cp.reddice-第14部分

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　DNA；　vampiric；　and　one　other　form。　Yes；　it　is　true；　while　we　watched　the　people　twitch　on　the　floor　under　the　influence　of　my　bloody　aura；　Arturo　saw　more　deeply　than　I　did。　He　actually　understood　the　specific　molecule　whose　code　defined　the　body。　He　saw　the　molecule　in　a　vision；　and　he　watched　it　change　under　the　magnets；　crystals；　copper；　and　blood。　He　saw　the　double　helix　of　normal　DNA。　He　saw　the　twelve　straight　strands　of　my　DNA。　And　he　saw　how　the　two　could　be　conjoined。
　　〃We　need　twelve　helix　strands；〃　he　confided　in　me。　〃Then　we　will　have　our　perfect　being。〃
　　〃But　the　more　people　you　experiment　on；　the　more　attention　you　will　draw　to　yourself；〃　I　protested。　〃Your　Church　will　not　understand。　They　will　kill　you。〃
　　He　nodded　grimly。　〃I　understand。　And　I　cannot　keep　working　on　abnormal　people。　To　make　a　leap　toward　the　perfect　being；　I　must　work　with　a　normal　person。〃
　　I　sensed　what　was　in　his　mind。　〃You　cannot　experiment　on　yourself。〃
　　He　turned　away。　〃What　if　we　try　Ralphe？〃
　　〃No；〃　I　pleaded。　〃We　love　him　the　way　he　is。　Let's　not　change　him。〃
　　He　continued　to　stare　at　the　wall；　his　back　to　me。　〃You　changed　him；　Sita。〃
　　〃That　was　different。　I　knew　what　I　was　doing。　I　had　experience。　I　healed　his　wounds。　I　altered　his　body；　not　his　soul。〃
　　He　turned　to　me。　〃Don't　you　see　it's　because　I　love　Ralphe　as　much　as　you　do　that　I　want　to　give　him　this　chance？　If　we　can　change　him　from　the　inside　out；　transform　his　blood；　he　will　be　like　a　child　of　Christ。〃
　　〃Christ　never　knew　of　vampires；〃　I　warned。　〃You　should　not　mix　the　two　in　your　mind。　It's　blasphemy　…even　to　me。〃
　　Arturo　was　passionate。　〃How　do　you　know　he　didn't？　You　never　met　him。〃
　　I　got　angry。　〃Now　you　speak　like　a　fool。　If　you　want　to　experiment　on　anyone；　use　me。　You　promised　me　you　would　when　we　started　this。〃
　　He　stiffened。　〃I　can't　change　you。　Not　now。〃
　　I　understood　what　he　was　saying。　Suddenly　I　felt　the　weight　of　shattered　dreams。　In　my　mind　I　had　been　playing　with　a　daughter　who　had　never　been　born；　and　who　probably　never　would　be。
　　〃You　need　my　blood　first；〃　I　replied。　〃The　pure　vampire　blood。〃　It　was　true　he　had　to　replenish　the　blood　in　the　crystal　vial；　not　before　each　experiment；　but　often。　Old　blood　did　not　work…it　was　too　dead。　I　continued；　〃But　what　if　your　experiment　does　work　and　you　do　create　a　perfect　being？　I　cannot　give　enough　blood　to　alter　everyone　on　this　planet。〃
　　He　shrugged。　〃Perhaps　those　who　are　altered　can　bee　the　new　donors。〃
　　〃That　is　a　huge　perhaps。　Also；　I　know　people。　This　will　be　an　exclusive　club。　It　doesn't　matter　how　good　your　intentions　are　now。〃　I　turned　away　and　chuckled　bitterly。　〃Who　will　be　given　a　chance　at　perfection？　The　nobility？　The　clergy？　The　most　corrupt　will　feel　they　are　the　most　deserving。　It　is　the　oldest　lesson　of　history。　It　never　changes。〃
　　Arturo　hugged　me。　〃That　will　not　happen；　Sita。　God　has　blessed　this　work。　Only　good　can　e　from　it。〃
　　〃No　one　knows　what　God　has　blessed；〃　I　whispered。　〃And　what　he　has　cursed。〃
