pzb.lostsouls-第50部分

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d　learn　none　of　my　secrets。〃
　　Ghost　licked　his　lips　nervously。　His　tongue　was　as　dry　as　Arkady's　must　have　been　all　through　that　long　winter　in　Paris。　〃What　happened　to　Ashley？〃　he　asked。
　　Arkady　knelt　and　flipped　up　the　velvet　dropcloth。　His　hands　disappeared　into　the　blackness　beneath　the　altar。　Shadows　lapped　at　his　knuckles；　his　wrists。　Then　he　withdrew　his　hands。
　　Steve　cursed　and　took　a　step　backward；　Ghost's　eyes　widened。　Arkady　was　holding　a　perfect　human　skull；　smooth　and　narrow；　bleached　to　the　golden…white　of　old　ivory。
　　〃Ghost　and　Steven；〃　Arkady　said；　〃meet　my　brother　Ashley。〃
　　Later；　Steve　thought　that　if　he　hadn't　known　Ghost　so　well；　he　would　have　suspected　Ghost　of　trying　to　win　Arkady　Raventon's　heart　at　that　moment。　But　of　course　Ghost　was　Ghost；　the　most　uncalculating　of　all　people；　and　what　he　did　next　was　just　his　nature…the　pure　crazy　chemistry　that　flowed　between　his　brain　and　his　heart　and　his　soul。　Never　mind　how　Arkady　Raventon's　eyes　melted　when　Ghost　reached　out　his　hands　and　said；　〃Can　I　hold　him？〃
　　Arkady　put　the　skull　into　Ghost's　hands。　Ghost　cradled　it　carefully。　Its　surface　was　somehow　devoid　of　temperature；　neither　warm　nor　cold。　He　looked　into　the　sockets　of　its　eyes。　It　was　the　only　skull　he　had　ever　seen　that　didn't　look　as　if　it　were　grinning。　It　just　stared；　and　the　arch　of　its　teeth　was　impassive；　perhaps　sad。　He　hoped　Steve　wouldn't　make　a　joke　（Why　can't　Ashley　Raventon　go　to　parties　anymore？　Because　he　doesn't　have　any　body　to　go　with）。
　　Ghost　was　very　aware　that　here　had　once　rested　a　brain；　a　mind；　an　identity。　A　soul？　Here　had　once　been　the　cradle　of　a　life。　He　felt　as　if　he　were　holding　something　alive　and　vulnerable。　Something　that　depended　on　him　not　to　drop　it。　If　he　dropped　it；　it　would　surely　crack。　It　might　shatter。　So　Ghost　held　the　skull　carefully；　and　then　the　feelings　began　to　e；　as　he　had　known　they　would。　The　essence　of　Ashley　washed　over　Ghost；　and　he　lost　himself　in　the　depths　of　the　skull's　empty　eyes　and　let　the　impressions　e。
　　A　great　loneliness。　That　was　the　first　thing。　Loneliness　for　Arkady；　wanting　him；　wanting　his　arrogance；　his　self…assurance。　Misgivings　in　spite　of　the　desire　to　trust；　and　then　the　conviction　that　Arkady　was　never　ing　back　from　Paris。　A　void。　A　slew　of　things　to　fill　the　void…alcohol　and　opium；　lovers　and　new　leather　boots…but　still　the　late　nights　crept　in；　and　Arkady　was　never　ing　back；　never　could；　never　。　。　。
　　Then　two　familiar　faces　rose　up　before　him；　two　pairs　of　silvery　eyes；　a　tangle　of　scarlet　and　yellow　hair。　They　were　stuffing　at　Ghost　as　they　had　the　last　time　he'd　seen　them；　sitting　astride　the　branch　of　the　old　oak　in　the　clearing；　on　that　first　night　of　strangeness。　But　this　time　their　ripe　mouths　were　smeared　with　blood　and　other　juices；　with　shreds　of　tissue。
　　Ghost　felt　sick。　A　stupid　panic　welled　up　in　his　throat。　But　he　put　the　skull　back　in　Arkady's　hands　and　said　only；　〃Your　brother　was　very　handsome；　wasn't　he？〃
　　〃Not　handsome。　Beautiful。　Did　I　mention　that　Ashley　was　the　beauty　of　the　Raventons？〃　Arkady　pressed　his　lips　to　the　top　of　the　ivory　cranium　before　continuing。　〃His　hair　was　the　color　of　burgundy；　and　he　wore　it　long　down　his　back；　and　it　sparkled　when　he　walked　in　the　rain。　His　cheekbones　were　like　razors…I　always　thought　that　I　might　cut　my　finger　on　one　of　them；　but　I　never　did。〃　With　the　tip　of　one　forefinger；　Arkady　touched　the　skull　gently。　〃And　those　eyes…I　used　to　say　to　him；　'O　Ashley；　those　eyes；　those　eyes'…so　dark　and　lost　when　they　tilted　up　to　me…like　holes　through　time。〃　He　ran　his　finger　around　the　edge　of　one　of　the　empty　eye　sockets。　〃Those　eyes…how　they　could　slay　me。
