cpike.thelastvampire-第4部分

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boy　is　already　more　man　than　boy。　It　shows　in　his　brown　eyes；　soft　but　quick；　in　his　silent　pauses；　as　he　takes　in　what　his　classmates　say。　He　reflects　on　it；　and　either　accepts　or　rejects　it；　not　caring　what　the　others　think。　He　is　his　own　person；　Ray　Riley；　and　I　like　that　about　him。
　He　talks　to　a　girl　on　his　right。　Her　name　is　Pat；　and　she　is　clearly　his　girlfriend。　She　is　a　scrawny　thing；　but　with　a　smile　that　lights　up　whenever　she　looks　at　Ray。　Her　manner　is　assertive　but　not　pushy；　simply　full　of　life。　Her　hands　are　always　busy；　often　touching　him。　I　like　her　as　well　and　wonder　if　she　is　going　to　be　an　obstacle。　For　her　sake；　I　hope　not。　I　honestly　prefer　not　to　kill　young　people。　Pat's　clothes　are　simple；　a　blouse　and　jeans。　I　suspect　her　family　has　little　money。　But　Ray　is　dressed　sharp。　It　makes　me　think　of　the　million　I　offered　his　father。　Ray　does　not　appear　upset。　Probably　his　father　often　disappears　for　days　at　a　time。
　I　clear　my　throat　and　he　looks　over　at　me。
　〃Hello；〃　he　says。　〃Are　you　new？〃
　〃Hi；〃　I　say。　〃Yes。　I　just　checked　in　this　morning。〃　I　offer　my　dainty　hand。　〃My　name's　Lara　Adams。〃
　〃Ray　Riley。〃　He　shakes　my　hand。　His　touch　is　warm；　his　blood　healthy。　I　can　smell　blood　through　people's　skin　and　tell　if　they　have　any　serious　ailments…even　years　before　the　disease　manifests。　Ray　continues　to　stare　at　me；　and　I　bat　my　long　lashes。　Behind　him　Pat　has　stopped　talking　to　another　classmate　and　looks　over。　〃Where　are　you　from？〃　he　asks。
　〃Colorado。〃
　〃Really？　You　have　a　slight　accent。〃
　His　ment　startles　me　because　I　am　a　master　at　accents。　〃What　accent　do　you　hear？〃　I　ask；　genuinely　curious。
　〃I　don't　know。　English；　French…it　sounds　like　a　bination。〃
　I　have　lived　in　both　England　and　France　for　extended　periods　of　time。　〃I　have　traveled　a　lot；〃　I　say。　〃Maybe　that's　what　you　hear。〃
　〃Must　be。〃　He　gestures　to　his　side。　〃Lara；　this　is　my　girlfriend；　Pat　McQueen。　Pat；　meet　Lara　Adams。〃
　Pat　nods。　〃Hi；　Lara。〃　Her　manner　is　not　the　least　defensive。　She　trusts　in　Ray's　love；　and　in　her　own。
　That　is　going　to　change。　I　think　of　Riley's　puter；　which　I　have　left　in　his　office。　It　will　not　be　terribly　long　before　the　police　e　to　look　around；　and　maybe　take　the　puter　away。　But　I　have　not　taken　the　machine　because　I　would　have　no　way　of　explaining　to　Ray　what　I　was　doing　with　it；　much　less　be　able　to　convince　him　to　open　its　data　files。　〃Hello；　Pat；〃　I　say。　〃Nice　to　meet　you。〃　〃Same　here；〃　she　says。　〃That's　a　beautiful　dress。〃　〃Thank　you。〃　I　would　have　preferred　to　have　met　Ray　without　Pat　around。　Then　it　would　have　been　easier　for　him　to　start　a　relationship　with　me　without　her　between　us。　Yet　I　am　confident　I　can　gather　Ray's　interest。　What　man　could　resist　what　I　have　to　offer？　My　eyes　go　back　to　him。　〃What　are　we　studying　in　this　class？〃　I　ask。
　〃European　history；〃　he　says；　〃The　class　just　gives　a　broad　overview。　Right　now　we're　talking　about　the　French　Revolution。　Know　anything　about　it？〃
　〃I　knew　Marie　Antoinette　personally；〃　I　lie。　I　knew　of　Antoinette；　but　I　was　never　close　to　the　French　nobility；　for　they　were　boring。　But　I　was　there；　in　the　crowd；　the　day　Marie　Antoinette　was　beheaded。　I　actually　sighed　when　the　blade　sliced　across　her　neck。　The　guillotine　was　one　of　the　few　methods　of　execution　that　disturbed　me。　I　have　been　hanged　a　couple　of　times　and　crucified　on　four　separate　occasions；　but　I　got　over　it。　But　had　I　lost　my　head；　I　know　that　would　have　been　the　end。　I　was　there　at　the　start　of　the　French　Revolution；　but　I　was　in　America　before　it　ended。
