lhamilton.thekillingdance-第59部分

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　〃Can　we　cut　the　grandstanding？〃　I　said。　〃Can　you　help　us？〃
　〃I　am　more　than　willing　to　try。〃
　I　walked　up　to　him；　picking　my　way　over　the　broken　stones。　When　I　was　standing　as　close　as　was　polite　and　maybe　an　inch　or　so　more；　I　said；　〃These　three　vampires　are　not　an　experiment。　This　is　not　some　graduate　study　in　magical　metaphysics。　You　offered　to　teach　me　necromancy；　Dominic。　I　think　you're　not　up　to　the　job。　How　can　you　teach　me　when　I　can　do　things　you　can't？　Unless；　of　course；　you　can　raise　vampires　from　their　coffins？〃
　I　stared　into　his　dark　eyes　the　entire　time　I　spoke；　watching　the　anger　narrow　his　eyes；　tighten　his　lips。　His　ego　was　as　big　as　I'd　hoped。　I　knew　he　wouldn't　disappoint　me。　Dominic　would　do　his　best　for　us　now。　His　pride　was　at　stake。
　〃Tell　me　exactly　how　you　called　the　power；　Anita；　and　I　will　build　you　a　spell　that　should　work…if　you　have　the　control　to　make　it　work。〃
　I　smiled　at　him；　and　I　made　sure　it　was　just　this　side　of　condescending。　〃You　e　up　with　it；　I　can　pull　it　off。〃
　He　smiled。　〃Arrogance　is　not　a　being　trait　in　a　woman。〃
　〃I　find　it　a　very　being　trait；〃　Jean…Claude　said。　〃If　it's　deserved。　If　you　had　just　raised　three　vampires　from　their　daytime　rest；　wouldn't　you　be　arrogant；　Dominic？〃
　His　smile　widened。　〃Yes；　I　would　be。〃
　Truth　was；　I　didn't　feel　arrogant。　I　was　scared。　Scared　that　I'd　screwed　Willie　up　and　he　would　never　rise　again。　I　felt　bad　too；　about　Liv　and　Damian。　It　wasn't　a　matter　of　liking　them　or　not；　I　didn't　mean　to　do　it。　You　shouldn't　extinguish　someone's　life　force　by　accident。　If　I　felt　half　as　secure　as　my　words　to　Dominic；　why　did　my　stomach　hurt？
　
　
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　Dominic；　Cassandra；　and　I　came　up　with　a　spell。　The　part　of　the　plan　that　was　my　idea　was　very　simple。　I　had　put　zombies　back　in　their　graves　for　years。　I　was　good　at　it。　As　far　as　I　was　able；　I　was　going　to　treat　this　like　just　another　job：　laying　the　dead　to　rest；　nothing　special。　Lay　the　zombies　first；　worry　about　the　vamps　later。
　I　had　Cassandra　fetch　one　of　my　knives　and　a　wrist　sheath　from　the　bedroom。　If　I'd　been　acting　as　a　focus　for　another　animator；　I　wouldn't　have　let　him　sink　teeth　into　me；　so　why　did　the　blood　have　to　e　from　Jean…Claude　drinking　it？　It　didn't；　or　I　didn't　think　it　did。　Dominic　agreed　with　me；　but　he　wasn't　a　hundred　percent　sure。　So　zombies　first。　They'd　be　the　practice。　If　the　knife　didn't　work；　we'd　go　to　fangs；　but　what　little　normalcy　was　left　to　me；　I　was　going　to　cling　to。
　I'd　sent　Stephen　for　a　bowl　to　hold　the　blood。　He'd　returned　with　a　small；　golden　bowl。　I　wondered　if　the　size　was　deliberate；　to　encourage　me　not　to　spill　too　much　blood。　For　a　werewolf；　Stephen　didn't　seem　to　like　blood　very　much。　The　bowl　was　polished　to　a　shine　so　bright　it　almost　glowed。　The　inside　showed　the　dimpled　blows　of　hammer　work。　Beaten　gold；　and　I　knew　as　soon　as　I　touched　it；　it　was　old。　Why　does　everyone　think　you　have　to　have　something　special　to　hold　the　blood？　Tupperware　would　have　worked。
