cp.reddice-第10部分

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d　arms。　Once　more；　every　square　inch　of　my　exposed　skin　is　faintly　shining　with　the　whiteness　of　the　moon…not　good　here　at　a　top…secret　camp。　It　makes　me　that　much　more　visible。　I　hurry　to　my　Jeep；　climb　inside；　and　drive　away。
　　But　long　before　I　reach　Las　Vegas；　I　pull　over；　far　off　the　road。
　　A　bizarre　idea　has　occurred　to　me。
　　The　problem　is　not　radiation。　It　is　not　man…made。
　　Climbing　out　of　the　Jeep；　I　remove　all　my　clothing　and　stand　naked　with　my　arms　outstretched　to　the　moon；　as　if　I　were　worshipping　the　astronomical　satellite；　bowing　to　it；　drinking　up　her　rays。　Slowly　the　skin　on　my　chest　and　thighs　begins　to　take　on　the　milky　radiance。　And　it　seems　the　more　I　invite　the　moonlight　onto　my　skin；　into　my　heart；　the　brighter　it　bees。　Because　if　I　will　it　to　stop；　my　skin　returns　to　normal。
　　〃What　does　it　mean；　Yaksha？〃　I　whisper　to　my　dead　creator。
　　My　right　arm；　as　the　moonlight　floods　in；　shines　particularly　bright。　Holding　it　close　to　my　eyes；　/　can　see　through　it！　1　can　actually　see　the　ground　through　my　flesh！
　　I　put　my　clothes　back　on。
　　I　can't　look　like　a　Christmas　light　when　I　try　to　seduce　Andrew　Kane。
　　　
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　　I　am　Lara　Adams　as　I　enter　the　casino　later　that　night　and　stand　beside　Andrew　Kane　at　the　dice　table。　I'm　still　a　redhead；　with　a　soft　southern　accent　and　a　prim　and　proper　smile。　The　name　is　not　new　to　me。　I　used　it　to　enroll　at　Mayfair　High　in　Oregon；　where　I　met　Ray　and　Seymour。　It's　hard　to　believe　that　was　less　than　two　months　ago。　How　life　can　change　when　you're　a　vampire　on　the　run。
　　Andy　glances　over　at　me　and　smiles。　He　has　the　dice　in　his　hands。　He　has　been　in　the　casino　five　minutes　but　already　he's　had　a　couple　of　drinks。
　　〃Do　you　want　to　place　a　bet？〃　he　asks。
　　I　smile。　〃Do　you　feel　hot？〃
　　He　shakes　the　dice　in　his　palm。　〃I　am　hot。〃
　　I　remove　a　stack　of　black　hundred…dollar　chips　from　my　bag　and　place　one　on　the　pass　line；　his　favorite　bet…seven　or　eleven。　Andy　rolls　the　dice。　They　dance　over　the　green　felt。　ing　to　a　halt；　the　numbers　four　and　three　smile　up　at　us。
　　〃Lucky　seven；〃　the　croupier　says　and　pays　off　our　bets。　Andy　flashes　me　another　smile。
　　〃You　must　be　good　luck；〃　he　says。
　　I　double　my　bet。　〃I　have　a　feeling　this　is　my　night；〃　I　say。
　　By　the　time　the　dice　e　to　me；　Andy　and　I　have　lost　a　bined　total　of　eight　hundred　dollars。　That　is　about　to　change。　With　my　supernatural　balance　and　reflexes；　with　practice；　I　can　roll　any　number　I　desire。　I　have　been　practicing　in　my　suite　since　I　returned　from　the　pound。　Carefully　I　set　the　dice　upright　in　my　left　palm　in　the　configuration：　five　and　six。　In　a　blur；　I　toss　them　out。　They　bounce　happily；　seemingly　randomly　to　human　eyes。　But　they　e　to　a　halt　in　the　same　position　they　started　out。　Andy　and　I　each　win　a　hundred　dollars　on　the　number　eleven。　Since　I　threw　a　pass；　I　am　invited　to　throw　another…which　I　do。　The　people　at　the　table　like　me。　Most　bet　on　the　pass　line。
　　I　throw　ten　passes　in　a　row　before　I　let　the　dice　go。　We　mustn't　get　greedy。　Andy　appreciates　my　style。
　　〃What's　your　name？〃　he　asks。
　　〃Lara　Adams。　What's　yours？〃
　　〃Andrew　Kane。　Are　you　here　alone？〃
　　I　pout。　〃I　did　e　with　a　friend。　But　it　seems　I'll　be　going　home　alone。〃
　　Andy　chuckles。　〃Not　necessarily。　The　night's　still　young。〃
　　〃It's　five　in　the　morning；〃　I　remind　him。
