lhamilton.thekillingdance-第32章

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cause　I　guess　I　didn't　really　believe　I　could　choose　Jean…Claude。　He　was　a　vampire；　a　dead　man。　In　that　one　moment　I　realized　how　prejudiced　I　still　was。　He　was　good　enough　to　date。　Good　enough　to　hold　hands　with；　and　maybe　a　bit　more。　But　there　was　a　limit。　Always　a　point　where　I　knew　I'd　say　stop　because　he　was　a　corpse。　A　beautiful　corpse；　but　a　vampire　is　a　vampire。　You　couldn't　really　fall　in　love　with　one。　You　couldn't　have　sex　with　one。　No　way。　I'd　broken　Jean…Claude's　one　rule　for　dating　both　of　the　boys。　I'd　never　really　given　Jean…Claude　the　same　chance　that　I'd　given　Richard。　And　now；　with　national　television　coverage；　the　bat　was　out　of　the　bag。　It　embarrassed　me　that　anyone　would　think　I　might　actually　date　him。　That　I　might　actually　care　for　a　walking　dead　man。
　The　anger　washed　away　in　the　knowledge　that　I　was　a　hypocrite。　I　don't　know　how　much　of　it　showed　on　my　face；　but　Jean…Claude　cocked　his　head　to　one　side。　〃Thoughts　are　flying　across　your　face；　ma　petite；　but　what　thoughts？〃
　I　stared　up　at　him。　〃I　think　I　owe　you　an　apology。〃
　His　eyes　widened。　〃Then　this　is　a　truly　historic　occasion。　What　are　you　apologizing　for？〃
　I　wasn't　sure　how　to　put　it　into　words。　〃You're　right；　I'm　wrong。〃
　He　put　his　fingers　to　his　chest；　face　wide　with　mock　surprise。　〃You　admit　that　you　have　treated　me　like　some　guilty　secret；　hidden　away。　Exiled　from　your　true　feelings　while　you　cuddle　with　Richard　and　his　living　flesh。〃
　I　frowned　at　him。　〃Enough　already。　See　if　I　ever　give　you　another　apology　for　anything。〃
　〃A　dance　would　suffice；〃　he　said。
　〃I　don't　dance。　You　know　that。〃
　〃This　is　the　grand　opening　of　my　dance　club；　ma　petite。　You　are　my　date。　Are　you　truly　going　to　deny　me　even　one　dance？〃
　Put　that　way　it　sounded　petty。　〃One　dance。〃
　He　smiled；　wicked；　enticing。　The　smile　that　the　serpent　must　have　given　Eve。　〃I　think　we　will　dance　well　together；　ma　petite。〃
　〃I　doubt　it。〃
　〃I　think　we　would　do　many　things　well　together。〃
　〃Give　you　one　dance　and　you　want　the　whole　package。　Pushy　bastard。〃
　He　gave　a　small　bow；　smiling；　eyes　shining。
　A　female　vamp　strode　towards　us。　She　was　inches　taller　than　Jean…Claude；　which　made　her　at　least　six　feet　tall。　She　was　blond　and　blue…eyed；　and　if　she'd　looked　any　more　Nordic；　she'd　have　been　a　poster　girl　for　the　master　race。　She　was　wearing　a　violet　blue　body　suit　with　strategic　holes　cut　out。　The　body　that　showed　through　was　broad…shouldered；　muscular；　and　still　managed　to　be　fullbreasted。　Leather　boots　in　the　exact　same　color　rode　her　long；　muscular　legs　all　the　way　up　to　her　thighs。
　〃Anita　Blake；　this　is　Liv。〃
　〃Let　me　guess；〃　I　said。　〃Jean…Claude　chose　the　outfit。〃
　Liv　looked　at　me　from　her　considerable　height　as　if　simply　being　tall　made　her　intimidating。　When　I　didn't　flinch；　she　smiled。　〃He　is　the　boss。〃
　I　stared　up　at　her。　I　almost　asked　why。　I　could　feel　her　age　pressing　down　on　me　like　a　weight。　She　was　six　hundred　years　old。　Twice　Jean…Claude's　age　or　more。　So　why　wasn't　she　the　boss？　I　could　feel　the　answer　along　my　skin　like　a　cool　wind。　Not　enough　power。　She　wasn't　a　master　vampire；　and　no　amount　of　age　would　change　that。
　〃What　are　you　staring　at？〃　she　asked。　She　looked　me　right　in　the　eyes　and　shook　her　head。　〃She　really　is　immune　to　our　gaze。〃
　〃To　your　gaze；〃　I　said。
　She　put　her　hands　on　her　hips。　〃What's　that　supposed　to　mean？〃
　〃It　means　you　don't　have　enough　juice　to　do　me；〃　I　said。
　She　took　a　step　forward。　〃How　about　I　just　pick　you　up　and　squeeze　some　juice　out　of　you？〃
　Here　was　where　not　having　a　gun　in　a　holster　was　going　to　get　me　killed。　I　could　get　one　of　the　knives　out；　but　unless　I　was　willing　for　her　to　e　very　close；　it　wouldn't　help。　I　could　slip　my　hand　in　the　purse；　most　people　didn't　expect　a　gun　to　e　out　of　a　purse　so　small。　Of　course；　if　Liv　caught　me　going　for　the　gun；　she　could　get　to　me　before　I　could　draw　it。　With　a　holster　I'd　have　tried　it。　From　a　purse　hanging　from　a　strap；　I　didn't　think　so。　Vampires　are　just　that　fast。
　〃How　many　vampire　kills　do　you　have　now；　Anita？〃　Jean…Claude　asked。