　　A　few　days　went　by　during　which　Arturo　and　I　hardly　spoke。　He　would　stay　up　late　making　models　of　molecules　no　one　had　seen；　afraid　to　talk　to　me；　to　touch　me。　I　never　realized　until　then　how　he　saw　me　as　both　a　gift　and　a　test　from　God。　Of　course　I　had　given　him　my　immortal　perception　on　the　matter；　but　he　had　seen　me　that　way　from　the　start。　I　brought　him　magic　blood　and　delicious　sensuality。　He　was　supposed　to　take　one　and　not　the　other；　he　thought。　He　lost　his　intuitive　sense　that　kept　him　from　mistakes；　I　believe；　because　he　no　longer　thought　he　was　worthy　of　having　it。　He　stopped　praying　to　God　and　started　muttering　to　himself　about　the　blood　of　Jesus　Christ。　He　was　more　obsessed　with　blood　than　I　was；　and　I　had　it　for　dinner　every　few　days。
　　One　evening　I　could　find　Ralphe　nowhere。　Arturo　said　he　had　no　idea　where　he　was。　Arturo　wasn't　lying；　but　he　wasn't　telling　the　whole　truth　either。　I　didn't　press　him。　I　think　I　didn't　want　to　know　the　truth。　Yet　had　I　insisted　he　tell　me；　I　might　have　stopped　the　horror；　before　it　got　out　of　hand。
　　The　screams　started　in　the　middle　of　night。
　　I　was　out　for　a　walk　at　the　time。　It　was　my　custom　to　go　out　late；　disguised；　find　a　homeless　person；　drink　a　pint　of　blood；　whisper　in　his　or　her　ear；　and　put　the　person　back　to　sleep。　Except　for　evil　priests；　I　didn't　often　kill　in　those　days。　The　cries　that　came　to　me　that　night　chilled　me　through。　I　ran　toward　the　sounds　as　fast　as　I　could。
　　I　found　five　bodies；　horribly　mangled；　their　limbs　torn　off。　Obviously；　only　a　being　of　supernatural　strength　could　have　mitted　these　acts。　One　person；　a　woman　with　an　arm　lying　beside　her；　was　the　test　one　still　alive。　I　cradled　her　head　in　my　lap。
　　〃What　happened　I　asked。　〃Who　did　this　to　you？〃
　　〃The　demon；〃　she　whispered。
　　〃What　did　this　demon　look　like？〃　I　demanded。
　　She　gagged。　〃A　hungry　angel。　The　blood…〃　Her　eyes　strayed　to　her　severed　arm　and　she　wept。　〃My　blood。〃
　　I　shook　her。　〃Tell　me　what　this　demon　looked　like？〃
　　Her　eyes　rolled　up　into　her　head。　〃A　child；〃　she　whispered　with　her　last　breath　and　died　in　my　arms。
　　Sick　at　heart；　I　knew　who　the　child　was。
　　Far　away；　on　the　far　side　of　the　town；　I　heard　more　screams。
　　I　flew　toward　them　but　once　again　I　was　too　late。　There　were　more　shredded　bodies；　and　this　time　there　were　witnesses。　An　angry　mob　with　burning　torches　was　gathering。　They　had　seen　the　demon　child。
　　〃It　was　heading　for　the　woods！〃　they　cried。
　　〃We　have　to　stop　it！〃　others　cried。
　　〃Wait！〃　I　yelled。　〃Look　how　many　it　has　killed。　We　can't　go　after　it　without　help。〃
　　〃It　killed　my　brother！〃　one　man　cried；　pulling　out　a　knife。　〃I'm　going　to　kill　it　myself。〃
　　The　mob　followed　the　man。　I　had　no　choice　but　to　tag　along。　As　we　wound　through　the　dark　streets；　we　found　still　more　bodies。　A　few　had　had　their　heads　ripped　off。　What　was　the　mob　thinking？　I　asked　myself。　They　would　fare　no　better　against　the　monster。　Of　course　mobs　and　rational　thought　are　not　plementary。　I　have　seen　too　many　mobs　in　my　day。
