lhamilton.thekillingdance-第67部分

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　I　frowned　at　him。
　〃Heal　one　of　your　zombies；　ma　petite。〃
　〃You　can't　heal　the　dead；〃　I　said；　〃but　I　can　make　them　more　lifelike。〃
　Dominic　nodded。　〃That　would　do　very　nicely。〃
　〃I　usually　do　that　during　the　initial　rush　of　power。　I've　never　tried　to　fiddle　with　my　dead　once　they　were　raised。〃
　〃Please　try；〃　Dominic　said。
　〃We　could　raise　the　power　between　the　three　of　us；　then　try　it；〃　I　said。
　Dominic　shook　his　head。　〃I　am　not　sure　what　that　would　do　to　the　spell。　I　think　it　would　be　taking　a　great　risk　with　your　panions。〃
　I　stared　at　him　for　a　heartbeat　or　two。　〃You'd　risk　leaving　Sabin　to　rot　to　save　our　friends？〃
　〃You　asked　for　my　help；　Anita。　I　think　you　are　not　a　woman　who　asks　for　help　often。　It　would　be　poor　payment　of　such　a　pliment　if　I　let　you　risk　your　friends　for　mine。　If　you　can　heal　your　dead　cold；　as　it　were；　so　be　it。　If　you　cannot；　we　will　proceed　to　save　these　three　vampires。〃
　〃A　very　honorable　sentiment；〃　Jean…Claude　said。
　〃There　are　moments　when　honor　is　all　that　is　left；〃　Dominic　said。
　The　vampire　and　the　man　seemed　to　have　a　moment　of　near　perfect　understanding。　A　wealth　of　history；　if　not　shared；　then　similar；　passed　between　them。　I　was　odd　woman　out。
　I　looked　to　Richard　and　we　had　our　own　moment　of　perfect　understanding。　We　valued　our　mortal　life　span。　The　fatalism　in　Dominic's　voice　had　been　frightening。　How　old　was　he？　I　could　usually　tell　with　a　vampire；　but　never　with　a　human　servant。　I　didn't　ask。　There　was　a　weight　of　years　in　Dominic's　brown　eyes　that　made　me　afraid　to　ask。
　I　looked　at　Jean…Claude's　lovely　face　and　wondered　if　I　would　be　as　honorable；　or　would　I　have　risked　anyone；　everyone；　to　heal　him？　To　see　Jean…Claude　dead　would　be　one　thing；　but　rotted　away　like　Sabin　。　。　。　It　would　be　worse　than　death　in　many　ways。　Of　course；　Sabin　was　dying。　Powerful　as　he　was；　he　couldn't　hold　himself　together　forever。　Or　maybe　he　could。　Maybe　Dominic　could　sew　him　up　in　a　big　sack；　like　the　gloves　the　vampire　wore　on　his　hands。　Maybe　Sabin　could　go　on　living　even　after　he'd　been　reduced　to　so　much　liquid。　Now　that　was　a　hideous　thought。
　I　stared　at　the　standing　dead。　They　looked　back。　One　of　the　zombies　was　almost　intact。　Grey　skin　clung　to　the　bones；　more　like　clay　than　flesh。　One　blue　eye　stared　at　me。　The　other　eye　had　shriveled　like　a　raisin。　It　reminded　me　of　what　had　happened　to　Sabin's　eye。
　It　would　make　more　sense　to　say　I　touched　the　eye　and　healed　it。　Or　that　I　thought　at　it　and　smoothed　the　flesh　like　clay。　It　wasn't　like　that。　I　stared　at　the　zombie。　I　touched　that　spark　inside　me　that　allowed　me　to　raise　the　dead。　I　drew　that　part　of　me　outward；　coaxed　it　like　feeding　a　small　flame；　and　threw　it　outward　into　that　one　zombie。　I　whispered；　〃Live；　live。〃
　I'd　watched　it　before；　but　it　never　ceased　to　amaze　me。　The　flesh　filled　out；　plumping；　smoothing。　A　warm　flesh　tone　spread　like　heat　across　the　grey　skin。　The　dry；　strawlike　hair　grew　and　curled；　brown　and　soft。　The　dead　eye　blew　up　like　a　small　balloon；　filling　the　socket。　Two　good　eyes　looked　back　at　me。　Even　the　tattered　clothing　mended　itself。　He　wore　a　vest　with　a　gold　watch　chain。　His　clothes　were　a　hundred　years　or　more　out　of　date。
　〃I　am　most　impressed；〃　Dominic　said。　〃If　you　changed　his　clothes；　he　could　pass　for　human。〃
　I　nodded。　〃I　make　great　zombies；　but　that　won't　help　your　master。〃
　〃Call　one　of　the　vampires　from　the　coffin　room。〃
　〃Why？〃　I　asked。
　Dominic　drew　a　small　silver　knife　from　a　sheath　at　his　back。　I　hadn't　known　he　had　a　weapon。　Careless　of　me。
　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　with　that？〃　Jean…Claude　asked。
　〃With　your　permission；　I　will　cut　one　of　the　vampires　and　ask　Anita　to　heal　the　wound。〃
　Jean…Claude　considered　the　request；　then　nodded。　〃A　small　cut。〃
　Dominic　bowed。　〃Of　course。〃
　The　vamps　could　heal　a　small　cut　on　their　own　eventually。　If　I　couldn't　heal　it；　no　harm　done。　Though　I　wasn't　sure　the　vampires　would　agree　with　me。
　〃Anita；〃　Dominic　said。
　I　called；　〃Damian；　e　to　me。〃