　　〃But　he　died。　Yes；　I　came　back　home　and　he　had　died。　My　Ashley。　My　brother。　And　now　I　am　alone。〃
　　〃Wait　a　second。〃　Ghost's　voice　was　halting；　there　was　no　doubt　in　it；　only　wonder。　〃You　came　home。　You　were　there。　Why　didn't　you　bring　Ashley　back　from　the　dead；　too？〃
　　Arkady　held　the　skull　a　moment　longer。　Then　he　knelt　and　slid　it　back　under　the　altar。　He　spent　some　time　rearranging　the　velvet；　brushing　away　dust；　picking　up　some　black　feathers　that　had　fallen　from　the　altartop　to　the　floor。　When　he　stood；　the　joints　of　his　knees　cracked　as　loudly　as　shots　in　the　silent　room。
　　He　met　Ghost's　eyes；　and　when　he　spoke；　his　voice　was　soft　and　even。
　　〃Ashley　didn't　want　to　e　back；〃　he　said。
　　
　　〃So　was　it　vampires　that　killed　your　brother？〃　Ghost　asked　Arkady　a　little　later。　He　figured　it　couldn't　hurt　to　find　out　just　what　the　twins　were。　Allowing　for　the　existence　of　one　kind　of　vampire；　it　seemed　to　follow　that　there　might　be　other　kinds；　feeding　on　things　other　than　blood。　The　existence　of　the　first　type　scared　him　but　didn't　really　surprise　him。　All　his　life　he　had　been　accepting　as　normal　things　that　most　people　didn't　even　believe　in。
　　They　were　sitting　in　the　front　room；　talking　over　a　decanter　of　sherry　that　Arkady　had　brought　out　from　some　recess　of　the　shop。　At　least　Ghost　hoped　it　was　sherry。　It　tasted　funny；　musty　and　a　little　sour；　but　Steve　was　putting　it　away　with　no　problem。　Ghost　sipped　from　his　first　glass　as　Arkady　poured　Steve's　third。
　　〃Vampires？〃　Arkady's　hand　twitched；　he　almost　dropped　the　bottle　of　sherry。　He　crossed　himself　twice；　first　upside　down；　then　right　side　up。　〃Lord；　child。　Why　do　you　want　to　know　about　vampires？〃
　　〃Jesus；　Ghost；〃　Steve　muttered。　Ghost　glanced　at　him；　but　Steve　was　bent　over　the　counter　examining　things　in　the　glass　case。　Ball　canning　jars　full　of　pale　rubbery　orbs；　the　lids　labelled　CATS'　EYES　and　TOADS'　HEARTS　in　a　faded　flowing　script　that　must　be　Arkady's。　Jewelry　in　the　shape　of　silver　pentagrams；　ankhs；　razor　blades。　A　bowl　of　tiny；　carefully　molded　clay　skulls　marked　50　CENTS　APIECE。
　　〃I　just　wondered；〃　Ghost　said　lamely。
　　Arkady　looked　hard　at　him。　〃Ghost。　My　child。　It　is　difficult　to　imagine　you　'just　wondering'　about　anything。〃　He　clasped　Ghost's　hand　between　both　of　his。　Ghost　resisted　the　urge　to　pull　his　hand　from　the　confines　of　that　cool　parched　skin；　all　those　tiny　crackling　bones。　〃You　are　a　far　more　powerful　sensitive　than　I　could　ever　be。　I　pick　up　bits　and　pieces。　I　can　hear　thoughts　when　they　are　as　pure　and　lucid　as　yours。　And　I　can　do　little　more　than　that。　But　you…you　have　an　eye　in　your　heart；　Ghost。　An　eye　that　shines。　An　eye　that　feels。〃
　　〃What　the　fuck　is　he　babbling　about？〃　Steve　asked　thickly。　
　　I'm　the　only　person　in　this　room　who　isn't　at　least　half…drunk；　Ghost　thought。　He　made　himself　drink　more　of　his　sherry；　though　the　rancid　taste　lay　upon　his　tongue　like　a　sour　old　blanket。　Sherry　got　worse　with　every　sip；　it　seemed。