　　He　nods　at　the　glass　of　water　I　sip。　〃Can　I　get　you　something　stronger？〃
　　I　lean　against　the　table。　〃I　think　I　need　something　stronger。〃
　　We　continue　to　play　craps；　winning　better　than　honest　wages　when　I　am　throwing　the　dice。　The　people　at　the　table　don't　want　me　to　surrender　the　designated　high　roller　position；　but　I　am　careful　not　to　appear　superhuman；　just　damn　lucky。　Andy　bets　heavily　and　wins　back　all　the　money　he　lost　the　night　before；　and　then　some。　We　both　drink　too　much。　I　have　four　margaritas；　Andy　five　Scotches　and　water；　on　top　of　what　he　had　drunk　before　I　entered。　The　alcohol　has　no　effect　on　me。　My　liver　neutralizes　it　almost　the　instant　it　enters　my　system。　I　can　take　in　all　kinds　of　poisons　and　remain　undisturbed。　Andy；　however；　is　now　drunk；　just　the　way　the　casinos　like　people。　He　is　betting　five　hundred　dollars　a　roll　when　I　pull　him　away　from　the　table。
　　〃What's　the　matter？〃　he　protests。　〃We're　winning。〃
　　〃You　can　be　winning　and　courting　disaster　at　the　same　time。　e　on；　let's　have　some　coffee。　I'm　buying。〃
　　He　stumbles　as　he　walks　beside　me。　〃I've　been　at　work　all　night。　I'd　like　a　steak。〃
　　〃〃You　shall　have　whatever　you　want。〃
　　The　Mirage　coffee　shop　is　open　twenty…four　hours　a　day。　The　menu　is　flexible…Andy　is　able　to　get　his　steak。　He　orders　it　medium　rare　with　a　baked　potato。　He　wants　a　beer；　but　I　insist　he　have　a　glass　of　milk。　〃You're　going　to　destroy　your　stomach；〃　I　say　as　we　wait　for　our　food。　I　do　have　favorite　foods；　besides　blood。　I　have　ordered　roast　chicken　with　rice　and　vegetable。　Surprisingly；　for　a　vampire；　I　eat　plenty　of　vegetables。　Nothing　is　as　good　for　the　body　as　those　fresh　greens；　except；　perhaps；　those　dripping　reds。　Sitting　with　Andy；　I　bee　thirsty　for　blood　as　well。　Before　I　rest；　I　will　grab　some　male　tourist　off　the　streets；　show　him　a　good　time。　That　is；　if　I　don't　spend　the　night…the　day…sleeping　beside　Andy。　His　eyes　shine　as　he　looks　me　over。
　　〃I　can　always　have　it　removed；〃　he　replies。
　　〃Why　not　just　drink　less？〃
　　〃I'm　on　vacation。〃
　　〃Where　are　you　from？〃
　　He　chuckles。　〃Here！〃　He　is　serious　for　a　moment　〃You　know　you　are　one　beautiful　young　woman。　But　I　suppose　you　know　that。〃
　　〃It's　always　nice　to　hear；〃
　　〃Where　are　you　from？〃
　　〃The　South…Florida。　I　came　with　a　boyfriend　for　a　few　days；　but　he　got　angry　with　me。〃
　　〃Why？〃
　　〃I　told　him　I　wanted　to　break　up。〃　I　add；　〃He's　got　a　nasty　temper。〃　I　sip　my　milk；　wishing　I　could　squeeze　our　waitress's　veins　into　it；　add　a　little　flavor。　〃What　about　you？　What　do　you　do？〃
　　〃I'm　a　mad　scientist。〃
　　〃Really？　What　are　you　mad　about？〃　
　　〃You　mean；　what　kind　of　scientist　am　I？〃　
　　〃Yes。　And　do　you　work　around　here？〃　His　voice　takes　on　a　guarded　note；　even　though　he　is　still　quite　drunk。　〃I'm　a　genetic　engineer。　I　work　for　the　government。　They　have　a　lab…in　town。〃　I　mock　him　playfully。　〃Is　it　a　top…secret　lab？〃　He　sits　back　and　shrugs。　〃They　would　like　to　keep　it　that　way。　They　don't　feel　fortable　unless　we're　working　outside　the　reach　of　mainstream　scientists。〃　〃Do　I　detect　a　note　of　resentment　in　your　tone？〃　〃Not　resentment…that's　too　strong　a　word。　I　love　my　job。　It　has　provided　me　opportunities　I　couldn't　get　in　the　normal　business　world。　I　think　what　you　sense　is　frustration。　The　opportunities　presented　in　our　lab　are　not　being　fully　exploited。　We　need　people　of　many　disciplines　involved；　from　all　over　the　world。〃
　　〃You　would　like　the　lab　to　be　more　open？〃　