　〃Did　she　really　say；　'Let　them　eat　cake'？〃　Ray　asks；　going　along　with　what　he　thought　was　a　joke。
　〃I　believe　it　was　her　aunt　who　said　that。〃　The　teacher；　Mr。　Castor；　enters　the　room；　a　sad…looking　example　of　a　modern　educator　if　ever　there　was　one。　He　only　smiles　at　the　pretty　girls　as　he　strides　to　the　front　of　the　room。　He　is　attractive　in　an　aftershave…mercial　sort　of　way。　I　nod　to　him。　〃What's　he　like？〃
　Ray　shrugs。　〃Not　bad。〃
　〃But　not　good？〃
　Ray　sizes　me　up。　〃I　think　he'll　like　you。〃
　〃Understood。〃
　The　class　starts。　Mr。　Castro　introduces　me　to　the　rest　of　the　students　and　asks　me　to　stand　and　talk　about　myself。　I　remain　seated　and　say　ten　words。　Mr。　Castor　appears　put　out　but　lets　it　go。　The　lesson　begins。
　Ah；　history；　what　an　illusion　humanity　has　of　the　past。　And　yet　scholars　argue　the　reality　of　their　texts　until　they　are　blue　in　the　face；　even　though　something　as　recent　as　the　Second　World　War　is　remembered　in　a　manner　that　has　no　feeling　for　the　times；　for　feeling；　not　events；　is　to　me　the　essence　of　history。　The　majority　of　people　recollect　World　War　II　as　a　great　adventure　against　impossible　odds；　while　it　was　nothing　but　an　unceasing　parade　of　suffering。　How　quickly　mortals　forget。　But　I　forget　nothing。　Even　I；　a　bloodthirsty　harlot　if　ever　there　was　one；　have　never　witnessed　a　glorious　war。
　Mr。　Castro　has　no　feeling　for　the　past。　He　doesn't　even　have　his　facts　straight。　He　lectures　for　thirty　minutes；　and　I　grow　increasingly　bored。　The　bright　sun　has　me　a　bit　sleepy。　He　catches　me　peeking　out　the　window。
　〃Miss　Adams；〃　he　says；　interrupting　my　reverie。　〃Could　you　give　us　your　thoughts　on　the　French　nobility？〃
　〃I　think　they　were　very　noble；〃　I　say；
　Mr。　Castro　frowns。　〃You　approve　of　their　excesses　at　the　expense　of　the　poor？〃
　I　glance　at　Ray　before　answering；　I　do　not　think　he　wants　the　typical　teenage　girl；　not　deep　inside；　and　I　have　no　intention　of　acting　like　one。　He　is　watching　me；　the　darling　boy。
　〃I　don't　approve　or　disapprove；〃　I　say。　〃I　accept　it。　People　in　power　always　take　advantage　of　those　without　power。〃
　〃That　sounds　like　a　generalization　if　I　ever　heard　one；〃　Mr。　Castro　replies。　〃What　school　did　you　go　to　before　moving　to　Mayfair？〃
　〃What　school　I　went　to　doesn't　matter〃
　〃It　sounds　as　if　you　have　a　problem　with　authority；〃　Mr。　Castro　says。
　〃Not　always。　It　depends。〃
　〃On　what？〃
　〃Whether　the　authority　is　foolish　or　not；〃　I　say　with　a　smite　that　leaves　no　doubt　I　am　talking　about　him。　Mr。　Castro；　wisely；　passes　me　over　and　goes　on　to　another　topic。
　But　the　teacher　asks　me　to　stay　behind　when　the　bell　rings。　This　bothers　me；　I　wish　to　use　this　time　to　speak　to　Ray。　I　watch　as　he　leaves　the　room　with　Pat。　He　glances　over　his　shoulder　at　me　just　before　he　goes　out　of　sight。　Mr。　Castro　taps　his　desk；　wanting　my　attention。
　〃Is　there　something　wrong？〃　I　ask　him。
　〃I　hope　not；〃　Mr。　Castro　says。　〃I　am　concerned；　however；　that　we　get　off　to　a　good　start。　That　each　of　us　understands　where　the　other　is　ing　from。〃
　I　stare　at　him；　not　strongly　enough　to　cause　him　to　wilt；　but　enough　to　make　him　squirm。　〃I　believe　I　understand　exactly　where　you're　ing　from；〃　I　say。
　He　is　annoyed。　〃Oh；　and　where　is　that？〃
