lhamilton.thekillingdance-第3部分

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　〃Only　because　you　know　that　if　you　kill　him；　I'll　kill　you。〃　I　held　a　hand　up　before　he　could　say　it。　〃I'd　try　to　kill　you；　and　you'd　try　to　kill　me；　etc。〃　This　was　an　old　argument。
　〃So；　Richard　lives；　you　date　us　both；　and　I　am　being　patient。　More　patient　than　I　have　ever　been　with　anyone。〃
　I　studied　his　face。　He　was　one　of　those　men　who　was　beautiful　rather　than　handsome；　but　the　face　was　masculine；　you　wouldn't　mistake　him　for　female；　even　with　the　long　hair。　In　fact；　there　was　something　terribly　masculine　about　JeanClaude；　no　matter　how　much　lace　he　wore。
　He　could　be　mine：　lock；　stock；　and　fangs。　I　just　wasn't　sure　I　wanted　him。　〃I've　got　to　go；〃　I　said。
　He　pushed　away　from　my　desk。　He　was　suddenly　standing　close　enough　to　touch。　〃Then　go；　ma　petite。〃
　I　could　feel　his　body　inches　from　mine　like　a　shimmering　energy。　I　had　to　swallow　before　I　could　speak。　〃It's　my　office。　You　have　to　leave。〃
　He　touched　my　arms　lightly；　a　brush　of　fingertips。　〃Enjoy　your　evening；　ma　petite。〃　His　fingers　wrapped　around　my　arms；　just　below　the　shoulders。　He　didn't　lean　over　me　or　draw　me　that　last　inch　closer。　He　simply　held　my　arms；　and　stared　down　at　me。
　I　met　his　dark；　dark　blue　eyes。　There　had　been　a　time　not　so　long　ago　that　I　couldn't　have　met　his　gaze　without　falling　into　it　and　being　lost。　Now　I　could　meet　his　eyes；　but　in　some　ways；　I　was　just　as　lost。　I　raised　up　on　tiptoe；　putting　my　face　close　to　his。
　〃I　should　have　killed　you　a　long　time　ago。〃
　〃You　have　had　your　chances；　ma　petite。　You　keep　saving　me。〃
　〃My　mistake；〃　I　said。
　He　laughed；　and　the　sound　slid　down　my　body　like　fur　against　naked　skin。　I　shuddered　in　his　arms。
　〃Stop　that；〃　I　said。
　He　kissed　me　lightly；　a　brush　of　lips；　so　I　couldn't　feel　the　fangs。　〃You　would　miss　me　if　I　were　gone；　ma　petite。　Admit　it。〃
　I　drew　away　from　him。　His　hands　slid　down　my　arms；　over　my　hands；　until　I　drew　my　fingertips　across　his　hands。　〃I've　got　to　go。〃
　〃So　you　said。〃
　〃Just　get　out；　Jean…Claude；　no　more　games。〃
　His　face　sobered　instantly　as　if　a　hand　had　wiped　it　clean。　〃No　more　games；　ma　petite。　Go　to　your　other　lover。〃　It　was　his　turn　to　raise　a　hand　and　say；　〃I　know　you　are　not　truly　lovers。　I　know　you　are　resisting　both　of　us。　Brave；　ma　petite。〃　A　flash　of　something；　maybe　anger；　crossed　his　face　and　was　gone　like　a　ripple　lost　in　dark　water。
　〃Tomorrow　night　you　will　be　with　me　and　it　will　be　Richard's　turn　to　sit　at　home　and　wonder。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃Even　for　you　I　would　not　have　done　what　Sabin　has　done。　Even　for　your　love；　there　are　things　I　would　not　do。〃　He　stared　at　me　suddenly　fierce；　anger　flaring　through　his　eyes；　his　face。　〃But　what　I　do　is　enough。〃
　〃Don't　go　all　self…righteous　on　me；〃　I　said。　〃If　you　hadn't　interfered；　Richard　and　I　would　be　engaged；　maybe　more；　by　now。〃
　〃And　what？　You　would　be　living　behind　a　white　picket　fence　with　two　point　whatever　children。　I　think　you　lie　to　yourself　more　than　to　me；　Anita。〃
　It　was　always　a　bad　sign　when　he　used　my　real　name。　〃What's　that　supposed　to　mean？〃
　〃It　means；　ma　petite；　that　you　are　as　likely　to　thrive　in　domestic　bliss　as　I　am。〃　With　that；　he　glided　to　the　door　and　left。　He　closed　the　door　quietly　but　firmly　behind　him。
　Domestic　bliss？　Who　me？　My　life　was　a　cross　between　a　preternatural　soap　opera　and　an　action　adventure　movie。　Sort　of　As　the　Casket　Turns　meets　Rambo。　White　picket　fences　didn't　fit。　Jean…Claude　was　right　about　that。
