cpike.thelastvampire-第14部分

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　it。　The　old　belief　is　not　true；　running　water　does　not　bind　my　steps。
　By　now　I　have　badly　wrenched　Slim's　neck。　Behind　us　I　hear　men　entering　the　forest；　six　of　them；　spreading　out；　searching　for　us。　I　can　hear　others　at　the　gas　station；　moaning　in　pain；　the　sputtering　breath　of　still　others　dying。　I　literally　pick　Slim　off　his　feet　and　carry　him　a　half　mile　upstream；　running　faster　than　a　deer　in　her　prime；　even　with　the　bullet　in　me。　Then　I　throw　Slim　down　behind　a　cluster　of　bushes。　I　straddle　his　chest。　He　looks　up　at　me　with　eyes　wide　with　fear。　I　must　be　little　more　than　a　shadow　in　his　vision。　Yet　I　can　see　him　perfectly。　I　reach　around　to　my　back　side；　digging　my　fingers　into　the　torn　tissue。　I　pull　out　the　bullet　and　toss　it　aside。　The　wound　begins　to　heal　immediately。
　〃Now　we　can　talk；〃　I　say。
　〃W…who？〃　he　stutters。　I　lean　over；　my　face　in　his。
　〃That　is　the　magic　question；〃　I　say。　〃Who　sent　you　after　me？〃
　He　is　struggling　for　breath；　although　I　am　no　longer　holding　him　by　the　throat。　〃You　are　so　strong。　How　is　it　possible？〃
　〃I　am　a　vampire。〃
　He　coughs。　〃I　don't　understand。〃
　〃I　am　five　thousand　years　old。　I　was　born　before　recorded　history　began。　I　am　the　last　of　my　kind　。。。　I　believe　I　am　the　last。　But　the　person　who　sent　you　after　me　knew　of　my　great　strength。　You　were　carefully　prepared。　That　person　must　know　that　I　am　a　vampire。　I　want　that　person。〃　I　breathe　on　his　face　and　know　he　feels　the　chill　of　the　Grim　Reaper。　〃Tell　me　who　he　is；　where　I　can　find　him。〃
　He　is　in　shock。　〃Is　this　possible？〃
　〃You　have　seen　a　demonstration　of　my　power。　Do　you　really　want　me　to　give　you　another　one？〃
　He　trembles。　〃If　I　tell　you；　will　you　let　me　live？〃
　〃Perhaps。〃
　He　swallows　thickly；　perspiring　heavily。　〃We　work　out　of　Switzerland。　I　have　only　met　my　boss　a　few　times。　His　name　is　Graham…Rick　Graham。　He　is　very　wealthy。　I　do　odd　jobs　for　him；　my　people　and　I。　Two　years　ago　he　set　us　searching　for　someone　who　fit　your　description。〃
　〃How　did　he　describe　me？〃
　〃The　way　you　look。　Other　things　as　well。　He　said　you　would　be　rich；　private；　have　no　family。　He　said　there　would　be　mysterious　deaths　connected　with　your　name。〃
　〃Did　he　know　my　name？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Has　he　had　you　look　for　anyone　else？〃
　〃No。　Only　someone　who　fit　your　description。〃　He　grimaces　in　pain。　〃Could　you　get　off　me？　I　think　you　broke　several　of　my　ribs　when　you　pulled　me　through　the　trees。〃
　〃You　were　not　concerned　about　my　fort　in　the　car。〃
　〃I　stopped　to　let　you　go　to　the　bathroom。〃
　〃That　was　your　mistake。〃　My　voice　is　cold。
　He　is　very　afraid。　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　to　me？〃
　〃What　is　Graham's　address？　Is　he　in　Switzerland？〃
　〃He　is　never　in　one　place。　He　travels　constantly。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃I　don't　know　why。　Maybe　he　looks　for　you。〃
　〃But　is　he　on　the　West　Coast　now？　In　Oregon？〃
　〃I　don't　know。〃
　He　is　telling　the　truth。　〃But　you　were　taking　me　to　him　tonight；　weren't　you？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　We　were　to　drive　you　to　San　Francisco。　I　was　to　call　from　a　certain　phone　booth。　I　can　give　you　the　number。　It　is　in　Switzerland。〃
　〃Say　it。〃　He　gives　me　the　number。　I　consider。　〃I　faxed　you　in　Switzerland　earlier　tonight。　Yet　you　were　here。　It　is　possible　Graham　is　here　as　well？〃
　〃It　is　possible。　We　have　relays。〃
