cp.reddice-第1节

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　　I　am　a　vampire。　Blood　does　not　bother　me。　I　like　blood。　Even　seeing　my　own　blood　does　not　frighten　me。　But　what　my　blood　can　do　to　others…to　the　whole　world　for　that　matter…terrifies　me。　Once　God　made　me　take　a　vow　to　create　no　more　vampires。　Once　I　believed　in　God。　But　my　belief；　like　my　vow；　has　been　shattered　too　many　times　in　my　long　life。　I　am　Alisa　Perne；　the　now…forgotten　Sita；　child　of　a　demon。　I　am　the　oldest　living　creature　on　earth。
　　I　awake　in　a　living　room　smelling　of　death。　I　watch　as　my　blood　trickles　through　a　thin　plastic　tube　into　the　arm　of　Special　Agent　Joel　Drake；　FBI。　He　now　lives　as　a　vampire　instead　of　the　human　being　he　was　when　he　closed　his　eyes。　I　have　broken　my　promise　to　Lord　Krishna…Joel　did　not　ask　me　to　make　him　a　vampire。　Indeed；　he　told　me　not　to；　to　let　him　die　in　peace。　But　I　did　not　listen。　Therefore；　Krishna's　protection；　his　grace；　no　longer　applies　to　me。　Perhaps　it　is　good。　Perhaps　I　will　die　soon。　Perhaps　not。
　　I　do　not　die　easily。
　　I　remove　the　tubing　from　my　arm　and　stand。　At　my　feet　lies　the　body　of　Mrs。　Fender；　mother　of　Eddie　Fender；　who　also　lies　dead；　in　a　freezer　at　the　end　of　the　hall。　Eddie　had　been　a　vampire；　a　very　powerful　one；　before　I　cut　off　his　head。　I　step　over　his　mother's　body　to　search　for　a　clock。　Somehow；　fighting　the　forces　of　darkness；　I　have　misplaced　my　watch。　A　clock　ticks　in　the　kitchen　above　the　stove。　Ten　minutes　to　twelve。　It　is　dark　outside。
　　I　have　been　unconscious　for　almost　twenty…four　hours。
　　Joel　will　awaken　soon；　I　know；　and　then　we　must　go。　But　I　do　not　wish　to　leave　the　evidence　of　my　struggle　with　Eddie　for　the　FBI　to　examine。　Having　seen　how　Eddie　stole　and　used　the　blood　of　my　creator；　Yaksha；　I　know　I　must　vaporize　this　sick　house。　My　sense　of　smell　is　acute；　as　is　my　hearing。　The　pump　that　cools　the　large　freezer　in　the　back　is　not　electric　but　powered　by　gasoline。　I　smell　large　amounts　of　fuel　on　the　back　porch。　After　I　toss　the　gasoline　all　over　the　house；　and　wake　Joel；　I　will　strike　a　match。　Fire　pleases　me；　although　it　has　the　power　to　destroy　me。　Had　I　not　been　a　vampire；　I　might　have　bee　a　pyromaniac。
　　The　gasoline　is　stored　in　two　twenty…gallon　steel　tanks。　Because　I　have　the　strength　of　many　men；　I　have　no　trouble　lifting　them　both　at　once。　Yet　even　I　am　surprised　by　how　light　they　feel。　Before　I　passed　out；　I　was　like　Joel；　on　the　verge　of　death。　Now　I　am　stronger　than　I　can　ever　remember　being。　There　is　a　reason。　Yaksha　gave　me　what　blood　he　had　left　in　his　veins　before　I　buried　him　in　the　sea。　He　gave　me　his　power；　and　I　never　realized　how　great　it　was　until　this　moment。　It　is　a　wonder　I　was　able　to　defeat　Eddie；　who　also　drank　from　Yaksha。　Perhaps　Krishna　came　to　my　aid；　one　last　time。
　　I　take　the　drums　into　the　living　room。　From　the　freezer；　I　remove　Eddie's　body；　severed　head；　and　even　the　hard　blood　on　the　freezer　floor。　I　pick　them　all　up　and　place　them　on　my　living　room　barbecue。　Next　I　begin　to　break　up　the　couch　and　tables　into　easy…to…burn　pieces。　The　noise　causes　Joel　to　stir　but　he　does　not　waken。　Newborn　vampires　sleep　deep　and　wake　up　hungry。　I　wonder　if　Joel　will　be　like　my　beloved　Ray；　reluctant　to　drink　from　the　living。　I　hope　not。　I　loved　Ray　above　all　things；　but　as　a　vampire；　he　was　a　pain　in　the　ass。
