pzb.lostsouls-第58部分

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　　Ghost　leaned　his　head　back　against　the　wall　and　closed　his　eyes。　Beside　him；　Steve　shifted；　crossed　and　uncrossed　his　long　legs。　〃So　what　do　we　do　now？〃
　　〃Wait；〃　Arkady　told　him。　〃It　is　all　you　can　do。〃
　　〃Wait！〃　Steve　spat　out　the　word。　He　hauled　himself　up　and　began　to　pace；　the　heels　of　his　battered　boots　clocking　against　the　floor；　his　hands　clawing　at　his　hair。　〃I　can't　wait。　I'll　go　crazy。〃
　　Ghost　stood；　steadying　himself　against　the　wall。　He　realized　neither　of　them　had　eaten　all　day。　〃Look。　Why　don't　we　go　out　for　a　while？　Over　to　Bourbon　Street　or…〃
　　Arkady　clapped　his　hands。　The　sudden　sharp　sound　brought　all　movement　in　the　room　to　an　end：　Steve　stopped　pacing；　Ghost　shut　his　mouth　without　finishing　his　sentence；　even　the　dust　seemed　to　stop　sifting　down。　Arkady　glanced　at　the　window。　Twilight　had　begun　to　filter　through　the　glass；　sending　long　gray　fingers　of　shadow　into　the　room。　Below；　on　the　street　corners；　Ghost　could　see　lamps　lighting　one　by　one；　like　milky　yellow　fireflies。
　　〃I　know　just　the　thing；〃　said　Arkady。　〃I　will　care　for　the　girl。　I　will　watch　over　her。　You'd　only　get　in　the　way。〃　There　was　no　question　which　of　them　he　meant；　but　for　once　Steve　didn't　snarl。　〃I've　told　you　about　Ashley's　friends；　the　ones　in　the　other　guest　room。　They　are　musicians；　and　they　will　be　performing　tonight　at　a　club　on　Rue　Decatur。　The　club　serves　the　strongest　drinks　in　all　the　Vieux　Carre；　and　when　you　e　back；　everything　will　be　over。　The　child　will　be　dead；　and　you　can　take　your　Ann　home　again。〃
　　Uh…uh；　thought　Ghost。　His　brain　felt　edged　with　hysteria；　he　smelled　strawberry　incense；　cheap　wine；　clove　cigarettes。　He　closed　his　eyes。　Behind　his　lids　he　saw　a　closet　door　swinging　slowly　open；　saw　a　silken　sleeve　reaching　out　for　him；　heard　a　voice　whispering；　Easy；　Ghost　。　。　。　easy　。　。　。　He　thought；　No　way。　I　don't　want　to　see　any　band　that　came　out　of　that　closet。　We'll　find　a　two…dollar　strip　show　on　Bourbon　Street；　well　go　to　the　Ripley's　Believe　It　or　Not　Museum；　we'll　do　anything　but　see　poor　dead　Ashley　Raventon's　lovers　playing　at　some　club　on　Decatur　Street。
　　But　when　Ghost　opened　his　eyes　again；　Steve　was　looking　morbidly　interested。　He　had　perked　up　at　the　mention　of　the　strongest　drinks　in　all　the　Vieux　Carre。　〃That　sounds　pretty　good；〃　he　said。　〃I'd　like　to　check　out　the　club　scene　here。　Sure　sounds　better　than　sitting　around　waiting。〃　He　turned　to　Ghost。　〃You　want　to？〃
　　It　would　make　Steve　happy；　or　at　least　take　his　mind　off　Ann；　or　at　least　give　him　an　excuse　to　get　blind　drunk。　What　could　happen　in　a　club？　Ashley's　lovers　couldn't　fly　off　the　stage　at　Ghost；　flapping　their　silks；　whispering　easy　。。。。　He　and　Steve　would　be　safe　in　the　crowd。
　　〃Okay　by　me；〃　he　said；　hoping　he　sounded　surer　than　he　felt。
　　〃Fine　then；〃　said　Arkady。　As　he　turned　to　leave　the　room；　he　flapped　his　hand　toward　the　foot　of　the　bed。　A　tangle　of　cotton　bandages　trailed　onto　the　floor。　〃You'll　want　to　wrap　her　up；〃　Arkady　told　Steve。　〃Tightly　enough　to　keep　some　of　the　blood　in；　but　loose　enough　to　let　out　the　。　。　。　matter。〃
　　Steve　winced。　Arkady　made　his　exit；　white　robes　swirling　behind　him。
　　Ghost　stood　there　for　a　moment；　gripping　Steve's　shoulder。　Then　he　followed　Arkady　out　of　the　room　and　shut　the　door；　and　Steve　was；　alone　with　Ann。
　　
　　At　first　she　only　drifted。
