lhamilton.thekillingdance-第49章

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fit。　He　was　wearing　a　sleeveless　plastic　shirt；　molded　to　his　body。　The　pants　were　half　crinkly　blue　cloth　that　looked　like　colored　foil；　with　oval　plastic　windows；　exposing　his　thigh；　calf；　and　as　he　turned；　one　buttock。
　I　shook　my　head；　smiling。　〃Please　tell　me　Jean…Claude　didn't　make　you　wear　that　out　where　people　could　see　you。〃
　Jason　grinned　at　me　and　turned　so　he　flashed　his　butt　at　me。　〃Don't　you　like　it？〃
　〃I'　m　not　sure；〃　I　said。
　〃Discuss　fashion　later；　in　a　more　secure　place；〃　Edward　said。　He　glanced　at　the　door　to　our　right　that　led　into　the　main　part　of　the　Circus。　It　was　never　locked；　though　it　had　a　sign　above　the　door　about　authorized　personnel　only。　We　were　standing　in　a　stone　room　with　an　electric　light　dangling　from　the　ceiling。　It　was　a　storage　area。　A　third　door　was　set　in　the　far　wall。　Behind　it　was　a　stairway　and　the　nether　regions　where　the　vampires　stayed　during　the　day。
　〃I'll　be　underground；　literally；　soon　enough；　Edward。〃
　Edward　looked　at　me　for　a　long　moment。　〃You　promised　to　hide　out　for　twenty…four　hours。　No　going　outside　for　any　reason。　Don't　even　go　into　the　main　part　of　the　Circus　when　it's　open　to　the　public。　Just　stay　downstairs。〃
　〃Aye；　aye；　Captain。〃
　〃This　isn't　a　joke；　Anita。〃
　I　tugged　at　the　bulletproof　vest　I'd　put　over　my　dress。　It　was　too　large　for　me；　hot；　and　unfortable。　〃If　I　thought　it　was　funny；　I　wouldn't　have　worn　this。〃
　〃I'll　bring　you　some　armor　that　fits　when　I　e　back。〃
　I　met　his　pale　blue　eyes　and　saw　something　I'd　never　seen　before。　He　was　worried。
　〃You　think　they're　going　to　kill　me；　don't　you？〃
　He　didn't　look　away。　He　didn't　flinch。　But　what　I　saw　in　his　face　made　me　wish　he　had。　〃When　I　e　back　tomorrow；　I'll　have　help　with　me。〃
　〃What　kind　of　help？〃
　〃My　kind。〃
　〃What　does　that　mean？〃
　He　shook　his　head。　〃Twenty…four　hours　means　that　you　hide　until　dawn　tomorrow；　Anita。　With　luck；　I'll　have　a　name　for　us；　and　we　can　kill　him。　Don't　be　careless　while　I'm　gone。〃
　I　wanted　to　say　something　casual；　joking；　like　〃I　didn't　know　you　cared；〃　but　I　couldn't。　I　couldn't　joke　staring　into　his　serious　eyes。
　〃I'll　be　careful。〃
　He　nodded。　〃Lock　the　door　behind　me。〃　He　went　outside　and　Jason　locked　the　door。
　Jason　leaned　against　the　door　for　a　second。　〃Why　does　he　scare　me？〃
　〃Because　you're　not　stupid；〃　I　said。
　He　smiled。　〃Thanks。〃
　〃Let's　get　downstairs；〃　I　said。
　〃Nervous？〃
　〃It's　been　a　long　night；　Jason。　No　games。〃
　He　pushed　away　from　the　door　and　said；　〃Lead　the　way。〃
　I　opened　the　door　to　the　stone　stairway；　which　led　downward。　It　was　wide　enough　for　us　to　walk　abreast。　In　fact；　there　was　almost　room　for　a　third；　as　if　the　stairway　had　been　built　for　wider　things　than　human　bodies。
　Jason　closed　the　door　with　a　resounding　thank。　It　made　me　jump。　He　started　to　say　something；　but　the　look　on　my　face　stopped　him。　Edward's　parting　ments　had　unnerved　me。　If　I　didn't　know　better；　I'd　have　said　I　was　scared。　Naw。
　Jason　walked　down　the　steps　ahead　of　me；　exaggerating　his　walk　just　a　touch　to　show　off　his　derriere。
　〃You　can　cut　the　peep　show；〃　I　said。
　〃You　don't　like　the　view？〃　He　leaned　against　the　wall；　hands　pressed　behind　him；　showing　off　his　chest。
　I　laughed　and　walked　past　him；　clicking　my　nails　down　his　shirt。　It　was　solid　and　hard　as　a　beetle's　carapace。　〃Is　that　as　unfortable　as　it　looks？〃
　He　fell　into　step　beside　me。　〃It's　not　unfortable。　The　ladies　at　Danse　Macabre　liked　it　a　lot。〃
　I　glanced　at　him。　〃I　bet　they　did。〃
　〃I　like　flirting。〃
　〃No　joke。〃
　He　laughed。　〃For　someone　who　doesn't　flirt；　you　have　a　lot　of　guys　after　you。
　〃Maybe　because　I　don't　flirt；〃　I　said。
　Jason　was　quiet　as　we　walked　to　the　bend　in　the　stairs。　〃You　mean　because　you're　a　challenge；　they　keep　ing　around？〃
　〃Something　like　that。〃
　I　couldn't　see　around　the　bend　of　the　stairs。　I　hated　not　being　able　to　see　around　corners。　But　this　time　I　was　invited；　I　hadn't　e　to　kill　anybody。　The　vamps　tended　to　be　a　lot　friendlier　when　you　weren't　trying　to　kill　them。
　〃Is　Richard　here　yet？〃
