cpike.thelastvampire-第15部分

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　〃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　faces　were　hideous。　They　were　jeering　loudly；　anxious　to　rip　you　to　shreds。　Where　you　were　standing　was　a　bit　above　the　rest　of　the　field；　on　a　grassy　knoll。　But　the　rest　of　the　field　was　a　reddish　dust　color；　as　if　it　were　a　plain　on　Mars。　The　sky　was　filled　with　smoke。　There　was　only　you　against　thousands。　It　looked　hopeless。　But　you　were　not　afraid。　You　were　dressed　like　an　exotic　goddess。　Your　chest　was　covered　with　silver　mail。　You　had　a　jeweled　sword　in　your　right　hand；　emerald　earrings　set　in　gold　that　chimed　as　you　slowly　surveyed　the　army　around　you。　A　peacock　feather　stood　in　your　braided　hair；　and　you　wore　tall　boots　made　of　fresh　hide。　They　dripped　with　blood。　You　smiled　as　the　front　rank　of　the　demons　went　to　strike　you。　You　raised　your　sword。　Then　you　stuck　out　your　tongue。〃
　〃My　tongue？〃
　〃Yeah。　This　was　the　scary　part。　Your　tongue　was　real　long。　It　was　purple；　bloody…it　looked　as　if　you　had　taken　a　bite　or　two　out　of　it。　When　you　stuck　it　out；　all　the　demons　froze　and　acted　afraid。　Then　you　made　this　sound　at　the　back　of　your　throat。　It's　hard　to　describe。　It　was　a　loud　sound；　nasal。　It　echoed　across　the　whole　battlefield；　and　as　it　reached　the　ear　of　each　demon；　he　toppled　over　dead。〃
　〃Wow；〃　I　say。　The　part　about　the　tongue　naturally　reminds　me　of　the　yakshini。　There　is　now　no　question　in　my　mind。　Seymour　is　supernaturally　sensitive　to　emotional　states。　More　than　that　he　seems　to　have　linked　up　with　me　somehow；　formed　an　intuitive　bond　with　me。　Certainly；　I　have　with　him。　I　am　mystified。　I　cannot　logically　understand　my　great　affection　for　him。　It　is　not　the　same　as　my　love　for　Ray；　my　passion　for　the　son　of　Riley。　For　me；　Seymour　is　like　a　younger　brother；　a　son　even。　In　five　thousand　years　I　have　never　had　a　child　except　for　Lalita。　I　would　like　to　play　with　this　young　man。　〃Is　there　more？〃　I　ask。
　〃Yes；〃　he　says。　〃But　you　might　not　want　to　hear　this　part。　It's　pretty　gross。〃
　〃I　do　not　gross　out　easily。〃
　〃After　seeing　you　tonight；　I　imagine　you　don't。　When　all　the　demons　were　dead；　you　began　to　stride　about　the　battlefield。　Sometimes　you　would　step　on　a　demon's　head　and　it　would　be　crushed　and　the　brains　inside　would　ooze　out。　Sometimes　you　would　stop　and　cut　off　the　head　of　a　demon。　You　accumulated　a　number　of　heads。　You　were　making　a　necklace　out　of　them。　Other　times　you　would　find　a　demon　that　wasn't　entirely　dead。　These　you　would　grab　by　the　throat　and　raise　up　to　your　mouth。〃　He　pauses　for　effect。　〃You　would　open　their　necks　with　your　nails　and　drink　their　blood。〃
　〃Doesn't　sound　so　bad。〃　He　continues　to　amaze　me。　His　dream　is　like　a　metaphor　for　the　entire　night。　〃Anything　else？〃
　〃One　last　thing。　When　you　were　through　walking　about；　and　stood　still；　the　flesh　of　the　demons　began　to　decay。　In　seconds　they　were　nothing　but　dust　and　crumbling　bones。　Then　the　sky　began　to　darken　more。　There　was　something　in　the　sky；　some　kind　of　huge　bird；　circling　above　you。　It　disturbed　you。　You　raised　your　sword　to　it　and　let　out　that　weird　sound　again。　But　the　bird　kept　circling；　getting　lower　and　lower。　You　were　afraid　of　it。　It　did　not　seem　you　could　stop　it。〃
　〃That　hasn't　happened　yet；〃　I　whisper。
　〃Pardon？〃
　〃Nothing。　What　kind　of　bird　was　it？〃
　〃I　can't　be　sure。〃
　〃Was　it　a　vulture？〃
