pzb.lostsouls-第25部分

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；　where　Spooky　had　fixed。
　　The　vein　was　already　open；　and　the　blood　began　to　flow　easily。　From　somewhere　deep　in　his　stupor；　Spooky　whimpered。　A　child's　sound。　Nothing　sucked　harder；　trembling。　He'd　never　really　tasted　anyone　else's　blood　before。　No　more　than　a　drop　here　and　there；　by　accident；　as　when　Laine　had　cut　his　finger　in　Jack's　car。　That　night　seemed　long　ago。　Now　Spooky's　blood　filled　his　mouth　and　ran　down　his　chin　mixed　with　spit；　and　the　coppery　sweetness　of　it　mingled　with　the　sweat　from　the　biker's　skin；　and　Nothing　pressed　closer　and　licked　the　last　of　the　blood　away。　He　couldn't　take　too　much；　he　didn't　know　how　much　would　be　dangerous。　Never　mind　that　he　wanted　to　eat　Spooky；　to　swallow　him　whole。　The　junk…laced　blood　tasted　so　good；　so　pure。
　　It　hadn't　lasted　long　enough。　He　leaned　against　the　vault　looking　at　Spooky。　Spooky's　hair　drifted　across　his　face；　stirred　by　the　wind。
　　It　might　rain　again。　Nothing　picked　up　the　leather　jacket　and　carefully　covered　Spooky　with　it。　He　knew　he　couldn't　stay　here　until　the　biker　came　to。　He　might　notice　the　fresh　wound。　And　Spooky　would　probably　beat　the　shit　out　of　him。　Nothing　looked　at　the　slack　face　one　more　time　and　touched　his　fingertip　to　Spooky's　tired　lips。　Then　he　walked　away　from　the　graveyard　and　headed　for　the　road　again。
　　Maybe　it　was　the　effect　of　the　heroin；　but　what　he　had　done　did　not　seem　strange　to　him。　Erotic；　yes；　sneaky　and　a　little　mean；　yes…but　not　strange。　He　had　wanted　the　blood。　He　had　even　been　hungry　for　it。　And　it　had　made　him　feel　better；　had　settled　his　stomach；　just　as　the　albino's　sperm　had。
　　The　first　spatters　of　rain　started　ing　down　ten　minutes　later。　The　cars　still　went　implacably　by。　Nothing's　wet　hair　fell　in　his　face。　The　rain　came　down　harder；　colder。　He　was　almost　ready　to　turn　around　and　go　back　to　Spooky…the　motorcycle　wouldn't　offer　any　shelter；　but　maybe　they　could　hole　up　in　the　vault…when　the　black　van　came　thundering　down　the　road。
　　
　　It　was　dingy　and　dusty；　black　going　gray。　The　back　window　was　covered　with　sackers　and　decals。　As　the　van　passed　him；　Nothing　caught　a　glimpse　of　several　legends　half…obscured　by　mud　and　dirt：　PHOTUS/FETUS/VATOS；　in　dripping　red　letters；　PARTY　TILL　YOU　PUKE；　BAUHAUS；　with　the　sketchy　face　that　was　the　band's　logo。　And　he　thought　he　saw　one　that　said　JESUS　SAVES　and　another　that　read　IF　YOU　DON'T　LIKE　MY　DRIVING；　DIAL　1…800…EAT…SHIT。
　　Then　the　van　jolted　into　reverse　and　pulled　up　next　to　him。　Three　heads　swivelled　to　look　at　Nothing；　three　clumps　of　hair；　three　faces　defined　in　blots　of　dark　makeup。　Their　hands　clawed　at　the　windows；　and　their　mouths　opened；　laughing；　and　for　a　moment　Nothing　thought　they　would　drive　away　and　leave　him　staring　after　the　van；　his　foot　already　on　the　asphalt；　his　skin　ready　for　warmth。　But　then　the　passenger　door　opened　and　one　of　the　figures　swayed　toward　him；　spat　hair　out　of　its　mouth；　and　said；　〃Hi。　Want　a　ride？〃
　　The　air　inside　the　van　was　as　hot　and　wet　as　a　kiss；　and　the　sweet　scent　of　cheap　wine　was　so　strong　he　could　taste　it。　〃I'm　Twig；〃　said　the　driver。　His　voice　was　low　and　amused；　and　his　sidelong　smile　was　as　quick　and　sharp　as　a　blade。　〃The　bum　here　is　Molochai。　And　the　pretty　one　in　the　back；　that's　Zillah。〃