　I　had　the　entire　weekend　off。　It　was　the　first　time　in　months。　I'd　been　looking　forward　to　this　evening　all　week。　But　truthfully；　it　wasn't　Jean…Claude's　nearly　perfect　face　that　was　haunting　me。　I　kept　flashing　on　Sabin's　face。　Eternal　life；　eternal　pain；　eternal　ugliness。　Nice　afterlife。
　
　
　2
　
　There　were　three　kinds　of　people　at　Catherine's　dinner　party：　the　living；　the　dead；　and　the　occasionally　furry。　Out　of　the　eight　of　us；　six　were　human；　and　I　wasn't　sure　about　two　of　those；　myself　included。
　I　wore　black　pants；　a　black　velvet　jacket　with　white　satin　lapels；　and　an　oversized　white　vest　that　doubled　for　a　shirt。　The　Browning　9mm　actually　matched　the　outfit；　but　I　kept　it　hidden。　This　was　the　first　party　Catherine　had　thrown　since　her　wedding。　Flashing　a　gun　might　put　a　damper　on　things。
　I'd　had　to　take　off　the　silver　cross　that　I　always　wore　and　put　it　in　my　pocket　because　there　was　a　vampire　standing　in　front　of　me　and　the　cross　had　started　glowing　when　he　entered　the　room。　If　I'd　known　there　were　going　to　be　vamps　at　the　party；　I'd　have　worn　a　collar　high　enough　to　hide　the　cross。　They　only　glow　when　they're　out　in　the　open；　generally　speaking。
　Robert；　the　vampire　in　question；　was　tall；　muscular；　and　handsome　in　a　model…perfect　sort　of　way。　He　had　been　a　stripper　at　Guilty　Pleasures。　Now　he　managed　the　club。　From　worker　to　management：　the　American　dream。　His　hair　was　blond；　curly；　and　cut　quite　short。　He　was　wearing　a　brown　silk　shirt　that　fit　him　perfectly　and　matched　the　dress　that　his　date　was　wearing。
　Monica　Vespucci's　health　club　tan　had　faded　around　the　edges；　but　her　makeup　was　still　perfect；　her　short　auburn　hair　styled　into　place。　She　was　pregnant　enough　for　me　to　have　noticed　and　happy　enough　about　it　to　be　irritating。
　She　smiled　brilliantly　at　me。　〃Anita；　it　has　been　too　long。〃
　What　I　wanted　to　say　was；　〃Not　long　enough。〃　The　last　time　I'd　seen　her；　she　had　betrayed　me　to　the　local　master　vampire。　But　Catherine　thought　she　was　her　friend；　and　it　was　hard　to　disillusion　her　without　telling　the　whole　story。　The　whole　story　included　some　unsanctioned　killing；　some　of　it　done　by　me。　Catherine's　a　lawyer　and　a　stickler　for　law　and　order。　I　didn't　want　to　put　her　in　a　position　where　she　had　to　promise　her　morals　to　save　my　ass。　So　Monica　was　her　friend；　which　meant　I　had　been　polite　all　through　dinner；　from　appetizer　all　the　way　to　dessert。　I'd　been　polite　mainly　because　Monica　had　been　at　the　other　end　of　the　table。　Now；　unfortunately；　we　were　mingling　in　the　living　room　and　I　couldn't　seem　to　shake　her。
　〃It　doesn't　seem　that　long；〃　I　said。
　〃It's　been　almost　a　year。〃　She　smiled　up　at　Robert。　They　were　holding　hands。　〃We　got　married。〃　She　touched　her　glass　to　the　top　of　her　belly。　〃We　got　knocked　up。〃　She　giggled。
　I　stared　at　them　both。　〃You　can't　get　knocked　up　by　a　hundred…year…old　corpse。〃　Okay；　I'd　been　polite　long　enough。
　Monica　grinned　at　me。　〃You　can　if　the　body　temperature　is　raised　for　long　enough　and　you　have　sex　often　enough。　My　obstetrician　thinks　the　hot　tub　did　us　in。〃
　This　was　more　than　I　wanted　to　know。　〃Have　you　had　the　amnio　yet？〃
　The　smile　faded　from　her　face；　leaving　her　eyes　haunted。　I　was　sorry　I'd　asked。　〃We've　got　another　week　to　wait。〃