　〃Do　you　have　a　business　card；　Slim？〃
　〃What？〃
　〃A　card。　Give　me　your　card。〃
　〃My　wallet　is　in　my　front　right　pocket。〃
　I　rip　away　his　pocket。　〃So　it　is。〃　I　stuff　the　wallet　in　my　back　pocket。　My　pants　are　soaked　with　blood；　some　of　my　own；　some　of　the　woman's。　In　the　distance　I　hear　two　of　the　men　ing　my　way。　Farther　off　I　hear　a　police　siren；　heading　south　on　Coast　Highway。　The　men　hear　it　as　well。　I　can　practically　read　their　thoughts；　they　are　so　obvious。　This　woman　is　a　monster。　If　she　has　Slim；　Slim　is　dead。　She　will　probably　kill　us　if　we　do　catch　up　with　her。　The　police　are　ing。　We'd　better　get　the　hell　out　of　here　and　chalk　it　up　to　a　bad　night。
　The　men　reverse　their　direction；　back　toward　the　gas　station。　I　lovingly　stroke　the　sides　of　Slim's　face。　Of　course　there　is　no　possibility　I　will　let　him　live。
　〃Why　do　you　work　for　Graham？〃　I　ask。
　〃The　money。〃
　〃I　see。　Tell　me　what　Graham　looks　like？〃
　〃He　is　tall；　six　three　maybe。　His　hair　is　dark。　He　wears　it　long。〃
　Now　I　am　the　one　who　trembles。　〃What　color　are　his　eyes？〃
　〃Blue。〃
　〃Pale　blue？〃
　〃Yes。　They　are　frightening。〃
　My　voice　whispers。　〃Like　mine？〃
　〃Yes。　God；　please　don't　kill　me。　I　can　help　you；　miss。　I　really　can。〃
　Yaksha。
　It　is　not　possible；　I　think；　after　all　this　time。　The　stories；　why　did　I　listen　to　them？　Just　because　they　said　he　was　dead？　He　probably　invented　them。　But　why　does　he　e　for　me　now？　Or　is　that　the　most　foolish　question　of　all？　These　people　had　orders　to　shoot　if　I　so　much　as　burped。　He　must　want　me　dead。
　He　must　be　afraid　of　what　Krishna　told　him。
　〃You　have　helped　me　enough；〃　I　tell　Slim。
　He　pants。　〃What　are　you　going　to　do？　Don't　do　it！〃
　My　fingers　reach　down　to　his　throat；　my　long　nails　caressing　the　big　veins　beneath　his　flesh。　〃I　told　you　what　I　am。　And　I'm　hungry。　Why　shouldn't　I　suck　you　dry？　You　are　no　saint。　You　kill　without　conscience。　At　least　when　someone　dies　in　my　arms；　I　think　kind　thoughts　about　him。〃
　He　cries。　〃Please！　I　don't　want　to　die。〃
　I　lean　over。　My　hair　smothers　him。
　〃Then　you　should　never　have　been　born；〃　I　say。
　I　open　him　up。　I　open　my　mouth。
　I　take　my　pleasure　slowly。
　
　
　7
　
　
　The　body　I　bury　beneath　the　stream。　It　is　a　favorite　place　of　mine。　Police　seldom　look　under　running　water。　I　hear　them　in　the　distance；　the　law；　at　the　gas　station；　maybe　two　black　and　whites。　They　have　a　shoot…out　with　the　boys　in　the　limos。　The　boys　win。　I　hear　them　tear　away　at　high　speed。　They　are　clever。　I　believe　they　will　get　away。
　Yet　if　I　want　them；　I　will　have　them　later。
　More　police　can　be　heard　approaching。　I　decide　to　exit　the　forest　the　back　way。　I　jog　through　the　trees；　setting　cross…country　records。　Six　miles　later　finds　me　at　a　closed　gas　station　on　a　deserted　road。　There　is　a　phone　booth。　I　think　of　calling　Seymour　Dorsten；　my　archery　buddy。　It　is　a　mad　thought。　I　would　do　better　to　keep　running　till　I　find　a　busier　road；　a　few　parked　cars。　I　can　hot…wire　any　car　in　less　than　a　minute。　I　am　soaked　through　with　blood。　It　would　be　madness　to　involve　Seymour　in　this　night's　dirty　business。　He　might　tell　his　mother。　Yet　I　want　him　involved。　I　trust　the　little　guy。　I　don't　know　why。
　Information　gives　me　his　number。　I　call。　He　answers　on　the　second　ring　and　sounds　alert。　〃Seymour；〃　I　say。　〃This　is　your　new　friend。〃
　〃Lara。〃　He　is　pleased。　〃What　are　you　doing？　It's　four　in　the　morning。〃