　〃Not　yet。〃　He　glanced　back　at　me。　〃Do　you　think　it's　a　good　idea　to　have　them　both　here　at　the　same　time？〃
　〃No；〃　I　said；　〃absolutely　not。〃
　〃Well；　at　least　we　all　agree　it's　a　bad　idea；〃　he　said。
　The　door　at　the　bottom　of　the　stairs　was　iron　bound；　made　of　a　heavy；　dark　wood。　It　looked　like　a　portal　to　another　time…a　time　when　dungeons　were　in　vogue；　and　knights　rescued　ladies　fair　or　slaughtered　a　few　peasants　and　no　one　minded；　except　maybe　the　peasants。
　Jason　drew　a　key　out　of　his　pants　pocket。　He　unlocked　the　door　and　pushed。　It　opened　on　well…oiled　hinges。
　〃Since　when　did　you　get　a　key？〃　I　asked。
　〃I　live　here　now。〃
　〃What　about　college？〃
　He　shrugged。　〃It　doesn't　seem　very　important　anymore。〃
　〃You　plan　on　being　Jean…Claude's　lap…wolf　forever？〃
　〃I'm　having　a　good　time；〃　he　said。
　I　shook　my　head。　〃I　fight　like　hell　to　stay　free　of　him；　and　you　just　give　in。　I　don't　understand　that　at　all。〃
　〃You　have　a　college　degree；　right？〃　he　asked。
　〃Yeah。〃
　〃I　don't。　But　here　we　both　are；　ending　up　in　the　same　place。〃
　He　had　me　there。
　Jason　motioned　me　through　the　door　with　a　low　flourish　that　had　imitation　Jean…Claude　written　all　over　it。　Jean…Claude　made　it　seem　courtly　and　real。　Jason　meant　it　for　a　joke。
　The　door　led　into　Jean…Claude's　living　room。　The　ceiling　stretched　up　into　darkness；　but　silken　drapes　hung　in　black　and　white　folds　that　formed　cloth　walls　on　three　sides。　The　fourth　side　was　bare　stone；　painted　white。　A　white　stone　fireplace　looked　original；　which　I　knew　it　wasn't。　The　mantlepiece　was　black…veined　white　marble。　A　silver　fireplace　screen　hid　the　hearth。　There　were　four　chairs　in　black　and　silver　grouped　around　a　wood　and　glass　coffee　table。　A　black　vase　sat　on　the　table　filled　with　white　tulips。　My　high　heels　sank　into　the　thick；　black　carpet。
　There　was　one　other　addition　to　the　room　that　stopped　me　in　my　tracks。　A　painting　hung　above　the　fireplace。　Three　people　dressed　in　the　style　of　the　1600s。　The　woman　wore　white　and　silver　with　a　square　bodice　showing　quite　a　bit　of　décolletage；　her　brown　hair　styled　in　careful　ringlets。　She　held　a　red　rose　loosely　in　one　hand。　A　man　stood　behind　her；　tall　and　slender；　with　dark　gold　hair　in　ringlets　over　his　shoulders。　He　had　a　mustache　and　a　Vandyke　beard；　so　dark　gold　they　were　almost　brown。　He　wore　one　of　those　floppy　hats　with　feathers　and　was　dressed　in　white　and　gold。　But　it　was　the　other　man　who　made　me　walk　towards　the　painting。
　He　was　seated　just　behind　the　woman。　He　was　dressed　in　black　with　silver　embroidery　and　a　wide　lace　collar　and　lace　cuffs。　He　held　a　floppy　black　hat　with　a　single　white　feather　and　a　silver　buckle　across　his　lap。　Black　hair　fell　in　ringlets　over　his　shoulders。　He　was　clean　shaven；　and　the　artist　had　managed　to　capture　the　sinking　blue　of　his　eyes。　I　stared　at　Jean…Claude's　face　painted　hundreds　of　years　before　I　was　born。　The　other　two　were　smiling。　Only　he　was　solemn　and　perfect；　dark　to　their　lightness。　He　was　like　the　shadow　of　death　e　to　the　ball。
　I　knew　Jean…Claude　was　centuries　old；　but　I'd　never　had　such　obvious　proof；　never　had　it　shoved　in　my　face。　The　portrait　bothered　me　for　another　reason。　It　made　me　wonder　if　Jean…Claude　had　lied　about　his　age。
　A　sound　made　me　turn。　Jason　had　slumped　into　one　of　the　chairs。　Jean…Claude　stood　behind　me。　He'd　taken　off　his　jacket　and　his　curling　black　hair　spilled　across　the　shoulders　of　his　crimson　shirt。　The　shirt　cuffs　were　long　and　tight　at　the　wrist；　held　by　three　antique　jet　beads　just　like　the　high　neck　of　the　shirt。　Without　the　jacket　to　distract　the　eye；　the　pale　oval　of　skin　framed　by　the　red　cloth　gleamed。　The　cloth　covered　his　nipples　but　left　his　belly　button　bare　and　drew　the　eye　to　the　top　of　his　black　pants。　Or　maybe　it　just　drew　me。　It　was　a　bad　idea　to　be　here。　He　was　just　as　dangerous　as　the　assassin；　maybe　more。　Dangerous　in　ways　I　had　no　words　for。
　He　glided　towards　me　in　his　black　boots。　I　watched　him　walk　closer　like　a　deer　caught　in　headlights。　I　expected　him　to　flirt　or　ask　how　I　liked　the　painting。　Instead；　he　said；　〃Tell　me　of　Robert。　The　police　said　he　was　dead；　but　they　know　nothing。　You　have　seen　the　body。　Is