cpike.thelastvampire-第23节

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　〃I　want　to　save　you；〃　I　say。　〃Do　you　want　me　to　save　you？〃
　〃Can　you？〃
　〃Yes。　I　can　put　my　blood　in　your　blood。〃
　He　tries　to　smile。　〃Bee　a　vampire　like　you？〃
　I　nod　and　smile　through　my　tears。　〃Yes；　you　could　bee　like　me。〃
　〃Would　I　have　to　hurt　people？〃
　〃No。　Not　all　vampires　hurt　people。〃　I　touch　his　ruined　cheek。　I　haven't　forgotten　Yaksha's　words　about　ing　for　both　of　us　at　dawn。　〃Some　vampires　love　a　great　deal。〃
　〃I　love　。。。〃　His　eyes　slowly　close。　He　cannot　finish。
　I　lean　over　and　kiss　his　lips。　I　taste　his　blood。
　I　will　have　to　do　more　than　taste　it　to　help　him。
　〃You　are　love；〃　I　say　as　I　open　both　our　veins。
　
　
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　Ray's　sleep　is　deep　and　profound；　as　I　expect。　I　have　brought　him　back　to　the　house；　and　laid　him　in　front　of　a　fire　I　built；　and　wiped　away　his　blood。　Not　long　after　his　transfusion；　while　still　lying　crumpled　on　the　driveway；　his　breath　had　accelerated　rapidly；　and　then　ceased　altogether。　But　it　had　not　scared　me；　because　the　same　had　happened　to　me；　and　to　Mataji；　and　many　others。　When　it　had　started　again；　it　was　strong　and　steady。
　His　wounds　vanished　as　if　by　magic。
　I　am　weak　from　sharing　my　blood；　very　tired。
　I　anticipate　that　Ray　will　sleep　away　most　of　the　night；　and　that　Yaksha　will　keep　his　word　and　not　return　until　dawn。　I　leave　the　house　and　drive　in　my　Ferrari　to　Seymour's　place。　It　is　not　that　late…ten　o'clock。　I　do　not　want　to　meet　his　parents。　They　might　suspect　I　have　e　to　corrupt　their　beloved　son。　I　go　around　the　back　and　see　Seymour　through　his　bedroom　window；　writing　on　his　puter。　I　scratch　on　his　window　with　my　hard　nails　and　give　him　a　scare。　He　es　over　to　investigate；　however。　He　is　delighted　to　see　me。　He　opens　the　window　and　I　climb　inside。　Contrary　to　popular　opinion；　I　could　have　climbed　in　without　being　invited。
　〃It　is　so　cool　you　are　here；〃　he　says。　〃I　have　been　writing　about　you　all　day。〃
　I　sit　on　his　bed；　he　stays　at　his　desk。　His　room　is　filled　with　science　things…telescopes　and　such…but　the　walls　are　coated　with　the　posters　of　classic　horror　films。　It　is　a　room　I　am　fortable　in。　I　often　go　to　the　movies；　the　late　shows。
　〃A　story　about　me？〃　I　ask。　I　glance　at　his　puter　screen；　but　he　has　returned　to　the　word　processor　menu。
　〃Yes。　Well；　no；　not　really。　But　you　inspired　the　story。　It　es　to　me　in　waves。　It's　about　this　girl　our　age　who's　a　vampire。〃
　〃I　am　a　vampire。〃
　He　fixes　his　bulky　glasses　on　his　nose。　〃What？〃
　〃I　said；　I　am　a　vampire。〃
　He　glances　at　the　mirror　above　his　chest　of　drawers。　〃I　can　see　your　reflection。〃
　〃So　what？　I　am　what　I　say　I　am。　Do　you　want　me　to　drink　your　blood　to　prove　it？〃
　〃That's　all　right；　you　don't　have　to。〃　He　takes　a　deep　breath。　〃Wow；　I　knew　you　were　an　interesting　girl；　but　I　never　guessed。。。〃　He　stops　himself。　〃But　I　suppose　that's　not　true；　is　it？　I　have　been　writing　about　you　all　along；　haven't　I？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃But　how　is　that　possible？　Can　you　explain　that　to　me？〃