　〃I　have　a　little　problem　I　need　your　help　with。〃　I　check　the　street　sign。　〃I　am　at　a　gas　station　on　Pinecone　Ave。　I　am　six　miles　inland　from　Seaside；　maybe　seven；　due　east　of　the　city。　I　need　you　to　e　get　me。　I　need　you　to　bring　a　change　of　clothing　for　me：　pants　and　a　sweatshirt。　You　must　e　immediately　and　tell　no　one　what　you're　doing。　Are　your　parents　awake？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃What　are　you　doing　awake？〃
　〃How　did　you　know　I　was　awake？〃
　〃I'm　psychic；〃　I　say。
　〃I　was　having　a　dream　about　you。　I　just　woke　up　from　it　minutes　ago。〃
　〃You　can　tell　me　about　it　later。　Will　you　e？〃
　〃Yes。　I　know　where　you're　talking　about。　Is　it　a　Shell　station？　It's　the　only　one　on　that　road。〃
　〃Yes。　Good　boy。　Hurry。　Don't　let　your　parents　hear　you　leave。〃
　〃Why　do　you　need　the　change　of　clothes？〃
　〃You'll　understand　when　you　see　me。〃
　Seymour　arrives　a　little　over　an　hour　later。　He　is　shocked　at　my　appearance；　as　well　he　should　be。　My　hair　is　the　color　of　a　volcano　at　sunset。　He　stops　the　car　and　jumps　out。
　〃What　happened　to　you？〃　he　asks。
　〃A　few　people　tried　to　rough　me　up；　but　I　got　away。　I　don't　want　to　say　any　more　than　that。　Where　are　the　clothes？〃
　〃Wow。〃　He　doesn't　take　his　eyes　off　me　as　he　reaches　back　into　the　front　seat。　He　has　brought　me　blue　jeans　and　a　white　T…shirt　and　two　different　sweaters：　one　green；　the　other　black。　I　will　wear　the　black　one。　I　begin　to　strip　right　in　front　of　him。　The　boy　has　driven　far　and　deserves　a　thrill。　〃Lara；〃　he　says；　simply　amazed。
　〃I　am　not　shy。〃　I　unbutton　my　pants　and　wiggle　them　down。　〃Do　you　have　a　towel　or　some　kind　of　old　cloth　in　the　car？〃
　〃Yes。　You　want　to　wipe　off　some　of　the　blood？〃
　〃Yes。　Get　it　for　me　please。〃
　He　gives　me　a　stained　dish　towel。　Now　I　am　pletely　naked；　the　sweat　on　my　skin　sending　off　faint　whiffs　of　steam　in　the　cold　night　air。　I　clean　my　hair　as　best　I　can　and　wipe　the　blood　from　my　breasts。　Finally　I　reach　for　the　clothes　he　has　brought。
　〃Are　you　sure　you　don't　want　to　call　the　police？〃　he　asks。
　〃I　am　sure。〃　I　pull　the　T…shirt　on　first。
　Seymour　chuckles。　〃You　must　have　had　a　bow　and　a　few　arrows　with　you　when　they　caught　up　with　you。〃
　〃I　was　armed。〃　I　finish　dressing；　putting　my　boots　back　on；　and　bundle　my　clothes　together。　〃Wait　here　a　second。　I　have　to　get　rid　of　these。〃
　I　bury　the　clothes　in　the　trees；　but　before　I　do　so　I　remove　my　car　keys　and　Slim's　wallet　from　my　pants　pocket。　I　am　back　with　Seymour　in　ten　minutes。　He　is　behind　the　wheel　with　the　engine　on；　the　heater　up　high。　In　his　frail　condition　he　must　get　cold　easily。　I　climb　in　beside　him。
　〃My　car　is　in　Seaside；　not　far　from　the　pier；〃　I　say。　〃Can　you　take　me　there？〃
　〃Sure。〃　He　puts　the　car　in　gear。　We　head　north。　〃What　made　you　call　me？〃
　〃Your　sexy　mind。〃
　He　laughs。　〃You　knew　I　was　the　only　one　in　town　who　wouldn't　immediately　report　you　to　the　authorities。〃
　〃I　am　serious　about　you　keeping　this　private。〃
　〃Oh；　I　will。〃
　I　smile　and　pat　his　leg。　〃I　know　you　will。　Besides　your　sexy　mind；　I　called　you　because　I　know　you　don't　object　to　a　little　stroll　on　the　wild　side　from　time　to　time。〃
　He　eyes　me　through　his　thick　glasses。　〃You　may　be　a　little　wild　even　for　my　tastes。　You　can't　even　tell　me　a　little　something　about　what　happened？〃
　〃You　would　have　trouble　believing　the　truth。〃
　He　shakes　his　head。　〃Not　after　this　dream　I　had　about　you。　It　was　amazing。〃
　〃Tell　me　about　it。〃
　〃I　dreamed　you　were　on　a　battlefield　and　a　whole　army　of　demons　was　approaching　you　from　every　direction。　They　had　all　kinds　of　weapons：　axes　and　swords　and　hammers。　Their　fa