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！
Yet Krishna said I would have his grace if I obeyed him。
And I have。 But what did he promise Yaksha？ The same？
I do not believe so。
The scriptures say the Lord is mischievous。
I think Krishna told him the opposite。
I open my eyes。 I stare at the road in front。 〃Are you afraid of dying； Seymour？〃
He speaks carefully。 〃Why do you ask？〃
〃You have AIDS。 You know it。〃
He sucks in a breath。 〃How did you know？〃
I shrug。 〃I know things。 You know things as well。 How did you catch it？ You don't seem gay。 You were staring at me too hard when I was naked。〃
〃You have an awesome body。〃
〃Thank you。〃
He nods。 〃I am HIV positive。 I suppose I have full…blown AIDS。 I have the symptoms： fatigue； skin cancer； bouts of parasitic pneumonia。 But I've been feeling good the last few weeks。 Do I look that bad？〃
〃You look awesome。 But sick。〃
He shakes his head。 〃I was in a car crash five years ago。 Ruptured my spleen。 I was with an uncle。 He died； but I got to the hospital in time。 They operated on me and gave me two pints of blood。 It was after the test for HIV was routine with all donated blood； but I guess this batch slipped through the cracks。〃 He shrugs。 〃So I'm another statistic。 Is that why you asked about fear of dying？〃
〃It was one reason。〃
〃I am afraid。 I think anybody would be lying if he said he wasn't afraid of death。 But I try not to think about it。 I'm alive now。 There are things I want to do 。。。〃
〃Stories you want to write；〃 I interrupt。
〃Yes。〃
I reach over and touch his arm。 〃Would you write a story about me someday？〃
〃What should I write？〃
〃Whatever es to mind。 Don't think about it too much。 Just whatever is there； write it down。〃
He smiles。 〃Will you read it if I write it？〃
I take my hand back and relax into the seat。 My eyes close again； I feel suddenly weary。 I am not mortal； at least I didn't think I was until tonight。 Yet now I feel vulnerable。 I am as afraid of death as everyone else。
〃If I get the chance；〃 I say。
8
Seymour takes me to my car and tries to follow me back to Mayfair。 But I speed away at a hundred miles an hour。 He is not insulted； I'm sure。 I warned him I'm in a hurry。
I go to my mansion by the sea。 I have not described it before because to me a house is a house。 I do not fall in love with them as do some mortals。 The house is on twenty acres of property； at the top of a wooded yard that reaches from my front porch all the way down to the rocky shore。 The driveway is narrow and winding； mostly hidden。 The house itself is mainly brick； Tudor style； unusual for this part of the country。 There are three stories； the top one has a wide view of the sea and coast。 There are many rooms； fireplaces and such； but I do most of my living in the living room； even though it has wide skylights that I have yet to board up。 I do not need a lot of space to be happy； although I have lived in mansions or castles since the Middle Ages。 I could be quite happy living in a box。 I say that as a joke。
My tastes in furniture are varied。 At present I surround myself with lots of wood： the chairs； the tables； the cabinets。 I sleep on a bed； not in a coffin； a grand mahogany affair with a black lace canopy。 I have gathered art over the centuries and have a vast and expensive collection of paintings and sculptures in Europe； but none of it in America。 I have gone through phases where art is important to me； but I am not in one now。 Still； I have a piano wherever I go。 I play almost every day； and with my speed and agility； I am the most acplished pianist in the world。 But I seldom write music； not because I am not creative； but because my melodies and songs are invariably sad。 I do not know why…I do not think of myself as a sad vampire。
Tonight； though； I am an anxious vampire； and it has been centuries since I felt the emotion。 I do not like it。 I hurry into my home and change and then rush back out to my car。 My concern is for Ray。 If it is Yaksha after me； and I have little doubt now； then he may try to get to me through Ray。 It seems a logical course to me based on the fact that Yaksha probably first became aware of me through Ray's father。 I now suspect Yaksha has been observing me since I first visited Mr。 Riley's office。 But why he didn't attack immediately； I don't know。 Maybe he wanted to study the enemy he hadn't seen for so long； to probe for weaknesses。 Yet Yaksha； more than any living or nonliving being； already knows where I am vulnerable。
I am still in shock that he is alive。
