cpike.thelastvampire-第5部分

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　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　his　body　not　be？　I　hold　on　to　his　hand　a　moment　too　long；　and　he　stares　at　me　quizzically。
　〃You　are　strong；〃　he　says。
　I　smile　and　let　go　of　him。　〃For　a　girl？〃
　He　rubs　his　hand　on　his　side。　His　illness　has　startled　me。　I　have　bruised　him。　〃I　suppose；〃　he　says。
　〃What　kind　of　name　is　Seymour？　It　makes　you　sound　like　a　nerd。〃
　He　likes　my　forthright　manner。　〃I've　always　hated　it。　My　mother　gave　it　to　me；〃
　〃Change　it　when　you　get　out　of　high　school。　Change　it　to　Marlboro　or　Slade　or　Bubba　or　something　like　that。　And　lose　those　glasses。　You　should　be　wearing　contacts。　I　bet　your　mother　even　buys　your　clothes。〃
　I　am　a　revelation　to　Seymour。　He　laughs。　〃She　does。　But　since　I　am　a　nerd；　shouldn't　I　look　the　part？〃
　〃You　think　you're　a　nerd　because　you　think　you're　so　smart。　I'm　a　lot　smarter　than　you　and　I　look　great。〃　I　gesture　to　our　bows　and　arrows。　〃Where　should　we　shoot　these　things？〃
　〃I　think　it　would　be　best　if　we　shot　them　at　the　targets；〃　he　says　wisely。
　So　that's　what　we　do。　A　few　minutes　later　we　are　at　one　end　of　the　football　field　sending　our　arrows　flying　toward　the　targets　that　have　been　arranged　in　a　neat　row　on　the　fifty…yard　line。　I　impress　Seymour　when　I　hit　the　bull's…eye　three　times　in　a　row。　He　is　further　impressed　when　we　go　to　remove　the　arrows　from　the　target　and　they　are　stuck　in　so　deep　he　has　to　use　all　his　strength　to　pull　them　out。　He　does　not　know　that　I　could　have　split　the　shaft　of　my　first　arrow　with　the　next　two　if　I　had　wished。　I　am　showing　off；　I　know；　and　it　is　probably　not　the　wisest　thing　to　do；　but　I　don't　care。　My　mood　this　day　is　frivolous。　My　first　day　of　high　school。　First　happy　thoughts　about　Ray　and　Pat　and　now　I　have　taken　an　immediate　liking　to　Seymour。　I　help　him　pull　the　arrows　from　the　target。
　〃You　have　shot　before；〃　he　says。
　〃Yes。　I　was　trained　by　a　master　marksman。〃
　He　pulls　out　the　last　arrow　and　almost　falls　to　the　ground　as　it　es　loose。　〃You　should　be　in　the　Olympics。〃
　I　shrug　as　we　walk　back　toward　the　goal　posts。　〃I　have　no　interest；〃　I　say。
　Seymour　nods。　〃I　feel　the　same　way　about　mathematics。　I'm　great　at　it；　but　it　bores　me　to　death。〃
　〃What　does　interest　you？〃
　〃Writing。〃
　〃What　do　you　like　to　write？〃
　〃I　don't　know　yet。　The　strange　and　unusual　fascinates　me。〃　He　pauses。　〃I　read　a　lot　of　horror　books。　Do　you　like　horror？〃
　〃Yes。〃　I　start　to　make　a　joke　of　his　question；　something　about　how　close　it　is　to　my　heart；　but　a　feeling　of　deja　vu　sweeps　over　me。　The　feeling　startles　me；　for　I　haven't　had　it　in　centuries。　The　sensation　is　intense；　I　put　a　hand　to　my　head　to　steady　myself；　while　searching　for　the　source　of　it。　Seymour　reaches　out　to　help；　and　once　more　I　feel　the　sickness　flowing　beneath　his　skin。　I　am　not　sure　of　the　nature　of　his　disease；　but　I　have　a　good　idea　what　it　is。
　〃Are　you　all　right？〃　he　asks　me。
　〃Yes。〃　A　cool　film　of　sweat　has　gathered　on　my　forehead；　and　I　wipe　it　away。　My　sweat　is　clear；　not　tinted　pink；　as　it　bees　when　I　drink　large　quantities　of　human　blood。　The　sun　burns　bright　in　the　sky　arid　I　lower　my　head。　Seymour　continues　to　watch　me。　Suddenly　I　feel　as　if　he　has　e　so　close　to　me　his　body　is　actually　overlapping　mine。　Like　the　deja　vu；　I　do　not　like　the　sensation。　I　wonder　if　I　have　developed　a　greater　sensitivity　to　the　sun。　I　have　not　been　out　like　this；　at　midday；　in　many　years。
