pzb.lostsouls-第69部分

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el　of　meat　to　be　scraped　out　by　any　back…alley　abortionist　with　a　curette　and　a　roll　of　dirty　cotton。　Try　that；　and　it　will　rip　open　her　womb　even　sooner。
　　〃No。　You　must　poison　it。　Otherwise　it　will　grow；　and　Ann　will　die；　and　perhaps　your　precious　Steve　will　die　too。　Guilt　twists　a　man；　Ghost。　You　cannot　protect　him　forever。　He　may　bleed　his　life　away　in　a　car　crash；　or　pick　a　fight　with　someone　who　carries　a　razor　in　his　boot…the　Vieux　Carre　is　full　of　them。　Or　perhaps　a　slower　death。　A　pickling　of　the　liver？　An　insult　to　the　brain？　Death　can　e　in　a　bottle；　Ghost。　And　I　think　Steve　has　already　opened　that　bottle　and　taken　the　first　swallow。
　　〃You　must　poison　it；　Ghost。　To　save　Ann。　To　save　Steve。〃　Arkady　paused；　then　delivered　the　bitter　coup　de　grace。　〃I　know　the　recipe。　I　developed　it　after　Richelle　died。　I　can　help　you　。　。　。　if　I　wish。〃
　　Arkady　twitched　the　Sheets　back。　They　made　a　tiny　dry　rustling　sound；　like　long　linen　wrappings　falling　away　from　a　mummy's　face；　like　dead　moth　wings　dusting　down。　Ghost　jumped　a　little　at　the　sound。　With　both　hands　he　raked　his　hair；　pulling　it　in　front　of　his　face。　Arkady　saw　him　shudder。
　　Then　his　back　straightened；　and　his　shoulders　squared；　and　his　eyes　flared　dark　once　and　then　were　as　pale　as　before。
　　〃Okay；〃　he　said。
　　
　　Those　few　steps　back　to　the　bed　were　the　worst　Ghost　had　ever　taken。　He　felt　the　floorboards　under　his　bare　feet；　coated　with　a　dry　and　silken　dust。　Arkady's　skin　would　feel　that　way　against　his　own。　Arkady's　hands　would　caress　his　soul；　Arkady's　tongue　would　explore　his　brain　。。。。
　　He　would　not　think　about　it。　He　would　think　about　singing　at　the　Sacred　Yew；　with　Steve　going　wild　on　guitar。　Back　when　things　were　simple。　That　was　what　he　would　do。　〃Okay；〃　he　said；　refusing　to　hear　his　own　words。　〃I'll　do　whatever　you　want。〃
　　He　was　onstage　now；　clutching　at　the　microphone；　ready　to　let　his　voice　flow。　But　Arkady's　papery　lips　clamped　over　his　mouth；　sealing　it。　Arkady's　tongue　cleaved　to　his；　tasting　of　bitter　herbs。　Arkady's　dry　touch　spidered　down　his　chest；　under　his　T…shirt。　He　felt　that　touch　in　the　depths　of　him；　razoring　along　his　backbone；　turning　his　intestines　shuddery。　He　began　to　choke。
　　〃No；〃　said　a　voice　from　the　dark　doorway。　A　weary　voice；　a　voice　for　speaking　long　after　midnight；　a　voice　to　be　used　when　all　paths　are　blocked；　when　castles　have　fallen　to　ruin；　when　morning　will　not　e　again。
　　Ghost's　eyes　swept　the　darkness。　〃Steve？〃　For　the　voice　was　Steve's；　and　the　smell　was　Steve's　too；　the　clothes　stiff　with　drinking…sweat。　But　the　smell　of　lonely　desperation　was　gone。　There　was　exhaustion；　and　fear；　and　the　damp　secret　scent　of　sorrow。　But　beneath　those　was　something　new；　something　Ghost　hadn't　caught　from　Steve　for　a　long　time。　A　vibration　more　than　a　scent。　A　tremor　that　thrummed　the　air　between　them；　turned　it　electric；　webbed　it　with　white　crackling　lines　of　energy。
　　It　was　anger。　Good　old　pissed…off　Steve　Finn　anger。
　　Arkady　hissed　air　in　through　his　teeth。　〃You。〃
　　〃Get　your　hands　off　him；〃　said　Steve。　He　gripped　either　side　of　the　doorjamb；　holding　himself　up。　His　hair　stood　up　in　crazy　dark　tufts　and　wings；　shoved　messily　behind　his　ears；　a　week　dirty。　〃Let　him　go；　motherfucker；〃　he　told　Arkady　again。　〃I　don't　care　what　kind　of　badass　juju　guy　you　are。　Right　now　I　could　reach　down　your　throat　and　tear　your　foul　black　heart　out。　With　pleasure。〃
　　Arkady　let　go　of　Ghost。
　　〃e　on；〃　said　Steve。　He　jerked　a　thumb　toward　the　staircase。　〃We're　leaving。　We're　getting　in　the　goddamn　T…bird　and　going　home。　Ann　can　get　torn　apart　from　inside　out　if　that's　what　has　to　happen。　If　that's　what　she　wants。
　　You're　not　gonna　make　yourself　into　a　whore　for　her。
　　〃Or　for　me。
　　〃Or　for　anybody。　You're　too　good　for　that；　Ghost。　You're　too　goddamn　fine。〃
　　Steve's　eyes　shone　crystal…bright　in　the　dark。　Two　wet　lines　glistened　their　way　down　his　cheeks。　Tear…tracks。　But　he　stood　straight；　and　though　his　hands　still　gripped　the　doorjamb　and　his　clothes　hung　from　him　like　rags　on　a　scarecrow；　he　was　strong。　Strength　vibrated　from　him。　He　had　made　a　decision；　and　he　would　abide　by　it。　But　not　alone。