　〃Maybe。〃　He　frowns。　〃Yeah；　I　think　it　was。〃　He　gives　me　an　uneasy　look。　〃You　don't　like　vultures？〃
　〃They　are　symbolic　of　a　forsaken　ending。〃
　〃I　didn't　know　that。　Who　told　you　that？〃
　〃Experience。〃　I　sit　silent　with　my　eyes　closed　for　a　few　minutes。　Seymour　knows　not　to　disturb　me。　The　boy　saw　the　present；　I　think；　why　couldn't　he　see　the　future？　Yaksha　is　circling　me；　closer　and　closer。　My　old　tricks　will　stop　him。　My　strength；　my　speed；　were　never　a　match　for　his。　The　night　is　almost　over。　The　day　will　soon　be。　But　for　us　the　day　is　the　night；　the　time　to　rest；　to　hide；　to　despair。　I　know　in　my　heart　that　Yaksha　is　not　far。
　Yet　Krishna　said　I　would　have　his　grace　if　I　obeyed　him。
　And　I　have。　But　what　did　he　promise　Yaksha？　The　same？
　I　do　not　believe　so。
　The　scriptures　say　the　Lord　is　mischievous。
　I　think　Krishna　told　him　the　opposite。
　I　open　my　eyes。　I　stare　at　the　road　in　front。　〃Are　you　afraid　of　dying；　Seymour？〃
　He　speaks　carefully。　〃Why　do　you　ask？〃
　〃You　have　AIDS。　You　know　it。〃
　He　sucks　in　a　breath。　〃How　did　you　know？〃
　I　shrug。　〃I　know　things。　You　know　things　as　well。　How　did　you　catch　it？　You　don't　seem　gay。　You　were　staring　at　me　too　hard　when　I　was　naked。〃
　〃You　have　an　awesome　body。〃
　〃Thank　you。〃
　He　nods。　〃I　am　HIV　positive。　I　suppose　I　have　full…blown　AIDS。　I　have　the　symptoms：　fatigue；　skin　cancer；　bouts　of　parasitic　pneumonia。　But　I've　been　feeling　good　the　last　few　weeks。　Do　I　look　that　bad？〃
　〃You　look　awesome。　But　sick。〃
　He　shakes　his　head。　〃I　was　in　a　car　crash　five　years　ago。　Ruptured　my　spleen。　I　was　with　an　uncle。　He　died；　but　I　got　to　the　hospital　in　time。　They　operated　on　me　and　gave　me　two　pints　of　blood。　It　was　after　the　test　for　HIV　was　routine　with　all　donated　blood；　but　I　guess　this　batch　slipped　through　the　cracks。〃　He　shrugs。　〃So　I'm　another　statistic。　Is　that　why　you　asked　about　fear　of　dying？〃
　〃It　was　one　reason。〃
　〃I　am　afraid。　I　think　anybody　would　be　lying　if　he　said　he　wasn't　afraid　of　death。　But　I　try　not　to　think　about　it。　I'm　alive　now。　There　are　things　I　want　to　do　。。。〃
　〃Stories　you　want　to　write；〃　I　interrupt。
　〃Yes。〃
　I　reach　over　and　touch　his　arm。　〃Would　you　write　a　story　about　me　someday？〃
　〃What　should　I　write？〃
　〃Whatever　es　to　mind。　Don't　think　about　it　too　much。　Just　whatever　is　there；　write　it　down。〃
　He　smiles。　〃Will　you　read　it　if　I　write　it？〃
　I　take　my　hand　back　and　relax　into　the　seat。　My　eyes　close　again；　I　feel　suddenly　weary。　I　am　not　mortal；　at　least　I　didn't　think　I　was　until　tonight。　Yet　now　I　feel　vulnerable。　I　am　as　afraid　of　death　as　everyone　else。
　〃If　I　get　the　chance；〃　I　say。
　
　
　8
　
　
　Seymour　takes　me　to　my　car　and　tries　to　follow　me　back　to　Mayfair。　But　I　speed　away　at　a　hundred　miles　an　hour。　He　is　not　insulted；　I'm　sure。　I　warned　him　I'm　in　a　hurry。
　I　go　to　my　mansion　by　the　sea。　I　have　not　described　it　before　because　to　me　a　house　is　a　house。　I　do　not　fall　in　love　with　them　as　do　some　mortals。　The　house　is　on　twenty　acres　of　property；　at　the　top　of　a　wooded　yard　that　reaches　from　my　front　porch　all　the　way　down　to　the　rocky　shore。　The　driveway　is　narrow　and　winding；　mostly　hidden。　The　house　itself　is　mainly　brick；　Tudor　style；　unusual　for　this　part　of　the　country。　There　are　three　stories；　the　top　one　has　a　wide　view　of　the　sea　and　coast。　There　are　many　rooms；　fireplaces　and　such；　but　I　do　most　of　my　living　in　the　living　room；　even　though　it　has　wide　skylights　that　I　have　yet　to　board　up。　I　do　not　need　a　lot　of　space　to　be　happy；　although　I　have　lived　in　mansions　or　castles　since　the　Middle　Ages。　I　could　be　quite　happy　living　in　a　box。　I　say　that　as　a　joke。
