cpike.thelastvampire-第21节

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e。　A　restlessness　went　through　the　crowd；　and　individuals　on　both　sides　shifted　this　way　and　that　as　if　preparing　to　attack。　Then　Krishna　played　the　fourth　note　in　a　different　way；　and　the　hate　changed　to　fear。　And　finally　this　emotion　pierced　Yaksha；　who　had　so　far　remained　unmoved　by　Krishna's　flute。　I　saw　him　tremble…the　worst　thing　he　could　do　before　a　swarm　of　snakes。　Because　a　serpent　only　strikes　where　there　is　fear。
　The　group　of　snakes　began　to　crawl　toward　Yaksha。
　He　could　have　surrendered　then；　but　he　was　a　brave　creature　even　if　he　was　ruthless。　He　continued　to　play；　now　a　frantic　tune　to　drive　away　the　snakes。　At　first　it　did　slow　them　down；　but　Krishna　did　not　tire。　He　continued　on　the　fourth　note；　his　breath　quivering　up　and　down　through　the　hole；　and　at　last　a　large　snake　slithered　up　to　Yaksha。　It　bit　him　on　the　shin　and　held　on　fast　with　its　teeth。　Yaksha　could　not　afford　to　set　down　his　flute　to　throw　it　off。　Then　another　snake　came　forward；　and　still　another；　until　soon　Yaksha　was　being　bitten　on　every　part　of　his　body。　He　was　the　king　of　vampires；　the　son　of　a　yakshini；　yet　even　his　system　could　absorb　only　so　much　venom。　At　last　the　flute　fell　from　his　hands　and　he　swayed　where　he　sat。　I　believe　he　tried　to　call　out；　I　think　he　might　have　said　my　name。　Then　he　toppled　forward　and　the　snakes　began　to　eat　him。　I　could　not　bear　to　watch。
　But　Krishna　stood　then　and　set　his　flute　aside。　He　clapped　his　hands；　and　the　snakes　hurried　off　Yaksha's　body。　He　climbed　out　of　the　pit　and　motioned　to　Arjuna。　His　best　friend　entered　the　deep　hole　and　carried　out　Yaksha's　body　and　dumped　it　on　the　ground　not　far　from　me。　He　was　breathing；　I　could　see　that；　but　barely；　soaked　head　to　foot　with　black　venom；　it　oozed　out　of　the　many　wounds　on　his　body。
　I　let　Radha　go。　She　hugged　me　before　leaving。　But　she　did　not　run　to　Krishna；　but　to　the　other　women。　Behind　me　I　could　hear　the　main　body　of　the　vampires　shifting　toward　the　woods；　as　if　they　planned　to　flee。　Yet　they　waited　still；　they　felt　pelled　to；　I　think；　to　see　what　Krishna　would　do　next。　Krishna　ignored　them。　He　gestured　to　me　and　came　and　knelt　beside　Yaksha。　My　feeling　then　was　so　peculiar。　As　I　knelt　beside　Krishna；　this　being　that　would　in　all　probability　wipe　me　from　the　face　of　the　earth；　I　felt　as　if　I　was　under　the　umbrella　of　his　protection。　I　watched　as　he　put　one　of　his　beautiful　hands　on　Yaksha's　head。
　〃Will　he　live？〃　I　asked。
　Krishna　surprised　me　with　his　question。　〃Do　you　want　him　to？〃
　My　eyes　strayed　over　the　ruin　of　my　old　enemy　and　friend。　〃I　want　what　you　want；〃　I　whispered。
　Krishna　smiled；　so　serene。　〃The　age　is　to　change　when　I　leave　this　world。　Kali　Yuga　will　begin。　It　will　be　a　time　of　strife　and　short　years　for　humanity。　Your　kind　is　for　the　most　part　tamasic…negative。　Kali　Yuga　will　be　challenge　enough　for　people　without　you　on　earth。　Do　you　agree？？
　〃Yes。　We　cause　only　suffering。〃
　〃Then　why　do　you　go　on；　Sita？〃
　At　his　saying　my　name　I　felt　so　touched。　〃I　just　want　to　live；　Lord。〃
　He　nodded。　〃I　will　let　you　live　if　you　obey　my　mand。　If　you　never　make　another　of　your　kind；　you　will　have　my　grace；　my　protection；〃
　I　lowered　my　head。　〃Thank　you；　my　Lord。〃
　He　gestured　toward　the　other　vampires。　〃Go　stand　with　them。　I　must　talk　to　your　leader。　His　days　are　not　over。　They　will　not　be　over　for　a　long　time。〃　I　moved　to　leave；　but　Krishna　stopped　me。　〃Sita？〃
　I　turned　to　look　into　his　face　one　last　time。　It　was　as　if　I　could　see　the　whole　universe　in　his　eyes。　Maybe　he　was　God；　maybe　he　was　simply　enlightened。　I　didn't　care　right　then；　in　that　blessed　moment；　I　just　loved　him。　Later；　though；　the　love　was　to　turn　to　hate；　to　fear。　They　seemed　so　opposite；　the　feelings；　yet　they　were　all　one　note　on　his　flute。　Truly　he　had　stolen　my　heart。
　〃Yes；　Lord？〃　I　said。
　He　bid　me　lean　close　to　his　lips。　〃Where　there　is　love；　there　is　my　grace；〃　he　whispered。　〃Remember　that。〃
　〃I　will　try；　my　Lord。〃
　I　went　and　stood　with　the　others。　Krishna　revived　Yaksha　and　spoke　softly　in　his　ear。　When　Krishna　was　done；　Yaksha　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