lhamilton.thekillingdance-第62章

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to　the　sound　like　a　tuning　fork　struck。　〃Willie；　look　at　me。〃
　The　blank；　familiar　face　turned　slowly　towards　his　master。　Something　flickered　through　the　eyes　for　a　moment；　something　moved　that　I　had　no　name　for。
　〃This　has　possibilities；〃　Jean…Claude　said。
　〃Willie；〃　I　said；　〃look　at　me。〃　My　voice　wasn't　nearly　as　impressive　as　the　vampire's；　but　Willie　turned　to　me。
　〃No；〃　Jean…Claude　said；　〃look　at　me；　Willie。〃
　Willie　hesitated。
　〃Willie；〃　I　said；　〃e　to　me。〃　I　held　out　a　hand　and　he　took　a　step　towards　me。
　Jean…Claude　said；　〃Stop；　Willie；　do　not　go　to　her。〃
　Willie　hesitated；　almost　turning　to　Jean…Claude。
　I　concentrated　on　that　curl　of　power　inside　of　me；　that　thing　that　allowed　me　to　raise　the　dead　and　let　it　wash　over　me；　flow　out　of　me。　I　called　Willie's　body　to　me　and　nothing　Jean…Claude　could　do　would　get　him　to　turn　away　from　me。
　Richard　said；　〃Stop　it；　both　of　you。　He　isn't　a　doll。〃
　〃He　isn't　alive；　either；〃　I　said。
　〃He　deserves　better　than　this；〃　Richard　said。
　I　agreed。　I　turned　to　Jean…Claude。　〃He's　mine；　Jean…Claude。　They're　all　mine。　When　night　falls；　they　will　be　yours　again；　but　their　empty　shells　are　mine。〃　I　stepped　close　to　him；　and　that　swirl　of　power　lashed　out。
　He　took　a　hissing　breath　and　backed　up。　Holding　his　hand　as　if　I'd　struck　him。
　〃Never　forget　what　I　am　and　what　I　can　do。　No　more　threats　between　us；　ever；　or　it　will　be　the　last　threat。〃
　He　stared　at　me；　and　for　just　a　second；　there　was　a　flash　of　something　I　hadn't　seen　before：　fear。　Fear　of　me　for　the　first　time。　Good。
　Willie　stared　at　me　with　empty；　waiting　eyes。　He　was　dead；　well　and　truly　dead。　Tears　flowed　down　my　face；　tight　and　hard。　Poor　Willie；　poor　me。　He　wasn't　human。　All　these　months　of　being　his　friend　and　he　was　dead。　Just　dead。　Damn。
　〃What　happened　to　the　first　vampire　you　raised；　ma　petite？　Why　didn't　you　put　it　back　into　its　coffin？〃　A　thought　slid　behind　his　eyes。　I　watched　the　idea　form；　and　fall　from　his　lips。　〃How　did　Monsieur　Bouvier　get　the　lower　half　of　his　body　melted　away？〃
　Magnus　Bouvier　had　been　Serephina's　mortal　servant。　It　had　been　his　job　to　keep　me　near　Serephina's　coffin　until　she　rose　to　finish　me　off。　I　scrubbed　at　my　face；　trying　to　get　rid　of　the　tears。　Always　ruins　the　effect　when　you　cry。　〃You　know　the　answer；〃　I　said。　My　voice　sounded　strained　and　small。
　〃Say　it　aloud；　ma　petite；　let　me　hear　it　from　your　own　lips。〃
　〃I　feel　like　I'm　missing　part　of　this　conversation；〃　Richard　said；　〃What　are　you　two　talking　about？〃
　〃Tell　him；　ma　petite。〃
　〃The　vampire　grabbed　Magnus　around　the　waist　and　held　on。　I'd　planned　on　it　slowing　him　down；　nothing　else。　I　got　to　the　door　and　ran　outside。　The　sunlight　hit　the　vampire　and　it　burst　into　flames。　I　expected　Magnus　to　go　back　inside；　but　he　didn't。　He　kept　ing；　dragging　her　into　the　light。〃　Saying　it　fast　didn't　make　it　any　better。
　I　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　dead　I　had　called；　hugging　myself。　I　still　had　dreams　about　Serephina。　Still　saw　Magnus　reaching　out　to　me；　begging　me　to　save　him。　I　could　have　shot　him　and　never　lost　a　moment's　sleep；　but　burning　him　alive　was　torture。　I　didn't　do　torture。　Not　to　mention　that　Ellie　Quinlan　had　already　risen　as　a　vampire；　which　made　her　legally　alive。　I'd　killed　them　both；　and　it　hadn't　been　pretty。
　Richard　was　looking　at　me；　a　look　of　something　close　to　horror　on　his　face。　〃You　burned　the　man　and　the　vampire　alive？〃　I　watched　the　brown　in　his　eyes　swim　back　to　the　surface。　The　entire　shape　of　the　eye　changed　while　I　watched。　It　looked　almost　like　it　should　hurt。　If　it　did　hurt；　he　never　showed　it。
　〃I　didn't　plan　it；　Richard。　I　didn't　want　it　to　happen；　but　I　would　have　done　anything　to　escape　Serephina。　Anything。〃
　〃I　don't　understand　that。〃
　〃I　know；〃　I　said。
　〃There　is　no　shame　in　surviving；　ma　petite。〃　I　turned　to　Jean…Claude。　There　was　no　shock　on　his　face。　It　was　lovely　and　unreadable　as　a　doll's。
　〃Then　why　can't　I　read　your　face　right　now？〃
