cpike.thelastvampire-第24章
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ksha nodded。 Krishna bade him climb to his feet； and we saw that Yaksha's wounds were gone。 Yaksha walked toward us。
〃Krishna says we can go；〃 he said。
〃What did he tell you？〃 I asked。
〃I cannot say。 What did he tell you？〃
〃I cannot say。〃
Yet it was not long before I learned part of what Krishna had told Yaksha。 Yaksha secretly began to execute each of the vampires。 His acts did not stay secret long。 I fled； we all did。 But he hunted down the others； over the long years； even after Krishna was gone and Kali Yuga reigned。 Yaksha chased them to the ends of the earth over the many centimes until there were none left that I knew of； except me。 Yet he never came for me； and in the Middle Ages； as the Black Plague swept Europe； I heard that he was accused of being a witch； and also hunted down； by an entire army； and burned to ash in an old castle。 I cried when the news came to me because even though he had stolen what I loved； he had in a sense created what I was。 He was my lord as Krishna was my lord。 I served both masters； light and darkness； both of which I had seen in Krishna's eyes。 Even the devil does God's will。
I never made another vampire； but I never stopped killing。
10
Ray stirs as the sun descends toward the western horizon。 I sit by the fax machine on the small table at the end of my living room sofa； with the numbers Riley and Slim have provided for me。 But I do not send Yaksha a message。 It is not necessary。 He is ing； I can feel him ing。
〃Ray；〃 I say。 〃It's time to get up and enjoy the night。〃
Ray sits up and yawns。 He wipes the sleep from his eyes like a little boy。 He checks the time and is amazed。 〃I slept away the entire day？〃 he asks。
〃Yes；〃 I say。 〃And now you have to go。 I have decided。 It is not safe for you here。 Go to Pat。 She loves you。〃
He throws aside the blankets and pulls on his pants。 He es and sits beside me and touches my arm。 〃I am not going to leave you。〃
〃You cannot protect me。 You can only get yourself killed。〃
〃If I get killed； then I get killed。 At least I will have tried。〃
〃Brave words； foolish words。 I can make you leave。 I can tell you things about myself that will make you run out of here cursing my name。〃
He smiles。 〃I do not believe that。〃
I harden my tone； though it breaks my heart to treat him cruelly。 But I have decided that my reasons for bringing him to my home are selfish。 I must have him。 go； whatever it costs。
〃Then listen to me；〃 I say。 〃I lied to you last night even when I supposedly opened my heart to you。 The first thing you must know is that your father is dead and that it was I； not Yaksha； who killed him。〃
Ray sits back； stunned。 〃You're not serious。〃
〃I can show you where his body is buried。〃
〃But you couldn't have killed him。 Why？ How？〃
〃I will answer your questions。 I killed him because he called me into his office and tried to blackmail me with information he had dug up on me。 He threatened to make it public。 I killed him by crushing the bones of his chest。〃
〃You couldn't do that。〃
〃But you know that I can。 You know what I am。〃 I reach over and pick up a small miniature of the Pyramid of Giza that stands on my living room table。 〃This piece was made for me out of solid marble by an artist in Egypt two hundred years ago。 It is very heavy。 〃You can feel it if you don't believe me；〃
Ray's eyes are dark。 〃I believe you；〃
〃You should。〃 I hold the piece in my right hand。 I squeeze tight and it shatters to dust。 Ray jumps back。 〃You should believe everything I tell you。〃
He takes a moment to collect himself。 '〃You are a vampire。〃
〃Yes；〃
〃I knew there was something about you。〃
〃Yes。〃
There is pain in his voice。 〃But you couldn't have killed my father。〃
〃But I did。 I killed him without mercy。 I have killed thousands over the last five thousand years。 I am a monster。〃
His eyes are moist。 〃But you would not do anything to hurt me。 You want me to leave now because you do not want me to get hurt。 You love me； I love you。 Tell me you didn't kill him。〃
