按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Nevertheless I knew in an instant that this girl had been the blood drinker lover of Eudoxia； that this girl had been chosen because she was inparably beautiful； as well as extremely well educated and clever； and that before Eudoxia's summoning of us； she had closeted this girl away。
The other sarcophagus in this chamber belonged to this young one。 This one had been deeply loved。
Yes； all that was logical and evident and I didn't have to speak for the moment。 I had only to gaze at this radiant child who stood in the door of the crypt； the torch blazing above her； her tormented eyes on me。
Finally in a hushed whisper she spoke。
〃You've killed her； haven't you？〃 she said。 She was fearless； either out of simple youth or remarkable bravery。 〃You've destroyed her。 She's gone。〃
I rose to my feet as if a queen had ordered me to do it。 Her eyes took my measure。 And then her face became pletely and utterly sad。
It seemed she would fall to the floor。 I caught her just before it happened； and then I lifted her； and carried her slowly up the marble stairs。
She let her head fall against my chest。 She gave a deep sigh。
I brought her into the ornate bedchamber of the house and laid her down on the huge bed。 She wouldn't remain on the pillow however。 She wanted to sit there and I sat beside her。
I expected her to question me； to bee violent； to turn her hatred on me； though she had hardly any strength。 She couldn't have been made ten years ago。 And if she'd been fourteen when it happened； I would have been surprised。
〃Where were you hiding？〃 I asked。
〃In an old house；〃 she said softly。 〃A deserted place。 She insisted I stay there。 She said she would send for me。〃
〃When？ 〃I asked。
〃When she had finished with you； when you were destroyed or driven away。〃 She looked up at me。
She was no more than an exquisite baby of a woman！ I wanted so to kiss her cheeks。 But her sorrow was terrible。
〃She said it would be a battle；〃 she said； 〃that you were one of the strongest who had ever e here。 The others had been simple。 But with you； she wasn't sure of the oute； and so she had to hide me away。〃
I nodded。 I didn't dare to touch her。 But I felt nothing but a desire to protect her； to enfold her in my arms； to tell her that if she meant to pound her fists on my chest and curse me she should do it； that if she meant to weep she might do that as well。
〃Why don't you speak？〃 she asked me； her eyes full of hurt and wonder。 〃Why are you so quiet？〃
I shook my head。 〃What can I say？〃 I asked。 〃It was a terrible quarrel。
I didn't want it。 I thought that we could all exist here in peace。〃
At this she smiled。 〃She would never have allowed that；〃 she said to me quickly。 〃If you knew how many she's destroyed 。。。 but then I don't know myself。〃
This was a small fort to my conscience； but I didn't seize upon it。 I let it go。
〃She said that this city belonged to her； and that it took the power of an empress to protect it。 She took me from the palace； where I was a slave。 She brought me here by night and I was so frightened。 But then I came to love her。 She was so certain that I would。 She told such stories of her wanderings。 And then when others came； she would hide me； and she would go against them until the city was hers again。〃
I nodded； listening to all this； sad for her and the drowsy sorrowful manner in which she spoke。 It was no more than I'd supposed。
〃How will you exist if I leave you here？〃 I asked。
〃I can't！〃 she answered。 She looked into my eyes。 〃You can't leave me。 You must take care of me。 I beg you。 I don't know what it means to exist alone。〃
I cursed under my breath。 She heard it； and I saw the pain in her expression。
I stood up and walked about the room。 I looked back at her； this baby woman； with her tender mouth and her long loose black hair。
〃What's your name？〃 I asked her。
〃Zenobia；〃 she replied。 〃Why can't you read it from my mind？ She could always read my thoughts。〃
〃I could do it；〃 I said； 〃if I wanted to do it。 But I would rather talk to you。 Your beauty confuses me。 I would rather hear your voice。 Who made you a vampire？〃
〃One of her slaves；〃 she said。 〃The one named Asphar。 He's gone too； isn't he？〃 she asked。 〃They're all gone。 I saw the ashes。〃 She gestured vaguely to the other rooms。 She murmured a string of names。
〃Yes；〃 I said； 〃they're all dead。〃
〃You would have slain me too if I'd been here；〃 she said； with the same wondering and hurt…filled expression。
〃Perhaps；〃 I said。 〃But it's over now。 It was a battle。 And when a battle is finished； everything changes。 Who else has been hidden away？〃
〃No one；〃 she answered truthfully； 〃only me； with one mortal slave； and when I woke tonight； he was gone。〃
I must have looked very dejected for surely I felt that way。
She turned and with the slowness of a dazed person； reached under the heavy pillows at the head of the bed； and withdrew a dagger。
Then she rose and made her way to me。 She held up the dagger with two hands； the tip pointed at my chest。 She stared before her； but not into my eyes。 Her long wavy black hair fell down around her on both sides of her face。
〃I should take vengeance；〃 she said quietly； 〃but you will only stop me if I try。〃
〃Don't try it；〃 I said in the same calm voice I had used for her all along。 I pushed the dagger away gently。 And putting my arm around her； I led her back to the bed。
〃Why didn't she give you the Blood？〃 I asked。
〃Her blood was too strong for us。 She told us so。 All her blood drinker slaves were stolen or made one by another under her direction。 She said that her blood was not to be shared。 It would e with strength and silence。 Make a blood drinker and you cannot ever hear his thoughts afterwards。 That's what she told us。 So Asphar made me and I was deaf to Asphar and Asphar was deaf to me。 She must keep us all in obedience and that she could not do if we were made from her powerful blood。〃
It pained me now that Eudoxia was the teacher； and Eudoxia was dead。
This one was studying me； and then she asked in the simplest voice：
〃Why don't you want me？ What can I do to make you want me？〃 She went on speaking tenderly。 〃You're very beautiful；〃 she said； 〃with your light yellow hair。 You look like a god； really； tall as you are and with your blue eyes。 Even she thought you were beautiful。 She told me you were。 I was never allowed to see you。 But she told me that you were like the North men。 She described you as you walked about in your red robes…。〃
〃Don't say any more； please；〃 I said。 〃You don't have to flatter me。 It won't matter。 I can't take you with me。〃
〃Why？〃 she asked。 〃Because I know about the Mother and the Father？〃
I was shocked。
I should read her thoughts； all her thoughts； ransack her soul for everything she knew； I thought； but I didn't want to do it。 I didn't want that feeling of intimacy with her。 Her beauty was too much； there was no denying it。
Unlike my paragon； Pandora； this lovely creature had the promise of a virgin…that one could make of her what one wanted while losing nothing…and I believed that promise to contain a lie。
I answered her in a warm whisper trying not to hurt her。
〃That's precisely the reason I can't take you； that； and because I must be alone。〃
She bowed her head。 〃What am I to do？〃 she asked。 〃Tell me。 Men will e here； mortal men；〃 she said； 〃wanting the taxes on this house or some other triviality and I shall be discovered and called a witch or a heretic and dragged into the streets。 Or during the day they will e and find me sleeping like the dead beneath the floor； and lift me； hoping to revive me； into the certain death of the sun's light。〃
〃Stop； I know it all；〃 I said。 〃Don't you see； I'm trying to reason！ Leave me alone for now。〃
〃If I leave you alone；〃 she said； 〃I'll start weeping or screaming in my grief； and you won't be able to bear it。 You'll desert me。〃
〃No； I won't；〃 I said。 〃Be quiet。〃
I paced the floor； my heart aching for her； and my soul hurting for myself that this had fallen to me。 It seemed a terrible justice f