I drive to Ray's house and leap to the front door。 I half expect to find him gone； abducted。 For a moment I consider not ringing the doorbell； but to just barge in。 I have to remind myself that Ray is not Seymour； capable of accepting anything that es along。 I knock on the door。
Pat surprises me when she answers。
The girlfriend is not happy to see me。
〃What are you doing here？〃 Pat demands。
〃I have e to see Ray。〃 Pat must have called Ray's house while he was at my place； probably several times。 She must have called not long after he came home。 He probably invited her over to pacify her concerns。 But she does not look that pacified。
〃He's asleep；〃 Pat says。 She starts to slam the door in my face。 I stick out my arm。 She tries to force it shut。 Naturally； she is not successful。 〃Get out of here。 Can't you tell when you're not wanted？〃
〃Pat；〃 I say patiently。 〃Things are not as they appear。 They are much more plicated。 I need to see Ray because I believe he is in danger。〃
〃What are you talking about？〃
〃I cannot tell you； not easily。 I have to talk to Ray and I have to talk to him now。〃 I put my eye on her。 〃Please do not try to stop me。 It would not be a good idea。〃
She cowers under my stare。 I move to press her farther； but it bees unnecessary。 Upstairs； I hear Ray climb out of bed。 I wait a few seconds； then call out his name。
〃Ray！〃 I say。 I hear his steps quicken。 We both do。
〃He's mine；〃 Pat mutters as we wait for Ray to arrive。 She is sad； seemingly defeated already。 Instinctively she knows I have a power she does not； beyond my beauty。 Her love for him is genuine； I can see that； a rare thing in a girl her age。
〃Have hope；〃 I say sincerely。
Ray appears。 He has on sweat pants； no top。 〃What's going on？〃 he asks。
〃Lots of things。 I need to talk to you； alone。〃 I glance at Pat。 〃If that would be all right？〃
Her eyes are damp。 She lowers her head。 〃I can just go；〃 she mumbled。
Ray puts a hand on her shoulder。 〃No。〃 He gives me a sharp glance。 I have to be careful。 〃Tell me what it is？〃
〃It has to do with your father；〃 I say。
He is concerned。 〃What is it？〃
I am stubborn。 〃I must tell you alone。〃 I add； 〃I'm sorry； Pat。〃
Ray rubs her back。 〃Go upstairs to bed。 I'll be up in a few minutes。〃
Pat shakes her head； giving me a look as she leaves。 〃I don't think so。〃
When we are alone； Ray wants me to explain myself。 〃You told me you wouldn't hurt Pat；〃 he says。
〃My ing here could not be helped。 I have not been entirely honest with you； Ray。 I think you suspect that。〃
〃Yes。 You tampered with the file on my father's puter。〃
〃How did you know？〃
〃When I turned on the puter； I noted the size of the file。 It was large。 When I returned； most of it had been deleted。〃
I nod。 〃That file was about me。 Your father was investigating me。 He was hired by some people to do so； one man in particular。 This man is dangerous。 Tonight he sent some people to abduct me。 I managed to get away。 I believe he may e after you next。〃
〃Why me？〃
〃Because he knows you are my friend。 I believe he has been watching me today and tonight。 Also； even though this man hired your father； your father did not part pany with him on the best of terms。〃
〃How do you know that？〃
〃The people who came for me tonight told me。〃
〃What do you mean； they came for you？ Were they armed？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Then how did you get away from them？〃
〃They made a mistake； and I am resourceful。 I do not want to get into all of that now。 What is important is that you e with me now。〃
〃I'm not going anywhere until you tell me where my father is。〃
〃I can't。〃
〃You don't know？〃
I hesitate。 It is not easy for me to lie to those I love。 〃No。〃
Ray is suspicious。 His sense of the truth； and therefore of lies； is remarkable。 〃Do you think my father is in danger？〃 he asks。
〃Yes。〃
He hears the truth in that word。 〃We should call the police。〃
〃No！〃 I grab his arm。 〃The police cannot help us。 You have to e with me。 Trust me； Ray。 I can tell you more once we are at my house。〃
〃What will we do at your house that we can't do here？〃
〃You will see；〃 I say。
Ray consents to acpany me。 He goes upstairs to say goodbye to Pat。 I hear her crying； and wonder if she will not shed a stream of tears in the days to e。 I could be wrong。 I could be bringing Ray into danger； not away from it。 I scan up and down the street but see nothing。 Yet I feel eyes on me； powerful eyes such as my own。 I wonder if I am not reaching for Ray because I am afraid。
Maybe afraid to die alone。
Ray reappears in a few minutes； dressed。 We go to my car。 He has not seen it before and marvels that I have a Ferrari。 We drive toward my mansion and he wonders w