　〃No。　It's　one　of　those　mysteries。　You　run　into　them　every　now　and　then；　if　you　live　long　enough。〃
　〃How　old　are　you？〃
　〃Five　thousand　years。〃
　Seymour　holds　up　his　hand。　〃Wait；　wait。　Let's　slow　down　here。　I　don't　want　to　be　a　pest　about　this；　and　I　sure　don't　want　you　to　drink　my　blood；　but　before　we　proceed　any　further；　I　wouldn't　mind　if　you　showed　me　some　of　your　powers。　It　would　help　with　my　research；　you　understand。〃
　I　smile。　〃You　really　don't　believe　me；　do　you？　That's　OK。　I　don't　know　if　I　want　you　to；　not　now。　But　I　do　want　your　advice。〃　I　lose　my　smile。　〃I　am　getting　near　the　end　of　things　now。　An　old　enemy　has　e　for　me；　and　for　the　first　time　in　my　long　life　I　am　vulnerable　to　attack。　You　are　the　smart　boy　with　the　prophetic　dreams。　Tell　me　what　to　do。〃
　〃I　have　prophetic　dreams？〃
　〃Yes。　Trust　me　or　I　wouldn't　be　here。〃
　〃What　does　this　old　enemy　want？　To　kill　you？〃
　〃To　kill　both　of　us。　But　he　doesn't　want　to　die　until　I　am　gone。〃
　〃Why　does　he　want　to　die？〃
　〃He　is　tired　of　living；〃
　〃Been　around　for　a　while；　I　guess。〃　Seymour　thinks　a　moment。　〃Would　he　mind　dying　at　the　same　time　as　you？〃
　〃I'm　sure　that　would　be　satisfactory。　It　might　even　appeal　to　him。〃
　〃Then　that's　the　answer　to　your　problem。　Place　him　in　a　situation　where　he　is　convinced　you're　both　goners。　But　arrange　it　ahead　of　time　so　that　when　you　do　push　the　button…or　whatever　you　do…that　only　he　is　destroyed　and　not　you。〃
　〃That's　an　interesting　idea*〃
　〃Thank　you。　I　was　thinking　of　using　it　in　my　story。〃
　〃But　there　are　problems　with　it。　This　enemy　is　extremely　shrewd。　It　will　not　be　easy　to　convince　him　that　I　am　going　to　die　with　him　unless　it　is　pretty　certain　that　I　am　going　to　die。　And　I　don't　want　to　die。〃
　〃There　must　be　a　way。　There　is　always　a　way。〃
　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　in　your　story？〃
　〃I　haven't　worked　out　that　little　detail　yet。〃
　〃That　detail　is　not　little　to　me　at　the　moment。〃
　〃I'm　sorry。〃
　〃That's　all　right。〃　I　listen　to　his　parents　watching　TV　in　the　other　room。　They　talk　about　their　boy；　hisr　health。　The　mother　is　grief…stricken。　Seymour　watches　me　through　his　thick　lenses。
　〃It's　hardest　on　my　mother；〃　he　says。
　〃The　AIDS　virus　is　not　new。　A　form　of　it　existed　in　the　past；　not　exactly　the　same　as　what　is　going　around　now；　but　close　enough。　I　saw　it　in　action。　Ancient　Rome；　in　its　decline；　was　stricken　with　it。　Many　people　died。　Whole　villages。　That's　how　it　was　stopped。　The　mortality　rate　in　certain　areas　was　so　high　that　there　was　no　one　left　alive　to　pass　it　on。〃
　〃That's　interesting。　There　is　no　mention　of　that　in　history　books。〃
　〃Do　not　trust　in　your　books　too　much。　History　is　something　that　can　only　be　lived；　it　cannot　be　read　about。　Look　at　me；　I　am　history。〃　I　sigh。　〃The　stories　I　could　tell　you。〃
　〃Tell　me。〃
　I　yawn；　something　I　never　do。　Ray　has　drained　me　more　than　I　realized。　〃I　don't　have　time。〃
　〃Tell　me　how　you　managed　to　survive　the　AIDS　epidemic　of　the　past。〃
　〃My　blood　is　potent。　My　immune　system　is　impenetrable。　I　have　not　just　e　here　to　seek　your　help；　although　you　have　helped　me。　I　have　e　here　to　help　you。　I　want　to　give　you　my　blood。　Not　enough　to　make　you　a　vampire；　but　enough　to　destroy　the　virus　in　your　system。〃