　　As　the　van　started　up　again　with　a　jolt；　Nothing　crouched　next　to　the　gearshift　and　studied　his　new　panions。　Twig　was　fox…faced；　with　eyes　like　chips　of　night。　Molochai's　features　were　more　blunt；　his　smile　more　babyish。　But　them　seemed　to　be　some　invisible　bond　between　them。　They　laughed　at　the　same　time；　their　gestures　mirrored　each　other。
　　Right　now　they　were　involved　in　some　long　meaningless　argument　about　a　drink　they　had　invented…strawberry　wine　and　chocolate　milk；　Nothing　gathered　after　a　moment。　Twig　steered　the　van　with　one　hand　and　swatted　at　Molochai　with　the　other。　Molochai　swiped　back　at　Twig　with　grubby　fists；　then　passed　him　a　bottle　of　wine。　Twig　sucked　at　the　bottle。　Wine　ran　down　his　chin；　and　they　giggled　wildly　as　the　van　swerved　across　the　center　line。
　　Nothing　crawled　into　the　back　of　the　van。　The　ceiling　and　walls　were　decorated　with　more　stickers　and　decals　and　Magic　Marker　graffiti。　Overlying　it　all　was　a　pattern　of　large　dark　stains　like　some　kind　of　cancer。
　　The　third　occupant　of　the　van…Zillah…lay　stretched　out　on　a　mattress　where　the　dark　stains　were　even　more　profuse。　Zillah　had　an　androgynous；　perfect　face　and　a　ponytail　tied　back　by　a　purple　silk　scarf。　Wisps　of　hair　escaped　the　ponytail；　framing　that　astonishing　face；　those　stunning　eyes　green　as　limes。　From　the　sleeves　of　an　oversized　black　jacket　emerged　strong　graceful　hands　with　long　nails；　nails　filed　sharp　and　painted　glossy　black。　Nothing　twined　his　own　fingers　together；　trying　to　hide　his　chipped　polish　job。
　　Beneath　the　skin　of　Zillah's　hands　was　a　delicate　purple　tracery　of　veins。　Nothing　thought　again　of　the　heroin　he　had　shot　up；　the　drug　still　coursing　through　him。　Then　he　looked　away　from　the　strong　veined　hands；　up　into　Zillah's　eyes。　And　Nothing　felt　himself　falling　into　a　green　sea。
　　〃Hello；〃　said　Zillah。　The　voice　was　soft；　a　little　husky；　razor…edged　with　amusement。　Surely　Zillah　was　used　to　being　stared　at；　used　to　taking　strangers'　breath　away。
　　〃Hello；〃　said　Nothing。　His　voice　wasn't　working　very　well。　
　　Zillah　lit　a　tiny　pipe　carved　in　the　shape　of　an　ebony　rose　and　passed　it　to　Nothing。　The　substance　in　the　bowl　was　dark；　sticky。
　　When　Nothing　sucked　at　the　pipe；　a　sweet　strange　taste　came　into　his　mouth。　It　was　like　smoking　incense。　〃What　is　it？〃　he　gasped；　trying　to　hold　the　smoke　in。
　　Zillah　gave　him　an　evil；　heartstopping　smile。　〃Opium。〃　
　　Two　new　drugs　in　two　hours。　Nothing　thought　he　could　get　to　like　hitchhiking。　He　lit　the　pipe　again。　With　the　next　drag　he　became　aware　of　Zillah's　eyes　still　on　him；　felt　that　green　light　blazing　along　the　lines　of　his　body。　But　when　he　looked　up；　what　he　saw　was　Zillah's　mouth：　lips　parted；　the　pink　tip　of　a　tongue　caught　between　sharp　teeth。　And　then　Zillah's　hands　were　on　him；　drawing　him　toward　that　mouth。　He　wondered　whether　he　might　fall　in　and　lie　on　Zillah's　tongue　until　Zillah　swallowed　him　down。
　　〃You　are　delicious；〃　Zillah　told　him　after　they　had　kissed。　
　　〃So　are　you；〃　Nothing　answered；　and　his　heart　contracted。　He　had　never　felt　so　far　away　from　home；　or　so　glad　to　be　there。
　　〃You're　bewitching。〃
　　〃Bewitch　me；〃　Nothing　managed　to　say；　and　then　Zillah　was　sucking　at　his　mouth　again。　Nothing　slipped　his　hands　inside　the　baggy　black　jacket；　under　the　soft　shirt。　When　he　felt　the　rings　through　Zillah's　nipples；　his　eyes　widened　a　little…this　was　a　wilder　crowd　than　he　was　used　to。　Not　that　he　was　plaining。