　　When　we　reached　the　trees　on　the　edge　of　town；　I　left　the　rabble　to　search　for　the　monster　myself。　I　could　hear　it；　two　miles…ahead；　laughing　uproariously　as　it　tore　off　the　head　of　an　animal。　It　was　fast　and　strong；　but　I　was　a　pure　vampire；　not　a　hybrid。　It　would　be　no　match　for　me。
　　I　came　across　it　as　it　ducked　from　tree　to　tree；　preparing　to　attack　the　mob。
　　〃Ralphe；〃　I　whispered　as　I　moved　up　behind　him。
　　He　whirled　around；　his　face　covered　with　blood；　a　wild　light　in　his　eyes。　Or　I　should　say；　no　light　shone　there。　His　eyes　were　snakelike。　He　was　a　serpent　on　the　prowl；　searching　for　the　eggs　of　another　reptile。　Yet　he　recognized　me…a　faint　flicker　of　affection　crossed　his　face。　If　it　was　not　for　that；　I　would　have　killed　him　instantly。　I　had　no　hope　he　could　be　converted　back　to　what　he　had　been。　I　have　intuition　of　my　own。　Some　things　I　simply　know。　Usually　the　bitterest　of　things。
　　〃Sita；〃　he　hissed。　〃Are　you　hungry？　I　am　hungry。〃
　　I　moved　closer；　not　wanting　to　alert　the　mob；　which　was　closing　in。　Ralphe　had　left　a　trail　of　blood。　The　stuff　dripped　off　him；　it　was　enough　to　make　even　me　sick。　My　heart　broke　in　my　chest　as　he　came　within　arm's　reach。
　　〃Ralphe；〃　I　said　softly；　all　the　time　knowing　it　was　hopeless。　〃I　have　to　take　you　back　to　Arturo。　You　need　help。〃
　　Terror　disfigured　his　bloody　expression。　Obviously　the　transformation　had　not　been　pleasant　for　him。　〃I　will　not　go　back　there！〃　he　shouted。　〃He　made　me　hungry！〃　Ralphe　paused　to　stare　down　at　his　sticky　hands。　A　portion　of　his　humanity　did　indeed　remain。　His　voice　faltered　on　a　lump　of　sorrow　in　his　throat。　〃He　made　me　do　this。〃
　　〃Oh；　Ralphe。〃　I　took　him　in　my　arms。　〃I'm　so　sorry。　This　should　never　have　happened。〃
　　〃Sita；〃　he　whispered；　nuzzling　his　face　into　my　body。　I　could　not　kill　him；　I　told　myself。　Not　for　the　whole　world。　But　just　as　I　swore　the　vow　inside；　I　leapt　back　in　pain；　barely　stifling　a　cry。　He　had　bitten　me！　His　sorrow　had　vanished　in　a　lick　of　his　lips。　I　watched　in　horror　as　he　chewed　down　a　portion　of　my　right　arm；　an　insane　grin　on　his　face。　〃I　like　you；　Sita；〃　he　said。　〃You　taste　good！〃
　　〃Would　you　like　more？〃　I　asked；　offering　him　my　other　arm；　tears　filling　my　eyes。　〃You　can　have　all　you　want。　e　closer；　Ralphe。　I　like　you；　too。〃
　　〃Sita；〃　he　said　lustfully　as　he　grabbed　my　arm　and　started　to　take　another　bite。　It　was　then　I　spun　him　around　in　my　arms　and　gripped　his　skull　from　behind。　With　all　the　force　I　could　muster　and　before　my　tears　overwhelmed　me；　I　yanked　his　head　back　and　to　the　side。　Every　bone　in　his　neck　broke。　His　small　body　went　limp　in　my　arms…he　had　not　felt　any　pain；　I　told　myself。
　　〃My　Ralphe；〃　I　whispered；　running　my　hands　through　his　long　fine　hair。
　　I　should　have　fled　with　his　body　then；　buried　it　in　the　hills。　But　the　execution　was　too　much；　even　for　a　monster　like　me。　The　life　went　out　of　me　and　I　wanted　to　collapse。　When　the　mob　found　me；　I　was　cradling
　　Ralphe's　body　in　my　arms；　weeping　like　a　mon　mortal。　My　ancient　daughter；　my　young　son…God　had　stolen　them　both　from　me。
　　The　mob　surrounded　me。
　　They　wanted　to　know　how　I　had　stopped　th