　〃I　feel　as　if　I've　met　you　before；〃　he　says　softly；　puzzled。
　〃I　feel　the　same　way；〃　I　say　honestly；　the　truth　of　the　matter　finally　striking　me。　Already　I　have　said　how　I　can　sense　emotions；　and　that　is　true。　The　ability　came　to　me　slowly　as　the　centuries　of　my　life　passed。　At　first　I　assumed　it　was　because　of　my　intense　observatory　faculties；　and　I　still　feel　that　is　part　of　it。　Yet　I　can　sense　a　person's　feelings　even　without　studying　them　closely；　and　the　ability　baffles　me　to　this　day　because　it　suggests　a　sense　that　is　nonphysical；　which　I　am　not　yet　ready　to　accept。
　I　am　not　alone　with　this　ability。　Over　time　I　have　met　the　occasional　human　who　was　as　sensitive　as　I。
　Indeed；　I　have　killed　several　of　them　because　they　alone　could　sense　what　I　was；　or　rather；　what　I　was　not。　Not　human。　Something　else；　they　would　tell　their　friends；　something　dangerous。　I　killed　them；　but　I　did　not　want　to　because　they　alone　could　understand　me。　I　sense　now　that　Seymour　is　one　of　these　humans。　The　feeling　is　further　confirmed　when　once　more　I　pick　up　my　bow　and　arrow　and　aim　at　the　target。　For　my　vision　is　distracted。　Mr。　Castro　stands　in　the　distance　behind　the　school　gymnasium；　talking　to　a　perky　blond。　Talking　and　touching…obviously　making　a　move　on　the　young　thing。　The　teacher　is　perhaps　three　hundred　yards　distant；　but　for　me；　with　a　bow　in　my　strong　arms；　he　is　within　range。　As　I　toy　with　my　next　arrow；　I　think　that　I　can　shoot　him　in　the　chest　and　no　one　will　know…or　believe…that　it　was　really　me　who　killed　him。　I　can　make　it　so　that　even　Seymour　doesn't　see　where　the　arrow　flies。　Killing　Mr。　Riley　two　nights　earlier　has　awakened　in　me　the　desire　to　kill　again。　Truly；　violence　does　beget　violence；　at　least　for　a　vampire…nothing　quite　satisfies　as　does　the　sight　of　blood；　except　for　the　taste　of　it。
　I　slip　the　arrow　into　the　bow。
　My　eyes　narrow。
　Castro　strokes　the　girl's　hair。。
　Yet　out　of　the　er　of　my　eye　I　notice　Seymour　watching　me。
　Seeing　what？　Sensing　what？　The　blood　fever　in　me？
　Perhaps。　His　next　word　is　revealing。
　〃Don't；〃　he　says。
　My　aim　wavers。　I　am　amazed。　Seymour　knows　I　am　thinking　about　killing　Castro！　Who　is　this　Seymour；　I　ask　myself？　I　lower　my　bow　and　look　over　at　him。　I　have　to　ask。
　〃Don't　what？〃　I　say。
　His　eyes；　magnified　behind　their　glasses；　stare　at　me。　〃You　don't　want　to　shoot　anybody。〃
　I　laugh　out　loud；　although　his　remark　chills　me。　〃What　makes　you　think　I　want　to　shoot　somebody？〃
　He　smiles　and　relaxes　a　notch。　My　innocent　tone　has　done　its　work　on　him。　Perhaps。　I　wonder　if　Seymour　is　one　of　those　rare　mortals　who　can　fool　even　me。
　〃I　just　had　the　feeling　you　were　going　to；〃　he　says。　〃I'm　sorry。〃
　〃Do　I　look　so　dangerous？〃
　He　shakes　his　head。　〃You　are　different　from　anyone　I　nave　ever　met。〃
　First　Ray　notices　that　I　have　an　accent；　and　now　Seymour　reads　my　mind。　An　interesting　day；　to　say　the　least。　I　decide　I　should　keep　a　lower　profile；　for　the　time　being。
　Yet　I　do　not　really　believe　he　has　read　my　mind。　If　I　did；　like　him　or　not；　I　would　kill　him　before　the　sun　set。
　〃You're　just　so　dazzled　by　my　beauty；〃　I　say。
　He　laughs　and　nods。　〃It　isn't　often　a　beauty　such　as　you　is　caught　talking　to　a　nerd　like　me。〃
