cp.reddice-第5部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　〃I　was　planning　to　do　so　after　I　reached　the　Cajon　Pass。〃　The　pass　cuts　into　the　desert；　also　a　nice　place　to　hide。　Highway　IS　runs　through　the　pass；　and　if　followed　far　enough；　leads　to　Las　Vegas。
　　〃You　might　not　want　to　wait　that　long；〃　Joel　advises。
　　〃I　understand。〃　Yet　the　temptation　to　put　more　distance　between　us　and　our　pursuers　is　great。　It　gives　me　the　illusion　of　safety；　a　dangerous　illusion。　But　the　farther　we　go；　the　more　the　desert　beckons　me。　Being　winter；　the　mountains　are　covered　with　snow；　and　even　though　I　am　highly　resistant　to　cold；　I　don't　like　it。　At　our　present　speed　Cajon　Pass　is　not　far　ahead。　Once　over　it；　we　will　be　clear　of　the　city；　able　to　roam　free。
　　I　ask　the　question　I　have　been　waiting　to　ask。
　　〃Are　you　thirsty？〃
　　He　is　guarded。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　　I　glance　over。　〃How　do　you　feel？〃
　　He　takes　a　deep　breath。　〃Feverish。　Cramping。〃
　　I　nod。　〃You　need　blood。〃
　　He　takes　time　to　absorb　my　words。　〃Do　you　really　drink　people's　blood？　Like　in　the　stories？〃
　　〃The　stories　have　germs　of　truth　in　them；　but　can't　be　taken　literally。　As　a　vampire；　you　do　need　blood　to　survive。　Yet　you　do　not　need　to　kill　the　person　you　drink　from；　and　your　contact　with　them　will　not　change　them　into　vampires。　You　can　also　live　off　the　blood　of　animals；　although　you　will　find　it　unsatisfying。〃
　　〃Do　I　need　blood　every　day？〃
　　〃No。　Every　few　days。　But　at　first；　you　will　crave　it　every　day。〃
　　〃What　happens　if　I　don't　drink　it？〃
　　〃You　will　die　horribly；〃　I　say。
　　〃Oh。　Do　I　still　need　to　eat　regular　food？〃
　　〃Yes。　You　will　get　hungry　as　before。　But　if　need　be；　you　will　be　able　to　survive　for　a　long　time　without　food。　You　will　also　be　able　to　hold　your　breath　for　incredible　lengths　of　time。〃
　　〃But　what　about　the　sun？　You　sat　out　in　the　sun　with　me。〃
　　〃Yes。　But　that　is　not　something　you　want　to　try　yet。　The　sun　won't　kill　you；　but　it　will　irritate　you；　at　least　for　the　first　few　centuries。　Even　now；　after　five　thousand　years；　I'm　not　nearly　so　strong　while　the　sun　is　up。　But　forget　everything　else　you've　heard　about　vampires。　Crucifixes　and　white　roses　and　running　water…none　of　those　will　bother　you。　Bram　Stoker　was　just　spicing　up　his　novel　when　he　wrote　that　stuff。〃　I　pause。　〃Did　you　know　I　met　him　once？〃
　　〃Did　you　tell　him　you　were　a　vampire？〃
　　〃No；　but　he　knew　there　was　something　special　about　me。　He　autographed　my　copy　of　Dracula　and　tried　to　get　my　address。　But　I　didn't　give　it　to　him。〃　I　raise　my　wrist　to　my　mouth。　〃I　am　going　to　open　my　vein。　I　want　you　to　suck　my　blood　for　a　few　minutes。〃
　　He　fidgets。　〃Sounds　kinky。〃
　　〃You'll　enjoy　it。　I　taste　wonderful。〃
　　A　moment　later　Joel　reluctantly　accepts　my　bleeding　wrist；　but　he　is　no　Ray。　He　has　seen　plenty　of　blood　in　his　line　of　work　and　it　doesn't　make　him　sick　to　his　stomach。　Indeed；　after　a　couple　of　minutes　he　is　sucking　hungrily　on　my　wrist。　I　have　to　stop　him　before　he　is　sated。　I　cannot　allow　my　strength　to　wane。
　　〃How　do　you　feel？〃　I　ask　as　I　take　back　my　arm。
　　〃Powerful。　Aroused。〃
　　I　have　to　laugh。　〃Not　every　girl　you　meet　will　be　able　to　do　that　for　you。〃
　　〃Can　we　be　killed　with　a　stake　through　the　heart？〃
