annr.pandora-第35章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
rmanic tribes on your own。〃 He sighed。 〃You must find a good life； a rich life； a life where your soul and body are fed。〃 The color flared in his face； He looked at me； at my breasts； at my hips and then at my face。 Ashamed and trying to conceal it。 Lust。
〃Are you a man still？〃 I asked。
He didn't answer me。 But his expression grew chilly。
〃You will never know the full extent of what I am！〃 he said。
〃Ah； but not a man。〃 I said。 〃Am I right？ Not a man。〃
〃Pandora； you are deliberately taunting me。 Why？ Why do this？〃
〃This transformation； this induction into the blood drinkers； it's added no inches to your height。 Did it add any inches anywhere else？〃
〃Please stop this；〃 he said。
〃Want me； Marius。 Say that you do。 I see it。 Confirm it in words。 What does that cost you？〃
〃You are infuriating！〃 he said。 His face colored deeply with his rage； and pressed his lips together so hard that they went white。 〃Thank the gods that I don't want you！ Not enough to betray love for brief and bloody ecstasy。〃
〃The Temple people； they don't really know what you are； do they？〃
〃No！〃 he said。
〃And you will not lay open your heart to me。〃
〃Never。 You will forget me and these dreams will fade。 I wager I can make them fade； myself； through prayer for you。 I will do it。〃
〃That's a pious tack；〃 I said。 〃What grants you such favor with the ancient Isis； who drank blood and was the Fount'？〃
〃Don't say those words； it's all lies； all of it。 You do not know that this Queen you saw was Isis。 What did you learn in these nightmares？ Think。 You learned that this Queen was the prisoner of those who drank blood and she condemned them！ They were evil。 Think。 Go back into the dream。 Think。 You thought them evil； evil then； and you think them evil now。 In the Temple； you caught the scent of evil。 I know you did。 I watched you。〃
〃Yes。 But you're not evil； Marius； you can't convince me of this！ You have a body like marble； you're a blood drinker； but like a god； but not evil！〃
He was about to protest when he stopped again。 He looked out of the corner of his eye。 And then slowly turned his head and let his gaze drift up through the roof of the peristyle。
〃Is it the dawn ing；〃 I asked； 〃the rays of Amon Ra？〃
〃You are the most maddening human being I've ever known！〃 he said。 〃If I had married you； you would have put me in an early grave。 I would have been spared all of this！〃
〃All of what'？〃
He called out for Flavius； who had been dose all the while； listening to everything。
〃Flavius； I'm leaving now；〃 he said。 〃I must。 But guard her。 When night falls； I'll be here again； as quickly as I can。 Should anything precede me； any badly scarred and frightening assailant； go for its head with your sword。 The head； remember？ And of course your Mistress here will no doubt be quite able to lend a hand in defending herself。〃
〃Yes； sir。 Must we leave Antioch？〃
〃Watch your words； my faithful Greek；〃 I said。 〃I am Mistress here。 We are not leaving Antioch。〃
〃Try to persuade her to prepare；〃 said Marius。
He looked at me。
A long silence fell between us。 I knew he read my thoughts。 Then a shudder of the blood dreams passed over me。 I saw his eyes brighten。 Something quickened in his expression。 I shook off the dream； filled with terror。 I am no hostess to terror。
〃It's all interwound；〃 I murmured； 〃the dreams； the Temple； you being there； their calling on you for help。 What are you； some white god put on Earth to hunt the dark blood drinkers'？ Does the Queen live？〃
〃Oh； I wish I were such a god。〃 he said。 〃I would be if I could be！ That no more blood drinkers will ever be made； of that I am certain。 Let them lay flowers on an altar before a statue of basalt！〃
I felt such love for him and rushed to him suddenly。 〃Take me with you now； wherever you are going。
〃I can't！〃 he said。 He blinked as though something hurt his eyes。 He couldn't fully lift his head。
〃It's the ing light； isn't it？ You are one of them。〃
〃Pandora； when I e to you； be ready to leave this place！〃 he said。
And he vanished。
