lhamilton.thekillingdance-第1部分

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　DEDICATION
　
　To　Paty　Cockrum；　fan；　friend；　fine　artist。　You　should　see　the　pictures　she　sends　me　of　Jean…Claud。　She　really　is　the　voice　of　temptation。
　
　ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
　
　Ricia　Mainhardt；　my　agent；　who　came　up　with　the　title。
　Marion　Stensgard　who　answered　my　questions。
　The　Wild　Canid　Survival　and　Research　Center　（Wolf　Sanctuary）　for　letting　me　use　their　library。
　Bonnee　Pierson；　who　helped　with　a　very　different　kind　of　research。
　The　Alternate　Historians：　Rett　Macpherson　who　went　above　and　beyond　the　call　of　duty　for　research；　N。L。　Drew　who　heard　parts　of　this　book　over　the　phone；　Tom　Drennan；　whose　book　is　finally　ready　to　make　the　rounds；　Mark　Sumner　who　says　everything　will　be　all　right；　even　when　he　doesn't　know；　Marella　Sands　who　reminded　me　we're　supposed　to　be　having　fun；　and　Deborah　Millitello　who　holds　my　hands。
　My　husband；　Gary；　who　always　tells　me　the　truth　whether　I　want　to　hear　it　or　not。
　Sarah　Sumner　for　bitching　sessions。
　Joan…Marie　Knappenberger　who　let　me　use　her　house。
　The　Saint　Louis　Bread　pany　for　letting　me　take　up　a　table　for　hours　at　a　time。
　The　newsletter　everyone's　been　asking　about　is　here。　Write　to　my　publisher　and　I'll　send　you　one。　Find　out　where　I'll　be。　Find　out　what　Anita　and　the　gang　are　doing。　Questions　answered；　mysteries　solved。
　
　1
　
　The　most　beautiful　corpse　I'd　ever　seen　was　sitting　behind　my　desk。　Jean…Claude's　white　shirt　gleamed　in　the　light　from　the　desk　lamp。　A　froth　of　lace　spilled　down　the　front；　peeking　from　inside　his　black　velvet　jacket。　I　stood　behind　him；　my　back　to　the　wall；　arms　crossed　over　my　stomach；　which　put　my　right　hand　fortably　close　to　the　Browning　Hi…Power　in　its　shoulder　holster。　I　wasn't　about　to　draw　on　Jean…Claude。　It　was　the　other　vampire　I　was　worried　about。
　The　desk　lamp　was　the　only　light　in　the　room。　The　vampire　had　requested　the　overheads　be　turned　out。　His　name　was　Sabin；　and　he　stood　against　the　far　wall；　huddling　in　the　dark。　He　was　covered　head　to　foot　in　a　black；　hooded　cape。　He　looked　like　something　out　of　an　old　Vincent　Price　movie。　I'd　never　seen　a　real　vampire　dress　like　that。
　The　last　member　of　our　happy　little　group　was　Dominic　Dumare。　He　sat　in　one　of　the　client　chairs。　He　was　tall；　thin；　but　not　weak。　His　hands　were　large　and　strong；　big　enough　to　palm　my　face。　He　was　dressed　in　a　three…piece　black　suit；　like　a　chauffeur　except　for　the　diamond　stickpin　in　his　tie。　A　beard　and　thin　mustache　lined　the　strong　bones　of　his　face。
　When　he'd　entered　my　office；　I'd　felt　him　like　a　psychic　wind　tripping　down　my　spine。　I'd　only　encountered　two　other　people　who　had　that　taste　to　them。　One　had　been　the　most　powerful　voodoo　priestess　I'd　ever　met。　The　second　had　been　the　second　most　powerful　voodoo　priest　I'd　ever　met。　The　woman　was　dead。　The　man　worked　for　Animators；　Inc。；　just　like　I　did。　But　Dominic　Dumare　wasn't　here　to　apply　for　a　job。
　〃Ms。　Blake；　please　be　seated；〃　Dumare　said。　〃Sabin　finds　it　most　offensive　to　sit　when　a　lady　is　standing。〃
　I　glanced　behind　him　at　Sabin。　〃I'll　sit　down　if　he　sits　down；〃　I　said。
　Dumare　looked　at　Jean…Claude。　He　gave　a　gentle；　condescending　smile。　〃Do　you　have　such　poor　control　over　your　human　servant？〃
　I　didn't　have　to　see　Jean…Claude's　smile　to　know　it　was　there。　〃Oh；　you　are　on　your　own　with　ma　petite。　She　is　my　human　servant；　so　declared　before　the　council；　but　she　answers　to　no　one。〃
