pzb.lostsouls-第59部分

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g　the　vampires　to　triumph。　He　must　save　her　with　his　poisons；　otherwise　the　vampires　would　have　killed　her　as　surely　as　they　had　killed　his　brother　Ashley。　As　surely　as　they　had　turned　that　lovely　aristocratic　face　to　dust；　dried　that　sweet　white　flesh；　shrivelled　those　eyes；　those　eyes　。　。　。
　　He　only　hoped　his　concoction　would　work。　He　had　told　Ghost　he'd　developed　it　after　the　death　of　Richelle；　and　this　was　true；　but　he　had　neglected　to　mention　that　it　had　never　been　tested　on　anyone。
　　Something　wavered　at　the　foot　of　the　stairs。　His　shadow；　huge　and　unsteady　in　the　flickering　light　of　his　candle。　Arkady　stepped　on　it…a　trick　he　had　learned　long　ago；　stepping　on　one　s　own　shadow；　good　for　nothing　but　show…and　ducked　under　the　velvet　curtain　into　the　back　room　of　the　shop。　Mullein…leaf　he　thought。　I　must　bring　the　mullein…leaf　to　be　crumbled；　and　the　book　and　the　sherry。　Drawing　near　the　altar；　he　bent　to　retrieve　the　decanter…and　stopped；　his　dry　lips　hissing　air；　his　hands　frozen　in　their　movement　toward　the　dropcloth。
　　He　always　kept　Ashley's　skull　beneath　the　altar；　safe　in　the　dark。　Sometimes　in　the　night　he　would　wander　downstairs　to　speak　to　Ashley　and　stroke　the　smooth　ivory　curve；　but　he　always　put　Ashley　back　in　his　resting　place。　Why；　then；　was　the　skull　here　on　top　of　the　altar；　nestled　among　the　relics　and　offerings？
　　Some　of　the　other　objects　had　been　displaced　as　well：　the　floor　at　the　foot　of　the　altar　was　littered　with　dead　flowers；　stray　coins；　the　powdery　ash　of　incense　sticks。　One　of　the　plaster　saints　had　toppled　over；　but　the　candles　still　burned；　two　on　either　side　of　Ashley；　dripping　pink　and　black　wax　onto　the　altar。　Arkady　reached　out　to　touch　what　was　left　of　his　brother；　hoping　the　contact　might　give　him　an　answer；　or　at　least　lessen　his　confusion　and　his　fear。
　　The　skull　was　as　cold　as　a　November　wind；　as　cold　as　frozen　earth。
　　〃What？〃　he　whispered。　〃What's　wrong？　What's　happening？〃　
　　The　eye　sockets　retained　their　velvety　tragic　darkness；　the　teeth　did　not　meet　in　reply。　But　as　Arkady　stroked　the　dome　of　the　skull；　all　the　candles　the　four　upon　the　altar；　and　the　one　he　was　carrying…suddenly　flickered　and　then　burned　stronger　than　before。　But　now　their　flames　were　a　bright；　cold　blue。
　　A　sure　sign　of　evil　spirits　present　in　the　room。
　　〃Ashley？〃　he　whispered。　〃My　brother？　Is　it　you？〃　But　that　made　no　sense。　Ashley　was　not　evil。　Ashley　would　never　hurt　him。　Arkady　groped　under　the　altar　for　the　sherry。　He　would　need　it　tonight。　When　his　fingers　found　the　faceted　glass　of　the　decanter；　he　clutched　it　and　started　for　the　stairs。
　　But　just　before　he　was　about　to　sweep　the　velvet　curtain　aside；　he　paused；　then　turned　and　went　back　to　get　Ashley。　This　meant　he　must　abandon　his　candle　and　ascend　the　stairs　in　darkness；　but　Arkady　would　not　leave　his　brother　down　here　alone　with　whatever　spirits　roamed　tonight。
　　The　first　stair　tread　creaked　when　he　rested　his　weight　upon　it。　With　his　bare　toes　he　felt　for　the　edge　of　the　next　stair；　tried　to　ease　his　foot　onto　it　without　making　a　sound。　His　eyes　strained　against　the　dark。　His　shoulder　brushed　the　wall…or　did　the　wall　lean　in　to　crush　him？　Under　his　feet　the　boards　felt　unpleasantly　dry；　almost　furry。　He　climbed　two　more　stairs；　three；　four。
　　He　was　halfway　to　the　top　when　he　heard　the　light　footsteps　ing　up　behind　him。