　Life　flowed　back　into　his　face；　filled　his　eyes；　moved　behind　his　skin　until　he　was　there；　staring　at　me。　The　look　in　his　eyes　wasn't　what　I　expected。　Fear　was　still　there　and　surprise；　but　underneath　was　worry。
　〃Better？〃　he　asked。
　〃Yes。〃　I　frowned。　〃What's　worrying　you？〃
　He　sighed。　〃All　honesty　is　eventually　punished；　but　not　usually　this　quickly。〃
　〃Answer　me；　Jean…Claude。〃
　His　eyes　went　past　me　to　the　werewolves　waiting　at　Richard's　back。　〃No　one　must　speak　of　what　has　happened　here；　not　to　anyone。〃
　〃Why　not？〃　Richard　asked。
　〃It　would　embarrass　ma　petite。〃
　〃That's　true；〃　I　said；　〃but　that's　not　what　you　mean。　You　don't　mind　embarrassing　me。　Hell；　this　story　would　make　a　great　threat　for　all　your　vampires。　It'd　scare　the　hell　out　of　them。〃
　〃That；　ma　petite；　is　the　point。〃
　I　sighed。　〃Stop　being　obtuse　and　just　tell　us。〃
　〃I　do　not　want　this；〃　he　waved　at　the　vampires；　〃ing　to　the　attention　of　the　vampire　council。〃
　〃Why　not？〃　Richard　and　I　asked　together。
　〃Put　simply；　ma　petite；　they　will　kill　you。〃
　〃I'm　your　registered　human　servant；〃　I　said；　〃you　said　you　did　that　to　keep　me　safe。〃
　〃For　this　they　will　e　and　see　for　themselves；　ma　petite。　Whoever　they　send　will　know　instantly　that　you　do　not　bear　my　marks。　You　are　my　servant　in　name　only。　That　will　not　be　enough　for　them。　Without　any　binding　between　us；　they　will　not　trust　you。〃
　〃So　they'll　kill　her；　just　like　that？〃　Richard　asked。　He　moved　closer　to　me　as　if　he'd　touch　me；　but　his　hands　hesitated　above　my　shoulders。
　Without　looking　at　him；　I　said；　〃One　story　about　burning　people　alive　and　you　don't　want　to　touch　me。　You　prejudiced　little　werewolf；　you。〃　I　tried　to　keep　my　voice　light　but　a　harsh　edge　crept　in。
　His　hands　gripped　my　shoulders　tightly。　〃It　really　bothers　you；　what　you　did；　doesn't　it？〃
　I　turned　to　see　his　face；　his　hands　still　on　my　shoulders。　〃Of　course　it　bothers　me。　I　didn't　just　kill　Magnus；　I　tortured　him　to　death。　Ellie　Quinlan　didn't　deserve　to　be　burned　alive。〃　I　shook　my　head　and　tried　to　step　away　from　him。　He　slid　his　arms　across　my　back；　holding　me　gently　against　him。
　〃I'm　sorry　you　had　to　do　it。〃　He　touched　my　hair　with　one　hand；　the　other　still　against　my　back。　〃Your　eyes　are　haunted　by　it；　by　what　you　did。　Don't　take　this　wrong；　but　it　makes　me　feel　better　to　see　that　pain　in　your　eyes。〃
　I　pushed　away　from　him。　〃Did　you　think　I　could　kill　someone　by　torture　and　feel　nothing？〃
　He　met　my　eyes　but　it　seemed　like　it　was　an　effort。　〃I　wasn't　sure。〃
　I　shook　my　head。
　Jean…Claude　took　my　left　hand；　the　other　was　still　holding　the　Firestar。　He　turned　me　to　face　him。　He　raised　my　hand　towards　his　lips　as　he　bowed　slowly　towards　me。　He　spoke　as　he　moved；　〃There　is　nothing　that　you　could　ever　do　that　would　make　me　not　desire　the　touch　of　your　body。〃　He　kissed　my　hand。　His　lips　lingered　a　little　longer　than　was　polite。　His　tongue　licked　across　my　skin；　and　I　pulled　away。
　〃It　scares　you　that　I　can　raise　vampires　like　this。〃
　〃Perhaps；　ma　petite；　but　I　have　frightened　you　for　years　and　yet　you　are　still　here。〃
　He　had　a　point。　I　stared　at　Willie。　〃Let's　see　if　we　can　put　everyone　back　where　they　belong。〃　I　hoped　I　could　do　it。　I　wanted　Willie　back；　even　if　it　was　only　a　lie。　He　walked；　he　talked；　it　was　still　Willie。　Or　maybe；　I　just　wanted　it　to　be　Willie。　Maybe　I　needed　it　to　be　Willie。
　
　
　29
　
　〃Take　me　to　the　coffin　room；〃　I　said。
　〃Why？〃　Jean…Claude　asked。　There　was　something　in　the　way　he　said　that　one　word　that　made　me　stare　at　him。
　〃Because　I　asked。〃
　〃How　would　my　flock　feel　if　I　allowed　the　Executioner　to　enter　their　private　chamber　while　they　slept　helpless？〃
　〃I'm　not　going　to　kill　anybody　today；　not　on　purpose。〃
　〃I　do　not　like　the　way　you　said　that；　ma　petite。〃
　〃Uncontrolled　power　is　unpredictable；　Jean…Claude。　All　sorts　of　unpleasant　things　can　happen。　I　need　to　see　where　the　vampires　will　be　resting。　I　want　to　try　and　put　them　back　in　a　controlled　manner。〃
　〃What　sorts　of　unpleasant　things？〃　Richard　asked。
　It　was　a　good　question。　Since　I　was　pretty　much　flying　blind；　I　didn't　have　a　good　answer。　〃It　takes　less　power　to　put　back　than　it　does　to　raise。　If　we　just　call　it　up　wild　and　try　to　will　them　back　。　。　。〃　I　shook　my　head。