　〃You　seem　proud　of　that；〃　Sabin　said。　His　voice　was　British　and　very　upper　crust。
　〃She　is　the　Executioner　and　has　more　vampire　kills　than　any　other　human。　She　is　a　necromancer　of　such　power　that　you　have　traveled　halfway　around　the　world　to　consult　her。　She　is　my　human　servant　without　a　mark　to　hold　her　to　me。　She　dates　me　without　the　aid　of　vampire　glamor。　Why　should　I　not　be　pleased？〃
　Listening　to　him　talk　you'd　have　thought　it　was　all　his　own　idea。　Fact　was；　he'd　tried　his　best　to　mark　me；　and　I'd　managed　to　escape。　We　were　dating　because　he'd　blackmailed　me。　Date　him　or　he'd　kill　my　other　boyfriend。　Jean…Claude　had　managed　to　make　it　all　work　to　his　advantage。　Why　was　I　not　surprised？
　〃Until　her　death　you　cannot　mark　any　other　human；〃　Sabin　said。　〃You　have　cut　yourself　off　from　a　great　deal　of　power。〃
　〃I　am　aware　of　what　I　have　done；〃　Jean…Claude　said。
　Sabin　laughed；　and　it　was　chokingly　bitter。　〃We　all　do　strange　things　for　love。〃
　I　would　have　given　a　lot　to　see　Jean…Claude's　face　at　that　moment。　All　I　could　see　was　his　long　black　hair　spilling　over　his　jacket；　black　on　black。　His　shoulders　stiffened；　hands　sliding　across　the　blotter　on　my　desk。　Then　he　went　very　still。　That　awful　waiting　stillness　that　only　the　old　vampires　have；　as　if；　if　they　held　still　long　enough；　they　would　simply　disappear。
　〃Is　that　what　has　brought　you　here；　Sabin？　Love？〃　Jean…Claude's　voice　was　neutral；　empty。
　Sabin's　laughter　rode　the　air　like　broken　glass。　It　felt　like　the　very　sound　of　it　hurt　something　deep　inside　me。　I　didn't　like　it。
　〃Enough　games；〃　I　said；　〃let's　get　it　done。〃
　〃Is　she　always　this　impatient？〃　Dumare　asked。
　〃Yes；〃　Jean…Claude　said。
　Dumare　smiled；　bright　and　empty　as　a　lightbulb。　〃Did　Jean…Claude　tell　you　why　we　wished　to　see　you？〃
　〃He　said　Sabin　caught　some　sort　of　disease　from　trying　to　go　cold　turkey。〃
　The　vampire　across　the　room　laughed　again；　flinging　it　like　a　weapon　across　the　room。　〃Cold　turkey；　very　good；　Ms。　Blake；　very　good。〃
　The　laughter　ate　over　me　like　small　cutting　blades。　I'd　never　experienced　anything　like　that　from　just　a　voice。　In　a　fight；　it　would　have　been　distracting。　Heck；　it　was　distracting　now。　I　felt　liquid　slide　down　my　forehead。　I　raised　my　left　hand　to　it。　My　fingers　came　away　smeared　with　blood。　I　drew　the　Browning　and　stepped　away　from　the　wall。　I　aimed　it　at　the　black　figure　across　the　room。　〃He　does　that　again；　and　I'll　shoot　him。〃
　Jean…Claude　rose　slowly　from　the　chair。　His　power　flowed　over　me　like　a　cool　wind；　raising　goose　bumps　on　my　arms。　He　raised　one　pale　hand；　gone　nearly　translucent　with　power。　Blood　flowed　down　that　gleaming　skin。
　Dumare　stayed　in　his　chair；　but　he；　too；　was　bleeding　from　a　cut　nearly　identical　to　mine。　Dumare　wiped　the　blood　away；　still　smiling。　〃The　gun　will　not　be　necessary；〃　he　said。
　〃You　have　abused　my　hospitality；〃　Jean…Claude　said。　His　voice　filled　the　room　with　hissing　echoes。
　〃There　is　nothing　I　can　say　to　apologize；〃　Sabin　said。　〃But　I　did　not　mean　to　do　it。　I　am　using　so　much　of　my　power　just　to　maintain　myself　that　I　do　not　have　the　control　I　once　did。〃
　I　moved　slowly　away　from　the　wall；　gun　still　pointed。　I　wanted　to　see　Jean…Claude's　face。　I　needed　to　see　how　badly　he　was　hurt。　I　eased　around　the　desk　until　I　could　see　him　from　the　corner　of　my　eye。　His　face　was　untouched；　flawless　and　gleaming　like　mother　of　pearl。
