pzb.lostsouls-第51部分

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had　opened　his　forehead　just　above　the　eyebrows；　and　blood　was　pouring　into　his　eyes；　blinding　him。　He　stumbled　toward　where　he　had　last　seen　Zillah；　taking　wild　swings　at　the　air。
　　Horrified；　Ghost　tried　again　to　grab　him。　Surely　now　the　razor　would　take　out　one　of　Steve's　eyes　or　slice　straight　across　his　throat。
　　But　Zillah　had　other　things　in　mind。　He　sidestepped　neatly；　then　stuck　a　pink…sneakered　foot　into　Steve's　path。　Before　Ghost　could　get　to　him；　Steve　tripped　over　it　and　went　down　on　the　sidewalk。
　　Ghost　knelt　beside　Steve　and　shoved　the　messy　hair　back　from　his　face。　The　cut　across　his　forehead　looked　shallow；　but　it　had　to　hurt　like　hell。　Through　some　reflex　not　quite　drowned　in　beer　he　had　managed　to　get　his　hands　in　front　of　him　as　he　hit　the　pavement；　and　his　palms　were　scraped　raw。
　　Ghost　searched　for　Steve's　mind　with　his　own；　wanting　to　soothe　it。　No　good。　Steve's　mind　was　inflamed；　walled　off；　and　Ghost　could　only　feel　around　the　edges　of　it。　Its　heat　hurt　him。　He　drew　his　own　mind　back；　but　held　Steve　fighter。
　　〃What　the　hell　do　you　mean？〃　Ann　asked。　But　there　was　little　anger　in　her　voice。　She　was　edging　toward　Zillah。　Her　eyes　never　left　his　face；　she　didn't　seem　to　notice　Steve　bleeding　on　the　sidewalk。　〃How　can　you　call　me　a　slut？　That　was　magic。　No　one　ever　made　me　feel　so　good。　Your　cock…your　tongue…〃　She　shuddered。
　　Ghost　shut　his　eyes　and　pressed　his　face　to　Steve's。　Steve　growled　deep　in　his　throat；　low　and　feral；　and　tried　to　struggle　back　up。　Ghost　held　him　down。　If　Steve　got　loose　now；　he　would　kill　someone　or　get　killed；　and　the　latter　seemed　a　lot　more　likely。
　　〃My　apologies；〃　said　Zillah。　'What　was　an　unkind　word。　But　you　mustn't　love　me。　I　have　a　lover　already；　if　he　has　learned　his　lesson。〃　He　held　out　his　arms　to　Nothing。　After　the　barest　hesitation　Nothing　went　to　him；　huddled　into　the　curve　of　Zillah's　arm；　laid　his　head　on　Zillah's　shoulder。
　　〃No；〃　said　Ann。　There　was　dull　desperation　in　her　voice。　〃No。　I've　never　fucked　anyone　else　like　that。　You　can't　leave　me。
　　Steve　made　a　low　choking　sound；　twisted　his　head；　buried　his　face　in　Ghost's　lap。　His　raw　hands　scraped　weakly　at　the　sidewalk。　Ghost　caught　them　and　held　them　tight。
　　Nothing　looked　at　Ann。　His　expression　was　pitying；　a　little　disdainful。　〃Go　away；〃　he　told　her。　〃Go　find　somebody　else。　I　belong　here…not　you。〃
　　Ann's　face　twisted。　She　stared　around　wildly；　as　if　the　night　and　the　broken　glass　and　the　boarded…up　storefronts　were　suddenly　strange　to　her。　Ghost　ached　to　go　to　her；　even　after　all　she　had　said　and　done；　but　he　couldn't　let　go　of　Steve。　Ann's　mouth　opened；　and　for　seconds　it　seemed　as　if　her　scream　must　split　the　night　wide　open。
　　But　then；　from　far　down　the　sidewalk；　another　voice　came。　A　loud　voice；　full　of　drunken　cheer。　〃Hey！　Zillah！　Look　who　we　found…it's　Chrissy！〃
　　
　　Christian　could　barely　stand　up　straight。　This　was　what　it　must　be　like　to　he　drunk。　Of　course；　Twig's　arm　was　looped　tight　around　Christian's　neck　and　Molochai　seemed　to　be　leaning　his　full　weight　against　Christian；　but　it　was　not　the　burden　of　Molochai　and　Twig　that　made　him　unsteady　on　his　feet。　It　was　a　bination　of　relief　and　giddiness；　their　warm　coppery　smell　and　the　touch　of　skin　that　would　not　soon　be　dead　and　cold。
　　They　had　waited　for　him　until　his　shift　at　the　bar　was　over；　chattering　about　cities　they　had　seen　over　the　past　years；　rare　new　drugs　they　had　taken；　impossible　scenes　of　carnage　through　which　they　had　e　unscathed。　They　assured　him　that　Zillah　was　with　them；　still　very　much　alive。
　　After　the　bar　closed；　they　dragged　him　out　of　the　club　before　Kinsey　could　give　him　his　cash　pay。　Their　van　was　parked　a　few　blocks　away。　Christian　saw　an　assortment　of　figures　on　the　sidewalk　near　it。　One　of　them　was　Zillah；　and　something　in　Christian　loosened　at　the　sight　of　those　brilliant　green　eyes；　that　face　still　so　insouciant　and　smooth。　For　fifteen　years　he　had　waited　to　see　that　face　again。　Zillah　greeted　him　with　a　raised　eyebrow　and　a　small　evil　smile。
