lh.narcissusinchains-第124部分

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　Bobby　Lee　laughed。
　I　frowned　at　him；　then　turned　back　to　the　coffin；　but　I　wasn't　touching　it　anymore。　I　knew　it　wasn't　possible　with　a　blessed　cross　attached　to　the　lid；　but　I'd　had　this　sudden　image　of　an　arm　tearing　through　the　wood　and　grabbing　me。　Damian　was　supposed　to　be　homicidally　crazy。　Better　cautious　than　dead。
　I　put　my　hands　just　above　the　coffin；　not　quite　touching。　I　drew　my　necromancy；　like　drawing　a　breath；　and　breathed　it　out　through　my　body；　not　exactly　through　my　hands；　but　everywhere。　The　necromancy　was　part　of　what　I　was；　not　just　who　I　was。　I　started　to　push　my　power　into　the　coffin；　but　it　was　pulled　in；　like　water　pouring　into　a　hole。　The　water　falls　down　because　gravity　pulls　it　down；　and　there　is　no　stopping　it；　it's　natural；　automatic。　My　necromancy　spilled　into　that　coffin；　and　into　Damian。　I　felt　him　lying　in　the　dark；　his　body　pressed　against　the　thin　satin。　I　saw　his　eyes　stare　up　into　mine；　felt　something　flare　inside　him；　something　that　recognized　my　power；　but　I　couldn't　feel　him。　There　was　no　personality　there；　no　Damian。　I　knew　it　was　him；　but　there　was　no　thought　in　him；　nothing　but　that　tiny　spark　of　recognition；　and　barely　that。　I　tried　to　reconcile　the　thing　I　felt　to　what　I　knew　Damian　had　been；　and　it　was　like　he　had　bee　something　else。　I　said　a　quick　prayer；　and　I　didn't　even　feel　odd　praying　to　God　about　a　vampire。　I'd　had　to　give　up　my　narrow　ideas　of　God　a　long　time　ago；　or　give　up　church　and　everything　I　held　dear　about　my　religion。　The　deal　was；　if　God　was　okay　with　what　I　was　doing；　then　I　had　to　be；　too。
　〃Where　is　everybody？〃　I　asked　it　aloud；　so　Bobby　Lee　answered。
　〃I　don't　know；　but　if　you　e　with　me；　we'll　go　look。〃
　I　shook　my　head　staring　at　the　other　coffin。　Who　was　in　there　locked　in　the　dark？　I　had　to　know；　and　if　I　could；　I'd　get　them　out。　I　didn't　approve　of　torture；　and　being　locked　in　a　coffin　where　you　would　never　starve　to　death；　but　always　go　hungry；　never　die　of　thirst；　but　burn　with　the　need　for　liquid；　be　trapped　in　a　space　so　small　you　couldn't　even　turn　onto　your　side；　were　all　good　definitions　of　torture　in　my　book。　I　liked　most　of　Jean…Claude's　vamps；　and　I　wouldn't　leave　them　like　this；　not　if　I　could　persuade　him　that　they'd　been　punished　enough。　I　was　pretty　stubborn　about　things　like　that；　and　Jean…Claude　was　wanting　to　please　me　right　now；　I　could　probably　get　whoever　it　was　out。　I'd　do　my　best。　But　who　was　it？　Admittedly；　there　were　vampires　that　I'd　make　more　of　an　effort　to　save；　just　like　people。
　I　went　to　stand　beside　the　other　coffin　and　pushed　my　magic　into　it。　I　had　to　push　this　time；　it　wasn't　like　Damian。　Whatever　was　in　this　box　didn't　wele　me　in。　It　wasn't　anyone　I　had　a　connection　with。　I　felt　something；　and　I　knew　it　was　a　kind　of　undead；　but　it　didn't　feel　like　a　vampire。　It　felt　emptier　than　that。　It　was　fully　dark　outside；　there　should　have　been　movement；　life；　of　a　sort；　but　there　was　nothing。　I　pushed　farther　into　the　thing；　and　found　the　faintest　answering　pulse。　It　was　as　if　whatever　was　in　there　was　a　lot　more　dead　than　alive；　yet　not　truly　dead。
　A　sound　turned　me　towards　the　door。　Jean…Claude　glided　into　the　room；　his　robe　tied　tight　now；　like　a　signal　that　he　was　ready　to　get　down　to　business　He　was　alone。
　〃Where's　Micah？〃　I　asked。
　〃Jason　has　taken　him　to　get　some　clothing。　They　should　be　able　to　find　something　that　will　fit　him。〃
　〃Who　is　in　this　coffin？〃　I'd　almost　said；　what；　but　I　was　betting　it　was　a　vampire；　just　not　like　one　I'd　ever　sensed　before。
　His　face　was　already　careful；　neutral。　〃I　would　think；　ma　petite；　that　you　have　enough　to　be　concerned　over　with　Damian？〃
　〃You　know　and　I　know　that　I　am　not　moving　until　I　know　who's　in　here。〃
　He　sighed。　〃Yes；　I　know。〃　He　actually　looked　down　at　the　floor；　as　if　he　were　tired；　and　because　his　face　showed　nothing；　the　gesture　looked　half…finished；　like　bad　acting。　But　I　knew　that　for　him　to　be　working　so　hard　at　keeping　anything　off　his　face；　only　to　let　his　body　betray　him　meant　he　was　very　unhappy。　Which　meant　that　I　was　really　not　going　to　like　the　answer。
