lhamilton.thekillingdance-第30章

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er　alerted　to　the　fact　that　you've　got　a　bodyguard。〃
　〃A　second　bodyguard；〃　Jean…Claude　said。　〃Your；　how　do　you　say；　hitter　will　know　I　will　be　by　her　side。〃
　Edward　nodded。　〃Yeah；　if　they　hit　the　limo；　you'll　be　there。　They'll　have　to　plan　on　taking　you　out；　too；　which　means　it's　got　to　be　serious　firepower。〃
　〃I　am　both　a　deterrent　and　an　invitation　to　up　the　stakes；　is　that　it？〃　JeanClaude　asked。
　Edward　looked　at　him　like　the　vampire　had　finally　done　something　interesting。　Edward　didn't　meet　his　eyes　though。　I　was　the　only　human　I　knew　that　could　meet　the　Master's　eyes　and　not　be　bespelled。　Being　a　necromancer　had　its　uses。　〃Exactly。〃　He　said　it　like　he　hadn't　expected　the　vampire　to　grasp　the　situation。　But　if　there　was　one　thing　Jean…Claude　was　good　at；　it　was　surviving。
　〃Shall　we　go　then；　ma　petite？　The　party　awaits　us。〃　He　made　a　sweeping　motion　with　his　arms；　directing　me　towards　the　door　but　not　taking　my　hand。　He　glanced　at　Richard；　then　at　me。　He　was　behaving　himself　terribly　well。　Jean…Claude　was　a　world…class　pain　in　the　ass。　It　wasn't　like　him　to　be　a　good　boy。
　I　glanced　at　Richard。　〃Go　on。　If　we　kiss　good…bye；　it'll　smear　your　lipstick　again。〃
　〃You　are　wearing　quite　enough　of　her　lipstick　already；　Richard；〃　Jean…Claude　said。　For　the　first　time　tonight；　I　heard　that　warm　edge　of　jealousy。
　Richard　took　two　steps　forward；　and　the　tension　level　in　the　room　soared。　〃I　could　kiss　her　good　night　again；　if　that　would　make　you　happy。〃
　〃Stop　it；　both　of　you；〃　I　said。
　〃By　all　means；〃　Jean…Claude　said。　〃She　is　mine　for　the　rest　of　the　evening。　I　can　afford　to　be　generous。〃
　Richard's　hands　balled　into　fists。　The　first　trickle　of　power　oozed　through　the　room。
　〃I'm　leaving　now。〃　I　made　for　the　door　and　didn't　look　back。　Jean…Claude　caught　up　with　me　before　I　reached　the　door。　He　reached　for　the　doorknob　first。　and　then　released　it；　letting　me　get　it。
　〃I　do　forget　your　penchant　for　doors；〃　he　said。
　〃I　don't；〃　Richard　said　softly。
　I　turned　and　looked　at　him　standing　there　in　his　jeans；　his　T…shirt　molded　to　the　muscles　of　his　arms　and　chest。　He　was　still　barefoot；　his　hair　a　wavy　mass　around　his　face。　If　I'd　been　staying　here；　we　could　have　cuddled　on　the　couch　in　front　of　one　of　his　favorite　movies。　We　were　beginning　to　have　our　favorite　movies。　songs；　sayings　that　were　ours。　Maybe　a　moonlight　walk。　His　night　vision　was　almost　as　good　as　my　own。　Maybe　later　we　could　finish　what　we'd　started　before　the　meeting。
　Jean…Claude　slid　his　fingers　through　mine；　drawing　my　attention　to　him。　I　stared　up　into　those　blue；　blue　eyes　like　a　sky　before　a　storm；　or　seawater　where　the　rocks　lie　deep　and　cold。　I　could　touch　those　three　black　buttons　and　see　if　they　were　really　antique　beads。　My　gaze　traveled　downward　to　the　pale　glimpse　of　his　chest。　I　knew　that　the　cross…shaped　burn　scar　was　a　rough　slickness　to　the　touch。　Looking　at　him　made　my　chest　tight。　He　was　so　beautiful。　Would　my　body　always　feel　the　pull　of　him；　like　a　sunflower　turning　towards　the　light？　Maybe。　But　standing　there　holding　his　hand；　I　realized　it　wasn't　enough。
　Jean…Claude　and　I　could　have　had　a　glorious　affair；　but　I　could　see　spending　my　life　with　Richard。　Was　love　enough？　Even　if　Richard　killed　for　self…preservation；　could　he　really　accept　my　body　count？　Could　I　accept　his　beast；　or　would　I　be　as　horrified　by　it　as　he　was　himself？　Jean…Claude　accepted　me　lock；　stock；　and　gun。　But　I　didn't　accept　him。　Just　because　we　both　looked　at　the　world　through　dark　glasses；　didn't　mean　I　liked　it。
　I　sighed；　and　it　wasn't　a　happy　sound。　If　this　was　the　last　time　I　ever　saw　Richard；　I　should　have　jumped　his　body　and　given　him　a　kiss　he　would　never　forget；　but　I　couldn't　do　it。　Holding　Jean…Claude's　hand；　I　couldn't　do　it。　It　would　have　been　cruel　to　all　of　us。
　〃Bye；　Richard；〃　I　said。
　〃Be　careful；〃　he　said。　He　sounded　so　alone。
　〃Louie　and　you　are　going　to　the　movies　tonight；　right？〃　I　asked。
　He　nodded。　〃He　should　be　here　soon。〃
　〃Good。〃　I　opened　my　mouth　to　say　more；　but　didn't。　There　was　nothing　to　say。　I　was　going　with　Jean…Claude。　Nothing　I　said　would　change　that。