　　〃Precisely。　But　that　doesn't　mean　I　don't　appreciate　the　need　for　security。〃　He　pauses。　〃Especially　as　of　late。〃
　　〃Interesting　things　are　happening？〃　He　looks　away　and　chuckles；　but　there　is　a　note　of　sorrow　in　his　voice。　〃Very　interesting　things。〃　He　turns　back　to　me。　〃May　I　ask　you　a　personal　question；　Lara？〃
　　〃By　all　means。〃
　　　〃How　old　are　you？〃
　　　I　flirt　〃How　old　do　you　think　I　am？〃　
　　He　is　genuinely　puzzled。　〃I　don't　know。　When　we　were　at　the　table；　you　seemed　about　thirty。　But　now　that　we're　alone　together　you　seem　much　younger。〃
　　I　have　designed　my　makeup　and　dress　to　appear　older。　My　longish　white　dress　is　conservative；　I　have　a　strand　of　pearls　around　my　neck。　My　lipstick　is　glossy；　overdone。　I　wear　a　red　scarf　to　match　my　red　wig。
　　〃I'm　twenty…nine；〃　I　say；　which　is　the　age　on　my　new　driver's　license　and　passport。　〃I　appreciate　your　pliment；　however。　I　take　care　of　myself。〃　I　pause。　〃How　old　are　you？〃
　　He　laughs；　picking　up　his　glass　of　milk。　〃Let's　just　say　my　liver　would　be　a　lot　younger　if　this　was　all　I　drank。〃
　　〃Milk　does　a　body　good。〃　He　sets　the　glass　down　and　stares　into　it。　〃So　do　other　things。〃　
　　〃Andy？〃
　　He　shakes　his　head。　〃Just　something　that's　going　on　at　work。　I　can't　talk　about　it。　It　would　bore　you　anyway。〃　He　changes　the　subject。　〃Where　did　you　learn　to　throw　dice　like　that？〃　〃Like　what？〃
　　〃e　on。　You　always　throw　them　the　same　way；　resting　the　number　you　want　to　e　up　on　your　open　palm。　How　do　you　do　it？　I've　never　seen　anyone　who　could　control　the　bounce　of　the　dice。〃
　　I　realize　I　went　too　far。　He　is　a　smart　man；　I　remind　myself。　His　powers　of　observation　are　keen；　even　when　he　is　intoxicated。　Yet；　at　the　same　time　I　don't　mind　that　he　sees　something　special　in　me。　I　have　no　time　to　cultivate　his　interest　slowly。　I　must　have　him　under　my　thumb　by　tomorrow　night。　It　is　then　I　plan　to　rescue　Joel。
　　I　answer　his　question　carefully。　〃I　have　had　many　interesting　teachers。　Perhaps　I　could　tell　you　about　them　sometime。〃
　　〃How　about　now；　tonight？〃
　　〃Tonight？　The　sun　will　be　up　in　an　hour。〃
　　〃I　don't　have　to　be　at　work　until　it　goes　down。〃　He　reaches　across　the　table　and　takes　my　hand。　〃I　like　you；　Lara。　I　mean　that。〃　He　pauses。　〃I　feel　like　I've　met　you　before。〃
　　I　shake　my　head；　wondering　if　he　senses　the　similarities　between　Joel　and　myself。　〃We　have　never　met；〃　I　tell　him。
　　　
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　　　We　go　back　to　his　place。　He　offers　me　a　drink。　When　I　decline；　he　has　one　himself…a　Scotch　on　the　rocks。　The　food　in　his　stomach　has　sobered　him　up　somewhat；　but　he　quickly　proceeds　to　get　drunk　again。　He　has　a　real　problem；　and　now　it　is　my　problem　as　well。　Granted；　his　intoxicated　state　makes　his　tongue　loose　and　he　tells　me　far　more　about　his　work　than　he　should；　although　he　has　yet　to　mention　Joel　or　vampires。　Still；　I　will　need　him　clear　headed　to　help　me。　I　have　no　time　to　repair　his　wounded　psyche。　I　wonder　what　makes　him　drink　so　much。　He　lied　when　he　said　he　didn't　resent　his　boss。　Obviously　he　hates　the　general。　But　I　cannot　read　his　mind；　probably　because　he　keeps　it　scrambled　with　booze。　I　sense　only　deep　emotional　conflicts；　coupled　with　intellectual　excitement。　He　is　grateful　to　be　working　on　Joel；　analyzing　his　blood；　and　yet　it　bothers　him　that　he　is　directly　involved　in　the　project。　I　have　no　doubt　of　this。
　　We　sit　on　the　couch　in　the　living　room。　He　riffles　through　his　mail　and　th