　My　tastes　in　furniture　are　varied。　At　present　I　surround　myself　with　lots　of　wood：　the　chairs；　the　tables；　the　cabinets。　I　sleep　on　a　bed；　not　in　a　coffin；　a　grand　mahogany　affair　with　a　black　lace　canopy。　I　have　gathered　art　over　the　centuries　and　have　a　vast　and　expensive　collection　of　paintings　and　sculptures　in　Europe；　but　none　of　it　in　America。　I　have　gone　through　phases　where　art　is　important　to　me；　but　I　am　not　in　one　now。　Still；　I　have　a　piano　wherever　I　go。　I　play　almost　every　day；　and　with　my　speed　and　agility；　I　am　the　most　acplished　pianist　in　the　world。　But　I　seldom　write　music；　not　because　I　am　not　creative；　but　because　my　melodies　and　songs　are　invariably　sad。　I　do　not　know　why…I　do　not　think　of　myself　as　a　sad　vampire。
　Tonight；　though；　I　am　an　anxious　vampire；　and　it　has　been　centuries　since　I　felt　the　emotion。　I　do　not　like　it。　I　hurry　into　my　home　and　change　and　then　rush　back　out　to　my　car。　My　concern　is　for　Ray。　If　it　is　Yaksha　after　me；　and　I　have　little　doubt　now；　then　he　may　try　to　get　to　me　through　Ray。　It　seems　a　logical　course　to　me　based　on　the　fact　that　Yaksha　probably　first　became　aware　of　me　through　Ray's　father。　I　now　suspect　Yaksha　has　been　observing　me　since　I　first　visited　Mr。　Riley's　office。　But　why　he　didn't　attack　immediately；　I　don't　know。　Maybe　he　wanted　to　study　the　enemy　he　hadn't　seen　for　so　long；　to　probe　for　weaknesses。　Yet　Yaksha；　more　than　any　living　or　nonliving　being；　already　knows　where　I　am　vulnerable。
　I　am　still　in　shock　that　he　is　alive。
　I　drive　to　Ray's　house　and　leap　to　the　front　door。　I　half　expect　to　find　him　gone；　abducted。　For　a　moment　I　consider　not　ringing　the　doorbell；　but　to　just　barge　in。　I　have　to　remind　myself　that　Ray　is　not　Seymour；　capable　of　accepting　anything　that　es　along。　I　knock　on　the　door。
　Pat　surprises　me　when　she　answers。
　The　girlfriend　is　not　happy　to　see　me。
　〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　Pat　demands。
　〃I　have　e　to　see　Ray。〃　Pat　must　have　called　Ray's　house　while　he　was　at　my　place；　probably　several　times。　She　must　have　called　not　long　after　he　came　home。　He　probably　invited　her　over　to　pacify　her　concerns。　But　she　does　not　look　that　pacified。
　〃He's　asleep；〃　Pat　says。　She　starts　to　slam　the　door　in　my　face。　I　stick　out　my　arm。　She　tries　to　force　it　shut。　Naturally；　she　is　not　successful。　〃Get　out　of　here。　Can't　you　tell　when　you're　not　wanted？〃
　〃Pat；〃　I　say　patiently。　〃Things　are　not　as　they　appear。　They　are　much　more　plicated。　I　need　to　see　Ray　because　I　believe　he　is　in　danger。〃
　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃
　〃I　cannot　tell　you；　not　easily。　I　have　to　talk　to　Ray　and　I　have　to　talk　to　him　now。〃　I　put　my　eye　on　her。　〃Please　do　not　try　to　stop　me。　It　would　not　be　a　good　idea。〃
　She　cowers　under　my　stare。　I　move　to　press　her　farther；　but　it　bees　unnecessary。　Upstairs；　I　hear　Ray　climb　out　of　bed。　I　wait　a　few　seconds；　then　call　out　his　name。
　〃Ray！〃　I　say。　I　hear　his　steps　quicken。　We　both　do。
　〃He's　mine；〃　Pat　mutters　as　we　wait　for　Ray　to　arrive。　She　is　sad；　seemingly　defeated　already。　Instinctively　she　knows　I　have　a　power　she　does　not；　beyond　my　beauty。　Her　love　for　him　is　genuine；　I　can　see　that；　a