anner.vittoriothevampire-第42章

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　〃All　your　sins　into　me；　my　divine　child；〃　I　said。　〃Oh；　God　help　me。　God　have　mercy　on　me。　Mastema　…〃
　But　the　word　was　broken。　My　mouth　was　filled　with　the　blood；　and　it　was　no　rank　potion　mixed　of　parts；　but　that　searing　thrilling　sweetness　that　she　had　first　given　me　in　her　most　secretive　and　perplexing　kisses。　Only　this　time　it　came　in　an　overwhelming　gush。
　Her　arms　were　tucked　beneath　me。　They　lifted　me。　The　blood　seemed　to　know　no　veins　within　but　to　fill　my　limbs　themselves；　to　fill　my　shoulders　and　my　chest；　to　drown　and　invigorate　my　very　heart。　I　stared　up　at　the　twinkling　playing　sun；　I　felt　her　blinding　and　soft　hair　across　my　eyes　but　peered　through　its　golden　strands。　My　breath　came　in　gasps。
　The　blood　flowed　down　into　my　legs　and　filled　them　to　my　very　toes。　My　body　surged　with　strength。　My　organ　pumped　against　her；　and　once　more　I　felt　her　subtle　feline　weight；　her　sinuous　limbs　hugging　me；　holding　me；　binding　me；　her　arms　crossed　beneath　me；　her　lips　sealed　to　mine。
　My　eyes　struggled；　grew　wide。　The　sunlight　filled　them；　and　then　contracted。　It　contracted；　and　my　sighs　seemed　to　grow　immense；　and　the　beating　of　my　heart　to　echo；　as　though　we　were　not　in　a　wild　meadow；　and　the　sounds　that　came　from　my　empowered　body；　my　transformed　body；　my　body　so　full　of　her　blood；　echoed　off　stone　walls！
　The　meadow　was　gone　or　never　was。　The　twilight　was　a　rectangle　high　above。　I　lay　in　the　crypt。
　I　rose　up；　throwing　her　off；　back　away　from　me　as　she　screamed　in　pain。　I　sprang　to　my　feet　and　stared　at　my　white　hands　outstretched　before　me。
　A　horrid　hunger　reared　up　in　me；　a　fierce　strength；　a　howl！
　I　stared　up　at　the　dark…purple　light　above　and　screamed。
　〃You've　done　it　to　me！　You've　made　me　one　of　you！〃
　She　sobbed。　I　turned　on　her。　She　backed　up；　bent　over；　her　hand　over　her　mouth；　crying　and　fleeing　from　me。　I　ran　after　her。　Like　a　rat　she　ran；　round　and　round　the　crypt；　screaming。
　〃Vittorio；　no；　Vittorio；　no；　Vittorio；　no；　don't　hurt　me。　Vittorio；　I　did　this　for　us；　Vittorio；　we　are　free。　Ah；　God　help　me！〃
　And　then　upwards　she　flew；　just　missing　my　outstretched　arms。　She　had　fled　to　the　chapel　above。
　〃Witchlet；　monster；　larva；　you　tricked　me　with　your　illusions；　with　your　visions；　you　made　me　one　of　you；　you　did　it　to　me！〃　My　roars　echoed　one　upon　the　other　as　I　scrambled　about　in　the　dark　till　I　found　my　sword；　and　then　dancing　back　to　gain　my　momentum；　I　too　made　the　leap　and　cleared　the　spears　and　found　myself　high　up　on　the　floor　of　the　church；　and　she　hovering　with　glittering　tears　before　the　altar。
　She　backed　up　into　the　bank　of　red　flowers　that　barely　showed　in　the　starlight　that　passed　through　the　darkened　windows。
　〃No；　Vittorio；　don't　kill　me；　don't　do　it。　Don't；〃　she　sobbed　and　wailed。　〃I　am　a　child；　like　you；　please；　don't。〃
　I　tore　at　her；　and　she　scrambled　to　the　end　of　the　sanctuary。　In　a　rage；　I　swung　at　the　statue　of　Lucifer　with　my　sword。　It　tottered　and　then　crashed　down；　breaking　on　the　marble　floor　of　the　cursed　sanctuary。
　She　hovered　at　the　far　end。　She　dropped　down　on　her　knees　and　threw　out　her　hands。　She　shook　her　head；　her　hair　flying　wildly　from　side　to　side。
　〃Don't　kill　me；　don't　kill　me；　don't　kill　me。　You　send　me　to　Hell　if　you　do；　don't　do　it。〃
　〃Wretch！〃　I　moaned。　〃Wretch！〃　My　tears　fell　as　freely　as　hers。　〃I　thirst；　you　wretch。　I　thirst；　and　I　can　smell　them；　the　slaves　in　the　coop。　I　can　smell　them；　their　blood；　damn　you！〃
　I　too　had　gone　down　on　my　knees。　I　lay　down　on　the　marble；　and　kicked　aside　the　broken　fragments　of　the　hideous　statue。　With　my　sword　I　snagged　the　lace　of　the　altar　cloth　and　brought　it　down　with　all　its　many　red　flowers　tumbling　on　me；　so　that　I　could　roll　over　into　them　and　crush　my　face　into　their　softness。
　A　silence　fell；　a　terrible　silence　full　of　my　own　wailing。　I　could　feel　my　strength；　feel　it　even　in　the　timbre　of　my　voice；　and　the　arm　that　held　the　sword　without　exhaustion　or　restraint；　and　feel　it　in　the　painless　calm　with　which　I　lay　on　what　should　have　been　cold　and　was　not　cold；　or　only　goodly　cold。　Oh；　she　had　made　me　mighty。