　　Zillah's　teeth　were　at　his　throat；　biting　hard　enough　to　hurt；　then　seeming　to　hesitate　and　release　his　skin　an　instant　before　drawing　blood。　He　had　made　out　with　virtual　strangers　before…among　his　friends　back　home　this　was　almost　as　fashionable　as　bisexuality…but　he　had　never　done　it　with　anyone　half　as　beautiful　as　Zillah。
　　There　was　an　explosion　of　loud　laughter　from　the　front　seat。　Zillah　was　whispering　something　in　Nothing's　ear。　The　words　were　jumbled；　but　Zillah's　voice　was　as　smooth　as　Kahlua　with　cream；　and　the　junk　in　Nothing's　blood　made　him　passive。　His　body　felt　heavy　and　very　warm。　He　lay　back；　not　knowing　what　Zillah　wanted　to　do　to　him；　not　caring。
　　Later；　he　could　only　remember　trying　to　raise　his　hands；　wanting　to　push　Zillah's　head　away　from　his　chest　because　Zillah　was　biting　his　nipples　too　hard。　But　he　could　not　raise　his　hands；　could　not　move　them　at　all；　so　he　lay　back　and　concentrated　on　enjoying　the　pain。　It　was　easy。　He　had　been　doing　it　for　so　long。
　　
　　〃I　guess　we　could　take　you　to　Missing　Mile；〃　said　Twig；　trying　to　focus　on　Nothing's　face。　〃We're　headed　for　New　Orleans。　We're　going　to　see　our　friend　there。〃
　　New　Orleans！　That　sounded　good　too。　Nothing　had　never　realized　how　many　places　there　were　to　go。　You　could　spend　your　whole　life　going　from　place　to　place；　seeing　everything　and　never　getting　sick　of　it。　That　was　exactly　how　Zillah　and　the　others　seemed　to　spend　their　time。　The　piles　of　clothes　and　bottles　and　the　heavy；　almost　meaty　smell　made　him　think　they　must　live　in　the　van。　Again；　he　wasn't　plaining。　The　smell　did　not　seem　unpleasant　to　him；　and　the　idea　of　life　in　a　travelling　caravan　was　as　glamorous　as　anything　Nothing　had　ever　dreamed　of。
　　〃Who's　your　friend　in　New　Orleans？〃　Nothing　asked。　But　Twig　didn't　answer　at　all；　and　Molochai　only　mumbled　〃Chrissy〃　through　his　mouthful　of　chocolate　cupcake　and　washed　down　the　sweet　stickiness　with　a　swig　of　strawberry　wine。　Nothing　turned　to　Zillah；　wanting　to　ask　about　New　Orleans；　but　Zillah　met　Nothing's　mouth　with　his　own；　his　tongue　flickering　in　and　out　like　a　snake's。
　　Nothing　clung　to　the　edge；　teetering　happily。　He　was　laboring　under　the　influence　of　more　drugs　than　he'd　ever　had　all　at　once　before。　He　wasn't　exactly　drunk；　and　he　wasn't　exactly　high；　he　simply　floated。　Fucked　up；　Jack　would　have　said…in　that　other　world；　in　that　other　life。　Just　plain　ol'　fucked　up。
　　Zillah　had　claimed　him　immediately；　which　scared　him　a　little　and　excited　him　a　lot。　Zillah　was　a　rougher　and　more　thorough　lover　than　any　of　the　inexperienced　kids　back　home；　He　had　a　purple；　gold；　and　green　streak　in　his　hair…he　said　they'd　been　in　New　Orleans　for　Mardi　Gras　a　while　back…and　he　teased　the　skin　of　Nothing's　stomach　with　it；　flicked　it　over　the　ridges　of　Nothing's　hipbones。　Molochai　and　Twig　stared　at　them；　then　laughed　and　opened　another　bottle　of　wine。
　　An　hour　ago；　sometime　after　midnight；　Twig　had　slumped　over　the　wheel；　and　Molochai　had　had　to　grab　it　and　steer　them　away　from　the　guardrail。　Now　they　were　parked　in　a　field　somewhere　in　southern　Virginia；　or　maybe　already　in　North　Carolina。
　　Nothing　sat　up　and　cleared　a　spot　on　the　foggy　window　with　the　sleeve　of　his　raincoat。　He　saw　rows　and　rows　of　stunted　tobacco　outside。　The　window　was　cold　against　his　hand。　He　put　his　cheek　on　the　glass　and　realized　how　hot　his　face　was；　how　hot　his　whole　body　was。
　　Then　his　stomach　convulsed；　and　he　fumbled　at　the　door　handle。　Molochai　said；　〃Just　puke　on　the　floor；〃　but　Nothing　fell　out