　　Her　lungs　felt　stuffed　with　cotton；　and　there　was　an　acrid　chemical　burn　in　the　back　of　her　throat。　She　was　too　tired　to　open　her　eyes：　her　eyelids　were　weighted　with　sand。　She　let　herself　slip　back　into　sleep；　and　she　drifted。　The　backs　of　her　knees　and　the　back　of　her　neck　turned　to　warm　water。　Her　muscles　melted　from　her　bones。　Soon　she　began　to　see　pictures。
　　They　were　too　vivid　to　be　dreams。　Her　dreams　had　always　been　in　black　and　white；　as　precise　and　disjointed　as　Fellini　films。　The　pictures　she　saw　now　were　in　virulent　color。　For　a　time　she　struggled　against　them；　trying　to　wake　up；　then　she　gave　in；　because　the　pictures　swelled　in　her　brain　and　made　her　head　hurt　when　she　struggled。
　　She　saw　her　father's　fragile…boned　face；　weirdly　phosphorescent　in　the　gloom　of　the　living　room　back　home。　Newspapers　were　strewn　in　disarray　around　his　feet；　and　an　empty　coffee　mug　sat　on　the　arm　of　his　chair　near　his　outstretched　hand。　She　tried　to　call　his　name；　but　if　he　heard　her；　he　made　no　response。
　　She　saw　a　jack…o'…lantern　lit　orange　against　a　black　night；　bobbing　as　if　some　shadow…wraith　carried　it。　The　glowing　grin　split　open；　and　a　great　frothy　rose　blossomed　out；　withering　and　rotting　in　the　space　of　a　few　seconds。
　　She　saw　a　girl's　face　with　dark　eyes　half…hidden　by　a　curtain　of　hair；　then　the　girl's　eyes　rolled　up　white　and　silver；　and　the　girl's　mouth　opened　impossibly　wide；　and　a　gout　of　blood　and　whiskey　tumbled　down　her　chin。
　　She　saw　a　jumble　of　streets　laid　out　like　a　glowing　map。　Neon　danced　and　rippled：　purple；　green；　gold。　In　the　streets；　crowds　of　thin　children　in　black　frolicked。　They　wore　studded　belts　and　wristlets；　skull…and…crossbone　earrings；　hair　dyed　every　color；　teased　and　twisted　into　every　conceivable　style。　She　saw　pale　faces　slashed　across　with　scarlet　lipstick；　with　great　smudges　of　eyeliner。　Stalking　among　the　children；　everywhere；　were　corny　silent…film　vampires。　They　pulled　black　silk　capes　up　over　their　noses；　drew　back　in　mock　horror　at　crucifixes　dangling　from　multipierced　earlobes。　Beside　the　children　in　their　gaudy　mourning；　the　vampires　were　old…fashioned　and　hokey…except　that　all　of　them　had　green　eyes　that　glowed　and　snapped　like　strange　acid　fire。
　　As　the　final　image　dwindled　into　darkness；　Ann　realized　that　someone　was　touching　her。　Fumbling　with　the　button　of　her　skirt；　sliding　her　tights　down　over　her　hips。　She　would　know　that　touch　anywhere；　would　know　it　even　if　she　hadn't　felt　it　in　ten　years：　half…rough　but　trying　to　be　gentle；　half…desperate　but　trying　to　be　tender。
　　Steve。　At　first　she　wanted　to　push　his　hands　away；　but　she　could　not　muster　the　will　to　move；　so　she　lay　quietly　and　let　him　ease　her　panties　down。　Those　panties　are　really　skanky；　she　thought。　Then　she　thought；　Who　cares；　it's　only　Steve；　he's　smelled　me　before。　Then　some　distant　part　of　her　mind　realized　what　was　happening　and　shrieked；　Steve！
　　
　　He　would　not　let　himself　part　her　legs　to　look。　He　knew　the　warm　saddle　between　her　thighs　too　well；　knew　its　perfumed　scent　and　its　tangy　taste；　knew　just　how　to　slide　into　its　warmth。　For　some　perverse　reason　he　had　a　raging；　aching　hard…on。　Maybe　because　you　haven't　touched　a　girl　in　over　two　months；　the　demon　in　his　mind　babbled；　not　even　an　unconscious　one。
　　He　knew　that　if　he　looked　at　her　too　long；　he　would　want　her；　even　passed　out。　Yes；　he　could　slip　inside　her　so　easily；　it　would　be　like　ing　home…but　what　if　the　thing　in　her　womb　reached　a　tiny　hand　down　and　grabbed　him？　What　if　it　got　ahold　of　him　with　its　teeth？
