lhamilton.thekillingdance-第70部分

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　Sabin　sat　in　Marcus's　stone　chair；　dressed　as　I'd　seen　him　last；　hood　up；　hiding　in　the　shadows。　Cassandra　was　a　shining　whiteness　on　the　other　side　of　the　circle　of　power；　forming　the　last　point　of　a　triangle　with　her　two　men。　My　two　men　lay　bound　on　the　ground。
　I　pointed　the　Browning　at　Dominic　and　fired。　The　bullet　left　the　gun。　I　heard　it；　I　saw　it；　but　it　didn't　go　near　Dominic。　It　didn't　seem　to　go　anywhere。　I　blew　my　breath　out　and　tried　again。
　Dominic　stared　at　me。　His　dark…bearded　face　was　calm；　totally　unafraid。　〃You　are　of　the　dead；　Anita　Blake；　neither　you；　nor　anything　of　yours　may　pass　this　circle。　You　have　e　only　to　watch　them　die。〃
　〃You've　lost；　Dominic；　why　kill　them　at　all；　now？〃
　〃We　will　never　find　what　we　need　again；〃　the　necromancer　said。
　Sabin　spoke；　his　voice　thick；　awkward；　as　if　talking　was　hard。　〃It　must　be　tonight。〃　He　pushed　to　his　feet　and　shoved　the　hood　back。　His　flesh　was　almost　pletely　gone；　only　straggles　of　hair　and　raw；　putrefying　tissue　were　left。　Dark　liquid　oozed　from　his　mouth。　Maybe　he　didn't　have　one　more　night　of　sanity。　But　that　wasn't　my　problem。
　〃The　vampire　council　has　forbidden　any　of　you　to　fight　each　other　until　Brewster's　Law　is　either　passed　or　voted　down。　They'll　kill　you　for　disobeying　them。〃　I　was　half　guessing　on　this；　but　I'd　been　around　enough　masters　of　the　city　to　know　how　very　seriously　they　took　disobedience。　The　council　was；　in　fact；　the　biggest；　baddest；　master　of　the　city　around。　They　would　be　less　forgiving；　not　more。
　〃I　will　take　that　chance；〃　Sabin　said；　every　word　careful；　showing　the　effort　it　took　to　speak。
　〃Did　Cassandra　tell　you　about　my　offer？　If　we　can't　cure　you　tomorrow；　I'll　let　Jean…Claude　mark　me。　Tonight　you　only　have　part　of　what　you　need　for　the　spell。　You　need　me；　Sabin；　one　way　or　another；　you　need　me。〃　I　didn't　tell　them　I　was　already　marked。　They　obviously　hadn't　felt　it。　If　they　knew　I　was　already　marked；　all　I　could　offer　was　to　die　tonight　with　the　boys。
　Dominic　shook　his　head。　〃I　have　searched　Sabin's　body；　Anita。　Tomorrow　will　be　too　late。　There　will　be　nothing　to　save。〃　He　dropped　to　his　knees　beside　Richard。
　〃You　don't　know　that　for　sure；〃　I　said。
　He　laid　the　still…beating　heart　on　top　of　Richard's　bare　chest。
　〃Dominic；　please！〃
　It　was　too　late　for　lies。　〃I'm　marked；　Dominic。　We're　the　perfect　sacrifice。　Open　the　circle；　and　I'll　e　inside。〃
　He　looked　at　me。　〃If　this　is　true；　then　you　are　all　far　too　dangerous　to　trust。　The　three　of　you　together　without　the　circle　would　overwhelm　us。　You　see；　Anita；　I　have　been　part　of　a　true　triumvirate　for　centuries。　You　have　no　dreams　of　the　power　you　can　touch。　You　and　Richard　are　more　powerful　than　Cassandra　and　I。　You　would　have　been　a　force　to　be　reckoned　with。　The　council　itself　might　have　feared　you。〃　He　laughed。　〃They　may　forgive　us　for　that　alone。〃
　He　spoke　words　that　curled　power　over　me。
　I　walked　to　the　edge　of　the　circle　and　touched　it。　It　was　like　my　skin　tried　to　crawl　off　my　bones。　I　fell　forward　and　slid　down　something　that　couldn't　be　there。　Jean…Claude　shrieked。　It　hurt　too　much　for　me　to　scream。　I　lay　curled　by　the　circle；　and　even　when　I　breathed；　I　could　taste　death；　old；　rotting　death　in　my　mouth。
　Edward　knelt　by　me。　〃What　is　it？〃
　〃Without　your　other　parts；　you　do　not　have　the　power　to　force　this　circle；　Anita。〃　Dominic　got　to　his　feet；　raising　the　sword　two…handed　for　a　downward　blow。