　Jean…Claude　raised　his　eyebrows　at　my　choice；　I　think。　If　he　expected　me　to　call　Willie；　he　didn't　understand。　Willie　was　my　friend。　Even　dead；　I　didn't　want　to　see　him　cut　up。
　Damian　had　tried　to　mind…rape　a　woman　tonight　at　the　club。　Let　him　get　cut　up　just　a　little。
　Damian　walked　in；　staring　until　he　found　me。　His　face　was　still　blank　and　empty。　Emptier　than　sleep；　empty　as　only　death　can　make　it。
　〃Damian；　stop。〃
　The　vampire　stopped。　His　eyes　were　the　greenest　I'd　ever　seen。　Greener　than　Catherine's；　more　cat　than　human。
　Dominic　stepped　in　front　of　Damian。　He　stared　at　the　vampire。　He　laid　the　silver　blade　against　the　pale　cheek　and　pulled　the　point　downward；　sharply。
　Blood　flowed　down　that　perfect　paleness　in　a　thin　crimson　wash。　The　vampire　never　reacted；　not　even　to　blink。
　〃Anita；〃　Dominic　said。
　I　stared　at　Damian；　no；　Damian's　shell。　I　flung　power　at　him；　into　him。　I　willed　him　to　live。　That　was　the　word　I　whispered　to　him。
　The　blood　slowed；　then　stopped。　The　cut　knit　together　seamlessly。　It　was　。　。　。　easy。
　Dominic　wiped　the　blood　away　with　a　handkerchief　he'd　drawn　from　his　jacket　pocket。　Damian's　pale　cheek　was　flawless　once　more。
　It　was　Cassandra　who　said　it　first；　〃She　could　heal　Sabin。〃
　Dominic　nodded。　〃She　just　might。〃　He　turned　to　me　with　a　look　of　triumph；　elation。　〃You　would　need　the　power　of　your　triumvirate　to　raise　Sabin　during　his　daylight　slumber；　but　once　raised；　I　think　you　could　heal　him。〃
　〃A　shallow　cut　is　one　thing；〃　I　said。　〃Sabin　is　a　。　。　。　mess。〃
　〃Will　you　try？〃
　〃If　we　can　put　these　three　vamps　back　unharmed；　yeah；　I'll　try。〃
　〃Tomorrow。〃
　I　nodded。　〃Why　not？〃
　〃I　cannot　wait　to　tell　Sabin　what　I　have　seen　here　today。　He　has　been　without　hope　for　so　long。　But　first；　we　must　put　your　friends　back。　I　will　help　you　all　I　can。〃
　I　smiled。　〃I　know　enough　of　magic；　Dominic；　to　know　that　all　you　can　do　is　advise　from　the　sidelines。〃
　〃But　it　will　be　very　good　advice；〃　he　said　with　a　smile。
　I　believed　him。　For　Sabin's　sake；　he　wanted　us　to　succeed。　〃Okay；　let's　do　it。〃　I　held　my　hands　out　to　Richard　and　Jean…Claude。　They　took　my　hands　dutifully　enough；　and　it　was　pleasant　holding　their　hands。　Both　of　them　were　warm　and　lovely；　but　there　was　no　instant　magic。　No　spark。　I　realized　that　in　some　strange　way；　the　sexual　interplay　took　the　place　of　the　ritual。　Rituals　aren't　absolutely　necessary　to　most　magic；　but　they　serve　as　a　way　to　focus；　to　prepare　yourself　for　the　act　of　casting　a　spell。　I　had　no　blood　circle　to　walk。　I　had　no　sacrifice　to　kill。　I　had　no　paraphernalia　to　use。　All　I　had　was　the　two　men　standing　in　front　of　me；　my　own　body；　and　the　knife　at　my　wrist。　I　turned　away　from　both　of　them。
　〃Nothing's　happening；〃　I　said。
　〃What　do　you　expect　to　happen？〃　Dominic　asked。
　I　shrugged。　〃Something。　I　don't　know。〃
　〃You　are　trying　too　hard；　Anita。　Relax；　let　the　power　e　to　you。〃
　I　rotated　my　shoulders；　trying　to　ease　the　tension。　It　didn't　work。　〃I　really　wish　you　hadn't　reminded　me　that　some　of　the　vamps　could　rise　before　dark。　It's　late　afternoon；　and　we're　underground。　It　could　already　be　too　late。〃
　〃Thinking　like　that　is　not　helpful；〃　Dominic　said。
　Jean…Claude　walked　up　to　me；　and　even　before　he　touched　me；　there　was　a　rush　of　power　like　a　spill　of　warmth　over　my　skin。　〃Don't　touch　me；〃　I　said。
　I　felt　him　hesitate　behind　me。　〃What　is　wrong；　ma　petite？〃
　〃Nothing。〃　I　turned　to　face　him。　I　held　my　hand　just　above　his　bare　chest　and　that　line　of　warmth　traveled　from　his　skin　to　mine。　It　was　as　if　his　body　breathed　against　me。　〃Do　you　feel　that？〃
　He　cocked　his　head　to　one　side。　〃Magic。〃
　〃Aura；〃　I　said。　I　had　to　fight　an　urge　to　glance　at　Dominic；　like　looking　to　a　coach　to　see　if　this　was　the　play　he　wanted。　I　was　afraid　to　look　away；　to　lose　that　thread。　I　held　my　hand　out　to　Richard。　〃Walk　towards　me；　but　don't　touch　me。〃
　He　looked　puzzled　but　did　what　I　asked。　When　my　hand　was　just　above　his　skin；　that　same　line　of　warmth　came　up；　like　a　small；　captive　wind。　I　could　feel　their　energy　breathing　against　my　skin；　one　to　each　hand。　I　closed　my　eyes　and　concentrated　on　the　sensation。　There。　I　could　feel　a　difference；　slight；　almost　indiscernible；　but　there。　There　w