　We　stood　in　the　rubble…strewn　room　where　the　zombies　waited；　patient　as　only　the　dead　can　be。　Some　of　the　eyes　that　watched　me　were　sunken　like　the　blind　eyes　of　dead　fish；　a　few　skulls　were　empty；　and　even　without　eyes；　they　all　seerned　to　be　looking　at　me。
　I　stood；　knife　strapped　to　my　left　wrist；　facing　them。　Richard　stood　to　my　left；　Jean…Claude　to　my　right。　They　weren't　touching　me；　by　my　request。
　Dominic　had　asked　for　enough　details　of　the　first　triumvirate　that　I'd　been　embarrassed。　He　agreed　with　me　that　the　power　was　probably　there　without　us　having　to　crawl　all　over　each　other。　Agreeing　to　that　alone　earned　him　brownie　points。　After　all；　the　plan　was　to　raise　the　magic　tonight　in　front　of　the　whole　pack。　I　didn't　really　want　to　be　having　sex　in　front　of　that　many　strangers。　All　right；　it　wasn't　exactly　sex；　but　it　was　close　enough　that　I　didn't　want　an　audience。
　The　glow　was　fading。　Staring　at　the　partially　rotting　zombies；　it　was　hard　to　regain　the　mood。　〃My　zombies　usually　hold　together　better　than　this；〃　I　said。
　〃If　you　had　pulled　this　much　power　from　two　other　necromancers；　the　zombies　would　be　better；〃　Dominic　said。
　〃Perhaps　it　was　the　lack　of　control；〃　Jean…Claude　said。
　I　turned　and　looked　at　him。　〃I　think　Dominic　means　that　some　of　the　power　that　raised　them　was　taken　from　a　dead　man。〃
　〃Do　you　believe　I　am　a　dead　man；　ma　petite？〃
　I　stared　into　that　lovely　face　and　nodded。　〃The　vampires　I　raised　are　just　corpses。　Whatever　you　are；　it's　a　form　of　necromancy。　Necromancy　only　works　when　you　start　with　a　dead　body。〃
　He　cocked　his　head　to　one　side。　〃I　hear　your　words；　ma　petite；　but　I　do　not　think　you　believe　them；　not　pletely。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃I　don't　know　what　I　believe　anymore。〃
　〃Actually；〃　Dominic　said；　〃I　don't　believe　it　matters　that　Jean…Claude　is　a　vampire。　I　think　it　is　more　that　neither　he　nor　Richard　know　anything　of　raising　the　dead。　That　is　your　talent　alone。　I　think　with　practice；　you　could　channel　the　power　into　perfect　zombies；　but　in　a　way；　Jean…Claude　is　right。　The　wildness　of　it；　the　lack　of　control；　made　the　zombies　less　perfect。〃
　Something　must　have　shown　on　my　face；　because　he　said；　〃You　had　too　many　things　to　control　to　pay　attention　to　all　the　details。　I　think　you　instinctively　let　the　zombies　go；　because　it　was　the　part　you　were　most　sure　of。　You　have　excellent　instincts。〃
　〃Thanks；　I　guess；〃　I　said。
　He　smiled。　〃I　know　time　is　growing　short。　As　we　can　see　from　Jean…Claude's　presence；　not　all　vampires　sleep　until　full　dark。　I　fear　that　if　one　of　the　vampires　passes　its　waking　hour；　that　he　or　she　will　be　lost。　But　I　would　ask　Anita　to　do　one　thing　for　me　that　has　nothing　to　do　with　her　problem；　but　everything　to　do　with　mine。〃
　〃What　problem？〃　I　asked。
　〃Sabin；〃　Jean…Claude　said。
　Dominic　nodded。　〃Sabin's　time　is　running　short。〃
　〃Sabin；　the　vampire　at　the　club？〃　Cassandra　asked。
　〃Yeah；〃　I　said。　〃What　do　you　need；　Dominic？　Make　it　quick；　and　I'm　your　girl。〃
　Dominic　smiled。　〃Thank　you；　Anita。　Concentrate　on　one　of　your　zombies。　Try　to　bring　it　closer　to　perfection。〃
　I　frowned　at　him。