　　Ghost　went　to　him。　After　a　moment　Steve　let　his　arms　drop　onto　Ghost's　shoulders；　and　Steve's　tears　fell　into　Ghost's　hair　and　were　lost　there；　palely　tangled。　They　stood　leaning　on　each　other；　strength　passing　between　them。
　　〃Let's　go；〃　Steve　said　at　last。
　　〃Wait！〃　called　Arkady　when　they　were　halfway　down　the　hall。
　　Steve　stopped　but　did　not　turn。　His　grip　on　Ghost's　arm　tightened。　Ghost　looked　back　over　his　shoulder；　drawing　closer　to　Steve；　afraid　to　meet　Arkady's　eyes。
　　〃You　are　too　fine；　Ghost；〃　said　Arkady；　and　though　his　voice　was　only　a　moth…whisper　in　the　dusty　hallway；　they　heard　him。　〃I　did　not　lie　when　I　said　you　were　brave…dreadfully；　achingly　brave。　You　shared　none　of　my　lust；　but　to　save　your　friends　you　would　have　given　yourself　to　me。　And　I　would　have　let　you。
　　〃Indeed；　you　are　too　fine。　We　must　band　together　against　the　eternal　night。　The　vampires　took　my　brother；　and　I　will　not　let　them　take　another　beautiful　young　life。　I　will　help　you。　Lord　help　me；　I　will　help　you。〃
　　And　Arkady　Raventon　crossed　himself　twice。　First　upside　down；　then　right　side　up。
　　
　　〃Fern；〃　said　Arkady；　holding　a　packet　of　dried　leaves　up　to　the　light。
　　They　had　e　downstairs　and　lit　the　candles　in　the　shop；　calling　up　the　spirits　of　cinnamon；　nutmeg；　licorice。　Arkady　had　arranged　his　materials　on　the　glass　countertop：　vials　and　encrusted　bottles；　a　mortar　and　pestle；　a　bundle　of　crumbling　envelopes。　Now　he　picked　through　them；　sifting；　pinching；　sniffing　and　muttering。
　　Steve　slouched　against　the　opposite　wall；　scowling　but　surreptitiously　interested。　Ghost　watched　with　his　chin　prepped　in　his　hands；　horribly　rapt。　He　did　not　want　to　watch　the　making　of　the　poison　that　would　scour　Ann's　womb；　but　he　had　to。　This　was　too　familiar。　This　awakened　memories　of　his　grandmother　and　Miz　Catlin；　or　his　grandmother　alone；　hunched　over　some　candlelit　table　with　an　assortment　of　packets　and　tiny　shining　bottles　dose　at　hand。　Ghost　would　creep　out　and　hide　in　the　shadow　of　the　bookcase　or　the　doorway；　and　sometimes　his　grandmother　would　sense　his　presence　and　call　him　over　to　watch。　Then　she　would　tell　him　what　fragrant　oils　and　leaves　she　was　mixing。　This　will　bring　luck　to　someone's　door；　she　would　explain；　or　This　will　ease　a　woman's　monthly　pains。　But　sometimes　the　concoctions　did　not　smell　sweet　at　all。　Sometimes　they　smelled　brown　and　fetid；　and　vapors　curled　up　from　her　mortar。　When　his　grandmother　was　mixing　that　kind　of　concoction；　Ghost　always　got　sent　back　to　bed。
　　〃Basil；〃　said　Arkady。　〃Bay　leaf。〃
　　Steve　shifted；　slumped　further。　〃Shit；　we　could　have　gone　to　the　A&P　for　this。〃
　　〃Pennyroyal；〃　said　Arkady；　lowering　his　eyelids　at　Steve。　〃Yarrow；　brooklime。　And　garlic。〃　A　small　secret　smile　crooked　his　lips。　〃It　won't　like　all　this　garlic。〃　With　a　flourish　he　uncorked　a　small　blue　bottle　and　poured　a　few　drops　of　cloudy　liquid　into　the　mortar。　Herbs　hissed　coldly。　A　twist　of　vapor　wafted　up。
　　Steve　pushed　himself　up。　〃What　the　fuck　was　that？〃　
　　Arkady　smiled。　〃The　crucial　ingredient。　Without　it；　this　would　be　a　mere　salad。〃　Steve　scowled；　Arkady　might　as　well　have　said　Wouldn't　you　like　to　know？
　　Ghost　watched　Arkady　scrape　the　paste　from　the　mortar　onto　a　square　of　waxed　paper。　It　was　a　bright　organic　green；　and　it　seemed　to　seethe　on　the　paper。　Made　from　a　thousand　herbs；　made　from　altars；　Ghost　thought；　this　stuff　would　surely　burn　Ann's　throat　when　they　forced　her　to　swallow　it。　
　　At　least；　he　hoped　she　only　had　to　swallow　it。
　　Arkady　folded　the　square　of　paper　in　half　and　twisted　the　ends。　〃That；〃　he　said；　〃is　that。　Now　you　must　find　the　girl　and　bring　her　to　me。〃
　　Steve　and　Ghost　started　speaking　at　once：
　　〃How　the　fuck　are　we　supposed　to　do　that？〃　said　Steve。　
　　〃I　can　do　that；〃　said　Ghost。
　　
　　Back　upstairs；　Ghost　looked　out　the　window　at　the　landscape　of　wedding…cake　buildings　iced　with　intricate　scrolls　of　wrought　iron。　Far　to　his　left；　beyond　his　line　of　vision；　the　lights　of　Bourbon　Street　glittered；　the　crowds