lhamilton.thekillingdance-第68章

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　but　there。　There　was　a　prickling；　almost　electric　tremble　to　Richard。　Jean…Claude　was　cool　and　smooth。　All　right；　we　could　touch　auras；　so　what？　Where　did　that　get　us？
　I　pressed　my　hands　suddenly　forward；　through　the　energy；　against　their　bodies。　I　forced　that　energy　back　into　them；　and　got　a　gasp　from　both　of　them。　The　shock　of　it　ran　up　my　arms　and　I　bowed　my　head；　breathing　through　the　rush　of　power。　I　raised　my　face　up　to　meet　their　eyes。　I　don't　know　what　showed　on　my　face；　but　whatever　it　was；　Richard　didn't　like　it。　He　started　to　take　a　step　back。　I　dug　fingernails　into　his　stomach　just　enough　to　get　his　attention。
　〃Don't　break　the　connection。〃
　He　swallowed。　His　eyes　were　wide　and　there　was　something　close　to　fear　in　them；　but　he　stayed　put。　I　turned　to　Jean…Claude。　He　didn't　look　scared。　He　looked　as　calm　and　controlled　as　I　felt。
　〃Very　good；　Anita。〃　Dominic's　voice　came　soft；　low。　〃bine　their　power　as　if　they　were　simply　two　other　animators。　You　are　acting　as　focus。　You've　done　that　before。　You've　laid　the　dead　to　rest　a　thousand　times。　This　is　only　one　more　time。〃
　〃Okay；　coach；〃　I　whispered。
　〃What？〃　Richard　said。
　I　shook　my　head。　〃Nothing。〃
　I　stepped　back　from　them　slowly；　hands　extended　towards　them。　The　power　trailed　between　us　like　two　ropes。　There　was　nothing　to　see；　but　from　the　look　on　Richard's　face；　we　all　felt　it。　I　unsheathed　the　knife　and　picked　up　the　golden　bowl　without　looking　down；　my　gaze　on　the　two　of　them。　There　was　a　difference　between　this　and　bining　with　other　animators；　there　was　lust。　Love。　Something。　Whatever　it　was；　it　acted　like　fuel；　or　glue。　I　had　no　words　for　what　it　was；　but　it　was　there　when　I　looked　at　them。
　I　held　the　gold　bowl　in　my　left　hand；　knife　in　the　right。　I　walked　back　to　them。　〃Hold　the　bowl　for　me；　one　hand　apiece。〃
　〃Why？〃　Richard　asked。
　〃Because　I　said　so。〃
　He　looked　like　he　wanted　to　argue。　I　laid　the　flat　of　the　blade　against　his　lips。　〃If　you　question　everything　I　say；　it　spoils　my　concentration。〃　I　took　the　knife　away　from　his　mouth。
　〃Don't　do　that　again；〃　he　said；　voice　soft；　almost　harsh。
　I　nodded。　〃Fine。〃　I　held　my　wrist　over　the　empty　bowl　and　drew　the　knife　down　the　skin　in　one　sharp　movement。　Blood　welled　out　of　the　cut；　falling　in　thick　drops；　splashing　down　the　sides　and　bottom　of　the　gleaming　gold　bowl。　Yes；　it　did　hurt。
　〃Your　turn；　Richard。〃　I　kept　my　wrist　over　the　bowl；　no　need　to　waste　the　blood。
　〃What　do　I　do？〃
　〃Put　your　wrist　over　the　bowl。〃
　He　hesitated；　then　did　what　I　asked。　He　put　his　arm　over　the　bowl；　hand　balled　into　a　fist。　I　turned　his　hand　over　to　expose　the　underside　of　his　arm。　I　steadied　his　hand　with　my　still　bleeding　hand。　The　bowl　wavered　where　his　free　hand　was　still　holding　it　with　Jean…Claude。
　I　looked　up　at　his　face。　〃Why　does　this　bother　you　more　than　Jean…Claude　tasting　you？〃
　He　swallowed。　〃A　lot　of　things　don't　bother　me　when　I'm　thinking　about　sex。〃
　〃Spoken　like　someone　with　only　one　X　chromosome；〃　I　said。　I　drew　the　knife　down　his　skin　in　one　firm　bite；　while　he　was　still　looking　at　my　face。　The　only　thing　that　kept　him　from　pulling　away　was　my　hold　on　him。
　He　didn't　struggle　after　that　initial　surprise。　He　watched　his　blood　splash　into　the　bowl；　mingling　with　mine。　The　bottom　of　the　bowl　was　hidden　from　sight；　covered　in　warm　blood。　I　released　his　hand　and　he　held　his　bleeding　wrist　over　the　bowl。
　〃Jean…Claude？〃　I　said。
　He　held　his　own　slender　wrist　out　to　me　without　being　asked。　I　steadied　his　wrist　as　I　had　Richard's。　I　met　his　dark　blue　eyes　but　there　was　no　fear　there；　nothing　but　perhaps　a　mild　curiosity。　I　cut　his　wrist　and　the　blood　welled　crimson　against　his　white　skin。
　His　blood　splashed　into　the　bowl。　It　was　all　red。　Human；　lycanthrope；　and　vampire。　You　couldn't　tell　who　was　who　by　just　looking。　We　all　bleed　red。
　There　still　wasn't　enough　blood　to　walk　a　circle　of　power　around　the　sixty　or　so　zombies。　There　was　no　way　short　of　a　true　sacrifice　to　get　that　much　blood。　But　what　I　had　in　my　hands　was　a　very　potent　magic　cocktail。　Dominic　thought　it　would　be　enough。　I　hoped　so。