　I　can　smell　alcohol　on　his　breath；　from　the　previous　night；　and　alcohol　from　the　night　before　that；　and　the　night　before　that。　He　is　only　thirty；　but　the　circles　under　his　eyes　indicate　his　liver　is　close　to　seventy。　His　tough　stance　is　only　an　image；　his　hands　shake　as　he　waits　for　me　to　respond。　His　eyes　are　all　over　my　body。　I　decide　to　ignore　his　question。
　〃You　think　I　have　a　bad　attitude；〃　I　say。　〃Honestly；　I　am　not　what　you　think。　If　you　knew　me　you　would　appreciate　my　understanding　of　history　and　。。。〃　I　let　my　voice　trail　off。　〃Other　things。〃
　〃What　grade　are　you　hoping　to　get　in　this　class？〃
　His　question　makes　me　laugh；　it　is　so　ridiculous。　I　lean　over　and　give　his　cheek　a　pinch；　a　hard　one　that　makes　him　jump。　He's　lucky　I　don't　do　the　same　to　his　crotch。　〃Why；　Mr。　Castro；　I'm　sure　you're　going　to　give　little　old　Lara　just　about　any　grade　she　wants；　don't　you　think？〃
　He　tries　to　brush　my　hand　away；　but　of　course　it　is　already　gone。　〃Hey！　You　better　watch　it；　miss。〃
　I　giggle。　〃I'll　be　watching　you；　Mr。　Castro。　Just　to　make　sure　you　don't　die　of　drink　before　the　semester's　over。　I've　got　to　get　that　good　grade；　you　know。〃
　〃I　don't　drink；〃　he　protests　feebly　as　I　walk　away。
　〃And　I　don't　give　a　damn　about　my　grade；〃　I　say　over　my　shoulder。
　I　fail　to　catch　Ray　before　my　next　class　starts；　which　I　do　not　share　with　him。　Seems　my　pseudo　guardian　was　unable　to　match　my　schedule　exactly　to　Ray's。　I　sit　through　fifty　minutes　of　trigonometry；　which　naturally　I　know　almost　as　well　as　history。　I　manage　to　refrain　from　alienating　the　teacher。
　The　next　period　I　don't　have　with　Ray　either；　although　I　know　fourth　period　we　will　be　together　in　biology。　Third　is　P。E。　and　I　have　brought　blue　shorts　and　a　white　T…shirt　to　wear。　The　girlfriend；　Pat　McQueen；　has　the　locker　beside　mine　and　speaks　to　me　as　we　undress。
　〃Why　did　Castro　ask　you　to　stay　behind？〃　she　asks。
　〃He　wanted　to　ask　me　out。〃
　〃He　likes　the　girls；　that　guy。　What　did　you　think　of　Ray？〃
　Pat　is　not　excessively　paranoid；　but　she　is　trying　to　ascertain　where　I　am　ing　from。　〃I　think　he　needs　lots　of　love；〃　I　say。
　Pat　is　not　sure　what　to　think　of　that；　so　she　laughs。　〃I　give　him　more　than　he　can　handle。〃　She　pauses；　admiring　my　momentarily　naked　body。　〃You　know；　you　really　are　incredibly　beautiful。　You　must　have　guys　hitting　on　you　all　the　time。〃
　I　pull　on　my　shorts。　〃I　don't　mind。　I　just　hit　them　back。　Hard。〃
　Pat　smiles；　a　bit　nervously。
　Phys　ed　is　currently　educating　the　boys　and　girls　of　Mayfair　in　the　rudiments　of　archery。　I　am　intrigued。　The　class　is　coed　and　the　bow　and　arrow　in　my　hands　bring　back　old　memories。　Perhaps；　though；　the　ancient　memory　of　Arjuna；　Krishna's　best　friend　and　the　greatest　archer　of　all　time；　is　not　one　I　should　stir。　For　Arjuna　killed　more　vampires　than　any　other　mortal。
　All　with　one　bow。
　All　in　one　night。
　All　because　Krishna　wished　it　so。
　Pat　follows　me　out　onto　the　field；　but　tactfully　separates　herself　from　me　as　we　select　our　equipment。　I　have　already　spooked　her；　and　I　don't　think　that　is　bad。　I　wear　strong　sunglasses；　gray　tinted。　As　I　gather　my　bow　and　arrows；　an　anemic…looking　young　man　with　thick　glasses　and　headphones　speaks　to　me。
　〃You're　new；　aren't　you？〃　he　asks。
　〃Yes。　My　name　is　Lara　Adams。　Who　are　you？〃
　〃Seymour　Dorsten。〃　He　offers　his　hand。　〃Pleased　to　meet　you。〃
　My　flesh　encloses　his；　and　I　know　instantly　that　this　young　man　will　be　dead　in　less　than　a　year。　His　blood　is　sick…how　can　the　rest　of