　　I　think　of　Ray。
　　He　has　been　dead　less　than　two　days。
　　〃My　love；〃　I　whisper。　〃My　sorrow。〃
　　There　is　no　time　for　grief；　there　never　is。　There　is　no　time　for　joy；　I　think　bitterly。　Only　for　life；　pain；　death。　God　did　not　plan　this　creation。　It　was　a　joke　to　him；　a　dream。　Once；　in　a　dream；　Krishna　told　me　many　secrets。　But　he　may　have　lied　to　me。　It　would　have　been　like　him。
　　I　am　almost　done　throwing　the　fuel　around　and　tearing　up　the　house　when　I　hear　the　sound　of　approaching　cars。　There　are　no　sirens　but　I　know　these　are　police　cruisers。　Police　drive　differently　from　normal　people；　worse　actually。　They　drive　faster　and　the　officers　in　these　squad　cars　are　anxious　to　get　here。　I　have　incredibly　sensitive　hearing…I　count　at　least　twenty　vehicles。　What　brings　them　here？
　　I　glance　at　Joel。
　　〃Are　they　ing　for　Eddie？〃　I　ask　him。　〃Or　for　me？　What　did　you　tell　your　superiors？〃
　　But　perhaps　I　am　too　quick　to　judge；　too　harsh。　Los　Angeles　has　seen　many　strange　sights　lately；　many　bodies　killed　by　superhumans。　Perhaps　Joel　has　not　betrayed　me；　at　least　not　intentionally。　Perhaps　I　have　betrayed　myself。　I　have　gotten　sloppy　in　my　old　age。　I　hurry　to　Joel's　side　and　shake　him　roughly。
　　〃Wake　up；〃　I　say。　〃We　have　to　get　out　of　here。〃
　　He　opens　his　drowsy　eyes。　〃You　look　different；〃　he　whispers。
　　〃Your　eyes　are　different。〃
　　Realization　crosses　his　face。　〃Did　you　change　me？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　He　swallows　weakly。　〃Am　I　still　human？〃
　　I　sigh。　〃You're　a　vampire。〃
　　〃Sita。〃
　　I　put　a　finger　to　his　lips。　〃Later。　We　must　leave　here　quickly。　Many　cops　are　ing。〃　I　pull　him　to　his　feet　and　he　groans。　〃You　will　feel　stronger　in　a　few　minutes。　Stronger　than　you　have　ever　felt　before。〃
　　I　find　a　Bic　lighter　in　the　kitchen；　and　we　head　for　the　front　door。　But　before　we　can　reach　it　I　hear　three　cruisers　skid　to　a　halt　outside。　We　hurry　to　the　back；　but　the　situation　is　the　same。　Cops；　weapons　drawn；　have　jumped　out　of　their　cars　with　whirling　blue　and　red　lights　cutting　paths　in　the　night　sky。　More　vehicles　appear；　armored　monstrosities　with　SWAT　teams　inside。　Searchlights　flash　on　and　light　up　the　house。　We　are　surrounded。　I　do　not　do　well　in　such　situations；　or　else；　one　might　say；　I　do　very　well…for　a　vampire。　What　I　mean　is；　being　trapped　brings　out　my　most　vicious　side。　I　push　aside　my　recently　acquired　revulsion　for　violence。　Once；　in　the　Middle　Ages；　surrounded　by　an　angry　mob；　I　killed　over　a　hundred　men　and　women。
　　Of　course；　they　didn't　have　guns。
　　A　bullet　in　the　head　could　probably　kill　me；　I　think。
　　〃Am　I　really　a　vampire？〃　Joel　asks；　still　trying　to　catch　up　with　reality。
　　〃You're　not　an　FBI　agent　anymore；〃　I　mutter。
　　He　shakes　himself　as　he　straightens　up。　〃But　I　am。　Or　at　least　they　think　I　am。　Let　me　talk　to　them。〃