　　The　stairs　were　dark；　but　the　two　faces　seemed　lit　by　an　unhealthy　glow　from　within。　Arkady　could　make　out　their　sharp　features；　their　drawn　mouths；　the　tired　gleam　of　their　eyes　through　the　cheap　sunglasses　they　wore。　〃It's　only　you　two；〃　he　said。　〃You　gave　me　a　turn。〃
　　They　started　up　the　stairs　toward　him。
　　〃Look　at　us；　Arkady；〃　said　one　of　them。　His　voice　was　only　a　rustle；　like　a　voice　sifting　through　dried　moth　wings。
　　〃We've　waited　too　long；〃　said　the　other；　and　his　voice　was　like　a　wind　that　blew　from　far　away　over　a　stagnant　sea。　〃We　can't　find　anyone。　We　can't　even　look　in　the　mirror。　And　we　have　a　show　to　do　。。。。　〃
　　Arkady　kept　backing　up　the　stairs。　He　heard　his　own　breath　sobbing　in　and　out　of　his　throat。　〃What　do　you　want？〃
　　〃It's　time；　Arkady；〃　said　the　first　one。　He　smiled；　and　patches　of　ivory　skin　flaked　away　from　his　cheeks；　powdering　the　stairs；　mingling　with　the　dust。
　　The　other　one　smiled　too。　His　lips　were　caked　with　dry　rouge；　once　red；　now　faded　to　dusty　orange。　Even　in　this　dim　light；　Arkady　could　see　the　delicate　tracery　of　lines　that　webbed　the　twins'　faces　and　disappeared　beneath　their　sunglasses。
　　〃We　need　you；〃　said　the　first　one。
　　〃It's　easy。　You　can　join　your　brother。〃
　　〃There's　a　girl　upstairs；〃　Arkady　heard　himself　say。　〃Young；　pretty。　You　can　have　her　〃
　　The　first　one　shook　his　head　in　mock　reproach。　His　ruby　hair　whipped　his　face。　〃No；　Arkady。　We　don't　want　your　pretty　girl；　not　yet　anyway。　Next　you'll　be　telling　us　to　go　find　a　whore　on　Bourbon　Street。　We're　hungry。　We　know　you。　We　need　you。〃
　　〃We　love　you；　Arkady；〃　said　the　other；　smiling　even　more　widely。　One　of　his　upper　front　teeth　fell　out　of　its　socket　and　landed　with　a　tiny　plink　on　the　stairs。　He　picked　it　up　and　fitted　it　back　into　the　ragged　hole　in　his　gum；　still　smiling。　There　was　no　blood；　not　a　drop。　〃You　see？　Would　you　have　our　beauty　wither　and　crack　as　your　brother's　did？　You　can　help　us；　Arkady。　You　can　feed　us。　You　know　it's　easy。〃　
　　〃Easy　。　。　。〃　echoed　the　other。
　　They　ascended　the　stairs　toward　him。　Arkady　could　not　run；　could　not　move；　already　his　feet　and　his　ankles　felt　withered；　useless。　He　wondered　how　they　would　feed。　Did　they　have　a　sort　of　proboscis　that　would　thrust　deep　into　his　body　to　search　out　every　last　drop　of　life？　Or　would　they　just　bury　their　mouths　in　him；　rend　him　with　their　teeth　and　let　his　life　force　flow　into　them？
　　Whatever　it　was；　Ashley　had　felt　it　too；　it　was　the　last　thing　Ashley　had　felt；　apart　from　a　rope　around　his　neck。　The　thought　gave　Arkady　a　sick　sort　of　fort。　He　would　try　not　to　be　afraid。
　　The　twins　kept　climbing　toward　him。　Now　he　could　see　the　silver　sheen　of　their　eyes　behind　their　sunglasses。　He　could　see　the　minute　cracks　that　glazed　the　surface　of　their　skin。　He　could　see　the　thin　layer　of　dust　that　coated　their　tongues。
　　When　their　graceful　hands　were　almost　upon　him；　he　uttered　a　low　desperate　cry　and　hurled　Ashley's　skull　at　them。　It　struck　the　redhead's　chest　and　bounced　away。　As　the　first　dry　hand　touched　his　cheek；　Arkady　saw　the　skull　tumbling　from　stair　to　stair；　down　into　the　darkness。
　　
