lhamilton.thekillingdance-第65章

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wards　us；　wearing　nothing　but　his　silk　pajamas　and　a　knowing　smile。　His　own　power　making　his　long　hair　flare　round　his　face　like　a　small　wind。
　Richard　touched　my　shoulders　and　even　that　chaste　touch　sent　a　line　of　warm；　shivering　energy　along　my　skin。　The　power　was　there　for　the　calling；　just　below　the　surface。　We　didn't　need　all　the　sexual　charades。
　Jean…Claude　reached　a　pale　hand　out　towards　me。　I　met　his　hand　with　mine；　and　that　one　touch　was　enough。　That　cool；　burning　power　flowed　over　me；　through　me；　into　Richard。　I　heard　Richard　gasp。　Jean…Claude　started　to　move　forward；　like　he'd　press　his　body　against　mine。　I　held　him　away　from　me　with　the　hand　that　was　entwined　in　his；　straight…arming　him。　〃It's　here；　Jean…Claude；　can't　you　feel　it？〃
　He　nodded。　〃Your　power　calls　to　me；　ma　petite。〃
　Richard's　hands　slid　over　my　shoulders；　his　face　brushing　my　hair。　〃Now　what？〃
　〃We　ride　the　power　this　time；　it　doesn't　ride　us。〃
　〃How？〃　Richard　whispered。
　Jean…Claude　looked　at　me　with　eyes　that　were　deep　as　any　ocean　and　as　full　of　secrets。　〃I　believe　ma　petite　has　a　plan。〃
　〃Yeah；〃　I　said；　〃I　have　a　plan。〃　I　looked　from　one　to　the　other　of　them。　〃I'm　going　to　call　Dominic　Dumare　and　see　if　he　knows　how　to　put　vampires　back　in　their　coffins。〃　Dominic　had　been　cleared　of　Robert's　murder。　He　had　an　airtight　alibi。　He'd　been　with　a　woman。　Even　if　he　hadn't　been；　I　might　have　asked　for　his　help。　I　wanted　to　save　Willie　more　than　I　wanted　to　revenge　Robert。
　A　strange　expression　crossed　Jean…Claude's　face。　〃You；　asking　for　help；　ma　petite？　That　is　unusual。〃
　I　drew　away　from　both　of　them。　We　could　get　the　power　back；　I　was　pretty　certain　of　that。　I　looked　at　Willie's　empty　face　and　the　fuzzy　dice　hanging　from　his　coffin。　〃If　I　make　a　mistake；　Willie's　gone。　I　want　him　back。〃
　There　were　times　when　I　thought　that　it　wasn't　Jean…Claude　who　had　convinced　me　that　vampires　weren't　always　monsters。　It　was　Willie　and　Dead　Dave；　ex…cop　and　bar　owner。　It　was　a　host　of　lesser　vampires　that　seemed；　occasionally；　like　nice　guys。　Jean…Claude　was　a　lot　of　things；　nice　was　not　one　of　them。
　
　
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　Dominic　Dumare　showed　up　wearing　a　pair　of　black　dress　slacks　and　a　black　leather　jacket　unzipped　over　a　grey　silk　T…shirt。　He　looked　more　relaxed　without　Sabin　looking　on；　like　an　employee　on　his　day　off。　Even　the　neatly　trimmed　Vandyke　beard　and　mustache　seemed　less　formal。
　Dominic　walked　around　the　three　vampires　I'd　raised。　We'd　moved　back　out　into　the　rubble…strewn　main　area；　so　he　could　see　the　zombies　and　the　vampires　all　at　once。　He　paced　around　the　vampires；　touching　them　here　and　there。　He　grinned　at　me；　teeth　flashing　in　his　dark　beard。　〃This　is　marvelous；　truly　marvelous。〃
　I　fought　the　urge　to　frown　at　him。　〃Forgive　me　if　I　don't　share　your　enthusiasm。　Can　you　help　me　put　them　back　the　way　they　were？〃
　〃Theoretically；　yes。〃
　〃When　people　start　using　the　word　theoretically；　it　means　they　don't　know　how　to　do　something。　You　can't　help　me；　can　you？〃
　〃Now；　now；〃　Dominic　said。　He　knelt　by　Willie；　staring　up　at　him；　studying　him　like　a　bug　under　a　bioscope。　〃I　didn't　say　I　couldn't　help。　It's　true　that　I've　never　seen　this　done。　And　you　say　you've　done　this　before。〃　He　stood　up；　brushing　off　the　knees　of　his　pants。
　〃Once。〃
　〃That　time　was　without　the　triumvirate？〃　Dominic　asked。
　I'd　had　to　tell　him。　I　understood　enough　about　ritual　magic　to　know　that　if　we　withheld　how　we'd　gotten　this　much　power；　anything　Dominic　helped　us　e　up　with　wouldn't　work。　It　would　be　like　telling　the　police　it　was　a　burglary　when　it　was　really　a　murder。　They'd　be　trying　to　solve　the　wrong　crime。
　〃Yeah；　the　first　time　was　just　me。〃
　〃But　both　times　in　daylight　hours？〃　he　asked。
　I　nodded。
　〃That　makes　sense。　We　can　only　raise　zombies　after　the　souls　have　flown。　It　would　make　sense　that　vampires　can　only　be　raised　during　the　day。　When　darkness　falls；　their　souls　return。〃
　I　wasn't　even　going　to　try　and　argue　about　whether　or　not　vampires　had　souls。　I　wasn't　as　sure　of　the　answer　as　I　used　to　be。