Like that； he vanished。 Like that； he was gone from my arms and from my living room and from my house。
I turned away and walked slowly about the shadowy living room。 I looked at the murals on the walls； the happy dancing figures with their laurels and their crowns of leaves … Bacchus and his nymphs； so modestly covered for such a riotous crew！
Flavius spoke。 〃Madam； a sword which I found among your possessions； may I have it in readiness？〃
〃Yes； and daggers galore； and fire； do not forget fire。 It will run from fire。〃 I sighed。 How did I know this？ I did。 So much for it。
〃But Flavius。〃 I turned around。 〃It won't e until dark。 There is only a small margin of the night left。 We can both sleep as soon as we see the sky turn purple。〃
I lifted my hand to my forehead。
〃I am trying to remember。。。〃
〃What； Madam？〃 Flavius said。 He looked no less splendid after the spectacle of Marius； simply a man of different proportion but equally fine； and with warm human skin。 〃Whether the dreams ever came by day。 Was it always night Oh； I am sleepy and they summon me。 Flavius； put a light in my bath。 But I'm going to bed。 I am drowsy。 Can you watch'？〃
〃Yes； Madam。〃
〃Look； the stars have all but faded。 What is it like to be one of them； Flavius； to be admired only in the darkness； when men and women live with candles and lamps。 To be known and described； only in the heaviness of night； when all the business of day has ended！〃
〃You are truly the most resourceful woman I've ever known；〃 he said。 〃How you brought justice to the man who accused you。〃 He took my arm； and we moved towards the bedchamber where I had dressed that morning。 I loved him。 An entire lifetime of crises could not have made it stronger。
〃You will not sleep in the great bed of the house； in the dining room？〃
〃No；〃 I said。 〃That is for the display of marriage； and I will never know marriage again。 I want to bathe； but I'm so sleepy。〃
〃I can wake the girls。〃
〃No； to the bed。 You have a chamber proper？〃
〃Yes；〃 he led the way。 It was still quite dark。 I thought I heard a rustling noise。 Realized it was nothing。
And there lay the bed with its small lamp； and on the bed so many pillows in the Oriental style； a soft soft nest into which I fell； like a Persian。
At once； the dream：
We blood drinkers stood in a vast Temple。 It was meant to be dark。 We could see this dark； as certain animals must see in the dark。 We were all bronze…skinned； or tanned； or golden。 We were all men。
On the floor lay the Queen screaming。 Her skin was white。 Pure white。 Her long hair was black。 Her crown bore the horns and the sun！ The crown of Isis。 She was the goddess！ It took five blood drinkers on either side to hold her down。 She thrashed her head from side to side； her eyes seeming to crackle with Divine Light。
〃I am your Queen！ You cannot do this to me！〃 How purely white she was； and her screams grew ever more desperate and imploring。 〃Great Osiris； save me from this！ Save me from these blasphemers！ Save me from the profane！〃
The Priest beside me sneered at her。
The King sat motionless on the throne。 But it was not to this King that she prayed。 She prayed to an Osiris beyond。
〃Hold her more tightly。〃
Two more came to secure her ankles。
〃Drink！〃 said the Priest to me。 〃Kneel down and drink from her blood。 Her blood is more powerful than any blood that exists in the world。 Drink。〃
She cried softly。
〃Monsters； demon children！〃 she sobbed。
〃I won't do it；〃 I said。
〃Do it！ You must have her blood！〃
〃No； not against her will。 Not like this！ She's our Mother Isis！〃
〃She is our Fount and our prisoner。〃
〃No；〃 I said。
The Priest shoved me forward。 I knocked him down to the floor。 I looked at her。
She looked at me as indiscriminately as she looked at the others。 Her face was delicate and exquisitely painted。 Her rage did not distort her features。 Her voice was low and full of hatred。
〃I will destroy you all；〃 she said。 〃Some morning； I will escape and walk into the sun's light and all of you will burn！ All of you will burn！ As I burn！ Because I am the Fount！ And the evil in me will be burnt and ex
