　too。
　
　
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　The　table　was　the　largest　of　a　string　of　small；　black　lacquer　tables。　It　blended　nearly　perfectly　with　the　black　walls。　My　dress　matched　the　decor。　I　was　really　going　to　have　to　look　into　something　in　a　different　color　scheme。　The　table　was　set　away　from　the　wall；　near　the　railing　so　that　the　growing　crowd　couldn't　block　my　view　of　the　dance　floor。　It　also　meant　that　my　back　was　exposed。　I　had　scooted　my　chair　so　that　the　wall　was　at　my　back；　but　I　was　very　aware　that　the　edge　of　the　railing　curved　around　on　my　right　side；　so　that　someone　could　walk　up　and　shoot　me；　relatively　hidden　from　anyone　else。
　Of　course；　Liv　was　with　me。　She　stood　at　my　back；　arms　crossed　over　her　stomach。　All　she　needed　was　a　sign　over　her　head　that　flashed　bodyguard。
　Admittedly；　my　purse　was　open。　The　gun　was　within　reach；　and　it　was　tempting　to　put　it　in　my　lap。　I　was　spooked；　but　that　wasn't　the　point。　We　had　a　plan。　The　plan　did　not　include　the　assassin　being　scared　away。
　I　touched　Liv's　arm。
　She　bent　down。
　〃You're　supposed　to　be　unobtrusive。〃
　She　looked　puzzled。　〃I'm　supposed　to　keep　you　safe。〃
　〃Then　sit　down　and　pretend　to　be　my　friend。　The　trap　won't　work　if　I　look　like　I'm　being　guarded。〃
　She　knelt　by　me；　too　far　to　bend　down；　I　suppose。　〃I　will　not　risk　being　given　to　Sabin。　I　don't　care　if　your　assassin　knows　I'm　here　or　not。〃
　It　was　hard　to　blame　her；　but　I　was　willing　to　make　the　effort。　I　leaned　into　her。　〃Look；　either　work　with　the　program；　or　get　away　from　me。〃
　〃I　obey　Jean…Claude；　not　his　strumpet。〃
　As　far　as　I　could　remember；　I'd　never　done　anything　in　my　life　to　deserve　being　called　a　strumpet。　〃Jean…Claude　said　if　you　failed　him；　he'd　give　you　to　the　rotting　corpse；　right？〃
　Liv　nodded。　Her　eyes　searched　the　crowd　behind　me。　She　really　was　trying　to　do　the　job；　and　the　effort　showed。
　〃He　didn't　say　you'd　be　punished　if　I　got　hurt；　did　he？〃
　Liv's　eyes　flicked　to　me。　〃What　are　you　saying？〃
　〃If　you　scare　away　the　hitter　and　spoil　the　plan；　that's　failure。〃
　She　shook　her　head。　〃No；　that's　not　what　he　meant。〃
　〃He　said　never　to　fail　him　again。〃
　I　watched　her　try　to　work　out　the　logic。　I　was　betting　that　logic　wasn't　one　of　her　strong　points。
　〃Clever；　Anita；　but　if　you　get　killed；　Jean…Claude　will　punish　me。　You　know　he　will。〃
　I　was　wrong。　She　was　a　lot　smarter　than　she　looked。　〃But　if　you　spoil　our　plan；　he'll　punish　you　anyway。〃
　Fear　flashed　through　her　eyes。　〃I'm　trapped。〃
　I　felt　sorry　for　her。　Pity　for　two　monsters…no　three…in　one　night。　I　was　losing　my　edge。　〃If　I　don't　get　killed；　I'll　make　sure　you　don't　get　punished。〃
　〃You　swear　it？〃　She　said　the　phrase　like　it　meant　more。　Giving　your　oath　was　not　a　casual　thing　to　her。　A　lot　of　vampires　came　from　times　when　a　man's　or　a　woman's　word　was　their　bond。
　〃I　give　you　my　word。〃
　She　stayed　kneeling　for　a　moment　longer；　then　stood。　〃Try　not　to　get　killed。〃　She　moved　into　the　crowd；　leaving　me　on　my　own；　like　I'd　asked。
　The　rest　of　the　tables　filled　up　quickly。　The　crowd　spilled　around　the　edges　of　the　room　on　the　raised　area　around　the　dance　floor。　So　many　people　stood　at　the　fenced　edges　that　if　the　table　had　been　by　the　wall；　I'd　have　lost　my　view　of　the　dance　floor。　Under　other　circumstances；　I'd　have　appreciated　the　thoughtfulness。　Another　bodyguard　could　e　along　at　any　time。　I　was　ready　for　some　pany。