　Dolph　had　passed　the　circle　earlier　in　the　room　where　they　had　taken　Robert's　heart。　I　grabbed　Edward's　shirt。　〃You　pass　the　circle。　Now。　And　kill　that　son　of　a　bitch。〃
　〃If　you　can't；　how　can　I？〃
　〃You're　not　magic；　that's　how。〃
　It　was　one　of　those　rare　moments　when　you　understand　how　great　trust　can　be。　Edward　knew　nothing　about　the　ceremony；　yet　he　didn't　argue。　He　accepted　what　I　said；　and　simply　did　it。　I　wasn't　a　hundred　percent　sure　it　would　work；　myself；　but　it　had　to。
　Dominic　brought　the　sword　down。　I　screamed。　Edward　crossed　the　circle　like　it　wasn't　there。　The　sword　bit　into　Richard's　chest；　pinning　the　beating　heart　to　his　body。　The　pain　of　the　blade　drove　me　to　my　knees。　I　felt　it　enter　Richard's　body。　Then　I　felt　nothing；　like　a　switch　had　been　turned　off。　Edward's　shotgun　blast　took　Dominic　in　the　chest。
　Dominic　didn't　fall。　He　stared　at　the　hole　in　his　chest　and　then　at　Edward。　He　pulled　the　sword　out　of　Richard's　chest　and　slid　the　still…beating　heart　off　it。　He　faced　Edward　with　the　sword　in　one　hand　and　the　heart　in　the　other。　Edward　fired　again；　and　Cassandra　leapt　on　his　back。
　Harley　crossed　the　circle　then。　He　grabbed　Cassandra　around　the　waist　and　pulled　her　off　of　Edward。　They　fell；　rolling　to　the　ground。　A　gun　sounded；　and　Cassandra's　body　jerked；　but　her　dainty　fist　came　up　and　smashed　downward。
　Edward　fired　the　shotgun　until　Dominic's　face　vanished　in　a　spray　of　blood　and　bones；　and　he　fell　slowly　to　his　knees。　His　outstretched　hand　spilled　the　heart　onto　the　ground　beside　Richard's　terribly　still　body。
　Sabin　levitated　upward。　〃I　will　have　your　soul　for　that；　mortal。〃
　I　ran　my　fingers　over　the　circle　and　it　was　still　there。　Edward　started　to　turn　the　shotgun　towards　the　vampire。　The　naked　heart　pulsed　and　shimmered　in　the　cross's　glare。
　〃The　heart；　shoot　the　heart！〃
　Edward　didn't　hesitate。　He　turned　and　shot　the　heart；　exploding　it　into　so　much　meat。　Sabin　hit　him　a　second　later　and　he　went　flying。　He　ended　up　very　still　on　the　ground　with　Sabin　on　top　of　him。
　I　pushed　my　hand　forward。　It　met　empty　air。　I　fired　two…handed　at　Sabin　as　I　walked　towards　him。　I　put　three　shots　into　his　chest；　forcing　him　to　his　feet；　back　from　Edward。
　Sabin　raised　a　hand　in　front　of　his　skeletal　face；　almost　a　pleading　gesture。　I　stared　down　the　barrel　of　the　gun　into　his　one　good　eye　and　pulled　the　trigger。　The　bullet　took　him　just　above　the　crumbling　remains　of　his　nose。　It　made　a　nice　big　exit　wound　like　it　was　supposed　to；　spattering　blood　and　brains　on　the　grass。　Sabin　collapsed　backwards　onto　the　grass。　I　fired　two　more　shots　into　his　skull　until　it　looked　like　I'd　decapitated　him。
　〃Edward？〃　It　was　Harley。　He　was　standing　over　Cassandra's　very　still；　very　dead　body。　His　eyes　searched　wildly　for　the　one　person　he　recognized。
　〃Harley；　it's　me；　it's　Anita。〃
　He　shook　his　head；　as　if　I　was　a　buzzing　fly。　〃Edward；　I　still　see　monsters。　Edward！〃　He　raised　the　machine　gun　at　me；　and　I　knew　I　couldn't　let　him　fire。　No；　it　was　more　than　that；　or　less。　I　raised　the　Browning　and　fired　before　I'd　had　time　to　think。　The　first　shot　sent　him　to　his　knees。　〃Edward！〃　He　squeezed　off　a　round　of　fire　that　went　inches　above　the　men's　heads。　I　fired　another　into　his　chest；　and　put　one　through　his　head　before　he　fell。
