lhamilton.thekillingdance-第50章

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　〃Tell　me　of　Robert。　The　police　said　he　was　dead；　but　they　know　nothing。　You　have　seen　the　body。　Is　he　truly　dead？〃
　His　voice　was　thick　with　concern；　worry。　It　caught　me　pletely　off　guard。　〃They　took　his　heart。〃
　〃If　it　is　only　a　stake　through　the　heart；　he　might　survive　if　it　was　removed。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃The　heart　was　taken　out　pletely。　We　couldn't　find　it　in　the　house　or　the　yard。〃
　Jean…Claude　stopped。　He　slumped　suddenly　into　one　of　the　chairs；　staring　at　nothing；　or　nothing　I　could　see。　〃Then　he　is　truly　gone。〃　His　voice　held　sorrow　the　way　it　sometimes　held　laughter；　so　that　I　felt　his　words　like　a　cold；　grey　rain。
　〃You　treated　Robert　like　dirt。　Why　all　this　weeping　and　wailing？〃
　He　looked　at　me。　〃I　am　not　weeping。〃
　〃But　you　treated　him　badly。〃
　〃I　was　his　master。　If　I　had　treated　him　kindly；　he　would　have　seen　it　as　a　sign　of　weakness。　He　would　have　challenged　me　and　I　would　have　killed　him。　Do　not　criticize　things　that　you　do　not　understand。〃　There　was　anger　in　that　last　sentence；　enough　to　brush　heat　along　my　skin。
　Normally；　it　would　have　pissed　me　off；　but　tonight　。　。　。　〃I　apologize。　You're　right。　I　don't　understand。　I　didn't　think　you　gave　a　damn　about　Robert　unless　he　could　further　your　power。〃
　〃Then　you　do　not　understand　me　at　all；　ma　petite。　He　was　my　panion　for　over　a　century。　After　a　century；　I　would　mourn　even　an　enemy's　passing。　Robert　was　not　my　friend；　but　he　was　mine。　Mine　to　punish；　mine　to　reward；　mine　to　protect。　I　have　failed　him。〃
　He　stared　up　at　me；　eyes　gone　blue　and　alien。　〃I　am　grateful　to　you　for　seeing　to　Monica。　The　last　thing　I　can　do　for　Robert　is　to　tend　his　wife　and　child。　They　will　want　for　nothing。〃
　He　stood　suddenly　in　one　smooth　motion。　〃e；　ma　petite。　I　will　show　you　to　our　room。〃　I　didn't　like　the　our；　but　I　didn't　argue。　This　new；　improved；　emotional　Jean…Claude　had　me　confused。
　〃Who　are　the　other　two　in　the　painting？〃
　He　glanced　at　it。　〃Julianna　and　Asher。　She　was　his　human　servant。　The　three　of　us　traveled　together　for　nearly　twenty　years。〃
　Good。　He　couldn't　give　me　some　bullshit　about　the　clothing　being　costumes　now。　〃You're　too　young　to　have　been　a　Musketeer。〃
　He　stared　at　me；　face　carefully　blank；　giving　nothing　away。　〃Whatever　do　you　mean；　ma　petite？〃
　〃Don't　even　try。　The　clothing　is　from　the　1600s；　around　the　time　of　Dumas's　The　Three　Musketeers。　When　we　first　met；　you　told　me　you　were　two　hundred　and　ten。　Eventually；　I　figured　out　you　were　lying；　that　you　were　closer　to　three　hundred。〃
　〃If　Nikolaos　had　known　my　true　age；　she　might　have　killed　me；　ma　petite。〃
　〃Yeah；　the　old　Master　of　the　City　was　a　real　bitch。　But　she's　dead。　Why　still　lie？〃
　〃You　mean　why　am　I　lying　to　you？〃　he　said。
　I　nodded。　〃Yeah；　that's　what　I　mean。〃
　He　smiled。　〃You　are　a　necromancer；　ma　petite。　I　would　have　thought　you　could　judge　my　age　without　my　help。〃
　I　tried　to　read　his　face　and　couldn't。　〃You've　always　been　hard　to　read；　you　know　that。〃
　〃So　glad　I　can　be　a　challenge　in　some　area。〃
　I　let　that　go。　He　knew　exactly　how　much　of　a　challenge　he　was；　but　for　the　first　time　in　a　long　time；　I　was　bothered。　Telling　a　vamp's　age　was　one　of　my　talents；　not　an　exact　science　to　be　sure；　but　one　I　was　good　at。　I'd　never　been　off　by　this　much。　〃A　century　older；　my；　my。〃
　〃Are　you　so　sure　that　it　is　only　a　century？〃
　I　stared　at　him。　I　let　his　power　beat　across　my　skin；　rolled　the　feel　of　it　around　in　my　head。　〃Pretty　sure。〃
　He　smiled。　〃Do　not　frown　so；　ma　petite。　Being　able　to　hide　my　age　is　one　of　my　talents。　I　pretended　to　be　a　hundred　years　older　when　Asher　was　my　panion。　It　allowed　us　freedom　to　wander　through　the　lands　of　other　masters。〃
　〃What　made　you　stop　trying　to　pass　for　older？〃
　〃Asher　needed　help；　and　I　was　not　master　enough　to　help　him。〃　He　looked　up　at　the　portrait。　〃I　。　。　。　humbled　myself　to　gain　him　aid。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃The　Church　had　a　theory　that　vampires　could　be　cured　by　holy　items。　They　bound　Asher　with　holy　items　and　silver　chains。　They　used　holy　water　on　him；　drop　by　drop；　trying　to　save　his　soul。〃