　〃Heal　one　of　your　zombies；　ma　petite。〃
　〃You　can't　heal　the　dead；〃　I　said；　〃but　I　can　make　them　more　lifelike。〃
　Dominic　nodded。　〃That　would　do　very　nicely。〃
　〃I　usually　do　that　during　the　initial　rush　of　power。　I've　never　tried　to　fiddle　with　my　dead　once　they　were　raised。〃
　〃Please　try；〃　Dominic　said。
　〃We　could　raise　the　power　between　the　three　of　us；　then　try　it；〃　I　said。
　Dominic　shook　his　head。　〃I　am　not　sure　what　that　would　do　to　the　spell。　I　think　it　would　be　taking　a　great　risk　with　your　panions。〃
　I　stared　at　him　for　a　heartbeat　or　two。　〃You'd　risk　leaving　Sabin　to　rot　to　save　our　friends？〃
　〃You　asked　for　my　help；　Anita。　I　think　you　are　not　a　woman　who　asks　for　help　often。　It　would　be　poor　payment　of　such　a　pliment　if　I　let　you　risk　your　friends　for　mine。　If　you　can　heal　your　dead　cold；　as　it　were；　so　be　it。　If　you　cannot；　we　will　proceed　to　save　these　three　vampires。〃
　〃A　very　honorable　sentiment；〃　Jean…Claude　said。
　〃There　are　moments　when　honor　is　all　that　is　left；〃　Dominic　said。
　The　vampire　and　the　man　seemed　to　have　a　moment　of　near　perfect　understanding。　A　wealth　of　history；　if　not　shared；　then　similar；　passed　between　them。　I　was　odd　woman　out。
　I　looked　to　Richard　and　we　had　our　own　moment　of　perfect　understanding。　We　valued　our　mortal　life　span。　The　fatalism　in　Dominic's　voice　had　been　frightening。　How　old　was　he？　I　could　usually　tell　with　a　vampire；　but　never　with　a　human　servant。　I　didn't　ask。　There　was　a　weight　of　years　in　Dominic's　brown　eyes　that　made　me　afraid　to　ask。
　I　looked　at　Jean…Claude's　lovely　face　and　wondered　if　I　would　be　as　honorable；　or　would　I　have　risked　anyone；　everyone；　to　heal　him？　To　see　Jean…Claude　dead　would　be　one　thing；　but　rotted　away　like　Sabin　。　。　。　It　would　be　worse　than　death　in　many　ways。　Of　course；　Sabin　was　dying。　Powerful　as　he　was；　he　couldn't　hold　himself　together　forever。　Or　maybe　he　could。　Maybe　Dominic　could　sew　him　up　in　a　big　sack；　like　the　gloves　the　vampire　wore　on　his　hands。　Maybe　Sabin　could　go　on　living　even　after　he'd　been　reduced　to　so　much　liquid。　Now　that　was　a　hideous　thought。
　I　stared　at　the　standing　dead。　They　looked　back。　One　of　the　zombies　was　almost　intact。　Grey　skin　clung　to　the　bones；　more　like　clay　than　flesh。　One　blue　eye　stared　at　me。　The　other　eye　had　shriveled　like　a　raisin。　It　reminded　me　of　what　had　happened　to　Sabin's　eye。
　It　would　make　more　sense　to　say　I　touched　the　eye　and　healed　it。　Or　that　I　thought　at　it　and　smoothed　the　flesh　like　clay。　It　wasn't　like　that。　I　stared　at　the　zombie。　I　touched　that　spark　inside　me　that　allowed　me　to　raise　the　dead。　I　drew　that　part　of　me　outward；　coaxed　it　like　feeding　a　small　flame；　and　threw　it　outward　into　that　one　zombie。　I　whispered；　〃Live；　live。〃
　I'd　watched　it　before；　but　it　never　ceased　to　amaze　me。　The　flesh　filled　out；　plumping；　smoothing。　A　warm　flesh　tone　spread　like　heat　across　the　grey　skin。　The　dry；　strawlike　hair　grew　and　curled；　brown　and　soft。　The　dead　eye　blew　up　like　a　small　balloon；　filling　the　socket。　Two　good　eyes　looked　back　at　me。　Even　the　tattered　clothing　mended　itself。　He　wore　a　vest　with　a　gold　watch　chain。　His　cl