　I　approached　him；　gun　at　the　ready。　If　he'd　twitched；　I'd　have　shot　him　again。　He　didn't　twitch。　I　knew　nothing　about　Harley　except　he　was　genuinely　crazy　and　very　good　with　weapons。　Now　I'd　never　know　because　Edward　didn't　volunteer　information。　I　kicked　the　machine　gun　out　of　Harley's　dead　hand　and　went　for　the　others。
　Edward　was　sitting　up；　rubbing　the　back　of　his　head。　He　watched　me　walk　away　from　Harley's　body。　〃Did　you　do　it？〃
　I　faced　him。　〃Yes。〃
　〃I've　killed　people　for　less。〃
　〃So　have　I；〃　I　said；　〃but　if　we're　going　to　fight；　can　we　unchain　the　boys　first？　I　don't　feel　Richard　anymore。〃　I　couldn't　say　the　word　dead　out　loud；　not　yet。
　Edward　got　to　his　feet；　a　little　shaky；　but　standing。　〃We'll　fight　later。〃
　〃Later；〃　I　said。
　Edward　went　to　sit　by　his　friend。　I　went　to　sit　by　my　lover　and　my　other　boyfriend。
　I　holstered　the　Browning；　slipped　the　cross　off　Jean…Claude's　neck；　and　threw　it　spinning　into　the　woods。　The　darkness　was　suddenly　velvet　and　intense。　I　bent　to　undo　his　chains　and　one　of　the　links　went　spinning　by　my　head。
　〃Shit；〃　I　said。
　Jean…Claude　sat　up；　sweeping　the　chains　down　his　body　like　a　sheet。　He　slipped　off　the　blindfold　last。　I　was　already　crawling　to　Richard。　I'd　seen　the　sword　pierce　his　heart。　He　had　to　be　dead；　but　I　searched　for　the　big　pulse　in　his　neck；　and　I　found　it。　It　beat　against　my　hand　like　a　weak　thought；　and　I　slumped　forward　with　relief。　He　was　alive。　Thank　you；　God。
　Jean…Claude　knelt　on　the　other　side　of　Richard's　body。　〃I　thought　you　could　not　bear　his　touch；　that　is　what　he　told　me　before　they　gagged　him。　They　were　afraid　he　would　call　his　pack　to　aid　him。　I　have　already　called　Jason　and　my　vampires。　They　will　be　here　soon。〃
　〃Why　can't　I　feel　him　in　my　head？〃
　〃I　am　blocking　it。　It　is　a　fearful　wound；　and　I　am　better　practiced　at　dealing　with　such　things。〃
　I　pulled　the　gag　from　Richard's　mouth。　I　touched　his　lips　gently。　The　thought　of　how　I'd　refused　to　kiss　him　earlier　that　day　bit　at　me。　〃He's　dying；　isn't　he？〃
　Jean…Claude　broke　Richard's　chains；　more　carefully　than　his　own。　I　helped　him　clear　them　from　Richard's　limp　body。　Richard　lay　on　the　ground　in　the　bloodstained　white　T…shirt　I'd　last　seen　him　in。　He　was　just　suddenly　Richard　again。　I　couldn't　imagine　the　beast　I'd　seen。　I　suddenly　didn't　care。　〃I　can't　lose　him；　not　like　this。〃
　〃Richard　is　dying；　ma　petite。　I　feel　his　life　slipping　away。〃
　I　stared　up　at　him。　〃You're　still　keeping　me　from　feeling　it；　aren't　you？〃
　〃I　am　protecting　you。〃　There　was　a　look　on　his　face　that　I　didn't　like。
　I　touched　his　arm。　His　skin　was　cool　to　the　touch。　〃Why？〃
　He　turned　away。
　I　jerked　him　hard；　forced　him　to　look　at　me。　〃Why？〃
　〃Even　with　only　two　marks；　Richard　can　try　and　drain　us　both　to　stay　alive。　I　am　preventing　that。〃
　〃You're　protecting　us　both？〃　I　asked。
　〃When　he　dies；　I　can　protect　one　of　us；　ma　petite；　but　not　both。〃
　I　stared　at　him。　〃You're　saying　that　when　he　dies；　you're　both　going　to　die？〃
　〃I　fear　so。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃No。　Not　both　of　you。　Not　all　at　once。　Dammit；　you're　not　supposed　to　be　able　to　die。〃
　〃I　am　sorry；　ma　petite。〃
　〃No；　we　can　share　power　just　like　we　did　to　raise　the　zombies；　the　vampires；　like　we　did　tonight。〃
　Jean…Claude　slumped　suddenly　downward；　one　hand　on　Richard's　body。　〃I　will　not　drag　you　to　the　grave　with　me；　ma　petite。　I　would　rather　think　of　you　alive　and　well。〃
　I　dug　my　fingers　into　Jean…Claude's　arm。　I　touched　Richard's　chest。　A　shuddering　breath　ran　up　my　arm　from　him。　〃I'll　be　alive；　bu