　〃I'll　wait　up　for　you；〃　Richard　said。
　〃I　wish　you　wouldn't。〃
　〃I　know。〃
　I　left；　walking　a　little　too　fast　out　to　the　waiting　limo。　It　was　white。　〃Well；　isn't　this　shiny　and　bright；〃　I　said。
　〃I　thought　black　looked　too　much　like　a　hearse；〃　Jean…Claude　said。
　Edward　had　e　out　also。　He　closed　the　door　behind　us。　〃I'll　be　there　when　you　need　me；　Anita。〃
　I　met　his　eyes。　〃I　know　you　will。〃
　He　gave　the　briefest　of　smiles。　〃But　just　in　case；　watch　your　back　like　a　son　of　a　bitch。〃
　I　smiled。　〃Don't　I　always？〃
　He　glanced　at　the　vampire　standing　by　the　open　limo　door。　〃Not　as　well　as　I　thought　you　did。〃　Edward　walked　into　the　darkness　towards　his　waiting　car　before　I　could　think　of　a　reply。　It　was　just　as　well。　He　was　right。　The　monsters　had　finally　gotten　me。　Seducing　me　was　almost　as　good　as　killing　me；　and　nearly　as　crippling。
　
　
　14
　
　The　name　of　the　club；　Danse　Macabre；　blazed　in　red　neon　letters　nearly　eight　feet　high。　The　letters　were　curved　and　flowed　at　an　angle　like　some　giant　hand　had　just　finished　writing　them。　The　club　was　housed　in　an　old　brewery　warehouse。　The　place　had　stood　on　the　Riverfront；　boarded　up　and　abandoned　for　years。　It　had　been　the　only　eyesore　in　a　line　of　chic　restaurants；　dance　clubs；　and　bars。　Most　of　them　were　owned　by　vampires。　The　Riverfront　was　also　known　as　The　District；　or　Blood　Square；　though　not　in　polite　vampire　pany。　For　some　reason；　the　nickname　bugged　them。　Who　knew　why？
　The　crowd　had　spilled　out　from　the　sidewalk　into　the　street；　until　the　limo　was　stopped　by　the　sheer　weight　of　people。　It　was　so　bad　that　I　spotted　a　uniformed　cop　trying　to　ease　the　people　back　enough　for　the　cars　to　get　through。　I　looked　through　the　dark　tinted　windows　at　the　press　of　people。　Was　the　assassin　out　there？　Was　one　of　those　well…dressed；　smiling　people　waiting　to　kill　me？　I　opened　my　purse　and　slipped　the　Seecamp　out。
　Jean…Claude　eyed　the　little　gun。　〃Nervous；　ma　petite？〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　said。
　He　looked　at　me；　head　to　one　side。　〃Yes；　you　are　nervous。　Why　does　one　human　assassin　unnerve　you　so　much　more　than　all　the　preternatural　creatures　you　have　faced？〃
　〃Everyone　else　who's　wanted　to　kill　me；　it　was　personal。　I　understand　personal。　Whoever　this　is　wants　to　kill　me　because　it's　business。　Just　business。〃
　〃But　why　is　that　more　frightening　to　you？　You　will　be　just　as　dead；　regardless　of　your　assailant's　motives。〃
　〃Thanks　a　lot；〃　I　said。
　He　touched　my　hand；　as　it　gripped　the　gun。　〃I　am　trying　to　understand；　ma　petite；　that　is　all。〃
　〃I　don't　know　exactly　why　it　bothers　me。　It　just　does；〃　I　said。　〃I　like　to　put　a　face　on　my　enemies。　If　someone　kills　you。　it　shouldn't　be　only　for　money。〃
　〃So　killing　for　hire　offends　your　moral　sensibilities？〃　he　asked。　His　voice　was　very　bland；　too　bland；　as　if　he　were　laughing　silently　to　himself。
　〃Yes；　dammit；　it　does。〃
　〃Yet　you　are　friends　with　Edward。〃
　〃I　never　said　I　was　consistent；　Jean…Claude。〃
　〃You　are　one　of　the　most　consistent　people　I　have　ever　known；　ma　petite。〃
　〃How　consistent　can　I　be　if　I'm　dating　two　men？〃
　〃Do　you　think　being　unable　to　choose　between　us　makes　you　frivolous？〃　He　leaned　towards　me　as　he　said　it；　hand　smoothing　up　the　sleeve　of　my　jacket。
　The　trouble　was　I　had　almost　chosen。　I　almost　told　him；　but　I　didn't。　First。　I　wasn't　a　hundred　percent　sure。　Second；　Jean…Claude　had　blackmailed　me　into　dating　him。　Date　him　or　he'd　kill　Richard。　He　wanted　a　chance　to　woo　me　away　from　Richard。　Which　meant　really　dating　him。　As　he　put　it；　〃If　you　allow　Richard　to　kiss　you；　but　not　me；　it　is　not　fair。〃　Supposedly；　if　I　chose　Richard；　JeanClaude　would　merely　step　aside。　I　think　he　was　egotist　enough　to　mean　it。　The　Master　of　the　City　couldn't　imagine　anyone　not　being　won　over；　eventually。　Not　if　you　had　access　to　his　lovely　body。　He　kept　offering　it。　I　kept　refusing。　If　I　chose　Richard　over　him；　would　he　really　bow　out　gracefully；　or　would　he　take　us　all　down　in　a　bloodbath？
　I　stared　into　his　deep　blue　eyes　and　didn't　know。　I'd　known　him　for　years。　Dated　him　for　months。　But　he　was　still　a　mystery　to　me。　I　just　didn't　know　wh