　A　scent　overcame　me。　I　looked　up。　She　stood　just　above　me；　tender；　loving　thing　that　she　was；　with　her　eyes　so　full　of　the　starlight　now；　so　glinting　and　quiet　and　unjudging。　In　her　arms　she　held　a　young　human；　a　feeble…minded　one；　who　did　not　know　his　danger。
　How　pink　and　succulent　he　was；　how　like　the　roasted　pig　ready　for　my　lips；　how　full　of　naturally　cooking　and　bubbling　mortal　blood　and　ready　for　me。　She　set　him　down　before　me。
　He　was　naked；　thin　buttocks　on　his　heels；　his　trembling　chest　very　pink　and　his　hair　black　and　long　and　soft　around　his　guileless　face。　He　appeared　to　be　dreaming　or　searching　the　darkness；　perhaps　for　angels？
　〃Drink；　my　darling；　drink　from　him；〃　she　said；　〃and　then　you'll　have　the　strength　to　take　us　both　to　the　Good　Father　for　Confession。〃
　I　smiled。　The　desire　for　the　feeble…minded　boy　before　me　was　almost　more　than　I　could　endure。　But　it　was　a　whole　new　book　now；　was　it　not；　what　I　might　endure；　and　I　took　my　time；　rising　up　on　my　elbow　as　I　looked　at　her。
　〃To　the　Good　Father？　You　think　that's　where　we'll　go？　Right　away；　just　like　that；　the　two　of　us？〃
　She　began　to　cry　again。　〃Not　right　away；　no；　not　right　away；〃　she　cried。　She　shook　her　head。　Beaten。
　I　took　him。　I　broke　his　neck　when　I　drained　him　dry。　He　made　not　a　sound。　There　was　no　time　for　fear　or　pain　or　crying。　Do　we　ever　forget　the　first　kill？　Do　we　ever？
　Through　the　coop　I　went　all　that　night；　devouring；　feasting；　gorging　on　their　throats；　taking　what　I　wanted　from　each；　sending　each　to　God　or　to　Hell；　how　could　I　ever　know；　bound　now　to　this　earth　with　her；　and　she　feasting　with　me　in　her　dainty　way；　ever　watching　for　my　howls　and　wails；　and　ever　catching　hold　of　me　to　kiss　me　and　ply　me　with　her　sobs　when　I　shook　with　rage。
　〃e　out　of　here；〃　I　said。
　It　was　just　before　sunrise。　I　told　her　I　would　spend　no　day　beneath　these　pointed　towers；　in　this　house　of　horrors；　in　this　place　of　evil　and　filthy　birth。
　〃I　know　of　a　cave；〃　she　said。　〃Far　down　the　mountains；　past　the　farmlands。〃
　〃Yes；　somewhere　on　the　edge　of　a　true　meadow？〃
　〃There　are　meadows　in　this　fair　land　without　count；　my　love；〃　she　said。　〃And　under　the　moon　their　flowers　shine　as　prettily　for　our　magical　eyes　as　ever　they　do　for　humans　by　the　light　of　God's　sun。　Remember　His　moon　is　ours。
　〃And　tomorrow　night。。。　before　you　think　of　the　priest。。。　you　must　take　your　time　to　think　of　the　priest　…　〃
　〃Don't　make　me　laugh　again。　Show　me　how　to　fly。　Wrap　your　arm　around　my　waist　and　show　me　how　to　drop　from　the　high　walls　to　safety　in　a　descent　that　would　shatter　a　man's　limbs。　Don't　talk　of　priests　anymore。　Don't　mock　me！〃
　〃。。。　before　you　think　of　the　priest；　of　Confession；〃　she　went　on；　undeterred　in　her　dainty　sweet　small　voice；　her　eyes　brimming　with　tears　of　love；　〃we'll　go　back　to　the　town　of　Santa　Maddalana　while　it's　fast　asleep；　and　we'll　burn　it　all　down　around　them。〃
　
　
　13
　CHILD　BRIDE
　
　WE　didn't　put　the　torch　to　Santa　Maddalana。　It　was　too　much　of　a　pleasure　to　hunt　the　town。
　By　the　third　night；　I　had　stopped　weeping　at　sunrise；　when　we　retired　together；　locked　in　each　other's　arms　inside　our　concealed　and　unreachable　cave。
　And　by　the　third　night；　the　townspeople　knew　what　had　befallen　them　…　how　their　clever　bargain　with　the　Devil　had　rebounded　upon　them　…　and　they　were　in　a　panic；　and　it　was　a　great　game　to　outsmart　them；　to　hide　in　the　multitude　of　shadows　that　made　up　their　twisted　streets；　and　to　tear　open　their　most　extravagant　and　clever　locks。
　In　the　early　hours；　when　no　one　dared　to　stir；　and　the　good　Franciscan　priest　knelt　awake　in　his　cell；　saying　his　rosary；　and　begging　God　for　understanding　of　what　was　happening　…　this　priest；　you　remember；　who　had　befriended　me　at　the　inn；　who　had　dined　with　me　and　warned　me；　not　in　anger　like　his　Dominican　brother；　but　in　kindness　…　while　this　priest　prayed；　I　crept　into　the　Franciscan　church　and　I　too　prayed。
　But　each　night　I　told　myself　what　a　man　says　to　himself　under　his　breath　when　he　couches　with　his　adulterous　whore：　〃One　more　night；　God；　and　then　I'll　go　to　Confession。　One　more　night　of　bliss；