　〃I'm　sorry；　Monica；　Robert。　I　hope　the　test　es　back　clean。〃　I　did　not　mention　Vlad　syndrome；　but　the　words　hung　on　the　air。　It　was　rare　but　not　as　rare　as　it　used　to　be。　Three　years　of　legalized　vampirism　and　Vlad　syndrome　was　the　highest　rising　birth　defect　in　the　country。　It　could　result　in　some　really　horrible　disabilities；　not　to　mention　death　for　the　baby。　With　that　much　at　stake；　you'd　think　people　would　be　more　cautious。
　Robert　cradled　her　against　him；　and　all　the　light　had　faded　from　her　face。　She　looked　pale。　I　felt　like　a　heel。
　〃The　latest　news　was　that　a　vampire　over　a　hundred　was　sterile；〃　I　said。　〃They　should　update　their　information；　I　guess。〃　I　meant　for　it　to　be　forting；　like　they　hadn't　been　careless。
　Monica　looked　at　me；　and　there　was　no　gentleness　in　her　eyes　when　she　said；　〃Worried？〃
　I　stared　at　her　all　pale　and　pregnant　and　wanted　to　slap　her　anyway。　I　was　not　sleeping　with　Jean…Claude。　But　I　was　not　going　to　stand　there　and　justify　myself　to　Monica　Vespucci…or　anyone　else；　for　that　matter。
　Richard　Zeeman　entered　the　room。　I　didn't　actually　see　him　enter。　I　felt　it。　I　turned　and　watched　him　walk　towards　us。　He　was　six　foot　one；　nearly　a　foot　taller　than　me。　Another　inch　and　we　couldn't　have　kissed　without　a　chair。　But　it　would　have　been　worth　the　effort。　He　wove　between　the　other　guests；　saying　a　word　here　and　there。　His　smile　flashed　white　and　perfect　in　his　permanently　tanned　skin　as　he　talked　to　these　new　friends　that　he'd　managed　to　charm　at　dinner。　Not　with　sex　appeal　or　power　but　with　sheer　good　will。　He　was　the　world's　biggest　boy　scout；　the　original　hail　fellow；　well　met。　He　liked　people　and　was　a　wonderful　listener；　two　qualities　that　are　highly　underrated。
　His　suit　was　dark　brown；　his　shirt　a　deep　orangey　gold。　The　tie　was　a　brighter　orange　with　a　line　of　small　figures　down　the　middle　of　it。　You　had　to　be　standing　right　next　to　him　to　realize　the　figures　were　Warner　Brothers　cartoons。
　He'd　tied　his　shoulder…length　hair　back　from　his　face　in　a　version　of　a　french　braid；　so　the　illusion　was　that　his　brown　hair　was　very　short。　It　left　his　face　clean　and　very　visible。　His　cheekbones　were　perfect；　sculpted　high　and　graceful。　His　face　was　masculine；　handsome；　with　a　dimple　to　soften　it。　It　was　the　kind　of　face　that　would　have　made　me　shy　in　high　school。
　He　noticed　me　watching　him　and　smiled。　His　brown　eyes　sparkled　with　the　smile；　filling　with　heat　that　had　nothing　to　do　with　room　temperature。　I　watched　him　walk　the　last　few　feet；　and　felt　heat　rise　up　my　neck　into　my　face。　I　wanted　to　undress　him；　to　touch　his　bare　skin；　to　see　what　was　under　that　suit。　I　wanted　that　very　badly。　I　wouldn't；　because　I　wasn't　sleeping　with　Richard；　either。　I　wasn't　sleeping　with　the　vampire　or　the　werewolf。　Richard　was　the　werewolf。　It　was　his　only　fault。　Okay；　maybe　one　other：　he'd　never　killed　anybody。　That　last　fault　might　get　him　killed　someday。
　I　slid　my　left　arm　around　his　waist；　under　the　unbuttoned　jacket。　The　solid　warmth　of　him　beat　like　a　pulse　against　my　body。　If　we　didn't　have　sex　soon；　I　was　simply　going　to　explode。　What　price　morals？
　Monica　stared　at　me　very　steadily；　studying　my　face。　〃That's　a　lovely　necklace。　Who　got　it　for　you？〃
　I　smiled　and　shook　my　head。　I　was　wearing　a　black　velvet　choker　with　a　cameo；　edged　by　silver　filigree。　Hey；　it　matched　the　outfit。　Monica　was　pretty　sure　Richard　hadn't　given　it　to　me；　which　meant；　to　Monica；　that　Jean…Claude　had。　Good　old　Monica。　She　never　changed。
　〃I　bought　it　to　match　the　outfit；〃　I　said。
　She　widened　her　eyes　in　s