lhamilton.thekillingdance-第4章

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matched　the　outfit；　but　I　kept　it　hidden。　This　was　the　first　party　Catherine　had　thrown　since　her　wedding。　Flashing　a　gun　might　put　a　damper　on　things。
　I'd　had　to　take　off　the　silver　cross　that　I　always　wore　and　put　it　in　my　pocket　because　there　was　a　vampire　standing　in　front　of　me　and　the　cross　had　started　glowing　when　he　entered　the　room。　If　I'd　known　there　were　going　to　be　vamps　at　the　party；　I'd　have　worn　a　collar　high　enough　to　hide　the　cross。　They　only　glow　when　they're　out　in　the　open；　generally　speaking。
　Robert；　the　vampire　in　question；　was　tall；　muscular；　and　handsome　in　a　model…perfect　sort　of　way。　He　had　been　a　stripper　at　Guilty　Pleasures。　Now　he　managed　the　club。　From　worker　to　management：　the　American　dream。　His　hair　was　blond；　curly；　and　cut　quite　short。　He　was　wearing　a　brown　silk　shirt　that　fit　him　perfectly　and　matched　the　dress　that　his　date　was　wearing。
　Monica　Vespucci's　health　club　tan　had　faded　around　the　edges；　but　her　makeup　was　still　perfect；　her　short　auburn　hair　styled　into　place。　She　was　pregnant　enough　for　me　to　have　noticed　and　happy　enough　about　it　to　be　irritating。
　She　smiled　brilliantly　at　me。　〃Anita；　it　has　been　too　long。〃
　What　I　wanted　to　say　was；　〃Not　long　enough。〃　The　last　time　I'd　seen　her；　she　had　betrayed　me　to　the　local　master　vampire。　But　Catherine　thought　she　was　her　friend；　and　it　was　hard　to　disillusion　her　without　telling　the　whole　story。　The　whole　story　included　some　unsanctioned　killing；　some　of　it　done　by　me。　Catherine's　a　lawyer　and　a　stickler　for　law　and　order。　I　didn't　want　to　put　her　in　a　position　where　she　had　to　promise　her　morals　to　save　my　ass。　So　Monica　was　her　friend；　which　meant　I　had　been　polite　all　through　dinner；　from　appetizer　all　the　way　to　dessert。　I'd　been　polite　mainly　because　Monica　had　been　at　the　other　end　of　the　table。　Now；　unfortunately；　we　were　mingling　in　the　living　room　and　I　couldn't　seem　to　shake　her。
　〃It　doesn't　seem　that　long；〃　I　said。
　〃It's　been　almost　a　year。〃　She　smiled　up　at　Robert。　They　were　holding　hands。　〃We　got　married。〃　She　touched　her　glass　to　the　top　of　her　belly。　〃We　got　knocked　up。〃　She　giggled。
　I　stared　at　them　both。　〃You　can't　get　knocked　up　by　a　hundred…year…old　corpse。〃　Okay；　I'd　been　polite　long　enough。
　Monica　grinned　at　me。　〃You　can　if　the　body　temperature　is　raised　for　long　enough　and　you　have　sex　often　enough。　My　obstetrician　thinks　the　hot　tub　did　us　in。〃
　This　was　more　than　I　wanted　to　know。　〃Have　you　had　the　amnio　yet？〃
　The　smile　faded　from　her　face；　leaving　her　eyes　haunted。　I　was　sorry　I'd　asked。　〃We've　got　another　week　to　wait。〃
　〃I'm　sorry；　Monica；　Robert。　I　hope　the　test　es　back　clean。〃　I　did　not　mention　Vlad　syndrome；　but　the　words　hung　on　the　air。　It　was　rare　but　not　as　rare　as　it　used　to　be。　Three　years　of　legalized　vampirism　and　Vlad　syndrome　was　the　highest　rising　birth　defect　in　the　country。　It　could　result　in　some　really　horrible　disabilities；　not　to　mention　death　for　the　baby。　With　that　much　at　stake；　you'd　think　people　would　be　more　cautious。
　Robert　cradled　her　against　him；　and　all　the　light　had　faded　from　her　face。　She　looked　pale。　I　felt　like　a　heel。
　〃The　latest　news　was　that　a　vampire　over　a　hundred　was　sterile；〃　I　said。　〃They　should　update　their　information；　I　guess。〃　I　meant　for　it　to　be　forting；　like　they　hadn't　been　careless。
　Monica　looked　at　me；　and　there　was　no　gentleness　in　her　eyes　when　she　said；　〃Worried？〃
　I　stared　at　her　all　pale　and　pregnant　and　wanted　to　slap　her　anyway。　I　was　not　sleeping　with　Jean…Claude。　But　I　was　not　going　to　stand　there　and　justify　myself　to　Monica　Vespucci…or　anyone　else；　for　that　matter。
　Richard　Zeeman　entered　the　room。　I　didn't　actually　see　him　enter。　I　felt　it。　I　turned　and　watched　him　walk　towards　us。　He　was　six　foot　one；　nearly　a　foot　taller　than　me。　Another　inch　and　we　couldn't　have　kissed　without　a　chair。　But　it　would　have　been　worth　the　effort。　He　wove　between　the　other　guests；　saying　a　word　here　and　there。　His　smile　flashed　white　and　perfect　in　his　permanently　tanned　skin　as　he　talked　to　these　new　friends　that　he'd　managed　to　charm　at　dinner。　Not　with　sex　appeal　or　power　but　with　sheer　good　will。　He　was　the　world's　biggest　boy　scout；　the　original　hail　fellow；　well　met。　He　liked　people　and　was　a　wonderful　listener；　two　qualities　that　are　highly　underrated。
