lhamilton.thekillingdance-第88章

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　〃Edward？〃　It　was　Harley。　He　was　standing　over　Cassandra's　very　still；　very　dead　body。　His　eyes　searched　wildly　for　the　one　person　he　recognized。
　〃Harley；　it's　me；　it's　Anita。〃
　He　shook　his　head；　as　if　I　was　a　buzzing　fly。　〃Edward；　I　still　see　monsters。　Edward！〃　He　raised　the　machine　gun　at　me；　and　I　knew　I　couldn't　let　him　fire。　No；　it　was　more　than　that；　or　less。　I　raised　the　Browning　and　fired　before　I'd　had　time　to　think。　The　first　shot　sent　him　to　his　knees。　〃Edward！〃　He　squeezed　off　a　round　of　fire　that　went　inches　above　the　men's　heads。　I　fired　another　into　his　chest；　and　put　one　through　his　head　before　he　fell。
　I　approached　him；　gun　at　the　ready。　If　he'd　twitched；　I'd　have　shot　him　again。　He　didn't　twitch。　I　knew　nothing　about　Harley　except　he　was　genuinely　crazy　and　very　good　with　weapons。　Now　I'd　never　know　because　Edward　didn't　volunteer　information。　I　kicked　the　machine　gun　out　of　Harley's　dead　hand　and　went　for　the　others。
　Edward　was　sitting　up；　rubbing　the　back　of　his　head。　He　watched　me　walk　away　from　Harley's　body。　〃Did　you　do　it？〃
　I　faced　him。　〃Yes。〃
　〃I've　killed　people　for　less。〃
　〃So　have　I；〃　I　said；　〃but　if　we're　going　to　fight；　can　we　unchain　the　boys　first？　I　don't　feel　Richard　anymore。〃　I　couldn't　say　the　word　dead　out　loud；　not　yet。
　Edward　got　to　his　feet；　a　little　shaky；　but　standing。　〃We'll　fight　later。〃
　〃Later；〃　I　said。
　Edward　went　to　sit　by　his　friend。　I　went　to　sit　by　my　lover　and　my　other　boyfriend。
　I　holstered　the　Browning；　slipped　the　cross　off　Jean…Claude's　neck；　and　threw　it　spinning　into　the　woods。　The　darkness　was　suddenly　velvet　and　intense。　I　bent　to　undo　his　chains　and　one　of　the　links　went　spinning　by　my　head。
　〃Shit；〃　I　said。
　Jean…Claude　sat　up；　sweeping　the　chains　down　his　body　like　a　sheet。　He　slipped　off　the　blindfold　last。　I　was　already　crawling　to　Richard。　I'd　seen　the　sword　pierce　his　heart。　He　had　to　be　dead；　but　I　searched　for　the　big　pulse　in　his　neck；　and　I　found　it。　It　beat　against　my　hand　like　a　weak　thought；　and　I　slumped　forward　with　relief。　He　was　alive。　Thank　you；　God。
　Jean…Claude　knelt　on　the　other　side　of　Richard's　body。　〃I　thought　you　could　not　bear　his　touch；　that　is　what　he　told　me　before　they　gagged　him。　They　were　afraid　he　would　call　his　pack　to　aid　him。　I　have　already　called　Jason　and　my　vampires。　They　will　be　here　soon。〃
　〃Why　can't　I　feel　him　in　my　head？〃
　〃I　am　blocking　it。　It　is　a　fearful　wound；　and　I　am　better　practiced　at　dealing　with　such　things。〃
　I　pulled　the　gag　from　Richard's　mouth。　I　touched　his　lips　gently。　The　thought　of　how　I'd　refused　to　kiss　him　earlier　that　day　bit　at　me。　〃He's　dying；　isn't　he？〃
　Jean…Claude　broke　Richard's　chains；　more　carefully　than　his　own。　I　helped　him　clear　them　from　Richard's　limp　body。　Richard　lay　on　the　ground　in　the　bloodstained　white　T…shirt　I'd　last　seen　him　in。　He　was　just　suddenly　Richard　again。　I　couldn't　imagine　the　beast　I'd　seen。　I　suddenly　didn't　care。　〃I　can't　lose　him；　not　like　this。〃
　〃Richard　is　dying；　ma　petite。　I　feel　his　life　slipping　away。〃
　I　stared　up　at　him。　〃You're　still　keeping　me　from　feeling　it；　aren't　you？〃
　〃I　am　protecting　you。〃　There　was　a　look　on　his　face　that　I　didn't　like。
　I　touched　his　arm。　His　skin　was　cool　to　the　touch。　〃Why？〃
　He　turned　away。
　I　jerked　him　hard；　forced　him　to　look　at　me。　〃Why？〃
　〃Even　with　only　two　marks；　Richard　can　try　and　drain　us　both　to　stay　alive。　I　am　preventing　that。〃
　〃You're　protecting　us　both？〃　I　asked。
　〃When　he　dies；　I　can　protect　one　of　us；　ma　petite；　but　not　both。〃
　I　stared　at　him。　〃You're　saying　that　when　he　dies；　you're　both　going　to　die？〃
　〃I　fear　so。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃No。　Not　both　of　you。　Not　all　at　once。　Dammit；　you're　not　supposed　to　be　able　to　die。〃
　〃I　am　sorry；　ma　petite。〃
　〃No；　we　can　share　power　just　like　we　did　to　raise　the　zombies；　the　vampires；　like　we　did　tonight。〃
　Jean…Claude　slumped　suddenly　downward；　one　hand　on　Richard's　body。　〃I　will　not　drag　you　to　the　grave　with　me；　ma　petite。　I　would　rather　think　of　you　alive　and　well。〃