　The　crowd　filled　the　two　levels　above；　standing　room　only。　I　looked　for　Sabin's　dark　cloak；　but　didn't　see　him。　The　main　dance　floor　was　untouched。　The　way　to　the　floor　was　barred　by　half　a　dozen　vampires。　They　had　quietly　but　firmly　motioned　everybody　back　to　the　sides　of　the　room。　Both　male　and　female　were　dressed　nearly　identically；　black　lycra　pants；　boots；　and　black　fishnet　shirts。　The　women　wore　black　bras　under　their　shirts；　but　that　was　the　only　difference。　I　approved。　Short　little　skirts　or　hot　pants　for　the　women　would　have　pissed　me　off。　The　thought　occurred　that　maybe　Jean…Claude　had　dressed　them　with　me　in　mind。　He　knew　me　too　well　in　some　ways　and　didn't　have　a　clue　in　others。
　I　scanned　the　crowd　for　Edward　and　for　anything　suspicious；　but　it　was　hard　to　pick　out　any　one　person　in　the　jostling；　laughing　crowd。　I　couldn't　spot　Edward。　I　had　to　just　trust　that　he　was　there　somewhere。　And　although　I　did　trust　him　to　be　there；　the　tightness　in　my　chest　didn't　ease。
　Edward　had　cautioned　me　to　be　casual；　not　to　look　suspicious。　Outwardly；　I　was　trying。　Inwardly；　I　was　almost　dizzy　searching　the　crowd　and　that　painful　empty　spot　to　the　right　and　almost　behind　me　where　the　railing　went。　I　put　my　hands　in　my　lap　and　forced　myself　to　look　down。　If　the　assassin　came　now；　I　wouldn't　be　looking；　but　I　had　to　get　hold　of　myself。　If　I　didn't；　I　was　going　to　be　so　busy　jumping　at　shadows；　I　wouldn't　be　ready　when　the　real　thing　came。　I　was　beginning　to　wish　I'd　let　Liv　stay。
　I　took　deep；　even　breaths；　in　and　out；　concentrating　on　the　rhythm　of　my　own　body。　When　I　could　hear　the　blood　flowing　inside　my　head；　I　raised　my　face　slowly。
　I　stared　calmly　out　at　the　crowd　and　the　dance　floor。　I　felt　empty；　distant；　calm。　Much　better。
　A　vampire　came　up　to　the　railing　in　front　of　my　table。　Willie　McCoy　was　dressed　in　a　suit　so　horribly　green　it　could　only　be　called　chartreuse。　Green　shirt；　and　a　wide　tie　with　Godzilla　crushing　Tokyo　on　it。　No　one　would　ever　accuse　Willie　of　matching　any　decor。
　I　smiled。　I　couldn't　help　it。　Willie　had　been　one　of　the　first　vampires　to　ever　cross　that　line　from　monster　to　friend。　He　scooted　one　of　the　chairs　around　so　his　back　was　to　the　open　space。　He　sat　down　like　he　hadn't　done　it　on　purpose。　I　didn't　have　to　pretend　to　be　happy　to　see　him。
　He　had　to　lean　a　bit　into　me　to　be　heard　over　the　crowd's　rising　murmur。　I　could　smell　the　sweet　scent　of　the　goop　he　used　to　slick　back　his　short　hair。　Him　being　this　close　didn't　even　make　me　tense。　I　trusted　Willie　more　than　I　trusted　Jean…Claude。
　〃How　ya　doing；　Anita？〃　He　grinned　enough　to　show　fang。　Willie　hadn't　been　dead　three　years　yet。　He　was　one　of　the　few　vamps　I'd　known　before　and　after　death。
　〃I've　been　better；〃　I　said。
　〃Jean…Claude　said　we　were　to　bodyguard　you；　but　to　keep　it　casual。　We'll　drift　in　and　out。　But　you　looked　spooked。〃
　I　shook　my　head；　smiling。　〃That　obvious？〃
　〃To　someone　who　knows　ya；　yeah。〃
　We　smiled　at　each　other。　Looking　into　Willie's　face　from　inches　away；　I　realized　that　he　was　on　my　list。　The　list　that　Stephen　was　on。　If　someone　killed　Willie；　I'd　hunt　them　down。　It　surprised　me　to　realize　that　any　vamp　had　made　the　list。　But　Willie　had；　and　e　to　think　of　it；　I　guess；　so　had　one　other　vampire。
　Jean…Claude　appeared　on　the　far　side　of　the　club。　Speak　of　the　devil。　A　spotlight　hit　him　from　somewhere。　It　had　to　be　ing　from　a　fly　loft；　but　it　was　hidden　away　so　that　it　was　hard　to　tell。　A　perfect　place　for　a　high…powered　rifle。　Stop　it；　Anita