　　The　laughter　dies　in　my　throat。　His　question　brings　back　the　agony　of　the　wound　I　suffered　when　my　house　exploded　and　Yaksha　supposedly　died。　The　chest　pain　is　still　there…yet；　since　drinking　Yaksha's　blood；　it　has　receded。　I　wonder　what　Yaksha　would　think　of　me　now　that　I　have　broken　Krishna's　vow　against　creating　more　vampires。　After　I　have　killed　so　many　innocent　people。　No　doubt　he　would　say　I　am　damned。
　　I　miss　Yaksha。　And　Ray。　And　Krishna。
　　〃You　can　be　killed　that　way；〃　I　say　quietly。
　　Ten　minutes　later　we　reach　the　gap　in　the　mountains　and　I　veer　north；　climbing　in　altitude。　The　pass　is　almost　a　mile　above　sea　level。　The　police　helicopters　are　now　thirty　miles　behind　us；　blinking　red　and　white　dots　in　the　night　sky。　We　have　at　most　four　hours　of　night　left。　Before　then；　I　must　find　shelter　for　Joel　and　a　place　to　sit　quietly　and　plot　my　next　moves。　Scanning　left　and　right；　I　consider　dumping　the　helicopter。　The　cliffs　of　the　pass　offer　more　hiding　places　than　the　desert　will。　Yet　I　don't　want　to　set　down　so　soon。　Another　idea　has　e　to　me；　one　that　may　throw　our　pursuers　off。
　　What　if　I　were　to　crash　the　helicopter　into　a　lake？
　　It　would　sink　and　hopefully　leave　no　sign　behind。
　　The　plan　is　a　good　one。　Fuel　dictates　I　choose　the　closest　lake；　Big　Bear　or　Arrowhead。　But　once　again　I　resist　heading　into　the　snowy　mountains。　As　a　newborn；　Joel　will　not　fare　well　there。　I　remember　how　sensitive　I　was　to　the　cold　after　Yaksha　changed　me。　Vampires；　serpents；　the　offspring　of　yakshinis…we　prefer　warmth。
　　I　need　a　sand　dune　oasis　with　a　lake　in　the　center　of　it。
　　We　plunge　over　the　pass　and　into　the　desert。
　　The　bleak　landscape　sweeps　beneath　us。
　　Time　passes。　I　cannot　see　anyone　following。
　　〃We　can't　stay　up　here　forever；〃　Joel　says　finally。
　　〃I　know。〃
　　〃What　are　you　waiting　for？〃
　　〃Lake　Mead。〃　Hoover　Dam…it　is　only　twenty　minutes　away；　I　estimate。
　　But　I　have　waited　too　long。
　　Five　minutes　later　I　catch　sight　of　two　military　helicopters；　ing　at　us　from　the　west；　not　the　south。　Because　my　eyes　are　so　sharp；　I　see　them　far　off…sixty　miles　away。　I　feel　it　is　still　possible　to　reach　the　lake。　Yet　I　know　they　have　spotted　us；　that　they　are　tracking　us　on　their　radar。　When　I　alter　course　slightly；　they　do　likewise。　Joel　sees　my　concern　but　doesn't　understand　it　at　first。　Even　changed；　his　sight　is　no　match　for　mine。
　　〃What　is　it？〃　he　asks。
　　〃We　have　pany；〃　I　say。
　　He　looks　around。　〃Can　we　reach　the　lake？〃
　　〃Possibly。〃　I　ask　in　jest；　〃Can　we　fight　two　Apache　helicopters？〃
　　〃No　way。〃
　　I　guess　at　the　type　of　craft　that　pursues　us；　but　a　few　minutes　later　I　see　that　I　was　right。　My　knowledge　of　the　Apache　isn't　extensive；　but　I　have　read　enough　to　know　that　we　are　facing　the　most　lethal　attack　helicopter　on　earth。　The　two　choppers　move　close　to　each　other；　on　a　direct　intercept　course　with　us。　Black　as　the　desert　sky；　with　wide　hypnotic　propellers…they　are　clearly　faster　than　we　are。　Their　machine…gun　turret　and　rocket　launchers　hang　from　the　sides　like　dangerous　fists。　They　sweep　toward　us　for　a　knockout　punch。　Joel　sees　them。
　　〃Maybe　we　should　surrender；〃　he　suggests。
　　〃I　never　surrender。〃
　　They　catch　us　three　miles　short　of　the　lake。　The　　wide　flat　expanse　of　water　is　clearly　visible；　but　it　could　be　on　the　other　side　of　the　moon　for　all　the　good　it　can　do　us　now。　That's　what　I　think　at　first。　Yet　the　Apaches　do　not　immediately　lock　on　their　weapons。　They　swoop　above　and　below　us；　dangerously　close；　ordering　us　to　land。
　　〃Somebody　has　told　them　to　take　us　alive；〃　Joel　observes。