　　His　hard…on　was　suddenly　gone。
　　Steve　slid　one　hand　under　Ann's　hips…she　was　thinner；　he　noticed；　there　was　only　a　scant　handful　of　flesh　on　each　buttock　that　had　once　been　so　sweetly　round…and　started　winding　the　bandages　around　her。　Between　the　milk…pale　thighs；　snug　against　the　treacherous　cunt；　up　around　Ann's　slender　waist　and　back　down。
　　Would　these　keep　her　from　bleeding　to　death　when　the　poison　started　to　work？　He　didn't　know。　But　Arkady　had　said　to　wrap　her　up；　and　Ghost　trusted　Arkady　because　there　was　no　one　else　to　trust；　so　Steve　had　to　trust　him　too。　Even　if　he　was　a　rat…faced　little　fuckwad。
　　When　Ann　was　wrapped　from　her　waist　to　the　middle　of　her　thighs　in　white　cotton；　Steve　pulled　the　sheet　up　to　her　chin。　The　coarse　cloth　seemed　to　settle　flat　over　Ann's　body；　even　the　rise　of　her　swaddled　pubic　mound　was　nearly　imperceptible。
　　Steve　sat　on　the　edge　of　the　bed　for　a　long　time；　looking　at　her　face。　She　didn't　look　any　different。　Tired；　that　was　all。　They　might　have　just　made　love。　She　might　be　catnapping　in　that　lovely　twilight　lull　that　happened　after　good　sex；　waiting　for　him　to　roll　over　and　give　her　one　more　long　deep　kiss。
　　He　bowed　his　head　and　rested　his　cheek　against　her　breasts。　Beneath　their　softness　he　felt　the　trembling　of　her　heart。　Turn　back；　he　thought　with　sudden　incoherence。　Something　got　fucked　up　bad。　None　of　this　was　supposed　to　happen。　Time；　turn　back！
　　But　time　would　not。
　　He　kissed　her　through　the　bandages；　right　at　the　V　where　her　thighs　met。　Then　he　stood　up　and　walked　toward　the　door；　and　only　when　he　saw　how　blurred　it　was　did　he　realize　his　eyes　were　overflowing。　
　　Steve！　her　mind　shrieked。　
　　But　he　never　turned　around。
　　
　　　Chapter　30
　　
　　Arkady　lit　a　candle　and　started　down　the　stairs。　He　would　get　a　packet　of　dried　leaves　that　needed　grinding；　he　would　sift　them　to　dust　between　his　fingers　as　he　sat　beside　Ann's　bed。　He　would　bring　up　an　old　fragile　book　that　he　had　not　looked　at　in　too　long；　and　the　decanter　of　sherry　that　rested　beneath　the　altar　with　Ashley。
　　He　would　keep　vigil　beside　the　girl　all　night；　or　at　least　until　Steve　and　Ghost　returned。　He　would　mark　her　bleeding；　watch　her　temperature；　daub　her　forehead　with　ice。　He　would　take　good　care　of　her。
　　And　he　would　think　about　the　way　Ghost　had　slighted　him；　rejected　him；　made　a　fool　of　him。　He　would　think　about　the　way　Steve　had　shown　him　nothing　but　sullenness　and　discourtesy。　He　would　sit　beside　the　beautiful　unconscious　girl　and　think　about　these　things；　pondering　the　power　he　wielded　over　Steve　and　Ghost　now。　He　would　look　upon　the　girl's　pale　fevered　face　and　contemplate　the　administration　of　another　poison；　one　for　the　mother　instead　of　the　child；　one　that　would　never　be　detected。　He　knew　a　poison　made　from　the　spleen　of　a　certain　fish；　a　poison　that　duplicated　the　structure　of　normal　stomach　acids。　He　would　contemplate　unwrapping　the　bandages　that　Steve　had　tucked　so　carefully　around　her　hips；　would　imagine　himself　straightening　a　wire　coat　hanger　and　sliding　it　up　inside　her；　as　tenderly　as　a　lover；　until　the　sharp　end　punctured　her　womb　。。。。
　　But　no。　He　wielded　great　power　over　Steve　and　Ghost　through　this　helpless　girl；　but　he　must　not　use　it。　That　would　be　allowing　the　vampires　to　triumph。　He　must　save　her　with　his　poisons；