　His　suit　was　dark　brown；　his　shirt　a　deep　orangey　gold。　The　tie　was　a　brighter　orange　with　a　line　of　small　figures　down　the　middle　of　it。　You　had　to　be　standing　right　next　to　him　to　realize　the　figures　were　Warner　Brothers　cartoons。
　He'd　tied　his　shoulder…length　hair　back　from　his　face　in　a　version　of　a　french　braid；　so　the　illusion　was　that　his　brown　hair　was　very　short。　It　left　his　face　clean　and　very　visible。　His　cheekbones　were　perfect；　sculpted　high　and　graceful。　His　face　was　masculine；　handsome；　with　a　dimple　to　soften　it。　It　was　the　kind　of　face　that　would　have　made　me　shy　in　high　school。
　He　noticed　me　watching　him　and　smiled。　His　brown　eyes　sparkled　with　the　smile；　filling　with　heat　that　had　nothing　to　do　with　room　temperature。　I　watched　him　walk　the　last　few　feet；　and　felt　heat　rise　up　my　neck　into　my　face。　I　wanted　to　undress　him；　to　touch　his　bare　skin；　to　see　what　was　under　that　suit。　I　wanted　that　very　badly。　I　wouldn't；　because　I　wasn't　sleeping　with　Richard；　either。　I　wasn't　sleeping　with　the　vampire　or　the　werewolf。　Richard　was　the　werewolf。　It　was　his　only　fault。　Okay；　maybe　one　other：　he'd　never　killed　anybody。　That　last　fault　might　get　him　killed　someday。
　I　slid　my　left　arm　around　his　waist；　under　the　unbuttoned　jacket。　The　solid　warmth　of　him　beat　like　a　pulse　against　my　body。　If　we　didn't　have　sex　soon；　I　was　simply　going　to　explode。　What　price　morals？
　Monica　stared　at　me　very　steadily；　studying　my　face。　〃That's　a　lovely　necklace。　Who　got　it　for　you？〃
　I　smiled　and　shook　my　head。　I　was　wearing　a　black　velvet　choker　with　a　cameo；　edged　by　silver　filigree。　Hey；　it　matched　the　outfit。　Monica　was　pretty　sure　Richard　hadn't　given　it　to　me；　which　meant；　to　Monica；　that　Jean…Claude　had。　Good　old　Monica。　She　never　changed。
　〃I　bought　it　to　match　the　outfit；〃　I　said。
　She　widened　her　eyes　in　surprise。　〃Oh；　really？〃　like　she　didn't　believe　me。
　〃Really。　I'm　not　much　into　gifts；　especially　jewelry。〃
　Richard　hugged　me。　〃That's　the　truth。　She's　a　very　hard　woman　to　spoil。〃
　Catherine　joined　us。　Her　copper…colored　hair　flowed　around　her　face　in　a　wavy　mass。　She　was　the　only　one　I　knew　with　curlier　hair　than　mine；　but　its　color　was　more　spectacular。　If　asked；　most　people　described　her　from　the　hair　outward。　Delicate　makeup　hid　the　freckles　and　drew　attention　to　her　pale；　grey　green　eyes。　Her　dress　was　the　color　of　new　leaves。　I'd　never　seen　her　look　better。
　〃Marriage　seems　to　agree　with　you；〃　I　said；　smiling。
　She　smiled　back。　〃You　should　try　it　sometime。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃Thanks　a　lot。〃
　〃I　have　to　steal　Anita　away　for　just　a　moment。〃　At　least　she　didn't　say　she　needed　help　in　the　kitchen。　Richard　would　have　known　that　was　a　lie。　He　was　a　much　better　cook　than　I　was。
　Catherine　led　me　back　to　the　spare　bedroom　where　the　coats　were　piled　in　a　heap。　There　was　one　real　fur　coat　draped　over　the　pile。　I　was　betting　I　knew　who　owned　it。　Monica　liked　being　close　to　dead　things。
　As　soon　as　the　door　was　shut；　Catherine　grabbed　my　hands　and　giggled；　I　swear。　〃Richard　is　wonderful。　My　junior　high　science　teachers　never　looked　like　that。〃
　I　smiled；　and　it　was　one　of　those　big；　dopey　smiles。　The　silly　kind　that　say　you're　in　horrible　lust　if　not　love；　maybe　both；　and　it　feels　good　even　if　it　is　stupid。
　We　sat　down　on　the　bed；　pushing　the　coats　to　one　side。　〃He　is　handsome；〃　I　said；　my　voice　as　neutral　as　I　could　make　it。
　〃Anita；　don't　give　me　that。　I've　never　seen　you　glow　around　anyone。〃
　〃I　don't　glow。〃
　She　grinned　at　me　and　nodded。　〃Yes；　you　do。〃
　〃Do　not；〃　I　said；　but　it　was　hard　to　be　sullen　when　I　wanted　to　smile。　〃All　right；　I　like　him；　a　lot。　Happy？〃
　〃You've　been　dating　him　for　nearly　seven　months。　Where's　the　engagement　ring？〃
　I　did　frown　at　her　then。　〃Catherine；　just　because　you're　deliriously　happily　married　doesn't　mean　everyone　else　has　to　be　married；　too。〃
　She　shrugged　and　laughed。
　I　stared　int