　　〃Who？〃
　　Joel　shrugs。　〃The　order　could　have　e　from　the　President　of　the　United　States。　But　I　suspect　the　mander　of　the　base　where　these　helicopters　originated　has　given　the　order。〃
　　〃We　only　need　to　get　to　the　water；〃　I　say。　〃They　couldn't　imagine　that　we'd　try　to　vanish　underwater。〃
　　〃I　can't　imagine　it。　Can　we　really　hold　our　breath　a　long　time？〃
　　〃I　can　go　an　hour。〃
　　〃But　what　about　me？〃
　　I　pat　his　leg。　〃Have　faith。　We　should　have　died　a　dozen　times　tonight　and　we're　still　alive。　Maybe　Krishna　hasn't　deserted　us　after　all。〃
　　〃If　they　open　fire　in　the　next　minute　we　might　have　a　chance　to　ask　him　directly；〃　Joel　says　dryly。
　　The　Apaches　buzz　us　a　couple　of　times　more；　then　grow　tired　of　the　cat…and…mouse　game。　They　lay　down　a　stream　of　bullets　across　our　path　and　I　have　to　slow　sharply　to　avoid　being　torn　to　shreds。　Still；　they　could　blow　us　out　of　the　sky　whenever　they　wish。　Yet　they　hold　back；　although　they　don't　want　me　flying　above　the　lake。　They　try　blocking　our　path　and　I　have　to　go　into　a　steep　dive　to　stay　on　course。　We　e　within　several　feet　of　the　ground　and　Joel　almost　has　a　heart　attack。
　　〃You　are　one　mean　pilot；〃　he　says　when　he　catches　his　breath。
　　〃I'm　pretty　good　in　bed　as　well；〃　I　reply。
　　〃Of　that　I　have　no　doubt。〃
　　These　military　men　are　not　like　the　LAPD。　They　expect　their　orders　to　be　obeyed。　They　may　have　instructions　to　take　us　alive；　but　they　also　have　orders　to　prevent　us　from　escaping。　A　quarter　mile　from　the　water；　they　open　fire　with　surgical　precision　and　suddenly　our　rotor　blades　are　not　a　hundred　percent　intact。　Our　copter　falters　in　the　air；　but　stays　up。　The　noise　above　us　is　deafening。　Yet　I　continue　on　toward　the　lake。　I　have　no　choice。
　　〃Get　ready　to　jump；〃　I　tell　Joel。
　　〃I'm　not　leaving　till　you　leave。〃
　　〃Nice　line。　But　you　have　to　jump　as　soon　as　we　cross　over　the　water。　Swim　for　the　far　shore；　not　the　near　one。　Stay　under　water　as　long　as　possible。〃
　　Joel　hesitates。　〃I　don't　know　how　to　swim。〃
　　〃What？〃
　　〃I　said　I　don't　know　how　to　swim。〃
　　I　can't　believe　it。　〃Why　didn't　you　tell　me　that　earlier？〃
　　〃I　didn't　know　what　you　had　planned。　You　didn't　tell　me。〃
　　〃Joel！〃
　　〃Sita！〃
　　I　pound　the　chopper　dashboard。　〃Damn！　Damn！　Well；　you're　just　going　to　have　to　learn　how　to　swim。　You're　a　vampire。　All　vampires　can　swim。〃
　　〃Says　who？〃
　　〃Says　me；　and　I'm　the　only　authority　on　the　subject　Now　stop　arguing　with　me　and　prepare　to　jump。〃
　　〃You　jump　with　me。〃
　　〃No。　I　have　to　wait　until　they　fire　their　lethal　blow…that　way　they'll　think　I'm　dead。〃
　　〃That's　crazy。　You　will　be　dead。〃
　　〃Shut　up　and　crack　your　door　slightly。　When　you　reach　the　far　shore；　run　into　the　hills　and　hide。　I'll　find　you。　I　can　hear　a　vampire　breathing　ten　miles　away。〃
　　The　Apaches　are　still　determined　to　prevent　us　from　reaching　the　water。　One　swoops　overhead　and　literally　drops　itself　directly　into　our　path。　I　have　to　go　into　another　steep　dive　to　avoid　it；　which　is　easy　to　do　because　the　craft　is　ready　to　crash　anyway。　The　water　is　now　only　a　hundred　yards　away。　The　Apache　behind　us　opens　fire。　They　mimic　my　earlier　strategy。　They　blow　off　our　tail　rotor。　I　immediately　lose　control　We　spin　madly　to　the　left。　Yet　the　water　is　suddenly　below　us。
　　〃Jump！〃　I　scream　at　Joel。
　　He　casts　me　one　last　glance…his　expression　curiously　sad。
　　Then　he　is　gone。
　　Pulling　back　hard　on　the