　　〃I　should　never；　never　like　to　lose　your　favor；〃　Arkady　slurred。　His　hand　was　on　Ghost's　knee　now。　His　fingers　brushed　skin　through　a　hole　in　Ghost's　sweatpants；　and　Ghost　shivered　at　that　dry　touch。　〃But　vampires；　Ghost　。　。　。　vampires！　They　are　not　to　be　mentioned　lightly。　Not　as　in　the　cheap　novels；　the　Hollywood　legends。　You　think　vampires　are　the　Undead；　the　children　of　the　night。　You　believe　they　rise　from　their　graves　when　the　moon　hangs　high；　sucking　the　blood　of　virgins；　melting　into　misty　wraiths　at　sunrise；　turning　into　bats　and　swooping　away　。　。　。〃
　　〃I　don't　think　they　turn　into　bats；〃　said　Ghost；　and　Steve　surprised　him　by　saying；　〃Me　neither。〃
　　Arkady　ignored　them。　〃You　see；　Ghost　child；　the　myths　are　wrong。　And　that　very　wrongness　makes　the　creatures　all　the　more　dangerous。　They　are　not　undead。　They　have　never　died。　Some　of　them　never　do；　or　not　for　hundreds　upon　hundreds　of　years。　They　are　a　separate　race…or　races。　There　are　those　who　suck　blood；　those　who　suck　souls；　those　who　feed　on　the　pain　of　others。　Some　of　them　can　walk　among　us；　free　in　the　sunlight。　Some　of　them　are　able　to　live　as　human　beings　from　day　to　day；　from　year　to　year。　Of　course；　they　must　move　about　like　nomads；　because　after　a　point　they　do　not　age。　They　are　beautiful；　and　they　stay　beautiful。　And　no　one　must　notice。　So　they　move；　and　they　live　among　us；　and　then　one　day…〃
　　〃One　day…BOOM；〃　Steve　said。
　　Arkady　and　Ghost　turned　to　look　at　him。　He　grinned　rather　humorlessly　at　them　and　filled　his　glass　again；　slopping　sherry　onto　the　counter。
　　'Then　one　day；〃　Arkady　continued　smoothly；　〃they　discover　their　particular　hunger。　Some　may　live　for　ten；　twenty；　even　thirty　years　before　the　lust　es　upon　them。　Some　can　digest　nothing　but　blood；　and　must　be　fed　upon　it　from　the　time　of　their　birth。　But　the　hunger　always　es。〃
　　Timidly；　Ghost　interrupted。　〃How　e　you　know　so　much　about　them？〃
　　〃I　have　known　vampires　of　all　sorts；〃　said　Arkady。　〃On　my　first　visit　to　Paris　I　met　a　most　charming　one。　A　blood　drinker。　She　was　elegant；　well…mannered；　cultured。　Most　of　them　are。〃
　　Ghost　thought　of　the　wine…swilling；　Twinkie…gobbling　occupants　of　the　black　van。　He　tried　to　stretch　his　imagination　to　picture　Molochai　and　Twig　as　elegant；　well…mannered；　or　cultured。　Then　he　shook　his　head。　Either　those　two　were　aberrations；　or　Arkady　Raventon　didn't　know　as　much　about　vampires　as　he　thought　he　did。
　　〃We　were　never　lovers；〃　Arkady　went　on；　〃though　how　badly　I　wanted　her　。　。　。　Richelle。　Violet…eyed；　though　she　always　wore　dark　glasses。　Even　at　night。　Hair　as　black　as　a　thousand　midnights；　as　eyeless　sockets…with　tips　dyed　white　and　fuchsia。　She　had　lived　two　hundred　years　or　more；　and　she　knew　where　all　the　underground　clubs　in　Paris　were。　I　could　never　count　the　nights　we　danced　away　on　dark　smoky　floors　below　the　level　of　the　street…〃
　　〃How　e　you　didn't　fuck　her？〃　Steve　interrupted。　
　　Arkady　lowered　his　eyelids　at　Steve　and　gazed　coldly　from　beneath　them。　Steve　glared　back。　Arkady　poured　himself　more　sherry。　He　topped　off　Ghost's　glass　too；　though　it　was　still　half　full。　Ghost　eyed　it　bleakly。
　　〃Richelle　was　celibate。　She　had　a　terror　of　being　pregnant。　She　insisted　that　no　precautions　were　reliable　enough。　Should　she　conceive；　she　told　me；　it　would　mean　the　end　of　her。
　　〃We　occupied　ourselves　in　other　ways。　We　spent　whole　nights　driving　each　other　mad。　She　tasted　lovely；　hot　and　rich　and　always　faintly　bloody。　Once…only　once…she　took　me　out　on　a　kill。　She　found　a　child　begging　for　milk　money　in　some　gutter　far　from　the　ligh