I take his hands in mine。 〃Ray； this is a beautiful world and it is a horrible world。 Most people never see the horror that there is。 For most that is fine。 But you must look at it now。 You must look deep into my eyes and see that I am not human； that I do inhuman things。 Yes； I killed your father。 He died in my arms。
He will not be ing home。 And if you do not leave here； you will not return home； either。 Then your father's dying wish will have been in vain。〃
Ray weeps。 〃He made a wish？〃
〃Not with words； but； yes。 I picked up your picture and he cried。 By then he knew what I was； though it was too late for him。 He did not want me to touch you。〃 I caress Ray's arms。 〃But it is not too late for you。 Please go。〃
〃But if you are so horrible why did you touch me； love me？〃
〃You remind me of someone。〃
〃Who？〃
〃My husband； Rama。 The night I was made a vampire； I was forced to leave him。 I never saw him again。〃
〃Five thousand years ago？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Are you really that old？〃
〃Yes。 I knew Krishna。〃
〃Hare Krishna？〃
The moment is so serious； but I have to laugh。 〃He was not the way you think from what you see these days。 Krishna was…there are no words for him。 He was everything。 It is he who has protected me all these years。〃
〃You believe that？〃
I hesitate； but it is true。 Why can't I accept the truth？ 〃Yes。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because he told me he would if I listened to him。 And because it has been so。 Many times； even with my great power； I should have perished； But I never did： God blessed me。〃 I add； 〃And he cursed me；〃
〃How did he curse you？〃
Now there are tears in my eyes。 〃By putting me in this situation again。 I cannot lose you again； my love； but I cannot keep you with me； either。 Go now before Yaksha arrives。 Forgive me for what I did to your father。 He was not a bad man。 He only wanted the money so that he could give it to you。 I know he loved you very much；〃
〃But…〃
〃Wait！〃 I interrupt。 Suddenly I hear something； the note of a flute； flowing with the noise of the waves； a single note； calling me to it； telling me that it is already too late。 〃He is here；〃 I whisper；
〃What？ Where？〃
I stand and walk to the wide windows that overlook the sea。 Ray stands beside me。 Down by the ocean； where the waves crash against the rocks； stands a solitary figure dressed in black。 His back is to us； but I see the flute in his hand。 His song is sad； as always。 I don't know if he plays for me or himself； but maybe it is for both of us。
〃Is that him？〃 Rays asks；
〃Yes。〃
〃He's alone。 We should be able to take him。 Do you have a gun？〃
〃I have one under my pillow over there。 But a gun will not stop him。 Not unless he was riddled with bullets。〃
〃Why are you giving up without a fight？〃
〃I am not giving up。 I am going to talk to him。〃
〃I'm ing with you。〃
I turn to Ray and rub the hair on his head。 He feels so delicate to me。 〃No。 You cannot e。 He is less human than I am。 He will not be interested in what a human has to say。〃 I put my finger to his lips as he starts to protest。 〃Do not argue with me。 I do not argue。〃
〃I am not going to leave；〃 he says。
I sigh。 〃It may be too late for that already。 Stay then。 Watch。 Pray。〃
〃To Krishna？〃
〃God is God。 His name doesn't matter。 But I think only he can help us now。〃
A few minutes later I stand ten feet behind Yaksha。 The wind is strong； bitter。 It seems to blow straight out of the cold sun which hangs like a bloated drop of blood over the hazy western horizon。 The spray from the waves clings to Yaksha's long black hair like so many drops of dew。 For a moment I imagine him a statue that has stood outside my home for centuries。 Always； he has been in my life； even when he was not there。 He has stopped playing his flute。
〃Hello；〃 I say to this person I haven't spoken to since the dawn of history。
〃Did you enjoy my song？〃 he asks； his back still to me。
〃It was sad。〃
〃It is a sad day。〃
〃The day is ending；〃 I say。
He nods as he turns。 〃I want it to end； Sita。〃
The years have not changed his appearance。 Why does that surprise me when they haven't changed mine？ I don't know。 Yet I scrutinize him more closely