　He　is　intrigued。　〃Will　that　work？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　I　have　never　done　it　before。〃
　〃Could　it　be　dangerous？〃
　〃Sure。　It　might　kill　you。〃
　He　hesitates　only　a　moment。　〃What　do　I　have　to　do？〃
　〃e　sit　beside　me　on　the　bed。〃　He　does　so。
　〃Give　me　your　arm　and　close　your　eyes。　I　am　going　to　open　up　one　of　your　veins。　Don't　worry；　I　have　had　a　lot　of　practice　with　this。〃
　〃I　can　imagine。〃　He　lets　his　arm　rest　in　my　lap；　but　he　does　not　close　his　eyes。
　〃What's　the　matter？〃　I　ask。　〃Are　you　afraid　I　will　try　to　take　advantage　of　you？〃
　〃I　wish　you　would。　It's　not　every　day　the　school　nerd　has　the　most　beautiful　girl　in　the　school　sitting　on　his　bed。〃　He　clears　his　throat。　〃I　know　that　you're　in　a　hurry；　but　I　wanted　to　tell　you　something　before　we　begin。〃
　〃What's　that？〃
　〃I　wanted　to　thank　you　for　being　my　friend　and　letting　me　play　a　part　in　your　story。〃
　I　think　of　Krishna；　always　of　him；　how　he　stood　near　me　and　I　saw　the　whole　universe　as　his　play。　〃Thank　you；　Seymour；　for　writing　about　me；〃　I　lean　over　and　kiss　his　lips。　〃If　I　die　tonight；　at　least　others　will　know　I　once　lived。〃　I　stretch　out　my　nails。　〃Close　your　eyes。　You　do　not　want　to　watch　this。〃
　I　place　a　measured　amount　of　blood　inside　him。　His　breath　quickens；　it　burns；　but　not　so　fast　or　hot　as　Ray's　had。　Yet；　like　Ray；　Seymour　quickly　falls　into　a　deep　slumber。　I　turn　off　his　puter　and　put　out　the　light。　There　is　a　blanket　on　the　bed　that　looks　as　if　it　was　knitted　by　his　mother；　and　I　cover　him　with　it。　Before　I　leave；　I　put　my　palm　on　his　forehead　and　listen　and　feel　as　deep　as　my　senses　will　allow。
　The　virus；　I　am　almost　sure　of　this；　is　gone。
　I　kiss　him　once　more　before　I　leave。
　〃Give　me　credit　if　you　get　your　story　published；〃　I　whisper　in　his　ear。　〃Or　else　there　will　be　no　sequels。〃
　I　return　to　my　car。
　Giving　out　so　much　blood；　taking　none　back　in　return。
　I　feel　weaker　than　I　have　in　centuries。
　'There　will　be　no　sequels；〃　I　repeat　to　myself。
　I　start　the　car。　I　drive　into　the　night。
　I　have　work　to　do。
　
　
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　Seymour　has　given　me　an　idea。　But　even　with　his　inspiration；　and　mine；　even　if　everything　goes　exactly　as　planned；　the　chances　of　it　working　are　fifty…fifty　at　best。　In　all　probability　much　less　than　that。　But　at　least　the　plan　gives　me　hope。　For　myself　and　Ray。　He　is　like　my　child　now；　as　well　as　my　lover。　I　cannot　stand　the　thought　that　he　is　to　be　snuffed　out　so　young。　He　was　wrong　to　say　I　would　give　up　without　a　fight。　I　fight　until　the　end。
　There　is　a　concept　NASA　is　entertaining　to　launch　huge　payloads　into　space。　It　is　called　Orion；　the　idea　is　revolutionary。　Many　experts；　in　fact；　say　it　won't　work　in　practice。　Yet　there　are　large　numbers　of　respected　physicists　and　engineers　who　believe　it　is　the　wave　of　the　future　in　space　transport。　Essentially　it　involves　constructing　a　huge　heavily　plated　platform　with　cannons　on　the　bottom　that　can　fire　miniature　nuclear　bombs。　It　is　believed　that　the　shock　waves　from　the　blasts　of　the　bombs　detonating…if　their　timing　and　p