　〃Who；　Jean…Claude？〃
　〃Gretchen；〃　he　said；　finally　meeting　my　eyes。　His　face　told　me　nothing；　the　one　word　empty。
　Once　upon　a　time　Gretchen　had　tried　to　kill　me　because　she　wanted　Jean…Claude　for　herself。　〃When　did　she　get　back　in　town？〃
　〃Back？〃　He　gave　it　that　little　lilt　that　made　it　a　question。
　〃Don't　be　coy；　Jean…Claude。　She　came　back　to　town　still　out　for　my　blood；　and　you　put　her　in　here；　so　when？〃
　His　face　became　like　a　sculpture；　except　with　less　movement　in　it。　He　was　hiding　as　much　of　himself　as　he　could；　and　the　shields　were　like　armor。　〃I　say　again；　ma　petite；　she　had　gone　nowhere。〃
　〃What's　that　supposed　to　mean？〃
　He　looked　at　me　with　that　perfect　face；　so　unreadable。　〃It　means　that　from　the　moment　you　watched　me　put　her　in　the　coffin　in　my　office　at　Guilty　Pleasures；　she　has　always　been　here。〃
　I　blinked；　frowned；　opened　my　mouth；　closed　it；　tried　again；　failed。　I　must　have　looked　like　a　landed　fish；　because　I　couldn't　think　of　a　damn　thing　to　say。　He　just　stood　there；　not　helping。
　I　found　my　voice；　and　it　was　breathy。　〃You're　saying　that　Gretchen　has　been　in　a　coffin　for　two；　no　three　years？〃
　He　just　looked　at　me。　He'd　stopped　breathing。　There　was　no　sense　of　movement　to　him　at　all；　as　if；　if　I　looked　away　I'd　never　find　him　again；　he'd　be　invisible。
　〃Answer　me；　damn　it！　Has　she　been　in　a　coffin　for　three　years？〃
　He　gave　the　smallest　of　nods。
　〃Jesus；　Jesus。〃　I　paced　the　room；　because　if　I　didn't　do　something　physical；　I　was　going　to　hit　him　or　start　screaming。　I　finally　ended　up　standing　in　front　of　him；　hands　in　fists　at　my　sides。　〃You　bastard。〃　My　voice　was　a　hoarse　whisper；　squeezed　out　of　my　throat　because　to　do　anything　else　would　have　had　me　ranting　at　him。
　〃She　tried　to　kill　my　human　servant；　who　I　also　loved。　Most　masters　would　have　simply　killed　her。〃
　〃That　would　have　been　better　than　this；〃　I　said；　voice　still　a　hissing　whisper。
　〃I　doubt　Gretchen　would　agree。〃
　〃Let's　open　the　coffin　and　see；〃　I　said。
　He　shook　his　head。　〃Not　tonight；　ma　petite。　I　knew　you　would　feel　this　way；　and　we　can　try　and　release　her；　though　I　have　poor　hope　for　it。〃
　〃What's　that　supposed　to　mean？〃
　〃She　was　not　the　most　stable　of　women　when　she　went　in。　This　will　not　have　strengthened　her　grasp　of　reality。〃
　〃How　could　you　have　done　this　to　her？〃
　〃I　told　you　before；　ma　petite；　she　earned　her　punishment。〃
　〃Not　three　years；〃　I　said。　My　voice　was　beginning　to　sound　normal　again。　I　wasn't　going　to　hit　him；　great。
　〃Three　years　for　nearly　killing　you。　I　could　leave　her　in　for　three　more　years；　and　it　would　not　be　punishment　enough。〃
　〃I'm　not　going　to　argue　whether　the　punishment　was　justified　or　excessive；　or　anything。　All　I　can　say　is　that　I　want　her　out　of　there。　I　won't　let　her　stay　in　there　another　night。　There's　barely　anything　left　now。〃
　He　glanced　at　the　coffin。　〃You　have　not　opened　it；　how　do　you　know　what　is　inside？〃
　〃I　wanted　to　know　how　Damian　was。　I　used　a　little　magic　to　explore　what　was　inside　both　coffins。〃
　〃And　what　did　you　discover？〃　he　asked。
　〃That　my　necromancy　recognizes　Damian。　That　Damian　isn't　there。　It's　like　his　personality　is　missing。　Whatever　made　him；　him；　is　missing。〃
　Jean…Claude　nodded。　〃With　the　vampires　that　are　not　master　strength　and　never　will　be；　it　is　often　the　Master　of　the　City；　or　their　creator；　that　enables　them　to　exist　as　strong　presences。　Cut　off　from　that；　they　often　fade。〃
　Fade；　he　called　it；　like　he　was　talking　about　curtains　that　had　been　in　sunlight　too　long；　instead　of　a　living　being。　Well；　a　sort…of…living　being。
　〃Well；　Gretchen　is　way　past　faded。　There's　almost　nothing　left。　We　leave　her　in　even　one　more　night　and　she　may　not　be　there。〃
　〃She　cannot　die。〃
　〃Maybe　not；　but　the　damage　。。。　〃　I　shook　my　head。　〃We　have　to　get　her　out　now；　tonight；　or　we　might　as　well　put　a　bullet　in　her。〃
　〃Leave　Damian　in　for　one　more　night；　and　I　will　agree　to　release　Gretchen。〃
　〃No；〃　I　said。　〃Damian　is　like　one　of　those　feral　vamps。　The　longer　he's　like　this；　the　greater　the　likelihood　that　he'll　never　be　anything　else。〃
　〃Do　you　really　believe　that　one　more　night　wi