　　〃Wait。〃　I　stop　him；　thinking。　〃I　can't　have　them　examine　Eddie's　remains。　I　don't　trust　what　will　happen　to　his　blood。　I　don't　trust　what　his　blood　can　still　do。　I　must　destroy　it；　and　to　do　that　I　must　burn　down　this　house。〃
　　Outside；　through　a　bullhorn；　a　gruff…voiced　man　calls　for　us　to　e　out　with　our　hands　in　the　air。　Such　an　unimaginative　way　of　asking　us　to　surrender。
　　Joel　knew　what　Eddie　had　been　capable　of。　〃I　was　wondering　why　everything　smelled　like　gasoline；〃　he　remarks。　〃You　light　the　place　on　fire…I　have　no　problem　with　that。　But　then　what　are　you　going　to　do？　You　can't　fight　this　army。〃
　　〃Can't　I？〃　I　peer　out　the　front　window　and　raise　my　eyes　to　the　rhythmic　thrumming　in　the　sky。　They　have　a　helicopter。　Why？　All　to　catch　the　feared　serial　killer？　Yes；　such　a　beast　would　demand　heavy　forces。　Yet　I　sense　a　curious　undercurrent　in　the　assembled　men　and　women。　It　reminds　me　of　when　Slim；　Yalcsha's　assassin；　came　looking　for　me。　Slim's　people　had　been　warned　that　I　was　not　normal。　As　a　result；　I　barely　escaped。　In　the　same　way；　these　people　know　that　there　is　something　unusual　about　me。
　　I　can　almost　read　their　thoughts。
　　This　strikes　me　as　strange。
　　I　have　always　been　able　to　sense　emotions。　Now；　can　I　read　thoughts；　too？
　　What　power　has　Yaksha's　blood　given　me？
　　〃Alisa；〃　Joel　says；　calling　me　by　my　modern　name。　〃Even　you　cannot　break　free　of　this　circle。〃　He　notices　I'm　lost　in　thought。　〃Alisa？〃
　　〃They　think　there　is　a　monster　in　here；〃　I　whisper。　〃I　hear　their　minds。〃　I　grip　Joel。　〃What　did　you　tell　them　about　me？〃
　　He　shakes　his　head。　〃Some　things。〃
　　〃Did　you　tell　them　I　was　powerful？　Fast？〃
　　He　hesitates；　then　sighs。　〃I　told　them　too　much。　But　they　don't　know　you're　a　vampire。〃　He；　too；　peers　through　the　curtains。　〃They　were　getting　suspicious　about　how　the　others　died；　torn　to　pieces。　They　had　my　file　on　Eddie　Fender；　including　where　his　mother　lived。　They　must　have　tracked　us　here　that　way。〃
　　I　shake　my　head。　〃I　cannot　surrender。　It　is　against　my　nature。〃
　　He　takes　my　hands。　〃You　can't　fight　them　all。　You'll　die。〃
　　I　have　to　smile。　〃More　of　them　would　die。〃　I　lose　my　smile。　〃But　if　I　do　make　a　stand　here；　you　will　die　also。〃　I　am　indecisive。　His　advice　is　logical。　Yet　my　heart　betrays　me。　I　feel　doom　closing　in。　I　speak　reluctantly。　〃Talk　to　them。　Say　what　you　think　best。　But　I　tell　you…I　will　not　leave　this　house　without　setting　it　ablaze。　There　will　be　no　more　Eddie　Fenders。〃
　　〃I　understand。〃　He　turns　for　the　door；　then　stops。　He　speaks　with　his　back　to　me。　〃I　understand　why　you　did　it。〃
　　〃Do　you　forgive　me？〃
　　〃Would　I　have　died？〃　he　asks。
　　〃Yes。〃
　　He　smiles　gently；　not　turning　to　look　at　me。　I　feel　the　smile。　〃Then　I　must　forgive　you；〃　he　says。　He　raises　his　hands　above　his　head　and　reaches　for　the　doorknob。　〃I　hope　my　boss　is　out　there。〃
　　Through　a　crack　in　the　curtains　I　follow　his　progress。　Joel　calls　out　his　identity　and　a　group　of　FBI　agents　step　forward。　I　can　tell　they're　FBI　by　their　suits。　Joel　is　one　of　them。　He　looks　the　same　as　he　did　yesterday。　Yet　they　don't　greet　him　as　a　friend。　In　an　inst