　　The　twins　fed　for　two　hours。　They　pressed　themselves　close　against　Arkady's　body；　and　every　crack　and　pore　of　their　skin　became　a　tiny　mouth；　a　minuscule　suckhole；　questing　deep　into　Arkady's　tissue　to　extract　every　drop　of　moisture；　of　vitality；　of　whatever　love　might　still　be　buried　in　Arkady's　bitter　heart。　They　stopped　occasionally　to　stretch　toward　each　other　and　exchange　long　kisses　oiled　and　flavored　by　the　inner　workings　of　Arkady。　Sex　was　only　a　stopgap　measure　for　them　now；　a　means　to　an　end。　The　usual　sorts　of　lovemaking　seemed　pallid；　tame。　Feeding　was　ever　so　much　more　sensual。
　　Eventually　the　redhead　sat　up　and　yawned。　The　blond　stopped　sucking　and　regarded　Arkady　with　mild　curiosity。　Arkady's　fingers　were　little　more　than　bone　now；　but　they　still　scraped　weakly　against　the　wooden　floor　of　the　landing　where　the　twins　had　dragged　him。　The　husk　of　his　head　still　creaked　from　side　to　side　in　blind　denial；　the　dried　leaf　of　his　tongue　still　thrust　from　his　crumbling　mouth；　questing　for　a　drop　of　moisture。　There　was　no　drop　of　moisture　left　anywhere　in　Arkady's　ruined　body；　the　blond　twin　knew　that。
　　But　they　always　took　so　long　to　die。
　　It　was　sort　of　interesting。
　　The　redhead　glanced　over　his　shoulder；　back　toward　the　warren　of　rooms　down　the　hall。　〃Arkady　said　there　was　a　girl；〃　he　suggested。
　　The　blond　smirked　at　him。　〃Greedy；　greedy。〃　
　　〃I　don't　care。。。。　〃　
　　〃Let's　have　a　look；　then。〃
　　They　tiptoed　into　Steve　and　Ghost's　room　and　stood　on　either　side　of　the　bed。　There　was　a　strong　smell　of　blood。　Arkady　had　left　no　light　on；　and　their　eyesight　was　not　as　strong　as　their　other　senses；　but　they　did　not　really　need　it。　They　leaned　over　the　bed　and　breathed　in　deep；　going　past　the　girl's　odor　of　sweat；　blood；　and　sorrow；　trying　to　scent　out　the　pulse　of　life　still　beating。
　　Then　they　looked　at　each　other　and　shook　their　heads。
　　〃This　girl　belonged　to　Ghost；　you　know；〃　said　the　blond。　
　　〃Who？〃
　　〃Ghost！　Don't　you　remember？　The　beautiful　dreamer？〃　
　　〃Oh！　I　didn't　like　him。　Not　our　sort。　Too　。　。　。〃　
　　〃Too　asexual？〃
　　〃Too　pure；〃　said　the　redhead；　and　they　both　giggled。　But　their　laughter　died　as　they　stared　at　the　indistinct　curled　form　on　the　bed。　Arkady　had　been　so　dry。
　　〃A　shame。〃
　　〃A　pity。　But　we　have　a　show　to　do。〃
　　What　Arkady　had　said　about　the　twins'　being　musicians　was　not　precisely　true。　They　were　dilettantes　who　weled　any　chance　to　perform　almost　any　act　in　public。　Currently　they　had　captured　the　affections　of　a　local　band　whose　Gothic　act　had　failed　to　ignite　the　French　Quarter　club　scene。　The　guitarist　and　former　singer；　Pearl；　was　a　lovely　young　woman　with　opalescent　skin；　masses　of　dyed　and　crimped　blue…black　hair；　and　no　hint　of　a　brain　in　her　head。　〃You'll　inject　some　life　into　the　act；〃　she　enthused。　With　a　perfectly　straight　face；　the　blond　twin　had　replied；　〃And　perhaps　you　will　inject　some　life　into　us；　too。〃
　　Pearl　and　the　other　members　of　Midnight　Sun　had　agreed　to　let　the　twins　front　their　act　for　as　long　as　they　wished　to。　Audiences　were　enthralled；　club　owners　loved　them。　The　band　particularly　liked　the　fact　that　the　twins　never　took　their　cut　of　the　door。　They　had　no　use　for　money。
　　At　the　foot　of　Ann's　bed　they　embraced。　Their　brittle　hair　drifted　together；　their　eyes　glittered　silver　behind　the　sunglasses　they　still　wore。
　　〃Let's　leave　after　the　show　tonight；〃　the　redhead　murmured。　〃Let's　blow　this　town。〃
　　〃But　Pearl　。　。　。〃　The　blond　had　taken　a　particular　liking　to　the　empty…headed；　lush…bodied　guitarist。
　　〃We　can　do　her　later。　I　don't　care。　But　let's　leave　after　that。　My　darling？　Please？〃
　　〃Of　course；　then；　anything　you　want。　But　why　so　suddenly？〃
　　The