　I　dug　my　fingers　into　Jean…Claude's　arm。　I　touched　Richard's　chest。　A　shuddering　breath　ran　up　my　arm　from　him。　〃I'll　be　alive；　but　I　won't　be　well。　I'd　rather　die　than　lose　you　both。〃
　He　stared　at　me　for　a　long　second。　〃You　do　not　know　what　you　are　asking。〃
　〃We　are　a　triumvirate　now。　We　can　do　this；　Jean…Claude。　We　can　do　this；　but　you　have　to　show　me　how。〃
　〃We　are　powerful　beyond　my　wildest　dreams；　ma　petite；　but　even　we　cannot　cheat　death。〃
　〃He　owes　me　one。〃
　Jean…Claude　flinched　as　if　in　pain。　〃Who　owes　you？〃
　〃Death。　〃
　〃Ma　petite　。　。　。〃
　〃Do　it；　Jean…Claude；　do　it。　Whatever　it　is；　whatever　it　takes。　Do　it；　please！〃
　He　slumped　on　top　of　Richard；　head　barely　raised。　〃The　third　mark。　It　will　either　bind　us　forever；　or　kill　us　all。〃
　I　offered　him　my　wrist。　〃No；　ma　petite；　if　it　is　to　be　our　only　time；　e　to　me。〃　He　lay　half　on　Richard's　body；　arms　open　for　me。　I　lay　in　the　circle　of　his　arms；　and　realized　when　I　touched　his　chest　there　was　no　heartbeat。　I　turned　and　stared　into　his　face　from　inches　away。　〃Don't　leave　me。〃
　His　midnight　blue　eyes　filled　with　fire。　He　swept　my　hair　to　one　side　and　said；　〃Open　for　me；　ma　petite；　open　for　us　both。〃
　I　did；　sweeping　my　mind　open；　dropping　every　guard　I'd　ever　had。　I　fell　forward；　impossibly　forward；　down　a　long；　black　tunnel　towards　a　burning　blue　fire。　Pain　cut　the　darkness　like　a　white　knife；　and　I　heard　myself　gasp。　I　felt　Jean…Claude's　fangs　sink　into　me；　his　mouth　sealing　over　my　flesh；　sucking　me；　drinking　me。
　A　wind　swept　through　the　falling　darkness；　catching　me　like　a　net　before　I　touched　that　blue　fire。　The　wind　smelled　of　growing　earth　and　the　musty　scent　of　fur。　I　felt　something　else：　sorrow。　Richard's　sorrow。　His　mourning。　Not　of　his　death；　but　of　my　loss。　Dead　or　alive；　he'd　lost　me；　and　among　his　many　faults　was　a　loyalty　that　went　beyond　reason。　Once　in　love；　he　was　a　man　to　stay　there；　regardless　of　what　the　woman　did。　A　knight　errant　in　every　sense　of　the　word。　He　was　a　fool；　and　I　loved　him　for　it。　Jean…Claude　I　loved　in　spite　of　himself。　Richard　I　loved　because　of　who　he　was。
　I　wouldn't　lose　him。　I　wrapped　his　essence　like　winding　myself　in　a　sheet；　except　that　I　had　no　body。　I　held　him　in　my　mind；　my　body；　and　let　him　feel　the　love；　my　sorrow；　regret。　Jean…Claude　was　there；　too。　I　half…expected　him　to　protest；　to　sabotage　it；　but　he　didn't。　That　blue　fire　spilled　upward　through　the　tunnel　to　meet　us；　and　the　world　exploded　into　shapes　and　images　that　were　too　confusing。　Bits　and　pieces　of　memory；　sensations；　thoughts；　like　three　separate　jigsaw　puzzles　shaken　and　tossed　into　the　air；　and　every　piece　that　touched　formed　a　picture。
　I　padded　through　the　forest　on　four　feet。　The　smells　alone　were　intoxicating。　I　sank　fangs　into　a　dainty　wrist；　and　it　wasn't　mine。　I　watched　the　pulse　underneath　a　woman's　neck　and　thought　of　blood；　warm　flesh；　and　far…off　and　distant　sex。　The　memories　came　fast；　then　faster；　flowing　like　some　sort　of　carnival　ride。　Blackness　gained　on　the　images；　like　ink　filling　water。　When　the　darkness　ate　everything；　I　floated　for　an　impossible　second；　then　went　out　like　a　candle　flame。　Nothing。
　I　didn't　even　have　time　to　be　scared。
　
　
　45
　
　I　woke　in　a　pastel　pink　hospital　room。　A　nurse　in　a　matching　pink　smock　smiled　down　at　me。　Fear　pumped　like　fine　champagne。　Where　was　Richard？　Where　was　Jean…Claude？　What　I　finally　managed　to　ask；　was；　〃How　did　I　get　here？〃
　〃Your　friend　brought　you。〃　She　motioned　with　her　head。
　Edward　sat　in　a　chair　by　the　far　wall；　leafing　through　a　magazine。　He　looked　up　and　our　eyes　met。　His　face　gave　away　nothing。
　〃Edward？〃
　〃My　friends　call　me　Ted；　Anita；　you　know　that。〃　He　had　that　good　of　boy　smile　that　could　only　mean　he　was　pretending　to　be　Ted　Forrester。　It　was　his　only　legal　identity　that　I'd　ever　met。　Even　the　cops　thought　he　was　this　Ted　person。　〃Nurse；　can　we　have　a　few　minutes　alone？〃
　The　nurse　smiled；　looked　curiously　from　one　to　the　other　of　us；　and　left；　still　smiling。
　I　tried　to　grab　Edward's　hand　and　found　my　left　hand　was　taped　to　a　board　and　stuck　with　an　IV。　I　grabbed　at　him　with　my　right　hand；　and　he　held　it。　〃Are　they　alive？〃
　He　smiled；　a　m