　〃I　can't　raise　zombies　during　daylight　hours。　Let　alone　vampires；〃　I　said。
　Dominic　motioned　at　all　the　waiting　dead　of　both　kinds。　〃But　you　did　it。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃That's　not　the　point。　I'm　not　supposed　to　be　able　to　do　it。〃
　〃Have　you　ever　tried　to　raise　normal　zombies　during　daylight　hours？〃
　〃Well；　no。　The　man　who　trained　me　said　it　wasn't　possible。〃
　〃So　you　never　tried；〃　Dominic　said。
　I　hesitated　before　answering。
　〃You　have　tried；〃　he　said。
　〃I　can't　do　it。　I　can't　even　call　the　power　under　the　light　of　the　sun。〃
　〃Only　because　you　believe　you　can't；〃　Dominic　said。
　〃Run　that　by　me　again。〃
　〃Belief　is　one　of　the　most　important　aspects　of　magic。〃
　〃You　mean；　if　I　don't　believe　I　can　raise　zombies　during　the　day；　I　can't。〃
　〃Exactly。〃
　〃That　doesn't　make　sense；〃　Richard　said。　He　leaned　against　one　of　the　intact　walls。　He'd　been　very　quiet　while　I　talked　magic　with　Dominic。　Jason；　still　in　wolf　form；　lay　at　his　feet。　Stephen　had　cleared　some　of　the　broken　stones　and　sat　beside　the　wolf。
　〃Actually；〃　I　said；　〃it　does。　I've　seen　people　with　a　lot　of　raw　talent　that　couldn't　raise　anything。　One　guy　was　convinced　it　was　a　mortal　sin　so　he　just　blocked　it　out。　But　he　shone　with　power　whether　he　wanted　to　accept　it　or　not。〃
　〃A　shapeshifter　can　deny　his　power　all　he　wants；　but　that　doesn't　keep　him　from　changing；〃　Richard　said。
　〃I　believe　that　is　why　lycanthropy　is　referred　to　as　a　curse；〃　Dominic　said。
　Richard　looked　at　me。　The　expression　on　his　face　was　eloquent。　〃A　curse。〃
　〃You'll　have　to　forgive　Dominic；〃　Jean…Claude　said。　〃A　hundred　years　ago；　it　never　occurred　to　anyone　that　lycanthropy　could　be　a　disease。〃
　〃Concern　for　Richard's　feelings？〃　I　asked。
　〃His　happiness　is　your　happiness；　ma　petite。〃
　Jean…Claude's　new　gentlemanly　behavior　was　beginning　to　bug　me。　I　didn't　trust　his　change　of　heart。
　Cassandra　said；　〃If　Anita　didn't　believe　she　could　raise　the　dead　during　daylight　hours；　then　how　did　she　do　it？〃　She　had　joined　in　the　metaphysical　discussion　like　it　was　a　graduate　class　in　magical　theory。　I'd　met　people　like　her　in　college。　Theorists　who　had　no　real　magic　of　their　own。　But　they　could　sit　around　for　hours　debating　whether　a　theoretical　spell　would　work。　They　treated　magic　like　higher　physics；　a　pure　science　without　any　true　way　of　testing。　Heaven　forbid　the　ivory　tower　magicians　should　actually　try　out　their　theories　in　a　real　spell。　Dominic　would　have　fit　in　well　with　them；　except　he　had　his　own　magic。
　〃Both　occasions　were　extreme　situations；〃　Dominic　said。　〃It　works　on　the　same　principle　that　allows　a　grandmother　to　lift　a　truck　off　her　grandchild。　In　times　of　great　need；　we　often　touch　abilities　beyond　the　everyday。〃
　〃But　the　grandmother　can't　lift　a　car　at　will；　just　because　she　did　it　once；〃　I　said。
　〃Hmm；〃　Dominic　said；　〃perhaps　the　analogy　is　not　perfect；　but　you　understand　what　I　am　saying。　If　you　say　you　do　not；　you　are　merely　being　difficult。〃
　That　almost　made　me　smile。　〃So　you're　saying　that　I　could　raise　the　dead　in　daylight　if　I　believed　I　could。〃
　〃I　believe　so。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃I've　never　heard　of　any　animator　being　able　to　do　that。〃
　〃But　you　are　not　merely　an　animator；　Anita；〃　Dominic　said。　〃You　are　a　necromancer。〃
　〃I　have　never　heard　of　a　necromancer　that　could　raise　the　dead　in　broad　daylight；〃　Jean…Claude　said。
　Dominic　shrugged　gracefully。　It　reminded　me　of　Jean…Claude。　It　takes　a　couple　hundred　years　to　make　a　shrug　pretty。　〃I　don't　know　about　broad　daylight；　but　just　as　some　vampires　can　walk　around　during　the　day；　as　long　as　they　are　sufficiently　sheltered；　I　believe　the　same　principle　would　apply　to　necromancers。〃
　〃So　you　don't　believe　Anita　could　raise　the　dead　at　high　noon　out　of　doors；　either？〃　Cassandra　said。
　Dominic　shrugged　again。　Then　he　laughed。　〃You　have　caught　me；　my　studious　beauty。　It　may　well　be　possible　for　Anita　to　do　exactly　that；　but　even　I　have　never　heard　of　such　a　thing。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃Look；　we　can　explore　the　magical　implications　later。　Right　now；　can　you　help　me　figure　a　way　to　put　the　vampires　back　without　screwing　them　up？〃
　〃Define　screwing　them　up；〃　Dominic　said。
　〃Do