　I　lightly　poke　him　in　the　belly　with　the　tip　of　my　arrow。　〃Tell　me　more　about　the　kind　of　stories　you　like。〃　I　nock　the　arrow　onto　my　bowstring。　Mr。　Castro　will　live　another　day；　I　think；　but　maybe　not　many　more。　I　add；　〃Especially　your　favorite　horror　stories。〃
　So　for　the　rest　of　the　period　Seymour　tells　me　about　an　assortment　of　authors　and　books　he　has　read。　I　am　delighted　to　learn　that　Dracula　is　his　all…time　favorite　story。　I　miss　the　bull's…eye　a　few　times　on　purpose；　but　I　don't　know　if　I　fool　Seymour。　He　never　takes　his　eyes　off　me。
　The　next　period　I　am　off　to　biology。　Ray　sits　in　the　back　at　a　lab　table。　I　waste　no　time。　I　walk　straight　back　and　sit　beside　him。　He　raises　an　eyebrow　as　if　to　say　that　someone　else　has　that　seat；　but　then　seems　to　change　his　mind。
　〃How　did　you　enjoy　archery？〃　he　asks。
　〃You　talked　to　Pat？〃　I　ask。
　〃Yes。〃
　There　she　is　again；　the　girlfriend；　between　us。　Once　more　I　think　of　the　data　files　at　Mr。　Riley's　office。　If　the　police　do　examine　them；　and　do　decide　Mr。　Riley　has　met　with　foul　play；　they　will　be　paying　me　a　visit。　If　I　cannot　access　the　files　soon；　I　will　have　to　destroy　them。　I　decide　to　hasten　things；　knowing　that　I　run　the　risk　of　destroying　my　whole　seduction。　I　want　to　look　at　those　files　tonight。　I　reach　over　and　touch　Ray's　arm。
　〃Can　you　do　me　a　big　favor？〃　I　ask。
　He　glances　at　my　fingertips　on　his　bare　arm。　My　touch　is　warm。　Wait　till　he　feels　it　hot。　〃Sure；〃　he　says。
　〃My　parents　are　gone　for　a　few　days；　and　I　need　some　help　moving　some　things　into　my　house。　They're　in　the　garage。〃　I　add；　〃I　could　pay　you　for　your　help。〃
　〃You　don't　have　to　pay　me。　I'd　be　glad　to　help　this　weekend。〃
　〃Actually；　one　of　these　things　is　my　bed。　I　had　to　sleep　on　the　floor　last　night。〃
　〃What　a　drag。〃　Ray　takes　a　breath　and　thinks。　My　hand　continues　to　rest　on　his　arm；　and　surely　the　soft　texture　of　my　skin　must　be　a　part　of　his　thought　processes。　〃I　have　to　work　after　school　today。〃
　〃Till　what　time？〃
　〃Nine。　But　then　I'm　supposed　to　go　over　and　see　Pat。〃
　〃She's　a　lovely　girl。〃　My　eyes　rest　on　his　eyes。　It　is　as　if　they　say；　yes；　lovely；　but　there　are　other　things　in　life　besides　love。　At　least　that　is　my　intention。　Yet　as　I　stare　into　Ray's　eyes；　I　can't　help　but　feel　that　he　is　one　of　those　rare　mortals　I　could　love。　This　is　another　startling　revelation　for　me；　and　already；　even　before　noon；　it　seems　the　day　is　to　be　filled　with　them。　I　have　not　loved　a　man…or　a　woman　for　that　matter…in　centuries。　And　none　have　I　ever　loved　as　much　as　my　husband；　Rama；　before　I　was　made　into　a　vampire。
　Yet　Rama　es　to　mind　as　I　stare　at　Ray；　and　at　last　I　know　why　Ray　looks　familiar。　He　has　Rama's　eyes。
　Ray　blinks。　〃We've　been　going　out　for　a　year。〃
　I　sigh　unintentionally。　Even　after　fifty　centuries　I　still　miss　Rama。　〃A　year　can　pass　quickly；〃　I　say　softly。
　But　not　five　thousand…the　long　years　stand　behind　me　like　so　many　ghosts；　weary；　but　also　wary。　Time　sharpens　caution；　destroys　playfulness。　I　think　how　nice　it　would　be　to　go　for　a　walk　in　the　park　with　Ray；　in　the　dark。　I　could　kiss　him；　I　could　bite　him…　gently。　I　sigh　because　this　poor　boy　doesn't　know　he　is　sitting　beside　his　father's　murderer。
　〃Maybe　I　can　help　you；〃　Ray　says　clearly。　My　eyes　do　not　daunt　him　as　much　as　I　would　expect；　and　I　do　not　know　if　that　is　because　of　his　own　internal　strength　or　because　my　glance　is　softened　by　my　affection　for　him。　〃But　I'll　have　to　check　with　Pat。〃
　I　finally　take　my　hand　back。　〃If　you　check　with　Pat；　she'll　say　it　is　fine　to　help