　He　raised　his　hand；　one　thin　line　of　blood　still　trailing　down。　〃This　is　no　accident。〃
　〃e　into　the　light；　my　friend；〃　Dumare　said。　〃You　must　let　them　see；　or　they　will　not　understand。〃
　〃I　do　not　want　to　be　seen。〃
　〃You　are　very　close　to　using　up　all　my　good　will；〃　Jean…Claude　said。
　〃Mine；　too；〃　I　added。　I　was　hoping　I　could　either　shoot　Sabin　or　put　the　gun　down　soon。　Even　a　two…handed　shooting　stance　is　not　meant　to　be　maintained　indefinitely。　Your　hands　start　to　waver　just　a　bit。
　Sabin　glided　towards　the　desk。　The　black　cloak　spilled　around　his　feet　like　a　pool　of　darkness。　All　vampires　were　graceful；　but　this　was　ridiculous。　I　realized　he　wasn't　walking　at　all。　He　was　levitating　inside　that　dark　cloak。
　His　power　flowed　over　my　skin　like　icy　water。　My　hands　were　suddenly　steady　once　more。　Nothing　like　having　several　hundred　years　worth　of　vampire　ing　at　you　to　sharpen　your　nerves。
　Sabin　stopped　on　the　far　side　of　the　desk。　He　was　expending　power　just　to　move；　just　to　be　here；　as　if　like　a　shark；　if　he　stopped　moving　he'd　die。
　Jean…Claude　glided　around　me。　His　power　danced　over　my　body；　raising　the　hair　at　the　back　of　my　neck；　making　my　skin　tight。　He　stopped　almost　within　reach　of　the　other　vampire。　〃What　has　happened　to　you；　Sabin？〃
　Sabin　stood　on　the　edge　of　the　light。　The　lamp　should　have　cast　some　light　into　the　hood　of　his　cloak；　but　it　didn't。　The　inside　of　the　hood　was　as　smooth　and　black　and　empty　as　a　cave。　His　voice　came　out　of　that　nothingness。　It　made　me　jump。
　〃Love；　Jean…Claude；　love　happened　to　me。　My　beloved　grew　a　conscience。　She　said　it　was　wrong　to　feed　upon　people。　We　were　once　people；　after　all。　For　love　of　her；　I　tried　to　drink　cold　blood。　I　tried　animal　blood。　But　it　was　not　enough　to　sustain　me。〃
　I　stared　into　that　darkness。　I　kept　pointing　the　gun；　but　I　was　beginning　to　feel　silly。　Sabin　didn't　seem　at　all　afraid　of　it；　which　was　unnerving。　Maybe　he　didn't　care。　That　was　also　unnerving。　〃She　talked　you　into　going　vegetarian。　Great；〃　I　said。　〃You　seem　powerful　enough。〃
　He　laughed；　and　with　the　laughter；　the　shadows　in　his　hood　faded　slowly；　like　a　curtain　lifting。　He　threw　it　back　in　one　quick　flourish。
　I　didn't　scream；　but　I　gasped　and　took　a　step　back。　I　couldn't　help　myself。　When　I　realized　I'd　done　it；　I　stopped　and　made　myself　take　back　that　step；　meet　his　eyes。　No　flinching。
　His　hair　was　thick　and　straight　and　golden；　falling　like　a　shining　curtain　to　his　shoulders。　But　his　skin　。　。　。　his　skin　had　rotted　away　on　half　his　face。　It　was　like　late…stage　leprosy；　but　worse。　The　flesh　was　puss…filled；　gangrenous；　and　should　have　stunk　to　high　heaven。　The　other　half　of　his　face　was　still　beautiful。　The　kind　of　face　that　medieval　painters　had　borrowed　for　cherubim；　a　golden　perfection。　One　crystalline　blue　eye　rolled　in　its　rotting　socket　as　if　in　danger　of　spilling　out　onto　his　cheek。　The　other　eye　was　secure　and　watched　my　face。
　〃You　can　put　up　the　gun；　ma　petite。　It　was　an　accident；　after　all；〃　Jean…Claude　said。
　I　lowered　the　Browning；　but　didn't　put　it　up。　It　took　more　effort　than　was　pretty　to　say　calmly；　〃This　happened　because　you　stopped　feeding　off　of　humans？〃
　〃We　believe　so；〃　Dumare　said。
　I　tore　my　gaze　away　from　Sabin's　ravaged　face　and　looked　back　at　Dominic。　〃You　think　I　can　help　cure　him　of　this？〃　I　couldn't　keep　the　disbelief　out　of　my　voice。
　〃I　heard　of　your　reputation　in　Europe。〃
　I　raised　my　eyebrows。
　〃No　modesty；　Ms。　Blake。　A