　I　stared　up　at　that　handsome；　smiling　face。　I'd　been　bitten　by　a　master　vampire　once　upon　a　time　and　had　the　wound　cleansed　with　holy　water。　It　had　felt　like　a　red…hot　brand　was　being　shoved　into　my　skin；　like　all　the　blood　in　my　body　had　turned　to　boiling　oil。　I　had　vomited　and　screamed　and　thought　myself　very　brave　for　not　passing　out　altogether。　That　had　been　one　bite　mark；　one　day。　Having　what　amounted　to　acid　dripped　on　you　until　you　died　was　in　the　top　five　ways　not　to　go　out。
　〃What　happened　to　the　girl；　Julianna？〃
　〃She　was　burned　as　a　witch。〃
　〃Where　were　you？〃
　〃I　had　taken　a　ship　to　see　my　mother。　She　was　dying。　I　was　on　my　way　back　when　I　heard　Asher's　call。　I　could　not　get　there　in　time。　I　swear　by　all　that　is　holy　or　unholy　that　I　tried。　I　rescued　Asher；　but　he　never　forgave　me。〃
　〃He's　not　dead？〃　I　asked。
　〃No。〃
　〃How　hurt　was　he？〃
　〃Until　I　met　Sabin　I　thought　Asher's　scars　the　worst　injury　I'd　ever　known　a　vampire　to　survive。〃
　〃Why　did　you　hang　the　painting　if　it　bothers　you　this　much？〃
　He　sighed　and　looked　at　me。　〃Asher　sent　it　as　a　present；　to　congratulate　me　for　being　Master　of　the　City。　The　three　of　us　were　panions；　almost　family。　Asher　and　I　were　true　friends；　both　masters；　both　of　near　equal　power；　both　in　love　with　Julianna。　She　was　devoted　to　him；　but　I　had　her　favor　as　well。〃
　〃You　mean　a　ménage　à　trois？〃
　He　nodded。
　〃Asher　doesn't　hold　a　grudge？〃
　〃Oh；　no；　he　holds　a　grudge。　If　the　council　would　allow　it；　he　would　have　e　with　the　picture　and　had　his　revenge。〃
　〃To　kill　you？〃
　Jean…Claude　smiled。　〃Asher　always　had　a　strong　sense　of　irony；　ma　petite。　He　petitioned　the　council　for　your　life；　not　mine。〃
　My　eyes　widened。　〃What　did　I　ever　do　to　him？〃
　〃I　killed　his　human　servant；　he　kills　mine。　Justice。〃
　I　stared　back　up　at　the　handsome　face。　〃The　council　said　no？〃
　〃Indeed。〃
　〃You　have　any　other　old　enemies　running　around？〃
　Jean…Claude　gave　a　weak　smile。　〃Many；　ma　petite；　but　none　in　town　at　the　moment。〃
　I　looked　up　at　those　smiling　faces。　I　didn't　know　quite　how　to　phrase　it；　but　said　it　anyway。　〃You　all　look　so　young。〃
　〃I　am　physically　the　same；　ma　petite。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃Maybe　young　isn't　the　word　I　want。　Maybe　naive。〃
　He　smiled。　〃By　the　time　this　painting　was　made；　ma　petite；　naive　was　not　a　word　that　described　me；　either。〃
　〃Fine；　have　it　your　way。〃　I　looked　at　him；　studying　his　face。　He　was　beautiful；　but　there　was　something　in　his　eyes　that　wasn't　in　the　painting；　some　level　of　sorrow　or　terror。　Something　I　had　no　word　for；　but　it　was　there　just　the　same。　A　vampire　may　not　wrinkle　up；　but　living　a　couple　of　centuries　leaves　its　mark。　Even　if　it's　only　a　shadow　in　the　eyes；　a　tightness　around　the　mouth。
　I　turned　to　Jason；　who　was　still　slumped　in　the　chair。　〃Does　he　give　these　little　history　lessons　often？〃
　〃Only　to　you；〃　Jason　said。
　〃You　never　ask　questions？〃　I　asked。
　〃I'm　just　his　pet。　You　don't　answer　questions　for　your　pet。〃
　〃And　that　doesn't　bother　you？〃
　Jason　smiled。　〃Why　should　I　care　about　the　painting？　The　woman's　dead；　so　I　can't　have　sex　with　her。　Why　should　I　care？〃
　I　felt　Jean…Claude　move　past　me；　but　couldn't　follow　with　my　eyes。　His　hand　was　a　blur。　The　chair　clattered　to　the　floor；　spilling　Jason　with　it。　Blood　showed　at　his　mouth。
　〃Never　speak　of　her　again　in　such　a　manner。〃
　Jason　touched　the　back　of　his　hand　to　his　mouth　and　came　away　with　blood。　〃Whatever　you　say。〃　He　licked　the　blood　off　his　hand　with　long　slow　movements　of　his　tongue。
　I　stared　from　one　to　the　other　of　them。　〃You　are　both　crazy。〃
　〃Not　crazy；　ma　petite；　merely　not　human。〃
　〃Being　a　vampire　doesn't　give　you　the　right　to　treat　people　like　that。　Richard　doesn't　beat　people　up。〃
　〃Which　is　why　he　will　never　hold　the　pack。〃
　〃What's　that　supposed　to　mean？〃
　〃Even　if　he　swallows　his　high　morals　and　kills　Marcus；　he　will　not　be　cruel　enough　to　frighten　the　rest。　He　will　be　challenged　again　and　again。　Unless　he　begins　slaughtering　people；　he　will　eventually　die。〃
　〃Slapping　people　around　won't　keep　him　alive；〃　I　said。
　〃It　would　help。　Torture　works　well；　but　I　doubt　that　Richard　would　have　the　stomach　fo