　　But　who　were　these　others？　Two　of　them　he　had　seen　before。　The　girl　with　the　smudged　face；　she　had　been　at　the　club　tonight。　And　the　fair　boy；　the　one　whose　pale　eyes　widened　when　he　saw　Christian…well；　he　was　the　singer　for　Lost　Souls？　But　there　was　something　else　about　him　。　。　。　Seeing　him　up　close；　Christian　remembered。　This　was　the　boy　who　had　e　riding　his　bicycle　at　twilight；　when　Christian　was　about　to　close　up　his　flower　stand　and　go　hunting。　He　had　been　so　hungry；　barely　able　to　wait；　but　for　reasons　he　could　not　explain　to　himself　he　had　not　wanted　to　take　that　boy。
　　Another　boy…the　guitarist；　Christian　thought…lay　on　the　sidewalk；　his　face　buried　in　the　fair　one's　lap；　his　long　legs　sprawled　at　an　unfortable　angle。　Christian　smelled　his　blood；　but　it　was　of　secondary　interest　to　him。　For　there　was　another　figure　here；　an　unfamiliar　one。
　　Huddled　beside　Zillah；　standing　in　Zillah's　shadow　so　that　Christian　had　not　noticed　him　at　once　。　。　。
　　This　must　surely　be　the　true　child　of　night；　the　soul　of　all　the　thin　children　who　wore　black；　who　traced　their　eyes　in　kohl　and　stared　out　their　windows　waiting　for　the　sun　to　set。　This　boy　looked　as　if　he　had　been　raised　in　the　back　room　of　some　hole…in…the…wall　nightclub；　fed　on　bread　soaked　in　milk　and　whiskey；　the　bones　of　his　face　shaped　fine　by　hunger。　That　was　the　word　for　this　child：　hungry。　For　what？…for　drunkenness；　for　salvation　or　damnation；　for　the　night　itself。　The　shadows　beneath　his　eyes　might　have　been　painted　in　watercolor。　The　wrists　protruding　from　the　cuffs　of　his　raincoat　were　thin；　delicately　knobby。
　　Christian　disengaged　himself　from　Molochai　and　Twig；　took　a　stop　closer。　He　did　not　know　that　he　licked　his　lips。　〃Who　are　you？〃　he　asked。
　　〃This　is　Nothing；〃　Zillah　told　him。
　　The　name　took　a　moment　to　register。　But　Christian　had　never　forgotten　Jessy　or　her　beautiful　sugar…candy　baby。　All　through　the　years　he　had　wondered　whether　he　might　have　kept　the　baby　and　cared　for　it　himself；　time　after　time　he　had　reminded　himself　that　he　had　abandoned　it　to　give　it　a　chance　at　a　life　untainted　by　blood。　But　he　had　never　forgot…ton。　Now　he　knew　that　he　might　as　well　have　kept　the　baby　after　all。　Blood　calls　to　blood；　curses　and　blessings　find　the　ones　they　were　meant　for。
　　〃Nothing？〃　he　asked；　and　took　another　step　toward　the　boy。　Shyly；　the　child　nodded。
　　Christian　closed　his　eyes；　and　the　words　of　his　note　pinned　to　a　blanket　on　some　long…ago　cold　dawn　came　back　to　him。　〃'His　name　is　Nothing。'〃　he　quoted。　〃'Care　for　him　and　he　will　bring　you　luck。'〃
　　He　was　not　at　all　prepared　for　the　boy's　reaction。　Nothing　tore　himself　away　from　Zillah　and　launched　himself　at　Christian；　threw　his　arms　around　Christian's　waist。　Christian　felt　the　boy's　body　pressing　against　him；　warm　and　vital。
　　〃Yes！〃　Nothing　cried。　〃Yes！　Yes！　They　changed　my　name！　They　called　me　Jason　but　I　hated　them　and　I'm　still　Nothing　and　now　I'm　home　and　you　know　who　I　am！　Tell　me！　Tell　me　who　I　am！〃
　　〃Why；　you're　Zillah's　son；〃　said　Christian。　He　had　assumed　they　knew。　But　there　was　silence。　Absolute　silence。　Even　Molochai　and　Twig　were　quiet。
　　Nothing　only　stared　up　at　Christian。　The　shadows　beneath　his　eyes　were　suddenly　deeper；　his　mouth　was　limp；　half…open。　He　had　the　look　of　an　ill…used　child；　a　child　kept　out　too　late。　〃Oh；〃　he　said。　That　seemed　to　be　all　he　could　say。　〃Ohhh。〃
　　Zillah　gently　pried　Nothing　away　from　Christian。　Nothing　shut　his　eyes　tight　and　curled　into　Zillah's　arms。　His　head　lay　heavily　against　Zillah's　chest　In　an　instant　he　seemed　to　have　fallen　into　deep　shock。
　　Zillah　caressed　him　absently。　〃Mardi　Gras？〃　he　asked　Christian。　〃That　little　girl　at　your　bar？〃
　　Christian　nodded。
　　'Well；〃　said　Zillah。　He　was　paler　than　usual；　but　he　held　himself　straight；　and　his　eyes　were　fiercely　happy。　More　than　that；　Christian　realized。　Zillah's　eyes　were　proud。　〃Well。　That　changes　things；　doesn't　it？　That　makes　things　even　better。　Lovely。〃
　　Molochai　and　Twig　began　whispering　to　each　other。　Christian　heard　a　smothered　giggle。　The　singer　had　been　listening　to　the　exchange；　but　he　was　more　concerned　with　his　friend。　The　girl　seemed　t