　The　question　surprised　me；　and　my　answer　surprised　me　more。　〃Over　twenty　legal　kills。〃
　〃How　many　kills　altogether；　ma　petite？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　I　said。　It　had　to　be　over　thirty　now；　but　truthfully；　I　didn't　remember　anymore。　I　didn't　know　how　many　lives　I'd　taken。　A　bad　sign；　that。
　〃Liv　is　mine；　ma　petite。　You　may　speak　freely　in　front　of　her。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃Never　admit　to　murder　in　front　of　strangers；　Jean…Claude。　Just　a　rule。〃
　Liv　looked　at　me。　She　didn't　seem　to　like　what　she　saw。　〃So　this　is　the　Executioner。〃　She　shook　her　head。　〃She's　a　little　on　the　small　side；　isn't　she？〃　She　stalked　around　me　like　I　was　a　horse　for　sale。　When　she　was　at　my　back；　I　opened　the　purse。　By　the　time　she　came　around　again；　I　had　the　gun　out；　behind　the　purse；　unobtrusive；　though　in　a　pinch　I　guess　I　could　have　shot　through　the　purse。　But　why；　if　I　didn't　have　to？
　Liv　shook　her　head。　〃She's　pretty；　but　she's　not　very　impressive。〃　She　stood　behind　Jean…Claude；　running　her　strong　hands　over　his　shoulders；　his　arms。　She　ended　with　her　hands　around　his　waist；　fingers　kneading　his　body。
　I　was　getting　very　tired　of　Liv。
　〃I　can　do　things　that　no　human　can　do　for　you；　Jean…Claude。〃
　〃You　are　being　rude　to　Anita。　I　will　not　remind　you　of　it　again。〃　There　was　a　cold；　even　threat　in　his　voice。
　Liv　unwrapped　herself　from　him　and　stood　between　us；　hands　on　hips。　〃The　great　Jean…Claude　driven　to　celibacy　by　a　human。　People　are　laughing　behind　your　back。〃
　〃Celibacy？〃　I　asked。
　Jean…Claude　glanced　at　me；　then　sighed。　〃Until　you　give　up　your　nunnish　ways；　ma　petite；　I　am　playing　monk。〃
　My　eyes　widened。　I　couldn't　help　it。　I　knew　that　Richard　and　I　had　each　had　one　lover　and　chosen　celibacy　afterwards。　But　I'd　never　thought　about　Jean…Claude　and　what　he　might　be　doing　to　satisfy　his　needs。　Abstinence　would　not　have　been　one　of　my　choices　for　him。
　〃You　seem　surprised；　ma　petite。〃
　〃I　guess　anyone　who　exudes　sex　the　way　you　do　。　。　。　I　just　never　thought　about　it。〃
　〃Yet　if　you　discovered　that　I　had　been　sleeping　with　another　female；　alive　or　dead；　while　we　were　dating；　what　would　you　do？〃
　〃Drop　you　in　a　hot　minute。〃
　〃Exactly。〃
　Liv　laughed；　a　loud；　unattractive　bray　of　sound。　〃Even　your　human　doesn't　believe　you。〃
　Jean…Claude　turned　to　her；　his　eyes　a　blaze　of　sapphire　flame。　〃You　say　they　laugh　behind　my　back。〃
　She　nodded；　still　laughing。
　〃But　only　you　are　laughing　to　my　face。〃
　Her　laughter　died　abruptly　like　a　turned　switch。　She　stared　at　him。
　〃A　little　more　submissiveness；　Liv；　or　is　this　a　challenge　to　my　authority？〃
　She　looked　startled。　〃No；　I　mean　。　。　。　I　never　meant　。　。　。〃
　He　just　looked　at　her。　〃Then　you　had　best　ask　my　forgiveness；　had　you　not？〃
　She　dropped　to　one　knee。　She　didn't　look　afraid；　more　as　if　she'd　done　some　huge　social　gaffe　and　now　had　to　make　amends。　〃I　beg　your　forgiveness；　Master。　I　forgot　myself。〃
　〃Yes；　you　did；　Liv。　Do　not　make　it　a　habit。〃
　Liv　got　to　her　feet；　all　smiles；　all　forgiven。　Just　like　that。　The　political　maneuvering　was　thick　in　the　air。　〃It's　only　that　she　doesn't　look　nearly　as　dangerous　as　you　painted　her。〃
　〃Anita；〃　Jean…Claude　said；　〃show　her　what　you　have　in　your　hand。〃
　I　moved　the　purse　to　one　side；　flashing　the　gun。
　〃I　could　have　your　throat　in　my　hands　before　you　could　point　that　toy；〃　Liv　said。
　〃No；〃　I　said；　〃you　couldn't。〃
　〃Is　that　a　challenge？〃　she　asked。
　〃Six　hundred　years　of　life；　plus　or　minus　a　decade；〃　I　said。　〃Don't　throw　it　away　for　a　little　grandstanding。〃
　〃How　did　you　know　my　age？〃
　I　smiled。　〃I　am　really　not　in　the　mood　to　bluff　tonight；　Liv。　Don't　try　me。〃
　She　stared　at　me；　her　extraordinary　eyes　narrowing。　〃You　are　a　necromancer；　not　just　a　corpse…raiser。　I　can　feel　you　inside　my　head；　almost　like　another　vampire。〃　She　looked　at　Jean…Claude。　〃Why　couldn't　I　feel　her　before？〃
　〃Her　power　flares　when　she　feels　threatened；〃　he　said。
　This　was　news　to　me。　To　my　knowledge；　I　wasn't　using　any　power　right　now。　But　I　didn't　say　it　out　loud。　Now　was　not　the　time　to　ask　stupid　questions　or　even　smart　ones。
　Liv　stepped　to　one　side；　almost　as　if　she　was　afraid。　〃We're　openi