　A　sound　brought　my　attention　away　from　the　blood；　and　the　growing　warmth　of　power。
　Stephen　and　Jason　were　crouched　near　us；　one　in　human　form；　one　wolf；　with　nearly　identical　looks　in　their　eyes：　hunger。
　I　looked　past　them　to　Cassandra。　She　was　standing　her　ground；　but　her　hands　were　balled　into　fists；　and　a　sheen　of　sweat　gleamed　on　her　upper　lip。　The　look　on　her　face　was　near　panic。
　Dominic　stood　smiling　and　unaffected。　He　was　the　only　other　human　in　the　room。
　Jason　growled　at　us；　but　it　wasn't　a　real　growl。　There　was　a　rhythm　to　the　noise。　He　was　trying　to　talk。
　Stephen　moistened　his　lips。　〃Jason　wants　to　know　if　we　can　lick　the　bowl？〃
　I　looked　at　Jean…Claude　and　Richard。　The　looks　on　their　faces　were　enough。　〃Am　I　the　only　one　in　this　room　not　lusting　after　the　blood？〃
　〃Except　for　Dominic；　I　fear　so；　ma　petite。〃
　〃Do　what　you　have　to　do；　Anita；　but　do　it　quick。　It's　full　moon；　and　fresh　blood　is　fresh　blood；〃　Richard　said。
　The　two　other　vamps　I'd　raised　shuffled　towards　me。　Their　eyes　still　empty　of　personality；　like　well…made　dolls。
　〃Did　you　call　them？〃　Richard　asked。
　〃No；〃　I　said。
　〃The　blood　called　them；〃　Dominic　said。
　The　vampires　came　into　the　room。　They　didn't　look　at　me　this　time。　They　looked　at　the　blood；　and　the　moment　they　saw　it；　something　flared　in　them。　I　felt　it。　Hunger。　No　one　was　home；　but　the　need　was　still　there。
　Damian's　green　eyes　stared　at　the　bowl　with　the　same　hunger。　His　handsome　face　thinned　down　to　something　beastial　and　primitive。
　I　licked　my　lips　and　said；　〃Stop。〃　They　did；　but　they　stared　at　the　freshly　spilled　blood；　never　raising　their　eyes　to　me。　If　I　hadn't　been　here　to　stop　them；　they　might　have　fed。　Fed　like　revenants；　animalistic　vampires　that　know　nothing　but　the　hunger　and　never　regain　their　humanity　or　their　minds。
　My　heart　thudded　into　my　throat　at　the　thought　of　what　I'd　almost　loosed　upon　some　unsuspecting　person。　The　hunger　wouldn't　have　differentiated　between　human　and　lycanthrope。　Wouldn't　that　have　been　a　fine　fight？
　I　took　the　bloody　bowl；　cradling　it　against　my　stomach；　the　knife　still　in　my　right　hand。
　〃Do　not　be　afraid；〃　Dominic　said。　〃Lay　the　zombies　to　rest　as　you　have　a　thousand　times　over　the　years。　Do　that　and　that　alone。〃
　〃One　step　at　a　time；　right？〃　I　said。
　〃Indeed；〃　he　said。
　I　nodded。　〃Okay。〃
　Everyone　but　the　three　vampires　looked　at　me　as　if　they　believed　I　knew　what　I　was　doing。　I　wished　I　did。　Even　Dominic　looked　confident。　But　he　didn't　have　to　put　sixty　zombies　back　in　the　ground　without　a　circle　of　power。　I　did。
　I　had　to　watch　my　step　on　the　rubble…strewn　floor。　It　wouldn't　do　to　fall　and　spill　all　this　blood；　all　this　power。　Because　that's　what　it　was。　I　could　feel　Jean…Claude　and　Richard　at　my　back　like　two　braids　of　a　rope　twisting　inside　me　as　I　moved。　Dominic　had　said　that　I　would　be　able　to　feel　both　of　the　men。　When　I'd　asked　for　specifics　about　how　I　would　be　able　to　feel　them；　he　had　gone　vague。　Magic　was　too　individualistic　for　exactness。　If　he　told　me　one　way　and　it　felt　another；　it　would　have　made　me　doubt。　He'd　been　right。
　I　stirred　the　knife　through　the　blood　and　flung　blood　on　the　waiting　zombies　with　the　blade。　Only　a　few　drops　fell　on　them；　but　every　time　the　blood　touched　one；　I　could　feel　it；　a　shock　of　power；　a　jolt。　I　ended　in　the　center　of　the　once　walled　room；　surrounded　by　the　zombies。　When　the　blood　touched　the　last　one；　a　shock　ran　through　me　that　tore　a　gasp　from　my　throat。　I　felt　the　blood　close　round　the　dead。　It　was　similar　to　closing　a　circle　of　power；　but　it　was　like　the　closure　was　inside　me；　rather　than　outside。
　〃Back；〃　I　said；　〃back　into　your　graves；　all　of　you。　Back　into　the　ground。〃
　The　dead　shuffled　around　me；　positioning　themselves　like　sleepwalkers　in　a　game　of　musical　chairs。　As　each　one　reached　its　place；　it　lay　down；　and　the　raw　earth　poured　over　them　all　like　water。　The　earth　swallowed　them　back　and　smoothed　over　them　as　if　a　giant　hand　had　e　to　neaten　everything　up。
　I　was　alone　in　the　room　with　the　earth　still　twitching　like　a　horse　thick　with　flies。　When　the　last　ripple　had　died　away；　I